Internal and emergency medicine
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Pain is a multidimensional experience, potentially rendering unidimensional pain scales inappropriate for assessment. Prior research highlighted their inadequacy as reliable indicators of analgesic requirement. This systematic review aimed to compare multidimensional with unidimensional pain scales in assessing analgesic requirements in the emergency department (ED). ⋯ Limited heterogenous literature suggests that in the ED, a multidimensional pain scale (DVPRS), may better discriminate moderate and severe pain compared to a unidimensional pain scale (NRS). This potentially impacts analgesia, particularly when analgesic interventions rely on pain scores. Patients might prefer multidimensional pain scales (BPI-SF, MPQ-SF) over NRS or VAS for assessing their pain experience.
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Review
Endovascular therapy for posterior cerebral artery occlusion: systematic review with meta-analysis.
Endovascular therapy (EVT) is a highly effective stroke treatment, but trials validating this intervention did not include patients with posterior cerebral artery (PCA) occlusion. The aim of this systematic review with meta-analysis was to assess the efficacy and safety of EVT for acute PCA occlusion. PubMed, Scopus, ISI, and CENTRAL were searched for studies assessing EVT in adult patients with PCA occlusion. ⋯ EVT for acute PCA occlusion is technically feasible but associated with higher chance of sICH. There is no evidence to support this treatment to achieve higher rates of functional independence, but other gains that can impact patients' quality of life cannot be excluded. More studies are required with robust design, better patient selection, and comprehensive outcome evaluation.
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After an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) it is imperative to balance the bleeding vs. the ischemic risk given the similar prognostic impact of the two events. Since the post-discharge bleeding risk is substantially stable over time whereas the ischemic risk accumulates in the first weeks to months, a strategy of de-escalation of antithrombotic treatment, consisting in the reduction of either the duration (i.e., early interruption of one antiplatelet agent) or the intensity (i.e., switching from the more potent P2Y12-inhibitors prasugrel or ticagrelor to clopidogrel) of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT), has been proposed. ⋯ Overall, all de-escalation strategies have shown to consistently decrease bleeding events with no apparent increase in ischemic events as compared to 12-month standard-of-care DAPT. Owing however to several limitations and weaknesses of the available evidence, de-escalation strategies are currently not recommended as a routine, but should rather be considered for selected ACS patients, such as those at increased risk of bleeding.
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Severe COVID-19, with the need in supplemental oxygen and hospitalization, leads to major burden on patients and healthcare systems. As a result, safe and effective ambulatory treatment strategies for severe COVID-19 are of urgent need. In this systematic review, we aimed to evaluate interventions to transition care to the ambulatory setting for patients with active severe COVID-19 that required supplemental oxygen. ⋯ Our findings highlight the potential in treating severe COVID-19 at the ambulatory setting and the lack of high-quality data in this field. Dedicated medical teams, adjusted monitoring methods, improving clinical trajectory, and correct inclusion settings are needed for safe and effective transition of care.
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Severe COVID-19, with the need in supplemental oxygen and hospitalization, leads to major burden on patients and healthcare systems. As a result, safe and effective ambulatory treatment strategies for severe COVID-19 are of urgent need. In this systematic review, we aimed to evaluate interventions to transition care to the ambulatory setting for patients with active severe COVID-19 that required supplemental oxygen. ⋯ Our findings highlight the potential in treating severe COVID-19 at the ambulatory setting and the lack of high-quality data in this field. Dedicated medical teams, adjusted monitoring methods, improving clinical trajectory, and correct inclusion settings are needed for safe and effective transition of care.