Articles: disease.
-
Tumor staging is crucial for melanoma, of which acral melanoma is the predominant subtype in Asians. 18 F-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) and 18 F-FDG-PET/computed tomography ( 18 F-FDG-PET/CT) serve as noninvasive imaging tools for tumor staging. However, the literature is scarce on the diagnostic value of PET for acral melanoma. ⋯ Although noninvasive, PET/CT has relatively low sensitivity in regional lymph node evaluations, and fair sensitivity in distal metastasis detection in Asian patients with acral melanoma. Thus, PET/CT may be more useful in patients with clinically palpable nodes or more advanced disease stages.
-
Observational Study
Serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels as a predictor for Alzheimer disease progression.
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been implicated in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD), and decreased peripheral levels of this protein are associated with an increased risk of developing the disease. This study focuses on whether serum BDNF levels could be used as a predictor of AD progression. ⋯ BDNF is a protective factor against AD progression and likely plays a role in establishing a link between AD pathology and clinical manifestations.
-
Injuries occurring from contaminated sharps are a major occupational health hazard. It carries a risk of transmitting blood-borne diseases such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B and hepatitis C. Healthcare workers (HCWs), including personnel handling biomedical waste, are at risk. The objective of this study was to determine the incidence and details of needlestick injury (NSI) among HCWs. ⋯ We conclude that a relative lack of awareness towards preventive measures and inexperience among HCWs may be contributory to high occurrence of NSI events. This study emphasizes upon ensuring active hospital-wide hepatitis B vaccination of all HCWs and supportive therapy to improve compliance towards post-exposure prophylaxis.
-
Eur. J. Intern. Med. · Nov 2023
Addressing the paradox: Health expansion threatening sustainable healthcare.
We need to address the paradox that health expansion threatens sustainable healthcare as anti-aging drugs are on the trail from trial to the market and come together with health enhancement measures changing demography and the health of populations. This poses global, social, and professional problems, and challenges clinical medicine as well as health policy. To handle the emerging challenges, we need to address four crucial issues: (1) injustice (access), (2) sustainability, (3) basic human rights, and (4) eugenics. To do so we need to differentiate between health improvements and health enhancements and reinforce medicine's strongest moral appeal: to reduce suffering.
-
Despite clear guideline recommendations, only about every second PAD patient is prescribed statins, women less often than men. There is an international consensus that every PAD patient should be treated with statins, as these not only lower lipids but also stabilize plaque, resulting in a prognostic benefit. Limb-related endpoints (MALE) can be reduced by 24% compared to placebo by lowering lipids. ⋯ About 20% of the population have severely elevated Lp(a) levels that require risk factor management beyond lipid management. A high Lp(a) concentration is associated with PAD progression as an independent risk factor for all atherosclerosis manifestations. Every adult should have an Lp(a) assessment once in their lifetime.