Low versus high initial oral glucocorticoid dose for lupus nephritis: a pooled analysis of randomised controlled clinical trials.

Objective: Traditional initial treatment regimens for lupus nephritis (LN) used oral glucocorticoids (GC) in starting doses up to 1.0 mg/kg/day prednisone equivalent with or without a preceding intravenous methylprednisolone pulse. More recent management guidelines recommend lower starting oral GC doses following intravenous pulse therapy.

Vaccination updates and special considerations for systemic lupus erythematosus patients.

Purpose Of Review: We review the latest guidelines and note special considerations for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients when approaching vaccination against SARS-CoV-2, influenza, pneumococcus, herpes zoster, and potentially respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine in the future.

Recent Findings: SLE patients have unique infectious risks due to newer treatments and the nature of the disease itself. It is important to balance the benefit of additional protective immunity from updated vaccines against the possible risk of disease activity exacerbations.

Comparison of Opioid-Based Patient-Controlled Analgesia with Physician-Directed Analgesia in Acute Pancreatitis: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) is commonly used for acute postoperative pain management. Clinicians may also use PCA in the management of acute pancreatitis (AP); however, there is limited data on its impact on patient outcomes. We aimed to characterize a cohort of patients receiving PCA therapy for pain management in AP compared to those patients receiving standard physician-directed delivery of analgesia.

Evaluating the accuracy of American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy guidelines in patients with acute gallstone pancreatitis with choledocholithiasis.

Background: Acute gallstone pancreatitis (AGP) is the most common cause of acute pancreatitis (AP) in the United States. Patients with AGP may also present with choledocholithiasis. In 2010, the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) suggested a management algorithm based on probability for choledocholithiasis, recommending additional imaging for patients at intermediate risk and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) for patients at high risk of choledocholithiasis.

Extrapancreatic Complications in Hospitalized Patients With Mild Acute Pancreatitis Are Associated With Poorer Outcomes: Results From a Single-Center Study.

Objective: Patients with acute pancreatitis (AP) are at risk for extrapancreatic complications (EPCs) when admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). We assessed the prevalence of EPCs in non-ICU AP patients and their outcomes.

Methods: We retrospectively studied EPCs in non-ICU AP patients between 2008 and 2018.

Inpatient Alcohol Cessation Counseling Is Associated With a Lower 30-Day Hospital Readmission in Acute Alcoholic Pancreatitis.

Background: Alcohol use is a common cause of recurrent acute pancreatitis. Thus, guidelines recommend providing alcohol prevention resources during hospitalization. There is limited data on the real-world implementation of this recommendation.

The Impact of an Inpatient Pancreatitis Service and Educational Intervention Program on the Outcome of Acute Pancreatitis.

Background: We introduced an inpatient pancreatitis consultative service aimed to 1) provide guideline-based recommendations to acute pancreatitis inpatients and 2) educate inpatient teams on best practices for acute pancreatitis management. We assessed the impact of pancreatitis service on acute pancreatitis outcomes.

Methods: Inpatients with acute pancreatitis (2008-2018) were included in this cohort study.

Assessment of interstitial lung disease among black rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Background: Conflicting reports exist regarding the racial and the gender distribution of rheumatoid arthritis-related interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD). In a major population study of predominately Whites, RA-ILD was reported mainly among smoker middle-aged men. However, recent data suggest that the disease is that of elderly women.

Assessment of Cardiovascular Disease Risk and Therapeutic Patterns among Urban Black Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients have nearly twice the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared to the general population. We aimed to assess, in a predominantly Black population, the prevalence of traditional and RA-specific CVD risk factors and therapeutic patterns. Utilizing ICD codes, we identified 503 RA patients ≥18 years old who were seen from 2010 to 2017.

p21cip/WAF is a key regulator of long-term radiation damage in mesenchyme-derived tissues.

This study aimed to determine the mechanisms responsible for long-term tissue damage following radiation injury. We irradiated p21-knockout (p21(-/-)) and wild-type (WT) mice and determined the long-term deleterious effects of this intervention on mesenchyme-derived tissues. In addition, we explored the mechanisms of radiation-induced mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) dysfunction in isolated bone marrow-derived cells.