Spinal Cord Stimulation Improves Quality of Life for Patients With Chronic Pain-Data From the UK and Ireland National Neuromodulation Registry.

Introduction: Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is a well-established treatment for chronic pain and is supported by numerous studies. However, some recent articles have questioned its efficacy. This article examines a cohort of >1800 patients with SCS from the UK and Ireland National Neuromodulation Registry.

Caplacizumab in pediatric immune thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura: the UK TTP Registry experience.

Pediatric thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is an ultrarare disease. Immune TTP (iTTP) is driven by anti-ADAMTS13 autoantibodies causing an imbalanced von Willebrand factor (VWF):ADAMTS13 axis, and rarer still in children, but potentially life-threatening. Caplacizumab is licensed for iTTP treatment in adults and adolescents aged ≥12 years who weigh ≥40 kg.

Improvement in Health-Related Quality of Life With Spinal Cord Stimulation in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome: A Single-Center, Retrospective Study.

Background: Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) can profoundly affect many aspects of everyday life. Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is a potential therapeutic option. This retrospective, single-site evaluation explored health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in individuals with CRPS treated with SCS in our Pain Service.

Effect of Brain-Gut Behavioral Treatments on Abdominal Pain in Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.

Background & Aims: Some brain-gut behavioral treatments (BGBTs) are beneficial for global symptoms in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). United States management guidelines suggest their use in patients with persistent abdominal pain, but their specific effect on this symptom has not been assessed systematically.

Methods: We searched the literature through December 16, 2023, for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing efficacy of BGBTs for adults with IBS, compared with each other or a control intervention.

The Use of Oxandrolone in the Management of Severe Burns: A Multi-service Survey of Burns Centres and Units Across the United Kingdom.

Introduction Severe thermal burns are a catastrophic injury. Those surviving the initial insult are subject to life-long disability, prolonged hospital admission, nutritional issues and poor wound healing. Oxandrolone has been shown to reduce hospital duration and promote lean body mass.

Chronic Visceral Pain: New Peripheral Mechanistic Insights and Resulting Treatments.

Chronic visceral pain is one of the most common reasons for patients with gastrointestinal disorders, such as inflammatory bowel disease or disorders of brain-gut interaction, to seek medical attention. It represents a substantial burden to patients and is associated with anxiety, depression, reductions in quality of life, and impaired social functioning, as well as increased direct and indirect health care costs to society. Unfortunately, the diagnosis and treatment of chronic visceral pain is difficult, in part because our understanding of the underlying pathophysiologic basis is incomplete.

The predictive role of symptoms in COVID-19 diagnostic models: A longitudinal insight.

To investigate the symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infection, their dynamics and their discriminatory power for the disease using longitudinally, prospectively collected information reported at the time of their occurrence. We have analysed data from a large phase 3 clinical UK COVID-19 vaccine trial. The alpha variant was the predominant strain.

Codevelopment of a Text Messaging Intervention to Support Adherence to Adjuvant Endocrine Therapy in Women With Breast Cancer: Mixed Methods Approach.

Background: Adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET) reduces breast cancer recurrence and mortality in women with early-stage breast cancer. Unintentional nonadherence to AET is common (eg, forgetting to take medication). Forming habits surrounding medication taking could reduce reliance on memory and improve AET adherence.

Association of Preoperative Growth Differentiation Factor-15 Concentrations and Postoperative Cardiovascular Events after Major Noncardiac Surgery.

Background: The association between growth differentiation factor-15 concentrations and cardiovascular disease has been well described. The study hypothesis was that growth differentiation factor-15 may help cardiac risk stratification in noncardiac surgical patients, in addition to clinical evaluation.

Methods: The objective of the study was to determine whether preoperative serum growth differentiation factor-15 is associated with the composite primary outcome of myocardial injury after noncardiac surgery and vascular death at 30 days and can improve cardiac risk prediction in noncardiac surgery.

Diagnostics in Waldenström's macroglobulinemia: a consensus statement of the European Consortium for Waldenström's Macroglobulinemia.

The diagnosis of Waldenström's macroglobulinemia (WM), an IgM-associated lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma, can be challenging due to the different forms of disease presentation. Furthermore, in recent years, WM has witnessed remarkable progress on the diagnostic front, as well as a deeper understanding of the disease biology, which has affected clinical practice. This, together with the increasing variety of tools and techniques available, makes it necessary to have a practical guidance for clinicians to perform the initial evaluation of patients with WM.

Use of Telemedicine in Pediatric Services for 4 Representative Clinical Conditions: Scoping Review.

Background: Telemedicine is becoming routine in health care. Postpandemic, a universal return to face-to-face consultations may risk a loss of some of the advantages of telemedicine. However, rapid implementation and adoption without robust evaluation of usability, efficacy, and effectiveness could potentially lead to suboptimal health outcomes and downstream challenges to providers.

Safety and Efficacy of the NVX-CoV2373 Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccine at Completion of the Placebo-Controlled Phase of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: The recombinant protein-based vaccine, NVX-CoV2373, demonstrated 89.7% efficacy against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in a phase 3, randomized, observer-blinded, placebo-controlled trial in the United Kingdom. The protocol was amended to include a blinded crossover.

Maternal Cardiac Changes in Women With Obesity and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus.

Objective: We investigated if women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in the third trimester of pregnancy exhibit adverse cardiac alterations in myocardial energetics, function, or tissue characteristics.

Research Design And Methods: Thirty-eight healthy, pregnant women and 30 women with GDM were recruited. Participants underwent phosphorus MRS and cardiovascular magnetic resonance for assessment of myocardial energetics (phosphocreatine [PCr] to ATP ratio), tissue characteristics, biventricular volumes and ejection fractions, left ventricular (LV) mass, global longitudinal shortening (GLS), and mitral in-flow E-wave to A-wave ratio.

Cardiac and Noncardiac Determinants of Exercise Capacity in CKD.

Background: Impaired exercise capacity is a significant symptom of CKD and is associated with poor survival. Furthermore, there is a growing interest in applying exercise as a diagnostic tool or as therapy in CKD. However, an in-depth understanding of exercise physiology in CKD is still lacking.

Determining the Prevalence, Implementation Approaches, and Opinions of Above Cuff Vocalization: A Survey of Health Care Professionals.

Objective: To conduct an international survey to investigate the use of above cuff vocalization (ACV) and how practice and opinion differs.

Design: Observational, cross-sectional online survey.

Setting: Critical care, acute, rehabilitation, long-term care, and community.