Rejected

To evaluate the prescription of preventive medications with questionable usefulness in community dwelling elderly adults with cancer or chronic progressive diseases during the last year of life.

Current guidelines have no sex-specific dosage advice for metoprolol. To evaluate whether women and men are prescribed the same dose a cohort analysis was performed in the population-based Rotterdam Study (RS). Results were replicated in the Integrated Primary Care Information (IPCI) database of automated general practice data.

International studies show that dizziness and vertigo are a significant burden on the general population, with 20-30% experiencing symptoms over a lifetime. There are no Irish studies indicating prevalence. The aim of this study was to review primary care referrals for patients with dizziness and vertigo to an otolaryngology tertiary centre.

Aim      To evaluate the effect of the total time of myocardial ischemia on results of the treatment of patients with ST segment elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) who underwent percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI).Material and methods This study used data from a hospital register for PCI in STEMI from 2006 through 2017. 1649 patients were included. Group 1 consisted of 604 (36.6 %) patients with a total time of myocardial ischemia not exceeding 1880 min; group 2 included 531 (32.2 %) patients with a duration of myocardial ischemia from 180 to 360 min; and group 3 included 514 (31.2 %) patients with a duration of myocardial ischemia longer than 360 min.Results Mortality was lower in group 1 (2.3 %) than in groups 2 and 3 (6.2 and 7.2 %, respectively; p1-2=0.001; p1-3<0.001; p2-3=0.520). The incidence of major cardiac complications ("adverse cardiac events", MACE) was lower in group 1 (4.1 %) than in groups 2 and 3 (7.3 and 9.5 %, respectively, p1-2=0.020; p1-3<0.001; p2-3=0.200). The incidence of no-reflow phenomenon was higher in group 3 (9.7 %) than in groups 2 and 3 (4.5 and 5.3 %, respectively (p1-2=0.539; p1-3=0.001; p2-3=0.005). The major factors associated with the increased total time of myocardial ischemia >180 min were age (odd ratio, OR, 1.01 at 95 % confidence interval, CI, 1.0 to 1.02; р=0.044), female gender (OR, 1.64 at 95 % CI 1.26 to 2.13; р<0.001), chronic kidney disease (OR 1.82 at 95 % CI 1.21 to 2.74; р=0.004). Performing prehospital thrombolysis was associated with a decrease in the total time of myocardial ischemia (OR 0.4 at 95 % CI 0.31 to 0.51; р<0.001). A strong direct correlation was observed between the total time of myocardial ischemia and the time from the onset of pain syndrome to hospitalization (r=0.759; р<0.001).Conclusion      The total time of myocardial ischemia >180 min was associated with increased mortality and development of MACE. The total time of myocardial ischemia > 360 min was associated with increased incidence of the no-reflow phenomenon. The major predictors for the time of myocardial ischemia >180 min included age, female gender, and chronic kidney disease. The use of pharmacoinvasive strategy was associated with an increased number of patients with a total duration of myocardial ischemia <180 min. The contribution of the time of prehospital delay to the total time of myocardial ischemia was greater than the contribution of the "door-to-balloon" time. The time of prehospital delay showed a strong direct correlation with the total time of myocardial ischemia.

Rheumatoid Arthritis is an inflammatory disease primarily involves the inflamed synovium, affecting about 0.5-1 % population worldwide. It is the assumption from many years that oxidative stress is involved in the pathophysiology of inflammatory disorders like RA and many others. The significance of micronutrients in arthritis is linked to their role as a cofactor for the activation of selenoenzymes. Dietary interventions can manage the clinical symptoms of RA like pain, swelling and tenderness of joints and their associated disability along the progression of disease. This review highlights the antioxidant potential of selenium in treatment of RA along with the scientific evidence that Se supplementation can reduce disease progression by managing its clinical symptoms.

Diagnosing chronic exertional compartment syndrome (CECS) is still a challenge. An increase in intramuscular pressure during and following exercise is accepted as the diagnostic standard. However, neither the methods used nor the interpretation of the obtained results are sufficiently standardized.

Vestibular migraine (VM) has been recently receiving increasing attention as an independent disease concept. It is a common cause of dizziness or headache; however, it was not clearly defined until 2018. Its diagnosis mainly relies on clinical history, including vertigo and migraine, as indicated by the appendix of the 3 edition of the International Classification Diagnostic Criteria for Headache Diseases. There is often an overlap of vertigo and migraine across vestibular diseases; therefore, VM often imitates various vestibular diseases. Additionally, VM lacks specific laboratory biomarkers; therefore, it has high misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis rates. Therefore, numerous clinical patients could have inaccurate diagnoses and improper treatment. Therefore, there is a need for further basic research to further clarify the pathogenesis. Moreover, there is a need for clinical trials focusing on specific laboratory biomarkers, including serological, radiological, and electrophysiological examinations, to develop more detailed and complete diagnostic criteria.

Osteochondral lesions (OCL) of the talus are defined as chondral damage with subchondral involvement. The traumatic etiology is important; in particular, sprains and fractures can lead to lesions of the articular surface and the subchondral plate. As a result, unstable lesions and subchondral cysts can trigger substantial persistent pain and functional impairments. A primary conservative treatment can be considered and is especially recommended in children and adolescents; however, return to previous sports activity and level is often not achieved. The principles of reconstructive surgical management include internal fixation of osteochondral fragments, bone marrow stimulation, autologous membrane-augmented chondrogenesis ± bone grafting, osteochondral transfer, retrograde techniques ± bone grafting, (matrix-associated) autologous chondrocyte implantation and autologous osteoperiosteal graft from the iliac crest. Additional surgical procedures for ankle stabilization and deformity correction should be considered if necessary.

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) targets structures of the dorsal column and dorsal horn of the spinal cord with electrical impulses, thereby, modulating pain perception. For chronic pain patients, e.g., in failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS), the aim is to achieve pain relief and enable patients to improve their quality of life.