Effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and angiotensin receptor blocker initiation on organ support-free days in patients hospitalized with COVID-19

IMPORTANCE Overactivation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) may contribute to poor clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19. Objective To determine whether angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) initiation improves outcomes in patients hospitalized for COVID-19. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS In an ongoing, adaptive platform randomized clinical trial, 721 critically ill and 58 non–critically ill hospitalized adults were randomized to receive an RAS inhibitor or control between March 16, 2021, and February 25, 2022, at 69 sites in 7 countries (final follow-up on June 1, 2022). INTERVENTIONS Patients were randomized to receive open-label initiation of an ACE inhibitor (n = 257), ARB (n = 248), ARB in combination with DMX-200 (a chemokine receptor-2 inhibitor; n = 10), or no RAS inhibitor (control; n = 264) for up to 10 days. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome was organ support–free days, a composite of hospital survival and days alive without cardiovascular or respiratory organ support through 21 days. The primary analysis was a bayesian cumulative logistic model. Odds ratios (ORs) greater than 1 represent improved outcomes. RESULTS On February 25, 2022, enrollment was discontinued due to safety concerns. Among 679 critically ill patients with available primary outcome data, the median age was 56 years and 239 participants (35.2%) were women. Median (IQR) organ support–free days among critically ill patients was 10 (–1 to 16) in the ACE inhibitor group (n = 231), 8 (–1 to 17) in the ARB group (n = 217), and 12 (0 to 17) in the control group (n = 231) (median adjusted odds ratios of 0.77 [95% bayesian credible interval, 0.58-1.06] for improvement for ACE inhibitor and 0.76 [95% credible interval, 0.56-1.05] for ARB compared with control). The posterior probabilities that ACE inhibitors and ARBs worsened organ support–free days compared with control were 94.9% and 95.4%, respectively. Hospital survival occurred in 166 of 231 critically ill participants (71.9%) in the ACE inhibitor group, 152 of 217 (70.0%) in the ARB group, and 182 of 231 (78.8%) in the control group (posterior probabilities that ACE inhibitor and ARB worsened hospital survival compared with control were 95.3% and 98.1%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this trial, among critically ill adults with COVID-19, initiation of an ACE inhibitor or ARB did not improve, and likely worsened, clinical outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT0273570

Follow-up von Patienten mit Rekonstruktion des palmaren und dorsalen skapho-lunären Bandapparates nach Henry

Chronische Verletzungen des SL-Bands mit resultierender Instabilität des Karpus können zu progredienter Arthrose führen und im karpalen Kollaps münden. Über die Behandlung von akuten Rupturen des SL-Bandkomplexes als auch in Hinblick auf die Behandlung eintretender degenerativer Veränderungen besteht weitgehend Konsens. Für die chronische Verletzung des SL-Bands vor Eintritt degenerativer Veränderungen existiert ein solcher bisher nicht. Ein Nachweis für ein überlegenes Verfahren, das mit hoher Sicherheit die Entwicklung des karpalen Kollaps verhindert, konnte bislang nicht erbracht werden. Die in den vergangenen Jahren gebräuchlichsten Verfahren der Tenodesen modifiziert nach Brunelli (24; 181), insbesondere die 3LT-Modifikation nach Garcia-Elias (61), zeigten keinen anhaltend reproduzierbaren Therapieerfolg und stehen im Fokus der Diskussion. Eine neuere Variante der Tenodese-Bandplastiken stellt unter anderem das 2012 von Henry (77) beschriebene Operationsverfahren dar. Es adressiert neben einer Restauration der Skaphoidachse sowohl den dorsalen, biomechanisch stabileren, als auch, im Gegensatz zu den älteren Verfahren, den palmaren Aspekt des SL-Gelenks. Ziel der vorliegenden Studie ist es, Anwendbarkeit und therapeutischen Nutzen des Verfahrens nach Henry (77) in Form einer Beobachtungsstudie zu untersuchen und in einen Kontext zu vorhandenen Ergebnissen anderer Verfahren zu bringen. Von 40 Patienten, die im Zeitraum von Januar 2017 bis Oktober 2018 im Unfallkrankenhaus Berlin mit dieser Operationstechnik behandelt wurden, konnten 36 Patienten nachuntersucht und 34 in die Auswertung eingebunden werden. Zum Nachuntersuchungszeitpunkt lag die Operation mindestens 1 Jahr zurück. Erfasst und ausgewertet wurden prä- und postoperativ die objektiv ermittelbare Funktionalität des Handgelenks – also Bewegungsumfänge und Kraft –, subjektive Parameter in Form von Fragebögen – Schmerz (VAS), subjektiv empfundene Einschränkungen (DASH/PRWHE) und Lebensqualität (EQ-5D) – und Röntgenbefunde des Verlaufes. Durch die Operation konnte eine signifikante Reduktion der Schmerzen erreicht und eine Verbesserung der Funktion der Hand im Alltag hergestellt werden. Es verbleiben jedoch Einbußen des Bewegungsumfanges und der Griffkraft im Vergleich zur Gegenseite. Die röntgenologischen Ergebnisse zeigen, dass eine intraoperativ erreichte Optimierung der karpalen Winkel mittelfristig nicht erhalten, die skapho-lunäre Distanz jedoch vermindert werden konnten. Die kurz- bis mittelfristigen Ergebnisse der SL-Bandrekonstruktion der Studie sind generell vielversprechend und mit denen anderer Autoren vergleichbar. Bewegungsumfang, Griffkraft, Schmerzlinderung und Funktionsverbesserung rangieren in vergleichbarer Höhe jener anderen Studien und erscheinen sogar tendenziell günstiger. Der langfristige Nutzen der Technik bezüglich einer sich möglicherweise entwickelnden Arthrose erscheint kritisch. Um eine Einschätzung der langfristigen Wirksamkeit abgeben zu können, sind längere Nachbeobachtungszeiträume der Kohorte notwendig. Zur Verminderung statistischer Unsicherheiten sind größere Kohorten möglichst unter prospektivem Ansatz erforderlich

ACTION trial: a prospective study on diagnostic Accuracy of 4D CT for diagnosing Instable ScaphOlunate DissociatioN

Background!#!Early detection of scapholunate ligament (SLL) tears is essential after minor and major trauma to the wrist. The differentiation between stable and instable injuries determines therapeutic measures which aim to prevent osteoarthritis. Arthroscopy has since been the diagnostic gold standard in suspected SLL tears because non-invasive methods have failed to exclude instable injuries reliably. This prospective study aims to determine the diagnostic accuracy of dynamic, 4D computed tomography (CT) of the wrist for diagnosing instable SLL tears.!##!Methods!#!Single center, prospective trial including 40 patients with suspected SLL tears scheduled for arthroscopy. Diagnostic accuracy of 4D CT will be tested against the reference standard arthroscopy. Radiologists will be blinded to the results of arthroscopy and hand surgeons to radiological reports. A historical cohort of 80 patients which was diagnosed using cineradiography before implementation of 4D CT at the study site will serve as a comparative group.!##!Discussion!#!Static imaging lacks the ability to detect instable SLL tears after wrist trauma. Dynamic methods such as cineradiography and dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are complex and require specific technical infrastructure in specialized centers. Modern super-fast dual source CT scanners are gaining popularity and are being installed gradually in hospitals and ambulances. These scanners enable dynamic imaging in a quick and simple manner. Establishment of dynamic 4D CT of the wrist in patients with suspected SLL tears in in- and outpatient settings could improve early detection rates. Reliable identification of instable injuries through 4D CT scans might reduce the number of unnecessary diagnostic arthroscopies in the future.!##!Trial registration!#!This study was registered prospectively at the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS) DRKS00021110 . Universal Trial Number (WHO-UTN): U1111-1249-7884

Vibrotactile Thresholds on the Mastoid and Forehead Position of Deaf Patients Using Radioear B71 and B81

Objectives: The main objective of this study was to measure the vibrotactile thresholds on the mastoid process and forehead positions using patients with bilateral deafness and to compare the results from the two bone conduction vibrators Radioear B71 and B81. Design: There is a possibility that the vibrotactile sensation on the skin makes it difficult to discriminate between sound and vibration. The risk is highest for patients who have bone conduction hearing thresholds in proximity to or worse than their vibrotactile thresholds. All measurements were performed similar to regular bone conduction threshold testing using an audiometer-driven bone conduction vibrator and pulsed warble tones, but the patients were instructed to respond only when feeling vibrations of the bone conduction vibrator instead of when hearing sound. Both the posterior forehead position and the mastoid process position on the temporal bone were tested for comparative reasons. In total, 16 patients participated in the study, 31% females and 69% males of age 29 to 77 years. All subjects were cochlear implant recipients, either uni-or bilaterally implanted. They were selected based on their audiogram data showing unmeasurable unaided hearing. Results: The force level at which the vibrotactile thresholds were reached, increased with frequency from 125 up to 500 Hz, but remained constant for higher frequencies up to 2 kHz. A statistically significant difference was found between the 2 devices at 125 Hz at both the mastoid process and forehead position, where the vibrotactile threshold seem to be more sensitive for B71, possibly due to contribution of distortion components. There was no statistically significant difference in vibrotactile thresholds between the mastoid process and forehead position in absolute values (force level in dB re 1 mu N), but in terms of hearing levels (dB HL) there was an average difference of 10 and 9 dB for B71 and B81, respectively. Conclusions: The results indicate that the vibrotactile thresholds can be confounded with bone conduction hearing thresholds measurements up to 500 Hz when using a standard audiometer and in particular when measuring on the forehead position