Multiple arterial versus single arterial grafting in patients with diabetes undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery.

Background: Data on long-term outcomes in patients with diabetes receiving multiarterial grafting (MAG) versus single-artery grafting (SAG) are limited. Objectives: The objective of this study is to compare long-term outcomes between MAG and SAG for coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery in patients with diabetes. Methods: Patients with diabetes who underwent isolated CABG surgeries between 2000 to 2016 were identified using the New Jersey mandatory state clinical registry linked with death records and hospital discharge data (last follow-up December 31, 2019). Patients who underwent CABG for single-vessel disease, with only venous conduits, patients with previous heart surgeries, or hemodynamically unstable were excluded. Patients undergoing MAG and SAG were matched by propensity score. Cox proportional hazard models were used to investigate long-term survival and competing risk analysis was used for secondary outcomes. Results: Of 24,944 patients, 2955 underwent MAG, and 21,989 underwent SAG CABG. Patients receiving MAG were younger, predominantly men, with a lower prevalence of hypertension, peripheral vascular disease, congestive heart failure, chronic lung disease, and renal failure. MAG was associated with lower long-term mortality compared with SAG in 2882 propensity score-matched pairs (hazard ratio [HR], 0.75; 95% CI, 0.68-0.83); lower risks of repeat revascularization (subdistribution HR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.76-0.97); and composite outcome defined as death from any cause, stroke, postoperative myocardial infarction, and/or repeat revascularization (HR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.71-0.82). These results were confirmed in subgroup analyses of women, men, age <70 years, and age ≥70 years patients with diabetes. MAG was also associated with lower mortality compared with SAG in patients with diabetes taking insulin in the entire cohort (Video Abstract). Conclusions: Patients with diabetes benefit from receiving MAG over SAG and demonstrated improved long-term survival, and lower hazards of secondary and composite outcomes. Coordinated efforts are needed to offer MAG to patients with diabetes.

The Saudi Critical Care Society practice guidelines on the management of COVID-19 in the ICU: Therapy section.

BACKGROUND: The rapid increase in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases during the subsequent waves in Saudi Arabia and other countries prompted the Saudi Critical Care Society (SCCS) to put together a panel of experts to issue evidence-based recommendations for the management of COVID-19 in the intensive care unit (ICU). METHODS: The SCCS COVID-19 panel included 51 experts with expertise in critical care, respirology, infectious disease, epidemiology, emergency medicine, clinical pharmacy, nursing, respiratory therapy, methodology, and health policy. All members completed an electronic conflict of interest disclosure form. The panel addressed 9 questions that are related to the therapy of COVID-19 in the ICU. We identified relevant systematic reviews and clinical trials, then used the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach as well as the evidence-to-decision framework (EtD) to assess the quality of evidence and generate recommendations. RESULTS: The SCCS COVID-19 panel issued 12 recommendations on pharmacotherapeutic interventions (immunomodulators, antiviral agents, and anticoagulants) for severe and critical COVID-19, of which 3 were strong recommendations and 9 were weak recommendations. CONCLUSION: The SCCS COVID-19 panel used the GRADE approach to formulate recommendations on therapy for COVID-19 in the ICU. The EtD framework allows adaptation of these recommendations in different contexts. The SCCS guideline committee will update recommendations as new evidence becomes available.

Accuracy of CT enterography and magnetic resonance enterography imaging to detect lesions preoperatively in patients undergoing surgery for Crohn's disease.

BACKGROUND: CT enterography and magnetic resonance enterography have emerged as first-line imaging technologies for the evaluation of the gastrointestinal tract in Crohn's disease. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this work was to evaluate the accuracy of these imaging modalities to identify Crohn's disease lesions preoperatively. DESIGN: This was a retrospective chart review. SETTINGS: The study was conducted at a single institution. PATIENTS: Seventy-six patients with Crohn's disease with preoperative CT enterography and/or magnetic resonance enterography were included in the study. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The number of stenoses, fistulas, and abscesses on CT enterography and/or magnetic resonance enterography before surgery were compared with operative findings. RESULTS: Forty patients (53%) were women, 46 (60%) underwent surgery for recurrent Crohn's disease, and 46 (57%) had previous abdominal surgery. Thirty-six (47%) had a preoperative CT enterography and 43 (57%) had a preoperative magnetic resonance enterography. CT enterography sensitivity was 75% for stenosis and 50% for fistula. MRE sensitivity was 68% for stenosis and 60% for fistula. The negative predictive values of CT enterography and magnetic resonance enterography for stenosis were very low (54% and 65%) and were 85% and 81% for fistula. CT enterography had 76% accuracy for stenosis and 79% for fistula; magnetic resonance enterography had 78% accuracy for stenosis and 85% for fistula. Both were accurate for abscess. False-negative rates for CT enterography were 50% for fistula and 25% for stenosis. False-negative rates for magnetic resonance enterography were 40% for fistula and 32% for stenosis. Unexpected intraoperative findings led to modification of the planned surgical procedure in 20 patients (26%). LIMITATIONS: This study was limited by its small sample size, its retrospective nature, and that some studies were performed at outside institutions. CONCLUSIONS: CT enterography and magnetic resonance enterography in patients with Crohn's disease were accurate for the identification of abscesses but not for fistulas or stenoses. Surgeons should search for additional lesions intraoperatively. Patients should be appropriately counseled regarding the need for unexpected interventions (see Video, Supplemental Digital Content 1, http://links.lww.com/DCR/A162).