Single-center Retrospective Cohort Study Research Articles

Inter-cycle variability of anti-Müllerian hormone: implications for predicting controlled ovarian stimulation cycle outcomes

BackgroundAnti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) is a widely used marker for estimating ovarian reserve, and it may predict response to ovarian stimulation. While AMH is considered a stable, cycle-independent marker, studies have shown it can exhibit significant fluctuations based on factors like age, reproductive stage, and menstrual cycle phase. The fluctuations in AMH levels can make it challenging to predict individual responses accurately, particularly when the AMH is not measured in the COS cycle. The aim of this study was to assess the inter-cycle variability of serum AMH levels in two consecutive menstrual cycles and their correlation with response to controlled ovarian stimulation outcome in the latter.MethodsIn this single-centre retrospective cohort study, data of normal and low responder patients who underwent intracytoplasmic sperm injection following a GnRH antagonist cycle at a university hospital infertility clinic between January 2022 and December 2023 were reviewed. Serum AMH levels were measured in the early follicular phase of two consecutive menstrual cycles with Elecsys-AMH Roche® system (Roche Diagnostics, Meylan, France). Correlations between AMH levels and controlled ovarian stimulation outcomes, including total oocyte and mature oocyte (MII) counts, were assessed. The study included normal and poor responder women to maintain data integrity.ResultsA total of 79 patients were included in the final analyses. Significant cycle-to-cycle variation in serum AMH levels was observed, with a median variation of 44.3%. Normal responders exhibited a mean change of 0.60 ± 0.46 ng/ml, while poor responders had a mean change of 0.28 ± 0.28 ng/ml. Approximately 20% of patients were reclassified between normal and poor responder categories based on the second AMH measurement. The controlled ovarian stimulation cycle AMH levels showed a stronger correlation with both total oocyte count (r = 0.871, P < 0.001) and MII oocyte count (r = 0.820, P < 0.001) compared to preceding cycle AMH levels.ConclusionAMH levels can exhibit significant variations between consecutive cycles, potentially leading to misclassification of patients. Measuring AMH in the early follicular phase of the COS cycle provides a more accurate prediction of the numbers of total and MII oocytes collected. Consistent and repeated AMH measurements can help clinical decision-making.

A novel scoring system proposal to guide surgical treatment indications for high grade gliomas in elderly patients: DAK-75.

High-grade gliomas are the most prevalent neurooncological desease in adults, their incidence increases with age, peaking in the seventh decade. This paper aims to address how to select patients for surgical resection by identifying pre-surgical predictors of 12-month mortality in newly diagnosed HGG patients aged ≥ 75years. A prognostic score will be proposed to guide surgical decisions based on expected survival. Retrospective observational single-center cohort study was carried out at the "Città della Salute e della Scienza-Molinette" University Hospital in Turin, Italy. All consecutive patients aged ≥ 75years newly diagnosed with HGG were included, regardless of whether they underwent surgical resection. Clinical, radiological, histological and molecular data were collected.Variables potentially available at the time of diagnosis were considered to develop a multivariable logistic regression predictive model, with 12-months overall survival as the dependent variable. 102 patients aged 75years or older received a new diagnosis of high-grade glioma, of whom 68 underwent surgical resection. Patients undergoing surgery were slightly younger (76.9 vs 79.0years, p = 0.007) and had better performance status (median KPS 80 vs 70). Most tumors undergoing surgery were localized in cortical or subcortical non-motor areas (p < 0.001) and less frequently deep-seated (p = 0.023) or multifocal (p < 0.001). A predictive model, the DAK-75 score, was developed: the AUROC of the final model was 0.822 (95% CI 0.741-0.902). The score includes clinical presentation, tumor location, and KPS, ranging from 0 to 20, categorizing risk scores into low-risk and high-risk groups (< or > 8). Higher scores corresponded to fewer surgical patients and higher one-year mortality rates (92.2% vs 47.1%, p < 0.001). DAK-75 score may represent a valuable tool in the decision-making process for neurosurgical intervention in elderly patients diagnosed with HGG. Further studies are needed to externally and prospectively validate the scoring system.

Incidence and Risk Factors of Postoperative Acute Kidney Injury in Non-Cardiovascular Surgery: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Objective: To identify the incidence, risk factors, and outcome of postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) in non-cardiovascular surgery. Materials and Methods: A single-center retrospective cohort study included patients who underwent non-cardiovascular surgeries such as general, orthopedics, gynecology, neurosurgery, ENT, plastic, and endoscopy, between January 1, 2019 and December 31, 2020. The primary outcome was the incidence of AKI within seven days after surgery, as defined by the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria. The secondary outcomes were risk factors and the outcome of AKI. Results: From 2,898 cases, the incidence of postoperative AKI was 2% (57 cases). Twenty-two out of 57 cases (38.6%) had diagnosis of acute renal failure in the discharge summary. Independent risk factors of postoperative AKI by multivariate logistic regression analysis were the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification of 3 or greater, emergency surgery, atrial fibrillation, preoperative use of a mechanical ventilator, eGFR of less than 60 mL/minute/1.73 m², hypoalbuminemia, intraoperative urine output of less than 0.5 mL/kg/hour, vasopressor infusion, and intraoperative blood transfusion. Patients with postoperative AKI had higher mortality rates and postoperative complications included pneumonia, surgical site infection, sepsis, respiratory failure, and severe arrhythmia. Conclusion: Postoperative renal function should be monitored in patients with risk factors associated with postoperative AKI to improve patient outcomes.

Robotics can decrease the rate of post-operative ventral hernia: a single centre retrospective cohort study.

Midline incision for extra-corporeal anastomosis is common with traditional laparoscopic right hemicolectomy. Incisional hernias develop in up to 20% of these patients within a year adding considerable morbidity and healthcare costs. Robotic assisted surgery (RAS) improves technical ease of intra-corporeal anastomosis, preventing midline extraction but its benefit over laparoscopy remains debated. We aimed to determine if robotic assisted surgery and Pfannenstiel extraction decreased the rate of radiologically detected incisional hernias compared to standard laparoscopy with extra-corporeal anastomosis. The secondary outcomes aimed to evaluate incidence of port site hernias in 8mm robotic ports for which routine closure is not followed. Our single centre retrospective cohort study included patients who had minimally invasive right hemicolectomy and had cross-sectional imaging at least 1-year later. Patient demographics, body mass index, history of smoking or previous surgery was recorded. At imaging, evidence of new extraction site or port site-site hernia, contents and clinical impact was noted. A total of 100 patients (50 robotic and 50 laparoscopic) were included. Baseline characteristics appeared equally distributed. 16% (8 patients) who had laparoscopic surgery developed midline extraction site hernias which was significantly higher to RAS group (0 patients). 3 patients developed hernias at the site of robotic ports and this was more commonly at the right iliac fossa port. RAS, by simplifying intra-corporeal anastomosis has potential to eliminate incisional hernias, particularly when Pfannenstiel extraction is used. The potential for 8mm robotic ports to develop clinically significant hernias cannot be ignored and meticulous closure can prevent patient harm.

Real-World Experience Of The Association of HLADQA1*05 Allele with Loss of Response to Anti-TNF Inhibitors

Abstract Goals and Background Anti–tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) biologics have revolutionized the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Previously, studies have shown an association between the HLADQA1*05 allele and the development of antibodies and was predictive of loss of response. We sought to investigate the rate of the HLADQA1*05 allele in patients with IBD at a New England center and its association with antibody development and discontinuation of anti-TNF therapy. Study A single center retrospective cohort study with patients on anti-TNF inhibitor therapy being followed at our IBD clinic who had testing performed for the HLADQA1*05 allele were identified and separated into two different groups: HLADQA1*05 positive (HLA-carriers) or HLADQA1*05 negative (HLA non-carriers). Persistence of remaining on anti-TNF therapy, measurement of drug/antibody levels, and need for dose escalation was collected and stratified amongst the two groups. Results The prevalence of the HLADQA1*05 allele among all IBD patients followed was 53%. We identified 67 IBD patients being treated with anti-TNF medications, 46 (69%) patients with Crohn’s disease and 21 (31%) with ulcerative colitis. Most of the HLA carriers (85%) and HLA non-carriers (92%) remained on anti-TNF therapy at the end of the study period. 36 (84%) patients had therapeutic drug monitoring performed during maintenance therapy. Three patients in the HLA carrier group had meaningful anti-drug antibody levels necessitating cessation of therapy compared to one patient in the HLA non-carrier group (p = 0.61). Only 3 (13%) of HLA carriers and 4 (21%) of HLA non-carriers were on combination therapy with an immunomodulator. 65% of HLA carriers required dose escalation compared to 50% of HLA non-carriers (p= 0.70). Conclusion The prevalence of the HLADQA1*05 allele was 53% in our New England IBD patient population, similar to what has previously been reported in European studies. The majority of patients remained on anti-TNF therapy at the end of the study period despite carrier status. While there was a trend toward increased need for dose escalation among HLA carriers, this was not statistically significant. Future studies are needed to determine if the presence of the HLADQA1*05 allele leads to the antibody development against anti-TNF inhibitors and treatment failure in patients with IBD.

Development of the Pulmonary Embolism Progression (PEP) score for predicting short-term clinical deterioration in intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism: a single-center retrospective study.

Accurate risk stratification in acute intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism (PE) is essential. Current prediction scores lack the ability to forecast impending clinical decline. The Pulmonary Embolism Progression (PEP) score aims to predict short-term clinical deterioration (respiratory failure or hemodynamic instability within 72h) in patients with intermediate-risk PE. This single-center retrospective cohort study analyzed patients with intermediate PE. The outcome of interest was respiratory failure or hemodynamic instability within 72h. A multivariate logistic regression identified five predictive variables for the final PEP score: use of > 4L/min of supplemental oxygen above baseline, lactate > 2.0 mmol/L, high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) > 40 ng/L, tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) < 13mm, and the combination of central and subsegmental clot. The derivation cohort included 117 patients, and the validation cohort included 70 patients. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve for the derivation cohort was 0.8671 (95% CI: 0.7946, 0.9292), and for the validation cohort, it was 0.9264 (95% CI: 0.8680, 0.9847). A PEP score of 4 points yielded the highest combination of sensitivity (93%) and specificity (65%). Each incremental point increase in the PEP score raised the probability of clinical deterioration by a factor of 1.933. The PEP score is a reliable tool for predicting the likelihood of clinical deterioration in intermediate-risk PE patients within 72h, potentially aiding in timely clinical decision-making and improving patient outcomes.

Implementation Strategies Used to Reduce UEs in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Unplanned extubation (UE) is the premature or unintended removal of an artificial airway and can cause worse patient outcomes. Study objectives were to describe implementation strategies used to reduce UE in the Hospital for Sick Children neonatal ICU (NICU) and their influence on UE rates, and contributing factors and patient characteristics of infants who had an UE, and compare them between the biological sexes. We hypothesized that the boys would experience more UEs and worse outcomes compared to the girls. The single-center retrospective cohort study included all infants who experienced UE (2007-2019). Outcomes consisted of implementation reduction strategies developed by using the plan-do-study-act quality-improvement methodology and UE characteristics, including patient (eg, sex, length of stay) and unplanned extubation situation characteristics (eg, events and/or procedures, repeats). Five plan-do-study-act cycles were implemented. Analyses included text summaries of all strategies, and quantitative descriptive and comparative statistics. UE per 100 ventilator days decreased from 3.46 to 0.14. Key success factors included setting achievable goals; ensuring that strategies were evaluated and amended; maintaining consistency over the long-term; incorporating strategies in the NICU; having institutional support and validation; and having good communication. There were 302 UE in 257 infants, 141 boys (55%), average ± SD gestational age of 31 ± 6 weeks, and 31 (12%) had 45 repeated UEs. The only significant difference between the biological sexes was that more boys (129 [92%]) versus girls (94 [83%]) received the Hospital for Sick Children NICU endotracheal tube taping protocol (P = .030). The incidence of UE occurred in a 2-peaked pattern, highest for those < 32 weeks and ≥ 32 weeks of gestational age. Infants < 32 weeks of gestational age and with repeated UE had longer durations of invasive mechanical ventilation and length of stay. For infants <32 versus => 32 weeks gestational age, the median (interquartile range) duration of mechanical ventilation was 38 (16-77) d versus 6 (3-13) d and hospital length of stay 61 (30-100) d versus 16 (10-41) d. For infants with repeated versus no repeated unplanned extubations, duration of mechanical ventilation was 69 (26-125) d versus 13 (4-52) d and hospital length of stay 90 (39-137) d versus 32 (12-75) d. Detailed well-planned UE reduction strategies significantly reduced the rate of UEs with key factors of success identified. UE characteristics and infant morbidity did not differ between the biological sexes. Infants < 32 weeks of gestational age and with repeated UE had a longer duration of mechanical ventilation and length of stay.

Effectiveness of a Disability Liaison Officer service in a metropolitan emergency department.

To identify the influence of a Disability Liaison Officer (DLO) service in the ED setting on people with disability (PWD). For this project, PWD included adults with communication disability, intellectual disability or autism spectrum disorder. This was a single-centre retrospective cohort study, at an adult major referral ED in Melbourne, Australia. Patients were eligible for inclusion if they were ≥18 years of age, presented to the ED between 1 April 2022 and 30 April 2023, and had a disability alert in their electronic medical record. Eligible patients were divided into two cohorts: (i) patients managed using standard ED care and (ii) patients managed using DLO model. ED length of stay (LOS) was the main outcome measure. After adjusting for baseline differences in age, initial GCS and disability type, the DLO service was associated with earlier disposition from the ED (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 1.44; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.23-1.69; P < 0.001). For the subgroup of patients discharged directly from the ED, the association of DLO service and earlier disposition remained statistically significant (aHR 2.47; 95% CI: 1.83-3.33; P < 0.001). Among patients admitted to the emergency short stay unit (aHR 1.67; 95% CI: 0.99-2.80; P = 0.06), and those admitted to inpatient wards (aHR 0.89; 95% CI: 0.65-1.23; P = 0.50), there was no significant association of the DLO service with time to disposition. The DLO service was associated with a reduction in ED LOS for PWD. Further assessment of the service using patient- and carer-reported outcome measures and cost-effectiveness studies are indicated.

Weighted-Incidence Syndromic Combination Antibiogram (WISCA) to Support Empirical Antibiotic Therapy Decisions in Infected Ischemic Leg Ulcers-A Feasibility Study.

Objective: Patients with peripheral artery occlusive disease (PAD) are at risk of developing foot ulcers, which can subsequently lead to foot infections and an increased risk of amputation. In cases of severe ischemic foot infections (IFIs), the empirical use of antibiotics can be limb-saving. However, there is currently no evidence-based guidance on the choice of empirical antibiotic therapy for IFI. Methods and Design: This retrospective single-center cohort study included 216 hospitalized patients with severe IFI undergoing endovascular revascularization. Weighted-Incidence Syndromic Combination Antibiograms (WISCAs) were calculated to guide empirical antibiotic choice. Results: The two most common causative pathogens for IFI were S. aureus and P. aeruginosa, with frequencies of 19.8% and 6.1%, respectively. The calculation of WISCAs revealed a low empirical coverage of amoxicillin (AMX) or clindamycin (CLN) with 21.6% and 27.7%, respectively. The empirical coverage of amoxicillin/clavulanic-acid (AMC), trimethoprim/sulfmethoxazole (SXT), and ciprofloxacin (CIP) was 50.6%, 53.1%, and 55.4%, respectively. Piperacillin/tazobactam (PT) exhibited the highest empirical coverage, with 82.5% as calculated by WISCAs. The calculated WISCAs did not significantly alter when stratified by the clinical characteristics of the patients. Conclusions: The empirical antibiotic coverage of CLN and AMX was low. SXT represents a promising empirical alternative in the case of IFI, irrespective of comorbidities and the WIfI score. WISCAs can assist in the decision-making process regarding empirical antibiotic therapy choices in cases of IFI.

Incidence of Myocarditis among Patients Recovered from COVID-19 Identified using Cardiac Magnetic Resonance: A 1-year Single-centre Retrospective Study

Background: COVID-19 continues to engender significant morbidity and mortality globally and is associated with cardiac injuries, such as myocarditis. This study reports the incidence of myocarditis identified using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) in patients recovered from COVID-19. Methods: This is a single-centre retrospective cohort study conducted among recovered COVID-19 patients who underwent CMR from 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2021. Results: Most patients with evidence of myocardial oedema on CMR had a mild-type infection (31 of 54 [57%]), with dyspnoea (15 [28%]) and palpitations (12 [22%]) being the most common symptoms. Twenty-nine of 54 (54%) patients had increased T2 signal indicative of myocarditis; eight (28%) of them had evidence of myocardial fibrosis on late gadolinium enhancement primarily located at the lateral walls with sub-epicardial and mid-wall involvement dispersed in the basal to apical segments. Myocardial oedema was noted in nine (31%) patients. Six (20%) of them had an impaired left ventricular ejection fraction of &lt;50% and three patients (10%) had an impaired right ventricular ejection fraction of &lt;50%. There was no significant difference in left ventricular (57% versus 61%; p=0.13) and right ventricular (57% versus 60%; p=0.51) systolic function between the two groups. Conclusion: Myocarditis after COVID-19 can be a lasting consequence, and CMR may serve as a sensitive imaging tool to investigate any suspected cardiac injury after treatment of the infection. The findings of the study may aid in determining the other possible long-term effects in patients who have recovered from COVID-19, particularly those who continue to experience symptoms.

Impact of Thrombocytopenia on Bleeding and Thrombotic Outcomes in Adults with Cancer-associated Splanchnic Vein Thrombosis

Malignancy is a risk factor for splanchnic vein thrombosis (SpVT). Data on the natural history of cancer-associated SpVT are limited. This was a single-center retrospective cohort study of 581 adult patients with cancer and SpVT. We aimed to characterize the impact of thrombocytopenia on major bleeding and progression or recurrence of SpVT within one year of initial cancer-associated SpVT diagnosis. Baseline thrombocytopenia (platelet < 100,000/uL within 15 days of SpVT diagnosis) was present in 39.5% of patients. A total of 39.2% of patients received therapeutic anticoagulation within two weeks of SpVT diagnosis. The cumulative once-year incidence of major bleeding was 10.7% (95% CI: 8.2–13.2), and for SpVT recurrence/progression was 16.2% (95% CI: 13.2–19.2). In multivariable regression analysis, therapeutic anticoagulation was associated with increased major bleeding (aRR: 1.74, 95% CI: 1.08-2.81) and decreased progression/recurrence of SpVT (aRR: 0.55, 95% CI: 0.35-0.86). Baseline thrombocytopenia was not independently associated with either major bleeding (aRR: 0.76, 95% CI: 0.43-1.34) or progression/recurrence of SpVT (aRR: 1.14, 95% CI: 0.73–1.78). A secondary analysis using inverse probability of treatment weighting with propensity scores for baseline thrombocytopenia corroborated that patients with thrombocytopenia did not have increased bleeding risk (aHR: 0.81, 95% CI: 0.48–1.39). Multivariable analysis treating platelets as a time varying covariate also did not reveal an association with major bleeding (aHR: 0.89, 95% CI: 0.55–1.45). Bleeding and thrombosis progression were frequent in patients with cancer-associated SpVT. Anticoagulation was associated with increased major bleeding and decreased thrombotic progression; thrombocytopenia did not impact outcomes.

Incidence of scabies from 1996 to 2022: A retrospective single centre cohort study from Finland.

Our observation of increasing numbers of cases of scabies being diagnosed in our clinic in Oulu, northern Finland led us to conduct a retrospective study of the epidemiology of scabies in our area from 1996 to 2022. We found a pattern of growing incidence during that period, especially among adolescents in more recent years.We found different seasonal incidence peaks among different age groups.

Magnetic resonance imaging and tractography of sensorimotor tracts in fetuses with intraventricular hemorrhage: feasibility and added prognostic value.

To assess the feasibility, characteristics and prognostic value of prenatal visualization of the corticospinal tracts (CSTs) using diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based tractography in fetuses with intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH). This was a retrospective single-center cohort study of singleton fetuses diagnosed with IVH on MRI from January 2011 to December 2018. The left and right CSTs were reconstructed according to an in-utero diffusion tensor imaging sequence using a multi-region of interest (ROI) deterministic tractography approach. The CSTs were segmented by two polygonal ROI: at the level of the posterior limb of the internal capsule and the crus cerebri. The morphology and integrity of the CSTs were assessed visually. Internal capsule and crus cerebri apparent diffusion coefficient and fractional anisotropy values were measured. Postnatal motor function data were obtained from the parents using the functional status scale. A total of 35 fetuses with IVH (mean gestational age, 29.1 ± 5.1 (range, 19.9-38.9) weeks) were included in the analysis. Parenchymal involvement on T2-weighted sequences was demonstrated in 19(54%) of the cohort. CST involvement correlated significantly with the presence of parenchymal damage on T2-weighted imaging (P = 0.02). Among liveborn cases, the rate of motor impairment was 14% (1/7) in children with intact CSTs compared with 100% (5/5) in cases in which the CSTs were impaired (P = 0.015). Fetal corticospinal tractography is feasible technically and offers valuable prognostic information. It enhances parental counseling by providing insights into potential motor outcome, underscoring its utility in complementing fetal neurosonography in cases of prenatal IVH. © 2024 The Author(s). Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Handoffs and Equity: Impact of a Patient Distribution Model on Handoffs for Black Patients.

Hospital medicine patient distribution models (PDM) assign patients to inpatient services on hospital admission. Models balance tradeoffs including patient handoffs, physician wellness, subspecialty care, and other factors to ensure optimal outcomes; however, equity is rarely considered. Handoffs during inpatient care can result in medical error and worse patient outcomes. This study evaluates the impact of a PDM that prioritizes use of specialty care services and an overflow service (OS) during high census on racial inequities in handoff frequency. A single-center retrospective cohort study of inpatient encounters on hospital medicine services from July 2017 to December 2019 was conducted. The primary exposures included being discharged by a general medicine service (GMS) or cared for by an OS. The primary outcome was handoffs per day of stay, analyzed by multivariable regression adjusted for age, gender, race, ethnicity, insurance, discharge from GMS, and care from OS. A total of 4165 inpatient hospitalizations with the majority of their stay on a hospital medicine service were reviewed. Patients discharged by GMS (78.2% vs. 58.1%, p < .001) and cared for by OS (78.7% vs. 67.0%, p < .001) were more likely to identify as Black. Multivariable analysis showed a handoff risk ratio of 1.53 (p < .001) for OS patients and 1.06 (p = .01) if discharged from GMS, but race alone did not significantly affect risk of handoffs. The PDM prioritization drove increased handoffs disproportionately for Black patients. Multivariable analysis showed that race alone did not contribute to increased handoffs suggesting the creation of a systemic bias in patient care.

Comparison of Echocardiographically-Calculated Fontan Fenestration Gradient and Catheter-Based Measurement.

Patients born with single ventricle anatomy typically undergo surgical palliation in three stages, culminating in the Fontan procedure. Assessment of flow across a Fontan fenestration by Doppler ultrasound theoretically allows for non-invasive estimation of the transpulmonary gradient (TPG). Our objective was to determine the relationship between Doppler-derived mean fenestration gradient (mFG) and direct catheter-based measurements of TPG in patients with fenestrated Fontans. We performed a single-center retrospective cohort study of 59 patients with fenestrated Fontans completed between 2000 and 2022. The primary outcome was catheter-based measurement of TPG and the primary predictor was mFG from echo performed within 6 months of the catheterization. Linear regression and R2 were used to determine the relationship between predictors and outcomes. Catheter-based measurements of TPG and mFG were weakly correlated (R2 = 0.382, p < 0.001); the regression coefficient was 0.550, with a standard error of 0.09 for every increase in mFG (Cath TPG = 0.55 [mFG] + 1.92). mFG had a slightly better predictive relationship with cath-derived TPG in patients with systemic left ventricles with R2 of 0.47, p < 0.004. mFG accounts for approximately 38% of the variance in catheter-derived TPG. Although mFG is non-invasive and intuitive, mFG in Fontan patients should be interpreted with caution and direct measurement by cardiac catheterization should be considered.

Perioperative and early complications of extended instrumental fixation for spinal deformity in children: what does the application of the Clavien – Dindo classification reveal and what questions does it raise?

Objective. To analyze complications of extended posterior instrumental fixation for spinal deformity in children in accordance with the Clavien – Dindo classification and to assess its information content and limitations.Material and Methods. A retrospective single-center cohort study included 136 patients aged from 1 year to 17 years 11 months consecutively operated in 2020–2023 for thoracic and lumbar spine deformities associated with congenital, neuromuscular, syndromic, idiopathic scoliosis and Scheuermann’s kyphosis. At least four spinal motion segments were included in the zone of posterior instrumental fixation. All perioperative events and postoperative complications noted in the medical records were registered in accordance with the Clavien – Dindo classification. An analysis of factors influencing the development of complications of grade IIIB and higher was carried out.Results. With a total apparent high number of complications/events (55 or 40.4 % of the number of operations), the vast majority of them correspond to grade I–II (41; 30.1 %) and do not affect the tactics and outcome of treatment. Complications of grade III and IV were noted in 13 (9.6 %) cases, and of grade V – in 1 (0.7 %) case. The influence of deformity etiology, gender, age or underweight on the risk of grade IIIB and IVA complications was not revealed, which may be due to the limited number of observations. The installation of more than 18 transpedicular screws, which correlated with surgery duration and blood loss volume, was significant for the development of such complications. The results obtained were compared with those presented in the literature, the information content and limitations of the use of the Clavien – Dindo classification in spine surgery were discussed.Conclusion. A significant part of the complications of spinal deformity correction in children is conventionally not taken into account in domestic practice and, accordingly, cannot be prevented. The use of the Clavien – Dindo classification allows estimating the frequency of complications that potentially do not affect (grade I–II) and affect (grade III–IV) the tactics of postoperative treatment and outcomes. The installation of 18 or more supporting elements of instrumentation is directly related to surgery duration, intraoperative blood loss volume and the risk of developing grade IIIB and IVA complications. Larger data sets are needed for a more objective analysis of the risk of severe complications for each nosology.

Prognosis of Proximal and Distal Vertebrobasilar Artery Stent Placement.

Vertebrobasilar artery stent placement (VBS) is potentially effective in preventing recurrent posterior circulation strokes; however, the incidences of in-stent restenosis and stented-territory ischemic events based on the location of stent placement have rarely been investigated. We aimed to investigate the characteristics and prognosis of VBS between intracranial and extracranial. This study was single-center retrospective cohort study, and we obtained medical records of patients who underwent VBS. We compared clinical and periprocedural factors between extracranial and intracranial VBS. The primary outcomes included the incidence of in-stent restenosis (>50% reduction in lumen diameter) and stented-territory ischemic events. We compared the incidence of in-stent restenosis and stented-territory ischemic events by using Kaplan-Meier curves. Of the 105 patients, 41 (39.0%) underwent extracranial VBS, and 64 (61.0%) underwent intracranial VBS. During the follow-up, the incidences of in-stent restenosis and stented-territory ischemic events were 15.2% and 22.9%, respectively. The procedure time was longer (47.7 ± 19.5 minutes versus 74.5 ± 35.2 minutes, P < .001), and the rate of residual stenosis (≥30%) just after VBS was higher (2 [4.9%] versus 24 [37.5%], P < .001) in intracranial VBS than in extracranial VBS. Also, the incidences of in-stent restenosis were significantly higher in intracranial VBS than in extracranial VBS (4.9% versus 21.9%, P = .037). On the other hand, the incidences of stented-territory ischemic events (7.3% versus 32.8%, P < .001) were significantly higher in intracranial VBS than in extracranial VBS. The main mechanisms of stroke were artery-to-artery embolism (2 [66.7%]) in extracranial VBS, and artery-to-artery embolism (9 [42.9%]) and branch atheromatous disease (8 [38.1%]) in intracranial VBS. The Kaplan-Meier curve demonstrated a higher incidence of in-stent restenosis and stented-territory ischemic events in intracranial VBS than in extracranial VBS (P = .008 and P = .002, respectively). During the follow-up, the incidence of in-stent restenosis and stented-territory ischemic events was higher in patients with intracranial VBS than in those with extracranial VBS. The higher rates of postprocedural residual stenosis might have contributed to the increased risk of in-stent restenosis. Furthermore, prolonged procedure time and additional stroke mechanism, including branch atheromatous disease, might be associated with a higher risk of stented-territory ischemic events in intracranial VBS.

Recurrent acute kidney injury is associated with delayed language development in infants with Congenital Heart Disease.

Neurodevelopmental delay is common in children who undergo surgery for Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) in infancy. Cardiac surgery associated acute kidney injury (CS-AKI) occurs frequently in the paediatric cardiac Intensive care unit (ICU). Cardiac surgery associated acute kidney injury (CS-AKI) is associated with worse neurodevelopmental scores and delay in cognitive, language, and motor domains in children with CHD. No known data exist regarding the association of CS-AKI and motor and language subscales. In this study, we explored the relationship between CS-AKI and receptive and expressive language, as well as gross and fine motor delay. This was a single centre retrospective observational cohort study. Children who underwent surgery for CHD and developed recurrent CS-AKI in the first year of life who had follow-up neurodevelopmental testing using the Bayley Scale of Infant Development Version III were included. Neurodevelopmental delay subscales assessed included: receptive and expressive language, fine and motor skills. The study cohort included 203 children. Recurrent CS-AKI was significantly associated with lower scores in receptive and expressive language, as well as fine and gross motor on unadjusted analyses. On adjusted analyses, recurrent CS-AKI was significantly associated with severe receptive language delay. The independent association of recurrent CS-AKI with severe language delay in children who undergo surgery for CHD in infancy is novel. Our findings may contribute to the understanding of language impairment in this population. Further studies are required to better understand this relationship and any potentially modifiable factors.

The Impact of Intraoperative Anesthesiology Provider Handovers on Postoperative Complications After Hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) Surgery.

The objective of this study is to assess the possible association between intraoperative anesthesia team handovers and increased 90-day major complications following HPB surgery. This is a single-center retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent HPB surgery. Anesthesiologist handover (AH) occurred when a complete transfer of care to a receiving anesthesiologist. total anesthesia team handovers (TH) occurred when both anesthesiologist and supervised provider transferred care. The primary outcome was 90-day major complications, defined as an ACCORDION score of ≥ 3. Ninety-day major complications occurred in 35 (21.6%) of TH and 96 (21.9%) of AH patients. With adjustment of other covariates, no significant association was found between AH (OR, 1.358, 95% CI, 0.935-1.973, p = 0.1079) or TH (OR, 1.157, 95% CI, 0.706-1.894, p = 0.5633) and 90-day major complications. In a high-volume HPB center, anesthesia team handovers were not associated with an increased risk of patients having a major complication within 90 days after HPB surgery.

Neighborhood disadvantage and general anesthesia utilization in cesarean delivery: a retrospective analysis

BackgroundNeighborhood disadvantage, a social driver of health (SDOH), has been associated with adverse perinatal outcomes; yet little is known about its association with anesthetic choice. ObjectiveThe purpose of this study is to assess the association of neighborhood disadvantage and anesthetic choice for cesarean deliveries. We hypothesize that people from the most disadvantaged neighborhoods are more likely to receive general anesthesia for cesarean deliveries compared to those from the most advantaged neighborhoods. Study designThis single-center retrospective cohort study identified index cesarean deliveries performed between 2008 and 2017. People were categorized into no, low, moderate, and high disadvantage neighborhood using the area deprivation index. The odds of receiving general anesthesia versus neuraxial anesthesia (epidural, spinal, or combined spinal-epidural) were compared using logistic regression models. ResultsOf the 16,351 people with cesarean deliveries, 96.0% received neuraxial versus 4.0% general anesthesia. The rates of general anesthesia were 6.3%, 4.2%, 3.1%, and 2.4% for the high, moderate, low, and no disadvantage groups (P<.001), respectively. Indications for general anesthesia by obstetric indication were different by neighborhood disadvantage (P<.001), but no differences were observed by contraindications of neuraxial anesthesia (P=.091). Compared to the no disadvantage group, the high disadvantage group had higher odds of general anesthesia (aOR 2.0, 95% CI (1.5 to 2.7), P<.001). Results were unchanged after evaluating people in labor only. ConclusionsPeople from disadvantaged neighborhoods are more likely to receive general anesthesia for cesarean deliveries, even after considering clinical features. The general anesthesia rate is a meaningful benchmark in obstetric anesthesia that may contribute to disparities.