Polski merkuriusz lekarski : organ Polskiego Towarzystwa Lekarskiego
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Pol. Merkur. Lekarski · Jun 2020
ReviewCoronavirus SARS-Cov-2 and arterial hypertension - facts and myths.
Arterial hypertension is the most common comorbid disease in patients who died as a result of SARS-Cov-2 infection. Numerous observational studies indicate a relationship between arterial hypertension and its treatment and SARS-Cov-2 coronavirus infection. It is known from experimental studies that SARS-Cov-2 enters the cells by interacting with the ACE2 enzyme, while it is not known whether ACE2 is the only factor that allows the virus to enter the cell. ⋯ It has been shown that the use of recombinant ACE2 can be potentially beneficial in COVID-19 therapy by limiting the entry of the virus into the cell. Blood glucose as well as lipid profile should be monitored during SARS-Cov-2 coronavirus infection. This article attempts to gather key information on arterial hypertension and COVID-19.
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Pol. Merkur. Lekarski · Sep 2018
Editorial Review[The role of high cut off membranes in renal replacement therapy of acute kidney injury in the course of sepsis - the current state of knowledge].
Sepsis as a systemic inflammatory reaction to infection is an important interdisciplinary clinical problem. Over the past 20 years, the number of patients who have contracted sepsis has doubled. The occurrence of acute kidney injury in the course of sepsis increases mortality twice, while chronic kidney disease develops in 50% of the patients who survived sepsis. ⋯ The basis for the implementation of this type of treatment was the "maximum concentration" hypothesis, which assumes that, avoiding the onset of the early peak of circulating proinflammatory molecules is possible to prevent and modulate the clinical effects of an excessively expressed inflammatory reaction in the course of sepsis. This study is an attempt to analyze and summarize the current state of knowledge on the effectiveness of using HCO membranes in patients with sepsis who have developed AKI. For this purpose, the resources of MEDLAIN/Pubmed bases from 1965 to April 2018 have been analyzed, taking into account only the full versions of articles in English, using a combination of the following words: super high-flux, high cut-off, dialysis, renal replacement therapy, filtration, diafiltration, hemodialysis, hemofiltration, hemodiafiltration, sepsis, cytokine, inflammatory mediators, inflammation.
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A diagnosis of pulmonary sarcoidosis is based on the assessment of clinical outcome, radiology findings and detection of noncaseating granulomas in cytology or histology specimens. Cytological material obtained from enlarged lymph nodes and/or histological specimens from bronchial mucosa and lung tissue are examined according to sarcoidosis stage. The most available are standard bronchoscopic methods as conventional transbronchial needle aspiration (cTBNA), endobronchial biopsy (EBB) and transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB) both performed with use of forceps. ⋯ Considering a dynamic improvement in cytology assessment techniques (processed as cytology smears and cell blocks) the endoscopic methods with use of fine needle aspiration biopsy of enlarged lymph nodes became a method of choice in sarcoidosis with lymphadenopathy, and published data suggest a higher diagnostic yield when performed under endosonographic guidance. The optimal approach (transbronchial or transesophageal) and the selection of mediastinal lymph node stations considered for biopsy still need evaluation. Also TBLC, successfully used in the diagnosis of other diffuse parenchymal lung diseases, requires more experiences and trials to establish its role in diagnosis of pulmonary sarcoidosis.
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Pol. Merkur. Lekarski · Mar 2018
Review[Nintedanib in the treatment of fibrosing interstital lung diseases].
Nintedanib is an intracellular tyrosine kinase inhibitor approved in a treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. It reduces the annual rate of forced vital capacity decline by approximately 50%, that results in slowing of disease progression. The drug also reduces the incidence of acute exacerbations of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. ⋯ The research on combination therapy with pirfenidone did not show the new adverse drug reactions, there were no changes in pharmacokinetics of both drugs. A trend to improve the efficacy of the combination therapy in comparison to monotherapy with both drugs was noted, but further research in this field is needed. There are also trials of nintedanib in the treatment of other fibrosing interstitial lung diseases, i.e. chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis, stage IV sarcoidosis or connective tissue disease related lung disorders.
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Pol. Merkur. Lekarski · Mar 2018
Review[Disturbances of calcium metabolism and vitamin D supplementation in sarcoidosis - two-way street].
The role of vitamin D in the human body is not limited only to the regulation of calcium metabolism and secondary to the impact on bones. Recent studies have shown the influence of vitamin D level on muscles, on the risk of cancer, diabetes, hypertension and pulmonary diseases, including granulomatous diseases. Sarcoidosis is a granulomatous disease of unknown etiology. ⋯ Vitamin D supplementation, according to current recommendations for general population, is based solely on 25-hydroxyvitamin D level testing. This seems to be not safe in the group of sarcoidosis patients. This article discusses the role of vitamin D in sarcoidosis patients and current opinion on vitamin D supplementation in this group.