Medicine
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Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among males and the second leading cause among females worldwide. Numerous studies have linked estrogen status to lung cancer outcome. However, there are studies with conflicting results about the effect of ERβ on survival of lung cancer. The aim of this meta-analysis is to evaluate the prognostic impact of estrogen receptor beta expression on survival among NSCLC patients. ⋯ This review will provide a comprehensive evaluation of the evidence on the prognostic impact of ERβ expression among NSCLC patients and will help clinicians find potential treatments based on estrogen signaling.
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Arteriovenous fistula (AVF) is the preferred vascular access for hemodialysis due to its higher patency and lower infection rate. However, its suboptimal maturation rate is a major weakness. Although substantial risk factors for AVF maturation failure have been disclosed, modifiable risk factors remain unknown. During the AVF maturation process, an elevated luminal pressure is required for outward remodeling; however, excessively high luminal pressure may also be detrimental to AVF maturation, which remains to be defined. We hypothesized that higher AVF luminal pressure is harmful to its maturation, and investigate its potential as a modifiable factor to improve AVF maturation. ⋯ While contemporary theory for AVF maturation failure focuses on disturbed wall shear stress, complicate assumptions and measurement preclude its clinical applicability. AVF luminal pressure, which may be manipulated pharmaceutically and surgically, may be a target to improve the outcome of AVF maturation.
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This study will assess the effects of high quality nursing care (HQNC) on psychological outcomes (PCO) in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). ⋯ The results of this study will provide convinced evidence for judging the effects of HQNC on PCO in patients with CHF.
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Non-adherence can be highlighted as one of the main contributors to the occurrence of adverse events in patients treated with warfarin. The usefulness of self-reporting measures of drug adherence could be improved by following psychometric properties in the development of the measurement scales. Thus, we aimed to describe the protocol of a systematic literature review designed to investigate and describe validated instruments used to assess adherence to warfarin therapy. ⋯ The systematic review is registered in the PROSPERO international prospective register of systematic review (PROSPERO# CRD42019128324).
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Observational Study
Effectiveness and safety of perampanel in adults with mesial temporal epilepsy: A single-center postmarketing study in Taiwan.
Mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) is a common epilepsy syndrome often refractory to antiepileptic drug (AED) treatment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and tolerability of perampanel (PER) as add-on treatment for patients of MTLE. We pooled retrospective data from adult patients with MTLE, from a tertiary center in Taiwan, who were prescribed PER between March 2016 and December 2016. ⋯ Twenty-three patients (52.3%) experienced adverse effects. The most common adverse effects were dizziness, ataxia, and irritability. Our results suggest that PER, at doses of 2 to 12 mg/day, reduces seizure frequency effectively with acceptable safety profiles for adults with MTLE.