Medicina
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The specialized literature emphasizes the fact that vitamin D has a potentially beneficial effect in the context of the current COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this article is to highlight the role of vitamin D, both prophylactic and curative, in the treatment of patients diagnosed with COVID-19. Even though its relevance is still unknown and causes various controversies, there is currently no specific treatment for patients diagnosed with COVID-19. ⋯ This is a new topic, and the prevalence of manifestations is described in only a few studies, which is inconsistent with the number of COVID-19 cases reported since the beginning of the pandemic. The clinical symptomatology in patients with current COVID-19 infection is polymorphic. Whether the oral manifestation is directly caused by SARS-CoV-2 or a secondary manifestation remains an important topic to analyze and discuss.
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Background and Objectives: The study aimed to translate the original English version of Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP) into Lithuanian and to assess reliability and validity of the translated instrument (OHIP-Lt) in patients with advanced stages of periodontitis. Materials and Methods: Subjects (N = 67) with stage III-IV periodontitis aged 30-63 years were surveyed by questionnaire and examined clinically. Psychometric analysis included explanatory (EFA) and confirmatory (CFA) factor analyses and psychometric tests. ⋯ Discriminative validity of the OHIP-Lt was confirmed by its higher scores among patients who had an increased spacing between the maxillary anterior teeth and increased clinical attachment level (CAL ≥ 5 mm) compared to those who did not. Conclusions: The translated Lithuanian version of OHIP-Lt was identified as four-dimension inventory. Good reliability and validity of the OHIP-Lt provide the evidence for its further use in study on advanced periodontal disease burden among Lithuanian patients.
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Background and Objectives: It has been demonstrated that parameters such as the Controlled Nutrition Status (CONUT) score and Prognostic Nutrition Index (PNI) are beneficial for the assessment of patients’ nutrition. In this study, our objective was to investigate the potential benefits of CONUT and, as a prognostic marker of acute pancreatitis, the PNI. Materials and Methods: The data of 361 patients were analysed retrospectively. ⋯ The patients with a high CONUT score used more antibiotics, were hospitalised more in intensive care units and experienced organ failure more frequently. There were no intensive care hospitalisations, mortalities, surgical needs and local complications among the patients with a higher PNI score. Conclusions: CONUT and the PNI have proven to be useful prognostic markers not only for predicting nutritional status but also for estimating the severity and results of AP.
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Background and Objectives: Osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) is a progressive disease with a complex etiology and unknown pathogenesis. Gait analysis can objectively assess the functional behavior of the foot, thus revealing essential aspects and influencing factors of gait abnormalities. The aim of this study was to evaluate the differences in spatiotemporal parameters, static and dynamic plantar pressure parameters, and symmetry indices between patients with ONFH and healthy subjects. ⋯ Conclusions: Osteonecrosis of the femoral head leads to characteristic changes in plantar pressure distribution. These changes may be interpreted as an attempt by patients with ONFH to reduce the load on the affected limb. Plantar pressure analysis may assist in the diagnosis of ONFH and can provide an objective quantitative indicator for the assessment of subsequent treatment outcomes.
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Background and Objectives: There is consensus on the negative effects of obesity on the development of heart failure. However, several studies have suggested that obesity may have paradoxical survival benefits in heart failure patients. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate whether the obesity paradox exists in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) patients in Jordan. ⋯ On the other hand, only Obese Class I patients with hypertension had a significant improvement (p < 0.05) in EF after 1 year compared to other BMI subgroups, a feature that was not observed among patients without hypertension. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates an inverted U-shaped relationship between BMI and EF such that patients with mild obesity (i.e., Obese Class I) had significant improvement in EF compared to those having a lower and higher BMI. We, therefore, suggest the existence of the obesity paradox among HFrEF patients in Jordan.