Neonatal screening programme for CF: Results from the Irish Comparative Outcomes Study (ICOS)

The introduction of NBS in Ireland in July 2011, provided a unique opportunity to investigate clinical outcomes using a comparative historical cohort study. Clinical cohort: children clinically diagnosed with CF born 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2011, and NBS cohort: children diagnosed with CF through NBS born 1 July 2011 to 30 June 2016. Clinical data were collected from the CF Registry of Ireland, medical charts, and data on weight/height before diagnosis from public health nurses and family doctors. SPSS was used for analysis. A total of 232 patients were recruited (response 93%) (93 clinically diagnosed, 139 NBS‐detected). Following exclusions of meconium ileus (MI) (40), diagnosis outside Ireland (4), and being designated as CFSPID (2), a total of 77 clinically diagnosed patients and 109 NBS detected children were included in analysis. Over half were homozygous for F508del mutation. Being clinically diagnosed was independently associated with hospitalization for infective exacerbation of CF < 36 months (OR, 2.80; 95%CI 1.24‐6.29). Diagnosis to first acquisition of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was significantly longer in NBS than clinically detected; from birth there was no significant difference. Weight and length/height were significantly greater in NBS cohort at 6 and 12 months. We provide evidence of improved growth, reduced hospitalization for acute exacerbations, and delayed P. aeruginosa acquisition (from diagnosis) to age 3 for the NBS cohort. Screening practices likely account for the non‐significant difference in P. aeruginosa acquisition from birth.     

Sedentary Behavior and Diabetes Risk Among Women Over the Age of 65 Years: The OPACH Study

OBJECTIVETo evaluate whether sedentary time (ST) and/or sedentary behavior patterns are related to incident diabetes in the U.S.’s oldest age-groups.RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSWomen without physician-diagnosed diabetes (n = 4,839, mean ± SD age = 79 ± 7 years) wore accelerometers for ≥4 days and were followed up to 6 years for self-reported newly diagnosed diabetes requiring treatment with medications. Hazard ratios (HRs) for incident diabetes were estimated across quartiles of accelerometer-measured ST and mean bout duration with use of Cox proportional hazards models. We conducted isotemporal substitution analyses using Cox regression and tested associations with risk for diabetes after statistically replacing ST with light physical activity (PA) or moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) and after replacing light PA with MVPA.RESULTSDuring 20,949 person-years, 342 diabetes cases were identified. Women in ST quartile (Q)2, Q3, and Q4 (vs. Q1) had incident diabetes HR 1.20 (95% CI 0.87–1.65), 1.33 (0.97–1.82), and 1.21 (0.86–1.70); P_trend = 0.04. Respective HRs following additional adjustment for BMI and MVPA were 1.04 (95% CI 0.74–1.47), 1.04 (0.72–1.50), and 0.85 (0.56–1.29); P_trend = 0.90. Fully adjusted isotemporal substitution results indicated that each 30 min of ST replaced with MVPA (but not light PA) was associated with 15% lower risk for diabetes (HR 0.85 [95% CI 0.75–0.96]; P = 0.01); the HR for replacing 30 min of light PA with MVPA was 0.85 (95% CI 0.73–0.98); P = 0.03. Mean bout duration was not associated with incident diabetes.CONCLUSIONSStatistically replacing ST or light PA with MVPA was associated with lower diabetes risk in older women. While reducing ST is important for several health outcomes, results indicate that to reduce diabetes risk among older adults, the primary public health focus should be on increasing MVPA.     

Antibiotic-impregnated beads for the treatment of aortic graft infection

Infection of a prosthetic graft after replacement of the ascending aorta is an uncommon but life-threatening complication of surgery. We report the use of antibiotic-impregnated calcium sulfate beads in a patient with ascending aortic graft infection to provide localized, high-dose therapy to the infected region. Perigraft placement of antibiotic beads provides an alternative method for the treatment of aortic graft infection.     

The Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol is a poor predictor of in-hospital mortality

Background

The Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol (AEP) proposes admission criteria based only on physiological and laboratory parameters and has recently informed an Irish national bed utilisation review. Severity of illness tools can be poorly predictive of outcomes, particularly in older patients.

Aims

To assess the clinical utility of the AEP in moribund older and younger patients.

Methods

The study was conducted in four acute hospitals in South Munster, Ireland, and was of retrospective analytical cohort study design. The Hospital In-Patient Enquiry Scheme was used to ascertain patients who died within 10 days of hospital admission, over a 2-year period. Proximate death was used as a robust measure of validity of admission. Emergency department (ED) records were screened retrospectively to allocate the AEP criteria.

Results

There were 803 eligible in-hospital deaths. Establishment of AEP criteria was available in 72.9 % (585 patients, 50.8 % female). The median length of stay until death was 4 days. Just over 30 % (179/585) of patients did not meet AEP criteria, two-fifths (72/179) of whom had been coded as severely unwell on arrival to the ED. There was no significant difference in AEP identification rates between older and younger age groups.

Conclusions

Our study illustrates that the AEP is a poor predictor of mortality in all age groups, having failed to identify approximately one-third of our cohort. Based on our findings, we feel that this tool should not be used to assess the appropriateness of admission.     

A very rare case of incidental aortic valve fibrolipoma

Cardiac valve fibrolipomas are extremely rare. We report a case of a 38-year-old female initially presenting with palpitations and moderate aortic incompetence who was found to have a lipomatous growth of the aortic valve. She underwent aortic valve repair with good postoperative results. Histopathogy verified the lesion as a fibrolipoma. This is the first reported case of fibrolipoma in the aortic valve, whilst aiming to consider repair as a surgical option in young patients with such growths.     

HPLC法测定延胡索中延胡索乙素的含量

目的：对延胡索中的延胡索乙素进行含量测定。方法：采用ＨＰＬＣ法,以１８－ＯＤＳ为色谱柱,甲醇－０．１％磷酸（用三乙胺调ＰＨ至６．０）（６０：４０）为流动相,检测波长为２８０ｎｍ。结果：延胡索乙素的量在０．２５７－２．０５６μｇ范围内线性良好,回收率为９９．０３％,ＲＳＤ为０．５１％,结论：该方法简便、可靠,适合延胡索的质量控制。     

Comparison of low-molecular-weight heparin (enoxaparin sodium) and standard unfractionated heparin for haemodialysis anticoagulation.

BACKGROUND: Low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) has been suggested as providing safe, efficient, convenient and possibly more cost-effective anticoagulation for haemodialysis (HD) than unfractionated heparin, with fewer side-effects and possible benefits on uraemic dyslipidaemia. METHODS: In this prospective, randomized, cross-over study we compared the safety, clinical efficacy and cost effectiveness of Clexane (enoxaparin sodium; Rh?ne-Poulenc Rorer) with unfractionated heparin in 36 chronic HD patients. They were randomly assigned to either Clexane (1 mg/kg body weight, equivalent to 100 IU) or standard heparin, and followed prospectively for 12 weeks (36 dialyses) before crossing over to the alternate therapy for a further 12 weeks. Heparin anticoagulation was monitored using activated coagulation times. RESULTS: Dialysis with Clexane resulted in less frequent minor fibrin/clot formation in the dialyser and lines than with heparin (P<0.001), but was accompanied by increased frequency of minor haemorrhage between dialyses (P<0.001). Clexane dose reduction (to a mean of 0.69 mg/kg) eliminated excess minor haemorrhage without increasing clotting frequencies. Mean vascular compression times were similar in both groups. Over 24 weeks, no changes in standard serum lipid profiles were observed. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that a single-dose protocol of Clexane is an effective and very convenient alternative to sodium heparin, but currently direct costs are about 16% more. We recommend an initial dose of 0.70 mg/kg.     

VEGF is deposited in the subepithelial matrix at the leading edge of branching airways and stimulates neovascularization in the murine embryonic lung.

We used whole lung cultures as a model to study blood vessel formation in vitro and to examine the role that epithelial-mesenchymal interactions play during embryonic pulmonary vascular development. Mouse lungs were isolated at embryonic day 11.5 (E11.5) and cultured for up to 4 days prior to blood vessel analysis. Platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM/CD31) and thrombomodulin (TM/CD141) immunolocalization demonstrate that vascular development occurs in lung cultures. The vascular structures identified in lung cultures first appear as a loosely associated plexus of capillary-like structures that with time surround the airways. To investigate the potential role of vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF) during pulmonary neovascularization, we immunolocalized VEGF in embryonic lungs. Our data demonstrate that VEGF is uniformly present in the airway epithelium and the subepithelial matrix of E11.5 lungs. At later time points, E13.5 and E15.5, VEGF is no longer detected in the proximal airways, but is restricted to the branching tips of airways in the distal lung. RT-PCR analysis reveals that VEGF(164) is the predominant isoform expressed in lung cultures. Grafting heparin-bound VEGF(164) beads onto lung explants locally stimulates a marked neovascular response within 48 hr in culture. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR reveals an 18% increase in PECAM mRNA in VEGF(164)-treated whole lung cultures as compared with untreated cultures. The restricted temporal and spatial expression of VEGF suggests that matrix-associated VEGF links airway branching with blood vessel formation by stimulating neovascularization at the leading edge of branching airways.