Role of Systemic Glucocorticoids in Reducing IgA and Galactose-Deficient IgA1 Levels in IgA Nephropathy.

Background: The Therapeutic Effects of Steroids in IgA Nephropathy Global (TESTING) trial demonstrated that glucocorticoid therapy reduced proteinuria and improved kidney outcomes in patients with Immunoglobulin A Nephropathy (IgAN). Galactose-deficient IgA1 (Gd-IgA1) plays a central role in IgAN pathogenesis by promoting immune complex formation. However, the effects of glucocorticoid on pathogenic IgA levels remain unclear.

Consensus on clinical outcome measures for lumbar spinal stenosis: recommendations from the ISSLS lumbar spinal stenosis taskforce.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine through a Delphi process a list of outcomes measures for clinicians to use when assessing individuals with Lumbar Spinal Stenosis (LSS).

Methods: A three-phase Delphi process was conducted by the International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine (ISSLS) Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Taskforce, including two online surveys, two virtual meetings, and three in-person consensus meetings at the ISSLS annual conferences (2023-2025). Participants evaluated and ranked outcome measures for LSS, with final endorsement requiring > 66% agreement.

Zosteriform Primary Cutaneous Marginal Zone Lymphoma-A Case Report.

We report a case of zosteriform PCMZL presenting in a T3-T4 dermatomal distribution not previously described in the literature. Although the varicella zoster virus was not detected in this case, late diagnosis of the acute eruption of zoster or even preceding zoster 'sine herpete' cannot be excluded as antigenic triggers.

The association of pre-neoadjuvant SUVmax and post-neoadjuvant change in SUVmax on FDG-PET with survival after oesophagectomy for cancer.

Background: 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) is currently widely used in staging and re-staging oesophageal cancer after neoadjuvant therapy. The maximal standardized uptake value (SUVmax) is a reproducible parameter that may predict survival. This study aimed to determine the prognostic significance of SUVmax and the change in SUVmax after neoadjuvant treatment (ΔSUVmax) on overall and disease-free survival.

HDL remodeling and enrichment with apoCIII and apoE in Indigenous Australians.

Background: Indigenous Australians have an increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and premature cardiovascular disease. Subpopulations of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) have been associated with increased cardiovascular risk, but HDL composition, size, or function have not been studied in Indigenous Australians.

Methods: The study consisted of 86 non-Indigenous participants, 43 of whom had T2DM, and 75 Indigenous participants, 36 of whom had T2DM.

Association of bushfire-associated air pollution and giant cell arteritis in the Australian Capital Territory and surrounding regional New South Wales.

Background: Giant cell arteritis (GCA) has possible links to environmental factors such as air pollution.

Aims: We examined whether bushfire-related air pollution during the 2019-2020 Australian bushfires was associated with GCA incidence.

Methods: We retrospectively analysed 29 biopsy-confirmed cases (2018-2021) and matched onset dates with air pollutant levels.

Chronic Pain in Parkinson's Disease: Prevalence, Sex Differences, Regional Anatomy and Comorbidities.

Objective: Chronic pain is prevalent among people living with Parkinson's disease (PD). We analyzed data from 10,631 Australian individuals with PD to assess the prevalence, age and sex differences, severity, anatomical distribution, clinical history, and associated factors.

Methods: We analysed data from 10,631 participants with PD enrolled in the Australian Parkinson's Genetics Study (APGS), an ongoing nationwide cohort.

Safety and Efficacy of Angiotensin Receptor Antagonists in Recessive Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa.

Recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB) is an inherited progressive blistering skin disorder caused by mutations in the COL7A1 gene. Chronic wounds lead to cycles of scarring and healing, causing severe functional deformities. Losartan is an angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) antagonist that has been shown to have antifibrotic activity via inhibiting the production of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-B) and has a favourable safety profile in children.

Rural and Remote Acute STEMI Diagnosis and Management: Current Status and Future Directions.

Current European, American and Australasian guidelines recommend revascularisation for acute ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) by immediate or "primary" percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI), or if pPCI cannot be performed within 120 minutes, by thrombolysis followed by rescue PCI. This latter approach, despite its limitations, remains a cornerstone of STEMI care in rural and remote settings, where pPCI is not immediately available, and where one-third of the Australian population live. This review evaluates the current status of thrombolysis and rescue PCI in rural and remote settings, examines the multiple changes that have occurred since its inception, and highlights persisting gaps in knowledge, to provide an up-to-date evaluation of this field, and an outlook for future directions, in this area of ongoing change.

Theranostic porphyrin nanoparticles identify atherosclerosis via multimodal imaging and elicit atheroprotective effects.

Background: Porphyrin-lipid nanoparticles (Por-NPs) have unrealized potential for atherosclerosis. Por-NPs incorporate porphyrin-lipid which permits fluorescence imaging and chelates Copper-64 (Cu) for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. Their outer shell contains a short peptide 'R4F' that enables macrophage targeting and therapeutic effects.

International Magnetic Resonance Imaging Consensus for use in Luminal Crohn's Disease Trials and Clinical Practice.

Background And Aims: Cross sectional imaging is an integral part of evaluating disease activity and complications in Crohn's disease. There remains a need to develop guidance that may be for both clinical trials and clinical practice. This initiative aimed to develop consensus statements for definitions of response and remission, transmural healing, optimal timing for assessing, and evaluation of treatment efficacy in patients with Crohn's disease using magnetic resonance enterography (MRE) in clinical trials and clinical practice.

Enhanced detection of patients with previous COVID-19: superiority of the double diffusion technique.

Background: Persistent pulmonary dysfunction is common after COVID-19, yet traditional assessments using carbon monoxide diffusing capacity (DLCO) alone may miss alveolar-capillary impairment.

Objective: To determine whether combining nitric oxide (DLNO) and carbon monoxide (DLCO) diffusing capacities enhances detection of post-COVID-19 lung impairment and whether summed -scores outperform individual measures in classifying affected individuals.

Design And Methods: We conducted an individual participant data meta-analysis using hierarchical mixed-effects modelling.

A diagnostic challenge: spinocerebellar ataxia type 6 presenting with dystonia and parkinsonism.

Spinocerebellar ataxias (SCA) are a group of hereditary cerebellar ataxias that are autosomal dominant. They often manifest as an adult-onset progressive neurodegenerative disease with predominantly cerebellar features of gait ataxia, nystagmus and dysarthria. SCA6 is a subtype of SCA which has been historically classified as 'pure cerebellar'.

Asia Pacific association of gastroenterology consensus statements on histopathological evaluation of inflammatory bowel diseases.

Background: Mucosal histological activity is increasingly valued as a treatment endpoint in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). In the Asia Pacific region, the utility and acceptability of IBD histology as a treatment endpoint are uncertain due to the heterogeneity of IBD prevalence, resourcing and level of knowledge among practitioners. There is an opportunity to engage clinicians to harmonise histology reporting and collaborate with pathologists in this field.

Myeloperoxidase Luminol Reaction - A Novel Faecal Assay for Predicting Colonoscopy Findings in Patients with Ulcerative Colitis: A Pilot Cross-Sectional Clinical Study.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), including ulcerative colitis (UC), requires non-invasive, convenient and cost-effective biomarkers for disease monitoring. Myeloperoxidase (MPO), a neutrophil-derived enzyme, correlates with intestinal inflammation. This study aims to assess the Myeloperoxidase Luminol Reaction (MPOLR) assay - a novel chemiluminescent-based method for detecting faecal MPO (fMPO) activity, to improve the prediction of endoscopic findings in UC.

What is the role of common sense oncology in the Western Pacific?

Established in 2023, Common Sense Oncology (CSO) is a grass roots initiative uniting cancer clinicians, policymakers, academics, patients and their advocates that calls for a 'recalibration' of cancer care to focus on outcomes that matter to patients. CSO emphasises treatments that substantially improve survival and quality of life, and advocates for equitable global access to effective cancer therapies. This article examines the potential of CSO principles to improve cancer care in the Western Pacific, a geographically and culturally diverse region that shoulders one-third of the global cancer burden.

Pulmonary diffusing capacity and dyspnoea following COVID-19: Insights from multicentre datasets.

Pulmonary complications remain a significant challenge for COVID-19 survivors, necessitating advanced diagnostic approaches for long-term assessment. We present a curated, open-access dataset of pulmonary function measurements-including nitric oxide (DLNO) and carbon monoxide (DLCO) diffusing capacities-in 572 post-COVID-19 patients and 72 healthy controls (filtered from an original cohort of 726 survivors and 126 controls). Collected across eight international centres, the data include demographics, spirometry, lung volumes, and 5-6 s single-breath DLNO, DLCO, and alveolar volume (VA).

Application of the ADEM definition to cerebral attacks of MOG antibody-associated disease.

Background: Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) is a demyelinating syndrome observed in myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) but there are limited data on application of this definition to its cerebral attacks or in adults with this disease.

Methods: We analyzed patients from the Mayo Clinic MOGAD cohort ( = 263) with cerebral attacks. We assessed whether children (<18 years-old) and adults (⩾18 years-old) fulfilled the 2013 ADEM definition.

Nephrotic syndrome associated with Guillain-Barré syndrome and Sjögren syndrome: A case report and literature review.

Rationale: The coexistence of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and minimal change disease (MCD) is extremely rare. GBS is an autoimmune-mediated peripheral neuropathy that can occasionally be associated with renal complications such as nephrotic syndrome (NS). This case discusses a patient diagnosed with both GBS and MCD, as well as Sjögren syndrome kidney injury, focusing on the potential pathogenesis of these conditions and the role of autoantibodies in their development and treatment outcomes.

Spironolactone versus placebo in patients undergoing maintenance dialysis (ACHIEVE): an international, parallel-group, randomised controlled trial.

Background: Patients undergoing maintenance dialysis for kidney failure are at substantial risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. We aimed to establish if spironolactone reduces heart failure and cardiovascular deaths in these patients.

Methods: ACHIEVE was an international, parallel-group, randomised controlled trial done in 143 dialysis programmes in 12 countries.

Exploring patient decision regret following robot-assisted radical prostatectomy: a prospective cohort study.

Introduction: There exists a paucity of evidence within Australia relating to rates and predictors of postoperative decision regret in patients undergoing Robot-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy. This study reports rates of decision regret up to 1 year postoperatively and aims to identify predictors of postoperative decision regret. The secondary aim is to test an association between participant's decision regret with surgical, functional and quality of life outcomes.