Current medical research and opinion
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The value of patient involvement to the design, conduct, and outcomes of healthcare research is increasingly being recognized. Patient involvement also provides greater patient accessibility and contribution to research. However, the use of inaccessible and technical language when communicating with patients is a barrier to effective patient involvement. ⋯ The use of inclusive, empathetic, and clear language can encourage patients to be involved in research and, once they are involved, make them feel like equal, empowered, and valued partners. Working toward developing processes and guidelines for the use of language that enables an equal partnership between researchers and patients is critical.
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Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) and sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (SOS) are two major vascular disorders of the liver, of which both can cause portal hypertension related complications, but their locations of obstruction are different. BCS refers to the obstruction from the hepatic vein to the junction between the inferior vena cava and right atrium, which is the major etiology of post-sinusoidal portal hypertension; by comparison, SOS is characterized as the obstruction at the level of hepatic sinusoids and terminal venulae, which is a cause of sinusoidal portal hypertension. Both of them can cause hepatic congestion with life-threatening complications, especially acute liver failure and chronic portal hypertension, and share some similar features in terms of imaging and clinical presentations, but they have heterogeneous risk factors, management strategy, and prognosis. Herein, this paper reviews the current evidence and then summarizes the difference between primary BCS and SOS in terms of risk factors, clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Analgesic onset and efficacy of a fast-acting formulation of acetaminophen in a postoperative dental impaction pain model.
Speed of onset can be critical to an analgesic's efficacy treating acute pain. To enhance onset, a new oral acetaminophen formulation intended to be fast acting was developed. Two studies evaluated the analgesic onset, efficacy, and safety of this fast-acting acetaminophen (FA-acetaminophen) tablet relative to commercial acetaminophen caplets (ES-acetaminophen) and commercial ibuprofen liquid-filled gelatin capsules (LG-ibuprofen). ⋯ Study 1: NCT02735122; Study 2: NCT03224403.
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The substantial burden of low back pain on patients and healthcare systems is exacerbated by unclear pathology and ineffective diagnostic methods, hindering effective management. The painDETECT questionnaire (PD-Q) has been used to facilitate the evaluation and categorization of low back pain. While preliminary validation and translations of the paper-based format of PD-Q into languages such as Spanish and Dutch have been accomplished, the underlying factor model inherent to the electronic format of the PD-Q remains to be established. ⋯ This study confirms the reliability and two-factor structure of the electronic PD-Q for neuropathic pain assessment in low back pain patients. To enhance comprehension of the clinical applicability of the electronic format PD-Q, future research should conduct clinimetric evaluations.
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Ureteral injuries (UIs) during surgical procedures can have serious consequences for patients. Although UIs can result in substantial clinical burden, few studies report the impact of these injuries on payer reimbursement and patient cost-sharing. This retrospective study evaluated 30-day, 90-day, and 1-year healthcare resource utilization for patients with UIs and estimated patient and payer costs. ⋯ UIs add substantial cost for payers and result in more healthcare visits for patients. These findings highlight the importance of including inpatient and outpatient settings for UI prevention. Although UIs are rare, the associated patient and payer burdens are high; thus, protocols or techniques are needed to recognize and avert UIs as current guideline recommendations are lacking.