Background: Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune condition characterized by widespread skin fibrosis and/or end-organ damage. Previous studies have reported variable outcomes of the disease process, with males and patients of certain ethnicities suffering from the severe form of the disease leading to end-organ damage and an increase in mortality (1,2). The aim of this [...]

Background: While prescription opioids have a role in treating certain pain conditions, their injudicious use has led to an epidemic with myriad adverse outcomes. We sought to evaluate the association of socioeconomic and racial disparities with healthcare utilization and outcomes in opioid overdose related hospitalizations using National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database from 2012 through 2014. [...]

Background: Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a life-threatening complication of diabetes mellitus that is increasing in frequency, and yet is preventable with adequate outpatient management. Studies have shown that children with diabetes in minority populations experience more frequent DKA admissions, possibly due to inequities in healthcare access. We examined whether disparities by race/ethnicity exist in DKA [...]