The American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) 2022 Expert Consensus Document: The use of mechanical circulatory support in lung transplantation

ObjectiveThe use of mechanical circulatory support (MCS) in lung transplantation has been steadily increasing over the prior decade, with evolving strategies for incorporating support in the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative settings. There is significant practice variability in the use of these techniques, however, and relatively limited data to help establish institutional protocols. The objective of the AATS Clinical Practice Standards Committee (CPSC) expert panel was to review the existing literature and establish recommendations about the use of MCS before, during, and after lung transplantation.MethodsThe AATS CPSC assembled an expert panel of 16 lung transplantation physicians who developed a consensus document of recommendations. The panel was broken into subgroups focused on preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative support, and each subgroup performed a focused literature review. These subgroups formulated recommendation statements for each subtopic, which were evaluated by the entire group. The statements were then developed via discussion among the panel and refined until consensus was achieved on each statement.ResultsThe expert panel achieved consensus on 36 recommendations for how and when to use MCS in lung transplantation. These recommendations included the use of veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) as a bridging strategy in the preoperative setting, a preference for central veno-arterial ECMO over traditional cardiopulmonary bypass during the transplantation procedure, and the benefit of supporting selected patients with MCS postoperatively.ConclusionsAchieving optimal results in lung transplantation requires the use of a wide range of strategies. MCS provides an important mechanism for helping these critically ill patients through the peritransplantation period. Despite the complex nature of the decision making process in the treatment of these patients, the expert panel was able to achieve consensus on 36 recommendations. These recommendations should provide guidance for professionals involved in the care of end-stage lung disease patients considered for transplantation.     

Variability in non-core vaccination rates of dogs and cats in veterinary clinics across the United States

Vaccination guidelines for dogs and cats indicate that core vaccines (for dogs, rabies, distemper, adenovirus, parvovirus; for cats, feline parvovirus, herpes virus-1, calicivirus) are essential to maintain health, and that non-core vaccines be administered according to a clinician’s assessment of a pet’s risk of exposure and susceptibility to infection. A reliance on individual risk assessment introduces the potential for between-practice inconsistencies in non-core vaccine recommendations. A study was initiated to determine non-core vaccination rates of dogs (Leptospira, Borrelia burgdorferi, Bordetella bronchiseptica, canine influenza virus) and cats (feline leukemia virus) in patients current for core vaccines in veterinary practices across the United States. Transactional data for 5,531,866 dogs (1,670 practices) and 1,914,373 cats (1,661 practices) were retrieved from practice management systems for the period November 1, 2016 through January 1, 2020, deidentified and normalized. Non-core vaccination status was evaluated in 2,798,875 dogs and 788,772 cats that were core-vaccine current. Nationally, median clinic vaccination rates for dogs were highest for leptospirosis (70.5%) and B. bronchiseptica (68.7%), and much lower for canine influenza (4.8%). In Lyme-endemic states, the median clinic borreliosis vaccination rate was 51.8%. Feline leukemia median clinic vaccination rates were low for adult cats (34.6%) and for kittens and 1-year old cats (36.8%). Individual clinic vaccination rates ranged from 0 to 100% for leptospirosis, B. bronchiseptica and feline leukemia, 0–96% for canine influenza, and 0–94% for borreliosis. Wide variation in non-core vaccination rates between clinics in similar geographies indicates that factors other than disease risk are driving the use of non-core vaccines in pet dogs and cats, highlighting a need for veterinary practices to address gaps in patient protection. Failure to implement effective non-core vaccination strategies leaves susceptible dogs and cats unprotected against vaccine-preventable diseases.     

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.     

Responsabilidad social corporativa en los centros de la red hospitalaria de utilización pública de Cataluña

The adoption of a management approach that integrates corporate social responsibility in organizations is an increasing trend that responds to the demands of society related to sustainability, ethics and transparency. Health organizations are adopting corporate social responsibility asymmetrically, which raises the analysis of the implementation models and the developed initiatives. Through qualitative research, with four in-depth case studies of the Catalan health sector, this article analyzes the need to address this new approach and to identify good practices and the challenges for its implementation.     

HLA-B evolutionary divergence is associated with outcomes after SARS-CoV-2 infection

We examined the correlation between class I HLA evolutionary divergence (HED), a surrogate for the capacity to present different peptides, and the outcomes of 234 adult inpatients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood and genotyped by next-generation sequencing (NGS). HED scores for HLA class I (HLA-A, -B, and -C) genotypes were calculated using Grantham’s distance. Higher HED scores for HLA-B, but not HLA-A or -C, are significantly associated with a decreased probability of poor outcomes including ICU admission, mechanical ventilation, and death (OR = 0.93; P = 0.04) in the univariate analysis. In the multivariate analysis, increased HLA-B HED score, younger age, and no comorbidity were independently associated with favorable outcomes (P = 0.02, P = 0.01, and P = 0.05, respectively). This finding is consistent with the notion that broader peptide repertoires presented by class I HLA may be beneficial in infection control.     

批准用于奶牛的抗菌药物分析

我国奶牛养殖规模不断扩大,奶业产值比重逐步提高,给奶牛疫病防治带来巨大压力。奶牛乳房炎及细菌性肺炎等呼吸系统疾病和细菌性肠炎等消化系统疾病最为常见,抗菌药物的使用成为主要防治手段。但抗菌药物的不当使用易使细菌产生耐药性,增加临床治疗的成本和难度,危害我国奶牛产业发展。本文对截至2021年7月我国和美国、英国、日本、欧盟批准用于奶牛的抗菌药物产品进行整理、统计与分析,包括抗菌药物的分类、剂型以及适应证等,旨在为我国奶牛用抗菌药物管理、合理用药和新兽药开发提供参考。     

Contemporary Management of Ischemic Mitral Regurgitation at Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

BackgroundRecent guidelines for the treatment of moderate or severe ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR) in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) have changed. This study assessed the real-world impact of changing guidelines on the management of IMR during CABG over time. We hypothesized that the utilization of mitral valve repair for IMR would decrease over time, whereas mitral valve replacement for severe IMR would increase.MethodsPatients undergoing CABG in a statewide collaborative database (2011-2020) were stratified by severity of IMR. Trends in mitral valve repair or replacement were evaluated. To account for differences of the patients, propensity score–matched analyses were used to compare patients with and without mitral intervention.ResultsA total of 11,676 patients met inclusion criteria, including 1355 (11.6%) with moderate IMR and 390 (3.3%) with severe IMR. The proportion of patients undergoing mitral intervention for moderate IMR decreased over time (2011, 17.7%; 2020, 7.5%; P_trend = .001), whereas mitral replacement for severe IMR remained stable (2011, 11.1%; 2020, 13.3%; P_trend = .14). Major morbidity was higher for patients with moderate IMR who underwent mitral intervention (29.1% vs 19.9%; P = .005). In a propensity analysis of 249 well-matched pairs, there was no difference in major morbidity (29.3% with mitral intervention vs 23.7% without; P = .16) or operative mortality (1.2% vs 2.4%; P = .5).ConclusionsConsistent with recent guideline updates, patients with moderate IMR were less likely to undergo mitral repair. However, the rate of replacement for severe IMR did not change. Mitral intervention during CABG did not increase operative mortality or morbidity.     

Core-Shell Arginine-Containing Chitosan Microparticles for Enhanced Transcorneal Permeation of Drugs

Chitosan oligosaccharide (C) was functionalized with l-arginine (A) and short hydrocarbon chains (C₈) to design an amphiphilic copolymer, henceforth CAC₈, leading to microparticles (MPs) consisting of an arginine-decorated hydrophilic shell and inner hydrophobic domains allowing the encapsulation of high amount hydrophobic drugs such as sorafenib tosylate (>10% w/w). l-arginine side chains were selected in order to impart the final MPs enhanced transcorneal penetration properties, thus overcoming the typical biological barriers which hamper the absorption of drugs upon topical ocular administration. The mucoadhesive properties and drug release profile of the CAC₈ MPs (CAC₈-MPs) were studied, showing that CAC₈-MPs can strongly interact with mucin, and thus gradually release their payload in situ to potentially improve the bioavailability of the drug after topical administration. In vitro transcorneal studies also showed that CAC₈-MPs are endowed with effective permeation enhancer ability combined with negligible toxicity.