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Al Bashir S, AlBarakat MM, Alabedalhalim KK, Al-Khalaileh A, Alassaf A, Saleh O, Ayyad AW, Alzoubi KH. Knowledge of cancer symptoms and risk factors: A cross-sectional study from a developing country. Medicine (Baltimore) 2024; 103:e37823. [PMID: 38608047 PMCID: PMC11018150 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000037823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The delayed presentation of cancer patients to healthcare facilities for diagnosis is a pressing issue, as late-stage cancer cases are often more challenging to treat effectively. In low-resource settings, such as those with limited access to healthcare facilities, the impact of inadequate awareness of cancer signs and symptoms can be particularly severe. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate public knowledge of cancer signs and symptoms and risk factors in the context of Jordan. This cross-sectional study was conducted among participants from all settings. Data was obtained from an Arabic version of the cancer awareness measure (CAM), which was answered online. It described demographic data and knowledge of cancer prevalence, age-related risk, signs, symptoms, and risk factors in recall and recognition-type questions. Participants (n = 1998) completed the questionnaire with a Median age of 35 and an interquartile range of 24. About half (n = 1070) thought that cancer is unrelated to age. Most participants identified breast cancer as the most common cancer among women (81%). Awareness of cancer signs/symptoms significantly differed in the level of knowledge in favor of females. The symptom "unexplained weight loss" was most commonly recognized (66.3%) and "persistent difficulty swallowing" the least (42.6%). As for risk factors, "smoking" was the most identified (76.9%) and "eating less than 5 portions of fruits and vegetables a day" was the least (19%), and "doing <30 minutes of moderate physical activity 5 times a week" as a close second least (19.95%). Females identified "smoking," "passive smoking," "HPV infection," and "having a close relative with cancer" as risk factors significantly more than males. Those with good economic status were more aware that smoking is a cancer risk factor by 1.51 times compared to those with poor economic status. To enhance early diagnosis and presentation in Jordan, there is a need for increased public awareness of the signs, symptoms, and risk factors of cancer. One effective strategy to achieve this goal is to conduct targeted public campaigns that cater to different population groups, such as the youth, to improve their understanding and ensure that the message resonates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samir Al Bashir
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Majd M. AlBarakat
- Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | | | - Ali Al-Khalaileh
- Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Amer Alassaf
- Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Othman Saleh
- Faculty of Medicine, The Hashemite University, Zarqa, Jordan
| | - Asmaa W. Ayyad
- Branch of Otolaryngology - Department of Special Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Karem H. Alzoubi
- Department of Pharmacy Practice and Pharmacotherapeutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, UAE
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
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Saleh O, Abuelazm MT, Mohamed I, Ramadan A, Assaf M, Alzoubi A, AlBarakat MM, Abdelazeem B. Etrolizumab as an induction and maintenance therapy for ulcerative colitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. JGH Open 2024; 8:e13056. [PMID: 38572328 PMCID: PMC10986297 DOI: 10.1002/jgh3.13056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Background and Aim Etrolizumab is a gut-targeted anti-β7 integrin monoclonal antibody. However, the evidence of etrolizumab efficacy and safety in ulcerative colitis remains inconclusive. Therefore, we aim to evaluate the safety and efficacy of etrolizumab as an induction and maintenance therapy for active moderate to severe ulcerative colitis. Methods We synthesized randomized controlled studies (RCTs) from MEDLINE, Scopus, EMBASE, PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library until April 2023. The risk ratio (RR) for dichotomous outcomes with the corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) was used. The study protocol was registered in PROSPERO with ID: CRD42023437040. Results Five RCTs with 1849 participants were included. The etrolizumab group had a significant clinical response (RR: 1.28 with 95% CI [1.08, 1.51], P = 0.005), clinical remission rates during the induction phase (RR: 2.47 with 95% CI [1.48, 4.11], P = 0.0005), compared with the placebo group in ulcerative colitis; however, there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups, regarding the corticosteroids-free remission rate (RR: 1.92 with 95% CI [0.94, 3.92], P = 0.07). Moreover, endoscopic improvement, endoscopic remission, and histologic remission rates were observed more in the etrolizumab group during both the induction and maintenance phases. For safety outcomes, etrolizumab was significantly safer, but any adverse event was higher in the etrolizumab group than in the placebo. Conclusion Etrolizumab shows its effectiveness as both an induction and maintenance therapy for moderate or severe UC. The findings demonstrate its positive impact on clinical, endoscopic, and histologic remission rates. Regarding safety, other than any side effects, etrolizumab showed a good safety than a placebo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Othman Saleh
- Faculty of MedicineThe Hashemite UniversityZarqaJordan
| | | | - Islam Mohamed
- Department of Internal MedicineUniversity of MissouriKansas CityMissouriUSA
| | - Alaa Ramadan
- Faculty of MedicineSouth Valley UniversityQenaEgypt
| | | | - Ahmad Alzoubi
- Faculty of MedicineThe Hashemite UniversityZarqaJordan
| | - Majd M. AlBarakat
- Faculty of MedicineJordan University of Science and TechnologyIrbidJordan
| | - Basel Abdelazeem
- Department of CardiologyWest Virginia UniversityMorgantownWest VirginiaUSA
- Department of MedicineMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMichiganUSA
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Mostafa MR, Eid MM, Awad AK, Takla A, Hassan AR, Katamesh BE, AlBarakat MM, Ziada AR, Mohamed S, Al-Azizi KM, Goldsweig AM. Safety and Efficacy of Cangrelor in Acute Coronary Syndromes: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis. Am J Cardiovasc Drugs 2024; 24:71-81. [PMID: 37995040 DOI: 10.1007/s40256-023-00616-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Cangrelor is a potent intravenous non-thienopyridine P2Y12 inhibitor. We conducted a network meta-analysis to study the efficacy and safety of cangrelor as compared with the oral P2Y12 inhibition, clopidogrel, or placebo in acute coronary syndromes. METHODS This meta-analysis followed the Cochrane collaboration guidelines and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) protocols. Outcomes of interest included all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction, stent thrombosis, target vessel revascularization, major bleeding, minor bleeding, and the need for blood transfusion. RESULTS The analysis was comprised of 6 studies including 26,444 patients treated with cangrelor, clopidogrel, or placebo. There were no statistically significant differences in the incidence of all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction, stent thrombosis, target vessel revascularization, or major bleeding. Cangrelor was associated with a higher risk of minor bleeding than clopidogrel or placebo, with no difference in requiring blood transfusion. CONCLUSION Cangrelor has comparable outcomes to clopidogrel in patients with acute coronary syndromes and can be used as a reliable alternative in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ahmed K Awad
- Faculty of Medicine, Ain-Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Andrew Takla
- Department of Medicine, Rochester General Hospital, Rochester, NY, USA
| | | | | | - Majd M AlBarakat
- Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Amman, Jordan
| | | | | | - Karim M Al-Azizi
- Baylor Scott and White Health-The Heart Hospital, Plano, TX, USA
| | - Andrew M Goldsweig
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, MA, USA
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
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Abuelazm M, Ali S, AlBarakat MM, Mahmoud A, Tanashat M, Suilik HA, Abdelazeem B, Brašić JR. Istaroxime for Patients with Acute Heart Failure: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Diseases 2023; 11:183. [PMID: 38131989 PMCID: PMC10743119 DOI: 10.3390/diseases11040183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Istaroxime, an intravenous inotropic agent with a dual mechanism-increasing both cardiomyocyte contractility and relaxation-is a novel treatment for acute heart failure (AHF), the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in heart failure. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis that synthesized randomized controlled trials (RCTs), which were retrieved by systematically searching PubMed, Web of Science, SCOPUS, and Cochrane until 24 April 2023. We used a fixed-effect or random-effect model-according to heterogeneity-to pool dichotomous data using the risk ratio (RR) and continuous data using the mean difference (MD), with a 95% confidence interval (CI). We included three RCTs with a total of 300 patients. Istaroxime was significantly associated with an increased left ventricular ejection fraction (mL) (MD: 1.06, 95% CI: 0.29, 1.82; p = 0.007), stroke volume index (MD: 3.04, 95% CI: 2.41, 3.67; p = 0.00001), and cardiac index (L/min/m2) (MD: 0.18, 95% CI: 0.11, 025; p = 0.00001). Also, istaroxime was significantly associated with a decreased E/A ratio (MD: -0.39, 95% CI: -0.58, -0.19; p = 0.0001) and pulmonary artery systolic pressure (mmHg) (MD: 2.30, 95% CI: 3.20, 1.40; p = 0.00001). Istaroxime was significantly associated with increased systolic blood pressure (mmHg) (MD: 5.32, 95% CI: 2.28, 8.37; p = 0.0006) and decreased heart rate (bpm) (MD: -3.05, 95% CI: -5.27, -0.82; p = 0.007). Since istaroxime improved hemodynamic and echocardiographic parameters, it constitutes a promising strategy for AHF management. However, the current literature is limited to a small number of RCTs, warranting further large-scale phase III trials before clinical endorsement.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shafaqat Ali
- Department of Internal Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Shreveport, Shreveport, LA 71103, USA;
| | - Majd M. AlBarakat
- Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan;
| | | | | | | | - Basel Abdelazeem
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA;
| | - James Robert Brašić
- Section of High-Resolution Brain Positron Emission Tomography Imaging, Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, New York City Health and Hospitals/Bellevue, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
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Abuelazm M, Ali S, Saleh O, Badr A, Altobaishat O, AlBarakat MM, Aboutaleb A, Siddiq A, Abdelazeem B. The Safety and Efficacy of Quadruple Ultra-Low-Dose Combination (Quadpill) for Hypertension Treatment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Clin Drug Investig 2023; 43:813-826. [PMID: 37902939 PMCID: PMC10632290 DOI: 10.1007/s40261-023-01313-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Quadpill, a single pill containing a quadruple combination of quarter doses of four antihypertensive agents, has been investigated for hypertension treatment. This meta-analysis aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of quadpill for hypertension management. METHODS We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis synthesizing randomized controlled trials evaluating quadpill versus monotherapy or placebo in patients with hypertension, which were retrieved by systematically searching PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, SCOPUS, and Cochrane through 17 February, 2023. Continuous and dichotomous outcomes were pooled using mean difference (MD) and risk ratio (RR) along with confidence interval (CI), using Revman Version 5.4 software. Our protocol has been published in PROSPERO with ID: CRD42023406527. RESULTS Four randomized controlled trials with a total of 779 patients were included in our analysis. Quadpill was effective in controlling systolic blood pressure in the short term [4-6 weeks] (RR: - 13.00 with 95% CI [- 17.22, - 8.78], p = 0.00001) and in the long term [12 weeks] (RR: - 6.18 with 95% CI [- 9.35, - 3.01], p = 0.0001). Quadpill was also effective in controlling automated diastolic blood pressure in the short term [4-6 weeks] (MD: - 8.15 with 95% CI [- 9.42, - 6.89], p = 0.00001) and in the long term [12 weeks] (MD: - 6.35 with 95% CI [- 10.37, - 2.33], p = 0.002). Moreover, patients in the quadpill group significantly achieved target blood pressure <140/90 (RR: 1.77 with 95% CI [1.26, 2.51], p = 0.001) compared with the control group. CONCLUSIONS The quadruple ultra-low-dose combination of antihypertensive drugs (quadpill) was effective and safe for hypertension treatment. However, further large-scale, multicenter, randomized controlled trials are still warranted before endorsement in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shafaqat Ali
- Department of Internal Medicine, Louisiana State University, Shreveport, LA, USA
| | - Othman Saleh
- Faculty of Medicine, The Hashemite University, Zarqa, Jordan
| | - Amr Badr
- Department of Cardiology, Benha Teaching Hospital, Benha, Egypt
| | - Obieda Altobaishat
- Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Majd M AlBarakat
- Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Aya Aboutaleb
- Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Shaibet an Nakareyah, Zagazig, 44519, Ash Sharqia Governorate, Egypt.
| | | | - Basel Abdelazeem
- Department of Cardiology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, United States
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Taha AM, Mahmoud AM, Ghonaim MM, Kamran A, AlSamhori JF, AlBarakat MM, Shrestha AB, Jaiswal V, Reiter RJ. Melatonin as a potential treatment for septic cardiomyopathy. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 166:115305. [PMID: 37619482 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Septic cardiomyopathy (SCM) is a common complication of sepsis contributing to high mortality rates. Its pathophysiology involves complex factors, including inflammatory cytokines, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and immune dysregulation. Despite extensive research, no effective pharmacological agent has been established for sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy. Melatonin, a hormone with diverse functions in the body, has emerged as a potential agent for SCM through its anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, and cardioprotective roles. Through various molecular levels of its mechanism of action, it counterattacks the adverse event of sepsis. Experimental studies have mentioned that melatonin protects against many cardiovascular diseases and exerts preventive effects on SCM. Moreover, melatonin has been investigated in combination with other drugs such as antibiotics, resveratrol, and anti-oxidants showing synergistic effects in reducing inflammation, anti-oxidant, and improving cardiac function. While preclinical studies have demonstrated positive results, clinical trials are required to establish the optimal dosage, route of administration, and treatment duration for melatonin in SCM. Its safety profile, low toxicity, and natural occurrence in the human body provide a favorable basis for its clinical use. This review aims to provide an overview of the current evidence of the use of melatonin in sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy (SICM). Melatonin appears to be promising as a possible treatment for sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy and demands further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amira Mohamed Taha
- Faculty of Medicine, Fayoum University, Fayoum, Egypt; Medical Research Group of Egypt (MRGE), Negida Academy, Arlington, MA, USA
| | | | | | - Ateeba Kamran
- Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, Karachi Medical and Dental College, Karachi, Pakistan
| | | | - Majd M AlBarakat
- Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Abhigan Babu Shrestha
- Department of Internal Medicine, M Abdur Rahim Medical College, Dinajpur, Bangladesh.
| | | | - Russel J Reiter
- Department of Cell Systems and Anatomy, UT Health San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
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