Mengyang Sun

Background: Patients with sepsis are at risk for developing sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy (SIC). Previous studies offer inconsistent results regarding the association of SIC and mortality. This study sought to assess whether SIC is linked to mortality in patients with sepsis and to evaluate predictors of the development of SIC.Methods: In this retrospective study, patients admitted to the medical intensive care unit with a diagnosis of sepsis in the absence of acute coronary syndrome were included. SIC was identified using transthoracic echo and was defined by a new onset decline in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤50%, or ≥10% decline in LVEF compared to baseline in patients with a history of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed using the R software program.Results: Of the 359 patients in the final analysis, 19 (5.3%) had SIC. Eight (42.1%) of the 19 patients in the SIC group and 60 (17.6%) of the 340 patients in the non-SIC group died during hospitalization. SIC was associated with an increased risk for all-cause in-hospital mortality (odds ratio [OR], 4.46; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.15–18.69; P=0.03). Independent predictors for the development of SIC were albumin level (OR, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.23–0.93; P=0.03) and culture positivity (OR, 8.47; 95% CI, 2.24–55.61; P=0.006). Concomitant right ventricular hypokinesis was noted in 13 (68.4%) of the 19 SIC patients.Conclusions: SIC was associated with an increased risk for all-cause in-hospital mortality. Low albumin level and culture positivity were independent predictors of SIC.

Introduction The impact of whiteboard use in labor rooms has not previously been studied. This quality improvement study aimed to evaluate patient knowledge of their delivering physician’s name and the change in patient satisfaction after the implementation of a whiteboard in labor rooms. Methods A multidisciplinary team designed a dry-erase whiteboard prompting care providers to record their names, roles and patient care information. A questionnaire was administered to patients before and after the whiteboard implementation. Patients who had a planned cesarean or vaginal birth within 1 h of admission were excluded. Categorical variables were compared using Chi square and Fisher’s exact tests. A multivariable logistic regression was performed to control for confounders. Results 191 patients completed the questionnaires. Although patients were not randomized, the pre-and post-intervention groups were similar. Post-intervention, we found a significant increase in recalling the delivery resident’s name [21/101 (20.8%) vs. 33/90 (36.7%), p = 0.016] and a non-significant increase in recalling the name of the attending and nurse [19/101 (18.8%) vs. 23/90 (25.6%), p = 0.296; 46/101 (45.5%) vs. 53/90 (58.9%), p = 0.082]. Post-intervention, patient satisfaction with care was significantly higher [83/101 (82.2%) vs. 83/89 (93.3%), p = 0.028]. Knowledge of the delivery resident’s name was associated with higher patient satisfaction [115/137 (84%) vs. 51/53 (96%), p = 0.03] and attendance of the postpartum care visit [50.4% (69/137) vs. 64.8% (35/54), p = 0.049]. Discussion The use of a well-designed whiteboard increases laboring patients’ knowledge of their delivery physician’s name and may improve patient satisfaction with care on Labor and Delivery.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the rate of wound complications among women who underwent cesarean delivery through a Pfannenstiel skin incision followed by subcuticular closure with either poliglecaprone 25 suture or polyglactin 910 suture. METHODS: Patients undergoing nonemergent cesarean delivery at or beyond 37 weeks of gestation were randomized to undergo subcuticular skin closure with either poliglecaprone 25 or polyglactin 910. The primary outcome was a wound composite outcome of one or more of the following: surgical site infection, wound separation, hematoma, or seroma within the first 30 days postpartum. To detect a reduction in the primary outcome rate from 12% to 4%, with a power of 0.90 and a two-tailed α of 0.05, 237 women per study group were required. Analysis was performed according to the intent-to-treat principle. RESULTS: From May 28, 2015, to August 5, 2016, 275 women were randomized to poliglecaprone 25 and 275 to polyglactin 910, of whom 520 (95%) were included in the final analysis: 263 in the poliglecaprone 25 group [of whom 231 (88%) actually underwent poliglecaprone 25 closure) and 257 in the polyglactin 910 group [of whom 209 (81%) actually underwent polyglactin 910 closure]. The groups were similar in demographic characteristics, medical comorbidities, and perioperative characteristics. Poliglecaprone 25 was associated with a significantly decreased rate of overall wound complications when compared with polyglactin 910, 8.8% compared with 14.4% (relative risk 0.61, 95% CI 0.37–0.99; P =.04). CONCLUSION: Closure of the skin after cesarean delivery with poliglecaprone 25 suture decreases the rate of wound complications compared with polyglactin 910 suture. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02459093.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate trends in contraceptive use, especially long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) and condoms, among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-seropositive and HIV-seronegative women. METHODS: Human immunodeficiency virus–seropositive and HIV-seronegative women in a multicenter longitudinal cohort were interviewed semiannually between 1998 and 2010 about sexual behaviors and contraceptive use. Trends in contraceptive use by women aged 18–45 years who were at risk for unintended pregnancy but not trying to conceive were analyzed using generalized estimating equations. RESULTS: Condoms were the dominant form of contraception for HIV-seropositive women and showed little change across time. Less than 15% of these women used no contraception. Between 1998 and 2010, LARC use increased among HIV-seronegative women from 4.8% (6 of 126) to 13.5% (19 of 141, P=.02), but not significantly among seropositive women (0.9% [4 of 438] to 2.8% [6 of 213], P=.09). Use of highly effective contraceptives, including pills, patches, rings, injectable progestin, implants, and intrauterine devices, ranged from 15.2% (53 of 348) in 1998 to 17.4% (37 of 213) in 2010 (P=.55). Human immunodeficiency virus–seronegative but not HIV-seropositive LARC users were less likely than nonusers to use condoms consistently (hazard ratio 0.51, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.32–0.81, P=.004 for seronegative women; hazard ratio 1.09, 95% CI 0.96–1.23 for seropositive women). CONCLUSION: Although most HIV-seropositive women use contraception, they rely primarily on condoms and have not experienced the increase in LARC use seen among seronegative women. Strategies to improve simultaneous use of condoms and LARC are needed to minimize risk of unintended pregnancy as well as HIV transmission and acquisition of sexually transmitted infections. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II

Mutations in the PLA2G6 gene have been identified in autosomal recessive neurodegenerative diseases classified as infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy (INAD), neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation (NBIA), and dystonia-parkinsonism. These clinical syndromes display two significantly different disease phenotypes. NBIA and INAD are very similar, involving widespread neurodegeneration that begins within the first 1–2 years of life. In contrast, patients with dystonia-parkinsonism present with a parkinsonian movement disorder beginning at 15 to 30 years of age. The PLA2G6 gene encodes the PLA2G6 enzyme, also known as group VIA calcium-independent phospholipase A₂, which has previously been shown to hydrolyze the sn-2 acyl chain of phospholipids, generating free fatty acids and lysophospholipids. We produced purified recombinant wildtype (WT) and mutant human PLA2G6 proteins and examined their catalytic function using in vitro assays with radiolabeled lipid substrates. We find that human PLA2G6 enzyme hydrolyzes both phospholipids and lysophospholipids, releasing free fatty acids. Mutations associated with different disease phenotypes have different effects on catalytic activity. Mutations associated with INAD/NBIA cause loss of enzyme activity, with mutant proteins exhibiting less than 20% of the specific activity of WT protein in both lysophospholipase and phospholipase assays. In contrast, mutations associated with dystonia-parkinsonism do not impair catalytic activity, and two mutations produce a significant increase in specific activity for phospholipid but not lysophospholipid substrates. These results indicate that different alterations in PLA2G6 function produce the different disease phenotypes of NBIA/INAD and dystonia-parkinsonism. INAD/NBIA is caused by loss of the ability of PLA2G6 to catalyze fatty acid release from phospholipids, which predicts accumulation of PLA2G6 phospholipid substrates and provides a mechanistic explanation for the accumulation of membranes in neuroaxonal spheroids previously observed in histopathological studies of INAD/NBIA. In contrast, dystonia-parkinsonism mutations do not appear to directly impair catalytic function, but may modify substrate preferences or regulatory mechanisms for PLA2G6.