Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research
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Bamboo joint-like appearance is a common yet easy-to-miss endoscopic finding in the stomach of patients with Crohn's disease (CD). Bamboo joint-like appearance (BJA) is characterized by swollen longitudinal folds transversed by erosive fissures or linear furrows. However, whether BJA is observed during the remission stage of CD and during the active stage is unclear. In particular, the relationship between the course of BJA and anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) α therapy has not been studied. We aimed to evaluate the course of BJA in CD patients treated with anti-TNF α therapy. ⋯ The findings indicate that BJA is frequently observed in the stomach of CD patients, regardless of whether the patient has active disease or is in remission, even after anti-TNF α therapy. Thus, BJA may be a stable endoscopic landmark in CD.
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The association of pain and socioeconomic status is widely reported, yet much less clearly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of experimentally induced pain threshold and tolerance with socioeconomic status. ⋯ These results suggest a significant association between experimentally induced pain tolerance and tolerance interval with material status, suggesting that poor people indeed do hurt more.
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The aim of this study was to determine if ultrasound (US) measurements of anterior neck soft tissue thickness at hyoid bone (DSHB), thyrohyoid membrane (DSEM), and anterior commissure (DSAC) levels can be used to predict difficult laryngoscopy. ⋯ Anterior neck soft tissue thicknesses measured by US at hyoid bone, thyrohyoid membrane, and anterior commissure levels are independent predictors of difficult laryngoscopy. Combinations of those screening tests or risk factors with US measurements might increase the ability to predict difficult laryngoscopy.
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Leptin plays a critical role in neuronal development and also promotes structural and functional activities in the central nervous system. Recent studies have demonstrated that leptin could produce therapeutic effects for cognitive impairments of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). ⋯ Specifically, they are both characterized by cognitive impairment. In this regard, we hypothesized that leptin probably has a therapeutic benefit of alleviating symptoms of patients with POCD, and the leptin signaling pathway may be involved in the pathogenesis of POCD.
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The complexity of multiple-item criteria in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) often causes inconvenience for physicians in the management of patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). We evaluated whether serum SP-A levels in the presence of diffuse alveolar damage (DAD) can be qualitatively assessed for diagnosis of SAP-induced ARDS. ⋯ Serum SP-A levels may allow the detection of SAP-induced ARDS and may help to support the clinical diagnosis of ARDS. The optimal serum SP-A cut-off value to discriminate SAP-induced ARDS and other groups (SO group and non-ARDS group) is around 150 ug/ml.