Long-term outcomes following ultrathin vs thin-strut drug-eluting stents for percutaneous coronary intervention: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized control trials.

Objectives: Current thin-strut 2 generation drug eluting stents (DES) are considered as optimal standard of care for revascularization of coronary artery disease (CAD) patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Ultrathin (≤ 70 μm strut thickness) strut DES have recently been shown to reduce target lesion failure (TLF) compared to thin-strut DES. Therefore, in order to assess the validity of improved outcomes associated with ultrathin-strut DES, we conducted an updated meta-analysis that includes recently published follow-ups of previously conducted randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

The Role of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Cardiovascular Imaging and Diagnosis: Current Insights and Future Directions.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the major cause of mortality worldwide, emphasizing the critical need for timely and accurate diagnosis. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) have become revolutionary tools in the healthcare system with significant potential for cardiovascular diagnosis and imaging. AI and ML techniques, including supervised and unsupervised learning, logistic regression, deep learning models, neural networks, and convolutional neural networks (CNNs), have significantly advanced cardiovascular imaging.

Understanding childhood obesity in Pakistan: exploring the knowledge, attitudes, practices of mothers, and influential factors. A cross-sectional study.

Background: Childhood obesity is a significant public health issue with far-reaching implications. The World Health Organization reported that in 2020, around 38 million children under five were overweight or obese globally, and in 2016, 340 million children and adolescents aged 5-19 were affected. In Pakistan, the situation is alarming; 66.

A novel homozygous missense variant in causes cone dystrophy in a consanguineous Pakistani family.

Background: Cone dystrophy is a heterogeneous hereditary retinal disorder with disease symptoms appearing in the late first or early second decades of life.

Methods: A consanguineous Pakistani family with three affected individuals underwent detailed clinical and genetic investigation.

Results: The proband, a 63-years old male, showed severely reduced day vision, a visual acuity of counting fingers (CF), color vision deficiency, high myopia and photophobia.

Evaluation of post-extraction healing after atraumatic extraction in gutka chewers and non-gutka chewers using the modified inflammation proliferation remodeling scale.

Background: Gutka, a smokeless tobacco mixture containing tobacco and areca nut, is widely consumed in South Asia and impairs wound healing due to vasoconstrictive and cytotoxic effects. Wound healing assessment in oral surgery lacks standardisation, and phase-specific evaluation tools are seldom used. This study aimed to compare post-extraction healing after atraumatic tooth extraction in gutka chewers and non-chewers using the modified Inflammation Proliferation Remodeling (IPR) scale to validate this scale for clinical use.

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in adults hospitalizations in the United States; evaluating patient characteristics, COVID-19 associations, and mortality.

Introduction: Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in adults (MIS-A) is thought to be closely linked with COVID-19 infection. This study aims to elucidate the demographics and clinical characteristics of MIS-A, aiding in timely diagnosis and management.

Methods: Utilizing the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database (2021), patients were stratified into MIS-A and non-MIS-A groups.

Cardiovascular outcomes among giant cell myocarditis compared with cardiac sarcoidosis: A propensity score-matched analysis.

Background: Giant cell myocarditis (GCM) and cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) are rare inflammatory diseases of the myocardium with poor prognosis. Cardiovascular disease outcomes among both diseases have not been well studied with limited literature.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the cardiovascular outcomes among patients with GCM and CS.

Minimally invasive resection of a giant esophageal schwannoma.

Benign tumors of the esophagus are uncommon, and primary esophageal schwannoma of the esophagus is even rarer, accounting for 2% of cases. Less than 30 cases have been reported in the literature. Here we report a case of a young man with a symptomatic giant esophageal schwannoma, which was completely removed by laparoscopic three-staged esophagectomy.

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Prehospital Plasma Administration for Hemorrhagic Shock.

Introduction: Hemorrhagic shock demands swift intervention. Management involves the rapid infusion of blood products to restore circulation and uphold tissue perfusion. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of prehospital plasma administration in trauma patients, comparing outcomes with normal saline.

Racial disparity in postoperative complications following shoulder arthroplasty (SA): A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: There has been an emphasis on racial disparities in orthopedic surgery. Recently, literature suggested Black and Hispanic patients at increased risk for adverse outcomes after Shoulder Arthroplasty (SA), but data regarding it is sparse and inconclusive. Therefore, we aim to conduct a meta-analysis to assess the role of racial disparity in causing adverse outcomes after SA.

Introduction of dengue virus serotype 3 in the Afar Region, Ethiopia.

The genetic analysis of the Dengue virus circulating in Ethiopia's Afar region, in 2023, identified three distinct introductions with spatiotemporal clustering linked to genomes from Asia and Italy. These findings are crucial for enhancing prevention and control strategies, reinforcing the necessity to provide sustainable tools for genomic epidemiology in Africa.

Role of neoadjuvant pembrolizumab in advanced melanoma.

Melanoma, a malignancy originating from melanocytes, poses a significant global health challenge, with approximately 325,000 cases and 57,000 deaths annually. Advanced melanoma (AM), categorized as stage III and IV, presents considerable treatment challenges due to its complex mutational landscape. Traditional treatment options have included checkpoint inhibitors and BRAF inhibitors, with pembrolizumab emerging as a promising agent.

Efficacy and safety of Piclidenoson in the treatment of plaque psoriasis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Psoriasis, an autoimmune inflammatory disease characterized by hyperproliferation of keratinocytes, affects 0.2-4.8% of the global population.

Exploring plant-based dengue therapeutics: from laboratory to clinic.

Dengue virus (DENV) is a mosquito-borne virus that causes dengue fever, a significant public health concern in many tropical and subtropical regions. Dengue is endemic in more than 100 countries, primarily in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Each year, up to 400 million people get infected with dengue.