Hypertension is a risk factor for adverse outcomes in patients with coronavirus disease 2019: a cohort study

Abstract

Background

Comorbidities are commonly seen in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), but the clinical implication is not yet well-delineated. We aim to characterize the prevalence and clinical implications of comorbidities in patients with COVID-19.     

Rethinking PICO in the Machine Learning Era: ML-PICO

Background  Machine learning (ML) has captured the attention of many clinicians who may not have formal training in this area but are otherwise increasingly exposed to ML literature that may be relevant to their clinical specialties. ML papers that follow an outcomes-based research format can be assessed using clinical research appraisal frameworks such as PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome). However, the PICO frameworks strain when applied to ML papers that create new ML models, which are akin to diagnostic tests. There is a need for a new framework to help assess such papers. Objective  We propose a new framework to help clinicians systematically read and evaluate medical ML papers whose aim is to create a new ML model: ML-PICO (Machine Learning, Population, Identification, Crosscheck, Outcomes). We describe how the ML-PICO framework can be applied toward appraising literature describing ML models for health care. Conclusion  The relevance of ML to practitioners of clinical medicine is steadily increasing with a growing body of literature. Therefore, it is increasingly important for clinicians to be familiar with how to assess and best utilize these tools. In this paper we have described a practical framework on how to read ML papers that create a new ML model (or diagnostic test): ML-PICO. We hope that this can be used by clinicians to better evaluate the quality and utility of ML papers.     

“龙虎交战”针法针刺八脉交会穴对偏头痛患者头痛天数及血清CGRP表达的影响＊

目的 观察“龙虎交战”针法针刺八脉交会穴对无先兆偏头痛（Migraine without aura，MO）患者头痛天数及外周血降钙素基因相关肽（Calcitonin gene related peptide，CGRP）表达水平的影响。方法 按照头痛程度将90例MO受试者区层随机分为治疗Ⅰ组、治疗Ⅱ组和对照组各30例。治疗Ⅰ组施以“龙虎交战”针法针刺八脉交会穴（外关和足临泣），治疗Ⅱ组施以平补平泻针法针刺八脉交会穴（外关和足临泣），对照组施以平补平泻针法针刺非经非穴点，每次留针30分钟，5次/周，共治疗20次。于治疗前、治疗结束4周后的随访分别记录三组患者头痛天数的变化情况以判定疗效，并采集患者治疗前、治疗结束4周后随访的肘部静脉血用ELISA法检测血清中的CGRP含量的变化。结果 ①各组治疗前患者的头痛天数无显著差异（Ｐ > 0.05），治疗Ⅰ组、治疗Ⅱ组和对照组治疗结束4周后随访的头痛天数较治疗前均显著降低（Ｐ < 0.05）；治疗Ⅰ组头痛天数的降低显著优于治疗Ⅱ组和对照组（Ｐ < 0.001），治疗Ⅱ组头痛天数的降低显著优于对照组（Ｐ < 0.05）；②3组治疗前CGRP的表达无显著差异，治疗Ⅰ组、治疗Ⅱ组治疗结束4周后随访CGRP的表达较治疗前均显著下降（Ｐ < 0.001），对照组治疗结束4周后随访CGRP的表达较治疗前差异无显著性（Ｐ > 0.05）；治疗Ⅰ组CGRP治疗结束4周随访的表达较治疗Ⅱ组和对照组均显著下降（Ｐ < 0.01），治疗Ⅱ组CGRP的表达较对照组显著下降（P < 0.01）。结论 ①八脉交会穴施以“龙虎交战”针法针刺能明显改善MO患者的头痛天数，同时降低MO患者血清CGRP的表达水平，这可能是针刺八脉交会穴治疗MO的机制之一；②非经非穴点的针刺效应无持续性，而八脉交会穴的针刺效应具有持续性；③八脉交会穴可以充分发挥复式针刺手法的治疗效应，提示我们在临床上治疗疾病时不仅要注意腧穴配伍，恰当的针刺手法更是提高临床疗效、事半功倍的关键。     

Deferoxamine promotes recovery of traumatic spinal cord injury by inhibiting ferroptosis

Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent novel cell death pathway. Deferoxamine, a ferroptosis inhibitor, has been reported to promote spinal cord injury repair. It has yet to be clarified whether ferroptosis inhibition represents the mechanism of action of Deferoxamine on spinal cord injury recovery. A rat model of Deferoxamine at thoracic 10 segment was established using a modified Allen's method. Ninety 8-week-old female Wistar rats were used. Rats in the Deferoxamine group were intraperitoneally injected with 100 mg/kg Deferoxamine 30 minutes before injury. Simultaneously, the Sham and Deferoxamine groups served as controls. Drug administration was conducted for 7 consecutive days. The results were as follows:(1) Electron microscopy revealed shrunken mitochondria in the spinal cord injury group.(2) The Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan locomotor rating score showed that recovery of the hindlimb was remarkably better in the Deferoxamine group than in the spinal cord injury group.(3) The iron concentration was lower in the Deferoxamine group than in the spinal cord injury group after injury.(4) Western blot assay revealed that, compared with the spinal cord injury group, GPX4, xCT, and glutathione expression was markedly increased in the Deferoxamine group.(5) Real-time polymerase chain reaction revealed that, compared with the Deferoxamine group, mRNA levels of ferroptosis-related genes Acyl-CoA synthetase family member 2(ACSF2) and iron-responsive element-binding protein 2(IREB2) were up-regulated in the Deferoxamine group.(6) Deferoxamine increased survival of neurons and inhibited gliosis. These findings confirm that Deferoxamine can repair spinal cord injury by inhibiting ferroptosis. Targeting ferroptosis is therefore a promising therapeutic approach for spinal cord injury.     

Safety and efficacy of different anesthetic regimens for parturients with COVID-19 undergoing Cesarean delivery: a case series of 17 patients

Canadian Journal of Anesthesia/Journal canadien d'anesthésie - To assess the management and safety of epidural or general anesthesia for Cesarean delivery in parturients with coronavirus...