The use of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) to prevent gallstone formation after gastric bypass (RYGB) is still debated. Furthermore, only 1 study has assessed the effectiveness of UDCA after sleeve ...gastrectomy (SG) with mitigated results.
To compare the incidence of cholelithiasis (CL) between patients treated or not treated with UDCA after RYGB and SG.
University hospital, France.
Since January 2008, a postoperative ultrasound monitoring was scheduled for all patients without previous cholecystectomy who underwent bariatric surgery in our institution. Patients who underwent at least 1 ultrasound in the first postoperative year (±6 months) were included. We started to systematically prescribe UDCA (500 mg/d) for 6 months postoperatively, in February 2012 for RYGB (once or twice daily) and in October 2013 for SG (once daily).
Mean follow-up was 13.0±3.4 months. The incidence of CL was 32.5% in the 117 nontreated RYGB and 25.5% in the 51 nontreated SG. It was reduced to 2.4% in the 42 SG treated once daily (P = .005), to 5.7% in the 87 RYGB with 250 mg twice daily (P<.001), but only to 18.6% in the 102 RYGB with 500 mg once daily (P = .03).
UDCA 500 mg once daily for 6 months is efficient to prevent CL 1 year after SG, but the twice-daily doses seem to be more effective after RYGB. The effectiveness of UDCA once daily after SG and the superiority of the twice-daily doses after RYGB should be confirmed with more patients and longer follow-up.
The worldwide landscape of patient registries in the neuromuscular disease (NMD) field has significantly changed in the last 10 years, with the international TREAT-NMD network acting as strong ...driver. At the same time, the European Medicines Agency and the large federations of rare disease patient organizations (POs), such as EURORDIS, contributed to a great cultural change, by promoting a paradigm shift from product-registries to patient-centred registries. In Italy, several NMD POs and Fondazione Telethon undertook the development of a TREAT-NMD linked patient registry in 2009, with the referring clinical network providing input and support to this initiative through the years. This article describes the outcome of this joint effort and shares the experience gained.
The Italian NMD registry is based on an informatics technology platform, structured according to the most rigorous legal national and European requirements for management of patient sensitive data. A user-friendly web interface allows both direct patients and clinicians' participation. The platform's design permits expansion to incorporate new modules and new registries, and is suitable of interoperability with other international efforts.
When the Italian NMD Registry was initiated, an ad hoc legal entity (NMD Registry Association) was devised to manage registries' data. Currently, several disease-specific databases are hosted on the platform. They collect molecular and clinical details of individuals affected by Duchenne or Becker muscular dystrophy, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, transthyretin type-familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy, muscle glycogen storage disorders, spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy, and spinal muscular atrophy. These disease-specific registries are at different stage of development, and the NMD Registry itself has gone through several implementation steps to fulfil different technical and governance needs. The new governance model is based on the agreement between the NMD Registry Association and the professional societies representing the Italian NMD clinical network. Overall, up to now the NMD registry has collected data on more than 2000 individuals living with a NMD condition.
The Italian NMD Registry is a flexible platform that manages several condition-specific databases and is suitable to upgrade. All stakeholders participate in its management, with clear roles and responsibilities. This governance model has been key to its success. In fact, it favored patient empowerment and their direct participation in research, while also engaging the expert clinicians of the Italian network in the collection of accurate clinical data according to the best clinical practices.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
To identify optimal areas for the insertion of extra-alveolar miniscrews into the infrazygomatic crest (IZC) and mandibular buccal shelf (MBS), using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) imaging in ...patients with different craniofacial patterns.
CBCT reconstructions of untreated individuals were used to evaluate the IZC and MBS areas. The participants were divided into three groups, based on the craniofacial pattern, namely, brachyfacial (n = 15; mean age, 23.3 years), mesofacial (n = 15; mean age, 19.24 years), and dolichofacial (n = 15; mean age, 17.79 years). In the IZC, the evaluated areas were at 11, 13, and 15 mm above the buccal cusp tips of the right and left first molars. In the MBS, the evaluated areas were at the projections of the first molars' distal roots and second molars' mesial and distal roots, at a 4- and 8-mm distance from the cementoenamel junction. Intergroup comparisons were performed with analysis of variance and the Tukey test.
There was no statistically significant difference in the IZC bone thickness among the groups. For MBS bone availability, some comparisons revealed no difference; meanwhile, other comparisons revealed increased MBS bone thickness in the brachyfacial (first molars distal roots) and dolichofacial (second molars mesial and distal roots) patterns.
There was no significant difference in the IZC bone thickness among the groups. The facial skeletal pattern may affect the availability of ideal bone thickness for the insertion of extra-alveolar miniscrews in the MBS region; however, this variability is unlikely to be clinically meaningful.
Considering the large and increasing population of women of childbearing age with history of bariatric surgery, surgical complications of bariatric surgery during pregnancy may become more frequent ...in the future. The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical presentation, diagnostic procedures, and treatment of surgical complications of bariatric surgery during pregnancies. A systematic literature search was performed in accordance with the PRISMA (preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis) guidelines to identify all studies published up to and including December 2018 that included women with previous bariatric surgery undergoing emergency surgery during pregnancy. Sixty-eight studies were selected, including 120 women with previous bariatric surgery undergoing emergency surgery during pregnancy. Fifty cases were reported as case reports and 70 in case series. Included patients had previous history of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (n = 99), laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (n = 17), Scopinaro procedure (n = 2), vertical banded gastroplasty (n = 1), or one-anastomosis gastric bypass (n = 1). Final diagnosis in 50 case reports was internal hernia in 26 cases, bowel intussusception in 10, intestinal obstruction in 2, laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding slippage in 3, bowel volvulus in 3, gastric or jejunal perforation in 2, and other complications in 4 cases. Maternal and fetal death occurred in 3 (2.5%) and 9 cases (7.5%), respectively. In the case series, the majority of women were operated for internal hernia and laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding slippage. Surgical complications of previous bariatric surgery during pregnancy have potentially severe outcomes. Availability of multidisciplinary expertise, including bariatric/digestive surgeons, and education of healthcare providers and women on clinical signs that require urgent surgical examination are recommended in this setting. Prompt diagnosis is fundamental and based on clinical and laboratory findings and on radiologic examinations if needed, including computed tomography scan or magnetic resonance if available. Rapid surgical exploration is mandatory in case of high clinical and/or radiologic suspicion.
Fluidized bed combustion (FBC) waste is generally unsuitable for making ordinary cements and concretes, and its alternative uses are therefore worthy of consideration. In the present work, FBC waste ...is investigated as a potentially suitable single raw material for the manufacture of building components based on ettringite, a compound characterized by low density, high fire resistance, significant mechanical strength and usefulness as the main component of preformed lightweight building materials. The hydration behaviour of two FBC waste samples (a fly and a bottom ash) was explored within curing periods comprised between 2 and 24h at 55°C, 70°C and 85°C. X-ray diffraction and differential thermal analysis were employed as main experimental techniques in order to evaluate the distribution of the hydration products. The role of the raw ash chemical and mineralogical composition, operating temperature and time in the ettringite formation was highlighted. The fly ash was more prone to generate ettringite which, after 2h-curing time, tended to form and decompose earlier, as the curing temperature and time were further increased. The selectivity of the reactants toward ettringite can be enhanced by the addition of blending components.
•FBC ash is suitable for the manufacture of ettringite-based building components.•The hydration behaviour of two FBC ashes is investigated under various conditions.•The role of the raw ash composition in the ettringite generation is highlighted.•After 2h, ettringite forms/decomposes earlier, as temperature/time increases.•Other reaction products are observed, and this can pose selectivity problems.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
Tools for the non-invasive diagnosis of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in morbidly obese patients with suspected non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are an unmet clinical need. We ...prospectively compared the performance of transient elastography, MRI, and 3 serum scores for the diagnosis of NAFLD, grading of steatosis and detection of NASH in bariatric surgery candidates.
Of 186 patients screened, 152 underwent liver biopsy, which was used as a reference for NAFLD (steatosis S>5%), steatosis grading and NASH diagnosis. Biopsies were read by a single expert pathologist. MRI-based proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF) was measured in an open-bore, vertical field 1.0T scanner and controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) was measured by transient elastography, using the XL probe. Serum scores (SteatoTest, hepatic steatosis index and fatty liver index) were also calculated.
The applicability of MRI was better than that of FibroScan (98% vs. 79%; p <0.0001). CAP had AUROCs of 0.83, 0.79, 0.73 and 0.69 for S>5%, S>33%, S>66% and NASH, respectively. Transient elastography had an AUROC of 0.80 for significant fibrosis (F0-F1 vs. F2-F3). MRI-PDFF had AUROCs of 0.97, 0.95, 0.92 and 0.84 for S>5%, S>33%, S>66% and NASH, respectively. When compared head-to-head in the 97 patients with all valid tests available, MRI-PDFF outperformed CAP for grading steatosis (S>33%, AUROC 0.97 vs. 0.78; p <0.0003 and S>66%, AUROC 0.93 vs. 0.75; p = 0.0015) and diagnosing NASH (AUROC 0.82 vs. 0.68; p = 0.0056). When compared in “intention to diagnose” analysis, MRI-PDFF outperformed CAP, hepatic steatosis index and fatty liver index for grading steatosis (S>5%, S>33% and S>66%).
MRI-PDFF outperforms CAP for diagnosing NAFLD, grading steatosis and excluding NASH in morbidly obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery.
Non-invasive tests for detecting fatty liver and steatohepatitis, the active form of the disease, have not been well studied in obese patients who are candidates for bariatric surgery. The most popular tests for this purpose are Fibroscan, which can be used to measure the controlled attenuation parameter (CAP), and magnetic resonance imaging, which can be used to measure the proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF). We found that, when taking liver biopsy as a reference, MRI-PDFF performed better than CAP for detecting and grading fatty liver as well as excluding steatohepatitis in morbidly obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery.
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•NAFLD/NASH is common in morbidly obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery.•Non-invasive diagnosis of NAFLD/NASH is an unmet need in this population.•We compared MRI-PDFF, CAP and serum scores for grading steatosis and diagnosing NASH, using liver biopsy as a reference.•Applicability of magnetic resonance imaging was better than that of Fibroscan.•MRI-PDFF outperformed CAP for diagnosing and grading steatosis, as well as excluding NASH.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
A controlled diffusion/infiltration column experimental activity was carried out with the aim of monitoring the leakage of a salty water plume by time-lapse self-potential (SP) measurements. In ...particular, three tracer tests with different NaCl concentrations (6.00, 1.00, and 0.25 g L−1) were performed and all the measured SP signals showed a sharp reduction corresponding to the arrival of saline front with negative electrical potential values (− 78.99 ± 3.24 mV, − 54.52 ± 2.28 mV, and − 24.12 ± 1.21 mV) which decrease with increasing volume of tracer introduced into the column. Then, measured self-potential values were converted into salt concentration ones by the Planck-Henderson equation and sand diffusion ( D ) and longitudinal dispersivity ( α L ) values were estimated by modelling the transport equations in the COMSOL Multiphysics environment. Finally, the results show that measured and estimated NaCl concentrations are well correlated.
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FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
TNKase is a genetically engineered variant of the alteplase molecule. Three different mutations result in an increase of the plasma half-life, of the resistance to plasminogen-activator inhibitor 1 ...and of the thrombolytic potency against platelet-rich thrombi. Among available agents in clinical practice, TNKase is the most fibrin-specific molecule and can be delivered as a single bolus intravenous injection. Several large-scale clinical trials have enrolled more than 27,000 patients with acute myocardial infarction, making the use of this drug truly evidence-based. TNKase is equivalent to front-loaded alteplase in terms of mortality and is the only bolus thrombolytic drug for which this equivalence has been formally demonstrated. TNKase appears more potent than alteplase when symptoms duration lasts more than 4 hours. Also, TNKase significantly reduces the rate of major bleeds and the need for blood transfusions. The efficacy of TNKase may be further improved by enoxaparin substitution for unfractionated heparin, provided that enoxaparin dose adjustment is made for patients more than 75 years old. Hitherto, the small available randomized studies and international clinical registries suggest that pre-hospital TNKase is as effective as primary angioplasty, thus laying the foundations for a new fibrinolytic, TNKase-based strategy as the backbone of reperfusion in acute myocardial infarction.
Background
Incidence of post-operative complications after sleeve gastrectomy (SG) is low. However, the early identification of these complications remains crucial. Here, we report the impact of ...routine laboratory monitoring for the early diagnosis of complications after SG.
Material and Methods
From January 2018 to December 2019, all consecutive patients who underwent primary SG (
n
= 457) were included. This was a comparative study of patients undergoing primary SG. Patients were divided into two groups: one group with routine laboratory monitoring performed at postoperative day (POD) 1 and 3 (LAB group) and another group without routine laboratory monitoring (control group). The study’s primary endpoint was the overall impact of routine laboratory monitoring. The secondary endpoints were evaluation of patients with complications.
Results
The population in the two groups were similar in term of demographic and intra-operative data. There was a statistical difference between the two groups in term of length of stay (5.7 days in the LAB group and 3.5 days in the control group (
p
< 0.001)). There were 19 complications (6.0%) in the LAB group and 5 complications in the control group (3.5%) (
p
= 0.25). A cut-off C-reactive protein level of 46.3 mg/l was found to be significant (
p
= 0.006). In the LAB group, 9 patients (2.9%) required readmission vs. three patients (2.0%) in the control group (
p
= 0.62).
Conclusion
The interest of routine laboratory monitoring after SG seems limited. Routine laboratory monitoring alone is not associated with earlier diagnosis of complications. This routine monitoring is associated with an increase of stay in hospital.
Graphical Abstract
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
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