Irish journal of medical science
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Lung cancer is a disease that severely endangers human health. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for approximately 4/5 of lung cancers. ⋯ Early combination of local radiotherapy and GM-CSF has a significant efficacy for advanced NSCLC accounts for approximately 4/5 of lung cancers treated with icotinib, and it can improve patients' autoimmunity and lengthen progression free survival.
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Double-J stents are used to treat ureteric outflow obstruction. Deployed in antegrade or retrograde fashion, they relieve ureteric obstruction in several conditions including ureteric calculi, strictures and malignancy. Traditionally exchanged in an operating theatre (OT) under general anaesthetic (GA), more recently described is the technique of using fluoroscopic guidance under sedation. ⋯ Fluoroscopic-guided retrograde double-J stent exchange is a safe and effective procedure that can be performed with a high degree of success using equipment and techniques used in daily IR practice. This approach precludes the need for GA, reduces OT utilisation and is well tolerated in a patient group for whom this procedure is typically palliative.
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Recent study reported that microRNA-142 (miR-142) were up-regulated in the atherosclerotic plaques, which may be responsible for pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. However, whether it associates with presence of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and its prognostic value is still unknown. We, therefore, investigated the association between miR-142 expression and presence of AMI, and its prognostic value in AMI patients. ⋯ The serum level of miR-142 was increased in AMI patients when compared with health population. Furthermore, use of this marker may allow a certain predictor of the MACCE in AMI patients.
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Gender differences have been noted in patients presenting with ST segment elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI) but the reason remained poorly defined. We hypothesize that women presenting with STEMI are associated with poor reperfusion strategies which leads to worse in-hospital outcomes. Our goal is to identify age-stratified gender differences in revascularizations and in-hospital outcomes in patients presented with STEMI. ⋯ Regardless of age, women presenting with STEMI are less likely to receive revascularization and have higher in-hospital mortality, longer length of stay, and more likely to be discharged to other acute care facility.
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Peripheral arterial diseases (PAD) refer to the arterial diseases other than coronary arteries and the aorta. Atherosclerosis is the major cause of PAD. Renin angiotensin aldosterone system (RAAS)-related genes were associated with cardiovascular diseases. Angiotensin II is the pro-inflammatory, proliferative and vasoconstrictor effector of RAAS in the vascular system. ⋯ This report is the first to show an association between RAAS-related gene variants and their relation with the biochemical characteristics of PAD and suggests that RAAS-associated gene variants may have significant roles in cardiovascular related phenotypes of PAD patients.