Effect of haemolysis on an enzymatic measurement of ethanol

Introduction: We investigated the interference of haemolysis on ethanol testing carried out with the Synchron assay kit using an AU680 autoanalyser (Beckman Coulter, Brea, USA). Materials and methods: Two tubes of plasma samples were collected from 20 volunteers. Mechanical haemolysis was performed in one tube, and no other intervention was performed in the other tube. After centrifugation, haemolysed and non-haemolysed samples were diluted to obtain samples with the desired free haemoglobin (Hb) values (0, 1, 2, 5, 10 g/L). A portion of these samples was then separated, and ethanol was added to the separated sample to obtain a concentration of 86.8 mmol/L ethanol. After that, these samples were diluted with ethanol-free samples with the same Hb concentration to obtain samples containing 43.4, 21.7, and 10.9 mmol/L. Each group was divided into 20 equal parts, and an ethanol test was carried out. The coefficient of variation (CV), bias, and total error (TE) values were calculated. Results: The TE values of haemolysis-free samples were approximately 2-5%, and the TE values of haemolysed samples were approximately 10- 18%. The bias values of haemolysed samples ranged from nearly - 6.2 to - 15.7%. Conclusions: Haemolysis led to negative interference in all samples. However, based on the 25% allowable total error value specified for ethanol in the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA 88) criteria, the TE values did not exceed 25%. Consequently, ethanol concentration can be measured in samples containing free Hb up to 10 g/L

Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome and Rheumatic Mitral Stenosis: an Uncommon Coincidence that can Cause Severe Hemodynamic Disturbance

The combination of rheumatic mitral stenosis and Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome is a rare situation. In this case, we are reporting an 72-year-old man presenting with multi-organ failure due to the this combination and successfully treated with radiofrequency ablation during preexcitated atrial fibrillation

Exercise-Induced Right Ventricular Outflow Tract Tachycardia in a Patient with Isolated Left Ventricular Noncompaction

Isolated left ventricular noncompaction is a hereditary cardiomyopathy in which a variety of supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias could be observed. We report a patient with exercise-induced ventricular tachycardia with left bundle branch block morphology that had characteristics of an idiopathic ventricular tachycardia who was subsequently diagnosed as left ventricular noncompaction. Successful remission of arrhythmia was ensured after the introduction of oral beta-blocker therapy

Recurrence rate of odontogenic keratocyst treated by enucleation and peripheral ostectomy : retrospective case series with up to 12 years of follow-up

Odontogenic keratocysts have been reported with high recurrence rates in the literature so various treatment modalities from simple enucleation to resection have been performed to achieve the cure. The purpose of this retrospective study was to investigate the recurrence rate of odontogenic keratocysts (OKCs) treated by enucleation and peripheral ostectomy. An electronic search of the database of the Hacettepe University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pathology, was undertaken to identify patients histologically diagnosed with OKCs treated at Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery between 2001 and 2015. In total, 81 patients were studied. The mean age at the time of diagnosis was 42 years, and the male:female ratio was 1:0.7. OKCs were located primarily in the posterior mandibular region (41%). Twenty-seven patients were re-examined to determine the recurrence rate. The mean follow-up period was 5 years (range, 1?12 years). The recurrence rate was 14.8%. The relationship between location of the lesion and recurrence was not statistically significant (p = 0.559). There was also no statistically significant relation between the recurrence rate and treatment option of teeth involved in the lesion (p = 0.579). The authors conclude that treatment of OKCs by enucleation with peripheral ostectomy is associated with minimal morbidity and is preferred over other aggressive treatment modalities. Meticulous radiographic examination and careful surgical resection may decrease the recurrence rate of OKCs

Acute effects of cardiac resynchronization therapy on arterial distensibility and serum norepinephrine levels in advanced heart failure

Background: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) has become an accepted method fortreating refractory heart failure (HF). Arterial distensibility is an index of arterial stiffnessand a surrogate marker for atherosclerosis. The present study aims to assess the acute effects of ventricular resynchronization therapy with biventricular stimulation on arterial distensibility, echocardiographic parameters and serum norepinephrine levels in patients with drugrefractory HF.Methods: Fourteen cardiac HF patients (53.6 ± 9.1; 39–67 years, 7 woman) were enrolled for CRT. Patients had an advanced cardiac HF (NYHA III–IV functional class) due to non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy, with a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) < 35% and QRS duration ≥ 120 ms. Blood samples for norepinephrine and B-type natriuretic peptidewere collected before 24 h biventricular implantation and after 48 h of CRT. Transthoracic echocardiography was used to evaluate arterial distensibility and cardiovascular condition.Results: Although systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, LV end-diastolic diameter, LV end-systolic diameter, serum B-type natriuretic peptide, and serum norepinephrine levels significantly decreased after CRT implantation; EF and aortic distensibility significantly increased (p < 0.05). There was no significance in the hemodynamic and echocardiographic values, norepinephrine and B-type natriuretic peptide levels in pre- and post-CRT between man and woman.Conclusions: The major findings of this study are that in patients with cardiac HF in acute period, after implantation of CRT serum norepinephrine levels decrease and the arterial distensibility improves

Antimicrobial resistance among migrants in Europe: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are rising globally and there is concern that increased migration is contributing to the burden of antibiotic resistance in Europe. However, the effect of migration on the burden of AMR in Europe has not yet been comprehensively examined. Therefore, we did a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify and synthesise data for AMR carriage or infection in migrants to Europe to examine differences in patterns of AMR across migrant groups and in different settings. METHODS: For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus with no language restrictions from Jan 1, 2000, to Jan 18, 2017, for primary data from observational studies reporting antibacterial resistance in common bacterial pathogens among migrants to 21 European Union-15 and European Economic Area countries. To be eligible for inclusion, studies had to report data on carriage or infection with laboratory-confirmed antibiotic-resistant organisms in migrant populations. We extracted data from eligible studies and assessed quality using piloted, standardised forms. We did not examine drug resistance in tuberculosis and excluded articles solely reporting on this parameter. We also excluded articles in which migrant status was determined by ethnicity, country of birth of participants' parents, or was not defined, and articles in which data were not disaggregated by migrant status. Outcomes were carriage of or infection with antibiotic-resistant organisms. We used random-effects models to calculate the pooled prevalence of each outcome. The study protocol is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42016043681. FINDINGS: We identified 2274 articles, of which 23 observational studies reporting on antibiotic resistance in 2319 migrants were included. The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or AMR infection in migrants was 25·4% (95% CI 19·1-31·8; I2 =98%), including meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (7·8%, 4·8-10·7; I2 =92%) and antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (27·2%, 17·6-36·8; I2 =94%). The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or infection was higher in refugees and asylum seekers (33·0%, 18·3-47·6; I2 =98%) than in other migrant groups (6·6%, 1·8-11·3; I2 =92%). The pooled prevalence of antibiotic-resistant organisms was slightly higher in high-migrant community settings (33·1%, 11·1-55·1; I2 =96%) than in migrants in hospitals (24·3%, 16·1-32·6; I2 =98%). We did not find evidence of high rates of transmission of AMR from migrant to host populations. INTERPRETATION: Migrants are exposed to conditions favouring the emergence of drug resistance during transit and in host countries in Europe. Increased antibiotic resistance among refugees and asylum seekers and in high-migrant community settings (such as refugee camps and detention facilities) highlights the need for improved living conditions, access to health care, and initiatives to facilitate detection of and appropriate high-quality treatment for antibiotic-resistant infections during transit and in host countries. Protocols for the prevention and control of infection and for antibiotic surveillance need to be integrated in all aspects of health care, which should be accessible for all migrant groups, and should target determinants of AMR before, during, and after migration. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, Imperial College Healthcare Charity, the Wellcome Trust, and UK National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare-associated Infections and Antimictobial Resistance at Imperial College London

Surgical site infection after gastrointestinal surgery in high-income, middle-income, and low-income countries: a prospective, international, multicentre cohort study

Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) is one of the most common infections associated with health care, but its importance as a global health priority is not fully understood. We quantified the burden of SSI after gastrointestinal surgery in countries in all parts of the world. Methods: This international, prospective, multicentre cohort study included consecutive patients undergoing elective or emergency gastrointestinal resection within 2-week time periods at any health-care facility in any country. Countries with participating centres were stratified into high-income, middle-income, and low-income groups according to the UN's Human Development Index (HDI). Data variables from the GlobalSurg 1 study and other studies that have been found to affect the likelihood of SSI were entered into risk adjustment models. The primary outcome measure was the 30-day SSI incidence (defined by US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria for superficial and deep incisional SSI). Relationships with explanatory variables were examined using Bayesian multilevel logistic regression models. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02662231. Findings: Between Jan 4, 2016, and July 31, 2016, 13 265 records were submitted for analysis. 12 539 patients from 343 hospitals in 66 countries were included. 7339 (58·5%) patient were from high-HDI countries (193 hospitals in 30 countries), 3918 (31·2%) patients were from middle-HDI countries (82 hospitals in 18 countries), and 1282 (10·2%) patients were from low-HDI countries (68 hospitals in 18 countries). In total, 1538 (12·3%) patients had SSI within 30 days of surgery. The incidence of SSI varied between countries with high (691 [9·4%] of 7339 patients), middle (549 [14·0%] of 3918 patients), and low (298 [23·2%] of 1282) HDI (p < 0·001). The highest SSI incidence in each HDI group was after dirty surgery (102 [17·8%] of 574 patients in high-HDI countries; 74 [31·4%] of 236 patients in middle-HDI countries; 72 [39·8%] of 181 patients in low-HDI countries). Following risk factor adjustment, patients in low-HDI countries were at greatest risk of SSI (adjusted odds ratio 1·60, 95% credible interval 1·05–2·37; p=0·030). 132 (21·6%) of 610 patients with an SSI and a microbiology culture result had an infection that was resistant to the prophylactic antibiotic used. Resistant infections were detected in 49 (16·6%) of 295 patients in high-HDI countries, in 37 (19·8%) of 187 patients in middle-HDI countries, and in 46 (35·9%) of 128 patients in low-HDI countries (p < 0·001). Interpretation: Countries with a low HDI carry a disproportionately greater burden of SSI than countries with a middle or high HDI and might have higher rates of antibiotic resistance. In view of WHO recommendations on SSI prevention that highlight the absence of high-quality interventional research, urgent, pragmatic, randomised trials based in LMICs are needed to assess measures aiming to reduce this preventable complication

Impact of clinical phenotypes on management and outcomes in European atrial fibrillation patients: a report from the ESC-EHRA EURObservational Research Programme in AF (EORP-AF) General Long-Term Registry

Background: Epidemiological studies in atrial fibrillation (AF) illustrate that clinical complexity increase the risk of major adverse outcomes. We aimed to describe European AF patients\u2019 clinical phenotypes and analyse the differential clinical course. Methods: We performed a hierarchical cluster analysis based on Ward\u2019s Method and Squared Euclidean Distance using 22 clinical binary variables, identifying the optimal number of clusters. We investigated differences in clinical management, use of healthcare resources and outcomes in a cohort of European AF patients from a Europe-wide observational registry. Results: A total of 9363 were available for this analysis. We identified three clusters: Cluster 1 (n = 3634; 38.8%) characterized by older patients and prevalent non-cardiac comorbidities; Cluster 2 (n = 2774; 29.6%) characterized by younger patients with low prevalence of comorbidities; Cluster 3 (n = 2955;31.6%) characterized by patients\u2019 prevalent cardiovascular risk factors/comorbidities. Over a mean follow-up of 22.5 months, Cluster 3 had the highest rate of cardiovascular events, all-cause death, and the composite outcome (combining the previous two) compared to Cluster 1 and Cluster 2 (all P &lt;.001). An adjusted Cox regression showed that compared to Cluster 2, Cluster 3 (hazard ratio (HR) 2.87, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.27\u20133.62; HR 3.42, 95%CI 2.72\u20134.31; HR 2.79, 95%CI 2.32\u20133.35), and Cluster 1 (HR 1.88, 95%CI 1.48\u20132.38; HR 2.50, 95%CI 1.98\u20133.15; HR 2.09, 95%CI 1.74\u20132.51) reported a higher risk for the three outcomes respectively. Conclusions: In European AF patients, three main clusters were identified, differentiated by differential presence of comorbidities. Both non-cardiac and cardiac comorbidities clusters were found to be associated with an increased risk of major adverse outcomes