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Clinical Ophthalmology (Auckland, N.Z.) 2024This study investigates the efficacy of transitioning patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) from aflibercept (T1) to biosimilar ranibizumab...
PURPOSE
This study investigates the efficacy of transitioning patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) from aflibercept (T1) to biosimilar ranibizumab (T2), an approach not previously documented in literature.
METHODS
In this multicenter observational study, patients over 50 years of age with nAMD were shifted from intravitreal aflibercept (IVI AFL) to biosimilar ranibizumab (B-RBZ) due to financial constraints. This study employed standardized ophthalmological methods to assess visual acuity (VA), central macular thickness (CMT), and subretinal and intraretinal fluid. Statistical analyses included paired -tests, Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, and linear regression.
RESULTS
A total of 29 eyes (12 males and 17 females) were analyzed. Mean age was 72.55 ±6.43 years. VA improved significantly during T1, with a mean increase from 55.0 ± 10.2 to 70.0 ± 8.5 ETDRS letters at the switch time point ( < 0.01), then a slight decrease to 62.3 ± 8.9 at 12 months ( < 0.05) was noted during T2. The mean CMT decreased notably from 400 ± 50 to 290 ± 45 μm at the switch. The final CMT at 12 months after switching to B-RBZ was 280 ± 40 μm ( < 0.01). There was a significant decrease in the retinal and intra retinal fluid during T1, followed by a gradual increase during T2. A significant correlation ( < 0.05) was noted between the presence of intraretinal fluid and increased injection frequency of B-RBZ.
CONCLUSION
The switch from IVI AFL to IVI B-RBZ in patients with nAMD demonstrated efficacy in maintaining the VA and macular anatomy, with some challenges in fluid management.
PubMed: 38948341
DOI: 10.2147/OPTH.S459085 -
Anesthesiology Research and Practice 2024Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a disruption to normal brain functions caused by traumas such as collisions, blows, or penetrating injuries. There are factors affecting...
The Use of Corticosteroid Randomisation after Significant Head Injury (CRASH) Prognostic Model as Mortality Predictor of Traumatic Brain Injury Patients Underwent Surgery in Low-Middle Income Countries.
BACKGROUND
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a disruption to normal brain functions caused by traumas such as collisions, blows, or penetrating injuries. There are factors affecting patient outcomes that also have a predictive value. Limited data from low-middle income countries showed a high number of poor outcomes in TBI patients. The corticosteroid randomisation after significant head injury (CRASH) prognostic model is a predictive model that uses such factors and is often used in developed countries. The model has an excellent discriminative ability. However, there is still a lack of studies on its use in surgical patients in low-middle income countries. This study aimed to evaluate the CRASH model's validity to predict 14-day mortality of TBI patients who underwent surgery in low-middle income countries.
METHODS
This retrospective analytical observational study employed total sampling including all TBI patients who underwent surgery with general anesthesia from January to December 2022. Statistical analysis was performed by applying Mann-Whitney and Fisher exact tests, while the model's discriminative ability was determined through the area under the curve (AUC) calculations.
RESULTS
112 TBI patients were admitted during the study period, and 74 patients were included. Independent statistical analysis showed that 14-day mortality risk, age, Glasgow Coma Scale score, TBI severity, pupillary response, and major extracranial trauma had a significant individual correlation with patients' actual mortality outcome ( < 0.05). The AUC analysis revealed an excellent mortality prediction (AUC 0.838; CI 95%).
CONCLUSION
The CRASH prognostic model performs well in predicting the 14-day mortality of TBI patients who underwent surgery in low-middle income countries.
PubMed: 38948334
DOI: 10.1155/2024/5241605 -
Journal of Clinical & Translational... Jun 20241.8% of youth identify as transgender; a growing proportion are transgender male (female sex, male gender identity). Many receive gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist...
BACKGROUND
1.8% of youth identify as transgender; a growing proportion are transgender male (female sex, male gender identity). Many receive gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) therapy to suppress endogenous puberty and/or will start testosterone to induce secondary sex characteristics that align with gender identity.
OBJECTIVES
To determine the effects of 12 months of testosterone on cardiometabolic health among transgender youth, including insulin sensitivity, body composition, and bone mineral density and whether changes in outcomes differ based on prior GnRHa treatment.
METHODS
Participants (n = 19, baseline age 15.0 ± 1.0 years) were examined prior to and 12 months after testosterone therapy in a longitudinal observational study. Fasted morning blood draw, a 2-hour 75-gram oral glucose tolerance test, body composition and bone mineral density (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) were assessed at baseline and 12 months. Insulin sensitivity was estimated by HOMA-IR and Matsuda index. Changes were compared with mixed linear regression models evaluating time (baseline, 12 months), group (GnRHa treatment yes/no), and their interaction.
RESULTS
In the entire cohort, fasted insulin decreased (median [25,75 %ile]: -3 [-5, 0] mIU/L, p = 0.044) and 2-hour glucose increased (mean ± standard deviation): +18.5 ± 28.9 mg/dL, p = 0.013 from baseline after 12 months of testosterone therapy. There were no significant changes in HOMA-IR (p = 0.062) or Matsuda index (p = 0.096), nor by GnRHa status. Absolute (+6.2 [4.7, 7.5] kg, p = 0.016) and percent fat-free mass increased (+7.3 [5.4, 9.1] %, p = 0.003) and percent fat mass declined (-7.4 [-9.3, 5.3]%, p = 0.005) for the entire cohort. There were time*group interactions for absolute (p = 0.0007) and percent fat-free mass (p = 0.033). There were time*group interactions for bone mineral content (p = 0.006).
CONCLUSIONS
Twelve months of testosterone in transgender adolescents resulted in changes in body composition and bone mineral density, with baseline differences between the +/-GnRHa group and convergence after 12 months. There were no changes in insulin sensitivity over time or between groups.
PubMed: 38948245
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcte.2024.100356 -
Frontiers in Pediatrics 2024Mild hyponatremia is often found in patients visiting pediatric emergency departments (PEDs), but there are few large-scale studies on its association with adverse...
Mild hyponatremia is often found in patients visiting pediatric emergency departments (PEDs), but there are few large-scale studies on its association with adverse outcomes, including mortality. We conducted this study to identify the association of mild hyponatremia with adverse outcome. This retrospective observational study included children under 18 years of age visiting the PED at a tertiary hospital. We used electronic medical record data from January 1, 2009 to December 31, 2020. Clinical outcomes, including ward admission, vasopressor administration, pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admission, and mortality, were assessed for the total of 44,147 patients. Among these, 1,639 (3.7%) were in the hyponatremia group, with 1,521 (3.4%) exhibiting mild hyponatremia. Mild hyponatremia was more prevalent in younger patients, particularly in the 1-3 years age group, and less common in females. Patients with mild hyponatremia had a significantly prolonged median length of stay in the PED compared to normonatremic patients (5.8 h vs. 4.4 h, < 0.001). Moreover, they showed significantly higher rates of ward admission (51.1% vs. 35.6%, < 0.001), vasopressor administration (1.1% vs. 0.6%, = 0.014), PICU admission (2.4% vs. 1.0%, < 0.001), and mortality (1.5% vs. 0.3%, < 0.001). Compared with the normonatremia group, the odds ratios (95% CI) for ward admission, vasopressor administration, PICU admission, and mortality in the mild hyponatremia group were 1.90 (1.71-2.10), 1.91 (1.17-3.13), 2.62 (1.86-3.68), and 5.56 (3.51-8.80), respectively. Furthermore, our findings demonstrate a notable upward trend in adverse outcomes, including vasopressor administration, PICU admission, and mortality, from mild hyponatremia to severe hyponatremia. In conclusion, we found that adverse outcomes increase with the severity of hyponatremia in children presenting to the PED, highlighting the importance of immediate intervention alongside the identification of the underlying cause.
PubMed: 38948239
DOI: 10.3389/fped.2024.1379727 -
Nature. Mental Health 2024Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a heterogeneous clinical syndrome with widespread subtle neuroanatomical correlates. Our objective was to identify the neuroanatomical...
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a heterogeneous clinical syndrome with widespread subtle neuroanatomical correlates. Our objective was to identify the neuroanatomical dimensions that characterize MDD and predict treatment response to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants or placebo. In the COORDINATE-MDD consortium, raw MRI data were shared from international samples ( = 1,384) of medication-free individuals with first-episode and recurrent MDD ( = 685) in a current depressive episode of at least moderate severity, but not treatment-resistant depression, as well as healthy controls ( = 699). Prospective longitudinal data on treatment response were available for a subset of MDD individuals ( = 359). Treatments were either SSRI antidepressant medication (escitalopram, citalopram, sertraline) or placebo. Multi-center MRI data were harmonized, and HYDRA, a semi-supervised machine-learning clustering algorithm, was utilized to identify patterns in regional brain volumes that are associated with disease. MDD was optimally characterized by two neuroanatomical dimensions that exhibited distinct treatment responses to placebo and SSRI antidepressant medications. Dimension 1 was characterized by preserved gray and white matter ( = 290 MDD), whereas Dimension 2 was characterized by widespread subtle reductions in gray and white matter ( = 395 MDD) relative to healthy controls. Although there were no significant differences in age of onset, years of illness, number of episodes, or duration of current episode between dimensions, there was a significant interaction effect between dimensions and treatment response. Dimension 1 showed a significant improvement in depressive symptoms following treatment with SSRI medication (51.1%) but limited changes following placebo (28.6%). By contrast, Dimension 2 showed comparable improvements to either SSRI (46.9%) or placebo (42.2%) ( = -18.3, 95% CI (-34.3 to -2.3), = 0.03). Findings from this case-control study indicate that neuroimaging-based markers can help identify the disease-based dimensions that constitute MDD and predict treatment response.
PubMed: 38948238
DOI: 10.1038/s44220-023-00187-w -
International Journal of Integrated Care 2024Integrated care of chronic patients improves quality of their management, but there is scarce evidence of its implementation in different healthcare settings. With this...
INTRODUCTION
Integrated care of chronic patients improves quality of their management, but there is scarce evidence of its implementation in different healthcare settings. With this article, we wanted to determine the level of integrated care implementation in the management of T2D (diabetes) and HT (hypertension) in three different settings: Belgium, Slovenia, and Cambodia.
METHODS
This was an observational study with integrated approach. It was conducted in primary health care organisations in three countries. In each primary health care organisation, we aimed to include primary care workers that worked with Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) and hypertension (HT) patients. Data was collected with the Integrated Care Package (ICP) grid (consisting of six elements: identification, treatment, health education, self-management, caregiver collaboration, and care organisation).
RESULTS
ICP is almost completely implemented without major differences within Slovenia. There is a considerable variability across practice types in Belgium. Implementation is constrained by health system resources in Cambodia. Some elements, especially identification, are better implemented then others, across health systems.
CONCLUSION
Countries can enhance integrated care for chronic diseases by implementing central policies, standardized protocols, and local adaptation, addressing resource constraints, promoting systematic screening and health education, and providing training for healthcare workers, tailored to community needs, to improve patient outcomes and healthcare delivery.
PubMed: 38948162
DOI: 10.5334/ijic.7664 -
Frontiers in Neurology 2024Vestibular migraine (VM), an intricate subtype of migraine, amalgamates the dual attributes of migraine and vestibular disorders. In clinical settings, individuals with...
BACKGROUND
Vestibular migraine (VM), an intricate subtype of migraine, amalgamates the dual attributes of migraine and vestibular disorders. In clinical settings, individuals with VM frequently articulate concerns regarding the manifestation of subjective cognitive impairment. This cognitive dysfunction is intricately linked with diminished mobility, heightened susceptibility to falls, and increased absenteeism in afflicted patients. Consequently, comprehending the features of cognitive impairment in VM patients holds potential clinical significance. The pursuit of rapid and objective methods for detection and assessment is foundational and prerequisite for efficacious cognitive management of VM patients.
METHODS
The study encompassed 50 patients diagnosed with vestibular migraine and recruited 50 age-sex matched healthy controls. All participants underwent anti-saccade tasks, and cognitive evaluation was performed using the MMSE and MoCA to assess overall cognitive function. Additionally, RBANS scales were employed to measure specific cognitive domains.
RESULTS
The VM patients and normal controls demonstrated statistical parity in terms of age, gender, education, weight, and BMI, with no significant differences observed. Analysis of cognitive scores divulged a marked increase in the incidence of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) in VM patients compared to Healthy Controls (HCs). Both MMSE and MoCA scores were notably lower in VM patients compared to their healthy counterparts. The RBANS cognitive test indicated significant impairment in immediate memory, visuospatial construction, language, attention, and delayed memory among VM patients. Notably, the Trail Making Test and Stroop Color-Word Test revealed compromised processing speed and executive function cognitive domains. The anti-saccadic task highlighted significantly elevated anti-saccadic latency and frequency of direction errors in vestibular migraine patients. Symptom severity, illness duration, and episode frequency in VM patients positively correlated with counter-scanning errors and negatively correlated with cognitive performance across diverse cognitive domains.
CONCLUSION
VM patients exhibit cognitive decline across multiple cognitive domains during the interictal period. This cognitive impairment may not be fully reversible, underscoring its potential clinical significance for cognitive management in VM patients. The sensitivity of anti-saccade tasks to the cognitive status of VM patients positions them as promising objective indicators for diagnosis, intervention, and evaluation of cognitive impairment effects in VM in future applications.
PubMed: 38948136
DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1419372 -
Cardiology Plus 2024[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1097/CP9.0000000000000061.].
Erratum: Retraction: Characteristics of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention for chronically total occluded arteries: a single-center observational study in India.
[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1097/CP9.0000000000000061.].
PubMed: 38948118
DOI: 10.1097/CP9.0000000000000082 -
JPRAS Open Sep 2024Flap necrosis continues to occur in skin free flap autologous breast reconstruction. Therefore, we investigated the benefits of indocyanine green angiography (ICGA)...
Flap necrosis continues to occur in skin free flap autologous breast reconstruction. Therefore, we investigated the benefits of indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) using quantitative parameters for the objective, perioperative evaluation of flap perfusion. In addition, we investigated the feasibility of hyperspectral (HSI) and thermal imaging (TI) for postoperative flap monitoring. A single-center, prospective observational study was performed on 15 patients who underwent deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap breast reconstruction (n=21). DIEP-flap perfusion was evaluated using ICGA, HSI, and TI using a standardized imaging protocol. The ICGA perfusion curves and derived parameters, HSI extracted oxyhemoglobin (oxyHb) and deoxyhemoglobin (deoxyHb) values, and flap temperatures from TI were analyzed and correlated to the clinical outcomes. Post-hoc quantitative analysis of intraoperatively collected data of ICGA application accurately distinguished between adequately and insufficiently perfused DIEP flaps. ICG perfusion curves identified the lack of arterial inflow (n=2) and occlusion of the venous outflow (n=1). In addition, a postoperatively detected partial flap epidermolysis could have been predicted based on intraoperative quantitative ICGA data. During postoperative monitoring, HSI was used to identify impaired perfusion areas within the DIEP flap based on deoxyHb levels. The results of this study showed a limited added value of TI. Quantitative, post-hoc analysis of ICGA data produced objective and reproducible parameters that enabled the intraoperative detection of arterial and venous congested DIEP flaps. HSI appeared to be a promising technique for postoperative flap perfusion assessment. A diagnostic accuracy study is needed to investigate ICGA and HSI parameters in real-time and demonstrate their clinical benefit.
PubMed: 38948075
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpra.2024.04.007 -
World Journal of Clinical Pediatrics Jun 2024Preterm birth is the leading cause of mortality in newborns, with very-low-birth-weight infants usually experiencing several complications. Breast milk is considered the...
BACKGROUND
Preterm birth is the leading cause of mortality in newborns, with very-low-birth-weight infants usually experiencing several complications. Breast milk is considered the gold standard of nutrition, especially for preterm infants with delayed gut colonization, because it contains beneficial microorganisms, such as and .
AIM
To analyze the gut microbiota of breastfed preterm infants with a birth weight of 1500 g or less.
METHODS
An observational study was performed on preterm infants with up to 36.6 wk of gestation and a birth weight of 1500 g or less, born at the University Hospital Dr. José Eleuterio González at Monterrey, Mexico. A total of 40 preterm neonates were classified into breast milk feeding (BM) and mixed feeding (MF) groups (21 in the BM group and 19 in the MF group), from October 2017 to June 2019. Fecal samples were collected before they were introduced to any feeding type. After full enteral feeding was achieved, the composition of the gut microbiota was analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Numerical variables were compared using Student's -test or using the Mann-Whitney test for nonparametric variables. Dominance, evenness, equitability, Margalef's index, Fisher's alpha, Chao-1 index, and Shannon's diversity index were also calculated.
RESULTS
No significant differences were observed at the genus level between the groups. Class comparison indicated higher counts of and in the initial compared to the final sample of the BM group ( < 0.011). In addition, higher counts of were detected in the final than in the initial sample ( = 0.040). According to the Margalef index, Fisher's alpha, and Chao-1 index, a decrease in species richness from the initial to the final sample, regardless of the feeding type, was observed ( < 0.050). The four predominant phyla were , and with being the most abundant. However, no significant differences were observed between the initial and final samples at the phylum level.
CONCLUSION
Breastfeeding is associated with a decrease in and and an increase of , contributing to the literature of the gut microbiota structure of very low-birth-weight, preterm.
PubMed: 38947995
DOI: 10.5409/wjcp.v13.i2.90499