(1) Introduction: COPD is a common and serious condition affecting a significant proportion of the population globally. Patients often suffer from exacerbations which lead to the worsening of their health status and respiratory function, and can often lead to death. Quick and cheap investigations are required that are capable of predicting mortality in patients with acute exacerbations that can be applied in low resource settings. (2) Materials and methods: This was a retrospective study carried out using hospital records of patients admitted for AECOPD from 1 January 2017 to 30 November 2022. Chi-square test (for sex) and Student’s t-test were used to look for significant associations. Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) curves were plotted and Area Under Curve (AUC) values were calculated for various hematological parameters. Youden’s J was used to identify the ideal cut-off with optimal sensitivity and specificity. Multivariate Cox regression was used to identify independent hematological predictors of mortality. Kaplan–Meir survival plots for neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (NLR) with the optimal cut-off were plotted. (3) Results: Amongst the 500 patients, 42 died while 458 survived, giving a mortality rate of 8.4%. NLR had the strongest association with mortality. The cut-off for various parameters were: NLR 14.83 (AUC 0.73), total leukocyte count (TLC) 13,640 cells/mm³ (AUC 0.60), absolute neutrophil count (ANC) 12,556 cells/mm³ (AUC 0.62), derived NLR (dNLR) 9.989 (AUC 0.73), hemoglobin 11.8 mg/dL (AUC 0.59), packed cell volume (PCV) 36.6% (AUC 0.60), and platelet lymphocyte ratio (PLR) 451.32 (AUC 0.55). (4) Conclusions: In patients with acute exacerbation of COPD, NLR was strongly associated with mortality, followed by dNLR. Cox regression identified NLR as an independent predictor of mortality.

A stroke, also known as cerebrovascular accident (CVA), is a medical condition that occurs when the blood supply to the brain is interrupted, resulting in brain cell death. Cancer-associated stroke (CAS) is a rare but serious complication of cancer, where a malignant tumor or its metastases invade or compress the blood vessels in the brain, resulting in a stroke. We describe a case of a 60-year-old male patient recently diagnosed with lung cancer with metastasis to the liver, esophagus, small intestine, and pancreas who has had at least three CVAs within a span of three months. He developed sequelae such as hemiplegia and aphasia. He was managed with dual antiplatelet therapy, neuroprotective drugs, and physiotherapy. Patients with advanced cancers should be routinely screened for neurovascular complications and risks. Prophylactic therapy should be started wherever warranted.

Background: Early-onset colorectal cancer (EOCRC), defined as diagnosis before age 50, is increasing despite declining colorectal cancer (CRC) rates among older adults. Emerging evidence suggests widening racial and ethnic disparities. We aimed to characterize long-term EOCRC incidence and mortality trends across racial and ethnic groups in the United States with comparisons by tumor subtype. Methods: We conducted a population-based analysis using United States Cancer Statistics data (2001–2021) for EOCRC incidence and National Center for Health Statistics data (2000–2022) for mortality. Analyses were stratified by race/ethnicity and histology. Trends were quantified using average annual percent change (AAPC) with 95% confidence intervals (Cis). Results: Among 474,601 early-onset adenocarcinoma (EO-ADC) cases, incidence increased in all racial and ethnic groups except Non-Hispanic Black individuals, in whom incidence declined (AAPC = −0.35%, 95% CI −0.63 to −0.08; p = 0.01). The steepest incidence increases occurred among American Indian/Alaska Native (AIAN; AAPC = 3.39%, 95% CI 2.70–4.15), Hispanic (AAPC = 0.94%, 95% CI 0.61–1.30), and Asian/Pacific Islander populations (AAPC = 0.64%, 95% CI 0.37–0.95; all p < 0.001). EOCRC mortality increased among AIAN (AAPC = 2.67%, 95% CI 1.26–4.26; p = 0.001) and Hispanic populations (AAPC = 0.81%, 95% CI 0.39–1.27; p < 0.001), but declined among Black individuals (AAPC = −1.08%, 95% CI −1.29 to −0.77; p < 0.001). Neuroendocrine tumors increased more rapidly than adenocarcinomas across all groups. Conclusions: EOCRC incidence and mortality are rising most rapidly among AIAN and Hispanic populations. Distinct incidence trajectories of colorectal neuroendocrine tumors compared with adenocarcinomas highlight the importance of histology-specific analyses for accurate epidemiologic interpretation.

Metabolic-associated steatotic liver disease is currently one of the most common causes of liver disease in the world, affecting a large portion of the global population; these patients are at risk of developing advanced liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. Noninvasive tests (NITs), including lab tests such as FIB-4, NAFLD Fibrosis Score and the Aspartate Aminotransferase-to-Platelet Ratio Index, are widely used for fibrosis risk stratification, but their accuracy across various racial, ethnic, and age groups remains poorly characterized. This review examines disparities in NIT performance across these populations and the need for tailored screening strategies. A comprehensive, narrative literature review highlighted significant variability in NIT performance, with studies in African American, Hispanic and Asian patients all revealing mixed results when the performance of NITs was used to assess fibrosis levels. Additionally, the age of patients may influence fibrosis testing, as older adults tend to have higher false-positive rates due to age-based biases. Although imaging modalities like VCTE and MRE may offer superior accuracy in the noninvasive assessment of hepatic fibrosis, they face accessibility limitations and have rarely been validated in specific racial groups. This review concludes that current NITs for MASLD risk stratification needs to be recalibrated with population-specific and age-adjusted thresholds, and future research should focus on inclusive validation studies and integrating clinical judgment to improve screening accuracy.