Panminerva medica
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In recent years, the FEV1/FEV in six seconds ratio has been proposed and validated as a parameter for screening of airways obstruction and restriction. In this context an electronic spirometry screening of pharmacy customers could lead to significant benefits such as improving the appropriateness of diagnostic test prescription and facilitating the early diagnosis of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). ⋯ Data seem to suggest the six-second spirometry as a valid screening tool for the detection of possible airway obstruction and restriction in pharmacies setting. Results point out the possibility of rationalizing the access to medical visits and of optimizing prescriptive appropriateness. The above mentioned points will lead to save public money and will strengthen the role of the Community Pharmacy as health posts of Italian Health National System.
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Pituitary surgery is a continuous evolving speciality of the neurosurgeons' armamentarium, requiring precise anatomical knowledge, technical skills and integrated appreciation of the pituitary pathophysiology. Actually, it could be considered the result of a close cooperation between different specialists, i.e. the ophthalmologist, the neuroradiologist, the endocrinologist, the neurosurgeon, the pathologist, etc. ⋯ The "pure" endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery - consisting of a whole procedure performed with the endoscope alone and without the use of any transsphenoidal retractor - offers some advantages due to the endoscope itself: a superior close-up view of the relevant anatomy, very important at the tumor/gland interface and an enlarged working angle are provided with an increased panoramic vision inside the surgical area. Results in terms of mass removal, relief of clinical symptoms, cure of the underlying disease and complication rate are similar to those reported in the major microsurgical series but patient compliance is by far better.
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Orally administrated nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are effective in the treatment of a variety of acute and chronic pain conditions but their use may be associated with serious systemic adverse effects which are correlated with the therapeutic plasma levels of the drug. In order to minimize the incidence of drug related systemic events, topical formulations of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs have been developed. A recently performed review of the evidence from randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trials with topically applied NSAIDs in the treatment of acute pain confirmed the previously described pain relief effectiveness. For all topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs combined, in comparison to placebo, the number needed to treat (NNT) to achieve a clinically meaningful pain relief of 50 % was 4.5 (3.9 to 5.3) for treatment periods of 6 to 14 days. Local skin reactions were generally mild and transient, and did not differ from placebo. ⋯ The results of the current post-authorization study confirm beneficial pain intensity reducing efficacy of Ketospray 10% associated with good local tolerability of 7 days treatment course. Concomitant administration of systemic pain relieving medication did not substantially contribute neither to the relief of pain at rest nor of pain on movement among the subjects of respective study populations.
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Retrospective analysis of data obtained from 161 patients with ocular hypertension who performed the CET in 1980, and were subsequently followed to see whether they developed OAG. CET was performed always in the morning Eyelids were closed by bandaging for 1 h in a quiet environment, with the patient seated and not sleeping. IOP was measured again 8 to 10s after opening the eyelids. ⋯ Eyelid closure for 60 minutes results in a net elevation of IOP the extent of which depends on the balance between the increase of aqueous humour secretion and its outflow. Therefore, the CET may discriminate individuals with a normal outflow from individuals with a less functional outflow, which are evidently those at a higher risk of developing glaucoma.
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Guanosine has been reported to exert neuroprotective effects. We recently reported that, following intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection to rats, it resulted to be widely distributed. Its metabolic product guanine also rapidly increased in all the tissues, including brain, after i.p. injection of guanosine and consistently we found a significant enzymatic activity of a soluble purine nucleoside phosphorylase in the plasma of the treated animals. ⋯ Moreover the nucleobase was able to rescue the memory trace also when administered after training. Neither guanosine nor guanine had effects on locomotor activity. These results indicate that guanine can exert important biological activities which may be different from those mediated by its precursor guanosine, thus this evenience should be taken into account when the biological effects of guanosine are evaluated.