Articles: disease.
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Due to the complex pathological mechanism of acute cerebral infarction, the role of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) on the disease is not clear. Therefore, a retrospective case-control study was performed to explore the effect of VEGF on neurological impairment and prognosis of acute cerebral infarction patients. ⋯ The level of serum VEGF was positively correlated with neurological impairment degree and prognosis in patients with acute cerebral infarction, the more severe the degree of stroke and the worse the prognosis.
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Post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN) is one of the most painful diseases, which has made it a major concern for pain physicians. We aimed to quantitatively analyze the research outputs of studies on PHN published over the past 30 years using bibliometric analysis. We also aimed to analyze the research outputs of studies on interventional treatments for PHN and evaluate the academic achievements of Korean pain physicians. ⋯ Our results showed an increasing trend in the number of PHN-related publications and the academic achievements of Korean pain physicians in this field over the past 3 decades. However, the proportion of studies on interventional treatments is relatively small. Korean pain physicians need to establish academic evidence on interventional treatment to expand their role in this field and improve the outcomes of PHN patients.
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The frequency of acute kidney injury (AKI) in COVID-19 patients can be varied and related to worse outcomes in the disease population. AKI is common among hospitalized patients with COVID-19, particularly the ones needing critical care. This study was conducted in order to determine the outcomes of hospitalized patients with prolonged hospital stays who suffered from COVID-19 associated AKI. ⋯ The mortality rate was significantly higher with AKI (OR: 4.7, P < .001). Alongside AKI, concomitant liver dysfunction was also significantly contributing to mortality (OR: 2.5), apart from ICU stay (OR: 2.9), invasive ventilation (OR: 9.2), and renal replacement therapy (OR: 2.4). Certain laboratory markers were associated with AKI throughout in-hospital stay.
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There is limited and conflicting data available regarding the cardiovascular disease outcomes associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). ⋯ IBD patients are at higher risk for adverse cardiovascular outcomes, especially in women. Although there remains a lack of concrete treatment algorithms and assessment parameters that better characterize IBD risk factors, nutritional modifications and physical activity should be at the forefront of CVD prevention in IBD.