Elderly Male Patients Research Articles

Advances in Immunotherapy and Vaccine for Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors of the urinary system. The incidence of prostate cancer is high in the elderly male patients, which seriously threatens the life and health. In recent years, immunotherapy to activate anti-cancer host immune cells to kill tumors has become a new area of research for the treatment of prostate cancer. As an important component of immunotherapy, cancer vaccines have a unique position in the precise treatment of malignant tumors. There are many types of prostate cancer vaccines, including monocyte vaccines, dendritic cell vaccines, viral vaccines, peptide vaccines, and DNA/mRNA vaccines, etc. As the most important cancer vaccine based on monocytes, it is the only prostate cancer therapeutic vaccine approved by the US Food and Drug Administration at present, which plays an extremely important role in the immunotherapy of prostate cancer. However, due to its own limitations, SipuleucelT has not been widely adopted. Currently, the complexity of immunotherapy and the specificity of prostate cancer mean that other prostate cancer vaccines have not shown expected clinical benefits in large randomized phase II and III trials, and further in-depth studies are still needed.

C65 TRANSTYRETIN CARDIAC AMYLOIDOSIS IN THE ELDERLY PATIENT: ALWAYS A WILD TYPE?

Abstract Background Transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR) exists in two forms: a genetic form transmitted by autosomal dominant inheritance (ATTRv) and a wild type form (ATTRwt). Clinically, the hereditary form tends to have an early onset in adulthood and it is characterized by a particular tropism for nervous as well as cardiac tissue. In contrast, the "wild type" form has a later onset with major cardiac involvement and neurological manifestations usually limited to carpal tunnel syndrome. Methods and results In our centre, from January to October 2022, 20 patients older than 75 years received a diagnosis of cardiac ATTR (73% male, 27% female, mean age 83±5). In all patients, blood tests showed a significant and stable increase in the values of troponin Ths (0.070± 0.074 ng/mL) and NT–proBNP (1533±1204 pg/ml), with the absence of a monoclonal component in the blood and urine, and myocardial bisphosphonate scintigraphy positive grade 2/3. All patients showed absence of peripheral neuropathy with the presence of carpal tunnel syndrome in 9 cases. Before starting therapy with Tafamidis all patients underwent genetic testing by amplification of exons 2,3 and 4 of the TTR gene with subsequent sequencing. Unexpectedly, in 3 elderly male patients (15%) the genetic test resulted positive with 3 different mutations of pathogenetic significance (Val50Met; Ile88Leu; Val142Ile). First–degree relatives (10 consanguineous, average age 49±12 years) agreed to be subjected to genetic screening; of these 4 (1 male and 3 females, age 47±8 years) were positive for the corresponding mutation and underwent echocardiogram, MRI and myocardial scintigraphy. All of these tests were normal and they were included in an annual follow–up protocol at the to identify an early manifestation of the disease. Conclusions our experience shows that 15% of patients older than 75 years and diagnosed with cardiac ATTR may be affected by a genetic form. Making genetic diagnosis in this context is particularly important for screening family members: current therapies are in fact much more effective if started early before organ damage can occur.

EPIDEMIOLOGICAL PROFILE OF PATIENTS IN THE INTENSIVE THERAPY UNIT

Objective: To know the profile of intensive care users according to published literature. Methods: it is an integrative review of literature, from the search of scientific articles, in the databases SciELO, Lilacs, Bireme, with the search of data between the years 2014 to 2019. Results: There were found 644 articles and remained only four, where they identified that in Brazil, the elderly male patients with respiratory disorders occupy about 42% to 52% of the ICU hospitalizations and spend approximately 60% of the existing ones. Conclusion: In this way it is relevant that the nursing has knowledge of the characteristics and profile presented by the patients, of the intensive therapy in order to respond with greater agility to the patients’ demands.

Capillary leak syndrome presenting as refractory ascites in a patient with lymphoma: A rare case report

Capillary leak syndrome (CLS) is a serious disorder characterized by hypotension and refractory systemic oedema. CLS with marked ascites rather than systemic oedema is rare and prone to misdiagnosis and delayed treatment. We report here a case of marked ascites in an elderly male patient with hepatitis B virus reactivation. Following investigations to exclude common diseases that may have accounted for diffuse oedema and hypercoagulable state, anti-cirrhosis therapy failed and severe refractory shock developed 48 hours after admission. The patient developed mild pleural effusions followed by swelling of the face, neck, and extremities. A high cytokine concentration gradient was detected between serum and ascites. Peritoneal biopsy showed lymphoma cells. The final diagnosis was lymphoma recurrence complicated with CLS. Our case suggests that cytokine detection in serum and ascitic fluid may be helpful in the differential diagnosis of CLS. In similar cases, decisive intervention, such as, hemodiafiltration, should be implemented to lessen the likelihood of serious complications.

Predictors for the Longevity of People with Diabetes in Buno Bedele and Illubabor Zones, South-west Ethiopia.

Currently, diabetes is a global health problem and it affects many people, especially in the developing continents. As patients' living conditions improve and the science of medicine advances, the longevity of such patients has increased greatly. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify predictors for the association of the longevity of people with diabetes in Buno Bedele and Illubabor Zones, South-west Ethiopia. The study applied a retrospective cohort study design approach. In particular, long rank tests for longevity experience and Cox semi-parametric regression were implemented to compare and investigate the predictors associated with the longevity of patients with diabetes. Among all the patients who participated in this study, 56.9% were females and the rest were males. From the Cox regression result, age (AHR = 1.0550, 95% CI: (1.0250, 1.0860), p-value = 0.001), female patients (AHR = 0.2200, 95% CI: (0.0390, 0.5290)), rural patients (AHR = 0.2200, 95% CI: (0.1000, 0.4890), p-value = 0.001), the existence of fasting blood glucose complication (AHR = 1.2040, 95% CI: (1.0930, 1.4460), p-value = 0.001), the existence of blood pressure (AHR = 1.2480, 95% CI: (1.1390, 1.5999), p-value = 0.0180), treatment type, Sulfonylureas (AHR = 4.9970, 95% CI: (1.4140, 17.6550), p-value = 0.0120), treatment type, Sulfonylurea and Metformin (AHR = 5.7200, 95% CI: (1.7780, 18.3990), p-value = 0.0030) were significantly affected the longevity of people with diabetes. The findings of the current study showed that the patient's age, sex of patients, residence area, the existence of complications, existence of pressure, and treatment type were major risk factors related to the longevity of people with diabetes. Hence, health-related education should be given to patients who come to take treatment to have better longevity for people with diabetes. More attention should be given to aged patients, male and urban patients, patients under complication treatment, and patients under treatment with single-treatment medication.

Ayurvedic Management of Avascular Necrosis (AVN) Stage IV: A Case Report

Avascular Necrosis (AVN) is a disorder characterized by necrotic changes in the bone tissue due to interruption of blood supply. AVN is classified into 4 stages. AVN I and II stages may benefit from conservative treatments while patients with Stage III or IV may require surgery such as joint replacement or bone grafting. This case report gives an insight into Ayurveda management of AVN stage IV in improving the quality of life (QOL) of the patient. A 34 years aged male patient came with presenting complaints of being unable to walk due to the pain at the bilateral hip joints for 4 years. The pain restricts him to initiate walking. The MRI finding was AVN of the bilateral heads of the femurs in ARCO Stage IV A. The condition is diagnosed as Asthi-majjagata-vata. It is managed with oral medicines, abhyanga, svedana, and basti. After the treatment, the patient can walk for 30 minutes and can sit for more than 1 hour without pain. The QOL of the patient is considerably increased on Harris hip score. This case report shows the importance of Ayurveda management even in the AVN stage IV to improve the QOL. More research in AVN stage IV management with Ayurveda is needed to arrive at a specific conclusion.

Occurrence of circumscribed choroidal hemangioma accompanied by polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy and branch retinal vein occlusion: a case report

BackgroundCircumscribed Choroidal hemangioma (CCH) is a kind of hamartoma that is caused by congenital vascular malformation. And, polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) is an exudative maculopathy. There is no literature indicating that there is a correlation between the occurrences of CCH and PCV.Case presentationA 66-year-old male presented with decreased vision of his left eye for 4 years. Fundus photograph showed that the branches of blood vessels at the supratemporal retina were occluded in white lines, an orange lesion could be seen in the subnasal retina and mottled, yellowish white lesions were accompanied by punctate hard exudation in the macular in the left eye. The Fundus autofluorescence (FAF), fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA), indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) and Spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) were done. There was a diagnosis of CCH, PCV and branch retinal vein occlusion accompanied with retinoschisis of the left eye.ConclusionThis article reports on a case of an elderly male Chinese patient with CCH and PCV accompanied by branch retinal vein occlusion with retinoschisis in the left eye. The common lesions are choroidal vascular abnormalities. Whether hypertension is related to CCH, PCV and branch retinal vein occlusion remains to be further studied.

Advances on pentraxin 3 in osteoporosis and fracture healing

Pentaxin 3 (PTX3), as a multifunctional glycoprotein, plays an important role in regulating inflammatory response, promoting tissue repair, inducing ectopic calcification and maintaining bone homeostasis. The effect of PTX3 on bone mineral density (BMD) may be affected by many factors. In PTX3 knockout mice and osteoporosis (OP) patients, the deletion of PTX3 will lead to decrease of BMD. In Korean community "Dong-gu study", it was found that plasma PTX3 was negatively correlated with BMD of femoral neck in male elderly patients. In terms of bone related cells, PTX3 plays an important role in maintaining the phenotype and function of osteoblasts (OB) in OP state;for osteoclast (OC), PTX3 in inflammatory state could stimulate nuclear factor κ receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) production and its combination with TNF-stimulated gene 6(TSG-6) could improve activity of osteoclasts and promote bone resorption;for mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), PTX3 could promote osteogenic differentiation of MSCs through PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. In recent years, the role of PTX3 as a new bone metabolism regulator in OP and fracture healing has been gradually concerned by scholars. In OP patients, PTX3 regulates bone mass mainly by promoting bone regeneration. In the process of fracture healing, PTX3 promotes fracture healing by coordinating bone regeneration and bone resorption to maintain bone homeostasis. In view of the above biological characteristics, PTX3 is expected to become a new target for the diagnosis and treatment of OP and other age-related bone diseases and fracture healing.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the most common liver disease worldwide and represents the leading cause of liver-related morbidity and mortality. Its all-cause mortality is often driven by co-existing metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes (T2DM), which share many pathophysiological characteristics. The risk of developing T2DM among NAFLD patients in Germany is only poorly described. A cohort of 17 245 NAFLD patients and a propensity score-matched cohort of equal size were identified from the Disease Analyzer database (IQVIA) between 2005 and 2020. The incidence of T2DM was evaluated as a function of NAFLD during a 5-year study period using Cox-regression models. Within 5 years of the index date, 18.8% and 11.7% of individuals with and without NAFLD were diagnosed with T2DM (P < 0.001). Regression analysis revealed a hazard ratio of 1.77 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.68-1.88] for the development of T2DM among NAFLD patients. Subgroup analyses confirmed this association for all age groups (18-50, 51-60, 61-70 and >70 years), male and female patients, as well as normal weight (BMI < 25 kg/m2), overweighted (BMI 25-30 kg/m2) and obese (BMI > 30 kg/m2) patients. Our data revealed a significantly increased incidence of T2DM among NAFLD patients in Germany. Given the dramatically increasing global relevance of NAFLD, we believe that prevention and regular screening programs for T2DM in NAFLD patients could help to reduce its high mortality and morbidity in the future.

Elderly Patients Managed Non-Operatively with Abscesses of the Anorectal Region Have Five Times Higher Rate of Mortality Compared to Non-Elderly

This study's purpose was to investigate risk factors for mortality from anorectal abscesses through a more comprehensive examination. This was a retrospective study that evaluated National Inpatient Sample patient data of adult and elderly patients emergently admitted with a primary diagnosis of anorectal abscess. Data was stratified by variables of interest and examined through statistical analysis, including backward logistic regression modelling. Roughly 40,000 adult patients and nearly 7000 elderly patients were admitted emergently with a primary diagnosis of abscess in anorectal regions. The mean age of adult male patients was 43 years while elderly male patients were, on average, 73 years old. Both adult males (69.0%) and elderly males (63.9%) were more frequently seen in the hospital for anorectal abscess compared to females. Mortality rates were lower in adult patients as only 0.2% (n = 62) of adult patients and 1.0% (n = 73) of elderly patients died in the hospital. Age increased the odds of mortality (OR = 1.03; 95% CI: 1.02-1.04, p < 0.001) as did hospital length of stay (OR = 1.02; 95% CI: 1.01-1.03, p < 0.001). Surgical procedure decreased the odds of mortality by more than 50% (OR = 0.49; 95% CI: 0.33-0.71, p < 0.001). Risk factors for mortality from anorectal abscess included age and non-operative management, which leads to prolonged hospital length of stay. Surgical management of anorectal abscesses offered protective benefits.

Risk factors for in-hospital mortality and secondary bacterial pneumonia among hospitalized adult patients with community-acquired influenza: a large retrospective cohort study

BackgroundSecondary bacterial pneumonia is an important complication of seasonal influenza, but little data is available about impact on death and risk factors. This study identified risk factors for all-cause in-hospital mortality and secondary bacterial pneumonia among hospitalized adult patients with community-acquired influenza.MethodsA retrospective cohort study was performed at a tertiary teaching hospital in southwest China. The study cohort included all adult hospitalized patients with a laboratory-confirmed, community-acquired influenza virus infection during three consecutive influenza seasons from 2017 to 2020. Cause-specific Cox regression was used to analyze risk factors for mortality and secondary bacterial pneumonia, respectively, accounting for competing events (discharge alive and discharge alive or death without secondary bacterial pneumonia, respectively).ResultsAmong 174 patients enrolled in this study, 14.4% developed secondary bacterial pneumonia and 11.5% died during hospitalization. For all-cause in-hospital mortality, time-varying secondary bacterial pneumonia was a direct risk factor of death (cause-specific hazard ratio [csHR] 3.38, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.25–9.17); underlying disease indirectly increased death risk through decreasing the hazard of being discharged alive (csHR 0.55, 95% CI 0.39–0.77). For secondary bacterial pneumonia, the final model only confirmed direct risk factors: age ≥ 65 years (csHR 2.90, 95% CI 1.27–6.62), male gender (csHR 3.78, 95% CI 1.12–12.84) and mechanical ventilation on admission (csHR 2.96, 95% CI 1.32–6.64).ConclusionsSecondary bacterial pneumonia was a major risk factor for in-hospital mortality among adult hospitalized patients with community-acquired influenza. Prevention strategies for secondary bacterial pneumonia should target elderly male patients and critically ill patients under mechanical ventilation.

In vitro susceptibility profiles of Candida parapsilosis species complex subtypes from deep infections to nine antifungal drugs.

Introduction. The Candida parapsilosis complex can be divided into C. parapsilosis sensu stricto, C. orthopsilosis, and C. metapsilosis subtypes. It is uncommon for drug sensitivity tests to type them.Gap Statement. In routine susceptibility reports, drug susceptibility of C. parapsilosis complex subtypes is lacking.Aim. The aim of this study is to investigate the antifungal susceptibility and clinical distribution characteristics of the C. parapsilosis complex subtypes causing deep infection in patients.Methodology. Non-repetitive strains of C. parapsilosis complex isolated from deep infection from 2017 to 2019 were collected. Species-level identification was performed using a matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometer and confirmed using ITS gene sequencing, when necessary. Antifungal susceptibility testing was performed using the Sensititre YeastOne system method.Results. A total of 244 cases were included in the study, including 176 males (72.13 %, 60.69±13.43 years) and 68 females (27.87 %, 60.21±10.59 years). The primary diseases were cancer (43.44 %), cardiovascular disease (25.00 %), digestive system diseases, (18.44 %), infection (6.97 %), and nephropathy (6.15 %). Strains were isolated from the bloodstream (63.11 %), central venous catheters (15.16 %), pus (6.56 %), ascites (5.74 %), sterile body fluid (5.33 %), and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF, 4.09 %). Of the 244 C. parapsilosis complex strains, 179 (73.26 %) were identified as C. parapsilosis sensu stricto, 62 (25.41 %) were C. orthopsilosis, and three (1.23 %) were C. metapsilosis. Only one C. parapsilosis sensu stricto strain was resistant to anidulafungin, micafungin, caspofungin, and voriconazole, and it was non-wild-type (NWT) to amphotericin B. Furthermore, six C. parapsilosis sensu stricto strains were resistant to fluconazole, and one was dose-dependent susceptible. Five C. parapsilosis sensu stricto strains were NWT to posaconazole. Only one C. orthopsilosis strain was NWT for anidulafungin, micafungin, caspofungin, fluconazole, voriconazole, amphotericin B, and posaconazole, while the rest of the strains were wild-type.Conclusion. C. parapsilosis sensu stricto was the main clinical isolate from the C. parapsilosis complex in our hospital. Most strains were isolated from the bloodstream. The susceptibility rate to commonly used antifungal drugs was more than 96 %. Furthermore, most of the infected patients were elderly male cancer patients.

Sarcomatoid Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Vocal Cord: An Uncommon Malignancy

AbstractSarcomatoid squamous cell carcinoma is a rare variant of laryngeal carcinoma, which comprises 1.3% of all laryngeal malignancies. It is mainly seen in elderly individuals, with smoking and alcohol being common risk factors. The tumor is most common on true vocal cords; hence, patients especially present with dysphonia. We present a case of an elderly male patient who presented with dysphonia due to a vocal cord lesion. During microlaryngoscopy, a firm, exophytic lesion with a narrow stalk was attached to the anterior one-third of the right vocal cord, excised, and sent for histopathology. Histopathology was suggestive of sarcomatoid squamous cell carcinoma. The patient was successfully treated with radiotherapy. We conclude that benign-appearing laryngeal lesions need to be evaluated and histopathological examination to be performed so that rare entities such as sarcomatoid carcinoma, which mimics benign lesions, can be managed appropriately.

IgG4-related autoimmune hepatitis: A case report

IgG-4-related autoimmune hepatitis (IgG4-AIH) is a rare disease. We report here a case of IgG4-AIH in an elderly male patient who was admitted to hospital because of unexplained hepatic insufficiency. After excluding viral hepatitis, alcoholic liver disease, drug-induced liver disease, parasitic infection, hepatolenticular degeneration and other diseases, and observing elevated levels of IgG-4, humoral immunity index, abnormal liver disease antibody spectrum and liver biopsy results, we made a diagnosis of IgG4-AIH. Following treatment with prednisone and ursodeoxycholic acid, the patient's liver function improved significantly and the patient was discharged from hospital.

Real-world data on severe lung cancer: a multicenter retrospective study.

Severe lung cancer is a novel concept that describes a patient with poor performance status (PS; 2-4) but with a high probability of receiving survival benefit and improvement in the PS score. However, there is currently no relevant research or real-world data on those with severe lung cancer, such as incidence, cause, clinical features, and risk factors. The data from patients with advanced lung cancer attending multiple centers from January 1, 2022, to June 30, 2022, were collected for a cross-sectional study. In addition, data from fatal cases from January 1, 2019, to June 30, 2022, were retrospectively collected as another cohort. And we developed a questionnaire to assess clinicians' mastery of severe lung cancer. Three participating institutes enrolled the data set of 1,725 patients, and the dataset of 269 fatal cases were included in another cohort; the incidence of severe lung cancer was 13.10% and 37.55%, respectively. Severe lung cancer patients were mainly stage IV elderly male patients without gene mutation and a history of resection. And the proportion of smoking and comorbidities in severe lung cancer patients is more than in non-severe lung cancer patients (50.4% vs. 40.8%, P=0.006; 46.9% vs. 36.4%, P=0.002). Treatment-related adverse events (AEs) (46.0%) accounted for the largest proportion of the primary causes of severe lung cancer in the cross-sectional study, while cancer-related symptoms (54.5%) accounted for the largest proportion of the primary causes of sever lung cancer in the 101 fatal cases. For the fatal cases, the overall survival of severe lung cancer patients caused by cancer-related symptoms was longer than that caused by treatment-related AEs (8 vs. 3 months; P=0.019). A total of 616 clinicians completed the questionnaire; 90.26% of clinicians agreed with the concept of severe lung cancer. The incidence of severe lung cancer cannot be ignored based on real-world data. Treatment-related AEs are gradually account for more of the causes of severe lung cancer, surpassing cancer-related symptoms and comorbidities. Furthermore, the prognosis of patients with advanced lung cancer who develop severe lung cancer due to treatment-related AEs is worse than cancer-related symptoms.

The Evaluation and Management of Acute Urinary Retention in Elderly Male patients

Background: Urinary retention is a common urologicalemergency characterized by sudden inability to pass urinedespite having a full bladder, which may or may not beassociated with abdominal pain.Objective: The aim of this retrospective study is to documentthe prevalence, risk factors, management and outcomes ofacute urinary retention in geriatric male patients.Materials and Methods: Medical records of all patients whohad acute urinary retention treated at Urology Center Khost,from January 2018 to April 2020 were retrospectively reviewed.A total of 181 patients who had acute urinary retention wereincluded in this study. The demographic information, etiologyand treatment methods were collected and analyzed.Results: The average age ranged from 47 to 89 years withmedian age of 73. A total of 68 out of 181 patients presentingwith acute urinary retention were previously diagnosed withBPH history of 1 year 15 patients (21%), 5 years 33 patients(48%), &gt;10 years 20 patients (31%). The rest of 113 patientswere categorized as having newly diagnosed BPH (54 cases)48%, urethral stricture owing to STD (4 cases) 3.5%, historyof penile trauma (2 cases) 1.7%, occlusion due to urethraland bladder stone (2 cases) 1.7%, bladder carcinoma (1case) 1%, neurologic disorder (stroke, spinal cord lesion anddiabetic neuropathy) 62 cases (53%), neurogenic bladder 7cases (6.2%). Urinary tract infection was exclusively foundin majority of the cases. Over all in 93% of the patients, thesymptoms resolved with successful bladder decompressionthrough urethral catheterization, 7% of the patients with difficultcatheterization, drainage was achieved by suprapubic bladdercatheterization under local anesthesia.Conclusions: This study suggests that the incidence rate ofacute urinary retention is directly related to the efforts madein primary prevention of acute urinary retention in high riskpatients. Acute urinary retention in BPH cases was moreevident in age group of ≥65 years. The most commonly usedinitial management for acute urinary retention was by carryingout bladder decompression via urethral catheterization, andsuprapubic catheter only being used in failures.

A post-marketing pharmacovigilance study of avapritinib: Adverse event data mining and analysis based on the United States Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System database.

Avapritinib was first approved by the FDA in January 2020 and represents the first precision-targeted drug for gastrointestinal stromal tumours. However, there is a lack of large-scale data relating to adverse events (AEs) related to its use. We aimed to explore the avapritinib-related AEs in real-world practice based on the post-marketing data. We extracted all avapritinib-related reports submitted to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) by June 2022. Based on disproportionality analysis and Bayesian analysis, we then calculated the reporting odds ratio (ROR), proportional reporting ratio (PRR), information component (IC) and empirical Bayes geometric mean (EBGM) to evaluate whether there is a significant association between avapritinib and AEs. Gender, age and time to onset were comparable between haemorrhage/non-haemorrhage, serious/non-serious, death/non-death AEs, respectively. In total, 3120 cases related to avapritinib were documented in the FAERS database, and 44% were reported within 30 days of commencing avapritinib. A total of 331 different AE signals were detected, and no significant differences between males and females was identified. Although the number of AEs associated with an abnormal skin texture and executive dysfunction was small, the signal intensity is high, suggesting that these events are strongly correlated with avapritinib. Subgroup analysis showed that elderly male patients were more likely to suffer from serious AEs compared to females (P < .01), but there was no significant difference between the haemorrhage group and the non-haemorrhage group. Analysis of fatalities due to avapritinib-related AEs indicated that sex, age and time-to-onset were all significantly related to death (P < .05). Our study provides a more precise description of the incidence and characteristics of AEs after using avapritinib, clinicians should be particularly careful when prescribing avapritinib to elderly male patients, especially within the 30 days.

The Pattern of Neurological Conditions in a Tertiary Institution in Nigeria: Six Years Experience in Ekiti State, Nigeria.

Neurological disorders constitute major causes of morbidity, and globally, they are the leading causes of death. There is a dearth of neurologists in most African countries and the very few available ones are concentrated in urban areas. The cardiovascular and communicable risk factors responsible for most cases of acute and chronic neurological disorders are also prevalent in rural areas. Although patients from the neighbouring states attend the study centre, the majority are indigent. Therefore, there is a need to observe the pattern of these disorders in Ekiti, to appreciate the disease burden as it would help in the judicious allocation of human and other healthcare resources. We reviewed the case files of patients seen at the neurology clinic and admitted via the emergency department into the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido-Ekiti, over a period of 6 years (2016 to 2021). A total of 881patients were seen during the study period, and they were mostly elderly male patients with chronic disorders in which stroke was the most common neurological disorder (44.9%) followed by seizure disorder (13.1%), and neurodegenerative disorders (9.9%). Tumors and myopathies were the least seen disorders. Health literacy on cardiovascular risk factors and even the distribution of manpower and material resources will help reduce the burden of neurological disorders among the attendees of the Ekiti tertiary health institution.

Phase Angle for Nutritional Risk Screening in Cardiac Critically Ill Patients

Introduction: The phase angle has been listed as a nutritional marker and its useful role in critically ill patients, but its role as a patient-to-patient tool has not yet been tested. This study sought to evaluate the phase angle as a proposal to determine nutritional risk in critically ill patients hospitalized in cardiac intensive care units. Methods: Transversal study, coupled to a prospective analysis variable (hospitalization outcome) and involving adult and elderly male and female patients in cardiac intensive care units. The nutritional risk was determined by using the NUTRICscore, the phase angle was obtained through bioelectrical impedance analysis and other data, through the clinical record. A significance level of p &lt;0.05 was used for all statistical analysis. Results: 79 patients were included and resulted in homogeneous distribution among the sexes and an average age of 67.2 ± 13.7 years. Most of the sample had malnutrition according to the body mass index (BMI) (46.7%; CI: 36.0-57.8) and due to the adequacy of the arm circumference (40.8%; CI: 34.0-52.0). According to the NUTRIC score, 59.5% (CI: 48.5-69.3) had a high nutritional risk, and 68.4% (CI: 57.4-77.6) had a low phase angle (≤5.5 °). Correlation between the phase angle and age (p = 0.010) and BMI (p = 0.023) was verified. A good sensitivity (72%; CI: 55.6-81.9) and specificity (68%; CI: 42.5-77.5) of the low phase angle were obtained to detect nutritional risk by NUTRIC. Conclusions: The PhA had good results of sensitivity and specificity but should be used with caution to determine the nutritional risk in critically ill cardiac patients.

Incidence and diagnostic validity of difficult airway in emergency departments in China: a cross-sectional survey.

The difficult airway is a topic of concern for any physician performing intubation. Severe adverse events which can happen because of an unexpected difficult airway emphasize the importance of prediction. This study aimed to investigate the incidence of difficult airways in emergency departments in mainland China and ascertain the predictive value of common assessment formulas. This study was a multicentral, cross-sectional investigation of patients intubated in emergency departments in mainland China between March 1-30, 2021. Frequencies and percentages were calculated for patient characteristics. Diagnostic values were analyzed by sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio, the area under the curve, and corresponding P values. Nine hundred and eighty-five patients in 41 hospitals were enrolled in the study. Elderly male patients occupied most of the intubated patients. The difficult face mask ventilation rate (8.2%) was higher, but the difficult glottic exposure (6.8%) and intubation (2.1%) rates were low, while there was widespread use of enhanced visualization equipment (80.6%). Four combined emergency applicable evaluation methods showed a certain predictive value for the difficult airway with a sensitivity [0.71; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.47-0.89], specificity (0.79; 95% CI: 0.76-0.81), and the area under the curve (0.75; 95% CI: 0.64-0.87, P<0.01). Despite an insufficient predictive ability for current difficult airway evaluation methods, there were relatively low rates of difficult airways during ED intubations in mainland China. Continuing focus on the difficult airway problems and optimizing airway assessment are required.