A Comparative Evaluation of the Apically Extruded Debris from Root Canals Prepared by R-Motion NiTi File System.

Background: Apically extruded debris (AED) is an inherent concern during root canal treatment for both endodontists and general practitioners. The present study investigates the AED of the novel R-Motion single-file reciprocating system compared to standard single reciprocating and multifile rotary systems. Materials and Methods: Fifty-six moderately curved palatal roots of upper maxillary first molars were selected for the present study. The samples were then divided randomly into four groups (n = 14)- Group I: R-motion (RM), Group II: WaveOne Gold (WOG), Group III: ProTaper Next (PTN), and Group IV: HyFlex EDM (HFEDM). The researcher has modified Myers and Montgomery's method to simulate human body temperature. Vials were used to collect debris and weighted using a 0.00001 sensitive balance before and after instrumentation. The instrumentation of all experimented groups was done at 37°C, terminated at master apical file #25. An auto syringe with a side vented needle was used to deliver 8 ml of deionized water for irrigation of each sample during preparation. Vials were stored in a dry sealed desiccator which contained CaSO4 crystals, for 24 hr before weighing. The weight of the collected debris was obtained by subtracting the preinstrumentation weight from the postinstrumentation weight for each vial. The Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests were performed to analyse the statistical difference in the amount of debris between the tested groups at a 0.05 significance level. Results: The RM system produced less debris extrusion than all tested groups, with a significant difference between the former and the WOG and the PTN systems. However, WOG, PTN, and HFEDM showed no statistically significant difference in the amount of AED. Conclusion: All tested groups produced apical debris in different amounts. The RM produced substantially less AED than WOG and PTN. Meanwhile, WOG, PTN, and HFEDM caused a comparable amount of AED.

Safety and efficacy of ProtekDuo right ventricular assist device: A systemic review.

BACKGROUND: Right ventricular failure is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The ProtekDuo (Livanova, Uk) is a dual-lumen cannula that allows for percutaneous right ventricular support and may be connected to a centrifugal blood pump such as the TandemHeart or LifeSparc (Livanova, UK). This systematic review aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of ProtekDuo right ventricular support and evaluate potential clinical variables that can influence outcomes. METHODS: PubMed, MEDLINE, SCOPUS, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library were systematically searched. Studies meeting inclusion criteria, where ProtekDuo was used as the right ventricular assist device with reported numerical death counts for mortality as outcome measures. The primary endpoints were in-hospital 30-day and 1-year mortality rates. Secondary endpoints included ICU length of stay, conversion rates to surgical RVADs, ProtekDuo wean rates, duration of use of ProtekDuo, and adverse event rates. RESULTS: Of 49 studies reviewed, 7 met inclusion criteria with study periods between October 2014 and November 2019. ProtekDuo was utilized due to RV failure post-LVAD insertion in 64.8% (68/105) of patients. In-hospital mortality, 30-day mortality, and 1-year mortality ranged between 9%-46%, 15%-40%, and 19%-40%, respectively. Weaning from ProtekDuo and conversion to surgical RVAD ranged between 24%-91% and 11%-35%, respectively. The ICU stay average ranged from 15.8 to 36 days and ProtekDuo mean support duration ranged from 10.5 to 58 days. CONCLUSION: The ProtekDuo cannula is increasingly utilized as a right ventricular support device. Despite the sparse retrospective data available with variable patient characteristics and study design, percutaneous RV mechanical support via ProtekDuo cannula is a safe and feasible option.

Rabies post-exposure prophylaxis of international travellers - Results from two major German travel clinics.

BACKGROUND: Travel to regions with rabies risk has increased. However, data on adequate rabies post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) abroad is scarce. The aim of this study was to assess the appropriateness of medical management following suspected rabies exposure (SRE) in international travellers. METHOD: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study in returning travellers with reported SRE who sought post-exposure medical care was conducted in two large German travel clinics. RESULTS: The 75 included SRE cases had a median age of 34 years (range 26-43) and showed a female predominance (59%, 44/75). Most participants returned from Asia (47%, 34/72). About 28% had received pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP, ≥2 vaccine doses) (20/71). In 51% the animal was actively approached (34/67). All patients had category II/III exposure according to the World Health Organization (65% category III, 49/75). With 78% (52/67), most patients cleaned the wound after SRE; 36% (24/67) used water and soap. Only 57% (41/72) of participants sought medical care during their trip. Overall, 45% (33/74) received rabies vaccination abroad which corresponds to 80% out of those who sought healthcare (33/41). CONCLUSIONS: Awareness for appropriate first aid and the urgency of seeking timely professional treatment including PEP after an SRE seems to be insufficient in German travellers. Travel practitioners need to educate travellers about rabies risk, prevention measures and the correct behaviour after SRE including adequate wound treatment and seeking immediate medical help for PEP. PrEP should be offered generously especially to travellers with high rabies-exposure risk and those visiting areas with limited healthcare access.

Prevalence of depression and anxiety in obstructive sleep apnea.

INTRODUCTION: Organic comorbidities of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) have been widely studied. However, psychiatric disorders, especially depression and anxiety, have not attracted so much attention. AIM: The primary aim was to determine the prevalence and the predictive factors of depression and anxiety in OSA patients. The secondary aim was to investigate the association between OSA severity and these psychiatric disorders. METHODS: A cross-sectional study including untreated OSA patients without mental illness history was conducted. Patients were administered the Hospital Anxiety (HADS-A) and Depression Scale (HADS-D). Depression and anxiety were diagnosed for HAD-D and HAD-A scores ≥ 8. RESULTS: Eighty patients were included (mean age: 54.83 ± 13.12 yr; female: 52 (65%); mean Body mass index (BMI) :34.7±6.14 kg/m2). The prevalence of depression and anxiety was 35 % and 43.8% of patients respectively. Both depressive and anxious OSA patients had more libido disorder ( p=0.011, p=0.0007 ;respectively), anhedonia (p= 10-4, p= 10-4respectively ) and suicidal ideas(p= 0.002 ,p=0.019 respectively). Moreover, depressed OSA patients had lower socio-economic condition (p= 0.019), more coronary artery diseases (CAD) (p=0.019) and less cognitive disorder (p= 0.005). The HADS-D (r=0,095; p=0,404) and the HADS-A (r=0,212; p=0,059) were not correlated with the Apnea/Hyponea Index. The determinants of depressive and anxious mood were female-sex (p= 0.035, p=0.004 respectively) and libido disorder (p=0.040, p=0.02 respectively). Anhedonia (p=10-4) and CAD (p=0.010) were also identified as a predictive factors of depression. CONCLUSIONS: In our study, the high prevalence of depression and axiety in apneic patients demonstrates the importance of the psychiatric component in the management of this disease. A collaboration between pneumologists and psychiatrists is necessary in order to improve the quality of life of these patients.

Epidemiologic patterns of hepatitis A infection during the pre-vaccination era: A population-based survey in Tunisia in 2015.

BACKGROUND: In the 1980s, Tunisia was considered a country of high endemicity for hepatitis A virus (HAV). Since 2000, an epidemiologic shift has led to an increased incidence of symptomatic and severe forms of HAV infection. OBJECTIVES: In 2015, we conducted a cross-sectional nationwide household-based hepatitis A virus (HAV) seroprevalence study in the total population regardless of age, sex, or geographic origin using a stratified sampling design to make an overview of the HAV epidemiologic situation in Tunisia before vaccine implementation. RESULTS: A total of 6,322 individuals were enrolled. The HAV prevalence was 78.8%. The anti-HAV IgG seropositivity rate increased from 16% for ages 5-9 years to 45% for ages 10-14 years, 67% for ages 15-19 years, 87% for ages 20-24 years, and >90% for older age groups, which suggested an age at midpoint of population immunity (AMPI) in late adolescence. It was significantly higher in rural areas (P < 10-3) and varied significantly between and within regions (P < 10-4). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, although the overall AMPI suggestsintermediate endemicity, the regional AMPI varies from intermediate to very high endemicity profiles attributable to different socioeconomic determinants and conditions of sanitation and hygiene. In addition, it provides insights for the best decisions in terms of vaccination strategies.

Factors associated with hip involvement in spondyloarthritis: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Hip involvement is a life-changing event during spondyloarthritis (SpA) since it's responsible for significant disability and functional impairment. This study aimed to determine the factors associated with hip involvement in patients with SpA. METHODS: This was a retrospective study, including patients with axial and/or peripheral SpA divided into two groups: patients without and with hip involvement. Hip involvement was defined as pain or abnormality on clinical examination of the hip and/or on imaging. We collected clinical and laboratory data, activity and functional scores, and radiographic parameters. We conducted a multivariate analysis to identify the associated factors of hip involvement. RESULTS: We included 165 patients with a mean age of 46.13 ± 13.07 years, 121 patients were male. The mean duration of disease was 10.91 ± 6.94 years. Hip involvement, defined as SpA-related hip pain, joint limitation, and dysfunction and/or imaging involvement (X-ray/MRI), was noted in 60 cases (36.4%). Multivariate analysis indicated that disease duration over 10 years (OR=3.847, 95% confidence interval (CI95%)[1.324-11.178], p=0.013), radiographic sacroiliitis (OR=8.949, CI95%[1.261-63.513], p=0.028), very high disease activity (Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score: ASDASCRP≥3,5) (OR=9.364, CI95%[2.552-34.352], p=0.001), higher Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI) (OR=1.439, CI95%[1.120-1.850], p=0.004) and higher Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Metrology Index (BASMI) (OR=1.311, CI95%[1.065-1.615], p=0.011) were independently associated with hip involvement in these patients. Regarding extra-articular features, we found that pulmonary involvement and osteoporosis were significantly more frequent in patients with hip involvement, but neither retained significance in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: Disease duration over 10 years, radiographic sacroiliitis, very high disease activity, functional impairment, and limited spine mobility were potential associated factors with hip involvement. Patients with these factors should be closely monitored to detect hip involvement at an early stage.

Heart transplantation in the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic: A single-center case series.

The infectious disease coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization in March 2020. The impact of COVID-19 on solid organ transplantations, including heart transplantation, is currently unclear. Many transplant programs have been forced to swiftly re-evaluate and adapt their practices, leading to a marked decrease in transplants performed. This trend has been due to various factors, including increased donor COVID-19 screening scrutiny and recipient waiting list management in anticipation of COVID-19 critical care surge capacity planning. In the face of these unknown variables, determining when and how to proceed with transplantation in our population of patients with end-stage cardiomyopathies is challenging. Here, we describe our center's experience with orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT) in one of the country's pandemic epicenters, where we performed eight OHTs in the first 2 months after community spread began in late February 2020.

COVID-19 in a high-risk dual heart and kidney transplant recipient.

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is rapidly infecting people worldwide, resulting in the infectious disease coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) that has been declared a pandemic. Much remains unknown about COVID-19, including its effects on solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients. Given their immunosuppressed state, SOT recipients are presumed to be at high risk of complications with viral infections such as SARS-CoV-2. Limited case reports in single SOT recipients, however, have not suggested a particularly severe course in this population. In this report, we present a dual-organ (heart/kidney) transplant recipient who was found to have COVID-19 and, despite the presence of a number of risk factors for poor outcomes, had a relatively mild clinical course.

Catheter ablation for treatment of atrial fibrillation in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) among patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is associated with adverse clinical outcomes. Our primary aim was to evaluate patient-centered outcomes and surrogate outcomes following catheter ablation (CA) of AF among patients with HFrEF compared to standard medical therapy with or without device therapy (atrioventricular node ablation and cardiac resynchronization therapy). METHODS: A systematic literature review was performed limiting our searches to randomized control trials reporting outcomes of CA compared to standard medical therapy with or without device therapy were included. Patient-centered outcomes were relative reduction in all-cause mortality, heart failure readmissions, and recurrence of AF. Surrogate outcomes of interest were change in ejection fraction, change in peak oxygen consumption, reduction in brain natriuretic peptide levels, change in 6-minute walk distance, and change in Minnesota living with heart failure score. RESULTS: Seven randomized control trials (Patient n = 721) met our inclusion criteria. All trials used radiofrequency energy for CA of AF. CA for AF was associated with significantly lower all-cause mortality (Risk ratio [RR] = 0.52, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.35-0.76, P = 0.001, I 2 = 0%), lower rate of heart failure readmission (RR = 0.58, 95% CI = 0.46-0.74, P < 0.001, I 2 = 0%) and lower rate of AF recurrence (RR = 0.33, 95% CI = 0.22-0.50, P < 0.001, I 2 = 68%) as compared to standard medical therapy. Surrogate outcomes showed a similar benefit favoring CA. CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE: Catheter ablation for AF in HFrEF is associated with improvement in patient-centered outcomes and surrogate outcomes when compared to standard medical therapy with or without device therapy.

Observational study of vaccine effectiveness 20 years after the introduction of universal hepatitis B vaccination in Tunisia.

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to estimate the national prevalence of hepatitis B infection in Tunisia using data from a nationwide survey, to compare results with those obtained in 1996 survey and to evaluate the impact of vaccination twenty years after its introduction. METHODS: A National household-based cross sectional and serological survey was undertaken in 2015 from randomly selected districts using two-stage sampling. Data collection was performed using standardized and pretested questionnaires and collected blood samples were tested for markers of hepatitis B virus infection. RESULTS: National point prevalence of Hepatitis B surface antigen was 1.7% (95% CI [1.6-1.9%]). The highest prevalence was found in the Center and South regions with respectively 2.3% (95% CI [2.0-2.7%]) and 2.2% (95% CI [1.8-2.8%]). Vaccine effectiveness (VE) was 88.6% (95% CI [81.5-93.0%]) and was higher among population aged less than 20 years 96.1% (95% CI [70.1-99.5%]) than those aged more than 20 years 59.0% (95% CI [32.0-75.3%]). VE was 85.6% (95% CI [65.8-93.9%]) is hyper-endemic areas and 89.1% (95% CI [80.3-94.0%]) in meso-endemic and hypo-endemic areas. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of Hepatitis B surface antigen decreased compared to previous estimations and classify Tunisia as a low endemic country as result to the introduction of vaccination since 1995.

A Practical Review of the Emerging Direct Anticoagulants, Laboratory Monitoring, and Reversal Agents.

Millions of patients in the United States use anticoagulation for a variety of indications, such as the prevention of stroke in those with atrial fibrillation (AF) and the treatment and prevention of venous thrombosis. For over six decades warfarin was the only available oral anticoagulant, but now several DOACs are available and their use has become more prevalent in recent years. In spite of this increased use, many physicians remain reluctant to prescribe DOACs due to concerns about bleeding and reversibility.

Diagnostic accuracy of echocardiography combined with chest CT in pulmonary hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and computerized axial tomography (CT) are complementary imaging techniques. It is possible that a combination of the two may offer a better way of identifying pulmonary hypertension (PH) than either one alone. OBJECTIVES: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of TTE combined with chest CT in pulmonary hypertension. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of consecutive patients who had undergone TTE, CT and right heart catheterization (RHC) between 7/1/2008 and 6/30/2012. PH was defined as systolic pulmonary artery pressure >40 mm Hg or tricuspid regurgitant (TR) jet velocity >2.8m/s on TTE, ratio of diameter of pulmonary artery to ascending aorta (rPA) >1 or diameter of PA (dPA) >30 mm on CT, and mean PAP (mPAP) >25 mm Hg on RHC. RESULTS: There was a total of 87 patients. The mean ± SD age was 54.3 ± 15.9 years and 69 (79%) were female. The prevalence of PH was 75%. The mean ± SD mPAP was 35.8 ± 14.2 mm Hg. The majority of the patients belonged to World Health Organization group I PH. Fifty per cent of the CT scans were done with intravenous contrast dye. The combination of TR jet velocity and rPA provided the best combination of sensitivity (98%) and specificity (70%) with an ROC area under the curve of 0.84. CONCLUSION: The combination of TTE and chest CT is better than either imaging technique alone in identifying patients with PH in a heterogeneous population and may exclude PH.

Association between aspirin use and deep venous thrombosis in mechanically ventilated ICU patients.

Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) is common in intensive care unit (ICU) patients. It is often silent and may be complicated by pulmonary embolism and death. Thromboprophylaxis with heparin does not always prevent venous thromboembolism (VTE). Aspirin (ASA) reduces the risk of VTE in surgical and high-risk medical patients but it is unknown if ASA may prevent DVT in mechanically ventilated ICU patients. We performed a retrospective chart review of critically ill patients who received mechanical ventilation for >72 h and underwent venous ultrasonography for suspected DVT between Jan 2012 and Dec 2013. We excluded patients who were on therapeutic doses of anticoagulation or had coagulopathy. We used multivariable logistic regression to evaluate association between aspirin use and DVT during hospitalization. There were 193 patients. The mean ± SD age was 58 ± 15.7 years. Half were male. DVT was found in 49 (25.4%). DVT was found in the first 15 days of hospitalization in 67.3% of the patients. The majority (82.8%) received thromboprophylaxis with unfractionated or low molecular weight heparin. Fifty-six (29%) were on ASA. On multivariable regression analysis, ASA use was associated with a significant reduction in the odds of finding DVT (OR 0.39, 95% CI 0.16-0.94; p = 0.036). DVT is common in mechanically ventilated ICU patients despite the use of thromboprophylaxis. Aspirin may prevent DVT in such patients.

Achieving timely percutaneous reperfusion for rural ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients by direct transport to an urban PCI-hospital.

BACKGROUNDS: ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) guidelines recommend reperfusion by primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) ≤ 90 min from time of first medical contact (FMC). This strategy is challenging in rural areas lacking a nearby PCI-capable hospital. Recommended reperfusion times can be achieved for STEMI patients presenting in rural areas without a nearby PCI-capable hospital by ground transportation to a central PCI-capable hospital by use of protocol-driven emergency medical service (EMS) STEMI field triage protocol. METHODS: Sixty STEMI patients directly transported by EMS from three rural counties (Nassau, Camden and Charlton Counties) within a 50-mile radius of University of Florida Health-Jacksonville (UFHJ) from 01/01/2009 to 12/31/2013 were identified from its PCI registry. The STEMI field triage protocol incorporated three elements: (1) a cooperative agreement between each of the rural emergency medical service (EMS) agency and UFHJ; (2) performance of a pre-hospital ECG to facilitate STEMI identification and laboratory activation; and (3) direct transfer by ground transportation to the UFHJ cardiac catheterization laboratory. FMC-to-device (FMC2D), door-to-device (D2D), and transit times, the day of week, time of day, and EMS shift times were recorded, and odds ratio (OR) of achieving FMC2D times was calculated. RESULTS: FMC2D times were shorter for in-state STEMIs (81 ± 17 vs. 87 ± 19 min), but D2D times were similar (37 ± 18 vs. 39 ± 21 min). FMC2D ≤ 90 min were achieved in 82.7% in-state STEMIs compared to 52.2% for out-of-state STEMIs (OR = 4.4, 95% CI: 1.24-15.57; P = 0.018). FMC2D times were homogenous after adjusting for weekday vs. weekend, EMS shift times. Nine patients did not meet FMC2D ≤ 90 min. Six were within 10 min of target; all patient achieved FMC2D ≤ 120 min. CONCLUSIONS: Guideline-compliant FMC2D ≤ 90 min is achievable for rural STEMI patients within a 50 mile radius of a PCI-capable hospital by use of protocol-driven EMS ground transportation. As all patients achieved a FMC2D time ≤ 120 min, bypass of non-PCI capable hospitals may be reasonable in this situation.

Skin rash in the intensive care unit: Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, or a rare manifestation of a hidden cutaneous malignancy: A case report.

Skin rashes are infrequently encountered in the intensive care units, either as a result or as a cause of admission. The entities of Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) form a spectrum of desquamating skin diseases that have multiple etiologies, the most common being drug-related reactions; very rarely, the cause may be cutaneous malignancies. We herein present a unique case of a 54-year-old male patient with psoriasis treated with methotrexate, who presented with a cellulitis-like clinical picture, then developed a severe progressive systemic inflammatory response syndrome, and progressed clinically to SJS, then TEN even after discontinuing the antibiotics and methotrexate. A skin biopsy demonstrated an aggressive and rapidly-progressing T-cell lymphoma. The present case highlights the necessity of skin biopsy when encountering SJS and TEN in the ICU in order to identify potentially treatable/controllable causes. Although it appeared reasonable to correlate TEN solely to medications, the skin biopsies clearly demonstrated an aggressive T-cell skin lymphoma. In a patient with a better general condition it may have been helpful to treat this malignancy. TEN is a life-threatening condition and skin biopsy is the cornerstone of diagnosis, despite the presence of multiple risk factors and the typical physical findings of a drug-induced reaction.