Association of Dry Eye and Corneal Ulcers With Collagen Vascular Diseases in a Medicare Population.

Purpose: There is a lack of research on the extent to which non-Sjögren collagen vascular diseases affect the ocular surface. This study aims to understand the associations between collagen vascular diseases and dry eye and corneal ulcers.

Methods: This study analyzed a random 5% sample of national Medicare beneficiaries from 2011 to 2015 and included claims for those with collagen vascular diseases and either dry eye or corneal ulcers (n = 2,688,114).

TMVR for the Treatment of Mitral Regurgitation: A State-of-the-Art Review.

Mitral regurgitation is the most common valve disease worldwide. Despite its wide success in inoperable or high-risk surgical patients, transcatheter edge-to-edge repair remains limited by some anatomic features and the not negligible rate of significant residual regurgitation. Transcatheter mitral valve replacement has emerged as a viable alternative that promises to overcome these issues, but its development has been progressing slowly.

Mild cognitive impairment impacts association of functional brain connectivity with cognition in older adults with and without multiple sclerosis.

Cognitive decline is common in multiple sclerosis (MS), although neural mechanisms are not fully understood. The objective was to investigate the impact of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) on the relationship between resting state functional connectivity (RSFC) and cognitive function in older adults with multiple sclerosis (OAMS) and age matched healthy controls. Participants underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans and cognitive assessments.

Mpox Awareness and Vaccine Acceptability among Transgender Women and Men who have Sex with Men in India: Predictors and Implications for Outbreak Preparedness.

Background: Men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW) are at elevated mpox risk; vaccination can greatly reduce that risk. We assessed mpox awareness and vaccine acceptability among MSM and TGW.

Methods: In 2022, hybrid-mode (offline/online) surveys were administered among 250 MSM and 251 TGW in Chennai, India.

Trans-Atlantic analysis of gender representation in general thoracic surgery: Challenges permeate the academic community.

Objective: The underrepresentation of women in thoracic surgery has been well described worldwide. Women can serve as role models for trainees and advance their careers through academic appointments, leadership positions, and involvement in thoracic societies. We aimed to characterize differences between representation of women in thoracic surgery in the United States and Europe.

Management and outcomes of asymptomatic carotid stenosis in octogenarians and nonagenarians.

As medicine evolves and life expectancy increases, octogenarians and nonagenarians represent growing populations that are at increased risk of ischemic stroke from asymptomatic carotid stenosis (ACS). Despite the significant disability and mortality that results from stroke in older adults, there are few data on the management of ACS in this population to inform clinical practice guidelines. The authors sought to assess the current body of literature on the management and outcomes of ACS in older adults.

U.S. states opting out of expanded methadone take-home policies and associated mortality.

Background: Historically, federal regulations limited take-home methadone doses largely due to concerns about methadone-related overdose. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, an emergency federal policy in March 2020 permitted states to expand take-home methadone doses. Our objective was to utilize state-level variation in take-home expansion to compare changes in methadone related overdose death rates among states that opted into and then out of expanded take-home dosing with states that opted into and continued the policy.

Hispanic/Latino ethnic background and genetic ancestry in relation to atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk estimation: Findings from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA).

Background: Hispanics/Latinos are a heterogenous population with no validated atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk estimation tool. We examined performance of the pooled cohort equation (PCE) across Hispanic/Latino background groups and quantiles of African, Amerindian, and European genetic ancestry.

Methods: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) was used to evaluate the performance of the non-Hispanic Black (NHB) and non-Hispanic White (NHW) PCE defined by predicted to observed (P/O) ratios of 10-year ASCVD events.

The first described case of infection in humans: A heart transplant recipient diagnosed by fungal PCR.

Immunocompromised individuals are susceptible to cutaneous mycoses, often following skin trauma. Although infections by , , , , and are well-documented, human infection by unusual basidiomycetes is rarely reported. We describe a 69-year-old heart transplant recipient with a cutaneous nodule that was surgically excised and identified via fungal PCR as , a basidiomycete not previously implicated in human disease.

Rationale and Design of the Comparative Effectiveness of ICD Versus Non-ICD Therapy in Contemporary Heart Failure Patients at a Low Risk for Arrhythmic Death (CONTEMP-ICD) trial.

Background: Current recommendations for a prophylactic (primary prevention) implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) in patients with both ischemic and non-ischemic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) originate from clinical trials conducted in selected patients over 20 years ago that showed an overall statistically significant survival benefit associated with a primary prevention ICD in the range of 23%-34%. The recent introduction of angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitors [ARNI] and sodium glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors [SGLT2i]) was shown to further reduce the risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in patients with HFrEF. Thus, there is an unmet need appropriately designed comparative effectiveness clinical trials aimed to reassess the survival benefit of a primary prevention ICD in contemporary patients with HFrEF.

Effect of early versus delayed middle meningeal artery embolization on clinical outcomes in chronic subdural hematoma: A propensity score-matched cohort study.

Background: Chronic subdural hematoma (cSDH) is a common neurosurgical condition with a high recurrence rate following surgical evacuation. Middle meningeal artery embolization (MMAE) has emerged as an adjunctive or standalone treatment, but the optimal timing of embolization remains unclear. We evaluated whether early MMAE (≤2 days) versus delayed MMAE (3-7 days) is associated with improved clinical outcomes.

The effect of 0.5 mg dose of colchicine on clinical outcomes in patients with acute myocardial infarction: An updated meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background: Inflammation plays a critical role in the progression of atherosclerosis, and the anti-inflammatory effects on clinical outcomes of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) are still uncertain.

Objectives: We aimed to study the effects of a 0.5 mg dose of colchicine on clinical outcomes following AMI.

Laparoscopic Intraperitoneal Onlay Mesh Versus Robotic Retromuscular for Small- and Medium-Sized Ventral Hernia Repair: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

This study aims to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare the laparoscopic intraperitoneal onlay mesh (IPOM) versus the robotic retromuscular (RM) techniques and their respective outcomes for small and medium-sized ventral hernia repair. A comprehensive online search was conducted using PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase. Studies comparing laparoscopic IPOM to robotic RM techniques were included.

Drug-Coated Balloons Versus Drug-Eluting Stents for De Novo Ostial Left Circumflex Lesions: The International Multicenter DCB-CIRCO Registry.

Background: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with drug-eluting stents (DES) on ostial left circumflex (oLCx) is associated with a high rate of adverse events.

Aims: This study aims to compare drug-coated balloons (DCB) and DES in the treatment of oLCx lesions.

Methods: Consecutive patients undergoing DCB-PCI of de novo oLCx lesions (isolated or in the context of a distal left main bifurcation) in eight international centers from 2018 to 2023 were retrospectively enrolled and compared with a historical cohort of patients who received PCI with DES.

Balloon-Expandable Myval Octacor Versus Self-Expanding Evolut PRO/PRO+ and Acurate Neo2: Short-Term Outcomes From Propensity-Matched Analysis.

Background: With transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) now extending to lower-risk and younger patients, optimizing procedural and hemodynamic outcomes is critical. The Myval Octacor, a new balloon-expandable valve (BEV), was developed to improve outcomes by reducing paravalvular regurgitation (PVL), minimizing pacemaker implantation (PPI) rates, and enhancing hemodynamic performance. However, limited data are available comparing Myval Octacor to contemporary self-expanding supra-annular valves (SEVs) Evolut PRO/PRO+ and Acurate Neo2.

Clinical outcomes and independently adjudicated results of M2 aspiration thrombectomy: a subgroup analysis from the Imperative Trial.

Background: The ESCAPE-MeVO (Endovascular Treatment to Improve Outcomes for Medium Vessel Occlusions) and DISTAL (Endovascular Therapy plus Best Medical Treatment vs Best Medical Treatment Alone for Medium Vessel Occlusion Stroke) trials failed to demonstrate the superiority of endovascular thrombectomy over best medical management for medium and small vessel occlusions. Potential limitations of these trials include older patient populations, lower presenting National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores, higher rates of premorbid disability, delayed revascularization times, inclusion of both medium and small vessel occlusions, and widespread use of stent retrievers. Here we present M2 occlusion data from the Imperative Trial, evaluating aspiration thrombectomy with the Zoom System.

Prospective assessment of prognostic significance of malignant peritoneal cytology in endometrial cancer: An NRG Oncology / Gynecologic Oncology Group study on GOG-210 protocol.

Objective: To examine the association between malignant peritoneal cytology and survival outcomes in endometrial cancer.

Methods: This was an ancillary analysis of prospectively collected surgical-pathological data in the NRG Oncology / Gynecologic Oncology Group study on GOG-210 protocol. The study population included 2383 patients with stage I-III endometrial cancer from 2003 to 2011.

Health-Care Leadership and Orthopaedic Surgeons: Exploring the Value of an Advanced Degree.

As the field of health care continues to evolve, it requires physician leaders who are not only clinically strong but also knowledgeable in business, public health, health-care administration, and medical law. In this article, we investigate the benefits and challenges of pursuing advanced graduate-level education for orthopaedic surgeons. Advanced training can assist clinicians in the development of leadership skills and career advancement opportunities and deepen their understanding of the modern complexities of health-care systems.

Screening Mammography Utilization among Transgender and Gender Diverse Individuals: Insights from a Large Single Institution Center.

Background: Few consensus guidelines exist regarding screening mammography recommendations for transgender and gender diverse (TGD) individuals.

Objective: Our study aimed to assess the utilization of screening mammograms in a large cohort of TGD individuals at a single institution and the factors influencing mammogram uptake.

Design: Retrospective cross-sectional study.