Postgraduate medicine
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Postgraduate medicine · Mar 2024
Association between variants in TCF7L2, CTRB1/2, and GLP-1R genes and response to therapy with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists.
The factors determining the response to treatment with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1- RAs) have not been clarified. The present study investigated the association between polymorphisms in TCF7L2, CTRB1/2, and GLP-1 R genes and response to GLP-1 RAs regarding glycemic control and weight loss among Greek patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). ⋯ There is no evidence suggesting a role for the variants studied in response to GLP-1 RA therapy in people with T2DM. However, specific demographic and clinical factors may be related to a better response to treatment with these agents.
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Postgraduate medicine · Mar 2024
Causes of liver test abnormalities in newly diagnosed cancer patients and the investigation of etiological factors.
In this study, we aimed to investigate the causes of liver test abnormalities in newly diagnosed patients naive to anti-tumoral therapy. ⋯ In our study, the most common cause of liver test abnormalities was the presence of liver metastasis in cohort A and NAFLD in cohort B.
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Postgraduate medicine · Mar 2024
Thrown in at the deep end: a qualitative study with physicians on the purpose and challenges of discharge interviews.
Against the backdrop of poor discharge communication in hospitals, this study explores the purpose of discharge interviews from the physicians' perspective and the challenges they are confronted with. Discharge interviews are legally required in Germany as part of the discharge management. Led by the ward physician, the discharge interview should summarize relevant information about the hospital stay, medication, lifestyle interventions and follow-up treatment. ⋯ The lack of preparation for discharge interviews in medical school makes it particularly challenging for physicians to translate their theoretical knowledge into patient-centered discharge communication. Medical training on discharge interviews should be expanded in terms of theoretical input on the ideal content, its purpose and potential (e.g. in reducing readmissions), as well as practical exercises.
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Postgraduate medicine · Mar 2024
Prognostic significance of body mass index and serum albumin as the indicators of nutritional status in small cell lung cancer.
Body mass index (BMI) and serum albumin (ALB) level are long-established markers that reflect the nutritional status and eventually the prognosis of cancer patients. The objective of the study was to determine the clinical significance of these factors and specify their roles in outcomes compared with performance status (PS) and weight loss (WL), which are considered the most significant patient-related prognostic factors in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) treated with platinum-etoposide-based chemotherapy. ⋯ Even though BMI and serum albumin showed no prognostic value in SCLC patients treated with chemotherapy, PS was found to be the most significant prognostic factor in both LD- and ED-SCLC stages.
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Postgraduate medicine · Mar 2024
ReviewPotassium-competitive acid blockers: rethinking acid suppression for gastroesophageal reflux disease and Helicobacter pylori.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection are different disease states that are united by the core role of acid suppression in their management. In GERD, proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) have long been standard therapy based on abundant positive clinical trial data supporting their efficacy and safety. In H. pylori, PPIs are also a critical element of therapy in combination with 1 or more antibiotics to achieve and maintain a pH that maximizes the efficacy of therapy. ⋯ In pharmacodynamic studies, these agents have shown greater durations of acid suppression above the critical threshold of pH 4 (for GERD) and pH 6 (for H. pylori), which have been shown to optimize therapeutic efficacy in these settings. These results have translated in clinical studies to similar and, in some cases, improved outcomes relative to PPIs in these disease states. This review summarizes current knowledge on the physiology of acid secretion, pathophysiology and management of GERD and H. pylori, and key characteristics and clinical trial data for PPIs and PCABs.