The importance of primary tumor origin in gastrointestinal malignancies undergoing cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy.

Background: Appendiceal and colorectal cancers with peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) can derive benefit from cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS/HIPEC). However, its role in gastric and small bowel malignancies remains undefined.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 251 gastrointestinal adenocarcinomas with PC which underwent CRS/HIPEC at our institution from 2007 to 2017.

Adeno-squamous and squamous cell carcinoma of the gallbladder: The importance of histology in surgical management.

Background: Although gallbladder adenocarcinoma (AC) is potentially curable with resection, outcomes of squamous histologies are poorly described.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed all gallbladder cancers which underwent resection-for-cure in our health system from 2007 to 2017. We compared outcomes of AC to adeno-squamous (ASC)/squamous (SC) histologies.

Perforated jejunal diverticulitis: a rare but important differential in the acute abdomen.

Background: Diverticulosis of the small bowel is rare and, in most cases, discovered incidentally. However, diverticulitis and other complications are important to consider in the differential of an acute abdomen, especially in the elderly population.

Case Presentation: The patient was a 59-year-old female who presented with acute lower abdominal pain progressing to peritonitis.

Is cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy indicated in hepatobiliary malignancies?

Background: Hepatopancreaticobiliary malignancies with peritoneal carcinomatosis exhibit poor survival with current therapies: hepatocellular carcinoma 11 months with sorafenib, and pancreaticobiliary 9-14 months with systemic chemotherapy. However, limited data exist on the utility of cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy in these patients.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed our institutional hepatopancreaticobiliary malignancies with peritoneal carcinomatosis which underwent cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy from 2007 to 2017 and analyzed perioperative and oncologic outcomes.

Association of Cardiac Rehabilitation With Survival Among US Veterans.

Importance: Participation in cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programs at Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities is low. Most veterans receive CR through purchased care at non-VA programs. However, limited literature exists on the comparison of outcomes between VA and non-VA CR programs.

Unsupervised clustering for phenotypic stratification of clinical, demographic, and stress attributes of cardiac risk in patients with nonischemic exercise stress echocardiography.

Introduction And Aim: Patients undergoing exercise echocardiography with no evidence of myocardial ischemia are considered a low-risk group; however, this group is likely heterogeneous in terms of short-term adverse events and subsequent cardiac testing. We hypothesized that unsupervised cluster modeling using clinical and stress characteristics can detect heterogeneity in cardiovascular risk and need for subsequent cardiac testing among these patients.

Methods: We retrospectively studied 445 patients who had exercise echocardiography results negative for myocardial ischemia.

Cardiovascular mortality among chronic myeloid leukemia patients in the pre-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) and TKI eras: a surveillance, epidemiology and end results (SEER) analysis.

Despite remarkable efficacy, there is an emerging concern regarding TKI-associated cardiovascular toxicity in CML. Long term follow-up studies on association between TKI therapy and cardiovascular outcome have been limited. CML patients were accessed from the SEER 18 database from 1992 to 2011.

Neuro-Ophthalmologic Complications of Giant Cell Arteritis: Diagnosis and Treatment.

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is the most common vasculitis in individuals 50 years or older, with a lifetime risk in the United States of 1% in women and 0.5% in men. It is a granulomatous disease that affects large- and medium-sized vessels, most notably the branches of the internal and external carotid arteries.

Synthesizing Markers of Kidney Injury in Acute Decompensated Heart Failure: Should We Even Keep Looking?

Purpose Of Review: This review discusses evidence that has accumulated over the years on the diagnostic and prognostic utility of biomarkers of kidney injury in the setting of acute decompensated heart failure.

Recent Findings: Despite numerous studies evaluating several different biomarkers both in the serum and urine, the current body of evidence does not support routine use of any of these biomarkers for the purposes of diagnosis of acute kidney injury or for prognosis after hospitalization for acute decompensated heart failure. All studies are observational in nature and, as such, are likely limited by numerous confounders, the most important of which is modification of decongestive therapy in response to worsening renal function.

Splenic flexure mobilization for sigmoid and low anterior resections in the minimally invasive era: How often and at what cost?

Background: Splenic flexure mobilization (SFM) increases left colonic reach for a better vascularized and tension-free anastomosis. Open SFM is challenging due to anatomic position. Minimally invasive SFM improves visualization and minimizes splenic traction.

Impact of Atrial Fibrillation on In-Hospital Outcomes in Patients With Diabetic Ketoacidosis.

Background: Diabetic ketoacidosis entails a huge health burden among patients with diabetes. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common type of heart arrhythmia. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of AF on clinical outcomes in patients with diabetic ketoacidosis.

The use of structured data elements to identify ASCVD patients with statin-associated side effects: Insights from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Background: Accurate identification of patients with statin-associated side effects (SASEs) is critical for health care systems to institute strategies to improve guideline-concordant statin use.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine whether adverse drug reaction (ADR) entry by clinicians in the electronic medical record can accurately identify SASEs.

Methods: We identified 1,248,214 atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) patients seeking care in the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Shared and specific associations of substance use disorders on adverse outcomes: A national prospective study.

Background And Aims: Substance use disorders (SUD) frequently co-occur and are associated with numerous adverse outcomes and lower quality of life. The goal of this study was to examine whether the associations of SUD with adverse outcomes occur through a shared liability or are disorder-specific even after taking into account their frequent co-occurrence.

Basic Procedures: Data were drawn from the National Epidemiological Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions.

Improved Survival with Experience: A 10-Year Learning Curve in Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy and Cytoreductive Surgery.

Background: Cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS/HIPEC) is an aggressive locoregional treatment for peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC). Studies demonstrate improved perioperative and oncologic outcomes at high-volume centers.

Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed all patients with PC from various malignancies who underwent attempted CRS/HIPEC at the authors' institution from 2007 to 2017.

Staging gallbladder cancer with lymphadenectomy: the practical application of new AHPBA and AJCC guidelines.

Background: Current guidelines recommend harvesting a total lymph node count (TLNC) ≥6 from portal lymphadenectomy in ≥pT1b gallbladder cancers (GBC) for accurate staging and prognostication. This study aimed to determine nodal yields from portal lymphadenectomy and identify measures to maximize TLNC.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed all ≥pT1b GBC which underwent resection with curative intent including portal lymphadenectomy at our specialized HPB center from 2007 to 2017.

Predictors and etiologies of 30-day readmissions in patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome.

Background: Despite improvements in acute care and survival after non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) hospitalization, early readmissions remain common, and have significant clinical and financial impact.

Objectives: Determine the predictors and etiologies of 30-day readmissions in NSTE-ACS.

Method: The study cohort was derived from the National Readmission Database 2014 identifying patients with a primary diagnosis of NSTE-ACS using ICD9 code.

Significant Nationwide Variability in the Costs and Hospital Mortality Rates of Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation for Multiple Myeloma: An Analysis of the Nationwide Inpatient Sample Database.

Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHCT) is the standard of care for eligible patients with multiple myeloma (MM). In this study, we explored disparities in hospital cost and in-hospital mortality among patients with MM who underwent AHCT. Data were obtained from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample database for 2005 to 2014.

Impact of end stage renal disease on in-hospital outcomes of patients with systolic and diastolic heart failure (insights from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample 2010 to 2014).

Background: Heart Failure (HF) and end stage renal disease (ESRD) are associated with increased morbidity, mortality, and are responsible for an immense economic burden. We sought to evaluate the impact of ESRD in heart failure by using a national cohort.

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study using the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) of patients hospitalized with HF from 2010 to 2014.

Pathway for the Management of Hyperglycemia in the Cardiac Care Unit.

Inpatient hyperglycemia has been associated with increased morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients. Optimal control of blood glucose (BG) levels using insulin infusion protocols has been shown to improve clinical outcomes. Protocols have been developed to prescribe a safe and effective rate of insulin infusion for optimal control of BG levels; however, a major obstacle in their implementation is their complexity.

Mining twitter to understand the smoking cessation barriers.

Smoking cessation is challenging and lack of positive support is a known major barrier to quitting cigarettes. Previous studies have suggested that social influences might increase smokers' awareness of social norms for appropriate behavior, which might lead to smoking cessation. Although social media use is increasing among young adults in the United States, research on the relationship between social media use and smoking cessation is lacking.

Crowdfunding for cardiovascular research.

The competition for public cardiovascular research grants has recently increased. Independent researchers are facing increasing competition for public research grant support and ultimately may need to seek alternative funding sources. Crowdfunding, a financing method of raising funds online by pooling together small donations from the online community to support a specific initiative, seems to have significant potential.