Medicine
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Observational Study
Correlation of LP-PLA2 and MMP-9 with the occurrence of early neurological deterioration in patients with acute ischemic stroke.
Early neurological deterioration is a common complication of acute ischemic stroke (AIS), which aggravates symptoms, worsens the condition, and counteracts the benefits of clinical treatment. The aim of this paper was to analyze the correlation between lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), and the occurrence of early neurological deterioration (END) in patients with AIS and to explore the clinical prediction of END by the combination of the 2 assays for the clinical prediction of END. A total of 500 AIS patients admitted to our hospital from October 2022 to October 2023 were included as study subjects, and the clinical data of all AIS patients were collected and organized to detect the levels of Lp-PLA2 and MMP-9. ⋯ Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that diabetes (OR 2.717, 95% CI:1.53-4.81, P < .001), baseline NIHSS score (OR 1.65, 95% CI:1.41-1.94, P < .001), Lp-PLA2 (OR 1.07, 95% CI:1.05-1.09, P < .001) and MMP-9 (OR 1.12, 95% CI:1.09-1.16, P < .001) levels were independent influences on the occurrence of END in patients with AIS after correcting for confounders. ROC curve analysis showed that Lp-PLA2, MMP-9, and a combination of both predicted END with an area under the curve was 0.730, 0.763, and 0.831, respectively, and the area under the curve for the combination of both predicting END was significantly higher than that for any of the inflammatory markers alone (P < .05). Both inflammatory markers, Lp-PLA2 and MMP-9, were independent predictors of the development of END in patients with AIS, and the combination of the two had a higher predictive value.
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Case Reports
Subacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord with cerebellar lesions: A case report.
Subacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord is a degenerative disease of the central and peripheral nervous systems caused by vitamin B12 deficiency, mainly involving the spinal cord posterior, lateral, and peripheral nerves, but rarely involving the cerebellum. ⋯ The symptomatic people should seek medical treatment in time to avoid further deterioration of the disease. When esophagogastroduodenoscopy is performed as part of routine physical examination in asymptomatic people, it should be checked for the presence of autoimmune gastritis. Early diagnosis can prevent irreversible neuropathy.
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Patients with intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) usually have an imbalance in the gut microbiota (GM); however, whether this is a causal correlation remains unclear. This study used summary data from an open genome-wide association study to conduct double-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) to test the causal correlation between GM and ICH. First, we used a cutoff value of P < 10E-5 to select single nucleotide polymorphisms critical for each GM. ⋯ Nonetheless, the specific role of single nucleotide polymorphisms gene enrichment requires further investigation. This study suggests the causal effect on ICH. The discovery of >10 GMs associated with ICH could be used to prevent and treat ICH.
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Observational Study
Factors related to mortality of patients with COVID-19 who are admitted to the ICU: Prognostic mortality factors of COVID-19 patients.
During the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 pandemic, hospital resources, particularly critical care units, were overburdened and this had a significant impact on both the therapies and the prognosis of these patients. This study aimed to identify factors and therapies that may improve prognosis and other factors associated with increased mortality. A secondary objective was to evaluate the impact that obesity had on these patients. ⋯ The most common comorbidities were congestive heart failure, high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease, severe liver disease, diabetes mellitus, and solid organ transplantation. In terms of ventilatory support, patients who received high-flow nasal oxygen therapy on admission had lower mortality rates. The use of renal replacement therapy was also significantly associated with higher mortality.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Effects of effortful swallowing against kinesiology taping resistance on the swallowing function in patients with poststroke dysphagia: A randomized controlled trial.
A dysphagia rehabilitation method using kinesiology taping (KT) was recently introduced, and its potential for clinical efficacy was demonstrated by evaluating muscle activity and thickness. However, its effect on the swallowing function in patients with dysphagia remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effects of effortful swallowing against KT resistance on the swallowing function in patients with post stroke dysphagia. ⋯ This study demonstrated that effortful swallowing against resistance to KT is an effective therapeutic exercise for improving the swallowing function in patients with poststroke dysphagia.