Polypharmacy and drug interactions in older patients with cancer receiving chemotherapy: associated factors.

BACKGROUND: Polypharmacy in older adults with cancer receiving chemotherapy leads to increased risks of drug interactions, translating in potential hazardous health outcomes. This study aims to assess the prevalence of polypharmacy, drug-drug interactions (DDIs), and severe-drug interactions (SDIs) in older patients with cancer. Antineoplastic agents (ANAs) involvement and possible risk contexts (comorbidities with cardiac risk, and high-risk medications) were also analysed. METHODS: Observational study with older adults (≥ 65 years) diagnosed with cancer, who were treated with antineoplastic agents (ANAs); it was conducted in three hospitals from the north of Portugal. Data collection was obtained using self-reports and medical records. DDIs were identified and classified using Micromedex® software. Descriptive and association analyze statistics were performed. Statistical hypothesis tests with p value less than 0.05 were considered significant. All statistical procedures and analysis were performed with R version 4.1.3. RESULTS: We enrolled 552 patients. Polypharmacy prevalence was 88.40%; 76.45% and 56.16% of the patients presented with DDIs and SDIs, respectively. SDIs with ANAs were found in 21.20% of the patients. High-risk medications were associated with a higher risk of polypharmacy, DDIs, and SDIs. Polypharmacy and DDIs were higher in patients with hypertension or diabetes. SDIs were higher in patients with diabetes. CONCLUSION: Polypharmacy, potential DDIs and SDIs were highly prevalent in older adults with cancer. A careful review of the medication administered is necessary to decrease it. These findings warrant further research to optimize medication in this population and decrease problems related to medication, which may lead to emergency room visits and hospitalisations, compromising patient safety and/or ongoing treatments.

Effectiveness of specific scapular therapeutic exercises in patients with shoulder pain: a systematic review with meta-analysis.

Background: Therapeutic exercise has been considered a useful tool to rehabilitate shoulder pain, namely through its influence on scapular dynamics. Accordingly, the effectiveness of scapular therapeutic exercise needs to be explored. The present study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of scapular therapeutic exercises in shoulder pain and to identify the most effective exercise type (focal or multijoint) and ways of delivering them (as dose and progression). Methods: Search was conducted at EMBASE, Cochrane Library, MEDLINE via PubMed, Web of Science, PEDro (Physiotherapy Evidence Database), and trial registration databases. The meta-analysis considered randomized controlled/crossover trials that compared the effect of scapular exercises against other types of intervention in the shoulder pain, shoulder function, scapular motion, and/or muscular activity. The risk of bias was assessed through the PEDro scale. Results: From the 8318 records identified, 8 (high to low risk of bias- scoring from 4 to 8 on the PEDro scale) were included. The overall data, before sensitivity analysis, indicated that the scapular therapeutic exercises are: a) more effective than comparators in improving shoulder function (standardized mean difference [SMD] = 0.52 [95% Cl: 0.05, 0.99], P = .03, I2 = 76%); and b) as effective as comparators in reducing shoulder pain (SMD = 0.32 [95% Cl: -0.09, 0.73], P = .13, I2 = 70%). Subgroup analysis revealed that scapular exercises are more effective in improving shoulder function when the program duration is equal to or higher than 6 weeks (SMD = 0.43 [95% Cl: 0.09, 0.76] P = .01, I2 = 21%) and/or when the maximum number of exercise repetitions per session is lower than 30 (SMD = 0.79 [95% Cl: 0.15, 1.42], P = .01, I2 = 77%). Only 1 study considered scapular motion as an outcome measure, revealing therapeutic exercise effectiveness to improve scapular range of motion. Conclusions: Intervention programs involving scapular therapeutic exercises are effective in improving shoulder function, presenting benefits when performed for 6 or more weeks and/or when used up to a maximum of 30 repetitions per exercise, per session.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of a cardio-oncology rehabilitation framework compared to an exercise intervention for cancer survivors with high cardiovascular risk.

BACKGROUND: A cardio-oncology rehabilitation model among cancer survivors showed superior results comparing to a community-based exercise intervention. However, questions remain about its cost-effectiveness. AIMS: To assess the cost-effectiveness of a center-based cardiac rehabilitation (CBCR) program when compared to usual care encompassing a community-based exercise training (CBET), among cancer survivors with high cardiovascular risk. METHODS: The CORE study was a single-center, prospective, randomized controlled trial; 80 adult cancer survivors with previous exposure to cardiotoxic cancer treatment and/or with previous cardiovascular disease were assigned (1:1 ratio) to an 8-week CBCR or CBET, twice/week. Cost-effectiveness was a pre-specified secondary endpoint. Outcomes included healthcare resource use and costs, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) and cost-effectiveness; incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was computed from a societal perspective. RESULTS: 75 patients completed the study (CBCR N=38; CBET N=37). The CBCR had significantly higher cost per patient (477.76 ± 39.08€) compared to CBET group (339.32 ± 53.88€), with a significant between-group difference 138.44€ (95% CI, 116.82 to 160.05€, p<0.01). A between-group difference by 0.100 points in QALYs was observed, favouring the CBCR (95% CI, -0.163 to -0.037, p=0.002). When CBCR was compared with CBET, the ICER was €1,383.24 per QALY gained; at a willingness-to-pay threshold of €5,000 per QALY, the probability of CBCR being cost-effective was 99.9% (95% CI, 99.4 to 100.0). CONCLUSION: The CORE trial shows that a CBCR is a cost-effective intervention in the management of cancer survivors with high cardiovascular risk, reinforcing the potential benefits of this multidisciplinary approach in supportive care of this specific subset of cancer patients.

The CORE study was a randomized clinical trial including 80 cancer survivors with high cardiovascular risk; an 8-week cardio-oncology rehabilitation framework promoted superior results on cardiorespiratory fitness (peak oxygen consumption) and quality of life, but questions remained about the cost-effectiveness of this option. This study findings suggest that: a center-based cardiac rehabilitation proved to be cost-effective, when compared to usual care encompassing community-based exercise training the value-added of a comprehensive approach delivered in an oncological setting reinforce the potential benefits of including this intervention in supportive care of a specific subset of cancer patients, within existing contemporary cardiac rehabilitation resources and infrastructures.

Endovascular therapy for posterior cerebral artery occlusion: systematic review with meta-analysis.

Endovascular therapy (EVT) is a highly effective stroke treatment, but trials validating this intervention did not include patients with posterior cerebral artery (PCA) occlusion. The aim of this systematic review with meta-analysis was to assess the efficacy and safety of EVT for acute PCA occlusion. PubMed, Scopus, ISI, and CENTRAL were searched for studies assessing EVT in adult patients with PCA occlusion. Outcomes of interest were recanalization, symptomatic intracerebral haemorrhage (sICH), mortality, functional independence, and excellent functional outcome at 90 days. Frequencies and odds ratios (ORs) were pooled using random effect models and heterogeneity was measured using the I2 statistic and explored by means of meta-regression. Fifteen studies were included, all observational. Recanalization rates were high [81%, 95% CI (73-88%)] and sICH rates low [2%, 95% CI (1-4%)]. Heterogeneity was high for recanalization (I2 = 80%) but not for sICH, and not accounted for by any of the moderators tested. Compared to best medical treatment, EVT was associated with higher chances of sICH [OR = 2.04, 95% CI (1.12-3.71)] and no effect in functional independence [OR = 0.98, 95% CI (0.63-1.54)], with a tendency to higher chances of excellent functional outcome [OR = 1.29, 95% CI (0.90-1.86)] and mortality [OR = 1.56, 95% CI (0.84-2.90)]. EVT for acute PCA occlusion is technically feasible but associated with higher chance of sICH. There is no evidence to support this treatment to achieve higher rates of functional independence, but other gains that can impact patients' quality of life cannot be excluded. More studies are required with robust design, better patient selection, and comprehensive outcome evaluation.

Effect of physical exercise on immune, inflammatory, cardiometabolic biomarkers, and fatty acids of breast cancer survivors: results from the MAMA_MOVE Gaia After Treatment trial.

PURPOSE: Physical exercise has positive effects on clinical outcomes of breast cancer survivors such as quality of life, fatigue, anxiety, depression, body mass index, and physical fitness. We aimed to study its impact on immune, inflammatory, cardiometabolic, and fatty acids (FA) biomarkers. METHODS: An exploratory sub-analysis of the MAMA_MOVE Gaia After Treatment trial (NCT04024280, registered July 18, 2019) was performed. Blood sample collections occurred during the control phase and at eight weeks of the intervention phase. Samples were subjected to complete leukocyte counts, cytokine, and cardiometabolic marker evaluation using flow cytometry, enzyme-linked immunoassays, and gas chromatography. RESULTS: Ninety-three percent of the 15 participants had body mass index ≥ 25 kg/m2. We observed a decrease of the plasmatic saturated FA C20:0 [median difference - 0.08% (p = 0.048); mean difference - 0.1 (95%CI - 0.1, - 0.0)], positively associated with younger ages. A tendency to increase the saturated FA C18:0 and the ratio of unsaturated/saturated FA and a tendency to decrease neutrophils (within the normal range) and interferon-gamma were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Positive trends of physical exercise on circulating immune cells, inflammatory cytokines, and plasmatic FA were observed. Larger studies will further elucidate the implications of physical exercise on metabolism. These exploratory findings may contribute to future hypothesis-driven research and contribute to meta-analyses.

Minimal Intervention of Patient Education for Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review With Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of minimal intervention of patient education (MIPE) for reducing disability and pain intensity in patients with low back pain (LBP). DESIGN: Intervention systematic review with meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. LITERATURE SEARCH: We searched the MEDLINE, Embase, CENTRAL, CINAHL, and PsycINFO databases from inception to May 2023. STUDY SELECTION CRITERIA: Trials comparing MIPE, consisting of a single session of patient education, to no or other interventions in patients with LBP. DATA SYNTHESIS: Random effects meta-analysis was conducted where possible. A noninferiority margin of 5 points (0-100 scale) was considered for noninferiority hypotheses. We assessed risk of bias using the revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool (RoB 2), and certainty of evidence using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) framework. RESULTS: A total of 21 trials were included. There were no differences between MIPE and no intervention for effects on disability and pain intensity. There was low-certainty evidence that MIPE had inferior effects on short-term disability (mean difference = 3.62; 95% CI: 0.85, 6.38; 15 trials; n = 3066; I2 = 75%) and pain intensity (mean difference = 9.43; 95% CI: 1.31, 17.56; 10 trials; n = 1394; I2 = 90%) than other interventions. No differences were found for subsequent time points. CONCLUSION: As an intervention delivered in isolation, and without tailoring (ie, one-size-fits-all intervention), MIPE on average did not provide benefits for reducing disability and pain intensity over no or other interventions. We encourage clinicians to consider using additional/other or more tailored treatments when helping people manage LBP. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2024;54(2):1-13. Epub 16 November 2023. doi:10.2519/jospt.2023.11865.

Effectiveness of Neural Mobilisation on Pain Intensity, Functional Status, and Physical Performance in Adults with Musculoskeletal Pain - A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate up-to-date evidence of the effectiveness of neural mobilisation techniques compared with any type of comparator in improving pain, function, and physical performance in people with musculoskeletal pain. DATA SOURCES: The following sources were consulted: PubMed, Web of Science, CENTRAL, CINAHL, Scopus, and PEDro databases; scientific repositories; and clinical trial registers. The last search was performed on 01/06/2023. METHODS: Two reviewers independently assessed the studies for inclusion. We included randomised, quasi-randomised, and crossover trials on musculoskeletal pain in which at least one group received neural mobilisation (alone or as part of multimodal interventions). Meta-analyses were performed where possible. The RoB 2 and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation tools were used to assess risk of bias and to rate the certainty of evidence, respectively. RESULTS: Thirty-nine trials were identified. There was a significant effect favouring neural mobilisation for pain and function in people with low back pain, but not for flexibility. For neck pain, there was a significant effect favouring neural mobilisation as part of multimodal interventions for pain, but not for function and range of motion. Regarding other musculoskeletal conditions, it was not possible to conclude whether neural mobilisation is effective in improving pain and function. There was very low confidence for all effect estimates. CONCLUSIONS: Neural mobilisation as part of multimodal interventions appears to have a positive effect on pain for patients with low back pain and neck pain and on function in people with low back pain. For the other musculoskeletal conditions, results are inconclusive.

Impact of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Treatment on Marital Relationships: Sleeping Together Again?

Objective We assess the impact of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) treatment on the quality of marital relationships. Moreover, we evaluate the proportion of couples sleeping separately before treatment and whether there was any change after treatment began, which is still little explored in the literature. Methods A prospective study was conducted between April 2021 and April 2023, with users diagnosed with OSA in a level 2 hospital in Portugal. A questionnaire was applied before and after the start of treatment to both user and partner, which included questions on whether they slept together or separately, the disturbing factors of sleep quality, and satisfaction with the marital relationship. Statistical analysis was performed using R (version 4.2.2; R Development Core Team, Vienna, Austria). Results Seventy questionnaires were applied, 79% to male users. Forty-one percent of users reported that they slept at least once or twice a month separated from their spouse, and, of these, 41% always slept in separate rooms. The chief complaints of partners not sleeping together were snoring (86%), restless sleep (17%), and witnessed apnea (14%). After treatment, 72.4% started to sleep together again, with a statistically significant difference in the condition before and after intervention. Among all patients, 69% said that their personal lives had improved and, when asked the same question to their spouse, 74% recognized the benefit of therapy. Conclusion Starting treatment positively influenced the quality of the marital relationship of users and their partners, with a statistically significant proportion of couples sleeping together again.

Effects of a Physical Exercise Program on Quality of Life and Physical Fitness of Breast Cancer Survivors: the MAMA_MOVE Gaia After Treatment Trial.

To assess the effects of a group class physical exercise program on health-related quality of life (HRQOL), physical fitness and activity, and safety in early breast cancer women after treatment, a double-phase trial [16-week control phase (CP) followed by a 16-week intervention phase (IP)] was designed. Outcomes were evaluated at baseline (T1), 8 (T2) and 16 (T3) weeks (CP), and 24 (T4) and 32 (T5) weeks (IP). The primary endpoint was global health status. Out of 82 enrolled patients, 37 completed the IP. Global health status decreased (-10,1; 95% CI -19.8 to -0.4; p = 0.040) during the CP and stabilized during the IP. Physical and sexual functioning increased during the IP (p = 0.008; p = 0.017), while cardiorespiratory fitness increased in the CP (p = 0.004). Upper limb strength and lower limb functionality increased during both phases [CP: p < 0.0001, p = 0.001 (surgical and nonsurgical arm), p = 0.028; IP: p < 0.0001, p = 0.002, p = 0.009]. Body mass index decreased in the IP (p = 0.026). Waist circumference increased in the CP (p = 0.001) and decreased in the IP (p = 0.010); sedentary behaviours and moderate and vigorous physical activity did not change. Adherence to 70% of the sessions was reported in 54% of patients. No serious adverse events related to the intervention were reported. In conclusion, the physical exercise program was able to prevent the decline in global health status and to improve other domains of HRQOL and physical fitness. As physical exercise is not the standard of care in many countries, the implementation of group class programs might be an option.

Concentration of inverted repeats along human DNA.

This work aims to describe the observed enrichment of inverted repeats in the human genome; and to identify and describe, with detailed length profiles, the regions with significant and relevant enriched occurrence of inverted repeats. The enrichment is assessed and tested with a recently proposed measure (z-scores based measure). We simulate a genome using an order 7 Markov model trained with the data from the real genome. The simulated genome is used to establish the critical values which are used as decision thresholds to identify the regions with significant enriched concentrations. Several human genome regions are highly enriched in the occurrence of inverted repeats. This is observed in all the human chromosomes. The distribution of inverted repeat lengths varies along the genome. The majority of the regions with severely exaggerated enrichment contain mainly short length inverted repeats. There are also regions with regular peaks along the inverted repeats lengths distribution (periodic regularities) and other regions with exaggerated enrichment for long lengths (less frequent). However, adjacent regions tend to have similar distributions.

Acute kidney injury after endovascular therapy in acute stroke patients: systematic review with meta-analysis.

AIMS: Endovascular therapy (EVT) is a highly effective stroke treatment, but it requires the administration of contrast media which puts patients at risk of acute kidney injury (AKI). AKI is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in cardiovascular patients. METHODS: PubMed, Scopus, ISI and the Cochrane Library were systematically searched for observational and experimental studies assessing the occurrence of AKI in adult acute stroke patients submitted to EVT. Two independent reviewers collected study data regarding study setting, period, source of data, and AKI definition and predictors, the outcomes of interest being AKI incidence and 90-day death or dependency (modified Rankin Scale score ≥3). These outcomes were pooled using random effect models, and heterogeneity was measured using the I2 statistic. RESULTS: 22 studies were identified and included in the analysis, involving 32 034 patients. Pooled incidence of AKI was 7% (95% CI 5% to 10%), but heterogeneity was high across studies (I2=98%), and not accounted for by the definition of AKI used. The most frequently reported AKI predictors were impaired baseline renal function (5 studies) and diabetes (3 studies); 3 studies (2103 patients) reported data on death and 4 studies (2424 patients) reported data on dependency. Overall, AKI was associated with both outcomes, with ORs of 6.21 (95% CI 3.52 to 10.96) and 2.86 (95% CI 1.88 to 4.37), respectively. Heterogeneity was low for both analyses (I2=0%). CONCLUSIONS: AKI affects 7% of acute stroke patients submitted to EVT and identifies a subgroup of patients for which treatment outcomes are suboptimal, with an increased risk of death and dependency.

Reinforcing the valuable role of gastric ultrasound for volume and content assessment: an observational study

Abstract Background Pulmonary aspiration is one of the most important complications in anesthesiology. Assessment of gastric content by ultrasound is a good method to quantify gastric volume and to determine the risk of intraoperative pulmonary aspiration. The aim of this study is to determine the accuracy of the gastric ultrasonography in the qualitative analysis of gastric content, mainly in the analysis of small amounts of liquid content. Methods Gastric ultrasound was performed to 36 patients before upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (UGI), making two longitudinal scans at the epigastric level, one in supine position and the other in right lateral decubitus position, measuring two diameters and the area of the gastric antrum and assessing the content characteristics determining whether it was an empty stomach or contained fluid or solid content. Subsequently, the ultrasound findings were compared with UGI findings. Results Gastric areas were analyzed by the trace and the lengths of the craniocaudal and anteroposterior axes concluding that there are no significant differences between the two methods. No statistically significant difference was found between UGI and US assessment technics. No statistically significant difference was found between the estimated volume by UGI and US. Conclusions Though our study has some limitations, qualitative analysis of gastric content using ultrasound followed by endoscopy enabled the conclusion that there are no differences in the qualitative assessment regarding these two techniques, supporting the important role of point-of-care gastric ultrasound (POCGUS) in the assessment of pulmonary aspiration risk by the anesthesiologist in the perioperative period.

Monthly Follow-Ups of Functional Status in People with COPD: A Longitudinal Study.

Functional status is an important and meaningful outcome in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), although its measurement is not embedded in routine clinical assessments. This study described the functional status of people with COPD using the 1-min sit-to-stand test (1minSTS) over a 6-month period and the examined sociodemographic and clinical characteristics associated with this outcome. Data from a prospective study including people with COPD were analyzed. Functional status was assessed monthly with the 1minSTS over 6 months. Linear-mixed effect models assessed the 1minSTS number of repetitions mean change. One-hundred and eight participants (82.4% men; 66.9 ± 9.5 years) were included. A significantly lower number of repetitions in the 1minSTS over the 6-month period was associated with being female (estimate: −4.69, 95%CI: −8.20; −1.18), being older (estimate: −0.56, 95%CI: −0.77; −0.34), having higher BMI (estimate: −0.55, 95%CI: −0.81; −0.28) and having higher activity-related dyspnea (estimate: −2.04, 95%CI: −3.25; −0.83). Half of the participants showed improvements above three repetitions in the 1minSTS over the 6-month period, independently of their baseline impairment (1minSTS < 70% predicted: 52.5%; ≥70% predicted: 54.4%). To conclude, monthly follow-up assessments were associated with clinically relevant benefits in the functional status of people with COPD. Age, body composition, and activity-related dyspnea were the main predictors of functional status over time. Further research is needed to corroborate our findings and to support the beneficial effects of regular COPD monitoring.

Edaravone for acute ischemic stroke - Systematic review with meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Ischemic stroke is a major cause of death and disability. Despite major advances in reperfusion therapies, most patients don´t benefit from these treatments as the time window for such interventions is limited. Therefore, other treatment options are desirable. Edaravone has been demonstrated in previous studies to reduce neurologic deficits in stroke patients. OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that edaravone reduces functional dependence in ischemic stroke patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials and observational studies comparing edaravone to placebo in adult patients with ischemic stroke. The efficacy outcomes of interest were good and excellent functional outcomes at 90 days, defined as modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores of 0-2 and 0-1 respectively. The safety outcomes of interest were intracranial hemorrhage and mortality. RESULTS: 19 studies were included. Edaravone treatment was associated with improved chances of 90-day good (OR=1.31, 95% CI 1.06-1.67) and excellent (OR=1.26, 95% CI 1.04-1.54) functional outcomes. Mortality was also lower in edaravone treated patients (OR=0.50, 95% CI 0.45-0.56). There were no differences in terms of intracranial hemorrhage. Most studies were observational and performed in Asian populations, especially Japan. Heterogeneity was high for all outcomes but reduced when analysis was restricted to randomized trials. CONCLUSION: Edaravone is a promising treatment for ischemic stroke patients, with a more favorable time window. However, more randomized studies including patient populations outside Asia are required to confirm this hypothesis.

Sex differences in axial spondyloarthritis: data from a Portuguese spondyloarthritis cohort.

BACKGROUND: Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), particularly ankylosing spondylitis was historically considered a male's disease and has been under-recognized in women. Emerging evidence reveals sex differences in pathophysiology, disease presentation and therapeutic efficacy. OBJECTIVE: To identify differences between sexes in a Portuguese cohort of patients with axSpA regarding clinical manifestations, disease activity, functional capacity, patient related outcomes and presence of sacroiliitis on x-ray or magnetic resonance imaging. METHODS: Patients with ≥18 years fulfilling the ASAS- Assessment of Spondyloarthritis International Society classification criteria for axSpA registered in the electronic Rheumatic Diseases Portuguese Register (Reuma.pt) were included in this multicentric cross-sectional study. Sociodemographic data, clinical features and imaging were collected from the first record in Reuma.pt. These variables were compared between sexes using Mann-Whitney test and Chi-Square test. Variables with a significant association with variable sex were considered in the multiple variable analysis to adjust the sex effect on the outcome variables. Statistical analysis was performed with R version 4.0.2 and p <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: A total of 1995 patients were included, 1114 (55.9%) men and 881 (44.1%) women. Men had an earlier disease onset (25.1 vs 28.4, p <0.001), were younger at diagnosis (26.9 vs 30.4, p<0.001) and were more frequently smokers (32.1% vs 15.7%, p <0.001). Comparing to women, men had worse Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Metrological Index scores (4.0 vs 3.4, p<0.001), higher levels of C-Reactive Protein (10.5 vs 6.9 mg/L, p <0.001) and were more often Human Leukocyte Antigen-B27 positive (67.8% vs 54%, p <0.001). In contrast, women more frequently had inflammatory bowel disease (8.8% vs 4.9%, p =0.004), higher levels of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (25.0 vs 21.0mm/h, p=0.003) and worse patient-related outcomes- Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (5.7 vs 4.5, p<0.001), Patient Global Assessment (60.0 vs 50.0, p <0.001) and fatigue (6.2 vs 5.0, p <0.001). DISCUSSION: In this large multicentric study from a Portuguese axSpA cohort, we confirmed sex differences in patients with axSpA. This work brings awareness to these differences, resulting in less underdiagnosis and misdiagnosis, optimizing treatment strategies, and improving outcomes in axSpA.

Descriptive Analysis of Adverse Drug Reactions Reports of the Most Consumed Antibiotics in Portugal, Prescribed for Upper Airway Infections.

Adverse drug reactions (ADR) significantly impact mortality and morbidity and lead to high healthcare costs. Reporting ADR to regulatory authorities allows for monitoring the safety and efficacy profile of medicines on the market and for assessing the benefit-risk ratio. This retrospective study aims to characterize the ADR profile of the most consumed antibiotics in Portugal that are prescribed for upper airway infections and submitted to the EudraVigilance database. The variables were analyzed in an exploratory perspective, through absolute and relative frequencies, with emphasis on serious ADR. A total of 59,022 reports were analyzed of which 64.4% were classified as suspected serious ADR. According to serious ADR, the female sex (52.2%) and 18-64 age group (47.5%) prevail. Health professionals reported 87.8% of suspected serious ADR and European Economic Area (EEA) countries represented 50.8% of the reports. "Skin and subcutaneous tissue connections" (15.9%), "general disorders and administrations site conditions" (12%), and "gastrointestinal disorders" (9.8%) are the prevalent system organ classes. In 4.5% of the reports, patients had a fatal outcome. A periodic evaluation of the safety of the antibiotic should be performed to facilitate the development of guidelines and policies to reduce the frequency of serious ADR.

Effectiveness of neural mobilization on pain intensity, disability, and physical performance in adults with musculoskeletal pain-A protocol for a systematic review of randomized and quasi-randomized controlled trials and planned meta-analysis.

Recent studies show that musculoskeletal conditions contribute significantly to years lived with disability considering the entire global population. Pain and functional disability are the main problems that people with these conditions suffer. Neural mobilization has been shown to be an effective intervention in the treatment of musculoskeletal pain within individual trials, also contributing to improved functionality. Some systematic reviews have been carried out during the last years with the aim of synthesizing the scientific evidence on the use of neural mobilization techniques in the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders. However, they varied a lot in the methodological approaches and, consequently, in the findings and conclusions. Thus, this document is a planned protocol of a comprehensive systematic review with meta-analysis that we intend to carry out to review the scientific literature regarding up-to-date evidence on the use of neural mobilization in the management of people suffering from musculoskeletal pain disorders. The study designs that we will consider as inclusion criteria will be randomized and quasi-randomized clinical trials. The target population will be adults and older adults with musculoskeletal pain. Any controlled trial using any neural mobilization technique as an intervention in one of the trial groups will be included. The main outcomes of interest will be pain, functional status, and physical performance tests (muscle strength, flexibility, and balance). There will be no restrictions on follow-up time or type of setting. The risk of bias of the included studies will be assessed by the RoB 2 tool and the certainty of the evidence will be evaluated using the comprehensive Assessment, Development and Assessment of Assessment Recommendation (GRADE) approach. We intend to present the findings through narrative descriptions and, if possible, through meta-analytic statistics. Trial registration: PROSPERO registration number. CRD42021288387.

COPD profiles and treatable traits using minimal resources: identification, decision tree and stability over time.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Profiles of people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) often do not describe treatable traits, lack validation and/or their stability over time is unknown. We aimed to identify COPD profiles and their treatable traits based on simple and meaningful measures; to develop and validate a decision tree and to explore profile stability over time. METHODS: An observational, prospective study was conducted. Clinical characteristics, lung function, symptoms, impact of the disease (COPD Assessment Test-CAT), health-related quality of life, physical activity, lower-limb muscle strength and functional status were collected cross-sectionally and a subsample was followed-up monthly over six months. A principal component analysis and a clustering procedure with k-medoids were applied to identify profiles. A decision tree was developed and validated cross-sectionally. Stability was explored over time with the ratio between the number of timepoints that a participant was classified in the same profile and the total number of timepoints (i.e., 6). RESULTS: 352 people with COPD (67.4 ± 9.9 years; 78.1% male; FEV1 = 56.2 ± 20.6% predicted) participated and 90 (67.6 ± 8.9 years; 85.6% male; FEV1 = 52.1 ± 19.9% predicted) were followed-up. Four profiles were identified with distinct treatable traits. The decision tree included CAT (< 18 or ≥ 18 points); age (< 65 or ≥ 65 years) and FEV1 (< 48 or ≥ 48% predicted) and had an agreement of 71.7% (Cohen's Kappa = 0.62, p < 0.001) with the actual profiles. 48.9% of participants remained in the same profile whilst 51.1% moved between two (47.8%) or three (3.3%) profiles over time. Overall stability was 86.8 ± 15%. CONCLUSION: Four profiles and treatable traits were identified with simple and meaningful measures possibly available in low-resource settings. A decision tree with three commonly used variables in the routine assessment of people with COPD is now available for quick allocation to the identified profiles in clinical practice. Profiles and treatable traits may change over time in people with COPD hence, regular assessments to deliver goal-targeted personalised treatments are needed.

Reinforcing the valuable role of gastric ultrasound for volume and content assessment: an observational study.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary aspiration is one of the most important complications in anesthesiology. Assessment of gastric content by ultrasound is a good method to quantify gastric volume and to determine the risk of intraoperative pulmonary aspiration. The aim of this study is to determine the accuracy of the gastric ultrasonography in the qualitative analysis of gastric content, mainly in the analysis of small amounts of liquid content. METHODS: Gastric ultrasound was performed to 36 patients before upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (UGI), making two longitudinal scans at the epigastric level, one in supine position and the other in right lateral decubitus position, measuring two diameters and the area of the gastric antrum and assessing the content characteristics determining whether it was an empty stomach or contained fluid or solid content. Subsequently, the ultrasound findings were compared with UGI findings. RESULTS: Gastric areas were analyzed by the trace and the lengths of the craniocaudal and anteroposterior axes concluding that there are no significant differences between the two methods. No statistically significant difference was found between UGI and US assessment technics. No statistically significant difference was found between the estimated volume by UGI and US. CONCLUSIONS: Though our study has some limitations, qualitative analysis of gastric content using ultrasound followed by endoscopy enabled the conclusion that there are no differences in the qualitative assessment regarding these two techniques, supporting the important role of point-of-care gastric ultrasound (POCGUS) in the assessment of pulmonary aspiration risk by the anesthesiologist in the perioperative period.

Enxerto de Bypass de Artéria Coronária Guiado por Angiografia ou Fisiologia: Uma Metanálise / Physiology or Angiography-Guided Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: A Meta-Analysis

Resumo Fundamento: Enquanto a angiografia coronária invasiva é considerada padrão outro para o diagnóstico da doença arterial coronariana (DAC), envolvendo os vasos coronários epicárdicos, a revascularização coronariana guiada por fisiologia representa uma prática padrão ouro contemporânea para a administração invasiva de pacientes com DAC intermediária. Porém, os resultados de longo prazo da avaliação da gravidade da estenose por meio da fisiologia, em comparação à angiografia como guia para a cirurgia de bypass - enxerto de bypass de artéria coronária (CABG), ainda são incertos. Esta metanálise visa avaliar os resultados clínicos de um CABG guiado por fisiologia em comparação a um CABG guiado pela angiografia. Objetivos: Buscamos determinar se os resultados entre um CABG guiado por fisiologia e os de um CABG guiado por angiografia são diferentes entre si. Métodos: Pesquisamos nas bases Medline, EMBASE e Cochrane Library. A última data de busca foi junho de 2020, e todos os estudos anteriores foram incluídos. Realizamos uma metanálise de razão de risco agrupado para quatro principais resultados: morte por todas as causas, infarto do miocárdio (IM), revascularização do vaso alvo (TVR) e eventos cardiovasculares adversos maiores (MACE). Valor de p <0,05 foi considerado estatisticamente significante. A heterogeneidade foi avaliada com o teste Q de Cochran, e quantificada pelo índice I2. Resultados: Identificamos cinco estudos incluindo um total de 1.114 pacientes. Uma metanálise agrupada não demonstrou diferenças significativas entre a estratégia da fisiologia e da angiografia para IM (razão de risco [RR] = 0,72; IC95%, 0,39-1,33; I2 = 0%; p = 0,65), TVR (RR = 1,25; IC95% = 0,73-2,13; I2 = 0%; p = 0,52), ou MACE (RR = 0,81; IC95% = 0,62-1,07; I2 = 0%; p = 1). A estratégia da fisiologia apresentou 0,63 vezes o risco de morte por todas as causas em comparação à estratégia da angiografia (RR = 0,63; IC95% = 0,42-0,96; I2 = 0%; p = 0,55). Conclusão: Esta metanálise demonstrou uma redução nas mortes por todas as causas quando usada a estratégia do CABG guiado por fisiologia. Porém, o curto período de acompanhamento, o tamanho da amostra pequeno dos estudos incluídos e a não-discriminação das causas de morte podem justificar essas conclusões. Estudos com períodos mais longos de acompanhamento são necessários para tirar conclusões mais robustas e definitivas.

Abstract Background: While invasive coronary angiography is considered the gold standard for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease (CAD) involving the epicardial coronary vessels, coronary physiology-guided revascularization represents a contemporary gold-standard practice for the invasive management of patients with intermediate CAD. Nevertheless, the long-term results of assessing the severity of stenosis through physiology compared to the angiogram as the guide to bypass surgery - coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) are still uncertain. This meta-analysis aims to assess the clinical outcomes of a physiology guided CABG compared to the angiography-guided CABG. Objectives: We sought to determine if outcomes differ between a physiology guided CABG compared to an angiography-guided CABG. Methods: We searched Medline, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library. The last date for this search was June 2020, and all of the previous studies were included. We conducted a pooled risk-ratio meta-analysis for four main outcomes: all-cause death, myocardial infarction (MI), target vessel revascularization (TVR) and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). P-value <0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Heterogeneity was assessed with Cochran's Q test and quantified by the I2 index. Results: We identified five studies that included a total of 1,114 patients. A pooled meta-analysis showed no significant difference between a physiology guided strategy and an angiography-guided strategy in MI (risk ratio [RR] = 0.72; 95%CI, 0.39-1.33; I2 = 0%; p = 0.65), TVR (RR = 1.25; 95%CI = 0.73-2.13; I2 = 0%; p = 0.52), or MACE (RR = 0.81; 95%CI = 0.62-1.07; I2 = 0%; p = 1). The physiology guided strategy has 0.63 times the risk of all-cause death compared to the angiography-guided strategy (RR = 0.63; 95%CI = 0.42-0.96; I2 = 0%; p = 0.55). Conclusion: This meta-analysis demonstrated a reduction in all-cause death when a physiology guided CABG strategy was used. Nevertheless, the short follow-up period, small sample size of the included studies and the non-discrimination of the causes of death can largely justify these conclusions. Studies with an extended follow-up period of observation are required to draw more robust and definitive conclusions.