Medicine
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Geriatric patients have high mortality for dengue fever (DF); however, there is no adequate method to predict mortality in geriatric patients. Therefore, we conducted this study to develop a tool in an attempt to address this issue. We conducted a retrospective case-control study in a tertiary medical center during the DF outbreak in Taiwan in 2015. ⋯ We developed a new method to help decision making. Among geriatric patients with none of the predictors, the survival rate was 98.51%, and among those with 2 or more predictors, the mortality rate was 57.14%. This method is simple and useful, especially in an outbreak.
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Clinical Trial
The effect of age and speed on foot and ankle kinematics assessed using a 4-segment foot model.
The effects of age and speed on foot and ankle kinematics in gait studies using foot models are not fully understood, whereas this can have significant influence. We analyzed these variables with the 4-segment Oxford foot model. ⋯ Our analysis found that speed significantly influenced the kinematic outcome parameters. This was more pronounced in the ankle joint. In contrast, no significant differences were found between younger and older healthy subjects.
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Dyslipidemia is one of the most important factors for coronary artery disease (CAD). The atherogenic index of plasma (AIP), a new comprehensive lipid index, might be a strong marker for predicting the risk of CAD. A hospital-based case-control study including 2936 CAD patients and 2451 controls was conducted in a Chinese population. ⋯ In the univariate logistic regression analysis, AIP was the lipid parameter that was most strongly associated with CAD, with an unadjusted odds ratio of 1.782 (95% confidence interval: 1.490-2.131, P < .001), for an increase of 1-SD. Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that AIP was an independent risk factor for CAD. AIP might be a strong and independent predictor for CAD in the Chinese Han population.
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Apolipoprotein A-1 (ApoA-1)-related amyloidosis is characterized by the deposition of ApoA-1 in various organs and can be either hereditary or nonhereditary. It is rare and easily misdiagnosed. Renal involvement is common in hereditary ApoA-1 amyloidosis, but rare in the nonhereditary form. ⋯ Proteomic analysis by mass spectrometry of the amyloid deposits combined with genetic analysis can provide accurate diagnosis of ApoA-1 amyloidosis. Besides, these 2 cases expand our knowledge of ApoA-1-related renal amyloidosis.
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Observational Study
Usefulness of end-tidal carbon dioxide as an indicator of dehydration in pediatric emergency departments: A retrospective observational study.
Physician assessment of hydration status is one of the most important factors in the management of dehydration in the pediatric emergency department (ED). Overestimating dehydration may lead to overtreatment with intravenous fluids or unnecessary hospitalization, whereas underestimation may lead to delayed therapy and aggravation of symptoms. Various methods to estimate hydration status have been proposed, including use of physical findings, body weight, and laboratory results. ⋯ ETCO2 can be considered a simple, noninvasive parameter for identifying dehydration among patients in the pediatric ED. Though weak, ETCO2 showed a correlation with HCO3 level as well as CDS. In the future, a prospective study with a large number of pediatric patients is warranted.