Search

ObjectiveTo determine procedural feasibility, safety, and short-term efficacy in dogs with severe degenerative mitral regurgitation (MR) undergoing transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) with a canine-specific device.DesignProspective, single-arm (uncontrolled), single-institution clinical feasibility study.AnimalsFifty client-owned dogs with severe degenerative MR operated over a 28-month period.MethodsTEER was performed using the canine mitral V-Clamp via a transapical approach using transesophageal echocardiographic and fluoroscopic guidance. Indices of MR severity were determined by echocardiography the day before and 2 to 3 days after the procedure.ResultsProcedural feasibility was 96% based on delivery of at least one device in 48 of 50 dogs. There were no procedural deaths. Procedural safety was 96% based on survival to hospital discharge in 48 of 50 dogs. Euthanasia in 2 dogs prior to hospital discharge was due to damage of the mitral valve and worsened MR after the procedure. Device-related adverse event rate was 6.3% based on 3 events (single-leaflet device detachment, locking failure, locking failure with device embolization) in 59 implanted devices. All three events were nonfatal and successfully treated with a second device. Median regurgitant volume (mL/kg) decreased (p

IntroductionUndiagnosed atrial fibrillation (AF) is a potential underlying cause of cryptogenic stroke. Prolonged screening for AF using a photoplethysmography (PPG) smartwatch might offer a solution for detecting AF in patients with cryptogenic stroke. In this study, we aim to investigate this strategy by comparing AF detection rates using a PPG-smartwatch and 48 h Holter monitor.MethodsFrom December 2019, patients with cryptogenic stroke were included to undergo 28 days of semi-continuous AF monitoring using a Fitbit smartwatch with a PPG-based FibriCheck algorithm, with simultaneous Holter monitoring during the first 48 h. From April 2021, a detailed screening log was installed to characterize potential study participants.ResultsAfter logged screening of 1,312 patients, enrollment was prematurely halted due to slower-than-expected inclusion rates. 40.8% of the screened patients had cryptogenic stroke, of which 92.5% were non-eligible for inclusion due to logistical, technological, and study-related challenges. Of the 43 patients enrolled, 37 completed PPG monitoring using a smartwatch. 43% of patients had PPG-detected AF in the 28 days after cryptogenic stroke. During the first 48 h, PPG-based screening detected AF in 2 patients, whereas no AF was detected using concurrent Holter monitoring.ConclusionThe PPG-smartwatch detected AF in 43% of the participants after cryptogenic stroke. However, discrepancies with concurrent Holter monitoring raise major concerns about the accuracy of the detected PPG-based AF. Moreover, the feasibility of a PPG-based screening strategy is limited due to logistical and technological challenges, partly inherent to cryptogenic stroke patients.

IntroductionSocial activities are important for health and act as a driver of cognitive reserve during aging. In this perspective paper, we describe challenges and outline future (research) endeavors to establish better operationalization of social activities in multidomain interventions to prevent dementia.BodyWe first address the lack of conceptual clarity, which makes it difficult to measure engagement in social activities. Second, drawing from our experience with the Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability (FINGER), we discuss social activities in multidomain dementia prevention interventions. Using qualitative data from the Multimodal Preventive Trial for Alzheimer’s Disease (MIND-ADmini), we reflect on participant experiences with social activities. Third, we address the potential and challenges of digital solutions in promoting social activities in interventions for dementia prevention. Finally, we share insights from a workshop on digital technology, where we consulted with individuals with and without cognitive impairment who have been involved in three European projects (i.e., EU-FINGERS, Multi-MeMo, and LETHE).DiscussionBased on these insights, we advocate for research that strengthens and accelerates the integration of social activities into multidomain interventions for dementia prevention. We propose several ways to achieve this: (a) by conducting mixed methods research to formulate a broadly accepted definition and instructions to measure social activities; (b) by focusing on promoting engagement in social activities beyond the intervention setting; and (c) by exploring the needs and preferences of older adults towards digitally-supported interventions and co-design of new technologies that enrich in-person social activities.

IntroductionDuring a standard 70-degree head-up tilt test, 90% of adults with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) develop an abnormal reduction in cerebral blood flow (CBF). A 70-degree test might not be tolerated by young ME/CFS patients because of the high incidence of syncopal spells. This study examined whether a test at 20 degrees would be sufficient to provoke important reductions in CBF in young ME/CFS patients.MethodsWe analyzed 83 studies of adolescent ME/CFS patients. We assessed CBF using extracranial Doppler measurements of the internal carotid and vertebral arteries supine and during the tilt. We studied 42 adolescents during a 20 degree and 41 during a 70 degree test.ResultsAt 20 degrees, no patients developed postural orthostatic tachycardia (POTS), compared to 32% at 70 degrees (p = 0.0002). The CBF reduction during the 20 degree tilt of −27(6)% was slightly less than during the reduction during a 70 degree test [−31(7)%; p = 0.003]. Seventeen adolescents had CBF measurements at both 20 and 70 degrees. The CBF reduction in these patients with both a 20 and 70 degrees test was significantly larger at 70 degrees than at 20 degrees (p

BackgroundRobotic pancreatoduodenectomy (RPD) technology is developing rapidly, but there is still a lack of a specific and objective difficulty evaluation system in the field of application and training of RPD surgery.MethodsThe clinical data of patients who underwent RPD in our hospital from November 2014 to October 2020 were analyzed retrospectively. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to determine the predictors of operation difficulty and convert into a scoring system.ResultsA total of 72 patients were enrolled in the group. According to the operation time (25%), intraoperative blood loss (25%), conversion to laparotomy, and major complications, the difficulty of operation was divided into low difficulty (0–2 points) and high difficulty (3–4 points). The multivariate logistic regression model included the thickness of mesenteric tissue (P1) (P = 0.035), the thickness of the abdominal wall (B1) (P = 0.017), and the preoperative albumin (P = 0.032), and the nomogram was established. AUC = 0.773 (0.645–0.901).ConclusionsThe RPD difficulty evaluation system based on the specific anatomical relationship between da Vinci’s laparoscopic robotic arm and tissues/organs in the operation area can be used as a predictive tool to evaluate the surgical difficulty of patients before operation and guide clinical practice.

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has major influence on lifestyle and mental health, which might affect brain-health and increase the risk of cognitive decline, particularly in older adults. We aimed to describe changes in modifiable risk factors related to brain-health in older adults after one year of COVID-19 restrictions.MethodsAn online survey was disseminated between February and March 2021 to 17,773 registrants of the Dutch Brain Research Registry, aged ≥50, without a self-reported diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment or dementia. Participants were asked to report potential changes in behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic, compared to pre-pandemic, in eight domains related to brain health: physical activity, sleep, feeling of memory decline, perceived stress, feeling of loneliness, diet, alcohol consumption, and smoking. We used negative binomial regression analyses to relate (socio)demographics, subjective memory complaints and COVID-19 related aspects (fear of, or current/past COVID-19 infection) to the number of reported detrimental and beneficial changes as dependent variable.Results3,943 participants (66 ± 8 years old; 76% female; 71% highly educated) completed the survey. After one year of COVID-19-restrictions, 74% reported at least one detrimental lifestyle change unfavorable for their brain health, most frequently reported were feelings of loneliness, sleep problems, and less physical activity. 60% of participants reported at least one beneficial change, which were most often more physical activity, healthier dietary habits, and less alcohol consumption. Individuals who are younger [incidence rate ratio (IRR) = 0.99, 95% CI = 0.98–0.99], female (1.20, 1.11–1.30), living alone (1.20, 1.11–1.28) and in urban environments (1.18, 1.08–1.29), who are less satisfied with their income (1.38, 1.17–1.62), experiencing subjective memory complaints (1.40, 1.28–1.52) and those with a past or current (1.19, 1.06–1.34) or fear of a COVID-19 infection (1.33, 1.25–1.42) reported higher numbers of detrimental changes.DiscussionThe COVID-19 pandemic has influenced lifestyle in both positive and negative ways. We identified (socio)demographic factors associated with more detrimental changes in modifiable risk factors related to brain health, suggesting that some individuals are more vulnerable for the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings provide an opportunity for targeted prevention and education to promote a healthy lifestyle during and after the pandemic.

Introduction: Impaired awareness in dementia caused by Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders made study partner-report the preferred method of measuring interference in “instrumental activities of daily living” (IADL). However, with a shifting focus toward earlier disease stages and prevention, the question arises whether self-report might be equally or even more appropriate. The aim of this study was to investigate how participant- and study partner-report IADL perform in a community-based volunteer population without dementia and which factors relate to differences between participant- and study partner-report.Methods: Participants (N = 3,288; 18–97 years, 70.4% females) and their study partners (N = 1,213; 18–88 years, 45.8% females) were recruited from the Dutch Brain Research Registry. IADL were measured using the Amsterdam IADL Questionnaire. The concordance between participant- and study partner-reported IADL difficulties was examined using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Multinomial logistic regressions were used to investigate which demographic, cognitive, and psychosocial factors related to participant and study partner differences, by looking at the over- and underreport of IADL difficulties by the participant, relative to their study partner.Results: Most A-IADL-Q scores represented no difficulties for both participants (87.9%) and study partners (89.4%). The concordance between participants and study partners was moderate (ICC = 0.55, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [0.51, 0.59]); 24.5% (N = 297) of participants overreported their IADL difficulties compared with study partners, and 17.8% (N = 216) underreported difficulties. The presence of depressive symptoms (odds ratio [OR] = 1.31, 95% CI = [1.12, 1.54]), as well as memory complaints (OR = 2.45, 95% CI = [1.80, 3.34]), increased the odds of participants overreporting their IADL difficulties. Higher IADL ratings decreased the odds of participant underreport (OR = 0.71, 95% CI = [0.67, 0.74]).Conclusion: In this sample of community-based volunteers, most participants and study partners reported no major IADL difficulties. Differences between participant and study partner were, however, quite prevalent, with subjective factors indicative of increased report of IADL difficulties by the participant in particular. These findings suggest that self- and study partner-report measures may not be interchangeable, and that the level of awareness needs to be considered, even in cognitively healthy individuals.

Background: An increased risk of stroke in patients with migraine has been primarily found for women. The sex-dependent mechanisms underlying the migraine–stroke association, however, remain unknown. This study aims to explore these sex differences to improve our understanding of pathophysiological mechanisms behind the migraine–stroke association.Methods: We included 2,492 patients with ischemic stroke from the prospective multicenter Dutch Parelsnoer Institute Initiative study, 425 (17%) of whom had a history of migraine. Cardiovascular risk profile, stroke cause (TOAST classification), and outcome [modified Rankin scale (mRS) at 3 months] were compared with both sexes between patients with and without migraine.Results: A history of migraine was not associated with sex differences in the prevalence of conventional cardiovascular risk factors. Women with migraine had an increased risk of stroke at young age (onset < 50 years) compared with women without migraine (RR: 1.7; 95% CI: 1.3–2.3). Men with migraine tended to have more often stroke in the TOAST category other determined etiology (RR: 1.7; 95% CI: 1.0–2.7) in comparison with men without migraine, whereas this increase was not found in women with migraine. Stroke outcome was similar for women with or without migraine (mRS ≥ 3 RR 1.1; 95% CI 0.7–1.5), whereas men seemed to have a higher risk of poor outcome compared with their counterparts without migraine (mRS ≥ 3 RR: 1.5; 95% CI: 1.0–2.1).Conclusion: Our results indicate possible sex differences in the pathophysiology underlying the migraine–stroke association, which are unrelated to conventional cardiovascular risk factors. Further research in larger cohorts is needed to validate these findings.

Introduction: Muscle pain, fatigue, and concentration problems are common among individuals with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). These symptoms are commonly increased as part of the phenomenon of postexertional malaise (PEM). An increase in the severity of these symptoms is described following physical or mental exercise in ME/CFS patients. Another important symptom of ME/CFS is orthostatic intolerance, which can be detected by head-up tilt testing (HUT). The effect of HUT on PEM has not been studied extensively. For this purpose, we assessed numeric rating scales (NRS) for pain, fatigue, and concentration pre- and post-HUT. As pain is a core symptom in fibromyalgia (FM), we subgrouped ME/CFS patients by the presence or absence of FM.Methods and Results: In eligible ME/CFS patients who underwent HUT, NRS of pain, fatigue, and concentration were obtained pre-HUT, immediately after HUT, at 24 and 48 h, and at 7 days posttest. We studied 174 ME/CFS patients with FM, 104 without FM, and 30 healthy controls (HC). Values for all symptoms were unchanged for HC pre- and post-HUT. Compared with pre-HUT, the three NRS post-HUT were significantly elevated in both ME/CFS patient groups even after 7 days. NRS pain was significantly higher at all time points measured in the ME/CFS patients with FM compared with those without FM. In ME/CFS patients, the maximum fatigue and concentration scores occurred directly post-HUT, whereas pain perception reached the maximum 24 h post-HUT.Conclusion: NRS scores of pain, fatigue, and concentration were significantly increased even at 7 days post-HUT compared with pre-HUT in ME/CFS patients with and without FM, suggesting that orthostatic stress is an important determinant of PEM.

In the field of rare bone diseases in particular, a broad care team of specialists embedded in multidisciplinary clinical and research environment is essential to generate new therapeutic solutions and approaches to care. Collaboration among clinical and research departments within a University Medical Center is often difficult to establish, and may be hindered by competition and non-equivalent cooperation inherent in a hierarchical structure. Here we describe the “collaborative organizational model” of the Amsterdam Bone Center (ABC), which emerged from and benefited the rare bone disease team. This team is often confronted with pathologically complex and under-investigated diseases. We describe the benefits of this model that still guarantees the autonomy of each team member, but combines and focuses our collective expertise on a clear shared goal, enabling us to capture synergistic and innovative opportunities for the patient, while avoiding self-interest and possible harmful competition.

Background: Doxorubicin (DOX) is one of the most effective chemotherapeutics for canine high-grade lymphoma. In addition to dose-dependent chronic cardiotoxicity, DOX can trigger acute cardiac arrhythmias during drug infusion. Diphenhydramine premedication is commonly used, as histamine release is a proposed mechanism for DOX-associated arrhythmogenesis.Hypothesis/Objectives: The study objectives were to evaluate the incidence and severity of DOX infusion-related cardiac arrhythmias in dogs with high-grade lymphoma and evaluate the effect of diphenhydramine premedication on arrhythmia frequency and severity during and after DOX infusion.Animals: Twenty-two client-owned dogs with cytologically/histopathologically confirmed high-grade lymphoma were recruited, of which 19 were enrolled and 9 completed the study.Methods: Dogs were screened by echocardiogram and concurrent electrocardiogram for this randomized prospective crossover study. Group A received no premedication for DOX #1 and was premedicated with diphenhydramine for DOX #2; Group B received diphenhydramine with DOX #1 and no premedication for DOX #2. For both visits, Holter monitor data were collected for 1 h pre-DOX and 3 h post-DOX administration.Results: Nineteen dogs were enrolled and 9 dogs [Group A (5), Group B (4)] completed the protocol. There was no statistical difference between the DOX alone and DOX + diphenhydramine when evaluating the total number of ventricular premature complexes (VPCs, P = 0.34), change in VPCs/hour (P = 0.25), total number of atrial premature complexes (APCs, P = 0.5), change in APCs/hour (P = 0.06), or ventricular arrhythmia severity score (P > 0.99).Conclusions and clinical importance: This study demonstrates that in these dogs with rigorous pretreatment cardiovascular screening, DOX infusion did not induce significant arrhythmias. Furthermore, these data suggest that, with this screening approach, diphenhydramine may not alter the arrhythmia number or severity in canine DOX recipients.

Subvalvular aortic stenosis (SAS) and valvular pulmonic stenosis (PS) are two of the most common congenital heart diseases of dogs. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and mode of inheritance of these congenital heart diseases in a large veterinary teaching hospital population. Case records of dogs presented to the University of California Davis, Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (UCD VMTH) between January 2008 to December 2017 were reviewed retrospectively and pedigree information was obtained when available. There were 259 unique SAS and 336 unique PS cases diagnosed during the study period. The prevalence of SAS was 0.3% of overall hospital admissions and 4.7% for all dogs seen by the cardiology service. The prevalence for PS was 0.41% of overall hospital admissions and 6.1% of dogs seen by the cardiology service. Bullmastiffs and Newfoundlands had the greatest prevalence (6.59 and 4.46%, respectively) and odds ratio (52.43 and 34.73, respectively) for SAS. Bulldogs and French Bulldogs had the greatest prevalence (4.8 and 2.7%, respectively) and odds ratio (13.32 and 7.52, respectively) for PS. The identified prevalence of SAS and PS is higher than previously reported. Pedigree analysis in SAS affected Bullmastiffs, Golden Retrievers, and Rottweilers suggested an autosomal recessive pattern of inheritance. The mode of inheritance for PS in Bulldogs, also appears to be autosomal recessive. The results of this study can be used to inform future selection of breeding pairs and genetic studies aimed at reducing the prevalence of these common congenital heart diseases.

Introduction: Orthostatic intolerance is common among individuals with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). In some ME/CFS case definitions, orthostatic intolerance is considered a core feature of the disorder. Some studies have employed tilt table tests lasting 2–5 min to diagnose one common form of orthostatic intolerance, postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS). We examined the diagnostic yield of abbreviated durations of tilt testing in adults meeting criteria for ME/CFS, and identified the proportion with POTS misdiagnosed using testing of