Disease quiescence in endophthalmitis patients treated with anti-VEGF injections for retinal pathologies.

Background: The most feared complication of intravitreal injections is the development of endophthalmitis, which could lead to irreversible visual loss. The aim of this study was to characterize the clinical profiles, causative pathogens, and clinical outcome of patients post-endophthalmitis.

Methods: Retrospective, single center case series study.

Clinical Use of CathPCI Registry Risk Score and Its Validation to Predict Long-Term Mortality.

Risk models to estimate percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) mortality have limited value in complex high-risk patients. However, it was improved by a recently developed bedside model to predict in-hospital mortality using data from the American College of Cardiology CathPCI Registry that included 706,263 patients. The median risk-standardized in-hospital mortality rate was 1.

Predictors, Outcomes and Impact of Mechanical Circulatory Support of Patients With Mechanical Complications After Acute Myocardial Infarction.

Background: Despite early and currently effective epicardial coronary recanalization, the mortality rate after mechanical complication (MC) remains high, especially in cardiogenic shock. There is an increase in the use of mechanical circulatory support in patients with cardiogenic shock and MC, however, evidence is still scarce and most studies exclude patients with mechanical complications.

Methods: Using the National Inpatient Sample database from 2015 to 2018 to identify patients with AMI, we aimed to determine the predictors and outcomes of patients with MC, subtypes and the use of MCS.

Risk of ionizing radiation in pregnancy: just a myth or a real concern?

There are natural concerns regarding the risks posed to the foetus by ionizing radiation exposure during pregnancy. Therefore, many female physicians select to avoid working in an environment associated with ionizing radiation exposure like the catheterization laboratory and even exclude training as electrophysiology, interventional cardiologists, or radiologists. For those already working in this field, pregnancy involves usually a 1-year interruption (pregnancy and maternity leave) to their careers, leading at times to delays in the decision to become pregnant.

Prognosis of PCI in AMI setting in the elderly population: Outcomes from the multicenter prospective e-ULTIMASTER registry.

Background: Elderly patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) who undergo percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are usually excluded from major trials.

Hyopthesis: This study sought to assess 1-year clinical outcomes following PCI with a drug-eluting stent in patients older than 80 years old with STEMI.

Methods: The large all-comer, multicontinental e-ULTIMASTER registry included 7507 patients with STEMI who underwent PCI using the Ultimaster stent.

Prognosis of PCI in the Older Adult Population: Outcomes From the Multicenter Prospective e-ULTIMASTER Registry.

Background: Older adult patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are usually excluded from clinical trials. This study aimed to assess 1-year clinical outcomes in patients aged >80 years.

Methods: This all-comer registry included patients who underwent PCI using the Ultimaster stent.

Impact of multisite artery disease on clinical outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention: an analysis from the e-Ultimaster registry.

Background: Multisite artery disease is considered a 'malignant' type of atherosclerotic disease associated with an increased cardiovascular risk, but the impact of multisite artery disease on clinical outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is unknown.

Methods: Patients enrolled in the large, prospective e-Ultimaster study were grouped into (1) those without known prior vascular disease, (2) those with known single-territory vascular disease, and (3) those with known two to three territories (i.e coronary, cerebrovascular, or peripheral) vascular disease (multisite artery disease).

Impact of peripheral artery disease on prognosis after percutaneous coronary intervention: Outcomes from the multicenter prospective e-ULTIMASTER registry.

Background And Aims: Patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) represent a high risk group, and have an increased risk of cardiovascular events and worse cardiovascular outcomes. Our aim was to study the impact of PAD among patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with a newer-generation thin-strut DES.

Methods: In this analysis of the e-ULTIMASTER registry, patients with and without known PAD undergoing PCI were compared.

Impact of the Admission Pathway on the Gender-Related Mortality of Patients With ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

The mortality of women with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) exceeds that of men, supposedly the result of older age and co-morbidities. Patients with STEMI can be transported directly to the catherization lab by the emergency medical service (EMS) or to the emergency department (ED) by the EMS, a regular ambulance, or independently. This raises the question whether gender disparity in the transport of patients with STEMI may affect time to therapy and consequently explain the disparate outcome in men and women with STEMI.

Can Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) Be Performed at Institutions Without On-Site Cardiac Surgery Departments?

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation [TAVI] represents a paradigm shift in therapeutic options for patients with severe aortic stenosis [AS]. In less than 20 years, TAVI has rapidly disseminated to include a significant proportion of AS patients. The number of AS patients needing TAVI is expected to further increase.

AaTs-1: A Tetrapeptide from Scorpion Venom, Inhibiting U87 Glioblastoma Cells Proliferation by p53 and FPRL-1 Up-Regulations.

Glioblastoma is an aggressive cancer, against which medical professionals are still quite helpless, due to its resistance to current treatments. Scorpion toxins have been proposed as a promising alternative for the development of effective targeted glioblastoma therapy and diagnostic. However, the exploitation of the long peptides could present disadvantages.

Bio-Guided Fractionation of (Forssk.) Webb & Berthel Polar Extracts.

The fractionation of the methanolic extract (MeOH-E) of (Forssk.) Webb & Berthel and further analysis by thin layer chromatography resulted in four fractions (F1, F2, F3 and F4) that, in parallel with the MeOH-E, were screened for antioxidant, cytotoxic, antidiabetic and antibacterial properties. In addition, chemical characterization of their bioactive molecules was performed using LC-DAD-ESI/MS.

Temporal trends in the pre-procedural TIMI flow grade among patients with ST- segment elevation myocardial infarction - From the ACSIS registry.

Background: Pre-procedural TIMI coronary flow grade in patients with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is associated with adverse clinical outcomes. There have been great advances in pharmacologic and invasive treatment of STEMI patients in the current era. We aimed to assess the temporal trends in clinical outcomes according to the TIMI flow grade amongst these patients.

Three dimensional printed models of the airway for preoperative planning of open Laryngotracheal surgery in children: Surgeon's perception of utility.

Background: Preoperative planning of open laryngotracheal surgery is important for achieving good results. This study examines the surgeon's perception of the importance of using life size 3D printed models of the pediatric airway on surgical decision making.

Methods: Life-size three-dimensional models of the upper airway were created based on CT images of children scheduled for laryngotracheal-reconstruction and cricotracheal resection with anastomosis.

Differentiation between myopericarditis and acute myocardial infarction on presentation in the emergency department using the admission C-reactive protein to troponin ratio.

Background: The treatment of myopericarditis is different than that of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, since their clinical presentation is frequently similar it may be difficult to distinguish between these entities despite a disparate underlying pathogenesis. Myopericarditis is primarily an inflammatory disease associated with high C-reactive protein (CRP) and relatively low elevated troponin concentrations, while AMI is characterized by the opposite.

Eosinopenia <100/μL as a marker of active COVID-19: An observational prospective study.

Objectives: To analyse the diagnostic performance of eosinopenia, alone or combined with polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) and/or lymphocytes, as a marker of active COVID-19 in patients hospitalized for suspicion of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Methods: A prospective observational study including patients hospitalized for suspicion of COVID-19 in a COVID unit was performed from 20th March to 5th April 2020, in Perpignan, France. Patients for which there was a doubt upon diagnosis, who were recently under oral corticosteroids, had myeloid malignancy or human immunodeficient virus infection were excluded.

The impact of lockdown enforcement during the SARSCoV-2 pandemic on the timing of presentation and early outcomes of patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

Introduction: Early reports described decreased admissions for acute cardiovascular events during the SarsCoV-2 pandemic. We aimed to explore whether the lockdown enforced during the SARSCoV-2 pandemic in Israel impacted the characteristics of presentation, reperfusion times, and early outcomes of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients.

Methods: A multicenter prospective cohort comprising all STEMI patients treated by primary percutaneous coronary intervention admitted to four high-volume cardiac centers in Israel during lockdown (20/3/2020-30/4/2020).

Essential oils: A promising eco-friendly food preservative.

Essential oils (EOs) are natural, volatile and aromatic liquids extracted from special plants. EOs are complex mixture of secondary metabolites (terpenes, phenolic compounds, alcohol). EOs possess a wide range of biological activities including antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory ones.

Modern Stents: Where Are We Going?

Coronary artery stenting is the treatment of choice for patients requiring coronary angioplasty. We describe the major advancements with this technology. There have been significant developments in the design of stents and adjunctive medical therapies.

Massive Gastrointestinal Bleeding from a Jejunal Dieulafoy Lesion: An Extraordinary Presentation.

We present an atypical and rare case of a previously healthy 27-year-old male who presented with acute onset of abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea, and syncope. At the Emergency Department, vital signs were stable with no signs of shock. Physical examination revealed diffuse tenderness of the abdomen and cherry red blood was noted upon rectal examination.