EPIdemiology of Surgery-Associated Acute Kidney Injury (EPIS-AKI) : Study protocol for a multicentre, observational trial

More than 300 million surgical procedures are performed each year. Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication after major surgery and is associated with adverse short-term and long-term outcomes. However, there is a large variation in the incidence of reported AKI rates. The establishment of an accurate epidemiology of surgery-associated AKI is important for healthcare policy, quality initiatives, clinical trials, as well as for improving guidelines. The objective of the Epidemiology of Surgery-associated Acute Kidney Injury (EPIS-AKI) trial is to prospectively evaluate the epidemiology of AKI after major surgery using the latest Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) consensus definition of AKI. EPIS-AKI is an international prospective, observational, multicentre cohort study including 10 000 patients undergoing major surgery who are subsequently admitted to the ICU or a similar high dependency unit. The primary endpoint is the incidence of AKI within 72 hours after surgery according to the KDIGO criteria. Secondary endpoints include use of renal replacement therapy (RRT), mortality during ICU and hospital stay, length of ICU and hospital stay and major adverse kidney events (combined endpoint consisting of persistent renal dysfunction, RRT and mortality) at day 90. Further, we will evaluate preoperative and intraoperative risk factors affecting the incidence of postoperative AKI. In an add-on analysis, we will assess urinary biomarkers for early detection of AKI. EPIS-AKI has been approved by the leading Ethics Committee of the Medical Council North Rhine-Westphalia, of the Westphalian Wilhelms-University Münster and the corresponding Ethics Committee at each participating site. Results will be disseminated widely and published in peer-reviewed journals, presented at conferences and used to design further AKI-related trials. Trial registration number NCT04165369

Geoeconomic variations in epidemiology, ventilation management, and outcomes in invasively ventilated intensive care unit patients without acute respiratory distress syndrome: a pooled analysis of four observational studies

Background: Geoeconomic variations in epidemiology, the practice of ventilation, and outcome in invasively ventilated intensive care unit (ICU) patients without acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) remain unexplored. In this analysis we aim to address these gaps using individual patient data of four large observational studies. Methods: In this pooled analysis we harmonised individual patient data from the ERICC, LUNG SAFE, PRoVENT, and PRoVENT-iMiC prospective observational studies, which were conducted from June, 2011, to December, 2018, in 534 ICUs in 54 countries. We used the 2016 World Bank classification to define two geoeconomic regions: middle-income countries (MICs) and high-income countries (HICs). ARDS was defined according to the Berlin criteria. Descriptive statistics were used to compare patients in MICs versus HICs. The primary outcome was the use of low tidal volume ventilation (LTVV) for the first 3 days of mechanical ventilation. Secondary outcomes were key ventilation parameters (tidal volume size, positive end-expiratory pressure, fraction of inspired oxygen, peak pressure, plateau pressure, driving pressure, and respiratory rate), patient characteristics, the risk for and actual development of acute respiratory distress syndrome after the first day of ventilation, duration of ventilation, ICU length of stay, and ICU mortality. Findings: Of the 7608 patients included in the original studies, this analysis included 3852 patients without ARDS, of whom 2345 were from MICs and 1507 were from HICs. Patients in MICs were younger, shorter and with a slightly lower body-mass index, more often had diabetes and active cancer, but less often chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and heart failure than patients from HICs. Sequential organ failure assessment scores were similar in MICs and HICs. Use of LTVV in MICs and HICs was comparable (42\ub74% vs 44\ub72%; absolute difference \u20131\ub769 [\u20139\ub758 to 6\ub711] p=0\ub767; data available in 3174 [82%] of 3852 patients). The median applied positive end expiratory pressure was lower in MICs than in HICs (5 [IQR 5\u20138] vs 6 [5\u20138] cm H2O; p=0\ub70011). ICU mortality was higher in MICs than in HICs (30\ub75% vs 19\ub79%; p=0\ub70004; adjusted effect 16\ub741% [95% CI 9\ub752\u201323\ub752]; p<0\ub70001) and was inversely associated with gross domestic product (adjusted odds ratio for a US$10 000 increase per capita 0\ub780 [95% CI 0\ub775\u20130\ub786]; p<0\ub70001). Interpretation: Despite similar disease severity and ventilation management, ICU mortality in patients without ARDS is higher in MICs than in HICs, with a strong association with country-level economic status. Funding: No funding

Duodenum perforations in children: case series

To analyse patients those admitted to our clinic due to perforation in duodenum. Fourteen patients those have been admitted to our center with perforation in duodenum between 1990 - 2014 analysed retrospectively. Ten patients (8M, 6F) those have been admitted to our clinic between 1990 - 2014 have a mean age of 6.2 years (25 days - 16 years). Two of cases admitted directly to our clinic and the rest referred from another hospitals. Mean time for appliance to our clinic was 3.2 days (1day - 1 week). Ulcer in duodenum was the cause of perforation in 10 cases while in 3 the cause was trauma and in 1 case was surgical complication of infantly persistant hyperinsulinism (IPHH). The case with hyperbilluribinemia after near total pancreatectomy due to IPHH had been explored and perforation in deuedenum diagnosed. Resection in first two parts of duodenum and pylor, choledochojejunostomy, gastrojejunostomy and jejunojejunostomy was performed. Primary repair was performed in the remaining patients. In one case with primary repair gastrostomy was performed, while in 9 cases omentoplasty were performed. In the follow-up 12 cases has no problems and doing well. Two patients died. Perforation in duedenum is a rare entity that pediatric surgeons should encounter and keep in mind. Primary repair (duodenoraphy +/- omentoplasty) is safe and reliable surgical treatment modality.

Analysis of risk factors for sternal surgical site infection: Emphasizing the appropriate ventilation of the operating theaters

objective. To determine the incidence of and identify risk factors for sternal surgical site infection ( SSI)

The acute and long term effects of acupuncture on heart rate variability

236-239In a recent study, the possible effect of acupuncture in modulating heart rate variability (HRV) in both healthy and non-healthy subjects were reported, while previous review reported that acupuncture did not have any convincing effect on HRV in healthy subjects. We aimed to reinvestigate the possible helpful effect of acupuncture on HRV parameters and to test the possible differences between acute and long term (20 minutes) acupuncture applications. Twenty nine female subjects were participated in this study. For the acupuncture therapy, HT 7 acupuncture point (shen men) was selected. Acupuncture needle was placed for 1 minute in acute acupuncture application and 20 minutes in long term acupuncture. The recording ECG (HRV) was applied before and after acute and long term acupuncture therapies. Almost all HRV parameters increased after the acute acupuncture and some HRV parameters after the long term acupuncture compared to before therapy in healthy persons. There were no differences between acute and long term applications. These results indicate that acupuncture might be cardio protective and might restore sympathovagal imbalances by stimulating the peripheral nervous system. Also, the long term acupuncture application is not essential for the cardio protective effect

The effects of hypnotherapy during transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate needle biopsy for pain and anxiety

Several studies evaluating the tolerance of transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided needle biopsies showed that moderate-to-severe pain was associated with the procedure. Additionally, prebiopsy anxiety or rebiopsy as a result of a prior biopsy procedure is mentioned as factors predisposing to higher pain intensity. Thus, in this study, we investigated the effects of hypnotherapy during transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate needle biopsy for pain and anxiety

Major and minor salivary gland cancers: A multicenter retrospective study

Background: Most of the studies on salivary gland cancers are limited for various reasons such as being single-center, small number of patients, including only major or minor SGCs, or only including epidemiological data. Methods: A total of 37 medical oncology clinics from different regions of Turkey participated in this retrospective-multicenter study. The analyzed data included clinical and demographical features, primary treatment, metastasis localizations, and treatments and includes certain pathologic features. Results: The study included data from a total of 443 SGCs. 56.7% was in major salivary glands and 43.3% was in minor salivary glands. Distant metastasis in the major SGCs was statistically significantly more common than in the minor SGCs, locoregional recurrence was statistically significantly more common in the minor SGCs than in the major SGCs (p = 0.003). Conclusions: Epidemiological information, metastasis and recurrence patterns, treatment modalities, and survival analysis of the patients over 20 years of follow-up are presented