Postgraduate medicine
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Postgraduate medicine · Aug 2022
The utility of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio determined at initial diagnosis in predicting disease stage and discriminating between active and stable disease in patients with sarcoidosis: cross-sectional study.
To evaluate the utility of neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) determined at initial diagnosis in predicting advanced disease stage and discriminating between active and stable disease in sarcoidosis. ⋯ Our findings indicate the potential utility of on-admission NLR values to predict the risk of advanced disease stage and to discriminate between active and stable disease in sarcoidosis. Measured via a simple, readily available, and low-cost test, NLR seems to be a valuable marker for monitoring disease activity and progression.
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Postgraduate medicine · Aug 2022
Novel elbow basket mechanical lithotripter for large common bile duct stone removal.
Large common bile duct (CBD) stones often require lithotripsy. In this study, we aimed to introduce a novel device-elbow basket catheter for mechanical lithotripsy (ML) of CBD stones and assess the efficacy and safety of the novel device. ⋯ ML using EBML in patients with large CBD stones is feasible and safe. Compared with the CBML, the stone clearance rate of the EBML is higher in a single procedure and decreases the time of intubation and the overall procedure.
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The anatomic site of primary melanoma is significantly associated with patient survival, e.g. trunk melanomas have poorer prognosis than limb melanomas. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinicopathological factors and survival outcomes of trunk melanoma patients and to identify the differences between anatomical areas of the trunk. ⋯ Trunk melanomas may be associated with aggressive pathological and poor clinical features, such as thickness, mitotic rate, ulceration, and advanced clinical stages; therefore, they predict unfavorable survival rates regardless of anatomical sites.
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Postgraduate medicine · Jun 2022
ReviewAdjuvant physical exercise for the management of painful polyneuropathy.
Physical exercise appeared to be effective, when implemented as an adjuvant to the pharmacotherapy option, in a variety of painful conditions. Peripheral neuropathic pain (PNP) is very prevalent and affects up to two-thirds of individuals with polyneuropathy (PN), regardless of etiology. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the currently available studies that assess adjuvant physical exercise for the management of PNP. ⋯ Physical exercise is a promising non-pharmacological intervention for the management of PNP. Future RCTs should be conducted to make a face-to-face comparison of the available exercise treatments with the aim to design specific exercise programs for patients with PNP.