Oral health-related quality of life among oropharyngeal cancer survivors.

Objectives: The incidence of oropharyngeal cancer continues to rise in the United States, yet studies on the quality of life (QoL) of oropharyngeal cancer patients are limited. The objective of this pilot study was to assess the impact of oral health on the QoL in oropharyngeal cancer survivors.

Materials And Methods: Oropharyngeal cancer survivors with a confirmed cancer diagnosis from 1996 to 2016 were sampled from the Utah Cancer Registry.

Pharmacologic Treatment of Hypertension in Older Adults.

The authors conducted a review of pharmacologic therapy in older adults with hypertension. They reviewed the evidence supporting their use in older adults, understanding the physiologic changes and potential adverse drug effects associated with aging and antihypertensive medication use, exploring guideline recommendations for antihypertensive use in older adults, and evaluating the associated risks and benefits of specific classes of antihypertensive medications.

Risk of cardiovascular disease among head and neck cancer survivors: A population-based matched cohort study.

Background: In the United States, approximately 63,000 Americans develop head and neck cancer (HNC) annually. Our study aims were to investigate cardiovascular complications and risk factors for development of CVD among HNC survivors.

Methods: Utilizing the Utah Populations Database, a total of 1,901 HNC patients diagnosed and 7,796 birth year, sex, and birth state matched individuals from the general population were identified.

OUTREACH: phase 2 study of lisocabtagene maraleucel as outpatient or inpatient treatment at community sites for R/R LBCL.

Lisocabtagene maraleucel (liso-cel) is an autologous, CD19-directed, 4-1BB chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell product approved for relapsed/refractory (R/R) large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL). We present the OUTREACH primary analysis, evaluating the safety and efficacy of outpatient monitoring after liso-cel treatment at community sites in the United States. Adults with R/R LBCL after ≥2 prior lines of therapy received liso-cel.

Optimal Initial Intravenous Loop Diuretic Dosing in Acute Decompensated Heart Failure.

Background: Nearly one-half of patients admitted with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) are discharged with unresolved congestion, elevating rehospitalization risk. This may be due to suboptimal intravenous (IV) loop diuretic dosing, which may be influenced by home oral diuretic dose.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine the association between: 1) home oral loop diuretic dose and optimal initial IV loop diuretic dosing in ADHF; and 2)receiving optimal initial IV loop diuretic dosing and length of stay and 30-day readmission.

Blood pressure control in pregnant patients with chronic hypertension and diabetes: should <130/80 be the target?

Background: The Chronic Hypertension and Pregnancy Study demonstrated that a target blood pressure of <140/90 mm Hg during pregnancy is associated with improved perinatal outcomes. Outside of pregnancy, pharmacologic therapy for patients with diabetes and hypertension is adjusted to a target blood pressure of <130/80 mm Hg. During pregnancy, patients with both diabetes and chronic hypertension may also benefit from tighter control with a target blood pressure <130/80 mm Hg.

Lipoprotein(a) among normotensive patients and risk of incident hypertension.

Lipoprotein(a) has been shown to be disruptive to local endothelial cells, whose integrity is critical to blood pressure (BP) regulation. Cross-sectional analysis has shown an association between lipoprotein(a) and prevalent hypertension, though it is unclear if lipoprotein(a) increases risk of incident hypertension. To assess this, the authors measured baseline lipoprotein(a) among 5307 normotensive patients (median age 26 years (interquartile range [IQR] 12-50) and used Cox proportional hazard models to generate hazard rations (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI; median follow-up 10-years).

Effects of Antihypertensive Therapy During Pregnancy on Postpartum Blood Pressure Control.

Objective: To compare differences in postpartum blood pressure (BP) control (BP below 140/90 mm Hg) for participants with hypertension randomized to receive antihypertensive treatment compared with no treatment during pregnancy.

Methods: This study was a planned secondary analysis of a multicenter, open-label, randomized controlled trial (The CHAP [Chronic Hypertension and Pregnancy] trial). Pregnant participants with mild chronic hypertension (BP below 160/105 mm Hg) were randomized into two groups: active (antihypertensive treatment) or control (no treatment unless severe hypertension, BP 160/105 mm Hg or higher).

Pediatric Epilepsy Genetic Testing Results and Long-term Seizure Freedom.

To determine whether there is a correlation of genetic diagnosis/result with long-term seizure freedom in pediatric epilepsy patients. This was a prospective and retrospective cohort study of children with epilepsy referred for genetic testing at a single center. The primary outcomes were presence and type of genetic diagnosis (pathogenic, benign, or variant of uncertain significance) and patient epilepsy status (seizure free, treatment failure, uncertain).

Genitourinary cancer and family: The reverberating psychological and cardiovascular effects of a genitourinary cancer diagnosis on first-degree relatives and spouses.

Background: The psychological and cardiovascular health impacts on family members of patients who have been diagnosed with cancer have not been well characterized. The purpose of this study is to determine whether a family member's cancer diagnosis influences the risk of psychological illness and cardiovascular disease in first-degree relatives and spouses of patients affected by cancer.

Methods: This retrospective cohort analysis evaluated the risk of psychological illness and cardiovascular disease in first-degree relatives and spouses of patients diagnosed with a genitourinary cancer between 1990 and 2015 compared to relatives of those not diagnosed with a genitourinary cancer.

Use and Cost Patterns of Antihypertensive Medications in the United States From 1996 to 2021.

Background: Antihypertensive medication use patterns have likely been influenced by changing costs and accessibility over the past 3 decades. This study examines the relationships between patent exclusivity loss, medication costs, and national health policies on antihypertensive medication use.

Methods: Using 1996 to 2021 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data of US adults with hypertension taking at least 1 antihypertensive medication, we conducted a cross-sectional analysis.

Advancing the practice of trauma: utilizing advanced practice providers to improve patient outcomes through a collaborative team approach.

Advanced practice providers (APPs) have become essential to trauma teams in the United States during the last few decades. The optimal utilization of APPs is not yet known and is likely highly variable secondary to many factors. We discuss three aspects of the multidisciplinary approach to caring for trauma patients.

Risk factors of undiagnosed and uncontrolled hypertension in primary care patients with hypertension: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Hypertension is a common heart condition in the United States (US) and severely impacts racial and ethnic minority populations. While the understanding of hypertension has grown considerably, there remain gaps in US healthcare research. Specifically, there is a lack of focus on undiagnosed and uncontrolled hypertension in primary care settings.

Ixekizumab Treatment Patterns and Health Care Resource Utilization Among Patients with Axial Spondyloarthritis: A Retrospective United States Claims Database Study.

Introduction: Real-world data on ixekizumab utilization in axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) are limited. We evaluated ixekizumab treatment patterns and health care resource utilization (HCRU) in patients with axSpA using United States Merative L.P.

Management of Advanced Prostate Cancer With Relugolix: Illustrative Case Scenarios From an Advanced Practice Provider Perspective.

Prostate cancer is the second most common cause of cancer-related mortality among men in the United States, with an estimated 34,700 deaths annually. Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is the cornerstone of advanced prostate cancer therapy, and injectable luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonists have served as the most commonly used ADT for over 30 years. Relugolix, a first-in-class, once-daily, oral gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist, was developed to address some of the limitations of available ADT therapies.

Real-world evaluation of early remdesivir in high-risk COVID-19 outpatients during Omicron including BQ.1/BQ.1.1/XBB.1.5.

Background: A trial performed among unvaccinated, high-risk outpatients with COVID-19 during the delta period showed remdesivir reduced hospitalization. We used our real-world data platform to determine the effectiveness of remdesivir on reducing 28-day hospitalization among outpatients with mild-moderate COVID-19 during an Omicron period including BQ.1/BQ.

Global Study on the Accuracy of Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2-Low Diagnosis in Breast Cancer.

Context.—: Recently, a new type of antibody-drug conjugate, trastuzumab-deruxtecan (T-DXd), has been approved for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer with low level of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) gene expression. Thereby, eligibility relies on an accurate diagnosis of HER2-low status defined by immunohistochemistry IHC 1+/2+ with no gene amplification.

A Pilot Study of Ultrasound Assessment of Umbilical Cord and Placental Vascular Flow for Cord Accident Stillbirth Prevention.

Objective: Our objective was to determine the feasibility and interobserver reliability of umbilical cord and placental arteriolar flow assessment in low-risk pregnancies near term.

Methods: This was a prospective pilot study in low-risk pregnancies at 36 weeks with anterior placentas. We excluded any with an indication for antenatal testing or delivery before 39 weeks.

Familial autoimmunity and risk of developing immune thrombocytopenia and Evans syndrome.

Background: Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) and Evans syndrome (ES) are manifestations of immune dysregulation. Genetic variants in immune-related genes have been identified in patients with ITP and especially ES. We aimed to explore familial autoimmunity in patients with ITP and ES to understand possible contributions to chronicity.