The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Antimicrobial Resistance and Management of Bloodstream Infections.

Introduction: The pressure of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare systems led to limited roles of infectious diseases services, increased rates of irrational use of antimicrobials, and incidence of infections by multidrug-resistant microorganisms. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the incidence of antimicrobial resistance and the management of bloodstream infections before and during the COVID-19 pandemic at the University General Hospital of Alexandroupolis (Greece).

Materials And Methods: This is a retrospective study conducted from January 2018 to December 2022.

The Antiviral Effect of Nirmatrelvir/Ritonavir during COVID-19 Pandemic Real-World Data.

Introduction: Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 and the prevalence of Omicron variants have reduced the risk of the severe clinical progress of COVID-19. However, the risk of breakthrough infections has increased, and early administration of an effective antiviral treatment is significant in order to prevent the severe progression of COVID-19 in vulnerable patients with comorbidities.

Patients And Methods: Adults with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection were included in a matched-pair retrospective study based on age, gender, comorbidities and vaccination status.

Impact of Systemic Atherosclerosis on Clinical Characteristics and Short-Term Outcomes in Patients with Deep Venous Thrombosis or Thrombophlebitis.

Background: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) and atherosclerosis are accompanied by substantial cardiovascular mortality; links between both disease entities were reported. We aimed to investigate the impact of systemic atherosclerosis on adverse outcomes in patients with deep venous thrombosis or thrombophlebitis (DVT) and to identify differences in DVT patients with and without systemic atherosclerosis.

Methods: The German nationwide inpatient sample was used for this analysis.

Temporal trends and predictors of inhospital death in patients hospitalised for heart failure in Germany.

Aims: We investigated trends in incidence, case fatality rate, patient characteristics and adverse inhospital events of patients hospitalised for heart failure in Germany.

Methods And Results: The German nationwide inpatient sample (2005-2016) was used for this analysis. Patients hospitalised due to heart failure were selected for analysis.

Impact of obesity on adverse in-hospital outcomes in patients undergoing percutaneous mitral valve edge-to-edge repair using MitraClip® procedure - Results from the German nationwide inpatient sample.

Background And Aim: The number of percutaneous edge-to-edge mitral regurgitation (MR) valve repairs with MitraClip® implantations increased exponentially in recent years. Studies have suggested an obesity survival paradox in patients with cardiovascular diseases. We investigated the influence of obesity on adverse in-hospital outcomes in patients with MitraClip® implantation.

Survival Benefit of Obese Patients With Pulmonary Embolism.

Objective: To investigate the impact of obesity and underweight on adverse in-hospital outcomes in pulmonary embolism (PE).

Patients And Methods: Patients diagnosed as having PE based on International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Revision, German Modification code I26 in the German nationwide inpatient database were stratified for obesity, underweight, and normal weight/overweight (reference group) and compared regarding adverse in-hospital outcomes.

Results: From January 1, 2011, through December 31, 2014, 345,831 inpatients (53.

Quality of life and functional limitations after pulmonary embolism and its prognostic relevance.

Background: While the importance of patients' quality of life (QoL) in chronic cardiac or pulmonary disease is uncontroversial, the burden of an acute pulmonary embolism (PE) on QoL has received little attention thus far.

Objectives: We aimed to validate the German PEmb-QoL questionnaire, identify associations between QoL and clinical/functional parameters, and investigate the prognostic relevance of QoL for long-term survival in survivors of an acute PE episode.

Patients/methods: Patients were invited for a clinical follow-up visit including assessment of QoL using the German PEmb-QoL questionnaire 6 months after an objectively confirmed PE at a single center.

Sex-specific differences in pulmonary embolism.

Introduction: Sex-specific differences regarding risk factors, symptoms and prognosis have been reported for several cardiovascular diseases. For patients with pulmonary embolism (PE), sex-specific data are limited and inconsistent. We aimed to investigate sex-specific differences in PE.

Interferon lambda1/IL-29 and inorganic polyphosphate are novel regulators of neutrophil-driven thromboinflammation.

Neutrophils and neutrophil-released meshwork structures termed neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are major mediators of thromboinflammation and emerging targets for therapy, yet the mechanisms and pathways that control the role of neutrophils in thromboinflammation remain poorly understood. Here, we explored the role of IFN-λ1/IL-29, a major antiviral cytokine recently shown to suppress the neutrophil migratory capacity, in prothrombotic and proNETotic functions of neutrophils. In an ex vivo human experimental setting of acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), we show that IFN-λ1/IL-29 hinders NET release and diminishes the amount of cytoplasmic TF in neutrophils.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of vildagliptin for treatment of type 2 diabetes.

This systematic review and meta-analysis provides an update on the efficacy and safety of vildagliptin for treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We searched MEDLINE, COCHRANE, EMBASE and the drug manufacturer's website for randomised controlled trials of vildagliptin in patients with T2DM. Sixty-nine studies (28,006 patients) were included in the meta-analysis.

Impact of neuraminidase inhibitors on influenza A(H1N1)pdm09-related pneumonia: an individual participant data meta-analysis.

Background: The impact of neuraminidase inhibitors (NAIs) on influenza-related pneumonia (IRP) is not established. Our objective was to investigate the association between NAI treatment and IRP incidence and outcomes in patients hospitalised with A(H1N1)pdm09 virus infection.

Methods: A worldwide meta-analysis of individual participant data from 20 634 hospitalised patients with laboratory-confirmed A(H1N1)pdm09 (n = 20 021) or clinically diagnosed (n = 613) 'pandemic influenza'.

Electric and magnetic field measurements in a high voltage center.

This paper investigates the electric and magnetic fields inside a large high voltage center constituted both of 400/150 and 150/20 kV substation areas. Results of previous field measurements and calculations in substations, made by the authors of this paper or other researchers, are presented first. The basic data distinguishing the examined center from previously examined substations follow.

Long-term respiratory follow-up of H1N1 infection.

Background: The first case of 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) virus infection was documented in our Hospital on 10th August 2009.

Methods And Findings: Real-time reverse-transcriptase-polymerase-chain-reaction (RT-PCR) testing was used to confirm the diagnosis. All patients were treated with oseltamivir from the first day of hospitalization.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma: the impact of CT-scan and of MRI on staging, radiotherapy treatment planning, and outcome of the disease.

The present study is a critical review of the role of computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the diagnosis and therapy of nasopharyngeal cancer. It is estimated that following CT-scan/MRI, T,N staging of the disease changes in about half of cases, which results in important adjustments of the radiotherapy treatment planning, both in terms of radiation field dimensions and of dose specifications. The development of novel technology with CT-scan-simulated 3-D conformal or intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) planning is gradually becoming the standard therapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

Biomagnetic measurements in uterine leiomyomas using a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID).

Using the biomagnetometer superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID), the magnetic signals relating to spontaneous uterine activity were measured for the first time in 25 women with uterine leiomyomas, and 12 women with normal, non-leiomyomatous, uteri. Magnetic radiation, in the range of low frequency (below 2 Hz), was of low amplitudes in normal uterine tissues and of high amplitudes in benign leiomyomas. The observed differences were confirmed by the corresponding power spectra obtained from the statistical Fourier analysis.