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Purpose Hospitals performing a certain bariatric procedure in high volumes may have better outcomes. However, they could also have worse outcomes for some patients who are better off receiving another procedure. This study evaluates the effect of hospital preference for a specific type of bariatric procedure on their overall weight loss results. Methods All hospitals performing bariatric surgery were included from the nationwide Dutch Audit for Treatment of Obesity. For each hospital, the expected (E) numbers of sleeve gastrectomy (SG), Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), and one-anastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB) were calculated given their patient-mix. These were compared with the observed (O) numbers as the O/E ratio in a funnel plot. The 95% control intervals were used to identify outlier hospitals performing a certain procedure significantly more often than expected given their patient-mix (defined as hospital preference for that procedure). Similarly, funnel plots were created for the outcome of patients achieving ≥ 25% total weight loss (TWL) after 2 years, which was linked to each hospital’s preference. Results A total of 34,558 patients were included, with 23,154 patients completing a 2-year follow-up, of whom 79.6% achieved ≥ 25%TWL. Nine hospitals had a preference for RYGB (range O/E ratio [1.09–1.53]), with 1 having significantly more patients achieving ≥ 25%TWL (O/E ratio [1.06]). Of 6 hospitals with a preference for SG (range O/E ratio [1.10–2.71]), one hospital had significantly fewer patients achieving ≥ 25%TWL (O/E ratio [0.90]), and from two hospitals with a preference for OAGB (range O/E ratio [4.0–6.0]), one had significantly more patients achieving ≥ 25%TWL (O/E ratio [1.07]). One hospital had no preference for any procedure but did have significantly more patients achieving ≥ 25%TWL (O/E ratio [1.10]). Conclusion Hospital preference is not consistently associated with better overall weight loss results. This suggests that even though experience with a procedure may be slightly less in hospitals not having a preference, it is still sufficient to achieve similar weight loss outcomes when surgery is provided in centralized high-volume bariatric institutions. Graphical Abstract

Background Literature remains scarce on patients experiencing weight recurrence after initial adequate weight loss following primary bariatric surgery. Therefore, this study compared the extent of weight recurrence between patients who received a Sleeve Gastrectomy (SG) versus Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) after adequate weight loss at 1-year follow-up. Methods All patients undergoing primary RYGB or SG between 2015 and 2018 were selected from the Dutch Audit for Treatment of Obesity. Inclusion criteria were achieving ≥ 20% total weight loss (TWL) at 1-year and having at least one subsequent follow-up visit. The primary outcome was ≥ 10% weight recurrence (WR) at the last recorded follow-up between 2 and 5 years, after ≥ 20% TWL at 1-year follow-up. Secondary outcomes included remission of comorbidities at last recorded follow-up. A propensity score matched logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the difference between RYGB and SG. Results A total of 19.762 patients were included, 14.982 RYGB and 4.780 SG patients. After matching 4.693 patients from each group, patients undergoing SG had a higher likelihood on WR up to 5-year follow-up compared with RYGB [OR 2.07, 95% CI (1.89–2.27), p p p p p p Conclusion Patients undergoing SG are more likely to experience weight recurrence, and less likely to achieve comorbidity remission than patients undergoing RYGB.

In 2012, an expert panel composed of presidents of each of the societies, the European Chapter of the International Federation forthe Surgery of Obesity (IFSO-EC), and of the European Association forthe Study of Obesity (EASO), as well as of the chair of EASO Obesity Management Task Force (EASOOMTF) and other key representatives from IFSO-EC and EASO, devoted the joint Medico-Surgical Workshop of both institutions to the topic of metabolic surgery in advance of the 2013 European Congress on Obesity held in Liverpool. This meeting was prompted by the extraordinary advancement made in the field of metabolic and bariatric surgery during the past decade. It was agreed to revise and update the 2008 Interdisciplinary European Guidelines on Surgery of Severe Obesity produced by focusing in particular on the evidence gathered in relation to the effects on diabetes and the changes in the recommendations of patient eligibility criteria. The expert panel allowed the coverage of key disciplines in the comprehensive management of obesity and obesity-associated diseases, aimed specifically at updating the clinical guidelines to reflect current knowledge, expertise and evidence-based data on metabolic and bariatric surgery.

A dutch national evidence-based guideline on the diagnosis and treatment of patients with colorectal liver metastases has been developed. The most important recommendations are as follows. For synchronous liver metastases, spiral computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) should be used as imaging. For evaluation of lung metastases, imaging can be limited to chest radiography. For detection of metachronous liver metastases, ultrasonography could be performed as initial modality if the entire liver is adequately visualised. In doubtful cases or potential candidates for surgery, CT or MRI should be performed as additional imaging. For evaluation of extrahepatic disease, abdominal and chest CT could be performed. Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography could be valuable in patients selected for surgery based on CT (liver/abdomen/chest), for identifying additional extrahepatic disease. Surgical resection is the treatment of choice with a five-year survival of 30 to 40%. Variation in selection criteria for surgery is caused by inconclusive data in the literature concerning surgical margins.

INTRODUCTION : To review systematically the effect of interventions aimed at hemodynamic optimization and to relate this to the quality of individual published trials. METHODS : A systematic, computerized bibliographic search of published studies and citation reviews of relevant studies was performed. All randomized clinical trials in which adult patients were included in a trial deliberately aiming at an optimized or maximized hemodynamic condition of the patients (with oxygen delivery, cardiac index, oxygen consumption, mixed venous oxygen saturation and/or stroke volume as end-points) were selected. A total of 30 studies were selected for independent review. Two reviewers extracted data on population, intervention, outcome and methodological quality. Agreement between reviewers was high: differences were eventually resolved by third-party decision. The methodological quality of the studies was moderate (mean 9.0, SD 1.7), and the outcomes of the randomized clinical trials were not related to their quality. RESULTS : Efforts to achieve an optimized hemodynamic condition resulted in a decreased mortality rate (relative risk ratio (RR) 0.75 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.62 to 0.90) in all studies combined. This was due to a significantly decreased mortality in peri-operative intervention studies (RR 0.66 (95% CI 0.54 to 0.81). Overall, patients with sepsis and overt organ failure do not benefit from this method (RR 0.92 (95% CI 0.75 to 1.11)). CONCLUSION : This systematic review showed that interventions aimed at hemodynamic optimization reduced mortality. In particular, trials including peri-operative interventions aimed at the hemodynamic optimization of high-risk surgical patients reduce mortality. Overall, this effect was not related to the trial quality.

Sepsis and organ failure remain the main cause of death on the ICU. Sepsis is characterized by a severe inflammatory response, in which platelet-activating factor (PAF) is considered to play an important role. This study investigated whether treatment with the PAF-antagonist TCV-309 reduces morbidity and mortality in patients with septic shock. The study was conducted as a double-blind, randomized, placebo controlled multicenter study. The included patients had to fulfill the SIRS criteria with a clinical suspicion of infection, an admission APACHE II score greater than 15, and shock, defined as a mean arterial pressure 40 mmHg despite adequate fluid resuscitation. Patients received 1.0 mg/kg TCV-309 or placebo, twice daily, intravenously during 14 days. The prospectively set goals were MOF score, recovery from shock, mortality, and assessment of the safety of the medication. A total of 98 patients were included of which 97 were analyzed on an intention-to-treat basis. The overall survival at day 56 of TCV-309 treated patients was similar compared to placebo treated patients (51.0% vs. 41.7%, P = 0.47). In contrast, the mean percentage of failed organs per patient present after 14 days in the TCV-309 treated patients was significantly lower compared to the placebo treated patients (11.9% vs. 25.1%, P = 0.04), leading to a reduced need for vasopressors, dialysis, and ventilatory support. Furthermore, the mean APACHE-II score during treatment with TCV-309 was significantly lower and the number of patients recovered from shock after day 14 was significantly higher in the TCV-309 treated patient group (2/32 vs. 9/29, P = 0.01). The number of adverse events was not significantly different between the TCV-309 and placebo treated patients. TCV-309 did not change overall mortality of septic shock, however a substantial reduction in organ dysfunction and morbidity, frequently associated with septic shock was achieved, without significant adverse events.

The acute phase proteins LPS binding protein (LBP) and serum amyloid A (SAA) are produced by the liver and are present in the circulation. Both proteins have been shown to participate in the immune response to endotoxins. The intestinal mucosa forms a large surface that is continuously exposed to these microbial products. By secretion of antimicrobial and immunomodulating agents, the intestinal epithelium contributes to the defense against bacteria and their products. The aim of this study was to explore the influence of the inflammatory mediators TNF-alpha, IL-6, and IL-1beta on the release of LBP and SAA by intestinal epithelial cells (IEC). In addition, the induction of LBP and SAA release by cell lines of intestinal epithelial cells and hepatic cells was compared. The data obtained show that in addition to liver cells, IEC also expressed LBP mRNA and released bioactive LBP and SAA upon stimulation. Regulation of LBP and SAA release by IEC and hepatocytes was typical for class 1 acute phase proteins, although differences in regulation between the cell types were observed. Endotoxin did not induce LBP and SAA release. Glucocorticoids were demonstrated to strongly enhance the cytokine-induced release of LBP and SAA by IEC, corresponding to hepatocytes. The data from this study, which imply that human IEC can produce LBP and SAA, suggest a role for these proteins in the local defense mechanism of the gut to endotoxin. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that tissues other than the liver are involved in the acute phase response.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between inflammatory mediators and clinical outcome in patients after repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: University hospital, The Netherlands. PATIENTS: 30 Consecutive patients who had undergone elective or acute repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Plasma concentrations of the cytokines tumour necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) as well as soluble TNF receptors and the soluble (s) adhesion molecules E-selectin and intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) were measured and correlated with the degree of systemic hypotension (shock: hypotension more than 15 minutes) and clinical outcome. RESULTS: Peak plasma concentrations of TNF and IL-6 were significantly higher in shocked patients (p < 0.005 and p < 0.0005, respectively) and those who died (both p < 0.01), whereas concentrations of IL-8 increased only when shock complicated rupture of the aneurysm (p < 0.01). Increases in the concentrations of TNF receptors reflected impaired renal function. In contrast to sE-selectin concentrations, peak sICAM-1 concentrations were significantly higher in shocked patients (p < 0.01) and those that died (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: These results strongly suggest that increased concentrations of sICAM-1 and IL-6 reflect the inflammatory response induced by ischaemia after repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm, and indicate that the postoperative course is likely to be complicated.

Objective: to evaluate the possibility of formulating stricter icu admission criteria for patients with self-poisoning. Design: retrospective study of patients with self-poisoning in an icu. Setting: a university hospital. Patients: patients admitted to the icu with self-poisoning. Methods: patients who underwent specific icu inter-ventions during admission were compared with patients who did not receive these interventions. A modification of the apache ii score (m-aps), reflecting the actual health situation, and admission criteria as proposed by brett were assessed. By multiple logistic regression analysis, a new scoring system was suggested for this group of patients (self-poisoning admission screening score: spass). Results: the study included 79 patients: 13 were defined as needing icu admission and one patient died. Using brett's criteria, m-aps and spass, it is possible to reduce admissions by 63%, 46% and 67% respectively in this group of patients. Conclusion: reduction of patients on the icu due to self-poisoning is possible using admission criteria; however, prospective evaluation should be performed.