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Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common sleep disorder occurring across all age groups, gender, and is multifactorial. The episodic decrease in airflow during sleep results in hypoxia and hypercapnia over time, resulting in morning headache, systemic and pulmonary hypertension, and polycythemia. Fragmentation of sleep at night-time cause daytime somnolence, fatigue, memory problems, and mood symptoms such as depression and anxiety. These secondary mood symptoms could be easily missed by healthcare providers as the primary disorder resulting in unnecessary anti-depressants' prescription. This study investigates the effect of continuous airway pressure (CPAP) on depressive symptoms of OSA. We used PubMed, PubMed Central (PMC), and MEDLINE for data collection. We used OSA, depression, anxiety, mood symptoms, psychological symptoms, and CPAP as the keywords, both alone and in combination. The search ended on November 5, 2020, and it was limited to the year 2010 until the day of the search. However, a few of the papers published earlier than 2010 were also included to have better insight into some aspects of the topic. We included articles measuring the impact of CPAP on mood symptoms using any one of the validated scales, such as the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), or Hamilton Depression Scale (HAM-D). Our initial searches yielded 131 articles. Twenty-one of the 131 papers satisfied the review's criteria. Four studies out of 21 revealed no improvement in OSA-related mood symptoms with CPAP therapy, whereas the others reported beneficial effects on mood, daytime sleepiness, cognition, and patient quality of life.
Job satisfaction is vital for the optimal functioning of medical practitioners. Herein, we report our experience of restructuring the internship program by identifying the gaps, developing, implementing strategies to overcome gaps and sharing the results of the pre-implementation and post-implementation audit, as an example for establishing a system for improving intern's work-based learning and satisfaction in a university hospital setting.
Using Kern's six-step instructional model, a prospective mixed-method study was conducted at Aga Khan University Hospital. In phase 1 (2013) gaps were identified by evaluating various aspects of the internship program. Strategies were developed and implemented to overcome the identified gaps. In phase 2 (2014-2016) the impact of these developmental strategies was assessed.
A total of 65 interns, 30 residents, and 22 faculty members participated in phase I, while 71 interns participated in phase II. The reformation of orientation sessions, including practical exposuroad subsequently enabling them to become more competent and well-rounded health practitioners.The lesser occipital nerve (LON) is a cutaneous branch of the cervical plexus that arises from the second and sometimes the third spinal nerve and innervates the scalp. During routine dissection of the neck, the LON was observed to arise directly from the spinal accessory nerve. The aberrant nerve measured 1.9 mm in diameter and 10.2 cm in length. Although anatomical variations of the LON such as duplication and triplication have been observed, we believe the origination of this nerve directly and exclusively from the spinal accessory nerve is exceedingly rare. The current case adds to the sparse literature on the variations of the LON and might be of interest to clinicians treating neurological conditions or surgeons operating in the area.Homeopathic medicine is a controversial system of medicine that has been used worldwide for over 200 years. Recently, several governments, in part, owing to government-funded reviews of research on homeopathic medicine, have stopped reimbursements for homeopathic medicines and have discouraged their use by medical professionals. This review critically evaluates four government-funded reviews of clinical research on homeopathic medicine. An analysis of government-sponsored reviews of clinical research on homeopathic medicine was conducted, including two studies from Switzerland, one from England, and one from Australia. Three of the four government-funded reviews were critical of homeopathy, claiming that there was no reliable evidence that homeopathic medicines were effective. Three of these reviews had significant flaws, with potential ethical concerns raised in one of the reviews. The most comprehensive review of homeopathic research, including analysis of clinical and basic science concerns, found the most positive results for homeopathy.Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease that can present with a wide range of symptoms. Abdominal pain is less common than other symptoms but is more frequent among patients with severe disease. Various abdominal imaging findings are described in the literature for children and adults with COVID-19 infection. Mesenteric lymphadenopathy is reported in pediatric patients with COVID-19 gastrointestinal infection. It is very rarely reported in the adult population. We report a case of an adult male with multiple risk factors, who presented with severe abdominal pain and tenderness in the right inguinal fossa. He was evaluated for differential diagnosis of acute appendicitis, renal colic, diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), and COVID-19. His investigations showed normal laboratory tests and a normal chest radiograph. His CT abdomen showed a normal appendix and multiple prominent mesenteric lymph nodes. His COVID-19 PCR was positive. He was discharged after pain relief with home isolation instructions and symptomatic management. Our case represents an atypical clinical presentation of COVID-19 infection in many ways. His laboratory investigations were not suggestive of COVID-19. Our patient's abdominal imaging findings represent a rare association of COVID-19 with mesenteric lymphadenitis in adults. The clinical course of our patient was smooth after discharge and he did not develop any complications of COVID-19 despite multiple risk factors. Our case reminds the significance of keeping broad diagnostic differentials in the emergency department. Although mesenteric lymphadenitis is often a self-limiting condition affecting children and young adults, it is the most frequent alternative diagnosis of acute appendicitis and intussusception. Mesenteric lymphadenitis can be the sole atypical presentation of COVID-19 in adults. Atypical presentations are not uncommon due to the scarcity of data on this evolving disease.Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) has been reported to cause significant gastrointestinal symptoms. In this case series, we present four patients with MIS-C with documented acute appendicitis, which strengthens the association between SARS-CoV-2, MIS-C, and acute appendicitis.Long QT syndrome (LQTS) is a rare arrhythmogenic condition characterized by abnormally long QT intervals on an electrocardiogram. The prevalence varies between 1 in 3000 and 1 in 10,000 but often remains undiagnosed. It is responsible for 3000 to 4000 sudden deaths among children and adults in the United States alone. LQTS can lead to torsades de pointes which is seen as twisting of QRS complex on electrocardiogram. We report a case of a 35-year-old patient with LQTS who presented with syncope and was found to have torsades de pointes. After acute management the patient was advised for automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillator (AICD) but because of financial constraints, she was placed on beta-blockers and permanent pacemaker.This case serves as a reminder to consider ectopic splenic tissue in the differential diagnosis of pancreatic masses. The literature shows a lack of awareness and overtreatment of this condition due to clinical and radiologic concern for malignancy, namely neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) identified on positron emission tomography (PET)-CT NETSPOT. Given the vast difference in management and prognosis of ectopic splenic anomalies and malignant neoplasms involving the pancreas, accurate diagnosis is imperative to avoid unnecessary invasive procedures such as Whipple or distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy, which are associated with increased morbidity and mortality.Myxoma is a rare benign tumor of the heart. Cardiac myxomas are the most common primary cardiac tumor in adults, commonly found within the left atrium. It can occur at any age and is more common in females than males. This case report aims to identify the clinical symptoms of cardiac myxoma, which can be life-threatening if neglected. Here, we present the case of a 30-year-old female with past smoking history. For the past three to four weeks before this hospitalization, her symptoms worsened including shortness of breath with exertion, dry cough, and pleuritic chest pain. Outpatient treatment with antibiotics and nebulizers did not relieve her symptoms. She went to the emergency room and underwent computed tomography of the chest with contrast showing bilateral lower lobe pulmonary emboli and a large mass in the right atrium. Intravenous unfractionated heparin was initiated. A transthoracic echocardiogram confirmed a 3.76 cm × 4.95 cm mass in the right atrium. The patient underwent surgical resection of the right atrial mass the following day and was discharged four days later in a stable condition. Saracatinib mouse Pathology of the mass confirmed atrial myxoma.
The role of thrombolytic therapy in the management of intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism is controversial. Our objective was to determine clinical outcomes for a population of patients with intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism receiving anticoagulation with and without thrombolytic therapy in a large Northeastern health system.
A retrospective cohort study.
ICU and non-ICU settings in 8 hospitals.
Hemodynamically stable patients with intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism.
Treatment arms were anticoagulation (AC) alone, AC with low dose intravenous thrombolysis, AC with full-dose intravenous thrombolysis, and AC with ultrasound-assisted, catheter-directed thrombolysis.
In 257 patients, utilizing a Bonferroni corrected P value cutoff of α = 0.003, our data shows no differences in 7 day or 30 day all-cause mortality (α = 0.37 and α = 0.04, respectively) , hospital length of stay (α = 0.31), 7 or 30 readmission rates (α = 0.97 and α = 0.84, respectively), or any major (α = 0.82) or minor bleeding eveof thrombolytic therapy is not associated with a mortality benefit in the first 30 days compared to anticoagulation alone in this patient population and is associated with increased utilization of intensive care unit resources. We advocate for a conservative approach utilizing initial anticoagulation alone in a patient diagnosed with intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism.The occurrence of ischemia of the digits or digital gangrene is a well-known complication of systemic autoimmune diseases, such as systemic sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and anti-phospholipid syndrome, among others. The pathophysiological mechanisms are small vessel vasculitis, vasospasm of Raynaud's phenomenon, microthrombi due to antiphospholipid syndrome, and/or accompanying accelerated atherosclerosis. Digital ischemia can also occur in the context of disseminated bacterial infections and sepsis. We present here the case of a patient who had digital ischemia and positive antinuclear antibodies but without well-defined clinical features of a connective tissue disease. A diagnosis of undifferentiated connective tissue disease was made.