The American journal of the medical sciences
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As exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are one of the leading causes of hospitalization and are associated with significant mortality, it is particularly important to accurately assess the risk of exacerbations in COPD. Most of the current clinical biomarkers are related to inflammation and few consider how ion levels affect COPD. Chloride ion, the second most abundant serum electrolyte, has been shown to be associated with poor prognoses in several diseases, but their relationship with COPD remains unclear. ⋯ Chloride ion was a novel prognostic biomarker for COPD, and low levels of chloride ion were independently associated with exacerbations in COPD patients.
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The presence of "muddy" brown granular casts (MBGC) in the urine sediment is pathognomonic for acute tubular injury (ATI). Although MBGC have been noted for years, there are no reports regarding their length nor width. The objective of this study was to measure MBGC using images obtained by light microscopy and investigate associations with clinically relevant parameters. ⋯ This is the first study reporting dimensions of MBGC from cases with ATI. Clinical implications of these observations require further study.
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Letter Case Reports
The classic "Rat-Bite" erosions in gouty arthritis with normal uric acid levels.