Validation of the Simplified Palliative Prognostic Index to Predict Survival for Advanced Cancer Patients in Home Hospice Setting.

Background: The simplified Palliative Prognostic Index (sPPI) substitutes a single item from the Communication Capacity Scale (CCS) for the delirium item of the original PPI. This study aimed to examine the validity of the sPPI for patients with advanced cancer in a home-based hospice care setting.

Methods: This study included 75 patients with advanced cancer who received home-based hospice care.

The Effect of Education and Vitamin D Supplementation on the Achievement of Optimal Vitamin D Level in Korean Postmenopausal Women.

Background: Despite daily vitamin D recommendations, women with osteoporosis may not achieve optimal 25-hydroxy-vitamin D (25[OH]D) levels. We retrospectively evaluated the effect of education and vitamin D supplementation (1,000 IU/day) in Korean women with osteoporosis.

Methods: Sixty-one women with osteoporosis who were taking cholecalciferol (800-1,000 IU/day) were enrolled during 2011 to 2012.

Betaine inhibits vascularization via suppression of Akt in the retinas of streptozotocin-induced hyperglycemic rats.

Diabetic retinopathy is a severe microvascular complication amongst patients with diabetes, and is the primary cause of visual loss through neovascularization. Betaine is one of the components of Fructus Lycii. In the present study, the effects of betaine on the expression levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α in association with the Akt pathway were investigated in the retinas of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats using western blot and immunohistochemical analyses.

Berberine prevents nigrostriatal dopaminergic neuronal loss and suppresses hippocampal apoptosis in mice with Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the selective loss of nigral dopaminergic neurons and a reduction in striatal dopaminergic fibers, which result in tremors, rigidity, bradykinesia and gait disturbance. In addition to motor dysfunction, dementia is a widely recognized symptom of patients with PD. Berberine, an isoquinoline alkaloid isolated from Berberis vulgaris L.

Comparison of clinical effects according to the dosage of sufentanil added to 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine for spinal anesthesia in patients undergoing cesarean section.

Background: Subarachnoid block is a widely used technique for cesarean section. To improve the quality of analgesia and prolong the duration of analgesia, addition of intrathecal opioids to local anesthetics has been encouraged. We compared the effects of sufentanil 2.

Effect of preoperative warming during cesarean section under spinal anesthesia.

Background: Postoperative hypothermia and shivering is a frequent event in patients during cesarean section under spinal anesthesia. We assessed the effect of preoperative warming during cesarean delivery under spinal anesthesia for prevention of hypothermia and shivering.

Methods: Forty five patients undergoing elective cesarean section were randomly assigned to three groups.

Comparison of fentanyl and sufentanil added to 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine for spinal anesthesia in patients undergoing cesarean section.

Background: Subarachnoid block is widely used for cesarean section due to the rapid induction, the complete analgesia, the low failure rate and the prevention of aspiration pneumonia. The addition of intrathecal opioids to local anesthetics seems to improve the quality of analgesia & prolong the duration of analgesia. Therefore we compared the effects of fentanyl 20 µg and sufentanil 2.

Meralgia paresthetica affecting parturient women who underwent cesarean section -A case report-.

Meralgia paresthetica is commonly caused by a focal entrapment of lateral femoral cuteneous nerve while it passes the inguinal ligament. Common symptoms are paresthesias and numbness of the upper lateral thigh area. Pregnancy, tight cloths, obesity, position of surgery and the tumor in the retroperitoneal space could be causes of meralgia paresthetica.

Anesthetic management for emergent Cesarean section in a patient with toxic epidermal necrolysis -A case report-.

Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) is rare but serious cutaneous reaction with significant mortality and long-term morbidity. Various etiologies, particularly numerous medications and infectious agents have been implicated. It is characterized as inflammatory bullous lesions of the skin and mucous membrane and can develop serious complications such as pneumonia, pneumothorax, sepsis and renal failure.

Amniotic fluid embolism that took place during an emergent Cesarean section -A case report-.

Amniotic fluid embolism (AFE) is a rare but fatal obstetric emergency, characterized by sudden cardiovascular collapse, dyspnea or respiratory arrest and altered mentality, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). It can lead to severe maternal morbidity and mortality, but the prediction of its occurrence and treatment are very difficult. We experienced a case of AFE during emergent Cesarean section in a 40(+6) weeks healthy pregnant woman, age 33.

The relationship between symphysis-fundal height and intravenous ephedrine dose in spinal anesthesia for elective cesarean section.

Background: A decreased lumbosacral subarachnoidal space volume is a major factor in the cephalad intrathecal spread of local anesthetics in term parturients and their subarachnoidal space is decreased due to the compressive effect of huge uteri. Therefore, they show a higher level of sensory block and hypotensive episodes. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether the symphysis-fundal height (SFH) correlates with the highest sensory level and the amount of ephedrine administered under spinal anesthesia.

Anesthetic management for cesarean section in a patient with Budd-Chiari syndrome: A case report.

Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) represents a spectrum of disease states resulting in hepatic venous outflow occlusion. Prothrombotic disorders, such as protein S deficiency may cause thrombosis of the portal and hepatic veins. We report the management of a 30-year-old BCS primigravida with protein S deficiency and destroyed lung by the pulmonary tuberculosis scheduled for Cesarean section.

The effect of remifentanil for reducing myoclonus during induction of anesthesia with etomidate.

Background: Myoclonic movement is a common problem during induction of anesthesia with etomidate. We investigated the influences of pretreatment with remifentanil on etomidate induced myoclonus.

Methods: Ninety ASA class I patients were divided randomly into three groups.

Bupivacaine and ropivacaine suppress glycine- and glutamate-induced ion currents in acutely dissociated rat hippocampal neurons.

Bupivacaine and ropivacaine are local surgical anesthetics with great efficacy in post-operative pain relief and labor analgesia. In the present study, the effects of bupivacaine and ropivacaine on ion currents induced by glycine and glutamate in acutely dissociated hippocampal CA1 neurons of rats were investigated via a nystatin-perforated patch clamping method at a clamped voltage. The magnitude of the glycine-induced ion currents was decreased reversibly and in a time-dependent manner by continuous application of 0.