Internal and emergency medicine
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Comparative Study
Healthcare professionals' perceptions of patient safety in European emergency departments: a comparative analysis of survey results.
Patient safety is a significant concern worldwide. The Emergency Departments (EDs) are vulnerable to adverse events. Europe, with its diverse healthcare systems, differs in patient safety. ⋯ Each country displayed unique safety concerns. Safety perceptions did not align with per capita healthcare expenditure, indicating that addressing ED safety needs multifaceted strategies. Policymakers can leverage these findings to inform strategic planning, encouraging targeted interventions to enhance patient safety at both the national and European levels.
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Epicardial adipose tissue is a novel cardiometabolic risk factor and indicator of subclinical atherosclerosis. We aimed to evaluate the epicardial adipose tissue thickness in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and its association with disease activity scores. A total of 81 rheumatoid arthritis patients and 70 age- and sex-matched healthy individuals were recruited for this cross-sectional study. ⋯ According to a cut-off value of 6.4 mm determined for epicardial adipose tissue thickness, the RA patients with thickness ≥ 6.4 mm had higher disease activity scores and CRP levels. In the multivariable regression analysis, only SDAI score was found as an independent risk factor for increased EATT (OR, (95%CI), 13.70 (3.88-48.43), p < 0.001). Epicardial adipose tissue thickness measurement by echocardiography is a reliable method for assessing subclinical atherosclerosis in rheumatoid arthritis patients, and a higher disease activity score is an independent risk factor for coronary artery disease.