Complications and Cost in Open Versus Endoscopic Lumbar Decompression: A Database Study.

Study Design: A retrospective database study.

Objective: To compare complications and costs associated with endoscopic and open lumbar decompression on a large scale.

Background: Though open lumbar decompression is considered the gold standard, endoscopic procedures are on the rise.

Impact of Post-Traumatic Epilepsy on Mental Health and Multidimensional Outcome and Quality of Life: An NIDILRR TBIMS Study.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) and subsequent post-traumatic epilepsy (PTE) often impair daily activities and mental health (MH), which contribute to long-term TBI-related disability. PTE also affects driving capacity, which impacts functional independence, community participation, and satisfaction with life (SWL). However, studies evaluating the collective impact of PTE on multidimensional outcomes are lacking.

Cardiovascular Safety of Anti-CGRP Monoclonal Antibodies in Older Adults or Adults With Disability With Migraine.

Importance: Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) targeting calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) or its receptor (anti-CGRP mAbs) offer effective migraine-specific preventive treatment. However, concerns exist about their potential cardiovascular risks due to CGRP blockade.

Objective: To compare the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) between Medicare beneficiaries with migraine who initiated anti-CGRP-mAbs vs onabotulinumtoxinA in the US.

Leveraging the postpartum period to reduce racial disparities in postpartum hypertension care.

Pregnancy provides a window of opportunity for management of hypertension care. Particularly in the postpartum period - the so-called "4th trimester" - individuals of Black race are at increased risk for hypertension-related morbidity and mortality. Telehealth interventions, such as remote blood pressure monitoring programs and virtual postpartum visits, can reduce racial disparities in the delivery of recommended care.

Biotène Versus HydraSmile for Radiation-Induced Xerostomia: Randomized Double-Blind Cross-Over Study.

Objective: This study aims to compare the effectiveness of 2 artificial saliva substitutes (Biotène vs HydraSmile) in the symptomatic management of radiation-induced xerostomia.

Study Design: Randomized double-blind cross-over study.

Setting: Single tertiary care academic institution.

Employer Perspective on Pain Fellowship Education: A Survey to Understand the Current State of Pain Medicine Training.

Background: Pain medicine care has expanded to encompass a wider range of conditions, necessitating updated education and training for pain specialists to utilize emerging technologies effectively. A national survey was conducted through several verified Pain organizations regarding pain physician employers' perspectives on pain medicine fellowship training and education. The survey aimed to gather insights from a diverse range of geographic locations, practice types (academic and private practice), and practice settings.

Serotype Distribution Among US Adults Hospitalized With Community-Acquired Pneumonia, 2019-2020.

Background: Serotype-specific urinary antigen detection (UAD) assay results can be used to estimate the serotype contribution among adults with pneumococcal community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and to guide recommendations regarding higher-valency pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs).

Methods: Adults aged ≥18 years hospitalized with radiographic evidence of CAP were prospectively enrolled in 4 US cities from November 2019 to December 2020, overlapping the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Data were collected by patient interview and medical chart review.

Feasibility of a Low-Intensity Intervention to Influence Antibiotic Prescribing Rates Use in Outpatient Settings: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.

Background: Primary care providers (PCPs) may modify their antibiotic prescription practices if aware of their potentially damaging impact.

Methods: We conducted a cluster randomized controlled trial at 12 Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinics. PCPs at clinics randomized to the intervention group received quarterly antibiotic use reports with feedback about antibiotics prescribed for acute respiratory infections and adverse event letters alerting about infection or antibiotic-resistant gram-negative bacteria among their patients.

Changing Treatment and Metastatic Disease Patterns in Patients with EGFR Mutated NSCLC: An Academic Thoracic Medical Investigator's Consortium Registry Analysis.

Introduction: Osimertinib is now a standard first-line (1L) therapy for EGFR-mutated (EGFRm) advanced NSCLC. We aimed to characterize patterns of therapy and longitudinal risk of brain and liver metastasis in a cohort of EGFRm NSCLC.

Methods: Patients with metastatic EGFRm NSCLC who received 1L systemic therapy at sites within the Academic Thoracic Medical Investigator's Consortium were included; demographic and clinical data including treatment patterns were described.

Unlocking Medical Student Success: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Third-Party Resources Used for Medical Education and USMLE Board Preparation.

Unlabelled: An increase in third-party commercial resources targeted towards medical students has led to substantial changes in the way students prepare for medical assessments. A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to identify the third-party resources most used by medical students. A total of 1056 citations were screened with 19 full-text studies included.

A Randomized Controlled Trial Using Continuous Glucose Monitoring to Guide Food Choices and Diabetes Self-Care in People with Type 2 Diabetes not Taking Insulin.

Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) is an effective tool for individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D) on insulin. This study evaluated the effect of using CGM to reduce hyperglycemia, by focusing on food and lifestyle choices, in people with T2D not taking insulin. A 6-month randomized, prospective four-center study was conducted.

Characteristics Associated with Engagement in the Early Detection Cascade of Care for Psychosis at a College Counseling Center.

Using the Cascade of Care framework, we explored the demographic and clinical characteristics of students at six stages in an early psychosis detection program at a college counseling center, with a focus on the transition between stages with the highest disengagement. We detailed and compared the demographic and clinical characteristics of those who (1) completed the Prodromal Questionnaire-Brief (PQ-B, N = 1588); (2) met the PQ-B cutoff score (n = 486); (3) were referred for secondary phone screening (n = 404); (4) completed secondary phone screening (n = 198); (5) completed a Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC) eligibility assessment (n = 51); and (6) were enrolled in CSC (n = 21). Education level and gender identity were associated with engagement at multiple stages of the early detection cascade.

Auditory sensory processing measures using EEG and MEG predict symptom recovery in first-episode psychosis with a single-tone paradigm.

Predicting symptom progression in first-episode psychosis (FEP) is crucial for tailoring treatment and improving outcomes. Temporal lobe function, indicated by neurophysiological biomarkers like N100, predicts symptom progression and correlates with untreated psychosis. Our recent report showed that source-localized magnetoencephalography (MEG) M100 responses to tones in an oddball paradigm predicted recovery in FEP positive symptoms.

Glymphatic system dysfunction in epilepsy related to focal cortical dysplasia and its relationship with antiseizure medication response.

Purpose: Glymphatic function has not been explored in patients with focal cortical dysplasia (FCD)-related epilepsy. This study aimed to investigate the glymphatic system's involvement in these patients and to evaluate its correlation with response patterns to different antiseizure medications (ASMs) using diffusion tensor imaging along the perivascular space (DTI-ALPS).

Methods: Fifty-two patients with FCD-related epilepsy (10 with drug-responsive epilepsy and 42 with drug-resistant epilepsy) and 24 healthy controls (HC) were included.

Temporal Dynamics of Affective Scene Processing in the Healthy Adult Human Brain.

Understanding how the brain distinguishes emotional from neutral scenes is crucial for advancing brain-computer interfaces, enabling real-time emotion detection for faster, more effective responses, and improving treatments for emotional disorders like depression and anxiety. However, inconsistent research findings have arisen from differences in study settings, such as variations in the time windows, brain regions, and emotion categories examined across studies. This review sought to compile the existing literature on the timing at which the adult brain differentiates basic affective from neutral scenes in less than one second, as previous studies have consistently shown that the brain can begin recognizing emotions within just a few milliseconds.

How is Telehealth Used to Increase Access to Specialty Palliative Care? A Systematic Review.

Context: Specialty palliative care remains inaccessible for many with serious illness, especially in rural areas. Telehealth may be one solution.

Objectives: To describe how telehealth increases access to specialty palliative care, describe facilitators and barriers to its use, and summarize evidence of patient benefits.

Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) in Pathology & Medicine: Generative & Non-Generative AI Basics.

This manuscript serves as an introduction to a comprehensive seven-part review article series on artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) and their current and future influence within pathology and medicine. This introductory review provides a comprehensive grasp of this fast-expanding realm and its potential to transform medical diagnosis, workflow, research, and education. Fundamental terminology employed in AI-ML is covered using an extensive dictionary.

Comparative overall survival of CDK4/6 inhibitors plus an aromatase inhibitor in HR+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer in the US real-world setting.

Background: Randomized controlled trials have shown inconsistent overall survival (OS) benefit among the three cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) as first-line (1L) treatment of patients with hormone receptor-positive (HR+)/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2-) metastatic breast cancer (mBC). Several real-world studies compared CDK4/6i effectiveness, with inconsistent findings. This study compared overall survival (OS) of patients with HR+/HER2- mBC receiving 1L palbociclib, ribociclib, or abemaciclib, in combination with an aromatase inhibitor (AI), in US clinical practice.

Parents' Early Concerns about Their Child with Autism: Relation to Age of Diagnosis.

There is a substantial time gap between when parents develop concerns about their child (ages 1-2) and when they receive a diagnosis of autism (ages 3-5), delaying the onset of critical interventions. Few studies have examined how the timing, type, and quantity of early parental concerns are associated with age of diagnosis. The aims of this study were to describe characteristics of parents' concerns in a large community-based sample and explore how characteristics of concerns relate to age of diagnosis.

Intra-arterial Alteplase Thrombolysis After Successful Thrombectomy for Acute Ischemic Stroke in the Posterior Circulation (IAT-TOP): Study Protocol and Rationale.

Rationale: The Chemical Optimization of Cerebral Embolectomy (CHOICE) trial suggested that the administration of intra-arterial alteplase after successful endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) may improve neurological outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke due to large vessel occlusion (AIS-LVO) in the anterior circulation. However, the use of adjunctive intra-arterial alteplase following successful EVT in acute posterior circulation stroke remains unexplored.

Aims: This study aims to investigate the efficacy and safety of intra-arterial alteplase after successful EVT for AIS-LVO in the posterior circulation.