Embolic stroke of undetermined source: A cardiovascular approach to diagnostic uncertainty.

Embolic stroke of undetermined source (ESUS) is a clinical event with an undelineated embolic etiology after the initial stroke workup. Once stroke specialists confirm ESUS, evaluation of rhythm disorders such as atrial fibrillation, specific cardiac pathologies (cardiomyopathy, left atrial cardiopathy, left-atrial septal pouch, aortic or mitral valve disease, cardiac neoplasm, right-to-left shunts, or device-related thrombus), and acquired hypercoagulable states, which may occasionally be related to malignancy, should be performed. While most ESUS patients require appropriate antiplatelet therapy, certain subsets may require oral anticoagulation.

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome in Patients with Lymphopenia: Results from the National Inpatient Sample (2017-2021).

Lymphopenia has been associated with in-hospital, early, and late mortality. We aimed to elucidate differences in baseline characteristics in patients with lymphopenia with and without acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and determine predictors of in-hospital mortality in this patient population. Patients ≥ 18 years of age with lymphopenia were identified in the National Inpatient Sample (2017-2021) and stratified according to ARDS diagnosis.

Impact of diabetes mellitus type-2 on the outcomes following mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER): A meta-analysis.

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) has been linked to unfavorable outcomes in patients undergoing Mitral Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair (TEER). Nevertheless, the literature contains conflicting data. This meta-analysis aimed to assess the impact of DM on outcomes following Mitral TEER.

Baseline characteristics and in-hospital mortality predictors in female patients on venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: Impact of pregnancy.

Background: Venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) is often used for lung rest in critically ill patients, including pregnant patients.

Objectives: We aimed to determine how pregnant and non-pregnant patients requiring VV-ECMO differed from each other and how pregnancy impacted in-hospital mortality.

Methods: We used the National Inpatient Sample to identify a cohort of female patients requiring VV-ECMO from 2016 to 2021, stratified by pregnancy status.

Cardiovascular and periprocedural outcomes of endovascular intervention for acute limb ischemia at experienced urban versus rural centers in the US: national inpatient sample analysis 2016-2021.

Background: Acute limb ischemia (ALI) is a critical vascular emergency marked by a sudden reduction in blood flow to the limb, significantly increasing amputation risk. Revascularization outcomes in urban versus rural areas have not been examined.

Research Design And Methods: The National Inpatient Sample from 2016 to 2021 identified patients with ALI who underwent revascularization.

Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is a feasible option for patients with pregnancy-associated diagnoses who require mechanical circulatory support.

Background: Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) is used in patients with cardiopulmonary collapse, but data regarding its use in pregnancy is limited. We aimed to identify the clinical characteristics and predictors of in-hospital mortality in female patients requiring VA-ECMO, including evaluating the role of pregnancy.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a cohort of female patients aged 19-45 years who required VA-ECMO were identified from the National Inpatient Sample from 2018 to 2021 and further stratified according to presence of pregnancy-associated diagnoses.

Green Endoscopy: A Review of Global Perspectives on Environmental Sustainability of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.

Endoscopic procedures are the cornerstone of intervention in gastroenterology-from evaluating common illnesses to non-surgically managing complex diseases. Expectedly, these procedures are linked to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions globally and contribute significantly to the global climate change crisis. Professional gastroenterology societies globally raise awareness of this evolving crisis and suggest specific measures to appropriately measure the burden contributed by endoscopy units and mitigate the environmental impact of this common clinical practice.

Perioperative outcomes of atrial fibrillation in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement: a national inpatient sample study.

Background: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has transformed the management of patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis who are unfit for surgical aortic valve replacement. Atrial fibrillation is one of the most common arrhythmias observed in patients with aortic stenosis undergoing TAVR. Our study explores the impact of Afib on perioperative outcomes in patients undergoing TAVR.

Predictors for spontaneous pleurodesis in patients with indwelling pleural catheters for malignant pleural effusion: a safety net hospital experience.

Background: Malignant pleural effusion (MPE) affects approximately 150,000 patients in the United States each year and usually signifies advanced-stage cancer. The optimal treatment remains a challenge but indwelling pleural catheters (IPC) offer several advantages and may help achieve spontaneous pleurodesis (SP) in some patients.

Objectives: We aim to investigate the predictors of SP among patients with MPE, particularly in a resource-limited community-based safety net hospital.

FT538, iPSC-derived NK cells, enhance AML cell killing when combined with chemotherapy.

Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived natural killer (NK) cells offer an opportunity for a standardized, off-the-shelf treatment with the potential to treat a wider population of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) patients than the current standard of care. FT538 iPSC-NKs express a high-affinity, noncleavable CD16 to maximize antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity, a CD38 knockout to improve metabolic fitness, and an IL-15/IL-15 receptor fusion preventing the need for cytokine administration, the main source of adverse effects in NK cell-based therapies. Here, we sought to evaluate the potential of FT538 iPSC-NKs as a therapy for AML through their effect on AML cell lines and primary AML cells.

Utilization of Palliative Care in Cardiogenic Shock Patients: A Retrospective Analysis of the National Inpatient Sample Database, 2020.

Cardiogenic shock (CS) is one of the leading causes of death in patients with myocardial infarction, myocarditis, and congestive heart failure. The utilization patterns of specialist palliative care (PC) consultation in these patients are currently unknown. To determine the utilization of PC in patients with CS and the overall comorbidities of that population.

Sex-Based Disparities in Treatment and Healthcare Utilization in Patients with Ulcerative Colitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

: Sex-related treatment disparities are well-documented across various medical conditions, yet their impact on the management of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) remains underexplored. This study aims to investigate sex-based differences in the management of ulcerative colitis (UC), focusing on both medical and surgical approaches and examining whether biological sex correlates with variations in healthcare utilization. : A systematic search was conducted across multiple databases, including MEDLINE (via PubMed), Google Scholar, the Cochrane Library, and ScienceDirect, to identify studies on sex differences in ulcerative colitis (UC) management up to April 2024.

Gamma delta T cells in acute myeloid leukemia: biology and emerging therapeutic strategies.

γδ T cells play an important role in disease control in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and have become an emerging area of therapeutic interest. These cells represent a minor population of T lymphocytes with intrinsic abilities to recognize antigens in a major histocompatibility complex-independent manner and functionally straddle the innate and adaptive immunity interface. AML shows high expression of phosphoantigens and UL-16 binding proteins that activate the Vδ2 and Vδ1 subtypes of γδ T cells, respectively, leading to γδ T cell-mediated cytotoxicity.

Mortality and Outcomes in Cerebrovascular Disease Patients With Emphasis on COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the National Inpatient Sample 2020.

Background COVID-19-related pulmonary complications have been explored extensively in the recent past. There is also a significant amount of literature on the neurological manifestations of COVID-19. However, there exists an unmet need to assess the impact of COVID-19 on patients with cerebrovascular diseases and its role in affecting mortality in such patients.