Acta medica Croatica : c̆asopis Hravatske akademije medicinskih znanosti
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
A comparative study on the sedative effect of oral midazolam and oral chloral hydrate medication in lumbar puncture.
Lumbar puncture (LP) is usually associated with anxiety and apprehension in children and their parents. This study was performed for controlling children's anxiety before and during LP and increasing the success of LP due to relaxation of the child following the use of sedative drugs and to compare the efficacy and side effects of oral midazolam and oral chloral hydrate. ⋯ Based on the level of sedation, side effects, time to onset of sedation and recovery time from sedation, oral chloral hydrate is a better sedative medication than oral midazolam.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
[Merits of paracetamol in osteoarthritic hypertensive patients].
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) side effects can impair quality of life in patients with osteoarthritis. Due to its particular mechanism of action, paracetamol might bypass these negative effects. ⋯ Blood pressure control was unchanged in the amiodipine group across the study periods and impaired in the lisinopril/ hydrochlorothiazide group during either ibuprofen or piroxicam, but not during paracetamol. In the amlodipine +/- ibuprofen subgroup, the reduction of the average pain intensity score throughout the study was significant (chi2 = 8.250; df 3; P = 0.037). In the lisinopril/hydrochlorothiazide +/- piroxicam subgroup, the assessed quality of life differed significantly (chi2 = 9.716; df 3; P = 0.018), while in the amlodipine +/- ibuprofen and amlodipine +/- piroxicam subgroups the changes were marginal (chi2 = 6.936; df 3; P = 0.072 and chi2 = 7146; df 3; P = 0.065, respectively).
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Randomized Controlled Trial
[Factors affecting blood loss in total knee arthroplasty patients].
The aim of the study was to identify the factors affecting major blood loss in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA), in order to reduce blood loss and requirements for blood transfusion. This prospective randomized study included 80/184 patients treated by TKA at University Hospital of Traumatology, Zagreb, Croatia, from January 2005 till December 2007. The following parameters were analyzed: patient age, sex, body mass index (BMI), arterial blood pressure, preoperative hemoglobin level and hemoglobin level preceding blood transfusion, length of surgery, blood loss and volume of blood transfused. ⋯ Male patients had a significantly higher preoperative hemoglobin level (P=0.012), larger mean blood loss volume (P = 0.057) and received more blood transfusions than female patients, however, the difference did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.562). Based on study results, it is concluded that requirements for blood transfusion will be greater in patients with hypertension and lower preoperative hemoglobin level as well as in all cases with longer duration of surgery. To reduce the use of allogeneic blood transfusion, it is necessary to correct arterial blood pressure before surgery in hypertensive patients and also to magnify preoperative hemoglobin level if it is lower.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Pilocarpine in the prevention of postirradiation xerostomia.
During radiation therapy to the head and neck region, salivary gland hypofunction commonly develops. The aim of our study was to evaluate whether the sialogogue pilocarpine given during radiation therapy may reduce the severity of xerostomia and salivary dysfunction. ⋯ No drug effect was observed in the glands that were completely irradiated. Thus, pilocarpine appeared to stimulate salivary tissues outside the radiation field.