Objective The objective of the study was to examine the effect of selective fetoscopic laser photocoagulation (SFLP) vs serial amnioreduction (AR) on perinatal mortality in severe twin-twin ...transfusion syndrome (TTTS). Study Design This was a 5 year multicenter, prospective, randomized controlled trial. The primary outcome variable was 30 day postnatal survival of donors and recipients. Results There was no statistically significant difference in 30-day postnatal survival between SFLP or AR treatment for donors at 55% (11 of 20) vs 55% (11 of 20) ( P = 1.0, odds ratio OR 1, 95% confidence interval CI 0.242 to 4.14) or recipients at 30% (6 of 20) vs 45% (9 of 20) ( P = .51, OR 1.88, 95% CI 0.44 to 8.64). There was no difference in 30 day survival of 1 or both twins on a per-pregnancy basis between AR at 75% (15 of 20) and SFLP at 65% (13 of 20) ( P = .73, OR 1.62, 95% CI 0.34 to 8.09). Overall survival (newborns divided by the number of fetuses treated) was not statistically significant for AR at 60% (24 of 40) vs SFLP 45% (18 of 40) ( P = .18, OR 2.01, 95% CI 0.76 to 5.44). There was a statistically significant increase in fetal recipient mortality in the SFLP arm at 70% (14 of 20) vs the AR arm at 35% (7 of 20) ( P = .25, OR 5.31, 95% CI 1.19 to 27.6). This was offset by increased recipient neonatal mortality of 30% (6 of 20) in the AR arm. Echocardiographic abnormality in recipient twin Cardiovascular Profile Score is the most significant predictor of recipient mortality ( P = .055, OR 3.025/point) by logistic regression analysis. Conclusion The outcome of the trial did not conclusively determine whether AR or SFLP is a superior treatment modality. TTTS cardiomyopathy appears to be an important factor in recipient survival in TTTS.
Objectives This study sought to report the final 5-year outcomes of the ENDEAVOR IV (A Randomized, Controlled Trial of the Medtronic Endeavor Drug ABT-578 Eluting Coronary Stent System Versus the ...Taxus Paclitaxel-Eluting Coronary Stent System in De Novo Native Coronary Artery Lesions) trial comparing the Endeavor zotarolimus-eluting stent (E-ZES) (Medtronic, Santa Rosa, California) with the Taxus paclitaxel-eluting stent (PES) (Boston Scientific, Natick, Massachusetts) in patients with single de novo coronary lesions. Background Primary results of the ENDEAVOR IV trial demonstrated similar clinical outcomes with E-ZES and PES. Concerns with regard to late adverse clinical events with drug-eluting stents highlight the need for long-term follow-up with these devices. Methods Late outcomes after the use of E-ZES and PES were examined in the multicenter randomized ENDEAVOR IV trial in cumulative and landmark analyses. Assessed outcomes were related to device efficacy and patient safety. Results At 5 years, clinical data were available for 722 (93.4%) E-ZES patients and 718 (92.6%) PES patients. Overall rates of target lesion revascularization (7.7% vs. 8.6%, p = 0.70) and target vessel failure were similar (17.2% vs. 21.1%, p = 0.061) with E-ZES compared with PES. The incidence of cardiac death or myocardial infarction (MI) was lower with E-ZES (6.4% vs. 9.1%, p = 0.048), primarily driven by a lower rate of target vessel MI with E-ZES (2.6% vs. 6.0%, p = 0.002). Although overall definite/probable stent thrombosis rates were similar between stents (1.3% vs. 2%, p = 0.42), rates of very late stent thrombosis (0.4% vs. 1.8%, p = 0.012) and late MI events (1.3% vs. 3.5%, p = 0.008) were significantly lower with E-ZES compared with PES. Conclusions These data demonstrate the durable efficacy and safety of E-ZES compared with PES for the treatment of de novo coronary lesions. Significant improvements in late safety outcomes were observed with E-ZES but should be considered hypothesis-generating, given the limited statistical power of the trial. (The ENDEAVOR IV Clinical Trial: A Trial of a Coronary Stent System in Coronary Artery Lesions; NCT00217269 )
Background Thoracic trauma is commonly treated with tube thoracostomy. The overall complication rate associated with this procedure is up to 30% among all operators. The primary purpose of this study ...was to define the incidence and risk factors for complications in chest tubes placed exclusively by resident physicians. The secondary objective was to outline the rate of complications occult to postinsertional supine anteroposterior (AP) chest radiographs (CXRs). Methods Over a 12-month period at a regional trauma centre, we retrospectively reviewed all severely injured trauma patients (injury severity score ≥ 12) who underwent tube thoracostomy (338/761 patients). Insertional, positional and infective complications were identified. Patients were assessed for complications on the basis of resident operator characteristics, patient demographics, associated injuries and outcomes. Thoracoabdominal CT scans and corresponding CXRs were also used to determine the rate of complications occult to postinsertional supine AP CXR. Results Of the patients, 338 (44%,) had CXR and CT imaging. Out of 76 (22%) chest tubes placed by residents in 61 (18%) patients (99% of whom had blunt trauma injuries), there were 17 complications; 6 (35%) were insertional; 9 (53%) were positional and 2 (12%) were infective. Tube placement outside the trauma bay ( p = 0.04) and nonsurgical resident operators ( p = 0.03) were independently predictive of complications. The rates of complications according to training discipline were as follows: 7% general surgery, 13% internal and family medicine, 25% other surgical disciplines and 40% emergency medicine. Resident seniority, time of day and other factors were not predictive. Six of 11 (55%) positional and intraparenchymal lung tube placements were occult to postinsertional supine AP CXR. Conclusions Chest tubes placed by resident physicians are commonly associated with complications that are not identified by postinsertional AP CXR. Thoracic CT is the only way to reliably identify this morbidity. The differential rate of complications according to resident specialty suggests that residents in non–general surgical training programs may benefit from more structured instruction and closer supervision in tube thoracostomy.
Objective The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between lung-to-head ratio (LHR) and gestational age (GA) in fetuses with isolated left congenital diaphragmatic hernia and to ...determine the applicability and reliability of LHR to predict postnatal outcome beyond 24-26 weeks of gestation. Study Design The institutional review board approved this retrospective review of the University of California, San Francisco, Fetal Treatment Center database for cases with left congenital diaphragmatic hernia who were referred between March 1995 and June 2004. LHR was determined at the initial evaluation. One hundred seven live-born fetuses at 20-34 weeks of gestation (excluding cases that were lost to follow-up, with factors that potentially could influence the LHR measurement or postnatal outcome, or that were terminated electively). Results The median GA at LHR measurement was 25.6 weeks; the median LHR was 1.01; the median GA at birth was 37.7 weeks; and the overall survival rate was 59% (64/107). The median LHR of nonsurvivors was significantly lower than that of survivors, but neither GA at LHR measurement nor at delivery was significantly different between the groups. Multiple logistic regression analysis confirmed LHR to be an independent predictor of postnatal survival, and receiver-operator characteristic curve analysis demonstrated that an LHR of ≥0.97 has the highest performance in predicting postnatal survival. When fetuses were grouped by GA at initial LHR measurement to determine reliability of LHR, specifically with respect to GA, in the 26-34 and 24-26 weeks of gestation groups, median LHR of survivors was significantly higher than that of nonsurvivors, and receiver-operator characteristic curve analysis confirmed LHR to be a reliable predictor of postnatal survival. However, for fetuses at 20-24 weeks of gestation, there was a trend toward a higher LHR in survivors, although this did not reach statistical significance. Conclusion A significant positive linear relationship exists between LHR and GA at the time of measurement, such that LHR reliably predicts postnatal survival in fetuses with left congenital diaphragmatic hernia at 24-34 weeks of gestation and less reliable at 20-24 weeks. However, given the limitations of a retrospective, cross-sectional study, further prospective longitudinal studies that will investigate the change of LHR with GA and its association with fetal outcome are necessary.
The term fetal surgery is used widely for fetal intervention during pregnancy; maternal-fetal surgery may be more appropriate, because all these invasive procedures also affect the mother. Although ...there is no direct benefit to the mother from these procedures, the risk to her is for a purely altruistic purpose. It is therefore important to understand the potential complications of maternal-fetal surgery, so the physician can provide accurate counseling to the patient.
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic first wave, reductions in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) invasive care, ranging from 23% to 76%, have been reported from various countries. Whether ...this change had any impact on coronary angiography (CA) volume or on mechanical support device use for STEMI and post-STEMI mechanical complications in Canada is unknown.
We administered a Canada-wide survey to all cardiac catheterization laboratory directors, seeking the volume of CA use for STEMI performed during the period from March 1 2020 to May 31, 2020 (pandemic period), and during 2 control periods (March 1, 2019 to May 31, 2019 and March 1, 2018 to May 31, 2018). The number of left ventricular support devices used, as well as the number of ventricular septal defects and papillary muscle rupture cases diagnosed, was also recorded. We also assessed whether the number of COVID-19 cases recorded in each province was associated with STEMI-related CA volume.
A total of 41 of 42 Canadian catheterization laboratories (98%) provided data. There was a modest but statistically significant 16% reduction (incidence rate ratio IRR 0.84; 95% confidence interval 0.80-0.87) in CA for STEMI during the first wave of the pandemic, compared to control periods. IRR was not associated with provincial COVID-19 caseload. We observed a 26% reduction (IRR 0.74; 95% confidence interval 0.61-0.89) in the use of intra-aortic balloon pump use for STEMI. Use of an Impella pump and mechanical complications from STEMI were exceedingly rare.
We observed a modest 16% decrease in use of CA for STEMI during the pandemic first wave in Canada, lower than the level reported in other countries. Provincial COVID-19 caseload did not influence this reduction.
Après la première vague de la pandémie de COVID-19, de nombreux pays ont déclaré une réduction de 23 % à 76 % des soins invasifs de l'infarctus du myocarde avec élévation du segment ST (STEMI). On ignore si ce changement a entraîné des répercussions sur le volume d'angiographies coronariennes (AC) ou sur l'utilisation des dispositifs d'assistance mécanique lors de STEMI et des complications mécaniques post-STEMI au Canada.
Nous avons réalisé un sondage pancanadien auprès de tous les directeurs de laboratoire de cathétérisme cardiaque pour obtenir le volume d'utilisation des AC lors des STEMI réalisées durant la période du 1er mars 2020 au 31 mai 2020 (période de pandémie) et durant 2 périodes témoins (1er mars 2019 au 31 mai 2019 et 1er mars 2018 au 31 mai 2018). Le nombre de dispositifs d'assistance ventriculaire gauche utilisés et le nombre de cas de communications interventriculaires et de ruptures du muscle papillaire diagnostiqués ont également été enregistrés. Nous avons aussi évalué si le nombre de cas de COVID-19 enregistrés dans chaque province était associé au volume d'AC liées aux STEMI.
Au total, 41 des 42 laboratoires canadiens de cathétérisme (98 %) ont fourni des données. Lors de la comparaison de la première vague de la pandémie aux périodes témoins, nous avons noté une réduction modeste, mais significative, sur le plan statistique de 16 % (ratio du taux d'incidence RTI 0,84; intervalle de confiance à 95 % 0,80-0,87) des AC lors de STEMI. Le RTI n’était pas associé au nombre provincial de cas de COVID-19. Nous avons observé une réduction de 26 % (RTI 0,74; intervalle de confiance à 95 % 0,61-0,89) de l'utilisation de pompes à ballonnet intra-aortique lors de STEMI. L'utilisation d'une pompe Impella et les complications mécaniques après les STEMI étaient extrêmement rares.
Nous avons observé une diminution modeste de 16 % de l'utilisation des AC lors de STEMI durant la première vague de la pandémie au Canada, soit une diminution plus faible que ce que les autres pays ont signalé. Le nombre provincial de cas de COVID-19 n'a pas influencé cette réduction.
From January to April 2005, an epidemic of chikungunya virus (CHIKV) illness occurred in the Union of Comoros. Entomological studies were undertaken during the peak of the outbreak, from March 11 to ...March 31, aimed at identifying the primary vector(s) involved in transmission so that appropriate public health measures could be implemented. Adult mosquitoes were collected by backpack aspiration and human landing collection in homes and neighborhoods of clinically ill patients. Water-holding containers were inspected for presence of mosquito larvae. Adult mosquitoes were analyzed by RT-PCR and cultivation in cells for the presence of CHIK virus and/or nucleic acid. A total of 2,326 mosquitoes were collected and processed in 199 pools. The collection consisted of 62.8% Aedes aegypti, 25.5% Culex species, and 10.7% Aedes simpsoni complex, Eretmapodites spp and Anopheles spp. Seven mosquito pools were found to be positive for CHIKV RNA and 1 isolate was obtained. The single CHIKV mosquito isolate was from a pool of Aedes aegypti and the minimum infection rate (MIR) for this species was 4.0, suggesting that Ae. aegypti was the principal vector responsible for the outbreak. This was supported by high container (31.1%), household (68%), and Breteau (126) indices, with discarded tires (58.8%) and small cooking and water storage vessels (31.1%) registering the highest container indices.
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