European journal of internal medicine
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Eur. J. Intern. Med. · Jun 2017
Multicenter StudyAssessment of risk factors for candidemia in non-neutropenic patients hospitalized in Internal Medicine wards: A multicenter study.
An increasing prevalence of candidemia has been reported in Internal Medicine wards (IMWs). The aim of our study was to identify risk factors for candidemia among non-neutropenic patients hospitalized in IMWs. ⋯ Non-neutropenic patients admitted in IMWs have peculiar risk factors for candidemia. A new risk score with a good performance could facilitate the identification of candidates to early antifungal therapy.
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Error and contradictions are not "per se" detrimental in science and medicine. Going back to the history of philosophy, Sir Francis Bacon stated that "truth emerges more readily from error than from confusion", and recently Popper introduced the concept of an approximate temporary truth that constitutes the engine of scientific progress. In biomedical research and in clinical practice we assisted during the last decades to many overturnings or reversals of concepts and practices. ⋯ The media often enhance the disappointment for these discrepancies. In this note I recommend to transfer to patients the concept of a confirmed and dependable knowledge at the present time. However, physicians should tolerate uncertainty and accept the idea that medical concepts and applications are subjected to continuous progression, change and displacement.
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Eur. J. Intern. Med. · Jun 2017
Multicenter Study Comparative StudyColorectal neoplasm in cases of Clostridium septicum and Streptococcus gallolyticus subsp. gallolyticus bacteraemia.
Bacteremia with Clostridium septicum (CS) and Streptococcus gallolyticus subsp. gallolyticus (SGG) have both been associated with colorectal neoplasms (CRN) and colonoscopic examination is advised, however the differences and similarities in colorectal findings are not well known. ⋯ Both, CS and SGG bacteremia are associated with occult CRN. CS cases more often had advanced carcinomas than SGG cases, suggesting a distinct temporal association with CRN.
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Eur. J. Intern. Med. · Jun 2017
Higher uric acid serum levels are associated with better muscle function in the oldest old: Results from the Mugello Study.
Sarcopenia is the progressive loss of muscle mass and strength that occurs with advancing age and plays a pivotal role in the causal pathway leading to frailty, disability and, eventually, to death among older persons. As oxidative damage of muscle proteins has been shown to be a relevant contributory factor, in this study we hypothesized that uric acid (UA), a powerful endogenous antioxidant, might exert a protective effect on muscle function in the oldest old and we tested our hypothesis in a group of nonagenarians who participated in the Mugello Study. ⋯ Our results show that higher UA serum levels are associated with better muscle function in the oldest old and, accordingly, might slow down the progression of sarcopenia.