Medicine
-
The aim of this study was to evaluate the application of transthoracic echocardiography for the diagnosis of infective endocarditis (IE) to provide a basis for the better treatment of IE. From October 2016 to October 2018, 87 consecutive patients with IE at our hospital were selected for this study. All the patients were subjected to transthoracic echocardiography. ⋯ No significant differences were found between echocardiography and actual surgical observations with respect to their accuracy in detecting the size, number, and location of vegetation in the 69 patients who underwent surgery (P > .05). Echocardiography could detect the occurrence of severe complications, namely, the rupture of chordae tendineae, valve prolapse, valve perforation, and paravalvular abscess, and no significant difference in diagnostic accuracy was found between echocardiography and surgical observations (P > .05). Transthoracic echocardiography can rapidly and accurately detect IE vegetation and its complications and has important clinical value for guiding clinical treatment and determining prognosis.
-
This study aims to assess the efficacy and safety of orthodontic and orthognathic treatment (OOT) for patients with oral and maxillofacial deformities (OMDF) systematically. ⋯ CRD42019144610.
-
Retracted Publication
Effect of the angiotensin-receptor-neprilysin inhibitor in heart failure patients with left ventricular ejection fraction higher than 40.
The angiotensin-receptor-neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI) reduced cardiovascular deaths and heart failure hospitalization in patients with heart failure of reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Its role in non-HFrEF patients was not clear. This study aims to answer this question. ⋯ Similar results were also observed in patients with heart rate lower than 90 bpm (HR: 1.556, 95%CI: 1.045-2.386, P = .003) and patients with atrial fibrillation history (HR: 1.873, 95%CI: 1.420-2.809, P = .011). ARNI could improve the quality of life both from the total, emotional and physical aspects. ARNI is an efficacy treatment strategy to improve the outcome and quality of life in patients with non-HFrEF.
-
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a clinically common chronic disease with the characteristic of recurrent attacks, difficulty of cure and high morbidity, disability, death rates. COPD exerts a great burden on patients, families and society. Acupoint Autohemotherapy (AA) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatment by taking the patient's own venous blood and injecting them at acupoints, combined with the continuous stimulation of blood and the specific efficacy of the acupoint itself. It has been proved to be useful in pulmonary treatment and rehabilitation of COPD patients. However, the efficacy of AA on COPD patients has not been fully statistically evaluated. In this study, we aim to systematically examine the efficacy and safety of AA for COPD patients. ⋯ PROSPERO CRD42019137189.
-
Meta Analysis Comparative Study
Efficacy and hypoglycemic risk of sitagliptin in obese/overweight patients with type 2 diabetes compared with GLP-1 receptor agonists: A meta-analysis.
The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy and hypoglycemic risk of sitagliptin versus that of GLP-1 receptor agonists in the management of obese/overweight patients with T2DM. ⋯ For obese/overweight patients, sitagliptin may exert a less potent effect on HbA1C, FPG, PPG, and weight reduction than GLP-1 receptor agonists, but these drugs had a similar efficacy in reducing blood pressure; furthermore, there was no significant difference in hypoglycemic risk.