SAGE Open Medicine最新文献

{"title":"Cardiac arrhythmias of BCR-ABL inhibitors with or without triazole antifungal agents: A real-world pharmacovigilance study based on the food and drug administration adverse event reporting system database.","authors":"Peitao Xie, Lishan Lu, Yixuan Tian, Rongrong Jia, Xuemei Tian, Pu Bai","doi":"10.1177/20503121251328762","DOIUrl":"10.1177/20503121251328762","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Breakpoint Cluster Region (BCR)-Abelson tyrosine kinase (ABL) inhibitors are widely used in the treatment of blood cancers, particularly chronic myelogenous leukemia and are often combined with triazole antifungal agents to prevent fungal infections. However, the cardiac arrhythmia risks associated with BCR-ABL inhibitors in combination with triazole antifungal agents in real-world settings remain poorly understood. To address this gap, we conducted a pharmacovigilance study to evaluate and compare the cardiac arrhythmia profiles of BCR-ABL inhibitors when used with and without triazole antifungal agents in clinical practice.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A disproportionality analysis was performed using the Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System database (2004Q1-2024Q2). To identify potential signals of cardiac arrhythmias associated with BCR-ABL inhibitors, with or without triazole antifungal agents, we calculated reporting odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Comparisons were made between BCR-ABL inhibitor monotherapy and all other drugs in the Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System database, as well as between BCR-ABL inhibitors combined with triazole antifungal agents and BCR-ABL inhibitor monotherapy. Additionally, the Weibull shape parameter test was also used to evaluate time-to-onset.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>From 2004Q1 to 2024Q2, the Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System database reported 21,433,114 cases, including 2666 and 68 cases of cardiac arrhythmias linked to BCR-ABL inhibitor monotherapy and its combination with triazole antifungal agents, respectively. The reporting odds ratios and their 95% confidence intervals for BCR-ABL inhibitor monotherapy, asciminib, nilotinib, and ponatinib were 1.31 (1.27-1.36), 2.11 (1.45-3.06), 2.66 (2.53-2.80), and 1.18 (1.05-1.33), respectively. Dasatinib plus triazole antifungal agents (reporting odds ratio: 2.98, 95% CI: 1.93-4.60) and ponatinib plus triazole antifungal agents (reporting odds ratio: 1.53, 95% CI: 1.08-2.16) were associated with a higher disproportionality of cardiac arrhythmias than BCR-ABL inhibitor monotherapy. The median time-to-onset was longer with monotherapy than with BCR-ABL inhibitors plus triazole antifungal agents (2.63 vs. 0.34 months, <i>p</i> < 0.001), both indicating an early failure type.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>BCR-ABL inhibitors plus triazole antifungal agents increase the risk of cardiac arrhythmia, particularly in the early stages of treatment, with the risk decreasing over time.</p>","PeriodicalId":21398,"journal":{"name":"SAGE Open Medicine","volume":"13 ","pages":"20503121251328762"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11938897/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143721365","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Level and determinants of advanced life support knowledge among nurses in Spain: A national cross-sectional study.","authors":"Rosa Pérez-Ibáñez, Isabel Almodóvar-Fernández, Pasqual Gregori Roig, Paula Sánchez-Thevenet","doi":"10.1177/20503121251326655","DOIUrl":"10.1177/20503121251326655","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>The objectives of the study are to assess the knowledge of advanced life support among general nurses in Spain, identify knowledge gaps and analyze the demographic, educational, and occupational determinants of their level of knowledge.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2020 to February 2021 among general nurses in Spain. A structured self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data on demographics, educational, and professional background, as well as theoretical knowledge questions. A binary logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the influencing factors associated with the outcome of the educational measure.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 888 general nurses participated in the study, with representation from all 52 Spanish provinces; 80% of whom were female nurses. The 72.3% of the nurses did not attain the 70% correct score on the theoretical questionnaire, a prerequisite for achieving an adequate pass rating. The study revealed inadequate knowledge among the participating nurses with regard to the characteristics of fluid therapy, the conditions for defibrillation and the action algorithm in the event of a defibrillate rhythm, and the recommendations for use of the LUCAS RCP^® device. Nurse gender, possession of at least a Master's degree, practising in high-risk areas for cardiac arrest and having received recent advanced life support training were positively associated with better knowledge of advanced life support among nurses.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The study shows that Spanish general nurses have insufficient knowledge of advanced life support and that there are evident knowledge gaps in key subject areas relating to best practices for cardiorespiratory arrests. This indicates that they require knowledge building to promote evidence-based patient care. Furthermore, the findings emphasize the significance of ongoing education needed to respond to high-risk events such as a cardiac arrest. The positive and negative factors identified in this study, which influence the attainment of a good level of advanced life support knowledge, should be taken into account.</p>","PeriodicalId":21398,"journal":{"name":"SAGE Open Medicine","volume":"13 ","pages":"20503121251326655"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11924098/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143670924","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The role of attachment styles in post-traumatic stress disorder and posttraumatic growth in the Shidu parents of China.","authors":"Zhilei Shang, Na Zhou, Buhang Xu, Han Diao, Suhui Cheng, Yanpu Jia, Lili Wu, Wenjie Yan, Weizhi Liu, Geyu Chen","doi":"10.1177/20503121251324990","DOIUrl":"10.1177/20503121251324990","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The number of Shidu parents in China is significant and expected to continue increasing. The psychological status of Shidu parents deserves more attention.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>Our objective is to investigate the impact of post-traumatic stress disorder and attachment styles among Shidu parents on post-traumatic growth, with the aim of providing valuable insights for alleviating post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms and enhancing levels of post-traumatic growth following trauma.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>Demographic data, the Revised Adult Attachment Scale, the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5, and the post traumatic growth inventory were used to investigated 297 Shidu parents.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Two samples <i>t</i>-test was employed to evaluate disparities in post-traumatic growth inventory scores based on post-traumatic stress disorder and diverse attachment styles. Pearson's correlation analysis was used to investigate the association between Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 scores and post-traumatic growth inventory scores, as well as the association between different attachment styles and post-traumatic growth inventory scores. We performed multiple mediator analyses to further confirm the influence of post-traumatic stress disorder and attachment styles on post-traumatic growth inventory.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>(1) A total of 35% of the people tested positive for post-traumatic stress disorder; (2) A total of 56.9% of the participants exhibited secure attachment, while 43.1% exhibited insecure attachment; (3) The results unveiled a substantial negative correlation between the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 scores and the post traumatic growth inventory scores; (4) A significant positive correlation was evident in relation to attachment dependence/closeness and post-traumatic growth inventory, while a significant negative correlation was established between attachment anxiety and post-traumatic growth inventory.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our study suggests that post-traumatic growth inventory is associated with post-traumatic stress disorder and attachment styles in Shidu parents. It might offer new insights into influencing levels of post-traumatic growth through post-traumatic stress disorder intervention.</p>","PeriodicalId":21398,"journal":{"name":"SAGE Open Medicine","volume":"13 ","pages":"20503121251324990"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11915255/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143658548","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Analysis of differential gene expression in the brain tissue transcriptome of Jiangkou radish piglets infected with porcine pseudorabies virus.","authors":"Wei Sun, Shan-Shan Liu, Yu Fan, Sheng-Qing Deng, Hua-Qi Zhang, Fengzhao Zhu, Shi-He Long, Tao-Hua Ren, Ling Bai","doi":"10.1177/20503121251326763","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/20503121251326763","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The research focused on the effects of pseudorabies virus on gene expression in piglet brain tissue.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>The goal was to understand the changes in gene expression in piglet brains due to pseudorabies virus infection.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>The study used a comparative approach with infected and control piglet groups.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Twelve 2-month-old piglets were divided into pseudorabies virus-infected and PBS-treated control groups, with brain tissue analyzed after 7 days.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Infected piglets showed increased oligodendrocyte counts and pseudorabies virus-positive signals. Transcriptomic analysis revealed 269 differentially expressed genes, with 149 up-regulated and 120 down-regulated. Gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses indicated these genes are involved in signal transduction, transmembrane transport, apoptosis, and neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction. Quantitative fluorescent PCR validated these findings, particularly for genes related to neuroactive pathways, ferroptosis, and IL-17 signaling.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The study provides valuable insights into the molecular alterations caused by pseudorabies virus in piglet brain tissue, enhancing our understanding of pseudorabies virus's pathogenic mechanisms.</p>","PeriodicalId":21398,"journal":{"name":"SAGE Open Medicine","volume":"13 ","pages":"20503121251326763"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11909670/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143650055","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Clinical significance of parathyroid hormone in mineral and glucose metabolism disorders among patients with primary aldosteronism.","authors":"Zhilian Sun, Wenxiu Liu","doi":"10.1177/20503121251324797","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/20503121251324797","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To investigate the differences in mineral and glucose metabolic disorders among patients with primary aldosteronism, nonfunctional adrenal tumors, and controls.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical data from 578 patients, including those with primary aldosteronism, nonfunctional adrenal tumors, and control subjects, at our hospital between January 2013 and December 2023. Biochemical indices including parathyroid hormone, serum potassium, serum calcium, urine potassium, urine calcium, plasma renin, plasma aldosterone, glycosylated hemoglobin, insulin resistance index, and pancreatic beta cell function index were compared among the three groups.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Compared with the nonfunctional adrenal tumors and control groups, primary aldosteronism patients exhibited significantly higher levels of parathyroid hormone, urinary potassium, and aldosterone (<i>p</i> < 0.05), while their serum potassium and serum calcium levels were significantly lower (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Additionally, primary aldosteronism patients had higher glycosylated hemoglobin levels, lower HOMA-IR, and lower HOMA-β levels (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Pearson's correlation analysis revealed that serum parathyroid hormone levels were negatively correlated with serum potassium, serum calcium, serum renin activity, and HOMA-β levels, while positively correlated with urinary potassium, urine calcium, blood carbon dioxide combining power, urine pH, serum aldosterone, and HOMA-IR levels. Stepwise regression analysis indicated that HOMA-IR and aldosterone were the main factors influencing parathyroid hormone levels. Based on receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the optimal cut-off value for parathyroid hormone in diagnosing primary aldosteronism was 62.1 pg/ml, with a sensitivity of 94.4% and specificity of 81.0%.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Primary aldosteronism is often characterized by elevated parathyroid hormone levels, which can exert direct adverse effects on mineral and glucose metabolism. Elevated parathyroid hormone levels serve as a valuable indicator in the screening of primary aldosteronism.</p>","PeriodicalId":21398,"journal":{"name":"SAGE Open Medicine","volume":"13 ","pages":"20503121251324797"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11907548/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143650072","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unpacking beauty norms and body image: Development and validation of the perceptions of beauty standards scale.","authors":"Shishir Paudel, Anisha Chalise, Shaina Tamrakar, Dhurba Khatri","doi":"10.1177/20503121251324085","DOIUrl":"10.1177/20503121251324085","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Perceptions of beauty, deeply rooted in societal norms, significantly impact self-esteem, self-concept, and mental well-being. This study aimed to develop and validate the Perceptions of Beauty Standards Scale, a tool designed to assess how individuals perceive societal beauty standards.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The Perceptions of Beauty Standards Scale was developed and validated following extensive literature review, expert consultation and survey among 313 adolescents in Kathmandu, Nepal. Items in the scale reflect societal standards of beauty, focusing on physical attributes such as weight, skin color, and body imperfections.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Content validity was established with a scale-level content validity index of 0.95 and an item-level content validity index above 0.83 for all items. The initial 10-item Perceptions of Beauty Standards Scale underwent exploratory factor analysis, which revealed two factors: \"Beauty Perceptions\" (38.67% variance explained) and \"Acceptance of Beauty Diversity\" (10.47% variance explained). However, two items exhibited instability in factor loadings and item-total correlations, prompting their removal from the scale. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed for the Perceptions of Beauty Standards Scale-10 two-factor model, the single-factor model, and the revised 8-item version (Perceptions of Beauty Standards Scale-8). Confirmatory factor analysis results confirmed that the Perceptions of Beauty Standards Scale-8 exhibited a good fit (CMIN/DF = 2.30, TLI = 0.947, SRMR = 0.040, RMSEA = 0.061), demonstrating strong construct validity.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The scale showed good psychometric properties, including content validity, construct validity, and reliability. The Perceptions of Beauty Standards Scale-8 offers a robust measure of societal beauty perceptions, providing valuable insights into body image and mental health, particularly in environments where societal beauty standards strongly influence self-esteem.</p>","PeriodicalId":21398,"journal":{"name":"SAGE Open Medicine","volume":"13 ","pages":"20503121251324085"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11905045/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143625825","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring thermal balloon endometrial ablation with Foley's catheter: Management for heavy menstrual bleeding.","authors":"Khalid Khadawardi, Hisham Nasief, Amber Hassan, Yasir A Katib, Nashwa Aldardeir, Ahmad B Alwazzan","doi":"10.1177/20503121251322325","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/20503121251322325","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Heavy menstrual bleeding is a common gynecological issue that often requires prompt treatment. Our study aimed to assess thermal balloon endometrial ablation with Foley's catheter as a viable, cost-effective, and minimally invasive procedure alternative to hysterectomy.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>An experimental study was carried out on 114 married women experiencing heavy menstrual bleeding who did not wish to have further children and had either failed standard treatments or were not suitable for medical treatment. These women had a uterine size of 12 cm or less and an endometrial thickness of less than 18 mm. A 3-min balloon inflation-deflation procedure was performed. After 3 months, the effectiveness of the treatment was assessed by examining overall heavy menstrual bleeding outcomes, posttreatment transvaginal ultrasound results, number of bleeding days and pain per cycle, and scores from the Menorrhagia Outcome Questionnaire.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The mean patient's age was 44.46 ± 4.184 years and a disease duration of 2.84 ± 1.53 years. Most patients were multiparous (86.0%) or grand multiparous (14.0%). Significant improvements were observed in endometrial thickness, Menorrhagia Outcome Questionnaire scores, pain levels, and the number of bleeding days postprocedure (<i>p</i>-value < 0.05). The majority of patients experienced a reduction in the pattern of irregular menstrual cycles. The procedure showed a success rate of 88.6%, with 11.4% of patients not responding. Some further interventions such as hysterectomy or repeated thermal balloon ablation were required due to complications like infection or balloon deflation.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The thermal balloon endometrial ablation using Foley's catheter is an effective treatment for heavy menstrual bleeding.</p>","PeriodicalId":21398,"journal":{"name":"SAGE Open Medicine","volume":"13 ","pages":"20503121251322325"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11869243/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143543370","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A multicenter, postmarketing surveillance of elobixibat in patients with chronic constipation in Japan: A final analysis report.","authors":"Atsushi Nakajima, Minami Umeyama, Masaaki Higashikawa, Yusuke Shimada, Yuki Arai","doi":"10.1177/20503121251321659","DOIUrl":"10.1177/20503121251321659","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>An interim analysis of postmarketing surveillance reported the safety and efficacy of elobixibat, a laxative medication that inhibits the ileal bile acid transporter, at 4 weeks in approximately 1000 patients with chronic constipation in Japan. However, its long-term safety and efficacy in elderly patients remain unclear. This study aimed to conclude and report the final analysis of postmarketing surveillance, including 52-week safety and efficacy profiles in a clinical practice setting, using approximately 3000 patients.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The overall survey period spanned from June 2018 to May 2022. Observation periods were set at 4 weeks (4-week treatment period) and 52 weeks (52-week treatment period). Adverse drug reactions and efficacy outcomes, including defecation frequency, Bristol Stool Form Scale scores, and patient satisfaction, were analyzed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The 4-week safety analysis set included 3638 patients with a mean age of 70.8 years, and 73.7% were aged ⩾65 years. Most patients (62.5%) were treated with elobixibat alone, while the rest received concomitant laxatives. In total, 231 patients (6.35%) experienced adverse drug reactions, with gastrointestinal disorders (6.02%) such as diarrhea (3.35%) and abdominal pain (2.06%), being the most common adverse drug reaction. The adverse drug reaction incidence in elderly patients aged ⩾65, ⩾75, and ⩾85 years was 5.49%, 4.85%, and 2.80%, respectively. In the 52-week treatment period, adverse drug reaction incidence was 5.40% (71/1315 patients), similar to that in the 4-week treatment period. Regarding efficacy, defecation frequency and Bristol Stool Form Scale scores significantly improved from week 2 onward, regardless of the age group and administration timing (before breakfast, lunch, or dinner). Most patients reported satisfaction from week 2 onward (6.0%, 66.9%, 78.6%, and 90.4% at baseline, weeks 2, 4, and 52, respectively).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study confirmed the long-term safety and efficacy of elobixibat in patients with chronic constipation, including many elderly ones, in routine clinical practice.</p>","PeriodicalId":21398,"journal":{"name":"SAGE Open Medicine","volume":"13 ","pages":"20503121251321659"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11863239/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143516624","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Adherence to minimal retesting interval for HbA1c, vitamin D and thyrotropin in the University Hospital of Nepal.","authors":"Saroj Thapa, Meera Hada, Bhushan Tusuju, Apeksha Niraula","doi":"10.1177/20503121251321668","DOIUrl":"10.1177/20503121251321668","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Laboratory testing plays a critical role in healthcare decision-making; however, concerns regarding overutilization and inappropriate testing persist. Minimum retesting intervals serve as a tool to optimize testing practices and resource allocation. This study aimed to assess adherence to minimum retesting interval guidelines and estimate associated costs for commonly prescribed tests, namely HbA1c, 25 hydroxyvitamin D (Vitamin D), and thyrotropin, in a university hospital setting in Nepal.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This observational study utilized secondary data from medical records covering 1 year. Adherence to minimum retesting interval guidelines was evaluated based on established recommendations, and the economic burden of inappropriate testing was estimated using cost data provided by the Health Insurance Board of Nepal.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Patients who underwent TSH, HbA1c, and Vitamin D testing during the study period were 27,960, 8558, and 5416 with the total number of tests being 38,718 TSH, 13,859 HbA1c, and 5977 Vitamin D, respectively. There were notable proportions of patients with minimum retesting interval breach, that is, <i>n</i> = 1317 for thyroid stimulating hormone (4.71%), <i>n</i> = 1159 for HbA1c (13.54%) and <i>n</i> = 232 for Vitamin D (4.28%). Minimum retesting interval breaches were identified across all parameters, with associated costs of $12,817 which could be saved if there were no minimum retesting interval breaches. Variations in minimum retesting interval adherence were observed between insured and noninsured patients and among tests falling within and outside reference ranges.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The findings highlight the prevalence of minimum retesting interval breaches and inappropriate testing practices, emphasizing the need for interventions to optimize laboratory testing utilization. Addressing these challenges through context-specific strategies can enhance resource allocation and patient care while mitigating financial burdens.</p>","PeriodicalId":21398,"journal":{"name":"SAGE Open Medicine","volume":"13 ","pages":"20503121251321668"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11848881/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143493255","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Analysis of inflammatory biomarkers IL-6, vascular endothelial growth factor and matrix metalloproteinases-9 expression in endometriosis.","authors":"Maofang Hua, Yuan Wang, Jun Yao, Zhenxuan Zhu, Xiaoyun Liu, Fanfei Meng, ShuangHua Yu","doi":"10.1177/20503121251321625","DOIUrl":"10.1177/20503121251321625","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Special attention has been paid to genetic mechanisms that might have a significant impact on the context of the risk of developing endometriosis, in recent years. The study aimed to analyze the expression levels of three inflammatory biomarkers Interleukin-6 (IL-6), vascular endothelial growth factor, and matrix metalloproteinases-9, in the increased incidence of endometriosis.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The material for genetic testing was tissue slices embedded in paraffin blocks from these patients with endometriosis (I-II) (<i>n</i> = 24), endometriosis (III-IV) (<i>n</i> = 24), and the control group (<i>n</i> = 30) in Lianyungang maternal and child health hospital from January 2020 to December 2023. The expression levels of IL-6, vascular endothelial growth factor, and matrix metalloproteinases-9 genes were determined by the real-time polymerase chain reaction technique.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The expression levels of IL-6 and vascular endothelial growth factor gene in the peripheral blood and peritoneal fluid of these endometriosis patients were not statistically significant lower than in the control group. Besides, the significant differences were found in IL-6, vascular endothelial growth factor and matrix metalloproteinases-9 between eutopic endometrial tissues of the endometriosis group, compared to the control group; and these increased significantly with the severity of the disease. In addition, there was significant difference in the expression level of matrix metalloproteinases-9 in peripheral blood and peritoneal fluid, and the difference was statistically significant in these patients with stages III-IV, compared with these patients with stages I-II. Among them, the Revised American Society for Reproductive Medicine classification of endometriosis was used in the group of patients with endometriosis.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These patients with endometriosis showed the significant differences in matrix metalloproteinases-9 expression in peripheral blood, peritoneal fluid, and eutopic and ectopic endometrial tissues as the condition worsens. The research suggested that the determination of matrix metalloproteinases-9 in peripheral blood has certain value in evaluating the condition of endometriosis, which might play an important role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis and be explored for postoperative recurrence monitoring.</p>","PeriodicalId":21398,"journal":{"name":"SAGE Open Medicine","volume":"13 ","pages":"20503121251321625"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11843688/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143483956","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}