Switch to faricimab after initial treatment with aflibercept in eyes with diabetic macular edema.

Purpose: To assess the effectiveness of a switch to faricimab in individuals affected by DME and previously treated with aflibercept.

Methods: In this retrospective, single-center study, DME patients previously treated with at least 3 injections of aflibercept then switched to faricimab were enrolled. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central subfield thickness (CST) were recorded at baseline, at the time of the switch and at 6 months follow-up.

Evaluating Biomarkers as Tools for Early Detection and Prognosis of Heart Failure: A Comprehensive Review.

There is a high prevalence of heart failure (HF) worldwide, which has significant consequences for healthcare costs, patient death and quality of life. Therefore, there has been much focus on finding and using biomarkers for early diagnosis, prognostication and therapy of HF. This overview of the research presents a thorough examination of the current state of HF biomarkers and their many uses.

Intraoperative use of processed electroencephalogram in a quaternary center: a quality improvement audit.

Although intraoperative electroencephalography (EEG) is not consensual among anesthesiologists, growing evidence supports its use to titrate anesthetic drugs, assess the level of arousal/consciousness, and detect ischemic cerebrovascular events; in addition, intraoperative EEG monitoring may decrease the incidence of postoperative neurocognitive disorders. Based on the known and potential benefits of intraoperative EEG monitoring, an educational program dedicated to staff anesthesiologists, residents of Anesthesiology and anesthesia technicians was started at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi in May 2022 and completed in June 2022, aiming to have all patients undergoing general anesthesia with adequate brain monitoring and following international initiatives promoting perioperative brain health. All the surgical cases performed under General Anesthesia at 24 daily locations were prospectively inspected during 15 consecutive working days in March 2023.

The role of natural products as PCSK9 modulators: A review.

A variety of mechanisms and drugs have been shown to attenuate cardiovascular disease (CVD) onset and/or progression. Recent researchers have identified a potential role of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) in modulating lipid metabolism and reducing plasma low density lipoprotein (LDL) levels. PCSK9 is the central protein in the metabolism of LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) owing to its major function in LDL receptor (LDLR) degradation.

Post-mastectomy radiation therapy after breast reconstruction: from historic dogmas to practical expert agreements based on a large literature review of surgical and radiation therapy considerations.

Breast reconstruction (BR) after mastectomy is important to consider for a woman's body image enhancement and psychological well-being. Although post-mastectomy radiation (PMRT) significantly improves the outcome of patients with high-risk breast cancer (BC), PMRT after BR may affect cosmetic outcomes and may compromise the original goal of improving quality of life (QoL). With the lack of practical guidelines, it seems essential to work on a consensus and provide some "expert agreements" to offer patients the best option for PMRT after BR.

Machine Learning Models Versus the National Early Warning Score System for Predicting Deterioration: Retrospective Cohort Study in the United Arab Emirates.

Background: Early warning score systems are widely used for identifying patients who are at the highest risk of deterioration to assist clinical decision-making. This could facilitate early intervention and consequently improve patient outcomes; for example, the National Early Warning Score (NEWS) system, which is recommended by the Royal College of Physicians in the United Kingdom, uses predefined alerting thresholds to assign scores to patients based on their vital signs. However, there is limited evidence of the reliability of such scores across patient cohorts in the United Arab Emirates.

Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of the Impact of Metabolic Surgery on Hepatic Stiffness.

Background: Bariatric surgery is one of the effective therapeutic options for people with obesity and obesity-related co-morbidities. In addition to weight-related co-morbid diseases, including diabetes, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is common in patients with morbid obesity. Bariatric surgery is one of the therapeutic options in the management of NAFLD.

Prevalence, Indications, and Complications of Conversional Surgery After Vertical Banded Gastroplasty: A MBSAQIP Analysis.

Purpose: Vertical banded gastroplasty (VBG) was once the most popular bariatric procedure in the 1980's, with many patients subsequently requiring conversional surgery. However, knowledge regarding the prevalence and outcomes of these procedures remains limited. This study aims to determine the prevalence, indications, rate of 30-day serious complications, and mortality of conversional surgery after VBG.

Right heart failure with left ventricular assist devices: Preoperative, perioperative and postoperative management strategies. A clinical consensus statement of the Heart Failure Association (HFA) of the ESC.

Right heart failure (RHF) following implantation of a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is a common and potentially serious condition with a wide spectrum of clinical presentations with an unfavourable effect on patient outcomes. Clinical scores that predict the occurrence of right ventricular (RV) failure have included multiple clinical, biochemical, imaging and haemodynamic parameters. However, unless the right ventricle is overtly dysfunctional with end-organ involvement, prediction of RHF post-LVAD implantation is, in most cases, difficult and inaccurate.

Postoperative pain management after abdominal transplantations.

Purpose Of Review: The aim of this review article is to present current recommendations as well as knowledge gaps and controversies pertaining to commonly utilized postoperative pain management after solid organ transplantation in the abdominal cavity.

Recent Findings: Postsurgical pain has been identified as one of the major challenges in recovery and treatment after solid organ transplants. Many perioperative interventions and management strategies are available for reducing and managing postoperative pain.

The impact of normothermic machine perfusion and acuity circles on waitlist time, mortality, and cost in liver transplantation: A multicenter experience.

Ex situ normothermic machine perfusion (NMP) helps increase the use of extended criteria donor livers. However, the impact of an NMP program on waitlist times and mortality has not been evaluated. Adult patients listed for liver transplant (LT) at 2 academic centers from January 1, 2015, to September 1, 2023, were included (n=2773) to allow all patients ≥6 months follow-up from listing.

Biallelic occult macular dystrophy.

Purpose: Occult macular dystrophy (OMD) is a cause of visual loss in young adults with a grossly normal fundus appearance. It is considered an autosomal dominant disorder, related to heterozygous pathogenic variants in the gene . The purpose of this study is to report a biallelic form of the disease.

Expanding Selection Criteria in Deceased Donor Liver Transplantation for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Long-term Follow-up of a National Registry and 2 Transplant Centers.

Background: This study compares selection criteria for liver transplant (LT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) for inclusivity and predictive ability to identify the most permissive criteria that maintain patient outcomes.

Methods: The Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR) database was queried for deceased donor LT's for HCC (2003-2020) with 3-y follow-up; these data were compared with a 2-center experience. Milan, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), 5-5-500, Up-to-seven (U7), HALT-HCC, and Metroticket 2.

An Update on Noninfectious Retinal Vasculitis.

Background: Retinal vasculitis (RV) signifies the inflammation of various retinal vessels. Noninfectious RV differs from infectious RV with regard to its pathogenesis and treatment. It can have varied clinical presentations and may be associated with systemic vasculitic diseases.

Bariatric Surgical Outcomes in the Elderly: A Comparison Study Between Primary and Revisional Procedures in the United Arab Emirates.

Purpose: Data reported on comparing primary and revisional procedures in the elderly is still limited. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety between primary and revisional bariatric surgery in a cohort of older patients.

Materials And Methods: All patients ≥ 60 years old were divided into two cohorts, primary surgery cohort (PSC) and revisional surgery cohort (RSC).

The Atrial FibriLlatiOn (FLOW-AF) Registry in the Middle East and North Africa: Patient Characteristics, Treatment Patterns and Outcomes.

Introduction: Limited data on atrial fibrillation (AF) are available from the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA). The aim of the FLOW-AF registry was to evaluate the characteristics, treatment patterns, and clinical and economic outcomes of patients with newly diagnosed non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) in MENA.

Methods: This multi-center, prospective, observational study (the FLOW-AF registry) enrolled patients newly diagnosed with NVAF across Egypt, Lebanon, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates.

Targeting PCSK9 as a key player in lipid metabolism: exploiting the therapeutic and biosensing potential of aptamers.

The degradation of low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) is induced by proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), resulting in elevated plasma concentrations of LDL cholesterol. Therefore, inhibiting the interactions between PCSK9 and LDLR is a desirable therapeutic goal for managing hypercholesterolemia. Aptamers, which are RNA or single-stranded DNA sequences, can recognize their targets based on their secondary structure.

A retrospective, descriptive analysis identifying non‑small cell lung cancer molecular markers.

Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains one of the leading causes of cancer mortality worldwide. The aim of the present study was to review the histologic patterns and molecular drivers of NSCLC in patients with lung cancer. The electronic health records (EHR) of all patients diagnosed with lung cancer between April 2015 and September 2022 were obtained from a tertiary care hospital and retrospectively analysed.