Hendriksenvittrup8894
Pediatric LTX is challenged by the scarcity of suitable donor organs. To alleviate the problem of size matching, volume reduction of the donor is a possible option. Previous reports address mostly older teenagers, and data about younger patients are lacking. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether trimming had influence on the morbidity and mortality in slightly younger recipients, operated in a single center. Between 2015 and 2018, 20 patients were transplanted at the GOSH London. The mean age was 11.5 (±4.6) years. Nine patients underwent volume reduction prior to transplantation (T group). The other patients received classical bilateral LTX (NT group). Ischemia times were longer in the T group, but this difference was not statistically significant. We observed no 30-day mortality. Hospital survival in the T group was 78% vs 90% in the NT group. After almost 3 years, mortality in the T group was 22% vs 28% in the NT group. None of these differences was statistically significant. The mean duration of MV, intensive care stay, and hospital stay were 11.5, 19.9, and 44.8 days, respectively. Results were equal in terms of morbidity, defined as respiratory and neurological complications or the need for ECMO. Results show that volume reduction prior to LTX is a feasible option, even in smaller children. While awaiting long-term results, accepting larger donor organs could be a strategy to further reduce waiting list time and subsequently lower the mortality on the waiting list.Low skeletal muscle mass is highly prevalent in older cancer patients and affects 5% to 89% depending on the type and stage of cancer. Low skeletal muscle mass is associated with poor clinical outcomes such as postoperative complications, chemotherapy toxicity and mortality in older cancer patients. Little is known about the mediating pathophysiological mechanisms. In this review we summarize proposed pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the association between low muscle mass and poor clinical outcomes in older cancer patients including 1) systemic inflammation; 2) insulin-dependent glucose handling; 3) mitochondrial function; 4) protein status, and; 5) pharmacokinetics of anticancer drugs. The mechanisms of altered myokine balance negatively affecting the innate and adaptive immune system, and altered pharmacokinetics of anticancer drugs leading to a relative overdosage of anticancer drugs are best-substantiated. The effects of glucose intolerance and circulating mitochondrial DNA as a consequence of low muscle mass are topics of interest for future research. selleckchem Restoring myokine balance through physical exercise, exercise mimetics, neuro-muscular activation and adapting anticancer drug dosing on muscle mass could be targeted approaches to improve clinical outcomes in older cancer patients with low muscle mass.Introduction Visual snow manifests as a pan-field, dynamic visual disturbance described as continuous TV-static-like tiny flickering dots. Current diagnostic criteria further require at least two additional symptoms for the Visual Snow Syndrome (VSS) from palinopsia (afterimages and trailing), entoptic phenomena (floaters, blue field entoptic phenomenon, photopsia, self-light of the eye), photophobia and nyctalopia. Our objective was to compare the phenotype of VSS in an Italian and British population. Methods VSS patients were characterized clinically using the current criteria. An online survey was prepared in collaboration with the patient group Eye-on-Vision. Patients were directed to the site if they contacted us by email asking to be involved in research. Following data collection, we compared the phenotypic characteristics of a sub-group of British versus Italian patients taking part in the survey. As we expected more responses from the UK, we matched one-hundred UK patients for gender and age with our Italian cohort. Results Patients were enrolled from the UK (n = 100) and Italy (IT) (n = 100). The populations had similar demography. Following multiple correction testing there were no differences in VSS features between the two groups. The same was true for the prevalence of migraine and previous use of recreational drugs. Conclusion This is the first study comparing the phenotype of VSS between two distinct populations. Our findings suggest that the visual snow phenotype, as well as migraine comorbidity, are similar across the two groups.Objectives Physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) are relevant modifiers of cardiovascular risk. Their independent effects on arterial stiffness have not been assessed in people with obesity. This study aimed to assess the independent effects of light (LPA) and moderate-to-vigorous (MVPA) physical activity and CRF on Pulse wave velocity (PWV). Methods Brachial-ankle PWV (baPWV) was measured cross-sectionally in 55 subjects (43.0 ± 13.8 years; 66% women) with moderate cardiovascular risk. Body composition was assessed with bioelectrical impedance-analysis. Daily minutes of LPA and MVPA were measured by accelerometry and CRF (peak oxygen uptake [VO2 peak]) with spiroergometry. Independent effects of LPA, MVPA, and VO2 peak on baPWV were analyzed in an age-, sex-, body fat mass-, and blood pressure-adjusted ANOVA. Results Every 10 minutes increase of daily MVPA was associated with a 2.8% (0.32m/s [-0.64 to 0.001 m/s], P = .05) reduction of baPWV, whereas LPA and VO2 peak had only a little or no relevant effects on baPWV. link2 Conclusions Higher MVPA is associated with lower composite arterial stiffness independent of CRF and the number of metabolic risk factors in patients with obesity and further metabolic risk factors. Thus, lifestyle interventions should aim for an increase in MVPA. BaPWV may improve the monitoring of favorable effects of MVPA, even if an improvement of VO2 peak cannot be obtained.Background Type 2 diabetes (DM2) is associated with cognitive impairment. However, most of the evidence has been based on self-reported DM2 and has not been considered undiagnosed diabetes as a separate category. We aimed to examine the extent to which undiagnosed diabetes modifies the association between diabetes and cognitive impairment in a representative sample of Brazilian adults aged 50 years and older. Methods We analyzed baseline data from 1,944 participants of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Aging (ELSI-Brazil) conducted in 2015-16. Diabetes was evaluated based on self-reported doctor diagnosis and HbA1c levels. Participants were classified as diabetics (D), undiagnosed diabetics (UDD) or non-diabetics (ND). Cognitive function was assessed by word list learning and verbal fluency tests. Three multiple logistic regression models were used to evaluate the changes in the strength of the associations. Results Participants with diabetes had 49% greater odds of exhibiting impaired memory than non-diabetics (OR=1.49; 95%CI1.01-2.20). By combining UDD and ND, the association between diabetes and impaired memory was attenuated by 2.0%, losing its statistical significance (OR=1.46; 95%CI0.98-2.17). By combining UDD and D, the association was attenuated by 7.4% (OR=1.38; 95%CI1.01-1.90). No significant association was found between DM2 and impaired verbal fluency. Conclusion This study found an association between DM2 and impaired memory but not with impaired verbal fluency. When UDD individuals are considered diabetics, this association is attenuated; when UDD individuals are considered as ND, this association is attenuated to the extent that it loses its statistical significance, affecting thus the clinical interpretation. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.The COVID-19 pandemic has a strong negative impact on human society worldwide. Patients with immune-mediated disease may be prone to an increased risk of infection and/or more severe course. We review the available data for patients with psoriatic arthritis (PSA) and systemic treatments. Current treatment options are summarized. Based upon the experience with COVID-19, the following problems are addressed (a) Can systemic treatment reduce comorbidities of PsA that are also comorbidities for COVID-19? Does systemic medical treatment pose an increased risk of infection with SARS-CoV-2? Does systemic drug therapy have an impact on the risk of pulmonary fibrosis-a factor with strong negative impact on COVID-19 outcome? Small molecules, inhibitors of tumor necrosis factor alfa, interleukin, and JAK inhibitors are considered. The data are inhomogeneous for the multiple drugs used in PsA. Although the risk for severe upper airway tract infections during clinical controlled trials was mostly in the range of placebo, these data have been obtained before the COVID-19 pandemic and should be interpreted with caution. Some biologics demonstrated an antifibrotic activity in vitro and in animal disease models. None of the biologics is indicated during an active infection with fever. In nonsymptomatic PsA patients, systemic drug therapy can be continued.Background Exhaled nitric oxide (eNO) is a known biomarker for the diagnosis and monitoring of bronchial hyperreactivity in adults and children. Aims To investigate the potential role of eNO measurement for predicting perioperative respiratory adverse events in children, we sought to determine its feasibility and acceptability before adenotonsillectomy. Methods We attempted eNO testing in children, 4-12 years of age, immediately prior to admission for outpatient adenotonsillectomy. We used correlations between eNO levels and postoperative adverse respiratory events to make sample size predictions for future studies that address the predictability of the device. Results One hundred and three (53%) of 192 children were able to provide an eNO sample. The success rate increased with age from 23% (9%-38%) at age 4 to over 85% (54%-98%) after age 9. link3 Using the eNO normal value ( less then 20 ppb) as a cutoff, an expected sample size to detect a significant difference between children with and without adverse events is 868, assuming that respiratory adverse events occur in 29% of children. Conclusions eNO testing on the day of surgery has limited feasibility in children younger than 7 years of age. The most common reason for failure was inadequate physical performance while interacting with the testing device. The role of this respiratory biomarker in the context of perioperative outcomes for pediatric adenotonsillectomy remains unknown and should be further studied with improved technologies.Background Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is the most common type of baldness affecting both men and women. Studies investigating combination therapies for AGA reported greater efficacy than monotherapy but without rigorous examination. The authors performed a meta-analysis and systemic review to further verify the evidence. Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of three common combination therapies of minoxidil with finasteride, low-level laser light therapy (LLLT) or microneedling versus minoxidil monotherapy. Materials and methods We conducted a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of combination therapies consisting of topical minoxidil for AGA through April 2020. Quality assessment and data analysis were performed by Review Manager 5.3. Results Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria involving a total of 1172 AGA patients. We conducted meta-analysis for 3 groups of combined treatment separately, and all were superior to monotherapy in terms of global photographic assessment (p less then 0.