OBJECTIVES To investigate factors that predict speed of recovery and long-term CD4 cell count in HIV-1 seroconverters initiating combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), and to quantify the influence of very early treatment initiation. We make use of all pre-treatment CD4 counts, because analyses using only a single observation at initiation may be subject to biases. METHODS We used data fr...

BACKGROUND Kawasaki disease (KD) remains a diagnostic challenge due to its nonspecific clinical symptoms. Delayed treatment initiation increases the risk of coronary complications. AIM To evaluate the risk of coronary artery involvement and perform a prospective analysis of its course in children hospitalised due to KD. METHODS KD was diagnosed in 38 children, including 25 boys and 13 girls...

BACKGROUND Infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) is associated with high morbidity and increased mortality but many patients avoid initiation of treatment or report challenges with treatment completion. The study objective was to identify motivators and barriers for treatment initiation and completion in a community sample of HCV-infected patients in the United States. METHODS Survey methods...

End-Stage Renal Disease, or ESRD, is the terminal stage of chronic kidney disease where patients suffer from a significant loss of renal functions. Mortality rates are exceedingly high. While therapy such as dialysis is capable of attenuating the disease, outcomes remain clinically and economically disappointing and many aspects of the therapy are still not well understood. One example is the t...

The indications for initiation of renal replacement therapy in acute renal failure are controversial. Although volume overload, metabolic acidosis, hyperkalemia and other electrolyte disturbances, and overt uremic manifestations are commonly accepted indications for renal replacement therapy, specific criteria for initiation of therapy based on these conditions are highly subjective. Progressiv...

INTRODUCTION One of the top research priorities in acute kidney injury is related to the timing of renal replacement therapy (RRT) initiation. The purpose was to develop an index that might serve as a standardized concept of timing of initiation of RRT. METHODS A previously described database was used. We applied a multivariable Cox regression model with backward selection to characterize par...

There is increasing evidence to challenge the traditional view that the initiation of drug treatment in Parkinson's disease (PD) should be delayed until the patient has significant disability such as to affect work or social function. Firstly, to delay treatment sentences the patient to protracted impairment of quality of life that could be improved by therapy. Secondly, there is evidence to su...

OBJECTIVES This study sought to determine the optimal timing of a 300-mg clopidogrel loading dose before percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients enrolled in the Clopidogrel for the Reduction of Events During Observation (CREDO) trial. BACKGROUND A loading dose of clopidogrel before a PCI has become relatively commonplace, although the data supporting this practice are limited and...