Nitrogen emissions from broilers measured by mass balance over eighteen consecutive flocks.

Science.gov (United States)

Coufal, C D; Chavez, C; Niemeyer, P R; Carey, J B

2006-03-01

Emission of nitrogen in the form of ammonia from poultry rearing facilities has been an important topic for the poultry industry because of concerns regarding the effects of ammonia on the environment. Sound scientific data is needed to accurately estimate air emissions from poultry operations. Many factors, such as season of the year, ambient temperature and humidity, bird health, and management practices can influence ammonia volatilization from broiler rearing facilities. Precise results are often difficult to attain from commercial facilities, particularly over long periods of time. Therefore, an experiment was conducted to determine nitrogen loss from broilers in a research facility under conditions simulating commercial production for 18 consecutive flocks. Broilers were reared to 40 to 42 d of age and fed diets obtained from a commercial broiler integrator. New rice hulls were used for litter for the first flock, and the same litter was recycled for all subsequent flocks with caked litter removed between flocks. All birds, feeds, and litter materials entering and leaving the facility were quantified, sampled, and analyzed for total nitrogen content. Nitrogen loss was calculated by the mass balance method in which loss was equal to the difference between the nitrogen inputs and the nitrogen outputs. Nitrogen partitioning as a percentage of inputs averaged 15.29, 6.84, 55.52, 1.27, and 21.08% for litter, caked litter, broiler carcasses, mortalities, and nitrogen loss, respectively, over all eighteen flocks. During the production of 18 flocks of broilers on the same recycled litter, the average nitrogen emission rate was calculated to range from 4.13 to 19.74 g of N/ kg of marketed broiler (grams of nitrogen per kilogram) and averaged 11.07 g of N/kg. Nitrogen loss was significantly (P broiler grow-out facilities varies significantly on a flock-to-flock basis.

Propofol clearance and volume of distribution are increased in patients with major burns.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Tae-Hyung; Greenblatt, David J; Martyn, J A Jeevendra

2009-07-01

Propofol pharmacokinetics were examined in 17 adults with major burns during the hyperdynamic convalescent phase. Eighteen nonburned surgical patients served as controls. After a 2-mg/kg intravenous dose of propofol, blood samples were collected at multiple time points. Noncompartmental methods were used to calculate the pharmacokinetic parameters. The following indices were higher in burns than controls: propofol clearance (64+/-17 vs 29+/-4 mL/kg/min, Pclearance of propofol in burned patients may imply that these patients require higher doses or infusion rates of propofol to attain a target plasma concentration or pharmacodynamic effect.

Motion analysis of wheelchair propulsion movements in hemiplegic patients: effect of a wheelchair cushion on suppressing posterior pelvic tilt

OpenAIRE

Kawada, Kyohei; Matsuda, Tadamitsu; Takanashi, Akira; Miyazima, Shigeki; Yamamoto, Sumiko

2015-01-01

[Purpose] This study sought to ascertain whether, in hemiplegic patients, the effect of a wheelchair cushion to suppress pelvic posterior tilt when initiating wheelchair propulsion would continue in subsequent propulsions. [Subjects] Eighteen hemiplegic patients who were able to propel a wheelchair in a seated position participated in this study. [Methods] An adjustable wheelchair was fitted with a cushion that had an anchoring function, and a thigh pad on the propulsion side was removed. Pro...

Glaucoma in patients with uveitis.

OpenAIRE

Panek, W C; Holland, G N; Lee, D A; Christensen, R E

1990-01-01

The records of 100 patients (161 eyes) with uveitis were reviewed retrospectively to determine the prevalence of increased intraocular pressure, the forms of uveitis most commonly associated with glaucoma, and the forms that require specific glaucoma therapy. Secondary glaucoma was present in 23 patients (31 eyes): three of 24 patients with acute uveitis (three eyes, 12% of acute uveitis patients) and 20 of 76 patients with chronic uveitis (28 eyes, 26% of chronic uveitis patients). Eighteen ...

Complications and renal functional deterioration in patients with co ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

E. Sharma

2016-07-26

Jul 26, 2016 ... (CCS) [7] with scores varying from 2 to 7. Eleven patients had CCS of 2, twelve patients had CCS of 3, nineteen patients had CCS of. 4, eighteen patients had CCS of 5, seven patients had CCS of 6 and one patient had CCS of 7 (Chart 1). Partial nephrectomy was done laparoscopically, hilar clamping.

Family functioning and its predictors among disaster bereaved individuals in China: eighteen months after the Wenchuan Earthquake.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaoyi Cao

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The 2008 Wenchuan earthquake in China resulted in great loss of life and property, and previous studies have focused on psychopathological symptoms in survivors after disasters. This study examined perceived family functioning and its predictors in disaster bereaved individuals eighteen months after the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake. METHODOLOGY/FINDINGS: This was a cross-sectional study of a convenience sample of 264 bereaved individuals. The instruments used in the study included Family APGAR Index, Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation ScaleãÀ, Emotional and Social Loneliness Scale, and a range of items eliciting demographic characteristics and disaster-related variables. The results indicated that the rates of moderate family dysfunction and severe family dysfunction in bereaved individuals were 37.1% and 12.9%, respectively. Less financial loss during the earthquake was a significant predictor for positive family function. Better self-rated health status after the earthquake was significantly related to positive family function, cohesion, and adaptability. Scores on family cohesion and adaptability in bereaved individuals from extended or nuclear families were significantly higher than those from single-parent families. The ability to give birth to another baby of bereaved parents was a significant predictor for positive family function and cohesion. Poorer family function, cohesion and adaptability were significantly related to greater loneliness. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: This study found a high prevalence of family dysfunction in bereaved individuals eighteen months after the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake. Strategies can be designed to facilitate post-disaster recovery, particularly for the bereaved at high risk for family dysfunction. The study provides useful information for post-disaster rebuilding and relief work.

Stigma Among California's Medical Marijuana Patients

OpenAIRE

Satterlund, Travis D.; Lee, Juliet P.; Moore, Roland S.

2015-01-01

The enactment of California's Proposition 215 stipulates that patients may use marijuana for medical reasons, provided that it is recommended by a physician. Yet, medical marijuana patients risk being stigmatized for this practice. This paper examines the way in which medical marijuana patients perceive and process stigma, and how it affects their interactions and experiences with others. Eighteen semi-structured interviews of medical marijuana patients were carried out using a semi-structure...

Disease pattern in Danish patients with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jelsig, A M; Qvist, N; Sunde, L

2016-01-01

PURPOSE: In this paper, we aimed to collect genetic and medical information on all Danish patients with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS), in order to contribute to the knowledge of phenotype and genotype. Peutz-Jeghers syndrome is a hereditary syndrome characterized by multiple hamartomatous polyps...... in the GI tract, mucocutaneous pigmentations, and an increased risk of cancer in the GI tract and at extraintestinal sites. Over 90 % of patients harbour a pathogenic mutation in STK11. METHODS: Based on the Danish Pathology Data Bank, the Danish National Patient Register, as well as information from...... of the small bowel as the most frequent presenting symptom. We noted 18 occurrences of cancer at various anatomical sites, including a case of thyroid cancer and penile cancer. Eight of the deceased patients had died of cancer. Eighteen different mutations in STK11 had been detected in 28 patients. CONCLUSION...

Methods of patient warming during abdominal surgery.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li Shao

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Keeping abdominal surgery patients warm is common and warming methods are needed in power outages during natural disasters. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of low-cost, low-power warming methods for maintaining normothermia in abdominal surgery patients. METHODS: Patients (n = 160 scheduled for elective abdominal surgery were included in this prospective clinical study. Five warming methods were applied: heated blood transfusion/fluid infusion vs. unheated; wrapping patients vs. not wrapping; applying moist dressings, heated or not; surgical field rinse heated or not; and applying heating blankets or not. Patients' nasopharyngeal and rectal temperatures were recorded to evaluate warming efficacy. Significant differences were found in mean temperatures of warmed patients compared to those not warmed. RESULTS: When we compared temperatures of abdominal surgery patient groups receiving three specific warming methods with temperatures of control groups not receiving these methods, significant differences were revealed in temperatures maintained during the surgeries between the warmed groups and controls. DISCUSSION: The value of maintaining normothermia in patients undergoing abdominal surgery under general anesthesia is accepted. Three effective economical and practically applicable warming methods are combined body wrapping and heating blanket; combined body wrapping, heated moist dressings, and heating blanket; combined body wrapping, heated moist dressings, and warmed surgical rinse fluid, with or without heating blanket. These methods are practically applicable when low-cost method is indeed needed.

The incidence of postoperative venous thrombosis among patients with ulcerative colitis.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

O'Connor, O J

2012-02-03

BACKGROUND: Patients with Ulcerative Colitis (UC) have inherent prothrombotic tendencies. It is unknown whether this necessitates the use of additional perioperative anti-thrombotic prophylaxis when such patients require major surgery. METHODS: The postoperative courses of 79 patients with UC undergoing 180 major abdominal and pelvic operations were examined for clinical and radiological evidence of venous thrombosis. Eighteen patients with Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP) having surgery (35 operations) of similar magnitude were also studied. Standard anti-thrombosis prophylaxis was utilised in all patients. RESULTS: Nine patients with UC were clinically suspected of developing postoperative venous thrombosis, but only three (3.8%) had their diagnosis confirmed radiologically (all had a pulmonary embolus). Therefore, the overall postoperative thrombosis rate, on an intention to treat basis, was 1.7% (3\\/180). No patient with FAP developed significant venous thrombosis. CONCLUSION: Standard perioperative antithrombotic modalities are sufficient to maintain any potential increase in postoperative thrombotic risk at an acceptable level in patients with UC undergoing operative intervention.

Depression in patients with HIV is under-diagnosed: a cross-sectional study in Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rodkjaer, L; Laursen, T; Balle, N

2009-01-01

and to detect factors of importance for the development of depression. Methods In 2005, a population of 205 HIV-positive patients was included in a questionnaire-based study. The Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II) was used to assess the prevalence and severity of depressive symptoms. Patients with a BDI......Background International studies suggesting that 20-37% of HIV-positive patients have diagnosable depression may underestimate the prevalence of this condition. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of depression among HIV-positive patients in an out-patient clinic in Denmark...... score of 20 or above were offered a clinical evaluation by a consultant psychiatrist. Results Symptoms of depression (BDI>14) were observed in 77 (38%) patients and symptoms of major depression (BDI>/=20) in 53 (26%). Eighteen patients subsequently started treatment with anti-depressants. In a reduced...

Increased plasma agmatine levels in patients with schizophrenia.

Science.gov (United States)

Uzbay, Tayfun; Goktalay, Gokhan; Kayir, Hakan; Eker, Salih S; Sarandol, Asli; Oral, Sema; Buyukuysal, Levent; Ulusoy, Gokhan; Kirli, Selcuk

2013-08-01

Agmatine is an endogenous substance, synthesized from l-arginine, and it is proposed to be a new neurotransmitter. Preclinical studies indicated that agmatine may have an important role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. This study was organized to investigate plasma agmatine in patients with schizophrenia and in healthy controls. Eighteen patients with schizophrenia and 19 healthy individuals constituted the subjects. Agmatine levels in the plasma were measured using the HPLC method. The S100B protein level, which is a peripheral biomarker for brain damage, was also measured using the ELISA method. While plasma levels of agmatine in patients with schizophrenia were significantly increased (p agmatine levels as a clinical diagnostic test would significantly differentiate between patients with schizophrenia and those in the control group (predictive value: 0.969; p  0.05). A multiple regression analysis revealed that the age of the patient and the severity of the illness, as indicated by the PANSS score, significantly contributed the plasma agmatine levels in patients with schizophrenia. These results support the hypothesis that an excess agmatine release is important in the development of schizophrenia. The findings also imply that the plasma agmatine level may be a potential biomarker of schizophrenia. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Clinical application of the helical CT in patients who are unable to hold their breath

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toyama, Yoshihiro; Kimura, Naruhide; Ohkawa, Motoomi; Tanabe, Masatada.

1997-01-01

We performed helical CT in eighteen patients who were unable to hold their breath for 10 chest and 8 abdominal regions. Although there were respiratory artifacts in three cases, we could obtain the useful clinical information in all cases. In our experimental examinations, CT value of the phantom by helical scan was lower than that by conventional scan without movement of the phantom. With movement of it, the CT value was further lowered by either scan method, but the lowered rate was smaller by helical scan as the movement becomes faster. We consider that helical CT can be applied to patients who were unable to hold their breath. (author)

Results of TRT after eighteen months: our experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Baracca, Giovanna N; Forti, Stella; Crocetti, Andrea; Fagnani, Enrico; Scotti, Alberto; Del Bo, Luca; Ambrosetti, Umberto

2007-05-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of TRT in patients suffering from tinnitus. The tinnitus disorder affects about 10-15% of the population and, in one person out of a hundred, it is a disabling disorder. TRT treatment is based on Jastreboff's neurophysiological model. TRT consists of two parts: counselling, and sound therapy by means of dedicated hearing aids and sound generators. It proved to be useful to reduce the symptoms related to tinnitus. Jastreboff's structured interviews were proposed to a sample of 51 patients with tinnitus belonging to the I-II-III-IV classes according to Jastreboff. These patients were treated for 18 months. Sixty-eight percent of patients reported a reduction in the symptoms related to tinnitus, such as sleep disturbance, problems in concentration, and inability to relax. A percentage (64.7%) of patients thought that their quality of life was improved. Patients who had suffered from tinnitus for less than one year achieved significantly better results than patients who had suffered for a longer period of time. TRT is an effective tool in the treatment of tinnitus.

Glucose-stimulated prehepatic insulin secretion is associated with circulating alanine, triglyceride, glucagons, lactate and TNF-alfa in patients with HIV-lipodystrophy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haugaard, Steen B; Andersen, Ove; Pedersen, SB

2006-01-01

with the remaining HIV-infected patients (all Ptriglyceride, alanine, glucagon, lactate and TNF-alpha may be associated with alterations in the first-phase prehepatic insulin secretion response to intravenous glucose in normoglycaemic lipodystrophic HIV-infected patients.......OBJECTIVES: We examined whether insulin-resistant lipodystrophic HIV-infected patients with known high fasting prehepatic insulin secretion rates (FISRs) displayed alterations in first-phase prehepatic insulin response to intravenous glucose (ISREG0-10 min). METHODS: Eighteen normoglycaemic...... lipodystrophic HIV-infected (LIPO) patients and 25 normoglycaemic nonlipodystrophic HIV-infected patients (controls) were included in the study. The prehepatic insulin secretion rate was estimated by deconvolution of C-peptide concentrations, and insulin sensitivity (SIRd) was estimated by the glucose clamp...

Glucose-stimulated prehepatic insulin secretion is associated with circulating alanine, triglyceride, glucagon, lactate and TNF-alpha in patients with HIV-lipodystrophy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haugaard, S B; Andersen, O; Pedersen, S B

2006-01-01

with the remaining HIV-infected patients (all Ptriglyceride, alanine, glucagon, lactate and TNF-alpha may be associated with alterations in the first-phase prehepatic insulin secretion response to intravenous glucose in normoglycaemic lipodystrophic HIV-infected patients.......OBJECTIVES: We examined whether insulin-resistant lipodystrophic HIV-infected patients with known high fasting prehepatic insulin secretion rates (FISRs) displayed alterations in first-phase prehepatic insulin response to intravenous glucose (ISREG0-10 min). METHODS: Eighteen normoglycaemic...... lipodystrophic HIV-infected (LIPO) patients and 25 normoglycaemic nonlipodystrophic HIV-infected patients (controls) were included in the study. The prehepatic insulin secretion rate was estimated by deconvolution of C-peptide concentrations, and insulin sensitivity (SIRd) was estimated by the glucose clamp...

Oxidative stress in patients with essential hypertension: a comparison of dippers and non-dippers.

Science.gov (United States)

Gönenç, Aymelek; Hacışevki, Aysun; Tavil, Yusuf; Çengel, Atiye; Torun, Meral

2013-03-01

Oxidative stress seems to play an important role in the pathophysiology of essential hypertension. We aimed to examine serum MDA, NO, 8-OHdG, ADMA, NT, CoQ10 and TAC as biomarkers of oxidative stress in dipper and non-dipper hypertensive patients. Eighteen dipper hypertensives, 20 non-dipper hypertensives and 22 healthy control subjects were included in the study. Clinical assessment and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring were performed in patients. Serum MDA, TAC and NO levels were measured by using spectrophotometric methods. CoQ10 levels were measured by HPLC method. 8-OHdG, ADMA and NT were quantitated by ELISA methods. MDA levels were significantly higher in dipper and non-dipper groups compared to controls (pstres compared with dipper hypertensive patients, which plays an important role in the development of cardiovascular diseases. Increased MDA and reduced TAC levels might be considered as prospective prognostic markers of the development of cardiovascular diseases in dipper and non-dipper hypertensive patients. Copyright © 2012 European Federation of Internal Medicine. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Eighteen-point abobotulinum toxin a upper face rejuvenation: an eye plastic perspective on 845 subjects.

Science.gov (United States)

Kashkouli, Mohsen Bahmani; Amani, Afsaneh; Jamshidian-Tehrani, Mansooreh; Yousefi, Sahar; Jazayeri, Anis Alsadat

2014-01-01

To report the method and results of 18-point Abobotulinum toxin A (ABO-BTA, Dysport) upper face rejuvenation on 845 subjects. In a retrospective chart review, all subjects (the first cycle of injection) with ABO-BTA upper face rejuvenation from 2003 to 2009 were included. Excluded were subjects with facial spastic disorders, injection after upper face lifting, and aberrant regeneration of facial nerves. Upper face rejuvenation included 18 points of injection at forehead creases (4), frown lines (5), bunny line (1), crow's feet (4 on both sides), and lower eyelid crease (4 on both sides). They were revisited in 10 to 14 days for assessment of the effects and possible touch-up injection. Demographics, year of injection, topical anesthetic usage, touch-up injection, and adverse effects (AE) were recorded. There were 845 subjects (85.8% women) whose age was below 40 in 49.3%. All but 68 (8%) were happy with the touch-up visit, 10 to 14 days after injection. Touch-up injection was performed in 8% of subjects mainly for the eyebrow asymmetry. AE (22/845, 2.6%) were bruise (15/845, 1.8%), blepharoptosis (3/845, 0.3%), remained eyebrow asymmetry after touch-up injection (2/845, 0.2%), and headache (2/845, 0.2%). They were significantly more in subjects with touch-up injection, younger than 40 years, and in the first and second year of experience (especially for the bruise). Eighteen-point ABO-BTA upper face rejuvenation had a low rate of AE in this series in which majority was bruise at the lateral canthal area. They were significantly more in the first years of experience, subjects younger than 40, and who had touch-up injections.

Geriatric Conditions in Acutely Hospitalized Older Patients: Prevalence and One-Year Survival and Functional Decline

Science.gov (United States)

Buurman, Bianca M.; Hoogerduijn, Jita G.; de Haan, Rob J.; Abu-Hanna, Ameen; Lagaay, A. Margot; Verhaar, Harald J.; Schuurmans, Marieke J.; Levi, Marcel; de Rooij, Sophia E.

2011-01-01

Background To study the prevalence of eighteen geriatric conditions in older patients at admission, their reporting rate in discharge summaries and the impact of these conditions on mortality and functional decline one year after admission. Method A prospective multicenter cohort study conducted between 2006 and 2008 in two tertiary university teaching hospitals and one regional teaching hospital in the Netherlands. Patients of 65 years and older, acutely admitted and hospitalized for at least 48 hours, were invited to participate. Eighteen geriatric conditions were assessed at hospital admission, and outcomes (mortality, functional decline) were assessed one year after admission. Results 639 patients were included, with a mean age of 78 years. IADL impairment (83%), polypharmacy (61%), mobility difficulty (59%), high levels of primary caregiver burden (53%), and malnutrition (52%) were most prevalent. Except for polypharmacy and cognitive impairment, the reporting rate of the geriatric conditions in discharge summaries was less than 50%. One year after admission, 35% had died and 33% suffered from functional decline. A high Charlson comorbidity index score, presence of malnutrition, high fall risk, presence of delirium and premorbid IADL impairment were associated with mortality and overall poor outcome (mortality or functional decline). Obesity lowered the risk for mortality. Conclusion Geriatric conditions were highly prevalent and associated with poor health outcomes after admission. Early recognition of these conditions in acutely hospitalized older patients and improving the handover to the general practitioner could lead to better health outcomes and reduce the burden of hospital admission for older patients. PMID:22110598

The Ronnie Gardiner Rhythm and Music Method - a feasibility study in Parkinson's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Pohl, Petra; Dizdar, Nil; Hallert, Eva

2013-01-01

To assess the feasibility of the novel intervention, Ronnie Gardiner Rhythm and Music (RGRM™) Method compared to a control group for patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Eighteen patients, mean age 68, participating in a disability study within a neurological rehabilitation centre, were randomly allocated to intervention group (n = 12) or control group (n = 6). Feasibility was assessed by comparing effects of the intervention on clinical outcome measures (primary outcome: mobility as assessed by two-dimensional motion analysis, secondary outcomes: mobility, cognition, quality of life, adherence, adverse events and eligibility). Univariable analyses showed no significant differences between groups following intervention. However, analyses suggested that patients in the intervention group improved more on mobility (p = 0.006), cognition and quality of life than patients in the control group. There were no adverse events and a high level of adherence to therapy was observed. In this disability study, the use of the RGRM™ Method showed promising results in the intervention group and the adherence level was high. Our results suggest that most assessments chosen are eligible to use in a larger randomized controlled study for patients with PD. The RGRM™ Method appeared to be a useful and safe method that showed promising results in both motor and cognitive functions as well as quality of life in patients with moderate PD. The RGRM™ Method can be used by physiotherapists, occupational, speech and music therapists in neurological rehabilitation. Most measurements were feasible except for Timed-Up-and-Go.

Evaluation gallbladder function in patients with spinal cord injury using 99Tcm-DISIDA hepatobiliary imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xia Changsuo; Li Hong; Hong Guangxiang

2005-01-01

Objective: To investigate gallbladder function in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods: Eighteen normal control subjects, 16 other traumatic control subjects and 46 SCI patients were include. Gallbladder function was quantitatively evaluated by 99 Tc m labeled imino-diacetic acid analogue (DISIDA) hepatobiliary imaging using two parameters as filling fraction (FF) and ejection fraction (EF). The gallbladder function of SCI patients was further analyzed according to age, sex, body weight, injury gradient (with ASIA criteria), cord injury level and the duration of injury. Results: 52% of SCI patients had abnormal FF and 59% with abnormal EF. Significantly decreased FF and EF values were found in SCI patients, especially in those who were female, severe and high-level injuries of spinal cord. Conclusion: With the use of quantitative 99 Tc m -DISIDA hepatobiliary imaging, significant impairment of the gallbladder function was found in SCI patients. (authors)

Assessment of seasonal influenza vaccine effectiveness in patients from a central Italy reference hospital: pitfalls and intricacies from a pilot case-control study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katleen de Gaetano Donati

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Objectives: Influenza vaccination protects high-risk populations from severe outcomes. We assessed the feasibility of testing influenza vaccine effectiveness against hospitalization with laboratory-confirmed influenza.Methods: All hospitalized patients with influenza-like illness within 14 days, were swabbed. Cases were positive at RT-PCR for influenza A/B. Results: AtRome “GemelliHospital” (Season 2011-2012 104 patients were contacted and 62 recruited. Considering total sample and target group (n= 47, 76%, only 29% and 38% had been vaccinated. Eighteen patients were laboratory-confirmed for influenza.Conclusions: RecruitedILI patients and prevalence of vaccinated subjects were less than expected. Larger numbers are warranted to study vaccine effectiveness against severe influenza outcomes.  

Display methods of electronic patient record screens: patient privacy concerns.

Science.gov (United States)

Niimi, Yukari; Ota, Katsumasa

2013-01-01

To provide adequate care, medical professionals have to collect not only medical information but also information that may be related to private aspects of the patient's life. With patients' increasing awareness of information privacy, healthcare providers have to pay attention to the patients' right of privacy. This study aimed to clarify the requirements of the display method of electronic patient record (EPR) screens in consideration of both patients' information privacy concerns and health professionals' information needs. For this purpose, semi-structured group interviews were conducted of 78 medical professionals. They pointed out that partial concealment of information to meet patients' requests for privacy could result in challenges in (1) safety in healthcare, (2) information sharing, (3) collaboration, (4) hospital management, and (5) communication. They believed that EPRs should (1) meet the requirements of the therapeutic process, (2) have restricted access, (3) provide convenient access to necessary information, and (4) facilitate interprofessional collaboration. This study provides direction for the development of display methods that balance the sharing of vital information and protection of patient privacy.

Motor unit properties of biceps brachii in chronic stroke patients assessed with high-density surface EMG

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kallenberg, L.A.C.; Hermens, Hermanus J.

2009-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate motor unit (MU) characteristics of the biceps brachii in post-stroke patients, using high-density surface electromyography (sEMG). Eighteen chronic hemiparetic stroke patients took part. The Fugl-Meyer score for the upper extremity was assessed. Subjects

Prosthetic Management of Patients Presenting with Juvenile ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Eighteen were referred for prosthetic replacement. Their age ranged between 18 and 36 years. A total of 24 removable partial dentures were fabricated, 17[70.8%] were kennedy class III type, of which 11[64.7%] had the bounded saddle located in the anterior segment. Majority 8[44.4%] of the patients had 2-4 teeth replaced ...

A qualitative identification of categories of patient participation in decision-making by health care professionals and patients during surgical treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Heggland, Liv-Helen; Hausken, Kjell

2013-05-01

The aim of this article is to identify how health care professionals and patients experience patient participation in decision-making processes in hospitals. Eighteen semi-structured interviews with experts from different disciplines such as medicine and nursing in surgical departments as well as patients who have undergone surgical treatment constitute the data. By content analysis four categories of patient participation were identified: information dissemination, formulation of options, integration of information, and control. To meet the increasing demands of patient participation, this categorization with four identified critical areas for participation in decision-making has important implications in guiding information support for patients prior to surgery and during hospitalization.

Air stacking: effects on pulmonary function in patients with spinal muscular atrophy and in patients with congenital muscular dystrophy,

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tanyse Bahia Carvalho Marques

2014-10-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: Respiratory complications are the main causes of morbidity and mortality in patients with neuromuscular disease (NMD. The objectives of this study were to determine the effects that routine daily home air-stacking maneuvers have on pulmonary function in patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA and in patients with congenital muscular dystrophy (CMD, as well as to identify associations between spinal deformities and the effects of the maneuvers. METHODS: Eighteen NMD patients (ten with CMD and eight with SMA were submitted to routine daily air-stacking maneuvers at home with manual resuscitators for four to six months, undergoing pulmonary function tests before and after that period. The pulmonary function tests included measurements of FVC; PEF; maximum insufflation capacity (MIC; and assisted and unassisted peak cough flow (APCF and UPCF, respectively with insufflations. RESULTS: After the use of home air-stacking maneuvers, there were improvements in the APCF and UPCF. In the patients without scoliosis, there was also a significant increase in FVC. When comparing patients with and without scoliosis, the increases in APCF and UPCF were more pronounced in those without scoliosis. CONCLUSIONS: Routine daily air-stacking maneuvers with a manual resuscitator appear to increase UPCF and APCF in patients with NMD, especially in those without scoliosis.

Labour pain with remifentanil patient-controlled analgesia versus epidural analgesia : a randomised equivalence trial

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Logtenberg, Slm; Oude Rengerink, K; Verhoeven, C J; Freeman, L M; van den Akker, Esa; Godfried, M B; van Beek, E; Borchert, Owhm; Schuitemaker, N; van Woerkens, Ecsm; Hostijn, I; Middeldorp, J M; van der Post, J A; Mol, B W

OBJECTIVE: To distinguish satisfaction with pain relief using remifentanil patient-controlled analgesia (RPCA) compared with epidural analgesia (EA) in low-risk labouring women. DESIGN: Randomised controlled equivalence trial. SETTING: Eighteen midwifery practices and six hospitals in the

Non-linguistic learning in aphasia: Effects of training method and stimulus characteristics

Science.gov (United States)

Vallila-Rohter, Sofia; Kiran, Swathi

2013-01-01

Purpose The purpose of the current study was to explore non-linguistic learning ability in patients with aphasia, examining the impact of stimulus typicality and feedback on success with learning. Method Eighteen patients with aphasia and eight healthy controls participated in this study. All participants completed four computerized, non-linguistic category-learning tasks. We probed learning ability under two methods of instruction: feedback-based (FB) and paired-associate (PA). We also examined the impact of task complexity on learning ability, comparing two stimulus conditions: typical (Typ) and atypical (Atyp). Performance was compared between groups and across conditions. Results Results demonstrated that healthy controls were able to successfully learn categories under all conditions. For our patients with aphasia, two patterns of performance arose. One subgroup of patients was able to maintain learning across task manipulations and conditions. The other subgroup of patients demonstrated a sensitivity to task complexity, learning successfully only in the typical training conditions. Conclusions Results support the hypothesis that impairments of general learning are present in aphasia. Some patients demonstrated the ability to extract category information under complex training conditions, while others learned only under conditions that were simplified and emphasized salient category features. Overall, the typical training condition facilitated learning for all participants. Findings have implications for therapy, which are discussed. PMID:23695914

Visual evoked potentials show strong positive association with intracranial pressure in patients with cryptococcal meningitis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcelo Adriano da Cunha Silva Vieira

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Objective : To verify the relationship between intracranial pressure and flash visual evoked potentials (F-VEP in patients with cryptococcal meningitis. Method The sample included adults diagnosed with cryptococcal meningitis admitted at a reference hospital for infectious diseases. The patients were subjected to F-VEP tests shortly before lumbar puncture. The Pearson’s linear correlation coefficient was calculated and the linear regression analysis was performed. Results : Eighteen individuals were subjected to a total of 69 lumbar punctures preceded by F-VEP tests. At the first lumbar puncture performed in each patient, N2 latency exhibited a strong positive correlation with intracranial pressure (r = 0.83; CI = 0.60 - 0.94; p < 0.0001. The direction of this relationship was maintained in subsequent punctures. Conclusion : The intracranial pressure measured by spinal tap manometry showed strong positive association with the N2 latency F-VEP in patients with cryptococcal meningitis.

Clinical characteristics and outcome of patients diagnosed with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures: a 5-year review.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

O'Sullivan, S S

2012-02-03

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this article was to describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients diagnosed with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (PNES). METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of patients diagnosed with PNES in a 5-year period. RESULTS: Fifty patients with PNES were identified, giving an estimated incidence of 0.91\\/100,000 per annum. Thirty-eight were included for review, 15 of whom were male (39%). Eighteen patients had been diagnosed with epilepsy as well as PNES (47%). We demonstrated a gender difference in our patients, with males having higher seizure frequencies, more antiepileptic drug use, and a longer interval before diagnosis of PNES. Females were diagnosed with other conversion disorders more often than males. Impaired social function was observed in PNES, as was resistance to psychological interventions with a subsequent poor response to treatments. CONCLUSIONS: PNES remains a difficult condition to treat, and may affect males in proportions higher than those described in previous studies.

Five-year experience of critical incidents associated with patient-controlled analgesia in an Irish University Hospital.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Ahmad, I

2012-02-01

BACKGROUND: Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) is a common and effective means of managing post-operative pain. We sought to identify factors that may lead to critical incidents (CIs) in patient safety when using PCA in our institution. METHODS: An observational study of prospectively collected data of patients who received PCA from 2002 to 2006 was performed. All CIs were documented and analysed by staff members of the acute pain service (APS). Cause analysis of CIs was undertaken to determine if measures can be instituted to prevent recurrence of similar events. RESULTS: Over eight thousand patients (8,240) received PCA. Twenty-seven CIs were identified. Eighteen were due to programming errors. Other CIs included co-administration of opioids and oversedation. CONCLUSION: In our institution, the largest contributory factor to CIs with PCAs was programming error. Strategies to minimize this problem include better education and surveillance.

Growth hormone deficiency in cleft lip and palate patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shahin AbdollahiFakhim

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Failure to thrive (FTT is relatively common among cleft patients, most commonly attributed to feeding problems during the first months of life. Close association between midline clefts and pituitary gland abnormalities prompted us to determine the frequency of growth hormone deficiency in cleft patients, which is easily treated. Methods: Any cleft patient with FTT was studied and when the patient’s height was under the 3rd percentile of normal, growth hormone was checked after clonidine administration. Growth hormone was checked before and 30, 60 and 90 minutes after clonidine use. Results: Of 670 patients with cleft lip or palate, 31 patients (4% had some kind of growth retardation according to weight, height or head circumstance. Eighteen patients were under the 3rd percentile of normal height. Growth hormone deficiency was detected in 8 patients out of 18 patients and overall frequency of growth hormone deficiency among cleft patients with growth retardation was 25.8% (8 out of 31. Seven patients of 8 were male whereas one was female and half of the patients were syndromic. Conclusion: Cleft patients have many problems with normal feeding and all kind of support should be provided to achieve near-normal feeding and they should be monitored for normal growth. Any patient with growth retardation, especially height decrease, should be assessed for growth hormone deficiency.

Prevalence of laryngeal alterations in patients with erosive esophagitis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Coelho, Marina Serrato

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The association between gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD and laryngeal disorders has been much debated in recent years. Recent studies suggest an association between laryngeal symptoms and pharyngeal symptoms extra-esophageal reflux, as atypical presentation of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease. Objectives: To correlate the presence of laryngeal to the grades of erosive esophagitis. Methods: A prospective study. Patients with findings of esophagitis on endoscopy were categorized according to LosAngeles and submitted a questionnaire followed by laryngoscopy. The chi-square test was used for statistical analysis (p<0.05. Results: Patients with typical symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease accounted for 96.6%. Eighteen had changes consistent with class A (60%, class B with seven (7% and 5 with classes C + D (16.6%. The presence of laryngeal changes were more prevalent in more severe esophagitis (grades C and D Los Angeles when compared to milder forms (classes A and B, a statistically significant difference (p<0.05. Conclusion: The laryngeal disorders are frequent findings in patients with esophagitis, more frequent the greater the degree of esophageal injury.

Endothelin-1 and -3 plasma concentrations in patients with cirrhosis: role of splanchnic and renal passage and liver function

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gerbes, A L; Møller, S; Gülberg, V

1995-01-01

of splanchnic and renal passage and of liver function on plasma concentrations of endothelin-1 (ET-1) and endothelin-3 (ET-3) in patients with cirrhosis compared with controls. Eighteen patients with cirrhosis and 8 normotensive controls of similar age were investigated. Arterial and venous plasma samples were...

Impaired cardiopulmonary exercise capacity in patients with hyperthyroidism.

Science.gov (United States)

Kahaly, G; Hellermann, J; Mohr-Kahaly, S; Treese, N

1996-01-01

Hyperthyroidism (H) has been implicated as a primary cause of decreased exercise tolerance. To our knowledge, analysis of respiratory gas exchange, an efficient noninvasive method in evaluating cardiopulmonary capacity, has not been performed in patients with H. Using cardiopulmonary exercise testing, 12 consecutive women with Graves' H were examined and controlled in euthyroidism (E). Eighteen women with E, in whom cardiac catheterization had ruled out heart disease, served as control subjects (C). The ventilatory anaerobic threshold was determined by means of the V-slope method. Ergometry was performed with patients in a semisupine position using a continuous ramp protocol of 20 W/min. Echocardiography at rest was performed in all patients. In patients with H, heart rate at rest was higher than in patients with E (p lower increase between rest and anaerobic threshold compared with E patients (p = 0.007) and C (p = 0.009). Work rate was reduced (H, 50% vs E, 70%; p = 0.038). In H patients, the anaerobic threshold occurred at 59.6% of maximal oxygen uptake and 72% in E patients, respectively (p = 0.024). In H patients, the linear regression of the heart rate to oxygen uptake ratio showed a reduced slope in comparison with E patients (p = 0.001) and C (p = 0.004). In patients with H, a reduced tidal volume (p = 0.021) and an increased respiratory rate (p = 0.003) in comparison to patients with E were demonstrated. Echocardiographically, H patients had an increased ejection fraction (p = 0.008) and a higher cardiac index (p = 0.008) in comparison with E patients. Analysis of respiratory gas exchange showed marked alterations of cardiopulmonary exercise capacity in H patients, which are reversible in E patients. The impaired chronotropic response during exercise might be the primary limiting factor of reduced work capacity in patients with H.

Implicit and Explicit Memory for Affective Passages in Temporal Lobectomy Patients

Science.gov (United States)

Burton, Leslie A.; Rabin, Laura; Vardy, Susan Bernstein; Frohlich, Jonathan; Porter, Gwinne Wyatt; Dimitri, Diana; Cofer, Lucas; Labar, Douglas

2008-01-01

Eighteen temporal lobectomy patients (9 left, LTL; 9 right, RTL) were administered four verbal tasks, an Affective Implicit Task, a Neutral Implicit Task, an Affective Explicit Task, and a Neutral Explicit Task. For the Affective and Neutral Implicit Tasks, participants were timed while reading aloud passages with affective or neutral content,…

Ambulatory orthopaedic surgery patients' emotions when using different patient education methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Heikkinen, Katja; Salanterä, Sanna; Leppänen, Tiina; Vahlberg, Tero; Leino-Kilpi, Helena

2012-07-01

A randomised controlled trial was used to evaluate elective ambulatory orthopaedic surgery patients' emotions during internet-based patient education or face-to-face education with a nurse. The internet-based patient education was designed for this study and patients used websites individually based on their needs. Patients in the control group participated individually in face-to-face patient education with a nurse in the ambulatory surgery unit. The theoretical basis for both types of education was the same. Ambulatory orthopaedic surgery patients scored their emotions rather low at intervals throughout the whole surgical process, though their scores also changed during the surgical process. Emotion scores did not decrease after patient education. No differences in patients' emotions were found to result from either of the two different patient education methods.

Using qualitative methods to understand factors contributing to patient satisfaction among dermatology patients: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Gibbons, Caitlin; Singh, Sanminder; Gibbons, Brittany; Clark, Caitlin; Torres, Josefina; Cheng, Michelle Y; Wang, Elizabeth A; Armstrong, April W

2018-05-01

In this systematic review, we aimed to synthesize data that identify factors contributing to patient satisfaction in dermatology care using qualitative methods. We performed a comprehensive search of the literature using the PubMed database for articles published between January 1, 2000 and February 9, 2015. The initial search yielded 186 articles, of which 13 were included after applying inclusion and exclusion criteria. The systematic review of 13 articles included a total of 330 patients. Using in-field observations and semistructured interviews, studies found that qualitative methods and analysis increased the provider's sensitivity to patient needs and enhanced patient care. Analyses using qualitative methods found increased patient satisfaction in their healthcare provider is associated with (1) confidence in the provider's diagnosis, (2) perception of patient-centered, individualized recommendations and (3) quality of patient education and provider explanation during a visit. Patient satisfaction is measured using either quantitative or qualitative methods. Quantitative methods result in standardized data that often does not capture the nuances of patient experience. In contrast, qualitative methodology is integral to gathering patient perspectives on patient care and satisfaction and should be included in future research models.

Violence, self-harm, victimisation and homelessness in patients admitted to an acute inpatient unit in South Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Ash, David; Galletly, Cherrie; Haynes, John; Braben, Peter

2003-06-01

To measure the incidence of traumatic and potentially socially disruptive events prior to admission to a psychiatric hospital. One hundred and nineteen patients were interviewed and further information was obtained from case notes. Data were collected concerning rates of violence, self-harm, threats of violence or self-harm, physical assault and homelessness. The patients' mean age was 35 years, 70% were male and 77% were currently single. More than half were legally detained. The most common diagnoses were substance abuse disorders, schizophrenia and related psychoses and mood disorders. Eighteen per cent of patients were physically violent at the time of admission. They were more likely to have a diagnosis of substance abuse. Significantly more men (30%) than women (8%) made threats of violence. Eighteen per cent of patients had physically harmed themselves. Significantly more women (70%) than men (40%) had threatened to harm themselves. Eight per cent of patients had been physically assaulted prior to admission. Twenty-seven per cent of patients were homeless. These patients were severely disabled with high rates of comorbidity. Socially disruptive behaviours were common, and almost a quarter of the patients were homeless. This study highlights the need for development of targeted services in the community.

Aetiology of low Vision Amongst Patients Attending the Eye Clinic of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A prospective clinic based study involving 66 patients of both sexes and ages between 3 and 87yr seen at the newly established low vision clinic of the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Nigeria over an eighteen-month period (March 2007-September 2008) was undertaken. The objective was to assess the causes of ...

Psychosocial and Physical Assessment of Patients with Temporomandibular Disorders

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anitha B

2004-01-01

Full Text Available A study was conducted to assess the prevalence of psychosocial disorders in patients with TMD, and to establish correlation between these, and symptoms and physical signs of TMD. Thirty patients were included in the study. TMD history and TMJ examination findings were recorded. Subsequently psychosocial assessment was carried out. Eighteen patients were in psychiatric morbid (PM group and 12 were in psychiatric nonmorbid (PNM group. Symptoms and signs of TMD were compared between PM and PNM group. Strong association was evident between presence of psychiatric morbidity and certain parameters viz. pain duration, VAS, bruxism, mouth opening.

Stigma among California's Medical Marijuana Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Satterlund, Travis D; Lee, Juliet P; Moore, Roland S

2015-01-01

The enactment of California's Proposition 215 stipulates that patients may use marijuana for medical reasons, provided that it is recommended by a physician. Yet, medical marijuana patients risk being stigmatized for this practice. This article examines the way in which medical marijuana patients perceive and process stigma, and how it affects their interactions and experiences with others. Eighteen semi-structured interviews of medical marijuana patients were carried out using a semi-structured interview guide. Most patients circumvented their own physicians in obtaining a recommendation to use medicinal marijuana, and also used a host of strategies in order to justify their medical marijuana use to family, friends, and colleagues in order to stave off potential stigma. The stigmatization of medical marijuana thus has a profound effect on how patients seek treatment, and whether they seek medical marijuana treatment at all.

Qualitative Methods in Patient-Centered Outcomes Research.

Science.gov (United States)

Vandermause, Roxanne; Barg, Frances K; Esmail, Laura; Edmundson, Lauren; Girard, Samantha; Perfetti, A Ross

2017-02-01

The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), created to fund research guided by patients, caregivers, and the broader health care community, offers a new research venue. Many (41 of 50) first funded projects involved qualitative research methods. This study was completed to examine the current state of the science of qualitative methodologies used in PCORI-funded research. Principal investigators participated in phenomenological interviews to learn (a) how do researchers using qualitative methods experience seeking funding for, implementing and disseminating their work; and (b) how may qualitative methods advance the quality and relevance of evidence for patients? Results showed the experience of doing qualitative research in the current research climate as "Being a bona fide qualitative researcher: Staying true to research aims while negotiating challenges," with overlapping patterns: (a) researching the elemental, (b) expecting surprise, and (c) pushing boundaries. The nature of qualitative work today was explicitly described and is rendered in this article.

Assessing the germplasm of Laminaria (phaeophyceae) with random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) method

Science.gov (United States)

He, Yingjun; Zou, Yuping; Wang, Xiaodong; Zheng, Zhiguo; Zhang, Daming; Duan, Delin

2003-06-01

Eighteen gametophytes including L. japonica, L. ochotensis and L. longissima, were verified with random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique. Eighteen ten-base primers were chosen from 100 primers selected for final amplification test. Among the total of 205 bands amplified, 181 (88.3%) were polymorphic. The genetic distance among different strains ranged from 0.072 to 0.391. The dendrogram constructed by unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic (UPGMA) method showed that the female and male gametophytes of the same cell lines could be grouped in pairs respectively. It indicated that RAPD analysis could be used not only to distinguish different strains of Laminaria, but also to distinguish male and female gametophyte within the same cell lines. There is ambiguous systematic relationship if judged merely by the present data. It seems that the use of RAPD marker is limited to elucidation of the phylogenetic relationship among the species of Laminaria.

Difficulties in Controlling Mobilization Pain Using a Standardized Patient-Controlled Analgesia Protocol in Burns

OpenAIRE

Nilsson, Andreas; Kalman, Sigga; Arvidsson, Anders; Sjöberg, Folke

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate pain relief for patients with burns during rest and mobilization with morphine according to a standard protocol for patient-controlled analgesia (PCA). Eighteen patients with a mean (SD) burned TBSA% of 26 (20) were studied for 10 days. Using a numeric rating scale (NRS, 0 = no pain and 10 = unbearable pain), patients were asked to estimate their acceptable and worst experienced pain by specifying a number on a scale and at what point they would like addi...

Evaluation of long-term patient satisfaction and experience with the Baha(®) bone conduction implant

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Jacob; Olsen, Steen Østergaard; Nielsen, Lars Holme

2012-01-01

Objective: Evaluate long-term patient satisfaction with bone-anchored hearing aids (the Baha(R), now referred to by Cochlear as a 'bone conduction implant') in our hospital clinic spanning the eighteen-year period from the inception of our Baha program. The researchers further wished to analyse t...

Alloimmunization and autoimmunization in transfusion dependent thalassemia major patients: Study on 319 patients

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Hari Krishan Dhawan

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background: The development of anti-red blood cell antibodies (both allo-and autoantibodies remains a major problem in thalassemia major patients. We studied the frequency of red blood cell (RBC alloimmunization and autoimmunization among thalassemia patients who received regular transfusions at our center and analyzed the factors, which may be responsible for development of these antibodies. Materials and Methods: The study was carried out on 319 multiply transfused patients with β-thalassemia major registered with thalassemia clinic at our institute. Clinical and transfusion records of all the patients were examined for age of patients, age at initiation of transfusion therapy, total number of blood units transfused, transfusion interval, status of splenectomy or other interventions. Alloantibody screening and identification was done using three cell and 11 cell panel (Diapanel, Bio-rad, Switzerland respectively. To detect autoantibodies, autocontrol was carried out using polyspecific coombs (IgG + C3d gel cards. Results: Eighteen patients out of total 319 patients (5.64% developed alloantibodies and 90 (28.2% developed autoantibodies. Nine out of 18 patients with alloantibodies also had autoantibodies. Age at first transfusion was significantly higher in alloimmunized than non-immunized patients (P = 0.042. Out of 23 alloantibodies, 52.17% belonged to Rh blood group system (Anti-E = 17%, Anti D = 13%, Anti-C = 13%, Anti-C w = 9%, 35% belonged to Kell blood group system, 9% of Kidd and 4% of Xg blood group system. Conclusion: Alloimmunization was detected in 5.64% of multitransfused thalassemia patients. Rh and Kell blood group system antibodies accounted for more than 80% of alloantibodies. This study re-emphasizes the need for RBC antigen typing before first transfusion and issue of antigen matched blood (at least for Rh and Kell antigen. Early institution of transfusion therapy after diagnosis is another means of decreasing

Experience with polyclonal immunoglobulin therapy in poly trauma patients with severe sepsis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Janjua, S.K.; Hussain, R.M.; Mohsin, S.T.; Iqbal, A.; Mishwani, A.H.

2011-01-01

To evaluate the effects of intravenous immunoglobulin therapy on progression of severe sepsis in patients of poly trauma. Design: Quasi-experimental study. Place and Duration of Study: Combined Military Hospital Peshawar from June 2008 to Dec 2009. Patients and Methods: Forty six patients of poly trauma with severe sepsis were included. Along with the standard management i.e., surgical management, fluid resuscitation, antibiotics, analgesics, ionotropic, ventilatory and nutritional support, IVIG 5% (intravenous immunoglobulin) was infused over a period of 6 hours and repeated for three consecutive days. Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score was used to assess the progress in all the patients. Results: At the time of enrolment mean SOFA score was 5.41+- 1.127 and on the 15 day it was 1.62 +- 2.24, mean age was 39.21+10.26 years. Thirty four patients (73.91%) developed gram negative sepsis and eighteen patients (39.13%) developed septic shock. Mean duration of stay in ICU and on ventilatory support was 20.80+9.61 and 10.52 + 5.52 days respectively. Thirty five days mortality rate of these patients was 30.43%. Conclusion: The IVIG administration, when used along with the standard management appears to improve significantly the prognosis in patients of poly trauma with severe sepsis. (author)

Noninvasive evaluation of regional myocardial perfusion in 112 patients using a mobile scintillation camera and intravenous nitrogen-13 labeled ammonia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walsh, W.F.; Harper, P.V.; Resnekov, L.; Fill, H.

1976-01-01

The short half-life positron emitter 13 N, as labeled ammonia ( 13 NH 4 + ), was evaluated as a myocardial imaging agent. Regional myocardial uptake of 13 NH 4 correlated with the distribution of labeled microspheres in experimental myocardial infarction. Using intravenous 13 NH 4 + , myocardial scintigraphy was performed in 85 cardiac patients and 27 normal subjects. Ninety-five scintigrams were suitable for analysis. Eighteen of 24 normal subjects had homogeneous myocardial images; six had inhomogeneous images attributable to early technical problems. Perfusion defects were observed in the scintigrams of 82% (57/65) of patients with coronary artery disease, being most common in patients with myocardial infarction (27/28). Six sequential studies showed changes in perfusion consistent with the clinical course of each patient. Scintigraphic abnormalities were also observed in 4/6 patients with valvular heart disease. 13 NH 4 + myocardial scintigraphy is a valid and sensitive method of assessing regional myocardial perfusion and is especially useful for sequential imaging at short intervals

The relationship between mental health workers and family members

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van de Bovenkamp, H.M.; Trappenburg, M.J.

2010-01-01

Objective To study the relationship between family members and mental health care workers to learn more about the support available to family members of mental health patients. Methods Eighteen interviews were conducted with family members, seven with professionals and two with patients.

Depression in patients with irritable bowel syndrome in Jos,Nigeria

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Nimzing G Ladep; Taiwo J Obindo; Moses D Audu; Edith N Okeke; Abraham O Malu

2006-01-01

AIM: To study the brain-gut interaction and the effect of behavioral or psychiatric conditions on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in an African population.METHODS: IBS was diagnosed using the Rome Ⅱ diagnostic criteria. The entry of each patient was confirmed following detailed explanations of the questions. Four hundred and eighteen patients were studied. Subjects satisfying the Rome Ⅱ criteria for IBS were physically examined and stool microscopy was done to identify the presence of "alarm factors". Depression was diagnosed using the symptom-check list adapted from the Research Diagnostic Criteria (DSM-Ⅳ) of the American Psychiatric Association.RESULTS: Seventy-five (56.8%) of the 132 IBS patients were depressed whereas only 54 (20.1%) of the 268 non-IBS patients were depressed. There was a significant relationship between IBS and depression (x2= 54.29,Odds ratio = 5.21, 56.8 ± 8.4 vs 20.1 ± 5.2, P = 0.001).Even though constipation predominant IBS patients were more likely to be depressed, no significant relationship was found between the subtype of IBS and depression (x2= 0.02, OR = 0.95, P = 0.68).CONCLUSION: IBS is significantly associated with major depression but not gender and bowel subtypes of the patients. Patients with IBS need to be evaluated for depression due to the highly significant relationship between the two conditions.

Serum protein profile of Malaria patients through SDS-PAGE method ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Serum protein profile of Malaria patients through SDS-PAGE method. ... reliable method in the diagnosis of antibodies produced against Plasmodium spps. ... of malaria patients may be undertaken for study to develop possible future vaccine.

Partial axillary dissection in early breast cancer | El-Fayoumi ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... of later clinical involvement of the axilla and at establishing a sound basis for adjuvant treatment planning axillary dissection is an important operative procedure. ... Methods: Eighteen patients underwent modified radical mastectomy, while the other two patients who were fulfilling the criteria for conservative breast surgery ...

Method card design dimensions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wölfel, Christiane; Merritt, T.

2013-01-01

There are many examples of cards used to assist or provide structure to the design process, yet there has not been a thorough articulation of the strengths and weaknesses of the various examples. We review eighteen card-based design tools in order to understand how they might benefit designers....... The card-based tools are explained in terms of five design dimensions including the intended purpose and scope of use, duration of use, methodology, customization, and formal/material qualities. Our analysis suggests three design patterns or archetypes for existing card-based design method tools...... and highlights unexplored areas in the design space. The paper concludes with recommendations for the future development of card-based methods for the field of interaction design....

Numbers and narratives : Developing a mixed-methods approach to understand mobility in later life

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meijering, Louise; Weitkamp, Gerd

2016-01-01

The aim of this methods-focused article is to explore the potential benefits of integrating GPS, diary and in-depth interview data to gain richer insights into the everyday mobility practices of older adults. Eighteen adults, aged 65-90 years, living in the Netherlands, participated in the study.

Effects of virtual reality-based bilateral upper-extremity training on brain activity in post-stroke patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Su-Hyun; Kim, Yu-Mi; Lee, Byoung-Hee

2015-07-01

[Purpose] This study investigated the therapeutic effects of virtual reality-based bilateral upper-extremity training on brain activity in patients with stroke. [Subjects and Methods] Eighteen chronic stroke patients were divided into two groups: the virtual reality-based bilateral upper-extremity training group (n = 10) and the bilateral upper-limb training group (n = 8). The virtual reality-based bilateral upper-extremity training group performed bilateral upper-extremity exercises in a virtual reality environment, while the bilateral upper-limb training group performed only bilateral upper-extremity exercise. All training was conducted 30 minutes per day, three times per week for six weeks, followed by brain activity evaluation. [Results] Electroencephalography showed significant increases in concentration in the frontopolar 2 and frontal 4 areas, and significant increases in brain activity in the frontopolar 1 and frontal 3 areas in the virtual reality-based bilateral upper-extremity training group. [Conclusion] Virtual reality-based bilateral upper-extremity training can improve the brain activity of stroke patients. Thus, virtual reality-based bilateral upper-extremity training is feasible and beneficial for improving brain activation in stroke patients.

Psychosocial stress in South African patients with type 2 diabetes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samantha Ramkisson

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Objective: Diabetes mellitus is considered an emotionally and behaviourally demanding condition which adds to the stress of a patient’s daily living. There is a paucity of literature in South Africa regarding stress and diabetes. This study therefore aims to identify the areas and contributory factors of psychosocial stress in South African patients with diabetes. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted at two public facilities and five private medical practices on the north coast of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The Questionnaire on Stress in Diabetes – Revised was administered to 401 participants. Results: Eighteen percent of the sample reported having extreme psychosocial stress. Depression, physical complaints and self-medication/diet were the main areas which contributed to high psychosocial stress. Factors that also contributed to high levels of psychosocial stress were low educational level, unemployment, female gender, attending the public sector and high HbA1c levels. Conclusion: Psychosocial stress affects metabolic control in patients with diabetes, thereby increasing the risks of long-term complications.

Automated patient and medication payment method for clinical trials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yawn BP

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Barbara P Yawn,1 Suzanne Madison,1 Susan Bertram,1 Wilson D Pace,2 Anne Fuhlbrigge,3 Elliot Israel,3 Dawn Littlefield,1 Margary Kurland,1 Michael E Wechsler41Olmsted Medical Center, Department of Research, Rochester, MN, 2UCDHSC, Department of Family Medicine, University of Colorado Health Science Centre, Aurora, CO, 3Brigham and Women's Hospital, Pulmonary and Critical Care Division, Boston, MA, 4National Jewish Medical Center, Division of Pulmonology, Denver, CO, USABackground: Published reports and studies related to patient compensation for clinical trials focus primarily on the ethical issues related to appropriate amounts to reimburse for patient's time and risk burden. Little has been published regarding the method of payment for patient participation. As clinical trials move into widely dispersed community practices and more complex designs, the method of payment also becomes more complex. Here we review the decision process and payment method selected for a primary care-based randomized clinical trial of asthma management in Black Americans.Methods: The method selected is a credit card system designed specifically for clinical trials that allows both fixed and variable real-time payments. We operationalized the study design by providing each patient with two cards, one for reimbursement for study visits and one for payment of medication costs directly to the pharmacies.Results: Of the 1015 patients enrolled, only two refused use of the ClinCard, requesting cash payments for visits and only rarely a weekend or fill-in pharmacist refused to use the card system for payment directly to the pharmacy. Overall, the system has been well accepted by patients and local study teams. The ClinCard administrative system facilitates the fiscal accounting and medication adherence record-keeping by the central teams. Monthly fees are modest, and all 12 study institutional review boards approved use of the system without concern for patient

Daratumumab in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone in patients with relapsed or relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Plesner, T.; Arkenau, H. T.; Gimsing, Peter

2015-01-01

%), muscle spasms (44%), cough (38%), diarrhea (34%), fatigue and hypertension (28% each). Only 1 (3%) patient experienced febrile neutropenia (grade 1). Neutropenia was the most frequently (>25%) reported grade 3 or 4 TEAE (75%). Eighteen (56%) patients had IRRs and these were generally mild to moderate...... treatment due to either disease progression (n = 3), treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAE; 1 patient with gastric adenocarcinoma and 1 patient with laryngeal edema that was a grade 3 infusion-related reaction [IRR]), or physician decision (n = 1). The most common (>25%) TEAEs included neutropenia (81...

Individualized management for intracranial vertebral artery dissecting aneurysms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

SHANG Yan-guo

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Objective To discuss the individualized management strategy for intracranial vertebral artery dissecting aneurysms. Methods Eighteen patients with intracranial vertebral artery dissecting aneurysms were treated with different surgical methods. Results Eighteen patients underwent different surgical treatment. Five patients underwent complete occlusion of the aneurysm and parent artery by coiling, 5 were treated by stent -assisted coiling (3 densely packed coiling and 2 non-densely packed coiling, 4 underwent stent-only therapy and 3 of them presented hemodynamic improvement after surgery, 3 were treated by direct surgical clipping, and 1 underwent occipital artery-posterior inferior cerebellar artery bypass. Two aneurysms ruptured immaturely, in which one patient died on the third day after operation and one patient occurred moderate disablity. Only 1 patient who underwent complete occlusion of aneurysm and parent artery presented temporarily ischemic symptoms. No adverse effects were seen in other patients. Seventeen patients were followed up for 1 month to 3 years, and all the aneurysms were stable. Conclusion There are many kinds of therapeutic methods for intracranial vertebral artery dissecting aneurysms. The patients should be treated according to several factors such as the clinical manifestations, aneurysm configuration, and relationship with the posterior inferior cerebellar artery. The treatment should be individualized.

Availability of cosmetic treatment using novel cosmetics-based material on patients with craniofacial concavity.

Science.gov (United States)

Koyama, Shigeto; Kanetaka, Hiroyasu; Sagehashi, Yoshinori; Sasaki, Keiichi; Sato, Naoko

2018-03-08

Patients treated with maxillofacial prosthetics often experience emotional problems because of the remaining facial skin concavity such as a surgical scar. In such cases, cosmetic treatment can potentially correct their skin tone imperfections and deformities. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical availability of novel cosmetics-based material for craniofacial small concavity by initiating a cosmetic treatment in a preliminary case. Eighteen patients with aesthetic problems such as craniofacial deformities, small defects, and concavities on their faces underwent cosmetic treatment that was performed by makeup practitioners. Data were collected from the patient's charts and a survey questionnaire. A visual analog scale was used to conduct a survey regarding the satisfaction levels of the patients following cosmetic treatment with a novel cosmetics-based material. The cosmetic treatment was performed for a concavity on the left midface of a 67-year-old woman with partial maxillectomy. The novel cosmetics-based material was manufactured from a semi-translucent oil base. The satisfaction level of the patient increased after undergoing the cosmetic treatment. Regarding clinical applications, the novel cosmetics-based material can help reduce their cosmetic disturbance and restore the small deformity. These results suggest that the cosmetic treatment with the novel cosmetics-based material can be used as a subsidiary method for facial prostheses or an independent new method for correcting patients' small craniofacial concavity and for reducing visible deformity. Copyright © 2018 Japan Prosthodontic Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Methods to improve patient recruitment and retention in stroke trials

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Berge, Eivind; Stapf, Christian; Al-Shahi Salman, Rustam

2016-01-01

Background: The success of randomized-controlled stroke trials is dependent on the recruitment and retention of a sufficient number of patients, but fewer than half of all trials meet their target number of patients. Methods: We performed a search and review of the literature, and conducted...... a survey and workshop among 56 European stroke trialists, to identify barriers, suggest methods to improve recruitment and retention, and make a priority list of interventions that merit further evaluation. Results: The survey and workshop identified a number of barriers to patient recruitment...... and retention, from patients’ incapacity to consent, to handicaps that prevent patients from participation in trial-specific follow-up. Methods to improve recruitment and retention may include simple interventions with individual participants, funding of research networks, and reimbursement of new treatments...

Switching from high doses of pure u-opioid agonists to transdermal buprenorphine in patients with cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lundorff, Lena; Sjøgren, Per; Hansen, Ole Bo

2013-01-01

) brief pain inventory; 3) pain relief and pain intensity; 4) quality of life; and 5) adverse events and symptoms. RESULTS: Eighteen patients receiving 150-516 mg of morphine/day were included. The buprenorphine dose at the end of the study varied between 52.5 and 140 μg/h. No difference in pain before...

The Prevalance of Diabetes in Psoriatic Patients Versus the Prevalance of Psoriasis in Diabetic Patients

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Nahide Onsun

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Background and Design: Previous studies reported that there are some relations between psoriasis and the diabetes mellitus. However, incidence rates of diabetes mellitus in psoriasis and also incidence rates of psoriasis in diabetes mellitus are lacking.Our aim was to assess and compare incidence rates of diabetes mellitus in patients with psoriasis and incidence rates of psorasis in diabetes mellitus and also evaluate the role of psoriasis as a risk factor for diabetes mellitus. Material and Method: Four hundred eighteen patients with psoriasis and one hundred fifty four patients with diabetes were included. Blood glucose, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT, glycolised hemoglobine (HbA1C were performed in psoriatic patients and these results were consulted with diabetes clinic. Psoriasis screening by clinical history, dermatologic examination, skin biopsy; if it is necessary were held for patients with diabetes. Results: Prevalance of diabetes was 9.3% in psoriatic patients; prevalance of psoriasis was 1.3% in diabetic patients. The proportion of diabetes was significantly higher in psoriatic patients compared to the proportion of psoriasis in diabetic patients (odds ratio (OR: 7.82, confidence interval (CI: 1.86-32.79, p=0.001. The age and sex-adjusted proportion of diabetes was significantly higher in psoriatic patients as compared the proportion of psoriasis in diabetic patients (OR: 18.35, p<0.001. Differences of mean duration of disease and mean PASİ (psorasis area severity index were not significant between the psoriatic patients without diabetes mellitus and with diabetes mellitus.Conclusion: Risk rate of diabetes is increased in psoriatic patients. Chronic inflammation may lead insulin resistance and diabetes. We think that development of diabetes in patients with psoriasis depends on chronic inflammation. Unfortunately we could not assess the role of therapeutical agents especially effect of potent corticosteroids in development of

A Multi-Method Approach to Studying the Relationship between Character Strengths and Vocational Interests in Adolescents

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Proyer, Rene T.; Sidler, Nicole; Weber, Marco; Ruch, Willibald

2012-01-01

The relationship between character strengths and vocational interests was tested. In an online study, 197 thirteen to eighteen year-olds completed a questionnaire measuring character strengths and a multi-method measure for interests (questionnaire, nonverbal test, and objective personality tests). The main findings were that intellectual…

Skin sparing mastectomy: Technique and suggested methods of reconstruction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farahat, A.M.; Hashim, T.; Soliman, H.O.; Manie, T.M.; Soliman, O.M.

2014-01-01

To demonstrate the feasibility and accessibility of performing adequate mastectomy to extirpate the breast tissue, along with en-block formal axillary dissection performed from within the same incision. We also compared different methods of immediate breast reconstruction used to fill the skin envelope to achieve the best aesthetic results. Methods: 38 patients with breast cancer underwent skin-sparing mastectomy with formal axillary clearance, through a circum-areolar incision. Immediate breast reconstruction was performed using different techniques to fill in the skin envelope. Two reconstruction groups were assigned; group 1: Autologus tissue transfer only (n= 24), and group 2: implant augmentation (n= 14). Autologus tissue transfer: The techniques used included filling in the skin envelope using Extended Latissimus Dorsi flap (18 patients) and Pedicled TRAM flap (6 patients). Augmentation with implants: Subpectoral implants(4 patients), a rounded implant placed under the pectoralis major muscle to augment an LD reconstructed breast. LD pocket (10 patients), an anatomical implant placed over the pectoralis major muscle within a pocket created by the LD flap. No contra-lateral procedure was performed in any of the cases to achieve symmetry. Results: All cases underwent adequate excision of the breast tissue along with en-block complete axillary clearance (when indicated), without the need for an additional axillary incision. Eighteen patients underwent reconstruction using extended LD flaps only, six had TRAM flaps, four had augmentation using implants placed below the pectoralis muscle along with LD flaps, and ten had implants placed within the LD pocket. Breast shape, volume and contour were successfully restored in all patients. Adequate degree of ptosis was achieved, to ensure maximal symmetry. Conclusions: Skin Sparing mastectomy through a circum-areolar incision has proven to be a safe and feasible option for the management of breast cancer in Egyptian

Noninvasive evaluation of regional myocardial perfusion in 112 patients using a mobile scintillation camera and intravenous nitrogen-13 labeled ammonia

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Walsh, W.F.; Harper, P.V.; Resnekov, L.; Fill, H.

1976-08-01

The short half-life positron emitter /sup 13/N, as labeled ammonia (/sup 13/NH/sub 4//sup +/), was evaluated as a myocardial imaging agent. Regional myocardial uptake of /sup 13/NH/sub 4/ correlated with the distribution of labeled microspheres in experimental myocardial infarction. Using intravenous /sup 13/NH/sub 4//sup +/, myocardial scintigraphy was performed in 85 cardiac patients and 27 normal subjects. Ninety-five scintigrams were suitable for analysis. Eighteen of 24 normal subjects had homogeneous myocardial images; six had inhomogeneous images attributable to early technical problems. Perfusion defects were observed in the scintigrams of 82% (57/65) of patients with coronary artery disease, being most common in patients with myocardial infarction (27/28). Six sequential studies showed changes in perfusion consistent with the clinical course of each patient. Scintigraphic abnormalities were also observed in 4/6 patients with valvular heart disease. /sup 13/NH/sub 4//sup +/ myocardial scintigraphy is a valid and sensitive method of assessing regional myocardial perfusion and is especially useful for sequential imaging at short intervals.

Hemorrhagic and thrombotic complications in patients with myeloproliferative diseases

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Carla Valladares Vignal

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To correlate the incidence of hemorrhage and thrombosis to bleeding time (BT and platelet aggregation in 27 consecutive patients with myeloproliferative diseases (MPD. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Public tertiary referral center. PATIENTS: Eighteen patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML, 5 with polycytemia vera (PV, 2 with essential thrombocytemia (ET and 2 with idiopathic myelofibrosis (MF. Duke's BT and epinephrine-induced platelet aggregation were performed on the patients and on 10 healthy individuals. RESULTS: Eleven patients presented symptoms (41 %: 9 with hemorrhage (33% and 5 with thrombosis (19%.There were less symptomatic patients in the CML group (28% than in the other MPD (67%, without statistical significance (Fisher, p=0.06. Duke's BT was longer in symptomatic patients (Mann-Whitney, p<0.05. Platelet aggregation was abnormal in 7 patients (26% and 71% of them were symptomatic (Fisher, p = 0.07. CONCLUSIONS: The high incidence of bleeding and thrombosis in patients with MPD was related to prolonged BT, but not to platelet aggregation abnormalities.

Monteggia fracture dislocation equivalents - analysis of eighteen cases treated by open reduction and internal fixation

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Singh Ajay Pal

2012-02-01

Full Text Available 【Abstract】 Objective: Monteggia fracture dislocation equivalent, though already described by Bado, is still an unclassified entity. We aimed to retrospectively analyze 18 cases of Monteggia variants and discuss the injury mechanisms, management, and outcome along with a review of the literature. Methods: A retrospective record of Monteggia fracture dislocation (2003-2008 was reviewed from medical record department of our institute. Classic Monteggia fracture dislocation, children below 12 years or adults over 50 years, as well as open grade II & III cases were excluded from this study. Monteggia variant inclusion criteria included fracture of the proximal ulna together with a fracture of the radial head or neck and skeletal maturity. Totally 26 patients were identified with Monteggia variants and 18 were available for follow-up, including 11 males and 7 females with the mean age of 35 years. The ulna fracture was treated by compression plating along with tension band wiring. Radial head/neck was reconstructed in 12 patients while excised in 6 patients. Results: Follow-up ranged from 1-4 years, mean 2.6 years. Patients were assessed clinicoradiologically. Mayo Elbow Performance Score was employed to assess the outcomes. At final follow-up, the results were excellent in 10 patients, good in 4, fair in 2 and poor in 2. Mean range of motion of the elbow was 20°, 116°, 50° and 55° for extension, flexion, pronation and supination, respectively. Two patients had complications in the form of heterotopic ossification and stiffness of the elbow. One nonunion ulna, primarily treated by tension band wiring, was managed by refixation with locking reconstruction plate and bone grafting. Bone grafting was only required in this patient for nonunion. Another patient had implants removed on his request. The results in our series closely correlated with extent of intraarticular damage, coronoid fracture and comminuted fractures. Conclusions: Monteggia

Patient satisfaction with doctor-patient interactions: a mixed methods study among diabetes mellitus patients in Pakistan.

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Jalil, Aisha; Zakar, Rubeena; Zakar, Muhammad Zakria; Fischer, Florian

2017-02-21

Patient satisfaction with doctor-patient interactions is an indicator of physicians' competence. The satisfaction of diabetes patients is rarely studied in public diabetes clinics of Pakistan. Thus, this study aims to analyse the association between patient satisfaction and five dimensions of medical interaction: technical expertise, interpersonal aspects, communication, consultation time, and access/availability. A cross-sectional mixed methods study was conducted during July and August 2015 in the largest public diabetes outpatient clinic in Punjab province. We used the criterion sampling method to identify 1164 patients who: (i) were adult (18 years and above), (ii) had diabetes mellitus, (iii) had made at least three previous visits to the same clinic. The data was collected through face-to-face interviews. The structured part of the questionnaire was based on demographic characteristics and the Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire (PSQ-III). We translated the questionnaire into Urdu and pretested it with 25 patients in a similar context. Data storage and analysis were carried out using SPSS (version 22.0). Bivariate analyses and multinomial logistic regression model were used to generate the quantitative findings. Out of the 1164 eligible patients approached for interviews, 1095 patients completed the structured questionnaire and 186 respondents provided qualitative information in comments section. We conducted a thematic content analysis of qualitative responses in order to explain the quantitative findings. Demographic characteristics such as gender, education and occupation were significantly associated with the levels of patient satisfaction. The dimensions of doctor-patient interaction were significantly associated with patient satisfaction: technical expertise (OR = .87; 95% CI = .84-.91), interpersonal aspects (OR = .82; 95% CI = .77-.87), communication (OR = .83; 95% CI = .78-.89), time dimension (OR = .90; 95% CI = .81

Radiographic and 2-D echocardiographic findings in eighteen cats experimentally exposed to D. immitis via mosquito bites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Selcer, B.A.; Newell, S.M.; Mansour, A.E.; McCall, J.W.

1996-01-01

Eighteen cats were exposed to Dirofilaria immitis infected mosquitoes. Thoracic radiography was performed prior to exposure and at 5, 7, and 9 month intervals following exposure. Immunologic testing for adult heartworm antigen was performed on days 168, 195, 210, 224, 237, 254 and 271 post infection. Necropsies were performed on all cats. Adult heartworms were found in 61% of the exposed cats. Radiographic findings in heartworm positive cats included bronchointerstitial lung disease, lobar pulmonary arterial enlargement and pulmonary hyperinflation. In most heartworm positive cats, lobar arterial enlargement resolved as the disease progressed while pulmonary hyperinflation progressively became more common. Pulmonary patterns in heartworm positive cats remained abnormal throughout the study while abnormal pulmonary patterns resolved in over 50% of the heartworm negative cats. Cardiomegaly was seen in less than 50% of the cats with adult heartworms at necropsy. This study suggests that the radiographic appearance of heartworm disease is variable and radiographic changes are dependent on the time post infection at which cats are evaluated. Echocardiographic examinations were randomly performed on 16 of 18 cats. Heartworms were identified in 7 cats. No false positive identifications were made. Persistent pulmonary disease accompanied by resolving vascular disease in heartworm cats with pulmonary hyperinflation may be difficult to distinguish from cats with feline allergic lung. Echocardiograms may be helpful in identifying adult heartworms in cats in which the radiographic signs or immunodiagnostic data are insufficient to provide a diagnosis

Evaluation of crossed cerebellar diaschisis in 30 patients with major cerebral artery occlusion by means of quantitative I-123 IMP SPECT

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Miyazawa, Nobuhiko; Toyama, Keiji; Arbab, A.S.; Arai, Takao; Nukui, Hideaki [Yamanashi Medical Univ., Tamaho (Japan); Koizumi, Kiyoshi

2001-12-01

Quantitative crossed cerebellar diaschisis (CCD) and the correlation with a reduction in supratentorial regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and cerebrovascular reserve capacity (CVR) were investigated in clinically stable patients with major cerebral artery occlusion by the iodine-123-N-isopropyl-p-iodoamphetamine (I-123 IMP) single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) method. Thirty patients with major cerebral artery occlusion underwent SPECT by the I-123 IMP autoradiographic method. Regional CBF was measured in the cerebral hemisphere, frontal and parietal lobes, temporo-parietal lobe, and cerebellum both at rest and after administration of acetazolamide. Eighteen of 30 patients (60%) had CCD. CCD was significantly related to magnetic resonance imaging evidence of infarction. Quantitative CCD was 17% and the CVR in the cerebellum was preserved in patients with CCD. There was a significant difference in CBF and CVR between the affected and normal sides in all regions of interest in the patients without CCD [CBF (ml/100 g/min): hemisphere (H), normal side (N): 31.4{+-}6.8, affected side (A): 27.5{+-}7.4; p<0.05. CVR: H, N: 0.56{+-}0.38, A: 0.42{+-}0.18; p<0.01]. CCD is common in patients with major cerebral artery occlusion, and quantitative I-123 IMP SPECT is helpful in detecting CCD in clinically stable patients with occlusion of major cerebral arteries. (author)

Online Learning of Safe Patient Transfers in Occupational Therapy Education

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Cynthia L. Hayden D. H. Ed., OTR/L, CHT

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Online higher education is steadily increasing. For programs in allied health to be offered effectively in an elearning format, clinical psychomotor skills need to be addressed. The aim of this research was to design, implement, and evaluate an online safe patient transfers module for occupational therapy assistant (OTAstudents. The efficacy of teaching safe patient transfers in an e-learning environment was appraised using both quantitative and qualitative analysis. The applied research project was completed at a Tennessee community college. A convenience sample of eighteen students participated in the pilot study. Twenty-five studentsparticipated in the subsequent study. The instructional design of the course was based on Mager’s CriterionReferenced Instruction model. Streaming video was used as the delivery method for course material. A pretest/posttest evaluated the students’ cognitive knowledge of safe patient transfers. A behavioral transferscompetency checklist was used to rate videotapes of students’ performance of assisted stand pivot and dependent sliding board transfers. Research findings indicated students were able to learn this psychomotor clinical skill online with beginning proficiency. A paired t-test showed marked improvement of cognitive knowledge. A student learning survey revealed the majority of students preferred at least one hands-on classroom session where instructor feedback and interaction with classmates confirmed safe and effectiveclinical technique.

Comparison of objective methods for assessment of annoyance of low frequency noise with the results of a laboratory listening test

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Poulsen, Torben

2003-01-01

Subjective assessments made by test persons were compared to results from a number of objective measurement and calculation methods for the assessment of low frequency noise. Eighteen young persons with normal hearing listened to eight environmental low frequency noises and evaluated the annoyance...

Evolution of the Proximal Sealing Rings of the Anaconda Stent-Graft After Endovascular Aneurysm Repair

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Koenrades, Maaike A.; Klein, Almar; Leferink, Anne M.; Slump, Cornelis H.; Geelkerken, Robert H.

2018-01-01

Purpose: To provide insight into the evolution of the saddle-shaped proximal sealing rings of the Anaconda stent-graft after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). Methods: Eighteen abdominal aortic aneurysm patients were consecutively enrolled in a single-center, prospective, observational cohort

Sucralfate paste enema: a new method of topical treatment for haemorrhagic radiation proctitis.

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McElvanna, K; Wilson, A; Irwin, T

2014-04-01

Rectal sucralfate has been reported to deliver clinical improvement in haemorrhagic radiation proctitis, but patients with active proctitis find the enema suspension difficult to retain thus reducing compliance and effectiveness. We describe a novel method of rectal administration via a low-volume sucralfate paste and report its results in a series of 23 patients. Patients with rectal bleeding occurring more than 6 months after radiotherapy were shown how to prepare and self-administer sucralfate paste enemas (SPEs) twice daily for 6 weeks. The SPE was prepared using two sucralfate 1-g tablets mixed with 4.5 ml of water in an enema applicator producing a low-volume paste. The clinical response was evaluated by comparison of pre- and posttreatment clinical proctitis scores (Radiation Therapy Oncology Group/European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer). Eighteen male (postprostatic radiotherapy) and five female (postcervical radiotherapy) patients with a median age of 67 (32-75) years were included. The median interval between pelvic irradiation and SPE treatment was 24 (7-69) months. Twenty-two patients had full clinical scoring, of whom 16 (73%) demonstrated clinical improvement. Six (27%) had neither clinical improvement nor deterioration. Seven (32%) had resolution of all symptoms. Most patients demonstrated clinical improvement. This initial experience of the sucralfate paste enema may provide the basis for a prospective study of its effectiveness in the treatment of haemorrhagic radiation proctitis. Colorectal Disease © 2013 The Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland.

An configuration method of patient service cloud for the home patient with multi sensor network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noji, Tamotsu; Arino, Masashi; Saito, Mayuko; Horii, Minoru; Ogino, Tadashi; Suto, Yasuzo; Sasaki, Hitoshi; Mansei, Kouiti

2010-01-01

We are advancing the research of patient service cloud in the global medical collaboration network system based on 3D electronic referral letters. In this paper it proposes one configuration method of private cloud that aims at the home care patient's health care and independence support based on voice navigation system (VONAVS). We evaluate 3D image compression rate, try image compositing Cloud's configuration by the multi sensor network, and search for the configuration method of the remote image diagnosis. The proposed configuration method expands the possibility to the global medical collaboration network system for new large areas such as a telemedicine, an emergency care, and home medical care. (author)

Opposite effects of sleep deprivation on the continuous reaction times in patients with liver cirrhosis and normal persons.

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Lauridsen, Mette Munk; Frøjk, Jesper; de Muckadell, Ove B Schaffalitzky; Vilstrup, Hendrik

2014-09-01

The continuous reaction times (CRT) method describes arousal functions. Reaction time instability in a patient with liver disease indicates covert hepatic encephalopathy (cHE). The effects of sleep deprivation are unknown although cirrhosis patients frequently suffer from sleep disorders. The aim of this study was to determine if sleep deprivation influences the CRT test. Eighteen cirrhosis patients and 27 healthy persons were tested when rested and after one night's sleep deprivation. The patients filled out validated sleep quality questionnaires. Seven patients (38%) had unstable reaction times (a CRTindex sleep that was not related to their CRT tests before or after the sleep deprivation. In the healthy participants, the sleep deprivation slowed their reaction times by 11% (p sleep deprivation normalized or improved the reaction time stability of the patients with a CRTindex below 1.9 and had no effect in the patients with a CRTindex above 1.9. There was no relation between reported sleep quality and reaction time results. Thus, in cirrhosis patients, sleep disturbances do not lead to 'falsely' slowed and unstable reaction times. In contrast, the acute sleep deprivation slowed and destabilized the reaction times of the healthy participants. This may have negative consequences for decision-making.

Parameters affecting the tidal volume during expiratory abdominal compression in patients with prolonged tracheostomy mechanical ventilation.

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Morino, Akira; Shida, Masahiro; Tanaka, Masashi; Sato, Kimihiro; Seko, Toshiaki; Ito, Shunsuke; Ogawa, Shunichi; Takahashi, Naoaki

2015-07-01

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to clarify physical parameters affecting the tidal volume during expiratory abdominal compression in patients with prolonged tracheostomy mechanical ventilation. [Methods] Eighteen patients with prolonged mechanical ventilation were included in this study. Expiratory abdominal compression was performed on patients lying in a supine position. The abdomen above the navel was vertically compressed in synchronization with expiration and released with inspiration. We measured the tidal volume during expiratory abdominal compression. [Results] The mean tidal volume during expiratory abdominal compression was higher than that at rest (430.6 ± 127.1 mL vs. 344.0 ± 94.3 mL). The tidal volume during expiratory abdominal compression was correlated with weight, days of ventilator support, dynamic compliance and abdominal expansion. Stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that weight (β = 0.499), dynamic compliance (β = 0.387), and abdominal expansion (β = 0.365) were factors contributing to the tidal volume during expiratory abdominal compression. [Conclusion] Expiratory abdominal compression increased the tidal volume in patients with prolonged tracheostomy mechanical ventilation. The tidal volume during expiratory abdominal compression was influenced by each of the pulmonary conditions and the physical characteristics.

Molecular analysis of the eighteen most frequent mutations in the BRCA1 gene in 63 Chilean breast cancer families

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LILIAN JARA

2004-01-01

Full Text Available BRCA1 gene mutations account for nearly all families with multiple cases of both early onset breast and/or ovarian cancer and about 30% of hereditary breast cancer. Although to date more than 1,237 distinct mutations, polymorphisms, and variants have been described, several mutations have been found to be recurrent in this gene. We have analyzed 63 Chilean breast/ovarian cancer families for eighteen frequent BRCA1 mutations. The analysis of the five exons and two introns in which these mutations are located was made using mismatch PCR assay, ASO hybridization assay, restriction fragment analysis, allele specific PCR assay and direct sequentiation techniques. Two BRCA1 mutations (185delAG and C61G and one variant of unknown significance (E1250K were found in four of these families. Also, a new mutation (4185delCAAG and one previously described polymorphism (E1038G were found in two other families. The 185delAG was found in a 3.17 % of the families and the others were present only in one of the families of this cohort. Therefore these mutations are not prominent in the Chilean population. The variant of unknown significance and the polymorphism detected could represent a founder effect of Spanish origin

Stochastic Methods in Biology

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Kallianpur, Gopinath; Hida, Takeyuki

1987-01-01

The use of probabilistic methods in the biological sciences has been so well established by now that mathematical biology is regarded by many as a distinct dis­ cipline with its own repertoire of techniques. The purpose of the Workshop on sto­ chastic methods in biology held at Nagoya University during the week of July 8-12, 1985, was to enable biologists and probabilists from Japan and the U. S. to discuss the latest developments in their respective fields and to exchange ideas on the ap­ plicability of the more recent developments in stochastic process theory to problems in biology. Eighteen papers were presented at the Workshop and have been grouped under the following headings: I. Population genetics (five papers) II. Measure valued diffusion processes related to population genetics (three papers) III. Neurophysiology (two papers) IV. Fluctuation in living cells (two papers) V. Mathematical methods related to other problems in biology, epidemiology, population dynamics, etc. (six papers) An important f...

Flow-Mediated Dilatation and Asymmetric Dimethylarginine Do Not Predict Mortality in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients

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Sami Uzun

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Aim: Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA is associated with increased coronary artery disease risk through endothelial dysfunction in dialysis patients. We aimed to investigate the role of flow-mediated dilatation (FMD, a non-invasive indicator of endothelial function, and ADMA in mortality in peritoneal dialysis (PD patients. Methods: PD patients aged 18-80 years; with dialysis duration of at least three months were included. FMD measurement and ADMA levels were recorded. Outcome of the patients on the third year were analyzed with binary logistic analyses. Results: The mean age of the 55 patients was 53±15 years and the mean follow-up duration was 36 months. Mean FMD and ADMA levels were 10.6±6.4% and 81.8±48.0 mol/L, respectively. Eighteen patients died during follow-up. Age, presence of diabetes mellitus and ischemic heart disease, ultrafiltration amount and serum albumin level were related with mortality while gender, weekly Kt/V and ADMA levels were not. There was no significant relationship between ADMA level and FMD (p=0.873. FMD was negatively correlated with systolic and diastolic blood pressures (p=0.001, p<0.001, respectively. Hypertension was found to be the most important single factor determining FMD (p=0.037. Conclusion: Estimating endothelial function by FMD or measuring serum ADMA levels may not be useful for predicting mortality in PD patients.

Synovial deposition of wild-type transthyretin-derived amyloid in knee joint osteoarthritis patients.

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Takanashi, Tetsuo; Matsuda, Masayuki; Yazaki, Masahide; Yamazaki, Hideshi; Nawata, Masashi; Katagiri, Yoshiki; Ikeda, Shu-Ichi

2013-09-01

To investigate histological features of deposited amyloid in the synovial tissue and its clinical significance in knee joint osteoarthritis (OA) patients. We prospectively enrolled 232 consecutive patients who underwent arthroplasty or total replacement of the knee joint for treatment of OA. Congo red staining and immunohistochemistry were performed in the synovial tissue obtained at surgery. When transthyretin (TTR)-derived amyloid was positive, we analyzed all 4 exons of the TTR gene using the direct DNA sequencing method in order to detect mutations. We analyzed 322 specimens in this study. Twenty-six specimens (8.1%) obtained from 21 patients (5 men and 16 women; mean, 79.0 ± 4.6 years) showed deposition of amyloid, which was positively stained with the anti-TTR antibody. Eighteen patients showed inhomogeneous accumulations of amyloid in the loose connective tissue under the synovial epithelia sometimes with nodule formation, while in the remaining three, small vessels in the adipose tissue were involved. Medical records of these patients revealed nothing remarkable in the clinical course, laboratory data or macroscopic intraarticular findings at surgery. No mutations were detectable in the TTR gene analysis. Wild-type TTR-derived amyloid may affect the synovial tissue as a result of long-term mechanical stress or as a part of senile systemic amyloidosis in approximately 8% of knee joint OA patients. No obvious clinical significance was found in synovial deposition of amyloid.

Peritonitis related to percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy using the direct method for cancer patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Osera, Shozo; Yano, Tomonori; Odagaki, Tomoyuki; Oono, Yasuhiro; Ikematsu, Hiroaki; Ohtsu, Atsushi; Kaneko, Kazuhiro

2015-10-01

Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) using the direct method is generally indicated for cancer patients. However, there are little available data about peritonitis related to this method. The aim of this retrospective analysis was to assess peritonitis related to PEG using the direct method in patients with cancer. We assessed the prevalence of peritonitis and the relationship between peritonitis and patients' backgrounds, as well as the clinical course after peritonitis. Between December 2008 and December 2011, peritonitis was found in 9 (2.1 %) of 421 patients. Of the 9 patients with peritonitis, 4 had received PEG prior to chemoradiotherapy. Emergency surgical drainage was required in 1 patient, and the remaining 8 recovered with conservative treatment. Peritonitis occurred within 8 days of PEG for 8 of the 9 patients and occurred within 2 days of suture removal for 4 of the 9 patients. Peritonitis related to PEG using the direct method was less frequent for cancer patients. Peritonitis tended to occur within a few days after removal of securing suture and in patients with palliative stage.

Does sharing the electronic health record in the consultation enhance patient involvement? A mixed-methods study using multichannel video recording and in-depth interviews in primary care.

Science.gov (United States)

Milne, Heather; Huby, Guro; Buckingham, Susan; Hayward, James; Sheikh, Aziz; Cresswell, Kathrin; Pinnock, Hilary

2016-06-01

Sharing the electronic health-care record (EHR) during consultations has the potential to facilitate patient involvement in their health care, but research about this practice is limited. We used multichannel video recordings to identify examples and examine the practice of screen-sharing within 114 primary care consultations. A subset of 16 consultations was viewed by the general practitioner and/or patient in 26 reflexive interviews. Screen-sharing emerged as a significant theme and was explored further in seven additional patient interviews. Final analysis involved refining themes from interviews and observation of videos to understand how screen-sharing occurred, and its significance to patients and professionals. Eighteen (16%) of 114 videoed consultations involved instances of screen-sharing. Screen-sharing occurred in six of the subset of 16 consultations with interviews and was a significant theme in 19 of 26 interviews. The screen was shared in three ways: 'convincing' the patient of a diagnosis or treatment; 'translating' between medical and lay understandings of disease/medication; and by patients 'verifying' the accuracy of the EHR. However, patients and most GPs perceived the screen as the doctor's domain, not to be routinely viewed by the patient. Screen-sharing can facilitate patient involvement in the consultation, depending on the way in which sharing comes about, but the perception that the record belongs to the doctor is a barrier. To exploit the potential of sharing the screen to promote patient involvement, there is a need to reconceptualise and redesign the EHR. © 2014 The Authors Health Expectations Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Group B streptococcal bacteremia in a major teaching hospital in Malaysia: a case series of eighteen patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Eskandarian, N; Neela, V; Ismail, Z; Puzi, S M; Hamat, R A; Desa, M N M; Nordin, S A

2013-09-01

Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a leading cause of infections such as meningitis and septicemia in neonates and pregnant women; however the significance of invasive GBS disease has not been clearly defined in non-pregnant adults. We reviewed the hospital records of 18 cases with GBS bacteremia who attended the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre from June 2010 to October 2011. We analyzed the clinical findings of both bacteremic adults and neonates and compared them to previous studies of GBS bacteremia. Serotyping was done by latex agglutination test using 10 distinct antisera (Ia, Ib, and II-IX). During the period of 1 year and 4 months, there were 18 patients with GBS bacteremia. Five cases occurred in neonates, one in a parturient woman, and 12 in other adults. All neonates with bacteremia were males and two of them were premature. Septicemia was the most common clinical presentation in neonates. They were treated with intravenous (IV) penicillin G and gentamicin. The adults included nine men (69%) and four women (31%). Their mean age was 60 years and all patients had more than two underlying conditions. The most common clinical syndrome was pneumonia (n=6, 46.5%). The others were peritonitis (n=3, 23.1%), primary bacteremia (n=2, 15.5%), septic arthritis (n=2, 15.5%), skin and soft tissue infection (n=1, 7.7%), meningitis (n=1, 8%), urinary tract infection (n=1, 8%), and intravascular device infection (n=1, 7.7%). Cardiovascular diseases (n=7, 53.8%) were the most common underlying conditions, and diabetes mellitus (n=5, 38.5%) was second. The other co-morbid conditions were hyperlipidemia (n=3, 23.1%), renal disease (n=3, 23.1%), liver disease and/or alcohol abuse (n=3, 23.1%), autoimmune disease or immunosuppressive condition (n=2, 15.5%), malignancy (n=2, 15.5%), respiratory disease (n=1, 8%), and postpartum condition (n=1, 8%), as well as miscellaneous conditions including intravenous drug abuse, HIV infection, and trauma (n=2, 15

Orthostatic Hypotension in Drug-Naïve Patients with Parkinson’s Disease

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Hyo-Jin Bae

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Background and Purpose Orthostatic hypotension (OH is known to be present even in patients with early Parkinson’s disease (PD. To affirm the presence of OH and find correlation between OH and other dysautonomic symptoms in PD, this study has done in newly-diagnosed PD patients. Methods Forty-five non-demented patients with no prior history of treatment for PD were recruited (17 men, 63.8 ± 10.1 years of age. All the patients were evaluated for OH before starting medications. Autonomic symptoms were evaluated with structured questionnaires. Clinical characteristics of PD were evaluated (median Hoehn and Yahr stage 2.0 (1–3, 1.3 ± 1.1 years of disease duration, and comorbid medical conditions that could affect blood pressure were also recorded. Results OH was prevalent, and eighteen patients (40% showed orthostatic hypotension, and twenty-seven (60% did not (normotensive group. There was no significant difference in demographic and clinical characteristics between groups. The presence or severity of symptoms of autonomic dysfunction in the OH group also not differed from those of the normotensive group. Conclusions OH was prevalent even in the early stage of PD, and was not related to presence or severity of any other symptoms of autonomic dysfunction. Our findings suggest that clinicians should pay attention to OH from the early stage of disease.

The Olson method for detection of acute myocardial ischemia in patients with coronary occlusion.

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Lindow, Thomas; Olson, Charles W; Swenne, Cees A; Man, Sumche; Pahlm, Olle

An automated ECG-based method may provide diagnostic support in the management of patients with acute coronary syndrome. The Olson method has previously proved to accurately identify the culprit artery in patients with acute coronary occlusion. The Olson method was applied to 360 patients without acute myocardial ischemia and 52 patients with acute coronary occlusion. This study establishes the normal variation of the Olson wall scores in patients without acute myocardial ischemia, which provides the basis for implementation of the Olson method for triage of patients with acute coronary syndrome. All patients with acute occlusion had Olson wall scores above the upper limit of normal. The Olson method can be used for ischemia detection with very high sensitivity. Future studies are needed to explore specificity in patients with non-ischemic ST elevation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

eHealth for inflammatory bowel disease self-management - the patient perspective.

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Con, Danny; Jackson, Belinda; Gray, Kathleen; De Cruz, Peter

2017-09-01

Electronic health (eHealth) solutions may help address the growing pressure on IBD outpatient services as they encompass a component of self-management. However, information regarding patients' attitudes towards the use of eHealth solutions in IBD is lacking. The aim of this study was to evaluate eHealth technology use and explore the perspectives of IBD patients on what constitutes the ideal eHealth solution to facilitate self-management. A mixed methods qualitative and quantitative analysis of the outcomes of a discussion forum and an online survey conducted at a tertiary hospital in Melbourne, Australia between November 2015 and January 2016 was undertaken. Eighteen IBD patients and parents participated in the discussion forum. IBD patients expressed interest in eHealth tools that are convenient and improve access to care, communication, disease monitoring and adherence. Eighty six patients with IBD responded to the online survey. A majority of patients owned a mobile phone (98.8%), had access to the internet (97.7%), and felt confident entering data onto a phone or computer (73.3%). Most patients (98.8%) were willing to use at least one form of information and communication technology to help manage their IBD. Smartphone apps and internet websites were the two most preferred technologies to facilitate IBD self-management. This study demonstrates the willifngness of patients to engage with eHealth as a potential solution to facilitate IBD self-management. Future development and testing of eHealth solutions should be informed by all major stakeholders including patients to maximise their uptake and efficacy to facilitate IBD self-management.

Methods for teaching effective patient communication techniques to radiography students.

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Makely, S

1990-07-01

Teaching students to communicate effectively with patients has always been part of the radiography curriculum in the USA. However, developing these skills has become even more important in recent times due to several factors. Patients who have been well versed in what to expect from the examination being conducted are in a better position to co-operate with the radiographer. This increases the chances of producing optimal results from an examination at the first attempt, thus reducing radiation exposure, patient discomfort and the overall cost of conducting the procedure. Also, increased competition among health care providers has resulted in more emphasis being placed on patient, or customer, satisfaction. Radiographers are in the 'front line' of patient care. Patients often have more interaction with radiographers than with physicians or other medical specialists. Radiographers who practise effective communication techniques with their patients can alleviate anxiety and make an important contribution to the overall satisfaction of the patient with respect to the quality of service and care they receive. This article describes instructional methods being used in the USA to help develop effective patient communication techniques, and reports the findings of a study among radiography educators as to which of these methods are thought to be most successful.

Arius and the Three Hundred and Eighteen Orthodox Fathers in the Ethiopian Tradition

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Jacques-Noël Pérès

2015-04-01

Full Text Available What do today’s Ethiopian Christians think about Arius and what do they think about his theology? Naturally, recent studies concerning this topic are terra incognita to them. Arius continues to represent for them the typical arch-heretic. This author bases his study on his research of the Senkessar (the Ethiopian Synaxarion, the Ethiopian liturgical tradition, a number of other texts, as well as the Ethiopian tradition of sacred art. All this permits him to define the image of Arius in today’s Ethiopian Church. The Ethiopian national epos known as the Kebra Nagast or Glory of the Kings places Arius in the company of Nestorius and Ibo of Edessa. For the Ethiopian church which does not accept the Council of Chalcedon, both of these represent hated dia-physite heretics. By associating Arius with them, he becomes the founder of the dia-physite heresy — a movement which historically occurred only after his time and with which he actually had little or nothing to do. In the Ethiopian Synaxarion, Arius is juxtaposed with such heroes of the Ethiopian faith as Peter, Alexander, and Timothy of Alexandria, Athanasius the Great, and the fathers of the Council of Nicaea. Naturally, here just as in the Kebra, Arius is once again portrayed as the arch-heretic, whose teaching represents a pernicious catastrophe for the Orthodox faith. He is compared with Sabellius, Macedonius, Nestorius, and even Mani. He is demonized to the extent that he is actually called a devil. In the Anaphora of the Three Hundred and Eighteen, Arius is not mentioned by name, but the anaphora in question does contain an attack on his heresy. It would seem that the Ethiopian authors make no attempt to even understand the logic which Arius used to define his position. They simply reject it without discussion. The Ethiopian tradition likewise portrays Arius as a new Judas, pointing out similar details in the way both of these figures met their fi nal end. A particular

Nonoperative management for patients with grade IV blunt hepatic trauma

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Zago Thiago

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Introduction The treatment of complex liver injuries remains a challenge. Nonoperative treatment for such injuries is increasingly being adopted as the initial management strategy. We reviewed our experience, at a University teaching hospital, in the nonoperative management of grade IV liver injuries with the intent to evaluate failure rates; need for angioembolization and blood transfusions; and in-hospital mortality and complications. Methods This is a retrospective analysis conducted at a single large trauma centre in Brazil. All consecutive, hemodynamically stable, blunt trauma patients with grade IV hepatic injury, between 1996 and 2011, were analyzed. Demographics and baseline characteristics were recorded. Failure of nonoperative management was defined by the need for surgical intervention. Need for angioembolization and transfusions, in-hospital death, and complications were also assessed Results Eighteen patients with grade IV hepatic injury treated nonoperatively during the study period were included. The nonoperative treatment failed in only one patient (5.5% who had refractory abdominal pain. However, no missed injuries and/or worsening of bleeding were observed during the operation. None of the patients died nor need angioembolization. No complications directly related to the liver were observed. Unrelated complications to the liver occurred in three patients (16.7%; one patient developed a tracheal stenosis (secondary to tracheal intubation; one had pleural effusion; and one developed an abscess in the pleural cavity. The hospital length of stay was on average 11.56 days. Conclusions In our experience, nonoperative management of grade IV liver injury for stable blunt trauma patients is associated with high success rates without significant complications.

Risk factors for concurrent bacteremia in adult patients with dengue.

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Thein, Tun-Linn; Ng, Ee-Ling; Yeang, Ming S; Leo, Yee-Sin; Lye, David C

2017-06-01

Bacteremia in dengue may occur with common exposure to pathogens in association with severe organ impairment or severe dengue, which may result in death. Cohort studies identifying risk factors for concurrent bacteremia among patients with dengue are rare. We conducted a retrospective case-control study of adult patients with dengue who were admitted to the Department of Infectious Diseases at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore from 2004 to 2008. For each case of dengue with concurrent bacteremia (within the first 72 hours of admission), we selected four controls without bacteremia, who were matched on year of infection and dengue confirmation method. Conditional logistic regression was performed to identify risk factors for concurrent bacteremia. Among 9,553 patients with dengue, 29 (0.3%) had bacteremia. Eighteen of these patients (62.1%) had concurrent bacteremia. The predominant bacteria were Staphylococcus aureus, one of which was a methicillin-resistant strain. Dengue shock syndrome occurred more frequently and hospital stay was longer among cases than among controls. Three cases did not survive, whereas none of the controls died. In multivariate analysis, being critically ill at hospital presentation was independently associated with 15 times the likelihood of a patient with dengue having concurrent bacteremia. Concurrent bacteremia in adult patients with dengue is uncommon but presents atypically and results in more deaths and longer hospital stay. Given the associated mortality, collection of blood cultures and empiric antibiotic therapy may be considered in patients who are critically ill. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Functional effects of renal artery stent placement on treated and contralateral kidneys.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Leertouwer, T.C.; Derkx, F.H.M.; Pattynama, P.M.; Deinum, J.; Dijk, L.C. van; Schalekamp, M.A.D.H.

2002-01-01

BACKGROUND: This study examined the effects of stent placement for renal artery stenosis on the function of treated and contralateral kidneys. METHODS: Eighteen patients who underwent stent placement for unilateral renal artery stenosis presenting with hypertension and/or renal failure were studied

[Proposal of a conceptual method of supportive care for co-active patients].

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Abidli, Yamine; Piette, Danielle; Casini, Annalisa

2015-01-01

There is a broad consensus on the importance for health professionals to support co-active patients. However, in practice, very few "patient care partnership" approaches have been developed. We hypothesized that the lack of investment in supporting patient care partnerships is due to the lack of interest in the skills needed by caregivers to provide such support. This paper intends to address thisgap. The patient care partnership method is studied, adapted and developed from existing models. It complements, harmonizes and integrates various schools of thought arising from the need to place the patient at the center of care and life in general. The patient care partnership method includes 7 stages during which the professional accompanies the patient through the process of care. The methodological approach for training professionals is designed to ensure that professionals experience the change as well as its difficulties of the change they expect from the patient in the care relationship. This method now needs to be validated by the experience of other professionals in order define the limits of application and to allow further development.

Tracheostomy in neurologically compromised paediatric patients: role of starplasty.

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Gupta, A; Stokken, J; Krakovitz, P; Malhotra, P; Anne, S

2015-10-01

Starplasty tracheostomy is an alternative to traditional tracheostomy. This paper reviews neurologically compromised paediatric patients with tracheostomies and discusses the role of starplasty tracheostomy. A retrospective review was conducted of paediatric patients with a neurological disorder who underwent tracheostomy between 1997 and 2011. Forty-eight patients, with an average age of 7.3 years, were identified. The most common indications for tracheostomy were: ventilator dependence (39.6 per cent), an inability to tolerate secretions or recurrent aspiration pneumonia (33.3 per cent), and upper respiratory obstruction or hypotonia (12.5 per cent). The most common underlying neurological diagnosis was cerebral palsy. There were no early complications. Eighteen (43 per cent) of 42 patients with follow up experienced at least 1 delayed complication. Only 12 patients (28.6 per cent) were decannulated. Patients with primary neurological diagnoses have low rates of decannulation; starplasty tracheostomy should be considered for these patients. Patients with seizure disorder or acute neurological injury tended to have a higher short-term decannulation rate; traditional tracheostomy is recommended in these patients.

Two stents insertion via single tract for treatment of hepatic hilar cholangiocarcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xie Zonggui; Jin Peng; Xie Zhiyong; Yi Yuhai; Zhang Xuping

2003-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and clinical application of two stents insertion via single tract for treatment of hepatic hilar cholangiocarcinoma. Methods: Eighteen patients with hepatic hilar cholangiocarcinoma who had left and right bile duct obstruction were treated with stents insertion via right bile duct puncturing routeway. These two stents were implanted between right and left bile duct, and between right bile duct and common bile duct. Results: Eighteen patients obtained successful two stents placement by right bile duct puncturing tract and succeeded with internal drainage for all biliary tree jaundice subsided distinctly. Conclusions: The technique of two stents insertion via single tract could predigest interventional drainage procedure of high bile duct obstruction, reduce operation trauma, shorten handling time and possess promising application value

Clinical study of Atopic Dermatitis patient treated with Poison Extraction Method

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Park Chi-young

2007-06-01

Full Text Available Objectives : This study is desinged in order to evaluate the Poison extraction method for the Atopic dermatitis. Methods : The authors observed the two cases of Atopic dermatitis patients who previously used steroid-based ointment. for treating the Poison Extraction Method. Conclusions : 1. In case 1, the patient with mild case of Atopic dermatitis in face is treated with the Poison extraction method. Rash symptoms intensed for first few days. As sweating appeared in the local area from the seventh day, all the symptoms was disappeared rapidly. No recurrence was found. 2. In case 2, the patient with severe case of Atopic dermatitis in whole body is treated with the Poison extraction method. The symptoms intensed after two months and all the symptoms of itchiness, rash, scaly letter dissapeared in the third and fourth months. No recurrence was found. 3. In both cases of mild and severe cases of Atopic dermatitis. all the symptoms were disappeared and no recurrence was found with the Poison Extraction Method.

Study of the efficiency of AgCl, In2O3, Ga2O3, NaF, LiF and SrF2 as spectrographic carriers in the quantitative analysis of eighteen microcompound elements in uranium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gomes, R.P.; Lordello, A.R.; Abrao, A.

1977-01-01

A comparative study of the efficiency of some spectrochemical carriers (AgCl, In 2 O 3 , Ga 2 O 3 , NaF, LiF and SrF 2 ) is presented for the quantitative spectrographic analysis of Ag, Al, B, Bi, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Mo, Ni, P, Pb, Si, Sn, V and Zn in uranium and its compounds. The volatility behaviour of the eighteen elements was verified by means of the moving plate technique for each of the mentioned carriers. The final aim was the selection of the carriers for the determination of trace amounts of the impurities. The best results were obtained with 4% In 2 O 3 , 6% AgCl and 6% NaF in a U 3 O 8 matrix. The sensitivities for some elements were extended to fractions of p.p.m. The precision, accuracy and acceptability of the method were calculated for all elements. The total error values are approximately in the range of 16-45% [pt

Control methods for Dermanyssus gallinae in systems for laying hens

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mul, M.; Fiks-van Niekerk, T.; Chirico, J.

2009-01-01

This paper reports the results of a seminar on poultry red mite (PRM), Dermanyssus gallinae. Eighteen researchers from eight European countries discussed life cycle issues of the mite, effects of mites on hens and egg production, and monitoring and control methods for PRM in poultry facilities....... It was determined that PRM probably causes more damage than envisaged, with the cost in The Netherlands alone reaching 11 million euro per annum. However a great deal is still unknown about PRM (e.g. reproduction, survival methods, etc.) and that PRM monitoring is an important instrument in recognising...

The portfolio method as management support for patients with major depression.

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Nunstedt, Håkan; Nilsson, Kerstin; Skärsäter, Ingela

2014-06-01

To describe how patients with major depression in psychiatric outpatient care use the portfolio method and whether the method helps the patients to understand their depression. Major depressive disorder is an increasing problem in society. Learning about one's depression has been demonstrated to be important for recovery. If the goal is better understanding and management of depression, learning must proceed on the patient's own terms, based on the patient's previous understanding of their depression. Learning must be aligned with patient needs if it is to result in meaningful and useful understanding. Each patient's portfolio consisted of a binder. Inside the binder, there was a register with predetermined flaps and questions. The patients were asked to work with the questions in the sections that built the content in the portfolio. Individual interviews with patients (n = 5) suffering from major depression according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders - Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) (American Psychiatric Association 1994) were repeatedly conducted between April 2008 and August 2009 in two psychiatric outpatient clinics in western Sweden. Data were analysed using latent content analysis. The results showed that the portfolio was used by patients as a management strategy for processing and analysis of their situation and that a portfolio's structure affects its usability. The patients use the portfolio for reflection on and confirmation of their progress, to create structure in their situation, as a management strategy for remembering situations and providing reminders of upcoming activities. Using a clearly structured care portfolio can enable participation and patient learning and help patients understand their depression. The portfolio method could provide a tool in psychiatric nursing that may facilitate patient understanding and increase self-efficacy. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Reducing wrong patient selection errors: exploring the design space of user interface techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

Sopan, Awalin; Plaisant, Catherine; Powsner, Seth; Shneiderman, Ben

2014-01-01

Wrong patient selection errors are a major issue for patient safety; from ordering medication to performing surgery, the stakes are high. Widespread adoption of Electronic Health Record (EHR) and Computerized Provider Order Entry (CPOE) systems makes patient selection using a computer screen a frequent task for clinicians. Careful design of the user interface can help mitigate the problem by helping providers recall their patients' identities, accurately select their names, and spot errors before orders are submitted. We propose a catalog of twenty seven distinct user interface techniques, organized according to a task analysis. An associated video demonstrates eighteen of those techniques. EHR designers who consider a wider range of human-computer interaction techniques could reduce selection errors, but verification of efficacy is still needed.

Stimulated monocyte IL-6 secretion predicts survival of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

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Olofsson Jan

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background This study was performed in order to determine whether monocyte in vitro function is associated with presence, stage and prognosis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC disease. Methods Prospective study describing outcome, after at least five years observation, of patients treated for HNSCC disease in relation to their monocyte function. Sixty-five patients with newly diagnosed HNSCC and eighteen control patients were studied. Monocyte responsiveness was assessed by measuring levels of monocyte in vitro interleukin (IL-6 and monocyte chemotactic peptide (MCP-1 secretion after 24 hours of endotoxin stimulation in cultures supplied either with 20% autologous serum (AS or serum free medium (SFM. Survival, and if relevant, cause of death, was determined at least 5 years following primary diagnosis. Results All patients, as a group, had higher in vitro monocyte responsiveness in terms of IL-6 (AS (t = 2.03; p t = 2.49; p in vitro monocyte IL-6 endotoxin responsiveness under the SFM condition was associated with decreased survival rate (Hazard ratio (HR = 2.27; Confidence interval (CI = 1.05–4.88; p p p Conclusion In HNSCC patients, changed monocyte in vitro response to endotoxin, as measured by increased IL-6 (SFM and decreased MCP-1 (AS responsiveness, are negative prognostic factors.

“To Sing with the Spirit:” Psalms, Hymns and the Spirituality of Late Eighteen Century American Presbyterians

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William Harrison Taylor

2013-12-01

Full Text Available This paper contends that the contemporary discussion among theologians regarding the relationship between theology and spirituality can offer new insight into the eighteenth century religious world. This theological discussion has wrestled with, among other things, the questions of whether theology and spirituality are mutually exclusive and what exactly their relationship looks like. Resoundingly, theologians such as Alister McGrath, J. I. Packer, and Sandra Schneiders have concluded that any separation of the two represents a false dichotomy within Christianity. Accordingly, Christians are called to “the quest for a fulfilled and authentic Christian existence, involving the bringing together of the fundamental ideas of Christianity and the whole experience of living on the basis of, and within, the scope of the Christian faith.” Sound theology, then, necessitates living by the Spirit and vice versa. The benefit of this theological position for religious history lies in its reevaluation of the common categorization of Christians as either theologically or spiritually focused. By heeding the call of contemporary theologians and blurring these lines of distinction, historians can afford eighteen century American Christians the chance to better define themselves. Considered in this light, the actions of the Presbyterians, for instance, are freed from the manipulative “social control” framework as one of the “establishmentarian” churches. Instead, the Presbyterians reveal characteristics generally reserved for the democratically charged “sectarians,” such as a robust spiritual life compelled by music.

Methods for interpreting change over time in patient-reported outcome measures.

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Wyrwich, K W; Norquist, J M; Lenderking, W R; Acaster, S

2013-04-01

Interpretation guidelines are needed for patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures' change scores to evaluate efficacy of an intervention and to communicate PRO results to regulators, patients, physicians, and providers. The 2009 Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Guidance for Industry Patient-Reported Outcomes (PRO) Measures: Use in Medical Product Development to Support Labeling Claims (hereafter referred to as the final FDA PRO Guidance) provides some recommendations for the interpretation of change in PRO scores as evidence of treatment efficacy. This article reviews the evolution of the methods and the terminology used to describe and aid in the communication of meaningful PRO change score thresholds. Anchor- and distribution-based methods have played important roles, and the FDA has recently stressed the importance of cross-sectional patient global assessments of concept as anchor-based methods for estimation of the responder definition, which describes an individual-level treatment benefit. The final FDA PRO Guidance proposes the cumulative distribution function (CDF) of responses as a useful method to depict the effect of treatments across the study population. While CDFs serve an important role, they should not be a replacement for the careful investigation of a PRO's relevant responder definition using anchor-based methods and providing stakeholders with a relevant threshold for the interpretation of change over time.

Sampling for Patient Exit Interviews: Assessment of Methods Using Mathematical Derivation and Computer Simulations.

Science.gov (United States)

Geldsetzer, Pascal; Fink, Günther; Vaikath, Maria; Bärnighausen, Till

2018-02-01

(1) To evaluate the operational efficiency of various sampling methods for patient exit interviews; (2) to discuss under what circumstances each method yields an unbiased sample; and (3) to propose a new, operationally efficient, and unbiased sampling method. Literature review, mathematical derivation, and Monte Carlo simulations. Our simulations show that in patient exit interviews it is most operationally efficient if the interviewer, after completing an interview, selects the next patient exiting the clinical consultation. We demonstrate mathematically that this method yields a biased sample: patients who spend a longer time with the clinician are overrepresented. This bias can be removed by selecting the next patient who enters, rather than exits, the consultation room. We show that this sampling method is operationally more efficient than alternative methods (systematic and simple random sampling) in most primary health care settings. Under the assumption that the order in which patients enter the consultation room is unrelated to the length of time spent with the clinician and the interviewer, selecting the next patient entering the consultation room tends to be the operationally most efficient unbiased sampling method for patient exit interviews. © 2016 The Authors. Health Services Research published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Health Research and Educational Trust.

Clinical way method in treatment of out-patients with ischemic heart disease after cardiosurgery

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Vardosanidze S.L.

2010-12-01

Full Text Available 158 patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD have been understudy during the period of 12 months in out-patient conditions. After completion of the primary examination all the patients of basic group (118 patients received clinical way method of treatment. Patients of the comparison group (40 patients after provided treatment were cared by their local therapeutists (cardiologists. The findings proved the fact that treatment of patients after cardiosurgery by clinical way method in out-patient conditions enabled to raise patient motivation to treatment, thereby assisting them to feel better, promoting normalization of arterial pressure data. The research results stated that clinical way method of treatment may be considered as rational and effective

Investigation on Carbohydrate Counting Method in Type 1 Diabetic Patients

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Osman Son

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. The results from Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT have propounded the importance of the approach of treatment by medical nutrition when treating diabetes mellitus (DM. During this study, we tried to inquire carbohydrate (Kh count method’s positive effects on the type 1 DM treatment’s success as well as on the life quality of the patients. Methods. 22 of 37 type 1 DM patients who applied to Eskişehir Osmangazi University, Faculty of Medicine Hospital, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, had been treated by Kh count method and 15 of them are treated by multiple dosage intensive insulin treatment with applying standard diabetic diet as a control group and both of groups were under close follow-up for 6 months. Required approval was taken from the Ethical Committee of Eskişehir Osmangazi University, Medical Faculty, as well as informed consent from the patients. The body weight of patients who are treated by carbohydrate count method and multiple dosage intensive insulin treatment during the study beginning and after 6-month term, body mass index, and body compositions are analyzed. A short life quality and medical research survey applied. At statistical analysis, t-test, chi-squared test, and Mann-Whitney U test were used. Results. There had been no significant change determined at glycemic control indicators between the Kh counting group and the standard diabetic diet and multiple dosage insulin treatment group in our study. Conclusion. As a result, Kh counting method which offers a flexible nutrition plan to diabetic individuals is a functional method.

A phantom based method for deriving typical patient doses from measurements of dose-area product on populations of patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chapple, C.-L.; Broadhead, D.A.

1995-01-01

One of the chief sources of uncertainty in the comparison of patient dosimetry data is the influence of patient size on dose. Dose has been shown to relate closely to the equivalent diameter of the patient. This concept has been used to derive a prospective, phantom based method for determining size correction factors for measurements of dose-area product. The derivation of the size correction factor has been demonstrated mathematically, and the appropriate factor determined for a number of different X-ray sets. The use of phantom measurements enables the effect of patient size to be isolated from other factors influencing patient dose. The derived factors agree well with those determined retrospectively from patient dose survey data. Size correction factors have been applied to the results of a large scale patient dose survey, and this approach has been compared with the method of selecting patients according to their weight. For large samples of data, mean dose-area product values are independent of the analysis method used. The chief advantage of using size correction factors is that it allows all patient data to be included in a survey, whereas patient selection has been shown to exclude approximately half of all patients. (author)

Primary pulmonary cryptococcosis: evaluation of CT characteristics in 26 immunocompetent Chinese patients

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Qu, Yanjuan; Liu, Guobing; Ghimire, Prasanna; Liao, Meiyan; Xu, Liying [Dept. of Radiology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan Univ., Wuhan (China)], E-mail: leometeor123@gmail.com; Shi, Heshui [Dept. of Radiology, Union Hospital affiliated to Tongji Medical College of Huazhong Univ. of Science and Technology, Wuhan (China); Yang, Guifang [Dept. of Pathology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan Univ., Wuhan (China); Wang, Guanliang [Dept. of Radiology, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Taizhou (China)

2012-07-15

Background. Discrepancies still exist in the diagnosis of primary pulmonary cryptococcosis in immunocompetent patients. Purpose. To describe and evaluate radiological manifestations of pulmonary cryptococcosis in immunocompetent patients. Material and Methods. Twenty-six histopathologically confirmed cases of pulmonary cryptococcosis were analyzed for clinical, pathological, and CT characteristics. Necessary statistical tests for differences in CT presentations and correlation analysis between clinical and CT characteristics were performed. Results. The patients' ages ranged from 24 to 79 years, with 20 men and six women. Eighteen patients were symptomatic, with cough as the most common symptom (n = 14, 53.8%). Nodules (n = 21, 80.8%) were the most common CT findings. Eight cases presented with solitary and nine with multiple nodules, while 13 cases presented with irregular and 19 with ill-defined nodules. The halo sign was demonstrated, encompassing nodules in 14 of the 21 patients. Lesions were mainly localized in the lower lobes of the lungs (n = 15, 57.7%) with peripheral distribution (n = 18, 69.2%). Ground-glass opacities (GGOs) were more easily detected in older patients (66.7%, P <0.01). No significant differences in CT abnormalities were found between male and female patients. Conclusion. Primary pulmonary cryptococcosis in immunocompetent patients exhibits certain CT characteristics. The typical presentation includes multiple nodules with the halo sign scattered in the peripheral field in the lower lobes of the bilateral lungs. This could contribute to diagnosis of the disease entity. However, vigilance should be exercised when facing GGOs, with or without nodules, in older patients.

Comparing Exercise Prescription Methods in Knee Osteoarthritis Patients in Malaysia

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D’Gasper Dineesha

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Aim: This study was a qualitative study that investigated the exercise prescription method in knee osteoarthritis patients in Malaysia. It purposed to find out the most common and effective method used by physiotherapist in prescribing exercises for knee osteoarthritis patients in Malaysia. Method: This study used a self-administered survey questionnaire. The subjects recruited for this study were diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis, age range of between 50 to 80 years old.The methods of delivery were divided into three categories, which include only verbal instructions, verbal instruction together with demonstration and lastly a combination of all three methods including verbal instruction, demonstration and handouts with diagrams. Results: The results showed that 52% received their exercise prescription with verbal instruction and together with demonstration, about 43% of them received all three types of methods which included the verbal instruction, demonstration and take home handouts and 5% of them only received verbal instruction. Out of 5% who received verbal instruction alone, only 1% understood the exercises and the remaining 4% did not and 45% out of 52% who received verbal and demonstration method understood the exercises and the remaining 7% did not. 5% who received only verbal instruction did not seem to continue the exercises at home. 52% received verbal instruction together with demonstration, with about 44% of them having continued their exercises but the remaining 8% did not. 43% who received all three methods reported to continue. Conclusion: The best method of delivering exercises to knee osteoarthritis patients was proven to be the method with a combination of verbal instruction, demonstration together with a take home handout. This method showed very positive outcome and should be implemented and emphasized more in both the government and private sectors of physiotherapy departments.

Opposite effects of sleep deprivation on the continuous reaction times in patients with liver cirrhosis and normal persons

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lauridsen, Mette Munk; Frøjk, Jesper; de Muckadell, Ove B Schaffalitzky

2014-01-01

of this study was to determine if sleep deprivation influences the CRT test. Eighteen cirrhosis patients and 27 healthy persons were tested when rested and after one night's sleep deprivation. The patients filled out validated sleep quality questionnaires. Seven patients (38 %) had unstable reaction times (a...... CRTindex change in the other patients' reaction speed or stability. Seven patients (38 %) reported poor sleep that was not related to their CRT tests before...... or after the sleep deprivation. In the healthy participants, the sleep deprivation slowed their reaction times by 11 % (p persons (25 %) destabilized them. The acute sleep deprivation normalized or improved the reaction time stability of the patients with a CRTindex below 1.9 and had...

Evaluating the Role of Omega 3 on the Side Effects of Isotretinoin in Patients with the Acnea Vulgaris

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Mina Mirnezami

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background: Acne vulgaris is chronic inflamatory disease of the pilosebaceous unit.Patients experience psychological burdens like depression ,anxiety, and low self- esteem. Isotretinoin is used in the treatment of severe and recalcitrant acne; however, this treatment is associated with a number of partialy common adverse effects that it sometimes may stop the process of treatment. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of oral omega 3 on side-effects of isotretinoin . Materials and Methods: One hundred eighteen patients with severe acne vulgaris were randomly divided into two groups. Control group received isotretinoin (0.5 mg∕kg alone and case group received isotretinoin (0.5 mg∕kg combined with omega 3 (2 capsuls daily. The duration of treatment was 16 weeks.Mucocutaneous side-effects were assessed in patients(4, 8, 12, 16th wk. Results: Lip dryness (4, 8, 12th wk and dryness of nose, skin, eye in the 4 th week in the patients with acne vulgaris treated with isotretinoin and omega3 was lesser than in the patients treated with isotretinoin alone, that this difference was statistically significant (p<0.001. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, Omega 3 decreased the mucocutaneous side effects in the patients with acne vulgaris who received isotretinoin.

Blunt Cardiac Injury in Trauma Patients with Thoracic Aortic Injury

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Rathachai Kaewlai

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Trauma patients with thoracic aortic injury (TAI suffer blunt cardiac injury (BCI at variable frequencies. This investigation aimed to determine the frequency of BCI in trauma patients with TAI and compare with those without TAI. All trauma patients with TAI who had admission electrocardiography (ECG and serum creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB from January 1999 to May 2009 were included as a study group at a level I trauma center. BCI was diagnosed if there was a positive ECG with either an elevated CK-MB or abnormal echocardiography. There were 26 patients (19 men, mean age 45.1 years, mean ISS 34.4 in the study group; 20 had evidence of BCI. Of 52 patients in the control group (38 men, mean age 46.9 years, mean ISS 38.7, eighteen had evidence of BCI. There was a significantly higher rate of BCI in trauma patients with TAI versus those without TAI (77% versus 35%, P<0.001.

Contact dermatitis caused by a new rubber compound detected in canvas shoes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hulstaert, Eva; Bergendorff, Ola; Persson, Christina; Goossens, An; Gilissen, Liesbeth; Engfeldt, Malin; Bruze, Magnus; Schuttelaar, Marie L.; Meijer, Joost M; Lapeere, Hilde

Background. In 2015 and 2016, female patients in Flanders consulted a dermatologist because they developed skin lesions after wearing a specific brand of canvas shoes. Objectives. To identify the culprit allergen in the shoes. Methods. Eighteen young females aged 14-22 years presented with itching

A Method for Developing Standard Patient Education Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Lura, Carolina Bryne; Hauch, Sophie Misser Pallesgaard; Gøeg, Kirstine Rosenbeck; Pape-Haugaard, Louise

2018-01-01

In Denmark, patients being treated on Haematology Outpatients Departments get instructed to self-manage their blood sample collection from Central Venous Catheter (CVC). However, this is a complex and risky procedure, which can jeopardize patient safety. The aim of the study was to suggest a method for developing standard digital patient education programs for patients in self-administration of blood samples drawn from CVC. The Design Science Research Paradigm was used to develop a digital patient education program, called PAVIOSY, to increase patient safety during execution of the blood sample collection procedure by using videos for teaching as well as procedural support. A step-by-step guide was developed and used as basis for making the videos. Quality assurance through evaluation with a nurse was conducted on both the step-by-step guide and the videos. The quality assurance evaluation of the videos showed; 1) Errors due to the order of the procedure can be determined by reviewing the videos despite that the guide was followed. 2) Videos can be used to identify errors - important for patient safety - in the procedure, which are not identifiable in a written script. To ensure correct clinical content of the educational patient system, health professionals must be engaged early in the development of content and design phase.

Radiotherapy for superficial esophageal cancer of poor risk patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kagami, Yoshikazu; Ikeda, Hiroshi; Murayama, Shigeyuki; Yamaguchi, Hajime; Tachimori, Yuji; Kato, Hoichi; Watanabe, Hiroshi; Tokuue, Kouichi; Sumi, Minako; Kawashima, Mitsuhiko; Imai, Atsushi; Nakayama, Shuji

1997-01-01

Purpose/Objective: The reported incidence of superficial esophageal cancer (SEC) has steadily increased in Japan as result of endoscopic examination has been become common. In Japan, treatment of SEC is endoscopical mucosal resection (EMR) for mucosal cancer or esophagectomy with 3 fields lymph nodes resection for submucosal cancer. Radiotherapy is little place for the management of SEC. Because of some reasons, we treated patients with SEC by radiotherapy alternative to surgery. Purpose of this report is to evaluate efficacy of radiotherapy for SEC. Methods and Materials: Between 1989 to 1996, eighteen patients with SEC were treated with radiotherapy at our hospital. Reasons of radiotherapy that was chosen as the primary methods of treatment were refusal of surgery in one patient, poor medical condition in 4 patients and double primary cancer in 13 patients (head and neck: 11, simultaneously: 11). No patients had indication of EMR. Diagnosis was made by endoscopy and radiography. Some patients were examined with endoscopic ultrasound. Two patients (11.1%) had tumor limited to the mucosa and 16 patients (88.9%) had tumor invaded the submucosa. Seven of these tumors (38.9%) were multicentric. All patients had squamous cell carcinoma. There were 17 male patients and one female patient. The age range was 49 years to 87 years with a median of 62 years. Stage of all patients was T1N0M0 according to UICC staging system. Ten patients underwent external radiotherapy (Ex) (50 Gy - 66 Gy) alone and 8 patients did both Ex and intracavitary radiotherapy (IC) (30-60 Gy of Ex with 5-15 Gy of IC). No patients received chemotherapy. Duration of follow-up was 6 months to 96 months with a median of 30 months. Results: The overall survival rate was 55.9% in 3-year and 14% in 5-year, and the cause-specific 5-year survival rate was 100%. Causes of death were malignant tumor other than esophageal cancer in 4 patients, intercurrent disease other than malignant tumor in 3 patients and no

mRNA-transfected dendritic cell vaccine in combination with metronomic cyclophosphamide as treatment for patients with advanced malignant melanoma

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Borch, Troels Holz; Engell-Noerregaard, Lotte; Iversen, Trine Zeeberg

2016-01-01

Introduction: Vaccination with dendritic cells (DCs) has generally not fulfilled its promise in cancer immunotherapy due to ineffective translation of immune responses into clinical responses. A proposed reason for this is intrinsic immune regulatory mechanisms, such as regulatory T cells (Tregs......th vaccines. Immune monitoring consisted of IFNγ ELISpot assay, proliferation assay, and flow cytometry for enumeration of immune cell subsets.  Results: Toxicity was manageable. Eighteen patients were evaluable after six cycles. Of these, nine patients had progressive disease as best response...

Methods Used in Economic Evaluations of Chronic Kidney Disease Testing — A Systematic Review

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Sutton, Andrew J.; Breheny, Katie; Deeks, Jon; Khunti, Kamlesh; Sharpe, Claire; Ottridge, Ryan S.; Stevens, Paul E.; Cockwell, Paul; Kalra, Philp A.; Lamb, Edmund J.

2015-01-01

Background The prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is high in general populations around the world. Targeted testing and screening for CKD are often conducted to help identify individuals that may benefit from treatment to ameliorate or prevent their disease progression. Aims This systematic review examines the methods used in economic evaluations of testing and screening in CKD, with a particular focus on whether test accuracy has been considered, and how analysis has incorporated issues that may be important to the patient, such as the impact of testing on quality of life and the costs they incur. Methods Articles that described model-based economic evaluations of patient testing interventions focused on CKD were identified through the searching of electronic databases and the hand searching of the bibliographies of the included studies. Results The initial electronic searches identified 2,671 papers of which 21 were included in the final review. Eighteen studies focused on proteinuria, three evaluated glomerular filtration rate testing and one included both tests. The full impact of inaccurate test results was frequently not considered in economic evaluations in this setting as a societal perspective was rarely adopted. The impact of false positive tests on patients in terms of the costs incurred in re-attending for repeat testing, and the anxiety associated with a positive test was almost always overlooked. In one study where the impact of a false positive test on patient quality of life was examined in sensitivity analysis, it had a significant impact on the conclusions drawn from the model. Conclusion Future economic evaluations of kidney function testing should examine testing and monitoring pathways from the perspective of patients, to ensure that issues that are important to patients, such as the possibility of inaccurate test results, are properly considered in the analysis. PMID:26465773

An evidence-based patient-centered method makes the biopsychosocial model scientific.

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Smith, Robert C; Fortin, Auguste H; Dwamena, Francesca; Frankel, Richard M

2013-06-01

To review the scientific status of the biopsychosocial (BPS) model and to propose a way to improve it. Engel's BPS model added patients' psychological and social health concerns to the highly successful biomedical model. He proposed that the BPS model could make medicine more scientific, but its use in education, clinical care, and, especially, research remains minimal. Many aver correctly that the present model cannot be defined in a consistent way for the individual patient, making it untestable and non-scientific. This stems from not obtaining relevant BPS data systematically, where one interviewer obtains the same information another would. Recent research by two of the authors has produced similar patient-centered interviewing methods that are repeatable and elicit just the relevant patient information needed to define the model at each visit. We propose that the field adopt these evidence-based methods as the standard for identifying the BPS model. Identifying a scientific BPS model in each patient with an agreed-upon, evidence-based patient-centered interviewing method can produce a quantum leap ahead in both research and teaching. A scientific BPS model can give us more confidence in being humanistic. In research, we can conduct more rigorous studies to inform better practices. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Conventional and Molecular Cytogenetic Analyses in Turkish Patients with Multiple Myeloma

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Beyhan Durak Aras

2012-06-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: Multiple myeloma (MM is characterized by the accumulation and proliferation of malignant plasma cells, secreting monoclonal immunoglobulins and genetic abnormalities in MM have implications for disease progression and survival. In the present study, we investigated the frequency of chromosomal abnormalities (CA in Turkish patients with MM, using interphase FISH and CC and evaluated the relationship between the rearrangements detected, prognosis and stage of disease. METHODS: We performed conventional cytogenetic and FISH studies in 50 patients to detect chromosome anomalies associated with MM. FISH probes were used to detect 13q14, 13q34, 17p13 deletions, IGH rearrangements, and monosomy and/or trisomy of chromosomes 5, 9, and 15. RESULTS: CC studies could be performed in 32 of 50 cases and five patients (15.6% showed chromosomal aberrations while 27 (84.3% had normal karyotypes. By FISH, eighteen percent (9/50 of cases were found to be normal for all parameters evaluated. Eighty-two percent (41/50 of the patients were positive for at least one abnormality. Chromosome 13 anomalies were detected in 54% (27/50 of cases. The second most common aberration observed is chromosome 15 aberrations (50%. CONCLUSION: Median survival rate was shorter in patients with one of the abnormalities including chromosome 13 aberrations, IGH rearrangements or P53 deletions. Chromosome 15 aberrations were significantly higher in patients with stage III disease (p=0.02. We conclude that FISH studies should be performed in conjunction with conventional cytogenetic analysis for prognosis in multiple myeloma patients.

Acute porphyrias: clinical spectrum of hodpitalized patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sheerani, M.; Urfy, M.Z.; Shahid, B.; Hassan, A.

2007-01-01

To determine characteristics, clinical features and triggers of acute porphyria in hospitalized patients presenting to a tertiary care center in Pakistan. Case records of 26 patients hospitalized with diagnosis were identified through computerized hospital patients data. The diagnosis of acute porphyria was based on pertinent clinical features and laboratory investigations after exclusion of other alternative diagnosis and patients previously diagnosed as porphyric. The data was analyzed through SPSS software version 11.0. Twelve patients (46.2%) were males. Mean age was 21 years. Most common manifestation were gastrointestinal (n=22; 88.5%) followed by neurological symptoms (n=14; 54%). Neurological manifestations included seizures (n=9; 34.6%) and neuropathy (n=6; 23%). One patient presented with depression and insomnia. Family history was positive in (n=8; 30.8%). Eighteen (69%) had history of previous attacks at their presentation to the hospital. Most common precipitating factor was eating outside (n=18; 69%). Porphyrias are uncommon and cryptic group of diseases. This study shows a slightly different gender distribution, earlier onset of symptoms, higher number of neuropsychiatric symptoms (especially seizures), more distal neuropathies and different precipitant in the studied subset of patients than described previously in the western studies. (author)

Bone marrow transplantation in patients with Thalassemia

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Ghavamzadeh A

1993-05-01

Full Text Available During April, 1991 and September, 1993, eighteen patients with major thalassemia admitted to Shariati BMT center. Seventeen patients were transplanted were from HLA identical siblings and one from. his HLA identical father. Eleven of the donors were the known cases of minor thalassemia. The range of patients' age was within 3-10 years (with the average of 5 years and 11 months. Among them, seven patients were male and eleven were female. As the other international BMT centers, we classified our patients into three classes. Our criteria for this classification were hepatomegaly, ferretin, and liver fibrous; 60% of our patients were put in class I and 40% in class II. All of our patients revealed a GVHD (severe graft vs. host disease three weeks post-BMT as pruritus, diarrhea, and skin erythema especially in hands and feet. Two of the patients showed severe GVHD. One of the patients had chimerism after BMT. Although one year after BMT has passed, the patients is still depended on blood transfusion. One patient, despite graft rejection, died nine months post-BMT; another one died after +70 due to GVHD. During 2.5 years, the overall graft survival rate was 88% in our center

Task oriented training improves the balance outcome & reducing fall risk in diabetic population

OpenAIRE

Ghazal, Javeria; Malik, Arshad Nawaz; Amjad, Imran

2016-01-01

Objectives: The objective was to determine the balance impairments and to compare task oriented versus traditional balance training in fall reduction among diabetic patients. Methods: The randomized control trial with descriptive survey and 196 diabetic patients were recruited to assess balance impairments through purposive sampling technique. Eighteen patients were randomly allocated into two groups; task oriented balance training group TOB (n=8) and traditional balance training group TBT (n...

Video elicitation interviews: a qualitative research method for investigating physician-patient interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Henry, Stephen G; Fetters, Michael D

2012-01-01

We describe the concept and method of video elicitation interviews and provide practical guidance for primary care researchers who want to use this qualitative method to investigate physician-patient interactions. During video elicitation interviews, researchers interview patients or physicians about a recent clinical interaction using a video recording of that interaction as an elicitation tool. Video elicitation is useful because it allows researchers to integrate data about the content of physician-patient interactions gained from video recordings with data about participants' associated thoughts, beliefs, and emotions gained from elicitation interviews. This method also facilitates investigation of specific events or moments during interactions. Video elicitation interviews are logistically demanding and time consuming, and they should be reserved for research questions that cannot be fully addressed using either standard interviews or video recordings in isolation. As many components of primary care fall into this category, high-quality video elicitation interviews can be an important method for understanding and improving physician-patient interactions in primary care.

Video Elicitation Interviews: A Qualitative Research Method for Investigating Physician-Patient Interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Henry, Stephen G.; Fetters, Michael D.

2012-01-01

We describe the concept and method of video elicitation interviews and provide practical guidance for primary care researchers who want to use this qualitative method to investigate physician-patient interactions. During video elicitation interviews, researchers interview patients or physicians about a recent clinical interaction using a video recording of that interaction as an elicitation tool. Video elicitation is useful because it allows researchers to integrate data about the content of physician-patient interactions gained from video recordings with data about participants’ associated thoughts, beliefs, and emotions gained from elicitation interviews. This method also facilitates investigation of specific events or moments during interactions. Video elicitation interviews are logistically demanding and time consuming, and they should be reserved for research questions that cannot be fully addressed using either standard interviews or video recordings in isolation. As many components of primary care fall into this category, high-quality video elicitation interviews can be an important method for understanding and improving physician-patient interactions in primary care. PMID:22412003

Spiral CT during pharmacoangiography with angiotensin II in patients with pancreatic disease. Technique and diagnostic efficacy

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Kuroda, C.; Mihara, N.; Hosomi, N.; Inoue, E.; Fujita, M. [Osaka Medical Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Diseases (Japan). Dept. of Diagnostic Radiology; Ohigashi, H.; Ishikawa, O. [Osaka Medical Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Diseases (Japan). Dept. of Surgery; Nakaizumi, A. [Osaka Medical Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Deseases (Japan). Dept. of Internal Medicine; Ishiguro, S. [Osaka Medical Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Diseases (Japan). Dept. of Pathology

1998-03-01

Purpose: To compare the diagnostic efficacy of pancreatic pharmacoangiographic CT using angiotensin II with conventional angiographic CT. Material and Methods: Eighteen patients with space-occupying pancreatic disease were examined in this study. Pharmacoangiographic CT was performed with a 1-3-{mu}/6-ml solution of angiotensin II injected through a catheter into the celiac artery during spiral CT. Results: In 17 of the 18 (94%) patients, the area of pancreatic parenchymal enhancement was the same or larger at pharmacoangiographic CT than at conventional angiographic CT. The attenuation value of the pancreatic parenchyma was significantly increased at pharmacoangiographic CT (p=0.0010). Although the attenuation value of tumors was also increased on images obtained after the injection of angiotensin II, the tumor-to-pancreas contrast was significantly greater at pharmacoangiographic CT (p=0.0479). The mean differences in attenuation between tumor and pancreas at angiographic CT with and without angiotensin II were respectively 182 HU and 115 HU. Conclusion: Pharmacoangiographic CT with angiotensin II proved superior to conventional angiographic CT in the diagnosis of pancreatic disease. We therefore recommend it as a supplementary technique at the angiographic examination of patients with suspected pancreatic tumor. (orig.).

Oral hygiene care of patients with oral cancer during postoperative irradiation. An alleviating effect on acute radiation mucositis

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Katsura, Kouji; Masuko, Noriko; Hayashi, Takafumi [Niigata Univ. (Japan). School of Dentistry; Sugita, Tadashi; Sakai, Kunio; Tsuchida, Emiko; Matsumoto, Yasuo; Sasamoto, Ryuta

2000-09-01

To evaluate the effect of oral hygiene care of patients with oral cancer on alleviating acute radiation mucositis. Eighteen patients receiving postoperative radiotherapy for tongue and oral floor cancer were evaluated. Radiotherapy was given in 2 Gy per fraction, 5 times a week for a total dose of 50 Gy in most patients. Radiation field included the tongue and oral floor. During radiotherapy, 8 patients were treated by dento-maxillofacial radiologists with special concern on oral hygiene (oral hygiene group) and the remaining 10 patients were treated with routine dental care (standard medication group). Mucositis were evaluated using JCOG grade and EORTC/RTOG score by radiotherapists or dento-maxillofacial radiologists at 10 Gy intervals. Oral hygiene plans comprised motivation to maintain oral hygiene and establishing the habits of oral self care 4 times per day. Once a week, oral hygiene and oral cleaning of patients were checked by dento-maxillofacial radiologists. Oral self care included mechanical tooth brushing and a chemical mouthwash. No patients with grade 3 and score 4 mucositis were noted in the oral hygiene group. Severe mucositis occurred less frequently in the oral hygiene group than in the standard medication group. Interruption of radiotherapy due to severe mucositis did not occur in the oral hygiene group. On the other hand, interruption of radiotherapy occurred in four patients in the standard medication group, and in three it was due to severe oral pain. Our results suggested that our method of oral hygiene was more effective for alleviating acute radiation mucositis than other methods so far reported. In addition, our method is considered to be useful in preventing rampant dental caries and severe periodontitis due to the xerostomia induced by radiotherapy. (author)

Oral hygiene care of patients with oral cancer during postoperative irradiation. An alleviating effect on acute radiation mucositis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Katsura, Kouji; Masuko, Noriko; Hayashi, Takafumi; Sugita, Tadashi; Sakai, Kunio; Tsuchida, Emiko; Matsumoto, Yasuo; Sasamoto, Ryuta

2000-01-01

To evaluate the effect of oral hygiene care of patients with oral cancer on alleviating acute radiation mucositis. Eighteen patients receiving postoperative radiotherapy for tongue and oral floor cancer were evaluated. Radiotherapy was given in 2 Gy per fraction, 5 times a week for a total dose of 50 Gy in most patients. Radiation field included the tongue and oral floor. During radiotherapy, 8 patients were treated by dento-maxillofacial radiologists with special concern on oral hygiene (oral hygiene group) and the remaining 10 patients were treated with routine dental care (standard medication group). Mucositis were evaluated using JCOG grade and EORTC/RTOG score by radiotherapists or dento-maxillofacial radiologists at 10 Gy intervals. Oral hygiene plans comprised motivation to maintain oral hygiene and establishing the habits of oral self care 4 times per day. Once a week, oral hygiene and oral cleaning of patients were checked by dento-maxillofacial radiologists. Oral self care included mechanical tooth brushing and a chemical mouthwash. No patients with grade 3 and score 4 mucositis were noted in the oral hygiene group. Severe mucositis occurred less frequently in the oral hygiene group than in the standard medication group. Interruption of radiotherapy due to severe mucositis did not occur in the oral hygiene group. On the other hand, interruption of radiotherapy occurred in four patients in the standard medication group, and in three it was due to severe oral pain. Our results suggested that our method of oral hygiene was more effective for alleviating acute radiation mucositis than other methods so far reported. In addition, our method is considered to be useful in preventing rampant dental caries and severe periodontitis due to the xerostomia induced by radiotherapy. (author)

Horizontal canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo: diagnosis and treatment of 37 patients

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Eliana Teixeira Maranhão

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV, the most frequent cause of vertigo is associated with high morbidity in the elderly population. The most common form is linked to debris in the posterior semicircular canal. However, there has been an increasing number of reported BPPV cases involving the horizontal canals. The purpose of this article is to highlight the clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment in 37 patients with horizontal canal BPPV; twenty-six with geotropic nystagmus, and eleven with the apogeotropic form. Treatment consisted of the Gufoni manoeuver in eighteen patients (48.6%, the barbecue 360° maneuver in twelve patients (32.4%, both manoeuvers in four patients (10.8%, both manoeuvers plus head shaking in one patient (2.7%, and the Gufoni maneuver plus head shaking in two patients. Cupulolithiasis patients were asked to sleep in a forced prolonged position. We obtained a complete resolution of vertigo and nystagmus in 30 patients (81.0% on the initial visit.

Quantitative 4D Transcatheter Intraarterial Perfusion MR Imaging as a Method to Standardize Angiographic Chemoembolization Endpoints

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Brian; Wang, Dingxin; Lewandowski, Robert J.; Ryu, Robert K.; Sato, Kent T.; Larson, Andrew C.; Salem, Riad; Omary, Reed A.

2011-01-01

PURPOSE We aimed to test the hypothesis that subjective angiographic endpoints during transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) exhibit consistency and correlate with objective intraprocedural reductions in tumor perfusion as determined by quantitative four dimensional (4D) transcatheter intraarterial perfusion (TRIP) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS This prospective study was approved by the institutional review board. Eighteen consecutive patients underwent TACE in a combined MR/interventional radiology (MR-IR) suite. Three board-certified interventional radiologists independently graded the angiographic endpoint of each procedure based on a previously described subjective angiographic chemoembolization endpoint (SACE) scale. A consensus SACE rating was established for each patient. Patients underwent quantitative 4D TRIP-MR imaging immediately before and after TACE, from which mean whole tumor perfusion (Fρ) was calculated. Consistency of SACE ratings between observers was evaluated using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). The relationship between SACE ratings and intraprocedural TRIP-MR imaging perfusion changes was evaluated using Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient. RESULTS The SACE rating scale demonstrated very good consistency among all observers (ICC = 0.80). The consensus SACE rating was significantly correlated with both absolute (r = 0.54, P = 0.022) and percent (r = 0.85, P SACE rating scale demonstrates very good consistency between raters, and significantly correlates with objectively measured intraprocedural perfusion reductions during TACE. These results support the use of the SACE scale as a standardized alternative method to quantitative 4D TRIP-MR imaging to classify patients based on embolic endpoints of TACE. PMID:22021520

Effect of a local anesthetic lozenge in relief of symptoms in burning mouth syndrome

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Treldal, Charlotte; Jacobsen, C B; Mogensen, Stine

2016-01-01

with BMS. METHODS: Eighteen patients (4 men and 14 women) aged 39-71 years with BMS were included in this randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, crossover trial. Lozenges (containing bupivacaine or placebo) were administrated three times a day for 2 weeks for two separate treatment periods...

Selecting the patients for morning report sessions: case-based vs. conventional method.

Science.gov (United States)

Rabiei, Mehdi; Saeidi, Masumeh; Kiani, Mohammad Ali; Amin, Sakineh Mohebi; Ahanchian, Hamid; Jafari, Seyed Ali; Kianifar, Hamidreza

2015-08-01

One of the most important issues in morning report sessions is the number of patients. The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the number of cases reported in the morning report sessions in terms of case-based and conventional methods from the perspective of pediatric residents of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. The present study was conducted on 24 pediatric residents of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences in the academic year 2014-2015. In this survey, the residents replied to a 20-question researcher-made questionnaire that had been designed to measure the views of residents regarding the number of patients in the morning report sessions using case-based and conventional methods. The validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by experts' views and its reliability by calculating Cronbach's alpha coefficients. Data were analyzed by t-test analysis. The mean age of the residents was 30.852 ± 2.506, and 66.6% of them were female. The results showed that there was no significant relationship among the variables of academic year, gender, and residents' perspective to choosing the number of patients in the morning report sessions (P > 0.05). T-test analysis showed a significant relationship among the average scores of residents in the selection of the case-based method in comparison to the conventional method (P case-based morning report was preferred compared to the conventional method. This method makes residents pay more attention to the details of patients' issues and therefore helps them to better plan how to address patient problems and improve their differential diagnosis skills.

Long-term mortality in patients with tuberculous meningitis: a Danish nationwide cohort study.

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Anne-Sophie Halkjær Christensen

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: With high short-term mortality and substantial excess morbidity among survivors, tuberculous meningitis (TBM is the most severe manifestation of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis (TB. The objective of this study was to assess the long-term mortality and causes of death in a TBM patient population compared to the background population. METHODS: A nationwide cohort study was conducted enrolling patients notified with TBM in Denmark from 1972-2008 and alive one year after TBM diagnosis. Data was extracted from national registries. From the background population we identified a control cohort of individuals matched on gender and date of birth. Kaplan-Meier survival curves and Cox regression analysis were used to estimate mortality rate ratios (MRR and analyse causes of death. FINDINGS: A total of 55 TBM patients and 550 individuals from the background population were included in the study. Eighteen patients (32.7% and 107 population controls (19.5% died during the observation period. The overall MRR was 1.79 (95%CI: 1.09-2.95 for TBM patients compared to the population control cohort. TBM patients in the age group 31-60 years at time of diagnosis had the highest relative risk of death (MRR 2.68; 95%CI 1.34-5.34. The TBM patients had a higher risk of death due to infectious disease, but not from other causes of death. CONCLUSION: Adult TBM patients have an almost two-fold increased long-term mortality and the excess mortality stems from infectious disease related causes of death.

Comparing Effects of Melatonin versus Trazodone on Sleep Quality in Major Depressed Patients Receiving Sertraline

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Zahra Mirsepassi

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Background_ Sleep disturbance is a common complaint in major depressive disorder (MDD including impairment of both subjective and objective parameters, Also SSRIs as antidepressant drugs can affect sleep architecture (SA.Aim _This randomized trial was designed to compare the effects of trazodone with melatonin on sleep quality (SQ of patients with MDD based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders –5th edition (DSM-5 criteria.Method_ Sixty patients who have the study criteria were entered in this study and were divided into two groups receiving either trazodone or melatonin. They were evaluated for sleep quality and depression severity by using Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D at baseline and after 4 and 8 weeks.Result_ Thirty two patients complete the study. Fourteen patients received 3mg of melatonin and eighteen patients received 50mg of trazodone before sleep time. After 4 and 8 weeks treatment with melatonin or Trazodone, significant improvements in SQ were showed in both groups. Additionally, a significant reduction in sleep latency (SL was showed after 4 weeks of treatment with melatonin but not with trazodone.Conclusion_ This study demonstrated that both Melatonin and Trazodone improved SQ in outpatients with MDD after 8 weeks of treatment but melatonin created greater reduction in SL than trazodone after 4 weeks.

Heat-washout - an objective method for diagnosing neuropathy and atherosclerosis in diabetic patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Midttun, M; Snorgaard, O

2013-01-01

The heat-washout method is an objective method that measures cutaneous blood flow rate (BFR) in ml (100 g. min)(-1), previously found useful for measuring toe BFR in non-diabetic patients with claudication.......The heat-washout method is an objective method that measures cutaneous blood flow rate (BFR) in ml (100 g. min)(-1), previously found useful for measuring toe BFR in non-diabetic patients with claudication....

Comparison of MRI fast SPGR single slice scan and continuous dynamic scan in patients with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome

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Zhang Xinyu [Department of Radiology, Medical School Hospital of Qingdao University, 16 Jiangsu Road, Qingdao 266003 (China)], E-mail: myginny2@sina.com; Yang Xue [Department of Radiology, Medical School Hospital of Qingdao University, 16 Jiangsu Road, Qingdao 266003 (China)], E-mail: yangxueqyfy@126.com; Hua Hui [Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Medical School Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao (China)], E-mail: huahuisky@163.com; Chen Jingjing [Department of Radiology, Medical School Hospital of Qingdao University, 16 Jiangsu Road, Qingdao 266003 (China)], E-mail: chenjingjingsky@126.com

2009-07-15

Objective: To evaluate the application value of MRI fast SPGR single slice scan in patients with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome when comparing the images between fast SPGR single slice scan and continuous dynamic scan. Methods: Eighteen patients with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome were examined by fast SPGR single slice scan and continuous dynamic scan in turn. Fast SPGR single slice scans were conducted when the phases of apnea, inspiration and expiration appeared on the respiratory wave of the subjects. Fast SPGR continuous dynamic scans were conducted when the patients were awake and apneic. The scan planes were median sagittal plane and axial planes (the slice of middle part of palate, the slice of inferior part of palate, the slice of middle part of lingual root and the slice of 0.5 cm beneath the free margin of epiglottis). The obstructed sites and the cross-sectional areas of upper airway were compared between the two scan methods. Results: Seven cases showed complete obstruction at the narrowest sites of upper airway when apnea appeared; eleven cases showed marked decrease in cross-sectional areas at the narrowest sites compared with the areas when the patients were awake; two cases manifested multiple narrowness. The obstructed sites showed by the two scan methods were same. The difference of the cross-sectional areas of upper airway between the two scan methods was insignificant (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Fast SPGR single slice scan can accurately reflect the obstructed sites of upper airway when the breath breaks off and is the complementary method of continuous dynamic scan. Sometimes, single slice scan can replace continuous dynamic scan.

The organizational dynamics enabling patient portal impacts upon organizational performance and patient health: a qualitative study of Kaiser Permanente.

Science.gov (United States)

Otte-Trojel, Terese; Rundall, Thomas G; de Bont, Antoinette; van de Klundert, Joris; Reed, Mary E

2015-12-16

Patient portals may lead to enhanced disease management, health plan retention, changes in channel utilization, and lower environmental waste. However, despite growing research on patient portals and their effects, our understanding of the organizational dynamics that explain how effects come about is limited. This paper uses qualitative methods to advance our understanding of the organizational dynamics that influence the impact of a patient portal on organizational performance and patient health. The study setting is Kaiser Permanente, the world's largest not-for-profit integrated delivery system, which has been using a portal for over ten years. We interviewed eighteen physician leaders and executives particularly knowledgeable about the portal to learn about how they believe the patient portal works and what organizational factors affect its workings. Our analytical framework centered on two research questions. (1) How does the patient portal impact care delivery to produce the documented effects?; and (2) What are the important organizational factors that influence the patient portal's development? We identify five ways in which the patient portal may impact care delivery to produce reported effects. First, the portal's ability to ease access to services improves some patients' satisfaction as well as changes the way patients seek care. Second, the transparency and activation of information enable some patients to better manage their care. Third, care management may also be improved through augmented patient-physician interaction. This augmented interaction may also increase the 'stickiness' of some patients to their providers. Forth, a similar effect may be triggered by a closer connection between Kaiser Permanente and patients, which may reduce the likelihood that patients will switch health plans. Finally, the portal may induce efficiencies in physician workflow and administrative tasks, stimulating certain operational savings and deeper involvement of

Quality of life among dermatology patients: a systematic review of investigations using qualitative methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Sanminder; Ehsani-Chimeh, Nazanin; Kornmehl, Heather; Armstrong, April W

2017-07-13

Quality of life may be assessed using quantitative or qualitative methods. Quantitative methods are commonly used in research settings; however, they may fail to capture the full range of patient experiences and impact on quality of life. Qualitative methods may be used to address this limitation. In this systematic review, we aim to synthesize data from articles utilizing qualitative methods to assess quality of life in dermatology patients. We performed a systematic review search using the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and SCOPUS databases. The search was conducted using the following search criteria: ("Dermatology" [MeSH]) AND ("Quality of Life" [MeSH]), AND ("Qualitative Research" [MeSH]), searching literature spanning from January 1, 1946- October 5, 2016. The systematic review of 15 articles included 533 dermatology patients. Patients expressed frustration over the unpredictability of disease symptoms and having to compensate for the subsequent limitations by altering their daily routines. Patients also reported profound helplessness due to chronic skin disease and social isolation in an effort to hide their disease. Patients noted the patient-provider relationship as a source of support and information exchange, with the goal to form easy to use treatment plans that met both physician and patient expectations. Qualitative assessment of patient quality of life can provide new insights into the patient experience and the impact of their skin disease. Qualitative methodology may capture meaningful information that may be overlooked by quantitative methods, and it should be included in quality of life research.

Endocrine function in 97 patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ørngreen, Mette Cathrine; Arlien-Søborg, P.; Duno, M

2012-01-01

. Correlation with CTG(n) expansion size was investigated with the Pearson correlation test. Eighteen percent of the DM1 patients had hyperparathyroidism with increased PTH compared with 0.5% in the background population. Of these, 16% had normocalcemia and 2% had hypercalcemia. An additional 3% had...... LH, but normal testosterone levels, indicating relative insufficiency. Numbers of CTG repeats correlated directly with plasma PTH, phosphate, LH, and tended to correlate with plasma testosterone for males. This is the largest study of endocrine dysfunction in a cohort of Caucasian patients with DM1....... We found that patients with DM1 have an increased risk of abnormal endocrine function, particularly calcium metabolism disorders. However, the endocrine dysfunction appears not to be of clinical significance in all of the cases. Finally, we found correlations between CTG(n) expansion size and plasma...

Comparison of SPET brain perfusion and 18F-FDG brain metabolism in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

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Abu-Judeh, H H; Levine, S; Kumar, M; el-Zeftawy, H; Naddaf, S; Lou, J Q; Abdel-Dayem, H M

1998-11-01

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a clinically defined condition of uncertain aetiology. We compared 99Tcm-HMPAO single photon emission tomography (SPET) brain perfusion with dual-head 18F-FDG brain metabolism in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome. Eighteen patients (14 females, 4 males), who fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of the Centers for Disease Control for chronic fatigue syndrome, were investigated. Thirteen patients had abnormal SPET brain perfusion scans and five had normal scans. Fifteen patients had normal glucose brain metabolism scans and three had abnormal scans. We conclude that, in chronic fatigue syndrome patients, there is discordance between SPET brain perfusion and 18F-FDG brain uptake. It is possible to have brain perfusion abnormalities without corresponding changes in glucose uptake.

Evidence for Deficits on Different Components of Theory of Mind in Huntington's Disease

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Allain, P.; Havel-Thomassin, V.; Verny, C.; Gohier, B.; Lancelot, C.; Besnard, J.; Fasotti, L.; Le Gall, D.

2011-01-01

Objective: The main aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Huntington's disease (HD) on cognitive and affective Theory of Mind (ToM) abilities. The relation of ToM performance and executive functions was also examined. Method: Eighteen HD patients, early in the course of the disease,

Novel method for evaluation of eye movements in patients with narcolepsy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Julie A E; Kempfner, Lykke; Leonthin, Helle L

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Narcolepsy causes abnormalities in the control of wake-sleep, non-rapid-eye-movement (non-REM) sleep and REM sleep, which includes specific eye movements (EMs). In this study, we aim to evaluate EM characteristics in narcolepsy as compared to controls using an automated detector....... RESULTS: NT1 patients had significantly less EMs during wake, N1, and N2 sleep and more EMs during REM sleep compared to clinical controls, and significantly less EMs during wake and N1 sleep compared to NT2 patients. Furthermore, NT1 patients showed less EMs during NREM sleep in the first sleep cycle....... METHODS: We developed a data-driven method to detect EMs during sleep based on two EOG signals recorded as part of a polysomnography (PSG). The method was optimized using the manually scored hypnograms from 36 control subjects. The detector was applied on a clinical sample with subjects suspected...

Hydroxychloroquine decreases Th17-related cytokines in systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juliana Cruz da Silva

2013-06-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: Hydroxychloroquine is an antimalarial agent that has been used in systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis treatment for many years. Recently, novel mechanisms of action have been proposed, thereby broadening the therapeutic perspective of this medication. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the immunomodulatory activity of hydroxychloroquine in T helper 17 (Th17 cytokines in healthy individuals and patients. METHODS: Eighteen female patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (mean age 39.0±12.9 years and 13 female patients with rheumatoid arthritis (mean age 51.5±7.7 years were recruited from Universidade Federal de Pernambuco-Brazil. The patients were included after fulfilling four classification criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus or rheumatoid arthritis from the American College of Rheumatology. After being stimulated with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate and ionomycin in the absence or presence of different concentrations of hydroxychloroquine, the interleukin 6, 17 and 22 levels were quantified with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in culture supernatants of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy individuals and patients. RESULTS: We demonstrated that in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy volunteers and in systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis patients, there was a significant reduction in the IL-6, IL-17 and IL-22 supernatant levels after adding hydroxychloroquine. CONCLUSIONS Our in vitro results demonstrated that hydroxychloroquine inhibits IL-6, IL-17 and IL-22 production and contributes to a better understanding of the mechanism of action of this medication.

Mixed methods analysis of eighteen worksite policies, programs, and environments for physical activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Hipp, J Aaron; Dodson, Elizabeth A; Lee, Jung Ae; Marx, Christine M; Yang, Lin; Tabak, Rachel G; Hoehner, Christine; Marquet, Oriol; Brownson, Ross C

2017-06-14

This study examined whether specific worksite supports for physical activity (PA) were associated with total and domain-specific PA. A cross-sectional, telephone-based study was conducted in four Missouri, USA, metropolitan areas in 2012 and 2013. Outcome variables included total PA and sub-domains (leisure, work, travel) measured using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Logistic regression determined odds of meeting PA recommendations, given access to and use of 18 unique PA worksite supports. A subsample of 119 participants also wore hip accelerometry for seven consecutive days and maintained a wear-time diary. Access to worksite supports were associated with odds of meeting objective moderate and vigorous (MV) PA above 150 min per week. Among 2013 survey participants, meeting PA recommendations while performing work-related tasks was significantly associated with several supports (e.g., walking maps, stair prompts), as was meeting recommendations during travel (e.g., flextime for PA, incentives for public transportation, walking/bicycling to work). Access to 11 worksite supports increased odds of meeting PA recommendations through leisure-time PA; five supports were associated with total PA. There were significant differences between access to and use of supports. Using objective MVPA, access to worksite challenges and bike storage were significantly associated with five and three times greater odds of meeting 150 min of MVPA per week, respectively. Worksite wellness plans are increasing across the US and employers are eager for evidence-based supports for increasing PA. This study provides insights into the utility of multiple worksite supports for PA to increase odds that employees meet PA recommendations.

Hormone-metabolic status in moderately smoking breast cancer patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Berstein, L M; Tsyrlina, E V; Semiglazov, V F; Kovalenko, I G; Gamayunova, V B; Evtushenko, T P; Ivanova, O A

1997-01-01

One hundred and eighteen primary breast cancer (BC) patients, 35 of whom were smokers, in clinical stages I-II of the disease were examined. In order to investigate whether smoking changes endocrine function in BC patients, some indices of the hormone-metabolic status of smoking and non-smoking patients of reproductive and menopausal age were compared. It was found that in smokers with BC there was a decline in body weight and body fat content, a lack of lean body mass accumulation along with body mass increase, a tendency to hypotriglyceridemia and hypoinsulinemia, accelerated development of the upper type of body fat distribution with ageing, intensified gonadotropin secretion, shifts in steroidogenesis and SHBG level and elevated catecholamine execretion. It is suggested that a possible relation between hormone-mediated effects inherent to smoking and the mechanisms promoting genotoxic type of hormonal carcinogenesis and the factors of breast cancer prognosis cannot be excluded.

An appraisal of eighteen commonly consumed edible plants as functional food based on their antioxidant and starch hydrolase inhibitory activities.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Yian Hoon; Choo, Candy; Watawana, Mindani I; Jayawardena, Nilakshi; Waisundara, Viduranga Y

2015-11-01

Eighteen edible plants were assessed for their antioxidant potential based on oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, total phenolics, vitamin C content and various lipophilic antioxidants. The inhibitory activities of the plant extracts against the enzymatic activities of α-amylase and α-glucosidase were also evaluated. The antioxidant and starch hydrolase activities of the plants varied widely across a single batch of analysis. The ORAC and DPPH radical scavenging EC50 values varied between 298 and 1984 Trolox equivalents g(-1) fresh weight and between 91 and 533 mg kg(-1) fresh weight, respectively. The total phenolics and vitamin C contents varied between 32 and 125 mg gallic acid equivalents g(-1) fresh weight and between 96 and 285 µg g(-1) fresh weight, respectively. All the plants contained neoxanthin, violaxanthin, and α- and β-carotene in varying amounts. Coccinia grandis, Asparagus racemosus, Costus speciosus, Amaranthus viridis and Annona muricata displayed the highest inhibitory activities against starch hydrolases. They were the most efficient against the breakdown of seven starches exposed to the two enzymes as well. Overall, the edible plants were observed to display a high antioxidant potential with starch hydrolase inhibitory properties, which were beneficial in their being recognized as functional food. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

Physical therapy methods in the treatment and rehabilitation of cancer patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kucherova, T. Ya.; Choinzonov, E. L.; Tuzikov, S. A.; Vusik, M. V.; Doroshenko, A. V.; Velikaya, V. V.; Gribova, O. V.; Startseva, Zh. A.

2016-01-01

The results of the effective use of magnetic laser therapy in the treatment and rehabilitation of cancer patients were presented. The effect of magnetic-laser therapy in the treatment of radiation-induced reactions in the patients with head and neck cancer and in the patients with breast cancer was analyzed. High efficiency of lymphedema and lymphorrhea treatment in the postoperative period in the patients with breast cancer was proved. The results of rehabilitation of the patients with gastric cancer after surgical treatment were presented. These data indicate a high effectiveness of different physical methods of treatment and rehabilitation of cancer patients.

Indomethacin sensitive suppressor cell activity in head and neck cancer patients pre- and postirradiation therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maca, R.D.; Panje, W.R.

1982-01-01

The effects of the addition of indomethacin to PHA or Con A stimulated lymphocytes from patients with untreated squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck or from patients with the disease who have just finished irradiation therapy from the disease was quantitated and compared to those of the control group. Lymphocytes from eight of 26 patients with untreated carcinoma were significantly augmented by the addition of indomethacin. The remaining eighteen patients were equal to the controls. For all 17 patients who had just finished extensive field irradiation therapy, significant enhancement of PHA and Con A reactivity by indomethacin was found, which did not appear to be solely a function of low baseline mitogen reactivity. The results of this study support the hypothesis that perhaps patients receiving irradiation therapy may benefit by the oral administration of indomethacin, an approach that needs further consideration

Uncovering the features of negotiation in developing the patient-nurse relationship.

Science.gov (United States)

Stoddart, Kathleen; Bugge, Carol

2012-02-01

This article describes a study that set out to explore the interaction between patients and nurses in community practice settings, in order to understand the social meanings and understandings brought to the interaction and at play within it. The study used a grounded theory methodology with traditional procedures. Driven by constant comparative analysis, data were collected by non-participant observation and informal and semi-structured interviews in four community health centres. Eighteen patients and 18 registered practice nurses participated. Negotiation was found to be a fundamental process in patient- nurse interaction. Navigation, socio-cultural characteristics and power and control were found to be key properties of negotiation. The negotiation processes for developing understanding required patients and nurses to draw upon social meanings and understandings generated from within and beyond their current interaction. Social meanings and understandings created within and beyond the health-care setting influence negotiation. The developmental nature of negotiation in interaction is an important dimension of the patient- nurse relationship in community practice.

Systematization of types and methods of radiation therapy methods and techniques of irradiation of patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vajnberg, M.Sh.

1991-01-01

The paper is concerned with the principles of systematization and classification of types and methods of radiation therapy, approaches to the regulation of its terminology. They are based on the distinction of the concepts of radiation therapy and irradiation of patients. The author gives a consice historical review of improvement of the methodology of radiation therapy in the course of developing of its methods and facilities. Problems of terminology are under discussion. There is a table of types and methods of radiation therapy, methods and techniques of irradiation. In the appendices one can find a table of typical legends and examples of graphic signs to denote methods of irradiation. Potentialities of a practical use of the system are described

Efficiency estimation methods of chemical radiation treatment of patients with disseminated cervicalcancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yivankova, V.S.; Nesterenko, T.M.; Khranovs'ka, N.M.; Baranovs'ka, L.M.; Khrulenko, T.V.; Shevchenko, G.M.

2014-01-01

The Department of Radiation Oncology, National Cancer Institute developed methods chemoradiotherapy (CRT) patients with locally advanced cancers of the cervix (cervical cancer MR). Before treatment patients underwent complex examination, including DNA index determination by laser DNA flow cytometry based on biopsies of the cervix. During concomitant radiotherapy were used cytotoxic drugs in radiomodifying doses. Conducted to investigate the possibility of monitoring the effectiveness of treatment at the subcellular level. The treatment and analysis of the clinical and instrumental monitoring data in 79 patients with MR of cervical cancer (63 patients studied and 16 - control group). Effectiveness of CRT was evaluated by the degree of tumor regression, the dynamics of indicators DNA status of cervical cells and severity of toxic effects. Analysis of the direct method results CRT showed that the dynamics of DNA clones of tumor status correlates with clinical data obtained in response to cytotoxic therapy MR cervical cancer. Positive response of tumors in patients with cervical cancer MR after a full course chemoradiation increased by 25,0 % in comparison with standard methods. Toxic effects of treatment on the number and severity of patients in the study group did not differ from the control group, did not exceed the second degree

Enrichment methods to detect bone marrow micrometastases in breast carcinoma patients: clinical relevance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choesmel, Valérie; Pierga, Jean-Yves; Nos, Claude; Vincent-Salomon, Anne; Sigal-Zafrani, Brigitte; Thiery, Jean-Paul; Blin, Nathalie

2004-01-01

Improving technologies for the detection and purification of bone marrow (BM) micrometastatic cells in breast cancer patients should lead to earlier prognosis of the risk of relapse and should make it possible to design more appropriate therapies. The technique used has to overcome the challenges resulting from the small number of target cells (one per million hematopoietic cells) and the heterogeneous expression of micrometastatic cell markers. In the present study, we have assessed the clinical relevance of current methods aimed at detecting rare disseminated carcinoma cells. BM aspirates from 32 carcinoma patients were screened for the presence of micrometastatic cells positive for epithelial cell adhesion molecule and positive for cytokeratins, using optimized immunodetection methods. A comparison with data obtained for 46 control BM aspirates and a correlation with the clinical status of patients were performed. We developed a sensitive and efficient immunomagnetic protocol for the enrichment of BM micrometastases. This method was used to divide 32 breast carcinoma patients into three categories according to their epithelial cell adhesion molecule status. These categories were highly correlated with the recently revised American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system for breast cancer, demonstrating the clinical relevance of this simple and reliable immunomagnetic technique. We also evaluated immunocytochemical detection of cytokeratin-positive cells and cytomorphological parameters. Immunocytochemistry-based methods for the detection of BM micrometastases did not provide any information about the clinical status of patients, but helped to refine the immunomagnetic data by confirming the presence of micrometastases in some cases. We also tested a new density gradient centrifugation system, able to enrich the tumor fraction of BM specimens by twofold to threefold as compared with standard Ficoll methods. These improved methods for the detection of

Health status monitoring for ICU patients based on locally weighted principal component analysis.

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Ding, Yangyang; Ma, Xin; Wang, Youqing

2018-03-01

Intelligent status monitoring for critically ill patients can help medical stuff quickly discover and assess the changes of disease and then make appropriate treatment strategy. However, general-type monitoring model now widely used is difficult to adapt the changes of intensive care unit (ICU) patients' status due to its fixed pattern, and a more robust, efficient and fast monitoring model should be developed to the individual. A data-driven learning approach combining locally weighted projection regression (LWPR) and principal component analysis (PCA) is firstly proposed and applied to monitor the nonlinear process of patients' health status in ICU. LWPR is used to approximate the complex nonlinear process with local linear models, in which PCA could be further applied to status monitoring, and finally a global weighted statistic will be acquired for detecting the possible abnormalities. Moreover, some improved versions are developed, such as LWPR-MPCA and LWPR-JPCA, which also have superior performance. Eighteen subjects were selected from the Physiobank's Multi-parameter Intelligent Monitoring for Intensive Care II (MIMIC II) database, and two vital signs of each subject were chosen for online monitoring. The proposed method was compared with several existing methods including traditional PCA, Partial least squares (PLS), just in time learning combined with modified PCA (L-PCA), and Kernel PCA (KPCA). The experimental results demonstrated that the mean fault detection rate (FDR) of PCA can be improved by 41.7% after adding LWPR. The mean FDR of LWPR-MPCA was increased by 8.3%, compared with the latest reported method L-PCA. Meanwhile, LWPR spent less training time than others, especially KPCA. LWPR is first introduced into ICU patients monitoring and achieves the best monitoring performance including adaptability to changes in patient status, sensitivity for abnormality detection as well as its fast learning speed and low computational complexity. The algorithm

Histological evidence of testicular dysgenesis in contralateral biopsies from 218 patients with testicular germ cell cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hoei-Hansen, Christina E; Holm, Mette; Rajpert-De Meyts, Ewa

2003-01-01

dysgenesis, microscopic dysgenetic features were quantified in contralateral testicular biopsies in patients with a testicular germ cell tumour. Two hundred and eighty consecutive contralateral testicular biopsies from Danish patients with testicular cancer diagnosed in 1998-2001 were evaluated...... retrospectively. Two hundred and eighteen specimens were subsequently included in this study, after 63 patients who did not meet inclusion criteria had to be excluded. The presence of carcinoma in situ (which is believed to originate from transformed gonocytes) was detected in 8.7% of biopsies. The incidence...... patients, areas with immature and morphologically distorted tubules were also noted. Spermatogenesis was qualitatively normal in 51.4%, whereas 11.5% had very poor or absent spermatogenesis. It is concluded that microscopic testicular dysgenesis is a frequent feature in contralateral biopsies from patients...

The development of a patient-specific method for physiotherapy goal setting: a user-centered design.

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Stevens, Anita; Köke, Albère; van der Weijden, Trudy; Beurskens, Anna

2018-08-01

To deliver client-centered care, physiotherapists need to identify the patients' individual treatment goals. However, practical tools for involving patients in goal setting are lacking. The purpose of this study was to improve the frequently used Patient-Specific Complaints instrument in Dutch physiotherapy, and to develop it into a feasible method to improve physiotherapy goal setting. An iterative user-centered design was conducted in co-creation with the physiotherapists and patients, in three phases. Their needs and preferences were identified by means of group meetings and questionnaires. The new method was tested in several field tests in physiotherapy practices. Four main objectives for improvement were formulated: clear instructions for the administration procedure, targeted use across the physiotherapy process, client-activating communication skills, and a client-centered attitude of the physiotherapist. A theoretical goal-setting framework and elements of shared decision making were integrated into the new-called, Patient-Specific Goal-setting method, together with a practical training course. The user-centered approach resulted in a goal-setting method that is fully integrated in the physiotherapy process. The new goal-setting method contributes to a more structured approach to goal setting and enables patient participation and goal-oriented physiotherapy. Before large-scale implementation, its feasibility in physiotherapy practice needs to be investigated. Implications for rehabilitation Involving patients and physiotherapists in the development and testing of a goal-setting method, increases the likelihood of its feasibility in practice. The integration of a goal-setting method into the physiotherapy process offers the opportunity to focus more fully on the patient's goals. Patients should be informed about the aim of every step of the goal-setting process in order to increase their awareness and involvement. Training physiotherapists to use a patient

Emergency CT in blunt abdominal trauma of multiple injury patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kinnunen, J.; Kivioja, A.; Poussa, K.; Laasonen, E.M.

1994-01-01

Multiple injury patients with blunt abdominal trauma (n = 110) were examined by abdominal CT. An i.v., but not peroral, contrast medium was used, thereby eliminating the delay caused by administering peroral contrast medium and any subsequent delay in making the diagnoses and beginning operative treatment. Eighteen patients underwent emergency laparotomy after the initial CT examination. The preoperative CT findings were compared to the laparotomy findings. CT revealed all but one of the severe parenchymal organ lesions requiring surgery. The one liver laceration that went undetected had caused hemoperitoneum, which was diagnosed by CT. The bowel and mesenteric lesions presented as intra-abdominal blood, and the hemoperitoneum was discovered in every patient with these lesions. Fourteen patients also initially had positive abdominal CT findings; 10 of them underwent an additional abdominal CT within 3 days, but the repeat studies did not reveal any lesions in need of surgery. Omission of the oral contrast medium did not jeopardize making the essential diagnoses, but it did save time. (orig.)

Evaluating resective surgery targets in epilepsy patients: A comparison of quantitative EEG methods.

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Müller, Michael; Schindler, Kaspar; Goodfellow, Marc; Pollo, Claudio; Rummel, Christian; Steimer, Andreas

2018-05-18

Quantitative analysis of intracranial EEG is a promising tool to assist clinicians in the planning of resective brain surgery in patients suffering from pharmacoresistant epilepsies. Quantifying the accuracy of such tools, however, is nontrivial as a ground truth to verify predictions about hypothetical resections is missing. As one possibility to address this, we use customized hypotheses tests to examine the agreement of the methods on a common set of patients. One method uses machine learning techniques to enable the predictive modeling of EEG time series. The other estimates nonlinear interrelation between EEG channels. Both methods were independently shown to distinguish patients with excellent post-surgical outcome (Engel class I) from those without improvement (Engel class IV) when assessing the electrodes associated with the tissue that was actually resected during brain surgery. Using the AND and OR conjunction of both methods we evaluate the performance gain that can be expected when combining them. Both methods' assessments correlate strongly positively with the similarity between a hypothetical resection and the corresponding actual resection in class I patients. Moreover, the Spearman rank correlation between the methods' patient rankings is significantly positive. To our best knowledge, this is the first study comparing surgery target assessments from fundamentally differing techniques. Although conceptually completely independent, there is a relation between the predictions obtained from both methods. Their broad consensus supports their application in clinical practice to provide physicians additional information in the process of presurgical evaluation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Radiant Ceiling Panels Combined with Localized Methods for Improved Thermal Comfort of Both Patient and Medical Staff in Patient Room

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mori, Sakura; Barova, Mariya; Bolashikov, Zhecho Dimitrov

2012-01-01

The objectives were to identify whether ceiling installed radiant heating panels can provide thermal comfort to the occupants in a patient room, and to determine a method for optimal thermal environment to both patient and medical staff simultaneously. The experiments were performed in a climate...... mattress were used to provide local heating for the patient. The effects of the methods were identified by comparing the manikin based equivalent temperatures. The optimal thermal comfort level for both patient and medical staff would obtained when two conventional cotton blankets were used with extra...... chamber resembling a single-bed patient room under convective air conditioning alone or combined with the ceiling installed radiant heating panels. Two thermal manikins simulated a patient lying in the bed and a doctor standing next to the patient. Conventional cotton blanket, electric blanket, electric...

Perceptual Speech Assessment after Maxillary Advancement Osteotomy in Patients with a Repaired Cleft Lip and Palate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seok-Kwun Kim

2012-05-01

Full Text Available BackgroundMaxillary hypoplasia refers to a deficiency in the growth of the maxilla commonly seen in patients with a repaired cleft palate. Those who develop maxillary hypoplasia can be offered a repositioning of the maxilla to a functional and esthetic position. Velopharyngeal dysfunction is one of the important problems affecting speech after maxillary advancement surgery. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of maxillary advancement on repaired cleft palate patients without preoperative deterioration in speech compared with non-cleft palate patients.MethodsEighteen patients underwent Le Fort I osteotomy between 2005 and 2011. One patient was excluded due to preoperative deterioration in speech. Eight repaired cleft palate patients belonged to group A, and 9 non-cleft palate patients belonged to group B. Speech assessments were performed preoperatively and postoperatively by using a speech screening protocol that consisted of a list of single words designed by Ok-Ran Jung. Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to determine if there were significant differences between the preoperative and postoperative outcomes in each group A and B. And Mann-Whitney U test was used to determine if there were significant differences in the change of score between groups A and B.ResultsNo patients had any noticeable change in speech production on perceptual assessment after maxillary advancement in our study. Furthermore, there were no significant differences between groups A and B.ConclusionsRepaired cleft palate patients without preoperative velopharyngeal dysfunction would not have greater risk of deterioration of velopharyngeal function after maxillary advancement compared to non-cleft palate patients.

Work in process level definition: a method based on computer simulation and electre tri

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Isaac Pergher

2014-09-01

Full Text Available This paper proposes a method for defining the levels of work in progress (WIP in productive environments managed by constant work in process (CONWIP policies. The proposed method combines the approaches of Computer Simulation and Electre TRI to support estimation of the adequate level of WIP and is presented in eighteen steps. The paper also presents an application example, performed on a metalworking company. The research method is based on Computer Simulation, supported by quantitative data analysis. The main contribution of the paper is its provision of a structured way to define inventories according to demand. With this method, the authors hope to contribute to the establishment of better capacity plans in production environments.

Evaluation of long-term patient satisfaction and experience with the Baha(®) bone conduction implant

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Jacob; Olsen, Steen Østergaard; Nielsen, Lars Holme

2012-01-01

Objective: Evaluate long-term patient satisfaction with bone-anchored hearing aids (the Baha(R), now referred to by Cochlear as a 'bone conduction implant') in our hospital clinic spanning the eighteen-year period from the inception of our Baha program. The researchers further wished to analyse...... the various factors leading to patient satisfaction/dissatisfaction with their Baha. We developed a new questionnaire to obtain a comprehensive impression of individual patient practices, general satisfaction, and experiences with their Baha in respect to time spent using Baha, sound quality, annoyance from...... noise disturbance, ease of communication, cosmetic appearance, and satisfaction with the Baha amongst patient relatives, an aspect not previously investigated. Design: The study design was retrospective and executed as a postal questionnaire. The questionnaire was developed by the authors of this paper...

Ready for goal setting? Process evaluation of a patient-specific goal-setting method in physiotherapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Stevens, Anita; Köke, Albère; van der Weijden, Trudy; Beurskens, Anna

2017-08-31

Patient participation and goal setting appear to be difficult in daily physiotherapy practice, and practical methods are lacking. An existing patient-specific instrument, Patient-Specific Complaints (PSC), was therefore optimized into a new Patient Specific Goal-setting method (PSG). The aims of this study were to examine the feasibility of the PSG in daily physiotherapy practice, and to explore the potential impact of the new method. We conducted a process evaluation within a non-controlled intervention study. Community-based physiotherapists were instructed on how to work with the PSG in three group training sessions. The PSG is a six-step method embedded across the physiotherapy process, in which patients are stimulated to participate in the goal-setting process by: identifying problematic activities, prioritizing them, scoring their abilities, setting goals, planning and evaluating. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected among patients and physiotherapists by recording consultations and assessing patient files, questionnaires and written reflection reports. Data were collected from 51 physiotherapists and 218 patients, and 38 recordings and 219 patient files were analysed. The PSG steps were performed as intended, but the 'setting goals' and 'planning treatment' steps were not performed in detail. The patients and physiotherapists were positive about the method, and the physiotherapists perceived increased patient participation. They became aware of the importance of engaging patients in a dialogue, instead of focusing on gathering information. The lack of integration in the electronic patient system was a major barrier for optimal use in practice. Although the self-reported actual use of the PSG, i.e. informing and involving patients, and client-centred competences had improved, this was not completely confirmed by the objectively observed behaviour. The PSG is a feasible method and tends to have impact on increasing patient participation in the goal

Ultrasound-guided endocavitary drainage of pelvic abscesses: Technique, results and complications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ryan, R.S.; McGrath, F P.; Haslam, P.J.; Varghese, J.C.; Lee, M.J.

2003-01-01

AIM: To evaluate the experience in our institution with ultrasound-guided transrectal and transvaginal (endocavitary) drainage of pelvic abscesses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighteen patients (four male, 14 female; mean age 55 years, range 30-78 years) presenting with pelvic abscesses were referred to our institution for therapeutic drainage over a 4 year period. Patients received broad-spectrum antibiotics prior to drainage, which was performed by either the transvaginal or transrectal route under ultrasound guidance. Patients were given sedo-analgesia in the form of midazolam and fentanyl and local anaesthesia was also employed. Eight French catheters were inserted into the abscess cavities, and patients were subsequently monitored on a daily basis by a member of the interventional radiology team until such time as it was deemed appropriate to remove the catheter. RESULTS: Eighteen catheters were placed in 17 patients, and transvaginal aspiration alone was performed in one patient. Drainage was successful in 16 of 17 patients, but a transgluteal approach was ultimately required in the remaining patient to enable passage of a larger catheter into an infected haematoma. The mean duration of drainage was 5 days, mean time to defervesce 2 days. Spontaneous catheter dislodgement occurred in four patients associated with straining, but this did not have any adverse effect in three of the four patients. CONCLUSION: Endocavitary drainage is an effective method of treatment for pelvic abscesses. Spontaneous catheter dislodgement does not affect patient outcome

Ultrasound-guided endocavitary drainage of pelvic abscesses: Technique, results and complications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ryan, R.S.; McGrath, F P.; Haslam, P.J.; Varghese, J.C.; Lee, M.J

2003-01-01

AIM: To evaluate the experience in our institution with ultrasound-guided transrectal and transvaginal (endocavitary) drainage of pelvic abscesses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighteen patients (four male, 14 female; mean age 55 years, range 30-78 years) presenting with pelvic abscesses were referred to our institution for therapeutic drainage over a 4 year period. Patients received broad-spectrum antibiotics prior to drainage, which was performed by either the transvaginal or transrectal route under ultrasound guidance. Patients were given sedo-analgesia in the form of midazolam and fentanyl and local anaesthesia was also employed. Eight French catheters were inserted into the abscess cavities, and patients were subsequently monitored on a daily basis by a member of the interventional radiology team until such time as it was deemed appropriate to remove the catheter. RESULTS: Eighteen catheters were placed in 17 patients, and transvaginal aspiration alone was performed in one patient. Drainage was successful in 16 of 17 patients, but a transgluteal approach was ultimately required in the remaining patient to enable passage of a larger catheter into an infected haematoma. The mean duration of drainage was 5 days, mean time to defervesce 2 days. Spontaneous catheter dislodgement occurred in four patients associated with straining, but this did not have any adverse effect in three of the four patients. CONCLUSION: Endocavitary drainage is an effective method of treatment for pelvic abscesses. Spontaneous catheter dislodgement does not affect patient outcome.

Combined small and large bowel MR imaging in patients with Crohn's disease: a feasibility study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Narin, Burcu; Ajaj, Waleed; Goehde, Susanne; Lauenstein, Thomas C.; Langhorst, Jost; Gerken, Guido; Akgoez, Haldun; Ruehm, Stefan G.

2004-01-01

MRI of the small bowel is a new method for the assessment of inflammatory bowel diseases. However, inflammatory bowel disease can affect both the small and large bowel. Therefore, our goal was to assess the feasibility of displaying the small bowel and colon simultaneously by MR imaging. Eighteen patients with inflammatory bowel disease were studied. For small bowel distension, patients ingested a solution containing mannitol and locust bean gum. Furthermore, the colon was rectally filled with water. MR examinations were performed on a 1.5-T system. Before and after intravenous gadolinium administration, a T1w data set was collected. All patients underwent conventional colonoscopy as a standard of reference. The oral ingestion and the rectal application of water allowed an assessment of the small bowel and colon in all patients. By means of MRI (endoscopy), 19 (13) inflamed bowel segments in the colon and terminal ileum were detected. Furthermore, eight additional inflammatory lesions in the jejunum and proximal ileum that had not been endoscopically accessible were found by MRI. The simultaneous display of the small and large bowel by MRI is feasible. Major advantages of the proposed MR concept are related to its non-invasive character as well as to the potential to visualize parts of the small bowel that cannot be reached by endoscopy. (orig.)

Effekten af Ginkgo biloba-ekstrakt hos patienter med claudicatio intermittens

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Drabaek, H; Petersen, J R; Wïnberg, N

1996-01-01

Eighteen patients with stable intermittent claudication were randomized in a double blind cross-over study comparing the effects of the Ginkgo biloba extract GB-8 at a dose of 120 mg o.d. with placebo. All patients were treated for three months with the active extract and three months with placebo...... of concentration, and inability to remember. Short-term memory was objectively assessed. We did not find any significant changes in either peripheral blood pressures, walking distances or the severity of leg pain. Systemic blood pressure was reduced both by placebo and GB-8. The impairment of concentration...... and the inability to remember were both reduced, when comparing results during active treatment to placebo. Short-term memory did not change significantly. In conclusion, our study has shown that treatment with the Ginkgo biloba extract GB-8 improves some cognitive functions in elderly patients with moderate...

Costs and difficulties of recruiting patients to provide e-health support: pilot study in one primary care trust.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Ray B; O'Connor, Anita; Brelsford, Jade; Parsons, Neil; Skirton, Heather

2012-03-29

Better use of e-health services by patients could improve outcomes and reduce costs but there are concerns about inequalities of access. Previous research in outpatients suggested that anonymous personal email support may help patients with long term conditions to use e-health, but recruiting earlier in their 'journey' may benefit patients more. This pilot study explored the feasibility and cost of recruiting patients for an e-health intervention in one primary care trust. The sample comprised 46 practices with total patient population of 250,000. We approached all practices using various methods, seeking collaboration to recruit patients via methods agreed with each practice. A detailed research diary was kept of time spent recruiting practices and patients. Researcher time was used to estimate costs. Patients who consented to participate were offered email support for their use of the Internet for health. Eighteen practices agreed to take part; we recruited 27 patients, most (23/27) from five practices. Practices agreed to recruit patients for an e-health intervention via waiting room leaflets (16), posters (16), practice nurses (15), doctors giving patients leaflets (5), a study website link (7), inclusion in planned mailshots (2), and a special mailshot to patients selected from practice computers (1). After low recruitment response we also recruited directly in five practices through research assistants giving leaflets to patients in waiting rooms. Ten practices recruited no patients. Those practices that were more difficult to recruit were less likely to recruit patients. Leaving leaflets for practice staff to distribute and placing posters in the practice were not effective in recruiting patients. Leaflets handed out by practice nurses and website links were more successful. The practice with lowest costs per patient recruited (£70) used a special mailshot to selected patients. Recruitment via general practice was not successful and was therefore expensive

Use of multiple methods to determine factors affecting quality of care of patients with diabetes.

Science.gov (United States)

Khunti, K

1999-10-01

The process of care of patients with diabetes is complex; however, GPs are playing a greater role in its management. Despite the research evidence, the quality of care of patients with diabetes is variable. In order to improve care, information is required on the obstacles faced by practices in improving care. Qualitative and quantitative methods can be used for formation of hypotheses and the development of survey procedures. However, to date few examples exist in general practice research on the use of multiple methods using both quantitative and qualitative techniques for hypothesis generation. We aimed to determine information on all factors that may be associated with delivery of care to patients with diabetes. Factors for consideration on delivery of diabetes care were generated by multiple qualitative methods including brainstorming with health professionals and patients, a focus group and interviews with key informants which included GPs and practice nurses. Audit data showing variations in care of patients with diabetes were used to stimulate the brainstorming session. A systematic literature search focusing on quality of care of patients with diabetes in primary care was also conducted. Fifty-four potential factors were identified by multiple methods. Twenty (37.0%) were practice-related factors, 14 (25.9%) were patient-related factors and 20 (37.0%) were organizational factors. A combination of brainstorming and the literature review identified 51 (94.4%) factors. Patients did not identify factors in addition to those identified by other methods. The complexity of delivery of care to patients with diabetes is reflected in the large number of potential factors identified in this study. This study shows the feasibility of using multiple methods for hypothesis generation. Each evaluation method provided unique data which could not otherwise be easily obtained. This study highlights a way of combining various traditional methods in an attempt to overcome the

Motion analysis of wheelchair propulsion movements in hemiplegic patients: effect of a wheelchair cushion on suppressing posterior pelvic tilt.

Science.gov (United States)

Kawada, Kyohei; Matsuda, Tadamitsu; Takanashi, Akira; Miyazima, Shigeki; Yamamoto, Sumiko

2015-03-01

[Purpose] This study sought to ascertain whether, in hemiplegic patients, the effect of a wheelchair cushion to suppress pelvic posterior tilt when initiating wheelchair propulsion would continue in subsequent propulsions. [Subjects] Eighteen hemiplegic patients who were able to propel a wheelchair in a seated position participated in this study. [Methods] An adjustable wheelchair was fitted with a cushion that had an anchoring function, and a thigh pad on the propulsion side was removed. Propulsion movements from the seated position without moving through three propulsion cycles were measured using a three-dimensional motion analysis system, and electromyography was used to determine the angle of pelvic posterior tilt, muscle activity of the biceps femoris long head, and propulsion speed. [Results] Pelvic posterior tilt could be suppressed through the three propulsion cycles, which served to increase propulsion speed. Muscle activity of the biceps femoris long head was highest when initiating propulsion and decreased thereafter. [Conclusion] The effect of the wheelchair cushion on suppressing pelvic posterior tilt continued through three propulsion cycles.

Information needs of patients with whiplash associated disorders: A Delphi study of patient beliefs.

Science.gov (United States)

Sterling, Joanna; Maujean, Annick; Sterling, Michele

2018-02-01

Whiplash associated disorders (WAD) result in significant personal and economic costs. Patient education and reassurance are recommended treatments for acute WAD but the information needs of patients have not been investigated. To determine what information whiplash-injured patients believe is important to help recovery in the acute stage of injury. A Delphi design survey series with three rounds. Thirty-three participants who had sustained a whiplash injury within the last three years were invited to participate. Participants were asked to provide five statements, in response to an open-ended question, regarding what they believed was the most important information to provide to patients following a whiplash injury. Nineteen patients responded and 85 statements were collected and reviewed independently by two of the authors to remove duplicates. The importance of the remaining items was rated by the participants in the second survey round. Items rated by >50% of participants as important were included in the third survey round. To be deemed key information, >80% of participants had to rate an item as important in this final round. Eighteen items met the criteria for key information. These points addressed four areas: assessment and treatment, recovery and symptoms, patient attitudes during treatment and relationships with health practitioners. The key information points endorsed by patients in this study may provide useful information to constitute a basis for reassurance and education provided to patients with WAD. The results also suggest that improved relationships between patients with whiplash and health practitioners is required. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The idea of corporeity analyzed from heart transplanted patients

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Ana Mª Palmar Santos

2008-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Heart transplant in Spain is a frequent and raising technique with big personal, social and financial impact to those who get involved. However, the corporeity analysis, although it is a key constituent element in the integral definition of the human being, is poorly approached in the process.Objective: This work seeks to analyse the heart transplanted patient’s own corporeity perception through himself/herself as well as through his/her closest relatives.Method: We will approach the study from the phenomenological paradigm consisting of fully describing the lived experiences as well as the consequent perceptions in order to obtain a holistic and deep knowledge of reality. So that we will make a descriptive research work with qualitative approach. Sound recorded open interviews will be carried out to fellows who had been heart transplanted in Transplants Unit of Puerta de Hierro Hospital in Madrid. Initial informants’ selection criteria will be:1. Older than eighteen years old patients who had been heart transplanted within the last two years.2. Interviews to relatives who normally live together with the transplanted patients. Individual and social perception o corporeity from each subject will be analysed as well as that perception in function of genre. Data will be obtained from the interviews generated information and they will be analysed through the qualitative technique called “speech analysis”.

Ball tip method for thoracic pedicle screw placement in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watanabe, Kota; Matsumoto, Morio; Iizuka, Shingo

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of ball tip method for thoracic pedicle screw placements in idiopathic scoliosis patients. 24 patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis were included in this study. Conventional method was performed in 12 patients. Ball tip method was performed in 12 patients. Accuracy of the pedicle screw placement was evaluated based on the postoperative CT. In the ball tip method, a probe which was consisted of ball tip with flexible shaft was used. After removing of cortical bone at a starting point, the probe was inserted manually or sometimes with gently tapping by hammer. During the maneuver, the probe will gradually progress into cancellous bone in the pedicle, without perforating cortical bone in the pedicle. Following expansion of the hole by a rigid gear shift probe, screw was placed in the pedicle. 65.1% of screws were located within pedicle in the conventional group and 86.5% in the ball tip group. 5.3% of screws were located out of pedicle within 2 mm in the conventional group and 8.2% in the ball tip group. 15.8% of screws were located out of pedicle beyond 2 mm and 1.8% in the ball tip group. The ball tip method enhanced the accuracy of thoracic pedicle screw placements in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients. The ball tip method may be effective for accurate pedicle screw placement in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. (author)

Economic evaluation in patient safety: a literature review of methods.

Science.gov (United States)

de Rezende, Bruna Alves; Or, Zeynep; Com-Ruelle, Laure; Michel, Philippe

2012-06-01

Patient safety practices, targeting organisational changes for improving patient safety, are implemented worldwide but their costs are rarely evaluated. This paper provides a review of the methods used in economic evaluation of such practices. International medical and economics databases were searched for peer-reviewed publications on economic evaluations of patient safety between 2000 and 2010 in English and French. This was complemented by a manual search of the reference lists of relevant papers. Grey literature was excluded. Studies were described using a standardised template and assessed independently by two researchers according to six quality criteria. 33 articles were reviewed that were representative of different patient safety domains, data types and evaluation methods. 18 estimated the economic burden of adverse events, 3 measured the costs of patient safety practices and 12 provided complete economic evaluations. Healthcare-associated infections were the most common subject of evaluation, followed by medication-related errors and all types of adverse events. Of these, 10 were selected that had adequately fulfilled one or several key quality criteria for illustration. This review shows that full cost-benefit/utility evaluations are rarely completed as they are resource intensive and often require unavailable data; some overcome these difficulties by performing stochastic modelling and by using secondary sources. Low methodological transparency can be a problem for building evidence from available economic evaluations. Investing in the economic design and reporting of studies with more emphasis on defining study perspectives, data collection and methodological choices could be helpful for strengthening our knowledge base on practices for improving patient safety.

Linear dynamic analysis of arbitrary thin shells modal superposition by using finite element method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goncalves Filho, O.J.A.

1978-11-01

The linear dynamic behaviour of arbitrary thin shells by the Finite Element Method is studied. Plane triangular elements with eighteen degrees of freedom each are used. The general equations of movement are obtained from the Hamilton Principle and solved by the Modal Superposition Method. The presence of a viscous type damping can be considered by means of percentages of the critical damping. An automatic computer program was developed to provide the vibratory properties and the dynamic response to several types of deterministic loadings, including temperature effects. The program was written in FORTRAN IV for the Burroughs B-6700 computer. (author)

Comparison of multiple fluid status assessment methods in patients on chronic hemodialysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Alexiadis, Giannis; Panagoutsos, Stelios; Roumeliotis, Stefanos; Stibiris, Ilias; Markos, Angelos; Kantartzi, Konstantia; Passadakis, Ploumis

2017-03-01

Control of hydration status is an important constituent of adequate and efficient hemodialysis (HD) treatment. Nevertheless, there are no precise clinical indices for early recognition of small changes in fluid status of patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis therapy. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the widely used and reliable method of indexed inferior vena cava diameter (IVCDi) with established and more recently available techniques (bioelectrical impedance analysis [BIA], continuous blood volume monitoring [Crit-line], and the B-line score [BLS] with lung ultrasonography) for estimating the hydration status of patients on HD. Fifty-three patients undergoing chronic HD thrice weekly were included in the study. Evaluation of hydration status methods (IVCDi, BLS, BIA, and Crit-line) was performed thrice weekly before and after HD. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to evaluate the discriminative power of (methods) the BLS, BIA, and Crit-line for predicting over- and underhydration of patients, as determined by the reference method, IVCDi. BLS showed the most promising results in predicting overhydration, as determined by IVCDi, compared with BIA and Crit-line and presented a sensitivity of 77% and specificity of 74%. The accuracy of the BLS was higher than that of BIA (0.81 vs. 0.71, p = 0.032) and Crit-line (0.61, p = 0.001). BLS also showed more promising results in predicting underhydration, as determined by IVCDi, than BIA and Crit-line and presented a sensitivity of 78% and a specificity of 73%. The accuracy of the BLS was higher than that of BIA (0.83 vs. 0.76, p = 0.035) and Crit-line (0.50, p < 0.001). The BLS is a useful and easily performed technique that has recently become available for accurate evaluation of dry weight and fluid status in patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing chronic HD. This method might help recognize asymptomatic lung congestion in these patients.

Percutaneous necrosectomy in patients with acute, necrotizing pancreatitis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bruennler, T.; Langgartner, J.; Lang, S.; Salzberger, B.; Schoelmerich, J. [University Hospital of Regensburg, Department of Internal Medicine 1, Regensburg (Germany); Zorger, N.; Herold, T.; Feuerbach, S.; Hamer, O.W. [University Hospital of Regensburg, Department of Radiology, Regensburg (Germany)

2008-08-15

The objective of this retrospective study was to evaluate the outcome of patients with acute necrotizing pancreatitis treated by active percutaneous necrosectomy. By searching the radiological, surgical and internal medicine databases, all patients with acute necrotizing pancreatitis treated by active percutaneous necrosectomy between 1992 and 2004 were identified. Demographic, laboratory, and clinical data, and details about invasive procedures were collected by reviewing patient charts, radiological and surgical reports. The computed tomography severity index (CTSI) scores were determined by reviewing CT images. Eighteen patients were identified. Median Ranson score on admission was 2. The Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score was median 22. Median CTSI score was 7. Initially all patients were treated with CT-guided drainage placement. Because passive drainage proved not to be effective, subsequent minimally invasive, percutaneous necrosectomy was performed. Eight out of 18 patients recovered fully without the need for surgery. Ten of 18 patients required additional surgical necrosectomy. For one of ten patients, percutaneous necrosectomy allowed postponing surgery by 39 days. Four of ten surgically treated patients died: three from septic multiorgan failure, one from pulmonary embolism. Percutaneous minimally invasive necrosectomy can be regarded as a safe and effective complementary treatment modality in patients with necrotizing pancreatitis. It is suitable for a subset of patients to avoid or delay surgery. (orig.)

Percutaneous necrosectomy in patients with acute, necrotizing pancreatitis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bruennler, T.; Langgartner, J.; Lang, S.; Salzberger, B.; Schoelmerich, J.; Zorger, N.; Herold, T.; Feuerbach, S.; Hamer, O.W.

2008-01-01

The objective of this retrospective study was to evaluate the outcome of patients with acute necrotizing pancreatitis treated by active percutaneous necrosectomy. By searching the radiological, surgical and internal medicine databases, all patients with acute necrotizing pancreatitis treated by active percutaneous necrosectomy between 1992 and 2004 were identified. Demographic, laboratory, and clinical data, and details about invasive procedures were collected by reviewing patient charts, radiological and surgical reports. The computed tomography severity index (CTSI) scores were determined by reviewing CT images. Eighteen patients were identified. Median Ranson score on admission was 2. The Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score was median 22. Median CTSI score was 7. Initially all patients were treated with CT-guided drainage placement. Because passive drainage proved not to be effective, subsequent minimally invasive, percutaneous necrosectomy was performed. Eight out of 18 patients recovered fully without the need for surgery. Ten of 18 patients required additional surgical necrosectomy. For one of ten patients, percutaneous necrosectomy allowed postponing surgery by 39 days. Four of ten surgically treated patients died: three from septic multiorgan failure, one from pulmonary embolism. Percutaneous minimally invasive necrosectomy can be regarded as a safe and effective complementary treatment modality in patients with necrotizing pancreatitis. It is suitable for a subset of patients to avoid or delay surgery. (orig.)

An improved method for sacro-iliac joint imaging: a study of normal subjects, patients with sacro-iliitis and patients with low back pain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ayres, J.; Hilson, A.J.W.; Maisey, M.N.; Laurent, R.; Panayi, G.S.; Saunders, A.J.

1981-01-01

A new method is described for quantitative measurement of the uptake of sup(99m)Tc-methylene diphosphonate (MDP) by the sacro-iliac joints. The method uses 'regions of interest' providing advantages over the previously described 'slice' method; the two methods are compared in normal subjects, patients with known sacro-iliitis and patients with low back pain. Sacro-iliac activity, as calculated by the sacro-iliac index (SII) in normal patients, was shown to decrease with age in females but not in males. The SII was compared with radiographs of the sacro-iliac joints in the patients with known sacro-iliac joint disease and in those with low back pain. The method is useful for the exclusion of sacro-iliitis as a specific cause of back pain. (author)

A NEW METHOD FOR PREDICTING SURVIVAL AND ESTIMATING UNCERTAINTY IN TRAUMA PATIENTS

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V. G. Schetinin

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The Trauma and Injury Severity Score (TRISS is the current “gold” standard of screening patient’s condition for purposes of predicting survival probability. More than 40 years of TRISS practice revealed a number of problems, particularly, 1 unexplained fluctuation of predicted values caused by aggregation of screening tests, and 2 low accuracy of uncertainty intervals estimations. We developed a new method made it available for practitioners as a web calculator to reduce negative effect of factors given above. The method involves Bayesian methodology of statistical inference which, being computationally expensive, in theory provides most accurate predictions. We implemented and tested this approach on a data set including 571,148 patients registered in the US National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB with 1–20 injuries. These patients were distributed over the following categories: (1 174,647 with 1 injury, (2 381,137 with 2–10 injuries, and (3 15,364 with 11–20 injuries. Survival rates in each category were 0.977, 0.953, and 0.831, respectively. The proposed method has improved prediction accuracy by 0.04%, 0.36%, and 3.64% (p-value <0.05 in the categories 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Hosmer-Lemeshow statistics showed a significant improvement of the new model calibration. The uncertainty 2σ intervals were reduced from 0.628 to 0.569 for patients of the second category and from 1.227 to 0.930 for patients of the third category, both with p-value <0.005. The new method shows the statistically significant improvement (p-value <0.05 in accuracy of predicting survival and estimating the uncertainty intervals. The largest improvement has been achieved for patients with 11–20 injuries. The method is available for practitioners as a web calculator http://www.traumacalc.org.

Targeted methods for measuring patient satisfaction in a radiological center

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maurer, M.H.; Stein, E.; Schreiter, N.F.; Renz, D.M.; Poellinger, A.

2010-01-01

Purpose: To investigate two event-oriented methods for evaluating patient satisfaction with radiological services like outpatient computed tomography (CT) examinations. Materials and Methods: 159 patients (55 % men, 45 % women) were asked to complete a questionnaire to provide information about their satisfaction with their examination. At first, patients were asked to spontaneously recall notably positive and negative aspects (so-called 'critical incidents', critical incident technique = CIT) of the examination. Subsequently a flow chart containing all single steps of the examination procedure was shown to all patients. They were asked to point out the positive and negative aspects they perceived at each step (so-called sequential incident technique = SIT). Results: The CIT-based part of the questionnaire yielded 356 comments (183 positive and 173 negative), which were assigned to one of four categories: interaction of staff with patient, procedure and organization, CT examination, and overall setting of the examination. Significantly more detailed comments regarding individual aspects of the CT examination were elicited in the second part of the survey, which was based on the SIT. There were 1413 statements with a significantly higher number of positive comments (n = 939, 66 %) versus negative comments (n = 474, 34 %; p < 0.001). Conclusion: The critical and sequential incident techniques are suitable to measure the subjective satisfaction with the delivery of radiological services such as CT examinations. Positive comments confirm the adequacy of the existing procedures, while negative comments provide direct information about how service quality can be improved. (orig.)

Eighteen-Year Cryopreservation Does Not Negatively Affect the Pluripotency of Human Embryos: Evidence from Embryonic Stem Cell Derivation

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Rungsiwiwut, Ruttachuk; Numchaisrika, Pranee; Ahnonkitpanit, Vichuda; Isarasena, Nipan; Virutamasen, Pramuan

2012-01-01

Abstract Human embryonic stem (hES) cells are considered to be a potential source for the therapy of human diseases, drug screening, and the study of developmental biology. In the present study, we successfully derived hES cell lines from blastocysts developed from frozen and fresh embryos. Seventeen- to eighteen-year-old frozen embryos were thawed, cultured to the blastocyst stage, and induced to form hES cells using human foreskin fibroblasts. The Chula2.hES cell line and the Chula4.hES and Chula5.hES cell lines were derived from blastocysts developed from frozen and fresh embryos, respectively. The cell lines expressed pluripotent markers, including alkaline phosphatase (AP), Oct3/4, stage-specific embryonic antigen (SSEA)-4, and tumor recognition antigen (TRA)-1-60 and TRA-1-81 as detected with immunocytochemistry. The real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) results showed that the cell lines expressed pluripotent genes, including OCT3/4, SOX2, NANOG, UTF, LIN28, REX1, NODAL, and E-Cadherin. In addition, the telomerase activities of the cell lines were higher than in the fibroblast cells. Moreover, the cell lines differentiated into all three germ layers both in vitro and in vivo. The cell lines had distinct identities, as revealed with DNA fingerprinting, and maintained their normal karyotype after a long-term culture. This study is the first to report the successful derivation of hES cell lines in Thailand and that frozen embryos maintained their pluripotency similar to fresh embryos, as shown by the success of hES cell derivation, even after years of cryopreservation. Therefore, embryos from prolonged cryopreservation could be an alternative source for embryonic stem cell research. PMID:23514952

Three nights leg thermal therapy could improve sleep quality in patients with chronic heart failure.

Science.gov (United States)

Sawatari, Hiroyuki; Nishizaka, Mari K; Miyazono, Mami; Ando, Shin-Ichi; Inoue, Shujiro; Takemoto, Masao; Sakamoto, Takafumi; Goto, Daisuke; Furumoto, Tomoo; Kinugawa, Shintaro; Hashiguchi, Nobuko; Rahmawati, Anita; Chishaki, Hiroaki; Ohkusa, Tomoko; Magota, Chie; Tsutsui, Hiroyuki; Chishaki, Akiko

2018-02-01

Sleep quality is often impaired in patients with chronic heart failure (HF), which may worsen their quality of life and even prognosis. Leg thermal therapy (LTT), topical leg warming, has been shown to improve endothelial function, oxidative stress, and cardiac function in patients with HF. However, its short-term influence to sleep quality has not been evaluated in HF patients. Eighteen of 23 patients with stable HF received LTT (15 min of warming at 45 °C and 30 min of insulation) at bedtime for 3 consecutive nights and 5 patients served as control. Subjective sleep quality was evaluated by St. Mary's Hospital Sleep Questionnaire, Oguri-Shirakawa-Azumi Sleep Inventory, and Epworth sleepiness scale, and also objectively evaluated by polysomnography. LTT significantly improved subjective sleep quality indicated by depth of sleep (p quality (p improve subjective and objective sleep quality in patients with HF. LTT can be a complimentary therapy to improve sleep quality in these patients.

Do work-related factors affect care-seeking in general practice for back pain or upper extremity pain?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Jens Christian; Haahr, Jens Peder; Frost, Poul

2013-01-01

's decision to seek care could be important in order to give more well-founded advice to our patients. The objective of this study was to elucidate the effects of workloads on care-seeking for back pain or upper extremity pain during an eighteen-month follow-up period. METHODS: This is a prospective study...

Instant availability of patient records, but diminished availability of patient information: A multi-method study of GP's use of electronic patient records

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Grimsmo Anders

2008-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In spite of succesful adoption of electronic patient records (EPR by Norwegian GPs, what constitutes the actual benefits and effects of the use of EPRs in the perspective of the GPs and patients has not been fully characterized. We wanted to study primary care physicians' use of electronic patient record (EPR systems in terms of use of different EPR functions and the time spent on using the records, as well as the potential effects of EPR systems on the clinician-patient relationship. Methods A combined qualitative and quantitative study that uses data collected from focus groups, observations of primary care encounters and a questionnaire survey of a random sample of general practitioners to describe their use of EPR in primary care. Results The overall availability of individual patient records had improved, but the availability of the information within each EPR was not satisfactory. GPs' use of EPRs were efficient and comprehensive, but have resulted in transfer of administrative work from secretaries to physicians. We found no indications of disturbance of the clinician-patient relationship by use of computers in this study. Conclusion Although GPs are generally satisfied with their EPRs systems, there are still unmet needs and functionality to be covered. It is urgent to find methods that can make a better representation of information in large patient records as well as prevent EPRs from contributing to increased administrative workload of physicians.

SLO-infrared imaging of the macula and its correlation with functional loss and structural changes in patients with Stargardt disease

Science.gov (United States)

Anastasakis, Anastasios; Fishman, Gerald A; Lindeman, Martin; Genead, Mohamed A; Zhou, Wensheng

2010-01-01

Purpose To correlate the degree of functional loss with structural changes in patients with Stargardt disease. Methods Eighteen eyes of 10 Stargardt patients were studied. Scanning laser ophthalmoscope (SLO) infrared images were compared to corresponding spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) scans. Additionally, SLO microperimetry was performed and results were superimposed on SLO infrared images and in selected cases on fundus autofluorescence (FAF) images. Results Seventeen of 18 eyes showed a distinct hypo-reflective foveal and/or perifoveal area with distinct borders on SLO-infrared images which was less evident on funduscopy and incompletely depicted in FAF images. This hypo-reflective zone corresponded to areas of significantly elevated psychophysical thresholds on microperimetry testing, in addition to thinning of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), disorganization or loss of the photoreceptor cell inner-outer segment (IS-OS) junction and external limiting membrane (ELM) on SD-OCT. Conclusion SLO-infrared fundus images are useful for depicting retinal structural changes in Stargardt patients. An SD-OCT/SLO microperimetry device allows for a direct correlation of structural abnormalities with functional defects that will likely be applicable for the determination of retinal areas for potential improvement of retinal function in these patients during future clinical trials and for the monitoring of the diseases' natural history. PMID:21293320

[A new method of gastric shunting for treatment of patients with morbid obesity].

Science.gov (United States)

Grubnik, V V; Golliak, V P; Kresiun, M S

2013-01-01

The gastric shunting (GSH) method, permitting to control the patients body mass more effectively and promoting complete remission of diabetes mellitus type II, was elaborated. In 2008 - 2009 yrs 29 patients (9 men, 20 women) were operated on for morbid obesity, using shunting interventions. In 21 patients (the first group) a standard GSH was performed, in 8 (second group)--a modified operation. In 18-24 mo the excessive patient's body mass in patients of the first group have reduced by 62.8%, of the second group--by 89.3%. Complete compensation of diabetes mellitus type II with rejection from insulin and other antidiabetic preparations was achieved in 4 patients of the first group and in all--in the second group. Resistence for insulin have had lowered in patients of both groups, including in the first group--in 1,4 times, in the second group--in 3.2 times. Thus, preliminary results accurately demonstrate, that application of a modified GSH method is more effective, concerning the patients body mass reduction and achievement of complete compensation of diabetes mellitus type II.

Evaluation of left ventricular volumes in patients with congenital heart disease and abnormal left ventricular geometry. Comparison of MRI and transthoracic 3-dimensional echocardiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gutberlet, M.; Grothoff, M.; Roettgen, R.; Lange, P.; Felix, R.; Abdul-Khaliq, H.; Schroeter, J.; Schmitt, B.; Vogel, M.

2003-01-01

Purpose: To assess the new method of 3-dimensional echocardiography in comparison to the 'gold standard' MRI as to its ability to calculate left ventricular volumes in patients with congenital heart disease. Materials and methods: Eighteen patients between the ages of 3.9 to 37.3 years (mean: 12.8±9.7) with a geometrically abnormal left ventricle were examined using a 1.5 T scanner with a fast gradient-echo sequence (TR=14 ms, TE=2.6-2.9 ms, FOV=300-400 mm, flip angle=20 , matrix=128:256, slice thickness=5 mm, retrospective gating) in multislice-multiphase technique. Transthoracic 3D-echocardiography was performed with a 3.5 MHz transducer and a Tomtec trademark (Munich, Germany) system for 3D reconstruction. Results: Volume calculation was possible in all patients with 3D-echocardiography, but the muscle mass calculation only succeeded in 11 to 18 patients (61%) due to inadequate visualization of the entire myocardium. Comparing MRI and 3D-echocardiography, the correlation was r=0.97 for the end-systolic volumes, r=0.98 for the end-diastolic volumes, r=0.79 for the end-systolic muscle mass and r=0.77 for the end-diastolic muscle mass. The agreement between both methods was considered good for the calculated end-diastolic volumes and sufficient for the calculated end-systolic volumes. The muscle mass calculations showed larger differences especially for the end-systolic mass. Mean intraobserver variability was 18.6% for end-systolic and 8.3% for end-diastolic volumes. Conclusion: In patients with an abnormal left ventricular configuration due to congenital heart disease, the new method of 3D-echocardiography is sufficient for volume calculations in preselected patients. The high intraobserver variability is still a limitation of transthoracic 3D-echocardiography in comparison to MRI. (orig.) [de

Optimal Scoring Methods of Hand-Strength Tests in Patients with Stroke

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Sheau-Ling; Hsieh, Ching-Lin; Lin, Jau-Hong; Chen, Hui-Mei

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the optimal scoring methods for measuring strength of the more-affected hand in patients with stroke by examining the effect of reducing measurement errors. Three hand-strength tests of grip, palmar pinch, and lateral pinch were administered at two sessions in 56 patients with stroke. Five scoring methods…

Comparative study between the hand-wrist method and cervical vertebral maturation method for evaluation skeletal maturity in cleft patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Manosudprasit, Montian; Wangsrimongkol, Tasanee; Pisek, Poonsak; Chantaramungkorn, Melissa

2013-09-01

To test the measure of agreement between use of the Skeletal Maturation Index (SMI) method of Fishman using hand-wrist radiographs and the Cervical Vertebral Maturation Index (CVMI) method for assessing skeletal maturity of the cleft patients. Hand-wrist and lateral cephalometric radiographs of 60 cleft subjects (35 females and 25 males, age range: 7-16 years) were used. Skeletal age was assessed using an adjustment to the SMI method of Fishman to compare with the CVMI method of Hassel and Farman. Agreement between skeletal age assessed by both methods and the intra- and inter-examiner reliability of both methods were tested by weighted kappa analysis. There was good agreement between the two methods with a kappa value of 0.80 (95% CI = 0.66-0.88, p-value <0.001). Reliability of intra- and inter-examiner of both methods was very good with kappa value ranging from 0.91 to 0.99. The CVMI method can be used as an alternative to the SMI method in skeletal age assessment in cleft patients with the benefit of no need of an additional radiograph and avoiding extra-radiation exposure. Comparing the two methods, the present study found better agreement from peak of adolescence onwards.

The use of telehealth (text messaging and video communications) in patients with cystic fibrosis: A pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Gur, Michal; Nir, Vered; Teleshov, Anna; Bar-Yoseph, Ronen; Manor, Eynav; Diab, Gizelle; Bentur, Lea

2017-05-01

Background Poor communications between cystic fibrosis (CF) patients and health-care providers may result in gaps in knowledge and misconceptions about medication usage, and can lead to poor adherence. We aimed to assess the feasibility of using WhatsApp and Skype to improve communications. Methods This single-centre pilot study included CF patients who were older than eight years of age assigned to two groups: one without intervention (control group), and one with intervention. Each patient from the intervention group received Skype-based online video chats and WhatsApp messages from members of the multidisciplinary CF team. CF questionnaires, revised (CFQ-R) scores, knowledge and adherence based on CF My Way and patients satisfaction were evaluated before and after three months. Feasibility was assessed by session attendance, acceptability and satisfaction survey. Descriptive analysis and paired and non-paired t-tests were used as applicable. Results Eighteen patients were recruited to this feasibility study (nine in each group). Each intervention group participant had between four and six Skype video chats and received 22-45 WhatsApp messages. In this small study, CFQ-R scores, knowledge, adherence and patient satisfaction were similar in both groups before and after the three-month intervention. Conclusions A telehealth-based approach, using Skype video chats and WhatsApp messages, was feasible and acceptable in this pilot study. A larger and longer multi-centre study is warranted to examine the efficacy of these interventions to improve knowledge, adherence and communication.

Eighteen cases of small breast cancer: a comparative study of mammography, CT scan and pathology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Yaopan; Lin Haogao; Cai Peiqiang; Ouyang Yi; Zhang Weizhang; Lu Bingui

2003-01-01

Objective: To improve the early diagnosis of breast cancer through a study of the mammography and CT findings of small breast cancer. Methods: The mammography and CT findings of 18 cases of small breast cancer (φ≤2.0 cm in diameter) were studied and compared with pathological results. Results: The diagnostic accuracy of CT and mammography was 83% and 61%, respectively. There was a statistical difference between both modalities (P<0.05), CT scan was superior to mammography. However, there was no difference between them when assessing the lesion arising in F-type breast. In detecting breast fine cluster of calcification, the sensitivity of mammography was better than CT scan. Conclusion: The patient suspected of small breast cancer should take mammography as the first evaluation. CT scan is reserved for the further investigation. The mammography combined with CT scan can improve the early diagnostic rate of breast cancer

Safety and efficacy of vinorelbine in combination with pertuzumab and trastuzumab for first-line treatment of patients with HER2-positive locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Perez, Edith A; López-Vega, José Manuel; Petit, Thierry

2016-01-01

.2% (95% CI 63.8-82.9) in intent-to-treat patients with measurable disease (89/106 [84.0%]). Median PFS was 14.3 months (95% CI 11.2-17.5) in the intent-to-treat population. Treatment was reasonably well tolerated, with no unexpected toxicities. Diarrhea (61/106 patients [57.5%]) and neutropenia (54....../106 [50.9%]) were the most common adverse events (AEs); neutropenia (33/106 [31.1%]) and leukopenia (14/106 [13.2%]) were the most common grade ≥3 AEs. Serious AEs were reported in 32/106 (30.2%) patients. AEs led to study drug discontinuation in 36/106 patients (34.0%). Eighteen of 106 patients (17...

Image/patient registration from (partial) projection data by the Fourier phase matching method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weiguo Lu; You, J.

1999-01-01

A technique for 2D or 3D image/patient registration, PFPM (projection based Fourier phase matching method), is proposed. This technique provides image/patient registration directly from sequential tomographic projection data. The method can also deal with image files by generating 2D Radon transforms slice by slice. The registration in projection space is done by calculating a Fourier invariant (FI) descriptor for each one-dimensional projection datum, and then registering the FI descriptor by the Fourier phase matching (FPM) method. The algorithm has been tested on both synthetic and experimental data. When dealing with translated, rotated and uniformly scaled 2D image registration, the performance of the PFPM method is comparable to that of the IFPM (image based Fourier phase matching) method in robustness, efficiency, insensitivity to the offset between images, and registration time. The advantages of the former are that subpixel resolution is feasible, and it is more insensitive to image noise due to the averaging effect of the projection acquisition. Furthermore, the PFPM method offers the ability to generalize to 3D image/patient registration and to register partial projection data. By applying patient registration directly from tomographic projection data, image reconstruction is not needed in the therapy set-up verification, thus reducing computational time and artefacts. In addition, real time registration is feasible. Registration from partial projection data meets the geometry and dose requirements in many application cases and makes dynamic set-up verification possible in tomotherapy. (author)

Low parathyroid hormone levels in bedridden geriatric patients with vitamin D deficiency.

Science.gov (United States)

Björkman, Mikko P; Sorva, Antti J; Risteli, Juha; Tilvis, Reijo S

2009-06-01

To identify the clinical conditions associated with low parathyroid hormone (PTH) in patients with vitamin D deficiency and to evaluate the stability of the blunted PTH response to vitamin D deficiency over 6 months. Secondary analysis of a randomized double-blind controlled vitamin D supplementation trial. Four long-term care hospitals in Helsinki, Finland. Two hundred eighteen chronically bedridden patients. Plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD), intact PTH, amino-terminal propeptide of type I procollagen (PINP), carboxy-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (ICTP), activities of daily living (ADLs), and body mass index (BMI) were measured at baseline and at 6 months. Patient records were reviewed for demographic data. PTH was within reference values (8-73 ng/L) despite low 25-OHD level (bedridden patients with vitamin D deficiency. Attenuated parathyroid function appears to be associated with immobilization that causes accelerated bone resorption. Further studies addressing the possible adverse effects of low PTH are warranted.

Evaluation of antibody response to polysaccharide vaccine and switched memory B cells in pediatric patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Fallahi, Gholamhossein; Aghamohammadi, Asghar; Khodadad, Ahmad; Hashemi, Mojtaba; Mohammadinejad, Payam; Asgarian-Omran, Hossein; Najafi, Mehri; Farhmand, Fatemeh; Motamed, Farzaneh; Soleimani, Khadije; Soheili, Habib; Parvaneh, Nima; Darabi, Behzad; Nasiri Kalmarzi, Rasoul; Pourhamdi, Shabnam; Abolhassani, Hassan; Mirminachi, Babak; Rezaei, Nima

2014-01-01

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic disease of the gastrointestinal tract, whose etiologies are still unknown. This study was performed to evaluate the humoral immune response in terms of B cell functions in selected IBD patients. Eighteen pediatric patients with IBD, including 12 cases of ulcerative colitis (UC) and six with Crohn disease (CD), were enrolled in this study. The pneumococcal vaccine was injected in all patients, and the IgG antibody level to the polysaccharide antigen was measured before and 4 weeks after injection. The B cell switch-recombination process was evaluated. Five patients with IBD (three CD and two UC) had defects in B cell switching, which was significantly higher than in controls (p=0.05). Ten patients had a specific antibody deficiency and exhibited a higher frequency of bacterial infection than the healthy group. The mean increased level of IgG after vaccination was lower in IBD patients (82.9±32.5 µg/mL vs 219.8±59.0 µg/mL; p=0.001). Among the patients who had an insufficient response, no significant difference in the number of switched memory B-cell was observed. A defect in B lymphocyte switching was observed in pediatric IBD patients, and especially in those patients with CD. Owing to an increased risk of bacterial infections in those patients with antibody production defects, pneumococcal vaccination could be recommended. However, not all patients can benefit from the vaccination, and several may require other prophylactic methods.

A conservative method of retaining an interim obturator for a total maxillectomy patient

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nirmal Famila Bettie

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Interim obturators are indicated during the postsurgical phases. It promotes surgical healing and serves as a temporary prosthesis to rehabilitate a patient with intra-oral surgical defect. Retention is gained by wiring, surgical suturing, and other noninvasive methods to enable functional rehabilitation and easy replacement with a permanent obturator. Interim obturators serve as an easy guide for replacing with definitive obturators by indicating prosthesis extensions and the required method of retention. A more conservative and noninvasive method of retaining an interim obturator for a maxillectomy patient is described in this case report.

A Conservative Method of Retaining an Interim Obturator for a Total Maxillectomy Patient.

Science.gov (United States)

Bettie, Nirmal Famila

2017-11-01

Interim obturators are indicated during the postsurgical phases. It promotes surgical healing and serves as a temporary prosthesis to rehabilitate a patient with intra-oral surgical defect. Retention is gained by wiring, surgical suturing, and other noninvasive methods to enable functional rehabilitation and easy replacement with a permanent obturator. Interim obturators serve as an easy guide for replacing with definitive obturators by indicating prosthesis extensions and the required method of retention. A more conservative and noninvasive method of retaining an interim obturator for a maxillectomy patient is described in this case report.

Cerebral sparganosis in children: epidemiological, clinical and MR imaging characteristics

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Gong Caigui

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Cerebral sparganosis in children is an extremely rare disease of central nervous system, and caused by a tapeworm larva from the genus of Spirometra. In this study, we discussed and summarized epidemiological, clinical and MR imaging characteristics of eighteen children with cerebral sparganosis for a better diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Methods Eighteen children with cerebral sparganosis verified by pathology, serological tests and MR presentations were retrospectively investigated, and the epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of the disease were studied. Results Twenty-seven lesions were found in the eighteen children. Twelve lesions in twelve patients were solitary while the lesions in the rest six patients were multiple and asymmetrical. The positions of the lesions were: seven in frontal, eleven in parietal, four in temporal and two in occipital lobes, one in basal ganglia, one in cerebella hemisphere and one in pons. The lesions were presented as slight hypointensity on T1-weighted images but moderate hyperintensity on T2-weighted images with perilesional brain parenchyma edema. Enhanced MR scans by using Gadopentetic Acid Dimeglumine Salt were performed in the patients, and the images demonstrated abnormal enhancements with the patterns of a peripheral ring, or a tortuous beaded, or a serpiginous tubular shape. Follow-up MR scans were preformed for eight patients, and three out of the eight cases exposed migrations and changes in shapes of the lesion areas. Conclusions The MR presentations in our study in general were similar to those in previous studies. However serpiginous tubular and comma-shaped enhancements of lesions have not been previously reported. The enhanced MR imaging and follow-up MR scans with the positive results from serological tests are the most important methods for the clinical diagnosis of cerebral sparganosis in children.

[The effectiveness of physical therapy methods (Bobath and motor relearning program) in rehabilitation of stroke patients].

Science.gov (United States)

Krutulyte, Grazina; Kimtys, Algimantas; Krisciūnas, Aleksandras

2003-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine whether two different physiotherapy regimes caused any differences in outcome in the rehabilitation after stroke. We examined 240 patients with stroke. Examination was carried out at the Rehabilitation Center of Kaunas Second Clinical Hospital. Patients were divided into 2 groups: Bobath method was applied to the first (I) group (n=147), motor relearning program (MRP) method was applied to the second (II) group (n=93). In every group of patients we established samples according to sex, age, hospitalization to rehab unit as occurrence of CVA degree of disorder (hemiplegia, hemiparesis). The mobility of patients was evaluated according to European Federation for Research in Rehabilitation (EFRR) scale. Activities of daily living were evaluated by Barthel index. Analyzed groups were evaluated before physical therapy. When preliminary analysis was carried out it proved no statically reliable differences between analyzed groups (reliability 95%). The same statistical analysis was carried out after physical therapy. The results of differences between patient groups were compared using chi(2) method. Bobath method was applied working with the first group of patients. The aim of the method is to improve quality of the affected body side's movements in order to keep both sides working as harmoniously as possible. While applying this method at work, physical therapist guides patient's body on key-points, stimulating normal postural reactions, and training normal movement pattern. MRP method was used while working with the second group patients. This method is based on movement science, biomechanics and training of functional movement. Program is based on idea that movement pattern shouldn't be trained; it must be relearned. CONCLUSION. This study indicates that physiotherapy with task-oriented strategies represented by MRP, is preferable to physiotherapy with facilitation/inhibition strategies, such the Bobath programme, in the

Developing patient portals in a fragmented healthcare system.

Science.gov (United States)

Otte-Trojel, Terese; de Bont, Antoinette; Aspria, Marcello; Adams, Samantha; Rundall, Thomas G; van de Klundert, Joris; de Mul, Marleen

2015-10-01

Use of patient portals may contribute to improved patient health and experiences and better organizational performance. In the Netherlands, patient portals have gained considerable attention in recent years, as evidenced by various policy initiatives and practical efforts directed at developing portals. Due to the fragmented setup of the Dutch healthcare system patient portals that give patients access to information and services from across their providers are developed in inter-organizational collaboration. The objective of this paper is to identify and describe the types of collaborations, or networks, that have been established to develop patient portals in the Netherlands. Understanding the characteristics of these networks as well as the development of their respective portals enables us to assess the enabling and constraining effects of different network types on patient portal initiatives. We used qualitative methods including interview and documents analysis. In a first step, we interviewed eighteen experts and reviewed relevant national policy and strategy documents. Based on this orientation, we selected three networks we deemed to be representative of inter-organizational efforts to develop Dutch patient portals in 2012. In a second step, we interviewed twelve representatives of these patient portal networks and collected documents related to the portals. We applied content analytic techniques to analyze data from the three cases. The three studied networks differed in their number and diversity of actors, the degree to which these actors were mutually dependent, the degree to which network governance was decentralized, and the dynamics of the network structures. We observed that the portals developed in networks displaying the highest degree of these characteristics experienced most difficulties associated with developing patient portals - such as achieving interoperability, successful implementation, regulatory complaisance, and financial

Isolation of Chlamydia trachomatis or Ureaplasma urealyticum from the synovial fluid of patients with Reiter's syndrome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pavlica Ljiljana

2003-01-01

Full Text Available Background. The aim of this study was to contribute to the insight of the role of the infectious agent in ethiopathogenesis of the Reiter’s syndrome development, which could directly influence the choise of treatment of these patients. Methods. Eighteen patients with urogenital form of the Reiter’s syndrome and 16 controls (6 with rheumatoid arthritis and 10 with pigmented villonodular synovitis were included in the study. In all patients standard laboratory analyses of the blood, urine and stool were made; antibody titer to Chlamydia trachomatis and Ureaplasma urealyticum was determined in synovial fluid and serum; isolation of Chlamydia trachomatis and Ureaplasma urealyticum in urethral, cervical and conjunctival swabs, as well as in prostatic and synovial fluid, was also made. HLA typing was done, too. Chlamydia was isolated in the McCoy cell culture treated with cycloheximide while Ureaplasma was identified according to its biochemical properties grown on cell-free liquid medium. Results. Chlamydia trachomatis was isolated from the synovial fluid of 4 patients with Reiter's syndrome 22.2%, while Ureaplasma urealyticum was isolated in 7 of them (38.9%. These microorganisms were not found in any synovial fluid of the control group patients. Conclusion. Presence of these bacteria in the inflamed joint might be an important factor in etiopathogenesis of this disease, and it supports the hypothesis that arthritis in Reiter's syndrome is probably of the infectious origin.

The significance of preoperative CT during arterial portography in surgical treatment of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hayashi, Takafumi; Suzuki, Kazunori; Konishi, Ichiro; Sato, Naoki; Yamashiro, Yutaka; Yamaguchi, Yumi; Hirooka, Yasuaki; Kaibara, Nobuaki

1999-01-01

This study was designed to elucidate the significance of preoperative computed tomography during arterial portography (CTAP) in surgical treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Eighteen patients with HCC whose minute lesions had been pointed out by CTAP preoperatively (CTAP positive group) were compared with another eight patients with HCC having postoperative recurrence in a region at where no tumors had been detected by preoperative CTAP (CTAP negative group) for preoperative location of tumor and postoperative pattern of recurrence. In the CTAP positive group, 11 patients had recurrence and the remaining seven patients had not. Disease-free periods up to recurrences were 8.7 months in an average in the 11 CTAP positive patients and 16.6 months in the CTAP-negative group, showing a significantly shorter interval in the CTAP positive patients. In recurred cases from the CTAP positive group, tumors identified by imaging procedures other than CTAP were solitary in four and multiple in seven cases, while all solitary in non-recurred cases. In the recurred CTAP positive cases, actual recurrence occurred in the same segment where a tumor had been pointed out by CTAP alone in five out of six cases of solitary recurrence; or involved the same segment where CTAP detected tumor (s) in four out of five cases of multiple recurrence. It is indicated that the possibility of postoperative recurrence of HCC is high in cases having minute lesions visualized by CTAP alone in addition to multiple lesions visualized by imaging procedures other than CTAP. We think that periodical imaging methods including CTAP are required for HCC patients. (author)

Temporal acuity and speech recognition score in noise in patients with multiple sclerosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehri Maleki

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Background and Aim: Multiple sclerosis (MS is one of the central nervous system diseases can be associated with a variety of symptoms such as hearing disorders. The main consequence of hearing loss is poor speech perception, and temporal acuity has important role in speech perception. We evaluated the speech perception in silent and in the presence of noise and temporal acuity in patients with multiple sclerosis.Methods: Eighteen adults with multiple sclerosis with the mean age of 37.28 years and 18 age- and sex- matched controls with the mean age of 38.00 years participated in this study. Temporal acuity and speech perception were evaluated by random gap detection test (GDT and word recognition score (WRS in three different signal to noise ratios.Results: Statistical analysis of test results revealed significant differences between the two groups (p<0.05. Analysis of gap detection test (in 4 sensation levels and word recognition score in both groups showed significant differences (p<0.001.Conclusion: According to this survey, the ability of patients with multiple sclerosis to process temporal features of stimulus was impaired. It seems that, this impairment is important factor to decrease word recognition score and speech perception.

No-gold-standard evaluation of image-acquisition methods using patient data.

Science.gov (United States)

Jha, Abhinav K; Frey, Eric

2017-02-11

Several new and improved modalities, scanners, and protocols, together referred to as image-acquisition methods (IAMs), are being developed to provide reliable quantitative imaging. Objective evaluation of these IAMs on the clinically relevant quantitative tasks is highly desirable. Such evaluation is most reliable and clinically decisive when performed with patient data, but that requires the availability of a gold standard, which is often rare. While no-gold-standard (NGS) techniques have been developed to clinically evaluate quantitative imaging methods, these techniques require that each of the patients be scanned using all the IAMs, which is expensive, time consuming, and could lead to increased radiation dose. A more clinically practical scenario is where different set of patients are scanned using different IAMs. We have developed an NGS technique that uses patient data where different patient sets are imaged using different IAMs to compare the different IAMs. The technique posits a linear relationship, characterized by a slope, bias, and noise standard-deviation term, between the true and measured quantitative values. Under the assumption that the true quantitative values have been sampled from a unimodal distribution, a maximum-likelihood procedure was developed that estimates these linear relationship parameters for the different IAMs. Figures of merit can be estimated using these linear relationship parameters to evaluate the IAMs on the basis of accuracy, precision, and overall reliability. The proposed technique has several potential applications such as in protocol optimization, quantifying difference in system performance, and system harmonization using patient data.

Anorectal function and morphology in patients with sporadic proctalgia fugax.

Science.gov (United States)

Eckardt, V F; Dodt, O; Kanzler, G; Bernhard, G

1996-07-01

The pathophysiology of sporadic proctalgia fugax remains unknown. This study investigates whether patients with this syndrome exhibit alterations in anal function and morphology. Eighteen patients with sporadic proctalgia fugax and 18 sex-matched and age-matched healthy controls were studied. Manometric studies investigated anal resting and squeeze pressures, the rectoanal inhibitory reflex, rectal compliance, and smooth muscle response to edrophonium chloride administration. External and internal sphincter thickness was measured endosonographically. Patients had slightly higher (P = 0.0291) anal resting pressures (65.5 +/- 11.4 mmHg) than controls (56 +/- 9.9 mmHg). However, anal squeeze pressure, sphincter relaxation during rectal distention, and rectal compliance were similar in both groups, and no alterations were detected in external and internal anal sphincter thickness. Edrophonium chloride administration was followed by sharp postrelaxation contractions in two patients, whereas anal function remained unaltered in controls. Acute episodes of proctalgia, which occurred in two patients while under study, were associated with a rise in anal resting tone and an increase in slow wave amplitude. In the resting state, patients with proctalgia fugax have normal anorectal function and morphology. However, they may exhibit a motor abnormality of the anal smooth muscle during an acute attack.

Responsiveness of observational and self-report methods for assessing disability in mobility in patients with osteoarthritis.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Steultjens, M.P.M.; Roorda, L.D.; Dekker, J.; Bijlsma, J.W.J.

2001-01-01

Objective: To establish the responsiveness of observational and self-report methods for the assessment of disability in mobility in patients with osteoarthritis (OA). Methods: Data from 186 patients with hip OA of knee OA were used. Data from 1 observational method and 4 self-report methods for the

Comparison of Two Educational Methods on Nurses' Adoption of Safe Patient Handling Techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Folami, Florence

2010-01-01

Musculoskeletal injuries caused by patient lifting and transfers are a concern to health care workers. The Safe Patient Handling Act calls for all health care organizations to move to mechanical assistance from previous manual methods of transfers. This research analyzed two different educational programs that addressed safe patient handling for…

Modeling patient safety incidents knowledge with the Categorial Structure method.

Science.gov (United States)

Souvignet, Julien; Bousquet, Cédric; Lewalle, Pierre; Trombert-Paviot, Béatrice; Rodrigues, Jean Marie

2011-01-01

Following the WHO initiative named World Alliance for Patient Safety (PS) launched in 2004 a conceptual framework developed by PS national reporting experts has summarized the knowledge available. As a second step, the Department of Public Health of the University of Saint Etienne team elaborated a Categorial Structure (a semi formal structure not related to an upper level ontology) identifying the elements of the semantic structure underpinning the broad concepts contained in the framework for patient safety. This knowledge engineering method has been developed to enable modeling patient safety information as a prerequisite for subsequent full ontology development. The present article describes the semantic dissection of the concepts, the elicitation of the ontology requirements and the domain constraints of the conceptual framework. This ontology includes 134 concepts and 25 distinct relations and will serve as basis for an Information Model for Patient Safety.

Usefulness of transrectal ultrasound-guided 12 core biopsy method in patients with clinically suspected prostate cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwon, Se Hwan; Lim, Joo Won; Park, Seong Jin; Ko, Young Tae; Kim, Yoon Wha

2000-01-01

To evaluate the improvement of prostate cancer detection provided by transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided 12 core biopsy method compared with sextant biopsy method. Between June 1997 and February 1999, 29 patients with pathologically proven prostate cancer in 124 patients who underwent TRUS-guided 12 core biopsy method were evaluated. They had abnormal findings in prostate specific antigen (PSA), digital rectal examination (DRE) or TRUS findings. The prostate was diffusely enlarged in all patients on DRE findings and in 15 cases (15/29, 52%), hard nodule was palpated. The average of PSA and prostate specific antigen density (PSAD) is 229.33 ng/ml (1-2280) and 9.14 ng/ml/cm 3 (0.048-142.5), respectively, 12 transrectal biopsy, including 2 transition zones, was performed in both lobe, 6 biopsies were located in both base, middle and apex. Then 2 biopsies were inserted between 3 biopsies in both peripheral zone and 2 biopsies were performed in both transition zone. Each specimen was pathologically examined. The results of pathology were compared with method 1 and 2, respectively. We defined the method 1 and 2 as different sextant biopsy method. The method 1 is that cores are taken from both base, middle and apex and method 2 is that cores are taken from both base, apex and transition zone. TRUS findings were analyzed by two radiologists. Of the 29 patients with prostate cancer, 3 (10%) had carcinomas only in the additional regions as compared with method. When compared with method 2,2 (7.0%) had carcinomas only in the additional regions. 2 patients were same in both cases. TRUS findings were abnormal in 21 cases in all patients whose 12 biopsy method was not helpful. 12 biopsy method was helpful in 2/8 (25%) whose TRUS findings were non-specific and 1/21 (4.8%) whose TRUS findings were abnormal. Small low echoic lesion was seen in one patients whose 12 biopsy method was helpful, but cancer was found in other area. TRUS-guided 12 core biopsy method may be superior to

Clinical course and outcome of patients with high-level microsatellite instability cancers in a real-life setting: a retrospective analysis

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Halpern N

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Naama Halpern,1 Yael Goldberg,2 Luna Kadouri,2 Morasha Duvdevani,2 Tamar Hamburger,2 Tamar Peretz,2 Ayala Hubert2 1Institute of Oncology, The Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel; 2Sharett Institute of Oncology, Hadassah Medical Center, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel Background: The prognostic and predictive significance of the high-level microsatellite instability (MSI-H phenotype in various malignancies is unclear. We describe the characteristics, clinical course, and outcomes of patients with MSI-H malignancies treated in a real-life hospital setting.Patients and methods: A retrospective analysis of MSI-H cancer patient files was conducted. We analyzed the genetic data, clinical characteristics, and oncological treatments, including chemotherapy and surgical interventions.Results: Clinical data of 73 MSI-H cancer patients were available. Mean age at diagnosis of first malignancy was 52.3 years. Eight patients (11% had more than four malignancies each. Most patients (76% had colorectal cancer (CRC. Seventeen patients (23% had only extracolonic malignancies. Eighteen women (36% had gynecological malignancy. Nine women (18% had breast cancer. Mean follow-up was 8.5 years. Five-year overall survival and disease-free survival of all MSI-H cancer patients from first malignancy were 86% and 74.6%, respectively. Five-year overall survival rates of stage 2, 3, and 4 MSI-H CRC patients were 89.5%, 58.4%, and 22.9%, respectively.Conclusion: Although the overall prognosis of MSI-H cancer patients is favorable, this advantage may not be maintained in advanced MSI-H CRC patients. Keywords: microsatellite instability, malignancy, treatment, outcome

Methods to score vertebral deformities in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lems, W. F.; Jahangier, Z. N.; Raymakers, J. A.; Jacobs, J. W.; Bijlsma, J. W.

1997-01-01

The objective was to compare four different scoring methods for vertebral deformities: the semiquantitative Kleerekoper score and three quantitative scores (according to Minne, Melton and Raymakers) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Lateral radiographs of the thoracic and lumbar vertebral

Molecular and Clinical Characterization of Albinism in a Large Cohort of Italian Patients

Science.gov (United States)

Gargiulo, Annagiusi; Testa, Francesco; Rossi, Settimio; Di Iorio, Valentina; Fecarotta, Simona; de Berardinis, Teresa; Iovine, Antonello; Magli, Adriano; Signorini, Sabrina; Fazzi, Elisa; Galantuomo, Maria Silvana; Fossarello, Maurizio; Montefusco, Sandro; Ciccodicola, Alfredo; Neri, Alberto; Macaluso, Claudio; Simonelli, Francesca; Surace, Enrico Maria

2011-01-01

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to identify the molecular basis of albinism in a large cohort of Italian patients showing typical ocular landmarks of the disease and to provide a full characterization of the clinical ophthalmic manifestations. Methods. DNA samples from 45 patients with ocular manifestations of albinism were analyzed by direct sequencing analysis of five genes responsible for albinism: TYR, P, TYRP1, SLC45A2 (MATP), and OA1. All patients studied showed a variable degree of skin and hair hypopigmentation. Eighteen patients with distinct mutations in each gene associated with OCA were evaluated by detailed ophthalmic analysis, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and fundus autofluorescence. Results. Disease-causing mutations were identified in more than 95% of analyzed patients with OCA (28/45 [62.2%] cases with two or more mutations; 15/45 [33.3%] cases with one mutation). Thirty-five different mutant alleles were identified of which 15 were novel. Mutations in TYR were the most frequent (73.3%), whereas mutations in P occurred more rarely (13.3%) than previously reported. Novel mutations were also identified in rare loci such as TYRP1 and MATP. Mutations in the OA1 gene were not detected. Clinical assessment revealed that patients with iris and macular pigmentation had significantly higher visual acuity than did severe hypopigmented phenotypes. Conclusions. TYR gene mutations represent a relevant cause of oculocutaneous albinism in Italy, whereas mutations in P present a lower frequency than that found in other populations. Clinical analysis revealed that the severity of the ocular manifestations depends on the degree of retinal pigmentation. PMID:20861488

Clinical management methods for out-patients with alcohol dependence

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Boulze Isabelle

2006-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In France outpatient centres for the care of alcoholics are healthcare establishments providing medical, psychological and social support. Although they meet the practical needs of these patients, their degree of use in each of these domains and the respective mobilisation of different skills by the care team are not well understood. Our aim was therefore to determine in detail the management involved as a function of the severity of alcohol dependence. For this purpose, all the procedures involved were compiled in a thesaurus describing its type (psychological, medical, social, reception, its scheduled or unscheduled nature, its method (face-to-face, telephone, letter and its duration. The severity of dependence was evaluated using the Addiction Severity Index (ASI. Results 45 patients were included and followed-up during 291 ± 114 days. The mean initial ASI scores (± SD were: medical (M = 0.39 ± 0.3, working-income (ER = 0.5 ± 0.3, alcohol (A = 0.51 ± 0.2, illicit drugs (D = 0.07 ± 0.08, legal (L = 0.06 ± 0.13, familial and social environment (FS = 0.34 ± 0.26, psychological (P = 0.39 ± 0.22. The total number of procedures was 1341 (29.8 per patient corresponding to 754.4 hours (16.7 per patient. The intensity of management peaked during the first month of treatment, and then declined rapidly; the maximum incidence of abstinence was observed during the 3rd month of management. Interviews with patients, group therapy and staff meetings represented 68.7%, 9.9% and 13.9% of all procedures, respectively. In patients with severe dependence, as compared to moderate, management was twice as intense in the psychological and social domains, but not in the medical domain. The ASI questionnaire was completed a second time by 24 patients, after an average of 3.2 months. The improvement was significant in the M, A, D and P domains only. Conclusion This study provided an overview of the methods employed in managing a sample of

Preliminary Results on Setup Precision of Prone-Lateral Patient Positioning for Whole Breast Irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Veldeman, Liv; Speleers, Bruno; Bakker, Marlies; Jacobs, Filip; Coghe, Marc; De Gersem, Werner; Impens, Aline; Nechelput, Sarah; De Wagter, Carlos

2010-01-01

Purpose: The aim of this study was to develop a rapid and reproducible technique for prone positioning and to compare dose-volume indices in prone and supine positions. Methods and Materials: Eighteen patients underwent computed tomography imaging for radiotherapy planning in prone and supine position. Experience was gained in the first eight patients, which lead to modifications of the Horizon prone breast board (Civco Medical Solutions, Orange City, Iowa, USA) and the patient setup technique. A unilateral breast holder (U-BH) was developed (Van de Velde, Schellebelle, Belgium) to retract the contralateral breast away from the treated breast. The technique was then applied to an additional 10 patients. The setup precision was evaluated using daily cone-beam CT. Results: Modifications to the breast board were made to secure a prone-lateral rather then a pure prone position. We evolved from a classical setup using laser marks on the patients' body to a direct breast setup using marks on the breast only. The setup precision of the direct positioning procedure with the modified breast board and the U-BH is comparable to supine setup data in the literature. Dose-volume indices for heart and lung show significantly better results for prone than for supine position, and dose homogeneity within the treated breast did not differ according to the treatment position. Conclusions: The setup precision of our prone-lateral positioning technique is comparable to supine data in literature. Our data show the advantage of prone radiotherapy to spare the lung and heart. Further research is necessary to reduce the duration of prone setup.

Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas in Turkey: eighteen years' experience at the Hacettepe University.

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Barista, I; Tekuzman, G; Firat, D; Baltali, E; Kansu, E; Kars, A; Ozisik, Y; Ruacan, S; Uzunalimoğlu, B; Karaağaoğlu, E

1994-12-01

In this retrospective study, 470 patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) who had been followed in the Hacettepe University Medical Oncology Department between 1973 and 1990, were evaluated to establish their epidemiologic, clinical and therapeutic characteristics. Out of 470 patients, 302 (62.2%) were male and 168 (37.8%) were female. The ages ranged from 16 to 85, with a median of 44 years. Constitutional symptoms were present in 46.4% of the patients. According to the Working Formulation, low, intermediate, and high-grade lymphomas comprised 33.4%, 54.9%, and 12.7%, respectively. The most common extranodal presentation was gastrointestinal. The chemotherapy regimens most commonly used were CVP (cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisone), BCNOP (bleomycin, cyclophosphamide, mitoxantrone, vincristine, prednisone), CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone) and CHOP-Bleo (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone, bleomycin). The response rates and the survival figures attained with these regimens were not statistically significantly different (P > 0.05). In the Cox multivariate model, pathologic grade, leukopenia, responsiveness to chemotherapy, bone marrow involvement and age were the important factors influencing the disease-free survival, while responsiveness to chemotherapy, age, presence of constitutional symptoms, pathologic grade, extranodal presentation and stage were the important factors influencing the overall survival. The distribution of NHL according to grade and stage was similar to that in western societies, while constitutional symptoms and lymphomas of the small intestine including immunoproliferative small intestinal disease were more common in Turkey.

Non‐Hodgkin's Lymphomas in Turkey: Eighteen Years’Experience at the Hacettepe University

Science.gov (United States)

Barista, Ibrahim; Tekuzman, Gülten; Firat, Dinçer; Baltali, Esmen; Kansu, Emin; Kars, Ayse; Özisik, Yavuz; Ruacan, Sevket; Uzunalimoglu, Bedri; Karaagaoglu, Ergun

1994-01-01

In this retrospective study, 470 patients with non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) who had been followed in the Hacettepe University Medical Oncology Department between 1973 and 1990, were evaluated to establish their epidemiologic, clinical and therapeutic characteristics. Out of 470 patients, 302 (62.2%) were male and 168 (37.8%) were female. The ages ranged from 16 to 85, with a median of 44 years. Constitutional symptoms were present in 46.4% of the patients. According to the Working Formulation, low, intermediate, and high‐grade lymphomas comprised 33.4%, 54.9%, and 12.7%, respectively. The most common extranodal presentation was gastrointestinal. The chemotherapy regimens most commonly used were CVP (cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisone), BCNOP (bleomycin, cyclophosphamide, mitoxantrone, vincristine, prednisone), CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone) and CHOP‐Bleo (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone, bleomycin). The response rates and the survival figures attained with these regimens were not statistically significantly different (P > 0.05). In the Cox multivariate model, pathologic grade, leukopenia, responsiveness to chemotherapy, bone marrow involvement and age were the important factors influencing the disease‐free survival, while responsiveness to chemotherapy, age, presence of constitutional symptoms, pathologic grade, extranodal presentation and stage were the important factors influencing the overall survival. The distribution of NHL according to grade and stage was similar to that in western societies, while constitutional symptoms and lymphomas of the small intestine including immunoproliferative small intestinal disease were more common in Turkey. PMID:7531679

A sensitive immunoblotting method for screening of microalbuminuria in diabetic patient's urine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdolkhaleg, D.; Behrooz, S.

2005-01-01

Urinary albumin excretion is a useful marker in the prognosis of diabetic nephropathy and microvascular diseases. Methods such as enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), radio immunoassay(RIA), radial immunodiffusion, albu screen, micro bumin and micral test are usually used for detection and screening of microalbuminuria in these patients. With consideration to the cost of an assay, methods such as ELISA and RIA are not suitable methods for screening purpose. Therefore, the aim of this work is to set a dot immunoblotting method for the measurement and screening of microalbumin in urine samples. The study was conducted during the period August 2001 to June 2003 at the National Research Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (NRCGEB) and Pars Hospital Laboratory of Tehran, Iran on 96 diabetic patients urine samples. First, anti human albumin antibodies (Abs) were produced in rabbit and immunoglobulin G (IgG) fraction was purified by protein-A affinity chromatography. Titer of Abs and optimum incubation conditions were tested by direct ELISA. Then different concentration of human albumin (0-300 mg/l) was loaded to nitrocellulose membranes and was assayed by dot immunoblotting method. The specificity and cross reactivity of Abs was tested by SDS-PAGE electrophoresis and western immunoblotting. The sensitivity of the method was calculated from human albumin calibration curve and compared with commercial immunoturbidimetric assays. Our results indicates that in using IgG with the concentrations 0.5-1 ug/ml (2 x 10-5 to 10-4 dilutions) the intensity of color directly increased with the increase of human albumin standards in blots. Western immunoblotting of urine samples did not show any cross reactivity with other urine proteins. Comparison of results of this method by commercial immunoturbidimetric methods indicates the correlation regression of approximately 0.979. The sensitivity of the method was approximately 5 mg/L of human albumin. This simple

Magnetic resonance imaging findings in patients presenting with (sub)acute cerebellar ataxia

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Schneider, Tanja [University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Hamburg (Germany); The Johns Hopkins Hospital School of Medicine, Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Division of Neuroradiology, Baltimore, MD (United States); Thomalla, Goetz [University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Department of Neurology, Hamburg (Germany); Goebell, Einar [University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, Hamburg (Germany); Piotrowski, Anna [The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, MD (United States); Yousem, David Mark [The Johns Hopkins Hospital School of Medicine, Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Division of Neuroradiology, Baltimore, MD (United States)

2015-02-17

Acute or subacute cerebellar inflammation is mainly caused by postinfectious, toxic, neoplastic, vascular, or idiopathic processes and can result in cerebellar ataxia. Previous magnetic resonance (MR) studies in single patients who developed acute or subacute ataxia showed varying imaging features. Eighteen patients presenting with acute and subacute onset of ataxia were included in this study. Cases of chronic-progressive/hereditary and noncerebellar causes (ischemia, multiple sclerosis lesions, metastasis, bleedings) were excluded. MR imaging findings were then matched with the clinical history of the patient. An underlying etiology for ataxic symptoms were found in 14/18 patients (postinfectious/infectious, paraneoplastic, autoimmune, drug-induced). In two of five patients without MR imaging findings and three of eight patients with minimal imaging features (cerebellar atrophy, slight signal alterations, and small areas of restricted diffusion), adverse clinical outcomes were documented. Of the five patients with prominent MR findings (cerebellar swelling, contrast enhancement, or broad signal abnormalities), two were lost to follow-up and two showed long-term sequelae. No correlation was found between the presence of initial MRI findings in subacute or acute ataxia patients and their long-term clinical outcome. MR imaging was more flagrantly positive in cases due to encephalitis. (orig.)

Magnetic resonance imaging findings in patients presenting with (sub)acute cerebellar ataxia.

Science.gov (United States)

Schneider, Tanja; Thomalla, Götz; Goebell, Einar; Piotrowski, Anna; Yousem, David Mark

2015-06-01

Acute or subacute cerebellar inflammation is mainly caused by postinfectious, toxic, neoplastic, vascular, or idiopathic processes and can result in cerebellar ataxia. Previous magnetic resonance (MR) studies in single patients who developed acute or subacute ataxia showed varying imaging features. Eighteen patients presenting with acute and subacute onset of ataxia were included in this study. Cases of chronic-progressive/hereditary and noncerebellar causes (ischemia, multiple sclerosis lesions, metastasis, bleedings) were excluded. MR imaging findings were then matched with the clinical history of the patient. An underlying etiology for ataxic symptoms were found in 14/18 patients (postinfectious/infectious, paraneoplastic, autoimmune, drug-induced). In two of five patients without MR imaging findings and three of eight patients with minimal imaging features (cerebellar atrophy, slight signal alterations, and small areas of restricted diffusion), adverse clinical outcomes were documented. Of the five patients with prominent MR findings (cerebellar swelling, contrast enhancement, or broad signal abnormalities), two were lost to follow-up and two showed long-term sequelae. No correlation was found between the presence of initial MRI findings in subacute or acute ataxia patients and their long-term clinical outcome. MR imaging was more flagrantly positive in cases due to encephalitis.

Analysis of pharmacist-patient communication using the Calgary-Cambridge guide.

Science.gov (United States)

Greenhill, Nicola; Anderson, Claire; Avery, Anthony; Pilnick, Alison

2011-06-01

This study explored communication between pharmacists and patients through application of the Calgary-Cambridge guide [1] to appointment-based pharmacist-patient consultations and considers use of the guide in pharmacy education. Eighteen patients attending appointment-based consultations with five pharmacists were recruited to this qualitative study. Consultations were audio-recorded and observed. Transcripts were coded according to the use of skills within the guide and analysed thematically. The results showed good use of many skills by pharmacists, particularly signposting and closing the session. Some skills were poorly represented such as listening effectively, eliciting the patient's perspective, effective use of computers and creating patient-centred consultations. A key theme of social conversation was present in the data but this skill was not defined in the guide. The Calgary-Cambridge guide was developed for use in medical consultations but its application to pharmacist-patient consultations showed that the guide could be successfully used in pharmacy with some minor alterations. Pharmacists may need more training to improve the use of specific communication skills including how to conduct a patient-centred consultation. The Calgary-Cambridge guide is well aligned with many aspects of pharmacist-patient consultations and could help pharmacists to improve their consultation skills. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Retrospective Evaluation of Patients Admitted to the Pediatric Emergency Department with Intoxication

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Alaaddin Yorulmaz

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Introduction: In this study, we aimed to retrospectively analyze the demographic and epidemiologic features, clinical course, laboratory results and prognoses of the patients admitted to the department of pediatric emergency due to poisoning. Methods: This trial enrolled a total of 430 patients aged 1 month to 18 years. The medical data of the patients were reviewed retrospectively according to patient's medical record. Demographic data such as age, sex, time of occurrence, time of patient presentation to the emergency department, time to first medical intervention after taking the drug, cause of poisoning, received active substances, ways of taking, number of active substances received, and symptoms at admission to the hospital were analyzed. Results: The study population consisted of 0.74% of all patients who were admitted to the department of pediatric emergency. 243 (56.5% patients were female and 187 (43.5% were male. The age of the patients ranged from 4 months to 220 months (72.89±66.38. One hundred-thirteen (26.3% of our patients were referred to our hospital in the summer, 111 (25.8% in the spring, 110 (25.6% in the autumn and 96 (22.3% in the winter. Eighteen patients were admitted to our emergency department with poisoning in 2014, 193 in 2015, 178 in 2016 and 41 in 2017. 12.3% of our patients were referred to our emergency department between hours 00:00 and 08:00, 35.1% between 08:00 and 16:00 and 52.6% between 16:00 and 24:00. Ninety-six of the patients were admitted to our emergency department due to suicidal poisoning and 334 due to accidental poisoning. Nausea was present at the time of presentation in 142 (33.02% of our patients, vomiting in 122 (28.37% and dizziness in 102 (23.72%. Conclusion: We believe that determination of the epidemiological features of the poisonings in our country by large scale studies and public consciousness will contribute significantly to the prevention of childhood poisoning.

Counterregulatory hormones in insulin-treated diabetic patients admitted to an accident and emergency department with hypoglycaemia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hvidberg, A; Christensen, N J; Hilsted, Jannik

1998-01-01

The aim of the study was (1) to describe hormone responses in insulin-induced hypoglycaemia and (2) to investigate if a combined treatment with intravenous glucose and intramuscular glucagon (group A) would improve glucose recovery as compared to treatment with intravenous glucose alone (group B)...... significantly elevated concentrations of adrenaline and glucagon were found in diabetic patients admitted with severe hypoglycaemia to an Accident and Emergency Department.......). Eighteen adult patients with insulin-treated diabetes mellitus admitted to the Accident and Emergency Department with hypoglycaemia (plasma glucose 1.23 +/- 0.15 mmol l(-1) on admission) were randomized to one of the above treatments and plasma glucose and counterregulatory hormones were measured before...

MR-based synthetic CT generation using a deep convolutional neural network method.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Xiao

2017-04-01

Interests have been rapidly growing in the field of radiotherapy to replace CT with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), due to superior soft tissue contrast offered by MRI and the desire to reduce unnecessary radiation dose. MR-only radiotherapy also simplifies clinical workflow and avoids uncertainties in aligning MR with CT. Methods, however, are needed to derive CT-equivalent representations, often known as synthetic CT (sCT), from patient MR images for dose calculation and DRR-based patient positioning. Synthetic CT estimation is also important for PET attenuation correction in hybrid PET-MR systems. We propose in this work a novel deep convolutional neural network (DCNN) method for sCT generation and evaluate its performance on a set of brain tumor patient images. The proposed method builds upon recent developments of deep learning and convolutional neural networks in the computer vision literature. The proposed DCNN model has 27 convolutional layers interleaved with pooling and unpooling layers and 35 million free parameters, which can be trained to learn a direct end-to-end mapping from MR images to their corresponding CTs. Training such a large model on our limited data is made possible through the principle of transfer learning and by initializing model weights from a pretrained model. Eighteen brain tumor patients with both CT and T1-weighted MR images are used as experimental data and a sixfold cross-validation study is performed. Each sCT generated is compared against the real CT image of the same patient on a voxel-by-voxel basis. Comparison is also made with respect to an atlas-based approach that involves deformable atlas registration and patch-based atlas fusion. The proposed DCNN method produced a mean absolute error (MAE) below 85 HU for 13 of the 18 test subjects. The overall average MAE was 84.8 ± 17.3 HU for all subjects, which was found to be significantly better than the average MAE of 94.5 ± 17.8 HU for the atlas-based method. The DCNN

Stressors and coping methods among chronic haemodialysis patients in Hong Kong.

Science.gov (United States)

Mok, E; Tam, B

2001-07-01

The purpose of the study was to determine the stressors and coping methods of chronic haemodialysis patients in Hong Kong. Relationships among treatment-related stressors, coping methods and length of time on haemodialysis were explored. Fifty subjects completed the Haemodialysis Stressor Scale (HSS) and Jalowiec Coping Scale (JCS). Results revealed that limitation of fluid was the most frequently identified stressor, followed by limitation of food, itching, fatigue and cost. The most common coping methods are 'accepted the situation because very little could be done', followed by 'told oneself not to worry because everything would work out fine' and 'told oneself that the problem was really not that important.' It was found that the traditional philosophies of the Chinese--Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism--share an approach to the understanding and management of life stressors as different from that adopted by Western philosophies. The findings of this study can further facilitate nurse practitioners in providing support, information, and alternative solutions when assisting patients in coping with long-term haemodialysis.

Phase II trial of SOM230 (pasireotide LAR in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma

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Feun LG

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Lynn G Feun,¹ Medhi Wangpaichitr,² Ying-Ying Li,¹ Deukwoo Kwon,³ Stephen P Richman,¹ Peter J Hosein,¹ Niramol Savaraj¹,² ¹Department of Medicine, Medical Oncology, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, ²Department of Surgery, Miami VA Healthcare System, Research Service, ³Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Core, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA Background: A phase II trial of pasireotide was performed to assess its efficacy and safety in advanced or metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC.Patients and methods: Patients with advanced HCC and Child–Pugh score ≤7 received pasireotide LAR 60 mg intramuscularly every 28 days. Primary endpoint was disease control rate. Secondary endpoints were time to tumor progression, response rate, treatment-related adverse events, and overall survival. Serum insulin growth factor-1 was measured before and after pasireotide.Results: Twenty patients were treated and evaluable. Eighteen patients (90% had prior therapy; 16 patients (80% had multiple therapies. Median age was 65, 75% had Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage C, and 55% had metastatic disease. The main toxicity was hyperglycemia. Rare adverse effects included reversible grade 4 elevation in alanina transaminase/aspartate transaminase in one patient. The best response was stable disease in 9 patients (45%. Median time to tumor progression for the 20 patients was 3 months, and median survival was 9 months.Conclusion: Pasireotide had limited clinical benefit as second-line or third-line treatment in patients with advanced or metastatic HCC. Low baseline insulin growth factor-1 level may be indicative when SOM230 treatment may be ineffective, and decreasing levels after treatment may be indicative of disease control. Keywords: pasireotide, hepatocellular carcinoma, insulin growth factor-1 

A survey on psychiatric patients' use of non-medical alternative practitioners: incidence, methods, estimation, and satisfaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Demling, J H; Neubauer, S; Luderer, H-J; Wörthmüller, M

2002-12-01

We investigated to what extent psychiatric inpatients consult Heilpraktiker, i.e. non-academically trained providers of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), which diagnostic and therapeutic methods Heilpraktiker employ, how patients assess Heilpraictikers' professional competence, CAM in general and issues of satisfaction for those who have had experience with Heilpraktiker. Four hundred and seventy three patients admitted to a psychiatric university department during a 9-month period filled out a questionnaire developed for this investigation. About one third of the patients had consulted a Heilpraktiker, a quarter of these for their current psychiatric illness. Women were in the majority. Patients with the highest secondary school education consulted Heilpraktiker less often. There was considerable 'customer loyalty' towards Heilpraktiker. Largely the same diagnostic and treatment methods were employed for mental illness as for somatic complaints. Except for iridology, exotic or dangerous methods played a secondary role. Patients generally revealed a very positive attitude toward Heilpraktiker and CAM, although methods were rated differently. CAM enjoyed greater appreciation among women and patients who had consulted Heilpraktiker. Patients with personal experience were, on the whole, very satisfied with the professional competence, with the atmosphere in the practice and staff concern for the patient's well-being. Degree of satisfaction correlated closely with frequency of consultation. More patients with neurotic disorders considered the cost unreasonable than others, despite comparatively frequent visits. Psychiatric patients seek out Heilpraktiker to a considerable degree. Especially those who have relevant experience rank Heilpraktiker highly, in particular due to their 'psychotherapeutic' attitude, but professional competence is also valued. Methods of CAM received mixed reviews from patients but are generally seen in a positive light. It is

Methods of comprehensive geriatric assessment of older patients with rectal cancer

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S. S. Gordeev

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The article presents a literature review on application of modern risk predictors of complications and morbidity necessary for selection of oncologically justified treatment methods for older patients with rectal cancer taking into account advancement of the disease and concomitant pathology. Use of modern scales, calculators, and questionnaires for evaluation of functional and physical status of this complex patient category by a multidisciplinary team allows to personalize therapy approach, minimize complications and morbidity after specific treatment. Application of the developed algorithms of assessment of older patients creates satisfactory conditions for their treatment based on oncological adequacy, functionality, and safety.  

Computerized Analysis of Digital Photographs for Evaluation of Tooth Movement.

Science.gov (United States)

Toodehzaeim, Mohammad Hossein; Karandish, Maryam; Karandish, Mohammad Nabi

2015-03-01

Various methods have been introduced for evaluation of tooth movement in orthodontics. The challenge is to adopt the most accurate and most beneficial method for patients. This study was designed to introduce analysis of digital photographs with AutoCAD software as a method to evaluate tooth movement and assess the reliability of this method. Eighteen patients were evaluated in this study. Three intraoral digital images from the buccal view were captured from each patient in half an hour interval. All the photos were sent to AutoCAD software 2011, calibrated and the distance between canine and molar hooks were measured. The data was analyzed using intraclass correlation coefficient. Photographs were found to have high reliability coefficient (P > 0.05). The introduced method is an accurate, efficient and reliable method for evaluation of tooth movement.

Content validity across methods of malnutrition assessment in patients with cancer is limited

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sealy, Martine J.; Nijholt, Willemke; Stuiver, Martijn M.; van der Berg, Marit M.; Roodenburg, Jan L. N.; Schans, van der Cees P.; Ottery, Faith D.; Jager-Wittenaar, Harriet

Objective: To identify malnutrition assessment methods in cancer patients and assess their content validity based on internationally accepted definitions for malnutrition. Study Design and Setting: Systematic review of studies in cancer patients that operationalized malnutrition as a variable,

Content validity across methods of malnutrition assessment in patients with cancer is limited

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sealy, Martine; Nijholt, Willemke; Stuiver, M.M.; van der Berg, M.M.; Roodenburg, Jan; Ottery, Faith D.; van der Schans, Cees; Jager, Harriët

2016-01-01

Objective To identify malnutrition assessment methods in cancer patients and assess their content validity based on internationally accepted definitions for malnutrition. Study Design and Setting Systematic review of studies in cancer patients that operationalized malnutrition as a variable,

Methods of measurement of myocardial blood flow in patients: a critical review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marcus, M.L.; Wilson, R.F.; White, C.W.

1987-01-01

During the past decade, major progress has been made in the evolution of technology directed toward the accurate measurement of regional myocardial perfusion in patients. The deficiencies of some of the older methods (thermodilution and gas clearance) are better appreciated and improved approaches (Doppler catheters, positron-emission tomography, and digital subtraction angiography) have been developed. The new approaches should play a major role in research and for most applications the older methods will gradually be replaced. Efforts to bring these new methods to community hospitals and practicing cardiologists should be stimulated. Doppler catheters, positron-emission tomography, and digital-subtraction angiography are commercially available and Doppler catheters and digital-subtraction angiography could be easily incorporated into routine cardiac catheterization procedures. The Doppler catheter is the most inexpensive and probably the simplest to apply. In our opinion, routine measurements of coronary flow reserve will significantly improve the care of patients with coronary obstructive disease and other diseases that impair myocardial perfusion. If coronary reserve measurements are used frequently, patient selection for coronary angioplasty and bypass surgery will no longer depend entirely on visual assessment of percent diameter stenosis, a very poor criterion in many situations. Also, patients with chest pain syndromes, normal coronary vessels, and impaired coronary reserve will be identified and perhaps some effective treatment for this condition will be devised. 77 references

Blood Density Is Nearly Equal to Water Density: A Validation Study of the Gravimetric Method of Measuring Intraoperative Blood Loss.

Science.gov (United States)

Vitello, Dominic J; Ripper, Richard M; Fettiplace, Michael R; Weinberg, Guy L; Vitello, Joseph M

2015-01-01

Purpose. The gravimetric method of weighing surgical sponges is used to quantify intraoperative blood loss. The dry mass minus the wet mass of the gauze equals the volume of blood lost. This method assumes that the density of blood is equivalent to water (1 gm/mL). This study's purpose was to validate the assumption that the density of blood is equivalent to water and to correlate density with hematocrit. Methods. 50 µL of whole blood was weighed from eighteen rats. A distilled water control was weighed for each blood sample. The averages of the blood and water were compared utilizing a Student's unpaired, one-tailed t-test. The masses of the blood samples and the hematocrits were compared using a linear regression. Results. The average mass of the eighteen blood samples was 0.0489 g and that of the distilled water controls was 0.0492 g. The t-test showed P = 0.2269 and R (2) = 0.03154. The hematocrit values ranged from 24% to 48%. The linear regression R (2) value was 0.1767. Conclusions. The R (2) value comparing the blood and distilled water masses suggests high correlation between the two populations. Linear regression showed the hematocrit was not proportional to the mass of the blood. The study confirmed that the measured density of blood is similar to water.

[Research advances in indices and methods for nutritional status evaluation in patients with liver cirrhosis].

Science.gov (United States)

Li, H; Zhang, L

2017-03-20

In recent years, malnutrition in patients with liver cirrhosis has been taken more and more seriously in clinical physicians, and patients' nutritional status is closely associated with prognosis. At present, there are many methods for the evaluation of nutritional status in patients with liver cirrhosis, but there are still no unified standards. This article reviews the common evaluation indices and methods used in clinical practice in China and foreign countries, in order to provide a basis for accurately evaluating nutritional status and guiding nutritional therapy in patients with liver cirrhosis.

Development of an isotope labeling ultra-high performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometric method for quantification of acylglycines in human urine

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Stanislaus, Avalyn; Guo, Kevin [Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta (Canada); Li Liang, E-mail: Liang.Li@ualberta.ca [Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta (Canada)

2012-10-31

Graphical abstract: - Abstract: Acylglycines play a crucial regulatory and detoxification role in the accumulation of the corresponding acyl CoA esters and are an important class of metabolites in the diagnoses of inborn errors of metabolism. Sensitive quantification of a large number of acylglycines not only improves diagnosis but also enables the discovery of potential new biomarkers of diseases. We report an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) method for quantifying acylglycines in human urine with high sensitivity. This method is based on the use of a newly developed isotope labeling reagent, p-dimethylaminophenacyl (DmPA) bromide, to label acylglycines to improve detection sensitivity. Eighteen acylglycines, namely acetylglycine, propionylglycine, isobutyrylglycine, butyrylglycine, 4-hydroxyphenylacetylglycine, 2-furoylglycine, tiglylglycine, 2-methybutyrylglycine, 3-methylcrotonylglycine, isovalerylglycine, valerylglycine, hexanoylglycine, phenylacetylglycine, phenylpropionylglycine, glutarylglycine, heptanoylglycine, octanoylglycine and suberylglycine, were measured. This method uses calibration standards prepared in surrogate matrix (un-derivatized urine) and stable-isotope labeled analytes as the internal standards. The analysis was carried out in the positive ion detection mode using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) survey scans. The calibration curves were validated over the range of 1.0-500 nM. The method achieved a lower limit of quantitation (LLOQ) of 1-5 nM for all analytes, as measured by the standard derivations associated with calibration curves and confirmed in surrogate matrix; the signal-to-noise ratio at LLOQ ranged from 12.50 to 156.70. Both accuracy (% RE or relative error) and precision (% CV) were <15%. Matrix effects were minimized using the surrogate matrix. All eighteen analytes were stable in urine for at least 5 h at room temperature, autosampler (4 Degree-Sign C) for 24 h, 7 weeks at -20

A Web-based Game for Teaching Facial Expressions to Schizophrenic Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Gülkesen, Kemal Hakan; Isleyen, Filiz; Cinemre, Buket; Samur, Mehmet Kemal; Sen Kaya, Semiha; Zayim, Nese

2017-07-12

Recognizing facial expressions is an important social skill. In some psychological disorders such as schizophrenia, loss of this skill may complicate the patient's daily life. Prior research has shown that information technology may help to develop facial expression recognition skills through educational software and games. To examine if a computer game designed for teaching facial expressions would improve facial expression recognition skills of patients with schizophrenia. We developed a website composed of eight serious games. Thirty-two patients were given a pre-test composed of 21 facial expression photographs. Eighteen patients were in the study group while 14 were in the control group. Patients in the study group were asked to play the games on the website. After a period of one month, we performed a post-test for all patients. The median score of the correct answers was 17.5 in the control group whereas it was 16.5 in the study group (of 21) in pretest. The median post-test score was 18 in the control group (p=0.052) whereas it was 20 in the study group (pgames may be used for the purpose of educating people who have difficulty in recognizing facial expressions.

Value of ultrasound in the determination of drainage methods in patients with tuberculous pleural effusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kang, Eun Young; Suh, Bo Kyoung; Shim, Jae Jeong

1997-01-01

To evaluate the utility of ultrasonography (US) as a guide in deciding drainage methods and as a prognostic factor in the prediction of pleural fibrosis, and to compare the effects of drainage methods in patients with tuberculous pleural effusions. In 51 patients with tuberculous pleural effusion, US patterns of pleural effusion were classified according to degree of septa into three groups, as follows : anechoic (n=5), linear septa (n=15), and honeycomb septa (n=31). US-guided drainage methods, including thoracentesis (n=17), percutaneous catheter insertion (n=12), catheter insertion with urokinase instillation (n=22) were employed. Therapeutic effects were evaluated with follow-up chest radiographs after 3 and 6 months. Three months after the procedure, 43 of 51 effusions had drained effectively. US guided drainage failed in eight patients including two of six with linear septated effusion treated with thoracentesis, four of seven with honeycomb septated effusion treated with thoracentesis, and two of six with honeycomb septated effusion treated with catheter drainage. There was no drainage failure in patients with anechoic effusions and in patients with urokinase instillation. Late effects were assessed in 39 patients after 6 months. Follow-up radiographs available in 39 patients demonstrated pleural fibrosis with intercostal space narrowing in 7 patients with honeycomb septated effusion, 3 patients with linear septated effusion, and none of the patients with anechoic effusions. The pattern of septa seen on US could be a useful factor for determining drainage methods and predicting late results in tuberculous pleural effusion. Percutaneous catheter drainage with urokinase instillation was a good drainage modality for patients with septated pleural effusions. Pleural fibrosis is more frequently induced by septated pleural effusion than by anechoic pleural effusion

Value of ultrasound in the determination of drainage methods in patients with tuberculous pleural effusion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kang, Eun Young; Suh, Bo Kyoung; Shim, Jae Jeong [Korea Univ. College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

1997-01-01

To evaluate the utility of ultrasonography (US) as a guide in deciding drainage methods and as a prognostic factor in the prediction of pleural fibrosis, and to compare the effects of drainage methods in patients with tuberculous pleural effusions. In 51 patients with tuberculous pleural effusion, US patterns of pleural effusion were classified according to degree of septa into three groups, as follows : anechoic (n=5), linear septa (n=15), and honeycomb septa (n=31). US-guided drainage methods, including thoracentesis (n=17), percutaneous catheter insertion (n=12), catheter insertion with urokinase instillation (n=22) were employed. Therapeutic effects were evaluated with follow-up chest radiographs after 3 and 6 months. Three months after the procedure, 43 of 51 effusions had drained effectively. US guided drainage failed in eight patients including two of six with linear septated effusion treated with thoracentesis, four of seven with honeycomb septated effusion treated with thoracentesis, and two of six with honeycomb septated effusion treated with catheter drainage. There was no drainage failure in patients with anechoic effusions and in patients with urokinase instillation. Late effects were assessed in 39 patients after 6 months. Follow-up radiographs available in 39 patients demonstrated pleural fibrosis with intercostal space narrowing in 7 patients with honeycomb septated effusion, 3 patients with linear septated effusion, and none of the patients with anechoic effusions. The pattern of septa seen on US could be a useful factor for determining drainage methods and predicting late results in tuberculous pleural effusion. Percutaneous catheter drainage with urokinase instillation was a good drainage modality for patients with septated pleural effusions. Pleural fibrosis is more frequently induced by septated pleural effusion than by anechoic pleural effusion.

Responsiveness of observational and self-report methods for assessing disability in mobility in patients with osteoarthritis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Steultjens, M. P.; Roorda, L. D.; Dekker, J.; Bijlsma, J. W.

2001-01-01

To establish the responsiveness of observational and self-report methods for the assessment of disability in mobility in patients with osteoarthritis (OA). Data from 186 patients with hip OA or knee OA were used. Data from 1 observational method and 4 self-report methods for the assessment of

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Helicobacter pylori Diagnostic Methods in Patients with Atrophic Gastritis

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Fumio Omata

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background. There are several diagnostic methods for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori infection. A cost-effective analysis is needed to decide on the optimal diagnostic method. The aim of this study was to determine a cost-effective diagnostic method in patients with atrophic gastritis (AG. Methods. A decision-analysis model including seven diagnostic methods was constructed for patients with AG diagnosed by esophagogastroduodenoscopy. Expected values of cost and effectiveness were calculated for each test. Results. If the prevalence of H. pylori in the patients with AG is 85% and CAM-resistant H. pylori is 30%, histology, stool H. pylori antigen (SHPAg, bacterial culture (BC, and urine H. pylori antibody (UHPAb were dominated by serum H. pylori IgG antibody (SHPAb, rapid urease test (RUT, and urea breath test (UBT. Among three undominated methods, the incremental cost-effective ratios (ICER of RUT versus SHPAb and UBT versus RUT were $214 and $1914, respectively. If the prevalence of CAM-sensitive H. pylori was less than 55%, BC was not dominated, but its H. pylori eradication success rate was 0.86. Conclusions. RUT was the most cost-effective at the current prevalence of CAM-resistant H. pylori. BC could not be selected due to its poor effectiveness even if CAM-resistant H. pylori was more than 45%.

Timing, method and discontinuation of hydrocortisone administration for septic shock patients

OpenAIRE

Ibarra-Estrada, Miguel A; Ch?vez-Pe?a, Quetzalc?atl; Reynoso-Estrella, Claudia I; Rios-Zerme?o, Jorge; Aguilera-Gonz?lez, P?vel E; Garc?a-Soto, Miguel A; Aguirre-Avalos, Guadalupe

2017-01-01

AIM To characterize the prescribing patterns for hydrocortisone for patients with septic shock and perform an exploratory analysis in order to identify the variables associated with better outcomes. METHODS This prospective cohort study included 59 patients with septic shock who received stress-dose hydrocortisone. It was performed at 2 critical care units in academic hospitals from June 1st, 2015, to July 31st, 2016. Demographic data, comorbidities, medical management details, adverse effect...

A study of the hematological profile of human immunodeficiency virus positive patients in coastal South Indian region

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Debarshi Saha

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: In India, approximately 6 million populations are affected by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV. Anemia and leukopenia, especially thrombocytopenia is seen commonly in HIV infections. Low CD4+ count and increased viral load are some of the factors associated with increased risk of thrombocytopenia. We analyzed the hematological profile in a group of 150 HIV infected patients. Materials and Methods: A retrospective and prospective study of medical records of 150 HIV positive patients at Clinical Pathology laboratory at our institution was done between August 1 st and October 15 th, 2011 using nonrandom sampling. Hemoglobin (Hb, hematocrit, red cell indices, total leukocyte and differential count, CD4+ and platelet count were noted. Results: Of the 150 patients, 40 (26.67% were below age 10 and 98 (65.33% in 21-50 years age group. Eighty-six (57.33% were females. Hundred patients had anemia (Hb <12 g/dl of which 58% were microcytic hypochromic (MCHC. Eighteen patients had leukopenia along with anemia. Total number of patients with low CD4 count (<200/μL was 32 (21.33% and all had hematological abnormalities, mostly anemias with few leukopenia and thrombocytopenias. All patients with pancytopenia had low CD4+ counts. Total number of patients with thrombocytopenia (<1.5 lacs/dl was 20 (13.33%. Four patients (2.67% had pancytopenia. Conclusions: MCHC anemia is the most common morphological variant of anemia. Leukopenia was found to be consistently associated with anemia. Thus, anemia and to a greater extent leukopenia are bad prognostic indicators of disease. Pancytopenia may herald a low CD4+ count.

Accuracy and precision of four common peripheral temperature measurement methods in intensive care patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Asadian, Simin; Khatony, Alireza; Moradi, Gholamreza; Abdi, Alireza; Rezaei, Mansour

2016-01-01

An accurate determination of body temperature in critically ill patients is a fundamental requirement for initiating the proper process of diagnosis, and also therapeutic actions; therefore, the aim of the study was to assess the accuracy and precision of four noninvasive peripheral methods of temperature measurement compared to the central nasopharyngeal measurement. In this observational prospective study, 237 patients were recruited from the intensive care unit of Imam Ali Hospital of Kermanshah. The patients' body temperatures were measured by four peripheral methods; oral, axillary, tympanic, and forehead along with a standard central nasopharyngeal measurement. After data collection, the results were analyzed by paired t-test, kappa coefficient, receiver operating characteristic curve, and using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, version 19, software. There was a significant meaningful correlation between all the peripheral methods when compared with the central measurement (Ptemperatures of right and left tympanic membranes and the standard central nasopharyngeal measurement (88%). Paired t-test demonstrated an acceptable precision with forehead (P=0.132), left (P=0.18) and right (P=0.318) tympanic membranes, oral (P=1.00), and axillary (P=1.00) methods. Sensitivity and specificity of both the left and right tympanic membranes were more than for other methods. The tympanic and forehead methods had the highest and lowest accuracy for measuring body temperature, respectively. It is recommended to use the tympanic method (right and left) for assessing a patient's body temperature in the intensive care units because of high accuracy and acceptable precision.

Control and Optimization Methods for Electric Smart Grids

CERN Document Server

Ilić, Marija

2012-01-01

Control and Optimization Methods for Electric Smart Grids brings together leading experts in power, control and communication systems,and consolidates some of the most promising recent research in smart grid modeling,control and optimization in hopes of laying the foundation for future advances in this critical field of study. The contents comprise eighteen essays addressing wide varieties of control-theoretic problems for tomorrow’s power grid. Topics covered include: Control architectures for power system networks with large-scale penetration of renewable energy and plug-in vehicles Optimal demand response New modeling methods for electricity markets Control strategies for data centers Cyber-security Wide-area monitoring and control using synchronized phasor measurements. The authors present theoretical results supported by illustrative examples and practical case studies, making the material comprehensible to a wide audience. The results reflect the exponential transformation that today’s grid is going...

Improving diet recipe and cooking methods attenuates hyperphosphatemia in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, N; Fang, W; Gu, A P; Yuan, J Z; Yang, X X; Lin, A W; Ni, Z H; Qian, J Q

2015-09-01

Hyperphosphatemia is an independent predictor for cardiovascular and all-cause mortality in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD). The study aimed to investigate the effect of dietary intervention on reducing serum phosphate concentration in hyperphosphatemic PD patients. In this single-center clinical trial, 97 prevalent PD patients with serum phosphate concentration ≥ 1.6 mmol/l were allocated to the intervention (n = 48) or control (n = 49) group and followed up for 1 year. In addition to phosphate binder (calcium carbonate) therapy, patients in the intervention group were intensively educated to reduce phosphate-rich food intake and improve cooking methods. While stable in the control group (1.97 ± 0.20 to 1.94 ± 0.35 mmol/l, p > 0.05), the serum phosphate concentration decreased significantly in the intervention group (1.98 ± 0.28 to 1.65 ± 0.33 mmol/l, p = 0.015) concurrently with the drop in dietary phosphate intake (13.03 ± 3.39 to 10.82 ± 3.00 mg/kg ideal body weight/day, p = 0.001). Moreover, after 6 months of intervention, fewer patients needed to use calcium carbonate (from 64.6% to 41.5%, p = 0.029) and the medicine dose reduced significantly (from 2.25 (0, 3.94) to 0 (0, 1.50) g/day, p cooking methods attenuated hyperphosphatemia in PD patients. It suggests that regular assessment of dietary phosphate intake and modification of diet recipe and cooking methods are essential for hyperphosphatemia treatment in PD patients in addition to phosphate binder therapy. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Preferences for partner notification method: variation in responses between respondents as index patients and contacts.

Science.gov (United States)

Apoola, A; Radcliffe, K W; Das, S; Robshaw, V; Gilleran, G; Kumari, B S; Boothby, M; Rajakumar, R

2007-07-01

There have been very few studies focusing on what form of communication patients would find acceptable from a clinic. This study looks at the differences in preferences for various partner notification methods when the respondents were index patients compared with when they had to be contacted because a partner had a sexually transmitted infection (STI). There were 2544 respondents. When the clinic had to notify partners, respondents were more likely to report the method as good when a partner had an STI and they were being contacted compared with when the respondents had an infection and the partner was being contacted. The opposite was true for patient referral partner notification. Therefore, there are variations in the preferences of respondents for partner notification method, which depend on whether they see themselves as index patients or contacts.

Seizure threshold and the half-age method in bilateral electroconvulsive therapy in Japanese patients.

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Yasuda, Kazuyuki; Kobayashi, Kaoru; Yamaguchi, Masayasu; Tanaka, Koichi; Fujii, Tomokazu; Kitahara, Yuichi; Tamaoki, Toshio; Matsushita, Yutaka; Nunomura, Akihiko; Motohashi, Nobutaka

2015-01-01

Seizure threshold (ST) in electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has not been reported previously in Japanese patients. We investigated ST in bilateral ECT in Japanese patients using the dose-titration method. The associations between demographic and clinical characteristics and ST were analyzed to identify the predictors of ST. Finally, the validity of the half-age method for the stimulus dose was evaluated. Fifty-four Japanese patients with mood disorder, schizophrenia, and other psychotic disorders received an acute course of bilateral ECT using a brief-pulse device. ST was determined at the first session using a fixed titration schedule. ST was correlated with age, sex, body mass index, history of previous ECT, and psychotropic drugs on multiple regression analysis. Furthermore, the rate of accomplished seizures was calculated using the half-age method. Mean ST was 136 mC. ST was influenced by age, sex, history of previous ECT, and medication with benzodiazepines. The accomplished seizure rate using the half-age method was 72%, which was significantly lower in men and subjects on benzodiazepines. ST in Japanese patients was equal to or slightly higher than that previously reported in other ethnic groups, which might be attributable, at least in part, to high prevalence of and large-dose benzodiazepine prescription. Higher age, male gender, no history of ECT, and benzodiazepines were related to higher ST. The half-age method was especially useful in female patients and subjects without benzodiazepine medication. © 2014 The Authors. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences © 2014 Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology.

New method of surgical treatment of patients with recurrent ingrown nail

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kondulukov A.N.

2011-12-01

Full Text Available The article discusses the surgical treatment of ingrown nail in patients with recurrent disease. The advantages of a new method of operation have been explained in the article. It gives a detailed description of the operation. The clinical and additional methods of research have confirmed the fact that a new operation reduces the wound healing period and the number of ingrown nail recurrences

Adjuvant or radical fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy for patients with pituitary functional and nonfunctional macroadenoma

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Weber Damien C

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Purpose To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of stereotactic fractionated radiotherapy (SFRT for patients with pituitary macroadenoma (PMA. Methods and Materials Between March 2000 and March 2009, 27 patients (male to female ratio, 1.25 with PMA underwent SFRT (median dose, 50.4 Gy. Mean age of the patients was 56.5 years (range, 20.3 - 77.4. In all but one patient, SFRT was administered for salvage treatment after surgical resection (transphenoidal resection in 23, transphenoidal resection followed by craniotomy in 2 and multiple transphenoidal resections in another patient. In 10 (37% patients, the PMAs were functional (3 ACTH-secreting, 3 prolactinomas, 2 growth hormone-secreting and 2 multiple hormone-secretion. Three (11.1% and 9 (33.3% patients had PMA abutting and compressing the optic chiasm, respectively. Mean tumor volume was 2.9 ± 4.6 cm3. Eighteen (66.7% patients had hypopituitarism prior to SFRT. The mean follow-up period after SFRT was 72.4 ± 37.2 months. Results Tumor size decreased for 6 (22.2% patients and remained unchanged for 19 (70.4% other patients. Two (7.4% patients had tumor growth inside the prescribed treatment volume. The estimated 5-year tumor growth control was 95.5% after SFRT. Biochemical remission occurred in 3 (30% patients with functional PMA. Two patients with normal anterior pituitary function before SFRT developed new deficits 25 and 65 months after treatment. The 5-year survival without new anterior pituitary deficit was thus 95.8%. Five patients with visual field defect had improved visual function and 1 patient with no visual defect prior to SFRT, but an optic chiasm abutting tumor, had a decline in visual function. The estimated 5-year vision and pituitary function preservation rates were 93.2% and 95.8%, respectively. Conclusions SFRT is a safe and effective treatment for patients with PMA, although longer follow-up is needed to evaluate long-term outcomes. In this study, approximately 1

Occult HBV infection status among chronic hepatitis C and hemodialysis patients in Northeastern Egypt: regional and national overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Mandour, Mohamed; Nemr, Nader; Shehata, Atef; Kishk, Rania; Badran, Dahlia; Hawass, Nashaat

2015-01-01

Occult hepatitis B infection (OBI) is considered to be one of the major risks for patients suffering from end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on regular hemodialysis (HD) and patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. This study compared the prevalence of OBI among these two high-risk groups in the Suez Canal region, Northeastern Egypt, to obtain a better national overview of the magnitude of OBI in this region. Serum samples were collected from 165 HD patients and 210 chronic HCV-infected patients. Anti-HCV antibody, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), total hepatitis B core (anti-HBc) antibody, and hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). HCV RNA was detected using a quantitative real-time RT-PCR assay, and HBV was detected using a nested PCR. All patients were negative for HBsAg. A total of 49.1% and 25.2% of the patients in the HD and HCV groups, respectively, were anti-HBc-positive. In addition, more anti-HBs-positive patients were detected in the HD group compared to the HCV group (52.1% and 11.4%, respectively). Three cases were positive for HBV DNA in the HD group, while eighteen positive cases were detected in the HCV group. Both study groups showed significant differences in serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) level as well as anti-HBc, anti-HBs and HBV-DNA positivity. OBI was more prevalent among chronic HCV patients than HD patients in the Suez Canal region, Egypt, with rates of 8.5% and 1.8%, respectively. However, more precise assessment of this infection requires regular patient follow-up using HBV DNA detection methods.

Análise do pólen em dezoito cultivares de macieira Pollen analysis of eighteen apple cultivars

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Fernando Antonio Campo Dall'Orto

1985-01-01

Full Text Available Como subsídio essencial ao projeto de melhoramento genético da macieira (Malus spp. por hibridação e ao conhecimento da polinização natural nas condições do Estado de São Paulo, efetuaram-se estudos sobre a quantidade e a viabilidade do pólen existente em dezoito cultivares de maior interesse no momento. Constatou-se que, entre os cultivares mais utilizados nos cruzamentos, Anna, Brasil, Dulcina, Ein Shemer, Gala, Rainha e Valinhense, juntamente com as novas seleções - IAC 170-1 e IAC 570-38 - foram os que se apresentaram mais ricos de pólen, com número superior a 50.000 grãos por flor. Quanto à viabilidade polínica desse material estudado, a germinação situou-se em níveis bastante satisfatórios - quase sempre maior que 50% - mesmo quando se armazenou o pólen por um período de 70 dias, em ambiente frio (-1ºC em dessecadores.Aiming to find out variations in pollen quantity and viability in eighteen apple cultivars, analysis of "in vitro" germination was performed to contribute - as a parameter for genetic breeding by hybridization and as a pollination basis. The apple cultivars or selections recommended for commercial planting, at the mild climate conditions prevailing in the State of São Paulo, Brasil, and most utilized in crosses, are nowadays the following: Anna, Brasil, Dulcina, Ein Shemer, Gala, Rainha, Valinhense, IAC 170-1 and IAC 570-38. These cultivars presented more than 50 thousand pollen grains per one flower. The germination index observed (also an indicator of pollen viability was higher than 50 percent in great number of materials, indicating that the pollen of the apple plant, well prepared, can be stored in a cold and dry environment (a desiccator at -1ºC during a period of about 70 days.

Colonic transit time in patient with slow-transit constipation: Comparison of radiopaque markers and barium suspension method

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Xu Huimin [Department of General Surgery, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, No. 8 Gongtina Lu, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100020 (China); Department of General Surgery, Weifang People' s Hospital, ShanDong Province 261041 (China); Han Jiagang [Department of General Surgery, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, No. 8 Gongtina Lu, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100020 (China); Na Ying [Department of Medical Imaging, Weifang People' s Hospital, ShanDong Province 261041 (China); Zhao Bo; Ma Huachong [Department of General Surgery, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, No. 8 Gongtina Lu, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100020 (China); Wang Zhenjun, E-mail: wang3zj@sohu.com [Department of General Surgery, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, No. 8 Gongtina Lu, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100020 (China)

2011-08-15

Background: Colonic transit study provides valuable information before surgical treatment is considered for patient with constipation. The radiopaque markers method is the most common way for evaluating colon transit time. The aim of this study is to compare the barium suspension with the radiopaque makers to assess the colonic mobility in patient with constipation. Methods: Colonic transit time was measured in 11 female patients with slow-transit constipation using both radiopaque markers and barium suspension method. In radiopaque markers method, the patient ingested 20 markers on the first day, and an abdominal radiograph was performed every 24 h until 80% markers were excreted. In barium suspension method, the patient swallowed up to 50 ml of 200% (w/v) barium meal. The abdominal radiographs were taken at the same time point as the former. Results: The total or segmental colonic transit time were obviously prolonged in all patients. Segmental transits time spent in the right colon, left colon and rectosigmoid for radiopaque markers and barium suspension method was, respectively, 30 {+-} 6 h and 34 {+-} 7 h; 38 {+-} 9 h and 32 {+-} 6 h; 40 {+-} 8 h and 38 {+-} 10 h. In the radiopaque markers method, total colonic transit time was 108 {+-} 14 h and it was 103 {+-} 13 h in the barium suspension method (P > 0.05). Conclusion: The barium suspension and radiopaque markers gave the similar results for colonic transit time. The barium suspension was a simple and cheap method for evaluating the colonic mobility.

Improving patient care trajectories: an innovative quasi-experimental research method for health services.

Science.gov (United States)

Campos, Eneida Rached; Moreira-Filho, Djalma de Carvalho; Silva, Marcos Tadeu Nolasco da

2018-05-01

Scores to predict treatment outcomes have earned a well-deserved place in healthcare practice. However, when used to help achieve excellence in the care of a given disease, scores should also take into account organizational and social aspects. This article aims to create scores to obtain key variables and its application in the management of care of a given disease. We present a method called Epidemiological Planning for Patient Care Trajectory (PELC) and its application in a research of HIV pediatric patients. This case study is presented by means of two studies. The first study deals with the development of the method PELC. The second is HIV Pediatric case-control study based on PELC method. HIV pediatric research - the first practical PELC application - found these four key variables to the individual quality level care trajectories: adherence to ART, attending at least one appointment with the otolaryngologist, attending at least one appointment with social services, and having missed one or more routine appointments. We believe PELC method can be used in researches about any kind of care trajectories, contributing to quality level advancements in health services, with emphasis on patient safety and equity in healthcare.

Long-term results in patients with low-grade nodular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aviles, A.; Diaz-Maqueo, J.C.; Sanchez, E.; Cortes, H.D.; Ayala, J.R.; Oncology Hospital, Mexico City; National Medical Center, Mexico City

1991-01-01

One hundred and eighteen patients with nodular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma were randomized to receive either chemotherapy alone or chemotherapy plus radiotherapy (total nodal or involved field irradiation). Although the complete remission rate was similar in the three programs (about 90%) the relapse-free survival rate (RFS) among patients with complete remission was significantly higher in the groups treated with chemotherapy plus radiotherapy than among those treated with chemotherapy alone. The 7-year RFS in the groups treated with total node irradiation and involved field irradiation was 71% and 66% respectively, compared to only 33% in the group treated by chemotherapy alone (p<0.01). The results suggest that combined chemoradiotherapy may achieve complete long-term remission and potential cure in more than 60% of patients with nodular low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Toxicity was moderate in all three arms. Bulky disease and a high level of lactic dehydrogenase were associated with a poor prognosis. (orig.)

Pre-validation methods for developing a patient reported outcome instrument

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Castillo Mayret M

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Measures that reflect patients' assessment of their health are of increasing importance as outcome measures in randomised controlled trials. The methodological approach used in the pre-validation development of new instruments (item generation, item reduction and question formatting should be robust and transparent. The totality of the content of existing PRO instruments for a specific condition provides a valuable resource (pool of items that can be utilised to develop new instruments. Such 'top down' approaches are common, but the explicit pre-validation methods are often poorly reported. This paper presents a systematic and generalisable 5-step pre-validation PRO instrument methodology. Methods The method is illustrated using the example of the Aberdeen Glaucoma Questionnaire (AGQ. The five steps are: 1 Generation of a pool of items; 2 Item de-duplication (three phases; 3 Item reduction (two phases; 4 Assessment of the remaining items' content coverage against a pre-existing theoretical framework appropriate to the objectives of the instrument and the target population (e.g. ICF; and 5 qualitative exploration of the target populations' views of the new instrument and the items it contains. Results The AGQ 'item pool' contained 725 items. Three de-duplication phases resulted in reduction of 91, 225 and 48 items respectively. The item reduction phases discarded 70 items and 208 items respectively. The draft AGQ contained 83 items with good content coverage. The qualitative exploration ('think aloud' study resulted in removal of a further 15 items and refinement to the wording of others. The resultant draft AGQ contained 68 items. Conclusions This study presents a novel methodology for developing a PRO instrument, based on three sources: literature reporting what is important to patient; theoretically coherent framework; and patients' experience of completing the instrument. By systematically accounting for all items dropped

Fibromyalgia incidence among patients with hepatitis B infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Yazmalar, Levent; Deveci, Özcan; Batmaz, İbrahim; İpek, Davut; Çelepkolu, Tahsin; Alpaycı, Mahmut; Hattapoğlu, Erkam; Akdeniz, Dicle; Sarıyıldız, Mustafa A

2016-07-01

The purpose of our investigation was to evaluate the incidence of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) and identify FMS-related clinical symptoms in hepatitis B virus (HBV) patients. One hundred and eighteen HBV surface antigen (HbsAg)-positive patients (40 with chronic active hepatitis B, 40 hepatitis B carriers and 38, all of whom had been antiretroviral-treated for at least 3 months) were included in this study. In addition, 60 age- and gender-matched HbsAg-negative healthy controls were included in the study. There was no significant difference in age, gender or body mass index (BMI) between the two groups (P > 0.05). Serum aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase levels were significantly higher in HBV patients relative to the control group (P < 0.05). The incidence of FMS, widespread body pain, fatigue, sleep disturbance, anxiety, morning stiffness, arthralgia was significantly greater among HBV patients relative to the control group. Additionally, the mean tender point counts and the visual analog scale values were significantly higher among the HBV patients (P < 0.05). The results of the present study demonstrate that FMS incidence is greater among HBV patients relative to control subjects. However, there were no differences in FMS incidence among the subgroups of HBV diagnoses. © 2015 Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Pattern of Family Planning Methods used by Antenatal Patients in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study aimed at assessing the pattern of family planning methods used by antenatal patients at Federal Medical Centre, Owo, Ondo State, Nigeria. The study was conducted between December,2007 and February,2008 at the antenatal clinic of the hospital. Ethical clearance was obtained from the Ethical committee of ...

Automatic image fusion of real-time ultrasound with computed tomography images: a prospective comparison between two auto-registration methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Cha, Dong Ik; Lee, Min Woo; Kim, Ah Yeong; Kang, Tae Wook; Oh, Young-Taek; Jeong, Ja-Yeon; Chang, Jung-Woo; Ryu, Jiwon; Lee, Kyong Joon; Kim, Jaeil; Bang, Won-Chul; Shin, Dong Kuk; Choi, Sung Jin; Koh, Dalkwon; Seo, Bong Koo; Kim, Kyunga

2017-11-01

Background A major drawback of conventional manual image fusion is that the process may be complex, especially for less-experienced operators. Recently, two automatic image fusion techniques called Positioning and Sweeping auto-registration have been developed. Purpose To compare the accuracy and required time for image fusion of real-time ultrasonography (US) and computed tomography (CT) images between Positioning and Sweeping auto-registration. Material and Methods Eighteen consecutive patients referred for planning US for radiofrequency ablation or biopsy for focal hepatic lesions were enrolled. Image fusion using both auto-registration methods was performed for each patient. Registration error, time required for image fusion, and number of point locks used were compared using the Wilcoxon signed rank test. Results Image fusion was successful in all patients. Positioning auto-registration was significantly faster than Sweeping auto-registration for both initial (median, 11 s [range, 3-16 s] vs. 32 s [range, 21-38 s]; P auto-registration was significantly higher for initial image fusion (median, 38.8 mm [range, 16.0-84.6 mm] vs. 18.2 mm [6.7-73.4 mm]; P = 0.029), but not for complete image fusion (median, 4.75 mm [range, 1.7-9.9 mm] vs. 5.8 mm [range, 2.0-13.0 mm]; P = 0.338]. Number of point locks required to refine the initially fused images was significantly higher with Positioning auto-registration (median, 2 [range, 2-3] vs. 1 [range, 1-2]; P = 0.012]. Conclusion Positioning auto-registration offers faster image fusion between real-time US and pre-procedural CT images than Sweeping auto-registration. The final registration error is similar between the two methods.

Soil hydrophobicity: comparative study of usual determination methods

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Eduardo Saldanha Vogelmann

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Hydrophobic or water repellent soils slowly absorb water because of the low wett ability of the soil particles which are coated with hydrophobic organic substances. These pose significant effects on plant growth, water infiltration and retention, surface runoff and erosion. The objective of this study was to compare the performance of tension micro-infiltrometer(TMI and the water drop penetration time (WDPT methods in the determination of the hydrophobicity index of eighteen soils from southern Brazil. Soil samples were collected from the 0-5cm soil layer to determine particle size distribution, organic matter content, hydrophobicity index of soil aggregates and droplet penetration time of disaggregated and sieved soil samples. For the TMI method the soil samples were subjected to minor changes due to the use of macroaggregates to preserve the distribution of solid constituents in the soil. Due to the homogeneity of the soil samples the WDPT method gave smaller coefficients of variation unlike the TMI method where the soil structure is preserved. However, both methods had low coefficients of variation, and are thus effective for determining the soil hydrophobicity, especially when the log hydrophobicity index or log WDPT is >1.

Risk factors for early treatment discontinuation in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder

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Juliana Belo Diniz

2011-01-01

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: In obsessive-compulsive disorder, early treatment discontinuation can hamper the effectiveness of first-line treatments. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the clinical correlates of early treatment discontinuation among obsessive-compulsive disorder patients. METHODS: A group of patients who stopped taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs or stopped participating in cognitive behavioral therapy before completion of the first twelve weeks (total n = 41; n = 16 for cognitive behavioral therapy and n = 25 for SSRIs were compared with a paired sample of compliant patients (n = 41. Demographic and clinical characteristics were obtained at baseline using structured clinical interviews. Chisquare and Mann-Whitney tests were used when indicated. Variables presenting a p value <0.15 for the difference between groups were selected for inclusion in a logistic regression analysis that used an interaction model with treatment dropout as the response variable. RESULTS: Agoraphobia was only present in one (2.4% patient who completed the twelve-week therapy, whereas it was present in six (15.0% patients who dropped out (p = 0.044. Social phobia was present in eight (19.5% patients who completed the twelve-week therapy and eighteen (45% patients who dropped out (p = 0.014. Generalized anxiety disorder was present in eight (19.5% patients who completed the twelve-week therapy and twenty (50% dropouts (p = 0.004, and somatization disorder was not present in any of the patients who completed the twelveweek therapy; however, it was present in six (15% dropouts (p = 0.010. According to the logistic regression model, treatment modality (p = 0.05, agoraphobia, the Brown Assessment of Beliefs Scale scores (p = 0.03 and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (p = 0.02 scores were significantly associated with the probability of treatment discontinuation irrespective of interactions with other variables. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Early treatment

Immediate reconstruction of maxillectomy defects using anterolateral thigh free flap in patients from a low resource region.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Wei Wei; Peng, Han Wei; Guo, Zhu Ming; Zhang, Quan; Yang, An Kui

2012-11-01

To report the reliability and reconstructive outcome of using anterolateral thigh (ALT) flap with or without titanium mesh to repair maxillectomy defects in a patient from a low resource region (LRR). Retrospective review. Clinical data of patients with oral-maxillofacial cancers who underwent maxillectomy and reconstruction using ALT flap in two tertiary cancer centers in southern China were retrospectively reviewed. Reconstructive techniques, flap survival, postoperative oral functions, and surgical complications were reported. Apart from one total flap loss, 18 of the 19 free ALT flaps survived. Titanium mesh was used in two patients with total maxillectomy defects. Eighteen of the 19 patients resumed a normal oral diet. Fourteen patients had good speech, except one patient with poor pronunciation, and four patients had average speech. One patient presented with postoperative palatal fistula. No other complications were observed. The application of ALT flaps with or without titanium mesh to repair maxillectomy defects is straightforward and reliable and has an acceptable reconstructive outcome. It might be a suitable procedure for patients from an LRR. Copyright © 2012 The American Laryngological, Rhinological, and Otological Society, Inc.

Do Dysphagic Patients with an Absent Pharyngeal Swallow Have a Shorter Survival than Dysphagic Patients with Pharyngeal Swallow? Prognostic Importance of a Therapeutic Videoradiographic Swallowing Study (TVSS)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buelow, M.; Olsson, R.; Ekberg, O.

2005-01-01

Purpose: To study survival in two groups of dysphagic patients - one group unable to elicit the pharyngeal stage of swallow (APS) and another group with pharyngeal swallow (WPS) - and to compare recommendations regarding nutrition and therapeutic strategies based on the therapeutic swallowing study. Material and Methods: In this retrospective study, the records of dysphagic patients who have undergone a therapeutic videoradiographic swallowing study (TVSS) were reviewed. Forty patients without pharyngeal swallow were matched for age and gender with 40 patients with pharyngeal swallow; altogether 80 patients were included in the study. Survival was registered at 3, 12, and 72 months after the TVSS. Results: In this study, the APS group had a significantly shorter survival time compared to the WPS group when followed-up at 12 months. In the APS group, most patients (37.5% (15/40)) died within the 3 months after TVSS. At 72 months, 62.5% (25/40) of the patients in the APS group had died. In the WPS group, 5% (2/40) had died within 3 months and 47.4% (19/40) after 12 months. At 72 months, 52.5% (21/40) of the patients in the WPS group had died. Regarding nutritional and therapeutic recommendations based on TVSS, 34/40 in the APS group were recommended no oral intake. Eighteen naso-gastric tubes were placed directly after TVSS. The therapeutic strategies recommended were head-positioning, thermal tactile stimulation, and tongue exercises (in 8 patients). In the WPS group, all patients were recommended oral intake. Diet modification was recommended in 29 patients. The therapeutic strategies recommended were head-positioning, thermal tactile stimulation, tongue exercises, supraglottic swallow, and effortful swallow (in 24 patients). Conclusion: Patients unable to elicit the pharyngeal stage of swallow had a shorter survival time than patients with pharyngeal swallow, probably due to a more severe underlying disease. Tube feeding was more frequent in the APS group. Fewer

Reliability testing of tendon disease using two different scanning methods in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bruyn, George A W; Möller, Ingrid; Garrido, Jesus

2012-01-01

To assess the intra- and interobserver reliability of musculoskeletal ultrasonography (US) in detecting inflammatory and destructive tendon abnormalities in patients with RA using two different scanning methods.......To assess the intra- and interobserver reliability of musculoskeletal ultrasonography (US) in detecting inflammatory and destructive tendon abnormalities in patients with RA using two different scanning methods....

Ultrasound surface probe as a screening method for evaluating the patients with blunt abdominal trauma

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Mohammad Nasr-Esfahani

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Blunt abdominal trauma is one of the causes of mortality in emergency department. Free fluid in the abdomen due to intra-abdominal blunt trauma can be determined by the surface probe of ultrasound. Since the importance of this free fluid in hemodynamic stable patients with blunt trauma is associated with the unknown outcome for surgeons, this study was performed to evaluate the role of ultrasound surface probe as a screening method in evaluating the patients with blunt abdominal trauma. Materials and Methods: A descriptive-analytical study was done on 45 patients with blunt abdominal trauma and hemodynamic stability. The patients were evaluated twice during the three-hours, including repeated ultrasound surface probe and clinical examinations. Computerized tomography was also performed. The patients were divided based on the amount of the free fluid in the abdomen during the evaluations into two groups: Fixed or increased, and decreased free fluid. The results of the different evaluated methods were compared using the sensitivity and specificity. Results: From 17 patients with CT abnormalities, free fluid increased in 14 patients (82.4%. Free fluid was decreased in three patients who were discharged well from the surgery service without any complication. Surface probe in prognosis detection had a sensitivity of 82.4% and specificity of 92.9%. The percentage of false positive and negative ultrasound compared with CT scan was 7.1% and 17.6%. Also, positive and negative predictive value of the ultrasound with surface probe was 87.5% and 89.7% respectively. Conclusion: The use of the ultrasound with surface probe in the diagnosis of free fluid in blunt abdominal trauma in hemodynamic stable patients can be considered as a useful screening method.

Assessment guidance of carbohydrate counting method in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

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Martins, Michelle R; Ambrosio, Ana Cristina T; Nery, Marcia; Aquino, Rita de Cássia; Queiroz, Marcia S

2014-04-01

We evaluated the application of the method of carbohydrate counting performed by 21 patients with type 2 diabetes, 1 year later attending a guidance course. Participants answered a questionnaire to assess patients' adhesion to carbohydrate counting as well as to identify habit changes and the method's applicability, and values of glycated hemoglobin were also analyzed. Most participants (76%) were females, and 25% of them had obesity degree III. There was a statistically significant decrease in glycated hemoglobin from 8.42±0.02% to 7.66±0.01% comparing values before and after counseling. We observed that although patients stated that the method was difficult they understood that carbohydrate counting could allow them make choices and have more freedom in their meals; we also verified if they understood accurately how to replace some foods used regularly in their diets and most patients correctly chose replacements for the groups of bread (76%), beans (67%) and noodles (67%). We concluded that participation in the course led to improved blood glucose control with a significant reduction of glycated hemoglobin, better understanding of food groups and the adoption of healthier eating habits. Copyright © 2013 Primary Care Diabetes Europe. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Anorectal function in patients with complete rectal prolapse. Differences between continent and incontinent individuals.

Science.gov (United States)

Roig, J V; Buch, E; Alós, R; Solana, A; Fernández, C; Villoslada, C; García-Armengol, J; Hinojosa, J

1998-11-01

A study is made of the alterations in anorectal physiology among rectal prolapse patients, evaluating the differences between fecal continent and incontinent individuals. Eighteen patients with complete rectal prolapse were divided into two groups: Group A (8 continent individuals) and Group B (10 incontinent women), while 22 healthy women were used as controls (Group C). Clinical exploration and perineal level measurements were performed, along with anorectal manometry, electrophysiology, and anorectal sensitivity to electrical stimuli. The main antecedents of the continent subjects were excess straining efforts, while the incontinent women presented excess straining and complex deliveries. Pathological perineal descent was a frequent finding in both groups, with a hypotonic anal canal at rest (p rest than the continent women (p rest, regardless of whether they are continent to feces or not. Continent patients have less pudendal neuropathy and therefore less pressure alterations at voluntary sphincter squeeze than incontinent individuals.

Effectiveness of Different Pain Control Methods in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis after Knee Arthroplasty

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Jin-Lain Ming

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The number of patients with knee osteoarthritis has increased in tandem with population aging. Consequently, the number of knee arthroplasties has also risen. The postoperative pain is the biggest challenge faced by patients soon after knee arthroplasty; therefore, this study is among different methods for post-knee arthroplasty pain control. A prospective longitudinal research design was employed; 177 adult patients who proposed for primary knee arthroplasty were enrolled and recruited. The patients were divided into conventional Group 1 (n=120 and patient-controlled analgesia (PCA Group 2 (n=57 according to the treatment methods they received. All patients experience the highest pain level on the day of their surgery; women complained of higher pain levels than men did, while the PCA group had lower postoperative pain. Meanwhile, patients with general anesthesia experienced more pain than those with spinal anesthesia in postoperative period. Patients with a higher postoperative pain index have a smaller optimal knee flexion angle. The PCA group had lower postoperative pain; all patients experienced the highest pain level on the day of their surgery. The results of this study could serve as a reference for nurses where PCA ensures a better postoperative pain control and therefore facilitates recovery and improves the quality of nursing.

Patellar tendon-lateral femoral condyle friction syndrome: MR imaging in 42 patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chung, C.B.; Skaf, A.; Campos, J.; Stump, X.; Resnick, D.; Roger, B.

2001-01-01

Objective: To demonstrate the MR imaging findings that occur between the posterior inferolateral patellar tendon and the lateral femoral condyle in patients with chronic anterior and or lateral knee pain. Patients and design: A retrospective review of the MR images in 42 patients who presented with chronic anterior or lateral knee pain was performed by two musculoskeletal radiologists. In 15 patients, post-contrast images were available. Results: Sagittal and axial imaging planes best demonstrated the patellar tendon and its relationship with the lateral femoral condyle. In 40 patients, there was obliteration of the fat planes and abnormal signal intensity in the lateral soft tissues of the inferior patellofemoral joint. Enhancement after administration of gadolinium was noted in all cases in which contrast was administered. Eighteen patients showed cystic changes in the soft tissues adjacent to the lateral femoral condyle in addition to fat plane obliteration. In two patients, only cystic changes were noted in the lateral soft tissues. Abnormal patellar alignment was noted in 37 patients. Patellar tendon pathology was seen in nine patients. Conclusion: In evaluating anterior knee symptoms, MR imaging allows identification of changes that may be related to patellar tendon-lateral femoral condyle friction syndrome and that should be distinguished from other causes of anterior or lateral knee pain. (orig.)

Patellar tendon-lateral femoral condyle friction syndrome: MR imaging in 42 patients

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chung, C.B.; Skaf, A.; Campos, J.; Stump, X.; Resnick, D. [Dept. of Radiology, University of California, San Diego (United States); Roger, B. [Service de Radiologie Polyvalente, Groupe Hospitalier Pitie-Salpetriere, Paris (France)

2001-12-01

Objective: To demonstrate the MR imaging findings that occur between the posterior inferolateral patellar tendon and the lateral femoral condyle in patients with chronic anterior and or lateral knee pain. Patients and design: A retrospective review of the MR images in 42 patients who presented with chronic anterior or lateral knee pain was performed by two musculoskeletal radiologists. In 15 patients, post-contrast images were available. Results: Sagittal and axial imaging planes best demonstrated the patellar tendon and its relationship with the lateral femoral condyle. In 40 patients, there was obliteration of the fat planes and abnormal signal intensity in the lateral soft tissues of the inferior patellofemoral joint. Enhancement after administration of gadolinium was noted in all cases in which contrast was administered. Eighteen patients showed cystic changes in the soft tissues adjacent to the lateral femoral condyle in addition to fat plane obliteration. In two patients, only cystic changes were noted in the lateral soft tissues. Abnormal patellar alignment was noted in 37 patients. Patellar tendon pathology was seen in nine patients. Conclusion: In evaluating anterior knee symptoms, MR imaging allows identification of changes that may be related to patellar tendon-lateral femoral condyle friction syndrome and that should be distinguished from other causes of anterior or lateral knee pain. (orig.)

Development, implementation, and evaluation of a mental rehearsal strategy to improve clinical performance and reduce stress: A mixed methods study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ignacio, Jeanette; Dolmans, Diana; Scherpbier, Albert; Rethans, Jan-Joost; Lopez, Violeta; Liaw, Sok Ying

2016-02-01

Mental rehearsal is a form of mental training that has been used by physicians and nurses to improve performance of clinical skills, and as a vital component of stress management training. To help novice nurses deal with often stressful clinical events that require the processing of information essential to patient management, a mental rehearsal strategy was developed and implemented in a Year 3 nursing simulation program. Inherent to mental rehearsal is imagery, which facilitates cognitive and affective modification, and reduction of extraneous cognitive load. As such, it was expected that the mental rehearsal strategy would improve students' performance and reduce stress in managing deteriorating patients. The study used a mixed methods design. Eighteen Year 3 nursing students participated in the pre- and post-design study, which consisted of the development and implementation of a mental rehearsal strategy. The Rescuing A Patient In Deteriorating Situations (RAPIDS) tool was used to assess performance. Heart rates and systolic blood pressures were used to measure stress. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was used as a psychological measure of stress/anxiety. Five participants were involved in a focus group discussion that evaluated the usefulness of the mental rehearsal strategy. There was a significant improvement in performance (Pstrategy. The mental rehearsal strategy for deteriorating patient management can be valuable based on the findings on performance and based on the participants' feedback. Its role in reducing stress, however, needs further evaluation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Colonic transit time in patient with slow-transit constipation: Comparison of radiopaque markers and barium suspension method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Huimin; Han Jiagang; Na Ying; Zhao Bo; Ma Huachong; Wang Zhenjun

2011-01-01

Background: Colonic transit study provides valuable information before surgical treatment is considered for patient with constipation. The radiopaque markers method is the most common way for evaluating colon transit time. The aim of this study is to compare the barium suspension with the radiopaque makers to assess the colonic mobility in patient with constipation. Methods: Colonic transit time was measured in 11 female patients with slow-transit constipation using both radiopaque markers and barium suspension method. In radiopaque markers method, the patient ingested 20 markers on the first day, and an abdominal radiograph was performed every 24 h until 80% markers were excreted. In barium suspension method, the patient swallowed up to 50 ml of 200% (w/v) barium meal. The abdominal radiographs were taken at the same time point as the former. Results: The total or segmental colonic transit time were obviously prolonged in all patients. Segmental transits time spent in the right colon, left colon and rectosigmoid for radiopaque markers and barium suspension method was, respectively, 30 ± 6 h and 34 ± 7 h; 38 ± 9 h and 32 ± 6 h; 40 ± 8 h and 38 ± 10 h. In the radiopaque markers method, total colonic transit time was 108 ± 14 h and it was 103 ± 13 h in the barium suspension method (P > 0.05). Conclusion: The barium suspension and radiopaque markers gave the similar results for colonic transit time. The barium suspension was a simple and cheap method for evaluating the colonic mobility.

Internal consistency and validity of an observational method for assessing disability in mobility in patients with osteoarthritis.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Steultjens, M.P.M.; Dekker, J.; Baar, M.E. van; Oostendorp, R.A.B.; Bijlsma, J.W.J.

1999-01-01

Objective: To establish the internal consistency of validity of an observational method for assessing diasbility in mobility in patients with osteoarthritis (OA), Methods: Data were obtained from 198 patients with OA of the hip or knee. Results of the observational method were compared with results

Content validity of methods to assess malnutrition in cancer patients: a systematic review

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sealy, Martine; Nijholt, Willemke; Stuiver, M.M.; van der Berg, M.M.; Ottery, Faith D.; van der Schans, Cees; Roodenburg, Jan L N; Jager-Wittenaar, Harriët

Content validity of methods to assess malnutrition in cancer patients: A systematic review Rationale: Inadequate operationalisation of the multidimensial concept of malnutrition may result in inadequate evaluation of nutritional status. In this review we aimed to assess content validity of methods

Chemical analysis by nuclear methods. v. 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alfassi, Z.B.

1998-01-01

'Chemical analysis by Nuclear Methods' is an effort of some renowned authors in field of nuclear chemistry and radiochemistry which is compiled by Alfassi, Z.B. and translated into Farsi version collected in two volumes. The second volume consists of the following chapters: Detecting ion recoil scattering and elastic scattering are dealt in the eleventh chapter, the twelfth chapter is devoted to nuclear reaction analysis using charged particles, X-ray emission is discussed at thirteenth chapter, the fourteenth chapter is about using ion microprobes, X-ray fluorescence analysis is discussed in the fifteenth chapter, alpha, beta and gamma ray scattering in chemical analysis are dealt in chapter sixteen, Moessbauer spectroscopy and positron annihilation are discussed in chapter seventeen and eighteen; The last two chapters are about isotope dilution analysis and radioimmunoassay

Acute secondary effects in the esophagus in patients undergoing radiotherapy for carcinoma of the lung

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mascarenhas, F.; Silvestre, M.E.; Sa da Costa, M.; Grima, N.; Campos, C.; Chaves, P.

1989-02-01

The incidence and nature of acute secondary irradiation esophagitis was studied in a series of 38 patients undergoing 60Co teletherapy for carcinoma of the lung. Thirty-four patients were male and four female, with ages ranging from 38 to 78 years. The mediastinum being irradiated in the process, all the patients underwent endoscopy for signs of esophagitis and/or gastritis after a dose of 30-40 Gy was delivered to the esophagus. Eighteen patients complained of dysphagia, but only in 12 of them did endoscopy show esophagitis. Of the remaining patients without complaints five had endoscopic signs of esophagitis. Gastritis was found in 18 cases and confirmed histologically in 14. In 17 cases, esophagitis and/or gastritis were confirmed histologically. It is believed that there is a fairly close correlation among clinical, endoscopic, and histological findings to support the claim that esophagitis in these patients is radiation induced. However, the cause of gastritis is not well understood. Data in the literature suggest that nonsteroid anti-inflammatory agents can act as prophylactic means of preventing radiation esophagitis.

Acute secondary effects in the esophagus in patients undergoing radiotherapy for carcinoma of the lung

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mascarenhas, F.; Silvestre, M.E.; Sa da Costa, M.; Grima, N.; Campos, C.; Chaves, P.

1989-01-01

The incidence and nature of acute secondary irradiation esophagitis was studied in a series of 38 patients undergoing 60Co teletherapy for carcinoma of the lung. Thirty-four patients were male and four female, with ages ranging from 38 to 78 years. The mediastinum being irradiated in the process, all the patients underwent endoscopy for signs of esophagitis and/or gastritis after a dose of 30-40 Gy was delivered to the esophagus. Eighteen patients complained of dysphagia, but only in 12 of them did endoscopy show esophagitis. Of the remaining patients without complaints five had endoscopic signs of esophagitis. Gastritis was found in 18 cases and confirmed histologically in 14. In 17 cases, esophagitis and/or gastritis were confirmed histologically. It is believed that there is a fairly close correlation among clinical, endoscopic, and histological findings to support the claim that esophagitis in these patients is radiation induced. However, the cause of gastritis is not well understood. Data in the literature suggest that nonsteroid anti-inflammatory agents can act as prophylactic means of preventing radiation esophagitis

Engaging Stakeholders in Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Regarding School-Based Sealant Programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Chi, Donald L; Milgrom, Peter; Gillette, Jane

2018-02-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to use qualitative methods to describe the key lessons learned during the stakeholder engagement stage of planning a randomized clinical trial comparing outcomes of silver diamine fluoride (SDF) as an alternative to pit-and-fissure sealants in a school-based delivery system. Methods: Eighteen caregivers and community-based stakeholders with involvement in the school-based sealant program Sealants for Smiles from the state of Montana, were recruited for this qualitative study. United States (U.S.) Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) methodology standards were used to develop two semi-structured interview guides consisting of 6 questions. One interview guide was used for telephone interviews with caregivers and the second was used for a stakeholder focus group. Content analytic methods were used to analyze the data. Results: All participants believed that a study comparing SDF and sealants was clinically relevant. Non-caregiver stakeholders agreed with the proposed primary outcome of the study (caries prevention) whereas caregivers also emphasized the importance of child-centered outcomes such as minimizing dental anxiety associated with dental care. Stakeholders described potential concerns associated with SDF such as staining and perceptions of safety and discussed ways to address these concerns through community engagement, appropriate framing of the study, proper consent procedures, and ongoing safety monitoring during the trial. Finally, stakeholders suggested dissemination strategies such as direct communication of findings through professional organizations and encouraging insurance plans to incentivize SDF use by reimbursing dental providers. Conclusions: Involving key stakeholders in early planning is essential in developing patient-centered research questions, outcomes measures, study protocols, and dissemination plans for oral health research involving a school-based delivery system. Copyright © 2018

Tumor Uptake of 64Cu-DOTA-Trastuzumab in Patients with Metastatic Breast Cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Mortimer, Joanne E; Bading, James R; Park, Jinha M; Frankel, Paul H; Carroll, Mary I; Tran, Tri T; Poku, Erasmus K; Rockne, Russell C; Raubitschek, Andrew A; Shively, John E; Colcher, David M

2018-01-01

The goal of this study was to characterize the relationship between tumor uptake of 64 Cu-DOTA-trastuzumab as measured by PET/CT and standard, immunohistochemistry (IHC)-based, histopathologic classification of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status in women with metastatic breast cancer (MBC). Methods: Women with biopsy-confirmed MBC and not given trastuzumab for 2 mo or more underwent complete staging, including 18 F-FDG PET/CT. Patients were classified as HER2-positive (HER2+) or -negative (HER2-) based on fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH)-supplemented immunohistochemistry of biopsied tumor tissue. Eighteen patients underwent 64 Cu-DOTA-trastuzumab injection, preceded in 16 cases by trastuzumab infusion (45 mg). PET/CT was performed 21-25 (day 1) and 47-49 (day 2) h after 64 Cu-DOTA-trastuzumab injection. Radiolabel uptake in prominent lesions was measured as SUV max Average intrapatient SUV max ( pt ) was compared between HER2+ and HER2- patients. Results: Eleven women were HER2+ (8 immunohistochemistry 3+; 3 immunohistochemistry 2+/FISH amplified), whereas 7 were HER2- (3 immunohistochemistry 2+/FISH nonamplified; 4 immunohistochemistry 1+). Median pt for day 1 and day 2 was 6.6 and 6.8 g/mL for HER 2+ and 3.7 and 4.3 g/mL for HER2- patients ( P pt overlapped between the 2 groups, and interpatient variability was greater for HER2+ than HER2- disease ( P DOTA-trastuzumab in MBC is strongly associated with patient HER2 status and is indicative of binding to HER2. The variability within and among HER2+ patients, as well as the overlap between the HER2+ and HER2- groups, suggests a role for 64 Cu-DOTA-trastuzumab PET/CT in optimizing treatments that include trastuzumab. © 2018 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging.

Changes in Cardiopulmonary Reserve and Peripheral Arterial Function Concomitantly with Subclinical Inflammation and Oxidative Stress in Patients with Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction

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Damien Vitiello

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Changes in cardiopulmonary reserve and biomarkers related to wall stress, inflammation, and oxidative stress concomitantly with the evaluation of peripheral arterial blood flow have not been investigated in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF compared with healthy subjects (CTL. Methods and Results. Eighteen HFpEF patients and 14 CTL were recruited. Plasma levels of inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers were measured at rest. Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP was measured at rest and peak exercise. Cardiopulmonary reserve was assessed using an exercise protocol with gas exchange analyses. Peripheral arterial blood flow was determined by strain gauge plethysmography. Peak VO2 (12.0±0.4 versus 19.1±1.1 mL/min/kg, P<0.001 and oxygen uptake efficiency slope (1.55±0.12 versus 2.06±0.14, P<0.05 were significantly decreased in HFpEF patients compared with CTL. BNP at rest and following stress, C-reactive-protein, interleukin-6, and TBARS were significantly elevated in HFpEF. Both basal and posthyperemic arterial blood flow were not significantly different between the HFpEF patients and CTL. Conclusions. HFpEF exhibits a severe reduction in cardiopulmonary reserve and oxygen uptake efficiency concomitantly with an elevation in a broad spectrum of biomarkers confirming an inflammatory and prooxidative status in patients with HFpEF.

Outcome Criteria for Discharging the Patient With a New Ostomy From Home Health Care: A WOCN Society Consensus Conference.

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Colwell, Janice C; Kupsick, Phyllis T; McNichol, Laurie L

2016-01-01

The Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society hosted a consensus panel of expert ostomy clinicians who were tasked with identifying minimal discharge criteria for home care patients with a new fecal or urinary diversion. Shortened hospital inpatient stays, higher patient acuity, and limited access to ostomy specialists send patients with new ostomies home with multiple educational and adjustment needs related to a new stoma. The Society recognized the lack of evidence-based ostomy practice and supported the work of the panel to develop statements that defined elements of the care plan for the patient or caregiver in home care who is adapting to living with a stoma. Eighteen statements were developed that provide minimum discharge criteria for the patient with a new ostomy in the home care setting. Support based upon current evidence as well as expert opinion with implementation strategies are offered for each statement.

Suicide attempts and clinical features of bipolar patients.

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Berkol, Tonguç D; İslam, Serkan; Kırlı, Ebru; Pınarbaşı, Rasim; Özyıldırım, İlker

2016-06-01

To identify clinical predictors of suicide attempts in patients with bipolar disorder. This study included bipolar patients who were treated in the Psychiatry Department, Haseki Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey, between 2013 and 2014; an informed consent was obtained from the participants. Two  hundred and eighteen bipolar patients were assessed by using the structured clinical interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition (DSM-IV) Axis-I (SCID-I) in order to detect all possible psychiatric comorbid diagnoses. Clinical predictors of suicide attempts were examined in attempters and non-attempters. The study design was retrospective. The lifetime suicide attempt rate for the entire sample was 19.2%. Suicide attempters with bipolar disorder had more lifetime comorbidity of eating disorder. Female gender and family history of mood disorder were significant predictors for suicide attempts. There was no difference between groups in terms of bipolar disorder subtype, onset age of bipolar disorder, total number of episodes, first and predominant episode type, suicide history in first degree relatives, severity of episodes, and hospitalization and being psychotic. Our study revealed that female gender, family history of mood disorder, and eating disorder are more frequent in bipolar patients with at least one suicide attempt.

Effects of auditing patient safety in hospital care: design of a mixed-method evaluation

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2013-01-01

Background Auditing of patient safety aims at early detection of risks of adverse events and is intended to encourage the continuous improvement of patient safety. The auditing should be an independent, objective assurance and consulting system. Auditing helps an organisation accomplish its objectives by bringing a systematic, disciplined approach to evaluating and improving the effectiveness of risk management, control, and governance. Audits are broadly conducted in hospitals, but little is known about their effects on the behaviour of healthcare professionals and patient safety outcomes. This study was initiated to evaluate the effects of patient safety auditing in hospital care and to explore the processes and mechanisms underlying these effects. Methods and design Our study aims to evaluate an audit system to monitor and improve patient safety in a hospital setting. We are using a mixed-method evaluation with a before-and-after study design in eight departments of one university hospital in the period October 2011–July 2014. We measure several outcomes 3 months before the audit and 15 months after the audit. The primary outcomes are adverse events and complications. The secondary outcomes are experiences of patients, the standardised mortality ratio, prolonged hospital stay, patient safety culture, and team climate. We use medical record reviews, questionnaires, hospital administrative data, and observations to assess the outcomes. A process evaluation will be used to find out which components of internal auditing determine the effects. Discussion We report a study protocol of an effect and process evaluation to determine whether auditing improves patient safety in hospital care. Because auditing is a complex intervention targeted on several levels, we are using a combination of methods to collect qualitative and quantitative data about patient safety at the patient, professional, and department levels. This study is relevant for hospitals that want to

Feelings of hopelessness in stable HIV-positive patients on antiretrovirals

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M Y H Moosa

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Aim. The coping skills and styles individuals utilise to deal with the stress of HIV infection greatly influence the psychological impact of this illness and potential consequent feelings of hopelessness. The aim of this study was to describe levels of hopelessness in a group of stable, non-depressed HIV-positive patients receiving antiretroviral therapy, and factors associated with hopelessness. Method. Thirty randomly selected non-depressed patients (according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition (DSM-IV criteria were included in this study. Demographic and other data were obtained from all subjects, who also completed the Beck’s Hopelessness Scale (BHS. The 20 true-false items of the BHS (29 measured three major aspects of hopelessness, which was interpreted on the total scale score as follows: ≤3 minimal, and >3 significant. Results. The study population comprised 30 patients with a mean age of 37.9 years (standard error (SE 1.18 ( range 28 - 51 years. The mean BHS score was 4.03 (SE 0.55, with a range from 0 to 12. There were no statistically significant correlations between BHS scores of the study population and gender, marital status, employment status, level of education, years since the diagnosis of HIV, or number of children (p>0.05. Eighteen subjects (60% scored 3 or less on the BHS, considered minimal levels of hopelessness. However, 12 (40% scored more than 3, which is considered significant; of these 23% had scores of 7 or more. There was no statistically significant association between BHS scores and gender, employment status, level of education, number of children or number of years since diagnosis (p>0.05. However, patients who were married or living with partners were statistically more likely to score higher on the hopelessness scale compared with those who were single (p

Long-Term Outcome After Radiotherapy in Patients With Atypical and Malignant Meningiomas—Clinical Results in 85 Patients Treated in a Single Institution Leading to Optimized Guidelines for Early Radiation Therapy

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Adeberg, Sebastian; Hartmann, Christian; Welzel, Thomas; Rieken, Stefan; Habermehl, Daniel; Deimling, Andreas von; Debus, Jürgen; Combs, Stephanie E.

2012-01-01

Purpose: Previously, we could show that the new World Health Organization (WHO) classification of meningiomas significantly correlated with outcome in patients with atypical and anaplastic histology. In the present work, we analyzed our long-term experience in radiotherapy for atypical and malignant meningioma diagnosed according to the most recent WHO categorization system. Patients and Methods: Sixty-two patients with atypical and 23 patients with malignant meningioma have been treated with radiotherapy. Sixty percent of all patients received radiotherapy (RT) after surgical resection, 19% at disease progression and 8.3% as a primary treatment. Radiation was applied using different techniques including fractionated stereotactic RT (FSRT), intensity-modulated RT, and combination treatment with carbon ions. The median PTV was 156.0 mL. An average dose of 57.6 Gy (range, 30–68.4 Gy) in 1.8–3 Gy fractions was applied. All patients were followed regularly including clinical-neurological follow-up as well as computed tomographies or magnetic resonance imaging. Results: Overall survival was impacted significantly by histological grade, with 81% and 53% at 5 years for atypical or anaplastic meningiomas, respectively. This difference was significant at p = 0.022. Eighteen patients died of tumor progression during follow-up. Progression-free survival was 95% and 50% for atypical, and 63% and 13% for anaplastic histology at 2 and 5 years. This difference was significant at p = 0.017. Despite histology, we could not observe any prognostic factors including age, resection status, or Karnofsky performance score. However, preexisting clinical symptoms observed in 63 patients improved in 29.3% of these patients. Conclusion: RT resulted in improvement of preexisting clinical symptoms; outcome is comparable to other series reported in the literature. RT should be offered after surgical resection after initial diagnosis to increase progression-free survival as well as overall

Nutritional assessment methods as predictors of postoperative mortality in gastric cancer patients submitted to gastrectomy

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Aline Kirjner Poziomyck

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objectives: to determine the nutritional evaluation method that best predicts mortality in 90 days of patients submitted to gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Methods: we conducted a prospective study with 44 patients with gastric cancer, stages II to IIIa, of whom nine were submitted to partial gastrectomy, 34 to total gastrectomy, and one to esophago-gastrectomy. All patients were nutritionally evaluated through the same protocol, up to 72h after hospital admission. The parameters used were Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PGSGA, classical anthropometry, current weight and height, percentage of weight loss (%WL and body mass index (BMI. We also measured the thickness of the thumb adductor muscle (TAM in both hands, dominant hand (TAMD and non-dominant hand (TAMND, as well as the calculated the prognostic nutritional index (PNI. The laboratory profile included serum levels of albumin, erythrocytes, hemoglobin, hematocrit, leukocytes, and total lymphocytes count (TLC. Results: of the 44 patients studied, 29 (66% were malnourished by the subjective method, 15 being grade A, 18 grade B and 11 grade C. Cases with PGSGA grade B and TAMD 10.2±2.9 mm were significantly associated with higher mortality. The ROC curves (95% confidence interval of both PGSGA and TAMD thickness reliably predicted mortality at 30 and 90 days. No laboratory method allowed predicting mortality at 90 days. Conclusion: PGSGA and the TAMD thickness can be used as preoperative parameters for risk of death in patients undergoing gastrectomy for gastric cancer.

Computerized method for arm movement assessment in Parkinson's disease and cerebellar syndrome patients

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Đorđević Olivera

2005-01-01

Full Text Available In clinical setting, the symptoms of the impaired motor behavior in patients with different neurological diseases are identified by classical tests incorporated in clinical neurological examination. New computerized methods for objective motor assessment have been recently suggested in the literature. We developed computerized method for assessment and evaluation of arm movement in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD in early phase and in patients with cerebellar syndrome. Method is based on automatic acquisition of hand coordinates during drawing of line and circle, and offline analysis of kinematic parameters (time duration, path length, mean and maximal velocity, velocity profile, and precision. Clinical application is in recognition and follow-up of the impaired kinematic parameters, specific for these two groups of patients. AIM We propose computerized method that consists of two motor tasks: Task 1- drawing a line defined with end points; and Task 2 - drawing a circle defined by referential model. The first task was rather simple with defined direction, and the second included continuous change of the direction that required permanent adjustment. The aim was to detect which kinematic parameters were particularly different in PD and in patients with cerebellar syndrome in relation to healthy controls, and then to apply this method as an additional instrument in clinical evaluation. METHODS Hand trajectories were assessed during simple self-paced 1 point-to-point movement-Task 1; and 2 circle-Task 2, by cordless magnetic mouse in a hand on digitizing board (Drawing board III, 305x457 mm, GTCO Cal Comp Inc. The subjects were seated in a relaxed manner on the chair adjusted to the table height, and instructed not to correct drawn line during performance of a task. The first session was for practicing the tests only, and in the next session, the subjects repeated 5 times each task. All sessions were videotaped with CCD camera. Testing

A novel method for measuring patients' adherence to insulin dosing guidelines: introducing indicators of adherence

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Cahané Michel

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Diabetic type 1 patients are often advised to use dose adjustment guidelines to calculate their doses of insulin. Conventional methods of measuring patients' adherence are not applicable to these cases, because insulin doses are not determined in advance. We propose a method and a number of indicators to measure patients' conformance to these insulin dosing guidelines. Methods We used a database of logbooks of type 1 diabetic patients who participated in a summer camp. Patients used a guideline to calculate the doses of insulin lispro and glargine four times a day, and registered their injected doses in the database. We implemented the guideline in a computer system to calculate recommended doses. We then compared injected and recommended doses by using five indicators that we designed for this purpose: absolute agreement (AA: the two doses are the same; relative agreement (RA: there is a slight difference between them; extreme disagreement (ED: the administered and recommended doses are merely opposite; Under-treatment (UT and over-treatment (OT: the injected dose is not enough or too high, respectively. We used weighted linear regression model to study the evolution of these indicators over time. Results We analyzed 1656 insulin doses injected by 28 patients during a three weeks camp. Overall indicator rates were AA = 45%, RA = 30%, ED = 2%, UT = 26% and OT = 30%. The highest rate of absolute agreement is obtained for insulin glargine (AA = 70%. One patient with alarming behavior (AA = 29%, RA = 24% and ED = 8% was detected. The monitoring of these indicators over time revealed a crescendo curve of adherence rate which fitted well in a weighted linear model (slope = 0.85, significance = 0.002. This shows an improvement in the quality of therapeutic decision-making of patients during the camp. Conclusion Our method allowed the measurement of patients' adherence to their insulin adjustment guidelines. The indicators that we

Acceptability of a very‐low‐energy diet in Type 2 diabetes: patient experiences and behaviour regulation

OpenAIRE

Rehackova, L.; Araújo‐Soares, V.; Adamson, A. J.; Steven, S.; Taylor, R.; Sniehotta, F. F.

2017-01-01

Abstract Aims To evaluate the acceptability of an 8‐week very‐low‐energy diet for remission of Type 2 diabetes, and to identify barriers and facilitators of adherence and behaviour‐regulation strategies used by participants in the Counterbalance study. Methods Eighteen of 30 participants in the Counterbalance study (ISRCTN88634530) took part in semi‐structured interviews. Of these, 15 participants were interviewed before and after the 8‐week very‐low‐energy diet intervention. Thematic analysi...

Black patients with binge-eating disorder: Comparison of different assessment methods.

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Lydecker, Janet A; White, Marney A; Grilo, Carlos M

2016-10-01

The Eating Disorder Examination (EDE) is a well-established assessment instrument, but requires substantial training and administration time. The Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) is the corresponding self-report survey, which does not have these demands. Research has shown concordance between these 2 assessment methods, but samples have lacked racial diversity. The current study examined the concordance of the EDE-Q and EDE in a sample of Black patients with binge-eating disorder (BED) and a matched sample of White patients. Participants were 238 (Black n = 119, White n = 119) treatment-seeking adults with DSM-IV-TR-defined BED. Participants completed the EDE-Q, and trained doctoral-level clinicians assessed participants for BED and eating-disorder psychopathology using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Disorders and the Eating Disorder Examination (EDE) interview. The EDE-Q and EDE yielded significantly correlated frequencies of binge eating and eating-disorder psychopathology subscales. The EDE-Q yielded significantly lower frequencies of binge eating and higher scores on 3 of 4 subscales (not dietary restraint). Similar patterns of concordance between the EDE-Q and EDE were found for an alternative brief version of the instruments. Patterns of convergence and divergence between the EDE-Q and EDE observed in Black patients with BED are generally consistent with findings derived from the matched White sample: overall, scores are correlated but higher on the self-report compared with interview assessment methods. Clinicians assessing patients with BED should be aware of this overall pattern, and be aware that this pattern is similar in Black patients with BED with the notable exception of dietary restraint. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Bladder management methods and urological complications in spinal cord injury patients

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Roop Singh

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Background: The optimal bladder management method should preserve renal function and minimize the risk of urinary tract complications. The present study is conducted to assess the overall incidence of urinary tract infections (UTI and other urological complications in spinal cord injury patients (SCI, and to compare the incidence of these complications with different bladder management subgroups. Materials and Methods: 545 patients (386 males and 159 females of traumatic spinal cord injury with the mean age of 35.4±16.2 years (range, 18 - 73 years were included in the study. The data regarding demography, bladder type, method of bladder management, and urological complications, were recorded. Bladder management methods included indwelling catheterization in 224 cases, clean intermittent catheterization (CIC in 180 cases, condom drainage in 45 cases, suprapubic cystostomy in 24 cases, reflex voiding in 32 cases, and normal voiding in 40 cases. We assessed the incidence of UTI and bacteriuria as the number of episodes per hundred person-days, and other urological complications as percentages. Results: The overall incidence of bacteriuria was 1.70 / hundred person-days. The overall incidenceof urinary tract infection was 0.64 / hundered person-days. The incidence of UTI per 100 person-days was 2.68 for indwelling catheterization, 0.34 for CIC, 0.34 for condom drainage, 0.56 for suprapubic cystostomy, 0.34 for reflex voiding, and 0.32 for normal voiding. Other urological complications recorded were urethral stricture (n=66, 12.1%, urethritis (n=78, 14.3%, periurethral abscess (n=45, 8.2%, epididymorchitis (n=44, 8.07%, urethral false passage (n=22, 4.03%, urethral fistula (n=11, 2%, lithiasis (n=23, 4.2%, hematuria (n=44, 8.07%, stress incontinence (n=60, 11%, and pyelonephritis (n=6, 1.1%. Clean intermittent catheterization was associated with lower incidence of urological complications, in comparison to indwelling catheterization. Conclusions

Development of patient-based questionnaire about aesthetic and functional differences between overdentures implant-supported and overdentures tooth-supported. Study of 43 patients with a follow up of 1 year.

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Gargari, M; Prete, V; Pujia, M; Ceruso, F M

2012-10-01

Development of patient-based questionnaire about aesthetic and functional differences between overdentures implant-supported and overdentures tooth-supported. Study of 43 patients with a follow up of 1 year. The aim of this study is to compare functional efficiency and patients satisfaction between tooth-supported and implant-supported overdenture through a questionnaire that accurately reflects the real concerns of patients with dental prosthesis. Forty-three patients were selected from the out patient clinic, Department of Dentistry "Fra G.B. Orsenigo Ospedale San Pietro F.B.F.", Rome, Italy. Their age were ranging from 61 to 83 years. Eighteen patients were rehabilitated with overdentures supported by natural teeth and twenty-five with overdentures implant-supported. DISCUSSION AND RESULT: The questionnaire proposed one year after the insertion of the prosthetis has showed that there isn't difference statistically significant in terms of function, phonetics and aesthetics between overdenture implant-supported and tooth-supported. The results of the questionnaire showed that the patients generally had a high level of satisfaction concern to the masticatory function, esthetics and phonetics. In addition, on average, they haven't difficulty in removal and insertion of the denture and in oral hygiene. They haven't in both groups problems related to fractures.

Following up patients with depression after hospital discharge: a mixed methods approach

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Desplenter, Franciska A; Laekeman, Gert J; Simoens, Steven R

2011-01-01

Abstract Background A medication information intervention was delivered to patients with a major depressive episode prior to psychiatric hospital discharge. Methods The objective of this study was to explore how patients evolved after hospital discharge and to identify factors influencing this evolution. Using a quasi-experimental longitudinal design, the quantitative analysis measured clinical (using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the somatic dimension of the Symptom Checklist 90...

BIOFEEDBACK: A NEW METHOD FOR CORRECTION OF MOTOR DISORDERS IN PATIENTS WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

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Ya. S. Pekker

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Major disabling factors in multiple sclerosis is motor disorders. Rehabilitation of such violations is one of the most important medical and social problems. Currently, most of the role given to the development of methods for correction of motor disorders based on accessing natural resources of the human body. One of these methods is the adaptive control with biofeedback (BFB. The aim of our study was the correction of motor disorders in multiple sclerosis patients using biofeedback training. In the study, we have developed scenarios for training rehabilitation program computer EMG biofeedback aimed at correction of motor disorders in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS. The method was tested in the neurological clinic of SSMU. The study included 9 patients with definite diagnosis of MS with the presence of the clinical picture of combined pyramidal and cerebellar symptoms. Assessed the effectiveness of rehabilitation procedures biofeedback training using specialized scales (rating scale functional systems Kurtzke; questionnaire research quality of life – SF-36, evaluation of disease impact Profile – SIP and score on a scale fatigue – FSS. In the studied group of patients decreased score on a scale of fatigue (FSS, increased motor control (SIP2, the physical and mental components of health (SF-36. The tendency to reduce the amount of neurological deficit by reducing the points on the pyramidal Kurtske violations. Analysis of the exchange rate dynamics of biofeedback training on EMG for trained muscles indicates an increase in the recorded signal OEMG from session to session. Proved a tendency to increase strength and coordination trained muscles of patients studied.Positive results of biofeedback therapy in patients with MS can be recommended to use this method in the complex rehabilitation measures to correct motor and psycho-emotional disorders.

The use of Jackson-Pratt silicone flat drains as prolonged pleural catheters for the management of pleural effusions

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Demirhan, Ozkan; Kasapoglu, Tugce; Ece, Ferah; Toker, Alper

2013-01-01

Introduction: Imbalance between secretion and absorbtion of pleural fluid results in pleural effusion. Emergence of pleural effusion ipsilateral or contralateral to the side drained previously is named recurrent effusion. There is currently no standart approach for the management of recurrent pleural effusions. Materials and methods: Eighteen patients, treated between 2011 and 2012 for recurrent pleural effusions due to various etiologies, not considered for surgical or other treatments, ...

Neuroimaging of multimodal sensory stimulation in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

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Lulé , Dorothée; Diekmann , Volker; Müller , Hans-Peter; Kassubek , Jan; Ludolph , Albert C; Birbaumer , Niels

2010-01-01

Abstract Aim: Structural and functional imaging techniques were combined to investigate sensory system function in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Methods: Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to investigate cortical activity during visual, auditory, and somato-sensory stimulation in fourteen ALS patients and eighteen control subjects. Changes in amplitude, latency and duration of the BOLD response were modelled. Furthermore, diffusion tensor imaging was ...

The changes in renal function after a single dose of intravenous furosemide in patients with compensated liver cirrhosis

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Mejirisky Yoram

2006-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Patients with compensated Child-A cirrhosis have sub clinical hypovolemia and diuretic treatment could result in renal impairment. Aim To evaluate the changes in renal functional mass as reflected by DMSA uptake after single injection of intravenous furosemide in patients with compensated liver cirrhosis. Methods Eighteen cirrhotic patients were divided in two groups; eight patients (group 1, age 56 ± 9.6 yrs, Gender 5M/3F, 3 alcoholic and 5 non alcoholic were given low intravenous 40 mg furosemide and ten other patients (group 2, age 54 ± 9.9, Gender 6M/4F, 4 alcoholic and 6 non alcoholic were given high 120 mg furosemide respectively. Renoscintigraphy with 100MBq Of Tc 99 DMSA was given intravenously before and 90 minutes after furosemide administration and SPECT imaging was determined 3 hours later. All patients were kept under low sodium diet (80mEq/d and all diuretics were withdrawn for 3 days. 8-hours UNa exertion, Calculated and measured Creatinine clearance (CCT were performed for all patients. Results Intravenous furosemide increased the mean renal DMSA uptake in 55% of patients with compensated cirrhosis and these changes persist up to three hours after injection. This increase was at the same extent in either low or high doses of furosemide. (From 12.8% ± 3.8 to 15.2% ± 2.2, p 40%, as compared to normal calculated creatinine clearance (CCT 101 ± 26, and measured CCT of 87 ± 30 cc/min (P Conclusion A single furosemide injection increases renal functional mass as reflected by DMSA in 55% of patients with compensated cirrhosis and identify 45% of patients with reduced uptake and who could develop renal impairment under diuretics. Whether or not albumin infusion exerts beneficial effect in those patients with reduced DMSA uptake remains to be determined.

Eighteen years experience of granulocyte donations-acceptable donor safety?

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Axdorph Nygell, Ulla; Sollén-Nilsson, Agneta; Lundahl, Joachim

2015-10-01

Granulocyte transfusions are given to patients with life-threatening infections, refractory to treatment. The donors are stimulated with corticosteroids ± granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF). However, data regarding the donors' safety is sparse. The objective was therefore to evaluate short- and long-term adverse events (AE) in G-CSF stimulated donors. All consecutive granulocyte donors from 1994 to 2012 were identified through our registry. From the donation records, the number of aphereses, stimulation therapy, AE, blood values post donation, and recent status were evaluated. One hundred fifty-four volunteer donors were mobilized for 359 collections. Age at first granulocyte donation was 43 years (median; range 19-64 years). Follow-up was 60 months (median; range 0-229 months). The dose of G-CSF per collection was 3.8 ug/kg body weight (median; range 1.6-6.0 ug/kg). Sedimentation agent was HES. Short-term AE were mild. Blood values 4 weeks post donation with minor reductions/elevations mostly resolved in later donations. Fourteen donors were excluded from the registry due to hypertension (4), diabetes (2), atrial flutter (1), breast carcinoma (1), urethral carcinoma in situ (1), MGUS (1), thrombosis (1), anaphylaxis (1), primary biliary cirrhosis (1), and unknown (1). Three donors are deceased due to diabetes, acute myocardial infarction, and unknown cause. All excluded/deceased donors except one were excluded/died at least 6 months after first granulocyte donation. No serious short-term AE were observed. Due to the variability of diagnoses among excluded/deceased donors, we propose that it is less likely that granulocyte donations have a causative impact on these donors' exclusion or death. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Acute Pain Perception During Different Sampling Methods for Respiratory Culture in Cystic Fibrosis Patients.

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Eyns, Hanneke; De Wachter, Elke; Malfroot, Anne; Vaes, Peter

2018-03-01

Reliable identification of lower respiratory tract pathogens is crucial in the management of cystic fibrosis (CF). The multitude of treatments and clinical procedures are a considerable burden and are potentially provoking pain. As part of another study (NCT02363764), investigating the bacterial yield of three sampling methods, nasal swabs (NSs), cough swabs (CSs), and (induced) sputum samples ([I]SSs), in both expectorating patients (EPs) and non-expectorating patients (NEPs) with CF, the present study aimed to explore the prevalence of respiratory culture sampling-related pain as assessed by self-report within a cohort of children and adults. Literate patients with CF (aged six years or older) completed a questionnaire on pain perception related to the three aforementioned sampling methods (No/Yes; visual analogue scale for pain [VAS-Pain] [0-10 cm]). In addition, patients were asked to rank these methods by their own preference without taking into account the presumed bacterial yield. In total, 119 questionnaires were returned. In the EPs-group, CS was most frequently (n%; mean VAS-Pain if pain [range]) reported as painful method: overall (n = 101; 12.9%; 1.8 [0.2-4.8]), children (n = 41; 22.0%; 1.4 [0.2-2.7]), and adults (n = 60; 6.7%; 2.5 [0.5-4.8]). Highest pain intensity scores were observed with NS overall (3.0%; 2.4 [0.3-6.2]) and in children (4.9%; 3.3 [0.3-6.2]), but not in adults (1.7%; 0.6 [-]).NEPs-children (n = 17) reported ISS most frequently and as most painful sampling method (17.6%; 2.0 [1.0-4.0]). The only NEP-adult did not perceive pain. NEPs preferred NS > CS > ISS (61.1%, 33.3%, 5.6%, respectively [P = 0.001]) as primary sampling method, whereas EPs preferred SS > NS > CS (65.7%, 26.3%, 8.1%, respectively [P method inversely correlated to pain perception and intensity in EPs (φ = -0.155 [P = 0.007] and ρ = -0.926 [P = 0.008], respectively), but not in NEPs (φ = -0.226 [P = 0.097] and ρ = -0.135 [P = 0

Stimulated monocyte IL-6 secretion predicts survival of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heimdal, John-Helge; Kross, Kenneth; Klementsen, Beate; Olofsson, Jan; Aarstad, Hans Jørgen

2008-01-01

This study was performed in order to determine whether monocyte in vitro function is associated with presence, stage and prognosis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) disease. Prospective study describing outcome, after at least five years observation, of patients treated for HNSCC disease in relation to their monocyte function. Sixty-five patients with newly diagnosed HNSCC and eighteen control patients were studied. Monocyte responsiveness was assessed by measuring levels of monocyte in vitro interleukin (IL)-6 and monocyte chemotactic peptide (MCP)-1 secretion after 24 hours of endotoxin stimulation in cultures supplied either with 20% autologous serum (AS) or serum free medium (SFM). Survival, and if relevant, cause of death, was determined at least 5 years following primary diagnosis. All patients, as a group, had higher in vitro monocyte responsiveness in terms of IL-6 (AS) (t = 2.03; p < 0.05) and MCP-1 (SFM) (t = 2.49; p < 0.05) compared to controls. Increased in vitro monocyte IL-6 endotoxin responsiveness under the SFM condition was associated with decreased survival rate (Hazard ratio (HR) = 2.27; Confidence interval (CI) = 1.05–4.88; p < 0.05). The predictive value of monocyte responsiveness, as measured by IL-6, was also retained when adjusted for age, gender and disease stage of patients (HR = 2.67; CI = 1.03–6.92; p < 0.05). With respect to MCP-1, low endotoxin-stimulated responsiveness (AS), analysed by Kaplan-Meier method, predicted decreased survival (χ = 4.0; p < 0.05). In HNSCC patients, changed monocyte in vitro response to endotoxin, as measured by increased IL-6 (SFM) and decreased MCP-1 (AS) responsiveness, are negative prognostic factors

Unsuspected spondylolysis in patients with lumbar disc herniation on MRI: The usefulness of posterior epidural fat.

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Akhaddar, A; Boucetta, M

2012-12-01

Lumbar disc herniation (LDH) at the level of non-displaced spondylolysis (isthmic spondylolisthesis) is an uncommon association rarely evaluated in the literature. In this study, authors examine whether the continuous posterior epidural fat between the dura mater and spinous process (continuous double-hump sign) at the level of LDH is a valuable tool to identify patients with non-displaced spondylolysis on MRI. Eighteen patients (group 1) presented at our department (2000-2010) with a LDH associated with an undiagnosed non-displaced spondylolysis on MRI. Spondylolysis was confirmed by direct visualization of the defect on CT-scan, dynamic radiography, MRI or at surgery. To validate this method, we made the same evaluation in 20 surgically treated patients (group 2) with a one-level LDH without spondylolysis. In all patients of group 1 spondylolysis was unsuspected on the MRI report. However, a positive "continuous double-hump sign" was seen in 16 patients. The spondylolysis was recognized on MRI in six cases, on CT-scan in nine cases and on dynamic radiography in one case. Two cases were diagnosed surgically. In group 2, only one patient had a positive "continuous double-hump sign". This new sign had a specificity of 95%, sensitivity of 88.88%, and accuracy of 92.10% for diagnosis of non-displaced spondylolysis. Non-displaced spondylolysis may be associated with adjacent LDH. Although uncommon, it is important for neurosurgeons to be aware of this association because of its implication on the therapeutical management. MRI is not always sufficient to recognize a non-displaced spondylolysis with certainty; however "continuous double-hump sign" may be used as a simple valuable diagnosis tool. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

EEG spectral analysis and its clinical significance for patients with non-occupationalchronic mercury poisoning

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Bin-bin SUN

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Objective To evaluate the features of EEG spectrum and its clinical significance for patients with non-occupational chronic mercury poisoning.  Methods Eighteen patients with chronic mercury poisoning were collected continuously as poisoning group at Affiliated Hospital of Academy of Military Medical Sciences from March 2012 to September 2013. At the same time, 12 age- and sex-matched healthy people were selected as control group. All patients underwent video EEG, and EEGLAB in Matlab 2013 software was used to analyze their EEG data. Relevant spectrum data of the 2 groups were compared and analyzed.  Results The frequency-energy curves of 12 normal subjects were similar to sine curve, with obvious energy peak at α band. The frequency-energy curves of 18 patients showed as follows: 5 cases had the peak at slow δ wave, and the energy curve decreased since δ band appeared, with α band peak disappearing. The curve of 10 cases had 2 peaks respectively at α and δ band, and δ peak was higher than α peak. The spectrum in other 3 cases was normal. The quantitative analysis of EEG revealed the proportion of δ band for the total energy. The proportion of δ band for total energy of the poisoning group in right middle temporal (P = 0.018 and left posterior temporal (P = 0.039 channel was significantly higher than that of the normal group, while the proportion of δ band in middle frontal (P = 0.003, right frontal (P = 0.016 and right anterior temporal (P = 0.024, left middle temporal (P = 0.036 and right posterior temporal (P = 0.031 was lower than that of the normal group. Conclusions EEG examination plays an important role in assessing the severity of brain injury for patients with non-occupational chronic mercury poisoning. Spectrum analysis is an intuitive and simple method, and can provide some help for clinical diagnosis and treatment. DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1672-6731.2015.02.013

Two-Port Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: 18 Patients Human Experience Using the Dynamic Laparoscopic NovaTract Retractor.

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Sucandy, Iswanto; Nadzam, Geoffrey; Duffy, Andrew J; Roberts, Kurt E

2016-08-01

The concept of reducing the number of transabdominal access ports has been criticized for violating basic tenets of traditional multiport laparoscopy. Potential benefits of reduced port surgery may include decreased pain, improved cosmesis, less hernia formation, and fewer wound complications. However, technical challenges associated with these access methods have not been adequately addressed by advancement in instrumentations. We describe our initial experience with the NovaTract™ Laparoscopic Dynamic Retractor. A retrospective review of all patients who underwent two-port laparoscopic cholecystectomy between 2013 and 2014 using the NovaTract retractor was performed. The patients were equally divided into three groups (Group A, B, C) based on the order of case performed. Eighteen consecutive patients underwent successful two-port laparoscopic cholecystectomy for symptomatic cholelithiasis. Mean age was 39.9 years and mean body mass index was 28.1 kg/m(2) (range 21-39.4). Overall mean operative time was 65 minutes (range 42-105), with Group A of 70 minutes, Group B of 65 minutes, and Group C of 58 minutes (P = .58). All cases were completed laparoscopically using the retraction system, without a need for additional ports or open conversion. No intra- or postoperative complications were seen. All patients were discharged on the same day of surgery. No mortality found in this series. The NovaTract laparoscopic dynamic retractor is safe and easy to use, which is reflected by acceptable operative time for a laparoscopic cholecystectomy using only two ports. The system allows surgical approach to mimic the conventional laparoscopic techniques, while eliminating or reducing the number of retraction ports.

Ophthalmic manifestations in patients with ectodermal dysplasia syndromes.

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Keklikci, Ugur; Yavuz, Izzet; Tunik, Selcuk; Ulku, Zelal Baskan; Akdeniz, Sedat

2014-01-01

Ectodermal dysplasia (ED) is a disorder that results from abnormal formation of at least two of the four major ectodermal derivatives in the developing embryo. The ectoderm of the embryo forms the skin, teeth, hair and nails, sweat glands and part of the eyes. The aim of this article is to reveal ophthalmologic symptoms and signs as multidisciplinary, reliable criteria for ectodermal dysplasia. In this retrospective study, 24 patients with ED were analyzed from the recorded data. Ophthalmological examination of the patients, who had previously received the diagnosis of ED in the dental department, was done. During the examination, ocular symptoms related to tear film, corneal changes, lacrimal duct, periorbital hyperpigmentation, alteration lashes and eyebrows were evaluated. The age ranged between 3-45, and the mean and standard deviation (Mean ± SD) was 15.8 ± 7.4 years. The number of males was 13 (54.2%) and females, 11 (45.8%). Eighteen patients (75.0%) suffered from ocular complaints related to the ocular surface. In 11 of the patients with ED, there were dry eye symptoms. While the mean age of cases with eye involvement was 17.5, it was 23.1 in cases with dry eye symptoms. In the study, it was observed that, in patients with ED, ocular complaints, particularly dry eye symptoms, may increase as age advances.

Comparison of two methods of tonometry in glaucoma patients: Goldmann applanation tonometer and non-contact tonometer

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Hong-Feng Li

2015-01-01

Full Text Available AIM: To compare the two methods for the measurement of glaucoma patients' intraocular pressure(IOPbetween Goldmann applanation tonometer(GATand non-contact tonometer(NCTand find the laws of the two methods.METHODS: The IOP of 108 glaucoma patients(206 eyeswere measured by GAT and NCT respectively. RESULTS: In 108 glaucoma patients, the average IOP of 206 eyes was 29.77±10.27mmHg by GAT and 24.59±8.58mmHg by NCT. There was significant difference between GAT and NCT(PCONCLUSION: The measurement results with NCT were lower than that of GAT. The higher of IOP, the difference between GAT and NCT was greater. It's better to measure IOP by GAT for the glaucoma patients, in order to avoid the misdiagnosis and mistreatment of glaucoma.

How often do patients in primary care use the methods of traditional medicine

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Petrov-Kiurski Miloranka

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Traditional medicine is a comprehensive system of theory and practice, implemented in the prevention, diagnostics and treatment of diseases, which utilizes preparations of vegetable, animal and mineral origin, as well as methods of spiritual therapy Objective: 1. To estimate how many patients in primary care use traditional medicine for diagnostics, treatment and prevention of diseases, and to establish possible differences regarding gender, age and urban or rural location. 2. What methods of traditional medicine are the most often used, and for which diseases and conditions? 3. Why did the subjects opted for this type of treatment, and what was the effect of the therapy? Method: Multicentric research based on interviewing patients in five outpatient health centers in Serbia. As a survey instrument was used a questionnaire with 10 questions. Results: The study included 1157 subjects, 683 women and 474 men, mean age 60.22±14.54, The traditional medicine was used by 83.66% (79.96% males and 86.245% females. Information about the methods of traditional medicine subjects usually received from their friends and acquaintances (54.9% and the media (39.3%. There is no significant difference in the way of obtaining information in relation to gender. Information on the internet was obtained more often in subjects younger than 65 (p=0.000 and in urban population (p=0.000. The same is true for information obtained from doctor or pharmacist (p=0.003. They opted for this method because in their opinion it is less harmful and have less adverse effects (72.8%. This type of treatment patients used for treatment of muscles, bone and joint diseases - 28.5%, diseases of the heart and blood vessels -21,1 %, and for the treatment of pain 19.7%. Patients from rural areas more often used traditional medicine for treatment of cardiovascular diseases (p=0.000. Outcome of treatment was good or satisfactory in 45.3%, moderate in 32%, and in 15.8% effect was

Prediction of prognosis in patients with epidural hematoma by a new stereological method

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Kalkan, E.; Cander, B.; Gul, M.; Girisgin, S.; Karabagli, H.; Sahin, B.

2007-01-01

Epidural hematoma (EH) is a serious clinical event observed in 2% of head trauma patients. Studies regarding the effects of epidural hematoma volume (EHV) on prognosis are not sufficient. In this study, we applied the volume fraction approach of the stereological method to estimate the hematoma to brain volume fraction (HBVF), and investigated the relation between the HBVF and prognosis. Fifty-nine EH patients (46 male and 13 female subjects, with average age of 21 years) admitted to the emergency clinic were included. The HBVF was estimated on the printed films of cranial computed tomography scans. For this purpose, common point counting grids were superimposed over the scan frames. According to the clinical results, patients were divided into three groups as complete recovery (43), disability (8) and exitus (8). The HBVF was compared with the clinical results. HBVF was determined as 4.6% in the patients with recovery, 8.1% in disability, and 7.6% in exitus patients. The HBVF values were lowest in recovery patients, and the difference between the recovery and the other two groups was statistically significant (p=0.007). However, there was no statistically significant difference in HBVF between disability and exitus patients (p>0.05). In conclusion, the HBVF can be an important tool to determine prognosis, and it can be measured using the volume fraction approach of stereological methods as developed in the present study. (author)

Hematological parameters in sick cell anemia patients with and without priapism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmed, Sagir G.; Ibrahim, Umma A.; Hassan, Abba W.

2006-01-01

Priapism was associated with certain hematological parameters in sickle cell anemia (SCA) patients in one report but not in another. We studied differences haematological parameters between SCA patients with and without priapism. Eighteen patients with SCA who presented with acute priapism during the years 2001-2004 were compared with age-and sex-matched SCA patients without priapism with respect to hematocrit, reticulocyte count, level of irreversibly sickled cells (ISC), percentage of haemoglobin (Hb F), total leukocyte and platelet counts. SCA patients with priapism had a mean hematocrit of 0.28 L/L, which was significantly higher than mean hematocrit value of 0.24 L/L (P<0.05) in patients without priapism. The mean reticulocyte count of 8% in patients with priapism was siginificantly lower than mean reticulocyte count of 12% (P<0.05) in patients without priapism. The level of ISC of 3% in patients with priapism was significantly lower than the level of 6.5% (P<0.05) in patients without priapism. There was no statistically significant difference in the mean levels of Hb F (7% vs. 6%). Patients with priapism had a mean leukocyte count that did not significantly differ from values in patients without priapism. SCA patients with priapism had a lower rate of hemolysis resulting in a higher hematocrit and greater blood viscosity, which increased the risk of corpora cavernosal sickling and blockade. Hence, a relatively higher hematocrit is risk factor for the development priapism in patients with sickle cell anemia. (author)

The clinical and microbiological characteristics of infections in burn patients from the Formosa Fun Coast Dust Explosion

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Tzu-Chao Lin

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Background/Purpose: Bloodstream infection is a leading cause of mortality among burn patients. This study aimed to evaluate the risk factors, causative pathogens, and the relationship between bloodstream infections and other infections among burn patients from the Formosa Fun Coast Dust Explosion. Methods: This retrospective study evaluated the demographic and clinical characteristics, infection types, causative pathogen(s, and isolates' antibiotic susceptibilities from patients who were hospitalized between June 27 and September 31, 2015. Results: Fifty-eight patients were admitted during the study period (36 males, mean age: 22.6 years. The mean burned total body surface area (TBSA was 40% for all patients. Eighteen (31% patients with mean TBSA of 80% had 66 episodes of bloodstream infections caused by 92 isolates. Twelve (18.2% episodes of bloodstream infections were polymicrobial. Acinetobacter baumannii (19, 20.7%, Ralstonia pickettii (17, 18.5%, and Chryseobacterium meningosepticum (13, 14.1% were the most common pathogens causing bloodstream infections. A high concordance rate of wound cultures with blood cultures was seen in Staphylococcus aureus (3, 75% and C. meningosepticum (8, 61.5% infections. However, no Ralstonia isolate was found in burn wounds of patients with Ralstonia bacteremia. A high concordance rate of central venous catheter cultures with blood cultures was noted in Ralstonia mannitolilytica (5, 62.5% and Chryseobacterium indologenes (3, 60% infections. Approximately 21.1% of A. baumannii strains were resistant to carbapenem. All S. aureus isolates were susceptible to methicillin. Conclusions: Waterborne bacteria should be considered in patients of burns with possible water contact. Empirical broad-spectrum antibiotics should be considered for patients who were hospitalized for severe sepsis, or septic shock with a large burn. Antibiotic treatment should be administered based on the specific pathogens and their detection

Acute neurocognitive impairment during cranial radiation therapy in patients with intracranial tumors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Welzel, Grit; Mai, Sabine K.; Hermann, Brigitte; Kraus-Tiefenbacher, Uta; Wenz, Frederik; Fleckenstein, Katharina; Duke University Medical Center Durham, NC

2008-01-01

The objective of the current study was to evaluate the acute effects of cranial radiation therapy (CNS-RT) using different radiation doses (0, 1.8, 2, 3, ≤ 20 Gy) on cognitive function with special emphasis on memory. We assessed patients with and without intracranial tumors to distinguish between direct and indirect radiation effects on brain tissue. Eighty-two patients were evaluated with neuropsychological testing before and acutely after radiotherapy (RT). Sixty-four patients received RT to the brain (55 with, 9 without intracranial tumor). Eighteen patients treated with RT to the breast served as controls. Patients with intracranial tumor demonstrated attention (19-38th percentile) and verbal memory scores (34-46th percentile) below the population average at baseline. The average Verbal Memory score was significantly different between patients with intracranial tumor and controls both at baseline (38th vs. 58th percentile) and after irradiation (27th vs. 52th percentile). Patients with preexisting peritumoral edema performed worse than patients without edema and controls. Radiation dose-related deficits were seen for working memory performance in patients with intracranial tumor. Our data indicate no measurable impairment of cognitive functioning acutely after prophylactic cranial irradiation. Patients with intracranial tumor show a deterioration of almost all memory functions with a dose-dependent impairment in working memory. Patients with preexisting peritumoral brain edema show the strongest deterioration. (orig.)

Acute neurocognitive impairment during cranial radiation therapy in patients with intracranial tumors

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Welzel, Grit; Mai, Sabine K.; Hermann, Brigitte; Kraus-Tiefenbacher, Uta; Wenz, Frederik [University Medical Center Mannheim, Heidelberg Univ. (Germany). Dept. of Radiation Oncology; Fleckenstein, Katharina [University Medical Center Mannheim, Heidelberg Univ. (Germany). Dept. of Radiation Oncology]|[Duke University Medical Center Durham, NC (United States). Dept. of Radiation Oncology

2008-12-15

The objective of the current study was to evaluate the acute effects of cranial radiation therapy (CNS-RT) using different radiation doses (0, 1.8, 2, 3, {<=} 20 Gy) on cognitive function with special emphasis on memory. We assessed patients with and without intracranial tumors to distinguish between direct and indirect radiation effects on brain tissue. Eighty-two patients were evaluated with neuropsychological testing before and acutely after radiotherapy (RT). Sixty-four patients received RT to the brain (55 with, 9 without intracranial tumor). Eighteen patients treated with RT to the breast served as controls. Patients with intracranial tumor demonstrated attention (19-38th percentile) and verbal memory scores (34-46th percentile) below the population average at baseline. The average Verbal Memory score was significantly different between patients with intracranial tumor and controls both at baseline (38th vs. 58th percentile) and after irradiation (27th vs. 52th percentile). Patients with preexisting peritumoral edema performed worse than patients without edema and controls. Radiation dose-related deficits were seen for working memory performance in patients with intracranial tumor. Our data indicate no measurable impairment of cognitive functioning acutely after prophylactic cranial irradiation. Patients with intracranial tumor show a deterioration of almost all memory functions with a dose-dependent impairment in working memory. Patients with preexisting peritumoral brain edema show the strongest deterioration. (orig.)

Long-lasting repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation modulates electroencephalography oscillation in patients with disorders of consciousness.

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Xia, Xiaoyu; Liu, Yang; Bai, Yang; Liu, Ziyuan; Yang, Yi; Guo, Yongkun; Xu, Ruxiang; Gao, Xiaorong; Li, Xiaoli; He, Jianghong

2017-10-18

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been applied for the treatment of patients with disorders of consciousness (DOC). Timely and accurate assessments of its modulation effects are very useful. This study evaluated rTMS modulation effects on electroencephalography (EEG) oscillation in patients with chronic DOC. Eighteen patients with a diagnosis of DOC lasting more than 3 months were recruited. All patients received one session of 10-Hz rTMS at the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and then 12 of them received consecutive rTMS treatment everyday for 20 consecutive days. Resting-state EEGs were recorded before the experiment (T0) after one session of rTMS (T1) and after the entire treatment (T2). The JFK Coma Recovery Scale-Revised scale scores were also recorded at the time points. Our data showed that application of 10-Hz rTMS to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex decreased low-frequency band power and increased high-frequency band power in DOC patients, especially in minimal conscious state patients. Considering the correlation of the EEG spectrum with the consciousness level of patients with DOC, quantitative EEG might be useful for assessment of the effect of rTMS in DOC patients.

An efficient strategy based on an individualized selection of registration methods. Application to the coregistration of MR and SPECT images in neuro-oncology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tacchella, Jean-Marc; Lefort, Muriel; Habert, Marie-Odile; Yeni, Nathanaëlle; Kas, Aurélie; Frouin, Frédérique; Roullot, Elodie; Cohen, Mike-Ely; Guillevin, Rémy; Petrirena, Grégorio; Delattre, Jean-Yves

2014-01-01

An efficient registration strategy is described that aims to help solve delicate medical imaging registration problems. It consists of running several registration methods for each dataset and selecting the best one for each specific dataset, according to an evaluation criterion. Finally, the quality of the registration results, obtained with the best method, is visually scored by an expert as excellent, correct or poor. The strategy was applied to coregister Technetium-99m Sestamibi SPECT and MRI data in the framework of a follow-up protocol in patients with high grade gliomas receiving antiangiogenic therapy. To adapt the strategy to this clinical context, a robust semi-automatic evaluation criterion based on the physiological uptake of the Sestamibi tracer was defined. A panel of eighteen multimodal registration algorithms issued from BrainVisa, SPM or AIR software environments was systematically applied to the clinical database composed of sixty-two datasets. According to the expert visual validation, this new strategy provides 85% excellent registrations, 12% correct ones and only 3% poor ones. These results compare favorably to the ones obtained by the globally most efficient registration method over the whole database, for which only 61% of excellent registration results have been reported. Thus the registration strategy in its current implementation proves to be suitable for clinical application. (paper)

Benefit of warm water immersion on biventricular function in patients with chronic heart failure

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Kardassis Dimitris

2009-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Regular physical activity and exercise are well-known cardiovascular protective factors. Many elderly patients with heart failure find it difficult to exercise on land, and hydrotherapy (training in warm water could be a more appropriate form of exercise for such patients. However, concerns have been raised about its safety. The aim of this study was to investigate, with echocardiography and Doppler, the acute effect of warm water immersion (WWI and effect of 8 weeks of hydrotherapy on biventricular function, volumes and systemic vascular resistance. A secondary aim was to observe the effect of hydrotherapy on brain natriuretic peptide (BNP. Methods Eighteen patients [age 69 ± 8 years, left ventricular ejection fraction 31 ± 9%, peakVO2 14.6 ± 4.5 mL/kg/min] were examined with echocardiography on land and in warm water (34°C. Twelve of these patients completed 8 weeks of control period followed by 8 weeks of hydrotherapy twice weekly. Results During acute WWI, cardiac output increased from 3.1 ± 0.8 to 4.2 ± 0.9 L/min, LV tissue velocity time integral from 1.2 ± 0.4 to 1.7 ± 0.5 cm and right ventricular tissue velocity time integral from 1.6 ± 0.6 to 2.5 ± 0.8 cm (land vs WWI, p There was no change in the cardiovascular response or BNP after 8 weeks of hydrotherapy. Conclusion Hydrotherapy was well tolerated by all patients. The main observed cardiac effect during acute WWI was a reduction in heart rate, which, together with a decrease in afterload, resulted in increases in systolic and diastolic biventricular function. Although 8 weeks of hydrotherapy did not improve cardiac function, our data support the concept that exercise in warm water is an acceptable regime for patients with heart failure.

Sleep-related declarative memory consolidation and verbal replay during sleep talking in patients with REM sleep behavior disorder.

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Ginevra Uguccioni

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To determine if sleep talkers with REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD would utter during REM sleep sentences learned before sleep, and to evaluate their verbal memory consolidation during sleep. METHODS: Eighteen patients with RBD and 10 controls performed two verbal memory tasks (16 words from the Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test and a 220-263 word long modified Story Recall Test in the evening, followed by nocturnal video-polysomnography and morning recall (night-time consolidation. In 9 patients with RBD, daytime consolidation (morning learning/recall, evening recall was also evaluated with the modified Story Recall Test in a cross-over order. Two RBD patients with dementia were studied separately. Sleep talking was recorded using video-polysomnography, and the utterances were compared to the studied texts by two external judges. RESULTS: Sleep-related verbal memory consolidation was maintained in patients with RBD (+24±36% words as in controls (+9±18%, p=0.3. The two demented patients with RBD also exhibited excellent nighttime consolidation. The post-sleep performance was unrelated to the sleep measures (including continuity, stages, fragmentation and apnea-hypopnea index. Daytime consolidation (-9±19% was worse than night-time consolidation (+29±45%, p=0.03 in the subgroup of 9 patients with RBD. Eleven patients with RBD spoke during REM sleep and pronounced a median of 20 words, which represented 0.0003% of sleep with spoken language. A single patient uttered a sentence that was judged to be semantically (but not literally related to the text learned before sleep. CONCLUSION: Verbal declarative memory normally consolidates during sleep in patients with RBD. The incorporation of learned material within REM sleep-associated sleep talking in one patient (unbeknownst to himself at the semantic level suggests a replay at a highly cognitive creative level.

Applying Multiple Methods to Comprehensively Evaluate a Patient Portal’s Effectiveness to Convey Information to Patients

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Krist, Alex H; Aycock, Rebecca A; Kreps, Gary L

2016-01-01

Background Patient portals have yet to achieve their full potential for enhancing health communication and improving health outcomes. Although the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in the United States mandates the utilization of patient portals, and usage continues to rise, their impact has not been as profound as anticipated. Objective The objective of our case study was to evaluate how well portals convey information to patients. To demonstrate how multiple methodologies could be used to evaluate and improve the design of patient-centered portals, we conducted an in-depth evaluation of an exemplar patient-centered portal designed to promote preventive care to consumers. Methods We used 31 critical incident patient interviews, 2 clinician focus groups, and a thematic content analysis to understand patients’ and clinicians’ perspectives, as well as theoretical understandings of the portal’s use. Results We gathered over 140 critical incidents, 71.8% (102/142) negative and 28.2% (40/142) positive. Positive incident categories were (1) instant medical information access, (2) clear health information, and (3) patient vigilance. Negative incident categories were (1) standardized content, (2) desire for direct communication, (3) website functionality, and (4) difficulty interpreting laboratory data. Thematic analysis of the portal’s immediacy resulted in high scores in the attributes enhances understanding (18/23, 78%), personalization (18/24, 75%), and motivates behavior (17/24, 71%), but low levels of interactivity (7/24, 29%) and engagement (2/24, 8%). Two overarching themes emerged to guide portal refinements: (1) communication can be improved with directness and interactivity and (2) perceived personalization must be greater to engage patients. Conclusions Results suggest that simple modifications, such as increased interactivity and personalized messages, can make portals customized, robust, easily accessible, and trusted information sources

Detection method of flexion relaxation phenomenon based on wavelets for patients with low back pain

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Nougarou, François; Massicotte, Daniel; Descarreaux, Martin

2012-12-01

The flexion relaxation phenomenon (FRP) can be defined as a reduction or silence of myoelectric activity of the lumbar erector spinae muscle during full trunk flexion. It is typically absent in patients with chronic low back pain (LBP). Before any broad clinical utilization of this neuromuscular response can be made, effective, standardized, and accurate methods of identifying FRP limits are needed. However, this phenomenon is clearly more difficult to detect for LBP patients than for healthy patients. The main goal of this study is to develop an automated method based on wavelet transformation that would improve time point limits detection of surface electromyography signals of the FRP in case of LBP patients. Conventional visual identification and proposed automated methods of time point limits detection of relaxation phase were compared on experimental data using criteria of accuracy and repeatability based on physiological properties. The evaluation demonstrates that the use of wavelet transform (WT) yields better results than methods without wavelet decomposition. Furthermore, methods based on wavelet per packet transform are more effective than algorithms employing discrete WT. Compared to visual detection, in addition to demonstrating an obvious saving of time, the use of wavelet per packet transform improves the accuracy and repeatability in the detection of the FRP limits. These results clearly highlight the value of the proposed technique in identifying onset and offset of the flexion relaxation response in LBP subjects.

Impact of a web-based prostate cancer treatment decision aid on patient-reported decision process parameters: results from the Prostate Cancer Patient Centered Care trial.

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Cuypers, Maarten; Lamers, Romy E D; Kil, Paul J M; van de Poll-Franse, Lonneke V; de Vries, Marieke

2018-05-12

To compare patients' evaluation of the treatment decision-making process in localized prostate cancer between counseling that included an online decision aid (DA) and standard counseling. Eighteen Dutch hospitals were randomized to DA counseling (n = 235) or the control group with standard counseling (n = 101) in a pragmatic, cluster randomized controlled trial. The DA was provided to patients at, or soon after diagnosis. Decisional conflict, involvement, knowledge, and satisfaction with information were assessed with a questionnaire after treatment decision-making. Anxiety and depression served as covariates. The levels of decision involvement and conflict were comparable between patients in both groups. Patients with a DA felt more knowledgeable but scored equally well on a knowledge test as patients without a DA. Small significant negative effects were found on satisfaction with information and preparation for decision-making. A preference for print over online and depression and anxiety symptoms was negatively associated with satisfaction and conflict scores in the DA group. The DA aimed to support shared decision-making, while outcomes for a majority of DA users were comparable to patients who received standard counseling. Patients, who are less comfortable with the online DA format or experience anxiety or depression symptoms, could require more guidance toward shared decision-making. To evaluate long-term DA effects, follow-up evaluation on treatment satisfaction and decisional regret will be done.

Evaluation of four methods for separation of lymphocytes from normal individuals and patients with cancer and tuberculosis.

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Patrick, C C; Graber, C D; Loadholt, C B

1976-01-01

An optimal technique was sought for lymphocyte recovery from normal and chronic diseased individuals. Lymphocytes were separated by four techniques: Plasmagel, Ficoll--Hypaque, a commercial semiautomatic method, and simple centrifugation using blood drawn from ten normal individuals, ten cancer patients, and ten tuberculosis patients. The lymphocyte mixture obtained after using each method was analyzed for percent recovery, amount if contamination by erythrocytes and neutrophils, and percent viability. The results show that the semiautomatic method yielded the best percent recovery of lymphocytes for normal individuals, while the simple centrifugation method contributed the highest percent recovery for cancer and tuberculosis patients. The Ficoll-Hypaque method gave the lowest erythrocyte contamination for all three types of individuals tested, while the Plasmagel method gave the lowest neutrophil contamination for all three types of individuals. The simple centrifugation method yielded all viable lymphocytes and thus gave the highest percent viability.

How do voice restoration methods affect the psychological status of patients after total laryngectomy?

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Saltürk, Z; Arslanoğlu, A; Özdemir, E; Yıldırım, G; Aydoğdu, İ; Kumral, T L; Berkiten, G; Atar, Y; Uyar, Y

2016-03-01

This study investigated the relationship between psychological well-being and different voice rehabilitation methods in total laryngectomy patients. The study enrolled 96 patients who underwent total laryngectomy. The patients were divided into three groups according to the voice rehabilitation method used: esophageal speech (24 patients); a tracheoesophageal fistula and Provox 2 voice prosthesis (57 patients); or an electrolarynx (15 patients). The participants were asked to complete the Turkish version of the Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10) to assess voice problems. They were also asked to complete the Turkish version of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The test scores of the three groups were compared statistically. Patients who used esophageal speech had a mean VHI-10 score of 10.25 ± 3.22 versus 19.42 ± 5.56 and 17.60 ± 1.92 for the tracheoesophageal fistula and Provox 2 and electrolarynx groups respectively, reflecting better perception of their voice. They also had a PSS score of 11.38 ± 3.92, indicating that they felt less stressed in comparison with the tracheoesophageal fistula and Provox 2 and electrolarynx groups, which scored 18.84 ± 5.50 and 16.20 ± 3.49 respectively. The HADS scores of the groups were not different, indicating that the patients' anxiety and depression status did not vary. Patients who used esophageal speech perceived less stress and were less handicapped by their voice.

Prognostic Value of Tc99m-Pertechnetate Thyroid Scintigraphy in Radioiodine Therapy in a Cohort of Chinese Graves’ Disease Patients: A Pilot Clinical Study

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Haifeng Hou

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Objectives. This study is to assess the prognostic value of Tc99m-pertechnetate thyroid scintigraphy for predicting the outcomes of fixed low dose of radioiodine therapy (RIT in a cohort of Chinese Graves’ disease (GD patients. Materials and Methods. This is a retrospective study of GD patients who received RIT with a single dose of radioiodine (5 mCi. All the patients received Tc99m-pertechnetate thyroid scintigraphy prior to RIT. Thyroid mass, Tc99m-pertechnetate uptake, gender, age at diagnosis, duration of the disease, ophthalmopathy, and serum levels of FT4, FT3, TT4, and TT3 prior to RIT were analyzed as potential interference factors for outcomes of RIT. Results. One hundred and eighteen GD patients who completed RIT were followed up for 12 months. The outcomes (euthyroidism, hypothyroidism, and hyperthyroidism were found to be significantly associated with thyroid mass and Tc99m-pertechnetate uptake. Patients with thyroid mass ≤ 40.1 g or Tc99m-pertechnetate uptake ≤ 15.2% had higher treatment success. Conclusions. A fixed low dose of 5 mCi radioiodine seems to be practical and effective for the treatment of Chinese GD patients with thyroid mass ≤ 40.1 g and Tc99m-pertechnetate uptake ≤ 15.2%. This study demonstrates Tc99m-pertechnetate thyroid scintigraphy is an important prognostic factor for predicting the outcomes of RIT.

Oil fatty acid composition of eighteen Mediterranean olive varieties cultivated under the arid conditions of Boughrara (southern Tunisia

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Zarrouk, Mokhtar

2009-12-01

Full Text Available In this study, eighteen olive varieties, originating from Spain, France, Italy, Greece and Algeria, and maintained at the olive experimental station of Boughrara (arid region of Tunisia were evaluated for their oil yield and fatty acid composition. The analysis of variance revealed significant differences among varieties for all traits (p En este estudio, dieciocho variedades de aceituna procedentes de España, de Francia, de Italia, de Grecia y de Argelia, cultivadas en la estación experimental del olivo de Boughrara (región árida de Túnez, fueron evaluadas para el rendimiento en aceite y la composición de ácidos grasos. El análisis de la varianza mostró diferencias significativas entre todas las variedades (p < 0.01. El análisis de “clusters” jerárquico clasificó las variedades en tres grandes grupos. El primer grupo incluía un subgrupo compuesto por siete variedades de aceituna Changlot Real, Koroneiki, Verdial de Vélez- Málaga, Coratina, Lechín de Granada, Cornezuelo y Leccino, que se caracterizan por su alto rendimiento en aceite, alto contenido en oleico y bajo contenido en ácidos palmítico y linoleico. Las composiciones de ácidos grasos de aceites provenientes de estas variedades se conforman con estándares internacionales y son mejores si las comparamos con la de Chemlali (el cultivo más abundante en Túnez. Finalmente, los ácidos grasos mayoritarios (palmítico (C16:0, oleico (C18:1 y linoleico (C18:2 de nueve de los aceites de oliva virgen estudiados fueron comparados con los de las mismas variedades cultivadas en sus áreas originarias. A excepción de los aceites Koroneiki y Olivière que mostraron una composición de ácidos grasos inalterable y del aceite Cornezuelo en el que se observó un aumento del nivel de ácido oleico y un descenso del nivel de ácido linoleico, la mayoría de los aceites mostró disminución de ácido oleico y aumento de los porcentajes de ácido palmítico y linoleico, compar

Spinal cord stimulation attenuates temporal summation in patients with neuropathic pain.

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Eisenberg, Elon; Burstein, Yulia; Suzan, Erica; Treister, Roi; Aviram, Joshua

2015-03-01

Evidence has shown that electrical stimulation at the dorsal columns attenuated the "wind-up" phenomenon in dorsal horn neurons in nerve-injured rats. This study was aimed to test the effect of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) on temporal summation (TS), the clinical correlate of the wind-up phenomenon in patients with radicular leg pain. Eighteen patients with SCS implants were tested both 30 minutes after SCS activation ("ON") and 2 hours after turning it off ("OFF"), in a random order. Temporal summation was evaluated in the most painful site in the affected leg and in the corresponding area in the contralateral leg by applying a tonic painful heat stimulus (46.5°C; 120 seconds) and simultaneous recording of the perceived heat pain intensity. Patients were also requested to report their clinical pain intensity (0-100 numerical pain scale) during SCS "ON" and "OFF". The Wilcoxon signed rank test was used in the comparisons between SCS "ON" and "OFF". Spinal cord stimulation activation significantly attenuated clinical pain intensity (from 66 ± 18 to 27 ± 31, P spinal cord neurons, is a possible mechanism underlying SCS analgesia in patients with neuropathic pain.

The effect of Saccharomyces boulardii in patients eligible for liver transplantation.

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Liboredo, Juliana Costa; Ferrari, Maria de Lourdes Abreu; Vilela, Eduardo Garcia; Lima, Agnaldo Soares; Correia, Maria Isabel Toulson Davisson

2014-09-12

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of Saccharomyces boulardii on the intestinal permeability, laboratory parameters and MELD and Child-Pugh severity scores in cirrhotic patients eligible for liver transplantation. Eighteen patients followed in a Transplant Outpatient Clinic were evaluated immediately before the beginning of treatment, after a 30-day period of treatment period with probiotics and at the end of the second study month (after a thirty-day period without probiotics). Fifteen healthy controls also underwent the intestinal permeability test (lactulose/mannitol). Before the probiotic, the median lactulose/ mannitol ratio was greater in the cirrhotic patients (0.0209, range 0.0012-0.1984) compared to the healthy controls (0.0030, range 0.0020-0.0013) (p boulardii, there was no improvement in intestinal permeability or significant differences in the laboratory parameters for the three evaluations. Patients eligible for liver transplants presented with increased intestinal permeability compared to healthy controls. A thirty-day treatment with S. boulardii did not improve this intestinal permeability or the severity scores, nor did it impact the laboratory parameters. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

Patient safety initiatives in Central and Eastern Europe: A mixed methods approach by the LINNEAUS collaboration on patient safety in primary care

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Godycki-Cwirko, Maciek; Esmail, Aneez; Dovey, Susan; Wensing, Michel; Parker, Dianne; Kowalczyk, Anna; Błaszczyk, Honorata; Kosiek, Katarzyna

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT Background: Despite patient safety being recognized as an important healthcare issue in the European Union, there has been variable implementation of patient safety initiatives in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). Objective: To assess the status of patient safety initiatives in countries in CEE; to describe a process of engagement in Poland, which can serve as a template for the implementation of patient safety initiatives in primary care. Methods: A mixed methods design was used. We conducted a review of literature focusing on publications from CEE, an inventory of patient safety initiatives in CEE countries, interviews with key informants, international survey, review of national reporting systems, and pilot demonstrator project in Poland with implementation of patient safety toolkits assessment. Results: There was no published patient safety research from Albania, Belarus, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, or Russia. Nine papers were found from Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Poland, Serbia, and Slovenia. In most of the CEE countries, patient safety had been addressed at the policy level although the focus was mainly in hospital care. There was a dearth of activity in primary care. The use of patient improvement strategies was low. Conclusion: International cooperation as exemplified in the demonstrator project can help in the development and implementation of patient safety initiatives in primary care in changing the emphasis away from a blame culture to one where greater emphasis is placed on improvement and learning. PMID:26339839

Smoking in hospital: a survey of attitudes of staff, patients, and visitors.

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Garratt, D J; Gough, N A; Taylor, E J; Banks, M H; Sönksen, P H

1978-01-01

A survey was carried out on attitudes to smoking in hospital. Analysis of 411 interviews showed that the majority (64%) of those questioned approved of some restrictions on patients smoking in the wards. Eighteen per cent would have liked to see a complete ban on smoking, while an identical number favoured no restrictions at all. Smoking habit influenced response; only 8% of smokers, compared with 25% of non-smokers, would have liked to see a total ban on smoking. Attitudes to smoking varied according to the status of the persons interviewed; only 6% of visitors and 7% of nurses approved of a complete ban on smoking, compared with 32% of medical students and 27% of doctors. The results suggest that the introduction of smoking and non-smoking areas in hospital wards would be approved by the majority of patients, staff, and visitors. PMID:711983

?Look at the Whole Me?: A Mixed-Methods Examination of Black Infant Mortality in the US through Women?s Lived Experiences and Community Context

OpenAIRE

Wallace, Maeve E.; Green, Carmen; Richardson, Lisa; Theall, Katherine; Crear-Perry, Joia

2017-01-01

In the US, the non-Hispanic Black infant mortality rate exceeds the rate among non-Hispanic Whites by more than two-fold. To explore factors underlying this persistent disparity, we employed a mixed methods approach with concurrent quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis. Eighteen women participated in interviews about their experience of infant loss. Several common themes emerged across interviews, grouped by domain: individual experiences (trauma, grieving and counseling; ...

Effect of Non-surgical Periodontal Therapy on Serum and Salivary Concentrations of Visfatin in Patients with Chronic Periodontitis

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Nader Abolfazli

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Background and aims. Visfatin, mainly secreted by visceral adipose tissue, especially by macrophages, plays an impor-tant role in regulating the defense and immune functions, and functions as a growth factor, a cytokine, an enzyme and more importantly as a proinflammatory mediator. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of non-surgical perio-dontal treatment on serum and salivary levels of visfatin in patients with generalized moderate-to-severe chronic periodonti-tis. Materials and methods. Eighteen patients with generalized moderate-to-severe chronic periodontitis were selected based on periodontal parameters of gingival index (GI, probing pocket depth (PPD, clinical attachment level (CAL and radio-graphic parameters. Serum and salivary samples were collected at baseline and one month following non-surgical periodon-tal therapy (scaling and root planing ([SRP]. Visfatin levels were measured using an ELISA kit. Data were analyzed by SPSS 15, using paired t-test and Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Results. Mean salivary and serum levels of visfatin significantly decreased after non-surgical periodontal treatment (P<0.05. Changes in salivary visfatin levels were more prominent. Conclusion. According to the findings of this study it seems that there is a direct relationship between periodontal tissue inflammation and disease activity with salivary and serum visfatin levels.

Educational benefits of Internet and computer-based programmes for prostate cancer patients: a systematic review.

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Salonen, Anne; Ryhänen, Anne M; Leino-Kilpi, Helena

2014-01-01

This study aims to review systematically the available literature on Internet and computer-based patient education programmes, assess the quality of these studies and analyze the benefit of these programmes for prostate cancer patients. Complete databases were searched. Studies were included if they concerned patient education of prostate cancer patients, were qualitative or quantitative and examined Internet or interactive CD-ROM use. Eighteen studies met the inclusion criteria. The majority of the studies reported a significant increase in the knowledge of the disease, satisfaction with treatment options and support for men. The benefit of the programmes was that the patients felt more empowered and obtained a heightened sense of control over their disease. The Internet or computer-based programmes had a positive impact on prostate cancer patient education. Most papers reported that the programmes were beneficial, but few presented data from studies with rigorous research methodologies to support these claims. Internet and computer-based programmes can be useful tools in prostate cancer patient education. In order to improve the benefits of the programmes, more Internet and computer-based programmes need to be developed and studied. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Recurrent Admissions for Diabetic Foot Complications

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Ang CL

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Diabetic foot complications are a significant source of morbidity and mortality. Patients who undergo recurrent admissions for the same diabetic foot problems represent a difficult subgroup to treat. From July 2007 to June 2008, there were 38 such patients who were admitted recurrently. Eighteen patients (47% were re-admitted because of previous refusal of surgical treatment. Eighteen patients (47% received treatment as necessary but were still readmitted for recurrent infection at the same wound site. Assessment of patients’ compliance to outpatient treatment was found to be generally lacking. As a significant proportion were re-admitted because of previous refusal of surgery, a trained counselor may be suitable in counselling patients for debridement or amputation surgery.

Effects of an educational patient safety campaign on patients' safety behaviours and adverse events.

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Schwappach, David L B; Frank, Olga; Buschmann, Ute; Babst, Reto

2013-04-01

Rationale, aims and objectives  The study aims to investigate the effects of a patient safety advisory on patients' risk perceptions, perceived behavioural control, performance of safety behaviours and experience of adverse incidents. Method  Quasi-experimental intervention study with non-equivalent group comparison was used. Patients admitted to the surgical department of a Swiss large non-university hospital were included. Patients in the intervention group received a safety advisory at their first clinical encounter. Outcomes were assessed using a questionnaire at discharge. Odds ratios for control versus intervention group were calculated. Regression analysis was used to model the effects of the intervention and safety behaviours on the experience of safety incidents. Results  Two hundred eighteen patients in the control and 202 in the intervention group completed the survey (75 and 77% response rates, respectively). Patients in the intervention group were less likely to feel poorly informed about medical errors (OR = 0.55, P = 0.043). There were 73.1% in the intervention and 84.3% in the control group who underestimated the risk for infection (OR = 0.51, CI 0.31-0.84, P = 0.009). Perceived behavioural control was lower in the control group (meanCon  = 3.2, meanInt  = 3.5, P = 0.010). Performance of safety-related behaviours was unaffected by the intervention. Patients in the intervention group were less likely to experience any safety-related incident or unsafe situation (OR for intervention group = 0.57, CI 0.38-0.87, P = 0.009). There were no differences in concerns for errors during hospitalization. There were 96% of patients (intervention) who would recommend other patients to read the advisory. Conclusions  The results suggest that the safety advisory decreases experiences of adverse events and unsafe situations. It renders awareness and perceived behavioural control without increasing concerns for safety and

Clinical characteristics of pigment dispersion syndrome in Chinese patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Qing, G; Wang, N; Tang, X; Zhang, S; Chen, H

2009-08-01

To report clinical findings and characteristics of pigment dispersion syndrome (PDS) in Chinese patients. PDS suspects with any one of the following signs: corneal endothelial pigmentation, iris transillumination defects (ITDs), pigment granule dusting on anterior iris surface, posterior iris bowing, trabecular meshwork (TM) pigmentation, and lenticular or zonular pigmentation were evaluated for PDS at the glaucoma specialty clinic at Beijing Tongren Eye Centre. Diagnosis of PDS required at least two of the following signs: Krukenberg spindle, moderate-to-heavy TM pigmentation (>or=Scheie II) and any degree of lenticular and/or zonular pigmentation. Eighteen patients (12 males and six females) were identified as having PDS during a 1-year period, with mean age of 35.5+/-7.0 years (range, 22-49). All but two eyes from two patients had myopia of -0.5 D or greater, with mean spherical equivalent power of -5.20+/-5.80 D (range, -24.75+/-0.5). The average IOP at initial diagnosis was 33.7+/-10.5 mm Hg (range, 16-56). Fifteen patients (83.3%) were found to have pigmentary glaucoma at their initial diagnosis. All patients showed homogenous increased TM pigmentation as well as lenticular and/or zonular pigmentation. 61.1% of patients (11 of 18) had Krukenberg spindle. None of the patients exhibited spoke-like midperipheral ITDs except for trace-isolated transillumination in both eyes of the two patients. The most common clinical findings in Chinese PDS patients include homogeneous TM pigmentation and pigment granule dusting on lens zonules and/or posterior peripheral lens surface. ITDs are uncommon in Chinese patients with PDS.

Percutaneous Treatment of Deep Vein Thrombosis in May-Thurner Syndrome

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jong-Youn; Choi, Donghoon; Guk Ko, Young; Park, Sungha; Jang, Yangsoo; Lee, Do Yun

2006-01-01

Background/Purpose. May-Thurner syndrome is an uncommon disease entity in which the left common iliac vein is compressed by the right common iliac artery with subsequent development of deep vein thrombosis and chronic venous insufficiency. We report our experience on the treatment of extensive iliofemoral deep venous thrombosis due to May-Thurner syndrome using endovascular techniques. Methods. The study group comprised 21 patients (8 men, 13 women; mean age 51 years) diagnosed with May-Thurner syndrome by venogram. Eighteen patients were treated with catheter-guided thrombolysis; 3 patients with short segment involvement did not require thrombolysis. After completion of the thrombolytic therapy, the residual venous narrowing was treated by balloon angioplasty and/or placement of a self-expandable stent. Results. The mean total dose of urokinase was 4.28 ± 1.89 million units, and the mean duration of infusion was 72 ± 35 hr. Eighteen of the 21 patients received stent deployment. The mean diameter of the stents was 12.9 ± 2.0 mm. Initial technical successes with immediate symptom resolution were achieved in 20 of the 21 patients (95%). We performed a follow-up venogram 6 months after procedure and checked clinical symptoms at outpatient clinics (mean follow-up duration 10.8 months). Among the patients who received stent implantation, 2 had recurrent thrombotic occlusion during the follow-up period. Three patients, who did not receive stent implantation, all had recurrent thrombosis. There were no major bleeding complications except in 1 patient who developed retroperitoneal hematoma. Conclusion. Catheter-guided thrombolysis and angioplasty with stent implantation is a safe and effective method for the treatment of May-Thurner syndrome

Standardization of a method to calculate absolute renal uptake of 99m Tc-DMSA in children

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ono, Carla Rachel; Sapienza, Marcelo Tatit; Watanabe, Tomoco; Costa, Paulo Luiz Aguirre; Okamoto, Miriam Roseli Yoshie; Garcez, Alexandre Teles; Buchpiguel, Carlos Alberto; Machado, Beatriz Marcondes; Machado, Marcia Melo Campos; Liberato Junior, Waldyr de Paula

2006-01-01

Objective:To standardize a method and determine normal values for absolute renal uptake of 99m Tc-DMSA in children with normal creatinine clearance. Materials and methods: Twenty-two children (between 7 months and 10 years of age; mean 4.5 years) without clinical evidence of renal disease were studied using 99m Tc-DMSA scintigraphy. Eighteen had normal renal ultrasonography, micturating urethrocystography, creatinine clearance and visual interpretation of the scintigraphy with 99m Tc-DMSA. Four children were excluded, one with incomplete creatinine clearance and three due to reduction in the creatinine clearance. Absolute renal uptake of 99m Tc-DMSA (DMSA-Abs) was expressed as the fraction of the administered dose retained by each kidney six hours after administration of the radiopharmaceutical. Results: DMSA-Abs was 21.8 +- 3.2% for the right kidney and 23.1 +-3.3% for the left kidney. There was no correlation between renal uptake and the age groups studied, although there was a tendency to an increase in the creatinine clearance with age. Conclusion: Normal values of DMSA-Abs can be used as an additional parameter for the initial diagnostic evaluation and during follow-up of renal diseases, mainly when bilateral impairment of renal function is suspected or in a patient with a single functioning kidney (in which renal differential function is of limited value). (author)

Ilizarov′s method for treatment of nonunion of diaphyseal fractures of the humerus

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Kiran Manish

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Nonunion in diaphyseal fractures of the humerus can be treated by various modalities like plating and bone grafting, exchange nailing, fibular strut grafting and Ilizarov′s method of ring fixation. To achieve union in infected nonunion in which multiple surgeries have already been done is further challenging. We conducted a prospective study wherein the outcome of the treatment of nonunion of diaphyseal fractures of the humerus by Ilizarov′s method was analyzed. Materials and Methods: Nineteen patients with diaphyseal nonunion of the humerus were treated by Ilizarov′s external fixator. These included nonunion after plating (n=11, intramedullary nailing (n=1 or conservative methods (n=7. In post-surgical infected nonunion (n=6, the implants were removed, debridement done, bone fragments were docked followed by application of ring fixator and compression. In aseptic nonunion (n=13, distraction for three weeks followed by compression was the protocol. Early shoulder and elbow physiotherapy was instituted. The apparatus was removed after clinical and radiological union and the results were assessed for bone healing and functional status. Results: Fracture union was achieved in all the 19 cases. Pin site infection was seen in 2 cases (10.52%. The bone healing results were excellent in eighteen cases (94.73% and good in one case (5.26%.The functional results were found to be excellent in fourteen cases (73.68%, good in four (21.05% and fair in one case (5.26%. Conclusion: Ilizarov′s method is an excellent option for treatment of septic and aseptic non union of diaphyseal fractures of the humerus as it addresses all the problems associated with non union of the humerus like infection, deformity and joint stiffness.

Assessment of spleen size using gamma camera scintigraphy in newly diagnosed patients with essential thrombocythaemia and polycythaemia vera

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carneskog, J.; Wadenvik, H.; Kutti, J.; Fjaeelling, M.

1996-01-01

By using gamma camera imaging the spleen size was assessed in 18 consecutive patients with essential thrombocythaemia (ET) and in 18 consecutive patients with polycythaemia vera (PV). All ET and PV patients were newly diagnosed and had not received any myelosuppressive therapy prior to study. The spleen areas in both posterior and left lateral projections were determined. Eighteen consecutive patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) served as a control group since by definition they do not present with splenic enlargement; in these latter subjects the mean posterior and left lateral splenic areas were almost identical (48 ± 15 and 47 ± 17 cm 2 , respectively). In comparison with this control group patients with ET an dPV had significantly larger spleens. In both ET and in PV patients the left lateral spleen scan area exceeded the posterior one. Patients with PV had larger splenic areas in both projections than did patients with ET, but the differences were not statistically significant. Compared to the ITP patients it was found that at least 50% of the ET patients and at least 61% of the PV patients at diagnosis presented with splenomegaly. (au) 35 refs

Assessment of spleen size using gamma camera scintigraphy in newly diagnosed patients with essential thrombocythaemia and polycythaemia vera

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Carneskog, J.; Wadenvik, H.; Kutti, J. [Univ. of Goeteborg, Sahlgrenska Univ. Hospital, Dept. of Medicine, Haematology Section, Goeteborg (Sweden); Fjaeelling, M. [Univ. of Goeteborg, Sahlgrenska Univ. Hospital, Dept. of Clinical Physiology, Section of Nuclear Med., Goeteborg (Sweden)

1996-03-01

By using gamma camera imaging the spleen size was assessed in 18 consecutive patients with essential thrombocythaemia (ET) and in 18 consecutive patients with polycythaemia vera (PV). All ET and PV patients were newly diagnosed and had not received any myelosuppressive therapy prior to study. The spleen areas in both posterior and left lateral projections were determined. Eighteen consecutive patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) served as a control group since by definition they do not present with splenic enlargement; in these latter subjects the mean posterior and left lateral splenic areas were almost identical (48 {+-} 15 and 47 {+-} 17 cm{sup 2}, respectively). In comparison with this control group patients with ET an dPV had significantly larger spleens. In both ET and in PV patients the left lateral spleen scan area exceeded the posterior one. Patients with PV had larger splenic areas in both projections than did patients with ET, but the differences were not statistically significant. Compared to the ITP patients it was found that at least 50% of the ET patients and at least 61% of the PV patients at diagnosis presented with splenomegaly. (au) 35 refs.

Cognitive impairment is correlated with reduced quality of life in patients with clinically isolated syndrome Comprometimento cognitivo correlaciona-se com redução da qualidade de vida em pacientes com síndrome clinicamente isolada

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Carolina Fiorin Anhoque

2013-02-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the quality of life (QoL and potential QoL determinants in patients with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS. METHODS: Eighteen CIS patients and eighteen controls were submitted to QoL evaluation with Functional Assessment of Multiple Sclerosis QoL instrument (FAMS. Cognition was evaluated with specific battery tests; Anxiety and depression with Beck Anxiety (BAI and Depression (BDI Inventories and Neurological disability with Guy's Neurological Disability Scale (GNDS. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in QoL between CIS patients and controls. CIS patients had worse performance in Paced Auditory Serial Addition 2 seconds (p=0.009 and fluency tests (p=0.0038. There was a significant difference in BAI (p=0.003, but no significant difference in BDI between patients and controls. There were significant correlations between QoL measure and verbal fluency and Stroop's test. CONCLUSIONS: Cognition, but not anxiety, depression and disability, was associated with reduced quality of life.OBJETIVO: Avaliar a qualidade de vida (QoL e seus potenciais determinantes em pacientes com síndrome clinicamente isolada (SCI. MÉTODOS: Dezoito pacientes com SCI e 18 controles realizaram avaliação da QoL com Escala de Determinação da QoL na Esclerose Múltipla; cognição foi avaliada com bateria de testes específica; ansiedade e depressão com os Inventários de Beck de ansiedade (BAI e de depressão (BDI e a incapacidade neurológica com a Guy's Neurological Disability Scale. RESULTADOS: Houve diferença significativa na QoL avaliada entre pacientes com SCI e controles. Pacientes com SCI apresentaram pior desempenho no Pased Auditory Serial Addition 2 segundos (p=0,009 e na fluência verbal (p=0,0038. Houve diferença no BAI (p=0,003, entretanto sem diferença do BDI entre pacientes e controles. Houve correlações significativas entre QoL, fluência verbal e Stroop. CONCLUSÕES: Alterações cognitivas tiveram correlação com

Diabetic retinopathy in two patients with congenital IGF-I deficiency (Laron syndrome).

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Laron, Zvi; Weinberger, Dov

2004-07-01

Animal and clinical studies have shown that excessive amounts of growth hormone or insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) promote the development of diabetes and diabetic retinopathy. Forthwith, we present two patients with congenital IGF-I deficiency who developed type II diabetes and subsequently retinopathy. Eighteen adult patients with classical Laron syndrome (8 males, 10 females, aged 20-62 years) were followed by us since childhood or underwent fundus photography with a Nikon NF 505 instrument. Three had been treated in childhood with IGF-I, the rest were never treated, including the two patients reported. Two never-treated patients were diagnosed with type II diabetes (DM) at ages 39 and 41 respectively. There was no diabetes in the families. Oral treatment was followed by insulin injections. Metabolic control was not optimal and one patient developed proliferative diabetic retinopathy, necessitating laser surgery. He also has nephropathy and severe neuropathy. The other patient has background diabetic retinopathy and has developed, progressively, exudates, microaneurisms, hemorrhages and clinically significant macular edema. He also has subacute ischemic heart disease. Our findings show that congenital IGF-I deficiency, similar to excess, causes vascular complications of DM, denoting also that vascular endothelial growth factor can induce neovascularization in the presence of congenital IGF-I deficiency.

Comparison of Central, Ambulatory, Home and Office Blood Pressure Measurement as Risk Markers for Mild Cognitive Impairment in Hypertensive Patients

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Teodora Yaneva-Sirakova

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Aims: We compared the role of central blood pressure (BP, ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM, home-measured BP (HMBP and office BP measurement as risk markers for the development of mild cognitive impairment (MCI. Methods: 70 hypertensive patients on combination medical therapy were studied. Their mean age was 64.97 ± 8.88 years. Eighteen (25.71% were males and 52 (74.28% females. All of the patients underwent full physical examination, laboratory screening, echocardiography, and office, ambulatory, home and central BP measurement. The neuropsychological tests used were: Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA. SPSS 19 was used for the statistical analysis with a level of significance of 0.05. Results: The mean central pulse pressure values of patients with MCI were significantly (p = 0.016 higher than those of the patients without MCI. There was a weak negative correlation between central pulse pressure and the results from the MoCA and MMSE (r = –0.283, p = 0.017 and r = –0.241, p = 0.044, respectively. There was a correlation between ABPM and MCI as well as between HMBP and MCI. Conclusions: The correlation of central BP with target organ damage (MCI is as good as for the other types of measurements of BP (home and ambulatory. Office BP seems to be the poorest marker for the assessment of target organ damage.

Factors associated with physicians’ perception of physician-patient relationship

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Johnny Francisco Casanova Saldarriaga

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Objective: To determine the factors associated in the perception of physician-patient relationship by physicians who work at the Hospital Nacional Edgardo Rebagliati Martins, 2015. Materials and methods: An observational, prospective, cross-sectional, analytic, non-experimental study. The study population consisted of all the physicians who work at the Head and Neck Surgery Department, which includes the Otolaryngology (15 physicians, Ophthalmology (25 physicians, and Head and Neck (14 physicians Specialty Areas. The research instrument was a self-administered survey based on three topics: 1 Influence of technology and specialization in dehumanizing physician-patient relationship. 2 Influence of judicialization of medicine. 3 Respect and confidence of patients. Eighteen questions based on the three main topics were asked, and physician’s sociodemographic, educational and cultural data were collected. The instrument was validated by a team of experts, at a confidence level of 0.92 (Cronbach’s Alpha score. Besides the survey, physicians underwent a personal interview, in order to find out their personal opinion about their physician-patient relationship. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics statistical software. Statistical analysis was conducted using chi-square test, with a significance level of 5%. Results: The research assessed 30 specialty physicians with a mean age of 53.57 years: 83.3% of the interviewed physicians were male, 43% majored in ophthalmology, 36.7% were born in Lima, 43.3% finished high school at a public school, 66.7% studied medicine at a public university, 93.3% pursued major studies at a public university, 46.7% stated that their mother was born in the Peruvian highlands, 63.3% stated that their father was born in the Peruvian highlands, 87% were Catholics, 83% said that they chose to study medicine by vocation, 90% practiced medicine in the private sector, 43% volunteered in social support programs for low

Multiple abdominal nodules in a patient with ulcerative proctitis: a case of peritoneal splenosis

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Margherita Marocchi

2013-03-01

Full Text Available A 40-year old gardener was referred for ulcerative proctitis treated with topical mesalamine with rapid improvement of symptoms. Eighteen years before he had had a splenectomy for traumatic splenic rupture. At the end of 2010, he was admitted to another hospital because of abdominal pain. Computerized tomography (CT scan and magnetic resonance imaging revealed multiple abdominal nodules but a definite diagnosis was not made. While being examined for the proctitis, the patient was admitted to our unit due to worsening of the abdominal pain. After another CT scan, a laparoscopy was performed: several reddish-blue nodules on the peritoneal wall were observed and biopsies were performed. Histological examination was consistent with splenosis. After the procedure, we observed an improvement in the abdominal pain. Splenosis is an acquired condition defined as autotransplantation of viable splenic tissue throughout different sites of the body. It occurs after splenic rupture via trauma or surgery. Splenosis is a benign condition that is usually found incidentally unless symptomatic. Since on radiographic examination it can mimic a neoplasia, extensive workup is usually needed. The diagnostic method of choice is nuclear scintigraphy. Splenosis usually occurs in the abdominal and pelvic cavities but patients have been described with splenosis in other intrathoracic, hepatic and subcutaneous sites. Splenosis is usually asymptomatic and treatment is not necessary. Most patients who have an exploratory laparotomy or laparoscopy for abdominal pain, such as in our patient, experience no more pain after the procedure, regardless of whether the splenic nodules have been completely removed or not. The reason for this spontaneous improvement is not known.

Epidemiology and Disease Burden of Lateral Epicondylitis in the USA: Analysis of 85,318 Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Degen, Ryan M; Conti, Matthew S; Camp, Christopher L; Altchek, David W; Dines, Joshua S; Werner, Brian C

2018-02-01

National rates of lateral epicondylitis and surgical treatment are poorly defined. Disease burden of lateral epicondylitis (LE) continues to increase annually. Further study is necessary to optimize treatment algorithms to reduce associated health-care expenditures. The purpose of this study is to review the annual incidence of LE, surgical rates, and associated health-care costs in a population setting. A national database was queried for LE from 2007 to 2014. Surgical cases were identified and annual rates were recorded. Demographic and epidemiologic data were reported with descriptive statistics, while trends over time were analyzed using linear regression. Eighty-five thousand three hundred eighteen cases of LE were identified. The annual incidence per 10,000 patients remained constant ( p  = 0.304). The proportion of diagnoses in patients 65 years diagnosed with, and receiving surgical treatment for, LE has significantly increased in recent years. Total reimbursement and average per-patient reimbursement have steadily risen, demonstrating the increasing burden of cost on the health-care system.

Internal consistency and validity of an observational method for assessing disability in mobility in patients with osteoarthritis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Steultjens, M. P.; Dekker, J.; van Baar, M. E.; Oostendorp, R. A.; Bijlsma, J. W.

1999-01-01

To establish the internal consistency and validity of an observational method for assessing disability in mobility in patients with osteoarthritis (OA). Data were obtained from 198 patients with OA of the hip or knee. Results of the observational method were compared with results of self-report

Religiousness, religious coping methods and distress level among psychiatric patients in Malaysia.

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Nurasikin, M S; Khatijah, L A; Aini, A; Ramli, M; Aida, S A; Zainal, N Z; Ng, C G

2013-06-01

Patients having psychiatric diagnoses often experience high level of distress. Religiousness is often used by them as part of their coping mechanism and problem-solving strategies. To determine the level of religious commitment and coping methods in psychiatric patients and its relationship with distress level. Religious commitment and coping patterns were measured with the Duke University Religious Index (DUREL) and Brief RCOPE, respectively. Psychopathology was assessed using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and distress level was assessed with the Depressive, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS). Social support and experiences of recent threatening events were measured with the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) and Life Threatening Events (LTE). A total of 228 patients were included in this study with a mean age of 40.2 years. The majority were male, Malay, Muslim, single and with psychotic disorder. The subjects had a high level of religious commitment and had used more positive coping methods. Negative religious coping, psychiatric symptoms and diagnosis of anxiety disorder or major depression were significantly associated with high distress level. Higher religious commitment was significantly associated with lower distress (p depression were associated with higher distress.

Resting energy expenditure in critically ill patients: Evaluation methods and clinical applications

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Ana Cláudia Soncini Sanches

Full Text Available Summary Patients on intensive care present systemic, metabolic, and hormonal alterations that may adversely affect their nutritional condition and lead to fast and important depletion of lean mass and malnutrition. Several factors and medical conditions can influence the energy expenditure (EE of critically ill patients, such as age, gender, surgery, serious infections, medications, ventilation modality, and organ dysfunction. Clinical conditions that can present with EE change include acute kidney injury, a complex disorder commonly seen in critically ill patients with manifestations that can range from minimum elevations in serum creatinine to renal failure requiring dialysis. The nutritional needs of this population are therefore complex, and determining the resting energy expenditure is essential to adjust the nutritional supply and to plan a proper diet, ensuring that energy requirements are met and avoiding complications associated with overfeeding and underfeeding. Several evaluation methods of EE in this population have been described, but all of them have limitations. Such methods include direct calorimetry, doubly labeled water, indirect calorimetry (IC, various predictive equations, and, more recently, the rule of thumb (kcal/kg of body weight. Currently, IC is considered the gold standard.

Clinical outcomes of trabeculectomy vs. Ahmed glaucoma valve implantation in patients with penetrating keratoplasty : (Trabeculectomy vs. Ahmed galucoma valve in patients with penetrating keratoplasty).

Science.gov (United States)

Akdemir, Mehmet Orcun; Acar, Banu Torun; Kokturk, Furuzan; Acar, Suphi

2016-08-01

The aim of this study was to compare the visual outcomes, intraocular pressure (IOP), and endothelial cell loss caused by trabeculectomy (TRAB) and Ahmed glaucoma valve (AGV) implantation in patients who had previously undergone penetrating keratoplasty (PKP). The data from all patients who underwent surgical treatment of glaucoma after PKP were reviewed at the Cornea Department of Haydarpasa Numune Education and Research Hospital. Eighteen patients who had undergone surgical treatment of glaucoma after PKP were included in this retrospective study. Time between PKP and glaucoma surgeries, visual acuity results, IOP results, endothelial cell counts (ECC) before the surgery, at 1st, 6th, and 12th month of surgery were recorded. Differences between two groups were evaluated. Mean loss of ECC was 315 cells/mm(2) in the AGV group and 197 cells/mm(2) in TRAB group at 12th month of glaucoma surgery. The difference between endothelial cell loss at 12th month of surgery was statistically significant and higher in AGV group (p glaucoma. Ahmed glaucoma valve had a significantly better IOP lowering but higher endothelial cell loss effect.

Fractional excretion of beta-2-microglobulin in the urine of patients with normal or reduced renal function and hepatic coma

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, P B; Dalhoff, K; Joffe, P

1991-01-01

The purpose of this prospective study was to evaluate beta-2-microglobulin (beta 2m) as a differential diagnostic indicator between hepatic nephropathy (HN) and acute tubulointerstitial nephropathy (ATIN) in patients with reduced renal function and hepatic coma, and to determine whether beta 2m...... excretion could be used as a marker of renal impairment before increased serum creatinine (S-Cr) concentration or decreased creatinine clearance (Cr-Cl). Finally, the use of beta 2m as a prognostic indicator was investigated. Eighteen patients in hepatic coma grade III-IV were entered in the study and were...... to the small number of patients. FE-beta 2m could not predict the development of renal failure earlier than the increase in S-Cr or decrease in Cr-Cl. However, a few patients who survived paracetamol intoxication had increased FE-beta 2M in the beginning of the coma and normal S-Cr and Cr-Cl. Patients who died...

X-ray scatter correction method for dedicated breast computed tomography: improvements and initial patient testing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramamurthy, Senthil; D’Orsi, Carl J; Sechopoulos, Ioannis

2016-01-01

A previously proposed x-ray scatter correction method for dedicated breast computed tomography was further developed and implemented so as to allow for initial patient testing. The method involves the acquisition of a complete second set of breast CT projections covering 360° with a perforated tungsten plate in the path of the x-ray beam. To make patient testing feasible, a wirelessly controlled electronic positioner for the tungsten plate was designed and added to a breast CT system. Other improvements to the algorithm were implemented, including automated exclusion of non-valid primary estimate points and the use of a different approximation method to estimate the full scatter signal. To evaluate the effectiveness of the algorithm, evaluation of the resulting image quality was performed with a breast phantom and with nine patient images. The improvements in the algorithm resulted in the avoidance of introduction of artifacts, especially at the object borders, which was an issue in the previous implementation in some cases. Both contrast, in terms of signal difference and signal difference-to-noise ratio were improved with the proposed method, as opposed to with the correction algorithm incorporated in the system, which does not recover contrast. Patient image evaluation also showed enhanced contrast, better cupping correction, and more consistent voxel values for the different tissues. The algorithm also reduces artifacts present in reconstructions of non-regularly shaped breasts. With the implemented hardware and software improvements, the proposed method can be reliably used during patient breast CT imaging, resulting in improvement of image quality, no introduction of artifacts, and in some cases reduction of artifacts already present. The impact of the algorithm on actual clinical performance for detection, diagnosis and other clinical tasks in breast imaging remains to be evaluated. (paper)

Nurses`knowledge of and attitude towards exercise as a treatment method for hypertensive patients

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L. Grobler

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Aerobic exercise is used in treating hypertension. Eventhough physiotherapists are the first choice in presenting exercise treatment, few are available to do so in primary health clinics. Nurses arepatients’ first contact and may be able to fulfil this role. Nurses’knowledge and attitude towards exercise as a treatment method for hypertensive patients was determined. This descriptive study included all nurses (n=67 working in 23 Bloemfontein clinics. Forty-three nursescompleted structured questionnaires that determined their knowledge of exercise as a treatment method. All nurses prescribed medication forhypertensive patients. Most nurses prescribed weight control (72.1%, diet control (76.7%, patient education (74.4%, and life-style modification (72.1%. Most (83.7% nurses were aware of exercise as a treatment method for hypertension. Only seven nurses, prescribing a brisk walk, recommended the correct type of exercise. The nurses’attitude towards exercise as a treatment method was determined using focus group interviews (n=16. Nurses reflected a positive attitude towards exercise with 198 positive responses. Nurses could express more than one opinion, all of which were recorded. Twenty responses reflected little or no knowledge, and four responses reflected an unsure/neutral attitude towards exercise. Ten responses reflected disinterest in prescribing exercise. Nurses do not have adequate knowledge to enable them to confidently prescribe exercise to patients. The need for more information was mentioned and some nurses were willing to present exercise classes. A training program, containing pertinent information, so that nurses can prescribe exercise for hypertension, needs to be developed.

Phase II trial of SOM230 (pasireotide LAR) in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Feun, Lynn G; Wangpaichitr, Medhi; Li, Ying-Ying; Kwon, Deukwoo; Richman, Stephen P; Hosein, Peter J; Savaraj, Niramol

2018-01-01

A phase II trial of pasireotide was performed to assess its efficacy and safety in advanced or metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Patients with advanced HCC and Child-Pugh score ≤7 received pasireotide LAR 60 mg intramuscularly every 28 days. Primary endpoint was disease control rate. Secondary endpoints were time to tumor progression, response rate, treatment-related adverse events, and overall survival. Serum insulin growth factor-1 was measured before and after pasireotide. Twenty patients were treated and evaluable. Eighteen patients (90%) had prior therapy; 16 patients (80%) had multiple therapies. Median age was 65, 75% had Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage C, and 55% had metastatic disease. The main toxicity was hyperglycemia. Rare adverse effects included reversible grade 4 elevation in alanina transaminase/aspartate transaminase in one patient. The best response was stable disease in 9 patients (45%). Median time to tumor progression for the 20 patients was 3 months, and median survival was 9 months. Pasireotide had limited clinical benefit as second-line or third-line treatment in patients with advanced or metastatic HCC. Low baseline insulin growth factor-1 level may be indicative when SOM230 treatment may be ineffective, and decreasing levels after treatment may be indicative of disease control.

Attitudes towards industry capitation payments for entering patients into clinical trials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimm, David S.

1997-01-01

PURPOSE: Pharmaceutical companies commonly pay a clinical investigator (CI) for entering patients into a clinical trial. These payments average $3500-$5000, and can be as high as $50,000 per patient, and are rarely disclosed to the clinical research subject (CRS). Capitation payments exceeding direct and indirect expenses present a conflict of interest by posing a temptation for CIs to ignore their fiduciary duty to patients. Since CIs commonly accept such payments, either they do not see, they ignore, or they otherwise manage the conflict of interest posed by accepting this money. This study surveys attitudes towards this practice among students and staff at a university medical center. MATERIALS and METHODS: The survey examined factors which might affect a CI's decision to enroll CRSs into a clinical trial, and attitudes towards financial arrangements between the CI and a study sponsor. Two hundred twenty nine surveys were sent to 75 medical students, 80 housestaff, and 74 attending staff, chosen randomly from personnel rosters. Questionnaires were returned anonymously to conceal the identity of the responder. RESULTS: Eighteen medical students (24%), 13 housestaff (16%), and 24 attending staff (32%) returned questionnaires (overall response rate 24%). Responding MDs represented 13 departments and included 13 primary care MDs. Nineteen (79%) attending staff and 7 (46%) housestaff had conducted clinical research. Responders cited the purpose of the study, potential benefit to the CRS, potential benefit to others, and risk to the CRS as the most important factors that would affect their decision to enter a CRS into a study. Eighteen (75%) attending staff, 12 (92%) housestaff, and 14 (78%) students favored telling CRSs the source of a study's funding. Twenty one (88%) attending staff, all housestaff, and 16 (89%) students favored telling CRSs whether the CI owned stock in the sponsoring company. Sixteen (67%) attendings, all housestaff, and 14 (78%) students favored

Scale Space Methods for Analysis of Type 2 Diabetes Patients' Blood Glucose Values

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Stein Olav Skrøvseth

2011-01-01

Full Text Available We describe how scale space methods can be used for quantitative analysis of blood glucose concentrations from type 2 diabetes patients. Blood glucose values were recorded voluntarily by the patients over one full year as part of a self-management process, where the time and frequency of the recordings are decided by the patients. This makes a unique dataset in its extent, though with a large variation in reliability of the recordings. Scale space and frequency space techniques are suited to reveal important features of unevenly sampled data, and useful for identifying medically relevant features for use both by patients as part of their self-management process, and provide useful information for physicians.

Mapping hospice patients' perception and verbal communication of end-of-life needs: an exploratory mixed methods inquiry

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Arnold Bruce L

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Comprehensive "Total Pain" assessments of patients' end-of-life needs are critical for providing improved patient-clinician communication, assessing needs, and offering high quality palliative care. However, patients' needs-based research methodologies and findings remain highly diverse with their lack of consensus preventing optimum needs assessments and care planning. Mixed-methods is an underused yet robust "patient-based" approach for reported lived experiences to map both the incidence and prevalence of what patients perceive as important end of life needs. Methods Findings often include methodological artifacts and their own selection bias. Moving beyond diverse findings therefore requires revisiting methodological choices. A mixed methods research cross-sectional design is therefore used to reduce limitations inherent in both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Audio-taped phenomenological "thinking aloud" interviews of a purposive sample of 30 hospice patients are used to identify their vocabulary for communicating perceptions of end-of-life needs. Grounded theory procedures assisted by QSR-NVivo software is then used for discovering domains of needs embedded in the interview narratives. Summary findings are translated into quantified format for presentation and analytical purposes. Results Findings from this mixed-methods feasibility study indicate patients' narratives represent 7 core domains of end-of-life needs. These are (1 time, (2 social, (3 physiological, (4 death and dying, (5 safety, (6 spirituality, (7 change & adaptation. The prevalence, rather than just the occurrence, of patients' reported needs provides further insight into their relative importance. Conclusion Patients' perceptions of end-of-life needs are multidimensional, often ambiguous and uncertain. Mixed methodology appears to hold considerable promise for unpacking both the occurrence and prevalence of cognitive structures represented by

Effects of auditing patient safety in hospital care: design of a mixed-method evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Hanskamp-Sebregts, Mirelle; Zegers, Marieke; Boeijen, Wilma; Westert, Gert P; van Gurp, Petra J; Wollersheim, Hub

2013-06-22

Auditing of patient safety aims at early detection of risks of adverse events and is intended to encourage the continuous improvement of patient safety. The auditing should be an independent, objective assurance and consulting system. Auditing helps an organisation accomplish its objectives by bringing a systematic, disciplined approach to evaluating and improving the effectiveness of risk management, control, and governance. Audits are broadly conducted in hospitals, but little is known about their effects on the behaviour of healthcare professionals and patient safety outcomes. This study was initiated to evaluate the effects of patient safety auditing in hospital care and to explore the processes and mechanisms underlying these effects. Our study aims to evaluate an audit system to monitor and improve patient safety in a hospital setting. We are using a mixed-method evaluation with a before-and-after study design in eight departments of one university hospital in the period October 2011-July 2014. We measure several outcomes 3 months before the audit and 15 months after the audit. The primary outcomes are adverse events and complications. The secondary outcomes are experiences of patients, the standardised mortality ratio, prolonged hospital stay, patient safety culture, and team climate. We use medical record reviews, questionnaires, hospital administrative data, and observations to assess the outcomes. A process evaluation will be used to find out which components of internal auditing determine the effects. We report a study protocol of an effect and process evaluation to determine whether auditing improves patient safety in hospital care. Because auditing is a complex intervention targeted on several levels, we are using a combination of methods to collect qualitative and quantitative data about patient safety at the patient, professional, and department levels. This study is relevant for hospitals that want to early detect unsafe care and improve patient

Functional Assessment of the Stomatognathic System, after the Treatment of Edentulous Patients, with Different Methods of Establishing the Centric Relation.

Science.gov (United States)

Nitecka-Buchta, Aleksandra; Proba, Thomas; Proba, Paulina; Stefański, Kamil; Baron, Stefan

2018-01-01

The study compares subjective experiences of patients, wearing complete dentures. Two different methods of determining a centric relation were performed: the traditional method using wax occlusal rims and the Gerber method, based on gothic arch tracings. The success rate of establishing a centric relation in both methods was evaluated (rentgenodiagnostics). The influence of the method used to obtain the centric relation on patients' stomatognathic system (condyle centralization, pain) was also evaluated. Better results were achieved in gothic arch tracing method. Before every prosthetic treatment of edentulous patients, a functional analysis of the TMJ is necessary. The lack of centric relation, in a long term adaptation patients, does not lead to TMD symptoms. This trial is registered with NCT03343015.

The relationship between inflammatory activity and brain atrophy in natalizumab treated patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Magraner, M.; Coret, F.; Casanova, B.

2012-01-01

Objective: To assess the evolution of brain atrophy and its relationship with inflammatory activity in RRMS patients treated with natalizumab. Methods: Eighteen RRMS patients were prospectively followed up for 18 months after starting natalizumab therapy. Patients were monitored monthly and assessed for signs of relapses, adverse events or disability increase. MRI scans were performed before starting natalizumab and every six months. Cross-sectional T2 lesion volume (T2LV) and the normalized brain volume (NBV) at baseline and 18 months MRI scans were calculated using the Steronauta ® and SIENAx softwares, respectively. Longitudinal Percentage of Brain Volume Change (PBVC) was estimated with SIENA. Linkage between inflammatory activity and brain atrophy was studied. Results: Natalizumab reduced ARR by 67% and cumulative CEL by 87.5%. T2 lesion volume decreased from 1000 mm 3 , to 960 mm 3 (p = 0.006) and NBV decreased from 1.55 × 10 5 mm 3 to 1.42 × 10 5 mm 3 (p = 0.025). Global PBVC from baseline to 18 months was −2.5%, predominantly during the first six months (0–6 months PBVC −1.7%; 6–12 months PBVC −0.74%; 12–18 months PBVC −0.50%). The number of relapses before treatment was correlated to the PBVC during the first semester (Pearson's coefficient −0.520, p = 0.003), while the number of basal CEL or baseline T2LV did not correlate with brain atrophy rate. During follow-up, nine patients had clinical or radiological inflammatory activity. Their PBVC was significantly higher in the first semester (−2.3% to −1.1%, p = 0.002). Conclusions: Natalizumab reduced relapse rate and CEL in MRI. Brain atrophy predominated in the first semester and was related to previous inflammatory activity.

The relationship between inflammatory activity and brain atrophy in natalizumab treated patients

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Magraner, M., E-mail: majomagbe@ono.com [Multiple Sclerosis Unit, Neurology Service, Hospital Universitari i Politecnic La Fe, Bulevar Sur s/n, 46026 Valencia (Spain); Coret, F., E-mail: coret_fra@gva.es [Multiple Sclerosis Unit, Neurology Service, Hospital Clinic de Valencia, Avda Blasco Ibanez 17, 46010 Valencia (Spain); Casanova, B., E-mail: Casanova_bon@gva.es [Multiple Sclerosis Unit, Neurology Service, Hospital Universitari i Politecnic La Fe, Bulevar Sur s/n, 46026 Valencia (Spain)

2012-11-15

Objective: To assess the evolution of brain atrophy and its relationship with inflammatory activity in RRMS patients treated with natalizumab. Methods: Eighteen RRMS patients were prospectively followed up for 18 months after starting natalizumab therapy. Patients were monitored monthly and assessed for signs of relapses, adverse events or disability increase. MRI scans were performed before starting natalizumab and every six months. Cross-sectional T2 lesion volume (T2LV) and the normalized brain volume (NBV) at baseline and 18 months MRI scans were calculated using the Steronauta{sup Registered-Sign} and SIENAx softwares, respectively. Longitudinal Percentage of Brain Volume Change (PBVC) was estimated with SIENA. Linkage between inflammatory activity and brain atrophy was studied. Results: Natalizumab reduced ARR by 67% and cumulative CEL by 87.5%. T2 lesion volume decreased from 1000 mm{sup 3}, to 960 mm{sup 3} (p = 0.006) and NBV decreased from 1.55 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 5} mm{sup 3} to 1.42 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 5} mm{sup 3} (p = 0.025). Global PBVC from baseline to 18 months was -2.5%, predominantly during the first six months (0-6 months PBVC -1.7%; 6-12 months PBVC -0.74%; 12-18 months PBVC -0.50%). The number of relapses before treatment was correlated to the PBVC during the first semester (Pearson's coefficient -0.520, p = 0.003), while the number of basal CEL or baseline T2LV did not correlate with brain atrophy rate. During follow-up, nine patients had clinical or radiological inflammatory activity. Their PBVC was significantly higher in the first semester (-2.3% to -1.1%, p = 0.002). Conclusions: Natalizumab reduced relapse rate and CEL in MRI. Brain atrophy predominated in the first semester and was related to previous inflammatory activity.

[Computer-assisted therapy and video games in psychosocial rehabilitation for schizophrenia patients].

Science.gov (United States)

Brun, G; Verdoux, H; Couhet, G; Quiles, C

2018-02-28

Video games and virtual reality have recently become used by clinicians for training or information media or as therapeutic tools. The purpose is to review the use of these technologies for therapy destined for schizophrenia patients. We conducted a review in October 2016 using Pubmed, Scopus and PsychInfo using the following Medical Subject Headings (MESH): "video games", "virtual reality" and "therapy, computer-assisted/methods", each associated with "schizophrenia". Papers were included in the review if: (a) they were published in an English, Spanish or French-language peer-reviewed journal, (b) the study enrolled patients with schizophrenia or schizo-affective disorder, (c) the patients used a therapeutic video game or therapeutic virtual reality device. Eighteen publications were included. The devices studied are mainly therapeutic software developed specifically for therapeutic care. They can be classified according to their therapeutic objectives. These targets corresponded to objectives of psychosocial rehabilitation: improvement of residual symptomatology, cognitive remediation, remediation of cognition and social skills, improvement of everyday life activities, support for occupational integration. Very different devices were proposed. Some researchers analysed programs developed specifically for patients with schizophrenia, while others were interested in the impact of commercial games. Most of the studies were recent, preliminary and European. The impact of these devices was globally positive, particularly concerning cognitive functions. Computer-assisted therapy, video games and virtual reality cannot replace usual care but could be used as adjunctive therapy. However, recommending their use seems premature because of the recent and preliminary character of most studies. Moreover, a link is still lacking between this field of research in psychiatry and other fields of research, particularly game studies. Finally, it might be interesting to analyse more

EXPRESSION OF SOCS3 AND SOCS5 MRNAS IN PERIPHERAL BLOOD MONONUCLEARS FROM THE PATIENTS WITH BRONCHIAL ASTHMA

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V. V. Lim

2014-01-01

Full Text Available We observed sixty patients with allergic bronchial asthma (ABA and 54 with non-allergic bronchial asthma (NABA. Quantitative SOCS3 and SOCS5 mRNA expression was evaluated by means of real-time PCR. Eighteen healthy persons served as a control group. In patients with bronchial asthma (irrespectively of pathogenetic form, a significant increase of SOCS3 transcription factor expression was detected in peripheral blood mononuclears, as compared with control group. This increase was more pronounced in NABA group. The mRNA SOCS5 level was significantly decreased in bronchial asthma patients, as compared to control group, especially, in ABA subgroup rather than in NABA patients. Thus, an increased expression of SOCS3 mRNA in BA patients could be regarded as a protective antiinflammatory response Decrease of SOCS5 mRNA expression in patients with bronchial asthma (being more pronounced in ABA, may be indicative for a deficiency in negative feedback regulation of gene transcription in allergic bronchial asthma.

Multicentre evaluation of a novel vaginal dose reporting method in 153 cervical cancer patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Westerveld, Henrike; de Leeuw, Astrid; Kirchheiner, Kathrin

2016-01-01

Background and purpose Recently, a vaginal dose reporting method for combined EBRT and BT in cervical cancer patients was proposed. The current study was to evaluate vaginal doses with this method in a multicentre setting, wherein different applicators, dose rates and protocols were used. Materia...

CULTURAL ADAPTATION AND VALIDATION FOR PORTUGUESE OF THE SPINAL APPEARANCE QUESTIONNAIRE

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Marcelo Guerra de Albuquerque Rosendo

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective: Make the cultural adaptation of the spinal appearance questionnaire (SAQ. Method: Twenty patients and their accompanying relatives responded to SAC and were asked about possible improvements. Results: Eighteen girls (90% and two boys (10%, average age 14.8 years; Cronbach's alpha values of 0.79 and 0.75 were found for patients and parents respectively. Conclusion: The Brazilian Portuguese version of the spinal appearance questionnaire presented in this paper proves to be a valid tool for their purposes in its pre-trial phase.

The Patient Centered Assessment Method (PCAM: integrating the social dimensions of health into primary care

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Rebekah Pratt

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Background: Social dimensions of health are known to contribute to what is often termed “patient complexity”, which is particularly common among patients with multimorbidity. Health-care professionals require tools to help them identify and manage these aspects of patient needs. Objectives: To examine: (i the Patient Centered Assessment Method (PCAM, a tool for assessing patient complexity in ways that are sensitive to the biopsychosocial dimensions of health, in primary care settings in Scotland; (ii the impact of the PCAM on referral patterns and its perceived value; and (iii the PCAM’s perceived applicability for use in a complex patient population. Design: Two studies are described: (i a mixed-methods prospective cohort study of the implementation of the PCAM in primary care clinics; and (ii a qualitative exploratory study that evaluated the value of the PCAM in a complex patient population. Results: Use of the PCAM did not impact patient satisfaction or perception of practitioners’ empathy, but it did increase both the number of onward referrals per referred patient (9–12% and the proportion of referrals to non-medical services addressing psychological, social, and lifestyle needs. Nurses valued the PCAM, particularly its ability to help them address psychological and social domains of patients’ lives, and found it to be highly relevant for use in populations with known high complexity. Conclusions: The PCAM represents a feasible approach for assessing patient needs with consideration to the social dimensions of health, and allows practitioners to refer patients to a broader range of services to address patient complexity.

The Effect of Medicine Knowledge on the Methods Applied for Lowering Blood Pressure in Patients with Hypertension

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Belguzar Kara

2009-06-01

Full Text Available AIM: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of medicine knowledge on the methods applied for lowering blood pressure among patients with hypertension. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted between February 1 and April 30, 2006. The sample of the study was constituted by 77 patients who had admitted to Gulhane Military Medical Academy Cardiology Outpatient Clinic with the diagnosis of hypertension. The data were collected by using a questionnaire designed by the investigators. Descriptive statistics and chi-square test were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 54±13 years. Of the patients, 54.5% were female and %90.9 were married. The patients’ median duration of disease was 4 years and median duration of using antihypertensive drug was 4 years. Approximately 53% of the study group was educated about the antihypertensive drugs and 70.7% was educated by the physician. The methods applied for lowering blood pressure of patients were: 48.1% use of oral antihypertensive medicine; 40.2% use of traditional methods; %11.7 use of sublingual medicine. In this study, the methods used in case of blood pressure elevation was significantly associated with having been educated about the antihypertensive drugs and knowing the side effects of the drugs (χ²=16.378; p<0.001, χ²=13.467; p<0.01, respectively. CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that the patients who had been educated about the antihypertensive drugs and their side effects were more frequently preferring to use antihypertensive drug to lower the elevated blood pressure. [TAF Prev Med Bull 2009; 8(3.000: 231-238

Computer Vision Syndrome in Eleven to Eighteen-Year-Old Students in Qazvin

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Khalaj

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Background Prolonged use of computers can lead to complications such as eye strain, eye and head aches, double and blurred vision, tired eyes, irritation, burning and itching eyes, eye redness, light sensitivity, dry eyes, muscle strains, and other problems. Objectives The aim of the present study was to evaluate visual problems and major symptoms, and their associations among computer users, aged between 11 and 18 years old, residing in the Qazvin city of Iran, during year 2010. Patients and Methods This cross-sectional study was done on 642 secondary to pre university students who had referred to the eye clinic of Buali hospital of Qazvin during year 2013. A questionnaire consisting of demographic information and 26 questions on visual effects of the computer was used to gather information. Participants answered all questions and then underwent complete eye examinations and in some cases cycloplegic refraction. Visual acuity (VA was measured with a logMAR in six meters. Refraction errors were determined using an auto refractometer (Potece and Heine retinoscope. The collected data was then analyzed using the SPSS statistical software. Results The results of this study indicated that 63.86% of the subjects had refractive errors. Refractive errors were significantly different in children of different genders (P < 0.05. The most common complaints associated with the continuous use of computers were eyestrain, eye pain, eye redness, headache, and blurred vision. The most prevalent (81.8% eye-related problem in computer users was eyestrain and the least prevalent was dry eyes (7.84%. In order to reduce computer related problems 54.2% of the participants suggested taking enough rest, 37.9% recommended use of computers only for necessary tasks, while 24.4% and 19.1% suggested the use of monitor shields and proper working distance, respectively. Conclusions Our findings revealed that using computers for prolonged periods of time can lead to eye

Evaluation of radiation dose to patients in intraoral dental radiography using Monte Carlo Method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Il; Kim, Kyeong Ho; Oh, Seung Chul; Song, Ji Young

2016-01-01

The use of dental radiographic examinations is common although radiation dose resulting from the dental radiography is relatively small. Therefore, it is required to evaluate radiation dose from the dental radiography for radiation safety purpose. The objectives of the present study were to develop dosimetry method for intraoral dental radiography using a Monte Carlo method based radiation transport code and to calculate organ doses and effective doses of patients from different types of intraoral radiographies. Radiological properties of dental radiography equipment were characterized for the evaluation of patient radiation dose. The properties including x-ray energy spectrum were simulated using MCNP code. Organ doses and effective doses to patients were calculated by MCNP simulation with computational adult phantoms. At the typical equipment settings (60 kVp, 7 mA, and 0.12 sec), the entrance air kerma was 1.79 mGy and the measured half value layer was 1.82 mm. The half value layer calculated by MCNP simulation was well agreed with the measurement values. Effective doses from intraoral radiographies ranged from 1 μSv for maxilla premolar to 3 μSv for maxilla incisor. Oral cavity layer (23⁓82 μSv) and salivary glands (10⁓68 μSv) received relatively high radiation dose. Thyroid also received high radiation dose (3⁓47 μSv) for examinations. The developed dosimetry method and evaluated radiation doses in this study can be utilized for policy making, patient dose management, and development of low-dose equipment. In addition, this study can ultimately contribute to decrease radiation dose to patients for radiation safety

Evaluation of radiation dose to patients in intraoral dental radiography using Monte Carlo Method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Il; Kim, Kyeong Ho; Oh, Seung Chul; Song, Ji Young [Dept. of Nuclear Engineering, Kyung Hee University, Yongin (Korea, Republic of)

2016-11-15

The use of dental radiographic examinations is common although radiation dose resulting from the dental radiography is relatively small. Therefore, it is required to evaluate radiation dose from the dental radiography for radiation safety purpose. The objectives of the present study were to develop dosimetry method for intraoral dental radiography using a Monte Carlo method based radiation transport code and to calculate organ doses and effective doses of patients from different types of intraoral radiographies. Radiological properties of dental radiography equipment were characterized for the evaluation of patient radiation dose. The properties including x-ray energy spectrum were simulated using MCNP code. Organ doses and effective doses to patients were calculated by MCNP simulation with computational adult phantoms. At the typical equipment settings (60 kVp, 7 mA, and 0.12 sec), the entrance air kerma was 1.79 mGy and the measured half value layer was 1.82 mm. The half value layer calculated by MCNP simulation was well agreed with the measurement values. Effective doses from intraoral radiographies ranged from 1 μSv for maxilla premolar to 3 μSv for maxilla incisor. Oral cavity layer (23⁓82 μSv) and salivary glands (10⁓68 μSv) received relatively high radiation dose. Thyroid also received high radiation dose (3⁓47 μSv) for examinations. The developed dosimetry method and evaluated radiation doses in this study can be utilized for policy making, patient dose management, and development of low-dose equipment. In addition, this study can ultimately contribute to decrease radiation dose to patients for radiation safety.

[NDT-Bobath method used in the rehabilitation of patients with a history of ischemic stroke].

Science.gov (United States)

Klimkiewicz, Paulina; Kubsik, Anna; Woldańska-Okońska, Marta

2012-01-01

Ischemic stroke is the third leading cause of death and disability in human. The vitally important problem after ischemic stroke is hemiparesis of the body. The most common methods used in improving the mobility of patients after ischemic stroke is a Bobath-NDT (Neuro-Developmental Treatment - Bobath), which initiated the Berta and Karel Bobath for children with cerebral palsy. It is a method designed to neurophysiological recovery of these vital functions that the patient was lost due to illness, and wants it back.

Comparison of standard fibrinogen measurement methods with fibrin clot firmness assessed by thromboelastometry in patients with cirrhosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Vucelic, Dragica; Jesic, Rada; Jovicic, Snezana; Zivotic, Maja; Grubor, Nikica; Trajkovic, Goran; Canic, Ivana; Elezovic, Ivo; Antovic, Aleksandra

2015-06-01

The Clauss fibrinogen method and thrombin clotting time (TCT) are still routinely used in patients with cirrhosis to define fibrinogen concentration and clotting potential. The thromboelastometric functional fibrinogen FIBTEM assay evaluates the strength of fibrin-based clots in whole blood, providing information on both quantitative deficit and fibrin polymerization disorders. To compare these three methods of assessing fibrinogen in patients with cirrhosis of different aetiologies, characterized by impairment in fibrinogen concentration as well as functional aberrance. Sixty patients with alcoholic and 24 patients with cholestatic cirrhosis were included (Child-Pugh score (CPs)A, n=24; B, n=32; C, n=28). All parameters were compared with those from a control group. Maximum clot firmness (MCF) in the FIBTEM test was assessed in regard to its relevance in detection of qualitative fibrinogen disorders in comparison with results obtained by standard measurement methods, i.e. the Clauss fibrinogen method and TCT. With increased cirrhosis severity, fibrinogen and FIBTEM-MCF levels significantly declined (p=0.002), while TCT was significantly prolonged (p=0.002). In all CPs groups, fibrinogen strongly correlated with FIBTEM-MCF (r=0.77, r=0.72, r=0.74; pmeasurement in cirrhotic patients, especially in evaluating fibrin polymerization disorders in these patients. Further studies are needed to evaluate the usefulness of this assay in predicting bleeding complications in cirrhotic patients as well as monitoring replacement treatment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

DNA restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from HIV-seropositive and HIV-seronegative patients in Kampala, Uganda

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katabazi Fred A

2009-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The identification and differentiation of strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by DNA fingerprinting has provided a better understanding of the epidemiology and tracing the transmission of tuberculosis. We set out to determine if there was a relationship between the risk of belonging to a group of tuberculosis patients with identical mycobacterial DNA fingerprint patterns and the HIV sero-status of the individuals in a high TB incidence peri-urban setting of Kampala, Uganda. Methods One hundred eighty three isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from 80 HIV seropositive and 103 HIV seronegative patients were fingerprinted by standard IS6110-RFLP. Using the BioNumerics software, strains were considered to be clustered if at least one other patient had an isolate with identical RFLP pattern. Results One hundred and eighteen different fingerprint patterns were obtained from the 183 isolates. There were 34 clusters containing 54% (99/183 of the patients (average cluster size of 2.9, and a majority (96.2% of the strains possessed a high copy number (≥ 5 copies of the IS6110 element. When strains with P = 0.615, patients aged P = 0.100, and sex (aOR 1.12, 95%CI 0.60–2.06, P = 0.715. Conclusion The sample showed evidence of a high prevalence of recent transmission with a high average cluster size, but infection with an isolate with a fingerprint found to be part of a cluster was not associated with any demographic or clinical characteristics, including HIV status.

Changing practice: red blood cell typing by molecular methods for patients with sickle cell disease.

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Casas, Jessica; Friedman, David F; Jackson, Tannoa; Vege, Sunitha; Westhoff, Connie M; Chou, Stella T

2015-06-01

Extended red blood cell (RBC) antigen matching is recommended to limit alloimmunization in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). DNA-based testing to predict blood group phenotypes has enhanced availability of antigen-negative donor units and improved typing of transfused patients, but replacement of routine serologic typing for non-ABO antigens with molecular typing for patients has not been reported. This study compared the historical RBC antigen phenotypes obtained by hemagglutination methods with genotype predictions in 494 patients with SCD. For discrepant results, repeat serologic testing was performed and/or investigated by gene sequencing for silent or variant alleles. Seventy-one typing discrepancies were identified among 6360 antigen comparisons (1.1%). New specimens for repeat serologic testing were obtained for 66 discrepancies and retyping agreed with the genotype in 64 cases. One repeat Jk(b-) serologic phenotype, predicted Jk(b+) by genotype, was found by direct sequencing of JK to be a silenced allele, and one N typing discrepancy remains under investigation. Fifteen false-negative serologic results were associated with alleles encoding weak antigens or single-dose Fy(b) expression. DNA-based RBC typing provided improved accuracy and expanded information on RBC antigens compared to hemagglutination methods, leading to its implementation as the primary method for extended RBC typing for patients with SCD at our institution. © 2015 AABB.

Configural frequency analysis as a method of determining patients' preferred decision-making roles in dialysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Loeffert Sabine

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Numerous studies examined factors in promoting a patient preference for active participation in treatment decision making with only modest success. The purpose of this study was to identify types of patients wishing to participate in treatment decisions as well as those wishing to play a completely active or passive role based on a Germany-wide survey of dialysis patients; using a prediction typal analysis method that defines types as configurations of categories belonging to different attributes and takes particularly higher order interactions between variables into account. Methods After randomly splitting the original patient sample into two halves, an exploratory prediction configural frequency analysis (CFA was performed on one-half of the sample (n = 1969 and the identified types were considered as hypotheses for an inferential prediction CFA for the second half (n = 1914. 144 possible prediction types were tested by using five predictor variables and control preferences as criterion. An α-adjustment (0.05 for multiple testing was performed by the Holm procedure. Results 21 possible prediction types were identified as hypotheses in the exploratory prediction CFA; four patient types were confirmed in the confirmatory prediction CFA: patients preferring a passive role show low information seeking preference, above average trust in their physician, perceive their physician's participatory decision-making (PDM-style positive, have a lower educational level, and are 56-75 years old (Type 1; p 76 years old (Type 2; p p p Conclusions The method prediction configural frequency analysis was newly introduced to the research field of patient participation and could demonstrate how a particular control preference role is determined by an association of five variables.

Feasibility Study of Sequentially Alternating EGFR-TKIs and Chemotherapy for Patients with Non-small Cell Lung Cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Takemura, Yoshizumi; Chihara, Yusuke; Morimoto, Yoshie; Tanimura, Keiko; Imabayashi, Tatsuya; Seko, Yurie; Kaneko, Yoshiko; Date, Koji; Ueda, Mikio; Arimoto, Taichiro; Iwasaki, Yoshinobu; Takayama, Koichi

2018-04-01

The purpose of this trial was to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of alternating platinum-based doublet chemotherapy with epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) in patients with EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Chemotherapy-naive patients with advanced NSCLC harboring an EGFR mutation were enrolled. All patients underwent induction chemotherapy by sequentially alternating pemetrexed/cisplatin/bevacizumab and EGFR-TKIs followed by maintenance therapy with pemetrexed/bevacizumab and EGFR-TKIs. The primary outcome was the completion rate of the induction therapy. Eighteen eligible patients were enrolled between May 2011 and March 2016. The completion rate of induction therapy was 72.2% (13/18). Unfortunately, one patient developed grade 4 acute renal injury, but no other serious complications concerning this protocol were observed. Furthermore, diarrhea, rashes, and hematological adverse effects were mild. The completion rate of induction therapy was promising. Alternating chemotherapy and EGFR-TKIs should be further investigated regarding feasibility and efficacy. Copyright© 2018, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.

Validation of non-invasive haemodynamic methods in patients with liver disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brittain, Jane M; Busk, Troels M; Møller, Søren

2018-01-01

Patients with advanced cirrhosis often present a hyperdynamic circulation characterized by a decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP), and an increase in heart rate (HR) and cardiac output (CO). Accurate assessment of the altered circulation can be performed invasively......; however, due to the disadvantages of this approach, non-invasive methods are warranted. The purpose of this study was to compare continuous non-invasive measurements of haemodynamic variables by the Finometer and the Task Force Monitor with simultaneous invasive measurements. In 25 patients with cirrhosis......, respectively; and CO: 0·1 ± 1·6 and -1·0 ± 2·0 L min(-1) , respectively. The study demonstrates that the overall performances of the Finometer and the Task Force Monitor in estimating absolute values of SBP, DBP, HR and CO in patients with cirrhosis are not equivalent to the gold standard, but may have...

The role of simulation in mixed-methods research: a framework & application to patient safety.

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Guise, Jeanne-Marie; Hansen, Matthew; Lambert, William; O'Brien, Kerth

2017-05-04

Research in patient safety is an important area of health services research and is a national priority. It is challenging to investigate rare occurrences, explore potential causes, and account for the complex, dynamic context of healthcare - yet all are required in patient safety research. Simulation technologies have become widely accepted as education and clinical tools, but have yet to become a standard tool for research. We developed a framework for research that integrates accepted patient safety models with mixed-methods research approaches and describe the performance of the framework in a working example of a large National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded R01 investigation. This worked example of a framework in action, identifies the strengths and limitations of qualitative and quantitative research approaches commonly used in health services research. Each approach builds essential layers of knowledge. We describe how the use of simulation ties these layers of knowledge together and adds new and unique dimensions of knowledge. A mixed-methods research approach that includes simulation provides a broad multi-dimensional approach to health services and patient safety research.

Educational needs in patients with spondyloarthritis in Sweden - a mixed-methods study.

Science.gov (United States)

Haglund, Emma; Bremander, Ann; Bergman, Stefan; Larsson, Ingrid

2017-08-02

There is a demand for a flexible and individually tailored patient education to meet patients' specific needs and priorities, but this area has seldom been studied in patients with spondyloarthritis (SpA), a family of inflammatory rheumatic diseases. The aim of the present study was to identify needs and priorities in patient education in patients with SpA. A second aim was to investigate patients' experiences and preferences of receiving patient education. Data collection included a questionnaire survey with the Educational Needs Assessment Tool (ENAT) and interviews, using a mixed-methods design. Patients were identified through a specialist clinic register. Descriptive data are presented as mean with standard deviation, or frequencies. Chi-square test and independent-samples t-test were used for group comparisons. A manifest qualitative conventional content analysis was conducted to explore patients' experiences and needs in patient education, based on two focus groups (n = 6) and five individual interviews. Almost half (43%) of the 183 SpA patients had educational needs, particularly regarding aspects of self-help, feelings, and the disease process. More educational needs were reported by women and in patients with higher disease activity, while duration of disease did not affect the needs. The qualitative analysis highlighted the importance of obtaining a guiding, reliable, and easily available patient education for management of SpA. Individual contacts with healthcare professionals were of importance, but newer media were also requested. There are considerable educational needs in patients with SpA, and education concerning self-help, feelings, and the diseases process were raised as important issues. Healthcare professionals need to consider the importance of presenting varied formats of education based on the experiences and preferences of patients with SpA.

Methods of Suicide among Cancer Patients: A Nationwide Population-Based Study

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, Kuo-Hsuan; Lin, Herng-Ching

2010-01-01

A 3-year nationwide population-based data set was used to explore methods of suicide (violent vs. nonviolent) and possible contributing factors among cancer patients in Taiwan. A total of 1,065 cancer inpatients who committed suicide were included as our study sample. The regression shows that those who had genitourinary cancer were 0.55 times (p…

MO-FG-CAMPUS-TeP1-01: An Efficient Method of 3D Patient Dose Reconstruction Based On EPID Measurements for Pre-Treatment Patient Specific QA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

David, R; Lee, C [Central Coast Cancer Centre, Gosford, NSW (Australia); Calvary Mater Newcastle, Newcastle (Australia); Zwan, B; Hindmarsh, J; Seymour, E; Kandasamy, K; Arthur, G [Central Coast Cancer Centre, Gosford, NSW (Australia); Greer, P [Calvary Mater Newcastle, Newcastle (Australia); University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW (Australia)

2016-06-15

Purpose: To demonstrate an efficient and clinically relevant patient specific QA method by reconstructing 3D patient dose from 2D EPID images for IMRT plans. Also to determine the usefulness of 2D QA metrics when assessing 3D patient dose deviations. Methods: Using the method developed by King et al (Med Phys 39(5),2839–2847), EPID images of IMRT fields were acquired in air and converted to dose at 10 cm depth (SAD setup) in a flat virtual water phantom. Each EPID measured dose map was then divided by the corresponding treatment planning system (TPS) dose map calculated with an identical setup, to derive a 2D “error matrix”. For each field, the error matrix was used to adjust the doses along the respective ray lines in the original patient 3D dose. All field doses were combined to derive a reconstructed 3D patient dose for quantitative analysis. A software tool was developed to efficiently implement the entire process and was tested with a variety of IMRT plans for 2D (virtual flat phantom) and 3D (in-patient) QA analysis. Results: The method was tested on 60 IMRT plans. The mean (± standard deviation) 2D gamma (2%,2mm) pass rate (2D-GPR) was 97.4±3.0% and the mean 2D gamma index (2D-GI) was 0.35±0.06. The 3D PTV mean dose deviation was 1.8±0.8%. The analysis showed very weak correlations between both the 2D-GPR and 2D-GI when compared with PTV mean dose deviations (R2=0.3561 and 0.3632 respectively). Conclusion: Our method efficiently calculates 3D patient dose from 2D EPID images, utilising all of the advantages of an EPID-based dosimetry system. In this study, the 2D QA metrics did not predict the 3D patient dose deviation. This tool allows reporting of the 3D volumetric dose parameters thus providing more clinically relevant patient specific QA.

The Mayo Clinic Arizona Spasmodic Dysphonia Experience: A Demographic Analysis of 718 Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Patel, Alpen B; Bansberg, Stephen F; Adler, Charles H; Lott, David G; Crujido, Lisa

2015-11-01

Analyze demographic data collected over a 25-year experience of 718 patients with spasmodic dysphonia (SD) who have been treated with botulinum toxin-A (BoNT-A) and compare our data with previously published studies. Seven hundred eighteen patients with SD were treated with 6621 BoNT-A injections at Mayo Clinic Arizona between 1989 and 2014. All patients were treated by the same physician team. Background demographic data for each patient were recorded. Of 718 patients, 557 patients were female (77.6%). Six hundred sixty of 718 (91.8%) patients had adductor SD (AdSD), and 58 of 718 (8.1%) patients had abductor SD (AbSD). Average age of onset was 51 years. Of 718 patients, 378 (52.6%) had vocal tremor (VT); VT was present in 54.4% of AdSD patients and 32.1% of AbSD patients. Thirty-seven of 718 (5.2%) patients had other dystonias, including cervical dystonia (2.3%), blepharospasm (1.4%), limb dystonia (1.1%), and oromandibular dystonia (0.3%). A positive family history of SD was present in only 6 of 718 patients (0.8%) and of other dystonias in 11 of 718 patients (1.5%). Spasmodic dysphonia is a chronic and potentially disabling focal laryngeal dystonia. The Mayo Clinic Arizona SD experience compares to prior reports and reveals a female preponderance, onset in middle age, infrequent hereditary pattern, high co-occurrence of VT, and low co-occurrence of other dystonias. © The Author(s) 2015.

Individual radiation therapy patient whole-body phantoms for peripheral dose evaluations: method and specific software

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alziar, I; Vicente, C; Giordana, G; Ben-Harrath, O; De Vathaire, F; Diallo, I; Bonniaud, G; Couanet, D; Chavaudra, J; Lefkopoulos, D; Ruaud, J B; Diaz, J C; Grandjean, P; Kafrouni, H

2009-01-01

This study presents a method aimed at creating radiotherapy (RT) patient-adjustable whole-body phantoms to permit retrospective and prospective peripheral dose evaluations for enhanced patient radioprotection. Our strategy involves virtual whole-body patient models (WBPM) in different RT treatment positions for both genders and for different age groups. It includes a software tool designed to match the anatomy of the phantoms with the anatomy of the actual patients, based on the quality of patient data available. The procedure for adjusting a WBPM to patient morphology includes typical dimensions available in basic auxological tables for the French population. Adjustment is semi-automatic. Because of the complexity of the human anatomy, skilled personnel are required to validate changes made in the phantom anatomy. This research is part of a global project aimed at proposing appropriate methods and software tools capable of reconstituting the anatomy and dose evaluations in the entire body of RT patients in an adapted treatment planning system (TPS). The graphic user interface is that of a TPS adapted to obtain a comfortable working process. Such WBPM have been used to supplement patient therapy planning images, usually restricted to regions involved in treatment. Here we report, as an example, the case of a patient treated for prostate cancer whose therapy planning images were complemented by an anatomy model. Although present results are preliminary and our research is ongoing, they appear encouraging, since such patient-adjusted phantoms are crucial in the optimization of radiation protection of patients and for follow-up studies. (note)