Search

Objective Minimally invasive procedures have been developed to reduce surgical trauma after cardiac surgery. Clinical recovery is the main focus of most research. Still, patient-centred outcomes, such as the quality of life, can provide a more comprehensive understanding of the impact of the surgery on the patient’s life. This systematic review aims to deliver a detailed summary of all available research investigating the quality of recovery, assessed with quality of life instruments, in adults undergoing minimally invasive cardiac surgery. Methods All randomised trials, cohort studies, and cross-sectional studies assessing the quality of recovery in patients undergoing minimally invasive cardiac surgery compared to conventional cardiac surgery within the last 20 years were included, and a summary was prepared. Results The randomised trial observed an overall improved quality of life after both minimally invasive and conventional surgery. The quality of life improvement in the minimally invasive group showed a faster course and evolved to a higher level than the conventional surgery group. These findings align with the results of prospective cohort studies. In the cross-sectional studies, no significant difference in the quality of life was seen except for one that observed a significantly higher quality of life in the minimally invasive group. Conclusions This systematic review indicates that patients may benefit from minimally invasive and conventional cardiac surgery, but patients undergoing minimally invasive cardiac surgery may recover sooner and to a greater extent. However, no firm conclusion could be drawn due to the limited available studies. Therefore, randomised controlled trials are needed.

Objectives: Many prediction models for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been developed. External validation is mandatory before implementation in the intensive care unit (ICU). We selected and validated prognostic models in the Euregio Intensive Care COVID (EICC) cohort.Study Design and Setting: In this multinational cohort study, routine data from COVID-19 patients admitted to ICUs within the Eur-egio Meuse-Rhine were collected from March to August 2020. COVID-19 models were selected based on model type, predictors, out-comes, and reporting. Furthermore, general ICU scores were assessed. Discrimination was assessed by area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs) and calibration by calibration-in-the-large and calibration plots. A random-effects meta-analysis was used to pool results.Results: 551 patients were admitted. Mean age was 65.4 6 11.2 years, 29% were female, and ICU mortality was 36%. Nine out of 238 published models were externally validated. Pooled AUCs were between 0.53 and 0.70 and calibration-in-the-large between -9% and 6%. Calibration plots showed generally poor but, for the 4C Mortality score and Spanish Society of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbi-ology (SEIMC) score, moderate calibration.Conclusion: Of the nine prognostic models that were externally validated in the EICC cohort, only two showed reasonable discrimi-nation and moderate calibration. For future pandemics, better models based on routine data are needed to support admission decision -mak-ing.(c) 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons. org/licenses/by/4.0/). Covid Data Platform (CoDaP); [Interreg-EMR 187]

Patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 who have been admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) often face months of physical disability after discharge. To optimize recovery, it is important to understand the role of musculoskeletal alterations in critically ill patients infected with SARS-CoV-2. The main aim of the present study was to describe the presence and morphology of nemaline bodies found in skeletal muscle tissue from critically ill patients infected with SARS-CoV-2. In n=7 patients infected with SARS-CoV-2, ultrastructural characteristics of vastus lateralis muscle obtained on days 1-3 (T0) and days 5-8 (T1) following ICU admission were investigated in more detail with electron microscopy. Those muscle biopsies consistently showed variable degrees of myofiber necrosis and myofibrillar disorganisation. In 4/7 (57%) patients at T1, the Z-line material accumulated into nemaline bodies with a typical lattice-like appearance at higher magnification, similar to that found in nemaline myopathy. This study is the first to describe the disintegration of myofibrils and accumulation of Z-line material into nemaline bodies in skeletal muscle tissue obtained from critically ill COVID-19 patients following ICU admission, which should be interpreted primarily as a non-specific pathological response of extreme myofibrillar disintegration associated with myofiber necrosis. Mini abstract This study describes the presence and morphology of typical nemaline bodies in skeletal muscle ti0ssue from critically ill patients infected with SARS-CoV-2, which should be interpreted primarily as a non-specific pathological response of extreme myofibrillar disintegration associated with myofiber necrosis.

Over the past years, minimally invasive procedures have been developed to reduce surgical trauma after cardiac surgery. The value of patient-centered outcomes, including the quality of recovery after hospital discharge, is increasingly recognized. Identifying meaningful changes in postoperative function that might have a negative impact on patients without noticeable complications can provide a more comprehensive understanding of the impact on the patient's life. In total, 209 patients were included in this trial. Of these, 193 patients underwent totally endoscopic cardiac surgery, 8 underwent cardiac surgery through a sternotomy, and 8 underwent transcatheter aortic valve implantation. Patients who previously underwent cardiac surgery were excluded. Quality of life was determined through the Short Form 36 and European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions questionnaires before the surgery and 14, 30, and 90 days afterward. In patients who underwent totally endoscopic cardiac surgery, the quality of life improved over the three time periods. The different domains of the questionnaire evolved in a positive manner. However, 14 days postoperatively, a decline in quality of life was noted, followed by a return to baseline at 30 days and an increase at 90 days. In conclusion, totally endoscopic cardiac surgery improves the quality of life 90 days after surgery. ispartof: JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE vol:11 issue:9 ispartof: location:Switzerland status: published

Introduction An individualised thromboprophylaxis was implemented in critically ill patients suffering from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia to reduce mortality and improve clinical outcome. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of this intervention on clinical outcome. Methods In this mono-centric, controlled, before-after study, all consecutive adult patients with confirmed COVID-19 pneumonia admitted to ICU from March 13th to April 20th 2020 were included. A thromboprophylaxis protocol, including augmented LMWH dosing, individually tailored with anti-Xa measurements and twice-weekly ultrasonography screening for DVT, was implemented on March 31th 2020. Primary endpoint is one-month mortality. Secondary outcomes include two-week and three-week mortality, the incidence of VTE, acute kidney injury and continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT). Multiple regression modelling was used to correct for differences between the two groups. Results 46 patients were included in the before group, 26 patients in the after group. One month mortality decreased from 39.13% to 3.85% (p, Highlights • An individualised thromboprophylaxis was implemented in critically ill COVID-19 patients. • One-month mortality was reduced after implementation of this protocol • Cumulative incidence of venous thromboembolism was lower after implementation. • Less need for continuous renal replacement therapy in the after group.

Background The aim of this paper is to describe a newly developed endoscopic coronary artery bypass graft (Endo-CABG) technique to treat patients with single- and multi-vessel disease and discuss the short-term clinical results in a large patient cohort. This technique avoids a median sternotomy by combining a thoracoscopic technique via three ∼5 mm thoracic ports and a mini-thoracotomy utility 3–4 cm port through the intercostal space. Methods From January 2016 to January 2018, data from consecutive patients undergoing an elective Endo-CABG were prospectively entered into a customized database and retrospectively reviewed. Patients scheduled for a combined hybrid intervention were excluded. Conversion rate to sternotomy, incidence of surgical revision and postoperative graft failure, one-month survival, morbidity, and length of stay (LOS) were investigated. Subgroup analyses were performed. Results A total of 342 patients undergoing an Endo-CABG with one (n = 53) or multiple (n = 289) bypasses were included. No conversion to sternotomy occurred and incidence of surgical revision, graft failure, and 30-day mortality was 7.3%, 1.5%, and 1.8%, respectively. Adverse neurological outcomes were rare: cerebrovascular accident, transient ischemic attack, epilepsy, and postoperative delirium were observed in 0.6%, 0.3%, 0.3%, and 5.3% of patients, respectively. Median intensive care unit and hospital LOS were 2.75 (IQR 1.8 to 3.8) and 8.0 days (IQR 7.0 to 10.0), respectively. Thirty-day mortality in obese patients, diabetics, and octogenarians was 0%, 3.6%, and 5.6%, respectively. EuroSCORE II > 5% was associated with a high 30-day mortality (25%). Conclusions Endo-CABG can be considered a safe and effective procedure to treat single- and multi-vessel coronary artery disease. Individual patient selection seems not necessary to apply this technique.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate healthcare system-driven variation in general characteristics, interventions, and outcomes in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients admitted to the ICU within one Western European region across three countries. DESIGN: Multicenter observational cohort study. SETTING: Seven ICUs in the Euregio Meuse-Rhine, one region across Belgium, The Netherlands, and Germany. PATIENTS: Consecutive COVID-19 patients supported in the ICU during the first pandemic wave. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics, laboratory values, and outcome data were retrieved after ethical approval and data-sharing agreements. Descriptive statistics were performed to investigate country-related practice variation. From March 2, 2020, to August 12, 2020, 551 patients were admitted. Mean age was 65.4 ± 11.2 years, and 29% were female. At admission, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores were 15.0 ± 5.5, 16.8 ± 5.5, and 15.8 ± 5.3 (p = 0.002), and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores were 4.4 ± 2.7, 7.4 ± 2.2, and 7.7 ± 3.2 (p < 0.001) in the Belgian, Dutch, and German parts of Euregio, respectively. The ICU mortality rate was 22%, 42%, and 44%, respectively (p < 0.001). Large differences were observed in the frequency of organ support, antimicrobial/inflammatory therapy application, and ICU capacity. Mixed-multivariable logistic regression analyses showed that differences in ICU mortality were independent of age, sex, disease severity, comorbidities, support strategies, therapies, and complications. CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 patients admitted to ICUs within one region, the Euregio Meuse-Rhine, differed significantly in general characteristics, applied interventions, and outcomes despite presumed genetic and socioeconomic background, admission diagnosis, access to international literature, and data collection are similar. Variances in healthcare systems' organization, particularly ICU capacity and admission criteria, combined with a rapidly spreading pandemic might be important drivers for the observed differences. Heterogeneity between patient groups but also healthcare systems should be presumed to interfere with outcomes in coronavirus disease 2019. ispartof: CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE vol:50 issue:4 pages:595-606 ispartof: location:United States status: published

Background and objectivesDistal upper extremity surgery is commonly performed under regional anaesthesia, including intravenous regional anaesthesia (IVRA) and ultrasound-guided forearm nerve block. This study aimed to investigate if ultrasound-guided forearm nerve block is superior to forearm IVRA in producing a surgical block in patients undergoing carpal tunnel release.MethodsIn this observer-blinded, randomized controlled superiority trial, 100 patients undergoing carpal tunnel release were randomized to receive ultrasound-guided forearm nerve block (n = 50) or forearm IVRA (n = 50). The primary outcome was anaesthetic efficacy evaluated by classifying the blocks as complete vs incomplete. Complete anaesthesia was defined as total sensory block, incomplete anaesthesia as mild pain requiring more analgesics or need of general anaesthesia. Pain intensity on a numeric rating scale (0–10) was recorded. Surgeon satisfaction with hemostasis, surgical time, and OR stay time were recorded. Patient satisfaction with the quality of the block was assessed at POD 1.ResultsIn total, 43 (86%) of the forearm nerve blocks were evaluated as complete, compared to 33 (66%) of the forearm IVRA (p = 0.019). After the forearm nerve block, pain intensity was lower at discharge (-1.76 points lower, 95% CI (-2.92, -0.59), p = 0.0006) compared to patients treated with forearm IVRA. No differences in pain experienced at the start of the surgery, during surgery, and at POD1, nor in surgical time or total OR stay were observed between groups. Surgeon (p = 0.0016) and patient satisfaction (p = 0.0023) were slightly higher after forearm nerve block.ConclusionAn ultrasound-guided forearm nerve block is superior compared to forearm IVRA in providing a surgical block in patients undergoing carpal tunnel release.Trial registrationThis trial was registered asNCT03411551.

Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Background Repeated echocardiographic assessment of cardiac function is integral in management of intensive care units (ICU) patients. Machine learning (ML) can assist by integrating whole-cardiac cycle echo data derived from flow assessment and deformation imaging, and grouping patients on the basis of patterns of cardiac dysfunction and its evolution over time. Cardiac involvement has been suggested to be important in COVID-19 outcome and echo evaluation can inform on cardiac status. We use unsupervised ML to investigate and integrate longitudinal data from the COVID-HO study (NCT04371679) to determine the potential of tracking changes in cardiac function during ICU hospitalization. Methods In a single-centre, COVID-19 patients (n = 38) were prospectively followed with echocardiography as part of ICU management. The endpoint was defined as death or ICU discharge. LV myocardial deformation, as well as aortic, mitral and pulmonary artery blood-pool Doppler velocity profiles were used as input for ML. Clinical data was used to validate the ML derived phenotypes. Echo data from the initial and final echo examination were used to create an output space where participants were positioned based on cardiac function blinded to outcome status. Regression was used to estimate the echo and clinical characteristics of different regions in the space. Patient trajectories in the output space were investigated for each patient. Results Endpoint was not reached in 24% (n = 9) at the time of analysis. The cohort was 68% male, aged 65 ± 12 years, and with an ICU mortality 21% (n = 8). The median spent in ICU was 10 (IQR 7-18) days. The ML analysis demonstrated a heterogeneous output space (Fig 1A) we could define a gradual change in the shape of the pulmonary outflow velocity profile, from a normal towards pulmonary hypertension (Fig 1A, x axis). Jointly with differences in diastolic function (mitral inflow fusion and A wave accentuation) defined two regions: with signs of pulmonary hypertension (gray); and with normal pulmonary pressures but LV diastolic dysfunction (yellow). Investigation of patient trajectories (Fig 1B) demonstrated the feasibility of tracking changes during ICU hospitalization, showing a shift of a patient that died in the ICU, from initial diastolic dysfunction towards pulmonary hypertension (red), and a patient shifting from a region with normal diastolic function towards pulmonary hypertension, but with a positive outcome (blue). Echo data concurs with observed dynamics (Fig 1C and 1D). Conclusion ML can integrate complex, whole-cardiac cycle echo data to group heterogeneous patients based on similarity of cardiac function. Patient trajectories across the output space demonstrate the feasibility of ML for echo data-based follow-up of patients during ICU hospitalization. Further echo and clinical data integration can improve characterisation of the output space regions and better define changes in cardiac function during hospitalization. Abstract Figure 1

Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Public grant(s) – EU funding. Main funding source(s): Horizon 2020 European Commission Project H2020-MSCA-ITN-2016 Background Although the cardiac burden of COVID-19 has been demonstrated, follow-up imaging studies are scarce. The aim was to use speckle-tracking deformation imaging (STE) to prospectively assess cardiac function during intensive care unit (ICU) hospitalisation, comparing ventricular and atrial function of COVID-10 patients that died and those that were discharged. Methods In a single-centre, COVID-19 patients (n = 41) (71% male, aged 65 ± 11 years) were prospectively followed with echocardiography as part of ICU treatment. The left and right ventricles (LV, RV, respectively) were studied with STE in the 4-chamber cardiac view. The endpoint was defined as death or ICU discharge. Average values of the strain parameters from the first and final scans in the ICU, respectively, were calculated for the two outcome groups. Results Endpoint was not reached in 15% (n = 6) at the time of analysis. The remaining patients (n = 32) were 69% male, aged 66 (interquartile range (IQR) 60-72) years, and with an ICU mortality 26% (n = 9). The median spent in ICU was 24 (IQR 15-43) days. On average, echocardiography was performed three times during ICU hospitalisation, amounting to 103 examinations. The changes in cardiac strain are shown in Table 1. The change in LV longitudinal strain during ICU hospitalisation is shown in Figure 1. Conclusion Worsening of LV strain and lack of improvement of RV strain is linked to higher mortality in the ICU. The assessment of cardiac function might contain prognostic information in COVID-19 patients that are admitted to the ICU. Patients discharged from thee OCU (n = 23) Patients that died in the ICU (n = 9) P value Initial echo in the ICU LV strain, % (IQR) 18.00 (15.6-19.95) 14.4 (10.56-20.42) 0.158 RV strain, % (IQR) 16.00 (14.70-20.05) 15.50 (10.38-23.70) 0.712 Final echo before discharge LV strain, % (IQR) 17.35 (15.13-18.98) 13.20 (10.75-15.40) 0.007 RV strain, % (IQR) 17.65 (16.83-19.60) 15.75 (10.68-20.43) 0.438 ICU - intensive care unit; IQR-inter-quartile range Abstract Figure 1

Background/Objectives This study aimed to study one-month recovery profile and to identify predictors of Quality of Recovery (QOR) after painful day surgery and investigate the influence of pain therapy on QOR. Methods/Design This is a secondary analysis of a single-centre, randomised controlled trial of 200 patients undergoing ambulatory haemorrhoid surgery, arthroscopic shoulder or knee surgery, or inguinal hernia repair between January 2016 and March 2017. Primary endpoints were one-month recovery profile and prevalence of poor/good QOR measured by the Functional Recovery Index (FRI), the Global Surgical Recovery index and the EuroQol questionnaire at postoperative day (POD) 1 to 4, 7, 14 and 28. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to determine predictors of QOR at POD 7, 14, and 28. Differences in QOR between pain treatment groups were analysed using the Mann-Whitney U test. Results Four weeks after haemorrhoid surgery, inguinal hernia repair, arthroscopic knee and arthroscopic shoulder surgery, good QOR was present in 71%, 76%, 57% and 24% respectively. Poor QOR was present in 5%, 0%, 7% and 29%, respectively. At POD 7 and POD 28, predictors for poor/intermediate QOR were type of surgery and a high postoperative pain level at POD 4. Male gender was another predictor at POD 7. Female gender and having a paid job were also predictors at POD 28. Type of surgery and long term fear of surgery were predictors at POD 14. No significant differences in total FRI scores were found between the two different pain treatment groups. Conclusions The present study shows a procedure-specific variation in recovery profile in the 4-week period after painful day surgery. The best predictors for short-term (POD 7) and long-term (POD 28) poor/intermediate QOR were a high postoperative pain level at POD 4 and type of surgery. Different pain treatment regimens did not result in differences in recovery profile. Trial registration European Union Clinical Trials Register 2015-003987-35.

Background Belgium was among the first countries in Europe with confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases. Since the first diagnosis on February 3rd, the epidemic has quickly evolved, with Belgium at the crossroads of Europe, being one of the hardest hit countries. Although risk factors for severe disease in COVID-19 patients have been described in Chinese and United States (US) cohorts, good quality studies reporting on clinical characteristics, risk factors and outcome of European COVID-19 patients are still scarce. Methods This study describes the clinical characteristics, complications and outcomes of 319 hospitalized COVID-19 patients, admitted to a tertiary care center at the start of the pandemic in Belgium, and aims to identify the main risk factors for in-hospital mortality in a European context using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results Most patients were male (60%), the median age was 74 (IQR 61–83) and 20% of patients were admitted to the intensive care unit, of whom 63% needed invasive mechanical ventilation. The overall case fatality rate was 25%. The best predictors of in-hospital mortality in multivariate analysis were older age, and renal insufficiency, higher lactate dehydrogenase and thrombocytopenia. Patients admitted early in the epidemic had a higher mortality compared to patients admitted later in the epidemic. In univariate analysis, patients with obesity did have an overall increased risk of death, while overweight on the other hand showed a trend towards lower mortality. Conclusions Most patients hospitalized with COVID-19 during the first weeks of the epidemic in Belgium were admitted with severe disease and the overall case fatality rate was high. The identified risk factors for mortality are not easily amenable at short term, underscoring the lasting need of effective therapeutic and preventative measures.

Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been associated with a wide range of divergent pathologies, and risk of severe disease is reported to be increased by a similarly broad range of co-morbidities. The present study investigated blood metabolites in order to elucidate how infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 can lead to such a variety of pathologies and what common ground they share. COVID-19 patient blood samples were taken at hospital admission in two Belgian patient cohorts, and a third cohort that included longitudinal samples was used for additional validation (total n=581). A total of 251 blood metabolite measures and ratios were assessed using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and tested for association to disease severity. In line with the varied effects of severe COVID-19, the range of severity-associated biomarkers was equally broad and included increased inflammatory markers (glycoprotein acetylation), amino acid concentrations (increased leucine and phenylalanine), increased lipoprotein particle concentrations (except those of very low density lipoprotein, VLDL), decreased cholesterol levels (except in large HDL and VLDL), increased triglyceride levels (only in IDL and LDL), fatty acid levels (decreased poly-unsaturated fatty acid, increased mono-unsaturated fatty acid) and decreased choline concentration, with association sizes comparable to those of routine clinical chemistry metrics of acute inflammation. Our results point to systemic metabolic biomarkers for COVID-19 severity that make strong targets for further fundamental research into its pathology (e.g. phenylalanine and omega-6 fatty acids).

BACKGROUND: Nowadays, complicated and painful surgical procedures are encouraged to be carried out in an ambulatory setting. OBJECTIVES: The current study aimed to assess 4-week postoperative pain profiles of 4 painful ambulatory surgical procedures. We analyzed the prevalence of and reasons for non-adherence and partial adherence of patients to a predefined treatment schedule after the ambulant surgery. METHODS: The current study analyzed data from a large randomized trial by evaluating the effect of postoperative pain medication on acute postoperative pain at home during the first 4 postoperative days (POD) in patients scheduled for ambulatory hemorrhoid surgery, shoulder or knee arthroscopy, and inguinal hernia repair. Postoperative pain intensity was assessed at POD 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 14, and 28 via the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS). Adherence was assessed on POD 1, 2, 3, and 4. RESULTS: Median average pain scores were above an NRS of 3 during the first postoperative week after shoulder arthroscopy and even above 4 during the first postoperative week after hemorrhoid surgery. 26% of patients undergoing shoulder arthroscopy and hemorrhoid surgery still had moderate pain 1 week after surgery. Median average pain scores were below an NRS of 3 during the whole study period after inguinal hernia repair and knee arthroscopy. 24.61% of patients did not use the study medication as prescribed, 5.76% of whom were non-adherent, and 18.85% were partially adherent. CONCLUSIONS: Each type of ambulant surgery has its unique postoperative pain profile. New strategies should be developed for pain therapy at home, particularly after the ambulatory arthroscopic shoulder surgery and hemorrhoid surgery. Non-adherence is uncommon if they are provided with a multimodal analgesic home kit together with clear verbal, written instructions, and intensive follow-up. ispartof: Anesth Pain Med vol:10 issue:3 pages:e101669- ispartof: location:Netherlands status: Published online

Contains fulltext : 229328.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access) BACKGROUND: Many studies investigate the role of pharmacological treatments on disease course in Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Sex disparities in genetics, immunological responses, and hormonal mechanisms may underlie the substantially higher fatality rates reported in male COVID-19 patients. To optimise care for COVID-19 patients, prophylactic and therapeutic studies should include sex-specific design and analyses. Therefore, in this scoping review, we investigated whether studies on pharmacological treatment in COVID-19 were performed based on a priori sex-specific design or post-hoc sex-specific analyses. METHODS: We systematically searched PubMed, EMBASE, UpToDate, clinical trial.org, and MedRxiv for studies on pharmacological treatment for COVID-19 until June 6th, 2020. We included case series, randomized controlled trials, and observational studies in humans (≥18 years) investigating antiviral, antimalarial, and immune system modulating drugs. Data were collected on 1) the proportion of included females, 2) whether sex stratification was performed (a priori by design or post-hoc), and 3) whether effect modification by sex was investigated. FINDINGS: 30 studies were eligible for inclusion, investigating remdesivir (n = 2), lopinavir/ritonavir (n = 5), favipiravir (n = 1), umifenovir (n = 1), hydroxychloroquine/chloroquine (n = 8), convalescent plasma (n = 6), interleukin-6 (IL-6) pathway inhibitors (n = 5), interleukin-1 (IL-1) pathway inhibitors (n = 1) and corticosteroids (n = 3). Only one study stratified its data based on sex in a post-hoc analysis, whereas none did a priori by design. None of the studies investigated effect modification by sex. A quarter of the studies included twice as many males as females. INTERPRETATION: Analyses assessing potential interference of sex with (side-)effects of pharmacological therapy for COVID-19 are rarely reported. Considering sex differences in case-fatality rates and genetic, immunological, and hormonal mechanisms, studies should include sex-specific analyses in their design to optimise COVID-19 care. FUNDING: None.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article. van Halem, K (corresponding author), Jessa Hosp, Dept Infect Dis & Immun, Stadsomvaart 11, B-3500 Hasselt, Belgium. karlijn.vanhalem@jessazh.be

OBJECTIVES: In 2009, Gramke et al have described predictive factors to pre-operatively detect those at risk for moderate to severe acute postoperative pain (APSP) after day surgery. The aim of the present study is to externally validate this initial model and to improve and internally validate a modified version of this model.METHODS: Elective patients scheduled for day surgery were prospectively enrolled from November 2008 to April 2010. Model discrimination was quantified using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Model calibration was assessed by visual inspection of the calibration plot. Subsequently, we modified (different assignment of type of surgery, different cut-off for moderate to severe APSP, continuous of dichotomized variables and testing of additional variables) and internally validated this model by standard bootstrapping techniques.RESULTS: A total of 1118 patients were included. The AUC for the original model was 0.81 in the derivation dataset and 0.72 in our validation dataset. The model showed poorly calibrated risk predictions. The AUC of the modified model was 0.82 (optimism-corrected AUC=0.78). This modified model showed good calibration.CONCLUSION: The original prediction model of Gramke et al performed insufficient on our cohort of outpatients with respect to discrimination and calibration. Internal validation of a modified model shows promising results. In this model, preoperative pain, patient derived expected pain and different types of surgery are the strongest predictors of moderate to severe APSP after day surgery.This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives License 4.0 (CCBY-NC-ND), where it is permissible to download and share the work provided it is properly cited. The work cannot be changed in any way or used commercially. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0.

Background: COVID-19 patients are related with an elevated risk for deep venous thrombosis (DVT). We evaluated the prevalence of DVT in our intubated and mechanically ventilated COVID-19+ patients at March 29th. Methods: We performed a Mono-center, investigator-initiated, observational, cross-sectional study. A total of 12 intubated COVID-19+ patients at intensive care unit (ICU) ward C3 of the Jessa Hospital, Hasselt, Belgium at March 29th were included. All patients received a prophylactic dose of low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH). All intubated and mechanically ventilated patients were screened for the presence of DVT in femoral, popliteal, jugular and inferior caval veins with duplex ultrasound. Results: In total, 8 from all 12 intubated and ventilated COVID 19+ patients had already developed minimally one DVT. No relevant correlations could be detected. Conclusions: The prevalence of DVT in critically ill ICU patients with COVID-19 is over 60% despite adequate treatment with a prophylactic dose of LMWH. We suggest the use of graduated compression (elastic) stockings (GCS) and intermediate-dose LMWH for thrombosis prophylaxis in all COVID-19 patients. Since there were no clinical signs of DVT, we suggest to routinely screen all COVID-19 patients admitted to ICU for DVT via ultrasound. Future research should focus on the mechanisms underlying these observations.

Introduction To ensure patient safety during Totally Endoscopic Cardiac Surgeries (TECS), patients are peripherally cannulated for coupling to the Cardiopulmonary Bypass (CPB) (1). Despite its necessity, the cannulated leg might experience clinically relevant ischemia (CRI), defined as a minimum of 15% Tissue Oxygenation Index (TOI) drop, lasting at least 4 minutes, possibly leading to poor peri- and postoperative clinical outcomes (2). TOI-values were assessed using non-invasive, Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS; 200NX-NIRO, Hamamatsu®, Japan) measurements of the skin covering the ipsilateral calf muscles. NIRS enables the quantification of the TOI, based on the difference in light absorption between oxygenated en deoxygenated haemoglobin molecules. The 200NX-NIRO has shown great sensitivity and specificity in the clinical setting (3-5). The objective was to evaluate the prevalence of poor distal leg perfusion related to short-term, peri-operative, CPB-time, since these data remain largerly unknown. Methods All consecutive patients 18 years or older, and scheduled for a TECS-based valve surgery (YIL AVR and/or MVATS), coronary surgery (ENDO ACAB or ENDO CABG), or a combination were included. Perioperative TOI-values were assessed at: baseline (B) = 5 minutes before insertion of the femoral arterial cannula (FAC); Event 1 (E1) = insertion of the FAC; Event 2 (E2) = onset of CPB; Event 3 (E3) = offset of CPB; Event 4 (E4) = removal of the FAC. Results 116 patients were included for statistical analysis. Differences between TOI-values were analysed using Wilcoxon signed rank tests. CRI in the cannulated leg was demonstrated in 18,80% (n = 22) of all cases, and showed significantly lower TOI-values for all events (E1, E2, E3 and E4) compared to the baseline TOI-value (Figure 1): p Discussion Although not all patients showed CRI in the cannulated leg, some degree of hypoperfusion was demonstrated over all cannulated legs. However, these are interim results and thus, further research regarding postoperative follow-up is necessary and might offer insights on how to prevent or prematurely treat ischemia and/or ischemia-related complications in the subclinical stage.

BACKGROUND: The main objective of this review is to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of the existing evidence related to the analgesic efficacy with the use of conventional, upper arm intravenous regional anesthesia (IVRA) as compared to a modified, forearm IVRA in adult patients undergoing procedures on the distal upper extremity. METHODS: MEDLINE, EMBASE and CENTRAL (Cochrane) databases were searched for randomized controlled trials published in English, French, Dutch, German or Spanish language. Primary outcomes of interest including description of quality level of anesthesia and onset of sensory block were assessed for this review. Dosage of the local anesthetic, local anesthetic toxicity and need for sedation due to tourniquet pain were considered as secondary outcomes. RESULTS: Our literature search yielded 3 papers for qualitative synthesis. Four other articles were added into a parallel analysis of 7 reports that provided data on the incidence of complications and success rate after forearm IVRA. Forearm IVRA was found to be as efficient as upper arm IVRA (RR = 0.98 [0.93, 1.05], P = 0.78), but comes with the advantage of a lower need for sedation due to less tourniquet pain. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate that forearm IVRA is as effective in providing a surgical block as compared to a conventional upper arm IVRA, even with a reduced, non-toxic dosage of local anesthetic. No severe complications were associated with the use of a forearm IVRA. Other benefits of the modified technique include a faster onset of sensory block, better tourniquet tolerance and a dryer surgical field. REGISTRATION OF THE SYSTEMATIC REVIEW: A review protocol was published in the PROSPERO register in November 2015 with registration number CRD42015029536 . ispartof: BMC Anesthesiology vol:18 issue:1 ispartof: location:England status: published

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This randomized trial aimed to assess if a combined suprascapular-axillary nerve block (SSB) is noninferior (margin = 1.3 on a 0- to 10-point scale) to interscalene block (ISB) in treating pain after arthroscopic shoulder surgery. Secondary end points included opioid consumption, dyspnea, discomfort associated with muscle weakness, and patient satisfaction. METHODS: One hundred patients undergoing arthroscopic shoulder surgery were randomized to receive ultrasound-guided ISB (n = 50) or SSB (n = 50). Pain intensity at rest, dyspnea, and discomfort were recorded upon arrival in the recovery room, discharge to the ward, and at 4, 8, and 24 hours after surgery. Piritramide consumption was recorded for the first 24 hours. Patient satisfaction was assessed on the second postoperative day. RESULTS: During the first 4 hours after surgery, the difference in mean pain score between SSB and ISB was higher than 2.5 (±0.8). The difference gradually decreased to 1.1 (±1.0) at 8 hours before resulting in noninferiority during the night and at 24 hours. Piritramide consumption was significantly higher in the SSB group in the first 8 hours. The incidence of dyspnea and discomfort was higher after ISB. Treatment satisfaction was similar in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Suprascapular-axillary nerve block is inferior to ISB in terms of analgesia and opioid requirement in the immediate period after arthroscopic shoulder surgery but is associated with a lower incidence of dyspnea and discomfort. The difference in pain and opioid consumption gradually decreases as the blocks wear off in order to reach similar pain scores during the first postoperative night and at 24 hours. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT02415088. ispartof: REGIONAL ANESTHESIA AND PAIN MEDICINE vol:43 issue:7 pages:738-744 ispartof: location:England status: published

[Stinkens, Rudi; Verbeke, Nikolaas; Ory, Jean-Paul; Dubois, Jasperina; Stessel, Bjorn] Jessa Hosp, Dept Anaesthesiol & Pain Med, Hasselt, Belgium. [Van de Velde, Marc] Univ Leuven, KU Leuven, Dept Cardiovasc Sci, Leuven, Belgium. [Van de Velde, Marc] Univ Hosp Leuven, Dept Anaesthesiol, Leuven, Belgium. [Baldussu, Esmee; Ruiters, Chabelie; Stessel, Bjorn] Hasselt Univ, Fac Med & Life Sci, Hasselt, Belgium.