24-hour Follow-up Research Articles

Disposition and Follow-up for Low-Risk Febrile Infants: A Secondary Analysis of a Multicenter Study.

American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines recommend that febrile infants at low risk for invasive bacterial infection be discharged from the emergency department (ED) if primary care provider (PCP) follow-up occurs within 24 hours. We aimed to (1) assess the association between having electronic health record (EHR) documentation of a PCP and ED disposition and (2) describe documentation of potential barriers to discharge and plans for post-discharge follow-up in low-risk febrile infants. We conducted a secondary analysis of a multicenter, cross-sectional study of low-risk febrile infants. Descriptive statistics characterized ED disposition on the basis of the day of the visit, EHR documentation of PCP, scheduled or recommended PCP follow-up, and barriers to discharge. Most infants (3565/4042, 90.5%) had EHR documentation of a PCP. Compared with discharged infants, a similar proportion of hospitalized infants had EHR documentation of PCP (90.3% vs 91.2%, P = .47). Few infants (1.5%) had barriers to discharge documented. Of the 3360 infants (83.1%) discharged from the ED, 1544 (46.0%) had documentation of scheduled or recommended 24-hour PCP follow-up. Discharged infants with weekday visits were more likely than those with weekend visits to have documentation of scheduled or recommended 24-hour follow-up (50.0% vs 35.5%, P < .001). Most infants had a documented PCP, yet fewer than half had documentation of a scheduled or recommended 24-hour follow-up. A dedicated focus on determining post-ED care plans that are safe and patient-centered may improve the quality of care for this population.

CASE SERIES: EFFICACY OF THROMBOLYSIS USING INTRAVENOUS ALTEPLASE IN ACUTE ISCHEMIC STROKE WITH ONSET LESS THAN 6 HOURS (CODE STROKE)

Background: The gold standard therapy for acute ischemic stroke is timely reperfusion of ischemic brain tissue. Intravenous thrombolysis with tPA is the only proven medical therapy for acute ischemic stroke within 4.5 hours of symptom onset using intravenous alteplase at a dose of 0.9 mg per kilogram of body weight. Hemorrhagic transformation is one of the complications of thrombolytic therapy and East Asian population having a higher prevalence of cerebral hemorrhage. This study will examine several cases of ischemic stroke that were treated with thrombolysis using a standard dose (0.9 mg/kg) of intravenous alteplase in acute ischemic stroke with an onset of less than 6 hours in the Special Region of Yogyakarta, especially at the UGM Academic Hospital. Objective: To determine the efficacy of standard dose thrombolysis using intravenous alteplase (rTPA-recombinant tissue plasminogen activator) in acute ischemic stroke with an onset of less than 6 hours through activation of the Code Stroke. Methods: Descriptive research design using a case series, the hyperacute stroke patients with an onset of less than 6 hours who received intravenous alteplase which were then assessed by the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score at initial admission, 24 hours post-alteplase and 30 days post -alteplase. The study took place and was conducted from May to October 2022 by administering intravenous alteplase at a dose of 0.9 mg/kg body weight in acute ischemic stroke patients at UGM RSA who are eligible for thrombolysis therapy with a maximum administration time of 6 hours after stroke onset with the maximum dose of alteplase is 50 mg. Results: The study sample was 8 patients with acute ischemic stroke who were treated between May to October 2022. There were 2 patients who died before completing the 3-month follow-up. One of the patients died within the second week of treatment from sepsis which may have occurred from a pre-existing pneumonia. Another patient died from ileus that occurred 1 month after tissue plasminogen activator (tPA). However, the patient with this ileus showed clinical improvement at the 24-hour post-tPA follow-up, i.e. the initial NIHSS score of 12 improved to an NIHSS score of 6. Conclusion: The modified Alteplase dose, which is 0.9 mg/kg body weight with a maximum dose of 50 mg, at the onset of stroke less than 6 hours can be an option to maximize thrombolytic therapy while still considering the efficiency of treatment costs.

Isradipine augmentation of virtual reality cue exposure therapy for tobacco craving: a triple-blind randomized controlled trial.

Preclinical research with rodents suggests that the L-type calcium channel blocker isradipine can enhance long-term extinction of conditioned place preference for addictive substances when it is administered in conjunction with extinction training. Although isradipine alone, which is FDA-approved for hypertension, has not shown a direct effect on craving in human drug users, its potential to augment behavioral treatments designed to reduce craving remains unknown. We conducted a triple-blind, randomized placebo-controlled pilot clinical trial of isradipine combined with a novel virtual reality cue exposure therapy (VR-CET) approach with multimodal cues that targeted craving. After 24 hours of abstinence, 78 adults with an ongoing history of daily cigarette use received isradipine (n = 40) or placebo (n = 38) and reported craving levels after each of 10 trials of VR-CET. Consistent with pre-registered hypotheses, the isradipine group had significantly lower mean craving across cue exposure trials at the medication-free 24-hour follow-up (d = -0.42, p = 0.046). There were no serious adverse events; however, side effects such as headache and dizziness occurred more frequently in the isradipine group. The findings of the current study support follow-up clinical trials that specifically test the efficacy of isradipine-augmented VR-CET for reducing smoking relapse rates after an initial quit attempt. clinicaltrials.gov: NCT03083353.

Association between CT Perfusion Parameters and Hemorrhagic Transformation after Endovascular Treatment in Acute Ischemic Stroke: Results from the ESCAPE-NA1 Trial.

Hemorrhagic transformation can occur as a complication of endovascular treatment for acute ischemic stroke. This study aimed to determine whether ischemia depth as measured by admission CTP metrics can predict the development of hemorrhagic transformation at 24 hours. Patients with baseline CTP and 24-hour follow-up imaging from the ESCAPE-NA1 trial were included. RAPID software was used to generate CTP volume maps for relative CBF, CBV, and time-to-maximum at different thresholds. Hemorrhage on 24-hour imaging was classified according to the Heidelberg system, and volumes were calculated. Univariable and multivariable regression analyses assessed the association between CTP lesion volumes and hemorrhage/hemorrhage subtypes. Among 408 patients with baseline CTP, 142 (35%) had hemorrhagic transformation at 24-hour follow-up, with 89 (63%) classified as hemorrhagic infarction (HI1/HI2), and 53 (37%), as parenchymal hematoma (PH1/PH2). Patients with HI or PH had larger volumes of low relative CBF and CBV at each threshold compared with those without hemorrhage. After we adjustied for baseline and treatment variables, only increased relative CBF <30% lesion volume was associated with any hemorrhage (adjusted OR, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.02-1.27 per 10 mL), as well as parenchymal hematoma (adjusted OR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.06-1.43 per 10 mL). No significant associations were observed for hemorrhagic infarction. Larger "core" volumes of relative CBF <30% were associated with an increased risk of PH following endovascular treatment. This particular metric, in conjunction with other clinical and imaging variables, may, therefore, help estimate the risk of post-endovascular treatment hemorrhagic complications.

24-Hour Compared With 48-Hour β-hCG Follow-up for Patients With Pregnancy of Unknown Location [ID 2683407

INTRODUCTION: Patients who are followed with a pregnancy of unknown location (PUL) are generally advised to return for repeat β-hCG level after 48 hours. This study compares the time to final diagnosis for patients who had repeat β-hCG levels 24 versus 48 hours after diagnosis of PUL. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of patients diagnosed with PUL who were recommended to return at 24 versus 48 hours at a single site from 2021 to 2022. We reviewed charts for time to final diagnosis, demographic characteristics, pregnancy history, β-hCG levels, interventions, and whether the patient was lost to follow-up. We compared the time to final diagnosis using Kaplan–Meier curves and log-rank tests between the two cohorts. RESULTS: Over the two-year time period, 61 patients were eligible for inclusion, 18 of whom followed up at 24 hours and 43 of whom followed up at 48 hours. Most patients completed the recommended follow-up (94.4% 24-hour versus 83.7% 48-hour). The median time to final diagnosis was 2 days (interquartile range [IQR] 1–5 days) for the 24-hour cohort compared to 6 days (IQR 3–13) for the 48-hour cohort (P=.03). None of the 24-hour group was lost to follow-up compared to 11.6% (n=5) in the 48-hour group. CONCLUSION: We found the time to final diagnosis was shorter in the 24-hour group compared to the 48-hour group. Clinicians may consider 24-hour follow-up for patients at higher risk for ectopic pregnancy or to expedite the time to a final diagnosis.

Glycemic Management Around Postprandial Exercise in People With Type 1 Diabetes: Challenge Accepted.

The precise glycemic impact and clinical relevance of postprandial exercise in type 1 diabetes (T1D) has not been clarified yet. This work aimed to examine acute, subacute, and late effects of postprandial exercise on blood glucose (BG). A randomized, controlled trial comprised 4 laboratory visits, with 24-hour follow-up at home. Participants included adults with T1D (n = 8), aged 44 ± 13 years, with body mass index of 24 ± 2.1. Intervention included 30 minutes of rest (CONTROL), walking (WALK), moderate-intensity (MOD), or intermittent high-intensity (IHE) exercise performed 60 minutes after a standardized meal. Main outcome measures included BG change during exercise/control (acute), and secondary outcomes included the subacute (≤2 h after) and late glycemic effects (≤24 h after). Exercise reduced postprandial glucose (PPG) excursion compared to CONTROL, with a consistent BG decline in all patients for all modalities (mean declines -45 ± 24, -71 ± 39, and -35 ± 21 mg/dL, during WALK, MOD, and IHE, respectively (P < .001). For this decline, clinical superiority was demonstrated separately for each exercise modality vs CONTROL. Noninferiority of WALK vs MOD was not demonstrated, noninferiority of WALK vs IHE was demonstrated, and equivalence of IHE vs MOD was not demonstrated. Hypoglycemia did not occur during exercise. BG increased in the hour after exercise (more than after CONTROL; P < .001). More than half of participants showed hyperglycemia after exercise necessitating insulin correction. There were more nocturnal hypoglycemic events after exercise vs CONTROL (P < .05). Postprandial exercise of all modalities is effective, safe, and feasible if necessary precautions are taken (ie, prandial insulin reductions), as exercise lowered maximal PPG excursion and caused a consistent and clinically relevant BG decline during exercise while there was no hypoglycemia during or shortly after exercise. However, there seem to be 2 remaining challenges: subacute postexercise hyperglycemia and nocturnal hypoglycemia.

Clinical Comparison of Three Indirect Pulp Capping Restorative Protocols: A Randomized Controlled Prospective Study.

The objective of this prospective double-blind clinical trial was to compare clinical outcomes of indirect pulp capping restorative protocols on permanent teeth over a 12-month period. Deep carious lesions in permanent teeth (90) were randomly assigned to three indirect pulp capping protocols (n=30: TheraCal LC, Dycal, and no liner). All teeth were restored with resin composite. The outcome measures were pain (VAS scale) and success rate (pulp vitality based on percussion, palpation, cold test, and radiographic findings), collected at screening, intervention, and 24-hour, 7-day, 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month follow-up visits. There was no statistically significant difference in tooth sensitivity among the three indirect pulp capping protocols nor in success rates among the restorative protocols after 1 year of follow-up (p>0.1).The respective success rates, as defined by the tooth remaining vital, after 1 year were: 96.2% for TheraCal LC, 100% for Dycal, and 100% for no liner. After 12-month evaluation, the success rate of indirect pulp capping therapy on permanent teeth was not affected by the pulp capping restorative protocol.

Why do some patients with acute ischemic stroke after intravenous thrombolytic therapy fail to improve? A case-control study

Introduction: thrombolytic therapy is the primary saving measure adopted in ischemic cerebrovascular accident (ICVA) victims, adequate for most of them. However, some patients do not show clinical progress, worsening the prognosis, which constitutes an essential scientific gap. Objective: to analyze the determinants of clinical non-improvement in stroke patients who used rt-PA thrombolytic agentes. Methods: retrospective observational case-control study, carried out from 2014 to 2017 through an active search of medical records of CVA patients undergoing thrombolytic therapy in a reference hospital in Ceará. Clinical failure was characterized as no reduction in the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale-Score (NIHSS). Results: a total of 139 patients enrolled in the study in a single CVA unit. The mean age was 66.14 years (range 34 to 95). The 24-hour follow-up was completed in 100% of patients. A favorable result 24 hours post-thrombolysis was observed in 113 patients (81.29%), and there was no clinical improvement in 26 (18.7%). Post-thrombolysis hemorrhagic transformation was a strong predictor of no improvement (p=0.004), and diabetes was the main modifiable risk factor found (p=0.040). Conclusion: diabetes and hemorrhagic transformation after thrombolysis were identified as risk factors for clinical non-improvement in patients with acute stroke undergoing thrombolytic therapy.

Retrospective Analyses of Sacral Erector Spinae Plane Blocks in Pediatric Patients

Objective: The erector spinae plane block (ESPB) was first described in 2016. Recently the use of ESPB at the sacral levels was defined for adult surgeries, and a modification of the technique for pediatric surgeries, with the claim that it could replace caudal blocks, was described by our clinic. Methods: This retrospective cohort study was approved by the institutional ethical committee of Kocaeli University Hospital (GOKAEK-2021/6.04). The data were obtained from the registry of regional anesthesia saved in the department. Pre- and perioperative data regarding age, height, weight, American Society of Anesthesiologist classification, surgery duration, and anesthesia duration during the perioperative period were collected. US-guided S-ESPB was successfully applied to 16 patients included in the retrospective study. The registry of regional anesthesia data includes detailed information on block performance, postoperative pain severity, and complications in the early postoperative period (for at least 24 h). Results: 16 pediatric patients were included in the retrospective study. The mean age of the patients was 21,5 months. The mean weight of the patients was 13,1kg. In the postoperative 24-hour follow-up, one patient had a The Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability (FLACC) score greater than 4 in the PACU. None of the patients were observed to have postoperative complications. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this study is the first to retrospectively investigate the efficacy of the S-ESPB in pain management in pediatric patients. The sacral ESPB appears to be an effective option for postoperative pain in pediatric patients undergoing lower abdominal surgery.

Plasma neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin role as a developing biomarker of acute renal failure following coronary artery bypass surgery

Introduction: Acute kidney injury (AKI) following coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) procure is related with elevated morbidity and mortality, early diagnosis of which is important for effective management of these patients. Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is a secreted glycoprotein in response to inflammation. Objectives: The current study aimed to evaluate the role of serum NGAL in predicting AKI in a group of Iranian patients undergoing CABG. Patients and Methods: This study was a cross-sectional prospective study conducted on 79 patients undergoing CABG from Mousavi hospital, Zanjan, Iran. The blood samples for serum creatinine and plasma NGAL levels were collected before anesthesia induction and at 12th, 24th and 48th hour’s post-operative. The plasma NGAL level was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. The incidence of AKI was known by the risk-injury-failure-loss-end-stage renal disease (RIFLE) criteria. Results: In 23 cases (29%) AKI development was detected. In a 24-hour follow-up, the mean serum creatinine values did not change in patients while the mean plasma NGAL level was elevated within 12 hours post-operatively (207.2±180.8 ng/mL and 119.26±103.5 ng/mL in the AKI and non-AKI groups, respectively). The plasma NGAL level measured after CABG (with the cut-off point equal to 126.4 ng/mL) showed a sensitivity of 77% and a specificity of 81% for the prediction of AKI. In AKI group, no patient had grade 3 AKI and neither required dialysis. Conclusion: These data indicated that the plasma NGAL levels could be potentially utilized for early diagnosis of AKI in patients undergoing CABG.

Long-term Efficacy of Pectoserratus Plane Block for Prevention of Post-mastectomy Pain Syndrome: Extended Follow-up From a Randomised Controlled Trial.

Pectoserratus plane block (PSPB) leads to lower postoperative pain intensity. We examined whether PSPB could also reduce the incidence of post-mastectomy pain syndrome (PMPS) in women undergoing breast cancer surgery. We performed an extension study of a randomized trial that compared PSPB versus control in women undergoing mastectomy. The primary outcome was any chronic pain at the surgical site or adjacent areas, defined as persistent/recurrent pain lasting ≥3 months. Secondary outcomes included neuropathic pain (score ≥4 in the Douleur Neuropathique 4 questionnaire), use of analgesic/anti-inflammatory drugs, pain intensity via the short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire, and type, frequency and location of the pain. Of the 60 patients that completed the 24-hour follow-up (short-term trial), 53 (88%) completed the long-term follow-up (27 in the PSPB group and 26 in the placebo group). Six of 27 patients (22%) in the PSPB group and 17 of 26 patients (65%) in the placebo group reported any chronic pain (relative risk [RR], 0.34; 95% confidence interval [95% CI]=0.16-0.73, P=0.005). The risk of neuropathic pain was also lower in the PSPB group than in the placebo group (18.5% vs. 54%, respectively; RR, 0.34; 95% CI=0.14-0.82, P=0.02). There were no differences regarding all other pain-related outcomes considering the patients who developed PMPS. The results suggest that, in the long-term, PSPB-treated participants were associated with a statistically significantly lower risk of PMPS than those who received standard general anesthesia. ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03966326).

Neurovascular Uncoupling Is Linked to Microcirculatory Dysfunction in Regions Outside the Ischemic Core Following Ischemic Stroke.

Background Normal brain function depends on the ability of the vasculature to increase blood flow to regions with high metabolic demands. Impaired neurovascular coupling, such as the local hyperemic response to neuronal activity, may contribute to poor neurological outcome after stroke despite successful recanalization, that is, futile recanalization. Methods and Results Mice implanted with chronic cranial windows were trained for awake head-fixation before experiments. One-hour occlusion of the anterior middle cerebral artery branch was induced using single-vessel photothrombosis. Cerebral perfusion and neurovascular coupling were assessed by optical coherence tomography and laser speckle contrast imaging. Capillaries and pericytes were studied in perfusion-fixed tissue by labeling lectin and platelet-derived growth factor receptor β. Arterial occlusion induced multiple spreading depolarizations over 1 hour associated with substantially reduced blood flow in the peri-ischemic cortex. Approximately half of the capillaries in the peri-ischemic area were no longer perfused at the 3- and 24-hour follow-up (45% [95% CI, 33%-58%] and 53% [95% CI, 39%-66%] reduction, respectively; P<0.0001), which was associated with contraction of an equivalent proportion of peri-ischemic capillary pericytes. The capillaries in the peri-ischemic cortex that remained perfused showed increased point prevalence of dynamic flow stalling (0.5% [95% CI, 0.2%-0.7%] at baseline, 5.1% [95% CI, 3.2%-6.5%] and 3.2% [95% CI, 1.1%-5.3%] at 3- and 24-hour follow-up, respectively; P=0.001). Whisker stimulation at the 3- and 24-hour follow-up led to reduced neurovascular coupling responses in the sensory cortex corresponding to the peri-ischemic region compared with that observed at baseline. Conclusions Arterial occlusion led to contraction of capillary pericytes and capillary flow stalling in the peri-ischemic cortex. Capillary dysfunction was associated with neurovascular uncoupling. Neurovascular coupling impairment associated with capillary dysfunction may be a mechanism that contributes to futile recanalization. Hence, the results from this study suggest a novel treatment target to improve neurological outcome after stroke.

Role of intravenous alteplase on late lesion growth and clinical outcome after stroke treatment

Several acute ischemic stroke mechanisms that cause lesion growth continue after treatment which is detrimental to long-term clinical outcome. The potential role of intravenous alteplase treatment (IVT), a standard in stroke care, in cessing the physiological processes causing post-treatment lesion development is understudied. We analyzed patients from the MR CLEAN-NO IV trial with good quality 24-hour and 1-week follow-up Non-Contrast CT scans. We delineated hypo- and hyper-dense regions on the scans as lesion. We performed univariable logistic and linear regression to estimate the influence of IVT on the presence (growth > 0 ml) and extent of late lesion growth. The association between late lesion growth and mRS was assessed using ordinal logistic regression. Interaction analysis was performed to evaluate the influence of IVT on this association. Of the 63/116 were randomized to included patients, IVT. Median growth was 8.4(−0.88–26) ml. IVT was not significantly associated with the presence (OR: 1.24 (0.57–2.74, p = 0.59) or extent (β = 5.1(−8.8–19), p = 0.47) of growth. Late lesion growth was associated with worse clinical outcome (aOR: 0.85(0.76–0.95), p < 0.01; per 10 ml). IVT did not influence this association (p = 0.18). We did not find evidence that IVT influences late lesion growth or the relationship between growth and worse clinical outcome. Therapies to reduce lesion development are necessary.

Obturator Nerve Block by Inguinal Approach in the Transurethral Resection of Lateral wall Bladder Tumor

Background: Single spinal anesthetic has been shown to be ineffective in preventing obturator nerve activation and adductor muscle contraction, which can lead to problems such as bladder perforation during transurethral resection of lateral wall bladder tumor (TURBT) under SA. To counteract this, numerous additional approaches are still being investigated, with the inguinal approach lately gaining traction. The aim of the study was to observe the incidence of jerk/ muscle spasm after obturator nerve block by Inguinal Approach in TURBT of lateral wall urinary bladder tumor under SA. Material &amp; Methods: This retrospective observational study was conducted at the Department of Anesthesiology &amp; ICU of National Institute of Kidney Diseases &amp; Urology, Dhaka, Bangladesh. The study duration was 6 months, from January 2022 to July 2022. During this period, a total of 20 cases of transurethral resection of lateral wall bladder tumor (TURBT) had been included as the study population, following inclusion and exclusion criteria. Results: Among the participants, 45% had been from the age group of 60-69 years, 30% had been from the age group of 50-59 years, 15% had been between the ages of 70-79, and 10% had been of 80 years or older. Hypertension was the most common comorbidity, observed in 70% of the participants. 45% had diabetes, 15% had chronic kidney disease, another 15% had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, 10% had heart disease, and 15% had benign enlargement of prostate. During TURBT, majority of the patients had no jerk, while only 10% had minimal jerk and 1 patient had maximum jerk. During the 24-hour follow-up, 20% of patients regarded their outcome condition as excellent, while 60% had regraded their outcome as good. Only 1 patient regarded their outcome as poor, while follow-up data was unavailable for 15% of patients. Conclusion: The study observed very few incidence of muscle spasm or jerk during TURBT after using the inguinal approach. The study also found positive short-term outcome in most of the patients.

Abstract WMP49: Occult Contrast Retention Post-thrombectomy On 24-hour Follow-up CT: Associations And Impact On Imaging Analysis

Introduction: CT performed 24h post-treatment is widely used to assess radiological outcomes in stroke studies. Even without visible hyperattenuation, occult angiographic contrast may persist in the brain and confound Hounsfield Unit-based imaging metrics such as Net Water Uptake (NWU), a measure of cerebral edema based on tissue hypoattenuation. We aimed to assess (1) the presence of retained contrast post-thrombectomy on 24h CT by comparing NWU measurements with and without adjustment for iodine using dual energy CT (DECT), (2) factors associated with amount of retention, and (3) its impact on the accuracy of NWU. Methods: In a prospective study of patients with anterior circulation large vessel occlusion who had post-thrombectomy follow-up DECT performed 24h post-treatment from two Comprehensive Stroke Centres (November 2021 to May 2022), NWU was calculated by interside comparison of Hounsfield Units of the infarct lesion and its mirror homolog. Retained contrast was quantified by the difference in NWU values with and without adjustment for iodine. We tested correlation between NWU and tissue swelling using relative hemispheric volume (rHV) and midline shift (MLS). Patients with visible hyperdensities from hemorrhagic transformation or visible contrast retention, and bilateral infarcts were excluded. Results: Of 125 patients analysed (median age 71 [IQR 61-80], baseline NIHSS 16 [IQR 9.75-21]), reperfusion (eTICI 2b-3) was achieved in 120 patients (96.8%). NWU measured with iodine adjustment was significantly higher than NWU measured without adjustment (17.1% vs 10.8%, p&lt;0.001). In multivariable median regression analysis, age (p=0.031), number of passes (p&lt;0.001) and having CT perfusion at baseline (p=0.008) were independently associated with amount of retained contrast. NWU measured with iodine adjustment correlated with rHV (p=0.043) and MLS (p=0.033), but NWU without adjustment did not (rHV p=0.350; MLS p=0.347). Conclusion: Occult angiographic iodine contrast significantly affects NWU on CT at 24h. Our data suggest adjustment for retained iodine using DECT is required for accurate NWU measures post-thrombectomy. Future studies analysing CT post-thrombectomy should consider the significance of occult contrast retention.

AI-based chatbot micro-intervention for parents: Meaningful engagement, learning, and efficacy.

Mental health issues have been on the rise among children and adolescents, and digital parenting programs have shown promising outcomes. However, there is limited research on the potential efficacy of utilizing chatbots to promote parental skills. This study aimed to understand whether parents learn from a parenting chatbot micro intervention, to assess the overall efficacy of the intervention, and to explore the user characteristics of the participants, including parental busyness, assumptions about parenting, and qualitative engagement with the chatbot. A sample of 170 parents with at least one child between 2-11 years old were recruited. A randomized control trial was conducted. Participants in the experimental group accessed a 15-min intervention that taught how to utilize positive attention and praise to promote positive behaviors in their children, while the control group remained on a waiting list. Results showed that participants engaged with a brief AI-based chatbot intervention and were able to learn effective praising skills. Although scores moved in the expected direction, there were no significant differences by condition in the praising knowledge reported by parents, perceived changes in disruptive behaviors, or parenting self-efficacy, from pre-intervention to 24-hour follow-up. The results provided insight to understand how parents engaged with the chatbot and suggests that, in general, brief, self-guided, digital interventions can promote learning in parents. It is possible that a higher dose of intervention may be needed to obtain a therapeutic change in parents. Further research implications on chatbots for parenting skills are discussed.

Clinical Characteristics and Mid-term Follow-up in Children with Isolated Complete Atrioventricular Block.

Isolated complete atrioventricular block is a rare disease often associated with maternal autoantibodies. This study aimed to present the midterm data of patients at our clinic diagnosed with isolated complete atrioventricular block. We evaluated 108 patients diagnosed with isolated complete atrioventricular block. Demographic data of the patients, electrocardiography, echocardiography, 24-hour Holter monitoring data, and follow-up and complications of the patients who underwent pacemaker implantation were evaluated retrospectively. The mean age of the patients at diagnosis was 5.51 ± 5.05 years. At the time of diagnosis, 74.8% of the patients had no symptoms associated with complete atrioventricular block. The most common symptom was fatigue. Pacemaker implantation was needed in 88 (81.4%) patients during follow-up. Significant bradycardia was the most common pacemaker implantation indication. The mean battery life was 5.41 ± 2.65 years. The battery replacement-free period of 68 patients who underwent pacemaker implantation and continued their follow-up was 4.18 ± 2.89 (0.1-10) years. Pacemaker-related complications developed in 8 patients during follow-up. Left ventricular dysfunction developed (dyssynchrony induced) in 3 patients at follow-up, and all were paced from the right ventricular anterior wall. Those patients underwent cardiac resynchronization therapy and their left ventricular dysfunction improved. Isolated complete atrioventricular block is a rare disease requiring careful clinical follow-up. Patients are often asymptomatic and significant bradycardia is the most common indication for pacemaker implantation. Left ventricular dysfunction is an important cause of morbidity, especially in patients with right ventricular anterior wall pacing. Physicians should be aware of left ventricular dysfunction during follow-up. Cardiac resynchronization therapy should be considered as a treatment option for left ventricular dysfunction.

Importance of Delayed Reperfusions in Patients With Incomplete Thrombectomy.

Background:There is paucity of data regarding the effects of delayed reperfusion (DR) on clinical outcomes in patients with incomplete reperfusion following mechanical thrombectomy. We hypothesized that DR has a strong association with clinical outcome in patients with incomplete reperfusion after mechanical thrombectomy (expanded Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction, 2a–2c).Methods:Single-institution’s stroke registry retrospective analysis of patients admitted from February 2015 to December 2020. DR was defined as the absence of any perfusion delay on ≈24-hour contrast-enhanced follow-up perfusion imaging, whereas persistent perfusion deficit denotes a perfusion delay corresponding to the catheter angiographic deficit directly after the intervention. The association of perfusion outcome (DR versus persistent perfusion deficit) with the occurrence of new infarcts and 90-day functional independence (modified Rankin Scale score 0–2) was evaluated using logistic regression analyses. Comparison of predictive accuracy was evaluated by calculating area under the curve for models with and without perfusion outcome.Results:In 566 patients (mean age 74, 49.6% female), new infarcts in the incomplete reperfusion areas were less common in DR versus persistent perfusion deficit patients (small punctiform: 17.1% versus 25%, large confluent: 7.9% versus 63.2%; P=0.001). After adjustment for confounders, DR was a strong predictor of functional independence (adjusted odds ratio, 2.37 [95% CI 1.34–4.23]). There was a significant improvement in predictive accuracy of functional independence when perfusion outcome was added to expanded Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction alone (area under the curve 0.57 versus 0.62, P=0.01).Conclusions:Occurrence of DR is closely associated with tissue outcome and functional independence. DR may be an independent prognostic parameter, suggesting it as a potential outcome surrogate for medical rescue therapies.

Causes and Outcomes of Childhood Trauma with GCS Below 9

Background: Trauma, as one of the major public health challenges, was the leading cause of death and disability in most countries. Trauma was considered as the most common reason for emergency department admission. Children are the most susceptible group of society to trauma, so we designed a study to investigate the epidemiologic feature and outcomes of trauma in children under 18 years old. In light of these findings, we might be able to prevent trauma in children. &#x0D; Materials and methods: We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study during the spring season of 2019 (for 3 months). The study population was all children under eighteen years old with GCS below 9 (1814cases), referring to the emergency department of Tabriz Emam-Reza Hospital. Among 1814 patients, 1786 patients were included. For each included patient, the outcomes of the 24-hour follow-up have been recorded. &#x0D; Result: In this study, 62.1% percent (n=1109) were males. The mean age of patients was 5.47 ± 3.1. There were 1271 (71.1%) head and neck trauma, 276 (15.5%) extremities trauma. Abdominal trauma (n=66, 3.7%) and spinal trauma (n=57, 3.2%) were the rarest types of mechanism. It was revealed that falling had the most incidence frequency (40.4%). Eventually, out of the entire study population, 1361 patients were discharged from the emergency department (75%), 5 patients transferred to the trauma ward (0.2%), 1 patient hospitalized in the intensive care unit (0.05%), 250 patients left the hospital against physician permission (14%), 110 patients referred to another center (6%), 59 patients escaped from the hospital (3%) and zero deaths. &#x0D; Conclusion: Our study suggests that the head and neck were the most injured anatomic locations in children. Males were more susceptible to being exposed to trauma. Falling and traffic accidents were the most frequent mechanism of trauma that occurred in under eighteen-year-old children. Awareness of patterns of pediatric trauma may help the adoption of safety policies and develop prevention strategies. In this regard, training prevention strategies for parents and improving playground safety will be effective.

The effects of intermittent fasting on nighttime blood pressure levels

Hypertension, a preventable disease with a high prevalence, is frequently seen in obese patients with cardiovascular risk factors. Our study aimed to investigate the effect of an intermittent fasting regimen on nighttime blood pressure levels. Patients who applied to Karabuk University Faculty of Medicine Training and Research Hospital Cardiology and Family Medicine Polyclinic between January and March 2021 and were followed up for 24 hours on an outpatient basis were included in this self-controlled interventional study. Patients underwent a second 24-hour Holter blood pressure follow-up after one month of diet, and the results were compared. The study was conducted with 30 subjects who adhered to a one-month intermittent fasting regimen. 63.3% of the patients were male, and the mean age was 54.60 ± 9.71 years. One month later, 13 patients whose nighttime blood pressure improved were assigned to Group 1 and 17 patients to Group 2. There was no important variance between the groups in terms of gender, age, height, waist circumference and BMI (p=0.609, p=0.105 and p=0.087, in order of). Mean VA and BSA were considerably lower in Group 2 (p=0.027 and p=0.045, in order of). HT duration was longer in Group 1 (p=0.001). There was no important variance between the groups in terms of smoking, alcohol use, average daily sleep time, salt intake awareness and exercise habits. The rate of snacking habits in Group 2 was statistically considerably higher (p=0.033). Intermittent fasting may be beneficial in preventing nocturnal hypertension.