Publications by authors named "Norman Lin"

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) are increasingly used for anti-obesity indications. However, little is known of the comparative effect of GLP-1 RAs and their glycemic impact across the different routes of administration, diabetic statuses and durations of prescription. PubMed, EMBASE and CENTRAL were searched from inception to 13 February 2024.

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Article Synopsis
  • Cardiovascular disease, especially ischemic heart disease, is increasing globally, and this study investigates the effects of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) on patients who have had a heart attack (post-AMI).
  • A systematic review analyzed eight clinical trials involving over 11,000 post-AMI patients and found that SGLT2i significantly reduced hospitalizations for heart failure and lowered NT-proBNP levels, indicating improved heart function.
  • However, there were no notable differences in all-cause or cardiovascular mortality, left ventricular ejection fraction, or blood sugar levels when comparing SGLT2i to placebo.
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Background: Metformin and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors have demonstrated cardiovascular benefits but their comparative effects on mortality in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) are unknown. Hence, we evaluated and compared lifetime benefits arising from metformin or SGLT2 inhibitors in T2DM patients with CVD.

Materials And Methods: Studies published in the PubMed, EMBASE and CENTRAL databases before 28 October 2023 were retrieved.

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Globally, colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most frequently occurring cancer. Progression on to an advanced metastatic malignancy (metCRC) is often indicative of poor prognosis, as the 5-year survival rates of patients decline rapidly. Despite the availability of many systemic therapies for the management of metCRC, the long-term efficacies of these regimens are often hindered by the emergence of treatment resistance due to intratumoral and intertumoral heterogeneity.

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The term 'insight' is generically defined in English language as the ability to perceive deeper truths about people and situations. In clinical practice, patient insight is known to have important implications in treatment compliance and clinical outcomes, and can be assessed clinically by looking for the presence of illness awareness, correct attribution of symptoms to underlying condition, and acceptance of treatment. In this article, we suggest that cultivating insight is actually a highly important, yet often overlooked, component of medical training, which may explain why some consistently learn well, communicate effectively, and quickly attain clinical competency, while others struggle throughout their clinical training and may even be difficult to remediate.

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  • A study investigated the impact of left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) on outcomes for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients receiving thrombolysis, highlighting a gap in knowledge about this condition.
  • It included 937 AIS patients, categorizing them based on their left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and analyzed various health outcomes, including mortality and functional status.
  • Results showed that patients with LVSD had significantly worse outcomes, including higher mortality rates, increased heart failure admissions, and poorer functional recovery, underscoring the importance of managing LVEF in these patients.
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Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) metastasis commonly occurs in the liver and lungs with bone metastasis rarely occurring in isolation. Disseminated carcinomatosis of bone marrow (DCBM) is extremely rare in CRC. We conducted a systematic review to provide more information on the diagnosis, treatment options, and prognosis of the condition.

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Background: Ischaemic heart disease remains the main cause of death in the world. With increasing age, frailty and comorbidities, senior patients aged 80 years old and above who undergo percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) are at higher risk of mortality and other complications.

Aims: We aimed to examine the overall outcomes for this group of patients.

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Background: Complete mesocolic excision with D3 lymph node dissection in right-sided colon cancer is associated with improved oncological outcomes, but can potentially be associated with higher rates of complications compared to conventional D2 right hemicolectomy. This study aims to evaluate the oncological and perioperative outcomes of patients who underwent D3 right hemicolectomy, comparing to conventional right hemicolectomy.

Methods: From 2015 to 2020, 360 patients underwent right hemicolectomy for colonic malignancies.

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Out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCAs) occurring in high-rise buildings are a challenge to Emergency Medical Services (EMS). Contemporary EMS guidelines lack specific recommendations for systems and practitioners regarding the approach to these patients. This scoping review aimed to map the body of literature pertaining to OHCAs in high-rise settings in order to clarify concepts and understanding and to identify knowledge gaps.

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Studies on the impact of aortic valve anatomy (bicuspid aortic valve [BAV] or tricuspid aortic valve [TAV]) on the progression of moderate aortic stenosis (AS) and ascending aorta (AA) dilatation and its prognostic implications are limited. From 1991 to 2016, 288 asymptomatic patients with moderate AS detected during index echocardiography with at least 1 year of echocardiographic follow-up were retrospectively studied. Baseline clinical and echocardiographic characteristics were compared between patients with BAV (n = 80) and patients with TAV (n = 208).

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