Dyspnea, dysfunctional breathing disorders, and the Bayesian brain hypothesis.

Clinicians frequently evaluate patients who present with dyspnea. This term describes uncomfortable breathing during physical activity, and the intensity or degree of dyspnea can vary in an individual depending on circumstances and between individuals. In some cases, the level of dyspnea appears out of proportion to other information relevant to the cardiorespiratory system, and this situation has been described as dysfunctional breathing.

Dyspnea and long COVID patients.

Patients with prior COVID-19 infections often develop chronic post-COVID symptoms, such as fatigue and dyspnea. Some patients have residual pulmonary disorders with abnormal pulmonary function tests and/or chest radiographs to explain their dyspnea. However, other patients appear to have dyspnea that is out of proportion to any measurable change in lung function.

Subpleural sparing: Clinical, physiological, and radiological implications.

The term "subpleural sparing" refers to computed tomography (CT) images that indicate that there is limited disease/infiltrate in the immediate subpleural location. This observation is often associated with nonspecific interstitial pneumonitis and is a characteristic that distinguishes this pathology from usual interstitial pneumonitis (idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis). Subpleural sparing can also occur in acute respiratory disorders, including pulmonary contusion in children, acute lung disease associated with electronic cigarettes (vaping), and aspiration of exogenous lipids.

Does Fluid Administration Based on Fluid Responsiveness Tests such as Passive Leg Raising Improve Outcomes in Sepsis?

The management of sepsis requires the rapid administration of fluid to support blood pressure and tissue perfusion. Guidelines suggest that patients should receive 30 ml per kg of fluid over the first one to three hours of management. The next concern is to determine which patients need additional fluid.

Distribution of age and apnea-hypopnea index in diagnostic sleep tests in West Texas.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a disease characterized by the collapse of the upper airway during sleep. It is debated whether increasing age is associated with an increased severity based on the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) in OSA patients. To better characterize the distribution of age and AHI in OSA patients, a large, retrospective analysis of diagnostic sleep test results in West Texas was performed.

The evolution of health care in the Texas correctional system and the impact of COVID-19.

Health care under the jurisdiction of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice has evolved over time to provide prisoners greater access to medical care, including psychiatric care and substance abuse assistance. Mental illness and chronic conditions, such as hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, and heart disease, are common in prisoners in Texas and across the nation and increase the cost of health care. The average annual health care cost per prisoner in Texas was $4077 in 2015.

Prevalence of Coronavirus Antibody Among First Responders in Lubbock, Texas.

Background: The ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has a major impact on first responders. Scarce personal protective equipment (PPE) has forced them to conserve and reuse some of their PPE. The efficacy of these practices in preventing transmission of COVID-19 from patients to first responders is unclear.

Basic Demographic Parameters Help Predict Outcomes in Patients Hospitalized With COVID-19 During the First Wave of Infection in West Texas.

The severity of COVID-19 ranges from asymptomatic subclinical infections to severe acute respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation. Patients admitted to the hospital have increased mortality rates and patients requiring intensive care have significantly increased mortality rates. Multiple factors influence these outcomes.

Clinical entities, phenotypes, causation, and endotypes based on selected asthma publications.

Patients with complex chronic disorders, such as asthma, present clinicians with important management problems. The identification of a clinical syndrome usually leads to the diagnosis of the disease entity. The next concern involves classification and a choice as to whether to use a few inclusive categories or multiple exclusive categories.

Analysis of Glucose Levels in Patients Hospitalized With COVID-19 During the First Phase of This Pandemic in West Texas.

Background: Patients with hyperglycemia during hospitalization, especially during ICU hospitalizations, often have worse outcomes, even if they do not have a premorbid diagnosis of diabetes. High glucose levels can provide insight into the underlying pathogenesis of a disease and can contribute to tissue injury. Some patients with COVID-19 have hyperglycemia during hospitalizations.

A Retrospective Analysis and Comparison of Prisoners and Community-Based Patients with COVID-19 Requiring Intensive Care During the First Phase of the Pandemic in West Texas.

Background: COVID-19 is a highly infectious disease which usually presents with respiratory symptoms. This virus is disseminated through respiratory droplets, and, therefore, individuals residing in close quarters are at a higher risk for the acquisition of infection. The prison population is at a significantly increased risk for infection.

High prevalence of non-thyroidal illness syndrome in patients at long-term care facilities.

Purpose: Patients in acute care hospitals are often transferred to long-term care (LTC) when there is an expectation for a lengthy recovery. Prolonged non-thyroidal illness syndrome (NTIS) creates a state of hypothyroidism. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of NTIS in patients at LTC facilities.

The in culture and science.

The have a significant role in mythology, religion, folklore, and literature. In the 1800s, the word was used to describe reanimated corpses in the Caribbean who often worked on plantations doing long, arduous field work. The movie was released in 1932 and exploited this folklore, but it ignored the fact that zombies represent one outcome in Vodou religious beliefs regarding death and the migration of spirits following death.