Research Appraisals
Evidence-based critical appraisals of the latest medical research, systematically evaluated using Oxford CEBM methodology.
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Lasers in medical science
Facial contour modulation and skin tightening using 40.68-MHz unipolar radiofrequency
To evaluate changes in facial contour and skin elasticity following full-face treatment with 40.68-MHz unipolar radiofrequency (RF), and to assess its safety and tolerability in adults with mild-to-moderate facial laxity. This prospective single-arm interventional clinical study evaluated adults with mild-to-moderate facial laxity who underwent three full-face 40.68-MHz unipolar RF treatment sessions at 4-week intervals. The primary endpoint was the change in VECTRA-derived three-dimensional facial volumetric parameters from baseline to Week 20. Secondary outcomes included Cutometer-derived skin elasticity parameters (R2 and R5), Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale (GAIS), FACE-Q satisfaction scores, visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores, and adverse event monitoring. Of the 30 enrolled participants, 26 completed follow-up and were included in the final analysis. By Week 20, VECTRA 3D analysis demonstrated modest volume reductions in the cheek (- 2.2 mL), jowl (- 1.7 mL), and submental region (- 2.9 mL). Skin elasticity parameters increased over time, with R2 increasing from 0.62 to 0.69 and R5 from 0.53 to 0.59. GAIS improvement was observed in 88.5% of participants, and the mean FACE-Q score increased to 72.4 ± 10.1. Treatment was well tolerated, with low mean pain scores (VAS 1.2 ± 0.9). Only transient erythema and mild edema were reported, with no serious adverse events observed. Three sessions of 40.68-MHz unipolar RF were associated with modest measurable improvements in facial contour and skin elasticity that were maintained during the 20-week observation period, with good tolerability and no serious adverse events. Because this was an uncontrolled single-arm study, these findings should be interpreted as preliminary and require confirmation in controlled studies with longer follow-up.
27 July 2026
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Synchronous wearable ultrasound for early detection of coronary and carotid artery comorbidity
Coronary heart disease (CHD) and carotid artery disease (CAD) often co-occur. However, conventional diagnosis typically involves separate, site-by-site examinations after symptoms appear, leading to delayed intervention. In this work, we developed a wearable ultrasound system that enables synchronous monitoring of cardiac and carotid dynamics for comorbidity assessment. The system combines dual wearable ultrasound patches, a synchronous imaging strategy, artificial intelligence-based image processing algorithms, and human circuitry models to automatically extract and analyze key cardiac-carotid metrics, such as heart rate, pulse rate, cardiac volume, cardiac output, and carotid blood pressure. By evaluating the correlation of these metrics between modeling and measurements, we showed the feasibility of differentiating among healthy participants and patients with CAD, CHD, or CAD-CHD comorbidity. This integrated approach constitutes a promising framework for supporting the proactive assessment of coronary-carotid comorbidity.
21 June 2026
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