Mortality patterns in older adults with infective endocarditis in the US: A retrospective analysis.

BACKGROUND: Infective Endocarditis (IE) has become a significant cause of morbidity and mortality over the last two decades. Despite management advancements, mortality trends in the USA's geriatric population are unexplored. The aim of this study was to assess the trends and regional differences in IE related mortality among geriatric patients in the USA. METHODS: We analyzed death certificates sourced from the CDC WONDER database spanning 1999 to 2020. The research targeted individuals aged 65 and older. Age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs) per 100,000 and annual percent change (APC), along with 95% CI, were calculated through joinpoint regression analysis. RESULTS: From 1999 to 2020, infective endocarditis caused 222,573 deaths, showing a declining trend (APC: -0.8361). Males had higher AAMR (26.8) than females (22.2). NH White had the highest AAMR (25.8), followed by NH American Indians or Alaska Natives (19.6). Geographically, the Midwest had the highest AAMR (27.4), followed by the Northeast (25.8). Rural areas consistently had higher AAMRs (26.6) than urban areas (23.6), while 80.16% of deaths occurring in urban settings. North Dakota, Nebraska, and Montana had the highest state AAMRs, approximately double than the states with the lowest mortality rates: Mississippi, Hawaii, California, and Massachusetts. Those aged 85 and above accounted for 42.9% of deaths. CONCLUSION: IE mortality exhibited a clear pattern: rising till 2004, declining from 2004 to 2018, and increasing again till 2020. Key risk factors were male gender, Midwest residence, NH White ethnicity, and age ≥85.Targeted interventions are essential to reduce IE mortality, especially among vulnerable older populations.

The Role of ChatGPT in Medical Research: Progress and Limitations.

Advancements in AI have resulted in the development of sophisticated language models like ChatGPT, which can generate human-like text. While ChatGPT is useful for clarifying concepts and providing basic guidance, it has limitations. It lacks the ability to provide the latest scientific information and access original medical databases. Studies have shown that ChatGPT's text can be robotic, shallow, and lacking a human touch. It has also been found to provide misleading or inaccurate information. Researchers and medical professionals should be aware of these limitations and not solely rely on ChatGPT for complex tasks. The human element and real-world experiences are indispensable in science, and consulting experts is advisable for reliable insights.

Gender and racial disparities in obesity-related cardiovascular-induced mortality in the USA, 1999-2020.

Obesity is closely linked to various cardiovascular diseases, leading to increased mortality rates. This study examines the trends in cardiovascular-induced obesity associated mortality among individuals aged 15 years and older in the United States. Data were sourced from the CDC WONDER for the years 1999-2020, encompassing fatalities where cardiovascular disease was the underlying cause of death and obesity was a contributing factor. The dataset was analyzed, considering annual patterns, gender, and ethnic origins. A total of 280,992 deaths were reported, with 56.35 % attributed to males and 43.64 % to females. The age-adjusted mortality rate was 5.8 for males and 4 for females. Non-Hispanic white individuals accounted for 71.049 % of total deaths, while non-Hispanic Black individuals contributed 19.510 %. The highest mortality rate was observed among non-Hispanic Black individuals, with non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native individuals following. Non-Hispanic Asian or Pacific Islander individuals had the lowest mortality rate. The average annual percentage change (AAPC) was 6.1 for males and 4.4 for females. A significant increase in the overall mortality rate was observed from 2018 to 2020, with Hispanics/Latinos exhibiting the highest increase. The elevated AAMR among males as compared to females may be attributed to the cardio-protective properties of estrogen in women. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic introduced unfavorable lifestyle changes, including weight gain and reduced exercise, potentially exacerbating CVD mortality trends after 2019. Further timely and targeted efforts are needed to control obesity and cardiovascular-related mortality in the USA.