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Heart failure (HF) is one of the most common diagnoses on admission to hospital in Germany, and one which incurs high costs. Integrated care in case management programs (CMPs) aims to improve treatment quality in the sense of guideline-driven treatment, while reducing hospital admissions, hospital costs, and mortality. A total of 1,844 patient data records from 11 German statutory health insurance companies enrolled in the CMP (intervention group [IG]) were compared with 1,844 standard-care patients (control group) using propensity score matching. The two groups were assessed over three follow-up observation periods regarding the endpoints' treatment costs, hospitalization rate, indicators for treatment quality (diagnostics, physician contact), and mortality. The evaluation revealed no significant differences regarding overall costs. The IG incurred significantly higher outpatient costs, but the medication costs and inpatient costs were not significantly different. There were also no significant differences in the number of hospital admissions. Patients within the CMP had significantly more frequent contact with a cardiologist, and underwent echocardiographic examination significantly more frequently. Mortality during the first follow-up observation year was considerably more favorable for the IG. There are indications that treatment quality is improved in HF patients.
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The aim of our work was to demonstrate the importance of artificial intelligence-based analysis of fractional flow reserves of computed tomographically detected coronary artery stenosis with regard to their hemodynamic relevance in patients with unclear chest pain and suspected stable coronary heart disease with a low to medium pre-test probability.The collective of our retrospective analysis includes 63 patients in whom coronary artery stenosis was detected by volume computed tomographic examination in "one beat, whole heart" mode in the period from March to October 2022. In these patients, the fractional flow reserve was also determined by computed tomography, which was modulated by the use of artificial intelligence.The calculated values of the fractional flow reserve and the degrees of stenosis determined by computed tomography showed a moderate and significant negative correlation for all three coronary vascular territories (LAD/CX/RCA) (correlation coefficient rhoâ=â0.54/0.54/0.6; pâ<â0.01 respectively). In just over a third (37.6â%) of all stenoses classified as high-grade by computed tomography, the assessment of hemodynamic relevance by calculating the fractional flow reserve deviated from the severity of the stenosis diagnosed by computed tomography, while the results in the peripheral areas "no stenosis/vascular occlusion" were 100â% consistent in each case.The present results of this work illustrate that the calculation of the fractional flow reserve based on artificial intelligence as a supplement to volume computed tomography of the heart can make a decisive contribution to further therapy planning by increasing the specificity of the purely morphological method by the physiological aspect. · Calculation of fractional flow reserve is a useful addition to computed tomography of the heart.. · It provides possibility to dispense with unnecessary further diagnostics by increasing specificity.. · The combination of both procedures leads to therapy optimization for patients.. · Noblé H, Mühlbauer N, Ehling J etâal. The value of AI-based analysis of fractional flow reserve of volume computed tomographically detected coronary artery stenosis with regard to their hemodynamic relevance. Fortschr Röntgenstr 2024; DOI: 10.1055/a-2271-0887.
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BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Animal studies suggest that exposure to severe ambient hypoxia for several days may have beneficial long-term effects on neurodegenerative diseases. Because, the acute risks of exposing human beings to prolonged severe hypoxia on brain structure and function are uncertain, we conducted a pilot study in healthy persons. METHODS: We included two professional mountaineers (participants A and B) in a 35-day study comprising an acclimatization period and 14 consecutive days with oxygen concentrations between 8% and 8.8%. They underwent cerebral magnetic resonance imaging at seven time points and a cognitive test battery covering a spectrum of cognitive domains at 27 time points. We analysed blood neuron specific enolase and neurofilament light chain levels before, during, and after hypoxia. RESULTS: In hypoxia, white matter volumes increased (maximum: A, 4.3% ± 0.9%; B, 4.5% ± 1.9%) whilst gray matter volumes (A, -1.5% ± 0.8%; B, -2.5% ± 0.9%) and cerebrospinal fluid volumes (A, -2.7% ± 2.4%; B, -5.9% ± 8.2%) decreased. Furthermore, the number (A, 11-17; B, 26-126) and volumes (A, 140%; B, 285%) of white matter hyperintensities increased in hypoxia but had returned to baseline after a 3.5-month recovery phase. Diffusion weighted imaging of the white matter indicated cytotoxic edema formation. We did not observe changes in cognitive performance or biochemical brain injury markers. DISCUSSION: In highly selected healthy individuals, severe sustained normobaric hypoxia over 2 weeks elicited reversible changes in brain morphology without clinically relevant changes in cognitive function or brain injury markers. The finding may pave the way for future translational studies assessing the therapeutic potential of hypoxia in neurodegenerative diseases.
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Mal de Altura , Lesiones Encefálicas , Mal de Altura/diagnóstico por imagen , Mal de Altura/etiología , Mal de Altura/patología , Animales , Biomarcadores , Encéfalo/diagnóstico por imagen , Encéfalo/patología , Lesiones Encefálicas/complicaciones , Lesiones Encefálicas/patología , Humanos , Hipoxia/complicaciones , Hipoxia/patología , Imagen por Resonancia Magnética , Proyectos PilotoRESUMEN
INTRODUCTION: With improved imaging technology, the number of incidental findings detected in cerebral MRI is increasing. This is a challenge that the German Air Force has to deal with in the context of standardized MRI examinations of young pilot candidates and pilots.METHODS: The German Air Force Centre of Aerospace Medicine hosted a 2-d conference to develop recommendations and procedures for the handling of some of the most frequently encountered cerebral incidental findings.RESULTS: Radiological MRI findings from a total of 2724 routine examinations of the skull of pilots and pilot applicants (26.8 ± 10.6 yr old; range from 16 to 62; over 80% range from 17 to 33; 96% men) revealed that in 28.1% of the examinations, one or more incidental findings were discovered. For seven of the following categories of incidental findings, decision guidelines could be established: white matter hyperintensities (N = 393; prevalence 14.4%; 95% CI 13.11-15.75), pinealis cysts (317; 11.6%; 10.43-12.84), developmental venous anomalies (64; 2.3%; 1.78-2.92), cavernomas (15; 0.6%; 0.27-0.83), aneurysms (14; 0.5%; 0.25-0.78), cholesterol granulomas (22; 0.8%; 0.47-1.14), and heterotopias of the gray matter (6; 0.2%; 0.04-0.4).CONCLUSION: Considering pilots health and aviation safety, a waiver decision is often possible after thorough discussion, depending on the specific criteria of the incidental finding and of the type of license.Kühn S, Sönksen S-E, Noble H-J, Knopf H, Frischmuth J, Waldeck S, Müller-Forell W, Weber F, Bressem L. Incidental findings in head and brain MRI of military pilots and applicants: consequences for medical flight fitness. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2022; 93(5):450-457.
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Medicina Aeroespacial , Personal Militar , Pilotos , Encéfalo/diagnóstico por imagen , Femenino , Humanos , Hallazgos Incidentales , Imagen por Resonancia Magnética , MasculinoRESUMEN
Background: In human beings exposed to high altitude, cerebral magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI) revealed alterations ranging from subclinical cerebral edema formation to subtle brain abnormalities. Yet, brain structure after adaptation to high altitude and their recovery after return to lowlands have been rarely investigated. We, therefore, examined 10 healthy individuals by cMRI before, 12 hours after descent (R + 12h), and again 3.5 months (R + 3.5m) after a 7-day high altitude exposure at 4554 m. Results: After their 3-day lasting, stepwise ascent to 4554 m, all subjects suffered acute mountain sickness with a mean Lake Louise score of 5.8 ± 1.7 after the first night at that altitude. Acute mountain sickness completely resolved after 4 days at 4554 m. While 12 hours after descent mean white and gray matter volumes were increased compared with before altitude exposure (p = 0.045 and p = 0.002), these volumes were normalized on R + 3.5m. Moreover, we observed significant focal volume alterations likely attributed to either vasogenic or cytotoxic edema formation. Two subjects presented new brain findings after altitude exposure. In one individual the number of preexisting white matter hyperintensities (WMHI) transiently increased, in the other individual a reversible splenial lesion syndrome (RESLES) emerged. Both findings had resolved 15 and 8 days after descent, respectively. None developed structural lesions like brain atrophy, cerebral infarcts, microbleeds, or high-altitude cerebral edema. Discussion: Three days after complete recovery from acute mountain sickness and after return to low altitude, subclinical vasogenic and cytotoxic edema, RESLES and WMHI are present in high-altitude acclimatized individuals. However, these cerebral alterations are reversible within months at lowland.