Clinical Practice Guideline of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

There is no well-stated practical guideline for mechanically ventilated patients with or without acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). We generate strong (1) and weak (2) grade of recommendations based on high (A), moderate (B) and low (C) grade in the quality of evidence. In patients with ARDS, we recommend low tidal volume ventilation (1A) and prone position if it is not contraindicated (1B) to reduce their mortality. However, we did not support high-frequency oscillatory ventilation (1B) and inhaled nitric oxide (1A) as a standard treatment. We also suggest high positive end-expiratory pressure (2B), extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as a rescue therapy (2C), and neuromuscular blockage for 48 hours after starting mechanical ventilation (2B). The application of recruitment maneuver may reduce mortality (2B), however, the use of systemic steroids cannot reduce mortality (2B). In mechanically ventilated patients, we recommend light sedation (1B) and low tidal volume even without ARDS (1B) and suggest lung protective ventilation strategy during the operation to lower the incidence of lung complications including ARDS (2B). Early tracheostomy in mechanically ventilated patients can be performed only in limited patients (2A). In conclusion, of 12 recommendations, nine were in the management of ARDS, and three for mechanically ventilated patients

SIRveNIB: Selective Internal Radiation Therapy Versus Sorafenib in Asia-Pacific Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Purpose Selective internal radiation therapy or radioembolization (RE) shows efficacy in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) limited to the liver. This study compared the safety and efficacy of RE and sorafenib in patients with locally advanced HCC. Patients and Methods SIRveNIB (selective internal radiation therapy v sorafenib), an open-label, investigator-initiated, phase III trial, compared yttrium-90 (90Y) resin microspheres RE with sorafenib 800 mg/d in patients with locally advanced HCC in a two-tailed study designed for superiority/detriment. Patients were randomly assigned 1:1 and stratified by center and presence of portal vein thrombosis. Primary end point was overall survival (OS). Efficacy analyses were performed in the intention-to-treat population and safety analyses in the treated population. Results A total of 360 patients were randomly assigned (RE, 182; sorafenib, 178) from 11 countries in the Asia-Pacific region. In the RE and sorafenib groups, 28.6% and 9.0%, respectively, failed to receive assigned therapy without significant cross-over to either group. Median OS was 8.8 and 10.0 months with RE and sorafenib, respectively (hazard ratio, 1.1; 95% CI, 0.9 to 1.4; P = .36). A total of 1,468 treatment-emergent adverse events (AEs) were reported (RE, 437; sorafenib, 1,031). Significantly fewer patients in the RE than sorafenib group had grade ≥ 3 AEs (36 of 130 [27.7%]) v 82 of 162 [50.6%]; P &lt; .001). The most common grade ≥ 3 AEs were ascites (five of 130 [3.8%] v four of 162 [2.5%] patients), abdominal pain (three [2.3%] v two [1.2%] patients), anemia (zero v four [2.5%] patients), and radiation hepatitis (two [1.5%] v zero [0%] patients). Fewer patients in the RE group (27 of 130 [20.8%]) than in the sorafenib group (57 of 162 [35.2%]) had serious AEs. Conclusion In patients with locally advanced HCC, OS did not differ significantly between RE and sorafenib. The improved toxicity profile of RE may inform treatment choice in selected patients. </jats:sec

An Outbreak of Fungal Endophthalmitis After Cataract Surgery in South Korea

ImportanceFungal endophthalmitis caused by contaminated medical products is extremely rare; it follows an intractable clinical course with a poor visual prognosis.ObjectiveTo report the epidemiologic and clinical features and treatment outcomes of a nationwide fungal endophthalmitis outbreak after cataract surgery as a result of contaminated viscoelastic agents in South Korea.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis was a retrospective case series analysis of clinical data from multiple institutions in South Korea conducted from September 1, 2020, to October 31, 2021. Data were collected through nationwide surveys in May and October 2021 from the 100 members of the Korean Retinal Society. Patients were diagnosed with fungal endophthalmitis resulting from the use of the viscoelastic material sodium hyaluronate (Unial [Unimed Pharmaceutical Inc]). Data were analyzed from November 1, 2021, to May 30, 2022.Main Outcomes and MeasuresThe clinical features and causative species were identified, and treatment outcomes were analyzed for patients who underwent 6 months of follow-up.ResultsThe fungal endophthalmitis outbreak developed between September 1, 2020, and June 30, 2021, and peaked in November 2020. An official investigation by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency confirmed contamination of viscoelastic material. All 281 eyes of 265 patients (mean [SD] age, 65.4 [10.8] years; 153 female individuals [57.7%]) were diagnosed with fungal endophthalmitis, based on clinical examinations and supportive culture results. The mean (SD) time period between cataract surgery and diagnosis was 24.7 (17.3) days. Patients exhibited characteristic clinical features of fungal endophthalmitis, including vitreous opacity (212 of 281 [75.4%]), infiltration into the intraocular lens (143 of 281 [50.9%]), and ciliary infiltration (55 of 281 [19.6%]). Cultures were performed in 260 eyes, and fungal presence was confirmed in 103 eyes (39.6%). Among them, Fusarium species were identified in 89 eyes (86.4%). Among the 228 eyes included in the treatment outcome analysis, the mean (SD) best-corrected visual acuity improved from 0.78 (0.74) logMAR (Snellen equivalent, 20/120 [7.3 lines]) to 0.36 (0.49) logMAR (Snellen equivalent, 20/45 [4.9 lines]) at 6 months. Furthermore, disease remission with no signs of fungal endophthalmitis (or cells in the anterior chamber milder than grade 1) was noted in 214 eyes (93.9%).Conclusions and RelevanceThis was a retrospectively reviewed case series of a fungal endophthalmitis outbreak resulting from contaminated viscoelastic material. Findings of this case series study support the potential benefit of prompt, aggressive surgical intervention that may reduce treatment burden and improve prognosis of fungal endophthalmitis caused by contaminated medical products.</jats:sec