Articles: function.
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Breathlessness is the most common symptom in individuals with pleural effusion and is often disabling. The pathophysiology of breathlessness associated with pleural effusion is complex. ⋯ Impaired hemidiaphragm function and a compensatory increase in respiratory drive to maintain ventilation appear to be an important mechanism of breathlessness associated with pleural effusion. Thoracocentesis reduces diaphragm distortion and improves its movement; these changes appear to reduce respiratory drive and associated breathlessness by improving the neuromechanical efficiency of the diaphragm.
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The administration of epinephrine after severe refractory hypotension, shock, or cardiac arrest restores systemic blood flow and major vessel perfusion but may worsen cerebral microvascular perfusion and oxygen delivery through vasoconstriction. The authors hypothesized that epinephrine induces significant microvascular constriction in the brain, with increased severity after repetitive dosing and in the aged brain, eventually leading to tissue hypoxia. ⋯ Intravenous application of epinephrine induced marked cerebral microvascular constriction, intravascular hemoglobin desaturation, and paradoxically, an increase in brain tissue oxygen levels, likely due to reduced transit time heterogeneity.
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Mayo Clinic proceedings · Aug 2023
Clinical Significance of Biological Age in Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.
To test whether biological age calculated using deficits, functional impairments, or their combination will provide improved estimation of long-term mortality among older adults undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. ⋯ The derivation of biological age from deficits and functional impairments provides a major improvement in the estimation of survival as estimated by chronological age.
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The parasympathetic system and its main neurotransmitter, acetylcholine, contributes to homeostasis of inflammation. Cholinergic dysregulation is thought to contribute to the pathogenesis of inflammatory rheumatic diseases. Cholinesterase activity in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) has not been investigated. ⋯ We demonstrated similar cholinesterase activity in patients with psoriatic arthritis and controls, highlighting a potential effect of biologic treatment on cholinergic activity in patients with PsA.