Clinical Profiles and Outcomes of Prosthesis-Specific Infective Endocarditis Subsequent to Transcatheter Versus Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE) is a rare but serious complication following aortic valve replacement using either a transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) or surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). This study aims to review the profiles and outcomes of PVE after surgical versus transcatheter aortic valve replacement. Electronic searches were performed on Scopus, EMBASE, and PubMed to retrieve related articles. To be included, study designs had to be randomized controlled trials (RCT) or observational cohort studies (in English) with PVE patients that compared differences based on TAVI or SAVR. This review included data for 13,221 patients with PVE diagnoses. Of those, 2,109 patients had an initial SAVR, and 11,112 patients had an initial TAVI. There was no difference in the incidence of PVE in patients who had initial TAVI versus SAVR (1.05% versus 1.01% per person-year, p=0.98). However, the onset of early PVE was more frequently observed in the TAVI group (risk ratio (RR): 1.54, 95% confidence interval (CI) [1.14, 2.08], p=0.005). Patients in the TAVI group had a lower indication for surgery to treat PVE when compared to SAVR (RR: 0.55, 95%CI [0.44, 0.69], p<0.001). Staphylococcus aureus was more likely to be the source of PVE in patients who had previous TAVI (RR: 1.34, 95%CI [1.17, 1.54], p<0.001). Also, Enterococcus faecalis was more frequently observed as a cause of PVE in the TAVI group (RR: 1.49, 95%CI [1.21, 1.82], p<0.001). Patients who underwent SAVR and TAVI had similar incidences of PVE. However, patients who underwent SAVR had a greater indication for surgery to treat PVE, while those who underwent TAVI had higher comorbidities, a higher likelihood of early PVE, and a trend towards higher one-year mortality.

Systematic review of feedback literacy instruments for health professions students.

Successfully managing and utilizing feedback is a critical skill for self-improvement. Properly identifying feedback literacy level is crucial to facilitate teachers and learners especially in clinical learning to plan for better learning experience. The present review aimed to gather and examine the existing definitions and metrics used to assess feedback literacy (or parts of its concepts) for health professions education. A systematic search was conducted on six databases, together with a manual search in January 2023. Quality of the included studies were appraised using the COSMIN Checklist. Information on the psychometric properties and clinical utility of the accepted instruments were extracted. A total 2226 records of studies were identified, and 11 articles included in the final analysis extracting 13 instruments. These instruments can be administered easily, and most are readily accessible. However, 'appreciating feedback' was overrepresented compared to the other three features of feedback literacy and none of the instruments had sufficient quality across all COSMIN validity rating sections. Further research studies should focus on developing and refining feedback literacy instruments that can be adapted to many contexts within health professions education. Future research should apply a rigorous methodology to produce a valid and reliable student feedback literacy instrument.

Past, present, and future of sustainable intensive care: narrative review and a large hospital system experience.

Healthcare systems are large contributors to global emissions, and intensive care units (ICUs) are a complex and resource-intensive component of these systems. Recent global movements in sustainability initiatives, led mostly by Europe and Oceania, have tried to mitigate ICUs' notable environmental impact with varying success. However, there exists a significant gap in the U.S. knowledge and published literature related to sustainability in the ICU. After a narrative review of the literature and related industry standards, we share our experience with a Green ICU initiative at a large hospital system in Texas. Our process has led to a 3-step pathway to inform similar initiatives for sustainable (green) critical care. This pathway involves (1) establishing a baseline by quantifying the status quo carbon footprint of the affected ICU as well as the cumulative footprint of all the ICUs in the healthcare system; (2) forming alliances and partnerships to target each major source of these pollutants and implement specific intervention programs that reduce the ICU-related greenhouse gas emissions and solid waste; and (3) finally to implement a systemwide Green ICU which requires the creation of multiple parallel pathways that marshal the resources at the grass-roots level to engage the ICU staff and institutionalize a mindset that recognizes and respects the impact of ICU functions on our environment. It is expected that such a systems-based multi-stakeholder approach would pave the way for improved sustainability in critical care.

Translation, cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric properties of the Urdu version of the back pain functional scale in low back pain patients.

BACKGROUND: Translation and validation of important scales in other languages reduce bias in reporting the functional status of the patient. OBJECTIVE: To translate the Back Pain Functional Scale into Urdu (BPFSu), adapt it for use in other cultures, and evaluate its psychometric properties. METHOD: According to Beaton guidelines, translation and cultural adaption was carried out. On 100 Urdu-literate men and women aged 18-60 years with lower back pain, the final BPFSu was assessed for psychometric qualities. First at baseline and again after 7 days, participants completed the BPFSu, the Functional Rating Index (FRI), and the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS). RESULTS: Internal consistency of the BPFSu was excellent (Cronbach's alpha: 0.937). No floor and ceiling effects were found Excellent test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.882, CI 95%; 0.830-0.919) was achieved. Spearman correlation coefficient showed criterion validity with the NPRS (rho =â⁢⁢0.701, p⩽ 0.001) and Pearson correlation coefficient showed construct validity with the FRI (r=â⁢⁢0.740, p⩽ 0.001). The minimum detectable changes were 9.96, while the standard error of measurement was 3.6. CONCLUSION: The BPFSu is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing physical function in individuals experiencing low back discomfort.

Suprachoroidal silicone oil migration following 27 gauge 3 ports pars plana vitrectomy - a rare complication and its management.

Suprachoroidal silicone oil migration is an unusual complication of small gauge 3 ports Pars plana vitrectomy (3PPV) system. Our objective is to report a retrospective, observational case of an intra-operative suprachoroidal silicone oil (SO) migration during 27 gauge 3PPV and its successful surgical management. A 49 years old male patient with type 2 diabetes, presented to the ophthalmology outpatient department with reduced visual acuity in his right eye. He was diagnosed as having tractional retinal detachment involving macula. During combined phaco-vitrectomy following injection of SO, peripheral choroidal elevations were noted suggesting suprachoroidal SO migration. In an attempt to drain this intra-operatively nasal sclerotomy was enlarged. Post-operative B scan showed significant choroidal detachment for which patient was re-scheduled for surgery after 1 day. Three radial trans-scleral incisions (2 nasal and 1 temporal) for drainage were made at the site of maximum choroidal detachment. By massaging and widening these scleral incisions, suprachoroidal haemorrhage and SO was successfully drained with good post-operative visual improvement.

Evidence-Based Medicine: History, Review, Criticisms, and Pitfalls.

Evidence-based medicine (EBM) is the use of high-quality clinical research in making decisions about the care of patients. Its formal origin dates back to the mid-nineteenth century, and since then, it has continued to evolve. The best research evidence, clinical expertise, and patient values are described as the foundations of EBM. However, several tools and skills have been developed and added over time. EBM has faced a lot of criticism, and the pitfalls are widely discussed and published in the medical literature. The biggest challenge is the changing paradigm of healthcare, cost-effectiveness, and changing evidence which has led to controversies and challenges in the rapid adaptation of the EBM. This review article discusses the history, conception, and evolution of modern-day EBM. In addition, we discuss why EBM has been criticized and highlight the pitfalls.

Testicular choriocarcinoma with small bowel metastasis and active gastrointestinal bleeding.

Testicular choriocarcinomas make up less than 1% of all germ-cell tumors and are highly malignant, attributable to hematogenous spread. While the most common sites of metastasis are the lungs and liver, metastatic spread to the gastrointestinal tract is rare wherein patients may present with GI distress or even an upper GI bleed. In this report, we present a case of known testicular choriocarcinoma in a 40-year-old male who presented to the emergency room with severe anemia and a suspected upper GI bleed.

Amiodarone Related Skin Toxicity -The Blue Man Syndrome; a Case Report and Review of Literature.

Amiodarone induced blue-gray syndrome is a rare condition. It develops over years of use of amiodarone and can lead to discontinuation of the drug. It tends to develop over the sun exposed areas of the body typically involving the face and neck. Published medical literature is scarce with regard to the pathogenesis, clinical implications and management of this potential association. We chronicle here the case of a patient with amiodarone induced blue-grey discoloration of skin from our clinical experience. Furthermore, a systematic literature search of the medical databases PubMed and Google Scholar was conducted. A total of 9 cases fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The data on patients' characteristics, epidemiology, clinical features, comorbid conditions, diagnosis, clinical course and outcome were analyzed. The present review outlines our current understanding of the epidemiology and risk factors for amiodarone induced-blue man syndrome, the pathophysiology of this condition and currently available management options.

The Clinical and Safety Outcomes of 27 Gauge Pars Plana Vitrectomy in Eyes With Macular Hole.

Objective To report the clinical, visual, and safety outcomes of 27 gauge pars plana vitrectomy (27G PPV) in eyes with full thickness and lamellar macular hole (MH).  Methodology This retrospective cross-sectional study, conducted at the ophthalmology department of Shifa International Hospital, Islamabad, was done on 89 eyes of 85 patients who underwent 27G PPV for full-thickness and lamellar MH with a postoperative follow-up period of six months.  Results The mean age was 61.9 ± 17.3 years with 57.3% being males. Most of the eyes had idiopathic stage III full-thickness MH (n=34, 38.2 %). The total mean operating time was 42.5 ± 19.8 minutes. During surgery, 48 (53.9%) eyes had concurrent phacoemulsification. Hexafluoroethane was the most commonly used tamponade agent (n=81, 91%). Postoperatively, the primary closure rate was 93.2% (n=83) while the final closure rate was 100% (n=6) either by prolonged posturing (n=3, 3.3%) or by an additional procedure involving autologous internal limiting membrane (ILM) transplant (n=3, 3.3%). The complication rate was 2.2% including iatrogenic retinal tear (n=1, 1.1%) and raised IOP (n=1, 1.1%). The overall best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) improved significantly from 1.20 ± 0.67 to 0.31 ±0.17 (p=<0.001). Conclusion As per this study, 27G PPV is a practical and efficient surgical system with substantial anatomical success, minimal complication, and considerable visual recovery rates in eyes with full thickness and lamellar MH. We suggest 27G PPV with ILM peeling and medium-acting intraocular gas as the standard procedure for MH.

Mental health status of COVID-19 survivors: a cross sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) is a communicable disease caused by a virus named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Pandemics are associated with the high level of mental stress. In many countries, general people reported the high level of depression, anxiety, psychological distress, post-traumatic stress disorder during recent a pandemic. This study aims to investigate the mental health status of people who survived through this alarming situation of COVID-19. METHODS: In this study, seventy individuals (either gender) between the age of 18-60 years, who contracted COVID-19 previously and then recovered as indicated by negative PCR results, were included. Data was collected by using three tools: impact of event scale (IES-R), patient health questionnaire-9(PHQ-9) and corona anxiety scale (CAS). People with other systemic/mental disorders, ongoing malignancies, upper/lower motor disorders and inability to give consent were excluded from the study. RESULTS: Mean age of participants was 26.29 + 11.79. All the 70 responders suffered from COVID-19. Among these 23 (32.9%) were asymptomatic and 47(67.1%) had common symptoms related to COVID-19 53 (75.7%) responders also had symptoms post-recovery. Most of the people who suffered COVID-19 had mild depression. Twenty-nine participants (41.4%) reported the highest impact of this traumatic event on their mental health. After suffering from COVID-19, 74.3% reported no anxiety as measured through corona anxiety scale (CAS). CONCLUSION: High level of post-traumatic stress was seen among participants who recovered from COVID-19, especially those patients who were symptomatic. Mild depression and anxiety were also noted among them.

Development and Validation of a Risk Score for Respiratory Failure After Cardiac Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative respiratory failure, defined as ventilator dependency for more than 48 hours or unplanned reintubation within 30 days, is a costly complication of cardiac surgery that increases mortality and length of stay. Stratification of patients by risk upon intensive care unit admission could identify cases requiring early measures to prevent respiratory failure. This study aimed to develop and validate a risk score for postoperative respiratory failure after cardiac surgery. METHODS: This retrospective analysis of 4262 patients admitted to the cardiovascular intensive care unit after major cardiac surgery between January 2013 and December 2017, used The Society of Thoracic Surgeons database and ventilator data from the respiratory therapy department. Patients were randomly and equally assigned to development and validation cohorts. Covariates used in the multivariable models were assigned weighted points proportional to their ß regression coefficient values to create the risk score, which categorized patients into low, medium, and high risk of postoperative respiratory failure. RESULTS: In both cohorts, postoperative respiratory failure risk was significantly different between risk categories. Compared with low-risk patients, moderate-risk patients had a 2 times greater risk, and high-risk patients had a 4-7 times greater risk. Body mass index, previous cardiac surgery, cardiopulmonary bypass, cardiogenic shock, pulmonary disease presence, baseline functional status, hemodynamic instability, and number of blood products used intraoperatively were significant predictors of respiratory failure. CONCLUSIONS: This risk score can stratify patients by risk for developing postoperative respiratory failure after major cardiac surgery, which may help in the development of preventive measures.

Effects of phantom exercises on pain, mobility, and quality of life among lower limb amputees; a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The objective of the current study is to evaluate the effects of phantom exercises on phantom limb pain, mobility status, and quality of life in lower limb amputees treated with mirror therapy and routine physiotherapy. METHODS: It is a randomized controlled trial in which 24 unilateral lower limb amputees (above and below the knee) were randomly assigned to two equal groups i.e., control group (mirror therapy and conventional physical therapy) and experimental group in which, phantom exercises were given, additionally. Physical therapy included conventional therapeutic exercises while phantom exercises include imagining the movement of the phantom limb and attempting to execute these movements Data were collected at baseline, after 2 and 4 weeks of intervention using VAS (pain), AMP (mobility) and RAND SF-36 Version 1.0 (QOL) questionnaires. All statistical analyses were done with IBM SPSS 25.0 with 95% CI. RESULTS: Twenty-four amputees (17 males and 7 females) participated in this trial. The Mean age of the participants in experimental and control groups was 45.3 ± 11.1 years and 40.5 ± 12.5 years respectively. After the intervention, the pain (VAS score) was significantly lower in the experimental group (p = 0.003). Similarly, the experimental group demonstrated a significantly better score in the "bodily pain" domain of SF-36 (p = 0.012). Both groups significantly (p < 0.05) improved in other domains of SF-36 and ambulatory potential with no significant (p > 0.05) between-group differences. CONCLUSIONS: The Addition of phantom exercises resulted in significantly better pain management in lower limb amputees treated with mirror therapy and routine physiotherapy. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study is registered in the U.S National Library of Medicine. The clinical trials registration number for this study is NCT04285138 ( ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier) (Date: 26/02/2020).

Translation, cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric properties of the Urdu version of knee injury and osteoarthritis outcome score questionnaire for Pakistani population.

BACKGROUND: Knee injury and osteoarthritis outcome score questionnaire is a widely used tool for measuring short and long-term patient-relevant outcomes following knee injury. KOOS is neither translated nor examined for psychometric properties before. Therefore, the aim of this study was to translate, culturally adapt and check the psychometric properties of the KOOS in Urdu. METHODOLOGY: The translation and cultural adaptation was performed according to pre-defined guidelines. A total of 117 participants (54 males and 63 females) were recruited. The study had two steps: 1) Translation and cultural adaptation 2) Reliability and validity testing. The reliability (test-retest and internal consistency at (95% confidence interval) as well as the validity (Convergent validity) of final Urdu version of KOOS was tested. RESULTS: For all five domains, the KOOS Urdu version (KOOS-U) has demonstrated high test-retest reliability ICC = 0.90-0.96(CI = 95%). For all domains, the internal consistency was determined to be excellent (α = 0.82-0.96). There were no floor or ceiling impacts noted. Convergent validity was found to be good, as measured by Pearson's correlation coefficient. The findings revealed a strong negative association between the KOOS-U (QOL and pain) and the NPRS. And there was a low to high positive correlation between five KOOS-U domains and all SF-12 domains, i.e., there was a significant positive correlation between the pain domains of both KOOS and SF-12 with the r = 0.87(p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The Urdu version of KOOS is a valid, reliable, and responsive instrument to assess functional disability of patients with Knee Osteoarthritis with excellent psychometric properties.

Solid, Gel, and Solvent of Intensive Care Unit Leadership.

The first leadership emerged simultaneously at the time when humans started forming groups to fight against a common threat or to attain means of survival for food, shelter, and safety. Authors have tried to define, understand, and apply the context of leadership in different social, cultural, political, organizational, and religious setups. This article will describe three aspects of leadership to encompass comprehensive traits of strong leadership in a particular reference to any multidisciplinary intensive care units (ICUs) in a tertiary care hospital.

Changing Paradigms of Bedside Clinical Teaching.

Education has continued to evolve since the existence of mankind. We have now become more well-equipped and refined our teaching methodology over time. Despite all the progress made, we still continue to rely on bedside huddle for teaching. Globalization has facilitated learning in culturally diverse environment. Grand rounds, noon lectures and conferences help the millennial house-staff to effectively translate their concepts to hands-on clinical experience. Useful teaching strategies like story-telling, connecting, simplifying, playing hierarchy make learning more fun and engaging. Multidisciplinary collaborative learning has eased conceptualization and retention of practical knowledge. Our education system now focuses more on patient-centered, case-based learning system.

Radiological Findings in Patients with COVID-19.

After its origin in Wuhan, China, coronavirus related respiratory illness spread across the globe, being declared as a pandemic by WHO on March 13, 2020. Because it is acquired via respiratory droplets, community spread is responsible for the recent global crisis. The current diagnostic options include real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and a few serology tests, including but not limited to the recently approved five minutes serology tests. The disease presents as a lower respiratory tract illness. Anecdotal experiences have shown that imaging characteristics are crucial to diagnosis as radiological evidence of disease appears prior to clinical manifestations and tends to evolve over time, which can be useful in predicting the stage of the disease. CT scan is more sensitive than a chest X-ray in highlighting these changes.

Emergent Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) Performed on Patient With DiGeorge Syndrome.

Emergent Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) is a strategy that has been used for management of severely decompensated patients who are unlikely to tolerate an open procedure (Kolte et al., 2018). Recently, in the context of degenerated valve bioprosthesis, valve-in-valve (ViV) transcatheter aortic valve replacement has become an acceptable management strategy (Kalra et al., 2019 [2]). Here, we present this rare case of a 25-year-old, post-partum female with DiGeorge Syndrome, who presented with severe bioprosthetic valve stenosis leading to heart failure. She initially had received a biologic valve in order to have children; however, following delivery of her child, she developed valve failure that was severe enough to preclude her from receiving a surgical aortic valve replacement. ViV TAVR was performed emergently to improve heart failure and bridge the time to definitive treatment, when she would be able to safely receive a mechanical valve. After valve placement, echocardiogram showed no evidence of aortic regurgitation or paravalvular leak with a mean gradient of 2 mmHg, and she was ultimately discharged. Our patient was recovering well at her two-month follow up appointment. This case highlights the need for further research in the use of ViV TAVR in younger patient populations in emergent situations.

Is 24/7 In-House Intensivist Staffing Necessary in the Intensive Care Unit?

Over the past few decades, an increasing number of studies have shown that intensivist-staffed intensive care units (ICUs) lead to overall economic benefits and improved patient outcomes, including shorter length of stay and lower rates of complications and mortality. This body of evidence has convinced advocacy groups to adopt this staffing model as a standard of care in the ICU so that more hospitals are offering around-the-clock intensivist coverage. Even so, opponents have pointed to high ICU staffing costs and a shortage of physicians trained in critical care as barriers to implementing this model. While these arguments may hold true in low-acuity, low-volume ICUs, evidence has shown that in high-acuity, high-volume centers such as teaching hospitals and tertiary care centers, the benefits outweigh the costs. This article explores the history of intensivists and critical care, the arguments for 24/7 ICU staffing, and outcomes in various ICU settings but is not intended to be a comprehensive review of all controversies surrounding continuous ICU staffing.