Clinics
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Diastolic function and functional capacity after a single session of continuous positive airway pressure in patients with compensated heart failure.
The effects of acute continuous positive airway pressure therapy on left ventricular diastolic function and functional capacity in patients with compensated systolic heart failure remain unclear. ⋯ Continuous positive airway pressure does not acurately change the echocardiographic indexes of left ventricle systolic or diastolic function in patients with compensated systolic heart failure. However, 30-minute continuous positive airway pressure therapy appears to have an effect on left ventricular diastolic function by increasing functional capacity.
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To determine the effects of a formal auditory training program on the behavioral, electrophysiological and subjective aspects of auditory function in individuals with bilateral high-frequency hearing loss. ⋯ Auditory training in adults with high-frequency hearing loss led to improvements in figure-background hearing skills for verbal sounds, temporal ordination and resolution, and communication in noisy environments. Electrophysiological changes were also observed because, after the training, some long latency components that were absent pre-training were observed during the re-evaluation.
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The incidence of obesity and particularly super obesity, has increased tremendously. At our institution, super obesity represents 30.1% of all severely obese individuals in the bariatric surgery program. In super obesity, surgical morbidity is higher and the results are worse compared with morbid obesity, independent of the surgical technique. The primary strategy for minimizing complications in these patients is to decrease the body mass index before surgery. Preoperative weight reduction can be achieved by a hypocaloric diet, drug therapy, an intragastric balloon, or hospitalization. The objective of this study was to analyze the results of a period of hospitalization for preoperative weight loss in a group of super-obese patients. ⋯ In super obesity, preoperative weight loss is an important method for reducing surgical risks. Hospitalization and a hypocaloric diet are safe and effective. After 14 weeks, the weight loss rate stabilized, signaling the time of surgical intervention in our study.
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Gonadotropin therapy plays an integral role in ovarian stimulation for infertility treatments. Efforts have been made over the last century to improve gonadotropin preparations. Undoubtedly, current gonadotropins have better quality and safety profiles as well as clinical efficacy than earlier ones. ⋯ Recombinant and fill-by-mass technologies have been the driving forces for launching of prefilled pen devices for more patient-friendly ovarian stimulation. The most recent developments include the fixed combination of follitropin alfa + lutropin alfa, long-acting FSH gonadotropin, and a new family of prefilled pen injector devices for administration of recombinant gonadotropins. The next step would be the production of orally bioactive molecules with selective follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone activity.