Improving technical and non-technical skills of emergency medicine residents through a program based on high-fidelity simulation.

We evaluated the effectiveness of a training program with high-fidelity simulation (HFS) to improve technical (TS) and non-technical skills (NTS) of residents in Emergency Medicine. We conducted a 2-year training program for the management of a critical patient based on HFS (6 sessions for every year, four teams who performed 4 scenarios per session). At the beginning of the training program, all participants received a presentation of Crisis Resource Management (CRM) principles.

Traumatic iatrogenic chylothorax after external electrical cardioversion.

Chylothorax, an uncommon cause of pleural effusion, results from the accumulation of lymph in the pleural space due to damage or obstruction of the thoracic duct. Chylothorax can be due to several aetiologies, many of which are rare, and it is often a diagnostic challenge to identify the cause. This case report refers to a patient with rapid recurrent episodes of bilateral pleural chylothorax due to damage of the thoracic duct after external electrical cardioversion treatment.

Plasma PCSK9 levels and sepsis severity: an early assessment in the emergency department.

The aim of the study is to evaluate the prognostic value of early PCSK9 levels in non-intubated septic patients admitted to the emergency department. This report utilized a portion of the data collected in a prospective study, with the aim of identifying reliable biomarkers for an early sepsis diagnosis. In the period November 2011-December 2016, we enrolled 268 patients, admitted to our High-Dependency Unit from the emergency department with a diagnosis of sepsis.

Correlation of Dietary Advanced Glycation End Products with the Hematological and Biochemical Markers of Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease Undergoing Hemodialysis.

Aim The advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are among the mechanisms responsible for the pathogenesis and development of chronic kidney disease. The aim of this study was to estimate the dietary AGE intake and to assess its correlation with hematological and biochemical markers of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) undergoing hemodialysis. Materials and methods For this study, a structured questionnaire of the exogenous AGEs was developed, whose reliability and validity were evaluated in the pilot phase of the study including 50 participants.

Prognostic value of serial lactate levels in septic patients with and without shock.

To analyze the prognostic value of lactate levels for day-7 and in-hospital mortality, in septic patients with and without shock. In the period November 2011-December 2016, we enrolled 268 patients, admitted to our High-Dependency Unit with a diagnosis of sepsis. Lactate dosage was performed at ED-HDU admission (T0), after 2 h (T2), 6 h (T6) and 24 h (T24); lactate clearance was calculated at T2 and T6 [T2: ((LAC T0-LAC T2/LAC T0)*100)]; T6: [(LAC T0-LAC T6/LAC T0)*100].

Prognostic value of sepsis-induced coagulation abnormalities: an early assessment in the emergency department.

To evaluate if the assessment of coagulation abnormalities at ED admission could improve prognostic assessment of septic patients. This report utilizes a portion of the data collected in a prospective study, with the aim to identify reliable biomarkers for an early sepsis diagnosis. In the period November 2011-December 2016, we enrolled 268 patients, admitted to our High-Dependency Unit with a diagnosis severe sepsis/septic shock.

THE TRANSLATION, VALIDATION AND CULTURAL ADAPTATION OF FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENT OF CHRONIC ILLNESS THERAPY - SPIRITUAL WELL-BEING 12 (FACIT-SP12) SCALE IN GREEK LANGUAGE.

Background: According to World Health Organization (WHO), spirituality is an important domain of quality of life especially in terminal, life threatens chronic diseases. For many people spirituality and religion are not just very important dimensions of their existence, but also a source of support that contributes to wellbeing and coping with everyday difficulties of life.

Aim: Aim of the study was the translation of the Facit Spiritual Well Being Scale (Facit-Sp12) in Greek language and the validation of the scale for the Greek population.

Measuring Health: Related Quality of Life in Hemodialysis Patients. Psychometric Properties of the Missoula-VITAS Quality of Life Index (MVQOLI-15) in Greece.

Different measuring tools have been used to understand the outcomes of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) therapies. However, survival, cost-effectiveness and quality of life (QOL) are the main parameters to evaluate treatment of ESRD. The current study meant to assess the psychometric properties (reliability and validity) of the Missoula-VITAS Quality of Life Index (MVQOLI-15) translation to Greek in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD).

Phase II study of gemcitabine plus docetaxel as second-line treatment in malignant pleural mesothelioma: a single institution study.

Objective: The combinations of cisplatin-pemetrexed and cisplatin-gemcitabine are considered the standard systemic therapy for malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), which is a rapidly progressive tumor. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and clinical benefit of the gemcitabine plus docetaxel regimen in the second-line treatment of this disease.

Patients And Methods: A total of 37 patients with MPM were treated with the combination of docetaxel (80 mg/m) and gemcitabine (1000 mg/m) on day 1 and 14 of a 28-day cycle.

Docetaxel plus gemcitabine as first-line treatment in malignant pleural mesothelioma: a single institution phase II study.

Background: The cisplatin-pemetrexed and cisplatin-gemcitabine combinations are considered the standard treatment for malignant pleural mesothelioma. The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of gemcitabine plus docetaxel in the first-line setting, as this combination has not been investigated in mesothelioma before.

Patients And Methods: Twenty-five consecutive patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma were enrolled.