Clinical practice guideline on the use of single-operator cholangioscopy in the diagnosis of indeterminate biliary stricture and the treatment of difficult biliary stones.

Background And Aims: Single-operator cholangioscopy (SOC) offer a diagnostic and therapeutic alternative with an improved optical resolution over conventional techniques; however, there are no standardized clinical practice guidelines for this technology. This evidence-based guideline from the Colombian Association of Digestive Endoscopy (ACED) intends to support patients, clinicians, and others in decisions about using in adults the SOC compared to endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), to diagnose indeterminate biliary stricture and to manage difficult biliary stones.

Methods: ACED created a multidisciplinary guideline panel balanced to minimize potential bias from conflicts of interest.

Lipid Lowering Therapy: An Era Beyond Statins.

Dyslipidemia, specifically elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels, causes atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and increases the risk of myocardial infarction and stroke. Statins, a class of drugs that exert their effects by inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase, a key enzyme in the synthesis of cholesterol, have been the mainstay of therapy for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease and lipids reduction. Statins are associated with side effects, most commonly myopathy and myalgias, despite their proven efficacy.

Retraction: The Impact of Charlson Comorbidity Index on Mortality From SARS-CoV-2 Virus Infection.

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.7759/cureus.19937.

Retraction: Evaluating the Clinical Outcomes of Remdesivir Among Patients Admitted With COVID-19 in a Tertiary Care Hospital.

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.7759/cureus.19487.

Retraction: Comparison of High-Statin Therapy vs Moderate-Statin Therapy in Achieving Positive Low-Density Lipoprotein Change in Patients After Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Randomized-Control Trial.

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.7759/cureus.20710.

Retraction: Comparison of the Performance of Various Scores in Predicting Mortality Among Patients Hospitalized With COVID-19.

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.7759/cureus.20751.

Retraction: Relationship Between Chronic Kidney Disease Staging and Vitamin D Deficiency: A Retrospective Study.

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.7759/cureus.21221.

Relationship Between Chronic Kidney Disease Staging and Vitamin D Deficiency: A Retrospective Study.

Introduction Vitamin D deficiency is a rising health issue in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). It can lead to serious issues such as rickets, periodontitis, osteoporosis, weakness, muscle ache, and depression. This study was conducted to determine the vitamin D status of patients with CKD in Pakistan and evaluate the correlation between serum vitamin D and renal function progression.

Meta-analysis of incidence and outcomes of life-threatening arrhythmias in takotsubo cardiomyopathy.

Background: Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TC) or stress-induced cardiomyopathy is a transient heart condition that clinically resembles an acute coronary syndrome. This study aims to assess the incidence of life-threatening arrhythmias in patients with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy and evaluate the outcomes of patients with life-threatening arrhythmias (LTAs) in Takotsubo cardiomyopathy compared with those without LTA.

Methods: We comprehensively searched the PubMed, Google Scholar, and Embase databases from inception to February 2021.

Comparison of the Performance of Various Scores in Predicting Mortality Among Patients Hospitalized With COVID-19.

Introduction Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a major social and economic challenge, devastating the health care system in several countries around the world. Mortality scores are important as they can help health care professionals to plan treatment as per the patients' condition for proper resource allocation. When it comes to patients, it provides invaluable information for implementing advance directives.

Comparison of High-Statin Therapy vs Moderate-Statin Therapy in Achieving Positive Low-Density Lipoprotein Change in Patients After Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Randomized-Control Trial.

Introduction: Statin use in secondary prevention after acute coronary syndrome (ACS) can play an important role in enhancing clinical outcomes, this has been proven in several randomized trials. This study was conducted to compare the efficacy of moderate-intensity and high-intensity statins in controlling low-density lipoprotein (LDL) after ACS.

Methodology: A randomized control trial was conducted at the Cardiology Department of Liaquat National Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan, from July 2020 to September 2021.

The Impact of Charlson Comorbidity Index on Mortality From SARS-CoV-2 Virus Infection.

Introduction: Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) is a simple, validated, and readily acceptable method of determining the risk of mortality from comorbid disease. It has been used as a predictor of long-term survival and prognosis. The aim of this study is to determine the impact of CCI score on mortality in COVID-19 hospitalized patients and test the efficacy of the CoLACD score (COVID-19 lymphocyte ratio, age, CCI score, dyspnoea) in predicting mortality among hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

19p13.3 Deletion With Polyotia: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Mutations at chromosome 19 are rare, and reports in the literature are scarce and clinically variable. This chromosome has a high genetic density, and hence a given deletion can cause distinctive effects on body systems and, in addition, result in a characteristic phenotype.  We report the case of a patient who presented with distinctive signs and symptoms such as delayed psychomotor development, severe postnatal delay, dolichocephaly, polyotia, and ocular hypertelorism.

Metastatic Breast Cancer Presenting as Pulmonary Nodules and Right Axillary Lymph Node in a Male with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia.

To our knowledge, this is the first case reported in the English literature of simultaneous occult male metastatic breast cancer presenting as pulmonary nodules and right axillary lymph node metastasis in a chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patient and is the second case of simultaneous male breast cancer and CLL reported. The first case was reported by Dubashi et al. [Curr Oncol.

Evaluating the Clinical Outcomes of Remdesivir Among Patients Admitted With COVID-19 in a Tertiary Care Hospital.

Introduction: This study was conducted to determine whether remdesivir administration for treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is associated with reducing deaths among COVID-19 hospitalized patients.

Methodology: It was a retrospective study, and the data was acquired at Ziauddin Hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. All patients admitted between February and May 2021 with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-Cov-2) infection confirmed by polymerase chain reaction testing from nasopharyngeal samples were included in the study, including those who received at least five-day treatment of remdesivir and who did not receive even a single dose of remdesivir.

Prevalence and clinical outcomes of pleural effusion in COVID-19 patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Observational studies indicate that pleural effusion has an association with risk and the clinical prognosis of COVID-19 disease; however, the available literature on this area is inconsistent. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to evaluate the correlation between COVID-19 disease and pleural effusion. A rigorous literature search was conducted using multiple databases.