Impact of COVID-19 on cardiovascular testing in the United States versus the rest of the world

Objectives: This study sought to quantify and compare the decline in volumes of cardiovascular procedures between the United States and non-US institutions during the early phase of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the care of many non-COVID-19 illnesses. Reductions in diagnostic cardiovascular testing around the world have led to concerns over the implications of reduced testing for cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality. Methods: Data were submitted to the INCAPS-COVID (International Atomic Energy Agency Non-Invasive Cardiology Protocols Study of COVID-19), a multinational registry comprising 909 institutions in 108 countries (including 155 facilities in 40 U.S. states), assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on volumes of diagnostic cardiovascular procedures. Data were obtained for April 2020 and compared with volumes of baseline procedures from March 2019. We compared laboratory characteristics, practices, and procedure volumes between U.S. and non-U.S. facilities and between U.S. geographic regions and identified factors associated with volume reduction in the United States. Results: Reductions in the volumes of procedures in the United States were similar to those in non-U.S. facilities (68% vs. 63%, respectively; p = 0.237), although U.S. facilities reported greater reductions in invasive coronary angiography (69% vs. 53%, respectively; p < 0.001). Significantly more U.S. facilities reported increased use of telehealth and patient screening measures than non-U.S. facilities, such as temperature checks, symptom screenings, and COVID-19 testing. Reductions in volumes of procedures differed between U.S. regions, with larger declines observed in the Northeast (76%) and Midwest (74%) than in the South (62%) and West (44%). Prevalence of COVID-19, staff redeployments, outpatient centers, and urban centers were associated with greater reductions in volume in U.S. facilities in a multivariable analysis. Conclusions: We observed marked reductions in U.S. cardiovascular testing in the early phase of the pandemic and significant variability between U.S. regions. The association between reductions of volumes and COVID-19 prevalence in the United States highlighted the need for proactive efforts to maintain access to cardiovascular testing in areas most affected by outbreaks of COVID-19 infection

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

New Technique for Measuring Limb Occlusion Pressure Facilitates Personalized Tourniquet Systems

Category: Basic Sciences/Biologics Introduction/Purpose: Optimal tourniquet safety depends on accurately determining the minimum pressure necessary to achieve a bloodless surgical field, known as a patient’s limb occlusion pressure (LOP). However, LOP is not yet routinely measured in all patients due to limitations of current techniques. We have evaluated a novel technique for measuring the LOP through the tourniquet cuff that overcomes many limitations of current LOP measurement techniques. Methods: The new technique of measuring LOP involves the use of unique dual-purpose disposable tourniquet cuffs along with a tourniquet instrument containing LOP calculation sensors and software. A randomized crossover multicenter trial with 143 pre-surgical or post-surgical patients enrolled in the study. Pneumatic cuffs were applied to the non-operative upper and lower limbs and LOP was measured using the new technique and the Doppler ultrasound technique. For each patient a set of four LOP measurements was taken, using the new technique (experimental) and the Doppler technique (control) on one upper and one lower limb. Blinding was achieved during LOP measurement by using two experimenters and blinding the experimenter who measured the LOP using Doppler ultrasound from the LOP reading using the new automatic technique. Participants were blinded from all LOP measurement results by keeping the displays of measurement equipment out of their view. Results: The differences between the new technique and Doppler technique were neither statistically nor clinically significant and the new technique is as robust as the Doppler technique. The results of this study can be used to develop personalized tourniquet systems consisting of unique dual-purpose cuffs connected to instruments suitable for measuring tourniquet LOP with the new measurement technique. The simplicity, effectiveness, and accuracy of this technique should lead to broader clinical usage and acceptance of LOP measurement, thus leading to safer, personalized pressures in surgical tourniquet applications. Conclusion: The new technique is equally robust as the Doppler technique. Both techniques worked successfully in the 252 limbs from which usable data was collected. Of the 34 limbs for which there were data collection errors or exclusion, only two measurements were excluded because of an instrument error using the automatic technique compared to one measurement excluded because of a Doppler technique measurement error

Impact of complications in total ankle replacement and ankle arthrodesis analyzed with a validated outcome measurement

Major modifications in the design and techniques of total ankle replacement have challenged the perception that ankle arthrodesis is the treatment of choice for end-stage ankle arthritis. High complication and revision rates have been reported after both procedures

Effect of Preoperative Deformity on Arthroscopic and Open Ankle Fusion Outcomes.

INTRODUCTION Coronal deformity is considered a relative contraindication for arthroscopic ankle fusion. This study assessed whether preoperative coronal ankle joint deformity influenced the outcome of arthroscopic ankle fusion. METHODS Ninety-seven patients had 62 arthroscopic and 35 open ankle fusions between 2005 and 2012. Clinical outcomes were prospectively recorded with use of the Ankle Osteoarthritis Scale (AOS) and Ankle Arthritis Scale (AAS) preoperatively and at 6, 12, and 24 months and final follow-up. Radiological alignment was measured using the tibiotalar angle, the tibial plafond angle, the lateral talar station, and the lateral tibiotalar angle. Both groups had the same demographics. RESULTS Preoperative deformity was the same regarding sagittal alignment and overall coronal alignment, but the arthroscopic group had less tibial deformity (tibial plafond angle range 0-19 degrees vs 0-43 degrees). At final follow-up, the mean AOS was 34.2 for arthroscopic (95% confidence interval [CI], 23.3-45.2) vs 33.9 for open (95% CI, 17.8-49.9). The AAS at final follow-up was 26.0 for arthroscopic (95% CI, 21.0-31.0) vs 27.5 for open (95% CI, 19.7-35.2). Both groups had the same tibiotalar angle, lateral talar station, and lateral tibiotalar angle at follow-up. Regression analyses revealed no influence of type of surgery, preoperative deformity, postoperative radiological alignment, age, sex, body mass index, smoking status, etiology of the arthritis, and need for bone grafting on outcome scores (all P > .05). CONCLUSION Arthroscopic and open ankle fusion yielded equivalent results for both patient-reported outcome measure and radiographic alignment in patients with coronal and sagittal joint deformity. Patients with higher tibial plafond angles more often underwent open fusion. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE III, comparative series