Education Research: Virtual Patient Management Conference for Epilepsy Surgery in the Post-COVID-19 Era: An Educational Perspective.

Background And Objectives: The primary objective of this study was to assess the potential educational value of a virtual patient management conference (PMC) with the introduction of inclusive anonymous polling at a comprehensive epilepsy center. The secondary objective was to evaluate differences between faculty and trainee polling results.

Methods: Two online surveys were sent 1 year apart seeking opinions about a transition to virtual PMC and completed by virtual PMC faculty participants (including representatives from neurology, neurosurgery, and neuropsychology).

Plozasiran, an RNA Interference Agent Targeting APOC3, for Mixed Hyperlipidemia.

Background: Persons with mixed hyperlipidemia are at risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease due to an elevated non-high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol level, which is driven by remnant cholesterol in triglyceride-rich lipoproteins. The metabolism and clearance of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins are down-regulated through apolipoprotein C3 (APOC3)-mediated inhibition of lipoprotein lipase.

Methods: We carried out a 48-week, phase 2b, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of plozasiran, a hepatocyte-targeted APOC3 small interfering RNA, in patients with mixed hyperlipidemia (i.

Empowering Low-Income Patients with Home Blood Pressure Monitors to Improve Hypertension Control.

Introduction: Effective management of hypertension (HTN) is a priority in primary care. With telehealth now considered a staple care delivery method, uninsured and low-income patients without home blood pressure (BP) monitors may need additional attention and resources to achieve successful HTN control.

Methods: This prospective study at an underserved community clinic assessed the impact of distributing free BP monitors on patients' HTN control and therapy adherence.

Socioeconomic disparities based on shooting intent in pediatric firearm injury.

Background: Pediatric firearm injury is often associated with socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods. Most studies only include fatal injuries and do not differentiate by shooting intent. We hypothesized that differences in neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage would be observed among shooting intents of fatal and nonfatal cases.

Predictors of Skin, Hair, and Nail Supplement Use: Analysis of National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) Cross-Sectional Data.

Objectives: Approximately half of US adults use dietary supplements, often for dermatologic purposes. When survey respondents in a nationally representative population were asked the reasons for their use of a specific supplement, 87% chose "for healthy skin, hair, and nails." Despite widespread use, supplements have potential risks and lack regulatory safeguards.

The Effect of Developmental Delay and Autism Spectrum Disorder on External Auditory Canal Foreign Body Extraction.

Objectives: To determine the effect of developmental delay (DD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) on pediatric external auditory canal foreign body (EAC FB) retrieval outcomes.

Methods: A retrospective chart review of children presenting with EAC FB at a tertiary children's hospital was performed between January 2018 and December 2019. Charts were reviewed for demographics, presence of otalgia, complications, number of EAC FB episodes, indications for operating room removal, DD, and ASD status.

Perspectives on Non-Prescription Antibiotic Use among Hispanic Patients in the Houston Metroplex.

Background: Non-prescription antibiotic use includes taking an antibiotic without medical guidance (e.g., leftovers, from friends/relatives, or purchased without a prescription).

Tibial Osteomyelitis Caused by Morganella morganii After External Fixation for Limb Length Discrepancy in a Pediatric Patient: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Morganella morganii is a facultative, anaerobic rod Gram-negative enteric bacterium. Few cases are documented of musculoskeletal infection. We present a case of a 9-year-old boy with osteomyelitis 1 year after index external fixation for leg length discrepancy.

A Pregnant Patient Presents with Leakage of Vaginal Fluid in the Second Trimester.

Leakage of Vaginal Fluid in the Second TrimesterA pregnant 43-year-old woman presented with leakage of vaginal fluid at 15 weeks of gestation. How do you approach the evaluation, and what is on your differential diagnosis?

Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship Program Directors' Viewpoint: Minimum Levels of Entrustment for Graduating Fellows and Practicing Physicians to Perform the Subspecialty's Professional Activities.

Objectives: Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) are essential tasks physicians perform within their professions. Entrustment levels that pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) fellowship program directors (FPDs) expect graduating fellows to achieve for PEM-specific and common pediatric subspecialty EPAs remain unreported. This study aims to determine minimum entrustment levels FPDs require fellows to achieve to graduate from fellowship and to compare FPD expectations for fellows versus practicing PEM physicians.

Gender Discrepancies in Neurologist Compensation.

Background And Objectives: Previous studies have shown gender disparities in physician pay in various specialties. This retrospective, cross-sectional study evaluated data from the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Compensation and Productivity Survey for differences in neurologist compensation by gender.

Methods: Of the 3,268 completed surveys submitted, 2,719 were from neurologists and 1,466 had sufficient data for analysis (551 women, 951 men respondents).

A Review of Venous Thromboembolism Risk Assessment and Prophylaxis in Plastic Surgery.

Background: Venous thromboembolism is a significant cause of postoperative death and morbidity. While prophylactic and treatment regimens exist, they usually come with some risk of clinically relevant bleeding and, thus, must be considered carefully for each individual patient.

Methods: This special topic article represents a review of current evidence regarding venous thromboembolism risk, biology, and prevention in plastic surgery patients.

Severe Combined Immunodeficiency with De Novo Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Mutation.

Both severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) syndrome and Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) are rare conditions. Patients with X-linked SCID have pathogenic variants of the gene, resulting in defective cellular and humoral immunity. DMD is also an X-linked condition caused by a gene mutation, causing progressive proximal muscle weakness.

The Impact of American College of Cardiology Chest Pain Center Accreditation on Guideline Recommended Acute Myocardial Infarction Management.

Background: Whether American College of Cardiology (ACC) Chest Pain Center (CPC) accreditation alters guidelines adherence rates is unclear.

Methods: We analyzed patient-level, hospital-reported, quality metrics for myocardial infarction (MI) patients from 644 hospitals collected in the ACC's Chest Pain-MI Registry from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2020, stratified by CPC accreditation for >1 year.

Results: Of 192,374 MI patients, 67,462 (35.

Systemic Treatment of Cutaneous Adverse Events After Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy: A Review.

As treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (CPIs) for cancer increases, so has the incidence of immune-related cutaneous adverse events (irCAEs). These toxicities can significantly impact quality of life and may be dose-limiting. Current guidelines for irCAEs offer only corticosteroids or CPI discontinuation.

Parking Meters to Touch Screens: The Unforeseen Barriers That Expansion of Telemedicine Presents to the Disability Community.

Greater than 25% of annual healthcare expenditures in the United States are associated with the medical needs of people with disabilities. People with disabilities often experience inequalities with access to healthcare services, resulting in increased costs of living with disability. The economic burden of living with a disability results in nearly US $400 billion spent annually from combined public and private payor sources.

Safe Ground Transport of Pediatric COVID-19 Patients-A Single-Center First-Surge Experience.

Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic has brought new challenges to pediatric transport programs. The aims of this study were to describe the transport of pediatric patients with confirmed COVID-19 and to review the operational challenges that our transport system encountered.

Methods: A retrospective descriptive study was performed to review all COVID-19 pediatric transport performed over a 6-month period during the initial pandemic surge in 2020.