Levator Labii Superioris Alaeque Nasi Targeted Botulinum Toxin Injection for Treatment of Perinasal Facial Discomfort and Snarling.

Botulinum toxin has been increasingly studied and used for varying conditions, most notably, cosmetics. However, it has been shown that botulinum toxin demonstrates a high efficacy in treating spasticity disorders throughout the body, including the face. Facial spasms vary in pathophysiology, region, and severity. Some can be so severe that they can cause discomfort and emotional distress due to the involuntary facial expressions caused by the spasms. Most spasticity conditions are often treated with adjuvant therapy of oral muscle relaxants and analgesics depending on severity. However, these treatments impose risks of varying adverse effects from sedation, hypotension, and if chronic use, more severe effects such as central nervous system complications or QT prolongation. In addition, if spasms are localized, the muscle relaxant's mechanism is not targeted, leading to unnecessary systemic use. That being said, a more targeted and manageable treatment such as botulinum toxin presents itself as a potential option for patient's physical condition and everyday life quality. Our case presents a 62-year-old male, with a chronic history of localized, idiopathic spasms and discomfort within the Levator Labii Superioris Aqulae Nasi region. The patient had no history of previous neurological disorders, and imaging was unremarkable. The patient had been treated over the past 13 years with varying oral therapeutics including Cymbalta, Ibuprofen, and cyclobenzaprine with limited improvement, but presented to the clinic seeking a different treatment plan, as the adverse effects from the muscle relaxants were impeding his everyday activities. The patient was also experiencing significant pain and emotional stress due to the spasms. The risk and benefits of treatment options were discussed and the patient decided to move forward with botulinum injections. After the first injection, the patient reported his pain had significantly improved and was relieved to be off of chronic pain medications. Our case demonstrates, what increasing literature further also supports: botulinum toxin is becoming a potential effective treatment for a breadth of spasticity disorders with a more targeted mechanism, and more manageable treatment plan, while simultaneously improving the patient's quality of life.

Clinical Outcomes with Ertapenem for Pneumonia in Obese versus Nonobese Patients.

The objective of this study was to compare the rate of pneumonia resolution in obese (body mass index [BMI], ≥30 kg/m2) and nonobese (BMI, <30 kg/m2) patients treated with 1 gram ertapenem daily. In this retrospective cohort study, we evaluated patients treated at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center between 1 January 2015 and 31 August 2020. Patients were included if they were between 18 and 89 years old and received ertapenem for at least 48 hours for pneumonia treatment. Patients were excluded if they were pregnant, were incarcerated, had renal impairment, received antibiotics with Gram-negative activity for a significant period prior to or in addition to ertapenem, and had other concomitant deep-seated infections. The primary outcome of clinical resolution was defined as meeting any of the following three criteria in order of evaluations: discontinuation of antibiotics by day 8 of therapy, afebrile while on ertapenem in addition to a decrease in white blood cell count, or improvement on chest radiograph at day 7 of therapy. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the association between obesity and clinical resolution, while adjusting for proven confounders. There were 76 nonobese and 65 obese patients included. The median patient BMI was 23.7 kg/m2 (21.0 to 26.9) and 35.0 kg/m2 (32.8 to 39.8) for the nonobese and obese cohorts, respectively. Clinical resolution was achieved in 78% (59/76) of nonobese and 75% (49/65) of obese patients (P = 0.75) without an observed difference in the regression model. Outcomes were similar in obese and nonobese patients treated with 1 gram of ertapenem daily for pneumonia.

Recumbent stepper submaximal exercise test to predict peak oxygen uptake.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the ability of the YMCA submaximal exercise test protocol using a total body recumbent stepper to predict V˙O(2peak). METHODS: Of 112 individuals initially screened, 110 individuals with low to moderate cardiovascular disease risk met the inclusion criteria for participation in the study. The maximal exercise test used a motorized treadmill and the Bruce or modified Bruce protocol. Oxygen uptake was measured and analyzed through collection of expired gases using a metabolic measurement system. The submaximal exercise test was performed at least 24 h later but no more than 5 d after maximal exercise testing. Participants were instructed to keep a pace of 100 steps per minute and the resistance increase every 3 min according to the protocol until fatigue, or until 85% of HR max was achieved. A cross-validation study was also performed to determine the accuracy of the prediction equation. RESULTS: Using a stepwise regression, we report that V˙O(2peak) can be predicted using a five-element model including age, weight, sex, wattsend_submax, and HRend_submax (F5,69 = 70.31, P < 0.001). We report a strong correlation between the predicted V˙O(2peak) to the actual V˙O(2peak). CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest the YMCA submaximal exercise test can be used with the total body recumbent stepper to predict V˙O(2peak) in healthy adults.