The Clinical Value of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Nasal Screening in the Management of Diabetic Foot Infections.

Nasal carriage of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) remains an important risk factor for diabetic foot infections (DFIs). We explored herein the clinical value of MRSA-nasal screening in the management of DFIs. In this retrospective case-control study, patients admitted with a DFI between 1/1/2014-6/30/2020 were studied and divided into cases (positive MRSA-nasal screening) and controls (negative MRSA-nasal). We included 171 patients (22 cases and 149 controls). MRSA nasal screening had a negative predictive value (NPV) of 86%. Compared to controls, cases were treated with intravenous vancomycin for a longer duration: (median [IQR], 5[3,11] vs 2[2,6]) days, P = .037). In multivariate analysis, a negative MRSA nasal screening was associated with a 74% decreased risk of AKI (OR = 0.26, 95% CI = 0.07-0.89). MRSA nasal screening in patients admitted with DFI has a high NPV. Obtained early, it can shorten the duration of intravenous vancomycin, consequently preventing AKI.

Gender-related Disparities of Percutaneous Coronary Interventions in ST-elevation Myocardial Infarction: A Retrospective Chart Review of 500 Patients.

Door-to-balloon (DTB) time of primary percutaneous coronary intervention in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is a predictive indicator of outcomes and mortality. Traditional gender-related differences that existed in the provision of DTB in STEMI had been allegedly improving until recent controversial data showed re-emergence of longer DTB in females. The objective of our study was to compare circadian disparities in percutaneous coronary intervention for STEMI according to gender in our institution. We compared DTB and symptom-to-balloon (STB) as well as mortality outcomes in a registry of 514 patients. We studied 117 females and 397 males. Baseline characteristics and cardiovascular risk factors were similar among both populations. Men used more self-transportation (51% vs. 38%) compared with women. Both had similar DTB median times: males, 63 (47-79) min; and females, 61 (44-76) min. In addition, STB median times were also similar: males, 155 (116-264) min; and females, 165 (115-261) min. Mortality outcomes at 1 month were comparable at 3% in males versus 0.9% in females (P = 0.164). In a review of a tertiary care center in New York, we observed no gender differences in DTB and STB, endorsing the role of emergency medical service transportation in eliminating disparities.

Extremely Late In-Stent Thrombosis 12 Years After Implantation of a Drug-Eluting Stent.

Stent thrombosis is one of the most feared complications of percutaneous coronary intervention. Most commonly it occurs within the first few days after the deployment of the stent. Once the stent is completely endothelialized, this complication becomes extremely rare. Few cases of very late stent thrombosis were reported in the literature with the longest interval being around 11 years after the initial intervention. We report here the case of a 78-year-old male patient who presented with acute onset chest pain found to have acute inferior ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction due to thrombotic occlusion of a prior paclitaxel drug-eluting stent placed 12 years prior. This is, to our knowledge, the first case of stent thrombosis occurring after this long duration since stent implantation.

Incidence and Risk Factors for Atrial Fibrillation Recurrence after Ablation of Nodal and Atrioventricular Reentrant Tachycardia: A Meta-analysis.

Introduction Atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT) and atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia (AVRT) are frequently associated with atrial fibrillation (AF). Targeting the slow or accessory pathways has been advocated as therapy for coexisting AF. But in practice, AF has frequently recurred after ablation, possibly because of various risk factors. The objective of this study is to investigate these risk factors and check for their significance in AF recurrence. Materials and methods A systematic review of Medline, Cochrane, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases was conducted. Articles that studied AF recurrence after either AVNRT or AVRT ablation were reviewed. Publication bias was adequately assessed, and the random method was applied for all dichotomous values. Finally, the odds ratio (OR) and confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for each risk factor. Results Four studies were included, with a total of 1,308 participants. Only 218 participants had dual tachycardia (AF with either AVNRT or AVRT). The mean follow-up time was 29 +/- 3.3 months. The mean age was 56 +/- 15 years. Age constituted the only significant risk factor for AF recurrence (OR: 3.4, CI: 2.1-5.3, p<0.001). Atrial vulnerability did not significantly correlate with a higher risk of AF recurrence (OR: 4.8, CI: 0.7-29, p<0.008). Again, neither male gender (OR: 1.5, CI: 0.8-2.8, p<0.16) nor left atrial diameter (OR: 1.5, CI: 0.2-10, p<0.67) were significant risk factors for recurrence of AF. Conclusion Older age was the only significant predictor of AF recurrence after ablation of AVNRT or AVRT. Further studies are needed to determine the age cut-off at which concomitant pulmonary vein isolation would be beneficial in patients undergoing ablation of AVNRT/AVRT.

A Case of Plasmodium falciparum Malaria with a Prolonged Incubation Period of Four Years.

With increased global travel, unique diseases from different parts of the world pose a new category of differential diagnosis, and an incubation period of different infectious diseases helps narrow differential diagnosis to point to one specific etiology. The normal incubation period of Plasmodium falciparum malariais 7-40 days. We report a case of symptomatic P. falciparum malaria that manifested four years after a visit to a malaria-endemic area in a 51-year-old female patient. Our case illustrates the importance of a broad differential with regard to infectious disease including remote travel history and raises questions of the survival of P. falciparum for four years despite the administration of traditional chemoprophylactic agents.

Feasibility and Efficacy of High-Dose Chemotherapy and Autologous Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for HIV-Associated Lymphoma: A Single-Institution Experience.

BACKGROUND: HIV-associated lymphomas (HAL) remain an important cause of morbidity and mortality in HIV patients, especially in the setting of treatment-refractory disease. Hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is considered a curative option for patients with refractory HAL. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We report the efficacy of autologous HCT in 20 patients with HAL [non-Hodgkin lymphoma = 14 (70%), Hodgkin lymphoma = 6 (30%)]. At the time of transplantation, the median peripheral blood CD4+ count was 226 cells/µL. HIV virus load was undetectable in 14 (70%) of 20 patients. RESULTS: The median follow-up of surviving patients was 47 months (range, 20-119 months). The median time to neutrophil engraftment was 11 days. The median progression-free survival and median overall survival have not been reached. At 4 years after transplantation, progression-free survival and overall survival were 65% and 70%, respectively. Six patients died from disease relapse or progression (n = 5) and infection (n = 1). Nonrelapse mortality was 0 and 5% at 100 days and 4 years after transplantation, respectively. CONCLUSION: Autologous HCT is an effective therapy for refractory/relapsed HAL with manageable toxicity, similar to non-HIV patients.

Using prognostic models in CLL to personalize approach to clinical care: Are we there yet?

Four decades ago, two staging systems were developed to help stratify CLL into different prognostic categories. These systems, the Rai and the Binet staging, depended entirely on abnormal exam findings and evidence of anemia and thrombocytopenia. Better understanding of biologic, genetic, and molecular characteristics of CLL have contributed to better appreciating its clinical heterogeneity. New prognostic models, the GCLLSG prognostic index and the CLL-IPI, emerged. They incorporate biologic and genetic information related to CLL and are capable of predicting survival outcomes and cases anticipated to need therapy earlier in the disease course. Accordingly, these newer models are helping develop better informed surveillance strategies and ultimately tailor treatment intensity according to presence (or lack thereof) of certain prognostic markers. This represents a step towards personalizing care of CLL patients. We anticipate that as more prognostic factors continue to be identified, the GCLLSG prognostic index and CLL-IPI models will undergo further revisions.