Articles: function.
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Multicenter Study Observational Study
Systemic biomarkers of collagen and elastin turnover are associated with clinically relevant outcomes in COPD.
Extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling of the lung tissue releases protein fragments into the blood, where they may be detected as serologic surrogate markers of disease activity in COPD. Our goal was to assess the association of ECM turnover with severity and outcome of COPD. ⋯ Serum biomarkers of ECM turnover were significantly associated with disease severity and clinically relevant outcomes in patients with COPD.
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[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2016/6838596.].
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There is some evidence suggesting that analgesics have an impact on human chemosensory function, especially opioids and cannabinoids are known to interfere with olfactory function. However, largely unknown is the effect of a long-term use of analgesics on the intranasal trigeminal system so far. Here, we investigated olfactory function and the perception of intranasal trigeminal stimuli in pain patients with long-term use of analgesics compared to age-matched healthy controls. ⋯ The observed effect might be mediated due to interaction with opioid receptors in trigeminal ganglia and nuclei or due to trigeminal/olfactory interaction. As a practical consequence, patients should be made aware of a possible impairment of their olfactory and trigeminal function under long-term analgesic treatment. WHAT DOES THIS STUDY ADD?: We observed that the chronic use of pain medication was associated with significantly reduced olfactory function and perception of intranasal trigeminal stimuli compared to age-matched controls without intake of analgesics. Non-opioid and opioid drugs did not differ in their effects on chemosensory function.
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The aim of this study was to increase our understanding of the role that spatial qualities of pain (location and extent) play in functioning, among youths with disabilities and chronic pain. ⋯ The findings support the need to take into account pain extent in the assessment and treatment of youths with physical disabilities and chronic pain, call our attention about the need to identify potential risk factors of pain extent, and develop and evaluate the benefits of treatments that could reduce pain extent and target pain at specific sites.
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Knowledge of how alterations in pharmacogenomics and pharmacogenetics may affect drug therapy in the intensive care unit (ICU) has received little study. We review the clinically relevant application of pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics to drugs and conditions encountered in the ICU. ⋯ Application of pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics has seen improvements in drug therapy. Ongoing study and incorporation of these concepts into clinical decision making in the ICU has the potential to affect patient outcomes.