Medicine
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Observational Study
Association between body mass index and cardio-metabolic risk factors among subjects in Wuhan, China: A cross-sectional study.
The aim of this study is to evaluate the association between body mass index (BMI) and cardio-metabolic risk factors and to determine the optimal BMI cut-off values in male and female subjects in Wuhan, China. We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of 20218 adult subjects (aged 18-85 years, 12717 men of them) who had health examinations at the health management center of Tongji Hospital of Wuhan in 2017. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was preformed to calculate the odds ratios (ORs) of cardio-metabolic risk factors. ⋯ The optimal cut-off values of BMI for the presence of cardio-metabolic risk factors were among 24.25 to 25.35 kg/m2 in males, which were higher than in females among 22.85 to 23.45 kg/m2. The association between BMI and cardio-metabolic risk factors is different by gender. It is necessary to determine appropriate threshold for overweight status in men and women separately.
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It is well known that morning blood pressure surge increases the risk of myocardial events in the first several hours post-awakening. This meta-analysis was performed to compare the antihypertensive efficacy of morning and bedtime dosing on decreasing morning blood pressure surge. ⋯ This study does not require ethical approval.
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Observational Study
Usefulness of cardiac biomarkers for prognosis of better outcomes in chronic heart failure: Retrospective 18-year follow-up study.
Brain natriuretic peptide is an established, surrogate follow-up marker, strongly correlated with heart failure severity. Several other biomarkers and tests are useful for assessing the prognosis of patients with HF, such as oxidized low-density lipoprotein antibodies and C-reactive protein. Some inflammatory cells, including monocytes, lymphocytes, and neutrophils, are involved in coronary heart disease and may be useful for prognosis also. ⋯ Mortality rate was 41%. Regression analysis showed New York Heart Association class, lymphocyte count and alkaline phosphatase were independent predictors of survival, with hazard ratios of 1.0, 0.973, and 1.006, respectively (P < .05). N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide, alkaline phosphatase, and lymphocyte count are important prognostic predictors for very long-term follow-up among patients with chronic HF.
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Observational Study
Predicting factors of adverse pregnancy outcomes in Thai patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: A STROBE-compliant study.
Studies on predicting factors for adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs) in Thai patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are limited. This retrospective observation study determined APOs and their predictors in Thai patients with SLE. Medical records of pregnant SLE patients in a lupus cohort, seen from January 1993 to June 2017, were reviewed. ⋯ Cutaneous vasculitis (33.87 [1.05-1,094.65], P = .047), and renal (31.89 [6.66-152.69], P < .001), mucocutaneous (9.17 [1.83-45.90], P = .007) and hematologic involvement (128.00 [4.60-3,564.46], P = .004) during pregnancy predicted flare; while prednisolone (>10 mg/day) and immunosuppressive drug use at conception reduced that risk (0.08 [0.01-0.68, P = .021). APOs remain a problem in Thai pregnant SLE patients. Renal involvement and SLE flares were associated with the risk of APOs.
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Comparative Study
The efficacy of artificial dermis combined with continuous vacuum sealing drainage in deep neck multiple spaces infection treatment.
Deep neck abscesses are dangerous. Artificial dermis combined with seal negative pressure drainage is a new technique for treating refractory wounds. To compare the efficacy of vacuum sealing drainage (VSD) with that of traditional incision drainage approaches for treating deep neck multiple spaces infections. ⋯ There was no significant difference in treatment cost between the two groups (P > .05). VSD technology can markedly improve the therapeutic effect of deep neck multiple spaces infection. This treatment method can be used to rapidly control infections and is valuable in the clinic (P > .05).