Notes

Endoscopic pilonidal sinus treatment method (EPSiT) from the pediatric generation: Short-term final results.
More importantly, we reveal the presence of an ideal window of crystallinity associated with the medium-length hydrocarbon chains such as ethyl and benzyl. Deviation to the shorter methyl group makes the acceptor too crystalline to mix with the polymer donor and form proper domains, whereas longer and branched alkyl chains are too sterically bulky and hinder charge transport due to nonideal packing. Such findings underline the comprehensive nature of thin-film morphology and the subtle end-group effects for the design of non-fullerene acceptors.
Postoperative fluid overload may increase the risk of developing pulmonary complications and other adverse outcomes. We evaluated the impact of excessive fluid administration on postoperative outcomes in critically ill patients.

We reviewed the medical records of 320 patients admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) after emergency abdominal surgery for complicated intra-abdominal infection (cIAI) between January 2013 and December 2018. The fluid balance data of the patients were reviewed for a maximum of 7 days. The patients were grouped based on average daily fluid balance with a cutoff value of 20 ml/kg/day. Propensity score matching was performed to reduce the underlying differences between the groups.

Patients with an average daily fluid balance of ≥20 ml/kg/day were associated with higher rates of 30-day mortality (11.8% vs. 2.4%; P=0.036) than those with lower fluid balance (<20 ml/kg/day). Kaplan-Meier survival curves for 30-day mortality in these groups also showed a better survival rate in the lower fluid balance group with a statistical significance (P=0.020). The percentage of patients who developed pulmonary consolidation during ICU stay (47.1% vs. 24.7%; P=0.004) was higher in the fluid-overloaded group. Percentages of newly developed pleural effusion (61.2% vs. 57.7%; P=0.755), reintubation (18.8% vs. 10.6%; P=0.194), and infectious complications (55.3% vs. 49.4%; P=0.539) showed no significant differences between the two groups.

Postoperative fluid overload in patients who underwent emergency surgery for cIAI was associated with higher 30-day mortality and more frequent occurrence of pulmonary consolidation. Postoperative fluid balance should be adjusted carefully to avoid adverse clinical outcomes.
Postoperative fluid overload in patients who underwent emergency surgery for cIAI was associated with higher 30-day mortality and more frequent occurrence of pulmonary consolidation. Postoperative fluid balance should be adjusted carefully to avoid adverse clinical outcomes.
We evaluated clinical and nutritional outcomes according to multidisciplinary team involvement in nutrition support in a regional trauma intensive care unit (TICU).

We retrospectively compared the outcomes for 339 patients admitted to the TICU for >5 days depending on nutrition support team (NST) involvement (n=176) and non-NST involvement (n=163).

The mean age and injury severity score (ISS) were 57.3±16.7 years and 18.6±9.7, respectively. Fifty-three patients (15.6%) had shock on admission and 182 (53.7%) underwent surgery during TICU admission. Some patients were admitted to neurosurgery (46%), general surgery (35.4%), and other (18.6%) departments. There were significant differences in the ISS, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score, shock on TICU admission, and initial laboratory results. After propensity score matching, the total delivered/required caloric ratio and total delivered/required protein ratio were significantly higher in the NST group than in the non-NST group (calorie 80.4% vs. 66.7%, P=0.007; protein 93.1% vs. 68.3%, P<0.001). The NST group had an adequate protein supply more frequently than the non-NST group (protein 48.0% vs. 25.8%, P=0.002). There was no significant difference in survival, even after adjustment for risk factors using Cox proportional hazard analysis.

The results of our study suggest that multidisciplinary team involvement in nutrition support in TICU patients may improve nutritional, but not clinical, outcomes.
The results of our study suggest that multidisciplinary team involvement in nutrition support in TICU patients may improve nutritional, but not clinical, outcomes.
Ventilator-dependent patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) who are difficult to wean from invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) have been increasing in number. However, data on the clinical outcomes of difficult-to-wean patients are lacking. We aimed to evaluate clinical outcomes in patients discharged from the ICU with tracheostomy and ventilator dependency.

We retrospectively investigated clinical course and survival in patients requiring home mechanical ventilation (HMV) with a tracheostomy and difficulty weaning from IMV during medical ICU admission from September 2013 through August 2016 at Severance Hospital, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea.

Of 84 difficult-to-wean patients who were started on HMV in the medical ICU, 72 survived, were discharged from the ICU, and were included in this analysis. HMV was initiated after a median of 23 days of IMV, and the successful weaning rate was 46% (n=33). In-hospital mortality rate was significantly lower in the successfully weaned group than the unsuccesslow APACHE II score, and absence of neuromuscular disease were factors associated with weaning success.
Delayed diagnosis and treatment of smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) are major concerns for TB control. We evaluated characteristics of patients with smear-negative pulmonary TB who received a delayed diagnosis and identified risk factors that may have contributed to this delay.

We reviewed medical records of patients with smear-negative culture-positive pulmonary TB treated at a tertiary care hospital in South Korea between January 2017 and December 2018. Patients who initiated anti-TB treatment after positive cultures were included in the missed TB group, and those who initiated empirical treatment before positive cultures were included in the control group.

Of 220 patients included, 117 (53.2%) and 103 (46.8%) were in the missed TB and control groups, respectively. Patients in the missed TB group were older (p = 0.001) and had a higher mean body mass index (BMI) (p = 0.019). Comorbidities (66.9% vs. 46.6%, p = 0.003) and immunocompromised patients (33.1% vs. 20.4%, p = 0.035) were more common in the missed TB group than in the control group. Old age (odds ratio [OR], 1.030; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.012 to 1.048; p = 0.001), high BMI (OR, 1.114; 95% CI, 1.004 to 1.237; p = 0.042), and negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) results (OR, 9.551; 95% CI, 4.925 to 18.521; p < 0.001) were associated with delayed diagnosis.

In more than half of patients with smear-negative pulmonary TB, the diagnosis was delayed. Patients with delayed TB diagnosis were older, had higher BMI, and negative PCR results.
In more than half of patients with smear-negative pulmonary TB, the diagnosis was delayed. Patients with delayed TB diagnosis were older, had higher BMI, and negative PCR results.
Understanding leukemic stem cell (LSC) is important for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) treatment. However, association of LSC with patient prognosis and genetic information in AML patients is unclear.

Here we investigated the associations between genetic information and the various LSC phenotypes, namely multipotent progenitor (MPP)-like, lymphoid primed multipotent progenitor (LMPP)-like and granulocyte-macrophage progenitors (GMP)-like LSC in 52 AML patients.

In secondary AML patients, MPP-like LSC was significantly higher than de novo AML (p = 0.0037). The proportion of MPP-like LSC was especially high in post-myeloproliferative neoplasm AML (p = 0.0485). There was no correlation between age and LSC phenotype. Mutations of KRAS and NRAS were observed in MPP-like LSC dominant patients, TP53 and ASXL1 mutations in LMPP-like LSC dominant patients, and CEBPA, DNMT3A and IDH1 mutations in GMP-like LSC dominant patients. Furthermore, KRAS mutation was significantly associated with MPP-like LSC expression (p = 0.0540), and TP53 mutation with LMPP-like LSC expression (p = 0.0276). When the patients were separated according to the combined risk including next generation sequencing data, the poorer the prognosis, the higher the LMPP-like LSC expression (p = 0.0052). This suggests that the dominant phenotype of LSC is one of the important factors in predicting the prognosis and treatment of AML.

LSC phenotype in AML is closely associated with the recurrent mutations which has prognostic implication. Further research to confirm the meaning of LSC phenotype in the context of genetic aberration is warranted.
LSC phenotype in AML is closely associated with the recurrent mutations which has prognostic implication. Further research to confirm the meaning of LSC phenotype in the context of genetic aberration is warranted.
Maintaining a mean arterial pressure (MAP) ≥ 65 mmHg during septic shock should be based on individual circumstances, but specific target is poorly understood. find more We investigated associations between time-weighted average (TWA) hemodynamic parameters during the initial resuscitative period and 28-day mortality.

Prospectively collected data were obtained from a septic shock patient registry, according to the Sepsis-3 definition, between 2016 and 2018. The TWA systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, MAP, shock index, and pulse pressure (PP) during the first 6 hours after shock recognition were compared. Multivariable regression analysis was performed to assess associations between these parameters and 28-day mortality.

Of 340 patients with septic shock, 92 died. Only the median TWA PP differed between the survivors and non-survivors (39.2 mmHg vs. 43.0 mmHg, p = 0.020), whereas the other indexes did not. When PP was divided into quartiles (< 34, 34 to 40, 40 to 48, and > 48 mmHg), the mortality rate was higher in the highest quartile (41.2%). Multivariable logistic analysis revealed that PP (odds ratio [OR], 1.28; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.012 to 1.622; p = 0.039) and PP of > 48 mmHg (OR, 2.25; 95% CI, 1.272 to 3.981; p = 0.005) were independently associated with 28-day mortality.

PP was significantly associated with 28-day mortality in patients with septic shock and MAP maintained at > 65 mmHg during the first 6 hours. Further studies are warranted to optimize strategies for maintaining PP and MAP at > 65 mmHg during the early resuscitative period.
65 mmHg during the early resuscitative period.
We compared the clinical and laboratory data between elderly and non-elderly patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) at diagnosis; further, we investigated the predictors at diagnosis for all-cause mortality and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) occurrence during follow-up in Korean elderly patients with AAV.

We reviewed the medical records of 191 AAV patients regarding clinical manifestations and laboratory results at diagnosis and during follow-up. The follow-up duration was defined as the period from diagnosis to death for deceased patients or to the time of dialysis for ESRD patients, or to the last visit. Elderly (n = 67) and non-elderly (n = 124) patients were grouped based on an age threshold of 65 years.

At diagnosis, elderly patients exhibited higher median Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score (BVAS) and higher frequencies of ANCA positivity and pulmonary manifestations than non-elderly patients. Furthermore, elderly patients exhibited increased median white blood cell count, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), alkaline phosphatase, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and C-reactive protein and decreased median hemoglobin.
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