Medicina
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Review Comparative Study
[Etiology and pathogenesis of acute respiratory failure].
The aim of this study was to determine factors influencing acute respiratory failure and pathogenesis according to literature and clinical findings in critically ill patients. The term "respiratory failure" implies the inability to maintain either the normal delivery of oxygen to tissues and release or the normal removal of carbon dioxide from the tissues. There are many patients suffering from acute respiratory failure caused by nosocomial pneumonia, septic syndrome, aspiration, interstitial or alveolar lung edema, thromboembolism of a. pulmonalis, polytrauma and lung contusion, acute respiratory distress syndrome, long-term mechanical ventilation of the lungs, acute lung injury, status asthmaticus, rather massive transfusions of blood products, and lipid embolism in the intensive care unit. ⋯ Failure of any step in this process can lead to respiratory failure. Long-term hypoxia causes ischemic changes and dysfunction of brain, heart, kidney, lungs and can worsen the course of disease or cause higher mortality. It is important to determine the pathogenetic mechanisms of acute respiratory failure, estimate the main parameters and their interrelations and prescribe proper treatment.
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Comparative Study
[Influence of patient's social and demographic characteristics on patient's expectations for medical consultation].
Most of the patients, coming to see their primary care physician, have explicit expectations and priorities for the medical consultation. Recognition of these expectations is an important step in organizing patient-oriented health care services. Patient expectations depend on a number of factors: health problem and its severity, as well as social and demographic characteristics of patient and physician. Objective of this survey was to evaluate influence of patient's socio-demographic characteristics and some health status indicators on expectations for primary care consultation. ⋯ Patient's need for emotional support from physician depends on his age, marital status, frequency of his visits to physician during the year, self-perception of the health status and course of disease. Analysis of relationship between patient's expectations and his sex, education, physician's sex or type of practice did not show statistically significant differences between groups. No influence of analyzed social and demographic characteristics or perceived health status on biomedical expectations (laboratory tests, specialist consultations, and hospital treatment) was found during our study.
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Objective of the paper was to review the latest scientific reference data on chemoprevention possibilities of lung cancer. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in Lithuania. The current lung cancer therapy includes surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. ⋯ Whether primary, secondary or tertiary prevention has the potential to improve the dismal statistics associated with this cancer? Several randomized clinical or translational chemoprevention trials have been conducted. All have so far produced either neutral (using retinal, retinyl palmitate, N-acetyl cysteine or isotretinoin) or harmful (using beta-carotene) primary endpoint results showing that lung cancer was not prevented in smokers. Secondary results supporting treatment with isotretinoin in "never" and former smokers and data from prevention trials involving selenium and vitamin E, however, are encouraging and offer a promising direction for future clinical study.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
[Controlled hypotension in transthoracic esophageal resection].
This study was performed in order to evaluate effectiveness of controlled hypotension decreasing blood lose in transthoracic esophageal resection. ⋯ We conclude that controlled hypotension is an effective method to decrease blood loos and blood transfusions. It creates better conditions for surgery and reduces operation time. There were no serious cardiac, neurological and renal intra-operative and post-operative complications resulting from the use of controlled hypotension.
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Despite advances in the diagnosis and treatment of infections diseases, sepsis and ensuing multiorgan failure are the major causes of morbidity and mortality in the intensive care units. Such manifestations of systemic inflammation as fever, leukocytosis, tachycardia, etc. may be noninfectious in origin and are neither specific nor sensitive for sepsis. Procalcitonin is a new potential marker for detection of bacterial, fungal and protozoal infections. ⋯ This review article discusses biology of procalcitonin, its laboratory determination, usage as an indicator for severe infection and sepsis, and comparison with circulating cytokines in severe infection. It also reviews value of procalcitonin in differentiation of infectious vs non-infectious inflammatory host response, possible elevation of procalcitonin in the absence of infection, its use for differentiation of viral and non-viral infections and as marker for prognosis and evaluation of therapy. Specific indications for determination of procalcitonin are also discussed.