Articles: function.
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Acta Anaesthesiol Scand · Aug 2015
Randomized Controlled TrialNaloxone added to bupivacaine or bupivacaine-fentanyl prolongs motor and sensory block during supraclavicular brachial plexus blockade: a randomized clinical trial.
In this study, the effect of naloxone on duration of supraclavicular brachial plexus block was evaluated. It was hypothesized that naloxone can increase the duration of neural blockade. ⋯ Addition of naloxone to bupivacaine in supraclavicular brachial plexus block prolonged the duration of the neural blockade.
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Critical care medicine · Aug 2015
Persistence of Neuropsychological Deficits Following Pediatric Critical Illness.
To study 12-month persistence of neuropsychological deficits in PICU survivors. ⋯ We found persistently reduced neuropsychological function following PICU admission in the critical illnesses under study.
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New markers of COPD and emphysema disease activity are urgently required since current measures of disease severity do not reflect the total disease burden nor predict disease progression. A recently described in vivo marker of neutrophil elastase activity (Aα-Val360) may be an effective marker of COPD and emphysema disease activity, and the current study explores its use in patients with α1-antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) across the disease severity spectrum with particular interest in whether it can be used as an early predictor of the need for intervention. ⋯ In cross-sectional studies, Aα-Val360 reflects disease severity in AATD and may be a useful marker of disease activity in patients with early disease in whom therapeutic intervention may be indicated.
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One reason for refusal of donor hearts is the development of left ventricular systolic dysfunction, a condition reported to occur in up to 42 % of adults with brain death. Prior studies have suggested that appropriate donor management and evaluation of cardiac dysfunction with serial echocardiography (TTE) can improve organ procurement. The aims of our study are to examine the prevalence and describe longitudinal changes in cardiac dysfunction after brain death. ⋯ To our knowledge, the present study is the largest study describing the use of serial TTE and its utilization in adult donors. The prevalence of cardiac dysfunction after adult brain death is high, but given enough time and support, many of these donors have improvement in cardiac function, ultimately leading to transplantation.
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Critical care medicine · Aug 2015
Dichotomous "Good Outcome" Indicates Mobility More Than Cognitive or Social Quality of Life.
Worthwhile interventions for intracerebral hemorrhage or subarachnoid hemorrhage generally hinge on whether they improve the odds of good outcome. Although good outcome is correlated with mobility, correlations with other domains of health-related quality of life, such as cognitive function and social functioning, are not well described. We tested the hypothesis that good outcome is more closely associated with mobility than other domains. ⋯ Health-related quality of life assessments reliably distinguished between good and poor outcomes as determined by the modified Rankin Scale. Good outcome indicated health-related quality of life about 1.5 SD below the U.S. population mean. Associations were weaker for cognitive function and social function than mobility.