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Ansari SA, Merza N, Salman M, Raja A, Sayeed BZ, Rahman HAU, Bhimani S, Shaikh AS, Naqi U, Farooqui A, Afridi S, Feroze A, Hameed I. Safety and efficacy of antithrombotics in outpatients with symptomatic COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Curr Probl Cardiol 2024; 49:102451. [PMID: 38346606 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpcardiol.2024.102451] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a global health emergency, with well over six hundred million infections and over six million deaths to date. Besides other ramifications, it is also associated with inflammation and an augmented risk of thromboembolic complications. Despite this, the risks and benefits of antithrombotic drugs in patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 have not been well-established and remain controversial. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the safety and efficacy of antithrombotic drugs on mild to moderate symptomatic COVID-19 patients by performing an updated systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS We queried electronic databases (PubMed, Cochrane Central, Scopus, and Embase) from their inception up to September 2022 for randomized controlled trials comparing antithrombotic drugs against placebo. The outcomes of interest were the need for hospital care, mortality, and thromboembolic events in the enrolled participants. Dichotomous outcomes were presented as risk ratio (RR) with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) and were consolidated using random-effects model. MAIN RESULTS Five eligible studies (Rivaroxaban/Apixaban, two; enoxaparin, two; Sulodexide, one), consisting of 2,005 participants with mild to moderate COVID-19, were included. Pooled results show that antithrombotics, when compared to placebo, do not significantly reduce all-cause mortality (RR 0.51, 95 % CI 0.15-1.68; P = 0.27; I2 = 0), thromboembolic events (RR 0.78, 95 % CI 0.17-3.51; P = 0.74; I2 = 0), need for hospitalization (RR 0.73, 95 % CI 0.51-1.03; P = 0.08; I2 = 0), nor significantly increase clinically relevant non-major bleeding events (RR 2.36, 95 % CI 0.56-9.89; P = 0.24; I2 = 0). However, when Sulodexide was compared independently to other antithrombotics, it significantly reduced the need for hospitalization (RR 0.60, 95 % CI 0.37-0.95; P = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS Our pooled analysis was not able to establish statistically significant benefits or risks of using antithrombotic drugs in mild to moderate COVID-19 patients. To further improve our understanding of the efficacy, safety and risk profile of such a therapy, large sample randomized clinical trials are required on a wide scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saad Ali Ansari
- Internal Medicine, University of California, Riverside School of Medicine. Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Nooraldin Merza
- Internal Medicine Department, University of Toledo, Medicine, Toledo, Ohio, USA
| | - Madiha Salman
- Dow Medical College, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Adarsh Raja
- Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical College, Lyari, Karachi, Pakistan.
| | | | | | - Sunaina Bhimani
- Dow Medical College, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan
| | | | - Unaiza Naqi
- Dow Medical College, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Areeba Farooqui
- Ziauddin Medical College, Ziauddin University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Simra Afridi
- Ziauddin Medical College, Ziauddin University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Ahsan Feroze
- Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Ishaque Hameed
- Internal Medicine, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan
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Habboush S, Elmoursi A, Gadelmawla AF, Masoud AT, Khalil M, Sheashaa H, Merza N, Massoud AT. Transvenous Compared With Leadless Pacemakers: A meta-analysis comparing TP versus LP. Cardiol Rev 2024:00045415-990000000-00202. [PMID: 38299806 DOI: 10.1097/crd.0000000000000660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
This study aims to compare the effectiveness of leadless pacemakers (LPs) and transvenous pacemakers and to examine the safety of both methods. We included patients undergoing single-chamber pacemaker implantation, either LP or TVP. Our outcomes were successful implantation rate, major complication, vascular injury, tamponade, and pneumothorax. We performed a double-arm analysis comparing LP versus TVP, with risk ratio (RR) and 95% confidence interval. A total of 10 studies were included in this meta-analysis. Regarding efficacy endpoints, RR revealed no significant difference between the LP and transvenous pacemaker groups in terms of successful rate of implantation (RR = 1.00; P = 0.77). Regarding safety outcomes, LP experienced lower incidence of major complications (RR = 0.47; P = 0.01), infection (RR = 0.24; P = 0.001), and tamponade (RR = 0.36; P = 0.01). There was no significant difference between both groups regarding pneumothorax (RR = 0.35; P = 0.22) and vascular injury (RR = 1.55; P = 0.25). The study findings suggest that both LPs and TVPs have similar effectiveness. Moreover, the incidences of pneumothorax, vascular injuries, and major complications were found to be comparable between the 2 methods. However, LPs were found to have lower rates of infection and tamponade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shady Habboush
- From the Department of cardiology, Marien Hospital Witten, Witten, Germany
| | - Ahmed Elmoursi
- Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Ahmed F Gadelmawla
- Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Menoufia, Egypt
| | - Amr T Masoud
- Department of Medical Research, Faculty of Medicine, Fayoum University, Fayoum, Egypt
| | - Mohamed Khalil
- Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Menoufia, Egypt
| | - Hesham Sheashaa
- Internal Medicine Department, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH
| | - Nooraldin Merza
- Internal Medicine Department, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH
| | - Ahmed T Massoud
- Department of Medical Research, Faculty of Medicine, Fayoum University, Fayoum, Egypt
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Dahiya DS, Pinnam BSM, Chandan S, Gangwani MK, Ali H, Deliwala S, Bapaye J, Aziz M, Merza N, Inamdar S, Al-Haddad M, Sharma N. The impact of COVID-19 on hospitalizations that underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in the United States. Surg Endosc 2024; 38:202-211. [PMID: 37957298 DOI: 10.1007/s00464-023-10529-5] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES COVID-19 impacts technical success of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). In this study, we aimed to assess the influence of COVID-19 on hospitalizations that underwent ERCP. METHODS We identified all adult COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 hospitalizations that underwent ERCP in the United States using the National Inpatient Sample for 2020. Hospitalization characteristics, clinical outcomes, and complications were compared between the two groups. RESULTS In 2020, 2015 COVID-19 and 203,094 non-COVID-19 hospitalizations underwent ERCP. The COVID-19 cohort had a higher mean age (60.3 vs 55.6 years, p < 0.001) and a higher proportion of Blacks and Hispanics compared to the non-COVID-19 cohort. After adjusting for confounders, the COVID-19 cohort had higher all-cause inpatient mortality (4.77 vs 1.45%, aOR 4.09, 95% CI 2.50-6.69, p < 0.001), mean length of stay (LOS) [10.19 vs 5.94 days, mean difference: 3.88, 95% CI 2.68-5.07, p < 0.001] and mean total hospital charges (THC) [$152,933 vs $96,398, mean difference: 46,367, 95% CI 21,776-70,957, p < 0.001] compared to the non-COVID-19 cohort. Increasing age, higher Charlson Comorbidity Index, and post-ERCP pancreatitis were identified to be independent predictors of inpatient mortality for COVID-19 hospitalizations that underwent ERCP. Furthermore, the COVID-19 cohort had higher odds of developing post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP) (11.55 vs 7.05%, aOR 1.64, 95% CI 1.19-2.25, p = 0.002) compared to the non-COVID-19 cohort, after adjusting for confounders. However, there was no statistical difference in the rates of bowel perforations and post-ERCP hemorrhage between the two groups. CONCLUSION COVID-19 hospitalizations that underwent ERCP had higher inpatient mortality, mean LOS, mean THC, and odds of developing PEP compared to the non-COVID-19 cohort. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION This study is not a part of a clinical trial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dushyant Singh Dahiya
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Motility, The University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, KS, USA.
| | - Bhanu Siva Mohan Pinnam
- Department of Internal Medicine, John H Stroger Jr Hospital of Cook County, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Saurabh Chandan
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, CHI Creighton University Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | | | - Hassam Ali
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, East Carolina University/Brody School of Medicine, Greenville, NC, USA
| | - Smit Deliwala
- Division of Digestive Diseases, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jay Bapaye
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, Roanoke, VA, USA
| | - Muhammad Aziz
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Nooraldin Merza
- Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Sumant Inamdar
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Mohammad Al-Haddad
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Neil Sharma
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
- Interventional Oncology & Surgical Endoscopy (IOSE) Programs, GI Oncology Tumor Site Team, Parkview Health, Parkview Cancer Institute, Fort Wayne, IN, USA
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Merza N, Nawras Y, Saab O, Dahiya DS, Ahmed Z, Ranabothu M, Boujemaa S, Hassan M, Kobeissy A, Lilley K. Comparing the Efficacy and Safety of Adalimumab and Vedolizumab in Treating Moderate to Severe Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis. Gastroenterology Res 2023; 16:289-306. [PMID: 38186583 PMCID: PMC10769610 DOI: 10.14740/gr1664] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Numerous patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) do not respond to conventional or biological therapy. Adalimumab (ADA) and vedolizumab (VDZ), according to certain research, may be a useful alternative treatment for these people. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness and safety of using ADA and VDZ to treat moderate to severe IBD: Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). Methods We searched PubMed, Medline, Web of Science, Scopus, the Cochrane Library, Embase, Google Scholar, CINAHL, Clinicaltrials.gov, and WHO trials registry (ICTRP). Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing ADA or VDZ with placebo in participants with active CD or UC were included. The primary outcomes were the clinical response and remission at induction and maintenance phases and mucosal healing. The secondary outcome was the incidence of profound negative events. The research used Comprehensive Meta-Analysis version 3 (Biostat Inc., USA). Results Eighteen RCTs were incorporated, in which 11 studies described the usefulness and safeness of ADA or VDZ in CD patients, and seven studies investigated the efficacy and safety of ADA or VDZ in UC patients. The meta-analysis revealed that both ADA and VDZ treatments were superior to placebo for producing clinical remission and eliciting clinical response at induction and maintenance phases in individuals with moderately to severely active CD or UC. Interestingly, we found that ADA was superior to VDZ as first-line treatment for patients with CD, but not UC. Conclusion ADA and VDZ are effective and safe in CD and UC patients. However, RCTs of a larger number of patients are still required for better assessing the safety profile of ADA and VDZ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nooraldin Merza
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Yusuf Nawras
- University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Omar Saab
- Department of Internal Medicine, Cleavland Clinic, Cleavland, OH, USA
| | - Dushyant Singh Dahiya
- Department of Gastroenterology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
| | - Zohaib Ahmed
- Department of Gastroenterology, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Meghana Ranabothu
- University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Safa Boujemaa
- Biotechnology Development, Institute Pasteur De Tunis, University De Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Mona Hassan
- Department of Gastroenterology, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Abdallah Kobeissy
- Department of Gastroenterology, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Kirthi Lilley
- Department of Gastroenterology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
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Kobeissy A, Merza N, Nawras Y, Bahbah EI, Al-Hillan A, Ahmed Z, Hassan M, Alastal Y. Evaluating the diagnostic accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging in distinguishing strictures in Crohn's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Colorectal Dis 2023; 38:258. [PMID: 37882852 DOI: 10.1007/s00384-023-04544-0] [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] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE This systematic review and meta-analysis sought to assess the diagnostic accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in distinguishing fibrotic from inflammatory strictures in Crohn's disease (CD) patients. METHODS A rigorous and systematic exploration of five key databases yielded studies that met predefined criteria. Data were extracted for a comprehensive meta-analysis using MetaDiSC and MetaDTA software, providing diagnostic accuracy measures. The Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 (QUADAS-2) tool was utilized for evaluating the methodological quality and potential bias within the studies. RESULTS The systematic review involved the evaluation of 7437 records, culminating in the inclusion of 22 studies. In detecting fibrotic strictures in CD patients, MRI exhibited a pooled sensitivity of 85.20% (95% CI: 76.10-91.20%) and specificity of 96.00% (95% CI: 87.80-98.70%). For differentiating fibrotic strictures from inflammatory stenosis, the sensitivity was 81.5% (95% CI: 70.2-89.20%), and the specificity was 97.2% (95% CI: 90.0-99.3%). In terms of assessing the severity of strictures, sensitivity stood at 90.4% (95% CI: 78.1-96.1%) and specificity at 89.4% (95% CI: 57.4-98.2%). The consistency of the diagnostic accuracy was observed across different geographical locations and the various reference tests applied in the studies. CONCLUSIONS The results of this meta-analysis underscore the robust diagnostic accuracy of MRI in detecting fibrotic strictures, distinguishing between fibrotic and inflammatory strictures, and evaluating stricture severity in CD patients. These findings support the integration of MRI into standard diagnostic protocols for patients with CD. Further large-scale, multicenter trials are warranted to confirm these results and to identify any potential limitations associated with the application of MRI in this clinical setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdallah Kobeissy
- Department of Gastroenterology, The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, 43606, USA
| | - Nooraldin Merza
- Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, 43606, USA.
| | - Yusuf Nawras
- College of Medicine and Life Sciences, The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, 43606, USA
| | - Eshak I Bahbah
- Department of Internal Medicine, Al Azhar University, New Damietta, Egypt
| | - Alsadiq Al-Hillan
- Gastroenterology Department, Corewell Health/Willam Beaumont University Hospital, Royal Oak, MI, 48073, USA
| | - Zohaib Ahmed
- Department of Gastroenterology, The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, 43606, USA
| | - Mona Hassan
- Department of Gastroenterology, The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, 43606, USA
| | - Yaseen Alastal
- Department of Gastroenterology, The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, 43606, USA
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Shoaib A, Salim N, Shahid AR, Amir MA, Shiraz MI, Ayaz A, Khan BS, Ansari SA, Suheb MK, Merza N, Shahid I. Effectiveness of Emergency versus Nonemergent Coronary Angiography After Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest without ST-Segment Elevation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Am J Cardiol 2023; 205:379-386. [PMID: 37657411 DOI: 10.1016/j.amjcard.2023.07.163] [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] [Received: 04/02/2023] [Revised: 07/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/03/2023]
Abstract
The optimal timing of coronary angiography (CAG) in patients after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) without ST-segment elevation remains controversial. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis of randomized control trials to investigate the effectiveness of emergency CAG versus delayed CAG in OHCA patients with a non-ST-segment elevated rhythm. PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, Cochrane CENTRAL, and JBI databases were searched from inception to September 7, 2022. Our primary end point was survival with a good neurological outcome, whereas the secondary outcomes included short-term survival, mid-term survival, recurrent arrhythmias, myocardial infarction after hospitalization, major bleeding, acute kidney injury, and left ventricular ejection fraction. Nine randomized control trials involving 2,569 patients were included in this analysis. Our meta-analysis showed no significant difference in the improvement of neurological outcome (RR 0.96, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] [0.87, 1.06]), short-term survival (risk ratio [RR] 0.98, 95% CI [0.89, 1.08]), mid-term survival (RR 0.98, 95% CI [0.87, 1.10]), recurrent arrhythmias (RR 1.02, 95% CI [0.50, 2.06]), myocardial infarction (RR 0.66, 95% CI [0.13, 3.30]), major bleeding (RR 0.96, 95% CI [0.55, 1.69]), acute kidney injury (RR 1.20, 95% CI [0.32, 4.49]) and left ventricular ejection fraction (RR 0.89, 95% CI [0.69, 1.15]) in patients who underwent emergency CAG compared with delayed CAG patients. In conclusion, our analysis revealed that emergency CAG had no prognostic superiority over delayed CAG in patients with OHCA without ST-segment elevation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aqsa Shoaib
- Department of Medicine, Karachi Medical and Dental College, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
| | - Najwa Salim
- Department of Medicine, Karachi Medical and Dental College, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
| | - Abdul Rehman Shahid
- Department of Medicine, Dow International Medical College, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Ali Amir
- Department of Medicine, Dow International Medical College, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
| | - Moeez Ibrahim Shiraz
- Department of Medicine, Dow International Medical College, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
| | - Aliza Ayaz
- Department of Medicine, Karachi Medical and Dental College, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
| | - Bilal Shahid Khan
- Department of Medicine, Dow International Medical College, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
| | - Saad Ali Ansari
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of California Riverside School of Medicine, Riverside
| | - Mahammed Khan Suheb
- Department of Medicine, Aurora St Luke's Medical Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
| | | | - Izza Shahid
- Division of Preventive Cardiology, Department of Cardiology, Houston Methodist Academic Institute, Houston, Texas.
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Ahmed Z, Ramai D, Merza N, Badal J, Iqbal U, Arif SF, Al-Hillan A, Varughese T, Lee-Smith W, Nawras A, Alastal Y, Khara HS, Confer BD, Diehl DL, Adler DG. Safety and Efficacy of Powered Non-Thermal Endoscopic Resection Device for Removal of Colonic Polyps: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Gastroenterology Res 2023; 16:254-261. [PMID: 37937229 PMCID: PMC10627355 DOI: 10.14740/gr1638] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Endoscopic mucosal resection is a frequently employed method for removing colonic polyps. Nonetheless, the recurrence of these polyps over a healed submucosal base can complicate the extraction of leftover lesions through standard procedures. EndoRotor®, a non-thermal device specifically designed for endoscopic mucosal resection, has recently been assessed for its utility in removing colonic polyps, non-dysplastic Barrett's esophagus, and pancreatic necrosis. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to ascertain the safety and efficacy of EndoRotor® in resecting scared or recurrence colonic polyps. Methods We conducted an exhaustive review of existing literature using databases such as Medline, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library until January 2023. Our aim was to find all studies that assessed the safety of non-thermal endoscopic resection devices in removing colonic polyps. The primary outcome we focused on was the rate of technical success. Secondary outcomes that we considered included the frequency of remaining lesions and instances of adverse events. To analyze these data, we used comprehensive meta-analysis software. Results Our analysis incorporated three studies comprising 54 patients who underwent resection of 60 lesions. The combined technical success rate was 93.9% (95% confidence interval (CI): 77.7-98.6%, I2 = 25.5%). In patients who had another endoscopic examination, 20 were found to have a residual lesion. After the initial session, the combined rate of remaining lesions was 39.8% (95% CI: 15.3-70.8%, I2 = 74.5%). There were eight occurrences of intraoperative bleeding and four instances of bleeding post-procedure. The combined rate of intraoperative bleeding was 13.2% (95% CI: 6.7-24.3%, I2 = 0%), and post-procedure bleeding stood at 8.5% (95% CI: 3.4-19.8%, I2 = 0%). Only one major bleeding event was recorded, and no cases of perforation were reported. Conclusion Our research indicates that the EndoRotor® effectively removes scarred colonic polyps, though the rate of remaining lesions is significant, potentially necessitating several sessions for a thorough removal. There is a need for broader prospective studies, mainly randomized controlled trials, to further assess EndoRotor®'s efficiency and safety in eliminating colonic polyps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zohaib Ahmed
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Toledo Medical Center, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Daryl Ramai
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Nooraldin Merza
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Toledo Medical Center, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Joyce Badal
- University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Umair Iqbal
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, PA, USA
| | | | - Alsadiq Al-Hillan
- Gastroenterology Department, Corewell Health/Willam Beaumont University Hospital, Royal Oak, MI, USA
| | - Tony Varughese
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack, NJ, USA
| | - Wade Lee-Smith
- University of Toledo Libraries, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Ali Nawras
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Yaseen Alastal
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Harshit S. Khara
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, PA, USA
| | - Bradley D. Confer
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, PA, USA
| | - David L. Diehl
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, PA, USA
| | - Douglas G. Adler
- Center for Advanced Therapeutic Endoscopy, Porter Adventist Hospital, Centura Health, Denver, CO, USA
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Hassan M, Merza N, Nawras Y, Bahbah EI, Al-Hillan A, Ahmed Z, ElSheref SEDM, Dahiya DS, Dar S, Al Azzawi M, Kobeissy A. Continuous vs. intermittent terlipressin infusion for portal hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Ann Med Surg (Lond) 2023; 85:5001-5010. [PMID: 37811089 PMCID: PMC10553058 DOI: 10.1097/ms9.0000000000001261] [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: 05/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Portal hypertension, a major complication of chronic liver disease, often leads to life-threatening variceal bleeding, managed effectively with vasoactive drugs like terlipressin. However, the most optimal method of terlipressin administration, continuous versus intermittent infusion, remains a subject of debate, necessitating this systematic review and meta-analysis for evidence-based decision-making in managing this critical condition. Methods This systematic review and meta-analysis adhered to the PRISMA standards and explored multiple databases until 6 April 2023, such as MEDLINE through PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and CENTRAL. Independent reviewers selected randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that met specific inclusion criteria. After assessing study quality and extracting necessary data, statistical analysis was performed using Review Manager (RevMan), with results presented as risk ratios (RR) or mean differences. Results Five RCTs (n=395 patients) were included. The continuous terlipressin group had a significantly lower risk of rebleeding (RR=0.43, P=0.0004) and treatment failure (RR=0.22, P=0.02) and fewer total adverse effects (RR=0.52, P<0.00001) compared to the intermittent group. However, there were no significant differences between the two groups in mean arterial pressure (P=0.26), length of hospital stays (P=0.78), and mortality rates (P=0.65). Conclusion This study provides robust evidence suggesting that continuous terlipressin infusion may be superior to intermittent infusions in reducing the risk of rebleeding, treatment failure, and adverse effects in patients with portal hypertension. However, further large-scale, high-quality RCTs are required to confirm these findings and to investigate the potential benefits of continuous terlipressin infusion on mortality and hospital stays.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Yusuf Nawras
- The University of Toledo, College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, Ohio
| | - Eshak I. Bahbah
- Department of Internal Medicine, Al Azhar University, New Damietta, Egypt
| | - Alsadiq Al-Hillan
- Gastroenterology Department, Corewell health/Willam Beaumont University Hospital, Michigan
| | | | | | - Dushyant S. Dahiya
- Division of Gastroenterology, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City
| | - Sophia Dar
- Gastroenterology Department, Southern Illinois University, Springfield, Illinois, USA
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Merza N, Farooqui SK, Dar SH, Varughese T, Awan RU, Qureshi L, Ansari SA, Qureshi H, Mcilvaine J, Vohra I, Nawras Y, Kobeissy A, Hassan M. Folfirinox vs. Gemcitabine + Nab-Paclitaxel as the First-Line Treatment for Pancreatic Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. World J Oncol 2023; 14:325-339. [PMID: 37869244 PMCID: PMC10588495 DOI: 10.14740/wjon1604] [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: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The efficacy and safety of Folfirinox (FFX) or gemcitabine + nab-paclitaxel (GnP) to be used as the first-line drugs for pancreatic cancer (PC) is yet to be established. We conducted an analysis of retrospective studies to assess the efficacy and safety of these two regimens by comparing their survival and safety outcomes in patients with PC. Methods We conducted an extensive review of two electronic databases from inception till February 2023 to include all the relevant studies that compared FFX with GnP published and unpublished work. Retrospective studies were only included. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were pooled using hazard ratios (HRs), while objective response rate (ORR) and safety outcomes were pooled using odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence interval (CI) using the random effects model. Results A total of 7,030 patients were identified in a total of 21 articles that were shortlisted. Pooled results concluded that neither FFX nor GnP was associated to increase the OS time (HR: 0.93, 95% CI: 0.83 - 1.04; P = 0.0001); however, FFX was more likely associated with increased PFS when compared to GnP (HR: 0.88, 95% CI: 0.81 - 0.97; P < 0.0001). ORR proved to be non-significant between the two regimens (OR: 0.90, 95% CI: 0.64 - 1.27; P = 0.15). Safety outcomes included neutropenia, anemia, thrombocytopenia and diarrhea. GnP was more associated with diarrhea (OR: 1.96, 95% CI: 1.22 - 3.15; P = 0.001), while FFX was seen to cause anemia (OR: 0.70, 95% CI: 0.51 - 0.98; P = 0.10) in PC patients. Neutropenia and thrombocytopenia were in-significant in the two drug regimens (OR: 1.10, 95% CI: 0.92 - 1.31; P = 0.33 and OR: 0.83, 95% CI: 0.60 - 1.13; P = 0.23, respectively). Conclusion FFX and GnP showed a significant difference in increasing the PFS, while no difference was observed while measuring OS. Safety outcomes showed that FFX and GnP shared similar safety profiles as FFX was associated with hematological outcomes, while GnP was more associated with non-hematological outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nooraldin Merza
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | | | - Sophia Haroon Dar
- Department of Internal Medicine, Long Island Jewish Medical Center-Northshore University Hospital, Manhasset, NY, USA
| | - Tony Varughese
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack, NJ, USA
| | - Rehmat Ullah Awan
- Department of Internal Medicine, Ochsner Rush Hospital, Meridian, MS, USA
| | - Lamaan Qureshi
- Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovations, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Saad Ali Ansari
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of California, Riverside School of Medicine, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Hadi Qureshi
- School of Liberal Arts, Arizona State University, Maricopa, AZ, USA
| | - Jamie Mcilvaine
- Department of OBGYN-Rutgers Jersey City, Jersey City, NJ, USA
| | - Ishaan Vohra
- Gastroenterology Department, University of Illinois, Peoria, IL, USA
| | - Yusuf Nawras
- University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Abdallah Kobeissy
- Department of Gastroenterology, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Mona Hassan
- Department of Gastroenterology, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
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Kobeissy A, Merza N, Al-Hillan A, Boujemaa S, Ahmed Z, Nawras M, Albaaj M, Dahiya DS, Alastal Y, Hassan M. Protein Induced by Vitamin K Absence or Antagonist-II Versus Alpha-Fetoprotein in the Diagnosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis. J Clin Med Res 2023; 15:343-359. [PMID: 37575350 PMCID: PMC10416192 DOI: 10.14740/jocmr4951] [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: 05/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist-II (PIVKA-II) and α-fetoprotein (AFP) are promising tumor markers for the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Yet, their diagnostic performance differs throughout HCC investigations. The aim of this meta-analysis was to assess the effectiveness of PIVKA-II and AFP in the diagnosis of HCC. Methods A systematic literature search was performed to identify relevant studies from eight databases, which were published up to February 2023, in order to compare the diagnostic performance of PIVKA-II and AFP for HCC. Pooled sensitivity and specificity were calculated. Summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curve was performed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of each biomarker. Results Fifty-three studies were identified. The pooled sensitivity (95% confidence interval (CI)) of PIVKA-II and AFP was 0.71 (0.70 - 0.72) and 0.64 (0.63 - 0.65), respectively in diagnosis of HCC, and the corresponding pooled specificity (95% CI) was 0.90 (0.89 - 0.90) and 0.87 (0.87 - 0.88), respectively. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of PIVKA-II and AFP was 0.89 (0.88 - 0.90) and 0.78 (0.77 - 0.79), respectively. Subgroup analysis demonstrated that PIVKA-II presented higher AUC values compared to AFP in terms of ethnic group (African, European, Asian, and American patients), etiology (mixed-type HCC, hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related, and hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related) and sample size of cases (≤ 100 and > 100). Conclusion This study reveals that PIVKA-II is a promising biomarker for identifying and tracking HCC, exhibiting greater accuracy than AFP. Our findings indicate that PIVKA-II outperforms AFP in detecting HCC across diverse racial groups and sample sizes, as well as in cases of HBV-related, HCV-related, or mixed-etiology HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdallah Kobeissy
- Department of Gastroenterology, The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Nooraldin Merza
- Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Alsadiq Al-Hillan
- Gastroenterology Department, Corewell Health/Willam Beaumont University Hospital, Royal Oak, MI, USA
| | - Safa Boujemaa
- Biotechnology Development, Institute Pasteur De Tunis, Universite De Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Zohaib Ahmed
- Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Mohamad Nawras
- The University of Toledo, College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Mohammed Albaaj
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Dushyant Singh Dahiya
- Division of Gastroenterology, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, KS, USA
| | - Yaseen Alastal
- Department of Gastroenterology, The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Mona Hassan
- Department of Gastroenterology, The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
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Dahiya DS, Jahagirdar V, Chandan S, Gangwani MK, Merza N, Ali H, Deliwala S, Aziz M, Ramai D, Pinnam BSM, Bapaye J, Cheng CI, Inamdar S, Sharma NR, Al-Haddad M. Acute pancreatitis in liver transplant hospitalizations: Identifying national trends, clinical outcomes and healthcare burden in the United States. World J Hepatol 2023; 15:797-812. [PMID: 37397932 PMCID: PMC10308289 DOI: 10.4254/wjh.v15.i6.797] [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] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Acute pancreatitis (AP) in liver transplant (LT) recipients may lead to poor clinical outcomes and development of severe complications.
AIM We aimed to assess national trends, clinical outcomes, and the healthcare burden of LT hospitalizations with AP in the United States (US).
METHODS The National Inpatient Sample was utilized to identify all adult (≥ 18 years old) LT hospitalizations with AP in the US from 2007–2019. Non-LT AP hospitalizations served as controls for comparative analysis. National trends of hospitalization characteristics, clinical outcomes, complications, and healthcare burden for LT hospitalizations with AP were highlighted. Hospitalization characteristics, clinical outcomes, complications, and healthcare burden were also compared between the LT and non-LT cohorts. Furthermore, predictors of inpatient mortality for LT hospitalizations with AP were identified. All P values ≤ 0.05 were considered statistically significant.
RESULTS The total number of LT hospitalizations with AP increased from 305 in 2007 to 610 in 2019. There was a rising trend of Hispanic (16.5% in 2007 to 21.1% in 2018, P-trend = 0.0009) and Asian (4.3% in 2007 to 7.4% in 2019, p-trend = 0.0002) LT hospitalizations with AP, while a decline was noted for Blacks (11% in 2007 to 8.3% in 2019, P-trend = 0.0004). Furthermore, LT hospitalizations with AP had an increasing comorbidity burden as the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) score ≥ 3 increased from 41.64% in 2007 to 62.30% in 2019 (P-trend < 0.0001). We did not find statistically significant trends in inpatient mortality, mean length of stay (LOS), and mean total healthcare charge (THC) for LT hospitalizations with AP despite rising trends of complications such as sepsis, acute kidney failure (AKF), acute respiratory failure (ARF), abdominal abscesses, portal vein thrombosis (PVT), and venous thromboembolism (VTE). Between 2007–2019, 6863 LT hospitalizations with AP were compared to 5649980 non-LT AP hospitalizations. LT hospitalizations with AP were slightly older (53.5 vs 52.6 years, P = 0.017) and had a higher proportion of patients with CCI ≥ 3 (51.5% vs 19.8%, P < 0.0001) compared to the non-LT cohort. Additionally, LT hospitalizations with AP had a higher proportion of Whites (67.9% vs 64.6%, P < 0.0001) and Asians (4% vs 2.3%, P < 0.0001), while the non-LT cohort had a higher proportion of Blacks and Hispanics. Interestingly, LT hospitalizations with AP had lower inpatient mortality (1.37% vs 2.16%, P = 0.0479) compared to the non-LT cohort despite having a higher mean age, CCI scores, and complications such as AKF, PVT, VTE, and the need for blood transfusion. However, LT hospitalizations with AP had a higher mean THC ($59596 vs $50466, P = 0.0429) than the non-LT cohort.
CONCLUSION In the US, LT hospitalizations with AP were on the rise, particularly for Hispanics and Asians. However, LT hospitalizations with AP had lower inpatient mortality compared to non-LT AP hospitalizations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dushyant Singh Dahiya
- Department of Internal Medicine, Central Michigan University College of Medicine, Saginaw, MI 48601, United States
| | - Vinay Jahagirdar
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, MO 64110, United States
| | - Saurabh Chandan
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, CHI Creighton University Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68131, United States
| | - Manesh Kumar Gangwani
- Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43606, United States
| | - Nooraldin Merza
- Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43606, United States
| | - Hassam Ali
- Department of Internal Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858, United States
| | - Smit Deliwala
- Division of Digestive Diseases, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States
| | - Muhammad Aziz
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43606, United States
| | - Daryl Ramai
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, United States
| | - Bhanu Siva Mohan Pinnam
- Department of Internal Medicine, John H. Stroger Hospital of Cook County, Chicago, IL 60612, United States
| | - Jay Bapaye
- Department of Internal Medicine, Rochester General Hospital, Rochester, NY 14621, United States
| | - Chin-I Cheng
- Department of Statistics, Actuarial and Data Science, Central Michigan University, Mt. Pleasant, MI 48859, United States
| | - Sumant Inamdar
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, United States
| | - Neil R Sharma
- Interventional Oncology and Surgical Endoscopy Programs, Parkview Cancer Institute, Fort Wayne, IN 46845, United States
| | - Mohammad Al-Haddad
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, United States
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Dar S, Merza N, Haider M, Zafar Y, Din N, Ligresti R, Sebti R. Necrotizing Pancreatitis Infected with Stenotrophomonas maltophilia: An Emerging Rare Multidrug-Resistant Organism. Case Rep Gastrointest Med 2023; 2023:8071158. [PMID: 37397505 PMCID: PMC10313464 DOI: 10.1155/2023/8071158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (SM) is a multidrug-resistant, Gram-negative (GN) bacillus that is an increasingly recognized nosocomial and environment pathogen. It is intrinsically resistant to carbapenems, a drug commonly utilized in the management of necrotizing pancreatitis (NP). We report a 21-year-old immunocompetent female with NP complicated by pancreatic fluid collection (PFC) infected with SM. One-third of patients with NP will develop infections by GN bacteria, while broad-spectrum antibiotics, including carbapenems, cover most infections, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) is the first-line treatment antibiotic for SM. This case is critical because it highlights a rare pathogen that should be considered a causal pathogen in patients who do not respond to their care plan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia Dar
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack, NJ, USA
| | - Nooraldin Merza
- Department of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Maryam Haider
- Department of Internal Medicine DMC, Wayne State University, Sinai Grace Hospital, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Yousaf Zafar
- Department of Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Oxford, MS, USA
| | - Noren Din
- Department of Internal Medicine DMC, Wayne State University, Sinai Grace Hospital, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Rosario Ligresti
- Division of Gastroetnerology, The Pancreas Center, Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack University School of Medicine, National Pancreas Foundation, Hackensack, NJ, USA
| | - Rani Sebti
- Department of Medicine, Hackensack University School of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack, NJ, USA
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13
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Javaid SS, Khan MU, Paryani NS, Ansari SA, Mohiuddin N, Merza N, Ehsan N, Waheed ST, Saleem MS, Tahir HB, Moiz MA, Siddiqi TJ. Remote Monitoring in Heart Failure patients: A Systemic Review and Meta-analysis. Curr Probl Cardiol 2023; 48:101635. [PMID: 36773950 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpcardiol.2023.101635] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/04/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
Abstract
Heart failure (HF) approximately affects about 1%-2% of the adult population in developed countries and is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Inadequate HF management occurs because of poor adherence to prescribed medications. This meta-analysis compares and contrasts standard care with remote medication monitoring in HF patients. Six randomized control trials were selected using the PubMed database from inception until October 25, 2022, incorporating a total of 2390 patients with HF, out of which 1260 were subjected to remote monitoring while the remaining were in the control group. An odds ratio (OR) with a confidence interval (CI) of 95% was calculated. Remote monitoring in HF patients did not significantly reduce the risks of Cardiovascular (CV) hospitalization <6 months (RR = 0.32, P = 0.27), emergency department (ED) visits (RR = 0.95, P = 0.56) and all-cause mortality (RR = 1.08, P = 0.36). However, a significant reduction in CV hospitalization >6 months was associated with remote monitoring (RR = 0.83, P = 0.002). The meta-analysis revealed that remote monitoring does not significantly reduce the risks of CV hospitalizations, ED visits, or mortality in patients with HF. Therefore, standard care methods must continue to be utilized in HF management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Syed S Javaid
- Department of Medicine, Jinnah Sindh Medical University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | | | | | - Saad A Ansari
- University of California, Riverside School of Medicine, Riverside, CA
| | | | - Nooraldin Merza
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH
| | - Naija Ehsan
- Jinnah Medical and Dental College, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Syeda T Waheed
- Liaquat National Medical College and Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan
| | | | - Haris B Tahir
- Ameer ud Din Medical College, Post Graduate Medical Institute, Lahore, Pakistan
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14
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Merza N, Masoud AT, Ahmed Z, Dahiya DS, Nawras A, Kobeissy A. Trends of Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding Mortality in the United States Before and During the COVID-19 Era: Estimates From the Centers for Disease Control WONDER Database. Gastroenterology Res 2023; 16:165-170. [PMID: 37351079 PMCID: PMC10284642 DOI: 10.14740/gr1626] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Background There have been reports of increased upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Still, only a few studies have examined the mortality rate associated with UGIB in the United States before and during COVID-19. Hereby, we explored the trends of UGIB mortality in the United States before and during COVID-19. The study's objective was to investigate whether the COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted UGIB mortality rates in the USA. Methods The decedents with UGIB were included. Age-standardized mortality rates were estimated with the indirect method using the 2000 US Census as the standard population. We utilized the deidentified data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (CDC WONDER) database. Linear regression analysis was performed to determine 2021 projected mortality rates based on trends between 2012 and 2019 to quantify the association of the pandemic with UGIB-related deaths. Results The mortality rate increased from 3.3 per 100,000 to 4.3 per 100,000 among the population between 2012 and 2021. There was a significant increase in the overall mortality rate between each year and the following year from 2012 to 2019, ranging from 0.1 to 0.2 per 100,000, while the rise in the overall mortality rate between each year and 2021 ranges from 0.4 to 0.9 per 100,000. Conclusions Our results showed that the mortality rate increased among the population between 2012and 2021, suggesting a possible influence of COVID-19 infection on the incidence and mortality of UGIB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nooraldin Merza
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | | | - Zohaib Ahmed
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Dushyant Singh Dahiya
- Department of Internal Medicine, Central Michigan University College of Medicine, Saginaw, MI, USA
| | - Ali Nawras
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Abdallah Kobeissy
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH, USA
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15
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Dar SH, Maniya MT, Merza N, Musheer A, Zahid M, Ahmed F, Shurjeel Q, Qazi S, Ahmed A, Shah H, Zafar A, Iqbal AZ, Khan SF, Rizwan T, Ligresti R. The Association of Antibiotic Exposure with New-Onset Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Clin Res Hepatol Gastroenterol 2023; 47:102129. [PMID: 37116651 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinre.2023.102129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 04/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The role of antibiotics in the development of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) remains controversial, primarily due to conflicting data from individual studies. We conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to study the effect of antibiotic exposure on IBD development. METHODOLOGY The MEDLINE and Cochrane CENTRAL databases were queried from their inception to April 2021 for published articles studying the association between antibiotic exposure and new-onset IBD. Our analysis was stratified by timing of antibiotic exposure - exposure in childhood and any lifetime exposure. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) from each study were pooled using a random-effects model. RESULTS 10 case-control studies and 2 cohort studies (N=29,880 IBD patients and N=715,548 controls) were included. Patients with Crohn's Disease (CD), compared with controls, were associated significantly with antibiotic exposure in childhood and any lifetime exposure to antibiotics (OR 1.52 [1.23-1.87]; p<0.00001). Patients with Ulcerative Colitis (UC), compared with controls, reported non-significant association with antibiotic exposure in childhood and any lifetime exposure. (OR 1.11 [0.93-1.33]; p=0.25) CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis suggests that exposure to antibiotics significantly increases the odds of developing CD and IBD in general. These findings re-emphasize the importance of cautious and judicious use of antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophia Haroon Dar
- Department of Medicine, Long Island Jewish Medical Center, Queens, New York, USA.
| | | | - Nooraldin Merza
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Toledo, Ohio, USA
| | - Adeena Musheer
- Department of Medicine, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Mariyam Zahid
- Department of Medicine, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Furqan Ahmed
- Department of Medicine, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Qazi Shurjeel
- Department of Medicine, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Sana Qazi
- Department of Medicine, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Aymen Ahmed
- Department of Medicine, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Hamza Shah
- Department of Medicine, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Adnan Zafar
- Department of Medicine, CMH Lahore Medical College, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Arsalan Zafar Iqbal
- Department of Medicine, FMH of College of Medicine and Dentistry, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Shah Fahad Khan
- Department of Medicine, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Tehlil Rizwan
- Department of Medicine, AMITA Health Saint Joseph Hospital, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Rosario Ligresti
- Hackensack University School of Medicine, Medical Director, National Pancreas Foundation, Hackensack University Medical Center, Hackensack, NJ
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Dahiya DS, Mandoorah S, Gangwani MK, Ali H, Merza N, Aziz M, Singh A, Perisetti A, Garg R, Cheng CI, Dutta P, Inamdar S, Sanaka MR, Al-Haddad M. A Comparative Analysis of Bleeding Peptic Ulcers in Hospitalizations With and Without End-Stage Renal Disease. Gastroenterology Res 2023; 16:17-24. [PMID: 36895703 PMCID: PMC9990529 DOI: 10.14740/gr1605] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Background End-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients are highly susceptible to peptic ulcer bleeding (PUB). We aimed to assess the influence of ESRD status on PUB hospitalizations in the United States (USA). Methods We analyzed the National Inpatient Sample to identify all adult PUB hospitalizations in the USA from 2007 to 2014, which were divided into two subgroups based on the presence or absence of ESRD. Hospitalization characteristics and clinical outcomes were compared. Furthermore, predictors of inpatient mortality for PUB hospitalizations with ESRD were identified. Results Between 2007 and 2014, there were 351,965 PUB hospitalizations with ESRD compared to 2,037,037 non-ESRD PUB hospitalizations. PUB ESRD hospitalizations had a higher mean age (71.6 vs. 63.6 years, P < 0.001), and proportion of ethnic minorities i.e., Blacks, Hispanics, and Asians compared to the non-ESRD cohort. We also noted higher all-cause inpatient mortality (5.4% vs. 2.6%, P < 0.001), rates of esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) (20.7% vs. 19.1%, P < 0.001), and mean length of stay (LOS) (8.2 vs. 6 days, P < 0.001) for PUB ESRD hospitalizations compared to the non-ESRD cohort. After multivariate logistic regression analysis, Whites with ESRD had higher odds of mortality from PUB compared to Blacks. Furthermore, the odds of inpatient mortality from PUB decreased by 0.6% for every 1-year increase in age for hospitalizations with ESRD. Compared to the 2011 - 2014 study period, the 2007 - 2010 period had 43.7% higher odds (odds ratio (OR): 0.696, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.645 - 0.751) of inpatient mortality for PUB hospitalizations with ESRD. Conclusions PUB hospitalizations with ESRD had higher inpatient mortality, EGD utilization, and mean LOS compared to non-ESRD PUB hospitalizations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dushyant Singh Dahiya
- Department of Internal Medicine, Central Michigan University College of Medicine, Saginaw, MI, USA.,These authors contributed equally to this article
| | - Sohaib Mandoorah
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Central Michigan University College of Medicine, Saginaw, MI, USA.,These authors contributed equally to this article
| | - Manesh Kumar Gangwani
- Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Toledo Medical Center, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Hassam Ali
- Department of Internal Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA
| | - Nooraldin Merza
- Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Toledo Medical Center, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Muhammad Aziz
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The University of Toledo Medical Center, Toledo, OH, USA
| | - Amandeep Singh
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Abhilash Perisetti
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Kansas City Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Kansas City, MO, USA
| | - Rajat Garg
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Chin-I Cheng
- Department of Statistics, Actuarial and Data Science, Central Michigan University, Mt Pleasant, MI, USA
| | - Priyata Dutta
- Department of Internal Medicine, Trinity Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Sumant Inamdar
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Madhusudhan R Sanaka
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Mohammad Al-Haddad
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Indiana University School of Medicine Indianapolis, IN, USA
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Merza N, Akram M, Mengal A, Rashid AM, Mahboob A, Faryad M, Fatima Z, Ahmed M, Ansari SA. The Safety and Efficacy of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists in Heart Failure Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Curr Probl Cardiol 2023; 48:101602. [PMID: 36682393 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpcardiol.2023.101602] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Evaluation of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) usage in heart failure (HF) patients with or without type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) could be proven to be a critical breakthrough in treatment options available for these patients. Our study focuses on understanding the safety and efficacy of GLP-1 RAs in this patient population by pooling the data from 9 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comprising 871 subjects. As compared with the placebo, GLP-1 RAs did not improve major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) which include cardiovascular (CV) mortality and heart failure (HF) hospitalizations, our primary outcome. CV mortality (RR = 1.03, 95% CI = 0.56-1.88, P = 0.92) and HF hospitalizations (RR = 1.18, 95%CI = 0.93-1.51, P = 0.18). Similarly, GLP-1 RAs did not improve our secondary findings of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and 6-minute walk test (6MWT). LVEF (RR = 1.96, 95%CI = -0.16-4.07, P = 0.07) or 6 MWT (RR = 8.43, 95% CI = -2.69-19.56, P = 0.14). This meta-analysis shows that GLP-1 RAs do not improve cardiovascular outcomes in HF patients with or without T2DM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nooraldin Merza
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Toledo, Ohio, USA
| | - Moeez Akram
- Allama Iqbal Medical College, Lahore, Pakistan.
| | - Aqsa Mengal
- Fatima Jinnah Medical University, Lahore, Pakistan
| | | | | | | | | | - Muhammad Ahmed
- Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical College, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Saad Ali Ansari
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of California, Riverside School of Medicine, Riverside, CA, USA
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Dar S, Merza N, Qatani A, Rahim M, Varughese T, Mohammad A, Masood F, Reza FZ, Wan S, Almas T. Impact of proton-pump inhibitors on the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors in non-small cell lung cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Ann Med Surg (Lond) 2022; 78:103752. [PMID: 35600176 PMCID: PMC9119820 DOI: 10.1016/j.amsu.2022.103752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2022] [Revised: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) is a rapidly evolving treatment modality for stage IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Concomitant proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use can potentially reduce the clinical efficacy of ICIs; however, the consensus in recent literature has been conflicting. This study aims to analyze overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) outcomes in patients with NSCLC on ICI and concomitant PPI therapy. Methods A literature search was done in 3 databases (Pubmed/Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Central). All studies meeting the inclusion criteria assessing the impact of PPIs on the efficacy of ICI in NSCLC patients were systematically identified. A random-effects network meta-analysis evaluated OS and PFS in the two arms. Results Four studies with 2,940 patients are included in our analysis. ICI usage alone was associated with significantly better OS [HR = 1.46, 95% CI = 1.27–1.67, P < 0.00001] and PFS [HR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.17–1.47, P < 0.00001] when compared to concomitant PPI and ICI therapy. Conclusion The concomitant use of PPIs during ICI therapy significantly worsens clinical outcomes with shorter OS and increased risk of disease progression in patients with NSCLC. Immune checkpoint inhibitors are a rapidly evolving treatment regime used for various cancer therapies. The role of other medications in their effectiveness remains conflicted. Proton Pump Inhibitors are one of the most commonly prescribed medications and are particularly often prescribed to cancer patients. Our study finds that Proton Pump Inhibitors worsen the outcomes of overall survival and increase risk of disease progression in Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma. We hope that this study will enlighten providers to use proton pump inhibitors more judiciously in patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma.
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Prakash S, Merza N, Hosseini O, Ward H, Mansi T, Balducci M, Trammell D, Hernandez B, Obokhare I. Increasing Fecal Immunochemical Test Return Rates by Implementing Effective “Reminder to Complete Kit” Communication With Participants: A Quality Improvement Study. Cureus 2022; 14:e25169. [PMID: 35746986 PMCID: PMC9206862 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.25169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) in the United States is increasing. It remains the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States for men and women combined, mainly due to underutilization of screening methods. The American Cancer Society now recommends that adults aged 45 years and older with an average risk of CRC undergo regular screening with either a high-sensitivity stool-based test or structural (visual) examination, depending on patient preference and test availability. The primary objective of this quality improvement project was to determine if reminder methods, such as telephone or letter reminders, increased the return rate of fecal immunochemical tests (FIT) for CRC screening. Methodology At public outreach events and daily clinics in the West Texas Panhandle area, participants in the GET FIT program were provided with FIT kits after completing the education on CRC. Participants who fit the inclusion criteria and had received a FIT kit from the program were included. They were instructed on how to perform the test and mail it back. Participants who did not return the completed kits within two weeks were reminded either through (1) a reminder letter, (2) telephone, or (3) a combination of letter reminder and telephone call every two weeks (±three days) for 60 days or five attempts to contact. We de-identified and analyzed the FIT kit return data from April-September 2019 before analyzing these reminder methods. We then calculated the change in return rates from October 2019 to March 2020. Our goal was to increase the FIT return rates by 25% compared to the baseline return rate. Results The pre-intervention return rate of kits for April-September 2019 was 61.52%, and the post-intervention return rate for October 2019-March 2020 was 71.85%. This rate was equal to an approximately 16.79% increase in return rates that was statistically significant (p < 0.01). There was a significant difference in the method of reminder between the two groups, but no significant differences in gender and race/ethnicity between the two groups. There was a significant difference in return rates between race/ethnicities in the October-March cohort with black and Hispanic participants having the highest return rates of 82.3% and 77.25%, respectively. Conclusions FIT remains one of the primary options for CRC screening. Due to its lower cost and noninvasiveness, FIT was offered to patients at average risk. We demonstrated an increase in return rates, although we did not meet our target return rate goal for this project. This study was limited due to a gradual increase in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases and a subsequent shift and conversation of ongoing research into COVID-19.
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Taha A, Ahmed R, Merza N, Bharadwaj R, Vo T, Patel M. Chronic Eosinophilic Pneumonia in an Airbrush Painter With Poor Response to Systemic Steroids. J Investig Med High Impact Case Rep 2020; 7:2324709619890945. [PMID: 31789066 PMCID: PMC6887804 DOI: 10.1177/2324709619890945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Airbrush paints contain low-molecular-weight chemicals that can cause occupational asthma, respiratory sensitization, and hypersensitivity pneumonitis; however, its relationship to chronic eosinophilic pneumonia (CEP) has never been reported. In this article, we are presenting a unique association between CEP and prolonged exposure to acrylic airbrush paints. Unlike the vast majority of CEP patients who exhibit an excellent response to systemic steroids, our patient did not respond to systemic steroids. We believe that his prolonged exposure to airbrush paints and the evolution of organizing pneumonia might have contributed to the unsatisfactory response to systemic steroids, prolonged hypoxia, and the overall worse prognosis. There are no current data that correlate acrylic paints to the development of CEP; our report is the first to introduce a probe to further investigate this association.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Taha
- Deaconess Hospital, Evansville, IN, USA
- Ahmed Taha, MD, Department of Internal Medicine, Deaconess Hospital, 600 Mary Street, Evansville, IN 47747, USA.
| | - Roaa Ahmed
- Ahfad University for Women, Omdurman, Sudan
| | - Nooraldin Merza
- Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, TX, USA
| | | | - Thien Vo
- Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, TX, USA
| | - Manish Patel
- Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, TX, USA
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Merza N, QASIM AHMED, Alsharif M, Mohammedzein A, Saadaldin M. UNIQUE CASE OF MYASTHENIA GRAVIS WITH UNUSUALLY LOCATED THYMOMA. Chest 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chest.2019.08.1218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
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Merza N, Shepherd K, Pham A, Qasim A, Lung J. DEADLY PALPITATION: A RARE CASE OF LEFT ATRIAL MASS. Chest 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chest.2019.08.323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
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QASIM AHMED, Merza N, Patel M. BLEEDING HEART: VENTRICULOGASTRIC FISTULA. Chest 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chest.2019.08.237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
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Salagundla N, Merza N, Asm I, Masoud A, Alsharif M. Abstract 362: Aortic Valve Hamartoma: A Rare Valvular Tumor Mimicking Infective Endocarditis. Circ Res 2018. [DOI: 10.1161/res.123.suppl_1.362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
A 46 YO female with PMH of DM2, HTN, Morbid obesity presented to hospital with chief complaint of chest pain, fever and SOB. She had recent hospitalization and was managed for abdominal wall abscess, MRSA bacteremia and diagnosed with infective endocarditis with aortic valve vegetation by TEE, and was discharged with antibiotics. With her current presentation: Temp was 100.8F, blood cultures grew Klebsiella Oxycota, and on TTE there was concern of increased size of aortic valve vegetation with super infection. Repeat TEE showed increase in size of vegetation. CT surgeon suggested AVR with mechanical valve. Biopsy results of the aortic valve came back as Lipomatous hamartoma. Patient recovered well post procedure and antibiotics were discontinued. Discussion: Prevalence of valvular hamartoma is as rare as 0.01 to 0.02% contributing to low diagnosis rates. If patient does not have symptoms of inflammation or infection and does not meet clinical diagnostic criteria, tumors should be included in the differential as medical management is not appropriate for hamartomas and other valvular tumors, which needs urgent surgery to prevent life threatening embolization. Cardiac valve lipomatous hamartomas are very rare lesions with preferential localization on the pericardium followed by endocardial surface. Most common histologic type of cardiac valve tumor is papillary fibroelastoma, myxoma, fibroma and hamartoma. Even if they are asymptomatic, surgical treatment should be considered to prevent embolization to brain and coronary circulation. To the best of our knowledge, we are reporting the second case of native aortic valve hamartoma so far.
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