Irish journal of medical science
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Comparative Study
Comparison of 3T MR arthrography and 3T MRI in intra-articular hip pathology: a cost-analysis.
MR arthrography (MRA) has previously been the radiological gold standard for investigating labral and chondral lesions of the hip joint. In recent years, 3T MRI has demonstrated comparable accuracy, being adopted as the first-line imaging investigation in many institutions. ⋯ Transitioning from 3T MRA to 3T MRI in the investigation of intra-articular hip pathology increases cost savings and reduces radiation dose.
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The use of therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) for treatment of hypertriglyceridemia-induced acute pancreatitis (HTGP) remains controversial in the literature. This study compared the clinical outcomes of TPE versus conventional therapy in patients with HTGP. ⋯ The approach of using TPE for treatment of HTGP was not found to be superior to the conventional treatment. Randomized controlled studies with larger number of patients are needed to gain better understanding of this issue.
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Ferritin is an iron deposition protein and a commonly ordered clinical test. While high levels may signify iron deposition, the majority are due to metabolic, inflammatory, infectious, and malignant disorders. The association between ferritin elevations < 1000 μg/L and long-term mortality is well demonstrated. The association between extreme ferritin elevations, namely ferritin levels over 10,000 μg/L, and short-term mortality, as well as predictors of mortality, has not been defined. ⋯ Extreme hyperferritinemia is associated with high short-term mortality. Ferritin can be used as a marker of poor prognosis, particularly among patients with infection and malignancy.
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Superselective adrenal arterial embolization (SAAE) is a potential alternative treatment for patients with unilateral primary aldosteronism (PA) who refuse unilateral adrenalectomy. Therefore, we aimed to establish a scoring model to differentiate between hypertensive remission after SAAE. ⋯ The present model is the first nomogram-based score that specifically predicts hypertension remission after SAAE in patients with unilateral PA using conventional parameters. This is an effective risk stratification tool that can be used by clinicians for timely and tailored preoperative risk discussions.
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Aging is accompanied by changes in body composition, such as an increase in fat mass (FM), a decrease in skeletal muscle mass index (SMMI) and muscle strength, combined with a chronic inflammatory process (CI). ⋯ Our findings suggest that excess fat mass is a risk factor that has a significantly greater influence than aging per se on the index of skeletal muscle mass and strength.