Automatic inference of ICD-10 codes from German ophthalmologic physicians' letters using natural language processing.

Physicians' letters are the optimal source of diagnoses for registries. However, most registries demand for diagnosis codes such as ICD-10. We herein describe an algorithm that infers ICD-10 codes from German ophthalmologic physicians' letters.

Engineering, feasibility, and safety of force-controlled oropharyngeal swabs with a 3D-printed feedback system FCCSS (force controlled COVID-19 swab study) - a preliminary study.

Errors in laboratory diagnostics of viral infections primarily occur during the preanalytical phase, which is especially observed in sample collection. Hitherto, no efforts have been made to optimize oropharyngeal smears. An accurate method to analyze the necessary conditions for a valid oropharyngeal smear test is required, especially to avoid false negative results, which can lead to promotion of the spread of viruses such as SARS-CoV-2.

High In-Hospital Mortality in SARS-CoV-2-Infected Patients with Active Cancer Disease during Omicron Phase of the Pandemic: Insights from the CORONA Germany Study.

Introduction: SARS-CoV-2 infected patients with cancer have a worse outcome including a significant higher mortality, compared to non-cancer patients. However, limited data are available regarding in-hospital mortality during the Omicron phase of the pandemic. Therefore, the aim of the study was the comparison of mortality in patients with history of cancer and patients with active cancer disease during the different phases of the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on the current Omicron variant of concern.

Current Practice in the Treatment of Epithelial and Melanocytic Tumours with Interferon-α2b: A Survey of Tertiary Eye Centres in Germany.

Purpose: To evaluate the standard of care, in particular the use of topical or subconjunctival interferon-2b, in treating ocular surface squamous neoplasia or melanocytic tumours in tertiary eye centres in Germany.

Methods: A survey containing 14 questions was sent to 43 tertiary eye centres in Germany. The questions addressed the surgical and medical management of ocular surface squamous neoplasia and melanocytic tumours (primary acquired melanosis and malignant melanoma), as well as the clinical experiences and difficulties in prescribing off-label interferon-2b eye drops and subconjunctival injections.

Comparison of machine learning methods with logistic regression analysis in creating predictive models for risk of critical in-hospital events in COVID-19 patients on hospital admission.

Background: Machine learning (ML) algorithms have been trained to early predict critical in-hospital events from COVID-19 using patient data at admission, but little is known on how their performance compares with each other and/or with statistical logistic regression (LR). This prospective multicentre cohort study compares the performance of a LR and five ML models on the contribution of influencing predictors and predictor-to-event relationships on prediction model´s performance.

Methods: We used 25 baseline variables of 490 COVID-19 patients admitted to 8 hospitals in Germany (March-November 2020) to develop and validate (75/25 random-split) 3 linear (L1 and L2 penalty, elastic net [EN]) and 2 non-linear (support vector machine [SVM] with radial kernel, random forest [RF]) ML approaches for predicting critical events defined by intensive care unit transfer, invasive ventilation and/or death (composite end-point: 181 patients).

Influence of short-term face mask wear on semiautomatically measured tear film parameters in dry eye patients and healthy volunteers.

Purpose: The use of face masks has been proposed to cause or exacerbate the symptoms of dry eye disease (DED), which has been widely discussed under the term mask-associated dry eye (MADE). However, no studies have systematically investigated tear film parameters during the use of different face masks. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to investigate clinically relevant parameters of the tear film before and during the short-time use of face masks in dry and normal eyes.

Arterial stiffness and blood pressure increase in pediatric kidney transplant recipients.

Background: Pulse wave velocity (PWV) is a measure of arterial stiffness. We investigated PWV and blood pressure (BP) to determine to what extent BP changes contribute to arterial stiffness, and secondly, to identify influencing factors on BP in children after kidney transplantation.

Methods: Seventy children ≥ 2.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic's first wave on the care and treatment situation of intravitreal injections in a German metropolitan region.

Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the impact of the first coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) wave in 2020 on patients scheduled for intravitreal injections (IVI) in a German metropolitan region.

Methods: We performed a multicentre prospective survey and retrospective analysis of the records of patients treated with intravitreal injections during the 20-week period from March to July 2020 in all four hospital eye departments in the city of Hamburg using a questionnaire (on treatment adherence, SarsCoV2-related personal, familial and social data) and treatment data.

Results: A total of 1038 patients (2472 IVI, 1231 eyes) and 818 questionnaires were evaluated.

Epidermal Growth Factor Is Increased in Conjunctival Malignant Melanoma.

Background/aim: Conjunctival malignant melanoma (CMM) is a rare, but very aggressive tumor with a high metastasis rate. Not much is known about the CMM metastasis mechanisms. So far, epidermal growth factor (EGF) and its receptor (EGF-R) as well as macrophages and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) have been reported to lead to metastasis by epithelial-mesenchymal-transition and tumor migration in different solid tumors.

Prognostic Impact of Acute Cardiovascular Events in COVID-19 Hospitalized Patients-Results from the CORONA Germany Study.

Background: Acute myocardial injury (AMJ), assessed by elevated levels of cardiac troponin, is associated with fatal outcome in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, the role of acute cardiovascular (CV) events defined by clinical manifestation rather than sole elevations of biomarkers is unclear in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate acute clinically manifest CV events in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

The effect of Rho Kinase inhibition on corneal nerve regeneration in vitro and in vivo.

Purpose: Impairment of corneal nerves can lead to neurotrophic keratopathy accompanied with severe ocular surface damage, which due to limited treatment options, can result in severe visual deterioration. This study evaluates a possible new treatment by enhancing the corneal nerve regeneration using a Rho Kinase inhibitor (Y27632). ROCK is known to play an important role in regulating cell morphology, adhesion and motility but little is known about its role in corneal nerve regeneration.

Comparison of Syringes With Intravitreal Anti-VEGF Drugs: Particle Burden and Protein Aggregates in Brolucizumab, Aflibercept and Bevacizumab.

Purpose: In a benchwork particle counting analytical evaluation, the number and type of particles in intravitreal injection formulations of three different agents against vascular endothelial growth factor were investigated.

Methods: Commercially available ready-to-use aflibercept and brolucizumab glass syringes, vials containing bevacizumab (off-label use in ophthalmology), and repackaged ready-to-use plastic syringes containing bevacizumab were tested without filtration. Total visible, subvisible, and nanoparticles numbers and size distributions were quantified using light obscuration, flow imaging, resonant mass measurement (RMM), tunable resistive pulse sensing, and dynamic light scattering.

Clinical outcome, risk assessment, and seasonal variation in hospitalized COVID-19 patients-Results from the CORONA Germany study.

Background: After one year of the pandemic and hints of seasonal patterns, temporal variations of in-hospital mortality in COVID-19 are widely unknown. Additionally, heterogeneous data regarding clinical indicators predicting disease severity has been published. However, there is a need for a risk stratification model integrating the effects on disease severity and mortality to support clinical decision-making.

A Branch-to-Branch Through-and-Through Wire Technique to Redirect a Branch Malposition in Multibranched Endovascular Aortic Aneurysm Repair.

Objective: To describe a novel technique to redirect a malrotated branch when treating a symptomatic juxtarenal aortic aneurysm using an off-the-shelf multibranched endograft.

Technique: A 75-year-old patient was admitted because of a symptomatic juxtarenal aortic aneurysm with a maximum diameter of 9.2 cm.

Primary Vitreoretinal Lymphoma Therapy Monitoring: Significant Vitreous Haze Reduction After Intravitreal Rituximab.

Background/aims: Intravitreal rituximab is an off-label treatment option for primary vitreoretinal lymphoma (PVRL). The objective of this study was to monitor the therapeutic response and safety profile of intravitreal rituximab in a cohort of PVRL patients.

Methods: In this retrospective, uncontrolled, open label, multicentre study, 20 eyes from 15 consecutive patients diagnosed with PRVL received at least one intravitreal injection of 1mg in 0.

Hidradenitis Suppurativa is Associated with Symptoms of Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca.

Aim Of The Study: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) and psoriasis vulgaris (PSO) are chronic inflammatory dermatoses in which proinflammatory cytokines, such as IL-17, play a central role. The prevalence of keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS) is commonly higher in PSO than in healthy individuals. This study was thus set up to investigate the prevalence of KCS among patients with HS.

Issues with Intravitreal Administration of Anti-VEGF Drugs.

Purpose: To provide an update of summary of risk factors and side effects of long-term use and contamination of intravitreal anti-VEGF injections.

Methods: We reviewed relevant publications of the topic of contamination of anti-VEGF injections and long-term side effects due to this reason.

Results: Due to the long-term use of anti-VEGF drugs and the higher number of injections worldwide, various studies have shown side effects in recent years, ranging from increased intraocular pressure to visual disturbing silicone oil vesicles in the vitreous cavity.

Dyslipidemia after pediatric renal transplantation-The impact of immunosuppressive regimens.

Dyslipidemia contributes to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in pediatric transplant recipients. Data on prevalence and risk factors in pediatric cohorts are, however, scarce. We therefore determined the prevalence of dyslipidemia in 386 pediatric renal transplant recipients enrolled in the CERTAIN registry.