Annals of medicine
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To evaluate the impact the COVID-19-related national lockdown has had on Ophthalmologic Outpatient Care in an Italian Tertiary Medical Centre. ⋯ During the various lockdown periods, at our institution the volume of outpatient ophthalmological visits drastically dropped. This testifies the dramatic impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the supply of ophthalmic care.
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Background and aim: Since the relation between Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) and atherosclerosis has been evidenced, we aimed to analyze whether there is a relationship between the patient's H. pylori infection and age, gender, BMI, blood lipids, and carotid plaque formation. Methods: 810 patients from January 2016 to December 2019 were enrolled in this study, and divided the subjects into H. pylori (+) group and H. pylori (-) group based on the results of UBT. To analyze whether H. pylori infection is related to gender, age, BMI, blood lipids, and neck vascular plaque formation. ⋯ The multi-variant analysis showed that patients with H. pylori infection are prone to have higher BMI, triglycerides, and neck vascular plaque formation over 1.4-times higher in non-infected individuals. KEY MESSAGESH. pylori infection is an independent risk factor for higher BMI, triglyceride, and neck vascular plaque formation. H. pylori can accelerate vascular plaque formation through increasing BMI and triglyceride.
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Accurately identifying persons with addiction is critically important for effectively targeting treatment and harm reduction interventions. Misdiagnosis of addictive disorders can lead to a cascade of negative outcomes, including stigma, discontinuation of needed medications, undue scrutiny of both patients and physicians, and even criminal consequences. A recent study raises significant concerns about the accuracy of diagnosis code data, likely rooted in confusingly-worded International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-9 and ICD-10 codes and a general misunderstanding of the difference between addiction and physiologic dependence. ⋯ Key messagesIt is not surprising that physicians frequently conflate patients with "addiction" and "dependence" when the ICD terms used to code for addiction are themselves misleading. ICD codes have not been updated to reflect what we know about the nature of addiction, unlike those in the DSM-5. This commentary calls for the ICD to update their codes to reflect current understanding of addiction.
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This study was designed to assess the epidemiological trends and outcomes associated with Hepatorenal Syndrome (HRS). ⋯ Total hospitalizations, hospitalizations for women and the mean age for HRS hospitalizations were on the rise between 2008 and 2018. However, the inpatient mortality declined.KEY MESSAGESIn the United States, there was a trend towards increasing hospitalizations and mean age for HRS.Although a male predominance was noted, HRS hospitalizations for women were on the rise.The inpatient mortality for HRS hospitalizations was on a decline and may indicate significant improvements in management.
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Microscopic colitides are chronic immune-inflammatory bowel diseases. The typical presentation is chronic, watery diarrhoea. Inflammation mostly cannot be visualized via macroscopic inspection. The diagnosis thus requires histologic sampling. The clinical picture can vary. New investigations can prove valuable in setting up recommendations. ⋯ Pre-existing autoimmune and allergic diseases were common in patients with MC. Chronic watery diarrhoea is not experienced in many cases. The absence of certain symptoms should not be used to rule out the condition.