Plos One
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Mobile medication manager application to improve adherence with immunosuppressive therapy in renal transplant recipients: A randomized controlled trial.
Nonadherence to immunosuppressive therapy after renal transplantation is associated with poor graft outcomes. We aimed to evaluate whether the use of the Adhere4U mobile medication manager application could improve adherence among renal transplant recipients ≥1 year posttransplantation. Adhere4U can provide medication reminders, monitor medication use, and provide information on immunosuppressants. ⋯ The Adhere4U application did not improve adherence to immunosuppressive therapy. Our evidence is limited by the high rate of attrition. Further studies on strategies to facilitate patient engagement with mobile interventions are warranted.
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Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
The use of initial dosing of gentamicin in the management of pyelonephritis/urosepsis: A retrospective study.
The primary objective was to determine if initial empirical intravenous dosing of gentamicin improved patient's outcomes in pyelonephritis/urosepsis compared with alternative IV antibiotic management. ⋯ Neither time to resolution of abnormal symptoms nor length of stay were significantly influenced by an initial dose of gentamicin when the data were subjected to multivariable analysis. The age of the patient and pattern of gentamicin treatment were the dominant factors associated with duration of IV antibiotics. Piperacillin/tazobactam is not recommended in treatment guidelines for pyelonephritis/urosepsis but was the most commonly prescribed IV antibiotic. This requires review by the appropriate hospital clinicians.
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Classical Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (cEDS) is a dominant inherited connective tissue disorder mainly caused by mutations in the COL5A1 and COL5A2 genes encoding type V collagen (COLLV), which is a fibrillar COLL widely distributed in a variety of connective tissues. cEDS patients suffer from skin hyperextensibility, abnormal wound healing/atrophic scars, and joint hypermobility. Most of the causative variants result in a non-functional COL5A1 allele and COLLV haploinsufficiency, whilst COL5A2 mutations affect its structural integrity. To shed light into disease mechanisms involved in cEDS, we performed gene expression profiling in skin fibroblasts from four patients harboring haploinsufficient and structural mutations in both disease genes. ⋯ Patients' cells also showed altered mRNA levels of many cell cycle regulating genes including CCNE2, KIF4A, MKI67, DTL, and DDIAS. Protein studies showed that aberrant COLLV expression causes the disassembly of itself and many structural ECM constituents including COLLI, COLLIII, fibronectin, and fibrillins. Our findings provide the first molecular evidence of significant gene expression changes in cEDS skin fibroblasts highlighting that defective ECM remodeling, ER homeostasis and autophagy might play a role in the pathogenesis of this connective tissue disorder.
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The use of labor epidural analgesia has been associated with intrapartum fever, known as labor epidural associated fever (LEAF). LEAF is most commonly non-infectious in origin and associated with elevated inflammatory cytokines. ⋯ The predictive value of maternal inflammatory biomarkers measured during early- and mid-pregnancy for the risk of developing LEAF cannot be excluded.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
A comparison of opioids and benzodiazepines dispensing in Australia.
Inappropriate utilization of prescription opioids and benzodiazepines is a public health problem. This study examined and compared user-types and trends in dispensing of these medicines, and identified associated factors related to the duration of dispensing in Australia. ⋯ There were similarities in patterns of dispensing of opioids and benzodiazepines in terms of user characteristics and structural variables. Consistent use of real-time drug monitoring program and tailored intervention are recommended.