Survival trends for patients with retinoblastoma between 2000 and 2018: What has changed?

Introduction: Retinoblastoma (RB) is the most common primary intraocular cancer of childhood. Over the last few decades, a variety of techniques and treatment modalities emerged that improved the survival and ocular salvage rate of patients with RB. We investigated the relative survival trends of patients with RB from 2000 to 2018 by using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database.

The role of immunotherapy plus chemotherapy versus chemotherapy alone as first-line treatment for advanced non-small cell lung cancer: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background: Recently published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) showed improved overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) with the combination of immunotherapy and chemotherapy as compared to chemotherapy alone in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We aimed to provide a systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs regarding the efficacy and safety of immunotherapy and chemotherapy combinations for advanced NSCLC.

Methods: On December 23, 2021, we searched databases for RCTs that reported PFS and OS as primary outcomes.

The efficacy and safety of roxadustat for the treatment of anemia in non-dialysis dependent chronic kidney disease patients: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.

Background: Roxadustat (ROX) is a new medication for anemia as a complication of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Our meta-analysis aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ROX, especially on the cardiovascular risks, for anemia in NDD-CKD patients.

Methods: Electronic databases were searched systematically from inception to July 2021 to look for randomized control trials (RCTs) that evaluated ROX NDD-CKD patients.

The efficacy of Roxadustat for the treatment of anemia in dialysis dependent chronic kidney disease patients: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.

Background: Anemia is a common complication in chronic kidney disease (CKD) with increased morbidity and mortality. Recently published RCTs were conducted to compare the effect of the new medication roxadustat (ROX) with erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA) in dialysis-dependent CKD (DD-CKD) patients. Our article aimed to meta-analyze published RCTs to investigate the efficacy and safety of ROX for anemia in DD-CKD patients and update the effect of the new studies on overall analysis with subsequent impact on management.

Oral-Ocular Synkinesis in a 21-Year Old Female Head Trauma Patient Following Facial Nerve Decompression Surgery.

Facial synkinesis can happen as a negative event following the recovery of facial nerve paralysis. In this case report, five months after right facial nerve decompression surgery following right sided head trauma, a 21-year-old female patient developed oral-ocular synkinesis. During her attempt to voluntarily smile, she experienced uncontrolled winking of her right eye.

De-escalation from Prasugrel or Ticagrelor to Clopidogrel in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome Managed with Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: An Updated Meta-analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials.

Introduction: We aimed to evaluate the clinical benefits of a de-escalation strategy from prasugrel or ticagrelor to clopidogrel versus continuation of prasugrel or ticagrelor along with aspirin in both strategies for patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), and to analyze the effect of the recently published randomized clinical trial (RCT) by Park et al., which included the largest sample size ever and the largest switched number of patients, on current guidelines and practices.

Data Sources: The PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Central, and Google Scholar databases were searched systematically from inception to May 2021 by using the search terms ('de-escalation' OR 'switching') AND ('antiplatelet' OR 'clopidogrel' OR 'ticagrelor' OR 'prasugrel') AND ('percutaneous coronary intervention' OR 'PCI'' OR 'Acute coronary syndrome' OR 'ACS').

The effects of curcumin as dietary supplement for patients with polycystic ovary syndrome: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.

This review aims to evaluate if there are clinical benefits of curcumin (CUR) in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Central, and Google Scholar) were systematically searched to identify only randomized clinical trials (RCTs) that assessed CUR in patients with PCOS from inception to May 5, 2021. Five RCTs were included with a total of 296 patients, with 148 among the CUR groups and 148 patients among the control group.

The potential use of lactate blockers for the prevention of COVID-19 worst outcome, insights from exercise immunology.

Following the decline in Physical Activity (PA) due to COVID-19 restrictions in the form of government mandated lockdowns and closures of public spaces, the modulatory effect of physical exercise on immunity is being heavily revisited. In an attempt to comprehend the wide discrepancy in patient response to COVID-19 and the factors that potentially modulate it, we summarize the findings relating PA to inflammation and immunity. A distinction is drawn between moderate intensity and high intensity physical exercise based on the high lactate production observed in the latter.

Comparative analysis of surgical exposure and freedom between the subtonsillar, endoscope-assisted subtonsillar, and far-lateral approaches to the lower clivus: A cadaveric study.

The far-lateral (FL)approach is a classic technique for skull base surgeries involving the lower clivus (LC).Recently, a modified suboccipital midline approach known as the subtonsillar (ST) approach, along with the endoscope-assisted subtonsillar (EST) approach, has been described as a minimally invasive technique to treat LC lesions. However, there is no quantitative study on comparing these approaches together for reaching LC.

Comparative Analysis of the Subtonsillar, Far-Lateral, Extreme-Lateral, and Endoscopic Far-Medial Approaches to the Lower Clivus: An Anatomical Cadaver Study.

Background: The lower clivus (LC) is one of the most difficult areas to access in neurosurgery. Several microsurgical approaches to the LC have been reported, including the subtonsillar, far-lateral (FL), extreme-lateral (EL), and endoscopic far-medial (Endo-FM). However, no consensus has been reached regarding the optimal approach.

Construction of Neuroanatomical Volumetric Models Using 3-Dimensional Scanning Techniques: Technical Note and Applications.

Background: Visuospatial features of neuroanatomy are likely the most difficult concepts to learn in anatomy. Three-dimensional (3D) modalities have gradually begun to supplement traditional 2-dimensionanl representations of dissections and illustrations. We have introduced and described the workflow of 2 innovative methods-photogrammetry (PGM) and structured light scanning (SLS)-which have typically been used for reverse-engineering applications.