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This study aimed to investigate the association between blood glucose levels on arrival at the hospital and 1-month survival and favorable neurological outcomes in patients with OHCA using a large Japanese dataset. This study was a secondary analysis of data from the JAAM-OHCA Registry. Adult (≥18 years) patients with witnessed OHCA transported to emergency departments and registered in the database from June 2014 to December 2019 were included in the study. The primary and secondary endpoints were 1-month survival and 1-month favorable neurological outcomes (Glasgow-Pittsburgh Cerebral Performance Category score 1 or 2), respectively. Patients were categorized into the following four groups based on blood glucose levels on arrival at the hospital: <80 mg/dL, 80–179 mg/dL, 180–299 mg/dL, and ≥300 mg/dL. This study included 11,387 patients. Survival rates were 1.3%, 3.1%, 7.0%, and 5.7% in the <80 mg/dL, 80–179 mg/dL, 180–299 mg/dL, and ≥ 300 mg/dL blood glucose groups, respectively. The rates of favorable neurological outcomes in each group were 0.4%, 1.5%, 3.3%, and 2.5%, respectively. Multivariable analysis showed that 180–299 mg/dL glucose was significantly associated with 1-month survival and favorable neurological outcomes compared with 80–179 mg/dL glucose (odds ratio [OR], 1.77; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.34–2.31; p < 0.001 and OR, 1.52; 95 % Cl, 1.02–2.25; p = 0.035, respectively). In this study, blood glucose levels with the best outcomes likely ranged from 200 to 250 mg/dL based on the cubic spline regression model. Blood glucose level of 180–299 mg/dL on arrival at the hospital was significantly associated with 1-month survival and favorable neurological outcomes compared to blood glucose level of 80–179 mg/dL in patients with OHCA. • The association between blood glucose levels and outcomes in OHCA patients has not been thoroughly examined. • Mild-to-moderate hyperglycemia on arrival at the hospital was significantly associated with 1-month good outcomes. • Blood glucose levels with the best outcomes likely ranged from 200 to 250 mg/dL based on the cubic spline regression model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Treating patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) requires early prediction of outcome, ideally on hospital arrival, as it can inform the clinical decisions involved. This study evaluated whether partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PCO 2) on arrival is associated with outcome at one month OHCA patients. This was a single-center retrospective study of adult OHCA patients treated between January 2016 and December 2020. Outcomes were defined along the Cerebral Performance Category (CPC) scale. Primary outcome was mortality (CPC 5) at one month. Secondary outcomes were death or unfavorable neurological outcome (CPC 3–5) and unfavorable neurological outcome (CPC 3–4) at one month. Multivariable analysis was adjusted for age, sex, witnessed cardiac arrest, bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation, initial shockable rhythm, and time from call to emergency medical services to hospital arrival. Out of 977 OHCA patients in the study period, 19 were excluded because they were aged under 18 years, 79 because they underwent extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and 101 due to lack of PCO 2 data. This study included 778 patients total; mortality (CPC 5) at one month was observed in 706 (90.7%), death or unfavorable neurological outcome (CPC 3–5) in 743 (95.5%), and unfavorable neurological outcome (CPC 3–4) in 37 (4.8%). In multivariable analysis, high PCO 2 levels showed significant association with mortality (CPC 5) at one month (odds ratio [OR] [per 5 mmHg], 1.14; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08–1.21), death or unfavorable neurological outcome (CPC 3–5) (OR [per 5 mmHg], 1.29; 95% CI, 1.17–1.42), and unfavorable neurological outcome (CPC 3–4) (OR [per 5 mmHg], 1.21; 95% CI, 1.04–1.41). High PCO 2 on arrival was significantly associated with mortality and unfavorable neurological outcome in OHCA patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Appropriate decisions by medical technicians at a trauma scene may influence a patient's prognosis. Emergency life-saving technicians (ELSTs) are certified specialists trained with the knowledge to provide advanced techniques for prehospital emergency care in Japan. However, the benefit of treatment by ELSTs compared to basic emergency medical technicians (BEMTs) remains unclear. The aim of this study is to determine whether treatment by ELSTs improves outcomes for trauma patients.Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the Japan Trauma Data Bank for the years 2004 to 2017. Patients transferred to the hospital directly from the trauma scene and at least 16 years old were included in this study. The following criteria were used to exclude patients; presence of burns, untreatable severe traumas, unknown ELST attendance, and missing prognosis. We compared two groups (ELST group: patients transported by emergency medical services (EMS) with the presence of at least one ELST; BEMT group: patients transported only by BEMTs). Primary outcome was survival to discharge. Secondary outcomes were the need of definitive treatments defined by surgical intervention, intravascular radiology and blood transfusion at the receiving hospital within 24 h. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to calculate odds ratio (OR) and confidence intervals (CI) adjusted by age, sex, revised trauma score, and Injury severity score (ISS).Results: Overall survival to discharge did not improve significantly (adjusted OR 1.13, 95% CI 0.99-1.30) with ELST intervention. In-hospital blood transfusion was more frequently required in the ELST group (adjusted OR 1.10, 95% CI 1.01-1.20). Emergency interventions (adjusted OR 1.03, 95% CI 0.97-1.09) were not different between the groups. In stratified analysis, the benefit of ELST attendance for survival was observed among patients with ISS <16 (adjusted OR 1.53, 95% CI 1.10-2.15), aged 65 years or older (adjusted OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.07-1.52), during the earlier study period (2004-2008, adjusted OR 1.50, 95% CI 1.14-1.97), and shorter transportation time (adjusted OR 1.21, 95% CI 1.03-1.41).Conclusions: Dispatch systems with ELST should be considered for trauma transports, which may benefit elderly or moderate severity trauma groups, with shorter transportation time conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Transperineal interstitial prostate brachytherapy is increasingly used as a definitive treatment for early prostate cancer. After this treatment, seed migration to the heart is rarely frequently observed. The patient was experienced seed migration to the right ventricle after the treatment, it was difficult to diagnose in posteroanterior chest radiograph, but we were able to demonstrate it in multi-detector row computed tomography (MDCT). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Remimazolam, an ultra-short-acting benzodiazepine, has similar clinical effects to propofol for sedation in general anaesthesia. However, it remains uncertain whether remimazolam could increase postoperative delirium (POD) compared with propofol. The purpose of our study was to compare the incidence of POD between remimazolam and propofol as sedative agents in general anaesthesia. Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCTs). PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases were searched for prospective RCTs published through September 16, 2024. RCTs reporting the incidence of POD and comparing remimazolam with propofol for general anaesthesia were included. Odds ratio (ORs) were calculated using a random-effects model. The primary outcome was the incidence of POD. The secondary outcomes included time to extubation, awakening time, and adverse events such as intraoperative hypotension. A total of six RCTs involving 1107 patients were included in this meta-analysis. For the primary outcome, the incidence of POD did not differ between the remimazolam and propofol groups (OR, 0.92; 95 % confidence interval [CI], 0.58–1.44). Regarding the secondary outcomes, remimazolam was associated with a lower incidence of intraoperative hypotension compared with propofol (OR, 0.31; 95 % CI, 0.21–0.46). There were no significant differences in other secondary outcomes. In the sensitivity analysis on three RCTs including only older patients (≥60 years old), there was no significant difference in the incidence of POD (OR, 1.00; 95 % CI, 0.52–1.93). Perioperative remimazolam administration did not increase POD and reduced the risk of intraoperative hypotension compared to propofol. Further large-scale RCTs are warranted to explore the association of remimazolam and POD. Systematic review protocol: PROSPERO CRD42024544122. • The pooled evidence regarding the association between remimazolam and POD is scarce. • The meta-analysis included 6 RCTs comparing remimazolam vs. propofol in 1107 participants. • Intraoperative remimazolam did not increase the incidence of POD compared to propofol. • Intraoperative remimazolam decreased intraoperative hypotension compared to propofol. • Remimazolam can be a safe alternative to propofol as an anesthetic agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 causes physical and psychological impacts on health care workers (HCWs), especially when it occurs during an outbreak. As there are few reports on outcomes of HCWs infected with COVID-19 during a hospital outbreak, we investigated the physical and psychological impacts on HCWs infected with COVID-19 during an outbreak in our hospital. During the outbreak in our hospital, 231 people were infected with COVID-19 including patients, HCWs and their families. Among them, 83 HCWs were enrolled in this study. Current quality of life (QOL) was assessed with the EuroQol-visual analogue scales (EQ-VAS), and motivation to keep on working was evaluated by a 10-point analogue scale. Physiological recovery rates including return to work (RTW) period were also analyzed. One nurse quit work due to anxiety regarding re-infection with COVID-19. The median period to RTW from the diagnosis was 14.0 (12.0–17.0) days. Motivation to keep on working was slightly reduced, and the EQ-VAS was 75.0 (65.0–83.6). There were no significant differences in QOL and motivation between male and female HCWs, nurses and other HCWs, treatment and non-treatment group, and supplemental and non-supplemental oxygen group. The most frequent persistent symptoms at 1,3 and 6 months after infection were anosmia followed by fatigue. Although QOL and motivation to keep on working were slightly reduced, only one HCW quit work. No severe persistent symptoms were observed, and the RTW period was relatively short. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the clinical effectiveness and safety of tazobactam/piperacillin (TAZ/PIPC) in a 1:8 ratio, a β-lactamase inhibitor with penicillin antibiotic, for the prevention of febrile infectious complication after prostate biopsy. Each patient received a single dose of TAZ/PIPC 4.5 g, 30 min before the biopsy in Group 1 or TAZ/PIPC 4.5 g twice, once 30 min before and once after the biopsy (just before discharge or 5 h after the biopsy), in Group 2. Estimation of efficacy was performed within 1-month after prostate biopsy. Clinical diagnosis of febrile infectious complication was based on a body temperature elevation greater than 38 °C. Infectious complication after prostate biopsy was detected in 2.5% (4/160 patients) in Group 1 and in 0.45% (2/442 patients) in Group 2. All of the patients with febrile infectious complication had risk factors: 5 patients had voiding disturbance, 2 patients had diabetes mellitus and 1 patient had steroid dosing. In group 1, 88 patients had at least one risk factor and 72 patients had no risk factors. Of the patients with a risk factor, 4 had febrile infectious complication after prostate biopsy, but there was no significant difference between the two groups. In group 2, 87 patients had at least one risk factor and 255 patients had no risk factors. The patients with a risk factor had febrile infectious complication significantly more frequently than did patients without a risk factor ( P = 0.038). Therefore, TAZ/PIPC appears to be effective as preoperative prophylaxis against the occurrence of febrile infectious complication after prostate biopsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Purpose: We report two cases of seed migration to the vertebral venous plexus after iodine-125 (I-125) transperineal interstitial permanent prostate brachytherapy. Methods and materials: Case 1: A 67-year-old Japanese man underwent percutaneous transperineal interstitial permanent prostate brachytherapy at our institution. Three months after brachytherapy, routine followup kidney–urinary bladder (KUB) radiography showed two seeds that had migrated to the pelvic area and were overlapped by sacral bone. It was very difficult to detect the seeds by visceral CT, because seeds were in contact with to vertebral bone, and seeds and bone were of the same CT value in visceral CT. But bone CT could distinguish seeds and bone, and it showed seed migration to the vertebral venous plexus in the sacral vertebral canal. Case 2: A 75-year-old Japanese man underwent percutaneous transperineal interstitial permanent prostate brachytherapy at our institution. The day after seed implantation, routine followup KUB radiography showed that a seed had migrated to the pelvic area and was overlapped by sacral bone. Bone CT clearly showed seed migration to the vertebral venous plexus in the vertebral canal in comparison with visceral CT. Results: Seeds that have migrated to the vertebral venous plexus are difficult to be detected by visceral CT or KUB radiography. In visceral CT, it is difficult to distinguish seed and bone, especially when they are touching each other because they have the same CT value in visceral CT. It is therefore necessary to perform bone CT to detect such migrating seeds. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first report of seed migration to the vertebral venous plexus after prostate brachytherapy. We thought that seeds migrate to the vertebral plexus via the pelvic venous pathway. If seed migration to the pelvic area and the overlapped sacral bone area is found after brachytherapy, bone CT should be performed, especially when it is difficult to detect the seed in visceral CT. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]