Bratisl Med J
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Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a signalling protein of critical importance for angiogenesis. In an effort to better understand its significance in hypertension-induced injury of the heart and kidney we aimed at studying the changes in its expression in an experimental model and correlated it with capillary density in the myocardium and the renal parenchyma. ⋯ These findings underscore the key significance of VEGF for compensatory angiogenesis and suggest that a statistically significant depletion of these vascular adaptive mechanisms is a major aspect in the cascade of hypertension-induced injury of the heart and kidney (Tab. 3, Fig. 26, Ref. 47).
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The aim of the study is to investigate the effects of Protocatechuic Acid (PCA), which is an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic agent, on ovarian tissue and ovarian reserve against ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury in a rat ovarian torsion model. ⋯ Protocatechuic acid may be an effective antioxidant in protecting ovarian tissue and follicle reserve against IR injury of the ovary (Tab. 1, Fig. 4, Ref. 36).
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Differences in neonatal pharmacokinetics are known to cause systemic accumulation of levobupivacaine with adverse effects during epidural analgesia. Therefore, it is not recommended to surpass 48 hours of administration in neonates. Free and total levobupivacaine levels are considered as predictors of toxicity. ⋯ Caudal epidural analgesia with levobupivacaine lasting longer than 48 hours appears to be safe providing that free levobupivacaine levels are below the presumed threshold for toxicity (Tab. 1, Fig. 1, Ref. 29). Text in PDF www.elis.sk Keywords: free levobupivacaine, total levobupivacaine, neonate, caudal continuous epidural analgesia, postoperative pain.
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Meta Analysis
Anticoagulation therapy in hospitalized patients with COVID-19: a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.
Thromboembolic events are common in hospitalized patients with COVID-19, suggesting that SARS-CoV-2 infection may be related to a prothrombotic state. Several clinical trials evaluating different anticoagulation strategies were developed. Thus, we proposed conducting a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials that evaluated the efficacy and safety of therapeutic anticoagulation with heparins in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. ⋯ This meta-analysis did not show a reduction in all-cause mortality in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 who received anticoagulation with heparin at a therapeutic dose compared to those who received a prophylactic/intermediate dose, as well as no significant differences were found in the need of intensive care unit admission or use of non-invasive ventilation. There was, however, a reduction in thromboembolic events, pulmonary embolism, and increased bleeding (Tab. 1, Fig. 5, Ref. 31). Keywords: COVID-19, anticoagulation, heparins, meta-analysis.
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The goal of our research was to determine the impact of clinical nutrition in the form of home parenteral nutrition (HPN) in patients with nutritional disorders, most often caused by diseases of the digestive tract, with the risk of developing malnutrition. ⋯ Based on our results, we can conclude that the patients included in the HPN were correctly indicated, and all of them, based on the monitored parameters (regardless of gender, age, initial diagnosis, or BMI value), benefited from the applied treatment, which was correctly chosen based on their individual needs. Our results clearly document the irreplaceable role of HPN in the management of patients with nutritional intake disorders leading to the development of malnutrition (Tab. 2, Fig. 10, Ref. 44). Text in PDF www.elis.sk Keywords: malnutrition, nutritional risk screening, clinical nutrition, home parenteral nutrition, complications.