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BACKGROUND Previous systematic reviews (2008; 2016) concluded similarity in outcomes between brand-name and generic drugs in cardiology, but they included ≥ 50% comparative bioavailability studies, not designed or powered to detect a difference in efficacy or safety between drug types. We aimed to summarise best-evidence regarding the effectiveness and safety of generic versus brand-name drugs used in cardiology. METHODS For this systematic review of the literature, scientific databases (MEDLINE and EMBASE) were searched from January 1984 to October 2018. Original research reports comparing the clinical impact of brand-name versus generic cardiovascular drugs on humans treated in a real-life setting, were selected. Meta-analyses and subgroup analyses were performed. Heterogeneity (I2) and risk of bias were tested. RESULTS Among the 3148 screened abstracts, 72 met the inclusion criteria (n ≥ 1,000,000 patients, mean age 65 ± 10 years; 42% women). A total of 60% of studies showed no difference between drug types, while 26% concluded that the brand-name drug was more effective or safe, 13% were inconclusive and only 1% concluded that generics did better. The overall crude risk ratio of all-cause hospital visits for generic versus brand-name drug was 1.14 (95% confidence interval 1.06-1.23; I2 98%), while it was 1.05 (0.98-1.14; I2 68%) for cardiovascular hospital visits. The crude risk ratio was not statistically significant for randomised controlled trials only (n = 4; 0.92 [0.63-1.34], I2 35%). CONCLUSION The crude risk of hospital visits was higher for patients exposed to generic compared to brand-name cardiovascular drugs. However, the evidence is insufficient and too heterogeneous to draw any firm conclusion regarding the effectiveness and safety of generic drugs in cardiology.INTRODUCTION Mounting evidence highlights the adverse effects of opioids. In spite of this, clinicians often prescribe excessive number of discharge opioids. The aim of this systematic review is to analyse the potential of harm from discharge opioids after inpatient care including excessive prescribing of discharge opioids, improper handling of unused opioids, and unintentional chronic opioid use. METHODS A systematic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases at the cut-off date of 1 December 2018 was conducted for studies reporting on various harmful effects of discharge opioids after inpatient care. RESULTS Twenty-eight studies analysed the potential for harm of discharge opioids after various inpatient surgical or medical procedures. On average, patients consumed only 38% of the prescribed discharge opioid pills. Seventy-two percent of patients stored their leftover opioids in an unlocked location, and failure to dispose of unused opioids was reported in 94.5% of patients. These factors may contribute to the increasing rate of opioid misuse and diversion in the community. In addition, discharge opioids contribute to prolonged opioid use; the proportion of opioid-naïve patients still consuming opioids 3 months after hospital discharge is 10.4%. At 6 months, the proportion is 4.4%. Unintentional chronic opioid use is associated with pre-operative opioid use, history of substance use, specific comorbidities, and invasive surgical procedures. CONCLUSION This systematic review suggests that the current discharge opioid prescribing practices can be improved. Lack of patient education regarding storage and disposal of opioids also contributes to the increasing rate of opioid misuse, diversion, and unintended long-term use. More high-quality research with comparable outcomes is needed. Evidence-based hospital guidelines and public health policies are needed to improve opioid stewardship.BACKGROUND Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is characterized by repeated episodes of complete or partial obstructions of the upper airway during sleep, frequently followed by transient hypoxemia. Advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) are a family of oxidized protein products, and oxidative stress has a substantial role in the morbidity of OSAS. AIMS The aim of this study was to investigate the serum levels of advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) as a marker of oxidative stress, and their correlation with polysomnographic parameters in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). selleck chemicals llc Additionally, we investigated the effect of positive airway pressure (PAP) treatment on serum AOPP values and compared the levels before and after the treatment. METHODS The study enrolled a total of 125 subjects including 59 patients with severe OSAS, 34 patients with moderate OSAS, 32 patients with mild OSAS, and 40 healthy controls. Mean AOPP values were compared between OSAS groups and control groups. Cthese levels.This study investigated the imaging and clinical features of cervical artery web to improve disease diagnosis. Imaging and clinical data of 41 patients with cervical artery web were retrospectively analyzed and summarized in the context of the literature. Of the 8653 patients who underwent carotid computed tomography angiography (CTA) in the past 3 years at our hospital, 41 (0.47%) were diagnosed with cervical artery web. Among the 41 patients, there were 38 web structures in typical position, including 26 web structures located in the internal carotid artery and 12 in the proximal bifurcation of the common carotid artery. And the other three web structures were located outside carotid artery, including two in the subclavian artery and one in the vertebral artery. There were 47 web structures in 41 cases of cervical artery web; 35/41 (85.3%) were unilateral and 6/41 (14.7%) were bilateral. Among 41 patients, there were 20 patients who had cerebral infarction, 14 who experienced transient ischemic attack, 3 patients with cerebral hemorrhage; and 4 with other manifestations. Cervical artery web showed typical imaging features in the carotid CTA. Cervical artery web was most common in the internal carotid artery and at the bifurcation of the common carotid artery. It was also occasionally found in other rare artery such as vertebral and subclavian artery. Based on the various locations of web structure, we think it is necessary to rename carotid web as cervical artery web. Most of the attachment sites of the web structures were located in the posterior wall of the lumen, followed by the lateral wall; sites on the anterior wall were rare. Cervical artery web may be an underappreciated risk factor for stroke. And hypertension can increase the incidence of ischemic stroke in patients with cervical artery web.