Factors associated with oral anticoagulant prescription status among patients with a new diagnosis of atrial fibrillation.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained arrhythmia in adults and increases stroke risk. Treatment with oral anticoagulants (OACs) may reduce this risk however many patients do not receive OAC therapy. This study aimed to use electronic health record data to identify newly diagnosed AF patients at high risk for stroke and not anticoagulated as well as factors associated with OAC prescription.

Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio and Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio as Biomarkers in Axial Spondyloarthritis: Observational Studies From the Program to Understand the Longterm Outcomes in Spondyloarthritis Registry.

Objectives: This study was conducted to assess the utility of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in predicting radiographic sacroiliitis and active disease in axial spondyloarthritis (SpA) and to explore the association between use of a tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) and these laboratory values compared with traditional inflammatory markers.

Methods: Observational data from the Program to Understand the Longterm Outcomes in Spondyloarthritis (PULSAR) registry were analyzed. We generated receiver operating characteristic curves to calculate laboratory cutoff values; we used these values in multivariable logistic regression models to identify associations with radiographically confirmed sacroiliitis and active disease.

Mitochondrial Targeting of Amyloid-β Protein Precursor Intracellular Domain Induces Hippocampal Cell Death via a Mechanism Distinct from Amyloid-β.

Background: Amyloid-β (Aβ) is a principal cleavage product of amyloid-β protein precursor (AβPP) and is widely recognized as a key pathogenic player in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Yet, there is increasing evidence of a neurotoxic role for the AβPP intracellular domain (AICD) which has been proposed to occur through its nuclear function. Intriguingly, there is a γ-secretase resident at the mitochondria which could produce AICD locally.

Fulminant Vasculitis Complicated by ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction and Stroke.

Acute coronary syndrome is a rare complication of vasculitis. We present a case of fulminant medium-vessel vasculitis, most likely PAN, complicated by STEMI and stroke, that was successfully treated with percutaneous revascularization, high-quality stroke care, and immunosuppression. This case highlights the importance of prompt diagnosis and treatment of vasculitis and the recognition of coronary and cerebral ischemia as potentially serious complications.

Glycemic benefits with adherence to testosterone therapy in men with hypogonadism and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Background: While previous studies have demonstrated testosterone's beneficial effects on glycemic control in men with hypogonadism and Type 2 Diabetes, the extent to which these improvements are observed based on the degree of treatment adherence has been unclear.

Objectives: To evaluate the effects of long-term testosterone therapy in A1C levels in men with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and hypogonadism, controlling for BMI, pre-treatment A1C, and age among different testosterone therapy adherence groups.

Materials And Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of 1737 men with diabetes and hypogonadism on testosterone therapy for 5 years of data from 2008-2018, isolating A1C, lipid panels, and BMI results for analysis.

Fractures in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and end-stage renal disease.

Unlabelled: Having rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or end-stage renal disease (ESRD) can lead to fractures. RA independently increases the risk of hip or other femur fracture in dialysis patients. Use of corticosteroids is a potentially modifiable risk factor for fractures among persons with RA and ESRD on dialysis.

The cysteine-rich whey protein supplement, Immunocal®, preserves brain glutathione and improves cognitive, motor, and histopathological indices of traumatic brain injury in a mouse model of controlled cortical impact.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major public health problem estimated to affect nearly 1.7 million people in the United States annually. Due to the often debilitating effects of TBI, novel preventative agents are highly desirable for at risk populations.

Blood glucose changes surrounding initiation of tumor-necrosis factor inhibitors and conventional disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs in veterans with rheumatoid arthritis.

Aim: To determine the scope of acute hypoglycemic effects for certain anti-rheumatic medications in a large retrospective observational study.

Methods: Patients enrolled in the Veterans Affairs Rheumatoid Arthritis (VARA) registry were selected who, during follow-up, initiated treatment with tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi's, including etanercept, adalimumab, infliximab, golimumab, or certolizumab), prednisone, or conventional disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), and for whom proximate random blood glucose (RBG) measurements were available within a window 2-wk prior to, and 6 mo following, medication initiation. Similar data were obtained for patients with proximate values available for glycosylated hemoglobin A1C values within a window 2 mo preceding, and 12 mo following, medication initiation.

A Cystine-Rich Whey Supplement (Immunocal®) Provides Neuroprotection from Diverse Oxidative Stress-Inducing Agents by Preserving Cellular Glutathione.

Oxidative stress is a principal mechanism underlying the pathophysiology of neurodegeneration. Therefore, nutritional enhancement of endogenous antioxidant defenses may represent a viable treatment option. We investigated the neuroprotective properties of a unique whey protein supplement (Immunocal®) that provides an essential precursor (cystine) for synthesis of the endogenous antioxidant, glutathione (GSH).

Mitochondrial glutathione transport is a key determinant of neuronal susceptibility to oxidative and nitrosative stress.

Mitochondrial oxidative stress significantly contributes to the underlying pathology of several devastating neurodegenerative disorders. Mitochondria are highly sensitive to the damaging effects of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species; therefore, these organelles are equipped with a number of free radical scavenging systems. In particular, the mitochondrial glutathione (GSH) pool is a critical antioxidant reserve that is derived entirely from the larger cytosolic pool via facilitated transport.