Articles: function.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Observational Study
Characterization of First-Time Hospitalizations in Patients With Newly Diagnosed Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in the REVEAL Registry.
Hospitalization is an important outcome in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), shown previously to correlate with survival. Using the Registry to Evaluate Early and Long-term PAH Disease Management (REVEAL Registry), we sought to characterize first-time hospitalizations and their effect on subsequent hospitalization and survival in patients with newly diagnosed disease. ⋯ In the REVEAL Registry, PAH-related hospitalization was associated with relatively more rehospitalizations and worse survival at 3 years.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Nov 2014
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudySurgical Space Conditions During Low-Pressure Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy with Deep Versus Moderate Neuromuscular Blockade: A Randomized Clinical Study.
Laparoscopic cholecystectomy performed during low intraabdominal pressure (<12 mm Hg) is associated with significantly less postoperative pain than standard pressure (≥12 mm Hg). The impact on surgical space conditions and safety of operating at lower pressures has not been adequately described, but deep neuromuscular blockade may be beneficial. We investigated if deep muscle relaxation would be associated with a higher proportion of procedures with "optimal" surgical space conditions compared with moderate relaxation during low-pressure (8 mm Hg) laparoscopic cholecystectomy. ⋯ Deep neuromuscular blockade was associated with surgical space conditions that were marginally better than with moderate muscle relaxation during low-pressure laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Nov 2014
Observational StudyMeasured Versus Predicted Blood Propofol Concentrations in Children During Scoliosis Surgery.
Propofol anesthesia is preferred during scoliosis surgery because it suppresses evoked potential spinal cord function less than other drugs and better enables the detection of spinal cord ischemia. In this study, we determined the difference between the true and predicted blood propofol levels during target-controlled infusions in children during scoliosis surgery. ⋯ Propofol target-controlled infusion models had poor performance characteristics in children undergoing scoliosis surgery. Point-of-care propofol assay may enable adjustment of the infusion to better achieve the intended blood level.
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Critical care medicine · Nov 2014
Comparative StudyPower and Limitations of Daily Prognostications of Death in the Medical ICU for Outcomes in the Following 6 Months.
We tested the power of clinicians' predictions that a medical ICU patient would "die before hospital discharge" for both survival to discharge and for outcomes at 6 months. ⋯ Fewer than 4% of medical ICU patients who required 72 hours of medical ICU care and had a corroborated prediction of death before discharge were alive at 6 months and functioning with a Barthel score more than 70.
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We report a new technique for pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) of the entire nerve supply of the knee as an option in treating osteoarthritis (OA) of knee. We targeted both sensory and motor nerves supplying all the structures around the knee: joint, muscles, and skin to address the entire nociception and stiffness leading to peripheral and central sensitization in osteoarthritis. Ten patients with pain, stiffness, and loss of function in both knees were treated with ultrasonography (USG) guided PRF of saphenous, tibial, and common peroneal nerves along with subsartorial, peripatellar, and popliteal plexuses. ⋯ The sustained pain relief and muscle relaxation enabled the patients to optimize physiotherapy thereby improving endurance training to include the daily activities of life. We conclude that OA knee pain is a product of neuromyopathy and that PRF of the sensory and motor nerves appeared to be a safe, effective, and minimally invasive technique. The reduction of pain and stiffness improved the knee function and probably reduced the peripheral and central sensitization.