Minerva anestesiologica
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Minerva anestesiologica · Aug 2013
Diagnostic contribution from pulmonary biopsies in hematology patients with acute respiratory failure from undetermined etiology.
In about 20% of patients with malignancies with acute respiratory failure (ARF), no etiology can be determined, whatever the diagnostic strategy used. Lung biopsy could then be a precious diagnostic tool leading to therapeutic adaptations and increasing chances for cure. The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic contribution of lung biopsy in patients for whom a complete diagnosis strategy failed to identify ARF etiology. ⋯ Diagnostic lung biopsy is rarely needed in hematology patients with ARF. But, it has a 73% therapeutic impact and has overall no major complications. Contribution from post-mortem biopsies seems less relevant.
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Minerva anestesiologica · Aug 2013
Trends in opioid analgesics sales to community pharmacies and hospitals in Italy (2000-2010).
Opioid consumption data in Italy have been widely studied. However, only aggregate data can be found in the published literature, and differences are expected by distribution setting (community pharmacies and hospitals). The aim of our paper is to analyse opioids sales trends in Italy in the decade 2000-2010, in an effort to explore such differences. ⋯ Data suggest that morphine is no more the opioid of first choice for severe pain in Italy, at least for outpatients. This is contradicting most international guidelines available in the 2000-2010 decade.