Background: s/Aims: Postoperative pancreatic fistulas (POPF) remain a major cause of morbidity and mortality following pancreatoduodenectomy (PD). Pancreatogastrostomy (PG) and pancreatojejunostomy (PJ) are the two most commonly used reconstruction techniques, yet evidence favoring one over the other is inconclusive. This study evaluates postoperative outcomes following open PD at a single institution that transitioned from PG to PJ as the preferred reconstruction method. Methods: This retrospective comparative study included patients who underwent PD between April 2005 and August 2022. Of 757 patients identified, 522 met the inclusion criteria. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to adjust for clinically relevant covariates. Primary endpoints were clinically relevant (CR) POPF (grade B/C) and Clavien–Dindo (CD) grade ≥ 3 POPFs. Secondary outcomes included post-pancreatectomy hemorrhage (PPH), delayed gastric emptying (DGE), systemic complications, length of hospital stay, and mortality. Results: Overall, CR-POPF and CD grade ≥ 3 POPFs occurred in 21.3% and 8.0% of patients, respectively. Thirty-day and in-hospital mortality rates were 3.1% and 4.2%. After PSM, 368 patients (184 PG and 184 PJ) were analyzed. Grade B POPFs were more frequent following PJ than PG (24.5% vs. 15.8%, p < 0.001). Although CR-POPF and CD grade ≥ 3 POPFs were numerically higher in the PJ group, differences were not statistically significant. In contrast, DGE, PPH, and in-hospital mortality were significantly higher following PG (37.0% vs. 25.0%, p = 0.025; 16.3% vs. 8.7%, p = 0.025; and 7.6% vs. 2.7%, p = 0.049, respectively). Conclusions PG was associated with a lower incidence of grade B POPFs but higher rates of DGE, PPH, and in-hospital mortality.

OBJECTIVES: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic had direct effects on population health through infection and morbidity, as well as indirect effects on population mental health. We estimated the network structure of post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and depressive symptoms throughout the pandemic in Korea and aimed to identify the most central and bridging symptoms. METHODS: Participants aged 30–64 years completed mental health surveys across 3 phases of the COVID-19 pandemic: March 2020 (n=1,925), February–March 2021 (n=1,754), and December 2021–January 2022 (n=1,595). Using PTSS and depressive symptom data, we conducted network analyses, and the primary measures of symptom importance (centrality) were expected influence and bridge expected influence. RESULTS: In the comorbidity network, although the most central symptoms fluctuated over the course of the pandemic, sleep problems were consistently identified as the most influential bridge symptoms throughout. The symptom network structure differed between the subacute and chronic phases of the pandemic. CONCLUSIONS We found evidence of changes in the network structure of PTSS and depressive symptoms, even as sleep problems retained a consistent role as a bridging symptom. Although overall network structures varied across phases of the pandemic, the bridging role of sleep-related symptoms remained consistently strong, suggesting that sleep problems may represent a general and enduring mechanism underlying PTSS–depression comorbidity. During future pandemics, prompt screening for sleep problems may help prevent the development of comorbidity between PTSS and depressive symptoms.

BACKGROUND

In the Philippines, the prevalence of food insecurity increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, affecting the nutritional status of communities nationwide. Urban areas in particular are vulnerable to the harmful effects of food insecurity, and the effects are extended and magnified when it comes to children.

This study aims to evaluate the coping strategies of households with children aged 0-10 years old in an urban poor community in Quezon City. In particular, the study will determine Coping Strategies Index (CSI) scores and the frequency of specific coping strategies used.

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the coping strategies of 405 households with children in the community during the pandemic. Mothers or caregivers were given a survey inquiring about the sociodemographic data and CSI.

Sociodemographic profiling showed that the households generally belonged to class D and E (PhP 15,000 and below) income households (73.8%). The majority of the household heads (52.6%) have their highest educational attainment at the high school level. The majority (77.5%) of the households were categorized as having low CSI classification (90%CI: 73.9, 80.8). This could indicate that relief operations conducted in the community may have helped ease their food insecurity. Coping strategies that were most frequently employed by the households were depending on less preferred or more affordable food (74.8%), rationing money for prepared food (69.1%), and purchasing food on credit (58.5%).

Low CSI classification was noted, which may be due to increased adaptation to persistent food insecurity and the utilization of coping strategies not indicated in the questionnaire. Common coping strategies used by households include reliance on less favored or less costly food items, rationing resources for prepared food, and food on credit. It is recommended that the results collected be used to target food availability and accessibility interventions in the community.

Objective: Oral anticoagulant (OAC) use increases the risk of death in conditions like hemorrhagic stroke, trauma, and traumatic brain injury. Early identification of OAC use is critical for timely interventions to mitigate hemorrhage risk and improve survival. We aimed to identify emergency medical services (EMS) care characteristics associated with patients using an OAC. Methods: We analyzed prehospital data (2018–2020) from the ESO Data Collaborative, focusing on adult (≥18 years) 911 EMS calls. The administered OACs were warfarin, dabigatran, rivaroxaban, and apixaban. We compared EMS call characteristics, patient demographics, response times, and interventions between OAC and non-OAC users. We used univariate logistic regression to identify independent predictors of OAC use. Results: Of 16,244,550 adult 911 EMS events, 906,575 involved OAC users (56 of 1,000 calls). Those using OAC were older (73.6 years vs. 56.9 years) and more often from nursing homes or long-term care facilities (17.0% vs. 9.2%) but less likely to have trauma (14.7% vs. 18.1%) or cardiac arrest (1.2% vs. 1.4%). The most common EMS primary clinical impressions for OAC users were chest pain (7.4%), altered mental status (7.3%), injury (6.5%), abdominal pain (4.3%), and brain injury (2.8%). Conclusion OAC users accounted for 1 in 18 adult EMS encounters. Specific patient and call characteristics were associated with OAC use. These findings should be incorporated into EMS training to facilitate recognition and appropriate management of OAC-related emergencies.

Background: In the Philippines, the prevalence of food insecurity increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, affecting the nutritional status of communities nationwide. Urban areas in particular are vulnerable to the harmful effects of food insecurity, and the effects are extended and magnified when it comes to children. Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the coping strategies of households with children aged 0-10 years old in an urban poor community in Quezon City. In particular, the study will determine Coping Strategies Index (CSI) scores and the frequency of specific coping strategies used. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the coping strategies of 405 households with children in the community during the pandemic. Mothers or caregivers were given a survey inquiring about the sociodemographic data and CSI. Results: Sociodemographic profiling showed that the households generally belonged to class D and E (PhP 15,000 and below) income households (73.8%). The majority of the household heads (52.6%) have their highest educational attainment at the high school level. The majority (77.5%) of the households were categorized as having low CSI classification (90%CI: 73.9, 80.8). This could indicate that relief operations conducted in the community may have helped ease their food insecurity. Coping strategies that were most frequently employed by the households were depending on less preferred or more affordable food (74.8%), rationing money for prepared food (69.1%), and purchasing food on credit (58.5%). Conclusion Low CSI classification was noted, which may be due to increased adaptation to persistent food insecurity and the utilization of coping strategies not indicated in the questionnaire. Common coping strategies used by households include reliance on less favored or less costly food items, rationing resources for prepared food, and food on credit. It is recommended that the results collected be used to target food availability and accessibility interventions in the community.
Food Insecurity ; Adaptation, Psychological

Digital therapeutics (DTx) in hearing research have emerged as a new category of therapies providing evidence-based intervention via digital means, such as software, smartphone apps, or websites. However, although relatively new, they are not well-established. In this article, we review DTx technologies in hearing research fields, focusing on three categories: prevention and diagnosis, aid (assistance), and cure (digital medicine). We observe that most DTx systems require interactions with users (or patients) without the direct support of clinical professionals to obtain or collect medical evidence; this makes training (or education) features crucial to the therapy’s success. In this view, this article discusses the education or training functions of the current DTx and their contribution and purposes. The impact of emerging artificial intelligence (AI) on DTx in hearing research is being explored, and the future of DTx concerning AI integration is being discussed. We believe that this work will contribute to a better understanding of the current and future DTx technological advancements and, in particular, shed light on the field of hearing research.

Background: Ovarian cancer has the highest mortality among gynecologic cancers, primarily because it typically is diagnosed at a late stage and because of the development of chemoresistance in recurrent disease. Improving outcomes in women with platinumresistant ovarian cancer is a substantial unmet need. Activation of the glucocorticoidreceptor (GR) by cortisol has been shown to suppress the apoptotic pathways used by cytotoxic agents, limiting their efficacy. Selective GR modulation may be able to counteract cortisol’s antiapoptotic effects, enhancing chemotherapy’s efficacy. A previous phase 2 study has shown that adding intermittently dosed relacorilant, a selective GR modulator, to nab-paclitaxel improved outcomes, including progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), with minimal added toxicity, in women with recurrent platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. The ROSELLA study aims to confirm and expand on these findings in a larger population. Methods ROSELLA is a phase 3, randomized, 2-arm, open-label, global multicenter study in women with recurrent, platinum-resistant, high-grade serous epithelial ovarian, primary peritoneal, or fallopian tube cancer. Eligible participants have received 1 to 3 lines of prior systemic anticancer therapy, including ≥1 prior line of platinum therapy and prior treatment with bevacizumab, with documented progressive disease or intolerance to the most recent therapy. There is no biomarker-based requirement for participant selection. Participants are randomized 1:1 to receive intermittently dosed relacorilant in combination with nabpaclitaxel or nab-paclitaxel monotherapy. The study’s primary efficacy endpoint is PFS as assessed by blinded independent central review. Secondary efficacy endpoints include OS, investigator-assessed PFS, objective response rate, best overall response, duration of response, clinical benefit rate at 24 weeks, and cancer antigen 125 response. The study is also evaluating safety and patient-reported outcomes.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05257408; European Union Drug Regulating Authorities Clinical Trials Database Identifier: 2022-000662-18

Background: Ovarian cancer has the highest mortality among gynecologic cancers, primarily because it typically is diagnosed at a late stage and because of the development of chemoresistance in recurrent disease. Improving outcomes in women with platinumresistant ovarian cancer is a substantial unmet need. Activation of the glucocorticoidreceptor (GR) by cortisol has been shown to suppress the apoptotic pathways used by cytotoxic agents, limiting their efficacy. Selective GR modulation may be able to counteract cortisol’s antiapoptotic effects, enhancing chemotherapy’s efficacy. A previous phase 2 study has shown that adding intermittently dosed relacorilant, a selective GR modulator, to nab-paclitaxel improved outcomes, including progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), with minimal added toxicity, in women with recurrent platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. The ROSELLA study aims to confirm and expand on these findings in a larger population. Methods ROSELLA is a phase 3, randomized, 2-arm, open-label, global multicenter study in women with recurrent, platinum-resistant, high-grade serous epithelial ovarian, primary peritoneal, or fallopian tube cancer. Eligible participants have received 1 to 3 lines of prior systemic anticancer therapy, including ≥1 prior line of platinum therapy and prior treatment with bevacizumab, with documented progressive disease or intolerance to the most recent therapy. There is no biomarker-based requirement for participant selection. Participants are randomized 1:1 to receive intermittently dosed relacorilant in combination with nabpaclitaxel or nab-paclitaxel monotherapy. The study’s primary efficacy endpoint is PFS as assessed by blinded independent central review. Secondary efficacy endpoints include OS, investigator-assessed PFS, objective response rate, best overall response, duration of response, clinical benefit rate at 24 weeks, and cancer antigen 125 response. The study is also evaluating safety and patient-reported outcomes.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05257408; European Union Drug Regulating Authorities Clinical Trials Database Identifier: 2022-000662-18

Background: Ovarian cancer has the highest mortality among gynecologic cancers, primarily because it typically is diagnosed at a late stage and because of the development of chemoresistance in recurrent disease. Improving outcomes in women with platinumresistant ovarian cancer is a substantial unmet need. Activation of the glucocorticoidreceptor (GR) by cortisol has been shown to suppress the apoptotic pathways used by cytotoxic agents, limiting their efficacy. Selective GR modulation may be able to counteract cortisol’s antiapoptotic effects, enhancing chemotherapy’s efficacy. A previous phase 2 study has shown that adding intermittently dosed relacorilant, a selective GR modulator, to nab-paclitaxel improved outcomes, including progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), with minimal added toxicity, in women with recurrent platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. The ROSELLA study aims to confirm and expand on these findings in a larger population. Methods ROSELLA is a phase 3, randomized, 2-arm, open-label, global multicenter study in women with recurrent, platinum-resistant, high-grade serous epithelial ovarian, primary peritoneal, or fallopian tube cancer. Eligible participants have received 1 to 3 lines of prior systemic anticancer therapy, including ≥1 prior line of platinum therapy and prior treatment with bevacizumab, with documented progressive disease or intolerance to the most recent therapy. There is no biomarker-based requirement for participant selection. Participants are randomized 1:1 to receive intermittently dosed relacorilant in combination with nabpaclitaxel or nab-paclitaxel monotherapy. The study’s primary efficacy endpoint is PFS as assessed by blinded independent central review. Secondary efficacy endpoints include OS, investigator-assessed PFS, objective response rate, best overall response, duration of response, clinical benefit rate at 24 weeks, and cancer antigen 125 response. The study is also evaluating safety and patient-reported outcomes.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05257408; European Union Drug Regulating Authorities Clinical Trials Database Identifier: 2022-000662-18

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic and its effects such as community restrictions, lockdowns, and unemployment have greatly affected the household food security status in urban poor communities leading to poor accessibility of sufficient nutritious food and subsequently affecting the nutrition of children. Objectives: This present study aims to determine the prevalence of household food insecurity in households with children aged 0-10 amid the COVID-19 pandemic in an urban poor community in Quezon City. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study was done to evaluate the food security status and experiences of households amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: A total of 405 households were surveyed to answer questions designed to determine their general profile relative to their food security experiences during the pandemic. It was observed that the majority of the households in the urban poor community belong to Class D earning between PhP 8,001.00 - PhP 15,000.00. The heads of these households as well as caregivers mostly belong to the high school graduate level. Based on the conducted survey, it was revealed that 59.5% of the households were severely food insecure (90% CI: 55.4-63.4) and only 4.2% ( 90% CI: 2.8-6.2) were food secure. Conclusion The prevalence of food insecurity in the urban poor community is determined to be high, with 31.6% households having moderate food insecurity, while only 4.2% households are food secure. The majority of surveyed households were anxious and uncertain about their food supply, and also reported experiencing varying levels of food insecurity related to sufficiency of food quality.
COVID-19