Journal of clinical medicine research最新文献

Background: Reports on the comparative mortality among mechanically ventilated patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and influenza show conflicting findings, but studies focused largely on the early phase of the pandemic, using historical influenza comparators. We sought to examine the population-level comparative mortality among mechanically ventilated patients with COVID-19 during the latter pandemic years using contemporaneous influenza comparators.

Methods: We used a statewide dataset to identify mechanically ventilated hospitalizations aged ≥ 18 years with COVID-19 or influenza in Texas between October 2021 and March 2023. Their comparative short-term mortality (in-hospital death or discharge to hospice) was estimated using overlap propensity score weighting (primary model), entropy balance, and hierarchical logistic models.

Results: Among 22,195 mechanically ventilated hospitalizations, 19,659 (88.6%) had COVID-19 and 2,536 (11.4%) had influenza. Compared to mechanically ventilated hospitalizations with influenza, those with COVID-19 were more commonly racial or ethnic minority (49.3% vs. 48.4%) and had lower mean (standard deviation (SD)) Deyo comorbidity index (2.04 (2.03) vs. 2.53 (1.91)), but higher number of organ dysfunctions (2.60 (1.37) vs. 2.13 (1.27)), respectively. Short-term mortality among mechanically ventilated hospitalizations with COVID-19 and influenza was 49.1% vs. 20.7%. The risk of short-term mortality was attenuated but remained higher among hospitalizations with COVID-19 in the primary model (adjusted risk ratio: 1.24 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.18 - 1.30); adjusted risk difference 8.8% (95% CI: 6.7 - 10.4)), with consistent findings in alternative models, subgroups, and sensitivity analyses.

Conclusions: Population-level short-term mortality among mechanically ventilated hospitalizations with COVID-19 has been higher than that among those with influenza during the latter years of the pandemic.

Background: β-Thalassemia is a genetic disorder characterized by decreased or completely absent β-globin synthesis, leading to a spectrum of clinical manifestations. It is a major public health concern in Jordan, as in other Mediterranean countries. β-Thalassemia carriers are normally asymptomatic; nevertheless, laboratory examinations often reveal mild anemia characterized by microcytic hypochromic erythrocytes, with differences influenced by specific phenotypes. This study aimed to assess and correlate the variants among β⁰ and β⁺ phenotypes in the Jordanian population with hematological characteristics, as well as establish and determine reference values for distinguishing between the two phenotypes.

Methods: One hundred forty-five β-thalassemia carriers were recruited from various governorates in Jordan. Hematological parameters, including complete blood count (CBC) and capillary electrophoresis of hemoglobin (Hb), were evaluated in all participants. Molecular techniques, specifically polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with hybridization, were employed to identify β-thalassemia variants and classify the participants as having β⁰ and β⁺ phenotypes.

Results: Among the 145 β-thalassemia carriers, 64 (44.14%) and 81 (55.86%) had β⁰-thalassemia and β⁺-thalassemia, respectively. Participants exhibiting a cutoff value of Hb (≤ 11.0 g/dL), mean corpuscular volume (MCV) (≤ 64.0 fL), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) (≤ 19.0 pg), and hemoglobin A₂ (Hb-A₂) (≥ 5.00%) were classified as having the β⁰ phenotype. These participants demonstrated significantly lower mean Hb, MCV, MCH, and higher mean Hb-A₂ than the participants with the β⁺ phenotype (P < 0.0001).

Conclusions: Hb, MCV, MCH, and Hb-A₂ can serve as effective screening tools for predicting β⁰- and β⁺-thalassemia in the Jordanian population. These findings have important clinical implications for early diagnosis, genetic counseling, and prenatal screening of β-thalassemia.

Case 1 involved a 34-year-old woman who had been diagnosed with Crohn's disease (CD) at 30 years old. After deciding to discontinue CD treatment, she was diagnosed with moderate flare-up of CD based on disease activity and endoscopic findings. Inadequate response was seen 7 days after starting oral prednisolone (PSL) at 30 mg/day, so combination therapy was started with intensive granulocyte and monocyte adsorptive apheresis (GMA) plus upadacitinib (UPA) at 45 mg/day. Twelve weeks after starting this combination therapy, clinical remission and endoscopic and histological improvements of the inflamed mucosa were achieved with no adverse events. Case 2 involved a 26-year-old man who had been diagnosed with CD at 13 years old. He was diagnosed with severe flare-up of CD based on disease activity and endoscopic findings due to loss of response to double doses of infliximab (IFX). Combination therapy was started with intensive GMA plus UPA at 45 mg/day. Twelve weeks after starting this therapy, clinical remission and endoscopic and histological improvements of the inflamed mucosa were achieved with no adverse events. The combination of intensive GMA plus UPA appears to have provided an effective therapeutic option for refractory CD in a patient with a 4-year history of CD and refractoriness to systemic corticosteroids, and in another patient with a 13-year history of CD and loss of response to IFX.

Remimazolam is an ultrashort-acting benzodiazepine, approved for clinical use by the United States Food & Drug Administration in 2020. Similar to other benzodiazepines, its clinical effects of sedation, anxiolysis, and amnesia are mediated through the gamma-aminobutyric acid A (GABA_A) receptor. A unique metabolic pathway via tissue esterases results in a rapid elimination, a limited context-sensitive half-life, and prompt dissipation of its effect when administration is discontinued. Preliminary clinical experience has demonstrated its efficacy in the adult and pediatric population as a primary agent for procedural sedation or as an adjunct to general anesthesia. Given its rapid onset and recovery, preliminary clinical experience has demonstrated its potential utility in neuroanesthesia including procedural sedation for neuroimaging as well as a primary agent and adjunct for general anesthesia during neurosurgical procedures including awake craniotomy. This narrative review outlines the pharmacological properties of this unique medication, reviews previous published reports of its role in neuroanesthesia and neurocritical care, and discusses dosing parameters and clinical use in this population.

Background: Hyperglycemia is commonly encountered in the Emergency Departments, necessitating the differential diagnosis between diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and simple hyperglycemia, as the treatment and prognosis differ significantly. In clinical practice, it is essential to investigate DKA in all patients; however, the final diagnosis of actual DKA is found in only 1-5% of these cases, resulting in unnecessary costs. This study aimed to develop an application for predicting the probability of DKA in patients with capillary blood glucose levels exceeding 250 mg/dL in the Emergency Department.

Methods: This study was conducted as diagnostic prediction research, employing a retrospective observational delayed-type cross-sectional design. Data were collected from patients with capillary blood glucose levels exceeding 250 mg/dL between January and April 2023. The predictive variables were available at the time of prediction. Analysis was performed using multivariable risk ratio regression analysis, with results reported as multivariable risk ratios. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (AuROC) curve was calculated. Internal validation was performed using bootstrapping and calibration plots. An application named "1-DKA Alert" was developed to predict the probability of DKA for use in real-world clinical settings.

Results: The study included 274 adult patients, of whom 52.9% were female, with an average age of 59 years. Predictive factors for DKA included initial capillary blood glucose, type of diabetes mellitus, insulin usage, poor compliance, respiratory rate, and suspected infection. These variables were readily available in clinical practice and yielded an AuROC of 0.8777 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.8294 - 0.9259). Bootstrapping internal validation demonstrated an AuROC of 0.8770 and a shrinkage factor of 0.991.

Conclusions: The "1-DKA Alert" demonstrates excellent discriminative ability, and the model is valid, suggesting its potential for use in clinical practice. However, further studies for external validation are necessary.

Renovascular hypertension (RVHT) is most commonly caused by renal artery stenosis (RAS) secondary to arteriosclerosis. Other causes of RVHT include fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) and other rare causes, such as Takayasu arteritis (TA). A male patient in his early 20s presented with hypertension. Laboratory findings were positive for hypokalemia as well as elevations in plasma renin activity and aldosterone concentration. Plain computed tomography revealed atrophy of the right kidney, and magnetic resonance angiography revealed right RAS. A diagnosis of RVHT was suspected, and he was admitted to the cardiovascular ward. After percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasty (PTRA) to treat the right RAS, a typical course was observed with decreased blood pressure, normalizing hypokalemia, and decreased plasma renin activity and aldosterone concentration (which previously were extremely elevated). As angiography showed no remarkable arteriosclerosis of other vessels and given the patient's young age, FMD was suspected as the underlying cause of RVHT. However, the angiographic findings of RAS in the proximal renal artery and the lack of "string-of-beads" appearance were atypical for FMD. The patient had chronic inflammation, and further investigation revealed severe stenosis of the right carotid artery. The high C-reactive protein value and the thickened aortic wall in the computed tomography were the suggestive signs for TA. The patient was diagnosed with TA and started on steroid therapy. Although moderate stenosis remained after revascularization of the renal artery in this patient, hypertension improved markedly, demonstrating the effectiveness of PTRA. Given the diagnosis of TA as the underlying disease, the likelihood of recurrent RVHT due to restenosis of the renal artery remains high, and strict follow-up is thus required.

Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) is a progressive neurological disorder characterized by weakness and impaired sensory function due to damage to peripheral nerves. Evaluating grasp function is critical for understanding the impact of CIDP on patients' daily activities and guiding rehabilitation strategies. This comprehensive review examines the role of dynamometers in quantifying grip strength deficits, tracking disease progression, and assessing treatment outcomes in CIDP patients. Key findings highlight the utility of dynamometers in quantifying grip strength deficits, tracking disease progression, and evaluating treatment outcomes. The review also explores methodological considerations, such as standardizing testing protocols and integrating dynamometric measurements with clinical scales. By providing insights into the functional impairments associated with CIDP and the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions, this review underscores the role of dynamometry in advancing patient care and enhancing the quality of life for individuals living with this condition. Future research directions include the development of more sensitive dynamometric tools and longitudinal studies to better understand the relationship between grip strength and overall disease trajectory in CIDP.

Background: Ascorbic acid is a strong antioxidant that prevents postoperative delirium by inhibiting reactive oxygen species production. This pilot study was designed to investigate the prevalence of postoperative delirium among older patients undergoing cardiovascular surgery, who received perioperative ascorbic acid administration, to estimate an appropriate sample size for further randomized controlled trials.

Methods: This single-arm prospective interventional study enrolled patients aged > 70 years scheduled to undergo elective cardiovascular surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass. Ascorbic acid (500 mg) was administered intravenously every 6 h for a total of eight times following the induction of general anesthesia. The incidence of postoperative delirium was evaluated until discharge using the Confusion Assessment Method for the Intensive Care Unit.

Results: Data from 48 patients were analyzed. Of the 48 patients, 16 developed postoperative delirium (33.3%). Patients in the delirium group had more severe heart failure (New York Heart Association Classification), higher European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation scores, lower intraoperative Bispectral Index, longer duration of cardiopulmonary bypass and surgery, incidence of postoperative cerebral infarction, longer intubation time, and length of intensive care unit stay.

Conclusions: The incidence of postoperative delirium among older patients undergoing cardiovascular surgery who received ascorbic acid perioperatively (2 g/day for 2 days) was 33%. This incidence was comparable to that observed in a previous observational study, suggesting that ascorbic acid administration may not be effective in preventing the incidence of postoperative delirium.

Background: The aim of the study was to determine whether treatment with oral pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)-targeted therapy is associated with functional or hemodynamic improvement in patients with pulmonary hypertension due to interstitial lung disease (PH-ILD).

Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of 1,507 consented patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) from the University of Chicago PH Registry. Exclusion criteria included: enrollment in PH-related clinical trials, use of inhaled treprostinil or iloprost and prior PAH-targeted therapy initiated before consenting to registry enrollment, thus precluding baseline data. Data analyzed included demographics, interstitial lung disease (ILD) classification, PAH-targeted therapy, functional data, hemodynamics, and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) before and after initiation of treatment. Data were analyzed using paired t-test, or related-samples Wilcoxon signed rank test.

Results: Of 37 patients included, 27 (73%) received treatment with one PAH-targeted therapy and nine (24%) received dual therapy. At baseline, median NT-proBNP was 1,498 ng/dL (675 - 3,208), mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) was 45 ± 11 mm Hg, and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) of 9 ± 4 Wood units (WU). In patients with measurements both before and after treatment with PAH-targeted therapy, there was a decrease in PVR (n = 13, 8 vs. 5 WU, P < 0.001), an increase in cardiac output (n = 13, 4 vs. 5 L/min, P = 0.014), and a decrease in NT-proBNP levels (n = 26, 1,421 vs. 842 ng/dL, P = 0.045).

Conclusions: In this study, use of PAH-targeted therapy in patients with PH-ILD was associated with statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements in NT-proBNP and pulmonary hemodynamics.

Background: The study evaluated the effect of an acute and a 2-week daily repetitive ischemic preconditioning (IPC) on conduit artery vascular function and thrombogenic clotting profile, in patients with a recent ischemic stroke.

Methods: Fourteen patients, aged 71 ± 8 years, with a cerebral small vessel occlusion stroke were included in a randomized, controlled, open-label cross-over study. Treatment consisted of 2 weeks of daily IPC, four 5-min rounds of upper-arm occlusion, interspersed by 5 min rest periods. Control was without treatment. Brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) was determined at baseline and after the control and treatment periods. Before and after each period, the patients underwent an acute bout of IPC. Blood samples were obtained for thrombogenic clotting profile at baseline and after the acute IPC bout, both before and after the control and treatment periods.

Results: The period of daily IPC increased brachial artery diameter but did not influence FMD. Acutely, IPC was found to induce an increase in fractal dimension, indicating a denser clot microstructure, and a reduction in plasma levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1). There was no effect of daily IPC on the basal thrombogenic clotting profile, or on the change in clotting profile induced by acute IPC.

Conclusions: Collectively, the data show that acute IPC leads to a prothrombotic clotting profile, despite antiplatelet therapy. Moreover, 2 weeks of daily treatment with IPC does not influence conduit artery vascular function or thrombogenicity in stroke patients.