European journal of internal medicine
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Eur. J. Intern. Med. · Jun 2023
Mortality and causes of death in systemic lupus erythematosus over the last decade: Data from a large population-based study.
To assess mortality rates (MRs), standardized mortality ratios, and causes of death in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in a population-based study. ⋯ Although the medium-term survival since diagnosis is good, SLE mortality is still higher than that of the general population, especially in youngest patients. Nowadays, CVD seems to be the major cause of deaths in SLE, whereas infections account for a low proportion of deaths, at least in Western countries.
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Eur. J. Intern. Med. · Jun 2023
Serum uric acid variation and the risk of cardiovascular disease: A prospective cohort study.
The association of serum uric acid (SUA) with cardiovascular disease (CVD) is inconsistent and limited by a single measurement of SUA. This study aimed to investigate the association of SUA variation, considering its magnitude and direction, with the risk of CVD. ⋯ Elevated SUA variation was associated with a higher risk of CVD, irrespective of the direction of SUA variation, and inflammation played an important role in the pathway.
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Eur. J. Intern. Med. · Jun 2023
Meta AnalysisSpontaneous portosystemic shunts outside the esophago-gastric region: Prevalence, clinical characteristics, and impact on mortality in cirrhotic patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Spontaneous portosystemic shunt (SPSS) other than esophago-gastric varices is one of the consequences of cirrhosis-induced portal hypertension (PHT), but its role is not fully understood. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the prevalence and clinical characteristics of SPSS (excluding esophago-gastric varices) and its impact on mortality in patients with cirrhosis. ⋯ In patients with cirrhosis, SPSS outside the esophago-gastric region is common, characterized by severe impairment of liver function, high rates of decompensated events, including HE, PVT, and hepatorenal syndrome, as well as a high mortality rate.
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Eur. J. Intern. Med. · Jun 2023
Can we predict the treatment doses of THC and CBD and does it matter?
Medical cannabis is an increasingly prevalent treatment for a wide variety of indications, yet there is still no uniformly accepted protocol for the titration of cannabinoid doses. We aimed to develop a model to predict the stable THC and CBD dosages after six months of treatment using available baseline patient characteristics. ⋯ Models based on patient characteristics failed to accurately predict the final titration doses of CBD and THC for both inhalation and sublingual administration. Clinical guidelines should maintain a highly individual approach for cannabinoid dosing.
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Eur. J. Intern. Med. · Jun 2023
Current evidence and clinical utility of phenobarbital for alcohol withdrawal syndrome.
Phenobarbital (PB) has been acknowledged among clinicians as a potential alternative to benzodiazepines (BZD) to decrease the need for hospital length of stay and complications associated with alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS). However, the level of evidence, including appropriate dosing, is unclear. We aim to summarize the evidence regarding PB used in AWS and provide future agendas for research. ⋯ This systematic review summarizes the current evidence related to PB use in AWS. While considerable heterogeneity exists among studies available, PB as monotherapy without BZD may be a safe and effective alternative in AWS treatment. Future prospective studies or trials should focus on the standardization of PB dosing and outcomes.