European journal of medical research
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Randomized and non-randomized prospective controlled cohort studies in matched pair design for the long-term therapy of corpus uteri cancer patients with a mistletoe preparation (Iscador).
Mistletoe preparations such as Iscador are in common use as complementary/anthroposophic medications for many cancer indications, particularly for solid cancers. Efficacy of this complementary therapy is still discussed controversially. ⋯ The mistletoe preparation Iscador in these studies has the effect of prolonging overall survival of corpus uteri cancer patients. Psychosomatic self-regulation as a measure of autonomous coping with the disease, rises significantly more under Iscador therapy than under conventional therapy alone.
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Increased intracranial pressure (ICP) is responsible for causing most nervous system diseases to progress seriously, till death. Recently, volume-targeted therapeutic strategy against increased ICP, which works by releasing excessive intracranial liquid especially from the venous compartment, attracted a great deal of attention. Previous research by us found a structurally special "outflow segment cuff" that is located at the juncture of superior sagittal sinus (SSS) and the brain-bridging veins in porcine model. Sequential observation demonstrated that this special structure appeared to have functional abnormalities. Based on these findings, it was proposed to try and prove a further hypothesis that there exists a similar structure in human beings that might be of importance for cerebral venous system to intervene in volume-initiated ICP regulation. Meanwhile, the diameters of bridging veins under either increased or normal ICP are compared by means of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). ⋯ Intracranial venous compartment occupies about 70 to 80% blood volume inside the inflexible cranial cavity. Following volume-targeted rationale, ICP can be regulated effectively by the fluctuation of venous blood volume based on different aspects of morphology, biomechanics, and hemodynamics. In the present study, the coincidence of animal model and human venography in vivo offers strong evidences to support the hypothesis that venous hemodynamics, although passively, influences intracranial pressure environment through a possible key regulator - outflow segment narrow structure. The fact that this narrow formation and proximal vascular dilation appears more in patients under high ICP condition rather than in patients with normal pressure. Both narrow formation and proximal vascular dilation indicate its significant contribution to intracranial venous congestion, resulting from difficult drainage and the close relationship between intracranial venous volume and ICP.
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Comparative Study
Inotropic therapy for cardiac low output syndrome: comparison of hemodynamic effects of dopamine/dobutamine versus dopamine/dopexamine.
To examine the effects of a therapy with dopexamine/dopamine in comparison with a regimen of dobutamine/dopamine on the outcome of patients with profound cardiogenic shock. ⋯ The present study revealed that neither substance is superior in the treatment of cardiogenic shock, even if the effect on myocardial consumption and the reported beneficial effects on renal and splanchnic functions might favour the use of dopexamine under certain circumstances.
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Psychological factors are known to play an important role in the etiology and maintenance of temporomandibular disorders. Since there have been very few studies on this issue in Asian countries, the study was aimed to investigate the relationship between various stressful life events and temporomandibular disorders in patients seeking free treatment in a Dental Hospital, Bangladesh. ⋯ This study suggests that myofacial pain is more common in individuals with various types of psychological stress. When treating patients with facial pain, dentists should consider the possible presence of psychological factors.
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In patients after extensive burn injury the lack of split thickness skin graft donor sites, and consecutive delay in wound closure are critical factors of morbidity and mortality. In addition limited functional and aesthetic results after transplantation of split thickness skin grafts present a socioeconomic problem. For improved wound closure the aim of this study was the development of a one stage technique for the establishment of a multi layer composite graft, existing of a collagen-GAG-matrix with silicon layer of a two layer synthetic dermal equivalent (DE) with integrated fibroblasts, and ceratinocytes. - In 64 athymic nude mice the evaluation of the multi layer skin grafts potential to re-establish a human epidermis, and high quality dermal structure was performed. ⋯ The histological studies of the grafted composite skin grafts in this model showed morphologically a characteristic dermal-epidermal skin structure with a cornifying epithelium, being of human origin ("in situ hybridisation"). Through the co-cultivation of fibroblasts and ceratinocytes in the DE the generation and structural morphology of collagen fibres, and inflammatory reaction in the neodermis is positively influenced, and as a consequence wound contraction significantly reduced. In regard to the early preparation of composite grafts, and the minimal requirements for donor sites - with dependable stable reconstruction of the integument - this technique may present a step forward in the treatment of patients with extensive burns.