Medicine
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Comparative Study Observational Study
Comparison of preemptive and non-preemptive kidney transplantation outcomes in children aged <6 years.
We aimed to compare the outcomes of pediatric kidney transplantation (KT) between preemptive KT (PEKT) and non-PEKT in children aged < 6 years. Seventy-four pediatric recipients aged < 6 years who underwent KT were divided into the PEKT and non-PEKT groups. They were retrospectively evaluated for patient and graft survival, graft function, growth, and cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection. ⋯ The height standard deviation score showed catch-up growth after KT in both groups. There was no significant difference in transplant outcomes in recipients aged < 6 years, with or without pre-transplant dialysis, except for the incidence of CMV infection. Therefore, PEKT in younger children should be performed aggressively by experienced multi-disciplinary teams.
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Comparative Study
Assessing drug lag in new drug approvals by the Iran Food and Drug Administration compared to the U.S. FDA, EMA, and PMDA: A 20-year analysis (2001-2021).
The pharmaceutical industry is vital for healthcare advancement through innovative medications, improving lives. A substantial challenge is "Drug lag," hindering patient access and increasing disease adjusted life years burdens. We aim to examine drug lag for Iran Food and Drug Administration (IFDA) approved drugs versus US Food & Drug Administration (FDA), European Medicines Agency (EMA), and Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) over 2001 to 2021. ⋯ Iran faces significant drug lag compared to developed countries' regulatory bodies, limiting patient access to innovative treatments. Addressing this issue is crucial for timely drug access, reducing disease burdens. Further research and policy interventions are needed to mitigate drug lag's impact on Iran healthcare landscape.
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Observational Study
Optimizing twin-beam dual-energy CT reconstruction: Quantitative consistency and stability assessment in reference to 120 kV: An observational study.
The split filter CT can filter X-ray beam. Theoretically, the split filter CT not only provides a good low-energy beam, but also provides a more robust CT value. The aim of this study was to compare conventional single-energy computed tomography (SECT) and twin-beam dual-energy (TBDE) CT regarding the quantitative consistency and stabilities of HU measurements at different abdominal organs. ⋯ The best HU stability can be achieved in 80 keV VMIs with the lowest noise level. The c-images and VMIs derived from TBDE can produce consistent values as SECT. The 80 keV images displayed better HU stability and a lower noise level across various abdominal organs.
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Observational Study
The PAD-adapted 30-20-10 during Nordic walking: A new exercise training session in patients with symptomatic peripheral artery disease.
This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of a peripheral artery disease (PAD)-adapted 30-20-10 Nordic walking session in patients with symptomatic PAD and to compare the cardiovascular response of this new training session to a traditional walking (TW) and 4 × 4 minutes Nordic walking session. This is a prospective observational study. Patients with Fontaine stage II PAD were included. ⋯ The PAD-adapted 30-20-10 session is feasible and induces higher cardiovascular stimulation and claudication pain than 4 × 4 minutes and TW procedures in patients with symptomatic PAD. Despite these different responses, a similar perceived enjoyment among the sessions has been shown. Future investigations are needed to examine the effects of this new training session in these patients.
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walled-off pancreatic necrosis (WOPN) is one of the complications of acute pancreatitis (AP) with high mortality. A method to predict the development of WOPN in AP patients admitted to the emergency department may guide life-saving practices such as early initiation of antibiotic therapy and, when necessary, referral of the patient to a center where necrosectomy can be performed. This study is a prospective observational study. ⋯ In the receiver operating characteristic analysis, all methods except SII were found to be successful in predicting WOPN. QT dispersion, SII, MII-1, MII-2, and MII-3 are valuable tools that provide rapid results and successfully predict the development of WOPN in AP. However, MII-2 and QT dispersion appears to be slightly more successful than the others.