Pain and transition: evaluating fibromyalgia in transgender individuals.

OBJECTIVES: As members of a gender minority, transgender individuals face many challenges. Many experience distress, depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation related to gender non-conformity and transphobia. Stress and trauma may contribute to the development of fibromyalgia (FM) syndrome, characterised by widespread pain and fatigue. The prevalence of FM among transgenders is not known. METHODS: Transgender participants were recruited at a specialised clinic. Questionnaires included the Widespread Pain Index (WPI), the Symptom Severity Score (SSS) and the SF-36. Data concerning hormonal treatment protocols was retrieved from charts. The current prevalence of FM was determined, as well as the prevalence before and after testosterone treatment among TM. Pearson correlations were calculated between all measures. RESULTS: 115 participants were recruited, 62.6% transgender men (TM), 37.4% transgender women (TW). 17 individuals (14.8%) fulfilled the 2011 modified ACR FM criteria, for a rate of 19.4% among TM and 6.98% among TW. Among TM, FM was associated with younger age, smoking and SF-36 sub-scales related to physical functioning, role limitation due to physical pain, fatigue, pain and general health. Among TW, FM was associated with social status, employment, depression, existing medical treatment and substance abuse, as well as SF-36 subscales related to role limitations affected due to pain. CONCLUSIONS: Fibromyalgia symptoms are highly prevalent among Israeli transgender individuals and may be related to psychological distress and gender dysphoria. Healthcare professionals treating transgenders should remain vigilant for the occurrence of chronic pain, fatigue and other FM-related symptoms and be prepared to treat and/or refer such patients accordingly.

Relation between Serum Creatine Phosphokinase Levels and Acute Kidney Injury among ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction Patients.

BACKGROUND: Among patients with rhabdomyolysis, the leakage of intracellular skeletal muscle content such as creatine phosphokinase (CPK) into the bloodstream has been associated with an increased risk of acute kidney injury (AKI). We evaluated the possible relationship between serum CPK levels and AKI occurrence among patients with myocyte injury secondary to ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). METHODS: We retrospectively included 2794 patients with STEMI. Patients were stratified according to peak serum CPK levels into mild (<1000 U/L, n = 1603), moderate (1000-5000 U/L, n = 1111), and severe (>5000 U/L, n = 80) categories. The occurrence of AKI was defined by the KDIGO criteria as an increase in serum creatinine (sCR) ≥0.3 mg/dL within 48 h following PCI. The predictive value of CPK for the risk of AKI occurrence was assessed using multivariate logistic regression models. RESULTS: The overall occurrence of AKI was 10.4%. Incidence of AKI showed a gradual increase between patients with mild, moderate, and severe serum CPK level elevations (7.8% vs. 11% vs. 26% respectively; p < 0.001). In multivariate logistic regression models, both moderate or higher (OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.1-2.2; p = 0.01) and severe (OR 2.8 95% CI 1.4-5.6; p = 0.004) serum CPK level elevations were independently associated with AKI. CONCLUSIONS: Among STEMI patients, elevated CPK levels were associated with AKI. This association is presumably independent; however, it remains unclear whether it is due to direct toxic (myoglobin-related) or hemodynamic effects (poor left ventricular function). Further studies are required to reveal the underlying mechanism.

Association between C-Reactive Protein Velocity and Left Ventricular Function in Patients with ST-Elevated Myocardial Infarction.

C-reactive protein velocity (CRPv), defined as the change in wide-range CRP concentration divided by time, is an inflammatory biomarker associated with increased morbidity and mortality in patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated with primary percutaneous intervention (PCI). However, data regarding CRPv association with echocardiographic parameters assessing left ventricular systolic and diastolic function is lacking. Echocardiographic parameters and CRPv values were analyzed using a cohort of 1059 patients admitted with STEMI and treated with primary PCI. Patients were stratified into tertiles according to their CRPv. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate CRPv optimal cut-off values for the prediction of severe systolic and diastolic dysfunction. Patients with high CRPv tertiles had lower left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (49% vs. 46% vs. 41%, respectively; p < 0.001). CRPv was found to independently predict LVEF ≤ 35% (HR 1.3 CI 95% 1.21-1.4; p < 0.001) and grade III diastolic dysfunction (HR 1.16 CI 95% 11.02-1.31; p = 0.02). CRPv exhibited a better diagnostic profile for severe systolic dysfunction as compared to CRP (area under the curve 0.734 ± 0.02 vs. 0.608 ± 0.02). In conclusion, For STEMI patients treated with primary PCI, CRPv is a marker of both systolic and diastolic dysfunction. Further larger studies are needed to support this finding.

Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) for the prediction of acute kidney injury in chronic kidney disease patients treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

INTRODUCTION: Elevated plasma levels of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is a marker of tubular damage and aid in the early identification of acute kidney injury (AKI). We evaluated NGAL levels for identification of AKI superimposed on chronic kidney disease (CKD) vs. "de novo" AKI among ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients undergoing primary coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS: 217 STEMI patients treated with PCI were prospectively included, 34 (16%) had baseline CKD. Plasma NGAL levels were drawn 24 h following PCI. Receiver-operator characteristic (ROC) methods were used to identify optimal sensitivity and specificity for the observed NGAL range in AKI patients with and without CKD. RESULTS: Overall AKI incidence was 13%. NGAL levels were significantly higher for patients with AKI compared to no-AKI, irrespective of CKD. Different optimal cutoff value for NGAL to predict AKI were found for patients with CKD (133 ng/ml, sensitivity of 73% and specificity of 75%; AUC: 0.837, p < 0.001) and for non-CKD (104 ng/ml with sensitivity of 79% and specificity of 82%; AUC: 0.844, p < 0.001). In a multivariate logistic regression model, NGAL levels were independently associated with AKI in patients with and without CKD (HR 1.04, 95% CI: 1.01-1.08; p = 0.024; and HR 1.03, 95% CI: 1.01-1.04; p = 0.001), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated plasma NGAL levels identify patients who are at high-risk to develop AKI following primary PCI. Determining different cutoff values of plasma NGAL for de novo AKI and AKI superimposed on CKD may be necessary for accurate AKI diagnosis and risk stratification.

Acute cardiorenal anemia syndrome among ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients treated by primary percutaneous intervention.

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) and anemia have been extensively studied in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), yet the precise nature of their reciprocal relationship has not been elucidated in STEMI patients. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of 2096 consecutive patients admitted for STEMI between January 2008 and December 2018 and treated with primary coronary intervention. Patients were stratified into four groups according to the presence of baseline anemia and occurrence of AKI: without anemia or AKI, baseline anemia without AKI, AKI without baseline anemia and acute cardiorenal anemia syndrome (CRAS), defined as the occurrence of AKI in patients with baseline anemia. Patients' medical records were reviewed for in-hospital complications, 30-day and long-term mortality. RESULTS: The mean age was 61 ± 13 years and 1682 patients (80%) were men. Ten percent of patients had baseline anemia without AKI, 7% had AKI without baseline anemia and 3% were classified as CRAS. We found increments between the four groups for occurrence of new onset atrial fibrillation and heart failure rates, presence of a critical state, and both 30-day and long-term mortality (P < 0.001 for all). Logistic regression models demonstrated that as compared to AKI alone, CRAS was associated with a higher risk for long-term mortality (HR 10.49; 95% CI 6.5-17.1) as compared to anemia (HR 3.32, 95% CI 2.1-5.2) and AKI (HR 7.71, 95% CI 5.1-11.7) alone (P < 0.001 for all). CONCLUSIONS: Among STEMI patients, the interaction between anemia and AKI is associated with worse short and long-term outcomes and reflects the reciprocity of cardiac and renal exacerbations.

Towards a Definition for Health Care-Associated Infection.

BACKGROUND: Health care-associated infection (HcAI) is a term frequently used to describe community-onset infections likely to be caused by multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs). The most frequently used definition was developed at Duke University Medical Center in 2002 (Duke-2002). Although some professional societies have based management recommendations on Duke-2002 (or modifications thereof), neither Duke-2002 nor other variations have had their performance measured. METHODS: A case-control study was conducted at Assaf Harofeh Medical Center (AHMC) of consecutive adult bloodstream infections (BSIs). A multivariable model was used to develop a prediction score for HcAI, measured by the presence of MDRO infection on admission. The performances of this new score and previously developed definitions at predicting MDRO infection on admission were measured. RESULTS: Of the 504 BSI patients enrolled, 315 had a BSI on admission and 189 had a nosocomial BSI. Patients with MDRO-BSI on admission (n = 100) resembled patients with nosocomial infections (n = 189) in terms of epidemiological characteristics, illness acuity, and outcomes more than patients with non-MDRO-BSI on admission (n = 215). The performances of both the newly developed score and the Duke-2002 definition to predict MDRO infection on admission were suboptimal (area under the receiver operating characteric curve, 0.76 and 0.68, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Although the term HcAI is frequently used, its definition does not perform well at predicting MDRO infection present on admission to the hospital. A validated score that calculates the risk of MDRO infection on admission is still needed to guide daily practice and improve patient outcomes.

Clinical and molecular epidemiology of Acinetobacter baumannii bloodstream infections in an endemic setting.

AIM: The transmission dynamics of Acinetobacter baumannii in endemic settings, and the relation between microbial properties and patients' clinical outcomes, are yet obscure and hampered by insufficient metadata. METHODS & RESULTS: Of 20 consecutive patients with A. baumannii bloodstream infection that were thoroughly analyzed at a single center, at least one transmission opportunity was evident for 85% of patients. This implies that patient-to-patient transmission is the major mode of A. baumannii acquisitions in health facilities. Moreover, all patients who died immediately (<24 h of admission) were infected with a single clone (ST457; relative risk = 1.6; p = 0.05). CONCLUSION: This preliminary analysis should prompt further investigation by mapping genomic virulence determinants among A. baumannii ST457 lineage compared with other strains.