Serum cytokine levels in patients with chronic low back pain due to herniated disc: analytical cross-sectional study.

Context And Objective: the role of immune response and proinflammatory cytokines in the pathogenesis of chronic pain has been of growing interest. In order to evaluate whether there is any association between disc herniation and elevated cytokine levels, we measured cytokine levels in patients with chronic low back pain and in healthy subjects.

Design And Setting: analytical cross-sectional study at the Pain Clinic of Universidade Federal da Bahia (UFBA).

Obsessive-compulsive disorder: an open-label pilot trial of escitalopram.

Introduction: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are considered the most effective and well-established pharmacotherapy for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), a chronic and disabling condition. However, approximately 40% of patients do not have a significant improvement, suggesting that new medications are needed. This study was designed to investigate the treatment response to escitalopram in OCD patients.

Validation of criteria for nosocomial use of amikacin in Brazil with the Delphi technique.

Unlabelled: The Delphi technique has been used since the 1950s to collect the opinions of experts; to gauge their indications, and in some instances, to develop a consensus. This systematic collection and aggregation of informed judgments from a group of experts on specific questions or issues is a highly efficient and cost-effective means to establish guidelines and policies, when compared to other strategies, such as committee meetings or personal interviews.

Objective: Examine the content validation process of the proposed criteria of the American Society of Health System Pharmacists (ASHP) for amikacin use in hospital settings.

Effect of amantadine on depressive symptoms in chronic hepatitis C patients treated with pegylated interferon: a randomized, controlled pilot study.

Objective: Assess the effect of amantadine on depressive symptoms during interferon alfa therapy for hepatitis C virus infection.

Methods: We performed a randomized, controlled trial with 14 hepatitis C virus-infected patients, treated with pegylated interferon alfa-2a 180 microg/wk plus ribavirin 1.200 mg/d.

[Obstructive sleep apnea and hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS): association with obesity, gender and age].

Obstructive sleep apnea and hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) has been the focus of extensive research because of its association with neurocognitive and cardiovascular complications. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency and association between OSAHS and the class of obesity, gender and age in outpatients referred to a sleep laboratory. We selected 1,595 patients, 71.