Asymptomatic hyperuricemia is not a current indication for therapy as the definite role of serum uric acid elevation as a cardiovascular risk factor is extremely likely but still controversial.
We ...designed a double blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study to assess the effects of a combination of nutraceuticals (ZinutriK
, containing a fixed combination of kampferol, baicalin, caffeine, and rutin) on serum uric acid levels, lipid variables and the global cardiovascular risk profile.
Sixteen individuals (mean age 59.0 ± 11.9 years, 4 women) with asymptomatic hyperuricemia completed the study.
ZinutriK
treatment (4 weeks) reduced serum uric acid concentrations (from 7.9 + 0.9 to 7.0 + 0.7 mg/dL) when compared to both baseline and placebo (p < 0.006 and p < 0.001, respectively). Compared to both placebo and baseline, the same fixed combination of nutraceuticals also reduced circulating LDL cholesterol and increased HDL cholesterol concentrations within 4 weeks (p < 0.001 or less), thereby improving the Framingham risk score (p < 0.001 or less). Neither minor nor major side effects were observed.
This study represents the first demonstration that a short-term therapy with a fixed combination of different natural substances can significantly reduce serum uric acid concentrations in asymptomatic hyperuricemic patients, with no side effects and a significant improvement in the lipid pattern and then in the global cardiovascular risk profile.
In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients with acute respiratory failure (ARF), bronchodilating agents administered by inhalation have, in general, little effect on dynamic ...hyperinflation and concurrent static intrinsic positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEPi,st). Since in COPD the severely obstructed segments of the lung may not be reached by inhaled medication, we reasoned that drug efficiency may be enhanced by intravenous administration of the agent.
Physiological study.
Two four-bed surgical-medical ICUs of a university hospital.
Fourteen COPD patients were studied within 36 h from the onset of ARF.
Static compliance (Cst,rs), minimal (Rmin,rs) and additional (DeltaRrs) resistance of the respiratory system, and PEEPi,st were measured before and after intravenous administration of salbutamol. All patients had limitation of air flow before and after salbutamol administration. On average, after salbutamol there was a small, though significant, decrease in Rmin,rs (-9%), DeltaRrs (-12%) and PEEPi,st (-8%).
The changes in resistance and PEEPi,st after intravenous administration of salbutamol were too small to be of clinical significance.
Using a unique sample of European manufacturing firms, we empirically investigate how differences in main banks' lending technology and use of soft information affected firms' credit availability ...during the 2007-2009 crisis. We find that the probability of credit rationing was higher for firms matching with transactional - i.e., using transactional lending technologies - banks. However, we show that soft information marginally reduced that probability in those firm-bank matches. Soft information would benefit most the small and medium enterprises and firms relating with large banks. Thus, reducing credit exclusion during crises requires either relationship lending or enticing transactional banks to use soft information.
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