Plos One
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To follow up renal function changes in patients with obstructive nephropathy and to evaluate the predictive value of biomarker panel in renal prognosis. ⋯ Biomarker panel may be used as a marker for early screening of patients with obstructive nephropathy and for determining poor prognosis.
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One in four cystic fibrosis (CF) patients diagnosed with a pulmonary exacerbation will not recover their baseline lung function despite standard treatment. This highlights the importance of preventing such events. Clinical decision-making can be improved through a simple blood test that predicts individuals at elevated short-term risk of an exacerbation. ⋯ Plasma sCD14 is a promising biomarker for identifying CF patients who will exacerbate within 4 months of a stable visit but requires further study in larger, independent cohorts.
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Worldwide, severe traumatic brain injury is a frequent pathology and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Mannitol and hypertonic saline are therapeutic options for intracranial hypertension occurring in the acute phase of care. However, current practices of emergency physicians are unknown. ⋯ Hyperosmolar therapy is believed being broadly used by emergency physicians in Quebec following severe traumatic brain injury. Despite the absence of clinical practice guidelines promoting the use of hypertonic saline, a majority of them said to use these solutions in specific clinical situations.
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The long-term and often lifelong relationship of general practitioners (GPs) with their patients is considered to make them the ideal initiators of advance care planning (ACP). However, in general the incidence of ACP discussions is low and ACP seems to occur more often for cancer patients than for those with dementia or heart failure. ⋯ The results of our study contribute to a better understanding of the factors hindering GPs in initiating ACP. Multiple barriers need to be overcome, of which many can be addressed through the development of practical guidelines and educational interventions.
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To test effectivity of a two-minute training consisting of a few key-points in ventilation using the self-inflating bag (SIB). ⋯ A two-minute training of bag and mask ventilation was effective. This training could be incorporated into any training program.