Publications by authors named "Hadar Duskin Bitan"

Introduction: The effectiveness of AZD7442 (tixagevimab/cilgavimab) against COVID-19 hospitalizations was determined at 3 and 6 months among immunocompromised individuals in Israel during different variant circulations.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study using data from Clalit Health Services in Israel. Immunocompromised individuals eligible to receive AZD7442 300 mg between 15 February and 11 December 2022 were identified.

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Article Synopsis
  • Glycemic control during critical illness is crucial, with recommendations suggesting insulin therapy for glucose levels over 180 mg/dL, and possibly lowering it to 140 mg/dL for non-diabetics; this study explored the relationship between different glucose thresholds and 90-day mortality.
  • A retrospective study analyzed data from 1,429 critical patients, revealing that diabetic individuals had higher mean glucose levels and mortality rates compared to non-diabetics.
  • The findings indicated that non-diabetic patients with glucose levels exceeding 150 mg/dL were at a greater risk of mortality within 90 days, highlighting the importance of managing hyperglycemia in this group.
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Objective: The management of visual field damage in patients with macroprolactinomas is a major therapeutic challenge. We aimed to study the visual morbidity associated with macroprolactinoma and its outcomes following medical and surgical treatment. We aimed to identify predictors of visual recovery.

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  • A study aimed to assess the effectiveness and safety of molnupiravir for COVID-19 treatment specifically within the FDA-defined intended-use population (IUP) in Israel.
  • The research involved 49,515 patients, matching 3,957 molnupiravir-treated individuals with 19,785 untreated individuals, focusing on hospitalization and mortality rates.
  • Results showed that molnupiravir significantly reduced rates of COVID-19-related hospitalizations and all-cause mortality compared to those not treated with the drug.
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Objective: COVID-19 infection and immunizations have been implicated in developing a range of thyroid diseases, including subacute thyroiditis (SAT). This study aimed to evaluate the association between COVID-19 infection and/or COVID-19 vaccination with SAT.

Methods: A population of 3 million adults insured by Clalit Health Services was evaluated from March 2020 to September 2022.

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Introduction: AZD7442 is a combination of two neutralizing antibodies (tixagevimab/cilgavimab) with demonstrated efficacy in reducing the risk of symptomatic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among individuals at high risk of severe COVID-19 ≤ 6 months after administration. On February 15, 2022, the Israeli Ministry of Health (IMoH) authorized the administration of 300 mg AZD7442 as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection among immunocompromised individuals aged ≥ 12 years. This study describes the real-world uptake of AZD7442 in Israel.

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Objective: Multiple cases and case series reported Graves' disease (GD) following coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination. We aimed to determine whether COVID-19 vaccination was associated with the incidence of GD.

Methods: We analyzed data from Clalit Health Services, the largest healthcare organization in Israel, which insures 4.

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Background: COVID-19 continues to be a major health threat, particularly among at-risk groups, including individuals aged 60 years or older and people with particular medical conditions. Nevertheless, the absence of sufficient vaccine safety information is one of the key contributors to vaccine refusal. We aimed to assess the short-term safety profile of the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine booster doses.

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Objectives: The global supply of vaccines against mpox (previously called monkeypox virus infection) was significantly lower than the demand. Therefore, evidence-based vaccine prioritization criteria, based on risk assessment were needed. Our objective was therefore to identify the characteristics of individuals at the highest risk for mpox.

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Background: Men harboring prolactinomas frequently suffer from central hypogonadism with secondary anemia. They present insidious and nonspecific symptoms of hypogonadism, making it difficult to diagnose the disease and determine its duration. The result is a delay in diagnosis, which may have harmful hormonal and metabolic consequences.

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The recent global outbreak of the monkeypox (mpox) virus in humans was declared a public health emergency by the World Health Organization in July 2022. The smallpox and mpox vaccine (JYNNEOS; Modified Vaccinia Ankara-Bavarian Nordic; MVA-BN), provided as a two-dose regimen, is currently the primary vaccine utilized against mpox. However, the efficacy of MVA-BN against mpox has never been demonstrated in clinical trials to date.

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Objective: The treatment strategy for nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas (NFPA) includes surgery, radiotherapy, medical treatment, or follow-up. Prior series of patients with NFPAs followed without intervention include small numbers of patients with macroadenomas. This study investigated the natural history of patients with macroadenomas followed without treatment.

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Purpose: To study the baseline characteristics predicting hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (HH) persistence in men with macroprolactinoma that achieved prolactin normalization.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Methods: Male patients diagnosed with macroprolactinoma and HH that received cabergoline treatment with subsequent prolactin normalization were included: men that achieved eugonadism, and men that remained hypogonadal.

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Patients with acromegaly usually present with the classical signs of acromegaly, whereas patients without the specific signs or symptoms are rarely diagnosed. This unique entity can be named "subclinical acromegaly". This was a retrospective study.

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Article Synopsis
  • Necrotizing soft tissue infection (NSTI) is a serious condition that requires surgery and antibiotics, and this study aimed to compare clinical features and outcomes of its two main types: polymicrobial (NSTI I) and monomicrobial (NSTI II).
  • The study reviewed medical records of 81 patients from 2002-2019, examining factors like mortality rates, length of hospital stay, and ICU admissions, ultimately finding that monomicrobial NSTI was associated with worse outcomes.
  • The findings suggest that patients with polymicrobial NSTI had a better prognosis, evidenced by lower mortality and reduced need for intensive care compared to those with monomicrobial infections.
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Objective: To study the outcome of men with macroprolactinoma following cabergoline treatment based on tumour size.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Methods: The study included 94 men, divided into three groups according to adenoma diameter: 10-19 mm (Group A, n = 36); 20-39 mm (Group B, n = 41); or ≥40 mm (Group C, giant prolactinomas, n = 17).

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Purpose: Men with mild to moderate hyperprolactinemia rarely present with normal pituitary on MRI with no visible adenoma, a condition entitled also "idiopathic hyperprolactinemia" or "non-tumoral hyperprolactinemia". We have characterized a cohort of hyperprolactinemic men with normal pituitary imaging.

Design: We have identified 13 men with true hyperprolactinemia and normal pituitary MRI.

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Aim: The aim of this study is to assess the benefits of a nurse-led home injection service for somatuline autogel-treated patients with acromegaly, including the adherence to treatment and disease control.

Methods: Historical prospective data of all patients with acromegaly initiating somatuline autogel between November 14, 2000, and March 9, 2020, who voluntarily enrolled in the nurse-led home injection service between January 1, 2018 and June 30, 2020. Adherence to treatment was calculated as the number of administered injections divided by the number of expected injections during the follow-up period.

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Objective: With the current aging of the world's population, primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is increasingly detected in the elderly. Yet data on the presentation and outcome of PHPT in this group are scarce. The objective was to describe a cohort of patients aged 75 years or more with PHPT observed in our endocrine clinic.

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Background: The use of thyroglobulin (Tg) and thyroglobulin antibodies (TgAb) for detecting disease recurrence is well validated following total thyroidectomy and radioiodine ablation. However, limited data are available for patients treated with thyroid lobectomy.

Methods: Patients who had lobectomy for papillary thyroid cancer followed for >1 year, with sufficient data on Tg and TgAb, including subgroup analysis for Hashimoto's thyroiditis and contralateral nodules.

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The 2015 American Thyroid Association (ATA) guidelines recommend response to therapy (RTT) assessment 1-2 years after initial treatment in differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) patients to guide thyrotropin (TSH) goals and long-term follow-up. We hypothesized that data collected during the first 2 years of follow-up may be sufficient to determine RTT without thyroglobulin (Tg) stimulation. Patients treated with total thyroidectomy and radioiodine for intermediate-risk DTC, followed for >2 years, and had sufficient follow-up data were included.

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Context: Prolactinomas in men are usually large and invasive, presenting with signs and symptoms of hypogonadism and mass effects, including visual damage. Prolactin levels are high, associated with low testosterone, anemia, metabolic syndrome and if long-standing also osteoporosis.

Results: Medical treatment with the dopamine agonist, cabergoline, became the preferred first-line treatment for male prolactinomas as well as for giant tumors, leading to prolactin normalization in ~ 80% of treated men, and tumor shrinkage, improved visual fields and recovery of hypogonadism in most patients.

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Elderly patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) tend to have more advanced disease at presentation, for which high activities of radioiodine (RAI) are often recommended. However, the 2015 American Thyroid Association guidelines recommend that empirically administered activities of RAI >150 mCi should be avoided in patients >70 years of age, based on calculated bone-marrow exposure according to two dosimetry-based studies. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of RAI treatment on bone-marrow function in elderly DTC patients.

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