Nonpharmacological Approaches to Chronic Cough.

Although cough is a protective reflex, it can occur in the absence of any physical need to clear the airway. In chronic cough, cough can be triggered by innocuous stimuli and persist despite medical treatment. Nonpharmacological interventions such as cough control therapy, provided by speech pathologists, have gained popularity in recent years.

Baseline Anal Sphincter Elastance May Predict Long-Term Outcomes of Sacral Neuromodulation for Fecal Incontinence.

Introduction: Anal acoustic reflectometry (AAR), a novel test of anal sphincter function, was shown to predict a successful trial phase of sacral neuromodulation (SNM) for fecal incontinence. This follow-up study aims to explore if AAR can also predict short- and long-term SNM outcomes at less than and more than 5 y, respectively.

Methods: Outcome data were reviewed from a prospectively managed database.

Prevention of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS): British Fertility Society policy and practice guideline.

This British Fertility Society (BFS) Policy and Practice guideline aims to support clinicians in preventing ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) in patients undergoing gonadotropin ovarian stimulation. A systematic literature search of the medical databases was performed. The Guideline Development Group (GDG) identified the risk factors of OHSS before and during ovarian stimulation.

Parastomal Varices as an Atypical Source of Bleeding From a Urostomy in a Patient With Alcoholic Liver Disease.

Parastomal varices are an uncommon but significant source of hemorrhage in patients with portal hypertension, often posing diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. We report the case of a 73-year-old male with a history of alcoholic liver disease and a urostomy following cystoprostatectomy for bladder cancer. The patient presented with profuse bleeding from his urostomy site.

Review of plasma exchange and rituximab for prevention of recurrent focal segmental glomerulosclerosis after a prior graft loss.

Background: Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) often recurs after transplantation, leading to graft dysfunction and graft loss. Patients who have lost prior grafts due to recurrence are at particularly high risk of re-recurrence in subsequent grafts. Rituximab and plasma exchange have been used pre-emptively to prevent post-transplant recurrence.

Long term follow-up of women treated for screen detected atypical ductal hyperplasia or lobular neoplasia in a large UK screening centre.

Background: Atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH) and lobular neoplasia (LN) increase subsequent breast cancer (BC) risk. However, optimal surveillance and risk reduction regimes remain uncertain. We report management and outcomes of women with ADH and LN to provide data on potential screening/prevention strategies.

Clinical and genetic characterization of a progressive RBL2-associated neurodevelopmental disorder.

Retinoblastoma (RB) proteins are highly conserved transcriptional regulators that play important roles during development by regulating cell-cycle gene expression. RBL2 dysfunction has been linked to a severe neurodevelopmental disorder. However, to date, clinical features have only been described in six individuals carrying five biallelic predicted loss of function (pLOF) variants.

Vaginal myomectomy for a large intrastromal cervical fibroid: a case report.

Fibroids affect up to two-thirds of women of reproductive age and can lead to significant symptoms, including abnormal uterine bleeding and reproductive dysfunction. Cervical fibroids are rare, with an incidence of only 0.6%.

The association between delirium and falls in older adults in the community: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: Systematically review and critically appraise the evidence for the association between delirium and falls in community-dwelling adults aged ≥60 years.

Methods: We searched EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, CINAHL and Evidence-Based Medicine Reviews databases in April 2023. Standard methods were used to screen, extract data, assess risk of bias (using Newcastle-Ottawa scale), provide a narrative synthesis and, where appropriate, conduct meta-analysis.

Characterising a Novel Therapeutic Target for Psoriasis, TYK2, Using Functional Genomics.

Psoriasis (Ps) is a debilitating immune-mediated chronic skin condition. It affects about 1-3% of the world population, with an 8-11% prevalence in Northern European populations. Tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2) is a newly identified target for Ps.

Serum Folate Concentrations in Exclusively Breastfed Preterm Infants Who Received No Supplementary Oral Folic Acid After Discharge: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Adequate folate intake is required in preterm infants for rapid growth and development, but there is little evidence to back recommendations. We aimed to assess folate status in preterm infants at discharge and in early infancy, according to exposure to folate sources, particularly in those exclusively/predominantly breastfed. A prospective, multicenter, observational cohort study was conducted in the UK, involving 45 preterm infants <33 weeks' gestational age (GA) exclusively/predominantly fed human milk when approaching NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) discharge.

Detection of Mismatch Repair Deficiency in Endometrial Cancer: Assessment of IHC, Fragment Length Analysis, and Amplicon Sequencing Based MSI Testing.

Mismatch repair (MMR) deficiency can be indicative of Lynch syndrome (LS) and guide treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Colorectal cancers (CRCs) and endometrial cancers (ECs) are routinely screened to identify LS, primarily using immunohistochemistry (IHC) or microsatellite instability (MSI) testing, but concordance between these methods is variable in ECs. Here, we investigate this variability in 361 ECs from the Ohio OCCPI/OPTEC ( = 196) and Manchester PETALS ( = 165) trials, where concordance between assays differed significantly.

Is Disease Stability an Attainable COPD Treatment Goal?

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a heterogenous lung condition characterized by progressive airflow obstruction. Despite advancements in diagnosis and treatment, the disease burden remains high; although clinical trials have shown improvements in outcomes such as exacerbations, quality of life, and lung function, improvement may not be attainable for many patients. For patients who do experience improvement, it is challenging to set management goals given the progressive nature of COPD.

Meta-analyses uncover the genetic architecture of Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies.

Objective: Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (myositis, IIMs) are rare, systemic autoimmune disorders that lead to muscle inflammation, weakness, and extra-muscular manifestations, with a strong genetic component influencing disease development and progression. Previous genome-wide association studies identified loci associated with IIMs. In this study, we imputed data from two prior genome-wide myositis studies and analyzed the largest myositis dataset to date to identify novel risk loci and susceptibility genes associated with IIMs and its clinical subtypes.

Congenital Long QT Syndrome Masquerading as Epilepsy: A Case Report.

In this case report, we present a 24-year-old woman with a previous diagnosis of epilepsy who was admitted to the hospital following loss of consciousness (LOC). It was initially assumed that this was an epileptic seizure based on her previous diagnosis of epilepsy; however, a review of her electrocardiograms (ECGs) revealed a prolonged QT interval. She was admitted to the cardiology ward for continuous ECG monitoring and subsequently developed self-limiting torsades de pointes (TDP).

Tumour biology and survival outcomes in young women with breast cancer: single-centre retrospective analysis.

Introduction: Breast cancer is the most common malignancy worldwide. The disease is more severe in younger women and often confers a poorer prognosis. This study aimed to profile a cohort of young women with breast cancer and address whether aspects of their tumour biology were related to their long-term outcomes.

The Effect of Inhaled Beta-2 Agonists on Heart Rate in Patients With Asthma: Sensor-Based Observational Study.

Background: Beta-2 agonists play an important role in the management of asthma. Inhaled long-acting beta-2 agonists (LABAs) and short-acting beta-2 agonists (SABAs) cause bronchodilation by stimulating adrenoceptors. These receptors are also present in cardiac cells and, as a side effect, could also be stimulated by inhaled beta-2 agonists.

Epithelioid angiosarcoma at a non-functioning arteriovenous fistula site in a renal transplant patient.

We present a case of biopsy-proven epithelioid angiosarcoma in an arteriovenous fistula (AVF). Angiosarcomas developing in non-functioning AVF in renal transplant recipients are rare clinical entities with poor prognosis. A 59-year-old male adequately immunosuppressed kidney transplant patient presented with pain and swelling at the site of a previously asymptomatic fistula.