Routine monitoring for heparin-induced thrombocytopenia following lower limb arthroplasty: Is it necessary? A prospective study in a UK district general hospital.

Introduction: Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is a potentially life-threatening condition associated with heparin administration. Many orthopaedic units routinely prescribe low-molecular-weight heparins as thromboprophylaxis after hip and knee arthroplasty.

Hypothesis: We postulated that routine platelet monitoring following heparin administration is of no clinical benefit.

Comparison of generic and disease-specific measures in their ability to detect differences in pressure ulcer clinical groups.

Patient-reported outcomes can be included as end points in pressure ulcer (PU) intervention trials to provide information to inform decision-making and improve the lives of patients. However, the challenge for researchers and clinicians is identifying and choosing an appropriate instrument for each particular application that suits their research questions and clinical context. To provide researchers and clinicians with the information needed to inform choice of patient-reported outcome measures, we compared a generic and disease-specific measures' ability to discriminate between clinical groups known to differ, and determined their responsiveness to change.

Postoperative critical care and high-acuity care provision in the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand.

Background: Decisions to admit high-risk postoperative patients to critical care may be affected by resource availability. We aimed to quantify adult ICU/high-dependency unit (ICU/HDU) capacity in hospitals from the UK, Australia, and New Zealand (NZ), and to identify and describe additional 'high-acuity' beds capable of managing high-risk patients outside the ICU/HDU environment.

Methods: We used a modified Delphi consensus method to design a survey that was disseminated via investigator networks in the UK, Australia, and NZ.

Spontaneous pneumomediastinum (Hamman's syndrome): presenting as acute severe asthma.

Spontaneous pneumomediastinum (SPM) is an uncommon finding and clinicians must consider this during their clinical evaluation. High degree of suspicion and appropriate investigations play key roles in early diagnosis and avoiding potential life-threatening complications. SPM usually presents without any comorbidities (primary) or due to an underlying pathology (secondary), such as underlying asthma, barotrauma, valsalva manoeuvre or an oesophageal rupture.

Perioperative metabolic acidosis: The Bradford Anaesthetic Department Acidosis Study.

Metabolic acidosis is considered deleterious but is common in post-surgical patients admitted to intensive care unit. We evaluated the prevalence and time course of metabolic acidosis in elective major surgery, and generated hypotheses about causes, by hourly arterial blood sampling in 92 patients. Metabolic acidosis began before incision and most had occurred by the next hour.

Association between night-time surgery and occurrence of intraoperative adverse events and postoperative pulmonary complications.

Background: The aim of this post hoc analysis of a large cohort study was to evaluate the association between night-time surgery and the occurrence of intraoperative adverse events (AEs) and postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs).

Methods: LAS VEGAS (Local Assessment of Ventilatory Management During General Anesthesia for Surgery) was a prospective international 1-week study that enrolled adult patients undergoing surgical procedures with general anaesthesia and mechanical ventilation in 146 hospitals across 29 countries. Surgeries were defined as occurring during 'daytime' when induction of anaesthesia was between 8:00 AM and 7:59 PM, and as 'night-time' when induction was between 8:00 PM and 7:59 AM.

Prospective observational cohort study of the association between antiplatelet therapy, bleeding and thrombosis in patients with coronary stents undergoing noncardiac surgery.

Background: The perioperative management of antiplatelet therapy in noncardiac surgery patients who have undergone previous percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remains a dilemma. Continuing dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) may carry a risk of bleeding, while stopping antiplatelet therapy may increase the risk of perioperative major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE).

Methods: Occurrence of Bleeding and Thrombosis during Antiplatelet Therapy In Non-Cardiac Surgery (OBTAIN) was an international prospective multicentre cohort study of perioperative antiplatelet treatment, MACE, and serious bleeding in noncardiac surgery.

The Role of Continuing Perioperative Chemotherapy Post Surgery in Patients with Esophageal or Gastroesophageal Junction Adenocarcinoma: a Multicenter Cohort Study.

Purpose: The aim of this cohort study was to assess the benefit that patients with lower esophageal or gastroesophageal junction (E/GEJ) adenocarcinoma receive by continuing perioperative chemotherapy post-surgery.

Methods: Three hundred twelve patients underwent radical tumor surgical resection after preoperative chemotherapy. Chemotherapy was mainly ECX (epirubicin, cisplatin, capecitabine).

Correlation between organ-specific co-morbidities and complications in bladder cancer patients undergoing radical cystectomy.

Objective: To evaluate the association between patients' organ-specific co-morbidities and post-operative complications following radical cystectomy for bladder cancer.

Patients And Methods: All patients who underwent radical cystectomy at Aarhus University Hospital during the period from January 2006 to February 2014 were included retrospectively. A total of 40 comorbidities and 59 complications were registered meticulously.

Development of national consensus statements on food labelling interpretation and protein allocation in a low phenylalanine diet for PKU.

Background: In the treatment of phenylketonuria (PKU), there was disparity between UK dietitians regarding interpretation of how different foods should be allocated in a low phenylalanine diet (allowed without measurement, not allowed, or allowed as part of phenylalanine exchanges). This led to variable advice being given to patients.

Methodology: In 2015, British Inherited Metabolic Disease Group (BIMDG) dietitians (n = 70) were sent a multiple-choice questionnaire on the interpretation of protein from food-labels and the allocation of different foods.

Impact of body part thickness on AP pelvis radiographic image quality and effective dose.

Introduction: Within medical imaging variations in patient size can generate challenges, especially when selecting appropriate acquisition parameters. This experiment sought to evaluate the impact of increasing body part thickness on image quality (IQ) and effective dose (E) and identify optimum exposure parameters.

Methods: An anthropomorphic pelvis phantom was imaged with additional layers (1-15 cm) of animal fat as a proxy for increasing body thickness.

Recurrent activating STAT5B N642H mutation in myeloid neoplasms with eosinophilia.

Determining the underlying cause of persistent eosinophilia is important for effective clinical management but remains a diagnostic challenge in many cases. We identified STAT5B N642H, an established oncogenic mutation, in 27/1715 (1.6%) cases referred for investigation of eosinophilia.

Exercise worsening of electromechanical disturbances: A predictor of arrhythmia in long QT syndrome.

Background: Electromechanical (EM) coupling heterogeneity is significant in long QT syndrome (LQTS), particularly in symptomatic patients; EM window (EMW) has been proposed as an indicator of interaction and a better predictor of arrhythmia than QTc.

Hypothesis: To investigate the dynamic response of EMW to exercise in LQTS and its predictive value of arrhythmia.

Methods: Forty-seven LQTS carriers (45 ± 15 years, 20 with arrhythmic events), and 35 controls underwent exercise echocardiogram.

Silencing of caveolin-1 in fibroblasts as opposed to epithelial tumor cells results in increased tumor growth rate and chemoresistance in a human pancreatic cancer model.

Caveolin‑1 (Cav‑1) expression has been shown to be associated with tumor growth and resistance to chemotherapy in pancreatic cancer. The primary aim of this study was to explore the significance of Cav‑1 expression in pancreatic cancer cells as compared to fibroblasts in relation to cancer cell proliferation and chemoresistance, both in vitro and in vivo, in an immunodeficient mouse model. We also aimed to evaluate the immunohistochemical expression of Cav‑1 in the epithelial and stromal component of pancreatic cancer tissue specimens.

Navigating the treatment landscape in multiple myeloma: which combinations to use and when?

Multiple myeloma is one of the most common hematological malignancies, affecting mainly elderly patients. The treatment landscape for the management of this disease has evolved significantly over the past 15 years, and a vast array of therapeutics is now available, including immunomodulatory drugs, proteasome inhibitors, histone deacetylase inhibitors, and monoclonal antibodies. As a result, deciding which drugs to use and when, and whether these should be used in a particular order or combination, can be challenging.

The diagnostic accuracy of OCT angiography in naive and treated neovascular age-related macular degeneration: a review.

Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) is a non-invasive retinal imaging innovation that has been gaining popularity for the evaluation of the retinal vasculature. Of clinical importance is its current use either as an alternative or in conjunction with conventional dye-based angiography in neovascular age-related macular degeneration. OCTA is not without limitations and these include image artefact, a relatively small field of view and failure of the segmentation algorithms, which can confound the interpretation of findings.

Chest pain following permanent pacemaker insertion… a case of pneumopericardium due to atrial lead perforation.

Permanent pacemaker (PPM) implantation is an increasingly common procedure with complication rate estimated between 3% and 6%. Cardiac perforation by pacemaker lead(s) is rare, but a previous study has shown that it is probably an underdiagnosed complication. We are presenting a case of a patient who presented 5 days after PPM insertion with new-onset pleuritic chest pain.

Identifying the Underlying Mechanisms of Change During Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): A Systematic Review of Contemporary Mediation Studies.

Background: Mediation studies test the mechanisms by which interventions produce clinical outcomes. Consistent positive mediation results have previously been evidenced (Hayes et al., 2006) for the putative processes that compromise the psychological flexibility model of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT).

United Kingdom Diabetic Retinopathy Electronic Medical Record (UK DR EMR) Users Group: report 4, real-world data on the impact of deprivation on the presentation of diabetic eye disease at hospital services.

Aim: To assess the impact of deprivation on diabetic retinopathy presentation and related treatment interventions, as observed within the UK hospital eye service.

Methods: This is a multicentre, national diabetic retinopathy database study with anonymised data extraction across 22 centres from an electronic medical record system. The following were the inclusion criteria: all patients with diabetes and a recorded, structured diabetic retinopathy grade.

Guideline-indicated treatments and diagnostics, GRACE risk score, and survival for non-ST elevation myocardial infarction.

Aims: To investigate whether improved survival from non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), according to GRACE risk score, was associated with guideline-indicated treatments and diagnostics, and persisted after hospital discharge.

Methods And Results: National cohort study (n = 389 507 patients, n = 232 hospitals, MINAP registry), 2003-2013. The primary outcome was adjusted all-cause survival estimated using flexible parametric survival modelling with time-varying covariates.