Annals of medicine
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Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is an alternative modality to hemodialysis (HD) for end-stage Kidney disease (ESKD) treatment. However, PD is underutilized, and patients' knowledge about PD is crucial in making an informed decision about the dialysis modality. This study aims to evaluate the knowledge about PD among HD patients and explore the reasons for its underutilization. ⋯ This study highlights the inadequate knowledge about PD among HD patients and identifies factors contributing to the underutilization of PD. Lack of information, misconceptions about the effectiveness and safety of PD, and preference for HD were significant barriers. Enhancing patient education and addressing misconceptions are crucial in promoting PD as a viable treatment option for ESKD, thereby improving patients' quality of life.
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Hypertension is a prevalent chronic condition worldwide that can impact patients' quality of life. Oral antihypertensive drugs are widely used to manage high blood pressure, primarily by regulating the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. Nevertheless, limited efficacy and low compliance represent significant obstacles, arising primarily from dose, duration, and medication type restrictions. ⋯ As a result, research has focused on using exercise therapy to treat hypertension. Tai Chi, a widely-practiced Chinese health exercise, has evolved into a form of exercise therapy that might help alleviate the risk associated with hypertension. Therefore, this article aims to outline the role of Tai Chi in preventing and managing hypertension.
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Comparative Study
Comparison of two platinum-containing chemotherapy regimens in the treatment of advanced cervical cancer with concurrent chemoradiotherapy.
The present study aims to compare the efficacy and side effects of a platinum-containing combination regimen and platinum single-drug concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in patients with advanced cervical cancer (CC) and to understand the prognostic factors in patients with CC. ⋯ A higher patient age, having an AC and stage of IIIa and a high SCC-Ag value before treatment resulted in a relatively low survival rate.
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Dupilumab has been approved for the treatment of severe asthma with type 2 inflammation by inhibiting interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13 signaling. However, dupilumab-induced hypereosinophilia (HE) has been reported and should not be ignored. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of dupilumab in Chinese patients with severe asthma, whether HE affects its efficacy, and the possible risk factors for HE. ⋯ This study demonstrated that dupilumab was efficacious in Chinese patients with severe asthma, and some patients developed asymptomatic, self-limited HE, which did not affect its efficacy. Additionally, FeNO ≥60 ppb, food allergens positive, and co-morbidities with EOM may be the risk factors for developing HE.
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Adherence to prescribed home exercise is an important predictor for the long-term effectiveness of exercise therapy and therefore important to evaluate. The Exercise Adherence Rating Scale (EARS) is a valid and reliable tool to assess exercise adherence behavior, but it is not translated into Swedish. This study aimed to translate EARS into Swedish and to explore the psychometric properties in terms of test-retest reliability, internal consistency as well and possible floor-/ceiling effects. ⋯ EARS-Sv has moderate to good test-retest reliability and good internal consistency in patients who have undergone shoulder surgery.