Inadequate Therapy Research Articles

Combined impact of myofascial techniques and gymnastics for the rehabilitation of children with neuropathy of the facial nerve

Facial neuropathy (Bell’s palsy) is a disease characterized by damage to the nerve fibers of the VII cranial nerve with the occurrence of unilateral facial muscle weakness or paralysis. Damage to the facial nerve is the most common type of cranial neuropathy. Delayed treatment onset and/or inadequate therapy of the disease leads to the residual neurological deficit, which may significantly reduce the patient’s quality of life. The best result in the rehabilitation of children with facial nerve neuropathy is provided with an integrated approach using myofascial manual therapy techniques and exercises. This is achieved during the therapy sessions with a myofascial manual techniques complex. After preparing the muscles, fascia and skin, the therapist conducts a set of passive and active exercises with a patient to restore the work of his/her facial muscles. The method was created, tested, and implemented in the Federal State Autonomous Institution “National Medical Research Center of Children’s Health” of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation. The essence of the method consists of the process of therapy sessions, providing a gradual recovery of functional relationships between the myofascial structures of the face, and improvement of lymphatic drainage, arterial blood supply, and venous outflow restoration. The alternation of myofascial manual techniques with exercises contributes to the maximum effective restoration of the symmetrical work of the facial muscles. Evaluation of the effectiveness of myofascial manual techniques and corrective exercises was carried out by clinical presentation changes and follow-up data. Comprehensive rehabilitation using myofascial manual techniques and exercises makes it possible to achieve improvement in restoring the function of facial muscles, eliminating asymmetry, and preventing complications. Conclusion. The obtained results demonstrated the effectiveness of myofascial manual techniques and exercises in the rehabilitation of children with facial neuropathy. Based on the results of the study, a positive effect of this method was shown to improve the functions of mimic muscles and facial symmetry in children with Bell’s palsy.

Проблеми фізичної терапії псоріатичних артропатій На фоні коморбідної патології

Psoriatic arthropathy is a chronic inflammatory disease of the musculoskeletal system associated with psoriasis, which affects 1-2 people per 1,000 adults. It is a multifaceted disease characterized by various combinations of peripheral arthritis, dactylitis, spondylitis and enthesitis. At the same time, musculoskeletal manifestations can be combined with non-articular pathology involving the skin, nails, mucous membranes and internal organs. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the world experience of rehabilitation of motor disorders in patients with psoriatic arthropathy with comorbid conditions and to develop the most promising tasks of physical therapy. Materials and methods. To achieve this purpose, an analysis of literature sources in modern databases was conducted: Google Scholar, RSCI, Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, Medline, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. Depth of search is 20 years (from January 2002 to November 2021). Results and discussion. Diagnosis of psoriatic arthropathy is relatively normal. However, taking into account all manifestations of psoriatic arthropathy remains a difficult task in practice. The development of key features of the disease for the possibility of forming a prognosis of rehabilitation and restoring the maximum functioning of the patient remains a particularly important and unsolved task. Despite significant advances in pharmacological treatment in recent years, the effectiveness of rehabilitation of patients with psoriasis, in particular with the clinical manifestation of psoriatic arthropathy, is always limited. Inadequate therapy or tolerance to existing psoriatic arthropathy therapy leads to limited joint mobility, reduced ability to perform daily activities, including walking, and, as a consequence, reduced quality of life. In addition, psoriatic arthropathy is often combined with comorbid pathology, which adversely affects the course of the underlying disease, complicates the choice of therapeutic agents, worsens the prognosis and reduces the life expectancy of patients. Conclusion. Given the significant prevalence, chronic recurrent nature of psoriatic arthropathy, progression of arthropathy with subsequent development of limited joint mobility, frequent combination of psoriatic arthropathy with comorbid pathology significantly reduce the effectiveness of treatment and quality of patients’ life. This requires the development and scientific substantiation of new rehabilitation programs

Risk Factors Associated with Poor Outcome in Patients with Infective Endocarditis: An Italian Single-Center Experience.

Background: Nowadays, infective endocarditis (IE) is still burdened by a high mortality. In the absence of an adequate prognostic stratification system, it is important to assess new predictors of poor outcomes. The aim of our study is to evaluate which factors were associated with higher mortality in IE patients. Methods: A retrospective cohort study enrolled patients with an IE diagnosis at the Infectious Diseases Clinic of the University ‘G. D’Annunzio’, Chieti, Italy from January 2013 to December 2019. For each patient, demographic, anamnestic and clinical information, embolic phenomena, laboratory and microbiologic data, treatment, and outcomes were collected and analyzed. A correlation analysis was performed. Results: Sixty-eight patients with EI were studied; among them, the mortality was 17.6%, 20.6%, and 23.5%, intra-hospital, at 1 month from discharge and at 6 months from discharge, respectively. Mortality was significantly correlated with age, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and procalcitonin values when considering either basal values (r = 0.266, p = 0.029), or values at 48–72 h from the start of an antibiotic therapy (r = 0.222; p < 0.05), cerebral embolization for 6-month mortality (r = 0.284; p = 0.019), and inadequate antibiotic therapy (r = 0.232, p < 0.05). Conclusions: Procalcitonin values, at EI diagnosis and at 48–72 h after starting antibiotics, are prognostic factors useful for stratifying patient risk, and for setting up a personalized treatment. Of note, cerebral embolization and an inappropriate empirical treatment were associated with a higher mortality in the short- and long-term.

Dialysis Membranes for Acute Kidney Injury.

Mortality and morbidity rates among critically ill septic patients having acute kidney injury (AKI) are very high, considering the total number of deaths after their admission. Inappropriate selection of the type of continuous renal replacement therapy and inadequate therapy become the immediate causes of these issues. Dialysis is a commonly used treatment intended to prolong the life of AKI patients. Dialysis membranes, which are the core of dialysis treatment, must be properly selected to ensure fair treatment to the patients. The accumulation of certain types of molecules must be dealt with using the right membrane. Whether it is low-flux, high-flux, or adsorptive type, the dialysis membrane should be chosen depending on the condition of the patients. The selection of dialysis membranes should also be based on their effect on the treatment outcomes and well-being. All these options are needed to serve the patients of different clinical settings. The use of dialysis membranes is not restricted to conventional haemodialysis, but rather they can be employed in haemoperfusion, haemofiltration, haemodiafiltration, or a combination of any two of them. This review focuses in-depth on different types of dialysis membranes, their characteristics, and approaches in addressing the issues encountered in patients having AKI with sepsis and/or multiorgan failure in intensive care units.

Identification of Mucormycosis by Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization Targeting Ribosomal RNA in Tissue Samples.

Mucormycosis is an invasive fungal infection associated with high mortality, partly due to delayed diagnosis and inadequate empiric therapy. As fungal cultures often fail to grow Mucorales, identification of respective hyphae in tissue is frequently needed for diagnosis but may be challenging. We studied fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) targeting specific regions of the fungal ribosomal RNA (rRNA) of Mucorales to improve diagnosis of mucormycosis from tissue samples. We generated a probe combination specifically targeting Mucorales. Probe specificity was verified in silico and using cultivated fungi. Mucorales hyphae in tissue of a mouse model demonstrated a bright cytoplasmatic hybridization signal. In tissue samples of patients with mucormycosis, a positive signal was seen in 7 of 12 (58.3%) samples. However, autofluorescence in 3 of 7 (42.9%) samples impaired the diagnostic yield. Subsequent experiments suggested that availability of nutrients and antifungal therapy may impact on the FISH signal obtained with Mucorales hyphae. Diagnosis of mucormycosis from tissue might be improved by rRNA FISH in a limited number of cases only. FISH signals may reflect different physiological states of fungi in tissue. Further studies are needed to define the value of FISH to diagnose mucormycosis from other clinical samples.

Current application of antibiotic de-escalation treatment in children with sepsis and its impact on prognosis

Objective: To analyze the eligibility of empirical antibiotic therapy in culture positive sepsis in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), and to explore the application of antibiotic de-escalation (ADE) in children with sepsis and its impact on prognosis. Methods: A total of 123 children with sepsis-associated organ dysfunction or septic shock admitted to the PICU of Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University from January 2018 to December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. The general information, laboratory tests, the use of empirical anti-bacterial drugs and the application of ADE were collected. According to the adjustment of anti-bacterial drugs, these children were divided into ADE group and non-ADE group. Comparisons between groups were performed with unpaired Student t test, or Mann-Whitney U test, or chi-square test or Fisher exact test. Results: In these 123 children, 70 were males and 53 were females, the age was 11.4 (2.8, 56.5) months. Body fluid culture was detected positive in 41 children including 3 children (7.3%) who received inadequate empirical antibiotic therapy and 38 children (92.7%) who received adequate empirical antibiotic therapy. Excluding 10 children who received appropriate therapy, 28 received unnecessary broad-spectrum antibiotics. There were no significant differences regarding the PICU all-cause mortality rates, length of PICU stay, hospitalization cost, duration of mechanical ventilation, as well as incidences of re-infection between the ADE group (n=46) and non-ADE group (n=77) (all P>0.05). However, among the 101 children who have used antibiotics against multidrug-resistant organism, the duration of such antibiotics use in ADE group (n=43) was shorter than that in non-ADE group (n=58) (5.0 (4.0, 12.0) vs. 9.5 (7.0, 13.0) d, Z=-3.14, P=0.002). Conclusions: Overuse of unnecessary broad-spectrum empirical antibiotics is very common, but the application of ADE is rather disappointing. ADE can reduce the use of anti-bacterial drugs against multi-drug resistant bacteria without significant adverse effects on prognosis in children with sepsis.

P17 Vancomycin therapeutic drug monitoring—a call for change?

ObjectivesDespite the widespread use of vancomycin, optimization of dosing can be difficult. Increased vancomycin concentrations are associated with nephrotoxicity, while subtherapeutic levels may lead to inadequate antibacterial therapy and risk development of antimicrobial resistance. Recent guidelines have recommended the use of loading doses and switching to AUC24 TDM, targeting an AUC24:MIC ratio of 400–600 μg·h/mL to minimize toxicity while maintaining similar effectiveness for the treatment of serious infections. We aimed to review adherence to current local vancomycin dosing and conventional trough monitoring guidelines, as well as record time to, and factors related to, achieving target vancomycin troughs.MethodsFifty consecutive electronic prescriptions were screened for IV vancomycin use in treatment of active infections in a single acute Trust during April/May 2021. These were cross-referenced with microbiological, clinical and biochemical data from patient records. Variables were analysed by parametric or non-parametric methods on the basis of their normality distribution using GraphPad Prism.ResultsForty-one patients were included of which 39 had a vancomycin level measured. Mean age was 57 years (range 19–88) and BMI 28 (range 17–44). Nineteen had unstable renal function, including one receiving intermittent haemodialysis. Median CLCR was 95 mL/min (IQR 66–129). Indications were included on the prescription for 26. Median duration of vancomycin was 4 days (range 2–12), and half of patients ultimately switched therapy to an alternate agent . Target troughs were documented in 29 (70%), 9 of which had a target trough ≥15 μg/mL. Twenty-four had positive microbiology samples, 19 of which were organisms against which vancomycin would have expected activity. Five (13%) failed to achieve trough levels >10, 6/39 (15%) achieved troughs of 10–15, 13/39 (33%) 15–20, and 15/39 (38%) had troughs of >20 μg/mL (Figure 1). Where it was achieved, the median time to level ≥10 μg/mL was 46 h (range 11–202) and time to level ≥15 μg/mL was 68 h (range 18–243). Twenty-five (60%) patients required titration above the currently recommended initial dose, and 22 required doses of 1500 mg twice daily or higher. BMI did not correlate with vancomycin level achieved.Figure 1.Vancomycin trough ranges.ConclusionsA significant proportion of patients with serious infections fail to achieve or have a considerable delay in achieving therapeutic vancomycin trough. An even greater proportion have troughs above target and are at risk of nephrotoxicity. These findings support a potential switch to more personalized regimens using loading doses and AUC24 monitoring where vancomycin is the drug of choice. This would complement other stewardship measures to limit overall vancomycin use, achieve earlier and more complete source control, and optimize use of alternative antimicrobial therapies with more predictable PK/PD.

CHANGE IN URGENCY STATUS AMONG ULCERATIVE COLITIS PATIENTS: UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT OF TREATMENT CHANGES FROM THE COREVITAS INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE REGISTRY

Abstract BACKGROUND Stooling urgency (also known as urgency to defecate) is one of the most common symptoms among Ulcerative Colitis (UC) patients (pts). Understanding factors associated with changes in urgency status, such as the association between timing of treatment changes and subsequent onset or resolution of urgency symptoms, are essential in addressing unmet pts needs. Our aim was to explore treatment frequency and persistence among UC pts stratified by a change in urgency status from enrollment to the 6-month follow-up (6M) visit. METHODS Participants included UC pts in the CorEvitas Inflammatory Bowel Disease Registry between 5/3/17-9/1/20. Stooling urgency was defined as no urgency or urgency using the categories, none and hurry/immediate, from the Simple Clinical Colitis Activity Index (SCCAI). Urgency status groups were formed by urgency at enrollment and the 6M visit: no persistent urgency (NPU), i.e., no urgency at both visits; change from urgency to no urgency (UN); change from no urgency to urgency (NU); and persistent urgency at both visits (PU). Chi-square tests were conducted to compare treatment use and change between urgency status groups (NPU=reference group). Kaplan Meier curves and log-rank tests were used to assess time to first treatment change between urgency status groups. RESULTS The urgency status groups (n=400) included: 44% NPU (n=175), 21% UN (n=86), 14% NU (n=56), and 21% PU (n=83). A higher proportion of UN (47%, p=0.03) and PU (51%, p=0.01) pts received two or more treatments compared to NPU (33%) pts. Compared to NPU pts, pts in all three groups, UN (52% vs. 27%, p&amp;lt; 0.001), NU (45% vs. 27%, p=0.02), and PU (53% vs. 27%, p&amp;lt; 0.001) were more likely to change treatment between enrollment and the 6M visit. Similarly, a higher proportion of pts on a biologic at enrollment, UN (24% vs. 11%, p=0.01), NU (23% vs. 11%, p=0.03), and PU (35% vs 11%, p&amp;lt; 0.001), changed treatment between enrollment and the 6M visit vs. NPU pts. The time to first treatment change was shorter for all other urgency status groups when compared to NPU pts (log-rank tests, all p&amp;lt;0.02) (Figure 1). Among pts without urgency at enrollment, the time to first treatment change was shorter for NU vs. NPU pts (p=0.01) whereas it was similar for pts with urgency at enrollment, UN vs. PU pts (p=0.93) (Figure 1). CONCLUSION Among UC pts in a real-world setting, there were significant differences in change of treatment and time to treatment change between pts who experienced urgency either at their enrollment visit, 6M, or both, compared to those without urgency. Urgency at any time point is a symptom of great concern to UC pts, is a sign of inadequate therapy, and often is an indication to switch treatment therapy.

The Use of Machine Learning Algorithms in the Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Resynchronization Therapy.

Background: Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in the European Union and worldwide. Constant improvement in cardiac care is leading to an increased number of patients with heart failure, which is a challenging condition in terms of clinical management. Cardiac resynchronization therapy is becoming more popular because of its grounded position in guidelines and clinical practice. However, some patients do not respond to treatment as expected. One way of assessing cardiac resynchronization therapy is with ECG analysis. Artificial intelligence is increasing in terms of everyday usability due to the possibility of everyday workflow improvement and, as a result, shortens the time required for diagnosis. A special area of artificial intelligence is machine learning. AI algorithms learn on their own based on implemented data. The aim of this study was to evaluate using artificial intelligence algorithms for detecting inadequate resynchronization therapy. Methods: A total of 1241 ECG tracings were collected from 547 cardiac department patients. All ECG signals were analyzed by three independent cardiologists. Every signal event (QRS-complex) and rhythm was manually classified by the medical team and fully reviewed by additional cardiologists. The results were divided into two parts: 80% of the results were used to train the algorithm, and 20% were used for the test (Cardiomatics, Cracow, Poland). Results: The required level of detection sensitivity of effective cardiac resynchronization therapy stimulation was achieved: 99.2% with a precision of 92.4%. Conclusions: Artificial intelligence algorithms can be a useful tool in assessing the effectiveness of resynchronization therapy.

The current state of the problem with the diagnosis and treatment of allergic rhinitis in pediatric practice

Among all allergic diseases in pediatric practice, allergic rhinitis is one of the most common pathologies of the upper respiratory tract. This review deals with the problem of modern principles for the diagnosis and treatment of allergic rhinitis in children based on the analysis of literature sources using electronic databases PubMed, Web of Science, MedLine, the Cochrane Library. Allergic rhinitis is an important medical and social problem of our time the importance of which has increased significantly in recent years. The growing number of people sensitized to pollen, the variety of symptoms and the negative impact on the quality of life of patients make pollen allergy one of the major problems in pediatrics. Despite the development of international national protocols and clinical guidelines, in many countries the control of allergic rhinitis in children remains insufficient. Therefore, it is necessary to take into account the individual characteristics of patients, pay attention to both nasal and extranasal symptoms, consider all pathognomonic diagnostic aspects, because the underdiagnosis of this allergic disease leads to inadequate therapy, complications, more severe atopy and reduced quality of children’s life in general. Recently, there is growing evidence of the need for personalized selection of the most effective therapy for allergic rhinitis in children. In-depth study of the pathogenetic role of circadian molecular clock in children with seasonal allergic rhinitis using informative molecular genetic methods may allow characterizing in detail the mechanism of regulation of allergic inflammation of the upper airway mucosa and evaluating the role of circadian genes in the development of allergic diseases, in particular allergic rhinitis. In the future, these studies may become an alternative to improve control over the course of allergy and the organization of a comprehensive monitoring system, development of new strategies for the treatment and prevention of allergic rhinitis in children.

Antiretroviral therapy adherence among breastfeeding mothers at a health facility in north Malawi

Background/Aims Antiretroviral therapy adherence among breastfeeding mothers is essential in the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of human immunodeficiency virus. However, prevention of mother-to-child transmission remains a challenge after childbirth, with inadequate antiretroviral therapy adherence found in breastfeeding mothers. This study aimed to determine antiretroviral therapy adherence and associated factors among breastfeeding mothers at the Mzuzu Health Centre, Malawi. Methods This was a cross-sectional study conducted at Mzuzu Health Centre with 323 participants who were recruited using simple random sampling. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Data analysis was conducted at both bivariate level using the chi-squared test and at multivariate level using a regression model. Results The overall antiretroviral therapy adherence rate was 55.1%. Forgetfulness (P&lt;0.000), religious beliefs (P=0.020), access to an antiretroviral therapy clinic (P=0.007) and appointment dates (P=0.001) were significantly associated with antiretroviral therapy adherence. Conclusions Adherence to antiretroviral therapy was low and forgetfulness was the most significant factor affecting adherence. Therefore, efforts to improve antiretroviral therapy adherence should focus on promoting strategies to combat forgetfulness, such as reminders, mobile alerts and alarm clocks, and involving family members in reminding mothers to take medications.

Kajian Penggunaan Antibiotik pada Pasien Meningitis dan Ensefalitis Bakteri di Bangsal Rawat Inap Rumah Sakit Rujukan Utama

Inadequate antibiotic therapy for meningitis and bacterial encephalitis is one of the factors that can jeopardize patient safety and turn into a public health issue in a number of nations, including Indonesia. This phenomena has the potential to raise health-care expenses, which should be avoided in the era of the JKN program's implementation. The goal of this research was to describe the profile of antibiotic use and cost in hospitalized meningitis and bacterial encephalitis patients. This cross-sectional observational study took place from January to December 2019. As study materials, patient medical records and billing data were employed. To enhance the data obtained, confirmation with medical and pharmaceutical personnel is required. Antibiotic use and expenditures were described using descriptive analysis. A total of 71 patients, both children and adults, met the study's inclusion criteria. Antibiotics were given to all of the patients, and the results revealed that third generation cephalosporins (49.375%) were the most commonly recommended antibiotic class, either alone or in combination. Antibiotic use receives 46.94% of total medication funding. According to the length of stay category, the majority of patients (45.99 %) were hospitalized for 8-14 days consecutively with antibiotic medication. Antibiotics, which are typically administered to patients with meningitis and bacterial encephalitis, had no effect on the length of stay in the hospital. Antibiotic prescriptions must be carefully reviewed at top referrel hospital, taking into account the local germ map.

Allergic rhinitis in preschool children: clinical and allergological characteristics and comorbidity

Summary. The problem of allergic rhinitis in children is important in clinical pediatrics, which is associated with a significant increase in the prevalence, early onset and diversity of clinical manifestations of the disease, reminiscent of infectious rhinitis, and therefore causes serious underdiagnosis, untimely and inadequate highrisk therapy. development of complications and evolution into bronchial asthma. The aim of the study was to study the clinical and allergic features of allergic rhinitis in preschool children, both isolated and combined with asthma and atopic dermatitis at their request to an allergist in the Consultative Diagnostic Clinic (CPC) NDSL "OKHMATDIT". Materials and methods. Clinical and anamnestic data, objective examination, oto- and rhinoscopy, general clinical examinations, determination of serum immunoglobulin E, skin prick-tests with allergens, consultation with an otolaryngologist were subject to analysis. The article presents modern views on the problem of allergic rhinitis in preschool children. The analysis of clinical and allergic characteristics, in particular, describes the most common clinical symptoms and their severity, family history, laboratory parameters, such as total immunoglobulin E in peripheral blood, skin tests. Based on our own data, the early incidence of allergic rhinitis in preschool children, including the first years of life and its high comorbidity with other allergic diseases, including bronchial asthma, atopic dermatitis, urticaria, etc. has been demonstrated. According to the results of rotational tests - in 30% of patients polyvalent sensitization was detected. Despite the age of the examined children (feature-reduced skin sensitivity) - the percentage of positive results was sufficient. Family allergy history was burdened in all patients, mostly asthma in one parent. All children had high levels of total serum immunoglobulin E. Thus, there is an early onset of allergic manifestations and high sensitization of young children to the most common allergens. The issue of early detection of AR is extremely important to study among the preschool population, due to the need for early detection of people prone to asthma, to achieve better control of the disease and prevent severe disease, complications and early disability of children.

Clinical Presentation, Management, and Outcome in Patients With Myasthenia Gravis: A Retrospective Study From Two Tertiary Care Centers in Saudi Arabia.

Introduction: A limited number of research studies were published to delineate the clinical pattern of myasthenia gravis in Saudi Arabia. This paper is an attempt to describe some of the clinical aspects related to this disease in two large centers from two main cities in Saudi Arabia.Methods: A retrospective multi-center observational study of patients diagnosed with myasthenia gravis was conducted. The study setting was King Abdulaziz Medical City in Jeddah and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The study period was 12 years, starting from January 2007 to May 2019.Results: A total of 144 patients were included in this study (60 males and 84 females). The most common symptoms at diagnosis were ocular symptoms in 118 patients (81.9%), diplopia in 84 patients (58.3%), and/or blurred vision in 30 patients (20.8%). The majority had positive anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies (72.2%). Pyridostigmine was the most prescribed medication for 136 patients (94.4%). Immunosuppressive medications were prescribed for 114 patients (79.2%). Around 40% of patients had exacerbations, and approximately 20% were admitted to the ICU. Thymectomy was performed for 97 patients (67.4%).Conclusion: The present study indicates that the clinical presentation and management of myasthenia gravis remained the same in the last few years despite the introduction of new modalities of diagnosis such as the anti-muscle-specific kinase (anti-MuSK) and other autoantibodies tests. Furthermore, we observed that the number of exacerbations and ICU admission were high, which may indicate inadequate therapy. We are stressing the need for establishing specialized neuromuscular clinics with neurologists trained in neurophysiology to improve the diagnostic accuracy and outcomes for patients with myasthenia gravis.

Spine Surgery Infection, Litigation, and Financial Compensation: Analysis of 98 Claims Involving French Spine Surgeons Between 2015 and 2019

Since 2002, France has adopted the Patients' Rights Law, an alternative malpractice scheme creating a faster, less expensive out-of-court settlement ensuring compensation even in the absence of fault. We aimed to describe the implications of this system by analyzing 5 years of claims for infections related to spinal surgeries collected by the main insurer of French spine surgeons. We retrospectively analyzed 98 anonymized malpractice claims from 2015 to 2019 (20% of overall claims), including anonymized medical records of the patients, reports of the independent experts, final judgments, and entities supporting the compensation if any. Claims included 8 deaths and 17 newly acquired neurological sequelae. The conclusions identified 22 faulty cases. The most frequent fault was a delay in diagnosis (10 cases), followed by inadequate surgical management (6 cases), inadequate antibiotic therapy (5 cases), and inadequate follow-up (1 case). Among the 67 cases (68.4%) proved not to be at fault, 10 were covered by the national solidarity fund because of their severity, and the remaining 57 were covered by hospitals. Since the 2002 Patients' Rights Law, patients with postoperative infections have always received compensation. The out-of-court settlement offers the patients incurring morbidities the assurance of faster compensation. Although certainly subject to selection criteria, this procedure is free and does not necessitate the presence of a lawyer. The analysis of expert reports and the resulting court decisions imply prevention, anticipation, and collaboration of all health care providers and open an opportunity to improve their practices to limit these crucial followings.

Diagnosis difficulties in elderly patients with atrial fibrillation and complete atrioventricular block

The association of atrial fibrillation (AF) with complete atrioventricular block (CAVB) is a common clinical feature in elderly patients. It is characterized by the loss of specific symptoms of AF (palpitations, intermissions); in the first place may come CAVB symptoms: dizziness, Morgagni–Adams–Stokes (MAS) attacks. Aim. The article objective is to illustrate the dynamic changes in the course of AF with the development of CAVB on the example of a clinical case and to discuss the difficulties in timely diagnosis and therapy correction. Case presentation. A 75-year-old male was diagnosed with a rapid ventricular response form of AF. The onset of CAVB caused the transition from rapid ventricular response form of AF to slow ventricular response form, which was initially accompanied by a subjective improvement in the patient’s condition. As the disease progressed, the patient’s condition worsened due to the development of MAS attacks. The elderly patients with a permanent form of AF require constant cardiac monitoring by an experienced specialist who has appropriate vigilance in management of patients with arrhythmias, awareness about possible concomitant conduction disorders. This provides comprehensive cardiac support, including timely pacemaker implantation which gives more options for AF symptoms monitoring and heart rate control, has a positive modifying effect on drug therapy. Conclusions. Changes in the clinical picture of AF after development of CAVB can lead to late diagnosis of CAVB, inadequate therapy and untimely pacemaker implantation, as a consequence, to progression of concomitant pathology and the development of life-threatening complications, as in our clinical case.

Clinical impact of multidrug-resistant bacteria in older hospitalized patients with community-acquired urinary tract infection

IntroductionPrevious studies have described some risk factors for multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria in urinary tract infection (UTI). However, the clinical impact of MDR bacteria on older hospitalized patients with community-acquired UTI has not been broadly analyzed. We conducted a study in older adults with community-acquired UTI in order to identify risk factors for MDR bacteria and to know their clinical impact.MethodsCohort prospective observational study of patients of 65 years or older, consecutively admitted to a university hospital, diagnosed with community-acquired UTI. We compared epidemiological and clinical variables and outcomes, from UTI due to MDR and non-MDR bacteria. Independent risk factors for MDR bacteria were analyzed using logistic regression.Results348 patients were included, 41.4% of them with UTI due to MDR bacteria. Median age was 81 years. Hospital mortality was 8.6%, with no difference between the MDR and non-MDR bacteria groups. Median length of stay was 5 [4–8] days, with a longer stay in the MDR group (6 [4–8] vs. 5 [4–7] days, p = 0.029). Inadequate empirical antimicrobial therapy (IEAT) was 23.3%, with statistically significant differences between groups (33.3% vs. 16.2%, p < 0.001). Healthcare-associated UTI variables, in particular previous antimicrobial therapy and residence in a nursing home, were found to be independent risk factors for MDR bacteria.ConclusionsThe clinical impact of MDR bacteria was moderate. MDR bacteria cases had higher IEAT and longer hospital stay, although mortality was not higher. Previous antimicrobial therapy and residence in a nursing home were independent risk factors for MDR bacteria.

More about primary genital diphtheria in girls

Having met during the past 1931 9 cases of diphtheria of the external genital organs (d. N. P. O.) In girls - 1, 2 y. we take the liberty of dwelling on them once more. We will not touch upon the issues of diagnosis and treatment, since we have already done this elsewhere. Here we find it necessary to cite 2 of these 9 cases, which ended fatally, in order to once again emphasize the danger of untimely recognition of D.N. p. o., as well as the consequences of inadequate therapy, which, in our opinion, was observed in these cases.

The Key Role of Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring in the Detection of Masked Hypertension and Other Phenomena in Frail Geriatric Patients.

Background and Objectives: This study aims to determine prevalence of masked uncontrolled hypertension (MUH) in frail geriatric patients with arterial hypertension and thus show the role of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) since hypertension occurs in more than 80% of people 60+ years and cardiovascular diseases are the main cause of death worldwide. Despite modern pharmacotherapy, use of combination therapy and normal office blood pressure (BP), patients’ prognoses might worsen due to inadequate therapy (never-detected MUH). Materials and Methods: 118 frail geriatric patients (84.2 ± 4.4 years) treated for arterial hypertension with office BP < 140/90 mmHg participated in the study. 24-h ABPM and clinical examination were performed. Results: Although patients were normotensive in the office, 24-h measurements showed that BP values in 72% of hypertensives were not in the target range: MUH was identified in 47 (40%) patients during 24 h, in 48 (41%) patients during daytime and nocturnal hypertension in 60 (51%) patients. Conclusions: ABPM is essential for frail geriatric patients due to high prevalence of MUH, which cannot be detected based on office BP measurements. ABPM also helps to detect exaggerated morning surge, isolated systolic hypertension, dipping/non-dipping, and set and properly manage adequate treatment, which reduces incidence of cardiovascular events and contributes to decreasing the financial burden of society.

Endothelial Activation and Stress Index (EASIX) Measured Pre-Transplant Identifies a Subgroup with High Transplant Related Mortality in Patients with Thalassemia Undergoing Stem Cell Transplantation Using Thiotepa-Treosulfan-Fludarabine Conditioning

Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) is a curative treatment for beta-thalassemia major. The Pesaro risk stratification classifies patients with thalassemia into three groups (class I, II, and III) to predict the transplant-related mortality (TRM) and graft rejection after myeloablative conditioning with busulfan and cyclophosphamide. However, in developing countries, where inadequate chelation therapy prior to transplant is common, most patients would fall under the class III category. There is heterogeneity in the clinical outcomes in this group. Hence, our center introduced a further refinement in this risk stratification, identifying a subset of “class III high risk” as those with age greater than or equal to 7 years and liver size > 5cm (Mathews V et al. BBMT 2007). Subsequently, we showed that the use of a conditioning regimen containing thiotepa, treosulfan, and fludarabine (TTF) along with a peripheral blood stem cell graft led to improved outcomes in this subset with a reduction in early TRM from 46% (with busulfan-cyclophosphamide) to 13% (Mathews V et al. PLoS One 2013). There is still a need to identify predictors of poor clinical outcomes to optimize further the clinical outcomes of these class III high-risk thalassemia patients. Endothelial activation and stress index (EASIX) is a simple biomarker calculated using lactate dehydrogenase, creatinine, and platelet counts. EASIX has been shown to be predictive of overall survival in various settings like GVHD following reduced-intensity transplants for malignancies in adults, veno-occlusive disease, and nonrelapse mortality following SCT (Luft T et al. Lancet Haem 2017; Jiang S et al. Haematologica 2021; Luft T et al. BMT 2020). Here, we evaluated the role of EASIX (measured before conditioning therapy) as a biomarker in predicting early TRM in patients with thalassemia major who have undergone SCT with a uniform conditioning regimen using TTF at our center. During the study period from January 2012 to December 2019, 281 patients with thalassemia major underwent SCT with a uniform TTF protocol at our center. The median age was nine years (range 1 to 25 years). One hundred and nine (38.8%) were females. As per Pesaro classification (with Vellore modification), three (1.1%) were class I, 34 (12.1%) were class II, 134 (47.7%) were class III low risk, and 110 (39.1%) were class III high risk. The stem cell donors were matched sibling (n=218, 77.6%), matched related non-sibling (n=23, 8.2%), or matched unrelated donors (n=40, 14.2%). The stem cell donor was HLA matched in all cases except 21 (7.5%), wherein there was a mismatch at one locus. Five (1.8%) had a bone marrow graft, while others had peripheral blood stem cell grafts. Thirty-eight (13.5%) patients had transplant-related mortality by day 100 (TRM100). The median follow-up of the cohort was 31 months (range 0 to 103 months). EASIX score pre-transplant was available for 184 (65.5%) patients. There was no difference in the rate of TRM100 in patients where EASIX was available compared to those where EASIX was not available (14.7% versus 11.3%, p 0.47). Also, there was no difference in overall mortality rate in patients where EASIX was available compared to those where EASIX was not available (21.2% versus 17.5%, p 0.53). Among patients with TRM100 vis-à-vis those who did not, the median EASIX score was significantly higher (1.09 versus 0.75, p 0.008). We then plotted a receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve for predicting TRM100 using the EASIX score. The area under the curve was 0.661 (Figure 1a). A cut-off of 0.85 for the EASIX score had a 70.4% sensitivity and 62% specificity for predicting TRM100. The TRM100 for patients with EASIX above 0.85 was significantly higher than those with EASIX less than 0.85 (24.4% versus 7.5%, p 0.003). On multivariable logistic regression analysis, the factors independently predicting TRM100 were pre-transplant EASIX score, pre-transplant ferritin, unrelated donor source, and chimerism at day 60 (Figure 1b). In patients with thalassemia major undergoing SCT using a uniform TTF conditioning, EASIX score measured pre-transplant can identify patients at greater risk for Day100 TRM. [Display omitted] DisclosuresMathews: Christian Medical College: Patents & Royalties: US 2020/0345770 A1 - Pub.Date Nov.5, 2020; AML: Other: Co-Inventor.