Internal medicine journal
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Internal medicine journal · Sep 2020
Use of a limited-channel device for obstructive sleep apnoea diagnosis in a tertiary sleep disorders centre.
A major impediment to the provision of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) treatment is reliance on labour-intensive and costly laboratory-based polysomnography (PSG). ⋯ AL is useful in the diagnosis of moderate-severe OSA in patients referred to a tertiary sleep disorders centre. This could lessen reliance on PSG, expedite OSA care, lead to significant cost savings and make diagnosis of OSA more available in non-urban areas.
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Internal medicine journal · Sep 2020
Efficacy of methotrexate in polymyalgia rheumatica in routine rheumatology clinical care.
Current guidelines recommend methotrexate (MTX) as a glucocorticoid-sparing agent in patients with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) who relapse or suffer glucocorticoid adverse effects, although there is no level 1 evidence to support this recommendation. ⋯ In this study of PMR patients in tertiary care, 31% were co-prescribed MTX, after prolonged disease duration. MTX was associated with improved inflammatory activity and reduced prednisolone dose, with a relatively high risk of adverse events.
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Internal medicine journal · Sep 2020
Sub-Acute more than Chronic Hyponatremia is associated with Serious Falls and Hip Fractures.
Falls and hip fractures among older people are associated with high morbidity and mortality. Hyponatraemia may be a risk for falls/hip fractures, but the effect of hyponatraemia duration is not well understood. ⋯ Our findings suggest that early/sub-acute hyponatraemia appears more vulnerable and associated with serious falls/hip fractures. Whether hyponatraemia is a marker of frailty or a modifiable risk factor for falls remains to be determined.