Medicina
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Comparative Study
[Relationship between isolation of extended spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae and course of hospital-acquired pneumonia].
To evaluate relationship between isolation of extended spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae strains and course of hospital-acquired pneumonia. ⋯ Extended spectrum beta-lactamase-producing K. pneumoniae strains were more frequently isolated from patients with hospital-acquired pneumonia as compared to colonized patients. Extended spectrum beta-lactamase-producing K. pneumoniae strains were more frequently isolated from patients with late-onset hospital-acquired pneumonia.
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Depression is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide, affecting 121 million people in whole world. In many developed countries, the number of prescriptions for antidepressants increased steeply during the 1990s. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the antidepressant prescribing patterns in all regions of Lithuania during 2003-2004, to analyze the use within different antidepressant groups, and to examine trends in age- and gender-specific antidepressant use. ⋯ There was no increase in the percentage of consumed selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in elderly patients when compared with younger ones, despite elderly patients are most likely to benefit from reduced sedation, less antimuscarinic and less cardiac toxicity of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. The prevalence of the antidepressant use is the highest among middle-aged people (40-59 years), while the young (under 20) and elderly (older than 70) patients receive mostly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Additional studies should be carried out in order to assess drug-prescribing patterns in accordance with the guidelines of depression treatment in Lithuania considering diagnosis, dosage, and duration of treatment.
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Comparative Study
[Relationship of arterial wall parameters to cardiovascular risk factors and cardiovascular risk assessed by SCORE system].
To investigate the relationship of arterial wall parameters (flow-mediated dilatation of the brachial artery, augmentation index, pulse wave velocity, stiffness index, carotid intima-media thickness) to conventional cardiovascular risk factors and cardiovascular risk assessed by SCORE system. ⋯ Arterial wall parameters are closely associated with conventional risk factors; they are influenced by age and the presence of diabetes. Arterial stiffness parameters are also influenced by mean arterial pressure; high-density lipoprotein cholesterol has influence on carotid intima-media thickness. Cutoff values for carotid intima-media thickness and carotid-radial pulse wave velocity could help to discriminate patients with increased cardiovascular risk.
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Case Reports Comparative Study
[Prevalence of antibodies to hantavirus among hemodialysis patients with end-stage renal failure in Kaunas and its district].
The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of antibodies to hantaviruses among hemodialysis patients with end-stage renal failure in Kaunas and its district. ⋯ Results indicate that antibodies to two hantaviruses (Dobrava/Hantaan virus and Puumala virus) are prevalent among hemodialysis patients in Kaunas district with approximately the same seroprevalence as in neighboring countries.
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There are still many discussions among physicians how heart failure should be defined. Despite many suggested traditional classifications, majority of definitions circulating in clinical practice and their appropriate usage remain unclear. ⋯ Diagnostic strategy of acute heart failure as well as recommendations for prehospital and inpatient treatment of its forms (pulmonary edema and cardiogenic shock) are presented in the article. Application of new medications, recently introduced to the clinical practice for treatment of acute heart failure, is discussed.