A Case Study of Emphysematous Cystitis in a Non-diabetic Patient Following Empagliflozin Use: An Uncommon Presentation.

Emphysematous cystitis (EC), a rare urinary tract infection characterized by gas accumulation in the bladder walls, is predominantly seen in diabetic patients. This case study discusses an 83-year-old non-diabetic male with end-stage heart failure who presented with symptoms of EC after being administered empagliflozin. The unique presentation suggests a possible link between empagliflozin and EC in non-diabetic heart failure patients, a connection previously undocumented in medical literature, emphasizing the importance of vigilant monitoring and further research in this area.

Demographics of the members of the special interest group for early career medical physicists: A statistical analysis of survey results.

Introduction: The Early Career Medical Physicists Special Interest Group (SIG_FREC) that operates within EFOMP aims to represent individuals with less than 10 years of experience working as medical physics professionals. The purpose of this survey was to better understand the specific needs and expectations of early-career medical physicists across Europe. The aim of this study was to allow these early-career professionals to voice their ideas within EFOMP and provide insights into their challenges and opportunities while also providing them with the possibility of making suggestions for the growth of the SIG.

Do steroid abusers have more temporomandibular joint symptoms? A study with 97 bodybuilders.

Objectives: Anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) are derivatives of testosterone, used to treat gonadal disturbances, performance enhancement, and aesthetic purposes. AAS abuse can lead to side effects, including androgenic, cardiovascular, and liver disturbances, effects on libido, gynecomastia, and behavioral effects. There is a hypothesis that some joint tissues may be targets for sex hormones, and the use of AAS without medical follow-up may exacerbate temporomandibular joint problems in patients seeking performance and aesthetics.

Prevalence of Opioid Use in Nursing Homes Over the Last Decade: A Systematic Literature Review.

Despite global concerns of an opioid epidemic, there is no systematic literature review on how frequently these drugs are used in nursing home (NH) populations, including those living with dementia. This systematic review aims to describe the prevalence and incidence of opioid use in NHs. A secondary objective is to describe the use of these drugs in a subset of NH residents, namely among persons living with dementia.

Development of the acne-specific quality of life questionnaire Quality of Life Relevance-Acne.

Background: Participating members of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology Task Forces on quality of life (QoL) and Patient Oriented Outcomes and Acne, Rosacea and Hidradenitis Suppurativa initiated data collection in 9 European countries and formed the list of the most relevant topics for acne patients.

Objective: The aim of this study was to develop a new acne-specific health-related QoL instrument based on the list of the most relevant topics for acne patients.

Methods: After assessment by acne patients ( = 715) on how clear and relevant the items in the prototype questionnaire were, a group of experts on acne and QoL performed discussions on items inclusion, which resulted in a series of 21 items.

Leptospirosis: a clinical and diagnostic challenge.

We present the case of a man in his early 50s who presented with a history of fever, malaise and jaundice. Initial investigations showed liver and renal dysfunction with no discernible cause for the septic process. On starting intravenous antibiotics, the patient developed a septic-shock-like reaction requiring transfer to intensive care.

Perceived authority gradients among anaesthetic teams in Malta.

Over the decades, cases like those of Elaine Bromiley, who passed away after a 'cannot intubate, cannot ventilate' scenario, have prompted deeper analyses of team dynamics and authority gradients. It is thought that a steep authority gradient may have impeded lifesaving communication between members of the anaesthetic team, leading to her death. Using an online questionnaire, we carried out a cross-sectional observational study exploring the perceived authority gradients within anaesthetic teams in the main operating theatres at Mater Dei Hospital, Malta.

Measuring operating theatre nurses' perceptions of safety culture using the SCORE questionnaire.

Background: Tackling operating theatre waiting lists may focus healthcare organisations' attention on increased productivity while downplaying safety concerns.

Aim: To explore safety culture in a perioperative department from operating theatre practitioners' perspective.

Method: Cross-sectional pen-and-paper survey among nurses in an operating theatre department in Malta using the Safety, Communication, Operational Reliability and Engagement questionnaire.

Editor's Choice - Vascular Registries Contributing to VASCUNET Collaborative Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Outcome Projects: A Scoping Review.

Objective: Vascular surgery registries report on procedures and outcomes to promote patient safety and drive quality improvement. International registries have contributed significantly to the VASCUNET collaborative abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) outcome projects. This scoping review aimed to outline the national registries in vascular surgery that currently participate in the VASCUNET collaborative AAA projects.

Gonococcal peritonitis: A case report and review of literature.

(Ng) is a major cause of morbidity among sexually active individuals, occasionally leading to serious complications if left untreated. We describe a case of gonococcal peritonitis as a rare complication of Ng infection in a woman presenting with acute abdomen and intestinal subacute occlusion. Due to the rarity of this clinical presentation, we review the scientific literature to identify best practices and inform guidelines.

Incidence of deep venous thrombosis in patients with hemophilia undergoing bilateral simultaneous total knee arthroplasty: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Hemophilic arthropathy usually affects the knees bilaterally. In order to reduce costs and improve rehabilitation, bilateral simultaneous total knee arthroplasty (TKA) can be performed. However, pharmacological prophylaxis for deep venous thrombosis (DVT) remains controversial in patients with severe hemophilia.

Allogeneic platelet-rich plasma for knee osteoarthritis in patients with primary immune thrombocytopenia: A randomized clinical trial.

The treatment of painful KOA in adult patients with ITP has not been well studied yet. We conducted a prospective, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of intra-articular allogeneic PRP injections on symptoms and joint structure in patients with KOA and ITP. 80 participants were randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to allogeneic PRP group or saline group.

Return to Sport, Re-injury and Performance After the Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: Evaluating the Role of International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) and Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) Scoring Systems.

Introduction Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears are common injuries that can considerably impact an individual's quality of life and athletic performance. In these cases, surgical reconstruction of the ligament can be considered to restore stability to the knee. This study aims to investigate the time taken for individuals to return to sport post-ACL reconstruction, assess the rate of re-injury and evaluate the reliability of the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) and Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) scoring systems in predicting a return to sport at the pre-injury level.

Burden of atopic dermatitis in Europe: A population-centred approach leveraging web search data in 21 European countries.

Background: The complexity, high prevalence, and substantial personal and socioeconomic burden collectively render atopic dermatitis (AD) a major public health concern. Using crowdsourced Internet data has the potential to provide unique insights into this concern, as demonstrated by several previous studies. However, a comprehensive comparison across European countries remains lacking.

Metastatic mediastinal hepatoid adenocarcinoma.

Hepatoid adenocarcinoma (HAC) of the mediastinum is a rare extrahepatic tumour that pathologically and morphologically resembles hepatocellular carcinoma. Extrahepatic HACs primarily occur in the stomach, ovaries, lung, gallbladder, pancreas and uterus. Patients with mediastinal HAC tend to be male smokers over forty years of age.

The Relationship of Pathological Response and Visceral Muscle and Fat Volume in Women With Breast Cancer Who Received Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy.

Objective: Differences in individual muscle/fat volumes may change the effectiveness of chemotherapy. In this study, the relationship between trunkal muscle and fat volume and body mass index (BMI) obtained before receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT) in patients with breast cancer and complete pathological response (pCR) was investigated.

Materials And Methods: The volumes of psoas, abdominal and paraspinal muscles, and trunkal subcutaneous and visceral fat were calculated using CoreSlicer AI 2.