Radiofrequency Ablation Therapy versus Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Naive Hepatocellular Carcinoma (≤5cm): A Retrospective Multi-Center Study.

Purpose: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a micro-invasive treatment for early-stage HCC patients. Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) has also been proven an effective and safe treatment for HCC patients. This multi-center study is to compare the efficacy of computed tomography (CT)-guided RFA and CT-based SBRT in naïve HCC patients with tumor diameters ≤5 cm.

Impact of California's naloxone co-prescription law on emergency department visits, 30-day mortality, and prescription patterns.

Objective: Opioid overdose is a public health epidemic adversely impacting individuals and communities. To combat this, California passed a law mandating that prescribers offer a naloxone prescription in certain circumstances. Our objective was to evaluate associations with California's naloxone prescription mandate and emergency department (ED) overdose visits/hospitalizations, opioid and naloxone prescribing, and 30-day mortality.

Microglia contribute to polyG-dependent neurodegeneration in neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease.

Neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease (NIID) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by the expansion of GGC trinucleotide repeats in NOTCH2NLC gene. Despite identifying uN2CpolyG, a toxic polyglycine (polyG) protein translated by expanded GGC repeats, the exact pathogenic mechanisms of NIID remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the role of polyG by expressing various forms of NOTCH2NLC in mice: the wild-type, the expanded form with 100 GGC repeats (either translating or not translating into uN2CpolyG), and the mutated form that encodes a pure polyG without GGC-repeat RNA and the C-terminal stretch (uN2CpolyG-dCT).

Advantage of whole-mount histopathology in prostate cancer: current applications and future prospects.

Background: Whole-mount histopathology (WMH) has been a powerful tool to investigate the characteristics of prostate cancer. However, the latest advancement of WMH was yet under summarization. In this review, we offer a comprehensive exposition of current research utilizing WMH in diagnosing and treating prostate cancer (PCa), and summarize the clinical advantages of WMH and outlines potential on future prospects.

Reinvent Aliphatic Arsenicals as Reversible Covalent Warheads toward Targeted Kinase Inhibition and Non-acute Promyelocytic Leukemia Cancer Treatment.

The success of arsenic in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) treatment is hardly transferred to non-APL cancers, mainly due to the low selectivity and weak binding affinity of traditional arsenicals to oncoproteins critical for cancer survival. We present herein the reinvention of aliphatic trivalent arsenicals (As) as reversible covalent warheads of As-based targeting inhibitors toward Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK). The effects of As warheads' valency, thiol protection, methylation, spacer length, and size on inhibitors' activity were studied.

Socioeconomic factors associated with uptake and satisfaction with a post-hospitalization meals benefit in Medicare Advantage.

Background: Kaiser Permanente Southern California began offering a 4-week supplemental benefit of home-delivered meals to Medicare Advantage members after discharge from a hospitalization for heart failure and other medical conditions in 2021. The purpose of this study is to explore the associations between socioeconomic disadvantage and food insecurity with patient uptake of and satisfaction with the meals.

Methods: Data for this cross-sectional study were drawn from survey and electronic medical record data for members referred for the meals benefit (n = 6169) and linked to a hospitalization encounter (n = 2254) between January and December 2021.

Association of a Medicare Advantage Posthospitalization Home Meal Delivery Benefit With Rehospitalization and Death.

Importance: The 2018 Chronic Care Act allowed Medicare Advantage plans to have greater flexibility in offering supplemental benefits, such as meals and services, to address unmet needs of beneficiaries with certain chronic conditions. Based on earlier studies of community-based nutritional support, such programs may result in reduced use.

Objective: To evaluate the association of a 4-week posthospitalization home-delivered meals benefit with 30-day all-cause rehospitalization and mortality in patients admitted for heart failure (HF) and other acute medical conditions (non-HF).

Opioid and Naloxone Prescribing Following Insertion of Prompts in the Electronic Health Record to Encourage Compliance With California State Opioid Law.

Importance: Opioid addiction or dependency is a serious crisis in the US that affects public health as well as social and economic welfare. The State of California passed Assembly Bill (AB) 2760 in 2018 that mandates the coprescription of naloxone and opioids for patients with a high overdose risk.

Objective: To assess whether the AB 2760-based electronic prompts were associated with increased naloxone orders for opioid users and reduced opioid prescribing when integrated into the practitioner workflow.

Safety and Effectiveness of Direct Oral Anticoagulants Versus Warfarin for Treating Left Ventricular Thrombus.

Background: Patients with left ventricular thrombus are at high risk for ischemic stroke and systemic embolization. The mainstay of treatment is anticoagulation, but it remains unclear if direct-acting oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are a safe and effective treatment strategy compared to warfarin. We conducted a population-based retrospective cohort study to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of DOACs compared to warfarin in an integrated health system in the United States.

Hospital utilisation in home palliative care: caregiver health, preparedness and burden associations.

Background: Prior studies show that family caregiver factors influence patient outcomes. The purpose of this analysis was to determine the association between family caregiver self-rated health, perception of preparedness and burden at the time of patient admission to home palliative care (HomePal) with downstream patient hospital utilisation and time to hospice enrolment and death.

Methods: Data for this cohort study (n=441) were drawn from a trial testing two models of HomePal.

Effectiveness and Safety of Dabigatran in Atrial Fibrillation Patients with Severe Obesity: a Real-World Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: Direct oral anticoagulants such as dabigatran are the preferred anticoagulant in treating atrial fibrillation (AF) patients due to their effectiveness and safety. Whether this applies to severely obese patients needs to be determined.

Objective: To compare the effectiveness and safety of dabigatran with warfarin among AF patients with severe obesity.

Risk of Obesity Among Children Prescribed Atypical Antipsychotics for Six Months or More.

The study investigates the risk of obesity for young children prescribed an atypical antipsychotic (AAP) for 6 months or more. AAPs are associated with risk of obesity. They are used in children for a variety of psychiatric conditions and are often prescribed off-label.

Comparison of Direct Oral Anticoagulants Versus Warfarin in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation and Bioprosthetic Heart Valves.

There are limited data regarding direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) for stroke prevention in patients with bioprosthetic heart valves (BHVs) and atrial fibrillation (AF). The objectives of this study were to evaluate the ambulatory utilization of DOACs and to compare the effectiveness and safety of DOACs versus warfarin in patients with AF and BHVs. We conducted a retrospective cohort study at a large integrated health care delivery system in California.

Risk of Acute Myocardial Infarction, Heart Failure, and Death in Migraine Patients Treated with Triptans.

Objective: The goal of this study is to determine the strength of association between treatment with triptans and acute myocardial infarction, heart failure, and death.

Background: Case reports in the literature have raised concerns over an association between treatment of migraine headaches with triptans and cardiovascular events. This study aims to systematically evaluate this association in a contemporary population-based cohort.

Characteristics and outcomes of patients with spontaneous coronary artery dissection who suffered sudden cardiac arrest.

Purpose: Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) can cause life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias, but the characteristics and outcomes of this population are not well characterized. We sought to determine the characteristics and outcomes of patients with SCAD who suffered sudden cardiac arrest, whether treated with or without an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD).

Methods: Retrospective cohort study of patients diagnosed with SCAD between 2006 and 2016.

Characteristics and outcomes of pregnant women with cardiomyopathy stratified by etiologies: A population-based study.

Background: Heart failure is an uncommon diagnosis among pregnant women with limited data on this condition. We sought to describe the characteristics and outcomes of pregnant women with heart failure stratified by etiologies of cardiomyopathy.

Methods: This is a retrospective population-based cohort study across medical centers in Southern California in the United States.

Frequency of Utilization of Beta Blockers in Patients With Heart Failure and Depression and Their Effect on Mortality.

Beta blockers reduce mortality and morbidity in patients with heart failure. Early reports linking β-blockers with depression may have limited their use in heart failure patients with co-morbid depression. Although more recent studies have challenged the association between β-blocker therapy and depression, patient and physicians remain concerned.

Statin Adherence and Mortality in Patients Aged 80 Years and Older After Acute Myocardial Infarction.

Background/objectives: The goal of this study was to describe the pattern of statin adherence in older patients, aged 80 years or older; identify factors associated with high adherence; and determine the association between statin adherence and all-cause mortality.

Design: Retrospective population-based cohort study.

Setting: An integrated healthcare system in Southern California.

Characteristics and Clinical Outcomes of Patients With Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection.

Background The goal of this study is to report the characteristics and long-term clinical outcomes of patients with spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) and to identify factors associated with recurrent SCAD . Methods and Results This is a retrospective cohort study that included patients who underwent coronary angiography for evaluation of acute myocardial infarction between 2006 and 2016. Among 26 598 patients hospitalized with a principal diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction, 208 (0.

Risk for appendicitis, cholecystitis, or diverticulitis in patients with psoriasis.

Numerous comorbidities have been associated with psoriasis; however, no studies have considered the relationship between psoriasis and appendicitis, cholecystitis, or diverticulitis. To determine the incidence rate and hazard risk (HR) ratio of appendicitis, cholecystitis, or diverticulitis in patients with psoriasis, we compared psoriasis patients with healthy controls from the Kaiser Permanente Southern California (KPSC) health network. The Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to examine the risk for appendicitis, cholecystitis, or diverticulitis.

Validation of Sonography findings of synovitis and tenosynovitis of hands and wrists in patients with systemic sclerosis.

Objectives: Validating musculoskeletal ultrasound features of the joints and tendons of the hands in a large scleroderma cohort.

Methods: A total of 81 scleroderma patients participated in this prospective, cross-sectional study. Grayscale and power Doppler musculoskeletal ultrasound images of 13 joints and 5 tendons of the wrist and hand were obtained.

Beta-blocker subtypes and risk of low birth weight in newborns.

Beta-blockers are one of the most commonly prescribed classes of antihypertensive medications during pregnancy. Previous studies reported an association between beta-blocker exposure and intrauterine growth restriction. Whether some beta-blocker subtypes may be associated with higher risk is not known.