1,947 results match your criteria: "Universitaires St Luc[Affiliation]"

Aims: The beta-lactam antibiotic temocillin is increasingly used to treat extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL-producing) strains; however, its protein binding is complex. This study aims to predict unbound temocillin concentrations in various participant groups to determine its impact on the probability of target attainment (PTA) and to improve dosing recommendations.

Methods: The plasma pharmacokinetics were analysed using non-linear mixed-effects modelling.

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Structural, architectural, contractile or electrophysiological alterations may occur in the left atrium (LA). The concept of LA cardiopathy is supported by accumulating scientific evidence demonstrating that LA remodeling has become a cornerstone diagnostic and prognostic marker. The structure and the function of LA and left atrial appendage (LAA) which is an integral part of the LA, are key elements for a better understanding of multiple clinical conditions, most notably atrial fibrillation (AF), cardioembolism, heart failure and mitral valve diseases.

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Coronary artery calcification severity in long term breast cancer survivors treated with isolated contemporary radiotherapy: Relation to dose and CV risk factors.

Eur J Radiol

December 2024

Division of Cardiology, Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, Cliniques Universitaires St. Luc, Brussels, Belgium; Pôle de Recherche Cardiovasculaire (CARD), Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC), Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), Brussels, Belgium. Electronic address:

Background: Ancillary breast cancer (BC) radiation therapy (RT), particularly associated with chemotherapy, increases the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD). However, it remains unclear whether this risk also applies to isolated contemporary radiotherapy without chemotherapy.

Methods: Seventy-five BC patients (35 left-sided and 40 right-sided) treated with RT and available dosimetry, prospectively underwent Agatston calcium score (CAC) and coronary CT angiography (CTCA) a median of 11 ± 1 years later and were compared to 75 age- and cardiovascular (CV) risk factor-matched female controls without a history of cancer.

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Background & Aims: We aimed to explore patient expectations regarding their treatments and prognosis in comparison to physicians' assessments in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) receiving systemic treatments.

Methods: We prospectively enrolled 205 patients in France and Belgium with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage B/C HCC receiving systemic treatment (NCT04823754). Patients completed a 28-question survey and the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS), while physicians filled a 17-question survey after the initial consultation.

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The maintenance of stable allograft status in the absence of immunosuppression (IS), known as operational tolerance, can be achieved in a small proportion of liver transplant recipients, but we lack reliable tools to predict its spontaneous development. We conducted a prospective, multicenter, biomarker-strategy design, IS withdrawal clinical trial to determine the utility of a predictive biomarker of operational tolerance. The biomarker test, originally identified in a patient cohort with high operational tolerance prevalence, consisted of a 5-gene transcriptional signature measured in liver tissue collected before initiating IS weaning.

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Background: Adequate insulin injection technique (IIT) is crucial to optimize the efficacy of diabetes therapy. Widespread non-practice of injection-site rotation and frequent reuse of insulin pen needles (PN) promote high rates of lipohypertrophy (LH) among people living with diabetes (PwD). LH is associated with increased insulin requirement and suboptimal insulin absorption leading to worsened glycemic control and increased risk for hypoglycemia.

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Article Synopsis
  • This study investigates how individuals with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) process decisions under stress, focusing on differences between Model-Free (MF) and Model-Based (MB) learning.
  • It involved 117 participants (55 with AUD, 62 controls) who underwent a stress-inducing task and a decision-making task to assess their learning tendencies.
  • Results indicate that those with AUD rely more on retrospective (MF) decision-making and less on prospective (MB) strategies, particularly under stress, suggesting unique stress responses in AUD individuals that have clinical implications.
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Molecular landscape and classification of vascular anomalies.

Hematology Am Soc Hematol Educ Program

December 2024

Center for Vascular Anomalies (a VASCERN VASCA European Reference Centre), Human Molecular Genetics, de Duve Institute, University of Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.

Article Synopsis
  • * Most of these malformations occur sporadically, but some may be inherited, often linked to mutations that activate pathways similar to those found in cancer.
  • * The review discusses new advancements in precision medicine that utilize targeted molecular inhibitors and repurposed cancer drugs to create more effective treatments for both slow-flow and fast-flow vascular malformations.
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Introduction: Treatment with nonresorbable antibiotics is effective in diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D). Multimatrix (MMX) formulations ensure targeted drug delivery to the mid-distal small bowel and colon-traditionally considered the origin of IBS symptoms. To assess the efficacy of rifamycin SV-MMX for the treatment of IBS-D.

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  • The study investigated the significance of metabolic tumor volume (tMTV) in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) undergoing immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy, using 18F-FDG-PET/CT scans.
  • It involved 518 patients across multiple institutions and found that those with high tMTV had poorer overall survival when treated with ICBs alone compared to those with low tMTV.
  • The research suggests that high tMTV is associated with increased systemic inflammation and genomic instability, making it a potential biomarker for determining treatment strategies in NSCLC patients with positive PD-L1 expression.
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  • * Conducted in Belgium, the research involved 191 participants over two months, showing significant reductions in blood glucose levels for those with T2DM and prediabetes.
  • * Results indicated a 27.9% reduction in glycemia for T2DM participants and a 4.7% reduction for prediabetic participants, while those with normal blood sugar levels showed no significant changes.
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Background: The use of laboratory resources has seen a substantial increase in recent years, driven by automation and emerging technologies. However, inappropriate use of laboratory testing, encompassing both overuse and underuse, poses significant challenges.

Content: This review explores the complex interplay between patient safety, economic, and environmental factors-known as the "triple bottom line" or "3Ps" for people, profit, and planet-associated with inappropriate use of laboratory resources.

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Reply: Missing the target.

Hum Reprod

November 2024

Gynecology Research Laboratory, Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique, Department of Gynecology, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium.

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Diffuse Interstitial Fibrosis of the Myocardium Predicts Outcome in Moderate and Asymptomatic Severe Aortic Stenosis.

JACC Cardiovasc Imaging

September 2024

Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea. Electronic address:

Article Synopsis
  • * This study used cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging to evaluate myocardial health and found that increased interstitial fibrosis (measured by extracellular volume fraction, ECV%) correlates with worse health outcomes in these patients.
  • * Over a median follow-up of 5.7 years, higher ECV% was linked to increased mortality and heart failure admissions, indicating that ECV% could be a valuable tool for identifying patients needing closer monitoring.
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Background: Chronic giant diaphragmatic hernia is a severe disease with challenging diagnosis and treatment. Given the risk of loss of domain, the use of botulinum toxin A is an option but has been minimally studied in diaphragmatic hernia surgery.

Case Report: We present a case of a giant diaphragmatic hernia in a 66-years-old patient who showed a 12-year history of progressive chronic respiratory insufficiency.

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  • Many heart failure (HF) patients do not receive optimal doses of RAAS inhibitors due to worries about hyperkalemia (HK).
  • The CARE-HK registry enrolled 2558 adults with chronic HF, primarily those with reduced ejection fraction, to evaluate RAASi treatment patterns and HK management across clinical practices in Europe and the USA.
  • The study aims to better understand how RAAS inhibitors are used in patients at high risk for HK and to analyze their treatment outcomes in routine medical settings.
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Autoimmune diseases of the liver and biliary tract require timely and accurate diagnosis. This study evaluates the D-tek panel (D-Tek, Mons, Belgium) of 10 immunodot antigens for its effectiveness in diagnosing autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) and primary biliary cholangitis (PBC). We retrospectively analysed serum samples from 111 patients who had undergone routine testing, including indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA), to confirm or exclude autoimmune liver or biliary tract disease.

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Fibrotic lung diseases (FLDs) represent a subgroup of interstitial lung diseases (ILDs), which can progress over time and carry a poor prognosis. Imaging has increased diagnostic discrimination in the evaluation of FLDs. International guidelines have stated the role of radiologists in the diagnosis and management of FLDs, in the context of the interdisciplinary discussion.

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  • * Colchicine is currently the only anti-inflammatory medication showing promise for CAD, but more research is needed to fully understand its effectiveness and safety as a primary treatment option.
  • * The COL BE PCI trial aims to evaluate the efficacy of colchicine versus placebo in 2,770 patients post-percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), focusing on major cardiovascular events as the primary outcome of the study.
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  • An online survey of European thyroid specialists revealed that 28% believe thyroid hormone (TH) treatment may be appropriate for euthyroid patients with growing simple goiters, despite guidelines against this practice.
  • There were significant regional differences in support for TH treatment, with only 7% in The Netherlands compared to 78% in the Czech Republic.
  • Factors influencing the likelihood of recommending TH included the specialist's age and the historical iodine insufficiency of their region, while gender, country, and economic factors showed weak associations.
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  • - The study investigates trends and causes of maternal mortality (MM) in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from 2013 to 2022, highlighting its acute impact in poorer, conflict-affected regions.
  • - Conducted in eight Health Zones, the research analyzed data from 242 health facilities, focusing on 143 maternal death cases, revealing significant fluctuations in maternal mortality ratios during the study period, with rates remaining relatively stable overall.
  • - Findings indicate that the majority of deceased women were married and in their thirties, with many not having completed the recommended antenatal visits, emphasizing gaps in maternal healthcare access in the region.
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