Dow University of Health Sciences

Understanding the Mortality Trends in Patients With Ventricular Arrhythmias and Cardiomyopathy: A 25‐Year Retrospective Analysis From 1999–2024

BACKGROUND: Ventricular Arrhythmias (VA) associated with Cardiomyopathy (CM) continues to be the major cause of death. However, a national longitudinal study examining mortality trends from these conditions is still lacking. This study assessed mortality trends due to these condi...

Left Atrial Appendage Closure Versus Oral Anticoagulation for Prevention of Stroke or Systemic Embolism in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: An Updated Meta‐Analysis of 7004 Patients Across Six Randomized Trials

ABSTRACT Introduction Left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) is an emerging alternative for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) who are unsuitable for long‐term oral anticoagulants (OACs). However, its efficacy and safety relative to OACs remain uncertain. M...

Dexamethasone versus triamcinolone acetonide for the management of postoperative inflammation following cataract surgery

Background: Cataract remains the leading cause of reversible blindness worldwide, particularly in low-resource settings. Effective control of postoperative inflammation is essential to prevent complications such as cystoid macular edema and raised intraocular pressure. Dexamethas...

Self-reported sleep quality, physical activity and anxiety associated with heart rate variability in youth tiers derived via unsupervised machine learning

Anxiety, inadequate sleep, and insufficient physical activity are increasingly prevalent features of contemporary youth lifestyles and may collectively influence cardiac autonomic regulation. In this work, we aim to identify associations of these predictors with cardiac autonomic...

Immune checkpoint inhibitors for African people living with HIV: T-cell exhaustion, endemic co-infections, and the oncology trial gap

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have fundamentally transformed modern oncology by unleashing the body’s anti-tumor immunity, yet people living with HIV (PLWH) were systematically excluded from the pivotal registration trials. This evidence gap is especially consequential in s...

Dose Optimization of Cefazolin for Pediatric Patients with Renal Impairment Using Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Modeling (PBPK) in GastroPlus

Background/Objectives: Cefazolin is a first-generation cephalosporin antibiotic widely used for the treatment and prophylaxis of bacterial infections in both adult and pediatric populations. It is predominantly eliminated unchanged by the kidneys. Impaired renal function can redu...

Digital pathways to circular economy adoption: the roles of digital innovation and open innovation

Purpose This study explores the contributions of digital capability, digital orientation and digital transformation towards digital innovation, open innovation and the circular economy adoption. Design/methodology/approach The study's framework is based on a rigorous literature r...

Real-world safety and effectiveness of empagliflozin (Diampa®) alone or in combination with metformin (Diampa-M®) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Pakistan: a multicenter observational study

Abstract Background Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a growing public health challenge in Pakistan, where poor glycemic control is common. Sodium–glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, such as empagliflozin, have shown glycemic, cardiovascular, and renal benefits in contr...

Effectiveness of Adding GLP ‐1 Receptor Agonists to SGLT2 Inhibitor Therapy in Chronic Kidney Disease: A Population Based Study

ABSTRACT Background Individually, sodium–glucose co‐transporter‐2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) and glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonists (GLP‐1RAs) have been shown to reduce major kidney and cardiovascular events in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, evidence support...

National mortality trends due to OSA and respiratory failure in U.S adults from 1999–2023

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and respiratory failure (RF) represent increasing clinical and public health challenges in the United States, yet national trends in mortality remain underexplored. This study evaluates trends in mortality associated with OSA and RF to highlight targ...

Carvedilol for prevention of cardiotoxicity in patients receiving anthracycline-based chemotherapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity, particularly from anthracyclines, limits treatment in oncology patients. Carvedilol, a third-generation β-blocker with antioxidant properties, may offer cardio protection. However, comparative evidence for carvedilol and its metabolites remain...

Effect of Aromatherapy on Anxiety and Physiological Parameters in Patients Undergoing Coronary Angiography

Anxiety is common among patients undergoing coronary angiography and may adversely affect physiological stability and procedural outcomes. Although pharmacological anxiolytics are commonly used, they may be associated with undesirable adverse effects. Aromatherapy has been propos...

Efficacy and Safety of Baxdrostat in Hypertension: A GRADE-Assessed Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

BACKGROUND: Baxdrostat, a selective aldosterone synthase inhibitor, has emerged as a novel therapy for uncontrolled or resistant hypertension; however, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have shown variable results. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of baxdrostat co...

Exploring Institutional factors of resilience in undergraduate medical training: a thematic inquiry into experiences of medical students

Resilience is an essential attribute for medical students to manage academic demands and sustain well-being during training. While resilience has traditionally been studied at the individual level, less attention has been given to institutional factors that shape its development....

HPV DNA negativity following AHCC or nonavalent vaccination or their combination in women with persistent HPV infection without HSIL

Persistent infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) is a common clinical condition for which no validated systemic antiviral therapy is currently available, and in the absence of high-grade cervical lesions management is generally limited to surveillance. Active Hex...

Expressional patterns of p53: an association with KAISO, clinicopathological characteristics, and field cancerization of OSCC

Mutations of the gene TP53 are most frequent among the genetic aberrations found in human cancers. The gene codes for a 43.65 kDa protein that is known to regulate cell cycle, including cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, senescence, DNA repair, or metabolic changes, in response to var...

Umbilical port versus epigastric port for gallbladder extraction in laparoscopic cholecystectomy. An updated systematic review and meta-analysis

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is the gold standard for gallstone disease, but the optimal extraction port (umbilical vs. epigastric) remains debated. This updated systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate whether port site selection impacts perioperative and posto...

Pulmonary hydatid cyst presenting with altered consciousness in a 19-year-old Afghan migrant: a case report and review of the literature

Hydatid disease is a parasitic infection caused by the larval stage of the tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus. Clinical manifestations vary based location and size of the cyst. While pulmonary hydatid cysts are well-documented, neurological presentations such as altered consciousne...

Magnetic Macro Drivers of Trade Openness: A Study of MENA Countries

ABSTRACT The purpose of this research is to systematically scrutinise the influence of macro determinants on trade openness, through the lens of various trade theories, with a particular focus on the economies of the Middle East North African countries from 1995 to 2023. The anal...

Reduced‐Port Versus Multi‐Port Laparoscopic Colectomy for Colorectal Cancer: A Systematic Review, Meta‐Analysis, and Meta‐Regression

ABSTRACT Background Reduced‐port laparoscopic colectomy (RPLC) has emerged as an alternative to multi‐port laparoscopic colectomy (MPLC) for colorectal cancer surgery, aiming to reduce operative morbidity and improve cosmetic outcomes. This systematic review and meta‐analysis eva...