1.
Meta-Analysis of the Impact of Pre-Procedural Serum Albumin on Mortality in Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement
Liu G, Hu X, Long M, Du ZM, Li Y, Hu CH
International heart journal. 2020
Abstract
Pre-procedural serum albumin's impact on prognosis after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has been studied. Literature on the prognostic role of serum albumin in the survival of patients undergoing TAVR shows conflicting results. This meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the impact of pre-procedural serum albumin on outcomes after TAVR. A comprehensive literature search of EMBASE, MEDLINE, and the Cochrane Library was undertaken through July 2019. The primary end points were 30-day and one-year all-cause mortality after TAVR. Risk ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using the random-effect model. Ten eligible studies with 8,236 patients were analyzed. Of the 8,236 patients undergoing TAVR, with a mean age of 83 years, 48.8% were men and were categorized into two groups according to low and normal serum albumin (cut-off value: 3.5 or 4 g/dL). Overall, low albumin was significantly associated with an approximately two-fold increase in 30-day all-cause mortality (HR, 2.09; 95% CI, 1.53-2.86) and a 61% increase risk for one-year mortality (HR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.31-1.98) in patients after TAVR. Sensitivity analyses showed the results to be robust. The association of low albumin level with an increase in one-year mortality risk was not modified by study design, albumin cut-off value, Society of Thoracic Surgeons Predicted Risk of Mortality (STS-PROM), and study quality. In conclusion, low albumin levels were associated with poor prognosis in patients after TAVR. Pre-procedural albumin can be used as a simple tool related to prognosis after TAVR.
2.
Timing of surgery for aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Yao Z, Hu X, Ma L, You C, He M
International Journal of Surgery (London, England). 2017;48:266-274.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The timing of surgery for aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage influences the outcome, but the optimal timing remains controversial. We conducted a systematic review to clarify whether early surgery was better than late surgery for improving outcome. MATERIALS AND METHODS We systematically searched several databases to screen eligible studies. After synthesizing data, an overall effect was shown using a risk ratio (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Subgroup analyses were stratified by multiple variables to control the confounding factors. Sensitivity analyses were applied to check the robustness of the results. Publication bias was measured with Egger's and Begg's tests. RESULTS A total of 14 studies were included in the analysis. Compared with late surgery, early surgery significantly decreased the incidence of poor outcome, regardless of whether patients were in good condition (RR, 0.65 [95%CI, 0.50 0.84]; p = 0.001) or in poor condition on admission (RR, 0.71 [95%CI, 0.61 0.83]; p < 0.0001). Moreover, when patients were in good condition on admission, early surgery also effectively reduced the death rate (RR, 0.61 [95%CI, 0.46 0.82]; p = 0.001). Additionally, early surgery reduced the death rate compared with late surgery in patients older than 50 years (RR, 0.49 [95%CI, 0.27 0.89]; p < 0.002). CONCLUSIONS Early surgery was superior to late surgery in reducing a poor outcome and death rate when patients were in good condition on admission, and decreased the incidence of poor outcome when patients were in poor condition on admission. Age was a potential confounding factor, influencing the effect of early surgery. Further study is required on this issue.