Tag: pubmed

Hum Reprod. 2025 Jul 18:deaf120. doi: 10.1093/humrep/deaf120. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

STUDY QUESTION: Is there an association between pre-operative symptoms and intraoperatively described localization and size of endometriosis lesions as assessed by the #ENZIAN classification system?

SUMMARY ANSWER: Dyschezia is associated with any deep infiltrating endometriosis (DE) lesions; severe dyspareunia is associated with adenomyosis.

WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: Previous attempts to correlate the common symptoms of endometriosis to the size and localization of lesions have been of moderate success.

STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: This prospective, multicentre, non-interventional cross-sectional study was conducted between September 2022 and January 2024 at 18 endometriosis centres in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland, enrolling a total of 838 patients with endometriosis.

PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: The study included 521 patients with complete information on pre-operative symptoms and intraoperatively diagnosed endometriosis classified by the #ENZIAN classification system. Associations between symptoms and localization of endometriosis lesions were analysed.

MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: Nearly all patients (n = 513) (98.5%) suffered from dysmenorrhea whereas 294 (56.4%), 208 (39.9%), and 102 (19.6%) patients reported dyspareunia, dyschezia, and dysuria, respectively. Dyspareunia rated as ≥8 on a visual analogue scale was reported 3.5-fold more often in patients with adenomyosis only (OR 3.56 [1.38-9.17]) than in those without, while dyschezia was almost twice as likely in those with any form of DE (OR 1.86 [1.3-2.65]).

LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: A larger study population is needed to clinically define relevant sub-groups based on localization of lesions.

WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: The findings of the present study identify adenomyosis as a strong driver of pain, especially dyspareunia, making awareness of its high prevalence of utmost importance. Few direct associations between symptoms and lesions were identified. Endometriosis-related symptoms, especially when chronic, are multi-factorial and cannot be readily correlated to specific lesion sites.

STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S): This study received no external funding and all the authors declare they have no conflicts of interest pertaining to this study.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Clinical Trials NCT05624567.

PMID:40682308 | DOI:10.1093/humrep/deaf120

Int J Rheum Dis. 2025 Jul;28(7):e70374. doi: 10.1111/1756-185x.70374.

ABSTRACT

AIM: The multisystem nature of rheumatic diseases (RDs) as well as their treatments can affect pregnancy and its prognosis. The use of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) can increase the probability of fertility in RDs. The aim of this study was to compare ART outcomes in women with versus without RDs.

METHODS: This retrospective cohort study was carried out between August 2023 and August 2024. Using medical records and documents, the ART outcomes of women with and without RDs were included. The descriptive statistics were provided as mean ± SD, number, and percentage. The distribution status of demographic and clinical variables was done through Mann-Whitney and Chi-squared or Fisher’s exact test (for qualitative variables) and the confounder variables were adjusted. Data analysis was performed at a significance level of 5% using SPSS 25 software.

RESULTS: A total of 194 women with 334 cycles of ART were included; 62 participants were with RDs while 132 were without RDs. This study demonstrated that women with RDs are at a significantly higher risk of miscarriage (OR = 5.27, CI 1.28 to 21.75, p = 0.021) and inadequate gestational weight gain during pregnancy (OR = 2.25, CI 1.06 to 4.75, p = 0.034) compared to those without RDs. Additionally, fetal/neonatal complications did not show significant differences between the two groups. However, studies with larger sample sizes may yield different results regarding fetal/neonatal outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS: These results emphasize the importance of personalized and multidisciplinary care for women with RDs, particularly during pregnancy, to manage risks and improve maternal and fetoneonatal outcomes.

PMID:40682306 | DOI:10.1111/1756-185x.70374

Int J Immunopathol Pharmacol. 2025 Jan-Dec;39:3946320251358305. doi: 10.1177/03946320251358305. Epub 2025 Jul 18.

ABSTRACT

The treatment approach to RA has changed over time, but the main goal of treatment has remained the same, that is, achieving disease remission. Given the lack of RA disease activity tools and biomarkers that can reliably predict RA drug effectiveness not just on joints but also on extra-articular manifestations. The involvement of galectins, especially Galectin-1 (Gal1) in the regulation of immune regulation makes them potential good candidate non-specific biomarkers of autoimmune diseases like RA. Examining the possibility of applying Gal1 as a potential biomarker for evaluating the effectiveness of therapy. A quasi-experimental study was conducted to assess changes in serum Gal1 concentrations in patients with RA, compared with a healthy control group. The study included a total of 88 participants, consisting of 48 patients diagnosed with RA and 40 healthy voluntary blood donors. Patients were enrolled in the study based on a selective recruitment process, provided they met the criteria outlined in the Inclusion Criteria section. The diagnosis of RA was established by physicians in accordance with the ACR/EULAR2010 classification criteria. The collected samples were subjected to concentration determination using a commercial ELISA kit for human Gal1. The serum Gal1 concentration of the examined groups differed significantly (P < 0.0001). There was a significant difference in serum concentration of Gal1 between first and second measurement (pre- and post-intervention) (P = 0.015). The obtained values of post-intervention Gal1 did not show a positive correlation with the values of DAS28-ESR, HAQ-DI, and CDAI. The conducted study showed a pronounced statistical significance in the values of Gal1 concentrations in RA patients (in both time points) compared to the group of healthy subjects, suggesting that lower levels of this marker may be associated with the degree of inflammation characteristic of RA. No significant correlation was observed between Gal1 levels and clinical disease activity indices, limiting conclusions.

PMID:40682289 | DOI:10.1177/03946320251358305

Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2025 Jul 18:e31919. doi: 10.1002/pbc.31919. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:40682283 | DOI:10.1002/pbc.31919

Cancer. 2025 Aug 1;131(15):e70007. doi: 10.1002/cncr.70007.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Agent Orange exposure (AOE) is considered a presumptive cause of prostate cancer (PCa) in the Veterans Affairs (VA) population; however, cohort studies reported inconsistent associations of AOE and PCa incidence and outcomes. In this nationwide cohort study, Vietnam veterans who received VA care were evaluated for associations of AOE and PCa incidence and adverse outcomes.

METHODS: Vietnam veterans 17-25 years old during military service (1962-1971) who received VA health care between 2005 and 2020 were stratified by presumptive AOE assigned by the VA and followed until death from any cause or censoring on September 31, 2023. Multivariable Cox models permitted estimation of adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) of AOE with PCa incidence, de novo metastasis (DNM), any metastasis, metastatic castration-resistant PCa (mCRPC), all-cause mortality (ACM), or PCa-specific mortality (PCSM).

RESULTS: Among 2.6 million Vietnam veterans at risk for PCa, 779,472 (30%) had AOE. Compared to unexposed veterans, AOE veterans had higher PCa risk (aHR, 1.15; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.15-1.16), higher DNM (aHR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.16-1.17), any metastasis (aHR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.16-1.17), mCRPC (aHR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.16-1.17), ACM (aHR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.41-1.42), and PCSM (aHR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.16-1.17) in adjusted models. Sensitivity analyses suggested robustness of association between AOE and all-cause mortality, but selection bias could explain associations with PCa outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS: Presumptive AOE was associated with higher PCa incidence, mortality, and adverse outcomes. Although associations may not be causal, AOE may predict worse PCa outcomes in the Veterans Affairs.

PMID:40682278 | DOI:10.1002/cncr.70007

Psychophysiology. 2025 Jul;62(7):e70056. doi: 10.1111/psyp.70056.

ABSTRACT

During menopause, the majority of women experience hot flashes (HF) that have a significant negative impact on sleep and quality of life. Current HF therapies are either ineffective or associated with unacceptable side effects. Digital health technologies offer a novel opportunity to fill this treatment gap with just-in-time thermal interventions through wearable devices. Thermal interventions have shown promise in reducing the negative impact of HFs. We hypothesized that HF event onsets can be accurately and reliably predicted from physiological signals prior to a person’s perception of the events. This study investigated the feasibility of using skin conductance (SC) to predict the onset of HF events before they are subjectively perceived. 62 women who were experiencing HFs and self-reported being in peri- or postmenopause were recruited. Data collection consisted of three remotely conducted 48-h sessions. During each session, SC from the lateral torso was measured continuously and participants logged the precise timing of each perceived HF event onset. We developed new features to identify characteristics of SC signals before HFs were perceived. The best performing model trained with these features identified 82% of HF events on average 17 s before the onset with less than 2% false-positive rate. Among the identified events, the model predicted 69% of HF events before onset. This study demonstrates the feasibility of predicting HF event onsets before subjective perception. Future studies should investigate both multimodal prediction as well as user acceptance and effectiveness of just-in-time thermal interventions.

PMID:40682261 | DOI:10.1111/psyp.70056

Allergol Immunopathol (Madr). 2025 Jul 8;53(4):169-177. doi: 10.15586/aei.v53i4.1364. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The increasing prevalence of asthma necessitates consideration of modifiable asthma risk factors, such as sedentary lifestyle, overweight/obesity, and environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure. The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between asthma symptoms and the risk factors in young adolescents.

METHODS: This cross-sectional study, as part of the Global Asthma Network (GAN) Phase I project, used standardized questionnaires based on ISAAC (International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood) Phase I and Phase III questionnaires. In Gjilan, Kosovo, self-reported data from 1200 school children aged 13-14 years were collected.

RESULTS: Overweight (BMI [body mass index] > 25 kg/m²) had a statistically significant association with asthma symptoms (p < 0.05), particularly with disturbed sleep due to wheezing (OR [odds ratio] = 3.93 [95% CI [confidence interval]: 1.27-12.12]) and the reported wheezing by females during or after exercise. Sedentary lifestyle (≥ 3 hours/day on a computer/television) was found to be associated with wheezing (OR = 1.89 [95% CI: 1.34-2.66]) and the diagnosis of asthma. ETS exposure was significantly associated with wheezing during or after exercise (OR = 1.67 [95% CI: 1.15-2.42]) and coughing at night (OR = 1.67 [95% CI: 1.19-2.33]).

CONCLUSION: The findings support the importance of sedentary lifestyle, obesity, and ETS exposure as asthma risk factors in young adolescents experiencing asthma symptoms. Future public health interventions should take these modifiable risk factors into account, especially in urban locations, in order to alleviate asthma morbidity.

PMID:40682245 | DOI:10.15586/aei.v53i4.1364

Allergol Immunopathol (Madr). 2025 Jul 1;53(4):68-77. doi: 10.15586/aei.v53i4.1323. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate physicians’ management of non-immunoglobulin E-mediated gastrointestinal cow’s milk protein allergy (non-IgE-GI-CMPA) in Brazilian infants.

METHODS: A total of 447 physicians from all the regions of Brazil answered an online questionnaire concerning their management of formula-fed infants with mild-to-moderate (Case 1) or severe (Case 2) clinical manifestations of non-IgE-GI-CMPA.

RESULTS: In total, 95.3% and 86.0% of the interviewed physicians in cases 1 and 2 prescribed a cow’s milk elimination diet (p < 0.001). In the initial management, the prescription rates of formulas based on extensively hydrolyzed protein and amino acid were 81.7% and 14.6% for Case 1 and 32.7% and 65.4% for Case 2 (p < 0.001); the percentages of answers for prescriptions of drugs or probiotics were 8.3% and 12.1% in cases 1 and 2 (p < 0.001); and requests for laboratory tests were 12.3% and 37.7 % (p = 0.016). The oral food challenge (OFC) test for the diagnosis of non-IgE-GI-CMPA was indicated by 55.1% and 42.7% of the physicians in cases 1 and 2 (p < 0.001). The OFC test was chosen to assess tolerance development by 92% of the interviewees. Performing the diagnostic OFC (D-OFC) test was positively associated with having board certification in pediatric gastroenterology and < 20 years of professional experience and negatively associated with using baked foods as a protein source in the oral tolerance OFC test.

CONCLUSIONS: Most interviewees followed the guidelines regarding prescribing an elimination diet; however, many should include the OFC test in diagnosing infants with non-IgE-GI-CMPA. Not performing the D-OFC may have negative consequences on patients and on the public healthcare system.

PMID:40682230 | DOI:10.15586/aei.v53i4.1323

J Neurosurg. 2025 Jul 18:1-13. doi: 10.3171/2025.3.JNS2583. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Applications to neurosurgical residency programs have progressively increased, both in applicant numbers and programs applied to per applicant. The adoption of signaling, beginning with 8 signals in the 2022-2023 cycle and increasing to 25 in the 2023-2024 cycle, has the potential to improve the match process and reduce applicant costs. This study analyzed trends in the neurosurgery residency match from 2017 to 2024 to evaluate the impact of signaling.

METHODS: The Texas STAR (Seeking Transparency in Application to Residency) is a survey administered annually to US applicants following the match. Data included neurosurgery applicants from 2017 to 2024 and were categorized into pre-COVID-19 (2017-2020), COVID-19 (2021-2022), and signaling (2023-2024) cohorts. Applicant-reported characteristics associated with matching were assessed. For the 2023 and 2024 cycles, signal yield (interviews at signaled programs divided by total signals), signal-to-interview ratio (percentage of interviews at signaled programs), and nonsignal yield (interviews at nonsignaled programs divided by nonsignaled applications) were calculated. Comparative statistics and regression models were applied.

RESULTS: Among 418 applicants (127 from 2023-2024 with signaling data), those in recent cycles submitted fewer applications (73.9 pre-COVID-19 vs 74.7 COVID-19 vs 64.3 signaling, p = 0.01) and received fewer interview offers (24.7 vs 23.0 vs 18.9, p < 0.001). In the 2023-2024 cycles, matched applicants had more abstracts, posters, presentations (8.65 vs 9.58 vs 10.47, p < 0.001) and publications (5.78 vs 7.71 vs 7.91, p < 0.001), with fewer total applications (72.62 vs 75.03 vs 62.26, p < 0.001) and interviews offered (25.85 vs 23.40 vs 21.02, p = 0.004), compared with matched applicants from previous cycles. A multivariable model showed that fewer applications was associated with greater match likelihood for 2023-2024 applicants (OR 0.87, 95% CI 0.77-0.99). Signal yield (54.0% vs 19.1%, p < 0.001), signal-to-interview ratio (71.5% vs 38.0%, p < 0.001), and nonsignal yield (22.4% vs 8.6%, p = 0.02) were higher among matched applicants versus unmatched applicants in 2024. The signal-to-interview ratio increased for matched applicants from 2023 to 2024 (18.2% vs 71.5%, p < 0.001), while the nonsignal yield decreased (33.7% vs 22.4%, p = 0.005), in line with increases in number of signals.

CONCLUSIONS: Signaling has changed the landscape of the neurosurgery residency match process, with fewer applications submitted and fewer interviews offered per applicant. Signals seemingly result in increased interview likelihood and may hone the selection process to more efficiently align applicant and program preferences.

PMID:40680308 | DOI:10.3171/2025.3.JNS2583

J Neurosurg Pediatr. 2025 Jul 18:1-17. doi: 10.3171/2025.3.PEDS24533. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This scoping review aimed to assess themes and gaps in the existing scope of literature regarding psychological outcomes and quality of life in children with hydrocephalus.

METHODS: Using the search criteria “pediatric AND hydrocephalus AND (psychological OR behavioral OR emotional OR cognitive),” the authors imported articles from SCOPUS, PubMed, PsycINFO, PsycArticles, and independent citation searches into Covidence, and duplicates were removed (n = 372). After the abstract and full text were screened, the remaining articles (n = 44) underwent data extraction to identify key psychological outcomes and themes in the literature. Findings were quantified using descriptive statistics in SPSS software, and themes were analyzed to interpret knowledge trends and gaps in current studies.

RESULTS: These studies examined psychological outcomes in pediatric hydrocephalus, focusing on neuropsychological (56%), behavioral and emotional (32%), academic (13.6%), and developmental (11.4%) outcomes. Most studies were cross sectional (56.8%), with sample sizes ranging from 6 to 467 participants. Neuropsychological impairments, particularly in intelligence, memory, and attention, were prevalent, as were behavioral and emotional problems, especially internalizing behaviors. The literature supported diminished quality of life in pediatric hydrocephalus populations, and several medical factors such as severity of hydrocephalus and treatment type were found to influence psychological functioning and outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS: This scoping review highlights neuropsychological, behavioral, and emotional challenges in children with hydrocephalus, with deficits observed primarily in intelligence, memory, attention, and quality of life. Limitations in standardization of follow-up with patients made a systematic review difficult to conduct. Nonetheless, findings reveal the need for targeted interventions in these areas, as well as further research on the influence of medical factors, treatment type, and severity of hydrocephalus on long-term outcomes.

PMID:40680304 | DOI:10.3171/2025.3.PEDS24533