The American surgeon
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The American surgeon · Mar 1980
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialSteroids in heart surgery: a clinical double-blind and randomized study.
The role of steroids in heart surgery was assessed in a group of 95 patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass. The treated group (47 patients) received repeated doses (every six hours) of methylprednisolone (30 mg/kg IV) in a double-blind, randomized fashion. The control group (48 patients) received a placebo in a fashion identical to the treated group. ⋯ An improvement in survival was observed in the group receiving methylprednisolone. This finding cannot be explained with the data obtained from this study, in particular, when no other biochemical findings were improved. A more exhaustive hemodynamic and biochemical analysis is necessary to understand the subtle changes that are incurred with the use of steroids for heart surgery.
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The American surgeon · Apr 1979
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical TrialCerium nitrate-silver sulfadiazine cream in the treatment of burns: a prospective, randomized study.
In a prospective, randomized study of 34 patients with thermal burns, treatment with the topical agent Cerium nitrate-silver sulfadiazine was compared with therapy with silver sulfadiazine alone. Despite randomization, there was a significant difference in mean burn size, being larger in the silver sulfadiazine group. There was no significant difference between the two groups in clinical course, mortality, septic deaths, or quantitative microbiology of the burn wound. It is concluded that from these preliminary data no clearcut superiority for one cream over the other can be demonstrated at this time.