Association of Relative Dysglycemia With Hospital Mortality in Critically Ill Patients: A Retrospective Study.

OBJECTIVES: Relative dysglycemia has been proposed as a clinical entity among critically ill patients in the ICU, but is not well studied. This study aimed to clarify associations of relative hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia during the first 24 hours after ICU admission with in-hospital mortality and the respective thresholds. DESIGN: A single-center retrospective study. SETTING: An urban tertiary hospital ICU. PATIENTS: Adult critically ill patients admitted urgently between January 2016 and March 2022. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Maximum and minimum glycemic ratio (GR) was defined as maximum and minimum blood glucose values during the first 24 hours after ICU admission divided by hemoglobin A1c-derived average glucose, respectively. Of 1700 patients included, in-hospital mortality was 16.9%. Nonsurvivors had a higher maximum GR, with no significant difference in minimum GR. Maximum GR during the first 24 hours after ICU admission showed a J-shaped association with in-hospital mortality, and a mortality trough at a maximum GR of approximately 1.12; threshold for increased adjusted odds ratio for mortality was 1.25. Minimum GR during the first 24 hours after ICU admission showed a U-shaped relationship with in-hospital mortality and a mortality trough at a minimum GR of approximately 0.81 with a lower threshold for increased adjusted odds ratio for mortality at 0.69. CONCLUSIONS: Mortality significantly increased when GR during the first 24 hours after ICU admission deviated from between 0.69 and 1.25. Further evaluation will necessarily validate the superiority of personalized glycemic management over conventional management.

Central sensitivity syndrome affects the disease activity index and treatment satisfaction in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

AIM: Many rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients prioritize pain improvement in treatment. As pain can result from various causes, including noninflammatory factors such as central sensitivity syndrome (CSS), we hypothesized that CSS might impact treatment satisfaction. In this cross-sectional study, we assessed the CSS effects on clinical disease activity and treatment satisfaction in RA patients. METHODS: In total, 220 consecutive RA patients receiving long-term follow-up were evaluated for clinical disease activity and treatment satisfaction. CSS was evaluated using the Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI). An overall score of ≥40 indicates the presence of CSS. We queried "How satisfied are you with your treatment?"; answers included (a) very satisfied, (b) satisfied, (c) not satisfied, or (d) very dissatisfied. For univariate analysis, we condensed these answers into "dissatisfied" or "satisfied." We also evaluated treatment satisfaction using the visual analog scale (VAS), with scores ranging from 0 mm (very dissatisfied) to 100 mm (very satisfied). RESULTS: Of the 220 patients, 17 (7.7%) were classified as having CSS. CSI score was significantly correlated with the clinical disease activity index (CDAI; r = .322, p < .01) and treatment satisfaction (r = -.336, p < .01). Regarding treatment satisfaction, univariate analysis revealed that patient global assessment (PtGA), pain VAS, Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index (HAQ-DI), Disease Activity Score in 28 joints with C-reactive protein, CDAI, and CSI scores of patients who were satisfied with treatment differed significantly from those of dissatisfied patients. Multivariate analysis revealed that CSI, PtGA, and HAQ-DI scores were associated with treatment satisfaction. CONCLUSION: In RA patients, CSS may affect the disease activity index and reduce treatment satisfaction.

Fracture risk assessment of vascularized medial femoral condylar bone graft: A finite element analysis.

BACKGROUND: Vascularized medial femoral condyle (MFC) bone graft is useful for pseudarthrosis and osteonecrosis, but has the risk of fracture as a complication. This study aimed to create multiple three-dimensional (3D) finite element (FE) femur models to biomechanically evaluate the fracture risk in the donor site of a vascularized MFC bone graft. METHODS: Computer tomography scans of the femurs of nine patients (four males and five females) with no left femur disease were enrolled in the study. A 3D FE model of the left femur was generated based on the CT images taken from the patients. The descending genicular artery (DGA), the main nutrient vessel in vascularized MFC bone grafts, divides into the proximal transversal branch (TB) and the distal longitudinal branch (LB) before entering the periosteum. Thirty-six different bone defect models with different sizes and locations of the harvested bone were created. RESULTS: The highest stress was observed in the proximal medial and metaphyseal portions under axial and external rotation, respectively. In the bone defect model, the stress was most elevated in the extracted region's anterior or posterior superior part. Stress increased depending on proximal location and harvested bone size. CONCLUSION: Increasing the size of the bone graft proximally raises the stress at the site of bone extraction. For bone grafting to non-load-bearing areas, bone grafting distally using LB can reduce fracture risk. If TB necessitates a larger proximal bone extraction, it is advisable to avoid postoperative rotational loads.

Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation With Collagen Membrane Using a Knotless Suture Bridge Technique.

Autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) has been covered by insurance in Japan since April 2013, expanding the range of treatments for extensive knee cartilage damage. Initially, the periosteum was used for the fixation of cultured cartilage, but since February 2019, the introduction of collagen membranes has shortened surgery time and simplified the procedure. We report a case where we used the knotless suture bridge technique for a more straightforward and secure fixation with a collagen membrane. The patient was a 61-year-old male who experienced right knee pain a year earlier when stepping downstairs. Conservative treatment at a local hospital was ineffective, and he was referred to our department. At the initial examination, the right knee had an extension of -5° and a flexion of 130°. A simple X-ray of the right knee showed osteosclerosis with a translucent bone image at the medial femoral condyle. Weight-bearing full-length X-ray of the lower limb showed a femorotibial angle (FTA) of 186°, a hip-knee-ankle (HKA) angle of 12.5° varus, a percentage of mechanical axis (%MA) of 15%, and a medial proximal tibial angle (MPTA) of 78°, indicating a significant varus deformity. CT and MRI revealed a cartilage defect of 36 mm in length and 16 mm in width and a bone defect with a maximum depth of 15 mm at the medial femoral condyle. The patient underwent surgery for a traumatic cartilage defect of the medial femoral condyle. For the bone defect, autologous bone grafting was performed, and for the cartilage defect, ACI was done. The ACI involved fixation with a collagen membrane using 1.3 mm suture tape and BC PushLock anchor (Arthrex, Naples, Florida, United States) in a knotless suture bridge technique. Additionally, hybrid closed-wedge high tibial osteotomy (HCWHTO) was performed for alignment correction. At eight months post surgery, MRI proton density sagittal images confirmed the joint surface by the cartilage layer, and the Modified Outerbridge Cartilage Repair Assessment (MOCART) score was 80. At 12 months post surgery, the Japanese version of the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (J-KOOS) improved from 46.43 to 82.14 for symptoms, 58.33 to 83.33 for pain, 95.59 to 100 for activities of daily living (ADL), 45 to 75 for sports, and 68.75 to 87.50 for quality of life (QOL). X-rays showed an FTA of 173°, an HKA of 0°, and a %MA of 58%, indicating a favorable course. The knotless suture bridge technique for collagen membrane fixation during ACI is considered a convenient and time-saving method.

Change in hip laxity after anterior capsular suture in total hip arthroplasty using direct anterior approach.

It is clinically unclear whether anterior capsular suture improves hip laxity in total hip arthroplasty using direct anterior approach (DAA-THA). This study aimed to clarify the impact of anterior capsular suture for hip laxity in DAA-THA. In this study, 121 hips of 112 patients who underwent DAA-THA were prospectively enrolled. Mean age was 64.7 ± 10.1 years, and the subjects consisted of 35 hips in 32 men and 86 hips in 80 women. To evaluate hip laxity after implantation, axial head transfer distance (HTD) when the hip was pulled axially at 15 kg was compared before and after anterior capsular suture at the hip intermediate and 10° extension positions. HTD in the intermediate and 10° extension positions averaged 5.9 ± 4.6 mm and 6.3 ± 4.6 mm before the suture, and 2.6 ± 2.7 mm and 2.9 ± 3.1 mm after the suture, respectively. HTD after the suture significantly decreased in both hip positions (p < 0.0001). The amount of change by the suture was greater in cases with greater pre-suturing HTD. In DAA-THA, the anterior capsular suture significantly improved hip laxity against axial traction force, it may contribute to improvement of postoperative hip stability, especially in cases with greater laxity before the suture.

Evaluation of the Impact of ABCDEF Bundle Compliance Rates on Postintensive Care Syndrome: A Secondary Analysis Study.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to examine the association between ABCDEF bundles and long-term postintensive care syndrome (PICS)-related outcomes. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of the J-PICS study. SETTING: This study was simultaneously conducted in 14 centers and 16 ICUs in Japan between April 1, 2019, and September 30, 2019. PATIENTS: Adult ICU patients who were expected to be on a ventilator for at least 48 hours. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Bundle compliance for the last 24 hours was recorded using a checklist at 8:00 am The bundle compliance rate was defined as the 3-day average of the number of bundles performed each day divided by the total number of bundles. The relationship between the bundle compliance rate and PICS prevalence (defined by the 36-item Short Form Physical Component Scale, Mental Component Scale, and Short Memory Questionnaire) was examined. A total of 191 patients were included in this study. Of these, 33 patients (17.3%) died in-hospital and 48 (25.1%) died within 6 months. Of the 96 patients with 6-month outcome data, 61 patients (63.5%) had PICS and 35 (36.5%) were non-PICS. The total bundle compliance rate was 69.8%; the rate was significantly lower in the 6-month mortality group (66.6% vs 71.6%, p = 0.031). Bundle compliance rates in patients with and without PICS were 71.3% and 69.9%, respectively ( p = 0.61). After adjusting for confounding variables, bundle compliance rates were not significantly different in the context of PICS prevalence ( p = 0.56). A strong negative correlation between the bundle compliance rate and PICS prevalence ( r = -0.84, R 2 = 0.71, p = 0.035) was observed in high-volume centers. CONCLUSIONS: The bundle compliance rate was not associated with PICS prevalence. However, 6-month mortality was lower with a higher bundle compliance rate. A trend toward a lower PICS prevalence was associated with higher bundle compliance in high-volume centers.

Negative correlation between central sensitization and forgotten joint score-12 after total hip arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Central sensitization is a condition in which even mild stimuli cause pain due to increased neuronal reactivity in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord. It is one of factors of chronic pain in patients with osteoarthritis. However, it is unknown whether central sensitization relates to clinical outcomes after total hip arthroplasty (THA). This study aimed to clarify whether preoperative central sensitization relates to the forgotten joint score-12 (FJS) after THA. Moreover, the secondary outcome was to identify which items in the FJS were most related by central sensitization. METHODS: This retrospective analysis included 263 hips (263 patients; 51 males and 212 females) that underwent primary THA in our institute and were available for evaluation one year postoperatively. The average patient age was 64.8 ± 11.9 years. The Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI) part A, which is a patient-reported outcome, was used to measure preoperative central sensitization. The correlation between preoperative CSI and postoperative FJS and the association between postoperative FJS and preoperative CSI severity were determined. Moreover, difference in each FJS item was evaluated by CSI severity. RESULTS: Twenty-six patients (9.9%) had central sensitization preoperatively. Preoperative CSI scores and postoperative FJS were negatively correlated (r = - 0.331, p < 0.0001). The postoperative FJS was significantly lower in patients with moderate or higher preoperative CSI severity than that in patients with subclinical or mild preoperative CSI severity (p < 0.05). FJS items with movement of daily life were significantly worse in the moderate or higher CSI severity compared with subclinical group (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Central sensitization prior to THA negatively related to postoperative FJS. In particular, the relationship of central sensitization was found to be significant in FJS items with movement, which would lead to lower patient satisfaction after THA. To get better postoperative outcomes in patients with preoperative central sensitization, improving central sensitization would be important.

Comparison of simultaneous versus staged bilateral total hip arthroplasty via the direct anterior approach: A propensity score matched analysis.

PURPOSE: It remains unclear whether simultaneous bilateral total hip arthroplasty (SimBTHA) or staged bilateral total hip arthroplasty (StaBTHA) is clinically superior. No study has compared these two procedures matching surgical approach and patient background. This study aimed to clarify the differences between SimBTHA using direct anterior approach (SimBTHA-DAA) and StaBTHA using the direct anterior approach (StaBTHA-DAA). METHODS: Patients who underwent THA between 2012 and 2020 were enrolled, resulting in a total of 1658 hips of 1388 patients. After propensity score matching for patient background, 204 hips of 102 patients (51 patients in each group) were examined. Clinical and radiographic outcomes, complications, intraoperative blood loss and blood transfusions (BT) were evaluated. In complications, we evaluated periprosthetic fractures, pulmonary embolism, deep venous thrombosis, surgical site infection and dislocation. RESULTS: At the final follow-up, clinical and radiographic outcomes and complications were not significantly different between the groups. Intraoperative blood loss was equivalent for SimBTHA and the sum in the first- and second-stage StaBTHA. The total-BT rate was significantly higher for SimBTHA-DAA than for StaBTHA-DAA (p < .0001). The allogeneic BT rate was significantly higher in SimBTHA-DAA in the supine position (32.3%) than in StaBTHA-DAA (8.3%) (p = .007). However, no patient who received autologous BT required allogeneic BT. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical and radiographic outcomes were equivalent between SimBTHA-DAA and StaBTHA-DAA. The allogeneic BT rate was significantly higher in SimBTHA-DAA than in StaBTHA-DAA. Autologous BT reduced the use of allogeneic BT in SimBTHA-DAA. Auto-BT may be useful for avoiding allo-BT in SimBTHA.

Forgotten joint score is worse when the affected leg perceived longer than shorter after total hip arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: One of the causes of patient dissatisfaction after total hip arthroplasty (THA) is leg length discrepancy (LLD). Even when radiographic LLD (R-LLD) is within 5 mm, some people perceive the affected side to be longer, while others perceive it is shorter. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between perceived LLD (P-LLD), R-LLD, and Forgotten Joint Score (FJS-12) after THA. METHODS: A retrospective study of 164 patients with unilateral hip disease was conducted. Based on P-LLD after THA, they were classified into three categories: perceived short (PS 21 patients), no LLD (PN 121 patients), and perceived long (PL 22 patients). On the other hand, based on R-LLD after THA, they were divided into < - 5 mm (RS 36 patients), - 5 mm ≤ x < 5 mm (RN 99 patients), and 5 mm ≥ (RL 29 patients), respectively. The proportion of P-LLD in the RN group was also evaluated. In each group, the relationship between P-LLD, R-LLD and FJS-12 was investigated. RESULTS: After THA, the PL group had significantly worse FJS-12 (PS: 68.3 ± 26.2, PN: 75.0 ± 20.9, PL: 47.3 ± 25.2, P < .0001). In the R-LLD evaluation, there was no difference in FJS-12 among the three groups (RS: 73.7 ± 21.1, RN: 70.0 ± 24.5, RL: 67.7 ± 25.4, P < .53). The RN group perceived leg length to be longer (RN-PL) in 12.1% of cases, and the RN-PL groups had significantly worse FJS-12 (RN-PS: 65.4 ± 24.8, RN-PN: 73.8 ± 23.1, RN-PL: 41.8 ± 27.6, P < .0001). CONCLUSION: One year after THA, patients with longer P-LLD had worse FJS-12, even if the R-LLD was less than 5 mm.

Evaluation of the reproducibility of preoperative three-dimensional computed tomography planning for posterolateral approach total hip arthroplasty.

The anteversion of the stem is occasionally intentionally changed by the surgeon for patients with smaller femoral neck anteversion during total hip arthroplasty (THA). However, the reproducibility of preoperative planning with increasing anteversion has been rarely assessed. The present study investigated it using two types of stems. This retrospective study included patients who underwent primary posterolateral THA using taper-wedge (TS group; 73 hips) and anatomical (AS group; 70 hips) stems. Characteristics of sex and age were matched in the two groups by propensity score matching. In both groups, the relationship between the preoperative three-dimensional planning and postoperative stem position, and the relationship between postoperative stem position and femoral neck anteversion (FNA) were evaluated. In the TS group, there were no significant differences in average stem anteversion (SA) between preoperative planning and postoperative placement (36.1° ± 7.0° and 36.6° ± 11.1°, respectively: p = 0.651). The absolute error of SA was 8.1° ± 6.4°. In the AS group, the postoperative SA was significantly smaller than the preoperative planning SA (22.7° ± 11.6° and 30.0° ± 9.3°, respectively: p < 0.001). The absolute error of SA was 9.0° ± 5.8°. The postoperative SA was significantly larger than the FNA in the TS group (36.6° ± 11.1° and 26.3° ± 10.9°, respectively: p < 0.001). However, no significant differences between the two were observed in the AS group (23.7° ± 10.1° and 22.7° ± 11.6°, respectively: p = 0.253). The preoperative planning of intentional increasing anteversion did not show high reproducibility with taper-wedge and anatomical stems. The anatomical stem was placed according to the femoral medullary canal regardless of preoperative planning with increased SA.

Potential Interaction Between Sepsis and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome and Effect on the 6-Month Clinical Outcomes: A Preliminary Secondary Analysis of a Prospective Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the effect of the potential interaction between sepsis and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) on the 6-month clinical outcomes. METHODS: This secondary analysis of a prospective multicenter observational study included patients who were expected to receive mechanical ventilation for more than 48 h. Patients were stratified based on the incidence of sepsis and further subdivided according to the presence of ARDS. The primary endpoints for patients whose follow-up information was available included mortality (n = 162) and the occurrence of PICS (n = 96) at six months. The diagnosis of PICS was based on any of the following criteria: (1) decrease ≥ 10 points in the physical component score of the 36-item Short Form (SF36) questionnaire; (2) decrease ≥ 10 points in the mental component score of the SF-36; or (3) decline in the Short Memory Questionnaire (SMQ) score and SMQ score < 40 at six months after ICU admission. We conducted multivariate logistic regression analyses to assess the effect of the potential interaction between ARDS and sepsis on the 6-month clinical outcomes. RESULTS: The mortality in the ARDS sub-group was higher than that in the non-ARDS subgroup [47% (7/15) versus 21% (18/85)] in the non-sepsis group. However, the mortality in the ARDS and non-ARDS subgroups was similar in the sepsis group. Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that ARDS was significantly associated with mortality in the non-sepsis group (adjusted OR: 5.25; 95% CI: 1.45-19.09; p = .012), but not in the sepsis group (P for interaction = .087). Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed ARDS was not associated with PICS occurrence in the non-sepsis and sepsis groups (P-value for the interaction = .039). CONCLUSIONS: This hypothesis-generating study suggested that the effect of ARDS on the 6-month outcomes depended on the presence or absence of sepsis. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Not applicable.

Comparing postoperative outcomes of two fully hydroxyapatite-coated collarless stems in total hip arthroplasty through propensity score matching analysis with 2 years follow-up.

A fully hydroxyapatite (HA)-coated stem such as Corail stem, that compacts the cancellous bone around the stem in total hip arthroplasty (THA), is reported to have good long-term results for more than 20 years. Although various fully HA-coated stems have being used recently, it is unclear whether there are differences in the postoperative outcomes. In this study, 224 patients (234 hips) with THA using either the Corail collarless stem or the Hydra stem were enrolled. And then we performed a retrospective comparison of the data at 2 years postoperatively using propensity score matching analysis. The postoperative modified Harris hip scores in 84 hips each group were 93.6 ± 8.2 points in the Corail group and 92.8 ± 10.1 points in the Hydra group, and there was no significant difference between the two groups. However, there was significantly less stem subsidence and rate of 3rd degree or greater stress shielding in the Corail group. Although these two stems were similar collarless fully HA-coated stems and clinical outcomes were favorable results in both groups at 2 years postoperatively, radiographic evaluations showed statistically significant differences between the two groups.

Association between time in range of relative normoglycemia and in-hospital mortality in critically ill patients: a single-center retrospective study.

The aim of this single-center retrospective study was to investigate the association between the time in range (TIR) of relative normoglycemia (RN) and in-hospital mortality. We defined RN as measured blood glucose in the range of 70-140% of A1C-derived average glucose and absolute normoglycemia (AN) as 70-140 mg/dL. We conducted multivariate logistic regression analyses to examine the association between TIR of RN > 80% or TIR of AN > 80% up to 72 h after ICU admission and in-hospital mortality (Model 1 and Model 2, respectively). The discrimination of the models was assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC). Among 328 patients, 35 died in hospital (11%). Model 1 showed that TIR of RN > 80% was associated with reduced in-hospital mortality (adjusted OR 0.16; 95% CI 0.06-0.43; P < 0. 001); however, Model 2 showed that the TIR of AN > 80% was not. The AUROC of Model 1 was significantly higher than that of Model 2 (0.84 [95% CI 0.77-0.90] vs. 0.79 [0.70-0.87], P = 0.008).Our findings provide a foundation for further studies exploring individualized glycemic management in ICUs.

Repair of patellar tendon rupture after total knee arthroplasty using knotless suture bridge technique: a case report.

Few studies have reported on the use of knotless suture anchors to treat patellar tendon rupture from tibial tuberosity after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). We report a case of patellar tendon rupture in an 82-year-old female. She fell 8 weeks after bilateral TKA and presented with a patellar tendon rupture. A knotless suture anchor and a fully threaded Twist-In knotless anchor with flat-braided suture were used to repairing the patellar tendon. Complications related to the extension mechanism after TKA can lead to disastrous consequences. This surgical procedure is a safe and good treatment option to repair patellar tendon rupture after TKA.

Improving patient outcomes by promoting antimicrobial stewardship for patients with positive blood cultures: Investigation of patients with gram negative bacterium.

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: In this study, changes in patient outcomes were analysed to evaluate the effects of prospective audit and feedback (PAF), which was promoted under a new system of antimicrobial stewardship (AS), in patients with gram-negative rod (GNR)-positive blood cultures. METHODS: This study included patients with positive blood cultures treated at Kagawa University Hospital between 2019 and 2020. The effects of PAF, as promoted in 2020 and performed within a few days of treatment initiation, were examined in terms of patient prognosis and estimated cost of extra hospital stay associated with GNR infection. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: As AS activities under the new system, proposals were made for targeted therapy based on susceptibility results and for the duration of antimicrobial therapy, escalation and dose increases, and imaging evaluation. Between 2019 and 2020, there was no difference in the rate of de-escalation in the form of switching to a narrower-spectrum intravenous antimicrobial, the rate of image inspection, but the rate of switching to oral therapy after receiving culture results increased from 19.7% to 31.3%, the rate of sensitivity-based treatment increased from 76.4% to 92.2%. Regarding patient outcomes, the 90-day mortality rate and the duration of hospital stay were similar between the groups. The rate of recurrent bloodstream infections decreased from 8.7% to 0.9%. WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION: Most of the changes in the indicators related to patient outcomes analysed in this study suggest that the increased use of PAF in AS activities improved patient outcomes.

Association of onset time of new-onset atrial fibrillation with in-hospital mortality among critically ill patients: A secondary analysis of a prospective multicenter observational study.

BACKGROUND: New-onset atrial fibrillation (AF) in critically ill patients is associated with adverse outcomes. In non-critical settings, the circadian variation in paroxysmal AF is of significant interest; however, circadian variation in critically ill patients with new-onset AF has not been thoroughly studied. This study aimed to examine the association between AF onset time and in-hospital mortality. METHODS: This was a secondary analysis of a prospective multicenter observational study enrolling adult critically ill patients. According to AF onset time, patients were divided into nighttime (0:00-7:59), daytime (8:00-15:59), and evening (16:00-23:59). We conducted a multiple logistic regression analysis to assess the potential association between AF onset time and in-hospital mortality. We also assessed the distribution of AF onset, crude in-hospital mortality, and adjusted in-hospital mortality according to bihourly intervals. RESULTS: Of 423 patients, in-hospital mortality was 26%. During nighttime, 135 patients (32%) developed new-onset AF. AF emerged during daytime for 141 (33%) and during evening for 147 (35%). Daytime AF was significantly associated with an increased risk of in-hospital mortality (adjusted OR: 1.92; 95% CI: 1.07-3.44; p = 0.030). Bihourly interval analysis showed that adjusted in-hospital mortality was unevenly distributed and bimodal with troughs between 6:00 and 7:59 and between 18:00 and 19:59. A similar trend was seen in the distribution of the number of new-onset AF. CONCLUSIONS: We found that the bihourly adjusted in-hospital mortality was distributed in a bimodal fashion. Further research is needed to determine the causes of the diurnal variation and its impact on patient outcomes.

Neurological outcomes associated with prehospital advanced airway management in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest due to foreign body airway obstruction.

OBJECTIVES: Several studies have examined the association between advanced airway management (AAM) and survival for arrest that is non-shockable, noncardiac in origin, or due to suffocation; however, the efficacy of prehospital AAM compared with no AAM following foreign body removal by emergency medical services (EMS) has not been examined. We aimed to compare neurological outcomes in patients after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) due to foreign body airway obstruction (FBAO) managed with and without AAM after foreign body removal. METHODS: This retrospective observational cohort study used all emergency transportation data of Japan and the All-Japan Utstein Registry. We included patients with OHCA aged ≥18 years undergoing resuscitation and removal of airway foreign bodies by EMS from January 2015 to December 2017. The exposure of interest was prehospital AAM by EMS after foreign body removal, and the primary outcome was a favorable neurological outcome at hospital discharge (i.e., a cerebral performance category of 1-2). RESULTS: Overall, 329,098 adults had OHCAs and 23,060 had foreign bodies removed from their airways; 3681 adult patients met our eligibility criteria and were divided as: AAM (2045) and non-AAM (1636) groups. Propensity score matching resulted in 1210 matched pairs with balanced baseline characteristics between the groups. The rate of favorable neurological outcome was significantly lower in the AAM group than in the non-AAM group (OR 0.34, 95% CI 0.19-0.62). However, survival was not significantly different between the two groups (OR 1.08, 95% CI 0.84-1.37). CONCLUSIONS: We have not demonstrated the benefit of AAM for patients with OHCA due to FBAO. Further study will be required to confirm the efficacy of AAM for those patients.

Three-dimensional analysis of the characteristics of joint motion and gait pattern in a rodent model following spinal nerve ligation.

BACKGROUND: The spinal nerve ligation (SNL) rat is well known as the most common rodent model of neuropathic pain without motor deficit. Researchers have performed analyses using only the von Frey and thermal withdrawal tests to evaluate pain intensity in the rat experimental model. However, these test are completely different from the neurological examinations performed clinically. We think that several behavioral reactions must be observed following SNL because the patients with neuropathic pain usually have impaired coordination of the motions of the right-left limbs and right-left joint motion differences. In this study, we attempted to clarify the pain behavioral reactions in SNL rat model as in patients. We used the Kinema-Tracer system for 3D kinematics gait analysis to identify new characteristic parameters of each joint movement and gait pattern. RESULTS: The effect of SNL on mechanical allodynia was a 47 ± 6.1% decrease in the withdrawal threshold during 1-8 weeks post-operation. Sagittal trajectories of the hip, knee and ankle markers in SNL rats showed a large sagittal fluctuation of each joint while walking. Top minus bottom height of the left hip and knee that represents instability during walking was significantly larger in the SNL than sham rats. Both-foot contact time, which is one of the gait characteristics, was significantly longer in the SNL versus sham rats: 1.9 ± 0.15 s vs. 1.03 ± 0.15 s at 4 weeks post-operation (p = 0.003). We also examined the circular phase time to evaluate coordination of the right and left hind-limbs. The ratio of the right/left circular time was 1.0 ± 0.08 in the sham rats and 0.62 ± 0.15 in the SNL rats at 4 weeks post-operation. CONCLUSIONS: We revealed new quantitative parameters in an SNL rat model that are directly relevant to the neurological symptoms in patients with neuropathic pain, in whom the von Frey and thermal withdrawal tests are not used at all clinically. This new 3D analysis system can contribute to the analysis of pain intensity of SNL rats in detail similar to human patients' reactions following neuropathic pain.

Malocclusion of Molar Teeth Is Associated with Activities of Daily Living Loss and Delirium in Elderly Critically Ill Older Patients.

A single-center retrospective cohort study examined the association between molar malocclusion status at ICU admission and loss of activities of daily living (ADL) at hospital discharge among acutely ill patients. Patients were assigned to the bilateral occlusion group or malocclusion group (N = 227 and 93, respectively). The following data were collected from electronic medical records: age, sex, Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) on admission, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) Ⅱ score, confirmed diagnosis (neurological disorders or others), CFS at hospital discharge, and occlusion condition. Patients who were frail at admission (CFS > 5) were excluded from analysis, and ADL loss was defined as CFS > 5 at hospital discharge. Multivariate analysis showed malocclusion was independently associated with ADL loss [OR, 2.03; 95% CI, 1.13-3.64; p = 0.02]. For those aged 65 and older, malocclusion was significantly associated with both ADL loss [OR, 3.25; 95% CI, 1.44-7.32; p < 0.01] and the incidence of delirium [OR, 2.61; 95% CI, 1.14-5.95; p = 0.02]. Malocclusion on ICU admission was associated with ADL loss in critically ill patients, and was associated with ADL loss and the incidence of delirium in the elderly. Poor oral health was a poor prognostic factor among critically ill patients.