De Ritis Ratio to Predict Clinical Outcomes of Intermediate- and High-Risk Pulmonary Embolisms.

: Abnormal liver function tests can identify severe cardiopulmonary failure. The aspartate transaminase/alanine transaminase (AST/ALT) ratio, or the De Ritis ratio, is commonly used to evaluate acute liver damage. However, its prognostic value in pulmonary embolism (PE) is unknown.

First Ultrasound-Assisted Thrombolysis for Pulmonary Embolism after Lung Surgery.

 Experience with early postoperative catheter-directed ultrasound-assisted thrombolysis (USAT) in high-risk pulmonary embolism (PE) is limited. A first case of USAT directly after pulmonary surgery is presented.  A 60-year-old female patient with two malignancies (triple negative breast cancer and pulmonary squamous cell carcinoma) underwent video-assisted lobectomy.

Minimally Invasive Central Cannulation for Extracorporeal Life Support: The Uniportal and Subxiphoid Approach.

Objective: Extracorporeal life support (ECLS) for circulatory and/or respiratory failure is improving. Currently, invasive sternotomies or rib-spreading thoracotomies are used for central cannulation of the heart and great vessels. Although peripheral cannulation of the extremities is often used, this approach may result in immobility and unintentional dislodgement.

Effects of β-blockers therapy on the 28-day and 3-year survival rates of end-stage renal disease patients with cardiovascular disease: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: β-blockers have been used in the treatment of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients and cardiovascular disease (CVD) patients, separately. However, the effects of β-blockers on ESRD patients with CVD have not been fully investigated. This study sought to investigate the effects of β-blockers therapy on the 28-day and 3-year survival rates of ESRD patients with pre-existing CVD who were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU).

Outcomes of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in COVID-19-Induced Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: An Inverse Probability Weighted Analysis.

Unlabelled: Although venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV ECMO) has been used in case of COVID-19 induced acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), outcomes and criteria for its application should be evaluated.

Objectives: To describe patient characteristics and outcomes in patients receiving VV ECMO due to COVID-19-induced ARDS and to assess the possible impact of COVID-19 on mortality.

Design Setting And Participants: Multicenter retrospective study in 15 ICUs worldwide.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in patients with COVID-19: 1-year experience.

Background: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) showed reasonable outcomes. However, recent studies indicated a negative trend and analysis is needed.

Methods: Baseline characteristics, laboratory parameters, and outcomes of ECMO-supported patients with COVID-19 were analyzed in a retrospective single-center study.

Reduction of cardiovascular risk factors among young men with hypertension using an interactive decision aid: cluster-randomized control trial.

Background: Coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality among young men is very high and the prevention methods usable in family practice (FP) settings are limited (1,2). The objectives of this study were to investigate the cardiovascular risk profile among young males (18-50) visiting their family doctor (FD) and to find out if using an interactive computer-based decision aid (DA) has advantages in reducing cardiovascular risk factors compared to usual counselling at the FD's office.

Methods: The study was a cluster-randomized controlled trial including hypertensive male patients aged 18-50 recruited by their FD in 2015-2016.

Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery Management of Subacute Retained Blood Syndrome after Cardiac Surgery.

Purpose: Blood loss along with inadequate evacuation after cardiac surgery leads to retained blood syndrome (RBS) in the pleural and/or pericardial cavity. Re-sternotomy is often needed for clot evacuation. Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) evacuation is a less-invasive procedure.

Outcomes of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation for Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome in COVID-19 Patients: A Propensity-Matched Analysis.

It remains unclear to what extent the outcomes and complications of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) therapy in COVID-19 patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) differ from non-COVID-19 ARDS patients. In an observational, propensity-matched study, outcomes after ECMO support were compared between 19 COVID-19 patients suffering from ARDS (COVID group) and 34 matched non-COVID-19 ARDS patients (NCOVID group) from our historical cohort. A 1:2 propensity matching was performed based on respiratory ECMO survival prediction (RESP) score, age, gender, bilirubin, and creatinine levels.

Thromboembolic and Bleeding Events in COVID-19 Patients receiving Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation.

Background: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a potential treatment option in critically ill COVID-19 patients suffering from acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) if mechanical ventilation (MV) is insufficient; however, thromboembolic and bleeding events (TEBE) during ECMO treatment still need to be investigated.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective, single-center study including COVID-19 patients treated with ECMO. Additionally, we performed a univariate analysis of 85 pre-ECMO variables to identify factors influencing incidences of thromboembolic events (TEE) and bleeding events (BE), respectively.

Role of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in critically Ill COVID-19 patients and predictors of mortality.

The role of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in the management of critically ill COVID-19 patients remains unclear. Our study aims to analyze the outcomes and risk factors from patients treated with ECMO. This retrospective, single-center study includes 17 COVID-19 patients treated with ECMO.