Clinical and Physiologic Predictors of Survival in HP

Posted on October 9, 2014 by admin

Clinical predictors of time to death or lung transplantation identified on univariate analyses from the entire HP cohort included dyspnea score, crackles on physical examination, need for oxygen therapy, and lung function measures (FVC, total lung capacity, diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide expressed as % predicted, and FEV/FVC ratio). Independent predictors of time to death or lung transplantation included auscultatory crackles on lung examination (hazard ratio [HR], 4.7; P= .02), FVC (HR, 0.7; P= .01), FEV/FVC ratio (HR, 1.58; P < .01), and a history of cigarette smoking (HR, 2.68; P = .01)

For patients with HP who had HRCT scans available for scoring (n = 132), we repeated univariate and multivariate modeling using all prior clinical Zithromax Australia variables and CT scan features of ground-glass opacities, consolidation, mosaic perfusion, reticulation, traction bronchiectasis, honeycombing, and fibrosis score. Interobserver correlation between radiologist scores was good to excellent for reticulation, traction bronchiectasis, honeycombing, and fibrosis score. Radiographic honeycombing, reticulation, traction bronchiectasis, and fibrosis score were statistically significant univariate predictors of time to death or lung transplantation. Using multivariate analyses, fibrosis score was independently associated with mortality and/or transplantation (HR, 1.35; P < .01). When fibrosis score was removed from the model and replaced by its individual components (reticulation and honeycombing), we found that reticulation was the radiographic feature independently associated with time to death or lung transplantation. The vast majority of deaths in the HP radiographic cohort occurred when patients manifested reticulation and/or honeycombing as well as auscultatory crackles (P < .0001).

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To visualize how fibrosis score relates to survival in patients with HP, the radiographic cohort was divided into quartiles by their fibrosis score. Patients in the highest quartile for fibrosis score, Q4, had worse transplant-free survival than patients in the two lowest quartiles for fibrosis score (Q1, P < .01; Q2, P < .01). Patients in the third quartile, Q3, had worse survival than Q1 (P < .05). Survival in the third quartile, Q3, and fourth quartile, Q4, were not statistically significantly different (P = .22).

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Increased sanitation also has been blamed for increased atopy

Posted on October 8, 2014 by admin

This observation is usually ascribed to meeting new allergens or reaching a personal threshold of exposure to common allergens like grass pollen. However, at least in childhood, there is good evidence that susceptibility depends more on whatever causes the Th2 abnormality than on any particular allergen exposures. Other possible explanations for the experience of individuals moving to a new geographic area have been that they leave behind protective parasites and move to more sanitary conditions. However, the protective effect of parasites can be doubted because there are populations, such as the children of the Maldive Islands, where parasites and increasing atopic asthma existed. Interestingly, in this case the increasing commonness of asthma followed some years after a British air base was established on the island. Increased sanitation also has been blamed for increased atopy, but the susceptibility of adults who move seems not to fit the hygiene hypothesis explanation.

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An exception to the high incidence of atopic disease in children was seen in the Fore people of New Guinea, where atopic asthma first appeared in 7.3% of adults but only 0.6% of children. The earliest cases were in adults who had returned to the villages after developing asthma while in the European-influenced city. Still, the few affected children belonged to affected adults. There were two households with an affected child in which both parents had developed symptoms within a year of one another. The development of cases first among adults, with eventual spread mainly from affected parents to their offspring, suggests transmission by adult activities Viagra for sale Australia at the beginning of this community’s asthma experience. A later survey of the regional administrative town of Goroka, adjacent to the Fore area that originally had been affected, found that, except for asthma in the child of an affected family, the other 10 cases were in adults who had previously worked or lived in the Fore area. Dust mites were blamed and were found in higher numbers in the dwellings of asthmatic patients.

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Medical Surgical Critical Illness

Posted on October 7, 2014 by admin

Background: In a recent multicenter randomized trial comparing unfractionated heparin (UFH) with low-molecular-weight heparin (dalteparin) for thromboprophylaxis in 3,746 critically ill patients, 17 patients (0.5%) developed heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) based on serotonin-release assay-positive (SRA+) status. A trend to a lower frequency of HIT with dalteparin vs UFH was observed in the intention-to-treat analysis (five vs 12 patients, P = .14), which was statistically significant (three vs 12 patients, P = .046) in a prespecified per-protocol analysis that excluded patients with DVT at study entry. We sought to characterize HIT outcomes and to determine how dalteparin thromboprophylaxis may reduce HIT frequency in patients in the ICU.

Methods: In 17 patients with HIT, we analyzed platelet counts and thrombotic events in relation to the study drug and other open-label heparin, to determine whether the study drug plausibly explained seroconversion to SRA+ status and/or breakthrough of thrombocytopenia/thrombosis. We also compared antibody frequencies (dalteparin vs UFH) in 409 patients serologically investigated for HIT.

Results: HIT-associated thrombosis occurred in 10 of 17 patients (58.8%) (8:1:1 venous:arterial:both). Dalteparin was associated with fewer study drug-attributable HIT-related events (P = .020), including less seroconversion (P = .058) and less breakthrough of thrombocytopenia/thrombosis (P = .032). Antiplatelet factor 4/heparin IgG antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were less frequent among patients receiving dalteparin vs UFH (13.5% vs 27.3%, P < .001). One patient with HIT-associated DVT died after UFH bolus (anaphylactoid reaction), whereas platelet counts recovered in two others with HIT-associated VTE despite continuation of therapeutic-dose UFH.

Conclusions: The lower risk of HIT in patients in the ICU receiving dalteparin appears related to both decreased antibody formation and decreased clinical breakthrough of HIT among patients forming antibodies.

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HealthCare: Diseases and Health

Posted on October 1, 2014 by admin

Health depends on man’s conscious. Peace, health, power, good feelings and all powers, which exist in man, come out of his conscious. One, who lives in the sphere of consciousness, is calm even without money in his pocket. He is not afraid of anything, and concentrates his thinking on the sublime world. No more than an hour and a half, the help comes, bread comes, or the car comes. That man is wise and never abuses with his powers and abilities, which he has.

People think that no matter what food they eat, no matter how they think, they can be healthy. This is impossible. Health is connected to the clean thoughts and feelings, to the clean food of good quality.

The face of a saint shines. It is neither sallow and emaciated as you think, nor his eyes are deep-set.

One who is lean is not a saint, nor one who is stout.

When man thinks, the powers of the cerebrum go to the sympathetic nervous system, to the brain system. When these energies cross rightly, man is healthy, and thinks and feels normally.

Health is an internal process. If the organism is not healthy inside, no matter what favorable external conditions there are, he cannot use them. What is needed in order man to be healthy? First he shall determine his attitude to God, then to his soul and after that to his neighbor. If these relations are normal, man will be healthy.

The strength and health viagra in Canada do not come from the external food. God feed man from inside and gives him power and life to work and solve his tasks. One, who eats a lot, pays a lot.

Health is a result from right exchange of the energies in man’s organism, on one side, as well as of right exchange between the souls, on the other side. If a disease comes, it is a breach of the law of the right exchange.

In the healthy organism, the blood is distributed equally along all organs of the body and the energy, which comes out of the brain, has to be distributed also equally and the thoughts have to penetrate into all cells.

If the particles of the matter, of which the human organism is composed, are in normal relations between each other, all organs of his will be in harmony. When they are in harmony, man’s feelings and deeds will be harmonious.

In order to maintain the harmony of his organism, man shall feed his brain with bright feelings, his heart – with clean feelings, his lungs – with clean air, his stomach – with clean wholesome food.

One, who wants to be healthy, shall increase the quantity of love and energy in him. Take more energy from the Sun, if you want to be cheerful. Enjoy the sunrise if you want to prolong your life.

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Treatment of Depression

Posted on September 23, 2014 by admin

Antidepressant Medication

Medication can be helpful in treating depression by correcting any underlying serotonin imbalance in the brain. It is not addictive and can take up to four to six weeks to kick in. A normal course of therapy is for about six months. While people may feel better after a few weeks and may be inclined to stop the treatment Australia Pharmacy online, this significantly increases the chance of a relapse. This is no different to being given a seven-day course of an antibiotic for a chest infection; you may feel better after two or three days, but if you do not finish the course there is a good chance your infection may come back.

Unfortunately, some men remain resistant to the idea of taking antidepressant medication, even though it can work well and is relatively safe. Very few men would argue about the need for a plaster of Paris if they fell and broke their leg. Why should treating depression be any different?

Types Antidepressant

There are several different types of antidepressant medication available and these are discussed briefly below.

SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors)

The SSRIs are the most commonly prescribed class of antidepressant. They increase the level of serotonin available in the brain. The SSRIs include drugs such as fluoxetine (Prozac), escitalopram (Lexapro) and sertraline (Lustral). The SSRIs are usually preferred over older classes of antidepressants, such as tricyclic antidepressants and MAOIs, because their adverse effects are less severe. Common side effects of SSRIs include nausea, sleep disturbance and anxiety. Other recognised side effects include dizziness, headaches, dry mouth, sweating, tremors, weight gain and constipation or diarrhoea. Sexual side effects are also common with SSRIs, such as a decreased sex drive (reduced libido), trouble reaching orgasm (known as anorgasmia) and erectile problems. These sexual side effects usually reverse on stopping the drug.

Newer Atypical Antidepressants

These medications target other brain chemicals such as noradrenaline and dopamine as well as serotonin. Side effects can include nausea, drowsiness or tiredness, weight gain, dry mouth, anxiety and blurred vision. Examples of these drugs include venlafaxine (Efexor) and mirtazapine (Zispin).

Tricyclic Antidepressants

Tricyclics are among the oldest antidepressants. They tend to cause more side effects than the others. Drowsiness is a common side effect. Other common side effects include dry mouth, blurred vision, dizziness, tremors, sexual problems and weight gain. Examples include amitriptyline (Tryptizol) and clomipramine (Anafranil).

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The Male Menopause – Fact or Fiction?

Posted on September 22, 2014 by admin

What Is Testosterone?

Testosterone is made in the testicles and this is under the control of the pituitary gland, a small pea-sized gland in the brain.

What Are the Symptoms of Low Testosterone Levels?

There is huge variation here. Many men with declining testosterone levels remain symptom-free, as their testosterone levels remain in the normal range. Some men with low testosterone levels have no symptoms. The only way to diagnose testosterone deficiency with certainty is by a blood test. Symptoms vary from person to person and may overlap with symptoms of normal ageing. Testosterone deficiency, however, may be associated with the following symptoms and signs:

Physical Symptoms

  • Reduced muscle size and strength
  • Thinning of the bones
  • Loss of height
  • Osteoporosis
  • Loss of body or pubic hair
  • Sweating and hot flushes

Sexual Symptoms

  • Reduced sex drive
  • Reduction in spontaneous erections
  • Infertility
  • Small or shrinking testes

Psychological Symptoms

  • Loss of memory
  • Lack of confidence
  • Low self-esteem
  • Lowering of mood
  • Irritability
  • Overlap with other symptoms of clinical depression

Other Symptoms

  • Increase in body fat
  • Less energy
  • Impaired work performance
  • Sleep apnoea or other sleep problems
  • Mild anaemia due to a low red cell count

Many of the symptoms of testosterone deficiency can overlap with many other medical conditions. Therefore, if you feel you may be suffering from some of these symptoms, it is important to have a good chat with your family doctor, who will be able to help you decide on their likely significance.

Should I Take Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT)?

It all depends. This is a decision that should be taken in close consultation with your doctor, having regard to all the potential pluses and minuses (see table below). Certainly, if you have proven testosterone deficiency, there may be some benefits in terms of helping with some of the symptoms described above. Testosterone can increase muscle mass and strength, improve bone density, and boost red blood cell count. Whether it can improve libido, erectile function or sexual performance in older men remains unclear.

There are several types of TRT available. The most common types are a patch that is stuck onto the skin, an injection or a gel. If you are using a testosterone gel it is important to let the gel dry fully before you have contact with your partner. Otherwise she may become more muscular as well!

There is no doubt TRT can cause many potentially serious side effects. The oral tablet form of testosterone is not used as it can have serious effects both on the liver and the heart.

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All About Infertility

Posted on September 19, 2014 by admin

Steroids

Steroids, which are used to treat conditions such as arthritis and asthma, can lead to an increased steroid level in the blood, which can reduce the ability of the body to make sperm. This is usually reversible on reducing or stopping the steroid. Some medical store in Canada conditions such as Cushing’s disease can result in the body making too much steroid.

Anabolic steroids are sometimes taken illegally by athletes and body-builders in the form of supplements. These are highly dangerous for long-term health.

Not only will they affect fertility but they can also, amongst other things, cause heart attacks and liver cancer.

Other medications that can sometimes affect fertility include anti-cancer drugs like chemotherapy, some antifungal drugs, cimetidine (used to treat stomach ulcers), spironolactone (used to treat heart failure) and medications to treat high blood pressure.

Recreational Drugs

Many illegal drugs affect fertility levels in many different ways. These include the usual suspects of cigarettes and alcohol, as well as marijuana and others. This can be a reversible process, which is yet another good reason to adopt a healthy lifestyle.

Chronic Medical Conditions

Chronic medical conditions can be associated with infertility. These include diabetes, haemochromatosis, kidney disease, liver disease, high fevers, infections, cystic fibrosis and sickle-cell anaemia.

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Trauma

Testicular injury can impair the ability of the testes to work properly. Examples would include trauma to the scrotal area and testicular torsion.

Lifestyle Factors

Lifestyle factors, including smoking cigarettes, poor diet, excess alcohol, obesity and lack of exercise, can affect fertility levels. Wearing tight trousers or underpants can increase the temperature of the testes and result in reduced fertility. Environmental toxins or pollutants can also potentially be a factor in male infertility.

Testosterone Deficiency

Testosterone plays an important part in sperm development and a lack of testosterone in the system can lead to a low sperm count. Disorders of the pituitary gland in the brain can also cause testosterone deficiency. These disorders include an over- or under-active thyroid, haemochromatosis and Cushing’s disease, as well as tumours of the pituitary gland.

Genetic or Chromosomal Defects

Some genetic or chromosomal defects can affect the development of the genitals. While most men have one X (female) and one Y (male) chromosome, certain disorders add an extra chromosome to our genetic make-up, with many different consequences.

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Physical Causes of Erectile Dysfunction

Posted on September 18, 2014 by admin

Obesity

Being obese is associated with an increased risk of ED, probably due to the effects of obesity on blood sugar levels and circulation.

Alcohol and Other Drugs

Alcohol is a good servant and a bad master. As we know, it is a depressant and certainly more than a few units of alcohol at any one time can impede performance. This has been described in medical store in Canada circles as ‘brewer’s droop’, where one has an inability to maintain an erection after a few drinks. This, of course, can cause subsequent anxiety about performance on future occasions, even when alcohol has not been consumed.

Chronic alcohol abuse can cause liver damage, which raises the level of oestrogen (the female hormone) in the body, thereby causing impotence. However, alcohol in moderation can help protect against erectile dysfunction.

Other illegal drugs, including cocaine and marijuana, can cause sexual dysfunction. Just like chronic alcohol abuse, marijuana can raise the levels of oestrogen in the body, thereby causing impotence.

Diabetes

Erectile dysfunction is very commonly seen in men with diabetes. Diabetes can affect the nerve supply to the penis as well as narrowing the penile artery. If you have diabetes, it is extremely important, not just for your sexual health but for the general health of your blood vessels, to keep your blood sugar levels tightly controlled, not to smoke, to keep your blood pressure optimal, to take regular exercise and to keep your cholesterol and weight at acceptable levels.

Disorders of the Nervous System

As mentioned above, diabetes can affect the nerve supply to the penis, which can result in ED. Other conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, damage to the spinal cord, including spinal surgery, stroke and other forms of nerve damage can also cause impotence in this manner.

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Cycling

Cycling, particularly long-distance cycling, has been associated with ED, probably due to a pressure effect of the saddle on the nerves that supply the penis.

Hormones

Hormonal causes of erectile dysfunction are uncommon and include testosterone deficiency. This is generally associated with loss of libido.

The Ageing Process

Erectile dysfunction becomes more common as we age. While our male testosterone levels do tend to reduce as we get older, they generally remain within the normal range, even for many elderly men. So, it is not the ageing process per se that causes erectile dysfunction, rather it is ageing of the blood vessels. This is caused by medical conditions such as diabetes or atherosclerosis, as discussed above. Also, as we get older there is a higher chance that we will be on medication for various conditions. The medication in itself maybe the culprit when it comes to erectile dysfunction. The classical example of erectile dysfunction caused by medication is the beta blocker, which has widely been used to treat high blood pressure and palpitations.

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When Size Really Does Matter

Posted on September 15, 2014 by admin

What Causes Obesity?

People often talk about weight problems being due to their metabolism but really it is about being active enough to burn up the calories or energy you take in each day in the form of food and drink. The best way to improve your metabolism is to exercise because regular exercise will allow you to burn up energy and fat more quickly.

Is It My Genes, Doctor?

Obesity can run in families. Fat parents often have fat children and the reasons for this may be due to family dietary and exercise habits and attitudes to food, as well as lifestyle and behaviour. However, the possibility of a ‘fat gene’ is the subject of much research. This fat gene may have given people a survival advantage in famine times. Nowadays, though, having a fat gene may mean you can’t break down fat and sugars properly and you have a tendency to store fat. This definitely increases your likelihood of becoming obese. So if weight problems run in your family, beware. Forewarned is forearmed.

Obesity is also linked with educational status and socioeconomic group. In the nineteenth century, fatness was a sign of wealth and status, whereas in the twenty-first century Western world it is now associated with poverty.

The sedentary lifestyle and high-fat, large-portion diets of the Western world, so-called modern living, is helping to ensure that each generation is heavier than the last. This is called ‘passive obesity’.

Psychological and emotional factors govern our thoughts and feelings towards food. Comfort eating or a tendency to binge eat can also be factors in obesity. Much rarer causes of obesity would include medical conditions that affect the metabolism, such as an underactive thyroid gland or Cushing’s syndrome.

Key Measurements

Waist Circumference

Size does matter and measuring your abdominal circumference or girth with a tape measure is a reliable indicator of whether you are overweight or not. This is perhaps the most accurate indicator of central obesity, in other words the amount of fat stored around the belly. The bottom line is that excess fat around your waist means a greater risk of future health problems. This can be measured using a simple tape measure. Wrap it around from your back to your front at the level of the belly button. As a man, your waist circumference should be less than 37 inches. A waist circumference greater than 40 inches is definitely bad news and increases your risk of many health Viagra Store in Australia conditions, including heart disease. The higher your waist goes over 40 inches the greater the risk.

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How Your Heart Affects Erections

Posted on September 11, 2014 by admin

Having erectile dysfunction treatment is an issue about proper blood circulation and this issue is also an indication of the poor health of your cardiovascular system. Close attention must be paid to this correlation. In this chapter, you will find information that will help you strengthen your heart and cardiovascular system.

Melatonin

Melatonin is not only used to get a better sleep. Here is a secret that doctors in the know keep to themselves. There is no money in recommending Melatonin to lower high blood pressure, control cholesterol levels, protect against stress, and prevent heart attacks and stroke. This is exactly what Melatonin can do.

Cholesterol

One of the main hormones of the pineal gland is melatonin. There is a close relationship between the function of the pineal gland and the heart. In studies melatonin was found to normalize cholesterol in high cholesterol diets. It was also found that in people with normal cholesterol levels melatonin did not change their cholesterol levels. Here are the main cholesterol levels you need to be concerned with:

Total Cholesterol, which is a combination of LDL-C AND LDC-C try for less than 100 mg/dl Low density lipoprotein, LDL or bad cholesterol tries for less than 160 mg/dl High-density lipoprotein, HDL, Good Cholesterol try for less than 35 mg/dl There is a lot of controversy on the idea that high cholesterol is one of the causes of heart attacks or atherosclerosis.

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