Objective To explore the perioperative therapeutic effects and follow-up manage-ment in 16 patients with left ventricular assist device(LVAD)implantation.Methods A retrospec-tive analysis was conducted in data of 16 patients who underwent LVAD implantation in the depart-ment of cardiovascular surgery.Data of 6-minute walk test(6MWT),European Quality of Life-5 Di-mension-5 Levels(EQ-5D-5L),New York Heart Association(NYHA)classification,echocardio-graphy,chest radiography,cardiothoracic ratio,and occurrence of complications(infection,bleed-ing,thrombosis,right heart failure,neurological issues)were collected via the electronic medical re-cord system before surgery and at 30,60,and 90 days postoperatively.Results All patients sur-vived with the pump at 90 days postoperatively.One patient with preoperative renal insufficiency un-derwent dialysis and received a heart transplant after 8 months.One patient developed a sterile granu-loma at the percutaneous lead site on the abdominal wall,which improved after treatment,no complica-tions occurred in other patients.At 90 days postoperatively,there was no statistically significant differ-ence in the right ventricular area change fraction and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion com-pared with preoperative values(P＞0.05).The left ventricular ejection fraction,left ventricular end-diastolic diameter,and cardiothoracic ratio showed significant improvement compared with preoperative levels(P＜0.05).At 30 days postoperatively,30％of patients recovered to NYHA class Ⅰ and 70％to class Ⅱ;at 60 days,80％of patients to class Ⅰ and 20％to class Ⅱ;at 90 days,90％to classⅠ and 10％to class Ⅱ.The 6MWT and EQ-5D-5L scores of patients significantly increased within 90 days postoperatively(P＜0.01).Conclusion Through rigorous preoperative assessment by a multidisciplinary LVAD team,refinement of surgical techniques,and comprehensive management during hospitalization,self-management before discharge,daily follow-up after discharge,and fol-low-up management upon returning to the hospital for patients with LVAD implantation,the cardiac function and quality of life of patients are significantly improved at 90 days postoperatively.

Objective To summarize the clinical experience of the treatment for complex aortic coarctation with extra anatomic bypass and anatomic correction techniques. Methods The clinical data of patients with complex aortic coarctation treated in the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University and Friendship Hospital of Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture between April 2012 and November 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. Results A total of 12 patients were enrolled, including 5 males and 7 females aged 11-54 (34.3±16.2) years. Extra anatomic bypass grafting was performed in 8 patients and anatomic correction was performed in 4 patients. The operations were successful in all patients. There was no perioperative death. The average cardiopulmonary bypass time was 203.0±46.0 min (7 median incision patients), and the average intraoperative blood loss was 665.0±102.0 mL. The average postoperative ventilator support time was 32.3±7.5 h, and the average postoperative hospital stay time was 10.2±4.3 d. The mean drainage volume of median incision was 1 580.0±360.0 mL, and the mean drainage time was 9.3±2.7 d. The mean drainage volume of left thoracotomy was 890.0±235.0 mL, and the mean drainage time was 4.8±2.5 d. One patient had a transient hoarse after operation and recovered 6 months later. The follow-up period ranged from 2 to 10 years with an average time of 81.0±27.0 months. All patients had a recovery of hypertension, cardiac afterload after 2 years postoperatively. One patient who received an artificial blood vessel replacement in situ was examined stenosis recurrence at the third year after discharge. Others were asymptomatic during the follow-up period. There were no death or other complications. Conclusion The treatment strategy for complex aortic coarctation should be individualized according to the anatomical features and concomitant heart diseases. Extra anatomic bypass technique is a safe and feasible choice.

Objective:To discuss the perioperative management strategy of the HeartCon left ventricular assist device in the treatment of adult patients with end-stage heart failure and evaluate the effectiveness of blood pump.Methods:Ten consecutive patients with end-stage heart failure treated with the LVAD HeartCon at the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Jiangsu Province Hospital from July 2021 to July 2023 were enrolled in this study. The clinical data and follow-up results were retrospectively analyzed. Blood pump parameter, cardiac function classification, liver and kidney function, coagulation, myocardial markers, N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide, von Willebrand factor antigen, echocardiography, cardiothoracic ratio, and 6-minute walking distance test (6MWT) were evaluated before and after implantation of LVAD in 30, 60, 90, 180, 360, 540, and 720 days. EQ-5D-5L questionnaire was used to evaluate the quality of life.Results:There were 9 males and 1 female with a mean age of (53.7±9.7) years. All patients survived. Renal insufficiency occurred in 1 patient and recurrent aseptic granuloma occurred in 1 patient. There were no significant differences in aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), serum creatinine (Scr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), right ventricular fractional area change (FAC) and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) between pre-operation and 30, 60 and 90 days post-operation( P>0.05). The levels of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), von Willbrand factor (vWF) antigen, left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVDd) and cardiothoracic ratio decreased significantly on the 30th, 60th and 90th day after operation ( P<0.05). The left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), 6MWT and EQ-5D-5L scores were significantly increased at 30, 60 and 90 days after operation compared with those before operation ( P<0.05). Conclusion:With the left ventricular assist device HeartCon, the cardiac function and quality of life of patients were significantly improved within 3 months after operation, and no serious complications were observed, proving that the device is safe and effective.

A long-held belief is that pituitary hormones bind to their cognate receptors in classical target glands to actuate their manifold functions. However, a number of studies have shown that multiple types of pituitary hormone receptors are widely expressed in non-classical target organs. Each pituitary gland-derived hormone exhibits a wide range of nonconventional biological effects in these non-classical target organs. Herein, the extra biological functions of pituitary hormones, thyroid-stimulating hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, adrenocorticotrophic hormone, and prolactin when they act on non-classical organs were summarized, defined by the novel concept of an "atypical pituitary hormone-target tissue axis." This novel proposal explains the pathomechanisms of abnormal glucose and lipid metabolism, obesity, hypertension, fatty liver, and atherosclerosis while offering a more comprehensive and systematic insights into the coordinated regulation of environmental factors, genetic factors, and neuroendocrine hormones on human biological functions. The continued exploration of the physiology of the "atypical pituitary hormone-target tissue axis" could enable the identification of novel therapeutic targets for metabolic diseases.
Humans ; Pituitary Hormones/metabolism* ; Luteinizing Hormone ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone ; Prolactin ; Pituitary Gland/metabolism*

Objective:To analyze and evaluate the safety and efficacy of a Chinese domestically manufactured Heart Con-type implantable third-generation magnetic and hydrodynamic levitation left ventricular assist device(LVAD) for the treatment of end-stage heart failure(ESHF), by reporting the results of eleven-center clinical trial on 50 cases.Methods:This study was a multicenter clinical trial, designed by means of prospective, multicenter and single-group target value. 50 subjects with ESHF were competitively enrolled and treated with HeartCon as the LVAD in eleven centers. The primary efficacy measure was survival, defined as either the subjects experiencing the transition to heart transplantation(HT) or myocardial recovery assisted by the device within 90 days, or as successfully assisted by the LVAD for full 90 days after implantation. The target survival rate was 60%, other observations included implantation success rate, mortality, pump failure needing replacement or emergency heart transplantation.Results:All enrolled 50 patients received LVAD implantation successfully, 46 survived with the pump for 90 days, 1 patient transitioned to heart transplantation, and 3 patients experienced pump thrombosis, within which 2 patients underwent pump replacement and continued to live with the pump for 90 days, and the other one received emergency heart transplantation. There were no dropout subjects. The survival rate at full 90 days after HeartCon implantation was 100%. The survival rates with pump in the full set analysis and the protocol set analysis were 96.00% and 95.92% respectively, which were higher than the target value of 60%. The differences were both statistically significant( P<0.05). Conclusion:The results of the multicenter clinical trial with the largest sample size in China using domestically manufactured third-generation LVAD has demonstrated that, HeartCon is a safe and effective LVAD to treat ESHF patients.

Objective:A case-control association analysis was performed to investigate if the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of N-cadherin(CDH2) gene is implicated in schizophrenia in a Han Chinese population.Methods:A total of 528 patients with paranoid schizophrenia and 528 healthy controls were recruited from northern Henan province to analyze 25 SNPs located in CDH2 gene.The clinical symptoms of 267 first-episode schizophrenia patients were evaluated with positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS), and the correlation between CDH2 gene and clinical symptoms was analyzed by SNPStats software online.Results:Allele frequencies of rs9951577 and rs1231268 were significantly correlated with schizophrenia( P<0.05), genotype frequency of rs1639387 was significantly correlated with schizophrenia( P=0.044). After gender classification, SNPs rs1789470 and rs28365328 were found to be significantly correlated with schizophrenia in female patients ( P=0.044, 0.019). In addition, the study found that CDH2 was correlated with the clinical characteristics of schizophrenia( P<0.05), and the negative factor score of patients between GG type rs1231268 and the other two genotypes (AG+ AA) ((21.12±8.41) vs (18.87±7.52)) was statistically significant ( P<0.05). Conclusion:CDH2 gene may be one of the susceptibility genes to SZ, and has definite correlation with clinical negative symptoms.

Objective     To investigate the influence of prior percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on the outcome of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Methods     Clinical data of 5 216 patients from Jiangsu Province CABG registry who underwent primary isolated CABG from 2016 to 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into a PCI group (n=673) and a non-PCI group (n=4 543) according to whether they had received PCI treatment. The PCI group included 491 males and 182 females, aged 62.6±8.2 years, and the non-PCI group included 3 335 males and 1 208 females, aged 63.7±8.7 years. Multivariable logistic regression and propensity score matching (PSM) were used to compare 30-day mortality, incidence of major complications and 1-year follow-up outcomes between the two groups. Results     Both in original cohort and matched cohort, there was no statistical difference in the 30-day mortality [14 (2.1%) vs. 77 (1.7%), P=0.579; 14 (2.1%) vs. 11 (1.6%), P=0.686], or the incidence of major complications (myocardial infarction, stroke, mechanical ventilation≥24 h, dialysis for new-onset renal failure, deep sternal wound infection and atrial fibrillation) (all P>0.05). The rate of reoperation for bleeding in the PCI group was higher than that in the non-PCI group [19 (2.8%) vs. 67 (1.5%), P=0.016; 19 (2.8%) vs. 7 (1.0%), P=0.029]. Both in original cohort and matched cohort, there was no statistical difference in 1-year survival rate between the two groups [613 (93.1%) vs. 4 225 (94.6%), P=0.119; 613 (93.1%) vs. 630 (95.2%), P=0.124], while the re-admission rate in the PCI group was significantly higher than that in the non-PCI group [32 (4.9%) vs. 113 (2.5%), P=0.001; 32 (4.9%) vs. 17 (2.6%), P=0.040]. Conclusion     This study shows that a history of PCI treatment does not significantly increase the perioperative mortality and major complications of CABG, but increases the rate of cardiogenic re-admission 1 year postoperatively.

Objective:To examine the overall status of the Jiangsu Province Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Registry database.Methods:The patients date of Jiangsu Province Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Registry database from October 2017 to December 2019 was collected retrospectively.Risk factors, history, cardiac function (New York Heart Association class), extent of coronary artery lesion, European system for cardiac operative risk evaluation Ⅱ (EuroSCORE Ⅱ), cardiopulmonary bypss, arterial grafts, the numbers and flow of grafts and postoperative major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular event(MACCE) information were analyzed. The clinical data of patients underwent on-pump CABG(ONCABG) or off-pump CABG (OPCAB) were compared by t test or χ 2 test. Results:Up till December 2019, the database enrolled 7 138 patients, in which 4 661 patients receiving primary isolated CABG. There were 3 486 males and 1 175 females with the age of (64.6±8.1) years (range:31 to 87 years). There were coronary left main disease in 960 patients, triple vessel disease in 3 934 patients, both left main and triple vessel disease in 837 patients, ejection fraction >50% in 3 841 patients, cardiac function class Ⅲ to Ⅳ in 1 664 patients. EuroSCORE Ⅱ was (2.3±0.7)% (range: 0.5% to 35.8%). There were 2 731 patients (58.59%) underwent ONCABG and 1 930 patients (41.41%) underwent OPCAB. There were 4 144 patients (88.91%) for whom the left internal thoracic artery was harvested. Seven centers (2 centers routinely) used left radial artery, 5 centers (3 centers routinely) used the transit time flow meter. The graft was 3.4±0.7 (range:1 to 7), the aortic crossclamp time was (65.0±20.4) minutes (range: 21 to 196 minutes), the cardiopulmonary bypass time was (90.0±24.2) minutes (range: 33 to 227 minutes). In-hospital death ocurred in 84 patients(1.80%), while re-operation in 93 patients (2.00%), myocardial infarction in 71 patients (1.52%), cerebral infarction in 33 patients (0.71%) and dialysis in 56 patients (1.20%). There were 2 936 patients prescribed with secondary prevention drugs(62.99%).Comparing with OPCAB group, ONCABG group had younger age, more female, more diabetes mellitus, more history of myocardial infarction and percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, poorer cardiac function and coronary lesions, higher EuroSCORE Ⅱ, preoperatively (all P<0.05), and was associated with higher MACCE (135/2 731 vs. 71/1 930, χ 2=4.280, P=0.039), and of more grafts, transfusion and intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation application (all P<0.05). Conclusions:Jiangsu Province Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Registry database is generally in good operation, and some parameters still need to be improved. Comparing with OPCAB group, ONCABG has more severe preoperative general conditions, while the outcomes is acceptable.

Objective:To examine the overall status of the Jiangsu Province Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Registry database.Methods:The patients date of Jiangsu Province Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Registry database from October 2017 to December 2019 was collected retrospectively.Risk factors, history, cardiac function (New York Heart Association class), extent of coronary artery lesion, European system for cardiac operative risk evaluation Ⅱ (EuroSCORE Ⅱ), cardiopulmonary bypss, arterial grafts, the numbers and flow of grafts and postoperative major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular event(MACCE) information were analyzed. The clinical data of patients underwent on-pump CABG(ONCABG) or off-pump CABG (OPCAB) were compared by t test or χ 2 test. Results:Up till December 2019, the database enrolled 7 138 patients, in which 4 661 patients receiving primary isolated CABG. There were 3 486 males and 1 175 females with the age of (64.6±8.1) years (range:31 to 87 years). There were coronary left main disease in 960 patients, triple vessel disease in 3 934 patients, both left main and triple vessel disease in 837 patients, ejection fraction >50% in 3 841 patients, cardiac function class Ⅲ to Ⅳ in 1 664 patients. EuroSCORE Ⅱ was (2.3±0.7)% (range: 0.5% to 35.8%). There were 2 731 patients (58.59%) underwent ONCABG and 1 930 patients (41.41%) underwent OPCAB. There were 4 144 patients (88.91%) for whom the left internal thoracic artery was harvested. Seven centers (2 centers routinely) used left radial artery, 5 centers (3 centers routinely) used the transit time flow meter. The graft was 3.4±0.7 (range:1 to 7), the aortic crossclamp time was (65.0±20.4) minutes (range: 21 to 196 minutes), the cardiopulmonary bypass time was (90.0±24.2) minutes (range: 33 to 227 minutes). In-hospital death ocurred in 84 patients(1.80%), while re-operation in 93 patients (2.00%), myocardial infarction in 71 patients (1.52%), cerebral infarction in 33 patients (0.71%) and dialysis in 56 patients (1.20%). There were 2 936 patients prescribed with secondary prevention drugs(62.99%).Comparing with OPCAB group, ONCABG group had younger age, more female, more diabetes mellitus, more history of myocardial infarction and percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, poorer cardiac function and coronary lesions, higher EuroSCORE Ⅱ, preoperatively (all P<0.05), and was associated with higher MACCE (135/2 731 vs. 71/1 930, χ 2=4.280, P=0.039), and of more grafts, transfusion and intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation application (all P<0.05). Conclusions:Jiangsu Province Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Registry database is generally in good operation, and some parameters still need to be improved. Comparing with OPCAB group, ONCABG has more severe preoperative general conditions, while the outcomes is acceptable.

Objective To evaluate the role of calcineurin ( CaN)/nuclear factor of activated T cell cytoplasmic 4 protein ( NFATc4) signaling pathway in inflammatory responses in lung tissues of rats with ventilator-induced lung injury ( VILI) . Methods Twenty-four clean-grade healthy male Wistar rats, aged 5-8 weeks, weighing 220-250 g, were divided into 3 groups ( n=8 each) using a random number table method: control C (group C), VILI group and cyclosporine A plus VILI group (group CsA+VILI). The animals were anesthetized with pentobarbital and tracheostomized. The rats were mechanically ventilated for 6 h with the tidal volume set at 40 ml/kg and respiratory rate at 40 breaths/min to establish the model of VI-LI. The rats kept spontaneous breathing in group C. CaN specific inhibitor cyclosporine A 10 mg/kg was in-traperitoneally injected at 1 h before ventilation in group CsA+VILI. Rats were sacrificed immediately after ventilation, lung tissues were obtained and stained with hematoxylin and eosin to evaluate lung injury, broncho-alveolar lavage fluid was collected for determination of tumor necrosis factor-alpha ( TNF-α) , inter-leukin-1beta ( IL-1β) and IL-6 concentrations by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the lungs were removed for determination of the wet to dry weight ratio ( W/D ratio) , expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 ( ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 ( VCAM-1) ( by real-time polymerase chain reaction) , and expression of calcineurin and NFATc4 in lung tissues ( using Western blot ) . Results Compared with group C, the W/D ratio, lung injury scores and concentrations of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-αin BALF were significantly increased, and the expression of CaN, NFATc4, ICAM-1 mRNA and VCAM-1 mRNA was up-regulated in group VILI ( P＜0. 05) . Compared with group VILI, the W/D ratio, lung injury scores and concentrations of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-αin BALF were significantly decreased, and the expres-sion of CaN, NFATc4, ICAM-1 mRNA and VCAM-1 mRNA was down-regulated in group CsA+VILI ( P＜0. 05) . Conclusion CaN/NFATc4 signaling pathway mediates inflammatory responses in lung tissues of rats with VILI.