Plos One
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When patients are disorientated or experience language barriers, it is impossible to activate the emergency response system. In these cases, the delay for receiving appropriate help can extend to several hours. ⋯ The worldwide emergency call support system (ECSS) significantly improves the emergency response in cases of disorientated patients or language barriers. Under circumstances without ECSS, help can be delayed by 2 or more hours and might have relevant lifesaving effects. This is the first time that Wi-Fi geolocation could prove to be a useful improvement in emergencies to enhance GPS, especially within or close to buildings.
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There has been a growing interest in the relationship between sedative-hypnotics use and the risk of Alzheimer's dementia (AD) risk. This study aimed to evaluate the risk of AD associated with the use of sedative-hypnotics. A retrospective cohort study was conducted with randomly selected 5% samples from ≥50 years old beneficiaries of National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) of Korea from January 2002 to December 2015. ⋯ A total of 268,170 subjects were identified and subjects exposed to sedative-hypnotics showed a higher risk of AD (HR: 1.79; 95% CI: 1.72-1.86) than those who were not. There was an increased risk of AD among subjects exposed to benzodiazepines or zolpidem (HR: 1.75; 95% CI: 1.67-1.82) and antidepressants or low-dose antipsychotics (HR: 1.63; 95% CI: 1.42-1.87). The risk of AD was increased regardless of dose of sedative-hypnotics and half-life among benzodiazepines, especially in exposure to more than 360 DDD of sedative-hypnotics (HR: 1.78; 95% CI: 1.60-1.99) and the long-acting benzodiazepine (HR:1.77; 95% CI: 1.65-1.89).
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The present study aims to clarify the association of vitamin D status with functionality, measured through gait speed and hand grip strength, in a sample of older adults, considering sex-specific characteristics and the potential confounding effect of lifestyle factors, disease, skin phenotype, season of blood collection and vitamin D supplementation. The Nutrition UP 65 cross-sectional study was conducted in a population-based sample of 1,425 older adults ≥ 65 years old. Serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D were quantified through electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. ⋯ In conclusion, in older adults, particularly in men, the risk of vitamin D deficiency was directly associated with the lowest values of gait speed and of hand grip strength. However, randomized controlled trials are needed to overcome the possibility of reverse causation and residual confounding. Present results emphasise the need for strategies to promote the reduction of the high prevalence of low vitamin D status among the Portuguese older adult population.
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Evidence for association between sickle cell and alpha thalassemia trait and severe malaria is compelling. However, for these polymorphisms associations with uncomplicated malaria, and for G6PD deficiency associations with uncomplicated and severe malaria, findings have been inconsistent. We studied samples from a three-arm case-control study with the objective of determining associations between common host erythrocyte polymorphisms and both uncomplicated and severe malaria, including different severe malaria phenotypes. ⋯ Associations were complex, with HbAS principally protective against severe anemia, _α/αα against altered consciousness, and negative epistasis between the two polymorphisms.
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The prevalence of chronic kidney disease-associated pruritus (CKD-aP) varies from 22% to 84% among patients receiving hemodialysis. It occurs more frequently at night, and often affects patient's sleep quality. CKD-aP is often unreported by patients, and many do not receive effective treatment. There is, however, a paucity of available data on the prevalence and impact of CKD-aP on patients receiving hemodialysis in Pakistan. ⋯ Chronic kidney disease-associated pruritus is very common in patients receiving hemodialysis in Pakistan. Pruritus is significantly associated with poor sleep quality.