The Libyan journal of medicine
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Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a heparin-specific growth factor specific for vascular endothelial cells and induces angiogenesis via binding to vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR). Chronic kidney disease (CKD), accompanied by microvascular disease, is recognized as an irreversible reduction of renal function. The effects of VEGF on CKD risk were evaluated in this study. 121 CKD patients and 50 healthy volunteers were evaluated in the current study. ⋯ Furthermore, VEGF +936C/T T allele was not associated with CKD risk (P = 0.69). VEGF levels are apparently associated with CKD risk, especially in more severe CKD. Gene polymorphism analysis indicates that the VEGF +936C/T T allele is not associated with CKD risk.
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Review Meta Analysis
Acupuncture in the treatment of post-stroke hiccup: A systematic Review and meta-analysis.
Aim: Central hiccups following a stroke are a frequent complication, exerting adverse effects on both the stroke condition and the patient's daily life. Existing treatments exhibit limited efficacy and pronounced side effects. Acupuncture has been explored as a supplementary intervention in clinical practice. ⋯ Additionally, the incidence of adverse reactions decreased (RR: 0.45, 95% CI: 0.16-1.25; P = 0.13), and there was a significant reduction in SAS (WMD: -7.23, 95% CI: -8.47 - -5.99; P < 0.00001). Conclusions: Our investigation suggests that acupuncture could prove effective in post-stroke hiccup treatment. Nonetheless, due to concerns about the quality and size of the included studies, conducting higher-quality randomized controlled trials to validate their efficacy is imperative.