Traumatic bleeding and mortality in mice are intensified by iron deficiency anemia and can be rescued with tranexamic acid.

Background: Clinical evidence suggests that anemia exacerbates traumatic bleeding and worsens outcomes. Objectives: To study the influence of iron deficiency anemia on traumatic bleeding, coagulopathy, and mortality. Methods: C57BL/6J mice received an iron-deficient diet (8 weeks; ±1 mg intraperitoneal iron dextran 2 weeks before trauma). Control mice received a normal diet. Iron deficiency anemia was confirmed by hematocrit, red cell indices, and liver iron. Mice received saline or tranexamic acid (TXA; 10 mg/kg) just before liver laceration. Blood loss, coagulopathy (activated partial thromboplastin time, factor [F]II, FV, FVIII, FX, and fibrinogen), D-dimer, thrombin-antithrombin complexes, and plasmin-alpha-2-antiplasmin complexes were analyzed at 15 and 60 minutes, and a cytokine panel was performed at 60 minutes and 6 hours after trauma. Survival was monitored for 7 days. Results: Compared with nonanemic mice, anemic mice had lower hematocrit and hepatic iron content. Anemic mice experienced higher blood loss compared with nonanemic mice, which was reduced by TXA. Both groups developed traumatic coagulopathy characterized by activated partial thromboplastin time prolongation, thrombin-antithrombin complex formation, and depletion of FV, FVIII, and fibrinogen. TXA corrected the coagulopathy. However, plasmin-alpha-2-antiplasmin complex formation and D-dimers, markers of fibrinolysis, were higher in anemic mice and were not corrected by TXA. Seven-day survival was low in anemic mice, and rescued by TXA, but high in nonanemic mice without additional improvement by TXA. Among cytokines, only interleukin-6 increased, which was prevented by TXA most notably in anemic mice. Conclusion: These observations provide first and critical proof-of-principle evidence that anemia accelerates traumatic bleeding and increases mortality, which could be rescued by anemia correction (parenteral iron) or periprocedural TXA.

Apportioning sources of chemicals of emerging concern along an urban river with inverse modelling.

Concentrations of chemicals in river water provide crucial information for assessing environmental exposure and risks from fertilisers, pesticides, heavy metals, illicit drugs, pathogens, pharmaceuticals, plastics and perfluorinated substances, among others. However, using concentrations measured along waterways (e.g., from grab samples) to identify sources of contaminants and understand their fate is complicated by mixing of chemicals downstream from diverse diffuse and point sources (e.g., agricultural runoff, wastewater treatment plants). To address this challenge, a novel inverse modelling approach is presented. Using waterway network topology, it quantifies locations and concentrations of contaminant sources upstream by inverting concentrations measured in water samples. It is computationally efficient and quantifies uncertainty. The approach is demonstrated for 13 contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in an urban stream, the R. Wandle (London, UK). Mixing (the forward problem) was assumed to be conservative, and the location of sources and their concentrations were treated as unknowns to be identified. Calculated CEC source concentrations, which ranged from below detection limit (a few ng/L) up to 1µg/L, were used to predict concentrations of chemicals downstream. Using this approach, >90% of data were predicted within observational uncertainty. Principal component analysis of calculated source concentrations revealed signatures of two distinct chemical sources. First, pharmaceuticals and insecticides were associated with a subcatchment containing a known point source of treated effluent from a wastewater treatment plant. Second, illicit drugs and salicylic acid were associated with multiple sources, interpreted as input from untreated sewage including Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs), misconnections, runoff and direct disposal throughout the catchment. Finally, a simple algorithmic approach that incorporates network topology was developed to design sampling campaigns to improve resolution of source apportionment. Inverse modelling of contaminant measurements can provide objective means to apportion sources in waterways from spot samples in catchments on a large scale.

Prepartum Anemia and Risk of Postpartum Hemorrhage: A Meta-Analysis and Brief Review.

Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is responsible for 30% to 50% of maternal deaths. There is conflicting evidence if prepartum anemia facilitates PPH. A comprehensive analysis of studies describing their relation is missing. An extensive database search was conducted applying the terms "anemia" OR "hemoglobin" AND "postpartum hemorrhage." We used a random-effects meta-analysis model to estimate an overall odds ratio (OR) for PPH and prepartum anemia, separating studies that were conformant and non-conformant with the World Health Organization (WHO) definitions for anemia. The search yielded 2519 studies, and 46 were appropriate for analysis. The meta-analyses of WHO-conformant (n = 22) and non-conformant (n = 24) studies showed that the risk of PPH was increased when anemia was present. The ORs were 1.45 (CL: 1.23-1.71) for WHO-conformant studies, 2.88 (CL: 1.38-6.02) for studies applying lower thresholds for anemia, and 3.28 (CL: 2.08-5.19) for undefined anemia thresholds. PPH risk appeared to increase with lower anemia thresholds. Prepartum anemia is associated with an increased risk of PPH, an observation that is important regarding improved anemia correction strategies such as iron supplementation.

Postpartum hemorrhage in Sub-Saharan Africa-a prospective study in metropolitan Mozambique.

BACKGROUND: Estimates indicate approximately ≈500 to 1000 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) (vs ≈5-20 in developed countries). Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) seems a major contributor to maternal mortality (MM), but there are no comprehensive data for the region. OBJECTIVES: Analyze MM, PPH, and associated risk factors. METHODS: We collected prospective data on MM, PPH, and associated risk factors in metropolitan Mozambique. We recorded consecutive deliveries at the Maputo Central Hospital between February 2019 and January 2021. Data included age, HIV status, parity, delivery mode, notes, vital signs, laboratory values, and fetal parameters. PPH was determined by charted diagnosis, blood loss of >500 mL, transfusion, and/or notes indicating significant bleeding. RESULTS: Of 8799 deliveries, ≈40% occurred in women residing outside Maputo City ("nonlocal"), with similar demographic characteristics between local and nonlocal women. However, compared with local women, nonlocal women had worse outcomes, including higher rates of MM (1.52% vs 0.78%; P =.0012) and PPH (16.51% vs 12.39%; P <.0001), whereby PPH was strongly associated with MM (adjusted odds ratio = 5.56; P <.0001). Almost all women with uterine atony (≈1%) experienced PPH. For women receiving laboratory tests on admission (drawn only if in distress; local, n = 561; nonlocal, n = 514), both cohorts revealed similar distributions of hemoglobin levels and platelet counts. Prepartum anemia (≈57%) and thrombocytopenia (≈21%) were prominent risk factors for PPH; risk increased with increasing severity and was additive in the presence of both. CONCLUSIONS: PPH is a serious problem in Maputo province, a metropolitan area of SSA, portending high MM. Identification of correctable risk factors, including anemia, should catalyze the development of region-specific prevention protocols.

Effects of a Preoperative Carbohydrate Load on Postoperative Recovery in Children: A Randomised, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Nausea and vomiting are common causes for prolonged postoperative length of hospital stay (LOS) in children. A preoperative carbohydrate load may reduce postoperative nausea and vomiting by improving the perioperative metabolic state. The aim of this study was to determine if a preoperative carbohydrate-containing drink would lead to an improvement in the perioperative metabolic state and consequently reduce the incidence of postoperative nausea, vomiting and LOS in children undergoing day-case surgical procedures. METHOD: Randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving children aged 4 to 16-years undergoing day-case surgical procedures. Patients were randomised to receive a carbohydrate-containing drink or a placebo. During the induction of anaesthesia, a venous blood gas, and blood glucose and ketone levels were measured. Postoperatively, the incidence of nausea, vomiting, and LOS were documented. RESULTS: 120 patients were randomised with 119/120 (99.2%) undergoing analysis. Blood glucose level was higher in the carbohydrate group; 5.4 mmol/L [3.3-9.4] versus 4.9 mmol/L [3.6-6.5] (p = 0.01). Blood ketone level was lower in the carbohydrate group; 0.2 mmol/L versus 0.3 mmol/L (p = 0.003). The incidence of nausea and vomiting was not different (p > 0.9 and p = 0.8, respectively). LOS in the carbohydrate group was 26 min shorter than the placebo group (p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Although a preoperative carbohydrate load may provide a more stable metabolic state at the induction of anaesthesia, we did not find a reduction in postoperative nausea and vomiting. A preoperative carbohydrate load has also minimal effects on the postoperative LOS. TYPE OF STUDY: Randomised clinical trial. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: I.

Consistency of serial ultrasonographic joint tissue measurements by the Joint tissueActivity and Damage Exam (JADE) protocol in relation to hemophilic joint health parameters.

OBJECTIVES: The Joint tissueActivity and Damage Exam (JADE) is a point-of-care (POC) musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSKUS) protocol for non-radiologists to evaluate hemophilic arthopathy. Our aim was to determine the consistency of cross-sectional analyses of direct tissue measurements (JADE protocol) and clinical Hemophilia Joint Health Score [HJHS] and functional joint assessments (arc) at three clinic visits. METHODS: We prospectively studied adults (n = 44) with hemophilia (A or B) of any severity and arthropathy at 3 North American sites. We assessed HJHS, total arc, and JADE parameters (bilateral elbows, ankles, and knees) at study entry, at ≈12-18 months, and at ≈24-36 months, and used MSKUS to evaluate painful episodes between study visits. JADE measurements included osteochondral alterations, cartilage thickness, and soft tissue expansion at sentinel positions. Associations between joint HJHS and total arc with each JADE variable were examined with random intercept models. RESULTS: At each visit increasing HJHS and decreasing total arc were associated in the expected direction with increasing length of OAs and soft tissue expansion in all joints, and decreasing cartilage thickness in the knee. However, HJHS associations with cartilage thickness were U-shaped for elbow and ankle (i.e. cartilage thinning and thickening). Associations between total arc and cartilage thickness followed a similar curve. (Near) normal levels of both joint parameters (HJHS and total arc) were associated with normal ranges of cartilage thickness. JADE views were also helpful to detect hemarthrosis in association with joint pains. CONCLUSIONS: POC MSKUS applying direct tissue measurements using the JADE protocol provided reproducible cross-sectional associations with joint health outcomes on three visits. These findings advance protocol validation and enable iterative adaptations resulting in JADE protocol version 2.

Radiofrequency ablation (Rafaelo Procedure) for the treatment of hemorrhoids: a case series in the United Kingdom.

PURPOSE: Hemorrhoidal disease remains a common condition that can have a significant effect on a patient's quality of life. Various methods have been introduced over the years; however, their overall success rates remain low. Although the traditional Milligan Morgan technique is effective, the associated pain level prevents it from being an attractive form of treatment. This study was devised to assess the safety and efficacy associated with a novel minimally invasive approach, radiofrequency ablation (RFA). METHODS: Forty-two patients underwent RFA at a single center, by 1 of 2 surgeons. This was performed under local anesthetic and sedation. Outcomes including postoperative pain levels, recurrence rates, and patient satisfaction scores were recorded and analyzed using medians and interquartile ranges. RESULTS: The median postoperative pain score was 2.5/10 (interquartile range [IQR], 0-4.5) and the overall patient satisfaction score was 9 out of 10 (IQR, 6.5-10). Recurrence rates (6-12 months following the procedure) were low at 12% and all patients reported milder symptoms at recurrence. There were no serious adverse complications. CONCLUSION: The results from this case series supports other limited data in concluding that RFA is a safe and effective method in the treatment of hemorrhoids and patients report a high level of satisfaction following.

Teleguidance for Patient Self-Imaging of Hemophilic Joints Using Mobile Ultrasound Devices: A Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: Teleguidance on portable devices opens the possibility of joint self-imaging in persons with hemophilia (PWH). AIMS: Determine the feasibility of patient self-imaging with/without teleguidance. METHODS: Adult PWH received ultrasound teaching including 11 views for hemarthrosis detection in ankles, elbows, and knees. The patients acquired five randomly selected views with the Butterfly/IQ probe without assistance at 2, 6-8 weeks, and 3-4 months later, followed by teleguidance. Image acquisition was timed, patients identified anatomic landmarks, and image quality was graded. Questionnaires assessed the imaging experience. Hemophilia Joint Health Score (HJHS) indicated arthropathy status. RESULTS: Of 132 PWH, 10 (median age 52 years) opted for study inclusion. Most had severe Hemophilia A, were white/non-Hispanic, with at least a high school degree and, overall, similar to the other 122 PWH. At 2 and 6 weeks after training, ~80% images were acquired correctly compared with 53% at 12 weeks. Accuracy of landmark recognition was ~55%. With teleguidance, all images were acquired correctly, with near-perfect image quality (P ≤ .01 compared with the 3-4 month time point). Median HJHS of scanned joints was 11.5 at each time point, demonstrating a similar spectrum of arthropathic changes. Median time of image acquisition was fast, and similar with or without teleguidance (median 01:04 [mm:ss] vs median 01:02), but differed slightly between arthropathic and non-arthropathic joints. Study participants and the imaging facilitator rated that it was easy to navigate mobile technology and acquire images with teleguidance. CONCLUSION: Mobile ultrasound with teleguidance for joint self-imaging is feasible and warrants further exploration.

Where ecologically 'tis better to go brown than green: enhanced seagrass macrobenthic biodiversity within the canals of a brownfield coastal marina.

At the start of the 21st century, a coastal residential-estate marina was developed on a previously degraded and polluted brownfield island site within Knysna estuarine bay, Garden Route National Park, South Africa, including the creation of 25 ha of new flow-through tidal canals. Canals near the larger entrance to this system now support permanently submerged beds of seagrass, which in turn support abundant macrobenthic invertebrates. In comparison with equivalent seagrass-associated assemblages present in natural channels around the island, those in the artificial marina canals were similarly structured and dominated by the same species, but the marina assemblages were significantly more species-rich (1.4 x on average) and were more abundant. Indeed, this area of marina supports the richest seagrass-associated macrofaunal biodiversity yet recorded from South Africa. The canals created de novo therefore now form a valuable addition to the bay's marine habitat, in marked contrast to the generality that marinas developed on greenfield sites represent a net reduction in intertidal and shallow marine area and associated seagrass-associated benthos. If located and constructed appropriately, brownfield marina development and conservation of coastal marine biodiversity clearly need not be antithetical, and brownfield sites may provide opportunity for the location and management of 'artificial marine micro-reserves' or for the action of 'other effective area-based conservation measures' for soft-sediment faunas.

Diabetes, hepatitis C and human immunodeficiency virus influence hypertension risk differently in cohorts of haemophilia patients, veterans and the general population.

INTRODUCTION: The reasons for the high prevalence of hypertension in persons with haemophilia (PWH) are poorly understood. AIM: To examine the roles of diabetes, Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in the etiology of hypertension for PWH. METHODS: Retrospective cross-sectional design. Adult PWH (n = 691) were divided into two groups: (A) free of diabetes, HCV and HIV; (B) with diabetes and/or HCV positivity and/or HIV positivity. Each group was matched by race and age with random samples from the general population of the US (National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, NHANES) and outpatients at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) in San Diego. Generalized additive models (GAMs) were fitted for graphical analysis of hypertension risk over the lifespan. RESULTS: In Group A, PWH had the highest prevalence of hypertension compared to NHANES and VAMC, especially in young adults. In Group B, diabetes increased the risk of hypertension for all three cohorts (PWH, NHANES and VAMC), especially for PWH. In PWH, hypertension risk was also increased by HIV, in NHANES by HCV, and in VAMC by HCV and HIV. CONCLUSION: Diabetes conferred the greatest risk of hypertension for all three cohorts. However, curves of hypertension in relation to age revealed that diabetes, HCV and HIV modulated hypertension risk differently in PWH. PWH experienced a disproportionally high risk increase with diabetes. Therefore, haemophilia care should include screening for hypertension and diabetes at a young age.

Patient-derived assessment tool using musculoskeletal ultrasound for validation of haemarthrosis.

INTRODUCTION: Haemophilia patients experience painful joint episodes which may or may not be associated with haemarthrosis. We sought to validate a questionnaire developed by the Canadian Haemophilia Society using point-of-care musculoskeletal ultrasound (POC MSKUS) to confirm haemarthrosis. METHODS: The questionnaire comprised of 20 questions (10 each associated with haemarthrosis and arthritis pain) and was administered to adult haemophilia patients reporting to the Haemophilia Treatment Centre (University of California San Diego). We confirmed the presence (or absence) of haemarthrosis using POC MSKUS [Joint Activity and Damage Exam (JADE)]. We fitted univariate and multivariate generalized estimating equations to identify symptoms associated with haemarthrosis. RESULTS: We evaluated 79 painful episodes in 32 patients [median age = 38 years (range 21-74)]. POC MSKUS detected haemarthrosis in 36 (46%) episodes. The strongest predictor for haemarthrosis pain was 'like a balloon swelling with water' (odds ratio [OR] 2.88 [CI .68;12.10]); 'no feeling of sponginess with movement' (OR .24[CI .07;.76]) was the strongest for arthritic pain. We identified four questions with the strongest OR for differentiating haemarthrosis pain from arthritic pain to develop an algorithm for haemarthrosis prediction. Answering these questions in "yes/no" fashion yielded estimates of the probability of haemarthrosis CONCLUSION: Objective diagnosis of haemarthrosis by MSKUS facilitated the development of a symptom-based prediction tool for diagnosis of haemarthrosis. The tool requires further validation and will be particularly helpful in situations where MSKUS is not readily available.

Blood pressure in persons with haemophilia with a focus on haemophilia-specific risk factors.

INTRODUCTION: Persons with haemophilia (PWH) have a higher prevalence of hypertension compared to the general population, which cannot be explained entirely by the usual cardiovascular risk factors. Neutralizing antibodies (inhibitors) against clotting factors might have some relation to cardiovascular disease in PWH. However, whether inhibitors facilitate hypertension is unknown. AIM: We investigated the relationship between hypertension/blood pressure and inhibitors in PWH. Additional goals were to determine the relationships with haemophilia type, race, and viral status. METHODS: Records were extracted retrospectively for PWH (age ≥18 years) between 2003 and 2014 from four Hemophilia Treatment Centers in North America and included demographics, weight, height, haemophilia type/severity, HCV and HIV infection status, hypertension, use of anti-hypertensive medications, and inhibitor status. We fitted semiparametric generalized additive models (GAMs) to describe adjusted curves of blood pressure (BP) against age. RESULTS: Among 691 PWH, 534 had haemophilia A and 157 had haemophilia B, with a median age of 39 years (range 18 to 79). Forty-four PWH (6.5%) had a history of inhibitors, without evidence for a higher prevalence of hypertension or higher BP. A higher prevalence of hypertension and higher BP were noted for haemophilia A (vs. haemophilia B), coinfection with HCV/HIV (vs. uninfected), or moderate haemophilia (vs. severe haemophilia). CONCLUSION: While there was no signal to suggest that a history of inhibitors is associated with hypertension, differences based on haemophilia type, severity, and viral infection status were identified, encouraging prospective investigations to better delineate haemophilia-specific risk factors for hypertension.

Factors affecting mechanical complications of central venous access devices in children.

PURPOSE: Factors leading to mechanical complications following insertion of central venous access devices (CVADs) in children are poorly understood. We aimed to quantify the rates and elucidate the mechanisms of these complications. METHODS: Retrospective (2016-2021) review of children (< 18 years old) receiving a CVAD. Data, reported as number of cases (%) and median (IQR), were analysed by Fisher's exact test, chi-squared test and logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: In total, 317 CVADs (245 children) were inserted. Median age was 5.0 (8.9) years, with 116 (47%) females. There were 226 (71%) implantable port devices and 91 (29%) Hickman lines. Overall, 54 (17%) lines had a mechanical complication after 0.4 (0.83) years from insertion: fracture 19 (6%), CVAD migration 14 (4.4%), occlusion 14 (4.4%), port displacement 6 (1.9%), and skin tethering to port device 1 (0.3%). Younger age and lower weight were associated with higher risk of complications (p < 0.0001). Hickman lines had a higher incidence of complications compared to implantable port devices [24/91 (26.3%) vs 30/226 (13.3%); p = 0.008]. CONCLUSION: Mechanical complications occur in 17% of CVADs at a median of < 6 months after insertion. Risk factors include younger age and lower weight. Implantable port devices have a lower complications rate. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 4: case-series with no comparison group.

Risk of diabetes in haemophilia patients compared to clinic and non-clinic control cohorts.

INTRODUCTION: Ageing patients with haemophilia (PWH) develop cardiovascular risk factors impacting care. Little is known about the prevalence of diabetes in PWH and its relation to other comorbidities. AIM: To examine the risk of diabetes for adult PWH compared to men from the general United States population (National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys [NHANES]) and outpatients attending a Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) clinic. METHODS: Retrospective cross-sectional design. PWH from four haemophilia centres (n = 690) were matched with random samples from NHANES and VAMC. Diabetes (yes/no) was the outcome, while age, body mass index (BMI), race and Hepatitis C (HCV; by serology) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positivity were covariates. We fitted semiparametric generalized additive models (GAMs) in order to compare diabetes risk between cohorts. RESULTS: Younger PWH were at lower risk of diabetes than NHANES or VAMC subjects irrespective of BMI. However, the risk of diabetes rose in older PWH and was closely associated with HCV. For HCV-negative subjects, the risk of diabetes was considerably lower for PWH than NHANES and VAMC subjects. The difference persisted after controlling for BMI and age, indicating that the low risk of diabetes in PWH cannot be explained by lean body mass alone. CONCLUSION: Since many ageing PWH are HCV positive and therefore at heightened risk for diabetes, it is important to incorporate diabetes screening into care algorithms in Haemophilia Treatment Centers, especially since PWH are not always followed in primary care clinics.

Acquired chylothorax in association with supraclavicular ultrasound-guided access to the brachiocephalic vein in a neonate.

Achieving and maintaining venous access can be challenging in some premature and low birth weight infants. In this population, the supraclavicular ultrasound-guided in-plane approach to the brachiocephalic vein for central venous access has demonstrated great success with a low rate of complications. This case describes the first report of acquired chylothorax in association with this technique, in a previously extremely preterm and low birth weight infant.

Ten simple rules on writing clean and reliable open-source scientific software.

Functional, usable, and maintainable open-source software is increasingly essential to scientific research, but there is a large variation in formal training for software development and maintainability. Here, we propose 10 "rules" centered on 2 best practice components: clean code and testing. These 2 areas are relatively straightforward and provide substantial utility relative to the learning investment. Adopting clean code practices helps to standardize and organize software code in order to enhance readability and reduce cognitive load for both the initial developer and subsequent contributors; this allows developers to concentrate on core functionality and reduce errors. Clean coding styles make software code more amenable to testing, including unit tests that work best with modular and consistent software code. Unit tests interrogate specific and isolated coding behavior to reduce coding errors and ensure intended functionality, especially as code increases in complexity; unit tests also implicitly provide example usages of code. Other forms of testing are geared to discover erroneous behavior arising from unexpected inputs or emerging from the interaction of complex codebases. Although conforming to coding styles and designing tests can add time to the software development project in the short term, these foundational tools can help to improve the correctness, quality, usability, and maintainability of open-source scientific software code. They also advance the principal point of scientific research: producing accurate results in a reproducible way. In addition to suggesting several tips for getting started with clean code and testing practices, we recommend numerous tools for the popular open-source scientific software languages Python, R, and Julia.

Transtracheal jet ventilation in a general tertiary hospital: A 7-year audit.

Airway management in patients presenting with severe airway obstruction can present a challenge to the anaesthetist, as conventional difficult airway pathways are often inappropriate. The use of a transtracheal jet cannula is an alternative means of airway securement, but lack of familiarity has limited its use in general tertiary hospitals. We report a retrospective audit of the use of transtracheal jet ventilation in a general tertiary healthcare centre over the past seven years, with a total of 50 patients with severe airway compromise undergoing pharyngolaryngeal surgery. Transtracheal jet ventilation was successful in 98% of patients, and was the definitive means of airway management in 43 cases. In six cases, the technique was a useful temporising measure while the airway was secured by other means. Minor complications occurred in 12% of patients. No major morbidities or mortalities were recorded. We conclude that transtracheal jet ventilation for high-risk pharyngolaryngeal surgery can be performed using a high frequency jet ventilator, with a high rate of success and only minor complications. Cannulation of the trachea below the cricothyroid membrane is feasible but more challenging. Low-flow apnoeic oxygenation through the transtracheal jet ventilation cannula maintains oxygenation during initial surgical airway manipulation.

Quantitative measurements of haemophilic joint tissues by point-of-care musculoskeletal ultrasound: Associations with clinical and functional joint outcome parameters.

BACKGROUND: Painful arthropathy is a long-term complication in patients with hemophilia (PWH), affecting mobility and quality of life. A major barrier for the appraisal of joint health is the absence of point-of-care (POC) imaging modalities to promptly identify and manage arthropathic changes. Accordingly, we developed the Joint tissue Activity and Damage Exam (JADE) POC musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSKUS) protocol. JADE is validated for haemophilic joint tissue recognition with high intra/inter-rater and inter-operator reliability. AIMS: Evaluate associations of JADE with clinical (Hemophilia Joint Health Score, [HJHS]) and functional (total arc [combined flexion and extension range of motion [ROM]]) parameters. METHODOLOGY: In this multi-centre prospective study, we recruited PWH A or B with at least one arthropathic joint. We evaluated joint health (both elbows, knees, and ankles) by comparing JADE measurements (soft tissue and cartilage thickness, and osteochondral alterations) with HJHS and total arc. RESULTS: Of 44 PWH, most had hemophilia A (35/44), were severe (36/44) and had a median age of 36 years. Increasing HJHSs and declining total arc, indicating worsening arthropathy, were associated with JADE measurements in the expected direction, including (1) increasing length of osteochondral alterations, (2) diminished cartilage thickness, and (3) greater soft tissue expansion. The ankles had the highest proportion of joints without measurable (missing) cartilage. In multivariable models MSKUS measurements explained 68% and 71% of the variation in HJHS and total arc respectively for the elbow, 55% and 29% respectively for the knee, and 50% and 73% for the ankle. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the associations of direct intra-articular ultrasonography measurements using the JADE protocol with clinical and functional parameters. Our findings underscore the clinical value of POC MSKUS using the JADE protocol as a complementary instrument for the diagnosis and management of haemophilic arthropathy.