Characteristics and outcomes of patients with cancer hospitalized with new onset acute heart failure.

Aims: Limited evidence exists regarding the outcomes of cancer patients hospitalized with new onset acute heart failure (AHF). We assessed the in-hospital mortality and 1 year outcomes of cancer patients admitted for new onset AHF, taking into account both past and active cancer status as well as cancer site.

Methods: We examined administrative data of adult patients hospitalized with a first episode of AHF from 2003 to 2018 in Lombardy, Italy.

Woven EndoBridge Device for Unruptured Wide-Neck Bifurcation Aneurysm: A Multicenter 5-Year Follow-up.

Background And Objectives: This multicenter study aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of the Woven EndoBridge (WEB) device for treating unruptured wide-neck intracranial bifurcation aneurysms (WIBAs) with short-, mid-, and long-term follow-ups (FUPs).

Methods: Consecutive patients with unruptured WIBAs treated with WEB between December 2014 and January 2018 were included. Patient, aneurysm, and device characteristics were collected and analyzed retrospectively.

Prognostic Impact of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Older Patients Hospitalized with Acute Myocardial Infarction: Real-World Findings from the Lombardy Health Database.

Background: Older patients are less likely to receive percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) compared to younger patients. We investigated the prognostic impact of PCI in a large population of patients hospitalized with AMI in the period 2003-2018 by using the administrative Lombardy Health Database (Italy).

Methods: We considered all patients aged ≥75 years hospitalized with AMI (either STEMI or NSTEMI) from 2003 to 2018 in Lombardy.

Potential benefits of using an energy-dense, high-protein formula enriched with β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate, fructo-oligosaccharide, and vitamin D for enteral feeding in the ICU: A pilot case-control study in COVID-19 patients.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the potential benefits of using an energy-dense, high-protein (HP) formula enriched with β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB), fructo-oligosaccharide (FOS), and vitamin D (VitD) for enteral feeding in the intensive care unit (ICU).

Methods: This was a nested case-control multicenter study. Mechanically ventilated patients with COVID-19 in whom enteral nutrition was not contraindicated and receiving an energy-dense, HP-HMB-FOS-VitD formula (1.

Impact of Prior Statin Therapy on In-Hospital Outcome of STEMI Patients Treated with Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Background: Prior statin therapy has a cardioprotective effect in patients undergoing elective or urgent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, data on patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary PCI are still controversial. We retrospectively evaluated the effect of prior statin therapy on in-hospital clinical outcomes in consecutive STEMI patients undergoing primary PCI.

A Role of Circuit Clotting and Strategies to Prevent It during Blood Purification Therapy with oXiris Membrane: An Observational Multicenter Study.

Introduction: Membrane fouling is a significant complication potentially reducing clinical effects of extracorporeal blood purification (EBP) in critically ill septic patients with acute kidney injury. Although fascinating, the effect of heparin coating in preventing membrane fouling is currently unknown. This multicenter prospective study aims to preliminary describe the incidence, associated factors, and clinical consequences of premature circuit clotting in a cohort of adult critically ill septic patients treated with EBP using a high biocompatible heparin-coated hemodiafilter characterized by advanced adsorption properties.

Minimally invasive esophagectomy for cancer in COVID hospitals and oncological hubs: are the outcomes different?

Introduction: The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused significant delays in oncological care worldwide due to restriction of elective surgery and intensive care unit capacity. It has been hypothesized that COVID-free oncological hubs can provide safer elective cancer surgery compared to COVID hospitals. The primary aim of the present study was to analyze the outcomes of minimally invasive esophagectomy for cancer performed in both hospital settings by the same surgical staff.

A Rare Case of Posterior Fossa Tumor and Central Precocious Puberty: Case Presentation and Review of the Literature.

Central precocious puberty (CPP) is a condition that causes early gonadotropin-dependent sexual development; CPP is idiopathic in girls in most cases, whereas more than 50% of boys have an identifiable etiology. We conducted a qualitative systematic review following the ENTREQ (enhancing transparency in reporting the synthesis of qualitative research) framework. A search was made in MEDLINE/Pubmed and MeSH Database using the terms "precocious puberty" AND "brain tumor" OR "posterior fossa tumor" OR "cerebellar tumor" OR "infratentorial tumor", identifying five cases of pediatric patients with infratentorial tumors and CPP and a case of cerebellar ganglioglioma without hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis involvement and/or intracranial hypertension.

Acute kidney injury and in-hospital mortality in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction of different age groups.

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a well-known complication of ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) with an adverse impact on prognosis. Since AKI develops more frequently in elderly patients, we hypothesized that its higher incidence in older STEMI patients might explain their increased in-hospital mortality. We assessed the relationship between AKI and in-hospital mortality in patients with STEMI of different age groups.

Occlusion-Based Explanations in Deep Recurrent Models for Biomedical Signals.

The biomedical field is characterized by an ever-increasing production of sequential data, which often come in the form of biosignals capturing the time-evolution of physiological processes, such as blood pressure and brain activity. This has motivated a large body of research dealing with the development of machine learning techniques for the predictive analysis of such biosignals. Unfortunately, in high-stakes decision making, such as clinical diagnosis, the opacity of machine learning models becomes a crucial aspect to be addressed in order to increase the trust and adoption of AI technology.

Ventral hernia repair under neuraxial anesthesia.

Background: Acute strangulated ventral hernia is associated with operative morbidity and mortality. General anesthesia may increase the operative risk, especially in morbidly obese and COVID-19-positive individuals.

Methods: A 67-year-old woman with body mass index (BMI) 51 kg/m, hospitalized for SARS-CoV-2-related interstitial pneumonia and renal failure, presented with acute abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal tenderness secondary to giant ventral hernia strangulation.

Combined Renal-Pulmonary Extracorporeal Support with Low Blood Flow Techniques: A Retrospective Observational Study (CICERO Study).

Background: Critically ill patients with acute respiratory failure frequently present concomitant lung and kidney injury, within a multiorgan failure condition due to local and systemic mediators. To face this issue, extracorporeal carbon dioxide removal (ECCO2R) systems have been integrated into continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) platforms to provide a combined organ support, with efficient clearance of CO2 with very low extracorporeal blood flows (<400 mL/min).

Objectives: To evaluate efficacy and safety of combined ECCO2R-CRRT support with PrismaLung®-Prismaflex® in patients affected by hypercapnic respiratory acidosis associated with AKI in a second level intensive care unit.

ST-Segment Elevation Acute Myocardial Infarction Complicated by Cardiogenic Shock: Early Predictors of Very Long-Term Mortality.

Background: Cardiogenic shock (CS) is the leading cause of in-hospital mortality in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Only limited data are available on the long-term outcome of STEMI patients with CS undergoing contemporary treatment. We aimed to investigate long-term mortality and its predictors in STEMI patients with CS and to develop a risk score for long-term mortality prediction.

A Unique Case of Bilateral Thalamic High-Grade Glioma in a Pediatric Patient with LI-Fraumeni Syndrome: Case Presentation and Review of the Literature.

Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS) is a rare high-penetrance and autosomal-dominant pathological condition caused by the germline mutation of the TP53 gene, predisposing to the development of tumors from pediatric age. We conducted a qualitative systematic review following the ENTREQ (Enhancing Transparency in Reporting the Synthesis of Qualitative Research) framework. A search was made in MEDLINE/Pubmed and MeSH Database using the terms "Li-Fraumeni" AND "pediatric high-grade glioma (HGG)", identifying six cases of HGGs in pediatric patients with LFS.

Hemodynamic Instability during Acute Kidney Injury and Acute Renal Replacement Therapy: Pathophysiology and Clinical Implications.

Hemodynamic instability associated with acute renal replacement therapy (aRRT, HIRRT) and/or with acute kidney injury (AKI) is frequently observed in the intensive care unit; it affects patients' renal recovery, and negatively impacts short- and long-term mortality. A thorough understanding of mechanisms underlying HIRRT and AKI-related hemodynamic instability may allow the physician in adopting adequate strategies to prevent their occurrence and reduce their negative consequences. The aim of this review is to summarize the main alterations occurring in patients with AKI and/or requiring aRRT of those homeostatic mechanisms which regulate hemodynamics and oxygen delivery.

Blood purification therapy with a hemodiafilter featuring enhanced adsorptive properties for cytokine removal in patients presenting COVID-19: a pilot study.

Background: Systemic inflammation in COVID-19 often leads to multiple organ failure, including acute kidney injury (AKI). Renal replacement therapy (RRT) in combination with sequential extracorporeal blood purification therapies (EBP) might support renal function, attenuate systemic inflammation, and prevent or mitigate multiple organ dysfunctions in COVID-19.

Aim: Describe overtime variations of clinical and biochemical features of critically ill patients with COVID-19 treated with EBP with a hemodiafilter characterized by enhanced cytokine adsorption properties.

Interatrial conduction time from electrograms of cardiac resynchronization therapy devices with left ventricular sensing.

Background: The interatrial conduction time (IACT) is relevant for atrioventricular delay optimization in cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) devices. However, this information cannot be easily used as it requires invasive measurements. We tested whether electrical activation of left atrium (LA) could be detected in CRT devices with left ventricular (LV) sensing and used to estimate IACT.

The procoagulant pattern of patients with COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Background: Few observations exist with respect to the pro-coagulant profile of patients with COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Reports of thromboembolic complications are scarce but suggestive for a clinical relevance of the problem.

Objectives: Prospective observational study aimed to characterize the coagulation profile of COVID-19 ARDS patients with standard and viscoelastic coagulation tests and to evaluate their changes after establishment of an aggressive thromboprophylaxis.

Absence of T1 Hyperintensity in the Brain of High-risk Patients After Multiple Administrations of High-dose Gadobutrol for Cardiac Magnetic Resonance.

Purpose: A prospective study was conducted to evaluate signal changes in the dentate nucleus, globus pallidus, pons, and thalamus (normalized to the deep cerebellum white matter) in T1-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) images after serial injections of gadobutrol in patients with thalassemia without neurological lesions.

Methods: In this study three groups were scanned at both 1.5 T and 3 T: 15 thalassemia patients transfused and chelated with ≥4 gadobutrol administrations at a high dose (0.