ABSTRACT
The objective of our study was to examine the effect of alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) on clinical and neurophysiologic outcomes after surgery for idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial in 20 adults diagnosed with idiopathic CTS after clinical and neurophysiologic assessment. Eligible participants took 600 mg ALA or placebo per day for 1 month before surgery, and for 2 months afterward. Further clinical and neurophysiologic assessments were undertaken immediately before surgical decompression, and at 12 weeks postoperatively with additional clinical assessments at the 4th and 8th week after surgery. Clinical outcome measures were taken by Boston Questionnaire score, the presence or absence of Tinel's sign, and Phalen's test findings. Median nerve conduction studies were also undertaken and interpreted according to Dumitru's reference values. Nineteen patients completed the study; one member of the placebo group was lost during follow-up. There were significant improvements in clinical and neurophysiologic variables in the ALA treatment group, present even before surgery. Boston Questionnaire scores had improved significantly in both groups. In the ALA group, none of the participants had positive Phalen's or Tinel's signs at 12 weeks, and motor and sensory fiber latency and amplitude had significantly improved; in the placebo group, only the sensory distal latency had improved significantly. In conclusion, ALA administered 1 month before open decompression and for 2 months afterward improves the clinical and neurophysiologic outcomes after surgery.
Subject(s)
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome/drug therapy , Thioctic Acid/pharmacology , Adult , Carpal Tunnel Syndrome/surgery , Diagnostic Techniques, Neurological , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Double-Blind Method , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Postoperative Care , Preoperative Care , Sample Size , Surveys and Questionnaires , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
Introduction. Dyslipidemia like other chronic degenerative diseases is pandemic in Latin America and around the world. A lot of patients asking for body contouring surgery can be sick without knowing it. Objective. Observe the lipid profile of patients with dyslipidemia, before and three months after an abdominoplasty. Methods. Patients candidate to an abdominoplasty without morbid obesity were followed before and three months after the surgery. We compared the lipid profile, glucose, insulin, and HOMA (cardiovascular risk marker) before and three months after the surgery. We used Student's t test to compare the results. A P value less than 0.05 was considered as significant. Results. Twenty-six patients were observed before and after the surgery. At the third month, we found only statistical differences in LDL and triglyceride values (P 0.04 and P 0.03). The rest of metabolic values did not reach statistical significance. Conclusion. In this group of patients with dyslipidemia, at the third month, only LDL and triglyceride values reached statistical significances. There is no significant change in glucose, insulin, HOMA, cholesterol, VLDL, or HDL.
ABSTRACT
Objetivo: Demostrar si existe diferencia en los resultados del manejo de pacientes con quemaduras por electricidad de alto y bajo voltaje en el Antiguo Hospital Civil de Guadalajara y comparar nuestros resultados con lo publicado en la literatura. Sede: Antiguo Hospital Civil ''Fray Antonio Alcalde'' (tercer nivel de atención). Diseño: Estudio descriptivo y retrospectivo. Análisis estadístico: Para el análisis de variables no paramétricas se utilizó la prueba de χ² y para variables paramétricas la prueba t de Student, considerando estadísticamente significativo un valor de p ≤ a 0.05. Pacientes y métodos: Pacientes con quemaduras por electricidad en el periodo del 1 de enero del 2010 al 31 de diciembre del 2010. Se incluyeron todos los pacientes con quemaduras por electricidad y se dividieron en dos grupos: grupo I, pacientes con quemaduras por alto voltaje y grupo II, pacientes con quemaduras de bajo voltaje. Las variables estudiadas fueron edad, sexo, ocupación, estado civil, tipo de quemadura (alto o bajo voltaje), sitio de entrada, sitio de salida, tiempo entre la lesión y la llegada a urgencias, porcentaje de superficie corporal quemada, tratamiento establecido, volumen urinario, mioglobinuria, procedimientos quirúrgicos, días de estancia hospitalaria y mortalidad. Resultados: Se incluyeron un total de 22 pacientes adultos, 19 hombres y 3 mujeres. El grupo I incluyó 8 pacientes y el grupo II 14 pacientes. Todos los pacientes llegaron al servicio de urgencias dentro de las primeras 24 horas posteriores al accidente. Los pacientes con quemaduras por alto voltaje presentaron mayor estancia hospitalaria (p 0.0035). Se presentó únicamente una muerte, perteneciente al grupo I. Conclusión: Las quemaduras por alto voltaje confieren mayor morbimortalidad y mayor estancia hospitalaria.
Objective: To demonstrate whether there is a difference in the results of handling patients with high or low voltage-induced burns treated at the Antiguo Hospital Civil de Guadalajara and to compare our results with those in the literature. Setting: Antiguo Hospital Civil ''Fray Antonio Alcalde'' (third level health care hospital). Design: Descriptive, retrospective study. Statistical analysis: χ2 square test was used for non-parametric variables and Student's t test was used for parametric variables. Statistical significance was set at p ≤ than 0.05. Patients and methods: Patients with electrical burns cared for from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2010. All patients with electrical burns were included and were divided in two groups: group I, those with high voltage burns, and group II those with low voltage burns. Variables studied were: age, sex, occupation, civil status, type of burn (high or low voltage), entrance site, exit site, time elapsed between injury and arrival to the emergency care, percentage of burnt body surface, established treatment, urinary volume, myoglobinuria, surgical procedures, days of in-hospital stay, and mortality. Results: A total of 22 adult patients were included, 19 men and 3 women. Group I consisted of 8 patients and group II of 14 patients. All patients arrived at the emergency ward within the first 24 hours after the accident. Patients with high-voltage burns had longer in-hospital stays (p 0.0035). There was only one death, pertaining to group I. Conclusion: High voltage burns lead to greater morbidity and mortality, and to a longer in-hospital stay.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: the use of steroids is recognized in septic shock. There are reports of their use in burns. It is also known their negative effect in wound healing. OBJECTIVE: to know the effect of steroids in burn healing. METHODS: two groups of ten rats (wistar) were exposed to metallic cylinder at 95°C for 15 seconds on the back. At the moment of the burn one group received hydrocortisone dose 5 mg/kg. The other group didn't received medication. The scar was removed at the fifth day and the burn injury was covered with queratinocyte culture. The rats were sacrificed at 14th day. The presence of infection and the percentage of new epithelium, fibrosis, inflammatory process, presence of fibroblast and vascular proliferation were evaluated. We compared both groups using χ(2) test. RESULTS: there are no difference between groups in fibrosis, inflammatory process, or fibroblast presence. But there is a difference in vascular proliferation against the first group (steroid group). There were no signs of infection and all of them were epithelized at the 14th day. CONCLUSIONS: the use of steroids in burns only showed difference in vascular proliferation.
