A 43-year-old Hispanic male without significant previous medical history was brought to emergency department for syncope following a blood draw to investigate a 40 lbs weight loss during the past 6 months associated with decreased appetite and progressive fatigue. The patient also reported a 1-month history of jaundice. On examination, he was hemodynamically stable and afebrile with pallor and diffuse jaundice but without skin rash or palpable purpura.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCurr Hypertens Rep
March 2016
Anemia of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is common and is associated with diminished quality of life, cognitive impairment, cardiovascular morbidity, hospitalizations, and mortality. As the prevalence of end-stage renal disease continues to rise, the management of anemia represents a growing economic burden. Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESA) are the mainstay of anemia management but their use is limited due to the associated cardiovascular adverse events.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: The response to hepatitis B vaccine in the dialysis population is reduced compared to the general population. The intradermal (ID) hepatitis B vaccine has been studied as a potential alternative to intramuscular (IM) administration. This alternative route of administration may illicit a response via a distinct immunologic pathway that may help achieve higher seroconversion rates and thus, protection against hepatitis B infection in this vulnerable patient population.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCinacalcet is the first Food and Drug Administration-approved calcimimetic for the treatment of secondary hyperparathyroidism in dialysis patients. It is effective in improving control of parathyroid hormone, serum calcium, phosphorus, and calcium-phosphorus product. The calcium-lowering effect of cinacalcet overcomes the limitations of standard therapy associated hypercalcemia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMelatonin possesses sedative, hypnotic, analgesic, antiinflammatory, antioxidative, and chronobiotic properties that distinguish it as an attractive alternative premedicant. A qualitative systematic review of the literature concerning the perioperative use of melatonin as an anxiolytic or analgesic in adult patients was carried out using the recommended guidelines provided by the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. Nine of the 10 studies showed statistically significant reduction of preoperative anxiety with melatonin premedication compared with placebo.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground And Objective: The Supreme laryngeal mask airway (LMA) is a new single-use polyvinyl chloride supraglottic device that combines the functionality of the ProSeal and Fastrach airways. High oropharyngeal leak pressures are important as they indicate airway protection, feasibility of positive pressure ventilation and likelihood of successful LMA placement. The oropharyngeal leak pressure of the LMA Supreme is not well established versus the LMA ProSeal.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Adverse events such as pharyngolaryngeal complications are indicators of quality patient care. Use of manometry to limit the laryngeal mask airway (LMA) intracuff pressure is not currently a routine practice. This double-blind randomized trial compared pharyngolaryngeal complications in patients managed with manometers to limit the LMA intracuff pressure (<44 mmHg) with patients under routine care.
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