J Formos Med Assoc
-
Intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IVPCA) is one of the most widely used postoperative analgesic methods. Many factors could affect the total analgesic consumption of IVPCA. This retrospective study investigated the relationship between patient characteristics and total morphine consumption during a 3-day course of postoperative IVPCA. ⋯ This study demonstrated that weight and surgical sites significantly influence total IVPCA requirements. The effect of surgical sites should be considered when evaluating the influence of demographic characteristics on IVPCA demand.
-
Case Reports
Coexistence of pernicious anemia and myasthenia gravis--a rare combination of autoimmune diseases in Taiwan.
About 5-10% of patients with myasthenia gravis concomitantly have other autoimmune diseases. However, the coexistence of myasthenia gravis and pernicious anemia is rare. ⋯ Her myasthenic and pernicious anemia symptoms markedly improved after pyridostigmine, prednisolone and hydroxocobalamine treatment. It is important to recognize concurrence of myasthenia gravis and pernicious anemia in the same patient because the therapeutic results for both diseases are rewarding.