Int J Med Sci
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Procalcitonin-guided antibiotic use in acute exacerbations of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
To assess the clinical value of procalcitonin to guide antibiotic therapy in acute exacerbations of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. ⋯ Procalcitonin-guided antibiotic therapy of patients with acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis may result in reduced exposure to antibiotics without adversely affecting patient outcomes.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Creatine metabolism and safety profiles after six-week oral guanidinoacetic acid administration in healthy humans.
Guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) is a natural precursor of creatine, yet the potential use of GAA as a nutritional additive for restoring creatine availability in humans has been limited by unclear efficacy and safety after exogenous GAA administration. The present study evaluated the effects of orally administered GAA on serum and urinary GAA, creatine and creatinine concentration, and on the occurrence of adverse events in healthy humans. ⋯ Exogenous GAA is metabolized to creatine, resulting in a significant increase of fasting serum creatine after intervention. GAA had an acceptable side-effects profile with a low incidence of biochemical abnormalities.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Impact of the training on the compliance and persistence of weekly bisphosphonate treatment in postmenopausal osteoporosis: a randomized controlled study.
Long-term patient adherence to osteoporosis treatment is poor despite proven efficacy. In this study, we aimed to assess the impact of active patient training on treatment compliance and persistence in patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis. In the present national, multicenter, randomized controlled study, postmenopausal osteoporosis patients (45-75 years) who were on weekly bisphosphonate treatment were randomized to active training (AT) and passive training (PT) groups and followed-up by 4 visits after the initial visit at 3 months interval during 12 months of the treatment. ⋯ Among the study visits, the most common reason for not receiving treatment regularly was forgetfulness (54.9% for visit 2, 44.3% for visit 3, 51.6% for visit 4, and 43.8% for visit 5), the majority of the patients always used their drugs regularly on recommended days and dosages (63.8% for visit 2, 60.9% for visit 3, 72.1% for visit 4, and 70.8% for visit 5), and most of the patients were highly satisfied with the treatment (63.4% for visit 2, 68.9% for visit 3, 72.4% for visit 4, and 65.2% for visit 5) and wanted to continue to the treatment (96.5% for visit 2, 96.5% for visit 3, 96.9% for visit 4, and 94.4% for visit 5). QUALEFFO scores of the patients in visit 1 significantly improved in visit 5 (37.7±25.4 vs. 34.0±14.6, p<0.001); however, the difference was not significant between AT and PT groups both in visit 1 and visit 5. In conclusion, in addition to active training, passive training provided at the 1(st) visit did not improve the persistence and compliance of the patients for bisphosphonate treatment.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Prone versus modified supine position in percutaneous nephrolithotomy: a prospective randomized study.
To perform a prospective randomized trial comparing the efficacy and safety of percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) in the prone and modified supine positions. ⋯ Both the prone and modified supine positions are effective and safe for PCNL. Operation time was longer in the modified supine group, and patients undergoing PCNL in the modified supine position more frequently required a second operation due to a lower stone clearance rate.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Effects of zinc supplementation on plasma copper/zinc ratios, oxidative stress, and immunological status in hemodialysis patients.
Patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD) have low plasma levels of zinc (Zn), high plasma levels of copper (Cu), and exhibit increased oxidative stress, inflammation, and immune abnormalities. We evaluated the effects of Zn supplementation on abnormal plasma Cu/Zn ratios and clinical outcomes in HD patients. ⋯ Zn supplementation ameliorates abnormally high plasma Cu/Zn ratios and may reduce oxidative stress, improve inflammatory status, and maintain immune function in patients undergoing long-term HD.