Effects of surgical approach and downstaging in esophageal adenocarcinoma patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy: a 2010-2020 National Cancer Database (NCDB) study.

Background: Neoadjuvant Chemoradiation (nCRT) has been shown to improve survival in patients with Esophageal Adenocarcinoma (EAC). The objective of this study is to assess the patient characteristics associated with tumor downstaging in a large national database. Additionally, we evaluated surgical approach and change in clinical versus pathological staging as predictors of patient survival.

Biomarkers of Frailty in Patients with Advanced Chronic Liver Disease Undergoing a Multifactorial Intervention Consisting of Home Exercise, Branched-Chain Amino Acids, and Probiotics.

Frailty in cirrhosis or advanced chronic liver disease (ACLD) is a relevant prognostic factor. In the present study, we aimed to analyze potential biomarkers associated with frailty and its improvement in patients with ACLD. We analyzed the serum of outpatients with ACLD who participated in a previous study (Román, Hepatol Commun 2024) in which frailty was assessed using the liver frailty index (LFI), and patients who were frail or prefrail were randomized to a multifactorial intervention (home exercise, branched-chain amino acids, and probiotics) or control for 12 months.

Hemodynamic effects of carvedilol plus simvastatin in cirrhosis with severe portal hypertension and suboptimal response to β-blockers: A double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial.

Background And Aims: Carvedilol is a nonselective β-blocker (NSBB) with anti-α1-adrenergic activity, more effective than traditional NSBBs in reducing portal pressure hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG). However, 35%-45% of patients still have insufficient HVPG decrease. Statins ameliorate endothelial dysfunction, reduce hepatic vascular resistance, and have pleiotropic effects.

Simplification of a registry-based algorithm for ejection fraction prediction in heart failure patients: Applicability in cardiology centres of the Netherlands.

Background: Left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) is used to categorize heart failure (HF) into phenotypes but this information is often missing in electronic health records or non-HF registries.

Methods: We tested the applicability of a simplified version of a multivariable algorithm, that was developed on data of the Swedish Heart Failure Registry to predict EF in patients with HF. We used data from 4,868 patients with HF from the Cardiology Centers of the Netherlands database, an organization of 13 cardiac outpatient clinics that operate between the general practitioner and the hospital cardiologist.

Identification of Candidate Immunodominant Epitopes and Their HLA-Binding Prediction on BK Polyomavirus Proteins in Healthy Donors.

BK polyomavirus infection is an important cause of graft loss in transplant patients, however, currently available therapies lack effectiveness against this pathogen. Identification of immunological targets for potential treatments is therefore necessary. The aim of this study was to predict candidates of immunodominant epitopes within four BK virus proteins (VP1, VP2, VP3 and LTA) using PBMCs from 44 healthy donors.