Dermatology Forum (EDF); European Association of Dermato-Oncology (EADO); European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC). Diagnosis and treatment of invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the skin: European consensus-based interdisciplinary guideline.

No abstract

Background: Structural remodeling in chronic systolic heart failure (HF) is associated with neurohormonal and hemodynamic perturbations among HF patients presenting with cardiogenic shock (CS) and HF. Objectives: To test the hypothesis was that atrial remodeling marked by an increased right atrial volume index (RAVI) to left atrial volume index (LAVI) ratio is associated with adverse clinical outcomes in CS. Methods: Patients included were admitted to the intensive care unit with evidence of congestion (pulmonary capillary wedge pressure >15) and cardiogenic shock (cardiac index <2.2, systolic blood pressure <90 mmHg, and clinical evidence supporting CS) and had an admission echocardiogram. LAVI and RAVI were measured using the biplane disc summation method by two independent observers. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was used to assess the association of RAVI-LAVI with the combined outcome of death or left ventricular assist device (LVAD). Results: Among 113 patients (mean age 59 ± 14.9 years, 29.2% female), median RAVI/LAVI was 0.84. During a median follow-up of 12 months, 43 patients died, and 65 patients had the combined outcomes of death or LVAD.Patients with RAVI/LAVI ratio above the median had a greater incidence of death or LVAD (Log-rank p=<0.001), and increasing RAVI/LAVI was significantly associated with the outcomes of death or LVAD (HR 1.71 95% CI 1.11-2.64, chi square 5.91, p=0.010) even after adjustment for patient characteristics and hemodynamic variables. Conclusion: RAVI/LAVI is an easily assessed novel echocardiographic parameter with strong associations with the survival or the need for mechanical circulatory support in patients with CS.

Background. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been linked to sudden cardiac death (SCD). Prolonged QT is a recognized electrocardiographic (ECG) marker of abnormal ventricular repolarization linked to increased risk of SCD. We hypothesized that individuals with OSA have more pronounced abnormality in daytime QT interval. Methods. We reviewed consecutive patients who underwent clinically indicated polysomnography with 12-lead ECG within 1 year at a single center. Heart rate-corrected QT interval (QTc) was compared by OSA severity class (normal/mild: apnea‐hypopnea index AHI<15/hr (n=72); moderate: 15-30 (n=72); severe: >30 (n=105)) adjusting for body mass index, age, sex, hypertension, and heart failure. Further evaluation was performed by dividing patients into severe (AHI>30) and nonsevere (<30) OSA. Logistic analysis was used to determine association of OSA severity and abnormal QTc (>450/>470 ms for men/women, respectively). Results. A total of 249 patients were included. QTc was similar between the normal/mild and moderate groups, and the overall QTc trend increased across OSA (normal/mild: 435.6 ms; moderate: 431.36; severe: 444.4; p trend=0.03). Abnormal QTc was found amongst 34% of male and 31% of female patients. Patients with severe OSA had longer QTc compared with normal/mild OSA (mean difference (95% CI): 10.0 ms (0.5, 19.0), p=0.04). When stratified dichotomously (as opposed to three groups), patients with severe OSA again had longer QTc (vs. nonsevere OSA) (444.4 ms vs. 433.48 ms, p=0.004). Severe OSA was also associated with abnormal QTc (OR (95% CI): 2.68 (1.34, 5.48), p=0.006). Conclusions. In a sleep clinic cohort, severe OSA was associated with higher QTc and clinically defined abnormal QTc compared with nonsevere OSA.

Background and ObjectiveaaThe association between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and atrial fibrillation (AF) has been closely studied. However, obesity is a powerful confounder in the causal relationship between OSA and cardiovascular disease. The contribution of obesity in the relationship between OSA and AF remains unclear. MethodsaaWe recruited 457 consecutive patients equally with and without AF who underwent clinically indicated diagnostic polysomnography at a single academic sleep center. Multivariable logistic regression adjusting for age, sex, hypertension, and heart failure was performed to study the independent association between OSA and AF stratified by obesity. ResultsaaA total of 457 patients (male: 56.2%, mean age 63.1 ± 13.3 years) was included. OSA prevalence was similar between those with and without AF (52.6% vs. 47.4%, respectively; p = 0.24). In multivariable analysis, no association was found between AF and OSA regardless of obesity status. When severe OSA (vs. non-severe OSA) was modeled as a dependent variable, AF was associated with a higher likelihood of severe OSA in non-obese patients [odds ratio (OR): 2.29, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.23-4.35, p = 0.01], but not in obese patients (OR: 0.95, 95% CI: 0.48-1.90, p = 0.89). ConclusionsaaThe association of OSA with AF was present only in the non-obese and was limited to severe OSA patients. In contrast, no association was found in obese patients. The association between OSA and AF is partly dependent on the body habitus.