Institutes
Refine
Year of publication
- 2020 (245) (remove)
Document Type
- Article (196)
- Preprint (39)
- Doctoral Thesis (10)
Language
- English (245) (remove)
Has Fulltext
- yes (245)
Is part of the Bibliography
- no (245)
Keywords
- COVID-19 (9)
- SARS-CoV-2 (5)
- bladder cancer (4)
- Aortic stenosis (3)
- Hypoxia (3)
- Inflammation (3)
- Macrophages (3)
- Mortality (3)
- Peri-implantitis (3)
- Postural control (3)
Institute
- Medizin (245)
- Biowissenschaften (3)
- Ernst Strüngmann Institut (3)
- Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies (FIAS) (3)
- MPI für Hirnforschung (3)
- Psychologie (2)
- Biochemie und Chemie (1)
- Biochemie, Chemie und Pharmazie (1)
- Buchmann Institut für Molekulare Lebenswissenschaften (BMLS) (1)
- Informatik und Mathematik (1)
Oral swabs, sputum and blood samples from 18 patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection were examined using real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing. Whereas oral swabs or sputum from the lower respiratory tract were tested RT-PCR positive in all patients, RNAemia was neither detected in 3 patients without symptoms nor in 14 patients with flu-like symptoms, fever or pneumonia. The only patient with RNAemia suffered from acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and was artificially ventilated in an intensive care unit. Risk for SARS-CoV-2 transmission through blood components in asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals therefore seems negligible but further studies are needed.
SARS-CoV-2 and stroke characteristics: a report from the Multinational COVID-19 Stroke Study Group
(2020)
Background: Stroke is reported as a consequence of SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, there is a lack of regarding comprehensive stroke phenotype and characteristics
Methods: We conducted a multinational observational study on features of consecutive acute ischemic stroke (AIS), intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), and cerebral venous or sinus thrombosis (CVST) among SARS-CoV-2 infected patients. We further investigated the association of demographics, clinical data, geographical regions, and countries’ health expenditure among AIS patients with the risk of large vessel occlusion (LVO), stroke severity as measured by National Institute of Health stroke scale (NIHSS), and stroke subtype as measured by the TOAST criteria. Additionally, we applied unsupervised machine learning algorithms to uncover possible similarities among stroke patients.
Results: Among the 136 tertiary centers of 32 countries who participated in this study, 71 centers from 17 countries had at least one eligible stroke patient. Out of 432 patients included, 323(74.8%) had AIS, 91(21.1%) ICH, and 18(4.2%) CVST. Among 23 patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage, 16(69.5%) had no evidence of aneurysm. A total of 183(42.4%) patients were women, 104(24.1%) patients were younger than 55 years, and 105(24.4%) patients had no identifiable vascular risk factors. Among 380 patients who had known interval onset of the SARS-CoV-2 and stroke, 144(37.8%) presented to the hospital with chief complaints of stroke-related symptoms, with asymptomatic or undiagnosed SARS-CoV-2 infection. Among AIS patients 44.5% had LVO; 10% had small artery occlusion according to the TOAST criteria. We observed a lower median NIHSS (8[3-17], versus 11 [5-17]; p=0.02) and higher rate of mechanical thrombectomy (12.4% versus 2%; p<0.001) in countries with middle to high-health expenditure when compared to countries with lower health expenditure. The unsupervised machine learning identified 4 subgroups, with a relatively large group with no or limited comorbidities.
Conclusions: We observed a relatively high number of young, and asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections among stroke patients. Traditional vascular risk factors were absent among a relatively large cohort of patients. Among hospitalized patients, the stroke severity was lower and rate of mechanical thrombectomy was higher among countries with middle to high-health expenditure.
SARS-CoV-2 is a novel coronavirus currently causing a pandemic. We show that the majority of amino acid positions, which differ between SARS-CoV-2 and the closely related SARS-CoV, are differentially conserved suggesting differences in biological behaviour. In agreement, novel cell culture models revealed differences between the tropism of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV. Moreover, cellular ACE2 (SARS-CoV-2 receptor) and TMPRSS2 (enables virus entry via S protein cleavage) levels did not reliably indicate cell susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2. SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV further differed in their drug sensitivity profiles. Thus, only drug testing using SARS-CoV-2 reliably identifies therapy candidates. Therapeutic concentrations of the approved protease inhibitor aprotinin displayed anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity. The efficacy of aprotinin and of remdesivir (currently under clinical investigation against SARS-CoV-2) were further enhanced by therapeutic concentrations of the proton pump inhibitor omeprazole (aprotinin 2.7-fold, remdesivir 10-fold). Hence, our study has also identified anti-SARS-CoV-2 therapy candidates that can be readily tested in patients.
Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) signaling influences numerous cell biological mechanisms such as differentiation, proliferation, survival, migration, and angiogenesis. Intriguingly, our current knowledge is based solely on the role of S1P with an 18-carbon long-chain base length, S1P d18:1. Depending on the composition of the first and rate-limiting enzyme of the sphingolipid de novo metabolism, the serine palmitoyltransferase, other chain lengths have been described in vivo. While cells are also able to produce S1P d20:1, its abundance and function remains elusive so far. Our experiments are highlighting the role of S1P d20:1 in the mouse central nervous system (CNS) and human glioblastoma. We show here that S1P d20:1 and its precursors are detectable in both healthy mouse CNS-tissue and human glioblastoma. On the functional level, we focused our work on one particular, well-characterized pathway, the induction of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 expression via the S1P receptor 2 (S1P2). Intriguingly, S1P d20:1 only fairly induces COX-2 expression and can block the S1P d18:1-induced COX-2 expression mediated via S1P2 activation in the human glioblastoma cell line LN229. This data indicates that S1P d20:1 might act as an endogenous modulator of S1P signaling via a partial agonism at the S1P2 receptor. While our findings might stimulate further research on the relevance of long-chain base lengths in sphingolipid signaling, the metabolism of S1P d20:1 has to be considered as an integral part of S1P signaling pathways in vivo.
Objective: To evaluate the incidence and risk factors of generalized convulsive seizure (GCS)-related fractures and injuries during video-EEG monitoring.
Methods: We analyzed all GCSs in patients undergoing video-EEG-monitoring between 2007 and 2019 at epilepsy centers in Frankfurt and Marburg in relation to injuries, falls and accidents associated with GCSs. Data were gathered using video material, EEG material, and a standardized reporting form.
Results: A total of 626 GCSs from 411 patients (mean age: 33.6 years; range 3–74 years; 45.0% female) were analyzed. Severe adverse events (SAEs) such as fractures, joint luxation, corneal erosion, and teeth loosening were observed in 13 patients resulting in a risk of 2.1% per GCS (95% CI 1.2–3.4%) and 3.2% per patient (95% CI 1.8–5.2%). Except for a nasal fracture due to a fall onto the face, no SAEs were caused by falls, and all occurred in patients lying in bed without evidence of external trauma. In seven patients, vertebral body compression fractures were confirmed by imaging. This resulted in a risk of 1.1% per GCS (95% CI 0.5–2.2%) and 1.7% per patient (95% CI 0.8–3.3%). These fractures occurred within the tonic phase of a GCS and were accompanied by a characteristic cracking noise. All affected patients reported back pain spontaneously, and an increase in pain on percussion of the affected spine section.
Conclusions: GCSs are associated with a substantial risk of fractures and shoulder dislocations that are not associated with falls. GCSs accompanied by audible cracking, and resulting in back pain, should prompt clinical and imaging evaluations.
There is limited knowledge on the prevalence and risk factors of diabetic retinopathy (DR) in dialysis patients. We have investigated the association between diabetes mellitus and lipid-related biomarkers and retinopathy in hemodialysis patients. We reviewed 1,255 hemodialysis patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) who participated in the German Diabetes and Dialysis Study (4D Study). Associations between categorical clinical, biochemical variables and diabetic retinopathy were examined by logistic regression. On average, patients were 66 ± 8 years of age, 54% were male and the HbA1c was 6.7% ± 1.3%. DR, found in 71% of the patients, was significantly and positively associated with fasting glucose, HbA1c, time on dialysis, age, systolic blood pressure, body mass index and the prevalence of other microvascular diseases (e.g. neuropathy). Unexpectedly, DR was associated with high HDL cholesterol and high apolipoproteins AI and AII. Patients with coronary artery disease were less likely to have DR. DR was not associated with gender, smoking, diastolic blood pressure, VLDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL cholesterol. In summary, the prevalence of DR in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus requiring hemodialysis is higher than in patients suffering from T2DM, who do not receive hemodialysis. DR was positively related to systolic blood pressure (BP), glucometabolic control, and, paradoxically, HDL cholesterol. This data suggests that glucose and blood pressure control may delay the development of DR in patients with diabetes mellitus on dialysis.
Background: The high-oblique sagittal osteotomy (HOSO) is an alternative to a bilateral sagittal split osteotomy (BSSO). Due to its novelty, there are no long-term studies which have focused on describing the incidence and type of complications encountered in the post-operative follow-up. The aim of this retrospective study is to analyze patients operated on with this surgical technique and the post-operative complications encountered. Patient and methods: The electronic medical records of all patients treated with orthognathic surgery at the Department of Oral, Maxillofacial and Facial Plastic Surgery, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany, between the years 2009 and 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. Results: A total of 116 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The cases operated on with the standard osteosynthesis (X, Y, and straight) showed a complication rate of 36.37% (n = 4/11). The cases operated on with the HOSO-dedicated plates (HOSO-DP) showed, in total, a complication rate of 6.67% (n = 7/105). The most common post-operative complication resulting from both fixation methods was a reduction in mouth opening and TMJ pain for 4.3%. During the first years of performing the surgery (2009–211), a variety of standard plates had material failure causing non-union or pseudarthrosis. No cases of material failure were observed in the cases operated on with the HOSO-DP. The statistical results showed a highly significant dependence of a reduction in OP-time over the years, when the HOSO was performed without additional procedures (R2 > 0.83, P < 0.0015). Conclusion: The rate of complications in the HOSO were shown to be comparable to the rate of complications from the BSSO reported in the literature. Moreover, the use of the ramus dedicated plate appears to provide enough stability to the bone segments, making the surgery safer. Clinical relevance: The HOSO needs to be considered by surgeons as an alternative to BSSO. Once the use of the HOSO-DP was established, the rate of complications and the operation time reduced considerably.
Background and Objective: Long-term tooth retention is the ultimate goal of periodontal therapy. Aim of this study was to evaluate tooth loss (TL) during 10 years of supportive periodontal therapy (SPT) in periodontal compromised patients and to identify factors influencing TL on patient level. Material and Methods: Patients were re-examined 120 ± 12 months after active periodontal therapy. TL and risk factors [smoking, initial diagnosis, SPT adherence, interleukin-1 polymorphism, cardiovascular diseases, age at baseline, bleeding on probing (BOP), change of practitioner, insurance status, number of SPT, marital and educational status] influencing TL on patient level were assessed. Results: One-hundred patients (52 female, mean age 65.6 ± 11 years) lost 121 of 2428 teeth (1.21 teeth/patient; 0.12 teeth/patient/y) during 10 years of SPT. Forty-two of these were lost for periodontal reasons (0.42 teeth/patient; 0.04 teeth/patient/y). Significantly more teeth were lost due to other reasons (P < .001). Smoking, baseline severity of periodontitis, non-adherent SPT, positive interleukin-1 polymorphism, marital and educational status, private insurance, older age at baseline and BOP, small number of SPT were identified as patient-related risk factors for TL (P < .05). Conclusion: During 120 ± 12 months of SPT, only a small number of teeth was lost in periodontally compromised patients showing the positive effect of a well-established periodontal treatment concept. The remaining risk for TL should be considered using risk-adopted SPT allocation.