Medicine
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Olfactory dysfunction is common among older adults and affects their safety, nutrition, quality of life, and mortality. More importantly, the decreased sense of smell is an early symptom of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson disease (PD) and Alzheimer disease. However, the genetic determinants for the sense of smell have been poorly investigated. ⋯ Gene-based and pathway-enrichment analyses further implicated MAPT in regulating the sense of smell in older adults. Similar results were obtained after excluding participants who reported a physician-diagnosed PD or use of PD medications. In conclusion, we provide preliminary evidence that the MAPT locus may play a role in regulating the sense of smell in older adults and therefore offer a potential genetic link between poor sense of smell and major neurodegenerative diseases.
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Observational Study
Postoperative Pain and Intravenous Patient-Controlled Analgesia-Related Adverse Effects in Young and Elderly Patients: A Retrospective Analysis of 10,575 Patients.
In this retrospective analysis of 10,575 patients who used fentanyl-based intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV-PCA) after surgery, we evaluated difference between young and elderly patients on their characteristic of adverse effects. We reviewed the data collected from the patients who were provided IV-PCA for pain control following elective surgery under either general or spinal anesthesia between September 2010 and March 2014. Postoperative pain, incidence of PCA-related adverse effects, and risk factors for the need of rescue analgesics and antiemetics for postoperative 48 hours were analyzed. ⋯ Despite lower incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), a larger proportion of elderly patients required rescue antiemetics (10.1% vs 12.2%, P < 0.001) while addition of ramosetron was effective in reducing PONV. In conclusion, when fentanyl-based IV-PCA is used for postoperative pain control, a larger proportion of young patients may require rescue analgesics while elderly patients may require more rescue antiemetics. The addition of ketorolac or ramosetron to the PCA of young and elderly patients can be effective to prevent rescue analgesics or antiemetics use.
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Review Meta Analysis
The Association Between Apolipoprotein E and Functional Outcome After Traumatic Brain Injury: A Meta-Analysis.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death and disability. Previous studies have investigated the association of apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 with functional outcome after TBI and reported inconsistent results. The purpose of this study was to perform a systematic literature search and conduct meta-analyses to examine whether APOE ε4 is associated with poorer functional outcome in patients with TBI. ⋯ Limitations of this study include The sample size was limited; the initial severity of TBI varied within and across studies; we could not control for potential confounding factors, such as age at injury and sex; a meta-analysis of the genotype dosage effect was not feasible; and we could not examine the association with specific factors such as neurobehavioral or specific cognitive functions. Our meta-analysis indicates APOE ε4 is associated with the long-term functional outcome of patients with TBI. Future studies that control for confounding factors, with large sample sizes and more homogeneous initial TBI severity levels, are needed to validate the findings from this study.
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The therapy of inflammatory bowel disease, particularly with tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blockers, may be associated with a number of cutaneous adverse effects, including psoriasis-like, eczema-like, and lichenoid eruptions. Other rare skin complications are neutrophilic dermatoses such as amicrobial pustulosis of the folds (APF), which is a chronic relapsing pustular disorder classified in this spectrum. The authors analyzed clinical, histopathologic, and cytokine expression profiles of 3 inflammatory bowel disease patients with APF triggered by adalimumab (patient 1) and infliximab (patients 2 and 3). ⋯ Finally, the authors found significant overexpression of both metalloproteinases 2/9 and their inhibitors 1/2. The observation of 3 patients with APF following anti-TNF therapy expands not only the clinical context of APF but also the spectrum of anti-TNF side effects. Overexpression of cytokines/chemokines and molecules amplifying the inflammatory network supports the view that APF is autoinflammatory in origin.
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Observational Study
Maternal Blood Pressure During Pregnancy and Early Childhood Blood Pressures in the Offspring: The GUSTO Birth Cohort Study.
Although epidemiological studies suggest that offspring of women with preeclampsia are at increased risk to higher blood pressures and cardiovascular disease, little is known about the nature of blood pressures between the mother and her offspring. As blood pressures comprise of both pulsatile (systolic blood pressure [SBP] and pulse pressure [PP]) and stable (diastolic blood pressure [DBP]) components, and they differ between central and peripheral sites, we sought to examine maternal peripheral and central blood pressure components in relation to offspring early childhood blood pressures. A prospective birth cohort of 567 Chinese, Malay, and Indian mother-offspring with complete blood pressure information were studied. ⋯ Maternal central pulsatile blood pressure components (SBP and PP) during pregnancy are associated with higher blood pressures in the offspring. This positive correlation is already evident at 3-years old. Studies are needed to further evaluate the effects of maternal central pulsatile blood pressure components during pregnancy and long-term cardiovascular health in the offspring.