Biomed Pap
-
Comparative Study
Prospective comparison of conventional radiography, low-dose computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging in monoclonal gammopathies.
We carried out a prospective study in order to identify the best imaging approach for patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM) and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS). ⋯ Our results confirm that relying solely on CR in the diagnostics of MM is insufficient. We suggest that the most suitable method for primary assessment of osteolytic involvement in monoclonal gammopathies should include either whole-body MRI together with CR of the skull or, with an equivalent sensitivity, whole body LD-CT.
-
Comparative Study
Clinical manifestations of infective endocarditis in relation to infectious agents: An 8-year retrospective study.
To compare clinical complications and outcomes of infective endocarditis (IE) episodes caused by Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and other most frequent aetiological agents (streptococci, enterococci, coagulase-negative staphylococci, and culture-negative IE). ⋯ IE episodes caused by S. aureus are associated with both increased short-term and long-term mortality. Of all the studied parameters, only systemic embolism and severe sepsis/septic shock predicted in-hospital mortality.
-
Case Reports
Recurrent membranous tracheal stenosis with a diverticulum in a 9-year-old boy. Not all that wheezes is asthma.
Benign tracheobronchial stenosis of the proximal airways may result from a variety of conditions and can cause dyspnea, cough, wheeze or stridor. ⋯ Association between recurrent membranous tracheal stenosis and a tracheal diverticulum is a rare medical condition.
-
Review Meta Analysis
The analgesic efficacy of remifentanil for labour. Systematic review of the recent literature.
Although epidural analgesia is still regarded as the gold standard for labour analgesia due to its efficacy, in cases of contraindication, systemic remifentanil is an alternative. Since the first demonstration of the safety of remifentanil in obstetric analgesia in 1996, this has been repeatedly confirmed for both mother and newborn. The aim of this meta-analysis is to evaluate recently published studies (up to December 2014) on the analgesic efficacy of remifentanil during labour (as a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) decrease in the first hour by 2 or more). ⋯ The meta-analysis presented here confirms that remifentanil for labour analgesia is effective but questions remain which can only be answered by further randomized trials.
-
Surviving pulmonary embolism (PE) brings a risk of thromboembolic disease chronicity. Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) develops as a result of one or multiple pulmonary embolic events. It is an incapacitating long-term complication of thromboembolic disease with a negative impact on the patient's quality of life and prognosis. Contemporary pharmacological and especially surgical treatment possibilities offer hope for the patient's full recovery, but an early diagnosis is crucial for success. ⋯ Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension in pulmonary embolism survivors is a not uncommon complication deserving the attention of clinicians. Patients at risk of CTEPH can be identified for effective follow-up according to echocardiographic finding of elevated pulmonary artery systolic pressure and NT-proBNP levels at the time of hospital discharge.