Medical principles and practice : international journal of the Kuwait University, Health Science Centre
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To assess the degree of immunosuppressive medication adherence in kidney transplant patients (KTPs) and to determine if there is a difference in the rate of adherence to tacrolimus (Tac), cyclosporine (CsA) and sirolimus (Sir). ⋯ The KTPs in this study demonstrated a high level of adherence. Nonadherence was associated with worse graft function and a lower Tac level. Knowledge about the degree of adherence could help the early identification of nonadherent patients and the development of strategies to improve this.
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This study compared the frequency of antibiotic usage and the number of asthma episodes before and after the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric asthma patients who were followed up by specialists. ⋯ This study shows that appropriate diagnosis and treatment of childhood asthma significantly reduce the frequency of antibiotic usage and the number of asthmatic episodes.
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Case Reports
Video-assisted thoracic surgery for esophagus for treating locally recurrent gastric cancer at the anastomotic site.
To report a case of video-assisted thoracic surgery for esophagus (VATS-E) for the treatment of locally recurrent gastric cancer at the anastomotic site. ⋯ The VATS-E minimally invasive surgery was a very useful technique for anastomotic recurrence after total gastrectomy in our patient.
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To evaluate the relationship between the occurrence of priapism and important steady-state clinical and laboratory parameters in homozygous sickle cell disease (SCD). ⋯ About 1 in 4 of all homozygous older SCD patients had priapism, and an approximately similar ratio developed erectile dysfunction; they also had lower steady-state leucocyte counts. Other clinical and laboratory indicators of disease severity in SCD did not positively correlate with the occurrence of priapism, and this may imply an alternative pathogenetic mechanism.
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To analyze the long-term outcomes of anterior versus posterior approaches for cervical disc herniation. ⋯ The better long-term results with the posterior operation might be due to the more complete opening of the foramen for neural decompression at the time of the operation and thereafter.