Ugeskrift for laeger
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Far-advanced cancer patients often have gastrointestinal symptoms. Many of these symptoms are reversible. In this report the causes and treatment options of the most frequent symptoms are demonstrated. ⋯ Focus is on the most challenging symptoms in daily practice, which are nausea, vomiting and bowel obstruction. Ethical dilemmas are often involved. Randomised trials are needed since evidence for treatment is sparse.
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Ugeskrift for laeger · Oct 2007
[Treatment of (pathological) fatigue in cancer patients--with focus on cancer patients in palliative phase].
Fatigue is the most frequent symptom in palliative cancer patients and has a very negative impact on patients' daily life. It is a subjective and multidimensional phenomenon, negatively influencing the patient's energy, physical and mental capacity and psychological state. Few studies on fatigue in palliative patients have been carried out, and research in this area is needed, including an evaluation of interventions to correct potential aetiologies of fatigue (e.g. anaemia, depression, anorexia) and an evaluation of the symptomatic therapies, pharmacological as well as non-pharmacological.
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Ugeskrift for laeger · Oct 2007
Review[Vitamin D insufficiency--possible etiologic factor of autoimmune diseases].
The primary source of vitamin D in humans is sun exposure to the skin. The incidence of certain autoimmune diseases correlates positively with latitude. ⋯ In experimental animal and cellular studies in vitro 1.25-(OH)2-vitamin D reduces inflammation. This article discusses the role of vitamin D in inflammatory bowel disease, type 1 diabetes mellitus, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis.
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Ugeskrift for laeger · Oct 2007
Review[Presurgical functional MR imaging in the mapping of language function].
Presurgical functional MR imaging (fMRI) is discussed as a possible replacement of intraoperative electrocortical stimulation (ES) in the mapping of language function. On the basis of a literature study and illustrated by our own preliminary clinical experience, it is concluded that at present fMRI does offer valuable information by identifying the language-dominant hemisphere preoperatively and estimating the distance between the tumour and functional language areas. However, it is not a reliable alternative to ES because of technical and conceptual problems.
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Ugeskrift for laeger · Oct 2007
[Learning and supervision in Danish clerkships--a qualitative study].
The medical profession and hospital practice have changed over the last decades without a concomitant change in Danish clerkships. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze learning and supervision in clerkships and to discuss how traditional clerkship learning matches a modern effective hospital environment. ⋯ A clerkship offers important learning opportunities for students. They are exposed to many patients and faced with various clinical problems. However, the benefit of students learning in authentic environments is not fully utilized, and the didactic supervision used by doctors hardly matches the learning conditions in a busy hospital. Consequently, we need to reassess the students' roles and doctors' supervisory methods.