The Association Between Serum Trimethylamine -Oxide and Arterial Stiffness in Chronic Peritoneal Dialysis Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Trimethylamine -oxide (TMAO), a gut microbiome-derived metabolite, participates in the atherogenesis and vascular stiffening that is closely linked with cardiovascular (CV) complications and related deaths in individuals with kidney failure undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD) therapy. In these patients, arterial stiffness (AS) is also an indicator of adverse CV outcomes. This study assessed the correlation between serum TMAO concentration quantified with high-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry and central AS measured by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) in patients with chronic PD.

The Effectiveness of COVID-19 Vaccination on Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Geriatric Patients.

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccines in preventing the post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC), commonly known as long COVID, and reducing all-cause mortality among older patients. A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the TriNetX database. The study cohort consisted of older patients (age ≥ 65 years) with their first COVID-19 illness between January 1, 2022, and May 31, 2024.

Semaglutide and the risk of adverse liver outcomes in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and type 2 diabetes: a multi-institutional cohort study.

Background: Semaglutide has shown potential liver benefits in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, no direct comparisons have been made between semaglutide and other antidiabetic medications, including sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i), thiazolidinediones (TZD), and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP-4i), regarding liver outcomes in patients with both NAFLD and T2D.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study utilized the TriNetX electronic health record database, a multinational and multi-institutional database.

β-Mangostin Alleviates Renal Tubulointerstitial Fibrosis via the TGF-β1/JNK Signaling Pathway.

The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a key role in the pathogenesis of kidney fibrosis, and kidney fibrosis is associated with an adverse renal prognosis. Beta-mangostin (β-Mag) is a xanthone derivative obtained from mangosteens that is involved in the generation of antifibrotic and anti-oxidation effects. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of β-Mag on renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis both in vivo and in vitro and the corresponding mechanisms involved.

Clinical effectiveness of oral antivirals for non-hospitalized adult COVID-19 patients aged 18-60 years.

Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of oral antiviral agents - nirmatrelvir - ritonavir or molnupiravir in non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients aged < 60 years.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study analyzed data of patients aged 18-60 years diagnosed with COVID-19 between 1 January 2022, and 30 June 2023. Propensity score matching was used to balance the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients receiving oral antivirals (nirmatrelvir - ritonavir or molnupiravir) and untreated controls.

Chinese herbal medicine may reduce major adverse cardiovascular events in patients with dialysis hypotension: A taiwan nationwide cohort study.

Background: The association between Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) and the risk of developing major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) in patients with dialysis hypotension is unclear and has not yet been investigated. This study aimed to determine whether CMH intervention could reduce the risk of MACEs in patients with dialysis hypotension.

Methods: The study data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database were analyzed to clarify this association.

The preventive effect of inhaled antibiotic against ventilator-associated pneumonia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) constitutes a considerable challenge for patients in intensive care units (ICUs) and necessitates the development of effective preventive strategies. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of inhaled antibiotics for preventing VAP.

Methods: PubMed, Embase, and ClinicalTrials.

The effect of recombinant zoster vaccine on patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases: A multi-institutional propensity score-matched cohort study.

Although the recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV) has demonstrated efficacy in reducing the risk of herpes zoster (HZ) for individuals aged 50 years and older, its effectiveness in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remains uncertain. This study was conducted to assess the effect of RZV on the risk of HZ in COPD patients. A multi-institutional propensity score-matched retrospective cohort study was conducted using the TriNetX Research network, including individuals aged 40 years or older with COPD from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2022.

New-onset obstructive airway disease following COVID-19: a multicenter retrospective cohort study.

Background: The study assessed the association between COVID-19 and new-onset obstructive airway diseases, including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and bronchiectasis among vaccinated individuals recovering from COVID-19 during the Omicron wave.

Methods: This multicenter retrospective cohort study comprised 549,606 individuals from the U.S.

Effect of hydrocortisone-fludrocortisone combination on mortality in septic shock: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: This study assessed the effect of hydrocortisone-fludrocortisone combination therapy on the mortality of patients with septic shock.

Methods: A literature search was conducted using Medline, Embase, the Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials.gov, and other databases for articles published until October 1, 2023.

Cluster effect for SNP-SNP interaction pairs for predicting complex traits.

Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) interactions are the key to improving polygenic risk scores. Previous studies reported several significant SNP-SNP interaction pairs that shared a common SNP to form a cluster, but some identified pairs might be false positives. This study aims to identify factors associated with the cluster effect of false positivity and develop strategies to enhance the accuracy of SNP-SNP interactions.

Elevated Lipoprotein(a) Levels are Associated with Arterial Stiffness Measured by Cardio-Ankle Vascular Index in Patients Undergoing Peritoneal Dialysis.

Background: Arterial stiffness (AS) can be used to predict future cardiovascular diseases. High lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) levels were independently correlated with cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and death in patients with chronic renal insufficiency. The cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) is a useful biomarker of arteriosclerotic disorders and has a close relationship with a variety of CV events.

Malnutrition and the Post-Acute Sequelae of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection: A Multi-Institutional Population-Based Propensity Score-Matched Analysis.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has led to a global health crisis, exacerbating issues like malnutrition due to increased metabolic demands and reduced intake during illness. Malnutrition, a significant risk factor, is linked to worse outcomes in patients with COVID-19, such as increased mortality and extended hospital stays. This retrospective cohort study investigated the relationship between malnutrition and clinical outcomes within 90-180 days using data obtained from the TriNetX database.

The effect of oral antiviral therapy for COVID-19 in managing non-hospitalized patients with lung cancer.

Backgrounds: The effectiveness of oral antiviral therapy including nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir and molnupiravir in managing COVID-19 among individuals with pre-existing lung cancer was unclear. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the usefulness of antiviral agents in the management of COVID-19 among patients with lung cancer.

Methods: Utilizing data from the TriNetX - a global health research network, a retrospective cohort study was conducted involving 2484 patients diagnosed with both lung cancer and COVID-19.

Serum Lipoprotein(a) Levels as a Predictor of Aortic Stiffness in Patients on Long-Term Peritoneal Dialysis.

BACKGROUND Lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] is associated with atherosclerosis and cardiovascular mortality in patients with kidney failure. Aortic stiffness (AS), measured primarily by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV), reflects vascular aging and precedes end-organ failure. This study aimed to evaluate the association between serum Lp(a) levels and cfPWV in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD).

Puerarin Modulates Hepatic Farnesoid X Receptor and Gut Microbiota in High-Fat Diet-Induced Obese Mice.

Obesity is associated with alterations in lipid metabolism and gut microbiota dysbiosis. This study investigated the effects of puerarin, a bioactive isoflavone, on lipid metabolism disorders and gut microbiota in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice. Supplementation with puerarin reduced plasma alanine aminotransferase, liver triglyceride, liver free fatty acid (FFA), and improved gut microbiota dysbiosis in obese mice.

The Prognostic Role of Serum β-Trace Protein Levels among Patients on Maintenance Hemodialysis.

Cardiovascular (CV) diseases are the most commonly encountered etiology of mortality in patients having kidney failure. β-Trace protein (BTP) is a biomarker of glomerular filtration function as well as a potential predictor of adverse CV outcomes. This study aimed to determine the prognostic value of BTP in patients on chronic hemodialysis (HD).

Clinical effectiveness of nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir on the short- and long-term outcome in high-risk children with COVID-19.

This study investigated the clinical effectiveness of nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir (NMV-r) on short-term outcome and the risk of postacute sequelae of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection (PASC) among pediatric patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This retrospective cohort study used the TriNetX research network to identify pediatric patients between 12 and 18 years with COVID-19 between January 1, 2022 and August 31, 2023. The propensity score matching (PSM) method was used to match patients receiving NMV-r (NMV-r group) with those who did not receive NMV-r (control group).

Eravacycline: a comprehensive review of in vitro activity, clinical efficacy, and real-world applications.

Introduction: The escalating threat of multidrug-resistant organisms necessitates constant exploration for novel antimicrobial agents. Eravacycline has emerged as a promising solution due to its unique chemical structure, which enhances potency and expands its spectrum of activity.

Area Covered: This review provides a thorough examination of eravacycline, encompassing its in vitro activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative aerobes, carbapenem-non-susceptible organisms, anaerobes, and other bacterial strains.

Clinical effectiveness of nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir for patients with COVID-19 and preexisting psychiatric disorders.

Objectives: This study assessed the clinical effectiveness of the combination of nirmatrelvir and ritonavir (NMV-r) in treating nonhospitalized patients with COVID-19 who have preexisting psychiatric disorders.

Methods: Patients diagnosed with COVID-19 and psychiatric disorders between 1 March 2020, and 1 December 2022, were included using the TriNetX network. The primary outcome was the composite outcome of all-cause emergency department (ED) visits, hospitalization, or death within 30 days.

Effectiveness of recently-approved oral antiviral medications on the outcome of patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 and pre-existing chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases.

Objectives: This study assessed the effectiveness of the oral antiviral agents nirmatrelvir - ritonavir (NMV-r) and molnupiravir (MOV) for treating mild-to-moderate coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in patients with COPD.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study extracted data from the TriNetX platform and examined 94,984 COVID-19 patients with preexisting COPD from 1 January 2022, to 1 October 2023. Patients receiving NMV-r or MOV (study group) were compared with those not receiving oral antiviral agents (control group) after propensity score matching (PSM).

The effectiveness of novel oral antiviral treatment for non-hospitalized high-risk patients with COVID-19 during predominance of omicron XBB subvariants.

Objectives: This study investigated the association between nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir (NMV-r) or molnupiravir and the outcomes of non-hospitalized high-risk patients with COVID-19 during Omicron XBB subvariants.

Methods: The retrospective cohort study used the TriNetX US collaborative network to identify non-hospitalized high-risk adult patients with COVID-19 between 1 February 2023, and 31 August 2023. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to match patients receiving NMV-r or MOV (the study group) with those not receiving antivirals (the control group).

Clinical effectiveness of oral antiviral agents for treating non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients with chronic kidney disease.

Objectives: This study examined the effectiveness of nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir (NMV-r) and molnupiravir (MOV) in treating COVID-19 among chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study, using the TriNetX research network, identified stage 3-5 CKD and end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients with non-hospitalized COVID-19 between 1 January 2022, and 31 May 2023. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to compare patients on NMV-r or MOV (antiviral group) against those not receiving these treatments (control group).

Comparing prolonged infusion to intermittent infusion strategies for beta-lactam antibiotics in patients with gram-negative bacterial infections: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Our objective is to determine whether prolonged infusion (PI) of beta-lactam antibiotics yields superior outcomes compared to intermittent infusion (II) in patients with Gram-Negative Bacterial (GNB) infections.

Methods: We systematically searched papers from PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Embase, and Clinicaltrials.gov, targeting mortality as the primary outcome and looking at the clinical cure rate, hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) stay lengths, antibiotic treatment duration, and mechanical ventilation (MV) duration as secondary outcomes.