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Trauma patients receiving massive transfusion protocol (MTP) are at risk of citrate-induced hypocalcemia and hyperkalemia. Here we evaluate potassium (K), ionized calcium (iCa), and K/iCa ratio as predictors of mortality.This retrospective study includes all adult trauma patients who received MTP within 1 h at our level I trauma center between 2014 and 2019. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis assessed predictive accuracy of K/iCa ratio at admission on 120-day mortality.Of 614 patients, 146 received MTP within 1 h and 38 expired. Patients who expired had higher K/iCa ratio than survivors (median [IQR] = 5.7 [3.8-7.2] vs 3.7 [3.1-4.9], p 0.001). Area under the curve of K/iCa was 0.72 (95%CI = 0.62-0.82, p 0.001) with sensitivity = 63.2% and specificity = 77.6%. At the optimum K/iCa cutoff (5.07), patients with high ratios had 4 times higher mortality risk (HR = 3.97, 95%CI = 1.89-8.32, p 0.001).Elevated K/iCa ratio was an independent predictor of mortality in trauma patients managed with MTP.

Background Determination of BRCA1 and 2 mutation carrier status is important. Although BRCA carriers are offered bilateral mastectomy and oophorectomy, most who test negative decline. Some women choose contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (CPM) at the time of their breast cancer diagnosis despite testing negative. Methods A total of 110 women with breast cancer received genetic testing before surgical treatment. Patient demographics, tumor characteristics, surgical treatment, and magnetic resonance imaging use were recorded. Results Results revealed BRCA1/2 mutation in 33%, variant of unknown significance in 6%, and no mutation in 61% of women. In BRCA-negative women, 37% chose CPM. Marital status was significant for CPM ( P = .03). Race, age, stage of presentation, and biomarker status were not associated with choice of CPM. Ninety-six percent of CPM recipients underwent breast reconstruction. Magnetic resonance imaging use did not affect CPM rates ( P = .99). Conclusions Increased rates of CPM have been observed. In our study married women were more likely to choose CPM. We recommend genetic genotyping before surgery. These findings warrant further investigation.