Hospitalizations Among Adults With CKD in Public Renal Specialty Practices: A Retrospective Study From Queensland, Australia.

Rationale & Objective: Little is known about hospital admissions in nondialysis patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) before death or starting kidney replacement therapy (KRT).

Study Design: Retrospective observational cohort study.

Setting & Participants: Hospitalizations among 7,201 patients with CKD from 10 public renal clinics in Queensland (QLD), enrolled in the CKD.

Patient and physician perspectives on treatment burden in end-stage kidney disease: a nominal group technique study.

Objectives: The treatment workload associated with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) is high. The treatment burdens experienced by patients with ESKD are not well understood. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the most important areas of treatment burden for discussion in a clinical encounter from the perspectives of patients with ESKD and nephrologists.

Cephalic arch stenosis in the arteriovenous fistula: A retrospective analysis of predisposing factors.

Background: Cephalic Arch Stenosis (CAS) is a frequently observed complication in brachiocephalic and radiocephalic arteriovenous fistulae (AVF) associated with high morbidity and healthcare expenditure. The predisposing factors and preventative strategies for CAS remain unclear. Our aim was to examine predisposing factors for CAS development in the AVF.

Evaluating Morphology of the Pterygomaxillary Junction and Its Association With the Orbit in Different Facial Skeletal Relationships.

Purpose: The etiology for blindness after Le Fort I osteotomy is poorly understood. The authors propose that a study of the morphology and anatomical relationship of the pterygomaxillary junction to orbital vital structures may be crucial for understanding the possible etiology.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective observational study involved analysis of data procured from computed tomography scans of individuals who were categorized into 4 groups based on their skeletal characteristics: skeletal Class I, II, and III and cleft lip and palate (CLP).

SARS-CoV-2 and the kidney.

Background: COVID-19 has been at the forefront of public and scientific attention since the initial report in December 2019. The kidney is one of the target organs of the causative SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Objective: The aim of this article is to discuss the current understanding of COVID-19 renal disease from a primary care perspective, with the caveat that our knowledge of the pathogenesis, clinical course and outcome of the disease is still rapidly evolving.

Time to endoscopy for acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding: Results from a prospective multicentre trainee-led audit.

Background: Endoscopy within 24 h of admission (early endoscopy) is a quality standard in acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding (AUGIB). We aimed to audit time to endoscopy outcomes and identify factors affecting delayed endoscopy (>24 h of admission).

Methods: This prospective multicentre audit enrolled patients admitted with AUGIB who underwent inpatient endoscopy between November and December 2017.

Left ventricular regression after balloon atrial septostomy in d-transposition of the great arteries.

Objectives: Balloon atrial septostomy (BAS) is an effective palliative procedure in children with transposition of the great arteries and poor intercirculatory mixing. While the subpulmonary left ventricle (LV) is known to regress with time in these newborns due to the declining afterload, it has not been studied how it behaves following BAS and a consequent decrease in preload. The study was designed to examine the effects of BAS on the LV in infants with simple d-transposition of the great arteries by serial 2D echocardiographic monitoring.

Early referral to specialist nephrology services for preventing the progression to end-stage kidney disease.

Background: Early referral of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is believed to help with interventions to address risk factors to slow down the rate of progression of kidney failure to end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) and the need for dialysis, hospitalisation and mortality.

Objectives: We sought to evaluate the benefits (reduced hospitalisation and mortality; increased quality of life) and harms (increased hospitalisations and mortality, decreased quality of life) of early versus late referral to specialist nephrology services in CKD patients who are progressing to ESKD and RRT. In this review, referral is defined as the time period between first nephrology evaluation and initiation of dialysis; early referral is more than one to six months, whereas late referral is less than one to six months prior to starting dialysis.

Role of Arthrocentesis in the Management of Acute Closed Lock of TM Joint: A Pilot study.

The following study was conducted in Meenakshi Ammal Dental College on 32 patients. The objective of our study was to assess the efficacy of arthrocentesis for the management of acute closed lock of TMJ. All patients presented with a history of sudden and persistent difficulty in mouth opening and associated TMJ pain.

Persistent pulmonary artery hypertension in patients undergoing balloon mitral valvotomy.

Pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) is known to regress after successful balloon mitral valvotomy (BMV). Data of persistent pulmonary artery hypertension (PPAH) following BMV is scarce. We analyzed the clinical, echocardiographic, and hemodynamic data of 701 consecutive patients who have undergone successful BMV in our institute from 1997 to 2003.

Unique X-linked familial FSGS with co-segregating heart block disorder is associated with a mutation in the NXF5 gene.

Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is the consequence of a disease process that attacks the kidney's filtering system, causing serious scarring. More than half of FSGS patients develop chronic kidney failure within 10 years, ultimately requiring dialysis or renal transplantation. There are currently several genes known to cause the hereditary forms of FSGS (ACTN4, TRPC6, CD2AP, INF2, MYO1E and NPHS2).

Microbiology of the white coat in a dental operatory.

Background: It remains important to have a thorough knowledge of the micro-flora harboring the white coats of doctors to minimize cross-contamination and improve patient safety by reducing the risk of nosocomial infections. This study presents the microbiological analysis of the white coats in clinical departments of a dental college and hospital.

Materials And Methods: The swabs for the study were taken from the white coats of undergraduate students posted in various clinical departments, interns, and the post-graduate students.

Asymptomatic right ventricular dysfunction in surgically repaired adult tetralogy of fallot patients.

Background: Right ventricular (RV) dysfunction after surgical repair of Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is often asymptomatic and may be detected by tissue Doppler imaging (TDI). The severity of RV dysfunction is more after intracardiac repair with transannular patch (TAP).

Methods: One hundred seventy-three adult patients who have undergone surgical repair for TOF were prospectively analyzed for RV function using 2D echocardiography and TDI.

Immediate and long-term results following balloon mitral valvotomy in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of atrial fibrillation (AF) on the immediate and long-term outcome of patients undergoing balloon mitral valvotomy (BMV).

Hypothesis: Patients with atrial fibrillation fair poorly after balloon mitral valvotomy.

Methods: There were a total of 818 consecutive patients who underwent elective BMV in this institute from 1997 to 2003, with either double-lumen or triple-lumen BMV catheters included in the study.

Comparative study on safety, efficacy, and midterm results of balloon mitral valvotomy performed with triple lumen and double lumen mitral valvotomy catheters.

Background: The triple lumen Inoue balloon is routinely used for balloon mitral valvotomy (BMV) in India. Its major limitation is the high cost. The double lumen Accura balloon is less expensive, making it an attractive alternative in the developing countries.

Mandibular fracture scoring system: for prediction of complications.

Introduction: Mandibular fractures are one of the most commonly encountered injuries in trauma clinics. Although several widely accepted classification systems exist, these are mostly region specific, differ in the classification criteria used, and are sometimes only correlated with specific treatment modalities, thereby making it impossible to uniformly and comprehensively document facial fracture patterns. In this study, we developed a modified scoring system for mandibular fractures and analyzed the relationship between scoring of fractures that were treated and the incidence of complications after surgical treatment.

Crisscross pulmonary artery with double aortic arch: an unusual association.

Anomalies of pulmonary artery origin are rare. Crisscross pulmonary artery origin is a rare benign anomaly characterized by the left pulmonary artery arising superiorly and to the right side of the right pulmonary artery. The condition is usually accompanied by a conotruncal anomaly.

Outcomes of early versus late nephrology referral in chronic kidney disease: a systematic review.

Background: As late provision of specialist care, before starting dialysis therapy, is believed to be associated with increased morbidity and mortality, a systematic review was undertaken to evaluate clinical outcomes relating to early versus late referral of patients to nephrology services.

Methods: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, and EMBASE were searched up until September 2008 for studies of early versus late nephrology referral in adult (>18 years) patients with chronic kidney disease. Early referral was defined by the time period at which patients were referred to a nephrologist.

Percutaneous treatment of congenital coronary arteriovenous fistulas.

Background: Congenital coronary arteriovenous fistulas (CAVF), although rare, can present as significant hemodynamic lesions necessitating intervention.

Methods And Results: Six patients (two males) with congenital coronary arteriovenous fistulas (CAVF) underwent percutaneous transcatheter occlusion. The ages ranged from 4 years to 49 years (mean 20.

Orofacial granulomatosis: a clinicopathologic correlation.

Orofacial granulomatosis is an uncommon disorder, but has been increasingly recognized in the past decade. It causes significant morbidity in the patient including oral ulcerations, enlargement of soft tissues which are often persistent and painful. This necessitates early medical intervention.

Percutaneous closure of ruptured sinus of Valsalva aneurysms: intermediate term follow-up results.

Aims: Surgical repair used to be the conventional treatment of ruptured sinus of Valsalva aneurysms (RSOVA). Recently many articles have described the percutaneous closure of these defects. We report the successful percutaneous closure of seven cases of RSOVA.

Percutaneous valvuloplasty for mitral valve restenosis: postballoon valvotomy patients fare better than postsurgical closed valvotomy patients.

Aim: To compare the results of percutaneous mitral valvuloplasty (BMV) for mitral restenosis in post-BMV versus postclosed mitral valvotomy (CMV) patients.

Methods And Results: Ninety-two patients who underwent BMV for mitral restenosis were followed up prospectively. Of these, 28 patients had undergone previous percutaneous mitral valvuloplasty (PRIOR BMV) and 64 patients had undergone previous closed mitral valvotomy (PRIOR CMV).

EUS-guided pancreatic cyst brushing: a comparative study in a tertiary referral centre.

Context: Fluid analysis obtained by EUS guided FNA is used to aid in diagnosis and management of cystic lesions in the pancreas. Complementing fluid aspiration with brushing of cyst wall may increase the cellular yield.

Objective: To compare cellular yield of pancreatic cyst FNA with and without wall brushing.