Open Access DOI:10.23937/2378-2951/1410234

Pulse Wave Velocity is an Independent Predictor of Office Hypertension

İsmail Sahin, MD, Ömer Şatıroğlu, MD, Hakan Duman, MD, Ali Gokhan Ozyildiz, MD, and Murtaza Emre Durakoğlugil, MD

Article Type: Original Article | First Published: August 25, 2021

Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV) is the gold standard measure of arterial stiffness and a stronger predictor of poor outcomes for cardiovascular events. Pulse wave velocity is closely related to blood pressure, but its effect on office hypertension (OHT) is unclear. The study aims to investigate the relationship between OHT and cf-PWV. This was a prospective, singlecenter, clinical trial. A total of 102 subjects were included in the study: 48 patients with OHT and 54 subjects with no...

 Open Access DOI:10.23937/2469-5831/1510041

Determination of Factors Influencing the Activities of PR Interval on the Electrocardiogram (ECG) in an Experiment of the Factorial Type

Adisa Jamiu SAKA

Article Type: Medical Statistics | First Published: August 16, 2021

Human heart is a strong muscle that pumps blood to the body. A normal, healthy adult heart is about the size of human clenched fist and it is like an engine that makes a car works, moves and functions properly as such, the heart keeps the body running. A healthy heart supplies the body with just the right amount of blood at the right rate for whatever the body is doing at that time. The flow of blood to the heart could be reduced by plaque build-up or blockage by a plaque suddenly ruptures, thes...

 Open Access DOI:10.23937/2469-5831/1510040

Efficacy and Safety of Rilpivirine-Based Antiretroviral Therapy in Treatment-Naïve and Treatment-Experienced HIV-1- Positive Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials

Lazzarin A, Rusconi S, Antinori A, Galeone C, Uglietti A, Termini R and Mancusi D

Article Type: Meta-Analysis | First Published: August 16, 2021

Rilpivirine (RPV) is a second-generation non-nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor used in combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) in naive and experienced HIV-positive adult subjects. To evaluate its efficacy and safety in these patient settings, we performed a metaanalysis of randomized controlled trials with available data at 48 and 96 weeks of follow-up. We considered 4 studies involving 2336 cART-naïve patients and 8 studies involving 3165 cART-experienced virologically controlled p...

 Open Access DOI:10.23937/2377-4630/1410125

Cardiac Anesthesia Would Be Better With Ultrasound Guided Erector Spinae Plane Block

AHMED Hassan S, MD, MADKHALI Majeed M, MD, SHIHATA Mohammed S, MD and ZABANI Ibramin A, MD

Article Type: Case Report | First Published: August 28, 2021

On July 2020, The International Association for the Study of Pain released the revised definition of pain. Stressing that pain is always a personal experience and should be respected. Candidates of cardiac surgical procedures have significant issues to address regarding outcome of procedure and post-operative pain as well. Cardiac surgical procedures are done either through midline sternotomy or thoracotomy; both are associated with significant pain. Pain can be debilitating and frustrating. It ...

 Open Access DOI:10.23937/2377-4630/1410124

Pseudocholinesterase Deficiency and Patient Perspectives

Jevaughn Davis, MD, Anita Vincent, MD, and Geetha Shanmugam, MD

Article Type: Case Report | First Published: August 25, 2021

Pseudocholinesterase deficiency, commonly referred to as Butyrylcholinesterase deficiency, is a rare, inherited, or acquired condition that results in decreased or absent enzymatic activity. Pseudocholinesterase is a plasma enzyme that is responsible for the breakdown of succinylcholine and mivacurium, which are commonly used paralytic agents. People with this condition are usually unaware they have the disease, and the disease may not manifest until extubation at the end of surgery. These patie...

 Open Access DOI:10.23937/2643-4512/1710061

Aging Management Strategies during the COVID-19 Epidemic Crisis in the Republic of Costa Rica

Roberth S Gutiérrez-Murillo

Article Type: Research Article | First Published: August 20, 2021

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the current hygienist interventions followed by the Republic of Costa Rica, in the context of COVID-19’s combat and prevention in the aged population. This investigation featured a documentary analysis, with qualitative slant and analytical-descriptive approach. Comprehensive lectures were conducted on specific national guidelines; epidemiological bulletins; specific health regulations for COVID-19; strategies, guidelines and recommendations; se...

 Open Access DOI:10.23937/2469-5823/1510164

Physiological Changes in Bipolar Disorder

Marie Alexandra Vilbrun, RN, MSN

Article Type: Concept Analysis & Literature Review | First Published: August 21, 2021

According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 45 million people worldwide suffer from mental health disorders. Mental health disorders encompass the concept of mood and affect. Bipolar disorder is one exemplar of the mood and affect concept. According to the WHO, bipolar disorder consists of both manic and depressive episodes occurring between periods of a healthy mood. During manic episodes, patients may have elevated or irritable mood, hyperactivity, fast speech, delusions of grande...

 Open Access DOI:10.23937/2572-407X.1510025

U.S. Survey Investigating Gaps between Patients and Specialists in the Treatment of Severe Hypoglycemia and Impressions of the Ease-of-Use of Liquid-Stable Glucagon for Subcutaneous Injection

James M. Meyer and Mary C. Devona

Article Type: Research Article | First Published: August 20, 2021

Severe hypoglycemia is an emergency condition where very low blood sugar may lead to confusion, seizure, unconsciousness, and if left untreated, death. It has been identified as a cause for recurrent morbidity in people with either Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) or Type 2 Diabetes (T2D); however, the understanding of signs and symptoms of Severe Hypoglycemia (SH), as well as when to use glucagon, tend to vary between patients, caregivers, and adult and pediatric endocrinologists (specialists). The purpos...

 Open Access DOI:10.23937/2643-3966/1710043

Giant Obstructive Myxoma with Hemolytic Anemia and Multiple Nevi in a 10-Year-Old Girl

John Jairo Araujo, MBBS, MASt, MD, MSIAC, Edwin Antonio González, MD, Rafael José Meza, MD, Eliana María Arcila, MD and Veronica Herrera Roldan, MD

Article Type: Case Report | First Published: August 23, 2021

Myxomas are low-prevalence heart tumors in the pediatric population. They are located in the left atrium in 75-86% of cases, and 30-50% are accompanied by general symptoms such as fever, weight loss, myalgias, arthralgias and elevated inflammatory markers caused by IL-6 release. They are rapidly growing heart tumors, and their most important complications are valvular and ventricular inflow tract obstruction, which may cause sudden death. Three to ten percent of cases are associated with Carney ...

 Open Access DOI:10.23937/2572-3987.1510026

Analytical Validation of Quantitative Pharmacodynamic Methods used in Clinical Cancer Studies

Dick Pluim and Jos H Beijnen

Article Type: Review Article | First Published: August 20, 2021

Quantitative pharmacodynamic (PD) methods are used to assess the effect of a drug on its target. The use of these methods in clinical cancer studies has increased enormously with the advent of targeted therapies in the past years. To ensure that quantitative PD methods meet their expectations, methods need to be validated according to internationally recognized standards for amongst others specificity, accuracy, sensitivity, precision and stability. We show that 87% of our selected clinical canc...