Real-world effectiveness and safety of combined calcium 600 mg and cholecalciferol 2000 IU for treating vitamin d deficiency: Results from a nationwide study with focus in osteoporosis.

Introduction: Treatment of calcium (Ca) and vitamin D (VD) deficiency (VDD) is crucial for health, especially in bone conditions, such as low bone mineral density (BMD) and osteoporosis. Despite updates in clinical guideline recommendations, no studies have evaluated the efficacy and safety of administering 2000 IU of cholecalciferol combined with calcium. Thus, the main objective of this study was to evaluate VD levels following treatment with Ca 600 mg/ cholecalciferol 2000 IU in real-life clinical practice.

Impact of a comprehensive geriatric assessment to manage elderly patients with locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancers: a multicenter prospective study.

Purpose: Concurrent chemoradiotherapy (cCRT) is the standard treatment for locally advanced and unresectable non-small-cell lung cancer. Population is aging, and Geriatric assessment (GA) has demonstrated its paper to select fit patients for active treatment and vulnerable, frail patients for interventions and/or palliative care in many histologies. Its role in locally advanced, unresectable non-small-cell lung cancer has been less explored.

Optimising antibacterial utilisation in Argentine intensive care units: a quality improvement collaborative.

Background: There is limited evidence from antimicrobial stewardship programmes in less-resourced settings. This study aimed to improve the quality of antibacterial prescriptions by mitigating overuse and promoting the use of narrow-spectrum agents in intensive care units (ICUs) in a middle-income country.

Methods: We established a quality improvement collaborative (QIC) model involving nine Argentine ICUs over 11 months with a 16-week baseline period (BP) and a 32-week implementation period (IP).

PSMA PET/CT SUVmax as a prognostic biomarker in patients with metachronous metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC).

Background: Metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC) is treatment-resistant and generally considered incurable. The development of prostate-specific membrane antigen positron emission-computed tomography (PSMA PET/CT) has generated immense expectations due to its diagnostic accuracy in prostate cancer (PCa). PSMA expression of the primary tumor, quantified by SUVmax, is a predictor of oncological outcomes.

Pembrolizumab Plus Carboplatin and Paclitaxel as First-Line Therapy for Recurrent/Metastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (KEYNOTE-B10): A Single-Arm Phase IV Trial.

Purpose: Standard-of-care first-line treatment for recurrent/metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (R/M HNSCC) is pembrolizumab plus platinum and fluorouracil (FU). However, FU is associated with potential challenges (continuous 4-day infusion, high administration costs, and cardiovascular and gastrointestinal toxicities), creating a clinical need for alternative chemotherapy combinations. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of first-line pembrolizumab plus carboplatin and paclitaxel for R/M HNSCC in the open-label, single-arm, phase IV KEYNOTE-B10 study (ClinicalTrials.

Vagus nerve stimulation in pediatric patients with drug-resistant epilepsy: a step-by-step video.

Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is a neuromodulatory treatment involving chronic intermittent electrical stimulation of the left vagus nerve, administered through a programmable pulse generator implanted subcutaneously in the chest. This generator connects to a bipolar lead, with electrodes wrapped around the vagus nerve in the neck. Primarily used as an adjunct therapy for patients with refractory epilepsy who cannot undergo or have not benefitted from resective surgery, VNS is generally well tolerated with few severe side effects.

A Phase II Trial of Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy and Androgen Deprivation for Oligometastases in Prostate Cancer (SBRT-SG 05).

Purpose: SBRT-Spanish Group-05 (ClinicalTrials.gov.Identifier: NCT02192788) is a collaborative (SBRT-SG, Grupo de Investigación Clínica en Oncología Radioterápica, and Sociedad Española de Oncología Radioterápica) prospective multicenter phase II trial testing stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) and androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in patients with oligorecurrent prostate cancer.

Analysis of Drug Resistance Characteristics of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis in Anhui Province, 2016-2022.

Objective: To preliminarily assess the prevalence and control effect of tuberculosis and drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) in Anhui province, and analyze the trends in the changing drug resistance spectrum of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) isolated in Anhui province from 2016 to 2022.

Methods: From 2016 to 2022, a total of 2336 culture-positive tuberculosis strains were collected from four drug resistance monitoring sites. Patient demographic information was collected and drug susceptibility testing was conducted.

Advanced non-squamous NSCLC with no actionable oncogenic driver in Spain: a cross-sectional descriptive analysis of data from the Thoracic Tumor Registry.

Background: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for the vast majority of all diagnosed lung cancers. According to their histology, most NSCLCs are considered non-squamous cell carcinoma (NSCC), and up to 85% of the latter may lack either one of the two main actionable oncogenic drivers (i.e.

How I do it: operative nuances of the Encephalo-Duro-Mio-Synangiosis (EDMS) technique for pediatric moyamoya disease and syndrome.

Background: Moyamoya disease, a progressive occlusive arteriopathy mainly affecting the supraclinoid internal carotid artery, leads to abnormal "Moyamoya vessels" and ischemic events in children due to decreased cerebral blood flow. Surgery, especially indirect revascularization, is suggested for pediatric Moyamoya cases.

Method: We present the Encephalo-Duro-Mio-Synangiosis (EDMS) technique, illustrated with figures and videos, based on 14 years' experience performing 71 surgeries by the senior author (SGJ) and the Moyamoya Interdisciplinary Workteam at "Prof.

Quality improvement collaborative for improving patient care delivery in Argentine public health sector intensive care units.

Background: The demand for healthcare services during the COVID-19 pandemic was excessive for less-resourced settings, with intensive care units (ICUs) taking the heaviest toll.

Objective: The aim was to achieve adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) use in 90% of patient encounters, to reach 90% compliance with objectives of patient flow (OPF) and to provide emotional support tools to 90% of healthcare workers (HCWs).

Methods: We conducted a quasi-experimental study with an interrupted time-series design in 14 ICUs in Argentina.

Dermoscopic Features of Pigmented Bowen Disease: A Multicenter Study on Behalf of the Ibero-Latin American College of Dermatology (CILAD).

Introduction: Studies focused on dermoscopic aspects of pigmented Bowen disease (pBD) in Latin American population are scarce and limited to only case reports or small series.

Objectives: To report dermoscopic findings in a large series of 147 pBD diagnosed in Ibero-Latin American population.

Methods: We conducted a multicentric, retrospective study on 147 histologically proven pBD under the auspices of the Dermoscopy Chapter of the Ibero-Latin American College of Dermatology.

Functional assessment of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder in Argentina: ICF-ASD multicenter study.

Introduction. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by difficulties in social communication and repetitive and stereotyped behaviors. In addition to the diagnostic category, the activities performed by children and adolescents and their social involvement are the main aspects to be considered according to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) proposed by the World Health Organization to describe health status.

Antimalarial resistance risk in Mozambique detected by a novel quadruplex droplet digital PCR assay.

While the malaria parasite continues to cause severe disease globally, Mozambique is disproportionally represented in malaria case totals. Acquisition of copy number variations (CNVs) in the parasite genome contributes to antimalarial drug resistance through overexpression of drug targets. Of interest, piperaquine resistance is associated with plasmepsin 2 and 3 CNVs ( and respectively), while CNVs in the multidrug efflux pump, multidrug resistance-1 (), increase resistance to amodiaquine and lumefantrine.

A systematic review of pharmacogenetic testing to guide antipsychotic treatment.

Pharmacogenomics could optimize antipsychotic treatment by preventing adverse drug reactions, improving treatment efficacy or relieving the cost burden on the healthcare system. Here we conducted a systematic review to investigate whether pharmacogenetic testing in individuals undergoing antipsychotic treatment influences clinical or economic outcomes. On 12 January 2024, we searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO and Cochrane Centrale Register of Controlled Trials.

Eleven Years After Scimitar Syndrome Repair With the Lugones Technique: Usefulness of Four-Dimensional Flow Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Anatomic and physiologic assessment of surgical repair of scimitar syndrome can be challenging. We evaluated the first patient who underwent the Lugones procedure in 2012 using 4D flow magnetic resonance imaging. With this technology, we demonstrate that the reconstructed right pulmonary venous return drains into the left atrium with laminar flow, just as normal pulmonary veins do.

Use of sodium dichloroacetate for cancer treatment: a scoping review.

In recent years, drug repurposing (DR) has gained significant attention as a promising strategy for identifying new therapeutic uses of existing drugs. One potential candidate for DR in cancer treatment is sodium dichloroacetate (DCA), which has been shown to alter tumor metabolism and decrease apoptosis resistance in cancer cells. In this paper, we present a scoping review of the use of DCA for cancer treatment in adult patients, aiming to identify key research gaps in this area.

Knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of Latin American healthcare workers relating to antibiotic stewardship and antibiotic use: a cross-sectional multi-country study.

Background: The burden of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Latin America is high. Little is known about healthcare workers' (HCWs) knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of antimicrobial stewardship (AS), AMR, and antibiotic use (AU) in the region.

Methods: HCWs from 42 hospitals from 5 Latin American countries were invited to take an electronic, voluntary, anonymous survey regarding knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of AS, AMR, and AU between March-April 2023.

Surgical Anatomy and Technique of Peri-Insular Hemispherotomy in Pediatric Epilepsy.

Background And Objectives: Hemispherotomy is a highly complex procedure that demands a steep learning curve. An incomplete brain disconnection often results in failure of seizure control. The purpose of this article was to present a step-by-step guide to the surgical anatomy of this procedure.