Citations

Severe impairment of oxygenation in critically ill patients is a major cause of morbidity and mortality, and can occur even with normal alveolar ventilation and cardiac output under conditions of decreased diffusing capacity or increased flow heterogeneity. A theoretical model of pulmonary oxygen uptake under resting conditions is used to simulate decreased diffusing capacity (DL) as well as increased heterogeneity (characterized by an increase in the coefficient of variation [CV] of pulmonary capillary blood flow), with the assumed normal value of CV based on observations of microvascular networks. Under resting conditions with nominal values of DL and CV, the model predicts an oxygen saturation (SO 2 ) of 97% (PO 2 = 94 mmHg). Simulating a 10‐fold reduction in DL leads to an SO 2 of 85% (PO 2 = 51 mmHg), whereas doubling the CV from its normal value leads to an SO 2 of 95% (PO 2 = 78 mmHg); both of these predictions suggest a high degree of reserve in the healthy resting lung. However, simulating these conditions simultaneously leads to a large reduction in SO 2 to 71% (PO 2 = 37 mmHg), exhausting the reserve capacity of the lung and demonstrating the detrimental synergistic effect of heterogeneity in the context of an attenuated diffusing capacity. These results imply that a combination of increased heterogeneity and decreased diffusing capacity can explain the severe impairment in pulmonary oxygen uptake and decreased saturations seen in critical illness. Support or Funding Information Supported by NIH grant HL070657.

Introduction Several common and functional genes are known to contribute to renal, blood vessel, and cardiac functional characteristics associated with sodium (Na + ) handling, vascular reactivity, and cardiac output, respectively. Many of these same genes are suggested to contribute to differential responsiveness to blood pressure (BP) therapy. Few studies have explored the simultaneous phenotypic consequence of multiple genes critical for BP control. Despite a significant impulse of the medical community towards personalized medicine, BP therapy is typically guided by algorithms that do not include a patient's genetic information. Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of 14 genes on time to BP control in response to common BP therapy, with a specific focus on genes associated with drug metabolism and protein function in the kidney, the blood vessels, and the heart. Methods Eighty‐six patients completed one study visit consisting of a buccal swab for DNA extraction and genotyping, measurement of ambulatory BP, and a medical chart review for objective BP history. Genes in the analysis included those that encode for one drug metabolizing enzyme (CYP2D6), renal Na + handling (SCNN1A, WNK1, SLC12A3, and Alpha Adducin), vascular function (angiotensin, ACE, angiotensin‐II receptor type‐I, and renin), and cardiac function (the β 1 and β 2 adrenergic receptors ADRB1 and ADRB2, respectively). Results Genetic variation of WNK1 (rs1159744) demonstrated differential responses to diuretic therapy (determined as those with blood pressure under 140/90 vs. those above 140/90 according to genotype)(WNK1=GG>CG/CC, P<0.05). Genes that encode ADRB1 (rs1801252), ADRB2 (rs1042713), and CYP2D6 (rs3892097) demonstrated differential response to β‐blocker therapy (ADRB1=Ser/Ser>SerThr/ThrThr, ADRB2=GG>AG/AA, CYP2D6=CC>CT/TT, P<0.05). Genes that encode angiotensin (rs699), ACE (rs1799752), and renin (rs12750834) demonstrated differential response to ACE‐inhibition and angiotensin receptor blockade (angiotensin=CT/TT>CC, ACE=Ins/Ins>InsDel/DelDel, renin=AG/AA>GG, p<0.05). Conclusion These results demonstrate that genetic variants encoding proteins involved in renal Na + handling, vascular function, and cardiac output influence response to BP therapy for their respective drug classes. Support or Funding Information Funded by Geneticure

Introduction Hypertension is one of the most important preventable contributors to disease and death worldwide and represents the most common condition seen in the primary care setting. Approximately one in three adults living in the US has hypertension. Despite the prevalence and impact of hypertension, little data exists on the average time to blood pressure (BP) control in US patients and time to control according to common BP medication classes. Purpose Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the average time to BP control in adults with controlled hypertension, according to drug class. Methods For this study we assessed how long (in months) and how many clinic visits were needed in order to control BP according to common medication classes in patients with existing hypertension. The study was performed at two clinical sites where patients came in for one visit for an in‐clinic assessment of BP and for completion of a patient survey regarding their history of BP. The primary care physician performed a chart review for a detailed objective BP history. Results Ninety‐nine patients completed all aspects of the study (age=58±0.8yrs., %female=46, height=169±1.0cm, weight=86±1.4kg, BMI=29.9±0.4m/kg 2 ). The average initial BP was 151±2mmHg systolic (SBP), 91±1mmHg diastolic, and 111±1mmHg mean arterial (MAP). Patients demonstrated a significant drop in BP with therapy (SBP=16mmHg, DBP=10mmHg, MAP=12mmHg). Patients were prescribed an average of 1.8 BP medications (62% on ACE‐inhibitor, 42% on diuretic, 33% on β‐blocker, 27% on angiotensin receptor blocker, and 16% on Ca + channel blocker). The average time to BP control was 14.9 months or 3.6 clinic visits. Patients on a diuretic had the longest time to BP control, while patients on a Ca + channel blocker had the shortest time to control (diuretic=19.5±10.4, angiotensin receptor blocker=22.8±13.1, ACE‐inhibitor=22.2±11.4, β‐blocker=24.5±16.9, Ca + channel blocker=9.9±4.5 months, pANOVA<0.05). In contrast, patients on a Ca + channel blocker had significantly more clinic visits to attain BP control (diuretic=4.5±0.6, ACE‐inhibitor=3.1±0.4, angiotensin receptor blocker=3.9±0.6, β‐blocker=4.9±0.7, Ca + channel blocker=5.1±0.7 visits). Conclusion These results suggest important differences in the time to BP control, and the number of office visits necessary for BP control according to common classes of hypertension therapies. Funding was provided by Geneticure, LLC Support or Funding Information Funded by Geneticure

Advanced plastic and craniomaxillofacial reconstruction is a multidisciplinary field, requiring communication and accurate planning among various specialists including oncologic surgeons, plastic surgeons, and radiologists. Complex defects may present in pediatric congenital deformities, after trauma or oncologic surgery. Restoration of form and function require precise planning among the various specialists involved and accurate execution of the surgical plan. Often, considerations for bony and soft tissue requirements make the reconstruction more challenging. Virtual surgical planning using computed tomographic imaging, 3D surface imaging technology and computer‐aided design allow the surgeons to perform virtual surgery and generate templates and cutting guides that allow for the precise and expedient recreation of the plan in the operating room. The author presents cases highlighting various reconstructive requirements where virtual planning was used for advanced plastic and craniomaxillofacial reconstruction to achieve precise reconstruction. Support or Funding Information None

Abstract Introduction Hydatid disease, caused by the parasite Echinococcus granulosus, is a prevalent parasitic infection found in various regions worldwide, including the Middle East, southern Europe, and Africa. Although hepatic and pulmonary involvements are well-documented, atypical presentations of the disease remain significant. Case Presentation This case report discusses a 32-year-old female patient who sought medical attention due to right hypochondrial pain, and pallor. Initial imaging revealed a hepatic cyst, but an incidental finding of a pericardial cyst further complicated the diagnosis. Subsequent evaluations confirmed the presence of a pericardial hydatid cyst, which is an uncommon manifestation of the disease. The patient presented with a multi-organ infection, which included a cardiac cyst—an unusual occurrence in hydatid disease. Additionally, the pericardial cyst was situated in the pericardium, a rare location, accounting for 2–10% of all cardiac cysts. Importantly, this cyst lacked myocardial involvement, adding to its uniqueness. Conclusion This case underscores the importance of considering hydatid disease in patients with non-specific symptoms, particularly in endemic regions, as timely diagnosis is crucial in preventing severe complications.

Purpose To characterize the prevalence and incidence of in‐game hand and wrist injuries in the National Basketball Association (NBA), to determine the factors associated with an equal or greater player efficiency rating (PER), and to determine the factors associated with an equal or greater true shooting percentage (TS%) 2 years after a hand and wrist injury using a large‐scale national database of NBA players. Methods Injury data from seasons 2015‐2016 to 2020‐2021, with exclusion of the 2019‐2020 because of abbreviated play due to the coronavirus disease 2019, were extracted from a public online database, Pro Sports Transactions. Injury characteristics and NBA player demographic information were assessed using descriptive statistics. Poisson logistic regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors associated with equal or increased PER and TS% 2years after injury. Results There were 214 reported hand and wrist injuries, and of these injuries, 173 (81%) were classified as structural. The most common injury types were a strain or sprain (0.63 per 1,000 game exposures), followed by fractures (0.37 per 1,000 game exposures). Older age (relative risk [RR] 0.89; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.84‐0.95) and more years played in the NBA were modestly associated with relative risk of having a decreased PER at 2 years after injury. Increased weight (RR 1.02; 95% CI 1‐1.05) and increased body mass index (RR 1.14; 95% CI 1.01‐1.29) were also modestly associated with having a decreased PER and TS%, respectively at 2 years after injury. Conclusions Strains/sprains and fractures are the most common hand and wrist injuries sustained by NBA players. Regardless of dominant or nondominant hand and wrist injuries, NBA players are likely to return to baseline overall player efficiency based on PER and TS% within 2 years of injury. Clinical Relevance Our study characterizes hand and wrist injuries of NBA players and provides an understanding for these injuries on player performance at 2 years.

Abstract Objectives The objectives of this study were to assess the prevalence and incidence of multimorbidity and its association with the SLICC/ACR damage index (SDI) among patients with SLE. Methods Using prevalent and incident population–based cohorts of patients with SLE and their matched comparators, we assessed 57 chronic conditions. Chronic conditions were categorized as SDI-related or SDI-unrelated. Multimorbidity was defined as the presence of two or more chronic conditions. The prevalence of multimorbidity for both cohorts was compared using logistic regression. Cox models were used to examine the development of multimorbidity after SLE incidence. Results The prevalent cohort included 449 patients with established SLE on 1 January 2015. They were three times more likely to have multimorbidity compared with non-SLE comparators [odds ratio (OR) 2.98, 95% CI 2.18–4.11]. The incident cohort included 270 patients with new-onset SLE. At SLE incidence, patients with SLE were more likely to have multimorbidity than comparators (OR 2.27, 95% CI 1.59–3.27). After incidence, the risk of developing multimorbidity was 2-fold higher among patients with SLE than among comparators [hazard ratio (HR) 2.11, 95% CI 1.59–2.80]. The development of multimorbidity was higher in patients with SLE based on SDI-related conditions (HR 2.91, 95% CI 2.17–3.88) than on SDI-unrelated conditions (HR 1.73, 95% CI, 1.32–2.26). Conclusion Patients with SLE had a higher burden of multimorbidity, even before the onset of the disease. The risk disparity continued after SLE classification and was also seen in a prevalent SLE cohort. Multimorbidity was driven both by SDI-related and unrelated conditions.

ObjectiveThis study assessed the relationship between speech and language impairment and outcome in a multicenter cohort of isolated/idiopathic rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (iRBD).MethodsPatients with iRBD from 7 centers speaking Czech, English, German, French, and Italian languages underwent a detailed speech assessment at baseline. Story‐tale narratives were transcribed and linguistically annotated using fully automated methods based on automatic speech recognition and natural language processing algorithms, leading to the 3 distinctive linguistic and 2 acoustic patterns of language deterioration and associated composite indexes of their overall severity. Patients were then prospectively followed and received assessments for parkinsonism or dementia during follow‐up. The Cox proportional hazard was performed to evaluate the predictive value of language patterns for phenoconversion over a follow‐up period of 5 years.ResultsOf 180 patients free of parkinsonism or dementia, 156 provided follow‐up information. After a mean follow‐up of 2.7 years, 42 (26.9%) patients developed neurodegenerative disease. Patients with higher severity of linguistic abnormalities (hazard ratio [HR = 2.35]) and acoustic abnormalities (HR = 1.92) were more likely to develop a defined neurodegenerative disease, with converters having lower content richness (HR = 1.74), slower articulation rate (HR = 1.58), and prolonged pauses (HR = 1.46). Dementia‐first (n = 16) and parkinsonism‐first with mild cognitive impairment (n = 9) converters had higher severity of linguistic abnormalities than parkinsonism‐first with normal cognition converters (n = 17).InterpretationAutomated language analysis might provide a predictor of phenoconversion from iRBD into synucleinopathy subtypes with cognitive impairment, and thus can be used to stratify patients for neuroprotective trials. ANN NEUROL 2024;95:530–543

Abstract Objective Overnight metyrapone test (OMT) is a dynamic test used to diagnose secondary adrenal insufficiency (SAI). Data on OMT use and its safety are scarce. We aimed to describe the indications and safety of outpatient OMT and compare OMT to the cosyntropin stimulation test (CST). Design Single‐centre retrospective study of adult patients undergoing OMT between 1 April 2018 and 27 January 2023. Measurements OMT‐related adverse events, post‐OMT diagnosis of SAI, and OMT comparison to CST. Results OMT was performed in 114 patients (81, 71% women) at a median age of 48 (interquartile range 37–58). The pretest probability for SAI was low in 52 (46%) patients, moderate in 48 (42%) patients and high in 14 (12%) patients. Adverse events were reported in 7 (6.1%) patients and were mild except for one hospitalization. No baseline or OMT‐related factors were associated with the development of adverse events. Prevalence of the OMT‐based SAI diagnosis was 26 (23%) and 47 (46%) using 11‐deoxycortisol cutoff <7 and <10 mcg/dL, respectively. Higher pretest probability was associated with the OMT‐based diagnosis of SAI. Post‐OMT 11‐deoxycortisol cutoff of 10 mcg/dL was used most to diagnose SAI. Compared to the OMT‐based diagnosis of SAI (11‐deoxycortisol cutoff of 10 mcg/dL), the specificity of CST was 100%, but the sensitivity was only 52%. Conclusions OMT was well tolerated and used in patients with low and moderate pretest probability for SAI. CST can erroneously exclude patients with SAI. Thus, OMT should be considered in selected patients with normal CST.