Medicine
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Observational Study
Incidence and risk factors of acute kidney injury associated with continuous intravenous high-dose vancomycin in critically ill patients: A retrospective cohort study.
For vancomycin therapy of severe infections, the Infectious Diseases Society of America recommends high vancomycin trough levels, whose potential for inducing nephrotoxicity is controversial. We evaluated the incidence and risk factors of acute kidney injury (AKI) in critically ill patients given continuous intravenous vancomycin with target serum vancomycin levels of 20 to 30 mg/L. We retrospectively studied 107 continuous intravenous vancomycin treatments of ≥48 hours' duration with at least 2 serum vancomycin levels ≥20 mg/L in critically ill patients. ⋯ Factors independently associated with AKI were highest serum vancomycin ≥40 mg/L (odds ratio [OR], 3.75; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.40-10.37; P < 0.01), higher cumulative number of organ failures (OR, 2.63 95%CI, 1.42-5.31; P < 0.01), and cirrhosis of the liver (OR, 5.58; 95%CI, 1.08-31.59; P = 0.04). In this study, 29% of critically ill patients had AKI develop during continuous intravenous vancomycin therapy targeting serum levels of 20 to 30 mg/L. Serum vancomycin level ≥40 mg/L was independently associated with AKI.
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Case Reports
Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with biologics may exacerbate HTLV-1-associated conditions: A case report.
There are roughly 5 to 10 million persons infected with human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) worldwide, and the safety of treating this population with biologics remains poorly understood. ⋯ To the best of our knowledge, this represents the first report worldwide of a biologic aggravating HTLV-1-associated conditions. This report suggests that caution is advised when using biologics to treat HTLV-1-infected patients, though further research is required to clarify the situation.
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Observational Study
A case control study on the structural equation model of the mechanism of coagulation and fibrinolysis imbalance in chronic schistosomiasis.
A structural equation model was used for verification with chronic schistosomiasis to investigate the coagulation-anticoagulation system imbalance and to deduce the mechanism of D-dimer (D-D) level elevation in patients with advanced schistosome hepatic disease. We detected the plasma levels of tissue-type fiber plasminogen activator (tPA), urokinase type plasminogen activator (uPA), plasmin-antiplasmin complex (PAP), plasminogen (PLG), antithrombin (AT), plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI1), D-D, factor VIII: C (FVIII:C), antithrombin-III (AT-III), PLG, protein S (PS), and protein C (PC) in the healthy people as control (69), patients with chronic schistosomiasis (150) or advanced chronic schistosomiasis (90). FVIII, PAP, D-D, tPA, and uPA plasma levels were significantly higher in the chronic group than in the control group and were also significantly higher in the advanced group. ⋯ Furthermore, we established a structural equation model path of a "chronic schistosomiasis disease stage-(coagulation-anticoagulation-fibrinolysis)-D-D." By using analysis of moment structures (AMOS), it was shown that the chronic schistosomiasis stage was positively related to factor VIII and had negative correlation with AT-III; a good positive correlation with PAP, tPA, and uPA; and a good negative correlation with PLG and PAI1. In addition, our results show that the path coefficient of anticoagulation-fibrinolysis system to the chronic stage of schistosomiasis or D-D levels was significantly higher than that of the coagulation system. In conclusion, the coagulation and fibrinolysis imbalance in patients with chronic schistosomiasis, especially with advanced schistosomiasis, is due to the progression of disease stages.
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Observational Study
An analysis of variations of indications and maternal-fetal prognosis for caesarean section in a tertiary hospital of Beijing: A population-based retrospective cohort study.
In recent decades, we have observed a remarkable increase in the rate of caesarean section (CS) in both developed and developing countries, especially in China. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) systematic review, if the increase in CS rate was between 10% and 15%, the maternal and neonatal mortality was decreased. However, above this level, increasing the rate of CS is no longer associated with reduced mortality. ⋯ Caesarean delivery on maternal request (CDMR) cannot improve the maternal-fetal prognosis compared with the spontaneous vaginal delivery. With the releasing of China's 2 children policy, more CS will be implemented due to previous CS. There is a need for further research that evaluates interventions for increasing VBAC rates that target clinicians.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Effects of single-dose preemptive intravenous ibuprofen on postoperative opioid consumption and acute pain after laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
Although studies involving intravenous (IV) ibuprofen are still limited, it has been shown to have a potential role in the treatment of postoperative pain. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the effects of preemptive IV ibuprofen on postoperative 24 hour opioid consumption and postoperative pain in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. ⋯ A preemptive single dose of IV ibuprofen in laparoscopic cholecystectomy reduced postoperative opioid consumption in the 1st 24 hours by 45%. It generated lower pain scores in the postoperative period compared with placebo.