Medicine
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Observational Study
Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis in Intensive Care Unit: A 71-Case Strobe-Compliant Retrospective Study.
Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a critical condition that may lead to organ failure and early death. The aim of this retrospective observational study was to describe a cohort of HLH patients admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) and investigate the risk factors of early death. A positive HLH diagnosis was defined by an HScore ≥ 169. ⋯ The factors associated with increased hospital mortality were a high sequential organ failure assessment score at ICU admission (P < 0.01), advance in age (P = 0.04), and the presence of lymphoma-related HLH or HLH of unknown origin (P < 0.01). Organ failure overtops the classical early-death risk factors in adult ICU-admitted HLH patients. This failure and the subsequent early death may be prevented by timely specific cytotoxic therapies and the control of the underlying disease.
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Meta Analysis
Effectiveness and Safety of Warfarin in Dialysis Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: A Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies.
In routine practice, warfarin is widely used in dialysis patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) for stroke prevention though the ratio of risks to benefits remains unclear. Recent cohort studies investigating the association between warfarin use and the risks of stroke and bleeding in dialysis patients with AF present conflicting results. The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness and safety of warfarin use in patients with AF undergoing dialysis. ⋯ Overall, warfarin use did not have a significant association with reduced mortality (95% CI 0.96-1.11). It appears that warfarin use is not beneficial in reducing stroke risk, but with a high risk for bleeding in dialysis patients with AF. Randomized trials are needed to determine the risk-benefit ratio of warfarin in dialysis patients with AF.
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Observational Study
Vitamin D Status and the Risk of Anemia in Community-Dwelling Adults: Results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2001-2006.
Low vitamin D status has been implicated in several chronic medical conditions and unfavorable health outcomes. Our goal was to investigate whether serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) levels are a potentially modifiable risk factor for anemia in a nationally representative cohort of community-dwelling individuals in the United States. We performed a cross-sectional study of 5456 individuals (≥17 years) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2001 to 2006. ⋯ Compared to individuals with ≥20 ng/mL, individuals with 25OHD levels <20 ng/mL were more likely to be anemic (adjusted odds ratio 1.64; 95% confidence interval 1.08-2.49). In a nationally representative sample of community-dwelling individuals in the United States, low 25OHD levels were associated with increased risk of anemia. Randomized controlled trials are needed to determine whether optimizing vitamin D status can reduce the burden of anemia in the general population.
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Observational Study
Can We Reduce Negative Blood Cultures With Clinical Scores and Blood Markers? Results From an Observational Cohort Study.
Only a small proportion of blood cultures routinely performed in emergency department (ED) patients is positive. Multiple clinical scores and biomarkers have previously been examined for their ability to predict bacteremia. Conclusive clinical validation of these scores and biomarkers is essential. ⋯ Similarly, a Shapiro score ≥3 or PCT >0.25 μg/L would reduce cultures by 41.7% and still identify 96.1% of positive blood cultures. Combination of the Shapiro score with admission levels of PCT can help reduce unnecessary blood cultures with minimal false negative rates. The study was registered on January 9, 2013 at the 'ClinicalTrials.gov' registration web site (NCT01768494).
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Comparative Study Observational Study
Ultrasound-Guided Versus Fluoroscopy-Guided Caudal Epidural Steroid Injection for the Treatment of Unilateral Lower Lumbar Radicular Pain: Case-Controlled, Retrospective, Comparative Study.
The aim of the article is to investigate the efficacy of ultrasound (US)-guided Caudal Epidural Steroid Injection (CESI) compared with fluoroscopy (FL)-guided CESI in patients with unilateral lower lumbar radicular pain. This case-controlled, retrospective, comparative study was done at the university hospital. A total of 110 patients treated with US- or FL-guided CESI were administered a mixture of 20 cc (0.5% lidocaine 18.0 mL + dexamethason 10 mg 2 mL). ⋯ No statistical differences in ODI, VNS were observed between groups (P < 0.05). No significant differences in the proportion of patients with successful treatment were observed between the groups from the 3-month to 6-month to 12-month outcomes. US-guided CESI is deserving of consideration in conservative management of unilateral lower lumbar radicular pain.