Lu Rose (davidturkey44)

Exacerbation is a defining feature of severe asthma, and oral corticosteroids (OCSs) are frequently prescribed to manage exacerbations. This qualitative study was conducted to examine the experience of patients with severe asthma, with a focus on asthma exacerbation and OCS treatment. Adults with severe asthma were recruited from three tertiary hospitals in South Korea. Data were collected through in-depth qualitative interviews. Verbatim transcripts were analysed using Colaizzi's phenomenological method to uncover the meaning of the participants' experience. Recruitment of participants continued until thematic saturation. 14 patients with severe asthma were recruited. Four theme clusters emerged 1) experience of asthma exacerbation; 2) impact on life; 3) OCS treatments; and 4) disease perception. The patients experienced severe physical and psychosocial distress from asthma exacerbations, felt helpless due to failed efforts to prevent exacerbation and were living a restricted life due to fear of exacerbation. They feared OCS side-effects but had no other choice than to rely on OCSs because other interventions were ineffective. Most had poor knowledge and understanding of severe asthma and the long-term health consequences. Asthma exacerbation affects wide aspects of life in patients with severe asthma. Several components may underlie reliance on OCSs, including experience of distress during exacerbation, fear of future exacerbation and lack of proper knowledge about the long-term health consequences of severe asthma and OCS treatments. A multi-disciplinary approach is warranted to support the patients and to provide systematic education about the long-term health implications of severe asthma.Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a life-shortening condition characterised by episodes of decompensation precipitated by factors such as disease progression, arrhythmias and sepsis. Surgery and pregnancy also place additional strain on the right ventricle. Data on critical care management in patients with pre-existing PH are scarce. We conducted a retrospective observational study of a large cohort of patients admitted to the critical care unit of a national referral centre between 2000-2017 to establish acute mortality, evaluate predictors of in-hospital mortality and establish longer term outcomes in survivors to hospital discharge. 242 critical care admissions involving 206 patients were identified. Hospital survival was 59.3%, 94% and 92% for patients admitted for medical, surgical or obstetric reasons, respectively. Medical patients had more severe physiological and laboratory perturbations than patients admitted following surgical or obstetric interventions. Higher APACHE II (Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation) score, age and lactate, and lower oxygen saturation measure by pulse oximetry/inspiratory oxygen fraction (S pO2 /F iO2 ) ratio, platelet count and sodium level were identified as independent predictors of hospital mortality. An exploratory risk score, OPALS (oxygen (S pO2 /F iO2 ) ≤185; platelets ≤196×109·L-1; age ≥37.5 years; lactate ≥2.45 mmol·L-1; sodium ≤130.5 mmol·L-1), identified medical patients at increasing risk of hospital mortality. selleck chemicals llc One (11%) out of nine patients who were invasively ventilated for medical decompensation and 50% of patients receiving renal replacement therapy left hospital alive. There was no significant difference in exercise capacity or functional class between follow-up and pre-admission in patients who survived to discharge. These data have clinical utility in guiding critical care management of patients with known PH. The exploratory OPALS score requires validation.Opinions differ as to when to escalate ventilatory support to intubation and mechanical ventilation https//bit.ly/3wgmS2B.Cancer is the leading cause of death in dogs, in part because many cases are identified at an advanced stage when clinical signs have developed, and prognosis is poor. Increas