Medicine
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This review aims to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture treatment for reducing opioid consumption in patients with chronic pain. ⋯ The results will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed journal or conference presentations.
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Case Reports
Successful treatment of fulminant myocarditis in an adult in emergency department: A case report.
Fulminant myocarditis (FM) has poor prognosis and the usual treatment is inotropes and symptomatic support. The initiation of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and intra-aortic balloon pumping (IABP) in the emergency department (ED) is a rare event. ⋯ The early initiation of ECMO and IABP in the ED is potentially life-saving for suitable patients with FM. It appears promising but has not yet been routinely implemented in underdeveloped and developing countries.
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The Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome (KTS) is a rare congenital disorder. The obstetric course of women with KTS varies. Complications include bleeding, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), thromboembolic events, etc. PATIENT CONCERNS:: Here, we report a case of late puerperal hemorrhage of a Chinese puerpera with KTS. The repeating severe hemorrhage, the DIC, and the Kasabach-Merrit syndrome made the treatment more difficult. ⋯ An interdisciplinary cooperation of obstetrician, anesthesiologist, vascular surgeon, and intensive care physician is highly recommended. Prophylactic anticoagulation is generally advised in the gestational and postpartum period.
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Observational Study
Impact of number of medications and age on adherence to antihypertensive medications: A nationwide population-based study.
This study tried to investigate the effects of number of medications and age on antihypertensive medication adherence in a real-world setting using a nationwide representative cohort. We obtained data from the National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort (NHIS-NSC) of Korea, which is a sample of 2.2% (N = 1,048,061) of total population (N = 46,605,433). Patients aged 20 years or older (N = 150,550) who took antihypertensive medications for at least 1 year were selected. ⋯ Patients taking 9 or more total drugs had the overall odds ratio (95% CI) of non-adherence (MPR < 80%) with 1.17 (1.11-1.24) compared with those taking 1 to 8 total drugs and the odds ratios in the age subgroups of 40 to 49, 50 to 59, 60 to 69 years were 1.57 (1.31-1.87), 1.21 (1.08-1.36), and 1.14 (1.04-1.25), respectively (P < .05). Association between age, total number of medications, and antihypertensive adherence displayed an inverted U-shape with a peak at 3 to 4 total medications and at age 60 to 69 years. When the total number of drugs was 9 or more, adherence decreased prominently, regardless of age.
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The aim of this study was to investigate possible associations of nutrient intake on glaucoma in subjects of Japanese descent living in Los Angeles, CA. In this cross-sectional study, 581 Japanese American participants in Los Angeles underwent an interview, fundus photography, comprehensive physical, and blood examinations, along with determining the body mass index status and any confounding factors. CDSketch was used to measure the cup-disc ratio and rim width of each fundus in the retinal photographs. ⋯ A total of 61 of 581 participants were diagnosed with glaucoma in this study. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that a high intake of iron (odds ratio [OR]: 1.303, P = .004), low intake of vitamin A (OR: 0.365, P = .019), and vegetable fat (OR: 0.957, P = .004) were associated with an increased risk of glaucoma. Current findings showed that high iron intake and low vitamin A and vegetable fat intake appeared to be associated with an increased risk of glaucoma in subjects of Japanese descent living in the Los Angeles populations.