Cardiovascular events and risk in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: Systematic literature review and meta-analysis.

Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease that typically affects women aged 16-55 years. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a well-recognized complication of SLE. This systematic literature review and meta-analysis evaluated the relative risk (RR; compared with non-SLE controls), absolute risk (AR; as incidence proportion, n/N), and incidence rate (IR) of CVD events (including stroke, myocardial infarction [MI], and CVD [composite or undefined]) in adult patients with SLE.

Thalamic Volume Loss Is Greater in Children Than in Adults Following Middle Cerebral Artery Territory Arterial Ischemic Stroke.

Younger stroke patients may suffer worse outcomes than older patients; however, the extent to which age at stroke impacts remote areas of the brain remains unclear. The objective of this study was to determine thalamic volume changes ipsilateral to middle cerebral artery territory strokes based on age at acute ischemic stroke onset. Acute ischemic stroke patients <9 years, 9-18 years, and >18 years old were retrospectively recruited from a large quaternary care system.

Caregiving for Interstage Infants: A Continuous Process of Compromise During the Pandemic.

Infants born with single ventricle heart disease require in-home medicalized care during the interstage period (time between the first and second staged heart surgery). These caregivers rely on extended family, friends, and hired caretakers to provide respite time. However, the coronavirus pandemic removed these families' options due to stay-at-home and social distancing directives.

The Effect of Cumulative Lifetime Estrogen Exposure on Cognition in Depressed Versus Non-Depressed Older Women.

Objectives: Two-thirds of individuals living with Alzheimer's disease are women. Declining estrogen levels influence mood and cognition. Cumulative lifetime estrogen exposure (CLEE) correlates with cognition later in life.

Condom use consistency among South African HIV serodiscordant couples following an HIV risk-reduction intervention.

Although there are several ways to transmit HIV, condomless sex remains the primary mode in sub-Saharan Africa, including South Africa, with KwaZulu-Natal Province being one of the epicentres of HIV infection. This study explored the use of condoms in serodiscordant couples who were exposed to an HIV-risk reduction intervention that aimed to improve condom use and reduce the spread of HIV. A Total of 30 couples completed a paper-based questionnaire on their demographics and general health at baseline and 3 months, plus a semi-structured questionnaire with four domains.

Inequities in Child Protective Services Contact Between Black and White Children.

Child protective services (CPS) contact occurs at substantially higher rates among Black than White families. The present study considers systemic racism as a central driver of this disparity and emphasizes racialized poverty as a possible mechanism. We used data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study and logistic regression analyses to assess the associations between income poverty, a racialized experience, and CPS contact, separately among Black and White families.

A novel intracranial exchange guidewire improves the navigation of various endovascular devices: An in vitro study of challenging situations.

Objective: Neuroendovascular procedures rely on successful navigation and stable access to the target vessel. The Stabilizer is a 300 cm long exchange wire with a 0.014 diameter and a soft, flexible stent at the distal end designed to assist with navigation and device delivery.

Pre-exposure prophylaxis awareness, use, and intention to use in a regional sample of Latin American geosocial networking application users in 2018-2019.

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) access is increasing in Latin America. We explored PrEP use among Spanish-speaking, geosocial networking application users from Latin American countries with limited PrEP data via an online survey completed between December 2018 and February 2019. A total of 718 users from 10 countries were included, of whom 72.

The Impact of Global Alignment and Proportion Score and Bracing on Proximal Junctional Kyphosis in Adult Spinal Deformity.

Study Design: Retrospective chart review.

Objective: The goal of this study is to examine the relationship between global alignment and proportion (GAP) score and postoperative orthoses with likelihood of developing proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK).

Methods: Patients who underwent thoracic or lumbar fusions of ≥4 levels for adult spinal deformity (ASD) with 1-year post-operative alignment x-rays were included.

Randomization of endovascular treatment with stent-retriever and/or thromboaspiration versus best medical therapy in acute ischemic stroke due to large vessel occlusion trial: Rationale and design.

Background: RESILIENT is a prospective, multicenter, randomized phase III trial to test the safety, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness of mechanical thrombectomy as compared to medical treatment alone in patients treated under the less than ideal conditions typically found in the public healthcare system of a developing country.

Methods: Subjects must fulfill the following main inclusion criteria: symptom onset ≤8 h, age ≥18 years, baseline NIHSS ≥8, evidence of intracranial ICA or proximal MCA (M1 segment) occlusion, ASPECTS ≥6 on CT or >5 on DWI-MRI and be either ineligible for or unresponsive to intravenous alteplase. The primary end-point is the distribution of disability levels (on the modified Rankin Scale, mRS) at 90 days under the intention-to-treat principle.