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Introduction: Herein, we explore whether coil embolization (CE) is effective in treating veno-occlusive dysfunction (VOD). We present five cases with seven CE episodes and a narrative literature review. Methods: From 2013 to 2018, refractory impotence prompted five men to seek penile vascular stripping (PVS), although seven CE episodes were included. All received dual cavernosography in which erection-related veins and VOD were documented. PVS entailed the venous stripping of one deep dorsal vein and two cavernosal veins. The abridged five-item version of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) score system and the erection hardness scale (EHS) were used, and yearly postoperative follow-ups were conducted via the Internet. Using Pub Med, a narrative literature review was performed on CE treatment for VOD or varicocele. Results: Inserted coils were scattered along the erection-related veins, including the deep dorsal veins (n = 4), periprostatic plexus (n = 5), iliac vein (n = 5), right pulmonary artery (n = 2), left pulmonary artery (n = 2), and right ventricle (n = 1). PVS resulted in some improvements in the IIEF-5 score and EHS scale. Six articles highly recommend CE treatment for VOD. All claimed it is a minimally invasive effective treatment for varicocele. Conclusions: CE is not justified as a VOD treatment, regardless of its viability in the treatment of varicocele.

Introduction: Traditional anatomy-based penile venous surgery is deemed inadequate. Based on revolutionary insights into penile vasculature, penile venous stripping (PVS) shows promise in treating adolescent erectile dysfunction (AED). We aimed to report on this novel approach. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 223 individuals under 30 diagnosed with veno-occlusive dysfunction (VOD) between 2009 and 2023. Among them, 83 were diagnosed with AED and divided into the PVS (n = 37) and no-surgery (NS, n = 46) groups. All participants had been dissatisfied with conventional therapeutic options. Dual pharmaco-cavernosography was the primary diagnostic modality. PVS involved stripping the deep dorsal vein and two cavernosal veins after securing each emissary’s vein with a 6-0 nylon suture. Erection restoration was accessed using the abridged five-item version of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) score system and the erection hardness scale (EHS). Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS 21.0. Results: There were significant differences (both p < 0.001) between the preoperative and postoperative IIEF-5 scores in the PVS and NS groups (9.8 ± 3.0 vs. 20.4 ± 2.2; 9.9 ± 2.5 vs. 9.5 ± 2.1), as well as in the EHS scores (1.7 ± 0.7 vs. 3.5 ± 0.6 and 1.8 ± 0.5 vs. 1.3 ± 0.4). The satisfaction rate was 87.9% (29/33) in the PVS group and 16.7% (17/41) in the NS group. Conclusions: AED can be effectively treated using physiological methods, although larger patient cohorts are needed for validation.

Background: Currently, there is no clear conclusion regarding whether the ingestion of probiotics by humans can effectively maintain the intestinal physical barrier. The abundant bacterial population within intestinal tissues may encounter potential health issues, such as inflammation and infections. Therefore, the preservation of the integrity of the intestinal physical barrier plays a crucial role in reducing the body’s inflammatory response. However, further research is still needed to determine whether oral probiotics in humans can effectively maintain the functionality of this physical barrier. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate whether probiotic interventions alleviate intestinal leakage and strengthen intestinal barrier function. Methods: This systematic literature review and meta-analysis was conducted using three databases (PubMed, Science Direct, and ProQuest) to search for studies published from January 2010 to October 2020. Only randomized controlled trials of probiotic intervention for people with high intestinal permeability situations were included. Results: This meta-analysis included five randomized controlled trials, comprising 283 participants in total. Intestinal permeability was not significantly improved by probiotics intervention neither in short-time nor in long-term administrate. Conclusion: The meta-analysis study suggested that probiotics might not be an effective intervention for people with intestinal leakage. Probiotics might be considered as supplement food in maintaining normal intestinal permeability.

Objective: This article aims to provide the experiences of mindfulness treatments from the perspectives of patients with a history of substance abuse. Data source: Peer-reviewed articles on 5 databases, namely, PubMed, PsychINFO, Medline, CINAHL and the Cochrane Library, between the year of 2000 and 2023. Study Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria: Studies were included if they were published in the English language and reported on qualitative studies that directly engaged patients with experiences of substance abuse and mindfulness treatments. Data extraction: After our initial search, 5355 studies were reviewed by title and abstract, consequently, 10 studies were included. Data synthesis: Meta-ethnography were used in this study. Data were obtained from the quotations from participants and text under the heading “results” or “findings” from the included 10 studies. Results: Effective mindfulness-based interventions (MBI) influence recovery from substance abuse. Four themes were identified as factors influencing the MBI treatment effect. They were (1) engaging in mindfulness: entry and retention, (2) perceived benefits of MBIs, (3) implementation of treatment group and (4) maintenance of treatment effect. Conclusion: This article examines the scientific literature to date and presents the evidence on the factors that influentially impact the effect of MBIs in patients with substance abuse. The findings of this study should be helpful in guiding clinical practice, policy, and future research focused on the treatment effect of MBIs for person with substance use.

Sleeve gastrectomy achieves long-term weight control by reducing gastric volume. However, postoperative gastrointestinal symptoms and insufficient nutritional intake are likely to occur, which are not conducive to physical health. A retrospective study aimed to investigate changes in nutritional status and associated factors in patients after sleeve gastrectomy. Data were collected from the medical records of patients who underwent sleeve gastrectomy at a teaching hospital in Taiwan. Data from 120 patients who met the eligibility criteria were included in the analysis. The results show that sleeve gastrectomy has a strong weight loss effect. Within 12 months, the average body mass index of the patients decreased by 13.47 kg/m2. The number of morbidly obese patients decreased from 62 (51.7%) to 3 (2.5%). However, surgery is also associated with gastrointestinal symptoms and the threat of malnutrition. The number of patients with moderate to severe nutritional risk increased from 4 (3.3%) before surgery to 24 (20%) at 12-month follow-up. Likewise, the number of patients with anemia increased from 11 (9.2%) to 29 (24.17%). Gender, constipation, and diarrhea affected postoperative nutritional status. These findings suggest that patients after sleeve gastrectomy are at risk of malnutrition and require regular monitoring. Special attention should be given to women and patients with constipation or diarrhea, as they are at a particularly high risk of malnutrition.

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is more prevalent in women with age. Comorbidities are prevalent in OA patients. In this study, we conducted a follow-up study to evaluate whether women with OA are at an increased risk of ischemic stroke using insurance claims data of Taiwan. Methods: We identified 13,520 women with OA aged 20–99 newly diagnosed in 2000–2006 and 27,033 women without OA for comparison, frequency matched by age and diagnosis date. Women with baseline history of hypertension and other disorders associated with stroke were excluded for this study. Incident ischemic stroke was assessed by the end of 2013. A nested case-control analysis was used to identify factors associated with the stroke in the OA cohort. Results: The incidence rate of ischemic stroke in the OA cohort was 1.5-fold greater than that in comparisons (1.93 versus 1.26 per 1,000 person-years), with an adjusted hazard ratio of 1.34 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09–1.66). The nested case-control analysis showed that stroke cases were twice as likely to develop hypertension during the follow-up period than controls without stroke. The ischemic stroke risk was significantly associated with hypertension (odds ratio [OR] 1.84; 95% CI, 1.37–2.46) and atrial fibrillation (OR 2.25; 95% CI, 1.24–4.09). Ischemic stroke was not associated with the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or aspirin. Conclusion: Women with OA are at an elevated risk of ischemic stroke. A close monitoring of hypertension, atrial fibrillation, and other stroke related comorbidities is required for stroke prevention for OA patients.

Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is a common, painful, and long-term complication of herpes zoster (HZ). PHN increases the demand for healthcare services and, previous studies showed that patients who received antiviral agents were less likely to develop PHN. The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy of prodrugs and acyclovir in treating PHN among patients with HZ. The search included the PubMed, Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Center of Register of Controlled Trails databases through February 2022. Clinical trials and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving antiviral agent intervention for HZ patients diagnosed with PHN were eligible for inclusion. A meta-analysis was conducted to calculate pooled risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) with a fix-effect model. Five RCTs with 1147 HZ patients met our eligibility criteria. Our meta-analysis found that there was a significantly lower risk of PHN for members of the prodrugs group (famciclovir and valaciclovir) compared with those who received acyclovir (RR = 0.86, 95%, CI: 0.75 to 0.98, p = 0.03). The review of studies indicated that the efficacy of prodrugs was better than acyclovir for reliving PHN.