This systematic review describes difference in patient-relevant outcomes between comprehensive cancers (CCCs) versus non-CCCs. Studies were identified in PubMed, Cochrane CENTRAL, Epistemonikos, and gray literature from January 2002 to May 2024. Data were extracted and appraised by two authors.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Patients with autoimmune blistering diseases (AIBDs) are often exposed to chronic glucocorticoid (GC) treatment with many side effects. Glucocorticoid-induced myopathy (GIM) is a well-established side effect, which particularly affects the proximal muscles. The Glucocorticoid Toxicity Index (GTI) is a validated global assessment tool which quantifies GC toxicity over time.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe impact of estrogen supplementation during the follicular/proliferative phase on the endometrial lining thickness (EMT) prior to intrauterine insemination (IUI) remains largely unstudied. Our study examined changes in EMT and rates of clinical pregnancy, miscarriage, and live birth for all patients who completed an IUI cycle at Stanford Fertility Center from 2017-2023 (n = 2281 cycles). Cycles with estradiol supplementation (n = 309) were compared to reference cycles without supplementation (n = 1972), with the reference cohort further categorized into cycles with a pre-ovulatory EMT of < 7 mm ("thin-lining", n = 536) and ≥ 7 mm ("normal-lining", n = 1436).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Quantifying glucocorticoid toxicity is crucial to efforts to reduce it. The Glucocorticoid Toxicity Index (GTI) measures toxicity effectively in clinical trials by calculating two scores: the cumulative worsening score (CWS) and the aggregate improvement score (AIS). However, in clinical practice, high patient volumes limit the time available for standardised assessments.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Mobile health applications (mHealth apps) are increasingly being used in weight loss interventions. However, evidence on the effects of such interventions on diet quality and their correlation with weight loss is lacking.
Objective: The objective of this study was to examine whether changes in the diet quality of adults with prediabetes followed the use of an mHealth-enabled lifestyle intervention, compared with those who did not, and whether these changes correlated with weight loss.
Background: Despite their known effectiveness, antipsychotics possess significant cardiometabolic adverse event profiles. Guidelines emphasise routine monitoring, however, practices are known to be suboptimal.
Aim: To investigate the level of cardiometabolic monitoring among people prescribed antipsychotic therapy in primary care, and patient-related factors that may influence monitoring patterns.
J Assist Reprod Genet
October 2023
Purpose: To evaluate embryo ploidy in a cohort of patients who underwent preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) with vitrified oocytes compared to fresh oocytes.
Methods: Patients who underwent their first autologous oocyte vitrification and warming followed by in vitro fertilization (IVF) and trophectoderm biopsy for PGT-A between 1/1/2017 and 12/31/2021 at a single academic institution were included. Patients were compared 1:3 to age-matched controls who underwent their first IVF cycle with fresh oocytes and subsequent trophectoderm biopsy for PGT-A.
Patient navigation is a strategy for overcoming barriers to reduce disparities and to improve access and outcomes. The aim of this umbrella review was to identify, critically appraise, synthesize, and present the best available evidence to inform policy and planning regarding patient navigation across the cancer continuum. Systematic reviews examining navigation in cancer care were identified in the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), PubMed, Embase, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health (CINAHL), Epistemonikos, and Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) databases and in the gray literature from January 1, 2012, to April 19, 2022.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: To assess the impact of elevated BMI on the success of modified natural cycle frozen embryo transfers (mNC-FET) of euploid embryos.
Methods: This retrospective cohort study at a single academic institution reviewed mNC-FET involving single euploid blastocysts from 2016 to 2020. Comparison groups were divided by pre-pregnancy BMI (kg/m) category: normal weight (18.
Purpose: To investigate the pregnancy and neonatal outcomes of letrozole-stimulated frozen embryo transfer (LTZ-FET) cycles compared with natural FET cycles (NC-FET).
Methods: Our retrospective cohort included all LTZ-FET (n = 161) and NC-FET (n = 575) cycles that transferred a single euploid autologous blastocyst from 2016 to 2020 at Stanford Fertility Center. The LTZ-FET protocol entailed 5 mg of daily letrozole for 5 days starting on cycle day 2 or 3.
Glucocorticoid use in patients with autoimmune bullous disease is associated with significant morbidity, and in some cases, excess mortality. The hyperglycaemic complications arising from glucocorticoid use have been well-documented and range from mild hyperglycaemia to diabetic ketoacidosis. Patients with pre-existing glucose intolerance or type 2 diabetes mellitus are at increased risk of developing complications.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOdontoid fractures are the most common cervical spine fractures in the elderly. Although many classification systems have been developed for them, the ambiguity in various definitions can potentially lead to misunderstandings. This paper aims to review the terminologies and current classification systems of odontoid fractures and propose a new, simplified anatomical classification.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFComplex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a debilitating, painful condition of limbs that often arises after an injury and is associated with significant morbidity. The Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE II) instrument, used to assess the quality of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs), was used to evaluate seven CRPS management guideline. Out of the seven CPGs evaluated using the AGREE II instrument, only one from Royal College of Physicians was found to have high-quality consensus guidelines for diagnosis and management of CRPS.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Mobile health apps are increasingly used as early intervention to support behavior change for diabetes prevention and control, with the overarching goal of lowering the overall disease burden.
Objective: This prospective cohort study conducted in Singapore aimed to investigate app engagement features and their association with weight loss and improved glycemic control among adults with diabetes and prediabetes from the intervention arm of the Diabetes Lifestyle Intervention using Technology Empowerment randomized controlled trial.
Methods: Diabetes and prediabetes participants (N=171) with a median age of 52 years, BMI of 29.
Cancer-associated malnutrition, or cachexia, stemming from cancer or its treatments, is particularly prevalent in metastatic cancers, and is often interrelated with sarcopenia and frailty. Evidence suggests that dietary supplements play a role in managing these conditions. As metastatic cancer cells are associated with notable genomic and phenotypic alterations, response to dietary supplements may differ between metastatic and non-metastatic cancers.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Landmark studies have established that lifestyle interventions focused on weight loss, diet modification and physical activity can prevent diabetes progression. However, the effectiveness of mobile health application among Asians with prediabetes remains largely unexamined. We aimed to assess whether a smartphone app-based lifestyle intervention program would lead to weight loss, normoglycemia and improved metabolic indices in a multiethnic Asian population with prediabetes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: To evaluate whether morphology impacts the pregnancy and neonatal outcomes of euploid blastocysts, and whether maternal age still affects outcomes when top-graded, euploid blastocysts are used.
Methods: This retrospective cohort study included all natural-cycle frozen embryo transfers (NC-FET) using an autologous, euploid blastocyst from June 2016 to June 2020 (n = 610). There were five groups based on embryo grade: AA, AB, BA, BB, and "any C".
Background: Smartphone apps have shown potential in enhancing weight management in Western populations in the short to medium term. With a rapidly growing obesity burden in Asian populations, researchers are turning to apps as a service delivery platform to reach a larger target audience to efficiently address the problem.
Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to determine the efficacy of interventions that incorporate apps in facilitating weight loss and health behavior change in the Asian population.
Objective: To compare the pregnancy outcomes of lesbian women undergoing donor sperm intrauterine insemination (IUI) with that of heterosexual women undergoing IUI using partner or donor sperm.
Design: Retrospective cohort analysis.
Setting: Two academic fertility practices.
Background Identification of risk factors associated with successful extubation in neurosurgical critical care units (NSICUs) has been elusive due to the complex nature of neurocritical care injuries and patient factors. Traditional risk factors for extubation were shown to have poor predictive value in neurocritical care patients as compared to mixed ICU patients. The aim of this study was to determine if any risk factors, including the Rothman Index, could reliably predict successful extubation in a large sample size of neurocritical care patients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF: Stiff-person syndrome (SPS) is a rare autoimmune neurological disorder associated with muscle rigidity and spasms. A number of antibodies have been associated with disorder, including anti-glutamic acid decarboxylase and anti-amphiphysin.; In this report, we present a rare case of a 79-year-old woman who presented with bilateral lower extremity weakness who was ultimately diagnosed with stiff-limb syndrome, a rare variant of SPS.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFImportance: Lifestyle interventions are effective in diabetes management, with smartphone apps that manage health data and dietary and exercise schedules gaining popularity. However, limited evidence from randomized clinical trials exists regarding the effectiveness of smartphone-based interventions among Asian adults with type 2 diabetes.
Objective: To compare the effects of a culturally contextualized smartphone-based intervention with usual care on weight and metabolic outcomes.