Israel Medical Association Journal : IMAJ

BACKGROUND: Cancellation of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) tests leads to inefficient use of echocardiography laboratory (echo lab) time and wastes resources. OBJECTIVES: To identify the causes of same-day TEE cancellations in hospitalized patients, to formulate a TEE order screening protocol, and to evaluate its efficacy at implementation. METHODS: We performed a prospective analysis of inpatients referred to a single tertiary hospital echo lab for TEE study by inpatient wards...

BACKGROUND: Uterine tachysystole during labor can lead to a decrease in fetal oxygen saturation and intracerebral oxygen saturation. Acute tocolysis using atosiban can inhibit uterine smooth muscle activity, potentially improving fetal status and facilitating vaginal delivery or allowing time to prepare for operative delivery. OBJECTIVES: To compare maternal and neonatal outcomes in cesarean and vaginal deliveries following atosiban administration during fetal prolonged deceleration and tachysystole at gestational age 37 0/7 to 43 0/7 weeks...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

BACKGROUND: Massive, non-compressible bleeding is a leading cause of preventable trauma mortality. Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of the Aorta (REBOA) is a minimally invasive procedure in which a balloon catheter is maneuvered into the aorta to temporarily occlude large vessels and enable stabilization of the exsanguinating patient. OBJECTIVES: To present experiences in assimilating REBOA at a single level 1 trauma center in Israel, to evaluate the technical aspects of the procedure, and to describe patient characteristics and outcomes...

BACKGROUND: Intrathoracic cancer can cause hyponatremia, but it is uncertain whether mild hyponatremia in the outpatient setting should be regarded as an early sign of intrathoracic cancer. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the risk of undiagnosed intrathoracic cancer in patients with new persistent mild hyponatremia. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the electronic health record database of a large healthcare organization. The hyponatremia group included patients with sodium concentration of 130-134 mmol/L twice, after a previous normal value and without previous history of cancer or diseases related to hyponatremia...

BACKGROUND: The two cerebral hemispheres influence the immune response differently. While the left hemisphere enhances cellular immunity, the right hemisphere inhibits it. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether immune and inflammatory markers correlated with stroke severity and hospitalization duration as a function of stroke side. METHODS: The study included 137 patients with unilateral ischemic stroke. The medical records were reviewed for demographic and clinical laboratory data, including C-reactive protein (CRP), white blood cell (WBC) count, its differential stroke side and stroke severity according to the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), and length of hospital stay (LOS)...

BACKGROUND: Cannabis consumption is suspected of causing arrhythmias and potentially sudden death. OBJECTIVES: To investigate prevalence and temporal relationships between cannabis use and onset of symptomatic arrhythmias among cancer patients using Belong.life, a digital patient powered network application. METHODS: Real-world data (RWD) were obtained through Belong.Life, a mobile application for cancer patients who use cannabis routinely...

BACKGROUND: Physiotherapy can help treat of trigger fingers (TF). OBJECTIVES: To compare efficacy of fascial manipulation (FM) and traditional physiotherapy (TP) techniques in treatment of TF. METHODS: Nineteen patients were randomized in the FM group and 15 in the TP group. All patients underwent eight physiotherapy sessions. The Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (QuickDASH) and visual analogue scale (VAS) scores, staging of stenosing tenosynovitis (SST) classification, triggering frequency, grip and pinch strength were recorded before and after treatment...

BACKGROUND: The global refugee crises have raised concerns among medical communities worldwide; nonetheless, access to healthcare has rarely been studied even though refugees are a medically high-risk group. OBJECTIVES: To compare pediatric department admission rates from the pediatric emergency department (PED) of refugees and Israelis. METHODS: We compared data from refugee and Israeli children admitted to the pediatric department at Wolfson Medical Center in Israel between 2013-2017...

BACKGROUND: In developed countries, amblyopia has an estimated prevalence rate of 1-4%, depending on the socioeconomic gradient. Previous studies performed on pediatric populations in Ethiopia demonstrated amblyopia rates up to 16.7. OBJECTIVES: To assess rates of amblyopia, refractive errors, strabismus, and other eye pathologies among Ethiopian-born children and adolescents who immigrated to Israel compared to Israeli-born children. METHODS: This observational cross-sectional study included children and adolescents 5-19 years of age who immigrated to Israel up to 2 years before data collection and lived in an immigration center...

BACKGROUND: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a risk factor for morbidity and mortality during critical illness especially in very old patients admitted to intensive care units. OBJECTIVES: To identify prognostic markers for AKI patients. METHODS: This single-center retrospective study was based on a patient registry of a medical intensive care unit. Hospital records of patients aged 80 years or older admitted between 2005 and 2015 were examined...

BACKGROUND: Loss of consciousness (LOC) is one of the most common reasons for seeking neurological advice in clinics and emergency departments. There is considerable difficulty in determining the nature of the events according to patient reports, and collateral history is often difficult to interpret due to multiple versions and observer interpretations. OBJECTIVES: To examine the utility and validity of incidental video recordings (IVR) in the differential diagnosis of LOC...

BACKGROUND: Children with forearm fractures who present to the emergency department (ED) often need a closed reduction. In our institution, until 2017, pediatric trauma patients presented to the general trauma ED (GTED) where no sedation services for pediatric patients were available. From 2017, patients presented to the pediatric emergency department (PED) where closed reductions were performed under sedation when appropriate. OBJECTIVES: To compare GTED and PED with regard to length of stay (LOS) and hospitalization rates of pediatric patients with forearm fractures who needed a closed reduction...

BACKGROUND: Myalgic encephalomyelits/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is an acquired disease with symptoms of fatigue and pain. In pathogenesis, the induction of autoantibodies (AAB) against G-protein coupled receptors (GPCR), such as β-adrenergic receptors (β-AdR), has been suspected. GPCR-AAB correlate with symptom severity and autonomic dysfunction in ME/CFS. Objectives: To describe symptoms and treatment of a patient presenting with infection-triggered ME/CFS demonstrating that levels of β-AdR-AAB underlie modulation over time, correlating with the severity of symptoms...

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No abstract text is available yet for this article.

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

No abstract text is available yet for this article.