Prognostic Relevance of Relative Ellipsoid Zone Reflectivity for Ellipsoid Zone Loss in Macular Telangiectasia Type 2.

Purpose: The relative ellipsoid zone reflectivity (rEZR) is an innovative biomarker for photoreceptor alterations and showed association with disease staging in macular telangiectasia type 2 (MacTel). However, its prognostic relevance for the ellipsoid zone (EZ) loss is unclear.

Methods: Longitudinal spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) imaging of patients with MacTel from an observational natural history study was used for en face determination of manifest EZ loss.

Sonographic bleb visualisation after PAUL glaucoma implant surgery.

Background/aims: Bleb characteristics in the area around the plate following glaucoma drainage device (GDD) surgery are difficult to evaluate on slit lamp examination. Ultrasound sonography could be used for more detailed visualisation. The aim of this study was to describe bleb configuration after PAUL glaucoma implant (PGI) surgery and evaluate the possible correlation with intraocular pressure (IOP) in order to derive new markers for evaluating GDD function.

Transient and permanent hydrocephalus following resection of brain metastases located in the posterior fossa: incidence, risk factors and the necessity of perioperative external ventricular drainage placement.

Purpose: Prophylactic insertion of an external ventricular drainage (EVD) prior to the resection of posterior fossa metastases (PFMs) is a common approach to address postoperative transient and permanent hydrocephalus. However, predicting surgery-related hydrocephalus in the preoperative phase continues to be a challenge. This study aims to analyze the incidence, preoperatively collectable risk factors and necessity of perioperative external ventricular drainage placement after posterior fossa metastasis surgery.

Cardiac MRI in infarct-like myocarditis: transmural extension of late gadolinium enhancement is associated with worse outcomes.

Objectives: To assess the prognostic value of cardiac MRI (CMR) parameters for the occurrence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in patients with infarct-like myocarditis.

Methods: In this retrospective single-center study, patients with CMR-confirmed acute myocarditis with infarct-like presentation were identified (2007-2020). Functional and structural parameters were analyzed including late gadolinium enhancement (LGE).

Prospective selective embedding of radical prostatectomy specimens is not inferior to full embedding regarding established and new prognostic parameters.

The histopathological examination of radical prostatectomy specimens is essential for assessing critical tumor characteristics, including stage, grade, and margins, all of which impact patient prognosis. However, the extent of embedding the prostate has long been a subject of debate, with some advocating partial/selective embedding and others favoring complete embedding. This study establishes a standardized and time-efficient protocol for processing radical prostatectomy specimens with limited embedding while maintaining diagnostic accuracy.

Peer-to-peer validation of Ki-67 scoring in a pathology quality circle as a tool to assess interobserver variability: are we better than we thought?

Ki-67, a nuclear protein expressed in all stages of cellular proliferation, is a valuable tool to assess tumor proliferation and has been linked to more aggressive tumor behavior. However, interlaboratory staining heterogeneity and inter-observer variability challenge its reproducibility. Round Robin tests are a suitable tool to standardize and harmonize immunohistochemical and molecular analyses in histopathology.

Cardiac troponin T as a serum biomarker of respiratory impairment in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Objective: Informative biomarkers are an urgent need in the management of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Serum cardiac troponin T is elevated in the majority of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients and increases with disease progression. We sought to establish the informative value of cardiac troponin T with regard to respiratory function, a major prognostic factor in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Optimizing Interhospital Transfers in Orthopedics and Trauma Surgery: Challenges, Insights, and Proposals for Standardized Care in Germany.

Background: Germany's high density of under-equipped hospitals and anticipated surge in orthopedic and trauma surgery-related diseases by 2030, combined with personnel shortages, are expected to increase patient transfers between hospitals, an issue that urgently needs standardized protocols. Despite some existing cooperative agreements, such as between joint-replacement centers or within the Trauma Network DGU, these measures do not adequately address the full range of patient-transfer cases, including those due to a lack of specialization or staff shortages, resulting in delayed treatment and potential health risks. This study aims to dissect the intricacies of interhospital transfers in orthopedics and trauma surgery across Germany, focusing on understanding the underlying reasons for transfers, comparing the operational structures of small and large hospitals, and laying the groundwork for future standardized protocols to enhance patient care.

Generative Pre-trained Transformer 4 makes cardiovascular magnetic resonance reports easy to understand.

Background: Patients are increasingly using Generative Pre-trained Transformer 4 (GPT-4) to better understand their own radiology findings.

Purpose: To evaluate the performance of GPT-4 in transforming cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) reports into text that is comprehensible to medical laypersons.

Methods: ChatGPT with GPT-4 architecture was used to generate three different explained versions of 20 various CMR reports (n = 60) using the same prompt: "Explain the radiology report in a language understandable to a medical layperson".

CT-derived Epicardial Adipose Tissue Inflammation Predicts Outcome in Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

Purpose: Inflammatory changes in epicardial (EAT) and pericardial adipose tissue (PAT) are associated with increased overall cardiovascular risk. Using routine, preinterventional cardiac CT data, we examined the predictive value of quantity and quality of EAT and PAT for outcome after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).

Materials And Methods: Cardiac CT data of 1197 patients who underwent TAVR at the in-house heart center between 2011 and 2020 were retrospectively analyzed.

Impact of interstitial lung disease on left ventricular myocardial function.

Background: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) comprises a wide variety of pulmonary parenchymal disorders within which progressive fibrosing ILD (PF-ILD) constitutes a phenotypic subset. By use of speckle tracking-based strain analysis we aimed to evaluate the degree of left ventricular (LV) dysfunction in progressive vs. non-progressive fibrosing ILD (non-PF-ILD).

Abortion stigma among abortion seekers, healthcare professionals and the public in high-income countries: A mixed-methods systematic review protocol.

Introduction: Abortion is a crucial sexual and reproductive right. However, the legal situation of pregnancy termination is rather heterogeneous across countries and regions. The political climate and cultural perception may result in abortion-related stigma.

Deep Learning Super-Resolution Reconstruction for Fast and Motion-Robust T2-weighted Prostate MRI.

Background Deep learning (DL) reconstructions can enhance image quality while decreasing MRI acquisition time. However, DL reconstruction methods combined with compressed sensing for prostate MRI have not been well studied. Purpose To use an industry-developed DL algorithm to reconstruct low-resolution T2-weighted turbo spin-echo (TSE) prostate MRI scans and compare these with standard sequences.

It is (not) always on Friday: inter-hospital patient transfers in orthopedic and trauma surgery.

Background: While inter-hospital transfers for patients who have suffered major trauma have been well investigated, patient flows for other injured patients, or cases with orthopedic complications, are rarely described. This study aims to analyze the affected collective and to show possible reasons, patterns, and pitfalls to optimize the process in future.

Materials And Methods: In a prospective cohort study, all consecutive transfers to a Level I trauma center in Germany were documented and assessed.

Relative Ellipsoid Zone Reflectivity in Macular Telangiectasia Type 2.

Purpose: The relative ellipsoid zone reflectivity (rEZR) has been proposed as an innovative biomarker for photoreceptor integrity. This study evaluates the rEZR in macular telangiectasia type 2 (MacTel) eyes of different disease stages.

Methods: The mean rEZR (ratio ellipsoid zone [EZ]/external limiting membrane [ELM] reflectivity [arbitrary units {AUs}], grey level range = 0-1) was analyzed for an entire spectral domain optical coherence tomography volume scan (global) and for each subfield of the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) grid (topographic) in patients with MacTel and controls.

Accounting for time dependency in meta-analyses of concordance probability estimates.

Recent years have seen the development of many novel scoring tools for disease prognosis and prediction. To become accepted for use in clinical applications, these tools have to be validated on external data. In practice, validation is often hampered by logistical issues, resulting in multiple small-sized validation studies.

Influence of Intraoperative Nociception during Hip or Knee Arthroplasty with Supplementary Regional Anaesthesia on Postoperative Pain and Opioid Consumption.

: Early postoperative mobilization is central for postoperative outcomes after lower extremity joint replacement surgery. By providing adequate pain control, regional anaesthesia plays an important role for postoperative mobilization. It was the objective of this study to investigate the use of the nociception level index (NOL) to determine the effect of regional anaesthesia in hip or knee arthroplasty patients undergoing general anaesthesia with additional peripheral nerve block.

Levels of Alzheimer's disease blood biomarkers are altered after food intake-A pilot intervention study in healthy adults.

Introduction: Blood biomarkers accurately identify Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathophysiology and axonal injury. We investigated the influence of food intake on AD-related biomarkers in cognitively healthy, obese adults at high metabolic risk.

Methods: One-hundred eleven participants underwent repeated blood sampling during 3 h after a standardized meal (postprandial group, PG).

Association between urinary iodine excretion, genetic disposition and fluid intelligence in children, adolescents and young adults: the DONALD study.

Purpose: Iodine deficiency increases the risk of cognitive impairment and delayed physical development in children. It is also associated with cognitive impairment in adults. Cognitive abilities are among the most inheritable behavioural traits.

High prevalence of peripheral and carotid artery disease in patients with interstitial lung diseases.

Interstitial lung diseases (ILD) are a heterogenous group of diseases, which have pulmonary fibrosis, restrictive lung disease, and decreased diffusion capacity as a common final path. Premature death frequently results not from ILD itself but from comorbidities. Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a common comorbid disease in different chronic lung diseases.

A novel and simple cardiac magnetic resonance score (PERT) predicts outcome in takotsubo syndrome.

Objectives: To find simple imaging-based features on cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) that are associated with major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in takotsubo syndrome (TTS).

Methods: Patients with TTS referred for CMR between 2007 and 2021 were retrospectively evaluated. Besides standard CMR analysis, commonly known complications of TTS based on expert knowledge were assessed and summarised via a newly developed PERT score (one point each for pleural effusion, pericardial effusion, right ventricular involvement, and ventricular thrombus).

Replication and mediation of the association between the metabolome and clinical markers of metabolic health in an adolescent cohort study.

Metabolomics-derived metabolites (henceforth metabolites) may mediate the relationship between modifiable risk factors and clinical biomarkers of metabolic health (henceforth clinical biomarkers). We set out to study the associations of metabolites with clinical biomarkers and a potential mediation effect in a population of young adults. First, we conducted a systematic literature review searching for metabolites associated with 11 clinical biomarkers (inflammation markers, glucose, blood pressure or blood lipids).