Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation for hypothermic refractory cardiac arrests in urban areas with temperate climates.

BACKGROUND: Accidental hypothermia designates an unintentional drop in body temperature below 35 °C. There is a major risk of ventricular fibrillation below 28 °C and cardiac arrest is almost inevitable below 24 °C. In such cases, conventional cardiopulmonary resuscitation is often inefficient. In urban areas with temperate climates, characterized by mild year-round temperatures, the outcome of patients with refractory hypothermic out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) treated with extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) remains uncertain. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective monocentric observational study involving patients admitted to a university hospital in Paris, France. We reviewed patients admitted between January 1, 2011 and April 30, 2022. The primary outcome was survival at 28 days with good neurological outcomes, defined as Cerebral Performance Category 1 or 2. We performed a subgroup analysis distinguishing hypothermic refractory OHCA as either asphyxic or non-asphyxic. RESULTS: A total of 36 patients were analysed, 15 of whom (42%) survived at 28 days, including 13 (36%) with good neurological outcomes. Within the asphyxic subgroup, only 1 (10%) patient survived at 28 days, with poor neurological outcomes. A low-flow time of less than 60 min was not significantly associated with good neurological outcomes (P = 0.25). Prehospital ECPR demonstrated no statistically significant difference in terms of survival with good neurological outcomes compared with inhospital ECPR (P = 0.55). Among patients treated with inhospital ECPR, the HOPE score predicted a 30% survival rate and the observed survival was 6/19 (32%). CONCLUSION: Hypothermic refractory OHCA occurred even in urban areas with temperate climates, and survival with good neurological outcomes at 28 days stood at 36% for all patients treated with ECPR. We found no survivors with good neurological outcomes at 28 days in submersed patients.

Kidneys recovered from brain dead cardiac arrest patients resuscitated with ECPR show similar one-year graft survival compared to other donors.

INTRODUCTION: Among patients treated with extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) as a second line of treatment for refractory out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), some may develop brain death and become eligible for organ donation. The objective of this study was to evaluate long-term outcomes of kidney grafts recovered from these patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective monocentric observational study between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2017. We exclusively included patients eligible for planned donation after brainstem death and from whom at least one organ graft was retrieved and transplanted. We compared two groups of brain dead patients: those treated with ECPR for refractory OHCA (ECPR group) and a diverse group of patients who did not receive ECPR, from which only 5/23 (22%) had OHCA (control group). The primary outcome was one-year kidney graft survival. RESULTS: We included 45 patients, 23 in the control group and 22 in the ECPR group. Although patients in the ECPR group were younger and had a lower prevalence of chronic renal disease (p = 0.01), their kidney function was more severely impaired upon admission in the ICU. A total of 68 kidney grafts were retrieved, transplanted, and studied, 34 in each study group. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of one-year kidney graft survival (p = 0.52). CONCLUSION: Organ transplantation from patients treated with ECPR after refractory OHCA showed one-year kidney graft survival rates comparable to those of patients not treated with ECPR.

Corneal endothelium, retinal nerve fiber layer, ganglion cell complex, and perimetry measurements in normal eyes and those with primary open-angle glaucoma.

Background: Corneal endothelial cell (CEC) loss in glaucoma can be attributed to the direct compressive effect of elevated intraocular pressure. Herein, we aimed to evaluate specular microscopic changes in CEC count and morphology in correlation to retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) changes detected by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) in early and advanced primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). Methods: This descriptive-analytical study involved patients with medically controlled POAG versus non-glaucomatous patients of the same age group. Specular microscopy, visual field testing, and SD-OCT of the RNFL and macular ganglion cell complex (GCC) were performed. Eyes with POAG were further subcategorized into early and advanced stages. Results: The study included 130 eyes of 130 participants; 70 were eyes with POAG (40 eyes with early-stage POAG, 30 eyes with advanced-stage POAG), and 60 were healthy eyes. The groups were comparable regarding mean age and sex. No significant difference was found in corneal parameters between healthy eyes, eyes with early POAG, and eyes with advanced POAG (all P > 0.05). In eyes with early-stage POAG, a significant negative correlation was found between the coefficient of variation (CV) and superior RNFL thickness (r = - 0.5; P = 0.018), and between the percentage of hexagonal cells (hexagonality) and vertical cup-to-disc ratio (r = - 0.43; P = 0.035). A significant positive correlation was found between hexagonality and superior as well as inferior RNFL thickness (r = + 0.53; P = 0.008 and r = + 0.50; P = 0.015, respectively). However, in the advanced glaucomatous eyes, no significant correlation was found between RNFL thickness and CEC parameters. Conclusions: CEC parameters were not affected in eyes with early or advanced POAG compared with healthy eyes, despite a significant thinning of RNFL and macular GCC. In eyes with early-stage POAG, a significant correlation was found between morphological characteristics of CECs, such as CV and hexagonality, with superior and inferior RNFL thickness in the optic nerve head on SD-OCT images. Future longitudinal studies with larger sample sizes are needed to verify our results.

Assessment of Coronavirus in the Conjunctival Tears and Secretions in Patients with SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Sohag Province, Egypt.

PURPOSE: To assess SARS-CoV-2 virus in conjunctival tears and secretions of positive confirmed COVID-19 patients. METHODS: A case series study that included 28 positive COVID-19 patients confirmed with nasopharyngeal swab in the period 18-28 May 2020 at Sohag Tropical Medicine Hospital. Tears and conjunctival secretions of these confirmed positive cases were collected with disposable sampling swabs at interval of 3 days after admission due to respiratory symptoms. They were examined for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay. RESULTS: Thirteen (46.43%) patients were stable, 4 (14.28%) patients suffered from dyspnea, 3 (10.72%) patients suffered from high fever, 5 (17.85%) patients suffered from cough, and 3 (10.72%) patients were on mechanical ventilation. Ten (35.71%) patients suffered from conjunctivitis. Tear and conjunctival swabs were positive in 8 (28.57%) patients, while other patients' swabs were negative (71.43%). Out of 10 patients with conjunctival manifestations, 3 patients had SARS-CoV-2 in their conjunctiva using (RT-PCR) test. Out of the 18 patients with no conjunctival manifestations, 5 patients had positive SARS-CoV-2 in their conjunctiva using (RT-PCR) test. CONCLUSION: The SARS-CoV-2 virus could be found in tears and conjunctival secretions in SARS-CoV-2 patients with or without conjunctivitis.

Clinical outcomes of transepithelial photorefractive keratectomy versus femtosecond laser assisted keratomileusis for correction of high myopia in South Egyptian population.

AIM: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of transepithelial photorefractive keratectomy (t-PRK) with adjuvant mitomycin C (MMC) versus femtosecond laser assisted keratomileusis (Femto-LASIK) in correction of high myopia. METHODS: Prospective randomized comparative study including 156 eyes of 156 patients with high myopia and a spherical equivalent refraction (SER) <-6.00 D. They were divided randomly into two groups: Group A included 72 eyes treated with t-PRK with adjuvant MMC and Group B included 84 eyes treated with Femto-LASIK. Visual acuity, SER, corneal topography, pachymetry and keratometry were assessed for 12mo postoperatively. RESULTS: The preoperative mean SER was -8.86±1.81 and -9.25±1.70 D in t-PRK MMC group and Femto-LASIK respectively (P=0.99) which improved to -0.65±0.43 D and -0.69±0.50 D at 12mo follow up. Mean SER remained stable during the 12mo of follow-up, with no statistically significant difference between the two groups (P=0.64). In t-PRK MMC group, only six eyes needed retreatment after six months of follow up. And two eyes showed haze (one reversible haze grade 2, while the other had dense irreversible haze grade 4). CONCLUSION: t-PRK MMC provides safe and satisfactory visual outcomes and acceptable risk as Femto-LASIK in patients with high myopia.

Femtosecond Laser Implantation of a 355-Degree Intrastromal Corneal Ring Segment in Keratoconus: A Three-Year Follow-Up.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the outcomes of femtosecond laser-assisted implantation of a 355-degree intracorneal ring (ICR) (Keraring) in patients with keratoconus in the three-year follow-up. SETTING: Future Femtolaser Center, Sohag, Egypt. DESIGN: Prospective interventional case series. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective case series of 38 eyes of 26 patients with keratoconus had implantation of the 355-degree ICR keraring after tunnel creation with a femtosecond laser. The uncorrected visual acuities (UCVA) and best-corrected visual acuities (BCVA), sphere, cylinder, and manifest refraction spherical equivalent (SE), and mean keratometry (K), K max, and K min were evaluated preoperatively and 3, 6, 12, 24, and 36 months postoperatively, and all complications were reported. RESULTS: 38 eyes of 26 patients with mean age 25.92 ± 5.44 years were enrolled in the study, 11 were males (42.3%). The mean UCVA improved from 0.93 ± 0.21 to 0.63 ± 0.21 logMAR (P ≤ 0.001) and the mean BCVA from 0.67 ± 0.22 to 0.43 ± 0.26 logMAR (P < 0.001). The mean sphere, cylinder, and spherical equivalent have been changed dramatically from preoperative to 3 month postoperative, which is statistically significant (P ≤ 0.001), and the changes between 1 and 2 years and 2 and 3 years are also considerable and statistically significant; the K max and K min and K mean improved and the changes were statistically significant (P ≤ 0.001), and the changes between one, two, and three years were also statistically significant. The safety and efficacy indices were changed through the three-year follow-up. The complications were corneal neovascularization (36.84%), corneal melting (26.3%), and ring extrusion (31.5%) at the end of the study. CONCLUSIONS: Implantation of a 355-degree intracorneal keraring using femtosecond laser improved the visual, refractive, and topographic parameters in keratoconus patients, with a high rate of ICR extrusion and instability. The study has been registered for the Pan African Clinical Trial Registry (http://www.pactr.org) database within No: PACTR201810796878908 on 29 October 2018.

Corneal Endothelial Cell Density and Morphology in Healthy Egyptian Eyes.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the corneal endothelial cell density and morphology in normal Egyptian eyes. METHODS: In total, 568 healthy eyes of 568 Egyptian volunteers aged 20 to 85 years were examined using noncontact specular microscopy for the central corneal thickness (CCT), mean endothelial cell density (MCD), coefficient of variation (CV) in cell area, mean cell area (MCA), and hexagonal cell (Hex) percentage. Variables were compared between sexes and between different age groups. RESULTS: The mean CCT, MCD, and MCA were 514.45 ± 43.04 µm, 2647.50 ± 382.62 cells/mm2, and 390.59 ± 149.94 µm2, respectively. MCD and MCA showed no significant differences between men and women (P=0.171 and 0.099, respectively), whereas CV (%) and Hex (%) showed significant differences (P=0.024 and 0.015, respectively). CCT (P=0.007, r = -0.113) and MCD (P < 0.001, r = -0.357) exhibited a significant negative correlation with age, whereas CV (%) (P < 0.001, r = 0.341) and MCA (P=0.008, r = 0.111) exhibited a significant positive correlation. The mean rate of endothelial cell loss from 20 to 85 years of age was 0.3% per year. CONCLUSIONS: Our results provide normative data for the corneal endothelium in healthy Egyptian eyes, thus increasing the knowledge base for corneal endothelial cell parameters in healthy Egyptian eyes. Furthermore, our findings can be used as baseline values for comparisons between Egyptian and other populations and for studies of the endothelial cell reserve and capacity for intraocular surgery and corneal transplantation.

Uveitis Referral Pattern in Upper and Lower Egypt.

Purpose: To report the pattern of uveitis in two referral eye hospitals, one in Upper Egypt and another in Lower Egypt Methods: Retrospective chart review of all uveitis cases visiting the uveitis clinic in Alexandria and Sohag University Hospitals between May 2010 and March 2017. Results: A total of 1315 patients (683 in Upper Egypt and 632 in Lower Egypt) were identified. Uveitis was bilateral in 56.6% of patients in Upper Egypt and in 43.6% of patients in Lower Egypt. Anterior uveitis was the most common in both regions, accounting for 34.7% and 38.2% of cases in Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt respectively. Pediatric cases constituted 18.7% of the cases in Upper Egypt and 18.1% of the cases in Lower Egypt. Specific diagnosis was established in 71.3% and 67.7% of Upper and Lower Egypt cases respectively. Conclusions: Patterns of uveitis differ according to the geographical area in Egypt.

Pattern of Childhood Uveitis in Egypt.

Purpose: To report the pattern of childhood-onset uveitis observed in Egypt from May 2010 to May 2017 Methods: Retrospective evaluation of the data of all patients with uveitis diagnosed before the age of 16 and visiting uveitis referral clinics in 5 Egyptian Governorates (Alexandria, Cairo, Al Bohayra (Damanhour), Al Gharbeya (Tanta), and Sohag) between May 2010 and May 2017. Results: A total of 413 uveitis patients were enrolled. These included 219 male and 194 female patients. Uveitis was bilateral in 68.3% of the patients. The most frequently observed ocular complications were cataract, glaucoma, and cystoid macular edema. The percentage of children with a visual acuity ≥1.00 logMAR in at least one eye by the final visit was 21.8%. Conclusion: Pediatric uveitis is a vision-threatening condition which caused more than one-fifth of the children in this study to lose vision in one or both eyes.

Air Bubble Technique for Fundus Visualization during Vitrectomy in Aphakia.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of air bubble technique for vitrectomy in aphakia. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective interventional uncontrolled case series. METHODS: This study included 53 eyes of 53 patients who are phakic and indicated for phacovitrectomy (7 eyes, group 1), aphakic and indicated for vitrectomy (22 eyes, group 2), or underwent unplanned vitrectomy for immediate management of a phacoemulsification surgery complicated by rupture posterior capsule with dropped nucleus, fragments, or IOL (24 eyes, group 3). Cases with complicated vitreoretinal pathology were not included in this study. All vitrectomy surgeries were conducted by the air bubble technique in the anterior chamber. Main outcomes included anatomical success, visual acuity, and intraoperative and postoperative complications. RESULTS: The surgical success was achieved in 50 eyes (94.3%). Conversion to BIOM viewing system was needed in the retinal detachment cases of groups 1 and 2. The mean overall LogMAR visual acuity was significantly improved from 1.29 ± 0.58 preoperatively to 0.56 ± 0.19 at the final visit, 6 months postoperatively (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The air bubble technique as visualization method for vitrectomy in aphakia is an effective and cheap technique for immediate management of complications of phacoemulsification surgery. This trial is registered with Pan African Clinical Trial Registry PACTR201709002466296.

Effect of different incision sites of phacoemulsification on trabeculectomy bleb function: prospective case-control study.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare superior and temporal clear corneal incisions of uneventful phacoemulsification and in-the-bag intraocular lens implantation on intraocular pressure control and the bleb morphology in eyes that have undergone previous successful trabeculectomy. METHODS: In this Prospective case-control study, a total of 100 eyes of 100 patients previously undergone trabeculectomy without antimetabolites, divided into two groups. Group A (temporal group) including 50 patients underwent phacoemulsification with a temporal corneal incision and group B (superior group) including 50 patients underwent phacoemulsification with a superior corneal incision. Comparisons between the two groups were performed after one year of follow-up regarding Intraocular pressure changes, bleb morphology score using the Wuerzburg bleb classification score and any added glaucoma medications. RESULTS: At the last visit, the mean intraocular pressure for the temporal group was 17.55 ± 1.47 (p = 0.51) and for the superior group was 16.90 ± 1.71 (p = 0.85); the difference between the two groups was insignificant (p = 0.21). Regarding the bleb morphology, the mean bleb morphology score in the temporal group was 10.50 ± 0.95 (p = 0.19) and for the superior group was 10.20 ± 1.06 (p = 0.01).There was an insignificant difference in the bleb grading morphology regarding both groups (p = 0.35). CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates that phacoemulsification whether done with a clear temporal or clear superior wound, does not affect intraocular pressure, bleb morphology or function after one year of follow-up in eyes following previous successful trabeculectomy. Furthermore, cataract surgery may be performed safely in eyes with functioning filtering blebs. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN91835217 'retrospectively registered' Date Of registration 6/6/2017.

Comparison of Visian toric collamer lens and toric acrylic intraocular lens implantation for the treatment of myopia with astigmatism.

PURPOSE: To compare the efficacy and outcome of phakic toric implantable collamer lens (TICL) and refractive clear lens extraction with AcrySof Toric intraocular lens (TIOL) implantation for the treatment of myopic astigmatism. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study assessed eyes with myopic astigmatism >-1 D and ≤-4 D with a spherical equivalent >10 D or <10 D if the patients were unsuitable for corneal refractive surgery. These eyes were divided into group A, in which Visian Toric ICL™ Phakic TICL was implanted, and group B, which involved clear lens extraction with implantation of an AcrySof IQ toric SN60T3-9™ IOL. The outcome and complications were evaluated. RESULTS: This study enrolled 63 eyes of 38 patients with a follow-up period of at least 6 months. The mean postoperative spherical equivalent was -0.19±0.31 D in group A and -0.21±0.28 D in group B (P=0.69). The mean postoperative cylinder value was -0.46±0.53 D in group A and -0.32±0.41 D in group B (P=0.35). Postoperative cylinder was <1 D in 76.47% and 79.31% of eyes in groups A and B, respectively. The mean endothelial cell count was reduced by 4.32% in group A and by 5.32% in group B (P=0.003). The mean postoperative intraocular pressure increased insignificantly in group A (P=0.22) and reduced significantly in group B (P=0.004). The complication rate was 11.76% in group A and 6.90% in group B. CONCLUSION: Both procedures showed predictable results and good visual results. However, the loss of accommodation and risk of retinal complications in the TIOL group suggest that the use of TICL for myopic astigmatism is a better choice in younger patients.

Corneal Endothelial Morphology in Children with Type 1 Diabetes.

Aim. To investigate corneal endothelial cell morphological in children with type 1 diabetes and to determine the systemic and local factors that contribute to these changes. Methods. One hundred sixty eyes of 80 children with type 1 diabetes and 80 eyes of 40 normal children as a control during the period from July 2015 to February 2016 underwent full clinical and ophthalmologic examination. We measured the central corneal thickness (CCT), endothelial cell density (ECD), ploymegathism, and pleomorphism using a noncontact specular microscope. Results. The mean age of the diabetic children was 8.22 ± 3.11 years. The mean duration of type 1 diabetes was 3.51 ± 2.23 years. The mean CCT was significantly higher: 537 ± 33.41 microns (right eye), in the diabetic group compared to the control group. The mean ECD in patients with type 1 diabetes was 3149.84 ± 343.75 cells/mm(2) (right eye), and it was significantly lower than in the control group. Furthermore, pleomorphism was significantly lower 48.73 ± 5.43% (right eye), in the diabetic group compared to the control group. The mean polymegathism was significantly higher 37.96 ± 5.61% (right eye), in the diabetic group compared to the control group. All of these changes are significantly correlated only with the duration of diabetes. Conclusions. Diabetic children have thicker corneas, lower ECD, an increased polymegathism, and a decreased pleomorphism. The duration of diabetes is the factor that affects all of these changes. To what extent these changes affect visional function on long term needs to be investigated in further studies.

[Epidemiological profile and chronological tendencies of the multiparity in the sanitary district of Monastir (Tunisia) between 1994 and 2003]. / Profil epidemiologique et tendances chronologiques de la multiparite dans le district sanitaire de Monastir (Tunisie) entre 1994 et 2003.

BACKGROUND: Multiparity, risk factor of maternal and foetal morbidity and mortality, is a worldwide public health problem. In Tunisia, in spite of the activities of the national program of maternal and infantile health implanted since 1966, the multiparity is yet observed in some regions of our country. Our objective is to draw up the epidemiological profile of the multipara woman (parity<6) and the grand multipara (parity> or =6) in the sanitary district of Monastir and to study the chronological tendencies of the factors associated during a decade (from 1994 to 2003). METHODS: In all, 16649 multipara were studied, representing 24% of the total women admitted for childbirth in the public motherhoods of the district. The global means age was 33,3 +/- 4,5 years with a statistical significance between multipara and grand multipara (32,7 and 35,6 respectively). The prenatal follow up was absent or inadequate for 50,2% of multipara and 62,8% of the grand multipara (p <0,001). RESULTS: In the decade, the main chronological tendencies are similar in the two multipara groups. Their frequency decreased from 28,5 to 19% (p<0,001), yet the age and the adequate follow up increased from 32,6 to 34 years and from 37,4 to 57,9% respectively (p<0,001). CONCLUSION: Although the multiparity is decreasing and its associated factors seem to improve, the vigilance is asked again in order to avoid the inherent risks.

[Quality of life in dermatology: Tunisian version of the Skindex-29]. / Etude de la qualité de vie en dermatologie: élaboration d'une version Tunisienne du Skindex-29.

The skin situated in the interface between the body and the outside world, is a zone privileged by the interactions between the individual and the society. The objective of our work was to study the quality of life in dermatology, while elaborating a Tunisian version of the Skindex-29 scale. For that we questioned 60 patients, among them 20 are affected by psoriasis, 20 are affected by vitiligo and 20 are affected by onychomycosis. The evaluation of the psychometric properties of the questionnaire was satisfactory. The chronic dermatosis altered the quality of life of the patients. This deterioration touches by order descending the patients affected by psoriasis, vitiligo, and onychomycosis. The patients were particularly sensitive when uncovered zones were reached, particularly the face. These results are in conformity with the data of the literature relating to the subject. The validation of this version is necessary.