Citations

Abstract Inflammation is a key driver of coronary syndromes across the continuum from chronic coronary syndromes to acute coronary syndromes. It contributes to atherogenesis, plaque destabilization, and ischaemic events and influences myocardial injury, repair, and remodelling. Inflammatory activity is further amplified by metabolic and autoimmune comorbidities such as diabetes, obesity, and connective tissue diseases, with obesity representing a major driver of chronic low-grade inflammation through adipose tissue dysfunction and cytokine activation, while psychosocial stress and environmental exposures including air pollution serve as additional triggers. Genetic variations, including human leucocyte antigen genotypes, modulate individual susceptibility to vascular inflammation and myocardial injury. This expert consensus from the European Society of Cardiology’s Association for Acute CardioVascular Care summarizes the current understanding of inflammation across the full spectrum of coronary syndromes, including underlying mechanisms, relevant biomarkers, and imaging approaches that characterize vascular inflammation, and integrates insights from experimental and clinical studies. Importantly, this document provides explicit consensus-based guidance on when, how, and in whom inflammation should be assessed and treated in routine clinical practice. While the causal association between inflammation and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is well established, pharmacological modification of inflammation has produced conflicting evidence. Some agents, such as low-dose colchicine, have demonstrated modest reductions in cardiovascular events, although results across trials have been inconsistent. Other anti-inflammatory therapies have not shown clinical benefit, whereas selective cytokine inhibition with canakinumab has reduced cardiovascular risk at the cost of increased infection rates. The present manuscript also focuses on the evaluation of inflammatory activity in cardiovascular patients in routine clinical practice. It further discusses criteria for patient selection and clinical decision-making regarding the introduction of anti-inflammatory therapy in individuals with established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

Radiation oncology is poised for a decade of unusually rapid technological and biological change. Six innovations are converging on the clinic: FLASH radiotherapy, adaptive radiotherapy with advanced imaging, artificial intelligence and machine learning in treatment planning, theranostics with targeted radionuclide therapy, spatially fractionated radiotherapy using GRID and LATTICE techniques, and continuing enhancements in particle therapy with protons and heavy ions. Each is biologically compelling, but they will not reach patients at the same speed or in equal numbers. This review proposes an evidence-and-capital framework for evaluating these innovations along four axes – physical principle, biological rationale, current clinical evidence, and dominant adoption barrier – and ranks them by anticipated population-level impact over the next five years. Capital intensity emerges as the principal determinant of diffusion: innovations layered onto existing linear accelerators (artificial intelligence, spatially fractionated radiotherapy) or onto existing nuclear medicine infrastructure (theranostics) will scale globally, whereas innovations requiring new bunkers, magnetic-shielded vaults, or dedicated accelerators (adaptive radiotherapy, FLASH, particle therapy) will remain concentrated in well-resourced centres. A low anticipated diffusion ranking is not a judgement on intrinsic clinical value: several capital-intensive modalities deliver substantial benefit for selected patients even where population-level reach is limited, and the framework distinguishes throughout between intrinsic efficacy and expected accessibility. The resulting equity gap is not primarily a scientific problem but an infrastructural one. Recognising this asymmetry should inform departmental investment, training curricula, multinational cooperative-group trial design, and health-system policy on capital subsidy and consortium models. The framework is intended for radiation oncologists, medical physicists, and cancer scientists evaluating where to invest finite institutional resources.

Introduction: Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a chronic cholestatic liver disease without approved medical therapies. We examined the efficacy and safety of oral vancomycin (OV) in those with PSC. Methods: In this phase 3, 18-month, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, we randomly assigned adults with PSC and a serum alkaline phosphatase (SAP) greater than 1.5 times the upper limit of normal to placebo or oral vancomycin (OV) with dosages ranging from 125-375 mg four times daily pending biochemical response. The primary endpoint was normalization of SAP. Results: Of the 82 patients who underwent randomization, 73 individuals had at least one outcome assessment. Individuals who withdrew early were less likely to rate their baseline health as excellent or very good (23.4% vs 54.5%, p<0.01) despite having similar PSC prognostic features to those who completed the study. SAP normalization rates were similar (5% placebo, 6.7% OV, p=1.00) after 18 months. Those who received OV had greater reduction in SAP (+1.2% placebo, -21.9% OV, p=0.03). There were no differences in the changes in either the Mayo PSC risk score (-0.1 placebo, -0.1 OV, p=0.88) or liver stiffness values (+0.1 kPa placebo, -4.0 kPa OV, p=0.15). Discoloration of the teeth and tongue was the most common side effect of OV (17.5%). Conclusions: OV was not associated with clinically significant reductions in markers of PSC disease severity. Impairments in quality of life may influence patient retention in clinical trials.

Background Reliable biomarkers of inflammatory activity in multiple sclerosis (MS) are needed to complement clinical and MRI assessments. Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) are promising candidates due to their serum stability and involvement in MS-related biological pathways. Objectives To evaluate whether selected serum miRNAs can discriminate relapse from remission in treatment-naive patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS). Methods In this prospective paired study, newly diagnosed, untreated RRMS patients were sampled during clinical relapse and subsequent remission. A targeted miRNA panel was quantified using quantitative PCR. Differential expressions were assessed using paired statistical testing with multiple comparison correction. Diagnostic performance was evaluated using ROC analysis and multivariate logistic regression. Pathway enrichment analysis was performed using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis. Results Twenty patients (40 paired samples) were included. Eight miRNAs were differentially expressed between relapse and remission after Benjamini–Hochberg correction. hsa-miR-122-5p showed the largest fold change (fold change = 3.0; adjusted p = 0.043). A three-miRNA panel (hsa-miR-122-5p, hsa-miR-15b-5p, hsa-miR-30e-5p) demonstrated high discriminative accuracy (area under the curve = 0.88; 95% CI 0.79–0.96). Pathway analysis highlighted inflammatory, metabolic, and hypoxia-related processes. Conclusions Circulating miRNAs distinguished relapse from remission in treatment-naive RRMS patients, suggesting their potential as complementary biomarkers of disease activity. These findings should be considered exploratory and require validation in an independent, larger cohort.

ABSTRACT Background Bile acid (BA) malabsorption (BAM) is a common cause of chronic diarrhoea and may occur in some patients due to abnormalities of the gut microbiota. Effects of probiotics on faecal secretory BAs, particularly the primary BA, chenodeoxycholic acid, are unclear. Aim/Methods We conducted a randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial of the De Simone formulation 8‐strain probiotic in 24 patients previously diagnosed with BAM. Patients were randomized to 3 weeks of the probiotic (900 billion bacteria) or placebo (maltose), both administered three times daily. Symptoms, serum 7 α C4, faecal primary BAs, intestinal permeability by 13 C‐mannitol‐lactulose test (0.1 and 1 g of the sugars respectively) over 24 h, faecal short chain fatty acids (SCFA), microbiome, and metabolome were assessed at baseline and post‐intervention. Results Data from 22 patients were included. Probiotic supplementation was associated with a significant decrease in % faecal primary BAs (chenodeoxycholic acid and cholic acid) with median change from baseline −5.7 [IQR −10.3, 0.9]% compared to 9.8 [IQR 0.2, 20.6]% on placebo ( p = 0.012). The faecal microbiome was significantly different in the probiotic group after intervention, driven by probiotic‐specific species. There were no significant differences in symptoms, intestinal permeability, or SCFA. However, there was a numerical difference in the changes from baseline in 0‐2 h 13 C‐mannitol excretion −1.9 [−13.9, 4.2] mg for the probiotic and 1.0 (−0.5, 12.7) mg for placebo ( p = 0.084). Conclusions The De Simone formulation probiotic induced significant microbiome and metabolome changes in patients with BAM, ultimately leading to a decrease in % faecal primary BAs and possible reduction in intestinal permeability. Clinical Trials.gov registration NCT #06609148, January 2, 2025.

ABSTRACT Beta‐lactam antibiotics (beta‐lactams) are first‐line treatments for most major infectious syndromes in acutely ill patients, with in vitro activity against common pathogens, demonstrated efficacy in trials, and a perceived low risk of adverse effects. The current dosing approach, informed by population‐level data, tends to be simplistically reduced to a “one size fits all” dosing method which only accounts for body weight (i.e., in pediatrics) and end organ function to estimate drug clearance (e.g., estimated glomerular filtration rate); this approach results in substantial variability in observed serum concentrations in acutely ill patients, which can compromise real‐world effectiveness and safety. Beta‐lactam dose individualization, therefore, defined as a dosing regimen for one patient informed by measured concentrations from that patient, has been recommended in international clinical guidelines. Comprehensive guidance on best practices for beta‐lactam dose individualization is lacking. To address this knowledge gap and develop guidance, a multidisciplinary panel of international experts was assembled from the disciplines of infectious diseases, critical care, pharmacometrics, and laboratory medicine, representing both adults and pediatrics. The panel systematically evaluated the literature, using the GRADE approach where feasible, to address broad thematic questions pertaining to whether beta‐lactam dose individualization should be pursued, for what indications beta‐lactam dose individualization is warranted, and the most critical considerations and best practices for implementation of beta‐lactam individualization. The resultant consensus recommendations will equip healthcare professionals caring for acutely ill patients treated with beta‐lactam therapy with the evidence and tools necessary to guide optimal use of beta‐lactam dose individualization.

Background: Influenza-associated encephalopathy, encephalitis, and acute necrotizing encephalopathy (ANE) are rare but potentially life-threatening neurological complications of influenza. Adult cases remain poorly characterized because the available literature is largely limited to isolated case reports and small case series. Methods: A PRISMA-guided scoping review of the MEDLINE database was conducted through 31 May 2026. Published adult cases of influenza-associated encephalopathy, encephalitis, and ANE were identified and analyzed for demographic characteristics, clinical presentation, neuroimaging findings, treatment, and outcomes. Results: Eighty-three adult cases reported between 1958 and 2026 were included. The mean age was 45.6 ± 17.8 years, and 57.8% were male. Two-thirds did not have any underlying comorbidities. Neurological symptoms developed a mean of 4.6 days after influenza onset, with influenza A accounting for 80.7% of infections. Fever (91.6%), altered mental status (86.7%), and seizures (36.1%) were the most common manifestations. Encephalitis was the predominant presentation (44.5%), followed by encephalopathy (31.3%) and ANE (24.1%). MRI most frequently demonstrated cerebral hemispheric lesions (53.0%) and bilateral thalamic involvement (36.4%), while EEG abnormalities were reported in 69.6% of patients. Overall mortality was 22.9%, highest among patients with ANE (45.0%). Among survivors, 28.9% experienced persistent neurological sequelae. Conclusions: Influenza-associated encephalopathy, encephalitis, and ANE are rare in adults but are associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. This review represents the largest adult cohort reported to date and provides important insights into the clinical spectrum, neurodiagnostic findings, and outcomes of these uncommon complications. This review highlights significant gaps in knowledge and the need for collaborative multicenter studies to improve the diagnosis, treatment, and outcome of these severe complications of influenza infection.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate how speech signal compression algorithms affect the acoustic and perceptual characteristics of dysarthric speech. As telepractice becomes more common in speech-language pathology, particularly in the assessment of dysarthria, understanding the impact of telecommunication compression on speech fidelity is essential for clinical decision making. Method: Speech samples were collected from 15 individuals with dysarthria, recorded locally and simultaneously via Zoom (Version 6.2.11). The Opus codec was used to process the locally recorded speech samples under fullband, wideband, and narrowband compression conditions. Acoustic measures were derived for all samples. Twenty experienced speech-language pathologists (SLPs) rated vocal quality and nasality for sustained vowels and rated articulatory precision and orthographically transcribed sentences across each condition. Results: Narrowband compression was associated with significantly degraded voice quality measures (e.g., harmonic-to-noise ratio, shimmer) and reduced transcription accuracy. Despite these changes in acoustics and intelligibility, ratings of articulatory precision, nasality, and vocal quality remained stable across conditions, suggesting SLPs could adjust for compression artifacts when making perceptual judgments. Conclusions: Speech compression, particularly in low-bandwidth (i.e., narrow) condition, impacts acoustic fidelity and intelligibility, though expert listeners maintain reliable perceptual judgments. These findings underscore the need to consider compression effects in telepractice and highlight the importance of developing optimized protocols for remote dysarthria assessment.

Acanthosis nigricans (AN) is a common dermatologic condition characterized by hyperpigmented, velvety plaques that most frequently affect intertriginous areas. Although often associated with insulin resistance and obesity, AN may also serve as a cutaneous marker of underlying endocrinologic disorders, medication effects, genetic syndromes, or internal malignancy. Recognition of AN provides an important opportunity for early identification of systemic disease and implementation of targeted management strategies. This review summarizes the pathogenesis and etiologic subtypes of AN, highlights key clinical features and differential diagnoses, and outlines an evidence-based diagnostic approach. Management strategies are discussed with emphasis on lifestyle modification, pharmacologic therapies, topical treatments, procedural interventions, and the strength of supporting evidence. Practical considerations relevant to physician assistants are emphasized throughout, including interdisciplinary care and patient education. Early recognition and appropriate management of AN can improve both dermatologic outcomes and overall patient health.