Acute pancreatitis is the most common major complication after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). Many drugs have been evaluated for prophylaxis, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which are potent inhibitors of phospholipase A2 and play a role in the pathogenesis of acute pancreatitis. Rectal NSAIDs have been shown in prospective studies to decrease the incidence of this complication, but the indication is not generalized in clinical practice. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of rectal administration of indomethacin in reducing the incidence of post-ERCP pancreatitis in high-risk patients. This was a controlled clinical trial where patients with an elevated risk of developing post-ERCP pancreatitis were assigned to receive 100 mg of rectal indomethacin or a 2.6 g suppository of glycerin immediately after ERCP, without placement of a pancreatic stent. The patients were determined to be at high risk based on validated patient- and procedure-related risk factors. Post-ERCP pancreatitis was defined as the presence of new upper abdominal pain, hyperamylasemia/hyperlipasemia (at least three times the upper limit) 2 hours after the procedure and hospitalization at least 48 hours because of the complication. Pancreatitis severity was defined according to Cotton’s criteria. One hundred sixty-six patients were included; 82 in the study group and 84 in the placebo group. Patients had at least one major and/or two minor risk factors for developing post-ERCP pancreatitis. The incidence of the complication was 4.87 % (4/82) in the study group and 20.23 % (17/84) in the placebo group; this difference was significant (P = 0.01). According to Cotton’s criteria, 17 patients (80.9 %) developed mild pancreatitis and 4 (19.1 %) had moderate pancreatitis; 3 of these 4 patients belonged to the placebo group (P = 0.60). Based on these results, an absolute risk reduction of 0.15 (15 %), a relative risk reduction of 0.75 (75 %) and a number needed to treat of 6.5 patients were calculated to prevent an episode of post-ERCP pancreatitis. There was no mortality. Rectal indomethacin reduced the incidence of post-ERCP pancreatitis among patients at high risk of developing this complication. National Clinical Trials NCT02110810 . Date April 7, 2014.

Depression and anxiety are common after months of social isolation, and they can have a negative impact on anyone's quality of life if they are not treated promptly and appropriately. The aim of this study was to determine if the change to online modality courses and the presence of depression or anxiety symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a difference in the college student’s academic achievement. This study was a cross-sectional survey in which we used the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and the General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7). Also, we examined the students' perceptions of their academic performance using the Academic Self-Concept Scale (ASCS). A total of 610 students responded to the survey. The average score on the Academic Self-Concept Scale was 2.76 ± 0.35, the students presented a risk of 61.5% for possible depressive disorder and 52.1% for possible generalized anxiety disorder. The intensity of depression and anxiety symptoms had a significant effect on Academic Self-Concept Scale scores (p < 0.001 and p < 0.05, respectively). The findings indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a direct effect on students' mental health and academic performance.

Background: Dexamethasone has been reported to reduce postoperative symptoms after different surgical procedures. We evaluated the efficacy of preoperative dexamethasone in ameliorating postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), and pain after mastectomy. Methods: In this prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 70 patients scheduled for mastectomy with axillary lymph node dissection were analyzed after randomization to treatment with 8 mg intravenous dexamethasone (n = 35) or placebo (n = 35). All patients underwent standardized procedures for general anesthesia and surgery. Episodes of PONV and pain score were recorded on a visual analogue scale. Analgesic and antiemetic requirements were also recorded. Results: Demographic and medical variables were similar between groups. The incidence of PONV was lower in the dexamethasone group at the early postoperative evaluation (28.6% vs. 60%; p = 0.02) and at 6 h (17.2% vs. 45.8%; p = 0.03). More patients in the placebo group required additional antiemetic medication (21 vs. 8; p = 0.01). Dexamethasone treatment significantly reduced postoperative pain just after surgery (VAS score, 4.54 ± 1.55 vs. 5.83 ± 2.00; p = 0.004), at 6 h (3.03 ± 1.20 vs. 4.17 ± 1.24; p < 0.0005) and at 12 h (2.09 ± 0.85 vs. 2.54 ± 0.98; p = 0.04). Analgesics were required in more patients of the control group (21 vs. 10; p = 0.008). There were no adverse events, morbidity or mortality. Conclusions: Preoperative intravenous dexamethasone (8 mg) can significantly reduce the incidence of PONV and pain in patients undergoing mastectomy with axillary dissection for breast cancer. Trial registration number: NCT01116713

To validate whether the platelet count/spleen size ratio can be used to predict the presence of esophageal varices in Mexican patients with hepatic cirrhosis. This was an analytical cross-sectional study to validate the diagnostic test for hepatic cirrhosis and was performed between February 2010 and December 2011. Patients with a diagnosis of hepatic cirrhosis were included and stratified using their Child-Pugh score. Biochemical parameters were evaluated, and ultrasound was used to measure the longest diameter of the spleen. The platelet count/spleen diameter ratio was calculated and analyzed to determine whether it can predict the presence of esophageal varices. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was used as the gold standard. Sensitivity and specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and positive and negative likelihood ratios were determined, with the cutoff points determined by receiver-operating characteristic curves. A total of 91 patients were included. The mean age was 53.75 ± 12 years; 50 (54.9%) were men, and 41 (45.0%) women. The etiology of cirrhosis included alcohol in 48 (52.7%), virally induced in 24 (26.3%), alcoholism plus hepatitis C virus in three (3.2%), cryptogenic in nine (9.8%), and primary biliary cirrhosis in seven (7.6%). Esophageal varices were present in 73 (80.2%) patients. Child-Pugh classification, 17 (18.6%) patients were classified as class A, 37 (40.6%) as class B, and 37 (40.6%) as class C. The platelet count/spleen diameter ratio to detect esophageal varices independent of the grade showed using a cutoff value of ≤ 884.3, had 84% sensitivity, 70% specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of 94% and 40%, respectively. Our results suggest that the platelet count/spleen diameter ratio may be a useful tool for detecting esophageal varices in patients with hepatic cirrhosis.