The Korean journal of internal medicine
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Korean J. Intern. Med. · Jul 2015
A combination of early warning score and lactate to predict intensive care unit transfer of inpatients with severe sepsis/septic shock.
The modified early warning score (MEWS) is used to predict patient intensive care unit (ICU) admission and mortality. Lactate (LA) in the blood lactate (BLA) is measured to evaluate disease severity and treatment efficacy in patients with severe sepsis/septic shock. The usefulness of a combination of MEWS and BLA to predict ICU transfer in severe sepsis/septic shock patients is unclear. We evaluated whether use of a combination of MEWS and BLA enhances prediction of ICU transfer and mortality in hospitalized patients with severe sepsis/septic shock. ⋯ The combination of MEWS and BLA may enhance prediction of ICU transfer in patients with severe sepsis/septic shock.
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Korean J. Intern. Med. · Jul 2015
ReviewPhenotype of asthma-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease overlap syndrome.
Many patients with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have overlapping characteristics of both diseases. By spirometric definition, patients with both fixed airflow obstruction (AO) and bronchodilator reversibility or fixed AO and bronchial hyperresponsiveness can be considered to have asthma-COPD overlap syndrome (ACOS). However, patients regarded to have ACOS by spirometric criteria alone are heterogeneous and can be classified by phenotype. ⋯ Each phenotype has a different underlying pathophysiology, set of characteristics, and prognosis. Medical treatment for ACOS should be tailored according to phenotype. A narrower definition of ACOS that includes both spirometric and clinical criteria is needed.
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Korean J. Intern. Med. · Jul 2015
Multicenter Study Comparative StudyPrognostic value of hyponatremia in heart failure patients: an analysis of the Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes in the Relation with Serum Sodium Level in Asian Patients Hospitalized for Heart Failure (COAST) study.
Hyponatremia is a well-known risk factor for poor outcomes in Western studies of heart failure (HF) patients. We evaluated the predictive value of hyponatremia in hospitalized Asian HF patients. ⋯ In hospitalized Asian HF patients, hyponatremia at admission is common and is an independent predictor of poor clinical outcome. Furthermore, hyponatremic patients receive less optimal medical treatment than their counterparts.
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Korean J. Intern. Med. · May 2015
The relationship between serum asymmetric dimethylarginine levels and subjective sleep quality in normotensive patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Poor sleep quality (SQ) is associated with increased cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. Additionally, asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) is an independent predictor of cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. However, no sufficient data regarding the relationship between ADMA levels and SQ have been reported. The goal of the current study was to evaluate the association between SQ and ADMA levels in normotensive patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. ⋯ Self-reported SQ was independently associated with ADMA levels in normotensive patients with diabetes mellitus.