Associations between attainment of incentivized primary care indicators and incident lower limb amputation among those with type 2 diabetes: a population-based historical cohort study.

Introduction: England has invested considerably in diabetes care through such programs as the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) and National Diabetes Audit (NDA). Associations between program indicators and clinical endpoints, such as amputation, remain unclear. We examined associations between primary care indicators and incident lower limb amputation.

Impact of National Lockdown on the Hyperacute Stroke Care and Rapid Transient Ischaemic Attack Outpatient Service in a Comprehensive Tertiary Stroke Centre During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic is having major implications for stroke services worldwide. We aimed to study the impact of the national lockdown period during the COVID-19 outbreak on stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA) care in London, UK. We retrospectively analyzed data from a quality improvement registry of consecutive patients presenting with acute ischemic stroke and TIA to the Stroke Department, Imperial College Health Care Trust London during the national lockdown period (between March 23rd and 30th June 2020).

Factors associated with infrainguinal bypass graft patency at 1-year; a retrospective analysis of a single centre experience.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with primary graft patency 1 year following open lower limb revascularisation (LLR) at a tertiary referral vascular service.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of patients undergoing infra-inguinal bypass surgery between January 2016 and May 2017 at a tertiary vascular centre (St Mary's Hospital, London) was performed. Data regarding patient demographics, comorbidities, type of operation and post-operative anti-thrombotic strategy were collected.

Delivering telemedicine consultations for patients with transient ischaemic attack during the COVID-19 pandemic in a comprehensive tertiary stroke centre in the United Kingdom.

Background And Purpose: The global COVID-19 pandemic led many stroke centres worldwide to shift from in-person to telemedicine consultations to assess patients with transient ischaemic attacks (TIAs). We aimed to investigate the impact of telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic on the management and outcome of the patients with TIA.

Methods: We retrospectively analysed data from a registry of consecutive TIA patients assessed at the Stroke Department, Imperial College Health Care Trust, London, during the national lockdown period (between March 23 2020 and 30 June 2020).

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on a Regional Stroke Thrombectomy Service in the United Kingdom.

Introduction: We examined the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on our regional stroke thrombectomy service in the UK.

Methods: This was a single-center health service evaluation. We began testing for COVID-19 on 3 March and introduced a modified "COVID Stroke Thrombectomy Pathway" on 18 March.

Decreasing referrals to transient ischaemic attack clinics during the COVID-19 outbreak: results from a multicentre cross-sectional survey.

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic is having major implications for stroke care with a documented significant fall in hospital acute stroke admissions. We investigated whether COVID-19 has resulted in a decreased number of referrals to the transient ischaemic attack (TIA) clinics across the North West London region.

Setting And Design: All the TIA clinical leads of the North West London region received an invitation by email to participate in an online survey in May 2020.

Endovascular treatment of ischemic large-vessel stroke due to infective endocarditis: case series and review of the literature.

Background: Mechanical thrombectomy is the standard of care, in selected patients, for acute ischemic stroke with large vessel occlusion but its use in patients with stroke secondary to infective endocarditis is controversial. We report three cases of acute ischemic stroke treated by mechanical thrombectomy and we propose an extensive review of the literature to evaluate the clinical safety and efficacy of thrombectomy in patients with stroke secondary to infective endocarditis.

Methods: A comprehensive literature search was performed following a pre-specified protocol of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement.

Automated Continuous Electrocardiogram Monitoring Accelerates the Detection of Atrial Fibrillation after Ischemic Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack on a Hyper Acute Stroke Unit.

Background And Aim: Rapid and sensitive detection of atrial fibrillation (AF) is of paramount importance for initiation of adequate preventive therapy after stroke. Stroke Unit care includes continuous electrocardiogram monitoring (CEM) but the optimal exploitation of the recorded ECG traces is controversial. In this retrospective single-center study, we investigated whether an automated analysis of continuous electrocardiogram monitoring (ACEM), based on a software algorithm, accelerates the detection of AF in patients admitted to our Stroke Unit compared to the routine CEM.

Palliative Liver Radiotherapy (RT) for Symptomatic Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC).

This study aims at evaluating the symptom response, response duration, and toxicity of single dose palliative liver radiotherapy (RT) for symptomatic HCC patients. We reviewed unresectable HCC patients treated with palliative RT in our institution. Eligible patients were unsuitable or refractory to trans-arterial chemoembolization (TACE) and stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), with an index symptom of pain or abdominal discomfort.

Intravenous Thrombolysis and Mechanical Thrombectomy in Patients with Stroke after TAVI: A Report of Two Cases.

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) is an increasingly treatment modality for severe aortic stenosis, which is associated with a considerable peri-procedural risk of stroke. To date, the clinical safety and efficacy of Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and mechanical thrombectomy in stroke post-TAVI is not established. We describe 2 cases of patients with stroke after TAVI who received tPA therapy and mechanical thrombectomy.

Spontaneous splenic rupture complicating primary varicella zoster infection: a case report.

Background: Primary varicella zoster virus (VZV) infection is a common illness, predominantly affecting children. Its course is typically benign, although severe complications have been described. Splenic rupture is an extremely rare and potentially fatal complication of primary VZV infection, with only a handful of cases reported in the literature.

Proteomic Analysis of Kveim Reagent Identifies Targets of Cellular Immunity in Sarcoidosis.

Background: Kveim-reagent (Kv) skin testing was a historical method of diagnosing sarcoidosis. Intradermal injection of treated sarcoidosis spleen tissue resulted in a granuloma response at injection site by 4-6 weeks. Previous work indicates proteins as the possible trigger of this reaction.

CC-chemokine ligand 2 inhibition in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: a phase 2 trial of carlumab.

The objective of this study was to determine the safety and efficacy of carlumab in the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).A phase 2, randomised, double-blind placebo-controlled dose-ranging study was conducted in patients with IPF (n=126). Patients were randomised to carlumab (1 mg·kg(-1), 5 mg·kg(-1), or 15 mg·kg(-1)) or placebo every 4 weeks.

Recent Developments and Future Opportunities in the Treatment of Tuberculosis in Children.

Tuberculosis in children accounts for a significant proportion of the overall burden of disease, and yet for many years research into pediatric treatment has been neglected. Recently, there have been major developments in our understanding of pediatric tuberculosis, and a large number of studies are under way or planned. New drugs and regimens are being evaluated, and older drugs are being repurposed.