Impact of SARS-CoV-2 Lockdown on Glycaemic Control: A Retrospective Observational Cohort Study in a Tertiary Setting.

We analysed the effects of Swiss national lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic on the glycaemic control in patients with diabetes mellitus. In a retrospective observational cohort study with observation period 16 December 2018-27 July 2020, we included tertiary care patients with diabetes and at least one glycated haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) measurement before and after the lockdown beginning. Main outcome measure was change in HbA1c after the lockdown.

Automated Thrombin Generation Assay for Rivaroxaban, Apixaban, and Edoxaban Measurements.

The thrombin generation assay (TG) is a promising approach to measure the degree of anticoagulation in patients treated with direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC). A strong association with plasma drug concentrations would be a meaningful argument for the potential use to monitor DOAC. We aimed to study the correlation of TG with rivaroxaban, apixaban, and edoxaban drug concentrations in a large, prospective multicenter cross-sectional study.

European Association of Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Pediatric Cardiac Anesthesia Fellowship Curriculum: First Edition.

Pediatric cardiac anesthesia is a subspecialty of cardiac and pediatric anesthesiology dedicated to the perioperative care of patients with congenital heart disease. Members of the Congenital and Education Subcommittees of the European Association of Cardiothoracic Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care (EACTAIC) agreed on the necessity to develop an EACTAIC pediatric cardiac anesthesia fellowship curriculum. This manuscript represents a consensus on the composition and the design of the EACTAIC Pediatric Cardiac Anesthesia Fellowship program.

Hierarchical imaging and computational analysis of three-dimensional vascular network architecture in the entire postnatal and adult mouse brain.

The formation of new blood vessels and the establishment of vascular networks are crucial during brain development, in the adult healthy brain, as well as in various diseases of the central nervous system. Here, we describe a step-by-step protocol for our recently developed method that enables hierarchical imaging and computational analysis of vascular networks in postnatal and adult mouse brains. The different stages of the procedure include resin-based vascular corrosion casting, scanning electron microscopy, synchrotron radiation and desktop microcomputed tomography imaging, and computational network analysis.

Engraftment characterization of risk-stratified AML in NSGS mice.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is the most common acute leukemia in adults. Disease heterogeneity is well documented, and patient stratification determines treatment decisions. Patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) from risk-stratified AML are crucial for studying AML biology and testing novel therapeutics.

Effect of a factor-based coagulation management on blood product use after major burn injury: A retrospective cohort study.

Background: Transfusion of allogenic blood products was shown to be associated with more adverse events and a higher mortality in severely burned patients. This study investigated the impact of a goal-directed and factor-based coagulation algorithm on blood product use and clinical outcomes in severely burned patients.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included adult patients admitted to the burn center of the University Hospital Zurich with major burn injuries compromising 20-80% of total body surface area.

Establishing standardized immune phenotyping of metastatic melanoma by digital pathology.

CD8+ tumor-infiltrating T cells can be regarded as one of the most relevant predictive biomarkers in immune-oncology. Highly infiltrated tumors, referred to as inflamed (clinically "hot"), show the most favorable response to immune checkpoint inhibitors in contrast to tumors with a scarce immune infiltrate called immune desert or excluded (clinically "cold"). Nevertheless, quantitative and reproducible methods examining their prevalence within tumors are lacking.

The concepts of rechallenge and retreatment with immune checkpoint blockade in melanoma patients.

Forty to 60% of patients with advanced or metastatic melanoma respond to first-line immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) and half of all patients in the metastatic setting eventually progress. This review evaluated the latest long-term data from clinical trials. It also considered data from recent retrospective studies, as these address important questions for clinical practice.

How to Synchronize Longitudinal Patient Data With the Underlying Disease Progression: A Pilot Study Using the Biomarker CRP for Timing COVID-19.

The continued digitalization of medicine has led to an increased availability of longitudinal patient data that allows the investigation of novel and known diseases in unprecedented detail. However, to accurately describe any underlying pathophysiology and allow inter-patient comparisons, individual patient trajectories have to be synchronized based on temporal markers. In this pilot study, we use longitudinal data from critically ill ICU COVID-19 patients to compare the commonly used alignment markers "onset of symptoms," "hospital admission," and "ICU admission" with a novel objective method based on the peak value of the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein (CRP).

Process variations between Swiss units treating neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and their effect on short-term outcome.

Objective: To compare therapeutic hypothermia (TH) treatment of term and near-term neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) between neonatal units.

Study Design: Population-based, retrospective analysis of TH initiation and maintenance, and of diagnostic imaging. The comparison between units was based on crude data analysis, indirect standardization, and adjusted logistic regression.

Stromal composition predicts recurrence of early rectal cancer after local excision.

Aims: After local excision of early rectal cancer, definitive lymph node status is not available. An alternative means for accurate assessment of recurrence risk is required to determine the most appropriate subsequent management. Currently used measures are suboptimal.

Survival of brain tumour patients with epilepsy.

Pro-tumorigenic electrochemical synapses between neurons and brain tumour cells in preclinical studies suggest unfavourable effects of epilepsy on patient survival. We investigated associations of epilepsy and survival in three cohorts of brain tumour patients (meningioma, glioblastoma and brain metastases). Cohorts were segregated into three groups for comparative analyses: (i) no epilepsy; (ii) epilepsy without status epilepticus; and (iii) status epilepticus.

Long-term dietary supplementation with plant-derived omega-3 fatty acid improves outcome in experimental ischemic stroke.

Background And Aims: Early revascularization -the gold standard therapy for ischemic stroke- is often withheld in the elderly population due to high risk of complications. Thus, safe and effective preventive and therapeutic options are needed. The plant-derived omega-3-fatty-acid alpha-linolenic-acid (ALA) has emerged as a novel cardiovascular-protective agent.

Avatar-based patient monitoring in critical anaesthesia events: a randomised high-fidelity simulation study.

Background: Failures in situation awareness cause two-thirds of anaesthesia complications. Avatar-based patient monitoring may promote situation awareness in critical situations.

Methods: We conducted a prospective, randomised, high-fidelity simulation study powered for non-inferiority.

Towards a new WHO classification of renal cell tumor: what the clinician needs to know-a narrative review.

In 1952, renal cell carcinomas had been divided into 2 categories-clear cell or granular cell-depending upon their cytoplasmic staining characteristics. In the following years, the inventory of renal epithelial tumors has expanded by the addition of tumors named by their architectural pattern (i.e.

Prescribing Patterns of Pain Medications in Unspecific Low Back Pain in Primary Care: A Retrospective Analysis.

Acute low back pain (LBP) is one of the most prevalent diseases worldwide. Since there is evidence of excessive prescriptions of analgesics, i.e.

Effects of Vitamin B12 Supplementation on Cognitive Function, Depressive Symptoms, and Fatigue: A Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, and Meta-Regression.

Vitamin B12 is often used to improve cognitive function, depressive symptoms, and fatigue. In most cases, such complaints are not associated with overt vitamin B12 deficiency or advanced neurological disorders and the effectiveness of vitamin B12 supplementation in such cases is uncertain. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) is to assess the effects of vitamin B12 alone (B12 alone), in addition to vitamin B12 and folic acid with or without vitamin B6 (B complex) on cognitive function, depressive symptoms, and idiopathic fatigue in patients without advanced neurological disorders or overt vitamin B12 deficiency.

Effects of lenalidomide on the bone marrow microenvironment in acute myeloid leukemia: Translational analysis of the HOVON103 AML/SAKK30/10 Swiss trial cohort.

This translational study aimed at gaining insight into the effects of lenalidomide in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Forty-one AML patients aged 66 or older of the Swiss cohort of the HOVON-103 AML/SAKK30/10 study were included. After randomization, they received standard induction chemotherapy with or without lenalidomide.

A Challenging Task: Identifying Patients with Cancer of Unknown Primary (CUP) According to ESMO Guidelines: The CUPISCO Trial Experience.

Background: CUPISCO is an ongoing randomized phase II trial (NCT03498521) comparing molecularly guided therapy versus platinum-based chemotherapy in patients newly diagnosed with "unfavorable" cancer of unknown primary (CUP).

Materials And Methods: Patients with an unfavorable CUP diagnosis, as defined by the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO), and available cancer tissue for molecular sequencing are generally eligible. Potential patients with CUP entering screening undergo a review involving reference histopathology and clinical work-up by a central eligibility review team (ERT).

Allogeneic expanded adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cell therapy for perianal fistulas in Crohn's disease: A case series.

Aim: Even with optimal medical and surgical therapy, perianal fistulas in patients with Crohn's disease (CD) have low closure rates. As a new therapeutic option, administration of local mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) has proved to be an innovative option after failure of treatment with immunosuppressive or immunomodulatory agents. The aim of this work is to share our first experience with MSC administration and demonstrate its efficacy, safety and feasibility outside a clinical trial.