Empagliflozin has favourable effect on frontal plane QRS‐T angle in diabetic patients with cardiovascular disease

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Empagliflozin has favourable effect on frontal plane QRS‐T angle in diabetic patients with cardiovascular disease via Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics Empagliflozin treatment is associated with a significant decrease in the frontal plane QRS-T angle (fQRST) in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). However, despite similar antihyperglycemic effect with empagliflozin treatment in patients with and without cardiovascular disease (CVD), the significant decrease in fQRST angle was observed only in patients with CVD and no significant decrease was observed in fQRST angle in patients without CVD. Therefore, as a sign of ventricular repolarization heterogeneity that can be easily measured from a standard 12-lead electrocardiography (ECG), fQRST angle may be a useful ECG parameter in the monitoring of cardiovascular effects of empagliflozin in type 2 DM patients with CVD. Abstract What is Known and Objective Empagliflozin treatment is significantly associated with lower risk of cardiovascular events in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) independent of its antihyperglycemic effect. However, little is known regarding the impact of empagliflozin on electrocardiography (ECG) parameters. This study aimed to investigate whether empagliflozin has favourable effect on frontal plane QRS-T (fQRST) angle, which is an ECG sign of ventricular repolarization heterogeneity, in patients with type 2 DM. Methods We prospectively enrolled 111 patients with known diagnosis of type 2 DM who newly prescribed empagliflozin on top of their standard anti-diabetic therapy. Patients were divided into two groups according to presence or absence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) at baseline and followed-up for 6 months. The impact of empagliflozin treatment on fQRST angle was investigated and patient groups were compared regarding the pre- and post-treatment fQRST angle. Results and Discussion Among 111 patients, 32 (28.8%) had CVD and 79 (71.2%) had no CVD. Empagliflozin treatment lead a significant decrease in the mean fQRST angle throughout the study period and mean fQRST angle was significantly lower at 3- and 6-month follow-up visits compared to baseline values (62° ± 17.4° vs. 57.2° ± 14.8° vs. 50.5° ± 13.6°, p < 0.001 for all dual comparisons). However, despite similar antihyperglycemic effect with empagliflozin treatment in patients with and without CVD, the significant decrease in the mean fQRST angle was observed only in patients with CVD and no significant decrease was observed in the mean fQRST angle in patients without CVD. What is New and Conclusion Empagliflozin leads a significant narrowing in the fQRST angle in type 2 DM patients with known CVD. View on Web

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Anterior implant restorations with a convex emergence profile increase the frequency of recession: 12‐month results of a randomized controlled clinical trial

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Anterior implant restorations with a convex emergence profile increase the frequency of recession: 12‐month results of a randomized controlled clinical trial via Journal of Clinical Periodontology Abstract Objectives To test whether or not the emergence profile (CONVEX or CONCAVE) of implant-supported crowns influences the mucosal margin stability up to 12 months post insertion of the final restoration. Materials and methods Forty-seven patients with a single implant in the anterior region were randomly allocated to one of three groups:1) CONVEX (n=15), implant provisional and an implant-supported crown both with a convex profile; 2) CONCAVE (n=16), implant provisional and an implant-supported crown both with a concave profile; 3) CONTROL (n=16), no provisional (healing abutment only) and an implant-supported crown. All patients were recalled at baseline, 6 and 12 months. The stability of mucosal margin along with clinical, aesthetic, profilometric outcomes as well as time and costs were evaluated. To predict the presence of recession multivariable logistic regressions were performed and linear models using generalized estimation equations (GEE) were conducted for the different outcomes. Results Forty-four patients were available at 12 months post-loading. The frequency of mucosal recession amounted to 64.3% in group CONVEX, 14.3% in group CONCAVE and 31.4% in group CONTROL. Regression models revealed that a CONVEX profile was significantly associated with the presence of recessions (OR:12.6, CI:95%: 1.82-88.48, p=0.01) compared to the CONCAVE profile. Pink aesthetic scores amounted to 5.9 in group CONVEX, 6.2 in group CONCAVE and 5.4 in group CONTROL, with no significant differences between the groups (p=0.756). Groups CONVEX and CONCAVE increased the appointments and costs compared to the CONTROL group. Conclusion The use of implant-supported provisionals with a CONCAVE emergence profile results in a greater stability of the mucosal margin compared to a CONVEX profile up to 12 months of loading. This is accompanied, however, by increased time and costs compared to the absence of a provisional and may not necessarily enhance the aesthetic outcomes. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. View on Web

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Thyroid Surgeries in Asymptomatic Patients

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Thyroid Surgeries in Asymptomatic Patients via JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery Online First In this issue of JAMA Otolaryngology−Head & Neck Surgery, Dr Sajisevi and colleagues report the findings of a retrospective analysis of 1328 patients in 16 centers in 4 countries who underwent thyroid surgery for thyroid pathology in 2019. Patients were classified by the mode of detection of the thyroid findings that led to surgery: endocrinopathic condition, patient-requested screening, clinician-screening physical examination, radiologic serendipity, diagnostic cascade, symptomatic thyroid disease, and under surveillance. The primary outcomes were the mode of detection and the proportion and size of thyroid cancers discovered in patients who were asymptomatic. The authors found that 41% of patients were asymptomatic at the time of the detection of the thyroid condition, while 34% of patients had structural thyroid symptoms at the time of detection. The remaining 25% of patients were either under surveillance for known thyroid pathology, such as thyroid nodules, or had an endocrinopathic condition, such as hyperthyroidism, hyperparathyroidism, or multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome. Of the 1328 cases, 613 (46%) revealed thyroid cancer. The authors also found that 51% of these cancers were in asymptomatic patients, while only 30% were in symptomatic patients. Finally, the mean tumor size was significantly larger in symptomatic compared with asymptomatic patients (3.2 cm vs 2.1 cm). View on Web

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Postoperative Gabapentin's Effect on Opioid Consumption and Pain Control Following Sinonasal Surgery

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Postoperative Gabapentin's Effect on Opioid Consumption and Pain Control Following Sinonasal Surgery via The Laryngoscope Objective This study investigates the impact of postoperative gabapentin on opioid consumption and pain control following endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) and/or septoplasty. Methods Patients who underwent ESS and/or septoplasty at a single institution from 2021 to 2022 were enrolled. All patients received postoperative hydrocodone-acetaminophen for pain control. Half of the patients were also prescribed gabapentin for the first postoperative day in addition to hydrocodone-acetaminophen. Subjects completed the Revised American Pain Society Patient Outcome Questionnaire 24 h and 7 days after surgery. We conducted a multivariable regression analysis to assess opioid consumption and improvement in pain scores in the first week between gabapentin and non-gabapentin groups. Results A total of 102 subjects, 51 in each arm, were enrolled. The mean age was 52 years and 53% of participants were female. Controlling for important baseline demographic, clinical, and surgically related variables, the addition of postoperative gabapentin was associated with a 44% (9.5 mg from 21.6 mg) reduction in opioids consumed in the first postoperative week (B = −9.54, 95% C.I. = [−17.84, −1.24], p = 0.025). In addition, patients in both arms exhibited similar improvement in pain severity and sleep interference in the first 7 days (B = −1.59, 95% C.I. = [−5.03, 1.84], p = 0.36). Conclusion To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the impact of postoperative gabapentin on opioid consumption and pain control following ESS and/or septoplasty. Our analysis demonstrated that postoperative gabapentin effectively reduced opioid use during the first postoperative week without compromising pain control. Level of Evidence 3 Laryngoscope, 2022 View on Web

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Acute toxicity in patients treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy with proton versus intensity‐modulated radiation therapy for nonmetastatic head and neck cancers

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Acute toxicity in patients treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy with proton versus intensity‐modulated radiation therapy for nonmetastatic head and neck cancers via Head & Neck Abstract Background We evaluated if proton therapy is associated with decreased acute toxicities compared to intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) in patients receiving concurrent chemoradiotherapy for head and neck cancers. Methods We analyzed 580 patients with nonmetastatic head and neck cancers. Primary endpoint was any 90-day grade ≥3 toxicity, prospectively collected and graded per CTCAEv4. Modified Poisson regression models were used. Results Ninety-five patients received proton and 485 IMRT. The proton group had more HPV-positive tumors (65.6 vs. 58.0%, p = 0.049), postoperative treatment (76.8 vs. 62.1%, p = 0.008), unilateral neck treatment (18.9 vs. 6.6%, p < 0.001) and significantly lower doses to organs-at-risk compared to IMRT group. Adjusted for patient and treatment characteristics, the proton group had decreased grade 2 dysgeusia (RR0.67, 95%CI 0.53–0.84, p = 0.004) and a trend toward lower grade ≥3 toxicities (RR0.60, 95%CI 0.41–0.88, p = 0.06). Conclusions Proton therapy was associated with significantly reduced grade 2 dysgeusia and nonstatistically significant decrease in acute grade ≥3 toxicities compared to IMRT. View on Web

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Rhinovirus persistence during the COVID‐19 pandemic – impact on paediatric acute wheezing admissions

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Rhinovirus persistence during the COVID‐19 pandemic – impact on paediatric acute wheezing admissions via Journal of Medical Virology Abstract Rhinoviruses have persisted throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, despite other seasonal respiratory viruses (influenza, parainfluenza, respiratory syncytial virus, adenoviruses, human metapneumovirus) being mostly suppressed by pandemic restrictions, such as masking and other forms social distancing, especially during the national lockdown periods. Rhinoviruses, as non-enveloped viruses, are known to transmit effectively via the airborne and fomite route, which has allowed infection amongst children and adults to continue despite pandemic restrictions. Rhinoviruses are also known to cause and exacerbate acute wheezing episodes in children predisposed to this condition. Non-infectious causes such as air pollutants (PM2.5, PM10) can also play a role. In this retrospective ecological study, we demonstrate the correlation between UK national sentinel rhinovirus surveillance, the level of airborne particulates and the changing patterns of paedi atric emergency department presentations for acute wheezing, before and during the COVID-19 pandemic (2018-2021) in a large UK teaching hospital. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. View on Web

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Low compliance to post‐screening recommendations in a family‐based Helicobacter pylori screening and treatment program: A prospective cohort study

alexandrossfakianakis shared this article with you from Inoreader Low compliance to post‐screening recommendations in a family‐based Helicobacter pylori screening and treatment program: A prospective cohort study via Helicobacter Abstract Background Intra-family transmission is an important Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection route. Family-based screening and treatment of H. pylori is a promising strategy. However, limited data are available on patient compliance with post-screening recommendations for such a strategy. Materials and Methods A prospective cohort study of families from six regions in Shandong, China, from July 2021 to February 2022 was conducted. Demographic characteristics, prior testing, and treatment for H. pylori, prior gastroscopy, symptoms, and family history were collected. Infection status of participants was determined using the 13C-urea breath test. Infected participants were recommended to undergo eradication treatment, confirmation testing, and gastroscopy per expert consensus. Participants were monitored for 6 months to record recommendation compliance in a real-world setting. Logistic regression models were used to analyze the factors influencing compliance with the recommendations. Results The study included 1173 individuals from 386 families with the overall infection rate of 36.7%. The recommendation compliance for eradication treatment, confirmation testing, and gastroscopy was 69.3% (271/391), 32.5% (88/271), and 6.1% (19/309), respectively. Factors that increased the risk of lower compliance were male sex (odds ratio [OR], 1.917, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.233–2.981), and living in a non-urban area (OR, 1.954, 95% CI, 1.241–3.074), for treatment recommendations; having more than one infected family member (OR, 2.138, 95% CI, 1.237–3.698), and a lower family income (¥100,000–¥300,000 per year, OR, 7.247, 95% CI, 1.788–29.363; or <¥100,000 per year, OR, 7.294, 95% CI, 1.832–29.042), for confirmation testing recommendations; and being asymptomatic (OR, 3.009, 95% CI, 1.105–8.196), for gastroscopy recommendations. Conclusions Post-screening recommendation compliance for this family-based H. pylori screening and treatment program was unsatisfactory. Further studies focusing on pre-screening education are warranted to improve compliance. View on Web

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