Impact on health outcomes associated with changing the clock one hour during fall and spring transitions in the Southern American Hemisphere.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Changing the clocks seasonally is potentially harmful because it interferes with normal daytime activities. Studies aimed at quantifying this association are scant. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of one year's worth of changing the clocks (fall and spring transitions) on healthy young men located in the Southern American Hemisphere. METHODS: We performed an observational prospective study. Thirty healthy male university students were evaluated from two weeks before to two weeks after both the fall and spring transitions. We administered an overall sleep questionnaire, assessed quality of life, recorded 7-day wrist actigraphy, and had participants perform a Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT). We defined the one-hour clock change as the primary exposure and the change in PVT lapses of 500 ms or more in response time as our primary outcome. Changes were evaluated by the Wilcoxon rank test (significance: P<0.05). RESULTS: After the fall transition, we found a significant worsening in PVT performance (median [IQR] 9.9 [6.0-14.3] lapses of ≥ 500 ms in response time at baseline vs 16.8 [8.2-28.0] after transition; P<0.002). Additionally, we found a median loss of about one hour of total sleep time and time in bed after the fall transition. Furthermore, participants presented with insomnia. PVT performance was also affected after the spring transition (16.7 [10-23] vs 23 [12.2-32.2]; P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: A decrease in performance in neurocognitive tests was found after both time transitions. The transition led to insomnia and a significant worsening of sleep variables.

Association between Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Due to COVID-19 and Long-Term Sleep and Circadian Sleep-Wake Disorders.

Current studies agree on the impact of sleep and circadian rest-activity rhythm alterations in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) survivors. However, research on the duration of this impact is scarce. In this study, we evaluate the impact of ARDS on the sleep and circadian rest-activity rhythm of COVID-19 survivors twelve months after hospital discharge. This is a prospective study including COVID-19 survivors with and without ARDS during hospitalization. Data was collected four and twelve months after hospital discharge. The interventions included one-week wrist actigraphy and a home sleep apnea test (HSAT), and evaluations were conducted according to the Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS), and insomnia severity index (ISI). Fifty-two patients were evaluated (ARDS = 31 and non-ARDS = 21); they had a median age of 49.0 [39.0;57.2] years and 53.8% were male. After twelve months, 91.3% presented poor sleep quality, 58.7% presented insomnia, 50% presented daytime somnolence, and 37% presented comorbid insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea (COMISA). No significant improvement was observed in relation to sleep or the circadian rest-activity rhythm between four and twelve months. A tendency of poor sleep quality, insomnia, daytime somnolence, and COMISA was observed. Finally, there was no significant impact on the circadian rest-activity rhythm between four and twelve months or between the groups.

Is the time below 90% of SpO2 during sleep (T90%) a metric of good health? A longitudinal analysis of two cohorts.

BACKGROUND: Novel wireless-based technologies can easily record pulse oximetry at home. One of the main parameters that are recorded in sleep studies is the time under 90% of SpO2 (T90%) and the oxygen desaturation index 3% (ODI-3%). We assessed the association of T90% and/or ODI-3% in two different scenarios (a community-based study and a clinical setting) with all-cause mortality (primary outcome). METHODS: We included all individuals from the Sleep Heart Health Study (SHHS, community-based cohort) and Santiago Obstructive Sleep Apnea (SantOSA, clinical cohort) with complete data at baseline and follow-up. Two measures of hypoxemia (T90% and ODI-3%) were our primary exposures. The adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) per standard deviation (pSD) between T90% and incident all-cause mortality (primary outcome) were determined by adjusted Cox regression models. In the secondary analysis, to assess whether T90% varies across clinical factors, anthropometrics, abdominal obesity, metabolic rate, and SpO2, we conducted linear regression models. Incremental changes in R2 were conducted to test the hypothesis. RESULTS: A total of 4323 (56% male, median 64 years old, follow-up: 12 years, 23% events) and 1345 (77% male, median 55 years old, follow-up: 6 years, 11.6% events) patients were included in SHHS and SantOSA, respectively. Every 1 SD increase in T90% was associated with an adjusted HR of 1.18 [95% CI: 1.10-1.26] (p value < 0.001) in SHHS and HR 1.34 [95% CI: 1.04-1.71] (p value = 0.021) for all-cause mortality in SantOSA. Conversely, ODI-3% was not associated with worse outcomes. R2 explains 62% of the variability in T90%. The main contributors were baseline-mean change in SpO2, baseline SpO2, respiratory events, and age. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that T90% may be an important marker of wellness in clinical and community-based scenarios. Although this nonspecific metric varies across the populations, ventilatory changes during sleep rather than other physiological or comorbidity variables explain their variability.

The U-Shaped Association between Sleep Duration, All-Cause Mortality and Cardiovascular Risk in a Hispanic/Latino Clinically Based Cohort.

Sleep is essential for life, and inappropriate sleep duration patterns may lead to chronic consequences regarding human health. Several studies have confirmed the presence of a U-shaped association between sleep duration and mortality. Moreover, many consequences related to cardiometabolic aspects have been suggested in patients with abnormal sleep durations. In this study, we analyzed the associations between sleep duration, total sleep time (TST), the risk of all-cause mortality, and 10-year cardiovascular risk in a cohort of patients at a sleep medicine center in Santiago, Chile. We conducted a prospective cohort study of patients (SantOSA). A short TST was defined as ≤6 h, a normal TST as 6 to 9 h, and a long TST as ≥9 h. Adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) for all-cause mortality were calculated. A cross-sectional analysis between TST and 10-year cardiovascular risk (calculated using the Framingham 2008 formula) was determined using logistic regression models. A total of 1385 subjects were included in the results (78% male; median age: 53, interquartile range (IQR): 42-64 years; median BMI: 29.5, IQR: 16.7-33.1). A total of 333 subjects (24%) reported short TSTs, 938 (67.7%) reported normal TSTs, and 114 (8.3%) reported long TSTs. In the fully adjusted model, the association remained significant for short (aHR: 2.51 (1.48-4.25); p-value = 0.01) and long TSTs (aHR: 3.97 (1.53-10.29); p-value = 0.04). Finally, a U-shaped association was found between short and long TSTs, with an increase in cardiovascular risk at 10 years. Compared with normal TSTs, short (≤6 h) and long (≥9 h) TSTs were significantly associated with all-cause mortality and increased 10-year cardiovascular risk.

Recurrent pleural effusion from ovarian hemangioma: A rare pseudo-Meigs syndrome presentation.

Pleural effusion is a common condition related to various diseases such as heart failure, malignancies, and pneumonia. Ovarian hemangioma is a rare type of female genital tumour and can rarely cause pleural effusion. In this case, we present a 48-year-old female with repeated episodes of recurrent right-sided pleural effusion over 1 year with no clear aetiology. Abdominal computed tomography revealed a large left ovarian mass. After surgical removal of the mass, the repeated pleural effusion episodes ceased, and histopathology analysis reported a rare ovarian hemangioma. Pseudo Meigs' syndrome is a triad of an ovarian tumour, ascites, and hydrothorax that rarely presents with ovarian hemangioma; both effusions are eradicated after removing the tumour.

Misplaced tracheoesophageal voice prosthesis: A case of foreign body aspiration.

Foreign body aspiration (FBA) is a rare, but potentially fatal condition frequently seen in the emergency department. Bronchoscopy plays a major role in its diagnosis and treatment. In patients with laryngectomy, the strategies for airway maintenance and foreign body retrieval are limited. We describe management of a patient with laryngectomy presenting with aspiration of a tracheoesophageal voice prosthesis (TEP). The TEP was not initially seen in chest radiography; however, computed tomography showed it within the right lower bronchus. Successful extraction of the TEP was achieved through bronchoscopy with forceps and retrieval basket. Otolaryngology placed a larger TEP and secured it with sutures. TEP migration is rare, but represents a risk for FBA. Initial imaging in the emergency department can be misleading, requiring a high degree of suspicion, as the TEP device may not be seen in standard chest radiography. Flexible bronchoscopy under moderate sedation in conjunction with forceps and retrieval basket may be appropriate for treatment of FBA in patients with laryngectomy and can be performed in the emergency department, preventing hospital admission.

[Association between high vitamin B12 levels and one year mortality in older people admitted to the hospital]. / Asociación entre niveles de vitamina B-12 y mortalidad en pacientes hospitalizados adultos mayores.

BACKGROUND: Supplementation of vitamin B12 in older adults is a common practice to avoid vitamin B12 insufficiency. However, there is a paucity of information about the effects of cobalamin excess. AIM: To asses any potential effects of high levels vitamin B12 on mortality on adults aged ≥ 65 years admitted to an internal medicine service. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We Prospectively studied patients admitted to an internal medicine service of an academic hospital from September 2017 to September 2018, who were able to give their consent and answer questionnaires. We tabulated age, gender, medical history, comorbidity index (Charlson), frailty score (Fried scale), admission diagnosis and blood tests performed within 48 hours of admission. The primary outcome was death by any cause in less of 30 days or after one of year follow up, determined according to death certificates. RESULTS: We included 93 patients aged 65 to 94 years (53% males). Fifteen patients died during the year of follow up (five within 30 days of admission). Those who died had higher cobalamin levels than survivors (1080.07 ± 788.09 and 656.68 ± 497.33 pg/mL respectively, p = 0.02). Patients who died had also a significantly lower corrected serum calcium, sodium (p = 0.04) and a medical history of chronic liver disease (p = 0.03). In the multivariable analysis, only vitamin B12 preserved the association with mortality (p = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS: There was a significant association between high levels of cobalamin and all-cause mortality in this group of patients aged ≥ 65 years-old.

Asociación entre niveles de vitamina B-12 y mortalidad en pacientes hospitalizados adultos mayores / Association between high vitamin B12 levels and one year mortality in older people admitted to the hospital

Background: Supplementation of vitamin B12 in older adults is a common practice to avoid vitamin B12 insufficiency. However, there is a paucity of information about the effects of cobalamin excess. Aim: To asses any potential effects of high levels vitamin B12 on mortality on adults aged ≥ 65 years admitted to an internal medicine service. Material and Methods: We Prospectively studied patients admitted to an internal medicine service of an academic hospital from September 2017 to September 2018, who were able to give their consent and answer questionnaires. We tabulated age, gender, medical history, comorbidity index (Charlson), frailty score (Fried scale), admission diagnosis and blood tests performed within 48 hours of admission. The primary outcome was death by any cause in less of 30 days or after one of year follow up, determined according to death certificates. Results: We included 93 patients aged 65 to 94 years (53% males). Fifteen patients died during the year of follow up (five within 30 days of admission). Those who died had higher cobalamin levels than survivors (1080.07 ± 788.09 and 656.68 ± 497.33 pg/mL respectively, p = 0.02). Patients who died had also a significantly lower corrected serum calcium, sodium (p = 0.04) and a medical history of chronic liver disease (p = 0.03). In the multivariable analysis, only vitamin B12 preserved the association with mortality (p = 0.009). Conclusions: There was a significant association between high levels of cobalamin and all-cause mortality in this group of patients aged ≥ 65 years-old.

Prevalence of STOP BANG questionnaire and association with major cardiovascular events in hospitalized population: is it enough with currently used cardiovascular risk measurements?

Cardiovascular risk (CR) is associated with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). This association enhances the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE); nevertheless, data from hospitalized populations and interactions among these conditions remain unclear. PURPOSE: To evaluate the risk of MACE in the population with risk of OSAHS using the STOP-BANG questionnaire. METHODS: We performed a prospective study in an academic hospital from 2017 to 2018. Data included demography, admissions, STOP-BANG score and CR using AHA scores. The primary outcome was risk of MACE in participants with low risk of OSAHS (STOP-BANG 0-2 points), risk of OSAHS (≥3 points) and risk of moderate/severe OSAHS (≥5 points). Risk of MACE was evaluated using odds ratios (OR), and average CR was evaluated using the t-test. RESULTS: A total of 441 participants were included. The cumulative prevalence of STOP BANG ≥3 points was 80.9%, and that of ≥5 points was 41.6%. OR of MACE ≥3 points was 3.93 (CI 2.08-7.24) (p < 0.001) compared with <3 points, and Average CR was 10.91% (SD ± 2.13) at <3 points versus 24.3% (SD ± 1.24) for ≥3 points for ≥5 points OR of MACE was 1.72 (CI 1.18-2.59) (p = 0.005) and average CR was 26.14% (SD ± 1.63). However, after multivariable analysis, gender differences and previous heart failure were independently associated to MACE. CONCLUSION: The risk of OSAHS in the hospitalized population is high. This population has a higher risk of MACE and higher CRs than do low-risk participants. Conversely, gender and heart failure are potential cofounders.