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Background: The Perfusion Measures and Outcomes (PERForm) registry was established in 2010 to advance cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) practices and outcomes. The registry is maintained through the Michigan Society of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeons Quality Collaborative and is the official registry of the American Society of Extracorporeal Technology. Methods: This first annual PERForm registry report summarizes patient characteristics as well as CPB-related practice patterns in adult (≥18 years of age) patients between 2019 and 2022 from 42 participating hospitals. Data from PERForm are probabilistically matched to institutional surgical registry data. Trends in myocardial protection, glucose, anticoagulation, temperature, anemia (hematocrit), and fluid management are summarized. Additionally, trends in equipment (hardware/disposables) utilization and employed patient safety practices are reported. Results: A total of 40,777 adult patients undergoing CPB were matched to institutional surgical registry data from 42 hospitals. Among these patients, 54.9% underwent a CABG procedure, 71.6% were male, and the median (IQR) age was 66.0 [58.0, 73.0] years. Overall, 33.1% of the CPB procedures utilized a roller pump for the arterial pump device, and a perfusion checklist was employed 99.6% of the time. The use of conventional ultrafiltration decreased over the study period (2019 vs. 2022; 27.1% vs. 24.9%) while the median (IQR) last hematocrit on CPB has remained stable [27.0 (24.0, 30.0) vs. 27.0 (24.0, 30.0)]. Pump sucker termination before protamine administration increased over the study period: (54.8% vs. 75.9%). Conclusion: Few robust clinical registries exist to collect data regarding the practice of CPB. Although data submitted to the PERForm registry demonstrate overall compliance with published perfusion evidence-based guidelines, noted opportunities to advance patient safety and outcomes remain.

Background Chronic obstructive pulmonary (COPD) is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in the world. COPD is characterized by chronic inflammation in the pulmonary compartment and in the systemic circulation. This disorder is associated with clinically significant alterations in biochemistry and organ function; thyroid dysfunctions are common in chronic diseases, such as COPD. Several characteristics of COPD patients could increase their likelihood of developing hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism. The purpose of our study was to assess the impact of thyroid dysfunction in patients with COPD. Methods We evaluated the pulmonary function tests, arterial blood gases, maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP), maximal expiratory pressure (MEP), and thyroid functions in patients with COPD, recruited between admissions in Respiratory Diseases Unit, Policlinico Umberto I, Rome, Italy, from June 2012 to May 2013. We selected patients with subclinical hypothyroidism (ScH), overt hypothyroidism, and hyperthyroidism, and a control group without thyroid disturbance. Results Our results indicate that patients with overt hypothyroidism have lower levels of pO.sub.2, MIP, and MEP compared with subjects with ScH, hyperthyroidism, and the control group. We also found a substantial tendency towards pCO.sub.2 levels increase in patients with hypothyroidism (p = 0.06). Conclusions Patients with thyroid dysfunctions have a greater impairment of MIP and MEP and a negative correlation was observed between hypoxemia and TSH. Further studies are needed to investigate whether the treatment of thyroid disfunction could have a beneficial effect on COPD patients' lung function and prognosis., Author(s): Claudio Terzano[sup.1] , S. Romani[sup.1] , G. Paone[sup.1] , V. Conti[sup.1] , F. Oriolo[sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) Respiratory Diseases Unit, School of Specialization in Respiratory Diseases, University of Rome [...]

This study assessed the role of 18F-FDG PET-CT (PET/CT) to detect the cartilage and paraglottic infiltration in advanced glottic cancer comparing the results with those of conventional imaging (CI) (contrast-enhanced computed tomography and/or magnetic resonance). In addition, we assessed the prognostic value of quantitative parameters, measured on baseline PET/CT, in terms of event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS). We retrospectively analyzed 27 patients with glottic squamous cell carcinoma stage III and IVA, treated in our institute between 2010 and 2016, comparing PET/CT, performed for staging and radiotherapy planning, and CI findings. Cohen's K was used to compare concordance between PET/CT and CI. Imaging findings were correlated with endoscopic evaluation and histological reports (gold standard (GS)). All lesions shown by CI were also detected by PET/CT imaging, and in 5 cases, a better definition of local infiltration was achieved with PET/CT than CI (5 CT). Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of PET/CT and CT were 95%, 86%, and 93% and 70%, 86%, and 74% for, respectively. MRI showed sensitivity and specificity of 100%. One false-negative (FN) cases and 1 false-positive (FP) case were observed with PET/CT with no difference compared to MRI (10 cases). Six FN cases and 1 FP case were observed with CT. Cohen's K was 0.60 (PET vs. CI) and 0.80 (PET vs. GS). Patients were followed-up for at least 24 months to calculate EFS and OS. 13 local recurrence and 7 deaths were recorded. Among quantitative PET parameters, baseline MTV was the most powerful predictor of outcome. Our data suggest a reliable sensitivity and accuracy of PET/CT in the evaluation of local extension, proving a useful method for initial local staging in addition to the well-established role in lymph-node and distant sites assessment. Furthermore, pretreatment MTV provides better prognostic information than other PET/CT parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: COPD is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide and represents one of the most important issues for public health. Frequent exacerbations induce a faster decline in lung function and poorer quality of life, increase mortality, and have a socio-economic impact with a high burden in terms of resources and healthcare costs. The clinical trials evaluated the effect of mucolytics in COPD and showed that the long-term carbocysteine, associated with bronchodilators, anticholinergics, and steroids, reduces the frequency of exacerbations and improves the quality of life. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The aim of this prospective real-life study was to evaluate the long-term impact on exacerbations (at 1 year) in COPD patients treated with carbocysteine lysine salt (single dose of 2.7 g once a day) in addition to background therapy with or without inhaled steroids. RESULTS: In a total of 155 evaluable patients, our study showed that the addition of a single dose of carbocysteine lysine salt to background therapy determines a statistically significant reduction of the average number of exacerbations vs. the number observed in the previous year (from 1.97±0.10 to 1.03±0.11; p<0.01), irrespective of treatment with or without inhaled steroids. In particular, in patients with ≥2 exacerbations in the previous year, the addition of carbocysteine lysine salt resulted in a statistically significant reduction in the exacerbations rate from 69% to 33% and from 58% to 25%, respectively (p<0.01) in patients with or without inhaled steroids. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, our data highlighted the efficacy of long-term administration of a single daily dose of carbocysteine lysine salt (2.7 g/day) in reducing the number and rate of exacerbations in COPD patients, independently from the use of inhaled steroids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The localization of hyperfunctioning parathyroid gland(s) (HPTG) in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) with negative or inconclusive first-line imaging is a significant challenge. This study aimed to evaluate the role of integrated 18F-choline PET/4D contrast-enhanced computed tomography (4DCeCT) in these patients, compare its detection rate and sensitivity with those of 18F-choline PET/CT and (4DCeCT), and analyse the association between choline metabolism and morphological, biochemical and molecular parameters of HPTG.Methods: We prospectively enrolled 44 PHPT patients with negative or inconclusive first-line imaging. 18F-Choline PET/CT and 4DCeCT were performed at the same time, and integrated 18F-choline PET/4DCeCT images were obtained after coregistration. Experienced physicians examined the images. The SUVratio and degree of contrast enhancement were recorded for each positive finding. Histopathology, laboratory and multidisciplinary follow-up were used as the standard of reference. Both the detection rates and sensitivities of the three imaging modalities were calculated retrospectively. Immunohistochemistry was performed to evaluate the molecular profile of HPTGs.Results: 18F-Choline PET/4DCeCT was positive in 32 of 44 patients with PHPT (detection rate 72.7%), and 31 of 31 surgically treated patients (sensitivity 100%). These results were significantly (p < 0.05) better than those of 18F-choline PET/CT (56.8% and 80%, respectively) and those of 4DCeCT (54.5 and 74%, respectively). A significant correlation between SUV and calcium level was found. In a multivariate analysis, only calcium level was significantly associated with 18F-choline PET/4DCeCT findings. SUVratio and Ki67 expression were significantly correlated.Conclusion: Integrated 18F-choline PET/4DCeCT should be considered as an effective tool to detect PHPT in patients with negative or inconclusive first-line imaging. Choline metabolism is correlated with both calcium level and Ki67 expression in HPTG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma are lung inflammatory diseases that represent major public health problems. The primary, and often unique, method to evaluate lung function is spirometry, which reflects disease severity rather than disease activity. Moreover, its measurements strictly depend on patient's compliance, physician's expertise and data interpretation. The limitations of clinical history and pulmonary function tests have encouraged focusing on new possible tracers of diseases. The increase of the inflammatory response in the lungs represents an early pathological event, so biological markers related to inflammation may play key roles in earlier diagnosis, evaluation of functional impairment and prognosis. Biomarkers are measurable indicators associated with the presence and/or severity of a biological or pathogenic process, which may predict functional impairment, prognosis and response to therapy. The traditional approach based on invasive techniques (bronchoalveolar lavage and biopsies) may be replaced, at least in part, by using less invasive methods to collect specimens (sputum and blood), in which biomarkers could be measured. Proteomics, by the association between different protein profiles and pathogenic processes, is gaining an important role in pulmonary medicine allowing a more precise discrimination between patients with different outcomes and response to therapy. The aim of this review was to evaluate the use of biomarkers of airway inflammation in the context of both research and clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]