Sex-related differences in outcome after left atrial appendage occlusion: Insights from Europe and the EWOLUTION registry.

Background: Women with atrial fibrillation (AF) generally experience worse symptoms, poorer quality of life, and have a higher risk of stroke and death. There is limited availability of sex-related differences regarding left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO).

Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the sex-related differences in patients undergoing LAAO in EWOLUTION.

Attitude of Midwives towards Fluoride Recommendations and Oral Prevention in Infants and Young Children.

Early childhood caries is a challenge. Early dental screening flanked by multidisciplinary preventions by pediatricians, dentists, and midwives (MWs) may be helpful. New recommendations for dental screening in children (FUs) and fluoride have been introduced in Germany.

Benefit of Intravenous Alteplase before Thrombectomy Depends on ASPECTS.

Purpose: Baseline variables could be used to guide the administration of additional intravenous alteplase (IVT) before mechanical thrombectomy (MT). The aim of this study was to determine how baseline imaging and demographic parameters modify the effect of IVT on clinical outcomes in patients with ischemic stroke due to large vessel occlusion.

Methods: Multicenter retrospective cohort study of ischemic stroke patients triaged by multimodal-CT undergoing MT treatment after direct admission to an MT-eligible center.

Stimulation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells by electromagnetic transduction therapy - EMTT.

Many different pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) devises have been clinically used to stimulate healing processes, but many procedures are still without supporting basic research data. The aim of this study was to investigate a new modified pulsed electromagnetic field therapy: electromagnetic transduction therapy (EMTT). EMTT is technically based on high-intensive PEMFs with a magnetic field strength between 80 and 150 mT.

Are the Dental Guidelines for Early Dental Visits and Fluoridation Measures Supported by Pediatricians, and What Are Their Caries Prevention Efforts?

(1) Background: In Germany, new recommendations for dental examinations of children and the use of fluorides have been introduced. The pediatrician (PA) should refer the patient to the dentist for dental examinations and check-ups (DEs) from the sixth month of age. Therefore, our aim was to determine with a questionnaire the extent to which PAs find DE useful, make referrals for DE and recommend fluoride.

Real-world experience of CPX-351 as first-line treatment for patients with acute myeloid leukemia.

To investigate the efficacy and toxicities of CPX-351 outside a clinical trial, we analyzed 188 patients (median age 65 years, range 26-80) treated for therapy-related acute myeloid leukemia (t-AML, 29%) or AML with myelodysplasia-related changes (AML-MRC, 70%). Eighty-six percent received one, 14% two induction cycles, and 10% received consolidation (representing 22% of patients with CR/CRi) with CPX-351. Following induction, CR/CRi rate was 47% including 64% of patients with available information achieving measurable residual disease (MRD) negativity (<10) as measured by flow cytometry.

Long-term Efficacy of Percutaneous Epidural Neurolysis of Adhesions in Chronic Lumbar Radicular Pain: 10 Year Follow-up of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: No long-term follow-up data exist in any treatment for chronic radicular pain occurring with disc pathology and after failed back surgery. A previous randomized controlled trial (RCT) has proven efficacy in short-term follow-up as an evidence-based effective therapeutic option.

Objectives: Long term data is needed to determine the efficacy and cost- effectiveness of minimal invasive procedures.

Molecular response with blinatumomab in relapsed/refractory B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Minimal residual disease (MRD), where leukemic cell levels are lower than the morphologic detection threshold, is the most important prognostic factor for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) relapse during first-line chemotherapy treatment and is standard of care in treatment monitoring and decision making. Limited data are available on the prognostic value of MRD response after relapse. We evaluated the relationship between MRD response and outcomes in blinatumomab-treated adults with relapsed/refractory (R/R) B-cell precursor ALL.

The presence of CLL-associated stereotypic B cell receptors in the normal BCR repertoire from healthy individuals increases with age.

Background: Aging is known to induce immunosenescence, resulting in alterations in both the innate and adaptive immune system. Here we evaluated the effects of aging on B cell subsets in peripheral blood of 155 immunologically healthy individuals in four age categories (range 20-95y) via multi-parameter flow cytometry. Furthermore, we studied the naive and antigen-experienced B cell receptor (BCR) repertoire of different age groups and compared it to the clonal BCR repertoire of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), a disease typically presenting in elderly individuals.

Single fraction computed tomography-guided high-dose-rate brachytherapy or stereotactic body radiotherapy for primary and metastatic lung tumors?

Purpose: To provide a pilot dosimetric study of computed tomography (CT)-guided high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy (BRT) and stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for primary and metastatic lung lesions.

Material And Methods: For nine lung primary and metastasis patients, 3D image-based BRT plan using a single virtual catheter was planned for 34 Gy in single fraction to the gross tumor volume (GTV) + 3 mm margin to account for tumor deformation. These plans were compared to margin-based (MB-) and robustness optimized (RO-) SBRT, assuming the same tumor deformation under real-time tumor tracking.

Correction to: Somatic symptom and related disorders in children and adolescents: evaluation of a naturalistic inpatient multidisciplinary treatment.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1186/s13034-018-0239-y.].

Risk stratification strategy and assessment of disease progression in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension: Updated Recommendations from the Cologne Consensus Conference 2018.

In the summer of 2016, delegates from the German Respiratory Society, the German Society of Cardiology and the German Society of Pediatric Cardiology met in Cologne, Germany, to define consensus-based practice recommendations for the management of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). These recommendations were built on the 2015 European Pulmonary Hypertension guidelines and included new evidence, where available, and were last updated in the spring of 2018. This article focusses on the proposed risk stratification and assessment of disease progression in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), covering 3 parts: In part 1, methods and markers that are recommended to assess severity and progression of PAH are discussed and commented.

Somatic symptom and related disorders in children and adolescents: evaluation of a naturalistic inpatient multidisciplinary treatment.

Background: This naturalistic study assesses the effectiveness of inpatient multidisciplinary treatment of children and adolescents with somatic symptom disorders (SSD) and investigates the role of pain coping strategies and psychiatric comorbidity (anxiety, depression).

Methods: Sixty children and adolescents (mean age 14.4 years) with SSD who underwent inpatient multidisciplinary treatment were assessed regarding their school attendance, levels of discomfort, coping strategies and psychiatric comorbidity (depression, anxiety) at pretreatment, discharge and 6 months following treatment.

Ablation Outcomes and Predictors of Mortality Following Catheter Ablation for Ventricular Tachycardia: Data From the German Multicenter Ablation Registry.

Background: Ventricular tachycardia (VT) causes significant morbidity and mortality. Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator shocks terminate VT but confer a significant morbidity and mortality risk. Therefore, VT ablation is increasingly common.

Position paper: Rationale for the treatment of children with CCSK in the UMBRELLA SIOP-RTSG 2016 protocol.

The International Society of Paediatric Oncology-Renal Tumour Study Group (SIOP-RTSG) has developed a new protocol for the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up monitoring of childhood renal tumours - the UMBRELLA SIOP-RTSG 2016 protocol (the UMBRELLA protocol). This protocol has been designed to continue international collaboration in the treatment of childhood renal tumours and will be implemented in over 50 different countries. Clear cell sarcoma of the kidney, which is a rare paediatric renal tumour that most commonly occurs in children between 2 and 4 years of age, is specifically addressed in the UMBRELLA protocol.

Body Burden of Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethene (DDE) and Childhood Pulmonary Function.

Longitudinal studies have shown that early life exposure to dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethene (DDE) can lead to growth reduction during childhood and adolescence. In addition, DDE exposure has been linked to respiratory tract infections and an increased risk of asthma in children. Our aim was to understand the relationships between DDE exposure and pulmonary function in children, and, particularly, whether associations are mediated by the height of the children.

Treatment of Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome With Radial Soundwave Therapy in Elite Athletes: Current Evidence, Report on Two Cases, and Proposed Treatment Regimen.

Two case reports of high-level athletes with medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS), 1 an Olympian with an actual stress fracture, are presented. Successful treatment included radial soundwave therapy, pneumatic leg braces, relative rest using an antigravity treadmill, and temporary foot orthoses. Radial soundwave therapy has a high level of evidence for treatment of MTSS.

Electromagnetic Transduction Therapy for Achilles Tendinopathy: A Preliminary Report on a New Technology.

A parallel prospective feasibility study was performed on 53 patients with chronic mid-portion Achilles tendinopathy (age 44.7 ± 9.1 years).

Electromagnetic transduction therapy in non-specific low back pain: A prospective randomised controlled trial.

Objectives: A prospective randomised controlled trial to investigate the efficacy of electromagnetic transduction therapy (EMTT) for treatment of patients with non-specific low back pain.

Design: Two groups with non-specific low back pain were either treated with conventional therapy alone over 6 weeks or in combination with 8 sessions of EMTT.

Results: In both intervention groups the low back pain related pain and the degree of disability decreased significantly at follow-up visits.