Implementation of a software-based decision support tool for guideline-appropriate preoperative evaluation: a prospective agreement study.

BACKGROUND: Guideline adherence in the medical field leaves room for improvement. Digitalised decision support helps improve compliance. However, the complex nature of the guidelines makes implementation in clinical practice difficult. METHODS: This single-centre prospective study included 204 adult ASA physical status 3-4 patients undergoing elective noncardiac surgery at a German university hospital. Agreement of clearance for surgery between a guideline expert and a digital guideline support tool was investigated. The decision made by the on-duty anaesthetists (standard approach) was assessed for agreement with the expert in a cross-over design. The main outcome was the level of agreement between digital guideline support and the expert. RESULTS: The digital guideline support approach cleared 18.1% of the patients for surgery, the standard approach cleared 74.0%, and the expert approach cleared 47.5%. Agreement of the expert decision with digital guideline support (66.7%) and the standard approach (67.6%) was fair (Cohen's kappa 0.37 [interquartile range 0.26-0.48] vs 0.31 [0.21-0.42], P=0.6). Taking the expert decision as a benchmark, correct clearance using digital guideline support was 50.5%, and correct clearance using the standard approach was 44.6%. Digital guideline support incorrectly asked for additional examinations in 31.4% of the patients, whereas the standard approach did not consider conditions that would have justified additional examinations before surgery in 29.4%. CONCLUSIONS: Strict guideline adherence for clearance for surgery through digitalised decision support inadequately considered patients, clinical context. Vague formulations, weak recommendations, and low-quality evidence complicate guideline translation into explicit rules. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT04058769.

Susceptibility of AutoML mortality prediction algorithms to model drift caused by the COVID pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Concept drift and covariate shift lead to a degradation of machine learning (ML) models. The objective of our study was to characterize sudden data drift as caused by the COVID pandemic. Furthermore, we investigated the suitability of certain methods in model training to prevent model degradation caused by data drift. METHODS: We trained different ML models with the H2O AutoML method on a dataset comprising 102,666 cases of surgical patients collected in the years 2014-2019 to predict postoperative mortality using preoperatively available data. Models applied were Generalized Linear Model with regularization, Default Random Forest, Gradient Boosting Machine, eXtreme Gradient Boosting, Deep Learning and Stacked Ensembles comprising all base models. Further, we modified the original models by applying three different methods when training on the original pre-pandemic dataset: (Rahmani K, et al, Int J Med Inform 173:104930, 2023) we weighted older data weaker, (Morger A, et al, Sci Rep 12:7244, 2022) used only the most recent data for model training and (Dilmegani C, 2023) performed a z-transformation of the numerical input parameters. Afterwards, we tested model performance on a pre-pandemic and an in-pandemic data set not used in the training process, and analysed common features. RESULTS: The models produced showed excellent areas under receiver-operating characteristic and acceptable precision-recall curves when tested on a dataset from January-March 2020, but significant degradation when tested on a dataset collected in the first wave of the COVID pandemic from April-May 2020. When comparing the probability distributions of the input parameters, significant differences between pre-pandemic and in-pandemic data were found. The endpoint of our models, in-hospital mortality after surgery, did not differ significantly between pre- and in-pandemic data and was about 1% in each case. However, the models varied considerably in the composition of their input parameters. None of our applied modifications prevented a loss of performance, although very different models emerged from it, using a large variety of parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that none of our tested easy-to-implement measures in model training can prevent deterioration in the case of sudden external events. Therefore, we conclude that, in the presence of concept drift and covariate shift, close monitoring and critical review of model predictions are necessary.

Experiences of medical students and nursing trainees from unexpected death through simulation training.

BACKGROUND: Dying in simulation training is controversially discussed. On the one hand, the danger of an emotional overload of the learners is pointed out. On the other hand, dying in simulation settings is addressed as an opportunity to prepare future health professionals to deal with patient death. The present study investigates how medical students and nursing trainees experience the sudden death of a simulated patient and how and under which conditions it can be valuable to simulate the patient's death. METHODS: At the TUM School of Medicine in Munich, Germany, we developed an interprofessional, simulation-based course in which participants were unexpectedly confronted with a cardiac arrest scenario within which resuscitation had to be discontinued due to an advanced directive. After the course, focus groups were conducted with nine medical students and six nursing trainees. Data were analysed using Grounded Theory techniques. RESULTS: The participants reported low to high emotional involvement. The active renunciation of life-sustaining measures was felt to be particularly formative and caused a strange feeling and helplessness. Questions of what could have been done differently determined interviewees' thoughts. The participants appreciated the opportunity to experience what it feels like to lose a patient. The course experience encouraged interviewees to reflect on dying and the interviewees explained that they feel better prepared to face death after the course. The unexpected character of the confrontation, presence of the advanced directive and debriefing positively affected the impact of the simulation. CONCLUSIONS: The study recognises simulation training as a promising approach for preparing future health care professionals to encounter a patient's death.

Mobilisation of critically ill patients receiving norepinephrine: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Mobilisation and exercise intervention in general are safe and feasible in critically ill patients. For patients requiring catecholamines, however, doses of norepinephrine safe for mobilisation in the intensive care unit (ICU) are not defined. This study aimed to describe mobilisation practice in our hospital and identify doses of norepinephrine that allowed a safe mobilisation. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective single-centre cohort study of 16 ICUs at a university hospital in Germany with patients admitted between March 2018 and November 2021. Data were collected from our patient data management system. We analysed the effect of norepinephrine on level (ICU Mobility Scale) and frequency (units per day) of mobilisation, early mobilisation (within 72 h of ICU admission), mortality, and rate of adverse events. Data were extracted from free-text mobilisation entries using supervised machine learning (support vector machine). Statistical analyses were done using (generalised) linear (mixed-effect) models, as well as chi-square tests and ANOVAs. RESULTS: A total of 12,462 patients were analysed in this study. They received a total of 59,415 mobilisation units. Of these patients, 842 (6.8%) received mobilisation under continuous norepinephrine administration. Norepinephrine administration was negatively associated with the frequency of mobilisation (adjusted difference -0.07 mobilisations per day; 95% CI - 0.09, - 0.05; p ≤ 0.001) and early mobilisation (adjusted OR 0.83; 95% CI 0.76, 0.90; p ≤ 0.001), while a higher norepinephrine dose corresponded to a lower chance to be mobilised out-of-bed (adjusted OR 0.01; 95% CI 0.00, 0.04; p ≤ 0.001). Mobilisation with norepinephrine did not significantly affect mortality (p > 0.1). Higher compared to lower doses of norepinephrine did not lead to a significant increase in adverse events in our practice (p > 0.1). We identified that mobilisation was safe with up to 0.20 µg/kg/min norepinephrine for out-of-bed (IMS ≥ 2) and 0.33 µg/kg/min for in-bed (IMS 0-1) mobilisation. CONCLUSIONS: Mobilisation with norepinephrine can be done safely when considering the status of the patient and safety guidelines. We demonstrated that safe mobilisation was possible with norepinephrine doses up to 0.20 µg/kg/min for out-of-bed (IMS ≥ 2) and 0.33 µg/kg/min for in-bed (IMS 0-1) mobilisation.

Concentrations of estradiol, progesterone and testosterone in sefrum and cerebrospinal fluid of patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage correlate weakly with transcranial Doppler flow velocities.

BACKGROUND: The implication of the steroids estradiol, progesterone and testosterone in cerebral vasospasm after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) has not been comprehensively assessed. In rodents, studies suggested beneficial effects of steroids on cerebral vasospasm after experimental SAH. Studies in humans are warranted, however, a general dilemma of human studies on neuroactive substances is that the brain is not directly accessible and that concentrations in the periphery may not adequately parallel concentrations in the central compartments. In the present study, concentrations of estradiol, progesterone and testosterone in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with aSAH were determined. Blood flow velocities in cerebral arteries were measured by transcranial Doppler sonography (TCD). The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlations between the cerebral blood flow velocities and levels of estradiol, progesterone and testosterone in CSF and serum. RESULTS: Samples of serum and CSF of 42 patients with aSAH were collected concomitantly daily or every other day via the arterial line and the external ventricular drainage for two weeks after the hemorrhage. Blood flow velocities in the cerebral arteries were determined by TCD. Total estradiol, progesterone and testosterone concentrations were measured by electro-chemiluminescence immunoassay. The strength of correlation was assessed by Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. The correlation analysis revealed very weak correlations between cerebral blood flow velocities and concentrations of estradiol, progesterone and testosterone levels in both compartments with correlation coefficients below 0.2. CONCLUSIONS: In humans with aSAH, merely very weak correlations between flow velocities in cerebral arteries and concentrations of estradiol, progesterone and testosterone in serum and CSF were demonstrated. These results suggest a limited influence of the respective steroids on cerebral vascular tone although vasodilatory effects were described in rodent studies. Thus, the implication of steroids in processes of neurological deterioration warrants further clarification.

Weak correlations between serum and cerebrospinal fluid levels of estradiol, progesterone and testosterone in males.

BACKGROUND: Neuroactive steroids seem to be implicated in a variety of neurophysiological and behavioral processes, such as sleep, learning, memory, stress, feeding and aging. Numerous studies have also addressed this implication in various cerebral disorders and diseases. Yet, the correlation and association between steroids in the periphery, e.g. blood, and the central compartments, e.g. cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), have not yet been comprehensively assessed. As the brain is not directly accessible, and the collection of human CSF usually requires invasive procedures, easier accessible compartments, such as blood, have always attracted attention. However, studies in humans are scarce. In the present study we determined estradiol, progesterone and testosterone levels in CSF and serum of 22 males without cerebral disorders or diseases. RESULTS: Samples were taken under conditions corresponding closest to basal conditions with patients expecting only spinal anesthesia and minor surgery. All samples per patient were collected concomitantly. Total estradiol, progesterone and testosterone concentrations were measured by electro-chemiluminescence immunoassay. The strength of correlation was assessed by Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. Correlation analysis revealed merely weak to very weak correlations for estradiol, progesterone and testosterone respectively between the CSF and serum compartments. CONCLUSIONS: Total steroid levels of estradiol, progesterone and testosterone in CSF and serum of males without neurological disorders were determined. Weak to very weak correlations between CSF and serum were found thus suggesting that concentrations in the periphery do not parallel concentrations in the central compartments. Further research is needed to clarify to what extent and under which conditions serum levels of estradiol, progesterone and testosterone may possibly serve as a biomarker reflecting the respective concentrations in the CSF or in the brain.

Plasma levels of soluble amyloid precursor protein ß in symptomatic Alzheimer's disease.

The established biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease (AD) require invasive endeavours or presuppose sophisticated technical equipment. Consequently, new biomarkers are needed. Here, we report that plasma levels of soluble amyloid precursor protein ß (sAPPß), a protein of the initial phase of the amyloid cascade, were significantly lower in patients with symptomatic AD (21 with mild cognitive impairment due to AD and 44 with AD dementia) with AD-typical cerebral hypometabolic pattern compared with 27 cognitively healthy elderly individuals without preclinical AD. These findings yield further evidence for the potential of sAPPß in plasma as an AD biomarker candidate.

Mapping CSF biomarker profiles onto NIA-AA guidelines for Alzheimer's disease.

The National Institute on Aging-Alzheimer's Association (NIA-AA) guidelines for Alzheimer's disease (AD) propose the categorization of individuals according to their biomarker constellation. Though the NIA-AA criteria for preclinical AD and AD dementia have already been applied in conjunction with imaging AD biomarkers, the application of the criteria using comprehensive cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarker information has not been thoroughly studied yet. The study included a monocentric cohort with healthy (N = 41) and disease (N = 22) controls and patients with AD dementia (N = 119), and a multicentric sample with healthy controls (N = 116) and patients with AD dementia (N = 102). The CSF biomarkers ß-amyloid 1-42, total tau, and phosphorylated tau at threonine 181 were measured with commercially available assays. Biomarker values were trichotomized into positive for AD, negative, or borderline. In controls the presence of normal CSF profiles varied between 13.6 and 25.4 % across the studied groups, while up to 8.6 % of them had abnormal CSF biomarkers. In 40.3-52.9 % of patients with AD dementia, a typical CSF profile for AD was detected. Approximately 40 % of the potential biomarker constellations are not considered in the NIA-AA guidelines, and more than 40 % of participants could not be classified into the NIA-AA categories with distinct biomarker constellations. Here, a refined scheme covering all potential biomarker constellations is proposed. These results enrich the discussion on the NIA-AA guidelines and point to a discordance between clinical symptomatology and CSF biomarkers even in patients with full-blown AD dementia, who are supposed to have a clearly positive for AD neurochemical profile.

Anaesthesiologists' guideline adherence in pre-operative evaluation: a retrospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: Surveys suggest a low level of implementation of clinical guidelines, although they are intended to improve the quality of treatment and patient safety. Which guideline recommendations are not followed and why has yet to be analysed. In this study, we investigate the proportion of European and national guidelines followed in the area of pre-operative anaesthetic evaluation prior to non-cardiac surgery. METHODS: We conducted this monocentric retrospective observational study at a German university hospital with the help of software that logically links guidelines in such a way that individualised recommendations can be derived from a patient's data. We included routine logs of 2003 patients who visited our pre-anaesthesia outpatient clinic between June 2018 and June 2020 and compared the actual conducted pre-operative examinations with the recommendations issued by the software. We descriptively analysed the data for examinations not performed that would have been recommended by the guidelines and examinations that were performed even though they were not covered by a guideline recommendation. The guidelines examined in this study are the 2018 ESAIC guidelines for pre-operative evaluation of adults undergoing elective non-cardiac surgery, the 2014 ESC/ESA guidelines on non-cardiac surgery and the German recommendations on pre-operative evaluation on non-cardiothoracic surgery from the year 2017. RESULTS: Performed ECG (78.1%) and cardiac stress imaging tests (86.1%) indicated the highest guideline adherence. Greater adherence rates were associated with a higher ASA score (ASA I: 23.7%, ASA II: 41.1%, ASA III: 51.8%, ASA IV: 65.8%, P < 0.001), lower BMI and age > 65 years. Adherence rates in high-risk surgery (60.5%) were greater than in intermediate (46.5%) or low-risk (44.6%) surgery (P < 0.001). 67.2% of technical and laboratory tests performed preoperatively were not covered by a guideline recommendation. CONCLUSIONS: Guideline adherence in pre-operative evaluation leaves room for improvement. Many performed pre-operative examinations, especially laboratory tests, are not recommended by the guidelines and may cause unnecessary costs. The reasons for guidelines not being followed may be the complexity of guidelines and organisational issues. A software-based decision support tool may be helpful. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov ID NCT04843202.

Enabling personalized perioperative risk prediction by using a machine-learning model based on preoperative data.

Preoperative risk assessment is essential for shared decision-making and adequate perioperative care. Common scores provide limited predictive quality and lack personalized information. The aim of this study was to create an interpretable machine-learning-based model to assess the patient's individual risk of postoperative mortality based on preoperative data to allow analysis of personal risk factors. After ethical approval, a model for prediction of postoperative in-hospital mortality based on preoperative data of 66,846 patients undergoing elective non-cardiac surgery between June 2014 and March 2020 was created with extreme gradient boosting. Model performance and the most relevant parameters were shown using receiver operating characteristic (ROC-) and precision-recall (PR-) curves and importance plots. Individual risks of index patients were presented in waterfall diagrams. The model included 201 features and showed good predictive abilities with an area under receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve of 0.95 and an area under precision-recall curve (AUPRC) of 0.109. The feature with the highest information gain was the preoperative order for red packed cell concentrates followed by age and c-reactive protein. Individual risk factors could be identified on patient level. We created a highly accurate and interpretable machine learning model to preoperatively predict the risk of postoperative in-hospital mortality. The algorithm can be used to identify factors susceptible to preoperative optimization measures and to identify risk factors influencing individual patient risk.

Wearable in-ear pulse oximetry validly measures oxygen saturation between 70% and 100%: A prospective agreement study.

Objectives: Postoperative monitoring outside intensive and post-anaesthesia care units is seldom, partly due to lack of suitable and approved systems. We therefore aim to validate the oxygen saturation (SpO2) and pulse rate measurement of the in-ear sensor c-med° alpha with a reference pulse oximeter. Methods: This prospective agreement study was conducted in 12 healthy (ASA 1) adult (18-50 years) volunteers according to the EN ISO 80601-2-61. The sitting volunteers were equipped with the finger pulse oximeter Rad-5 and two c-med° alpha sensors in each ear. The inspiratory oxygen content was reduced via a tight-fitting breathing mask to achieve five defined plateaus with stable SpO2 between 99% and 70%. The deviation of the SpO2 and pulse rate measurements of the c-med° alpha from those of the Rad-5 was calculated using the mean square error (Arms). Bias and limits of agreement between both devices were calculated using the Bland-Altman technique. The precision was compared based on the repeatability coefficients. Results: The c-med° alpha measured SpO2 had an Arms = 1.9% relative to the Rad-5, a non-significant bias (-0.1% (-0.2% to 0.0%)), levels of agreement from -4.0% to 3.8%, and the same repeatability coefficient (0.8% vs. 0.8%). The c-med° alpha measured pulse rate did not deviate from the one measured with the certified finger pulse oximeter (bias: 0.1 min-1 (0 to 0.1 min-1), level of agreement: -3.6 to 3.7 min-1, Arms: 1.8 min-1). Conclusions: The c-med° alpha fulfils the EN ISO 80601-2-61 standard and is sufficiently accurate for measuring SpO2 and pulse rate in healthy adults at rest. Trial registration: EUDAMED No. CIV-21-03-036033.

Anterior Pituitary Hormones in Blood and Cerebrospinal Fluid of Patients in Neurocritical Care.

BACKGROUND: Anterior pituitary hormones in blood follow a circadian rhythm, which may be influenced by various factors such as intracranial pathologies. In cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), pituitary hormones have been collected only selectively and circadian rhythm has not yet been investigated. This pilot study analysed diurnal variations of anterior pituitary hormones in patients in neurocritical care to determine whether circadian rhythmicity exists in these patients. Possible influences of intracranial pathologies were also investigated. Blood and CSF concentrations were assessed simultaneously to explore the value of blood concentrations as a surrogate parameter for CSF levels. METHODS: Blood and CSF samples of 20 non-sedated patients were collected at 06:00, noon, 18:00 and midnight, and analysed for adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), cortisol, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) concentrations at each of the four time points. ACTH and IGF-1 were measured by sandwich chemiluminescence immunoassay. Cortisol and TSH were measured by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. RESULTS: Results showed inconsistent circadian rhythms. Less than 50% of the patients showed a circadian rhythmicity of ACTH, cortisol, TSH or IGF-1. Significance of diurnal variations was only present for blood concentrations of TSH. Correlations between blood and CSF concentrations were strong for cortisol and TSH. CONCLUSIONS: CSF concentrations were only in the measurable range in some of the patients. No clear circadian rhythmicity could be identified, except for TSH in blood. Absence of significant diurnal variations could be explained by the underlying pathologies or disturbing influences of the intensive care unit. Blood concentrations of cortisol and TSH may be suitable surrogate parameters for CSF.

The possible role of neuropeptide Y after spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage.

OBJECTIVE: Neuropeptide Y (NPY), a highly potent vasoconstrictive neuropeptide, is widely expressed in the human brain, regulating vessel diameter and cerebral blood flow. Earlier studies focusing on the possible role of NPY in the context of aneurismal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and vasospasm have produced conflicting results. However, despite extensive research efforts, the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the SAH-related vasospasm and delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) have not been clarified. We, therefore, attempted to investigate the role of NPY in SAH-induced vasospasm in a larger, well documented patient population utilizing modern analytical tools. We focused on the release of the potent vasoconstrictor NPY in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood, and its correlation to vasospasm and stroke in the early clinical stage. METHODS: Thirty-seven patients with SAH and a control group consisting of 29 patients were included. Eighteen patients developed stroke, 21 patients met the Doppler sonographical criteria for vasospasm. Twenty-nine patients had aneurysms of the anterior circulation and four patients of the posterior circulation. All patients had ventricular drainage inserted and an arterial catheter. Blood and CSF were drawn daily for NPY analysis during a 10-day interval. RESULTS: The levels of NPY in CSF and plasma were significantly higher after SAH than in the control group (p = 0.001). The vasospasm group showed NPY levels in CSF which continuously ranged above the NPY levels of the non-vasospasm group (p = 0.001). Patients with stroke caused by vasospasm had significantly higher levels of NPY (p = 0.001). DISCUSSION: NPY is released excessively into blood and CSF following SAH. Patients with cerebral infarction caused by vasospasm had significantly higher levels of NPY. Our results indicate a certain role for NPY in the pathophysiology of vasospasm due to SAH and justify further studies in this area of research.

Influence of perioperative stress on central and peripheral oxytocin and arginine-vasopressin concentrations.

Perioperative stress provides not only physical, but also psychic and emotional aspects, which may influence the hypothalamic neuropeptide system. Studies investigating the perioperative course of central neuropeptide activity are missing. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine perioperative fluctuations in central and concomitant peripheral concentrations of the hypothalamic neuropeptides oxytocin (OXT) and arginine-vasopressin (AVP), as well as their impact on perioperative anxiety and depression. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), blood and saliva were collected from 12 patients who underwent elective endovascular aortic repair with a routinely inserted spinal catheter. AVP and OXT concentrations were analysed at four timepoints: (i) the evening before the operation; (ii) the operation day immediately before anaesthesia induction; (iii) intraoperatively after the stent was placed; and (iv) on day 1 after the operation. Patients completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) at timepoints 1 and 4. For CSF OXT, the present study showed a significant intraoperative decline, accompanied by a decrease in saliva. OXT blood concentrations before anaesthesia induction were higher than at the evening before the operation. OXT concentrations in CSF and saliva correlated well at timepoints 2-4. AVP concentrations in CSF, blood and saliva did not show any significant changes perioperatively. However, postoperative AVP blood concentrations showed a significant negative correlation with anxiety and depression scores according to the HADS. This pilot study demonstrates perioperative fluctuations in central OXT concentrations, which are better reflected by saliva than by blood. Further studies are required to determine whether OXT and AVP can predict postoperative post-traumatic stress disorder.

Absence of a diurnal rhythm of oxytocin and arginine-vasopressin in human cerebrospinal fluid, blood and saliva.

PURPOSE: The aims of our study were to determine first circadian influences on central concentrations of the neuropeptides oxytocin and arginine-vasopressin and second to investigate if these central concentrations are associated with those in the peripheral compartments blood and saliva in neurocritical care patients. We therefore included patients with external ventricular drain who attended a neurosurgical intensive care unit and were not exposed to painful or stressful stimuli during the sampling period. For this purpose, blood, cerebrospinal fluid and saliva were collected in a 24-hour-interval at the timepoints 06:00, 12:00, 18:00 and 24:00. RESULTS: In none of the three body fluids examined, significant time-dependent fluctuations of oxytocin and arginine-vasopressin concentrations could be detected during the 24-hour sampling period. The only exception was the subgroup of postmenopausal women whose oxytocin concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid at 12:00 were significantly higher than at 18:00. Correlations of blood and cerebrospinal fluid and blood and saliva neuropeptide levels were very weak to weak at each timepoint. Cerebrospinal fluid and saliva oxytocin levels showed a moderate correlation at 06:00 but did correlate very weak at the other timepoints. CONCLUSIONS: Central as well as peripheral oxytocin and arginine-vasopressin concentrations in neurocritical care patients did not show significant diurnal fluctuations. No strong correlations between central and peripheral neuropeptide concentrations could be detected under basal conditions. If investigators even though decide to use saliva concentrations as surrogate parameter for central neuropeptide activity, they have to consider that correlations of cerebrospinal fluid and saliva oxytocin seem to be highest in the early morning.

Influence of sex and hormonal status on initial impact and neurocognitive outcome after subarachnoid haemorrhage in rats.

The aim of this study was to detect differences in functional outcome after experimental subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) in rodents with different hormonal status. For this purpose, the endovascular perforation model was applied to four groups of Sprague-Dawley-Rats: male intact, male neutered, female intact and female neutered animals. Initial impact was measured by ICP, CPP and cerebral blood flow in the first hour after SAH. From day 4-14, the modified hole board test was applied to assess functional and neuro-cognitive outcome. Histological outcome was examined in the motor cortex and hippocampus of each hemisphere. Mortality was highest in the female intact group albeit not statistically significant. Physiologic parameters did not differ significantly between groups either. In the modified hole board test, male intact animals showed a greater impairment of declarative memory than the female intact and neutered groups. However, male intact animals showed greater avoidance behaviour and male animals revealed higher anxiety levels independent of hormonal status. No differences in histological damage of hippocampus and motor cortex between groups could be shown. We therefore speculate that the marginal deficits in cognitive performance that are shown by the male intact group in the modified hole board test are mostly caused by higher anxiety levels and cannot be interpreted as pure cognitive impairment.

Plasma Levels of Soluble AßPPß as a Biomarker for Alzheimer's Disease with Dementia.

Cost- and time-effective markers of Alzheimer's disease (AD), reliable and feasible at the population level are urgently needed. Soluble amyloid-ß protein precursor ß (sAßPPß) in plasma has attracted scientific attention as a potential AD biomarker candidate. Here we report that plasma sAßPPß levels in patients with AD dementia and typical for AD cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarker profiles (N = 33) are significantly lower (p < 0.01) than those of cognitively healthy elderly individuals without AD (N = 39), while CSF sAßPPß levels did not differ between the studied groups. This provides further evidence for the potential of sAßPPß in plasma as an AD biomarker candidate.

Oxytocin levels in saliva correlate better than plasma levels with concentrations in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients in neurocritical care.

In the converging fields of neuroendocrinology and behavioural neuroscience, the interaction between peripheral secretion and central release of oxytocin in humans has not yet been comprehensively assessed. As the human brain is not directly accessible and as the collection of human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) usually requires invasive procedures, easier accessible compartments such as blood or saliva attract increasing attention. In this study, we prospectively determined oxytocin concentrations in the three compartments plasma, CSF and saliva of fifty critically ill patients with neurological and neurosurgical diseases. All samples per patient were collected concomitantly. Oxytocin was measured by a highly sensitive and specific radioimmunoassay. Strength of correlation was assessed by the Spearman rank correlation coefficient. Correlation analyses revealed modest to strong correlations for oxytocin between the saliva and CSF compartments while predominantly weak correlations were found between the CSF and plasma as well as between the plasma and saliva compartments. In conclusion, we demonstrated modest to strong correlations between the saliva and CSF compartment suggesting that saliva oxytocin may help to assess CSF oxytocin levels. In contrast, plasma oxytocin failed to correspond well with CSF oxytocin levels as predominantly weak correlations were found between the CSF and plasma as well as between the plasma and saliva compartments which are unlikely to have a biological relevance. Further research is needed to clarify to what extent saliva oxytocin may serve as a biomarker reflecting brain oxytocin activity. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Synergistic effects of troglitazone and oleate on the translatability of preproinsulin mRNA from INS-1 cells.

Glitazones are known to modulate fatty acid-induced effects on insulin secretion in the pancreatic beta-cell. The present study focused on combined effects of troglitazone and oleate on preproinsulin (PPI) biosynthesis. Insulin-producing INS-1 cells were incubated for 4 hr at 11.2mM glucose in the presence (O(+)) or absence (O(-)) of 200 microM oleate with (T(+)) or without (T(-)) 10 microM troglitazone. After cell lysis, cytoplasmic RNA was extracted and employed for Northern blotting and corresponding in vitro translation. Compared with untreated controls (CTRL=O(-)/T(-)), the cellular content of PPI-mRNA from cells which had been simultaneously treated by troglitazone and oleate (O(+)/T(+)) was significantly diminished (O(+)/T(+)=75+/-10% x CTRL; P=0.015). The PPI-mRNA content from those cells which had been exclusively exposed either to oleate (O(+)/T(-)) or troglitazone (O(-)/T(+)) did not significantly differ from that of the untreated controls. In spite of that decreased PPI-mRNA content, in vitro translation revealed the highest yield of newly synthesized PPI in RNA samples from those cells which had been simultaneously exposed to oleate and troglitazone before (O(+)/T(+)=1.6+/-0.3 x CTRL; P=0.01). It is concluded that troglitazone and oleate synergistically affect the translational rate at the level of the PPI-mRNA molecule.