Postgraduate medicine
-
Postgraduate medicine · May 2020
Treatment of painful polyneuropathies of diabetic and other origins with 10 kHz SCS: a case series.
Painful diabetic polyneuropathy (PDPN) and painful polyneuropathies of other origins are associated with significant personal and societal burdens with treatments limited to symptomatic management. Treatment options include antidepressants, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) analogs, opioids, and topical analgesics, which are intended to alleviate pain and symptoms of neuropathy, but limited data are available on their efficacy. Paresthesia-based low-frequency spinal cord stimulation (LF-SCS) is considered a last-resort treatment modality for PDPN patients. ⋯ Out of five patients with information available at last follow-up, two were completely off their pain medications and two reduced their dose by over 40%. Similarly, at last follow-up, three out of five patients reported sensory improvement in their lower limbs. In conclusion, 10 kHz SCS treatment resulted in significant pain relief in all the patients, decreased reliance on pain medication, and improved lower limb sensory function in the majority of patients.
-
Postgraduate medicine · Apr 2020
Admittances characteristics by sepsis in the Spanish internal medicine services between 2005 and 2015: mortality pattern.
Studies in recent years suggest an increase in the incidence of sepsis but a decrease in mortality. The aim of this study is to describe the characteristics of patients discharged after a sepsis episode from Spanish internal medicine services between 2005 and 2015. ⋯ As in other similar studies, we observed an increase in the hospitalizations by sepsis as a diagnosis at discharge during the study period in Internal Medicine services with a simultaneous decrease in mortality. Comorbidity at admission and complications during admittance condition mortality.
-
Postgraduate medicine · Apr 2020
Prevalence of Iron Deficiency (ID) without anemia in the general population presenting to primary care clinics: a cross-sectional study.
There are no evidence-based recommendations to screen for iron deficiency in non-anemic patients, even though symptoms may be present. The aim of this study is to measure the prevalence of iron deficiency (ID) without anemia in the general population aged 18-50 presenting to primary care along with the incidence and time to develop anemia in the iron-deficient population. ⋯ Iron deficiency without anemia in childbearing females is common but only one-seventh of females developed anemia within 5 years. Guidelines should consider incorporating ferritin levels with CBC in the workup of patients presenting with symptoms suggestive of iron deficiency or anemia.
-
Postgraduate medicine · Apr 2020
Case ReportsA rare case of intraductal tubulopapillary neoplasm of the pancreas - case report (with video).
Intraductal tubulopapillary neoplasm (ITPN) is a premalignant epithelial tumor of the pancreas. We report a case of ITPN detected incidentally during histopathology examination (HPE) from a specimen taken at the time of endosonography in a patient with pancreatitis. A 53-year-old man presented with severe recurrent epigastric pain, associated with episodic nonbilious vomiting, with a weight loss of about 7 Kg since 15 days. ⋯ There is often a difference of opinion in distinguishing and classifying such tumors when compared to the subtypes of mucinous neoplasm. Identification of this neoplasm is often challenging for pathologists as well as radiologists. We present this case since it is infrequent and atypical in routine medical practice.
-
Postgraduate medicine · Apr 2020
ReviewTreatment of urinary tract infections in the era of antimicrobial resistance and new antimicrobial agents.
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) caused by antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria are a growing concern due to limited treatment options. Knowledge of the common uropathogens in addition to local susceptibility patterns is essential in determining appropriate empiric antibiotic therapy of UTIs. The recommended first-line empiric antibiotic therapy for acute uncomplicated bacterial cystitis in otherwise healthy adult nonpregnant females is a 5-day course of nitrofurantoin, a 3-g single dose of fosfomycin tromethamine, or a 5-day course of pivmecillinam. ⋯ Ceftazidime-avibactam, meropenem/vaborbactam, imipenem/cilastatin-relebactam, colistin, fosfomycin, aztreonam and ceftazidime-avibactam, aztreonam and amoxicillin-clavulanate, aminoglycosides including plazomicin, cefiderocol, tigecycline are treatment options for UTIs caused by carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriales (CRE). Treatment options for UTIs caused by multidrug resistant (MDR)-Pseudomonas spp. include fluoroquinolones, ceftazidime, cefepime, piperacillin-tazobactam, carbapenems including imipenem-cilastatin/relebactam, meropenem, and fosfomycin, ceftolozane-tazobactam, ceftazidime-avibactam, aminoglycosides including plazomicin, aztreonam and ceftazidime-avibactam, cefiderocol, and colistin. It is important to use the new antimicrobials wisely for treatment of UTIs caused by MDR-organisms to avoid resistance development.