Medicine
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To observe the clinical outcomes of intense pulsed light (IPL) for meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) and identify its influencing factors. Forty-eight eyes of 48 patients with MGD were included. Subjects were followed up 5 times on day 1, day 15, day 30, day 45, and day 120, and underwent 3 sessions of the IPL treatment on day 1, day 15 and day 30. ⋯ IPL effectively improves clinical symptoms and some signs in MGD patients. Age, MGD severity, baseline S ɪ t and baseline OSDI are potential factors that may influence the clinical outcomes of IPL. MGD severity is an independent influencing factor.
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Smoking is closely related to the occurrence of stroke. The degree of nicotine dependence and willingness to quit smoking are key factors that determine whether a smoker can successfully quit smoking. Few studies have been conducted on factors affecting the willingness to quit smoking among smokers who suffered from stroke. ⋯ Compared with high nicotine dependence, low and moderate nicotine dependence (4.628, 2.596) had a positive impact on willingness to quit smoking. Smoking patients in neurology department are more willing to quit smoking (67.9%). Factors such as occupation, smoking attitude, and nicotine dependence should be considered when establishing smoking cessation interventions for stroke smokers.
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Laryngomalacia is defined as the collapse of supraglottic structures and can cause not only strider but also trigger difficulties with ventilation and endotracheal intubation during anesthesia management. High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) has been used to manage patients at high risk of hypoxemia in the intensive care unit; however, limited literature information is available for the application of HFNC to infant patients with laryngomalacia during anesthesia practice. ⋯ Continuous oxygenation via HFNC is a good choice to prevent desaturation during difficult tracheal intubations in infant patients with laryngomalacia. This device is expected to be useful for intubation not only in patients with laryngomalacia, but also in infant patients with a predicted high risk of oxygen desaturation events during general anesthesia.
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Observational Study
Cost-effectiveness and clinical outcomes of intermittent/continuous proton pump inhibitors infusion in high bleeding risk of ulcers: A retrospective observational cohort study.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcomes, including patient prognosis and medication expense, of proton pump inhibitors administered by high-dose continuous infusion (HDC, 80 mg loading dose, then 8 mg/h for 72 hours) or non-high-dose intermittent infusion (NHDI, 40 mg qd or 40 mg q12 h, for 3 days) regimens in high-risk patients with bleeding peptic ulcers. In this retrospective cohort study, patients with peptic ulcers and endoscopic hemostasis between January, 2013 and December, 2015 were included. The primary endpoints were rebleeding and mortality rates within 7 days. ⋯ The results showed that the NHDI regimen could reduce the risk of rebleeding within 7 days in 1 of 11 patients (number needed to treat = 11) and could reduce medication cost by US$ 400 to 800. The NHDI regimen showed a lower risk of rebleeding within 7 days, shorter LOS, and fewer PRBC units than that of the HDC regimen. Receiving NHDI has better cost-effective outcomes than that of HDC for patients with high-risk bleeding peptic ulcers.
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Concern for immune-related adverse events from immunotherapy and radiation therapy are well-documented; however, side effects are mostly mild to moderate. However, high-grade, potentially life-threatening adverse events are increasing. While case reports regarding immunotherapy-related bullous pemphigoid (BP) have been rising, only 1 has described BP following concomitant use of both nivolumab and radiation therapy (RT). For that patient, nivolumab was used for 10 weeks prior to RT and development of PB followed 7 weeks later. This case presents a patient who tolerated nivolumab well for 38 months prior to developing BP less than 2 weeks after completing RT. ⋯ Treating physicians should be aware of off-target effects of radiotherapy for oligoprogressive disease, which may include abscopal toxicities and the development of new immune-related adverse effects.