Impact of comorbidities in severely injured patients with blunt chest injury: A population-based retrospective cohort study

INTRODUCTION

Blunt chest injuries result in up to 10 % of major trauma admissions. Comorbidities can complicate recovery and increase the mortality rate in this patient cohort. A better understanding of the association between comorbidities and patient outcomes will facilitate enhanced models of care for particularly vulnerable groups of patients, such as older adults.

AIMS

i) compare the characteristics of severely injured patients with blunt chest injury with and without comorbidities and ii) examine the relationship between comorbidities and key patient outcomes: prolonged length of stay, re-admission within 28 days, and mortality within 30 days in a cohort of patients with blunt chest injury admitted after severe trauma.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study using linked data from the NSW Trauma Registry and NSW mortality and hospitalisation records between 1st of January 2012 and 31st of December 2019.

RESULTS

After adjusting for potential confounding factors, patients with severe injuries, chest injuries, and comorbidities were found to have a 34 % increased likelihood of having a prolonged length of stay (OR = 1.34, 95 %I = 1.17-1.53) compared to patients with no comorbidities. There was no difference in 30-day mortality for patients with a severe chest injury who did or did not have comorbidities (OR = 1.05, 95 %CI = 0.80-1.39). No significant association was found between comorbidities and re-admission within 28 days.

CONCLUSION

Severely injured patients with blunt chest injury and comorbidities are at risk of prolonged length of stay.

Research Note: Comparison of two methods to measure broiler tibia morphology

The skeletal integrity of chickens is an important area of research and detailed measures are needed to better understand the influence of experimental manipulation on bone health. The objective of this experiment was to compare 2 methods to measure the superficial tibiotarsus (tibia) morphology of broiler chickens collected in the wet laboratory (WL) or from digital images (DIG). The length, width at 90%, 75%, 50%, 25%, and 10% of the length, proximal and distal head width, medial, lateral, and distal intercondylar groove depth (ID), and proximal head angle were measured on the right and left tibias collected from broilers in 2 experiments (E1, E2). In both experiments, tibias had a greater width at 90% of the length when measured with the WL method compared with the DIG method (P ≤ 0.04), while tibias measured with the DIG method had a greater length, distal ID, and widths at 10%, 25%, 50%, and 75%, of the length compared with the WL method (P < 0.0001). In E1, tibias measured with the DIG method had a greater medial, lateral, and distal ID compared with the WL method (P ≤ 0.04). In E2, compared with the DIG method, tibias measured with the WL method had a greater distal head width and lateral ID, yet a shallower distal ID (P ≤ 0.03). The use of the DIG method provided more precise measures but, due to the limitations of measures from digital images and the opportunity for more accurate measures to be collected with the WL method, the WL method is recommended to measure the superficial morphology of broiler chickens because it was more accessible and practical.

Impact of comorbidities on survival following major injury across different types of road users

BACKGROUND

While comorbidities and types of road users are known to influence survival in people hospitalised with injury, few studies have examined the association between comorbidities and survival in people injured in road traffic crashes. Further, few studies have examined outcomes across different types of road users with different types of pre-existing comorbidities. This study aims to examine differences in survival within 30 days of admission among different road user types with and without different pre-existing comorbidities.

METHOD

Retrospective cohort study using data for all major road trauma cases were extracted from the NSW Trauma Registry Minimum Dataset (1 January 2013 - 31 July 2019) and linked to the NSW Admitted Patient Data Collection, and the NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages - death dataset. Pre-existing comorbidities and road user types were identified by the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision, Australian Modification (ICD-10-AM) codes and Charlson Comorbidity Index in the Trauma Registry, hospital admission, and death datasets. Logistic regression was used to assess the associations between six types of road users (pedestrian, pedal cycle, two- and three-wheel motorcycle, car and pick-up truck, heavy vehicle and bus, and other types of vehicle) and death within 30 days of hospital admission while controlling for comorbidities. All models used 'car and pick-up truck driver/passenger' as the road user reference group and adjusted for demographic variables, injury severity, and level of impaired consciousness.

RESULTS

Within 6253 traffic injury person-records (all aged ≥15 years old, ISS>12), and in final models, injured road users with major trauma who had a history of cardiovascular diseases (including stroke), diabetes mellitus, and higher Charlson Comorbidity Index score, were more likely to die, than those without pre-existing comorbidities. Furthermore, in final models, pedestrians were more likely to die than car occupants (OR: 1.68 - 1.77, 95CI%: 1.26 - 2.29 depending on comorbidity type).

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlights the need to prioritize enhanced management of trauma patients with comorbidities, given the increasing prevalence of chronic medical conditions globally, together with actions to prevent pedestrian crashes in strategies to reach Vision Zero.

Intra-articular methylprednisolone and bupivacaine for treatment of sesamoid disease in dogs

INTRODUCTION

The sesamoid disease is a cause of lameness in dogs, and there is limited literature relating to diagnosis, treatment and outcome of treatment in dogs with the sesamoid disease. Our aim was to compare the efficacy of intra-articular metacarpophalangeal/metatarsophalangeal joint injection with methylprednisolone and bupivacaine (IMPB) or conservative management with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories and rest (CMNR) for treatment of this disease.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted a retrospective survey of dogs treated for the sesamoid disease with IMPB or CMNR. The medical records of all dogs that received IMPB or were recommended CMNR for treatment of sesamoid pain were reviewed, and a client questionnaire was delivered to owners. Response to treatment, rapidity of response, length of resolution and recurrence of clinical signs associated with the sesamoid disease were assessed.

RESULTS

A total of 78 dogs were included in the study. One week after IMPB, 52/58 (89.7%) dogs demonstrated resolution of lameness compared with 1 week of CMNR, 0/18 (P < 0.001). There was limited statistical evidence in client satisfaction between treatment groups, IMPB 36/53 (67.9%) and CMNR 16/17 (94%) (P = 0.052). Dogs presenting with the sesamoid disease had comorbidities in 51/78 (65.4%) of cases. Elbow disease was the most common comorbidity 29/78 (37.2%).

CONCLUSION

Our results support the use of IMPB for short-term (1 week) resolution of lameness associated with sesamoid disease in dogs. Dogs treated with CMNR had slower improvement; however, there was no difference in lameness or client satisfaction between treatment groups at long-term follow-up (12 months).

Ifetroban reduces coronary artery dysfunction in a mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Dilated cardiomyopathy contributes to morbidity and mortality in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), an inheritable muscle-wasting disease caused by a mutation in the dystrophin gene. Preclinical studies in mouse models of muscular dystrophy have demonstrated reduced cardiomyopathy and improved cardiac function following oral treatment with the potent and selective thromboxane A₂/prostanoid receptor (TPr) antagonist ifetroban. Furthermore, a phase 2 clinical trial (NCT03340675, Cumberland Pharmaceuticals) is currently recruiting subjects to determine whether ifetroban can improve cardiac function in patients with DMD. Although TPr is a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of dilated cardiomyopathy in DMD, little is known about TPr function in coronary arteries that perfuse blood through the cardiac tissue. In the current study, isolated coronary arteries from young (∼3-5 mo) and aged (∼9-12 mo) mdx mice, a widely used mouse model of DMD, and age-matched controls were examined using wire myography. Vasoconstriction to increasing concentrations of TPr agonist U-46619 (U4) was enhanced in young mdx mice versus controls. In addition, young mdx mice displayed a significant attenuation in endothelial cell-mediated vasodilation to increasing concentrations of the muscarinic agonist acetylcholine (ACh). Since TPr activation was enhanced in young mdx mice, U4-mediated vasoconstriction was measured in the absence and the presence of ifetroban. Ifetroban reduced U4-mediated vasoconstriction in young mdx mice and both aged mdx and control mice. Overall, our data demonstrate enhanced coronary arterial vasoconstriction to TPr activation in young mdx mice, a phenotype that could be reversed with ifetroban. These data could have important therapeutic implications for improving cardiovascular function in DMD.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This investigation revealed 1) impaired acetylcholine-mediated vasodilation, 2) increased U-46619-mediated vasoconstriction, and 3) reversal of the increase in U-46619-mediated vasoconstriction by the thromboxane A₂/prostanoid receptor (TPr) antagonist ifetroban in left anterior descending coronary arteries isolated from young mdx mice, a model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Ifetroban has been used in preclinical studies to demonstrate improved cardiac function in mouse models of muscular dystrophy and is currently being investigated in a phase 2 clinical trial in patients with DMD. The current study supports the role of ifetroban in improving coronary artery function in preclinical DMD models, which may contribute to improved cardiovascular health.

Determination of optimal cut-off values for waist circumferences used for the diagnosis of the metabolic syndrome among Batswana adults (ELS 32)

BACKGROUND

To date, no definitive waist circumference (WC) cut-off values for abdominal obesity (AO) have been established for sub-Saharan Africa, including Botswana. Therefore, the classification of AO among these populations is based on European values. For accurate diagnosis of the metabolic syndrome (MetS), cut-off values reflective of the population investigated must be used.

OBJECTIVE

The study was an attempt to determine optimal cut-off values for AO among Batswana adults.

METHODS

The receiver operating characteristic curve was used to determine the optimal cut-off values for predicting at least two other risk factors of the MetS. Data were used from a descriptive cross-sectional study employing a complex multi-stage cluster sampling. Demographic and anthropometric measurements (weight and height, waist and hip circumferences), blood pressure, and blood glucose, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and total cholesterol levels were collected from 384 men and 416 women in Gaborone and the surrounding villages.

RESULTS

The ability of waist circumference to predict at least two other risk factors of the MetS gave cut-off values of ≥ 91.0 cm (sensitivity 69.1% and specificity of 90.8%, area under the curve 0.85) for men and ≥ 82.3 cm (sensitivity of 88.6% and specificity of 58.9%, area under the curve of 0.76) for women.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a difference between the cut-off values for Europeans with those determined for Batswana adults. Inconsistencies in cut-off values used have the potential for undesirable consequences for cardiovascular risk stratification and prioritisation of preventative strategies for AO and the MetS. The need to determine population-, ethnic- and gender-based cut-off values for AO for Batswana adults has never been more paramount.

An 11-year review of hip fracture hospitalisations, health outcomes, and predictors of access to in-hospital rehabilitation for adults ≥ 65 years living with and without dementia: a population-based cohort study

This study examined hip fracture hospitalisation trends and predictors of access to rehabilitation for adults aged ≥ 65 years living with and without dementia. The hospitalisation rate was 2.5 times higher for adults living with dementia and adults who lived in aged care were between 4.8 and 9.3 times less likely to receive rehabilitation.

INTRODUCTION

To examine hip fracture hospitalisation temporal trends, health outcomes, and predictors of access to in-hospital rehabilitation for older adults living with and without dementia.

METHODS

A population-based retrospective cohort study of adults aged ≥ 65 years hospitalised with a hip fracture during 2007-2017 in New South Wales, Australia.

RESULTS

Of the 69,370 hip fracture hospitalisations, 27.1% were adults living with dementia. The hip fracture hospitalisation rate was 2.5 times higher for adults living with dementia compared with adults with no dementia (1186.6 vs 492.9 per 100,000 population). The rate declined by 6.1% per year (95%CI - 6.6 to - 5.5) for adults living with dementia and increased by 1.0% per year (95%CI 0.5-1.5) for adults with no dementia. Multivariable associations identified that adults living with dementia who experienced high frailty and increasing age were between 1.6 and 1.8 times less likely to receive in-hospital rehabilitation. Adults who were living in long-term aged care facilities were between 4.8 and 9.3 times less likely to receive in-hospital rehabilitation which varied by the presence of dementia or delirium.

CONCLUSION

Consistent criteria should be applied to determine rehabilitation access, and rehabilitation services designed for older adults living with dementia or in aged care are needed.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Adults living with dementia were able to make functional gains following hip fracture rehabilitation. • Need to determine consistent criteria to determine access to hip fracture rehabilitation. • Rehabilitation services specifically designed for adults living with dementia or in aged care are needed.

Future hospital service utilisation in older adults living in long-term residential aged care or the community hospitalised with a fall-related injury

This study identified group-based trajectories of hospitalisation for older adults who were living in residential aged care facilities (RACF) or the community for up to 4 years after an index fall injury hospitalisation. Greater than 3 subsequent fall injury hospitalisations and time until move to a RACF were key predictors of RACF and community-living trajectory group memberships, respectively.

INTRODUCTION

To examine hospital service use trajectories of people aged ≥ 65 years who had a fall injury hospitalisation and were either living in a residential aged care facility (RACF) or the community at the time of the index fall and to identify factors predictive of their trajectory group membership.

METHOD

A group-based trajectory analysis of hospitalisations of people aged ≥ 65 years who had a fall injury hospitalisation during 2008-2009 in New South Wales, Australia, was conducted. Linked hospitalisation and RACF data were examined for a 5-year period. Group-based trajectory models were derived based on number of subsequent hospital admissions following the index fall injury hospitalisation. Multinominal logistic regression examined predictors of trajectory group membership.

RESULTS

There were 24,729 fall injury hospitalisations; 78.8% of fallers were living in the community and 21.2% in a RACF. Five distinct trajectory groups were identified for community-living and four trajectory groups for RACF residents. Key predictors of trajectory group membership for both community-living and RACF residents were age group, number of comorbidities and dementia status. For RACF residents, depression, assistance with activities of daily living and number of subsequent fall injury admissions were also predictors of group membership, with time to move to a RACF a predictor of group membership for community living.

CONCLUSIONS

Identifying trajectories of ongoing hospital use informs targeting of strategies to reduce hospital admissions and design of services to allow community-living individuals to remain as long as possible within their own residence.

Comparison of hospitalised trends, treatment cost and health outcomes of fall-related hip fracture for people aged ≥ 65 years living in residential aged care and the community

This study compared hip fracture rates and health outcomes of older people living in residential aged care facilities (RACFs) to the community. The RACF resident age-standardised hospitalisation rate was five times higher than the community rate and declining. RACF residents experience overall worse health outcomes and survival post-hip fracture.

INTRODUCTION

To compare hospitalisation trends, characteristics and health outcomes following a fall-related hip fracture of older people living in residential aged care facilities (RACFs) to older people living in the community.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of fall-related hip fracture hospitalisations of people aged ≥ 65 years during 1 July 2008 and 30 June 2013 in New South Wales (NSW), Australia's largest populated state. Linked hospitalisation, RACF and Aged Care Assessment Appraisal data collections were examined. Negative binomial regression examined the significance of hospitalisation temporal trends.

RESULTS

There were 28,897 hip fracture hospitalisations. One-third were of older people living in RACFs. The hospitalisation rate was 2180 per 100,000 (95%CI: 2097.0-2263.7) for RACF residents and 390 per 100,000 (95%CI 384.8-395.8) for older people living in the community. The hospitalisation rate for RACF residents was estimated to decline by 2.9% annually (95%CI: - 4.3 to - 1.5). Hospital treatment cost for hip fractures was AUD$958.5 million. Compared to older people living in the community, a higher proportion of RACF residents were aged ≥ 90 years (36.1% vs 17.2%), were female (75.3% vs 71.8%), had > 1 Charlson comorbidity (37.6% vs 35.6%) and 58.2% had dementia (vs 14.4%). RACF residents had fewer in-hospital rehabilitation episodes (18.7% vs 60.9%) and a higher proportion of unplanned readmissions (10.6% vs 9.1%) and in-hospital mortality (5.9% vs 3.3%) compared to older people living in the community.

CONCLUSIONS

RACF residents are a vulnerable cohort of older people who experience worse health outcomes and survival post-hip fracture than older people living in the community. Whether access to individualised hip fracture rehabilitation for RACF residents could improve their health outcomes should be examined.

The cost of infection: Argulus foliaceus and its impact on the swimming performance of the three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus)

For fish, there can be multiple consequences of parasitic infections, including the physical impacts on swimming and the pathological costs of infection. This study used the three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) and the ectoparasitic fish louse, Argulus foliaceus, to assess both physical (including form drag and mass) and pathological effects of infection. Both sustained (prolonged swimming within an open channel flume) and burst (C-start) swimming performance were measured on individual fish before (trials 1-2) and after infection (trials 3-5). Experimental infection occurred shortly before the third trial, when the physical impacts of infection could be separated from any subsequent pathology as transmission of adult parasites causes instantaneous drag effects prior to observable pathology. Despite the relatively large size of the parasite and corresponding increase in hydrodynamic drag for the host, there were no observable physical effects of infection on either sustained or burst host swimming. By contrast, parasite-induced pathology is the most probable explanation for reduced swimming performance across both tests. All sticklebacks displayed a preference for flow refugia, swimming in low-velocity regions of the flume, and this preference increased with both flow rate and infection time. This study suggests that even with large, physically demanding parasites their induced pathology is of greater concern than direct physical impact.

Plasminogen Levels in Healthy Volunteers -Influence of Age, Sex, Smoking and Oral Contraceptives

There is considerable doubt as to the importance of reduced plasminogen (PLG) activity as a risk factor for venous thrombosis. In the present study we have identified a wide range of PLG activities (25–200%) in a cohort of 9,611 blood donors. Males and females not taking hormonal contraceptives show a similar distribution of PLG, however, variation related to age appears to follow a different pattern in males and females. These differences are of doubtful clinical importance as are differences related to smoking. In contrast, females taking hormonal contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy (HRT) have up to 25% higher mean PLG levels in younger females but a less marked elevation (10%) is seen in 40–50 year olds. A PLG activity <65% was recorded in 61 donors, none of whom appeared to have a history of thrombosis. These findings do not support the notion that reduced PLG is an important thrombophilic risk factor, however, further investigation of the donors with low PLG is required.

Protein C Activity in Healthy Volunteers - Influence of Age, Sex, Smoking and Oral Contraceptives

Interpretation of protein C (PC) levels in a given individual has several limitations. A normal PC activity does not necessarily exclude a genetic deficiency nor can a reduced level confirm it. Measuring PC amidolytic activity in 9,648 healthy blood donors has allowed identification of demographic factors which cause variation in PC activity and further hinder interpretation. PC activity displays a log normal distribution and significant variation with age. This is most marked in young adult males when mean PC activity rises from 0.86 iu/ml (15–19 years) to 1.04 iu/ml (45–49 years; P <0.0001). Pre-menopausal females, who for most age ranges, have mean PC activity below their male contemporaries, show a less marked rise with age until the menopause when PC activity rises further. The use of hormonal contraceptive preparations is associated with an increase in mean PC activity of 0.05–0.08 iu/ml while smoking habit has no influence on PC activity.

In view of these findings we strongly recommend the use of age and sex restricted reference ranges when interpreting PC activity.

Endocannabinoid activation of CB1 receptors contributes to long-lasting reversal of neuropathic pain by repetitive spinal cord stimulation

BACKGROUND

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has been shown to be effective in the management of certain neuropathic pain conditions, however, the underlying mechanisms are incompletely understood. In this study, we investigated repetitive SCS in a rodent neuropathic pain model, revealing long-lasting and incremental attenuation of hyperalgesia and a mechanism of action involving endocannabinoids.

METHOD

Animals were implanted with monopolar electrodes at the time of partial sciatic nerve injury. Dorsal columns at spinal segments T12/13 were stimulated 3 days later (early SCS), and again at day 7 (late SCS) using low-frequency parameters. Hypersensitivity to cutaneous mechanical stimuli was assessed using von Frey filaments. Pharmacological agents, selected to identify endocannabinoid and opioid involvement, were administered intraperitoneally, 10 min before SCS.

RESULTS

Early SCS caused partial reversal of mechanical hypersensitivity with corresponding changes in the biomarker of central sensitization, [phospho-Tyr¹⁴⁷² ]-GluN2B. The partial reversal of hyperalgesia by early SCS was amplified by co-administration of LY 2183240, an inhibitor of endocannabinoid reuptake/breakdown. This amplification was inhibited by a CB₁ R antagonist, AM251, but not by a CB₂ R antagonist, AM630. Early SCS-induced reversal of hyperalgesia was attenuated by naloxone, indicating a role for opioids. Late SCS resulted in an incremental level of reversal of hyperalgesia, which was inhibited by AM251, but not by CB₂ or opioid receptor antagonists.

CONCLUSION

The endocannabinoid system, and in particular the CB₁ R, plays a pivotal role in the long-lasting and incremental reversal of hyperalgesia induced by repetitive SCS in a neuropathic pain model.

SIGNIFICANCE

Alternative parameters for repetitive spinal cord stimulation (SCS) at 25/10 Hz elicit particularly long-lasting and incremental reversal of hyperalgesia in a neuropathic pain model through a mechanism involving endocannabinoids.

Patients' experiences of deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease: a qualitative systematic review and synthesis

OBJECTIVE

To review and synthesise qualitative research studies that have explored patients' experience of deep brain stimulation (DBS) in advanced Parkinson's disease (PD).

DESIGN

Systematic review and meta-synthesis of 7 original papers, using metaethnography.

SETTING

Studies conducted in Denmark, France and Sweden.

PARTICIPANTS

116 patients who had undergone DBS and 9 spouses of patients.

RESULTS

Prior to surgery, the experience of advancing PD is one of considerable loss and a feeling of loss of control. There are significant hopes for what DBS can bring. Following surgery, a sense of euphoria is described by many, although this does not persist and there is a need for significant transitions following this. We suggest that normality as a concept is core to the experience of DBS and that a sense of control may be a key condition for normality. Experience of DBS for patients and spouses, and of the transitions that they must undertake, is influenced by their hopes of what surgery will enable them to achieve, or regain (ie, a new normality).

CONCLUSIONS

There is a need for further qualitative research to understand the nature of these transitions to inform how best patients and their spouses can be supported by healthcare professionals before, during and after DBS. In assessing the outcomes of DBS and other treatments in advanced PD, we should consider how to capture holistic concepts such as normality and control. Studies that examine the outcomes of DBS require longer term follow-up.

The density of tobacco retailers in home and school environments and relationship with adolescent smoking behaviours in Scotland

BACKGROUND

Neighbourhood retailing of tobacco products has been implicated in affecting smoking prevalence rates. Long-term smoking usually begins in adolescence and tobacco control strategies have often focused on regulating 'child spaces', such as areas in proximity to schools. This cross-sectional study examines the association between adolescent smoking behaviour and tobacco retail outlet density around home and school environments in Scotland.

METHODS

Data detailing the geographic location of every outlet registered to sell tobacco products in Scotland were acquired from the Scottish Tobacco Retailers Register and used to create a retail outlet density measure for every postcode. This measure was joined to individual responses of the Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Use Survey (n=20 446). Using logistic regression models, we explored the association between the density of retailers, around both home and school address, and smoking behaviours.

RESULTS

Those living in the areas of highest density of retailers around the home environment had 53% higher odds of reporting having ever smoked (95% CI 1.27 to 1.85, p<0.001) and 47% higher odds of reporting current smoking (95% CI 1.13 to 1.91 p<0.01). Conversely, those attending schools in areas of highest retail density had lower odds of having ever smoked (OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.50 to 0.86 p<0.01) and lower odds of current smoking (OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.59 to 0.95, p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The density of tobacco retail outlets in residential neighbourhoods is associated with increased odds of both ever smoked and current smoking among adolescents in Scotland. Policymakers may be advised to focus on reducing the overall density of tobacco outlets, rather than concentrating on 'child spaces'.

How much of the difference in life expectancy between Scottish cities does deprivation explain?

BACKGROUND

Glasgow's low life expectancy and high levels of deprivation are well documented. Studies comparing Glasgow to similarly deprived cities in England suggest an excess of deaths in Glasgow that cannot be accounted for by deprivation. Within Scotland comparisons are more equivocal suggesting deprivation could explain Glasgow's excess mortality. Few studies have used life expectancy, an intuitive measure that quantifies the between-city difference in years. This study aimed to use the most up-to-date data to compare Glasgow to other Scottish cities and to (i) evaluate whether deprivation could account for lower life expectancy in Glasgow and (ii) explore whether the age distribution of mortality in Glasgow could explain its lower life expectancy.

METHODS

Sex specific life expectancy was calculated for 2007-2011 for the population in Glasgow and the combined population of Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh. Life expectancy was calculated for deciles of income deprivation, based on the national ranking of datazones, using the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation. Life expectancy in Glasgow overall, and by deprivation decile, was compared to that in Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh combined, and the life expectancy difference decomposed by age using Arriaga's discrete method.

RESULTS

Life expectancy for the whole Glasgow population was lower than the population of Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh combined. When life expectancy was compared by national income deprivation decile, Glasgow's life expectancy was not systematically lower, and deprivation accounted for over 90 % of the difference. This was reduced to 70 % of the difference when carrying out sensitivity analysis using city-specific income deprivation deciles. In both analyses life expectancy was not systematically lower in Glasgow when stratified by deprivation. Decomposing the differences in life expectancy also showed that the age distribution of mortality was not systematically different in Glasgow after accounting for deprivation.

CONCLUSIONS

Life expectancy is not systematically lower across the Glasgow population compared to Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh combined, once deprivation is accounted for. This provides further evidence that tackling deprivation in Glasgow would probably reduce the health inequalities that exist between Scottish cities. The change in the amount of unexplained difference when carrying out sensitivity analysis demonstrates the difficulties in comparing socioeconomic deprivation between populations, even within the same country and when applying an established ecological measure. Although the majority of health inequality between Glasgow and other Scottish cities is explained by deprivation, the difference in the amount of unexplained inequality depending on the relative context of deprivation used demonstrates the challenges associated with attributing mortality inequalities to an independent 'place effect'.

Elevated endocan levels and its association with clinical severity in Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis

AIM

The aim of this study was to determine the levels of endocan and other biomarkers of inflammation in the systemic circulation of three groups of patients: 1) biopsy confirmed Stevens Johnson Syndrome, Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (SJS/TEN) subjects; 2) patients with allergic skin reactions but biopsy negative for SJS/TEN; and 3) normal controls. Besides, this paper aims to investigate the association of endocan levels with the extent of the skin lesions, the presence of purpura, and the degree of acute renal insufficiency, as well as to investigate endocan as a marker of clinical severity by correlating endocan levels with the SCORTEN results (a prognositic score for SJS/TEN).

METHODS

Sixteen patients over the age of 18 years who were referred to Loyola University Medical Center with severe allergic skin reactions were recruited over a two-year period from May 2012 to May 2014. A diagnosis of SJS or TEN was confirmed in 7 subjects by skin biopsy. Citrated plasma samples were assayed for endocan, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and C-reactive protein (CRP). The differences between SJS/TEN subjects, biopsy negative subjects, and normal controls (N.=23) were explored using ANOVA and Tukey's post-hoc test. Associations with other clinical variables were identified using linear and logistic regression.

RESULTS

Biopsy positive SJS/TEN subjects and biopsy negative subjects had higher endocan levels than normal controls (SJS/TEN: 3.01 ng/mL [IQR: 2.15-8.11]; biopsy negative: 3.96 ng/mL [IQR: 1.54-4.85]; normal controls: 1.79 ng/mL [IQR: 1.67-1.98]; ANOVA P=0.0038). Endocan levels were more strongly associated with SCORTEN in SJS/TEN subjects than in biopsy negative subjects (R2 SJS/TEN=0.5110; biopsy negative=0.0317). SJS/TEN subjects exhibited significantly higher levels of TNF-α compared to normal controls (P=0.0267). The TNF-α levels were significantly lower compared to biopsy negative subjects (P=0.0052). VEGF levels were also elevated among SJS/TEN and biopsy negative subjects compared to normal controls (SJS/TEN: 12.04 pg/mL: [IQR: 7.64-52.7]; biopsy negative: 10.54 pg/mL [IQR: 4.17-6.46]; normal controls: 4.94 pg/mL [IQR: 4.17-6.46]; ANOVA P<0.0001). There was no significant difference in VEGF levels between SJS/TEN and biopsy negative subjects (P=0.7110). Similarly, CRP levels were elevated among SJS/TEN patients and biopsy negative subjects compared to normal controls (SJS/TEN: 32.09 µg/mL [IQR: 31.49-52.08]; biopsy negative: 83.38 µg/mL [IQR: 44.74-145.38]; healthy normal: 1.08 µg/mL [IQR: 0.73-2.03]; ANOVA P<0.0001). There was no significant difference in CRP levels between SJS/TEN and biopsy negative subjects (P=0.2416).

CONCLUSION

To our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate enodcan, a marker of endothelial dysfunction, in the systemic circulation of SJS/TEN patients. Elevated endocan levels were more strongly associated with disease severity among SJS/TEN subjects than among less severe allergic reactions with skin involvement.

Is local alcohol outlet density related to alcohol-related morbidity and mortality in Scottish cities?

Alcohol consumption may be influenced by the local alcohol retailing environment. This study is the first to examine neighbourhood alcohol outlet availability (on- and off-sales outlets) and alcohol-related health outcomes in Scotland. Alcohol-related hospitalisations and deaths were significantly higher in neighbourhoods with higher outlet densities, and off-sales outlets were more important than on-sales outlets. The relationships held for most age groups, including those under the legal minimum drinking age, although were not significant for the youngest legal drinkers (18–25 years). Alcohol-related deaths and hospitalisations were higher in more income-deprived neighbourhoods, and the gradient in deaths (but not hospitalisations) was marginally larger in neighbourhoods with higher off-sales outlet densities. Efforts to reduce alcohol-related harm should consider the potentially important role of the alcohol retail environment.

•

Whether alcohol outlet availability influences health in Scotland was unknown

•

We assessed relationships with alcohol-related hospitalisations and mortality

•

More hospitalisations and deaths occurred in areas with greater outlet availability

•

Off-sales outlets were more important for health than on-sales outlets

•

Efforts to reduce alcohol harms should consider the alcohol retail environment

TRPM4 inhibitor 9-phenanthrol activates endothelial cell intermediate conductance calcium-activated potassium channels in rat isolated mesenteric artery

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Smooth muscle transient receptor potential melastatin 4 (TRPM4) channels play a fundamental role in the development of the myogenic arterial constriction that is necessary for blood flow autoregulation. As TRPM4 channels are present throughout the vasculature, we investigated their potential role in non-myogenic resistance arteries using the TRPM4 inhibitor 9-phenanthrol.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

Pressure and wire myography were used to assess the reactivity of rat arteries, the latter in combination with measurements of smooth muscle membrane potential. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and endothelial cell (EC) calcium changes were assessed in pressurized vessels and patch clamp measurements made in isolated ECs.

KEY RESULTS

The TRPM4 inhibitor 9-phenanthrol reversibly hyperpolarized mesenteric arteries to circa EK and blocked α1 -adrenoceptor-mediated vasoconstriction. Hyperpolarization was abolished and vasoconstriction re-established by damaging the endothelium. In mesenteric and cerebral artery smooth muscle, 9-phenanthrol hyperpolarization was effectively blocked by the KCa 3.1 inhibitor TRAM-34. 9-Phenanthrol did not increase mesenteric EC [Ca(2+)]i , and Na(+) substitution with N-methyl-D-glucamine only increased the muscle resting potential by 10 mV. Immunolabelling for TRPM4 was restricted to the endothelium and perivascular tissue.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

These data reveal a previously unrecognized action of the TRPM4 inhibitor 9-phenanthrol - the ability to act as an activator of EC KCa 3.1 channels. They do not indicate a functionally important role for TRPM4 channels in the reactivity of non-myogenic mesenteric arteries.

Systems responses to progressive water stress in durum wheat

Durum wheat is susceptible to terminal drought which can greatly decrease grain yield. Breeding to improve crop yield is hampered by inadequate knowledge of how the physiological and metabolic changes caused by drought are related to gene expression. To gain better insight into mechanisms defining resistance to water stress we studied the physiological and transcriptome responses of three durum breeding lines varying for yield stability under drought. Parents of a mapping population (Lahn x Cham1) and a recombinant inbred line (RIL2219) showed lowered flag leaf relative water content, water potential and photosynthesis when subjected to controlled water stress time transient experiments over a six-day period. RIL2219 lost less water and showed constitutively higher stomatal conductance, photosynthesis, transpiration, abscisic acid content and enhanced osmotic adjustment at equivalent leaf water compared to parents, thus defining a physiological strategy for high yield stability under water stress. Parallel analysis of the flag leaf transcriptome under stress uncovered global trends of early changes in regulatory pathways, reconfiguration of primary and secondary metabolism and lowered expression of transcripts in photosynthesis in all three lines. Differences in the number of genes, magnitude and profile of their expression response were also established amongst the lines with a high number belonging to regulatory pathways. In addition, we documented a large number of genes showing constitutive differences in leaf transcript expression between the genotypes at control non-stress conditions. Principal Coordinates Analysis uncovered a high level of structure in the transcriptome response to water stress in each wheat line suggesting genome-wide co-ordination of transcription. Utilising a systems-based approach of analysing the integrated wheat’s response to water stress, in terms of biological robustness theory, the findings suggest that each durum line transcriptome responded to water stress in a genome-specific manner which contributes to an overall different strategy of resistance to water stress.