Asghar, Muhammad Sohaib

Abstract Background Despite a total decrease in age-adjusted mortality rate (AAMR) for HIV across all demographic variables, a multitude of factors have accounted for this cumulative effect of reduction in AAMR, including HIV-related hospitalizations, as 59% of these deaths occur in a medical facility. This study’s main objective is to provide insights from the national in-patient database for the recent years regarding the trends of HIV-associated in-hospital mortality and their healthcare resource utilization.Figure 1:(A). shows age-distribution of HIV-related hospitalizations (n=289,095); (B). gender; (C). age-groups; (D). racial/ethnic groups; (E). Trends in age-adjusted mortality rates among gender; (F). Trends in age-adjusted mortality rates among racial/ethnic groups.(A). Histogram (age).(B). Pie-chart (frequency).(C). Distribution dot-plot (horizontal).(D). Bar graph (vertical).(E). Line graph (two-groups).(F). Line graph (four-groups).Figure 2:Trend analysis for crude mortality of in-hospital HIV mortality among gender (A), race (B); inflation-adjusted hospitalization cost from 2016-2022 among gender (C), and race (D); and length of hospital stay among gender (E) and race (F).The Cochrane-Armitage test is used for crude mortality rate trend analysis for the years 2016 up to 2022.The Jonckheere-Terpstra test is used for non-parametric distribution of trends in length of stay and hospitalization costs (inflation-adjusted). Methods The National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database was searched from 2016 to 2022 to identify patients with HIV (ICD-10 Codes: B20-B24). Hospital discharge weights for national representation were utilized. Baseline social and demographic characteristics along with hospital-level variables were analyzed subsequently using the odds ratio with multivariate regression analysis for mortality adjusted with age. Secondary outcomes included length of hospital stay and inflation-adjusted costs. For cost-based analysis, inflation adjustment was performed according to the inflation index for the Medical Care Consumer Price Index (CPI).Figure 3:A-Univariate analysis of sociodemographic variables associated with in-hospital mortality with HIV; B-Significant predictors of in-hospital mortality with HIV in patients with comorbidities; C- Top 20 listed primary causes of admission stratified by ICD-10 codes in HIV patients.Top 20 listed primary causes of hospitalization in HIV patients from the year 2016 to 2022:1. B20 = HIV-related conditions.2. A41.9 = Sepsis, unspecified organism.3. J18.9 = Pneumonia, unspecified organism.4. N17.9 = Acute kidney failure, unspecified.5. J44.1 = Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with (acute) exacerbation.6. U07.1 = COVID-19 infection.7. Z51.11 = Encounter for antineoplastic chemotherapy.8. I13.0 = Hypertensive heart and chronic kidney disease (CKD) with heart failure and stage 1 through stage 4 CKD.9. I10.0 = Hypertensive heart disease with heart failure.10. I21.4 = Non-ST elevation (NSTEMI) myocardial infarction.11. A41.89 = Other specified sepsis.12. I13.2 = Hypertensive heart and chronic kidney disease (CKD) with heart failure and with stage 5 CKD, or end-stage renal disease.13. F25.0 = Schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type.14. F33.2 = Major depressive disorder, recurrent severe without psychotic features.15. J96.01 = Acute respiratory failure with hypoxia.16. F10.239 Alcohol dependence with withdrawal, unspecified.17. O98.72 = HIV disease complicating childbirth.18. F25.9 = Schizoaffective disorder, unspecified.19. I12.0 = Hypertensive chronic kidney disease (CKD) with stage 5 (CKD) or end-stage renal disease.20. K52.9 = Noninfective gastroenteritis and colitis, unspecified.Table 1:Baseline characteristics of the study population.ED: emergency; HMO: health maintenance organization; DRG: diagnosis related groups; LOS: length of stay; SNF: skilled nursing facility; AMA: against medical device; NCHS: National Center for Health Statistics. Results A total of 289,095 HIV-related hospitalizations were included, which represents a weighted size of 1,445,475 hospital discharges. The mean age was 50.24 years, with 68.3% males and 51.85% African Americans. A total of 2.59% in-hospital deaths occurred; AAMR was 7029 per 100,000 hospitalizations in males, which was higher than females (5644 per 100,000). AAMR was found to be highest in the Hispanic population, at 8184 per 100,000. Males had a 3% annual percent change from 2016 to 2022, while trends show an increase in deaths in other races, like Asians/Pacific Islanders/Natives. Most deaths occurred in the West region (OR=1.43), non-metropolitan areas (OR=1.40), and medium-large bed-size hospitals (OR=1.28). Conclusion HIV-related in-hospital mortality has posed a significant challenge across various demographic factors. Utilizing mortality data from large databases can serve as a valuable screening tool for targeted public health surveillance and allocation of resources to obtain further development of tailored health programs and interventions aimed particularly at allocation of resources in reducing the impact of HIV-related deaths. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

Abstract Background Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) remains a significant public health concern in the United States, contributing to considerable morbidity and mortality, particularly among hospitalized and elderly populations. This study examines the temporal trends in CDI-related mortality across the United States over recent decades.Figure 1A:Mortality trends among gender; B: Race; C: US Census Region; D: Metropolitan areas. Mortality ratio (Gender): Female = 58.15% Male = 41.85% Mortality ratio (Race): Hispanic = 5.53% Whites = 83.92% Blacks = 8.12% Others = 2.22% Mortality ratio (US Census Region): Northeast = 22.18% Midwest = 24.36% South = 33.13% West = 20.33% Mortality ratio (Metropolitan): Metropolitan areas: 83.78% Non-metropolitan areas: 16.22%Figure 2A:Trends in mortality rates caused by Clostridium Difficile in United States from 1999-2020; and B: from 2021-2023. Top 90th percentile States (crude mortality rate per 100,000 population): Rhode Island: 6.55 Maine: 4.61 Ohio: 4.58 Vermont: 4.21 West Virginia: 4.18 Missouri: 4.11 Bottom 10th percentile States (crude mortality rate per 100,000 population): Georgia: 1.59 Mississippi: 1.49 Louisiana: 1.32 Utah: 1.26 Alaska: 0.96 Hawaii: 0.77 Methods In CDC WONDER analysis, we used total US residents of any age from all 50 states who died due to CDI spanning from the years 1999-2023. The dataset employed demographic attributes, place of death, state-level information, as well as classification into census regions, and the distinction between metropolitan and non-metropolitan localities. The ethnic/racial groups used in our study were classified as Hispanic, Black/African American, White, and others (including American Indian/Alaskan Native, Asian/Pacific Islander) individuals as indicated on the death certificates. US Census regions were categorized into Northeast, Midwest, South, and West based on the definitions provided by the Census Bureau.Figure 3:Place of death among individuals infection with clostridium difficile. Place of Death: Medical Facility - Inpatient: 71.22% Medical Facility - Outpatient or ER: 1.56% Medical Facility - Dead on Arrival: 0.06% Medical Facility - Status unknown: 0.03% Decedent's home: 5.52% Hospice facility: 4.64% Nursing home/long term care: 15.03% Other: 1.72% Place of death unknown: 0.22%Figure 4:Crude mortality rate among States. Crude mortality rate is represented per 100,000 population from the years 1999 to 2023. Results There were a total of 216,311 deaths associated with CDI over the study span. Out of them, 58.1% were females, 41.9% were males, 83.9% were White individuals, 8.12% were Black/African Americans, 5.53% were Hispanics, and 2.22% belonged to other racial groups. About 33% (one-thirds) of the deaths occured in South region followed by 24.4% in Midwest, 22.2% in Northeast and 20.3% in West region. According to NCHS rural-urban scheme classification, 83.8% deaths occured in metropolitan areas and the rest 16.2% in non-metropolitan areas. Conclusion National surveillance data indicate a marked increase in CDI-associated deaths during the early 2000s, largely driven by the emergence of hypervirulent strains and increased antibiotic resistance. However, recent years have shown a gradual decline in mortality rates, attributed to improved infection control practices, antimicrobial stewardship programs, and heightened public awareness. Despite these gains, disparities persist among racial, geographic, and age-specific subgroups, highlighting the need for targeted interventions. This underscores the evolving landscape of CDI mortality and the importance of sustained preventive strategies to further reduce the burden of this infection. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

Background and Aim: Iron deficiency (ID) is a common condition worldwide, affecting about one-third of the population, and is particularly prevalent in heart failure (HF) patients. In HF, ID worsens symptoms such as fatigue and shortness of breath, contributing to higher hospitalization rates and mortality. Intravenous (IV) iron therapies like Ferric Carboxymaltose (FCM) and Ferric Derisomaltose (FDI) have effectively enhanced symptoms and improved quality of life. This meta-analysis examines the safety and efficacy of these iron treatments. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted using PubMed, Clinical Trial.gov, and Cochrane Library databases from inception to May 2024 to identify relevant studies. All statistical analyses were conducted using R statistical software version 4.1.2. Our protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD#CRD42023469246). Our study included Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs). The primary outcomes of our study includes major adverse events such as Cardiovascular Mortality, All-Cause Death, heart failure hospitalization rate, KCCQ, LVEF, MLHFQ3, and Peak Oxygen Consumption (pVO2). Results: Twenty-four RCTs with 11,333 participants were analyzed. The pooled analysis indicated that All-cause mortality risk reduction was observed with FCM [RR=0.89; 95% CI: 0.75–1.04] and FDI [RR=0.95; 95% CI: 0.81–1.12]. FCM significantly reduced composite outcomes of hospitalization for HF or cardiovascular mortality [HR=0.74; 95% CI: 0.59–0.93], while FDI showed modest effects [HR=0.86; 95% CI: 0.56–1.26]. Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire scores improved notably with FCM [MD=5.21; 95% CI: 2.22–8.19]. Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction improvement was highest with Iron Sucrose [MD=2.92; 95% CI: 1.61–4.21]. For the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ), Iron Sucrose also showed the most improvement [MD = -18.00; 95% CI: -38.52 to 2.52], followed by FCM and FDI. In peak oxygen consumption (pVO2), FCM exhibited modest benefits [MD = 1.25; 95% CI: -2.34 to 4.84]. The six-minute walk test (6MWT) results identified Ferrous Sulphate as the most effective [MD = 53; 95% CI: -18.85 to 124.85], followed by FCM. Conclusion: This highlights Ferric Carboxymaltose as a promising iron therapy for heart failure patients with iron deficiency. However, clinical decisions should consider patient factors, tolerability, and cost-effectiveness. Further long-term studies are needed to optimize treatment and prevent hospitalization.

Key Points Increased protein expression of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-3, glypican 6, synuclein γ , apolipoprotein A-4, and Ecto-5′-nucleotidase was observed in old adults compared with young adults. In old adults, overexpressed proteins were enriched in mitochondrial processes while under expressed proteins enriched in RNA metabolism. Validated differentially expressed proteins were not significantly correlated with kidney pathology after adjusting for age. Background Kidney aging is characterized by a loss of glomeruli, predominantly in the superficial cortex, with a resultant decline in GFR and an increased risk of various kidney-related diseases. The early molecular alterations in glomeruli associated with the aging process are not well studied. Methods We combined laser capture microdissection and mass spectrometry–based unbiased proteomic analysis of nonsclerosed, nonischemic glomeruli in the superficial cortex from young and old adults who underwent a radical nephrectomy for a tumor to understand the age-related molecular changes in glomeruli. Twenty-four young and 30 old adults were used for the discovery dataset, and the significant differentially expressed proteins were further validated using an independent set comprising six young and eight old adults. Results Kidneys from old adults had lower eGFR, less kidney parenchyma on computed tomography imaging, and more glomerulosclerosis and arteriosclerosis on histology. Quantitative proteomic analysis of nonsclerosed, nonischemic glomeruli identified increased expression of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-3, glypican 6, synuclein γ , apolipoprotein A-4, and Ecto-5′-nucleotidase in old adults that were further validated in an independent set. Pathway analysis indicated that proteins with increased expression in old adults were enriched in mitochondrial translational processes, aerobic respiration, and TCA cycle, whereas proteins with decreased expression in old adults were enriched in mRNA splicing, mRNA processing, and nonsense mediated decay. Furthermore, validated differentially expressed proteins did not show any significant correlation with the kidney pathology independent of age group. Conclusions Overall, this study identified proteins that are specifically associated with the aging process in otherwise normal-appearing glomeruli.

ABSTRACT. This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted at the University of Health Sciences, Lahore, over 5 years (2016–2020) to explore the association of Panton–Valentine leucocidin (pvl) genes and staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) types with hospital-acquired (HA) and community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Panton–Valentine leucocidin genes in MRSA have been found in HA-MRSA strains, thereby raising the prevalence of highly virulent and resistant strains. Furthermore, the usage of staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) typing is crucial for understanding the epidemiology and evolution of MRSA. The isolates of Staphylococcus aureus were acquired from clinical samples of the patients. Gram staining, catalase, coagulase, and DNAse tests were used for S. aureus confirmation. The methicillin resistance genes A and C (mecA and mecC) genes were detected to confirm MRSA by using a 30 µg cefoxitin disk. Panton–Valentine leucocidin gene identification and SCCmec typing (types I–V and XI) were conducted through polymerase chain reaction testing. Only 440 strains of MRSA were isolated, and 31.6% were positive for the pvl gene. The most prevalent SCCmec type among the MRSA isolates was type III, which was found in 42.7% of isolates. The pvl gene was detected in 74% of SCCmec types IV and V and in only 14% of SCCmec types I, II, III, and IIIA. This study revealed the dynamic adaptability of MRSA strains within healthcare settings, with the cooccurrence of the pvl gene and various SCCmec types highlighting the complexity of MRSA epidemiology. The urgent implementation of comprehensive strategies that integrate molecular surveillance and infection control measures is crucial for mitigating MRSA.

Background: Evaluate survival outcomes of PN compared to RN in patients with T1-2, N0, M0 cRCC. Methods: Patients with cRCC were identified using the National Cancer Database (NCDB). Inclusion criteria included T1-2, N0, M0 disease, treatment with either PN or RN, and a Charleston Deyo co-morbidity score of 0. Patients with missing survival data, advanced staging, or incomplete surgical information were excluded. Propensity score matching was performed to create identical groups with respect to age, sex, and race. Kaplan–Meier survival curves, multinomial logistic regression, and cox proportional hazard models were used for statistical analysis. Results: Of the 476 eligible propensity matched patients, 238 (50.0%) underwent PN and 238 (50.0%) underwent RN. PN was associated with better survival (mean: 186 vs. 170 months, P < 0.05) and lower odds of death (OR = 3.43; 95% CI, 2.05-5.76; P < 0.05). Five- and ten-year survival rates for PN were 95.2% and 91.1%, compared to 87.4% and 76.0% for RN. Patients treated with PN were significantly more likely to come from a higher income quartile and be treated at an academic/research facility. Conclusion: Partial nephrectomy demonstrates superior survival and shorter hospital stays compared to radical nephrectomy in localized cRCC, reinforcing its role as the preferred surgical approach.

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in females. In low- and middle-income countries like Pakistan, reported incidence and prevalence remain unreliable. The aim was to evaluate Pakistani women’s knowledge, attitude, and perception of breast cancer. This cross-sectional study was conducted among Pakistani women from Punjab, Pakistan. A self-administered online questionnaire was formulated to collect data from the participants from September 24, 2022, to October 24, 2022. The questionnaire included sociodemographic data, knowledge questions regarding breast cancer risk factors, knowledge questions about symptoms of breast cancer, and questions assessing the participants’ attitudes toward mammography screening. For knowledge questions, a score of more than 7 out of 13 was considered good knowledge. For attitude questions, regression analysis was done and a score of more than 5 out of 11 was considered a positive attitude. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 25 (Chicago). 796 women participated in this study. Out of 796 participants, 543 (68.2%) were between 20 and 30 years of age, and 43 (5.4%) were more than 40 years old. The level of knowledge regarding breast cancer risk factors was suboptimal. 523 (65.7%) of the participants thought that breast cancer risk increases with advancing age and 218 (27.4%) thought that early menarche increases the risk of developing breast cancer. 471 (59.2%) mentioned that mammography is an effective tool for detecting breast cancer, and 30 (3.8%) thought that there is a cure for breast cancer. According to regression analysis, higher education, higher monthly household income, and married marital status were significantly associated with good knowledge related to breast cancer. Although most of the population is aware of breast cancer’s risk factors and symptoms, they avoid screening such as mammography. Public awareness projects could help increase women’s knowledge of breast cancer signs, symptoms, and screening.