Acta Medica Port
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Proximal femoral fractures are an important public health problem in industrialized societies. There are few studies that evaluate the incidence of this type of fracture in Portugal. The aim of this study was to analyze and interpret epidemiological trends of proximal femoral fractures in the elderly population in Portugal between 2005 and 2013. ⋯ The global number of proximal femoral fractures in Portugal showed a trend of increase between 2005 - 2013, affecting a significant percentage of the Portuguese population over 65 years of age, especially in females and progressively older individuals.
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We aim to define the iron deficiency prevalence and eventual differences between obese patients with and without metabolic syndrome. ⋯ Ferritin may not be a reliable index for evaluating iron stores in obese patients, particularly when associated with comorbidities such as type 2 diabetes and hypertension. Further studies are needed to guide the diagnosis and iron supplementation in these patients.
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Postpartum haemorrhage is an important health issue worldwide, and it can be caused by uterine atony, retained placental tissue, trauma or coagulation disorders. Although coagulopathy represents a rare cause, it is a significant contributor to postpartum haemorrhage with poor outcomes. ⋯ We describe a unique case of severe coagulopathy caused by underestimated blood loss during caesarean section without postpartum bleeding, in which transfusion requirements were thromboelastometry-guided. This case report depicts how an early multidisciplinary approach and patient-centred care in an obstetric emergency contributes to a positive outcome from a challenging situation, enabling the prevention of an imminent, catastrophic haemorrhage.
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Fibromyalgia can be clinically defined by widespread pain lasting for longer than 3 months with tenderness on palpation in 11 or more of 18 specified tender points. Many people with fibromyalgia are significantly disabled, and experience moderate to severe pain for many years, for which conventional analgesics are usually not effective. For these patients treatment options generally include antidepressants like tricyclic agents, serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors, or anticonvulsants like pregabalin or gabapentin. ⋯ This Cochrane systematic review included 8 randomized, placebo-controlled trials with low risk of bias, which studied the effect of a daily dose of pregabalin for the treatment of moderate to severe pain in adult patients suffering from fibromyalgia. Of the main results of this systematic review we highlight the major effect that a daily dose of 300 to 600 mg of pregabalin had in the reduction of pain intensity over a follow-up period of 12 to 26 weeks, with tolerable adverse effects, for a minority of people with moderate to severe pain due to fibromyalgia. This paper aims to summarize and discuss the main results and conclusions of this systematic review, as well as its implications for the daily clinical practice.