חדשות המחקר

Patients with schizophrenia show a substantial reduction in risk of COVID-19 severe illness and related mortality when vaccinated, as compared to non-vaccinated samples. However, the emergence of new variants and the increased frequency of breakthrough infections, especially among vulnerable groups, raise questions regarding the long-term effectiveness of vaccines in reducing overall morbidity and mortality in these patients....

Placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) represents life-threatening conditions; however, early diagnosis reduces complications and mortality rates. Aims: To develop and evaluate the accuracy of a simple sonographic screening test for PAS prediction.

Ankle-brachial index (ABI) is an independent prognostic marker of cardiovascular events among patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). We aimed to investigate the outcome of patients hospitalized with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and abnormal ABI.

Cardiogenic shock complicating acute myocardial infarction is a complex clinical condition associated with dismal prognosis. Routine early target vessel revascularization remains the most effective treatment to substantially improve outcomes, but mortality remains high. Temporary circulatory support devices have emerged with the aim to enhance cardiac unloading and improve end-organ perfusion. However, quality evidence to guide device selection, optimal installation timing, and post-implantation management are scarce, stressing the importance of multidisciplinary expert care. This review focuses on the contemporary use of short-term support devices in the setting of cardiogenic shock following acute myocardial infarction, including the common challenges associated this practice.

Letter to editor

The impact of psoriasis on the outcomes of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is yet to be precisely delineated. Assesses the risk of COVID-19, COVID-19-associated hospitalization, and mortality among patients with psoriasis as compared to age-, sex-, and ethnicity-matched control subjects. In addition, we aim to delineate determinants of COVID-19-associated hospitalization and mortality in patients with psoriasis.

Low-density Lipoprotein Receptor-related Protein 5 (LRP5) functions as a co-receptor for Wnt ligands, controlling expression of genes involved in osteogenesis. In humans, loss-of-function mutations in LRP5 cause Osteoporosis-Pseudoglioma syndrome, a low bone mass disorder, while gain-of-function missense mutations have been observed in individuals with high bone mass. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a popular model for human disease research, as genetic determinants that control bone formation are generally conserved between zebrafish and mammals. We generated lrp5- knock-out zebrafish to study its role in skeletogenesis and homeostasis.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), the most common adult's leukemia in the western world, is caused in 95% of the cases by uncontrolled proliferation of monoclonal B-lymphocytes. The complement system in CLL is chronically activated at a low level via the classical pathway (CP). This chronic activation is induced by IgG-hexamers, which are formed after binding to alpha-2-macroglobulin (A2M). The study investigated for the first time the serum levels of A2M in CLL patients, their association with the disease severity, and A2M production by the malignant B-lymphocytes.

(Regina Michelis, Lama Milhem, Evleen Galouk, Galia Stemer, Tamar Tadmor, Mona Shehadeh, Lev Shvidel, Masad Barhoum, Andrei Braester)

Pain management is fundamental in the treatment of a trauma casualty. Adequate pain management is associated with decreased long-term morbidity and chronic pain. Nonetheless, pain is frequently not documented nor adequately treated in the prehospital setting, a phenomenon described as oligoanalgesia. Gender bias has been suggested as a risk factor for oligoanalgesia. Objectives: To examine the association between casualty gender and pain management in the prehospital trauma setting.

Medical organizations worldwide aim for equity and diversity in the medical profession to improve care quality. Data on whether the caregiver gender affects outcomes in the prehospital setting are essential but scarce compared to available in-hospital studies. Objectives: To analyze the rates of missed injuries in the prehospital setting and determine whether these rates were associated with the gender of the on-field physician or paramedic.

The Israeli Defense Forces-Medical Corps (IDF-MC) focuses on reducing preventable death by improving prehospital trauma care. High quality documentation of care can serve casualty care and to improve future care. Currently, paper casualty cards are used for documentation. Incomplete data acquisition and inadequate data handover are common. To resolve these deficits, the IDF-MC launched the BladeShield 101 project. Objectives: To assess the quality of casualty care data acquired by comparing standard paper casualty cards with the BladeShield 101.

Handheld ultrasound devices present an opportunity for prehospital sonographic assessment of trauma, even in the hands of novice operators commonly found in military, maritime, or other austere environments. However, the reliability of such point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) examinations by novices is rightly questioned. A common strategy being examined to mitigate this reliability gap is remote mentoring by an expert. Objectives: To assess the feasibility of utilizing POCUS in the hands of novice military or civilian emergency medicine service (EMS) providers, with and without the use of telementoring. To assess the mitigating or exacerbating effect telementoring may have on operator stress.

Pain control in trauma is an integral part of treatment in combat casualty care. More soldiers injured on the battlefield need analgesics for pain than life-saving interventions (LSIs). Early treatment of pain improves outcomes after injury, while inadequate treatment leads to higher rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Objectives: To describe the experience of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Medical Corps with prehospital use of analgesia.

Vehicle-ramming attacks have become a common tactic for terror organizations worldwide. However, the medical implications of vehicle-ramming attacks remain unknown. Objectives: To investigate the characteristics of vehicle-ramming attack incidents and casualties in order to assist in guiding the policy of medical organizations.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a significant cause of death in the battlefield. TBI can be challenging to diagnose in the combat setting and remains a substantial challenge for advanced life support (ALS) providers. Objectives: To compare prehospital and hospitalization characteristics between isolated and non-isolated TBI. To examine the effects of TBI with coexisting injuries on patient evaluation and outcomes based on the Israeli Defense Forces Trauma Registry and the Israeli National Trauma Registry of soldiers hospitalized for TBI between the years 2006-2017.