Heart failure clinical trial enrollment at a rural satellite hospital.

Introduction: Heart failure is a clinical condition that notably affects the lives of patients in rural areas. Partnering of a rural satellite hospital with an urban academic medical center may provide geographically underrepresented populations with heart failure an opportunity to access to controlled clinical trials (CCTs).

Methods: We report our experience in screening, consenting and enrolling subjects at the VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital (VCU-CMH) in rural South Hill, Virginia, that is part of the larger VCU Health network, with the lead institution being VCU Health Medical College of Virginia Hospitals (VCU-MCV), Richmond, VA.

Clinical trial enrollment at a rural satellite hospital during COVID-19 pandemic.

Introduction: Controlled clinical trials (CCTs) have traditionally been limited to urban academic clinical centers. Implementation of CCTs in rural setting is challenged by lack of resources, the inexperience of patient care team members in CCT conductance and workflow interruption, and global inexperience with remote data monitoring.

Methods: We report our experience during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in activating through remote monitoring a multicenter clinical trial (the Study of Efficacy and Safety of Canakinumab Treatment for cytokine release syndrome (CRS) in Participants with COVID-19-induced Pneumonia [CAN-COVID] trial, ClinicalTrials.

Atrioesophageal fistula formation with cryoballoon ablation is most commonly related to the left inferior pulmonary vein.

Background: Collateral damage has been reported with use of the cryoballoon for pulmonary vein isolation.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence and characteristics associated with atrioesophageal fistula (AEF) after cryoballoon use.

Methods: Cases of AEF reported with use of the cryoballoon since 2011 were collected from the Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience (MAUDE) database, publications, and the manufacturer's database.

Alphanumeric paging: a potential source of problems in patient care and communication.

Purpose: In recent years, the use of numeric paging in many medical centers has been largely replaced by 1-way alphanumeric paging. There is currently no research studying the potential for alphanumeric paging to lead to problems in communication. The purpose of this article is to determine whether the use of alphanumeric pagers may lead to potential problems in patient care and/or communication.

Primer: pitfalls of aspiration and injection.

This review on joint aspiration and injection focuses on three common clinical problems: how to deal with 'dry taps', especially when a septic joint is suspected in the differential diagnosis; how to avoid rare complications associated with these techniques; and how to reduce pain in patients who are particularly sensitive. Solutions to these problems are proposed, and although no new data or insights are provided, this article could be used as a noncomprehensive check list for trainee rheumatologists. This review focuses on the knee, because of the common appearance of septic joints in the differential diagnosis of inflammatory knee effusion, and the paramount importance of septic joints in this setting.

Deep brain stimulation for dystonia: a meta-analysis.

Objective.  To use a meta-analysis on all reported cases of deep brain stimulation (DBS) for dystonia to determine which factors significantly influence outcome. The Burke-Fahn-Marsden (BFM) movement scale, the most reported measure, was chosen as the primary outcome measure for this analysis.

Prospective evaluation of an extubation protocol in a trauma intensive care unit population.

Little data exists regarding extubation protocols in critically injured trauma patients. The objective of the current study was to prospectively examine the impact of implementing an extubation protocol on the outcomes of ventilated trauma patients in a surgical intensive care unit (STICU). Trauma patients admitted to the STICU over a 15-month period at a Level 1 trauma center were prospectively evaluated.

Frameless stereotaxy using bone fiducial markers for deep brain stimulation.

Object: Functional neurosurgical interventions such as deep brain stimulation (DBS) are traditionally performed with the aid of a stereotactic frame. Although frameless techniques have been perceived as less accurate, data from a recent phantom study of a modified frameless approach demonstrated a laboratory accuracy exceeding that obtained using a common frame system. The present study was conducted to evaluate the accuracy of a frameless system in routine clinical use.

Multidisciplinary management of sedation and analgesia in critical care.

Management of sedation and analgesia in critical care medicine is a multidisciplinary process that involves physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and other healthcare providers. Optimal management of these common issues includes recognition of the importance of predisposing and causative conditions that contribute to the sensations of pain and discomfort, anxiety, and delirium. Treatment includes pharmacological intervention, correction of predisposing factors, and use of other preventative and nonpharmacological measures.

Neuromuscular blockade in the intensive care unit.

Neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBA) are frequently utilized in the ICU, primarily to facilitate mechanical ventilation. An ideal NMBA is nondepolarizing, has no propensity to accumulate, is easily titrated, has a rapid onset and offset, does not rely on organ function for metabolism, and has no toxic or active metabolites. Current NMBAs are classified as aminosteroids or benzylisoquinoliniums and have different features, but none are ideal.

Use of intrapartum antibiotics and the incidence of postnatal maternal and neonatal yeast infections.

Objectives: To estimate 1) the risk of candidiasis (neonatal thrush or breast infections or both) in nursing mother-infant pairs and 2) whether receipt of intrapartum antibiotics increases this risk.

Methods: Demographic and obstetric data were obtained at delivery, and telephone follow-up was obtained at 1 week and 1 and 3 months and recorded in the Lactation Services database, which was reviewed retrospectively. The diagnoses of thrush and breast candidiasis were based on symptoms and patient reports, as per standard clinical practice.

Congenital complete heart block: fetal management protocol, review of the literature, and report of the smallest successful pacemaker implantation.

Fetuses with complete heart block have an increased mortality with most deaths occurring in utero or during infancy. The cardiac evaluation of these fetuses is difficult since the ventricular rate is low and the heart is dilated. We have implemented a strategy that includes the biophysical profile, which assesses fetal well-being, in combination with the cardiovascular profile that assesses cardiac function and the circulation.

Spectral Doppler sonography of musculoskeletal soft tissue masses.

Objective: To determine whether resistive indices obtained from spectral Doppler waveforms can be used to distinguish benign from malignant musculoskeletal soft tissue masses.

Methods: A retrospective review of Doppler sonograms was performed for 52 patients with 53 soft tissue masses. All masses showed internal flow on color or power Doppler sonography, and spectral Doppler sonography yielded waveforms from which resistive indices were calculated.

Aggressive and atypical manifestations of Erdheim-Chester disease.

Erdheim-Chester disease (ECD) is a disseminated non-Langerhans' cell histiocytosis with multisystem involvement, including characteristic sclerotic musculoskeletal lesions. We present the case of a 27-year-old woman with a fulminant course and atypical involvement by ECD manifesting as extensive cerebrovascular disease and lytic musculoskeletal lesions. This case represents an unusual and aggressive presentation of ECD owing to the patient's young age, the severity of the cerebrovascular involvement and the lytic osseous lesions.

Levetiracetam: its use in partial-onset seizure.

Levetiracetam is one of the newer antiepileptic drugs released within the past decade and is indicated for use as adjunctive therapy in adults with partial-onset seizures. It is a novel antiepileptic drug with a unique activity profile and is chemically unrelated to existing antiepileptic drugs. The mechanism of action of levetiracetam does not involve conventional modulation of any of the three main mechanisms underlying classical antiepileptic drug activity.

Mycotic osteomyelitis due to Scedosporium Apiospermum: MR imaging-pathologic correlation.

Mycotic osteomyelitis is rare and occurs in immunocompromised patients after inoculation of the pathogen at a penetrating trauma site. Mycotic osteomyelitis due to Scedosporium Apiospermum is extremely rare, with only 13 cases of septic arthritis reported previously. Ours is only the third case of S.

Power thrombectomy in acute ischemic coronary syndromes.

Intracoronary thrombi are commonly found in patients with acute coronary syndromes. A large thrombus burden or a platelet-rich thrombus frequently resists pharmacologic therapy ("thrombolytic ceiling"). In such cases restoration of adequate antegrade coronary flow necessitates application of a mechanical force.

A comprehensive strategy for the evaluation and triage of the chest pain patient: a cost comparison study.

Background: Our objective was to determine the cost-effectiveness of a comprehensive, risk-based triage system, composed of multiple critical pathways, with the use of early myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) in low-risk patients. We found previously that a chest pain evaluation system that uses MPI in low-risk patients was safe and effective, but the cost-effectiveness of this approach was not studied.

Methods And Results: We compared two groups.

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) presenting as pancreatitis.

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a rare clinical entity. It is a multi-systemic disorder characterized by a clinical pentad of thrombocytopenia, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, diffuse and nonfocal neurologic symptoms, decreased renal function, and fever. Abdominal pain is an uncommon presenting symptom for TTP.

Anaerobic osteomyelitis of femoral head with intraosseous, intra-articular, bursal and muscle pneumatosis.

A case is presented of anaerobic osteomyelitis with intraosseous pneumatosis resulting in extension of gas in soft tissue structures and femur in a patient with mitral valve vegetation and bacteremia. The finding of intraosseous pneumatosis and its extension into the hip joint, iliopsoas bursa and subgluteus medius bursa is depicted. Intraosseous pneumatosis is a rare but concerning finding for osteomyelitis in the absence of a penetrating wound, recent surgery, biopsy or fracture.

Driving over 65: proceed with caution.

The issue of driving in the elderly population will continue to be relevant for public discourse. Because the termination of driving may be seen as an end of independence, it is important to appreciate that it has both emotional and pragmatic consequence. Senescence includes a host of physiological changes that may influence one's driving ability.

Comparison of medical complications following nontraumatic and traumatic spinal cord injury.

Background: Nontraumatic spinal cord injury (NT/SCI) has been shown to represent a significant proportion of individuals admitted for SCI rehabilitation. Although medical complications of patients with traumatic SCI (T/SCI) have been well studied, there is a paucity of literature regarding those with nontraumatic SCI. Our objective was to compare the incidence of secondary SCI medical complications in patients with nontraumatic and traumatic SCI.