Univariate and multivariate analysis of risk factors for severe clostridium difficile-associated diarrhoea : Importance of co-morbidity and serum C-reactive protein

AIM: To investigate risk factors for severe clostridium difficile associated diarrhoea (CDAD) in hospitalised patients. METHODS: We analysed risk factors for severe CDAD (associated with systemic signs of hypovolemia) in 124 hospitalised patients by retrospective chart review. RESULTS: Severe CDAD was present in 27 patients (22%). Statistical analysis showed a significant association with a higher 30-d mortality (33% vs 4%, P CONCLUSION: Patients with a severe level of comorbidity and high serum C-reactive protein levels at the time of diagnosis should receive particular attention

Total hip arthroplasty for destructive septic arthritis of the hip using a two-stage protocol without spacer placement

Introduction: The optimal treatment of patients with a degenerative joint disease secondary to an active or chronic septic arthritis of the hip is unclear. The aim of the present study was to report on our experience with two-stage total hip arthroplasty (THA) using a contemporary treatment protocol without spacer insertion. Materials and methods: Our prospective institutional database was used to identify all patients with degenerative septic arthritis treated with a non-spacer two-stage protocol between 2011 and 2017. Clinical outcomes included interim revision, periprosthetic infection (PJI) and aseptic revision rates. Restoration of leg-length and offset were assessed radiographically. Modified Harris hip score (mHHS) were obtained. Treatment success was defined using the modified Delphi consensus criteria. Mean follow-up was 62 months (13-110). Results: A total of 33 patients with a mean age of 60 years (13-85) were included. 55% of the cohort was male and average Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) was 3.7 (0-12). 21 patients (64%) had an active/acute infection and 12 patients (36%) were treated for chronic/quiescent septic arthritis. Overall, 11 patients (33%) had treatment failure, including 5 patients who failed to undergo THA, 2 interim re-debridement for persistent infection, and 4 patients who developed PJI after an average of 7 months (0.3-13) following THA. The most common identified pathogen was Staphylococcus aureus (42.4%). No aseptic revision was recorded following THA. Leg-length and offset were successfully restored. Mean mHHS improved from 35.2 points to 73.4 points. Conclusion: Two-stage THA without spacer placement is a viable treatment option for destructive septic arthritis of the hip, demonstrating comparable rates of infection control and functional outcome. However, definitive resection arthroplasty is not uncommon in these often critically ill patients

Extended Trochanteric Osteotomy with Intermediate Resection Arthroplasty Is Safe for Use in Two-Stage Revision Total Hip Arthroplasty for Infection

Background: This study sought to compare the results of two-stage revision total hip arthroplasty (THA) for periprosthetic infection (PJI) in patients with and without the use of an extended trochanteric osteotomy (ETO) for removal of a well-fixed femoral stem or cement. Methods: Thirty-two patients who had undergone an ETO as part of a two-stage revision without spacer placement were matched 1:2 with a cohort of sixty-four patients of the same sex and age who had stem removal without any osteotomy. Clinical outcomes including interim revision, reinfection and aseptic failure rates were evaluated. Modified Harris hip scores (mHHS) were calculated. Minimum follow-up was two years. Results: Patients undergoing ETO had a significantly lower rate of interim re-debridement compared to non-ETO patients (0% vs. 14.1%, p = 0.026). Reinfection following reimplantation was similar in both groups (12.5% in ETO patients vs. 9.4% in non-ETO patients, p = 0.365). Revision for aseptic reason was necessary in 12.5% in the ETO group and 14.1% in the non-ETO group (p = 0.833). Periprosthetic femoral fractures were seen in three patients (3.1%), of which all occurred in non-ETO patients. Dislocation was the most common complication, which was equally distributed in both groups (12.5%). The mean mHHS was 37.7 in the ETO group and 37.3 in the non-ETO group, and these scores improved significantly in both groups following reimplantation (p < 0.01). Conclusion: ETO without the use of spacer is a safe and effective method to manage patients with well-fixed femoral stems and for thorough cement removal in two-stage revision THA for PJI. While it might reduce the rate of repeated debridement in the interim period, the use of ETO appears to lead to similar reinfection rates following reimplantation

Periacetabular Osteotomy and Postoperative Pregnancy—Is There an Influence on the Mode of Birth?

As a surgical treatment option in symptomatic developmental dysplasia of the hip, periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) is often performed in female patients of childbearing age. Yet, to date, little is known about the procedure's influence on postoperative pregnancies and the mode of delivery. Our study's aim therefore was to investigate patient and physician decision making in women after PAO. We invited all patients who had undergone PAO in our institution from January 2015 to June 2017 to participate in a paper-based survey. Of these, we included all female patients and performed a retrospective chart review as well as analysis of pre- and postoperative radiological imaging. A total of 87 patients were included, 20 of whom gave birth to 26 children after PAO. The mean overall follow-up was 5.3 +/- 0.8 years. Four (20.0%) patients reported that their obstetrician was concerned due to their history of PAO. The mean time before the first child's birth was 2.9 +/- 1.3 years. Eleven (55.0%) patients underwent cesarean section for the first delivery after PAO, three of whom reported their history of PAO as the reason for this type of delivery. Patients with a history of PAO have a higher risk of delivering a child by cesarean section compared with the general population, in which the rate of cesarean section is reported to be 29.7%. As cesarean sections are associated with increased morbidity and mortality compared with vaginal deliveries, evidence-based recommendations for pregnancies after pelvic osteotomy are needed

Is a preoperative pathogen detection a prerequisite before undergoing one-stage exchange for prosthetic joint infection of the hip?

BACKGROUND A preoperative pathogen detection is considered a prerequisite before undergoing one-stage exchange for prosthetic joint infection (PJI) according to most guidelines. This study compares patients with and without preoperative pathogen detection undergoing one-stage exchange for PJI of the hip. The authors put up the hypothesis that a preoperative pathogen detection is no prerequisite in selected cases undergoing one-stage exchange. METHODS 30 consecutive patients with PJI of the hip, treated with one-stage exchange, between 2011 and 2021, were retrospectively included. Mean age was 70 years and mean follow-up 2.1 ± 1.8 years. PJI was defined according to the European Bone and Joint Infection Society. One-stage exchange was performed in (1) chronic PJI longer than 4 weeks, (2) well-retained bone condition, (3) absence of multiple prior revisions for PJI (≤ 2) with absence of difficult-to-treat pathogens in the past, and (4) necessity/preference for early mobility due to comorbidities/age. RESULTS One-stage exchange was performed in 20 patients with and in 10 without a preoperative pathogen detection. Age (71 years, 68 years, p = 0.519), sex (50% and 30% males, p = 0.440), American Society of Anesthesiologists Score (2.2, 2.4, p = 0.502), and Charlson Comorbidity Index (3, 4, p = 0.530) did not differ among the two groups. No significant differences were noted concerning preoperative CRP (15 mg/l, 43 mg/l, p = 0.228), synovial cell count (15.990/nl, 5.308/nl, p = 0.887), radiological signs of loosening (55%, 50%, p = 0.999), and intraoperative histopathology. Except a higher rate of coagulase-negative staphylococci (70%, 20%, p = 0.019) in patients with a preoperative pathogen detection, no significant differences in pathogen spectrum were identified among groups. Revision for PJI recurrence was performed in one patient with an initial preoperative pathogen detection (3.3%). Additional revisions were performed for dislocation in two and postoperative hematoma in one patient. Revision rate for both septic and aseptic causes (p = 0.999), stay in hospital (16 and 15 days, p = 0.373) and modified Harris Hip Score (60, 71, p = 0.350) did not differ between groups. CONCLUSION Patients with and without a preoperative pathogen detection did not show significant differences concerning baseline characteristics, clinical and functional outcomes at 2 years. An absent preoperative pathogen detection is no absolute contraindication for one-stage exchange in chronic PJI, if involving good bone quality and absence of multiple prior revisions

Functional Assessment and Patient-Related Outcomes after Gluteus Maximus Flap Transfer in Patients with Severe Hip Abductor Deficiency

(1) Background: Degeneration of the hip abductor mechanism, a well-known cause of functional limitation, is difficult to treat and is associated with a reduced health-related quality of life (HRQOL). The gluteus maximus muscle flap is a treatment option to support a severely degenerative modified gluteus medius muscle. Although several reports exist on the clinical outcome, there remains a gap in the literature regarding HRQOL in conjunction with functional results. (2) Methods: The present study consists of 18 patients with a mean age of 64 (53‒79) years, operatively treated with a gluteus maximus flap due to chronic gluteal deficiency. Fifteen (83%) of these patients presented a history of total hip arthroplasty or revision arthroplasty. Pre and postoperative pain, Trendelenburg sign, internal rotation lag sign, trochanteric pain syndrome, the Harris Hip Score (HHS), and abduction strength after Janda (0‒5) were evaluated. Postoperative patient satisfaction and health-related quality of life, according to the Short Form 36 (SF-36), were used as patient-reported outcome measurements (PROMs). Postoperative MRI scans were performed in 13 cases (72%). (3) Results: Local pain decreased from NRS 6.1 (0-10) to 4.9 (0-8) and 44% presented with a negative Trendelenburg sign postoperatively. The overall HHS results (p = 0.42) and muscular abduction strength (p = 0.32) increased without significance. The postoperative HRQOL reached 46.8 points (31.3-62.6) for the mental component score and 37.1 points (26.9-54.7) for the physical component score. The physical component results presented a high level of positive correlation with HHS scores postoperatively (R = 0.88, p < 0.001). Moreover, 72% reported that they would undergo the operative treatment again. The MRI overall showed no significant further loss of muscle volume and no further degeneration of muscular tissue. (4) Conclusions: Along with fair functional results, the patients treated with a gluteus maximus flap transfer presented satisfying long-term PROMs. Given this condition, the gluteus maximus muscle flap transfer is a viable option for selected patients with chronic gluteal deficiency

Оценка эмиссии метана автотранспортом мира

peer reviewe

Auxiliary Subunits Control Function and Subcellular Distribution of AMPA Receptor Complexes in NG2 Glia of the Developing Hippocampus

Synaptic and axonal glutamatergic signaling to NG2 glia in white matter is critical for the cells’ differentiation and activity dependent myelination. However, in gray matter the impact of neuron-to-NG2 glia signaling is still elusive, because most of these cells keep their non-myelinating phenotype throughout live. Early in postnatal development, hippocampal NG2 glia express AMPA receptors with a significant Ca2+ permeability allowing for plasticity of the neuron-glia synapses, but whether this property changes by adulthood is not known. Moreover, it is unclear whether NG2 glia express auxiliary transmembrane AMPA receptor related proteins (TARPs), which modify AMPA receptor properties, including their Ca2+ permeability. Through combined molecular and functional analyses, here we show that hippocampal NG2 glia abundantly express TARPs γ4, γ7, and γ8 as well as cornichon (CNIH)-2. TARP γ8 undergoes profound downregulation during development. Receptors of adult NG2 glia showed an increased sensitivity to blockers of Ca2+ permeable AMPA receptors, but this increase mainly concerned receptors located close to the soma. Evoked synaptic currents of NG2 glia were also sensitive to blockers of Ca2+ permeable AMPA receptors. The presence of AMPA receptors with varying Ca2+ permeability during postnatal maturation may be important for the cells’ ability to sense and respond to local glutamatergic activity and for regulating process motility, differentiation, and proliferation

Toward a successful clinical neuroproteomics : the 11th HUPO Brain Proteome Project Workshop 3 March, 2009, Kolymbari, Greece

The HUPO Brain Proteome Project (HUPO BPP) held its 11th workshop in Kolymbari on March 3, 2009. The principal aim of this project is to obtain a better understanding of neurodiseases and ageing, with the ultimate objective of discovering prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers, in addition to the development of novel diagnostic techniques and new medications. The attendees came together to discuss sub-project progress in the clinical neuroproteomics of human or mouse models of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, and to define the needs and guidelines required for more advanced proteomics approaches. With the election of new steering committees, the members of the HUPO BPP elaborated an actual plan promoting activities, outcomes, and future directions of the HUPO BPP to acquire new funding and new participants