Stroke is a leading cause of death among women in the United States, and women are more affected by stroke than men. With women living longer than men, women experience not only a higher incidence of stroke but also more negative outcomes. Despite its lethal impact and high morbidity rate, the road from innovative bench research to improved clinical outcomes has been slow. This review explores the differential physiology, epidemiology, and clinical presentation of stroke between men and women, as well as the current status of laboratory and clinical data.

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Factitial cheilitis is a rare diagnosis of exclusion that occurs most frequently in young women with a history of anxiety disorders and recent psychosocial stressors. It presents as continuous keratinaceous build-up, crusting, and desquamation of the lips, consistent with exfoliative cheilitis. Affected areas can progress to superinfection with Staphylococcus aureus or Candida albicans. We report a case of a 23-year-old woman who presented with diffuse hyperkeratosis of the upper and lower lips that was initially suspected to be allergic or irritant contact dermatitis based on clinical examination. Clinical and histologic correlation of two separate biopsies plus a negative infectious workup led to the consideration of a factitial etiology. Through open and direct communication between the patient and the provider, the appropriate diagnosis was discerned. Referral for the psychiatric symptoms as well as management of the same resulted in complete resolution of her lip findings. This case highlights the importance of considering factitial cheilitis as the etiology of exfoliative cheilitis, especially in the presence of concomitant psychiatric disorders.

Lower extremity amputation is one of the most unfortunate, yet preventable, consequences of uncontrolled lower limb ischemia occurring secondary to diabetes mellitus or peripheral arterial disease. In the United States, racial and socioeconomic disparities are associated with significant differences seen in the incidence and type or level of lower extremity amputation among patients. Due to shifting demographics and the uncertain state of healthcare coverage, lower extremity amputation rates are only projected to increase in the future. Given the potential societal and individual costs associated with the loss of a limb, this review seeks to summarize the recent findings on disparities in the identification, treatments offered, and outcomes of lower limb ischemia in order to elucidate potential interventions at the practitioner and policy levels.

Sister Mary Joseph nodule (SMJN) is an uncommon pattern of superficial periumbilical tumor metastasis, with the primary tumor most commonly associated with gynecological or gastrointestinal origins. This manifestation can represent extensive tumor development from any of the intra-abdominal or pelvic structures. Therefore, SMJN carries a poor prognosis, with a two-year survival rate of only 13.5 percent regardless of the etiology of primary cancer. In this case, a 67-year-old man with metastatic mucinous adenocarcinoma of the appendix involving the umbilicus presenting more than five years after the initial cancer diagnosis is reported. The features of patients with metastatic appendiceal carcinoma presenting as SMJN are also reviewed. With the inclusion of our patient, there are six patients who have documented SMJN due to appendiceal carcinoma: two men, two women, and two patients without demographic data. The patients ranged from the ages of 31 to 68 years, with a median age of 56.5 years at cancer diagnosis and 59 years at SMJN diagnosis. In 75 percent of the cases, SMJN was the initial clinical manifestation of a previously unsuspected appendiceal carcinoma and presented clinically one to seven months (median of five months) before the pathologic confirmation of the metastatic appendiceal carcinoma. The likelihood of SMJN presenting as the initial clinical feature of appendiceal cancer may increase in patients with extensive intraperitoneal metastasis in the form of pseudomyxoma peritonei or carcinomatosis. Therefore, the observation of a solitary umbilical nodule should prompt an investigation for an underlying primary neoplasm, as the prognosis after tumor metastasis to the umbilicus is poor.