Developing predictive nomogram models using quantitative electroencephalography for brain function in type a aortic dissection: a prospective observational study.

Background: Type A aortic dissection (TAAD) remains a significant challenge in cardiac surgery, presenting high risks of adverse outcomes such as permanent neurological dysfunction and mortality despite advances in medical technology and surgical techniques. This study investigates the use of quantitative electroencephalography (QEEG) to monitor and predict neurological outcomes during the perioperative period in TAAD patients.

Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted at the hospital, involving patients undergoing TAAD surgery from February 2022 to January 2023.

Identifying the Strongest Correlates of Condom Use Among US Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Importance: Condoms are effective at preventing sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy; however, only 52% of sexually active US adolescents used a condom at last intercourse.

Objective: To examine (1) the association between 36 psychosocial variables and adolescent condom use to determine the strongest correlates of condom use behavior across the literature, (2) heterogeneity of these effects, and (3) the moderating roles of age, gender/sex, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, and year of study.

Data Sources: A systematic search was conducted of studies published between January 2000 and February 2024 using Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Communication Source databases, plus relevant review articles and unpublished data.

Cohort profile: the provincial opioid agonist treatment cohort in Ontario, Canada.

Background: Opioid Agonist Treatment (OAT) is the most effective intervention for opioid use disorder (OUD), but retention has decreased due to increasingly potent drugs like fentanyl. This cohort can be used retrospectively to observe trends in service utilization, healthcare integration, healthcare costs and patient outcomes. It also facilitates the design of observational studies to mimic a prospective design.

Contemporary Insights into LMNA Cardiomyopathy.

Purpose Of Review: This review aims to explore how a diagnosis of LMNA-related cardiomyopathy (LMNA-CM) informs clinical management, focusing on the prevention and management of its complications, through practical clinical strategies.

Recent Findings: Longitudinal studies have enhanced our understanding of the natural history of LMNA-CM including its arrhythmic and non-arrhythmic complications. A LMNA specific ventricular arrhythmia risk prediction strategy has been integrated into clinical practice guidelines.

The outcome of early perineal rehabilitation in obstetric anal sphincter injuries: a single-center experience.

Purpose: The objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of pelvic floor physical therapy (PFPT) on symptoms and quality of life in women who experienced third- and fourth-degree perineal tears (Obstetric Anal Sphincter Injuries, OASIS) during childbirth. OASIS can lead to anal incontinence and dyspareunia, having important implications regarding the quality of life and health of women but, unfortunately, there is no standard practice for postpartum care following OASIS.

Methods: In this retrospective observational study, patients diagnosed with OASIS between January 2016 and June 2023 were enrolled.

Role of major cardiovascular surgery-induced metabolic reprogramming in acute kidney injury in critical care.

Purpose: Major cardiovascular surgery imposes high physiologic stress, often causing severe organ dysfunction and poor outcomes. The underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study investigated metabolic changes induced by major cardiovascular surgery and the potential role of identified metabolic signatures in postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI).

Real-world clinical experience with secukinumab in psoriatic arthritis: an observational study and a literature review.

Objective: Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) can be treated with biological drugs targeting IL-17A, such as secukinumab, with good responses and long-term positive outcomes in clinical studies.

Methods: An observational study was conducted on adult subjects with PsA and comorbidities, treated with secukinumab after prior therapy with conventional disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs or biological agents that were discontinued due to lack of efficacy or adverse drug reactions. Patients were followed up with clinical visits at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months and evaluated for disease activity, pain, and quality of life, with respect to values recorded at baseline.

Treatment of Surgical Scars with Fractional Carbon Dioxide (CO) Laser: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

The aim of this study was to compare the long-term effects of fractional carbon dioxide (CO) laser treatment with traditional therapy on surgical scars by analyzing and comparing observational indicators. A randomized controlled trial was conducted on 116 patients who received scar treatment in our hospital, of which 58 patients received fractional CO laser treatment, and 58 patients received injection treatment. The outcome measures comprised the Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) and the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS).

Concordance Between Asthma Symptom Reports and Objective Lung Function, and Associations With Sleep Outcomes in Urban Children.

Objectives: To examine the extent to which asthma symptom concordance (ASC) or discordance (ASD) is associated with sleep outcomes in children with persistent asthma. Also, to investigate whether the association between ASC and sleep outcomes varies as a function of children's level of asthma control and severity.

Methods: A retrospective data analysis of Project NAPS (Nocturnal Asthma and Performance in School), an observational study which examined asthma and sleep outcomes in children with persistent asthma.

Enhancing Obstructive Sleep Apnea Screening and Nocturia Treatment: A Quality Improvement Study.

Importance: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is common but likely underdiagnosed in urogynecology patients with nocturia, and OSA treatment has the potential to improve nocturia symptoms.

Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the effect of implementing a universal screening protocol for OSA in a urogynecology clinic on screening rates, OSA prevalence among patients with nocturia, and symptom improvement following treatment.

Study Design: This was an observational quality improvement study at a urogynecology clinic at a safety-net hospital.

Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors and outcomes in transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM) commonly leads to heart failure but has traditionally been an exclusion criterion in randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i); therefore, the effects of these drugs in this population remain undocumented. In light of recent studies, this meta-analysis aimed to investigate the effect of SGLT2i on the prognosis of patients with ATTR-CM.

Methods: A comprehensive search of Medline, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library was conducted up to November 17, 2024.

Functional independence trajectories over 5 years in older veterans with traumatic brain injury: A model systems study.

Background: Research on older adults who sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) has predominantly been on civilian, nonveteran populations. Military populations experience higher rates of TBI and often experience the additive effects of TBI and other comorbid disorders, including posttraumatic stress disorder and/or substance use that may increase disability over time.

Objective: To investigate predictors of functional independence trajectories over the 5 years after TBI in veterans 55 years or older at injury.

Self-reported preferences for seasonal daylight saving time meet fundamentals of human physiology: Correlations in the 2018 public consultation by the European Commission.

We analyze the results to question 2 (individual preferences for cancelling or keeping the current clock regulations) from the 2018 Public Consultation on summertime arrangements (DST) conducted by the European Commission. We reveal correlations in the shares of population for cancelling the regulations and the winter sunrise time (SRW) [ = 0.177;  = 0.

A fuzzy logic approach to improve the sensitivity of the rapid entire body assessment method.

Conventional ergonomic observation methods, such as rapid entire body assessment (REBA), are limited in their sensitivity and reliability, particularly in detecting changes in input variables. This study integrates fuzzy logic with the REBA method, utilizing trapezoidal membership functions to fuzzify the input variables. The center of gravity method was employed for defuzzification, and if-then rules were formulated to enhance the REBA method.

Prognosis after one- and two-stage revision surgery for periprosthetic joint infection: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: Revision surgeries for periprosthetic joint infections (PJIs) in arthroplasty can follow either one- or two-stage treatment protocols. Previous studies have reported similar reinfection rates and reductions in complication rates for both treatment options. However, the literature on the selection of one protocol is still controversial.

Impact of Cannulation Strategy and Extracorporeal Blood Flow on Recirculation During Veno-Venous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation.

Introduction: Veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (V-V ECMO) is increasingly used in the treatment of severe respiratory failure. Despite a significant increase in the worldwide use of extracorporeal lung assist devices recirculation remains a common complication and is associated with a reduced effectiveness of ECMO support and increased hemolysis. In this observational study we aimed to investigate the impact of cannula configuration and extracorporeal flow on recirculation.

Are Randomized Trials Better? Comparison of Baseline Covariate Balance of a Propensity Score-Balanced Lumbar Spine IDE Trial and Comparable RCTs.

Study Design: Prospective Observational Propensity Score.

Objectives: Randomization may lead to bias when the treatment is unblinded and there is a strong patient preference for treatment arms (such as in spinal device trials). This report describes the rationale and methods utilized to develop a propensity score (PS) model for an investigational device exemption (IDE) trial (NCT03115983) to evaluate decompression and stabilization with an investigational dynamic sagittal tether (DST) vs decompression and Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion (TLIF) for patients with symptomatic grade I lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis with spinal stenosis.

Caesarean myomectomy in pregnant women with uterine fibroids.

Rationale: Postpartum haemorrhage, defined as a blood loss of 500 mL or more within 24 hours of birth, is the leading global cause of maternal morbidity and mortality. Uterine fibroids are non-cancerous growths that develop in or around the uterus, and affect an increasing number of women. Caesarean myomectomy is the surgical removal of fibroids during a caesarean section.

Four targets: an enhanced framework for guiding causal inference from observational data.

Observational studies play an increasingly important role in estimating causal effects of a treatment or an exposure, especially with the growing availability of routinely collected real-world data. To facilitate drawing causal inference from observational data, we introduce a conceptual framework centered around "four targets"-target estimand, target population, target trial, and target validity. We illustrate the utility of our proposed "four targets" framework with the example of buprenorphine dosing for treating opioid use disorder, explaining the rationale and process for employing the framework to guide causal thinking from observational data.

Occurrence and management of thrombosis recurrence and bleeding in low-molecular-weight heparin-treated patients with cancer-associated thrombosis: a French nationwide cohort study.

Background: Rates of venous thromboembolism (VTE) recurrence and bleeding remain high in patients with cancer who are prescribed anticoagulants (ACs) such as low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) after an initial VTE event.

Objectives: To identify patient characteristics associated with VTE recurrence and bleeding in patients receiving LMWH for cancer-associated VTE and to explore secondary AC management and clinical outcomes in these patients.

Methods: An observational study was conducted using nationwide French data for adults with active cancer who were hospitalized with VTE in 2013-2018 and were reimbursed for LMWH ≤ 30 days after hospital discharge.

Characteristics of patients with undiagnosed stage 3 chronic kidney disease: results from an observational study (REVEAL-CKD) in China.

Background: Early diagnosis of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is crucial for timely intervention to delay disease progression and improve patient outcomes. However, data for clinical characteristics of Chinese patients with undiagnosed, early-stage CKD are lacking.

Methods: REVEAL-CKD is a multinational, observational study using real-world data in selected countries to describe factors associated with undiagnosed stage 3 CKD, time to diagnosis, and CKD management post diagnosis.

The Role of Severe Vitamin D Deficiency in Predicting the Risk of Severe Exacerbation in Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Background: This study aims to investigate the association between vitamin D levels and the risk of severe acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD).

Methods: We conducted a prospective observational study with 636 COPD patients admitted for exacerbations between January 2021 and December 2022. Patients were categorized based on serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels: severe deficiency (<10 ng/mL), deficiency (10-20 ng/mL), insufficiency (20-30 ng/mL), or sufficiency (>30 ng/mL).

The Diagnostic Value of Plasma NETs Levels and iCEB in Silent Myocardial Ischemia in Maintenance Hemodialysis Patients.

Objective: This study evaluated the diagnostic value of plasma Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) levels and the index of cardiac electrophysiological balance (iCEB) in identifying silent myocardial ischemia (SMI) in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients.

Methods: This cross-sectional observational study involved patients receiving MHD treatment. Data were collected on coronary angiography performed in our hospital from February 2023 to February 2024.

Diagnostic accuracy of Bellavere's score in cardiac autonomic neuropathy among chronic kidney disease patients: a study of prevalence and dialysis impact.

Background: Cardiac autonomic neuropathy (CAN) is a significant complication in chronic kidney disease (CKD), leading to increased morbidity and mortality. Early detection is essential for managing CKD patients effectively, especially those on hemodialysis. This study evaluated the prevalence CAN in CKD and diagnostic accuracy of Bellavere's Score in predicting CAN in CKD patients, including those undergoing hemodialysis.