Medicina
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Background and Objectives: The Mediterranean diet's bioactive components are suggested to strengthen the immune system and to exert anti-inflammatory actions. This study investigated the association between adherence to the Mediterranean diet with serum inflammatory factors, total antioxidant capacity, appetite, and symptoms of COVID-19 patients. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 600 Iranian COVID-19 patients selected by a simple random method. ⋯ The incidence of fever, cough, diarrhea, taste changes, and pneumonia severity index were significantly lower in patients who adhered to the Mediterranean diet more than other patients. Serum levels of tumor necrosis factor (5.7 ± 2.1 vs. 6.9 ± 2.8 p = 0.02), interleukin 1 beta (3.2 ± 0.02 vs. 4.9 ± 0.01 p = 0.02), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (17.08 ± 4.2 vs. 19.8 ± 2.5 p = 0.03), and malondialdehyde (5.7 ± 0.2 vs. 6.2 ± 0.3 p = 0.02) were significantly lower in patients who adhered more to the Mediterranean diet than other patients. Conclusion: The Mediterranean diet can improve the symptoms and elevated serum inflammatory factors in COVID-19 patients, so clinical trial studies are suggested to confirm this effect.
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The term intramural (interstitial) ectopic pregnancy refers to a pregnancy developing outside the uterine cavity, with a gestational sac implanted into the interstitial part of the Fallopian tube, surrounded by a layer of the myometrium. The prevalence rate of interstitial pregnancy (IP) is 2-4% of all ectopic pregnancies. Surgery is the primary treatment for interstitial ectopic pregnancy; the pharmacological management of ectopic pregnancy, including IP, in asymptomatic patients includes systemic administration of methotrexate. ⋯ In our patients, the management was initially conservative and included methotrexate, administered as intravenous bolus injection, regular beta-human chorionic gonadotropins (β-HCG) level measurements in peripheral blood, and monitoring of the patient's general condition. Due to signs of intra-abdominal bleeding in patient A and inadequate β-HCG level reduction in patient B, both patients eventually underwent laparoscopic cornual resection. Pregnancy, implanted into the interstitial part of the Fallopian tube and surrounded by myometrial tissue with myometrial invasion of the trophoblast, poses a serious diagnostic challenge to modern gynecology due to particularly low sensitivity and specificity of symptoms, and may require both pharmacological and surgical treatment.
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This article aims to prove dentin bridge formation in two cases after direct pulp capping in reversible pulpitis using the platelet concentrate A-PRF+ and preservation of the vitality of the dental pulp. The hemostasis process for the pulp wound and cavity disinfection with gaseous ozone was performed under anesthesia. A large A-PRF+ membrane was prepared from blood plasma and applied to the pulp wound. ⋯ Conclusions: Via clinical and CBCT examinations, we observed the dentin bridge formation after placing the platelet concentrate A-PRF+ in both cases. The vitality of the dental pulp was preserved. Further research is needed to refine the clinical protocol, recommended period for control examination, clarification of the precise indications of platelet concentrates, etc.
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Background and Objectives: Oxytocin induction is a known risk factor for pelvic floor disorders (PFDs). The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of oxytocin induction on pelvic floor muscles in pregnant rats. Methods: Thirty-two female Wistar rats were included and divided into four groups (n = 8). ⋯ In group III; the mean value of the horizontal dimension of m. coccygeus muscle was found to be 49.5 ± 10.9 µm and it was significantly higher than other groups (p < 0.009). Between-group comparisons revealed no difference in mean m. iliocaudalis muscle dimension (p > 0.05). Conclusions: As a result of our study it can say that whether oxytocin induced or not, vaginal birth is a process that affects the pelvic muscles.
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Ultrasonography is a relatively young but widely recognized method of imaging parenchymal organs, including the lungs. Our concise, practical review on transthoracic lung ultrasound (LUS) in the prehospital diagnosis of dyspnea in adults attempts to summarize current knowledge in the field. ⋯ Additionally, despite the possibility of using various ultrasound protocols in diagnosing a patient with dyspnea, there is no comprehensive and, at the same time, highly sensitive and specific protocol covering a satisfactory saccade of differential diagnosis of this symptom. It seems reasonable to conduct further targeted research to create such a dedicated solution.