Bay Medical Center

Background Suya, a widely consumed street-vended meat in Nigeria, may expose consumers to trace metal contamination due to informal preparation and vending conditions. Given its frequent patronage, contamination risk is shaped not only by exposure but also by how often people consume Suya, the factors influencing vendor choice, and their understanding of contamination and protective behaviors. In this study, “knowledge” refers to consumers' understanding of trace metal sources and health effects, while “awareness/safety practices” reflect risk perception and behavioral responses to minimize exposure. Therefore, this study assessed socio-demographic characteristics, consumption behaviors, knowledge of trace metal contamination, and safety practices among Suya consumers in Yenagoa metropolis, Nigeria. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted between March and May 2024 among 396 regular Suya consumers selected through time-location-based simple random sampling across markets, schools, residential areas, and evening vending spots to reflect varying consumption periods. Eligible participants were residents aged ≥16 years who had consumed Suya within the previous 3 months to ensure stable and recent consumption patterns. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire. The response rate was 92.7%. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 21. Frequencies, percentages, and composite scores were computed. Associations were tested using Pearson's Chi-square. Internal consistency was evaluated with Cronbach's alpha (overall α = 0.75) and Spearman's rank correlation examined relationships among section scores. Results Most respondents were female (71.5%), aged 16–25 years (66.2%), single (79%), and had tertiary education (71.7%). Suya consumption was frequent, with 58.3% buying from roadside vendors; age was significantly associated with vendor choice ( p = 0.003). Occupation influenced availability near workplace/school ( p = 0.036). Education was significantly associated with higher-level contamination knowledge and regulatory support. Positive correlations were observed between consumption patterns and influencing factors (ρ = 0.546, p < 0.01) and between knowledge and safety practices (ρ = 0.132, p < 0.01). Conclusion Suya consumption is shaped by accessibility and convenience, while education enhances contamination knowledge and protective behaviors. Targeted public health education and strengthened vendor monitoring are recommended to reduce potential trace metal exposure.

Pancreatic encephalopathy (PE) is a rare but severe neurological complication of acute pancreatitis, characterized by cerebral edema and disruption of the blood–brain barrier due to systemic inflammation and the release of pancreatic enzymes. The pathophysiology involves a complex interplay of inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress, leading to neuronal damage. Clinically, PE presents with a spectrum of neurological symptoms, often indistinct from other encephalopathies, making diagnosis challenging. It is typically identified through clinical correlation and neuroimaging studies. Management of PE is primarily supportive, focusing on the treatment of underlying pancreatitis and its systemic effects. Supportive care, such as fluid resuscitation, nutritional support, and antibiotics, is essential. Despite aggressive treatment, the prognosis for PE is generally poor, with high mortality rates often due to multiple organ failure. Long‐term outcomes are variable, with some patients experiencing chronic symptoms affecting quality of life. This is the case of a 28‐year‐old man who presented with unresponsiveness, who was eventually diagnosed with necrotizing pancreatitis with PE. This case report explores the distinct pathophysiology of PE compared to other encephalopathies and highlights the importance of a comprehensive approach to diagnosing and managing PE, emphasizing the importance of early recognition, supportive care, the need for close monitoring and prompt intervention to prevent further complications.

Thyroid function regulates numerous processes that influence metabolism and maintenance of homeostasis. Its dysfunction can adversely affect multiple clinical parameters. Notably, thyroid disorders have been correlated with metabolic changes and increased risk of cardiovascular disease. In both cases of hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism, thyroid hormone interrupts insulin sensitivity and adipocyte metabolism, leading to abnormal glucose metabolism, lipid profile, and cardiometabolic health. As thyroid disorders represent modifiable risk factors, including reduced physical activity, cigarette smoke, mean body mass index, and alcoholism, a thorough understanding and up-to-date knowledge of how these conditions affect different systems may provide clinicians with a better opportunity for early detection, which contributes to reducing the progression of health complications and improving both quality of life and life expectancy. This narrative review aims to identify and summarize current understanding of the relationship between thyroid disorders and their effect on metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular risk, including the possible pathophysiology, and discuss the associated correlations. To achieve this, a detailed search was conducted using credible databases such as PubMed and Google Scholar. We also used sidebar filters to include articles relevant to our topic and critically analyzed them before citing the references in this review.

PurposePatient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are collected after treatment to assess patient improvement. We sought to determine the postoperative timepoint at which changes in PROMs would best predict patients’ likelihood to repeat surgery and offer clinically relevant information.MethodsQuick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (QuickDASH) scores were collected during the course of care of 883 patients before undergoing elective outpatient hand surgery and at 5 postoperative timepoints. Likelihood to repeat surgery was collected 1 year after surgery, and patients were dichotomized into likely and unlikely to repeat surgery groups. Differences in the change in QuickDASH scores between groups were compared using Mann-Whitney U tests. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used in conjunction with Youden’s index to determine the timepoints and cutoff levels at which likelihood to repeat surgery could be successfully predicted.ResultsIn our cohort of 883 patients, 88.3% of patients indicated 1 year after surgery that they would be willing to repeat surgery. Receiver operating characteristic analyses demonstrated that changes in QuickDASH scores at 3, 12, 24, and 52 weeks were all significantly associated with patient likelihood to repeat surgery. A change in QuickDASH score of 10.0 three weeks after surgery was the ideal cutoff point to identify an association of patient likelihood to repeat elective hand surgery 1 year after surgery.ConclusionsChanges in QuickDASH scores as early as 3 weeks after surgery were associated with patient likelihood to repeat elective hand surgery 1 year after surgery. Although the heterogeneity of procedures included in the analyzed data pool precludes the complete generalizability of these findings to current clinical practice, it does support a feasible utility for early PROM collection in predicting patient satisfaction with their surgical outcome. This finding supports the continued, focused study of early PROMs, with potential for their employment in various clinical applications including real-time analysis for early postoperative intervention.Type of Study/Level of EvidenceTherapeutic IIIb

A common conflation happens both in everyday discussions in medicine as well as in the medical literature-namely, equating 'parents of minors' with 'surrogate decision makers.' It is important for pediatric clinicians and ethicists to stop using language that confuses and obscures the important difference between surrogates and parents in ways that affect the ethics of decision-making for minors. Specifically, parents of minor children are morally different than surrogates, and by using surrogate language, a misunderstanding arises that distorts the moral space and relevant obligations that pediatric providers, parents of minors, and even pediatric patients find themselves in when making medical decisions.

This study aimed to reveal the impact of nodular calcification (NC) on restenosis risk in patients undergoing femoropopliteal drug-coated balloon (DCB) angioplasty for symptomatic atherosclerotic peripheral artery disease. We retrospectively analyzed 568 patients who underwent endovascular therapy with DCB for de novo femoropopliteal lesions under intravascular ultrasound guidance between November 2017 and February 2021 at seven cardiovascular centers in Japan. Patients with lesions without calcification were excluded from the study. The patients were classified into two groups based on the presence or absence of NC: the NC [ +] group (n = 200) and the NC [-] group (n = 368). The main outcome was the primary patency at 3years. Cox proportional hazards analysis was used to determine whether NC was an independent predictor of clinical outcomes. The 3-year primary patency rates were significantly lower in the NC [ +] group than in the NC [-] group (53.8% vs. 65.8%, p = 0.001). After multivariate analysis, the presence of NC was independently associated with restenosis risk; the adjusted hazard ratio was 1.61 (95% confidence interval 1.15 to 2.26, p = 0.006). The NC is an independent predictor of restenosis in patients undergoing DCB angioplasty for femoropopliteal lesions. Patients with NC had a significantly lower primary patency, highlighting their negative impact on clinical outcomes. Further research is required to establish evidence-based strategies for managing calcified femoropopliteal lesions.