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3% to 8.8% (P<0.001) in UC but decreased from 4.5% to 2.8% (P<0.001) in CD. In multivariable analysis, compared with 2006, there was a nonsignificant decrease in mortality in 2014 in both CD and UC (AOR 0.81, 95% CI 0.61-1.07), but a significant increase in colectomy in 2014 only in UC (AOR 2.12, 95% CI 1.46-3.06).
CDI rates have increased in CD and UC over the last decade. Although there has been a significant increase in colectomies in UC, CDI-associated mortality in CD and UC has not increased over this time.
CDI rates have increased in CD and UC over the last decade. Although there has been a significant increase in colectomies in UC, CDI-associated mortality in CD and UC has not increased over this time.In using observational, nonrandomized data, there is often interest in studying the effect of a particular treatment on a specific outcome. However, the imbalance of potential confounding variables between the treatment groups can distort the relationship between treatment and outcome. Propensity score matching is one, increasingly utilized, method to help account for such imbalances, allowing for a more accurate estimation of the influence of treatment on outcome. In this paper, we provide the clinician with an overview of propensity score matching techniques and provide a practical example of how this has been used in clinical research relevant to spine surgery.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has infected more than 4.4 million people and caused more than 300,000 deaths partly through acute respiratory distress syndrome with propensity to affect African American and Hispanic communities disproportionately. Patients with worse outcomes have exhibited higher blood plasma levels of proinflammatory cytokines. Activation of the vitamin D receptor expressed on immune cells has been shown to directly reduce the secretion of inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin-6, and indirectly affect C-reactive protein.
The significance of the vitamin D pathway in patients diagnosed with COVID-19.
Vitamin D supplementation in patients after diagnosis of COVID-19.
We report 4 vitamin D deficient patients diagnosed with COVID-19 in April 2020 who were provided with either cholecalciferol of 1000 IU daily (standard dose) or ergocalciferol 50,000 IU daily for 5 days (high dose) as part of supplementation.
Patients that received a high dose of vitamin D supplementation achieved normalization of vitamin D levels and improved clinical recovery evidenced by shorter lengths of stay, lower oxygen requirements, and a reduction in inflammatory marker status.
Vitamin D supplementation may serve as a viable alternative for curtailing acute respiratory distress syndrome in patients in underserved communities where resources to expensive and sought-after medications may be scarce. Randomized clinical trials will serve as an appropriate vessel to validate the efficacy of the therapeutic regimen and dissection of the pathway.
Vitamin D supplementation may serve as a viable alternative for curtailing acute respiratory distress syndrome in patients in underserved communities where resources to expensive and sought-after medications may be scarce. Randomized clinical trials will serve as an appropriate vessel to validate the efficacy of the therapeutic regimen and dissection of the pathway.Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease that leads to significant morbidities in elderly. The major pathological hallmark of AD is beta-amyloid plaques (Aβ) and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) deposition in hippocampus of the brain. These abnormal protein deposition damages neuronal cells resulting in neurodegeneration and cognitive decline. As a result of limited treatment options available for this disease, there is huge economic burden for patients and social health care system. Thus, alternative approaches (lifestyle intervention) to prevent this disease are extremely important. In this systemic review, we summarized epidemiological evidence of lifestyle intervention and the mechanisms involved in delaying and/or preventing AD. Lifestyle interventions include education, social engagement and cognitive stimulation, smoking, exercise, depression and psychological stress, cerebrovascular disease (CVD), hypertension (HTN), dyslipidaemia, diabetes mellitus (DM), obesity and diet. The methods are based on a literature review of available sources found on the research topic in four acknowledged databases Web of Science, Scopus, Medline and PubMed. find more Results of the identified original studies revealed that lifestyle interventions have significant effects and our conclusion is that combination of early lifestyle interventions can decrease the risk of developing AD.Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a common form of age-related dementia that mostly affects the aging population. Clinically, it is a disease characterized by impaired memory and progressive cognitive decline. Although the pathological hallmarks of AD have been traditionally described with a general confinement in the brain, recent studies have shown similar pathological changes in the retina, which is a developmental outgrowth of the forebrain. These AD-related neurodegenerative changes in the retina have been implicated to cause early visual problems in AD even before cognitive impairment becomes apparent. With recent advances in research, the commonly held view that AD-related cerebral pathology causes visual dysfunction through disruption of central visual pathways has been re-examined. Currently, several studies have already explored how AD manifests in the retina and the possibility of using the same retina as a window to non-invasively examine AD-related pathology in the brain. Non-invasive screening of AD through the retina has the potential to improve on early detection and management of the disease since the majority of AD cases are usually diagnosed very late. The purpose of this review is to provide evidence on the involvement of the retina in AD and to suggest a possible direction for future research into the non-invasive screening, diagnosis, and monitoring of AD using the retina.