Background Oral semaglutide is the first oral glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist for glycaemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is commonly associated with renal impairment, restricting treatment options. We aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of oral semaglutide in patients with type 2 diabetes and moderate renal impairment. Methods This randomised, double-blind, phase 3a trial was undertaken at 88 sites in eight countries. Patients aged 18 years and older, with type 2 diabetes, an estimated glomerular filtration rate of 30-59 mL/min per 1•73 m², and who had been receiving a stable dose of metformin or sulfonylurea, or both, or basal insulin with or without metformin for the past 90 days were eligible. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) by use of an interactive web-response system, with stratification by glucose-lowering medication and renal function, to receive oral semaglutide (dose escalated to 14 mg once daily) or matching placebo for 26 weeks, in addition to background medication. Participants and site staff were masked to assignment. Two efficacy-related estimands were defined: treatment policy (regardless of treatment discontinuation or rescue medication) and trial product (on treatment without rescue medication) in all participants randomly assigned. Endpoints were change from baseline to week 26 in HbA1c (primary endpoint) and bodyweight (confirmatory secondary endpoint), assessed in all participants with sufficient data. Safety was assessed in all participants who received at least one dose of study drug. This trial is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02827708, and the European Clinical Trials Registry, number EudraCT 2015-005326-19, and is now complete.

Background and objectiveCervical lymph node metastasis has a significant impact on the survival of patients with oral cavity tumors. The rate of occult neck node metastasis is reported to range from 20 to 40%. The depth of invasion (DOI) has been incorporated in the eighth edition of the American Joint Commission on Cancer (AJCC) staging manual and is an important predictor of cervical lymph node metastasis. In this study, we aimed to identify the occult neck node metastasis rate in early oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC) and correlate it with the DOI. MethodsA retrospective review of all patients presenting to our facility with early-stage OTSCC was performed. Patients with tumor size of ≤4 cm and who underwent elective neck dissection at the time of surgery were included. The study outcomes were the rates of occult neck metastases in T1 and T2 OTSCC and their correlation with the DOI. ResultsThere were 80 patients in total. Occult neck node metastases were seen in 29 (36.25%) patients. Patients with a DOI >5 mm were 1.41 times more likely to have occult neck node metastasis than those with a DOI ≤5 mm. ConclusionOccult neck node metastasis is significantly associated with the DOI. The risk of neck metastasis is higher in patients with a DOI >5 mm.

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Objectives: To determine the frequency of Acute Mitral Regurgitation in Post Percutaneous Transvenous Mitral Commissurotomy (PTMC) patients with severe mitral stenosis (MS). Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Tabba Heart Institute, Karachi, Pakistan between September 2019 and April 2021. All patients irrespective of gender, aged between 19-80 years, and those who did not undergo PTMC were eligible to partake in the study. Patients with mitral regurgitation along with mitral stenosis, or those with clot in left atrium, or those suffering with the last stage of renal disease were excluded from the study. A predefined Proforma was used as a research instrument through which medical records of patients of PTMC are collected. The variables of the Proforma include patient’s age, name, sex, echo findings, treatment procedure, post-procedure data and complications. Results: A mean age of 40.6 ± 12.63 years was reported. 86 (81.9%) of the patients developed ‘no complications’, 15 (14.3%) of the PTMC patients suffered from ‘severe mitral regurgitation’, 2 (1.9%) had local hematoma, and one patient had a cardiac tamponade after the procedure. Only one patient died post-procedure. Post-stratification analysis showed that the majority of the female patients and 83% of the patients with no previous commissurotomy history did not have any complications. While a total of 14.7% who had no history of previous commissurotomy suffered from severe MR. Conclusion: Our study revealed that only a small number of patients who underwent PTMC suffered from severe mitral regurgitation. Overall, the procedure is safe with a good outcome.

Abstract This study was conducted to assess the frequency of pre-operative malnourishment in patients being treated for oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma. A retrospective chart review was carried out at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, on 62 patients. Patients were screened pre-operatively through a standard nutritional assessment tool at the time of admission to assess for malnutrition. Mean age of presentation was 48.34 ± 13.11 years, mean height was 165 ± 8.62cm, weight 66.09 ± 14.98 kg and BMI of 24.09 ± 4.84. Males were 82.3% and 17.7% were females. At the time of admission, a significant number or patients, 12 (19.4%) were prone to malnourishment, while 3 (4.8%) patients were malnourished: Assessment was done by using a standardised nutritional assessment tool. Keywords: Malnutrition, Squamous cell Carcinoma, Radiotherapy Continuous...