Estimated Effects of Comorbidities on Risk of All-cause Dementia in Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment.

Introduction: Estimating the effects of comorbidities on risk of all-cause dementia (ACD) could potentially better inform prevention strategies and identify novel risk factors compared to more common post-hoc analyses from predictive modeling.

Methods: In a retrospective cohort study of patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) from US Veterans Affairs Medical Centers between 2009 and 2021, we used machine learning techniques from the treatment effect estimation literature to estimate individualized effects of 25 comorbidities (e.g.

Evaluating the Association Between Systemic Treatments for Moderate to Severe Psoriasis and SARS-CoV-2 Infection Outcomes.

Moderate to severe psoriasis is often treated with systemic medications, including traditional therapies (eg, methotrexate, cyclosporine) and biologics (eg, TNF inhibitors, IL-17 and IL-23 inhibitors). These immunomodulating treatments raise concerns about infection risks, particularly during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. However, literature on systemic therapy and COVID-19 outcomes in the United States is limited.

Retrospective analysis of capecitabine maintenance therapy in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Background: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PC) is an aggressive form of cancer treated with chemotherapy regimens such as leucovorin, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), irinotecan, oxaliplatin (FOLFIRINOX), and gemcitabine plus albumin-bound paclitaxel (nab-Paclitaxel). Maintenance chemotherapy is increasingly being studied as an option for patients with a prior response to chemotherapy, prolonged stable disease, and those unable to tolerate the toxicities of traditional chemotherapy.

Objective: Our retrospective analysis aims to evaluate the effectiveness and tolerability of capecitabine as maintenance therapy in patients with PC.

Analysis of Statistics Utilized in Primary Articles in the : A Prelude to Practical Pedagogy in Biostatistics.

BackgroundBiostatistics is an increasing focus in current medical school curricula. This study evaluated the statistical methods utilized in a high-impact factor medical Journal to develop a guide to those statistics that can be applied to facilitate the interpretation of data for practicing physicians, fellows, residents, and medical students.MethodsIn Part 1 of our tandem manuscripts, the 100 most recent primary articles from February 2021 to December 2021 were analyzed from the .

Education regarding opioid prescription within oral and maxillofacial surgery residency programs: a survey study.

Background: The inappropriate use of opioids in the United States continues to pose a significant challenge to public health. For a look into how the next generation of practitioners may be trained, this survey study sought to evaluate the current opioid prescribing patterns among Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS) residency programs in the United States.

Methods: A 16-question survey was sent to 100 residency program directors, with responses from 27 programs.

Inhaled albuterol rapidly decreases whole blood potassium and increases plasma insulin concentrations, with peak effects 30 minutes after administration in cats.

Objective: To characterize the effects of inhaled albuterol on blood potassium and glucose concentrations, heart rate (HR), and plasma insulin levels in normokalemic cats.

Methods: In a prospective, randomized study between June 2023 and January 2024, 20 client-owned cats received albuterol sulfate at a low dose (90 µg) or high dose (360 µg). Blood samples and HR were obtained at baseline and 10 time points after albuterol delivery.

A Practical Guide to Biostatistics Used in the .

IntroductionBiostatistics is an increasing focus in both the United States Medical Licensing exams (USMLE) and medical school curricula. Nonetheless, literature has documented that it is poorly understood among both practicing physicians and physician trainees. Our purpose is to narrow this knowledge gap by offering readers a "how-to" guide that both supplements essential biostatistics knowledge and assists in constructing research projects.

ChatGPT for Univariate Statistics: Validation of AI-Assisted Data Analysis in Healthcare Research.

Background: ChatGPT, a conversational artificial intelligence developed by OpenAI, has rapidly become an invaluable tool for researchers. With the recent integration of Python code interpretation into the ChatGPT environment, there has been a significant increase in the potential utility of ChatGPT as a research tool, particularly in terms of data analysis applications.

Objective: This study aimed to assess ChatGPT as a data analysis tool and provide researchers with a framework for applying ChatGPT to data management tasks, descriptive statistics, and inferential statistics.

Racial disparities in length of hospitalization and systemic medication utilization in patients with psoriasis.

The growing evidence of chronic inflammation and sequelae caused by psoriasis indicates the need for systemic treatment, including biologics and conventional treatments like methotrexate. However, unconscious racial bias may lead to discrepancies in systemic medication prescription. Racial identity is also suspected to affect comorbidity and hospitalization rates in patients with psoriasis.

Evaluation of dermatologic diagnostic ability on skin of colour in preclinical medical students.

Background: Various studies have revealed that there is a disproportionately low representation of skin of colour (SOC) in medical school dermatologic curriculum and board study resources.

Methods: First-year and second-year medical students were emailed an 18-question survey regarding (1) identifying correct diagnoses of dermatologic conditions on either White skin or SOC and (2) their confidence in identifying dermatologic conditions on SOC.

Results: 15% of the images of dermatologic conditions included in the institutional preclinical curriculum show images of patients with SOC.

Trend Analysis of Industry-Sponsored Research Funding and Research Productivity in Orthopaedic Surgery Using the Open Payments Database.

Introduction Orthopedic surgery and industry work together in order to provide optimal patient care. The Open Payments Database (OPD), established in 2013, reports industry payments to physicians. This study analyzes the first five years of industry-sponsored research funding (ISRF) to orthopedic surgeons and examines research productivity's effect on ISRF.

Patient and provider attitudes regarding sudden unexpected death in epilepsy disclosure at a low-resource, minority community health center.

Background: Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP) is a complication of epilepsy responsible for approximately 1 death per 1000 patients. The literature has demonstrated minimal SUDEP disclosure between providers and patients, although patients have consistently reported desire to know about their risk. However, the majority of these studies has been conducted in Caucasian populations which did not seek to include lower socio-economic class individuals.

National Trends in Inpatient Hospital Outcomes of Children with Osteogenesis Imperfecta and the Importance of Extraskeletal Manifestations: A Kids' Inpatient Database Study.

Objective: To investigate the extent of extraskeletal manifestations along with inpatient outcomes and complications associated with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI).

Study Design: This cross-sectional study utilized the Kids' Inpatient Database as a part of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project to investigate inpatient hospital outcomes and management in patients with OI from 1997 through 2016. Data regarding hospital characteristics, cost of treatment, inpatient outcomes, and procedures were collected and analyzed.

Predicting 5-year dementia conversion in veterans with mild cognitive impairment.

Introduction: Identifying mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients at risk for dementia could facilitate early interventions. Using electronic health records (EHRs), we developed a model to predict MCI to all-cause dementia (ACD) conversion at 5 years.

Methods: Cox proportional hazards model was used to identify predictors of ACD conversion from EHR data in veterans with MCI.

Impact of incidental synucleinopathy in mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer disease.

Recent evidence suggests that the presence of α-synuclein Lewy bodies (LBs) correlates with accelerated disease progression in patients with Alzheimer disease (AD) but it is unclear whether this effect is also exerted in the mild cognitive impairment (MCI) phase of AD. We sought to determine whether incidental LB pathology in patients with MCI due to AD is associated with a faster rate of cognitive decline compared to MCI controls without LB pathology. We identified patients within the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center (NACC) database with MCI due to AD and stratified the cohort by the presence or absence of synucleinopathy.

Why Medical Students Pursue Radiology: A Current Longitudinal Survey on Motivations and Controversial Issues in Radiology.

Rationale And Objectives: Radiology is an increasingly competitive specialty. Various current factors influence medical students' decision to pursue a radiology career, including artificial intelligence (AI), remote reading, and COVID-19. This study seeks to determine the decision-making factors of all alumni from our medical school who matched into a radiology residency, and to gather opinions on emerging radiology topics.

Comparing the Accuracy of the Kane, Barrett Universal II, Hill-Radial Basis Function, Emmetropia Verifying Optical, and Ladas Super Formula Intraocular Lens Power Calculation Formulas.

Purpose: To assess the accuracy of five new-generation intraocular lens (IOL) power formulas: Barrett Universal II (BUII), Emmetropia Verifying Optical (EVO) Formula, Hill-Radial Basis Function (Hill-RBF), Kane Formula, and Ladas Super Formula (LSF).

Patients And Methods: This is a retrospective single-surgeon study from a refractive clinic and clinical research center in Draper, UT, USA. The primary outcome measures were mean absolute error (MAE) and median absolute error (MedAE).

Race and Sex Disparities in Lower Extremity Total Joint Arthroplasty: A Retrospective Database Study.

Introduction: Total joint arthroplasty (TJA) is successful in improving health-related quality of life. However, outcomes vary in the literature due to modifiable and non-modifiable factors. Modifiable factors consist of body mass index (BMI), nutrition, and tobacco use.

Anxiety, depression, and concentration in cancer survivors: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey results.

Purpose: We report on prevalence of anxiety, depression, and concentration difficulties and their associations in survivors of cancer in a nationally representative sample up to 25 years after diagnosis.

Methods: Using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 2015 to 2018, participants between the ages of 18 and 79 self-reported on cancer history, symptoms of anxiety, depression, and difficulties with concentration.

Results: Of 10,337 participants, 691 (6.