Comparing COVID-19 incidences longitudinally per economic sector against the background of preventive measures and vaccination.

In the COVID-19 pandemic, workplace transmission plays an important role. For this type of transmission, the longitudinal 14-day incidence curve of SARS-CoV-2 infections per economic sector is a proxy. In Belgium, a census of confirmed 14-day incidences per NACE-BEL sector level three is available from September 2020 until June 2021, encompassing two waves of infections.

Change in COVID19 outbreak pattern following vaccination in long-term care facilities in Flanders, Belgium.

Introduction: Long term care facilities for elderly (LTCFs) in Europe encountered a high disease burden at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, these facilities were the first to receive COVID-19 vaccines in many European countries. A limited COVID-19 vaccine supply early 2021 resulted in a majority of residents and healthcare workers (HCWs) in LTCFs being vaccinated compared to a minority in the general population.

Association between improved compliance with enhanced recovery after cardiac surgery guidelines and postoperative outcomes: A retrospective study.

Objective: Enhanced recovery after cardiac surgery is a multidisciplinary clinical care pathway that relies on a bundle of interventions, aiming to reduce the stress response to surgery and promote early recovery of organ function. In 2011, our institution introduced an institutional enhanced recovery after cardiac surgery program focusing on 9 central interventions, which have been expanded during the past decade by additional interventions now considered standard of care. After the recent publication of the enhanced recovery after cardiac surgery guidelines, we evaluated the relation between the compliance with these enhanced recovery after cardiac surgery guidelines and postoperative outcomes.

The Effect of Coronary Lesion Complexity and Preprocedural Revascularization on 5-Year Outcomes After TAVR.

Background: Aortic stenosis and coronary artery disease (CAD) frequently coincide. However, the management of coexisting CAD in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) remains controversial.

Objectives: This study sought to determine whether the presence of CAD, its complexity, and angiography-guided percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are associated with outcomes after TAVR.

Dysregulation of the kallikrein-kinin system in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of patients with severe COVID-19.

Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) binds to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor, a critical component of the kallikrein-kinin system. Its dysregulation may lead to increased vascular permeability and release of inflammatory chemokines. Interactions between the kallikrein-kinin and the coagulation system might further contribute to thromboembolic complications in COVID-19.

The effect of a trAnSitional Pharmacist Intervention in geRiatric inpatients on hospital visits after dischargE (ASPIRE): Protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Unplanned rehospitalizations occur frequently in older patients. Drug-related problems constitute a major and largely preventable cause with inappropriate prescribing being a substantial culprit. Solutions are needed to reduce this risk by targeting pharmacotherapy both during and after hospital stay.

Validation of diagnostic nomograms based on CE-MS urinary biomarkers to detect clinically significant prostate cancer.

Purpose: Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most common cancers and one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Thus, one major issue in PCa research is to accurately distinguish between indolent and clinically significant (csPCa) to reduce overdiagnosis and overtreatment. In this study, we aim to validate the usefulness of diagnostic nomograms (DN) to detect csPCa, based on previously published urinary biomarkers.

Predictability of cardiotoxicity: Experience of a Belgian cardio-oncology clinic.

Background: New oncological treatments improved survival but also increased awareness of cardiovascular side-effects during and after cancer therapy.

Methods: We report the experience of the cardio-oncology clinic at a large Belgian tertiary care center and investigated the predictability of cardiotoxicity based on referring department, cardiovascular risk factors, cancer treatment and existing risk scores of the American Society of Clinical Oncologists (ASCO) and Mayo Clinic. Cardiotoxicity was defined as a 10% reduction in Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction (LVEF) compared to the baseline transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) in asymptomatic patients or 5% in symptomatic patients.

Manual lymphatic drainage with or without fluoroscopy guidance did not substantially improve the effect of decongestive lymphatic therapy in people with breast cancer-related lymphoedema (EFforT-BCRL trial): a multicentre randomised trial.

Questions: When added to decongestive lymphatic therapy (DLT), what is the effect of fluoroscopy-guided manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) versus traditional MLD or placebo MLD for the treatment of breast cancer-related lymphoedema (BCRL)?

Design: Multicentre, three-arm, randomised controlled trial with concealed allocation, intention-to-treat analysis and blinding of assessors and participants.

Participants: At five hospitals in Belgium, 194 participants with unilateral chronic BCRL were recruited.

Intervention: All participants received standard DLT (education, skin care, compression therapy and exercises).

Thromboprophylaxis in COVID-19: Weight and severity adjusted intensified dosing.

Background: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) frequently occurs in hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The optimal dose of anticoagulation for thromboprophylaxis in COVID-19 is unknown.

Aims: To report VTE incidence and bleeding before and after implementing a hospital-wide intensified thromboprophylactic protocol in patients with COVID-19.

Prospective longitudinal evaluation of hospitalised COVID-19 survivors 3 and 12 months after discharge.

Background: Long-term outcome data of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) survivors are needed to understand their recovery trajectory and additional care needs.

Methods: A prospective observational multicentre cohort study was carried out of adults hospitalised with COVID-19 from March through May 2020. Workup at 3 and 12 months following admission consisted of clinical review, pulmonary function testing, 6-min walk distance (6MWD), muscle strength, chest computed tomography (CT) and quality of life questionnaires.

Circulating Donor-Specific Anti-HLA Antibodies Associate With Immune Activation Independent of Kidney Transplant Histopathological Findings.

Despite the critical role of cytokines in allograft rejection, the relation of peripheral blood cytokine profiles to clinical kidney transplant rejection has not been fully elucidated. We assessed 28 cytokines through multiplex assay in 293 blood samples from kidney transplant recipients at time of graft dysfunction. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering identified a subset of patients with increased pro-inflammatory cytokine levels.

Pilot study to investigate the feasibility of conducting a randomised controlled trial that compares Immediate versus Optional Delayed surgical repair for treatment of acute Anterior cruciate ligament injury: IODA pilot trial.

Introduction: Standard care for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries includes surgical reconstruction of the ACL. However, two randomised controlled trials (RCTs) concluded that conservative treatment does not result in inferior clinical outcomes compared with immediate ACL reconstruction. More research is needed to in the first place verify these results, and second to assess whether patient-specific parameters determine whether a patient would benefit from one treatment option over the other.

Azithromycin for treatment of hospitalised COVID-19 patients: a randomised, multicentre, open-label clinical trial (DAWn-AZITHRO).

Background And Objectives: Azithromycin was rapidly adopted as a repurposed drug to treat coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) early in the pandemic. We aimed to evaluate its efficacy in patients hospitalised for COVID-19.

Methods: In a series of randomised, open-label, phase 2 proof-of-concept, multicentre clinical trials (Direct Antivirals Working against the novel coronavirus (DAWn)), several treatments were compared with standard of care.

Great expectations of IVF patients: the role of gender, dispositional optimism and shared IVF prognoses.

Study Question: Which success rates do female and male IVF patients expect, what determines their expectations and do patients reconsider their expectations after receiving a personal IVF prognosis at the expense of anxious reactions?

Summary Answer: Female and male IVF patients have unrealistic high expectations which are positively associated with their dispositional optimism, and which are only reconsidered by patients receiving a less than average IVF prognosis, which leads to more anxious reactions in females.

What Is Known Already: Female patients undergoing IVF are known to have unrealistic expectations of the success of their own IVF cycle. The available evidence suggests women expect above average performance of their fertility clinic and (family) reproductive systems.

Socio-demographic determinants of children home learning experiences during COVID 19 school closure.

There were concerns about the inclusivity of learning for children living in countries with limited technology facilities during the COVID 19 school closure. This study investigates the socio-demographic determinant of engagement in home learning and the type of activity engagement for school children across Nigeria during the COVID 19 school closure. Regression and descriptive analysis of 1121 respondents revealed that household size, school communication and perceived socioeconomic status of parents were related to engagement in home learning while household wealth was associated to all types of activity engagement.

Antibiotic prescribing rate after optimal near-patient C-reactive protein testing in acutely ill children presenting to ambulatory care (ARON project): protocol for a cluster-randomized pragmatic trial.

Introduction: Children become ill quite often, mainly because of infections, most of which can be managed in the community. Many children are prescribed antibiotics which contributes to antimicrobial resistance and reinforces health-seeking behaviour. Point-of-care C reactive protein (POC CRP) testing, prescription guidance and safety-netting advice can help safely reduce antibiotic prescribing to acutely ill children in ambulatory care as well as save costs at a systems level.

Postoperative delirium and quality of life after transcatheter and surgical aortic valve replacement: A prospective observational study.

Objective: In older patients, postoperative delirium is a frequently occurring complication after surgical aortic valve replacement, leading to an excess in postoperative morbidity and mortality. It remains controversial whether transcatheter aortic valve implantation and minimally invasive surgical aortic valve replacement can reduce the risk of postoperative delirium. This study aimed to compare the incidence of postoperative delirium after transcatheter aortic valve implantation and surgical aortic valve replacement and the impact on long-term outcomes.

Individual factors influencing COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in between and during pandemic waves (July-December 2020).

Background: A year after the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, the global rollout of vaccines gives us hope of ending the pandemic. Lack of vaccine confidence, however, poses a threat to vaccination campaigns. This study aims at identifying individuals' characteristics that explain vaccine willingness in Flanders (Belgium), while also describing trends over time (July-December 2020).

Invariance of the WHO violence against women instrument among Kenyan adolescent girls and young women: Bayesian psychometric modeling.

Introduction: To make valid comparisons across groups, a measurement instrument needs to be measurement invariant across those groups. The present study evaluates measurement invariance for experience of violence among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in two informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya.

Methods: We used survey data collected from 1,081 AGYW aged 15-22 years from two Nairobi's informal settlements of Korogocho (n = 617) and Viwandani (n = 464) in 2017 through DREAMS (an initiative aimed at reducing HIV incidence among AGYW with a core package of evidence-based interventions) impact evaluation project.

Clinical evaluation of a cutaneous zero-heat-flux thermometer during cardiac surgery.

We evaluated the disposable non-invasive SpotOn™ thermometer relying on the zero-heat-flux technology. We tested the hypothesis that this technology may accurately estimate the core temperature. The primary objective was to compare cutaneous temperature measurements from this device with blood temperatures measured with the pulmonary artery catheter.

Comparison of the tumor immune microenvironment of primary hormone receptor-negative HER2-positive and triple negative breast cancer.

The vast majority of studies investigating immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) in patients with breast cancer have focused on triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). In this study, we compared the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) between TNBC and hormone receptor-negative HER2-positive breast cancer based on a selection of immune markers at the protein level in an institutional retrospective series. Additionally, we performed a similar comparison using publicly available transcriptomics data.