Medicina clinica
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This article reviews the medico-legal aspects associated with infectious diseases, highlighting their complexity and the challenges they pose. Infectious diseases cause not only an increase in morbidity and mortality in the healthcare setting but also involve complex legal issues. Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs) represent a growing risk with the increase in invasive procedures and can lead to patient complications and legal claims against healthcare professionals and institutions. ⋯ The review focuses on highlighting the importance of prevention, considering that healthcare-associated infections can be difficult to avoid, posing complex legal challenges. It concludes that managing infectious diseases and their legal consequences requires careful consideration of clinical practice guidelines, prevention and control strategies, and effective communication with patients. An integrated and evidence-based approach is advocated to address these challenges, emphasizing continuous education, the use of advanced diagnostic technologies, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
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An ideal test to evaluate the inflammatory burden in ulcerative colitis is still an unmet need. Fecal calprotectin (FCP) and C-reactive protein (CRP) have significant limitations. Plasma calprotectin (PC) seems to be promising in inflammatory diseases, but its value in IBD is still to be determined. Our aim was to assess whether PC correlates with inflammatory activity in UC. ⋯ PC has low value in distinguishing patients in remission from patients with endoscopic or histologic activity in UC. This essential role must continue be played by FCP.
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Mechanical thrombectomy is a useful technique in patients with high-risk pulmonary embolism. It is indicated as an alternative to systemic fibrinolysis when it is contraindicated or as an adjuvant therapy when it fails. ⋯ In our series, mechanical thrombectomy is a useful technique as an alternative to systemic fibrinolysis or as an adjuvant therapy to it.
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Evaluate clinical and subclinical arteriosclerotic disease in older patients with hip fracture compared with patients without fracture in order to increase knowledge about the relation between both diseases in older individuals. ⋯ Older patients with hip fracture had significantly higher presence of subclinical alterations but not increase on rate of cardiovascular arteriosclerotic disease compared with those without hip fracture.
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Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease, yet it is often overlooked in routine clinical assessments. As a primarily genetically determined risk factor, the traditional recommendation is to assess its level once in a lifetime, as the variability of Lp(a) over time is considered to be minimal. This study aims to evaluate the potential variability of Lp(a) in clinically stable patients and investigate factors contributing to the lack of stable levels. ⋯ Our study suggests reconsidering the reliance on a single Lp(a) measurement for assessing cardiovascular risk. Repeat measurements, particularly in borderline cases, may be beneficial.