Hyperlipidemia or dyslipidemia has been a concern for a long time, with various guidelines emphasizing the importance of managing the lipid profile to prevent cardiac incidences. Although statins have been found to be highly effective, resistance and intolerability to side effects will continue to be a stumbling block for certain patients. Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors tackle lipid profile via a novel mechanism and therefore provide an additional effective option for managing lipid profile. The overarching aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the efficacy of evolocumab among various populations with hypercholesterolemia. A comprehensive search was conducted in ProQuest Health & Medical Complete, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, and PubMed to identify potential records; then titles, abstracts, and full texts were screened using the inclusion criteria to filter out irrelevant studies. Data extraction and quality assessment were undertaken using standardized tools and the results were narratively synthesized and presented in tables. Eight studies were included in this systematic review after screening 1191 records. All studies demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) values in the groups that received evolocumab compared with the comparator groups (p < 0.05). The decline in LDL-C levels from baseline in the majority of studies ranged from 40% to 80%, whether used alone or in combination with other agents. Also, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, lipoprotein (a) and apolipoprotein B were improved with the use of evolocumab. This study helped to collate evidence from studies that tested the effectiveness of evolocumab in the management of hyperlipidemia. Evolocumab seems to be highly effective in reducing LDL-C and other lipid parameters. Hence, it provides an excellent alternative for patients with refractory disease or patients who develop intolerable side effects, therefore helping to overcome the stumbling block to achieving optimal lipid management.

Population: postmenopausal women with/without osteoporosis with no additional comorbidity.

Background: The deceased organ donation programme is new in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and to improve acceptability, a broad understanding of public perspectives is thought to be helpful. Therefore, this study aims to explore the extent to which context plays a role in the willingness to register for the deceased organ donation programme in Dubai, UAE. Methods: This study used a qualitative methodology and was gauged by the tenets of a social ecological model and lay knowledge. Audio-recorded semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 participants. The data were subsequently analysed thematically. Results: Four themes emerged from the dataset: fear and body integrity, family, relational ties and the identification of the recipient, religious conviction, and knowledge and personal experiences. The participants feared the whole process, were not aware of the religious outlook, and their knowledge regarding the programme was scarce. In addition, family-related factors, such as parental authority and hierarchy in the family, were also major influencers. Conclusion: Using the social ecological model and lay knowledge helped to unravel the contextual factors that affected the willingness of participants to register for the deceased organ donation programme in Dubai, UAE, thereby enabling the development of a holistic understanding of deceased organ donation. The responses mainly stemmed from participants’ social contexts; hence, awareness campaigns should be tailored to inform people about the technical aspects and address their contextual concerns.

Background: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common complication that manifests during and/or after hospitalization, as well as postsurgeries including orthopedic surgeries. Edoxaban is a new oral direct factor Xa inhibitor that has been recently approved for treating VTE in patients who have already been treated with a parenteral anticoagulant and for the prevention of stroke and non-central nervous system systemic embolism in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. Objectives: The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of edoxaban for VTE prophylaxis after lower limb orthopedic surgery. Materials and Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted in Google Scholar, PubMed, MEDLINE, and ScienceDirect to identify potential records, then titles, abstracts, and full texts were screened using the inclusion criteria to filter out irrelevant studies. Moreover, the data extraction and quality assessment were undertaken using standardized tools, and the results were narratively synthesized and presented in tables. Results: Six studies were included in this systematic review after screening 2989 records. The majority of studies demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in VTE events in the edoxaban group(s) compared to the dalteparin, placebo, or enoxaparin groups (P < .05). The differences in VTE cases in some studies reached to approximately 50% favoring edoxaban 30 mg over the comparator (P < .05). However, other studies uncovered a statistically insignificant difference between edoxaban and the comparator “enoxaparin” when used for VTE prophylaxis (P > .05). On the other hand, although edoxaban found to cause more bleeding, the differences between edoxaban and the comparator are statistically insignificant (P > .05). Conclusion: This study helped to amalgamate evidence with regard to the use of edoxaban for VTE prophylaxis post-lower limb orthopedic surgery. In line with the results of the reviewed studies, edoxaban seems to be highly effective in reducing VTE post-lower limb orthopedic surgery.

The Efficacy of Ginger for Pregnancy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting: A Systematic Review