1,720,988 research outputs found
Glucocorticoid-induced thymocyte apoptosis: inhibition by interleukin-2 and interleukin-4.
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Interleukin-4 protects double-negative and CD4 single-positive thymocytes from dexamethasone-induced apoptosis.
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Age influences rehabilitative outcomes in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI)
No full textBackground and aims: To define differences in rehabilitative outcome after Spinal Cord Injury (SCI), according to age at injury. Methods: This is a prospective, observational, follow-up study. Completion of a questionnaire administered by a psychologist through a telephone interview to subjects discharged about 4 years previously from 22 SCI centers in Italy, who had already participated in a prospective multicenter study. A total of 403 out of 511 patients with SCI (79%), discharged between 1997 and 1999 after comprehensive rehabilitation in SCI centers, who gave their consent to a telephone interview. Main outcome measures are: number of re-admissions and medical consultations for clinical problems during follow-up (FU) period, clinical outcome related to bowel/bladder function, family, sentimental and personal satisfaction, mobility, three-day autonomy, subjective feelings of dependency, subjective perception of quality of life. Results: The sample population was categorized into two subgroups according to severity on the Asia Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) scale by the ROC method: 276 subjects, the younger group were aged between 0 and 49 years, mean age 32 (+/- 8 yrs), and 127 subjects in over 50 group, mean age 63 (+/- 8 yrs). Differences in sample characteristics were found as regards cervical/dorsal lesion distribution and incompleteness of damage, more frequent in the older group. Incidence of hospital re-admissions and medical consultations, bladder autonomy, bowel autonomy and bowel continence were similar in both groups. Variables related to personal and social life, as well as life satisfaction, showed significant differences, with worse outcomes in the older group. Conclusions: Age at injury deserves major attention, as persons not yet in geriatric age may show greater vulnerability after SCI. (Aging Clin Exp Res 2011; 23: 202-208) (c) 2011, Editrice Kurd
Interleukin-4 protects double-negative and CD4 single-positive thymocytes from dexamethasone-induced apoptosis.
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Thyroid function tests in patients undergoing maintenance dialysis: characterization of the 'low-T4 syndrome' in subjects on regular hemodialysis and continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis
No full textOccurrence and predictors of employment after traumatic spinal cord injury: the GISEM Study.
No full textSTUDY DESIGN: Multicenter, prospective study. OBJECTIVES: To assess the occurrence and predictors of return to work after traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). SETTING: Italian rehabilitation centers.
METHODS: We evaluated patients previously included in the Italian Group for the Epidemiological Study of Spinal Cord Injuries study. A standardised telephone interview was used to collect data after a mean follow-up of 3.8 years. The main outcome measure was employment at the end of follow-up. RESULTS: A total of 403 patients, 336 men and 67 women, with a mean age of 41.8±16.3 years, were included in the follow-up. In all, 42.1% of patients were employed at the moment of the interview, though 62% reported a worsening in their employment level. Predictors of employment were education (P<0.0001), bowel continence (P=0.02), independence in mobility (P=0.0004), ability to drive (P<0.0001), participating in the community (P=0.0001) and ability to live alone (P<0.0001) while age (P<0.0001), being married (P<0.0001), tetraplegia (P=0.03), occurrence of recent medical problems (P=0.002), re-hospitalization (P=0.02), presence of architectonic barriers (P=0.009) and having a public welfare subsidy (P<0.0001), predicted unemployment. On the basis of multivariate analysis, younger age, education, absence of tetraplegia, ability to drive, ability to live alone, previous employment were independent predictors of employment after SCI. Employment at follow-up was related to several indicators of quality of life.
CONCLUSION:
Employment after SCI was rather frequent and was related to several patient characteristics and social factors. Specific interventions on the patient and on the social environment may favor employment after SCI and improve quality of life
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