Extended duration venous thromboembolism prophylaxis with betrixaban for patients re-admitted with venous thromboembolism.

Patients hospitalized for an acute medical illness remain at risk of developing venous thromboembolism (VTE) post-discharge. Betrixaban, an oral direct Factor Xa inhibitor, is approved for extended VTE thromboprophylaxis in acutely ill medical patients. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate patients re-admitted with VTE within 30 days of discharge to determine if they would have been eligible for extended duration VTE prophylaxis during the index admission. We used three different sets of eligibility criteria: the APEX study criteria, the Bevyxxa® (betrixaban) package insert, and Mass General Brigham HealthCare System's Center for Drug Policy Guidelines. A secondary aim was to describe the reasons for ineligibility. Within 30 days of the index hospital admission, 226 patients were re-admitted with new VTE between January 2017 and December 2018. Of these, 134 (59%) were excluded based on pre-defined exclusion criteria. Of the remaining 92, 22 patients (23.9%) were eligible based on the APEX study criteria, 26 patients (28.2%) based on Mass General Brigham HealthCare System's Center for Drug Policy Guidelines, and 92 patients (100%) based on the Bevyxxa® package insert. There were 22 patients (23.9%) who were eligible for VTE prophylaxis with betrixaban based on all three criteria. Appropriate betrixaban use may have prevented some of the VTE events and re-admissions that occurred within 30 days of initial hospital discharge.

Descriptive Analysis of Pre-existing Data on Eosinophilic Esophagitis and Associated Morbidities in Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

BACKGROUND: Data on eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders (EGIDs) are limited in the United Arab Emirates. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to describe the distribution of eosinophilic gastritis/gastroenteritis (EoG/EGE) and eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) among patients whose data are recorded on the Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi (CCAD) systems. METHODS: Anonymized aggregate data were obtained from the Clinerion Patient Network Explorer (PNEx®) network installed at the CCAD on patients diagnosed with EoG/EGE (n=17, of whom 11 (64.7%) were females) or with EoE (n=118, of whom 35 (29.7%) were females) between 2015 and 2022; 63 (53.4%) were diagnosed between 2020 and 2022. RESULTS: The vast majority of EoE patients visited the gastroenterology clinic (111, 94.1%), followed by the primary care (70, 59.3%), the emergency medicine (60, 50.8%), and the immunology (59, 50%) units. A total of 84 patients with EoE also presented with another type-2 inflammatory condition including allergic rhinitis, food allergy, and atopic dermatitis. Proton pump inhibitors and corticosteroids were widely prescribed, and four patients with EoE have been commenced on biologics since 2020. However, heterogeneity of medication use was identified, warranting local clinical practice guidelines. CONCLUSION: A referral network could be established with local and regional reach, which relies on a multidisciplinary approach for the management of EoE and associated type 2 co-morbidities. More studies are needed to better depict the clinical picture of patients with EGIDs in general and EoE, in particular, in terms of diagnosis, pharmacological treatment, non-medical interventions, disease course, and patient-reported outcomes.

Expert Recommendations on the Diagnosis of Eosinophilic Esophagitis in the United Arab Emirates.

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic, progressive, type 2 inflammatory esophageal disease presenting as dysphagia to solid food and non-obstructive food impaction. Knowledge gaps exist in its diagnosis and management. These expert recommendations focused on the diagnosis of EoE in the United Arab Emirates. An electronic search of PubMed and Embase databases was used to gather evidence from systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials, consensus papers, and expert opinions from the last five years on the diagnosis of EoE. The evidence was graded using the Oxford system. Literature search findings were shared with the expert panel. A 5-point scale (strongly agree, agree, neither agree nor disagree, disagree, and strongly disagree) was used, and a concordance rate of >75% among experts indicated agreement. Using a modified Delphi technique, 18 qualified experts provided 17 recommendations. Eleven statements achieved high agreement, four got moderate agreement, and two got low agreement. Challenges exist in diagnosing EoE, particularly in children. Esophageal biopsies were crucial in diagnosis, irrespective of visible mucosal changes. Further research on diagnostic tools like endoscopic mucosal impedance and biomarkers is needed. Diagnosis relies on esophageal biopsies and symptom-histology correlation; however, tools like EoE assessment questionnaires and endoscopic mucosal impedance could enhance the accuracy and efficiency of EoE diagnosis. The diagnosis of EoE is challenging since the symptoms seldom correlate with the histological findings. Currently, diagnosis is based on patient symptoms and endoscopic and histological findings. Further research into mucosal impedance tests and the role of biomarkers is needed to facilitate diagnosis.

From a Neglected Pathogen to a Public Health Emergency: Connecting the Dots in Monkeypox Emergence.

The recent unprecedented emergence of the monkeypox (MPX) outbreak rang an alarm bell creating a burden on global health. The virus historically spread in endemic regions of sub-Saharan Africa by animal-human and human-human modes of transmission with an unknown modality. Currently, cases are occurring worldwide while risk factors, transmission, and outcomes of infection are still poorly defined. In addition, the likely genotypic mutation of MPX is an area of concern and requires further assessment. While licensed smallpox vaccinations are currently considered for early prevention after recent exposure, and antivirals are recommended for treating severe cases, there are no treatments available to treat MPX. This review provides general disease awareness and highlights recommendations for the containment of the virus.