Reconstruction of the anterior face of the base of the skull using coral grafts

Following experimental investigations on animals, small coral grafts have been utilized on patients since 1985 to fill in burr holes (42 patients). This first clinical experimental step has been satisfactory. Therefore, blocks of corals have since then been used as bone graft substitutes for anterior skull basis reconstruction (12 patients). Cheap and easily sterilized, coral implants have the advantage of being inert (99% of calcium carbonate), biodegradable and well reossified. They shorten surgical procedures by avoiding the use of iliac and/or costal grafts. No infectious complications have been noted.     

Comparison of cheek and forehead regions by bioengineering methods in women with different self-reported cosmetic skin types

Background/aims: Understanding structural and functional differences between facial areas is necessary for the formulation of cosmetics and dermatological preparations well tailored to the skin's biophysical characteristics. The objective of the present study was to compare biophysical parameters on malar and frontal facial areas of healthy women classified according to self-reported cosmetic skin types.
Methods: The study population comprised 253 women aged from 20 to 50 years who did not display any signs of dermatological disease. Women declared spontaneously their cosmetic skin type. Skin capacitance, sebum casual level, skin temperature, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), skin colour and relief were assessed on cheeks and forehead in a controlled environment.
Results: All biophysical parameters showed statistically significant differences between the two zones. Mean a* chromametric values and TEWL values were significantly higher on cheeks. In contrast, mean b * chromametric values and sebum casual levels showed the highest values on the forehead. Moreover, skin capacitance, temperature, roughness and L .* chromametric value showed minor, while statistically significant, differences between the two zones. With marginal exceptions, the differences between the facial zones for each biophysical parameter remained statistically significant, irrespective of self-reported skin type.
Conclusion: Biophysical parameter mean values differ between frontal and malar zones regardless of self-reported skin type. Except for the elevated sebum casual levels in greasy and combined skin, no single or combined biophysical characteristics could be linked to any of the self-reported skin types. Furthermore our data confirm that in contrast to the common belief that dry skin is associated with reduced sebum production, sebum levels in women declaring to have dry skin and those declaring to have normal skin were not found to be different.     

Symptomatic pulmonary embolism and the risk of recurrent venous thromboembolism

BACKGROUND: In patients with a first symptomatic pulmonary embolism (PE), the risk of recurrence is unknown. We therefore investigated the risk of recurrence among patients with spontaneous symptomatic PE and among those with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) without symptoms of PE. METHODS: After discontinuation of secondary thromboprophylaxis for a first venous thromboembolism (VTE), we prospectively observed 436 patients for an average of 30 months. Patients with secondary VTE, natural inhibitor deficiencies, lupus anticoagulant, cancer, long-term antithrombotic therapy, vena cava filters, or pregnancy were excluded. The study outcome was objectively documented recurrent symptomatic VTE. RESULTS: Recurrent VTE was seen among 28 (17.3%) of 162 patients with symptomatic PE and among 26 (9.5%) of 274 patients with DVT without symptoms of PE. Compared with patients with DVT, the relative risk of recurrent VTE among patients with symptomatic PE was 2.2 (95% confidence interval, 1.3-3.7; P =.005). The relative risk was not affected by age, sex, presence of factor V Leiden or prothrombin G20210A, hyperhomocysteinemia, or high factor VIII levels. Compared with patients with DVT without symptoms of PE, patients with symptomatic PE had an adjusted relative risk of PE at recurrence of 4.0 (95% confidence interval, 1.3-12.3; P =.03). CONCLUSION: Patients with a first symptomatic PE not only have a higher risk of recurrent VTE than those with DVT without symptoms of PE, but are also at high risk of symptomatic PE at recurrence.     

Cardiac status after childhood growth hormone treatment of Turner syndrome

CONTEXT: In Turner syndrome (TS), GH treatment is well established. Data on cardiac status after discontinuation of treatment are scarce. This study aimed to assess biventricular size and function in TS at least 6 months after discontinuation of GH treatment. METHODS: TS patients and healthy women prospectively underwent cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. Ventricular two-dimensional tomographic cine data were acquired to obtain biventricular volume, mass, and ejection fraction. Atrioventricular valve flow measurements were performed using a two-dimensional flow-sensitized sequence. Flow velocity curves were calculated and indices of biventricular diastolic filling were derived. RESULTS: Thirty-one patients [mean (sd) age 20 (2) yr, body surface area 1.75 (0.15) m(2), 5 (2) yr after GH discontinuation] and 23 normal control women [age 21 (2) yr, body surface area 1.80 (0.13) m(2)] were included. Compared with controls, patients had smaller mean end-diastolic volumes [right ventricle (RV), 84 (11) ml/m(2) vs. 79 (10), P = 0.02; left ventricle (LV), 81 (10) vs. 72 (9), P < 0.001], end-systolic volumes [RV 38 (7) ml/m(2) vs. 36 (6), P = 0.04; LV 34 (5) vs. 29 (4), P < 0.001], and stroke volumes [RV 46 (6) ml/m(2) vs. 43 (6), P = 0.03; LV, 47 (7) vs. 44 (4), P = 0.02]. Patients had a higher mean heart rate [79 (13) beats/min vs. 71 (10), P < 0.05]. Biventricular ejection fraction, mass, cardiac output, and diastolic filling pattern were comparable. CONCLUSION: After discontinuation of GH treatment TS patients showed no myocardial hypertrophy and well-preserved biventricular function. Ventricular volumes were smaller in Turner patients, compared with controls, whereas mean heart rate was higher. These last observations may be part of the natural development in TS and not linked to GH treatment, which at this point we consider safe.     

No Association Between the Dopamine D2 Receptor Taq I A1 Allele and Earlier Age of Onset of Alcohol Dependence According to Different Specified Criteria

BACKGROUND: The presence of the A1 allele of the dopamine D2 receptor TaqI restriction fragment length polymorphism has been reported to be associated with an earlier age of onset of alcohol dependence as a marker for severity. METHODS: We tested this hypothesis with special regard to the definition of the age of onset of alcoholism in 243 patients with alcohol dependence, according to DSM-IV criteria assessed by the standardized interview Münchner Composite International Diagnostic Interview (M-CIDI), consecutively admitted for detoxification. Additionally, the Addiction Severity Index (ASI) was performed. The TaqIA polymorphism was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and the PCR product was digested by the restriction enzyme TaqI. Patients were subsequently divided into an A1 (presence of at least one A1 allele, n = 88) and an A2 group (absence of an A1 allele, n = 155). The following criteria for different definitions of age of onset were used: (1) age of onset of the first occurring symptom necessary for the diagnosis of alcohol dependence according to M-CIDI; (2) age of onset of the last symptom of alcohol dependence according to M-CIDI; (3) age of onset of more than 3 drinking days per week on a regular basis according to ASI; (4) age of onset of more than 3 drinking days-of more than five drinks per drinking day-or at least one binge drinking episode per week on a regular basis according to ASI. RESULTS: The frequency of the A1 allele in our patient sample was 0.208. No statistically significant association between the A1 allele and the age of onset of alcoholism was found. The mean age of onset according to criterion 1 was 30.4 +/- 10.8 years for the A1 group and 30.2 +/- 10.2 years for the A2 group (p = 0.89); for criterion 2, it was 33.3 +/- 10.0 years for the A1 group and 33.9 +/- 10.2 years for the A2 group (p = 0.77); for criterion 3, it was 18.0 +/- 7.5 years for the A1 group and 18.1 +/- 6.1 years for the A2 group (p = 0.92); and for criterion 4, it was 22.3 +/- 9.7 years for the A1 group and 21.8 +/- 8.5 years for the A2 group (p = 0.76). CONCLUSIONS: No association was found between the A1 polymorphism and age at onset of alcohol dependence according to different specified criteria.     

Placental pathologies on fetal MRI are associated with high impairment rates: a prospective long-term outcome study

Objective: Placental anomalies visualized at midgestation by MRI are shown to be related to pregnancy outcome. We performed a prospective cohort study to investigate the influence of placental pathologies diagnosed with fetal MRI on long-term neurodevelopmental outcome.

Methods: In our hospital-based, cross-sectional study, all fetal MRI examinations of pregnancies with vascular placental pathology (i.e. infarction with/without hemorrhage, subchorionic thrombi/hemorrhages, intervillous thrombi/hemorrhages or retroplacental hematoma) between 2003 and 2007 were included. The extent of the pathology was expressed as the percentage of abnormality related to the whole placental volume. Pathohistological reports were correlated to MRI findings. Infants were prospectively investigated using Bayley developmental scales at the age of 2–3.5 years. Impairment was categorized as a Bayley scale two SDs below normal (<85 points).

Results: There were 31 singletons and 25 offspring of multiple pregnancies included in the analyses. Impairment rates were 32.2% in singletons and 32.0% in multiple births. No correlation between neuro/motordevelopmental outcome at 2–3.5 years and the type, extent or gestational week at the time of diagnoses of placental vascular pathologies was found.

Conclusion: The long-term outcome of children with vascular placental pathologies on fetal MRI was associated with a high impairment rate after 2–3.5 years, both on motor- and neurodevelopmental Bayley scales. Neurological impairment did not correlate with the extent of placental involvement, intrauterine growth restriction, gestational age at birth or multiple state.     

Man vs machine in emergency medicine – a study on the effects of manual and automatic vital sign documentation on data quality and perceived workload,using observational paired sample data and questionnaires

Background

Emergency medicine is characterized by a high patient flow where timely decisions are essential. Clinical decision support systems have the potential to assist in such decisions but will be dependent on the data quality in electronic health records which often is inadequate. This study explores the effect of automated documentation of vital signs on data quality and workload.

Methods

An observational study of 200 vital sign measurements was performed to evaluate the effects of manual vs automatic documentation on data quality. Data collection using questionnaires was performed to compare the workload on wards using manual or automatic documentation.

Results

In the automated documentation time to documentation was reduced by 6.1?min (0.6?min vs 7.7?min, p?<? 0.05) and completeness increased (98% vs 95%, p?<? 0.05). Regarding workflow temporal demands were lower in the automatic documentation workflow compared to the manual group (50 vs 23, p?<? 0.05). The same was true for frustration level (64 vs 33, p?<? 0.05). The experienced reduction in temporal demands was in line with the anticipated, whereas the experienced reduction in frustration was lower than the anticipated (27 vs 54, p?<?0.05).

Discussion

The study shows that automatic documentation will improve the currency and the completeness of vital sign data in the Electronic Health Record while reducing workload regarding temporal demands and experienced frustration. The study also shows that these findings are in line with staff anticipations but indicates that the anticipations on the reduction of frustration may be exaggerated among the staff. The open-ended answers indicate that frustration focus will change from double documentation of vital signs to technical aspects of the automatic documentation system.

     

Incidental findings in multislice computed tomography prior to transcatheter aortic valve implantation: frequency,clinical relevance and outcome

Multislice computed tomography (MSCT) has emerged as the mainstay in patients planned for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). Incidental findings (IF) in MSCT are common. However, the exact incidence, clinical relevance and further consequences of IF are unclear and it is controversial whether IF adversely affect patients’ outcome. We analyzed MSCT data of 1050 patients screened for TAVI between January 2011 and December 2014. Median follow-up of patients was 20 months. In total, 3194 IF were identified, which were classified into clinically non-relevant IF (2872, 90%) and clinically relevant IF (322, 10%). In 25% of patients (258/1050) at least one clinically relevant IF was present. Age (80?±?7 vs. 80?±?7 years; p?=?0.198) and EuroSCORE II (3.6% [2.1–5.7] vs. 3.6% [2.1–5.9]; p?=?0.874) was similar between patients with and without a clinically relevant IF. TAVI was performed less frequently in patients with a clinically relevant IF (76% vs. 85%; p?<?0.001), with more patients receiving surgical aortic valve replacement in that group (14% vs. 11%; p?=?0.042), possibly due to the high rate of incidental aneurysms of the ascending aorta (n?=?48). If TAVI was performed mortality did not differ (30-days: 4% vs. 3%; p?=?0.339, 1-year: 11% vs. 14%; p?=?0.226) between patients with and without a clinically relevant IF. Our study is the largest study to analyze prevalence, clinical relevance and therapeutic consequences of IF during screening for TAVI. IF in pre-procedural MSCT are common and clinically relevant in one-quarter of patients. However, these findings had no impact on overall mortality.