The Impact of a Randomized Community-Based Intervention on the Awareness of Women Residing in Lebanon Toward Breast Cancer, Cervical Cancer, and Intimate Hygiene.

Background/objectives: Women's health represents an integral component of public health. With breast cancer being the first worldwide and cervical cancer the fourth most common cancer among women, and while habits of intimate hygiene remain mediocre, it is crucial to address these issues. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a community-based intervention on the knowledge and preventive measures (K&P) of women toward breast cancer, cervical cancer, and intimate hygiene.

Itacitinib for Prevention of Graft-Versus-Host Disease and Cytokine Release Syndrome in Haploidentical Transplantation.

Haploidentical hematopoietic cell transplantation (haplo-HCT) is an increasingly used treatment for hematologic malignancies. Although post-transplant cyclophosphamide (PtCy) has improved graft vs. host disease (GvHD) prophylaxis in haplo-HCT, patients continue to experience life-threatening complications.

A Case of Cardiac Tamponade With Biventricular Heart Failure in the Setting of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease targeting multiple organs through immune complexes. Pericarditis and pericardial effusions are often encountered; however, cases of biventricular failure are notably less common in the setting of SLE. We report a 43-year-old male patient presenting with cardiac tamponade with biventricular failure in SLE.

A Unique Presentation of Bacterial Group G Streptococcus Myopericarditis.

Perimyocarditis and myopericarditis are inflammatory conditions of the pericardium and myocardium, often of idiopathic or infectious etiology, with viral infections being the most common. Nonrheumatic streptococcal myopericarditis (NSM) is a rare condition that can mimic acute myocardial infarction. This case report presents a 22-year-old male with no prior medical history who developed NSM following a streptococcal pharyngitis infection.

A case image of epicardial implants in a young male with mixed germ cell tumor.

Epicardial metastasis from mixed germ cell tumors is exceedingly rare and poses a significant risk for cardiac morbidity. This case highlights the crucial need for comprehensive systemic evaluation in patients with known malignancies presenting with cardiac symptoms.

Severe Mitral Valve Regurgitation Secondary to Fulminant Myocarditis in the Setting of a Lupus Flare.

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus represents a chronic autoimmune disorder characterized by multiorgan involvement. Lupus myocarditis is a rare presentation of one of the cardiac complications of lupus with an incidence of 3-9%. It usually presents with non-specific symptoms such as dyspnea, orthopnea, chest pain, pedal edema, fever, diaphoresis, paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea, nausea, vomiting, or palpitations.

A Case of Incidental Left Ventricular Aneurysm.

Post MI left ventricular aneurysm (LVA) may be incidental, yet it presents potential risks such as heart failure, arrhythmias, thromboembolism. Monitoring and vigilant follow-up are essential to promptly identify LVA in patients with risk factors.

Post-Transplant Cyclophosphamide-Based Graft-Versus-Host Disease Prophylaxis Attenuates Disparity in Outcomes Between Use of Matched or Mismatched Unrelated Donors.

PURPOSEAccess to allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) remains limited among persons of non-European ancestry if human leukocyte antigen (HLA) matching is required. We evaluated whether post-transplant cyclophosphamide (PTCy)-based graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis improved HCT outcomes with HLA-matched unrelated donor (MUD) and mismatched unrelated donor (MMUD) HCT when compared with calcineurin inhibitor (CNI)-based prophylaxis.METHODSThree-year overall survival (OS) and GVHD-free, relapse-free survival (GRFS) were compared between adult recipients undergoing initial MUD or single HLA locus MMUD HCT with either PTCy- or CNI-based prophylaxis who were reported to the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research between 2017 and 2021.

Pretransplant desensitization of donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies with plasmapheresis and immunoglobulin produces equivalent outcomes to patients with no donor specific antibodies in haploidentical hematopoietic cell transplant.

Haploidentical hematopoietic cell transplants (haplo-HCT) with donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies (DSAs) are associated with high rates of primary graft failure and poor overall survival (OS). Limited data exists regarding the effect of desensitization. Our institution began routine desensitization for patients with DSAs in 2014.

Role and Value of Intravascular Ultrasound in the End-Stage Renal Disease Population: A Narrative Review.

Vascular access for hemodialysis is the lifeline for patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD); therefore, maintenance of the vascular access is of the utmost importance. The dialysis circuit can be complicated by stenosis or thrombosis. In particular, central venous stenosis is frequently encountered in the vascular access of patients with ESRD, and this complication may require endovascular management.

A Rare Case of Immunoglobulin G4-Related Constrictive Pericarditis Diagnosed Via Multimodality Imaging.

Constrictive pericarditis (CP) presents as a pathophysiological state where the pericardium becomes inelastic due to fibrotic changes, most commonly secondary to a protracted inflammatory process. The disease is characterized by compromised diastolic cardiac function due to loss of pericardial compliance. Immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4)-related disease, an entity marked by the insidious proliferation of IgG4-positive plasma cells and subsequent fibrosis within various organs, is an infrequent but recognized cause of CP.

Barefoot pressure distribution of diabetic patients and non-diabetic volunteer subjects after sensorimotor training with an unstable shoe construction.

Background: Forty-three percent of all diabetic foot ulcers occur under the medial forefoot due to a medial deviation of elevated pressures and premature forefoot ground contact in neuropathic diabetic patients. A 6-week sensorimotor training period with an unstable shoe construction reduces in-shoe peak pressures and contact times under the medial aspect of the forefoot.

Methods: The study was designed as a Randomised Control Trial with two diabetic groups (one served as intervention group and one as control group) and one non-diabetic intervention group.

Thinking and Enacting the Patient Medical Home Under Pandemic Conditions: A Qualitative Study From Primary Care in Alberta, Canada.

Background: The COVID-19 (C19) pandemic shocked primary care systems around the world. Those systems responded by supporting patients in the community, and acute care facilities in crisis. In Canada, the Patient Medical Home (PMH) is a widely adopted care model that aims to operationalize the tenets and principles of Primary Health Care (PHC) as developed since the Alma-Ata Declaration.

The Great Imitator: A Case of Lyme Carditis Mimicking ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

Lyme disease, caused by Borrelia burgdorferi and transmitted via Ixodes ticks, is a common vector-borne illness in the United States, with an estimated 476,000 annual cases. While primarily known for its neurological and rheumatological manifestations, Lyme disease can also involve the cardiac system, known as Lyme carditis, which occurs in about 4% to 10% of cases. This case report details a rare instance of Lyme carditis presenting as ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in a 31-year-old female with no significant medical history.

Janus kinase inhibition in the treatment and prevention of graft-versus-host disease.

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). For many years, corticosteroids have been the mainstay treatment for GVHD, but cases of steroid-refractory GVHD and the severe adverse effects of high-dose corticosteroids have increased the need for preventative and therapeutic strategies for GVHD. Due to the nature of alloreactive T cells, GVHD is inherently linked to the graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effect, the therapeutic driving force behind stem cell transplantation.

Factors associated with corticosteroid use in Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis patients in Israel: A multicenter cross-sectional study.

Background: We examined corticosteroid use among Israeli patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), focusing on demographic, disease-related, and psychosocial factors. The objective was to contribute to the development of strategies minimizing corticosteroid dependence and improving patient outcomes, given the adverse effects associated with prolonged corticosteroid use.

Methods: A comprehensive analysis was conducted on data collected from adult IBD patients attending six gastroenterological outpatient clinics in Israel.

Pretransplant Desensitization of Donor-Specific Anti-HLA Antibodies with Plasmapheresis and Immunoglobulin Produces Equivalent Outcomes to Patients with No Donor Specific Antibodies in Haploidentical Hematopoietic Cell Transplant.

In patients requiring haploidentical hematopoietic cell transplant (haplo-HCT), the presence of donor specific anti-HLA antibodies (DSAs) is associated with high rates of primary graft failure and poor overall survival (OS). There is limited data regarding the effect of desensitization. Adult patients undergoing haplo-HCT at Washington University School of Medicine from 2009-2021 were identified.

A rare case of dual coronary cameral fistulae.

Key Clinical Message: Dual coronary cameral fistulae (CCFs) are rare abnormal connections between coronary arteries and heart chambers. Management of CCFs remains a topic of debate, emphasizing the need for individualized approach based on presentation.

Abstract: We present a rare case of dual coronary cameral fistulae originating from the mid-left anterior descending (LAD) and the mid-right coronary artery (RCA) with drainage into the left ventricle, diagnosed incidentally during coronary angiography.

Avocado Oil () Reduces Epithelial Proliferation on Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia.

Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of avocado oil on the histoarchitecture of the prostate of normal rats and on rats with induced benign prostatic hyperplasia using computerized histomorphometry and immunohistochemistry.

Methods: Twenty-eight Wistar rats were divided into four groups: the control group (CG), the avocado oil group (AOG) fed with avocado oil-based diet, the induced group (IG), and the avocado oil testosterone-induced group (AOIG). Prostate hyperplasia was induced by subcutaneous implantation of silicone pellets, filled with testosterone, to promote androgen stimulation.

Baricitinib with cyclosporine eliminates acute graft rejection in fully mismatched skin and heart transplant models.

Solid organ transplant represents a potentially lifesaving procedure for patients suffering from end-stage heart, lung, liver, and kidney failure. However, rejection remains a significant source of morbidity and immunosuppressive medications have significant toxicities. Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors are effective immunosuppressants in autoimmune diseases and graft versus host disease after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation.

When a Tooth Pulls the Heart Strings: Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy Post-dental Extraction.

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, also known as stress-induced cardiomyopathy, is a temporary left ventricular dysfunction caused by a catecholamine surge under severe stress. It's characterized by chest pain, non-specific ECG changes, and left ventricular apical ballooning observed during catheterization. We present a case of a 59-year-old postmenopausal female with a past medical history of asthma who arrived at the ED complaining of chest pain following dental extraction.

Impact of donor age and relationship on outcomes of peripheral blood haploidentical hematopoietic cell transplantation.

Here we describe a retrospective analysis of outcomes in 299 patients who underwent peripheral blood haplo-HCT with PTCy from July 2009 through May 2021 and their association with donor characteristics. Patients had mostly acute leukemias and high or very high DRI. Multivariate analyses were conducted examining OS, NRM, relapse, cytokine release syndrome, acute and chronic GVHD.