This study aimed to explore the efficacy of tramadol for neurogenic cough and describe the longitudinal treatment experience.

A retrospective case series of adults with chronic cough who were treated with tramadol for neurogenic cough. A complete response was defined as no pathologic coughing, and a partial response was defined as 50 per cent or greater reduction in severity or frequency.

Sixty-nine patients were included: 38 per cent of patients reported a complete response with an additional 33 per cent reporting a partial response. The most common successful dosing regimen was 50 mg twice a day. Age, gender and body mass index did not impact treatment response. Patients with a history of laryngeal surgery were less likely to respond (p = 0.04). Sedation (10 per cent) was the most common side effect. Fifty per cent of complete responders (n = 13) were weaned off tramadol after a mean of 39 weeks of treatment.

Tramadol may be effective and is well tolerated in patients with neurogenic cough.

Infants with CHD who undergo cardiopulmonary bypass surgery are at risk of impaired growth and neurodevelopment. However, few studies have thoroughly investigated the risk factors for growth and neurodevelopmental impairments, particularly with respect to the timing of the initial surgical intervention.

We retrospectively analysed term singleton infants with CHD who underwent cardiopulmonary bypass surgery at a Japanese tertiary centre between 2015 and 2021. Neurodevelopment was assessed at 18–22 months of age using the Kyoto Scale of Psychological Development. We compared outcomes by CHD type (univentricular [UV] vs. biventricular [BV]) and analysed risk factors for growth impairment (weight and height < tenth percentile) and neurodevelopmental impairment (developmental quotient [DQ] < 85), including birth weight, sex, the type of CHD (UV or BV), and timing of the initial cardiopulmonary bypass surgery (<28 days or ≥28 days).

Of the 108 eligible children, 29 had UV physiology and 79 had BV physiology. Both groups showed impaired growth, with significantly lower body weights in the UV group. Neurodevelopmental scores (total DQ) were significantly lower in the UV group. Neurodevelopmental impairment (total DQ < 85) was observed in 44/108 (40.7%) children, and after adjustment, UV repair was significantly associated with neurodevelopmental impairment (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 3.11, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.27–7.65). Timing of the initial cardiopulmonary bypass surgery was not associated with outcomes.

Infants with CHD in Japan exhibit impaired growth and neurodevelopment at 18–22 months following cardiopulmonary bypass surgery, especially those with UV physiology.

This study aimed to determine the incidence, location and outcome of incidental avid lesions on positron emission tomography-computed tomography scans for head and neck cancer.

A retrospective study reviewing digital case notes, performed from a single centre. Clinicopathological information was collected and incidental avid lesions on positron emission tomography-computed tomography reports were recorded. Further investigations were followed up to determine the outcome of the lesions.

A total of 281 patients undergoing staging positron emission tomography-computed tomography (stages T4, N3 or unknown primary) and/or treatment response positron emission tomography-computed tomography scans for head and neck cancer were identified, with 363 incidental avid lesions reported in 369 scans. The most common location was the abdomen (30.0 per cent), followed by thorax (28.9 per cent). A total of 33.1 per cent of lesions had further investigation. The rate of incidental synchronous primary was 3.6 per cent.

The benefit of investigating carefully selected incidental avid lesions outweighs the harm of investigation, as it may alter management. There is a need for a standardised pathway for investigating these lesions in head and neck cancer services.

Diabetes mellitus is a prevalent chronic illness worldwide and largely impacts migrants who have settled in developed countries. In diabetes care, patients play a central role and are natural partners in self-care education for improving health. Upon reviewing the literature, no studies were found that evaluated culturally adapted education models led by a nurse and delivered by a multi-professional team from the perspective of migrants in a group setting. Therefore, this study aims to explore patients’ evaluation of the content and implementation of a person-centred, group-based diabetes education model for migrants with type 2 diabetes led by a nurse and delivered by a multi-professional team.

Qualitative exploratory study, using semi-structured interviews in focus groups and individually to collect data. Eleven migrants who had participated in an intervention testing the education model aged 45–70, who had been living in Sweden between 4–32 years participated. Inductive qualitative content analysis of data was undertaken.

Participants gave a positive picture of their experiences concerning the content and organisation of the person-centred, group-based, culturally adapted diabetes education model. The education sessions were described as providing new and evidence-based knowledge. The multi-professional education staff and the interpreter were perceived as having a professional and familiar approach. They wanted to recommend the education model to others.

The study revealed a well-functioning diabetes education model tailored to individual beliefs and cultural aspects. It improved perceived knowledge about type 2 diabetes among migrants, thus increasing self-care behaviour and health. In today’s multicultural society, the study offers insights into migrants’ feelings, ideas, concerns, knowledge, and experience regarding the content, structure, and outcome of a group-based, culturally adapted diabetes education model that can improve self-care behaviour to promote health and prevent illness. As a result, the education model can be used in primary healthcare as a central and natural partner in self-care education to improve health.

This study aimed to evaluate physical simulation models for endoscopic ear surgery including model types, validation methodology and educational outcomes.

A Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses compliant search of PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library was conducted to June 2025. Studies describing physical endoscopic ear surgery simulators with reported validation or educational outcomes were included.

Fourteen studies met inclusion criteria. Simulators comprised cadaveric animal heads, synthetic task trainers and single- and multi-material three-dimensional-printed models. Face validity was consistently high. Construct validity, assessed using Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills scores or timed tasks, was demonstrated in five studies. Content validity was reported in three studies. No study evaluated transfer validity. Educational outcomes included improvements in confidence, anatomical knowledge and task completion time.

Physical endoscopic ear surgery simulators show strong face validity and emerging construct validity, but evidence is limited by small, single-centre studies and methodological variability. Standardised validation and assessment of clinical transfer are needed to support integration into training pathways.

End-of-life (EOL) care for critically ill individuals is shaped by socioeconomic, legal, and cultural factors for Koreans in South Korea and Korean Americans (KA) in the United States. This scoping review thematically synthesized critical care literature from Korea and community-based literature involving KAs to inform culturally tailored EOL and palliative care research and practice.

Following the updated JBI scoping review guidance, we reviewed English and Korean articles across seven databases. Due to the lack of critical care studies involving KAs, the scope of U.S. studies was broadened to all healthcare settings. We conducted a thematic synthesis to identify cross-context cultural insights that are potentially transferable from Koreans in critical care to KAs with similar needs.

Evidence on EOL care for Koreans in critical care and for KA communities across U.S. settings was limited. Korea-based critical care studies (N = 23) highlighted physician-initiated decision-making, minimal advance care planning, and a lack of direct patient perspectives. U.S.-based studies (N = 26) focused on hypothetical palliative care preferences among older, community-dwelling KAs, with limited attention to critical care. Both contexts revealed shared cultural preferences for family-centered decision-making, physician-led discussions, and indirect communication about diagnosis and prognosis. Further research is warranted to investigate within-group heterogeneity and preference shifts across illness trajectories to inform culturally tailored EOL interventions for KAs.

Findings highlight the need for culturally and structurally informed approaches to improve EOL care in both Korea and the U.S. This cross-context analysis demonstrates how evidence from the heritage country can inform research and practice for immigrant and minoritized populations when domestic data are sparse. Strength-based approaches grounded in community values, combined with culturally specific insights from Korean literature, may enhance culturally responsive support for KA patients and families.

There is limited knowledge on titration, optimal dosing, and efficacy of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors in paediatric patients following cardiac surgery.

Patients after cardiac surgery to repair ventricular septal defect or coarctation of the aorta from 01/2017 to 12/2019 were eligible for a retrospective single-centre study. Medical records were reviewed for patient characteristics and outcomes. Mean arterial pressure response and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor dosage were collected. Controls were patients not receiving angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor postoperatively. Appropriate statistics were used for analysis.

Among a total of 286 patients [n = 188 (66%) ventricular septal defect; n = 98 (34%) coarctation of the aorta], 170 (59%) received angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor on any postoperative day 1 to 5. The median age was 4.9 months (IQR 1.2–14.4) and weight 5.5 kg (IQR 3.7–9.2). The most common angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor was captopril on day 1 [n = 117 (69%)] and lisinopril at discharge [n = 86 (51%)]. Patients in treatment group were shown to have higher median mean arterial pressure at baseline and at time 1, compared with controls (mean difference 3.57 (95% CI: 1.85, 5.35) and 3.46 (95% CI: 1.41, 5.50), respectively. Median mean arterial pressure among controls significantly increased over time with a slope of 0.97 (95% CI: 0.2, 1.74), while median mean arterial pressure among treatment group decreased with a slope of −0.31 (−0.93,0.31). Patients who received high and medium doses of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor showed significantly decreasing median mean arterial pressure over time with a slope of −2.85 (−5.14, −0.56) and −1.25 (−2.4, −0.11), respectively.

High and medium dose angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor therapy had a greater effect in decreasing mean arterial pressure when compared to low dose.

Canadian front-of-package (FOP) labelling regulations aim to improve dietary patterns by identifying foods high in sodium, sugars and/or saturated fat with a ‘high in’ FOP nutrition symbol. However, child-appealing marketing on product packaging may undermine these efforts. Therefore, this study (1) compared the prevalence of FOP symbols between products with child-appealing and non-child appealing packaging in the Canadian food supply and (2) identified the number and types of FOP symbols on products with child-appealing packaging (CAP).

Using the University of Toronto’s Food Label Information and Price 2017 database, 5850 packaged foods were analysed, 746 of which had CAP. Products were assessed against FOP labelling regulations.

Large grocery retailers by market share in Canada.

Foods and beverages available in 2017. Results: 74·4 % of products with CAP would require a ‘high in’ FOP symbol, significantly higher than the 65·7 % of products with non-CAP. Notably, 54·4 % of products with CAP exceeded FOP labelling thresholds for sugars compared with 37·8 % of products with non-CAP.

Findings highlight a policy gap in Canadian nutrition regulations, as CAP remains a major source of marketing of unhealthy foods to children, undermining the impact of FOP labelling. To address this, food packaging should be included in Canada’s marketing restrictions, and products displaying a ‘high in’ FOP symbol should be automatically restricted from marketing to children. This study underscores the urgent need to harmonise Canadian nutrition regulations to synergistically promote healthier food choices among children and improve their health.

This study aimed to update normative data and establish cut-off scores for a fruit-based semantic verbal fluency (SVF) task among older Taiwanese adults as a method for detecting mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The task was chosen due to its familiarity and cultural neutrality for Mandarin-speaking populations.

SVF performance was evaluated in 245 healthy control participants and 360 individuals diagnosed with MCI. The influence of demographic variables was examined, and regression-based correction formulas were developed. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses determined optimal cut-off values according to established clinical classifications of MCI.

Age, education, and sex significantly influenced SVF performance. A demographically corrected 15th percentile threshold of 10 words was proposed for community screening. An optimal ROC-derived cut-off of 11.5 words yielded an AUC of .716 (95% CI: .68–.76), with sensitivity of 57.8% and specificity of 73.9%. SVF scores were significantly correlated with global cognition, memory, and processing speed.

The fruit-based SVF task is a quick, culturally relevant tool for detecting early cognitive impairment. Revised norms and cut-off scores can improve MCI identification in Mandarin-speaking seniors.