Medicine
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To compare and rank the clinical effects of different acupuncture and acupuncture-related therapies on patients with poststroke cognitive impairment. ⋯ INPLASY2021120117.
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Leukocyte Telomere length (LTL) is an independent predictor of cardio-metabolic diseases (CMDs) and Human Immuno Virus (HIV) infection. However, studies are lacking on the association between LTL with CMD profile in people with HIV. Accordingly, we investigated the association between LTL and CMD profile in HIV-infected adult South Africans. ⋯ It was associated with Alanine Transaminase (ALT) and heart rate in univariable analyses. LTL shortening was associated with some CMD risk factors in HIV-infected adults on anti-retroviral therapy in South Africa. Prospective research is needed to explore the direction and implications of these associations.
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Define the clinical presentation of acute human immunodeficiency virus infection (AHI) among men and women from 2 continents to create a clinical scoring algorithm. Comparison of incident sign and symptom between those with and without AHI. At-risk human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) negative men and women in Thailand, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda underwent twice-weekly testing for HIV. ⋯ The Thai male scoring algorithm had a 66% sensitivity and 84% specificity while the African female algorithm had a sensitivity of 27% and specificity of 98%. The different incident symptoms during AHI necessitated creating 2 different scoring algorithms that can guide diagnostic testing among a particular sex in the appropriate geographic setting. Further research on risk exposure, sex, and demographic specific models is warranted.
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Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a common microvascular complication of diabetic patients, along with hypertension, hyperlipemia, proteinuria, edema, and other clinical manifestations. Astragalus membranaceus (AM) is a traditional Chinese medicine and has shown significant clinical efficacy against DN. However, the overall molecular mechanism of this therapeutic effect has not been entirely elucidated. ⋯ This systematic review also does not involve endangering participant rights. Ethical approval will not be required. The results may be published in a peer-reviewed journal or disseminated at relevant conferences.
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Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is the gold standard for minimally-invasive treatment of biliary or pancreatic tract disease. When treating patients on intensive care units (ICU) with ERCP, interventionalists are faced with considerably higher morbidity compared to patients in ambulatory settings. However, data on complications and outcome of critical ill patients undergoing emergency ERCP are limited. ⋯ Post-ERCP pancreatitis occurred in 11.8% of interventions. The median simplified acute physiology score 3 was 65 points, predicting a risk-adjusted estimated mortality of 48.8%, corresponding to an observed mortality of 52.2% (P = n.s.). ERCP is safe in critically ill patients on ICU, it does not increase overall mortality rate and has a relatively low rate of procedure-associated complications.