Publications by authors named "Melloney Droege"

Background: The management of rivaroxaban overdose in severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI) is undocumented. Reversal with andexanet alfa (AA) and prothrombin complex concentrates (PCCs) in cases of supratherapeutic doses remains unproven. Management is further complicated by the absence of real-time serum rivaroxaban concentration assays and drug-specific coagulation assays.

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Objective: Describe continuous infusion (CI) ketamine practices in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) and evaluate its effect on pain/sedation scores, exposure to analgesics/sedatives, and adverse effects (AEs).

Methods: Multicenter, retrospective, observational study in children <18 years who received CI ketamine between 2014 and 2017. Time spent in goal pain/sedation score range and daily cumulative doses of analgesics/sedatives were compared from the 24 hours (H) prior to CI ketamine to the first 24H and 25-48H of the CI.

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Article Synopsis
  • - Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is a rare condition that leads to dilated blood vessels and has been linked to a higher prevalence of infections and allergies in affected individuals.
  • - In a study, 430 patients with HHT completed a survey, revealing that they experienced significantly more allergies, particularly type I allergies, along with a higher incidence of infections like sinusitis and pulmonary infections, compared to their non-affected counterparts.
  • - The findings highlight the need for increased awareness and recommendations for patients with pulmonary arteriovenous malformations (PAVMs) to take prophylactic antibiotics, as many do not do so despite their higher risk of complications.
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Article Synopsis
  • A postal survey was conducted among 161 German ENT departments to evaluate the diagnostic effectiveness and complication rates of fine-needle aspiration (FNA) and core needle biopsy (CNB) in the thyroid gland, salivary glands, and lymph nodes.
  • The response rate was 45%, with many clinics not performing these procedures due to a lack of pathologist expertise.
  • FNA was more commonly used than CNB, achieving 63% meaningful findings for FNA and 83% for CNB, with very few cases reporting potential tumor cell spread, indicating varying practices across Germany.
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Study Objective: To evaluate if out-of-hospital administration of fentanyl and intranasal ketamine, compared to fentanyl alone, improves early pain control after injury.

Methods: We conducted an out-of-hospital randomized, placebo-controlled, blinded, parallel group clinical trial from October 2017 to December 2021. Participants were male, aged 18 to 65 years, receiving fentanyl to treat acute traumatic pain prior to hospital arrival, treated by an urban fire-based emergency medical services agency, and transported to the region's only adult Level I trauma center.

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Background: The application of enhanced recovery after surgery principles decreases postoperative complications (POCs), length of stay (LOS), and readmissions. Pharmacoprophylaxis decreases morbidity, but the effect of specific regimens on clinical outcomes is unclear.

Methods And Materials: Records of 476 randomly selected adult patients who underwent elective colorectal surgeries (ECRS) at 10 US hospitals were abstracted.

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Patients with HPV-localized head and neck cancer (HNC) show inferior outcomes after surgery and radiochemotherapy compared to HPV-associated cancers. The underlying mechanisms remain elusive, but differences in immune status and immune activity may be implicated. In this study, we analyzed immune profiles of CD8 T cells and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) in HPV versus HPV disease.

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Background: Checklists are a powerful tool for reduction of mortality and morbidity. Checklists structure complex processes in a reproducible manner, optimize team interaction, and prevent errors related to human factors. Despite wide dissemination of the checklist, effects of checklist use in the prehospital emergency medicine are currently unclear.

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Background: This article describes the study design of the quantitative part of the VersKiK study, The primary objectives of this study are to examine the occurrence of late effects in survivors of childhood or adolescent cancer (module 1), investigate health-related vulnerabilities and medical service utilization within this survivor group (modules 1 and 3), and assess the alignment between documented follow-up care for cardiological and audiological late effects with guideline recommendations, along with evaluating the extent of adherence among paediatric cancer survivors (module 3).

Methods: This is a non-interventional retrospective observational cohort study. It is based on stochastically linked insurance claims data from approximately 150,000 statutory insured persons with information concerning around 25,000-30,000 cancer survivors recorded in the German Childhood Cancer Register (GCCR).

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Background: Drug pharmacokinetics (PK) are altered in neurocritically ill patients, and optimal levetiracetam dosing for seizure prophylaxis is unknown.

Objective: This study evaluates levetiracetam PK in critically ill patients with severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI) receiving intravenous levetiracetam 1000 mg every 8 (LEV8) to 12 (LEV12) hours for seizure prophylaxis.

Methods: This prospective, open-label study was conducted at a level 1 trauma, academic, quaternary care center.

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The interplay between hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) is critical for both inflammation and angiogenesis. In hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT), we have previously observed that impairment of the TGF-β pathway is associated with downregulation of HIF-1α. HIF-1α accumulation is mandatory in situations of altered energy demand, such as during infection or hypoxia, by adjusting cell metabolism.

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The transforming growth factor β (TGF-β)/ALK1/ENG signaling pathway maintains quiescent state of endothelial cells, but at the same time, it regulates neutrophil functions. Importantly, mutations of this pathway lead to a rare autosomal disorder called hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT), characterized with abnormal blood vessel formation (angiogenesis). As neutrophils are potent regulators of angiogenesis, we investigated how disturbed TGF-β/ALK1/ENG signaling influences angiogenic properties of these cells in HHT.

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Introduction: Optimal antimicrobial prophylaxis duration following gunshot wounds (GSW) to the abdomen with an associated orthopedic fracture is unknown. This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of short versus long courses of prophylactic antibiotics following penetrating hollow viscus injury with communicating orthopedic fracture.

Methods: This retrospective study included adult patients admitted to the trauma service over a 20-y period who sustained an abdominal GSW with hollow viscus injury and communicating spine or pelvic fractures.

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Introduction: Acute pain management is challenging in trauma patients undergoing outpatient buprenorphine therapy at the time of injury due to the high binding affinity of this partial agonist. The purpose of this study was to evaluate acute pain management in admitted trauma patients with discontinued versus continued outpatient buprenorphine therapy.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective study included adult trauma patients admitted to a level-1 trauma center between January 2017 and August 2020 who were receiving buprenorphine prior to admission.

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Objectives: Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is a rare disorder encompassing facial and oral telangiectasias and visceral vascular malformations (VMs). Pulmonary VMs can lead to paradoxical embolism of thrombi or bacteria, e.g.

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Background: Patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) need safe and effective topical treatments.

Objective: To assess safety and efficacy of roflumilast cream in patients with mild to moderate AD.

Methods: In this phase 2, proof of concept trial, patients (N=136) aged ≥12 years with AD were randomized to once-daily roflumilast cream 0.

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We report the high-capacity and selective uptake of Cr(VI) from water using the coordination polymer silver bipyridine acetate (SBA, [Ag(4,4'-bipy)][CHCO]·3HO). Cr capture involves the release of acetate, and we have structurally characterized two of the product phases that form: silver bipyridine chromate (SBC, SLUG-56, [Ag(4,4'-bipy)][CrO]·3.5HO) and silver bipyridine dichromate (SBDC, SLUG-57, [Ag(4,4'-bipy)][CrO]·HO).

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Introduction: Anaemia is highly prevalent in critical illness and is associated with impaired outcomes during and after hospitalisation. However, the impact of interventions designed to attenuate or treat anaemia during critical illness on post-hospitalisation haemoglobin recovery and functional outcomes is unclear.

Methods And Analysis: The Practical Anemia Bundle for Sustained Blood Recovery (PABST-BR) clinical trial is a pragmatic, open-label, parallel group, single-centre, randomised clinical trial assessing the impact of a multifaceted anaemia prevention and treatment strategy versus standard care for improvement of haemoglobin concentrations and functional outcomes after critical illness.

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Purpose: Trauma patients are at high risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). We summarize the comparative efficacy and safety of anti-Xa-guided versus fixed dosing for low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) for the prevention of VTE in adult trauma patients.

Methods: We searched Medline and Embase from inception through June 1, 2022.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to assess how healthcare practitioners use ketamine in critically ill patients and to identify barriers affecting its use.
  • An online survey was sent to members of the Society of Critical Care Medicine, primarily targeting physicians in U.S. academic medical centers, which showed most practitioners felt comfortable using ketamine for various procedures.
  • Despite general comfort, there were significant inconsistencies in dosage and application, along with barriers like adverse effects and institutional policies, suggesting a need for further education on ketamine use.
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Introduction: Screening for blunt cardiac injury (BCI) includes obtaining a serum troponin level and an electrocardiogram for patients diagnosed with a sternal fracture. Our institution has transitioned to the use of a high sensitivity troponin I (hsTnI). The aim of this study was to determine whether hsTnI is comparable to troponin I (TnI) in identifying clinically significant BCI.

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Background: Outcomes following andexanet alfa reversal of factor Xa inhibitors in patients requiring urgent or emergent invasive procedures are lacking. This study aimed to describe efficacy and safety outcomes following andexanet alfa administration within 24 h of an invasive procedure.

Methods: This single-center, observational, retrospective study included patients who received andexanet alfa within 24 h of an invasive or surgical procedure.

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Introduction: While the pillars of trauma resuscitation are surgical hemostasis and blood product administration, norepinephrine (NE) can be used as an adjunct. The goal of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the maximum dose of NE, timing of NE administration, and mortality in trauma patients.

Methods: Patients admitted between January 2013 and January 2021 treated with NE were reviewed.

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Herein we report an investigation into the synthesis, metalation, and functionalization of bis-pocket porphyrins using the Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reaction. Steric limitations to accessing bis-pocket porphyrins were overcome by using this Pd-catalyzed C-C-bond-forming strategy to introduce steric bulk macrocyclization: 2,6-dibromo-4-trimethylsilybenzaldehyde was condensed with pyrrole, and a variety of boronic acids were coupled to the resulting porphyrin in up to 95% yield. Furthermore, we show that these porphyrins can be metalated with a variety of metals and sulfonated to create water-soluble bis-pocket porphyrins.

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