Publications by authors named "McCullough P"
Risk stratification for future cardiac arrest after COVID-19 vaccination.
World J Cardiol
February 2025
Unheralded cardiac arrest among previously healthy young people without antecedent illness, months or years after coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination, highlights the urgent need for risk stratification. The most likely underlying pathophysiology is subclinical myopericarditis and reentrant ventricular tachycardia or spontaneous ventricular fibrillation that is commonly precipitated after a surge in catecholamines during exercise or the waking hours of terminal sleep. Small patches of inflammation and/or edema can be missed on cardiac imaging and autopsy, and the heart can appear grossly normal.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Hydroxychloroquine paired with Azithromycin, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and Zinc (HAZDPac), was used as a multidrug therapy method to treat COVID-19 illness and superimposed secondary bacterial pneumonia. Concerns have been raised though about such combinations regarding cardiac QTc interval prolongation and risks of arrhythmias, which we set out to address in this study.
Design: We evaluated cardiac safety in a Phase II Double-Blind Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial of Combination Therapy to Treat COVID-19 Infections study, conducted by ProgenaBiome.
Article Synopsis
- - Lutein is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound found in certain foods that can improve eye health, support heart and metabolic function, and protect against conditions like neurodegenerative diseases and chronic illnesses.
- - It plays a role in mitigating oxidative and nitrosative stress linked to long COVID and mRNA vaccine-related injuries, potentially reducing inflammation caused by the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.
- - A diet rich in lutein, particularly when combined with Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) for better absorption, may be beneficial for recovery in post-COVID situations due to its ability to suppress harmful molecular pathways.
Article Synopsis
- In May 2023, the FDA approved a Pfizer-sponsored bivalent RSV vaccine (AbrysvoTM) for use in pregnant women to prevent RSV infections in newborns, following safety concerns that halted GSK trials in 2022.
- A comprehensive evaluation of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) showed several maternal side effects were more common with the RSVpreF vaccine, including local reactions, fatigue, and joint pain.
- Despite increased side effects, the vaccine significantly reduced cases of RSV-related lower respiratory tract disease and hospitalizations, but there was a notable rise in the risk of preterm delivery associated with its use.
Article Synopsis
- The development of mRNA vaccines like Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna in 2020 overcame challenges related to mRNA instability and immunity, marking a key advancement in vaccine technology.
- The paper discusses improvements in mRNA stability and efficiency through nucleoside modifications and design elements, while raising concerns about the widespread distribution of the vaccines leading to potential inflammatory responses and safety issues.
- It suggests exploring small interfering RNA (siRNA) and ribonuclease targeting chimeras (RIBOTACs) as methods to target and degrade excess vaccine mRNA, which could help prevent harmful spike protein production and reduce side effects.
Background Surgical site infection in colon surgery is associated with significant cost and increased length of hospital stay. Recently, there has been interest in the use of pulsed lavage to reduce the risk of surgical site infection in contaminated wounds. Although increasingly used and gaining popularity, its effectiveness in elective colorectal surgery has been poorly documented.
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- The Article-in-Press has been withdrawn due to serious concerns raised by the scientific community regarding its citations, methodology, and conclusions.
- Despite the authors' submission of a revised manuscript, independent peer-reviewers found it did not adequately address the issues that led to the initial concerns.
- The authors dispute the withdrawal decision and the reasons behind it, indicating a disagreement with the journal’s actions.
Article Synopsis
- The Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines use modified mRNA to instruct cells to produce the viral spike protein, with the aim of triggering an immune response while the mRNA itself degrades in a few days.
- Recent studies show that this modified mRNA can actually persist in the body for up to a month and can be found in heart and skeletal muscle, while the spike protein can remain detectable in the bloodstream for over six months.
- The article highlights how these prolonged effects can lead to immune responses that may impact tissue health, noting significant changes in heart muscle function even in individuals without symptoms.
Article Synopsis
- The article with DOI: 10.7759/cureus.52876 has been withdrawn from publication.
- This means its findings and claims are no longer considered valid or reliable.
- Readers are advised to disregard the content of the retracted article.
Background: Following the roll-out of the Pfizer-BioNTech BNT162b2, Moderna mRNA-1273, and Janssen Ad26.COV2.S coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) injections in the United States, millions of individuals have reported adverse events (AEs) using the vaccine adverse events reports system (VAERS).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOur understanding of COVID-19 vaccinations and their impact on health and mortality has evolved substantially since the first vaccine rollouts. Published reports from the original randomized phase 3 trials concluded that the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines could greatly reduce COVID-19 symptoms. In the interim, problems with the methods, execution, and reporting of these pivotal trials have emerged.
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- COVID-19 vaccines have been associated with myocarditis, a heart condition that can sometimes be fatal, prompting this systematic review to explore potential connections between the vaccines and death from myocarditis through post-mortem analysis.
- The review analyzed 14 autopsy reports involving 28 cases where myocarditis was potentially linked to COVID-19 vaccinations, finding that the cardiovascular system was primarily affected in most cases, with an average age of death being 44.4 years.
- Independent assessments concluded that all 28 deaths were likely causally linked to the COVID-19 vaccination, supported by evidence of symptoms occurring shortly after vaccination and consistent findings across the reviewed cases.
Background: Many studies have evaluated the use of hydroxychloroquine in COVID-19. Most retrospective observational studies demonstrate a benefit of using HCQ on mortality, but not most randomized clinical trials.
Methods: We analyzed raw data collected from a cohort of 30,423 patients with COVID-19 cared for at IHU Méditerranée Infection in Marseille France and extracted from the DRYAD open data platform.
Article Synopsis
- * The study aims to explore the mechanisms of harm caused by both the viral and vaccine-derived spike proteins and seeks to establish detoxification strategies.
- * A proposed detoxification protocol consists of nattokinase, bromelain, and curcumin, which shows potential as a clinical care base to help address complications from both infection and vaccination.
Article Synopsis
- A case study reports a deadly basaloid carcinoma that developed shortly after a patient received an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, highlighting a potential link between the vaccination and rapid cancer emergence.
- The patient exhibited neurological symptoms consistent with Bell's palsy and trigeminal neuralgia just days after vaccination, raising concerns about immune activation issues.
- The authors stress the importance of early detection and careful examination of neurological symptoms following vaccination to prevent similar outcomes and advocate for routine clinical investigations to identify potential malignancies.
Article Synopsis
- The global pandemic of COVID-19 led to widespread vaccination even among low-risk groups, raising safety concerns.
- Research indicates that COVID-19 genetic vaccines can distribute throughout the body, including sensitive areas like the heart and brain, potentially triggering harmful immune responses.
- The article emphasizes the need for detailed studies on how these vaccines distribute in the body and the importance of evaluating their risks and benefits based on age.
Aim: Inflammatory cells within the tumour microenvironment are the driving forces behind colorectal cancer (CRC) tumourigenesis. Understanding the different pathways involved in CRC carcinogenesis paves the way for effective repurposing of drugs for cancer prevention. Emerging data from preclinical and clinical studies suggest that, due to their antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory properties, phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (PDE5i) might have an anticancer effect.
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- The PROTECT trials studied how safe a new kidney disease treatment called vadadustat is compared to another treatment called darbepoetin alfa in patients who don't need dialysis.
- The results showed no difference in major heart-related problems among patients in the U.S., but those treated with vadadustat outside the U.S. had more issues, especially in Brazil and South Africa.
- The study included over 1,700 patients who had never been treated before, and they looked at different factors like kidney function and deaths related to kidney failure in those regions.
Article Synopsis
- In the PROTECT trials, a new drug called vadadustat was compared to a drug named darbepoetin alfa for treating patients with kidney disease and anemia.
- They found that while vadadustat worked similarly for improving blood health, it had more risks for serious heart problems in certain regions, especially in Europe.
- Overall, patients in Europe experienced a higher rate of heart problems compared to those in the US and other regions, suggesting location may affect treatment outcomes.