Time-Dependent Prediction Models for Individual Prognosis of Chronic Postsurgical Pain following Knee Replacement Based on an Extensive Multivariable Data Set.

(1) Background: Clinically useful prediction models for chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP) in knee replacement (TKA) are lacking. (2) Methods: In our prospective, multicenter study, a wide-ranging set of 91 variables was collected from 933 TKA patients at eight time points up to one year after surgery. Based on this extensive data pool, simple and complex prediction models were calculated for the preoperative time point and for 6 months after surgery, using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) 1se and LASSO min, respectively.

Buffalopox: An emerging cutaneous disease in humans.

Background: Buffalopox virus (BPXV) infection is an under-recognized zoonotic disease associated with recently reported outbreaks in humans in South Asia. It is frequently isolated from skin lesions in cattle and buffalos, and can be transmitted to humans by direct contact with the skin of infected animals and fomites. Very little data exist to inform treatment guidelines.

Biosensors for natriuretic peptides in cardiovascular diseases. A review.

Heart failure (HF) is a complex clinical syndrome associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Over the years, it has been crucial to find accurate biomarkers capable of doing a precise monitor of HF and provide an early diagnosis. Of these, it has been established an important role of natriuretic peptides in HF assessment.

Diagnosis of sarcopenia on thoracic computed tomography and its association with postoperative survival after anatomic lung cancer resection.

Computer tomography-derived skeletal muscle index normalized for height in conjunction with muscle density enables single modality-based sarcopenia assessment that accounts for all diagnostic criteria and cutoff recommendations as per the widely accepted European consensus. Yet, the standard approach to quantify skeletal musculature at the third lumbar vertebra is limited for certain patient groups, such as lung cancer patients who receive chest CT for tumor staging that does not encompass this lumbar level. As an alternative, this retrospective study assessed sarcopenia in lung cancer patients treated with curative intent at the tenth thoracic vertebral level using appropriate cutoffs.

Impact of a VA-ECMO in Combination with an Extracorporeal Cytokine Hemadsorption System in Critically Ill Patients with Cardiogenic Shock-Design and Rationale of the ECMOsorb Trial.

Background: Cardiogenic shock and arrest present as critical, life-threatening emergencies characterized by severely compromised tissue perfusion and inadequate oxygen supply. Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) serves as a mechanical support system for patients suffering shock refractory to conventional resuscitation. Despite the utilization of VA-ECMO, clinical deterioration due to systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) resulting from the underlying shock and exposure of blood cells to the artificial surfaces of the ECMO circuit may occur.

Nanosilver/DCOIT-containing surface coating effectively and constantly reduces microbial load in emergency room surfaces.

Background: Colonization of near-patient surfaces in hospitals plays an important role as a source of healthcare-associated infections. Routine disinfection methods only result in short-term elimination of pathogens.

Aim: To investigate the efficiency of a newly developed antimicrobial coating containing nanosilver in long-term reduction of bacterial burden in hospital surfaces to close the gap between routine disinfection cycles.

Treatment of Classic Mid-Trimester Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes (PPROM) with Oligo/Anhydramnion between 22 and 26 Weeks of Gestation by Means of Continuous Amnioinfusion: Protocol of a Randomized Multicentric Prospective Controlled TRIAL and Review of the Literature.

Background: The classic mid-trimester preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) is defined as a rupture of the fetal membranes prior to 28 weeks of gestation (WG) with oligo/anhydramnion; it complicates approximately 0.4-0.7% of all pregnancies and is associated with very high neonatal mortality and morbidity.

Multiparametric Ultrasound of Cervical Lymph Node Metastases in Head and Neck Cancer for Planning Non-Surgical Therapy.

Background: We aimed to evaluate multiparametric ultrasound, to achieve a better understanding of the baseline characteristics of suspected cervical lymph node metastases in head and neck cancer before induction chemotherapy or chemoradiation.

Methods: From February 2020 to April 2021, our complete ultrasound examination protocol was carried out on clinically evident malignant lymph nodes of histologically proven HNSCC in the pre-therapeutic setting.

Results: A total of 13 patients were eligible for analysis.

Impact of an In-Hospital Endocarditis Team and a State-Wide Endocarditis Network on Perioperative Outcomes.

Background: Infective endocarditis (IE) requires multidisciplinary management. We established an endocarditis team within our hospital in 2011 and a state-wide endocarditis network with referring hospitals in 2015. We aimed to investigate their impact on perioperative outcomes.

Role of Concomitant Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting in Valve Surgery for Infective Endocarditis.

Background: It is current practice to perform concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in patients with infective endocarditis (IE) who have relevant coronary artery disease (CAD). However, CABG may add complexity to the operation. We aimed to investigate the impact of concomitant CABG on perioperative outcomes in patients undergoing surgery for IE.

Effects of a Feedback-Demanding Stroke Clock on Acute Stroke Management: A Randomized Study.

Background And Purpose: This randomized study aimed to evaluate whether the use of a stroke clock demanding active feedback from the stroke physician accelerates acute stroke management.

Methods: For this randomized controlled study, a large-display alarm clock was installed in the computed tomography room, where admission, diagnostic work-up, and intravenous thrombolysis occurred. Alarms were set at the following target times after admission: (1) 15 minutes (neurological examination completed); (2) 25 minutes (computed tomography scanning and international normalized ratio determination by point-of-care laboratory completed); and (3) 30 minutes (intravenous thrombolysis started).

Generate-Boost: study protocol for a prospective, multicenter, randomized controlled, double-blinded phase II trial to evaluate efficacy and safety of bortezomib in patients with severe autoimmune encephalitis.

Background: Autoimmune encephalitis is a new spectrum of autoimmune disorders of the central nervous system (CNS), which are characterized by pathogenic autoantibodies against neuronal surface antigens. Clinical presentations range from acute to subacute encephalopathy with neurological and psychiatric symptoms, and life-threatening autonomic dysfunction in severe cases. There exist no approved therapies nor is data available from controlled clinical trials.

Assessing efficacy of CytoSorb haemoadsorber for prevention of organ dysfunction in cardiac surgery patients with infective endocarditis: REMOVE-protocol for randomised controlled trial.

Introduction: Infective endocarditis (IE) is associated with high mortality and morbidity. Multiple organ failure is the main cause of death after surgery for IE. Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) can cause a systemic inflammatory response.

The quality of acute intensive care and the incidence of critical events have an impact on health-related quality of life in survivors of the acute respiratory distress syndrome - a nationwide prospective multicenter observational study.

Initial treatment (ventilator settings, rescue therapy, supportive measures), and prevention of critical events improve survival in ARDS patients, but little data exists on its effect on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and return to work (RtW) in survivors. We analyzed the association of the intensity of treatment at ARDS onset and the incidence of critical events on HRQOL and RtW a year after ICU discharge. In a prospective multi-centre cohort study, the intensity of treatment and the incidence of critical events were determined at 61 ICUs in Germany.

Changes in inflammatory and vasoactive mediator profiles during valvular surgery with or without infective endocarditis: A case control pilot study.

Background: More than 50% of patients with infective endocarditis (IE) develop an indication for surgery. Despite its benefit, surgery is associated with a high incidence of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) and mortality, which may be linked to increased release of inflammatory mediators during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). We therefore assessed plasma cytokine profiles in patients undergoing valve surgery with or without IE.

A deletion spanning the promoter and first exon of the hair cycle-specific ASIP transcript isoform in black and tan rabbits.

Black and tan animals have tan-coloured ventral body surfaces separated by sharp boundaries from black-coloured dorsal body surfaces. In the a mouse mutant, a retroviral 6 kb insertion located in the hair cycle-specific promoter of the murine Asip gene encoding agouti signalling protein causes the black and tan phenotype. In rabbits, three ASIP alleles are thought to exist, including an a allele causing a black and tan coat colour that closely resembles the mouse black and tan phenotype.

Long-Term Courses of Sepsis Survivors: Effects of a Primary Care Management Intervention.

Background: Sepsis survivors face mental and physical sequelae even years after discharge from the intensive care unit. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term courses of sepsis survivors and the effects of a primary care management intervention in sepsis aftercare.

Methods: This study presents a 24-month follow-up of a randomized controlled trial that recruited 291 patients who survived sepsis (including septic shock) from nine German intensive care units.

Acute and midterm outcomes of the post-approval MELODY Registry: a multicentre registry of transcatheter pulmonary valve implantation.

Aims: The post-approval MELODY Registry aimed to obtain multicentre registry data after transcatheter pulmonary valve implantation (TPVI) with the Melody™ valve (Medtronic plc.) in a large-scale cohort of patients with congenital heart disease (CHD).

Methods And Results: Retrospective analysis of multicentre registry data after TPVI with the Melody™ valve.

Predicting Outcome after Total Hip Arthroplasty: The Role of Preoperative Patient-Reported Measures.

Choosing the appropriate patient for surgery is crucial for good outcome in total hip arthroplasty (THA). Therefore, parameters predicting outcome preoperatively are of major interest. In the current study, we compared the predictive power of different presurgical measures in minimally invasive THA.

The final implant position of a commonly used collarless straight tapered stem design (Corail) does not correlate with femoral neck resection height in cement-free total hip arthroplasty: a retrospective computed tomography analysis.

Background: In total hip arthroplasty, inadequate femoral component positioning can be associated with instability, impingement and component wear and subsequently with patient dissatisfaction. In this study, we investigated the influence of femoral neck resection height on the final three-dimensional position of a collarless straight tapered stem (Corail). We asked two questions-(1) is neck resection height correlated with version, tilt, and varus/valgus alignment of the femoral component, and (2) dependent on the resection height of the femoral neck, which area of the stem comes into contact with the femoral cortical bone?

Materials And Methods: Three-dimensional computed tomography scans of 40 patients who underwent minimally invasive, cementless total hip arthroplasty were analyzed retrospectively.

Genome-wide association study and heritability estimate for ectopic ureters in Entlebucher mountain dogs.

An ectopic ureter is a congenital anomaly which may lead to urinary incontinence and without a surgical intervention even to end-stage kidney disease. A genetic component contributes to the development of this anomaly in Entlebucher mountain dogs (EMD); however, its nature remains unclear. Using the Illumina CanineHD bead chip, a case-control genome-wide association study was performed to identify SNPs associated with the trait.

Sleep-disordered breathing is associated with disturbed cardiac repolarization in patients with a coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

Background: The development of malignant ventricular arrhythmias due to abnormal cardiac repolarization is a major complication after coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG). Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is linked to prolonged cardiac repolarization in non-surgical patients. This study evaluates cardiac repolarization in patients with and without SDB who underwent CABG.

Hydrolyzed Formula With Reduced Protein Content Supports Adequate Growth: A Randomized Controlled Noninferiority Trial.

Objective: A high protein content of nonhydrolyzed infant formula exceeding metabolic requirements can induce rapid weight gain and obesity. Hydrolyzed formula with too low protein (LP) content may result in inadequate growth. The aim of this study was to investigate noninferiority of partial and extensively hydrolyzed formulas (pHF, eHF) with lower hydrolyzed protein content than conventionally, regularly used formulas, with or without synbiotics for normal growth of healthy term infants.

Impact of perioperative liver dysfunction on in-hospital mortality and long-term survival in infective endocarditis patients.

Purpose: Infective endocarditis (IE) is often associated with multiorgan dysfunction and mortality. The impact of perioperative liver dysfunction (LD) on outcome remains unclear and little is known about factors leading to postoperative LD.

Methods: We performed a retrospective, single-center analysis on 285 patients with left-sided IE without pre-existing chronic liver disease referred to our center between 2007 and 2013 for valve surgery.