J Formos Med Assoc
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Controlled Clinical Trial
Treatment effects of occipitomental anchorage appliance of maxillary protraction combined with chincup traction in children with Class III malocclusion.
Little information related to the treatment effects of the occipitomental anchorage (OMA) appliance of maxillary (Mx) protraction combined with chincup traction is available. The aim of this study was to investigate the treatment effects of the OMA orthopedic appliance on patients with Class III malocclusion. ⋯ Our results suggest that the OMA orthopedic appliance can correct the mesial jaw relationship and negative incisal over jet. This appliance is effective for correcting skeletal Class III malocclusion with both midface deficiency and Mn prognathism in growing children.
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Elevation of C-reactive protein (CRP) level is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events. The 1059 G>C polymorphism in exon 2 of the CRP gene has been shown to affect plasma concentration of CRP. We want to elucidate the effect of this polymorphism on the development of coronary artery disease (CAD) among the Chinese population in Taiwan. ⋯ Our data suggest that human CRP gene 1059 G>C polymorphism is associated with plasma CRP concentration among Chinese in Taiwan receiving coronary angiography.
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To evaluate the ICU mortality rate of mechanically ventilated hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) recipients and to identify the factors that were associated with ICU mortality. The impact of surgical lung biopsy (SLB) in patients with unexplained pulmonary infiltrates was also evaluated. ⋯ The ICU mortality rate of mechanically ventilated HSCT recipients was high. Factors associated with ICU mortality were older age, high APACHE II score, presence of shock, and higher respiratory or heart rate at the time of ICU admission. SLB might provide specific diagnosis in HSCT recipients with unexplained pulmonary infiltrates and aid modification of treatment.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Domiciliary positive expiratory pressure improves pulmonary function and exercise capacity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
This study assessed how positive expiratory pressure (PEP) affected pulmonary function, functional capacity, and subjective cough difficulty in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD). ⋯ Four-week PEP therapy as an adjunct to FET further enhanced DLCO and 6MWD, and reduced cough difficulty compared to FET only in COPD patients with mucus hypersecretion.
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Perioperative mortality in patients with Eisenmenger's syndrome is very high, particularly following cesarean section. This case report describes the successful use of low-dose bupivacaine-fentanyl spinal anesthesia for lower extremity surgery in a nonparturient with Eisenmenger's syndrome. A 21-year-old woman with Eisenmenger's syndrome was scheduled to have a fibular head tumor excision. ⋯ There were no hypotension, respiratory depression, hypoxemia, and other severe hemodynamic alterations. No drug was administered via the epidural catheter in the 2-hour operative period and the postoperative course was uneventful. Therefore, we propose that intrathecal opioids combined with local anesthetics may be an alternative anesthetic method in patients with Eisenmenger's syndrome.