Deutsche medizinische Wochenschrift
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Dtsch. Med. Wochenschr. · Mar 2006
Multicenter Study Comparative Study[Adjuvant and palliative chemotherapy of colorectal cancer in Germany outside controlled trials].
Colorectal cancer is the second most common malignant tumour in Germany with an unfavorable prognosis especially in a locally advanced or metastasizing stage. Although adjuvant and palliative chemotherapy significantly improve 5-year survival, consensus recommendations have in the past been inadequately transformed into clinical practice. It was the aim of this study to analyse the implementation of existing guidelines in a cohort from a defined area of Germany. ⋯ Stage III colon cancer was predominantly treated according to the existing standard guidelines. In contrast combined radio- and chemotherapy for rectal cancer stage II and III was only performed in one third of the patients, another third receiving neither adjuvant radiation nor chemotherapy. Initial combined or sequential combined chemotherapy for metastasizing colorectal cancer was rarely performed.
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Recently an increasing number of patients presented with febrile and respiratory symptoms associated with exposure to a new type of domestic ultrasonic humidifier. ⋯ These cases demonstrate the potential of ultrasonic humidifying devices to cause illness in the home. In view of their increasing popularity, humidifier lung and humidifier fever should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients with unexplained pulmonary or flu-like illness with fever.
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Dtsch. Med. Wochenschr. · Jan 2006
Review[Traditional contraindications to the use of metformin -- more harmful than beneficial?].
For fear of lactic acidosis the currently listed contraindications to the use of metformin exclude a large number of people with type 2 diabetes from efficacious anti-hyperglycemic and cardioprotective treatment. Yet recent data call the traditional contraindications to metformin into question. As the incidence of lactic acidosis in patients with type 2 diabetes is the same with or without metformin therapy (about 9 per 100,000 patient years) there is no evidence that metformin therapy is associated with an increased risk of lactic acidosis. ⋯ These findings raise doubts about the significance of metformin in the pathogenesis of lactic acidosis. On the basis of the current data, advanced age per se, mild renal impairment and stable heart failure can no longer be upheld as contraindications to the use of metformin. It should be safe to withdraw metformin the evening before radiological examinations with intravenous contrast media or surgical procedures under general anaesthesia in diabetics with normal renal function.