How artificial intelligence could transform emergency care.

Artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare is the ability of a computer to perform tasks typically associated with clinical care (e.g. medical decision-making and documentation).

Aortic valve replacement today: Outcomes, costs, and opportunities for improvement.

The introduction of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) just two decades ago has transformed the treatment of severe symptomatic aortic stenosis. TAVR has not only extended the option of aortic valve replacement to patients deemed ineligible for surgery, it has also demonstrated similar or better short- and intermediate-term clinical outcomes compared with surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in patients at all levels of surgical risk. These benefits have been achieved with similar or lower costs compared with SAVR, at least in the first 1-2 years for intermediate- and low-risk patients.

Effect of pioglitazone on vascular events in post-stroke cognitive impairment: Post hoc analysis of the IRIS trial.

Background: In stroke patients with insulin resistance (IR), post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) is associated with higher risk of recurrent stroke, but the effect of pioglitazone on that risk has not been explored. The goal of this study was to compare the secondary stroke prevention effect of pioglitazone against placebo in patients with versus without PSCI.

Methods: We studied patients enrolled in the Insulin Resistance Intervention after Stroke (IRIS) trial with a post-stroke modified Mini-Mental State Examination (3MS) cognitive assessment (mean time of assessment: 79 days post-stroke).

Pulmonary hypertension secondary to valvular heart disease: a state-of-the-art review.

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a common disease affecting up to 1% of the population and at least 50% of patients diagnosed with heart failure (HF) (Hoeper et al. in Lancet Respir Med 4(4):306-322, 2016). It is estimated that PH is present in 15% to 60% of patients with valvular heart disease (VHD) which can result from an increase in pulmonary blood flow and subsequently in pulmonary venous congestion and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR).

Enhancing Self-Management Skills of Patients With Existing Diabetic Foot Ulcerations: A Quality Improvement Project.

Purpose: The purpose of this quality improvement initiative was to determine the impact of a nurse-administered foot care intervention bundle (NA-FCIB) upon self-management knowledge, skills, and outcomes in patients with diabetic foot ulcerations.

Participants And Setting: The sample comprised 39 patients being treated for diabetic foot ulceration at a wound care clinic in a tertiary care hospital in Arlington, Virginia. The project was conducted from August 2017 to February 2018.

Otolaryngology and the Pregnant Patient.

Importance: Pregnancy may result in physiologic and pathologic changes in the head and neck. Otolaryngologists may need to intervene medically or surgically with pregnant patients. Careful consideration of risks to both the gravid patient and the developing fetus is vital.

Factors associated with antibody titer levels among an occupational cohort of fully vaccinated individuals and subsequent risk of COVID-19 infection: A cohort study.

This study (1) determined the association of time since initial vaccine regimen, booster dose receipt, and COVID-19 history with antibody titer, as well as change in titer levels over a defined period, and (2) determined risk of COVID-19 associated with low titer levels. This observational study used data from staff participating in the National Football League COVID-19 Monitoring Program. A cohort of staff consented to antibody-focused sub-study, during which detailed longitudinal data were collected.

Retrospective Review of the Efficacy of Droperidol Compared to Prochlorperazine for Headache Management in the Emergency Department.

Introduction Headaches are a common presentation to the emergency department, representing approximately 3% of visits. The standard treatment of headaches has consisted of either monotherapy with an antidopaminergic agent or combination therapy with an antidopaminergic agent, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), and diphenhydramine. Although droperidol is an antidopaminergic medication, it previously was not widely used in the treatment of headaches due to safety concerns.

Risk Factors for Surgical Site Infections After Single-Level Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion.

Anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF) has become an increasingly popular and effective treatment modality for various conditions of the lumbar spine. However, complications after this procedure can be costly. Surgical site infections (SSIs) are one of these types of complications.

Chronic Kidney Disease of Non-traditional Etiology in a Young Man From Central America: Geography, Poverty, and Uncertain Pathophysiology Create a Formidable Medical Challenge.

A man in his early 20s with kidney biopsy-confirmed focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) was admitted with one month of nausea and vomiting, intermittent episodes of confusion, shortness of breath, and dysuria. He reported that many people from his native village in Central America, where he harvested sugarcane as a child, have died from kidney disease, including his father and cousin. He believed the source of disease to be agrochemicals found in the village's water supply.

Impact of Cochlear Dose on Hearing Preservation Following Stereotactic Radiosurgery in Treatment of Vestibular Schwannomas: A Multi-Center Study.

Objective: Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is a well-established treatment for vestibular schwannomas (VS). Hearing loss remains a main morbidity of VS and its treatments, including SRS. The effects of radiation parameters of SRS on hearing remain unknown.

Athletes With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Position Statement of the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine.

Athletes of all ages may be affected by medical and mental health issues. Sports medicine physicians should be familiar with common conditions that may affect the well-being of athletes, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). ADHD behaviors have the potential to affect a person's ability to concentrate.

Bilateral Chronic Quadriceps Tendon Ruptures Treated with Hamstring Autograft Reconstruction: A Case Report.

Case: A 30-year-old semiprofessional football player presented with chronic bilateral quadriceps tendon ruptures. Both quadriceps tendon ruptures were unsuitable for isolated primary repair because of tendon retraction and immobility. A novel reconstruction technique using semitendinosus and gracilis tendon autografts was performed to restore both lower extremities' disrupted extensor mechanisms.

Food insecurity, weight-based discrimination, weight self-stigma, and mental health in post-bariatric surgery patients.

The United States Department of Agriculture defines food insecurity (FI) as reduced quality and variety of diet or overall reduced food intake. To date, limited research has investigated the relationship between FI, weight stigma, and bariatric surgery. The existing literature suggests that FI in bariatric surgery patients is significantly associated with being a person of color, depression, receiving Medicare or Medicaid, and higher eating disorder (ED) pathology.

Global Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Stroke Volumes and Cerebrovascular Events: A 1-Year Follow-up.

Background And Objectives: Declines in stroke admission, IV thrombolysis (IVT), and mechanical thrombectomy volumes were reported during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. There is a paucity of data on the longer-term effect of the pandemic on stroke volumes over the course of a year and through the second wave of the pandemic. We sought to measure the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the volumes of stroke admissions, intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), IVT, and mechanical thrombectomy over a 1-year period at the onset of the pandemic (March 1, 2020, to February 28, 2021) compared with the immediately preceding year (March 1, 2019, to February 29, 2020).

The design and development of an encounter tool to support shared decision making about preventing cardiovascular events.

Patients at high risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) tend to receive less intensive preventive care. Clinical practice guidelines recommend shared decision making (SDM) to improve the quality of primary CVD prevention. There are tools for use during the clinical encounter that promote SDM, but, to our knowledge, there are no SDM encounter tools that support conversations about available lifestyle and pharmacological options that can lead to preventive care that is congruent with patient goals and CVD risk.

Laparoscopic Management of Cesarean Scar Pregnancy after Medical Treatment Failure Using Laparoscopic Bulldog Clamps.

Cesarean scar pregnancies are a rare complication of pregnancy, with an incidence rate of approximately 1 in 2000 pregnancies. Numerous treatment alternatives have been proposed and published for cesarean scar pregnancies (CSPs), including medical management with local or systemic methotrexate injection, resection through hysteroscopic, vaginal, abdominal or laparoscopic approach, and dilation and curettage. Concomitant strategies for achieving hemostasis/bleeding control have been attempted, including uterine artery embolization, the placement of a Foley balloon catheter, injection of vasopressin, and less commonly reported, the use of vascular clamps.

Post-stroke cognitive impairment and the risk of stroke recurrence and death in patients with insulin resistance.

Objective: Post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) is associated with etiology, severity, and functional outcome of stroke. The risks of recurrent stroke and death in patients with PSCI and insulin resistance (IR) is unknown. The goal of this study was to determine whether global and domain-specific cognitive impairment after stroke in patients with IR was associated with recurrent stroke and death.

Can low-carbohydrate diets be recommended for reducing cardiovascular risk?

Purpose Of Review: This review provides a rationale for implementing carbohydrate restriction as a dietary therapy to improve biomarkers of cardiovascular health and suggests that this will require a paradigm shift away from what is currently promulgated as a 'heart-healthy' diet.

Recent Findings: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), metabolic syndrome, and related co-morbidities are major risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Ideally, then, a diet intended to support cardiovascular health should be one that improves or reverses these underlying risk factors.

Factors Associated with Meeting Obstetric Care Consensus Guidelines for Nulliparous, Term, Singleton, Vertex Cesarean Births.

 This study aimed to identify factors associated with meeting the Obstetric Care Consensus (OCC) guidelines for nulliparous, term, singleton, and vertex (NTSV) cesarean births.  This was a retrospective case control study of women with NTSV cesarean births between January 2014 and December 2017 at single tertiary care center. Demographics and clinical characteristics were compared between women with NTSV cesarean births which did or did not meet OCC guidelines.

Toxicity After Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Prostate Cancer in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Multi-institutional Matched Case-Control Series.

Purpose: To evaluate the safety of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for prostate cancer in men with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Methods And Materials: We queried a consortium database for patients with IBD receiving SBRT for prostate cancer between 2006 and 2012. Identified patients were matched with patients without a history of IBD in a 3:1 fashion based on dose, fractionation, use of androgen deprivation therapy, and age distribution.