Impact of sleep on gastrointestinal cancer.

Sleep problems have become a significant public health concern, affecting a large portion of the global population and have been linked to increased morbidity and mortality. The incidence of gastrointestinal (GI) cancers continues to rise, posing a substantial burden on healthcare systems worldwide. This editorial aims to delve into the impact of sleep on GI cancers, including esophageal, gastric, colorectal, hepatobiliary, and pancreatic cancer. Recent literature investigating the potential connections between GI cancers and sleep was reviewed. We considered aspects such as sleep duration, sleep disorders, and circadian rhythmicity, in order to explore the underlying mechanisms that can contribute to the development of GI cancers and propose avenues for future research.

Impact of Antifibrotic Treatment on Postoperative Complications in Patients with Interstitial Lung Diseases Undergoing Lung Transplantation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Antifibrotic treatment has been approved for reducing disease progression in fibrotic interstitial lung disease (ILD). As a result of increased bleeding risk, some experts suggest cessation of antifibrotics prior to lung transplantation (LT). However, extensive knowledge regarding the impact of antifibrotic treatment on postoperative complications remains unclear. We performed a comprehensive search of several databases from their inception through to 30 September 2021. Original studies were included in the final analysis if they compared postoperative complications, including surgical wound dehiscence, anastomosis complication, bleeding complications, and primary graft dysfunction, between those with and without antifibrotic treatment undergoing LT. Of 563 retrieved studies, 6 studies were included in the final analysis. A total of 543 ILD patients completing LT were included, with 161 patients continuing antifibrotic treatment up to the time of LT and 382 without prior treatment. Antifibrotic treatment was not significantly associated with surgical wound dehiscence (RR 1.05; 95% CI, 0.31-3.60; I2 = 0%), anastomotic complications (RR 0.88; 95% CI, 0.37-2.12; I2 = 31%), bleeding complications (RR 0.76; 95% CI, 0.33-1.76; I2 = 0%), or primary graft dysfunction (RR 0.87; 95% CI, 0.59-1.29; I2 = 0%). Finally, continuing antifibrotic treatment prior to LT was not significantly associated with decreased 1-year mortality (RR 0.80; 95% CI, 0.41-1.58; I2 = 0%). Our study suggests a similar risk of postoperative complications in ILD patients undergoing LT who received antifibrotic treatment compared to those not on antifibrotic therapy.

Patient-Centered Therapy for Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Review.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is one of the most common sleep problems defined by cessation or decreased airflow despite breathing efforts. It is known to be related to multiple adverse health consequences. Positive airway pressure (PAP) is considered an effective treatment that is widely used. Various modes of PAP and other emerging treatment options are now available. A multidisciplinary approach, understanding diverse phenotypes of OSA, and shared decision-making are necessary for successful OSA treatment. Patient-centered care is an essential modality to support patient care that can be utilized in patients with OSA to help improve outcomes, treatment adherence, and patient satisfaction.

Follow-up computed tomography scan in post-COVID-19 pneumonia.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic can be a severe illness that leads to morbidity and mortality. With the increasing number of COVID-19 pneumonia survivors, several long-term changes may persist, including abnormal imaging of lung parenchyma. In addition to the clinical course, it is vital to follow up on pulmonary imaging during the post-infectious period, which is not routinely required in other common pulmonary diagnoses. Computed tomography (CT) scan of the chest is an effective and diagnostic tool for pneumonia which gives an insight into structural abnormalities within the lungs, complications, and possible progression of the disease. Several studies have monitored COVID-19 pneumonia and its complications using serial CT chest imaging from the initial phase of infection, hospitalization, and post-discharge. Nonetheless, long-term follow-up imaging data in post-COVID-19 is still limited. We have summarized the findings utilizing a systematic review of the literature regarding COVID-19 pneumonia imaging, including long-term follow-up.

Diagnostic accuracy of interferon-gamma release assays for diagnosis of smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: The diagnosis of smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis (SNPTB) is challenging. Interferon gamma-release assays (IGRAs) may be helpful in early diagnosis among these patients resulting in prompt treatment and favorable outcomes. METHODS: We performed a comprehensive search from each databases' inception to April 5, 2021. The studies that provided sufficient data regarding the sensitivity and specificity of IGRAs included QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT), T-SPOT.TB, or QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus for diagnosis of SNPTB were included. RESULTS: Of 1,312 studies screened, 16 studies were included; 11 QFT-GIT, 2 T-SPOT.TB, and 3 QFT-GIT and T-SPOT.TB. For diagnosis of SNPTB, QFT-GIT had sensitivity of 0.77 (95% CI 0.71-0.82), specificity of 0.70 (95% CI 0.58-0.80), diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) of 8.03 (95% CI 4.51-14.31), positive likelihood ratio (LR) of 2.61 (95% CI 1.80-3.80), negative LR of 0.33 (95% CI 0.25-0.42), and area under receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) of 0.81 (95% CI 0.77-0.84). T-SPOT.TB had sensitivity of 0.74 (95% CI 0.71-0.78), specificity of 0.71 (95% CI 0.49-0.86), DOR of 6.96 (95% CI 2.31-20.98), positive LR of 2.53 (95% CI 1.26-5.07), negative LR of 0.36 (95% CI 0.24-0.55), and AUROC of 0.77 (95% CI 0.73-0.80). The specificity seemed lower in the subgroup analyses of studies from high tuberculosis burden counties compared to the studies from low tuberculosis burden. CONCLUSION: IGRAs do have insufficient diagnostic performance for SNPTB. However, the tests are still helpful to exclude tuberculosis among patients with low pre-test probability. Registry: PROSPERO: CRD42021274653.

Coronavirus Disease 2019-Induced Tracheomegaly: A Case Report.

Tracheomegaly is a medical condition where the tracheal diameter is greater than the upper limits of normal. Tracheomegaly can be classified as primary or secondary. Primary tracheomegaly is usually congenital. Secondary tracheomegaly can be due to multiple causes, including connective tissue disease, infections, autoimmune diseases like sarcoidosis, and prolonged mechanical ventilation. Here, we describe the first reported case of tracheomegaly secondary to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia and COVID-induced interstitial lung disease (ILD). While many cases of tracheomegaly are asymptomatic, patients can have symptoms like cough, dyspnea, hemoptysis, or even respiratory failure. Tracheomegaly is associated with a higher risk of recurrent lower respiratory tract infections, chronic cough, bronchiectasis, and tracheobronchomalacia. Early recognition of COVID-19-induced tracheomegaly can help initial early management and reduce the incidence of infections.

A Case Report on Mycobacterium abscessus: An Emerging Pathogen.

The incidence of infections by rapidly growing mycobacteria has increased in recent decades. nontuberculous mycobacteria(NTM) represent over 190 species and subspecies and can cause both pulmonary and extrapulmonary symptoms. The Mycobacterium abscessus complex (MABC)is among the most drug-resistant mycobacterial species, and prompt diagnosis and effective eradication are burdensome. We present the clinical course of a 55-year-old female who was diagnosed with M. abscessus and explore her clinical diagnosis and possible treatment options. This case report emphasizes the challenges clinicians face in the prompt diagnosis of M. abscessus and discusses the treatment options in light of the recent guidelines.

Characterizing sleep-wake patterns in mothers and children in an agrarian community: results from the Ghana Randomized Air Pollution and Health Study.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Several studies have examined sleep patterns in rural/indigenous communities, however little is known about sleep characteristics in women of reproductive age, and children within these populations. We investigate sleep-wake patterns in mothers and children (ages 3-5 years) leveraging data from the Ghana Randomized Air Pollution and Health Study (GRAPHS). METHODS: The GRAPHS cohort comprises of rural/agrarian communities in Ghana and collected multiday actigraphy in a subset of women and children to assess objective sleep-wake patterns. Data were scored using the Cole-Kripke and Sadeh algorithms for mothers/children. We report descriptive, baseline characteristics and objective sleep measures, compared by access to electricity/poverty status. RESULTS: We analyzed data for 58 mothers (mean age 33 ± 6.6) and 64 children (mean age 4 ± 0.4). For mothers, mean bedtime was 9:40 pm ± 56 min, risetime 5:46 am ± 40 min, and total sleep time (TST) was 6.3 h ± 46 min. For children, median bedtime was 8:07 pm (interquartile range [IQR]: 7:50,8:43), risetime 6:09 am (IQR: 5:50,6:37), and mean 24-h TST 10.44 h ± 78 min. Children with access to electricity had a reduced TST compared to those without electricity (p = 0.02). Mean bedtime was later for both mothers (p = 0.05) and children (p = 0.08) classified as poor. CONCLUSIONS: Mothers in our cohort demonstrated a shorter TST, and earlier bed/risetimes compared to adults in postindustrialized nations. In contrast, children had a higher TST compared to children in postindustrialized nations, also with earlier sleep-onset and offset times. Investigating objective sleep-wake patterns in rural/indigenous communities can highlight important differences in sleep health related to sex, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status, and help estimate the impact of industrialization on sleep in developed countries.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea: New Perspective.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is one of the most common sleep disorders globally [...].

Call for a Global Vaccine Plan to Combat Current and Future Pandemics: One for ALL and ALL for One.

The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 in late December 2019 has taken the world by storm. In March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) named this virus COVID-19. To date, it has infected approximately 186 million people worldwide and is attributed as the cause of death of more than 5 million people (and this number is only increasing.) The global effort to develop vaccines and therapeutics occurred at the fastest pace yet, with several vaccines' approval under emergency authorization use. There are also several post-marketing side effects, including myocarditis, cerebral venous embolism, and Guillain Barre Syndrome. Global vaccine disparity complicates the control of pandemic challenges. Several highly infectious variants have emerged, and more variants are feared to emerge if global vaccination plans are not developed soon.

Abnormal liver enzymes: A review for clinicians.

Liver biochemical tests are some of the most commonly ordered routine tests in the inpatient and outpatient setting, especially with the automatization of testing in this technological era. These tests include aminotransferases, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transferase, bilirubin, albumin, prothrombin time and international normalized ratio (INR). Abnormal liver biochemical tests can be categorized based on the pattern and the magnitude of aminotransferases elevation. Generally, abnormalities in aminotransferases can be classified into a hepatocellular pattern or cholestatic pattern and can be further sub-classified based on the magnitude of aminotransferase elevation to mild [< 5 × upper limit of normal (ULN)], moderate (> 5-< 15 × ULN) and severe (> 15 × ULN). Hepatocellular pattern causes include but are not limited to; non-alcoholic fatty liver disease/non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, alcohol use, chronic viral hepatitis, liver cirrhosis (variable), autoimmune hepatitis, hemochromatosis, Wilson's disease, alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, celiac disease, medication-induced and ischemic hepatitis. Cholestatic pattern causes include but is not limited to; biliary pathology (obstruction, autoimmune), other conditions with hyperbilirubinemia (conjugated and unconjugated). It is crucial to interpret these commonly ordered tests accurately as appropriate further workup, treatment and referral can greatly benefit the patient due to prompt treatment which can improve the natural history of several of the diseases mentioned and possibly reduce the risk of progression to the liver cirrhosis.

Hepatopulmonary syndrome: An update.

Hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) is characterized by defects in oxygenation caused by intra-pulmonary vasodilation occurring because of chronic liver disease, portal hypertension, or congenital portosystemic shunts. Clinical implications of portal hypertension are very well-known, however, awareness of its effect on multiple organs such as the lungs are less known. The presence of HPS in chronic liver disease is associated with increased mortality. Medical therapies available for HPS have not been proven effective and definitive treatment for HPS is mainly liver transplantation (LT). LT improves mortality for patients with HPS drastically. This article provides a review on the definition, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and management of HPS.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Adults: What Primary Care Physicians Need to Know.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) remains a prominent disease state characterized as the recurrent collapse of the upper airway while sleeping and is estimated to plague 936 million adults globally. Although the initial clinical presentation of OSA appears harmless, it increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart failure, stroke, and hypertension; metabolic disorders; and an overall decrease in quality of life, in addition to increasing mortality. Current treatment of OSA includes lifestyle changes, behavioral modification, mandibular advancement devices, surgical treatment, and continuous positive airway pressure, which remains the gold standard. It is crucial to identify OSA early on and initiate treatment to mitigate the adverse health risks it imposes. This review will discuss the pathophysiology, epidemiology, management strategies, and medical treatment of OSA.

Role of proning and positive end-expiratory pressure in COVID-19.

The novel coronavirus, which was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization in early 2020 has brought with itself major morbidity and mortality. It has increased hospital occupancy, heralded economic turmoil, and the rapid transmission and community spread have added to the burden of the virus. Most of the patients are admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) for acute hypoxic respiratory failure often secondary to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Based on the limited data available, there have been different opinions about the respiratory mechanics of the ARDS caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Our article provides an insight into COVID-19 pathophysiology and how it differs from typical ARDS. Based on these differences, our article explains the different approach to ventilation in COVID-19 ARDS compared to typical ARDS. We critically analyze the role of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) and proning in the ICU patients. Through the limited data and clinical experience are available, we believe that early proning in COVID-19 patients improves oxygenation and optimal PEEP should be titrated based on individual lung compliance.

Comparison of first and second waves of COVID-19 through severity markers in ICU patients of a developing country.

Background: Many countries are experiencing outbreaks of the second wave of COVID-19 infection. With these outbreaks, the severity of the disease is still ambiguously projected. Certain inflammatory markers are known to be associated with the severity of the disease and regular monitoring of these biomarkers in intensive care unit admissions is paramount to improve clinical outcomes.Objectives: This study was aimed to compare the severity markers of the patients infected during the first wave versus the second wave in an intensive care unit.Methods: We conducted a retrospective study obtaining patient's data from hospital records, admitted during the first wave in March-May 2020, and compared the data with those COVID-19 patients admitted during the second wave from October-November 2020. A descriptive comparison was done among the patients admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) during both waves of the pandemic.Results: 92 patients from first wave and 68 patients from second wave were included in the analysis, all admitted to ICU with equal gender distribution. Increased age and length of ICU stay was observed during the first wave. BMI, in-hospital mortality and invasive ventilation were statistically indifferent between both the waves. There was significantly higher APACHE-II during first wave (p = 0.007), but SOFA at day 1 (p = 0.213) and day 7 of ICU stay remain indifferent (p = 0.119). Inflammatory markers were less severe during second wave while only neutrophils and lymphocytes were found to peak higher.Conclusion: Most of the severity markers were less intense during the early analysis of second wave.

Current state of medical tourism involving liver transplantation-the risk of infections and potential complications.

Liver transplant has been shown to significantly improve mortality and quality of life in various liver diseases such as acute liver failure, end-stage liver disease, and liver cancer. While the organ transplant demand is continuing to rise, the organ donation supply remains unmatched. The organ shortage, high cost, and long waiting lists have stimulated a desire for routes that may be unethical. This process which is named transplant tourism is the term used to describe traveling to another country to purchase an organ for transplant. Liver transplant tourism has been associated with post-transplant complications and higher mortality compared to a domestic liver transplant. Improper pre-and post-transplant infectious screening, inadequate opportunistic infection prophylaxis, and loss to follow-up were noted in patients who travel abroad for a liver transplant. It is crucial to understand the risk of transplant tourism to prevent morbidity and mortality.

Severe Photosensitivity Reaction After Pirfenidone Use.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a chronic and progressive disease with a significant mortality rate. Pirfenidone is one of two oral antifibrotic therapies approved to treat idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Pirfenidone helps decrease disease progression in patients with IPF and reduces vital capacity. This has led to widespread use of this medication in recent years. In this case report, we present a 60-year-old male who started treatment with pirfenidone for IPF and had severe skin reactions after initiation of therapy.

Utilizing Artificial Intelligence in Critical Care: Adding A Handy Tool to Our Armamentarium.

We have witnessed rapid advancement in technology over the last few decades. With the advent of artificial intelligence (AI), newer avenues have opened for researchers. AI has added an entirely new dimension to this technological boom. Researchers in medical science have been excited about the tantalizing prospect of utilizing AI for the benefit of patient care. Lately, we have come across studies trying to test and validate various models based on AI to improve patient care strategies in critical care medicine as well. Thus, in this review, we will attempt to succinctly review current literature discussing AI in critical care medicine and analyze its future utility based on prevailing evidence.

Stethoscope - An essential diagnostic tool or a relic of the past?

Rene Laennec came up with the idea of a stethoscope in 1816 to avoid the embarrassment of performing immediate auscultation on women. Soon many doctors around the world started using this tool because of its increased accuracy and ease of use. Stethoscopes hold great significance in the medical community. However, is the importance placed on stethoscopes justified today? We now have devices like portable ultrasound machines that make it much easier to visualize the body. These devices offset their higher initial cost by reducing downstream costs due to their greater accuracy and their capability of detecting diseases at an earlier stage. Also, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, new ways are being investigated to reduce the transmission of diseases. Stethoscopes being a possible vector for infectious agents coupled with the advent of newer devices that can visualize the body with greater accuracy put into question the continued use of stethoscopes today. With that said, the use of stethoscopes to diagnose diseases is still crucial in places where buying these new devices is not yet possible. The stethoscope is a great symbol of medicine, but its use needs to be in line with what is best for the patient.

Cocaine-Induced Bronchial Laceration: A Rare Incidence.

Tracheobronchial injuries are either traumatic or iatrogenic but can be lethal in a high dependency setting if not managed promptly. There are few reported cases of cocaine-induced airway damage and barotrauma due to thermal or ischemic injury and increased intra-alveolar pressure. We present a sui generis case of cocaine-induced bronchial laceration with pneumomediastinum which was challenging to diagnose based on the patient's recent history of hospitalization, as well as the patient's reluctance to share the history of cocaine use. The patient was successfully managed conservatively. Here, we discuss the mechanism involved and the various treatment options available, along with the role of early involvement of the multidisciplinary team to deliver the best possible outcome.