Articles: treatment.
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Multicenter Study
SMART Registry: Safety and Performance of the Penumbra SMART COIL System for Patients With Intracranial Aneurysms 4 mm and Smaller.
The Penumbra SMART COIL System includes a novel generation of embolic coils composed of complex and WAVE shape properties with varying levels of softness. ⋯ This analysis suggests that the SMART COIL System is safe and efficacious in small aneurysms with satisfactory occlusion rates and low rates of rupture or rerupture. At 1 year, patients had low retreatment rates and good clinical outcomes.
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Multicenter Study
Pain, Anxiety, and Depression in Patients Undergoing Chronic Hemodialysis Treatment: A Multicentre Cohort Study.
Pain is a considerable health concern that interferes with hemodialysis treatment outcomes and can lead to a patient developing anxiety and depression. ⋯ The level of pain perceived by patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis therapy was generally low, especially in women. The study also demonstrated a positive association between levels of pain and anxiety and depression.
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Multicenter Study
Efficacy and Safety of Radiofrequency Ablation of Thyroid Nodules: A Multi-institutional Prospective Cohort Study.
Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has been recently adopted into the practice of thyroidology in the United States, although its use as an alternative to traditional thyroid surgery in Asia and Europe came near the turn of the 21st century. In the United States, only a few studies with small sample sizes have been published to date. We examined outcomes of benign thyroid nodules treated with RFA from 2 North American institutions. ⋯ This is the largest multi-institutional North American study examining thyroid nodule treatment response to RFA. RFA is a safe and effective treatment option that allows preservation of thyroid function with minimal risk of procedural complications.
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Multicenter Study
Intracranial Aneurysms in Loeys-Dietz Syndrome: A Multicenter Propensity-Matched Analysis.
Loeys-Dietz syndrome (LDS) is an autosomal dominant connective tissue disorder characterized by a classic triad of hypertelorism, bifid uvula and/or cleft palate, and generalized arterial tortuosity. There are limited data on the prevalence and rupture risk of intracranial aneurysms (IAs) in the setting of LDS, with no established guidelines. ⋯ Patients with LDS have an increased risk of IAs, especially with a history of smoking. The prevalence rate of IAs in our series was 30%. Screening imaging should be considered at diagnosis, and patients should be encouraged to abstain from smoking. Further studies are needed to elucidate the risk of IA rupture and treatment considerations in this unique population.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Switching to tenofovir alafenamide versus continued therapy in chronic hepatitis B patients who were treated with entecavir: A prospective, multicenter, randomized controlled study.
Entecavir (ETV) and tenofovir alafenamide fumarate (TAF) have been used widely to treat patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, but it is still unclear how best to use these drugs. Although some studies compared the efficacies of treatment switch from ETV to TAF, there has been no randomized study. ⋯ The efficacy and safety were comparable in the TAF-switching group and the ETV-continuing group. Because the present study was conducted in limited patients, a larger study will be required.