Int J Med Sci
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Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of high-intensity focused electromagnetic (HIFEM) technology on rectus abdominis muscles (RAMs) in Asian individuals, hypothesizing that HIFEM is safe and effective for body contouring in this population and that volumetric assessment provides more accurate results than thickness measurements alone. Methods: In this prospective, single-center pilot study, six Asian participants (3 males, 3 females; mean age 45.5 years) underwent HIFEM training. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed before treatment and at 2- and 3-months post-treatment to assess RAM volume and thickness. ⋯ Conclusion: This pioneering study establishes the safety and effectiveness of HIFEM technology for RAM training in Asian individuals. The discrepancy between volume and thickness changes highlights the importance of volumetric assessment in evaluating muscle remodeling. While limited by small sample size and short follow-up, this research provides a foundation for further investigation of HIFEM technology in diverse populations and underscores its potential as a non-invasive approach in aesthetic medicine.
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Observational Study
Impacts of Climate Warming on the Body Composition of Patients Undergoing Maintenance Hemodialysis.
Background: Climate change, with increasing temperatures, poses a health threat to patients on maintenance hemodialysis (MHD). Seasonal variations in body composition have been documented in this population. We hypothesized that climate warming could further exacerbate these effects. ⋯ Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that climate warming is associated with variations in the body composition of MHD patients residing in a subtropical climate. These changes can have implications in MHD patients due to their heightened vulnerability to environmental changes. Further research is needed across diverse geographic regions to develop optimal care strategies in a warming world.
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Purpose: CT angiography-source image (CTA-SI) can be used as an effective alternative to diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) for identifying acute ischemic stroke (AIS). This study investigates the reliability of combining CTA-SI with non-contrast CT (NCCT) for AIS diagnosis, with a focus on how different brain areas affect diagnostic accuracy. Methods: Patients with various subtypes of AIS who underwent NCCT, CTA, and DWI from January to December 2022 were included. ⋯ The NCCT+CTA-SI model demonstrated higher lesion detection rate than the NCCT (59.20% vs 48.7%, p<0.05) and CTA-SI model (59.2% vs 45.4%, p<0.05), particularly when detecting large vessel trunk infarction (82.90% vs 58.60%, p<0.05) and deep perforator vessel infarctions (64.80% vs 44.40%, p<0.05). Conclusions: The NCCT+CTA-SI model may be a valuable tool for evaluating AIS when DWI is not feasible. Smaller hospitals might consider adopting this combination for improved stroke diagnosis, highlighting the need for careful evaluation of deep perforator vessel infarction when large vessel trunk infarction is not evident.
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Background: Iron deficiency (ID) is common in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension and has been associated with increased morbidity and mortality. We aimed to evaluate the therapeutic effects of iron supplementation in iron deficient patients with group 1 to 4 pulmonary hypertension (PH). Methods: A total of 85 PH patients (mean age 69.8 ± 12.0 years, 56.5% female) were included in this prospective trial. ⋯ With regard to the underlying PH group, only PH group 3 patients experienced significant improvements in 6MWT distance (p=0.019), WHO functional class (p=0.017), fatigue (p=0.009) and some QoL domains, as compared to controls. Conclusions: ID was common in PH groups 1 to 4. Though intravenous iron supplementation adequately restored iron status and improved fatigue throughout all patients, in the underlying PH groups treatment was accompanied by improvements in exercise capacity, WHO function class and fatigue only in group 3 PH.
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Background/Purpose: The burden and epidemiology of Mycoplasma pneumoniae (Mp) community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) among hospitalized U. S. adults (≥ 18 years) are poorly understood. Methods: In the Etiology of Pneumonia in the Community (EPIC) study, we prospectively enrolled 2272 adults hospitalized with radiographically-confirmed pneumonia between January 2010-June 2012 and tested nasopharyngeal/oropharyngeal swabs for Mp by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). ⋯ Conclusions: M. pneumoniae, commonly known to cause "walking pneumonia", was detected among hospitalized adults, with the highest prevalence among young adults. Although associated with clinically non-specific symptoms, approximately one out of every ten patients were admitted to the ICU. Increasing access to M. pneumoniae point-of-care testing could facilitate targeted treatment and avoid hospitalization.