Comparative Safety of Biologic Agents in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease With Active or Recent Malignancy: A Multi-Center Cohort Study.

Background & Aims: Safety of biologic agents is a key consideration in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and active or recent cancer. We compared the safety of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α antagonists vs non-TNF biologics in patients with IBD with active or recent cancer.

Methods: We conducted a multicenter retrospective cohort study of patients with IBD and either active cancer (cohort A) or recent prior cancer (within ≤5 years; cohort B) who were treated with TNFα antagonists or non-TNF biologics after their cancer diagnosis.

A Multicenter Study of Left Ventricular Assist Device-Related Gastrointestinal Bleeding.

Introduction: Continuous left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) offer hemodynamic support in advanced and decompensated heart failure but are often complicated by gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) in medically fragile patients.

Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of 475 consecutive patients who underwent LVAD implantation at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Tufts Medical Center from 2008 to 2019 and identified 128 patients with clinically significant GIB. Clinical characteristics of each bleeding event, including procedures and interventions, were recorded.

An Unusual Cause of Lower Gastrointestinal Bleeding: Cecal Dieulafoy's Lesion.

Colonic Dieulafoy's lesions are an exceptionally rare cause of lower gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. These lesions are almost exclusively found in the upper GI tract based on previous reviews. We present a case of an 81-year-old man who presented with melena progressing to hematochezia and was found to have a cecal Dieulafoy's lesion on colonoscopy.

The fast track back to registered nurses employment.

The registered nurse (RN) workforce continues to decline. One method to attract experienced RNs into the workforce is through RN refresher courses. To determine if our RN refresher program is successful in returning RNs to the workforce, we sought to measure the: characteristics of RNs who participate in our program; relationship among participants' employment and demographics; effect of high fidelity human simulation (HFHS) on participants' learning, and; program's ability to meet participants' preparation for employment.