Association Between Head Computed Tomography Findings and In-Hospital Mortality in COVID-19 Patients.

OBJECTIVE: The present study investigated the association between head computed tomography (CT) findings and mortality in patients with COVID-19. Specifically, we focused on low-density lesions identified on head CT screenings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a single-center, retrospective cohort study based on data obtained from the medical charts of inpatients admitted to the Tokyo Metropolitan Hiroo Hospital between January 1 and December 31, 2021. We focused on the basal ganglia--a representative anatomical region for assessing routine head CT in patients with COVID-19. Patients were divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of low-density lesions in the basal ganglia. The primary outcome was all-cause in-hospital mortality, and the secondary outcome was the length of hospital stay. We performed multivariable regression analyses for outcomes to adjust for patients' background and disease severity. RESULTS: During the study period, 1,906 COVID-19 patients were admitted to our facility. Among them, 1,203 patients underwent head CT evaluations and were included in this study. The median age was 56 years (interquartile range: 43-76 years) and 725 patients (60.3%) were male. A total of 235 (19.5%) patients required oxygen therapy on admission and 1,051 (87.4%) patients had pneumonia. Crude in-hospital mortality was 6.1% and the median length of hospital stay was 10 days (interquartile range: 8-14 days). The multivariate regression analyses showed that low-density lesions in the basal ganglia were significantly associated with increased in-hospital mortality and prolonged hospital stay. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of ischemic changes in the basal ganglia denoted by low-density findings may be a promising prognostic factor in patients with COVID-19.

Reintubation in COVID-19 patients: a multicenter observational study in Japan (J-RECOVER study).

BACKGROUND: Reintubation is not an uncommon occurrence following extubation and discontinuation of mechanical ventilation. In COVID-19 patients, the proportion of reintubation may be higher than that of non-COVID-19 patients. Furthermore, COVID-19 patients may have a higher risk for developing laryngotracheal stenosis, along with a higher proportion of reintubation than in non-COVID-19 patients. Our understanding of the proportion of reintubation in COVID-19 patients is limited in Japan. Additionally, the reasons for reintubation have not been adequately examined in previous studies outside of Japan. Thus, the present study aimed to describe the proportion and causes of reintubation among COVID-19 patients in Japan. METHODS: This was a multicenter observational study that included 64 participating centers across Japan. This study included mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients who were discharged between April 1, 2020 and September 30, 2020. The outcomes examined were the proportion and causes of reintubation. RESULTS: A total of 373 patients were eligible for inclusion in the current analysis. The median age of patients was 64 years and 80.4% were male. Reintubation was required for 35 patients (9.4%) and the most common causes for reintubation were respiratory failure (71.4%; n = 25) and laryngotracheal stenosis (8.6%; n = 3). CONCLUSIONS: The proportion of reintubation among COVID-19 patients in Japan was relatively low. Respiratory failure was the most common cause for reintubation. Reintubation due to laryngotracheal stenosis accounted for only a small fraction of all reintubated COVID-19 patients in Japan.

Effectiveness of early colonoscopy in patients with colonic diverticular hemorrhage: Nationwide inpatient analysis in Japan.

OBJECTIVES: Current guidelines recommend colonoscopy within 24 h for acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding; however, the evidence in support for colonic diverticular hemorrhage (CDH) indications remains insufficient. We use a nationwide database to investigate the effectiveness of early colonoscopy for CDH. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination inpatient database and identified patients who were admitted for CDH from 2010 to 2017. Patients who underwent colonoscopy on the same day of admission (early group) were compared with those who underwent colonoscopy on the next day of admission (elective group). The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality, and secondary outcomes were length of hospital stay, total hospitalization cost, fasting period, and the prevalence of re-colonoscopy, interventional radiology or abdominal surgery. Propensity score matching was used to adjust for confounders. RESULTS: We identified 74,569 eligible patients. Patients were divided into the early (n = 46,759) and elective (n = 27,810) groups. After propensity score matching, 27,696 pairs were generated. In-hospital mortality did not significantly differ between the two groups (0.49% in the early group vs. 0.41% in the elective group; risk difference 0.08%; 95% confidence interval -0.02 to 0.19; P = 0.14). The early group had a significantly longer length of hospital stay, higher total hospitalization cost, longer fasting period, and higher prevalence of re-colonoscopy and abdominal surgery. CONCLUSIONS: The effectiveness of early colonoscopy conducted on the same day of admission for CDH could not be confirmed. Early colonoscopy may not result in favorable outcomes in CDH patients.

Breath-by-breath P0.1 measured on quasi-occlusion via Hamilton C6 may result in underestimation of respiratory drive and inspiratory effort.

We aimed to identify the threshold for P0.1 in a breath-by-breath manner measured by the Hamilton C6 on quasi-occlusion for high respiratory drive and inspiratory effort. In this prospective observational study, we analyzed the relationships between airway P0.1 on quasi-occlusion and esophageal pressure (esophageal P0.1 and esophageal pressure swing). We also conducted a linear regression analysis and derived the threshold of airway P0.1 on quasi-occlusion for high respiratory drive and inspiratory effort. We found that airway P0.1 measured on quasi-occlusion had a strong positive correlation with esophageal P0.1 measured on quasi-occlusion and esophageal pressure swing, respectively. Additionally, the P0.1 threshold for high respiratory drive and inspiratory effort were calculated at approximately 1.0 cmH2O from the regression equations. Our calculations suggest a lower threshold of airway P0.1 measured by the Hamilton C6 on quasi-occlusion than that which has been previously reported.

Corticosteroid use with extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: A nationwide observational study.

Aim: Several studies have reported that corticosteroid administration for cardiac arrest patients may improve outcomes. However, these previous studies have not examined the effect of corticosteroid use in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients administered extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR). Therefore, we aimed to examine the effectiveness of corticosteroids in OHCA patients administered ECPR. Methods: Using the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination inpatient database, we included OHCA patients who were administered ECPR on the day of admission between July 2010 and March 2019. The patients were categorized into the corticosteroid and control groups according to whether they received corticosteroids on the day of admission or not. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality and the secondary outcomes included percentages of neurologically favorable survival, major bleeding complications, and infection-related complications. We compared the outcomes using a propensity score matching analysis. Results: We identified 6,142 eligible patients (459 vs 5,683, the corticosteroid and control group, respectively). One-to-four propensity score matching analysis (457 vs 1,827) showed in-hospital mortality was significantly higher in the corticosteroid group compared with the control group (82.1% vs 76.6%; risk difference, 5.5%; 95% CI, 1.5 to 9.5%). Neurologically favorable outcomes did not differ between the two groups (13.6% vs 16.9%; risk difference, -3.3%; 95% CI, -6.9 to 0.3%). The percentage of major bleeding complications and infection-related complications did not significantly differ between the two groups. Conclusions: The results of this study demonstrated that administration of corticosteroids on the day of admission to OHCA patients administered ECPR was associated with increased in-hospital mortality.

Association between placental location and neonatal outcomes in manual fundal pressure-assisted vaginal deliveries: A retrospective single-center study in Japan.

AIM: Manual fundal pressure (MFP) is still used to assist vaginal deliveries during the second stage of labor in predominantly lower-middle income countries; however, there is insufficient evidence on the risk factors in MFP-assisted vaginal deliveries for adverse neonatal outcomes. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between placental location and neonatal outcomes in MFP-assisted vaginal deliveries. METHODS: The present study was a single-center retrospective cohort study in patients with all MFP-assisted vaginal singleton deliveries from January 2016 to December 2020. Placental location was divided into two categories: posterior-lateral and anterior-fundal. The primary outcome was a neonatal adverse composite including umbilical artery blood pH <7.2, Apgar score <7 at 5 min, neonatal intensive care unit admission and neonatal resuscitation. We used multivariable logistic regression models to investigate the association between placental location and neonatal outcomes. RESULTS: We extracted 522 MFP-assisted deliveries among 5053 vaginal deliveries. The proportion of posterior-lateral and anterior-fundal placentation was 239 (45.8%) and 283 (54.2%), respectively. The crude prevalence of neonatal composite outcome in the anterior-fundal group was significantly higher than that in the posterior-lateral group (39.6% vs. 28.9%; p = 0.013). Multivariable logistic regression analysis found that the prevalence of neonatal adverse outcome in the anterior-fundal group was significantly higher compared with the posterior-lateral group (adjusted odds ratio, 1.52; 95% confidence interval, 1.04-2.23). CONCLUSION: Anterior-fundal placentation was significantly associated with an increased risk of neonatal adverse outcomes compared to posterior-lateral placentation in MFP-assisted vaginal deliveries.

Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta for life-threatening postpartum hemorrhage: A nationwide observational study in Japan.

BACKGROUND: Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) is used for postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), which is one of the leading causes of maternal mortality worldwide; however, its utility in the obstetrics setting remains unclear. Thus, this study aimed to describe the characteristics, demographics, and mortality of patients with PPH who underwent REBOA. METHODS: We used the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination inpatient database to identify patients with PPH who underwent REBOA from April 2012 to March 2020. We examined the patients' characteristics, interventions administered, and in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: We identified 143 patients with PPH who underwent REBOA. The most common cause of PPH was atonic postpartum hemorrhage (52.4%), followed by disseminated intravascular coagulation (29.4%) and amniotic fluid embolism documented (11.2%). Among patients who delivered at hospitals in which REBOA was performed (n = 55), 38.2% of patients experienced preterm births, and 70.9% delivered via cesarean delivery. The proportion of patients who underwent transcatheter arterial embolization and hysterectomy was 53.8% and 16.1%, respectively. In-hospital mortality was 7.0%. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study could be helpful in clinical decision making and providing patients and families with additional treatment options for PPH. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic/Care Management; Level IV.

Favipiravir for Treatment of Outpatients With Asymptomatic or Uncomplicated Coronavirus Disease 2019: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Phase 2 Trial.

BACKGROUND: Favipiravir, an oral, RNA-dependent RNA polymerase inhibitor, has in vitro activity against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Despite limited data, favipiravir is administered to patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in several countries. METHODS: We conducted a phase 2, double-blind, randomized controlled outpatient trial of favipiravir in asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic adults with a positive SARS-CoV-2 reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction assay (RT-PCR) within 72 hours of enrollment. Participants were randomized to receive placebo or favipiravir (1800 mg twice daily [BID] day 1, 800 mg BID days 2-10). The primary outcome was SARS-CoV-2 shedding cessation in a modified intention-to-treat (mITT) cohort of participants with positive enrollment RT-PCRs. Using SARS-CoV-2 amplicon-based sequencing, we assessed favipiravir's impact on mutagenesis. RESULTS: We randomized 149 participants with 116 included in the mITT cohort. The participants' mean age was 43 years (standard deviation, 12.5 years) and 57 (49%) were women. We found no difference in time to shedding cessation overall (hazard ratio [HR], 0.76 favoring placebo [95% confidence interval {CI}, .48-1.20]) or in subgroups (age, sex, high-risk comorbidities, seropositivity, or symptom duration at enrollment). We detected no difference in time to symptom resolution (initial: HR, 0.84 [95% CI, .54-1.29]; sustained: HR, 0.87 [95% CI, .52-1.45]) and no difference in transition mutation accumulation in the viral genome during treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Our data do not support favipiravir at commonly used doses in outpatients with uncomplicated COVID-19. Further research is needed to ascertain if higher favipiravir doses are effective and safe for patients with COVID-19. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: NCT04346628.

Antiviral therapy for COVID-19: Derivation of optimal strategy based on past antiviral and favipiravir experiences.

Favipiravir, a broad-spectrum RNA-dependent RNA polymerase inhibitor, inhibits the replication of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) at significantly lower concentrations than the plasma trough levels achieved by the dosage adopted for influenza treatment and exhibits efficacy against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia. Although high doses of favipiravir are required due to the molecule being a purine analog, its conversion into the active form in infected cells with active viral RNA synthesis enhances the antiviral specificity and selectivity as a chain terminator with lethal mutagenesis. Another characteristic feature is the lack of generation of favipiravir-resistant virus. COVID-19 pneumonia is caused by strong cell-mediated immunity against virus-infected cells, and the inflammatory response induced by adaptive immunity continues to peak for 3 to 5 days despite antiviral treatment. This has also been observed in herpes zoster (HZ) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) pneumonia. Inflammation due to an immune response may mask the effectiveness of favipiravir against COVID-19 pneumonia. Favipiravir significantly shortened the recovery time in patients with mild COVID-19 pneumonia by 3 days with the start of treatment by the 5th day of symptom onset. Since both CMV and COVID-19 pneumonia are caused by adaptive immunity and prevention of cytomegalovirus pneumonia is the standard treatment due to difficulties in treating refractory CMV pneumonia, COVID-19 pneumonia should be prevented with early treatment as well. In the present study, we have comprehensively reviewed the optimal antiviral therapy for COVID-19 based on clinical trials of favipiravir for the treatment of COVID-19 pneumonia and the concurrently established therapies for other viral infections, particularly HZ and CMV pneumonia. Optimally, antivirals should be administered immediately after COVID-19 diagnosis, similar to that after influenza diagnosis, to prevent COVID-19 pneumonia and complications resulting from microangiopathy.

On-site placement of resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) in a hemorrhagic shock patient: A successful endeavor involving long-distance air transport.

Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) is primarily utilized in traumatic non-compressible torso hemorrhage. We present a 49-year-old male with hemorrhagic shock necessitating on-site REBOA placement on an island 986 km away from the nearest critical care center. The patient experienced sudden pain in the right costal margin and visited the local clinic where computed tomography revealed a massive intra-abdominal hemorrhage and a renal artery aneurysm. An emergency care physician was deployed via fixed-wing aircraft who positioned the REBOA on-site in the thoracic aorta. Partial balloon inflation (partial REBOA) and intermittent inflation/deflation (intermittent REBOA) was repeated throughout the 5-h return flight. Despite prolonged REBOA placement, no safety issues or ischemic complications were documented and parent artery occlusion was subsequently performed via interventional radiology at our facility. The patient was later discharged home in a good state of health. On-site REBOA placement is not only applicable to trauma but also internal hemorrhaging due to non-traumatic causes. Partial and intermittent REBOA successfully stabilized circulation, prevented organ ischemia and facilitated long-distance patient transport in the present case.

Association between adjunct clindamycin and in-hospital mortality in patients with necrotizing soft tissue infection due to group A Streptococcus: a nationwide cohort study.

Necrotizing soft tissue infection (NSTI) due to group A Streptococcus (GAS) is a severe life-threatening microbial infection. The administration of adjunct clindamycin has been recommended in the treatment of NSTIs due to GAS. However, robust evidence regarding the clinical benefits of adjunct clindamycin in NSTI patients remains controversial. We aimed to investigate the association between early administration of adjunct clindamycin and in-hospital mortality in patients with NSTI attributed to GAS. The present study was a nationwide retrospective cohort study, using the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination inpatient database focusing on the period between 2010 and 2018. Data was extracted on patients diagnosed with NSTI due to GAS. We compared patients who were administered clindamycin on the day of admission (clindamycin group) with those who were not (control group). A propensity score overlap weighting method was adopted to adjust the unbalanced backgrounds. The primary endpoint was in-hospital mortality and survival at 90 days after admission. We identified 404 eligible patients during the study period. After adjustment, patients in the clindamycin group were not significantly associated with reduced in-hospital mortality (19.2% vs. 17.5%; odds ratio, 1.11; 95% confidence interval, 0.59-2.09; p = 0.74) or improved survival at 90 days after admission (hazard ratio, 0.92; 95% confidence interval, 0.51-1.68; p = 0.80). In this retrospective study, early adjunct clindamycin does not appear to improve survival. Therefore, the present study questions the benefits of clindamycin as an adjunct to broad spectrum antibiotics in patients with NSTI due to GAS.

Prevalence of COVID-19 Mimics in the Emergency Department.

Objective Due to the lack of specific clinical manifestations and symptoms, it is difficult to distinguish COVID-19 from mimics. A common pitfall is to rush to make a diagnosis when encountering a patient with COVID-19-like symptoms. The present study describes a series of COVID-19 mimics using an outpatient database collected from a designated COVID-19 healthcare facility in Tokyo, Japan. Methods We established an emergency room (ER) tailored specifically for patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 called the "COVID-ER." In this single-center retrospective cohort study, we enrolled patients who visited the COVID-ER from February 1 to September 5, 2020. The outcomes included the prevalence of COVID-19, admission, potentially fatal diseases and final diagnosis. Results We identified 2,555 eligible patients. The median age was 38 (interquartile range, 26-57) years old. During the study period, the prevalence of COVID-19 was 17.9% (457/2,555). Non-COVID-19 diagnoses accounted for 82.1% of all cases. The common cold had the highest prevalence and accounted for 33.0% of all final diagnoses, followed by gastroenteritis (9.4%), urinary tract infections (3.8%), tonsillitis (2.9%), heat stroke (2.6%) and bacterial pneumonia (2.1%). The prevalence of potentially fatal diseases was 14.2% (298/2,098) among non-COVID-19 patients. Conclusion Several potentially fatal diseases remain masked among the wave of COVID-19 mimics. It is imperative that a thorough differential diagnostic panel be considered prior to the rendering of a COVID-19 diagnosis.

Abnormal pulmonary function and imaging studies in critical COVID-19 survivors at 100 days after the onset of symptoms.

BACKGROUND: The long-term repercussions of critical COVID-19 on pulmonary function and imaging studies remains unexplored. In this study, we investigated the pulmonary function and computed tomography (CT) findings of critical COVID-19 patients approximately 100 days after symptom onset. METHODS: We retrospectively extracted data on critical COVID-19 patients who received invasive mechanical ventilation during hospitalization from April to December 2020 and evaluated their pulmonary function, residual respiratory symptoms and radiographic abnormalities on CT. RESULTS: We extracted 17 patients whose median age was 63 (interquartile range [IQR], 59-67) years. The median lengths of hospitalization and mechanical ventilation were 23 (IQR, 18-38) and 9 (IQR, 6-13) days, respectively. At 100 days after symptom onset, the following pulmonary function abnormalities were noted in 8 (47%) patients: a diffusion capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (%DLCO) of <80% for 6 patients (35%); a percent vital capacity (%VC) of <80% for 4 patients (24%); and a forced expiratory volume in one second/forced vital capacity (FEV1%) of <70% for 1 patient (6%) who also presented with %DLCO and %VC abnormalities. Twelve (71%) patients reported residual respiratory symptoms and 16 (94%) showed abnormalities on CT. CONCLUSIONS: Over 90% of the critical COVID-19 patients who underwent invasive mechanical ventilation continued presenting with abnormal imaging studies and 47% of the patients presented with abnormal pulmonary function 100 days after symptom onset. The extent of the residual CT findings might be associated with the degree of abnormal pulmonary function in critical COVID-19 survivors.

In-hospital mortality among patients with invasive non-group A ß-hemolytic Streptococcus treated with clindamycin combination therapy: a nationwide cohort study.

AIM: Combination treatment with clindamycin is recommended in patients with invasive group A Streptococcus infection; however, whether the same treatment is effective in invasive group B Streptococcus and S. dysgalactiae subspecies equisimilis infections remains unknown. We aimed to investigate whether clindamycin added to standard of care therapy would be effective in patients with invasive non-group A ß-hemolytic Streptococcus infections. METHODS: This was a nationwide retrospective cohort study using the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination inpatient database focusing on the period between 2010 and 2018. We extracted data on patients diagnosed with sepsis due to non-group A ß-hemolytic Streptococcus. One-to-four propensity score-matching was undertaken to compare patients who were treated with clindamycin within 2 days of admission (clindamycin group) and those who did not (control group). The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: We identified 3754 eligible patients during the study period. The patients were divided into the clindamycin (n = 296) and control groups (n = 3458). After one-to-four propensity score matching, we compared 289 and 1156 patients with and without clindamycin, respectively. In-hospital mortality did not significantly differ between the two groups (9.7% versus 10.3%; risk difference 0.3%; 95% confidence interval, -3.5% to 4.2%). CONCLUSIONS: This nationwide database study showed that combination therapy involving the use of clindamycin was not associated with lower in-hospital mortality in patients with invasive non-group A ß-hemolytic Streptococcus.

Prevalence of thromboembolic events and status of prophylactic anticoagulant therapy in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in Japan.

INTRODUCTION: One of the most prominent and concerning complications associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is venous and arterial thromboembolisms. The aim of the present study was to delineate the prevalence of thromboembolic events and the current status of prophylactic anticoagulation therapy in patients with COVID-19 in Japan. METHODS: Between February 1 and August 31, 2020, we performed a dual-center, retrospective cohort study based on data obtained from the medical charts of COVID-19 patients admitted to healthcare facilities in Japan. The primary outcome was any thromboembolic event including pulmonary embolism (PE), deep vein thrombosis (DVT), myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke and other systemic thromboemboli. RESULTS: During the study period, we extracted 628 consecutive patients admitted for COVID-19. Prophylactic anticoagulant therapy was administered in 63 (10%) patients of whom 20 (31.7%) were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). Thromboembolic events occurred in 18 (2.9%) patients (14.3% of patients in ICU and 2.2% of patients in the general wards). DVT were detected in 13 (2.1%) patients, PE in 11 (1.8%), and both DVT and PE in 6 (0.96%) patients. An increasing prevalence in thromboembolic events was noted with progressive clinical severity. Overall in-hospital mortality was 4.8%. CONCLUSIONS: Prophylactic anticoagulation therapy was administered in only 10% of all hospitalized COVID-19 patients. The prevalence of any thromboembolic events was 2.9% in COVID-19 patients with most events occurring in severe and critical patients. Therefore, prophylactic anticoagulation therapy may be warranted in severe and critical patients but in asymptomatic to moderate patients the practice remains controversial.

Association between the number of pulls and adverse neonatal/maternal outcomes in vacuum-assisted delivery.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the association between the number of pulls during vacuum-assisted deliver and neonatal and maternal complications. METHODS: This was a single-center observational study using a cohort of pregnancies who underwent vacuum-assisted delivery from 2013 to 2020. We excluded pregnancies transitioning to cesarean section after a failed attempt at vacuum-assisted delivery. The number of pulls to deliver the neonate was categorized into 1, 2, 3, and ≥4 pulls. We used logistic regression models to investigate the association between the number of pulls and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission and maternal composite outcome (severe perineal laceration, cervical laceration, transfusion, and postpartum hemorrhage ≥500 mL). RESULTS: We extracted 480 vacuum-assisted deliveries among 7,321 vaginal deliveries. The proportion of pregnancies receiving 1, 2, 3, or ≥4 pulls were 51.9, 28.3, 10.8, and 9.0%, respectively. The crude prevalence of NICU admission with 1, 2, 3, and ≥4 pulls were 10.8, 16.2, 15.4, and 27.9%, respectively. The prevalence of NICU admission, amount of postpartum hemorrhage, and postpartum hemorrhage ≥500 mL were significantly different between the four groups. Multivariable logistic regression analysis found the prevalence of NICU admission in the ≥4 pulls group was significantly higher compared with the 1 pull group (adjusted odds ratio, 3.3; 95% confidence interval, 1.4-7.8). In contrast, maternal complications were not significantly associated with the number of pulls. CONCLUSIONS: Vacuum-assisted delivery with four or more pulls was significantly associated with an increased risk of NICU admission. However, the number of pulls was not associated with maternal complications.

A comparison on the percentage of polymerase chain reaction positivity for SARS-CoV-2 between Public Health Center referrals and direct walk-in patients: A single center retrospective analysis in Tokyo.

INTRODUCTION: The Public Health Center (PHC)-known as hokenjo in Japan-assume a crucial role in disease control. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is one of many designated infectious diseases monitored by the agency. During the present pandemic, patients who suspected COVID-19 were instructed to call the Coronavirus Consultation Center in the PHC prior to visiting the hospital. The aim of this study was to elucidate the differences in polymerase chain reaction (PCR) positivity between PHC referrals and direct walk-in patients. METHODS: The present was a single-center, retrospective cohort study conducted at the Tokyo Metropolitan Hospital from March to September, 2020. Patients who received a PCR test for SARS-CoV-2 were included and categorized into the PHC referral or direct walk-in groups. The outcomes included the total number of patients undergoing PCR tests and the percentage of PCR positivity in each group. RESULTS: We identified 1680 patients (781 PHC referred and 899 direct walk-in groups). The percentage of PCR positivity did not significantly differ between the PHC referral and direct walk-in groups during the first wave (30.5% vs. 29.2%; p = 0.78). PCR positivity was significantly higher in the PHC referral group than the direct walk-in group during the second wave (30.1% vs. 23.1%; p = 0.051) and entire study period (30.2% vs. 24.7%; p = 0.011). CONCLUSIONS: Despite health authority recommendations, the number of direct walk-in patients were higher than PHC referral patients. The percentage of PCR positivity was significantly higher in the PHC referral group than in the direct walk-in group.

Safety and effectiveness of intracardiac echocardiography in ventricular tachycardia ablation: a nationwide observational study.

Intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) utilized in conjunction with three-dimensional (3-D) mapping systems could enhance ventricular tachycardia (VT) ablation procedures. ICE has been increasingly used in VT ablation; however, the safety and effectiveness of VT ablation under the combined use of ICE remains unclear. The present study aimed to analyze the safety and short-term effects of VT ablation with or without ICE. We retrospectively enrolled patients who underwent initial VT ablation with a combination of ICE and a 3-D mapping system within 3 days of hospitalization and discharged from April 2011 to March 2017 using a nationwide Japanese inpatient database. Following enrollment, we conducted a propensity score-matching analysis to compare safety (in-hospital complications) and effectiveness (readmission within 30 days after discharge due to cardiovascular disease and readmissions within 30 days for repeat VT ablations) between patients who underwent VT ablation with (ICE group) and without ICE (non-ICE group). 3-D mapping systems were applied to both groups. We identified 5,804 eligible patients (1,272 and 4,532 patients in the ICE and non-ICE groups, respectively). One-to-one propensity score matching created a total of 1,147 pairs between the ICE and non-ICE groups. The ICE group showed a significantly lower prevalence of cardiac tamponade than the non-ICE group. There were no significant differences observed between the two groups regarding other outcomes concerning safety and effectiveness. Ventricular tachycardia ablation with ICE used in combination with a 3-D mapping system may reduce cardiac tamponade; however, no additional clinical advantages were noted in terms of safety and effectiveness.

Prolonged euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis triggered by a single dose of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor.

A 45-year-old woman was admitted for diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). Aggressive rehydration and continuous intravenous insulin resulted in improved blood glucose levels; however, metabolic acidosis persisted. One day prior to admission, the patient took a single dose of a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor and this likely contributed to the prolonged euglycemic DKA. A single dose of this drug remained effective for over 100 hours as evidenced by massive excretion of urine glucose continuing long after blood glucose normalisation. SGLT2 inhibitor use should be refrained in cases in which DKA has already occurred as they may result in increasing severity or prolonged DKA.

Angiography versus colonoscopy in patients with severe lower gastrointestinal bleeding: a nation-wide observational study.

AIM: Clinical guidelines for acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding (LGIB) recommend non-endoscopic treatment when endoscopic treatment is difficult or the patient is hemodynamically unstable. The aim of this study was to investigate whether angiography should be prioritized as initial treatment for severe LGIB patients over colonoscopy. METHODS: We undertook a retrospective cohort study using the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination inpatient database. We compared adult patients who underwent colonoscopy or angiography within 1 day of admission for severe LGIB from 2010 to 2017. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes included surgery carried out within 1 day after admission and surgery carried out between 2 and 7 days of admission. Propensity score-matched analyses were undertaken to adjust for confounders. RESULTS: We identified 6,546 eligible patients. The patients were divided into the colonoscopy group (n = 5,737) and angiography group (n = 809). After one-to-four propensity score matching, we compared 3,220 and 805 patients who underwent colonoscopy and angiography, respectively. The angiography group was not significantly associated with reduced in-hospital mortality compared with the colonoscopy group. In contrast, the number of patients who underwent surgery within 1 day of admission was significantly lower in the angiography group than in the colonoscopy group. CONCLUSIONS: The present study revealed that in-hospital mortality did not significantly differ between colonoscopy and angiography, even in severe LGIB patients. Although this study was unable to identify which subgroups should undergo angiography for primary hemostasis, angiography might be a better option than colonoscopy for initial hemostasis in more severe cases of LGIB.