ObjectivesThis study aims to investigate the occurrence, type and correlation of early and late atrial arrhythmias following mitral valve repair in patients with no preoperative history of atrial... Show moreObjectivesThis study aims to investigate the occurrence, type and correlation of early and late atrial arrhythmias following mitral valve repair in patients with no preoperative history of atrial arrhythmias.MethodsPatients undergoing mitral valve (MV) repair for degenerative disease were included. Early and late postoperative electrocardiograms were evaluated for the incidence and type of atrial arrhythmia (atrial fibrillation [AF] or atrial tachycardia [AT]).ResultsThe 192 patients were included. Early atrial arrhythmias occurred in 100/192 (52.1%) patients; AF in 61 (31.8%) patients, early AT in 15 (7.8%) and both in 24 (12.5%). In total 89% of patients were discharged in sinus rhythm. During a follow-up time of 7.3 years, 14 patients (7.3%) died and 49 (25.5%) patients developed late atrial arrhythmias. At 10 years, the cumulative incidence of any late atrial arrhythmia, with death as competing risk, was 64% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 55%–72%). On Fine-Gray model analysis, only early postoperative AF lasting >24 h was related to the development of late AF (hazard ratio 5.99, 95% CI = 1.78%–20.10%, p = .004). Early postoperative ATs were related to the development of late tachycardias, independent of their duration (<24 h hazard ratio 4.25, 95% CI = 1.89–9.57, p = .001 and >24 h hazard ratio 3.51, 95% CI = 1.65–7.46, p = .001).ConclusionsEarly and late atrial arrhythmias were common after MV repair surgery. Only early postoperative AF lasting >24 h was a risk factor for the occurrence of late AF. Conversely, any postoperative AT was correlated to the development of late ATs. Show less
Tan, N.H.; Lafeber, M.; Sablerolles, R.S.G.; Roders, I.V.; Hoef, A. van de; Grafhorst, K. van; ... ; Kuy, P.H.M. van der 2024
Background Electronic informed consent (eConsent) usage has expanded in recent years in Europe, especially during the pandemic. Slow recruitment rate and limitations in participant outreach are the... Show moreBackground Electronic informed consent (eConsent) usage has expanded in recent years in Europe, especially during the pandemic. Slow recruitment rate and limitations in participant outreach are the challenges often faced in clinical research. Given the benefts of eConsent and group counselling reported in the literature, group eConsent was implemented in recruitment for the SWITCH-ON study. We aim to explore the experience of participants who attended group eConsent for the SWITCH-ON study and evaluate its potential for future use. Methods SWITCH-ON study aims to analyse the immunogenicity of a healthy population following bivalent COVID19 booster vaccination. Four hundred thirty-four healthcare workers aged 18–65 were successfully recruited and sent a questionnaire about their experience with group eConsent. Out of 399 completed questionnaires (response rate 92%), 39 participants did not join group eConsent. The remaining 360 responses were included in the fnal analysis. Quantitative and qualitative data were reported using descriptive statistical analysis and thematic analysis respectively. Results Participants found that group eConsent was an efcient method that it allowed them to hear each other’s questions and concerns and created a sense of togetherness. However, limited privacy, barriers to asking questions in a group, and peer pressure can limit the use of group eConsent. One hundred sixty-fve (46%) participants thought that group eConsent was suitable to recruit participants with diseases or conditions, while 87 (24%) reported limitations with this method. The remaining participants suggested that applicability of group eConsent depended on the diseases or conditions of the study population, and one-to-one conversation should always be available. Participants who had experienced both one-to-one and group eConsent shared diferent preferred consent formats for future studies. Conclusion Group eConsent was positively evaluated by the participants of a low-risk vaccination study. Participants advised using webinars to provide general information about the study, followed by an individual session for each participant, would retain the benefts of group eConsent and minimise the limitations it posed. This proposed setting addresses privacy questions and makes group eConsent easier to implement. Show less
Tuberculosis (TB) has been and still is a global emergency for centuries. Prevention of disease through vaccination would have a major impact on disease prevalence, but the only available current... Show moreTuberculosis (TB) has been and still is a global emergency for centuries. Prevention of disease through vaccination would have a major impact on disease prevalence, but the only available current vaccine, BCG, has insufficient impact. In this article, a novel subunit vaccine against TB was developed, using the Ag85B-ESAT6-Rv2034 fusion antigen, two adjuvants - CpG and MPLA, and a cationic pH-sensitive liposome as a delivery system, representing a new TB vaccine delivery strategy not previously reported for TB. In vitro in human dendritic cells (DCs), the adjuvanted formulation induced a significant increase in the production of (innate) cytokines and chemokines compared to the liposome without additional adjuvants. In vivo, the new vaccine administrated subcutaneously significantly reduced Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) bacterial load in the lungs and spleens of mice, significantly outperforming results from mice vaccinated with the antigen mixed with adjuvants without liposomes. In-depth analysis underpinned the vaccine's effectiveness in terms of its capacity to induce polyfunctional CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses, both considered essential for controlling Mtb infection. Also noteworthy was the differential abundance of various CD69+ B-cell subpopulations, which included IL17-A-producing B cells. The vaccine stimulated robust antigen-specific antibody titers, further extending its potential as a novel protective agent against TB. Show less
Caenegem, W. van; Boeken, M.; Dees, A.J.; Lubbers, M.; Moereels, L.; Schilthuizen, M.; ... ; Haelewaters, D. 2024
Twenty-three species of Laboulbeniales (Fungi, Ascomycota) are reported for the first time from the Netherlands. These are Appendiculina scaptomyzae, Autoicomyces aquatilis, Cantharomyces...Show moreTwenty-three species of Laboulbeniales (Fungi, Ascomycota) are reported for the first time from the Netherlands. These are Appendiculina scaptomyzae, Autoicomyces aquatilis, Cantharomyces denigratus, Chitonomyces hydropori, Eusynaptomyces hydrobii, Hesperomyces coccinelloides, Hydrophilomyces atroseptatus, Laboulbenia expectata sp. nov., L. hyalopoda, L. murmanica, L. ophoni, L. thaxteri, Rhachomyces lavagnei, Rhadinomyces cristatus, Rhynchophoromyces anacaenae, Stigmatomyces crassicollis, S. divergatus, S. ephydrae, S. geomyzae, S. ptilomyiae,S. purpureus, Tavaresiella hebri, and Thripomyces tessinensis. Laboulbenia expectata sp. nov. is uniquely associated with Pterostichus vernalis and is also reported from Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Poland, and Spain. Morphological characteristics and a four-locus phylogenetic reconstruction recognized it as a new species in the L. flagellata species complex. New host species for the Netherlands are reported for Chitonomyces bidessarius, Hydraeomyces halipli, and Zodimyces vorticoellarius. Show less
In België is er sinds 2022 veel aandacht voor het ‘no conflict of interest’-principe. Dit principe is neergelegd in artikel 9 bis van de mer-richtlijn en houdt in essentie in dat lidstaten ervoor... Show moreIn België is er sinds 2022 veel aandacht voor het ‘no conflict of interest’-principe. Dit principe is neergelegd in artikel 9 bis van de mer-richtlijn en houdt in essentie in dat lidstaten ervoor moeten zorgen dat de bevoegde instanties hun uit de richtlijn voortvloeiende taken op objectieve wijze vervullen. Als de bevoegde instantie tevens de opdrachtgever is, moet er een passende scheiding worden aangebracht tussen conflicterende functies. De Raad voor Vergunningsbetwistingen (RvVb) oordeelde in het Wasserij-arrest dat dit artikel niet goed in de Vlaamse regelgeving is geïmplementeerd. Op 26 maart 2024 heeft de Belgische Raad van State een prejudiciële vraag gesteld aan het Hof van Justitie over de uitleg die moet worden gegeven aan artikel 9 bis van de richtlijn.Deze ontwikkeling in Vlaanderen is de aanleiding om te kijken hoe Nederland artikel 9 bis heeft geïmplementeerd: zou het Omgevingsbesluit wel de toets van de RvVb doorstaan? Show less
Hoewel Myceense terracotta goden- beeldjes veel aandacht hebben gekregen in de wetenschappelijke literatuur, hebben specialis- ten zich nauwelijks uitgelaten over de rol van grotere beelden. Toch... Show moreHoewel Myceense terracotta goden- beeldjes veel aandacht hebben gekregen in de wetenschappelijke literatuur, hebben specialis- ten zich nauwelijks uitgelaten over de rol van grotere beelden. Toch kan men aan de hand van de archeologie, en contemporaine beschrijvingen van cultus-beelden de verschijning van en een aantal rituelen rondom Myceense godenbeelden reconstrueren. Dit artikel geeft hiervan een voorbeeld. Show less
Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the safety and immunogenicity of a dose-sparing fractional intradermal (ID) booster strategy with the mRNA-1273 COVID-19 vaccine. Methods: COVID-19... Show moreObjectives: The aim of this study was to assess the safety and immunogenicity of a dose-sparing fractional intradermal (ID) booster strategy with the mRNA-1273 COVID-19 vaccine. Methods: COVID-19 naive adults aged 18e30 years were recruited from a previous study on primary vaccination regimens that compared 20 mg ID vaccinations with 100 mg intramuscular (IM) vaccinations with mRNA-1273 as the primary vaccination series. Participants previously immunized with ID regimens were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive a fractional ID booster dose (20 mg) or the standard-of-care intramuscular (IM) booster dose (50 mg) of the mRNA-1273 vaccine, 6 months after completing their primary series (ID-ID and ID-IM group, respectively). Participants that had received a full dose IM regimen as the primary series, received the IM standard-of-care booster dose (IM-IM group). In addition, COVID-19 naive individuals aged 18e40 years who had received an IM mRNA vaccine as the primary series were recruited from the general population to receive a fractional ID booster dose (IM-ID group). Immunogenicity was assessed using IgG anti-spike antibody responses and neutralizing capacity against SARS-CoV-2. Cellular immune responses were measured in a sub-group. Safety and tolerability were monitored. Results: In January 2022, 129 participants were included in the study. Fractional ID boosting was safe and well tolerated, with fewer systemic adverse events compared with IM boosting. At day 28 post-booster, anti-spike S1 IgG geometric mean concentrations were 9106 (95% CI, 7150e11 597) binding antibody units (BAU)/mL in the IM-IM group and 4357 (3003e6322) BAU/mL; 6629 (4913e8946) BAU/mL; and 5264 (4032e6873) BAU/mL in the ID-IM, ID-ID, and IM-ID groups, respectively. Discussion: Intradermal boosting provides robust immune responses and is a viable dose-sparing strategy for mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. The favourable side-effect profile supports its potential to reduce vaccine hesitancy. Fractional dosing strategies should be considered early in the clinical development of future mRNA vaccines to enhance vaccine availability and pandemic preparedness. Show less
Stoelinga, A.E.C.; Biewenga, M.; Drenth, J.P.H.; Verhelst, X.; Meer, A.J.P. van der; Boer, Y.S. de; ... ; Dutch Autoimmune Hepatitis Study 2024
Background & Aims: Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) and primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) can co-exist in AIH-PBC, requiring combined treatment with immunosuppression and ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA).... Show moreBackground & Aims: Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) and primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) can co-exist in AIH-PBC, requiring combined treatment with immunosuppression and ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA). The Paris criteria are commonly used to identify these patients; however, the optimal diagnostic criteria are unknown. We aimed to evaluate the use and clinical relevance of both Paris and Zhang criteria. Methods: Eighty-three patients with a clinical suspicion of AIH-PBC who were treated with combination therapy were included. Histology was re-evaluated. Characteristics and long-term outcomes were retrospectively compared to patients with AIH and PBC. Results: Seventeen (24%) patients treated with combination therapy fulfilled the Paris criteria. Fifty-two patients (70%) fulfilled the Zhang criteria. Patients who met Paris and Zhang criteria more often had inflammation and fibrosis on histology compared to patients only meeting the Zhang criteria. Ten-year liver transplant (LT)-free survival was 87.3% (95% CI 78.9–95.7%) in patients with AIH-PBC. This did not differ in patients in or outside the Paris or Zhang criteria (p = 0.46 and p = 0.40, respectively) or from AIH (p = 0.086). LT-free survival was significantly lower in patients with PBC and severe hepatic inflammation – not receiving immunosuppression – compared to those with AIH-PBC (65%; 95% CI 52.2–77.8% vs. 87%; 95% CI 83.2–90.8%; hazard ratio 0.52; p = 0.043). Conclusions: In this study, patients with AIH-PBC outside Paris or Zhang criteria were frequently labeled as having AIH-PBC and were successfully treated with combination therapy with similar outcomes. LT-free survival was worse in patients with PBC and hepatic inflammation than in those treated as having AIH-PBC. More patients may benefit from combination therapy. Show less
Meer, M.T. van der; Liscio, E.; Jonker, C.M.; Plaat A.; Vossen, P.T.J.M.; Murukannaiah, P.K. 2024
