A population-based study on incidence trends of kidney and renal pelvis cancers in the United States over 2000-2020.

Cancers of the kidney and renal pelvis are among the most prevalent types of urinary cancers. We aimed to outline the incidence trends of kidney and renal pelvis cancers by age, sex, race/ethnicity, and histology in the United States (US) from 2000 to 2020. The data was obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) 22 database. The identification of patients with kidney and renal pelvis cancers with morphologies of renal cell carcinoma, nephroblastoma, sarcoma, and neuroendocrine tumor was conducted utilizing the International Classification of Diseases for Oncology version 3. The average annual percent change (AAPC) were presented. All estimates were given in the form of counts and delayed age-standardized incidence rates (ASIRs) per 100,000 people. From 2000 to 2019, a total of 490,481 cases of kidney and renal pelvic cancer were recorded across all age groups in the US. The majority of them were among Non-Hispanic Whites (NHWs) (69.75%) and those aged 55-69 years (39.96%). The ASIRs per 100,000 for kidney and pelvis cancers were 22.03 for men and 11.14 for women. Non-Hispanic Black men had the highest ASIR (24.53 [24.24, 24.81]), and increase in ASIR over the 2000-2019 period (AAPC: 2.19% [1.84, 2.84]). There was a noticeable increase in incidence of kidney and renal pelvis cancers. Individuals aged 70-84 years had the highest ASIR for kidney and renal pelvis cancers. The COVID-19 era has resulted in a significant reduction in incidence rates across all demographics.

Trichoscopic findings in children and adults with alopecia areata: A comparative study.

BACKGROUND: Alopecia areata is a chronic and relapsing condition that affects individuals of all age groups. Dermoscopy is a popular and non-invasive method for diagnosing alopecia areata. This study aimed to analyze dermoscopic findings and their relationship with age, gender, appearance, and clinical signs in children and adults. METHODS: This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 124 children and adults diagnosed with alopecia areata who were referred to a Hospital in Iran between 2021 and 2022. After reaching the calculated sample size, trichoscopic findings were examined and the results were recorded. Data analysis was performed by a statistician and presented in relevant tables. RESULTS: The participants in the study comprised 53.2% female children, 46.8% male children, 27.42% adult males, and 72.58% adult females. The median age in the pediatric group was 10 years, while it was 27 years in the adult group. Yellow dots were significantly less observed in children than in adults (29% vs. 48.4%), while exclamation mark hairs were significantly more common in children than adults (38.7% vs. 21%). No significant differences were found in the frequency of other trichoscopic features between children and adults. Specifically, black dots, broken hairs, short vellus hairs, pigtail hairs, and empty follicular openings were observed in 38.7%, 40.3%, 32.3%, 11.3%, and 75.8% of children, respectively, and in 35.5%, 32.3%, 21%, 46.8%, and 12.9% of adults, respectively. CONCLUSION: The most common trichoscopic findings in alopecia areata in children are empty follicular openings and broken hairs, while exclamation mark hairs are more common in children than adults. In contrast, yellow dots are less frequently observed in children compared to adults. This distinct difference between children's and adults' dermoscopic findings highlights the critical need for age-specific considerations in AA evaluations.

Prevalence, Complications, and Risk Factors of Falls and Fear of Falling Among Older Adults; Based on Ardakan Cohort Study on Aging (ACSA).

Introduction: The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of falls, fear of falling (FOF), complications arising from falls, and identify possible sociodemographic and health-related factors associated with these outcomes among older adults. Methods: This cross-sectional study was based on the first wave of the Ardakan Cohort Study on Aging (ACSA), which includes participants over 50 years of age residing in Ardakan, Iran. Fall history, number of fall events, FOF, hospitalizations, and fractures in the past 12 months were assessed through a face-to-face interview. Health-related factors were recorded on a self-expressed basis. Associations were assessed using multiple logistic regression. Results: Among the 4,990 participants, fall history in the past 12 months was prevalent in 19.9%, with 10.1% reporting more than two fall events. Women (p < 0.001) and older participants (p< 0.001) had a higher prevalence. In females, 28.8% reported moderate to severe FOF, while 21% experienced disruptions in their daily activities as a result of this fear. The prevalence of fractures following falls was 5.1% in males and 8.6% in females. After adjusting for confounding factors, FOF (OR: 1.59, 95% CI: 1.33-1.91, p<0.001), imbalance (OR: 2.45, 95% CI: 1.68-3.58, p<0.001), urinary incontinence (OR: 1.44, 95% CI: 1.04-1.9, p=0.025), cognitive impairment (OR: 1.21, 95% CI: 1.01-1.46, p=0.049), vertigo or dizziness (OR: 1.39, 95% CI: 1.15-1.68, p<0.001), osteoporosis (OR: 1.24, 95% CI: 1.03-1.50, p=0.023), osteoarthritis (OR: 1.33, 95% CI: 1.13-1.56, p=0.001), depression (OR: 1.30, 95% CI: 1.06-1.60, p=0.010), and Central Nervous System (CNS)-affecting diseases (OR: 1.99, 95% CI: 1.33-2.97, p=0.001) were found to have positive associations with falls. Conclusion: This study showed that about one-fifth of those over 50 in Iran have experienced at least one fall within a year. Self-expressed imbalance, FOF, and urinary incontinence were the most prominent risk factors. Due to resulting in hospitalization and fractures, falls also lead to fear of falling and the associated limitation of activities.

Incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) and outcomes in COVID-19 patients with and without antiviral medications: A retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury is a complication of COVID-19 and is associated with severity. Despite no specific antiviral treatment strategy, lopinavir/ritonavir and remdesivir have been used. Data on the association between AKI and receiving antiviral agents with outcomes in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 is scarce. We aimed to determine the incidence of AKI and its outcomes in COVID-19 patients with and without antiviral medications. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study on hospitalized adult patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection in a tertiary center. The primary endpoint was determining mortality, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and length of hospitalization affected by AKI development using antiviral agents. The logistic regression method was used to explore the predictive effects of AKI and antiviral therapy on composite outcomes (i.e., mortality, ICU admission, and prolonged hospitalization) in four defined groups by AKI development/not and utilizing antivirals/not. We used IBM SPSS version 24.0 software for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Out of 833 COVID-19 patients who were included, 75 patients were treated with antiviral agents and developed AKI. There was a significant difference in the occurrence of AKI and using antiviral medications (p = 0.001). Also, the group using antiviral agents and the development of AKI had the highest rate of preexisting hypertension (p = 0.002). Of note, the group of patients who used antiviral agents and also developed AKI had the most remarkable association with our composite outcome (p<0.0001), especially ICU admission (OR = 15.22; 95% CI: 8.06-27.32). CONCLUSIONS: The presence of AKI among COVID-19 patients treated with antiviral agents is linked to increased severity and mortality. Therefore, it is imperative to explore preventive measures for AKI development in patients receiving antiviral therapy. Larger-scale randomized controlled trials may be warranted to provide a more comprehensive understanding of these associations.