Use of prescription opioids in Israel and socio-economic correlations between 2010 and 2020.

Background: The use of opioids has increased dramatically over the past several years in Israel. The aim of this study was to explore the trends of opioid consumption in Israel over a decade (2010-2020) stratified by socioeconomic status (SES), residence in the periphery, and ethnic background.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included all adult Maccabi Healthcare Services (MHS) patients who filled at least one prescription for opioids during the past decade.

Risk Stratification Model for Severe COVID-19 Disease: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: Risk stratification models have been developed to identify patients that are at a higher risk of COVID-19 infection and severe illness. Objectives To develop and implement a scoring tool to identify COVID-19 patients that are at risk for severe illness during the Omicron wave.

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study that was conducted in Israel's second-largest healthcare maintenance organization.

Detection of occult atrial fibrillation with 24-hour ECG after cryptogenic acute stroke or transient ischaemic attack: A retrospective cross-sectional study in a primary care database in Israel.

Background: Ischaemic stroke or cerebrovascular accident (CVA) due to occult atrial fibrillation (AF) may cause severe morbidity and mortality. Diagnosing occult AF can be challenging and there is no consensus regarding the optimal duration of screening. A 24-hour Holter electrocardiogram (ECG) is frequently employed to detect occult AF following ischaemic CVA.

Validity of diagnostic codes and estimation of prevalence of diabetic foot ulcers using a large electronic medical record database.

Aims: To assess the validity of the diagnostic codes relating to diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) in the electronic medical records of a large integrated care provider and to assess the prevalence of DFU among its members.

Materials And Methods: Data were obtained from the diabetes registry of Maccabi Healthcare Services (MHS), a 2.1-million-member sick-fund in Israel, which included 125 665 patients in 2015.

A real-world analysis of cancer drug wastage due to oversized vials.

Objectives: A recent theoretical economic model suggested that oversized vials of cancer drugs lead to $1.8 billion of drug wastage annually in the United States. It is currently unknown how precisely this theoretical model is consistent with the real world.

Detection of Lung Cancer and EGFR Mutation by Electronic Nose System.

Introduction: Early detection of lung cancer (LC) has been well established as a significant key point in patient survival and prognosis. New highly sensitive nanoarray sensors for exhaled volatile organic compounds that have been developed and coupled with powerful statistical programs may be used when diseases such as LC are suspected. Detection of genetic aberration mutation by nanoarray sensors is the next target.

Silicon Nanowire Sensors Enable Diagnosis of Patients via Exhaled Breath.

Two of the biggest challenges in medicine today are the need to detect diseases in a noninvasive manner and to differentiate between patients using a single diagnostic tool. The current study targets these two challenges by developing a molecularly modified silicon nanowire field effect transistor (SiNW FET) and showing its use in the detection and classification of many disease breathprints (lung cancer, gastric cancer, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). The fabricated SiNW FETs are characterized and optimized based on a training set that correlate their sensitivity and selectivity toward volatile organic compounds (VOCs) linked with the various disease breathprints.

Exhaled Breath Analysis for Monitoring Response to Treatment in Advanced Lung Cancer.

Introduction: The Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) serve as the accepted standard to monitor treatment efficacy in lung cancer. However, the time intervals between consecutive computerized tomography scans might be too long to allow early identification of treatment failure. This study examines the use of breath sampling to monitor responses to anticancer treatments in patients with advanced lung cancer.