Multicenter Study Research Articles

Reappraisal and refined diagnosis of ultrasonography and histological findings for hydatidiform moles: a multicentre retrospective study of 821 patients

AimsSpecific identification of a hydatidiform mole (HM) and subclassification of a complete hydatidiform mole (CHM) or partial hydatidiform mole (PHM) are critical. This study aimed to reappraise the diagnostic performance...

A decision tree model for predicting high mono-N-desethylamiodarone concentrations and reducing tissue toxicity in patients with low-dose amiodarone therapy: A multicentral retrospective cohort study.

High plasma levels of mono-N-desethylamiodarone (MDEA), an active amiodarone metabolite, may be associated with tissue toxicity in heart failure (patients with heart rhythm disturbances); therefore, a tool that can identify patients for whom therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of MDEA is required. This multicenter study aimed to develop a decision tree (DT) model that can identify patients with heart rhythm disturbances at high MDEA concentrations. A multicenter retrospective cohort study was conducted, including 157 adult patients with heart failure who received oral amiodarone treatment. A χ2 automatic interaction-detection algorithm was used to construct a DT model. In the DT analysis, the dependent variable was set as an MDEA trough plasma concentration of ≥0.6 μg/mL during the steady-state period. Explanatory variables were selected as factors with p < 0.05 in multivariate logistic regression analysis. The adjusted odds ratios for the daily dose of amiodarone and body mass index were 1.01 (95% coefficient interval: 1.008-1.021, p<0.001) and 0.91 (95% confidence interval: 0.834-0.988, p=0.025), respectively. For DT analysis, the risk of reaching plasma MDEA concentrations ≥0.6μg/mL was relatively high, combined with a daily dose of amiodarone >100 mg and body mass index ≤22.3 kg/m2 at 69.0% (20/29), and its trend was also detected in the sensitivity analysis. Patients taking a daily amiodarone dose > 100 mg and with a body mass index ≤22.3 kg/m2 warrant TDM implementation for MDEA to minimize the risk of MDEA-induced tissue toxicity.

Differential Target Multiplexed Spinal Cord Stimulation for the Treatment of Chronic Intractable Upper Limb Pain: 12-Month Results From a Prospective, Multicenter Study

ObjectivesThis prospective, open-label, single-arm, multicenter study evaluated the use of differential target multiplexed (DTM) spinal cord stimulation (SCS) therapy for chronic upper limb pain (ULP). Materials and MethodsA total of 58 candidates for SCS who had chronic ULP were enrolled at 11 sites in the USA. The safety and effectiveness of DTM SCS for treating chronic intractable ULP were evaluated over 12 months. The primary end point was the percentage of responders (≥50% ULP relief versus baseline) to treatment at three months after device activation. This study also evaluated the extent of disability, patient satisfaction, and patient global impression of change with DTM SCS therapy. ResultsThe mean baseline pain score (10-cm visual analog scale [VAS-10]) for ULP was 7.2 cm, with a mean age of 56 years and mean ULP duration of ten years; 47 subjects were assessed at the primary end point. The percentage of ULP responders was 92% at three months, which was consistent at six (91%) and 12 months (86%). Significant ULP relief (81% reduction in VAS-10) was observed at the primary end point and sustained throughout the study duration. Significant improvements in disability in addition to high levels (>95%) of satisfaction and feelings of improvement were reported. Frequency of study-related anticipated adverse events was in line with expectations of SCS therapy. ConclusionIn this patient population with difficult-to-treat conditions with limited clinical evidence of the effectiveness of SCS, subjects reported significant reduction in chronic ULP in response to treatment with DTM SCS.

ChatGPT-4 Consistency in Interpreting Laryngeal Clinical Images of Common Lesions and Disorders.

To investigate the consistency ofChatbot Generative Pretrained Transformer(ChatGPT)-4 in the analysis of clinical pictures of common laryngological conditions. Prospective uncontrolled study. Multicenter study. Patient history and clinical videolaryngostroboscopic images were presented to ChatGPT-4 for differential diagnoses, management, and treatment(s). ChatGPT-4 responses were assessed by 3blinded laryngologists with the artificial intelligence performance instrument (AIPI). The complexity of cases and the consistency between practitioners and ChatGPT-4 for interpreting clinical images were evaluated with a 5-point Likert Scale. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to measure the strength of interrater agreement. Forty patients with a mean complexity score of 2.60 ± 1.15. were included. The mean consistency score for ChatGPT-4 image interpretation was 2.46 ± 1.42. ChatGPT-4 perfectly analyzed the clinical images in 6 cases (15%; 5/5), while the consistency between GPT-4 and judges was high in 5 cases (12.5%; 4/5). Judges reported an ICC of 0.965 for the consistency score (P = .001). ChatGPT-4 erroneously documented vocal fold irregularity (mass or lesion), glottic insufficiency, and vocal cord paralysis in 21 (52.5%), 2 (0.05%), and 5 (12.5%) cases, respectively. ChatGPT-4 and practitioners indicated 153 and 63 additional examinations, respectively (P = .001). The ChatGPT-4 primary diagnosis was correct in 20.0% to 25.0% of cases. The clinical image consistency score was significantly associated with the AIPI score (rs = 0.830; P = .001). The ChatGPT-4 is more efficient in primary diagnosis, rather than in the image analysis, selecting the most adequate additional examinations and treatments.

Acute kidney injury with intravenous colistin sulfate compared with polymyxin B in critically ill patients: A real-world, retrospective cohort study.

Polymyxins have re-emerged as a last-resort therapeutic option for infections caused by carbapenem-resistant gram-negative bacteria. Nephrotoxicity induced by polymyxins is a significant limitation of its use in the clinic. Polymyxin B and colistin sulfate are two widely used active formulations of polymyxins. However, there is a lack of studies conducting a comparative assessment of nephrotoxicity between the two formulations. This study aimed to compare the nephrotoxicity of polymyxin B and colistin sulfate in critically ill patients. We conducted a retrospective cohort study among critically ill patients who received intravenous polymyxin B or colistin sulfate for over 48 h from January 2017 to January 2024. The primary outcome was the incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) associated with polymyxins, and the secondary outcome was 30-day all-cause mortality. Additionally, the risk factors of polymyxins-induced AKI and 30-day all-cause mortality were identified by Cox proportional hazard regression analysis. A total of 473 patients were included in this study. The overall incidence of AKI was significantly higher in patients who received polymyxin B compared to those who received colistin sulfate in the unmatched cohort (20.8% vs. 9.0%, p = 0.002) and in the propensity score matching cohort (21.1% vs. 7.0%, p = 0.004), respectively. However, there was no significant difference in 30-day all-cause mortality between the two groups. Polymyxin type, septic shock, and concomitant use of vasopressors were identified as independent risk factors for polymyxin-induced AKI. The prevalence of AKI was higher among patients who received polymyxin B compared to those treated with colistin sulfate. However, there was no significant difference in 30-day all-cause mortality between the two groups. Further prospective, multicenter studies with larger sample sizes are needed to validate these findings.

Deep learning-based fully automatic Risser stage assessment model using abdominal radiographs.

Artificial intelligence has been increasingly used in medical imaging and has demonstrated expert level performance in image classification tasks. To develop a fully automatic approach for determining the Risser stage using deep learning on abdominal radiographs. In this multicenter study, 1,681 supine abdominal radiographs (age range, 9-18years, 50% female) obtained between January 2019 and April 2022 were collected retrospectively from three medical institutions and graded manually using the United States Risser staging system. A total of 1,577 images from Hospitals 1 and 2 were used for development, and 104 images from Hospital 3 for external validation. From each radiograph, right and left iliac crest patch images were extracted using the pelvic bone segmentation model DeepLabv3 + with the EfficientNet-B0 encoder trained with 90 digitally reconstructed radiographs from pelvic computed tomography scans with a pelvic bone mask. Using these patch images, ConvNeXt-B was trained to grade according to the Risser classification. The model's performance was evaluated using accuracy, area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC), and mean absolute error. The fully automatic Risser stage assessment model showed an accuracy of 0.87 and 0.75, mean absolute error of 0.13 and 0.26, and AUROC of 0.99 and 0.95 on internal and external test sets, respectively. We developed a deep learning-based, fully automatic segmentation and classification model for Risser stage assessment using abdominal radiographs.

The difference of functional MR imaging in evaluating outcome of patients with diffuse and compact brain arteriovenous malformation.

Microsurgical resection is an effective method to treat brain arteriovenous malformations (BAVMs). Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) can evaluate the spatial relationship of nidus and eloquent. Diffuse BAVMs are related to poor outcomes postoperatively. The role of fMRI in evaluating outcomes in patients with different nidus types remains unclear. BAVM patients received microsurgical resection were included from a prospective, multicenter cohort study. All patients underwent fMRI evaluation preoperatively and were regularly followed up postoperatively. Diffuse BAVM is radiologically identified as nidus containing normal brain tissue interspersing between malformed vessels. Lesion-to-eloquent distance (LED) was calculated based on the relationship between nidus and eloquent. The primary outcome was 180-day unfavorable neurological status postoperatively. The risk of primary outcome was investigated within different BAVM nidus types. The LED's performance to predict poor outcome was evaluated using area under curve (AUC). 346 BAVM patients were included in this study. 93 (26.9%) patients were found to have a 180-day unfavorable outcome. Multivariate logistic analysis demonstrated LED (odd ratio [OR], 0.44; 0.34-0.57; P < 0.001) and mRS at admission (OR, 2.59; 1.90-3.54; P < 0.001) as factors of unfavorable outcome. Subgroup analysis showed LED and mRS at admission as factors of unfavorable outcome for patients with compact BAVMs (all P < 0.05), but not for patients with diffuse BAVMs. Subsequent analysis showed that LED performed poorly to predict the unfavorable outcome for patients with diffuse BAVMs, compared with patients with compact BAVMs (AUC as 0.69 vs. 0.86, P < 0.05). A larger cutoff value of LED to unfavorable outcome was found in patients with diffuse BAVMs (15mm) compared with patients with compact BAVMs (4.7mm). Usage of LED to evaluate postoperative outcome of patients with diffuse BAVMs differs from its use in patients with compact BAVMs. Specific assessment strategy considering BAVM nidus types could help improve patients' outcome. MITASREAVM cohort (unique identifier: NCT02868008, https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT02868008?term=NCT02868008&rank=1 ).

A multicenter study on the effects of congenital cytomegalovirus infection on hearing loss

Objective: To assess the clinical features and effectiveness of antiviral therapy in newborns with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) caused by congenital congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) infection, and to speculate the risk factors for poor hearing outcomes. Methods: A multicenter prospective cohort study wasconducted, enrolling 176 newborns diagnosed with cCMV at four research centers in Zhejiang Province from March 1, 2021, to April 30, 2024. Clinical characteristics at birth were recorded and hearing was followed up. The children were divided into groups based on their condition at birth, specifically into asymptomatic, mild symptom, and moderate to severe symptom groups. Additionally, they were divided into SNHL and normal hearing groups based on the results of air conduction brainstem audiometry at birth. And they were also divided into treatment and untreated groups according to antiviral treatment. Mann Whitney U test, and chi square test were used for inter group comparison to analyze the differences in clinical features between different disease groups, and to analyze the effects of clinical features, antiviral therapy, and other factors on hearing improvement. Logistic regression analysis was employed to identify the risk factors influencing hearing outcomes. Results: Among the cohort of 176 children diagnosed infection with cCMV, 90 cases were male and 86 cases were female. Of these, 79 cases were asymptomatic, 12 cases classified as mild cCMV and 85 cases as moderate to severe cCMV. Fifty cases belonged to SNHL group, with different degrees of severity, including 30 cases of mild, 9 cases of moderate, 5 cases of severe, and 6 cases of extremely severe SNHL. Among the 121 cases in the normal hearing group, 2 cases (1.7%) exhibited late-onset hearing loss despite having normal hearing at birth. Among 81 cases (46.0%) who completed the hearing follow-up, 71 cases (87.7%) had good hearing outcomes and 10 cases (12.3%) had poor hearing outcomes. Among the 81 children, 29 cases (35.8%) had SNHL at birth. During follow-up, the hearing threshold improved in 19 cases (65.5%), remained stable in 7 cases (24.1%) and progressed in 3 cases (10.3%). A total of 26 cases in the treatment group and 55 cases in the untreated group completed the hearing follow-up assessment. The rate of hearing improvement in the treatment group was found to be higher compared to the untreated group (13 cases (50.0%) vs. 6 cases (10.9%), χ2=15.00, P<0.01), with individuals in the treatment group having a 4.58 times greater likelihood of experiencing hearing improvement (RR=4.58,95%CI 1.96-10.70, P<0.05). However, no statistically significant difference was observed in hearing outcomes between the antiviral treatment group and the untreated group (RR=0.90, 95%CI 0.57-1.41, P=0.517). Multivariate analysis further confirmed SNHL (OR=11.58, 95%CI 2.10-63.93, P=0.005) and preterm birth (OR=4.98, 95%CI 1.06-23.41, P=0.042) as independent risk factors for poor hearing outcomes. Conclusions: SNHL resulting from cCMV infection presents symptoms at birth and can be improved by antiviral therapy. Poor hearing outcomes are associated with SNHL and prematurity.

Endovascular therapy versus best medical management in distal medium middle cerebral artery acute ischaemic stroke: a multinational multicentre propensity score-matched study

BackgroundThe efficacy of endovascular treatment (EVT) in acute ischaemic stroke due to distal medium vessel occlusion (DMVO) remains uncertain. Our study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of EVT...

Why do pressure injuries still occur? A multi-centre qualitative study of nurses and caregivers

BackgroundThe frequent occurrence of pressure injuries despite their preventability, raises important questions about our understanding of the barriers to care. This study explores the lived experience of nurses and caregivers in Singapore to establish a conceptual framework for better understanding pressure injuries arising in the community. MethodsA multicentre qualitative study was conducted utilising semi-structured interviews and focused group discussions of nurses and caregivers of patients with pressure injuries. Data was collected with a narrative inquiry approach and analysed with grounded theory. An iterative cycle of interviewing, coding, discussion and reflection was conducted until theoretical saturation. ResultsTen inpatient nurses and ten caregivers from the community were recruited. Analysis identified cognitive (awareness and caregiver training), emotional (motivation and empowerment), resource (human and infrastructural), and biomedical factors which collectively impacted the effectiveness of prevention. Additionally, constructs of learning and sustainability of caregiving played a crucial role in long term prevention. LimitationThe derived framework requires further validation with quantitative data and may not be generalizable to other cultural and economic populations. ConclusionMultiple constructs have been identified to have a synergistic effect in prevention. Targeted measures should be implemented by healthcare institutions to better equip caregivers in prevention.

Improved outcome of COVID-19 over time in patients treated with CAR T-cell therapy: Update of the European COVID-19 multicenter study on behalf of the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) Infectious Diseases Working Party (IDWP) and the European Hematology Association (EHA) Lymphoma Group.

COVID-19 has been associated with high mortality in patients treated with Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy for hematologic malignancies. Here, we investigated whether the outcome has improved over time with the primary objective of assessing COVID-19-attributable mortality in the Omicron period of 2022 compared to previous years. Data for this multicenter study were collected using the MED-A and COVID-19 report forms developed by the EBMT. One-hundred-eighty patients were included in the analysis, 39 diagnosed in 2020, 35 in 2021 and 106 in 2022. The median age was 58.9 years (min-max: 5.2-78.4). There was a successive decrease in COVID-19-related mortality over time (2020: 43.6%, 2021: 22.9%, 2022: 7.5%) and in multivariate analysis year of infection was the strongest predictor of survival (p = 0.0001). Comparing 2022 with 2020-2021, significantly fewer patients had lower respiratory symptoms (21.7% vs 37.8%, p = 0.01), needed oxygen support (25.5% vs 43.2%, p = 0.01), or were admitted to ICU (5.7% vs 33.8%, p = 0.0001). Although COVID-19-related mortality has decreased over time, CAR T-cell recipients remain at higher risk for complications than the general population. Consequently, vigilant monitoring for COVID-19 in patients undergoing B-cell-targeting CAR T-cell treatment is continuously recommended ensuring optimal prevention of infection and advanced state-of-the art treatment when needed.

Clinical and epidemiologic characteristics of hospitalized oncological patients with hypercalcemia: alongitudinal, multicenter study.

There are few studies that have analyzed the characteristics of hypercalcemia in hospitalized oncological patients. Our objectives were to describe the clinical characteristics of hospitalized patients with paraneoplastic hypercalcemia and to identify prognostic variables for mortality. This was an observational, longitudinal, retrospective, and bicentric study. It included adult patients admitted to two hospitals in Málaga, Spain (2014-2018). The minimum follow-up period was 2years or until death. Atotal of 154 patients were included; the majority (71.4%) were admitted to the internal medicine department. The median follow-up was 3.5weeks (interquartile range [IQR] 1.1-11.5). The mean (standard deviation) age was 67.6 (12.3) years, with apredominance of males (58.4%). The median (IQR) serum calcium at admission was 13.2 (11.8-14.6) mg/dl. The most common neoplasms were pulmonary (27.3%), hematologic (23.4%), urological (13%), and breast (12.3%). Furthermore, 56.5% of cases had aknown history of neoplasia at the time of diagnosis. The parathyroid hormone (PTH) level was determined in 24%; of these, 10.8% had elevated levels. In all, 95.5% of patients died during follow-up. The median survival was 3.4weeks (95% confidence interval 2.6-4.3). Factors associated with higher mortality were age, serum calcium at admission, previous history of neoplasia, etiology other than multiple myeloma, and noncorrection of hypercalcemia. In hospitalized patients, paraneoplastic hypercalcemia was associated with high short-term mortality. Several factors associated with aworse prognosis were identified in these patients.

Group intervention for family members of people with borderline personality disorder based on Dialectical Behavior Therapy: Implementation of the Family Connections® program in France and Switzerland

BackgroundFamilies and significant others of people with borderline personality disorder (BPD) show increased levels of psychological distress. Family Connections®, a 12-week group intervention based on the principles of Dialectical Behavior Therapy, was designed to provide families with both information about the disorder and emotion regulation skills. It has been progressively implemented in French-speaking European countries.MethodsWe conducted an observational, multicenter study in France and Switzerland. In total, 149 participants of the Family Connections program were included among five centers. Burden, depression, coping, and emotion regulation were assessed before and after the intervention. ResultsOne-way repeated measures MANOVA showed that the burden, depressive symptoms, emotion regulation and coping all changed significantly after the intervention (p < 0.001, partial η2 = 0.297). T-tests showed that the burden significantly decreased after the intervention (p < 0.0001, d = -0.48), as did depressive symptoms (p < 0.0001, d = -0.36) and difficulties in emotion regulation (p < 0.0001, d =-0.32) whereas coping improved (p < 0.0001, d = 0.53). Two-way mixed ANOVA showed that burden reduction was stronger among female than male participants (p = 0.048, η2 = 0.027). Before the intervention, the burden was higher for female than male participants (p < 0.001). An initial linear regression showed the burden reduction to be associated with a decrease in the resignation of the participants (β = 0.19, p = 0.047). A second linear regression showed the burden reduction to be associated with the intensity of the relatives’ symptoms at baseline (β = 0.22, p = 0.008) and improvement of emotional clarity of the participants (β = 0.25, p = 0.006).ConclusionThis Dialectical Behavior Therapy-Based psychoeducational intervention is an appropriate way to support French-speaking European families of people with BPD.

Predicting major adverse cardiac events using radiomics nomogram of pericoronary adipose tissue based on CCTA: A multi-center study.

The evolution of coronary atherosclerotic heart disease (CAD) is intricately linked to alterations in the pericoronary adipose tissue (PCAT). In recent epochs, characteristics of the PCAT have progressively ascended as focal points of research in CAD risk stratification and individualized clinical decision-making. Harnessing radiomic methodologies allows for the meticulous extraction of imaging features from these adipose deposits. Coupled with machine learning paradigms, we endeavor to establish predictive models for the onset of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). To appraise the predictive utility of radiomic features of PCAT derived from coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) in forecasting MACE. We retrospectively incorporated data from 314 suspected or confirmed CAD patients admitted to our institution from June 2019 to December 2022. An additional cohort of 242 patients from two external institutions was encompassed for external validation. The endpoint under consideration was the occurrence of MACE after a 1-year follow-up. MACE was delineated as cardiovascular mortality, newly diagnosed myocardial infarction, hospitalization (or re-hospitalization) for heart failure, and coronary target vessel revascularization occurring more than 30days post-CCTA examination. All enrolled patients underwent CCTA scanning. Radiomic features were meticulously extracted from the optimal diastolic phase axial slices of CCTA images. Feature reduction was achieved through a composite feature selection algorithm, laying the groundwork for the radiomic signature model. Both univariate and multivariate analyses were employed to assess clinical variables. A multifaceted logistic regression analysis facilitated the crafting of a clinical-radiological-radiomic combined model (or nomogram). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, calibration, and decision curve analyses (DCA) were delineated, with the area under the ROC curve (AUCs) computed to gauge the predictive prowess of the clinical model, radiomic model, and the synthesized ensemble. A total of 12 radiomic features closely associated with MACE were identified to establish the radiomic model. Multivariate logistic regression results demonstrated that smoking, age, hypertension, and dyslipidemia were significantly correlated with MACE. In the integrated nomogram, which amalgamated clinical, imaging, and radiomic parameters, the diagnostic performance was as follows: 0.970 AUC, 0.949 accuracy (ACC), 0.833 sensitivity (SEN), 0.981 specificity (SPE), 0.926 positive predictive value (PPV), and 0.955 negative predictive value (NPV). The calibration curve indicated a commendable concordance of the nomogram, and the decision curve analysis underscored its superior clinical utility. The integration of radiomic signatures from PCAT based on CCTA, clinical indices, and imaging parameters into a nomogram stands as a promising instrument for prognosticating MACE events.

Increased Donor Organ Size and Age is Associated with Reduced Survival in Female Lung Transplant Recipients

BackgroundOrgan selection in lung transplantation (LTx) is still controversial. We here analyze the impact of mismatches in size, age, and gender on early and long-term outcome after LTx. MethodsRetrospective analysis of donor and recipient characteristics of patients who underwent double lung transplantation (DLTx) between 03/2003 and 12/2021. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS and GraphPad software. Results203 patients were included (94 female and 109 male). In the whole cohort, oversizing donor organs 10%-20% compared to the recipients’ predicted total lung capacity (pTLC) led to a decreased incidence of severe primary graft dysfunction (PGD2/3) (15% vs. 41%, p=0.03), and further oversizing >20% was associated with reduced long-term survival (HR 2.33, p=0.011). Analysing donor and recipient age, we found that increased donor age correlated with reduced long-term survival (p=0.013). In this cohort, female recipients received older organs (median 57 vs. 46 years, p=0.0003) and had a higher incidence of >20% oversizing (13% vs. 4%, p=0.019) of donor lungs which resulted in a significantly reduced long-term survival (p=0.02) compared to male recipients. Median LAS scores were similar in both groups. ConclusionMismatch of donor age and size can be important for organ function and survival in lung transplant recipients. Particularly female recipients seem to have a higher risk for unfavourable long-term outcome when transplanting organs of increased size and age. Multicentre studies are warranted to further address this question.

Prolonged Fatigue and Mental Health Challenges in Critical COVID-19 Survivors.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the development of fatigue and mental illness between 3 and 12 months after critical COVID-19 and explore risk factors for long-lasting symptoms. Study Design and Methods: A prospective, multicenter COVID-19 study in southern Sweden, including adult patients (≥18 years) with rtPCR-confirmed COVID-19 requiring intensive care. Survivors were invited to a follow-up at 3 and 12 months, where patient-reported symptoms were assessed using the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist version 5 (PCL-5). The development between 3 and 12 months was described by changes in relation to statistical significance and suggested values for a minimally important difference (MID). Potential risk factors for long-lasting symptoms were analyzed by multivariable logistic regression. Results: At the 3-month follow-up, 262 survivors (87%) participated, 215 (72%) returned at 12 months. Fatigue was reported by 50% versus 40%, with a significant improvement at 12 months (MFIS; median 38 vs. 33, P < .001, MID ≥4). There were no significant differences in symptoms of mental illness between 3 and 12 months, with anxiety present in 33% versus 28%, depression in 30% versus 22%, and posttraumatic stress disorder in 17% versus 13%. A worse functional outcome and less sleep compared to before COVID-19 were risk factors for fatigue and mental illness at 12 months. Conclusions: Fatigue improved between 3 and 12 months but was still common. Symptoms of mental illness remained unchanged with anxiety being the most reported. A worse functional outcome and less sleep compared to before COVID-19 were identified as risk factors for reporting long-lasting symptoms.

Parameters Predictive of Propofol-Associated Acute Pancreatitis in Critically Ill Patients with COVID-19 Pneumonia: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Propofol, a commonly used agent for short- and long-term sedation, is associated with acute pancreatitis. The main indirect mechanism of propofol-associated acute pancreatitis is by inducing hypertriglyceridemia. Patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia often require prolonged mechanical ventilation and sedation. We examined the incidence rate of acute pancreatitis among critically ill adults with COVID-19 pneumonia on mechanical ventilation receiving propofol. In addition, we attempted to determine cutoff levels of serum triglycerides and doses of propofol that are predictive of propofol-associated acute pancreatitis. This was a multicenter retrospective cohort study using a large dataset of hospitalized patients with COVID-19. The collected data included the number of days on propofol, cumulative doses of propofol, peak levels of serum triglycerides, serum lipase levels, and abdominal imaging findings. We used receiver-operating characteristic analysis in conjunction with Youden's index to identify the optimal thresholds for propofol administration parameters and levels of triglycerides that would provide maximal sensitivity and specificity for predicting acute pancreatitis. Out of 499 critically ill patients with COVID-19 pneumonia, 154 met the inclusion criteria. Six (4%) patients had suspected acute pancreatitis based on elevated serum lipase levels. Cutoff values greater than 688 mg/dL for peak level of triglycerides, 4.5 days on propofol, 3007 mg/day for average daily propofol dose, and 24 113 mg for cumulative propofol dose were associated with high risk of suspected acute pancreatitis. The negative predictive values for suspected acute pancreatitis using these cutoffs ranged from 98% to 100%. Propofol use in critically ill COVID-19 patients is associated with a low incidence rate of acute pancreatitis. We identified cutoff values for serum triglycerides and cumulative propofol dose that are linked to higher risk of propofol-associated pancreatitis. More research is needed to examine the true incidence of propofol-associated pancreatitis and help develop optimal cutoff values for certain parameters to help guide safe propofol administration.

Seizure Assessment and Forecasting With Efficient Rapid-EEG: A Retrospective Multicenter Comparative Effectiveness Study.

Approximately 30% of critically ill patients have seizures, and more than half of these seizures do not have an overt clinical correlate. EEG is needed to avoid missing seizures and prevent overtreatment with antiseizure medications. Conventional-EEG (cEEG) resources are logistically constrained and unable to meet their growing demand for seizure detection even in highly developed centers. Brief EEG screening with the validated 2HELPS2B algorithm was proposed as a method to triage cEEG resources, but it is hampered by cEEG requirements, primarily EEG technologists. Seizure risk-stratification using reduced time-to-application rapid response-EEG (rrEEG) systems (∼5 minutes) could be a solution. We assessed the noninferiority of the 2HELPS2B score on a 1-hour rrEEG compared to cEEG. A multicenter retrospective EEG diagnostic accuracy study was conducted from October 1, 2021, to July 31, 2022. Chart and EEG review performed with consecutive sampling at 4 tertiary care centers, included records of patients ≥18 years old, from January 1, 2018, to June 20, 2022. Monte Carlo simulation power analysis yielded n = 500 rrEEG; for secondary outcomes n = 500 cEEG and propensity-score covariate matching was planned. Primary outcome, noninferiority of rrEEG for seizure risk prediction, was assessed per area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC). Noninferiority margin (0.05) was based on the 2HELPS2B validation study. A total of 240 rrEEG with follow-on cEEG were obtained. Median age was 64 (interquartile range 22); 42% were female. 2HELPS2B on a 1-hour rrEEG met noninferiority to cEEG (AUC 0.85, 95% CI 0.78-0.90, p = 0.001). Secondary endpoints of comparison with a matched contemporaneous cEEG showed no significant difference in AUC (0.89, 95% CI 0.83-0.94, p = 0.31); in false negative rate for the 2HELPS2B = 0 group (p = 1.0) rrEEG (0.021, 95% CI 0-0.062), cEEG (0.016, 95% CI 0-0.048); nor in survival analyses. 2HELPS2B on 1-hour rrEEG is noninferior to cEEG for seizure prediction. Patients with low-risk (2HELPS2B = 0) may be able to forgo prolonged cEEG, allowing for increased monitoring of at-risk patients. This study provides Class II evidence that rrEEG is noninferior to cEEG in calculating the 2HELPS2B score to predict seizure risk.

A novel prognostic index for extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma in the era of pegaspargase/L-asparaginase.

Aim: This multicenter retrospective study aimed to develop a novel prognostic system for extranodal natural killer/T-cell lymphoma (ENKTL) patients in the era of pegaspargase/L-asparaginase. Materials & methods: A total of844 newly diagnosed ENKTL patients were included. Results: Multivariable analysis confirmed that Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, lactate dehydrogenase, Chinese Southwest Oncology Group and Asia Lymphoma Study Group ENKTL (CA) system, and albumin were independent prognostic factors. By rounding up the hazard ratios from foursignificant variables, a maximum of 7 points wereassigned. The model of Huaihai Lymphoma Working Group-Natural killer/T-cell Lymphoma prognostic index (NPI) was identified with four risk groups and the 5-year overall survival was 88.2, 66.7, 54.3and 30.5%, respectively. Conclusion: Huaihai Lymphoma Working Group-NPI provides a feasible stratification system for patients with ENKTL in the era of pegaspargase/L-asparaginase.

Successful response to upadacitinib in patients affected by prurigo nodularis and by atopic dermatitis with a predominant prurigo nodularis pattern: a multicenter case series study.

Successful response to upadacitinib in patients affected by prurigo nodularis and by atopic dermatitis with a predominant prurigo nodularis pattern: a multicenter case series study.