Prediction of Recurrence of Atrial Fibrillation Post-ablation Based on Atrial Fibrosis Seen on Late Gadolinium Enhancement MRI: A Metaanalysis.

Objectives: This meta-analysis aims to investigate the recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) post-ablation based on the various stages of fibrosis seen in the late gadolinium enhancement magnetic resonance imaging (LGE-MRI).

Methods: Electronic databases were searched using specific terms and identified nine studies that met the inclusion criteria. A total of 1,787 patients underwent LGE-MRI to assess atrial fibrosis before catheter ablation for AF.

Association of Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitors With Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes and Other Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease: A Meta-analysis.

Importance: The cardiovascular outcome in selected populations when sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2-Is) are emerging as standard therapy is not clearly understood. It is important to learn the magnitude of cardiovascular benefit using SGLT2-Is across the select subgroups that include both sexes and multiple age and racial and ethnic groups.

Objectives: To evaluate the association between use of SGLT2-Is and cardiovascular benefits in a prespecified group in a larger sample size using data obtained from randomized clinical trials.

Social Vulnerability Indices as a Risk Factor for Heart Failure Readmissions.

The objective of our study was to use the parameters of social vulnerability index (SVI) to observe their association with the 30-day hospital readmissions in the heart failure population. Data required for analysis were extracted from the electronic medical record. The geographic SVI data was then merged with the clinical data.

Comprehensive evaluation of cardiovascular efficacy and safety outcomes of SGLT2 inhibitors in high risk patients of cardiovascular disease: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: To demonstrate a magnitude of the cardiovascular benefits, concomitantly analyzing the safety outcomes of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor (SGLT2-I) comprehensively, as a class effect in a larger sample size combined from recent randomized control trials.

Methods: We searched electronic databases using specific terms and evaluated 6 efficacy and 10 safety outcomes. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to compare two interventions.

An assessment of race and gender-based biases among readmission predicting tools (HOSPITAL, LACE, and RAHF) in heart failure population.

Background: The objective of our study is to retrospectively investigate if the HOSPITAL score, LACE index, and RAHF scale exhibit any bias based on gender and race in heart failure readmissions.

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study with all adult medical patients discharged with congestive heart failure from 2016 to 2018 from Southern Illinois University School of Medicine Hospitalist service. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was constructed comparing prediction tools (HOSPITAL score, LACE index, and RAHF scale) performance based on gender and race by measuring the area under the curve (AUC).

Man vs. man-made marijuana: A case of drug-induced posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) due to K2, a ynthetic cannabinoid (SCB).

Synthetic Cannabinoids (SCB) are engineered chemical compounds that share a similar chemical structure with the active ingredient of marijuana, delta-9-tetrahydrocanabinol. Although the FDA has not approved the use of SCB without a prescription from a licensed health-care provider, the cost effectiveness and availability of SCB has made it a popular choice among recreational drug users. Manufacture of SCB as a street drug is not regulated.

Pulmonary Blastomycosis: A case series and review of unique radiological findings.

Blastomycosis is a systemic fungal infection which primarily involves the lungs but can disseminate to involve extrapulmonary sites. Current testing that exists includes sputum, urine, serum, and pathological tissue analysis. Radiological testing is often non-specific and highly variable.

Heart Failure Drug Class Effects on 30-Day Readmission Rates in Patients with Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction: A Retrospective Single Center Study.

The pharmacologic management of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) involves far fewer options with demonstrated additional benefit. Therefore, we examined the effect of combination of multiple classes of HF medication in the 30-day hospital readmission in patients with HFpEF. All adult patients discharged with a diagnosis of HFpEF and a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of ≥ 50% reported during the admission or within the previous six months from our institution were retrospectively studied for a 30-day hospital readmission risk.

Late Atrial Thrombus Formation After Percutaneous Patent Foramen Ovale Closure.

Late thrombus formation is a rare complication associated with patent foramen ovale (PFO) closure devices. We report the case of an incidental discovery of large thrombi in both atria 9 months after percutaneous PFO occlusion that required cardiac surgery for thrombi removal. ().

HOSPITAL Score, LACE Index and LACE+ Index as predictors of 30-day readmission in patients with heart failure.

This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of the HOSPITAL Score (Haemoglobin level at discharge, Oncology at discharge, Sodium level at discharge, Procedure during hospitalization, Index admission, number of hospital admissions, Length of stay) LACE index (Length of stay, Acute/emergent admission, Charlson comorbidy index score, Emerency department visits in previous 6 months) and LACE+ index in predicting 30-day readmission in patients with diastolic dysfunction. Heart failure remains one of the most common hospital readmissions in adults, leading to significant morbidity and mortality. Different models have been used to predict 30-day hospital readmissions.

A Rare Case of Isolated and Idiopathic Spontaneous Renal Artery Dissection in a Female Patient on Multiple Medications.

Constituting less than 25% of all renal artery dissections (RAD), isolated spontaneous renal artery dissection (SRAD) is a rare diagnosis that can cause subsequent renal infarction with impairment. The majority of SRAD cases are idiopathic. Management ranges from conservative, medical to endovascular, and surgical repair.

Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole Induced Pancytopenia: A Common Occurrence but A Rare Diagnosis.

Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) is a bacteriostatic antimicrobial medication used for the treatment of a variety of infections and has many reported skin and hematologic side effects. Due to the easy availability and cost effectiveness, TMP-SMX is one of the medications commonly used for treatment of skin and soft tissue in patients with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection. One of the rare hematologic manifestations of TMP-SMX is pancytopenia, which is a reduction in all cell lines.