Nucleated red blood cells, critical illness survivors and postdischarge outcomes: a cohort study.

Background: Little is known about risk factors associated with out-of-hospital outcomes in survivors of critical illness. We hypothesized that the presence of nucleated red blood cells in patients who survived critical care would be associated with adverse outcomes following hospital discharge.

Methods: We performed a two-center observational cohort study of patients treated in medical and surgical intensive care units in Boston, Massachusetts.

Malnutrition, Critical Illness Survivors, and Postdischarge Outcomes: A Cohort Study.

Background: We hypothesized that preexisting malnutrition in patients who survived critical care would be associated with adverse outcomes following hospital discharge.

Methods: We performed an observational cohort study in 1 academic medical center in Boston. We studied 23,575 patients, aged ≥18 years, who received critical care between 2004 and 2011 and survived hospitalization.

Functional status, age, and long-term survival after trauma.

Background: The association between functional status in trauma survivors and long-term outcomes is unknown.

Methods: We performed an observational cohort study on adult trauma patients (≥18 years), who required admission to the intensive care unit and who survived hospitalization between 1997 and 2011. The exposure of interest was a functional status defined as bed mobility, transfers, and gait level assessed at the time of hospital discharge.

Functional Status in ICU Survivors and Out of Hospital Outcomes: A Cohort Study.

Objectives: Functional status at hospital discharge may be a risk factor for adverse events among survivors of critical illness. We sought to examine the association between functional status at hospital discharge in survivors of critical care and risk of 90-day all-cause mortality after hospital discharge.

Design: Single-center retrospective cohort study.

The association of acute kidney injury in the critically ill and postdischarge outcomes: a cohort study*.

Objective: Hospital readmissions contribute significantly to the cost of inpatient care and are targeted as a marker for quality of care. Little is known about risk factors associated with hospital readmission in survivors of critical illness. We hypothesized that acute kidney injury in patients who survived critical care would be associated with increased risk of 30-day postdischarge hospital readmission, postdischarge mortality, and progression to end-stage renal disease.

Rapid encephalopathy associated with anti-D immune globulin treatment for idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.

Rho (D) immune globulin intravenous (IV RhIG, WinRho SDF) has been shown to be a safe treatment for idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. Common side effects of IV RhIG include mild hemolysis, febrile reaction and headache. Significant hemolysis with renal impairment is infrequently noted.

RF ablation with adjuvant therapy: comparison of external beam radiation and liposomal doxorubicin on ablation efficacy in an animal tumor model.

Purpose: To determine the critical thermal dosimetry and relative efficacy for RF ablation combined with external beam radiation (XRT) or liposomal doxorubicin (LD), in an animal tumor model.

Materials And Methods: This study was performed in two phases, in 13-18 mm diameter R3230 tumors subcutaneously implanted into Fischer rats. In phase 1, tumors (n = 30) were randomized into six groups.

Chemical tumor ablation with use of a novel multiple-tine infusion system in a canine sarcoma model.

Purpose: To determine whether larger confluent zones of ablation can be achieved in chemical ablation with use of a multiple-tine infusion device compared with standard needle infusion in a solid tumor model.

Materials And Methods: Multiple canine venereal sarcomas (N=42) were implanted in nine mildly immunosuppressed dogs (treated with 10 mg/kg cyclosporin A twice daily). Tumors incubated for 8-12 weeks grew to a diameter of 5.

Combination radiofrequency ablation with intratumoral liposomal doxorubicin: effect on drug accumulation and coagulation in multiple tissues and tumor types in animals.

Purpose: To determine whether use of radiofrequency (RF) ablation combined with intravenously (IV) administered liposomal doxorubicin, as compared with use of RF ablation or doxorubicin alone, facilitates increased tissue coagulation and interstitial drug accumulation in animal models.

Materials And Methods: The institutional animal care and use committee approved this study. In experiment 1, multiple canine sarcomas were implanted in seven mildly immunosuppressed dogs and grown to a mean diameter of 4.

Radiofrequency tumor ablation: insight into improved efficacy using computer modeling.

Objective: To use computer modeling of the Bio-Heat equation to demonstrate factors influencing RF ablation tissue heating.

Conclusion: Computer modeling demonstrates the importance of energy deposition, tumor and background tissue electrical and thermal conductivity, and perfusion on RF ablation outcomes.

Reduced tumor growth with combined radiofrequency ablation and radiation therapy in a rat breast tumor model.

Purpose: To determine whether use of combined radiofrequency (RF) ablation and external-beam radiation therapy increases end-point survival beyond that with either RF ablation or radiation therapy alone in an animal tumor model.

Materials And Methods: With a protocol approved by the institutional animal care and use committee, R3230 mammary adenocarcinoma (12.5 mm +/- 0.

Rapid irreversible encephalopathy associated with anti-D immune globulin treatment for idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.

Intravenous Rho (D) immune globulin (IV RhIG, WinRho SDF) has been shown to be a safe treatment for idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). Common side effects of IV RhIG include mild hemolysis, febrile reaction, and headache. Significant hemolysis with renal impairment following IV RhIG has been reported.

Hybrid radiofrequency and cryoablation device: preliminary results in an animal model.

Purpose: To determine whether the simultaneous application of combined bipolar radiofrequency (RF) ablation and cryoablation in a hybrid system produces larger ablation zones than RF or cryoablation alone.

Materials And Methods: Multiple 15-minute ablations were performed in ex vivo bovine liver (n = 167) with a hybrid applicator system with RF ablation alone (0.3-0.

Radiofrequency ablation: Effect of pharmacologic modulation of hepatic and renal blood flow on coagulation diameter in a VX2 tumor model.

Purpose: To determine whether pharmacologic agents can be used to modulate blood flow in hepatic and renal tumors sufficiently to alter the extent of radiofrequency (RF)-induced coagulation.

Materials And Methods: VX2 tumors (8-15 mm) were implanted in the liver (n = 25) or kidney (n = 8) of 33 New Zealand White rabbits. RF was applied to tumors for 6 minutes with use of conventional electrodes (125 mA +/- 35; 90 degrees C +/- 2 degrees C tip temperature).

Image-guided percutaneous chemical and radiofrequency tumor ablation in an animal model.

Purpose: To determine whether combining acetic acid instillation before radiofrequency (RF) ablation can improve local tissue electrical conductivity, RF energy deposition, intratumoral heating, and tumor necrosis in a large animal model.

Materials And Methods: Multiple hypovascular canine venereal sarcomas were implanted in 11 mildly immunosuppressed dogs (25 mg/kg cyclosporin A twice daily). Tumors were incubated for 8-12 weeks to 4.

Predictors of hemorrhagic transformation after intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator: prognostic value of the initial apparent diffusion coefficient and diffusion-weighted lesion volume.

Background And Purpose: Hemorrhagic transformation (HT) is a potentially dangerous complication of thrombolytic therapy. Recent studies suggest that diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI) can help to predict the risk of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) after thrombolysis. We sought to examine which pretreatment DWI parameters and clinical data are predictive of ICH after intravenous thrombolysis.

The stroke patient who woke up: clinical and radiological features, including diffusion and perfusion MRI.

Background And Purpose: Time of stroke onset is uncertain for patients who wake from sleep with stroke. Functional imaging techniques may allow estimation of benefit and risk of acute stroke therapy. We compared the clinical and multimodal MRI findings of patients with uncertain stroke onset with those with known onset time.