Letter: rifaximin is more than helping hepatic encephalopathy-it also saves lives

Rifaximin treatment in hepatic encephalopathy.

BACKGROUND Hepatic encephalopathy is a chronically debilitating complication of hepatic cirrhosis. The efficacy of rifaximin, a minimally absorbed antibiotic, is well documented in the treatment of acute hepatic encephalopathy, but its efficacy for prevention of the disease has not been established. METHODS In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, we randomly assigned 299 p...

Safety cameras: more, not fewer, saves lives.

Rifaximin in the treatment of hepatic encephalopathy

Hepatic encephalopathy is a challenging complication in patients with advanced liver disease. It can be defined as a neuropsychiatric syndrome caused by portosystemic venous shunting, ranging from minimal to overt hepatic encephalopathy or coma. Its pathophysiology is still unclear, although increased levels of ammonia play a key role. Diagnosis of hepatic encephalopathy is currently based on s...

Harming is more intentional than helping because it is more probable: A hidden influence of probability on the Knobe effect

Knobe (2003) demonstrated that people’s intentionality judgments in side effects depend on the outcome of the sideeffect, indicating that people’s judgments of intentionality of action depend on not only the intention of the actor but also on the result of the action. However, on the basis of findings in judgment and decision making (e.g., Harris, Corner, & Hahn, 2009), the current study propos...

Active surveillance not only reduces morbidity, It saves lives.

The concept of active surveillance is based on the observation that Gleason 6 (pattern 3) prostate cancer is an indolent condition that poses little or no threat to the patient’s life. This view is supported by the molecular characteristics and clinical behavior of the disease. Conservative management is thus appropriate for these patients. Close and ongoing monitoring is required for two reaso...