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The purpose of this study was to identify and characterize casualties hospitalized with assault (non-terror) related gunshot wounds (GSW) in Israel as a basis for determining the incidence, trends and at-risk population groups.This retrospective cohort study is based on data from the Israel National Trauma Registry. The data includes GSW casualties hospitalized between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2020. Attempted suicide, unintentional injury, legal intervention, children (ages 0-9) and terror (Israeli-Arab conflict) related GSW were excluded. The remaining population was classified with an ICD-9-CM diagnosis code of 965.0-965.4.The study population included 2,763 GSW admissions. A noticeable increase in GSW casualties was reported, from 206 hospitalization in 2011 to 456 in 2020. The proportion of Arab casualties increased from 73.3% of all GSW casualties in 2011 to 90.8% in 2020, far more than their proportion in the population (∼20%). The majority of the GSW casualties were males (95.8%) and between the ages of 20 and 29 (42.2%). Among severe/critical casualties, 19% of Arabs and 9.9% of Jews arrived by private car. Severe thoracic and abdominal injuries were the prominent injuries among fatal casualties (47.6 and 40.8, respectively). While the all-severity mortality rate was 5.6% (n = 147), 24.4% (n = 135) of severe/critical (ISS16+) casualties died, with no significant differences between Jews and Arabs. Forty percent of deaths occurred in the emergency department.This study establishes that during the past decade in Israel, not only has there been a continuous increase in hospitalizations due to GSW, but also Arabs are at great risk of such related hospitalizations. Preventive strategies targeting at-risk groups are crucial for minimizing morbidity and mortality related to GSW in Israel.

Context The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends a 3-day preparatory diet prior to a diagnostic oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), a test often recommended in postpartum individuals with a history of gestational diabetes (GDM). Objective Evaluate the relationship between carbohydrate intake and OGTT glucose in 2 cohorts of postpartum individuals. Methods We performed analyses of postpartum individuals from 2 prospective studies with recent GDM (Balance after Baby Intervention, BABI, n = 177) or risk factors for GDM (Study of Pregnancy Regulation of INsulin and Glucose, SPRING, n = 104) .We measured carbohydrate intake using 24-hour dietary recalls (SPRING) or Food Frequency Questionnaire (BABI) and performed 2-hour 75-g OGTTs. The main outcome measure was 120-minute post-OGTT glucose. Results There was no relationship between carbohydrate intake and 120-minute post-OGTT glucose level in either study population (SPRING: β = 0.03, [−5.5, 5.5] mg/dL, P = .99; BABI: β = −3.1, [−9.5, 3.4] mg/dL, P = .35). Adding breastfeeding status to the model did not change results (SPRING β = −0.14, [−5.7, 5.5] mg/dL, P = .95; BABI β = −3.9, [−10.4, 2.7] mg/dL, P = .25). There was, however, an inverse relationship between glycemic index and 120-minute post OGTT glucose (BABI: β = −1.1, [−2.2, −0.03] mg/dL, P = .04). Conclusion Carbohydrate intake is not associated with post-OGTT glucose levels among postpartum individuals. Dietary preparation prior to the OGTT may not be necessary in this population.

Poor attendance at the 6-week postpartum (PP) visit has been well reported. Attendance at this visit is crucial to identify women who have persistent diabetes mellitus (DM) following pregnancies affected by gestational DM (GDM). The medical home model has eliminated barriers to care in various other settings. This study sought to improve PP attendance among women with GDM by jointly scheduling PP visits and the 2-month well infant visits. All patients with a diagnosis of GDM who received care at a New York City-based publicly insured hospital clinic and delivered between October 2017 and June 2019 were eligible. Data were obtained via chart review. The primary outcome was attendance at the PP visit compared with previously published historical controls. Secondary outcomes were rates of PP glucose screening and well infant attendance. Of the 74 patients enrolled, 41.9% were Hispanic and 17.6% were Black, mean age was 31.6 years, and 58.1% delivered vaginally. Attendance at the 6-week PP visit was 68.9%, and attendance at the infant visit was 55.1%. PP glucose testing was ordered for 76.5% of attendees at the PP visit, and of those ordered, 43.6% of attendees completed testing. All patients had joint visits requested, though only 70.3% of visits were scheduled jointly. Among those who were jointly scheduled, 71.2% of women attended, 57.7% of infants attended, and 7.7% of pairs attended on the same day. The PP visit attendance rate was not significantly different than the prior attendance rate ( This study was unable to improve PP visit attendance among women with GDM by jointly scheduling the 6-week PP visit and the 2-month well-infant visit. Future research could be directed toward a shared space where both women and children can be seen to attempt to increase PP visit attendance and monitoring for women with GDM.· Attendance at the PP visit is poor, and without a visit, women with pregnancies affected by gestational diabetes remain unscreened for PP dysglycemia.. · Jointly scheduling women and their infants to eliminate barriers to care studied by this group, however, were unable to improve attendance.. · Innovative strategies are needed to improve PP attendance among women with pregnancies affected by GDM..

Objective Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is associated with poor neonatal outcomes and stillbirth, and screening via fundal height or ultrasound is routinely performed. During the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, we developed a hybrid model of prenatal care which decreased the frequency of in-person visits and incorporated telemedicine visits. We sought to determine if prenatal FGR diagnoses decreased with this hybrid model compared with routine prenatal care. Study Design This was a retrospective cohort study of singleton nonanomalous neonates with birth weights Results Overall, 1,345 and 1,296 women gave birth in the routine and hybrid groups, respectively. The number of in-person prenatal care visits decreased from 15,024 in the routine period to 7,727 in the hybrid period; 3,265 telemedicine visits occurred during the hybrid period. The total number of prenatal patients remained relatively stable at 3,993 and 3,753 between periods. Third trimester ultrasounds decreased from 2,929 to 2,014 between periods. Birth weights Conclusion A hybrid prenatal care model did not alter the detection of FGR. Future efforts should further explore the benefits of incorporating telemedicine into prenatal care. Key Points

Obstetrical providers have had to rapidly rethink how to provide comprehensive prenatal care during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. At our institution, we implemented a risk-stratified approach to incorporating telemedicine into our prenatal care. The objective of this study was to determine acceptability of virtual prenatal care and preferences for future pregnancies among our patient population.We sought feedback from a convenience sample of patients regarding the acceptability of virtual prenatal care and desires for future pregnancies.We found that virtual prenatal care is acceptable to patients, and the majority would like to incorporate it into future post-pandemic pregnancy care, although preferences differ by race.Virtual prenatal care should continue to be employed in post-pandemic obstetric practice. Obstetrical providers must determine how to incorporate this practice in a risk-stratified and equitable fashion.

Background: Regulation of medical applications (apps) has not been rigorous. Concern for inaccurate medical apps with potential health consequences has increased. Objective: To identify mo...

Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy is associated with a significant risk of stillbirth, which contributes to variation in clinical management. Recent Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine guidance recommends delivery at 36 weeks of gestation for patients with serum bile acid levels of100 μmol/L, consideration for delivery between 36 and 39 weeks of gestation stratified by bile acid level, and against preterm delivery for those with clinical features of cholestasis without bile acid elevation.This study aimed to investigate institutional practices before the publication of the new delivery timing recommendations to establish the maternal and neonatal effects of late preterm, early-term, and term deliveries in the setting of cholestasis.This study examined maternal and neonatal outcomes of 441 patients affected by cholestasis delivering 484 neonates in a 4-hospital system over a 30-month period. Logistic and linear regression analyses were performed to assess neonatal outcomes concerning peak serum bile acid levels at various gestational ages controlling for maternal comorbidities, multiple pregnancies, and neonatal birthweight.With the clinical flexibility afforded by the new guidelines, pregnancy prolongation to term may have been achieved in 91 patients (21%), and 286 patients (74%) with bile acid elevation could have delivered at a later gestational age. Preterm deliveries of patients with bile acid levels of10 μmol/L were associated with higher rates of neonatal intensive care unit admission and adverse neonatal outcomes than early-term deliveries.Study data suggested an opportunity for education and practice change to reflect current Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine guidelines in efforts to reduce potential neonatal morbidities associated with late preterm deliveries among pregnancies affected by cholestasis.

Objective: Assessments for diabetes are vital to pregnancy and postpartum (PP) care, but screening, conducted with oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs), is cumbersome. Outside of pregnancy, percent glycated albumin (%GAlb) reflects average glycemia over a period of weeks. %GAlb may not be subject to the same limitations as hemoglobin A1c in pregnancy, as it does not rely on stable red blood cell kinetics. We studied %GAlb as a potential glycemic marker during gestation and PP. Study Design: Pregnant women (N=50) in the Study of Pregnancy Regulation of Insulin and Glucose cohort underwent 75g OGTTs at a mean of 13 weeks (SD 1.6, V1) and 26 weeks (SD 1.4, V2) of gestation and 11 weeks (SD 4.9) PP. Non-pregnant controls had a single OGTT. We measured GAlb on frozen plasma samples. Results: Serum total GAlb and total albumin decreased from V1 to V2 and increased PP to levels higher than at V1. %GAlb declined between V1 and V2 (β= -0.64 95% CI [-0.8, -0.4] p Conclusions: %GAlb decreases during gestation and remains decreased PP, despite a return of total albumin and total GAlb to baseline. Given the lack of correlation with OGTT glucose levels or hemoglobin A1c, %GAlb is unlikely to be useful in assessing glycemia in pregnant or PP women. Disclosure M. D. Soffer: None. K. James: None. M. J. Callahan: None. W. H. Barth: None. C. E. Powe: None.

Background Reports of SARS-CoV2 infection have focused on pregnant women hospitalized due to moderate to severe COVID-19 disease or asymptomatic women diagnosed through universal screening at the time of obstetric admission. Many pregnant women who have symptomatic SARS-CoV2 infection may not meet criteria for hospitalization; however, whether and how these women can be managed safely in outpatient setting is not well described. Objective We sought to describe the time to symptom and viral clearance and to identify predictors of hospitalization in order to better understand the safety of monitoring pregnant patients with symptomatic COVID-19 in the outpatient setting. Study Design We performed a retrospective cohort study of pregnant patients with symptomatic, confirmed COVID-19 illness at a large academic medical center. Patients had systematic telehealth follow up by a clinician team to assess for symptoms, provide virtual prenatal care, and arrange in-person visits when appropriate in a dedicated outpatient center. Data was collected via chart abstraction. Results Of 180 pregnant patients presenting with symptoms and undergoing RT-PCR testing, 67 patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection were identified during the study period. Nineteen (28%) required acute care given worsening of COVID-19 symptoms, and 95% of these were directed to this acute care setting due to symptom severity telehealth evaluation. Nine women (13%) were admitted to the hospital given worsening symptoms, 3 required ICU care, 2 required ventilatory support, and 2 required delivery. Women with the presenting symptoms of fever, cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, or nausea and vomiting were more likely to require admission. The median duration from initial positive test to RT-PCR viral clearance was 26 days. Disease progression, time to viral clearance and duration of symptoms did not vary significantly by trimester of infection. Conclusions Management of the majority of pregnant women with symptomatic COVID-19 illness can be accomplished in the outpatient setting with intensive and protocol-driven monitoring for symptom progression.

Objective: To determine risk factors for a positive postpartum depression screen among women with private health insurance and 24/7 access to care.Study design: Retrospective cohort study of all pa...

Background Cardiac arrest in pregnancy is high acuity, low occurrence event. It involves the coordination of multiple teams to take care of ultimately two patients. This is further compounded by physiology that is frequently unfamiliar to the providers taking care of the patient. Case report This case report will detail sudden onset eclampsia in a patient whose condition deteriorated rapidly into cardiac arrest. It will delve into the complexities of managing this complex disease process and how the multi-disciplinary team quickly integrated to manage both the mother and the baby. Why should the emergency physician be aware of this?: Cardiac arrest in pregnancy is an incredibly difficult situation due to both the physiological differences in the pregnant woman and the emotional factors on the treating providers (1). Due to its rarity, the pregnant cardiac arrest situation should be frequently reviewed to ensure appropriate care when the time arrives. The per-mortem c-section for a woman in cardiac arrest is a critical resuscitation technique that must be understood by providers who take care of critically ill patients ranging from emergency medicine to obstetrics and gynecology (Ob/Gyn) clinicians.

To compare twin pregnancy outcomes between white and nonwhite women with similar access to health care.Retrospective cohort study of all twin pregnancies delivered by a single maternal-fetal medicine practice from 2005-2016. All patients had private health insurance and equal access to physician care. Outcomes were compared between white and nonwhite women using logistic regression to adjust for differences at baseline.Of the 858 women included, 730 (85.1%) were white and 128 (14.9%) were nonwhite. Univariate analysis demonstrated that nonwhite women had higher rates of preterm birth32 weeks (12.5 versus 6.7%, p = .022), cesarean delivery (78.1% versus 61.4% of all women, p .001 and 43.5% versus 16.1% of women who attempted labor, p .001), preeclampsia (22.4% versus 14.5%, p = .029) and gestational diabetes (23.2% versus 7.3%, p .001). On adjusted analysis, nonwhite race remained significantly associated with cesarean delivery in women who attempted labor (aOR 2.27, 95% CI: 1.09, 4.71) and gestational diabetes (aOR 2.61, 95% CI: 1.53, 4.45).Nonwhite women with twin pregnancies have an increased risk of adverse outcomes that cannot be explained by access to care. Although improving access to care is an important goal for health care systems, our data suggest that this alone will not eliminate all disparities in health care outcomes between women of different races.

To improve 6-week postpartum visit attendance, glucose test ordering and test completion among postpartum patients with a history of gestational diabetes (GDM).Pre- and post-intervention GDM women at Mount Sinai Hospital were studied via chart review. Interventions included advanced order sets for glucose monitoring at the 35-week pregnancy visit, educational modules, and nutritionist phone calls reminding patients to attend postpartum visits fasting.One hundred and seven pre-intervention and 42 post-intervention women were studied. Percentages of orders placed for postpartum testing was higher post-intervention vs. pre-intervention (57% vs. 42%, p = 0.03). There were higher test completion rates post-intervention vs. pre-intervention (36% vs. 17%, p = 0.01). Postpartum visit attendance rates did not vary between the groups (73% vs. 69% p = 0.60). Six percent of patients pre-intervention fasted for postpartum visits vs. 60% post-intervention.There was no observed increase in women attending their 6-week postpartum visits, yet rates of completed orders for postpartum testing, women attending visits fasting, and postpartum test completions were higher post-intervention. More research may identify the barriers to attendance at 6-week postpartum visits.

In children, intramedullary spinal cord neoplasms are rare. These are typically low-grade neuroepithelial tumors, most commonly astrocytomas, ependymomas, and gangliogliomas. Malignant transformation, while common in recurrent adult low-grade gliomas, is an unusual event in pediatric low-grade neoplasms, specifically in intramedullary spinal cord tumors. We report two cases of malignant transformation in low-grade neuroepithelial tumors of the pediatric intramedullary spinal cord. Two children with intramedullary tumors, one with a WHO grade I ganglioglioma and one with a low-grade astrocytoma, were treated surgically, diagnosed histologically, and followed through the course of their disease. Both patients’ tumors transformed to higher grades without prior irradiation or chemotherapy, and without a genetic predisposition to tumorigenesis. Malignant transformation can occur in low-grade intramedullary neoplasms in children. This is a novel documented event for pediatric intramedullary spinal cord tumors and a rare event for all pediatric low-grade neuroepithelial tumors without induction by irradiation. A survey of the relevant literature reveals an underwhelming number of studies focusing on malignant transformation in children’s CNS tumors relative to adults. Further investigation into molecular mechanisms of pediatric low-grade neoplasms may reveal more aggressive tumor sub-variants predisposed to malignant degeneration.

A new method that can dramatically improve the sensitivity and especially the specificity of skin naevi screening for melanoma by physicians is introduced. The method is based on measuring the similarity to previously classified naevi images. As more naevi are being classified, the power of the method is enhanced. Thus physicians can benefit from experience accumulated by others and the screening can be performed effectively by physicians with less experience.

Fetuses with pulmonary outflow tract obstruction (POTO) have altered blood flow to the pulmonary vasculature. We sought to determine whether pulmonary vascular impedance, as assessed by the pulsatility index (PI), is different in fetuses with POTO compared with normal controls.Branch pulmonary artery PI was evaluated in age-matched normal control fetuses (n=22) and 20 POTO fetuses (pulmonary stenosis n=15, pulmonary atresia n=5). Pulsed-wave Doppler was performed in the proximal (PA1), mid (PA2) and distal (PA3) branch pulmonary artery. The direction of flow in the ductus arteriosus was noted. The study and control groups were compared with Student's t-test and ANOVA. A linear mixed model evaluated the relationship between PI and ductus arteriosus flow patterns.There was no difference in PI between control, pulmonary stenosis and pulmonary atresia subjects at PA1 and PA2; however, there was a significant difference at PA3. Subjects with pulmonary atresia had a lower PI at PA3 than did controls (P=0.003) and pulmonary stenosis subjects (P=0.003). Subjects with retrograde flow in the ductus arteriosus had lower PIs in PA2 and PA3 than did those with antegrade flow (P=0.01 and 0.005, respectively). The PI in PA3 was lower in fetuses that required prostaglandin postnatally than in those that did not (P=0.008).Fetuses with pulmonary atresia or severe pulmonary stenosis with retrograde flow in the ductus arteriosus have decreased PI in the distal pulmonary vasculature. Our findings indicate the capacity of the fetal pulmonary vasculature to vasodilate in response to anatomical obstruction of flow.

Giant axonal neuropathy is a severe autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder of childhood that affects both the peripheral and central nervous systems. It is caused by mutations in the GAN gene linked to chromosome 16q24.1 At least 45 distinct disease-causing mutations have been identified throughout the gene in families of various ethnic origins, with different symptomatologies and different clinical courses. To date, no characteristic mutation or phenotype-genotype correlation has been established. We describe a novel missense mutation in four siblings born to consanguineous parents of Arab original with clinical and molecular features compatible with giant axonal neuropathy. The phenotype was characterized by a predominant motor and sensory peripheral neuropathies and severe skeletal deformities.

We sought to determine whether the presence or absence of aortic obstruction impacts cerebrovascular resistance in fetuses with single-ventricle (SV) congenital heart disease (CHD).Pulsatility indices (PIs) were recorded for the middle cerebral artery (MCA) and the umbilical artery (UA) from 18 to 40 weeks' gestation in 59 fetuses (163 examinations) with SV-CHD with unobstructed aortic flow, yet decreased pulmonary flow, in 72 fetuses (170 examinations) with obstructed aortic flow and hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) and in 92 normal fetuses (92 examinations). The cerebral-to-placental resistance (CPR) was calculated as the MCA-PI/UA-PI. Z-scores were generated for the MCA-PI and the UA-PI in order to make comparisons independent of gestational age. Statistical analyses were performed using one-way ANOVA with post-hoc testing. Trends in these variables over the course of gestation were assessed using linear regression and univariate ANOVA.The MCA-PI and the CPR were significantly lower in SV fetuses with aortic obstruction compared with SV fetuses with pulmonary obstruction and with normal fetuses. Moreover, the MCA-PI decreased significantly for SV fetuses with aortic obstruction over the course of gestation. In contrast, the MCA-PI was higher over the course of gestation in SV fetuses with pulmonary obstruction compared with normal fetuses.In fetuses with SV-CHD, cerebrovascular resistance varies substantially between fetuses with and without aortic obstruction. Compared with normal fetuses, cerebrovascular resistance is decreased in SV fetuses with aortic obstruction, yet increased in SV fetuses with pulmonary obstruction. In fetuses with SV physiology, inherent differences in cerebral blood flow may underlie postnatal neurodevelopmental outcomes.

Penetrating injuries of the vertebral artery are not common. Although surgical control of this type of injury is well-documented, the combined approach (surgery and packing for temporary control of bleeding, followed by angiography and embolization for permanent control) is now recognized and practiced. We describe a 40-year-old man who was stabbed in the neck. He was rushed to the operating theater in hemorrhagic shock. A vertebral artery injury was identified and packed. Angiography and embolization permanently controlled the bleeding. The combined approach is safe and we recommend it in those in whom bleeding from the vertebral artery is initially well controlled with packing.

A new method that can dramatically improve the sensitivity and especially the specificity of skin naevi screening for melanoma by physicians is introduced. The method is based on measuring the similarity to previously classified naevi images. As more naevi are being classified, the power of the method is enhanced. Thus physicians can benefit from experience accumulated by others and the screening can be performed effectively by physicians with less experience.

The cluster in Jews of Libyan origin of limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 2B due to a dysferlin 1624delG mutation is described. The carrier frequency of this mutation is calculated to be approximately 10% in this population, in which the disease prevalence is at least 1 per 1300 adults. Twenty-nine patients from 12 families were all homozygous for the same mutation. However, clinical features were heterogeneous even within the same family: in half of the patients onset was in the distal muscles of the legs, which is similar to Miyoshi myopathy, while in others onset was in the proximal musculature, which is similar to other forms of limb-girdle dystrophies. Age at onset varied from 12 to 28 years (mean 20.3 +/- 5.5 years). One patient was presymptomatic at age 28 years. Progression was slow regardless of age of onset, patients remaining ambulatory until at least 33 years. Five patients described subacute, painful enlarged calves as an early, unusual feature. The variable features in this ethnic cluster contribute to the definition of the clinical spectrum of dysferlinopathies in general. The cause of the observed heterogeneity remains unclear.

The course and outcome of appendicitis in the elderly differs from that of the general population. The rates of perforated appendices, error in diagnosis, postoperative complications and mortality may be related to the time lapse between onset of symptoms and admission, and hence delay in surgery.To evaluate if these factors have improved in recent years.A retrospective study was carried out of all 61 patients over age 60 who underwent appendectomies in a major metropolitan hospital during 1988-98.We found that most patients had appendectomies within the first 24 hours of admission and within 3 days of symptoms. Rate of perforation was 43%, error 5.6%, morbidity 41%, and mortality 3.2%.The high rate of appendix perforation in the elderly is not due to delay. The literature reveals little improvement in the statistics of the disease over the last five decades, despite advances in imaging and surgical technique. This may be explained by the increasing inclusion of octogenarian patients.

Gunshot wounds are the most common cause of penetrating injuries in the gluteal region (PIGR), while only 17.5% result from stabbing. Complications and even death have been described as resulting from stab injury in this area, which is thus a hazard that demands an algorithm for proper management. Recently, DiGiacomo et al. recommended that transpelvic bullet trajectory warrants surgery. Mercer et al., in a study of 81 patients with PIGR, recommended an algorithm based on anatomical gluteal zones and concluded that angiography is not mandatory in such injuries. We describe 9 cases of PIGR, 4 of which were from stab wound and 1 a gunshot wound, which bled from rami of the gluteal arteries. In 2 there was no apparent bleeding, and they were hemodynamically stable. Thus in this type of injury significant damage may be obscured. Our results suggest that angiography is important in the evaluation of such injuries an should be part of the protocol for management of PIGR.

Retrospective analysis of a series of 32 motorcyclists admitted after road accidents was performed. 62% were injured on scooters with 50 cc engine capacity and most of the combined injuries occurred in this group. Most crashes occurred at road junctions. Riders of scooters with larger engine capacities tended to wear protective garments as opposed to riders with smaller engines. There was no correlation between engine capacity and severity of injury. We conclude that motorcyclists should receive special education, especially as to behavior on entering road junctions. We recommend that taxes on protective garments should be lowered in order to encourage motorcyclists to use them.