Postgraduate medical journal
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
Risk factors for thromboembolic events in patients hospitalized for COVID-19 pneumonia in a general ward and requiring treatment with oxygen.
To assess risk factors for arterial and venous thromboses (AVT) in patients hospitalized in general wards for COVID-19 pneumonia and requiring oxygen therapy. ⋯ Among patients hospitalized in general wards for COVID-19 pneumonia during the first wave of the epidemic, diabetes (but not obesity) and a high CRP level were risk factors for AVT. The use of higher doses of anticoagulant in these high-risk patients could be considered.
-
We aimed to investigate whether folate receptor α (FRα)-positive circulating tumour cells (CTCs) could be used as a noninvasive liquid biopsy approach in gastric cancer (GC). ⋯ FRα-positive CTC detection by noninvasive liquid biopsy is a useful and effective approach for screening of patients with GC.
-
The evolution of the Coronavirus Disease-2019 pandemic and its vaccination raised more attention to cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT). Although CVT is less prevalent than arterial stroke, it results in larger years of life lost. CVT is more common in women and young patients. ⋯ The most common syndromes are stroke-like, raised-intracranial-pressure (ICP), isolated-headache, and encephalopathy, which may have overlaps. Diagnosis is mostly based on computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and their respective venous sequences, supported by blood results abnormalities such as D-dimer elevation. Treatment includes the prevention of propagation of current thrombus with anticoagulation (heparin, or low molecular weight heparinoids and then warfarin, or direct oral anticoagulants), decreasing ICP (even by decompressive craniotomy), and treatment of specific underlying diseases.
-
The United Kingdom's National Health Service (NHS) faces a mounting workforce crisis, with compensation being a focal point of discontent. This editorial explores the real-term erosion of doctors' salaries in the UK, using the Retail Price Index as a more comprehensive measure of inflation. ⋯ Economic considerations debunk common counterarguments against pay restoration, emphasising the broader implications for healthcare delivery and societal well-being. The editorial concludes by advocating for policy measures to address this pay disparity as both an economic imperative and a strategic necessity to sustain the NHS.
-
Observational Study
Characteristics of Japanese physician influencers on Twitter during the COVID-19 pandemic and fact-checking their tweets on COVID-19-related drugs.
During the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, segments of the public relied on social media platforms such as Twitter for medical information shared by medical personnel. Although physicians are likely to disseminate more accurate information on Twitter than non-medical individuals, it cannot be taken for granted. As such, tweets written by physicians in Japan should also be scrutinized for accuracy. ⋯ Except for one tweet, tweets written and retweeted by Japanese physician influencers concerning the COVID-19-related drugs contained predominantly accurate information.