Arch Med Sci
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Several works have suggested heightened risk for cardiac events in cocaine users following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Such studies have generally been performed in small, poorly defined samples and have not utilised optimal control groups. We aimed to define the short-term risk for death or recurrent myocardial infarction (MI) when PCI was performed for myocardial infarction in subjects presenting with urine toxicology positive for cocaine in relation to subjects testing negative for cocaine use. ⋯ This retrospective study suggests that PCI performed in cocaine-associated myocardial infarction comes with a high 30-day and one-year risk. Further prospective studies are needed to better define this risk and to lend insight into better management strategies.
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The aim of this work was to assess SCC function in VHIT test, using both versions of VHIT ULMER. ⋯ The examination using VHIT ULMER II appears to be a more sensitive diagnostic method than VHIT ULMER I. Improved software with automated functions such as camera adjustments, examination surface arrangement, of VHIT ULMER II, enables technician to shorten the time of examination, simultaneously providing a range of new information about the condition of oculo-vestibular system.
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Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and HIV/AIDS have been demonstrated to induce endocrine/metabolic dysfunction with a consequential increase in morbidity/mortality due to organ toxicities. This study aimed at investigating the possible protective effect of Hypoxis hemerocallidea (HH) against metabolic and hepatic histomorphology of diabetic rats under HAART. ⋯ Presumptive hypoglycemic use of HH with HAART by people living with HIV/AIDS requires caution as implications for hepatocellular injuries are suspected with further uncontrolled metabolic disorder.
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The use of generic drugs is continuously growing; however, there are limited epidemiological data regarding the therapeutic equivalence of each original drug formulation with its generic counterparts. We evaluated the 12-month composite endpoint of recurrent acute myocardial infarction, ischaemic stroke, cardiac deaths, or hospitalisation due to a major bleeding in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients treated with original clopidogrel or a generic clopidogrel formulation, in relation to sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. ⋯ The use of a generic clopidogrel besylate formulation was quite high in both urban and insular areas of Greece and had similar efficacy and safety profile with the original clopidogrel salt, supporting the routine use of this low-cost generic clopidogrel in the management of cardiovascular disease patients.
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The association between mean platelet volume (MPV) to platelet count (PC) ratio and prognosis has been demonstrated in some diseases but not in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). In this study, we evaluated the ability of MPV to PC ratio (MPR) to predict short-term mortality in CAP patients. ⋯ Mean platelet volume to PC ratio was found to be positively correlated with short-term mortality. Our data indicate that MPR might be a significant predictive marker of the mortality in CAP. Further prospective studies are required to establish the exact role of MPR in CAP and other diseases.