Daily Med Bites - 23/05/2025

Dear reader, here are the summaries of some of the latest papers from PubMed.

Cervical Cancer Prevention:

• Source: High vaccination coverage rates are crucial for eliminating cervical cancer as a public health issue, and the UK's evolving HPV vaccination program demonstrates effective strategies in achieving this goal.

• Source: Higher HPV test coverage is linked to lower cervical cancer incidence, suggesting that immediate implementation and increased uptake of HPV screening can effectively control cervical cancer rates.

• Source: Effective cervical cancer prevention in China can be achieved through a combination of the newly available domestic 9-valent HPV vaccine and advanced screening technologies, offering a cost-effective approach tailored to local needs.

• Source: Prior persistent HPV infection in young women who undergo conization is influenced by specific predictors, highlighting the need for targeted surveillance and management strategies to prevent cervical cancer.

• Source: Leading health societies globally recommend vaccinating children before age 15 with the 9-valent HPV vaccine, and a single-dose regimen may enhance public health accessibility and efficiency.

• Source: Identifying specific barriers to cervical cancer screening in Albania and Montenegro is crucial for developing targeted strategies to enhance program effectiveness and achieve healthcare equity.

• Source: There are significant disparities in HPV vaccination rates among MSM above age 26 in San Francisco, highlighting the need for improved access and targeted interventions.

• Source: HPV-independent cervical squamous cell carcinoma affects older patients and is characterized by poor outcomes, TP53 and PIK3CA mutations, novel CTNNB1 and TERT promoter mutations, HER2 amplification, and potential PD-L1-driven immunotherapy benefits.

• Source: Lower cervical cancer screening rates are associated with non-White race, older age, rural residence, and lower socioeconomic status, highlighting disparities in healthcare access and utilization.

• Source: Self-sampling devices are comparable to speculum-based testing in detecting high-risk HPV genotypes and predicting CIN2+ disease, offering a viable alternative for cervical cancer screening.

• Source: A community-engaged model using crowdsourcing and designathons effectively increased HPV vaccination among girls and HPV screening among their mothers in Nigeria over 6 months across 18 local government areas.

• Source: While most women living with HIV accept HPV self-sampling, their confidence in its accuracy could be improved with additional education and support.

• Source: PLWH in Caribbean countries are at higher risk for HPV-related cancers due to their immune-compromised status.

• Source: Cervical cancer is a major health issue in Tanzania, with low screening rates requiring urgent improvement in both attendance and methodologies.

• Source: The introduction of PCV15, PCV20, and PCV21 has expanded pneumococcal vaccine coverage, reflecting advances in vaccine technology and their potential to reduce the burden of invasive pneumococcal disease, particularly in at-risk populations.

• Source: HPV infection significantly influences ASCC tumor biology and clinical outcomes, and combining immune-checkpoint inhibitors with CRT can improve treatment efficacy in HPV-positive patients.

Cognitive Health:

• Source: Maintaining healthy behaviors or positively adjusting unhealthy behaviors reduces the risk of cognitive impairment in older adults.

• Source: Lifestyle interventions may benefit cognition and brain integrity in individuals with subjective cognitive decline, though further research is needed to confirm specific effects and mechanisms.

• Source: Mild cognitive impairment negatively affects self-care behaviors in older adults with type 2 diabetes, impacting their ability to manage the condition effectively.

• Source: Engaging in multiple risky health behaviors over an extended period significantly increases the risk of negative mental and physical health outcomes later in life.

• Source: Humanitude care reduces health risks, improves daily activities, and decreases antipsychotic use in people with dementia.

• Source: Higher socioeconomic status protects against white matter hyperintensities in the brain, independent of cognitive ability, suggesting SES as a modifiable risk factor for maintaining cognitive health in older age.

• Source: A multidomain intervention focusing on cognition, exercise, and nutrition has potential for delaying aging and improving functional ability in older adults, though existing literature lacks reports on such integrated approaches.

• Source: AGELESS intervention improves cognitive, physical, vascular, dietary, and psychosocial outcomes in older adults with cognitive frailty in LMICs, showing potential for cost-effectiveness.

• Source: Reduced verbal semantic fluency in older adults with SCD indicates a higher risk of future cognitive decline, particularly for those who progress to MCI.

• Source: Social frailty among older adults significantly impacts their physical, cognitive, and mental health, highlighting the need for comprehensive interventions beyond traditional medical approaches.

• Source: Reduced glymphatic efficiency in older adults may be linked to decreased sleep quality, potentially contributing to cognitive decline.

• Source: Higher adherence to the MIND diet is associated with reduced all-cause mortality in older adults with ASCVD, with inflammation modifying this effect.

• Source: IADL function is strongly associated with self-rated health in older adults, and cognitive function moderates this relationship.

• Source: Age, sex, and having dementia at baseline are significant factors associated with higher standardized mortality ratios and specific causes of death in long-term care settings.

• Source: Lower IQ scores in early life are associated with a higher risk of later physical and mental illness, although improvements in education and healthcare can mitigate this effect.

• Source: Cognitive impairment in people with ALS significantly impacts their engagement in advance care planning discussions and influences healthcare utilization patterns, such as higher rates of invasive procedures and hospitalization near end-of-life.

• Source: Targeted exercise interventions based on individual risk assessment effectively reduce fall risk in older adults.

• Source: TKA efficacy may be reduced in individuals with dementia, and previous studies have not adequately addressed confounding factors or considered varying degrees of cognitive impairment.

• Source: Physical, psychological, and social factors significantly influence fear of falling in older adults, highlighting the need for comprehensive interventions addressing multiple domains.

• Source: Stress and anxiety are more prevalent among older adults with hearing impairments, highlighting the need for mental health support in community settings.

• Source: Higher Hemoglobin Glycation Index is associated with poorer cognitive function in older adults with hypertension.

• Source: Obesity in mid-adulthood contributes to structural and functional brain alterations that may underlie cognitive decline later in life, but more translational models are needed to fully understand these changes.

• Source: This paper proposes the use of machine learning techniques to identify how interactions among multiple geriatric syndromes affect quality of life in older adults, revealing insights beyond single-syndrome impacts.

• Source: Higher rates of polypharmacy and anticholinergic burden are associated with increased subjective memory complaints in older adults.

• Source: Hemopexin levels, muscle quality, and sarcopenia status are associated with cognitive function in older Japanese adults with cognitive impairment, with potential sex-specific differences.

Imaging Techniques:

• Source: FDG-PET/CT provides accurate diagnosis and relapse detection in medium-vessel vasculitis, correlating well with clinical symptoms.

• Source: 18F-FDG-PET/CT provides accurate diagnosis for giant cell arteritis, comparable to temporal artery biopsy and clinical assessment at 6 months.

• Source: FDG PET/CT is useful for monitoring the response to treatment and detecting recurrence in pleuropulmonary blastoma.

• Source: Combining FES-PET and FDG-PET improves detection of metastatic ILC.

• Source: FD-OCT provides high-resolution imaging for diagnosing and understanding cerebral large artery atherosclerosis, offering valuable insights for interventional neuroradiology.

• Source: Weber-Christian Disease should be considered in patients with relapsing fever, painful subcutaneous nodules, and elevated inflammation markers that do not respond to standard treatment. FDG-PET/CT can help diagnose and assess the extent of the condition.

• Source: In a patient with osteosarcoma, focal FDG uptake and a transverse fracture line on PET/CT can indicate incidental spondylolysis, emphasizing the need for careful CT review and thorough history-taking to avoid misdiagnosis.

• Source: This study compares the diagnostic performance of FAPI radiopharmaceuticals with 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose (18F-FDG) PET/CT, concluding that FAPI offers superior diagnostic accuracy for detecting certain cancers.

Diaphragm dysfunction ultrasound assessment:

• Source: Diaphragm ultrasound shows promise as a valid alternative to traditional diagnostic methods for assessing diaphragm dysfunction, offering potential advantages in diagnosis and patient care.

• Source: Ultrasound measurements of diaphragm function are influenced by changes in apparent work of breathing, highlighting the need for standardized assessment conditions when evaluating diaphragmatic dysfunction in mechanically ventilated patients.

• Source: Mild moxibustion at Jiuwei (CV15) improves ultrasonic parameters of the diaphragm and enhances postural control in patients recovering from stroke complicated by pulmonary infection.

• Source: Modern ultrasound diagnostics, enhanced by pocket devices and advanced technical improvements, offers efficient, reliable, and reproducible imaging for various urological applications, including emergency perfusion issues and renal lesion diagnosis.

Cryoablation/Cryotherapy:

• Source: Cryoablation can be safely performed in cancer patients on uninterrupted systemic therapies without compromising wound healing.

• Source: Percutaneous cryoablation is effective and safe for managing spinal metastases, offering local tumor control and pain relief with minimal tissue damage.

• Source: Cryotherapy application following IANB improves anesthetic success rates and reduces pain in patients with irreversible pulpitis.

• Source: Non-decellularized cryopreserved aortic allografts can effectively serve as a scaffold for tracheal cartilage regeneration, promoting robust neocartilage formation and integration with host tissue over time.

• Source: The paper's take-home message is that modifying the cotton swab for cryotherapy using a rayon-tipped OB/GYN swab can minimize patient emotional distress while maintaining treatment efficacy.

That’s enough for today, see you tomorrow!

As always, these extremely reduced summaries may be incomplete or inexact in some aspects. Make sure to always read the papers of interest.

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