Search results for "table"

Interexaminer reliability of low back pain assessment using the McKenzie method.

2002

STUDY DESIGN A test-retest design was used. OBJECTIVE To assess interexaminer reliability of the McKenzie method for performing clinical tests and classifying patients with low back pain. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Clinical methods and tests classifying patients with nonspecific low back pain have been based mainly on symptom duration or extent of pain referral. The McKenzie mechanical diagnostic and classification approach is a widely used noninvasive, low-technology method of assessing patients with low back pain. However, little is known about the interexaminer reliability of the method, previous studies having yielded conflicting results. METHODS For this study, 39 volunteers with low b…

Small intestine bacterial overgrowth and irritable bowel syndrome-related symptoms: Experience with Rifaximin

2009

AIM: To estimate the prevalence of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) in our geographical area (Western Sicily, Italy) by means of an observational study, and to gather information on the use of locally active, non-absorbable antibiotics for treatment of SIBO. METHODS: Our survey included 115 patients fulfilling the Rome II criteria for diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS); a total of 97 patients accepted to perform a breath test with lactulose (BTLact), and those who had a positive test, received Rifaximin (Normix®, Alfa Wassermann) 1200 mg/d for 7 d; 3 wk after the end of treatment, the BTLact was repeated. RESULTS: Based on the BTLact results, SIBO was present in about 5…

Safety and efficacy of implantable defibrillator therapy with programmed shock energy at twice the augmented step-down defibrillation threshold: resu…

1999

Whether the safety and efficacy of implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) therapy can be assured with lower output devices is an important question. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether programming the device output at twice the augmented defibrillation threshold was as safe and effective as using the maximum energy. Patients indicated for ICD therapy, but without slow monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (MVT), who achieved an augmented defibrillation threshold (DFT plus)or = 15 joules (J) with a single endocardial lead system and a biphasic defibrillator were included in the study. Prior to ICD implantation, patients were randomized into 2 groups. The shock energies in t…

Technical Alternatives in Laparoscopic Placement of an Adjustable Gastric Band: Experience of Two German University Hospitals

2004

Background: The technique of laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB), although relatively well standardized, has some "weak points". Methods: We analysed the experience of 2 German university clinics in order to suggest technical alternatives that can be helpful in difficult situations. Results: Between April 1997 and May 2002 115 patients in Cologne (87 females, 28 males) with median BMI 49.5 kg/m2 and mean age 39 years (19-54), and 112 patients in Mainz (91 females, 21 males) with median BMI 48 kg/m2 and mean age 35 years (18-57) underwent LAGB, using the Lap-Band®. LAGB was performed through 5 ports (3 10-mm, 1 18-mm, and 1 5-mm in Cologne and 4 10-mm and 1 18-mm port in Mainz). T…

Laparoscopic gastric banding as a universal method for the treatment of patients with morbid obesity.

2004

Introduction: This study analyzed the influence of potentially negative predictors such as sweet-eating behavior, super-obesity, social and psychological status, family and education situation, intake of sedative drugs, and the distance between hospital and home on the outcome of laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB). Methods: 77 women and 29 men with mean age 40.6 years (28-47) underwent LAGB. Preoperative mean body weight was 146 kg (99-179), and mean BMI was 48.1 kg/m 2 (36.4-73.5). The influence of the above-mentioned potentially negative predictors on weight loss was the primary end point. Results: Mean follow-up was 44.6 ′ 19.7 months. Follow-up was possible in all but 6 pati…

Characterization of patients with mood disorders for their prevalent temperament and level of hopelessness.

2014

Abstract Background Mood disorders (MD) are disabling conditions throughout the world associated with significant psychosocial impairment. Affective temperaments, as well as hopelessness, may play a significant role in the pathophysiology of MD. The present study was designed to characterize patients with MD for their prevalent affective temperament and level of hopelessness. Methods Five hundred fifty-nine (253 men and 306 women) consecutive adult inpatients were assessed using the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego-Autoquestionnaire version (TEMPS-A), the Gotland Scale for Male Depression (GSMD), the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) and the Mini International Neurop…

Local anesthetic switching for intrathecal tachyphylaxis in cancer patients with pain.

2003

IMPLICATIONS Switching from bupivacaine to lidocaine may improve intrathecal morphine analgesia in advanced cancer patients, possibly because of different spinal mechanisms limiting the hyperalgesic processes.

Abdominal Ultrasound Does Not Reveal Significant Alterations in Patients With Nonceliac Wheat Sensitivity

2017

Abstract GOALS: The goal of this study was (A) to evaluate abdominal ultrasound signs in nonceliac wheat sensitivity (NCWS) patients for features useful in diagnosis and (B) to compare these aspects with those of celiac patients to assess whether ultrasound can be useful in the differential diagnosis between NCWS and celiac disease (CD). BACKGROUND: NCWS diagnosis is difficult as no biomarkers of this condition have as yet been identified. In CD ultrasound aspects have been identified that have a good diagnostic accuracy. STUDY: We prospectively recruited 45 NCWS patients (11 males, 34 females; mean age 35.7 y). Three control groups were included: (A) 99 age-matched CD patients; (B) 18 pati…

Screening for Fabry disease in male patients with arrhythmia requiring a pacemaker or an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator

2021

Persistence of Nonceliac Wheat Sensitivity, Based on Long-term Follow-up

2017

We investigated how many patients with a diagnosis of nonceliac wheat sensitivity (NCWS) still experienced wheat sensitivity after a median follow-up time of 99 months. We collected data from 200 participants from a previous study of NCWS, performed between July and December 2016 in Italy; 148 of these individuals were still on a strict wheat- free diet. In total, 175 patients (88%) improved (had fewer symptoms) after a diagnosis of NCWS; 145 of 148 patients who adhered strictly to a gluten-free diet (98%) had reduced symptoms, compared with 30 of 52 patients who did not adhere to a gluten-free diet (58%) (P < .0001). Of the 22 patients who repeated the double-blind, placebo- controlled …