Kinetics of peripheral blood neutrophils in severe coronavirus disease 2019.

Objectives: Emerging evidence of dysregulation of the myeloid cell compartment urges investigations on neutrophil characteristics in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We isolated neutrophils from the blood of COVID-19 patients receiving general ward care and from patients hospitalised at intensive care units (ICUs) to explore the kinetics of circulating neutrophils and factors important for neutrophil migration and activation.

Methods: Multicolour flow cytometry was exploited for the analysis of neutrophil differentiation and activation markers.

SLC37A4-CDG: Second patient.

Recently, a disorder caused by the heterozygous de novo c.1267C>T (p.R423*) substitution in has been described.

How GDPR Enhances Transparency and Fosters Pseudonymisation in Academic Medical Research.

The European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has dotted the i's and crossed the t's in the context of academic medical research. One year into GDPR, it is clear that a change of mind and the uptake of new procedures is required. Research organisations have been looking at the possibility to establish a code-of-conduct, good practices and/or guidelines for researchers that translate GDPR's abstract principles to concrete measures suitable for implementation.

Burkitt lymphoma in children causing an osteolytic lesion in the mandible: A case report.

Imaging is the first step in diagnosing a persistent swelling of the jaw. A lymphoma in the jaw typically manifests as a poorly defined osteolytic lesion. A biopsy is mandatory and will result in definite diagnosis.

Galactose treatment of a PGM1 patient presenting with restrictive cardiomyopathy.

We report a patient diagnosed with PGM1-CDG at 11 years of age after two biallelic likely pathogenic variants in were found on research genomic sequencing. To our knowledge, he is the first patient with PGM1-CDG to be reported with a restrictive cardiomyopathy. Other clinical manifestations included cleft palate, asymptomatic elevated transaminases, intellectual disability and myopathy resulting in exercise intolerance.

Frozen section in thyroid gland follicular neoplasms: It's high time to abandon it!

Thyroid nodules are a very common clinical condition. The 2015 American Thyroid Association (ATA) guidelines recommend surgical excision for Bethesda IV nodules. The use of intraoperative frozen section (FS) has been recommended as a strategy to tailor the extent of the initial surgery.

Ultrafiltration in Acute Heart Failure: Implications of Ejection Fraction and Early Response to Treatment From CARRESS-HF.

Background Ultrafiltration is not commonly used because of higher incidence of worsening renal function without improved decongestion. We examined differential outcomes of high versus low fluid removal and preserved versus reduced ejection fraction (EF) in CARRESS-HF (Cardiorenal Rescue Study in Acute Decompensated Heart Failure). Methods and Results Baseline characteristics in the ultrafiltration arm were compared according to 24-hour ultrafiltration-based fluid removal above versus below the median.

Noninvasive prenatal testing detected acute myeloid leukemia in paucisymptomatic pregnant patient.

To the authors' best knowledge, this is the first report of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) detected by noninvasive prenatal testing. This was an aggressive case that otherwise would have been difficult to characterize due to disadvantages of "gold-standard" techniques.

Seasonal Variations in the Pathogenesis of Acute Coronary Syndromes.

Background Seasonal variations in acute coronary syndromes (ACS) have been reported, with incidence and mortality peaking in the winter. However, the underlying pathophysiology for these variations remain speculative. Methods and Results Patients with ACS who underwent optical coherence tomography were recruited from 6 countries.

Subtraction Ictal SPECT coregistered to MRI (SISCOM) as a guide in localizing childhood epilepsy.

Objective: To assess feasibility and efficacy of subtraction ictal SPECT coregistered to MRI (SISCOM) for epilepsy localization in children who are candidates for resective surgery.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed all patients ≤16 years with drug-resistant epilepsy screened for epilepsy surgery in the University Hospital of Leuven from January 2009 to January 2018. Fifty-eight hospitalizations for ictal SPECT and 51 SISCOM analyses in 44 patients were included.

Newly Developed Adult Congenital Heart Disease Anatomic and Physiological Classification: First Predictive Validity Evaluation.

Background Risk stratification for adults with congenital heart disease is usually based on the anatomic complexity of the patients' defect. The 2018 American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology guidelines for the management of adults with congenital heart disease proposed a new classification scheme, combining anatomic complexity and current physiological stage of the patient. We aimed to investigate the capacity of the Adult Congenital Heart Disease Anatomic and Physiological classification to predict 15-year mortality.

Hypoglycemia in CDG patients due to PMM2 mutations: Follow up on hyperinsulinemic patients.

Background: Phosphomannomutase 2 deficiency (PMM2-CDG) is the most common congenital disorder of glycosylation (CDG). Hypoglycemia has been reported in various CDG including PMM2-CDG. The frequency and etiology of hypoglycemia in PMM2-CDG are not well studied.

Fetal surgery for open spina bifida.

Key Content: Spina bifida is a congenital neurological condition with lifelong physical and mental effects.Open fetal repair of the spinal lesion has been shown to improve hindbrain herniation, ventriculoperitoneal shunting, independent mobility and bladder outcomes for the child and, despite an increased risk of prematurity, does not seem to increase the risk of neurodevelopmental impairment.Open fetal surgery is associated with maternal morbidity.

Clinical and Laboratory Predictors for Plaque Erosion in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndromes.

Background Plaque erosion is responsible for 25% to 40% of patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Recent studies suggest that anti-thrombotic therapy without stenting may be an option for this subset of patients. Currently, however, an invasive procedure is required to make a diagnosis of plaque erosion.

Heart Rate Reserve in Fontan Patients: Chronotropic Incompetence or Hemodynamic Limitation?

Background Patients with a Fontan circulation achieve lower peak heart rates ( HR ) during exercise. Whether this impaired chronotropic response reflects pathology of the sinoatrial node or is a consequence of altered cardiac hemodynamics is uncertain. We evaluated the adequacy of HR acceleration throughout exercise relative to metabolic demand and cardiac output in patients with a Fontan circulation relative to healthy controls.

Development of temporal lobe epilepsy during maintenance electroconvulsive therapy: A case of human kindling?

We describe a patient with new-onset temporal lobe epilepsy during prolonged maintenance electroconvulsive therapy. We suggest a possible causal relationship with maintenance electroconvulsive therapy through electrical kindling of the temporal lobe.

Long-term outcome of autogenously transplanted maxillary canines.

The aim of this study was to determine the long-term outcome of autotransplanted maxillary canines and to investigate the influencing parameters. Seventy-one patients (84 transplanted canines) volunteered to participate in this study. The mean follow-up time was 21 years.

Stroke Outcomes With Vorapaxar Versus Placebo in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndromes: Insights From the TRACER Trial.

Background Vorapaxar, a protease-activated receptor-1 antagonist, is approved for secondary prevention of cardiovascular events but is associated with increased intracranial hemorrhage. Methods and Results TRACER (Thrombin Receptor Antagonist for Clinical Event Reduction in Acute Coronary Syndrome) was a trial of vorapaxar versus placebo among patients with acute coronary syndrome. Strokes were adjudicated by a central events committee.

Somatostatin receptor PET ligands - the next generation for clinical practice.

Somatostatin receptors (SSTRs) are variably expressed by a variety of malignancies. Using radiolabeled somatostatin analogs (SSAs), the presence of SSTRs on tumor cells may be exploited for molecular imaging and for peptide receptor radionuclide therapy. In-DTPA-octreotide has long been the standard in SSTR scintigraphy.

Discordance for placental mesenchymal dysplasia in a monochorionic diamniotic twin pregnancy: A case report.

Placental mesenchymal dysplasia (PMD) occurs in about 1 in 5000 pregnancies. The differential diagnosis between PMD and partial mole is difficult on ultrasound scan, and karyotyping plays a key role in distinguishing PMD from partial mole. Our report is the first to report on the discordancy for PMD in a monochorionic setting.

Neurosurgery in a patient at peak levels of rivaroxaban: taking into account all factors.

We present a patient who underwent urgent neurosurgery for acute onset paraplegia due to a spontaneous subdural spinal hematoma less than 5 hours after she had taken rivaroxaban. The Key Clinical Question was whether early high-risk surgery on a patient taking direct oral anticoagulants is feasible. Prothrombin complex concentrate (PCC) and tranexamic acid were administered and perioperative hemostasis was good.