IntroductionThe aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of gastrointestinal and behavioural symptoms occurring before (anticipatory/associative) and after methotrexate (MTX) administration, termed MTX intolerance, in rheumatoid (RA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA).MethodsMethotrexate Intolerance Severity Score (MISS), previously validated in juvenile idiopathic arthritis patients, was used to determine MTX intolerance prevalence in 291 RA/PsA patients. The MISS consisted of four domains: abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and behavioural symptoms, occurring upon, prior to (anticipatory) and when thinking of MTX (associative). MTX intolerance was defined as ≥6 on the MISS with ≥1 point on anticipatory and/or associative and/or behavioural items.ResultsA total of 123 patients (42.3%) experienced at least one gastrointestinal adverse effect. The prevalence of MTX intolerance was 11%. MTX intolerance prevalence was higher in patients on parenteral (20.6%) than on oral MTX (6.2%) (p < 0.001).ConclusionBesides well-known gastrointestinal symptoms after MTX, RA and PsA patients experienced these symptoms also before MTX intake. RA and PsA patients on MTX should be closely monitored with the MISS for early detection of MTX intolerance, in order to intervene timely and avoid discontinuation of an effective treatment.

Adequate presurgical cortisol suppression treatment with ketoconazole or metyrapone in Cushing's disease seems to be associated with suppressed postoperative cortisol concentrations and an increased long-term remission rate.

The respiratory system reacts instantaneously to intrinsic and extrinsic inputs. This adaptability results in significant fluctuations in breathing parameters, such as respiratory rate, tidal volume, and inspiratory flow profiles. Breathing variability is influenced by several conditions, including sleep, various pulmonary diseases, hypoxia, and anxiety disorders. Recent studies have suggested that weaning failure during mechanical ventilation may be predicted by low respiratory variability. This review describes methods for quantifying breathing variability, summarises the conditions and comorbidities that affect breathing variability, and discusses the potential implications of breathing variability for anaesthesia and intensive care.

BACKGROUND: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is increasingly used in patients with severe cardiorespiratory collapse. Although prior large database reviews of ECMO use in the peripartum population exist, they do not stratify by ECMO indication nor do they include obstetric conditions such as preeclampsia. Our objective was to characterize the incidence, indication-associated mortality, and factors associated with mortality in pregnant patients who underwent ECMO. METHODS: We examined the United States National Inpatient Sample database to identify hospitalizations for pregnancy from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2016. We identified pregnant patients who underwent ECMO using International Classification of Diseases ninth and tenth revisions codes. The primary outcome was in-hospital all-cause mortality across pregnant patients who underwent ECMO for any indication. We evaluated the indication for ECMO, incidence, prevalence of risk factors, comorbidities and conditions, and their association with in-hospital mortality.