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OBJECTIVESSurgical management of pulmonary metastases in colorectal cancer patients is a debated topic. There is currently no consensus on this matter, which sparks considerable risk for international practice variation. The European Society of Thoracic Surgeons (ESTS) ran a survey to assess current clinical practices and to determine criteria for resection among ESTS members.METHODSAll ESTS members were invited to complete an online questionnaire of 38 questions on current practice and management of pulmonary metastases in colorectal cancer patients.RESULTSIn total, 308 complete responses were received (response rate: 22%) from 62 countries. Most respondents consider that pulmonary metastasectomy for colorectal pulmonary metastases improves disease control (97%) and improves patients’ survival (92%). Invasive mediastinal staging in case of suspicious hilar or mediastinal lymph nodes is indicated (82%). Wedge resection is the preferred type of resection for a peripheral metastasis (87%). Minimally invasive approach is the preferred approach (72%). For a centrally located colorectal pulmonary metastasis, the preferred form of treatment is a minimally invasive anatomical resection (56%). During metastasectomy, 67% of respondents perform mediastinal lymph node sampling or dissection. Routine chemotherapy is rarely or never given following metastasectomy (57% of respondents).CONCLUSIONSThis survey among the ESTS members underlines the change in practice of pulmonary metastasectomy with an increasing tendency in favour of minimally invasive metastasectomy and surgical resection is preferred over other types of local treatment. Criteria for resectability vary and controversy remains regarding lymph node assessment and the role of adjuvant treatment.

Objectives Postoperative atrial fibrillation (PoAF), an important clinical condition that can occur after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) operations, may bring about cerebrovascular risks, prolong hospital stay and increase treatment costs. In this prospective study, we aimed to investigate the predictive value of HATCH score and waist/height ratio (WHR) values in revealing the development of PoAF after CABG operations. Methods Patients who underwent isolated CABG surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass between May 2019 and November 2019 were prospectively included in the study. Preoperative demographic characteristics, laboratory parameters, and operative parameters of the patients were recorded prospectively. Results A total of 255 patients were included in the study. Those who did not develop PoAF were included in Group 1 (N = 196, mean age = 58.9 ± 9.4 years), and those who did were included in Group 2 (n = 59, mean age = 61.1 ± 12 years). There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of age, gender, presence of hypertension and hyperlipidemia. Rates of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and previous percutaneous coronary interventions, waist circumference, waist to height ratio and HATCH score values were significantly higher in Group 2 compared to Group 1 ( p values: 0.019, 0.034, 0.001

OBJECTIVES To assess the prevalence and outcomes of spontaneous intestinal perforation (SIP) in very low birth weight infants. STUDY DESIGN This cross-sectional study utilized the National Inpatient Sample dataset for the years 2002-2017. All premature infants with birth weight (BW)

OBJECTIVE The use of supplemental oxygen in premature infants is essential for survival. However, its use has been associated with unintended complications. The restricted use of oxygen is associated with increased mortality and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), whereas its liberal use is associated with increased risk for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Although there is no clear consensus on the acceptable oxygen saturation range, clinicians have recently become more liberal with the use of oxygen. We aim to assess (1) the national trends for ROP in very low birth weight preterm infants, and (2) the associated trends in mortality, NEC, intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), and length of hospital stay (LOS). METHODS We analyzed deidentified patient data from the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) from 2002 to 2017. All infants with gestational age ≤32 weeks and birth weight

We aimed to assess the prevalence and outcomes of esophageal perforation in very low birth weight infants. This retrospective cohort study utilized the US National Inpatient Sample dataset for the years 2000 to 2017. A total of 1,755,418 very low birth weight infants were included; of them, 861 (0.05%) were diagnosed with esophageal perforation. The majority (77.9%) of infants were in the birth weight category < 1000 g and 77.7% in infants ≤ 28 weeks of gestation. The majority (73%) of infants were tracheally intubated and received mechanical ventilation; of them, 24 infants (2.8%) had tracheostomy. Mortality associated with esophageal perforation was 25.8%. Regression analysis did not show an association between esophageal perforation and increased mortality in preterm infants (aOR = 1.0, CI: 0.83-1.20, p = 0.991). Procedures encountered in these infants include thoracentesis (10.8%), laparotomy (4.1%), percutaneous abdominal drainage (4.1%), and gastrostomy tube insertion (6.2%), whereas the rest of the infants were managed conservatively. There was a significant trend for increasing prevalence of esophageal perforation over the years.Conclusion: Esophageal perforation does not independently increase the risk for mortality in very low birth weight infants. The increasing prevalence is possibly related to increased care offered to infants at limits of viability in recent years. What is Known: • Knowledge about esophageal perforation is derived from anecdotal single-center case reports. • Esophageal perforation in neonates is mostly iatrogenic. • It is considered a critical complication that is associated with high mortality. What is New: • This is the first and largest national study on prevalence of esophageal perforation in preterm infants. • Esophageal perforation does not independently increase the risk for mortality. • Septicemia and pneumothorax are frequent complications to esophageal perforation.

Background: Prophylactic platelet transfusion has been adopted as a ubiquitous practice in management of thrombocytopenia in preterm infants to reduce the risk of bleeding. Objectives: The objectives of this study were to report the prevalence of platelet transfusion among preterm infants with thrombocytopenia and to assess the association of platelet transfusion with mortality and morbidity in this population. Methods: A cross-sectional study that utilized National Inpatient Sample for the years 2000–2017 was conducted. All preterm infants delivered nationally with birth weight (BW) Results: The study included 1,780,299 infants; of them, 22,609 (1.27%) were diagnosed with thrombocytopenia and 5,134 (22.7%) received platelet transfusion. Platelet transfusion was associated with significant increase in mortality (24.8 vs. 13.8%), retinopathy of prematurity (22.3 vs. 19.2%), severe intraventricular hemorrhage (18.3 vs. 10.1%), median length of hospital stays (51 vs. 47 days), and cost of hospitalization (USD 298,204 vs. USD 219,760). Increased mortality was noted in p < 0.001) and 1,000–1,499-g infants (aOR = 2.02, CI: 1.62–2.53, p < 0.001). Platelet transfusion increased over the years in infants with BW p = 0.001) and in infants with BW 1,000–1,499 g (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Platelet transfusion is associated with increased mortality and comorbidities in premature infants. There is a trend for increased utilization of platelet transfusions over the study period.

Background: Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is frequently encountered in premature infants. Optimal management of PDA remains undefined. We aim to assess the national trend for PDA ligation over 18 years and evaluate mortality and associated morbidities. Methods: We used data from the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) and KID of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) from 1998 to 2015. All infants with gestational age 24–32 weeks and birth weight

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to identify patient and hospitalization characteristics associated with in-hospital mortality in infants with truncus arteriosus. METHODS We conducted a retrospective analysis of a large administrative database, the National Inpatient Sample data set of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project for the years 2002 to 2017. We also sought to evaluate the resource utilization in the subgroup of subjects with truncus arteriosus and 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. Neonates with truncus arteriosus were identified by ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes. Hospital and patient factors associated with inpatient mortality were analyzed. RESULTS Overall, 3009 neonates met inclusion criteria; a total of 326 patients died during the hospitalization (10.8%). Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation utilization was 7.1%. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify risk factors for in-hospital mortality. Significant risk factors for mortality were prematurity (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.43; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.40-4.22; P = .002), diagnosis of stroke (aOR = 26.2; 95% CI: 10.1-68.1; P

Children affected with acute myocarditis may progress rapidly into profound ventricular dysfunction and ventricular arrhythmias. The objective of this study is to assess the impact of ventricular arrhythmias on in-hospital mortality and the use of mechanical circulatory support in patients with myocarditis. Pediatric patients (age 0–18 years) admitted with myocarditis were identified from the National Inpatient Sample dataset for the years 2002–2015. A total of 12,489 patients with myocarditis were identified. Of them, 1627 patients were with ventricular arrhythmias and 10,862 patients without ventricular arrhythmias. Mortality was higher in those with ventricular arrhythmias (19.5% vs. 2.8%, OR = 8.47; 95% CI 7.16–10.04; p

OBJECTIVES Transposition of the great arteries is the most common cyanotic congenital heart defect. Surgical correction usually occurs in the first week of life; presence of restrictive interatrial communication and severe hypoxemia warrants urgent intervention with balloon atrial septostomy and medical stabilization prior to surgery. The main objective of this study is to compare the characteristics, outcomes, and mortality risks in patients with transposition of the great arteries who underwent balloon atrial septostomy during their hospitalization versus transposition of the great arteries patients who have not undergone this procedure. DESIGN Retrospective analysis of administrative data. SETTING Data from Kids' Inpatient Database complemented with the National Inpatient Sample dataset for the years 1998-2014, this includes data from participating hospitals in 47 U.S. States and the District of Columbia. PATIENTS Neonates admitted with transposition of the great arteries. INTERVENTIONS None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS A total of 17,392 neonates with diagnosis of transposition of the great arteries were captured in the databases we used. Male-to-female ratio was 2:1. The rate of balloon atrial septostomy in patients with transposition of the great arteries was 27.7% without significant change over the years. There was no significant difference in mortality between balloon atrial septostomy and no balloon atrial septostomy (6.3% vs 6.7%; p = 0.29). Neonates with balloon atrial septostomy had a two-fold increase in their length of stay compared with no balloon atrial septostomy (16 d vs 7 d; p < 0.0001). Stroke was present in 1.1% of balloon atrial septostomy group versus 0.6% in those who did not have balloon atrial septostomy (odds ratio, 1.85; 95% CI, 1.29-2.65; p < 0.0001). Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was used more in balloon atrial septostomy group (5.1% vs 3.1%; p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS There was no difference in mortality rate between balloon atrial septostomy and no balloon atrial septostomy patients. The prevalence of the diagnosis of stroke in this study was higher in patients who underwent balloon atrial septostomy. Furthermore, comparison of in-hospital mortality in balloon atrial septostomy and no balloon atrial septostomy revealed increased mortality risk in no balloon atrial septostomy patients transferred from other institution, no balloon atrial septostomy patients supported with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and balloon atrial septostomy patients diagnosed with stroke. Finally, length of stay and charges were higher in balloon atrial septostomy patients.

The objective of this study was to identify patient and hospitalization characteristics associated with in-hospital mortality in infants with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). We conducted a retrospective analysis of a large administrative database, the National Inpatient Sample dataset of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project for the years 2002–2016. Neonates with HLHS were identified by ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes. Hospital and patient factors associated with inpatient mortality were analyzed. Overall, 18,867 neonates met the criteria of inclusion; a total of 3813 patients died during the hospitalization (20.2%). In-hospital mortality decreased over the years of the study (27.0% in 2002 vs. 18.3% in 2016). Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation utilization was 8.1%. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify risk factors for in-hospital mortality in infants with hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Independent non-modifiable risk factors for mortality were birth weight

In this study, the catalyst activity of Fe2O3 supported on Graphene for Iraqi gas oil oxidation desulfurization (ODS) by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was investigated. The prepared catalyst was synthesized by wet impregnation for ferric nitrate as a Fe2O3 precursor while Graphene represented as catalyst support. The synthesized catalyst was characterized by XRD, FTIR, and EDS analysis. The experiments were designed according to three-level for three variables by Box-Behnken experimental design; Stirring time, catalyst dosage and temperature while the sulfur removal efficiency acts as experiment response. Catalyst activity was studied by ODS reaction for Iraqi gas oil (sulfur content 9400 ppm) at temperature range (40-60 ºC), stirring time (160-240 minutes) and catalyst dosage (0.5-2.5 g), the results show maximum sulfur removal efficiency 90% at stirring time, catalyst dosage and temperature 240 min, 1.5 g, and 60 ºC, respectively. ANOVA analysis shows the important effect of each independent variable on sulfur removal efficiency (response) as following influential order; stirring time, reaction temperature and catalyst dosage. Kinetics calculation showed that the ODS reaction obeys pseudo first-order reaction with reaction rate constant equal 1.0837, 1.5893, and 2.5053 at temperature 40, 50, and 60 ºC, respectively, while activation energy equal 36.26 kJ/mol. Copyright © 2020 by Authors, Published by BCREC Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).

In the advent of increased use of technology in diabetes care, the management of CSII and CGM devices in the inpatient setting has not been well described. We conducted a non-incentivized survey among inpatient licensed independent practitioners (LIP) at 4 large US hospital systems to assess their knowledge, comfort, and behaviors related to the use of CSII and CGM in the inpatient setting. Of 128 respondents, 83% were day and night hospitalists, 10% advanced practice providers, and 7% primary care physicians. Most LIPs worked in academic centers (68%), 18% at community teaching hospitals, with 93% having diabetes consult service, and 55% having dedicated teams to assist with use of CSII and CGM. Most respondents (96%) rated inpatient hyperglycemia treatment as important, and 93% of LIPs agreed that CSII should be continued in the inpatient setting in the absence of contraindication. However, only half (49%) reported reviewing CSII settings on admission, and of those, only 50% were confident with interpreting those parameters to guide therapy. Almost two-thirds (64% ) of providers reported knowledge of a CSII policy at their institution. The most common barriers to continuing CSII included lack of LIP knowledge and perceived lack of nursing knowledge regarding CSII. LIPs were less familiar with the use of CGM, with 72% being unaware or not at all familiar with their institution’s policy. Of 64 respondents who cared for a patient with CGM in the preceding 6 months, 56% reported not reviewing CGM data to guide therapy. Most inpatient providers value glycemic control and use of DM technology; however, many reported limited in-depth knowledge of CSII and CGM devices for optimal use to guide clinical care in the inpatient setting. Educational programs and collaboration between LIPs and endocrinologists are needed to safely optimize the use of CSII and CGM in the hospital setting. Disclosure N. Z. Madhun: None. R. J. Galindo: Consultant; Self; Abbott Diabetes, Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH, Eli Lilly and Company, Novo Nordisk, Sanofi US, Valeritas, Inc., Research Support; Self; Dexcom, Inc., Novo Nordisk. J. Donato: None. P. Hwang: None. H. F. Shabbir: None. M. Fowler: Other Relationship; Self; AstraZeneca. E. Molitch-hou: None. G. E. Umpierrez: Research Support; Self; AstraZeneca, Dexcom, Inc., Novo Nordisk. M. Lansang: Consultant; Self; Sanofi, Research Support; Self; Dexcom, Inc.

Patients with chronic inflammatory diseases (CID) experience accelerated loss of bone mineral density, which is often accompanied by increased vascular calcification. These disturbances can be attenuated by therapies for inflammation, such as the tumor necrosis factor inhibitor infliximab. Calciprotein particles (CPP) are circulating colloidal aggregates of calcium and phosphate together with the mineral‐binding protein fetuin‐A, which have emerged as potential mediators of vascular calcification. The precise origins of serum CPP are unclear, but bone turnover may be an important source. In this longitudinal observational study, we studied patients with CID undergoing treatment with infliximab to assess the temporal relationship between bone turnover and circulating CPP. Ten patients with active CID receiving infliximab induction therapy and an additional 3 patients with quiescent CID on maintenance infliximab therapy were studied for 8 weeks with repeated measures of bone turnover markers as well as CPP (calciprotein monomers [CPM], primary CPP [CPP‐I], and secondary CPP [CPP‐II]). Therapeutic response was appraised using validated disease activity scores. At baseline, those with active CID had elevated markers of bone resorption and suppressed bone formation markers as well as higher CPM and CPP‐I compared with those with quiescent CID. In responders, there was an early but transient reduction in resorption markers by week 1, but a more sustained increase in bone formation markers compared with non‐responders at week 8. This was accompanied by reductions in CPM (β = −6.5 × 103 AU [95% CI −11.1, −1.8], p = 0.006) and CPP‐I (β = −23.4 × 104 particles/mL [95% CI −34.8, −11.9], p

Neonates with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) were identified from the National Inpatient Sample dataset for the years 1998-2014. These patients were stratified into two chronological groups, past group (1998-2005) and recent group (2006-2014). A total of 20,649 neonates with HLHS were identified. Of them, 9179 (44.5%) were born in the past group and 11,470 (55.5%) in the recent group. Median birth weight was significantly less in the recent group (2967 g vs. 3110 g, p = 0.005). The patients in the recent group had more patients with low birth weight (2.5 kg) and prematurity (8.7% vs 7.6% and 12.7% vs. 4.3%., respectively). In addition, recent group had more comorbidities including chromosomal anomalies, total anomalous pulmonary venous return, and kidney anomalies (5.6% vs. 3.6%, 2.3% vs. 1.7%, and 5.6% vs. 3.6%, respectively, p0.001); these were associated with a higher rate of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation utilization (9.2% vs. 4.5%, p0.001). Consequently, median length of stay was longer in the recent group (8 vs. 6 days, p0.001).Conclusion: Despite the higher frequency of comorbidities in recent group, the mortality rates decreased by 20% (from 25.3% to 20.6%, p0.001). Balloon atrial septostomy was performed less frequently in the recent group (23.3% vs. 16.1%, p0.001).What is known:• Hypoplastic left heart syndrome has the highest mortality among congenital cardiac defects during the first year of life.• Limited studies on patients' comorbidities and mortality rates trends over last two decades.What is new:• The study utilized a national database to compare in-hospital mortality and length of stay between the two time periods 1998-2005 and 2006-2014.• The recent group had more comorbidities (prematurity, chromosomal anomalies, total anomalous pulmonary venous return, and kidney anomalies), and there was higher rate of ECMO and longer length of stay, while mortality rates decreased by 20%.

The objective of this study was to use current national data to evaluate the characteristics and survival trends of preterm infants born with CDH from 2004 to 2014. Data was queried from the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) and KID database from 2004 to 2014. Infants were included if diagnosed with CDH by ICD-9 coding and gestational age

OBJECTIVE To use the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test to assess the subclinical cognitive impairment in patients with Primary Sjogren`s Syndrome (PSS) and assess the correlation of MoCA results with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in these patients. METHODS The MoCA test was prospectively administered to 32 consecutive patients (31 females, 1 male) diagnosed with PSS and 30 healthy controls (29 females, 1 male) at Antalya Education and Research Hospital between June 2014 and October 2015. Twenty PSS patients underwent a brain MRI (T1, T2, and T2- FLAIR-weighted sequences). RESULTS The mean age was 45.84 (range 24-63) in the PSS group, and the mean duration of disease was 3.5 years (4 months - 18 years). There were 22 patients (68.80%) with 5-8 years of education and 10 patients (31.30%) with more than 8 years of education. The mean age was 42.8 (28-64) in the control group. There were 20 controls (66.70%) with 5-8 years of education and 10 controls (33.3%) with more than 8 years of education. The delayed recall rate of the patient group with 5-8 years of education was significantly lower than that of the control group, and the recall rate with multiple choice cues for the same patient group was significantly higher than that of the control group (p less than 0.05). There was no correlation between the number of lesions and total MoCA score or subgroups. CONCLUSION We suggest that the MoCA test is a single-page, easy-to-administer test, can be used to assess cognition in patients with PSS especially in large groups.

We report on in-hospital cardiac arrest outcomes in the USA. The data were obtained from the National (Nationwide) Inpatient Sample datasets for the years 2000-2017, which includes data from participating hospitals in 47 US states and the District of Columbia. We included pediatric patients (< 18 years of age) with cardiac arrest, and we excluded patients with no cardiopulmonary resuscitation during the hospitalization. Primary outcome of the study was in-hospital mortality after cardiac arrest. A multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with survival. A total of 20,654 patients were identified, and 8226 (39.82%) patients survived to discharge. The median length of stay and cost of hospitalization were significantly higher in the survivors vs. non-survivors (LOS 18 days vs. 1 day, and cost $187,434 vs. $45,811, respectively, p < 0.001). In a multivariable model, patients admitted to teaching hospitals, elective admissions, and those admitted on weekdays had higher survival (aOR=1.19, CI: 1.06-1.33; aOR=2.65, CI: 2.37-2.97; and aOR=1.17, CI: 1.07-1.27, respectively). There was no difference in mortality between patients with extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (E-CPR) and those with conventional cardiopulmonary resuscitation. E-CPR patients were likely to have congenital heart surgery (51.0% vs. 20.8%).Conclusion: We highlighted the survival predictors in these events, which can guide future studies aimed at improving outcomes in pediatric cardiac arrest. What is Known: • In-hospital cardiac arrest occurs in 2-6% of pediatric intensive care admissions. • Cardiac arrests had a significant impact on hospital resources and a significantly high mortality rate. What is New: • Factors associated with higher survival rates in patients with cardiac arrest: admission to teaching hospitals, elective admissions, and week-day admissions. • The use of rescue extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation in refractory cardiac arrest has increased by threefold over the last two decades.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the most life-threatening pathogen. It is considered nosocomialopportunistic microbe that cause wide range of infections including wound and burn infections, respiratoryinfections, and Otitis media. Despite the efficiency of antibiotics against infectious diseases, P. aeruginosastill causes complicated infections with antibiotic resistance in many clinical strains. The pigments producedby P. aeruginosa exhibits antibacterial properties. Thus, we have examined its ability to enhance antibioticseffect against some pathogenic microbes. 286 samples were collected from patients with different infectionswho visited Mosul hospitals. 76 samples were positive to P.aeruginosa. Among them, 38 (13.28%) of isolateswere isolated from surgical infection, whereas, 12 (4.19%), 11(3.84%), and 7(2.447%) were isolated fromOtitis media, Urinary tract infection, and pus, respectively. The pyocyanin in low concentrations showedsynergistic effect with some antibiotics against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. E. coli becamesensitive to ciprofloxacin and nalidixic acid when mixed with 100 mg/ml pyocyanin. However, cloxacillindid not show any activity against Staph.aureus when mixed with 1 mg/ml and 6.25 mg/ml pyocyanin. Staphaureus became sensitive to nalidixic acid when mixed with 1 mg/ml pyocyanin.

Background Outcomes of patients with implanted left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation experiencing a cardiac arrest (CA) are not well reported. We aimed at defining the in-hospital outcomes of patients with implanted LVAD experiencing a CA. Methods The national inpatient sample (NIS) was queried using ICD9/ICD10 codes for patients older than 18 years with implanted LVAD and CA between 2010–2018. We excluded patients with orthotropic heart transplantation, biventricular assist device (BiVAD) implantation and do not resuscitate (DNR) status. Results A total of 93,153 hospitalisations between 2010 and 2018 with implanted LVAD were identified. Only 578 of these hospitalisations had experienced CA and of those, 173 (33%) hospitalisations underwent cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The mean age of hospitalisations that experienced a CA was 60.61±14.85 for non-survivors and 56.23±17.33 for survivors (p=0.14). The in-hospital mortality was 60.8 % in hospitalisations with CA and 74.33% in hospitalisations in whom CPR was performed. In an analysis comparing survivors with non-survivors, non-survivors had more diabetes mellitus (DM) (p=0.01), and ischaemic heart disease (IHD) (p=0.04). Age, female sex, peripheral vascular disease and history of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) were independently associated with increased mortality in our cohort. Also, ventricular tachycardia (VT) and CPR were independently associated with in-hospital mortality. During the study period, there was a significantly decreasing trend in performing CPR in LVAD hospitalisations with CA. Conclusion In conclusion, age, female sex, peripheral vascular disease, history of CABG, VT and CPR were independently associated with in-hospital mortality in LVAD hospitalisations who experienced CA.

Background: Experimental and clinical data suggest that reducing inflammation without affecting lipid levels may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Yet, the inflammatory hypothesis of atherothrombosis has remained unproved. Methods: We conducted a randomized, double-blind trial of canakinumab, a therapeutic monoclonal antibody targeting interleukin-1β, involving 10,061 patients with previous myocardial infarction and a high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level of 2 mg or more per liter. The trial compared three doses of canakinumab (50 mg, 150 mg, and 300 mg, administered subcutaneously every 3 months) with placebo. The primary efficacy end point was nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or cardiovascular death. RESULTS: At 48 months, the median reduction from baseline in the high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level was 26 percentage points greater in the group that received the 50-mg dose of canakinumab, 37 percentage points greater in the 150-mg group, and 41 percentage points greater in the 300-mg group than in the placebo group. Canakinumab did not reduce lipid levels from baseline. At a median follow-up of 3.7 years, the incidence rate for the primary end point was 4.50 events per 100 person-years in the placebo group, 4.11 events per 100 person-years in the 50-mg group, 3.86 events per 100 person-years in the 150-mg group, and 3.90 events per 100 person-years in the 300-mg group. The hazard ratios as compared with placebo were as follows: in the 50-mg group, 0.93 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.80 to 1.07; P = 0.30); in the 150-mg group, 0.85 (95% CI, 0.74 to 0.98; P = 0.021); and in the 300-mg group, 0.86 (95% CI, 0.75 to 0.99; P = 0.031). The 150-mg dose, but not the other doses, met the prespecified multiplicity-adjusted threshold for statistical significance for the primary end point and the secondary end point that additionally included hospitalization for unstable angina that led to urgent revascularization (hazard ratio vs. placebo, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.73 to 0.95; P = 0.005). Canakinumab was associated with a higher incidence of fatal infection than was placebo. There was no significant difference in all-cause mortality (hazard ratio for all canakinumab doses vs. placebo, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.83 to 1.06; P = 0.31). Conclusions: Antiinflammatory therapy targeting the interleukin-1β innate immunity pathway with canakinumab at a dose of 150 mg every 3 months led to a significantly lower rate of recurrent cardiovascular events than placebo, independent of lipid-level lowering. (Funded by Novartis; CANTOS ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01327846.)

To assess prevalence and outcomes of acute kidney injury (AKI) in very-low-birth-weight infants. This cross-sectional study utilized the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) dataset for years 2000–2017. All premature infants with birth weight (BW)

World population is increasing rapidly. Extensive industrialization, higher economic activity, better education and healthcare in cities have attracted people to flux into urban areas thereby causing rapid urbanization across the globe. This has impacted the environment and lifestyle of people. Therefore, it has become important to manage our cities more effectively and in efficient manner. This requires major changes in the way urban operations and infra structure are managed today. This paper attempts to provide fundamentals of smart city (SC) concept, briefly describes its main characteristics and worldwide implementation. Finally, a case study on Smart Dubai initiative is provided. SC is based on internet of things (IoT) that comprises of a system of interrelated computing devices, machines, objects, and living creatures that are provided with unique identifiers. The provision of enough funding and technology development are two major hurdles that are causing delay in integration of smart cities concept into urban management.

This research was aimed to study the efficiency of activated carbon to remove Disinfection By-Products (DBPs) from drinking water. This work studies the main compounds of DBPs Trichloromethane (TCM) and Trichloroacetic acid (TCA) at the effect of Temperature (25−35 C°), pH (4−9), adsorbate initial concentration (4−124 mg/l) for TCM, (4−100 mg/l) for TCA and adsorbent weight (15−20 g) of activated carbon. The results show that the adsorption capacity decreases with temperature and pH increasing, and increases with initial adsorbate concentration and adsorbent weight increasing. The kinetics of the adsorption was studies and the results showed that it followed the pseudo-first-order kinetics, also the thermodynamic parameters were determined for adsorption process where the results showed that the adsorption of TCM and TCA on activated carbon was spontaneously and exothermic. The Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms constants were determined for TCM and TCA, at the end of this work eight tap water samples from Baghdad University tap water were tested to determine TCM and TCA concentrations then treated with activated carbon where the removal efficiency was (98.1% − 99.37 %).

For the generation of energy, the important human pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae relies on host-derived sugars, including β-glucoside analogs. The catabolism of these nutrients involves the action of 6-phospho-β-glucosidase to convert them into usable monosaccharaides. In this study, we characterized a 6-phospho-β-glucosidase (BglA3) encoded by SPD_0247. We found that this enzyme has a cell membrane localization and is active only against a phosphorylated substrate. A mutated pneumococcal ΔSPD0247 strain had reduced 6-phospho-glucosidase activity and was attenuated in growth on cellobiose and hyaluronic acid compared to the growth of wild-type D39. ΔSPD0247-infected mice survived significantly longer than the wild-type-infected cohort, and the colony counts of the mutant were lower than those of the wild type in the lungs. The expression of SPD_0247 in S. pneumoniae harvested from infected tissues was significantly increased relative to its expression in vitro on glucose. Additionally, ΔSPD0247 is severely impaired in its attachment to an abiotic surface. These results indicate the importance of β-glucoside metabolism in pneumococcal survival and virulence.

Background Cardiac dysrhythmias are a common cause of hospitalization in patients with left ventricular assist device (LVAD). There is limited data on the incidence of VT over time and associated mortality in patients with LVAD. We aimed to identify the incidence of VT post LVAD implant and associated in hospital mortality. Methods Subjects with history of LVAD who had cardiac dysrhythmias as a primary diagnosis were identified from the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) dataset of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) for the years 2005-2017 using ICD-9 and10 codes. We also identified the in-hospital outcomes of VT. We excluded patients with history of orthotropic heart transplant and history of biventricular assist device (BiVAD). Associated morbidities and in-hospital outcomes were evaluated. Results A total of 15131 LAVD hospitalizations were identified and 703 patients hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of cardiac dysrhythmias. The median age of patients was 60 years (IQR 51-67), and 57.8% were White. VT was the primary cause of hospitalization in 542 patients (77.5%), followed by atrial fibrillation and flutter, 126(17.9%), then paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia, 24(3.4%) . Among patients who had VT, 62 patients (11.4%) had cardiac arrest, 2 (0.4%) needed CPR, 17(3.1%) had cardiogenic shock, 4(0.7%) had acute myocardial infarction, 4(0.7%) had acute stroke, 2(0.4%) had brain death, 13 (2.4%) needed mechanical ventilation, 42 (7.7%) had ICD implanted. There was no significant increase in incidence of hospitalization for VT in LVAD patients over the study period.(Std. J-T Statistic 1.371, p = 0.170). Figure 1. The overall in hospital death in these patients was 13(1.8%). Conclusion In LVAD patient VT was found to be most common arrhythmia causing hospitalization but overall mortality was low.

Background Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) utilization in children is recommended in refractory septic shock. However in adults there are no official recommendation to guide this treatment. Most of the existing evidence consists of small observational and single center experiences. We aimed to investigate the trend of use and outcomes of ECMO in patients with combined septic and cardiogenic shock. Methods We queried the unweighted national inpatient sample (NIS) for patients older than 18 years old, who carried both diagnoses of septic shock and cardiogenic shock during index hospitalization and received ECMO treatment for the years 2004-2017 using ICD-9&10 codes. Results We identified 29,178 patients with combined septic and cardiogenic shock in between 2004 and 2017. Of those, 424 (0.1%) patients underwent ECMO. There was a statistically significant increasing trend of ECMO use over the years of study (Std. J-T Statistic 4.338, p Conclusion ECMO is being increasingly used in patients with combined septic and cardiogenic shock, more data is needed to further guide this treatment modality in this patient population.

Background Atrioventricular block (AVB) is known complication of acute myocarditis. Data is limited on the role of trans-venous pacing in acute myocarditis with atrioventricular block. Aim We aimed to evaluate the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients requiring temporary trans-venous pacing for AVB in acute myocarditis. Methods We queried the national inpatient sample (NIS) from 2002 through 2015, unweighted, for patients older than 18 years old who carried a diagnosis of acute myocarditis using ICD-9 codes. Outcomes in patient who had trans-venous pacing were evaluated. Results We identified 10,106 patients with acute myocarditis from 2002-2015. Of them, 5573 (55.1%) were idiopathic, 283 (2.8%) were septic, 103 (1.0%) were toxic, 89 (0.9%) were acute rheumatic, and 4058 (40.2%) were unspecified myocarditis. AVB occurred in 393 patients (3.9%) of which 134 (34.1%) patients needed trans-venous pacing (table 1 show distribution of trans-venous pacing according to the types of acute myocarditis). In patient who required trans-venous pacing; median age was 42 years (IQR 29-54), median length of stay was 6 days (IQR 4-9), median cost of hospital charge was $47,520 (IQR $28,265-$103,530), 64.9% were male, and 72.8% were White. In hospital death occurred in 5 patient (3.7%), 12 (9.0%) had septicemia, 2 (1.5%) had cardiac tamponade, 10 (7.5%) had ventricular arrhythmias, 18 (13.4%) needed permanent pacemaker, and 13 (9.7%) had cardiogenic shock. Conclusion Heart block is not uncommon in acute myocarditis and one third of patients require temporary pacing, however AVB is transient in most patient with less than a fifth of patients requiring permanent pacemaker.

The present work provides to treat real oily saline wastewater released from drilling oil sites by the use of electrocoagulation technique. Aluminum tubes were utilized as electrodes in a concentric manner to minimize the concentrations of 113400 mg TDS/L, 65623 mg TSS/L, and the ions of 477 mg HCO3/L, 102000 mg Cl/L and 5600 mg Ca/L presented in real oily wastewater under the effect of the operational parameters (the applied current and reaction time) by making use of the central composite rotatable design. The final concentrations of TDS, TSS, HCO3, Cl, and Ca that obtained were 93555 ppm (17.50%), 11011 ppm (83.22%), 189ppm (60.38%), 80000ppm (22%), and 4200 ppm (25%), respectively, under the optimum values of the operational parameters (1.625 Amps and 40 min). In spite of the low removal percentages of some pollutants, the present study proved the ability of this novel designed reactor for treating high saline real oily wastewater in accordance with the operational parameters. This prove the capability of the use of it as a pre-treatment of other conventional methods., Chemical engineering; Environmental chemical engineering; Chemical reaction engineering; Electrochemical engineering; Adsorption; Water treatment; Real oily saline wastewater; TDS; TSS; HCO3; CL; Ca; Electrocoagulation reactor; Optimization.

Various cardiac malformations would default to a single ventricle physiology. The Glenn bidirectional cavopulmonary connection (BCPC) is the second stage in a multistage surgical palliation pathway. Objective of this study is to compare BCPC outcomes in patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome

Cardiogenic shock is defined as an acute circulatory failure due to impaired myocardial contractility. Cardiogenic shock is a rare disease in children. Both cardiomyopathy (CMP) and congenital heart disease (CHD) can cause heart failure and lead to cardiogenic shock. There is limited data on

Introduction: The current T component for malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) has been predominantly informed by surgical data sets and consensus. The International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer undertook revision of the seventh edition of the staging system for MPM with the goal of developing recommendations for the eighth edition. Methods: Data elements including detailed T descriptors were developed by consensus. Tumor thickness at three pleural levels was also recorded. An electronic data capture system was established to facilitate data submission. Results: A total of 3519 cases were submitted to the database. Of those eligible for T-component analysis, 509 cases had only clinical staging, 836 cases had only surgical staging, and 642 cases had both available. Survival was examined for T categories according to the current seventh edition staging system. There was clear separation between all clinically staged categories except T1a versus T1b (hazard ratio = 0.99, p = 0.95) and T3 versus T4 (hazard ratio = 1.22, p = 0.09), although the numbers of T4 cases were small. Pathological staging failed to demonstrate a survival difference between adjacent categories with the exception of T3 versus T4. Performance improved with collapse of T1a and T1b into a single T1 category; no current descriptors were shifted or eliminated. Tumor thickness and nodular or rindlike morphology were significantly associated with survival. Conclusions: A recommendation to collapse both clinical and pathological T1a and T1b into a T1 classification will be made for the eighth edition staging system. Simple measurement of pleural thickness has prognostic significance and should be examined further with a view to incorporation into future staging. (C) 2016 International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

OBJECTIVEPerception of perioperative pain is influenced by various psychological factors. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of catastrophizing, anxiety, and depression on in-hospital opioid consumption, pain scores, and quality of recovery in adults who underwent spine surgery.METHODSPatients undergoing spine surgery were enrolled in this study, and the preoperatively completed questionnaires included the verbal rating scale (VRS), Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Quality of recovery was assessed using the 40-item Quality of Recovery questionnaire (QoR40). Opioid consumption and pain scores according to the VRS were recorded daily until discharge.RESULTSOne hundred thirty-nine patients were recruited for the study, and 101 completed the QoR40 assessment postoperatively. Patients with higher catastrophizing scores were more likely to have higher maximum pain scores postoperatively (estimate: 0.03, SE: 0.01, p = 0.02), without increased opioid use (estimate: 0.44, SE: 0.27, p = 0.11). Preoperative anxiety (estimate: 1.18, SE: 0.65, p = 0.07) and depression scores (estimate: 1.06, SE: 0.71, p = 0.14) did not correlate with increased postoperative opioid use; however, patients with higher preoperative depression scores had lower quality of recovery after surgery (estimate: −1.9, SE: 0.56, p < 0.001).CONCLUSIONSCatastrophizing, anxiety, and depression play important roles in modulating postoperative pain. Preoperative evaluation of these factors, utilizing a validated tool, helps to identify patients at risk. This might allow for earlier psychological intervention that could reduce pain severity and improve the quality of recovery.

Fragestellung: Das Glaukom ist durch einen irreversiblen Untergang retinaler Ganglienzellen gekennzeichnet. Primäre retinale Ganglienzellkulturen stellen eine häufig genutzte Methode zur Untersuchung von zellulären Mechanismen unter wohl kontrollierten Bedingungen dar. Physiologisch weiche[zum vollständigen Text gelangen Sie über die oben angegebene URL], 67. Tagung der Vereinigung Norddeutscher Augenärzte (VNDA)

Hintergrund: Die Anwendung des Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF)- Inhibitors Bevacizumab (BVC) stellt einen Ansatz zur Vernarbungshemmung nach filtrierender Glaukom-Operation dar. BVC wird intrazellulär von humanen Tenonfibroblasten (hTF) aufgenommen, die genaue Wirkung ist noch unbekannt.[zum vollständigen Text gelangen Sie über die oben angegebene URL], 67. Tagung der Vereinigung Norddeutscher Augenärzte (VNDA)

Pneumococcal neuraminidase is a key enzyme for sequential deglycosylation of host glycans, and plays an important role in host survival, colonization, and pathogenesis of infections caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae. One of the factors that can affect the activity of neuraminidase is the amount and position of acetylation present in its substrate sialic acid. We hypothesised that pneumococcal esterases potentiate neuraminidase activity by removing acetylation from sialic acid, and that will have a major effect on pneumococcal survival on mucin, colonization, and virulence. These hypotheses were tested using isogenic mutants and recombinant esterases in microbiological, biochemical and in vivo assays. We found that pneumococcal esterase activity is encoded by at least four genes, SPD_0534 (EstA) was found to be responsible for the main esterase activity, and the pneumococcal esterases are specific for short acyl chains. Assay of esterase activity by using natural substrates showed that both the Axe and EstA esterases could use acetylated xylan and Bovine Sub-maxillary Mucin (BSM), a highly acetylated substrate, but only EstA was active against tributyrin (triglyceride). Incubation of BSM with either Axe or EstA led to the acetate release in a time and concentration dependent manner, and pre-treatment of BSM with either enzyme increased sialic acid release on subsequent exposure to neuraminidase A. qRT-PCR results showed that the expression level of estA and axe increased when exposed to BSM and in respiratory tissues. Mutation of estA alone or in combination with nanA (codes for neuraminidase A), or the replacement of its putative serine active site to alanine, reduced the pneumococcal ability to utilise BSM as a sole carbon source, sialic acid release, colonization, and virulence in a mouse model of pneumococcal pneumonia., Author summary Neuraminidase activity is critical for pneumococcal colonization and virulence as it is required for efficient cleavage of host glycans for nutritional requirements, attachment, and translocation of the microbe through biological membranes. Modifications, such as O-acetylation, in terminal sialic acid can affect the potency of neuraminidase. In this study we investigated whether pneumococcal esterases could potentiate neuraminidase activity by de-acetylating sialic acid. We found that the pneumococcal esterase activity is coded by at least four genes, specific for short acyl chain esters, and the removal of acetylation by esterases potentiates pneumococcal neuraminidase activity for mucin utilisation, colonization and virulence. Hence, this study elucidates the complexity and importance of host de-glycosylation for pneumococcal colonization and virulence, and reveals a potential target for therapeutic intervention.

Introduction Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) is an aggressive epithelial malignancy of the upper aero digestive tract and comprises 90% of all Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC). It is the sixth leading cancer worldwide with approximately 600,000 cases reported annually. It is one of the most common cancers in India. Tumour Lymph Node and Metastases (TNM) staging has been the most useful indicator to predict prognosis in HNSCC but recently various biomolecular markers have potentially offered new methods for early diagnosis and treatment alternatives for HNSCC patients; one amongst them being cyclin D1. Aim This study has been undertaken to evaluate expression of cyclin D1 in HNSCC cases and to find out its association with various pathological prognostic factors. Materials and methods A 48 formalin fixed paraffin embedded tumour sections, stained with Haematoxylin & Eosin were graded and staged. Immunohistochemistry for cyclin D1 was evaluated as Extent Score (ES), Intensity Score (IS) and Total Score (TS) was calculated. Statistical analysis All the relevant data collected was transferred on to the excel sheet. Chi square test with and without Yate's correction was used to compare various parameters. The p-value ≤ 0.05 was taken as critical level of significance. Results A significant association was seen between TS of Cyclin D1 expression with tumour stage and with lymph node metastasis but not with grade. Conclusion Higher Cyclin D1 expression is associated with higher tumour stage and lymph node metastasis. Therefore, there is value of analysing cyclin D1 amplification and expression, for prognostic evaluation. This may also be further used for targeted therapy in head and neck cancers.

e15737 Background: Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is a known risk factor for pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PA). The aim of this study was to evaluate epidemiology, national trends and clinical associations of PA in hospitalized US patients with CP using the NIS database. Methods: ICD-9 CM codes were used to identify patients with CP and PA between 2002-2014. Age, gender, race, mortality, length of stay (LOS) and commonly associated comorbidities were correlated. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS 25. Results: We identified 1,677,517 patients with CP between 2002-2014. Patients with concurrent PA comprised 1.3 % (21,832) of total patients with CP. During the study period, the prevalence of PA in CP patients remained nearly steady (1.2% in 2002 and 1.3% in 2014). Median LOS was 8 days and decreased from 10 days in 2002 to 6 days in 2014. Overall mortality was 3.5% during hospitalization with the trend of mortality not showing a significant change in the study period (4.2% in 2002 and 4.1% in 2014). Median cost of total hospitalization for CP with PA was 52,116 USD, almost three-folds higher than for CP alone (18,797 USD) and increased from 42,241 USD in 2002 to 55,525 USD in 2014. For patients with CP and PA, 87.5% were above 50-years-old; 55.6% were males; Caucasians and African-Americans represented 72.2% and 12.6% of patients respectively. Interestingly, factors less associated with PA in CP included alcohol (OR 0.27, 95% CI 0.26-0.29, P < .0001), Diabetes Mellitus (DM) (OR 0.78, 95% CI 0.74-0.82, P < 0.0001), Chronic hepatitis C (OR 0.56, 95%CI 0.48-0.66, P < 0.0001) and pancreatic cysts and pseudocyst (OR 0.76, 95%, CI 0.69-0.83, P < 0.0001). Tobacco use, metabolic syndrome, Chronic hepatitis B and H. Pylori infection were not statistically associated with PA. Conclusions: In hospitalized patients with CP, 1.3% had PA. During the study duration, trends of prevalence and mortality did not show significant change, median LOS decreased and hospitalization cost of charge increased. Risk factors for PA like alcohol, DM, chronic hepatitis C, and pancreatic cysts were less associated with PA in patients with CP. Future studies are needed for early detection of PA in patients with CP.

e15616 Background: cHCC-CCA represents a rare type of primary liver cancer that was first identified in 1949. The aim of this study is to evaluate epidemiology, clinical outcomes and national trends of cHCC-CCA in hospitalized US patients using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample database (NIS). Methods: NIS database was inquired to identify patients with HCC between 2002 and 2014 using ICD9-CM codes. Patients with HCC were classified into two groups, one group with cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) and the other group without CCA. SPSS version 25 was used for statistical analysis. Results: We identified 525,699 patients with HCC between 2002-2014. Of them, 2,158 patients (0.4%) had CCA. In the cHCC-CCA group, 87.8% of the patients were above 50 years old, 58.1% were male, 63.7% were Caucasian, and 10% were African American. Mortality in patients hospitalized with cHCC-CCA was 8.5% compared to 11.1% in patients with HCC (OR 0.74, 95% CI 0.64-0.86, P < 0.0001). Mortality in cHCC-CCA patients decreased from 19.1% in 2002 to 7.9% in 2014. The median length of stay (LOS) in patients with cHCC-CCA was 6 days compared to 4 days in patients with HCC (P < 0.0001). Median LOS for patients with cHCC-CCA was unchanged between 2002 and 2014. The median hospitalization cost of charge in cHCC-CCA patients was 41,012 USD compared to 28,371 USD in HCC patients. In the cHCC-CCA group, it increased from 17,243 USD in 2002 to 37,234 USD in 2014. Only 0.9% of patients with cHCC-CCA underwent liver transplantation compared to 3.5% of HCC patients (OR 0.26, 95% CI (0.17-0.41), P < 0.0001). Conclusions: Prevalence of cHCC-CCA was 0.4% of patients with HCC during the study period. cHCC-CCA was unexpectedly associated with less mortality; possibly because of limitations in comparison due to the smaller number of patients compared to HCC alone. cHCC-CCA was also associated with lower rates of liver transplantation but more prolonged LOS and higher hospitalization cost of charge compared to HCC patients. In the same period, mortality decreased in cHCC-CCA patients and cost of charge increased while prevalence and LOS were unchanged. Further studies are needed to evaluate and understand cHCC-CCA as a separate entity.