Severity of acute phase reaction in children receiving the first dose of zoledronic acid and the impact of the underlying condition: a cross-sectional study.

Introduction: Zoledronic acid (ZA), used for treatment of children with osteoporosis, can cause acute phase reaction (APR) following the first infusion. Many institutions have a policy to admit and monitor all children for their first ZA infusion.

Objective: To determine if the APR with the first ZA dose warrants hospital-level care and evaluate if its severity correlates with the underlying condition.

The use of pembrolizumab monotherapy for the management of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) in the UK.

Pembrolizumab has received approval in the UK as first-line monotherapy for recurrent and/or metastatic HNSCC (R/M HNSCC) following the results of the KEYNOTE-048 trial, which demonstrated a longer overall survival (OS) in comparison to the EXTREME chemotherapy regimen in patients with a combined positive score (CPS) ≥1. In this article, we provide retrospective real-world data on the role of pembrolizumab monotherapy as first-line systemic therapy for HNSCC across 18 centers in the UK from March 20, 2020 to May 31, 2021. 211 patients were included, and in the efficacy analysis, the objective response rate (ORR) was 24.

Brain Function and Pain Interference After Pediatric Intensive Interdisciplinary Pain Treatment.

Objectives: Intensive interdisciplinary pain treatments (IIPTs) are programs that aim to improve functioning in youth with severe chronic pain. Little is known about how the brain changes after IIPT; however, decreased brain responses to emotional stimuli have been identified previously in pediatric chronic pain relative to healthy controls. We examined whether IIPT increased brain responses to emotional stimuli, and whether this change was associated with a reduction in pain interference.

Baseline Factors Associated with Pain Intensity, Pain Catastrophizing, and Pain Interference in Intensive Interdisciplinary Pain Treatment for Youth.

More could be known about baseline factors related to desirable Intensive Interdisciplinary Pain Treatment (IIPT) outcomes. This study examined how baseline characteristics (age, gender, child pain catastrophizing (PCS-C), pain interference, pain intensity, anxiety, depression, paediatric health-related quality of life (PedsQL), and parent catastrophizing (PCS-P)) were associated with discharge and 3-month follow-up scores of PCS-C, pain intensity, and pain interference. PCS-C, pain intensity, and pain interference T-scores were acquired in 45 IIPT patients aged 12-18 at intake (baseline), discharge, and 3-month follow-up.

A qualitative exploration of the psychosocial needs of people living with long-term conditions and their perspectives on online peer support.

Introduction: Approximately 20% of people with a long-term condition (LTC) experience depressive symptoms (subthreshold depression [SUBD]). People with SUBD experience depressive symptoms that do not meet the diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder. However, there is currently no targeted psychological support for people with LTCs also experiencing SUBD.

Changes in Brain GABA and Glutamate and Improvements in Physical Functioning Following Intensive Pain Rehabilitation in Youth With Chronic Pain.

Intensive interdisciplinary pain treatments (IIPT) have been developed to treat youth with unmanaged chronic pain and functional disability. Dysregulation of metabolites gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate are thought to play a role in the chronification of pain due to imbalances in inhibition and excitation in adults. Using magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), we investigated the effect of IIPT on GABA and Glx (glutamate + glutamine) in 2 pain-related brain regions: the left posterior insula (LPI) and the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC).

The importance of illness severity and multimorbidity in the association between mental health and body weight in psoriasis: Cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis.

Background: High body weight is common in psoriasis and is associated with depression and anxiety. Past studies are mostly cross-sectional and may underestimate the role of demographic and illness-related factors in the association between mental health and body weight in psoriasis.

Objectives: This study explored the association between depression and anxiety with waist circumference and body mass index (BMI) cross-sectionally and at 12 months follow-up, adjusting for demographic and illness-related factors in people with psoriasis.

The effect domains, measures, and methods reported in pediatric-specialized multidisciplinary outpatient rehabilitation programs: An integrated review.

Objectives: Specialized pain rehabilitation is recognized as the treatment of choice for youth with pain-related disability. Appropriate outcomes for program evaluation are critical. This study aimed to summarize the effect domains and methods used to evaluate pediatric-specialized outpatient pain rehabilition programs, map them to the PedIMMPACT statement, and highlight future directions.

Mistletoes could moderate drought impacts on birds, but are themselves susceptible to drought-induced dieback.

Mistletoes are hemiparasitic plants and keystone species in many ecosystems globally. Given predicted increases in drought frequency and intensity, mistletoes may be crucial for moderating drought impacts on community structure. Dependent on host vascular flows, mistletoes can succumb to stress when water availability falls, making them susceptible to mortality during drought.

Psychosocial aspects of obesity in adults with psoriasis: A systematic review.

Background: Excess weight is a common (30%-40%) multifactorial concern that remains understudied in adults with psoriasis.

Objectives: This systematic review aimed to synthesise the evidence on the psychosocial factors associated with body weight in psoriasis and to use these findings to inform clinical practice. The review was registered with PROSPERO (registration number: CRD42020201138).

Loss of vocal culture and fitness costs in a critically endangered songbird.

Cultures in humans and other species are maintained through interactions among conspecifics. Declines in population density could be exacerbated by culture loss, thereby linking culture to conservation. We combined historical recordings, citizen science and breeding data to assess the impact of severe population decline on song culture, song complexity and individual fitness in critically endangered regent honeyeaters ().

Association of Patient Mental Health Status With the Level of Agreement Between Patient and Physician Ratings of Psoriasis Severity.

Importance: The emerging paradigm of treat-to-target in psoriasis requires accurate monitoring of treatment response. The commonly used physician global assessment tool does not capture the patient's perception of their disease. Patient assessments facilitate shared decision-making and foster patient-centered care; however, recent research reports a discordance between patient- and physician-reported psoriasis severity.

Risk factors for mental illness in adults with atopic eczema or psoriasis: protocol for a systematic review.

Introduction: Evidence indicates that people with the common inflammatory skin diseases atopic eczema or psoriasis are at increased risk of mental illness. However, the reasons for the relationship between skin disease and common mental disorders (ie, depression and anxiety) or severe mental illnesses (ie, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and other psychoses) are unclear. Therefore, we aim to synthesise the available evidence regarding the risk factors for mental illness in adults with atopic eczema or psoriasis.

Loss of Wasl improves pancreatic cancer outcome.

Several studies have suggested an oncogenic role for the neural Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (N-WASP, encoded by the Wasl gene), but thus far, little is known about its function in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). In this study, we performed in silico analysis of WASL expression in PDAC patients and found a correlation between low WASL expression and prolonged survival. To clarify the role of Wasl in pancreatic carcinogenesis, we used 2 oncogenic Kras-based PDAC mouse models with pancreas-specific Wasl deletion.

Associations Between Depression, Arterial Stiffness, and Metabolic Syndrome Among Adults in the UK Biobank Population Study: A Mediation Analysis.

Importance: Previous research has linked a history of depression with arterial stiffness (AS) during midlife.

Objective: To assess the association of depression with elevated midlife AS and to investigate the extent to which this association is mediated via metabolic syndrome (MetS).

Design, Settings, And Participants: This population-based retrospective cohort study analyzed data collected between March 2006 and December 2010 from 124 445 participants aged 40 to 69 years from the UK Biobank.

Genomic impact of severe population decline in a nomadic songbird.

Uncovering the population genetic histories of non-model organisms is increasingly possible through advances in next generation sequencing and DNA sampling of museum specimens. This new information can inform conservation of threatened species, particularly those for which historical and contemporary population data are unavailable or challenging to obtain. The critically endangered, nomadic regent honeyeater Anthochaera phrygia was abundant and widespread throughout south-eastern Australia prior to a rapid population decline and range contraction since the 1970s.

Kaiso-induced intestinal inflammation is preceded by diminished E-cadherin expression and intestinal integrity.

Chronic intestinal inflammation contributes to pathologies such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and colon cancer. While the precise etiology remains controversial, IBD is believed to manifest as a result of various factors. We previously reported that intestinal-specific overexpression of the transcription factor Kaiso results in an intestinal inflammatory response; however, the cause of this inflammation is unknown.

Common mental disorders within chronic inflammatory disorders: a primary care database prospective investigation.

Objective: There is inconsistent evidence about the association between inflammatory disorders and depression and anxiety onset in a primary care context. The study aimed to evaluate the risk of depression and anxiety within multisystem and organ-specific inflammatory disorders.

Methods: This is a prospective cohort study with primary care patients from the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink diagnosed with an inflammatory disorder between 1 January 2001 and 31 December 2016.

The impact of therapy on the risk of asthma in type 2 diabetes.

Background And Objectives: There are limited data about the risk of asthma in people with diabetes. We examined the incidence of asthma in subjects with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) compared to controls, and the association with metformin, sulphonylureas and insulin therapy.

Materials And Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using a representative UK primary care database (N = 894 646 adults).

Efficacy and acceptability of antidepressants in patients with ischemic heart disease: systematic review and meta-analysis.

To assess the efficacy and acceptability of antidepressants in adults with ischemic heart disease (IHD). We gathered all available randomized-controlled trials comparing antidepressants versus placebo or other antidepressants in adults with IHD. The primary outcome was depressive symptoms at the study endpoint, as measured by validated rating scales.

Type 2 Diabetes and Asthma: Systematic Review of the Bidirectional Relationship.

Background And Objective: Obesity is an important contributor to the risk of both asthma and Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM). However, it has been suggested that T2DM and asthma are also independently associated. The aim of this systematic review was to synthesize the evidence for an independent relationship between T2DM and asthma.

Type 2 diabetes: A protective factor for COPD?

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and type 2 diabetes (T2DM) are common comorbidities. COPD is a known risk factor for incident T2DM, however few studies have examined the relationship in reverse. The primary aim of this study was to compare the incidence of COPD in people with and without T2DM.