Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Internist's Post V.1 N.4, The University Of Texas Rio Grande Valley. School Of Medicine, Jian Garcia Cruz, Diana Othon Martinez, Edgar Dorsey Trevino, Eunbee Cho, Barbara Malaga-Espinoza, Roque Mifuji, Martha Solis, Cesar Gutierrez

School of Medicine Publications

No abstract provided.

Association Of Brain Arterial Diameters With Demographic And Anatomical Factors In A Multi-National Pooled Analysis Of Cohort Studies, Victor J. Del Brutto, Farid Khasiyev, Minghua Liu, Antonio Spagnolo-Allende, Ye Qiao, Jesus D. Melgarejo, Vanessa A. Guzman, Kay C. Igwe, Danurys Sanchez, Gladys E. Maestre

School of Medicine Publications

Background and purpose: Brain arterial diameters are markers of cerebrovascular disease. Demographic and anatomical factors may influence arterial diameters. We hypothesize that age, sex, height, total cranial volume (TCV), and persistent fetal posterior cerebral artery (fPCA) correlate with brain arterial diameters across populations.

Methods: Participants had a time-of-flight MRA from nine international cohorts. Arterial diameters of the cavernous internal carotid arteries (ICA), middle cerebral arteries (MCA), and basilar artery (BA) were measured using LAVA software. Regression models assessed the association between exposures and brain arterial diameters.

Results: We included 6,518 participants (mean age: 70 ± 9 years; 41% men). Unilateral …

Brain Health Index As A Predictor Of Possible Vascular Dementia In The Mexican Health And Aging Study 2012–2015, Sara G. Aguilar-Navarro, Sara G. Yeverino-Castro, Silvia Mejia-Arango, Rogelio Moctezuma, Teresa Juarez-Cedillo, Alberto José Mimenza-Alvarado

School of Medicine Publications

To determine the burden of disease among subjects at risk of developing stroke or dementia, brain health indexes (BHI) tend to rely on anatomical features. Recent definitions emphasize the need of a broader perspective that encompasses cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFS) and lifestyle components which can be considered partial contributors to optimal brain health. In this study, we aimed to establish the association and risk detected by a Brain Health Index and the risk of possible vascular dementia (PVD) using data from the Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS) 2012–2015. The MHAS is a longitudinal study of adults aged ≥ 50 …

Genetic Variants For Head Size Share Genes And Pathways With Cancer, Maria J. Knol, Raymond A. Poot, Tavia E. Evans, Claudia L. Satizabal, Aniket Mishra, Muralidharan Sargurupremraj, Sandra Van Der Auwera, Marie-Gabrielle Duperron, Xueqiu Jian, Anderson M. Winkler

School of Medicine Publications

The size of the human head is highly heritable, but genetic drivers of its variation within the general population remain unmapped. We perform a genome-wide association study on head size (N = 80,890) and identify 67 genetic loci, of which 50 are novel. Neuroimaging studies show that 17 variants affect specific brain areas, but most have widespread effects. Gene set enrichment is observed for various cancers and the p53, Wnt, and ErbB signaling pathways. Genes harboring lead variants are enriched for macrocephaly syndrome genes (37-fold) and high-fidelity cancer genes (9-fold), which is not seen for human height variants. Head size …

High All-Cause Mortality And Increasing Proportion Of Older Adults With Tuberculosis In Texas, 2008–2020, Belinda A. Medrano, Miryoung Lee, Gretchen L. Gemeinhardt, Lana Yamba, Blanca I. Restrepo

School of Medicine Publications

Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) elimination efforts must consider the global growth of the ageing population. Here we used TB surveillance data from Texas, United States (2008–2020; total n = 10656) to identify unique characteristics and outcomes in older adults (OA, ≥65 years) with PTB, compared to young adults (YA, 18–39 years) or middle-aged adults (40–64 years). We found that the proportion of OA with PTB increased from 15% in 2008 to 24% in 2020 (trend p < 0.05). Diabetes was highly prevalent in OA (32%) but not associated with adverse outcomes. Death was 13-fold higher in OA compared to YA and was 7% at the time of diagnosis which suggests diagnostic delays. However, once TB was suspected, we found no differences in culture, smear, or nucleic acid detection of mycobacteria (although less lung cavitations) in OA. During treatment, OA had less drug-resistant TB, few adverse reactions and adhered with TB treatment. We recommend training healthcare workers to ‘think TB’ in OA, for prompt treatment initiation to diminish deaths. Furthermore, OA should be added as a priority group to the latent TB treatment guidelines by the World Health Organization, to prevent TB disease in this highly vulnerable group.

A Genetic Association Study Of Circulating Coagulation Factor Viii And Von Willebrand Factor Levels, Paul S. De Vries, Paula Reventun, Michael R. Brown, Adam S. Heath, Jennifer E. Huffman, Ngoc Quynh Le, Allison Bebo, Jennifer A. Brody, Gerard Temprano-Sagrera, John Blangero

School of Medicine Publications

Coagulation factor VIII (FVIII) and its carrier protein von Willebrand factor (VWF) are critical to coagulation and platelet aggregation. We leveraged whole-genome sequence data from the Trans-Omics for Precision Medicine (TOPMed) program along with TOPMed-based imputation of genotypes in additional samples to identify genetic associations with circulating FVIII and VWF levels in a single-variant meta-analysis, including up to 45 289 participants. Gene-based aggregate tests were implemented in TOPMed. We identified 3 candidate causal genes and tested their functional effect on FVIII release from human liver endothelial cells (HLECs) and VWF release from human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Mendelian randomization was …

Insights Into The Radioprotective Efficacy Of Pterocarpus Santalinus L. Aqueous Extract, Eswara N. Hanuma Kumar Ghali, Sravan Kumar Sandopu, Dharmendra Kumar Maurya, Balaji Meriga

School of Medicine Publications

In the present study, we have attempted a comprehensive assessment of the possible radioprotective efficacy of Pterocarpus santalinus aqueous extract (PSAE). All the studied models were gamma-irradiated with prior treatment with PSAE. First, the content of total phenols (4.061 μg/mg gallic acid equivalents), flavonoids (6.616 μg/mg quercetin equivalents), and tannins (0.008 mg/L of PSAE) were determined spectrophotometrically. Second, UHPLC-HRMS analysis was performed to identify the possible radioprotectors. Of those, santalins A & B are known for their usage as natural color in foods and alcoholic beverages identified in PSAE. Treatment was well tolerated with no side effects from PSAE. Later, …

Current Trends And Challenges Of Microbiome Research In Prostate Cancer, Shaun Trecarten, Bernard Fongang, Michael Liss

School of Medicine Publications

Purpose of review: The role of the gut microbiome in prostate cancer is an emerging area of research interest. However, no single causative organism has yet been identified. The goal of this paper is to examine the role of the microbiome in prostate cancer and summarize the challenges relating to methodology in specimen collection, sequencing technology, and interpretation of results.

Recent findings: Significant heterogeneity still exists in methodology for stool sampling/storage, preservative options, DNA extraction, and sequencing database selection/in silico processing. Debate persists over primer choice in amplicon sequencing as well as optimal methods for data normalization. Statistical methods for …

Rising Trends In Metabolically Healthy Obesity In Cancer Patients And Its Impact On Cardiovascular Events: Insights From A Contemporary Nationwide Analysis In The Usa (2016-2020), Vamsikalayan Borra, Akhil Jain, Nithya Borra, Lakshmi Prasanna Vaishnavi Kattamuri, Sidhartha Gautam Senapati, Naga Vamsi Krishna Machineni, Sindhuja Kukkala, Karthikeya Ramasahayam, Kesar Prajapati, Ankit Vyas, Rupak Desai

School of Medicine Publications

Background: Obesity or overweight raises the risk of developing 13 types of cancer, representing 40% of all cancers diagnosed in the United States annually. Given the ongoing debate surrounding the impact of metabolically healthy obesity (MHO) on cardiovascular outcomes, it is crucial to comprehend the incidence of Major Adverse Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Events (MACCEs) and the influence of MHO on these outcomes in cancer patients. Methods: Data of hospitalized cancer patients with and without obesity were analyzed from the National Inpatient Sample 2016-2020. Metabolically healthy patients were identified by excluding diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia using Elixhauser comorbidity software, v.2022.1. After …

The Internist's Post V.1 N.3, The University Of Texas Rio Grande Valley. School Of Medicine, Eunbee Cho, Jian Garcia Cruz, Diana Othon Martinez, Edgar Dorsey Trevino, Ramon Elizondo Romo, Roque Mifuji, Martha Solis

School of Medicine Publications

No abstract provided.

Corticospinal Inhibition Investigated In Relation To Upper Extremity Motor Function In Cervical Spinal Cord Injury, Tarun Arora, Jia Liu, Akhil Mohan, Xin Li, Kyle O'Laughlin, Teale Bennett, Gregory Nemunaitis, Francois Bethoux, Svetlana Pundik, Kelsey Baker

School of Medicine Publications

Objective: Corticospinal inhibitory mechanisms are relevant to functional recovery but remain poorly understood after spinal cord injury (SCI). Post-injury characteristics of contralateral silent period (CSP), a measure of corticospinal inhibition evaluated using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), is inconsistent in literature. We envisioned that investigating CSP across muscles with varying degrees of weakness may be a reasonable approach to resolve inconsistencies and elucidate the relevance of corticospinal inhibition for upper extremity function following SCI.

Methods: We studied 27 adults with chronic C1-C8 SCI (age 48.8 ± 16.1 years, 3 females) and 16 able-bodied participants (age 33.2 ± 11.8 years, 9 females). …

Association Of Variability And Hypertensive Loads In 24-H Blood Pressure With Mortality And Cardiovascular Risk, Jesus D. Melgarejo, Dhrumil Patil, Luis J. Mena, Kristina P. Vatcheva, Jose A. Garcia, Claudia Satizabal, Carlos A. Chavez, Rosa V. Pirela, Sudha Seshadri, Gladys E. Maestre

School of Medicine Publications

Background: Evidence shows that high 24-h blood pressure (BP) variability increases cardiovascular risk. We investigated whether 24-h BP variability relates to mortality and cardiovascular risk due to inherent variability and/or hypertensive loads in 24-h BP.

Methods: A total of 1050 participants from the Maracaibo Aging Study (mean age, 66y; women, 67.2%) underwent 24-h ambulatory BP monitoring and were followed between 2001-2016. To evaluate inherent BP variability, we used average real variability (ARV) as it captures variability among consecutive BP readings. 24-h systolic BP load was the proportion (%) of systolic BP readings ≥130 mmHg during the daytime and ≥110 during …

Role Of Neurocellular Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Response In Alzheimer’S Disease And Related Dementias Risk, Miriam Aceves, Jose C. Granados, Ana C. Leandro, Juan M. Peralta, David C. Glahn, Sarah Williams-Blangero, Joanne E. Curran, John Blangero, Satish Kumar

School of Medicine Publications

Currently, more than 55 million people around the world suffer from dementia, and Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) accounts for nearly 60–70% of all those cases. The spread of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) pathology and progressive neurodegeneration in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex is strongly correlated with cognitive decline in AD patients; however, the molecular underpinning of ADRD’s causality is still unclear. Studies of postmortem AD brains and animal models of AD suggest that elevated endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress may have a role in ADRD pathology through altered neurocellular homeostasis in brain regions associated with learning and memory. To study …

Clinical Efforts Double Disparity For Nonphysician Urim Faculty: Implications For Academic Family Medicine, Stacy A. Ogbeide, Deepu George, Adrian Sandoval, Yajaira Johnson-Esparza, Maria Montanez Villacampa

School of Medicine Publications

With a new definition of high-quality primary care and the shift in nonphysician faculty’s role as core faculty members in family medicine residency programs, new attention is needed on the delineation of clinical efforts and clinical efforts disparities across disciplines (eg, psychology, marriage and family therapy, pharmacy) within departments of family medicine. Additionally, those who identify as underrepresented in medicine (URiM), specifically those who are nonphysician faculty, are dually impacted by the clinical efforts double disparity. This paper examines the current landscape of clinical efforts in academic family medicine for physician faculty and nonphysician faculty as well as discusses how …

Statistical Genetic Approaches To Investigate Genotype-By-Environment Interaction: Review And Novel Extension Of Models, Vincent P. Diego, Eron G. Manusov, Marcio Almeida, Sandra Laston, David Ortiz, John Blangero, Sarah Williams-Blangero

School of Medicine Publications

Statistical genetic models of genotype-by-environment (G×E) interaction can be divided into two general classes, one on G×E interaction in response to dichotomous environments (e.g., sex, disease-affection status, or presence/absence of an exposure) and the other in response to continuous environments (e.g., physical activity, nutritional measurements, or continuous socioeconomic measures). Here we develop a novel model to jointly account for dichotomous and continuous environments. We develop the model in terms of a joint genotype-by-sex (for the dichotomous environment) and genotype-by-social determinants of health (SDoH; for the continuous environment). Using this model, we show how a depression variable, as measured by the …

Ribosomal S6 Kinase 2-Forkhead Box Protein O4 Signaling Pathway Plays An Essential Role In Melanogenesis, Dohyun Jeung, Ga-Eun Lee, Weidong Chen, Jiin Byun, Soo-Bin Nam, You-Min Park, Hye Suk Lee, Han Chang Kang, Joo Young Lee, Dae Joon Kim

School of Medicine Publications

Although previous studies have examined the signaling pathway involved in melanogenesis through which ultraviolet (UV) or α-melanocyte-stimulating hormones (α-MSH) stimuli act as key inducers to produce melanin at the stratum basal layer of the epidermis, the signaling pathway regulating melanogenesis is still controversial. This study reports that α-MSH, not UVA and UVB, acted as a major stimulus of melanogenesis in B16F10 melanoma cells. Signaling pathway analysis using gene knockdown technology and chemical inhibitors, the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)/p90 ribosomal S6 kinase 2 (RSK2) played an important role in melanogenesis. Unexpectedly, LY294002, a PI3K inhibitor, increased melanogenesis …

Dual Functional Magnetic Nanoparticles Conjugated With Carbon Quantum Dots For Hyperthermia And Photodynamic Therapy For Cancer, Mounika Choppadandi, Kondi Soumya, Sumanta Ghosh, Aishwarya Balu, Tanvi Shingote, Srivalliputtur Sarath Babu, Vani Sai Prasanna, Somasundaram Arumugam, Ravichandiran Velyutham, Murali M. Yallapu, Govinda Kapusetti

School of Medicine Publications

The global incidence of cancer continues to rise, posing a significant public health concern. Although numerous cancer therapies exist, each has limitations and complications. The present study explores alternative cancer treatment approaches, combining hyperthermia and photodynamic therapy (PDT). Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) and amine-functionalized carbon quantum dots (A-CQDs) were synthesized separately and then covalently conjugated to form a single nanosystem for combinational therapy (M-CQDs). The successful conjugation was confirmed using zeta potential, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and UV-visible spectroscopy. Morphological examination in transmission electron microscopy (TEM) further verified the conjugation of CQDs with MNPs. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) revealed …

Multimodal 7t Imaging Reveals Enhanced Functional Coupling Between Salience And Frontoparietal Networks In Young Adult Tobacco Cigarette Smokers, Alan N. Francis, Sophie Sebille, Susan Whitfield Gabrieli, Joan Camprodon

School of Medicine Publications

Tobacco cigarette smoking is associated with disrupted brain network dynamics in resting brain networks including the Salience (SN) and Fronto parietal (FPN). Unified multimodal methods [Resting state connectivity analysis, Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI), neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI), and cortical thickness analysis] were employed to test the hypothesis that the impact of cigarette smoking on the balance among these networks is due to alterations in white matter connectivity, microstructural architecture, functional connectivity and cortical thickness (CT) and that these metrics define fundamental differences between people who smoke and nonsmokers. Multimodal analyses of previously collected 7 Tesla MRI data …

Establishing The First Student-Run Clinic To Provide Free Health Care To A South Texas Colonia, John Nicholas Cauba, Andrew B. Callan, Joy Alvarado, Beatriz Tapia

School of Medicine Publications

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine (UTRGVSoM) opened its student-run clinic (SRC) in March 2018 to provide free health care for the residents of Pueblo de Palmas colonia in Hidalgo County. Located along the United States-Mexico border near some of the country's poorest and most medically underserved communities, UTRGVSoM has the unique opportunity to extend quality primary care to those who otherwise would go without. The physical location of the clinic was determined by a partnership with Proyecto Desarrollo Humano, a nonprofit organization within the Pueblo de Palmas colonia. The free clinic, located in the town’s …

A Comparative Analysis Of Positive And Negative Stimuli For Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy: A Pooled Analysis Of Two Studies And A Systematic Review, Arankesh Mahadevan, Vamsikalayan Borra, Lakshmi Prasanna Vaishnavi Kattamuri, Vikash Jaiswal, Ikechukwu R. Ogbu

School of Medicine Publications

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC) is characterized by transient myocardial dysfunction triggered by both negative and positive emotional experiences, known respectively as broken heart syndrome (BHS) and happy heart syndrome (HHS). Despite the scarcity of comparative analyses between HHS and BHS in the literature, our pooled analysis, incorporating two retrospective registry analyses of 1395 TTC patients (57 HHS and 1338 BHS), reveals that while BHS is more prevalent, both conditions exhibit similar clinical presentations and outcomes. Statistical analyses, utilizing binary random effects models, indicate that diabetes mellitus is less common in HHS patients and serves as a predictor for BHS. Furthermore, there …

The Power Of Promotores: Enhancing The Ability Of Medical Students To Provide For And Communicate With Underserved Populations, Jesse Allen, Suzette Jimenez, Ricardo Belmares, Jose Manuel De La Rosa, Nathan A. Holland, Jessica Chacon

School of Medicine Publications

To increase community health knowledge, the El Paso Health Education and Awareness Team (EP-HEAT) was established at Paul L. Foster School of Medicine. The Medical Student Run Clinic (MSRC) emphasizes community health care access. Promotores de salud (community health workers) increase health care awareness and connect predominantly underserved communities with resources. Surveys were conducted to determine how EP-HEAT and MSRC patients’ communication with promotores affected their access to health care and communication skills. Surveys demonstrated that 91% of EP-HEAT members agreed that working with promotores improved their communication ability. All MSRC patients surveyed stated interacting with promotores helped improve health …

Novel Methods Of Identifying Individual And Neighborhood Risk Factors For Loss To Follow-Up After Ophthalmic Screening, Noah Heilenbach, Titilola Ogunsola, Ceyhun Elgin, Dustin Fry, Mina Iskander, Yara Abazah, Ahmed Aboseria, Rahm Alshamah, Jad Alshamah, Gladys Maestre

School of Medicine Publications

Précis

Residence in a middle-class neighborhood correlated with lower follow-up compared to residence in more affluent neighborhoods. The most common explanations for not following up were the process of making an appointment and lack of symptoms.

Purpose:

To explore which individual and neighborhood-level factors influence follow-up as recommended after positive ophthalmic and primary care screening in a vulnerable population using novel methodologies.

Participants

and Methods: From 2017 to 2018, 957 participants were screened for ophthalmic disease and cardiovascular risk factors as part of the Real-Time Mobile Teleophthalmology study. Individuals who screened positive for either ophthalmic or cardiovascular risk factors were …

Brain Artery Diameters And Risk Of Dementia And Stroke, Jesus D. Melgarejo, Kursat Gurel, Cassidy Rose Compton, Minghua Liu, Vanessa Guzman, Stephanie Assuras, Bonnie E. Levin, Mitchell S. V. Elkind, M. Kamran Ikram, Maryam Kavousi

School of Medicine Publications

Introduction: We tested the association of brain artery diameters with dementia and stroke risk in three distinct population-based studies using conventional T2-weighted brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images.

Methods: We included 8420 adults > 40 years old from three longitudinal population-based studies with brain MRI scans. We estimated and meta-analyzed the hazard ratios (HRs) of the brain and carotids and basilar diameters associated with dementia and stroke.

Result: Overall and carotid artery diameters > 95th percentile increased the risk for dementia by 1.74 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.13-2.68) and 1.48 (95% CI, 1.12-1.96) fold, respectively. For stroke, meta-analyses yielded HRs of 1.59 …

The Internist's Post V.1 N.2, The University Of Texas Rio Grande Valley. School Of Medicine, Edgar Dorsey Trevino, Diana Othon Martinez, Jian Garcia Cruz, Eunbee Cho, Roque Mifuji Lira, Martha Solis

School of Medicine Publications

Newsletter of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine - Internal Medicine Residency Program.

Promoting Diverse Perspectives: Addressing Health Disparities Related To Alzheimer's And All Dementias, Gladys Maestre, Carl Hill, Percy Griffin, Stephen Hall, William Hu, Jason Flatt, Ganesh Babulal

School of Medicine Publications

Dementia research lacks appropriate representation of diverse groups who often face substantial adversity and greater risk of dementia. Current research participants are primarily well-resourced, non-Hispanic White, cisgender adults who live close to academic medical centers where much of the research is based. Consequently, the field faces a knowledge gap about Alzheimer's-related risk factors in those other groups. The Alzheimer's Association hosted a virtual conference on June 14–16, 2021, supported in part by the National Institute on Aging (R13 AG072859-01), focused on health disparities. The conference was held entirely online and consisted of 2 days of core programming and a day …

Linking Type And Extent Of Head Trauma To Cavum Septum Pellucidum In Older Adults With And Without Alzheimer Disease And Related Dementias, Breton M. Asken, Jeremy A. Tanner, Lawren Vandevrede, Alexandra Apple, Marianne Chapleau, Leslie S. Gaynor, Courtney Lane-Donovan, Steven Lenio, Golnaz Yadollahikhales, Shannon Lee

School of Medicine Publications

Background and objectives: Cavum septum pellucidum (CSP) is a common but nonspecific MRI finding in individuals with prior head trauma. The type and extent of head trauma related to CSP, CSP features specific to head trauma, and the impact of brain atrophy on CSP are unknown. We evaluated CSP cross-sectionally and longitudinally in healthy and clinically impaired older adults who underwent detailed lifetime head trauma characterization.

Methods: This is an observational cohort study of University of California, San Francisco Memory and Aging Center participants (healthy controls [HCs], those with Alzheimer disease or related dementias [ADRDs], subset with traumatic encephalopathy syndrome …

Human Alveolar Lining Fluid From The Elderly Promotes Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Intracellular Growth And Translocation Into The Cytosol Of Alveolar Epithelial Cells, Angélica M. Olmo-Fontánez, Julia M. Scordo, Alyssa Schami, Andreu Garcia-Vilanova, Paula Pino, Amberlee Hicks, Richa Mishra, Diego Jose Maselli, Jay I. Peters, Blanca I. Restrepo

School of Medicine Publications

The elderly population is highly susceptible to developing respiratory diseases, including tuberculosis, a devastating disease caused by the airborne pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) that kills one person every 18 seconds. Once M.tb reaches the alveolar space, it contacts alveolar lining fluid (ALF), which dictates host-cell interactions. We previously determined that age-associated dysfunction of soluble innate components in human ALF leads to accelerated M.tb growth within human alveolar macrophages. Here we determined the impact of human ALF on M.tb infection of alveolar epithelial type cells (ATs), another critical lung cellular determinant of infection. We observed that elderly ALF …

Use Of Translational Science, Continuous Glucose Monitoring In The Primary Care Setting For Management Of Nesidioblastosis: A Case Report And Literature Review, Karuna Manandhar, Othman Farahneh, Ahmad Damlakhy, Ali Lattouf, Gerardo Munoz-Monaco

School of Medicine Publications

Nesidioblastosis is a term used to describe histologic changes in the pancreatic cell, which are defined by beta cell hypertrophy and the formation of ductoinsular complexes. It is a disease previously most extensively identified in neonates and is a rare cause of endogenous hypoglycemia in the adult population. However, with increasing numbers of gastric bypass surgeries for the management of obesity in recent years, there has been a growing number of populations with post-gastric bypass surgery-related nesidioblastosis. Here, we will present a case of a 60-year-old female with a history of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery who initially presented with …

Vascular Complications And Outcomes Following Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement In Patients On Chronic Steroid Therapy: A Meta-Analysis, Song Peng Ang, Jia Ee Chia, Vikash Jaiswal, Muhammad Hanif, Ananya Vadhera, Sudarshan Gautam, Anuradha Raut, Saira Rafaqat, Vamsikalayan Borra, Harshwardhan Khandait

School of Medicine Publications

Background: Chronic steroid (CS) therapy was reportedly linked to increased vascular complications following percutaneous coronary intervention. However, its association with vascular complications after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) remained uncertain, with conflicting results being reported.

Objective: The authors aimed to compare the rate of vascular complications and outcomes between patients with and without CS use after TAVR.

Methods: The authors conducted a comprehensive literature search in PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases from their inception until 18th April 2022 for relevant studies. Endpoints were described according to Valve Academic Research Consortium-2 definitions. Effect sizes were pooled using DerSimonian and Laird random-effects …

Arrested Pneumatization Of The Left Central Skull Base, Vijay Radhakrishnan, Dhiraj Rajkumar, Sanjay Radhakrishnan

School of Medicine Publications

An adult with a history of head- ache and obstructive sleep apnea presented to their primary care provider with nasal congestion. The patient had no other relevant medical history of chronic illness. The patient also had no history of smoking and was not on blood thinners.