Citations

Itraconazole is the recommended first-line antifungal agent in blastomycosis treatment. However, pharmacokinetic limitations and adverse drug events may necessitate the use of alternative antifungal agents. The primary objective of the study was to retrospectively describe a cohort of patients with blastomycosis who received voriconazole (as partial or complete therapy), for complete or partial treatment, compared to those who received itraconazole alone. Secondary objectives included rationale for voriconazole selection, treatment response, mortality, and adverse drug events. This retrospective multicenter cohort study included adult patients with proven/probable blastomycosis who received itraconazole or voriconazole. Treatment response was evaluated at one year or end of therapy, whichever came first. Mortality outcomes were assessed within 7 days of the last documented azole dose. Propensity score weighting and subgroup analysis were utilized to control confounding variables between cohorts. A total of 119 patients receiving itraconazole and 25 receiving voriconazole as complete or partial treatment were included. Voriconazole was often selected for CNS involvement or after intolerance to alternative azoles. After propensity score weighting, no significant difference in complete or partial treatment response was observed. Rates of all-cause mortality and blastomycosis-related mortality were numerically higher in the voriconazole cohort. Adverse drug event rates were similar between cohorts; however, discontinuation due to adverse events was more common in the voriconazole cohort. Voriconazole was most utilized for the treatment of blastomycosis in cases with CNS involvement or intolerance to other azoles. A statistically significant difference in response rate was not identified between voriconazole-containing or itraconazole-treated patients; however, given limited sample sizes, further data is needed to assess the equivalency of these agents in the treatment of blastomycosis.

Abstract Purpose The aim was to evaluate the ability of four large language models (LLMs) (OpenAI's ChatGPT‐3.5, Microsoft 365 Copilot, DeepSeek‐R1, and Google Gemini 2.5 Pro) to develop treatment options when presented with clinical cases published in the maxillofacial prosthodontics literature. Materials and Methods Six maxillofacial case reports were fed to the LLMs following a prompt that requested prosthodontic treatment options from the perspective of a prosthodontist. Expert evaluators scored the relevance, clarity, depth, focus, and coherence of the responses. Statistical analyses, including descriptive statistics, two‐way analysis of variance (ANOVA), post hoc Tukey tests, Pearson correlation analyses, and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), were performed ( α < 0.05). Results There were significant differences among the total mean relevance ( p = 0.003), clarity ( p = 0.006), depth ( p < 0.001), focus ( p < 0.001), and coherence ( p < 0.001) scores of chatbots. Copilot consistently scored the lowest, and Gemini or DeepSeek scored the highest for all five factors. Depth ( p = 0.006), focus ( p = 0.024), and coherence ( p = 0.013) scores of senior prosthodontists were slightly higher than those of junior prosthodontists. Pearson correlation analysis revealed positive correlations between the total mean scores for all five factors ( p < 0.001). Conclusions The study demonstrates the ability of LLMs to develop maxillofacial prosthetic treatment plans tailored to specific clinical scenarios. There were significant differences between the abilities of the LLMs evaluated in this study. Copilot scored the lowest for all factors evaluated, and Gemini and/or DeepSeek scored the highest.

ABSTRACT Background Journal clubs provide opportunities for discussion of new and evolving practices and technologies. Objective We sought to evaluate the utility and effectiveness of a monthly web‐based cosmetic dermatology journal club facilitated by faculty, residents, and medical students. Results From May 2025 to September 2025, 16 articles were discussed and 41 responses were recorded (response rate: 60%). Most respondents found the journal club was an appropriate length, engaging, and very useful. Relevance, frequency, and likelihood to participate in the future varied significantly by participant type. Medical students and residents collectively considered the journal club too infrequent ( p = 0.03) and reported it had less relevance to their practice ( p < 0.001). Conclusion A monthly web‐based cosmetic dermatology journal club was generally positively received by respondents.

Introduction Trigeminal neuralgia is a debilitating facial pain condition characterized by recurrent, electric shock-like episodes within the trigeminal nerve distribution. While first-line treatment involves pharmacologic therapy, treatment options are limited for patients who are refractory or poor surgical candidates. Case Presentation We present a 75-year-old female with long-standing idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia refractory to combination anticonvulsant therapy and nerve block, with notable medication-related side effects. Management and Outcomes The patient underwent percutaneous cryoneurolysis targeting the maxillary (V2) and mandibular (V3) divisions of the trigeminal nerve under fluoroscopic guidance. She experienced immediate pain reduction and complete symptom resolution at a one-month follow-up with no complications. Conclusion This case highlights percutaneous cryoneurolysis as a minimally invasive treatment option for selected patients with refractory trigeminal neuralgia who are not candidates for open surgical intervention.

Abstract Introduction Virtual wards (VWs) and Hospital-at-Home (HaH) services are increasingly used in the UK to support acute care delivery. While clinical outcomes are often comparable to conventional inpatient care, the success of these models also depends on patient and carer experiences, including quality of life (QoL), satisfaction, and caregiver burden. Evidence synthesising these patient-centred outcomes within the UK context is needed to inform service implementation. Aim To systematically synthesise evidence from UK-based randomised controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating patient and carer satisfaction, QoL, and caregiver burden in VWs/HaH compared with traditional inpatient care. Methods Following PRISMA guidelines, PubMed and CINAHL databases were searched for UK-based randomised controlled trials (RCTs) (inception-October 2024) reporting QoL measures, patient/carer satisfaction, or caregiver burden, comparing VWs/HaH to traditional inpatient care for patients with acute illness. Validated tools (e.g. EQ-5D and custom surveys) were prioritised in data extraction. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane RoB2 tool. Meta-analysis employed a random-effects model; heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 statistic. Results Fourteen RCTs (n = 3416 participants) met the inclusion criteria. Patient satisfaction was consistently high across studies. For example, one RCT reported very good/excellent satisfaction ratings of 91.7% for HaH compared with 88.1% for inpatient care.[1] Meta-analysis of satisfaction outcomes (five studies) showed no significant difference between groups (OR 0.67; 95% CI 0.29–1.54) with substantial heterogeneity (I2 = 78%). Carer outcomes varied; some studies found high satisfaction and no additional workload, while moderate-to-severe caregiver burden in 25% of carers was reported in one RCT.[2] QoL outcomes measured by various tools like the Euro Quality of Life EQ-5D-5L showed no clinically meaningful differences between groups. Some studies indicated better outcomes for home-treated patients in specific domains, including significantly lower depression scores (p &lt; 0.001) and slightly higher social activity, and lower rate of select medical complications, although overall QoL remained comparable. Conclusion UK virtual health care services offer patient experiences that are comparable to traditional hospital care, with consistently high satisfaction and similar QoL outcomes. Carer experiences are more variable, highlighting a need for improved caregiver support within VW/HaH models. A key limitation of this review is the heterogeneity in the QoL and satisfaction measures used across included RCTs, which restricted the scope of quantitative synthesis. Future UK research should adopt standardised, validated outcome sets to strengthen comparability and inform evidence-based implementation.

Lung transplantation presents numerous intraoperative challenges, particularly related to pulmonary artery and vein anastomotic integrity and hemodynamic stability. We present 3 cases where intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) provided real-time diagnostic insights that directly altered surgical decision-making. Case 1 highlights pulmonary vein flow acceleration initially concerning for ostial stenosis, ultimately diagnosed as external compression from a retractor. Case 2 demonstrates true right pulmonary vein stenosis requiring immediate revision. Case 3 illustrates severe right pulmonary artery narrowing, detected by TEE and corrected intraoperatively to prevent early graft dysfunction. These cases underscore the critical role of intraoperative TEE in detecting subtle anastomotic abnormalities, distinguishing functional from structural stenosis, and guiding timely surgical correction. Incorporating comprehensive 2D and 3D TEE evaluation into routine lung transplant protocols enhances diagnostic accuracy, reduces postoperative complications, and contributes to improved long-term allograft function. Intraoperative 3D TEE should be considered an essential imaging modality in cardiothoracic transplantation and an invaluable educational tool for perioperative teams.