Mucor germinans, a novel dimorphic species resembling Paracoccidioides in a clinical sample: questions on ecological strategy.

Dimorphism is known among the etiologic agents of endemic mycoses as well as in filamentous Mucorales. Under appropriate thermal conditions, mononuclear yeast forms alternate with multi-nucleate hyphae. Here, we describe a dimorphic mucoralean fungus obtained from the sputum of a patient with Burkitt lymphoma and ongoing graft-versus-host reactions. The fungus is described as Mucor germinans sp. nov. Laboratory studies were performed to simulate temperature-dependent dimorphism, with two environmental strains Mucor circinelloides and Mucor kunryangriensis as controls. Both strains could be induced to form multinucleate arthrospores and subsequent yeast-like cells in vitro. Multilateral yeast cells emerge in all three Mucor species at elevated temperatures. This morphological transformation appears to occur at body temperature since the yeast-like cells were observed in the lungs of our immunocompromised patient. The microscopic appearance of the yeast-like cells in the clinical samples is easily confused with that of Paracoccidioides. The ecological role of yeast forms in Mucorales is discussed.IMPORTANCEMucormycosis is a devastating disease with high morbidity and mortality in susceptible patients. Accurate diagnosis is required for timely clinical management since antifungal susceptibility differs between species. Irregular hyphal elements are usually taken as the hallmark of mucormycosis, but here, we show that some species may also produce yeast-like cells, potentially being mistaken for Candida or Paracoccidioides. We demonstrate that the dimorphic transition is common in Mucor species and can be driven by many factors. The multi-nucleate yeast-like cells provide an effective parameter to distinguish mucoralean infections from similar yeast-like species in clinical samples.

Opportunistic Infections, Mortality Risk, and Prevention Strategies in Patients With Vacuoles, E1 Enzyme, X-Linked, Autoinflammatory, Somatic (VEXAS) Syndrome.

Background: VEXAS (vacuoles, E1 enzyme, X-linked, autoinflammatory, somatic) syndrome is a genetic disorder characterized by bone marrow failure and systemic inflammation, putting patients at risk for infections. This study comprehensively examines the prevalence of opportunistic infections in patients with VEXAS, evaluating their impact on clinical outcomes and potential preventive measures. Methods: Patients with confirmed VEXAS were included. Survival analysis and logistic regression were used to identify associations between opportunistic infections and mortality. Infection rates (IRs) for Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) and alphaherpesviruses were calculated over a prospective 8-month observation period in relationship to prophylaxis. Results: Of 94 patients with VEXAS, 6% developed PJP; 15% had alphaherpesvirus reactivation, with varicella zoster virus (VZV) being the most common herpesvirus; and 10% contracted a nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infection. Risk of death was significantly increased per month following a diagnosis of PJP (hazard ratio [HR], 72.41 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 13.67-533.70]) or NTM (HR, 29.09 [95% CI, 9.51-88.79]). Increased odds for death were also observed in patients with a history of herpes simplex virus (HSV) reactivation (odds ratio [OR], 12.10 [95% CI, 1.29-114.80]) but not in patients with VZV (OR, 0.89 [95% CI, .30-2.59]). Prophylaxis for PJP (IR, 0.001 vs 0 per person-day, P < .01) and VZV (IR, 0.006 vs 0 per person-day, P = .04) markedly decreased infection rates with a number needed to treat of 4 and 7, respectively. Conclusions: Opportunistic infections are common in patients with VEXAS. Patients who develop PJP, HSV, or NTM are at increased risk for death. Prophylaxis against PJP and VZV is highly effective.

Sustainability of a Pediatric Neurointensive Care Unit Model Within a Mixed Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and Its Effect on Nursing Sentiment.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Pediatric neurocritical care (PNCC) and pediatric neurointensive care units (neuro-PICU) are growing fields. Although some institutions have established independent neuro-PICUs meeting most Neurocritical Care Society (NCS) standards for neurocritical care units, many centers lack the resources to do so. We describe an alternative neuro-PICU model as a designated unit within a mixed pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) and its effects on nursing sentiment. METHODS: We established a 6-bed neuro-PICU within a 36-bed noncardiac PICU. Charge nurses were tasked with admitting PNCC patients into these beds. For nursing expertise, we used a core group of 12 PNCC specialty nurses and instituted PNCC nursing education to PICU nurses. We observed the number of PNCC patients admitted to neuro-PICU beds and surveyed charge nurses to identify barriers to assigning patients. We surveyed PICU nursing staff to explore sentiment regarding PNCC before and after establishing the neuro-PICU. Nursing criteria were compared with NCS standards. RESULTS: In the 40-month period, our PICU saw 2060 PNCC admissions. Overall, occupied neuro-PICU beds housed PNCC patients 74.1% of the time. The biggest barriers to patient placement were too many competing placement requests, not enough neuro-PICU beds when specialty census was high, and difficulty assigning one nurse to two PNCC patients. In surveys after establishing the neuro-PICU, compared to before, experienced nurses reported being more interested in obtaining Emergency Neurological Life Support certification (94.2% vs 80.6%, P = .0495), and inexperienced nurses reported being more familiar with PNCC clinical pathways (53.5% vs 31.7%, P = .0263). Most NCS criteria related to nursing organization were met. CONCLUSIONS: Focused neuro-PICUs should be developed to complement advances in the field of PNCC. Alternative neuro-PICU models are possible and can increase nursing interest in further education and awareness of clinical pathways, but barriers exist that require institutional commitment to nursing development to sustain the delivery of specialized care to this population.

Accelerating the design of lattice structures using machine learning.

Lattices remain an attractive class of structures due to their design versatility; however, rapidly designing lattice structures with tailored or optimal mechanical properties remains a significant challenge. With each added design variable, the design space quickly becomes intractable. To address this challenge, research efforts have sought to combine computational approaches with machine learning (ML)-based approaches to reduce the computational cost of the design process and accelerate mechanical design. While these efforts have made substantial progress, significant challenges remain in (1) building and interpreting the ML-based surrogate models and (2) iteratively and efficiently curating training datasets for optimization tasks. Here, we address the first challenge by combining ML-based surrogate modeling and Shapley additive explanation (SHAP) analysis to interpret the impact of each design variable. We find that our ML-based surrogate models achieve excellent prediction capabilities (R2 > 0.95) and SHAP values aid in uncovering design variables influencing performance. We address the second challenge by utilizing active learning-based methods, such as Bayesian optimization, to explore the design space and report a 5 × reduction in simulations relative to grid-based search. Collectively, these results underscore the value of building intelligent design systems that leverage ML-based methods for uncovering key design variables and accelerating design.

Deformation-encoding Deep Learning Transformer for High-Frame-Rate Cardiac Cine MRI.

Purpose To develop a deep learning model for increasing cardiac cine frame rate while maintaining spatial resolution and scan time. Materials and Methods A transformer-based model was trained and tested on a retrospective sample of cine images from 5840 patients (mean age, 55 years ± 19 [SD]; 3527 male patients) referred for clinical cardiac MRI from 2003 to 2021 at nine centers; images were acquired using 1.5- and 3-T scanners from three vendors. Data from three centers were used for training and testing (4:1 ratio). The remaining data were used for external testing. Cines with downsampled frame rates were restored using linear, bicubic, and model-based interpolation. The root mean square error between interpolated and original cine images was modeled using ordinary least squares regression. In a prospective study of 49 participants referred for clinical cardiac MRI (mean age, 56 years ± 13; 25 male participants) and 12 healthy participants (mean age, 51 years ± 16; eight male participants), the model was applied to cines acquired at 25 frames per second (fps), thereby doubling the frame rate, and these interpolated cines were compared with actual 50-fps cines. The preference of two readers based on perceived temporal smoothness and image quality was evaluated using a noninferiority margin of 10%. Results The model generated artifact-free interpolated images. Ordinary least squares regression analysis accounting for vendor and field strength showed lower error (P < .001) with model-based interpolation compared with linear and bicubic interpolation in internal and external test sets. The highest proportion of reader choices was "no preference" (84 of 122) between actual and interpolated 50-fps cines. The 90% CI for the difference between reader proportions favoring collected (15 of 122) and interpolated (23 of 122) high-frame-rate cines was -0.01 to 0.14, indicating noninferiority. Conclusion A transformer-based deep learning model increased cardiac cine frame rates while preserving both spatial resolution and scan time, resulting in images with quality comparable to that of images obtained at actual high frame rates. Keywords: Functional MRI, Heart, Cardiac, Deep Learning, High Frame Rate Supplemental material is available for this article. © RSNA, 2024.

Iterative Development of an Interactive Website to Support Shared Decision-Making in Metastatic Breast Cancer.

Recent treatment advances have resulted in significantly increased survival times following metastatic breast cancer (MBC) diagnosis. Novel treatment approaches-and their related side effects-have changed the landscape of MBC treatment decision-making. We developed a prototype of an online educational tool to prepare patients with MBC for shared decision-making with their oncologists. We describe the five phases of tool development: (1) in-depth, semi-structured qualitative interviews and (2) feedback on storyboards of initial content with patients with MBC and oncology providers. This was followed by three phases of iterative feedback with patients in which they responded to (3) initial, non-navigable website content and (4) a beta version of the full website. In the final phase (5), patients newly diagnosed with MBC (N = 6) used the website prototype for 1 week and completed surveys assessing acceptability, feasibility, treatment knowledge, preparation for decision-making, and self-efficacy for decision-making. Participants in Phase 1 characterized a cyclical process of MBC treatment decision-making and identified key information needs. Website content and structure was iteratively developed in Phases 2-4. Most participants in Phase 5 (n = 4) accessed the website 2-5 times. All participants who accessed the website at least once (n = 5) felt they learned new information from the website prototype and would recommend it to others newly-diagnosed with MBC. After using the website prototype, participants reported high preparation and self-efficacy for decision-making. This multiphase, iterative process resulted in a prototype intervention designed to support decision-making for MBC patients.

Positive Charge Influences on the Surface Interactions and Cohesive Bonding of a Catechol-Containing Polymer.

Achieving robust underwater adhesion remains challenging. Through generations of evolution, marine mussels have developed an adhesive system that allows them to anchor onto wet surfaces. Scientists have taken varied approaches to developing mussel-inspired adhesives. Mussel foot proteins are rich in lysine residues, which may play a role in the removal of salts from surfaces. Displacement of water and ions on substrates could then enable molecular contact with surfaces. The necessity of cations for underwater adhesion is still in debate. Here, we examined the performance of a methacrylate polymer containing quaternary ammonium and catechol groups. Varying amounts of charge in the polymers were studied. As opposed to protonated amines such as lysine, quaternary ammonium groups offer a nonreactive cation for isolating effects from only charge. Results shown for dry bonding demonstrated that cations tended to decrease bulk cohesion while increasing surface interactions. Stronger interactions at surfaces, along with weaker bulk bonding, indicate that cations decreased the cohesive forces. When under salt water, overall bulk adhesion also dropped with higher cation loadings. Surface attachment under salt water also dropped, indicating that the polymer cations could not displace surface waters or sodium ions. Salt did, however, appear to shield bulk cation-cation repulsions. These studies help to distinguish influences upon bulk cohesion from attachment at surfaces. The roles of cations in adhesion are complex, with both cohesive and surface bonding being relevant in different ways, sometimes even working in opposite directions.

Patterns and Predictors of Referral for Screening Breast MRI: A Mixed-Methods Study.

Introduction: Women with ≥20% lifetime breast cancer risk can receive supplemental breast cancer screening with MRI. We examined factors associated with recommendation for screening breast MRI among primary care providers (PCPs), gynecologists (GYNs), and radiologists. Methods: We conducted a sequential mixed-methods study. Quantitative: Participants (N = 72) reported recommendations for mammogram and breast MRI via clinical vignettes describing hypothetical patients with moderate, high, and very high breast cancer risk. Logistic regressions assessed the relationships of clinician-level factors (gender, specialty, years practicing) and practice-level factors (practice type, imaging facilities available) with screening recommendations. Qualitative: We interviewed a subset of survey participants (n = 17, 17/72 = 24%) regarding their decision-making about breast cancer screening recommendations. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed with directed content analysis. Results: Compared with PCPs, GYNs and radiologists were significantly more likely to recommend breast MRI for high-risk (ORs = 4.09 and 4.09, respectively) and very-high-risk patients (ORs = 8.56 and 18.33, respectively). Qualitative analysis identified two key phases along the clinical pathway for high-risk women. Phase 1 was "identifying high-risk women," which included three subthemes (systems for risk assessment, barriers to risk assessment, scope of practice issues). Phase 2 was "referral for screening," which included three subthemes (conflicting guidelines, scope of practice issues, legal implications). Frequency of themes differed between specialties, potentially explaining findings from the quantitative phase. Conclusions: There are significant differences between specialties in supplemental breast cancer screening recommendations. Multilevel interventions are needed to support identification and management of women with high breast cancer risk, particularly for PCPs.

Cardiovascular magnetic resonance characterization of myocardial tissue injury in a miniature swine model of cancer therapy-related cardiovascular toxicity.

BACKGROUND: Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is the most commonly clinically used imaging parameter for assessing cancer therapy-related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD). However, LVEF declines may occur late, after substantial injury. This study sought to investigate cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging markers of subclinical cardiac injury in a miniature swine model. METHODS: Female Yucatan miniature swine (n = 14) received doxorubicin (2 mg/kg) every 3 weeks for 4 cycles. CMR, including cine, tissue characterization via T1 and T2 mapping, and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) were performed on the same day as doxorubicin administration and 3 weeks after the final chemotherapy cycle. In addition, magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) was performed during the 3 weeks after the final chemotherapy in 7 pigs. A single CMR and MRS exam were also performed in 3 Yucatan miniature swine that were age- and weight-matched to the final imaging exam of the doxorubicin-treated swine to serve as controls. CTRCD was defined as histological early morphologic changes, including cytoplasmic vacuolization and myofibrillar loss of myocytes, based on post-mortem analysis of humanely euthanized pigs after the final CMR exam. RESULTS: Of 13 swine completing 5 serial CMR scans, 10 (77%) had histological evidence of CTRCD. Three animals had neither histological evidence nor changes in LVEF from baseline. No absolute LVEF <40% or LGE was observed. Native T1, extracellular volume (ECV), and T2 at 12 weeks were significantly higher in swine with CTRCD than those without CTRCD (1178 ms vs. 1134 ms, p = 0.002, 27.4% vs. 24.5%, p = 0.03, and 38.1 ms vs. 36.4 ms, p = 0.02, respectively). There were no significant changes in strain parameters. The temporal trajectories in native T1, ECV, and T2 in swine with CTRCD showed similar and statistically significant increases. At the same time, there were no differences in their temporal changes between those with and without CTRCD. MRS myocardial triglyceride content substantially differed among controls, swine with and without CTRCD (0.89%, 0.30%, 0.54%, respectively, analysis of variance, p = 0.01), and associated with the severity of histological findings and incidence of vacuolated cardiomyocytes. CONCLUSION: Serial CMR imaging alone has a limited ability to detect histologic CTRCD beyond LVEF. Integrating MRS myocardial triglyceride content may be useful for detection of early potential CTRCD.

MRI Assessment of Myocardial Deformation for Risk Stratification of Major Arrhythmic Events in Patients With Non-Ischemic Cardiomyopathy Eligible for Primary Prevention Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators.

BACKGROUND: Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) intervention is an established prophylactic measure. Identifying high-benefit patients poses challenges. PURPOSE: To assess the prognostic value of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) parameters including myocardial deformation for risk stratification of ICD intervention in non-ischemic cardiomyopathy (NICM) while accounting for competing mortality risk. STUDY TYPE: Retrospective and prospective. POPULATION: One hundred and fifty-nine NICM patients eligible for primary ICD (117 male, 54 ± 13 years) and 49 control subjects (38 male, 53 ± 5 years). FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: Balanced steady state free precession (bSSFP) and three-dimensional phase-sensitive inversion-recovery late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) sequences at 1.5 T or 3 T. ASSESSMENT: Patients underwent MRI before ICD implantation and were followed up. Functional parameters, left ventricular global radial, circumferential and longitudinal strain, right ventricular free wall longitudinal strain (RV FWLS) and left atrial strain were measured (Circle, cvi42). LGE presence was assessed visually. The primary endpoint was appropriate ICD intervention. Models were developed to determine outcome, with and without accounting for competing risk (non-sudden cardiac death), and compared to a baseline model including LGE and clinical features. STATISTICAL TESTS: Wilcoxon non-parametric test, Cox's proportional hazards regression, Fine-Gray competing risk model, and cumulative incidence functions. Harrell's c statistic was used for model selection. A P value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Follow-up duration was 1176 ± 960 days (median: 896). Twenty-six patients (16%) met the primary endpoint. RV FWLS demonstrated a significant difference between patients with and without events (-12.5% ± 5 vs. -16.4% ± 5.5). Univariable analyses showed LGE and RV FWLS were significantly associated with outcome (LGE: hazard ratio [HR] = 3.69, 95% CI = 1.28-10.62; RV FWLS: HR = 2.04, 95% CI = 1.30-3.22). RV FWLS significantly improved the prognostic value of baseline model and remained significant in multivariable analysis, accounting for competing risk (HR = 1.73, 95% CI = 1.12-2.66). DATA CONCLUSIONS: In NICM, RV FWLS may provide additional predictive value for predicting appropriate ICD intervention. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 5.

Scanner-Independent MyoMapNet for Accelerated Cardiac MRI T1 Mapping Across Vendors and Field Strengths.

BACKGROUND: In cardiac T1 mapping, a series of T1 -weighted (T1 w) images are collected and numerically fitted to a two or three-parameter model of the signal recovery to estimate voxel-wise T1 values. To reduce the scan time, one can collect fewer T1 w images, albeit at the cost of precision or/and accuracy. Recently, the feasibility of using a neural network instead of conventional two- or three-parameter fit modeling has been demonstrated. However, prior studies used data from a single vendor and field strength; therefore, the generalizability of the models has not been established. PURPOSE: To develop and evaluate an accelerated cardiac T1 mapping approach based on MyoMapNet, a convolution neural network T1 estimator that can be used across different vendors and field strengths by incorporating the relevant scanner information as additional inputs to the model. STUDY TYPE: Retrospective, multicenter. POPULATION: A total of 1423 patients with known or suspected cardiac disease (808 male, 57 ± 16 years), from three centers, two vendors (Siemens, Philips), and two field strengths (1.5 T, 3 T). The data were randomly split into 60% training, 20% validation, and 20% testing. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: A 1.5 T and 3 T, Modified Look-Locker inversion recovery (MOLLI) for native and postcontrast T1 . ASSESSMENT: Scanner-independent MyoMapNet (SI-MyoMapNet) was developed by altering the deep learning (DL) architecture of MyoMapNet to incorporate scanner vendor and field strength as inputs. Epicardial and endocardial contours and blood pool (by manually drawing a large region of interest in the blood pool) of the left ventricle were manually delineated by three readers, with 2, 8, and 9 years of experience, and SI-MyoMapNet myocardial and blood pool T1 values (calculated from four T1 w images) were compared with conventional MOLLI T1 values (calculated from 8 to 11 T1 w images). STATISTICAL TESTS: Equivalency test with 95% confidence interval (CI), linear regression slope, Pearson correlation coefficient (r), Bland-Altman analysis. RESULTS: The proposed SI-MyoMapNet successfully created T1 maps. Native and postcontrast T1 values measured from SI-MyoMapNet were strongly correlated with MOLLI, despite using only four T1 w images, at both field-strengths and vendors (all r > 0.86). For native T1 , SI-MyoMapNet and MOLLI were in good agreement for myocardial and blood T1 values in institution 1 (myocardium: 5 msec, 95% CI [3, 8]; blood: -10 msec, 95%CI [-16, -4]), in institution 2 (myocardium: 6 msec, 95% CI [0, 11]; blood: 0 msec, [-18, 17]), and in institution 3 (myocardium: 7 msec, 95% CI [-8, 22]; blood: 8 msec, [-14, 30]). Similar results were observed for postcontrast T1 . DATA CONCLUSION: Inclusion of field strength and vendor as additional inputs to the DL architecture allows generalizability of MyoMapNet across different vendors or field strength. EVIDENCE LEVEL: 2. TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 2.

Obesity-Related Differences in Pathomechanism and Outcomes in Patients With HFpEF: A CMR Study.

Background: Clinical significance of an integrated evaluation of epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) and the right ventricle (RV) in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is unknown. Objectives: The authors investigated the potential of EAT and RV quantification for obesity-related pathophysiology and risk stratification in obese HFpEF patients using cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR). Methods: A total of 150 patients (obese, body mass index ≥30 kg/m2; n = 73, nonobese, body mass index <30 kg/m2; n = 77) with a clinical diagnosis of HFpEF undergoing CMR were retrospectively identified. EAT volume surrounding both ventricles were quantified with manual delineation on cine images. Total RV volume (TRVV) was calculated as the sum of RV cavity and mass at end-diastole. The endpoint was the composite of all-cause mortality and first HF hospitalization. Results: During a median follow-up of 46 months, 39 nonobese patients (51%) and 32 obese patients (44%) experienced the endpoint. EAT was a prognostic biomarker regardless of obesity and was independently correlated with TRVV. In obese HFpEF, EAT correlated with RV longitudinal strain (r = 0.32, P = 0.006), and increased amount of EAT and TRVV was associated with greater left ventricular end-diastolic eccentric index (r = 0.36, P = 0.002). The integration of RV quantification into EAT provided improved risk stratification with a C-statistic increase from 0.70 to 0.79 in obese HFpEF. Obese patients with EAT<130 ml and TRVV<180 ml had low risk (annual event rate 3.2%), while those with increased EAT ≥130 ml and TRVV ≥180 ml had significantly higher risk (annual event rate 11.8%; P < 0.001). Conclusions: CMR quantification of EAT and RV structure provides additive risk stratification for adverse outcomes in obese HFpEF.

Pandemic grief in El Salvador: factors that predict dysfunctional grief due to a COVID-19 death among Salvadoran adults

Abstract Thousands of people have died of COVID-19 in El Salvador. However, little is known about the mental health of those who are mourning the loss of a loved one to COVID-19. Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine the dysfunctional grief associated with COVID-19 death among Salvadoran adults. A sample of 435 Salvadorans ( M = 29 years; SD = 8.75) who lost a family member or loved one to COVID-19 completed a digital survey using the Google Forms platform, during April 2 and 28, 2022. The results revealed that 35.1% reported clinically elevated symptoms of dysfunctional grief and among those mourners, and 25.1% also exhibited clinical levels of coronavirus anxiety. A binary logistic regression revealed that predictor variables such as COVID-19 anxiety ( p = .003), depression ( p = .021), and COVID-19 obsession ( p = .032) were significant ( χ 2 = 84.31; Nagelkerke R 2 = .242) and predict a 24.2% chance of dysfunctional bereavement.

Cardiopatías congénitas, tratamiento quirúrgico y sus complicaciones en población pediátrica del Hospital Vicente Corral Moscoso, 2017 - Agosto 2019 / Congenital heart diseases, surgical treatment and complications in pediatric sample of Hospital Vicente Corral Moscoso, 2017-August 2019.

INTRODUCCIÓN: El corazón es el órgano más comúnmente afectado por anormalidades congénitas, con una incidencia de 0.8 por cada 100 nacidos vivos. Cerca de dos tercios de todos los procedimientos son en la actualidad realizados antes del año de edad, lo que mejora la sobrevida y la calidad de vida. Este estudio busca determinar cuáles son las principales intervenciones quirúrgicas realizadas para tratar las cardiopatías congénitas y sus complicaciones. MATERIALES Y MÉTODOS: Se realizó un estudio observacional, descriptivo de corte transversal; con 70 pacientes pediátricos diagnosticados y tratados quirúrgicamente por cardiopatías congénitas. Los datos fueron tomados de las historias clínicas mediante un formulario. El análisis estadístico se realizó utilizando el programa SPSS versión 15. RESULTADOS: La mediana de la edad fue de 1.1 años, el 60% fueron de sexo femenino. El 90% de las cardiopatías fueron no cianógenas. El diagnóstico más frecuente fue la persistencia del conducto arterioso (58.57%), seguido de la comunicación interventricular (12.86%). Según el tipo de procedimiento el 58.57% se realizaron para cierre de persistencia del conducto arterioso y un 12.86% fueron reparaciones quirúrgicas para cierre de comunicación interventricular. La mediana de estadía en la unidad de cuidados intensivos fue de 4 días y la mediada de estadía en la sala general de 5 días. La principales complicaciones observadas en esta población pediátrica sometida a un procedimiento quirúrgico fueron: la neumonía (11.4%) y la sepsis de origen no especificado (8.6%). CONCLUSIÓN: Los tratamientos para las cardiopatías congénitas se realizaron a edades tempranas (Media =2.5 ± 3.2 años). Más de la mitad de los procedimientos quirúrgicos realizados para cardiopatías quirúrgicas fueron para corregir la persistencia del conducto arterioso y la principal complicación fue la neumonía.

BACKGROUND: The heart is the most commonly affected organ by congenital diseases, with and incidence of 0.8 per 100 newborns. Nearly two thirds of all the surgical procedures are now a days performed before the first year of life, improving survival rate and life quality. This study aims to determine the frequency of the surgical interventions performed to treat congenital heart diseases and its complications. METHODS: An observational, descriptive cross sectional study was carried out; with 70 pediatric patients diagnosed and surgically treated for congenital heart diseases. The data was collected from the patient's medical records using a form. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 15 software. RESULTS: The median age was 1.1 years, 60% of the sample were women. 90% of the heart diseases were non-cyanogenic. The most frequent diagnosis was: persistence of the arterial duct (58.57%), followed by interventricular communication (12.86%). The type of procedures corresponds to the heart disease, thus 58.57% were performed for closure of arterial duct persistence and 12.86% were surgical repairs for closure of interventricular communication. The median stay in the intensive care unit was 4 days and the median stay in general hospitalization room was 5 days. The main complications in this pediatric population undergoing a surgical procedure were: pneumonia (11.4%) and sepsis of unspecified origin (8.6%). CONCLUSION: Treatment for heart diseases were performed at early ages (average age= 2.5±3.2). More than half of the surgical procedures for congenital heart disease were performed to correct the persistence of the ductus arteriosus, the main complication was pneumonia.

Intervenciones de la aorta ascendente: Estudio transversal en dos Instituciones de Salud de la Ciudad de Cuenca, Ecuador / Ascending aorta surgical interventions: Cross- Sectional Study in two Health Institutions in Cuenca, Ecuador.

INTRODUCCIÓN: El tratamiento de las patologías aneurismáticas de la aorta ascendente (AA) ha evolucionado a través de los años. La técnica quirúrgica propuesta para esta patología es siempre en pro de conservar en medida de lo posible los tejidos nativos. La dilatación aórtica puede ser secundaria a otras patologías. Existe relación con HTA, EPOC, tabaquismo, aterosclerosis, insuficiencia cardiaca congestiva, enfermedad coronaria, síndrome de Marfan. El objetivo del presente estudio fue caracterizar a los pacientes intervenidos quirúrgicamente de la aorta ascendente en dos centros médicos de la ciudad de Cuenca- Ecuador, entre Enero del 2014 hasta Agosto 2019. MATERIALES Y MÉTODOS: Estudio descriptivo y de correlación, de corte transversal. La población de estudio estuvo conformada por 23 pacientes sometidos a intervención quirúrgica de aorta ascendente en la ciudad de Cuenca-Ecuador, en el Hospital José Carrasco Arteaga y la Clínica Santa Inés desde enero de 2014 hasta agosto 2019. La información se obtuvo de las historias clínicas únicas. RESULTADOS: El rango de edad fue de 27 a 74 años, con una media de 55.57 años. Las comorbilidades encontradas con mayor frecuencia fueron hipertensión arterial (56.5%) y diabetes tipo 2 (17.4%); además un 8.7% de pacientes presentó síndrome de Marfan. El 39% fueron casos de aneurisma de aorta ascendente sin afección valvular importante. La gran mayoría de pacientes fueron sometidos a cirugía con técnica de Bentall-De Bono (91%). La mayoría de pacientes (52.2%) no presentó ninguna complicación postquirúrgica. La tasa de mortalidad encontrada en la población de estudio fue 1.3 por cada 10. CONCLUSIONES: Los hombres presentaron con mayor frecuencia cirugía por patología de la aorta. La edad media fue de 55 años. Los diagnósticos en los pacientes estudiados fueron heterogéneos entre SAA y afecciones aórticas primarias o secundarias a valvulopatías. Los síntomas principales fueron angina y disnea; no se encontró una relación entre la presentación clínica con un aumento en la mortalidad. Las comorbilidades más frecuentes fueron HTA y Diabetes Mellitus II. No se lograron identificar relaciones estadísticamente significativas entre las complicaciones y las demás variables. La complicación más común fue la re-intervención por sangrado. La mortalidad en nuestro estudio tuvo una disminución progresiva desde el 2014.

BACKGROUND: The treatment of ascending aorta (AA) aneurysms has evolved over the years. The surgical technique for this pathology should always be chosen in favor of preserving native tissues, as much as possible. Aortic dilation can be secondary to other pathologies. There is an association with arterial hypertension, COPD, smoking, atherosclerosis, congestive heart failure, coronary heart disease, Marfan syndrome. The aim of this study was to characterize patients who underwent ascending aorta surgery in two medical centers in Cuenca- Ecuador, between January 2014 and August 2019. METHODS: Cross-Sectional descriptive and correlation study. The study population was formed by 23 patients undergoing an ascending aortic surgical intervention, in the city of Cuenca-Ecuador, at Hospital José Carrasco Arteaga or Clínica Santa Inés, from January 2014 to August 2019. Data was obtained from the patient's medical records. RESULTS: The age range went from 27 to 74 years with an average of 55.5 7 years. The most frequently found comorbidities were hypertension (56.5%) and type 2 diabetes (17.4%), 8.7% of the patients presented with Marfan syndrome. The most common diagnosis was ascending aortic aneurysm without significant valve damage (39%). 91% percent of the patients underwent surgery with the Bentall-De Bono technique. The majority of patients (52.2%) did not present any post-surgical complications. The mortality rate found in this population was 1.3 per 10 patients. CONCLUSIONS: Men were more frequently affected. The mean age was 55 years. The studied pathologies were heterogeneous, from SAA to primary or secondary aortic diseases. The main symptoms were angina and dyspnea; there was no significant association between clinical onset and mortality. The most frequent comorbidities were Arterial Hypertension and type II Diabetes. We didn't found any significant associations between complications and the other variables. The most common complication was bleeding that needed re-intervention. Mortality decreased progressively since 2014.

Caso clínico: adulto con anomalía de Ebstein / Clinical case: adult with Ebstein anomaly

Introducción: la anomalía de Ebstein se caracteriza por la implantación baja de las valvas septal y posterior de la tricúspide; por lo tanto, la aurícula derecha es amplia y su ventrículo es pequeño. Al ser una patología bastante rara en nuestro medio se encuentra subdiagnosticada y no recibe el tratamiento oportuno. Por ende, la importancia de conocerla para no retrasar su manejo clínico quirúrgico.Caso clínico: paciente de 46 años de edad, masculino, con antecedente de hipoacusia congénita, presentó disnea (clase funcional III) más palpitaciones y dolor torácico atípico hace 1 año aproximadamente. Al examen físico evidenció soplo holosistólico en foco tricuspídeo y uso moderado de musculatura accesoria. Al ecocardiograma transesofágico, se observó arritmia auricular más implante bajo de las valvas de la tricúspide y se inició tratamiento clínico más ablación del flutter. En la evolución presentó mejoría de la sintomatología y dependiendo del deterioro de la clase funcional, tratamiento quirúrgico Conclusiones: en el presente caso se ajustó tratamiento clínico y ablación del flutter de acuerdo a sintomatología del paciente, mostrando mejoría (AU);

Introduction: Ebstein's anomaly is characterized by low implantation of the septal and posterior tricuspid leaflets; therefore, the right atrium is wide and its ventricle is small. Being a rather rare pathology in our environment, it is underdiagnosed and does not receive the appropriate treatment. Therefore, it is important to know it to avoid a delay in its clinical surgical management.Clinical case: The patient is 46-year-old male, with a history of congenital hearing loss, who presented dyspnea (functional class III) plus palpitations and atypical chest pain approximately 1 year ago. In the physical examination, he revealed a holosystolic murmur in the tricuspid focus and moderate use of accessory muscles. A transesophageal echocardiogram revealed atrial arrhythmia plus implantation of the tricuspid leaflets and it was started a clinical treatment plus flutter ablation. In the evolution he presented improvement of the symptoms and depending on the deterioration of the functional class, surgical treatment.Conclusions: in this case, clinical treatment and flutter ablation were adjusted according to the patient's symptoms, showing improvement (AU);

Treatment strategies and outcome of parvovirus b19 infection in kidney transplant recipients: a case series and literature review of 128 patients.

Abstract Background There is no specific antiviral treatment for parvovirus B19 (PVB19) infection. Objective The objective of this study was to study the treatment and outcome of PVB19 infection in kidney transplant recipients (KTR) at our institution, and cases published in the medical literature. Methods We conducted a retrospective review of PVB19 infection in KTR at an academic medical center over a 16-year period and summarized the data on its treatment and outcome in 120 KTR in the medical literature. Results In our cohort of eight patients, the median time to the onset of PVB19 disease was 7.2 weeks after transplantation. All patients had severe aregenerative anemia (mean hemoglobin (Hb) of 6.2 ± 1.0 g/dl); all were treated with a reduction in their immunosuppressive regimen and the administration of single-dose intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) (mean total dosage of 0.87 ± 0.38 g/kg). The median time to anemia improvement (Hb >10 g/dl) was 3-week post-treatment. No recurrences were documented during follow-up (median 25 months). Among 128 patients (including our cohort of 8 and 120 reported in literature), therapeutic strategies included: 43% IVIG alone, 39% IVIG and reduced immunosuppression, 9% reduction of immunosuppression, and 9% conservative therapy. Clinical relapses were observed in 35% of 71 reported cases. Conclusions In KTR, decreasing immunosuppression and the administration of low-dose immunoglobulin seem to be not worse than the standard dose in PVB19 infection.

Relación entre consumo de oxígeno, porcentaje de grasa e índice de masa corporal en universitarios / Relationship between oxygen consumption, percentage of body fat and body mass index in university students / Relação entre conssumo de oxígeno, porcentagem de obesidade corporal e índice de massa corporal em universitarios

El VO2max es indicador de capacidad de trabajo e integridad del sistema cardiovascular. Objetivo: Correlacionar VO2max, porcentaje de grasa corporal, suma de pliegues cutáneos e IMC en estudiantes universitarios de Villavicencio, Colombia. Materiales y métodos: Estudio prospectivo, observacional, con alcance descriptivo y relacional, de corte transversal. Fue evaluada una muestra no probabilística, ni estrati cada de 390 estudiantes (186 hombres, 204 mujeres) con edad media 21,34 D.E. 4,49 años, matriculados en cuatro universidades. El VO2max fue calculado a partir del Queens College Step Test y sus resultados analizados con las tablas del ACSM, el porcentaje de grasa mediante adipometría siguió los procedimientos estandarizados por la ISAK. Con el programa SPSS se evaluó la normalidad de la distribución (KS) y fueron calculadas media, desviación típica y correlación. Los participantes rmaron un consentimiento informado según Resolución 8430 de 1994. Resultados: Para toda la población evaluada se encontraron correlaciones negativas débiles entre el VO2max y la suma de pliegues de tríceps y subescapular (r=-0,198**, P=0,000), porcentaje de grasa (r=-0,216**, P=0,000). La correlación entre el VO2max y el IMC no fue signi cativa (P > 0,05). En hombres hubo correlaciones signi cativas negativas entre VO2max y suma de pliegues de tríceps y subescapular (r=-0,264**, p=0,000), tríceps y pierna media (r=-0,294, p=0,000), porcentaje de grasa (r=-0,286, p=0,000). En mujeres no se encontraron correlaciones signi cativas (p>0,05) entre VO2max y composición corporal. Conclusiones: Se encontraron correlaciones negativas débiles entre VO2max, suma de pliegues cutáneos y porcentaje de grasa corporal solamente en hombres; no se halló relación entre VO2max e IMC.

VO2max is an indicator of work capacity and integrity of the cardiovascular system. Objective: To Correlate VO2max, body fat percentage, sum of skinfolds and BMI in university students of Villavicencio, Colombia. Materials and methods: Prospective, observational cross-sectional study, with a descriptive and relational scope. A non-probabilistic or strati ed sample of 390 students (186 men, 204 women) with average age 21.34 D.E. 4.49 years, enrolled in four universities, was evaluated. The VO2max was calculated from the Queens College Step Test and its results were evaluated with the ACSM tables, the percentage of body fat by skinfold thickness measurement followed the procedures standardized by ISAK. The normality of the distribution (KS) was evaluated with the SPSS program and mean, standard deviation, and correlation were calculated. The participants signed an informed consent following Resolution 8430 of 1994. Results. Weak negative correlations were found between VO2max and the sum of triceps and subscapular folds (r = -0.198 **, P = 0.000), body fat percentage (r = -0.216 **, P = 0.000). The correlation between VO2max and BMI was not signi cant (P > 0.05) for all the population evaluated. In men, there were signi cant negative correlations between VO2max and sum of triceps and subscapular folds (r = -0.264 **, p = 0.000), triceps and middle leg (r = -0.294, p = 0.000), percentage of fat (r = -0.286, p = 0.000). In women, no signi cant correlations were found (p >0.05) between VO2max and body composition. Conclusions: Weak negative correlations were found between VO2max, sum of skinfolds and percentage of body fat only in men. No relationship was found between VO2max and BMI.

O VO2max é indicador de capacidade de trabalho e integridade do sistema cardiovascular. Objetivo: Correlacionar VO2max, porcentagem de gordura corporal, soma de pregues cutâneos e IMC em estudantes universitários de Villavicencio, Colômbia. Materiais e métodos: Estudo prospectivo, observacional, com alcance descritivo e relacional, de corte transversal. Foi avaliada uma amostra não probabilística, nem estrati cada de 390 estudantes (186 homens, 204 mulheres) com idade média 21,34 D.E. 4,49 anos, matriculados em quatro universidades. O VO2max foi calculado a partir do Queens College Step Test e seus resultados analisados com as tabelas do ACSM, a porcentagem de obesidade mediante adipometria seguiu os procedimentos estandardizados pela ISAK. Com o programa SPSS se avaliou a normalidade da distribuição (KS) e foram calculadas meias, desvio típico e correlação. Os participantes assinaram um consentimento informado segundo Resolução 8430 de 1994. Resultados: Para toda a povoação avaliada se encontraram correlações negativas fracas entre o VO2max e a soma de pregues de tríceps e subescapular (r=-0,198**, P=0,000), porcentagem de obesidade (r=-0,216**, P=0,000). A correlação entre o VO2max e o IMC não foi signi cativa (P > 0,05). Em homens houve correlações signi cativas negativas entre VO2max e soma de pregues de tríceps e subescapular (r=-0,264**, p=0,000), tríceps e perna meia (r=-0,294, p=0,000), porcentagem de obesidade (r=-0,286, p=0,000). Em mulheres não se encontraram correlações signi cativas (p>0,05) entre VO2max e composição corporal. Conclusões: Encontram se correlações negativas fracas entre VO2max, soma de pregues cutâneos e porcentagem de obesidade corporal somente em homens; não se encontrou relação entre VO2max e IMC.