BackgroundTreatment monitoring is subjective and disease relapse is common in cats with histoplasmosis. The Histoplasma antigen enzyme immunoassay (EIA) is a noninvasive test used for determining disease remission and detecting disease relapse in humans with histoplasmosis. The utility of the antigen EIA for these purposes in cats remains unknown.Hypothesis/ObjectivesThose Histoplasma antigen concentrations in urine and serum would decline with antifungal treatment and that antigen elimination would be an indicator of clinical remission in cats with histoplasmosis treated with antifungal treatment.AnimalsFifteen client‐owned cats with histoplasmosis.MethodsMasked observational study. Cats were monitored monthly during antifungal treatment. Time of clinical remission and serum and urine antigen elimination were determined for each cat.ResultsTwelve of 15 cats achieved clinical remission. At the time of diagnosis, antigen was detectable in urine in 14/15 (93%) cats and in serum in 11/15 (73%) cats. Both serum (P < .0005) and urine (P < .0001) antigen concentrations significantly decreased over time with effective treatment. Antigen elimination was sensitive [urine, 90.0% (95% CI 72.3–97.4%); serum, 90.4% (68.2–98.3%)] but less specific [urine, 64.6% (51.7–75.8%); serum, 52.1% (37.4–66.5%)] for disease remission. Urine antigen was positive in both cats and serum antigen was positive in 1 cat at the time of disease relapse.Conclusions and Clinical ImportanceMeasurement of Histoplasma antigen in urine and serum might be useful tests for determining disease remission and relapse in cats with histoplasmosis. Further research is needed to investigate the importance of low‐level antigenemia and antigenuria.

BACKGROUND: Intraoperative methadone, a long-acting opioid, is increasingly used for postoperative analgesia, although the optimal methadone dosing strategy in children is still unknown. The use of a single large dose of intraoperative methadone is controversial due to inconsistent reductions in total opioid use in children and adverse effects. We recently demonstrated that small, repeated doses of methadone intraoperatively and postoperatively provided sustained analgesia and reduced opioid use without respiratory depression. The aim of this study was to characterize pharmacokinetics, efficacy, and safety of a multiple small-dose methadone strategy. METHODS: Adolescents undergoing posterior spinal fusion (PSF) for idiopathic scoliosis or pectus excavatum (PE) repair received methadone intraoperatively (0.1 mg/kg, maximum 5 mg) and postoperatively every 12 hours for 3–5 doses in a multimodal analgesic protocol. Blood samples were collected up to 72 hours postoperatively and analyzed for R-methadone and S-methadone, 2-ethylidene-1,5-dimethyl-3,3-diphenylpyrrolidene (EDDP) metabolites, and alpha-1 acid glycoprotein (AAG), the primary methadone-binding protein. Peak and trough concentrations of enantiomers, total methadone, and AAG levels were correlated with clinical outcomes including pain scores, postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), respiratory depression, and QT interval prolongation. RESULTS: The study population included 38 children (10.8–17.9 years): 25 PSF and 13 PE patients. Median total methadone peak plasma concentration was 24.7 (interquartile range [IQR], 19.2–40.8) ng/mL and the median trough was 4.09 (IQR, 2.74–6.4) ng/mL. AAG concentration almost doubled at 48 hours after surgery (median = 193.9, IQR = 86.3–279.5 µg/mL) from intraoperative levels (median = 87.4, IQR = 70.6–115.8 µg/mL; P < .001), and change of AAG from intraoperative period to 48 hours postoperatively correlated with R-EDDP (P < .001) levels, S-EDDP (P < .001) levels, and pain scores (P = .008). Median opioid usage was minimal, 0.66 (IQR, 0.59–0.75) mg/kg morphine equivalents/d. No respiratory depression (95% Wilson binomial confidence, 0–0.09) or clinically significant QT prolongation (median = 9, IQR = −10 to 28 milliseconds) occurred. PONV occurred in 12 patients and was correlated with morphine equivalent dose (P = .005). CONCLUSIONS: Novel multiple small perioperative methadone doses resulted in safe and lower blood methadone levels, <100 ng/mL, a threshold previously associated with respiratory depression. This methadone dosing in a multimodal regimen resulted in lower blood methadone analgesia concentrations than the historically described minimum analgesic concentrations of methadone from an era before multimodal postoperative analgesia without postoperative respiratory depression and prolonged corrected QT (QTc). Larger studies are needed to further study the safety and efficacy of this methadone dosing strategy.

Background: Meditation is gaining recognition as a tool to impact health and well-being. Samyama is an 8-day intensive residential meditation experience conducted by Isha Foundation requiring several months of extensive preparation and vegan diet. The health effects of Samyama have not been previously studied. The objective was to assess physical and emotional well-being before and after Samyama participation by evaluating psychological surveys and objective health biomarkers.Methods: This was an observational study of 632 adults before and after the Isha Samyama retreat. All participants were invited to complete surveys. Controls included household significant others. Surveys were completed at baseline (T1), just before Samyama (T2), immediately after Samyama (T3), and 3 months later (T4) to assess anxiety, depression, mindfulness, joy, vitality, and resilience through validated psychometric scales. Voluntary blood sampling for biomarker analysis was done to assess hemoglobin (Hb), HbA1c, lipid profile, and C-reactive protein (CRP). Primary outcomes were changes in psychometric scores, body weight, and blood biomarkers.Results: Depression and anxiety scores decreased from T1 to T3, with the effect most pronounced in participants with baseline depression or anxiety. Scores at T4 remained below baseline for those with pre-existing depression or anxiety. Vitality, resilience, joy, and mindfulness increased from T1 to T3 (sustained at T4). Body weight decreased by 3% from T1 to T3. Triglycerides (TG) were lower from T2 to T3. Participants had lower HbA1c and HDL at T2, and lower CRP at all timepoints compared with controls.Conclusions: Participation in the Isha Samyama program led to multiple benefits. The 2-month preparation reduced anxiety, and participants maintained lower anxiety levels at 3 months post-retreat. Physical health improved over the course of the program as evidenced by weight loss and improved HbA1C and lipid profile. Practices associated with the Samyama preparation phase and the retreat may serve as an effective way to improve physical and mental health. Future studies may examine their use as an alternative therapy in patients with depression and/or anxiety.Clinical Trial Registration:www.ClinicalTrials.gov, Identifier: 1801728792. Registered retrospectively on 4/17/2020.

Background. Anxiety and depression are common in the modern world, and there is growing demand for alternative therapies such as meditation. Meditation can decrease perceived stress and increase general well-being, although the physiological mechanism is not well-characterized. Endocannabinoids (eCBs), lipid mediators associated with enhanced mood and reduced anxiety/depression, have not been previously studied as biomarkers of meditation effects. Our aim was to assess biomarkers (eCBs and brain-derived neurotrophic factor [BDNF]) and psychological parameters after a meditation retreat. Methods. This was an observational pilot study of adults before and after the 4-day Isha Yoga Bhava Spandana Program retreat. Participants completed online surveys (before and after retreat, and 1 month later) to assess anxiety, depression, focus, well-being, and happiness through validated psychological scales. Voluntary blood sampling for biomarker studies was done before and within a day after the retreat. The biomarkers anandamide, 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), 1-arachidonoylglycerol (1-AG), docosatetraenoylethanolamide (DEA), oleoylethanolamide (OLA), and BDNF were evaluated. Primary outcomes were changes in psychological scales, as well as changes in eCBs and BDNF. Results. Depression and anxiety scores decreased while focus, happiness, and positive well-being scores increased immediately after retreat from their baseline values (P<0.001). All improvements were sustained 1 month after BSP. All major eCBs including anandamide, 2-AG, 1-AG, DEA, and BDNF increased after meditation by > 70% (P<0.001). Increases of ≥20% in anandamide, 2-AG, 1-AG, and total AG levels after meditation from the baseline had weak correlations with changes in happiness and well-being. Conclusions. A short meditation experience improved focus, happiness, and positive well-being and reduced depression and anxiety in participants for at least 1 month. Participants had increased blood eCBs and BDNF, suggesting a role for these biomarkers in the underlying mechanism of meditation. Meditation is a simple, organic, and effective way to improve well-being and reduce depression and anxiety.

The triazole antifungal itraconazole may be cost prohibitive in brand name form; therefore, compounded and generic products are often used as alternatives. Itraconazole blood concentrations have not been studied in clinical patients receiving these formulations. Itraconazole bioassay was performed on serum/plasma from 95 dogs and 20 cats receiving itraconazole (compounded from bulk powder, generic pelletized, or brand name) for systemic mycosis treatment. Mean itraconazole concentration was lower in the compounded group (n = 42) as compared with the generic (n = 40) or brand name (n = 33) groups (0.5 µg/mL versus 8.3 µg/mL and 6.5 µg/mL, respectively; P < .001). No statistical difference was observed between itraconazole concentrations in the generic and brand name groups. Forty animals (95.2%) in the compounded group had subtherapeutic (<1.0 µg/mL) values. All cats in this group (n = 10) had undetectable itraconazole concentrations. Some animals in the generic and brand name groups had subtherapeutic values (12.5 and 12.1%, respectively) or potentially toxic values (>10 µg/mL; 37.5 and 24%, respectively). Compounded itraconazole should be avoided, but generic itraconazole appears to serve as a reasonable alternative to brand name itraconazole. Therapeutic drug monitoring may be beneficial in all cases.