Background Perioperative cardiac arrest is a rare complication with an incidence of around 1 in 1400 cases, but it carries a high burden of mortality reaching up to 70% at 30 days. Despite its specificities, guidelines for treatment of perioperative cardiac arrest are lacking. Gathering the available literature may improve quality of care and outcome of patients. Methods The PERIOPCA Task Force identified major clinical questions about the management of perioperative cardiac arrest and framed them into the therapy population [P], intervention [I], comparator [C], and outcome [O] (PICO) format. Systematic searches of PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library for articles published until September 2020 were performed. Consensus-based treatment recommendations were created using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system. The strength of consensus among the Task Force members about the recommendations was assessed through a modified Delphi consensus process. Results Twenty-two PICO questions were addressed, and the recommendations were validated in two Delphi rounds. A summary of evidence for each outcome is reported and accompanied by an overall assessment of the evidence to guide healthcare providers. Conclusions The main limitations of our work lie in the scarcity of good quality evidence on this topic. Still, these recommendations provide a basis for decision making, as well as a guide for future research on perioperative cardiac arrest.

Infections due to drug-resistant (DR) bacteria are increasingly recognized as an emerging problem worldwide. Asymptomatically colonized patients may contribute to the reservoir in the hospital setting, causing both horizontal transmission and endogenous infections. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of intestinal colonization with DR bacteria on subsequent clinical infection development and prognosis in patients with decompensated cirrhosis. One hundred seven patients without infection at baseline were screened and prospectively followed-up for 3 months. Among the patients screened, DR bacteria were isolated in 47 (43.9%), 14 colonized with multidrug- (MDR) and 33 with extensively drug (XDR)-resistant bacteria or a mixture of MDR/XDR bacteria. Severity of liver disease and demographic characteristics were similar among groups. The 20 (42.6%) with DR vs 14 (23.3%) without had hepatic encephalopathy and/or spontaneous bacterial peritonitis episodes over the past 6 months (p = 0.034). One third of both DR and non-DR groups developed infection during follow-up but in only 7 and 5, respectively, the infection was microbiologically documented. In a 3-month-follow-up period, mortality was higher in patients colonized with XDR compared to those without (log rank p = 0.027). In multivariate analysis, colonization with XDR bacteria [HR = 1.074, (CI:1.024-1.126), p = 0.003] and MELD score [HR = 2.579 (1.109-5.996), p = 0.028] were independently associated with low survival. Asymptomatic GI colonization with DR bacteria is a risk factor for increased mortality in decompensated cirrhosis. Frequent hospitalizations for complications of the underlying disease and selective pressure induced by the use of antimicrobials are probably the main determinants.

Malignant myoepithelioma of the breast is an extremely rare tumor composed entirely or almost entirely of malignant spindle cells with myoepithelial differentiation. Only a limited number of case reports have been descibed to date; therefore the biological behavior and treatment outcomes of this rare tumor have not been clearly determined. Herein, we present a case of a 74-year-old woman who was admitted with inflammatory-like cancer of the breast, presenting with invasion of the chest wall and axillary lymph node metastasis at the time of diagnosis. The histological examination revealed a tumor composed of epithelioid and spindle cells with moderate to marked nuclear atypia, with foci of hemorrhage and necrosis. The tumor cells were immunoreactive for vimentin, p63, p53, CD10, cytokeratin (CK)8/18, CKAE1-3 and S-100. Finally, a diagnosis of myoepithelial carcinoma of the breast was established. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was first administered and proved to be ineffective. Due to locoregional progression that was associated with the development of an abscess and subsequent excessive bleeding, a palliative mastectomy was performed. Postoperatively, one more cycle of systemic chemotherapy was administered. However, the patient experienced an early relapse to the chest wall and succumbed to septic shock due to persistent local infection. The aggressiveness and chemoresistance of the tumor in this case was consistent with the existing bibliography.

Background/Objectives:In patients with liver cirrhosis (LC), sarcopenia is correlated with frequent complications and increased mortality. Myostatin-a myokine-is a potential biomarker of skeletal mass and/or sarcopenia. The aim of this study was to examine the association between myostatin and muscle-mass and evaluate myostatin as a biomarker of sarcopenia in LC. Methods: Skeletal-muscle-index (SMI) and myosteatosis were evaluated by computed tomography scan. Muscle quantity and quality along with muscle strength and function were used to diagnose sarcopenia. Serum myostatin was measured by ELISA. Results:115 consecutive patients with LC [72.2% male, median age 59-years (IQR 52-67), MELD 12 (8-16), 28.7% with compensated LC] were included. Low SMI was diagnosed in 49.6% and sarcopenia in 34.8% (21.7% severe). Myostatin levels were lower in low (p<0.001) compared to normal SMI patients and were strongly correlated with SMI in MELD score≥15 (r=0.571, p<0.001). Myostatin was also lower in patients with sarcopenia compared to those without (p<0.001) and even lower in severe sarcopenia (p<0.001). In multivariate analysis, myostatin, age and albumin remained significant predictors of low SMI after adjustment for sex, MELD and creatine phosphokinase(CPK). Similarly, myostatin and age predicted sarcopenia after adjustment for sex, MELD, CPK and albumin. The ratios log10myostatin-to-CPK or albumin-to-myostatin were found to have acceptable diagnostic accuracy in ruling out sarcopenia in total patients. However, the best diagnostic performance was shown in MELD≥15 (AUROC 0.829 or 0.801, respectively). Conclusions:Myostatin is independently associated with both skeletal muscle mass and sarcopenia. Myostatin in combination with CPK or albumin are good surrogate markers in excluding sarcopenia.

Background/Aims: Myosteatosis implies impaired muscle quality. The aim of the study was to investigate the association of myosteatosis with other muscle abnormalities and its role in the prognosis of liver cirrhosis (LC). Method: Skeletal muscle index (SMI) and myosteatosis were measured by computed tomography. Myosteatosis was defined as muscle radiodensity and evaluated according to dry body mass index (BMI). Median values and interquartile range were used for continuous and count (percentage) for categorical variables. Results: A total of 197 consecutive patients were included (age 61 (IQR 52–68); 67% male; MELD score 11 (interquartile range 7.5–16)). Myosteatosis was identified in 73.6% and sarcopenia in 44.6% of patients. Myosteatosis was positively associated with age (p = 0.024) and Child–Pugh (p = 0.017) and inversely associated with SMI (p = 0.026). Patients with myosteatosis exhibited lower 360-day survival (log-rank p = 0.001) compared to those without it. MELD (p < 0.001) and myosteatosis (p = 0.048) emerged as negative prognostic factors of survival in multivariate model. Individuals combining low muscle strength and impaired muscle quality and quantity displayed more advanced LC, impaired muscle performance, lower BMI (p < 0.001 each) and a three times higher mortality rate compared to those with low muscle quality alone. Conclusions: The presence of myosteatosis was associated with advanced age, low skeletal mass and more severe LC. Myosteatosis was associated with poor prognosis and may represent a prodromal phase of muscle degeneration before the development of sarcopenia.