Physiological determinants of residual cerebral arterial pulsatility on best medical treatment after TIA or minor stroke

Cerebral arterial pulsatility is strongly associated with cerebral small vessel disease and lacunar stroke yet its dependence on central versus local haemodynamic processes is unclear. In a population-based study of patients on best medical managment, 4–6 weeks after a TIA or non-disabling stroke, arterial stiffness and aortic systolic, diastolic and pulse pressures were measured (Sphygmocor). Middle cerebral artery peak and trough flow velocities and Gosling’s pulsatility index were measured by transcranial ultrasound. In 981 participants, aortic and cerebral pulsatility rose strongly with age in both sexes, but aortic diastolic pressure fell more with age in men whilst cerebral trough velocity fell more in women. There was no significant association between aortic systolic or diastolic blood pressure with cerebral peak or trough flow velocity but aortic pulse pressure explained 37% of the variance in cerebral arterial pulsatility, before adjustment, whilst 49% of the variance was explained by aortic pulse pressure, arterial stiffness, age, gender and cardiovascular risk factors. Furthermore, arterial stiffness partially mediated the relationship between aortic and cerebral pulsatility. Overall, absolute aortic pressures and cerebral blood flow velocity were poorly correlated but aortic and cerebral pulsatility were strongly related, suggesting a key role for transmission of aortic pulsatility to the brain.     

Clinical practice guidelines for the interventional treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer (5th edition)

Pancreatic cancer has become a major disease affecting people's health because of its insidiousness, rapid progression and poor prognosis. Based on the practical needs of clinical work, combined with domestic multi-center research and experience, this guideline provides constructive suggestions for the interventional treatment of pancreatic cancer.     

Examining Acute Coronary Syndrome Across Ethnicity,Sex, and Age

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) remains one of the leading causes of death in the United States. With its heightened prevalence, considerable variabilities in the disease process exist across ethnicities, sex, and age. This creates substantial disparities in the recognition and management of ACS, which consequently contributes to poor outcomes. It is of utmost importance that nurse practitioners remain vigilant, cognizant, and maintain a high index of suspicion to accurately identify ACS presentations and thus efficaciously intervene to successfully manage the disease process.     

Economic Evaluation of Prenatal and Postpartum Care in Women With Gestational Diabetes and Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy: A Systematic Review

ObjectivesThis study aimed to summarize evidence on the economic outcomes of prenatal and postpartum interventions for the management of gestational diabetes mellitus and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP), assess the quality of each study, and identify research gaps that may inform future research.MethodsElectronic databases including PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched from January 1, 2000, to October 1, 2021. Selected studies were included in narrative synthesis and extracted data were presented in narrative and tabular forms. The quality of each study was assessed using the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards and Consensus on Health Economic Criteria list.ResultsAmong the 22 studies identified through the systematic review, 19 reported favorable cost-effectiveness of the intervention. For prenatal management of HDP, home blood pressure monitoring was found to be cost-effective compared with in-person visits in improving maternal and neonatal outcomes. For postpartum care, regular screening for hypertension or metabolic syndrome followed by subsequent treatment was found to be cost-effective compared with no screening in women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus or HDP.ConclusionsExisting economic evaluation studies showed that prenatal home blood pressure monitoring and postpartum screening for hypertension or metabolic syndrome were cost-effective. Nevertheless, limitations in the approach of the current economic evaluations may dampen the quality of the evidence and warrant further investigation.