Bone and entheseal targets for growth factors in diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis.

Introduction: Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) is a common condition of the adult skeleton where new bone growth occurs in entheseal and bony regions. The cause for the new bone growth is unclear but many lines of evidence point to a role for growth factors linked to abnormal metabolism in these patients. The bone targets for these presumed growth factors are poorly defined.

Safety and efficacy of very low calorie diet in patients receiving haemodialysis therapy.

Background: Very low calorie diets (VLCDs) are an obesity treatment option in the general population, but their efficacy and safety in patients on haemodialysis (HD) is unknown.

Methods: Prospective single arm study of VLCD in haemodialysis patients. All participants received 2.

Early-onset lupus nephritis.

Early-onset systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) is a distinct clinical entity characterized by the onset of disease manifestations during childhood. Despite some similarities to patients who are diagnosed during adulthood, early-onset SLE typically displays a greater disease severity, with aggressive multiorgan involvement, lower responsiveness to classical therapies, and more frequent flares. Lupus nephritis is one of the most severe complications of SLE and represents a major risk factor for long-term morbidity and mortality, especially in children.

Both Classical and Non-Classical Monocytes Patrol Glomerular Capillaries and Promote Acute Glomerular Inflammation.

Monocyte patrolling of the vasculature has been ascribed primarily to the non-classical monocyte subset. However, a recent study of the glomerular microvasculature provided evidence that both classical and non-classical monocytes undergo periods of intravascular retention and migration. Despite this, whether these subsets contribute differentially to acute glomerular inflammation is unknown.

Factors Influencing Kidney Transplantation Experiences for Patients From Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds: A Qualitative Study.

Background: Disparities in aspects of chronic kidney disease progression and management exist for patients from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds, including with treatment and outcomes for kidney transplantation.

Objective: This study aimed to explore factors that impact kidney transplant outcomes from the perspective of kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) from CALD backgrounds and their family caregivers.

Methods: A descriptive qualitative design was utilised.

Vaginal dinoprostone vs Foley catheter for induction of labor at term with an unfavorable cervix: an open-label randomized controlled trial.

Background: Induction of labor (IOL) with mechanical methods or pharmacological agents is used in about 20% to 30% of all pregnant women. We specialized in comparing the effectiveness and safety of dinoprostone vs transcervical Foley catheter for IOL in term pregnant women with an unfavorable cervix with adequate samples.

Objective: To compare the effectiveness and safety of dinoprostone vs transcervical Foley catheter for IOL in term pregnant women with an unfavorable cervix.

'A divine right to photograph': E. Graeme Robertson's (1903-1975) historical motion pictures of National Hospital staff in 1933.

In the course of researching and writing the first-ever book length biography of Edward Graeme Robertson's (1903-1975) eventful life and career in Australasian neurology, a rare 1933 cinema film recording of National Hospital staff at Queen Square has recently been rediscovered. Graeme completed his residency in neurology at Queen Square in the early 1930s and maintained close connections with his colleagues in London, thoughtfully recording them at different times using early movie cameras. Two versions of Graeme's 1933 film have been preserved, and there are also other color clips of his colleagues from later in life in the UCL Neurology archives and Robertson family collection.

Making the most of what we have: What does the future hold for Emergency Department data?

Over 10 million ED visits occur each year across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. Outside basic administrative data focused on time-based targets, there is minimal information about clinical performance, quality of care, patient outcomes, or equity in emergency care. The lack of a timely, accurate or clinically useful data collection represents a missed opportunity to improve the care we deliver each day.

COVID-19 hospitalisations in a tertiary health service during the Omicron subvariant wave.

Objectives: COVID-19 Omicron subvariants typically cause milder disease than previous strains, yet many patients were still admitted to hospital for acute care. We audited reasons for and details of admissions to identify opportunities to reduce hospitalisations.

Methods: We reviewed all admitted patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 from 1 December 2022 to 30 January 2023.

Effect of Communication Mode on Disclosure of Nutrition Impact Symptoms During Nutrition Intervention Delivered to People With Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer.

Individuals diagnosed with upper gastrointestinal cancers experience a myriad of nutrition impact symptoms (NIS) compromise a person's ability to adequately meet their nutritional requirements leading to malnutrition, reduced quality of life and poorer survival. Electronic health (eHealth) is a potential strategy for improving the delivery of nutrition interventions by improving early and sustained access to dietitians to address both NIS and malnutrition. This study aimed to explore whether the mode of delivery affected participant disclosure of NIS during a nutrition intervention.

Vascular responsiveness to low-dose dexamethasone in extremely premature infants: negative influence of fetal growth restriction.

Dexamethasone is frequently prescribed for preterm infants to wean from respiratory support and/or to facilitate extubation. This pre-/postintervention prospective study ascertained the impact on clinical (respiratory support) and echocardiographic parameters after dexamethasone therapy in preterm fetal growth restriction (FGR) infants compared with appropriate for gestational age (AGA) infants. Echocardiography was performed within 24 h before the start and after completion of 10-day therapy.

Absence of Pericarditis Recurrence in Rilonacept-Treated Patients With COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination: Results From the RHAPSODY Long-term Extension.

Background: Rilonacept inhibits the interleukin-1 pathway, and extended treatment in patients with recurrent pericarditis (RP) reduced recurrence risk by 98% in the phase 3 trial, RHAPSODY long-term extension (LTE). Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-CoV-2 vaccination and/or infection may trigger pericarditis recurrence, and in clinical practice, it is unknown whether to continue rilonacept during SARS-CoV-2 infection. This post-hoc analysis of the RHAPSODY LTE aimed to inform rilonacept management in RP patients vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2 or who contract COVID-19.

Study of pediatric appendicitis scores and management strategies: A prospective observational feasibility study.

Objective: The objective was to investigate the feasibility of prospectively validating multiple clinical prediction scores (CPSs) for pediatric appendicitis in an Australian pediatric emergency department (ED).

Methods: A literature search was conducted to identify potential CPSs and a single-center prospective observational feasibility study was performed between November 2022 and May 2023 to evaluate the performance of identified CPSs. Children 5-15 years presenting with acute right-sided or generalized abdominal pain and clinician suspicion of appendicitis were included.

Bringing optimised COVID-19 vaccine schedules to immunocompromised populations (BOOST-IC): study protocol for an adaptive randomised controlled clinical trial.

Background: Immunocompromised hosts (ICH) experience more breakthrough infections and worse clinical outcomes following infection with COVID-19 than immunocompetent people. Prophylactic monoclonal antibody therapies can be challenging to access, and escape variants emerge rapidly. Immunity conferred through vaccination remains a central prevention strategy for COVID-19.

PAR2 activation on human tubular epithelial cells engages converging signaling pathways to induce an inflammatory and fibrotic milieu.

Key features of chronic kidney disease (CKD) include tubulointerstitial inflammation and fibrosis. Protease activated receptor-2 (PAR2), a G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) expressed by the kidney proximal tubular cells, induces potent proinflammatory responses in these cells. The hypothesis tested here was that PAR2 signalling can contribute to both inflammation and fibrosis in the kidney by transactivating known disease associated pathways.

Enhancing patient acceptance of ICD implantation through structured shared decision making: conversation is key.

Background: Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) and cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillators (CRT-D) are lifesaving treatments for patients at risk for sudden cardiac death. Effective physician-patient communication during the shared decision-making process is essential. Electrophysiologist-patient conversations were targeted to obtain objective data on the interaction, understand the conversation framework, and uncover opportunities for improved communication.

Protocol for a hybrid effectiveness-implementation clinical trial evaluating video-assisted electronic consent vs standard consent for patients initiating and continuing haemodialysis in Australia (eConsent HD).

Introduction: Communicating complex information about haemodialysis (HD) and ensuring it is well understood remains a challenge for clinicians. Informed consent is a high-impact checkpoint in augmenting patients' decision awareness and engagement prior to HD. The aims of this study are to (1) develop a digital information interface to better equip patients in the decision-making process to undergo HD; (2) evaluate the effectiveness of the co-designed digital information interface to improve patient outcomes; and (3) evaluate an implementation strategy.