The Health Economic Impact of Nephrotic Syndrome in the United States.

Background: Nephrotic syndrome (NS) is a rare kidney syndrome with high morbidity. Although a common contributor to the burden of chronic kidney disease, the direct and indirect costs of NS to patients and family caregivers are unrecognized. The objective was to characterize the direct and indirect costs of NS to patients.

Fatigue and depression in the patient in the intensive care unit.

The recognition, management, and treatment of fatigue and depression in the patient in the intensive care unit has been presented in a framework to allow consideration of intrapsychic, interpersonal, environmental, and disease factors that can be altered by various means. It is rare that fatigue so seriously complicates the primary illness as to be life threatening itself. Depression and delirium are associated with increased morbidity and mortality on their own; therefore, prompt attention to major depressive disorders and organic effective disorders is necessary.

Home care ventilation: the Cleveland Clinic experience from 1977 to 1985.

A need for long-term ventilation in the home has created a demand for home care services that has been a source of growth for an industry. Evaluation of the patient and family who will guarantee successful home care requires careful psychological and psychiatric evaluation. Beyond this evaluation, long-term success is possible if appropriate financial resources are available.