Annex Publishers

The incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE), a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, exhibits consider able geographical variability. Although studies have extensively documented VTE in low-altitude settings, the impact of high-altitude (HA) environments remains underexplored. This study aimed to fill this knowledge gap by examining the inci dence and risk factors for VTE in the HA of the Tibetan Autonomous Region, offering a unique perspective on how altitude influences VTE risk. In this retrospective analysis, we reviewed the medical records from the Tibet Autonomous Region Peo ple's Hospital between January 2018 and December 2023

Background: Maternal steroid use carries a theoretical risk for neonatal adrenal insufficiency (AI). Most of neonatal units do not recommend short synacthen test (SST) to check AI in babies who were exposed to steroids in utero. Two local units in Yorkshire recommend SST based on certain criteria. One unit uses antenatal dose thresholds of 7.5 mg/day equivalent prednisolone for≥ 28 days while another uses 5 mg/day equivalent prednisolone for same duration as indication for SST.

The real-life use of Phosphodiesterase type 5 Inhibitors (PDE5Is) for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) might differ across Institutions and physicians. We performed the Optimizing Management of Erectile Dysfunction (OPTI.M.E.D.) sur vey to outline the real-life practice of ED management in Italy. The OPTI.M.E.D. Survey tested the hypothesis that the new formulation of sildenafil oral suspension may show higher patient satisfaction and better clinical outcomes compared to other PDE5 inhibitors. The Survey involved 59 Italian urologists/andrologists, with data from a total of 1,150 patients. In the first Step, a Webinar was held for the presentation of the survey, and the Physician Interview Form used in the survey was presented. In Step 2, the forms were completed and collected, and the data obtained were subsequently analyzed. In Step 3, a final Webinar was held, during which the results were presented by the Scientific Board to all participants. In 88.9% of patients already treated with PDE5Is, the previously used molecule/formulation was changed at the first visit, be cause of treatment ineffectiveness and/or because of poor tolerability or compliance. According to the physicians’ reports, sildenafil oral suspension was the most commonly prescribed drug at the first visit (75.9% OF CASES), both in naïve pa tients and in those previously taking other PDE5Is. The prescription of sildenafil oral suspension was also confirmed at the second visit (after 60-90 days) in 97.9% of patients. The OPTI.M.E.D. survey provided a "real-life" snapshot of the manage ment of ED patients seen in daily clinical practice in andrology and urology settings in Italy. According to the results of this survey, sildenafil oral suspension is associated with a high degree of patient satisfaction, also thanks to its peculiar formula tion, which facilitates dosage modulation and is characterized by convenience and discretion of use as it does not require wa ter to take it

Objective：To observe the clinical effect of Acupuncture Cupping Bubbling Therapy in the treatment of breast cancer. Methods: 88 patients of breast cancer were divided into the Acupuncture Cupping Bubbling Therapy group of 46 cases and the traditional Acupuncture Cupping group of 42 cases at random, and the symptom-relieving, the tumor-disappearing, tu mor- lessening (surviving with tumors) and functional recovery were observed separately. Results: The total effective rate of Acupuncture Cupping Bubbling Therapy group was 100% and the excellently effective rate was 89.1%. But the total effective rate of Acupuncture Cupping Therapy group was 88.1% and the excellently effective rate was 42.9%. the difference of the ex cellently effective rates has extreme significance（P<0.01）. Conclusion: The Acupuncture Cupping Bubbling Therapy has significant clinical effect, which surpasses that of the traditional Acupuncture Cupping Therapy.