Adv Clin Exp Med
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Pain management originated at the turn of the 1960s and 70s in the United States, and spread to Western Europe almost a decade later. It is estimated today that a lack of adequate pain management affects 80% of the global population, and is a serious problem in over 150 countries. At the national level, the greatest burden of inadequate pain management is borne by the elderly, pregnant and breastfeeding women, children, people coping with addictions to harmful substances, and the mentally ill. ⋯ Pain management should be considered a priority. It is an interdisciplinary task requiring the cooperation of the whole medical staff. The current review of literature revealed a number of factors limiting the possibility of achieving effective pain management, related to healthcare systems, medical staff and patients.
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Extensive preclinical evidence suggests that induced hypothermia can protect tissues from ischemia-reperfusion injury, reduce organ damage, and improve survival in the advanced stages of shock. ⋯ Rewarming reversed the coagulation changes induced by hypothermia. Induced mild hypothermia (34°C) in the pre-hospital stage affects hemodynamic parameters and the coagulation system but does not worsen outcomes in a pig HS model. The hypothermia-induced coagulation changes were reversed during rewarming without evidence of harmful effects. Our results suggest that pre-hospital induced hypothermia can be performed carefully following major trauma.
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In patients with multiple myeloma (MM) there is a high risk of compression fractures of the spine. In the majority of cases, the method of treatment is percutaneous vertebroplasty (PV) or kyphoplasty (PK). The number of studies verifying their efficacy in MM is still relatively small. ⋯ In MM cases, PV is a simple, effective and safe method for the treatment of vertebral infiltration and compression fractures, giving permanent long-term pain relief and concomitant improvement in the QL.
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Health Related Quality of Life of Children with Chronic Respiratory Conditions.
In the management of chronic diseases, treatment approaches have changed in recent decades. Not only are clinical outcomes assessed but also the patients' perception of their quality of life has become an important aspect. ⋯ Children suffering from CF perceive their HRQoL as poorer than children with asthma. In asthmatic patients, it is not sufficient to evaluate clinical outcomes (FEV1); subjective HRQoL should be also estimated in the course of patient care.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Single Port vs. Four Port Cholecystectomy--Randomized Trial on Quality of Life.
Classical laparoscopic cholecystectomy involves four ports while most novel 'single port' technique only requires one incision on the abdominal wall. This technique is thought to decrease surgical trauma and improve cosmesis although there are reports pointing out that classical laparoscopic cholecystectomy is also feasible in terms of cosmesis. ⋯ The equal length of hospitalization, patient quality of life and pain perception and the longer operative times, high likelihood of incisional hernia and surgical site infection call into question the utilization of single port surgery, as it does not seem to confer an advantage over classical laparoscopic cholecystectomy.