Advance care planning intervention in chronic kidney care: A qualitative evaluation.

Background: Patients with chronic kidney disease and their families request early and continuous advance care planning. Based on user involvement, an advance care planning intervention was developed to support patients, family members and healthcare professionals (HCPs) in advance care planning conversations in a nephrology outpatient setting.

Objective: To explore the experiences and perceptions of an advance care planning intervention among patients with chronic kidney disease, family members and healthcare professionals.

Overweight yet Undernourished: A Common Juxtaposition in the Specialist Diabetes Foot Service.

Aims: To describe the nutritional status of people with diabetes-related foot complications and explore the association between nutrition and ulceration healing.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included attendees of a diabetes foot service who completed a dietary questionnaire. Diet was compared to guideline recommendations and biochemical measures were recorded.

Advances in the use of nanotechnology for treating gout.

Gout is a commonly occurring form of inflammatory arthritis caused by persistently elevated levels of uric acid. Its incidence rate rises with the increases of living standards and poor dietary habits, which has a considerable impact on the quality of life of the patients. Although there is a wide assortment of drugs available for the management of gout, the effectiveness and security of these drugs are limited by their poor chemical stability and insufficient targeting.

Integrating digital technologies in dental technician education: A comparative study of national examination in Asian countries.

Background/purpose: The integration of digital technologies in dental technician education revolutionized the profession in Asian countries. Despite the growing adoption of digital methods, national examinations predominantly relied on traditional techniques. This study aimed to conduct a comparative analysis of national examination standards and digital course integration in dental technician education among 5 countries including Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, the Philippines, and China.

Review of Challenges in Performing Real-World Evidence Studies for Nonprescription Products.

In recent years, regulatory authorities have signaled a willingness to consider real-world evidence (RWE) data to support applications for new claims and indications for pharmaceuticals. Historically, RWE studies have been the domain of prescription drugs, driven by the fact that clinical data on patients are routinely captured in medical records, claims databases, registries, etc. However, RWE reports of nonprescription drugs and supplements are relatively sparse due to methodological gaps in this area.

Mpox (monkeypox): a comprehensive updated of current epidemic evidence.

Mpox, formerly referred to as monkeypox, is a viral disease endemic to central Africa, resulting from the monkeypox virus (MPXV). This study provides a current overview of the Mpox epidemic as of 2024, emphasizing significant developments and epidemiological trends. The World Health Organization (WHO) initially designated a clade Ⅱb outbreak as a global health emergency in May 2022, which was subsequently managed through vaccination and public health interventions by May 2023.

Nebulized aminoglycosides for ventilator-associated pneumonia: Methodological considerations and lessons from experimental studies.

Aminoglycosides are concentration-dependent antibiotics exerting a bactericidal effect when concentrations at the site of infection are equal to or greater than 5 times the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC). When administered intravenously, they exhibit poor lung penetration and high systemic renal and ototoxicity, imposing to restrict their administration to 5 days. Experimental studies conducted in anesthetized and mechanically ventilated sheep and pigs provide evidence that high doses of nebulized aminoglycosides induce a rapid and potent bacterial killing in the infected lung parenchyma.

From gastroenteritis to myocarditis: a case series of Campylobacter-mediated cardiac involvement.

Background: While viruses remain the leading cause of infectious myocarditis, improved diagnostic methods have highlighted the role of bacteria as a possible cause. We report two cases of myocarditis as a complication of infection.

Case Summaries: Patient A, a 17-year-old Caucasian male with a history of asthma, presented to the emergency department (ED) after experiencing fever and nausea for four days, followed by 1 day of diarrhoea and chest discomfort.

Prognostic Impact of Insulin-Treated and Non-Insulin-Treated Diabetes in Patients with a Reduced Ejection Fraction After ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

Background: Insulin- and non-insulin treated diabetes (ITDM and NITDM) have different prognostic impact in patients with myocardial infarction and/or heart failure. The aim of this study was to analyze the prognostic impact of ITDM and NTIDM on the incidence of all-cause mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE- cardiovascular death, nonfatal infarction, nonfatal stroke, and target vessel revascularization) in the 8-year follow-up of patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) with a reduced ejection fraction (EF).

Methods: We analyzed 2230 consecutive STEMI patients treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention and with EF < 50%.

Pharmaco-Invasive Strategy Vs Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction in Latin America: A Meta-Analysis.

Background: Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is the established treatment for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), but often it is not readily available in low-resource settings. We assessed the safety and efficacy of the pharmaco-invasive strategy compared to primary PCI for STEMI in Latin America.

Methods: MEDLINE, Embase, and Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature (LILACS) were searched for the period from their inception to September 2023, for studies that compared a pharmaco-invasive strategy vs primary PCI in Latin America.

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Background: Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) remains a prominent medical concern worldwide. Epidemiologic metrics and trends over time for OHCA cases in Canada are not well defined. This study evaluated geographic differences in the incidence and outcomes of OHCA patients admitted to hospitals across Canada, during the period 2013-2017.

The Crucial Role of Bedside Echocardiography and Clinical Suspicion in Diagnosing Pulmonary Embolism With ST Elevation on ECG, Initially Misdiagnosed as ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI).

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a life-threatening condition with varied presentations, occasionally mimicking ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). This case highlights a 52-year-old male patient with a history of venous thromboembolism (VTE) who presented with progressive shortness of breath over a month, culminating in dyspnea at rest, and anterior ST-segment elevation on electrocardiography (ECG). The initial evaluation suggested STEMI.

A Comprehensive Review of the Role of GLP-1 Agonists in Weight Management and Their Effect on Metabolic Parameters Such as Blood Glucose, Cholesterol, and Blood Pressure.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) have been developed to manage type 2 diabetes mellitus. Although, in the last 10 years, the use of GLP-1 RAs, especially semaglutide and liraglutide, has increased, its clinical implications and how it affects metabolic parameters have yet to be fully consolidated. This narrative review explores the metabolic effects of GLP-1 RAs in weight management, blood glucose, cardiovascular health, lipid profiles, and blood pressure.

Report of a Rare Case of Acute Abdominal Pain Post-partum: Spontaneous Ureteral Rupture.

Spontaneous ureteral rupture is a rare cause of acute abdominal pain, particularly unusual during pregnancy or the post-partum period. While pregnancy-related changes like ureteral compression and dilation may play a role, no definitive mechanisms have been established. Clinicians should suspect ureteric injury in post-partum patients with free pelvic fluid.

Long-term outcomes in five patients with autoimmune pulmonary alveolar proteinosis treated with molgramostim inhalation solution.

Autoimmune pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (aPAP), which accounts for >90% of all cases of PAP, is a rare lung disease mediated by granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) autoantibodies that block GM-CSF signalling, leading to reduced surfactant clearance causing abnormal accumulation of alveolar surfactant and impaired gas exchange [1-3]. The current standard of care for aPAP is whole-lung lavage (WLL), which is invasive, resource intensive, carries procedural risk, does not address the underlying cause of disease and often must be repeated regularly [4]. Hence, there is a therapeutical need to address the underlying pathophysiology of the disease.

Questionnaire survey on the clinical application of Hall technique preformed metal crowns in caries of primary molars in China.

Objective: To analyze the clinical application and limiting factors of the Hall technique (HT) preformed metal crowns in caries of primary molars and to provide reference for its clinical application based on a questionnaire survey.

Materials And Methods: From June to December 2022, a questionnaire was distributed to pediatric dentists through the WeChat platform using "Questionnaire Star" to analyze the clinical application and influencing factors of the HT preformed metal crowns in caries of primary molars.

Results: A total of 700 survey questionnaires were distributed, and 650 valid questionnaires were recovered, with a effectiveness rate of 92.

Recommendations on Rapid Diagnostic Point-of-care Molecular Tests for Respiratory Infections in the United Arab Emirates.

Traditional testing methods in the Middle East Region, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), particularly the testing of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), influenza, group A streptococcus (GAS), and COVID-19 have the potential to be upgraded to new and advanced diagnostics methods that improve lead time to diagnosis, consumption of healthcare resources and patient experience. In addition, based on the research, it was reported that there is an underreporting of respiratory cases, overuse of antibiotics, and prolonged hospitalizations which is posing pressure on UAE healthcare stakeholders. A literature review was done exploring UAE's current diagnostic practices, recommended guidelines, diagnostic gaps, and challenges in RSV, GAS, Influenza, and COVID-19.

Environment scan of generative AI infrastructure for clinical and translational science.

This study reports a comprehensive environmental scan of the generative AI (GenAI) infrastructure in the national network for clinical and translational science across 36 institutions supported by the CTSA Program led by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) at the United States. Key findings indicate a diverse range of institutional strategies, with most organizations in the experimental phase of GenAI deployment. The results underscore the need for a more coordinated approach to GenAI governance, emphasizing collaboration among senior leaders, clinicians, information technology staff, and researchers.

Global Health research abstracts: June '24.

The African Journal of Emergency Medicine, in partnership with several other regional emergency medicine journals, publishes abstracts from each respective journal. Abstracts are not necessarily linked to open access papers however, all abstracts are accessible without subscription.

Global health research abstracts: December '24.

The African Journal of Emergency Medicine, in partnership with several other regional emergency medicine journals, publishes abstracts from each respective journal. Abstracts are not necessarily linked to open access papers however, all abstracts are accessible without subscription.

Targeted Next-Generation Sequencing in Pneumonia: Applications in the Detection of Responsible Pathogens, Antimicrobial Resistance, and Virulence.

Background: Targeted next-generation sequencing (tNGS) is a high-throughput and cost-effective diagnostic alternative for pneumonia, with the ability to simultaneously detect pathogens, antimicrobial resistance genes, and virulence genes. We aimed to explore the applicability of tNGS in the co-detection of the responsible pathogens, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes, and virulence genes in patients with pneumonia.

Methods: A prospective study was conducted among patients with suspected pneumonia at Ruijin Hospital from March 1 to May 31, 2023.

A multi-country cohort database study to assess pregnancy and infant outcomes after potential maternal or paternal exposure to cladribine tablets in the treatment of multiple sclerosis: the CLEAR study methods and status update.

Background: Cladribine tablets are contraindicated during pregnancy; therefore, safety data on pregnancies exposed to this treatment are limited. CLEAR collects and describes pregnancy outcomes in this understudied population.

Objectives: To describe the main features of the CLEAR study design, including the data sources and the methodological approach, and provide a status update.

Association between prescribed stimulant medications and overdose among individuals receiving opioid agonist therapy: A retrospective cohort study from British Columbia, Canada.

Aims: We measured the association between prescribed stimulant medications and overdose among individuals receiving opioid agonist therapy (OAT) for opioid use disorder.

Design: Retrospective cohort study using the British Columbia Provincial Overdose Cohort, a linked administrative database.

Setting: We used data from British Columbia, Canada, from January 2015 through February 2020.

Improving Parent and Therapist Experiences of Codelivering Intensive Upper Limb Interventions for Children With Hemiplegia: A Qualitative Study Using the Theoretical Domains Framework.

Background: Partnership working between parents and therapists is a key component of family-centred care (FCC). Such partnerships in paediatric intervention delivery can help achieve required levels of dosage, intensity and embed interventions in the child's everyday activities. This study explores the experience and views of parents and therapists codelivering an intensive upper limb intervention programme for children with hemiplegia, to find ways to enhance successful partnership working.

Long-term colorectal cancer incidence in a post-endoscopic screening cohort, accounting for surveillance, by baseline polyp group, anatomic subsite, and sex.

Objectives: Colonoscopy surveillance is often performed in post-polypectomy cohorts, likely altering colorectal cancer (CRC) outcomes, but this is often not addressed in CRC incidence analyses. We examined CRC incidence post-endoscopic screening, accounting for surveillance.

Methods: We examined UK Flexible Sigmoidoscopy Screening Trial participants who had no, low-risk, or high-risk (≥10 mm, ≥3 adenomas, adenomas with villous features/high-grade dysplasia) distal polyps at screening.