Graft Failure After Revascularization for Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischaemia (CLTI) Patients: The Role of Graft Surveillance.

Introduction Failure of infrainguinal bypass grafts remains a major problem tackled by vascular surgeons despite a meticulous surgical technique. All infrainguinal bypasses should go under routine surveillance to pick the grafts at risk for the prevention of graft failure. Objectives The aim was to find out if we were adhering to the European Society of Vascular Surgery (ESVS) guidelines in the management of chronic limb-threatening ischaemia (CLTI) patients, including postoperative follow-up and to monitor whether the patients were having postoperative duplex surveillance scans to pick any graft at risk. Methods All patients who underwent infra-inguinal bypass procedures for CLTI during the last eight months (from mid-January to mid-September 2023) in our vascular unit were included. Retrospective data were collected. Results A total of 38 patients had lower limb bypass procedures over the last eight months (from 15 January till 14 September 2023). However, two femoral-femoral (fem-fem) crossovers, one Ilio-popliteal, and one pedal bypass were excluded. Thus, a total of 36 patients were included in the study (n=34). The vast majority (n=27, 79.4%) had femoro popliteal bypass anastomosing distally to above knee (AK) or below knee (BK) popliteal artery, and the rest (n=7, 20.5%) had distal bypass (fem-distal or pop-distal bypass). Moreover, 18% of patients had amputation, 15% of patients died, and 61% of the remaining patients were on surveillance. Of those, who were not on surveillance, 44% of them had graft occlusion. Conclusion Surveillance can predict graft at risk, and the graft occlusion can be prevented by appropriate intervention. Every vascular unit should have its own post-procedural follow-up strategies.

Availability and use of Automated External Defibrillators in Karachi, Pakistan: A cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the availability and use of automated external defibrillators in various public and private establishments, and to assess knowledge, attitude and practices related to its use. METHODS: The telephone-based survey was conducted from March to August 2019 in Karachi after approval from the ethics review committee of the Aga Khan University, Karachi, and comprised public and private establishments identified through purposive sampling based on the standard requirements for automated external defibrillators installation. Data was collected using a predesigned questionnaire which was pilot-tested for reliability and validity. Data was analysed using SPSS 23. RESULTS: Of the 53 establishments, 32(60.4%) were private and 21(39.6%) were public. Overall, 9(17%) establishments were aware of automated external defibrillators and 1(1.9%) had an automated external defibrillator on the premises. Also, 25(47.2%) establishments believed that having an automated external defibrillator on the premises would be useful, while 25(47.2%) were undecided. Besides, 22(41.5%) establishments said they would consider installing an automated external defibrillator on the premises, while 24(45.3%) were undecided. Finally, 37(69.8%) establishments expressed a positive desire to get trained in giving basic life support. Conclusion: There was a need for a city-wide automated external defibrillator placement project for a reduction in mortality due to out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Comparative Analysis of Pediatric COVID-19 Infection in Southeast Asia, South Asia, Japan, and China.

There is a scarcity of data regarding coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection in children from southeast and south Asia. This study aims to identify risk factors for severe COVID-19 disease among children in the region. This is an observational study of children with COVID-19 infection in hospitals contributing data to the Pediatric Acute and Critical Care COVID-19 Registry of Asia. Laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases were included in this registry. The primary outcome was severity of COVID-19 infection as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) (mild, moderate, severe, or critical). Epidemiology, clinical and laboratory features, and outcomes of children with COVID-19 are described. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify risk factors for severe/critical disease. A total of 260 COVID-19 cases from eight hospitals across seven countries (China, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, and Pakistan) were included. The common clinical manifestations were similar across countries: fever (64%), cough (39%), and coryza (23%). Approximately 40% of children were asymptomatic, and overall mortality was 2.3%, with all deaths reported from India and Pakistan. Using the multivariable model, the infant age group, presence of comorbidities, and cough on presentation were associated with severe/critical COVID-19. This epidemiological study of pediatric COVID-19 infection demonstrated similar clinical presentations of COVID-19 in children across Asia. Risk factors for severe disease in children were age younger than 12 months, presence of comorbidities, and cough at presentation. Further studies are needed to determine whether differences in mortality are the result of genetic factors, cultural practices, or environmental exposures.

Vitamin D and COVID-19: is there a role?

The COVID-19 pandemic requires a rapid understanding of the pathogenesis of the spectrum of the disease and factors associated with varied clinical presentations. Immune dysregulation with a cytokine storm (CS) progressing to ARDS with resemblance to sHLH is suggested as a main cause of tissue injury. Low levels of vitamin D were observed in COVID-19 cases with higher incidence of mortality in 20 European countries, increased risk of severity in COVID-19 contributing to ARDS or fulminant myocarditis and micro vascular thrombosis is proposed. Vitamin D may be protective against acute respiratory tract infections, as it regulates the inflammatory cytokine response of respiratory epithelial cells and macrophages, suppress CS and other manifestations seen in SARS-Cov-2. Hence, it is suggested as one of the therapies in SARS-CoV-2 infection. Major research gaps are identified globally in clinical management and this relationship. There is an imperative requisite to understand the interplay of markers in SARS-CoV-2, its risk factors and potential role of vitamin D to improve clinical outcome by pandemic of COVID-19. We therefore perform this review for understanding the pathophysiology of SARS-CoV-2 infections and the role of vitamin D in combating it.