Methemoglobinemia screening and treatment in tank warfare survivors.

INTRODUCTION: Methemoglobinemia, characterized by the conversion of functional hemoglobin to methemoglobin, can significantly impede tissue oxygenation. Prompt diagnosis and treatment of methemoglobinemia are critical to optimizing clinical outcomes. Although the underlying etiology of methemoglobinemia is often attributed to a medication reaction or chemical exposure, its association with battlefield trauma remains underexplored. This case series explores the presence of methemoglobinemia in nine soldiers evacuated from tanks targeted by explosives, shedding new light on screening needs and treatment strategies. CASES DESCRIPTION: Nine combat trauma patients with methemoglobinemia were admitted to Soroka Medical Center over a two-month period. Detailed case descriptions illustrate the diverse presentations and treatment responses. Notably, the administration of methylene blue resulted in rapid methemoglobin reductions and an improvement in oxygenation without any observed side effects. DISCUSSION: This series highlights an unexpected consequence of an explosion within an armored fighting vehicle and the challenges related to standard pulse oximetry interpretation and accuracy in the presence of methemoglobinemia, emphasizing the need for vigilant monitoring and co-oximetry utilization. Additionally, the coexistence of carboxyhemoglobin further warrants attention due to its synergistic and deleterious effects on oxygen delivery. Collaborative efforts with military authorities should aim to explore the underlying mechanisms associated with trauma and methemoglobinemia and optimize battlefield care. CONCLUSION: This case series underscores the significance of methemoglobinemia screening in combat trauma patients, and advocates for systematic co-oximetry utilization and methylene blue availability in combat zones. Early detection and intervention of methemoglobinemia in combat soldiers are often difficult in the context of battlefield injuries but are necessary to mitigate the potentially fatal consequences of this condition.

Prophylactic Administration of Tranexamic Acid Reduces Blood Products' Transfusion and Intensive Care Admission in Women Undergoing High-Risk Cesarean Sections.

Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) remains a major cause of maternal mortality. Tranexamic acid (TxA) has shown effectiveness in reducing PPH-related maternal bleeding events and deaths. We conducted a cohort study including parturient women at high risk of bleeding after undergoing a cesarean section (CS). Participants were divided into two groups: the treatment group received prophylactic 1-g TxA before surgery (n = 500), while the comparison group underwent CS without TxA treatment (n = 500). The primary outcome measured increased maternal blood loss following CS, defined as more than a 10% drop in hemoglobin concentration within 24 h post-CS and/or a drop of ≥2 g/dL in maternal hemoglobin concentration. Secondary outcomes included PPH indicators, ICU admission, hospital stay, TxA complications, and neonatal data. TxA administration significantly reduced hemoglobin decrease by more than 10%: there was a 35.4% decrease in the TxA group vs. a 59.4% decrease in the non-TxA group, p < 0.0001 and hemoglobin decreased by ≥2 g/dL (11.4% in the TxA group vs. 25.2% in non-TxA group, p < 0.0001), reduced packed red blood cell transfusion (p = 0.0174), and resulted in lower ICU admission rates (p = 0.034) and shorter hospitalization (p < 0.0001). Complication rates and neonatal outcomes did not differ significantly. In conclusion, prophylactic TxA administration during high-risk CS may effectively reduce blood loss, providing a potential intervention to improve maternal outcomes.

Erector Spinae Plane (ESP) Block for Postoperative Pain Management after Open Oncologic Abdominal Surgery.

Patients undergoing abdominal oncologic surgical procedures require particular surgical and anesthesiologic considerations. Traditional pain management, such as opiate treatment, continuous epidural analgesia, and non-opioid drugs, may have serious side effects in this patient population. We evaluated erector spinae plane (ESP) blocks for postoperative pain management following elective oncologic abdominal surgeries. In this single-center, prospective, and randomized study, we recruited 100 patients who underwent elective oncological abdominal surgery between December 2020 and January 2022 at Soroka University Medical Center in Beer Sheva, Israel. We compared postoperative pain levels in patients who were treated with a preincisional ESP block in addition to traditional pain management with intravenous opioids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and acetaminophen, compared to patients who were only given traditional pain management (control). Patients who were treated with a preincisional ESP block demonstrated significantly lower Visual Analog Scale scores at 60 minutes and 4, 8, and 12 hours following the surgery, compared to the control group (p < 0.001). Accordingly, patients in the ESP group required less morphine from 60 minutes to 12 hours after surgery, but they required increased non-opioid postoperative analgesia management at 4, 8, and 12 hours after surgery (p from 0.002 to <0.001) compared to the control group. In this study, we found ESP blocks to be a safe, technically simple, and effective treatment for postoperative pain management after elective oncologic abdominal procedures.

On Regularized Systems of Equations for Gas Mixture Dynamics with New Regularizing Velocities and Diffusion Fluxes.

We deal with multidimensional regularized systems of equations for the one-velocity and one-temperature inert gas mixture dynamics consisting of the balance equations for the mass of components and the momentum and total energy of the mixture, with diffusion fluxes between the components as well as the viscosity and heat conductivity terms. The regularizations are kinetically motivated and aimed at constructing conditionally stable symmetric in space discretizations without limiters. We consider a new combined form of regularizing velocities containing the total pressure of the mixture. To confirm the physical correctness of the regularized systems, we derive the balance equation for the mixture entropy with the non-negative entropy production, under generalized assumptions on the diffusion fluxes. To confirm nice regularizing properties, we derive the systems of equations linearized at constant solutions and provide the existence, uniqueness and L2-dissipativity of weak solutions to an initial-boundary problem for them. For the original systems, we also discuss the related Petrovskii parabolicity property and its important corollaries. In addition, in the one-dimensional case, we also present the special three-point and symmetric finite-difference discretization in space of the regularized systems and prove that it inherits the entropy correctness property. We also give results of numerical experiments confirming that the discretization is able to simulate well various dynamic problems of contact between two different gases.

The effect of timing of intravenous paracetamol on perioperative pain and cytokine levels following laparoscopic bariatric surgery, a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: Bariatric surgeries involve manipulation of the viscera and are associated with significant postoperative pain. Paracetamol is a nonopioid analgesic with a rapid onset, and it is effective and safe. The study compared the effects of pre- and postincisional intravenous paracetamol administration for optimal postoperative pain management in patients undergoing bariatric surgeries. METHODS: This is a prospective, double-blinded, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial of adult patients, admitted electively for laparoscopic bariatric surgery. The patients were randomly divided into two groups. One group of patients was given paracetamol at the beginning of the operation, prior to the surgical incision, the other group of patients received the same treatment at the end of the operation. RESULTS: Patients who were given preincisional intravenous paracetamol presented significantly lower visual analog scale (VAS) scores following the surgery compared with patients who were given intravenous paracetamol in the last 30 minutes of the operation (VAS, median [IQR] = 2 [2-3] vs. 5 [3-6]; p < 0.001). They also required fewer postoperative opioids and tramadol (in milligrams, respectively, 1 [0-5] vs. 7.5 [5-10] and 300 [100-400] vs. 400 [200-500]) compared with later analgesia administration (p < 0.001 and p = 0.03). The levels of inflammatory markers measured at fixed intervals from paracetamol administration were not statistically different between the study groups. CONCLUSION: Early analgesia with intravenous paracetamol, given before the surgical incision, may result in lower VAS scores postoperatively compared with the same treatment administered toward the end of the operation.

The effect of prophylactic use of tranexamic acid for cesarean section.

AIM: Treatment with tranexamic acid (TxA) significantly reduces maternal death due to postpartum hemorrhage. There is increasing interest in whether it can also be used as prophylaxis for postpartum hemorrhage, especially during cesarean sections (CS). This impact study is aimed to determine the effect of routine prophylactic tranexamic acid during CS on maternal hemorrhage and the rate of the associated side effects. METHODS: This retrospective population-based cohort single-center impact study include 2000 women who delivered by CS divided into two groups with (n = 1000) and without (n = 1000) prophylactic administration of 1gram TxA prior to surgery. Primary outcomes were to determine the: (1) rate of women experiencing >10% or ≥2 g/dL hemoglobin drop from the preoperative concentration within 24 h after CS. (2) incidence of women having a hemoglobin drop of ≥2 g/dL. RESULTS: Women who did not receive TxA prophylactic had a higher rate of >10% hemoglobin decrease and a higher rate of ≥2 g/dL hemoglobin decrease Than those who received TxA prophylaxis (p < .0001, for both). Mean hospital stay (p = .002) and umbilical cord pH (p < .05) were higher among those who received TxA prophylaxis than in those who were not treated. CONCLUSIONS: The finding of our study suggest that prophylactic administration of TxA prior to CS improves maternal and neonatal outcomes.

Serratus Anterior Block for Long-Term Post-Thoracoscopy Pain Management.

PURPOSE: Neuropathic, chronic pain is a common and severe complication following thoracic surgery, known as post-thoracotomy pain syndrome (PTPS). Here we evaluated the efficacy of an ultrasound-guided serratus anterior plane block (SAPB) on pain control compared to traditional pain management with intravenous opioids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) six months after thoracic surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this retrospective observational study, we analyzed data from a questionnaire survey. We interviewed all patients who underwent elective video-assisted thoracoscopy surgery (VATS) at Soroka University Medical Center between December 2016 and January 2018. The responses of ninety-one patients were included. RESULTS: Participants reported PTPS in both groups, 43% of patients in the SAPB group and 57% of patients in the standard group, which failed to reach significance. However, we demonstrated that the percentage of pain occurrence trended lower in the SAPB group. There was significantly less burning/stitching or shooting, shocking, pressure-like, and aching pain in SAPB patients compared to the standard protocol group. Patients in the SAPB group had significantly less pain located in the upper and lower posterior thorax anatomical regions compared to the standard protocol group. Moreover, we found a significant difference in occurrence of PTPS depending on the type of thoracic surgery. From both study groups, 69% of patients who underwent lobectomy reported pain, compared with 41.9% of those in the segmental (wedge resection) procedure, and 42.1% of patients in other procedures. CONCLUSION: While the present study did not demonstrate a statistically significant reduction of PTPS after SAPB concerning postoperative pain control, there was a trend of a decrease. We also found significance in the type of pain and location of pain after thoracic surgery between the two groups, as well as a significant difference between pain occurrence in types of thoracic surgeries from both groups.

Clinical outcomes of critically ill multiple trauma patients with rib fractures. A prospective study with retrospective control.

INTRODUCTION: Rib fracture fixation is becoming more popular and widely accepted among trauma surgeons worldwide as the recommended treatment method for flail chest injury. Recent data demonstrate improved results when compared with non-operative treatment. Improved outcomes were reported regarding ICU stay, need for tracheostomy, length of hospital stay, ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), and even death. The objective of this study was to ascertain whether clinical respiratory para-meters are improved after rib fracture fixation procedure. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This is a prospective study using a retrospective cohort for control, which took place at the Soroka University Medical Centre, Israel. Inclusion criteria included all patients over 18 years of age with flail chest injury or multiple ribs fractures, who were admitted to the General Intensive Care Unit (GICU). Between October 2015 and December 2018, we identified 24 patients who had their rib fractures operatively fixed and compared them to 61 patients with flail chest and multiple rib fractures, who were admitted to our GICU between the years 2010 and 2015 and were treated non-opera-tively. In all the surgical cases operations were performed within 72 hours of arrival in accordance with our treatment algorithm. All fractures were fixed using specialised anatomic locking plates/nails. Demographic data were collected, and respiratory parameters before and after the surgery were recorded and analysed. RESULTS: We compared patients who had had their rib fractures fixed with a cohort group of patients who had been treated non-operatively in the past. No demographic differences were found between the 2 groups, nor were there any differences in their clinical trauma scoring, mechanical ventilation days, length of ICU stay, VAP, and death rates. The respiratory parameters (paO2/FiO2 ratio and chest wall compliance) were significantly higher during the 3 ensuing days after surgery and continued to improve in Group 1 (rib fixation group), in comparison to group 2 (non-operative) patients (P = 0.007 and P < 0.0001, respectively). The peak inspiratory pressure and PEEP para-meters were significantly lower in group 1 in comparison to group 2 during the 3 days, in favour of the operated group, with significant improvement noted over the 3 days post-surgery (P = 0.007 and P = 0.02, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that surgical treatment of flail chest and multiple rib fractures has clinical benefit and improves respiratory parameters even in the presence of multiple trauma injuries.

Inhibition of cyclooxygenase-1 does not reduce mortality in post-ischemic stroke rats.

BACKGROUND: Ischemic stroke is one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity. The currently available non-invasive therapeutic options are not sufficiently efficacious. Post-ischemic brain is characterized by a prominent inflammatory response. Little is known about the involvement of cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 in the pathophysiology of ischemic stroke. OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to examine the effects of a highly selective COX-1 inhibitor - mofezolac - on clinical outcomes and brain inflammatory markers in post-stroke rats. METHODS: Stroke was induced by subjecting rats to permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Control rats underwent a sham surgery. Rats were treated with mofezolac (50 mg/kg, intraperitoneally [ip]) once daily for 14 days. Control animals were treated with vehicle. Body temperature (BT), neurological score (NS) and cumulative mortality were monitored at different time points. At the end of the experiment, rats were euthanized and three brain regions (hypothalamus, hippocampus and frontal cortex) were extracted. Levels of interleukin (IL)-6, prostaglandin (PG)E2 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in these brain regions were determined by ELISA kits. RESULTS: BT, NS and cumulative mortality were all significantly higher in post-MCAO rats than in sham-operated rats, irrespective of the treatment given. BT, NS and mortality rate did not differ significantly between mofezolac-treated and vehicle-treated sham-operated animals. BT was significantly lower in mofezolac-treated as compared to vehicle-treated post-MCAO rats. Mofezolac did not significantly alter NS in post-MCAO rats at any time-point. Cumulative 14-day mortality was non-significantly higher in mofezolac-treated as compared to vehicle-treated post-MCAO rats (48 % vs. 21 %, respectively; P = 0.184). Mostly, IL-6 and TNF-α levels did not differ between post-MCAO and sham-operated rats and were not affected by mofezolac treatment. In contrast, mofezolac significantly decreased PGE2 levels in post-MCAO rats' brains. CONCLUSION: Overall, these results suggest that chronic treatment with the selective COX-1 inhibitor mofezolac did not reduce morbidity or mortality in post-stroke rats.

Minute-to-minute urine flow rate variability: a retrospective survey of its ability to provide early warning of acute hypotension in critically ill multiple trauma patients.

PURPOSE: Dynamic changes in urine output and neurological status are the recognized clinical signs of hemodynamically significant hemorrhage. In the present study, we analyzed the dynamic minute-to-minute changes in the UFR and also the changes in its minute-to-minute variability in a group of critically ill multiple trauma patients whose blood pressures were normal on admission to the ICU but who subsequently developed hypotension within the first few hours of their ICU admission. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study was retrospective and observational. Demographic and clinical data were extracted from the computerized register information systems initially; the clinical and laboratory data of 100 critically ill patients with multiple trauma who were admitted to the ICU during the study period were analyzed. Of this group, ten patients were eventually included in the study on the basis of the inclusion criteria. RESULTS: The minute-to-minute urine flow rate (UFR) and urine flow rate variability (UFRV) both decreased significantly during the periods of hypotension (p values 0.001 and 0.006, respectively). Notably, the decrease in UFRV preceded by at least 30 min a corresponding decline in the systolic and mean arterial blood pressures, which manifested as a flattening of UFRV amplitude which was observed prior to the occurrence of the lowest recorded systolic and mean arterial blood pressures. Statistical analysis by the Pearson method demonstrated a strong direct correlation between the decrease in UFRV and the decrease in the MAP (R = 0.9, p = 0.001), and SBP (R = 0.86, p = 0.001) and the decreasing urine output per hour (R = 0.88, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: We found that changes in UFRV correlate strongly with systolic and mean arterial blood pressures. We feel that this parameter could potentially serve as an early signal of hemodynamic deterioration due to occult bleeding in critically ill trauma patients, and might also be able to identify the optimal end-point of hemodynamic resuscitative measures in these patients.

Ultrasound-guided serratus anterior plane block for analgesia after thoracic surgery.

BACKGROUND: Patients who undergo surgical procedures that impair the integrity of the chest wall frequently experience extremely severe postoperative pain. Opiates and weaker analgesics, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), are not sufficiently effective in achieving control of severe pain and might cause respiratory and gastrointestinal complications. In the past decade, there has been an increased interest in the use of regional nerve blocks for post-thoracoscopy and post-thoracotomy analgesia. METHODS: This is a prospective, randomized, double-blind and single-center study. We recruited 104 patients who underwent elective thoracoscopy. Prior to surgery, the participating patients were randomized into one of two study groups: Group 1- the "standard control group" that received standard postoperative pain control with intravenous opioids, NSAIDs and acetaminophen (paracetamol) and Group 2- the "block group" that was treated by ultrasound-guided serratus anterior plane (SAP) block (a single injection of 0.25% bupivacaine hydrochloride 2 mg/kg plus dexamethasone 8 mg) with standard postoperative pain control regimen. We compared the clinical, laboratory, and postoperative pain assessment data of both groups. RESULTS: Patients in the SAP block Group 2 reported significantly lower levels of pain after thoracic surgery as assessed by their visual analog scale scores, as compared to the patients in the standard pain control Group 1 (P<0.001). The total dosage of morphine and tramadol required for pain relief during the first hours after surgery was significantly lower in the patients who received SAP block. Also, the incidence of vomiting after surgery was significantly lower among the patients who received SAP block than among the patients who received standard pain control. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study suggest that SAP block is an effective adjuvant treatment option for post-thoracic surgery analgesia. Compared to the current methods used for post-thoracic surgery pain relief, SAP block has some significant merits, particularly its ease of use and its low potential for side effects.

Treatment of combined traumatic brain injury and hemorrhagic shock with fractionated blood products versus fresh whole blood in a rat model.

INTRODUCTION: Treatment of combined traumatic brain injury and hemorrhagic shock, poses a particular challenge due to the possible conflicting consequences. While restoring diminished volume is the treatment goal for hypovolemia, maintaining adequate cerebral perfusion pressure and avoidance of secondary damage remains a treatment goal for the injured brain. Various treatment modalities have been proposed, but the optimal resuscitation fluid and goals have not yet been clearly defined. A growing body of evidence suggests that in hypovolemic shock, resuscitation with fresh whole blood (FWB) may be superior to component therapy without platelets (which are likely to be unavailable in the pre-hospital setting). Nevertheless, the effects of this approach have not been studied in the combined injury. Previously, in a rat model of combined injury we have found that mild resuscitation to MABP of 80 mmHg with FWB is superior to fluid resuscitation or aggressive resuscitation with FWB. In this study, we investigate the physiological and neurological outcomes in a rat model of combined traumatic brain injury (TBI) and hypovolemic shock, submitted to treatment with varying amounts of FWB, compared to similar resuscitation goals with fractionated blood products-red blood cells (RBCs) and plasma in a 1:1 ratio regimen. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 40 male Lewis rats were divided into control and treatment groups. TBI was inflicted by a free-falling rod on the exposed cranium. Hypovolemia was induced by controlled hemorrhage of 30% blood volume. Treatment groups were treated either with fresh whole blood or with RBC + plasma in a 1:1 ratio, achieving a resuscitation goal of a mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) of 80 mmHg at 15 min. MAP was assessed at 60 min, and neurological outcomes and mortality in the subsequent 24 h. RESULTS: At 60 min, hemodynamic parameters were improved compared to controls, but not significantly different between treatment groups. Survival rates at 48 h were 100% for both of the mildly resuscitated groups (MABP 80 mmHg) with FWB and RBC + plasma. The best neurological outcomes were found in the group mildly resuscitated with FWB and were better when compared to resuscitation with RBC + plasma to the same MABP goal (FWB: Neurological Severity Score (NSS) 6 ± 2, RBC + plasma: NSS 10 ± 2, p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we find that mild resuscitation with goals of restoring MAP to 80 mmHg (which is lower than baseline) with FWB, provided better hemodynamic stability and survival. However, the best neurological outcomes were found in the group resuscitated with FWB. Thus, we suggest that resuscitation with FWB is a feasible modality in the combined TBI + hypovolemic shock scenario, and may result in improved outcomes compared to platelet-free component blood products.

Pharmacologic Neuroprotection for Functional Outcomes After Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review of the Clinical Literature.

INTRODUCTION: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of death and disability worldwide. The deleterious effects of secondary brain injury may be attenuated by early pharmacological therapy in the emergency room and intensive care unit (ICU). Current medical management of acute TBI is primarily supportive, aimed at reducing intracranial pressure (ICP) and optimizing cerebral perfusion. There are no pharmacological therapies to date that have been unequivocally demonstrated to improve neurological outcomes after TBI. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the recent clinical studies from January 2013 through November 2015 that investigated neuroprotective functional outcomes of pharmacological agents after TBI. METHODS: The following databases were searched for relevant studies: MEDLINE (OvidSP January Week 1, 2013-November Week 2 2015), Embase (OvidSP 2013 January 1-2015 November 24), and the unindexed material in PubMed (National Library of Medicine/National Institutes of Health [NLM/NIH]). This systematic review included only full-length clinical studies and case series that included at least five patients and were published in the English language. Only studies that examined functional clinical outcomes were included. RESULTS: Twenty-five of 527 studies met our inclusion criteria, which investigated 15 independent pharmacological therapies. Eight of these therapies demonstrated possible neuroprotective properties and improved functional outcomes, of which five were investigated with randomized clinical trials: statins, N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), Enzogenol, Cerebrolysin, and nitric oxide synthase inhibitor (VAS203). Three pharmacological agents did not demonstrate neuroprotective effects, and four agents had mixed results. CONCLUSIONS: While there is currently no single pharmacological therapy that will unequivocally improve clinical outcomes after TBI, several agents have demonstrated promising clinical benefits for specific TBI patients and should be investigated further.

Neuroprotection by Estrogen and Progesterone in Traumatic Brain Injury and Spinal Cord Injury.

In recent years there has been a growing body of clinical and laboratory evidence demonstrating the neuroprotective effects of estrogen and progesterone after traumatic brain injury (TBI) and spinal cord injury (SCI). In humans, women have been shown to have a lower incidence of morbidity and mortality after TBI compared with age-matched men. Similarly, numerous laboratory studies have demonstrated that estrogen and progesterone administration is associated with a mortality reduction, improvement in neurological outcomes, and a reduction in neuronal apoptosis after TBI and SCI. Here, we review the evidence that supports hormone-related neuroprotection and discuss possible underlying mechanisms. Estrogen and progesterone-mediated neuroprotection are thought to be related to their effects on hormone receptors, signaling systems, direct antioxidant effects, effects on astrocytes and microglia, modulation of the inflammatory response, effects on cerebral blood flow and metabolism, and effects on mediating glutamate excitotoxicity. Future laboratory research is needed to better determine the mechanisms underlying the hormones' neuroprotective effects, which will allow for more clinical studies. Furthermore, large randomized clinical control trials are needed to better assess their role in human neurodegenerative conditions.

Building a Decision Support System for Inpatient Admission Prediction With the Manchester Triage System and Administrative Check-in Variables.

The usage of decision support tools in emergency departments, based on predictive models, capable of estimating the probability of admission for patients in the emergency department may give nursing staff the possibility of allocating resources in advance. We present a methodology for developing and building one such system for a large specialized care hospital using a logistic regression and an artificial neural network model using nine routinely collected variables available right at the end of the triage process.A database of 255.668 triaged nonobstetric emergency department presentations from the Ramon y Cajal University Hospital of Madrid, from January 2011 to December 2012, was used to develop and test the models, with 66% of the data used for derivation and 34% for validation, with an ordered nonrandom partition. On the validation dataset areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve were 0.8568 (95% confidence interval, 0.8508-0.8583) for the logistic regression model and 0.8575 (95% confidence interval, 0.8540-0. 8610) for the artificial neural network model. χ Values for Hosmer-Lemeshow fixed "deciles of risk" were 65.32 for the logistic regression model and 17.28 for the artificial neural network model. A nomogram was generated upon the logistic regression model and an automated software decision support system with a Web interface was built based on the artificial neural network model.

Effects of Acute Lithium Treatment on Brain Levels of Inflammatory Mediators in Poststroke Rats.

Stroke is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Few therapeutic options with proven efficacy are available for the treatment of this disabling disease. Lithium is the gold standard treatment for bipolar disorder. Moreover, lithium has been shown to exhibit neuroprotective effects and therapeutic efficacy as a treatment of other neurological disorders. This study was undertaken to examine the effects of lithium on brain inflammatory mediators levels, fever, and mortality in postischemic stroke rats. Ischemic stroke was induced by occlusion of the mid cerebral artery (MCAO). Pretreatment with a single dose of lithium at 2 hours before MCAO induction significantly reduced the elevation in interleukin- (IL-) 6 and prostaglandin E2 levels in brain of post-MCAO rats, as compared to vehicle-treated animals. On the other hand, lithium did not affect the elevation in IL-1α, IL-10, IL-12, and tumor necrosis factor-α levels in brain of post-MCAO rats. Moreover, pretreatment with lithium did not alter post-MCAO fever and mortality. These results suggest that acute pretreatment with a single dose of lithium did not markedly affect post-MCAO morbidity and mortality in rats.

Anesthetic Management of Patients with Congenital Insensitivity to Pain with Anhidrosis: A Retrospective Analysis of 358 Procedures Performed Under General Anesthesia.

BACKGROUND: Congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis (CIPA) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by recurrent episodic fevers, anhidrosis, absent reaction to noxious stimuli, self-mutilating behavior, and mental retardation. The anesthetic management of patients with CIPA is challenging. Autonomic nervous system abnormalities are common, and patients are at increased risk for perioperative complications. METHODS: In this study, we describe our experience with 35 patients with CIPA who underwent 358 procedures requiring general anesthesia between 1990 and 2013. RESULTS: During surgery, 3 patients developed hyperthermia intraoperatively (>37.5°C) without prior fever. There were no cases of intraoperative hyperpyrexia (>40°C). Aspiration was suspected in 2 patients, and in another patient aspiration was prevented by the use of endotracheal tube, early detection of regurgitation, and aggressive suctioning. One patient had cardiac arrest requiring cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Intraoperative bradycardia was observed in 10 cases, and postoperative bradycardia was observed in 11 cases. CONCLUSIONS: Regurgitation, hyperthermia, and aspiration were uncommon, but the incidence of bradycardia was higher than has been reported in previous studies. CIPA remains a challenge for anesthesiologists. Because of the rare nature of this disorder, the risk of various complications is difficult to predict.

Emergency Department Visit Forecasting and Dynamic Nursing Staff Allocation Using Machine Learning Techniques With Readily Available Open-Source Software.

Although emergency department visit forecasting can be of use for nurse staff planning, previous research has focused on models that lacked sufficient resolution and realistic error metrics for these predictions to be applied in practice. Using data from a 1100-bed specialized care hospital with 553,000 patients assigned to its healthcare area, forecasts with different prediction horizons, from 2 to 24 weeks ahead, with an 8-hour granularity, using support vector regression, M5P, and stratified average time-series models were generated with an open-source software package. As overstaffing and understaffing errors have different implications, error metrics and potential personnel monetary savings were calculated with a custom validation scheme, which simulated subsequent generation of predictions during a 4-year period. Results were then compared with a generalized estimating equation regression. Support vector regression and M5P models were found to be superior to the stratified average model with a 95% confidence interval. Our findings suggest that medium and severe understaffing situations could be reduced in more than an order of magnitude and average yearly savings of up to €683,500 could be achieved if dynamic nursing staff allocation was performed with support vector regression instead of the static staffing levels currently in use.

[Plasma DNA measurement as a biomarker of cancer].

BACKGROUND: Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and CA 15-3 serve as biomarkers in the two prevalent cancers of the colon and breast, respectively. However, their sensitivity for screening is tow. Circulating DNA has been suggested as a potential marker. We developed a fluorometric method which enables an easy, fast and reliable DNA measurement. This manuscript presents the results of our experiments to evaluate the significance of DNA measurements in breast and colon patients. METHODS: Patients who had been diagnosed with early stages of colon or breast cancer were recruited into a prospective study. Blood samples were withdrawn for the determination of CEA, CA 15-3 (according to the type of cancer) and circulating DNA concentrations prior to any therapeutic intervention. Control DNA Levels were determined in blood samples of healthy volunteers. RESULTS: Mean circulating DNA in patients with colon cancer was higher than in control subjects [798+409 ng/ml vs. 308 +/- 256 ng/ml, p<0.0001. High DNA concentrations were identified in 40% of colon patients compared with 28% with increased CEA levels. Mean DNA levels among breast cancer patients was higher than the control group [1060 +/- 670.9 ng/mt vs. 376.2 +/- 244.1 ng/ml, p=0.0001]. High DNA concentrations were identified in 53% of breast cancer patients compared with 9% with increased CA 15-3 levels. CONCLUSION: A novel simple, rapid, cheap and reliable fluoroscopic method was used to determine circulating DNA levels in the blood of breast and colon cancer patients. Increased DNA concentrations were found in the blood of early cancer patients. This method demonstrates a better sensitivity compared with the traditional markers.

The role of cell-free DNA measured by a fluorescent test in the management of isolated traumatic head injuries.

BACKGROUND: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of death and disability. In this study a new method to measure cell free DNA (CFD) for the management of TBI is tested. Our hypothesis was that CFD concentrations correlate to the magnitude of brain damage, and may predict the outcome of injured patients. METHODS: Twenty eight patients with isolated head injury were enrolled. Their demographic and clinical data were recorded. CFD levels were determined in patients' sera samples by a direct fluorescence method developed in our laboratory. RESULTS: Mean admission CFD values were lower in patients with mild TBI compared to severe injury (760 ± 340 ng/ml vs. 1600 ± 2100 ng/ml, p = 0.03), and in patients with complete recovery upon discharge compared to patients with disabilities (680 ± 260 ng/ml vs. 2000 ± 2300 ng/ml, p = 0.003). Patients with high CFD values had a relative risk to require surgery of 1.5 (95% CI 0.83 to 2.9) a relative risk to have impaired outcome on discharge of 2.8 (95% CI 0.75 - 10), and a longer length of stay (12 ± 13 days vs. 3.4 ± 4.8 days, p = 0.02). CFD values did not correlate with CT scan based grading. CONCLUSIONS: CFD levels may be used as a marker to assess the severity of TBI and to predict the prognosis. Its use should be considered as an additional tool along with currently used methods or as a surrogate for them in limited resources environment.