Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma Concealed Within a Branchial Cyst Without Primary Thyroid Involvement: Unveiling the Enigma.

Branchial cleft cysts are congenital anomalies that form during fetal development and originate from the second branchial cleft. They typically manifest as painless masses on the side of the neck and can become symptomatic when infected. These cysts can create a cavity that may foster infection and, in rare instances, facilitate the spread of primary tumors. It is unusual to find ectopic thyroid tissue within a brachial cyst and it is even rarer to see papillary thyroid carcinoma developing from this tissue. Whenever physicians find a case of lateral neck cyst containing thyroid neoplasm without a known primary in the thyroid, there is always a confusion about whether it is a case of metastatic disease with an undetected primary tumor, or is a carcinoma originating from ectopic thyroid tissue. This is a case report of a papillary thyroid cancer that was unintentionally discovered inside a branchial cyst. So far, only five cases akin to this have been documented. There was no sign of an underlying primary thyroid tumor after the patient had a complete thyroidectomy and selected neck dissection, according to a comprehensive evaluation. This article touches on the development of thyroid tissue within branchial cysts and discusses the etiology of lateral neck tumors. The outcome for such patients appears to be favorable after cyst excision and total thyroidectomy. This article also emphasizes the importance of doing routine histopathological examinations on surgically removed samples that look benign.

Thyroxine Therapy Treating Infertility and Pituitary Tumor: Primary Hypothyroidism Leading to Pituitary Hyperplasia.

Pituitary lesions can occur as a consequence of primary hypothyroidism and the biochemical imbalance associated with it, making its diagnosis a challenging task necessitating a thorough patient assessment by the treating physicians. We describe a young patient with pituitary hyperplasia due to primary hypothyroidism who presented with complaints of menstrual irregularities and weight gain. The patient was treated with thyroxine (T4) for primary hypothyroidism. The patient reported improvement in her symptoms along with the normalization of thyroid profile and interval reduction in the size of pituitary lesion on follow-up MRI scan.

Efficacy and Safety of Rivaroxaban Versus Enoxaparin in Prevention of Recurrence of Venous Thrombo-Embolism Events in Cancer Patients: A Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effectiveness of rivaroxaban compared to enoxaparin in patients diagnosed with cancer and venous thromboembolism. METHODS: A search of Pub Med, Scopus, and Google Scholar, from inception through April 2023 was conducted. Articles comparing rivaroxaban with enoxaparin in patients with cancer and VTE/PE/DVT were included. Review Manager Version 5.2 was utilised for the analysis of the following outcomes; VTE, PE, DVT, major bleeding, and mortality. RESULTS: A total of 8 articles and 2276 patients were included in the final analysis. Pooled analysis showed that rivaroxaban had a statistically insignificant reduced association with VTE occurrence (RR:0.83, 95% CI:0.58-1.18, P:0.3) as well as a statically insignificant reduction in major bleeding (RR:0.79, 95% CI:0.53-1.18, P:0.25). Analysis showcased that there was an insignificant reduction of mortality rivaroxaban as compared to enoxaparin (RR:0.74, 95% CI: 0.46-1.20, P:0.23). CONCLUSION: Rivaroxaban can serve as a viable alternative to enoxaparin, with no appreciable drawbacks, for preventing and managing VTE in patients with malignancy.

Improved Early Outcomes With Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting in Patients With Left Ventricular Dysfunction: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

The ongoing debate surrounding coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) with or without cardiopulmonary bypass persists, particularly in individuals with left ventricular dysfunction. The objective of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of these 2 strategies through a comprehensive meta-analysis of existing studies. A systematic search of PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Central Registry was conducted from inception to July 2023. The primary focus was on studies comparing on-pump versus off-pump CABG as the primary treatment for multivessel coronary artery disease in patients with left ventricular dysfunction (ejection fraction ≤40%), with mortality as the primary outcome. The meta-analysis included 26 studies with a total of 35,863 patients. The results revealed a significant reduction in mortality risk [risk ratio (RR), 0.75; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.60-0.93; P = 0.009] and other perioperative morbidities associated with off-pump CABG. These included stroke (RR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.54-0.82; P = 0.0002), myocardial infarction (RR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.56-0.97; P = 0.03), pulmonary complications (RR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.55-0.92; P = 0.010), postoperative transfusion (RR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.55-0.88; P = 0.002), neurological dysfunction (RR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.64-1.00; P = 0.05), infection (RR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.56-0.97; P = 0.03), renal failure (RR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.67-0.95; P = 0.010), and reoperation for bleeding (RR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.52-0.84; P = 0.0006). However, no significant difference was observed between the 2 groups regarding postoperative atrial fibrillation (RR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.84-1.12; P = 0.69). In conclusion, off-pump CABG demonstrates a lower perioperative mortality risk and improved overall early outcomes compared with on-pump techniques in individuals with reduced left ventricular function.

Prescribing Renally Inappropriate Medication to Hospitalized Geriatric Patients in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

Introduction: As a result of the physiological decline in renal function that comes with age and the common failure to recognise renal insufficiency, older adults aged 65 and above are at increased risk of receiving medications that are inappropriate for their level of renal function which in turn lead to increased risk of adverse effects. Little is known about how many older adults receive medications that are inappropriate for their level of renal function. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of renally inappropriate medications in elderly adults by reviewing patient files and evaluating the appropriateness of medication doses relative to renal function in patients aged ≥ 65 years at inpatient healthcare departments. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study of patients aged ≥ 65 years was conducted, covering cases from 2015 to 2021. Patient's medical records were reviewed, their renal function and medications lists were evaluated, determined whether they had been prescribed at least one renally inappropriate medication based on drug-dosing recommendations for different degrees of renal function. Results: A total of 317 elderly inpatients were included, 10% of whom had received inappropriate doses relative to their renal function. Glomerular filtration rate was associated with inappropriate dosing in this study. Of the patients CKD stage 5, 36.8% had at least one drug administered at an inappropriate dose, while this figure was 6.5% among the patients at CKD stage 1; this difference was statistically significant (p = 0.001). Conclusion: A notable portion of older adults may be at risk of adverse effects due to inappropriate medication dosing related to their renal function. Further studies with large samples, drug use analyses based on comprehensive geriatric references and a prioritisation of actual outcomes over potential outcomes are needed to further determine elderly adults' exposure to inappropriate drugs.

Medicare's Post-Acute Care Reimbursement Models as of 2023: Past, Present, and Future.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is continually working to mitigate unnecessary expenditures, particularly in post-acute care (PAC). Medicare reimburses for orthopaedic surgeon services in varied models, including fee-for-service, bundled payments, and merit-based incentive payment systems. The goal of these models is to improve the quality of care, reduce health-care costs, and encourage providers to adopt innovative and efficient health-care practices. This article delves into the implications of each payment model for the field of orthopaedic surgery, highlighting their unique features, incentives, and potential impact in the PAC setting. By considering the historical, current, and future Medicare reimbursement models, we hope to provide an understanding of the optimal payment model based on the specific needs of patients and providers in the PAC setting.

Alcohol Relapse After Early Liver Transplantation in Patients With Alcoholic Liver Disease: A Meta-Analysis.

Background: Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a significant source of end-stage liver disease and liver failure and an indication for liver transplant (LT). Historically, LT for alcoholic liver disease (ALD) required 6 months of alcohol abstinence. Recently, it has been demonstrated that early LT (< 6 months of abstinence) in strictly selected group of patients provides survival benefit while keeping the relapse to harmful drinking at acceptable levels. This practice has been reflected in the Dallas consensus, but more data are needed to appropriately risk stratify the patient from the perspective of return to harmful alcohol drinking post-transplant. This "6-month rule" has been highly debated and recent data demonstrated that the duration of pre-transplant sobriety is not related with an increased risk of relapse to alcohol post-transplant. We performed a meta-analysis to compare the rate of alcohol relapse in individuals having standard vs. early LT. Methods: MEDLINE and SCOPUS were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs), observational studies, and case-control studies from their inception through June 2022. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMSA) 2009 checklist guidelines were followed for this meta-analysis. Studies comparing post-transplant outcomes, such as alcohol relapse, in individuals following standard vs. early LT, were included. Reviews, case studies, conference abstracts, clinical trials with only an abstract, and studies with inadequate data for extraction were all disqualified. The data were retrieved, gathered, and examined. The random effects model was used to generate forest plots. For the analysis, a P-value of 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Thirty-four studies were discovered in the initial search. Three studies were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis incorporating 367 patients. Mean age was 51.7 years. Out of 367 patients, 173 (47%) underwent early LT. Out of three studies included, one study demonstrated decreased probability of alcohol relapse in patients undergoing early LT, whereas the other two showed the opposite result. All of the included studies were analyzed and had minimal risk of bias. Pooled analysis demonstrates that the difference in alcohol relapse between early vs. standard LT was insignificant (odds ratio: 1.24, 95% confidence interval: 0.75 - 2.06, P = 0.40). Conclusion: Our results show that early LT is not associated with increased risk of alcohol relapse post-transplant when compared with a mandatory 6-month abstinence period. Hence, individuals with ALD should not be categorically rejected from LT merely on the criteria of 6 months of abstinence. Other selection criteria based on the need and post-transplant outcomes should be utilized.

Acetazolamide as an Adjunctive Diuretic Therapy for Patients with Acute Decompensated Heart Failure: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Recent evidence suggests that acetazolamide may be beneficial as an adjunctive diuretic therapy in patients with acute decompensated heart failure (HF). We aim to pool all the studies conducted until now and provide updated evidence regarding the role of acetazolamide as adjunctive diuretic in patients with acute decompensated HF. METHODS: PubMed/Medline, Cochrane Library, and Scopus were searched from inception until July 2023, for randomized and nonrandomized studies evaluating acetazolamide as add-on diuretic in patients with acute decompensated HF. Data about natriuresis, urine output, decongestion, and the clinical signs of congestion were extracted, pooled, and analyzed. Data were pooled using a random effects model. Results were presented as risk ratios (RRs), odds ratios (ORs), or weighted mean differences (WMD) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). Certainty of evidence was assessed using the grading of recommendation, assessment, development, and evaluation (GRADE) approach. A P value of < 0.05 was considered significant in all cases. RESULTS: A total of 5 studies (n = 684 patients) were included with a median follow-up time of 3 months. Pooled analysis demonstrated significantly increased natriuresis (MD 55.07, 95% CI 35.1-77.04, P < 0.00001; I2 = 54%; moderate certainty), urine output (MD 1.04, 95% CI 0.10-1.97, P = 0.03; I2 = 79%; moderate certainty) and decongestion [odds ratio (OR) 1.62, 95% CI 1.14-2.31, P = 0.007; I2 = 0%; high certainty] in the acetazolamide group, as compared with controls. There was no significant difference in ascites (RR 0.56, 95% CI 0.23-1.36, P = 0.20; I2 = 0%; low certainty), edema (RR 1.02, 95% CI 0.52-2.0, P = 0.95; I2 = 45%; very low certainty), raised jugular venous pressure (JVP) (RR 0.86, 95% CI 0.63-1.17, P = 0.35; I2 = 0%; low certainty), and pulmonary rales (RR 0.82, 95% CI 0.44-1.51, P = 0.52; I2 = 25%; low certainty) between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Acetazolamide as an adjunctive diuretic significantly improves global surrogate endpoints for decongestion therapy but not all individual signs and symptoms of volume overload. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: This systematic review was prospectively registered on the PROSPERO ( https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/ ), registration number CRD498330.

Impact of Body Mass Index on outcomes in hospitalized heart failure patients with reduced versus preserved ejection fraction: a 1,699,494-individual analysis from the United States National Inpatient Sample.

BACKGROUND: Obesity's effect on outcomes in heart failure (HF) patients with reduced versus maintained ejection fraction (HFrEF and HFpEF) remains debatable. We evaluated hospital outcomes and healthcare expenditures in these patients based on their Body Mass Index (BMI). METHODS: Using the USA National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database, patients >18 years admitted with a primary diagnosis of HFrEF or HFpEF between January 1, 2004, and August 31, 2015, were studied. Patients were stratified into the following BMI categories: underweight, normal weight, overweight, obese, and morbidly obese. Adjusted multivariable analyses using Poisson regression models were used to study the association between BMI and hospital outcomes and healthcare costs. RESULTS: Overall, 1,699,494 patients were included. After full adjustment, obesity (OR=1.84; 95% CI: 1.22-2.76) and morbid obesity (OR=1.81; 95% CI: 1.22-2.70) increased the odds of in-hospital mortality compared with normal weight. When stratified per ejection fraction, underweight patients had higher odds of in-hospital mortality in HFrEF (OR=1.46; 95% CI: 1.06-2.01). Obese and morbidly obese patients had higher odds of in-hospital mortality in both HFrEF and HFpEF. Furthermore, obese and morbidly obese patients had a longer mean adjusted length of stay and higher health care expenses. CONCLUSIONS: Being underweight is associated with increased risk of in-hospital mortality in HFrEF patients. Obesity and morbid obesity increase the risk of in-hospital mortality and higher healthcare costs in both HFrEF and HFpEF. These findings have clinical significance for HF patients, and further research is needed to investigate the ideal weight for HF patients.

Clinical Outcomes With Nurse-Coordinated Multidisciplinary Care in Patients With Heart Failure: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

The American Heart Association (AHA) and the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) recommend nurse-inclusive multidisciplinary care for patients with heart failure (HF). However, there is no meta-analysis that focuses specifically on the impact of nurse-coordinated multidisciplinary care. Considering this literature gap, we conducted this review that seeks to systematically synthesize the current evidence available regarding the impact of nurse-coordinated multidisciplinary care on clinical outcomes in patients with HF. A comprehensive search was done using PubMed/Medline, Cochrane Library, and EMBASE from inception till July 2023 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing nurse-coordinated multidisciplinary care with usual care in adult patients (>18 years) with acute or chronic HF. Data about all-cause mortality, HF-related hospitalizations, and all-cause hospitalizations was extracted, pooled, and analyzed. Forrest plots were generated using the random effects model. A total of 30 RCTs were included in the analysis with a total of 7950 HF patients. Our pooled analysis demonstrated a significant reduction in all-cause mortality in HF patients who received nurse-coordinated multidisciplinary care (RR = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.72-0.88, P = 0.0001). Similarly, there was a significantly lesser risk of HF-related hospitalizations (RR = 0.56, 95% CI: 0.45-0.71, P = 0.00001) and all-cause hospitalizations (RR = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.70-0.87, P = 0.0001) among HF patients with nurse-coordinated multidisciplinary care as compared to the usual care. Nurse-coordinated multidisciplinary care significantly reduces the risk of all-cause mortality, HF-related hospitalizations, and all-cause hospitalizations in HF patients' posthospital discharge.

A Normotensive Case of Pheochromocytoma With Unusual Presentation of Abdominal Pain.

Multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) is an inherited, autosomal dominant condition characterized by primary parathyroid hyperplasia, medullary thyroid neoplasm, and pheochromocytoma. It most commonly presents with medullary thyroid cancer and less frequently with other complaints. Pheochromocytoma can also manifest through gastrointestinal complaints such as abdominal pain, nausea, and constipation. We present a normotensive case of pheochromocytoma, initially featuring abdominal pain and vomiting, which was later found to be associated with neck swelling and medullary thyroid cancer. The patient underwent an adrenalectomy and has continued to visit our endocrinology clinic for ongoing monitoring and treatment of iatrogenic hypoparathyroidism and hypothyroidism. A brief review is also provided.

Safety and efficacy of insulin detemir vs. insulin NPH in pregnant women with diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: The relative efficacy and safety of insulin neutral protamine Hagedorn (NPH) and detemir (IDet), in the management of diabetes in pregnancy remains unclear. We sought to conduct an updated systematic review and meta-analysis to study the effect of NPH versus IDet during pregnancy on clinically relevant maternal and fetal outcomes. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: MEDLINE and Google Scholar were queried from inception till September 2022 for original studies comparing NPH with IDet for management of diabetes during pregnancy. Data was pooled using a random-effects model, to generate risk ratios (RR) for dichotomous outcomes and weighted mean differences (WMDs) for continuous outcomes, along with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). I2 test was used to assess the magnitude of heterogeneity. Sensitivity analysis was conducted to explore the potential source of heterogeneity. As less than ten studies were included in our analysis, funnel plots were not made to evaluate publication bias. A P value of ≤0.05 was considered significant in all cases. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: Our search of the literature yielded 1087 articles initially, of which seven articles comprising 1396 patients, were included in our analysis. All included articles were of reasonably high methodological quality. Our pooled analysis demonstrates no statistically significant difference between the efficacy of insulin Detemir and insulin NPH as assessed by the HbA1c values from baseline. For safety outcomes, insulin detemir was significantly associated with a greater gestational age at delivery (WMD=0.39, 95%CI: 0.07 to 0.71, P=0.02) and lower incidence of hypoglycemic events (RR=0.64, 95%CI: 0.48 to 0.86, P=0.003) in-contrast to insulin NPH. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate that both, insulin IDet and insulin NPH have a similar efficacy in reducing HbA1c from baseline. However, insulin detemir was associated with lesser incidence of maternal hypoglycemic events and greater gestational age at delivery, compared to NPH.

Overcoming Challenges: Doxycycline as an Alternative Treatment for Hyponatremia in Managing Syndrome of Inappropriate Secretion of Anti-diuretic Hormone (SIADH) in Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC): A Case Report.

Hyponatremia, a common complication in small cell lung cancer (SCLC), can arise from various causes such as cancer itself, its treatment, paraneoplastic syndrome-induced SIADH secretion (syndrome of inappropriate anti-diuretic hormone secretion), and brain metastasis. While fluid restriction is the initial approach, refractory cases require pharmacological intervention in managing hyponatremia secondary to SIADH. This case report presents doxycycline as an alternative treatment option for a patient with refractory hyponatremia and SCLC with brain metastases, resulting in improved serum sodium levels. However, the use of doxycycline was associated with acute pancreatitis, prompting its discontinuation without establishing a definitive causal relationship. This case report highlights the importance of alternative treatments in resource-limited settings and emphasizes personalized care for hyponatremia in SCLC patients. Doxycycline can be an option, but safety and effectiveness require further study.

Diagnosis and Management of Intraoperative Periprosthetic Fractures in Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty.

Intraoperative periprosthetic fracture is an uncommon but notable complication that can occur during primary total knee arthroplasty. These fractures may occur at various stages during the procedure, including surgical exposure, implant preparation, implant trialing, and final implantation. Management of femoral and tibial fractures necessitates intraoperative recognition, including attentiveness of preoperative patient and surgical risk factors. This comprehensive review article focuses on the patient and surgical risk factors, diagnosis, management, and outcomes related to intraoperative fractures during primary total knee arthroplasty.

Clinical Outcomes With Furosemide Versus Torsemide in Patients With Heart Failure: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Despite potential advantages of torsemide over furosemide, <10% of the patients with heart failure (HF) are on torsemide in clinical practice. Prior studies comparing furosemide to torsemide in patients with HF have shown conflicting findings, regarding hospitalizations and mortality. We aimed to pool all the studies conducted to date and provide the most updated and comprehensive evidence, regarding the effect of furosemide vs torsemide in reducing mortality and hospitalizations in patients with HF. We conducted a comprehensive literature search of the PubMed/Medline, Cochrane Library and Scopus from inception till June 2023, for randomized and nonrandomized studies comparing furosemide to torsemide in adult patients (>18 years) with acute or chronic HF. Data about all-cause mortality, HF-related hospitalizations and all-cause hospitalizations was extracted, pooled, and analyzed. Forest plots were created based on the random effects model. A total of 17 studies (n = 11,996 patients) were included in our analysis with a median follow-up time of 8 months. Our pooled analysis demonstrated no difference in all-cause mortality between furosemide and torsemide groups in HF patients (OR = 0.98, 95% CI: 0.75-1.29, P = 0.89). However, torsemide was associated with a significantly lesser incidence of HF-related hospitalizations (OR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.54-0.99, P = 0.04), and all-cause hospitalizations (OR = 0.84, 95% CI: 0.73-0.98, P = 0.03), as compared to furosemide. Torsemide significantly reduces HF-related and all-cause hospitalizations as compared to furosemide, with no difference in mortality. We recommend transitioning from furosemide to torsemide in HF patients who are not attaining symptomatic control.

Cerebrovascular disease in COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The association between COVID-19 and acute cerebrovascular disease (CVD) has not been explored extensively. New data has come to light which may change previous results. Methods: We queried the PubMed electronic database from its inception until February 2022 for studies evaluating the incidence of stroke in COVID-19 patients. Results of the analysis were pooled using a random-effects model and presented as odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). Results: 37 studies consisting of 294,249 patients were included in our analysis. Pooled results show that the incidence of acute CVD events in COVID-19 positive patients is 2.6% (95% CI: 2.0-3.3; P<0.001). Cardioembolic (OR=14.15, 95% CI: 11.01 to 18.19, P<0.00001) and cryptogenic (OR=2.87, 95% CI: 1.91 to 4.32, P<0.00001) etiologies were associated with COVID-19 positivity. Risk factors for CVD events in patients with COVID-19 were atrial fibrillation (OR=2.60, 95% CI: 1.15 to 5.87, P=0.02), coronary artery disease (OR=2.24, 95% CI: 1.38 to 3.61, P=0.0010), diabetes (OR=2.46, 95% CI: 1.36 to 4.44, P=0.003) and hypertension (OR=3.65, 95% CI: 1.69 to 7.90, P=0.005). Conclusion: COVID-19 infection is associated with an increased risk for acute CVD and is associated with cardioembolic and cryptogenic etiologies and the risk factors of atrial fibrillation, coronary artery disease, diabetes and hypertension in COVID-19 positive patients.

Intraoperative Fractures Sustained During Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Critical Analysis Review.

¼ While the occurrence of postoperative periprosthetic fractures around total knee arthroplasties (TKAs) are well reported, little is known about intraoperative fractures that occur during TKA. Intraoperative fractures during TKA can occur in femur, tibia, or patella. It is a rare complication with an incidence of 0.2% to 4.4%.¼ Risk factors of periprosthetic fractures include osteoporosis, anterior cortical notching, chronic corticosteroid use, advanced age, female sex, neurologic disorders, and surgical technique.¼ Fractures can potentially occur at any stage of the TKA including exposure, bone preparation, placement of trial components, cementation, insertion of the final components, and seating of the polyethylene insert. Forced flexion during trialing increases the risk for patella fracture, tibial plateau, or tubercle fractures especially when there is under resection of the bone.¼ Management guidelines for these fractures are lacking with current options being observation, internal fixation, the use of stems and augments, increasing constraint of the prosthesis, implant revision, and modifying the postoperative rehabilitation.¼ Finally, the outcomes of intraoperative fractures are not well reported in the literature.

Use of abdominal compression device in colonoscopy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Colonoscopy for screening is associated with unpleasant experiences for patients, and abdominal compression devices have been developed to minimize these problems. However, there is a paucity of data supporting the therapeutic benefits of this strategy. This study examined the effects of using an abdominal compression device during colonoscopy on the cecal intubation time (CIT), abdominal compression, patient comfort, and postural changes. METHODS: We searched PubMed and Scopus (from inception to November 2021) for randomized controlled trials that assessed the effects of an abdominal compression device during colonoscopy on CIT, abdominal compression, patient comfort, and postural change. A random-effects meta-analysis was performed. Weighted mean differences (WMDs) and Mantel-Haenszel odds ratios (ORs) were calculated. RESULTS: Our pooled analysis of seven randomized controlled trials revealed that abdominal compression devices significantly reduced CIT (WMD, -0.76 [-1.49 to -0.03] minutes; p=0.04), abdominal compression (OR, 0.52; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.28-0.94; p=0.03), and postural changes (OR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.27-0.78; p=0.004) during colonoscopy. However, our results did not show a significant change in patient comfort (WMD, -0.48; 95% CI, -1.05 to 0.08; p=0.09) when using an abdominal compression device. CONCLUSION: Our findings demonstrate that employing an abdominal compression device may reduce CIT, abdominal compression, and postural change but have no impact on patient comfort.

Association of Electronic Cigarette Exposure on Cardiovascular Health: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Despite the growing use of electronic cigarettes (EC) in the Unites States, particularly among young people, and their perceived safety, current evidence suggests that EC usage may cause adverse clinical cardiovascular effects. Therefore, we aim to pool all studies evaluating the association of EC exposure with cardiovascular health. Medline, Cochrane CENTRAL, and Scopus were searched for studies from January 1, 2006 until December 31, 2022. Randomized and observational studies reporting cardiovascular outcomes, hemodynamic parameters, and biomarkers of platelet physiology, before and after acute or chronic EC exposure were pooled using a random-effects model. Overall, 27 studies (n = 863) were included. Heart rate increased significantly after acute EC exposure (weighted mean difference [WMD]: 0.76 bpm; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.48, 1.03; P < 0.00001; I2 = 92%). Significant increases in systolic blood pressure (WMD: 0.28 mmHg; 95% CI, 0.06, 0.51; P = 0.01; I2 = 94%), diastolic blood pressure (WMD: 0.38 mmHg; 95% CI, 0.16, 0.60; P = 0.0006; I2 = 90%), and PWV (WMD: 0.38; 95% CI, 0.13, 0.63; P = 0.003; I2 = 100%) were also observed. Augmentation index increased significantly (SMD: 0.39; 95% CI, 0.11, 0.67; P = 0.007; I2 = 90%), whereas reduction in flow-mediated dilation (WMD: -1.48; 95% CI, -2.49, -0.47; P = 0.004; I2 = 45%) was observed. Moreover, significant rise in both soluble P-selectin (WMD: 4.73; 95% CI, 0.80, 8.66; P = 0.02; I2 = 98%) and CD40L (WMD: 1.14; 95% CI, 0.41, 1.87; P = 0.002; I2 = 79%) was observed. Our results demonstrate that smoking EC is associated with a significant increase in cardiovascular hemodynamic measures and biomarkers. Our findings can aid policymakers in making informed decisions regarding the regulation of EC to ensure public safety.

Vericiguat for the treatment of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction.

INTRODUCTION: Despite significant therapeutic advancements in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), the residual risk of all-cause mortality and hospitalizations remains high among patients with HFrEF. Vericiguat is a novel oral soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) stimulator which was approved by the US Food and Drug administration (FDA) in January 2021 for use in patients with symptomatic chronic HF and an ejection fraction less than 45% following a hospitalization for HF or the need for outpatient intravenous diuretics. AREAS COVERED: We provide a concise review of the pharmacology, clinical efficacy, and tolerability of vericiguat in HFrEF. We also discuss the role of vericiguat in current clinical practice. EXPERT OPINION: Vericiguat reduces the risk of cardiovascular mortality or HF hospitalizations by an absolute event-rate reduction of 4.2 events per 100 patient-years with a number needed to treat of 24 patients, on a background of guideline-directed medical therapy. Almost 90% of the patients with HFrEF were adherent to the 10 mg dose of vericiguat in the VICTORIA trial with a favorable tolerability and safety profile. Considering the high residual risk that persists in HFrEF, vericiguat has a role to improve outcomes among patients with worsening HFrEF.