Background and objectives: Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is a measure of the well being of hemodialysis patients and an independent prognostic predictor. Our aim was to determine whether HRQOL among hemodialysis patients has changed over time.Design Conclusions: Most HRQOL domains showed either no statistically significant change or statistically but not clinically significant change over almost a decade. These results suggest that, despite important developments in hemodialysis care since 1997, little progress was made in improving HRQOL of hemodialysis patients.
Endocannabinoids appear to be involved in several aspects of acute and chronic liver disease, including vascular changes, modulation of inflammatory process and neurological function, Further research may provide new insights into the pathophysiology of liver disease, as well as a basis for novel treatment modalities.
BACKGROUND: Decisions to limit treatment in critically ill patients often rely on publications that make claims of futility based on outcome data. Our objective was to systematically review the criteria for futility and the strength of empirical evidence across clinical studies that purport to support or refute claims of futility. METHODS: The MEDLINE database was searched for relevant articles published between1980 and 2008. Selected studies reported original outcome data in critically ill or cardiac arrest patients and claimed that these data can support or refute decisions to limit treatment in comparable patients. Two authors independently abstracted data on patient characteristics, intervention, outcomes, cost, and design. RESULTS: Forty seven studies supporting a claim of futility and 45 refuting it were reviewed. Median point estimate for adverse outcome in studies supporting claims of futility was 100% (range 75% to 100%); median lower 95% confidence limit was 91% (range 48% to 99%). Explicit thresholds for futility were missing in 88% of articles. The original criteria for quantitative futility were fulfilled by only 28% of data, and almost exclusively in studies of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for cardiac arrest. Substantial statistical overlap was observed between data brought in support of futility claims and data brought to refute them. CONCLUSIONS: Most studies that purport to guide determinations of futility are based on insufficient data to provide statistical confidence for clinical decisionmaking. They usually lack explicit a priori thresholds for determination of futility. Many studies draw disparate conclusions based on statistically similar data. In most circumstances these problems preclude confident determinations of futility.
AIM:To assess the safety and efficacy of antioxidant therapy for patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.
METHODS:One hundred chronic HCV infection patients failed in interferon treatment were enrolled and randomly assigned to receive combined intravenous and oral antioxidants or placebo, or oral treatment alone. Primary end points were liver enzymes, HCV-RNA levels and histology.
RESULTS:Combined oral and intravenous antioxidant therapy was associated with a significant decline in ALT levels in 52% of patients who received antioxidant therapy vs 20% of patients who received placebo (P = 0.05). Histology activity index (HAI) score at the end of treatment was reduced in 48% of patients who received antioxidant therapy vs 26% of patients who received placebo (P = 0.21). HCV-RNA levels decreased by 1-log or more in 28% of patients who received antioxidant therapy vs 12% who received placebo (P = NS). In part Ⅱ of the trial, oral administration of antioxidants was not associated with significant alterations in any of the end points.
CONCLUSION:Antioxidant therapy has a mild beneficial effect on the inflammatory response of chronic HCV infection patients who are non-responders to interferon. Combined antiviral and antioxidant therapy may be beneficial for these patients.
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