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International audience; Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become the reference imaging for the management of a large number of diseases. The number of MR examinations increases every year, simultaneously with the number of patients receiving a cardiac electronic implantable device (CEID). A CEID was considered an absolute contraindication for MRI for years. The progressive replacement of conventional pacemakers and defibrillators by MR-conditional CEIDs and recent data on the safety of MRI in patients with "MR-nonconditional" CEIDs have progressively increased the demand for MRI in patients with a CEID. However, some risks are associated with MRI in CEID carriers, even with "MR-conditional" devices because these devices are not "MR-safe". A specific programing of the device in "MR-mode" and monitoring patients during MRI remain mandatory for all patients with a CEID. A standardized patient workflow based on an institutional protocol should be established in each institution performing such examinations. This joint position paper of the Working Group of Pacing and Electrophysiology of the French Society of Cardiology and the Société française d'imagerie cardiaque et vasculaire diagnostique et interventionnelle (SFICV) describes the effect and risks associated with MRI in CEID carriers. We propose recommendations for patient workflow and monitoring and CEID programming in MR-conditional, "MR-conditional nonguaranteed" and MR-nonconditional devices.

IMPORTANCE: Despite recent studies suggesting arthroscopic partial meniscectomy (APM) is not more effective than physical therapy (PT), the procedure is still frequently performed in patients with meniscal tears. OBJECTIVE: To assess whether PT is noninferior to APM for improving patient-reported knee function in patients with meniscal tears. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Noninferiority, multicenter, randomized clinical trial conducted in 9 hospitals in the Netherlands. Participants were aged 45 to 70 years with nonobstructive meniscal tears (ie, no locking of the knee joint). Patients with knee instability, severe osteoarthritis, and body mass index greater than 35 were excluded. Recruitment took place between July 17, 2013, and November 4, 2015. Participants were followed up for 24 months (final participant follow-up, October 11, 2017). INTERVENTIONS: Three hundred twenty-one participants were randomly assigned to APM (n = 159) or a predefined PT protocol (n = 162). The PT protocol consisted of 16 sessions of exercise therapy over 8 weeks focused on coordination and closed kinetic chain strength exercises. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary outcome was change in patient-reported knee function on the International Knee Documentation Committee Subjective Knee Form (range, 0 to 100; from worse to best) from baseline over a 24-month follow-up period. The noninferiority margin was defined as a difference between treatment groups of 8 points and was assessed with a 1-sided α of .025. The primary analysis followed the intention-to-treat principle. RESULTS: Among 321 patients who were randomized (mean [SD] age, 58 [6.6] years; 161 women [50%]), 289 (90%) completed the trial (161 women and 158 men). In the PT group, 47 participants (29%) had APM during the 24-month follow-up period, and 8 participants randomized to APM (5%) did not have APM. Over a 24-month follow-up period, knee function improved in the APM group by 26.2 points (from 44.8 to 71.5) and in the PT group by 20.4 points (from 46.5 to 67.7). The overall between-group difference was 3.6 points (97.5% CI, −∞ to 6.5; P value for noninferiority = .001). Adverse events occurred in 18 participants in the APM group and 12 in the PT group. Repeat surgery (3 in the APM group and 1 in the PT group) and additional outpatient visits for knee pain (6 in the APM group and 2 in the PT group) were the most frequent adverse events. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Among patients with nonobstructive meniscal tears, PT was noninferior to APM for improving patient-reported knee function over a 24-month follow-up period. Based on these results, PT may be considered an alternative to surgery for patients with nonobstructive meniscal tears. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01850719

IMPORTANCE: Many patients with acute low back pain do not recover with basic first-line care (advice, reassurance, and simple analgesia, if necessary). It is unclear whether intensive patient education improves clinical outcomes for those patients already receiving first-line care. OBJECTIVE: To determine the effectiveness of intensive patient education for patients with acute low back pain. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial recruited patients from general practices, physiotherapy clinics, and a research center in Sydney, Australia, between September 10, 2013, and December 2, 2015. Trial follow-up was completed in December 17, 2016. Primary care practitioners invited 618 patients presenting with acute low back pain to participate. Researchers excluded 416 potential participants. All of the 202 eligible participants had low back pain of fewer than 6 weeks’ duration and a high risk of developing chronic low back pain according to Predicting the Inception of Chronic Pain (PICKUP) Tool, a validated prognostic model. Participants were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to either patient education or placebo patient education. INTERVENTIONS: All participants received recommended first-line care for acute low back pain from their usual practitioner. Participants received additional 2 × 1-hour sessions of patient education (information on pain and biopsychosocial contributors plus self-management techniques, such as remaining active and pacing) or placebo patient education (active listening, without information or advice). MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary outcome was pain intensity (11-point numeric rating scale) at 3 months. Secondary outcomes included disability (24-point Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire) at 1 week, and at 3, 6, and 12 months. RESULTS: Of 202 participants randomized for the trial, the mean (SD) age of participants was 45 (14.5) years and 103 (51.0%) were female. Retention rates were greater than 90% at all time points. Intensive patient education was not more effective than placebo patient education at reducing pain intensity (3-month mean [SD] pain intensity: 2.1 [2.4] vs 2.4 [2.2]; mean difference at 3 months, –0.3 [95% CI, –1.0 to 0.3]). There was a small effect of intensive patient education on the secondary outcome of disability at 1 week (mean difference, –1.6 points on a 24-point scale [95% CI, –3.1 to –0.1]) and 3 months (mean difference, –1.7 points, [95% CI, –3.2 to –0.2]) but not at 6 or 12 months. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Adding 2 hours of patient education to recommended first-line care for patients with acute low back pain did not improve pain outcomes. Clinical guideline recommendations to provide complex and intensive support to high-risk patients with acute low back pain may have been premature. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian Clinical Trial Registration Number: 12612001180808

G on treatment of allergic rhinitis and strategies to manage anaphylaxis were among several key practice parameters released in 2015. In addition, a few key papers commented on the cross-reactivity and tolerability of cephalosporins in patients who have experienced hypersensitivity reactions to these agents in the past, and on the use of live attenuated in uenza vaccine (LAIV) in those with an egg allergy. These key papers are reviewed here; for additional information, clinicians are encouraged to access the full citations.

candidategeneandthetheorythatsympatheticoveractivityisan underestimated contributor to ESRD.Although considerable further evidence would need to fol-low to verify the putative causal chain, ideally early develop-ments would be that others would reproduce the findings inlarger populations, and longitudinal studies in patient groupsor animal models would demonstrate that sympathetic over-activity (and lower catestatin) precedes progressive decline torenal failure. Eventually, then, the value of these CHGA hap-lotypes and catestatin as markers and perhaps the benefits ofmedication that is capable of limiting the distorted sympa-thetic outflow, perhaps limiting certain adrenergic effects,might then be worth assessment in those who are at high riskfor ESRD.DISCLOSURES

Hypertension is one of the most common morbidities in COVID-19. Previous studies demonstrated that hypertension increases composite poor outcomes in patients with COVID-19. Beta-blockers is widely used as one of the most common antihypertensive agents. Beta-blockers may hold potential benefits in COVID-19 treatment, with current evidence of the potential mechanism of beta-blockers remains scarce. However, several mechanisms were suggested, including decreasing RAAS pathway activity and lowering the ACE2 levels, reducing cytokine storms, and may be beneficial in reducing mortality in ARDS related COVID-19. Further large-scale randomized clinical trials should be conducted before a definite recommendation can be drawn.

HIGHLIGHTS • D-dimer levels can discriminate between COVID 19 patients with and without worse clinical outcomes (all-cause mortality, ICU admission or ARDS) • Elevated D-dimer levels are associated with increased risk of adverse clinical outcomes in patients hospitalized with COVID 19 infection • Patients who died had higher D-dimer levels than patients who survived • A substantial elevation in D-dimers may be an indicator of progressive disease, Aim To determine if D-dimers are elevated in individuals with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection who have adverse clinical outcomes including all-cause mortality, intensive care unit (ICU) admission or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Methods We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the published literature in PubMed, Embase and Cochrane databases through April 9, 2020 for studies evaluating D-dimer levels in SARS-COV-2 infected patients with and without a composite clinical endpoint, defined as the presence of all-cause of mortality, Intensive care unit (ICU) admission or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). A total of six studies were included in the meta-analysis. Results D-dimers were significantly increased in patients with the composite clinical end point than in those without (SMD, 1.67 ug/ml (95% CI, 0.72-2.62 ug/ml). The SMD of the studies (Tang et al, Zhou et al, Chen et al), which used only mortality as an outcome measure was 2.5 ug/mL (95% CI, 0.62-4.41 ug/ml). Conclusion We conclude that SARS-CoV-2 infected patients with elevated D-dimers have worse clinical outcomes (all-cause mortality, ICU admission or ARDS) and thus measurement of D-dimers can guide in clinical decision making.

Highlights • Conditioned Fear Stress (CFS) reduced the locomotor activity of the animals. • CFS showed no influence on the progression of neoplasia. • No association between HNSCC staging and BAI scores were observed. • There is no relationship between CFS and oral squamous cell carcinoma., Cancer patients present a higher risk of experiencing anxiety disorders (AD). However, it is not clear if AD might be associated with cancer development. Thus, our study aimed to evaluate if AD might be related to head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) development. The combination of an applied animal basic study and a retrospective diagnostic case and control study in patients was performed. As a result, we obtained that stress reduced the locomotor activity of the animals in the group stress and stress + 4NqO (p < 0.0001). The stress showed no influence on the progression of neoplasia in mice. In the same way, the case group did not present differences in anxiety scores in comparison to control. Moreover, no association between HNSCC staging and anxiety scores was observed. In conclusion, our in vivo findings in humans and animals have shown that there is no relationship between AD and oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Objectives To assess the efficacy of betamethasone, hyaluronidase and its combination on mouth opening, burning sensation and quality of life (QOL) in patients with oral submucous fibrosis. Study design Sixty patients were divided in 4 groups; group A received 8 mg of betamethasone, group B received 3000 IU of hyaluronidase, group C received the combination of betamethasone and hyaluronidase and group D received saline injections biweekly for 5 weeks. Patients were also assessed using QOL questionnaire. Results Mouth opening and oral burning of the four groups for final visit, using the pretreatment opening as a covariate showed significant difference for group A, B, C. Conclusion Betamethasone and hyaluronidase injections appears to be a viable option to increase mouth opening with reduction in burning sensation

Aim To analyze the degree of corrosion of nickel titanium arch wires in patients with and without exposure to fluorides. Material and methods This was an ex vivo study comprising of 60 subjects undergoing fixed orthodontic treatment. Group 1(controls) comprised of 30 sets of new unused NiTi wires and unused 11, 15 brackets, Group 2(patients) comprised of 30 sets of non fluoridated NiTi wires and 11, 15 brackets and Group 3(patients) had 30 sets of fluoridated NiTi wires and 11, 15 brackets. NiTi wires were used over 6 months of treatment(0.014″,0.016″, 16 × 22”, each wire was used for 2 months and replaced with the next size). All wires were retrieved, stored and analyzed. At 6 months, brackets from 11 to 15 were debonded in both treatment groups. Archwires and brackets in 3 groups were subjected to SEM analysis at 500 and 1000X to observe differences. Additionally, EDX Spectroscopy was undertaken to evaluate surface elemental compositional differences in groups. Results Significant differences among groups were evident in brackets and archwires tested. Maximum degradation, cracks and dark spots were seen in wires and brackets exposed to fluoride agents. EDX spectroscopy revealed least Ni% in fluoridated wires and brackets. Conclusions Increased leaching of metal ions was evident when wires and brackets are exposed to fluoride agents during treatment. Use of non fluoridated mouthwash and toothpastes may be considered in orthodontic patients without risk of caries to mitigate such effects

This is Part 1 of an updated follow-up review of a World Allergy Organization (WAO) position paper published in 2012 on the diagnosis and treatment of urticaria and angioedema. Since 2012, there have been advances in the understanding of the pathogenesis of chronic urticaria, and greater experience with the use of biologics, such as omalizumab, in patients with severe refractory disease. For these reasons, the WAO decided to initiate an update targeted to general practitioners around the world, incorporating the most recent information on epidemiology, immunopathogenesis, comorbidities, quality of life, clinical case presentations, and the management of chronic spontaneous and chronic inducible urticaria, including urticaria in special situations such as childhood and pregnancy. A special task force of WAO experts was invited to write the different sections of the manuscript, and the final document was approved by the WAO Board of Directors. This paper is not intended to be a substitute for current national and international guidelines on the management of urticaria and angioedema but to provide an updated, simplified guidance for physicians around the world who manage patients with this common ailment.

Aim To observe the prevalence of signs and symptoms of Temporomandibular joint disorders in patients visiting outpatient department, AIIMS Rishikesh. Method and material The survey was conducted in a total of 960 patients, who visited outpatient Department (OPD), dept of Dentistry, AIIMS Rishikesh and were asked to fill a questionnaire based on Fonseca questionnaire for TMD in accordance to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Results Out of 960 patients, 449 had no TMD, 322 patients had mild TMD, 123 moderate and severe TMD was seen in 54 patients. Also, male dominance for TMD was seen in all the groups. There was no age predilection; however most of the patients with severe TMD fell between 16 and 60 years of age. Conclusion TMD is a common problem occurring in all age groups, there was a male dominance seen in the epidemiological study.

Background Despite improvements in ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) care, total ischemic time remains long in patients who present late. Our goal was to identify predictors of very late presentation (≥12 h) of STEMI and determine long-term mortality. Methods We retrospectively examined consecutive patients admitted with STEMI to our institution using the ACTION Registry™. Time of symptom onset to first medical contact (FMC) was calculated and categorized as, Highlights • A proportion of patients with acute myocardial infarction present late after symptom onset. • Women, diabetics and patients who do not experience typical chest pain are more likely to present late. • Patients with myocardial infarction who present late have increased mortality at one year.

Background: Remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) is promising for preventing periprocedural myocardial damage (pMD) in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, the impact of RIPC on pMD on smokers is not well elucidated. The aim of this study was to investigate an association between tobacco smoking and RIPC on pMD in patients planning to undergo PCI. Methods: This study used data from a multicenter randomized controlled trial involving patients with stable angina who planned to undergo elective PCI. We analyzed data for 262 patients in the control (n = 133) and upper-limb RIPC (n = 129) groups, including 166 current or former smokers. The major outcome was the pMD incidence following PCI, with pMD defined as an elevated level of highly sensitive cardiac troponin T or a creatine kinase myocardial band 12 or 24 h after PCI. Results: The incidence of pMD was significantly lower in the upper-limb RIPC group than in the control group (28/83 patients [33.8%] vs. 43/83 patients [51.8%], respectively; p = 0.018). In a multiple logistic regression model, tobacco smoking was an independent predictor of interacting with and enhancing the effect of RIPC on reducing the incidence of pMD after PCI (regression coefficient, −0.4 [95% confidence interval, −0.74 to −0.082]; p = 0.015). Conclusions: Tobacco smoking may have a beneficial effect on RIPC against pMD after PCI. Keywords: Myocardial damage, Percutaneous coronary intervention, Tobacco, Ischemic preconditioning

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Although identification of lymph node (LN) metastasis is a well-recognized strategy for improving outcomes in patients with gastric cancer (GC), currently there is lack of availability of adequate molecular biomarkers that can identify such metastasis. Herein we have developed a robust gene-expression signature for detecting LN metastasis in early stage GC by using a transcriptomic-wide biomarker discovery and subsequent validation in multiple clinical cohorts. METHODS: A total of 532 patients with pathological T1 and T2 GC from 4 different cohorts were analyzed. Two independent datasets (n=96, and n=188) were used to establish a gene signature for the identification of LN metastasis in GC patients. The diagnostic performance of our gene-expression signature was subsequently assessed in two independent clinical cohorts using qRT-PCR assays (n = 101, and n = 147), and subsequently compared against conventional tumor markers and image-based diagnostics. RESULTS: We established a 15-gene signature by analyzing multiple high throughput datasets, which robustly distinguished LN status in both testing (AUC = 0.765, 95% CI 0.667 - 0.863) and validation cohorts (AUC = 0.742, 95% CI 0.630 - 0.852). Notably, the 15-gene signature was significantly superior compared to the conventional tumor markers, CEA (P = 0.04) and CA19-9 (P = 0.005), as well as computed tomography-based imaging (P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: We have established and validated a 15-gene signature for detecting LN metastasis in GC patients, which offers a robust diagnostic tool for potentially improving treatment outcomes in gastric cancer patients. FUNDING STATEMENT: The present work was supported by the grants CA72851, CA181572, CA184792, CA202797 and CA187956 from the National Cancer Institute; a grant (RP140784) from the Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT), pilot grants from the Baylor Sammons Cancer Center, as well as funds from the Baylor Scott & White Research Institute awarded to Ajay Goel, and a VPRT grant (9610337) from the City University of Hong Kong, grants from the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China (Project No. CityU 21101115, 11102317, 11103718), a grant from The Science Technology and Innovation Committee of Shenzhen Municipality (JCYJ20170307091256048) awarded to Xin Wang, and was partially supported by the Shenzhen Research Institute, City University of Hong Kong. DECLARATION OF INTERESTS: None of the authors has any potential conflicts to disclose. ETHICS APPROVAL STATEMENT: Written informed consent was obtained from all patients, and the study was approved by the institutional review boards of all the participating institutions.

Backgrounds Some patients who undergo implantation of cardiac resynchronization therapy with defibrillator (CRT-D) survive long enough, thus requiring CRT-D battery replacement. Defibrillator therapy might become unnecessary in patients who have had significant clinical improvement and recovery of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) after CRT-D implantation. Methods Forty-nine patients who needed replacement of a CRT-D battery were considered for exchange of CRT-D for cardiac resynchronization therapy with pacemaker (CRT-P) if they met the following criteria: LVEF >45%; the indication for an implantable cardioverter defibrillator was primary prevention at initial implantation and no appropriate implantable cardioverter defibrillator therapy was documented after initial implantation of the CRT-D. Results Seven patients (14.2%) were undergone a downgrade from CRT-D to CRT-P without any complications. No ventricular tachyarrhythmic events were observed during a mean follow-up of 39.7 ± 21.1 months and there was no significant change in LVEF between before and 1 year after device replacement (53.5% ± 6.2% vs. 56.4% ± 7.3%, P = 0.197). Conclusions This study confirmed mid-term feasibility and safety of downgrade from CRT-D to CRT-P alternative to conventional replacement with CRT-D., Highlights • Downgrade from CRT-D to CRT-P is feasible for patients with improved LVEF of >45%. • Patients without VT/VF after initial CRT-D implantation are suitable for downgrade. • Patients had no ventricular arrhythmias or HF hospitalization after the downgrade.

Background: There is limited data regarding long-term survival in patients who present with STEMI and out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Methods: We prospectively analysed outcomes in 3521 consecutive patients who were diagnosed with STEMI and underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) or coronary artery bypass surgery from 2004 to 2017. They were divided into two groups according to the presence of cardiac arrest (group I, patients with cardiac arrest; n = 156 group II, patients without cardiac arrest; n = 3365). Results: Patients with OHCA had higher in hospital mortality (27.7% vs 2.9%, p

Background This study aimed to investigate the association of pre-treatment inflammatory status with survival time and to develop a prognostic nomogram incorporating inflammatory cytokines in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Methods A total of 228 patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) received R-CHOP-based regimens from a prospective randomized study (NCT01852435) were included as a training cohort. Other cohorts of 886 lymphoma patients were served as validation cohorts. Lymphocyte-monocyte ratio (LMR), serum levels of soluble interleukin s(IL)-2R, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), were assessed before treatment. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression were used to select variables for nomogram of overall survival (OS). The predictive accuracy of the nomogram was determined by concordance index (C-index). Findings The nomogram included lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), sIL-2R, TNF-α and decreased LMR. The C-index of the nomogram for OS prediction were range from 0.61 to 0.86 for training cohort of DLBCL and validation cohorts of DLBCL, PTCL, NKTCL and ASCT, which were superior to the predictive power of International Prognostic Index (IPI, 0.67 to 0.84) or NCCN-IPI (0.59 to 0.78), but not in those of indolent lymphoma like FL and MALT. Interpretations The nomogram incorporating inflammatory cytokines provides a useful tool for risk stratification in aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. Fund National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Shanghai Commission of Science and Technology, Multicenter Clinical Research Project by Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Clinical Research Plan of SHDC, and Chang Jiang Scholars Program.

Background: Physical activity is important to maintain and promote health. This is of particular interest in patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) where acquired heart disease should be prevented. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a minimum of 2.5 h/week of physical activity exceeding 3 metabolic equivalents (METS) to achieve positive health effects. It is unknown whether physical activity levels (PAL) in adult CHD patients differ by country of origin. Methods: 3896 adults with CHD recruited from 15 countries over 5 continents completed self-reported instruments, including the Health Behaviour Scale (HBS-CHD), within the APPROACH-IS project. For each patient, we calculated whether WHO recommendations were achieved or not. Associated factors were investigated using Generalized Linear Mixed Models. Results: On average, 31% reached the WHO recommendations but with a great variation between geographical areas (India: 10%–Norway: 53%). Predictors for physical activity level in line with the WHO recommendations, with country of residence as random effect, were male sex (OR 1.78, 95%CI 1.52–2.08), NYHA-class I (OR 3.10, 95%CI 1.71–5.62) and less complex disease (OR 1.46, 95%CI 1.16–1.83). In contrast, older age (OR 0.97, 95%CI 0.96–0.98), lower educational level (OR 0.41, 95%CI 0.26–0.64) and being unemployed (OR 0.57, 95%CI 0.42–0.77) were negatively associated with reaching WHO recommendations. Conclusions: A significant proportion of patients with CHD did not reach the WHO physical activity recommendations. There was a large variation in physical activity level by country of origin. Based on identified predictors, vulnerable patients may be identified and offered specific behavioral interventions. Keywords: Adult congenital heart disease, Physical activity level, Patient-reported outcome, Health-behaviour scale, Physical activity recommendation, Metabolic equivalent

Background: “Frailty” is associated with poor prognosis in ST-elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI). However, there is little data regarding the impact of the Canadian Study of Health and Aging Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS), a simple and semiquantitative tool for assessing frailty, on mid-term mortality in STEMI patients. Methods: A total of 354 consecutive STEMI patients (mean age 69.8 ± 12.4 years; male 76.6%) who underwent percutaneous intervention between July 2014 and March 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. The study endpoint was mid-term mortality according to the CFS classification. Furthermore, in order to clarify the impact of CFS upon admission on mid-term mortality, the independent predictors of all-cause death were evaluated. Results: Patients were categorized into three groups (CFS 1–3, n = 281; CFS 4–5, n = 62; and CFS 6–7, n = 11). During the study period (median 474 days), all-cause death was observed in 39 patients. After multivariate Cox regression analysis, higher CFS (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 2.34, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.43–3.85, p

Background: Vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) promotes neovascularization and is attracting considerable attention as a remarkable risk factor in patients after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). In contrast, the association between VEGF-A165b, which is the main anti-angiogenic isoform of VEGF-A, and adverse clinical outcomes after AMI remains unclear. The present study aimed to investigate the association between serum VEGF-A165b and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for AMI. Methods: We evaluated 23 patients with AMI who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention. VEGF-A and VEGF-A165b levels were measured on admission (day 1) and at days 3, 7, and 30 after PCI. Results: The levels of total VEGF-A tended to be lower, while the ratio of VEGF-A165b to total VEGF-A tended to be higher in patients with MACCEs than in those without. The patients with a high ratio of VEGF-A165b to total VEGF-A had a significantly higher risk of MACCEs using the cut-off values for MACCEs at day 30 after PCI (0.87 vs. 0.25, log-rank test, p = 0.0058). Conclusion: The assessment of VEGF-A165b combined with VEGF-A may be a valuable screening tool for predicting MACCEs in clinical practice. Keywords: Acute myocardial infarction, Major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events, VEGF-A, VEGF-A165b

Background: Balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) is a treatment option for patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). Methods and results: In 60 patients with CTEPH, we examined the hemodynamic data before and after BPA. In addition, the sequential ECG findings for right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH) were assessed. The mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) decreased from 38 ± 11 to 20 ± 4 mm Hg (p 0.75, p

Background: With the increased number of influenza cases observed during the 2017 – 2018 season, patients may be at a greater risk of cardiac related complications as a sequela of viral illness. We described the frequency of troponin elevations in patients with influenza infection during the 2017 – 2018 influenza season. Methods: This was a retrospective, single-center observational study. All patients aged 18 years or older and had laboratory confirmed influenza viral infection were included in the study. Troponins were considered elevated if greater than 0.3 ng/mL. Electronic health records were reviewed for demographics, laboratory values, coronary artery disease history, electrocardiography, echocardiography results, and incidence of inpatient mortality. Results: A total of 1,131 patients had lab confirmed influenza infection. Majority of the influenza strains were influenza A, 76.2% (n = 863), and the rest of the influenza strains comprised of influenza B, 23.8% (n = 270). Thirty three (2.9%) patients had elevation of troponin levels greater than 0.3 ng/mL. Most of the patients with elevated troponin levels had influenza A infection (90.9%, n = 30), of which H3 subtype was the most common (48.5%, n = 16). Fifteen patients (45.5%) had a myocardial infarction, 20 (60.6%) had left ventricular abnormalities visualized on echocardiogram, and four (12.1%) died while inpatient. Conclusions: Our results describe the frequency of troponin elevations in patients with influenza infection at our institution during the 2017 – 2018 influenza season. Keywords: Troponin elevations, Influenza, 2017–2018 influenza season, Myocardial infarction

Background: The mechanisms leading to atrial fibrosis in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), especially in relation to inflammation, remain unclear. Methods and Results: Forty biomarkers were measured in peripheral blood samples collected prior to catheter ablation, and the association with left atrial (LVZ) was evaluated in 16 consecutive patients. The median %LVZ was 17%. In Pearson’s correlation analysis, interleukin(IL)-17A and interferon(IFN)-γ showed the most significant positive and negative correlations with %LVZ (R = 0.35 and 0.43, P

Background The hemoglobin index (HbI) represents the amount of hemoglobin, which reflects the regional tissue blood volume. The HbI is calculated by a regional oxygen saturation monitor. In freshwater drowning, inhaled water is immediately absorbed into the blood causing hemodilution. We hypothesized that this blood dilution could be observed in real time using HbI values in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) due to freshwater drowning. Methods In this single-center retrospective, observational study, we examined the HbI in patients with OHCA due to freshwater drowning from April 2015 to May 2020. Patients with OHCA due to hanging were selected as a control group. Results Thirty-two patients in the freshwater drowning group and 21 in the control group were eligible for inclusion. In the freshwater drowning group, the HbI values in the return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) group were significantly decreased in comparison to the non-ROSC group (-0.28 [IQR -0.55, -0.12] vs. -0.04 [IQR -0.16, 0.025]; p = 0.024). In the control group, the change of HbI during resuscitation in the ROSC and non-ROSC groups was not significantly different (0.11 [IQR -0.3525, 0.4225] vs. -0.02 [IQR -0.14, 0.605]; p = 0.8228). In each patient with ROSC in the freshwater drowning group, the HbI value after ROSC was significantly decreased in comparison to before ROSC (1.2±0.5 vs. 0.9±0.5]; p = 0.0156). In contrast, this difference was not observed in patients with an ROSC in the control group (3.7±1.3 vs. 3.8±1.4]; p = 0.7940). Conclusion Blood dilution induced by freshwater drowning might be detected in real time using the HbI. To prove the validity of this research's result, further prospective large study is needed.

Background: Shortening antibiotic-treatment durations is a key recommendation of antibiotic-stewardship programmes, yet it is based on weak evidence. We investigated whether halving antibiotic courses would reduce antibiotic-resistance genes (ARG) in the intestinal microbiomes of patients treated for gram-negative bacteraemia. Methods: This nested prospective cohort study included adult patients hospitalized at Geneva University Hospitals (Switzerland) participating in the PIRATE randomized trial assessing non-inferiority of shorter antibiotic courses for gram-negative bacteraemia (‘cases’) and, simultaneously, hospitalized patients with similar demography and comorbidity yet no antibiotic therapy (‘controls’). Stool was collected from case and control patients on days 7, 14, 30 and 90 after antibiotic initiation (day 1) and days 7 and 14 after admission, respectively, and analysed by whole-metagenome shotgun sequencing. The primary outcome was ARG abundance at day 30; secondary outcomes included microbiota-species composition and clustering over time. Findings: Forty-five patients and 11 controls were included and evaluable; ARG analyses were conducted on the 29 per-protocol patients receiving 7 (±2) days or 14 (±3) days of antibiotic therapy. At day 30, ARGs were detected at similar abundance in patients receiving 7 and 14 days (median counts/million [mCPM]: 96 versus [vs] 71; p=.38). By D30, total ARG content in both groups was similar to that of controls at D7 (362 and 370 mCPM vs 314 mCPM, p=.24 and .19). There were no significant differences among antibiotic-treated patients at any timepoint in bacterial diversity or clustering, but Shannon species diversity was significantly reduced compared to controls through D14 (median 3.12 and 3.24 in the 7-day and 14-day groups vs 3.61 [controls]; p=.04 and .012). Fourteen-day antibiotic courses prompted a persistent trend toward reduced faecal phage content. Interpretation: Reducing antibiotic durations by half did not result in decreased abundance of ARGs in patients treated for gram-negative bacteraemia, nor did it improve microbiota species diversity. Funding: The study was funded by the University of Geneva’s Louis-Jeantet Foundation (grant no. S04_12) and the Swiss National Science Foundation (NRP Smarter Healthcare, grant no. 407440_167359). Declaration of Interests: All authors declare no competing interests. Ethics Approval Statement: The present study was approved by the Cantonal Ethics Committee of Geneva (no. 2017-00108); all participants provided written informed consent before enrolment.

Congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDG) constitute an ever-growing group of genetic diseases affecting the glycosylation of proteins. CDG individuals usually present with severe multisystem disorders. MAN1B1-CDG is a CDG with nonspecific clinical symptoms such as intellectual deficiency and developmental delay. Although up to 40 affected individuals were described so far, its final diagnosis is not straightforward using common biochemical methods due to the trace-level accumulation of defective glycan structures. In this study, we present three unreported MAN1B1-CDG individuals and propose a decision tree to reach diagnosis using a panel of techniques ranging from exome sequencing to gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. The occurrence of MAN1B1-CDG in patients showing unexplained intellectual disability and development delay, as well as a particular transferrin glycosylation profile, can be ascertained notably using matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization – time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry analysis of endo-β-acetylglucosaminidase H-released serum N-glycans. In addition to reporting new pathogenic variants and additional clinical signs such as hypersialorrhea, we highlight particular biochemical features of MAN1B1-CDG with potential glycoprotein-specific glycosylation defects.

Background: Poor dynamic balance, which is common after stroke, may affect gait function. In particular, spatiotemporal asymmetrical gait patterns may occur in hemiplegic patients after stroke. Objective: This study aimed to assess the relationship between dynamic balance and spatiotemporal gait symmetry in patients with chronic hemiplegic stroke. Methods: To calculate symmetry ratios for step length (spatial parameter) and swing time (temporal parameter), 41 patients with chronic stroke walked at a comfortable speed. The dynamic balance measures included limit of stability (LOS) during standing and heel-to-heel base of support (H-H BOS) during gait. Analysis of correlations between various measures was performed. Results: The overall LOS score correlated with temporal gait symmetry (r=0.66). The forward, backward, paretic, and non-paretic direction LOS scores were related to temporal gait symmetry (r=0.38â0.62). The H-H BOS was correlated with temporal (r=â0.63) and spatial (r=â0.36) gait symmetries. Other dynamic balance variables were not significantly correlated with spatial gait symmetry. Conclusion: Thus, control of dynamic balance abilities is related to the magnitude of temporal gait symmetry. This observation suggests that rehabilitation strategies that improve dynamic balance may enhance temporal gait symmetry in post-stroke patients. Keywords: dynamic balance, heel-to-heel base of support, spatiotemporal gait symmetry, stroke

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between age- and gender-adjusted dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) levels and low-dose adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulation in assessing the integrity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, in patients who were at risk of HPA insufficiency, including those currently being treated with glucocorticoids. Methods: Forty-six participants with a suspicion of secondary adrenal insufficiency were recruited from the Diabetes and Endocrinology Clinic at Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok. Low-dose (1 μg) ACTH stimulation was performed in every participants, and serum DHEA-S was measured at baseline before ACTH injection. Results: Individuals with normal age- and gender-specific DHEA-S levels had baseline serum cortisol and peak cortisol levels higher than those with reduced DHEA-S. Normal age- and gender-specific DHEA-S levels predicted intact HPA function with a sensitivity of 87.1%, a specificity of 86.7%, a positive predictive value of 93.1%, and a negative predictive value of 76.5%. To account for the age and gender dependency of DHEA-S, the DHEA-S ratio was calculated by measured DHEA-S divided by the lower limit of the respective reference range for all participants. A DHEA-S ratio of more than 1.78 had 100% sensitivity regarding intact HPA function. Area under the receiver operating characteristic [ROC] curve was 0.920. (95% CI, 0.844–0.997). Conclusion: Normal age- and gender-specific DHEA-S level or a DHEA-S ratio of more than 1.78 are valuable markers of HPA integrity. Serum DHEA-S may be a candidate for a less costly approach where ACTH stimulation is unavailable.