Publications by authors named "Brennan Emily"
Cigarette brand variant names and characteristics such as the taste and feel of the smoke can mislead consumers into believing some products are less harmful. We assessed the characteristics of three common cigarette variants sold in Australia, "gold", "blue" and "red", to determine which characteristics differed by color, and which affected tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide (TNCO) yields. TNCO yields, physical parameters, expanded tobacco and filter ventilation were measured in cigarette color variants from eight brands.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Disparities in postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) and its prophylaxis may exist based on race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status (SES). Our objective was to evaluate whether patients from racial and ethnic minority groups and patients from lower SES backgrounds received less appropriate PONV prophylaxis and experienced higher rates of PONV and post-discharge nausea and vomiting (PDNV).
Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 23,333 adults who underwent major surgeries (total knee arthroplasty, cholecystectomy, hysterectomy, and prostatectomy) from 2017-2022 in a single, multi-state hospital system.
Thousands of regulatory noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) have been annotated; however, their functions in gene regulation and contributions to cancer formation remain poorly understood. To gain a better understanding of the influence of ncRNAs on gene regulation during melanoma progression, we mapped the landscape of ncRNAs in melanocytes and melanoma cells. Nearly half of deregulated genes in melanoma are ncRNAs, with antisense RNAs (asRNAs) comprising a large portion of deregulated ncRNAs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: The Hispanic health paradox (HHP), the observation that Hispanic people in the United States often experience better health outcomes than non-Hispanic people despite having worse prognostic factors, has not been evaluated for patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), a malignancy with marked racial disparities in outcomes. The objective of this study is to evaluate the HHP within the context of HNSCC.
Data Sources: CINAHL, PubMed, and Scopus.
Background: This study systematically reviews the literature and reports on outcomes of total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) with the INBONE II fixed-bearing implant.
Methods: PubMed, SCOPUS and CINAHL were searched for clinical studies reporting INBONE II specific outcomes from database inception through July 13th, 2024, according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.
Results: Seven primary TAA studies and 4 revision TAA studies were included with 406 and 114 patients respectively.
Article Synopsis
- Many Australian adults who smoke mistakenly believe that reducing their cigarette intake effectively lowers health risks associated with smoking.
- A significant portion of smokers, particularly those smoking less frequently, underestimate the dangers of smoking just one cigarette per day.
- The study highlights a widespread misunderstanding surrounding the effectiveness of cutting down on smoking, which emphasizes the need for better education regarding the risks involved with any level of tobacco consumption.
Article Synopsis
- The study examines disparities in healthcare related to race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status during perioperative anesthetic management for patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).
- It analyzed data from 1404 adult CABG patients between 2017 and 2022, focusing on outcomes like postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) and pain, alongside various independent variables such as race and healthcare payer types.
- Results showed no significant disparities in the management of pain or PONV across different racial or socioeconomic groups, highlighting the importance of applying a health equity lens to ensure fair treatment during surgery.
Article Synopsis
- COVID-19 has adversely affected mental health, particularly among Hispanic/Latinx communities in South Texas, leading to widespread depression post-pandemic.
- A survey of 515 adults highlighted that nearly half reported varying degrees of depression, with specific demographic factors like gender, employment status, and disabilities influencing severity.
- The findings emphasize the need for targeted mental health interventions to address the unique challenges faced by this community, especially considering the impact of pre-existing conditions and COVID-19 experiences.
Audiovestibular symptoms in systemic sclerosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol
October 2024
Article Synopsis
- A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate whether patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) have a higher prevalence of audiovestibular issues compared to non-SSc patients, focusing on their symptoms and testing outcomes.
- The review included 13 studies with 414 SSc patients and 390 controls, revealing that SSc patients experienced significantly higher rates of tinnitus, vertigo, and subjective hearing loss than those without the condition.
- While SSc patients showed worse hearing compared to controls, these findings were statistically significant but not clinically significant, underscoring the need for comprehensive audiovestibular assessments in SSc management.
Objective: To determine if librarian collaboration was associated with improved database search quality, search reproducibility, and systematic review reporting in otolaryngology systematic reviews and meta-analyses.
Methods: In this retrospective cross-sectional study, PubMed was queried for systematic reviews and meta-analyses published in otolaryngology journals in 2010, 2015, and 2021. Two researchers independently extracted data.
Introduction: This study examined simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplant (SPKt) in Black and White patients to identify disparities in transplantation, days on the waitlist, and reasons for SPKt waitlist removal.
Methods: Using the United Network for Organ Sharing Standard Transplant Analysis and Research file, patients between January 1, 2009, and May 31, 2021, were included. Three cohorts (overall, SPKt recipients only, and those not transplanted) were selected using propensity score matching.
Background: While racial disparity in surgical mortality due to venous thromboembolism (VTE) has improved, a gap persists. Our study aim was to determine differences in VTE prevention practices and their impact on outcomes among racial surgical cohorts.
Methods: Elective surgeries performed between 1.
Background: Sleeve gastrectomy (SG) is an effective treatment option for patients with obesity. Robotic sleeve gastrectomy (RSG) is reported to have worse short-term patient outcomes compared to laparoscopic SG (LSG), but prior studies may not have accounted for evolving technology, including stapler utilization.
Objective: This study compared RSG and LSG outcomes over different time periods.
Objective: Initiating postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) within 6 weeks of surgery for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is included in the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Clincal Practice Guidelines and is a Commission on Cancer quality metric. Factors associated with delays in starting PORT have not been systematically described nor synthesized.
Data Sources: PubMed, Scopus, and CINAHL.
Background: The benefits of prophylactic ureteral stent placement during colorectal surgery remain controversial. This study aimed to determine the incidence of ureteral injury in colorectal operations, assess the complications associated with stent usage, and determine whether their use leads to earlier identification and treatment of injury.
Methods: This was a retrospective study of patients undergoing colorectal abdominal operations between 2015 and 2021.
Background: Cigarette pack inserts are small cards that highlight the benefits of quitting and promote use of smoking cessation support. With evidence from Canada that they increase self-efficacy to quit, quit attempts and sustained cessation, inserts are set to be introduced into tobacco packs sold in Australia. Some people have expressed concern that the introduction of inserts may create more litter if incorrectly disposed of on pack-opening.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To examine the otologic and neurotologic symptoms, physical examination findings, and imaging features secondary to hematologic malignancies.
Methods: Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and CINAHL, were searched for articles including patients with otologic manifestations of leukemia, lymphoma and multiple myeloma. Data collected included patient and study demographics, specific hematologic malignancy, timing and classification of otologic symptoms, physical examination findings, imaging features and methods of diagnosis.
Background: Venous thromboembolism occurs in approximately 2% of patients undergoing abdominal and pelvic surgery for cancers of the colon, rectum, and anus and is considered preventable. The American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons recommends extended prophylaxis in high-risk patients, but there is low adherence to the guidelines.
Objective: This study aims to analyze the impact of venous thromboembolism risk-guided prophylaxis in patients undergoing elective abdominal and pelvic surgeries for colorectal and anal cancers from 2016 to 2021.
Initial studies of the emotional safety plan (ESP), a new, brief telehealth and mobile intervention to support autistic adults to cope with periods of distress, have reported feasibility and acceptability (Bal et al., 2023, Autism, 1-13). Herein we report the preliminary clinical outcomes of thirty-six autistic adults who developed a personalized ESP, with a specific interest in comparing "outcomes" demonstrated by different instruments and assessment frequencies in order to inform outcome measurement in future clinical trials.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The placebo effect observed in clinical trials evaluating medical treatments for chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is not well understood. This systematic review and meta-analysis sought to characterize the placebo effect present within CRS outcomes.
Methods: A systematic review of PubMed, Scopus, and Cumulated Index in Nursing and Allied Health Nursing (CINAHL) was performed.
Background: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is rare after bariatric surgery but is the most common cause of mortality. The use of VTE risk-stratification tools and compliance with practice guidelines remain unclear.
Objectives: Our objectives were to determine the utilization of risk-stratified VTE prophylaxis and its impact on VTE and bleeding outcomes.
Purpose: Research regarding revision anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (RACLR) with quadriceps tendon (QT) autografts is lacking. The purpose of this study was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of RACLR with QT and compare its patient outcomes to RACLR with hamstring tendon (HT) and bone-patellar tendon-bone (BTB) autografts.
Methods: Adhering to PRISMA guidelines, a search for studies using QT in RACLR was performed within PubMed, Scopus, and CINAHL from database date of inception through December 26, 2022.
Objective: The aim was to determine the utilization of Caprini guideline-indicated venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis and impact on VTE and bleeding outcomes in otolaryngology (ORL) surgery patients.
Methods: Elective ORL surgeries performed between 2016 and 2021 were retrospectively identified. Logistic regression models were used to examine the association between patient characteristics and receiving appropriate prophylaxis, inpatient, 30- and 90-day VTE and bleeding events.
Objective: Initiating postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) within 6 weeks (42 days) of surgery is the first and only Commission on Cancer (CoC) approved quality metric for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). No study has systematically reviewed nor synthesized the literature to establish national benchmarks for delays in starting PORT.
Data Sources: Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines, we performed a systematic review of PubMed, Scopus, and CINAHL.