Real-World Evidence to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Vonoprazan in Gastrointestinal Disorders in the Pakistani Population.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: While proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy has proven to be effective in managing gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a notable portion of patients who experience GERD symptoms may not respond to this treatment. Research suggests that roughly 30% of individuals with a presumed GERD diagnosis may continue to experience symptoms, whether partially or completely, even when receiving PPI therapy. The aim of this study was to assess the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases with a novel potassium-competitive acid blocker (P-CAB), vonoprazan, in terms of its effectiveness and safety in the Pakistani population. METHODS: This prospective, multicenter, observational study was conducted in Pakistan. This study included 1,642 patients from January 2023 to August 2023, aged 18 years, with gastrointestinal disorders. All demographic data, medical history, GERD severity assessment questionnaire (GerdQ), and laboratory parameters, including stool assessment for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), were observed. Patients were orally treated with vonoprazan at doses of 10 mg or 20 mg, once or twice daily. Statistical analysis was done by one-way ANOVA. RESULTS: Out of 1,642 patients, 840 (51.2%) were males and 802 (48.8%) were females, with a mean age of 39.81±14.61 years. The mean GerdQ score at baseline was 20.37±15.87, 7.24±8.15 at the second week of treatment, and 3.70±6.31 at the fourth week of treatment (p<0.001). 90.74% of patients achieved H. pylori eradication. Most patients were acid regurgitation and heartburn-free for >70% of days. Most of the patients, 1,283 (78.13%), exhibited good treatment compliance. Mild adverse events were reported in 37 (2.3%) patients. CONCLUSIONS: The use of vonoprazan significantly reduced the likelihood of GERD by improving symptoms and was also highly effective in the elimination of H. pylori infections. Vonoprazan was generally well tolerated.

Correction: Real-World Evidence to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Vonoprazan in Gastrointestinal Disorders in the Pakistani Population.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.7759/cureus.48994.].

Post thyroidectomy complications: the Hyderabad experience.

OBJECTIVE: Thyroidectomy is a very common surgical procedure worldwide and is performed by surgeons with varied training. The outcome and complication rates are largely dependent on surgeon's skill and experience, the extent of surgery, indication of surgery and number of thyroid surgeries performed at that particular centre. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of postoperative complications after thyroid surgery in Hyderabad, Pakistan. STUDY DESIGN: It was a descriptive study and was carried out at 2 private hospitals including a teaching University Hospital over a period of 3 years from April 2005 to March 2008. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All patients with goitre, who underwent any sort of thyroid surgery, were included in this study. Patients' bio-data including name, age sex, clinical status of thyroid, thyroid function tests, ultrasound, fine needle aspiration cytology and operative procedure, findings, post operative complications and histopathology reports were recorded. Data were analysed using SPSS 16.0. RESULTS: The overall postoperative complication rate was 10.7%. Postoperative hypocalcaemia was the most frequent complication observed in 3.5% of all patients followed by recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) injury noted in 2.8% patients. The less common complications were bleeding, seroma formation and wound infection. Majority of these complications were associated with total thyroidectomy, male gender, and in patients with age more than 30 years. CONCLUSION: The commonest post thyroidectomy complication was hypocalcaemia. Male gender, old age, and extensive thyroid surgery were associated with increased complication rate.

Evaluation of erectile dysfunction with color Doppler sonography.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the role of Color Doppler Sonography in the evaluation of erectile dysfunction. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Radiology Department, Aga Khan University Hospital Karachi from 5-6-2002 to 2-9-2003. All consecutive patients presenting with erectile dysfunction and undergoing penile color Doppler evaluation with injection PGE1 20 mcg were included in this study. RESULTS: A total of 70 patients with an age range of 24-70 years (mean 41 +/- 12.25 years) were included in the study. A normal response was noted in 45 (psychogenic) cases. Vasculogenic causes were observed in 23 patients, 12 with arterial insufficiency and 11 with venous leak. Peyronie's disease was diagnosed in 2 patients. CONCLUSION: Color Doppler evaluation of erectile dysfunction is an effective method for differentiating psychogenic and vasculogenic causes of erectile dysfunction.