Overview of Recognition and Prevention of Child Sex Trafficking in the Primary Care Setting: A Primer for Nurse Practitioners

Child sex trafficking (CST) has become a global public health crisis and is a $150 billion criminal enterprise. Nurse practitioners are key in the recognition and prevention of CST in health care settings. Evidence demonstrates that up to 80% of CST victims have had a recent health care encounter. It is the role of the NP in practice to understand risk factors, screen for CST, and educate parents and caregivers on signs of victimization and prevention.     

Systemic therapy for hormone receptor-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative early stage and metastatic breast cancer

Hormone receptor (HR)-positive and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative breast cancer is defined by the presence of the estrogen receptor and/or the progesterone receptor and the absence of HER2 gene amplification. HR-positive/HER2-negative breast cancer accounts for 65%–70% of all breast cancers, and incidence increases with increasing age. Treatment varies by stage, and endocrine therapy is the mainstay of treatment in both early stage and late-stage disease. Combinations with cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitors have reduced distant recurrence in the early stage setting and improved overall survival in the metastatic setting. Chemotherapy is used based on stage and tumor biology in the early stage setting and after endocrine resistance for advanced disease. New therapies, including novel endocrine agents and antibody-drug conjugates, are now changing the treatment landscape. With the availability of new treatment options, it is important to define the optimal sequence of treatment to maximize clinical benefit while minimizing toxicity. In this review, the authors first discuss the pathologic and molecular features of HR-positive/HER2-negative breast cancer and mechanisms of endocrine resistance. Then, they discuss current and emerging therapies for both early stage and metastatic HR-positive/HER2-negative breast cancer, including treatment algorithms based on current data.     

奥美拉唑三联疗法治疗小儿消化性溃疡的临床研究

目的 探讨奥美拉唑三联疗法治疗小儿消化性溃疡的临床疗效.方法 选择2020年1月—2021年1月在新郑市中医院就诊治疗的90例消化性溃疡患儿,按照入院先后顺序将所有患儿分为对照组和治疗组,每组各45例.对照组采用雷尼替丁三联疗法进行治疗:口服盐酸雷尼替丁胶囊,3～5 mg/(kg·d),2次/d;口服克拉霉素缓释片,15～20 mg/(kg·d),2次/d;口服阿莫西林胶囊,30～50 mg/(kg·d),2次/d.治疗组采用奥美拉唑三联疗法进行治疗:口服奥美拉唑肠溶胶囊,0.6～0.8 mg/(kg·d),1次/d;克拉霉素缓释片、阿莫西林胶囊用法用量均与对照组相同.两组患儿治疗6周.观察两组患儿的临床疗效,比较两组患儿治疗前后的炎性因子水平、胃肠道激素水平.结果 治疗后,治疗组患儿的总有效率(93.33％)高于对照组(77.78％),组间比较有显著差异(P<0.05).治疗后,两组患儿血清白细胞介素-25(IL-25)、C反应蛋白(CRP)、肿瘤坏死因子-α(TNF-α)水平均明显降低,有统计学差异(P<0.05);治疗后治疗组患儿血清IL-25、CRP、TNF-α水平均低于对照组,组间比较有显著差异(P<0.05).治疗后,两组患儿血清胃动素(MTL)、胃泌素(GAS)水平均明显降低,生长抑素(SS)水平明显升高,有统计学差异(P<0.05);治疗后治疗组患儿血清MTL、GAS水平低于对照组,SS水平高于对照组,组间比较差异有显著差异(P<0.05).治疗后,治疗组患儿的幽门螺杆菌根除率为91.11％,高于对照组的幽门螺杆菌根除率77.77％;治疗组患儿溃疡愈合率为80.00％,高于对照组的溃疡愈合率62.22％,组间比有显著差异(P<0.05).结论 奥美拉唑肠溶胶囊三联疗法治疗患儿消化性溃疡具有较好的临床效果,可减轻患儿的炎性反应、调节胃肠道激素,安全性较高,值得临床上借鉴.     

Could non-HDL-cholesterol be a better marker of atherogenic dyslipidemia in obstructive sleep apnea?

Background/objectiveObstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is independently associated with dyslipidemia, a surrogate marker of atherosclerosis. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol is accepted as a major independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. However, non-high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol is a better marker of atherogenic dyslipidemia and recommended as a target of lipid lowering therapy. We aimed to assess the prevalence of atherogenic dyslipidemia, and relationship between OSA severity and serum LDL-cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol levels in OSA patients.MethodsWe retrospectively evaluated treatment naïve 2361 subjects admitted to the sleep laboratory of a university hospital for polysomnography. All subjects’ lipid profile including total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, and non-HDL-cholesterol were measured.ResultsOut of 2361 patients (mean age 49.6 ± 11.9 years; 68.9% male, apnea-hypopnea index 36.6 ± 28.4/h), 185 (7.8%) had no OSA and 2176 (92.2%) had OSA. Atherogenic dyslipidemia prevalence was high (57–66%) in OSA patients, and especially increased in severe OSA compared to other groups (p < 0.05). Though total and LDL-cholesterol did not differ between those with and without OSA, non-HDL-cholesterol (p = 0.020), and triglycerides (p = 0.001) were higher and HDL-cholesterol levels (p = 0.018) were lower in OSA patients than non-OSA. Non-HDL-cholesterol was significantly correlated with OSA severity (p < 0.001) and hypoxia parameters (p < 0.01), whereas LDL-cholesterol showed no correlation.ConclusionsAtherogenic dyslipidemia is highly prevalent and non-HDL-cholesterol levels are significantly increased, predominantly in severe OSA patients. Non-HDL-cholesterol but not LDL-cholesterol, is significantly correlated with OSA severity and hypoxia parameters. Therefore, it could be better to use non-HDL-cholesterol, which is a guideline recommended target of lipid therapy, as a marker of atherosclerotic cardiovascular risk in OSA patients.     

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.     

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on hepatitis B virus vaccination and transmission among men who have sex with men: A mathematical modelling study

BackgroundDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccinations among men who have sex with men (MSM) has been considerably lower than before the pandemic. Moreover, less frequent HBV testing and a reduction in numbers of sex partners have been reported. We assessed the impact of these COVID-19-related changes on HBV transmission among MSM in the Netherlands.MethodsWe estimated the changes in sexual activity, HBV testing, and HBV vaccination among MSM during the pandemic from Dutch data. We used a deterministic compartmental model and investigated scenarios with small or large declines in sexual activity, testing, and vaccination for the current phase of the pandemic (without available data). We examined the increase in HBV vaccinations needed to prevent further increase in HBV incidence.ResultsWith a decrease in numbers of sex partners of 15–25% during the first lockdown and 5% during the second lockdown, we found a decline of 6.6% in HBV incidence in 2020, despite a >70% reduction in HBV testing and vaccination during the first lockdown. With numbers of sex partners rebounding close to pre-pandemic level in 2021, and a reduction of 15% in testing and 30% in vaccination in 2021, we found an increase of 1.4% in incidence in 2021 and 3.1% in 2026. With these changes, an increase of ≥60% in HBV vaccinations in 2022 would be needed to bring the HBV incidence in 2023 back to the level that it would have had if the COVID-19-related changes had not occurred.ConclusionsDespite reductions in sexual activity during the COVID-19 pandemic, the decrease in HBV vaccinations may result in a small increase in HBV incidence after 2021, which may persist for years. It is important to restore the vaccination level and limit further increase in HBV transmission among MSM.