A meta-analysis comparing complications of anterior versus dorsal osteotomy and plating for distal radial malunions.

This systematic review and meta-analysis compare the incidences of complications, reoperations and hardware removal between anterior and dorsal plating after corrective osteotomy for dorsally angulated distal radial malunions. A total of 403 patients were included; 253 patients underwent anterior corrective osteotomy and 150 underwent dorsal corrective osteotomy. Mean follow-up was 30 months. Anterior plating was associated with fewer reoperations (9% vs. 28%), less hardware removal (3% vs. 18%) and comparable major complications (5% vs. 6%) compared to dorsal plating. The adjusted model showed a significant reduction (approximately 85%) in the odds of reoperation and hardware removal in the anterior group. There was no difference in major or minor complications between the groups. Surgeons should be fully aware of the increased risks when using dorsal plate fixation after corrective osteotomy for dorsally angulated distal radial malunions.

Arthroscopic assisted versus open non-vascularized bone grafting in delayed union and nonunion of the scaphoid: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Delayed union and nonunion of the scaphoid is a common complication often requiring surgical reconstruction and bone grafting. Our goal was to systematically assess the healing time and clinical outcomes following arthroscopic-assisted versus open non-vascularized bone grafting of the scaphoid. METHODS: A comprehensive search of the MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature), and Cochrane Central databases was completed from inception to September 2023. We included randomized trials and observational studies that reported outcomes following scaphoid delayed union/nonunion comparing arthroscopic-assisted vs. open non-vascularized bone grafting. Two reviewers independently extracted data and assessed the risk of bias. One investigator assessed certainty of evidence and a senior investigator confirmed the assessment. We pooled effects using random-effects models, when possible, for all outcomes reported by more than 1 study. RESULTS: Overall, 26 studies and 822 patients were included in the study. Very low certainty evidence demonstrated that arthroscopic-assisted surgery may decrease healing time compared to open surgery (weighted mean difference [WMD] -7.8 weeks; 95%CI -12.8 to -2.8). Arthroscopic bone grafting did not result in an improvement in union rate (relative risk 1.01; 95%CI 0.9 to 1.09). The pooled data in arthroscopic graft group showed mean time to union of 11.4 weeks (95%CI: 10.4 to 12.5) with union rate of 95% (95%CI 91-98%). A single comparative study reported very low certainty evidence that arthroscopy-assisted vs. open surgery may not have an effect on pain relief (MD 0 cm, 95%CI -0.4 to 0.5 on VAS 10 cm for pain) or improving function (MD -1.2, 95% CI -4.8 to 2.3 on 100 points DASH). CONCLUSION AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS: Our results suggest that arthroscopic-assisted non-vascularized bone grafting may be associated with improved average weeks to heal in comparison with open surgery for scaphoid delayed union/nonunion reconstruction with overall comparable union rates. There is insufficient evidence to assess the effects of arthroscopic-assisted reconstruction on union rate, time to union, and patient-reported outcomes in patients with other important nonunion characteristics such as established humpback deformity.

The role of routine cardiac investigations before hyperbaric oxygen treatment.

Cardiac complications are a rare but potentially serious consequence of hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT), resulting from increased blood pressure and decreased heart rate and cardiac output associated with treatment. These physiologic changes are generally well-tolerated by patients without preexisting cardiac conditions, although those with known or undetected cardiac disease may be more vulnerable to treatment complications. Currently, there are no universally accepted guidelines for pre-HBOT cardiac screening to identify these patients at heightened risk, leading to variability in practice patterns. In the absence of HBOT-specific evidence, screening protocols might be adapted from the diving medicine community; however, given the important differences in physiological stressors, these may not be entirely applicable to patients undergoing HBOT. Traditional cardiac investigations such as electro- and echo-cardiograms are limited in their ability to detect relevant risk modifying states in the pre-HBOT patient, stymieing their cost-effectiveness as routine tests. In the absence of strong evidence to support routine cardiac investigation, we argue that a comprehensive history and physical exam - tailored to identify high-risk patients based on clinical parameters - may serve as a more practical screening tool. While certain unique patient groups such as those undergoing dialysis or with implanted cardiac devices may warrant specialised assessment, thorough evaluation may be sufficient to identify many patients unlikely to benefit from cardiac investigation in the pre-HBOT setting. A clinical decision-making tool based on suggested low-risk and high-risk features is offered to guide the use of targeted cardiac investigation prior to HBOT.

Chronic aryl hydrocarbon receptor activity impairs muscle mitochondrial function with tobacco smoking.

BACKGROUND: Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that chronic tobacco smoking directly contributes to skeletal muscle dysfunction independent of its pathological impact to the cardiorespiratory systems. The mechanisms underlying tobacco smoke toxicity in skeletal muscle are not fully resolved. In this study, the role of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR), a transcription factor known to be activated with tobacco smoke, was investigated. METHODS: AHR related gene (mRNA) expression was quantified in skeletal muscle from adult controls and patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), as well as mice with and without cigarette smoke exposure. Utilizing both skeletal muscle-specific AHR knockout mice exposed to chronic repeated (5 days per week for 16 weeks) cigarette smoke and skeletal muscle-specific expression of a constitutively active mutant AHR in healthy mice, a battery of assessments interrogating muscle size, contractile function, mitochondrial energetics, and RNA sequencing were employed. RESULTS: Skeletal muscle from COPD patients (N = 79, age = 67.0 ± 8.4 years) had higher levels of AHR (P = 0.0451) and CYP1B1 (P < 0.0001) compared to healthy adult controls (N = 16, age = 66.5 ± 6.5 years). Mice exposed to cigarette smoke displayed higher expression of Ahr (P = 0.008), Cyp1b1 (P < 0.0001), and Cyp1a1 (P < 0.0001) in skeletal muscle compared to air controls. Cigarette smoke exposure was found to impair skeletal muscle mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation by ~50% in littermate controls (Treatment effect, P < 0.001), which was attenuated by deletion of the AHR in muscle in male (P = 0.001), but not female, mice (P = 0.37), indicating there are sex-dependent pathological effects of smoking-induced AHR activation in skeletal muscle. Viral mediated expression of a constitutively active mutant AHR in the muscle of healthy mice recapitulated the effects of cigarette smoking by decreasing muscle mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation by ~40% (P = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide evidence linking chronic AHR activation secondary to cigarette smoke exposure to skeletal muscle bioenergetic deficits in male, but not female, mice. AHR activation is a likely contributor to the decline in muscle oxidative capacity observed in smokers and AHR antagonism may provide a therapeutic avenue aimed to improve muscle function in COPD.

Educational interventions to improve hepatitis C testing or treatment in South Asian communities: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis C (HCV) places a disproportionately higher burden on the South Asian community in comparison to the general population, despite the availability of effective antiviral therapies. This study seeks to characterize the effectiveness of health promotion initiatives aimed at South Asians to improve HCV prevention, education, screening, and treatment adherence. METHODS: A systematic review (PROSPERO: CRD42021253796) was conducted in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines. Ovid MEDLINE, CINAHL Plus, Web of Science, ERIC, Ovid Embase, Cochrane Library, and PsycINFO were searched from inception to 15 April 2022 for original studies that reported on any health promotion initiative directed at improving HCV outcomes in the South Asian community. Risk of bias was assessed via a quality score. RESULTS: A total of 15 studies (6 uncontrolled interventional, 3 before-after interventional, 3 randomized controlled, 2 prospective cohort, and 1 historically controlled interventional study designs) involving 69,958 participants were included. The most studied interventions were formal HCV teaching (n = 12), community outreach (n = 6), and coupling screening/testing with existing programs (n = 3). Ninety-two percent (14/15) of interventions were concluded to be successful, and 71% (10/14) of those were concluded to be feasible and/or cost-effective. CONCLUSIONS: Interventions that aim to improve HCV education and accessibility to screening/treatment can substantially reduce barriers to care in South Asian communities. Further research, of higher quality RCT evidence, is needed to study the long-term reduction in HCV prevalence from these proposed interventions, and their associated feasibility profiles.