Donor conversion rates depend on the assessment tools used in the evaluation of potential organ donors

Purpose: It is desirable to identify a potential organ donor (POD) as early as possible to achieve a donor conversion rate (DCR) as high as possible which is defined as the actual number of organ donors divided by the number of patients who are regarded as a potential organ donor. The DCR is calculated with different assessment tools to identify a POD. Obviously, with different assessment tools, one may calculate different DCRs, which make comparison difficult. Our aim was to determine which assessment tool can be used for a realistic estimation of a POD pool and how they compare to each other with regard to DCR. Methods: Retrospective chart review of patients diagnosed with a subarachnoid haemorrhage, traumatic brain injury or intracerebral haemorrhage. We applied three different assessment tools on this cohort of patients. Results: We identified a cohort of 564 patients diagnosed with a subarachnoid haemorrhage, traumatic brain injury or intracerebral haemorrhage of whom 179/564 (31.7%) died. After applying the three different assessment tools the number of patients, before exclusion of medical reasons or age, was 76 for the IBD-FOUR definition, 104 patients for the IBD-GCS definition and 107 patients based on the OPTN definition of imminent neurological death. We noted the highest DCR (36.5%) in the IBD-FOUR definition. Conclusion: The definition of imminent brain death based on the FOUR-score is the most practical tool to identify patients with a realistic chance to become brain dead and therefore to identify the patients most likely to become POD

Lack of Anatomical Concordance between Preablation and Postablation CT Images:A Risk Factor Related to Ablation Site Recurrence

Objective. Variation in the position of the liver between preablation and postablation CT images hampers assessment of treatment of colorectal liver metastasis (CRLM). The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that discordant preablation and postablation imaging is associated with more ablation site recurrences (ASRs). Methods. Patients with CRLM were included. Index-tumor size, location, number, RFA approachs and ablative margins were obtained on CT scans. Preablation and postablation CT images were assigned a “Similarity of Positioning Score” (SiPS). A suitable cutoff was determined. Images were classified as identical (SiPS-id) or nonidentical (SiPS-diff). ASR was identified prospectively on follow-up imaging. Results. Forty-seven patients with 97 tumors underwent 64 RFA procedures (39 patients/63 tumors open RFA, 25 patients/34 tumours CT-targeted RFA, 12 patients underwent >1 RFA). Images of 52 (54%) ablation sites were classified as SiPS-id, 45 (46%) as SiPS-diff. Index-tumor size, tumor location and number, concomitant partial hepatectomy, and RFA approach did not influence the SiPS. ASR developed in 11/47 (23%) patients and 20/97 (21%) tumours. ASR occurred less frequently after open RFA than after CT targeted RFA (P20 mm and CT-targeted RFA as independent risk factors for ASR. Conclusion. Variation in anatomical concordance between preablation and postablation images, index-tumor size, and a CT-targeted approach are risk factors for ASR in CRLM

Whole Body CT Imaging in Deceased Donor Screening for Malignancies

Background. In most western countries, the median donor age is increasing. The incidence of malignancies in older populations is increasing as well. To prevent donor-derived malignancies we evaluated radiologic donor screening in a retrospective donor cohort. Methods. This study analyzes the efficacy of a preoperative computed tomography (CT) scan on detecting malignancies. All deceased organ donors in the Netherlands between January 2013 and December 2017 were included. Donor reports were analyzed to identify malignancies detected before or during organ procurement. Findings between donor screening with or without CT-scan were compared. Results. Chest or abdominal CT-scans were performed in 17% and 18% of the 1644 reported donors respectively. Screening by chest CT-scan versus radiograph resulted in 1.5% and 0.0% detected thoracic malignancies respectively. During procurement no thoracic malignancies were found in patients screened by chest CT compared with 0.2% malignancies in the radiograph group. Screening by abdominal CT-scan resulted in 0.0% malignancies, compared with 0.2% in the abdominal ultrasound group. During procurement 1.0% and 1.3% malignancies were found in the abdominal CT-scan and ultrasound groups, respectively. Conclusions. Screening by CT-scan decreased the perioperative detection of tumors by 30%. A preoperative CT-scan may be helpful by providing additional information on (aberrant) anatomy to the procuring or transplanting surgeon. In conclusion, donor screening by CT-scan could decrease the risk of donor-derived malignancies and prevents unnecessary procurements per year in the Netherlands

Associations between vertebral fractures, increased thoracic kyphosis, a flexed posture and falls in older adults:a prospective cohort study

Background: Vertebral fractures, an increased thoracic kyphosis and a flexed posture are associated with falls. However, this was not confirmed in prospective studies. We performed a prospective cohort study to investigate the association between vertebral fractures, increased thoracic kyphosis and/or flexed posture with future fall incidents in older adults within the next year. Methods: Patients were recruited at a geriatric outpatient clinic. Vertebral fractures were evaluated on lateral radiographs of the spine with the semi-quantitative method of Genant; the degree of thoracic kyphosis was assessed with the Cobb angle. The occiput-to-wall distance was used to determine a flexed posture. Self-reported falls were prospectively registered by monthly phone contact for the duration of 12 months. Results: Fifty-one older adults were included; mean age was 79 years (SD = 4.8). An increased thoracic kyphosis was independently associated with future falls (OR 2.13; 95% CI 1.10-4.51). Prevalent vertebral fractures had a trend towards significancy (OR 3.67; 95% CI 0.85-15.9). A flexed posture was not significantly associated with future falls. Conclusion: Older adults with an increased thoracic kyphosis are more likely to fall within the next year. We suggest clinical attention for underlying causes. Because patients with increased thoracic curvature of the spine might have underlying osteoporotic vertebral fractures, clinicians should be aware of the risk of a new fracture

Safety and efficacy of C1-inhibitor in traumatic brain injury (CIAO@TBI): study protocol for a randomized, placebo-controlled, multi-center trial

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of death and disability across all ages. After the primary impact, the pathophysiologic process of secondary brain injury consists of a neuroinflammation response that critically leads to irreversible brain damage in the first days after the trauma. A key catalyst in this inflammatory process is the complement system. Inhibiting the complement system could therefore be a therapeutic target in TBI.Objective: To study the safety and efficacy of C1-inhibitor (C1-INH) compared to placebo in patients with TBI. By temporarily blocking the complement system, we hypothesize a decrease in the posttraumatic neuroinflammatory response resulting in a less unfavorable clinical outcome for TBI patients.Methods: CIAO@TBI is a multicenter, randomized, blinded, phase II placebo-controlled trial. Adult TBI patients with GCS < 13 requiring intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring will be randomized, using block randomization, within 12 h after trauma to one dose 6000 IU C1-INH or placebo. A total of 106 patients will be included, and follow-up will occur up to 12 months. The primary endpoints are (1) Therapy Intensity Level (TIL) Scale, (2) Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended (GOSE) at 6 months, and (3) complication rate during hospitalization. Outcomes will be determined by a trial nurse blinded for the treatment allocation. Analyses will be conducted in an intention-to-treat analysis.Discussion: We expect that C1-INH administration will be safe and potentially effective to improve clinical outcomes by reducing neuroinflammation in TBI patients.Development and application of statistical models for medical scientific researc

Prospective multicentre multifaceted before-after implementation study of ICU delirium guidelines: a process evaluation

Objective We aimed to explore: the exposure of healthcare workers to a delirium guidelines implementation programme; effects on guideline adherence at intensive care unit (ICU) level; impact on knowledge and barriers, and experiences with the implementation. Design A mixed-methods process evaluation of a prospective multicentre implementation study. Setting Six ICUs. Participants 4449 adult ICU patients and 500 ICU professionals approximately. Intervention A tailored implementation programme. Main outcome measure Adherence to delirium guidelines recommendations at ICU level before, during and after implementation; knowledge and perceived barriers; and experiences with the implementation. Results Five of six ICUs were exposed to all implementation strategies as planned. More than 85% followed the required e-learnings; 92% of the nurses attended the clinical classroom lessons; five ICUs used all available implementation strategies and perceived to have implemented all guideline recommendations (>90%). Adherence to predefined performance indicators (PIs) at ICU level was only above the preset target (>85%) for delirium screening. For all other PIs, the inter-ICU variability was between 34% and 72%. The implementation of delirium guidelines was feasible and successful in resolving the majority of barriers found before the implementation. The improvement was well sustained 6months after full guideline implementation. Knowledge about delirium was improved (from 61% to 65%). The implementation programme was experienced as very successful. Conclusions Multifaceted implementation can improve and sustain adherence to delirium guidelines, is feasible and can largely be performed as planned. However, variability in delirium guideline adherence at individual ICUs remains a challenge, indicating the need for more tailoring at centre level

Interprofessional Consensus Regarding Design Requirements for Liquid-Based Perinatal Life Support (PLS) Technology

Liquid-based perinatal life support (PLS) technology will probably be applied in a first-in-human study within the next decade. Research and development of PLS technology should not only address technical issues, but also consider socio-ethical and legal aspects, its application area, and the corresponding design implications. This paper represents the consensus opinion of a group of healthcare professionals, designers, ethicists, researchers and patient representatives, who have expertise in tertiary obstetric and neonatal care, bio-ethics, experimental perinatal animal models for physiologic research, biomedical modeling, monitoring, and design. The aim of this paper is to provide a framework for research and development of PLS technology. These requirements are considering the possible respective user perspectives, with the aim to co-create a PLS system that facilitates physiological growth and development for extremely preterm born infants

Recommendations for the diagnosis and management of vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia

There have recently been safety concerns regarding an increased risk of vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT) following administration of SARS-CoV-2 adenoviral vector vaccines. The Southern African Society of Thrombosis and Haemostasis reviewed the emerging literature on this idiosyncratic complication. A draft document was produced and revised by consensus agreement by a panel of professionals from various specialties. The recommendations were adjudicated by independent international experts to avoid local bias. We present concise, practical guidelines for the clinical management of VITT