Journal of clinical medicine research最新文献

Background: Disuse osteoporosis in hemiparetic patients often results in significant morbidity, decreased quality of life, and different clinical characteristics. The study aimed to investigate the effect of these clinical factors on bone mineral density (BMD).

Methods: This was an analytical observational study with a cross-sectional method evaluating hemiparetic patients at Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital from 2018 to 2019. BMD (g/cm²) was assessed using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) on the spine and both sides of the body. The relationship and correlation between BMD and delta BMD scores with clinical characteristics were analyzed. A linear regression test was used to assess the correlation between variables.

Results: A total of 34 participants were recruited for this study. There was a difference between the healthy and paretic side of BMD of both hip and wrist (P < 0.001), strong positive correlation between the onset of hemiparesis and wrist and hip delta BMD (r = 0.779, P = 0.001 and r = 0.791, P = 0.001), and significant association between delta BMD and age and motor strength. Multivariate analysis shows that the onset of hemiparesis was a strong predictor of delta BMD (aR² wrist = 0.486, aR² hip = 0.614). There was a 7.36% decrease in the mean BMD score of the paretic side compared to the non-paretic side.

Conclusion: A low BMD score is prevalent in seven out of 10 patients with post-stroke neuromuscular deficit. Age, limb strength, the onset of hemiparesis, and rehabilitation compliance are associated with decreased BMD among patients with post-stroke neuromuscular deficit.

Background: Metformin is a commonly prescribed oral hypoglycemic agent for diabetic patients. Its effect in reducing the incidence of stroke has already been proven. We aimed to explore the impact of prior metformin use on stroke outcomes.

Methods: The Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library were searched to identify relevant studies involving stroke patients with a history of metformin use and comparing them to non-metformin users. We analyzed the following outcomes: modified Rankin Scale (mRS), National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), mortality, or length of hospitalization.

Results: Eleven studies, with 13,825 participants, were included. The metformin group showed higher favorable mRS 0 - 2 than the non-metformin group (risk ratio (RR) = 1.14, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.09 - 1.19, P value < 0.01). Also, significantly lower mortality rates were seen in the metformin group (RR = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.46 - 0.63, P value ≤ 0.01). NIHSS at discharge was lower in the metformin group than the non-metformin group (mean difference (MD) = -0.46, 95% CI: -0.82 - -0.11, P value < 0.01). The mRS 3 - 6 indicates less favorable outcomes were higher in the non-metformin group (RR = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.77 - 0.93). At the same time, NIHSS at admission showed no statistically significant difference between the two groups. These results indicate that metformin has a beneficial impact on the severity of stroke.

Conclusions: Pre-stroke metformin therapy is associated with better post-stroke clinical outcomes and lower mortality rates. These results highlight the potential neuroprotective role of metformin and emphasize its role as an adjunctive treatment in stroke management. Further research is required to understand its mechanism better.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is increasingly affecting hospitalized patients worldwide. Patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases, although primarily impacted by functional impairment and sometimes structural damage to joints, bones, and muscle tissue, may also develop AKI during the course of their disease. This narrative review aimed to summarize potential causes of AKI and the associated disease patterns. The following databases were searched for references: PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Scopus. The search period covered from 1958 to 2024. Certain inflammatory rheumatic diseases increase the risk of AKI due to specific types of kidney disease. However, the most common conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis and spondylarthritis, rarely cause AKI directly. Among the medications used for pain and sometimes disease activity control, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can potentially induce AKI, even progressing to acute tubular necrosis. There is evidence that certain rheumatic diseases are associated with increased risk of AKI, independently of directly affecting kidney function or structure. However, the data on this topic are quite limited. AKI is a potentially significant issue for patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases. Additional data on the increased risk of AKI, independent of direct kidney involvement, are needed.

Background: Alloimmunization presents a significant challenge for patients with β-thalassemia major who depend on regular transfusion therapy. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the frequency of alloimmunization within the Rhesus blood group system and identify the most prevalent alloantibodies.

Methods: A comprehensive search across multiple databases was conducted to locate epidemiological studies reporting alloimmunization in thalassemia patients undergoing repeated transfusions, specifically focusing on Rhesus antibodies. Statistical analyses were performed using R software, and heterogeneity was assessed using I² statistics.

Results: This review included 20 studies with a total of 4,650 patients. The overall prevalence of alloimmunization was 5.4% (95% confidence interval (CI): 3.1-9.3%) across all ages, with a prevalence of 9.1% (95% CI: 5.3-15.2%) in children and 25% (95% CI: 12.7-41.2%) in adults. The pooled overall prevalence was 6.6% (95% CI: 4.2-10.2%). Among the 488 alloimmunized patients, 310 developed Rhesus-specific antibodies, with anti-E (34.58%) and anti-D (13.69%) being the most frequent.

Conclusions: This study underscores the substantial prevalence of Rhesus antibodies among alloimmunized thalassemia patients. Implementing extended phenotype matching for transfusions could significantly reduce the risk of alloantibody formation in this population. Future analyses should explore factors influencing alloimmunization rates, such as ethnic diversity, matching protocols, and age-related variations, to inform clinical practice better.

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) significantly increases the overall risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). In addition to conventional risk factors, the inflammatory activity of the disease itself and medications that promote atherosclerosis contribute to an even greater risk. In this study, we performed metabolomic analysis in RA patients, both on and off disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) therapy, with the aim of identifying new candidates for more sophisticated cardiovascular risk (CVR) assessment.

Methods: This is an observational, cross-sectional investigation that included patients with established RA. DMARD therapy, if prescribed, consisted of methotrexate (MTX) alone or in combination with other conventional disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (cDMARDs) or biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (bDMARDs), or other cDMARDs or bDMARDs without MTX, respectively. Metabolomic profiling was conducted using a Bruker AVANCE NEO 600 MHz nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer. The spectra obtained were Fourier transformed using TopSpin software (version 4.0, Bruker Biospin, Germany). All spectra were automatically phased and subjected to baseline correction. Subsequently, the spectra were analyzed using the proprietary Profiler software (version 1.4_Blood, lifespin GmbH, Germany), and a quantitative metabolite list was generated.

Results: In total, 200 patients were included in the study, 54 subjects were not receiving any DMARDs (n = 47 untreated at the time of inclusion, n = 7 with established disease but not receiving DMARD therapy), and 146 were receiving DMARD treatment. No metabolic differences were found in relation to drug therapy or RA activity. The following CVR factors were associated with significant metabolic abnormalities: distress, arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus and an average higher Framingham score. Distressed individuals showed abnormalities in histidine metabolism.

Conclusions: Our findings have aided in the identification of potential surrogate markers for assessing the burden of CVD in individuals with RA. Histidine may be of particular diagnostic importance in CVR assessment in RA.

Background: Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is a prevalent surgical procedure aimed at alleviating symptoms and improving survival in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Postoperative care typically necessitates an intensive care unit (ICU) stay, which is ideally less than 24 h. However, various preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative factors can prolong ICU stays, adversely affecting hospital resources, patient outcomes, and overall healthcare costs. This study investigates the factors contributing to prolonged ICU stay (> 48 h) following CABG and CABG combined with valve surgery, and examines the associated impacts on complications and mortality.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study analyzed 1,395 patients who underwent isolated CABG or CABG combined with heart valve surgery at King Abdullah University Hospital (KAUH) between January 2004 and December 2022. Patients were categorized into two groups: those with ICU stays ≤ 48 h (group 1, n = 1,082) and those with ICU stays > 48 h (group 2, n = 313). Clinical, laboratory, and demographic data were collected and evaluated to identify risk factors for prolonged ICU stays.

Results: Patients in group 2 were older, with a mean age of 61.5 years compared to 58.7 years in group 1 (P < 0.001). Significant predictors of prolonged ICU stay included preoperative conditions such as recent myocardial infarction (odds ratio (OR) = 1.69, P = 0.015), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or asthma (OR = 1.49, P = 0.003), and preoperative renal impairment (OR = 1.89, P = 0.002). Intraoperative factors such as emergency or urgent procedures (OR = 2.19, P < 0.001) and prolonged ventilator support (OR = 5.92, P < 0.001) were also significant. Postoperative complications, including renal impairment (OR = 6.78, P < 0.001) and pneumonia or sepsis (OR = 8.92, P < 0.001), were strongly associated with extended ICU stays.

Conclusions: Prolonged ICU stays are indicative of patients with more severe baseline conditions, greater surgical complexity, and higher rates of postoperative complications, which collectively contribute to increased risks of severe adverse outcomes and mortality. Prolonged ICU stays after CABG are strongly associated with preoperative comorbidities, intraoperative challenges, and postoperative complications, leading to increased mortality and significant healthcare resource utilization. Identifying these risk factors and implementing targeted strategies to address them can help minimize ICU stay durations, improve patient outcomes, and enhance the efficiency of cardiac surgery care. Future research should focus on refining predictive models and optimizing perioperative management to further reduce the burden of prolonged ICU stays on healthcare systems.

Pulmonary embolism (PE) and acute ischemic stroke (AIS) are serious conditions with high morbidity and mortality. In the USA, PE causes around 100,000 deaths annually, with higher incidence in males. AIS following PE occurs in 1-10% of cases and is a leading cause of death within 2 - 4 weeks post-stroke. Managing concurrent PE and AIS is complex due to the need for anticoagulation, which is contraindicated after thrombolysis for AIS. This review evaluates the impact of various PE treatments - anticoagulation, thrombolysis, and embolectomy - on mortality in patients with both conditions. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, a systematic review was conducted across six databases from January 2010 to December 2023. The primary outcome measured was mortality, comparing treated vs. untreated patients for PE. Secondary outcomes included marked symptom improvement, slight improvement or deterioration of symptoms, and the complications. Data were analyzed descriptively, summarizing patient demographics, clinical characteristics, and treatment outcomes. Treatment modalities, such as anticoagulation, thrombolysis, catheter-directed thrombectomy, surgical thrombectomy, and conservative management, were evaluated based on their impact on symptom improvement, survival, and mortality. Initial querying of six databases yielded 1,679 articles, with only 21 remaining after a thorough review. Thrombolysis led to 100% symptom improvement and survival, with 0% mortality. Anticoagulation resulted in symptom improvement and survival in 62.5% of cases, with a 12.5% mortality rate. Catheter-directed and surgical thrombectomy had symptom improvement and survival in 66.7% and 75% of cases, respectively, with no mortality. Conservative management, defined here as management without anticoagulation or thrombolytic therapy, was associated with symptom worsening or no improvement and 50% mortality. This systematic review, based on observational data from case reports, highlights the diverse strategies used by physicians. Proactive and aggressive treatments, especially thrombolysis, show better outcomes and lower mortality rates. However, specific recommendations cannot be made from these results alone, emphasizing the need for well-designed prospective, randomized controlled trials to design structured guidelines for healthcare providers.

Left ventricular non-compaction (LVNC) is a rare primary cardiomyopathy with genetic etiology, resulting from an abnormality of myocardial development during embryogenesis. It carries an elevated risk of left ventricular dysfunction, thromboembolic events and malignant arrhythmias. We report the case of LVNC associated with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and ankyrin 2 (ANK2) mutation at the genetic test. An 18-year-old competitive athlete visited our medical center to undergo the diagnostic investigations protocol preparatory to the release of the suitability for competitive practice. The echocardiographic examination shows LVNC without ventricular remodeling (left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) 53%, global longitudinal strain (GLS) -18.3%). The echocardiographic diagnosis was confirmed by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI), which revealed dense hypertrabeculation in the left ventricular apex and lateral wall. The cardiogenetic investigation showed a c.9145C>T variant (p.Arg3049Trp) identified in the ANK2 gene. This mutation is associated in the literature with rare cases of LVNC. The patient underwent an extended Holter monitoring which excluded ventricular arrhythmic events but showed two brief episodes of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Despite the absence of significant ventricular remodeling, considering the presence of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and the presence of a mutation in the ANK2 gene, which has several variants related to high-risk phenotypes, it has been decided to suspend the competitive practice, and is defined an adequate clinical-diagnostic follow-up.

Background: Upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) is a common and potentially fatal medical emergency. This study aimed to investigate the frequency, causes, outcomes, and efficacy of endoscopy in the treatment of UGIB at King Fahad Central Hospital in Jazan, Saudi Arabia.

Methods: Between January 2017 and December 2023, a retrospective study was performed including all hospitalized patients with UGIB. This research investigated sociodemographic characteristics, clinical history, endoscopic findings, treatment options, and results using statistical analysis, which included both descriptive and inferential approaches.

Results: The study included 483 patients (of which 74.1% men), with a mean age of 53.9 ± 19.5 years. Hematemesis was observed in 67.5% of the patients, whereas melena occurred in 49.7% of the cases. Two-hundred sixty-two (54.2%) patients underwent endoscopy within the first 24 h from presentation. The most frequent endoscopic findings were esophageal varices (52.2%) and duodenal ulcers (21.7%). Bandings accounted for 48.0% of all endoscopic procedures, whereas 36.9% of the patients received epinephrine injections along with endoclips. Medical therapy mostly consisted of a mix of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and octreotide. A significant minority (43.5%) of the patients stayed in the hospital for 1 - 3 days, while 59.6% did not need blood transfusions. During the first 3 days, 7% of patients experienced rebleeding, with a 6% mortality rate. Using multivariate regression analysis, rebleeding was strongly associated with initial presentation with shock (P < 0.001), renal disease (P = 0.01), and increased transfusion requirement (P = 0.001). Mortality was strongly associated with steroid usage (P = 0.007), increasing transfusion requirements (P < 0.0001), and rebleeding (P = 0.002).

Conclusions: Timely endoscopy and proper treatment dramatically improved UGIB results. Identifying those who are at high risk and acting swiftly is a critical step in reducing the likelihood of recurrent bleeding and fatality.

Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) can affect a plethora of organ systems and cause organ damage due to the disease process and medication toxicity, notably corticosteroids. Patients with SLE often suffer irreversible organ damage. Older age, glucocorticoid use, longer disease duration, and disease activity all represent risk factors for organ damage. This study aims to assess the incidence and predictors of organ damage among Saudi Arabian SLE patients.

Methods: This study is a single-center, retrospective cohort observational study conducted at the adult Rheumatology Outpatient Clinic in King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It included all patients aged 16 years and older who met at least four of the American College of Rheumatology Classification criteria for SLE or had a renal biopsy consistent with lupus nephritis and had regular follow-ups at our hospital, with the last visit occurring within 2 years.

Results: The study included 196 patients with SLE, predominantly female (92.9%) with a mean age of 36.2 years and an average disease duration of 8.88 years. Among the patients, 38.8% had a positive Systemic Damage Index (SDI) score. Hydroxychloroquine was used by 93.4% of the patients, and 46.9% had a Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index 2000 (SLEDAI-2K) score of 3 or higher. The neuropsychiatric system was most affected, with 16.8% of patients having positive SDI scores in this domain, followed by the renal system at 9.2%. Patients with positive SDI scores were significantly older, had longer disease duration, and had higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus and hypertension.

Conclusion: To address organ damage in SLE patients, integrating adjunctive therapies like antihypertensives and antidiabetic agents into management plans is essential. Future research should adopt prospective cohort designs to evaluate the dynamic interactions between comorbidities and organ damage over time. Additionally, studies should assess the effectiveness of combined treatment strategies and develop targeted approaches for high-risk groups to enhance outcomes and quality of life.