Clinical and economic outcomes after sternotomy for cardiac surgery with skin closure through 2-octyl cyanoacrylate plus polymer mesh tape versus absorbable sutures plus waterproof wound dressings: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: To compare clinical and economic outcomes after sternotomy for cardiac surgery with skin closure through 2-octyl cyanoacrylate plus polymer mesh tape (2OPMT) versus conventional absorbable sutures plus waterproof wound dressings (CSWWD).

Methods: Retrospective study using the Premier Healthcare Database. Patients undergoing a cardiac surgery requiring sternotomy with 2OPMT or CSWWD were included.

Association Between Sex and Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Outcomes for Patients With Melanoma.

Importance: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized melanoma treatment and are now standard of care. Although sex is associated with immune function and immune-related diseases, the interaction between sex and ICIs is understudied.

Objective: To examine whether cancer immunotherapy effectiveness varies between female and male patients with advanced melanoma treated with either nivolumab plus ipilimumab combination therapy or anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) therapy (namely, pembrolizumab or nivolumab).

Real-World Outcomes of Patients Undergoing Open Colorectal Surgery with Wound Closure Incorporating Triclosan-Coated Barbed Sutures: A Multi-Institution, Retrospective Database Study.

Purpose: Open colorectal surgery is associated with a high rate of postoperative wound complications. This is a single-arm study of real-world outcomes of triclosan-coated barbed suture (Ethicon's STRATAFIX Symmetric PDS Plus Knotless Tissue Control Device [SSPP]) used in open colorectal surgery.

Methods: Retrospective cohort study using the Premier Healthcare Database.

Cost-effectiveness Evaluation of Targeted Surgical and Endoscopic Therapies for Early Colorectal Adenocarcinoma Based on Biomarker Profiles.

Importance: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality in the United States. The prognosis for patients with CRC varies widely, but new prognostic biomarkers provide the opportunity to implement a more individualized approach to treatment selection.

Objective: To assess the cost-effectiveness of 3 therapeutic strategies, namely, endoscopic therapy (ET), laparoscopic colectomy (LC), and open colectomy (OC), for patients with T1 CRC with biomarker profiles that prognosticate varying levels of tumor progression in the US payer perspective.

Disease-specific regulation of gene expression in a comparative analysis of juvenile idiopathic arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease.

Background: The genetic and immunological factors that contribute to differences in susceptibility and progression between sub-types of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases continue to be elucidated. Inflammatory bowel disease and juvenile idiopathic arthritis are both clinically heterogeneous and known to be due in part to abnormal regulation of gene activity in diverse immune cell types. Comparative genomic analysis of these conditions is expected to reveal differences in underlying genetic mechanisms of disease.

HLA Associations in a Cohort of Children With Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis With and Without Uveitis.

Purpose: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA)-associated uveitis can lead to ocular complications and vision loss. Alleles HLA-DRB1*08, *11, and *13 are risk alleles for JIA, whereas HLA-DRB1*11 and *13 alleles increase uveitis susceptibility. We examined the association of common HLA-DRB1 alleles in children with JIA alone and JIA-associated uveitis.