Baroreflex Function in Cardiovascular Disease.

The baroreflex system is involved in modulating several physiological functions of the cardiovascular system and can modulate cardiac output, blood pressure, and cardiac electrophysiology directly and indirectly. In addition, it is involved in regulating neurohormonal pathways involved in the cardiovascular function, such as the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and vasopressin release. Baroreflex dysfunction is characterized by sympathetic overactivation and parasympathetic withdrawal and is associated with several cardiovascular diseases, such as hypertension, heart failure, and coronary artery disease.

Evaluation of rimegepant utilization patterns and patient characteristics among new users: a United States administrative claims-based study.

Objective: To assess tablet utilization patterns and describe pre-treatment characteristics among new users of rimegepant.

Background: Rimegepant is the only oral calcitonin gene-related peptide antagonist approved in the United States for both the acute and preventive treatment of migraine.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of people with migraine who initiated treatment with rimegepant using two US commercial claims databases (MarketScan and Optum).

Minimally Invasive Therapies for Knee Osteoarthritis.

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a musculoskeletal disorder characterized by articular cartilage degeneration and chronic inflammation, affecting one in five people over 40 years old. The purpose of this study was to provide an overview of traditional and novel minimally invasive treatment options and role of artificial intelligence (AI) to streamline the diagnostic process of KOA. This literature review provides insights into the mechanisms of action, efficacy, complications, technical approaches, and recommendations to intra-articular injections (corticosteroids, hyaluronic acid, and plate rich plasma), genicular artery embolization (GAE), and genicular nerve ablation (GNA).

An open-source fine-tuned large language model for radiological impression generation: a multi-reader performance study.

Background: The impression section integrates key findings of a radiology report but can be subjective and variable. We sought to fine-tune and evaluate an open-source Large Language Model (LLM) in automatically generating impressions from the remainder of a radiology report across different imaging modalities and hospitals.

Methods: In this institutional review board-approved retrospective study, we collated a dataset of CT, US, and MRI radiology reports from the University of California San Francisco Medical Center (UCSFMC) (n = 372,716) and the Zuckerberg San Francisco General (ZSFG) Hospital and Trauma Center (n = 60,049), both under a single institution.

A Comparative Analysis of Patient-Reported Outcomes Following Free Tissue Transfer, Partial Foot Amputation, and Below-Knee Amputation in High-Risk Limb Salvage Patients.

Background: The surgical decision for limb-salvage with free tissue transfer (FTT), partial foot amputation (PFA), or below-knee amputation (BKA) for complex lower extremity (LE) wounds hinges on several factors, including patient choice and baseline function. However, patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) on LE function, pain, and QoL for chronic LE wound interventions are limited. Thus, the study aim was to compare PROMs in patients who underwent FTT, PFA, or BKA for chronic LE wounds.

COVID-Related Visitor Restrictions and Childbirth Experiences in One US Hospital.

Objective: The objective of this study was to explore childbirth experiences during COVID-19 visitor restrictions.

Methods: We used a descriptive phenomenological approach in our study, which took place in a postpartum unit at a level IV birthing hospital in the Mideastern United States, where 3617 births occurred in 2019.

Results: A total of 22 participants who were older than 18 years, who gave birth at 37 weeks gestation or more, and who had at least 1 birth experience in the United States prior to the COVID-19 pandemic participated in this study.

Review on the Burden of Episodic Migraine and Utilization of Patient Reported Outcome Measures.

Purpose Of Review: Migraine affects a large portion of the world's population. Migraine encompasses a broad range of symptoms, with broad reaching ramifications in the form of Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) factors. In our review we sought to understand the aspects encompassing the burden of disease on both an individual and population level.

Endovascular thrombectomy versus medical management for patients with large vessel stroke and infective endocarditis.

Background: The safety and efficacy of endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) for large vessel occlusion (LVO) strokes associated with infective endocarditis (IE) compared with medical management (MM) is unclear.

Methods: In this nationwide analysis of hospitalizations in the United States, we assessed the outcomes of EVT versus medical management (MM) for patients with LVO and IE. Primary outcome was routine home discharge with self-care.

Utility of Reticulocyte Hemoglobin Equivalent in Screening for Iron Deficiency in Pregnancy.

Objective:  Ferritin, commonly used for diagnosing iron deficiency (ID) in pregnancy, is limited by high cost and false elevations during inflammation. Reticulocyte hemoglobin equivalent (Ret-He), an alternative marker for ID, is unaffected by inflammation and analyzed on the same collection tube as the standard complete blood count (CBC). We aimed to determine the accuracy of Ret-He in detecting ID in pregnancy compared to ferritin in a U.

Enhanced Treatment in Severe-Critical COVID-19 With Tocilizumab, Remdesivir, Dexamethasone: A Jordanian Cohort Study.

Background: Several medications have been proposed to manage COVID-19, with controversial data regarding their clinical benefits. We aimed to investigate the clinical efficacy of using remdesivir (RDV) with and without tocilizumab (TCZ) and standard therapy in treating severe COVID-19.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted in a Jordanian tertiary hospital (September 26th, 2020 - August 28th, 2021) and included adult COVID-19 patients requiring oxygen support.

Segmental retinal arteritis in a case of presumed bilateral rifabutin-associated hypopyon uveitis.

Purpose: To describe the presentation and clinical course of bilateral hypopyon uveitis and subsequently diagnosed segmental retinal arteritis in an immunocompromised patient treated with intravitreal and systemic antibiotics while on rifabutin therapy for pulmonary tuberculosis (TB).

Observations: A 63-year-old female from West Africa with a past medical history of HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B, and pulmonary TB presented with pain and acute vision loss in the left eye for two days. She was compliant with her treatment regimen for HIV and maintenance therapy for TB including rifabutin.

ArtiSential laparoscopic cholecystectomy versus single-fulcrum laparoscopic cholecystectomy: Which minimally invasive surgery is better?

Backgrounds/aims: In recent years, many minimally invasive techniques have been introduced to reduce the number of ports in laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC), offering benefits such as reduced postoperative pain and improved cosmetic outcomes. ArtiSential is a new multi-degree-of-freedom articulating laparoscopic instrument that incorporates the ergonomic features of robotic surgery, potentially overcoming the spatial limitations of laparoscopic surgery. ArtiSential LC can be performed using only two ports.

Alterations in visible light exposure modulate platelet function and regulate thrombus formation.

Background: Variations in light exposure are associated with changes in inflammation and coagulation. The impact of light spectra on venous thrombosis (VT) and arterial thrombosis is largely unexplored.

Objectives: To investigate the impact of altering light spectrum on platelet function in thrombosis.