Implementation of new ECMO centers during the COVID-19 pandemic: experience and results from the Middle East and India.

Purpose: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) use for severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients has increased during the course of the pandemic. As uncertainty existed regarding patient's outcomes, early guidelines recommended against establishing new ECMO centers. We aimed to explore the epidemiology and outcomes of ECMO for COVID-19 related cardiopulmonary failure in five countries in the Middle East and India and to evaluate the results of ECMO in 5 new centers.

An appraisal of respiratory system compliance in mechanically ventilated covid-19 patients.

Background: Heterogeneous respiratory system static compliance (C) values and levels of hypoxemia in patients with novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) requiring mechanical ventilation have been reported in previous small-case series or studies conducted at a national level.

Methods: We designed a retrospective observational cohort study with rapid data gathering from the international COVID-19 Critical Care Consortium study to comprehensively describe C-calculated as: tidal volume/[airway plateau pressure-positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP)]-and its association with ventilatory management and outcomes of COVID-19 patients on mechanical ventilation (MV), admitted to intensive care units (ICU) worldwide.

Results: We studied 745 patients from 22 countries, who required admission to the ICU and MV from January 14 to December 31, 2020, and presented at least one value of C within the first seven days of MV.

Circulating Biomarkers for Early Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma Detection: Supplementation to Low-Dose Computed Tomography.

Lung cancer is currently the leading cause of cancer death in both developing and developed countries. Given that lung cancer has poor prognosis in later stages, it is essential to achieve an early diagnosis to maximize patients' overall survival. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common form of primary lung cancer in both smokers and non-smokers.

Management of Adult Patients Supported with Venovenous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (VV ECMO): Guideline from the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO).

Disclaimer: The use of venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV ECMO) in adults has rapidly increased worldwide. This ELSO guideline is intended to be a practical guide to patient selection, initiation, cannulation, management, and weaning of VV ECMO for adult respiratory failure. This is a consensus document which has been updated from the previous version to provide guidance to the clinician.

Becoming a Training and Supervising Analyst: Interviews from the Columbia Postgraduate Analytic Practice Study.

Although much has been written about the training and supervising analyst system (TSA), its role in analysts' professional development has not been empirically studied. The Columbia Psychoanalytic Practice Study (CPAPS) is a longitudinal study of the careers of graduates from the Columbia Center for Psychoanalytic Training and Research. Interviews with 29/37 (78%) analysts graduating from 2003-2009 were analyzed using grounded theory.

Trimetazidine reduces contrast-induced nephropathy in patients with renal insufficiency undergoing coronary angiography and angioplasty: A systematic review and meta-analysis (PRISMA).

Objectives: This systematic review and meta-analysis assesses the utility of trimetazidine (TMZ) to prevent contrast induced nephropathy (CIN) in patients with renal insufficiency undergoing coronary angiography and angioplasty.

Materials And Methods: This meta-analysis was formulated and reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A search of databases was conducted by 2 researchers independently for clinical trials, comparing hydration plus TMZ vs conventional hydration alone for prevention of CIN through January 2020.

BACILLARY LAYER DETACHMENT BECAUSE OF MACULAR NEOVASCULARIZATION.

Purpose: To describe the clinical and multimodal imaging features of bacillary layer detachment (BD), and its response to intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy, in eyes with macular neovascularization.

Methods: Retrospective, observational case series of 14 eyes (14 patients, 7 men) imaged with eyes (14 patients, 7 men) were imaged with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography, and either fluorescein angiography or optical coherence tomography angiography. Therapeutic response was monitored with serial imaging and best-corrected visual acuity assessments.

Stigma reduction: an essential ingredient to ending AIDS by 2030.

Ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 will require addressing stigma more systematically and at a larger scale than current efforts. Existing global evidence shows that stigma is a barrier to achieving each of the 90-90-90 targets; it undermines HIV testing, linkage to care, treatment adherence, and viral load suppression. However, findings from both research studies and programmatic experience have helped to inform the growing body of knowledge regarding how to reduce stigma, leading to key principles for HIV stigma reduction.

Trajectory of Serum Bilirubin Predicts Spontaneous Recovery in a Real-World Cohort of Patients With Alcoholic Hepatitis.

Background And Aims: Alcoholic hepatitis (AH) is a severe condition with poor short-term prognosis. Specific treatment with corticosteroids slightly improves short-term survival but is associated with infection and is not used in many centers. A reliable method to identify patients who will recover spontaneously will minimise the numbers of patients who experience side effects of available treatments.

Prevalence of Inferior Vena Cava Compression in ADPKD.

Introduction: Kidney and liver cysts in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) can compress the inferior vena cava (IVC), but IVC compression prevalence and its risk factors are unknown.

Methods: Patients who have ADPKD (n = 216) with abdominal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies and age-/sex-matched controls (n = 216) were evaluated for IVC compression as well as azygous vein diameter (a marker of collateral blood flow) and IVC aspect ratio (left-to-right dimension divided by anterior-to-posterior dimension with a value of 1 corresponding to a circular (high pressure) IVC caudal to compression.

Results: Severe IVC compression (≥70%) was observed in 33 (15%) ADPKD subjects and mild compression (≥50% to <70%) was observed in 33 (15%) subjects; whereas controls had no IVC compression ( < 0.

Concurrent Anti-Glomerular Basement Membrane Antibody Disease and Membranous Nephropathy: A Case Series.

Rationale & Objective: Anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) disease is a rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis which, in some instances, occurs concurrently with other diseases such as antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis. Rarely, it also occurs with membranous nephropathy (MN). We report a series of such patients, characterizing their long-term follow up.

Top-Down Control of Sweet and Bitter Taste in the Mammalian Brain.

Hardwired circuits encoding innate responses have emerged as an essential feature of the mammalian brain. Sweet and bitter evoke opposing predetermined behaviors. Sweet drives appetitive responses and consumption of energy-rich food sources, whereas bitter prevents ingestion of toxic chemicals.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa associated with severity of non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis measured by the modified bronchiectasis severity score (BSI) and the FACED: The US bronchiectasis and NTM Research Registry (BRR) study.

Rationale: Non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis (NCFB) is characterized by dilated bronchi, poor mucus clearance and susceptibility to bacterial infection. Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) is one of the most frequently isolated pathogens in patients with NCFB. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between presence of PA and disease severity in patients within the US Bronchiectasis and Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) Research Registry (BRR).

Anti-retinal autoantibodies in myopic macular degeneration: a pilot study.

Aim: The aim of this study is to evaluate the frequency and types of anti-retinal autoantibodies (ARAs) in highly myopic patients and to explore any association between ARAs and the severity of myopic macular degeneration (MMD).

Methods: This was a clinic-based study of 16 patients with high myopia (spherical equivalent worse than -6 dioptres or axial length (AL) ≥ 26.5 mm) recruited from the High Myopia clinic of the Singapore National Eye Centre.

Nutrition and Markers of Disease Severity in Patients With Bronchiectasis.

Background: Increasing numbers of patients are being diagnosed with bronchiectasis, yet much remains to be elucidated about this heterogeneous patient population. We sought to determine the relationship between nutrition and health outcomes in non-cystic fibrosis (non-CF) bronchiectasis, using data from the U.S.

Hemorrhagic Cysts and Other MR Biomarkers for Predicting Renal Dysfunction Progression in Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease.

Background: Screening for rapidly progressing autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is necessary for assigning and monitoring therapies. Height-adjusted total kidney volume (ht-TKV) is an accepted biomarker for clinical prognostication, but represents only a small fraction of information on abdominal MRI.

Purpose: To investigate the utility of other MR features of ADPKD to predict progression.

Prevention, Diagnosis, and Management of Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy: a Comparison of International Guidelines.

Purpose Of Review: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP)-gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, and eclampsia-are a leading cause of adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes internationally. Prevention, timely diagnosis, and prompt management can reduce associated morbidity. The purpose of this review is to compare international guidelines pertaining to HDP.

Lack of effect on ambulation of dalfampridine-ER (4-AP) treatment in adult SMA patients.

SMA is a genetically determined motor system disorder that results in muscle weakness, selective motor neuron death, muscle atrophy, and impaired functional mobility. In SMA model systems, long-term treatment with 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) has been shown to improve motor function. To assess tolerability and preliminary efficacy of 4-AP on walking ability, endurance and EMG in adult ambulatory SMA patients, we conducted a double blind, placebo control, crossover pilot study with dalfampridine (4-AP, 10 mg BID).

Effects of Induced Astigmatism on Spectral Domain-OCT Angiography Quantitative Metrics.

Purpose: To analyze the effect of induced astigmatism on en-face spectral-domain optical coherence tomography angiography quantitative metrics.

Design: Prospective crossover study.

Methods: Normal eyes without astigmatism and with 0.

Airway Clearance Techniques in Bronchiectasis: Analysis From the United States Bronchiectasis and Non-TB Mycobacteria Research Registry.

Background: In patients with bronchiectasis, airway clearance techniques (ACTs) are important management strategies.

Research Question: What are the differences in patients with bronchiectasis and a productive cough who used ACTs and those who did not? What was the assessment of bronchiectasis exacerbation frequency and change in pulmonary function at 1-year follow up?

Study Design And Methods: Adult patients with bronchiectasis and a productive cough in the United States Bronchiectasis and NTM Research Registry were included in the analyses. ACTs included the use of instrumental devices and manual techniques.

Use and Removal of Inferior Vena Cava Filters in Patients With Acute Brain Injury.

Background: Few data exist regarding the rate of inferior vena cava (IVC) filter retrieval among brain-injured patients.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using inpatient claims between 2009 and 2015 from a nationally representative 5% sample of Medicare beneficiaries. We included patients aged ≥65 years who were hospitalized with acute brain injury.

Anxiety and depression in patients who undergo a cerebrovascular procedure.

Background: Observe the relationship of anxiety and depression on quality of life outcomes after open and endovascular cerebrovascular procedures.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 349 patients who underwent a procedure for aneurysm, arteriovenous malformation, intraparenchymal hemorrhage, carotid stenosis, acute stroke, and conventional catheter angiogram over three years at a community hospital. We correlated pre-procedural anxiety and depression with Global Physical Health, Global Mental Health, and Modified Rankin Scale scores.

Optical coherence tomography-based consensus definition for lamellar macular hole.

Background: A consensus on an optical coherence tomography definition of lamellar macular hole (LMH) and similar conditions is needed.

Methods: The panel reviewed relevant peer-reviewed literature to reach an accord on LMH definition and to differentiate LMH from other similar conditions.

Results: The panel reached a consensus on the definition of three clinical entities: LMH, epiretinal membrane (ERM) foveoschisis and macular pseudohole (MPH).