Annals of medicine
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Opioid overdoses have continued to increase at higher rates among Black Americans compared to people from other racial groups. Despite demonstrated effectiveness of MOUD in reducing risk of opioid overdose, Black Americans face decreased access to and uptake of MOUD. The current study aimed to examine the knowledge, perceptions, and experiences with MOUD among a sample of Black adults who use prescription opioids nonmedically in order to inform tailored efforts to improve MOUD uptake. ⋯ Findings indicate a significant knowledge gap and clear points of intervention for improving MOUD uptake. Interventions to improve communication of health information in ways that are culturally relevant and tailored by age group can be used in conjunction with efforts to improve MOUD access among Black individuals who use opioids nonmedically.
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A large proportion of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) experience IBD-related inflammatory conditions outside of the gastrointestinal tract, termed extraintestinal manifestations (EIMs) which further decreases quality of life and, in extreme cases, can be life threatening. The pathogenesis of EIMs remains unknown, and although gut microbiota alterations are a well-known characteristic of patients with IBD, its relationship with EIMs remains sparsely investigated. This study aimed to compare the gut microbiota of patients with IBD with and without EIMs. ⋯ The fecal microbiota in IBD patients with EIMs is distinct from that in IBD patients without EIM and could be important for EIM pathogenesis.
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Optimizing transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) can enhance treatment efficacy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study compares modified TACE (M-TACE), which combines a lipiodol-based emulsion and drug-eluting beads, with drug-eluting bead TACE (DEB-TACE) as initial therapies for solitary HCC. ⋯ M-TACE showed higher initial CR rates, lower LTP rates, and extended time to LTP compared to DEB-TACE, indicating its potential to enhance TACE effectiveness for solitary HCC.
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Comparative Study
Improvement in signs and symptoms of severe dry eye disease after dual therapy with high-potency steroids and 0.05% cyclosporine.
To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of combining 0.05% cyclosporine A (CsA) with high-potency steroids for treating severe dry eye disease (DED). ⋯ Dual therapy combining high-potency steroids and 0.05% CsA significantly improved the signs and symptoms of severe DED compared with 0.05% CsA monotherapy, without severe complications.