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Biomedical subjects

G Permanyer-Miralda

Publications and source records attributed to G Permanyer-Miralda.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Reproducibility of sequential head-up tilt testing in patients with recent syncope, normal ECG and no structural heart disease.

AIMS: To assess the reproducibility of the response to sequential head-up tilt tests. METHODS AND RESULTS: A head-up tilt test was performed early after syncope in 127 patients with a normal ECG and no structural heart disease. Patients with a positive response (82 patients) were randomized to two (1 week and 2 weeks later) or one (2 weeks later) additional head-up tilt tests, and patients with a negative response (45 patients) were randomized to a second head-up tilt test 1 or 2 weeks after the first. The reproducibility of a positive response in the second head-up tilt test was 80% after 1 week and 53% after 2 weeks (P<0.01). Only 53% of the patients with a positive response to a first and second head-up tilt test had a positive response to a third (P=0.01). Intra-individual variation in the time to a positive response was wide. The reproducibility of the cardioinhibitory responses was very poor. Reproducibility of a negative response was 80%. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with recent syncope, the rate of positive responses decreases with sequential head-up tilt tests. Furthermore, the time to a positive response in different head-up tilt tests shows important intra-individual variations, and the reproducibility of the cardioinhibitory responses is very poor. In contrast, the reproducibility of the negative responses is high.

Adolescent↗

Variations in diagnostic yield of head-up tilt test and electrophysiology in groups of patients with syncope of unknown origin.

AIMS: To assess the diagnostic yield of the head-up tilt test and electrophysiology in different groups of patients with syncope of unknown origin established according to simple clinical criteria. METHODS AND RESULTS: Six hundred consecutive patients with syncope of unknown origin submitted to a tilt test. Two hundred and forty seven of them also underwent electrophysiology. Patients were divided into groups according to age at the time of first syncope, ECG findings and the presence of organic heart disease. Positive responses to the tilt test were more common in patients who had suffered their first syncope at an age equal to or below 65 years (group I) than in older patients (group II) (47% vs 33%, P<0.05, OR 1.8, CI 1.2-2.78), and in patients with a normal ECG and without organic heart disease than in the other subgroups of patients (47% vs 37%, P<0.008, OR 1.6). The lowest rate of positive response was observed in older patients with an abnormal ECG and organic heart disease. Electrophysiology disclosed abnormal findings in group II more often than in group I (23% vs 7%, P<0.001, OR 3.7, CI 1.7-9.2). The diagnostic yield from electrophysiology was higher in patients with an abnormal ECG than in those with a normal ECG (22% vs 3.7%, P<0.0005, OR 7.1), and it was especially low in patients with a normal ECG and without organic heart disease (2.6%). CONCLUSION: The diagnostic yield of the tilt test and electrophysiology differs in groups of patients with syncope of unknown origin, established according to simple clinical criteria. These findings have a bearing on selecting the most appropriate test in a particular patient.

Adolescent↗

Long term results of mechanical prostheses for treatment of active infective endocarditis.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the long term results of mechanical prostheses for treating active infective endocarditis. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study of a consecutive series of patients diagnosed with infective endocarditis and operated on in the active phase of the infection for insertion of a mechanical prosthesis. SETTING: Tertiary referral centre in a metropolitan area. RESULTS: Between 1975 and 1997, 637 cases of infective endocarditis were diagnosed in the centre. Of these, 436 were left sided (with overall mortality of 20.3%). Surgical treatment in the active phase of the infection was needed in 141 patients (72% native, 28% prosthetic infective endocarditis). Mechanical prostheses were used in 131 patients. Operative mortality was 30.5% (40 patients). Ninety one survivors were followed up prospectively for (mean (SD)) 5.4 (4.5) years. Thirteen patients developed prosthetic valve dysfunction. Nine patients suffered reinfection: four of these (4%) were early and five were late. The median time from surgery for late reinfection was 1.4 years. During follow up, 12 patients died. Excluding operative mortality, actuarial survival was 86.6% at five years and 83.7% at 10 years; actuarial survival free from death, reoperation, and reinfection was 73.1% at five years and 59.8% at 10 years. CONCLUSIONS: In patients surviving acute infective endocarditis and receiving mechanical prostheses, the rate of early reinfection compares well with reported results of homografts. In addition, prosthesis dysfunction rate is low and long term survival is good. These data should prove useful for comparison with long term studies, when available, using other types of valve surgery in active infective endocarditis.

Acute Disease↗

Clinical clues to the causes of large pericardial effusions.

PURPOSE: To examine whether the size of the effusion, the presence of tamponade, and inflammatory signs are useful in determining the causes of moderate or severe pericardial effusions. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: All echocardiograms performed at a general hospital between January 1990 and April 1996 were screened for pericardial effusion. Patients with moderate (echo-free space of 10 to 20 mm during diastole) or severe (echo-free space >20 mm) effusions were studied. RESULTS: We identified 322 patients (166 [52%] men, mean [+/- SD] age 56 +/- 17 years [range 15 to 88 years]), 132 (41%) with moderate and 190 (59%) with severe pericardial effusion. The most frequent etiologic diagnoses were acute idiopathic pericarditis (n = 66 [20%]), iatrogenic effusions (n = 50 [16%]), cancer (n = 43 [13%]), and chronic idiopathic pericardial effusion (n = 29 [9%]). In 192 (60%) of the patients, the cause of the effusion was a known medical condition. In the 130 other patients, inflammatory signs were associated with acute idiopathic pericarditis (likelihood ratio = 5. 4, P < 0.001), severe effusions without inflammatory signs or tamponade were associated with chronic idiopathic pericardial effusion (likelihood ratio = 20, P < 0.001), and tamponade without inflammatory signs was associated with malignant effusions (likelihood ratio = 2.9, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In many patients, pericardial effusions are due to a known underlying disease or condition. In patients without underlying diseases, inflammatory signs, the size of effusion, and the presence or absence of cardiac tamponade can be helpful in establishing cause.

Acute Disease↗

Strategy for optimal aortic regurgitation quantification by Doppler echocardiography: agreement among different methods.

BACKGROUND: Although different Doppler methods have been validated for aortic regurgitation quantification, the benefit of combining information from different methods has not been defined. METHODS: Our study included 2 phases. In the initial phase (60 patients), Doppler parameters (jet width, short-axis jet area, apical jet area, regurgitant fraction from pulmonary and mitral flow, and deceleration slope) were correlated with angiography; range values for each severity grade were defined and intraobserver and interobserver and intermachine variability were studied. In the validation phase (158 patients), defined value ranges were prospectively tested and a strategy based on considering as the definitive severity grade that in which the two best methods agreed was tested. RESULTS: Jet width had the best correlation with angiography (r = 0.91), and its ratio with the left ventricular outflow diameter did not improve the correlation (r = 0.85) and decreased reproducibility. Apical jet area and regurgitant fraction from pulmonary flow permitted acceptable quantification (r = 0.87 and 0.86, respectively) but with worse reproducibility. The other methods were not assessable in 20% to 30% of studies. Concordance with angiography decreased in jet width when the jet was eccentric (90% vs 77%, P <.01), in apical jet area when mitral valve disease was present (84% vs 65%, P <.02), and in short-axis jet area and regurgitant fraction from pulmonary flow with concomitant aortic stenosis (77% vs 44%, P <.002 and 77% vs 53%, P <.02, respectively). Agreement with angiography was very high (94 [95%] of 99) when severity grade coincided in both jet width and apical jet area. In 59 cases without concordance, regurgitant fraction from pulmonary flow was used as a third method. Overall, this strategy permitted concordance with angiography in 146 patients (92%). CONCLUSIONS: Jet width is the best predictor in aortic regurgitation quantification by Doppler echocardiography. However, better results were obtained when a strategy based on concordance between jet width and another Doppler method was established, particularly when the jet was eccentric.

Adult↗

Long-term follow-up of idiopathic chronic pericardial effusion.

BACKGROUND: A large idiopathic chronic pericardial effusion can be defined as a collection of pericardial fluid that persists for more than three months and has no apparent cause. We conducted a prospective study of the natural history and treatment of this disorder. METHODS: Between 1977 and 1992, we prospectively evaluated and enrolled patients with large idiopathic chronic pericardial effusion. We performed pericardiocentesis in most of the patients. We performed pericardiectomy when large pericardial effusion reappeared after pericardiocentesis. Follow-up ranged from 18 months to 20 years (median, 7 years). RESULTS: During the study period, we evaluated a total of 1108 patients with pericarditis, 461 of whom had large pericardial effusion. Twenty-eight of these patients (age range, 7 to 85 years; median, 61) had large idiopathic chronic effusion and were included in the study. The duration of effusion ranged from 6 months to 15 years (median, 3 years). At the initial evaluation, 13 patients were asymptomatic. Overt tamponade was found in eight patients (29 percent). Therapeutic pericardiocentesis, performed in 24 patients, was followed by the disappearance of or marked reduction in the effusion in 8. Five of the 24 patients underwent early pericardiectomy, and in 11 large pericardial effusion reappeared. Cardiac catheterization, performed in 16 patients, showed elevated intrapericardial pressure (4.75+/-3.79 mm Hg) and reduced transmural pressure (1.0+/-2.50 mm Hg) before pericardiocentesis. Both of these abnormalities in pressure improved significantly after pericardiocentesis. Pericardiectomy, performed in 20 patients, yielded excellent long-term results. At the end of the follow-up period, 10 patients had died, but none had died from pericardial disease. CONCLUSIONS: Large idiopathic chronic pericardial effusion is well tolerated for long periods in most patients, but severe tamponade can develop unexpectedly at any time. Pericardiocentesis alone frequently results in the resolution of large effusions, but recurrence is common and pericardiectomy should be considered whenever a large effusion recurs after pericardiocentesis.

Adolescent↗

Attenuated severity of new acute ischemic events in patients with previous coronary heart disease receiving long-acting nitrates.

BACKGROUND: Platelet aggregation and secondary vasoconstriction are key events in the genesis of acute coronary syndromes. HYPOTHESIS: Since nitrates have vasodilatory and antiaggregant effects, treatment with long-acting nitrates at the time of onset of acute coronary syndromes could be associated with attenuation of their severity. METHODS: A consecutive series of 533 patients with acute coronary syndrome and past history of coronary artery disease admitted to the Cardiology Service of a general hospital was studied. A specific questionnaire assessed the use of nitrates and other relevant drugs, as well as other clinical variables. The diagnosis of unstable angina or acute myocardial infarction (MI) was established according to clinical, electrocardiographic, and enzymatic criteria. RESULTS: In the whole cohort, 169 patients had MI and 364 had unstable angina. Previous use of long-acting nitrates was significantly more common in patients with unstable angina (56%) than in those with MI (37%) (p < 0.0001). Multivariate analysis identified being a nonsmoker [odds ratio: 95%, confidence limits (CL) 0.37, 0.23-0.59], previous unstable angina (CL 0.62, 0.41-0.92), use of aspirin (CL 0.58, 0.41-0.92), and use of long-acting nitrates (CL 0.61, 0.40-0.93) as the independent predictors of the development of unstable angina rather than MI; of these the combination of nitrates and aspirin was the strongest predictor. CONCLUSIONS: Long-acting nitrates as well as aspirin are suggested to have a protective or modifying effect on the development of acute coronary syndromes, favoring unstable angina rather than acute MI.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗

Correlation between clinical and Doppler echocardiographic findings in patients with moderate and large pericardial effusion: implications for the diagnosis of cardiac tamponade.

BACKGROUND: Clinical data are of unquestionable value for management purposes in cardiac tamponade, whereas the precise value of Doppler echocardiographic findings is not yet fully understood. We aimed to prospectively assess the correlation between clinical and Doppler echocardiographic signs in the diagnosis of cardiac tamponade in a large series of patients with pericardial effusion. METHODS: During a 2-year period, all patients with moderate and large pericardial effusion were prospectively assessed. The presence of clinical findings suggesting cardiac tamponade, right cardiac chamber collapse on the echocardiogram, and Doppler venous flow pattern were simultaneously evaluated. RESULTS: One hundred ten patients were included (49 with moderate and 61 with large effusions). Thirty-eight patients showed clinical features suggestive of cardiac tamponade and 72 did not. In patients with clinical tamponade, 90% had collapse of one or more right cardiac chambers, but 4 (10%) did not have any collapse. Venous flow was analyzable in 63%, suggesting tamponade in 75% of the patients. In patients without clinical tamponade, 34% showed collapse of one or more cardiac chambers. Venous flow pattern was normal in 80%, inconclusive in 11%, and only suggestive of tamponade in 9% of patients. If clinical features of tamponade were considered the diagnostic standard, sensitivity and specificity would be 90% and 65% for the presence of any collapse, 68% and 66% for right atrial collapse, 60% and 90% for right ventricular collapse, and 45% and 92% for simultaneous collapse of both chambers. Sensitivity and specificity of venous flow analysis would be 75% and 91%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: There is a good correlation between absence of collapse and absence of tamponade, but the correlation is poor between collapse and tamponade. Abnormal venous flow has a good correlation with clinical features of tamponade, with a higher sensitivity than right ventricular collapse and a much higher specificity than right atrial collapse.

Cardiac Tamponade↗

Perceived health over 3 years after percutaneous coronary balloon angioplasty.

The magnitude of the benefit of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) in terms of quality of life depending on baseline and outcome clinical variables is not sufficiently understood because of the restrictive inclusion criteria of randomized clinical trials. The present study was designed to assess perceived health outcome at 3 years and its association with clinical variables after successful elective PTCA in a tertiary hospital throughout a prospective cohort study. Questionnaires were administered on the day before the procedure and 1 month and 3.4 years later (as mean follow-up) to 106 patients recruited during a 15-month period. Mean perceived health scores improved significantly for the population as a whole 1 month after PTCA, and improvement was maintained at the end of follow-up. The magnitude of the effect was different depending on clinical subgroups: (a) It was greatest in patients free from angina, myocardial infarction, or new revascularization procedures at the end of follow-up; (b) It was moderately reduced in patients with comorbidity; (c) Patients who reported to have dyspnea or angina at rest after the latest revascularization procedure did not improve, with poor final perceived health scores. Elective PTCA is associated with a significant improvement in perceived health, which varies depending on the clinical outcome. Comorbidity and initial perceived health influence outcome but do not preclude improvement.

Adult↗

Validation of the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR) classification for managing unstable angina.

To validate the AHCPR classification for the prognosis of unstable angina, 225 consecutive patients were recruited with a suspected diagnosis of that condition attending a tertiary hospital from November 1994 through April 1995 and followed for one year. One-hundred fifty-six (69.3%) patients were considered at high risk, 37 (16.5%) at intermediate, and 32 (14.2%) at low risk of cardiac complications. All of the patients with major in-hospital cardiac complications (8 patients) had at least one of the features of the high risk group. The high to intermediate-low hazard ratio (HR) for one-year cardiac complications after the onset of unstable angina was 4.03. Predictors of major complications (myocardial infarction or death) after the follow-up were age > 65 (HR, 5.69); diabetes (HR, 4.94); heart failure (HR, 2.65); and prolonged angina (HR, 2.55). AHCPR classification correctly identified patients with risk of severe outcomes at the hospital. Also, the classification predicted outcomes one year after hospitalization, diabetes being an important determinant of adverse cardiac events.

Aged↗

Clinical usefulness of head-up tilt test in patients with syncope and intraventricular conduction defect.

Head-up tilt test was performed in 99 patients with syncope of unknown origin and intraventricular conduction defect. Twenty-five per cent had a positive response to tilt with reproduction of spontaneous clinical symptoms. Holter recording revealed paroxysmal atrioventricular (AV) block in three patients. Carotid sinus massage was positive in four patients. An electrophysiological study was performed in 76 patients with abnormal findings in 17 (22%). Thus, vasovagal syncope was the discharge diagnosis in 25 patients (25%). Therefore, tilt test should be considered in patients with intraventricular conduction defect presenting with syncope of unknown origin, especially if clinical findings suggest the possibility of a vasovagal mechanism, or if the results of the electrophysiological study are inconclusive.

Adolescent↗

Heart failure after aortic valve replacement for aortic regurgitation: prospective 20-year study.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to assess the probability of development of heart failure during a long-term follow-up in patients submitted for aortic valve replacement for aortic regurgitation on the basis of preoperative findings. METHODS AND RESULTS: Eighty-seven consecutive patients with pure aortic regurgitation and normal coronary arteries were submitted for aortic valve replacement and prospectively followed up. Clinical examination, echocardiography, and radionuclide ejection fraction were performed before surgery and at 1, 2, 5, and 10 years after surgery. Operative mortality rate was 2.2% (2 patients). The follow-up period was 1 to 12 years (mean 6 years). Overall survival rate was 87% at 5 years and 81% at 10 years. During follow-up, 19 patients had heart failure develop, and there were 14 deaths (6 caused by heart failure). Probability of heart failure was 16% at 5 years and 24% at 10 years. Age was the single independent preoperative predictor of both death and heart failure. Age >50 years (relative risk [RR] 10.4), preoperative ejection fraction <40% (RR 10.6), and end-systolic diameter >50 mm (RR 74) were independently related to the postoperative development of heart failure. CONCLUSIONS: Aortic valve replacement can be performed safely in patients with severe aortic regurgitation by following current recommendations. Age >50, end-systolic diameter >50 mm, and radionuclide ejection fraction <40% were independent preoperative predictors of postoperative heart failure. The only independent predictor of both postoperative death and heart failure was age >50 years.

Adult↗

Should pericardial drainage be performed routinely in patients who have a large pericardial effusion without tamponade?

PURPOSE: To assess whether drainage of pericardial effusion by pericardiocentesis or surgery is justified as a routine measure in the initial management of patients with large pericardial effusion without tamponade or suspected purulent pericarditis. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: All patients with large pericardial effusion without tamponade or suspected purulent pericarditis who were seen at our institution during a span of 6 years (1990 to 1995) were retrospectively (46) or prospectively (25) reviewed. Large pericardial effusion was defined as a sum of echo-free pericardial spaces in diastole exceeding 20 mm. RESULTS: Large pericardial effusion was diagnosed in 162 patients, 71 of whom fulfilled criteria for inclusion. Of these, 26 underwent a pericardial drainage procedure. Diagnostic yield was 7%, as only 2 specific diagnoses were made using these procedures. During follow-up (95% of patients, median 10 months), no patient developed cardiac tamponade or died as a result of pericardial disease, nor did any new diagnoses become manifest in the 45 patients who did not have pericardial drainage initially. Moderate or large effusions persisted in only 2 of 45 patients managed conservatively. CONCLUSIONS: Routine pericardial drainage procedures have a very low diagnostic yield in patients with large pericardial effusion without tamponade or suspected purulent pericarditis, and no clear therapeutic benefit is obtained with this approach. Clinical outcomes depend on underlying diseases, and do not appear to be influenced by drainage of pericardial fluid.

Adult↗

[Trends of morbidity and mortality in chronic heart failure in Catalonia].

INTRODUCTION: The epidemiology of chronic heart failure, specifically its morbidity and mortality, is insufficiently known, despite the fact that it has an important economic impact because of the pharmacological treatment and the high hospitalization rate. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the trends of mortality and morbidity of chronic heart failure in Catalonia during the periods 1975-1994 and 1989-1994 respectively. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Specific mortality and morbidity rates (ages 45-65, and older than 65) were calculated for both sexes. Standardised mortality rates were also calculated for mortality rates using the European population as the reference. RESULTS: The trend of mortality of chronic heart failure in the population of 45-65 is stable, the rates being higher for men than for women. The trend in the age group older than 65 shows an important increase from 1983 on, higher in women than in men. Morbidity (hospitalization discharge rates) increases slightly in the population of 45-65 years, especially in men; in the population older than 65 an important increase is observed for both sexes. CONCLUSIONS: Trend of mortality is increasing specifically in women older than 65, while trends of morbidity are clearly increasing for both age groups.

Age Factors↗

Is prophylactic treatment after myocardial infarction evidence-based?

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the use of evidence-based prophylactic treatment after myocardial infarction on hospital discharge and in primary care after 1 year of hospitalization. METHODS AND RESULTS: We conducted a 1-year prospective study of all the patients discharged from a tertiary hospital who had been treated for myocardial infarction from January 1 to December 31 1995. Three hundred and eighty surviving patients were consecutively discharged from the hospital. Seventy per cent of patients were treated with aspirin, 45% with beta-blockers, 27% with calcium channel blockers, 26% with ACE inhibitors, 40% with nitrates and 8% with cholesterol-lowering drugs after discharge from the hospital. In primary care, prescription of lipid-lowering drugs increased to 17%, while prescription of beta-blockers decreased to 34%. ACE inhibitor prescriptions at discharge were clearly more common in patients with impaired ventricular function or heart failure (57%). CONCLUSION: According to the evidence, there is still potential for reducing the risk of a further ischaemic event or death in patients with MI, especially by increasing the use of beta-blockers and lipid-lowering drugs.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗

Should we still prescribe digoxin in mild-to-moderate heart failure? Is quality of life the issue rather than quantity?

The recently reported Digitalis Investigation Group (DIG) study has shown that digoxin has no demonstrable effect on survival in heart failure, but may be useful to ameliorate morbidity. The question may be raised whether digoxin is useful for symptomatic improvement in patients with mild or moderate heart failure. A major difficulty in answering this question is the lack of appropriate clinical measures of heart failure that allow a categorization such as mild, moderate and severe heart failure. However, data in several clinical trials permit an approach to this issue in an approximate way. For instance, the DIG study itself indicated that the beneficial clinical effect of digoxin was also apparent in pre-defined subgroups which corresponded to less severe forms of heart failure. The problem with the DIG study in this respect was the lack of direct measures of clinical improvement and the use of what might be taken as surrogates for these; however, it can probably be assumed that digoxin had a beneficial symptomatic effect even in patients with milder forms of heart failure. Direct clinical measures of clinical result were used in the Randomized Assessment of the effect of Digoxin on Inhibitors of ACE Study and the Prospective Randomized Study on Ventricular Failure and the Efficacy of Digoxin. Some inconsistencies between the clinical results of these trials may be explained partly on the basis of sample size, although on the whole the results point to a definite clinical improvement of patients on digoxin therapy, even when heart failure was considered to be mild on the basis of several measurements. Admittedly, the size of the effect of digoxin therapy in these patients may be quite modest. Although some concerns over safety may remain after the DIG trial, it can generally be accepted that digoxin is an effective drug for symptomatic improvement in patients with mild or moderate heart failure. The small size of this effect, however, indicates that the decision to use the drug may well be left to the discretion of the attending physician.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗

Culprit lesion and jeopardized myocardium: correlation between coronary angiography and single-photon emission computed tomography.

BACKGROUND: The term "culprit lesion" is used to designate the coronary stenosis responsible for the symptoms of the patient with coronary artery disease. Its detection is essential when partial revascularization is contemplated. The term "jeopardized myocardium" is commonly used to mean the amount of myocardium put in danger by all the stenotic lesions; however, it should be restricted to the amount of myocardium that could become infarcted if only the most severe stenoses were occluded. HYPOTHESIS: The aim of this study was to investigate (1) the agreement between coronary myocardial single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and coronary angiography for the identification of the culprit lesion, and (2) the correlation of the two studies in the quantification of jeopardized myocardium. METHODS: In all, 159 patients with coronary artery disease without previous myocardial infarction were included in the study. A score for myocardial SPECT was correlated with the angiographic scores by Califf and Gensini and with the authors' score which includes adjustment for collateral circulation. RESULTS: The agreement between coronary angiography and SPECT for the diagnosis of the culprit lesion was 84% (87/104). The correlations between the scores of angiography and SPECT to assess jeopardized myocardium when all coronary stenoses were taken into account were significant (p < 0.0001), but their coefficients were suboptimal (r = 0.48 for Califf, r = 0.48 for Gensini, and r = 0.65 for the authors' score). When only the jeopardized myocardium resulting from the culprit lesion was considered, the correlation clearly improved (r = 0.85). CONCLUSION: Thus, in 84% of patients with multivessel disease, an agreement between coronary angiography and myocardial SPECT for the diagnosis of the culprit lesion was observed. The correlation between these techniques for the quantification of jeopardized myocardium from the culprit lesion was satisfactory.

Cardiac Catheterization↗