Short- and intermediate-term outcomes of transcatheter aortic valve replacement in low-risk patients: A meta-analysis and systematic review.

Background: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) being currently employed in low surgical risk patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis (AS). The durability and extended outcomes of TAVR as compared to surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in low-risk patients remains uncertain.

Methods: We selected randomized controlled trials (RCT) comparing outcomes of TAVR vs.

Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitors and Primary Prevention of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials and Systematic Review.

Background Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors reduce atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) events in patients with prior ASCVD and type 2 diabetes; however, this benefit is uncertain in patients without established ASCVD. Methods and Results Large-scale cardiovascular outcome randomized controlled trials or their prespecified subgroup analyses were selected, evaluating SGLT2 inhibitors versus placebo for primary prevention of ASCVD (inception, March 2023). The primary outcome was atherosclerotic major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs), which was a composite of cardiovascular mortality, myocardial infarction, and stroke.

The effect of a silver hydrogel sheet dressing on postsurgical incision healing after foot and ankle surgery.

Introduction: Silver hydrogel dressings are antimicrobial dressings with the potential to aid post-surgical healing. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of a silver hydrogel dressing on postoperative scarring and complications.

Methods: 40 foot and ankle patients (48.

Application of artificial intelligence in diagnosis of pancreatic malignancies by endoscopic ultrasound: a systemic review.

Background: Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a highly fatal malignancy with a global overall 5-year survival of under 10%. Screening of PC is not recommended outside of clinical trials. Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) is a very sensitive test to identify PC but lacks specificity and is operator-dependent, especially in the presence of chronic pancreatitis (CP).

External validation of Pittsburgh Cardiac Arrest Category illness severity score.

Unlabelled: Early prognostication post-cardiac arrest can help determine appropriate medical management and help evaluate effectiveness of post-arrest interventions. The Pittsburgh Cardiac Arrest Category (PCAC) severity score is a 4-level illness severity score found to strongly predict patient outcomes in both in- (IHCA) and out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA). We aimed to validate the PCAC severity score in an external cohort of cardiac arrest patients.

Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy Tube Placement in COVID-19 Patients.

Intensive care units (ICU) around the world are overburdened with COVID-19 patients with ventilator-dependent chronic respiratory failure (VDRF). Gastroenterology evaluations are being made to address the provision of chronic enteral feeding with the help of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) placements in these patients. The placement of the PEG tube along with tracheostomy in patients with COVID-19 and prolonged VDRF may expedite discharge planning and increase the availability of ICU beds for other patients.

Emerging Role of Fascin-1 in the Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, and Treatment of the Gastrointestinal Cancers.

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, including esophageal, gastric, colorectal, liver, and pancreatic cancers, remain as one of the leading causes of death worldwide, with a large proportion accounting for fatalities related to metastatic disease. Invasion of primary cancer occurs by the actin cytoskeleton remodeling, including the formation of the filopodia, stereocilia, and other finger-like membrane protrusions. The crucial step of actin remodeling in the malignant cells is mediated by the fascin protein family, with fascin-1 being the most active.

The α isoform of cGMP-dependent protein kinase 1 (PKG1α) is expressed and functionally important in intrinsic primary afferent neurons of the guinea pig enteric nervous system.

Background: Intrinsic primary afferent neurons (IPANs) enable the gut to manifest reflexes in the absence of CNS input. PKG1α is selectively expressed in a subset of neurons in dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and has been linked to nociception and long-term hyperexcitability.

Methods: We used immunoblotting, immunocytochemistry, and in vitro assays of IPAN-dependent enteric functions to test hypotheses that subsets of primary neurons of the ENS and DRG share a reliance on PKG1α expression.

Endobariatric procedures for obesity: clinical indications and available options.

Obesity remains a growing public health epidemic that has increased healthcare costs and related comorbidities. Current treatment guidelines encourage a multidisciplinary approach starting from patient selection, interventions, and long-term follow-up to maintain weight loss. However, these conservative interventions are largely ineffective at reducing body weight due to low adherence to the treatment regimen.

Scope of Artificial Intelligence in Screening and Diagnosis of Colorectal Cancer.

Globally, colorectal cancer is the third most diagnosed malignancy. It causes significant mortality and morbidity, which can be reduced by early diagnosis with an effective screening test. Integrating artificial intelligence (AI) and computer-aided detection (CAD) with screening methods has shown promising colorectal cancer screening results.

State-of-the-art considerations in post-arrest care.

Cardiac arrest has a high rate of morbidity and mortality. Several advances in post-cardiac arrest management can improve outcome, but are time-dependent, placing the emergency physician in a critical role to both recognize the need for and initiate therapy. We present a novel perspective of both the workup and therapeutic interventions geared toward the emergency physician during the first few hours of care.

Cough Radiculopathy: Postinfectious Cough-Related Acute Lumbar Radiculopathy.

Cough is a protective reflex of airways and lungs. Cough may result in several complications. Postinfectious cough is a cough that begins during an acute respiratory tract infection, usually is self-limited, and is due to airway hyperresponsiveness as a result of airway inflammation.

Associations Between Preconception Plasma Fatty Acids and Pregnancy Outcomes.

Background: Although fatty acids are involved in critical reproductive processes, the relationship between specific fatty acids and fertility is uncertain. We investigated the relationship between preconception plasma fatty acids and pregnancy outcomes.

Methods: We included 1,228 women attempting pregnancy with one to two previous pregnancy losses from the EAGeR trial (2007-2011).

Optimal Duration of Aspirin Plus Clopidogrel After Ischemic Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack.

Background and Purpose- The role of aspirin plus clopidogrel (A+C) therapy compared with aspirin monotherapy in patients presenting with acute ischemic stroke (IS) or transient ischemic attack remains uncertain. We conducted this study to determine the optimal period of efficacy and safety of A+C compared with aspirin monotherapy. Methods- Ten randomized controlled trials (15 434 patients) were selected using MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (inception June 2018) comparing A+C with aspirin monotherapy in patients with transient ischemic attack or IS.

A Bayesian network meta-analysis of preventive strategies for contrast-induced nephropathy after cardiac catheterization.

Background: The optimal preventive strategy for contrast induced acute kidney injury (CIAKI) in patients undergoing cardiac catheterization remains uncertain.

Objective: We conducted Bayesian network meta-analysis (NMA) to compare different preventive strategies for CIAKI in these cohorts.

Methods: Forty-nine randomized controlled trials were extracted using MEDLINE, EMBASE and CENTRAL data bases (inception-1st December 2017).

Temporal Changes in Co-Morbidity Burden in Patients Having Percutaneous Coronary Intervention and Impact on Prognosis.

This study aims to evaluate the impact of co-morbidity burden on outcomes in patients who undergo percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We used the Nationwide Inpatient Sample to identify all PCI procedures undertaken in the United States from 2004 to 2014. We then determined co-morbidity burden for each patient record based on the Charlson Co-morbidity Score.