Evaluation of the Use of Phenobarbital and Benzodiazepines in the Management of Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome in Patients Requiring Neurological/Neurosurgical Critical Care: A Propensity-Matched Analysis.

Objective There is growing interest in the use of phenobarbital for alcohol withdrawal syndrome in critically ill patients, though experience in neurologically injured patients is limited. The purpose of this study was to compare the safety and effectiveness of phenobarbital-containing alcohol withdrawal regimens versus benzodiazepine monotherapy in the neurocritical care unit. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of adult patients admitted to the neurocritical care unit from January 2014 through November 2021 who received pharmacologic treatment for alcohol withdrawal.

A Clinical Update on Antiplatelet Therapy in Secondary Prevention of Ischemic Stroke.

Purpose Of Review: Antiplatelet therapy remains the standard of care in secondary stroke prevention for non-cardioembolic ischemic stroke and transient ischemic attack. We aim to examine the use of antiplatelet agents in secondary prevention through highlighting relevant clinical trials and meta-analyses as well as providing commentary regarding our practice.

Recent Findings: In the POINT and CHANCE trials, dual antiplatelet therapy reduced recurrent stroke compared to aspirin monotherapy.

Effect of bodyweight on VerifyNow Aspirin platelet function test: a retrospective review.

Background: Antiplatelet therapy is used to prevent stent thrombosis in intracranial stents, but the optimal dose of aspirin is unknown. This study sought to determine whether the degree of platelet inhibition with aspirin is affected by bodyweight as observed through a platelet reactivity assay.

Methods: This is a retrospective review of patients who underwent neurovascular stent placement and had a VerifyNow Aspirin assay result.

Impact of a Guideline for the Management of Antimicrobial/Warfarin Interactions in the Inpatient Setting and Across Transition of Care.

Background: Drug-drug interactions (DDIs) with warfarin and antimicrobial agents are a common cause of international normalized ratio (INR) instability, which can affect the risk for bleeding and thrombotic events.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of a comprehensive guideline for the management of warfarin-antimicrobial DDIs across transitions of care. The guideline emphasizes improving identification of significant antimicrobial-warfarin DDIs during hospitalization, empirical warfarin dose modification based on DDI and baseline INR, patient education, documentation of the DDI, communication with outpatient providers regarding the DDI and anticipated antimicrobial stop date, and warfarin dose adjustment on discontinuation of antimicrobial.

Use of intubation introducers through a supraglottic airway to facilitate tracheal intubation: a brief review.

Purpose: This article is a narrative review regarding the usage and effectiveness of introducers or catheters to facilitate tracheal intubation through a supraglottic airway (SGA) as an alternative intubation technique in normal and difficult airway management.

Sources: Relevant articles were obtained through Medline (1948-July 2011). The articles were subsequently cross-referenced for additional literature, and only articles published in English were included.

Ezrin phosphorylation on tyrosine 477 regulates invasion and metastasis of breast cancer cells.

Background: The membrane cytoskeletal crosslinker, ezrin, a member of the ERM family of proteins, is frequently over-expressed in human breast cancers, and is required for motility and invasion of epithelial cells. Our group previously showed that ezrin acts co-operatively with the non-receptor tyrosine kinase, Src, in deregulation of cell-cell contacts and scattering of epithelial cells. In particular, ezrin phosphorylation on Y477 by Src is specific to ezrin within the ERM family, and is required for HGF-induced scattering of epithelial cells.