Tag: pubmed

J Med Econ. 2025 Mar 7:1-9. doi: 10.1080/13696998.2025.2477342. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIMS: Migraine leads to substantial healthcare utilization and associated costs. However, much higher costs are attributed to lost productivity. The impact of effective migraine treatment on these costs, at the individual level, has not been well established. Even less known is the impact of treatment failure. The objective of this study was to assess lost earnings as a measure of migraine-attributed burden among triptan non-responders in Denmark.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used data from the Danish National Prescription Register and Danish Income Statistics Register over the 27-year period 1995-2021. We identified 4,979 triptan non-responders (85.9% female) and matched them for sex, age and region of residence with 14,292 continuing users of triptans (triptan responders) and 13,592 individuals from the background population (triptan never-users). We then estimated average annual individual earnings, and compared those among triptan non-responders, from three years prior to and ten years after their last triptan redemption, with those among their matched triptan responders and triptan never-users over the same periods.

RESULTS: Triptan non-responders earned significantly less than both their matched triptan responders and their matched triptan never-users. The earnings gap was evident even three years prior to the last triptan prescription (€4,344 and €4,356 respectively). This gap widened substantially over time, so that average cumulative earnings over the 14-year period of follow-up for each triptan non-responder were €93,684 less than those of responders and €99,485 less than those of never-users.

LIMITATIONS: There are uncertainties with regard to the reasons for triptan discontinuation (whether non-response or otherwise), and to lack of diagnostic confirmation of migraine.

CONCLUSIONS: Triptan non-response represents failure of currently available acute treatment options. It is associated with substantial and cumulative lost earnings, highlighting a disproportionate economic burden. These findings underscore the potential economic benefit of recognizing, and rectifying, unmet treatment needs in migraine management.

PMID:40052331 | DOI:10.1080/13696998.2025.2477342

Med Mycol. 2025 Mar 6:myaf022. doi: 10.1093/mmy/myaf022. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Scedosporium and Lomentospora species are emerging fungal pathogens capable of causing severe infections in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals. Previous environmental surveys have suggested potential associations between these fungi and various soil chemical parameters, though the relative influence of human activity versus environmental factors has not been systematically evaluated. Here, we conducted a comprehensive survey of 406 soil samples from 132 locations across Taiwan, analyzing fungal abundance alongside soil physicochemical parameters and the Human Footprint Index (HFI). We recovered 236 fungal isolates comprising 10 species, with S. boydii (32.2%), S. apiospermum (30.9%), and S. dehoogii (14.4%) being the most prevalent. The highest fungal burdens were observed in urban environments (up to 1293 CFU/g), particularly in public spaces and healthcare facilities. Statistical analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between fungal abundance and HFI (r = 0.143, P = 0.005), while soil chemical parameters including nitrogen, carbon, pH, electrical conductivity, and various base cations showed no significant associations despite their wide ranges. These findings indicate that anthropogenic disturbance of environments, rather than soil chemistry, is the primary driver of Scedosporium and Lomentospora distribution in Taiwan. This understanding holds important implications for predicting infection risks and developing targeted public health strategies, particularly in rapidly urbanizing regions. Future studies incorporating more specific indicators of human impact may further elucidate the mechanisms underlying these distribution patterns.

PMID:40052326 | DOI:10.1093/mmy/myaf022

Ulus Travma Acil Cerrahi Derg. 2025 Mar;31(3):276-282. doi: 10.14744/tjtes.2025.64644.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Traumatic injuries, particularly abdominal trauma, are a major cause of mortality worldwide. This study aimed to evaluate predictive factors for mortality and morbidity in abdominal trauma patients using simple, rapid, and accessible clinical and laboratory parameters, with a focus on developing scoring systems for emergency department decision-making.

METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted in a Level 1 Trauma Center between October 2022 and March 2024. Patients aged 18 and older with abdominal trauma or multi-trauma were included, while cases with incomplete records, known chronic diseases, or a recent trauma history were excluded. Data on demographics, vital signs, laboratory results, imaging findings, clinical scores, and outcomes were collected. Logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were performed to identify independent mortality predictors and their cut-off values.

RESULTS: Out of 693 patients, the mortality rate was 3.6%. The most common mechanisms of trauma were road traffic accidents (59.3%) and falls (23.4%). Independent predictors of mortality included age ≥54 years, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) ≤14, Injury Severity Score (ISS) ≥24, and Shock Index ≥1.08. ROC analysis revealed that GCS had the highest predictive value for mortality (area under the curve [AUC]: 0.828), followed by ISS, age, and Shock Index. Elevated levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactate, and creatinine were associated with worse outcomes, aligning with findings in the literature.

CONCLUSION: Age, GCS, ISS, and Shock Index are strong predictors of mortality in abdominal trauma patients. Integrating these parameters into clinical decision-making can enhance risk stratification and improve patient management. Prospective multicenter studies and national trauma registries are necessary to refine trauma care and reduce mortality rates.

PMID:40052323 | DOI:10.14744/tjtes.2025.64644

Ulus Travma Acil Cerrahi Derg. 2025 Mar;31(3):242-248. doi: 10.14744/tjtes.2024.77756.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Effective management of postoperative analgesia following laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is critical to ensure optimal patient comfort and recovery. This study evaluates the effects of erector spinae plane block (ESPB) and rectus sheath block (RSB) on opioid consumption to determine non-inferiority.

METHODS: This retrospective study analyzed 44 patients aged 18 to 75 years who underwent LC at our hospital between December 2022 and March 2023, with American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) scores of I-II. Patients were divided into two groups: ESPB (n=24) and RSB (n=20). The ESPB group received a preoperative bilateral injection of 20 mL of 0.25% bupivacaine, while the RSB group received a postoperative bilateral injection of 20 mL of 0.25% bupivacaine. The primary outcome measure was opioid consumption within the first 24 hours postoperatively.

RESULTS: The demographic characteristics of the RSB and ESPB groups were similar. Opioid consumption during the first 24 hours was 6.29+-1.73 mg in the ESPB group and 6.60+-3.41 mg in the RSB group, with no statistically significant difference between the two groups (95% confidence interval [CI]: -1.64 to 1.02; p=0.717). When the equivalence margin was set at -2 mg, opioid consumption in the RSB group was found to be similar to that in the ESPB group. Fentanyl rescue analgesia in the postoperative care unit was required by three patients in the ESPB group and five patients in the RSB group (p=0.400). Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pain scores and the number of patients who developed nausea and vomiting in the first 24 hours postoperatively were similar between the groups (p>0.05).

CONCLUSION: The erector spinae plane block and RSB demonstrated comparable analgesic efficacy. Rectus sheath block was found to be non-inferior to ESPB in LC surgery with respect to 24-hour opioid consumption. The groups were also similar regarding rescue analgesia, VAS scores, shoulder pain, and the frequency of nausea and vomiting.

PMID:40052318 | DOI:10.14744/tjtes.2024.77756

Ulus Travma Acil Cerrahi Derg. 2025 Mar;31(3):226-232. doi: 10.14744/tjtes.2024.73814.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: This study was conducted methodologically to evaluate the Turkish validity and reliability of the Feeling Safe During Surgery Scale and to assess its suitability for the Turkish population.

METHODS: This methodological validity and reliability study collected data from 148 patients who underwent elective surgery with regional anesthesia in the general surgery clinics of a university hospital in Istanbul between December 1, 2021 and June 30, 2022. Data were obtained through face-to-face interviews with patients using the Patient Information Form, developed by the researchers based on the literature, and the Turkish version of the Feeling Safe During Surgery Scale, originally created in Swedish. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Amos 26 was used for data analysis.

RESULTS: The content validity index of the scale was determined to be 0.96. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the Turkish version of the Feeling Safe During Surgery Scale was acceptably compatible with the original scale. The adapted Turkish version was found to have a comprehensible language structure and appropriate content. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for the total score was α=0.839, indicating a high level of reliability. Consequently, the Turkish version of the Feeling Safe During Surgery Scale was determined to be valid, reliable, and stable over time.

CONCLUSION: The Turkish version of the Feeling Safe During Surgery Scale is a valid and reliable instrument that can be used in the Turkish population for assessing the sense of safety in patients undergoing elective surgery with regional anesthesia in surgical units.

PMID:40052317 | DOI:10.14744/tjtes.2024.73814

Ulus Travma Acil Cerrahi Derg. 2025 Mar;31(3):233-241. doi: 10.14744/tjtes.2024.40088.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Explosions are not exclusive to battlefields; they also represent a global security concern that affects all societies worldwide. This study aims to elucidate the effects of injuries caused by explosions with multiple mechanisms, which clinicians may encounter at any time, particularly in the context of military personnel. Furthermore, the clinical characteristics of these injuries were examined.

METHODS: A total of 7,865 patient files evaluated between 2008 and 2017 by the Forensic Medicine Department of Gülhane Medical Faculty, Health Sciences University, were subjected to retrospective review. The study encompassed a total of 906 cases presenting with blast injuries. Medical records and health reports of these cases were reviewed and analyzed in terms of age- and gender-specific incidence, military ranks, type of explosion, origin of explosion, wound types, affected body areas, and sequelae.

RESULTS: The findings of this study indicate that blast injuries predominantly affect young males, particularly those in the military. The most common etiological factor identified was terrorism. Blast injuries were found to occur most frequently in non-vehicular pedestrians and were primarily caused by improvised explosive devices and landmines. Blast injuries most commonly resulted in multiplesite injuries with a shrapnel effect and frequently required surgical intervention. Despite all treatments, 53.4% of explosion-related injuries resulted in long-term sequelae.

CONCLUSION: The results of this study demonstrate that explosion-related injuries present a significant and complex problem. Blasts affect multiple body systems and cause severe injuries. Understanding the impact of explosions on the human body can help develop strategies to minimize or possibly eliminate serious injuries, particularly in explosion incidents encountered by security forces.

PMID:40052314 | DOI:10.14744/tjtes.2024.40088

Ulus Travma Acil Cerrahi Derg. 2025 Mar;31(3):249-258. doi: 10.14744/tjtes.2024.36114.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The increase in liver cholestasis enzyme and bilirubin levels, especially due to pancreatitis, mimics choledocholithiasis. This study aimed to examine the relationship between demographic and laboratory cut-off values and the presence of choledocholithiasis in patients with acute biliary pancreatitis (ABP).

METHODS: Patients diagnosed with ABP in the Department of General Surgery at Istanbul Faculty of Medicine between January 2010 and December 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. The presence of stones in the common bile duct was determined based on the results of magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP), endoscopic ultrasound (EUS), and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). Demographic and laboratory values of patients with and without bile duct stones were compared. Cut-off values were determined using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, and logistic regression analysis and modeling was performed for each variable.

RESULTS: A total of 1,026 ABP patients were evaluated. Patients whose enzyme levels were not elevated and those who did not undergo MRCP were excluded. A total of 584 patients were included in the study, and choledocholithiasis was detected in 188 (32.2%) patients. In multivariate analysis, age, gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and direct bilirubin (DB) were found to be statistically associated with choledocholithiasis. The cut-off values were determined as 65 years for age, 394 U/L for GGT, 173 U/L for ALP, and 1.42 mg/dL for direct bilirubin. In the group where all four parameters were below these cut-off values, suggesting a clean common bile duct, it was observed that the negative predictive value was 97%.

CONCLUSION: Based on the demographic and laboratory data of patients with ABP, we were able to predict with more than 97% accuracy that the common bile duct was clean. Considering that our study only included patients who underwent MRCP due to elevated enzyme levels and suspicion of choledocholithiasis, the negative predictive value would be even higher if patients with acute biliary pancreatitis with normal enzyme levels were included. Additionally, no complications were observed in any of the patients during follow-up. This finding suggests that patients whose common bile duct is predicted to be clean can initially be monitored and supported with additional imaging methods if necessary. As a result, unnecessary imaging can be avoided, reducing costs and preventing the mortality and morbidity associated with unnecessary procedures.

PMID:40052312 | DOI:10.14744/tjtes.2024.36114

Ulus Travma Acil Cerrahi Derg. 2025 Mar;31(3):214-220. doi: 10.14744/tjtes.2024.23583.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of thrombopoietin (TPO), a growth factor and acute-phase reactant, as an early prognostic marker for predicting disease severity in patients with acute biliary pancreatitis.

METHODS: A total of 72 patients with acute pancreatitis admitted to the Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital, General Surgery Department, were included in the study. The severity of acute pancreatitis was classified using the 2012 Revised Atlanta Classification, and blood samples were collected from each patient within the first six hours of hospitalization to measure TPO levels. TPO levels were then compared to C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and other prognostic scoring systems.

RESULTS: According to the Atlanta Classification, TPO levels were found to be statistically significant in distinguishing severe pancreatitis from moderate and mild cases. When evaluating the sensitivity and specificity ratios of serum TPO levels in predicting the severity of acute pancreatitis, a value of 81.61 pg/dL was identified, with a 86.6% sensitivity and 69% specificity. In our study, the accuracy of TPO levels in detecting severe pancreatitis was compared with other scoring systems. The Balthazar scoring system had the highest precision (area under the curve [AUC]: 0.905) in receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis for severe pancreatitis (95% confidence interval). Serum TPO levels were identified as the second strongest predictors of severe acute pancreatitis (AUC: 0.831).

CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that TPO is a valuable early marker and prognostic indicator for predicting disease severity in patients with acute biliary pancreatitis. However, further randomized studies with larger patient cohorts are still required.

PMID:40052310 | DOI:10.14744/tjtes.2024.23583

Stroke. 2025 Mar 7. doi: 10.1161/STROKEAHA.124.049140. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) with clopidogrel and aspirin is recommended for secondary prevention in patients with a minor stroke or transient ischemic attack. However, the effectiveness of DAPT can be significantly influenced by genetic variations. This study aimed to estimate the impact of multiple single-nucleotide polymorphisms across various genes on DAPT efficacy using polygenic risk score (PRS).

METHODS: In this post hoc analysis, we included 2905 patients from the CHANCE trial (Clopidogrel in High-Risk Patients With Acute Nondisabling Cerebrovascular Events), which enrolled a total of 5170 patients in China between October 2009 and July 2012. The primary outcome was new stroke within 90 days. Sixteen single-nucleotide polymorphisms across 7 genes involved in clopidogrel metabolism were selected for PRS development. PRS were calculated by summing single-nucleotide polymorphisms from each individual. The Cox proportional-hazards regression model was utilized to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% CIs of PRS. The predictive value of PRS was estimated by C statistic and compared with a previously validated model.

RESULTS: The elevated PRSs were associated with an increased risk of new stroke within 90 days (P_trend=0.01). The efficacy of DAPT versus aspirin alone in preventing 1-year composite vascular events was significantly different between patients with low (adjusted HR, 0.47 [95% CI, 0.31-0.71]) and high PRSs (adjusted HR, 0.84 [95% CI, 0.60-1.18]; P_interaction=0.03). In patients receiving DAPT, higher PRSs were associated with increased risk of new stroke and composite vascular events at 90 days (adjusted HR per SD increase was 1.51 [95% CI, 1.15-1.99]) and at 1 year (adjusted HR per SD increase was 1.34 [95% CI, 1.08-1.67]). The C statistic for predicting 90-day new stroke using the PRS developed in this study was 0.57 (95% CI, 0.52-0.62), compared with 0.52 (95% CI, 0.48-0.55) for the ABCD-GENE score.

CONCLUSIONS: Using PRS integrating multiple genes may enhance the precision of secondary prevention strategies for patients with minor stroke or transient ischemic attack in the short and long term.

REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT00979589.

PMID:40052280 | DOI:10.1161/STROKEAHA.124.049140

Cancer Rep (Hoboken). 2025 Mar;8(3):e70174. doi: 10.1002/cnr2.70174.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Robotic surgery has been associated with superior short-term outcomes in patients undergoing total mesorectal excision (TME) for organ-confined rectal cancer. However, whether this approach offers an additional benefit over laparoscopy when performing lateral pelvic lymph node dissection (LPLND) with TME or extended TME (e-TME) in locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) is not known.

AIMS: This study was conducted to evaluate the outcomes of robotic and laparoscopic LPLND in patients with lateral pelvic node-positive LARC with reference to intraoperative safety, postoperative morbidity, pathological indices including nodal yield and node positivity rates, lateral pelvic recurrence rates, and short term event-free and overall survival.

METHODS AND RESULTS: In this retrospective single-center study, consecutive patients with non-metastatic histologically proven LARC and clinically significant lateral pelvic lymphadenopathy who had undergone laparoscopic or robotic LPLND with TME or e-TME between 2014 and 2023 were included, all procedures having been performed by minimal-access colorectal surgeons who were beyond the learning curve for either surgical approach. Of the 115 patients evaluated, 98.3% received neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, following which 27 (23.5%) underwent robotic and 88 (76.5%) laparoscopic LPLND with TME or e-TME. The baseline clinicodemographic features, treatment-related characteristics, and proportion of patients undergoing extended resections for persistent circumferential resection margin-positive rectal cancer (22.7% vs. 18.5%, respectively) were statistically similar in both groups. When comparing robotic with laparoscopic resections, no significant difference was observed in intraoperative parameters including procedure-associated blood loss (median 250 mL vs. 400 mL) and on-table adverse events or conversion rates (none in either group), postoperative outcomes comprising clinically significant early (14.8% vs. 9.1%), intermediate (5.3% vs. 1.9%) and late (5.3% vs. 2.0%) surgical morbidity, re-exploration rates (7.4% vs. 3.4%) and duration of hospital stay (median 6 days in both groups), or the pathological quality indices of margin involvement (7.4% vs. 2.3%), nodal yield (median 4 vs. 7 nodes) and lateral node positivity (22.2% vs. 26.1%), respectively. At a median 11 months follow-up, oncological outcomes in terms of lateral pelvic recurrence rates (3.7% vs. 4.5%), 2-year event-free survival (78.7% vs. 79.3%) and 2-year overall survival (83.1% vs. 93.8%) were also comparable.

CONCLUSION: Surgical competence in laparoscopy may offset the potential benefits extended by robotic platforms. In a high-volume setup with experienced minimal-access surgeons, the clinical, pathological, and short-term oncological outcomes associated with both approaches may be considered equivalent.

PMID:40052270 | DOI:10.1002/cnr2.70174