Articles: function.
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Phantom limb pain (PLP) is a common consequence of amputation and is difficult to treat. Mirror therapy (MT), a procedure utilizing the visual recreation of movement of a lost limb by moving the intact limb in front of a mirror, has been shown to be effective in reducing PLP. However, the neural correlates of this effect are not known. ⋯ Experienced body appearance seems to be an important predictor of mirror treatment effectiveness. Maladaptive changes in cortical organization are reversed during mirror treatment, which also alters activity in the IPC, a region involved in painful perceptions and in the perceived relatedness to an observed limb.
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Critical care medicine · May 2014
Postoperative Polymyxin B Hemoperfusion and Mortality in Patients With Abdominal Septic Shock: A Propensity-Matched Analysis.
To examine the effect of postoperative polymyxin B hemoperfusion on mortality in patients with abdominal septic shock triggered by lower gastrointestinal tract perforation, identifying subpopulations of patients who may benefit from this treatment. ⋯ In this retrospective study, postoperative polymyxin B hemoperfusion did not show any survival benefit for the overall study population or any of the studied subgroups of patients with abdominal septic shock. A large multicentered prospective randomized trial is warranted to identify the true role of polymyxin B hemoperfusion in sepsis caused by Gram-negative bacteria.
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Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med. · May 2014
Clinical TrialShould we view COPD Differently after ECLIPSE? A Clinical Perspective from the Study Team.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) seems to be a heterogeneous disease with a variable course. ⋯ By following a large, well characterized cohort of patients with COPD over 3 years, we have a clearer picture of a heterogeneous disease with clinically important subtypes ("phenotypes") and a variable and not inherently progressive course. Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT00292552).
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Critical care medicine · May 2014
Levels of Circulating miR-133a Are Elevated in Sepsis and Predict Mortality in Critically Ill Patients.
Serum levels of microRNA have been proposed as biomarkers in various inflammatory diseases. However, up to now, their clinical relevance in critical illness and sepsis is unclear. ⋯ miR-133a serum levels were significantly elevated in critical illness and sepsis. High miR-133a levels were associated with the severity of disease and predicted an unfavorable outcome of critically ill patients.