Optical Chemosensor as a Sensitive and Selective Tool for the Detection of Thiocyanate Ions Via Cu2+ Induced Sensor and Its Practical Application.

In various fields, including analytical, environmental, and biochemistry, the detection of ions is significant. A simple probe, 3-(1-((4-aminophenyl)imino)ethyl)-4-hydroxy-6-methyl-2H-pyran-2-one (DPD), was designed for this study and used for the detection of Cu2+ ions in methanol, based on dehydroacetic acid and phenylenediamine moieties. Binding interactions studies were performed using UV-Vis measurements, which showed selective binding behaviour towards Cu2+ ions. The HRMS spectral data and Job's plot were used to check the stoichiometry ratio of 2:1 of a probe to Cu2+ ions. A detection limit of 1.38×10-7 M for Cu2+ ions was observed. Theoretical DFT calculations were used to determine the quantum parameters and the energy gap between frontier molecular orbitals. Interestingly, the DPD-Cu2+ complex acted as a probe for the detection of SCN- ions at a low LOD value, i.e., 1.97×10-7 M. A novel incidence of reversibility with SCN- ions was reported using the HRMS technique. Next, real water and blood samples were used, and the concentration of Cu2+ ions was calculated to further analyse the practical applicability of the probe. The DPD probe showed better selectivity and sensitivity than previously reported sensors, especially in complex matrices, where other sensors frequently experience interference and detection limit issues, indicating its potential as an advanced tool for ion detection in various applications.

SARS-CoV-2 antigen detection in deceased bodies: implications for infection prevention.

Background & objectives: High transmissibility of the SARS-CoV-2 has significant implications on healthcare workers' safety, preservation, handling, transportation and disposal of the deceased bodies. The objective of this study was to detect SARS-CoV-2 antigen in nasopharyngeal samples and its implications in handling and care of COVID-19 deceased bodies. Methods: A study was conducted at a dedicated COVID-19 centre on deceased individuals from April to December 2020. Rapid antigen test (RAT) and reverse transcription (RT)-PCR was compared on all the SARS-CoV-2 positive cadavers recruited in the study. Results: A total of 115 deceased individuals were included in the study. Of these, 79 (68.7%) were male and 36 (31.3%) were female and majority were in the age group of 51-60 yr [31 (27%)]. SARS-CoV-2 antigen test was positive in 32 (27.8%) and negative in 83 (72.1%) individuals. The mean time interval between deaths to the sample collection was 13.2 h with interquartile range of eight to 20 h. Reverse transcription (RT)-PCR was used as the reference test and 24 (20.9%) cases were true positive; 93.6 per cent [95% confidence interval (CI) 88.8-98.4%] sensitivity, 45.2 per cent (95% CI 35.5-55%) specificity, 60.2 per cent (95% CI 50.6-69.8%) positive predictive value and 88.8 per cent (95% CI 82.7-95%) negative predictive value of antigen test was computed. Interpretation & conclusions: SARS-CoV-2 antigen test was positive beyond 19 h in COVID-19 deceased individuals. Antigen test was found to be highly sensitive in the deceased. Patients, suspected of having died due to COVID-19, can be screened by this method. As infectiousness of the virus in the deceased bodies cannot be directly concluded from either the antigen or RT-PCR test, yet possible transmission cannot be completely ruled out. Strict infection control measures need to be followed during the handling and clearance of COVID-19 cadavers.

Accelerometer-based portable navigation, a faster guide compared to computer-assisted navigation in bilateral total knee arthroplasty-a randomized controlled study.

PURPOSE: There are limited studies in the literature comparing the alignment accuracy of  the large console, imageless, computer-assisted navigation (CAN) and portable, hand-held, accelerometer-based navigation (ABN) in total knee arthroplasty (TKA).  This study was aimed to compare the operative time, blood loss, radiological, clinical and functional outcomes between CAN- and ABN-guided bilateral TKA. METHODS: From Jan 2016 to Dec 2017, 50 patients who underwent bilateral TKA were randomized to undergo either CAN-guided or ABN-guided TKA. Tourniquet time and blood loss were recorded, and intra-op complications were noted. Post-op radiological outcomes at 2 weeks were compared between the groups. The clinical and functional outcomes using the American Knee Society Scores (KSS) and Oxford Knee Score (OKS) were recorded pre-operatively and post-operatively at 3, 6, 12 months and at the end of the study with a minimum follow-up of 48 months. RESULTS: Both groups were well-matched in terms of patient demographic parameters. The mean surgical time per knee was significantly lower in the ABN group (54.5 ± 5.6 min) compared to the CAN group (61.7 ± 13.7 min; p < 0.01). Mean blood loss per knee in the ABN group was 592.1 ± 245.3 mL compared to 682.8 ± 322.0 in the CAN group (p = 0.11). In the ABN group, the mean post-op mechanical axis was 1.2 ± 3.2° (vs 1.5 ± 2.2° in the CAN group, p 0.6), the frontal femoral angle was 88.8 ± 2.3° (vs 88.8 ± 1.8° in the CAN group, p 1.0) and frontal tibial angle was 90.1 ± 1.6° (vs 89.7 ± 1.1° in the CAN group, p 0.14). At 48 month follow-up, the mean functional KSS in the ABN group was 89.0 ± 5.7 (vs 88.1 ± 4.5 in the CAN group, p 0.37) and the mean OKS was 40.5 ± 2.8 (vs 39.6 ± 3.2 in the CAN group, p 0.12). CONCLUSION: Portable, hand-held ABN offers alignment accuracy and functional outcomes in TKA similar to that with CAN, with a reduced duration of surgery. There was no advantage of either of the techniques in terms of clinical or functional outcomes at 48 month follow-up. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 1.

Excess mortality in elderly hip fracture patients: An Indian experience.

PURPOSE: Hip fractures in elderly have a high mortality. However, there is limited literature on the excess mortality seen in hip fractures compared to the normal population. The purpose of this study was to compare the mortality of hip fractures with that of age and gender matched Indian population. METHODS: There are 283 patients with hip fractures aged above 50 years admitted at single centre prospectively enrolled in this study. Patients were followed up for 1 year and the follow-up record was available for 279 patients. Mortality was assessed during the follow-up from chart review and/or by telephonic interview. One-year mortality of Indian population was obtained from public databases. Standardized mortality ratio (SMR) (observed mortality divided by expected mortality) was calculated. Kaplan-Meir analysis was used. RESULTS: The overall 1-year mortality was 19.0% (53/279). Mortality increased with age (p < 0.001) and the highest mortality was seen in those above 80 years (aged 50 - 59 years: 5.0%, aged 60 - 69 years: 19.7%, aged 70 - 79 years: 15.8%, and aged over 80 years: 33.3%). Expected mortality of Indian population of similar age and gender profile was 3.7%, giving a SMR of 5.5. SMR for different age quintiles were: 3.9 (aged 50 - 59 years), 6.6 (aged 60 - 69 years), 2.2 (aged 70 - 79 years); and 2.0 (aged over 80 years). SMR in males and females were 5.7 and 5.3, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Indian patients sustaining hip fractures were about 5 times more likely to die than the general population. Although mortality rates increased with age, the highest excess mortality was seen in relatively younger patients. Hip fracture mortality was even higher than that of myocardial infarction, breast cancer, and cervical cancer.

Artificial Intelligence-assisted chest X-ray assessment scheme for COVID-19.

OBJECTIVES: To study whether a trained convolutional neural network (CNN) can be of assistance to radiologists in differentiating Coronavirus disease (COVID)-positive from COVID-negative patients using chest X-ray (CXR) through an ambispective clinical study. To identify subgroups of patients where artificial intelligence (AI) can be of particular value and analyse what imaging features may have contributed to the performance of AI by means of visualisation techniques. METHODS: CXR of 487 patients were classified into [4] categories-normal, classical COVID, indeterminate, and non-COVID by consensus opinion of 2 radiologists. CXR which were classified as "normal" and "indeterminate" were then subjected to analysis by AI, and final categorisation provided as guided by prediction of the network. Precision and recall of the radiologist alone and radiologist assisted by AI were calculated in comparison to reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) as the gold standard. Attention maps of the CNN were analysed to understand regions in the CXR important to the AI algorithm in making a prediction. RESULTS: The precision of radiologists improved from 65.9 to 81.9% and recall improved from 17.5 to 71.75 when assistance with AI was provided. AI showed 92% accuracy in classifying "normal" CXR into COVID or non-COVID. Analysis of attention maps revealed attention on the cardiac shadow in these "normal" radiographs. CONCLUSION: This study shows how deployment of an AI algorithm can complement a human expert in the determination of COVID status. Analysis of the detected features suggests possible subtle cardiac changes, laying ground for further investigative studies into possible cardiac changes. KEY POINTS: • Through an ambispective clinical study, we show how assistance with an AI algorithm can improve recall (sensitivity) and precision (positive predictive value) of radiologists in assessing CXR for possible COVID in comparison to RT-PCR. • We show that AI achieves the best results in images classified as "normal" by radiologists. We conjecture that possible subtle cardiac in the CXR, imperceptible to the human eye, may have contributed to this prediction. • The reported results may pave the way for a human computer collaboration whereby the expert with some help from the AI algorithm achieves higher accuracy in predicting COVID status on CXR than previously thought possible when considering either alone.

Rapid chromatographic immunoassay-based evaluation of COVID-19: A cross-sectional, diagnostic test accuracy study & its implications for COVID-19 management in India.

Background & objectives: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has so far affected over 41 million people globally. The limited supply of real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) kits and reagents has made meeting the rising demand for increased testing incompetent, worldwide. A highly sensitive and specific antigen-based rapid diagnostic test (RDT) is the need of the hour. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of a rapid chromatographic immunoassay-based test (index test) compared with a clinical reference standard (rRT-PCR). Methods: A cross-sectional, single-blinded study was conducted at a tertiary care teaching hospital in north India. Paired samples were taken for RDT and rRT-PCR (reference standard) from consecutive participants screened for COVID-19 to calculate the sensitivity and specificity of the RDT. Further subgroup analysis was done based on the duration of illness and cycle threshold values. Cohen's kappa coefficient was used to measure the level of agreement between the two tests. Results: Of the 330 participants, 77 were rRT-PCR positive for SARS-CoV-2. Sixty four of these patients also tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by RDT. The overall sensitivity and specificity were 81.8 and 99.6 per cent, respectively. The sensitivity of RDT was higher (85.9%) in participants with a duration of illness ≤5 days. Interpretation & conclusions: With an excellent specificity and moderate sensitivity, this RDT may be used to rule in COVID-19 in patients with a duration of illness ≤5 days. Large-scale testing based on this RDT across the country would result in quick detection, isolation and treatment of COVID-19 patients.

Biomarkers of Joint Damage in Osteoarthritis: Current Status and Future Directions.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a disease of the whole joint organ, characterized by the loss of cartilage, and structural changes in bone including the formation of osteophytes, causing disability and loss of function. It is also associated with systemic mediators and low-grade inflammation. Currently, there is negligible/no availability of specific biomarkers that can be used to facilitate the diagnosis and treatment of OA. The most unmet clinical need is, however, related to the monitoring of disease progression over a short period that can be used in clinical trials. In this review, the value of biomarkers identified over the past decade has been highlighted. These biomarkers are associated with the synthesis and breakdown of cartilage, including collagenous and noncollagenous biomarkers, inflammatory and anti-inflammatory biomarkers, expressed in the biological fluid such as serum, synovial fluid, and urine. Broad validation of novel and clinically applicable biomarkers and their involvement in the pathways are particularly needed for early-stage diagnosis, monitoring disease progression, and severity and examining new drugs to mitigate the effects of this highly prevalent and debilitating condition.

Superior patient satisfaction in medial pivot as compared to posterior stabilized total knee arthroplasty: a prospective randomized study.

PURPOSE: Medial pivot (MP) total knee arthroplasty (TKA) aims to restore native knee kinematics due to highly conforming medial tibio-femoral articulation with survival comparable to contemporary knee designs. Posterior stabilized (PS) TKAs use cam-post mechanism to restore native femoral rollback. However, there is conflicting evidence regarding the reported patient satisfaction with MP TKA designs when compared to PS TKAs. The primary aim of this study is to compare the patient satisfaction between MP and PS TKA and the secondary aim is to establish potential reasons behind any differences in the outcomes noted between these two design philosophies. METHODS: In this IRB-approved single surgeon, single centre prospective RCT, 53 patients (mean age 62 years, 42 women) with comparable bilateral end-stage knee arthritis undergoing simultaneous bilateral TKA were randomized to receive MP TKA in one knee and PS TKA in the contralateral knee. At 4 years post-surgery, all patients were assessed using Knee Society Score (KSS)-Satisfaction and -Expectation scores, and Oxford Knee Score (OKS). In addition, all the patients underwent standardized radiological and in vivo kinematic assessment. RESULTS: Patients were more satisfied with the MP TKA as compared to PS TKA: mean KSS-Satisfaction [34.5 ± 3.05 in MP and 31.7 ± 3.16 in PS TKAs (p < 0.0001)] and mean KSS-Expectation scores [12.5 ± 1.39 in MP TKAs and 11.2 ± 1.41 in PS TKAs (p < 0.0001)]. No significant difference was noted in any other clinical outcomes. The in vivo kinematics of MP TKAs was significantly better than those of PS TKAs. CONCLUSION: MP TKAs provide superior patient satisfaction and patient expectations as compared to PS TKA. This may be related to better replication of natural knee kinematics with MP TKA. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: I.

Total Hip Arthroplasty in Patients With Postpolio Residual Paralysis: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Patients with postpolio residual paralysis can develop disabling hip arthritis in paralytic as well as a nonparalytic limb, warranting total hip arthroplasty (THA). Limited literature is available on the results of THA among these patients in the form of small series or case reports. We have undertaken a systematic review to evaluate the clinical outcome of THA in patients with poliomyelitis with hip pathologies. METHODS: A systematic search of electronic databases of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science pertaining to English literature was undertaken from 1945 to August 2020 to assess the results of THA in patients with poliomyelitis. Information was gathered about demographics, indication, clinical course, complications, functional outcome, survival, and need for any revision surgery in these patients. RESULTS: The literature search revealed 81 articles. Finally, after deduplication and manual selection, 16 relevant articles (128 hips) were included for evaluation. There is a paucity of literature evaluating THA in patients with poliomyelitis over the last 2 decades. The principal reason for arthroplasty was osteoarthritis of the hip in the ipsilateral (paralyzed) limb. A combination of cemented, uncemented, and hybrid implant fixation system was found to be used by surgeons. Addressing instability and perioperative management of limb length discrepancy were found to be challenging propositions. CONCLUSION: THA remains an effective intervention to relieve pain and improve quality of life in patients of poliomyelitis afflicted with either primary or secondary arthritis of the hip. The use of uncemented nonconstrained hip implant designs appears to demonstrate better results than constrained implants.

Interleukin-9 Facilitates Osteoclastogenesis in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

In rheumatoid arthritis (RA), inflammatory cytokines play a pivotal role in triggering abnormal osteoclastogenesis leading to articular destruction. Recent studies have demonstrated enhanced levels of interleukin-9 (IL-9) in the serum and synovial fluid of patients with RA. In RA, strong correlation has been observed between tissue inflammation and IL-9 expression in synovial tissue. Therefore, we investigated whether IL-9 influences osteoclastogenesis in patients with RA. We conducted the study in active RA patients. For inducing osteoclast differentiation, mononuclear cells were stimulated with soluble receptor activator of NF-kB ligand (sRANKL) and macrophage-colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) in the presence or absence of recombinant (r) IL-9. IL-9 stimulation significantly enhanced M-CSF/sRANKL-mediated osteoclast formation and function. Transcriptome analysis revealed differential gene expression induced with IL-9 stimulation in the process of osteoclast differentiation. IL-9 mainly modulates the expression of genes, which are involved in the metabolic pathway. Moreover, we observed that IL-9 modulates the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), which are critical players in bone degradation. Our results indicate that IL-9 has the potential to influence the structural damage in the RA by promoting osteoclastogenesis and modulating the expression of MMPs. Thus, blocking IL-9 pathways might be an attractive immunotherapeutic target for preventing bone degradation in RA.

Clinicoepidemiological Features and Mortality Analysis of Deceased Patients with COVID-19 in a Tertiary Care Center.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: A large number of studies describing the clinicoepidemiological features of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) patients are available but very few studies have documented similar features of the deceased. This study was aimed to describe the clinicoepidemiological features and the causes of mortality of COVID-19 deceased patients admitted in a dedicated COVID center in India. METHODOLOGY: This was a retrospective study done in adult deceased patients admitted in COVID ICU from April 4 to July 24, 2020. The clinical features, comorbidities, complications, and causes of mortality in these patients were analyzed. Pediatric deceased were analyzed separately. RESULTS: A total of 654 adult patients were admitted in the ICU during the study period and ICU mortality was 37.7% (247/654). Among the adult deceased, 65.9% were males with a median age of 56 years [interquartile range (IQR), 41.5-65] and 94.74% had one or more comorbidities, most common being hypertension (43.3%), diabetes mellitus (34.8%), and chronic kidney disease (20.6%). The most common presenting features in these deceased were fever (75.7%), cough (68.8%), and shortness of breath (67.6%). The mean initial sequential organ failure assessment score was 9.3 ± 4.7 and 24.2% were already intubated at the time of admission. The median duration of hospital stay was 6 days (IQR, 3-11). The most common cause of death was sepsis with multi-organ failure (55.1%) followed by severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) (25.5%). All pediatric deceased had comorbid conditions and the most common cause of death in this group was severe ARDS. CONCLUSION: In this cohort of adult deceased, most were young males with age less than 65 years with one or more comorbidities, hypertension being the most common. Only 5% of the deceased had no comorbidities. Sepsis with multi-organ dysfunction syndrome was the most common cause of death. HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE: Aggarwal R, Bhatia R, Kulshrestha K, Soni KD, Viswanath R, Singh AK, et al. Clinicoepidemiological Features and Mortality Analysis of Deceased Patients with COVID-19 in a Tertiary Care Center. Indian J Crit Care Med 2021; 25(6):622-628.

Bone sarcoma surgery in times of COVID-19 pandemic lockdown-early experience from a tertiary centre in India.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown has presented a unique challenge for sarcoma care. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the early results and feasibility of surgeries for bone sarcomas during the COVID-19 lockdown. METHODS: Our prospectively collected orthopaedic oncological database was reviewed to include two groups of patients- those who underwent surgery in the immediate 4 weeks before lockdown (non-lockdown group) and those operated in the first 4 weeks of lockdown (lockdown group). All patients were followed-up clinically and telephonically to collect the outcome data. RESULTS: Out of the 91 patients who qualified for inclusion, fifty were classified into the non-lockdown group while 41 patients formed the lockdown group. Both the groups were comparable with respect to baseline demographic parameters. However, during the lockdown period 37 patients (90%) had undergone a major surgical intervention as against 24 patients (48%) in the non-lockdown group (P < .001). There was no significant difference in type of anaesthesia, median estimated blood loss and procedure duration. None of the patients/health care workers had evidence of severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 infection at 15 days follow-up. CONCLUSION: Our study results suggest that appendicular bone tumours can be safely operated with adequate precautions during the lockdown period.

Sn-MOF@CNT nanocomposite: An efficient electrochemical sensor for detection of hydrogen peroxide.

A novel approach for the assembly of Sn-based metal organic framework (Sn-MOF) via solvothermal method and its composite (Sn-MOF@CNT) with electroactive material, carbon nanotubes (CNT) by sonochemical means, is described that is useful for hydrogen peroxide sensing; large surface area and pore volume of Sn-MOF were exploited where in the crystallinity of the Sn-MOF was preserved upon inclusion of CNT over its surface. The surface morphology and structural analysis of Sn-MOF and its composite form, Sn-MOF@CNT, were determined analytically through Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller and Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The developed Sn-MOF@CNT sensor was expansively used to determine and optimize the effect of scan rate, concentration and detection limits including the EDX and SEM analysis of used Sn-MOF@CNT nanocomposite's post hydrogen peroxide sensing. The electrochemical sensing with Sn-MOF@CNT revealed a lower limit of detection ~4.7 × 10-3 µM with wide linear range between 0.2 µM and 2.5 mM. This study has explored a new strategy for the deposition of CNT over Sn-MOF via a simple sonochemical methodology for successful electrochemical detection of H2O2, an approach that can be imitated for other applications.

Crosstalk between T Helper Cell Subsets and Their Roles in Immunopathogenesis and Outcome of Polytrauma Patients.

PURPOSE: One of the leading causes of morbidity and early-age mortality across the globe is trauma. It disrupts immune system homeostasis and intensely affects the innate and adaptive immune responses, predisposing patients to posttrauma complications and poor outcomes. Most of the studies on posttrauma cellular immune response have been centered on the T helper-1-T helper-2 imbalances after trauma. This study was conducted to understand the role of circulating novel T helper cells in the acute posttraumatic period and clinical outcome of trauma patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Signature cytokines and transcription factors of circulating Th (T helper)-9, Th-17, Th-22, and regulatory T helper cells were studied using flowcytometry along with serum biomarkers in 49 patients with polytraumatic injuries admitted to a tertiary care hospital. The patients were followed up until their outcome. The results were correlated with their clinical outcomes. RESULTS: In patients who died, higher nTreg, iTreg, Tr1 (early-phase), and higher IRF4+Th-9, IL17+ Th-17, and RORγT+ Th-17 (mid-phase) were seen. However, by the late phase, only RORγT+ Th-17 remained higher. Serum IL-6 and PCT were found to be consistently higher. In survivors, higher Th-3 (early phase), Th-22 (mid-phase), and IRF4+Th-9, IL17+ Th-17, nTreg, Th-3 (late phase) were observed to have played a protective role. Serum IL-2, IL-4, IL-17A and IL-22 were significantly higher in survivors. CONCLUSION: Different T helper subsets were observed to be playing pathogenic and protective roles in different phases of trauma and could be used for early prognostication and make way for noninvasive management of critically injured trauma patients by immunomodulation. HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE: Khurana S, Bhardwaj N, Kumar S, Sagar S, Pal R, Soni KD, et al. Crosstalk between T Helper Cell Subsets and Their Roles in Immunopathogenesis and Outcome of Polytrauma Patients. Indian J Crit Care Med 2020;24(11):1037-1044.

Pathogen burden & associated antibiogram of Pseudomonas spp. in a tertiary care hospital of India.

Antimicrobial resistance particularly in Gram-negative bacilli is an increasing problem worldwide. Pseudomonas spp. is one the most common Gram-negative bacteria associated with nosocomial infections and therefore, its trend of antimicrobial resistance needs to be studied. The aim of this study was to evaluate the rate of antimicrobial resistance and changes in resistance pattern over a period of five years (2012-2016) in Pseudomonas spp. isolated from trauma patients attending a tertiary care hospital in north India. During the study, a total of 2444 Pseudomonas spp. were isolated from the various clinical sample. The most common species isolated was P. aeruginosa (2331, 95%). The highest level of resistance was observed against levofloxacin (1678, 69%) and the lowest level of resistance was observed against tobramycin (1254, 51%). Irrational and inappropriate use of antibiotics was found to be responsible for multidrug resistance in Pseudomonas spp. Hence, there is an urgent need to emphasize strict antibiotic policy to minimize the misuse of antimicrobials.

Phenotypic & genotypic profile of antimicrobial resistance in Pseudomonas species in hospitalized patients.

Background & objectives: Nosocomial infections caused by multidrug-resistant, Pseudomonas species have become a major clinical and public health concern. The aim of this study was to characterize phenotypic and genotypic profile of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Pseudomonas spp. isolated from hospitalized patients. Methods: A total of 126 consecutive, non-duplicate isolates of Pseudomonas spp. isolated from various clinical samples were included in the study over a period of two years. Identification and antimicrobial sensitivity was performed using automated culture system according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) recommendations. Phenotypic detection of extended-spectrum ß-lactamases (ESBLs), Amp-C ß-lactamase (AmpC) and metallo-ß-lactamases (MBLs) were done by various combinations of disc-diffusion and E-test methods, followed by polymerase chain reaction-based detection of ß-lactamase-encoding genes. Results: Among 126 clinical isolates, 121 (96.1%) isolates were identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Most of the isolates were recovered from pus sample, 35 (27.8%) followed by urine, 25 (19.84%); endotracheal aspirate, 24 (19.04%); blood, 14 (11.11%) and sputum, four (3.17%). The highest rate of resistance was against ticarcillin-clavulanic acid, 113 (89.7%) followed by meropenem, 92 (72.5%) and ceftazidime, 91 (72.3%). Overall, ESBLs, AmpC and carbapenemase production was detected in 109 (96.4%), 64 (50.8%) and 105 (94.6%) isolates by phenotypic methods. The most prevalent ESBL gene was blaTEMin 72 (57.1%) and the least prevalent was blaSHVin 19 (15.1%) isolates. AmpC gene was seen less compared to ESBL gene. The most prevalent carbapenemases gene was blaNDM-141 (46.06%) followed by blaVIM and blaOXA-1. Interpretation & conclusions: Our findings suggested that a high rate of ESBLs and carbapenemases production was observed in Pseudomonas spp. Therefore, phenotypic and genotypic detection of AMR needs to be combined for better characterization of resistance patterns in Pseudomonas spp.

Thumb Opposition Recovery Following Surgery for Severe Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: A Clinical, Radiological, and Electrophysiological Pilot Study.

PURPOSE: To objectively assess recovery of thumb opposition in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) after open carpal tunnel release and to evaluate electrophysiological and magnetic resonance (MR) neurography findings as predictors of thumb opposition recovery. METHODS: A total of 22 patients with severe CTS and thenar atrophy were included in this study. A detailed clinical, electrophysiological, and MR neurography evaluation was done both before and after surgery at 6 months to assess thumb opposition recovery. RESULTS: The median duration of symptoms was 12 months (interquartile range, 12-20 months). The compound muscle action potential of the abductor pollisis brevis (CMAP-APB) also showed statistically significant improvement of 0.5 + 0.2 mV after surgery. Tip-tip pulp pinch strength increased from 1.2 ± 0.4 to 2.0 ± 0.4 kg at 6-month follow-up, lateral pulp pinch strength increased from 1.9 ± 0.6 to 2.8 ± 0.9 kg at 6-month follow-up, and 3-point pulp pinch also improved from 1.9 ± 0.5 to 2.8 ± 0.9 at final follow-up. On MR neurogram, the proportion of patients with abnormal median nerve morphology decreased from 81.8% to 68.2%, abnormal thenar branch morphology decreased from 63.6% to 36.4% and denervation edema deceased from 59.1% to 13.6%. CONCLUSIONS: Patients suffering from severe CTS with thenar atrophy and detectable CMAP-APB showed promising improvement following open carpal tunnel release. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic IV.

Total Hip Arthroplasty in Ankylosing Spondylitis With Extension Contracture of Hips.

BACKGROUND: Despite significant pain relief following total hip arthroplasty (THA) in patients with ankylosing spondylitis, a small subset of patients presenting with extra-articular extension contracture of hips remains unsatisfied. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated the patients with ankylosing spondylitis who underwent simultaneous bilateral THA and had extensor tightness of both hips preoperatively. They were managed with modified Z-plasty of iliotibial band. Patients with windswept deformity, commonly seen in bilateral hip arthritis caused by ankylosing spondylitis, were excluded. RESULTS: Between July 2011 and June 2015, out of 148 patients with bilateral hip involvement, 10 patients (20 hips) had extension contracture of both hips that was addressed during surgery. All patients were followed up for a minimum of 2 years. They could sit comfortably on a chair of height 18 inches with hips and knees flexed to at least 90°. The mean postoperative sum range of motion was 144.6° with an average hip flexion of 95° (range, 90°-105°). None of them had recurrence of extension contracture. There was significant improvement in range of motion and hence ambulation and function. No radiolucent lines exceeding 2 mm were seen in any of the zones around either of the components as evaluated in latest X-rays. CONCLUSION: Extension contracture of hip although rare is a noticeable problem and needs to be addressed during THA. Modified Z-plasty technique of iliotibial band is a reliable method in managing these patients.

Magnetic resonance neurography and ultrasonogram findings in upper limb peripheral neuropathies.

Peripheral neuropathy is defined as any disease or damage to the peripheral nerves. Imaging modalities are emerging as a complementary tool of choice for diagnosis of peripheral neuropathies. This has been made possible by the advent of high-resolution ultrasound, higher field strength magnets, better surface array coils, and superior software. In addition, imaging plays a pivotal role in deciding the management. They help in determining the continuity and course of the nerve, thereby helping in the pre-surgical mapping of nerve. Imaging studies also help in prognosticating the recovery by determining the event to be acute or chronic. This article describes the imaging findings of various neuropathies affecting upper limb peripheral nerves, broadly categorized as traumatic and non-traumatic. The non-traumatic group is further divided as entrapment, infective, inflammatory and tumors.

Five-year profile of candidaemia at an Indian trauma centre: High rates of Candida auris blood stream infections.

Candidaemia is a potentially fatal infection with varied distribution of Candida species and their antifungal susceptibility profiles. The recent emergence of Candida auris in invasive candidiasis is a cause for concern. This study describes the profile of candidaemia at an Indian tertiary care hospital and reports the emergence of C. auris. All patients diagnosed with candidaemia between 2012 and 2017 were studied. The isolates were identified using conventional methods, VITEK 2 and MALDI-TOF MS. The isolates not identified by MALDI-TOF were sequenced. Antifungal susceptibility testing was done by the CLSI broth microdilution method and VITEK 2. A total of 114 isolates of Candida species were analysed. Candida tropicalis (39.4%) was the most common species, followed by C. auris (17.5%), C. albicans (14%) and C. parapsilosis (11.4%). Notably, Diutina mesorugosa isolates (n = 10) were not identified by MALDI-TOF and were confirmed by sequencing. Furthermore, 45% (n = 9) C. auris strains exhibited low MICs of FLU (0.05-4 µg/mL) and the remaining 55% (n = 11) isolates had high MICs ≥ 64 µg/mL. Also, D. mesorugosa exhibited high MICs of FLU (32 µg/mL) in 2 isolates. A high rate of errors in antifungal susceptibility was noted with the VITEK 2 as compared to the CLSI method. Candida auris was the second most prevalent species causing candidaemia warranting infection control practices to be strengthened to prevent its spread.