Artificial intelligence automates and augments baseline impedance measurements from pH-impedance studies in gastroesophageal reflux disease

Background

Artificial intelligence (AI) has potential to streamline interpretation of pH-impedance studies. In this exploratory observational cohort study, we determined feasibility of automated AI extraction of baseline impedance (AIBI) and evaluated clinical value of novel AI metrics.

Methods

pH-impedance data from a convenience sample of symptomatic patients studied off (n = 117, 53.1 ± 1.2 years, 66% F) and on (n = 93, 53.8 ± 1.3 years, 74% F) anti-secretory therapy and from asymptomatic volunteers (n = 115, 29.3 ± 0.8 years, 47% F) were uploaded into dedicated prototypical AI software designed to automatically extract AIBI. Acid exposure time (AET) and manually extracted mean nocturnal baseline impedance (MNBI) were compared to corresponding total, upright, and recumbent AIBI and upright:recumbent AIBI ratio. AI metrics were compared to AET and MNBI in predicting  ≥ 50% symptom improvement in GERD patients.

Results

Recumbent, but not upright AIBI, correlated with MNBI. Upright:recumbent AIBI ratio was higher when AET  > 6% (median 1.18, IQR 1.0–1.5), compared to  < 4% (0.95, IQR 0.84–1.1), 4–6% (0.89, IQR 0.72–0.98), and controls (0.93, IQR 0.80–1.09, p ≤ 0.04). While MNBI, total AIBI, and the AIBI ratio off PPI were significantly different between those with and without symptom improvement (p < 0.05 for each comparison), only AIBI ratio segregated management responders from other cohorts. On ROC analysis, off therapy AIBI ratio outperformed AET in predicting GERD symptom improvement when AET was  > 6% (AUC 0.766 vs. 0.606) and 4–6% (AUC 0.563 vs. 0.516) and outperformed MNBI overall (AUC 0.661 vs. 0.313).

Conclusions

BI calculation can be automated using AI. Novel AI metrics show potential in predicting GERD treatment outcome.

     

Endarterectomized superficial femoral artery joint to reversed saphenous vein bypass for lower extremity revascularization

Autogenous saphenous vein is the preferred graft material for femorodistal revascularization. Doubt remains, however, about what material to use when the vein is neither available nor adequate. The authors report their experience with 15 patients aged from fifty-one to eighty years in whom, in the absence of a suitable saphenous vein, were performed a combined revascularization with endarterectomy in the proximal segment joint to a bypass with reversed saphenous vein in the distal tract. With a follow-up ranging from 8 to 17 months, the 1-year patency rate was 73.3%, whereas the limb salvage rate was 80%. The authors believe this technique is an acceptable alternative for femorodistal reconstruction in patients without a suitable saphenous vein.     

Efficacy of Haemate-P as prophylaxis of recurrent bleeding in a patient with type 2B von Willebrand's disease.

We report the case of a 58-year-old woman with type 2B von Willebrand's disease who received regular infusions of the factor VIII/von Willebrand factor concentrate Haemate-P (2000 IU every other day) for 4 months to prevent recurrent bleeding from a malignant esophageal ulcer. Prophylaxis with Haemate-P was shown to be safe and effective in this patient, thus enabling completion of radiochemotherapy.     

Isolated aneurysms of the internal iliac artery. A clinical contribution]

Five patients with isolated aneurysms of the internal iliac artery were identified and submitted to surgical procedure. Two patients were operated on in election, three in emergency with aneurysmatic rupture. The natural course of this pathology is one of progressive expansion and rupture. This lesion is often asymptomatic, but sometimes we found associated, compression symptoms of genito-urinary, intestinal tract and venous and neurological structures. Echography, CT scan and angiography are the most common and useful diagnostic procedure. Endoaneurysmectomy with proximal and distal suture of the stumps is the appropriate treatment in the majority of the cases.     

Association of high-risk coronary atherosclerosis at CCTA with clinical and circulating biomarkers: Insight from CAPIRE study

BackgroundHigh-risk coronary atherosclerosis features evaluated coronary CT angiography (CCTA) were suggested to have a prognostic role. The present study aimed to evaluate the association of circulating biomarkers with high-risk plaque features assessed by CCTA.MethodsA consecutive cohort of subjects who underwent CCTA because of suspected CAD was screened for inclusion in the CAPIRE study. Based on risk factors (RF) burden patients were defined as having a low clinical risk (0–1 RF with the exclusion of patients with diabetes mellitus as single RF) or an high clinical risk (≥3 RFs). In all patients, measurement of inflammatory biomarkers and CCTA analysis focused on high-risk plaque features were performed. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to evaluate the relationship between clinical and biological variables with CCTA advanced plaque features.Results528 patients were enrolled in CAPIRE study. Older age and male sex appeared to be predictors of qualitative high-risk plaque features and associated with the presence of elevated total, non-calcified and low-attenuation plaque volume. Among circulating biomarkers only hs-CRP was found to be associated with qualitative high-risk plaque features (OR 2.02, p = 0.004 and 2.02, p = 0.012 for LAP and RI > 1.1, respectively) with borderline association with LAP-Vol (OR 1.52, p = 0.076); HbA1c and PTX-3 resulted to be significantly associated with quantitative high-risk plaque features (OR 1.71, p = 0.003 and 1.04, p = 0.002 for LAP-Vol, respectively).ConclusionsOur results support the association between inflammatory biomarkers (hs-CRP, PTX- 3), HbA1c and high-risk atherosclerotic features detected by CCTA. Male sex and older age are significant predictors of high-risk atherosclerosis.     

Impact of age on coronary artery plaque progression and clinical outcome: A PARADIGM substudy

BackgroundThe association of age with coronary plaque dynamics is not well characterized by coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA).MethodsFrom a multinational registry of patients who underwent serial CCTA, 1153 subjects (61 ± 5 years old, 61.1% male) were analyzed. Annualized volume changes of total, fibrous, fibrofatty, necrotic core, and dense calcification plaque components of the whole heart were compared by age quartile groups. Clinical events, a composite of all-cause death, acute coronary syndrome, and any revascularization after 30 days of the initial CCTA, were also analyzed. Random forest analysis was used to define the relative importance of age on plaque progression.ResultsWith a 3.3-years’ median interval between the two CCTA, the median annual volume changes of total plaque in each age quartile group was 7.8, 10.5, 10.8, and 12.1 mm³/year and for dense calcification, 2.5, 4.6, 5.4, and 7.1 mm³/year, both of which demonstrated a tendency to increase by age (p-for-trend = 0.001 and < 0.001, respectively). However, this tendency was not observed in any other plaque components. The annual volume changes of total plaque and dense calcification were also significantly different in the propensity score-matched lowest age quartile group versus the other age groups as was the composite clinical event (log-rank p = 0.003). In random forest analysis, age had comparable importance in the total plaque volume progression as other traditional factors.ConclusionsThe rate of whole-heart plaque progression and dense calcification increases depending on age. Age is a significant factor in plaque growth, the importance of which is comparable to other traditional risk factors.Clinical trial registrationURL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifiers: NCT02803411.     

Real world experience with teriflunomide in multiple sclerosis: the TER-Italy study

Journal of Neurology - To identify baseline factors associated with disease activity in patients with relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) under teriflunomide treatment. This was an...