Plos One
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Randomized Controlled Trial
The Effects of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy in Patients with Coccydynia: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Coccydynia is pain in the coccygeal region, and usually treated conservatively. Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) was incorporated as non-invasive treatment of many musculoskeletal conditions. However, the effects of ESWT on coccydynia are less discussed. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of ESWT on the outcomes of coccydynia. Patients were allocated to ESWT (n = 20) or physical modality (SIT) group (n = 21) randomly, and received total treatment duration of 4 weeks. The visual analog scale (VAS), Oswestry disability index (ODI), and self-reported satisfaction score were used to assess treatment effects. The VAS and ODI scores were significantly decreased after treatment in both groups, and the decrease in the VAS score was significantly greater in the ESWT group. The mean proportional changes in the ODI scores were greater in the ESWT group than in the SIT group, but the between-group difference was not statistically significant. The patients in the ESWT group had significantly higher subjective satisfaction scores than SIT group. We concluded that ESWT is more effective and satisfactory in reducing discomfort and disability caused by coccydynia than the use of physical modalities. Thus, ESWT is recommended as an alternative treatment option for patients with coccydynia.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Prediction model for critically ill patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome.
Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a major cause respiratory failure in intensive care unit (ICU). Early recognition of patients at high risk of death is of vital importance in managing them. The aim of the study was to establish a prediction model by using variables that were readily available in routine clinical practice. ⋯ The study established a prediction model for ARDS patients requiring mechanical ventilation. The model was examined with rigorous methodology and can be used for risk stratification in ARDS patients.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Transcranial Electrical Stimulation over Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex Modulates Processing of Social Cognitive and Affective Information.
Recent neurofunctional studies suggested that lateral prefrontal cortex is a domain-general cognitive control area modulating computation of social information. Neuropsychological evidence reported dissociations between cognitive and affective components of social cognition. Here, we tested whether performance on social cognitive and affective tasks can be modulated by transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). ⋯ In the visual perspective taking task, instead, anodal right/cathodal left stimulation negatively affected both male and female participants' tendency to adopt another's point of view. These findings demonstrated that concurrent facilitation of right and inhibition of left lateral prefrontal cortex can speed-up males' responses to threatening faces whereas it interferes with the ability to adopt another's viewpoint independently from gender. Thus, stimulation of cognitive control areas can lead to different effects on social cognitive skills depending on the affective vs. cognitive nature of the task, and on the gender-related differences in neural organization of emotion processing.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Closed-loop control better than open-loop control of profofol TCI guided by BIS: a randomized, controlled, multicenter clinical trial to evaluate the CONCERT-CL closed-loop system.
The CONCERT-CL closed-loop infusion system designed by VERYARK Technology Co., Ltd. (Guangxi, China) is an innovation using TCI combined with closed-loop controlled intravenous anesthesia under the guide of BIS. In this study we performed a randomized, controlled, multicenter study to compare closed-loop control and open-loop control of propofol by using the CONCERT-CL closed-loop infusion system. ⋯ The CONCERT-CL closed-loop infusion system can automatically regulate the TCI of propofol, maintain the BIS value in an adequate range and reduce the workload of anesthesiologists better than open-loop system.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
The Effect of Paracetamol on Core Body Temperature in Acute Traumatic Brain Injury: A Randomised, Controlled Clinical Trial.
Strategies to prevent pyrexia in patients with acute neurological injury may reduce secondary neuronal damage. The aim of this study was to determine the safety and efficacy of the routine administration of 6 grams/day of intravenous paracetamol in reducing body temperature following severe traumatic brain injury, compared to placebo. ⋯ The routine administration of 6g/day of intravenous paracetamol did not significantly reduce core body temperature in patients with TBI.