The influence of sintering of osteoporotic vertebral fractures on the sagittal lumbar profile and degenerative changes.

Background: Osteoporosis, a skeletal disorder affecting nearly 20% of the global population, poses a significant health concern, with osteoporotic vertebral body fractures (VBF) representing a common clinical manifestation. The impact of osteoporotic sintering fractures in the thoracolumbar spine on the sagittal lumbar profile is incompletely understood and may lead to the onset of clinical symptoms in previously asymptomatic patients.

Methods: This retrospective single-center study analyzed data from patients presenting with osteoporotic spine fractures between 2017 and 2022.

Peripheral neuropathy, an independent risk factor for falls in the elderly, impairs stepping as a postural control mechanism: A case-cohort study.

Background/aims: Peripheral neuropathies perturbate the sensorimotor system, causing difficulties in walking-related motor tasks and, eventually, falls. Falls result in functional dependency and reliance on healthcare, especially in older persons. We investigated if peripheral neuropathy is a genuine risk factor for falls in the elderly and if quantification of postural control via posturography is helpful in identifying subjects at risk of falls.

Rituximab in non-systemic vasculitic neuropathy: a single-center experience.

Objectives: This case series reports clinical features and outcome of four patients with non-systemic vasculitic neuropathy (NSVN) treated with the anti-CD20 agent rituximab.

Methods: Clinical, electrophysiological and biopsy data were retrospectively obtained and evaluated. Only patients with pathological definite or probable NSVN were included.

Outbreak of severe community-acquired bacterial infections among children in North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany), October to December 2022.

Purpose: In late 2022, a surge of severe S. pyogenes infections was reported in several European countries. This study assessed hospitalizations and disease severity of community-acquired bacterial infections with S.

Correlation between pain and depressive symptoms in patients with confirmed endometriosis during COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: Endometriosis is a chronic, estrogen-dependent, inflammatory condition which affects women of reproductive age physically and psychologically in their everyday life. The most common symptom is chronic lower abdominal pain. Apart from physical pain, endometriosis often also leads to an unfulfilled desire to give birth.

2,4-Dinitrophenol does not exert neuro-regenerative potential in experimental autoimmune neuritis.

Objective: We evaluated the potential neuro-regenerative effects of the mitochondrial uncoupler 2,4-Dinitrophenol in experimental autoimmune neuritis, an animal model for an acute autoimmune neuropathy.

Methods: Experimental autoimmune neuritis was induced in Lewis rats. Different concentrations of 2,4-Dinitrophenol (1 mg/kg, 0.

Primary prophylaxis of invasive fungal diseases in patients with haematological malignancies: 2022 update of the recommendations of the Infectious Diseases Working Party (AGIHO) of the German Society for Haematology and Medical Oncology (DGHO).

Patients with haematological malignancies (HM) are at high risk of developing invasive fungal disease (IFD) with high morbidity and attributable mortality. We reviewed data published until September 2021 to update the 2017 antifungal prophylaxis recommendations of the German Society of Haematology and Medical Oncology (DGHO). The strong recommendation to administer antifungal prophylaxis in patients with HM with long-lasting neutropenia, i.

Kinesin-5 inhibition improves neural regeneration in experimental autoimmune neuritis.

Background: Autoimmune neuropathies can result in long-term disability and incomplete recovery, despite adequate first-line therapy. Kinesin-5 inhibition was shown to accelerate neurite outgrowth in different preclinical studies. Here, we evaluated the potential neuro-regenerative effects of the small molecule kinesin-5 inhibitor monastrol in a rodent model of acute autoimmune neuropathies, experimental autoimmune neuritis.

Unsupervised meta-clustering identifies risk clusters in acute myeloid leukemia based on clinical and genetic profiles.

Background: Increasingly large and complex biomedical data sets challenge conventional hypothesis-driven analytical approaches, however, data-driven unsupervised learning can detect inherent patterns in such data sets.

Methods: While unsupervised analysis in the medical literature commonly only utilizes a single clustering algorithm for a given data set, we developed a large-scale model with 605 different combinations of target dimensionalities as well as transformation and clustering algorithms and subsequent meta-clustering of individual results. With this model, we investigated a large cohort of 1383 patients from 59 centers in Germany with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia for whom 212 clinical, laboratory, cytogenetic and molecular genetic parameters were available.

Glycyrrhizic Acid Prevents Paclitaxel-Induced Neuropathy via Inhibition of OATP-Mediated Neuronal Uptake.

Peripheral neuropathy is a common side effect of cancer treatment with paclitaxel. The mechanisms by which paclitaxel is transported into neurons, which are essential for preventing neuropathy, are not well understood. We studied the uptake mechanisms of paclitaxel into neurons using inhibitors for endocytosis, autophagy, organic anion-transporting polypeptide (OATP) drug transporters, and derivatives of paclitaxel.

Systematic symptom screening in patients with advanced cancer treated in certified oncology centers: results of the prospective multicenter German KeSBa project.

Purpose: Guidelines recommend a structured symptom screening (SC) for especially advanced cancer patients (CPs). The aim of this multicenter German prospective quality assurance project KeSBa (Kennzahl Symptom- und Belastungserfassung) was to gain knowledge on SC procedures in Oncology Centers (OCs) for advanced cancer patients and a first impression on the consequences of SC.

Methods: The KeSBa project consisted of three phases: pilot, 3 months screening and feedback phase.

A randomized phase 2 trial of nintedanib and low-dose cytarabine in elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia ineligible for intensive chemotherapy.

We investigated the safety and efficacy of nintedanib added to low-dose cytarabine (LDAC) in a phase 1/2 study in patients 60 years or older with newly diagnosed or relapsed/refractory (r/r) AML ineligible for intensive chemotherapy. The results of the dose-finding phase 1 part have been previously published. Patients were randomized 1:1 to LDAC plus nintedanib or LDAC plus placebo stratified by AML status (newly diagnosed vs r/r).

FOLFOX plus panitumumab or FOLFOX alone as additive therapy following R0/1 resection of RAS wild-type colorectal cancer liver metastases - The PARLIM trial (AIO KRK 0314).

Purpose: This trial investigates the addition of panitumumab to chemotherapy with fluorouracil/folinic acid and oxaliplatin (FOLFOX) in a 2:1 randomised, controlled, open-label, phase II trial in RAS wild-type colorectal cancer patients with R0/1-resected liver metastases.

Experimental Design: The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS) two years after randomisation. The experimental arm (12 weeks of biweekly mFOLFOX6 plus panitumumab followed by 12 weeks of panitumumab alone) was considered active if the two-year PFS rate was ≥65%.

Multi-centre randomised trial of invasive and less invasive surfactant delivery methods showed similar spirometry results at 5-9 years of age.

Aim: We explored whether subnormal forced expiratory volume within 1 s (FEV ) at 5-9 years of age was lower in children born preterm who received less invasive surfactant administration (LISA) rather than surfactant via an endotracheal tube.

Methods: The multi-centre, randomised Nonintubated Surfactant Application trial enrolled 211 preterm infants born at 23-26 weeks of gestation from 13 level III neonatal intensive care units from April 2009 to March 2012. They received surfactant via LISA (n = 107) or after conventional endotracheal intubation (n = 104).

Prediction of complete remission and survival in acute myeloid leukemia using supervised machine learning.

Achievement of complete remission signifies a crucial milestone in the therapy of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) while refractory disease is associated with dismal outcomes. Hence, accurately identifying patients at risk is essential to tailor treatment concepts individually to disease biology. We used nine machine learning (ML) models to predict complete remission and 2-year overall survival in a large multicenter cohort of 1,383 AML patients who received intensive induction therapy.

Impact of the First COVID Lockdown on Accident- and Injury-Related Pediatric Intensive Care Admissions in Germany-A Multicenter Study.

Children's and adolescents' lives drastically changed during COVID lockdowns worldwide. To compare accident- and injury-related admissions to pediatric intensive care units (PICU) during the first German COVID lockdown with previous years, we conducted a retrospective multicenter study among 37 PICUs (21.5% of German PICU capacities).

Association of the use of diabetes technology with HbA1c and BMI-SDS in an international cohort of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes: The SWEET project experience.

Objective: To examine the association between the use of diabetes technology (insulin pump [CSII], glucose sensor [CGM] or both) and metabolic control (HbA1c) as well as body adiposity (BMI-SDS) over-time in a cohort of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D), that have never used these technologies before.

Subjects And Methods: Four thousand six hundred forty three T1D patients (2-18 years, T1D ≥1 year, without celiac disease, no CSII and/or CGM before 2016) participating in the SWEET prospective multicenter diabetes registry, were enrolled. Data were collected at two points (2016; 2019).

Fluid Supply and Feeding Practices in Cooled Asphyxiated Newborns.

Therapeutic hypothermia (TH) for 72 h is the standard treatment to reduce neurological deficits in term newborns with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. There is a large variability regarding nutritional supply during TH treatment in asphyxiated newborns. We performed a retrospective multicentre study in four level I (highest level of care in Germany) NICUs, including 135 asphyxiated term newborns undergoing TH.

A clinically applicable gene expression-based score predicts resistance to induction treatment in acute myeloid leukemia.

Prediction of resistant disease at initial diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) can be achieved with high accuracy using cytogenetic data and 29 gene expression markers (Predictive Score 29 Medical Research Council; PS29MRC). Our aim was to establish PS29MRC as a clinically usable assay by using the widely implemented NanoString platform and further validate the classifier in a more recently treated patient cohort. Analyses were performed on 351 patients with newly diagnosed AML intensively treated within the German AML Cooperative Group registry.