Exp Ther Med
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The present study aimed to evaluate the predictive value of serum soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) regarding the risk of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in sepsis patients, and investigate its correlation/association with disease severity, inflammation and mortality in sepsis patients with ARDS. A total of 57 sepsis patients with ARDS and 58 sepsis patients without ARDS were recruited for the present case-control study. Laboratory tests, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE) II score and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score were evaluated, and mortality during hospitalization was recorded. ⋯ In sepsis patients with ARDS, serum suPAR levels were positively correlated with the APACHE II score, SOFA score and the levels of CRP, TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-8. In addition, serum suPAR levels were lower in survivors compared with those in non-survivors, and ROC curve analysis suggested that serum suPAR was able to predict the probability of mortality. In conclusion, serum suPAR independently predicted an elevated risk of ARDS in patients with sepsis, and was correlated/associated with greater disease severity, higher inflammation and increased mortality in patients with sepsis and ARDS.
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Mache Papanicolaou (Volos, Greece, 1890 - Miami, Florida, USA, 1982) was the soul of absolute dedication to research, science and humanity of her lifelong partner, Dr George N. Papanicolaou (Kymi, Greece, 1883 - Miami Florida, USA, 1962). Her devotion to him, her endless support during their first years in the USA, as well as during the period before the approval of the Pap smear test and her selfless contribution to this revolutionary work were invaluable, indeed. ⋯ Papanicolaou, Maria Kokkori (Trikala, Greece, 1918 - Athens, Greece, 2012), author of the first book in the Hellenic literature on the life of Dr George N. Papanicolaou entitled 'George N. Papanicolaou: through his life and work'.
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The increasing aging of the world population is accompanied by a rise in the incidence of knee osteoarthritis (KOA). There has been a growing interest in shockwave treatment for orthopedic diseases, including KOA. In previous trials, extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) was compared to physical therapy or placebo in the treatment of KOA. ⋯ The outcomes regarding pain, ROM, LI and WOMAC were significantly different between the two different groups (P<0.05). The present meta-analysis suggested that ESWT may achieve a better therapeutic effect for patients with KOA as compared to physical therapy. However, high-quality trials with large sample sizes are essential to substantiate these results.
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The present study aimed to investigate and compare the analgesic effect and safety of ropivacaine or levobupivacaine in combined spinal-epidural anesthesia during childbirth and their effects on neonatal Apgar scores, as well as maternal and neonatal vital signs. A total of 615 maternal patients undergoing labor between April 2016 and March 2017 were divided into two groups according to the analgesic used for combined spinal-epidural anesthesia during childbirth: The ropivacaine group (n=318) and the levobupivacaine group (n=297). The onset time of analgesia in the two groups was determined and the pain score on the visual analog scale was assessed at the time of delivery (T3). ⋯ The cesarean section rate was significantly lower in the ropivacaine group compared with that in the levobupivacaine group [4.09% (n=13) vs. 22.89% (n=68); P<0.01]. In conclusion, the use of combined spinal-epidural anesthesia with ropivacaine or levobupivacaine has an excellent analgesic effect during childbirth. However, compared with levobupivacaine, ropivacaine for labor analgesia had a faster onset and a lesser impact on maternal vital signs, and was associated with a reduced maternal cesarean section rate among patients who did not opt for cesarean section in the beginning; therefore, it is useful in clinical practice.
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Rehabilitation therapy combined with nursing intervention in postoperative recovery of patients with hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage was investigated. Retrospective analysis was carried out in 78 patients with severe HICH hematoma evacuation after treatment in Xuzhou No. 1 People's Hospital, Xuzhou Municipal Hospital Affiliated to Xuzhou Medical University from March 2014 to July 2017. The 28 patients who received routine treatment and nursing care were regarded as the control group, the 27 patients who underwent rehabilitation training based with routine treatment and nursing care were the rehabilitation training group. ⋯ In the control group, the number of patients with shoulder-hand syndrome, hemorrhoids, and depression was significantly higher than both the rehabilitation training group and the nursing intervention group (P<0.050). The number of people with depression in the rehabilitation training group was significantly higher than the nursing intervention group (P<0.050). Rehabilitation therapy and nursing intervention are better than routine treatment and nursing for postoperative recovery of HICH patients, and has a lower adverse reaction rates after surgery, it is worthy of promotion clinically.