PURPOSE: To analyze the success rate of pulsed intravenous (IV) cyclophosphamide (CyP) for noninfectious ocular inflammatory disease and to identify risk factors for failure of therapy. DESIGN: Retrospective, interventional, noncomparative cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred ten eyes of 65 patients. METHODS: Through a computer search of the Massachusetts Eye Research ...

OBJECTIVES: To determine if rivaroxaban is associated with a reduction in stent thrombosis among ACS subjects in the ATLAS ACS 2-TIMI 51 trial. BACKGROUND: Dual antiplatelet therapy has been the mainstay of efforts to prevent stent thrombosis. Since thrombin is a potent stimulant of platelet activation, we hypothesized that inhibition ...

Background: Idiopathic membranous nephropathy (MN) is a major cause of nephrotic syndrome. Conventional treatment strategies induce remission but the relapse rates are high. Different doses of rituximab (RTX) appeared effective in reducing proteinuria in MN but long-term follow-up data are rare. Methods: Since 2006, a total of 14 patients (median ...

BACKGROUND: Nonetheless biologic modifier therapies are available treatment strategies for sight-threatening uveitis in children, the lack of evidence from head-to-head randomized controlled studies limits our understanding of timing of therapy when to commence therapy, which agent to choose and how long to continue treatment, and, in case of failure, if ...

OBJECTIVE: Rapidly predicting future outcomes based on short-term clinical response would be helpful to optimize rheumatoid arthritis (RA) management in early disease. Our aim was to derive and validate a clinical prediction rule to predict low disease activity (LDA) at 1 year among patients participating in the Treatment of Early ...

Carotid baroreflex activation has been demonstrated to provide enduring reductions in arterial blood pressure. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of long-term therapy on renal function. A total of 322 patients were enrolled in the Rheos Pivotal Trial. Group 1 consisted of 236 patients who started ...

BACKGROUND: Postoperative nosocomial infection (PNI) is a severe complication in surgical patients. Known risk factors of PNI such as allogeneic blood transfusions (ABTs), anemia, and iron deficiency are manageable with perioperative intravenous (IV) iron therapy. To address potential concerns about IV iron and the risk of PNI, we studied a ...

PURPOSE: Dabigatran is effective for both the prevention of stroke and bleeding in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the safety and efficacy of the use of dabigatran in the peri-procedural period for radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) of AF is unknown. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate ...

OBJECTIVE: A retrospective study was performed to explore the effect of splenectomy on iron balance in thalassaemia major (TM). METHODS: 22 TM patients treated with splenectomy were compared with a control group (non-splenectomized patients) matched for sex, age, pre-transfusional Hb, chelation therapy and duration of follow-up in a retrospective study ...

: The effects of differences among β-blockers and initiation times in patients undergoing noncardiac surgery (NCS) remain unknown. On June 1, 2012, the authors searched PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials to identify all trials of perioperative β-blockers in patients undergoing NCS published between January ...

OBJECTIVE: To examine patient and wound variables presumed to influence healing outcomes in the context of therapeutic trials for chronic venous leg ulcers. METHODS: This double-blind, vehicle-controlled study was conducted with randomized assignment to one of four cell therapy dose groups (n = 46, 43, 44, 45) or vehicle control (n = ...

BACKGROUND: The recommended first-line oral therapy for Discoid Lupus Erythematosus (DLE) is the antimalarial hydroxychloroquine. To the best of our knowledge, there is no published information regarding the long-term (i.e. > 6 months) response of DLE to hydroxychloroquine in clinical practice. OBJECTIVE: To describe the long-term clinical response of DLE ...

BACKGROUND: We conducted a retrospective study to determine the effect of oral sildenafil administrated as monotherapy after Fontan operation in single ventricle physiology. METHODS: From January 2008 to March 2012, during two different periods, a total of 30 pediatric patients undergoing Fontan operation by extracardiac conduit were included in this ...

The effectiveness of low-dose aspirin in the primary prevention of thrombosis in patients with high-risk essential thrombocythaemia (ET) treated with cytoreductive drugs is not well established. The risk-benefit balance of low-dose aspirin plus cytoreductive therapy compared with cytoreduction alone was retrospectively analysed in 247 patients with high-risk ET without prior ...

BACKGROUND: Two previous retrospective database analyses compared early combination therapy with an α-blocker (AB) and 5-α reductase inhibitor (5-ARI) to delayed combination therapy and found that patients receiving the delayed combination therapy were more likely to have clinical progression, acute urinary retention (AUR), and surgery. Although these studies indicate the ...

OBJECTIVES: Nosocomial meningitis presents high mortality rate and the best treatment of multidrug resistant Gram-negative bacteria meningitis is not established. The aim of this study was to report the outcome of nosocomial KPC-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (KPC-KP) meningitis. METHODS: A retrospective survey of patients with nosocomial meningitis caused by KPC-KP during ...

Low persistence with osteoporosis medication is associated with higher fracture risk. Previous studies estimated that 1-year persistence with osteoporosis medication is low. Our aim was to study persistence with osteoporosis medication among patients with long-term follow-up (to 5 years). The InterAction Database (IADB) was used to analyze persistence of 8610 Dutch ...

INTRODUCTION:: Bleeding episodes in patients with congenital or acquired bleeding disorders are usually managed with factor concentrates or blood products. However, external and accessible bleeds may effectively be managed with topical hemostasis. MATERIALS AND METHODS:: After the application of the Hemcon, a Food and Drug Administration-approved chitosan-based hemostatic dressing was ...

Background. Empirical combination therapy is recommended for patients with known or suspected Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) infections as a means to decrease the likelihood of administering inadequate antimicrobial treatment, to prevent the emergence of resistance, and to achieve a possible additive or even synergistic effect. Methods. We performed a post-hoc analysis of patients ...

Purpose:  To determine prognostic factors in patients with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease who were treated with high-dose corticosteroids. Methods:  Retrospective analysis of 87 patients (174 eyes). Results:  At presentation, there were 53 patients with initial-onset acute VKH disease and 34 patients with chronic recurrent VKH disease. Chronic recurrent presentation was significantly ...

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has emerged as a therapeutic alternative for patients with symptomatic aortic stenosis at high or prohibitive surgical risk. However, patients undergoing TAVI are also at high risk for both bleeding and stroke complications, and specific mechanical aspects of the procedure itself can increase the risk ...

BACKGROUND: The usefulness of dabigatran etexilate for the prevention of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) has been reported. OBJECTIVES: In this study the efficacy and safety of dabigatran etexilate for anticoagulation for AF ablation were examined. METHOD: Patients were divided into three groups: Group 1, interrupted warfarin bridged ...

IMPORTANCE No consensus exists as to the best technique, or techniques, to optimize wound healing, decrease pharyngocutaneous fistula formation, and shorten both hospital length of stay and time to initiation of oral intake after salvage laryngectomy. We sought to combine the recent experience of multiple high-volume institutions, with different reconstructive ...

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is effective for patients with SAS. CPAP therapy requires long-term usage to prevent recurrence of symptoms. It is, thus, important to examine the level of long-term CPAP use and the factors influencing compliance with CPAP therapy for SAS. Compliance with CPAP therapy was examined in ...

BACKGROUND: Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, is a major cause of heart failure in Latin America. Tissue therapy has been investigated as a possible therapeutic option for patients with cardiovascular disease. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the effects of therapy with mesenchymal stem cells in an experimental model ...

Pompe Disease is an inherited neuromuscular disease due to deficiency of lysosomal acid alpha-glucosidase (GAA) leading to glycogen accumulation in muscle and motoneurons. Cardiopulmonary failure in infancy leads to early mortality and GAA enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) results in improved survival, reduction of cardiac hypertrophy and developmental gains. However, many ...

Introduction: Neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is currently the most common cause of legal blindness in industrialized countries. The advent of pharmacotherapy with intravitreal VEGF inhibitors has greatly improved outcomes for the treatment of this disease. Areas covered: The present review is divided into two major sections: the period prior ...

AIMS: To evaluate the long-term safety and efficacy of linagliptin as add-on therapy to one approved oral antidiabetes drug (OAD) in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and insufficient glycaemic control. METHODS: This 52-week, multicentre, open-label, parallel-group study evaluated once-daily linagliptin 5 mg, as add-on therapy to one OAD ...

BACKGROUND: We assessed the influence of atorvastatin on selected indicators of an inflammatory condition, left ventricular function, hospitalizations and mortality in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). METHODS: We included 68 DCM patients with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <=40% treated optimally in a prospective, randomized study. They were observed for ...

BACKGROUND: Representatives from the Italian centers experienced in sacral neuromodulation (SNM) for the treatment of bowel dysfunction met in order to define the current clinical practice in Italy and to produce a consensus statement regarding indications for this therapy and patient management. METHODS: Fifty Italian colonproctologists were asked to complete ...

BACKGROUND: An increasing number of elderly patients are managed with long-term antiplatelet therapy. Such patients often present with hip fracture requiring surgical intervention and may be at increased risk of perioperative bleeding and complications. The aim of this study was to ascertain whether it is necessary to stop clopidogrel preoperatively ...

Aims: Both steroid pulse (SP) monotherapy and the combination of tonsillectomy and SP therapy (TSP) are effective for achieving clinical remission (CR), defined as negative hematuria and proteinuria, in patients with IgA nephropathy (IgAN). The role of tonsillectomy in the treatment of IgAN has been analyzed only from the aspect ...

BACKGROUND: To clarify the efficacy of combined therapy with intravitreal ranibizumab injections and photodynamic therapy (PDT) in patients with symptomatic polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 57 treatment-naïve eyes of 57 patients. Thirty-two patients were treated with standard fluence PDT (PDT group), and 25 patients were treated with ...

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of a single session of manual circumlaryngeal therapy on the vocal characteristics of future elite vocal performers (music students). STUDY DESIGN: A pretest/post-test control group design was used. METHODS: Sixteen music students were randomly divided in an experimental and ...

The objective of this systematic literature review with meta-analysis was to determine the strength of evidence for a preoperative statin on the reduction of adverse postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Randomized controlled (RCT) and observational trials were searched in online databases that reported about the effects of preoperative ...

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness of systemic enzyme therapy for the control of edema in patients who undergo bimaxillary orthognathic surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty patients were included in this double-blinded, randomized, control trial. Before surgery, each patient was allotted a code (study or control group). Nine anthropometric points were ...

BACKGROUND: It was the aim of this prospective study to analyze both feasibility and effectiveness of sacral neuromodulation for fecal incontinence and "low anterior resection syndrome" following neoadjuvant therapy for rectal cancer. METHODS: All patients who underwent sacral neuromdulation following neoadjuvant therapy for rectal cancer (preoperative radiochemotherapy, oncologic rectal resection ...

BACKGROUND: Current standard of treatment of bullous pemphigoid (BP) is systemic oral corticosteroids (CS). However, significant iatrogenic morbidity and mortality is reported. Studies have shown that topical potent CS is safer than oral prednisolone in BP. OBJECTIVES: To examine the local and systemic efficacy and adverse effects of whole body ...

Objectives: The aim of the study was to combine clinical results from the European Cohort of the REVERSE study and costs associated with the addition of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) to optimal medical therapy (OMT) in patients with mild symptomatic (NYHA I-II) or asymptomatic left ventricular dysfunction and markers of ...

BACKGROUND: -Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) for atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with a transient increased risk of thromboembolic and hemorrhagic events. We hypothesized that dabigatran can be safely used as an alternative to continuous warfarin for the peri-procedural anticoagulation in PVI. METHODS AND RESULTS: -999 consecutive patients undergoing PVI were ...

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Strategies to eradicate Helicobacter pylori infection could be improved by suppressing acid and extending the duration of therapy (optimization). We compared the efficacy of 2 different optimized non-bismuth quadruple regimens in areas of high resistance to anti-microbial agents. METHODS: We performed a prospective non-inferiority multi-center trial in ...

OBJECTIVE:To determine the safety of dabigatran, rivaroxaban, or apixaban with dual antiplatelet therapy in patients with acute coronary syndromes.DATA SOURCES:A literature search of MEDLINE (1946-January 2013) was conducted, using the search terms dabigatran, rivaroxaban, or apixaban in combination with dual antiplatelet therapy. A search of literature citations was conducted to ...

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: Traumatic optic neuropathy (TON) is an important cause of severe visual impairment following blunt or penetrating head trauma. Treatment options include steroids, decompression, or both. Studies have failed to show a clear benefit for either steroids or surgery or a combined therapy. This study describes the visual outcome in ...

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the effect of intensive art therapy in youth with poorly controlled type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). Methods: A retrospective report of the characteristics and outcomes of all patients who were offered to receive individual art therapy sessions because of behavioral difficulties. Results: The study population included ...

BACKGROUND: . Bell's palsy (BP) is the most frequent form of peripheral palsy of the facial nerve. Prognosis for recovery is good for most patients; in the remaining cases, different grades of residual impairment persist. Physical therapy, in association with drug administration, aims to improve outcomes. OBJECTIVE: . To assess ...

Dual antiplatelet therapy with both aspirin and clopidogrel is increasingly used after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG); however, little is known about the safety or efficacy. We sought to determine the relationship between postoperative clopidogrel and clinical and angiographic outcomes following CABG. We evaluated 3,014 patients from PREVENT IV who ...

INTRODUCTION: Previous studies using Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN)/RIFLE criteria to classify early initiation of renal replacement therapy (RRT) have defined it as the therapy started in less severe AKIN/RIFLE stages. Generally, these studies failed in demonstrating measurable benefits. METHODS: We compared RRT initiation in critically ill patients and defined ...

PURPOSE: To evaluate patients treated with external beam radiation therapy as part of the multicenter Prostate Cancer Outcomes and Satisfaction with Treatment Quality Assessment (PROSTQA), to identify factors associated with posttreatment patient-reported bowel health-related quality of life (HRQOL). METHODS AND MATERIALS: Pretreatment characteristics and treatment details among 292 men were ...

AIM: Examine the effect of branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) therapy for patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with sorafenib. METHODS: Seventy-eight subjects with unresectable HCC with a serum level of albumin of ≤3.5 g/dL treated with sorafenib were evaluated. They were classified into two groups: those receiving BCAA granules ...

The objective of the present study was to analyze, with relatively high sensitivity and specificity, uptake properties of [(11)C]-choline in prostate cancer patients by means of positron-emission tomography (pet)/computed tomography (ct) imaging using objectively defined pet parameters to test for statistically significant changes before, during, and after external-beam radiation therapy ...