Contemporary Epidemiology of and Risk Factors Associated with Removal of a Pathologically Normal Appendix in Children with Suspected Appendicitis

BackgroundThe goal of this study was to characterize contemporary performance benchmarks and risk factors associated with negative appendectomy (NA) in children with suspected appendicitis.MethodsA multicenter retrospective cohort analysis of children undergoing appendectomy for suspected appendicitis was performed using data from the 2016–2021 NSQIP-Pediatric Appendectomy Targeted Public Use Files. Multivariable regression was used to evaluate the influence of year, age, sex, and WBC count on NA rate, and to generate rate estimates for NA based on different combinations of demographic characteristics and WBC profiles.Results100,322 patients were included from 140 hospitals. The overall NA rate was 2.4%, and rates decreased significantly during the study period (2016: 3.1% vs. 2021: 2.3%, p < 0.001). In adjusted analyses, the highest risk for NA was associated with a normal WBC (<9000/mm³; OR 5.31 [95% CI: 4.87–5.80]), followed by female sex (OR 1.55 [95% CI: 1.42–1.68]) and age <5 years (OR 1.64 [95% CI 1.39, 1.94]). Model-estimated risk for NA varied significantly across demographic and WBC strata, with a 14.4-fold range in rates between subgroups with the lowest and highest predicted risk (males 13–17 years with elevated WBC [1.1%] vs. females 3–4 years with normal WBC [15.8%]).ConclusionsContemporary NA rates have decreased over time, however NA risk remains high in children without a leukocytosis, particularly for girls and children <5 years of age. These data provide contemporary performance benchmarks for NA in children with suspected appendicitis and identify high-risk populations where further efforts to mitigate NA risk should be targeted.Level of EvidenceIII.     

Urological infections after endourological procedures

In the past two decades, endourological procedures such as ureteroscopy (URS) and percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) have become the mainstay of managing kidney stone disease (KSD), with URS also used for investigating upper urinary tract lesions. Post-endourological infections affect between 1% and 6% of cases. Numerous risk factors have been identified, including longer operative times and indwelling ureteric stents, but the literature is largely heterogeneous. Identification of risk factors preoperatively include the use of pre-operative urine culture, minimizing stent dwell time and targeted antibiotic use. Intraoperatively, efforts need to be made in minimizing operative times and intra-renal pressures. Although rare, urinary tract infections following endourological procedures remain a risk, with a smaller minority developing potentially deadly urosepsis. Clinical decisions on prevention and treatment of severe sepsis have to be individualized based on the risk factors. Machine learning techniques are currently being utilized to build these tools and might provide an answer in the future.     

Primary vaccination in adult patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation – A single center retrospective efficacy analysis

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHSCT) results in a loss of humoral immunity and subsequent risk for severe infections. Thus, re-vaccination is required but may fail due to incomplete immune reconstitution. We retrospectively analyzed predictors of immune response to primary vaccination applied according to the EBMT (European Blood and Marrow Transplantation Group) recommendations. Serologic response to vaccination against diphtheria (D), tetanus (T), Bordetella pertussis (aP) and Haemophilus influenzae (Hib) (administrated as combined DTaP-Hib-IPV vaccination) was studied in 84 alloHSCT patients transplanted between 2008 and 2015 (age at alloHSCT: 18.6–70.6 years). All patients with a relapse-free survival of ≥9 months, at least 3 consecutive vaccinations and absence of intravenous immunoglobulin administration within 3 months before and after vaccination met the primary inclusion criteria. Additionally, immunological response to a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine was analyzed in a subgroup of 67 patients. Patients’ characteristics at the time of first vaccination were recorded. Responses were measured as vaccine-specific antibody titers. Regarding DTaP-Hib-IPV vaccination, 89.3% (n = 75) of all patients achieved protective titers to at least 3 of the 4 vaccine components and were thus considered responders. 10.7% (n = 9) of the patients were classified as non-responders with positive immune response to less than 3 components. Highest response was observed for Hib (97.4%), tetanus (95.2%) and pneumococcal vaccination (83.6%) while only 68.3% responded to vaccination against Bordetella pertussis. Significant risk factors for failure of vaccination response included low B cell counts (p < 0.001; cut-off: 0.05 B cells/nl) and low IgG levels (p = 0.026; mean IgG of responders 816 mg/dl vs. 475 mg/dl of non-responders). Further, a trend was observed that prior cGvHD impairs vaccination response as 88.9% of the non-responders but only 54.7% of the responders had prior cGvHD (p = 0.073). The results demonstrate, that the currently proposed vaccination strategy leads to seroprotection in the majority of alloHSCT patients.     

Differentiating ictal/subclinical spikes and waves in childhood absence epilepsy by spectral and network analyses: A pilot study

ObjectiveChildhood absence epilepsy (CAE) is a disease with distinct seizure semiology and electroencephalographic (EEG) features. Differentiating ictal and subclinical generalized spikes and waves discharges (GSWDs) in the EEG is challenging, since they appear to be identical upon visual inspection. Here, spectral and functional connectivity (FC) analyses were applied to routine EEG data of CAE patients, to differentiate ictal and subclinical GSWDs.MethodsTwelve CAE patients with both ictal and subclinical GSWDs were retrospectively selected for this study. The selected EEG epochs were subjected to frequency analysis in the range of 1–30 Hz. Further, FC analysis based on the imaginary part of coherency was used to determine sensor level networks.ResultsDelta, alpha and beta band frequencies during ictal GSWDs showed significantly higher power compared to subclinical GSWDs. FC showed significant network differences for all frequency bands, demonstrating weaker connectivity between channels during ictal GSWDs.ConclusionUsing spectral and FC analyses significant differences between ictal and subclinical GSWDs in CAE patients were detected, suggesting that these features could be used for machine learning classification purposes to improve EEG monitoring.SignificanceIdentifying differences between ictal and subclinical GSWDs using routine EEG, may improve understanding of this syndrome and the management of patients with CAE.     

前瞻性护理干预在急性心力衰竭患者中的应用

目的探讨前瞻性护理干预在急性心力衰竭患者中的应用效果。方法选取2018年4月—2020年5月河南省某医院收治的122例急性心力衰竭患者为研究对象,采用随机数字表法分为观察组与对照组,每组61例。对照组患者采用常规护理,观察组患者采用前瞻性护理,比较2组患者的干预效果、并发症发生情况,干预前后焦虑自评量表(SAS)、抑郁自评量表(SDS)评分及护理满意度。结果观察组患者干预总有效率为95.08%,高于对照组的75.41%,差异有统计学意义(χ²=9.385,P=0.002)。观察组患者并发症发生率为3.28%,低于对照组的18.03%,差异有统计学意义(χ²=6.974,P=0.008)。2组患者干预后SAS及SDS评分均低于干预前,且观察组低于对照组,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05)。观察组患者护理满意度为98.36%,高于对照组的86.89%,差异有统计学意义(χ²=4.319,P=0.038)。结论前瞻性护理干预用于急性心力衰竭患者,有助于改善患者负性情绪及减少并发症的发生。     

1例直肠癌患者术后继发腹壁多处坏死性软组织感染的护理

总结1例直肠癌患者术后继发腹壁多处坏死性软组织感染的护理经验。护理要点：感染性休克的早期识别和有效控制;坏死性软组织感染的识别及护理,控制全身性感染再次发生;分阶段落实个体化镇痛,改善疼痛症状;分阶段动态落实营养支持方案;实施全程心理干预。经过122 d的精心护理,8处伤口全部愈合,患者恢复良好。     

认知重构干预对急性心肌梗死介入手术患者不良情绪及疾病感知的影响

目的探讨认知重构干预对急性心肌梗死(AMI)介入手术患者不良情绪及疾病感知的影响。方法72例AMI介入手术患者随机分为两组各36例,对照组给予常规护理干预,研究组在对照组基础上给予认知重构干预,比较两组的不良情绪、疾病感知以及治疗依从性。结果干预后,研究组的HAMA、HAMD评分均低于对照组,疾病感知各项评分均高于对照组(P<0.05)。研究组的治疗依从性为94.44%,高于对照组的75.00%(P<0.05)。结论认知重构干预对急性心肌梗死介入手术患者的不良情绪及疾病感知均有积极的影响,可提升患者的治疗依从性。     

不同照射方式下核黄素-A波紫外线兔巩膜胶原交联术对兔巩膜成纤维细胞生物力学特性的影响

目的　研究不同照射方式下核黄素-A波紫外线兔巩膜胶原交联术对兔巩膜成纤维细胞生物力学特性的影响。方法　取健康新西兰大白兔24只，随机将兔平均分为A、B两组，每组选取左眼为实验眼，右眼为对照眼。麻醉后暴露左眼鼻上方巩膜。在该处巩膜滴加5-磷酸核黄素5 min后，用波长为370 nm的紫外线灯照射。A组的照射时间为30 min，能量密度为3.0 mW·cm^-2；B组的照射时间为9 min，能量密度为10.0 mW·cm^-2。照射期间，每2 min滴加1次5-磷酸核黄素溶液，以保持巩膜的湿润。术后60 d，处死实验兔，培养实验眼交联部位及对照眼相应部位的巩膜成纤维细胞，用细胞微管吸吮实验检测巩膜成纤维细胞的杨氏模量、表观黏性。结果　A、B两组实验眼巩膜细胞的杨氏模量、表观黏性均较各自对照眼显著增强，差异均有统计学意义（均为P＜0.05）；而A、B两组实验眼间、及对照眼间巩膜细胞的杨氏模量、表观黏性差异无统计学意义（均为P＞0.05）。以上结果表明，交联术后巩膜细胞的黏弹性发生了明显的变化，黏弹性显著升高。而两种照射方式之间巩膜细胞的黏弹性无显著差异。结论　两种不同的照射方式，均能使巩膜成纤维细胞的生物力学性能发生显著增强，而两种照射方式之间并未见明显的差别。