130 research outputs found
Portal-Systemic Encephalopathy in Emergency Treatment of Cirrhosis and Bleeding Esophageal Varices
Portal-Systemic Encephalopathy in Emergency Treatment of Cirrhosis and Bleeding Esophageal Varices
Direct Costs of Care in a Randomized Controlled Trial of Endoscopic Sclerotherapy versus Emergency Portacaval Shunt for Bleeding Esophageal Varices in Cirrhosis—Part 4
Emergency Portacaval Shunt Versus Rescue Portacaval Shunt in a Randomized Controlled Trial of Emergency Treatment of Acutely Bleeding Esophageal Varices in Cirrhosis—Part 3
Emergency treatment of bleeding esophageal varices in cirrhosis is of singular importance because of the high mortality rate. Emergency portacaval shunt is rarely used today because of the belief, unsubstantiated by long-term randomized trials, that it causes frequent portal-systemic encephalopathy and liver failure. Consequently, portacaval shunt has been relegated solely to salvage therapy when endoscopic and pharmacologic therapies have failed. Question: Is the regimen of endoscopic sclerotherapy with rescue portacaval shunt for failure to control bleeding varices superior to emergency portacaval shunt? A unique opportunity to answer this question was provided by a randomized controlled trial of endoscopic sclerotherapy versus emergency portacaval shunt conducted from 1988 to 2005.
Unselected consecutive cirrhotic patients with acute bleeding esophageal varices were randomized to endoscopic sclerotherapy (n = 106) or emergency portacaval shunt (n = 105). Diagnostic workup was completed and treatment was initiated within 8 h. Failure of endoscopic sclerotherapy was defined by strict criteria and treated by rescue portacaval shunt (n = 50) whenever possible. Ninety-six percent of patients had more than 10 years of follow-up or until death.
Comparison of emergency portacaval shunt and endoscopic sclerotherapy followed by rescue portacaval shunt showed the following differences in measurements of outcomes: (1) survival after 5 years (72% versus 22%), 10 years (46% versus 16%), and 15 years (46% versus 0%); (2) median post-shunt survival (6.18 versus 1.99 years); (3) mean requirements of packed red blood cell units (17.85 versus 27.80); (4) incidence of recurrent portal-systemic encephalopathy (15% versus 43%); (5) 5-year change in Child’s class showing improvement (59% versus 19%) or worsening (8% versus 44%); (6) mean quality of life points in which lower is better (13.89 versus 27.89); and (7) mean cost of care per year (216,700). These differences were highly significant in favor of emergency portacaval shunt (all p < 0.001).
Emergency portacaval shunt was strikingly superior to endoscopic sclerotherapy as well as to the combination of endoscopic sclerotherapy and rescue portacaval shunt in regard to all outcome measures, specifically bleeding control, survival, incidence of portal-systemic encephalopathy, improvement in liver function, quality of life, and cost of care. These results strongly support the use of emergency portacaval shunt as the first line of emergency treatment of bleeding esophageal varices in cirrhosis
DarkSUSY: Computing Supersymmetric Dark Matter Properties Numerically
The question of the nature of the dark matter in the Universe remains one of
the most outstanding unsolved problems in basic science. One of the best
motivated particle physics candidates is the lightest supersymmetric particle,
assumed to be the lightest neutralino - a linear combination of the
supersymmetric partners of the photon, the Z boson and neutral scalar Higgs
particles. Here we describe DarkSUSY, a publicly-available advanced numerical
package for neutralino dark matter calculations. In DarkSUSY one can compute
the neutralino density in the Universe today using precision methods which
include resonances, pair production thresholds and coannihilations. Masses and
mixings of supersymmetric particles can be computed within DarkSUSY or with the
help of external programs such as FeynHiggs, ISASUGRA and SUSPECT. Accelerator
bounds can be checked to identify viable dark matter candidates. DarkSUSY also
computes a large variety of astrophysical signals from neutralino dark matter,
such as direct detection in low-background counting experiments and indirect
detection through antiprotons, antideuterons, gamma-rays and positrons from the
Galactic halo or high-energy neutrinos from the center of the Earth or of the
Sun. Here we describe the physics behind the package. A detailed manual will be
provided with the computer package.Comment: 35 pages, no figure
Citizenship beyond politics:the importance of political, civil and social rights and responsibilities among women and men
Previous research has suggested that men are more engaged as citizens than are women.Yet, little is known about gender cleavages across a variety of citizenship norms. To what extent do men and women define citizenship differently? To address that question, this study examines the importance men and women assign various citizenship rights and responsibilities using 2004 ISSP data from 18 Western, industrialized nations. Using a disaggregated approach to understanding definitions of citizenship, we examine political, civil, and social rights and responsibilities. After controlling for a variety of demographic and attitudinal influences, we find that men and women are not different in their views regarding the importance of political responsibilities. However, women do view political rights as significantly more important than do men. Further, in comparison to men, women view both civil and social responsibilities and rights domains as significantly more important
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