Nevin Manimala

Diabetes Obes Metab. 2024 Aug 7. doi: 10.1111/dom.15828. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIM: The management of type 2 diabetes mellitus has advanced in the last two decades since the introduction of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs). However, multiple factors may interfere with achieving better glycaemic control. This study evaluated the differences between various GLP-1RAs in efficacy, adherence and persistence.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the electronic medical database from Clalit Health Services. Adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus who purchased any GLP-1RA between 2009 and 2021 were included. The Index Date was defined as the date of the first purchase of any GLP-1RA. We evaluated the adherence, persistence and glycaemic control after GLP-1RAs initiation. Baseline glycaemic and post-treatment glycaemic controls were analysed.

RESULTS: In total, 70 654 patients were included. The mean age was 11.7 ± 60.4, and 51% were females. A significant reduction in glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) was observed in all patients who received GLP-1RAs. However, the percentage of changes in the HbA1c was higher among weekly GLP-1RA than daily initiators (14.6% vs. 10.2%, p < 0.001). The proportion of subjects with any decrease in HbA1c was higher among the once-weekly compared with the daily dose (82.4% vs. 74.7%) and mainly patients initiated semaglutide or dulaglutide, with 16.0% and 14.7% reduction. The frequency of good adherence (the proportion of days covered ≥80%) was significantly higher among the weekly group odds ratio = 1.25 (95% confidence interval 1.21-1.28). Good adherence was reported in older age, female gender, Jewish ethnicity and high socio-economic status (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: Weekly GLP-1RAs initiators were more adherent, persistent to therapy and achieved better glycaemic control. Epidemiological variables might play a role in achieving this goal.

PMID:39109455 | DOI:10.1111/dom.15828

Ann Surg. 2024 Aug 7. doi: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000006483. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to appraise recommendations from an expert panel of surgical educators on optimizing surgical education and training in the setting of contemporary challenges.

BACKGROUND: The Blue Ribbon Committee (BRC II), a group of surgical educators, was convened to make recommendations to optimize surgical training considering the current changes in the landscape of surgical education. Surgical trainees were recruited to assess their impressions of the recommendations.

METHODS: A mixed-methods study design was employed, with a survey, followed by focus group interviews. Participating residents and fellows were recruited through a purposeful sampling approach. Descriptive statistics were applied to analyze the survey data, and a thematic data analysis on interview transcripts was employed.

RESULTS: The majority of trainee respondents (n=16) thought that all of the subcommittee recommendations should be included in the final BRC II recommendations and paper. According to the interviews, overall, the feedback from the trainees was positive, with particular excitement around work-life integration, education support and faculty development, and funding pitfalls. Some themes about concerns included a lack of clarity about the recommendations, concern about some recommendations being in conflict with one another, and a disconnect between the initial BRC II survey and the subsequent recommendations.

CONCLUSIONS: The residents gathered for this focus group were encouraged by the thought, effort, and intention that gathered the surgical leaders across the country to make the recommendations. While there were areas the trainees wanted clarity on, the overall opinion was in agreement with the recommendations.

PMID:39109446 | DOI:10.1097/SLA.0000000000006483

J Chemother. 2024 Aug 7:1-10. doi: 10.1080/1120009X.2024.2381158. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

We analyzed the efficacy and safety of aminoglycosides in a retrospective study of 415 patients with acute appendicitis and 277 patients with acute cholecystitis. The following variables increased the incidence of postoperative complications, defined as surgical site infection, recurrent intraabdominal infection, non-infectious post-operative complication, or death: age (p = 0.016 and 0.011), kidney disease (p = 0.019 and <0.001), and ASA Score (p < 0.001). The type of antibiotic therapy did not have a statistically significant effect on the incidence of postoperative complications in patients with acute appendicitis and cholecystitis (p = 0.561 and 0.547, respectively). A linear regression model showed a higher complication rate in patients with kidney disease (p = 0.014) and neoplasms (p = 0.013); the type of antibiotic therapy did not have a significant effect on the outcome (p = 0.765). There was no statistically significant difference in the post-treatment levels of creatinine in patients treated with aminoglycosides (gentamicin 3 mg/kg once daily) and in those who received other antibiotics (p = 0.75).

PMID:39109404 | DOI:10.1080/1120009X.2024.2381158

Front Psychiatry. 2024 Jul 23;15:1405594. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1405594. eCollection 2024.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The present study aims to investigate the levels of illness uncertainty in patients with moyamoya disease and to determine the association of socio-demographic characteristics, perceived social support and resilience with illness uncertainty in patients with moyamoya disease.

METHOD: A cross-sectional survey using convenience sampling was conducted in two hospitals in China from August to December 2023. A socio-demographic characteristics questionnaire, the Chinese versions of Mishel’s Unsurety in Disease Scale (MUIS), the Chinese version of Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), and the Chinese version of Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) were used to perform this research. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS 24.0 statistical software. The t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), pearson correlation analysis and hierarchical regression analysis were used to identify associated factors.

RESULT: A total of 263 patients with moyamoya disease were recruited in this survey. The score of illness uncertainty was at a moderate level of (100.03 ± 18.59). The present study identified a negative correlation between illness uncertainty with resilience perceived social support. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that gender, occupation, education level, resilience and perceived social support were the related factors of illness uncertainty.

CONCLUSION: Patients with moyamoya disease experienced moderate disease uncertainty on average, which was related to gender, occupation, education level, resilience and perceived social support. Future research is needed to better explore the complex relationships between illness uncertainty, resilience, and perceived social support with different types of moyamoya disease using longitudinal research.

PMID:39109364 | PMC:PMC11300193 | DOI:10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1405594

Front Psychiatry. 2024 Jul 23;15:1410252. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1410252. eCollection 2024.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Depressive disorder is common among haemodialysis patients. The purpose of this study was to explore approaches to diagnosing depression in the context of a real-life setting, with the view of creating practical recommendations. It also aimed to evaluate the prevalence of depression and dementia.

METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study in two Dialysis Centres in Poland. Cognitive functions were evaluated using Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). The screening for depressive symptoms was assessed using Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II). The diagnosis of major depressive disorder was confirmed by a psychiatrist using Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5 (DSM-5). Sociodemographic and clinical data were also collected.

RESULTS: Initially, 136 patients agreed to participate in the study. Dementia was found in 13% of the study group. Sixty-two patients did not agree to perform all the proposed tests and were not included in the analysis, which eventually consisted of 70 patients. According to BDI-II, depressive symptoms were present in 35.7% of patients, while the diagnosis of major depressive disorder (MDD) was confirmed by the psychiatrist in 25.7%. According to the ROC analysis the optimal cut-off score for diagnosing MDD using BDI-II was ≥13 points.

CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that the regular screening for depressive symptoms, followed by a psychiatric consultation in selected patients, might improve diagnosing depression with the goal of achieving a higher quality of life and a lower mortality rate. It may also be a cost-effective model for the management of depression among the haemodialysis population.

PMID:39109362 | PMC:PMC11300368 | DOI:10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1410252

J Pharm Policy Pract. 2024 Aug 5;17(1):2381699. doi: 10.1080/20523211.2024.2381699. eCollection 2024.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Vitamin D deficiency is a serious health problem that is associated with many health consequences. The study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of medical students at Qassim University, Saudi Arabia, regarding vitamin D deficiency.

METHODS: An observational cross-sectional study was conducted among students of Unaizah Colleges of Pharmacy (UCP) and Medicine (UCM) at Qassim University, Saudi Arabia, over a period of 3 months. A well-structured self-administered questionnaire was used for the data collection. Statistical analysis was applied by using SPSS version 22. A 0/1 scoring process was employed to assess the KAP of the participants. The midpoint is considered the cutoff point.

RESULTS: A total of 337 complete responses were received. The majority of participants (62.3%) were female. 291 (86.3%) were considered to have good knowledge, with a mean score of 6.326 out of 9. Moreover, 220 (65.2%) of participants had positive attitudes, with a mean score of 4.077 out of 7. Unfortunately, only 9 (2.6%) participants demonstrated satisfactory practices, with a mean score a 0.911 out of 6. Female participants were significantly better than male participants in terms of knowledge and attitudes, but worse in terms of practices. Sun exposure during safe daytime hours is considered the main cause of vitamin D deficiency. Nearly 60% confirmed that KSA indoor activities and the COVID-19 lockdown might maximise vitamin D deficiency.

CONCLUSION: The study reveals a gap in vitamin D knowledge among participants influenced by gender and study year. It suggests educational initiatives for male students to enhance their knowledge regarding vitamin D, while female students are encouraged to prioritise safe sun exposure, minimising the use of umbrellas and sunscreen. It also highlights the role of educational institutions as reliable sources of information and the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on participants’ attitudes and practices towards vitamin D.

PMID:39109357 | PMC:PMC11302488 | DOI:10.1080/20523211.2024.2381699

Front Genet. 2024 Jul 23;15:1392341. doi: 10.3389/fgene.2024.1392341. eCollection 2024.

ABSTRACT

Objective: This Mendelian Randomization (MR) study aims to explore the potential bidirectional causal relationship between Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and Breast Cancer (BC). Materials and Methods: We utilized genetic instruments from the summary statistics of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) on IBD among individuals of European ancestry (12,882 cases and 21,770 controls) to investigate the association with breast cancer (14,910 cases and 17,588 controls) and vice versa. The primary causal estimates were obtained using the Inverse Variance Weighting Method (IVW), and the robustness of the results was evaluated through a series of sensitivity analyses. Results: The study found a positive impact of genetically predicted IBD on breast cancer (OR = 1.047; 95% CI:1.009-1.087; p = 0.014); in the analysis of IBD subtypes, genetically predicted Crohn’s Disease (CD) also had a positive effect on breast cancer (OR = 1.044; 95% CI:1.015-1.073; p = 0.002), but genetically predicted Ulcerative Colitis (UC) did not show a significant effect on breast cancer (p > 0.05). The reverse Mendelian Randomization analysis indicated that genetically predicted breast cancer promoted the overall occurrence of IBD (OR = 1.112; 95% CI:1.022-1.211; p = 0.014); however, genetically predicted breast cancer did not show a significant correlation with IBD subtypes (CD and UC) (p > 0.05). Genetic predictions indicate a positive effect of Crohn’s Disease (CD) on the risk of Estrogen Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer (ER + BC), with (OR = 1.021; 95% CI:1.002-1.040; p = 0.002). Furthermore, a reverse Mendelian randomization analysis reveals that genetically predicted ER + BC contributes to the increased incidence of ulcerative colitis (UC), as indicated by (OR = 1.098; 95% CI:1.032-1.168; p = 0.003). In contrast, genetically predicted Estrogen Receptor-Negative Breast Cancer (ER-BC) has been shown to promote the overall occurrence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), with (OR = 1.153; 95% CI:1.008-1.319; p = 0.037). However, bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization analyses between other pairs did not reveal any significant associations (p > 0.05). Conclusion: This study elucidates the bidirectional causal association between breast cancer and inflammatory bowel disease, highlighting the necessity of screening for IBD in breast cancer patients and for breast cancer in IBD patients in clinical settings.

PMID:39109338 | PMC:PMC11300198 | DOI:10.3389/fgene.2024.1392341

ScientificWorldJournal. 2024 Jul 30;2024:2697001. doi: 10.1155/2024/2697001. eCollection 2024.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: The present study was conducted to investigate the pooled prevalence rate of the different patterns of unhealthy diet among the school and university students of Iran.

METHODS: In this systematic review, the type of the main question was regarding prevalence and the effect measure was prevalence rate reported along with 95% confidence interval (CI). Data bases including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science as well as Google Scholar and Persian resources were used. The Newcastle-Ottawa scale (NOS) checklist was used for quality assessment of studies.

RESULTS: The extracted types of unhealthy diet in the present systematic review were “breakfast skipper,” “fast food,” “hydrogenated oils consumption,” “salty snacks,” “sweetened beverages,” “breakfast skipper,” “dinner skipper,” “launch skipper,” and “sweets.” The range of pooled prevalence for different types was 0.06-0.75. The data of 16,321 subjects included in six studies were analyzed. The pooled prevalence of unhealthy diet was 0.28 (95% CI: 0.23-0.33, I ² > 99%) overall, 0.25 (95% CI: 0.20-0.31, I ² > 99%) in school students and 0.37 (95% CI: 0.12-0.62, I ² > 99%) in university students. The most prevalent pattern was breakfast skipping 0.39 (95% CI: 0.28-0.50) followed by consumption of sweetened beverages 0.31 (95% CI: 0.20-0.43). The pooled prevalence range among the patterns was 0.06-0.75 (random effects for all).

CONCLUSION: The pooled prevalence was 28% for unhealthy diet among the Iranian students (6% to 75% in different patterns). Although there was uncertainty regarding the pooled evidence, the whole of the mentioned range was clinically important for health policymakers. Decisions should be made on the basis of the patterns.

PMID:39109330 | PMC:PMC11303044 | DOI:10.1155/2024/2697001

Front Oncol. 2024 Jul 23;14:1402360. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1402360. eCollection 2024.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Radical cystectomy with ileal conduit is the current mainstay of treatment for muscle-invasive bladder cancer and is also a high-risk procedure. Existing studies have limited targeted assessment of the efficacy and safety of this procedure, and the patient population appropriate for this procedure is still poorly defined. We sought to longitudinally analyze differences in the efficacy and safety of radical cystectomy with ileal conduit by age subgroups to assess whether the age factor should be used as an exclusion criterion when selecting this procedure.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively examined the clinicopathological data of patients with MIBC treated with RC with IC at the Cancer Hospital of Harbin Medical University between February 2014 and October 2023. Additionally, we utilized clinical and pathological data from the SEER database (2000-2020) for external validation of our findings. Patients were categorized into elderly (≥70 years at diagnosis) and non-elderly (<70 years) groups. Statistical analyses included t-tests, non-parametric tests for continuous data, chi-square tests for categorical data, and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis.

RESULTS: In this study, 152 patients were included: 119 were categorized as non-elderly and 33 as elderly. For external validation, data from 416 patients in the SEER database were analyzed, with 172 classified as non-elderly and 244 as elderly. The results indicated that elderly patients were more likely to require ICU transfer postoperatively but exhibited a lower incidence of stoma inflammation. Additionally, both the data from our center and the external validation from the SEER database showed a concordance in cancer-specific survival (CSS) between the elderly and non-elderly groups. The efficacy of RC with IC was comparable in both elderly and non-elderly patients.

CONCLUSION: For longitudinal age subgroups, RC with IC for both elderly and non-elderly MIBC had good efficacy and safety, and good quality of life after surgery. Although there are surgical and perioperative risks in elderly patients, there is no significant difference compared with non-elderly patients. In elderly patients requiring RC for bladder cancer, IC should remain the preferred mode of urinary diversion, and old age should not be used as an absolute exclusion criterion for IC.

PMID:39109285 | PMC:PMC11300965 | DOI:10.3389/fonc.2024.1402360

Front Oncol. 2024 Jul 23;14:1414780. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1414780. eCollection 2024.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The Da Vinci Surgical System (DVSS) has the advantages of minimal invasion, rapid recovery, safety, and reliability. Although the DVSS has been widely used in various abdominal surgeries, descriptions of its use in robot-assisted retroperitoneal tumor resection (RRTR) are limited to case reports; large-sample systematic studies are lacking. The present study was performed to analyze the data of RRTR in our center, summarize our experience, and provide a reference for other retroperitoneal tumor centers.

METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 105 patients who underwent RRTR at the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from January 2015 to December 2022. Logistic univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify independent risk factors affecting RRTR. A receiver operating characteristic curve was used to find the cut-off value, which was then included in the logistic multivariate analysis for verification.

RESULTS: Among the 105 patients, 87 successfully underwent RRTR (DVSS group) and 18 underwent conversion to open surgery (conversion group). There was no significant difference in sex, age, body mass index, history of abdominal surgery, or tumor location between the two groups (P > 0.05). The maximum tumor diameter [odds ratio (OR), 1.041; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.015-1.067; P = 0.002] and pathological property (OR, 8.646; 95% CI, 2.370-31.544; P = 0.001) were independent risk factors for conversion to open surgery. Further analysis confirmed that the success rate of RRTR was higher for tumors with a maximum diameter of ≤64 mm and benign tumors. Based on our experience and statistical results, we believe that retroperitoneal tumors that meet the following criteria have a higher success rate of DVSS resection: maximum tumor diameter of ≤64 mm, benign tumors, the tumor has relatively clear boundary, no obvious invasion of surrounding tissues and organs, and no need for combined organ resection.

CONCLUSIONS: RRTR is safe and effective in the treatment of RPT, and the clinical prognosis is similar to that of open surgery. The success rate of RRTR in patients with appropriate surgical indications for this procedure is higher.

PMID:39109284 | PMC:PMC11300375 | DOI:10.3389/fonc.2024.1414780