The Effect of Low-dose Aspirin on Disease Activity in Pregnant Individuals with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Objectives: Low-dose aspirin (LDA) is recommended for pregnant individuals at elevated risk for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP). However, regular aspirin use may raise concerns of increased disease activity in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of LDA use in pregnant IBD patients and the effect of LDA on IBD disease activity.

Effect of combined tobacco use and type 2 diabetes mellitus on prevalent fibrosis in patients with MASLD.

Background: Several studies have investigated the independent effect of cigarette smoking or type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) on MASLD. However, the interaction effect between tobacco consumption and T2DM on MASLD severity remains underexplored. In this study, we assessed the combined effect of tobacco use and T2DM on hepatic fibrosis in MASLD.

The incidence and natural history of ascites after liver transplantation.

Background: Ascites is common in cirrhosis but uncommon after liver transplant. We aimed to characterize the incidence, natural history, and current management strategies of post-transplant ascites.

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent liver transplantation at 2 centers.

Intermittent Fasting as a Treatment for Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: What Is the Evidence?

Content available: Author Interview and Audio Recording.

Outcomes of EUS-guided transluminal gallbladder drainage in patients without cholecystitis.

Background And Objectives: Cholecystectomy is the gold standard for most gallbladder-related disease. However, many patients with gallbladder disease are poor surgical candidates. Current nonsurgical gallbladder drainage (GBD) methods include percutaneous cholecystostomy and endoscopic ultrasound-guided transluminal GBD (EUS-GBD).

Association of Statins and 28-Day Mortality Rates in Patients Hospitalized With Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection.

Background: Statins may be protective in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 SARS-CoV-2 infection. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the effect of in-hospital statin use on 28-day mortality rates and intensive care unit (ICU) admission among patients with SARS-CoV-2, stratified into 4 groups: those who used statins before hospitalization (treatment continued or discontinued in the hospital) and those who did not (treatment newly initiated in the hospital or never initiated).

Methods: In a cohort study of 1179 patients with SARS-CoV-2, record review was used to assess demographics, laboratory measurements, comorbid conditions, and time from admission to death, ICU admission, or discharge.

Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in Individuals With Nonobese Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is independently associated with obesity and cardiovascular disease (CVD). CVD is the primary cause of mortality in the predominantly obese population of adults with NAFLD. NAFLD is increasingly seen in individuals who are lean and overweight (i.

The assessment of sarcopenia using psoas muscle thickness per height is not predictive of post-operative complications in IBD.

Background: Sarcopenia is associated with postoperative complications in inflammatory bowel disease. It has most commonly been defined using the skeletal muscle index, computed after analysis of cross-sectional muscle area at L3. Psoas muscle thickness normalized to height (PMTH), which is easier to derive, is a potential surrogate of SMI and sarcopenia in patients with cirrhosis and chronic pancreatitis.

Thiazolidinediones, alpha-glucosidase inhibitors, meglitinides, sulfonylureas, and hepatocellular carcinoma risk: A meta-analysis.

Background & Aims: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Effects of second-line oral antidiabetic medications on incident HCC risk in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus remain unclear. This study evaluated associations between sulfonylureas, thiazolidinediones, meglitinides and alpha-glucosidase inhibitors, and incident HCC risk.

Statins Are Associated with Improved 28-day Mortality in Patients Hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

Background: Statins may be protective in viral infection and have been proposed as treatment in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection.

Objective: We evaluated the effect of statins on mortality in four groups hospitalized with (SARS-CoV-2) infection (continued statin, newly initiated statin, discontinued statin, never on statin).

Design: In a single center cohort study of 1179 patients hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 infection, the outcome of death, Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission or hospital discharge was evaluated.

Aspirin Use Is Associated with a Reduced Incidence of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third-leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, with a growing incidence and poor prognosis. While some recent studies suggest an inverse association between aspirin use and reduced HCC incidence, other data are conflicting. To date, the precise magnitude of risk reduction-and whether there are dose-dependent and duration-dependent associations-remains unclear.

Pituitary Apoplexy Case Series: Outcomes After Endoscopic Endonasal Transsphenoidal Surgery at a Single Tertiary Center.

Background: The management of pituitary apoplexy, caused by acute hemorrhage and/or infarction of a pituitary adenoma, is debated.

Objective: To analyze clinical characteristics of patients undergoing endoscopic endonasal approaches (EEAs) for pituitary apoplexy.

Methods: A retrospective review of patients at our institution from 2012 to 2018 undergoing EEA for pituitary apoplexy diagnosed clinically and with imaging/pathologic findings.

Culinary medicine and community partnership: hands-on culinary skills training to empower medical students to provide patient-centered nutrition education.

Given the economic burden and numerous morbidities associated with obesity and poor dietary choices, it is increasingly important for medical students to receive education on nutrition and preventive medicine so that they are equipped to advise patients about healthy lifestyle choices. Currently, 71% of US medical schools do not reach the minimum benchmark of 25 hours of nutrition education set by the National Academy of Sciences. In order to improve the quality and quantity of nutrition education at the Keck School of Medicine of USC (KSOM), medical students and faculty have partnered with LA Kitchen (LAK), a local teaching kitchen, and the Wellness Center at LA County Medical Center (LAC+USC).

Outcomes Following Transsphenoidal Pituitary Surgery in the Elderly: A Retrospective Single-Center Review.

Background: Transsphenoidal surgery (TSS) for pituitary adenomas (PAs) is performed on elderly patients with increasing frequency. More research is necessary to assess the risk factors that are associated with TSS in an aging population.

Objective: To perform a retrospective study on postoperative safety outcomes following TSS in the elderly population stratified by decade of life.

Variability and Lack of Prognostic Value Associated With Atypical Pituitary Adenoma Diagnosis: A Systematic Review and Critical Assessment of the Diagnostic Criteria.

Background: Atypical pituitary adenomas (APAs) are a subset of pituitary adenomas (PAs) characterized by the 2004 World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines to have higher risk histopathological features than typical PAs. In July 2017, the WHO published an update to their classification of pituitary tumors and abandoned the APA terminology.

Objective: To assess the prevalence and outcomes of patients diagnosed with APA through a literature review.