The personal reflections of Peter Hotez regarding the triple threats of illness, antiscience, and anti-Semitism indicate a shocking state of affairs, reveal¬ing the dark and sinister element of antivaccine activism which must be surmounted. This letter addresses basic lessons on vaccination from India in a nutshell.
Dr. Thorakkal Shamim has written a very interesting letter and comment. It is important to hear details about vaccine hesitancy in different countries or regions. I’m especially watchful of our American style of antivaccine activism gaining a foothold abroad. Hence, we need more information about this in the searchable biomedical literature.
Throughout history, Jewish people have long been recognized for their achievements in the world of medical science. For example, prior to the Holocaust, many outstanding physicians in Germany were Jewish. However, even in the 1930s, refugee European Jewish doctors faced significant barriers when they tried to escape and practice elsewhere because of long-standing prejudices and anti-Jewish quotas in medical schools and hospitals around the world. Eventually quotas fell, and the period after World War II once again saw a tremendous growth in numbers of Jews excelling in medicine internationally. Since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, there has been a resurgence of antisemitism worldwide. It is especially noticeable in the world of healthcare. This article evaluates and highlights examples of antisemitism in four countries by authors from each of these jurisdictions.
Children are infected with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as often as adults, but with fewer symptoms. During the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS) in children (MIS-C), with symptoms similar to Kawasaki syndrome, was described in young minors testing positive for COVID-19. The United States (US) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defined MIS-C as occurring in <21-year-olds, triggering hundreds of PubMed-listed papers. However, postpubertal adolescents are no longer children biologically; the term MIS-C is misleading. Furthermore, MIS also occurs in adults, termed MIS-A by the CDC. Acute and delayed inflammations can be triggered by COVID-19. The 18th birthday is an administrative not a biological age limit, whereas the body matures slowly during puberty. This blur in defining children leads to confusion regarding MIS-C/MIS-A. United States and European Union (EU) drug approval is handled separately for children, defined as <18-year-olds, ascribing non-existent physical characteristics up to the 18th birthday. This blur between the administrative and the physiological meanings for the term child is causing flawed demands for pediatric studies in all drugs and vaccines, including those against COVID-19. Effective treatment of all conditions, including COVID-19, should be based on actual physiological need. Now, the flawed definition for children in the development of drugs and vaccines and their approval is negatively impacting prevention and treatment of COVID-19 in minors. This review reveals the necessity for redefining pediatric age groups to rapidly establish recommendations for optimal prevention and treatment in minors.
Mechanical thrombectomy (MT) has revolutionized the treatment of large-vessel occlusion stroke and markedly improved patient outcomes. Unfortunately, there remains a large proportion of patients that do not benefit from this technology. This review takes a look at recent and upcoming technologies that may help to increase the number of MT-treated patients, thereby improving their outcomes. To that end, an overview of digital health solutions, innovative pharmacological treatment, and futuristic robotic endovascular interventions is provided.
Mechanical thrombectomy (MT) has revolutionized the treatment of large-vessel occlusion stroke and markedly improved patient outcomes. Unfortunately, there remains a large proportion of patients that do not benefit from this technology. This review takes a look at recent and upcoming technologies that may help to increase the number of MT-treated patients, thereby improving their outcomes. To that end, an overview of digital health solutions, innovative pharmacological treatment, and futuristic robotic endovascular interventions is provided.
Objectives: To assess the impact of different types of anemia and of concomitant non-cardiovascular chronic illnesses on outcomes of patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and baseline anemia admitted to the Intensive Cardiac Care Unit.
Methods: Based on the mean corpuscular volume, anemia was stratified into: microcytic (<80 fL), normocytic (≥80, <96 fL), and macrocytic (≥96 fL). Data on concomitant chronic non-cardiovascular illnesses including malignancies were carefully collected. Endpoints included in-hospital bleeding as well as all-cause mortality at long-term follow-up.
Results: Of 1,390 patients with STEMI, 294 patients had baseline anemia (21.2%), in whom normocytic, microcytic, and macrocytic anemia was present in 77.2%, 17.0%, and 5.8% patients, respectively. In-hospital bleeding occurred in 25 (8.5%) of the study population without significant differences between the three groups. At a mean follow-up of 5.5±3.5 years, 104 patients (35.4%) had died. Mortality was the highest in patients with macrocytic anemia, followed by patients with normocytic anemia and microcytic anemia (58.8%, 37.0%, and 20.0%, respectively; P=0.009). Chronic non-cardiovascular condition was identified as an independent predictor of both in-hospital bleeding (odds ratio=2.57, P=0.01) and long-term mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 1.54, P=0.019). Performance of coronary angiography within index hospitalization was associated with lower long-term mortality (HR 0.38, P=0.001). Mean corpuscular volume did not predict either in-hospital bleeding or mortality.
Conclusions: Chronic non-cardiovascular illnesses are highly prevalent among patients with STEMI and baseline anemia, and are strongly associated with higher in-hospital bleeding and long-term mortality. Type of anemia is not related to prognosis post-STEMI.
Objectives: To assess the impact of different types of anemia and of concomitant non-cardiovascular chronic illnesses on outcomes of patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and baseline anemia admitted to the Intensive Cardiac Care Unit.
Methods: Based on the mean corpuscular volume, anemia was stratified into: microcytic (<80 fL), normocytic (≥80, <96 fL), and macrocytic (≥96 fL). Data on concomitant chronic non-cardiovascular illnesses including malignancies were carefully collected. Endpoints included in-hospital bleeding as well as all-cause mortality at long-term follow-up.
Results: Of 1,390 patients with STEMI, 294 patients had baseline anemia (21.2%), in whom normocytic, microcytic, and macrocytic anemia was present in 77.2%, 17.0%, and 5.8% patients, respectively. In-hospital bleeding occurred in 25 (8.5%) of the study population without significant differences between the three groups. At a mean follow-up of 5.5±3.5 years, 104 patients (35.4%) had died. Mortality was the highest in patients with macrocytic anemia, followed by patients with normocytic anemia and microcytic anemia (58.8%, 37.0%, and 20.0%, respectively; P=0.009). Chronic non-cardiovascular condition was identified as an independent predictor of both in-hospital bleeding (odds ratio=2.57, P=0.01) and long-term mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 1.54, P=0.019). Performance of coronary angiography within index hospitalization was associated with lower long-term mortality (HR 0.38, P=0.001). Mean corpuscular volume did not predict either in-hospital bleeding or mortality.
Conclusions: Chronic non-cardiovascular illnesses are highly prevalent among patients with STEMI and baseline anemia, and are strongly associated with higher in-hospital bleeding and long-term mortality. Type of anemia is not related to prognosis post-STEMI.
Mechanical thrombectomy (MT) has revolutionized the treatment of large-vessel occlusion stroke and markedly improved patient outcomes. Unfortunately, there remains a large proportion of patients that do not benefit from this technology. This review takes a look at recent and upcoming technologies that may help to increase the number of MT-treated patients, thereby improving their outcomes. To that end, an overview of digital health solutions, innovative pharmacological treatment, and futuristic robotic endovascular interventions is provided.
The mystery behind the behavior of infamous personalities leaves many open questions, particularly when related to the practice of medicine. This paper takes a brief look at two Jewish physicians who played memorable roles in the life of Adolf Hitler.
