Internal medicine journal
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Internal medicine journal · Mar 2021
Peritoneal dialysis-related peritonitis as a risk factor for cardiovascular events.
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. Infection is known to increase the risk of cardiovascular events (CVE); however, no studies have examined the association between PD peritonitis and CVE. ⋯ We did not find an increase in the risk of CVE following a peritonitis episode in PD patients. This result may be due to small sample size or rapid peritonitis treatment mitigating cardiovascular risk.
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Internal medicine journal · Mar 2021
Clinical manifestations of invasive meningococcal disease in Victoria with the emergence of serogroup W and serogroup Y Neisseria meningitidis.
Historically, Australian cases of invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) have been most frequently caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B, but recently an increase in cases due to serogroup W (MenW) and serogroup Y (MenY) has occurred. ⋯ Alongside an increase in IMD in Victoria, the proliferation of cases of MenW and MenY occurred in older patients, and were more often identified through bacteraemia rather than meningitis or purpura fulminans. Clinicians should be aware of these changes to facilitate earlier identification and treatment of IMD.
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Internal medicine journal · Mar 2021
Observational StudyReduction of in-hospital cardiac arrest rates in intensive care-equipped New South Wales hospitals in association with implementation of Between the Flags rapid response system.
The NSW Clinical Excellence commission introduced the 'Between the Flags' programme, in response to the death of a young patient, as a system-wide approach for early detection and management of the deteriorating patient in all NSW hospitals. The impact of BTF implementation on the 35 larger hospitals with intensive care units (ICU) has not been reported previously. ⋯ The BTF programme was associated with a significant reduction in cardiac arrests in hospitals and ICU admissions secondary to cardiac arrests in 35 NSW hospitals with an ICU.
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Internal medicine journal · Mar 2021
Portopulmonary hypertension: prognosis and management in the current treatment era - results from the REHAP registry.
Portopulmonary hypertension (PoPH) is a rare condition with poorer survival compared to idiopathic/familial pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH/FPAH). ⋯ PoPH patients are undertreated and show poorer survival than IPAH/FPAH patients. First-line treatment with PAH-targeted therapy was associated with better survival. Presence of ascites was a predictor of mortality.
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Internal medicine journal · Mar 2021
The effects of beta-blockers in patients with stress cardiomyopathy.
Beta-blockers are often used in the treatment of patients with stress cardiomyopathy without firm evidence of benefit. We conducted a retrospective case note review investigating the effects of beta-blockers on QT interval and heart rate in patients with stress cardiomyopathy over 3 days of hospital admission. We found no evidence of effects on QT interval from beta-blocker treatment in this condition.