Management of Rheumatic Mitral Stenosis With Annular Calcification During HeartMate 3 Implantation

There is a lack of data-driven consensus on the treatment of mitral stenosis at the time of left ventricular assist device implantation. The presence of severe mitral annular calcification further complicates mitral valve intervention. This case report presents a 72-year-old woman with severe mitral stenosis and severe annular calcification with end-stage ischemic cardiomyopathy who underwent HeartMate 3 (Abbott Cardiovascular) implantation. The mitral valve pathology was successfully managed with concomitant open balloon valvuloplasty and surgical commissurotomy on a fibrillating heart without aortic cross-clamp. This approach avoided the need for mitral valve replacement and the potential risks associated with annular decalcification and reconstruction. Longer follow-up is needed to determine its effectiveness over time.     

Obstructive sleep apnea and the incidence and mortality of gastrointestinal cancers: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 5,120,837 participants

BackgroundEmerging evidence has shown higher overall cancer incidence in patients with obstructive sleep apnea. Gastrointestinal cancers, including esophageal, stomach, liver, pancreas, and colorectal cancers account for 26% of incident cancers. However, the link between gastrointestinal cancers and obstructive sleep apnea is still unclear. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis (registered PROSPERO CRD42021220836) to investigate the association between obstructive sleep apnea and incidence of gastrointestinal cancer.MethodsWe searched four electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Scopus) and included studies published from inception till 15th November 2020 reporting the association of obstructive sleep apnea with gastrointestinal cancer incidence. Extracted data was meta-analyzed in a random-effects model.ResultsA total of seven studies were included, forming a combined cohort of 5,120,837 patients. Studies which adjusted for demographics and comorbidities were included in meta-analysis. Among four studies with 7–11 years of median follow-up, patients with obstructive sleep apnea experienced increased incidence of colorectal cancer (HR 1.70, 95% CI: 1.48–1.96, I²=22%). Pancreatic cancer incidence was nominally increased in three studies (HR 1.36, 95% CI: 0.88–2.09, I²=96), though this was not statistically significant. There was no association between obstructive sleep apnea and liver cancer incidence among three studies (HR 0.99, 95% CI: 0.81–1.22, I²=84). However, the lack of a statistically significant relationship between obstructive sleep apnea and pancreatic cancer in our meta-analysis does not necessarily imply the true absence of an association.ConclusionsAn increased risk of colorectal cancer was seen in patients with obstructive sleep apnea among studies with long-term follow-up. Further research is required to explore the utility of incorporating obstructive sleep apnea screening into colorectal cancer screening guidelines to identify high-risk individuals and to confirm a possible association of obstructive sleep apnea with pancreatic cancer.PROSPERO RegistrationCRD42021220836     

Immunotherapy as a treatment modality for mucosal melanoma of the head and neck: A systematic review

Introduction:Mucosal melanoma (MM) is a rare disease, accounting for approximately 1.4% of all melanomas and only 0.03% of all new cancer diagnoses. Traditionally, it has been associated with a poor prognosis, with an overall 5-year survival rate of <25%. Progress in treatment has been hindered by its rarity and lack of evidence. However, studies on the treatment of subcutaneous melanoma with immunotherapy have demonstrated significant improvement in survival rates and have become a core part of oncological strategies. This paper discusses the revision of the evidence for the use of immunotherapy in the head and neck.Methods:This systematic review was conducted on January 19, 2019. The Medline and Embase databases were searched. In total, 509 articles were collated and screened. Inclusion criteria for the study included treatment-naive cohorts, cohorts with recurrent disease, primary outcomes with overall survival and disease-free survival at 5 years and at the longest follow-up, and studies of adults with MM in whom immunotherapy was reported as a treatment strategy. The exclusion criteria included duplicate papers, anatomical sites other than the head and neck, case reports, and those not published in English.Results:Fifty-two papers out of the 509 collated papers met the inclusion criteria. The results are shown as a comparison of yearly survival rates following different treatment modalities (immunotherapy vs nonimmunotherapy) at 2, 3, and 5 years. It was found that, with immunotherapy, survival rates at all intervals were higher than those without immunotherapy.Discussion:Immunotherapy outcomes in small studies have shown good data for increasing survival rates at yearly intervals in MM of the head and neck. Larger clinical trials are needed to accurately distinguish the efficacy and survival outcomes of immunotherapy when compared with treatment modalities, excluding immunotherapy. However, the ability to perform larger trials is limited by the rarity of MM of the head and neck.     

Wound treatment and pain management: a stressful time

This review and case study report considers the evidence to indicate that the progress of wound healing is negatively affected by the presence of stressors and in circumstances where patients are in pain. It considers the relationship between perceptions of pain, stress and delayed wound healing with a specific focus on guidance for clinical practice. It is appreciated that although the literature has examined these issues in the management of acute wounds, demonstrating that psychological stress can have detrimental effects on the wound‐healing process, the evidence to support this link in relation to chronic wounds is limited. The review considers evidence indicating that punch biopsy wounds heal more slowly in subjects under stress on account of caring for family members with long‐term illnesses and also considers briefly the relationship between cortisol secretion in response to stress and the consequent influences on cytokine levels and the wound‐healing process.     

Indirect comparison of bronchial thermoplasty versus omalizumab for uncontrolled severe asthma

Objective: Bronchial thermoplasty (BT) as an add-on therapy for uncontrolled severe asthma is an alternative to biologic therapies like omalizumab (OM). We conducted an indirect treatment comparison (ITC) to appraise comparative effectiveness of BT and OM. Methods: A systematic literature review identified relevant randomized controlled trials. The ITC followed accepted methodology. Results: The ITC comprised a sham-controlled trial of BT (AIR2) and two placebo-controlled trials of OM (INNOVATE; EXTRA). Comparing the BT post-treatment period to ongoing treatment with OM, showed no significant differences in the rate ratios (RRs) for severe exacerbations (RR of BT versus OM = 0.91 [95% CI: 0.64, 1.30]; p = 0.62) or hospitalizations (RR = 0.57 [95% CI: 0.17, 1.86]; p = 0.53); emergency department visits were significantly reduced by 75% with BT (RR = 0.25 [95% CI: 0.07, 0.91]; p = 0.04); the proportions of patients with clinically meaningful response on the asthma quality-of-life questionnaire were comparable (RR = 1.06 [95% CI: 0.86, 1.34]; p = 0.59). The RR for exacerbations statistically favours OM over the total study period in AIR2 (RR = 1.50 [95% CI: 1.11, 2.02]; p = 0.009) likely reflecting a transient increase in events during the BT peri-treatment period. Conclusions: The ITC should be interpreted cautiously considering the differences between patient populations in the included trials. However, based on the analysis, BT compares well with a potentially more costly pharmacotherapy for asthma. Clinicians evaluating the relative merits of using these treatments should consider the totality of evidence and patient preferences to make an informed decision.