Opportunistic detection of type 2 diabetes using deep learning from frontal chest radiographs.

Deep learning (DL) models can harness electronic health records (EHRs) to predict diseases and extract radiologic findings for diagnosis. With ambulatory chest radiographs (CXRs) frequently ordered, we investigated detecting type 2 diabetes (T2D) by combining radiographic and EHR data using a DL model. Our model, developed from 271,065 CXRs and 160,244 patients, was tested on a prospective dataset of 9,943 CXRs.

Incidence of tissue coring during transseptal catheterization when using electrocautery and a standard transseptal needle.

Background: The application of radiofrequency electrocautery to a standard, open-ended transseptal needle has been used to facilitate transseptal puncture (TSP). The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of cardiac tissue coring when this technique is used.

Methods And Results: A model using excised swine hearts submerged in a saline-filled basin was developed to simulate TSP with electrocautery and a standard transseptal needle.

Implications of progressive aberrancy versus true fusion for diagnosis of wide complex tachycardia.

At the onset of wide complex tachycardia, beats with intermediate morphologies sometimes occur between the normally conducted beats and the wide complex tachycardia QRS. Intermediate beats could be true fusion; however, progressive aberrancy has been reported to mimic true fusion. To evaluate the incidence of progressive aberrancy, wide complex tachycardia tracings were collected in which an intermediate beat was noted at the onset.

Head CT is of limited diagnostic value in critically ill patients who remain unresponsive after discontinuation of sedation.

Background: Prolonged sedation is common in mechanically ventilated patients and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. We sought to determine the diagnostic value of head computed tomography (CT) in mechanically ventilated patients who remain unresponsive after discontinuation of sedation.

Methods: A retrospective review of adult (age >18 years of age) patients consecutively admitted to the medical intensive care unit of a tertiary care medical center.

Are implantable cardioverter defibrillator shocks a surrogate for sudden cardiac death in patients with nonischemic cardiomyopathy?

Background: Ventricular tachyarrhythmias long enough to cause implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) shocks are generally thought to progress to cardiac arrest. In previous ICD trials, shocks have been considered an appropriate surrogate for sudden cardiac death (SCD) because the number of shocks has been thought to be equivalent to the mortality excess in patients without ICDs. The practice of equating ICD shocks with mortality is controversial and has not been validated critically.