Journal of internal medicine
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Although epistaxis is one of the most common side effects of oral anticoagulation, it is unclear whether epistaxis rates vary between different oral anticoagulants (OAC). ⋯ Warfarin treatment was associated with higher rates of clinically relevant epistaxis compared to direct oral anticoagulants.
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Worldwide, nations have struggled during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. However, Latin America and the Caribbean faced an unmatched catastrophic toll. As of March 2022, the region has reported approximately 15% of cases and 28% of deaths worldwide. ⋯ Moreover, reliance on repurposed and ineffective drugs such as hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin-to treat or prevent COVID-19-was publicised through misinformation and created a false sense of security and poor adherence to social distancing measures. While there were hopes that herd immunity could be achieved after the region's disastrous first peak, the emergence of the Gamma, Lambda, and Mu variants made this unattainable. This review explores how Latin America and the Caribbean fared during the first 2 years of the pandemic, and how, despite all the challenges, the region became a global leader in COVID-19 vaccination, with 63% of its population fully vaccinated.
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DNA methylation is an epigenetic modification that has consistently been shown to be linked with a variety of human traits and diseases. Because DNA methylation is dynamic and potentially reversible in nature and can reflect environmental exposures and predict the onset of diseases, it has piqued interest as a potential disease biomarker. DNA methylation patterns are more stable than transcriptomic or proteomic patterns, and they are relatively easy to measure to track exposure to different environments and risk factors. ⋯ In this review, we will first discuss the advantages and challenges of DNA methylation biomarkers in general. We will then review the current state and future potential of DNA methylation biomarkers in two human traits that show rather consistent alterations in methylome-obesity and smoking. Lastly, we will briefly speculate about the future prospects of DNA methylation biomarkers, and possible ways to achieve them.
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Prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE) is a feared complication after heart valve surgery. Studies on differences in bacteriology in various types of PVE are limited. ⋯ The type of prosthetic heart valve is associated with the causative pathogen. Patients with mechanical valves are more likely to have PVE caused by S. aureus.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Risk factors for anti-drug antibody formation to infliximab: secondary analyses of a randomised controlled trial.
Anti-drug antibodies (ADAb) frequently form early in the treatment course of infliximab and other tumour necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors, leading to treatment failure and adverse events. ⋯ Several risk factors for ADAb formation during early-phase infliximab treatment were identified. This knowledge provides a basis for treatment strategies to mitigate the formation of ADAb and identify patients in whom these measures are of particular importance.