Analytic Morphomics in Myositis-Related Interstitial Lung Disease.

PURPOSE: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is the most common non-musculoskeletal manifestation of idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM). Identification of body composition change may enable early intervention to improve prognosis. We investigated muscle quantity and quality derived from cross-sectional imaging in IIM, and its relationship to ILD severity. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study assessing IIM of ILD patients (n = 31) was conducted. Two datasets separated in time were collected, containing demographics, biochemical data, pulmonary function testing and thoracic CT data. Morphomic analysis of muscle quantity (cross-sectional area) and quality (density in Hounsfield Units) on thoracic CT were analysed utilising a web-based tool allowing segmentation of muscle and fat. Bilateral erector spinae and pectoralis muscle (ESM&PM) were measured at defined vertebral levels. RESULTS: FVC and DLCO decreased but within acceptable limits of treatment response (FVC: 83.7-78.7%, p < 0.05, DLCO 63.4-60.6%, p < 0.05). The cross-sectional area of the PM and ESM increased (PM: 39.8 to 40.7 cm2, p = 0.491; ESM: 35.2 to 39.5 cm2, p = 0.098). Density significantly fell for both the PM and ESM (PM: 35.3-31 HU, p < 0.05; ESM: 38-33.7, p < 0.05). Subcutaneous fat area increased from 103.9 to 136.1 cm2 (p < 0.05), while the visceral fat area increased but not reaching statistical significance. The change in PM density between time points demonstrated an inverse correlation with DLCO (p < 0.05, R = - 0.49). CONCLUSION: Patients with IIM ILD demonstrated significant body composition changes on CT imaging unlikely to be detected by traditional measurement tools. An increase in muscle area with an inverse decrease in density suggests poor muscle quality.

Use of a Synthetic Dermal Matrix for Reconstruction of 55 Patients with Nongraftable Wounds and Management of Complications.

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of a completely synthetic dermal matrix (Biodegradable Temporizing Matrix [BTM]) for staged reconstruction of complex wounds. The authors defined complex wounds as wounds not amenable to reconstruction with skin grafting alone due to an inherent avascularity such as the presence of bare bone, tendinous, or neural structures. A retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database of complex wounds as defined above was carried out. Fifty-five patients were identified who underwent staged BTM and autologous skin graft reconstruction for complex wounds affecting a wide variety of patient demographics, treatment indications, and body sites. Wound etiology included burn injury and nonburn-related trauma such as degloving injury or infective complications. Caveats relating to the successful application of staged dermal matrix reconstruction, techniques, tips, prevention, and management of complications are outlined. This large consecutive case series demonstrates the integral role dermal substitutes play in providing biological wound cover for avascular wound beds which may otherwise require complex distant flap or free tissue transfer for reconstruction. Staged synthetic dermal matrix reconstruction has proven robustness in the face of unfavorable wounds compared with nonsynthetic dermal matrices, physiologically covering avascular structures, allowing for early graft take, expediting rehabilitation, and mobilization with good scar cosmesis and limited contracture formation.

Screening for Cognitive Impairment with the Quick Memory Check: Validation of a Caregiver Administered Cognitive Screen.

BACKGROUND: Self or home-administered cognitive screening instruments (CSIs) can reduce barriers to the early detection of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia. OBJECTIVE: To examine the acceptability and diagnostic accuracy of a caregiver-administered CSI, the Quick Memory Check (QMC). METHODS: Components of the Quick Mild Cognitive impairment (Qmci) screen (orientation, verbal fluency, and logical memory) were re-weighted to create the QMC, scored out of 100 points. Participants, attending a university hospital memory clinic, were provided administration instructions beforehand. Area under the curve (AUC) scores, adjusted for age and education, were compared with the Qmci screen and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Caregivers or family scored the QMC. RESULTS: In all, 366 participants were recruited; 53 with subjective memory complaints (SMC), 74 with MCI, 193 with dementia, and 46 normal controls. Median QMC scores for controls were 70±13 versus 60±20 for SMC, 52±18 for MCI, and 31±21 for dementia. The QMC had excellent accuracy (AUC 0.97) for cognitive impairment (MCI/dementia from controls), similar to the Qmci screen (AUC 0.98, p = 0.17) and MoCA (AUC 0.95, p = 0.13). At a cut-off of <52/100, the QMC had 83% sensitivity and 100% specificity for cognitive impairment. The QMC had lower accuracy differentiating MCI from SMC (AUC 0.73), albeit similar to the MoCA (AUC 0.70). CONCLUSION: The QMC, administered by caregivers in advance of clinic, compared favorably to established CSIs scored by trained raters. This caregiver, home-administered CSI is acceptable and can identify cognitive impairment, potentially improving efficiency by reducing testing time and patient stress in busy clinical settings.

Management of Hydrocarbon Burns: Considering Mental Health and Biochemical Abnormalities.

Volatile substance misuse, particularly the inhalation of hydrocarbons, is a growing issue globally. Consequences of volatile substance misuse, both acute and chronic cause cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, metabolic, and central nervous system damage. Whilst the effects of hydrocarbon abuse have been reported, the combination of intoxication with hydrocarbon and burns sustained has not yet been presented. A retrospective case series of patients who presented in the last 5 years to the Royal Adelaide Hospital with hydrocarbon-related burns in the context of illicit use was undertaken. Our aims are to present to the wider scientific community the high morbidity and mortality of hydrocarbon burn injuries and why this tertiary Burns Unit feel it most appropriate to medically stabilize these patients prior to definitive surgery for their burn. All patients that presented with acute hydrocarbon intoxication and sustained concomitant burns had significant psychiatric disorder and substance abuse history and three of five had either not eaten in several days resulting in acute malnourishment, refeeding syndrome or had evidence of chronic malnourishment with deranged electrolytes and hypoalbuminemia. Their definitive burns surgery was delayed where appropriate in order to facilitate medical stabilization as they were too high risk of cardiac membrane instability, electrolyte derangement, and/or respiratory compromise to undergo safe general anesthetic and burns debridement. We propose a multidisciplinary team approach, utilizing not only our Burns Unit care model of physiotherapists, psychologists, social work, and burns trained nurses and surgeons but also Intensive Care, Toxicology, Addiction medicine and General Medical physicians in the management of these patients.

Biodegradable Temporizing Matrix Reconstruction of Complex Perineal Burn Wound: A Case Report.

This case report details our experience using a two-stage Biodegradable Temporizing Matrix (NovoSorb® PolyNovo Ltd) and autograft for acute reconstruction of a complex perineal burn wound in an elderly comorbid patient. A 77-year-old man sustained 42% full-thickness burns extending circumferentially from bilateral thighs and buttocks, across the entire perineal and genital regions up to his mid-trunk, following self-immolation using an accelerant. Early total burn wound excision was carried out with acute application of Biodegradable Temporizing Matrix to all affected sites. Excellent integration and vascularization of Biodegradable Temporizing Matrix took place despite the challenge of intermittent fecal contamination affecting the perineal and buttock burn sites and matrix colonization with multidrug-resistant organisms. Delamination and serial split-thickness skin autografting were carried out 42 days after the first matrix application with complete and robust graft take. Perineal burns present a reconstructive challenge due to the proximity of specialized structures such as the genitalia, urethral, and anal orifices. Restoration of complex anatomy and function may be required after debridement with increased risks of infection, contracture formation, and mortality compared with burns affecting other anatomical sites. Two-stage Biodegradable Temporizing Matrix represents a reliable reconstruction option for complex extensive perineal wounds in frail elderly patients, despite an unfavorable local microbial environment.

The Economic Value of the Delivery of Primary Cleft Surgery in Timor Leste 2000-2017.

BACKGROUND: Plastic and reconstructive surgical teams visiting from Australia, a high-income country, have delivered cleft surgical services to Timor Leste since 2000 on a volunteer basis. This paper aims to estimate the economic benefit of correcting cleft deformities in this new nation as it evolved its healthcare delivery service from independence in 1999. METHODS: We have utilised a prospective database of all cleft surgical interventions performed during 44 plastic surgical missions over the last 18 years. The disability-adjusted life year (DALY) framework was used to calculate the total DALYs averted by primary cleft lip and palate repair. The 2004 global burden of disease disability weights were used. Economic benefits were calculated using the gross national income (GNI) and the value of a statistical life (VSL) methods for Timor Leste. Estimates were adjusted for treatment effectiveness, counterfactual cases, and complications. Cost estimates included the local hospitalisation costs, the foregone salaries of the visiting surgeons and nurses, other costs associated with providing surgical care, and an estimate for foregone wages of the patients or their carers. Sensitivity analysis was performed with income elasticity set to 0.55, 1.0, and 1.5. RESULTS: During 44 visiting plastic surgical missions to Timor Leste, 1500 procedures were performed, including 843 primary cleft lip and palate operations. The cleft procedures resulted in the aversion of 842 DALYs and an economic return to Timor Leste of USD 2.2 million (GNI-based) or USD 197,917 (VSL-based). Our programme cost USD 705 per DALY averted. The economic return on investment was 0.3:1 (VSL-based) or 3.8:1 (GNI-based). CONCLUSION: A sustained and consistent visiting team approach providing repair of cleft lip and palate defects has resulted in considerable economic gain for Timor Leste over an 18-year period. The training of a local surgeon and multidisciplinary team with ongoing support to the in-country cleft service is expected to reduce the cost per DALY averted once the surgeon and team are able to manage clefts independently.

A biodegradable polyurethane dermal matrix in reconstruction of free flap donor sites: a pilot study.

We have developed a biodegradable temporizing matrix (BTM) capable of supporting secondary split-skin graft-take in animal studies. We report its first long-term implantation and use as a dermal scaffold in humans. This preliminary study assesses its ability to integrate, its ease of delamination, its ability to sustain split-skin graft in complex wounds, the degree of wound contraction, and ultimately the quality of the scar at 1 year postimplantation. Ten patients were recruited, each requiring elective free flap reconstruction. Free flap donor sites created were anterolateral thigh flaps, fibular osseocutaneous flaps, or radial/ulnar forearm (RF/UF) flaps. The BTM was implanted when the flap was detached from its donor site. Dressing changes were performed twice weekly. The time elapsed between implantation and delamination depended on the type of flap and thus the wound bed left. Once integrated, the BTMs were delaminated in theatre, and the surface of the "neodermis" was refreshed by dermabrasion, prior to application of a split-skin graft. The BTM integration occurred in all patients (100% in 6 patients, with 90%, 84%, 76%, and 60% integration in the remainder). Integrated BTM sustained successful graft-take in all patients. Complete take was marred in 2 patients, over areas of BTM that had not integrated and graft application was performed too early. The BTM can be applied into wounds in humans and can integrate, persist in the presence of infection, and sustain split-skin overgrafting, despite the trial group presenting with significant comorbidities.

A 365-day view of the difficult patients treated in an Australian adult burn center.

Although the effect of burns on mental health has been well examined, the aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of pre-existing mental health, drug and alcohol, and forensic problems in an Australian burn patient population; examine differences between these groups in terms of burns characteristics and healing; and also establish any patterns of presentation amongst these groups. Retrospective case notes of all the acute burn admissions, 273 patients, into a busy tertiary adults burn center in a full year were reviewed. Almost half of the patients admitted had underlying complex issues. Those with psychotic, forensic, and/or drug and alcohol problems tended to stay longer in hospital and required more procedures, despite burn sizes comparable with those in the general population. These patients also tended to sustain their burn injuries, and present to hospital, on a Saturday, Sunday, or Monday, rarely coming later in the week. Those with depression/anxiety had similar lengths of stay, number of procedures and random temporal presentations to the general burns population. Burn centers should be well staffed and educated in how to deal with patients with complex needs; this staffing should be actively structured to deal with a clear pattern of presentation over the weekend and Monday.

A randomized, controlled trial of negative pressure wound therapy of pressure ulcers via a novel polyurethane foam.

The objectives of the study were (1) to look for any local, clinically apparent response, within and around a debrided wound, to a novel biocompatible polyurethane foam during repeated, short-term implantation, and (2) to assess the material's efficacy as a negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) interface compared with a widely used, commercially available foam. Twenty pressure ulcers in 18 patients underwent surgical debridement, then randomization to receive novel treatment or control foam as the wound interface for NPWT. Dressing changes every 2-3 days allowed qualitative wound assessment and quantitative measurement to compare outcomes. No adverse reaction was observed in any patient receiving the new foam. The new "novel foam" performed as a NPWT interface as effectively as the control "standard foam." In deep wounds, the new foam was easier to remove, fragmented less, and showed less retention than the control foam. No marginal in-growth occurred, making removal less traumatic and reducing bleeding from cavity wall granulations. The results support previous large animal studies, and independent ISO10993 testing, that the new foam is safe and biocompatible. Its efficacy as an NPWT interface, nontraumatic removal with low fragmentation and retention rate, favors the new material, especially in deep cavity wounds.

A ten-year retrospective analysis of cement burns in a tertiary burns center.

Cement is extensively used both in the professional construction and "do-it-yourself" industries. Despite a number of small published series during the past 80 years highlighting its potential for harm, little seems to have been done to make consumers aware of its risks of causing serious burn injuries. The authors present 10 years of a tertiary adult burn center's experience with these burns, and highlight the significance of these burns on the active, working sector of society. Both professionals and part-time enthusiasts are affected, with burns of significant depth and subsequent impairment of normal functioning. The authors propose a better education system to highlight the risks and, in time, reduce the incidence of cement burns.

Biobanking of blood and bone marrow: emerging challenges for custodians of public resources.

The Australian Bone Marrow Donor Registry (ABMDR) is a publicly funded company that is part of an international network that facilitates unrelated bone marrow transplantation. This role means that the ABMDR has access to a large biospecimen repository therefore making it a highly valuable research resource. Recognising the potential value of these biospecimens for research purposes, the ABMDR is in the process of determining whether, and how, to share its biospecimens with other biobanks. While this would undoubtedly be of value to the scientific community, and ultimately to the wider community, it would also inevitably transform the role of an institution whose primary role is therapeutic, and would compromise the degree of control that a custodian has over donated material. This article describe the challenges confronting the ABMDR, and organisations like it, in balancing their duties to donors, patients, researchers and the general public. These problems have led inevitably to the use of "property" rights language in the discussion of these issues but notions of gift, ownership, trusteeship and transfer might also be considered.

Donor human leukocyte antigen specific antibodies predict development and define prognosis in transplant glomerulopathy.

The pathogenesis of transplant glomerulopathy (TG) remains unclear, with evidence of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibodies as important contributors to the disease. We studied the risk factors and the associations of HLA antibodies in the development of TG. Sixty-one cases with morphologic features of TG were identified and compared with contemporaneous matched patients (without TG) from a 17-year period, all undergoing renal biopsy in a single center. Univariate risk factors for TG were previous glomerulitis [odds ratio (OR) 3.3, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) [1.2-9.4], p = 0.025), delayed graft function (OR 2.3 [1.0-5.1], p = 0.042), HLA class I presensitization defined by Luminex solid-phase immunoassays (OR 5.0 [2.3-11.0]. p < 0.001), and de novo posttransplant development of donor HLA specific antibody (DSA) (OR 4.7 [1.7-13.2], p = 0.002). Only DSA remained significantly associated with TG after adjustment (OR 3.8 [1.1-12.9], p = 0.032). DSA was detected in >50% of TG patients, suggesting HLA antibodies play a critical role in TG pathogenesis. TG patients with DSA had increased risk of graft loss (median graft survival 4.4-5.2 years), whereas patients with morphologic features of TG without DSA had similar graft survival compared with the non-TG group (median graft survival 15 years). Thus, DSA is a useful predictor for graft failure in TG patients.

Clinical significance of anti-HLA antibodies detected by Luminex: enhancing the interpretation of CDC-BXM and important post-transplantation monitoring tools.

B-cell crossmatch (BXM) was originally introduced to increase the sensitivity to detect anti-HLA antibodies of conventional CDC crossmatch in renal transplantation. Newer techniques such as Luminex((R)) have greater sensitivity in detecting anti-HLA antibodies but have not been directly evaluated versus BXM. We discuss our experience with Luminex testing and the significance of donor-specific antibodies (DSA) defined by Luminex in three populations, as compared with the CDC crossmatch. In the general transplant population, Luminex-defined DSA were found in only one third of positive CDC-BXM and were associated with graft rejection. Luminex testing enhanced the interpretation of CDC-BXM and identified patients with clinically relevant BXM. In the highly sensitized transplant population, Luminex-defined DSA were found in two thirds of positive BXM and were a better predictor of graft rejection. Therefore, Luminex assays rather than CDC-BXM should be used to facilitate kidney allocation in highly sensitized patients. In the post-transplantation population, Luminex antibody monitoring for DSA was shown to be important, as it defined low-level de novo DSA that were associated with development of transplant glomerulopathy and a significant predictor of graft loss in those patients. Thus Luminex testing facilitated the interpretation of CDC-BXM and provided a useful predictive tool for the detection of clinically significant DSA in post-transplantation antibody monitoring.

Male to male sex is associated with a high prevalence of exposure to GB virus C.

Co-infection with GB virus C (GBV-C) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) appears to reduce mortality for HIV/AIDS. Epidemiological and demographic factors for GBV-C were examined prospectively in 167 subjects at risk for co-infection. We attempted to establish a hierarchical exposure risk for GBV-C. Overall exposure to GBV-C was 45.5%. In univariate analysis, GBV-C was associated with male to male sex (P<0.0001), HIV infection (P=0.0005) and hepatitis B infection (P=0.006). Injecting drug use approached statistical significance (P=0.08) while being a female sex worker was not associated with GBV-C exposure/infection (P=0.85). Exposure to GBV-C in 192 healthy blood donors was found to be 9.4%. In conclusion, the data suggest that male to male sex is a more effective mode of transmission of GBV-C and that GBV-C is associated with HIV co-infection. As male to male sex is also a risk factor for HIV transmission our data suggest that many may benefit from the potential protective effect GBV-C exerts on HIV-infected persons.