Clinical benefits, referral practice and cost implications of an in-hospital pain service: results of a service evaluation in a London teaching hospital.

Background: In-hospital pain services (IPS) are commonplace, but evidence of efficacy is inadequate, and patients' pain management in any hospital ward remains problematic. This service evaluation aimed to measure the effect of a contemporary IPS, its appropriate use and cost-efficacy.

Methods: Records of 249 adults reviewed by the IPS in an inner London Teaching Hospital over an 8-month period were analysed for demographic data, interventions, workload and change in pain intensity measured by numerical rating scale (NRS).

Stress indicators during general anesthesia with opioid analgesics in children.

Background/aim: To determine which of the applied opioid analgesics brings the most powerful blockade of the stress response with the fewest side effects in children.

Materials And Methods: This was a prospective, observational clinical study. The study included 150 boys, aged 2-5 years, ASA I, who underwent herniectomy or orchidopexy in day case surgery.

Infections associated with the central venous catheters.

Central venous catheters are of an essential importance to critically ill patients who require long-term venous access for various purposes. Their use made the treatment much easier, but still they are not harmless and are prone to numerous complications. Catheter infections represent the most significant complication in their use.

[Extrahepatic manifestations of chronic hepatitis C and their influence on response to treatment with pegylated interferon alfa-2a and ribavirin].

Introduction: Thirty to 50% of patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) have one or more extrahepatic manifestations (EHMs) of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of EHMs and to investigate the efficacy of pegylated interferon (Peg-IFN)-alpha-2a plus ribavirin therapy in patients with HCV-related EHMs.

Methods: The study included 280 patients suffering from CHC and treated with Peg-IFN-alpha-2a and ribavirin.

[Efficacy of combined antiviral therapy with pegylated interferon alpha-2a and ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C infection in intravenous drug users].

Introduction: Hepatitis C Virus infection represents not just a medical, but also a socio-economic problem. It is estimated that among 170 million infected, 60% belongs to the category of intravenous drug users (IDUs).

Objective: The aim of this paper was to compare the response to the combined therapy of pegylated interferon alfa 2a and ribavirin, in the group of patients with HCV infection who were intravenous drug users (IDUs) and in patients who were identified in the other way of transmission of HCV.