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N Engl J Med 2021 Apr 10. Epub 2021 Apr 10.

From the Department of Pediatrics, Divisions of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology (G.K.F., K.K., L.N., K.-D.K., S.T., C.S., A.M.-S.), Pediatric Allergy and Immunology (T.P.A.), and Pediatric Infectious Disease (R.J.W.), and the Departments of Neurosurgery (G.K.F., J.M.J., J.M.M., G.Y.G.), Pathology (R.L.), Biostatistics (I.A.), and Radiation Oncology (J.B.F.), University of Alabama at Birmingham, and Children's of Alabama (G.K.F., J.M.J., R.L., K.K., A.M.-S., T.P.A., R.J.W.) - both in Birmingham; the Department of Diagnostic Imaging, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis (A.K.B.), and the Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville (D.P.) - both in Tennessee; the Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston (J.D.B.); the Department of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine (A.M.M.), and the Departments of Pediatrics (S.F.S., Y.K., M.A.K.) and Neurology (Y.K.), Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center - both in New York; the Department of Pediatrics, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City (R.M.-K.); the Division of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, and Bone Marrow Transplant (K.W., D.S.O., M.S.A.) and the Department of Pediatric Neurosurgery (J.L.), Nationwide Children's Hospital, and the Department of Radiation Oncology, Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center (J.D.P.) - both in Columbus; and the Division of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, and Bone Marrow Transplant, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis (M.S.A.).

Background: Outcomes in children and adolescents with recurrent or progressive high-grade glioma are poor, with a historical median overall survival of 5.6 months. Pediatric high-grade gliomas are largely immunologically silent or "cold," with few tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. Read More

Pediatr Neurol 2021 Mar 12;119:27-33. Epub 2021 Mar 12.

Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, Department of Neurology, Beijing, China. Electronic address:

Objective: We describe the clinical features and outcomes of anti-N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis in infants and toddlers.

Methods: This was a single-center retrospective study. Infants and toddlers who met the diagnostic criteria for anti-NMDAR encephalitis were recruited for the study. Read More

J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis 2021 Apr 6;30(6):105718. Epub 2021 Apr 6.

Stroke Unit, Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health (Neurology), Hospital Santa Maria; Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal; Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Lisbon, Portugal.

Background And Objectives: There is conflicting data regarding the association between platelet parameters and prognosis of stroke patients treated with intravenous thrombolysis. We aimed to analyze this association in a cohort of patients treated with rtPA.

Material And Methods: Retrospective, observational study in adult ischemic stroke patients treated with rtPA between January 2015 and February 2017. Read More

Vision Res 2021 Apr 7;184:30-36. Epub 2021 Apr 7.

Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, United States; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, United States.

Many patients with concussion experience visual symptoms following injury that lead to a diagnosis of convergence insufficiency, accommodative insufficiency, or saccadic dysfunction. However, these diagnostic categories are based on aggregates of clinical tests developed from a non-concussed population and therefore may not accurately describe visual deficits in the concussed population. Thus, we sought to understand individual metrics of visual dysfunction in chronically symptomatic post-concussion patients. Read More

Am J Emerg Med 2021 Apr 5;48:33-37. Epub 2021 Apr 5.

Emergency Department, Necmettin Erbakan University, Meram School of Medicine, Konya, Turkey.

Introduction: Due to the high mortality and spread rates of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), there are currently serious challenges in emergency department management. As such, we investigated whether the blood urea nitrogen (BUN)/albumin ratio (BAR) predicts mortality in the COVID-19 patients in the emergency department.

Methods: A total of 602 COVID-19 patients who were brought to the emergency department within the period from March to September 2020 were included in the study. Read More

Am J Emerg Med 2021 Apr 3;48:12-17. Epub 2021 Apr 3.

Department of Emergency Medicine, Aksaray University Training and Research Hospital, Aksaray University Medical School, Aksaray, Turkey.

Background: The main objective of the treatment of acute carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is to prevent delayed neurological sequelae (DNS). However, today there is still no objective screening tool to identify patients at high risk of developing DNS. The aim of this study was to identify clinical factors that could predict DNS after acute charcoal-burning CO poisoning. Read More

J Surg Res 2021 Apr 7;264:236-241. Epub 2021 Apr 7.

Department of Pediatric Surgery, Houston, Texas; Center for Surgical Trials and Evidence-based Practice, the McGovern Medical School at The University of Texas-Houston, Houston, Texas. Electronic address:

Background: Although physiologic differences exist between younger and older children, pediatric trauma analyses are weighted toward older patients. Trauma-induced coagulopathy, determined by rapid thrombelastography (rTEG), is a predictor of outcome in trauma patients, but the significance of rTEG values among very young trauma patients remains unknown. Our objective was to identify the prehospital or physiologic factors, including rTEG values, that were associated with mortality in trauma patients younger than 5 y old. Read More

J Surg Res 2021 Apr 7;264:222-229. Epub 2021 Apr 7.

Department of General Surgery, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia; Trauma Service, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia; Discipline of Surgery, Westmead Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Australia. Electronic address:

Background: Randomized controlled trials have demonstrated that surgical stabilization of rib fractures (SSRF) in selected trauma patients is associated with potential benefits. This study evaluates the real-world outcomes of SSRF since its implementation at Westmead Hospital, Australia. We hypothesize these outcomes to be similar to that reported by best-evidence in the literature. Read More

J Surg Res 2021 Apr 7;264:199-207. Epub 2021 Apr 7.

Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA. Electronic address:

Background: While mesh re-enforcement and advanced surgical techniques are cornerstones of complex ventral hernia repair (CVHR), the risk of complications and recurrence is common. We aim to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and patient reported outcomes (PROs) of patients undergoing CVHR with onlay Poly-4-hydroxybutyrate (P4HB).

Methods: Adult (>18 y old) patients undergoing VHR with P4HB (Phasix) in the onlay plane by a single surgeon from 01/2015 to 05/2020 were reviewed. Read More

Am J Otolaryngol 2021 Mar 31;42(5):103023. Epub 2021 Mar 31.

Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.

Purpose: We aimed to determine clinicopathological features that can predict lymph node metastasis (LNM) in papillary thyroid microcarcinomas (PTMC).

Methods: Medical records of 872 patients with papillary thyroid cancer >1 cm (PTC > 1 cm) and 1184 patients with papillary thyroid microcancer (PTMC) (≤1 cm) were reviewed retrospectively. Demographical, clinical and histopathological features of (PTC > 1 cm) and PTMC were compared. Read More

Endocr Pract 2021 Apr 7. Epub 2021 Apr 7.

Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism and the Institute of Endocrinology, First Hospital of China Medical University, 155 Nanjing Bei Street, Shenyang, 110001, Liaoning, China. Electronic address:

Objective: Mandatory universal salt iodization in China was implemented 20 years ago; however, the current iodine status and prevalence of thyroid disorders among childbearing-age women are unknown.

Methods: A nationally representative cross-sectional study with 26166 enrolled participants aged 18 to 49 years from all 31 provincial regions of mainland China was performed. The participants were given a questionnaire and underwent B-mode ultrasonography of the thyroid. Read More

Transpl Immunol 2021 Apr 7:101392. Epub 2021 Apr 7.

Military Hospital 103, Ha Noi, Viet Nam; Vietnam Military Medical University, Ha Noi, Viet Nam. Electronic address:

Background: To assess the incidence of new-onset diabetes after transplantation (NODAT) for the first year post-transplantation and the predictive value of high-sensitivity C-reactive Protein (hs-CRP) before transplantation for NODAT prediction in kidney transplantation patients.

Material And Methods: A study of 251 consecutive adult end-stage kidney disease patients transplanted kidneys from living donors, follow-up during the first year to find NODAT. We diagnosed NODAT based on blood glucose or HbA1c following to the criteria of the American Diabetes Association. Read More

Ann Vasc Surg 2021 Apr 7. Epub 2021 Apr 7.

Department of Surgery, Pennsylvania State University, College of Medicine, Hershey, PA. Electronic address:

Introduction: Following a carotid endarterectomy (CEA) procedure, patients are discharged to their homes or other locations than home such as an acute care facility or skilled nursing facility based on their functional status and level of medical attention needed. Decision-making for discharge destination following a CEA to home or non-home locations is important due to the differences in survival and post-operative complications. While primary outcomes such as mortality and occurrence of stroke following CEA have been extensively studied, there is a paucity of information characterizing outcomes of discharge destination and the factors associated. Read More

Ann Vasc Surg 2021 Apr 7. Epub 2021 Apr 7.

Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY. Electronic address:

Objective: Adjunctive false lumen embolization (FLE) with thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) in patients with chronic aortic dissection is thought to induce FL thrombosis and favorable aortic remodeling. However, these data are derived from small single-institution experiences and the potential benefit of FLE remains unproven. In this study, we examined perioperative and midterm outcomes of patients with aortic dissection undergoing concomitant TEVAR and FLE. Read More

Int J Antimicrob Agents 2021 Apr 7:106334. Epub 2021 Apr 7.

Research & Innovation Centre, King Saud Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Hubert Department of Global Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA. Electronic address:

Objective: To assess the efficacy of therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) following life-threatening COVID-19.

Design, Setting, And Participants: Open-label, randomized clinical trial of intensive care unit (ICU) patients with life-threatening COVID-19 [positive real-time-polymerase-chain-reaction test, plus acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), sepsis, organ failure, hyperinflammation]. The study was terminated after 87/120 patients were enrolled. Read More

J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab 2021 Apr 12. Epub 2021 Apr 12.

Pediatric Neurology Unit, Department of Pediatrics,APC, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India.

Objectives: Boys with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) are at increased risk for compromised bone health, manifesting as low-impact trauma long bone fractures and vertebral compression fractures.

Methods: In a prospective observational study, we studied bone health parameters in North Indian boys with DMD. We consecutively enrolled ambulatory boys with DMD on glucocorticoid therapy. Read More

Liver Transpl 2021 Apr 10. Epub 2021 Apr 10.

University Hospital Zurich, Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.

Background & Aims: Re-transplantation after graft failure is increasingly performed, but inferior graft survival, patient survival and quality of life has been reported. The role of infectious disease (ID) events in this less favorable outcome is unknown.

Approach & Results: We analyzed ID events after first liver transplantation (FLTpx) and re-transplantation (re-LTpx) in the Swiss Transplant Cohort Study. Read More

Eur J Neurol 2021 Apr 10. Epub 2021 Apr 10.

Université de Lorraine, EA 4360 Apemac, F-54500, Vandoeuvre-Lès-Nancy, France.

Background: Patients with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SP MS) and clinical and/or radiological activity could be the more likely to benefit from disease modifying treatments. To evaluate the proportions each year after progression onset, we studied patients with SP MS onset between 2002 and 2012 from a population-based multiple sclerosis registry in North-Eastern France.

Methods: Progression onset was first identified by the neurologist's diagnosis (N cohort), then by using an automated data-driven definition (D cohort). Read More

Br J Haematol 2021 Apr 10. Epub 2021 Apr 10.

Department of Hematology, Hôpital Saint Antoine, Sorbonne University and INSERM UMRs 938, Paris, France.

Optimal donor choice for a second allogeneic haematopoietic cell transplant (allo-HCT) in relapsed acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) remains unknown. We compared overall survival (OS) using registry data from the Acute Leukemia Working Party (ALWP) of the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) involving 455 adults who received a second allo-HCT from a human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-matched unrelated (MUD) (n = 320) or a haploidentical (n = 135) donor. Eligibility criteria required adults aged ≥18 years who received a second allo-HCT for treating AML relapse between 2005 and 2019. Read More

Eur J Prev Cardiol 2021 Apr;28(2):152-158

Department of General and Interventional Cardiology, University Heart and Vascular Center Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.

Background: Modifiable lifestyle risk factors (modRF) of coronary artery disease (CAD) are associated with increased inflammation represented by elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. Lifestyle changes may influence the inflammatory burden in patients with CAD, relevantly modifying the target population for emerging anti-inflammatory compounds.

Aims: The aims of this study were to analyse the association of modRF and CRP levels in CAD patients, and to define a potential target population for anti-inflammatory treatment with and without the optimisation of modRF. Read More

ESC Heart Fail 2021 Apr 10. Epub 2021 Apr 10.

Department of Cardiology, Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, 510080, China.

Aims: The aims of the current study were to evaluate the association between anaemia and all-cause mortality according to chronic kidney disease (CKD) status and to explore at what level of haemoglobin concentration would the all-cause mortality risk increase prominently among CKD and non-CKD patients, respectively.

Methods And Results: This is a prospective cohort study, and 1559 patients with ischaemic heart failure (IHF) were included (mean age of 63.5 ± 11. Read More

Biol Trace Elem Res 2021 Apr 10. Epub 2021 Apr 10.

Department of Oncology, Hainan General Hospital, Hainan Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China.

Heavy metals, including cadmium, are suspected to increase serum uric acid levels and hyperuricemia in both gender, but the evidences about this are inconclusive. To determine whether serum cadmium in American adults(≥19 years old) is associated with uric acid levels and risk of hyperuricemia, 2620 participants from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were recruited. Hyperuricemia was defined as a serum UA concentration ≥ 416. Read More

Geroscience 2021 Apr 10. Epub 2021 Apr 10.

Department of Internal Medicine III with Haematology, Medical Oncology, Haemostaseology, Infectiology and Rheumatology, Oncologic Center, Salzburg Cancer Research Institute - Laboratory for Immunological and Molecular Cancer Research (SCRI-LIMCR), Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria.

COVID-19-associated case fatality rates up to 48% were reported among nursing facility residents. During the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, routine SARS-CoV-2 testing in long-term care facilities in the Province of Salzburg and centralized hospitalization in the COVID-19 unit of the Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg (Austria) irrespective of symptoms was implemented. Baseline characteristics and the course of COVID-19 disease were assessed among hospitalized long-term care facility residents within the COVID-19 Registry of the Austrian Group Medical Tumor Therapy (AGMT; NCT04351529). Read More

Breast Cancer Res Treat 2021 Apr 10. Epub 2021 Apr 10.

Winship Cancer Institute at Emory University, 1365 Clifton Road, Suite B4112, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.

Purpose: Propranolol regulates angiogenesis in pre-clinical models and reduces distant breast cancer (BC) metastases in observational studies. We assessed the feasibility of combining propranolol with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in patients with BC.

Methods: Women with clinical stage II-III BC undergoing NAC [weekly paclitaxel × 12, followed by dose-dense adriamycin/cyclophosphamide (AC) × 4] started propranolol 20 mg PO BID with paclitaxel #1, and increased to 80 mg extended release (ER) PO daily, as tolerated. Read More

Support Care Cancer 2021 Apr 10. Epub 2021 Apr 10.

Department of Biostatics and Epidemiology, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Science, Yazd, Iran.

Background: According to the recommendation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), getting influenza vaccines during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemics is especially important for people with certain underlying medical conditions, like cancer. Due to the similarities between the symptoms of influenza and COVID-19, receiving the flu vaccine in suspicious cases can be helpful because it will make it easier to request a medical test and diagnosis. In this study, the value of influenza vaccination in the cancer population was investigated. Read More

Pediatr Cardiol 2021 Apr 10. Epub 2021 Apr 10.

Heart Failure, Transplant and Mechanical Assistance Program Unit, Bambino Gesù Children Hospital, Rome, Italy.

Warfarin is prescribed in patients with ventricular assist devices (VADs). Dosage depends on several factors including the underlying genotype. These include polymorphisms of genes encoding cytochrome P450 enzymes, the main ones being CYP2C9, VKORC1, and CYP4F2. Read More

World J Urol 2021 Apr 10. Epub 2021 Apr 10.

Department of Urology, University of Montreal Hospital Center CHUM, Montreal, QC, Canada.

Introduction: Greenlight photo-selective vaporization of the prostate (GL-PVP) has gained international acceptance as a safe and effective alternative procedure for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), especially in anticoagulated men. This descriptive analysis aims to characterize the current state of GL-PVP, pooling data from international centers.

Methods: Data from 3627 patients who underwent GL-PVP with the XPS-180 W system in seven international centers performed by eight expert surgeons between 2011 and 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Read More

Ann Hematol 2021 Apr 10. Epub 2021 Apr 10.

Department of Hematology, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 528 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai, 200120, China.

Options for anemic lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) without del(5q) after failure of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) are very limited. The effectiveness of second-line treatments is uncertain. We retrospectively reviewed the clinical effectiveness and overall survival (OS) of lower-risk MDS without del(5q) patients exclusively treated with stanozolol (STZ) after failure of epoetin alfa. Read More

J Natl Cancer Inst 2021 Apr 10. Epub 2021 Apr 10.

Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.

Background: Recent genome-wide association meta-analysis for melanoma doubled the number of previously identified variants. We assessed the performance of an updated polygenic risk score (PRS) in a population of older individuals, where melanoma incidence and cumulative ultraviolet radiation exposure is greatest.

Methods: We assessed a PRS for cutaneous melanoma comprising 55 variants in a prospective study of 12,712 individuals in the ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly trial. Read More

Clin Chem Lab Med 2021 Apr 9. Epub 2021 Apr 9.

Central Institute of Clinical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics, University Hospital of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.

Objectives: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections cause coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and induce a specific antibody response. Serological assays detecting IgG against the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the spike (S) protein are useful to monitor the immune response after infection or vaccination. The objective of our study was to evaluate the clinical performance of the Siemens SARS-CoV-2 IgG (sCOVG) assay. Read More