Effects of red blood cell transfusion on patients undergoing cardiac surgery in Queensland - a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Packed red blood cell (pRBC) transfusion is a relatively safe and mainstay treatment commonly used in cardiac surgical patients. However, there is limited evidence on clinical effects of transfusing blood nearing end-of shelf life that has undergone biochemical changes during storage.

Objective: To investigate evidence of associations between morbidity/mortality and transfusion of blood near end of shelf-life (> 35 days) in cardiac surgical patients.

Echocardiographic surrogate of left ventricular stroke work in a model of brain stem death donors.

Background: The commonest echocardiographic measurement, left ventricular ejection fraction, can not necessarily predict mortality of recipients following heart transplantation potentially due to afterload dependency. Afterload-independent left ventricular stroke work index (LVSWI) is alternatively recommended by the current guideline; however, pulmonary artery catheters are rarely inserted in organ donors in most jurisdictions. We propose a novel non-invasive echocardiographic parameter, Pressure-Strain Product (PSP), as a potential surrogate of catheter-based LVSWI.

Early myocardial injury in children on doxorubicin for cancer chemotherapy: a cross-sectional study in a tertiary referral centre in Kenya.

Introduction: Use of doxorubicin, an anthracycline chemotherapeutic agent has been associated with late-occurring cardiac toxicities. Detection of early-occurring cardiac effects of cancer chemotherapy is essential to prevent occurrence of adverse events including toxicity, myocardial dysfunction, and death.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of elevated cardiac troponin T (cTnT) and associated factors of myocardial injury in children on doxorubicin cancer chemotherapy.

Comparative analysis of novel esophageal pressure monitoring catheters versus commercially available alternatives in a biomechanical model of the thoracic cavity.

Transpulmonary pressure can be estimated using esophageal balloon (EB) catheters, which come in a variety of manufacturing configurations. We assessed the performance of novel polyurethane EB designs, Aspisafe NG and NG+, against existing alternatives. We created a biomechanical model of the chest cavity using a plastic chamber and an ex-vivo porcine esophagus.

Catalysing global surgery: a meta-research study on factors affecting surgical research collaborations with Africa.

Introduction: In December 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the urgent need for rapid collaboration, research, and interventions. International research collaborations foster more significant responses to rapid global changes by enabling international, multicentre research, decreasing biases, and increasing study validity while reducing overall research time and costs. However, there has been low uptake of collaborative research by African institutions and individuals.

Assessment and diagnosis of right ventricular failure-retrospection and future directions.

The right ventricle (RV) has a critical role in hemodynamics and right ventricular failure (RVF) often leads to poor clinical outcome. Despite the clinical importance of RVF, its definition and recognition currently rely on patients' symptoms and signs, rather than on objective parameters from quantifying RV dimensions and function. A key challenge is the geometrical complexity of the RV, which often makes it difficult to assess RV function accurately.

Donor heart ischemic time can be extended beyond 9 hours using hypothermic machine perfusion in sheep.

Background: The global shortage of donor hearts available for transplantation is a major problem for the treatment of end-stage heart failure. The ischemic time for donor hearts using traditional preservation by standard static cold storage (SCS) is limited to approximately 4 hours, beyond which the risk for primary graft dysfunction (PGD) significantly increases. Hypothermic machine perfusion (HMP) of donor hearts has been proposed to safely extend ischemic time without increasing the risk of PGD.

Hemorrhage, Disseminated Intravascular Coagulopathy, and Thrombosis Complications Among Critically Ill Patients with COVID-19: An International COVID-19 Critical Care Consortium Study.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence and outcomes associated with hemorrhage, disseminated intravascular coagulopathy, and thrombosis (HECTOR) complications in ICU patients with COVID-19.

Design: Prospective, observational study.

Setting: Two hundred twenty-nine ICUs across 32 countries.

A Clinical and Physiological Prospective Observational Study on the Management of Pediatric Shock in the Post-Fluid Expansion as Supportive Therapy Trial Era.

Objectives: Fluid bolus resuscitation in African children is harmful. Little research has evaluated physiologic effects of maintenance-only fluid strategy.

Design: We describe the efficacy of fluid-conservative resuscitation of septic shock using case-fatality, hemodynamic, and myocardial function endpoints.

Exploration of the Utility of Speckle-Tracking Echocardiography During Mechanical Ventilation and Mechanical Circulatory Support.

Unlabelled: This narrative review aims to discuss the potential applicability of speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) in patients under mechanical ventilation (MV) and mechanical circulatory support (MCS). Both its benefits and limitations were considered through critical analyses of the current available evidence.

Data Sources And Study Selection: A literature search was conducted in PubMed and Excerpta Medica Database indexed databases (2012-2021).

Impact of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibition on mortality in critically ill COVID-19 patients with pre-existing hypertension: a prospective cohort study.

Background: The influence of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibitors on the critically ill COVID-19 patients with pre-existing hypertension remains uncertain. This study examined the impact of previous use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) on the critically ill COVID-19 patients.

Methods: Data from an international, prospective, observational cohort study involving 354 hospitals spanning 54 countries were included.

A clinically relevant sheep model of orthotopic heart transplantation 24 h after donor brainstem death.

Background: Heart transplantation (HTx) from brainstem dead (BSD) donors is the gold-standard therapy for severe/end-stage cardiac disease, but is limited by a global donor heart shortage. Consequently, innovative solutions to increase donor heart availability and utilisation are rapidly expanding. Clinically relevant preclinical models are essential for evaluating interventions for human translation, yet few exist that accurately mimic all key HTx components, incorporating injuries beginning in the donor, through to the recipient.

Characterizing preclinical sub-phenotypic models of acute respiratory distress syndrome: An experimental ovine study.

The acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) describes a heterogenous population of patients with acute severe respiratory failure. However, contemporary advances have begun to identify distinct sub-phenotypes that exist within its broader envelope. These sub-phenotypes have varied outcomes and respond differently to several previously studied interventions.