French Spine Surgery Society guidelines for management of spinal surgeries during COVID-19 pandemic

Since the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in December 2019 in China, various measures have been adopted in order to attenuate the impact of the virus on the population. With regard to spine surgery, French physicians are devoted to take place in the national plan against COVID-19, the French Spine Surgery Society therefore decided to elaborate specific guidelines for management of spinal disorders during COVID-19 pandemic in order to prioritize management of patients. A three levels stratification was elaborated with Level I: Urgent surgical indications, Level II: Surgical indications associated to a potential loss of chance for the patient and Level III: Non-urgent surgical indications. We also report French experience in a COVID-19 cluster region illustrated by two clinical cases. We hope that the guidelines formulated by the French Spine Surgery Society and the experience of spine surgeons from a cluster region will be helpful in order optimizing the management of patients with urgent spinal conditions during the pandemic.     

The RUSH2A Study: Dark-Adapted Visual Fields in Patients With Retinal Degeneration Associated With Biallelic Variants in the USH2A Gene

PurposeTo measure visual fields using two-color dark-adapted chromatic perimetry in a subset of participants in the Rate of Progression of USH2A-related Retinal Degeneration (RUSH2A), a study of USH2A-mediated syndromic (USH2) and autosomal recessive nonsyndromic retinitis pigmentosa, determine percentage retaining rod function, and explore relationships between dark-adapted visual fields (DAVF) and rod function from ERG and full-field stimulus thresholds (FST).MethodsFull-field rod mean sensitivity, number of rod loci, maximum sensitivity, DAVF full-field hill of vision (DAVF V_TOT), and 30° hill of vision (DAVF V₃₀) were measured in one eye for DAVF ancillary study participants (n = 49). Loci where cyan relative to red sensitivity was more than 5 dB on dark-adapted chromatic perimetry were considered rod mediated. Correlation coefficients between the DAVF measures and standard clinical measures were estimated, as were kappa statistics (κ) for agreement between DAVF and other measures of rod function.ResultsOf 49 participants tested with DAVF, 38 (78%) had evidence of rod function, whereas 15 (31%) had measurable rod ERGs. DAVF maximum sensitivity was highly correlated with FST white thresholds (r = −0.80; P < .001). Although not statistically significant, the number of rod loci and DAVF V_TOT were lower in eyes with longer disease duration by 0.82 (95% confidence interval, −1.76, 0.12) loci/year and 0.59 (95% confidence interval, −1.82, 0.64) dB-steradians/year, respectively.ConclusionsRod-mediated function on FST and DAVF is present in many patients with symptomatic USH2A-related retinal degeneration, including some without measurable rod ERGs. RUSH2A longitudinal data will determine how these measures change with disease progression and whether they are useful for longitudinal studies in inherited retinal degenerations.     

Left ventricular assist device implants in patients on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: do we need cardiopulmonary bypass?

Open in a separate window OBJECTIVESImplanting a durable left ventricular assist device (LVAD) in a patient on extracorporeal life support (ECLS) is challenging. The goal of this study was to compare the results of patients from a European registry who had a durable LVAD implanted with or without transition from ECLS to cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).METHODSA total of 531 patients on ECLS support who had an LVAD implant between January 2010 and August 2018 were analysed; after 1:1 propensity score matching, we identified and compared 175 patients in each group.RESULTSThe duration of preoperative ECLS was 7 [standard deviation (SD) 6] vs 7 (SD 6) days in patients with or without CPB (P = 0.984). The surgical time was longer in the CPB group [285 (SD 72) vs 209 [SD 75] min; P ≤ 0.001). The postoperative chest tube output was comparable [1513 (SD 1311) vs 1390 (SD 1121) ml; P = 0.3]. However, re-exploration for bleeding was necessary in 41% vs 29% of patients with or without CPB (P = 0.01) and a significantly higher number of packed red blood cells and fresh frozen plasma [8 (SD 8) vs 6 (SD 4) units; P = 0.001 and 6 (SD 7) vs 5 (SD 5) units; P = 0.03] were administered to patients operated on with CPB. A postoperative mechanical right ventricular support device was necessary in 50% vs 41% of patients (P = 0.08). The stroke rate was not significantly different (P 0.99). No difference in survival was observed.CONCLUSIONSOmitting CPB for an LVAD implant in patients on ECLS is safe and results in shorter operating time, less re-exploration for bleeding and fewer blood products. However, no survival benefit is observed.     

Weight gain during the dolutegravir transition in the African Cohort Study

IntroductionDolutegravir (DTG) has become a preferred component of first‐line antiretroviral therapy (ART) in many settings but may be associated with excess weight gain. We evaluated changes in weight and body mass index (BMI) after switch to single‐tablet tenofovir/lamivudine/dolutegravir (TLD) by people living with HIV (PLWH) in four African countries.MethodsThe African Cohort Study (AFRICOS) prospectively follows adults with and without HIV in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Nigeria. Demographics, ART regimen, weight, BMI and waist‐to‐hip ratio were collected every 6 months. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards modelling was used to estimate hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for factors associated with developing a BMI ≥25 kg/m². Linear mixed effects models with random effects were used to examine the average change in BMI, weight and waist‐to‐hip ratio.ResultsFrom 23 January 2013 to 1 December 2020, 2950 PLWH were enrolled in AFRICOS and 1474 transitioned to TLD. In adjusted models, PLWH on TLD had 1.77 times the hazard of developing a high BMI (95% CI: 1.22–2.55) compared to PLWH on non‐TLD ART. Examining change in weight among all PLWH on ART, participants on TLD gained an average of 0.68 kg (95% CI: 0.32–1.04) more than PLWH on other regimens after adjusting for duration on ART, sex, age, study site and CD4 nadir. Among participants who switched to TLD, the average change in weight prior to TLD switch was 0.35 kg/year (95% CI: 0.25–0.46) and average change in weight was 1.46 kg/year (95% CI: 1.18–1.75) in the year following transition to TLD after adjustment for confounders.ConclusionsElevated BMI and weight gain among PLWH on TLD are concerning safety signals. Implications for the development of metabolic comorbidities should be monitored, particularly if annual weight gain persists during continued follow‐up after transitioning to TLD.     

扩张型心肌病抗心肌β1与M2受体自身抗体的初步研究

目的研究抗β１与抗Ｍ２受体的自身抗体是否与扩张型心肌病（ＤＣＭ）有关。方法以心脏β１与Ｍ２受体细胞外第二环表位肽段的合成肽作为抗原，应用酶联免疫吸附测定（ＥＬＩＳＡ）技术检测５２例ＤＣＭ患者和４１例正常人血清中抗β１与Ｍ２受体的自身抗体。结果ＤＣＭ患者血清中有２２例（４２．３％）与２９例（５５．８％）的抗β１与抗Ｍ２受体的自身抗体，均显著高于正常人血清中仅５例（１２．２％）与４例（９．８％）相应抗体的检出（Ｐ＜０．０１）；ＤＣＭ患者血清中抗β１与Ｍ２受体的自身抗体滴度分别为１１０３与１１２８，远高于正常人１４０与１２４的相应抗体滴度（Ｐ＜０．０１）；心功能Ⅱ～Ⅲ级的阳性率是心功能Ⅳ级的２倍以上且抗体滴度大多在１１６０～１２５６０，而心功能Ⅳ级的抗体滴度全部在１２０～１８０。患者血清中抗β１与抗Ｍ２受体自身抗体的出现呈显著正相关（ｒ＝０．９６）。结论ＤＣＭ患者不仅存在抗心肌β１和Ｍ２的自身抗体而且他们的抗体滴度也明显高于正常对照组。     

氯沙坦钾对血管内皮剥脱术后Ⅰ型胶原增生的影响

目的：探讨血管内皮剥脱术后血清Ⅰ型胶原浓度的变化及氯沙坦对其影响。方法：将24只实验兔随机分为3组（均为8只）：血管成形术（AP）组、血管成形术＋氯沙坦钾（AP＋L）组及对照组（C）组。应用球囊拉伤动脉内膜加高脂饲养的方法建立兔髂动脉硬化模型，采用核酸分子杂交技术对髂动脉壁平滑肌细胞（SMC）的Ⅰ型胶原基因的表达情况进行观察。结果：术后1周时AP组Ⅰ型胶原基因开始表达（P＜0．05），2、4周时显著表达（P＜0．01），AP＋L组Ⅰ型胶原基因未表达。结论：血管内皮剥脱可致Ⅰ型胶原合成增加，氯沙坦钾对其有抑制作用。