Imaging of the brain-heart axis: prognostic value in a European setting.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Increasing data suggest that stress-related neural activity (SNA) is associated with subsequent major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and may represent a therapeutic target. Current evidence is exclusively based on populations from the U.S. and Asia where limited information about cardiovascular disease risk was available. This study sought to investigate whether SNA imaging has clinical value in a well-characterized cohort of cardiovascular patients in Europe. METHODS: In this single-centre study, a total of 963 patients (mean age 58.4 ± 16.1 years, 40.7% female) with known cardiovascular status, ranging from 'at-risk' to manifest disease, and without active cancer underwent 2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography between 1 January 2005 and 31 August 2019. Stress-related neural activity was assessed with validated methods and relations between SNA and MACE (non-fatal stroke, non-fatal myocardial infarction, coronary revascularization, and cardiovascular death) or all-cause mortality by time-to-event analysis. RESULTS: Over a maximum follow-up of 17 years, 118 individuals (12.3%) experienced MACE, and 270 (28.0%) died. In univariate analyses, SNA significantly correlated with an increased risk of MACE (sub-distribution hazard ratio 1.52, 95% CI 1.05-2.19; P = .026) or death (hazard ratio 2.49, 95% CI 1.96-3.17; P < .001). In multivariable analyses, the association between SNA imaging and MACE was lost when details of the cardiovascular status were added to the models. Conversely, the relationship between SNA imaging and all-cause mortality persisted after multivariable adjustments. CONCLUSIONS: In a European patient cohort where cardiovascular status is known, SNA imaging is a robust and independent predictor of all-cause mortality, but its prognostic value for MACE is less evident. Further studies should define specific patient populations that might profit from SNA imaging.

Sex differences in the SOFA score of ICU patients with sepsis or septic shock: a nationwide analysis.

BACKGROUND: The Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score is an important tool in diagnosing sepsis and quantifying organ dysfunction. However, despite emerging evidence of differences in sepsis pathophysiology between women and men, sex is currently not being considered in the SOFA score. We aimed to investigate potential sex-specific differences in organ dysfunction, as measured by the SOFA score, in patients with sepsis or septic shock and explore outcome associations. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of sex-specific differences in the SOFA score of prospectively enrolled ICU patients with sepsis or septic shock admitted to one of 85 certified Swiss ICUs between 01/2021 and 12/2022. RESULTS: Of 125,782 patients, 5947 (5%) were admitted with a clinical diagnosis of sepsis (2244, 38%) or septic shock (3703, 62%). Of these, 5078 (37% women) were eligible for analysis. A statistically significant difference of the total SOFA score on admission was found between women (mean 7.5 ± SD 3.6 points) and men (7.8 ± 3.6 points, Wilcoxon rank-sum p < 0.001). This was driven by differences in the coagulation (p = 0.008), liver (p < 0.001) and renal (p < 0.001) SOFA components. Differences between sexes were more prominent in younger patients < 52 years of age (women 7.1 ± 4.0 points vs men 8.1 ± 4.2 points, p = 0.004). No sex-specific differences were found in ICU length of stay (women median 2.6 days (IQR 1.3-5.3) vs men 2.7 days (IQR 1.2-6.0), p = 0.13) and ICU mortality (women 14% vs men 15%, p = 0.17). CONCLUSION: Sex-specific differences exist in the SOFA score of patients admitted to a Swiss ICU with sepsis or septic shock, particularly in laboratory-based components. Although the clinical meaningfulness of these differences is unclear, a reevaluation of sex-specific thresholds for SOFA score components is warranted in an attempt to make more accurate and individualised classifications.

Impact of sex and gender on post-COVID-19 syndrome, Switzerland, 2020.

BackgroundWomen are overrepresented among individuals with post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC). Biological (sex) as well as sociocultural (gender) differences between women and men might account for this imbalance, yet their impact on PASC is unknown.AimWe assessed the impact of sex and gender on PASC in a Swiss population.MethodOur multicentre prospective cohort study included 2,856 (46% women, mean age 44.2 ± 16.8 years) outpatients and hospitalised patients with PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection.ResultsAmong those who remained outpatients during their first infection, women reported persisting symptoms more often than men (40.5% vs 25.5% of men; p < 0.001). This sex difference was absent in hospitalised patients. In a crude analysis, both female biological sex (RR = 1.59; 95% CI: 1.41-1.79; p < 0.001) and a score summarising gendered sociocultural variables (RR = 1.05; 95% CI: 1.03-1.07; p < 0.001) were significantly associated with PASC. Following multivariable adjustment, biological female sex (RR = 0.96; 95% CI: 0.74-1.25; p = 0.763) was outperformed by feminine gender-related factors such as a higher stress level (RR = 1.04; 95% CI: 1.01-1.06; p = 0.003), lower education (RR = 1.16; 95% CI: 1.03-1.30; p = 0.011), being female and living alone (RR = 1.91; 95% CI: 1.29-2.83; p = 0.001) or being male and earning the highest income in the household (RR = 0.76; 95% CI: 0.60-0.97; p = 0.030).ConclusionSpecific sociocultural parameters that differ in prevalence between women and men, or imply a unique risk for women, are predictors of PASC and may explain, at least in part, the higher incidence of PASC in women. Once patients are hospitalised during acute infection, sex differences in PASC are no longer evident.

Impact of Additional Administration of von Willebrand Factor Concentrates to Thrombocyte Transfusion in Perioperative Bleeding in Cardiac Surgery.

Background: Von Willebrand factor (vWF) is an important part of blood coagulation since it binds platelets to each other and to endothelial cells. In traumatic and surgical haemorrhage, both blood cells and plasmatic factors are consumed, leading to consumption coagulopathy and fluid resuscitation. This often results in large amounts of crystalloids and blood products being infused. Additional administration of vWF complex and platelets might mitigate this problem. We hypothesize that administration of vWF concentrate additionally to platelet concentrates reduces blood loss and the amount of blood products (platelets, red blood cells [RBC], fresh frozen plasma [FFP]) administered. Methods: We conducted a monocentric 6-year retrospective data analysis of cardiac surgery patients. Included were all patients receiving platelet concentrates within 48 h postoperatively. Patients who additionally received vWF concentrates were allocated to the intervention group and all others to the control group. Groups were compared in mixed regression models correcting for known confounders, based on nearest neighbour propensity score matching. Primary endpoints were loss of blood (day one and two) and amount of needed blood products on day one and two (platelets, RBC, FFP). Secondary endpoints were intensive care unit (ICU) and in-hospital length of stay, ICU and in-hospital mortality, and absolute difference of platelet counts before and after treatment. Results: Of 497 patients analysed, 168 (34%) received vWF concentrates. 121 patients in both groups were considered for nearest neighbour matching. Patients receiving additional vWF were more likely to receive more blood products (RBC, FFP, platelets) in the first 24 h after surgery and had around 200 mL more blood loss at the same time. Conclusion: In this retrospective analysis, no benefit in additional administration of vWF to platelet concentrates on perioperative blood loss, transfusion requirement (platelets, RBC, FFP), length of stay, and mortality could be found. These findings should be verified in a prospective randomized controlled clinical trial (www.clinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT04555785).

Temporal trends in mortality and provision of intensive care in younger women and men with acute myocardial infarction or stroke.

BACKGROUND: Timely management of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and acute stroke has undergone impressive progress during the last decade. However, it is currently unknown whether both sexes have profited equally from improved strategies. We sought to analyze sex-specific temporal trends in intensive care unit (ICU) admission and mortality in younger patients presenting with AMI or stroke in Switzerland. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of temporal trends in 16,954 younger patients aged 18 to ≤ 52 years with AMI or acute stroke admitted to Swiss ICUs between 01/2008 and 12/2019. RESULTS: Over a period of 12 years, ICU admissions for AMI decreased more in women than in men (- 6.4% in women versus - 4.5% in men, p < 0.001), while ICU mortality for AMI significantly increased in women (OR 1.2 [1.10-1.30], p = 0.032), but remained unchanged in men (OR 0.99 [0.94-1.03], p = 0.71). In stroke patients, ICU admission rates increased between 3.6 and 4.1% per year in both sexes, while ICU mortality tended to decrease only in women (OR 0.91 [0.85-0.95, p = 0.057], but remained essentially unaltered in men (OR 0.99 [0.94-1.03], p = 0.75). Interventions aimed at restoring tissue perfusion were more often performed in men with AMI, while no sex difference was noted in neurovascular interventions. CONCLUSION: Sex and gender disparities in disease management and outcomes persist in the era of modern interventional neurology and cardiology with opposite trends observed in younger stroke and AMI patients admitted to intensive care. Although our study has several limitations, our data suggest that management and selection criteria for ICU admission, particularly in younger women with AMI, should be carefully reassessed.

Omnichannel Communication to Boost Patient Engagement and Behavioral Change With Digital Health Interventions.

Digital health interventions are being increasingly incorporated into health care workflows to improve the efficiency of patient care. In turn, sustained patient engagement with digital health interventions can maximize their benefits toward health care outcomes. In this viewpoint, we outline a dynamic patient engagement by using various communication channels and the potential use of omnichannel engagement to integrate these channels. We conceptualize a novel patient care journey where multiple web-based and offline communication channels are integrated through a "digital twin." The principles of implementing omnichannel engagement for digital health interventions and digital twins are also broadly covered. Omnichannel engagement in digital health interventions implies a flexibility for personalization, which can enhance and sustain patient engagement with digital health interventions, and ultimately, patient quality of care and outcomes. We believe that the novel concept of omnichannel engagement in health care can be greatly beneficial to patients and the system once it is successfully realized to its full potential.

Age- and sex-dependent changes of resting amygdalar activity in individuals free of clinical cardiovascular disease.

PURPOSE: Amygdalar metabolic activity was shown to independently predict cardiovascular outcomes. However, little is known about age- and sex-dependent variability in neuronal stress responses among individuals free of cardiac disease. This study sought to assess age- and sex-specific differences of resting amygdalar metabolic activity in the absence of clinical cardiovascular disease. METHODS: Amygdalar metabolic activity was assessed in 563 patients who underwent multimodality imaging by 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography and echocardiography for the evaluation of cardiac function. RESULTS: After exclusion of 294 patients with structural or functional cardiovascular pathologies, 269 patients (128 women) remained in the final population. 18F-FDG amygdalar activity significantly decreased with age in men (r = - 0.278, P = 0.001), but not in women (r = 0.002, P = 0.983). Similarly, dichotomous analysis confirmed a lower amygdalar activity in men ≥ 50 years as compared to those < 50 years of age (0.79 ± 0.1 vs. 0.84 ± 0.1, P = 0.007), which was not observed in women (0.81 ± 0.1 vs. 0.82 ± 0.1, P = 0.549). Accordingly, a fully adjusted linear regression analysis identified age as an independent predictor of amygdalar activity only in men (B-coefficient - 0.278, P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Amygdalar activity decreases with age in men, but not in women. The use of amygdalar activity for cardiovascular risk stratification merits consideration of inherent age- and sex-dependent variability.

Orthotopic Bone Formation by Streamlined Engineering and Devitalization of Human Hypertrophic Cartilage.

Most bones of the human body form and heal through endochondral ossification, whereby hypertrophic cartilage (HyC) is formed and subsequently remodeled into bone. We previously demonstrated that HyC can be engineered from human mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSC), and subsequently devitalized by apoptosis induction. The resulting extracellular matrix (ECM) tissue retained osteoinductive properties, leading to ectopic bone formation. In this study, we aimed at engineering and devitalizing upscaled quantities of HyC ECM within a perfusion bioreactor, followed by in vivo assessment in an orthotopic bone repair model. We hypothesized that the devitalized HyC ECM would outperform a clinical product currently used for bone reconstructive surgery. Human MSC were genetically engineered with a gene cassette enabling apoptosis induction upon addition of an adjuvant. Engineered hMSC were seeded, differentiated, and devitalized within a perfusion bioreactor. The resulting HyC ECM was subsequently implanted in a 10-mm rabbit calvarial defect model, with processed human bone (Maxgraft®) as control. Human MSC cultured in the perfusion bioreactor generated a homogenous HyC ECM and were efficiently induced towards apoptosis. Following six weeks of in vivo implantation, microcomputed tomography and histological analyses of the defects revealed an increased bone formation in the defects filled with HyC ECM as compared to Maxgraft®. This work demonstrates the suitability of engineered devitalized HyC ECM as a bone substitute material, with a performance superior to a state-of-the-art commercial graft. Streamlined generation of the devitalized tissue transplant within a perfusion bioreactor is relevant towards standardized and automated manufacturing of a clinical product.

Improved Adipocyte Viability in Autologous Fat Grafting With Ascorbic Acid-Supplemented Tumescent Solution.

INTRODUCTION: In reconstructive surgery, fat volume augmentation is often necessary for esthetic or functional reasons. As an alternative to synthetic and xenogeneic materials, autologous fat grafting (AFG) based on liposuction is gaining popularity, yet successful transplantation and long-term volume maintenance are difficult. Standard tumescent solution formulations neglect adipocyte and stromal vascular fraction (SVF) cell survival during extraction, as well as SVF differentiation into adipocytes thereafter, all of which are crucial for the success of AFG. Here we hypothesized that addition of ascorbic acid (AA) to the tumescent solution could prevent liposuction-induced cell damage. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The effect of 0.1 mmol/L AA in tumescent solution was investigated in a previously described ex vivo model of AFG. Briefly, excision fat was infiltrated with tumescent solution, with or without AA, and incubated for 20 minutes at 37°C. Hand-assisted liposuction was then performed with a blunt cannula. Total cell viability, clonogenicity, and differentiation capacity of the SVF cells were assessed. RESULTS: With AA, 10.3% more cells and in particular 14.9% more adipocytes survived liposuction. Clonogenicity, adipocyte and osteoblast differentiation by SVF cells remained unchanged. CONCLUSIONS: Addition of AA successfully improved survival of adipocytes during liposuction without affecting SVF growth and differentiation. This study therefore identified a useful supplement to the tumescent solution which may lead to improving AFG success.

Alterations of Subchondral Bone Progenitor Cells in Human Knee and Hip Osteoarthritis Lead to a Bone Sclerosis Phenotype.

Subchondral bone tissue plays a key role in the initiation and progression of human and experimental osteoarthritis and has received considerable interest as a treatment target. Elevated bone turnover and remodeling leads to subchondral bone sclerosis that is characterized by an increase in bone material that is less mineralized. The aim of this study was to investigate whether perturbations in subchondral bone-resident progenitor cells might play a role in aberrant bone formation in osteoarthritis. Colony formation assays indicated similar clonogenicity of progenitor cells from non-sclerotic and sclerotic subchondral trabecular bone tissues of osteoarthritic knee and hip joints compared with controls from iliac crest bone. However, the osteogenic potential at the clonal level was approximately two-fold higher in osteoarthritis than controls. An osteogenic differentiation assay indicated an efficient induction of alkaline phosphatase activity but blunted in vitro matrix mineralization irrespective of the presence of sclerosis. Micro-computed tomography and histology demonstrated the formation of de novo calcified tissues by osteoblast-like cells in an ectopic implantation model. The expression of bone sialoprotein, a marker for osteoblast maturation and mineralization, was significantly less in sclerotic progenitor cells. Perturbation of resident progenitor cell function is associated with subchondral bone sclerosis and may be a treatment target for osteoarthritis.

Implantation of Stromal Vascular Fraction Progenitors at Bone Fracture Sites: From a Rat Model to a First-in-Man Study.

Stromal Vascular Fraction (SVF) cells freshly isolated from adipose tissue include osteogenic- and vascular-progenitors, yet their relevance in bone fracture healing is currently unknown. Here, we investigated whether human SVF cells directly contribute to the repair of experimental fractures in nude rats, and explored the feasibility/safety of their clinical use for augmentation of upper arm fractures in elderly individuals. Human SVF cells were loaded onto ceramic granules within fibrin gel and implanted in critical nude rat femoral fractures after locking-plate osteosynthesis, with cell-free grafts as control. After 8 weeks, only SVF-treated fractures did not fail mechanically and displayed formation of ossicles at the repair site, with vascular and bone structures formed by human cells. The same materials combined with autologous SVF cells were then used to treat low-energy proximal humeral fractures in 8 patients (64-84 years old) along with standard open reduction and internal fixation. Graft manufacturing and implantation were compatible with intraoperative settings and led to no adverse reactions, thereby verifying feasibility/safety. Biopsies of the repair tissue after up to 12 months, upon plate revision or removal, demonstrated formation of bone ossicles, structurally disconnected and morphologically distinct from osteoconducted bone, suggesting the osteogenic nature of implanted SVF cells. We demonstrate that SVF cells, without expansion or exogenous priming, can spontaneously form bone tissue and vessel structures within a fracture-microenvironment. The gained clinical insights into the biological functionality of the grafts, combined with their facile, intra-operative manufacturing modality, warrant further tests of effectiveness in larger, controlled trials. Stem Cells 2016;34:2956-2966.

Osteoinductivity of engineered cartilaginous templates devitalized by inducible apoptosis.

The role of cell-free extracellular matrix (ECM) in triggering tissue and organ regeneration has gained increased recognition, yet current approaches are predominantly based on the use of ECM from fully developed native tissues at nonhomologous sites. We describe a strategy to generate customized ECM, designed to activate endogenous regenerative programs by recapitulating tissue-specific developmental processes. The paradigm was exemplified in the context of the skeletal system by testing the osteoinductive capacity of engineered and devitalized hypertrophic cartilage, which is the primordial template for the development of most bones. ECM was engineered by inducing chondrogenesis of human mesenchymal stromal cells and devitalized by the implementation of a death-inducible genetic device, leading to cell apoptosis on activation and matrix protein preservation. The resulting hypertrophic cartilage ECM, tested in a stringent ectopic implantation model, efficiently remodeled to form de novo bone tissue of host origin, including mature vasculature and a hematopoietic compartment. Importantly, cartilage ECM could not generate frank bone tissue if devitalized by standard "freeze & thaw" (F&T) cycles, associated with a significant loss of glycosaminoglycans, mineral content, and ECM-bound cytokines critically involved in inflammatory, vascularization, and remodeling processes. These results support the utility of engineered ECM-based devices as off-the-shelf regenerative niches capable of recruiting and instructing resident cells toward the formation of a specific tissue.

Engineering of a functional bone organ through endochondral ossification.

Embryonic development, lengthening, and repair of most bones proceed by endochondral ossification, namely through formation of a cartilage intermediate. It was previously demonstrated that adult human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (hMSCs) can execute an endochondral program and ectopically generate mature bone. Here we hypothesized that hMSCs pushed through endochondral ossification can engineer a scaled-up ossicle with features of a "bone organ," including physiologically remodeled bone, mature vasculature, and a fully functional hematopoietic compartment. Engineered hypertrophic cartilage required IL-1ß to be efficiently remodeled into bone and bone marrow upon subcutaneous implantation. This model allowed distinguishing, by analogy with bone development and repair, an outer, cortical-like perichondral bone, generated mainly by host cells and laid over a premineralized area, and an inner, trabecular-like, endochondral bone, generated mainly by the human cells and formed over the cartilaginous template. Hypertrophic cartilage remodeling was paralleled by ingrowth of blood vessels, displaying sinusoid-like structures and stabilized by pericytic cells. Marrow cavities of the ossicles contained phenotypically defined hematopoietic stem cells and progenitor cells at similar frequencies as native bones, and marrow from ossicles reconstituted multilineage long-term hematopoiesis in lethally irradiated mice. This study, by invoking a "developmental engineering" paradigm, reports the generation by appropriately instructed hMSC of an ectopic "bone organ" with a size, structure, and functionality comparable to native bones. The work thus provides a model useful for fundamental and translational studies of bone morphogenesis and regeneration, as well as for the controlled manipulation of hematopoietic stem cell niches in physiology and pathology.

The effect of subacromial injections of autologous conditioned plasma versus cortisone for the treatment of symptomatic partial rotator cuff tears.

PURPOSE: Rotator cuff tears are one of the most common causes of shoulder malfunction and pain, which lead to a significant reduction in the quality of life. This present study investigated the effects of subacromial platelet-rich plasma injections [i.e. autologous conditioned plasma (ACP) injections] as compared to standard subacromial cortisone injection therapy in 50 patients with partial rotator cuff tears. METHODS: Before injection, and 6 weeks, 12 weeks and 6 months thereafter, the patients were assessed by the Constant-Murley score (CMS), the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Standardized Shoulder Assessment Form (ASES), the simple shoulder test (SST) and a pain visual analogue scale (VAS). An MRI was also performed before and 6 months after injection. RESULTS: Both patient groups had statistically significant better shoulder score outcomes over time. ASES, SST and CMS outcomes after 12 versus 6 weeks were better in the ACP group as compared to the cortisone group. VAS, ASES and CMS outcomes after 12 weeks versus baseline in the ACP group were better as compared to the cortisone group. There was a statistically significant difference between ACP group and cortisone group 12 weeks after injection regarding VAS, ASES, SST and CMS in favour of the ACP group. The MRI showed an improvement in grade of tendinopathy in both groups, however, without statistically significant differences between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Compared with cortisone injections, ACP injections show earlier benefit as compared to cortisone injections although a statistically significant difference after 6 months could not be found. Therefore, subacromial ACP injections are a good alternative to subacromial cortisone injections, especially in patients with contraindication to cortisone. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic study, Level III.

Anti-inflammatory/tissue repair macrophages enhance the cartilage-forming capacity of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells.

Macrophages are key players in healing processes. However, little is known on their capacity to modulate the differentiation potential of mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSC). Here we investigated whether macrophages (Mf) with, respectively, pro-inflammatory and tissue-remodeling traits differentially modulate chondrogenesis of bone marrow derived-MSC (BM-MSC). We demonstrated that coculture in collagen scaffolds of BM-MSC with Mf derived from monocytes polarized with M-CSF (M-Mf), but not with GM-CSF (GM-Mf) resulted in significantly higher glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content than what would be expected from an equal number of BM-MSC alone (defined as chondro-induction). Moreover, type II collagen was expressed at significantly higher levels in BM-MSC/M-Mf as compared to BM-MSC/GM-Mf constructs, while type X collagen expression was unaffected. In order to understand the possible cellular mechanism accounting for chondro-induction, developing monoculture and coculture tissues were digested and the properties of the isolated BM-MSC analysed. We observed that as compared to monocultures, in coculture with M-Mf, BM-MSC decreased less markedly in number and exhibited higher clonogenic and chondrogenic capacity. Despite their chondro-inductive effect in vitro, M-Mf did not modulate the cartilage tissue maturation in subcutaneous pockets of nude mice, as evidenced by similar accumulation of type X collagen and calcified tissue. Our results demonstrate that coculture of BM-MSC with M-Mf results in synergistic cartilage tissue formation in vitro. Such effect seems to result from the survival of BM-MSC with high chondrogenic capacity. Studies in an orthotopic in vivo model are necessary to assess the clinical relevance of our findings in the context of cartilage repair.

Tendon healing: an overview of physiology, biology, and pathology of tendon healing and systematic review of state of the art in tendon bioengineering.

PURPOSE: Tendon injuries vary from acute rupture to chronic tendinopathy. For an optimal treatment of either condition, a profound knowledge is essential. Therefore, this article shall give an overview of physiology, biology, and pathology of tendon healing and state of the art in tendon bioengineering. METHODS: For a preferably comprehensive survey, the current literature listed in PubMed and published in English peer-reviewed journals (March 2013) was systematically reviewed for tendon healing and tendon bioengineering including cytokine modulation, autologous sources of growth factors, biomaterials, gene therapy, and cell-based therapy. No differentiation was made between clinical and preclinical in vitro investigations. RESULTS: Tendon healing happens in certain stadiums of inflammation, formation, and remodelling. An additional process of "collagen recycling" close to the healing site has been described recently. With increasing comprehension of physiology and pathology of tendon healing, several promising approaches in tendon bioengineering using growth factors, biomaterials, gene therapy, or cell-based therapy are described. However, only some of these are already used routinely in clinics. CONCLUSION: Strong and resistant tendons are crucial for a healthy musculoskeletal system. The new approaches in tendon bioengineering are promising to aid physiological tendon healing and thus resulting in a stronger and more resistant tendon after injury. The growing knowledge in this field will need to be further taken into clinical studies so that especially those patients with prolonged courses, revision surgery, or chronic tendinopathy and high-demanding patients, i.e., professional athletes would benefit. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II.

Engraftment of Prevascularized, Tissue Engineered Constructs in a Novel Rabbit Segmental Bone Defect Model.

The gold standard treatment of large segmental bone defects is autologous bone transfer, which suffers from low availability and additional morbidity. Tissue engineered bone able to engraft orthotopically and a suitable animal model for pre-clinical testing are direly needed. This study aimed to evaluate engraftment of tissue-engineered bone with different prevascularization strategies in a novel segmental defect model in the rabbit humerus. Decellularized bone matrix (Tutobone) seeded with bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells was used directly orthotopically or combined with a vessel and inserted immediately (1-step) or only after six weeks of subcutaneous "incubation" (2-step). After 12 weeks, histological and radiological assessment was performed. Variable callus formation was observed. No bone formation or remodeling of the graft through TRAP positive osteoclasts could be detected. Instead, a variable amount of necrotic tissue formed. Although necrotic area correlated significantly with amount of vessels and the 2-step strategy had significantly more vessels than the 1-step strategy, no significant reduction of necrotic area was found. In conclusion, the animal model developed here represents a highly challenging situation, for which a suitable engineered bone graft with better prevascularization, better resorbability and higher osteogenicity has yet to be developed.

Designing questionnaires: healthcare survey to compare two different response scales.

BACKGROUND: A widely discussed design issue in patient satisfaction questionnaires is the optimal length and labelling of the answering scale. The aim of the present study was to compare intra-individually the answers on two response scales to five general questions evaluating patients' perception of hospital care. METHODS: Between November 2011 and January 2012, all in-hospital patients at a Swiss University Hospital received a patient satisfaction questionnaire on an adjectival scale with three to four labelled categories (LS) and five redundant questions displayed on an 11-point end-anchored numeric scale (NS). The scales were compared concerning ceiling effect, internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha), individual item answers (Spearman's rank correlation), and concerning overall satisfaction by calculating an overall percentage score (sum of all answers related to the maximum possible sum). RESULTS: The response rate was 41% (2957/7158), of which 2400 (81%) completely filled out all questions. Baseline characteristics of the responders and non-responders were similar. Floor and ceiling effect were high on both response scales, but more pronounced on the LS than on the NS. Cronbach's alpha was higher on the NS than on the LS. There was a strong individual item correlation between both answering scales in questions regarding the intent to return, quality of treatment and the judgement whether the patient was treated with respect and dignity, but a lower correlation concerning satisfactory information transfer by physicians or nurses, where only three categories were available in the LS. The overall percentage score showed a comparable distribution, but with a wider spread of lower satisfaction in the NS. CONCLUSIONS: Since the longer scale did not substantially reduce the ceiling effect, the type of questions rather than the type of answering scale could be addressed with a focus on specific questions about concrete situations instead of general questions. Moreover, the low correlation in questions about information provision suggests that only three possible response choices are insufficient. Further investigations are needed to find a more sensitive scale discriminating high-end ratings. Otherwise, a longitudinal within-hospital or a cross-sectional between-hospital comparison of patient care is questionable.

The relationship between hospital patients' ratings of quality of care and communication.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the relationship between hospital patients' quality of care ratings and their experiences with health-related information exchanges and communication during hospitalization. DESIGN: Cross-sectional multivariate dimensional analysis of data from a quality of care experience questionnaire of hospital patients comparing scores across three levels of reported satisfaction. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Five thousand nine hundred and fifty-two patients from a Swiss University Hospital responded to the questionnaire at discharge during 2010. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Survey questions measuring patients' evaluation of quality of care, patient loyalty and overall satisfaction. RESULTS: Different levels of reported satisfaction are associated with differing experiences of health-related information and communication during a hospital stay. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who report lower satisfaction appear to attribute to the hospital staff enduring negative dispositions from behaviours that may be due to specific situational contexts. Negative experiences appear to influence scores on most other communication and information domains. Patients who report higher satisfaction, in contrast, appear to differentiate negative experiences and positive experiences and they appear to relativize and compartmentalize negative experiences associated with their hospital stay.

Long-Term Mortality after New-Onset Atrial Fibrillation in COVID-19.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) has been described as a common cardiovascular manifestation in patients suffering from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and has been suggested to be a potential risk factor for a poor clinical outcome. Methods: In this observational study, all patients hospitalized due to COVID-19 in 2020 in the Cantonal Hospital of Baden were included. We assessed clinical characteristics, in-hospital outcomes as well as long-term outcomes with a mean follow-up time of 278 (±90) days. Results: Amongst 646 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 (59% male, median age: 70 (IQR: 59-80)) in 2020, a total of 177 (27.4%) patients were transferred to the intermediate/intensive care unit (IMC/ICU), and 76 (11.8%) were invasively ventilated during their hospitalization. Ninety patients (13.9%) died. A total of 116 patients (18%) showed AF on admission of which 34 (29%) had new-onset AF. Patients with COVID-19 and newly diagnosed AF were more likely to require invasive ventilation (OR: 3.5; p = 0.01) but did not encounter an increased in-hospital mortality. Moreover, AF neither increased long-term mortality nor the number of rehospitalizations during follow-up after adjusting for confounders. Conclusions: In patients suffering from COVID-19, the new-onset of AF on admission was associated with an increased risk of invasive ventilation and transfer to the IMC/ICU but did not affect in-hospital or long-term mortality.