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Am J Otolaryngol 2021 Apr 7;42(5):103034. Epub 2021 Apr 7.

West Virginia University, Department of Otolaryngology, Morgantown, WV 26505, United States of America.

Objective: (1) Describe the presenting symptoms and tumor characteristics of patients who are diagnosed with a vestibular schwannoma (VS) with normal hearing or symmetric hearing loss, and (2) report the prospective growth and treatment of each tumor.

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study of acoustic neuroma patients who were found to have a VS and normal or symmetric hearing loss at a single tertiary care academic center from 1999 to 2012. Medical records were reviewed collecting the following information: patient demographics, symptoms, MRI characteristics, and treatment modality. Read More

J AAPOS 2021 Apr 12. Epub 2021 Apr 12.

Purpose: To evaluate the resection-recession procedure on a single muscle for the management of incomitant strabismus using an alternative calculation.

Methods: The medical records of adult patients undergoing combined adjustable resection-recession surgery on a single rectus muscle at one institution from 2008 to 2019 were reviewed retrospectively. Each patient had a full orthoptic evaluation before and at least 10 weeks after surgery. Read More

PLoS One 2021 15;16(4):e0249555. Epub 2021 Apr 15.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.

Background: Preeclampsia is a common obstetric complication. The rate of preeclampsia is increased in twin pregnancies. The aim of this study was to assess the clinical risk factors for developing preeclampsia in twin pregnancies. Read More

J Am Vet Med Assoc 2021 May;258(9):991-998

Objective: To compare the rate of postoperative dehiscence on the basis of intraoperative anastomotic leak test results (ie, positive or negative for leakage or testing not performed) between dogs that underwent hand-sewn anastomosis (HSA) or functional end-to-end stapled anastomosis (FEESA) of the small intestine.

Animals: 131 client-owned dogs that underwent 144 small intestinal anastomoses (94 FEESA and 50 HSA).

Procedures: Medical records were searched to identify dogs that had undergone a small intestinal anastomosis (HSA or FEESA) from January 2008 through October 2019. Read More

Int J Radiat Biol 2021 Apr 15:1-6. Epub 2021 Apr 15.

Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

Purpose: This study sought to ascertain whether there might be an association between radon concentrations and age, gender, histologic type, and tumor stage at diagnosis.

Materials And Methods: Lung cancer cases from different multicenter case-control studies were analyzed, and clinical data were retrieved from electronic health records and personal interviews. A radon device was placed in all dwellings of participants, and we then tested the existence of an association between residential radon and lung cancer characteristics at diagnosis. Read More

Heliyon 2021 Mar 25;7(3):e06573. Epub 2021 Mar 25.

Department of Global Health, Research School of Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.

Tuberculosis (TB) continues to be an important public health issue in Bhutan. This study aims to describe the trend of tuberculosis and investigate factors associated with a unsuccessful treatment outcome in Samdrup Jongkhar District in Bhutan. A fourteen-year (2004-2017) case records in two TB centres of Dewathang and Samdrup Jongkhar Hospitals were reviewed and analyzed to examine trends in case notification and treatment outcomes. Read More

Pan Afr Med J 2021 18;38:51. Epub 2021 Jan 18.

Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), College of Health Sciences (COHES), School of Public Health (SoPH), Nairobi, Kenya.

Introduction: delayed diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection leads to accelerated individual to individual transmission. This study evaluated this aspect of delayed diagnosis among patients visiting Isiolo level four hospital in northern Kenya.

Methods: this was a cross-sectional cohort study conducted during January, 2018-January, 2019 with systematically sampled 172 tuberculosis (TB) patients. Read More

Sci Rep 2021 Apr 14;11(1):8195. Epub 2021 Apr 14.

Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.

This population-based retrospective cohort study investigated the prevalence of myopia among patients with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and evaluate risk factors for myopia in these groups. Records from 2000 to 2012 with at least one year of follow-up from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database were included. This study included 35,538 patients with DM and 71,076 patients without DM. Read More

BMC Pediatr 2021 Apr 14;21(1):172. Epub 2021 Apr 14.

Department of Emergency Medicine, Sengkang General Hospital, 110 Sengkang E Way, Singapore, 544886, Singapore.

Background: Pediatric patients present to Emergency Departments (EDs) with a variety of medical conditions. An appreciation of the common presenting conditions can aid EDs in the provision of pediatric emergency care. In this study, we established the common pediatric diagnoses seen at the general EDs, with reference to a pediatric ED. Read More

J Oncol Pharm Pract 2021 Apr 15:10781552211008223. Epub 2021 Apr 15.

Medical Affairs and Clinical Development, Intas Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Ahmedabad, India.

Introduction: Docetaxel 75 mg/m every 3 weeks for up to 10 cycles is an accepted standard regimen in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). We report our experience with >20 cycles of biweekly nanosomal docetaxel lipid suspension (NDLS) treatment in patients with mCRPC.

Case Reports: Cases with long-term treatment of NDLS treatment in mCRPC patients were identified from the medical records of Jawaharlal Nehru Cancer Hospital & Research Centre Bhopal, India. Read More

J Reconstr Microsurg 2021 Apr 14. Epub 2021 Apr 14.

Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Dongsan Medical Center, Keimyung University School of Medicine, Daegu, Seoul, Korea.

Background:  The posterior thigh-based profunda artery perforator (PAP) flap has been an emerging option as a secondary choice in breast reconstructions. However, whether a PAP flap could consistently serve as the secondary option in slim patients has not been investigated.

Methods:  Records of immediate unilateral breast reconstructions performed from May 2017 to June 2019 were reviewed. Read More

Disaster Med Public Health Prep 2021 Apr 14:1-5. Epub 2021 Apr 14.

Department of Environmental Health Science, School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.

Objective: This paper: (1) explores the real and perceived threats to Emergency Departments (EDs) in addressing infectious disease cases in the US, like measles, and (2) identifies priorities for protecting employees, patients, and others stakeholders through hospital preparedness while streamlining processes and managing costs.

Methods: A case study approach was used to describe the events that triggered an infectious disease emergency response in 1 ED in the southeast. Development of the case study was informed by emergency preparedness literature on Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program processes. Read More

North Clin Istanb 2021 22;8(2):119-123. Epub 2021 Mar 22.

Department of Public Health, Istanbul Medeniyet University Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.

Objective: The objective of this study was to understand the observational relationship between adoption of favipiravir into the national COVID-19 treatment protocol and intensive care unit (ICU) admission rates in Istanbul due to COVID-19.

Methods: Data were harvested from the "Public Health Management System-HSYS," which collate centrally the records of all known cases of COVID-19. The total number of cases, numbers admitted to ICU, and number undergoing intubation were compared between 2 time periods: 11 of March, the date on which the first case in Turkey was confirmed, to 30 of March; and March 30, to 10 of April, 5 days after Favipiravir was introduced into the treatment algorithm when, the records were examined. Read More

AACE Clin Case Rep 2021 Jan-Feb;7(1):57-60. Epub 2020 Dec 28.

Elsie Bertram Diabetes Centre, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Colney Lane, Norwich, Norfolk, United Kingdom.

Objective: To describe the case of a woman with long-standing poorly controlled type 1 diabetes mellitus who developed bilateral Charcot foot while pregnant. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of this condition in pregnancy.

Methods: We performed a retrospective review of physical paper medical records; electronically held laboratory results, including glycated hemoglobin; and imaging reports, including plain radiographs and magnetic resonance imaging. Read More

NPJ Digit Med 2021 Apr 13;4(1):70. Epub 2021 Apr 13.

Division of Nephrology, Department of Medicine, Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) represents a slowly progressive disorder that is typically silent until late stages, but early intervention can significantly delay its progression. We designed a portable and scalable electronic CKD phenotype to facilitate early disease recognition and empower large-scale observational and genetic studies of kidney traits. The algorithm uses a combination of rule-based and machine-learning methods to automatically place patients on the staging grid of albuminuria by glomerular filtration rate ("A-by-G" grid). Read More

J Cardiothorac Surg 2021 Apr 13;16(1):80. Epub 2021 Apr 13.

Heart Center, Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, 9# Jinsui Road, Guangzhou, 510623, China.

Background: This research aims to summarize the findings of the early single-stage revascularization of remnant pulmonary artery in unilateral absent intrapericardial pulmonary artery.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 10 patients with unilateral absent pulmonary artery, in which 7 were right and 3 were left, the median age and mean weight at surgery was 4 months and 5.6 kg, respectively. Read More

BMC Health Serv Res 2021 Apr 13;21(1):329. Epub 2021 Apr 13.

The Water Institute, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.

Background: Environmental health services (EHS) in healthcare facilities (HCFs) are critical for providing a safe, functional healthcare environment, but little is known about their costs. Poor understanding of costs impedes progress towards universal access of EHS in HCFs. We developed frameworks of essential expenses required to provide EHS and conducted an ex-post financial analysis of EHS in a network of medical research and training facilities in Lilongwe, Malawi, serving an estimated 42,000 patients annually through seven outpatient buildings. Read More

BMC Gastroenterol 2021 Apr 13;21(1):164. Epub 2021 Apr 13.

The Second Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 611731, Sichuan, China.

Background: Hydatid cysts are parasitic zoonoses that often occur in the liver. Pancreatic hydatid cysts are very rare and are usually misdiagnosed as pancreatic cystadenomas. At present, surgical resection combined with albendazole administration is the standard treatment for pancreatic hydatid cysts. Read More

Int J Rheum Dis 2021 Apr 13. Epub 2021 Apr 13.

Immuno-Rheumatology Center, St. Luke's International Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.

Aim: Pre-administration screening of active infections is imperative for the safe use of biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, a standardized screening method is lacking. We therefore implemented a novel systematic screening method with a simple predetermined questionnaire on infections and assessed its effectiveness. Read More

J Paediatr Child Health 2021 Apr 13. Epub 2021 Apr 13.

Global and Tropical Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.

Aim: To describe the epidemiology of invasive Salmonella disease in children in the Northern Territory, Australia.

Methods: Design: A retrospective review of invasive salmonellosis cases identified by pathology records and the Northern Territory Notifiable Disease Surveillance System. Case definitions: Those aged 18 years or under, with Salmonella cultured from a usually sterile site, collected in the Northern Territory between 1 July 2005 and 30 June 2015. Read More

Ir J Med Sci 2021 Apr 13. Epub 2021 Apr 13.

Department of Colorectal Surgery, Beacon Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.

Introduction: Colorectal surgery has evolved with the advent of laparoscopic techniques and now robotic-assisted surgery. There is significant literature supporting the use of laparoscopic techniques over open surgery with evidence of enhanced post-operative recovery, reduced use of opioids, smaller incisions and equivalent oncological outcomes. Robotic minimally invasive surgery addresses some of the limitations of laparoscopic surgery, providing surgical precision and improvements in perception and dexterity with a resulting decrease in tissue damage. Read More

BMJ Open 2021 Apr 12;11(4):e047023. Epub 2021 Apr 12.

Department of Global Health, Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development, Amsterdam University Medical Centres, Duivendrecht, The Netherlands.

Objectives: To examine changes in the screening, diagnosis, treatment and management of drug-resistant tuberculosis (DRTB) patients, and investigate the impacts of DRTB-related policies on patients of different demographic and socioeconomic characteristics.

Design: A retrospective cohort study using registry data, plus a survey on DRTB-related policies.

Setting: All prefecture-level Centres for Disease Control in Zhejiang Province, China. Read More

Indian J Tuberc 2021 Apr 26;68(2):210-214. Epub 2020 Aug 26.

Division of Gastroenterology, P D Hinduja Hospital, Mumbai 400016, India.

Introduction: The relationship between the incidence of intestinal tuberculosis (TB) and Crohn's disease (CD) is interesting, especially considering the striking similarity between the two conditions. Some studies from Asian populations suggested that the incidence of intestinal TB decreases when there is an increase in CD.

Aim: To compare the incidence trend between intestinal TB and CD over 15 years. Read More

Glob Health Res Policy 2021 Apr 12;6(1):13. Epub 2021 Apr 12.

Division of Social and Administrative Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol University, 447 Sri-Ayuthaya Road, Rajathevi, Bangkok, Thailand.

Background: In 2016, diarrhea killed around 7 children aged under 5 years per 1000 live births in Burundi. The objective of this study was to estimate the economic burden associated with diarrhea in Burundi and to examine factors affecting the cost to provide economic evidence useful for the policymaking about clinical management of diarrhea.

Methods: The study was designed as a prospective cost-of-illness study using an incidence-based approach from the societal perspective. Read More

J Stomatol Oral Maxillofac Surg 2021 Apr 9. Epub 2021 Apr 9.

Senior resident, Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, the University Hospital of Skåne, 22185 Lund, Sweden. Electronic address:

Introduction: Arthroscopic treatment of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) has traditionally been evaluated with clinical measurements. Additional recordings of patient reported outcome measures (PROM) is expected to make the evaluation more complete. The aim of the study was to evaluate if PROM correlates with clinical follow-up measures after arthroscopic treatment of internal derangement of the TMJ. Read More

Equine Vet J 2021 Apr 12. Epub 2021 Apr 12.

Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, 300 West Drake Road, Fort Collins, Colorado, 80523, USA.

Background: Further development of surgical techniques for equine cervical stabilisation is necessary to make the procedure less technically demanding, reduce complications, and improve outcomes.

Objective: To describe clinical outcomes and owner reports in horses undergoing placement of an interbody fusion device and polyaxial pedicle screw and rod construct for cervical vertebral fusion in horses with cervical vertebral compressive myelopathy.

Study Design: Retrospective case series. Read More

J Thorac Dis 2021 Mar;13(3):1507-1516

Department of Thoracic Surgery and Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, Guangzhou, China.

Background: Several articles have been published about the reorganization of surgical activity during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic but little is known about the operative volume, distribution of cases, or capacity of The Department of Thoracic Surgery to deliver surgical services in the time of COVID-19.

Methods: A retrospective operative logbook review was completed in department of thoracic in a designated COVID-19 hospital. We reviewed and analyzed the operative logbook and discussed our countermeasures during the outbreak. Read More

J Thorac Dis 2021 Mar;13(3):1380-1395

Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, China.

Background: Most evidence regarding the risk factors for early in-hospital mortality in patients with severe COVID-19 focused on laboratory data at the time of hospital admission without adequate adjustment for confounding variables. A multicenter, age-matched, case-control study was therefore designed to explore the dynamic changes in laboratory parameters during the first 10 days after admission and identify early risk indicators for in-hospital mortality in this patient cohort.

Methods: Demographics and clinical data were extracted from the medical records of 93 pairs of patients who had been admitted to hospital with severe COVID-19. Read More