Preoperative chemotherapy and corticosteroids: independent predictors of cranial surgical-site infections.

OBJECT Preoperative corticosteroids and chemotherapy are frequently prescribed for patients undergoing cranial neurosurgery but may pose a risk of postoperative infection. Postoperative surgical-site infections (SSIs) have significant morbidity and mortality, dramatically increase the length and cost of hospitalization, and are a major cause of 30-day readmission. In patients undergoing cranial neurosurgery, there is a lack of data on the role of patient-specific risk factors in the development of SSIs.

Impact of Hyponatremia on Morbidity, Mortality, and Complications After Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Systematic Review.

Background: Hyponatremia is a common metabolic disturbance after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), and it may worsen outcomes. This review aims to characterize the effect of hyponatremia on morbidity and mortality after SAH.

Objectives: We sought to determine the prevalence of hyponatremia after SAH, including in subgroups, as well as its effect on mortality and certain outcome measures, including degree of disability and duration of hospitalization.

The promise of wearable activity sensors to define patient recovery.

The recent emergence of mobile health--the use of mobile telecommunication and wireless devices to improve health outcomes, services, and research--has inspired a patient-centric approach to monitor health metrics. Sensors embedded in wearable devices are utilized to acquire greater self-knowledge by tracking basic parameters such as blood pressure, heart rate, and body temperature as well as data related to exercise, diet, and psychological state. To that end, recent studies on utilizing wireless fitness activity trackers to monitor and promote functional recovery in patients suggest that collecting up-to-date performance data could help patients regain functional independence and help hospitals determine the appropriate length of stay for a patient.