Epidemiologic Characterization and Risk Factors for Congenital Syphilis in Northeast Mexico: A Case-control Study 2016-2024.

Background: Congenital syphilis (CS) is an infectious disease caused by Treponema pallidum, which is transmitted through the placenta during pregnancy. Since 2001, a notable and consistent rise in the prevalence of CS cases has been observed, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Currently, information regarding the risk factors for this phenomenon has been scarcely addressed.

Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Patients with Testicular Cancer: A Systematic Review.

Germ cell tumors (GCTs) are chemosensitive neoplasms with high cure rates; however, a small group of patients present tumors with refractory chemotherapy, with a dismal prognosis and few effective management options. Although immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are approved for use in chemotherapy refractory GCT, the evidence supporting this indication remains scarce. Original research studies were included on patients with GCTs refractory to chemotherapy treated with ICI up to December 2023.

Dissecting Cellulitis Presenting After Hair Restoration Surgery.

Dissecting cellulitis (DC) of the scalp is a chronic inflammatory condition marked by neutrophilic cicatricial alopecia, often linked to staphylococcal antigens. This case report details a 34-year-old male with scarring acne who developed DC following follicular unit extraction (FUE) approximately four months prior. Trichoscopic examination revealed brown pigmented dots, erythema, and melicerous crusts.

Clinical Characteristics of Young-Onset Versus Elderly-Onset Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease with a prevalence of 1%, mainly affecting women aged 25-45. It is classified by the age of onset into young-onset rheumatoid arthritis (YORA, 16-65 years) and elderly-onset rheumatoid arthritis (EORA, over 65 years), with EORA often presenting suddenly with systemic symptoms and large joint involvement due to age-related immune changes. This systematic review and meta-analysis compare the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of EORA and YORA.

Avelumab + axitinib vs sunitinib as first-line treatment for patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma: final analysis of the phase 3 JAVELIN Renal 101 trial.

Background: In the phase 3 JAVELIN Renal 101 trial (NCT02684006), first-line treatment with avelumab + axitinib resulted in significantly longer progression-free survival (PFS) and a higher objective response rate (ORR) vs sunitinib in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (aRCC). We report the final analysis, including the primary analysis of overall survival (OS).

Patients And Methods: Patients with untreated aRCC (any prognostic risk score) were enrolled.

Prognostic value of relative adrenal insufficiency in patients with severe alcohol-associated hepatitis-a prospective clinical study.

Background/aims: Relative adrenal insufficiency (RAI) is frequent in patients with liver cirrhosis and affects their prognosis. Scarce data on RAI in patients with alcohol-associated hepatitis (AAH) exists. This study aimed to document the prevalence and prognostic implication of RAI in patients with severe AAH.

Inadequate identification of high cardiovascular risk and carotid plaques in rheumatoid arthritis patients by the 2024 Predicting Risk of Cardiovascular EVENTs and the 2013 Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease algorithms: findings from a Mexican cohort.

The American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association introduced the Predicting Risk of Cardiovascular EVENTs (PREVENT™) algorithm to estimate the 10-year risk of developing cardiovascular disease. We aimed to assess the cardiovascular risk (CVR) reclassification among rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients using traditional CVR algorithms-the 2024 PREVENT™ and the 2013 Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (ASCVD)-and the presence of carotid plaque (CP). This was a cross-sectional study nested of a RA patients' cohort.

HI Acquired palmoplantar keratoderma in an immunocompromised patient: A case report.

Syphilis, known for its capacity to mimic various diseases, has seen rising incidence, particularly in adolescents, men who have sex with men (MSM), and individuals with HIV. Palmoplantar keratoderma (PPK), a rare manifestation of secondary syphilis, poses diagnostic challenges due to its resemblance to other conditions. We report the case of a 42-year-old man living with HIV presenting with acquired PPK, characterized by hyperkeratotic plaques on the palms and soles, alongside syphilitic roseola.

Prevalence, virulence factors and antifungal susceptibility of oral isolates of Candida albicans from patients with cystic fibrosis in Mexico.

Background: Candida species are frequently isolated from the oral cavity of patients with cystic fibrosis. However, the information on the role of Candida in cystic fibrosis is scarce.

Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence, virulence profile and antifungal susceptibility of oral isolates of Candida albicans recovered from patients with cystic fibrosis.

The frontal aslant tract: Anatomical description and case report.

Background: Advances in surgical techniques, neuroimaging, and white matter fiber dissection have facilitated the identification of critical tracts like the frontal aslant tract (FAT) that have garnered attention, despite remaining poorly recognized within the neurosurgical community.

Case Description: We report the case of a 37-year-old male right-handed patient presenting with headache and epilepsy, in whom neuroimaging revealed an intra-axial lesion in the left middle frontal gyrus closely associated with FAT. Successful navigation-guided resection of the lesion was achieved, resulting in a favorable neurological outcome attributable to the preservation of the tract.

Pleural Effusion Identified by Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) in Septic Shock: Impact on Clinical Outcomes.

To analyze the association between pleural effusion detected by chest point of care ultrasound (POCUS) and clinical outcomes in patients with septic shock admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU). A prospective evaluation of ICU patients with septic shock in whom chest POCUS was performed during the first 24 hours of diagnosis to identify the presence and characteristics of pleural effusion. Of 45 patients with septic shock, 17 (38%) had pleural effusion.

Secondary Syphilis in the Spotlight: Atypical Cutaneous Manifestation Overshadowing Kaposi Sarcoma in a Newly Diagnosed HIV Patient.

Syphilis, caused by the spirochete , is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that has seen a resurgence worldwide, particularly among populations at a higher risk of co-infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The disease typically progresses through distinct stages: primary, secondary, latent, and tertiary, each with specific clinical manifestations. Secondary syphilis is characterized by systemic involvement and various mucocutaneous symptoms, including a maculopapular rash that frequently involves the palms and soles along with fever, lymphadenopathy, and mucous membrane lesions.

Transoral Penetrating Foreign Body Into the Foramen Magnum: A Case Report.

In this paper, we present the case of a four-year-old boy with a penetrating transoral injury caused by a foreign object directed toward the foramen magnum. Head angiotomography revealed that the object's pathway was in close contact with the vertebral artery, without apparent involvement of the meninges. We discuss the clinical presentation, diagnostic approach, and treatment in this case.

Smoothed Cepstral Peak Prominence: A Comparison Between Dysphonic and Non-dysphonic Mexican Adults Employing the Praat Software.

Background Acoustic vocal analysis provides objective and measurable values for various voice parameters, such as fundamental frequency (F0), shimmer, jitter, and the noise-to-harmony ratio (NHR). In severely dysphonic patients, who present increased variability in glottic cycles and abnormalities in vocal intensity, conventional acoustic analysis is an unreliable predictor of dysphonia. The logarithmic transformation of the vocal spectrum (cepstrum) allows capturing the signal without relying on recording technique, frequency, or vocal intensity.

Romiplostim, low-dose rituximab and high-dose dexamethasone for newly diagnosed immune thrombocytopenia: A pilot study.

Therapies such as corticosteroids, thrombopoietin receptor agonists and immunomodulators have been consistently under the spotlight in the search for a better treatment for immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). However, none of them has been widely embraced as a new standard. In this pilot study, we investigated feasibility, safety and preliminary efficacy of romiplostim, low-dose rituximab and high-dose dexamethasone for newly diagnosed ITP.

Utility of the 2019 EULAR/ACR SLE classification criteria for predicting mortality and hospitalisation: development and cross-validation of ominosity score.

Objective: The 2019 European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR)/American College of Rheumatology (ACR) systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) classification criteria score (≥20 points) has been associated with poor outcomes. We aimed to evaluate its utility as a predictor for mortality and hospitalisation and to derive and validate an ominosity score based on the SLE classification criteria set.

Methods: Incident patients with SLE in a population-based cohort were included.

Optimizing resources: low-dose nivolumab combinations in the management of relapsed/refractory Hodgkin lymphoma.

Up to one-third of patients with classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) are not responsive to first-line therapy or eventually relapse. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been successfully employed to treat relapsed/refractory cHL (r/r cHL) but place patients at risk of financial toxicity. Early-phase trials and observational data suggest that low doses of ICIs may achieve similar results to those obtained with high doses.

Frontal Sinus Fractures and Traumatic Brain Injury: Predictors of Mortality in Surgical Management.

Study Design: This is anobservational, retrospective, analytical study.

Objective: The aim was todetermine a statistical basis for a future line of research based on the epidemiology of a center located in a developing country, as well as defining indirect mortality predictors.

Methods: Clinical files were reviewed based on diagnosis of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), according to the International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision (ICD-10).

Navigating Therapeutic Challenges of Pyoderma Gangrenosum in Felty's Syndrome: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a rare neutrophilic dermatosis characterized by painful skin ulcers. Treatment typically involves systemic corticosteroids, calcineurin inhibitors, or tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibitors. Currently, treatment guidelines are not well established, making it important to consider alternative options in complicated cases.

A targeted endoscopic band ligation technique for management of acute esophageal variceal bleeding.

Background/aims: Endoscopic band ligation (EBL) standard therapy is traditionally performed with banding from the distal esophagus upwards. However, esophageal varices (EV) with stigma of recent bleeding are not consistently banded at the first attempt. We aimed to compare conventional banding in acute variceal bleeding (AVB) vs targeted banding of EV in patients with stigma of recent bleeding (white nipple sign).

A Polyurethane Electrospun Membrane Loaded with Bismuth Lipophilic Nanoparticles (BisBAL NPs): Proliferation, Bactericidal, and Antitumor Properties, and Effects on MRSA and Human Breast Cancer Cells.

Electrospun membranes (EMs) have a wide range of applications, including use as local delivery systems. In this study, we manufactured a polyurethane Tecoflex™ EM loaded with bismuth-based lipophilic nanoparticles (Tecoflex™ EMs-BisBAL NPs). The physicochemical and mechanical characteristics, along with the antitumor and bactericidal effects, were evaluated using a breast cancer cell line and methicillin-susceptible and resistant (MRSA).

Two forgotten guests: biliary and pancreatic stents retained after 14 years.

We present a 54-year-old man with a previous complicated choledocholithiasis 14 years ago, treated with sphincterotomy and biliary and pancreatic stents placement by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). The patient didn't attend the follow-up. On this occasion, seeks medical attention at this medical center for abdominal pain, jaundice, and fever.