International journal of clinical and experimental medicine
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Chronic low back and lower extremity pain is mainly caused by lumbar disc herniation (LDH) and radiculitis. Various surgery and nonsurgical modalities, including epidural injections, have been used to treat LDH or radiculitis. Therefore, we conducted this meta-analysis to assess the effects of the two interventions in managing various chronic low and lower extremity pain. ⋯ This meta-analysis confirms that epidural injections of local anesthetic with or without steroids have beneficial but similar effects in the treatment of patients with chronic low back and lower extremity pain.
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Many stages of COH protocols are considered to potentiate a state of systemic inflammation. The limit beyond which inflammation has negative impacts on the formation of conception and the reproductive outcomes are compromised still remains unclear. Presepsin is a novel biomarker for diagnosing systemic inflammation and sepsis. ⋯ There was no significant difference between FF and plasma presepsin levels on the OPU day (298±797.4 ve 352.9±657.1; P=0.701, respectively). Plasma WBC, CRP and presepsin levels on the OPU, ET and PT days and FF presepsin levels on OPU day were not different between the 2 groups. Plasma presepsin course on the separate 3 days were different between the groups.
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Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is a common complication after gynecological surgeries. This meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of dexmedetomidine on PONV after gynecological surgeries. ⋯ The current meta-analysis exhibits that dexmedetomidine is superiority to placebo in attenuating the incidence of PONV, postoperative shivering, pruritus, as well as the pain scores in patients undergoing gynecological surgeries. Still, the potential cardiovascular complications should be taken seriously.
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The clinical practice of pediatric anesthesiology has changed with a transition to the use of cuffed endotracheal tubes (ETTs) in infants and children. The monitoring of intracuff pressure has been suggested as one means to limit the potential for damage to the tracheal mucosa. The current study evaluates the accuracy of a novel, color-coded syringe device which provides three zones (green, clear, and red) to estimate the intracuff pressure. ⋯ The current study demonstrates a clinically acceptable correlation between the zones on this novel, color-coded syringe device and the actual measurement of the intracuff pressure obtained by a manometer for both in vitro and in vivo use. This device is a simple, reliable, portable and affordable method to monitor intracuff pressure.
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Review
Development of prognostic models for patients with traumatic brain injury: a systematic review.
Outcome prediction following traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a widely investigated field of research. Several outcome prediction models have been developed for prognosis after TBI. There are two main prognostic models: International Mission for Prognosis and Clinical Trials in Traumatic Brain Injury (IMPACT) prognosis calculator and the Corticosteroid Randomization after Significant Head Injury (CRASH) prognosis calculator. ⋯ Through fluid biomarker analysis, the advent of multi-analyte profiling technology has enabled substantial advances in the diagnosis and treatment of a variety of conditions. Application of this technology to create a bio-signature for TBI using multiple biomarkers in combination will hopefully facilitate much-needed advances. We believe that further investigations about brain injury biomarkers may improve the predictive power of the contemporary outcome calculators and prognostic models, and eventually improve the care of patients with TBI.