Articles: treatment.
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Observational Study
Characteristics of patients with chronic hepatitis B infection in China: A retrospective claims database study.
Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection affects approximately 90 million people in China, where there are profoundly unmet clinical and public health needs. This study evaluated patient demographics, disease progression, and treatment management using national administrative claims data. This retrospective, observational study used anonymized data from the China Health Insurance Research Association claims database (January 1-December 31, 2016); data that could not be validated, or from duplicate entries, were excluded. ⋯ The most frequently visited hospitals were Tier III; patients visiting Tier III generally required more hospital care compared with those visiting Tier I/II hospitals. Only two-thirds of patients were prescribed antiviral therapy for CHB (most commonly nucleos(t)ide analogues). Results from this study highlight a substantial need to improve access to appropriate CHB treatment in China.
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The recurrence of Meniere disease (MD) strongly affects patient quality of life. Identifying the risk factors for MD is highly important for its prevention and treatment. Previous studies have suggested that alcohol intake may play a role in the development of MD. ⋯ Inverse variance weighting (IVW), MR-Egger, simple weighting, weighted weighting and the weighted median method were used for analysis. The final results showed that IVW (OR = 0.991, 95% CI: 0.983-0.998, P = .016) results suggested that there was statistical significance, but MR-Egger (OR = 0.978, 95% CI: 0.886-1.080, P = .679), weighted median methods (OR = 0.994, 95% CI: 0.985-1.004, P = .307) and Simple mode (OR = 0.995, 95% CI: 0.980-1.010, P = .566), Weighted mode (OR = 0.995, 95% CI: 0.981-1.010, P = .557) found no significant causal relationship. The results suggest that alcohol usually taken with meals may be negatively correlated with MD.
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Singapore medical journal · Feb 2024
Approach to difficult-to-treat asthma in childhood: a narrative review.
Asthma is a major chronic disease affecting children, and children with difficult-to-treat asthma account for a disproportionate share of resource utilisation and healthcare costs. This review presents a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of the treatment strategies in difficult-to-treat paediatric asthma. Mimickers of asthma must first be ruled out, and the diagnosis confirmed with objective tests whenever possible. ⋯ Treatment can then be optimised by implementing personalised strategies, including the use of appropriate drug delivery devices and adherence monitoring. Biologics can be an alternative treatment option for selected patients but should not be a substitute for addressing poor adherence. Many patients with difficult-to-treat asthma may not have severe asthma, and the physician should work with patients and families to achieve good asthma control via an individualised approach.
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Numerous surgical interventions are available for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis (KOA). In recent years, knee-preserving surgery, specifically osteotomy, has gained significant attention from patients, particularly those who are young and physically active, as it not only effectively alleviates pain but also preserves bone integrity, thereby allowing for potential future joint replacement. This study aims to comprehensively analyze the global application trends of osteotomy for KOA and identify the current research hotspots. ⋯ Recent years have witnessed notable rapid progress in the research on osteotomy for KOA. The field is poised for continued growth in terms of academic literature. The United States has emerged as a global leader in knee osteotomy research, while Korea demonstrates considerable potential in this domain. Future research hotspots may encompass high tibial osteotomies, osteotomies combined with cartilage repair techniques, and advancements in surgical techniques for KOA.
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Halitosis, the unpleasant odor in the oral cavity, has garnered increased attention and concern due to the growing significance of social interaction. SGE-107, a blend of 3 botanical drugs-Korean goat's beard, Cirsium tanakae, and Basil-with caffeic acid as its indicator component. This study aims to investigate the efficacy of SGE-107 in treating halitosis in patients with mild gastrointestinal symptoms. ⋯ SGE-107 appears to be a safe and effective treatment for halitosis-associated with gastrointestinal symptoms; nevertheless, the limited sample size necessitates further large-scale randomized, controlled studies to confirm our findings.