Wiener klinische Wochenschrift
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Wien. Klin. Wochenschr. · Jan 2009
The burden of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in patients hospitalized with heart failure.
Like chronic heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an enormous public health problem in industrialized countries. Our aim was to determine the prevalence and clinical impact of COPD among patients hospitalized for heart failure in a community hospital serving a population of 125,000 people. ⋯ COPD is frequent among hospitalized patients with heart failure. Beta-blockers are largely underused, which is probably a major reason for the higher mortality observed in patients with concomitant chronic heart failure and COPD.
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Wien. Klin. Wochenschr. · Jan 2009
Randomized Controlled TrialPostoperative pain and systemic inflammatory stress response after preoperative analgesia with clonidine or levobupivacaine: a randomized controlled trial.
With adequate control of perioperative pain it is possible to control central and peripheral inflammatory responses to surgery and influence patient outcomes. Use of analgesics before the pain stimulus (preventive analgesia) obstructs development of neuroplastic changes in the central nervous system and reduces pain. Our investigation hypothesis is that preoperative central (epidural or intrathecal) clonidine will reduce postoperative pain and the systemic inflammatory stress response more effectively than levobupivacaine. ⋯ These results support the importance of the central effect of clonidine on pain pathways and blockade of the systemic inflammatory stress response.
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Wien. Klin. Wochenschr. · Jan 2009
Comparative StudyThe influence of insulin pump treatment on metabolic syndrome parameters in type 2 diabetes mellitus.
The aim of our study was to evaluate the influence of long-term insulin pump treatment (CSII) on the parameters of metabolic syndrome in insulin-resistant patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus. ⋯ Six months of CSII treatment led to decrease in insulin resistance and improvement in parameters of lipid metabolism, blood coagulation and endothelial dysfunction independently of glycemic control and weight.
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Wien. Klin. Wochenschr. · Jan 2009
Sonographic evaluation of unexplained pleural exudate: a prospective case series.
Thoracic ultrasound may be helpful in differentiating between malignant and tuberculosis-associated pleural exudate. This study aimed to evaluate its utility in patients with unexplained pleural exudate. ⋯ Thoracic ultrasound is a useful bedside method for differentiation of the etiology of pleural exudate. When a complex septal pattern is found, pleural needle biopsy should be the next diagnostic procedure, whereas with less complex pleural sonography findings other methods should be pursued.
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Wien. Klin. Wochenschr. · Jan 2009
Heart rate-corrected QT interval and QT dispersion in patients with pulmonary hypertension.
Heart rate-corrected QT interval (QTc) and QTc dispersion (QTcd) are increased and associated with ventricular arrhythmia and an increase in sudden death in a variety of diseases. This study aimed to examine QTc and QTcd in pulmonary hypertension and assess their relationship with pulmonary arterial pressure. ⋯ In women with pulmonary hypertension, mean QTc and QTcd are positively correlated to mean pulmonary arterial pressure and are significantly increased in patients with severe pulmonary hypertension.