Medicine
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Strongyloides stercoralis, a rare human intestinal parasite, poses a significant health risk, capable of causing lifelong infection and even mortality due to its atypical manifestation of symptoms. In this case report, we reported a case of a patient diagnosed with S. stercoralis infection of the residual stomach and meticulously detail its treatment process, offering valuable insights and a reference point for clinicians. ⋯ S. stercoralis infection is relatively rare in the remnant stomach, endoscopic and pathological examination may be one of the important methods to diagnose S. stercoralis infection, and it is effective to treat albendazole according to the course of treatment.
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Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a genetic disorder that results in elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, which manifest early in the first decades of life. It is a major cause of premature coronary artery disease worldwide, leading to significant public health challenges. The prevalence of genetically determined FH in patients with premature coronary artery disease remains underestimated, particularly in developing countries. ⋯ Patients with premature AMI and FH had significantly greater LDL-C levels (217.6 vs 125.7 mg/dL) and more severe coronary artery lesions, as assessed by the Gensini score (100.3 vs 60.5), than did those in the No FH group. The prevalence of genetically determined FH among Vietnamese patients with premature AMI is relatively high. Screening and diagnosis of hereditary conditions in patients with premature AMI are essential to improve early detection and management and reduce the burden of coronary artery disease in this population.
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Heavy metal water pollution refers to the abnormal concentration of metal elements and their compounds in water with a relative density of >4.5, which causes the water quality to decline or deteriorate. To assess the presence of 7 metals in drinking water in a city in Xinjiang and the health risks to the human body caused by drinking the water and to provide a scientific basis for health risk management for drinking water. In 2021, 114 monitoring points were set up in Urumqi, Xinjiang, China, and 228 water samples were collected in the dry and in the wet seasons to monitor water quality. ⋯ Based on noncarcinogenic health risk, the order of the 7 metals was Al > Fe > Gu > Mn > Hg > Zn > Pb, and the hazard index was 3.33 × 10-7 < 1. The total noncarcinogenic health risk of 7 metals was <1, that is, within the acceptable range. Al has the highest noncarcinogenic health risk, followed by Fe.
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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remains a significant global health burden exacerbated by tobacco smoking, occupational exposure, and air pollution. COPD is one of the top 3 causes of death worldwide. In South Korea, the COPD burden is expected to increase due to ongoing exposure to risk factors and the aging population. ⋯ The nomogram demonstrated solid predictive performance, as confirmed by calibration plots with a C-index (of 0.822) for the validation set with 1000 bootstrap samples. In conclusion, we developed a tool for the early detection of COPD with good properties in primary care settings, without spirometry. Appropriate and early diagnosis of COPD can have a crucial impact on public health.
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Otitis media and allergic rhinitis are prevalent conditions. Some data posit a significant association between the 2 ailments, proposing mechanisms such as allergic rhinitis-induced Eustachian tube dysfunction or concurrent allergic pathophysiology affecting both the nasal and aural cavities. Observational studies hint at an association between allergic rhinitis (AR) and nonsuppurative otitis media, yet definitive causality remains elusive. ⋯ However, no causal effect of AR on chronic suppurative otitis media was discerned. Our findings delineate a measurable causal link between AR and nonsuppurative otitis media (OR = 12.22) and suggest an association with acute suppurative otitis media (OR = 6.95), though lacking evidence for a causal effect on chronic suppurative otitis media. These results underscore the propensity of AR to correlate with diverse forms of otitis media and furnish high-quality causal evidence pertinent to clinical management.