Medical principles and practice : international journal of the Kuwait University, Health Science Centre
-
Pressure injuries are a health problem of special concern for older adults, and different scales are used to assess the risk of developing these ulcers. We assessed the prevalence of residents at high risk of pressure injuries using a Norton scale and examined its relationships with the most important risk factors in a large sample of Italian nursing homes (NHs). ⋯ The prevalence of NH residents at high risk of pressure injuries was very high using the Norton scale, but the percentage of residents who develop these ulcers is lower. Female NH residents with advanced age, dementia, and a history of cerebrovascular disease should be carefully monitored.
-
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common condition closely related to obesity, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to explore the possible relationship between OSA and proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9). ⋯ Statin therapy was closely related to PCSK9. OSA along with obesity and statin use induces elevation of PCSK9.
-
Thyroid dysfunction is a common cause of atrial fibrillation (AF). Incidence of AF is high in patients with both expressed and subclinical hyperthyroidism. The aim of our study was to determine the incidence and predictors of new onset atrial fibrillation (NOAF) in euthyroid patients undergoing thyroid surgery. ⋯ Incidence of NOAF during thyroid surgery is similar to the other type of surgery, if the values of thyroid hormones are normal.
-
The prevalence of phage 80/81 Staphylococcus aureus strains, the pandemic strains that were dominant in the 1950s, had declined in the 1960s and 1970s. However, these strains have reemerged in some countries in recent years. This study investigated the antibacterial resistance, virulence, and the genetic backgrounds of CC30-MSSA isolates obtained from patients in three tertiary hospitals. ⋯ The current CC30-MSSA isolates share phenotypic and genotypic characteristics with the pandemic phage 80/81 isolates that were common in the 1950s and 1960s. Continued surveillance is recommended to keep abreast of the changing epidemiology of S. aureus causing healthcare and community-associated infections.
-
Immunocompromised patients are a high-risk group for developing mycobacterial infections with either pulmonary and/or extrapulmonary diseases. Low-cost/density DNA-microarray is considered an easy and efficient method for the detection of typical and atypical mycobacterial species. ⋯ This study documents the presence of certain species of atypical mycobacteria among immunocompromised patients in Egypt.