Gender Parity in Geriatrics Editorial Boards.

Gender equality, with an emphasis on female education, has been designated by the United Nations as one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to be completed by 2030, since gender disparity is a major impediment to scientific and economic progress. This study was carried out in an effort to address the gender gaps that can be seen in academic and scientific publications. The purpose of this study is to describe the gender distribution of editorial board members and editors-in-chief across geriatrics journals with high impact factors. Clarivate Journal Citation Reports (JCR) 2021 were used to guide the selection of geriatric and gerontology journals utilizing Scopus All Science Journal Classification Codes. The genders of the editors-in-chief and editorial board members were determined and analyzed using publicly accessible data. A total of 47 geriatric journals with an average impact factor of 4.27 were examined. Of the 65 editors-in-chief, 21 (32%) were women, whereas 876 female editorial members were found out of a total of 2414, which constitutes 36% in total. Despite making up 60% of the geriatric medical workforce, women are still underrepresented on editorial boards and as chief editors in well-known geriatric periodicals.

Use of Antimicrobial-Coated Catheters in Preventing Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections and Bacteriuria: A Meta-Analysis for Clinicians.

INTRODUCTION: Catheter-associated urinary tract infections comprise a significant burden to the health care system and are of major concern for indwelling catheter use. Catheter coatings have been studied for their potential to reduce risk of infection. The purpose of this meta-analysis is to determine the efficacy of coated catheters across clinical studies in preventing these common nosocomial infections. METHODS: Searches were conducted on PubMed Central® and ScienceDirect using the terms "catheter," "urinary tract infection" and "coated" or "antimicrobial." Articles included were prospective randomized clinical studies of coated (experimental) vs uncoated (control) catheters published in English between the years 2000 and 2020. Results from included studies were analyzed using Fisher's exact test and conditional logistic regression. RESULTS: Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Tested urinary catheter coatings include silver, silver salt, nitrofurazone and metal-alloy. Conditional logistic regression (p <0.001) shows statistically significant negative association between coated catheter use and the incidence of catheter-associated urinary tract infections. The odds ratio of 0.80 and 95% confidence interval (0.74, 0.88) support protective effect of catheter coatings. CONCLUSIONS: Meta-analysis demonstrates a negative association of coated catheter and incidence of catheter-associated urinary tract infections, supporting that antimicrobial catheter coatings decreases incidence of infection across studies. Further clinical research is recommended to determine the potential for catheter coating adoption in clinical practice to reduce catheter-associated urinary tract infection risk and incidence.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) laser ablation treatment of a peri-urethral genital wart: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Visible genital warts are caused by the nearly 100 recognized strains of human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV infections caused by high-risk strains are associated with significant morbidity and mortality rates. Genital warts are diagnosed by visual inspection and treated by three major methods: topical agents, systemic agents, and surgical therapies. CO2 laser ablation is the best treatment option for warts that present as refractory, thick, extensive lesions. CO2 ablation offers benefits such as a painless procedure, increased clearance rate, lesser side-effects and decreased pain. CASE PRESENTATION: An 18-year old patient was referred to the obstetric/gynecology clinic and presented with severe urinary complications. She complained of dysuria, frequency, vaginal irritation, and spraying while voiding. Physical exam was within normal limits; however, genital examination revealed a 3 cm fungating mass corresponding to a large genital wart at the urethral meatus and peri-urethral area. Due to her progressing symptomatology, CO2 laser ablation therapy was advised. DISCUSSION: HPV directly impacts the public health system, affecting 1% of the US population with an estimated 10-20% prevalence rate. Treatment options such as CO2 laser ablation offers complete removal for most patients with limited side-effects. Accurate follow-up is necessary to monitor proper recovery. CONCLUSION: CO2 laser ablation is considered an effective form of therapy in cases where immediate removal is desired and surgical excision is not recommended. CO2 laser ablation provides high clearance rates and minimal instances of recurrence, as well as superior aesthetic outcome.