Quantitative 99mTc-pyrophosphate myocardial uptake: Changes on transthyretin stabilization therapy.

BACKGROUND: Quantitative technetium-99m-pyrophosphate cardiac single-photon emission computed tomography (99mTc-PYP SPECT/CT) is an emerging method for estimating myocardial burden of transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis (ATTR-CA), but its efficacy in monitoring longitudinal changes remains uncertain. We aimed to investigate longitudinal changes in cardiac ATTR amyloid burden following transthyretin stabilization therapy using visual and quantitative 99mTc-PYP SPECT/CT and to relate these with changes in cardiac biomarkers and function. METHODS: This prospective longitudinal cohort study investigated changes in 99mTc-PYP SPECT/CT in 23 participants with ATTR-CA on transthyretin stabilization therapy (median: 2.6 years). Quantitative analysis included left ventricular (LV) standardized uptake values (SUVs) (SUVmax, SUVmean), cardiac amyloid activity (CAA; SUVmean∗LV activity volume), and percent injected dose (%ID) (mean activity concentration∗LV activity volume/injected activity), calculated using a threshold of >1.5 times left atrial blood pool activity concentration on SPECT/CT. Longitudinal changes of paired continuous and ordinal variables were analyzed using Wilcoxon signed-rank test. RESULTS: Following therapy, visual grade decreased significantly (P = 0.003). Several quantitative 99mTc-PYP metrics also decreased significantly: SUVmax (median -0.75, P = 0.011), CAA (median: -406.6, P < 0.001), and %ID (median: -0.45, P < 0.001). Serum transthyretin levels improved (median: +6.5 mg/dL, P = 0.008). Echocardiographic parameters (global longitudinal strain, LV mass index, and LV wall thickness), N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide, and estimated glomerular filtration rate remained stable. CONCLUSIONS: Favorable changes in 99mTc-PYP myocardial uptake were observed in participants on transthyretin stabilization therapy, whereas echocardiographic parameters and biomarkers remained stable. These results likely signify myocardial ATTR amyloid stabilization rather than amyloid burden regression. Further investigation is needed to understand the implications of these findings.

Recent Advances in Positron Emission Tomography Radiotracers to Image Cardiac Amyloidosis.

Cardiac amyloidosis includes a group of protein-misfolding diseases characterized by fibril accumulation within the extracellular space of the myocardium and cardiac dysfunction. Cardiac amyloidosis has high mortality. Emerging radionuclide techniques have helped us to better understand disease pathogenesis, prognostication, and treatment response in cardiac amyloidosis. PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To review recent advances in molecular imaging of cardiac amyloidosis using amyloid PET radiotracers. RECENT FINDINGS: Multiple single center studies have shown that amyloid PET radiotracers allow definitive diagnosis and quantification of cardiac amyloid burden. These amyloid targeting tracers may provide means to improve early disease detection, risk stratification and treatment monitoring. Amyloid PET imaging may inform definitive imaging-based diagnosis for therapeutic decisions, risk stratification, and treatment monitoring. More research in unselected cohorts of patients with suspected cardiac amyloidosis is needed to optimize the clinical implementation of amyloid PET imaging.

Long-term outcomes of perioperative myocardial infarction/injury after non-cardiac surgery.

AIMS: Perioperative myocardial infarction/injury (PMI) following non-cardiac surgery is a frequent cardiac complication. Better understanding of the underlying aetiologies and outcomes is urgently needed. METHODS AND RESULTS: Aetiologies of PMIs detected within an active surveillance and response programme were centrally adjudicated by two independent physicians based on all information obtained during clinically indicated PMI work-up including cardiac imaging among consecutive high-risk patients undergoing major non-cardiac surgery in a prospective multicentre study. PMI aetiologies were hierarchically classified into 'extra-cardiac' if caused by a primarily extra-cardiac disease such as severe sepsis or pulmonary embolism; and 'cardiac', further subtyped into type 1 myocardial infarction (T1MI), tachyarrhythmia, acute heart failure (AHF), or likely type 2 myocardial infarction (lT2MI). Major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) including acute myocardial infarction, AHF (both only from day 3 to avoid inclusion bias), life-threatening arrhythmia, and cardiovascular death as well as all-cause death were assessed during 1-year follow-up. Among 7754 patients (age 45-98 years, 45% women), PMI occurred in 1016 (13.1%). At least one MACE occurred in 684/7754 patients (8.8%) and 818/7754 patients died (10.5%) within 1 year. Outcomes differed starkly according to aetiology: in patients with extra-cardiac PMI, T1MI, tachyarrhythmia, AHF, and lT2MI 51%, 41%, 57%, 64%, and 25% had MACE, and 38%, 27%, 40%, 49%, and 17% patients died within 1 year, respectively, compared to 7% and 9% in patients without PMI. These associations persisted in multivariable analysis. CONCLUSION: At 1 year, most PMI aetiologies have unacceptably high rates of MACE and all-cause death, highlighting the urgent need for more intensive treatments. STUDY REGISTRATION: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02573532.

Older infants' social learning behavior under uncertainty is modulated by the interaction of face and speech processing.

The origin of face or language influences infants' perceptual processing and social learning behavior. However, it remains unclear how infants' social learning behavior is affected when both information are provided simultaneously. Hence, the current study investigated whether and how infants' social learning in terms of gaze following is influenced by face race and language origin of an interaction partner in an uncertain situation. Our sample consisted of 91 Caucasian infants from German speaking families. They were divided into 2 age groups: Younger infants were 5- to 8-month-old (n = 46) and the older infants 11- to 20-month-old (n = 45). We used a modified online version of the gaze following paradigm by Xiao and colleagues by varying face race (Caucasian, and Asian faces) and language (German and French) of a female actor. We recorded infants looking behavior via webcam and coded it offline. Our results revealed that older but not younger infants were biased to follow the gaze of own-race adults speaking their native language. Our findings show that older infants are clearly influenced by adults' ethnicity and language in social learning situations of uncertainty.

Coronary artery calcium score and pre-test probabilities as gatekeepers to predict and rule out perfusion defects in positron emission tomography.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the gatekeeper performance of coronary artery calcium score (CACS) before myocardial perfusion positron emission tomography (PET), compared with updated pre-test probabilities from American and European guidelines (pre-test-AHA/ACC, pre-test-ESC). METHODS: We enrolled participants without known coronary artery disease undergoing CACS and Rubidium-82 PET. Abnormal perfusion was defined as summed stress score ≥ 4. Using Bayes' formula, pre-test probabilities and CACS were combined into post-test probabilities. RESULTS: We included 2050 participants (54% male, mean age 64.6 years) with median CACS 62 (IQR 0-380), pre-test-ESC 17% (11-26), pre-test-AHA/ACC 27% (16-44), and abnormal perfusion in 437 participants (21%). To predict abnormal perfusion, area under the curve of CACS was 0.81, pre-test-AHA/ACC 0.68, pre-test-ESC 0.69, post-test-AHA/ACC 0.80, and post-test-ESC 0.81 (P < 0.001 for CACS vs. each pre-test, and each post-test vs. pre-test). CACS = 0 had 97% negative predictive value (NPV), pre-test-AHA/ACC ≤ 5% 100%, pre-test-ESC ≤ 5% 98%, post-test-AHA/ACC ≤ 5% 98%, and post-test-ESC ≤ 5% 96%. Among participants, 26% had CACS = 0, 2% pre-test-AHA/ACC ≤ 5%, 7% pre-test-ESC ≤ 5%, 23% post-test-AHA/ACC ≤ 5%, and 33% post-test-ESC ≤ 5% (all P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: CACS and post-test probabilities are excellent predictors of abnormal perfusion and can rule it out with very high NPV in a substantial proportion of participants. CACS and post-test probabilities may be used as gatekeepers before advanced imaging. Coronary artery calcium score (CACS) predicted abnormal perfusion (SSS ≥ 4) in myocardial positron emission tomography (PET) better than pre-test probabilities of coronary artery disease (CAD), while pre-test-AHA/ACC and pre-test-ESC performed similarly (left). Using Bayes' formula, pre-test-AHA/ACC or pre-test-ESC were combined with CACS into post-test probabilities (middle). This calculation reclassified a substantial proportion of participants to low probability of CAD (0-5%), not needing further imaging, as shown for AHA/ACC probabilities (2% with pre-test-AHA/ACC to 23% with post-test-AHA/ACC, P < 0.001, right). Very few participants with abnormal perfusion were classified under pre-test or post-test probabilities 0-5%, or under CACS 0. AUC: area under the curve. Pre-test-AHA/ACC: Pre-test probability of the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology. Post-test-AHA/ACC: Post-test probability combining pre-test-AHA/ACC and CACS. Pre-test-ESC: Pre-test probability of the European Society of Cardiology. SSS: Summed stress score.

The power of zero calcium in 82-Rubidium PET irrespective of sex and age.

BACKGROUND: Despite clinical suspicion, many non-invasive tests for coronary artery disease (CAD) are normal. Coronary artery calcification score (CACS) is a well-validated method to detect and risk stratify CAD. Patients with zero calcium score (ZCS) rarely have abnormal tests. Therefore, aims were to evaluate CACS as a gatekeeper to further functional downstream testing for CAD and estimate potential radiation and cost savings. METHODS: Consecutive patients with suspected CAD referred for PET were included (n = 2640). Prevalence and test characteristics of ZCS were calculated in different groups. Summed stress score ≥ 4 was considered abnormal and summed difference score ≥ 7 equivalent to ≥ 10% ischemia. To estimate potential radiation/cost reduction, PET scans were hypothetically omitted in ZCS patients. RESULTS: Mean age was 65 ± 11 years, 46% were female. 21% scans were abnormal and 26% of patients had ZCS. CACS was higher in abnormal PET (median 561 vs 27, P < 0.001). Abnormal PET was significantly less frequent in ZCS patients (2.6% vs 27.6%, P < 0.001). Sensitivity/negative predictive value (NPV) of ZCS to detect/exclude abnormal PET and ≥ 10% ischemia were 96.8% (95%-CI 95.0%-97.9%)/97.4% (95.9%-98.3%) and 98.9% (96.7%-99.6%)/99.6% (98.7%-99.9%), respectively. Radiation and cost reduction were estimated to be 23% and 22%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: ZCS is frequent, and most often consistent with normal PET scans. ZCS offers an excellent NPV to exclude an abnormal PET and ≥ 10% ischemia across different gender and age groups. CACS is a suitable gatekeeper before advanced cardiac imaging, and potential radiation/cost savings are substantial. However, further studies including safety endpoints are needed.

The effect of masks on the visual preference for faces in the first year of life.

To prevent the spread of COVID-19, face masks were mandatory in many public spaces around the world. Since faces are the gateway to early social cognition, this raised major concerns about the effect face masks may have on infants' attention to faces as well as on their language and social development. The goal of the present study was to assess how face masks modulate infants' attention to faces over the course of the first year of life. We measured 3, 6, 9, and 12-month-olds' looking behavior using a paired visual preference paradigm under two experimental conditions. First, we tested infants' preference for upright masked or unmasked faces of the same female individual. We found that regardless of age, infants looked equally long at the masked and unmasked faces. Second, we compared infants' attention to an upright masked versus an inverted masked face. Three- and 6-month-olds looked equally long to the masked faces when they were upright or inverted. However, 9- and 12-month-old infants showed a novelty preference for the inverted masked face. Our findings suggest that more experience with faces, including masked faces, leads to efficient adaptations of infants' visual system for processing impoverished social stimuli, such as partially occluded faces.

Left ventricular ejection fraction, myocardial blood flow and hemodynamic variables in adenosine and regadenoson vasodilator 82-Rubidium PET.

AIMS: In most Rubidium-(Rb)-positron emission tomography (PET) studies, dipyridamole was used as vasodilator. The aim was to evaluate vasodilator PET left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), myocardial blood flow (MBF), hemodynamics, and the influence of adenosine and regadenoson on these variables. METHODS AND RESULTS: Consecutive patients (N = 2299) with prior coronary artery disease (CAD) or no prior CAD undergoing adenosine/regadenoson 82Rb-PET were studied and compared according to CAD status and normal/abnormal PET (summed stress score 0-3 vs. ≥4). Rest and stress LVEF differed significantly depending on CAD status and scan results. In patients with no prior CAD, rest/stress LVEF were 68% and 72%, in patients with prior CAD 60% and 63%. LVEF during stress increased 5 ± 6% in normal compared to 1 ± 8% in abnormal PET (P<0.001). Global rest myocardial blood flow(rMBF), stress MBF(sMBF) and myocardial flow reserve (sMBF/rMBF) were significantly higher in no prior CAD patients compared to prior CAD patients(1.3 ± 0.5, 3.3 ± 0.9, 2.6 ± 0.8 and 1.2 ± 0.4, 2.6 ± 0.8, 2.4 ± 0.8 ml/g/min, respectively, P<0.001) and in normal versus abnormal scans, irrespective of CAD status(no prior CAD: 1.4 ± 0.5, 3.5 ± 0.8, 2.8 ± 0.8 and 1.2 ± 0.8, 2.5 ± 0.8, 2.2 ± 0.7; prior CAD: 1.3 ± 0.4, 3.1 ± 0.8, 2.7 ± 0.8 and 1.1 ± 0.4, 2.3 ± 0.7, 2.2 ± 0.7 ml/g/min, respectively, P<0.001). LVEF and hemodynamic values were similar for adenosine and regadenoson stress. Stress LVEF ≥70% excluded relevant ischemia (≥10%) with a negative predictive value (NPV) of 94% (CI 92-95%). CONCLUSIONS: Rest/stress LVEF, LVEF reserve and MBF values are lower in abnormal compared to normal scans. Adenosine and regadenoson seem to have similar effect on stress LVEF, MBF and hemodynamics. A stress LVEF ≥70% has a high NPV to exclude relevant ischemia.

[Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: 15 years of molecular epidemiology in Western Switzerland]. / Staphylococcus aureus résistant à la méticilline : 15 ans de surveillance moléculaire en Suisse romande.

Since the introduction of antibiotics, successive waves of Staphylococcus aureus clones occurred, each one having characteristic susceptibility pattern to antibiotics and virulence factors. We report here the results of a molecular epidemiological surveillance of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) in French-speaking Switzerland between 2006 and 2020 showing the emergence and disappearance of clones known for their international dissemination, and the sporadic appearance of other international clones. Since 2012, a marked decrease in the incidence of cases attributable to the biology of the clones and to the control measures taken in the hospitals has been observed. These results highlight the importance of continuous surveillance in order to better assess the burden of this multi-resistant pathogen in our region.

Depuis l'introduction des antibiotiques, des vagues successives de clones de Staphylococcus aureus sont apparues, chacun avec un profil de susceptibilité aux antibiotiques et de virulence caractéristique. Nous rapportons ici les résultats d'une surveillance épidémiologique moléculaire de S. aureus résistant à la méticilline (MRSA) en Suisse romande entre 2006 et 2020 montrant l'émergence et la disparition de clones connus pour leur dissémination internationale, ainsi que l'apparition sporadique d'autres clones internationaux. Depuis 2012, une diminution marquée de l'incidence des cas attribuable à la biologie des clones et aux mesures de contrôle prises dans les hôpitaux est observée. Ces résultats nous montrent l'importance d'une surveillance continue afin de mieux évaluer le fardeau que représente ce germe multirésistant dans notre région.

COVID-19 in Patients with Cancer: A Retrospective Study of 212 Cases from a French SARS-CoV-2 Cluster During the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

We describe a large series of patients with solid tumors in an early COVID-19 cluster in the eastern part of France. From February to May 2020, this multicenter retrospective study enrolled 212 patients with cancer under treatment or on follow-up for any type of malignant solid tumor and positive for SARS-CoV-2. The mortality rate was 30%. Patients with gastrointestinal cancers were identified as a subset of more vulnerable patients; immunotherapy and radiotherapy within 3 months from COVID-19 diagnosis were risk factors for death. The reported data support the essential need to be proactive and weigh the risks of morbidity from COVID-19 against the magnitude of benefits of intended cancer therapies during this pandemic. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: This article supports the essential need to be proactive (treatment delay or modification) in oncology in the setting of pandemic. This study identified patients with gastrointestinal cancers as a more vulnerable subset of patients with cancer and found that immunotherapy and radiotherapy within 3 months from COVID-19 diagnosis to be risk factors for death. The reported data indicate the necessity of weighing the risks of morbidity from COVID-19 against the magnitude of benefits of intended cancer therapies in any future wave of COVID-19.

Long-term remission of AIDS-related primary central nervous system lymphoma in a patient under antiretroviral therapy: a case report and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: AIDS-related primary central nervous system lymphoma (AR-PCNSL) is an AIDS-defining disease that usually occurs when the CD4 count is less than 50 cells/µl. The frequency of the disease has substantially decreased in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Prognosis is poor with rapid progression leading to death within 2-3 months if left untreated. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 65 years old male presented to medical attention with gait disturbance, weight loss and slight left-sided hemiparesis. Human immunodeficiency virus infection was diagnosed with an initial CD4 count of 116 cells/µl and a viral load of 260,000 copies/ml. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed three brain lesions involving the right frontal lobe and the left parietal lobe, which on biopsy led to a diagnosis of AR-PCNSL. HAART was initiated with whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT), and the patient declined systemic chemotherapy. Due to poor performance status, he was transferred to palliative care. Under HAART, he slowly recovered with normalization of CD4 count and undetectable viral load. Medical imaging showed complete remission (CR) of the brain lesions. At 3-year follow-up, the patient remains in CR, but presented mild neurocognitive dysfunction possibly secondary to WBRT. CONCLUSION: Nowadays, treatment paradigm parallels that of primary central nervous system lymphoma in the immunocompetent population based on systemic chemotherapy (primarily high-dose intravenous methotrexate and steroids) in association with HAART. The role of WBRT is questionable because of late neurotoxic effects.

MatrixDB: integration of new data with a focus on glycosaminoglycan interactions.

MatrixDB (http://matrixdb.univ-lyon1.fr/) is an interaction database focused on biomolecular interactions established by extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). It is an active member of the International Molecular Exchange (IMEx) consortium (https://www.imexconsortium.org/). It has adopted the HUPO Proteomics Standards Initiative standards for annotating and exchanging interaction data, either at the MIMIx (The Minimum Information about a Molecular Interaction eXperiment) or IMEx level. The following items related to GAGs have been added in the updated version of MatrixDB: (i) cross-references of GAG sequences to the GlyTouCan database, (ii) representation of GAG sequences in different formats (IUPAC and GlycoCT) and as SNFG (Symbol Nomenclature For Glycans) images and (iii) the GAG Builder online tool to build 3D models of GAG sequences from GlycoCT codes. The database schema has been improved to represent n-ary experiments. Gene expression data, imported from Expression Atlas (https://www.ebi.ac.uk/gxa/home), quantitative ECM proteomic datasets (http://matrisomeproject.mit.edu/ecm-atlas), and a new visualization tool of the 3D structures of biomolecules, based on the PDB Component Library and LiteMol, have also been added. A new advanced query interface now allows users to mine MatrixDB data using combinations of criteria, in order to build specific interaction networks related to diseases, biological processes, molecular functions or publications.

Very Low Hepatitis C Viral Loads in Treatment-naive Persons: Do They Compromise Hepatitis C Virus Antigen Testing?

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) antigen testing is less expensive than quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction but has lower sensitivity for very low viral load (VLVL; HCV RNA ≤3000 IU/mL). Currently the benefits of antigen testing for screening are discussed, but data on prevalence and outcomes of persons with VLVL are scarce. METHODS: We assessed prevalence and predictors of VLVL by logistic regression in treatment-naive participants in the Swiss Hepatitis C Cohort Study. We analyzed if the last viral load after VLVL was low, compared cirrhosis and mortality in persons with and without VLVL, and evaluated the number of samples with VLVL that were reactive by antigen testing. RESULTS: We included 2533 treatment-naive persons with available quantitative HCV RNA testing results. Overall, 133 persons (5.3%) had a VLVL. Age 18-40 years, female sex, and human immunodeficiency virus coinfection were associated with VLVL. Of 72 persons with a viral load available after VLVL, 14% had a VLVL and 17% had spontaneous viral clearance. The prevalence and incidence of cirrhosis and mortality were comparable in persons with and without VLVL; all 24 persons with VLVL and cirrhosis had excessive alcohol consumption or immunosuppression. Overall, 33% of samples with VLVL were reactive by antigen testing. CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of VLVL was low. Among the persons who would probably be missed by antigen screening, some had a favorable disease course, but some had immunosuppression and liver cirrhosis. The benefit of HCV antigen testing for screening may be limited by the risk of missing patients with severe liver disease.

A pipeline to translate glycosaminoglycan sequences into 3D models. Application to the exploration of glycosaminoglycan conformational space.

Mammalian glycosaminoglycans are linear complex polysaccharides comprising heparan sulfate, heparin, dermatan sulfate, chondroitin sulfate, keratan sulfate and hyaluronic acid. They bind to numerous proteins and these interactions mediate their biological activities. GAG-protein interaction data reported in the literature are curated mostly in MatrixDB database (http://matrixdb.univ-lyon1.fr/). However, a standard nomenclature and a machine-readable format of GAGs together with bioinformatics tools for mining these interaction data are lacking. We report here the building of an automated pipeline to (i) standardize the format of GAG sequences interacting with proteins manually curated from the literature, (ii) translate them into the machine-readable GlycoCT format and into SNFG (Symbol Nomenclature For Glycan) images and (iii) convert their sequences into a format processed by a builder generating three-dimensional structures of polysaccharides based on a repertoire of conformations experimentally validated by data extracted from crystallized GAG-protein complexes. We have developed for this purpose a converter (the CT23D converter) to automatically translate the GlycoCT code of a GAG sequence into the input file required to construct a three-dimensional model.

Sex-specific efficacy and safety of cryoballoon versus radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a growing healthcare burden, for which pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) using cryoballoon (CB) or radiofrequency (RF) represent attractive therapies. Women are at higher risk of recurrence after AF ablation and present a specific complications profile. Therefore, a systematic catheter-specific assessment of pulmonary vein isolation is urgently needed in women. OBJECTIVE: Systematically assessing the sex-specific efficacy/safety of CB vs RF ablation. METHODS: We performed a structured database search of the scientific literature for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational prospective studies (OPS) comparing CB and RF ablation efficacy at 1 year. We investigated the reporting of sex-specific analyses and assessed the comparative sex-specific efficacy, safety and procedural characteristics of CB vs RF using random-effect meta-regression accounting for the proportion of enrolled women. RESULTS: Twenty-three studies were included (18 OPS and 5 RCTs) for a total of 13 509 patients. Sex-specific outcomes by ablation device were reported in two and sex-specific regression in four studies, none of which took the ablation device into account. Meta-regression accounting for the proportion of enrolled women showed no significant difference in outcomes between RF or CB. CONCLUSION: The sex-specific reporting in trials comparing CB to RF is extremely low. A quantitative meta-regression using the percentage of enrolled women as sex-specific indicator did not show any difference between CB and RF but acknowledging the low percentage of enrolled women and the lack of sex-specific data, further research including patient-level data is urgently needed to draw more definitive conclusions.

Corrected coronary opacification decrease from coronary computed tomography angiography: Validation with quantitative 13N-ammonia positron emission tomography.

BACKGROUND: To assess the functional relevance of a coronary artery stenosis, corrected coronary opacification (CCO) decrease derived from coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) has been proposed. The present study aims at validating CCO decrease with quantitative 13N-ammonia positron emission tomography (PET) myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI). METHODS AND RESULTS: This retrospective study consists of 39 patients who underwent hybrid CCTA/PET-MPI. From CCTA, attenuation in the coronary lumen was measured before and after a stenosis and corrected to the aorta to calculate CCO and its decrease. Relative flow reserve (RFR) was calculated by dividing the stress myocardial blood flow (MBF) of a vessel territory subtended by a stenotic coronary by the stress MBF of the reference territories without stenoses. RFR was abnormal in 11 vessel territories (27%). CCO decrease yielded a sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value, positive predictive value, and accuracy for prediction of an abnormal RFR of 73%, 70%, 88%, 47%, and 70%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: CCTA-derived CCO decrease has moderate diagnostic accuracy to predict an abnormal RFR in PET-MPI. However, its high negative predictive value to rule out functional relevance of a given lesion may confer clinical implications in the diagnostic work-up of patients with a coronary stenosis.

[One year of infectious diseases in review]. / Infectiologie : une revue de l'année écoulée.

New data were published regarding fœtal damage of Zika virus infection, and its sexual transmission. An outbreak of Ebola virus disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo emphasizes the importance of vaccine development. In Switzerland, hospitals in the Canton of Bern were affected by a large outbreak of vancomycin-resistant enterococci. Despite the availability of new treatments, a significant decrease in the incidence of hepatitis C has not been achieved yet. Adjunctive rifampicin for Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia provides no overall benefit over standard therapy. In selected patients with left side endocarditis, changing to oral treatment was non inferior to continued intravenous antibiotic treatment. Carbapenems remain the preferred treatment for extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing bacteria bloodstream infection. Nitrofurantoin resulted in better clinical outcome than fosfomycin among women with uncomplicated cystitis.

De nouvelles données ont été publiées quant aux dommages fœtaux et à la transmission sexuelle du virus Zika. Une épidémie d'Ebola en République Démocratique du Congo rappelle l'importance du développement vaccinal. En Suisse, les hôpitaux bernois ont subi une épidémie importante d'entérocoques résistant à la vancomycine. Malgré les nouveaux traitements à disposition, l'épidémiologie de l'hépatite C en Suisse évolue peu pour l'heure. L'adjonction systématique de rifampicine pour le traitement de bactériémies à staphylocoque doré n'amène pas de bénéfice. En cas d'endocardite gauche, une étude a démontré la non-infériorité d'une fin de traitement par voie orale. Les carbapénèmes restent le traitement de choix des infections bactériémiques à germes producteurs de bêtalactamase à spectre élargi (BLSE). La nitrofurantoïne s'est avérée supérieure à la fosfomycine pour les cystites non compliquées.

Implementation study of an interprofessional medication adherence program for HIV patients in Switzerland: quantitative and qualitative implementation results.

BACKGROUND: An interprofessional medication adherence program (IMAP) for chronic patients was developed and successfully implemented in the community pharmacy of the Department of ambulatory care and community medicine (Lausanne, Switzerland). This study assesses the capacity of a physician and a nurse at the infectious diseases service of a public hospital and of community pharmacists in the Neuchâtel area (Switzerland) to implement the IMAP in their practice. METHODS: Mixed method, prospective, observational study. Quantitative and qualitative analyses of the implementation process were conducted following the RE-AIM model (reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation and maintenance). RESULTS: Implementation started in November 2014. One physician, one nurse, and five pharmacists agreed to participate. Healthcare professionals perceived the benefits of the program and were motivated to implement it in their practice (adoption). Seventeen patients were included in the program; 13 refused to participate. The inclusion of naïve HIV patients was easier than the inclusion of experienced patients with difficult psychosocial issues (reach). Pharmacists were engaged in reinforcing patient medication adherence in 25% of interviews (effectiveness). Key facilitators expressed by healthcare professionals were patient inclusion by the physician and the nurse instead of the pharmacist and the organisation of regular meetings between all stakeholders. In contrast, the encountered barriers were the lack of time and resources, the lack of team uptake, and the lack of adoption by senior managers (implementation). Interviewed patients were all satisfied with this new program, encouraging healthcare professionals to scale it up. Structural changes allowed the hospital and one pharmacy to enter the maintenance stage (maintenance). CONCLUSION: The research team and collaboration between all professionals involved played an important role in this implementation. However, the dissemination of such a program to a larger scale and for the long term requires financial and structural resources as well as transitional external support.

Implementation of an interprofessional medication adherence program for HIV patients: description of the process using the framework for the implementation of services in pharmacy.

BACKGROUND: The community pharmacy center of the Department of Ambulatory Care and Community Medicine of the Policlinique Médicale Universitaire (PMU), Lausanne, Switzerland developed and implemented an interprofessional medication adherence program for chronic patients (IMAP). In 2014, a project was launched to implement the IMAP for HIV patients in a public non-academic hospital with the collaboration of community pharmacists in the Neuchâtel area (Switzerland). This article aims to describe the different implementation stages and strategies of the project. METHODS: A posteriori description of the implementation process, including the conceptualization strategies and stages (exploration, preparation, operation, sustainability) using the Framework for the Implementation of Services in Pharmacy (FISpH). RESULTS: In 2014, an attending infectious disease physician and a nurse at a public hospital (Neuchâtel, Switzerland) contacted the PMU to implement the IMAP in their setting in collaboration with community pharmacies. Five volunteer community pharmacies in Neuchâtel were trained to deliver the program. Three factors were found to be essential to the successful launch and progress of the implementation project: the experience of the community pharmacy center of the PMU with the IMAP, the involvement of the PMU research team, and collaboration with an external start up (SISPha) to train and support pharmacists. During the operation stage, the most important strategy developed was that of regular meetings between all stakeholders. These allowed healthcare professionals to discuss the implementation progress, to address each stakeholder's expectations, and to exchange experiences to facilitate interprofessional collaboration and program delivery. Structural changes allowed the formalization of the activities at the hospital and in a community pharmacy. This formalization was identified as the transition step between the operation and the sustainability stages. CONCLUSIONS: The transfer of the IMAP for HIV patients to a non-academic setting and its implementation are feasible. However, implementation of a new model of pharmacy service such as IMAP implies a deep change in practice. A transitional external support and the allocation of sufficient resources to carry out the IMAP are essential for its long-term sustainability.

Outcome in middle-aged individuals with anomalous origin of the coronary artery from the opposite sinus: a matched cohort study.

AIMS: Anomalous origin of a coronary artery from the opposite sinus (ACAOS) has been associated with adverse cardiac events in the young. It remains unknown whether this holds true for middle-aged patients with uncorrected ACAOS as well. We assessed the outcome in middle-aged patients with newly diagnosed ACAOS by coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) compared with a matched cohort. METHODS AND RESULTS: We retrospectively identified 68 consecutive patients with ACAOS documented by CCTA. ACAOS with a course of the anomalous vessel between the aorta and pulmonary artery were classified as interarterial course (IAC). Each patient with ACAOS was matched to two controls without ACAOS. Major adverse cardiac events (i.e. myocardial infarction, revascularization and cardiac death) were recorded for all patients and controls. Two (3%) patients were lost to follow-up. Thus, 66 patients with ACAOS were included in the final analysis and matched with 132 controls. Mean age of patients was 56 ± 11 years, 73% were male and the mean follow-up was 49 months. Forty (65%) patients were classified as having ACAOS with IAC. The annual event rate of ACAOS vs. controls was 4.9 and 4.8%, the hazard ratio (HR) 0.94 (0.39-2.28, P = 0.89). The annual event rate of ACAOS with IAC compared with their matched controls was 5.2 and 4.3%, and the HR 1.01 (95% CI 0.39-2.58, P = 0.99). CONCLUSIONS: In middle-aged individuals with newly diagnosed ACAOS mid-term outcome is not statistically different to a matched control cohort without coronary artery anomalies, regardless of whether ACAOS with or without IAC variants are present.