Rescue therapy after failed thrombectomy in medium/distal vessel occlusions: A retrospective analysis of an international, multi-center registry.

Background: There are limited therapeutic options in cases of failed reperfusion (modified thrombolysis in cerebral infarction [mTICI] score < 2b) after stent-retriever and/or aspiration based endovascular treatment (EVT) for acute ischemic stroke. Despite the absence of data supporting its use, rescue therapy (balloon angioplasty and/or stent implantation) is often utilized in such cases. Studies are limited to large vessel occlusions, while the outcomes and complications after rescue therapy in medium/distal vessel occlusions (MDVOs) have not been reported.

Real-world management of patients with complete response under immune-checkpoint inhibition for advanced melanoma.

Background: Up to now, the optimal duration of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) has not been evaluated in prospective studies. However, current clinical practice requires decisions to be made regarding the duration of ICI in complete responders.

Material And Methods: A survey was sent to 80 DeCOG skin cancer centers to assess how decisions are made on treatment duration of ICI in melanoma after having reached complete response, and staging intervals after ICI discontinuation.

Service preferences among postpartum women (non-)affected by different types of intimate partner violence: insights from the cross-sectional study INVITE.

Background: Women in the postpartum period are at greater risk of intimate partner violence (IPV), which may cause physical, sexual, or psychological harm and have a long-lasting negative impact on mother and child. Seeking help in case of IPV in the postpartum period can be difficult.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine service preferences among postpartum women in Germany (non-)affected by IPV.

Proteomic and Metabolomic Signatures in Prediabetes Progressing to Diabetes or Reversing to Normoglycemia Within 1 Year.

Objective: Progression of prediabetes to type 2 diabetes has been associated with β-cell dysfunction, whereas its remission to normoglycemia has been related to improvement of insulin sensitivity. To understand the mechanisms and identify potential biomarkers related to prediabetes trajectories, we compared the proteomics and metabolomics profile of people with prediabetes progressing to diabetes or reversing to normoglycemia within 1 year.

Research Design And Methods: The fasting plasma concentrations of 1,389 proteins and the fasting, 30-min, and 120-min post-oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) plasma concentrations of 152 metabolites were measured in up to 134 individuals with new-onset diabetes, prediabetes, or normal glucose tolerance.

Long-term persistence of glycemic dysregulation in patients with a history of pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma.

Context: Pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGLs) are rare endocrine tumors that frequently produce catecholamines. Catecholamine-induced cardiometabolic complications substantially contribute to increased morbidity and mortality in PPGL patients prior to surgical resection.

Objective: To determine whether markers of elevated cardiometabolic risk persist in patients following PPGL resection.

Treatment and counselling preferences of postpartum women with and without symptoms of (childbirth-related) PTSD: findings of the cross-sectional study INVITE.

Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the postpartum period is a prevalent yet under-researched mental health condition. To date, many women who suffer from postpartum PTSD remain unrecognized and untreated. To enhance the accessibility of help for these women, it is crucial to offer tailored treatment and counselling services that align with their needs.

Toward Closing the Loop in Image-to-Image Conversion in Radiotherapy: A Quality Control Tool to Predict Synthetic Computed Tomography Hounsfield Unit Accuracy.

In recent years, synthetic Computed Tomography (CT) images generated from Magnetic Resonance (MR) or Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) acquisitions have been shown to be comparable to real CT images in terms of dose computation for radiotherapy simulation. However, until now, there has been no independent strategy to assess the quality of each synthetic image in the absence of ground truth. In this work, we propose a Deep Learning (DL)-based framework to predict the accuracy of synthetic CT in terms of Mean Absolute Error (MAE) without the need for a ground truth (GT).

Trends of Mycoplasma genitalium infections in Berlin, Germany, 2017-2023.

Objective: The cell wall-less species Mycoplasma genitalium is a sexually transmitted pathogen with a strong tendency to acquire resistance. Current knowledge on trends of resistance rates and differences between the at-risk population of men who have sex with men (MSM) and heterosexual patients, as well as on circulating genotypes in both groups, is limited.

Methods: Between August 2017 and December 2023, M.

Clinical confocal laser endomicroscopy for imaging of autofluorescence signals of human brain tumors and non-tumor brain.

Purpose: Analysis of autofluorescence holds promise for brain tumor delineation and diagnosis. Therefore, we investigated the potential of a commercial confocal laser scanning endomicroscopy (CLE) system for clinical imaging of brain tumors.

Methods: A clinical CLE system with fiber probe and 488 nm laser excitation was used to acquire images of tissue autofluorescence.

Exposure Profiles for the Long-Term Use of Disinfectants and Cleaning Products and Asthma.

Background: Using disinfectants and cleaning products (DCPs) at home and work is known to influence both the onset and course of asthma, but most epidemiological studies did not consider the multiplicity and correlations of exposures to DCPs. We aimed to identify exposure profiles for the long-term weekly use of DCPs by latent class analysis (LCA) and assess their associations with asthma.

Methods: LCA was conducted on data from 1143 young adults initially recruited in the German centers of Phase II of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) and followed up three times.

Trans-bronchial forceps biopsy for COVID-19 related diffuse parenchymal lung abnormalities.

Purpose: The role of lung biopsy for evaluation of persistent chest radiographic abnormalities including secondary organizing pneumonia (OP) in COVID-19 remains uncertain. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic value of trans-bronchial forceps biopsy (TBFB) in patients with persistent lung abnormalities on thoracic computed tomography (CT) scan following SARS-CoV-2 infection with particular focus on cases with OP and immunocompromised (IC) patients.

Methods: Descriptive retrospective single center analysis of all TBFB performed for diffuse lung parenchymal changes after COVID-19 03-2020 to 06-2023.

Meta-analysis of the efficacy and safety of vamorolone in Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Background: Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a severe neuromuscular disorder, often leading to wheelchair dependence by age 13 with limited treatment options, largely relying on glucocorticosteroids. We assessed the efficacy and safety of vamorolone, a modified synthetic corticosteroid, for DMD.

Methods: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis using seven databases including prospective studies comparing vamorolone with glucocorticosteroids or placebo in DMD patients.

The role of artificial intelligence in standardizing global longitudinal strain measurements in echocardiography.

Aims: To evaluate the accuracy and feasibility of artificial intelligence (AI) in left ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS) analysis as compared to conventional (Manual) and semi-automated (SemiAuto) method in echocardiography (Echo).

Methods And Results: GLS validation was performed on 550 standard Echo exams by expert cardiologists. The performance of a beginner cardiologist without experience of GLS analysis was assessed on a subset of 90 exams.

Pilot implementation of a sonography simulator in gynecological medical training and continuing education: A practical report.

Objective: In addition to patient consent, learning sonography requires considerable time and personnel resources. To implement patient-friendly and resource-saving ultrasound teaching, a comprehensively equipped sonography simulator (SoSim) was purchased at the Medical Interprofessional Training Centre (MITZ) of the Faculty of Medicine at TU Dresden. In a first step, the SoSim training was trialed in a sample (n=5) in cooperation with the Clinic and Polyclinic for Gynecology and Obstetrics at Dresden University Hospital (GYN).

A retrospective, multicentric, nationwide analysis of the impact of splenectomy on survival of pancreatic cancer patients.

Objective: Splenectomy is regularly performed in total and distal pancreatectomy due to technical reasons, lymph node dissection and radicality of the operation. However, the spleen serves as an important organ for competent immune function, and its removal is associated with an increased incidence of cancer and a worse outcome in some cancer entities (Haematologica 99:392-398, 2014; Dis Colon Rectum 51:213-217, 2008; Dis Esophagus 21:334-339, 2008). The impact of splenectomy in pancreatic cancer is not fully resolved (J Am Coll Surg 188:516-521, 1999; J Surg Oncol 119:784-793, 2019).

Prognostic value of metabolic tumor volume on [F]FDG PET/CT in addition to the TNM classification system of locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Purpose: Staging of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is commonly based on [F]FDG PET/CT, in particular to exclude distant metastases and guide local therapy approaches like resection and radiotherapy. Although it is hoped that PET/CT will increase the value of primary staging compared to conventional imaging, it is generally limited to the characterization of TNM. The first aim of this study was to evaluate the PET parameter metabolic tumor volume (MTV) above liver background uptake as a prognostic marker in lung cancer.

Post-coronavirus disease 2019-associated symptoms among children and adolescents in the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron era.

Purpose: Lack of a control group(s) and selection bias were the main criticisms of previous studies investigating the prevalence of post-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) syndrome (PCS). There are insufficient data regarding paediatric PCS, particularly in the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron era. As such, our study investigated PCS-associated symptoms in a representative control-matched cohort.

Broth microdilution protocol for determining antimicrobial susceptibility of Legionella pneumophila to clinically relevant antimicrobials.

Currently there is no detailed, internationally agreed protocol defined to evaluate antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) for Legionella pneumophila (required to establish epidemiological cut-off value or "ECOFF" boundaries); therefore, antimicrobial resistance in these isolates cannot be defined. AST methods utilising media containing activated charcoal as an ingredient, to enable Legionella growth, are unreliable as noted in an internationally authored opinion paper and a new gold standard is required. Here we define a detailed protocol for broth microdilution (BMD) using defined cell culture collection-deposited control reference strains (Philadelphia-1 and Knoxville-1) as well as two accessible reference strains with moderately (lpeAB-carrying) and markedly (23S rRNA mutation-carrying) elevated azithromycin minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC).

Associations of intraoperative end-tidal CO levels with postoperative outcome-secondary analysis of a worldwide observational study.

Background: Patients receiving intraoperative ventilation during general anesthesia often have low end-tidal CO (etCO). We examined the association of intraoperative etCO levels with the occurrence of postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) in a conveniently-sized international, prospective study named 'Local ASsessment of Ventilatory management during General Anesthesia for Surgery' (LAS VEGAS).

Methods: Patients at high risk of PPCs were categorized as 'low etCO' or 'normal to high etCO' patients, using a cut-off of 35 mmHg.

Comparison of fludarabine/melphalan (FM140) with fludarabine/melphalan/BCNU (FBM110) in patients with relapsed/refractory AML undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation - a registry study on behalf of the EBMT Acute Leukemia Working Party.

The treatment of relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is associated with a dismal prognosis. The allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) is frequently performed as salvage therapy. Reduced intensity conditioning protocols have been developed with the aim of reducing the leukemia burden without increasing their toxicity.

Hybrid closed-loop insulin therapy and risk of severe hypoglycaemia and diabetic ketoacidosis in young people (aged 2-20 years) with type 1 diabetes: a population-based study.

Background: The effect of closed-loop insulin delivery on the risk of acute diabetes complications in people with type 1 diabetes is unclear. We investigated whether the rates of severe hypoglycaemia and diabetic ketoacidosis are lower with hybrid closed-loop insulin therapy compared with sensor-augmented (open-loop) pump therapy in a large cohort of young people.

Methods: In this population-based cohort study, we evaluated young people with type 1 diabetes from 250 diabetes centres in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Luxembourg participating in the Diabetes Prospective Follow-up (DPV) initiative.