Clinics
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Being overweight or obese is associated with a higher rate of survival in patients with advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This paradoxical relationship indicates that the influence of nutritional status on functional parameters should be further investigated. ⋯ Severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients who were overweight or obese had a greater FFM, exercise capacity and inspiratory muscle strength than patients with the same degree of airflow obstruction who were of normal weight or underweight, and higher FFM was independently associated with higher exercise capacity. These characteristics of overweight or obese patients might counteract the drawbacks of excess weight and lead to an improved prognosis in COPD.
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Spinal anesthesia for cesarean delivery may cause severe maternal hypotension and a decrease in cardiac output. Compared to assessment of cardiac output via a pulmonary artery catheter, the FloTrac/Vigileo system may offer a less invasive technique. The aim of this study was to evaluate cardiac output and other hemodynamic measurements made using the FloTrac/Vigileo system in patients undergoing spinal anesthesia for elective cesarean section. ⋯ No significant hemodynamic effects, except for heart rate and stroke volume changes, were observed in pregnant women managed with preload and vasopressors when undergoing elective cesarean section and spinal anesthesia.
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This study was designed to compare the prevalence of shoulder-arm morbidity, patient satisfaction with surgery and the quality of life of women submitted to breast-conserving therapy or modified radical mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction . ⋯ These data suggest that the type of surgery did not affect the occurrence of lymphedema. Breast-conserving therapy, however, increased the risk of shoulder movement limitation. No differences were found between the two surgical techniques with respect to quality of life or satisfaction with surgery.
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Plasma D-dimer levels are directly related to the intra- and extra-vascular coagulation that occurs in acute and chronic lung damage in patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). ⋯ Plasma D-dimer levels were increased even in community-acquired pneumonia patients who did not have an accompanying disease that would normally cause such an increase.