Lijec̆nic̆ki vjesnik
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The aim of this study was to determine characteristics of injuries of children admitted to the Emergency Department (ED) of University Hospital Split, and also to define the mechanisms of injuries, as well as the type and severity of injuries. We evaluated 3,221 children with injuries treated in the ED of the University Hospital of Split in the period from January to July 2009. The following indicators were analyzed: age, gender, anatomic distribution of injuries, mechanism, Injury Severity Score (ISS) and the need for hospital and intensive care admission. ⋯ The most frequently injured body region in children treated in ED are limbs, and the most frequent mechanism of injury is fall. However, the most severe are head injuries, and the majority of severe injuries are caused by RTAs. These data are important for programs of injury prevention.
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Lijec̆nic̆ki vjesnik · Sep 2012
Practice Guideline[Croatian Society for Haematology and Transfusion Medicine Guidelines on the diagnosis and management of heparin induced thrombocytopenia (HIT)].
Heparin induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is a serious complication of heparin administration. In the last decade, this clinical syndrome has come into the focus of interest, primarily because of the severe thromboembolic complications that may lead to lethal outcome. In addition, great improvements have been made in the treatment with direct thrombin inhibitors and in laboratory diagnosis of HIT. ⋯ Based on British Committee for Standards in Haematology (BCSH) recommendations on diagnostic and treatment of HIT from 2006, activities for the introduction of new assays for anti-heparin antibodies were launched in 2008 and 2009, including algorithm of laboratory testing for HIT, sheet for clinical assessment of HIT (4T score), and education oftransfusiologists and clinicians. Upon evaluation of the results collected during one-year period, the Croatian Society of Haematology and Transfusion Medicine nominated a task force for the development of guidelines for HIT in January 2010. Following wide-ranging discussion, the guidelines were adopted in May 2011.
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Use of medical preparations having no specific pharmacological activity or dummy procedures administered to patients is known as placebo. Such maneuvers are important in the pain treatment and clinical studies investigating pain mechanisms. Several recent studies have shown that placebo treatment produces measurable psychophysiological effects, characterized by changes in specific brain functions and decreased subjective pain perception. This article reviews changes observed in placebo analgesia, its intensity as compared to active compounds, and principal problems observed during the placebo treatment and in clinical trials.
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Lijec̆nic̆ki vjesnik · Jan 2012
Review[Coccygodynia: etiology, pathogenesis, clinical characteristics, diagnosis and therapy].
The term 'coccygodynia' means the pain in the tailbone area (os coccygis; coccyx). Due to the sitting intolerance, coccygodynia can significantly disturb the quality of life. Coccygeal disorders that could be manifested in coccygodynia are injuries (fracture, subluxation, luxation), abnormal mobility (hypermobility, anterior and posterior subluxation or luxation of the coccyx), disc degeneration at sacrococcygeal (SC) and intercoccygeal (IC) segments, coccygeal spicule (bony excrescence), osteomyelitis and tumors. ⋯ Conservative therapy includes: rest, medicamentous therapy, acupuncture, coccyx cushion, physical therapy, manual therapy (massage and stretching of the levator ani muscle; mobilization of the coccyx) and therapeutic interventions (injections of local anesthetic and corticosteroid in the painful structures; radiofrequency ablation of coccygeal discs and Walther's ganglion). Using different modalities of conservative therapy, satisfactory results are achieved in the majority of patients with coccygodynia. Coccygectomy is indicated in refractory cases, first of all in patients with abnormal mobility of the coccyx and spicules who respond best to surgical treatment.