Undifferentiated Intimal Sarcoma of the Visceral Aorta With Recurrent Renovisceral Ischaemia Misdiagnosed as Takayasu's Arteritis.

Introduction: Malignant tumours of the aorta are a rare disease and often misdiagnosed as they masquerade as wall adjacent thrombus or inflammatory disease. Due to the often delayed diagnosis and the rapidly progressing illness, the outcome is very poor.

Report: A 50 year old female patient who had received coeliac and mesenteric artery stenting followed by an aortomesenteric bypass after stent occlusion two years earlier was treated.

Physicochemical Stability of Nab-Paclitaxel (Pazenir) Infusion Dispersions in Original Glass Vials and EVA Infusion Bags.

Background/objectives: The study objective was to determine the physicochemical stability of nab-paclitaxel (Pazenir) ready-to-use (RTU) dispersion for infusion in original glass vials and ready-to-administer (RTA) infusion dispersion in EVA infusion bags.

Methods: Triplicate test dispersions were prepared and stored light protected for a maximum of 28 days either in the original glass vials (RTU) at 2-8 °C or in EVA infusion bags (RTA) at 2-8 °C and at 25 °C. Directly after reconstitution and on days 1, 3, 5, 7, 14, 21, and 28 samples were withdrawn and paclitaxel concentrations assayed by a stability-indicating HPLC method.

The health-related quality of life of sarcoma patients treated with neoadjuvant versus adjuvant radiotherapy - Results of a multi-center observational study.

Aim: The sequence of radiotherapy and resection in patients with soft tissue sarcomas is usually discussed on an individual basis. Better understanding of potential differences of health-related quality of life (QoL) between patients undergoing adjuvant (ART) versus neoadjuvant radiotherapy (NART) is therefore helpful for clinical decision making.

Methods: Adult sarcoma patients from 39 hospitals completed the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Core Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30).

Health related Quality of Life over time in German sarcoma patients. An analysis of associated factors - results of the PROSa study.

Introduction: Sarcomas are rare cancers and very heterogeneous in their location, histological subtype, and treatment. Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) of sarcoma patients has rarely been investigated in longitudinal studies.

Methods: Here, we assessed adult sarcoma patients and survivors between September 2017 and February 2020, and followed-up for one year in 39 study centers in Germany.

Early warning for SpO decrease by the oxygen reserve index in neonates and small infants.

Introduction: Continuously assessing the oxygenation levels of patients to detect and prevent hypoxemia can be advantageous for safe anesthesia, especially in neonates and small infants. The oxygen reserve index (ORI) is a new parameter that can assess oxygenation through a relationship with arterial oxygen partial pressure (PaO ). The aim of this study was to examine whether the ORI provides a clinically relevant warning time for an impending SpO (pulse oximetry hemoglobin saturation) reduction in neonates and small infants.

Physicochemical Stability of Generic Thiotepa Concentrate and Ready-to-Administer Infusion Solutions for Conditioning Treatment.

The objective of this study was to determine the physicochemical in-use stability of recently approved Thiotepa Riemser concentrate in the original vial and diluted ready-to-administer (RTA) infusion solutions in prefilled glucose 5% and 0.9% NaCl polyolefin bags. Thiotepa Riemser 10 mg/mL concentrates and infusion solutions (1 mg/mL, 2 mg/mL, 3 mg/mL) were prepared in triplicate and stored at 2-8 °C or 25 °C for 14 days.

A multicenter international prospective study of the validity and reliability of a COVID-19-specific health-related quality of life questionnaire.

Purpose: To develop and validate a health-related quality of life (HRQoL) questionnaire for patients with current or previous coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in an international setting.

Methods: This multicenter international methodology study followed standardized guidelines for a four-phase questionnaire development. Here, we report on the pretesting and validation of our international questionnaire.

Distress in soft-tissue sarcoma and gastrointestinal stromal tumours patients-Results of a German multicentre observational study (PROSa).

Objective: Soft tissue sarcomas (STS) and gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST) are a group of rare malignant tumours with a high and heterogenous disease burden. As evidence is scarce, we analysed the prevalence of increased emotional distress and identified distress-associated factors in these patients.

Methods: The PROSa-study (Burden and medical care of sarcoma) was conducted between 2017 and 2020 in 39 study centres.

Machine learning aided classification of tremor in multiple sclerosis.

Background: Tremors are frequent and disabling in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Characteristic tremor frequencies in MS have a broad distribution range (1-10 Hz), which confounds the diagnostic from other forms of tremors. In this study, we propose a classification method for distinguishing MS tremors from other forms of cerebellar tremors.

Health-related quality of life in patients with COVID-19; international development of a patient-reported outcome measure.

Background: We aimed to create a questionnaire to assess the health-related quality of life including functioning, symptoms, and general health status of adult patients with current or previous COVID-19. Here, we report on Phase I and II of the development.

Methods: Internationally recognized methodology for questionnaire development was followed.

Novel Clinical Insights into Spinal Hemangioblastoma in Adults: A Systematic Review.

Background: Hemangioblastomas (HBs) are well-vascularized, benign central nervous system tumors and the third most common primary spinal cord tumor after astrocytoma/ependymoma, occurring sporadically or as a part of autosomal dominant von Hippel-Lindau disease, in which tumors are often multiple and prone to relapse. Spinal HBs are commonly located in the cervical cord and associated with a syrinx formation. Owing to location and growth trends, they may cause significant neurological deficit, impairing quality of life.

Course of social support and associations with distress after partial laryngectomy.

Purpose: Social support has been shown to be positively associated with quality of life and adjustment after a cancer diagnosis. The present study investigates the course of social support up to one year after partial laryngectomy and its association with distress.

Design: Longitudinal questionnaire study.

Predictors of psychiatric comorbidity in cancer patients at the time of their discharge from the hospital.

Purpose: A cancer diagnosis can have a substantial impact on one's mental health. The present study investigated the prevalence and predictors of psychiatric comorbidities in cancer patients at the time of their discharge from the hospital.

Methods: Psychiatric comorbidities were assessed shortly before hospital discharge and half a year after hospitalization using a structured clinical interview (SCID), based on the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-IV).

Methodological approach for determining the Minimal Important Difference and Minimal Important Change scores for the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Head and Neck Cancer Module (EORTC QLQ-HN43) exemplified by the Swallowing scale.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore what methods should be used to determine the minimal important difference (MID) and minimal important change (MIC) in scores for the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Head and Neck Cancer Module, the EORTC QLQ-HN43.

Methods: In an international multi-centre study, patients with head and neck cancer completed the EORTC QLQ-HN43 before the onset of treatment (t1), three months after baseline (t2), and six months after baseline (t3). The methods explored for determining the MID were: (1) group comparisons based on performance status; (2) 0.

Health-related quality of life issues, including symptoms, in patients with active COVID-19 or post COVID-19; a systematic literature review.

Purpose: This systematic review was performed to identify all relevant health-related quality of life (HRQoL) issues associated with COVID-19.

Methods: A systematic literature search was undertaken in April 2020. In four teams of three reviewers each, all abstracts were independently reviewed for inclusion by two reviewers.

Treatment patterns in older patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: Results from an EORTC led survey.

Objectives: We aimed to assess patterns of care delivered to older patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (LA-HNSCC), and to analyze the use of geriatric assessment (GA) and assessment of quality of life (QoL).

Materials And Methods: Members of the head and neck cancer group and the older task force of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC), members the European Head and Neck Society and members of national groups in Europe were asked to complete a questionnaire about treatment delivered, use of GA, and QoL assessment in older patients with LA-HNSCC.

Results: Investigators from 111 centers replied, including 90 (81.

Intraoperative transfusion practice in burned children in a university hospital over four years: a retrospective analysis.

Background: Patient blood management programs should be applied to the pediatric population, but little is known about the current transfusion practice of pediatric burn injury patients. This retrospective study was performed to evaluate the practice of red blood cell (RBC) transfusion in children with burn injury, their predictive factors, and adherence to the German transfusion guideline.

Methods: We reviewed the RBC transfusion practice of all children younger than 8 years with burn injury who were operated during a four-year period in a German university medical center.

[Sex/gender differences in COVID-19 lethality: what the data say, and do not say].

Background: scientific literature indicates that there are sex, and gender differences in the development, symptomatology and evolution of different diseases, in the response to drugs and in the therapeutic pathways. Even in the COVID-19 epidemic some sex/gender differences emerged.

Objectives: to analyze COVID-19 epidemic data by gender and age in Italy, Germany, Spain, and Sweden, characterized by having implemented different pandemic containment policies, with the aim of observing any characteristics that can be interpreted with the lens of sex/gender differences.

Non-invasive haemoglobin measurement as an index test to detect pre-operative anaemia in elective surgery patients - a prospective study.

Non-invasive haemoglobin measurement using absolute values lacks the precision to be the sole basis for the treatment of pre-operative anaemia. However, it can possibly serve as a screening test, indexing 'anaemia' with high sensitivity when values remain under prespecified cut-off values. Based on previous data, non-invasive haemoglobin cut-off values (146 g.

Disability-related-distress in primary school learners with vision impairment due to uncorrected refractive error in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa - a qualitative study.

Background: Uncorrected refractive error (URE) is a major cause of vision impairment among children that impacts negatively on their lives including distresses. We aim to understand the disability-related distress among vision-impaired children due to URE in rural and semi-rural South Africa using qualitative techniques.

Methods: Structured focus groups of children (aged 5-12 years old) with normal vision and vision impairment due to URE from four schools in Pinetown, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, were performed (four mixed-gender group discussions and eight single gender group discussions).