Postgraduate medical journal
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It is unknown whether an abnormal level of von Willebrand factor (vWF) is correlated with the prognosis of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and current findings are controversial. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the association between vWF levels and the clinical prognosis of patients with AF. ⋯ vWF is a risk factor for poor prognosis of AF, and patients with higher vWF levels have a higher risk of all-cause death, cardiovascular death, MACE, stroke and bleeding.
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Observational Study
Assessment of clinical features and determinants of mortality among cancer patients with septic shock of pulmonary origin: a prospective analysis.
Pneumonia-associated septic shock (PASS) in patients with cancer inflicts healthcare burden attributed to high morbidity and mortality. Current study was aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes, microbiological characteristics, risk factors and impact of life-support interventions on 28-day mortality among cancer patients with PASS. ⋯ Our analysis demonstrates substantial mortality associated with PASS among patients with cancer. Timely recognition of patients with high predilection of increased mortality could be of value in improving the disease burden.
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Free Open Access Meducation (FOAM) describes online resources assisting learning in medicine. Little is known about users or their behaviours. ⋯ Google Analytics can powerfully display usage of medical websites but has important limitations if statistical exploration is required. FOAM users are a heterogenous group, and thus content should be designed with this in mind. Further research must be prioritised focussing on the scope, curriculum coverage, accuracy of information and the effectiveness of FOAM as an educational resource.