The safety and use of perioperative dexamethasone in the perioperative management of primary sporadic supratentorial meningiomas.

Objective: Despite the lack of prospective evidence for the perioperative use of dexamethasone in meningioma surgery, its use is well established in the daily routine of several centers. The present study evaluates the effect of dexamethasone on postoperative complications, peritumoral T2/FLAIR hyperintensity, and progression-free survival in patients with supratentorial meningiomas undergoing resection. Methods: A total of 148 patients who underwent resection of a primary sporadic supratentorial meningioma at the authors' institution between 2018 and 2020 were included in this retrospective cohort. Safety criteria were side effects of dexamethasone (e.g. hyperglycemia), surgical morbidities, length of stay, and mortality. The individual Karnofsky Performance Scales (KPS) were evaluated regarding the individual development and the delta of KPS at 3- and 12-months compared to baseline KPS was calculated. Longitudinal assessment of the peritumoral T2-/FLAIR hyperintensity changes was performed. Results: The use of both pre- and postoperative dexamethasone did not influence the incidence rates of wound infections, infarctions, postoperative seizures, pulmonary embolism, postoperative hemorrhage, mortality, length of stay, new-onset hyperglycemia and new neurological deficits. Perioperative Dexamethasone use was associated with an improved Karnofsky performance development at 3- (delta of KPS 3.3 vs. -1.9, p=0.001) and 12-months (delta of KPS 3.8 vs. -1.1, p=0.008) compared to the preoperative Karnofsky performance status. Multivariable analysis revealed that perioperative dexamethasone use enhances the KPS improvement (OR: 3.65, 95% CI: 1.01-13.18, p=0.048). Persistent peritumoral T2/FLAIR hyperintensity changes were observed in 35 cases of 70 patients with available follow-up images and a baseline edema (50.0%). Perioperative dexamethasone use enhanced the reduction of the preoperative peritumoral T2-/FLAIR hyperintensity changes (mean reduction of maximum diameter: 1.8 cm vs. 1.1 cm, p=0.023). Perioperative dexamethasone use was independently associated with a lower risk for persistent peritumoral T2-/FLAIR hyperintensity changes (OR: 3.77, 95% CI: 1.05-13.54, p=0.042) The perioperative use of dexamethasone did not influence the progression-free survival time in Simpson grade I or II resected WHO grade 1 meningiomas (log-rank test: p=0.27). Conclusion: Perioperative dexamethasone use seems to be safe in surgery for primary supratentorial meningiomas. Dexamethasone use might enhance the functionality by reducing postoperative peritumoral T2-/FLAIR hyperintensities. These findings highlight the need for prospective data.

Perioperative psychological distress in patients with intracranial tumors; a single center study.

PURPOSE: Distress Thermometer (DT) was adopted to evaluate distress in neuro-oncology on a scale from 1 to 10. DT values above 4 indicate major distress and should initiate psycho(onco)logical co-therapy. However, data about peri-operative distress is scarce. Hence, we evaluated peri-operative distress levels in a neurosurgical patient cohort with various intracranial tumors using the DT. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study including inpatients with brain tumors who underwent surgery in our department between October 2015 and December 2019. Patients were routinely assessed for distress using the DT before or after initial surgery. A comparative analysis was performed via Wilcoxon rank-sum test. RESULTS: 254 patients were eligible. Mean DT value of the entire cohort was 5.4 ± 2.4. 44.5% (n = 114) of all patients exceeded DT values of ≥ 6. In our cohort, poor post-operative neurological performance and occurrence of motor deficits were significantly associated with major distress. When analysed for peri-operative changes, DT values significantly declined within the male sub-cohort (6.0 to 4.6, p = 0.0033) after surgery but remained high for the entire cohort (5.7 and 5.3, p = 0.1407). Sub-cohort analysis for other clinical factors revealed no further significant changes in peri-operative distress. CONCLUSION: Distress levels were high across the entire cohort which indicated a high need for psychological support. Motor deficits and poor post-operative neurological performance were significantly associated with DT values above 6. Distress levels showed little peri-operative variation.

A Long-Term Comparative Analysis of Endovascular Coiling and Clipping for Ruptured Cerebral Aneurysms: An Individual Patient-Level Meta-Analysis Assessing Rerupture Rates.

Background: Although the initial functional outcome findings of the International Subarachnoid Aneurysm Trial (ISAT) study favored coiling at one year after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH), concerns arose regarding limited long-term rerupture data. This meta-analysis is the first to analyze longitudinal individual patient data (IPD) of target aneurysm rerupture in terms of treatment modality. Methods: The present meta-analysis included studies that compared clipping with coiling of ruptured aneurysms regarding long-term rerupture. Rerupture rates' individual patient data (IPD) were extracted from published Kaplan-Meier curves utilizing the R package IPDfromKM in R Version 4.3.1. Results: A total of 3153 patients from two studies were included. The clipping arm included 1755 patients, whereas the coiling arm included 1398 patients. Median reconstructed follow-up was 6.1 years (IQR = 0.5-11.7). The rerupture rates in the clipping arm and the coiling arm were 0.5% and 1.5%, respectively (p = 0.002). Kaplan-Meier chart analysis of the 3153 patients revealed a shortened time to rerupture in the coiling arm (log-rank test: p = 0.01). The hazard ratio (HR) for coiling compared with clipping regarding rerupture was 3.62 (95% CI:1.21-10.86, p = 0.02). Conclusion: Target aneurysm rerupture was rare beyond the initial year. Pooled long-term IPD from the 3153 patients revealed that reruptures of target aneurysms are more common after coiling and might be considered in the pretherapeutic decision-making process for aSAH.

The importance of considering competing risks in recurrence analysis of intracranial meningioma.

BACKGROUND: The risk of recurrence is overestimated by the Kaplan-Meier method when competing events, such as death without recurrence, are present. Such overestimation can be avoided by using the Aalen-Johansen method, which is a direct extension of Kaplan-Meier that accounts for competing events. Meningiomas commonly occur in older individuals and have slow-growing properties, thereby warranting competing risk analysis. The extent to which competing events are considered in meningioma literature is unknown, and the consequences of using incorrect methodologies in meningioma recurrence risk analysis have not been investigated. METHODS: We surveyed articles indexed on PubMed since 2020 to assess the usage of competing risk analysis in recent meningioma literature. To compare recurrence risk estimates obtained through Kaplan-Meier and Aalen-Johansen methods, we applied our international database comprising ~ 8,000 patients with a primary meningioma collected from 42 institutions. RESULTS: Of 513 articles, 169 were eligible for full-text screening. There were 6,537 eligible cases from our PERNS database. The discrepancy between the results obtained by Kaplan-Meier and Aalen-Johansen was negligible among low-grade lesions and younger individuals. The discrepancy increased substantially in the patient groups associated with higher rates of competing events (older patients with high-grade lesions). CONCLUSION: The importance of considering competing events in recurrence risk analysis is poorly recognized as only 6% of the studies we surveyed employed Aalen-Johansen analyses. Consequently, most of the previous literature has overestimated the risk of recurrence. The overestimation was negligible for studies involving low-grade lesions in younger individuals; however, overestimation might have been substantial for studies on high-grade lesions.

A Novel Scoring System Predicting Red Blood Cell Transfusion Requirements in Patients Undergoing Invasive Spine Surgery.

Background: Access to blood products is crucial for patient safety during the perioperative course. However, reduced donations and seasonally occurring blood shortages pose a significant challenge to the healthcare system, with surgeries being postponed. The German Blood Transfusion act requires that RBC packages become assigned to an individual patient, resulting in a significant reduction in the available blood products, further aggravating shortages. We aimed to develop a scoring system predicting transfusion probability in patients undergoing spine surgery to reduce assignment and, thus, increase the availability of blood products. Methods: The medical records of 252 patients who underwent spine surgery were evaluated and 18 potential predictors for RBC transfusion were tested to construct a logistic-regression-based predictive scoring system for blood transfusion in patients undergoing spine surgery. Results: The variables found to be the most important included the type of surgery, vertebral body replacement, number of stages, and pre-operative Hb concentration, indicating that surgical specification and the extent of the surgical procedure were more influential than the pre-existing patient condition and medication. Conclusions: Our model showed a good discrimination ability with an average AUC [min, max] of 0.87 [0.6, 0.97] and internal validation with a similar AUC of 0.84 [0.66, 0.97]. In summary, we developed a scoring system to forecast patients' perioperative transfusion needs when undergoing spine surgery using pre-operative predictors, potentially reducing the need for RBC allocation and, thus, resulting in an increased availability of this valuable resource.

Analysis of the Technical Accuracy of a Patient-Specific Stereotaxy Platform for Brain Biopsy.

The use of stereotactic frames is a common practice in neurosurgical interventions such as brain biopsy and deep brain stimulation. However, conventional stereotactic frames have been shown to require modification and adaptation regarding patient and surgeon comfort as well as the increasing demand for individualized medical treatment. To meet these requirements for carrying out state-of-the-art neurosurgery, a 3D print-based, patient-specific stereotactic system was developed and examined for technical accuracy. Sixteen patient-specific frames, each with two target points, were additively manufactured from PA12 using the Multi Jet Fusion process. The 32 target points aim to maximize the variability of biopsy targets and depths for tissue sample retrieval in the brain. Following manufacturing, the frames were measured three-dimensionally using an optical scanner. The frames underwent an autoclave sterilization process prior to rescanning. The scan-generated models were compared with the planned CAD models and the deviation of the planned target points in the XY-plane, Z-direction and in the resulting direction were determined. Significantly lower (p < 0.01) deviations were observed when comparing CAD vs. print and print vs. sterile in the Z-direction (0.17 mm and 0.06 mm, respectively) than in the XY-plane (0.46 mm and 0.16 mm, respectively). The resulting target point deviation (0.51 mm) and the XY-plane (0.46 mm) are significantly higher (p < 0.01) in the CAD vs. print comparison than in the print vs. sterile comparison (0.18 mm and 0.16 mm, respectively). On average, the results from the 32 target positions examined exceeded the clinically required accuracy for a brain biopsy (2 mm) by more than four times. The patient-specific stereotaxic frames meet the requirements of modern neurosurgical navigation and make no compromises when it comes to accuracy. In addition, the material is suitable for autoclave sterilization due to resistance to distortion.

IMAGINER: improving accuracy with a mixed reality navigation system during placement of external ventricular drains. A feasibility study.

OBJECTIVE: The placement of a ventricular catheter, that is, an external ventricular drain (EVD), is a common and essential neurosurgical procedure. In addition, it is one of the first procedures performed by inexperienced neurosurgeons. With or without surgical experience, the placement of an EVD according to anatomical landmarks only can be difficult, with the potential risk for inaccurate catheter placement. Repeated corrections can lead to avoidable complications. The use of mixed reality could be a helpful guide and improve the accuracy of drain placement, especially in patients with acute pathology leading to the displacement of anatomical structures. Using a human cadaveric model in this feasibility study, the authors aimed to evaluate the accuracy of EVD placement by comparing two techniques: mixed reality and freehand placement. METHODS: Twenty medical students performed the EVD placement procedure with a Cushing's ventricular cannula on the right and left sides of the ventricular system. The cannula was placed according to landmarks on one side and with the assistance of mixed reality (Microsoft HoloLens 2) on the other side. With mixed reality, a planned trajectory was displayed in the field of view that guides the placement of the cannula. Subsequently, the actual position of the cannula was assessed with the help of a CT scan with a 1-mm slice thickness. The bony structure as well as the left and right cannula positions were registered to the CT scan with the planned target point before the placement procedure. CloudCompare software was applied for registration and evaluation of accuracy. RESULTS: EVD placement using mixed reality was easily performed by all medical students. The predefined target point (inside the lateral ventricle) was reached with both techniques. However, the scattering radius of the target point reached through the use of mixed reality (12 mm) was reduced by more than 54% compared with the puncture without mixed reality (26 mm), which represents a doubling of the puncture accuracy. CONCLUSIONS: This feasibility study specifically showed that the integration and use of mixed reality helps to achieve more than double the accuracy in the placement of ventricular catheters. Because of the easy availability of these new tools and their intuitive handling, we see great potential for mixed reality to improve accuracy.

Mixed reality for spine surgery: a step into the future with a human cadaveric accuracy study.

OBJECTIVE: Current application of mixed reality as a navigation aid in the field of spinal navigation points to the potential of this technology in spine surgery. Crucial factors for acceptance include intuitive workflow, system stability, reliability, and accuracy of the method. The authors therefore aimed to investigate the accuracy of the system in visualization of anatomical structures using mixed reality in the example of pedicles of the thoracic spine in a human cadaveric study. Potential difficulties and limitations are discussed. METHODS: CT scans of a human cadaveric spinal column specimen were performed. After segmentation and import into the advanced HoloLens 2 software, the vertebrae were exposed. The vertebral arches were preserved on one side for a landmark-based surface registration, whereas pedicles were exposed on the other side in order to measure and evaluate deviation of the overlay holographs with regard to the exact anatomical structure. Accuracy was measured and statistically evaluated. RESULTS: In this work it was demonstrated that the overlay of the virtual 3D model pedicles with the real anatomical structures with anatomical landmark registration was within an acceptable surgical accuracy with the mean value of 2.1 mm (maximum 3.8 mm, minimum 1.2 mm). The highest accuracy was registered at the medial and lateral pedicle wall, and the measurement results were best in the region of the middle thoracic spine. CONCLUSIONS: The accuracy analysis for mixed reality (i.e., between the virtual and real anatomical situation of the thoracic spine) showed a very good agreement when focus was on the pedicles. This work is thus a rare proof of the precision of segmentation to the potential surgical area. The results encourage researchers to open up mixed reality technology in its development and application for spinal navigation.

Students' perspectives regarding needs for and opportunities with mixed-reality education in neurosurgery at German medical schools.

OBJECTIVE: Despite mixed reality being an emerging tool for tailored neurosurgical treatment and safety enhancement, the use of mixed reality in the education of German medical students is not established in the field of neurosurgery. The present study aimed to investigate medical students' perspectives on the use of mixed reality in neurosurgical medical education. METHODS: Between July 3, 2023, and August 31, 2023, an online survey was completed by German medical students through their affiliated student associations and educational institutions. The survey included 16 items related to mixed reality in neurosurgery, with participants providing ratings on a 4-point Likert scale to indicate their level of agreement with these statements. RESULTS: A total of 150 students from 27 medical schools in Germany took part in the survey. A significant majority comprising 131 (87.3%) students expressed strong to intense interest in mixed-reality courses in neurosurgery, and 108 (72%) reported an interest in incorporating mixed reality into their curriculum. Furthermore, 94.7% agreed that mixed reality may enhance their understanding of operative neuroanatomy and 72.7% agreed with the idea that teaching via mixed-reality methods may increase the probability of the use of mixed reality in their future career. The majority (116/150 [77.3%]) reported that the preferred optimum timepoint for teaching with mixed reality might be within the first 3 years of medical school. In particular, more students in the first 2 years preferred to start mixed-reality courses in the first 2 years of medical school compared to students in their 3rd to 6th years of medical school (71.9% vs 41.5%, p = 0.003). Residents and attending specialists were believed to be appropriate teachers by 118 students (78.7%). CONCLUSIONS: German medical students exhibited significant interest and willingness to engage in mixed reality in neurosurgery. Evidently, there is a high demand for medical schools to provide mixed-reality courses. Students seem to prefer the courses as early as possible in their medical school education in order to transfer preclinical neuroanatomical knowledge into operative neurosurgical anatomy by using this promising technique.

Outcomes After Decompressive Surgery for Severe Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis Associated or Not Associated with Vaccine-Induced Immune Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia: A Multicenter Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Clinical observations indicated that vaccine-induced immune thrombosis with thrombocytopenia (VITT)-associated cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) often has a space-occupying effect and thus necessitates decompressive surgery (DS). While comparing with non-VITT CVST, this study explored whether VITT-associated CVST exhibits a more fulminant clinical course, different perioperative and intensive care unit management, and worse long-term outcome. METHODS: This multicenter, retrospective cohort study collected patient data from 12 tertiary centers to address priorly formulated hypotheses concerning the clinical course, the perioperative management with related complications, extracerebral complications, and the functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale) in patients with VITT-associated and non-VITT CVST, both with DS. RESULTS: Both groups, each with 16 patients, were balanced regarding demographics, kind of clinical symptoms, and radiological findings at hospital admission. Severity of neurological symptoms, assessed with the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale, was similar between groups at admission and before surgery, whereas more patients with VITT-associated CVST showed a relevant midline shift (≥ 4 mm) before surgery (100% vs. 68.8%, p = 0.043). Patients with VITT-associated CVST tended to undergo DS early, i.e., ≤ 24 h after hospital admission (p = 0.077). Patients with VITT-associated CVST more frequently received platelet transfusion, tranexamic acid, and fibrinogen perioperatively. The postoperative management was comparable, and complications were evenly distributed. More patients with VITT-associated CVST achieved a favorable outcome (modified Rankin Scale ≤ 3) at 3 months (p = 0.043). CONCLUSIONS: Although the prediction of individual courses remains challenging, DS should be considered early in VITT-associated CVST because an overall favorable outcome appears achievable in these patients.

CDKN2A/B deletions are strongly associated with meningioma progression: a meta-analysis of individual patient data.

Homozygous CDKN2A/B deletion has been associated with an increased risk of recurrence in meningiomas. However, the evidence is confined to a limited number of studies, and the importance of heterozygous CDKN2A/B deletions remains insufficiently investigated. Hence, the present meta-analysis reconstructs individual patient data (IPD) and reconstructs the probabilities of progression-free survival (PFS) stratified by CDKN2A/B status. IPD of PFS rates were extracted from published Kaplan-Meier plots using the R package IPDfromKM in R studio (RStudio, Boston, MA, USA). Reconstructed Kaplan-Meier Plots of the pooled IPD data were created. One-stage and two-stage meta-analyses were performed. Hazard ratios (HR) were used as effective measures. Of 181 records screened, four articles with 2521 participants were included. The prevalence of homozygous CDKN2A/B deletions in the included studies was 0.049 (95% CI 0.040-0.057), with higher tumor grades associated with a significantly greater proportion of CDKN2A/B deletions. The reconstructed PFS curves for the pooled cohort showed that the median PFS time of patients with a CDKN2A/B wild-type status, heterozygous or homozygous CDKN2A/B deletion was 180.0 (95% CI 145.7-214.3), 26.1 (95% CI 23.3-29.0), and 11.00 (95% CI 8.6-13.3) months, respectively (p < 0.0001). Both hetero- or homozygous CDKN2A/B deletions were significantly associated with shortened time to meningioma progression. One-stage meta-analysis showed that hetero- (HR: 5.5, 95% CI 4.0-7.6, p < 0.00001) and homozygous CDKN2A/B deletions (HR: 8.4, 95% CI 6.4-11.0, p < 0.00001) are significantly associated with shortened time to meningioma progression. Multivariable Cox regression analysis of progression in a subgroup with available covariates (age, sex, WHO grade, and TERT status) and also two-stage meta-analysis confirmed and validated the results of the one-stage analysis that both heterozygous and homozygous CDKN2A/B deletions are of prognostic importance. Further large-scale studies of WHO grade 2 and 3 meningiomas are needed to validate the importance of heterozygous CDKN2A/B deletions with consideration of established factors.

Diabetes Mellitus Is a Strong Independent Negative Prognostic Factor in Patients with Brain Metastases Treated with Radiotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Brain metastases (BM) cause relevant morbidity and mortality in cancer patients. The presence of cerebrovascular diseases can alter the tumor microenvironment, cellular proliferation and treatment resistance. However, it is largely unknown if the presence of distinct cerebrovascular risk factors may alter the prognosis of patients with BM. METHODS: Patients admitted for the radiotherapy of BM at a large tertiary cancer center were included. Patient and survival data, including cerebrovascular risk factors (diabetes mellitus (DM), smoking, arterial hypertension, peripheral arterial occlusive disease, hypercholesterolemia and smoking) were recorded. RESULTS: 203 patients were included. Patients with DM (n = 39) had significantly shorter overall survival (OS) (HR 1.75 (1.20-2.56), p = 0.003, log-rank). Other vascular comorbidities were not associated with differences in OS. DM remained prognostically significant in the multivariate Cox regression including established prognostic factors (HR 1.92 (1.20-3.06), p = 0.006). Furthermore, subgroup analyses revealed a prognostic role of DM in patients with non-small cell lung cancer, both in univariate (HR 1.68 (0.97-2.93), p = 0.066) and multivariate analysis (HR 2.73 (1.33-5.63), p = 0.006), and a trend in melanoma patients. CONCLUSION: DM is associated with reduced survival in patients with BM. Further research is necessary to better understand the molecular mechanisms and therapeutic implications of this important interaction.

Frequency and Characteristics of Spinal Bleeding Sources in Nontraumatic Angiogram-Negative Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.

INTRODUCTION: Angiogram-negative subarachnoid hemorrhage (AN-SAH) accounts for 5-15% of spontaneous SAH. This study aims to analyze the frequency and characteristics of spinal bleeding sources in patients with AN-SAH. METHODS: 140 patients suffering from AN-SAH treated at our institution from 2012 to 2022 were included in this retrospective cohort study. RESULTS: 52.1% were diagnosed with perimesencephalic SAH, 35.0% with non-perimesencephalic, SAH and 12.9% with CT-negative SAH (diagnosed by lumbar puncture). Additional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) identified a spinal bleeding source in 4 patients (2.86%). These patients presented with local spine pain or neurological deficits (relative risk: 3.9706 [95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.7272-21.6792]; p < 0.001) and were younger (mean difference 14.85 years [95% CI: 0.85-28.85; p = 0.038]) compared to patients without a spinal bleeding source. CONCLUSIONS: AN-SAH caused by spinal pathology is rare. This study indicates that craniocervical and holospinal MRI should be considered in AN-SAH, especially for young patients with AN-SAH who present with back pain or neurological deficits.

Effects of Different Hemoglobin Levels on Near-Infrared Spectroscopy-Derived Cerebral Oxygen Saturation in Elderly Patients Undergoing Noncardiac Surgery.

Background: Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a commonly used technique to evaluate tissue oxygenation and prevent harmful cerebral desaturation in the perioperative setting. The aims of the present study were to assess whether surgery-related anemia can be detected via NIRS of cerebral oxygen saturation and to investigate the effects of different perioperative transfusion strategies on cerebral oxygenation, potentially affecting transfusion decision-making. Study Design and Methods: Data from the ongoing multicenter LIBERAL-Trial (liberal transfusion strategy to prevent mortality and anemia-associated ischemic events in elderly noncardiac surgical patients, LIBERAL) were used. In this single-center sub-study, regional cerebral oxygenation saturation (rSO2) was evaluated by NIRS at baseline, pre-, and post-RBC transfusion. The obtained values were correlated with blood gas analysis-measured Hb concentrations. Results: rSO2 correlated with Hb decline during surgery (r = 0.35, p < 0.0001). Different RBC transfusion strategies impacted rSO2 such that higher Hb values resulted in higher rSO2. Cerebral desaturation occurred at lower Hb values more often. Discussion: Cerebral oxygenation monitoring using NIRS provides noninvasive rapid and continuous information regarding perioperative alterations in Hb concentration without the utilization of patients' blood for blood sampling. Further investigations are required to demonstrate if cerebral rSO2 may be included in future individualized transfusion decision strategies.

Functional improvement of patients with Parkinson syndromes using a rehabilitation training software.

Introduction: Individuals with Parkinsonian disorders often face limited access to specialized physiotherapy and movement training due to staff shortages and increasing disease incidence, resulting in a rapid decline in mobility and feelings of despair. Addressing these challenges requires allocating adequate resources and implementing specialized training programs to ensure comprehensive care and support. Regarding these problems, a computer software was invented that might serve as an additional home-based extension to conventional physiotherapy. Methods: The trial took place in a rehabilitation center where every patient received equivalent treatment apart from the training program that was set up to be investigated over 3 weeks. Seventy four Patients were included and randomized between two intervention and one control group. Intervention group 1 (IG1) trained with the computer-based system two times a week while Intervention group 2 (IG2) received five training sessions a week. Using the markerless Microsoft Kinect® camera, participants controlled a digital avatar with their own body movements. UPDRS-III and Clinical measurements were performed before and after the three-week period. Results: Patients in all groups improved in UPDRS-III pre and post intervention whereas reduction rates were higher for IG1 (-10.89%) and IG2 (-14.04%) than for CG (-7.74%). Differences between the groups were not significant (value of ps CG/IG1 0.225, CG/IG2 0.347). Growth rates for the arm abduction angle were significantly higher in IG1 (11.6%) and IG2 (9.97%) than in CG (1.87%) (value of ps CG/IG1 0.006 and CG/IG2 0.018), as was the 5-steps-distance (CG 10.86% vs. IG1 24.5% vs. UG2 26.22%, value of ps CG/IG1 0.011 and CG/IG2 0.031). Discussion: The study shows the beneficial effects of computer-based training and substantiates the assumption of a similar impact in a home-based setting. The utilized software is feasible for such interventions and meets with the patient's approval. Group dynamics seem to have an additional supporting effect for the aspired objective of improving mobility and should be seen as an essential aspect of video games in therapy.

Unplanned 30-Day Readmission in Glioblastoma Patients: Implications for the Extent of Resection and Adjuvant Therapy.

BACKGROUND: Unplanned early readmission (UER) within 30 days after hospital release is a negative prognostic marker for patients diagnosed with glioblastoma (GBM). This work analyzes the impact of UER on the effects of standard therapy modalities for GBM patients, including the extent of resection (EOR) and adjuvant therapy regimen. METHODS: Records were searched for patients with newly diagnosed GBM between 2014 and 2020 who were treated at our facility. Exclusion criteria were being aged below 18 years or missing data. An overall survival (OS) analysis (Kaplan-Meier estimate; Cox regression) was performed on various GBM patient sub-cohorts. RESULTS: A total of 276 patients were included in the study. UER occurred in 13.4% (n = 37) of all cases, significantly reduced median OS (5.7 vs. 14.5 months, p < 0.001 by logrank), and was associated with an increased hazard of mortality (hazard ratio 3.875, p < 0.001) in multivariate Cox regression when other clinical parameters were applied as confounders. The Kaplan-Meier analysis also showed that patients experiencing UER still benefitted from adjuvant radio-chemotherapy when compared to radiotherapy or no adjuvant therapy (p < 0.001 by logrank). A higher EOR did not improve OS in GBM patients with UER (p = 0.659). CONCLUSION: UER is negatively associated with survival in GBM patients. In contrast to EOR, adjuvant radio-chemotherapy was beneficial, even after UER.

Increased Alveolar Epithelial Damage Markers and Inflammasome-Regulated Cytokines Are Associated with Pulmonary Superinfection in ARDS.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a life-threatening form of respiratory failure defined by dysregulated immune homeostasis and alveolar epithelial and endothelial damage. Up to 40% of ARDS patients develop pulmonary superinfections, contributing to poor prognosis and increasing mortality. Understanding what renders ARDS patients highly susceptible to pulmonary superinfections is therefore essential. We hypothesized that ARDS patients who develop pulmonary superinfections display a distinct pulmonary injury and pro-inflammatory response pattern. Serum and BALF samples from 52 patients were collected simultaneously within 24 h of ARDS onset. The incidence of pulmonary superinfections was determined retrospectively, and the patients were classified accordingly. Serum concentrations of the epithelial markers soluble receptor for advanced glycation end-products (sRAGE) and surfactant protein D (SP-D) and the endothelial markers vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and angiopoetin-2 (Ang-2) as well as bronchoalveolar lavage fluid concentrations of the pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin 1ß (IL-1ß), interleukin 18 (IL-18), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a) were analyzed via multiplex immunoassay. Inflammasome-regulated cytokine IL-18 and the epithelial damage markers SP-D and sRAGE were significantly increased in ARDS patients who developed pulmonary superinfections. In contrast, endothelial markers and inflammasome-independent cytokines did not differ between the groups. The current findings reveal a distinct biomarker pattern that indicates inflammasome activation and alveolar epithelial injury. This pattern may potentially be used in future studies to identify high-risk patients, enabling targeted preventive strategies and personalized treatment approaches.

Impact of Shape Irregularity in Medial Sphenoid Wing Meningiomas on Postoperative Cranial Nerve Functioning, Proliferation, and Progression-Free Survival.

Medial sphenoid wing meningiomas (MSWM) are surgically challenging skull base tumors. Irregular tumor shapes are thought to be linked to histopathology. The present study aims to investigate the impact of tumor shape on postoperative functioning, progression-free survival, and neuropathology. This monocentric study included 74 patients who underwent surgery for primary sporadic MSWM (WHO grades 1 and 2) between 2010 and 2021. Furthermore, a systematic review of the literature regarding meningioma shape and the MIB-1 index was performed. Irregular MSWM shapes were identified in 31 patients (41.9%). Multivariable analysis revealed that irregular shape was associated with postoperative cranial nerve deficits (OR: 5.75, 95% CI: 1.15-28.63, p = 0.033). In multivariable Cox regression analysis, irregular MSWM shape was independently associated with tumor progression (HR:8.0, 95% CI: 1.04-62.10, p = 0.046). Multivariable regression analysis showed that irregular shape is independently associated with an increased MIB-1 index (OR: 7.59, 95% CI: 2.04-28.25, p = 0.003). A systematic review of the literature and pooled data analysis, including the present study, showed that irregularly shaped meningiomas had an increase of 1.98 (95% CI: 1.38-2.59, p < 0.001) in the MIB-1 index. Irregular MSWM shape is independently associated with an increased risk of postoperative cranial nerve deficits and a shortened time to tumor progression. Irregular MSWM shapes might be caused by highly proliferative tumors.

Anti-Inflammatory Drug Therapy in Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Prospective Randomized and Placebo-Controlled Trials.

Emerging evidence suggests that neuroinflammation may play a potential role in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). We aim to analyze the influence of anti-inflammatory therapy on survival and outcome in aSAH. Eligible randomized placebo-controlled prospective trials (RCTs) were searched in PubMed until March 2023. After screening the available studies for inclusion and exclusion criteria, we strictly extracted the main outcome measures. Dichotomous data were determined and extracted by odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Neurological outcome was graded using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS). We created funnel plots to analyze publication bias. From 967 articles identified during the initial screening, we included 14 RCTs in our meta-analysis. Our results illustrate that anti-inflammatory therapy yields an equivalent probability of survival compared to placebo or conventional management (OR: 0.81, 95% CI: 0.55-1.19, p = 0.28). Generally, anti-inflammatory therapy trended to be associated with a better neurologic outcome (mRS ≤ 2) compared to placebo or conventional treatment (OR: 1.48, 95% CI: 0.95-2.32, p = 0.08). Our meta-analysis showed no increased mortality form anti-inflammatory therapy. Anti-inflammatory therapy in aSAH patients tends to improve the neurological outcome. However, multicenter, rigorous, designed, prospective randomized studies are still needed to investigate the effect of fighting inflammation in improving neurological functioning after aSAH.

Additive prognostic impact of the cerebrospinal fluid arginine/ornithine ratio to established clinical scores in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) metabolites are increasingly recognized as prognostic factors in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The CSF arginine/ornithine ratio (Arg/Orn) was shown to predict cerebral vasospasms and clinical outcome in SAH. The additive prognostic value of Arg/Orn over established prognostic scores has not been investigated. CSF Arg/Orn and the established prognostic scores SAH, FRESH, SAH-PDS, HAIR, Rosen-McDonald, Hunt and Hess, WFNS and modified Fisher scale were determined in a prospective cohort of patients with aneurysmal SAH. Logistic regression models to predict a favorable outcome, defined as a modified Rankin Scale score of 0-3 at 3 months follow-up, were constructed for each score, both with and without the addition of Arg/Orn. The impact of Arg/Orn was assessed comparing logistic regression models containing the respective score with and without Arg/Orn with the likelihood ratio chi-squared test. CSF Arg/Orn and clinical scores were determined in 38 SAH patients. Arg/Orn was an independent predictor of clinical outcome when added to established prognostic scores (p < 0.05) with the exception of HAIR (p = 0.078). All models were significantly improved if Arg/Orn was added as a covariable (p < 0.05). The results of this study confirm Arg/Orn as an independent prognostic factor and its addition improves established prognostic models in SAH.