Mepolizumab in patients with lymphoid variant hypereosinophilic syndrome: a multi-center prospective study.

Background: Hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) is characterized by blood and tissue hypereosinophilia causing organ damage and/or dysfunction. Mepolizumab, an anti-IL-5 antibody, has recently been approved in this indication. In lymphoid variant (L-)HES, eosinophil expansion is driven by IL-5-producing clonal CD3CD4 T cells.

Assessment of the Inter-Frequency Amplitude Ratio (1000/500 Hz) in cVEMP and oVEMP for the Diagnosis of Ménière's Disease.

: to retrospectively evaluate the clinical relevance of the 1000/500 Hz inter-frequency amplitude ratio (IFAR) in cervical and ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMPs and oVEMPs) in patients with unilateral definite Ménière's disease (MD) to identify the pathological ear. : cVEMPs and oVEMPs results obtained at 500 Hz and 1000 Hz were retrospectively analyzed in 28 patients with unilateral definite MD. 1000/500 Hz IFAR were calculated and compared for each ear.

Developing a veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation program during the COVID-19 pandemic: Don't forget to notify the blood bank.

Objectives: During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, there has been significant increased use of vvECMO as rescue therapy. Patients with COVID-19 as anticoagulation is needed for vvECMO support, may develop bleeding complications requiring an increased number of RBC transfusions. We would like to report the RBC transfusion needs following the implementation of an ECMO program.

Large-vessel involvement in ANCA-associated vasculitis: A multicenter case-control study.

Objective: Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) primarily affects small vessels. Large-vessel involvement (LVI) is rare. We aimed to describe the characteristics of LVI, to identify associated risk factors, and to describe its therapeutic management.

Influence of a Surgical Mask on Voice Analysis in Dysphonic Patients During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Objective: COVID-19 has radically changed medical practice. The main objective of this study was to assess the impact of surgical mask (SM) on voice quality analyzes in a group of patient with different common benign vocal organic pathologies.

Study Design: A cross-over study.

Influence of the Electrode Montage to Detect Ocular Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials.

Objective: To compare ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (oVEMPs) obtained with three different electrode montages (infra-orbital vs belly-tendon vs chin) in a group of healthy subjects. To assess the electrical activity recorded at the level of the reference electrode in the belly-tendon and chin montages.

Study Design: Prospective study.

Clinical, virological, and operational aspects of a single-center Belgian experience with in-hospital infusions of casirivimab/imdevimab and sotrovimab for mild/moderate COVID-19.

Objectives: To describe the clinical and virological characteristics of COVID-19 patients treated in a hospital with casirivimab/imdevimab and sotrovimab between June 2021 and April 2022 and to report the logistics for administering these monoclonal antibodies (mAbs).

Methods: All COVID-19 adult patients treated with mAbs at CHU Charleroi (Belgium) were included. A multidisciplinary monoclonal antibodies team (MMT) was dedicated to identify eligible patients and coordinate the administration of mAbs in a temporary structure created within the hospital.

Epidemiology and outcome of anaerobic bacteremia in a tertiary hospital.

Despite a low incidence, anaerobic bacteremia remains a serious and often underestimated condition. This retrospective study aims to describe the epidemiology of anaerobic bacteremia and to identify risk factors affecting mortality and the impact of treatment. We included all positive anaerobic blood cultures from January 2018 to December 2019 at the University Hospital of Charleroi (Belgium).

[Benralizumab in cases of eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis].

Introduction: Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) is a rare necrotizing vasculitis affecting small vessels and associated with severe asthma and eosinophilia. Monoclonal antibodies blocking the IL-5 signaling pathway, one example being benralizumab, decrease the proliferation of eosinophils and represent an effective treatment in severe eosinophilic asthma. They are a therapeutic option currently studied for EGPA.

Prevalence and Impact of Atrial Fibrillation on Intra-Hospital Mortality in Patients Aged ≥75 Years.

It is unclear whether the association between atrial fibrillation (AF) and intra-hospital mortality in patients aged 75 years and older is causal or not. This study aims (1) to describe the prevalence and clinical characteristics of AF in ≥75-year-old inpatients and (2) to study the association between AF and length of stay (LOS) and intra-hospital mortality. This retrospective cohort study includes consecutive patients aged ≥75 years admitted between January 2017 and December 2019 to a Belgian secondary hospital.

Minimal invasive coronary surgery is not associated with increased mortality or morbidity during the period of learning curve.

Background: Minimally invasive procedures for coronary revascularization have been performed for over 20 years; however, their technical complexity, steep learning curves and absence of training programs explain the weak acceptance of these techniques. The aim of this study is to describe the step-by-step learning process on how to establish a minimally invasive coronary artery revascularization program. The short-term outcomes of our first 30 patients were compared to our left internal mammary artery (LIMA) to left anterior descending (LAD) artery off pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) cohort as a quality control baseline.

Three-dimensional analysis of blood platelet spreading using digital holographic microscopy: a statistical study of the differential effect of coatings in healthy volunteers and dialyzed patients.

In cardiovascular disorders, the study of thrombocytes, commonly known as platelets, is highly important since they are involved in blood clotting, essential in hemostasis, and they can in pathological situations affect the blood circulation. In this paper, single deposited platelets are measured using interferometric digital holographic microscopy. We have shown that the average optical height of platelets is significantly lower in healthy volunteers than in dialyzed patients, meaning a better spreading.

Using Narrow Band CE-Chirps to Elicit Cervical Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials.

Objectives: To compare the effects of Narrow band CE-Chirps (NB CE-Chirps) and tone bursts (TBs) at 500 Hz and 1000 Hz on the amplitudes and latencies in cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMPs).

Design: Thirty-one healthy adult volunteers of varying ages were tested by air conduction at 95 dB nHL. Recording conditions were randomized for each participant and each modality was tested twice.

Optimizing Ocular Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials With Narrow Band CE-Chirps.

Objectives: To evaluate the effects of narrow band CE-Chirp (NB CE-Chirp) on the amplitudes and latencies in ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (oVEMPs) at 500 and 1000 Hz in comparison with tone burst (TB).

Design: Twenty-one healthy volunteers were included in the study and tested in air conduction with a "belly-tendon" montage. Recording conditions were randomized for each participant and each modality was tested twice to check the reproducibility of the procedure.

Spherization of red blood cells and platelet margination in COPD patients.

Red blood cells (RBCs) in pathological situations undergo biochemical and conformational changes, leading to alterations in rheology involved in cardiovascular events. The shape of RBCs in volunteers and stable and exacerbated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients was analyzed. The effects of RBC spherization on platelet transport (displacement in the flow field caused by their interaction with RBCs) were studied in vitro and by numerical simulations.

Outcome of methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) bacteremia: impact of diabetes.

The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiology of methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) bacteremia in a diabetic and a non-diabetic population of the University Hospital of Charleroi and to analyze medical outcomes, including risk of metastatic infection and mortality. Descriptive and multivariable analyses were performed using MedCalc 18.9 (MedCalc Software bvba, Ostend, Belgium).

Identification and characterization of the Onchocerca volvulus Excretory Secretory Product Ov28CRP, a putative GM2 activator protein.

Onchocerca volvulus is the nematode pathogen responsible for human onchocerciasis also known as "River blindness", a neglected tropical disease that affects up to 18 million people worldwide. Helminths Excretory Secretory Products (ESPs) constitute a rich repertoire of molecules that can be exploited for host-parasite relationship, diagnosis and vaccine studies. Here, we report, using a range of molecular techniques including PCR, western blot, recombinant DNA technology, ELISA, high performance thin-layer chromatography and mass spectrometry that the 28 KDa cysteine-rich protein (Ov28CRP) is a reliable component of the O.

Prediction and validation of the structural features of Ov58GPCR, an immunogenic determinant of Onchocerca volvulus.

Onchocerciasis is a severely debilitating yet neglected tropical disease (NTD) that creates social stigma, generates and perpetuates poverty, and leads ultimately in some cases to irreversible unilateral or bilateral blindness if untreated. Consequently, the disease is a major impediment to socioeconomic development. Many control programs have been launched for the disease with moderate successes achieved.

[Large granular lymphocytic leukemia CD3CD56: a challenge for the biologist and the physician].

Large granular lymphocyte leukemia (LGL) are chronic lymphoproliferative disorders classified into three main groups: T-cell LGL leukemia (T-LGL), aggressive NK-cell leukemia and chronic lymphoproliferative disorder of NK cells (NK-LGL). Patients with LGL leukemia exhibit chronic (>3 months) and moderate (<1G/L) to substantial monoclonal expansion of large granular lymphocytes in the peripheral blood. Cytologically, large granular lymphocytes are medium to large cells which are further characterized by an eccentric nucleus and a slightly basophilic cytoplasm containing azurophilic granules.

Data on myeloperoxidase-oxidized low-density lipoproteins stimulation of cells to induce release of resolvin-D1.

This article present data related to the publication entitled "Native and myeloperoxidase-oxidized low-density lipoproteins act in synergy to induce release of resolvin-D1 from endothelial cells" (Dufour et al., 2018). The supporting materials include results obtained by Mox-LDLs stimulated macrophages and investigation performed on scavenger receptors.