Background: Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists are increasingly prescribed for obesity and type 2 diabetes, demonstrating efficacy in weight loss and glycemic control [1-3]. Beyond metabolic effects, these medications show protective effects against renal disease progression and reduce major adverse cardiovascular events [4]. GLP-1 agonists influence body composition through effects on both fat mass and fat-free [...]

Background: Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists are increasingly prescribed for obesity and type 2 diabetes, demonstrating efficacy in weight loss and glycemic control [1-3]. Beyond metabolic effects, these medications show protective effects against renal disease progression and reduce major adverse cardiovascular events [4]. GLP-1 agonists influence body composition through effects on both fat mass and fat-free [...]

Background: Mortality rates are a critical quality metric for hospitals, influencing both clinical outcomes and institutional reputation. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) incorporates 30-day mortality rates into its Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) program and Star Ratings, directly impacting hospital reimbursement and public perception. Similarly, U.S. News & World Report factors 30-day mortality into [...]

Background: The overdose epidemic in the United States has seen a significant rise in deaths associated with antidepressants in the last two decades. This study examines mortality trends related to antidepressants in adults aged >25 years between 1999 and 2020 across various demographics. Methods: Analysis of poisoning by anti-depressants-related deaths in the US from the [...]

Background: Inpatient hypoglycemia (HG) is common and often avoidable, associated with poor outcomes and high costs, and its prevention reflects hospital performance. We investigated its risk factors and impact on mortality, hospital length of stay (LOS), charges, and readmissions. We defined HG as glucose ≤40 mg/dl (severe), >40 – ≤70 mg/dl (moderate), or euglycemia >70 [...]

Background: The Surviving Sepsis Campaign strongly recommends that all hospitals screen for sepsis as part of performance improvement. The effect of screening for sepsis on mortality, length of stay, and time to antibiotics is uncertain. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted using Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, Ovid Embase, Ovid Medline, Scopus, and Web of [...]

Background: Patients admitted for nonsurgical management of small bowel obstruction (SBO) often receive intravenous (IV) opioids for pain relief. However, given the opioid crisis and the potential for opioids to hinder recovery and contribute to ileus, exploring alternative analgesics is crucial. This randomized controlled trial (RCT) evaluates the efficacy of IV acetaminophen for pain management [...]

Background: Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (IHCC) is the second most prevalent type of primary liver malignancy and has less than a 25% 5-year survival rate. Over the last two decades, the incidence of IHCC has been on the rise, however, the trends in mortality related to this form of malignancy are yet to be explored. Therefore, our [...]

Background: In 2022, healthcare spending in the US accounted for 17.3% of its GDP(1), yet the US ranked near the bottom among high-income nations for key health outcomes. It is unclear if a similar relationship exists between spending and health outcomes across US Hospitals. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) reports a standardized risk-adjusted [...]

Background: In the management of transplant-ineligible multiple myeloma (MM), therapeutic strategies are crucial for improving patient outcomes. Recent clinical trials have explored the efficacy of triplet vs dual therapy in this context. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the comparative effectiveness (overall survival [OS], progression-free survival [PFS], minimal residual disease [MRD] negative, and response rate [RR]) [...]