Articles: cations.
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
MRI and Diffusion-Weighted MRI Volumetry for Identification of Complete Tumor Responders After Preoperative Chemoradiotherapy in Patients With Rectal Cancer: A Bi-institutional Validation Study.
Retrospective single-center studies have shown that diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) is promising for identification of patients with rectal cancer with a complete tumor response after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT), using certain volumetric thresholds. ⋯ Previously established DWI volume thresholds can be reproduced with good results. Post-CRT DWI volumetry offers the best results for the detection of patients with a complete response after CRT with an area under the curve of 0.92, sensitivity of 70%, and specificity of 98%.
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Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are the only neurotherapeutics for which regulatory approval is consistently separated into monotherapy or adjunctive-therapy indications. Because head-to-head comparisons of AEDs (used in the European Union to approve drugs for monotherapy) have not shown substantial differences in efficacy between drugs, FDA approval for use of an AED as monotherapy has typically been based on trials with novel designs that have been criticised for reasons of ethics and clinical relevance. ⋯ The regulatory requirement for separate monotherapy and adjunctive-therapy indications in epilepsy is unnecessarily restrictive. We recommend that regulatory agencies approve AEDs for the treatment of specific seizure types or epilepsy syndromes, irrespective of concomitant drug use.
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Recreational use of small-wheeled vehicles (SWVs), which include skateboards, longboards, nonmotorized scooters, ice skates, and roller skates or rollerblades, results in numerous injuries in the United States. ⋯ ED, emergency departmentSWV, small-wheeled vehicleTBI, traumatic brain injury.
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Surgery for pediatric idiopathic constipation (IC) is undertaken after failure of bowel management programs. Decisions are influenced by rectal biopsy, transit studies, megacolon/megarectum, degree of soiling/incontinence, and anorectal manometry profile(s). A systematic review of ALL published studies critically evaluates outcomes of surgery for IC. ⋯ Surgical management and outcome(s) for pediatric IC are based on low-quality evidence. No single operation was considered "best practice." This study crucially highlights that surgeons must develop better care strategies.
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Multicenter Study
Validation of Complications Selected by Consensus to Evaluate the Acute Phase of Adult Trauma Care: A Multicenter Cohort Study.
Evaluate the predictive validity of complications derived using expert consensus methodology to monitor the quality of trauma care. Secondary objectives were to assess the predictive validity of complications not selected by consensus and identify determinants of complications. ⋯ In addition to the face and content validity ensured by consensus methodology, this study suggests that consensus complications have good predictive validity. Monitoring these complications as part of quality improvement activities would provide an opportunity to improve outcome and resource use for injury admissions.