Arch Med Sci
-
Cisplatin is an antineoplastic agent, which is thought to act on tissues with increased levels of reactive oxygen species and decreased levels of antioxidants. Pycnogenol is a potent antioxidant that is used in medical conditions caused by oxidative stress. The aim of our study is to demonstrate the effects of pycnogenol on cisplatin-induced uterine and ovarian damage in rats. ⋯ Pycnogenol pretreatment alleviates cisplatin-induced uterine and ovarian injury in rats because of its antioxidative effect.
-
It is strongly recommended that laxatives be routinely prescribed for the prevention of opioid-induced constipation (OIC). The evidence supporting the effectiveness of prokinetics for this indication is sparse. This study aims to verify if itopride, added to preventive OIC therapy, increases the effectiveness of the prevention of opioid-induced constipation in adult palliative care patients. ⋯ All interventions appeared similarly effective in the prevention of OIC. However, adding itopride, but not oxycodone/naloxone, resulted in a decrease in the necessity of laxative use in OIC patients, and it seems to be valuable in this often refractory condition. Randomised, controlled trials would be valuable to obtain good quality evidence without systematic bias.
-
Telocytes (TCs), also called interstitial Cajal-like cells (ICLC), CD34+ cells or PDGFRα+ cells (platelet-derived growth factor receptor α positive cells), a new type of cell of mesenchymal origin, were described over one decade ago. The unique nature of these cells still deserves attention from the scientific community. Telocytes make homo- and heterocellular contact with myocytes, immunocytes and nerves, have their own immunohistochemical and secretome profiles and thus might regulate local regenerative processes including angiogenesis and fibrosis. The aim of our study was to observe the missing link between angiogenesis and telocytes in leiomyoma, the most common benign tumors affecting women of reproductive age. ⋯ Our results demonstrate TCs in human uterine fibroids and highlight their possible involvement in the pathogenesis of myometrial pathology in the context of angiogenesis.
-
The primary prevention is intended to prevent the development of diseases, secondary prevention aims to limit disease progression, and tertiary prevention involves reducing disease-associated symptoms. The purpose of this study was to assess the use of selected forms of secondary prevention by patients diagnosed with perennial allergic rhinitis. Moreover, this paper presents the ways in which the adopted organizational solutions could be utilized as part of coordinated healthcare to benefit patients with perennial allergies. ⋯ The proportion of patients diagnosed with a dust-mite allergy, who undertook preventive measures against perennial allergic rhinitis, was relatively low. Building, maintaining, and continual strengthening the doctors' relationship with chronic allergy patients may shift the nature of healthcare services more towards preventive measures, for the implementation of which the patient will be co-responsible under the coordinated healthcare system.
-
The phase IIIb open-label ODYSSEY APPRISE study prospectively assessed the safety and efficacy of alirocumab (a proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 [PCSK9] inhibitor) in a real-life setting in high cardiovascular risk patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia or low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) not at goal despite maximally tolerated dose statins ± other lipid-lowering therapies (NCT02476006). This post-hoc analysis assessed patient adherence to statins and alirocumab, plus alirocumab efficacy and safety, according to concomitant statin intensity and prior ezetimibe usage. ⋯ In a real-life setting, patient adherence to alirocumab was high. Alirocumab provided clinically significant reductions in LDL-C, with most patients achieving LDL-C treatment targets across background statin therapy and prior ezetimibe therapy subgroups.