Metabolic imaging: Analysis of different sections of white Asparagus officinalis shoots using high-resolution mass spectrometry

Many plant metabolism processes are currently not completely understood despite the numerous studies. These include the events in plant shoots and especially in the apical meristem. To understand the various mechanisms on a molecular level, a combined approach of target and non-targeted fingerprinting analysis was worked out on different white asparagus spear segments using high resolution mass spectrometry. By means of various multivariate analysis strategies, numerous distinctions within diverse substance classes were observed. While most of the investigated metabolites were present in relatively higher concentrations in the tip of the asparagus spears, others were more accumulated at the bottom, some, in turn, did not show any concentration differences along the shoot. Using pathway analysis, the most significant metabolites were classified in the biological context. To our knowledge for the first time, a non-targeted metabolomics approach is used with the aim of metabolic profiling of plant sprouts.

[Thermographic examination of head surface temperatures of calves under field conditions]

INTRODUCTION

Thermographic examination of 157 German Holstein heifer calves was performed to investigate the feasibility of this technique for on-farm recording of surface temperature of the head and to examine potential factors that affect the recordings. Baseline values were obtained from six defined locations on the head including both eyes, both horn buds, the muzzle and the mucous membrane of the muzzle using a high-end thermographic camera (ThermoPro TP8, Firma DIAS Infrared GmbH). Evaluation of the influence of various factors on thermographic measurements showed that ambient temperature had the largest effect on surface temperature of the head (regression coefficient, 0.10 to 0.32, p ≤ 0.01) whereas humidity had no effect (in t-test p ≥ 0.33 over all locations). There was a no correlation between rectal temperature and surface temperature (rp ≤ 0.05). The surface temperature decreased with increasing age of the calves (regression coefficient, - 0.42 to - 0.14, p ≤ 0.01). The agreement between double readings made shortly after one another was excellent at all locations (r ≥ 0.95). The emission of infrared energy varied among different locations; the most infrared energy was emitted by the eyes and the least by the muzzle. Paired locations (eyes and horn buds) had symmetric emission patterns of infrared energy. Measuring the surface temperature of the head of calves in their normal barn environment using a standardised protocol was feasible and thus could potentially be used for monitoring calves under field conditions.

[Airway management in preclinical emergency anesthesia with respect to specialty and education]

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Difficult airway management is a key skill in preclinical emergency medicine. A lower rate of subjective difficult airways and an increased success rate of endotracheal intubation have been reported for highly trained emergency physicians. The aim of this study was therefore to analyze the effect for different specialists and the individual state of training in the German emergency medical system.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

In a retrospective register analysis of 6024 preclinical anesthesia procedures, the frequencies of airway devices, neuromuscular blocking agents, capnography and difficult airways were analyzed with respect to specialization and status of training. Additionally, low, medium and highly experienced emergency physicians in airway management were summarized by specialization and status of training according to the Dreyfus model of skill acquisition and compared.

RESULTS

The incidence of subjective difficult airway situations was 10% for anesthesiological emergency physicians compared to 15-20% for other disciplines. The latter used supraglottic airway devices more often (7-9% vs. 4%) and video laryngoscopes less often (3% vs. 5%) compared to anesthesiological emergency physicians. The discipline-related state of training was inhomogeneous and revealed a reduced rate of supraglottic airway devices for internal specialists with further training (10% vs. 2%). Anesthetists specialized in intensive care medicine used capnography less frequently compared to other anesthetists (79% vs. 72%). With higher levels of experience in airway management, the frequency of endotracheal intubation (86% vs. 94%), neuromuscular blocking agents (59% vs. 73%) and video laryngoscopy (3% vs. 6%) increased and the incidence of subjective difficult airway situations (16% vs. 10%) decreased.

CONCLUSION

The level of training in airway management especially for non-anesthetists is inhomogeneous. The recently published German S1 guidelines for prehospital airway management recommend education and training as well as the primary use of the video laryngoscope with Macintosh blade. The implementation could lower the incidence of subjective difficult airways.

The impact of fluid optimisation before induction of anaesthesia on hypotension after induction

Intra-operative hypotension is a known predictor of adverse events and poor outcomes following major surgery. Hypotension often occurs on induction of anaesthesia, typically attributed to hypovolaemia and the haemodynamic effects of anaesthetic agents. We assessed the efficacy of fluid optimisation for reducing the incidence of hypotension on induction of anaesthesia. This prospective trial enrolled 283 patients undergoing radical cystectomy and randomly allocated them to goal-directed fluid therapy (n = 142) or standard fluid therapy (n = 141). Goal-directed fluid therapy patients received fluid optimisation based on stroke volume response to passive leg raise before induction; those with positive passive leg raise received intravenous crystalloid fluid boluses until stroke volume was optimised. Baseline mean arterial pressure was measured on the morning of surgery and on arriving in the operating theatre. This post-hoc analysis defined haemodynamic instability as either a > 30% relative drop in mean arterial pressure compared with baseline or absolute mean arterial pressure < 55 mmHg, within 15 min of induction. Forty-two (30%) goal-directed fluid therapy patients underwent fluid optimisation after finding an intravascular fluid deficit via passive leg raise testing; 106 (75%) goal-directed fluid therapy and 112 (79%) standard fluid therapy patients met criteria for haemodynamic instability. There was no significant difference in the incidence of haemodynamic instability between the goal-directed fluid therapy and standard fluid therapy groups using absolute mean arterial pressure drop below 55 mmHg (p = 0.58) or using pre-surgical testing or pre-surgical mean arterial pressure values as baseline (p = 0.21, p = 0.89, respectively); however, the difference in the incidence of haemodynamic instability was significant using the operating theatre baseline mean arterial pressure (p = 0.004). We conclude that fluid optimisation before induction of general anaesthesia did not significantly impact haemodynamic instability.

Extended induction chemotherapy does not improve the outcome for high-risk neuroblastoma patients: results of the randomized open-label GPOH trial NB2004-HR

BACKGROUND

Long-term survival of high-risk neuroblastoma patients is still below 50% despite intensive multimodal treatment. This trial aimed to address whether the addition of two topotecan-containing chemotherapy courses compared to standard induction therapy improves event-free survival (EFS) of these patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

An open-label, multicenter, prospective randomized controlled trial was carried out at 58 hospitals in Germany and Switzerland. Patients aged 1-21 years with stage 4 neuroblastoma and patients aged 6 months to 21 years with MYCN-amplified tumors were eligible. The primary endpoint was EFS. Patients were randomly assigned to standard induction therapy with six chemotherapy courses or to experimental induction chemotherapy starting with two additional courses of topotecan, cyclophosphamide, and etoposide followed by standard induction chemotherapy (eight courses in total). After induction chemotherapy, all patients received high-dose chemotherapy with autologous hematopoietic stem cell rescue and isotretinoin for consolidation. Radiotherapy was applied to patients with active tumors at the end of induction chemotherapy.

RESULTS

Of 536 patients enrolled in the trial, 422 were randomly assigned to the control arm (n = 211) and the experimental arm (n = 211); the median follow-up time was 3.32 years (interquartile range 1.65-5.92). At data lock, the 3-year EFS of experimental and control patients was 34% and 32% [95% confidence Interval (CI) 28% to 40% and 26% to 38%; P = 0.258], respectively. Similarly, the 3-year overall survival of the patients did not differ [54% and 48% (95% CI 46% to 62% and 40% to 56%), respectively; P = 0.558]. The response to induction chemotherapy was not different between the arms. The median number of non-fatal toxicities per patient was higher in the experimental group while the median number of toxicities per chemotherapy course was not different.

CONCLUSION

While the burden for the patients was increased by prolonging the induction chemotherapy and the toxicity, the addition of two topotecan-containing chemotherapy courses did not improve the EFS of high-risk neuroblastoma patients and thus cannot be recommended. CLINICAL TRIALS.

GOV NUMBER

NCT number 03042429.

[Recommendations for extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (eCPR) : Consensus statement of DGIIN, DGK, DGTHG, DGfK, DGNI, DGAI, DIVI and GRC]

Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (eCPR) may be considered as a rescue attempt for highly selected patients with refractory cardiac arrest and potentially reversible etiology. Currently there are no randomized, controlled studies on eCPR, and valid predictors of benefit and outcome which might guide the indication for eCPR are lacking. Currently selection criteria and procedures differ across hospitals and standardized algorithms are lacking. Based on expert opinion, the present consensus statement provides a proposal for a standardized treatment algorithm for eCPR.

CaRdiac Arrest Survival Score (CRASS) - A tool to predict good neurological outcome after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

AIM

The aim of this study was to develop a score to predict the outcome for patients brought to hospital following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA).

METHODS

All patients recorded in the German Resuscitation Registry (GRR) who suffered OHCA 2010-2017, who had ROSC or ongoing CPR at hospital admission were included. The study population was divided into development (2010-2016: 7985) and validation dataset (2017: 1806). Binary logistic regression analysis was used to derive the score. The probability of hospital discharge with good neurological outcome was defined as 1/(1 + e^-X), where X is the weighted sum of independent variables.

RESULTS

The following variables were found to have a significant positive (+) or negative (-) impact: age 61-70 years (-0·5), 71-80 (-0·9), 81-90 (-1·3) and > = 91 (-2·3); initial PEA (-0·9) and asystole (-1·4); presumable trauma (-1·1); mechanical CPR (-0·3); application of adrenalin > 0 - < 2 mg (-1·1), 2 - <4 mg (-1·6), 4 - < 6 mg (-2·1), 6 - < 8 mg (-2·5) and > = 8 mg (-2·8); pre emergency status without previous disease (+0·5) or minor disease (+0·2); location at nursing home (-0·6), working place/school (+0·7), doctor's office (+0·7) and public place (+0·3); application of amiodarone (+0·4); hospital admission with ongoing CPR (-1·9) or normotension (+0·4); witnessed arrest (+0·6); time from collapse until start CPR 2 - < 10 min (-0·3) and > = 10 min (-0·5); duration of CPR <5 min (+0·6). The AUC in the development dataset was 0·88 (95% CI 0·87-0·89) and in the validation dataset 0·88 (95% CI 0·86-0·90).

CONCLUSION

The CaRdiac Arrest Survival Score (CRASS) represents a tool for calculating the probability of survival with good neurological function for patients brought to hospital following OHCA.

[Current treatment of endocarditis : Innovations and controversies]

Despite many novel diagnostic strategies and advances in treatment, infective endocarditis (IE) remains a severe disease. The epidemiology of IE has shifted and staphylococci have replaced streptococci as the most common cause and nosocomially acquired infections, invasive procedures, indwelling cardiac devices and acquired infections due to intravenous drug abuse are more frequent. The incidence of IE has steadily increased in recent years and the patients affected are older and have more comorbidities. The modern treatment of IE is interdisciplinary. The pharmacotherapy of IE depends on the pathogen and its sensitivity. The presence of a bioprosthetic valve and implantable cardiac devices plays a significant role in selection of antibiotics and duration of treatment. This article provides an update and overview of the current clinical practice in diagnostics and pharmacotherapy of IE in adults with a special focus on partial oral therapy and the role of aminoglycosides.

P6385Association of prehospital acetylsalicylic acid and heparin administration with favourable neurological outcome after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: a matched-pair analysis

Background/Introduction

To date, no prehospital administered drug has shown to influence favourable neurological outcome in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Early administration of antiplatelet and anticoagulant medication might affect organ microcirculation and therefore favourable neurological outcome in the setting of OHCA.

Purpose

To evaluate the effect of prehospital acetylsalicylic acid and heparin (AH) administration on favourable neurological outcome and overall survival after OHCA in a large multicentre registry.

Methods

We examined patients with cardiac causes of OHCA that were prospectively included in the German Resuscitation Registry. Patients that were administered AH in the prehospital setting were matched in a 1:4 ratio with patients that were not administered AH. Pairs were matched for age >80 years, public place of collapse, initial ECG rhythm, witnessed by lay people and by emergency medical services (EMS), bystander CPR, usage of vasopressors, ECG signs of ACS or diagnosed ACS, coronary angiography conducted and hypothermia conducted. Analyses in the patients were stratified by treatment arm. Data was collected from 2011 to 2017 and analysed from January 2019 to March 2019. The primary endpoint was favourable neurological outcome at hospital discharge defined as cerebral performance category (CPC) 1 or 2. Secondary endpoints were return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) as well as survival to hospital discharge. Logistic regression analysis and chi square analysis were used to evaluate the primary and secondary endpoints, respectively.

Results

Within the German Resuscitation Registry, 17,139 patients included between 2011 and 2017 had a presumably cardiac cause of OHCA with completed follow-up data. 205 patients were administered AH in the prehospital setting, whereas 16,934 were not. After matching in a 1:4 ratio, 174 patients in the AH group and 696 in the noAH group were suitable for analysis of the primary and the secondary endpoints. Prehospital AH administration was associated with favourable neurological outcome (OR for CPC 1 or 2 at hospital discharge 1.489 [1.026–2.162], p=0.036). Patients with AH were more likely to have ROSC (73.6% vs. 65.7% in the noAH group, p=0.047). Survival to hospital discharge was not statistically different between groups (32.8% vs. 28.5% in the noAH group).

Consort flow-diagram

Conclusion(s)

In this matched-pair analysis, prehospital administration of AH was associated with an enhanced ROSC rate and with favorable neurological outcome. Randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm these results.