Diversity in the medical research ecosystem: a descriptive scientometric analysis of over 49 000 studies and 150 000 authors published in high-impact medical journals between 2007 and 2022.

Objectives: Health research that significantly impacts global clinical practice and policy is often published in high-impact factor (IF) medical journals. These outlets play a pivotal role in the worldwide dissemination of novel medical knowledge. However, researchers identifying as women and those affiliated with institutions in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) have been largely under-represented in high-IF journals across multiple fields of medicine.

onitoring drug fficacy through ulti-mics esearch initiative in lzheimer's isease (MEMORI-AD): A protocol for a multisite exploratory prospective cohort study on the drug response-related clinical, genetic, microbial and metabolomic signatures in Filipino patients with Alzheimer's disease.

Introduction: Dementia is one of the leading causes of disability among older people aged 60 years and above, with majority eventually being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Pharmacological agents approved for dementia include acetylcholinesterase enzyme (AChE) inhibitors like rivastigmine, donepezil and galantamine and the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist memantine, prescribed as monotherapy or in combination with each other, depending on the severity of disease. There is currently no available study demonstrating the clinical response to these drugs for AD in the Filipino population.

FIGIJ and NASPAG Advocacy Statement-Eliminating the Persistent Misconception of the "Virgin Hymen".

This advocacy statement endeavors to clarify the concept of the hymen as a symbol of "virginity." The anatomic variants of this structure precludes any correlation to prior sexual activity and the value of physical assessment of this structure is thus questioned. Moreover, physical examination of the hymen is painful, traumatic, and humiliating and is a form of gender-based violence.

Importance of right communication with healthcare providers and patients about the new levothyroxine formulation: an expert opinion from Asia Pacific Thyroid Advisory Board.

Levothyroxine (LT4), being "narrow therapeutic index" drug, may lead to significant fluctuations in thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels. Such fluctuations can result in clinically noteworthy disruptions in thyroid function and give rise to adverse clinical consequences. Consequently, regulatory standards for LT4 potency have been tightened, with the most stringent specifications requiring maintenance of potency within the range of 95-105% of the labeled dose throughout the entire shelf-life of the product.

The Distribution of Dermatologists in the Philippines.

Background: Equitable health manpower distribution is essential for the successful implementation of the Universal Health Care (UHC) program by the Philippine Department of Health. Mapping the distribution and profile of dermatologists in the Philippines can improve Filipinos' access to skin disease treatment.

Methods: A review of the database of dermatologists from the Philippine Dermatological Society (PDS) members' directory (as of November 2023), as well as the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) database (as of July 2023), was conducted.

Impact of primary care system interventions on healthcare worker satisfaction and intention to stay in the Philippines: a follow-up study.

Background: The Philippines has a shortage and uneven distribution of healthcare workers (HCWs). Job satisfaction is an important element to HCW retention and attracting new HCWs into the health system.

Objective: This study measured HCWs' intent to stay and HCWs' satisfaction after implementation of multiple interventions intended to strengthen the primary care system, and determine factors significantly associated with HCWs' intent to stay.

Fairness and generalisability in deep learning of retinopathy of prematurity screening algorithms: a literature review.

Background: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a vasoproliferative disease responsible for more than 30 000 blind children worldwide. Its diagnosis and treatment are challenging due to the lack of specialists, divergent diagnostic concordance and variation in classification standards. While artificial intelligence (AI) can address the shortage of professionals and provide more cost-effective management, its development needs fairness, generalisability and bias controls prior to deployment to avoid producing harmful unpredictable results.

Rare Coding Variants in Patients with Non-Syndromic Vestibular Dysfunction.

Vertigo due to vestibular dysfunction is rare in children. The elucidation of its etiology will improve clinical management and the quality of life of patients. Genes for vestibular dysfunction were previously identified in patients with both hearing loss and vertigo.

Factors associated with having COVID-19 among unvaccinated pregnant and non-pregnant women in Metro Manila, Philippines: a multicentre longitudinal cohort study.

Objective: To determine the potential risk factors associated with having COVID-19 among unvaccinated pregnant and non-pregnant women.

Design: A multicentre prospective cohort study among eligible women in Metro Manila, Philippines, from 2020 to 2022.

Setting: Five national and local hospital research sites altogether recruited and screened 500 consenting eligible individuals.

Obstetric management of a parturient with severe idiopathic scoliosis.

Scoliosis complicates pregnancy due to increased operative deliveries, restrictive pulmonary disease and anaesthetic difficulties. This is a case of a primigravid with severe scoliosis who underwent primary caesarean section under spinal block with isobaric anaesthetic combined with intravenous sedation postdelivery of the baby. This case highlights the importance of a multidisciplinary approach in the management of parturient with severe scoliosis, from the preconception period until the postpartum stage.

Long term outcome of a subcutaneous colonic interposition after pharyngo-laryngectomy for strictures of the larynx and hypopharynx resulting from caustic ingestion: A case report.

Introduction: Caustic agents, also called corrosive agents, could be acids or alkali in nature. If ingested, these agents can injure any part of the aerodigestive tree. Extent of injury depends on the type, concentration, duration of exposure and volume of caustic agent ingested.

'Bringing testing closer to you': barriers and facilitators in implementing HIV self-testing among Filipino men-having-sex-with-men and transgender women in National Capital Region (NCR), Philippines - a qualitative study.

Objectives: Our study identified barriers and facilitators in implementing HIV self-testing (HIVST), including the perceptions of men-having-sex-with-men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW) on HIVST. Furthermore, we explored the current knowledge, practices and potential of HIVST among the MSM and TGW populations.

Design: Qualitative in-depth key informant interviews were administered using semistructured interviews administered in both English and Filipino.

Beliefs on the causes of birth defects as perceived by mothers of children with birth defects in a tertiary care hospital in the Philippines.

There are several ethnolinguistic groups or ethnicities in the Philippines, and genetic counselors may encounter clients with diverse beliefs, inscribed by their culture, about health conditions. Thus, clients may attribute the cause of a birth defect to a socio-culturally based health belief. The present study aimed to explore the beliefs on the causes of birth defects held by mothers of children diagnosed to have birth defects.

What are the long-term outcomes of lateral column lengthening for pes planovalgus in cerebral palsy?

Background: Lateral column lengthening (LCL) is commonly performed on children and adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP) for correction of pes planovalgus (PPV). There are limited reports of the long-term outcomes of this procedure. The purpose of this study was to examine the long-term results of LCL for correction of PPV in individuals with CP by evaluating subjects when they had transitioned to adulthood and were entering the workforce.

Joint international consensus statement on crowdsourcing challenge contests in health and medicine: results of a modified Delphi process.

Objectives: To develop a consensus statement to provide advice on designing, implementing and evaluating crowdsourcing challenge contests in public health and medical contexts.

Design: Modified Delphi using three rounds of survey questionnaires and one consensus workshop.

Setting: Uganda for face-to-face consensus activities, global for online survey questionnaires.

Resection of a recurrent solid pseudopapillary neoplasm of the pancreas after duodenal sparing pancreaticoduodenectomy: A case report.

Introduction: Solid Pseudopapillary Neoplasm (SPN) is a rare pancreatic neoplasm with low malignant potential and a relative indolent course. Complete resection of the SPN is curative for most cases and has a high survival rate. Recurrences, though rare, can still occur despite adequate resection.

Duodenal perforation secondary to stent migration after ERCP for hepatobiliary tuberculosis: Case report of a lethal complication in a young patient.

Introduction: Interventional internal drainage of the biliary tract has become an established procedure for the temporary and definitive treatment of biliary obstruction due to malignant or benign disease. The complication rate is reported to be so low that when feasible, this technique is preferred over a surgical drainage procedure.

Presentation Of A Case: A 26-year old woman was referred to the hepatopancreaticobiliary surgery service due to severe abdominal pain for 3 days after undergoing endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP).

The Association Between Inflammation and Immunosuppression: Implications for ICI Biomarker Development.

Evasion of immune destruction is considered one of the hallmarks of cancer. Chronic inflammation can enable immune escape by suppressing immune surveillance and permitting the development of tumors and creating a tumor microenvironment that sustains cancer. This includes generating mechanisms that prevent the effectiveness of anti-tumor treatment including immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy.