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Autoimmun Rev 2022 May 17:103114. Epub 2022 May 17.

Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.

From the introduction of hyperferritinemic syndrome concept, a growing body of evidence has suggested the role of ferritin as a pathogenic mediator and a relevant clinical feature in the management of patients with inflammatory diseases. From a pathogenic point of view, ferritin may directly stimulate the aberrant immune response by triggering the production of pro-inflammatory mediators in inducing a vicious pathogenic loop and contributing to the occurrence of cytokine storm syndrome. The latter has been recently defined as a clinical picture characterised by elevated circulating cytokine levels, acute systemic inflammatory symptoms, and secondary organ dysfunction beyond that which could be attributed to a normal response to a pathogen It is noteworthy that the occurrence of hyperferritinemia may be correlated with the development of the cytokine storm syndrome in the context of an inflammatory disease. Read More

Front Cardiovasc Med 2022 3;9:811790. Epub 2022 May 3.

Beijing Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine of Coronary Atherosclerotic Disease, Department of Cardiology, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Clinical Center for Coronary Heart Disease, Beijing Institute of Heart Lung and Blood Vessel Disease, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic values of five lymphocyte-based inflammatory indices (platelet-lymphocyte ratio [PLR], neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio [NLR], monocyte-lymphocyte ratio [MLR], systemic immune inflammation index [SII], and system inflammation response index [SIRI]) in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS).

Methods: A total of 1,701 ACS patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) were included in this study and followed up for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) including all-cause death, non-fatal ischemic stroke, and non-fatal myocardial infarction. The five indices were stratified by the optimal cutoff value for comparison. Read More

J Hepatol 2022 Jun;76(6):1279-1290

Mitchell T. Rabkin, M.D. Chair, Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Chief Academic Officer, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Beth Israel Lahey Health, Boston, MA, USA.

In recent years, there have been important advances in our understanding of alcohol-associated hepatitis (AH), which have occurred in parallel with a surge in clinical trial activity. Meanwhile, the broader medical field has seen a transformation in care paradigms based on emerging digital technologies. This review focuses on breakthroughs in our understanding of AH and how these breakthroughs are leading to new paradigms for biomarker discovery, clinical trial activity, and care models for patients. Read More

PLoS One 2022 19;17(5):e0268296. Epub 2022 May 19.

Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States of America.

Severe coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) is characterized by vascular inflammation and thrombosis. We and others have proposed that the inflammatory response to coronavirus infection activates endothelial cells, leading to endothelial release of pro-thrombotic proteins. These mediators can trigger obstruction of the pulmonary microvasculature, leading to worsening oxygenation, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and death. Read More

Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2022 May;26(9):3342-3350

Department of Pediatrics, Severance Children's Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.

Objective: Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) can occur in association with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). It is not easy to differentiate MIS-C from severe COVID-19 or Kawasaki disease based on symptoms. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical and laboratory characteristics of MIS-C. Read More

Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2022 May;26(9):3185-3191

Department of Urology, the Affiliated Southeast Hospital of Xiamen University, Zhangzhou, Fujian, China.

Objective: To investigate the safety and efficacy of visualized ultra-mini percutaneous nephrolithotripsy (VUMP) and flexible ureterorenoscopy (FURS) in the treatment of nephrolithiasis patients with 1.5-2.5 cm kidney stones and without hydronephrosis. Read More

Med Trop Sante Int 2021 Jun 7;1(2). Epub 2021 Apr 7.

Service des maladies infectieuses et tropicales, CHU de Fann, BP 5035, Dakar, Sénégal.

Introduction: Bacteremia is associated with high lethality in HIV-infected patients. The widespread use of cotrimoxazole prophylaxis and misuse of antibiotics promote antibacterial resistance. Only few studies have considered this issue in HIV-infected patients. Read More

Front Psychiatry 2022 2;13:882870. Epub 2022 May 2.

Centro Cardiologico Monzino, IRCCs, Milan, Italy.

Introduction: Takayasu's arteritis (TA) is a systemic inflammatory disease that affects aorta and its major branches. There are several cardiac manifestations of TA and an association with Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) - but not coronary vasospasm - has been previously reported. The role of emotional stress in this context is unknown. Read More

Arch Microbiol 2022 May 18;204(6):333. Epub 2022 May 18.

Department of Laboratory Medicine, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, the Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, 210008, Jiangsu, China.

Small colony variants (SCVs) are a slow-growing subpopulation of bacteria characterized by their atypical colony morphology and distinct biochemical properties, which are known to cause chronic persistent infections. Here, we investigated the characteristics of three phenotypes of Escherichia coli, including a capnophilic SCV, co-isolated from a 64-year-old patient with bacteremia in China. The three strains were identified as a capnophilic strain (EC1), a capnophilic SCV (EC2), and a normal colony strain (EC3). Read More

Clin Med (Lond) 2022 May;22(3):266-270

Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.

Infection with SARS-CoV-2 may trigger a delayed hyper-inflammatory illness in children called paediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome temporally associated with COVID-19 (PIMS-TS). A similar syndrome is increasingly recognised in adults termed multisystem inflammatory syndrome in adults (MIS-A) and may present acutely to medical or surgical specialties with severe symptoms, such as acute abdominal pain or cardiogenic shock. No national guidelines exist in the UK for the management of MIS-A and there is limited evidence to guide treatment plans. Read More

Rev Assoc Med Bras (1992) 2022 May;68(5):586-590

Gaziantep University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Pharmacology - Gaziantep, Turkey.

Objective: Sepsis is a complex and serious medical condition resulting from the activation of an innate host response to infections. The etiology of sepsis is complex and can be influenced by genetic susceptibility. The purpose of the present study was to investigate a possible association of Rho-kinase 1 (ROCK1) gene polymorphism with sepsis in a Turkish population. Read More

Rev Bras Enferm 2022 9;75(5):e20210586. Epub 2022 May 9.

Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre. Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

Objective: To analyze the critical alarms predictors of clinical deterioration/sepsis for clinical decision making in patients admitted to a reference hospital complex.

Methods: An observational retrospective cohort study. The Machine Learning (ML) tool, Robot Laura®, scores changes in vital parameters and lab tests, classifying them by severity. Read More

Shock 2022 May;57(5):759

Department of Critical Care Medicine, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.

JAMA Netw Open 2022 May 2;5(5):e2212709. Epub 2022 May 2.

Center for Critical Care Nephrology, Department of Critical Care Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Importance: The 23rd Acute Disease Quality Initiative (ADQI-23) consensus conference proposed a framework to integrate biomarkers into the staging of acute kidney injury (AKI). It is unknown whether tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 2 (TIMP-2) and insulinlike growth factor binding protein 7 (IGFBP7) could be used for staging.

Objective: To test whether higher levels of urinary [TIMP-2] × [IGFBP7] are associated with lower survival among patients with the same functional stage of AKI. Read More

Pediatr Crit Care Med 2022 05 5;23(5):390-394. Epub 2022 May 5.

Department Mother-Woman-Child, Clinic of Neonatology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.

Objectives: To determine circulating levels of ascorbic acid (VitC) and thiamine (VitB1) in neonates and children with blood culture-proven sepsis.

Design: Nested single-center study of neonates and children prospectively included in the Swiss Pediatric Sepsis Study.

Setting: One tertiary care academic hospital. Read More

Pediatr Crit Care Med 2022 May 5;23(5):385-389. Epub 2022 May 5.

Division of Critical Care Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care & Pain Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA.

Mol Med Rep 2022 Jul 18;26(1). Epub 2022 May 18.

Department of Emergency, The Affiliated Hospital of Medical School of Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang 315020, P.R. China.

It has been reported that the expression of C‑X‑C motif chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) is increased in patients with lung injury, while CXCR4 downregulation can improve sepsis‑induced lung injury. Previous studies have shown that tranilast can inhibit CXCR4 mRNA expression. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate whether tranilast could protect against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‑induced lung injury via the CXCR4/Janus kinase 2 (JAK2)/STAT3 signaling pathway. Read More

Int J Mol Med 2022 Jul 18;50(1). Epub 2022 May 18.

Department of General Surgery, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210002, P.R. China.

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is an inflammatory disorder that has been associated with systemic inflammatory response syndrome. Ginsenoside Rg3 is a major active component of , which has been demonstrated to exert potent protective effects on hyperglycemia and diabetes. However, it remains to be determined whether Rg3 ameliorates AP. Read More

Int J Med Sci 2022 11;19(4):753-761. Epub 2022 Apr 11.

Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Medical Academy, Department of Pediatrics, 50161 Kaunas, Lithuania.

Background And Objectives: While most feverish children have self-limiting diseases, 5-10% develop a serious and potentially life-threatening bacterial infection (BI). Due to potential risk, prompt recognition of BI and sepsis in the pediatric emergency department (PED) remains a clinical priority. The aim of the study was to evaluate the role of certain cytokines and chemokines separately and in combination with routine blood tests in early BI and sepsis diagnostics at PED. Read More

Kidney360 2022 Mar 11;3(3):582-583. Epub 2022 Feb 11.

Aichi Cancer Center Hospital, Nagoya, Japan.

Kidney360 2022 Mar 19;3(3):419-422. Epub 2021 Aug 19.

Department of Clinical & Experimental Medicine, University of Surrey and Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Guildford, United Kingdom.

BMC Public Health 2022 May 17;22(1):992. Epub 2022 May 17.

School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, 3rd Floor, 553 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.

Background: Early diagnosis and prompt antibiotic treatment are crucial to reducing morbidity and mortality of early-onset sepsis (EOS) in neonates. However, this strategy remains challenging due to non-specific clinical findings and limited facilities. Inappropriate antibiotics use is associated with ineffective therapy and adverse outcomes. Read More

Microb Drug Resist 2022 May;28(5):593-600

Department of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.

We aimed to analyze rates and risk factors for carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) bloodstream infection (BSI) in CPE-colonized patients with malignancies or following hematopoietic cell transplantation. We retrospectively collected data on demography, underlying disease, colonizing CPE, treatment, intensive care unit (ICU) hospitalization, CPE-BSI, and mortality in CPE-colonized immunocompromised patients (2014-2020). Two hundred twenty-one patients were colonized with 272 CPE: 254 (93. Read More

PLoS Pathog 2022 May 17;18(5):e1010489. Epub 2022 May 17.

Division of Experimental Virology, Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.

Vertical transmission of Bartonella infection has been reported for several mammalian species including mice and humans. Accordingly, it is commonly held that acquired immunological tolerance contributes critically to the high prevalence of Bartonellae in wild-ranging rodent populations. Here we studied an experimental model of Bartonella infection in mice to assess the impact of maternal and newborn immune defense on vertical transmission and bacterial persistence in the offspring, respectively. Read More

PLoS One 2022 17;17(5):e0268540. Epub 2022 May 17.

Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden.

Objective: Low-level viraemia (LLV) occurs in some people with HIV (PWH) receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) and has been linked to inferior treatment outcomes. We investigated factors associated with LLV in a nationwide cohort of Swedish PWH starting ART.

Methods: Participants were identified from the InfCareHIV register, with the following inclusion criteria: ART initiation 2006-2017, age >15 years, ≥4 viral load (VL) results available and no documented treatment interruptions or virologic failure (≥2 consecutive VL ≥200 copies/ml) during follow-up. Read More

Trials 2022 May 16;23(1):407. Epub 2022 May 16.

Division of Infectious Diseases, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA.

Background: Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia is a life-threatening infection and leading cause of infective endocarditis, with mortality rates of 15-50%. Treatment typically requires prolonged administration of parenteral therapy, itself associated with high costs and potential catheter-associated complications. Dalbavancin is a lipoglycopeptide with potent activity against Staphylococcus and a long half-life, making it an appealing potential therapy for S. Read More

Crit Care 2022 May 17;26(1):131. Epub 2022 May 17.

Department of Critical Care Medicine, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.

Mol Med 2022 May 16;28(1):57. Epub 2022 May 16.

Institute for Bioelectronic Medicine, The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, 350 Community Drive, Manhasset, NY, 11030, USA.

Background: Severe COVID-19 is characterized by pro-inflammatory cytokine release syndrome (cytokine storm) which causes high morbidity and mortality. Recent observational and clinical studies suggest famotidine, a histamine 2 receptor (H2R) antagonist widely used to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease, attenuates the clinical course of COVID-19. Because evidence is lacking for a direct antiviral activity of famotidine, a proposed mechanism of action is blocking the effects of histamine released by mast cells. Read More

Sci Rep 2022 May 16;12(1):8108. Epub 2022 May 16.

Research Institute for Microbial Diseases and Center for Infectious Disease Education and Research, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.

A cytokine storm induces acute respiratory distress syndrome, the main cause of death in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. However, the detailed mechanisms of cytokine induction due to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) remain unclear. To examine the cytokine production in COVID-19, we mimicked the disease in SARS-CoV-2-infected alveoli by adding the lysate of SARS-CoV-2-infected cells to cultured macrophages or induced pluripotent stem cell-derived myeloid cells. Read More

Nat Commun 2022 May 16;13(1):2687. Epub 2022 May 16.

Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, San Diego, USA.

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is an illness that emerged amidst the COVID-19 pandemic but shares many clinical features with the pre-pandemic syndrome of Kawasaki disease (KD). Here we compare the two syndromes using a computational toolbox of two gene signatures that were developed in the context of SARS-CoV-2 infection, i.e. Read More