ABSTRACT
Chest X-ray has verified its role as a crucial tool in COVID-19 assessment due to its practicability, especially in emergency units, and Brixia score has proven as a useful tool for COVID-19 pneumonia grading. The aim of our study was to investigate correlations between main laboratory parameters, vaccination status, and Brixia score, as well as to confirm if Brixia score is a significant independent predictor of unfavorable outcome (death) in COVID-19 patients. The study was designed as a cross-sectional multicentric study. It included patients with a diagnosed COVID-19 infection who were hospitalized. This study included a total of 279 patients with a median age of 62 years. The only significant predictor of unfavorable outcome (death) was Brixia score (adjusted odds ratio 1.148, p = 0.022). In addition, the results of the multiple linear regression analysis (R2 = 0.334, F = 19.424, p < 0.001) have shown that male gender (B = 0.903, p = 0.046), severe COVID-19 (B = 1.970, p < 0.001), and lactate dehydrogenase (B = 0.002, p < 0.001) were significant positive predictors, while albumin level (B = -0.211, p < 0.001) was a significant negative predictor of Brixia score. Our results provide important information about factors influencing Brixia score and its usefulness in predicting the unfavorable outcome (death) of COVID-19 patients. These findings have clinical relevance, especially in epidemic circumstances.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND/AIM: Low back pain is one of the most common painful conditions in the modern age. Therefore, it is very important to establish the most effective protocol for the treatment of this condition. The aim of this study was to find out if fluoroscopically, guided epidural procaine-corticosteroid injection is effective in the treatment of degenerative chronic low back pain. METHODS: This prospective cohort study was performed in the Military Medical Academy from September 2005 to June 2006 and included 60 patients of both sexes, 34-85 years of age. Degenerative changes of lumbosacral spine were determined by magnetic resonance imaging. The intensity of low back pain was evaluated by subjective (Roland's scale) and objective parameter (Lazarevic sign). Epidural procaine-corticosteroid injection was applied in the patients with low back pain not responding to conservative therapy. After the application of injection, effects of the therapy were followed up. RESULTS: In 92% of the patients there was a reduction of pain intensity for three months, in 4.8% a reduction for a month, but after another injection they felt pain reduction for the next three months. One patient (2.3%) had pain reduction for one month. CONCLUSION: In the treatment of degenerative chronic low back pain, not responding to conservative therapy with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, epidural procaine-corticosteroid injection have a satisfactory short-term as well as a long-term analgesic effect.
