Establishing a framework of measurement for use in Long COVID research and practice: protocol for a scoping review involving evidence review and consultation.

Introduction: Our aim is to develop a Framework of Measurement for people living with Long COVID and their caregivers for use in Long COVID research and clinical practice. Specifically, we will characterise evidence pertaining to outcome measurement and identify implementation considerations for use of outcome measures among adults and children living with Long COVID and their caregivers.

Methods And Analysis: We will conduct a scoping study involving: (1) an evidence review and (2) a two-phased consultation, using methodological steps outlined by the Arksey and O'Malley Framework and Joanna Briggs Institute.

Iodinated Adhesive Drapes for Repeat Cardiac Implantable Device Implantation: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: One potential pathophysiological mechanism for cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) infections is pocket contamination during the implantation procedure. Preventing contamination at this stage may significantly reduce the risk of infections.

Objective: To determine whether the application of an intraoperative adhesive iodine-impregnated drape would reduce the rate of end-of-procedure pocket-swab positivity and subsequent CIED infections.

Short report: Hospitalization for new-onset heart failure in survivors of hospitalized COVID-19.

Aims: Previous studies have reported an incidence of new-onset heart failure (HF) among COVID-19 survivors ranging from 0.7 to 8.5 per 100 person-years, but they relied on administrative data for outcome ascertainment.

Infective endocarditis: it takes a team.

Infective endocarditis (IE) is a relatively rare but life-threatening systemic infection, which remains associated with high morbidity and mortality. The epidemiology of IE has shifted to involve an increasing numbers of older patients with both cardiovascular and other types of prosthetic devices, multiple comorbid conditions often requiring invasive procedures, increasingly virulent pathogens, in particular Staphylococcus aureus, or that can harbour anti-microbial resistance, and an escalation of injection drug use in many areas of the world. In parallel, advancements in diagnostic and therapeutic options have led to complex strategies in patients' management.

The Risk of Adverse Cardiac Events after Pneumonia in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease.

Pneumonia triggers an inflammatory response that can persist even after the infection is resolved. This may further increase the risk of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in individuals with known coronary artery disease (CAD), though this remains unclear. We aimed to assess the impact of pneumonia on MACE in individuals with existing CAD.

Adherent skin barrier drape use is associated with a reduced risk of cardiac implantable device infection: Results from a prospective study of 14,225 procedures.

Background: Cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) infection is a costly and highly morbid complication. Perioperative interventions, including the use of antibiotic pouches and intensified perioperative antibiotic regimens, have demonstrated marginal efficacy at reducing CIED infection. Additional research is needed to identify additional interventions to reduce infection risk.

Pneumonia-Induced Inflammation, Resolution and Cardiovascular Disease: Causes, Consequences and Clinical Opportunities.

Pneumonia is inflammation in the lungs, which is usually caused by an infection. The symptoms of pneumonia can vary from mild to life-threatening, where severe illness is often observed in vulnerable populations like children, older adults, and those with preexisting health conditions. Vaccines have greatly reduced the burden of some of the most common causes of pneumonia, and the use of antimicrobials has greatly improved the survival to this infection.

A multiple comorbidities mouse lung infection model in ‑deficient mice.

Acute pneumonia is characterised by a period of intense inflammation. Inflammation is now considered to be a key step in atherosclerosis progression. In addition, pre-existing atherosclerotic inflammation is considered to play a role in pneumonia progression and risk.

Guideline-Concordant Antibiotic Therapy for the Hospital Treatment of Community-Acquired Pneumonia and 1-Year All-Cause and Cardiovascular Mortality in Older Adult Patients Surviving to Discharge.

Background: Selection of empiric antibiotic treatment for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) that is concordant with clinical practice guidelines has been associated with improved short-term outcomes of this infection, but whether it is also associated with longer-term outcomes is unknown.

Research Question: Is guideline-concordance of the initial antibiotic treatment given to older adult patients hospitalized with CAP associated with the 1-year all-cause and cardiovascular mortality risk of those patients who survive hospitalization for this infection?

Study Design And Methods: A total of 1,909 older (> 65 years of age) patients were identified who survived hospitalization for CAP at The Ottawa Hospital (Ontario, Canada) between 2004 and 2015. Linking patients' information to hospital and provincial data sets, this study analyzed whether the selection of the initial antibiotic therapy for their CAP was concordant with current clinical practice guidelines, and whether guideline-concordance was associated with 1-year all-cause and cardiovascular mortality following their index CAP hospitalization.

High-dose cephalexin for cellulitis: a pilot randomized controlled trial.

Background: Up to 3% of all Emergency Department (ED) visits are due to skin and soft tissue infections such as non-purulent cellulitis. The current treatment failure rate is approximately 20%. Evidence is lacking regarding the optimal outpatient management of cellulitis.

Enhancing COVID Rehabilitation with Technology (ECORT): protocol for an open-label, single-site randomized controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of electronic case management for individuals with persistent COVID-19 symptoms.

Background: As of May 2022, Ontario has seen more than 1.3 million cases of COVID-19. While the majority of individuals will recover from infection within 4 weeks, a significant subset experience persistent and often debilitating symptoms, known as "post-COVID syndrome" or "Long COVID.

Cardiorespiratory physiology, exertional symptoms, and psychological burden in post-COVID-19 fatigue.

Fatigue is a common, debilitating, and poorly understood symptom post-COVID-19. We sought to better characterize differences in those with and without post-COVID-19 fatigue using cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Despite elevated dyspnoea intensity ratings, V̇Opeak (ml/kg/min) was the only significant difference in the physiological responses to exercise (19.

A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Control Feasibility Trial of Immunoglobulin Treatment for Prevention of Recurrent Acute Exacerbations of COPD.

Background: Observational studies suggest that immunoglobulin treatment may reduce the frequency of acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD).

Objective: To inform the design of a future randomised control trial (RCT) of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) treatment efficacy for AECOPD prevention.

Methods: A pilot RCT was conducted.

Anti-inflammatory effect of rosuvastatin in patients with HIV infection: An FDG-PET pilot study.

Aims: This study aimed to evaluate markers of systemic as well as imaging markers of inflammation in the ascending aorta, bone marrow, and spleen measured by 18F-FDG PET/CT, in HIV+ patients at baseline and following therapy with rosuvastatin.

Methods And Results: Of the 35 HIV+ patients enrolled, 17 were randomized to treatment with 10 mg/day rosuvastatin and 18 to usual care for 6 months. An HIV- control cohort was selected for baseline comparison of serum inflammatory markers and monocyte markers of inflammation.

Risk Factors for Surgical Site Infection After Lower Limb Revascularization Surgery in Adults With Peripheral Artery Disease: Protocol for a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Background: Surgical site infections (SSIs) are common, costly, and associated with increased morbidity and potential mortality after lower limb revascularization surgery (ie, arterial bypass, endarterectomy, and patch angioplasty). Identifying evidence-informed risk factors for SSI in patients undergoing these surgeries is therefore important.

Objective: The aim of this study is to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of prognostic studies to identify, synthesize, and determine the certainty in the cumulative evidence associated with reported risk factors for early and delayed SSI after lower limb revascularization surgery in adults with peripheral artery disease.

Structure, processes, and initial outcomes of The Ottawa Hospital Multi-Specialist Limb-Preservation Clinic and Programme: A unique-in-Canada quality improvement initiative.

In 2017, The Ottawa Hospital initiated a unique-in-Canada quality improvement initiative by opening a novel, multi-specialist limb-preservation clinic. We sought to describe the structure, processes, and initial outcomes of the clinic and evaluate whether it is achieving its mandate of providing high-quality wound clinical care, education, and research. We conducted a descriptive prospective cohort study alongside a nested study of 162 clinic patients requiring serial assessments.