Cardiac abnormalities assessed by non-invasive techniques in patients with newly diagnosed idiopathic inflammatory myopathies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Diederichsen, Louise Pyndt; Simonsen, Jane Angel; Diederichsen, Axel Cosmus Pyndt

2015-01-01

inflammatory myopathies (IIM) by means of non-invasive techniques. METHODS: Fourteen patients with IIM (8 polymyositis, 4 dermatomyositis, 2 cancer-associated dermatomyositis) and 14 gender- and age- matched healthy control subjects were investigated. Participant assessments included a cardiac questionnaire...... in 8 (57%) of the patients compared to none of the controls (pgroup (p=0.01). Two patients had systolic dysfunction, and one diastolic dysfunction...

Fourteen years of geomagnetic daily variation at Mario Zucchelli Station (Antarctica

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A. Meloni

2007-06-01

Full Text Available During the 1986-87 austral summer a geomagnetic observatory was installed at the Italian Antarctic Base Mario Zucchelli Station. In the first three years continuous time variation monitoring and absolute measurements of the geomagnetic field were carried out only during summer expeditions. Starting 1991 an automatic acquisition system, operating through all the year, was put in operation. We present here some peculiarities of the daily variation as observed for fourteen years (1987-2000. The availability of a long series of data has allowed the definition of seasonal, as well as solar cycle effects, on short time variations as observed at a cusp-cap observatory. In particular, contrary to mid latitude behaviour, a clear dependence of the daily variation amplitude on the global geomagnetic K index was well defined.

Living unrelated donor kidney transplantation: A fourteen-year experience

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Ignjatović Ljiljana

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Background. In countries without a national organization for retrieval and distribution of organs of the deceased donors, problem of organ shortage is still not resolved. In order to increase the number of kidney transplantations we started with the program of living unrelated - spousal donors. The aim of this study was to compare treatment outcome and renal graft function in patients receiving the graft from spousal and those receiving ghe graft from living related donors. Method. We retrospectively identified 14 patients who received renal allograft from spousal donors between 1996 and 2009 (group I. The control group consisted of 14 patients who got graft from related donor retrieved from the database and matched than with respect to sex, age, kidney disease, immunological and viral pretransplant status, the initial method of the end stage renal disease treatment and ABO compatibility. In the follow-up period of 41 ± 38 months we recorded immunosuppressive therapy, surgical complications, episodes of acute rejection, CMV infection and graft function, assessed by serum creatinine levels at the beginning and in the end of the follow-up period. All patients had pretransplant negative cross-match. In ABO incompatible patients pretransplant isoagglutinine titer was zero. Results. The patients with a spousal donor had worse HLA matching. There were no significant differences between the groups in surgical, infective, immunological complications and graft function. Two patients from the group I returned to hemodialysis after 82 and 22 months due to serious comorbidities. Conclusion. In spite of the worse HLA matching, graft survival and function of renal grafts from spousal donors were as good as those retrieved from related donors.

A method for co-creation of an evidence-based patient workbook to address alcohol use when quitting smoking in primary care: a case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Minian, Nadia; Noormohamed, Aliya; Zawertailo, Laurie; Baliunas, Dolly; Giesbrecht, Norman; Le Foll, Bernard; Rehm, Jürgen; Samokhvalov, Andriy; Selby, Peter L

2018-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to describe a patient engagement event designed to create an educational workbook with smokers who drink alcohol at harmful levels. The goal was to create a workbook that combined scientific evidence with patients' values, preferences, and needs. Fourteen adult smokers who drink alcohol were invited to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) to take part in a four-hour event to help design the workbook with the CAMH research team. Participants provided their opinions and ideas to create an outline for the workbook, including activities, images, and titles. The workbook - called Self-Awareness - is currently being offered in a smoking cessation program in 221 primary care clinics across Ontario to help smokers quit or reduce their harmful alcohol use. The patient engagement event was a useful way to co-create educational materials that incorporate both scientific research and patient needs. Background Evidence-based medicine is the integration of best research evidence with clinical expertise and patient values. There are few methodologies on how to design evidence-based programs and resources to include patient values. The latter is an important aspect of patient-centered care, and is essential for patients to trust the recommendations and empower them as consumers to make informed choices. This manuscript describes a participatory research approach to design patient-facing educational materials that incorporate both evidence-based and community-sensitive principles. These materials are intended to support smokers to reduce or stop harmful alcohol consumption. Methods Adult smokers who report consuming alcohol were invited to a co-creation meeting at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health's Nicotine Dependence Service to guide the adaptation of evidence-based materials. The four-hour event consisted of individual reflections, group discussions, and consensus-building interactions. Detailed notes were taken and then

Computed tomography-guided needle biopsy of lung lesions in fourteen cats and dogs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshida, K.; Mori, T.; Yamada, M.; Sakaida, M.; Yonemaru, K.; Murakami, M.; Sakai, H.; Maruo, K.

2007-01-01

Computed tomography (CT)-guided fine-needle aspirates (FNA) or core biopsies of lung lesions were performed in nine dogs and five cats. A clinical diagnosis was obtained in twelve of fourteen animals (85%), namely 80% FNA and 100% core biopsies. Eight animals had other mass (es) apart from the lung, and five were diagnosed to metastases. In only one case, the lung mass was histopathologically diagnosed as a malignant primary tumor. Iatrogenic complications through the lung biopsies were noted in four animals, and three showed mild pneumothorax on CT images and one was bleeding from the needle. However, between fifteen and thirty minutes after the biopsy, no animal indicated signs of pneumothorax or hemorrhage

A comparison of imaging methods for the diagnosis of gallbladder and biliary duct carcinomas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kersjes, W.; Koester, O.; Heuer, M.; Schneider, B.; Bonn Univ.

1990-01-01

Fourteen patients with carcinomas of the gallbladder and eight patients with biliary duct carcinomas were examined by CT, sonography, percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography (PTC), endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERC) and angiography. The results were compared retrospectively. Sonography proved suitable as a screening method. For accurate demonstration, this should be supplemented by C.T.. PTC and ERC demonstrate intraductal extension of biliary carcinomas and of gallbladder carcinomas infiltrating the bile ducts. The value of angiography consists merely in the pre-operative demonstration of the vascular anatomy. (orig.) [de

International to domestic price transmission in fourteen developing countries during the 2007-08 food crisis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Baltzer, Kenneth Thomas

-through in China and India, over close relationship between international and domestic prices in Brazil and South Africa, to substantial domestic price overshooting in Ethiopia and Nigeria. Much of this variation can be explained by price stabilization policies, public policy failure, incomplete market integration......This paper synthesizes the evidence on price transmission from international maize, rice and wheat markets to domestic markets in fourteen developing countries during the global food crisis in 2007-08. A great variation in the price transmission patterns is observed; from almost no price pass...

Milrinone for cardiac dysfunction in critically ill adult patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Koster, Geert; Bekema, Hanneke J; Wetterslev, Jørn

2016-01-01

INTRODUCTION: Milrinone is an inotrope widely used for treatment of cardiac failure. Because previous meta-analyses had methodological flaws, we decided to conduct a systematic review of the effect of milrinone in critically ill adult patients with cardiac dysfunction. METHODS: This systematic...... trials were at high risk of bias, and none reported the primary composite outcome SAE. Fourteen trials with 1611 randomised patients reported mortality data at maximum follow-up (RR 0.96; 95% confidence interval 0.76-1.21). Milrinone did not significantly affect other patient-centred outcomes. All...... analyses displayed statistical and/or clinical heterogeneity of patients, interventions, comparators, outcomes, and/or settings and all featured missing data. DISCUSSION: The current evidence on the use of milrinone in critically ill adult patients with cardiac dysfunction suffers from considerable risks...

Impact of different treatment methods on survival in advanced pancreatic cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brasiuniene, B.; Juozaityte, E.; Barauskas, G.

2005-01-01

The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of different treatment methods on survival of patients treated for advanced pancreatic cancer at Kaunas University of Medicine Hospital from 1987 to 2003. Data on 262 patients with advanced pancreatic cancer treated from 1987 to 2003 were analyzed retrospectively. Four groups of patients were analyzed. One hundred eighty patients underwent palliative bypass or endoscopic bile duct stenting or observation alone. Forty three patients in addition to surgery were treated by radiotherapy. Twenty five patients received gemcitabine in standard doses and schedules. Fourteen patients received concomitant chemoradiotherapy (with gemcitabine or 5-fluorouracil). All patients were grouped by treatment method and median survival was analyzed. Median survival of patients treated by palliative surgery only or observation alone was 1.9 month, and for patients treated by palliative surgery and radiotherapy was 6.1 months (p=0.00007). Median survival of patients treated with gemcitabine was 9.5 months (p<0.001), and median survival of patients treated with concomitant chemoradiotherapy was 8.5 months (p=0.00003). Patients diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer in addition to surgical treatment should be treated by chemotherapy, concomitant chemoradiotherapy or radiotherapy. (author)

Fourteen-Year Long-Term Results after Gastric Banding

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Christine Stroh

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Gastric banding (GB is a common bariatric procedure that is performed worldwide. Weight loss can be substantial after this procedure, but it is not sufficient in a significant portion of patients. Long-term rates for associated complications increase with every year of follow up, and only a few long-term studies have been published that examine these rates. We present our results after 14 years of postoperative follow up. Methods. Two hundred patients were operated upon form 01.02.1995 to 31.01.2009. Data collection was performed prospectively. In retrospective analysis, we analyzed weight loss, short- and long-term complications, amelioration of comorbidities and long-term outcome. Results. The mean postoperative follow up time was 94.4 months (range 2–144. The follow up rate was 83.5%. The incidence of postoperative complications for slippage was 2.5%, for pouch dilatation was 9.5%, for band migration was 5.5% and 12.0% for overall band removal. After 14 years, the reoperation rate was 30.5% with a reoperation rate of 2.2% for every year of follow up. Excess weight loss was 40.2% after 1 year, 46.3% after 2 years, 45.9% after 3 years, 41.9% after five years, 33.3% after 8 years, 30.8% after 10 years, 33.3% after 12 years and 15.6% after 14 years of follow up. Conclusion. The complication and reoperation rate after GB is high. Nevertheless, GB is still a therapeutic option in morbid obese patients, but the criteria for patient selection should be carefully evaluated.

Fourteen-years experience with cochlear implantation in Ramathibodi Hospital.

Science.gov (United States)

Kasemsuwan, Lalida; Cheewaruangroj, Wichit; Tungkeeratichai, Jumroon; Bhongmakapat, Thongchai; Thawin, Cheamchit; Lertsukprasert, Krisna; Tiravanitchakul, Rattinan; Dara, Rada; Laothamatas, Jiraporn

2010-12-01

To review the cochlear implant program in Ramathibodi Hospital and share experience of cochlear implantation emphasized on clinical and surgical outcomes. Retrospective review of 143 ears (140 patients) operated with cochlear implant between 1995 and 2009. The demographic data including etiology of deafness and findings from temporal bone CTscans were reviewed. The authors' experience with cochlear implant surgery in terms of patient selection, patient advisory clinic, necessary equipment, pre- and postoperative evaluations, surgical techniques and complications were discussed. Most congenital origin was unknown etiology and congenital rubella was the most common known cause. From the CT scans of congenital deafness, vestibular aqueduct dilatation was the most common and found in 29.31% while Mondini malformation was shown to be 16.37%. The authors' surgical technique of using the pocket method and designed bony ridge at cortical mastoid rim had helped stabilizing the implant and electrode fancoil. During the last two years, no complication or revision surgery was detected. Cochlear implant surgery in both children and adults can result in good surgical outcome and fewer complications under experienced surgeons and a good team.

Brain Embolism Secondary to Cardiac Myxoma in Fifteen Chinese Patients

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Youming Long

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Heart myxoma-related embolisms commonly involve the central nervous system, but data are lacking in Chinese patients. Methods. 27 patients diagnosed with myxoma were reviewed retrospectively. Results. Among 27 patients, fourteen (51.9% patients were women. Fifteen (55.6% patients had brain embolisms. Rarely, patients were misdiagnosed with central nervous system vasculitis (n = 2, moyamoya disease (n = 1, and neuromyelitis optica (n = 1. We found positive associations between mRS (>3 and female gender (r = 0.873, P10 × 109/L (r = 0.722, P = 0.002, tumour size (r = 0.866, P0.05. Conclusions. Neurologic manifestations in Chinese patients with cardiac myxoma-related stroke were complicated and multifarious. Female gender, infection, other severe complications, low SBP, tumour size, bilateral brain lesions, TACI, and high WBC counts could be associated with a poor prognosis.

Simultaneous analysis of fourteen tertiary amine stimulants in human urine for doping control purposes by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu Jianghai; Wang San; Dong Ying; Wang Xiaobing; Yang Shuming; Zhang Jianli; Deng Jing; Qin Yang; Xu Youxuan; Wu Moutian; Ouyang Gangfeng

2010-01-01

A method for the simultaneous screening and confirmation of the presence of fourteen tertiary amine stimulants in human urine by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) in combination with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) has been developed and validated. Solid phase extraction (SPE) and liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) approaches were utilized for the pre-treatment of the urine samples. The study indicated that the capillary temperature played a significant role in the signal abundances of the protonated molecules of cropropamide and crotethamide under positive ion electrospray ionization (ESI) conditions. In addition, comparison studies of two different pre-treatment approaches as well as the two ionization modes were conducted. The LODs of the developed method for all the analytes were lower than the minimum required performance limit (MRPL) as set forth in the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) technical document for laboratories. The human urine sample obtained after oral administration of prolintane.HCl was successfully analyzed by the developed method, which demonstrated the applicability and reliability of the method for routine doping control analysis.

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.

Oral rinse as a potential method to culture Candida isolate from AIDS patients

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Desiana Radithia

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Background: Candida isolate is easily sampled from oral cavity by swabbing directly on the candidiasis lesion, to be smeared onto slides for direct examination or cultured in a growth medium. This method is by far the gold standard for defining candidiasis diagnosis. However it is difficult to apply on sensitive patients and almost impossible on patients showing no clinical appearance of oral candidiasis. AIDS patients are very prone to candida infection and have a tendency of repetitive infection involving mixed species. As many candida species show different susceptibility to anti-fungal agents, it is necessary to identify the species causing the infection in the management of oral candidiasis. Oral rinse is a suggested method to obtain candida isolate to be cultured for further analysis such as species identification. This method is simple and less risky on infection transmission as less tools are required in the procedure. Purpose: This study aimed to assess the application of oral rinse as an alternative method to culture Candida isolate from AIDS patients. Methods: A cross-sectional observative study was conducted in HIV/AIDS in-Patient Facility of Intermediate Care Unit for Infection Disease, Dr. Soetomo Hospital Surabaya. Fourteen stadium 4 AIDS patients matching criteria were swabbed on 1/3-posterior of the tongue, and then given 10 ml phosphate buffer saline to rinse vigorously for 15 seconds. Both specimens were cultured on Sabouraud’s dextrose agar and colony growth was observed. Results: Candida colonies were able to grow from all 14 isolates (100% by both methods. Qualitatively, cultures from oral rinse specimens were more populated than cultures from swab specimens. Conclusion: Oral rinse is an applicable technique to obtain Candida species isolate. This technique is safe, easy, non-invasive, and needs less tools therefore less risky for HIV transmission.Latar belakang: Isolat Candida mudah diambil dengan cara mengusap lesi

Encephalopathy associated with autoimmune thyroid disease in patients with Graves' disease: clinical manifestations, follow-up, and outcomes.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Tamagno, Gianluca

2012-02-01

BACKGROUND: The encephalopathy associated with autoimmune thyroid disease (EAATD) is characterized by neurological\\/psychiatric symptoms, high levels of anti-thyroid antibodies, increased cerebrospinal fluid protein concentration, non-specific electroencephalogram abnormalities, and responsiveness to the corticosteroid treatment in patients with an autoimmune thyroid disease. Almost all EAATD patients are affected by Hashimoto\\'s thyroiditis (HT), although fourteen EAATD patients with Graves\\' disease (GD) have been also reported. METHODS: We have recorded and analyzed the clinical, biological, radiological, and electrophysiological findings and the data on the therapeutic management of all GD patients with EAATD reported so far as well as the clinical outcomes in those followed-up in the long term. RESULTS: Twelve of the fourteen patients with EAATD and GD were women. The majority of GD patients with EAATD presented with mild hyperthyroidism at EAATD onset or shortly before it. Active anti-thyroid autoimmunity was detected in all cases. Most of the patients dramatically responded to corticosteroids. The long term clinical outcome was benign but EAATD can relapse, especially at the time of corticosteroid dose tapering or withdrawal. GD and HT patients with EAATD present with a similar clinical, biological, radiological, and electrophysiological picture and require an unaffected EAATD management. CONCLUSIONS: GD and HT equally represent the possible background condition for the development of EAATD, which should be considered in the differential diagnosis of all patients with encephalopathy of unknown origin and an autoimmune thyroid disease, regardless of the nature of the underlying autoimmune thyroid disease.

Encephalopathy associated with autoimmune thyroid disease in patients with Graves' disease: clinical manifestations, follow-up, and outcomes

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Tamagno, Gianluca

2010-04-28

Abstract Background The encephalopathy associated with autoimmune thyroid disease (EAATD) is characterized by neurological\\/psychiatric symptoms, high levels of anti-thyroid antibodies, increased cerebrospinal fluid protein concentration, non-specific electroencephalogram abnormalities, and responsiveness to the corticosteroid treatment in patients with an autoimmune thyroid disease. Almost all EAATD patients are affected by Hashimoto\\'s thyroiditis (HT), although fourteen EAATD patients with Graves\\' disease (GD) have been also reported. Methods We have recorded and analyzed the clinical, biological, radiological, and electrophysiological findings and the data on the therapeutic management of all GD patients with EAATD reported so far as well as the clinical outcomes in those followed-up in the long term. Results Twelve of the fourteen patients with EAATD and GD were women. The majority of GD patients with EAATD presented with mild hyperthyroidism at EAATD onset or shortly before it. Active anti-thyroid autoimmunity was detected in all cases. Most of the patients dramatically responded to corticosteroids. The long term clinical outcome was benign but EAATD can relapse, especially at the time of corticosteroid dose tapering or withdrawal. GD and HT patients with EAATD present with a similar clinical, biological, radiological, and electrophysiological picture and require an unaffected EAATD management. Conclusions GD and HT equally represent the possible background condition for the development of EAATD, which should be considered in the differential diagnosis of all patients with encephalopathy of unknown origin and an autoimmune thyroid disease, regardless of the nature of the underlying autoimmune thyroid disease.

Encephalopathy associated with autoimmune thyroid disease in patients with Graves' disease: clinical manifestations, follow-up, and outcomes.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Tamagno, Gianluca

2010-01-01

BACKGROUND: The encephalopathy associated with autoimmune thyroid disease (EAATD) is characterized by neurological\\/psychiatric symptoms, high levels of anti-thyroid antibodies, increased cerebrospinal fluid protein concentration, non-specific electroencephalogram abnormalities, and responsiveness to the corticosteroid treatment in patients with an autoimmune thyroid disease. Almost all EAATD patients are affected by Hashimoto\\'s thyroiditis (HT), although fourteen EAATD patients with Graves\\' disease (GD) have been also reported. METHODS: We have recorded and analyzed the clinical, biological, radiological, and electrophysiological findings and the data on the therapeutic management of all GD patients with EAATD reported so far as well as the clinical outcomes in those followed-up in the long term. RESULTS: Twelve of the fourteen patients with EAATD and GD were women. The majority of GD patients with EAATD presented with mild hyperthyroidism at EAATD onset or shortly before it. Active anti-thyroid autoimmunity was detected in all cases. Most of the patients dramatically responded to corticosteroids. The long term clinical outcome was benign but EAATD can relapse, especially at the time of corticosteroid dose tapering or withdrawal. GD and HT patients with EAATD present with a similar clinical, biological, radiological, and electrophysiological picture and require an unaffected EAATD management. CONCLUSIONS: GD and HT equally represent the possible background condition for the development of EAATD, which should be considered in the differential diagnosis of all patients with encephalopathy of unknown origin and an autoimmune thyroid disease, regardless of the nature of the underlying autoimmune thyroid disease.

Adalimumab effect in a cohort of Libyan patients with rheumatic ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Four patients had psoriatic arthritis, mean age was 40 years, two were females and two were males. One patient had AOSD; she was a female aged 58 years. All RA patients were on prednisolone and/or one or two DMARD before starting adalimumab and failed to show a response. Fourteen AS patients were on one or two ...

[Implementation of the program of "Collaborative Development of Advanced Practical Education to Train Pharmacists in Leadership" under the joint operation of the pharmaceutical departments in fourteen national universities].

Science.gov (United States)

Hirata, Kazumasa; Tamura, Satoru; Kobayashi, Motomasa

2012-01-01

"Collaborative Development of Advanced Practical Education Program to Train Pharmacists with Leadership" applied jointly by the pharmaceutical departments of fourteen national universities was selected to receive the special expenditure support of Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology for fiscal year 2010 under "the Training of Highly Skillful Professionals and Improvement of the Quality of the Function of Professional Education". This project is to promote the collaborative development of the educational program which will make it possible to further advance and substantiate the education of pharmacists in the six year course of the pharmaceutical department for the ultimate purpose to introduce pharmacists with leadership who can play an active role and fill in a leadership position in a wide range of responsibilities into the society which, more and more, has come to expect pharmacy to take the initiative in acting against health hazards caused by infections, foods and environmental pollution as well as to meet the diversification of healthcare. To be more specific, this project is to try and evaluate the following programs repeatedly based on the plan-do-check-act (PDCA) cycle: 1) Practical medical and pharmaceutical education program; 2) Program concerning research on long term themes and advanced education; 3) Program concerning training and education of SPs (standardized patients or simulated patients) and PBL (problem-based learning) tutorial education; and 4) Program concerning the method of evaluation of education. Through this repeated trial and evaluation, this project ultimately seeks to construct a highly effective practical educational program which integrates each university's achievements and educational attempts rich in originality.

[Segmental wall movement of the left ventricle in healthy persons and myocardial infarct patients studied by a catheter-less nuclear medical method (camera-cinematography of the heart)].

Science.gov (United States)

Geffers, H; Sigel, H; Bitter, F; Kampmann, H; Stauch, M; Adam, W E

1976-08-01

Camera-Kinematography is a nearly noninvasive method to investigate regional motion of the myocard, and allows evaluation of the function of the heart. About 20 min after injection of 15-20 mCi of 99mTC-Human-Serum-Albumin, when the tracer is distributed homogenously within the bloodpool, data acquisition starts. Myocardial wall motion is represented in an appropriate quasi three-dimensional form. In this representation scars can be revealed as "silent" (akinetic) regions, aneurysms by asynchronic motion. Time activity curves for arbitrarily chosen regions can be calculated and give an equivalent for regional volume changes. 16 patients with an old infarction have been investigated. In fourteen cases the location and extent of regions with abnormal motion could be evaluated. Only two cases of a small posterior wall infarction did not show deviations from normal contraction pattern.

Sericeous thyroglobulin and whole body thyroid scan in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mendoza, G.; Cano, R.; Morales, R.; Huanca, M.; Postigo, J.; Farfan, J.

1994-01-01

Thyroid cancer is the most frequent malignant tumor among endocrine diseases. it has an incidence of 1,87 cases per hundred thousand habitants. Thyroglobulin is an iodo glycoprotein useful in the follow-up of patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma. Total body scan is a well established method to localize distant functioning metastases. We report the concordance of this two methods in 22 patients attending to the Nuclear Medicine Center and proceeding from the Head and Neck Department of INEN, which had undergone total thyroidectomy, received a I-131 ablative dose, performed a total body scan and determined the thyroglobulin concentration fourteen were female patients and the same number were accounted as high risk patients. We conclude for the studied population, that an excellent correlation between thyroglobulin and scans was noted and that 6,5 ng/ml will be used as a cut-off point for the thyroglobulin determination. (authors). 40 refs., 5 tabs

Encephalopathy associated with autoimmune thyroid disease in patients with Graves' disease: clinical manifestations, follow-up, and outcomes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lee Byung I

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The encephalopathy associated with autoimmune thyroid disease (EAATD is characterized by neurological/psychiatric symptoms, high levels of anti-thyroid antibodies, increased cerebrospinal fluid protein concentration, non-specific electroencephalogram abnormalities, and responsiveness to the corticosteroid treatment in patients with an autoimmune thyroid disease. Almost all EAATD patients are affected by Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT, although fourteen EAATD patients with Graves' disease (GD have been also reported. Methods We have recorded and analyzed the clinical, biological, radiological, and electrophysiological findings and the data on the therapeutic management of all GD patients with EAATD reported so far as well as the clinical outcomes in those followed-up in the long term. Results Twelve of the fourteen patients with EAATD and GD were women. The majority of GD patients with EAATD presented with mild hyperthyroidism at EAATD onset or shortly before it. Active anti-thyroid autoimmunity was detected in all cases. Most of the patients dramatically responded to corticosteroids. The long term clinical outcome was benign but EAATD can relapse, especially at the time of corticosteroid dose tapering or withdrawal. GD and HT patients with EAATD present with a similar clinical, biological, radiological, and electrophysiological picture and require an unaffected EAATD management. Conclusions GD and HT equally represent the possible background condition for the development of EAATD, which should be considered in the differential diagnosis of all patients with encephalopathy of unknown origin and an autoimmune thyroid disease, regardless of the nature of the underlying autoimmune thyroid disease.

Using the modified Delphi method to establish clinical consensus for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with rotator cuff pathology

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Breda H. Eubank

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Patients presenting to the healthcare system with rotator cuff pathology do not always receive high quality care. High quality care occurs when a patient receives care that is accessible, appropriate, acceptable, effective, efficient, and safe. The aim of this study was twofold: 1 to develop a clinical pathway algorithm that sets forth a stepwise process for making decisions about the diagnosis and treatment of rotator cuff pathology presenting to primary, secondary, and tertiary healthcare settings; and 2 to establish clinical practice guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of rotator cuff pathology to inform decision-making processes within the algorithm. Methods A three-step modified Delphi method was used to establish consensus. Fourteen experts representing athletic therapy, physiotherapy, sport medicine, and orthopaedic surgery were invited to participate as the expert panel. In round 1, 123 best practice statements were distributed to the panel. Panel members were asked to mark “agree” or “disagree” beside each statement, and provide comments. The same voting method was again used for round 2. Round 3 consisted of a final face-to-face meeting. Results In round 1, statements were grouped and reduced to 44 statements that met consensus. In round 2, five statements reached consensus. In round 3, ten statements reached consensus. Consensus was reached for 59 statements representing five domains: screening, diagnosis, physical examination, investigations, and treatment. The final face-to-face meeting was also used to develop clinical pathway algorithms (i.e., clinical care pathways for three types of rotator cuff pathology: acute, chronic, and acute-on-chronic. Conclusion This consensus guideline will help to standardize care, provide guidance on the diagnosis and treatment of rotator cuff pathology, and assist in clinical decision-making for all healthcare professionals.

THE CLINICAL-SIGNIFICANCE OF CORONARY ANATOMY IN POST-INFARCT PATIENTS WITH LATE SUSTAINED VENTRICULAR-TACHYCARDIA OR VENTRICULAR-FIBRILLATION

NARCIS (Netherlands)

WIESFELD, ACP; CRIJNS, HJGM; HILLEGE, HL; TUININGA, YS; LIE, KI

The role of ischaemia in post-infarct patients with ventricular tachyarrhythmias is not firmly established Using coronary angiography, 82 post-infarct patients with sustained ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation were subclassified into three groups. Fourteen patients (17%) had significant

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.

Testicular Sperm Sampling by Subcapsular Orchiectomy in Klinefelter Patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fedder, Jens; Gravholt, Claus H.; Kristensen, Stine Gry

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate subcapsular orchiectomy as a method to retrieve spermatozoa from minute testicular foci in men with Klinefelter syndrome (KS). METHODS: Fourteen men with KS were consecutively recruited to unilateral subcapsular orchiectomy. Testicular tissue was dissected mechanically...

Parathormone, Calcium And Phosphorus In Autotransplanted Parathyroid, Total Thyriodectomized Patients

OpenAIRE

Abdel Salam, I. M. [ابراهيم عبد السلام; Murad, M.; Gamil, M. M.

1995-01-01

The success of parathyroid autotransplantation was indicated by the postoperative assay of serum parathormone in thirteen out of fourteen patients to whom total thyroidectomy was carried out because of thyroid cancer during the past three years. Four glands were autotransplanted in four patients and froam two to three glamds were trasplanted in the remaineng nime patients. All patients were followed up with daily calcium and phosphate determinations. Patients with low ca"1"1" level and with h...

Ocular Disorders In Patients Infected With The Human ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Fourteen patients (2.7%) had Herpes zoster ophthalmicus, four (0.8%) had Squamuos cell carcinoma, two (0.4%) had Kaposi\\'s sarcoma while one (0.2%) had Cytomegalovirus retinitis. The signs seen on ocular examination were vesicular rash (66.7%) diminished vision (57.1%) corneal ulcers (38.0%), conjunctival ...

A changing trend in the management of patients with newly diagnosed Crohn's disease.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Qasim, A

2012-02-01

BACKGROUND: Epidemiologic shift with rising incidence of Crohn\\'s disease (CD) has been reported in recent studies. AIMS: To determine disease behaviour and therapeutic interventions undertaken in newly diagnosed patients with CD. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with CD between January 2006 and June 2008 were included. Disease type, location, degree of involvement and type of therapeutic interventions were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 78 patients were included. Colonic, ileo-colonic, terminal ileal and isolated small bowel disease were present in 37, 27, 9 and 5 patients, respectively. Disease phenotype was inflammatory, stenosing and fistulising in 42, 30 and 6 patients, respectively. Surgery was required in 22 patients, including right hemicolectomy (n = 8), subtotal colectomy (n = 4), segmental colonic resection (n = 2), segmental small bowel resection (n = 2), appendectomy (n = 2) and perianal surgery (n = 4). Fourteen patients underwent surgery at the time of diagnosis. Laparoscopic surgery was performed in 14 patients. CONCLUSIONS: A significant proportion of newly diagnosed patients with CD underwent surgical intervention on their first admission to hospital. This may signify a changing trend in the management approach.

Using the modified Delphi method to establish clinical consensus for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with rotator cuff pathology.

Science.gov (United States)

Eubank, Breda H; Mohtadi, Nicholas G; Lafave, Mark R; Wiley, J Preston; Bois, Aaron J; Boorman, Richard S; Sheps, David M

2016-05-20

Patients presenting to the healthcare system with rotator cuff pathology do not always receive high quality care. High quality care occurs when a patient receives care that is accessible, appropriate, acceptable, effective, efficient, and safe. The aim of this study was twofold: 1) to develop a clinical pathway algorithm that sets forth a stepwise process for making decisions about the diagnosis and treatment of rotator cuff pathology presenting to primary, secondary, and tertiary healthcare settings; and 2) to establish clinical practice guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of rotator cuff pathology to inform decision-making processes within the algorithm. A three-step modified Delphi method was used to establish consensus. Fourteen experts representing athletic therapy, physiotherapy, sport medicine, and orthopaedic surgery were invited to participate as the expert panel. In round 1, 123 best practice statements were distributed to the panel. Panel members were asked to mark "agree" or "disagree" beside each statement, and provide comments. The same voting method was again used for round 2. Round 3 consisted of a final face-to-face meeting. In round 1, statements were grouped and reduced to 44 statements that met consensus. In round 2, five statements reached consensus. In round 3, ten statements reached consensus. Consensus was reached for 59 statements representing five domains: screening, diagnosis, physical examination, investigations, and treatment. The final face-to-face meeting was also used to develop clinical pathway algorithms (i.e., clinical care pathways) for three types of rotator cuff pathology: acute, chronic, and acute-on-chronic. This consensus guideline will help to standardize care, provide guidance on the diagnosis and treatment of rotator cuff pathology, and assist in clinical decision-making for all healthcare professionals.

[Analysis of fourteen French national programmes on physical activity and sports as determinants of health from 2001 to 2006].

Science.gov (United States)

Bréchat, Pierre-Henri; Vogel, Thomas; Berthel, Marc; Kaltenbach, Georges; Le Divenah, Aude; Segouin, Christophe; Rymer, Roland; Lonsdorfer, Jean

2009-01-01

Physical activity and sports are considered as one of the determinants of health. The aim of this study is to review the rationale for the formulation of this public health issue and its integration in national action plans. The study shows that fourteen national programmes were drafted and implemented between 2001 and 2006 by seven institutions. The research methodology was based on crossing data obtained from semi-directed interviews and documents regarding the design, implementation and follow-up of these programmes. For the conditions of the success, the fourteen actions scored an average of 175.0 +/- 66.9 out of 300%. Public health actors and professionals must be given more opportunities to involve themselves and engage in developing stronger relationships and linkages, in particular with the institutional and community settings. In general, the most invested parts of a programme are the structural and operational aspects of activities. Six significant points surfaced from the study: consideration of drug use as an addictive behaviour; recognition of the psychological stress of professional athletes; acknowledgment of youth as being at high risk for doping behaviour; integration of the concept that physical activity and sports must take the benefit/risk perspective into account; and the necessity to promote health. Through the exchange of numerous local and regional experiences, an optimisation of their synergistic connections was made possible on a continuum extending from "health promotion through physical activity and sports" to "prevention of drug-use and doping behaviours". Professionals have been able to develop actions in the above-mentioned domains across this continuum that have, to date, remained isolated. Proposals are made to strengthen these dynamics. Other health determinants and public health priorities could be investigated with the same methodology.

A narrative literature review to direct spinal cord injury patient education programming.

Science.gov (United States)

van Wyk, Kim; Backwell, Amber; Townson, Andrea

2015-01-01

To summarize the evidence on SCI-related education literature, while looking at potential barriers, solutions, benefits, and patient preferences regarding SCI patient education. A literature review was conducted using 5 electronic databases. Quality appraisal instruments were designed to determine the methodological rigor of the quantitative and qualitative studies found. Selected articles were read in their entirety and themes were abstracted. Fourteen articles met the inclusion criteria for this narrative literature review, all of which were based on research studies. Seven of these 14 were quantitative studies, 3 were qualitative studies, and 4 were mixed-methods studies. To improve SCI education during rehabilitation, programs should maximize the receptiveness of newly injured patients to SCI-related information, optimize the delivery of SCI education, increase the number of opportunities for learning, promote and support lifelong learning, and include patient and program evaluation. How these strategies are specifically implemented needs to be determined by program management in consultation with various stakeholders, whilst considering the unique characteristics of the rehabilitation facility.

Demographic and clinical profile of patients with juvenile onset open ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Department of Ophthalmology, Federal Medical Centre, Owo, 1Department of Ophthalmology,. University ... (JOAG) in the eye clinic of a tertiary hospital in southwestern Nigeria. ... Glaucoma is a heterogenous group of optic nerve diseases ... Fourteen (48.3%) of the patients were students, while one ... Refractive error. 1.

Review of the Berosus Leach of Venezuela (Coleoptera, Hydrophilidae, Berosini with description of fourteen new species

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Adriana Oliva

2012-07-01

Full Text Available The species of the water scavenger beetle genus Berosus Leach occurring in Venezuela are reviewed. Thirty-six species are recorded, including fifteen new species, fourteen of which are described here as new: B. aragua sp. n., B. asymmetricus sp. n., B. capanaparo sp. n., B. castaneus sp. n., B. corozo sp. n., B. ebeninus sp. n., B. garciai sp. n., B. humeralis sp. n., B. jolyi sp. n., B. llanensis sp. n., B. megaphallus sp. n., B. ornaticollis sp. n., B. repertus sp. n., and B. tramidrum sp. n. The fifteenth new species, known from a single female, is left undescribed pending the collection of males. Twelve species are recorded from Venezuela for the first time: B. ambogynus Mouchamps, B. consobrinus Knisch, B. elegans Knisch, B. geayi d’Orchymont, B. ghanicus d’Orchymont, B. guyanensis Queney, B. holdhausi Knisch, B. marquardti Knisch, B. olivae Queney, B. reticulatus Knisch, B. wintersteineri Knisch, and B. zimmermanni Knisch.

Molecular epidemiology and evolution of avian infectious bronchitis virus in Spain over a fourteen-year period.

Science.gov (United States)

Dolz, Roser; Pujols, Joan; Ordóñez, German; Porta, Ramon; Majó, Natàlia

2008-04-25

An in-depth molecular study of infectious bronchitis viruses (IBV) with particular interest in evolutionary aspects of IBV in Spain was carried out in the present study based on the S1 gene molecular characterization of twenty-six Spanish strains isolated over a fourteen-year period. Four genotypes were identified based on S1 gene sequence analyses and phylogenetic studies. A drastic virus population shift was demonstrated along time and the novel Italy 02 serotype was shown to have displaced the previous predominant serotype 4/91 in the field. Detailed analyses of synonymous to non-synonymous ratio of the S1 gene sequences of this new serotype Italy 02 suggested positive selection pressures might have contributed to the successful establishment of Italy 02 serotype in our country. In addition, differences on the fitness abilities of new emergent genotypes were indicated. Furthermore, intergenic sequences (IGs)-like motifs within S1 gene sequences of IBV isolates were suggested to enhance the recombination abilities of certain serotypes.

OUTCOME OF GARTLAND TYPE – II SUPRACONDYLAR FRACTURES OF HUMERUS TREATED BY CONSERVATIVE METHOD

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Dinesh Mitra

2015-08-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The current literatures recommend operative method (closed reduction and pinning for type II supracondylar fractures of humerus. But some surgeons still prefer conservative method for type II supracondylar fractures of humerus. We pr esent results of 14 cases of type II supracondylar fractures treated with CR and AE POP immobilization . The purpose of this study is to evaluate the outcome of conservative treatment in management of type II supracondylar fracture of humerus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fourteen children treated by conservative methods (CR & AE POP between January 2013 and December 2014 is included in this study. The mean age group is 6.8 years (3 years - 11 years. The patient follow up is done for a minimum of 10 - 12 weeks. Treatment outcome is based on final clinical and radiological assessments and grading of results was done using Flynn’s criteria. RESULTS: Gartland type II fracture gives 82% excellent results and 28 % good results as per Flynn’s criteria. Of the 14 patien ts only two cases required re manipulation. Surgical intervention was not needed for any of the patients. No patients in this study developed compartment syndrome / cubitus varus deformity. CONCLUSION: Satisfactory results can be obtained with conservative treatment (closed reduction and above elbow POP if proper selection of the patient and careful clinical and radiological follow up is done

Respiratory membrane permeability and bronchial hyperreactivity in patients with stable asthma. Effects of therapy with inhaled steroids

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van de Graaf, E. A.; Out, T. A.; Roos, C. M.; Jansen, H. M.

1991-01-01

In patients with stable asthma, we assayed plasma proteins in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid to obtain information on plasma exudation into the airways. Fourteen nonsmoking patients with asthma who were in a stable period of their disease and eight nonsmoking healthy volunteers were studied. The

Survey of lands held for uranium exploration, development, and production in fourteen western states in the six month period ending December 31, 1975

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1976-04-01

Details and data compilation on uranium exploration and mining are reported for Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. Comprehensive tables are furnished for distribution by ownership, distribution by states, and distribution by land category. A graph is given that shows the acres held by the uranium industry. Data are compiled on acreage held by each county and land category in each of the fourteen states

Marine Gastrotricha of the Near East: 1. Fourteen new species of Macrodasyida and a redescription of Dactylopodola agadasys Hochberg, 2003

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William Hummon

2011-05-01

Full Text Available The near eastern geographical region is almost devoid of reports of macrodasyidan gastrotrichs, the exceptions themselves being part of this study. Here, as Part 1 are described fourteen new Macrodasyida from countries of the Near East (Cyprus, Egypt and Israel, representing both the Mediterranean and the Red Seas, and a redescription of the previously described Dactylopodolidae: Dactylopodola agadasys Hochberg, 2002. The new species are: Cephalodasyidae (2 - Cephalodasys dolichosomus; Cephalodasys saegailus; Dactylopodolidae (1 Dendrodasys rubomarinus; Macrodasyidae (5 - Macrodasys imbricatus; Macrodasys macrurus; Macrodasys nigrocellus; Macrodasys scleracrus; Urodasys toxostylus; Thaumastodermatidae (4 - Tetranchyroderma corallium; Tetranchyroderma rhopalotum; Tetranchyroderma sinaiensis; Tetranchyroderma xenodactylum; Turbanellidae (2 - Paraturbanella levantia; Turbanella erythrothalassia - spp. n.

Treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in patients after myocardial infarction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boulakh, Lena; Gislason, Gunnar H

2016-01-01

. The benefits versus potential harm of treatment need careful assessment. AREAS COVERED: Observational studies and clinical trials providing information about outcome of NSAID treatment in post MI patients were retrieved; fourteen articles in total: two case-control studies, two randomized double-blind trials...

Quality of life in ostomy patients: a qualitative study

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Aazam Dabirian

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Aazam Dabirian, Farideh Yaghmaei, Maryam Rassouli, Mansoureh Zagheri TafreshiNursing and Midwifery School, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IranPurpose: Therapeutic procedures may not only treat disease but also affect patient quality of life. Therefore, quality of life should be measured in order to assess the impact of disease and therapeutic procedures. To identify clients' problems, it is necessary to assess several dimensions of quality of life, including physical, spiritual, economic, and social aspects. In this regard, we conducted a qualitative study to explore quality of life and its dimensions in ostomy patients referred to the Iranian Ostomy Association.Methods: Fourteen patients were interviewed about their quality of life dimensions by purposeful sampling. Data were gathered by semistructured interviews and analyzed using the content analysis method.Results: Nine main themes emerged using this approach, including physical problems related to colostomy, impact of colostomy on psychological functioning, social and family relationships, travel, nutrition, physical activity, and sexual function, as well as religious and economic issues.Conclusion: The findings of the study identified a number of challenges in quality of life for patients with ostomy. The results can be used by health care providers to create a supportive environment that promotes better quality of life for their ostomy patients.Keywords: ostomy, colostomy, qualitative study, quality of life

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.

Cavernous sinus hemangioma: a fourteen year single institution experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Bansal, Sumit; Suri, Ashish; Singh, Manmohan; Kale, Shashank Sharad; Agarwal, Deepak; Sharma, Manish Singh; Mahapatra, Ashok Kumar; Sharma, Bhawani Shankar

2014-06-01

Cavernous sinus hemangioma (CSH) is a rare extra-axial vascular neoplasm that accounts for 2% to 3% of all cavernous sinus tumors. Their location, propensity for profuse bleeding during surgery, and relationship to complex neurovascular structures are factors which present difficulty in excising these lesions. The authors describe their experience of 22 patients with CSH over 14 years at a tertiary care center. Patients were managed with microsurgical resection using a purely extradural transcavernous approach (13 patients) and with Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS; Elekta AB, Stockholm, Sweden) (nine patients). Retrospective data analysis found headache and visual impairment were the most common presenting complaints, followed by facial hypesthesia and diplopia. All but one patient had complete tumor excision in the surgical series. Transient ophthalmoparesis (complete resolution in 6-8 weeks) was the most common surgical complication. In the GKRS group, marked tumor shrinkage (>50% tumor volume reduction) was achieved in two patients, slight shrinkage in five and no change in two patients, with symptom improvement in the majority of patients. To our knowledge, we describe one of the largest series of CSH managed at a single center. Although microsurgical resection using an extradural transcavernous approach is considered the treatment of choice in CSH and allows complete excision with minimal mortality and long-term morbidity, GKRS is an additional tool for treating residual symptomatic lesions or in patients with associated comorbidities making surgical resection unsuitable. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The value of lymphoscintigraphy for cervical sentinel lymph node detection in patients with clinically N0 oral squamous cell carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Sheng; Jiang Ningyi; Lu Xianping; Liang Jiugen

2005-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the value of lymphoscintigraphy for cervical sentinel lymph node (SLN) detection in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma. Methods: Twenty-one patients with clinically N 0 oral squamous carcinoma underwent preoperative lymphoscintigraphy and intraoperative methylene blue location. The results were compared with pathological findings. Results: 1) The sensitivity of lymphoscintigraphy for detecting SLN was 100%(21/21), and methylene blue was 85% (17/20). 2)Both SLN biopsy and cervical ablative dissection confirmed that 33.3% (7/21) patients were with cervical lymph node metastasis. Fourteen non-metastatic SLNs comfirmed by biopsy were also proved with the findings of neck dissection, and the specificity was 100%. Conclusion: Lymphoscintigraphy can detect the cervical SLN and accurately predict cervical lymph node metastasis in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma.(authors)

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.

Fourteen lessons learned from the successful nuclear power program of the Republic of Korea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Sungyeol; Jun, Eunju; Hwang, IlSoon; Starz, Anne; Mazour, Tom; Chang, SoonHeung; Burkart, Alex R.

2009-01-01

This paper summarized a development history and lessons of Korean nuclear power infrastructures from the beginning of the nuclear power program in 1956 to the localization of complete scope of PWR technology in 1990. The objective of this paper is to show the guideline on the issues that the development of a national infrastructure for nuclear power using the realistic experiences in order to help the developing countries newly starting nuclear power program as a long-term energy supply option. Development strategies and lessons learned from the successful Korean experience have been presented based on milestones structure of IAEA in order to help decision makers, advisers, senior managers and national planners of nuclear power program. Lessons for national nuclear power programs include considerations before launching a program, preparation and decision making, and the construction of the first nuclear power plant. Scope of these lessons includes knowledge and human resources management, financial and industrial infrastructure development, nuclear safety, legislative and regulatory experiences, fuel cycle and waste management, international cooperation. Fourteen lessons learned either positive or not are derived from the Korean case and are suggested for incorporation in the IAEA's efforts in support of developing countries' development of nuclear infrastructure and planning.

Variability of blood pressure and blood glucose during perioperative period for patients with secondary neovascular glaucoma after silicone oil removed in PDR

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Fu-Lin Gao

2015-06-01

Full Text Available AIM:To research blood pressure and blood glucose variability during peroperative period for patients with secondary neovasular glaucoma(NVGafter silicone oil removed in proliferative diabetic retinaopathy(PDR.METHODS: Totally, 271 patients(271 eyesundergone surgery of vitrectomy and silicon-oil tamponade combined with cataract were respective analyzed. Fourteen patients(14 eyeswith secondary NVG after silicon oil removed and randomly controlled group of no NVG according with ages, operation method in the same time were studied. The blood pressure and blood glucose variability during peroperative period was analyzed, and did comparison after excluded contralateral eye. The complications of 271 patients were surveyed in following-up period 1～12mo. The incidence of NVG, the time, blood pressure, blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin(Hbc%variability during peroperative period was statisticed and compared by software of SPSS 11.0.RESULTS: Fourteen eyes(5.2%of 271 cases was with secondary NVG(female: 4 eyes, 28.6%; male: 10 eyes, 71.4%, average ages was 57.07 years(49～68 years. NVG presented in the 107～ 135d after vitrectomy and 7～45d(average 31.78dafter silicon-oil removed. Diabetes mellitus was 10～15(average 13.2a. In NVG group, the variability of blood glucose was 4.0～10.2mmol/L(mean 8.52±3.24mmol/L, variable coefficient was 0.48. In NNVG group, the variability of blood glucose was 5.0～8.2mmol/L(mean 7.22±0.24mmol/L, variable coefficient was 0.43. It was significantly difference in comparison in variable coefficient(PPPPCONCLUSION: There are significant variability on fasting blood glucose, daytime SBP and night DBP during perioperative in PDR patients with secondary NVG. It might be occurred 1wk after silicone oil removal surgery.

Quality of life in ostomy patients: a qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Dabirian, Aazam; Yaghmaei, Farideh; Rassouli, Maryam; Tafreshi, Mansoureh Zagheri

2010-12-21

Therapeutic procedures may not only treat disease but also affect patient quality of life. Therefore, quality of life should be measured in order to assess the impact of disease and therapeutic procedures. To identify clients' problems, it is necessary to assess several dimensions of quality of life, including physical, spiritual, economic, and social aspects. In this regard, we conducted a qualitative study to explore quality of life and its dimensions in ostomy patients referred to the Iranian Ostomy Association. Fourteen patients were interviewed about their quality of life dimensions by purposeful sampling. Data were gathered by semistructured interviews and analyzed using the content analysis method. Nine main themes emerged using this approach, including physical problems related to colostomy, impact of colostomy on psychological functioning, social and family relationships, travel, nutrition, physical activity, and sexual function, as well as religious and economic issues. The findings of the study identified a number of challenges in quality of life for patients with ostomy. The results can be used by health care providers to create a supportive environment that promotes better quality of life for their ostomy patients.

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.

Deep sequencing of atrial fibrillation patients with mitral valve regurgitation shows no evidence of mosaicism but reveals novel rare germline variants

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gregers, Emilie; Ahlberg, Gustav; Christensen, Thea

2017-01-01

the HaloPlex Target Enrichment System. MuTect software was used for identification of somatic point variants. We functionally characterized selected variants using electrophysiologic techniques. RESULTS: No somatic variants were identified in the cardiac tissue. Thirty-three patients (75%) had a rare...... patient population undergoing surgery for mitral valve regurgitation (MVR) to determine whether these patients are genetically predisposed to AF. METHODS: DNA was extracted from blood and left atrial tissue from 44 AF patients with MVR. Using next-generation sequencing, we investigated 110 genes using...... germline variation in ≥1 candidate genes. Fourteen variants were novel. Fifteen variants were predicted damaging or likely damaging in ≥6 in silico predictions. We identified rare variants in genes never directly associated with AF: KCNE4, SCN4B, NEURL1, and CAND2. Interestingly, 7 patients (16%) had...

Estudo bacteriológico de escarros de leprosos-tuberculosos em tratamento com a Estreptomicina

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. C. de Souza-Araujo

1948-12-01

Full Text Available Fourteen samples of sputum from fourteen lepers with pulmonary tuberculosis, were treated by PETROFF method and its sediments were smeared on LOEWENSTEIN medium and incubated at 37°C. These fourteen patients are under treatment by Streptomycin. They are advanced cases of active leprosy associated with pulmonary tuberculosis, according to X ray diagnosis. Between 15 to 45 days thirteen out of fourteen (92,85% sputa gave cultures of acid-fast bacilli with all characteristics of KOCH'S bacillus, eugonic type. Nine out of thirteen positive cases produced eugonic colonies in all ten tubes smeared with each sample. These facts proved that Streptomycin did not affect the pulmonary flora. Three out of fourteen patients died within two months after positive cultures of KOCH'S bacillus. New fact - Three out of those thirteen positive patients gave non-chromogenic cultures, eugonic type, associated with chromogenic ones, quite similar to cultures of acid-fast bacilli isolated previously by the author from leprous material. One of the three patients who died showed in smear of fresh sputum only characteristics globies (globies of MARCHOUX not globi of NEISSER of HANSEN'S Bacillus. Probably he died from leprous-pneumonia. The eugonic type cultures are being inoculated in guinea-pigs and the choromogenic ones, similar to leprosy-culture, will be inoculated in white rats and mice.

Effects Of Drought Stress on Germination in Fourteen Provenances of Pinus Brutia Ten. Seeds in Turkey

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Hakan Şevik

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Pinus brutia Ten., Red pine, known to be tough drought resistant pine specie, could effectively be used for afforestation of disturbed areas. It is of great interest for the afforestation in arid zones. Appropriate seed sources for the specific areas guarantees reforestation success. Away from its native areas Pinus brutia Ten. is planted for its ornamental value and timber production purposes. Selection of drought resistant provenances can very well increase the survival success. In this study, the effects of water potential on germination were studied in fourteen provenances of Pinus brutia Ten. from Turkey. Water potentials between 0 and -8 bars were obtained using polyethylene glycol 6000 (PEG-6000 solutions. Seeds were kept for 35 day at 20 ± 0.5°C. A decrease in water potential produced a marked reduction in germination percentage and germination value. As a result, significant variations between the provenances were found. It was determined that, under a -8 bar water stress, Isparta-Bucak and Mersin-Silifke, respectively corresponding to 58% and 57% of the control group, were the least water stress affected provenances.

Performance of fourteen improved pea lines (Pisum sativum L. in Challapata zone, Oruro

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Maiza Benedicto

2015-02-01

Full Text Available In Challapata zone, cultivated pea varieties are low yielding and long cycle. The research objective was to determine the performance of fourteen pea lines developed by “Pairumani Fitoecogenetics Investigation Center” (CIFP in Challapata zone (Oruro. The 14 pea lines with local pea variety, were planted in row and column generalized experimental design with four replications in tree location randomly selection in Challapata zone (Oruro, between October 2011 and April 2012. The results indicate, that, in general, all the improved lines were superior in green pod yield to the local pea variety (3.69 t.ha-1, between 6.13 and 16.58 t.ha-1, (65.9 and 349.3% respectively. among the improved lines, Pea5_102-1, Pea5_102-6, Pea5_102-5, Pea5_102-2, Pea5_102-3 and Pea5_102-4, with high green pod yield (13.05 and 16.58 t.ha-1, large pod (8.49 to 9.25 cm, mayor number of grains for pod (5.27 to 7.20 grains and intermediate cycle (85 days to the floración, are the superior performance. The lines Pea5_102-14, Pea5_102-10 (Pairumani 3 and Pea5_102-13, because of their characteristics of high green pod yield, the longest pod, the mayor number of grains for pod, early maturity, preference and wide adaptability, and according to the farmer’s criteria, are the most recommend for their use in Challapata zone (Oruro.

Inverse relationship between the complexity of midfoot kinematics and muscle activation in patients with medial tibial stress syndrome

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rathleff, M S; Samani, Afshin; Olesen, C G

2011-01-01

Medial tibial stress syndrome is a common overuse injury characterized by pain located on the medial side of the lower leg during weight bearing activities such as gait. The purpose of this study was to apply linear and nonlinear methods to compare the structure of variability of midfoot kinematics...... and surface electromyographic (SEMG) signals between patients with medial tibial stress syndrome and healthy controls during gait. Fourteen patients diagnosed with medial tibial stress syndrome and 11 healthy controls were included from an orthopaedic clinic. SEMG from tibialis anterior and the soleus muscles...... as well as midfoot kinematics were recorded during 20 consecutive gait cycles. Permuted sample entropy and permutation entropy were used as a measure of complexity from SEMG signals and kinematics. SEMG signals in patients with medial tibial stress syndrome were characterized by higher structural...

Plasma osteoprotegerin is associated with testosterone levels but unaffected by pioglitazone treatment in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Glintborg, D; Hermann, Pernille; Rasmussen, Lars Melholt

2013-01-01

in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Research design and methods Plasma OPG levels were measured in 30 PCOS patients before and after randomized treatment with 30 mg pioglitazone/placebo for 16 weeks. Fourteen age and BMI matched healthy women were included as controls. Clinical and hormonal evaluations......Objective Increased osteoprotegerin (OPG) levels are associated with increased cardiovascular risk and decreased bone resorption. Pioglitazone treatment reduces the inflammatory state but may decrease bone mineral density. OPG levels during pioglitazone treatment have not previously been evaluated...... and whole body DXA-scans were performed in all participants. Results OPG levels were comparable in PCOS patients [12.0 (10.5 - 14.6) ng/ml] and controls [12.9 (11.7 - 14.9) ng/ml]. In PCOS patients (n=30), OPG levels were positively associated with testosterone (r= 0.43), prolactin (r= 0.47), ICTP (r= 0...

Temporal lobe origin is common in patients who have undergone epilepsy surgery for hypermotor seizures.

Science.gov (United States)

Arain, Amir M; Azar, Nabil J; Lagrange, Andre H; McLean, Michael; Singh, Pradumna; Sonmezturk, Hasan; Konrad, Peter; Neimat, Joseph; Abou-Khalil, Bassel

2016-11-01

Hypermotor seizures are most often reported from the frontal lobe but may also have temporal, parietal, or insular origin. We noted a higher proportion of patients with temporal lobe epilepsy in our surgical cohort who had hypermotor seizures. We evaluated the anatomic localization and surgical outcome in patient with refractory hypermotor seizures who had epilepsy surgery in our center. We identified twenty three patients with refractory hypermotor seizures from our epilepsy surgery database. We analyzed demographics, presurgical evaluation including semiology, MRI, PET scan, interictal/ictal scalp video-EEG, intracranial recording, and surgical outcomes. We evaluated preoperative variables as predictors of outcome. Most patients (65%) had normal brain MRI. Intracranial EEG was required in 20 patients (86.9%). Based on the presurgical evaluation, the resection was anterior temporal in fourteen patients, orbitofrontal in four patients, cingulate in four patients, and temporoparietal in one patient. The median duration of follow-up after surgery was 76.4months. Fourteen patients (60%) had been seizure free at the last follow up while 3 patients had rare disabling seizures. Hypermotor seizures often originated from the temporal lobe in this series of patients who had epilepsy surgery. This large proportion of temporal lobe epilepsy may be the result of a selection bias, due to easier localization and expected better outcome in temporal lobe epilepsy. With extensive presurgical evaluation, including intracranial EEG when needed, seizure freedom can be expected in the majority of patients. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Mixed-reproductive strategies, competitive mating-type distribution and life cycle of fourteen black morel species.

Science.gov (United States)

Du, Xi-Hui; Zhao, Qi; Xia, En-Hua; Gao, Li-Zhi; Richard, Franck; Yang, Zhu L

2017-05-04

Morchella species are well known world-round as popular and prized edible fungi due to their unique culinary flavor. Recently, several species have been successfully cultivated in China. However, their reproductive modes are still unknown, and their basic biology needs to be elucidated. Here, we use the morel genome information to investigate mating systems and life cycles of fourteen black morel species. Mating type-specific primers were developed to screen and genotype ascospores, hymenia and stipes from 223 ascocarps of the 14 species from Asia and Europe. Our data indicated that they are all heterothallic and their life cycles are predominantly haploid, but sterile haploid fruiting also exists. Ascospores in all species are mostly haploid, homokaryotic, and multinuclear, whereas aborted ascospores without any nuclei were also detected. Interestingly, we monitored divergent spatial distribution of both mating types in natural morel populations and cultivated sites, where the fertile tissue of fruiting bodies usually harbored both mating types, whereas sterile tissue of wild morels constantly had one MAT allele, while the sterile tissue of cultivated strains always exhibited both MAT alleles. Furthermore, MAT1-1-1 was detected significantly more commonly than MAT1-2-1 in natural populations, which strongly suggested a competitive advantage for MAT1-1 strains.

Telemedical Advice to Long Distance Passenger Ferries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Olaf Chresten; Bøggild, Niels Bo; Kristensen, Søren

consultations with passenger ferries to identify areas for possible improvements. Methods: Data from the journals for one year from Radio Medical Denmark consultations with the medical Data from the journals for one year from Radio Medical Denmark consultations with the medical responsible officers on passenger...... ferries was analysed retrospectively. Results: Two hundred and fourteen RM records, 73% among passenger and 27% among crewmember Two hundred and fourteen RM records, 73% among passenger and 27% among crewmember patients were analysed. Passenger patients were generally older and more serious ill than...

Time course and degree of hyperinflation with metronome-paced tachypnea in COPD patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Weigt, S Samuel; Abrazado, Marlon; Kleerup, Eric C; Tashkin, Donald P; Cooper, Christopher B

2008-10-01

In COPD patients, tachypnea should increase (dynamic) hyperinflation by shortening expiratory time. We developed a method to evaluate the time course and degree of dynamic hyperinflation during metronome-paced tachypnea. Fourteen patients with stable COPD (FEV(1) 43 +/- 13% predicted) were studied. Inspiratory capacity (IC) was measured breathing through a flow transducer. Subjects paced their respiratory rate (f(R)) at 20/min, 30/min and 40/min for 60-second periods in response to audible tones generated by a computer. IC measurements were obtained at baseline and after 30 and 60 seconds at each f(R). End-tidal carbon dioxide was monitored and f(R) was allowed to return to baseline between periods of tachypnea. Tachypnea produced reductions in IC of 200 +/- 240 ml, 380 +/- 330 ml and 540 +/- 300 ml after 30 seconds at 20/min, 30/min and 40/min, respectively. IC reduction at 60 seconds was similar to 30 seconds for each f(R). In patients with moderate-to-severe COPD, the dynamic hyperinflation induced by metronome-paced tachypnea was shown to occur rapidly and be complete by 30 seconds for a given f(R). Controlled increments in f(R) produced stepwise increases in dynamic hyperinflation. This standardized method could be a useful and easier method of assessing dynamic hyperinflation in COPD patients before and after therapeutic interventions.

Phase II study of a 3-day schedule with topotecan and cisplatin in patients with previously untreated small cell lung cancer and extensive disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sorensen, M.; Lassen, Ulrik Niels; Jensen, Peter Buhl

2008-01-01

INTRODUCTION: Treatment with a topoisomerase I inhibitor in combination with a platinum results in superior or equal survival compared with etoposide-based treatment in extensive disease small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Five-day topotecan is inconvenient and therefore shorter schedules of topotecan...... and cisplatin are needed. The aim of this phase II study was to establish the response rate and response duration in chemo-naive patients with SCLC receiving a 3-day topotecan and cisplatin schedule. METHODS: Simons optimal two-stage design was used. Patients with previously untreated extensive disease SCLC...... age was 59 (range 44-74), 79% had performance status 0 or 1. Thirty-one patients completed all six cycles. Grade 3/4 anemia, neutrocytopenia, and thrombocytopenia were recorded in 9.5%, 66.7%, and 21.4% of patients, respectively. Fourteen percent of patients experienced neutropenic fever. No episodes...

Genital reconstruction in exstrophy patients

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R B Nerli

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Surgery for bladder exstrophy has been evolving over the last four to five decades. Because survival has become almost universal, the focus has changed in the exstrophy-epispadias complex to improving quality of life. The most prevalent problem in the long-term function of exstrophy patients is the sexual activity of the adolescent and adult males. The penis in exstrophy patients appears short because of marked congenital deficiency of anterior corporal tissue. Many patients approach for genital reconstruction to improve cosmesis as well as to correct chordee. We report our series of male patients seeking genital reconstruction following exstrophy repair in the past. Materials and Methods: Fourteen adolescent/adult male patients attended urology services during the period January 2000-December 2009 seeking genital reconstruction following exstrophy repair in the past. Results: Three patients underwent epispadias repair, four patients had chordee correction with cosmetic excision of skin tags and seven patients underwent chordee correction with penile lengthening. All patients reported satisfaction in the answered questionnaire. Patients undergoing penile lengthening by partial corporal dissection achieved a mean increase in length of 1.614 ± 0.279 cm dorsally and 1.543 ± 0.230 cm ventrally. The satisfactory rate assessed by the Short Form-36 (SF-36 showed that irrespective of the different genital reconstructive procedures done, the patients were satisfied with cosmetic and functional outcome. Conclusions: Surgical procedures have transformed the management in these patients with bladder exstrophy. Bladders can be safely placed within the pelvis, with most patients achieving urinary continence and cosmetically acceptable external genitalia. Genital reconstruction in the form of correction of chordee, excision of ugly skin tags and lengthening of penis can be performed to give the patients a satisfactory cosmetic and functional

Self-reported adherence rates in glaucoma patients in Southwest Nigeria

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Adeola Olukorede Onakoya

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Context: Nigerian glaucoma patients have an aversion to surgery and often rely on medical therapy to prevent disease progression. For medical therapy to be effective, the drugs have to be used as prescribed. Compliance has been reported to be low in the previous Nigerian studies. Aims: To evaluate the adherence rates of primary open angle glaucoma (POAG patients on medical therapy using patient self-report. Settings and Design: A hospital-based cross-sectional design was used to assess consecutive POAG patients attending a glaucoma clinic in a Tertiary Hospital in Lagos, Nigeria. Subjects and Methods: Self-reported adherence was evaluated by trained interviewers. Comprehensive clinical assessment including intraocular pressure, gonioscopy, visual field assessment, and dilated binocular funduscopy using the slit lamp and + 78D fundus lens was done. Statistical Analysis Used: Data analysis was done using MedCalc Statistical Software. Results: One hundred and fourteen patients reported adherence rates ranging from 10% to 100% with a mean adherence rate of 82.33% ± 19.25%. Only 31 respondents (27.2% reported 100% adherence. Duration of the disease was the only significant factor on multiple regression analysis. Conclusions: The development of strategies to improve compliance and persistence in glaucoma patients is crucial for the reduction of disease progression and blindness.

A straightforward method to determine flavouring substances in food by GC-MS

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lopez Sanchez, P.; Sisseren, van M.; Marco, De S.; Jekel, A.A.; Nijs, de W.C.M.; Mol, J.G.J.

2015-01-01

A straightforward GC–MS method was developed to determine the occurrence of fourteen flavouring compounds in food. It was successfully validated for four generic types of food (liquids, semi-solids, dry solids and fatty solids) in terms of limit of quantification, linearity, selectivity, matrix

Quantitative analysis of Esophageal Transit of Radionuclide in Patients with Dermatomyositis-Polymyositis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chung, June Key; Lee, Myung Chul; Koh, Chang Soon; Lee, Myung Hae

1989-01-01

Esophageal transit of radionuclide was quantitatively analyzed in 29 patients with dermatomyositis-polymyositis Fourteen patients (48.3%) showed retention of tracer in oropharynx. The mean value of percent retention of oropharynx was 15.5+16.6%. Esophageal dysfunction was found in 19 patients (65.5%). Among them 4 showed mild, 12 showed moderate and 3 showed severe esophageal dysfunction. Dysphagia was found in 11 patients (37.9%), which was closely related to percent retention of oropharynx. Quantitative analysis of esophageal transit of radionuclide seemed to be a useful technique for evaluation of dysphagia in patients with dermatomyositis-polymyositis.

Rectus Fascia Sling for the Treatment of Total Urethral Incontinence ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Objectives: Urinary incontinence in patients with neurological disease is a major health problem. A modified rectus fascial sling has been assessed in incontinent male patients. Patients and Methods: Fourteen adult male patients with total incontinence due to neurogenic or post-traumatic and etiology were included in this ...

Impulse control disorders in Chinese Parkinson's disease patients: the effect of ergot derived dopamine agonist.

Science.gov (United States)

Auyeung, M; Tsoi, T H; Tang, W K; Cheung, C M; Lee, C N; Li, R; Yeung, Eric

2011-09-01

We studied the prevalence and related risk factors of impulse control disorders in Chinese Parkinson's disease patients. We screened all non-demented Parkinson's disease patients attending our Parkinson's disease clinic from August 2009 to March 2010. The clinical characteristics of patients with impulse control disorders and those without were compared. Of the 213 PD subjects screened, 15 (7.0%) with impulse control disorders were identified. Fourteen of these subjects were on both a dopamine agonist and Levodopa, and one was on Levodopa alone. Of the fourteen subjects on both a dopamine agonist and Levodopa, eleven were on bromocriptine and Levodopa; 10.5% of the subjects exposed to bromocriptine had impulse control disorder. Upon multivariate analysis, dose of dopamine agonist used, young age at onset of Parkinson's disease and a history of anxiety or depression were independent predictors for developing impulse control disorders. 7% of our Chinese PD subjects had impulse control disorders. When young Parkinson's disease patients with a history of anxiety or depression are treated with high dose of DA, they are at risk of developing impulse control disorders. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Validation of five minimally obstructive methods to estimate physical activity energy expenditure in young adults in semi-standardized settings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schneller, Mikkel Bo; Pedersen, Mogens Theisen; Gupta, Nidhi

2015-01-01

We compared the accuracy of five objective methods, including two newly developed methods combining accelerometry and activity type recognition (Acti4), against indirect calorimetry, to estimate total energy expenditure (EE) of different activities in semi-standardized settings. Fourteen particip...

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.

Fast and "green" method for the analytical monitoring of haloketones in treated water.

Science.gov (United States)

Serrano, María; Silva, Manuel; Gallego, Mercedes

2014-09-05

Several groups of organic compounds have emerged as being particularly relevant as environmental pollutants, including disinfection by-products (DBPs). Haloketones (HKs), which belong to the unregulated volatile fraction of DBPs, have become a priority because of their occurrence in drinking water at concentrations below 1μg/L. The absence of a comprehensive method for HKs has led to the development of the first method for determining fourteen of these species. In an effort to miniaturise, this study develops a micro liquid-liquid extraction (MLLE) method adapted from EPA Method 551.1. In this method practically, the whole extract (50μL) was injected into a programmed temperature vaporiser-gas chromatography-mass spectrometer in order to improve sensitivity. The method was validated by comparing it to EPA Method 551.1 and showed relevant advantages such as: lower sample pH (1.5), higher aqueous/organic volume ratio (60), lower solvent consumption (200μL) and fast and cost-saving operation. The MLLE method achieved detection limits ranging from 6 to 60ng/L (except for 1,1,3-tribromo-3-chloroacetone, 120ng/L) with satisfactory precision (RSD, ∼6%) and high recoveries (95-99%). An evaluation was carried out of the influence of various dechlorinating agents as well as of the sample pH on the stability of the fourteen HKs in treated water. To ensure the HKs integrity for at least 1 week during storage at 4°C, the samples were acidified at pH ∼1.5, which coincides with the sample pH required for MLLE. The green method was applied to the speciation of fourteen HKs in tap and swimming pool waters, where one and seven chlorinated species, respectively, were found. The concentration of 1.1-dichloroacetone in swimming pool water increased ∼25 times in relation to tap water. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Tuberculosis treatment among smear positive tuberculosis patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Munir, M.K.; Iqbal, R.; Shabbir, I.; Chaudhry, K

2012-01-01

Tuberculosis is a major health problem in many parts of the world. Delay in initiation of the treatment may result in prolonged infectious state, drug resistance, relapse and death. Objectives: To determine the factors responsible for not starting tuberculosis treatment among smear positive tuberculosis patients. Study type, settings and duration: This cross sectional study was done at Pakistan Medical Research Council TB Research Center, King Edward Medical University, Lahore, from fifth March 2010 to fifth December 2010. Patients and Methods: Fifty sputum smear positive patients of tuberculosis who did not register themselves in treatment register and presumably did not initiate anti tuberculosis treatment were contacted using telephone or traced by their home addresses. Once contact was established, they were inquired about the reasons for not starting tuberculosis treatment. Results: Of 50 patients 38(76%)belonged to the lower socio economic class and 12(24%) to the lower middle class. Fourteen patients (28%) were illiterate and 23(46%) had only 8 years of education. Of the 50 cases 41(82%) were taking treatment from traditional healers and 4% did not go back to the DOTS program. Physical condition of the patient, social, domestic and religious issues also played some role in default. Conclusions: Lack of health education and poverty were the main factors responsible for non compliance from treatment. Policy message: Sputum testing sites should have a paramedic who should educate the patients about the benefits of treatment and the dangers of default or partial treatment. (author)

Variability in the impairments of recognition memory in patients with frontal lobe lesions

OpenAIRE

Bastin, Christine; Van der Linden, Martial; Lekeu, Françoise; Andrés, Pilar; Salmon, Eric

2006-01-01

Fourteen patients with frontal lobe lesions and 14 normal subjects were tested on a recognition memory task that required discriminating between target words, new words that are synonyms of the targets and unrelated distractors. A deficit was found in 12 of the patients. Moreover, three different patterns of recognition impairment were identified: (I) poor memory for targets, (II) normal hits but increased false recognitions for both types of distractors, (III) normal hit rates, but increased...

The impact of postmastectomy radiotherapy on local control in patients with invasive lobular breast cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diepenmaat, Lindy A.; Sangen, Maurice J.C. van der; Poll-Franse, Lonneke V. van de; Beek, Mike W.P.M. van; Berlo, Charles L.H. van; Luiten, Ernest J.T.; Nieuwenhuijzen, Grard A.P.; Voogd, Adri C.

2009-01-01

Purpose: The aim of this population-based study was to examine the impact of postmastectomy radiotherapy on the risk of local recurrence in patients with invasive lobular breast cancer (ILC). Methods: The population-based Eindhoven Cancer Registry was used to select all patients with ILC, who underwent mastectomy in five general hospitals in the southern part of Netherlands between 1995 and 2002. Of the 499 patients 383 patients fulfilled the eligibility criteria. Of these patients, 170 (44.4%) had received postmastectomy radiotherapy. The median follow-up was 7.2 years. Fourteen patients (3.7%) were lost to follow-up. Results: During follow-up 22 patients developed a local recurrence, of whom 4 had received postmastectomy radiotherapy. The 5-year actuarial risk of local recurrence was 2.1% for the patients with and 8.7% for the patients without postmastectomy radiotherapy. After adjustment for age at diagnosis, tumour stage and adjuvant systemic treatment, the patients who underwent postmastectomy radiotherapy were found to have a more than 3 times lower risk of local recurrence compared to the patients without (Hazard Ratio 0.30; 95% Confidence Interval: 0.10-0.89). Conclusion: Local control is excellent for patients with ILC who undergo postmastectomy radiotherapy and significantly better than for patients not receiving radiotherapy.

Chapter Fourteen

African Journals Online (AJOL)

User

of the songs are rendered in Yoruba and then translated into English (17-18). An example is .... Also, Madam Omeaku reports that she has sent her children abroad, erected three buildings, set up ... The Teaching of English. Studies. Ibadan: ...

Risk factors for Clostridium difficile diarrhea in patients with inflammatory bowel disease

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Antonio Ramos-Martínez

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Despite the growing incidence of Clostridium difficile diarrhea (CCD in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD, little is known about the associated risk factors. Method: A retrospective study comparing cases of CCD in patients with IBD to IBD carriers who did not develop CCD. A comparison was also made with patients who developed CCD but did not suffer IBD. Results: Three cases (20 % with IBD and CCD had received antibiotics during the previous three months versus none of the controls (IBD without CCD, p = 0.22. Ten cases (67 % received treatment with proton pump inhibitors (PPIs versus 2 (13 % in the control group (IBD without CCD, p = 0.001. Seven cases underwent colonoscopy and pseudomembranes were seen in one (14 %. Fourteen (93 % patients demonstrated a favourable response to metronidazole. Patients with IBD and CCD presented with younger age (36 ± 10 years, a higher degree of community-acquired infection (13 patients, 87 %, immunosuppressive treatment (7 patients, 47 % and less patients had received previous antibiotic treatment (3 patients, 20 % than those with CCD without IBD. The proportion of patients who received treatment with PPIs was similar (66 % and 80 %, respectively p = 0.266. Conclusions: CCD in IBD carriers affects younger patients, the majority are community acquired (less nosocomial and it is more related to previous treatment with PPIs than with the antibiotic treatment. Clinical evolution is also favourable.

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

Homeopathic Treatment of Vitiligo: A Report of Fourteen Cases

Science.gov (United States)

Mahesh, Seema; Mallappa, Mahesh; Tsintzas, Dionysios; Vithoulkas, George

2017-01-01

Case series Patient: — Final Diagnosis: — Symptoms: Skin lesions Medication: — Clinical Procedure: — Specialty: Dermatology Objective: Unusual or unexpected effect of treatment Background: Vitiligo, also known as leukoderma, is an autoimmune skin condition that results in the loss of melanin pigment. Vitiligo is not a rare condition but is difficult to treat and is associated with psychological distress. Case Reports: A series of 14 cases of vitiligo are presented that were treated with individualized homeopathic remedies that were based on plant, animal, or mineral compounds. There were 13 women and one man in the case series, with a mean age 29.8 years, and a mean follow-up from treatment of 58 months. The mean time between the onset of the appearance of vitiligo and the first consultation at our clinic was 96 months. Homeopathic treatment for patients is holistic and was performed on an individualized basis as described in this case series. Photographic images of the skin are presented before and after treatment. Conclusions: In 14 patients with vitiligo treated with individualized homeopathy, the best results were achieved in the patients who were treated in the early stages of the disease. We believe that homeopathy may be effective in the early stages of vitiligo, but large controlled clinical studies are needed in this area. PMID:29196612

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...

Relationship between Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio and Prognosis in Patients with Deep Neck Space Infection

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Engin Şengül

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Objective: The aim of this study was to demonstrate if there is any relation between the neutrophil-to-lym­phocyte ratio and prognosis in patients with deep neck space infections Methods: One hundred eight patients who were interned and treated due to deep neck infection in department of otolaryngology between January 2010 and January 2015 were analyzed. Demographics, clini­cal data, complications and treatment results of patients were evaluated. Pediatric patients between the age of 0 and 14, the patients who had only peritonsillary abscess, infection secondary to trauma were excluded from study. During follow-up and treatment duration the patients with deep neck infections were divided into two groups ac­cording to whether they had any complication (group 1 or not (group 2. Results: Fourteen (13% patients with deep neck in­fections had life-threatening complications whereas 94 (87% did not have any complication during follow-up and treatment duration. The mean neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in patients with complications was significantly high­er than the patients without any complications (p0.05. Conclusion: This study showed that the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio can be used as a cheap, easily obtained and predictive prognostic factor in patients with deep neck infections.

Haematogenous tumour growth in the inferior vena cava in a patient with a nonseminomatous testicular tumour

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ham, S J; Koops, H Schraffordt; Sleijfer, D T; Freling, N M; Molenaar, W M

1991-01-01

The case history is reported of a patient with an invasion of the inferior vena cava by metastases of a non-seminomatous testicular tumour. He was treated with combination chemotherapy, followed by laparotomy and resection of residual tumour tissue. Fourteen months after this operation he is in good

Sentinel European Node Trial (SENT)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schilling, Clare; Stoeckli, Sandro J; Haerle, Stephan K

2015-01-01

in patients with early-stage oral squamous cell carcinoma. METHODS: An European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer-approved prospective, observational study commenced in 2005. Fourteen European centres recruited 415 patients with radiologically staged T1-T2N0 squamous cell carcinoma. SNB...

Enteral alimentation and gastrointestinal bleeding in mechanically ventilated patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Pingleton, S K; Hadzima, S K

1983-01-01

The incidence of upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding in mechanically ventilated ICU patients receiving enteral alimentation was reviewed and compared to bleeding occurring in ventilated patients receiving prophylactic antacids or cimetidine. Of 250 patients admitted to our ICU during a 1-yr time period, 43 ventilated patients were studied. Patients in each group were comparable with respect to age, respiratory diagnosis, number of GI hemorrhage risk factors, and number of ventilator, ICU, and hospital days. Twenty-one patients had evidence of GI bleeding. Fourteen of 20 patients receiving antacids and 7 of 9 patients receiving cimetidine had evidence of GI bleeding. No bleeding occurred in 14 patients receiving enteral alimentation. Complications of enteral alimentation were few and none required discontinuation of enteral alimentation. Our preliminary data suggest the role of enteral alimentation in critically ill patients may include not only protection against malnutrition but also protection against GI bleeding.

Fourteen Autumns: A Reading Teacher Teaches Writing.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Jo-Anne R.

1984-01-01

An elementary school reading teacher describes how she restructured her teaching methods by encouraging children to read and write as part of an integrated process, rather than teaching reading alone as a set of fragmented steps. (GC)

Morganella morganii Pericarditis in a Patient with Multiple Myeloma

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Takafumi Nakao

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Purulent pericarditis caused by Morganella morganii is extremely rare. We report herein a case of a 61-year-old man who presented with chest pain and dyspnea fourteen days after chemotherapy for multiple myeloma. Echocardiogram and computed tomography revealed a massive pericardial effusion and associated cardiac tamponade. Pericardiocentesis was performed. Pericardial fluid was found to be purulent, and Morganella morganii was isolated from the fluid. The patient was successfully treated with antibiotic therapy and surgical drainage of the fluid. Morganella morganii should be considered a possible pathogen when immunocompromised patients develop purulent pericarditis.

Driving safety among patients with automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillators.

Science.gov (United States)

Finch, N J; Leman, R B; Kratz, J M; Gillette, P C

1993-10-06

To determine the driving behavior of patients following the placement of automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillators (AICDs). Forty patients with AICDs (33 men, seven women; mean age, 62.7 years) responded to a questionnaire designed to ascertain driving behavior after hospital discharge. Despite medical advice never to drive again, 28 patients (70%) resumed driving, with the majority doing so by 8 months after AICD implantation. Of these, 11 (40%) identified themselves as the primary driver in their household. Fourteen (50%) drove daily. Two (7%) were driving and continued to drive during discharge of their AICDs. Twenty-five (91%) reported that they felt comfortable and safe while driving. A majority of patients with AICDs continue to drive after a proscription of this activity by health care workers.

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

DEPRESSION AND GUILT IN INDIAN AND NORTH AMERICAN PATIENTS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY

Science.gov (United States)

Ananth, Jambur; Engelsman, Frank; Ghadirian, A.M.; Wohl, Marcy; Shamasundara, Padmini; Narayanan, H.S.

1993-01-01

SUMMARY One hundred and nineteen Indian and one hundred and fourteen North American depressed patients were compared to assess the differences in psychopathology. The study revealed two important findings: 1) Indian patients scored significantly higher than American patients on the HAMD items of poor appetite, hypochondriasis, diurnal variation, and psychomotor retardation; and lower on the items of anxiety and middle insomnia. 2) Guilt was expressed less often by Indian patients. Guilt was more common among those who felt that God was responsible for their depression and in those who believed in reincarnation. These differences may be related to cultural factors and not to religious beliefs. PMID:21776166

Evaluation of photopatch test allergens for Indian patients of photodermatitis: Preliminary results

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nidhi Jindal

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Background: There is a strong need to develop a photopatch test tray suitable for Indian patients of photodermatitis as European/Scandinavian photopatch test trays may not be wholly relevant for them. Aim: We carried out this study using photoallergens relevant in the Indian context to determine their relevance in patients of photodermatitis. Methods: Thirty patients (M:F, 23:7 between 19 and 76 years of age of photodermatitis and 10 controls were patch- and photopatch tested with 20 common photoallergens. In addition, the patients were also (photo patch tested with articles of daily use as and when these were suspected to be the cause. Results: Forty-three positive reactions to one or more antigens were seen in 22 (74% patients. Fourteen positive photopatch tests to seven allergens were observed in 10 (33% patients, and nine (30% of them had a definite relevance. The most common contact allergen was fragrance mix (FM (30%, followed by p-phenylenediamine (20% and Parthenium hysterophorous (17%. The definite relevance of the patch- and photopatch tests could be correlated in 47% of these patients. Conclusions: FM is the most common contact and photocontact allergen among the various photopatch test antigens. Although differences in technique and evaluation make direct comparison between different centers difficult, still photopatch testing remains an integral part and gold standard for the work-up of the photosensitive patients.

Homeopathic Treatment of Vitiligo: A Report of Fourteen Cases.

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Mahesh, Seema; Mallappa, Mahesh; Tsintzas, Dionysios; Vithoulkas, George

2017-12-02

BACKGROUND Vitiligo, also known as leukoderma, is an autoimmune skin condition that results in the loss of melanin pigment. Vitiligo is not a rare condition but is difficult to treat and is associated with psychological distress. CASE REPORT A series of 14 cases of vitiligo are presented that were treated with individualized homeopathic remedies that were based on plant, animal, or mineral compounds. There were 13 women and one man in the case series, with a mean age 29.8 years, and a mean follow-up from treatment of 58 months. The mean time between the onset of the appearance of vitiligo and the first consultation at our clinic was 96 months. Homeopathic treatment for patients is holistic and was performed on an individualized basis as described in this case series. Photographic images of the skin are presented before and after treatment. CONCLUSIONS In 14 patients with vitiligo treated with individualized homeopathy, the best results were achieved in the patients who were treated in the early stages of the disease. We believe that homeopathy may be effective in the early stages of vitiligo, but large controlled clinical studies are needed in this area.

Supra-transumbilical laparotomy (STL) approach for small bowel ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: Supra-Transumbilical Laparotomy (STL) has been used in paediatric surgery for a broad spectrum of abdominal procedures. We report our experience with STL approach for small bowel atresia repair in newborns and review previous published series on the topic. Patients and Methods: Fourteen patients with ...

Psychosocial Intervention In Prostate Cancer Patients

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Potočníková Jana

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer worldwide for males, and the fifth most common cancer overall. Using of autogenic training could reduce the influence of ADT and raise quality of prostate cancer patients. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of autogenic training in patients with prostate cancer. Patients were divided to experimental and control group. Experimental group participated in fourteen weeks long autogenic training program. Control group performed usual daily activities. Every subject of research performed input and output diagnostics which monitored psychical states of patients by psychological standardized tests - Differential questionnaire of depression (DDF and Questionnaire of anxiety (STAI X1. Our data showed autogenic training program significant improved depressions symptoms and anxiety in experimental research group (p ≤ 0.05, however there was no main change of depression symptoms and anxiety values for control group (p = n.s..

Carotid artery calcification in ischemic stroke patients detected in standard dental panoramic radiographs - a preliminary study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Christou, P.; Kiliaridis, S.; Leemann, B.; Schimmel, M.; Muller, F.

2010-01-01

Purpose: Examine the prevalence of carotid artery calcifications in standard dental panoramic radiographs (OPT), their association to gender, medical history and oral status. Assess the predictive value of a dental OPT in early diagnosis of carotid artery calcifications. Material and Methods: Fourteen patients admitted to Geneva University Hospital for recent ischemic stroke and stenosis of the carotid artery confirmed by Duplex sonography. All OPTs were digitised and subsequently assessed independently by two operators. Results: From 21 carotid artery calcifications detected with Doppler sonography 15 were visible on the corresponding OPT, most of them on the right side (n=11). No correlation was found between the side of calcification and cerebral lesion. Hypertension and periodontal disease were the most prevalent cardiovascular risk factors. Conclusions: Dentists who either detect carotid artery calcifications in OPTs or see patients with severe periodontitis should consider a prophylactic specialist examination. (authors)

Unsuitable value of abdominal fat tissue aspirate examination for the diagnosis of amyloidosis in long-term hemodialysis patients.

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Orfila, C; Goffinet, F; Goudable, C; Eche, J P; Ton That, H; Manuel, Y; Suc, J M

1988-01-01

Abdominal fat tissue aspiration was used in 22 long-term hemodialysis patients (5-17 years). Fourteen of these patients had carpal tunnel syndrome and amyloid deposits of beta 2-microglobulin in the synovium. One patient had a spontaneous rupture of the spleen with amyloid deposits in spleen vessels. Seven other patients presented carpal tunnel syndrome and/or articular pains, and radiological lytic lesions in bone, strongly suggesting an amyloid origin. As a control group, in 22 patients with biopsy-proven amyloidosis, abdominal fat tissue aspirates were performed and were studied under the same conditions: by light microscopy these tissues were stained with Congo red and examined with a polarizing microscope; these specimens were also studied by electron microscopy. In all hemodialyzed patients, no amyloid deposit was present in fat tissue with Congo red staining and by electron microscopy. On the contrary, amyloid was observed in 17 of 22 cases in other types of amyloidosis. It seems that this method which has been proved to be simple and sensitive for the diagnosis of systemic amyloidosis is not a good marker for the presence of amyloid in long-term hemodialysis patients.

Significant survival improvement of patients with recurrent breast cancer in the periods 2001-2008 vs. 1992-2000

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Nishimura Sumiko

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background It is unclear whether individualized treatments based on biological factors have improved the prognosis of recurrent breast cancer. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the survival improvement of patients with recurrent breast cancer after the introduction of third generation aromatase inhibitors (AIs and trastuzumab. Methods A total of 407 patients who received first diagnosis of recurrent breast cancer and treatment at National Kyushu Cancer Center between 1992 and 2008 were retrospectively evaluated. As AIs and trastuzumab were approved for clinical use in Japan in 2001, the patients were divided into two time cohorts depending on whether the cancer recurred before or after 2001. Cohort A: 170 patients who were diagnosed between 1992 and 2000. Cohort B: 237 patients who were diagnosed between 2001 and 2008. Tumor characteristics, treatments, and outcome were compared. Results Fourteen percent of cohort A and 76% of cohort B received AIs and/or trastuzumab (P Conclusions The prognosis of patients with recurrent breast cancer was improved over time following the introduction of AIs and trastuzumab and the survival improvement was apparent in HR- and/or HER-2-positive tumors.

Inhibition of platelet aggregation by tartrazine and a pyrazolone analogue in normal and allergic individuals.

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Gallagher, J S; Splansky, G L; Bernstein, I L

1980-11-01

The effect of tartrazine (T) (yellow dye No. 5) and one of its metabolites an aminopyrazolone analogue (1-sulphophenyl-3-carboxy-5-hydroxypyrazole, SCHP) upon collagen-induced platelet aggregation (C-PA) was investigated in fourteen atopic patients and fourteen normal subjects. Both T and SCHP inhibited C-PA in atopic patients at significantly lower doses than in normal volunteers. The mean inhibitory concentrations of SCHP were similar to aspirin in both atopic and normal individuals. Although the precise mechanism by which these chemicals block C-PA has not been elucidated, this in vitro system may be a useful method of assessing non-immune mechanisms involved in reactions to tartrazine.

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)

A pilot study to evaluate the effects of floatation spa treatment on patients with osteoarthritis.

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Hill, S; Eckett, M J; Paterson, C; Harkness, E F

1999-12-01

To conduct a preliminary investigation of the effects on floatation spa therapy on quality of life in patients with osteoarthritis to see if controlled trials are warranted. Uncontrolled clinical trial. Private floatation spa therapy centre. Fourteen patients with chronic osteoarthritis of the weight-bearing joints, of whom four dropped out. Six weekly sessions of floatation spa therapy. SF36, AIMS2 and MYMOP quality-of-life questionnaires. All patients improved. Differences between baseline and discharge scores showed statistically significant improvement for MYMOP, but not AIMS2 or SF-36. Controlled trials of floatation spa therapy for patients with osteoarthritis are warranted.

The 15-lipoxygenase inhibitory, antioxidant, antimycobacterial activity and cytotoxicity of fourteen ethnomedicinally used African spices and culinary herbs.

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Dzoyem, Jean Paul; Kuete, Victor; McGaw, Lyndy J; Eloff, Jacobus N

2014-10-28

Culinary herbs and spices are widely used ethnomedically across Africa. They are traditionally employed in the treatment of several ailments including inflammation disorders, pain alleviation and infectious diseases. Pharmacological studies are necessary to provide a scientific basis to substantiate their traditional use and safety. In this study, the 15-lipoxygenase inhibitory, antioxidant, antimycobacterial and the cytotoxic activities, total phenolic and flavonoid contents of fourteen edible plants were investigated. The 15-lipoxygenase inhibitory activity was evaluated by the ferrous oxidation-xylenol orange (FOX) assay method. The antioxidant activity was determined using free-radical scavenging assays. The antimycobacterial activity was determined by a broth microdilution method against three species of mycobacteria: Mycobacterium smegmatis, Mycobacterium aurum and Mycobacterium fortuitum using tetrazolium violet as growth indicator. The cytotoxicity was assessed by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay on Vero monkey kidney cells. All the extracts tested had some 15-lipoxygenase inhibitory activity ranging from 32.9 to 78.64%. Adansonia digitata (fruit) had the highest antioxidant capacity (IC₅₀ values of 8.15 μg/mL and 9.16 μg/mL in the DPPH and ABTS assays respectively; TEAC of 0.75 in the FRAP assay) along with the highest amount of total phenolics (237.68 mg GAE/g) and total flavonoids (16.14 mg E/g). There were good correlations between DPPH and ABTS values (R(2) 0.98) and between total phenolics and total flavonoids (R(2) 0.94). Tamarindus indica had significant antimycobacterial activity against Mycobacterium aurum (MIC 78 μg/mL). As could be expected with edible plants, all the extracts had a relatively low cytotoxicity with LC₅₀ values higher than 102 μg/mL with the exception of the two Aframomum species (33 and 74 μg/mL). This study provides scientific support for some of the the traditional uses

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

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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.

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.

Development of a music therapy assessment tool for patients in low awareness states.

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Magee, Wendy L

2007-01-01

People in low awareness states following profound brain injury typically demonstrate subtle changes in functional behaviors which challenge the sensitivity of measurement tools. Failure to identify and measure changes in functioning can lead to misdiagnosis and withdrawal of treatment with this population. Thus, the development of tools which are sensitive to responsiveness is of central concern. As the auditory modality has been found to be particularly sensitive in identifying responses indicating awareness, a convincing case can be made for music therapy as a treatment medium. However, little has been recommended about protocols for intervention or tools for measuring patient responses within the music therapy setting. This paper presents the rationale for an assessment tool specifically designed to measure responses in the music therapy setting with patients who are diagnosed as minimally conscious or in a vegetative state. Developed over fourteen years as part of interdisciplinary assessment and treatment, the music therapy assessment tool for low awareness states (MATLAS) contains fourteen items which rate behavioral responses across a number of domains. The tool can provide important information for interdisciplinary assessment and treatment particularly in the auditory and communication domains. Recommendations are made for testing its reliability and validity through research.

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.

Long-Term Outcome in Pyridoxine-Dependent Epilepsy

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Bok, Levinus A.; Halbertsma, Feico J..; Houterman, Saskia; Wevers, Ron A.; Vreeswijk, Charlotte; Jakobs, Cornelis; Struys, Eduard; van der Hoeven, Johan H.; Sival, Deborah A.; Willemsen, Michel A.

2012-01-01

Aim: The long-term outcome of the Dutch pyridoxine-dependent epilepsy cohort and correlations between patient characteristics and follow-up data were retrospectively studied. Method: Fourteen patients recruited from a national reference laboratory were included (four males, 10 females, from 11 families; median age at assessment 6y; range 2y…

[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.

Postoperative analgesia after major spine surgery: patient-controlled epidural analgesia versus patient-controlled intravenous analgesia.

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Schenk, Michael R; Putzier, Michael; Kügler, Bjoern; Tohtz, Stephan; Voigt, Kristina; Schink, Tania; Kox, Wolfgang J; Spies, Claudia; Volk, Thomas

2006-11-01

Spinal fusion surgery causes severe postoperative pain, hampering reconvalescense. We investigated the efficacy of patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) in a prospective, double-blind, randomized, controlled comparison with patient-controlled IV analgesia (PCIA). After lumbar anterior-posterior fusion receiving an epidural catheter intraoperatively, 72 patients were given either PCEA (ropivacaine 0.125% and sufentanil 1.0 microg/mL at 14 mL/h; bolus: 5 mL; lockout time: 15 min) and IV placebo or PCIA (morphine 2.0 mg/mL; bolus: 3 mg; lockout time: 15 min) and epidural placebo. Pain levels (visual analog scale 0-10), functional capabilities (turning in bed, standing, and walking), analgesic consumption, and side effects were evaluated until 72 h after surgery. Fourteen patients were excluded by predetermined criteria, leaving 58 patients for data analysis. Pain levels at rest and during mobilization were significantly lower in the PCEA when compared with that in the PCIA group throughout the study period (P turn in bed was achieved earlier in the PCEA group (P Patients in the PCEA group were significantly more satisfied with pain therapy (P patient satisfaction when compared with PCIA after spinal fusion surgery.

[User friendliness of computer-based cognitive training for psychogeriatric patients with mild to moderate cognitive impairments].

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van der Ploeg, Eva S; Hoorweg, Angela; van der Lee, Jacqueline

2016-04-01

Cognitive impairment associated with dementia is characterized by a continuous decline. Cognitive training is a method to train specific brain functions such as memory and attention to prevent or slow down cognitive decline. A small number of studies has shown that cognitive training on a computer has a positive effect on both cognition and mood in people with cognitive impairment. This pilot study tested if serious games could be integrated in a psychogeriatric rehabilitation center. Fourteen psychogeriatric patients participated twice weekly in cognitive training sessions on a computer. Both the participants and the facilitator reported positive interactions and outcomes. However, after five weeks only half of the sample still participated in the training. This was partly because of patient turn-over as well as incorporating this new task in the facilitators' daily work. Fear of failure, physical limitations and rapidly decreasing cognitive function led to drop out according to the facilitator. The engagement of patients in the games and the role of the facilitator seemed essential for success, especially monitoring (and adjusting) the difficulty level of the program for every individual participant.

Gastric emptying time (GET) with Tc-99m-labeled semisolid meal in diabetic patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tada, Akira; Koizumi, Kiyoshi; Aburano, Tamio; Bunko, Hisashi; Tonami, Norihisa

1984-01-01

Measurement of gastric emptying in diabetic gastroenteropathy is of interest because of the gastric atony that may produce signs and symptoms of visceral neuropathy. The purpose of this study is to present the result of GET measurements in diabetic patients. The correlation between GET and complications, fasting blood sugar (FBS), duration of disease, age, sex, and HbAlc was evaluated. Included in this study were 21 diabetic patients. Fourteen patients had diabetic complications such as peripheral neuropathy, autonomic neuropathy, nephropathy and retinopathy. Following an overnight fast, semisolid test meal mixed with 200 uCi of Tc-99m Sn-colloid was ingested by the patients. In nine normal volunteers, the GET range previously established by this method in our institution was from 47 to 78 minutes (mean 62.5 +- 7.7). In the patients with diabetic complication, particulary with triopathy, GET was significantly prolonged compared to those of normal subjects and diabetic patients without complication. On the contrary, four out of seven patients without complications, showed rapid emptying than normal subjects. This rapid emptying may reveal the early stage of pathophysiological change in diabetics. No correlation between GET and FBS, duration of disease, age, sex and HbAlc was seen. This test of radiolabeled semisolid meal was found to provide a convenient, safe and effective diagnostic tool to examine gastric emptying function in diabetic patients. (author)

Gastric emptying time (GET) with Tc-99m-labeled semisolid meal in diabetic patients

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Tada, Akira; Koizumi, Kiyoshi; Aburano, Tamio; Bunko, Hisashi; Tonami, Norihisa [Kanazawa Univ. (Japan). School of Medicine

1984-01-01

Measurement of gastric emptying in diabetic gastroenteropathy is of interest because of the gastric atony that may produce signs and symptoms of visceral neuropathy. The purpose of this study is to present the result of GET measurements in diabetic patients. The correlation between GET and complications, fasting blood sugar (FBS), duration of disease, age, sex, and HbAlc was evaluated. Included in this study were 21 diabetic patients. Fourteen patients had diabetic complications such as peripheral neuropathy, autonomic neuropathy, nephropathy and retinopathy. Following an overnight fast, semisolid test meal mixed with 200 uCi of Tc-99m Sn-colloid was ingested by the patients. In nine normal volunteers, the GET range previously established by this method in our institution was from 47 to 78 minutes (mean 62.5 +- 7.7). In the patients with diabetic complication, particulary with triopathy, GET was significantly prolonged compared to those of normal subjects and diabetic patients without complication. On the contrary, four out of seven patients without complications, showed rapid emptying than normal subjects. This rapid emptying may reveal the early stage of pathophysiological change in diabetics. No correlation between GET and FBS, duration of disease, age, sex and HbAlc was seen. This test of radiolabeled semisolid meal was found to provide a convenient, safe and effective diagnostic tool to examine gastric emptying function in diabetic patients.

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.

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.

Role of FDG-PET for the diagnosis of differentiated thyroid cancer relapse examination of 39 patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Groheux, D.; Garin, E.; Bernard, A.M.; Devillers, A.; Lescouarc'h, J.; Prigent-Le Jeune, F.; Carsin, A.; Bourguet, P.; Herry, J.Y.; Mesbah, H.

2005-01-01

Thirty nine patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (32 papillary, 4 follicular and 3 oncocytic) were studied by 18FDG whole-body PET in most cases because of elevated thyroglobulin. All patients were examined with hormone substitution at low TSH levels. Fourteen patients had 18FD G uptake in cervical region, 9 in mediastinum and 5 in lungs. Sensitivity of FDG-PET was 68%, specificity 71%, PPV 8% and NPV 56%. Sensitivity was respectively 53% and 90% if thyroglobulin was inferior or superior to 10 ng/ml. FDG-PET changed cancer staging in 27 patients and changed treatment strategy in 11 patients (10 surgical treatments and 1 radioiodine therapy). (author)

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)

Comparing Exercise Prescription Methods in Knee Osteoarthritis Patients in Malaysia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

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.

Environmental Sound Training in Cochlear Implant Users

Science.gov (United States)

Shafiro, Valeriy; Sheft, Stanley; Kuvadia, Sejal; Gygi, Brian

2015-01-01

Purpose: The study investigated the effect of a short computer-based environmental sound training regimen on the perception of environmental sounds and speech in experienced cochlear implant (CI) patients. Method: Fourteen CI patients with the average of 5 years of CI experience participated. The protocol consisted of 2 pretests, 1 week apart,…

Evaluation of a multiresidue method for measuring fourteen chemical groups of pesticides in water by use of LC-MS-MS.

Science.gov (United States)

Carvalho, J J; Jerónimo, P C A; Gonçalves, C; Alpendurada, M F

2008-11-01

European Council Directive 98/83/EC on the quality of water intended for human consumption brought a new challenge for water-quality control routine laboratories, mainly on pesticides analysis. Under the guidelines of ISO/IEC 17025:2005, a multiresidue method was developed, validated, implemented in routine, and studied with real samples during a one-year period. The proposed method enables routine laboratories to handle a large number of samples, since 28 pesticides of 14 different chemical groups can be quantitated in a single procedure. The method comprises a solid-phase extraction step and subsequent analysis by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS). The accuracy was established on the basis of participation in interlaboratory proficiency tests, with encouraging results (majority |z-score| <2), and the precision was consistently analysed over one year. The limits of quantitation (below 0.050 microg L(-1)) are in agreement with the enforced threshold value for pesticides of 0.10 microg L(-1). Overall method performance is suitable for routine use according to accreditation rules, taking into account the data collected over one year.

Heart failure patients monitored with telemedicine: patient satisfaction, a review of the literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Kraai, I H; Luttik, M L A; de Jong, R M; Jaarsma, T; Hillege, H L

2011-08-01

Remote monitoring of the clinical status of heart failure patients has developed rapidly and is the subject of several trials. Patient satisfaction is an important outcome, as recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to use in clinical research, and should be included in studies concerning remote monitoring. The objective of this review is to describe the current state of the literature on patient satisfaction with noninvasive telemedicine, regarding definition, measurement, and overall level of patient satisfaction with telemedicine. The Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane, and Cinahl databases were searched using heart failure-, satisfaction-, and telemedicine-related search terms. The literature search identified 193 publications, which were reviewed by 2 independent reviewers. Fourteen articles were included. None of the articles described a clear definition or concept of patient satisfaction with telemedicine. Patient satisfaction with telemedicine was measured with self-developed questionnaires or face-to-face or telephonic interviews. None of the articles used the same questionnaire or telephonic survey to measure patient satisfaction. Only one questionnaire was assessed for validity and reliability. In general, patients seemed to be satisfied or very satisfied with the use of telemedicine. Measurement of patient satisfaction is still underexposed in telemedicine research and the measurement of patient satisfaction with telemedicine underappreciated with poorly constructed questionnaires. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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.

An explorative study of non-invasive ultra-weak photon emission and the anti-oxidative influence of oral zinc sulphate in light-sensitive patients with erythropoietic protoporphyria

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petersen, Anita Birgit; Philipsen, Peter Alshede; Wulf, Hans Christian

2011-01-01

BACKGROUND: Erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP) is a rare, inherited disorder of haem biosynthesis owing to deficient ferrochelatase (FECH) and accumulation of protoporphyrin IX (PPIX). This results in acute cutaneous photosensitivity upon light exposure with production of reactive oxygen species...... correlation was found between plasma zinc concentration and the initial burst. CONCLUSION: Measurements of UPE can be used for monitoring UVA-induced oxidative processes in vivo in the skin of EPP patients....... (ROS) and ultra-weak photon emission (UPE) as a by-product. We investigated if UPE evaluated the light sensitivity in EPP patients and influence of zinc treatment. METHODS: Fourteen EPP patients took zinc sulphate (3 × 200 mg/day) during spring and summer. Using a photomultiplier (PM), UPE was measured...... from the buttock skin and dorsal hand before and after solar-simulated light (SUN) exposure. Blood samples were analysed routinely for plasma zinc, iron, ferritin, transferrin, haemoglobin, erythrocyte PPIX and Zn-PPIX. RESULTS: UPE in EPP patients resembled that seen in healthy individuals. Without...

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.

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

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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

Venous thromboembolism rates in patients with lower limb immobilization after Achilles tendon injury are unchanged after the introduction of prophylactic aspirin: audit.

Science.gov (United States)

Braithwaite, I; Dunbar, L; Eathorne, A; Weatherall, M; Beasley, R

2016-02-01

ESSENTIALS: We audited venous thromboembolism (VTE) in Achilles injuries after the use of prophylactic aspirin. We audited 218 patients with Achilles injury requiring lower limb immobilization for ≥ 1 week. Fourteen patients (6.4%, 95% CI 3.6% to 10.5%) developed symptomatic and confirmed VTE. The incidence was similar to the 6.3% identified in the same patient group prior to the use of aspirin. We report a follow-up audit of the incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients requiring lower limb immobilization because of Achilles tendon injury, since the introduction of a policy to routinely prescribe 100 mg of aspirin daily. We studied 218 patients aged 18-65 years who attended the Orthopaedic Assessment Unit at Wellington Hospital between January 2013 and December 2014 with Achilles tendon injury requiring lower limb immobilization for ≥ 1 week. Information on assessment of VTE risk, prescription of aspirin and symptomatic VTE occurring within 70 days of immobilization was obtained and compared with the same information collected with the same method in the same patient group between January 2006 and December 2007, before the policy to routinely prescribe aspirin was introduced. A total of 189 of 218 (93%) patients were prescribed aspirin, as compared with 0.5% previously. Fourteen patients (6.4%, 95% confidence interval 3.6-10.5%) developed symptomatic radiologically confirmed VTE (10 distal deep vein thromboses [DVTs], two proximal DVTs, one pulmonary embolism [PE], and one PE with distal DVT). Aspirin was prescribed to all patients who subsequently developed a VTE; in one of 14, a recognized risk factor was documented. The VTE incidence was similar to the 6.3% identified in the previous audit. Lower limb immobilization following Achilles tendon injury confers a high risk of VTE even with aspirin prophylaxis. Consideration should be given to prophylaxis with low molecular weight heparin during lower limb immobilization following Achilles tendon

Clinical management of rapidly growing mycobacterial cutaneous infections in patients after mesotherapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Regnier, Stéphanie; Cambau, Emmanuelle; Meningaud, Jean-Paul; Guihot, Amelie; Deforges, Lionel; Carbonne, Anne; Bricaire, François; Caumes, Eric

2009-11-01

Increasing numbers of patients are expressing an interest in mesotherapy as a method of reducing body fat. Cutaneous infections due to rapidly growing mycobacteria are a common complication of such procedures. We followed up patients who had developed cutaneous infections after undergoing mesotherapy during the period October 2006-January 2007. Sixteen patients were infected after mesotherapy injections performed by the same physician. All patients presented with painful, erythematous, draining subcutaneous nodules at the injection sites. All patients were treated with surgical drainage. Microbiological examination was performed on specimens that were obtained before and during the surgical procedure. Direct examination of skin smears demonstrated acid-fast bacilli in 25% of the specimens that were obtained before the procedure and 37% of the specimens obtained during the procedure; culture results were positive in 75% of the patients. Mycobacterium chelonae was identified in 11 patients, and Mycobacterium frederiksbergense was identified in 2 patients. Fourteen patients were treated with antibiotics, 6 received triple therapy as first-line treatment (tigecycline, tobramycin, and clarithromycin), and 8 received dual therapy (clarithromycin and ciprofloxacin). The mean duration of treatment was 14 weeks (range, 1-24 weeks). All of the patients except 1 were fully recovered 2 years after the onset of infection, with the mean time to healing estimated at 6.2 months (range, 1-15 months). This series of rapidly growing mycobacterial cutaneous infections highlights the difficulties in treating such infections and suggests that in vitro susceptibility to antibiotics does not accurately predict their clinical efficacy.

Risk factors for retinopathy associated with interferon α-2b and ribavirin combination therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Chiaki Okuse; Hiroshi Yotsuyanagi; Yoshihiko Nagase; Yuhtaro Kobayashi; Kiyomi Yasuda; Kazuhiko Koike; Shiro Iino; Michihiro Suzuki; Fumio Itoh

2006-01-01

AIM: To elucidate the frequency and risk factors for retinopathy in patients with chronic hepatitis C who are treated by interferon-ribavirin combination therapy.METHODS: We prospectively analyzed 73 patients with histologically confirmed chronic hepatitis C, who underwent combination therapy for 24 wk. Optic fundi were examined before, and 2, 4, 12 and 24 wk after the start of combination therapy.RESULTS: Fourteen patients (19%) developed retinopathy, which was initially diagnosed by the appearance of a cotton wool spot in 12 patients. Retinal hemorrhage was observed in 5 patients. No patient complained of visual disturbance. Retinopathy disappeared in 9 patients (64%)despite the continuation of combination therapy. However, retinopathy persisted in 5 patients with retinal hemorrhage. A comparison of the clinical background between the groups with and without retinopathy showed no significant differences in age, gender, viral genotype, RNA level, white blood cell count, platelet count, prothrombin time, complications by diabetes mellitus or hypertension,or pretreatment arteriosclerotic changes in the optic fundj. However, multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that complication by hypertension was observed with a high frequency in the group with retinopathy (P=0.004,OR=245.918, 95% CI=5.6-10786.2).CONCLUSION: Retinopathy associated with combination therapy of interferon α-2b and ribavirin tends to develop in patients with hypertension.

A dielectric method for measuring early and late reactions in irradiated human skin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nuutinen, J.; Lahtinen, T.; Turunen, M.; Alanen, E.; Tenhunen, M.; Usenius, T.; Kolle, R.

1998-01-01

Background and purpose: To measure the dielectric constant of irradiated human skin in order to test the feasibility of the dielectric measurements in the quantitation of acute and late radiation reactions. Materials and methods: The dielectric constant of irradiated breast skin was measured at an electromagnetic frequency of 300 MHz in 21 patients during postmastectomy radiotherapy. The measurements were performed with an open-ended coaxial line reflection method. The irradiation technique consisted of an anterior photon field to the lymph nodes and a matched electron field to the chest wall using conventional fractionation of five fractions/week to 50 Gy. Fourteen out of the 21 patients were remeasured 2 years later and the skin was palpated for subcutaneous fibrosis. Results: At 5 weeks the dielectric constant had decreased by 31 and 39% for the investigated skin sites of the photon and electron fields, respectively. There was a statistically significant inverse correlation between the mean dielectric constant and the clinical score of erythema. An unexpected finding was a decrease of the dielectric constant of the contralateral healthy skin during radiotherapy. Two years later a statistically significant positive correlation was found between the dielectric constant at the irradiated skin sites and the clinical score of subcutaneous fibrosis. Conclusions: Dielectric measurements non-invasively yield quantitative information concerning radiation-induced skin reactions. (Copyright (c) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam. All rights reserved.)

Clinical evaluation of patients with spinal cord infarction in mashhad, iran.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghandehari, Kavian; Gerami Sarabi, Mohammad Reza; Maarufi, Parham

2010-10-26

Background. Spinal Cord Infarction (SCI) is a rare and disabling disease. This hospital-based study was conducted for clinical evaluation of SCI patients in east of Iran. Methods. Consecutive SCI patients admitted in Ghaem hospital,Mashhad during 2006-2010 were enrolled in a prospective clinical study. Diagnosis of SCI was made by neurologists and radiologists. Demographic features, clinical syndrome, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) findings were recorded. All of the patients underwent a standard battery of diagnostic investigations. All of the patients suspected to SCI had MRI of spinal cord at the symptomatic level of cord with a 0.5 Tesla generation, Philips NT Intra, Netherland equipment. An equal number of patients with Brain Infarction (BI) were randomly selected from our stroke registry data bank. Etiology and degree of disability were compared between these groups of patients. Results. Fourteen SCI patients (9 females, 5 males) with mean age 38.8 ± SD: 19.9 years were evaluated. Miscellaneous causes consisted 50% of etiologies in patients with SCI. Uncertain etiology, atherosclerosis, and cardioembolisms consisted 35.7%, 7.1%, and 7.1% of SCI causes, respectively. Distribution of etiologies was significantly different between SCI and BI patients, X(2) = 12.94, df = 3, P = .003. Difference in mean disability score at acute phase of stroke was not significant between two studied groups, z = 1.54, P = .057. Difference in mean changes of disability score at 90 days postevent was significant in two groups of patients, z = 2.65, P = .019. Conclusion. SCI is a rare disease with poor recovery. Distribution of etiologies of SCI patients is quite different than of BI patients.

Clinical Evaluation of Patients with Spinal Cord Infarction in Mashhad, Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kavian Ghandehari

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Spinal Cord Infarction (SCI is a rare and disabling disease. This hospital-based study was conducted for clinical evaluation of SCI patients in east of Iran. Methods. Consecutive SCI patients admitted in Ghaem hospital,Mashhad during 2006–2010 were enrolled in a prospective clinical study. Diagnosis of SCI was made by neurologists and radiologists. Demographic features, clinical syndrome, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI findings were recorded. All of the patients underwent a standard battery of diagnostic investigations. All of the patients suspected to SCI had MRI of spinal cord at the symptomatic level of cord with a 0.5 Tesla generation, Philips NT Intra, Netherland equipment. An equal number of patients with Brain Infarction (BI were randomly selected from our stroke registry data bank. Etiology and degree of disability were compared between these groups of patients. Results. Fourteen SCI patients (9 females, 5 males with mean age 38.8±SD: 19.9 years were evaluated. Miscellaneous causes consisted 50% of etiologies in patients with SCI. Uncertain etiology, atherosclerosis, and cardioembolisms consisted 35.7%, 7.1%, and 7.1% of SCI causes, respectively. Distribution of etiologies was significantly different between SCI and BI patients, X2=12.94, df=3, P=.003. Difference in mean disability score at acute phase of stroke was not significant between two studied groups, z=1.54, P=.057. Difference in mean changes of disability score at 90 days postevent was significant in two groups of patients, z=2.65, P=.019. Conclusion. SCI is a rare disease with poor recovery. Distribution of etiologies of SCI patients is quite different than of BI patients.

Older patients' experiences during care transition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rustad EC

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Else Cathrine Rustad,1–4 Bodil Furnes,1 Berit Seiger Cronfalk,2,5,6 Elin Dysvik1 1Department of Health Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Stavanger, Stavanger, Norway; 2Faculty of Health and Caring Sciences, Stord Haugesund University College, Stord, Norway; 3Research Network on Integrated Health Care in Western Norway, Helse Fonna Local Health Authority, Haugesund, Norway; 4Department of Clinical Medicine, Helse Fonna Local Health Authority, Haugesund, Norway; 5Palliative Research Center, Ersta Sköndal University College, Stockholm, Sweden; 6Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden Background: A fragmented health care system leads to an increased demand for continuity of care across health care levels. Research indicates age-related differences during care transition, with the oldest patients having experiences and needs that differ from those of other patients. To meet the older patients’ needs and preferences during care transition, professionals must understand their experiences.Objective: The purpose of the study was to explore how patients ≥80 years of age experienced the care transition from hospital to municipal health care services.Methods: The study has a descriptive, explorative design, using semistructured interviews. Fourteen patients aged ≥80 participated in the study. Qualitative content analysis was used to describe the individuals’ experiences during care transition.Results: Two complementary themes emerged during the analysis: “Participation depends on being invited to plan the care transition” and “Managing continuity of care represents a complex and challenging process”.Discussion: Lack of participation, insufficient information, and vague responsibilities among staff during care transition seemed to limit the continuity of care. The patients are the vulnerable part of the care transition process, although they possess important

CT and MR image fusion using two different methods after prostate brachytherapy: impact on post-implant dosimetric assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Servois, V.; El Khoury, C.; Lantoine, A.; Ollivier, L.; Neuenschwander, S.; Chauveinc, L.; Cosset, J.M.; Flam, T.; Rosenwald, J.C.

2003-01-01

To study different methods of CT and MR images fusion in patient treated by brachytherapy for localized prostate cancer. To compare the results of the dosimetric study realized on CT slices and images fusion. Fourteen cases of patients treated by 1125 were retrospectively studied. The CT examinations were realized with continuous section of 5 mm thickness, and MR images were obtained with a surface coil with contiguous section of 3 mm thickness. For the images fusion process, only the T2 weighted MR sequence was used. Two processes of images fusion were realized for each patient, using as reference marks the bones of the pelvis and the implanted seeds. A quantitative and qualitative appreciation was made by the operators, for each patient and both methods of images fusion. The dosimetric study obtained by a dedicated software was realized on CT images and all types of images fusion. The usual dosimetric indexes (D90, V 100 and V 150) were compared for each type of image. The quantitative results given by the software of images fusion showed a superior accuracy to the one obtained by the pelvic bony reference marks. Conversely, qualitative and quantitative results obtained by the operators showed a better accuracy of the images fusion based on iodine seeds. For two patients out of three presenting a D90 inferior to 145 Gy on CT examination, the D90 was superior to this norm when the dosimetry was based on images fusion, whatever the method used. The images fusion method based on implanted seed matching seems to be more precise than the one using bony reference marks. The dosimetric study realized on images fusion could allow to rectify possible errors, mainly due to difficulties in surrounding prostate contour delimitation on CT images. (authors)

A rule-based automatic sleep staging method.

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Sheng-Fu; Kuo, Chin-En; Hu, Yu-Han; Cheng, Yu-Shian

2012-03-30

In this paper, a rule-based automatic sleep staging method was proposed. Twelve features including temporal and spectrum analyses of the EEG, EOG, and EMG signals were utilized. Normalization was applied to each feature to eliminating individual differences. A hierarchical decision tree with fourteen rules was constructed for sleep stage classification. Finally, a smoothing process considering the temporal contextual information was applied for the continuity. The overall agreement and kappa coefficient of the proposed method applied to the all night polysomnography (PSG) of seventeen healthy subjects compared with the manual scorings by R&K rules can reach 86.68% and 0.79, respectively. This method can integrate with portable PSG system for sleep evaluation at-home in the near future. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cross-impact method

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Suzić Nenad

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The paper displays the application of the Cross-Impact method in pedagogy, namely a methodological approach which crosses variables in a novel, but statistically justified manner. The method is an innovation in pedagogy as well as in research methodology of social and psychological phenomena. Specifically, events and processes are crossed, that is, experts' predictions of about future interaction of events and processes. Therefore, this methodology is futuristic; it concerns predicting future, which is of key importance for pedagogic objectives. The paper presents two instances of the cross-impact approach: the longer, displayed in fourteen steps, and the shorter, in four steps. They are both accompanied with mathematic and statistical formulae allowing for quantification, that is, a numerical expression of the probability of a certain event happening in the future. The advantage of this approach is that it facilitates planning in education which so far has been solely based on lay estimates and assumptions.

Bladder exstrophy: reconstructed female patients achieving normal pregnancy and delivering normal babies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amílcar Martins Giron

2011-10-01

Full Text Available PURPOSE: Bladder exstrophy (BE is an anterior midline defect that causes a series of genitourinary and muscular malformations, which demands surgical intervention for correction. Women with BE are fertile and able to have children without this disease. The purpose of this study is to assess the sexual function and quality of life of women treated for BE. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All patients in our institution treated for BE from 1987 to 2007 were recruited to answer a questionnaire about their quality of life and pregnancies. RESULTS: Fourteen women were submitted to surgical treatment for BE and had 22 pregnancies during the studied period. From those, 17 pregnancies (77.2% resulted in healthy babies, while four patients (18.1% had a spontaneous abortion due to genital prolapse, and there was one case (4.7% of death due to a pneumopathy one week after delivery. There was also one case (5.8% of premature birth without greater repercussions. During pregnancy, three patients (21.4% had urinary tract infections and one patient (7.14% presented urinary retention. After delivery, three patients (21.4% presented temporary urinary incontinence; one patient (7.14% had a vesicocutaneous fistula and seven patients (50% had genital prolapsed. All patients confirmed to have achieved urinary continence, a regular sexual life and normal pregnancies. All patients got married and pregnant older than the general population. CONCLUSIONS: BE is a severe condition that demands medical and family assistance. Nevertheless, it is possible for the bearers of this condition to have a satisfactory and productive lifestyle.

Ultrasonographic findings in blunt abdominal trauma among Yemeni patients in Sana'a

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al Najjar, A. A. H.

2004-09-01

A hundred and thirty patients (104 males, and 26 females) with suspected blunt abdominal trauma were admitted to this prospective study at Althawra hospital, Sana'a, Yemen in the period between june and december 2003. Real-time ultrasonography of the abdomen was performed in all patients. Fifty-six patients showed U/S evidence of visceral injury. Fourteen injuries of spleen, 7 had evidence of liver and 8 had renal injuries. Only eight needed a laparatomy because of cardiovascular instability and the laparatomy confirmed the ultrasound findings. The remainder were treated conservatively with good results. It is of interest that there was one ultrasonic sign of fluid in one patient who progressed well on conservative therapy. Ultrasonic signs of visceral laceration or contusion were found in patients who had 2 up to 8 sonic findings. It appears that visceral injury always gives more than two sonic signs. The remaining 33 patients only had intraperitoneal fluid, only one of them had volvulus. It is not possible to state the nature of fluid, whether it is an exudate, transudate, blood or lymph. Diagnostic peritoneal lavage would have been helpful. Seven patients died, most of them due to associated injuries, mainly head injury and cardiovascular collapse, one patient died on table and had retroperitonieal haematoma extending from pelvis to the mesentery of transverse colon and had no abdominal organ injury. The sensitivity of ultrasonography for liver was 87.5% and for spleen 100%. Ultrasonography is sensitive, safe, cost effective and non invasive method for screening patients with blunt abdominal trauma.(Author)

[Anaesthesia for correction of scoliosis in pediatric patient with Friedreich's ataxia].

Science.gov (United States)

Agámez Medina, G L; Pantin, E J; Lorthé, J; Therrien, P J

2015-01-01

Friedreich ataxia (FA) is an inherited autosomal recessive disease characterized by a neurological degenerative process of the cerebellum, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves. FA is associated with ataxia, dysarthria, motor and sensory impairment, scoliosis, cardiomyopathy, and diabetes. There is a significant risk of perioperative major complications during the anesthetic management of these patients. We present the case of a fourteen-year-old patient with FA, who had a posterior spinal fusion and instrumentation underwent to total intravenous anesthesia. Copyright © 2013 Sociedad Española de Anestesiología, Reanimación y Terapéutica del Dolor. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

ATP Bioluminometers Analysis on the Surfaces of Removable Orthodontic Aligners after the Use of Different Cleaning Methods

OpenAIRE

Levrini, Luca; Mangano, Alessandro; Margherini, Silvia; Tenconi, Camilla; Vigetti, Davide; Muollo, Raffaele; Marco Abbate, Gian

2016-01-01

Purpose. The aim was to quantify the bacteria concentration on the surface of orthodontic clear aligners using three different cleaning methods. Furthermore the objective was to validate the efficacy of the bioluminometer in assessing the bacteria concentration. Materials and Methods. Twenty subjects (six males and fourteen females) undergoing orthodontic therapy with clear aligners (Invisalign® Align Technology, Santa Clara, California) were enrolled in this study. The observation time was o...

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.

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....

Palliative care for cancer patients in a primary health care setting:Bereaved relatives' experience, a qualitative group interview study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Neergaard, Mette Asbjørn; Olesen, Frede; Jensen, Anders Bonde

2008-01-01

care setting to explore barriers and facilitators for delivery of good palliative home care. Methods: Three focus group interviews with fourteen bereaved relatives in Aarhus County, Denmark. Results: Three main categories of experience were identified: 1) The health professionals' management, where...

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.

Sentinel node biopsy before neoadjuvant chemotherapy spares breast cancer patients axillary lymph node dissection.

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van Rijk, Maartje C; Nieweg, Omgo E; Rutgers, Emiel J T; Oldenburg, Hester S A; Olmos, Renato Valdés; Hoefnagel, Cornelis A; Kroon, Bin B R

2006-04-01

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer patients is a valuable method to determine the efficacy of chemotherapy and potentially downsize the primary tumor, which facilitates breast-conserving therapy. In 18 studies published about sentinel node biopsy after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, the sentinel node was identified in on average 89%, and the false-negative rate was on average 10%. Because of these mediocre results, no author dares to omit axillary clearance just yet. In our institute, sentinel lymph node biopsy is performed before neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The aim of this study was to evaluate our experience with this approach. Sentinel node biopsy was performed before neoadjuvant chemotherapy in 25 T2N0 patients by using lymphoscintigraphy, a gamma ray detection probe, and patent blue dye. Axillary lymph node dissection was performed after chemotherapy if the sentinel node contained metastases. Ten patients had a tumor-positive axillary sentinel node, and one patient had an involved lateral intramammary node. Four patients had additional involved nodes in the completion lymph node dissection specimen. The other 14 patients (56%) had a tumor-negative sentinel node and did not undergo axillary lymph node dissection. No recurrences have been observed after a median follow-up of 18 months. Fourteen (56%) of the 25 patients were spared axillary lymph node dissection when the sentinel node was found to be disease free. Performing sentinel node biopsy before neoadjuvant chemotherapy seems successful and reliable in patients with T2N0 breast cancer.

Cardiac autonomic impairment and chronotropic incompetence in fibromyalgia

OpenAIRE

da Cunha Ribeiro, Roberta Potenza; Roschel, Hamilton; Artioli, Guilherme Gianini; Dassouki, Thalita; Perandini, Luiz Augusto; Calich, Ana Luisa; de Sá Pinto, Ana Lúcia; Lima, Fernanda Rodrigues; Bonfá, Eloísa; Gualano, Bruno

2011-01-01

Abstract Introduction We aimed to gather knowledge on the cardiac autonomic modulation in patients with fibromyalgia (FM) in response to exercise and to investigate whether this population suffers from chronotropic incompetence (CI). Methods Fourteen women with FM (age: 46 ± 3 y...

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...

Immunoreactive 'TSH' in urinary concentrates of Graves' disease patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Herle, A.; Orgiazzi, J.; Greipel, M.A.; Slucher, J.A.; Honbo, K.S.; Hopital de l'Antiquaille, 69 - Lyon

1978-01-01

A double antibody radioimmunoassay was used to analyse immunoreactive thyrotrophin in urinary concentrates from fourteen patients with hyperthyroidism due to Graves' disease, in three subjects with primary hypothyroidism, and in six normal subjects. Immunoreactive thyrotrophin was detectable in eleven subjects with Graves' disease, in one subject with primary hypothyroidism, and in four normal subjects. The mean urinary thyrotrophin concentration was significantly higher in Graves' disease (492+-99.9μU/24h(SEM)(n=11)) than in normal subjects (177+-26.4μU/24h(SEM)(n=4)(P [de

The apoptotic machinery as a biological complex system: analysis of its omics and evolution, identification of candidate genes for fourteen major types of cancer, and experimental validation in CML and neuroblastoma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li Destri Giovanni

2009-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Apoptosis is a critical biological phenomenon, executed under the guidance of the Apoptotic Machinery (AM, which allows the physiologic elimination of terminally differentiated, senescent or diseased cells. Because of its relevance to BioMedicine, we have sought to obtain a detailed characterization of AM Omics in Homo sapiens, namely its Genomics and Evolution, Transcriptomics, Proteomics, Interactomics, Oncogenomics, and Pharmacogenomics. Methods This project exploited the methodology commonly used in Computational Biology (i.e., mining of many omics databases of the web as well as the High Throughput biomolecular analytical techniques. Results In Homo sapiens AM is comprised of 342 protein-encoding genes (possessing either anti- or pro-apoptotic activity, or a regulatory function and 110 MIR-encoding genes targeting them: some have a critical role within the system (core AM nodes, others perform tissue-, pathway-, or disease-specific functions (peripheral AM nodes. By overlapping the cancer type-specific AM mutation map in the fourteen most frequent cancers in western societies (breast, colon, kidney, leukaemia, liver, lung, neuroblastoma, ovary, pancreas, prostate, skin, stomach, thyroid, and uterus to their transcriptome, proteome and interactome in the same tumour type, we have identified the most prominent AM molecular alterations within each class. The comparison of the fourteen mutated AM networks (both protein- as MIR-based has allowed us to pinpoint the hubs with a general and critical role in tumour development and, conversely, in cell physiology: in particular, we found that some of these had already been used as targets for pharmacological anticancer therapy. For a better understanding of the relationship between AM molecular alterations and pharmacological induction of apoptosis in cancer, we examined the expression of AM genes in K562 and SH-SY5Y after anticancer treatment. Conclusion We believe that our data

Is the Internet a useful and relevant source for health and health care information retrieval for German cardiothoracic patients? First results from a prospective survey among 255 Patients at a German cardiothoracic surgical clinic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diez Claudius

2006-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background It is not clear how prevalent Internet use among cardiopathic patients in Germany is and what impact it has on the health care utilisation. We measured the extent of Internet use among cardiopathic patients and examined the effects that Internet use has on users' knowledge about their cardiac disease, health care matters and their use of the health care system. Methods We conducted a prospective survey among 255 cardiopathic patients at a German university hospital. Results Forty seven respondents (18 % used the internet and 8,8 % (n = 23 went online more than 20 hours per month. The most frequent reason for not using the internet was disinterest (52,3 %. Fourteen patients (5,4 % searched for specific disease-related information and valued the retrieved information on an analogous scale (1 = not relevant, 5 = very relevant on median with 4,0. Internet use is age and education dependent. Only 36 (14,1 % respondents found the internet useful, whereas the vast majority would not use it. Electronic scheduling for ambulatory visits or postoperative telemedical monitoring were rather disapproved. Conclusion We conclude that Internet use is infrequent among our study population and the search for relevant health and disease related information is not well established.

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.

Plaque Characteristics of Patients with Symptomatic Mild Carotid Artery Stenosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Takai, Hiroki; Uemura, Juniti; Yagita, Yoshiki; Ogawa, Yukari; Kinoshita, Keita; Hirai, Satoshi; Ishihara, Manabu; Hara, Keijirou; Toi, Hiroyuki; Matsubara, Shunji; Nishimura, Hirotake; Uno, Masaaki

2018-03-20

Carotid revascularization may be considered for severe stenosis, but its use for symptomatic mild stenosis (<50%) with vulnerable plaque or ulcer remains uncertain. The characteristics of patients with symptomatic mild stenosis who underwent revascularization are reviewed. The subjects of this study were 18 patients with symptomatic mild stenosis (<50%) on angiography from among 175 patients who underwent revascularization in our department. The plaques were evaluated by black-blood magnetic resonance imaging (BB-MRI) and ultrasonography (US) and classified into 2 types: type 1 (n = 15), a lesion with an ulcer or mobile plaque or thrombosis on angiography or US; and type 2 (n = 3), a lesion without any of the above. Fourteen patients underwent carotid endarterectomy (CEA), and 4 patients underwent carotid artery stenting. The stenosis on angiography was 27.2% ± 10.7 (5%-41%), and the area carotid artery stenosis rate on US was 69.8 ± 14.5% (44.5%-97%). The stenosis rate of these 2 methods was not at all correlated. In type 1 plaque that underwent CEA, 10 of 11 patients had vulnerable plaque by histopathology, and 1 patient had thrombus on the plaque by operative findings. In type 2 plaque that underwent CEA, all patients had vulnerable plaque by histopathology. During the follow-up period, none of the patients had restenosis or stroke. The findings of US and BB-MRI in patients with symptomatic mild stenosis (<50%) on angiography are important for determining treatment. If BB-MRI or US shows the findings of vulnerable plaque in mild stenosis, surgical treatment may be considered for these patients. Copyright © 2018 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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

Reliability of the exercise ECG in detecting silent ischemia in patients with prior myocardial infarction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamagishi, Takashi; Matsuda, Yasuo; Satoh, Akira

1991-01-01

To assess the reliability of the exercise ECG in detecting silent ischemia, ECG results were compared with those of stress-redistribution thallium-201 single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) in 116 patients with prior myocardial infarction and in 20 normal subjects used as a control. The left ventricle (LV) was divided into 20 segmental images, which were scored blindly on a 5-point scale. The redistribution score was defined as thallium defect score of exercise subtracted by that of redistribution image and was used as a measure of amount of ischemic but viable myocardium. The upper limit of normal redistribution score (=4.32) was defined as mean+2 standard deviations derived from 20 normal subjects. Of 116 patients, 47 had the redistribution score above the normal range. Twenty-five (53%) of the 47 patients showed positive ECG response. Fourteen (20%) of the 69 patients, who had the normal redistribution score, showed positive ECG response. Thus, the ECG response had a sensitivity of 53% and a specificity of 80% in detecting transient ischemia. Furthermore, the 116 patients were subdivided into 4 groups according to the presence or absence of chest pain and ECG change during exercise. Fourteen patients showed both chest pain and ECG change and all these patients had the redistribution score above the normal range. Twenty-five patients showed ECG change without chest pain and 11 (44%) of the 25 patients had the abnormal redistribution. Three (43%) of 7 patients who showed chest pain without ECG change had the abnormal redistribution score. Of 70 patients who had neither chest pain nor ECG change, 19 (27%) had the redistribution score above the normal range. Thus, limitations exist in detecting silent ischemia by ECG in patients with a prior myocardial infarction, because the ECG response to the exercise test may have a low degree of sensitivity and a high degree of false positive and false negative results in detecting silent ischemia. (author)

Total knee arthroplasty in patients with dialysis: Early complications and mortality

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jen-Hung Chen

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Background: Total hip arthroplasty (THA in patients on long-term hemodialysis may result in a high prevalence of complications which related to nature of the disease, and associated cardiovascular conditions. However, the result of total knee artrhopalsty (TKA in those patients is not clear. The purpose of this study was to retrospectively evaluate the early mortality and complications of TKA performed in patients with dialysis. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 15 dialysis patients (18 knees who underwent TKA using antibiotic-loaded cement fixation. Fourteen patients had maintained hemodialysis and one patient had continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. The function of the knee was evaluated before operation and postoperatively using Knee Society evaluating system. Postoperative complications and mortality were recorded for all patients. The average follow up period was 25 months (6 to 59 months. Results: There were no mortalities including short-term (≤90 days or long-term (>90 days follow up. The mean knee and function scores improved from preoperative 36 points (27~46 and 19.4 points (10~35 to 79 points (68~87 and 81 points (70~95 respectively at the latest follow up. One (6.7% patient had early postoperative pneumonia (≤90 days. The late (>90 days complica-tion rate was 20% including 1 sepsis with toe gangrene, 1 recurrent stroke and 1 acute myocardiac infarction. There was no deep prosthetic joint infection or loosening of the components. Conclusion: TKA with antibiotic-loaded cement resulted in a substantial low short-term mortality and deep infections in 15 patients with dialysis. However, a longer term follow up is necessary.

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

The value of patient reporting to the pharmacovigilance system: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Inácio, Pedro; Cavaco, Afonso; Airaksinen, Marja

2017-02-01

Current trends in pharmacovigilance systems are veering towards patient involvement in spontaneous reporting of adverse drug reactions (ADRs). The aim of the current systematic review was to identify what is known and what remains unknown with respect to patient reporting to pharmacovigilance systems. A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, CINAHL, Journals@Ovid and the Cochrane Library. Studies were included if they contained: (i) reviews about patient reporting; (ii) evaluation of patient reports to national or supranational pharmacovigilance authorities; (iii) a comparison between patient and healthcare professional (HCP) reports submitted to pharmacovigilance authorities; and (iv) surveys of patient experiences, opinions and awareness about reporting ADRs. The methodological quality of the studies was assessed according to principles of Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations (GRADE). A total of thirty four studies were included. Five of the studies were reviews (two of which systematic reviews), fourteen retrospective observational studies, nine surveys and six applied mixed research methods. Patient reporting has the advantages of bringing novel information about ADRs. It provides a more detailed description of ADRs, and reports about different drugs and system organ classes when compared with HCP reporting. In addition, patients describe the severity and impact of ADRs on daily life, complementing information derived from HCPs. Patient reporting is relatively rare in most countries. Patient reporting adds new information, and perspective about ADRs in a way otherwise unavailable. This can contribute to better decision-making processes in regulatory activities. The present review identified gaps in knowledge that should be addressed to improve our understanding of the full potential and drawbacks of patient reporting. © 2016 The British Pharmacological Society.

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

Heart rate variability and QT dispersion study in brain death patients and comatose patients with normal brainstem function

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vakilian, A.R.; Iranmanesh, F.; Nadimi, A.E.; Kahnali, J.A.

2011-01-01

To compare heart rate variability (HRV) and QT dispersion in comatose patients with normal brainstem function and with brain death. Fourteen brain death patients with clinical signs of imminent brain death and 15 comatose patients were examined by neurologist in intensive care unit. HRV, RR interval and QT dispersion on ECG were assessed for 24 hours in both groups. Independent t-test and chi-square test were used for statistical analysis to determine significance which was set at p < 0.05. According to Holter findings, mean of standard deviation of RR-interval in the comatose and brain death groups was 48.33 and 35 respectively (p = 0.045). Mean of covariance coefficient of RR-interval was 0.065 in the comatose group and 0.043 in the brain deaths (p = 0.006). QT dispersion was not significant difference in two groups. HRV and RR-interval analysis appeared as an early finding for the diagnosis of brainstem death in comparison to comatose patients with normal brainstem function. QT dispersion had not significant in this regard. (author)

What influences patient decision-making in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis multidisciplinary care? A study of patient perspectives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hogden A

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Anne Hogden,1 David Greenfield,1 Peter Nugus,1 Matthew C Kiernan21Centre for Clinical Governance Research, Australian Institute of Health Innovation, University of New South Wales, 2Prince of Wales Clinical School, University of New South Wales, and Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, AustraliaBackground: Patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS are required to make decisions concerning quality of life and symptom management over the course of their disease. Clinicians perceive that patients’ ability to engage in timely decision-making is extremely challenging. However, we lack patient perspectives on this issue. This study aimed to explore patient experiences of ALS, and to identify factors influencing their decision-making in the specialized multidisciplinary care of ALS.Methods: An exploratory study was conducted. Fourteen patients from two specialized ALS multidisciplinary clinics participated in semistructured interviews that were audio recorded and transcribed. Data were analyzed for emergent themes.Results: Decision-making was influenced by three levels of factors, ie, structural, interactional, and personal. The structural factor was the decision-making environment of specialized multidisciplinary ALS clinics, which supported decision-making by providing patients with disease-specific information and specialized care planning. Interactional factors were the patient experiences of ALS, including patients’ reaction to the diagnosis, response to deterioration, and engagement with the multidisciplinary ALS team. Personal factors were patients’ personal philosophies, including their outlook on life, perceptions of control, and planning for the future. Patient approaches to decision-making reflected a focus on the present, rather than anticipating future progression of the disease and potential care needs.Conclusion: Decision-making for symptom management and quality of life in ALS care is enhanced when the

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

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Development and evaluation of an internet and personal health record training program for low-income patients with HIV or hepatitis C.

Science.gov (United States)

McInnes, D Keith; Solomon, Jeffrey L; Shimada, Stephanie L; Petrakis, Beth A; Bokhour, Barbara G; Asch, Steven M; Nazi, Kim M; Houston, Thomas K; Gifford, Allen L

2013-03-01

Vulnerable populations face difficulties accessing and using the internet and personal health record (PHR) systems for health-related purposes. Populations disconnected from the internet also tend to be disconnected from health care services. To develop and evaluate an intervention to increase skills in health-related internet and PHR use for vulnerable populations with limited computer and internet experience. Preevaluation and postevaluation using quantitative surveys, semistructured interviews, focus groups, and ethnographic observation. Fourteen low-income Veterans receiving care at Veterans Affairs medical centers for human immunodeficiency virus or hepatitis C. Internet and PHR use, self-efficacy, patient activation, disease knowledge, predictors of medication adherence. At follow-up one (FU1), mean number of internet for health features used increased from 1.57 to 4.07 (Pinternet and PHRs and their contribution to increased engagement in care. Training cost per participant was $287. Group training of vulnerable patients represents a cost-effective method to increase internet and PHR skills, and improve patient confidence in finding health-related information, making online health-related transactions, and interacting with health care providers.

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...

Gait profile score and movement analysis profile in patients with Parkinson's disease during concurrent cognitive load

Science.gov (United States)

Speciali, Danielli S.; Oliveira, Elaine M.; Cardoso, Jefferson R.; Correa, João C. F.; Baker, Richard; Lucareli, Paulo R. G.

2014-01-01

Background: Gait disorders are common in individuals with Parkinson's Disease (PD) and the concurrent performance of motor and cognitive tasks can have marked effects on gait. The Gait Profile Score (GPS) and the Movement Analysis Profile (MAP) were developed in order to summarize the data of kinematics and facilitate understanding of the results of gait analysis. Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of the GPS and MAP in the quantification of changes in gait during a concurrent cognitive load while walking in adults with and without PD. Method: Fourteen patients with idiopathic PD and nine healthy subjects participated in the study. All subjects performed single and dual walking tasks. The GPS/MAP was computed from three-dimensional gait analysis data. Results: Differences were found between tasks for GPS (PGait Variable Score (GVS) (pelvic rotation, knee flexion-extension and ankle dorsiflexion-plantarflexion) (Pgait impairment during the dual task and suggest that GPS/MAP may be used to evaluate the effects of concurrent cognitive load while walking in patients with PD. PMID:25054382

Saturated salt solution method: a useful cadaver embalming for surgical skills training.

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Hayashi, Shogo; Homma, Hiroshi; Naito, Munekazu; Oda, Jun; Nishiyama, Takahisa; Kawamoto, Atsuo; Kawata, Shinichi; Sato, Norio; Fukuhara, Tomomi; Taguchi, Hirokazu; Mashiko, Kazuki; Azuhata, Takeo; Ito, Masayuki; Kawai, Kentaro; Suzuki, Tomoya; Nishizawa, Yuji; Araki, Jun; Matsuno, Naoto; Shirai, Takayuki; Qu, Ning; Hatayama, Naoyuki; Hirai, Shuichi; Fukui, Hidekimi; Ohseto, Kiyoshige; Yukioka, Tetsuo; Itoh, Masahiro

2014-12-01

This article evaluates the suitability of cadavers embalmed by the saturated salt solution (SSS) method for surgical skills training (SST). SST courses using cadavers have been performed to advance a surgeon's techniques without any risk to patients. One important factor for improving SST is the suitability of specimens, which depends on the embalming method. In addition, the infectious risk and cost involved in using cadavers are problems that need to be solved. Six cadavers were embalmed by 3 methods: formalin solution, Thiel solution (TS), and SSS methods. Bacterial and fungal culture tests and measurement of ranges of motion were conducted for each cadaver. Fourteen surgeons evaluated the 3 embalming methods and 9 SST instructors (7 trauma surgeons and 2 orthopedists) operated the cadavers by 21 procedures. In addition, ultrasonography, central venous catheterization, and incision with cauterization followed by autosuture stapling were performed in some cadavers. The SSS method had a sufficient antibiotic effect and produced cadavers with flexible joints and a high tissue quality suitable for SST. The surgeons evaluated the cadavers embalmed by the SSS method to be highly equal to those embalmed by the TS method. Ultrasound images were clear in the cadavers embalmed by both the methods. Central venous catheterization could be performed in a cadaver embalmed by the SSS method and then be affirmed by x-ray. Lungs and intestines could be incised with cauterization and autosuture stapling in the cadavers embalmed by TS and SSS methods. Cadavers embalmed by the SSS method are sufficiently useful for SST. This method is simple, carries a low infectious risk, and is relatively of low cost, enabling a wider use of cadavers for SST.

Evaluation of conjunctival bacterial flora in patients with Stevens-Johnson Syndrome

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Luciana Frizon

2014-03-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To determine the conjunctival bacterial flora present in patients with Stevens-Johnson syndrome. METHODS: A prospective study of the conjunctival bacterial flora was performed in 41 eyes of 22 patients with Stevens-Johnson syndrome. The information gathered included the patient's sex and age, the duration of disease, the cause of Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and treatments. Scrapings of the inferior conjunctival fornix were performed in both eyes. Fourteen days before scraping, the patients were asked to interrupt all topical medication and start using 0.5% nonpreserved methylcellulose. The microbiological evaluation included microorganism identification and determination of antibiotic sensitivity. RESULTS: Of 22 patients (41 eyes, 14 (64% were females, and eight (36% were males. The mean age was 33.2 years, and the mean duration of disease was 15.6 years. Visual acuity ranged from light perception to 20/25 (1.57 logMar. The treatment received by most patients consisted of tear substitutes, topical antibiotics, and contact lenses. Bacterial identification was positive in 39 eyes (95% and negative in two eyes (5%. Gram-positive cocci accounted for 55.5% of the microorganisms, whereas gram-positive bacilli and gram-negative bacilli accounted for 19% and 25.5%, respectively. Half of the patients (54% had multiple bacterial species in their flora, and only one bacterial species was identified in the other half. Resistant bacteria were isolated from four eyes. The antibiotic sensitivity results for the Streptococcus group showed the lowest sensitivity and the highest microbial resistance identified. CONCLUSION: Patients with Stevens-Johnson syndrome have a diverse conjunctival flora that includes many pathogenic species.

The Influence of Collaborative Reflection and Think-Aloud Protocols on Pre-Service Teachers' Reflection: A Mixed Methods Approach

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Epler, Cory M.; Drape, Tiffany A.; Broyles, Thomas W.; Rudd, Rick D.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to determine if there are differences in pre-service teachers' depth of reflection when using a written self-reflection form, a written self-reflection form and a think-aloud protocol, and collaborative reflection. Twenty-six pre-service teachers were randomly assigned to fourteen teaching teams. The…

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

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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

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.

Clinical Characteristics of Voice, Speech, and Swallowing Disorders in Oromandibular Dystonia

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Kreisler, Alexandre; Vepraet, Anne Caroline; Veit, Solène; Pennel-Ployart, Odile; Béhal, Hélène; Duhamel, Alain; Destée, Alain

2016-01-01

Purpose: To better define the clinical characteristics of idiopathic oromandibular dystonia, we studied voice, speech, and swallowing disorders and their impact on activities of daily living. Method: Fourteen consecutive patients with idiopathic oromandibular dystonia and 14 matched, healthy control subjects were included in the study. Results:…

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

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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

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

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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.

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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.

Pain Experience in Hemophilia Patients: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study

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Masoume Rambod

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Background: Pain, as a crucial subsequence of joint hemorrhages in hemophilia patients, is chronic, debilitating, and distracting. This study aimed to describe and interpret pain experiences of hemophilia patients in their lives. Methods: This qualitative study with hermeneutic phenomenological approach was conducted on fourteen hemophilia patients who had been referred to a hemophiliacenter affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. The study question was “what is the meaning of pain in hemophilia patients’ lives? The data were collected through semi-structured interviews and field notes through purposeful sampling. Then, thematic analysis with van Manen’s six-step methodological framework was used. MAX.QDA qualitative software package, 2010, was used to analyze the data. Results: The three main themes that emerged in this study were “alteration in physical health”, “engagement in psychological problems”, and “impairment in social relationships”. Alteration in physical health consisted of three subthemes, namely “impairment of physical function”, “change in body physics”, and “disturbance in sleep quality”. In addition, two subthemes including “nostalgia of pain in adults with hemophilia” and “psychological distress” emerged from engagement in psychological problems. Finally, “loss of social activity” and “change in relationships” were related to impairment in social relationships. Conclusion: The present study highlighted alteration in physical health, engagement in psychological problems, and impairment in social relationship as a result of pain in hemophilia patients. Thus, healthcare providers and family members have to pay special attention to these problems. Besides, providing complementary therapy interventions is suggested for reducing these issues.

PP65 antigenemia in the diagnosis of cytomegalovirus infection in AIDS patients

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RC Capela

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Cytomegalovirus causes significant morbidity and mortality in AIDS patients and those having undergone bone marrow or another transplant. PP65 antigenemia is based on detecting viral antigen in peripheral blood leukocytes through immunochemistry and by monitoring the infection in immunocompromised individuals. The present study aimed to set up this diagnostic technique in AIDS patients with active cytomegalovirus infection and verify its occurrence in the Botucatu region of São Paulo state, Brazil. Fifty patients, 35 men and 15 women aged from 24 to 69 years, were recruited from those attended at the Department of Tropical Diseases of Botucatu Medical School, UNESP, and divided into three groups according to CD4+ T lymphocyte counts and antiretroviral treatment. The control group comprised bone marrow transplant patients. Fourteen AIDS patients with low CD4+ cell counts tested positive for PP65 antigenemia, which could predict cytomegalovirus infection and indicate prophylactic treatment.

Acute guttate psoriasis patients have positive streptococcus hemolyticus throat cultures and elevated antistreptococcal M6 protein titers.

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Zhao, Guang; Feng, Xiaoling; Na, Aihua; Yongqiang, Jiang; Cai, Qing; Kong, Jian; Ma, Huijun

2005-02-01

To further study the role of Streptococci hemolyticus infection and streptococcal M6 protein in the pathogenesis of acute guttate psoriasis, streptococcal cultures were taken from the throats of 68 patients with acute guttate psoriasis. PCR technique was applied to detect M6 protein encoding DNA from those cultured streptococci. Pure M6 protein was obtained by Sephacry/S-200HR and Mono-Q chromatography from proliferated Streptococcus hemolyticus. Antistreptococcal M6 protein titers were measured in the serum of patients with acute guttate psoriasis, plaque psoriasis and healthy controls by ELISA. A high incidence of Streptococcus hemolyticus culture was observed in the guttate psoriatic group compared with the plaque psoriasis and control groups. Fourteen strains of Streptococcus hemolyticus were cultured from the throats of 68 acute guttate psoriasis patients. Of these, 5 strains contain DNA encoding the M6 protein gene as confirmed by PCR technique. More than 85% purification of M6 protein was obtained from Streptococcus pyogenes. Applying our pure M6 protein with the ELISA methods, we found that the titer of antistreptococcal M6 protein was significantly higher in the serum of guttate psoriasis patients than in the control or plaque psoriasis groups (P M6 protein in their sera.

Effect of visual distraction and auditory feedback on patient effort during robot-assisted movement training after stroke

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Reinkensmeyer David J

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Practicing arm and gait movements with robotic assistance after neurologic injury can help patients improve their movement ability, but patients sometimes reduce their effort during training in response to the assistance. Reduced effort has been hypothesized to diminish clinical outcomes of robotic training. To better understand patient slacking, we studied the role of visual distraction and auditory feedback in modulating patient effort during a common robot-assisted tracking task. Methods Fourteen participants with chronic left hemiparesis from stroke, five control participants with chronic right hemiparesis and fourteen non-impaired healthy control participants, tracked a visual target with their arms while receiving adaptive assistance from a robotic arm exoskeleton. We compared four practice conditions: the baseline tracking task alone; tracking while also performing a visual distracter task; tracking with the visual distracter and sound feedback; and tracking with sound feedback. For the distracter task, symbols were randomly displayed in the corners of the computer screen, and the participants were instructed to click a mouse button when a target symbol appeared. The sound feedback consisted of a repeating beep, with the frequency of repetition made to increase with increasing tracking error. Results Participants with stroke halved their effort and doubled their tracking error when performing the visual distracter task with their left hemiparetic arm. With sound feedback, however, these participants increased their effort and decreased their tracking error close to their baseline levels, while also performing the distracter task successfully. These effects were significantly smaller for the participants who used their non-paretic arm and for the participants without stroke. Conclusions Visual distraction decreased participants effort during a standard robot-assisted movement training task. This effect was greater for

Salvage Treatment With Hypofractionated Radiotherapy in Patients With Recurrent Small Hepatocellular Carcinoma

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Bae, Sun Hyun [Department of Radiation Oncology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Park, Hee Chul, E-mail: rophc@skku.edu [Department of Radiation Oncology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Lim, Do Hoon; Lee, Jung Ae [Department of Radiation Oncology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Gwak, Geum Yeon; Choi, Moon Seok; Lee, Joon Hyoek; Koh, Kwang Cheol; Paik, Seung Woon; Yoo, Byung Chul [Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2012-03-15

Purpose: To investigate the rates of tumor response and local control in patients with recurrent small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with hypofractionated radiotherapy (RT) as a salvage treatment and to evaluate treatment-related toxicities. Methods and Materials: Between 2006 and 2009, a total of 20 patients with recurrent small HCC were treated with hypofractionated RT after the failure of previous treatment. The eligibility criteria for hypofractionated RT were as follows: 1) HCC less than 5 cm, 2) HCC not adjacent to critical organs, 3) HCC without portal vein tumor thrombosis, and 4) less than 15% of normal liver volume that would be irradiated with 50% of prescribed dose. The RT dose was 50 Gy in 10 fractions. The tumor response was determined by CT scans performed 3 months after the end of RT. Results: The median follow-up period after RT was 22 months. The overall survival rates at 1 and 2 years were 100% and 87.9%, respectively. Complete response (CR) was achieved in seven of 20 lesions (35%) evaluated by CT scans performed 3 months after the end of RT. In-field local control was achieved in 85% of patients. Fourteen patients (70%) developed intra-hepatic metastases. Six patients developed grade 1 nausea or anorexia during RT, and two patients had progression of ascites after RT. There was no grade 3 or greater treatment-related toxicities. Conclusions: The current study showed a favorable outcome with respect to hypofractionated RT for small HCC. Partial liver irradiation with 50 Gy in 10 fractions is considered tolerable without severe complications.

Salvage Treatment With Hypofractionated Radiotherapy in Patients With Recurrent Small Hepatocellular Carcinoma

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Bae, Sun Hyun; Park, Hee Chul; Lim, Do Hoon; Lee, Jung Ae; Gwak, Geum Yeon; Choi, Moon Seok; Lee, Joon Hyoek; Koh, Kwang Cheol; Paik, Seung Woon; Yoo, Byung Chul

2012-01-01

Purpose: To investigate the rates of tumor response and local control in patients with recurrent small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with hypofractionated radiotherapy (RT) as a salvage treatment and to evaluate treatment-related toxicities. Methods and Materials: Between 2006 and 2009, a total of 20 patients with recurrent small HCC were treated with hypofractionated RT after the failure of previous treatment. The eligibility criteria for hypofractionated RT were as follows: 1) HCC less than 5 cm, 2) HCC not adjacent to critical organs, 3) HCC without portal vein tumor thrombosis, and 4) less than 15% of normal liver volume that would be irradiated with 50% of prescribed dose. The RT dose was 50 Gy in 10 fractions. The tumor response was determined by CT scans performed 3 months after the end of RT. Results: The median follow-up period after RT was 22 months. The overall survival rates at 1 and 2 years were 100% and 87.9%, respectively. Complete response (CR) was achieved in seven of 20 lesions (35%) evaluated by CT scans performed 3 months after the end of RT. In-field local control was achieved in 85% of patients. Fourteen patients (70%) developed intra-hepatic metastases. Six patients developed grade 1 nausea or anorexia during RT, and two patients had progression of ascites after RT. There was no grade 3 or greater treatment-related toxicities. Conclusions: The current study showed a favorable outcome with respect to hypofractionated RT for small HCC. Partial liver irradiation with 50 Gy in 10 fractions is considered tolerable without severe complications.

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

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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.

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

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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)

Patient satisfaction with a pilot chronic pain management programme in Cape Town, South Africa

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R. Parker

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Background: The goals of a chronic pain management clinic includeincreasing patient knowledge about pain, developing pain management skillsand increasing patients’ confidence in their pain management abilities.A  Chronic Pain Management Programme (CPMP based on evidence basedguidelines was developed at a chronic pain management clinic to facilitatepatient discharge to a primary healthcare level. Aim: The aim of this study was to explore patient satisfaction with, acceptability of and the perceived success which could be due to the CPMP developed at the Chronic Pain Management Clinic of Groote Schuur Hospital,Cape Town.Methods: Patients (n=14 were referred to the pilot study from the Chronic Pain Management Clinic. A s a pilot, four courses were run over a period ofone year. In order to reach the research aim, an eleven-question, structuredopen-ended interview was conducted with all participants. Results: Fourteen patients enrolled in the CPMP. Responses were favourable with participants emphasising the roleof increased knowledge about pain, the role of exercise and of stress management techniques. Participants also recog-nised a positive change in behaviours and attitudes following participation in the CPMP.Conclusions: Findings suggest that participants found the format of the course acceptable as regards course content,structure and delivery. Participant responses suggest that the course was acceptable and perceived as useful. However,future courses would benefit from refresher courses or structured support groups.

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

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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.)

Recurrent Pseudomembranous Colitis in an Ovarian Cancer Patient Undergoing Carboplatin Chemotherapy

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Valerie A. Allen

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Diarrhea is a common problem in ovarian cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and Clostridium difficile infection has been identified as a cause. The proper diagnosis and treatment of diarrhea are critical to patient care, especially to prevent the serious complications from a severe Clostridium difficile infection (CDI. Case. We present a heavily pretreated ovarian cancer patient who developed recurrent pseudomembranous colitis while receiving carboplatin chemotherapy. Despite treatment with oral metronidazole for fourteen days, the patient’s diarrhea relapsed and colonoscopy revealed extensive pseudomembranous colitis. The infection eventually resolved with the combination of oral vancomycin and metronidazole. Conclusions. Diarrhea is a common problem in patients undergoing chemotherapy for ovarian cancer. Management requires obtaining the proper diagnosis. Clostridium difficile associated pseudomembranous colitis must be part of the differential diagnosis. Treatment must be sufficient to prevent relapses of the Clostridium difficile infection to prevent serious consequences in an already vulnerable patient population.

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

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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.

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

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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.

Optimal Colostomy Placement in Spinal Cord Injury Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Jiashou; Dharmarajan, Sekhar; Johnson, Frank E

2016-03-01

Barring unusual circumstances, sigmoid colostomy is the optimal technique for management of defecation in spinal cord injury (SCI) patients. We sought to provide evidence that a sigmoid colostomy is not difficult to perform in SCI patients and has better long-term results. The St. Louis Department of Veterans Affairs has a Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF)-approved SCI Unit. We reviewed the operative notes on all SCI patients who received a colostomy for fecal management by three ASCRS-certified colorectal surgeons at the St. Louis Department of Veterans Affairs from January 1, 2007 to November 26, 2012. There were 27 operations for which the recorded indication for surgery suggested that the primary disorder was SCI. Fourteen had traumatic SCI of the thoracic and/or lumbar spine and were evaluable. Of these 14 patients, 12 had laparoscopic sigmoid colostomy and two had open sigmoid colostomy. We encountered one evaluable patient with a remarkably large amount of retroperitoneal bony debris who successfully underwent laparoscopic sigmoid colostomy. In conclusion, sigmoid colostomy is the consensus optimal procedure for fecal management in SCI patients. Laparoscopic procedures are preferred. Care providers should specify sigmoid colostomy when contacting a surgeon.

The preventive effect of statin therapy on new-onset and recurrent atrial fibrillation in patients not undergoing invasive cardiac interventions ☆

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bang, Casper Niels Furbo; Greve, Anders M; Abdulla, Jawdat

2013-01-01

BACKGROUND: Previous meta-analyses suggest that pre-procedural use of statin therapy may reduce atrial fibrillation (AF) following invasive cardiac interventions (coronary artery by-pass grafting and percutaneous coronary intervention). However, the current evidence on the benefit of statins...... unrelated to invasive cardiac interventions has not been clarified systematically. METHODS: Through a systematic literature search, trials examining the effect of statin therapy on AF were selected. Trials using statins before any percutaneous or surgical cardiac interventions were excluded. RESULTS......: The search identified 11 randomized and 16 observational eligible studies, totaling 106,640 patients receiving statin therapy and 129,305 serving as controls. Fourteen studies investigated the effect of statins on new-onset AF, 13 studies investigated the effect of statins on recurrent AF and one in both new...

Surgical risks and perioperative complications of instrumented lumbar surgery in patients with liver cirrhosis

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Tung-Yi Lin

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Background: Patients with liver cirrhosis have high surgical risks due to malnutrition, impaired immunity, coagulopathy, and encephalopathy. However, there is no information in English literature about the results of liver cirrhotic patients who underwent instrumented lumbar surgery. The purpose of this study is to report the perioperative complications, clinical outcomes and determine the surgical risk factors in cirrhotic patients. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 29 patients with liver cirrhosis who underwent instrumented lumbar surgery between 1997 and 2009. The hepatic functional reserves of the patients were recorded according to the Child-Turcotte-Pugh scoring system. Besides, fourteen other variables and perioperative complications were also collected. To determine the risks, we divided the patients into two groups according to whether or not perioperative complications developed. Results: Of the 29 patients, 22 (76% belonged to Child class A and 7 (24% belonged to Child class B. Twelve patients developed one or more complications. Patients with Child class B carried a significantly higher incidence of complications than those with Child class A (p = 0.011. In the Child class A group, patients with 6 points had a significantly higher incidence of complications than those with 5 points (p = 0.025. A low level of albumin was significantly associated with higher risk, and a similar trend was also noted for the presence of ascites although statistical difference was not reached. Conclusion: The study concludes that patients with liver cirrhosis who have undergone instrumented lumbar surgery carry a high risk of developing perioperative complications, especially in those with a Child-Turcotte-Pugh score of 6 or more.

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

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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.

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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.

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.)

Estimation of shelf life of wikau maombo brownies cake using Accelerated Shelf Life Testing (ASLT) method with Arrhenius model

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Wahyuni, S.; Holilah; Asranudin; Noviyanti

2018-02-01

The shelf life of brownies cake made from wikau maombo flour was predicted by ASLT method through the Arrhenius model. The aim of this study was to estimate the shelf life of brownies cake made from wikau maombo flour. The storage temperature of brownies cake was carried out at 20°C, 30°C and 45°C. The results showed that TBA (Thio Barbaturic Acid) number of brownies cake decreased as the storage temperature increase. Brownies stored at 20°C and 30°C were overgrown with mold on the storage time of six days. Brownies product (WT0 and WT1) had shelf life at 40°C approximately six and fourteen days, respectively. Brownies made from wikau maombo and wheat flour (WT1) was the best product with had the longest of shelf life about fourteen days.

Comparative study of fourteen alkaloids from Uncaria rhynchophylla hooks and leaves using HPLC-diode array detection-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization/MS method.

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Qu, Jialin; Gong, Tianxing; Ma, Bin; Zhang, Lin; Kano, Yoshihiro; Yuan, Dan

2012-01-01

The purpose of the study is to compare alkaloid profile of Uncaria rhynchophylla hooks and leaves. Ten oxindole alkaloids and four glycosidic indole alkaloids were identified using HPLC-diode array detection (DAD) or LC-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI)-MS method, and a HPLC-UV method for simultaneous quantification of major alkaloids was validated. The hooks are characterized by high levels of four oxindole alkaloids rhynchophylline (R), isorhynchophylline (IR), corynoxeine (C) and isocorynoxeine (IC), while the leaves contained high level of two glycosidic indole alkaloids vincoside lactam (VL) and strictosidine (S). The presented methods have proven its usefulness in chemical characterization of U. rhynchophylla hooks and leaves.

MRA of the intracranial circulation in asymptomatic patients with sickle cell disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gillams, A.R.; McMahon, L.; Weinberg, G.; Carter, A.P.

1998-01-01

Background. MR angiography (MRA) provides a mechanism for non-invasively studying blood flow, thus providing a new opportunity to study the intracranial circulation in asymptomatic sickle cell disease (SCD) patients. Although conventional angiography is the gold standard for the depiction of vascular anatomy, this is too invasive for an asymptomatic population. Objective. To establish the range of appearances in asymptomatic SCD patients and to correlate brain MRI results (either sub-clinical abnormalities or normal brain parenchyma) with the MRA findings. Materials and methods. Brain MRI and MRA of the intracranial circulation was performed on 22 patients (13 male and 9 female, median age 7.5 years, range 1.3-20 years). Fourteen were homozygous SS and eight were SC. The median haematocrit at the time of MRI was 25.9 (range 13.8-33.3). Results. On MR imaging, four patients had infarcts in eight vascular territories (six anterior and two posterior). In 3/4 of anterior vascular territories with infarction, long (≥ 6 mm) segments of abnormal signal were seen at the internal carotid artery bifurcation with associated reduced distal flow. Short focal areas of abnormal signal were commonly seen where vessels branched, bifurcated or curved and were not associated with infarcts. These areas probably represent turbulence-related dephasing secondary to high velocity flow found in SCD. Conclusion. Long segments (≥ 6 mm) of abnormal signal with reduced distal flow correlated with sub-clinical infarction. (orig.)

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)

Variability in the impairment of recognition memory in patients with frontal lobe lesions.

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Bastin, Christine; Van der Linden, Martial; Lekeu, Françoise; Andrés, Pilar; Salmon, Eric

2006-10-01

Fourteen patients with frontal lobe lesions and 14 normal subjects were tested on a recognition memory task that required discriminating between target words, new words that are synonyms of the targets and unrelated distractors. A deficit was found in 12 of the patients. Moreover, three different patterns of recognition impairment were identified: (I) poor memory for targets, (II) normal hits but increased false recognitions for both types of distractors, (III) normal hit rates, but increased false recognitions for synonyms only. Differences in terms of location of the damage and behavioral characteristics between these subgroups were examined. An encoding deficit was proposed to explain the performance of patients in subgroup I. The behavioral patterns of the patients in subgroups II and III could be interpreted as deficient post-retrieval verification processes and an inability to recollect item-specific information, respectively.

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

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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.

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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.

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

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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

Evaluation of 14 patients performed radiotherapy due to Kaposi sarcoma

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Fatma Teke

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Methods: The patients undergoing radiotherapy (RT because of the KS between the years 2005-2012 in Radiation Oncology Department of Dicle University Hospital were included. All patients underwent RT with different dose-fractionation schemes to increase quality of life and to palliate the symptoms. Patients with lesions in multiple regions underwent RT in the same or different dates. Responses to radiotherapy were recorded as complete or partial response. Results: Fourteen patients received radiotherapy because of f KS were evaluated retrospectively. Twenty two different regions of 14 patients underwent RT . Only one patient (4.5% was performed RT to glans penis as a third region while performed to the two regions in six patients (27.3%. At irradiations, 6 MV and 10 MV photon energies with 6 MeV, 9 MeV and 12 MeV electron energy were used. Water phantom or bolus material was used to obtain a homogeneous dose distribution in the photon irradiation. RT dose administered to a total of 22 different regional was median 800 cGy (Range: 800-3000 cGy. Median number of RT fractions was 1 (Range: 1-10. When treatment response were evaluated stable disease was present in the 4 (18.1% regions. Partial response was achieved in eight (36.4% regions, complete response in 10 (45.5%. RT-related common lymphedema in the feet and legs was observed in the four (57.3% regions in the acute period. Complication of pain was present in two (28.7% regions. Conclusion: RT is an appropriate and effective treatment regimen in the palliative treatment of KS lesions. Excellent response rates of skin lesions may be obtained by RT. Lesions and symptoms such as itching may be lost after RT. Side effects such as edema and pain may be relieved by supportive treatment.

Five-year Study of Patients with Lactating Adenoma and Review of the Literature

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Asiie Olfatbakhsh

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Background: Lactating adenoma is a benign breast mass related to physiological changes during pregnancy and increased estrogen level. Fibroadenoma and breast cancer should be considered in the differential diagnosis of this lesion. The purpose of this study was to report cases of lactating adenoma in Breast Cancer Research Center (BCRC and review the relevant literature.Methods: All patients with histological diagnosis of lactating adenoma between April 2010 and December 2015 were selected. Patients’ data were extracted from their medical records and follow-up of the patients were done through in-person examination or rarely by telephone call.Results: A total of 22 patients with pathological diagnosis of lactating adenoma were enrolled. The mean age of patients was 27±4.6 years. Fourteen patients were in breast-feeding period and eight were pregnant at the time of diagnosis. The chief complaint was breast mass in 16 patients and pain 6 patients. The mean size of masses was 4.1 cm (1.8-8 cm. For 13 patients, core needle biopsy (CNB and for 6 patients open biopsy were performed and for the other 3 patients vacuum-assisted biopsy were done. In 5 patients, excisional biopsy was done in the follow-up period that one of them proved to be medullary carcinoma and other cases were benign.Conclusions: Lactating adenoma commonly presents as a palpable mass during the breastfeeding period or the third trimester of pregnancy. The most common ultrasonographic appearance is a hypoechoic mass with regular borders. It usually regresses after cessation of breastfeeding, however in patients with mass enlargement during the follow-up, period pathologic evaluation of the lesion through core needle biopsy should be performed to rule out coexistent carcinoma.

Plasma concentrations of soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor are increased in patients with malaria and are associated with a poor clinical or a fatal outcome

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ostrowski, Sisse R; Ullum, Henrik; Goka, Bamenla Q

2005-01-01

PAR are associated with disease severity in malaria. METHODS: At admission to the hospital, plasma concentrations of suPAR were measured by ELISA in samples from 645 African children with clinical symptoms of malaria: 478 had malaria, and 167 had a blood film negative for Plasmodium parasites. Fourteen healthy......BACKGROUND: Blood concentrations of soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) are increased in conditions with immune activation, and high concentrations of suPAR often predict a poor clinical outcome. This study explored the hypothesis that high plasma concentrations of su......: If the plasma concentration of suPAR reflects the extent of parasite-induced immune activation, this may explain why a high concentration of suPAR is associated with a poor clinical outcome in patients with malaria....

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

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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.

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

Intradermal capsaicin as a neuropathic pain model in patients with unilateral sciatica

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Aykanat, Verna; Gentgall, Melanie; Briggs, Nancy; Williams, Desmond; Yap, Sharon; Rolan, Paul

2012-01-01

AIM This study compared the responses between patients with unilateral sciatica and pain-free volunteers following administration of intradermal capsaicin. METHODS Fourteen patients with unilateral sciatica and 12 pain-free volunteers received one injection per hour over 4 h of 1 µg and 10 µg capsaicin, into each calf. For each dose, spontaneous pain (10 cm VAS), area of flare (cm2) and the sum of allodynia and hyperalgesia radii across eight axes (cm) were recorded pre-injection and at 5, 15, 30, 45 and 60 min post injection. RESULTS Sciatica subjects experienced higher spontaneous pain and hyperalgesia responses in both legs compared with pain-free volunteers. The largest mean difference in spontaneous pain was 2.8 cm (95% CI 1.6, 3.9) at 5 min in the unaffected leg following 10 µg. The largest mean difference in hyperalgesia was 19.7 cm (95% CI 12.4, 27.0) at 60 min in the unaffected leg following 10 µg. Allodynia was greater in patients than in controls with the largest mean difference of 2.9 cm (95% CI 1, 4.8) at 5 min following 10 µg in the affected leg. Allodynia was also higher in the affected leg compared with the unaffected leg in sciatica patients with the highest mean difference of 3.0 cm (95% CI 1.2, 4.7) at 5 min following 10 µg. CONCLUSIONS The responses to intradermal capsaicin are quantitatively and qualitatively different in unilateral sciatica patients compared with pain-free controls. PMID:21740458

Dementia in middle-aged patients with schizophrenia.

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Nicolas, Gaël; Beherec, Laurène; Hannequin, Didier; Opolczynski, Gaëlle; Rothärmel, Maud; Wallon, David; Véra, Pierre; Martinaud, Olivier; Guillin, Olivier; Campion, Dominique

2014-01-01

Although numerous studies have assessed cognitive dysfunction in patients with schizophrenia, very few have focused on the diagnosis of dementia. Our objectives were to accurately diagnose dementia in a cohort of middle-aged patients with schizophrenia and to assess the type of dementia. 96 patients with schizophrenia (46 inpatients and 50 outpatients), aged 50 to 70 years, underwent a psychiatric, neurological, and neuropsychological evaluation at baseline and after a 20-month follow-up. We established a 3-step procedure: 1) diagnose dementia according to the DSM-IV criteria, using the Mattis Dementia Rating and Activities of Daily Living scales; 2) characterize dementia using brain imaging, perfusion by 99mTc-ECD-SPECT and laboratory tests including Alzheimer's disease cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers; and 3) search for genetic determinants. Fourteen patients fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of dementia. Four were diagnosed with possible or probable behavioral-variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), two with probable Alzheimer's disease, two with probable vascular dementia (including one due to CADASIL), one with CNS inflammatory disease, and six could not be fully characterized. The diagnosis of dementia in middle-aged patients with schizophrenia is challenging but possible, using a multistep procedure. The most frequent condition, bvFTD, could reflect the presence of an evolutive neurodegenerative process in some patients.

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

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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.

A preliminary evaluation of optometric management and referral protocols for pa-tients with diabetic retinopathy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Mehta

2005-12-01

Full Text Available Aim: The purpose of this pilot study was to investigate  the  assessment,  management  and referral practices of South African optometrists in  the  care  of  patients  with  diabetic  retinop-athy  (DR  and  to  recommend  strategies  to improve  and  standardize  patient  management as required.  Methods:  The  study  design  incorporated quantitative,  qualitative  and  clinical  measures that were administered to fourteen experienced optometrists from the Durban area. The quan-titative measure, the questionnaire in appendix I, evaluated the optometrists’ management pro-tocols of patients with diabetes mellitus (DM.  These  included  the  optometrists’  referral  and co-management practices, their awareness and usage  of  appropriate  guidelines  in  the  man-agement  and  referral  of  these  patients,  their perceived levels of competence and confidence in their education, levels of service offered to the patients and finally the role of Continuous Professional  Development  (CPD.  This  self-report information was supplemented by a set of clinical measures where the study sample grad-ed levels of DR, chose appropriate management options  and  indicated  prognosis  for  disease progression based on a set of slides presented to  them.  Finally  the  fourteen  optometrists,  as well as two ophthalmologists, were interviewed using tailored, semi-structured interview sched-ules. These interviews were used to elaborate and corroborate information obtained from the other two research approaches.  Results:  Descriptive  analysis  was  used  to analyse  the  data  from  the  quantitative  and clinical  measures,  whilst  the  interviews  were analysed  thematically.  Although  86%  of  the sample routinely screened for ocular manifesta-tions of DM, there was no standardization in the criteria used by the fourteen optometrists

Phase II Study of Bevacizumab in Patients With HIV-Associated Kaposi's Sarcoma Receiving Antiretroviral Therapy

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Uldrick, Thomas S.; Wyvill, Kathleen M.; Kumar, Pallavi; O'Mahony, Deirdre; Bernstein, Wendy; Aleman, Karen; Polizzotto, Mark N.; Steinberg, Seth M.; Pittaluga, Stefania; Marshall, Vickie; Whitby, Denise; Little, Richard F.; Yarchoan, Robert

2012-01-01

Purpose Alternatives to cytotoxic agents are desirable for patients with HIV-associated Kaposi's sarcoma (KS). Vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) contributes to KS pathogenesis. We evaluated the humanized anti–VEGF-A monoclonal antibody, bevacizumab, in patients with HIV-KS. Patients and Methods Patients with HIV-KS who either experienced progression while receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for at least 1 month or did not regress despite HAART for at least 4 months were administered bevacizumab 15 mg/kg intravenously on days 1 and 8 and then every 3 weeks. The primary objective was assessment of antitumor activity using modified AIDS Clinical Trial Group (ACTG) criteria for HIV-KS. HIV-uninfected patients were also eligible and observed separately. Results Seventeen HIV-infected patients were enrolled. Fourteen patients had been receiving effective HAART for at least 6 months (median, 1 year). Thirteen patients had advanced disease (ACTG T1), 13 patients had received prior chemotherapy for KS, and seven patients had CD4 count less than 200 cells/μL. Median number of cycles was 10 (range, 1 to 37 cycles); median follow-up was 8.3 months (range, 3 to 36 months). Of 16 assessable patients, best tumor responses observed were complete response (CR) in three patients (19%), partial response (PR) in two patients (12%), stable disease in nine patients (56%), and progressive disease in two patients (12%). Overall response rate (CR + PR) was 31% (95% CI, 11% to 58.7%). Four of five responders had received prior chemotherapy for KS. Over 202 cycles, grade 3 to 4 adverse events at least possibly attributed to therapy included hypertension (n = 7), neutropenia (n = 5), cellulitis (n = 3), and headache (n = 2). Conclusion Bevacizumab is tolerated in patients with HIV-KS and has activity in a subset of patients. PMID:22430271

Functional Imaging Signature of Patients Presenting with Polycythemia/Paraganglioma Syndromes.

Science.gov (United States)

Janssen, Ingo; Chen, Clara C; Zhuang, Zhenping; Millo, Corina M; Wolf, Katherine I; Ling, Alexander; Lin, Frank I; Adams, Karen T; Herscovitch, Peter; Feelders, Richard A; Fojo, Antonio T; Taieb, David; Kebebew, Electron; Pacak, Karel

2017-08-01

Pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma (PPGL) syndromes associated with polycythemia have previously been described in association with mutations in the von Hippel-Lindau gene. Recently, mutations in the prolyl hydroxylase gene ( PHD ) 1 and 2 and in the hypoxia-inducible factor 2 α ( HIF2A ) were also found to be associated with multiple and recurrent PPGL. Such patients also presented with PPGL and polycythemia, and later on, some presented with duodenal somatostatinoma. In additional patients presenting with PPGL and polycythemia, no further mutations have been discovered. Because the functional imaging signature of patients with PPGL-polycythemia syndromes is still unknown, and because these tumors (in most patients) are multiple, recurrent, and metastatic, the goal of our study was to assess the optimal imaging approach using 4 different PET radiopharmaceuticals and CT/MRI in these patients. Methods: Fourteen patients (10 women, 4 men) with confirmed PPGL and polycythemia prospectively underwent 68 Ga-DOTATATE (13 patients), 18 F-FDG (13 patients), 18 F-fluorodihydroxyphenylalanine ( 18 F-FDOPA) (14 patients), 18 F-fluorodopamine ( 18 F-FDA) (11 patients), and CT/MRI (14 patients). Detection rates of PPGL lesions were compared between all imaging studies and stratified between the underlying mutations. Results: 18 F-FDOPA and 18 F-FDA PET/CT showed similar combined lesion-based detection rates of 98.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 92.7%-99.8%) and 98.3% (95% CI, 90.9%-99.7%), respectively. The detection rates for 68 Ga-DOTATATE (35.3%; 95% CI, 25.0%-47.2%), 18 F-FDG (42.3; 95% CI, 29.9%-55.8%), and CT/MRI (60.3%; 95% CI, 48.8%-70.7%) were significantly lower ( P < 0.01), irrespective of the mutation status. Conclusion: 18 F-FDOPA and 18 F-FDA are superior to 18 F-FDG, 68 Ga-DOTATATE, and CT/MRI and should be the radiopharmaceuticals of choice in this rare group of patients. © 2017 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging.

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

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

Immunoability and prognosis in the patients after radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sako, Takashi; Sakurai, Tomoyasu; Nishio, Masamichi; Saito, Akio; Koshiba, Ryuzo.

1978-01-01

About two weeks after radiotherapy, PPD intracutaneous reaction (0.05 mg of general diagnostic tuberculin was used) was examined. The peripheral lymphocyte count and the immunoglobulin value were also measured in order to study the correlation between these results and the prognosis. Subjects were 359 patients with malignant tumors and 20 patients with double cancer. All the patients, in whom PPD reaction was positive, tended to show the good prognosis except for the patients with pulmonary cancer. The positive rate decreased according to an advance of the stage of uterine cancer. Fourteen of the 17 patients, in whom the peripheral lymphocyte count could be observed when PPD reaction turned out negative, showed the decrease of the lymphocyte count less than 20%. The patients, in whom no correlation was found and the lymphocyte count did not decrease showed the better prognosis than the patients with positive PPD. Poor prognosis was found in the patients, in whom IgG and IgA values were abnormally high, without regard to positive or negative PPD. IgM value had no correlation, but the poor prognosis was more frequently observed in the patients with abnormal low IgM value. In the patients with double cancer no specificity was found in the type of diseases and the doubled pattern, and PPD positive rate significantly increased in the patients with good prognosis. (Kanao, N.)

Gastric emptying in patients with chronic liver diseases

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ishizu, Hirotaka; Shiomi, Susumu; Kawamura, Etsushi; Iwata, Yoshinori; Nishiguchi, Shuhei; Kawabe, Joji; Ochi, Hironobu [Osaka City Univ. (Japan). Graduate School of Medicine

2002-05-01

There have been a number of reports of gastric emptying in cirrhosis, all with unconfirmed results. Moreover, the mechanism for delayed emptying in cirrhotic patients in unclear. We evaluated gastric emptying in patients with chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis by means of gastric emptying scintigraphy. The subjects were 18 normal controls and 75 patients with chronic viral hepatitis (50 patients had chronic hepatitis and 25 patients had cirrhosis). Tc-99m diethyltriamine pentaacetic acid labeled solid meals were used to evaluate gastric emptying; the half-time (T 1/2) of which was calculated. Digestive symptom scores were determined at the time of gastric emptying tests. Fourteen (28%) of 50 patients with chronic hepatitis and 16 (64%) of 25 patients with cirrhosis had delayed gastric emptying. T 1/2 in patients with cirrhosis was significantly higher than that in normal controls and patients with chronic hepatitis (p=0.0001 and 0.0003, respectively). The difference between T 1/2 in patients with chronic hepatitis and that in normal controls was not significant. On regression analysis, two indices, the serum albumin level and platelet count, were found to be significantly related to delayed gastric emptying. Gastric emptying was more delayed in cirrhotic patients than in those with chronic hepatitis and normal controls. Delayed gastric emptying may be related to liver function and portal hypertension. (author)

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

Modification of EEG functional connectivity and EEG power spectra in overweight and obese patients with food addiction: An eLORETA study.

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Imperatori, Claudio; Fabbricatore, Mariantonietta; Innamorati, Marco; Farina, Benedetto; Quintiliani, Maria Isabella; Lamis, Dorian A; Mazzucchi, Edoardo; Contardi, Anna; Vollono, Catello; Della Marca, Giacomo

2015-12-01

We evaluated the modifications of electroencephalographic (EEG) power spectra and EEG connectivity in overweight and obese patients with elevated food addiction (FA) symptoms. Fourteen overweight and obese patients (3 men and 11 women) with three or more FA symptoms and fourteen overweight and obese patients (3 men and 11 women) with two or less FA symptoms were included in the study. EEG was recorded during three different conditions: 1) five minutes resting state (RS), 2) five minutes resting state after a single taste of a chocolate milkshake (ML-RS), and 3) five minutes resting state after a single taste of control neutral solution (N-RS). EEG analyses were conducted by means of the exact Low Resolution Electric Tomography software (eLORETA). Significant modification was observed only in the ML-RS condition. Compared to controls, patients with three or more FA symptoms showed an increase of delta power in the right middle frontal gyrus (Brodmann Area [BA] 8) and in the right precentral gyrus (BA 9), and theta power in the right insula (BA 13) and in the right inferior frontal gyrus (BA 47). Furthermore, compared to controls, patients with three or more FA symptoms showed an increase of functional connectivity in fronto-parietal areas in both the theta and alpha band. The increase of functional connectivity was also positively associated with the number of FA symptoms. Taken together, our results show that FA has similar neurophysiological correlates of other forms of substance-related and addictive disorders suggesting similar psychopathological mechanisms.

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

Development and characterization of fourteen novel microsatellite markers for the chestnut short-tailed fruit bat (Carollia castanea), and cross-amplification to related species.

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Cleary, Katherine A; Waits, Lisette P; Hohenlohe, Paul A

2016-01-01

Rapid anthropogenic land use change threatens the primary habitat of the Chestnut short-tailed bat (Carollia castanea) throughout much of its range. Information on population genetic structure can inform management strategies for this widespread frugivorous bat, and effective protection of C. castanea will also benefit the more than 20 mutualistic plant species of which this bat is the primary seed disperser. To facilitate understanding of population genetic structure in this species, fourteen novel microsatellite markers were developed using restriction-site-associated DNA libraries and Illumina sequencing and tested on 28 individuals from 13 locations in Costa Rica. These are the first microsatellite markers developed for C. castanea. All loci were polymorphic, with number of alleles ranging from 2-11 and average observed heterozygosity of 0.631. Markers were also cross-amplified in three additional frugivorous bat species threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation: Sowell's short-tailed bat (Carollia sowelli), Seba's short-tailed bat (Carollia perspicillata), and the Jamaican fruit bat (Artibeus jamaicensis), and 10, 11, and 8 were polymorphic, respectively.

Living with constipation?older people's experiences and strategies with constipation before and during hospitalization

OpenAIRE

Munch, Lene; Tvistholm, Nina; Trosborg, Ingelise; Konradsen, Hanne

2016-01-01

Background: Constipation is a common problem among older people. This study aimed to explore how older patients experience constipation and which strategies they used in handling the condition before and during hospitalization.Methods: A qualitative exploratory research design was used. Fourteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with patients (61–91 years of age) during hospitalization. Data were analyzed by using content analysis.Results: Themes concerning experiences were Bodily sig...

Subcortical Brain Morphology in Schizophrenia : Descriptive analysis based on MRI findings of subcortical brain volumes

OpenAIRE

Gunleiksrud, Sindre

2009-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate magnetic resonance images (MR) from patients with schizophrenia and healthy control subjects for difference in brain morphology with focus on subcortical brain volumes. Method: The study compared fourteen subcortical brain structure volumes of 96 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia (n=81) or schizoaffective disorder (n=15) with 106 healthy control subjects. Volume measures were obtained using voxel-based morphometry (FreeSurfer software suite) of ...

Non-invasive assessment of muscle stiffness in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

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Lacourpaille, Lilian; Hug, François; Guével, Arnaud; Péréon, Yann; Magot, Armelle; Hogrel, Jean-Yves; Nordez, Antoine

2015-02-01

Assessment of muscle mechanical properties may provide clinically valuable information for follow-up of patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) through the course of their disease. In this study we aimed to assess the effect of DMD on stiffness of relaxed muscles using elastography (supersonic shear imaging). Fourteen DMD patients and 13 control subjects were studied. Six muscles were measured at 2 muscle lengths (shortened and stretched): gastrocnemius medialis (GM); tibialis anterior (TA); vastus lateralis (VL); biceps brachii (BB); triceps brachii (TB); and abductor digiti minimi (ADM). Stiffness was significantly higher in DMD patients compared with controls for all the muscles (main effect for population, P muscle lengths) to large (d = 0.86 for BB/stretched). Supersonic shear imaging is a sensitive non-invasive technique to assess the increase in muscle stiffness associated with DMD. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Renal tumors in adult Saudi patients: A review of 43 cases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Talic, Riyadh F.; El-Faqih, Salah R.

1996-01-01

Seventy-nine patients with renal tumors were seen at King Khalid Univ. Hospital (KKUH) over a 10-year period from 1985 to November 1995. In a retrospective study, we analyzed the records of 43 Saudi patients from all over the Kingdom; they represented 54% of all patients encountered. Fourteen percent of the patients had benign renal tumors in the form of angiomyolipoma and oncocytoma. Eighty-six percent of the patients had malignant renal tumors. The largest subset of 33 patients (76.7%) had renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The mean age of this group was 50.9, with a male-to-female ratio of 1.3:1. The duration of symptoms varied widely from a few months to a few years and the most common presenting symptom was loin pain. Only four patients were smokers and one patient had Von Hippel Lindaus syndrome; no other risk factors could be identified in this group. This study shows a large percentage of angiomyolipoma among the tumors encountered. It also shows a high percentage of Saudi female patients in the RCC group; otherwise the pattern and clinicopathological features resemble those presented in the international literature. (author)

Pain Experience in Hemophilia Patients: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study

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Rambod, Masoume; Sharif, Farkhondeh; Molazem, Zahra; Khair, Kate

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Background: Pain, as a crucial subsequence of joint hemorrhages in hemophilia patients, is chronic, debilitating, and distracting. This study aimed to describe and interpret pain experiences of hemophilia patients in their lives. Methods: This qualitative study with hermeneutic phenomenological approach was conducted on fourteen hemophilia patients who had been referred to a hemophilia center affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. The study question was “what is the meaning of pain in hemophilia patients’ lives? The data were collected through semi-structured interviews and field notes through purposeful sampling. Then, thematic analysis with van Manen’s six-step methodological framework was used. MAX.QDA qualitative software package, 2010, was used to analyze the data. Results: The three main themes that emerged in this study were “alteration in physical health”, “engagement in psychological problems”, and “impairment in social relationships”. Alteration in physical health consisted of three subthemes, namely “impairment of physical function”, “change in body physics”, and “disturbance in sleep quality”. In addition, two subthemes including “nostalgia of pain in adults with hemophilia” and “psychological distress” emerged from engagement in psychological problems. Finally, “loss of social activity” and “change in relationships” were related to impairment in social relationships. Conclusion: The present study highlighted alteration in physical health, engagement in psychological problems, and impairment in social relationship as a result of pain in hemophilia patients. Thus, healthcare providers and family members have to pay special attention to these problems. Besides, providing complementary therapy interventions is suggested for reducing these issues. PMID:27713894

Dentists' use of validated child dental anxiety measures in clinical practice: a mixed methods study.

Science.gov (United States)

Alshammasi, Hussain; Buchanan, Heather; Ashley, Paul

2018-01-01

Assessing anxiety is an important part of the assessment of a child presenting for dental treatment; however, the use of dental anxiety scales in practice is not well-documented. To introduce child dental anxiety scales, and to monitor the extent to which dentists used them; to explore the experience and views of dentists regarding anxiety assessment. A mixed-methods design was employed. A protocol for child anxiety assessment was introduced to paediatric dentists in Eastman Dental Hospital. After 6 months, 100 patient files were audited to examine compliance with the protocol. Fourteen dentists were interviewed to explore their experience and views regarding anxiety assessment. Only five patients were assessed using the scales. Thematic analysis of the dentist interviews revealed three themes: 'Clinical observations and experience: The gold standard'; 'Scales as an estimate or adjunct'; and 'Shortcomings and barriers to using scales'. The dentists in our study did not use anxiety scales, instead they rely on their own experience/judgement. Therefore, scales should be recommended as an adjunct to judgement. Brief scales are recommended as clinicians lack time and expertise in administering anxiety questionnaires. Advantages of using scales and hands-on experience could be incorporated more in undergraduate training. © 2017 BSPD, IAPD and John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

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.

ATP Bioluminometers Analysis on the Surfaces of Removable Orthodontic Aligners after the Use of Different Cleaning Methods

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Luca Levrini

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose. The aim was to quantify the bacteria concentration on the surface of orthodontic clear aligners using three different cleaning methods. Furthermore the objective was to validate the efficacy of the bioluminometer in assessing the bacteria concentration. Materials and Methods. Twenty subjects (six males and fourteen females undergoing orthodontic therapy with clear aligners (Invisalign® Align Technology, Santa Clara, California were enrolled in this study. The observation time was of six weeks. The patients were instructed to use different cleaning methods (water, brushing with toothpaste, and brushing with toothpaste and use of sodium carbonate and sulphate tablet. At the end of each phase a microbiological analysis was performed using the bioluminometer. Results. The highest bacteria concentration was found on aligners cleaned using only water (583 relative light units; a value of 189 relative light units was found on aligners cleaned with brushing and toothpaste. The lowest bacteria concentration was recorded on aligners cleaned with brushing and toothpaste and the use of sodium carbonate and sulfate tablet. Conclusions. The mechanical removal of the bacterial biofilm proved to be effective with brushing and toothpaste. The best results in terms of bacteria concentration were achieved adding the use of sodium carbonate and sulfate tablet.

ATP Bioluminometers Analysis on the Surfaces of Removable Orthodontic Aligners after the Use of Different Cleaning Methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Levrini, Luca; Mangano, Alessandro; Margherini, Silvia; Tenconi, Camilla; Vigetti, Davide; Muollo, Raffaele; Marco Abbate, Gian

2016-01-01

Purpose. The aim was to quantify the bacteria concentration on the surface of orthodontic clear aligners using three different cleaning methods. Furthermore the objective was to validate the efficacy of the bioluminometer in assessing the bacteria concentration. Materials and Methods. Twenty subjects (six males and fourteen females) undergoing orthodontic therapy with clear aligners (Invisalign® Align Technology, Santa Clara, California) were enrolled in this study. The observation time was of six weeks. The patients were instructed to use different cleaning methods (water, brushing with toothpaste, and brushing with toothpaste and use of sodium carbonate and sulphate tablet). At the end of each phase a microbiological analysis was performed using the bioluminometer. Results. The highest bacteria concentration was found on aligners cleaned using only water (583 relative light units); a value of 189 relative light units was found on aligners cleaned with brushing and toothpaste. The lowest bacteria concentration was recorded on aligners cleaned with brushing and toothpaste and the use of sodium carbonate and sulfate tablet. Conclusions. The mechanical removal of the bacterial biofilm proved to be effective with brushing and toothpaste. The best results in terms of bacteria concentration were achieved adding the use of sodium carbonate and sulfate tablet.

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

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

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.  

Incidence of hypocalcemia in patients receiving denosumab for prevention of skeletal-related events in bone metastasis.

Science.gov (United States)

Yerram, Prakirthi; Kansagra, Shraddha; Abdelghany, Osama

2017-04-01

Background Denosumab therapy is commonly used for the prevention of skeletal-related events in patients with bone metastasis. However, a common side effect of denosumab is hypocalcemia. Objective The aim of the study is to determine the incidence of hypocalcemia in patients receiving denosumab for prevention of skeletal-related events in bone metastasis and evaluate risk factors for developing hypocalcemia. Methods This was a retrospective medication use evaluation reviewing the incidence of hypocalcemia in patients receiving outpatient denosumab for prevention of skeletal-related events at Yale-New Haven Hospital. Additionally, various risk factors were reviewed to determine their risk of developing hypocalcemia. Results As per Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events v4.03, of the 106 patients included in the study population, 37 (35%) patients had an incidence of hypocalcemia within 30 days of denosumab administration. Fourteen patients (13.2%) had an incidence of grade 1, 13 patients (12.3%) had an incidence of grade 2 hypocalcemia, and 7 patients (6.6%) had an incidence of grade 3 hypocalcemia. Grade 4 hypocalcemia occurred in three (2.8%) patients. Calcium supplementation did not decrease the risk of developing hypocalcemia. Patients who had one or more episodes of acute kidney insufficiency were at a higher risk of developing hypocalcemia (odds ratio = 7.5 (95% confidence interval = 1.8-36.3), p = 0.001). Conclusion This study found that the overall incidence of hypocalcemia and severe hypocalcemia was higher than reported in clinical trials. Additionally, calcium supplementation did not have an effect on incidence of hypocalcemia, while patients who experienced acute kidney insufficiency while on denosumab had a higher likelihood of developing hypocalcemia.

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,

Comparison of clinical and radiological findings in patients with retrosternal and cervical goiters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vizner, B.; Vilibic, T.; Sikic, E.; Sekso, M.; Vrkljan, M.; Hat, J.

1994-01-01

We analyzed the correlation of clinical and radiological findings in the diagnosis of large cervical and retrosternal nodular goitres. Fourteen symptomatic patients were studied (12 female and 2 male). Nine of them had retrosternal goitre. All underwent computed tomography (CT) of the neck and upper mediastinum, thyroid scintigraphy using Tc-99m-pertechnetate and contrast radiology of the oesophagus. Problems with respiration (stridor) were present in five patients, but four of them had CT findings of tracheal compression. The other nine patients had no respiratory problems, and CT revealed tracheal compression in two cases. Nine patients had the dislocation of the trachea on CT. Dysphagia was present in eight cases but only three patients had radiological signs of oesophageal narrowing. These patients also had the dislocation of the oesophagus, revealed by contrast radiology, just as five others without any swallowing problems. The results demonstrate that all patients with respiratory problems do not necessary have tracheal compression (indicating the possible affection of the phrenic nerve). On the other hand, some patients can have tracheal narrowing without any respiratory problems. (author)

Saliva transit in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Cassiani, R A; Mota, G A; Aprile, L R O; Dantas, R O

2015-10-01

Saliva is an important factor in the neutralization of the acidity of the refluxed material that comes from the stomach to the esophagus. The impairment of saliva transit from oral cavity to distal esophagus may be one of the causes of esophagitis and symptoms in gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). With the scintigraphic method, the transit of 2 mL of artificial saliva was measured in 30 patients with GERD and 26 controls. The patients with GERD had symptoms of heartburn and acid regurgitation, a 24-hour pH monitoring with more than 4.2% of the time with pH below four, 26 with erosive esophagitis, and four with non-erosive reflux disease. Fourteen had mild dysphagia for solid foods. Twenty-one patients had normal esophageal manometry, and nine had ineffective esophageal motility. They were 15 men and 15 women, aged 21-61 years, mean 39 years. The control group had 14 men and 12 women, aged 19-61 years, mean 35 years. The subjects swallowed in the sitting and supine position 2 mL of artificial saliva labeled with 18 MBq of (99m) Technetium phytate. The time of saliva transit was measured from oral cavity to esophageal-gastric transition, from proximal esophagus to esophageal-gastric transition, and the transit through proximal, middle, and distal esophageal body. There was no difference between patients and controls in the time for saliva to go from oral cavity to esophageal-gastric transition, and from proximal esophagus to esophageal-gastric transition, in the sitting and supine positions. In distal esophagus in the sitting position, the saliva transit duration was shorter in patients with GERD (3.0 ± 0.8 seconds) than in controls (7.6 ± 1.7 seconds, P = 0.03). In conclusion, the saliva transit from oral cavity to the esophageal-gastric transition in patients with GERD has the same duration than in controls. Saliva transit through the distal esophageal body is faster in patients with GERD than controls. © 2014 International Society for Diseases of the

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

[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.

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.

Gonad Shielding for Patients Undergoing Conventional Radiological Examinations: Is There Cause for Concern?

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Karami

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Background Gonad shielding is one of the fundamental methods by which to protect reproductive organs in patients undergoing conventional radiological examinations. A lack of or inadequate shielding of the gonads may increase the exposure of these organs and result in malignancies future generations. Objectives The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence of gonad shielding in patients undergoing conventional radiological examinations and the availability of gonad shields and gonad shielding protocols in radiology departments. Materials and Methods A retrospective, observational cross-sectional study on the application of gonad shielding, the availability of gonad shields and the existence of gonad shielding protocols in radiology departments was performed in five different hospitals in Ahvaz, Iran. Results The highest application of gonad shielding was 6.6% for the pediatric hospital. The prevalence of gonad shielding was less than 0.2%. In 64.3% of the radiography rooms, at least one flat-contact gonad shield of a large size was available. Only large-sized gonad shields were available. Curved-contact and shadow gonad shields did not exist. Gonad shielding protocols were not existence in any of the fourteen radiography rooms investigated. Conclusions Comprehensive protection programs with on-the-job training courses for staff members are strongly recommended, as well as, the provision of radiological shields and gonad shielding protocols in radiology departments to reduce the patient’s radiation dose during radiological examinations.

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

Bleomycin induced pulmonary to cytotoxicity in patients with germ cell tumours

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Usman, M.; Faruqui, Z.S.; Din, N.U.

2010-01-01

Background: Bleomycin is a cytotoxic drug used in treatment of Germ Cell Tumours (GCTs) and is associated with pulmonary toxicity. Bleomycin pulmonary toxicity (BPT) manifests predominantly as pulmonary fibrosis, organising pneumonia (OP) or Nonspecific Interstitial Pneumonitis (NSIP). Our objectives were to determine the incidence of BPT, describe the common HRCT patterns of pulmonary toxicity and to find out the correlation of variables (cumulative dose of bleomycin, age and glomerular filtration rate) with pulmonary toxicity. Methods: The study included the data of 96 patients from March 2006 to September 2008. All patients had histologically proven GCT and received bleomycin containing regimes. Variables age, GFR at the time of initial presentation along with cumulative dose of bleomycin at completion of chemotherapy or at the time of BPT were recorded. The High resolution CT chest (HRCT) of these patients was independently reviewed by two radiologists. Bleomycin toxicity was reported on the radiologic features of pulmonary fibrosis, OP or NSIP. Results : Fourteen patients (14.6%) developed BPT. Common patterns of BPT were, pulmonary fibrosis (5.2%), OP (5.2%) and NSIP (4.2%). Using the Univariate regression analysis there was significant relationship between BPT and age, cumulative bleomycin dose an d initial GFR at the beginning of treatment. Conclusions: Because BPT can be progressive and fatal, early recognition is important. The diagnosis of pulmonary toxicity should be considered in any patient with new or progressive respiratory complaints. BPT can be difficult to diagnose; therefore, knowledge and understanding of radiologic manifestations of toxicity caused by Bleomycin are necessary for institution of appropriate treatment. There is increasing incidence of BPT with increasing age, cumulative dose and decreasing GFR. (author)

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...

The results of high tibial open wedge osteotomy in patients with varus deformity

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Mahmood Jabalameli

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Background: High tibial open wedg osteotomy is one of the most important modality for treatment of varus deformity in order to correct deformity and improving signs and symptoms of patients with primary degenerative osteoarthritis. The aim of this study was to investigate the results of high tibial open wedge osteotomy in patients with varus deformities.Methods: This retrospective study conducted on twenty nine patients (36 knees undergone proximal tibial osteotomy operation in Shafa Yahyaian University Hospital from 2004 to 2010. Inclusion criteria were: age less than 60 years, high physical activity, varus deformity and involvement of medical compartment of knee. Patients with obesity, smoking, patelofemoral pain, lateral compartment lesion, deformity degree more than 20 degree, extension limitation and range of motion less than 90 degree were excluded. The clinical and radiologic characteristics were measured before and after operation.Results: Fourteen patients were females. All of them were younger than 50 years, with mean (±SD 27.64 (±10.88. The mean (±SD of follow up time was 4.33 (±1.7. All the patients were satisfied with the results of operation. Tenderness and pain decreased in all of them. In all patients autologus bone graft were used, in 15 cases (42.5% casting and in the rest T.Buttress plate were used for fixation of fractures. In both groups of primary and double varus the International knee documentation committee (IKDC and modified Larson indices were improved after operation, but there was no significant difference between two groups.Conclusion: High tibial open wedge osteotomy can have satisfying results in clinical signs and symptoms of patients with primary medial joint degenerative osteoarthritis. This procedure also may correct the deformity and improves the radiologic parameters of the patients.

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.

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.

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Seizures and electroencephalography findings in 61 patients with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Boronat, S; Vicente, M; Lainez, E; Sánchez-Montañez, A; Vázquez, E; Mangado, L; Martínez-Ribot, L; Del Campo, M

2017-01-01

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) cause neurodevelopmental abnormalities. However, publications about epilepsy and electroencephalographic features are scarce. In this study, we prospectively performed electroencephalography (EEG) and brain magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in 61 patients with diagnosis of FASD. One patient had multiple febrile seizures with normal EEGs. Fourteen children showed EEG anomalies, including slow background activity and interictal epileptiform discharges, focal and/or generalized, and 3 of them had epilepsy. In one patient, seizures were first detected during the EEG recording and one case had an encephalopathy with electrical status epilepticus during slow sleep (ESES). Focal interictal discharges in our patients did not imply the presence of underlying visible focal brain lesions in the neuroimaging studies, such as cortical dysplasia or polymicrogyria. However, they had nonspecific brain MR abnormalities, including corpus callosum hypoplasia, vermis hypoplasia or cavum septum pellucidum. The latter was significantly more frequent in the group with EEG abnormal findings (p < 0.01). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

New method of surgical treatment of patients with recurrent ingrown nail

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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

Chernobyl: fourteen years on

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dakhno, L.G.

2000-01-01

Current situation around Chernobyl is observed, special attention being paid to the status of SARCOPHAGUS and consequences for human health. The problem of low doses is reviewed, with an impact to what the hormesis is

Comparison of Sequential Regimen and Standard Therapy for Helicobacter pylori Eradication in Patients with Dyspepsia

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Gh. Roshanaei

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Introduction & Objective: Some studies have reported successful eradication rates using se-quential therapy but more recent studies performed in Asia did not find a similar benefit. Due to inconsistencies in the comparison of standard triple drugs therapy and sequential regimen, in the previous researches we decided to compare these treatments in Persian patients. Materials & Methods: This study is a randomized clinical trial, performed in one hundred and forty patients suffering from dyspepsia with indication for H. pylori eradication between No-vember 2010 and March 2012.Patients were randomized in two equal groups. The patients in the first group (standard were treated by omeprazole capsule 20 mg BID, amoxicillin cap-sule 1 gr BID, clarithromycin tablet 500mg BID for 14 days; while the patients in the second group (sequential were treated by omeprazole capsule 20 mg for 10 days, amoxicillin cap-sule 1 gr BID for 5 days, then clarithromycin tablet 500 mg and tinidazole tablet 500 mg BID for other 5 days. 4-6 weeks after the treatment, we compared the eradication of H.pylori be-tween the two groups by urease breathe test with C14. Results: H. pylori infection was successfully cured in 57/70 (81.43% with a 10-day sequen-tial therapy, in 60/70 (85.75% with the standard fourteen-day triple therapy, respectively. Conclusion: We detected no significant differences between the 10-day sequential eradication therapy for H. pylori and 14-day standard triple treatment among the patients. (Sci J Hamadan Univ Med Sci 2013; 20 (3:184-193

A new self-administered questionnaire to determine patient experience with voice prostheses (Blom-singer valves

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Kazi R

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Aim: To obtain information about valved speech and related issues in patients who have undergone total laryngectomy with the help of a new structured questionnaire on voice prosthesis. Settings and Design: A questionnaire-based pilot study set at a tertiary referral head and neck cancer unit. Materials and Methods: Twenty-five patients using voice prostheses, who showed no signs of recurrence after having undergone total laryngectomy were interviewed with the help of a questionnaire that assessed issues such as voice quality, valve maintenance, leakage, quality of life, humidification and hands-free system over the preceding seven days. The data was analyzed using non-parametric tests (Mann-Whitney and Spearman rank. Results: Twenty-five patients (16 males with a median age of 65 years (IQ range: 59-70 years had been using the prosthesis for a median of 6 years (IQ range: 5-10 years. The majority of the patients (n=20 were fully informed about their valve size and diameter and most were able to remove and replace their own prosthesis. Fourteen patients (60% had leakage-related issues. Women were less satisfied with their voice quality as compared to men. Overall, there appeared to be an improvement in quality of life with the use of the voice prosthesis. Conclusions: The subjects were fairly well informed about their valve and experienced a high level of satisfaction with their voice. This questionnaire serves as a valuable tool for monitoring voice rehabilitation in patients who have undergone laryngectomy.

Cervical spinal cord injuries in patients with cervical spondylosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Regenbogen, V S; Rogers, L F; Atlas, S W; Kim, K S

1986-02-01

Eighty-eight patients over age 40 with traumatic cervical spinal cord injuries were clinically and radiographically evaluated, and comparison was made with 35 spinal cord injury patients under age 36. While most older patients sustained obvious bony and/or ligamentous damage commensurate with their neurologic findings, 25 (28%) of the 88 patients had no demonstrable bony abnormalities and 17 (20%) of the 88 patients had only minimal evidence of bony injury. Of particular interest are the patients with severe cord injuries, yet no bony abnormalities, who seem to form a distinct subgroup of the cervical spinal cord injury patient on the basis of radiographic and clinical features. Of these 25 patients, 24 (96%) had severe cervical spondylosis. Fourteen (56%) of the 25 patients were injured in falls, five (36%) of these 14 being of a seemingly trivial nature. Of the 42 patients with minimal or no demonstrable bony abnormalities, 33 (79%) were evaluated with plain tomography and no occult fractures or other significant pathology was demonstrated. Pantopaque myelography in 27 (64%) of the 42 cases revealed no extruded disk or other surgical lesion in any patient. In large measure, these injuries can be attributed to cervical spondylosis, which narrows the canal and makes the cord more susceptible to compression by the bulging ligamenta flava during hyperextension.

Intravenous dipyridamole thallium-201 SPECT imaging in patients with left bundle branch block

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rockett, J.F.; Wood, W.C.; Moinuddin, M.; Loveless, V.; Parrish, B.

1990-01-01

Tl-201 exercise imaging in patients with left bundle branch block (LBBB) has proven to be indeterminate for significant left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery stenosis because of the presence of immediate septal perfusion defects with redistribution on delayed images in almost all cases. Tl-201 redistribution occurs regardless of the presence or absence of LAD stenosis. Nineteen patients having LBBB were evaluated with dipyridamole Tl-201 SPECT. Fourteen of these subjects had normal dipyridamole Tl-201 SPECT imaging. Three patients had normal coronary angiograms. None of the remaining 11 patients with normal dipyridamole Tl-201 SPECT images was found to have clinical coronary artery disease in a 5-11 month follow-up period. Five patients had abnormal septal perfusion. Four underwent coronary angiography. One had a significant LAD stenosis. The single patient with septal redistribution who refused to undergo coronary angiography died shortly thereafter of clinical coronary artery disease. This preliminary work suggests that dipyridamole Tl-201 SPECT may be more useful for excluding LAD stenosis in patients with LBBB than Tl-201 exercise imaging

Evaluation of biol`s effect on fourteen accession of native potato (Solanum ssp. at the experimental station kallutaca

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Condori-Mamani Pastor

2017-05-01

Full Text Available In Bolivia the productive potato regions, you characterize for an extensive agriculture in blankets (of traditional form, of car subsistence and not much diversified, the little properties for the cultivation of potato possess the greater part of the productive, and they locate at little plots of land that annually they go rotating. The present research work has the objective to make a comparison and to characterize fourteen accessions of native potato of germoplasma's collection, of Agronomic Ingeniería's race, (UPEA. The study carried completion at Kallutaca's experiment station itself, becoming established on the basis of a Design Bloques Complete at random (DBCA with three repetitions each accession, the second factor is diligent biol's dose, considered himself like a stimulant compound fito, for cultivations, where increments in the capability of photosynthesis and the production allow principal. Whose moral values place between 2.0 2.6% themselves (% in dry material and that they yielded 3.3 %'s concentration of total N to 3.7%. The analysis of microcomputer Hierro's (132 ppm, Manganeso's, Cobre's and Zinc's presence with 12.1 and 6 ppm detected nutrient in the obtained effluent. Accessions Pole, Sacampaya, Sani imilla, Janq'o, collide, Runic Bola, Q'aysalla and Laramq'aysa had bigger development, the same the remainders have bigger performances they did not have the same incidence. This answer is due to a positive effect of the biol on the performance of tubers in accordance with dose of diligent biol the accessions of native potato where 1 with the application of dose of 25 % of Biol obtained to 10 t.h-1 an equivalent yield.

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

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

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.

Analysis of Local Control in Patients Receiving IMRT for Resected Pancreatic Cancers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yovino, Susannah; Maidment, Bert W.; Herman, Joseph M.; Pandya, Naimish; Goloubeva, Olga; Wolfgang, Chris; Schulick, Richard; Laheru, Daniel; Hanna, Nader; Alexander, Richard; Regine, William F.

2012-01-01

Purpose: Intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) is increasingly incorporated into therapy for pancreatic cancer. A concern regarding this technique is the potential for geographic miss and decreased local control. We analyzed patterns of first failure among patients treated with IMRT for resected pancreatic cancer. Methods and Materials: Seventy-one patients who underwent resection and adjuvant chemoradiation for pancreas cancer are included in this report. IMRT was used for all to a median dose of 50.4 Gy. Concurrent chemotherapy was 5-FU–based in 72% of patients and gemcitabine-based in 28%. Results: At median follow-up of 24 months, 49/71 patients (69%) had failed. The predominant failure pattern was distant metastases in 35/71 patients (49%). The most common site of metastases was the liver. Fourteen patients (19%) developed locoregional failure in the tumor bed alone in 5 patients, regional nodes in 4 patients, and concurrently with metastases in 5 patients. Median overall survival (OS) was 25 months. On univariate analysis, nodal status, margin status, postoperative CA 19-9 level, and weight loss during treatment were predictive for OS. On multivariate analysis, higher postoperative CA19-9 levels predicted for worse OS on a continuous basis (p < 0.01). A trend to worse OS was seen among patients with more weight loss during therapy (p = 0.06). Patients with positive nodes and positive margins also had significantly worse OS (HR for death 2.8, 95% CI 1.1–7.5; HR for death 2.6, 95% CI 1.1–6.2, respectively). Grade 3-4 nausea and vomiting was seen in 8% of patients. Late complication of small bowel obstruction occurred in 4 (6%) patients. Conclusions: This is the first comprehensive report of patterns of failure among patients treated with adjuvant IMRT for pancreas cancer. IMRT was not associated with an increase in local recurrences in our cohort. These data support the use of IMRT in the recently activated EORTC/US Intergroup/RTOG 0848 adjuvant

Changes in self-regulation-related prefrontal activities in eating disorders: a near infrared spectroscopy study.

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Chihiro Sutoh

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to clarify the symptomatology of the eating disorders examining the prefrontal function and activity associated with self-regulation among participants with or without eating disorders. METHODS: Ten patients with anorexia nervosa, fourteen with bulimia nervosa, and fourteen healthy control participants performed two cognitive tasks assessing self-regulatory functions, an auditorily distracted word fluency task and a rock-paper-scissors task under the measurements on prefrontal oxyhemoglobin concentration with near infrared spectroscopy. The psychiatric symptoms of patient groups were assessed with several questionnaires. RESULTS: Patients with bulimia nervosa showed decreased performances and prefrontal hyper activation patterns. Prefrontal activities showed a moderate negative correlation with task performances not in the patient groups but only in the healthy participants. The prefrontal activities of the patient groups showed positive correlations with some symptom scale aspects. CONCLUSIONS: The decreased cognitive abilities and characteristic prefrontal activation patterns associated with self-regulatory functions were shown in patients with bulimia nervosa, which correlated with their symptoms. These findings suggest inefficient prefrontal self-regulatory function of bulimia nervosa that associate with its symptoms.

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.

Evaluation of Acute Locoregional Toxicity in Patients With Breast Cancer Treated With Adjuvant Radiotherapy in Combination With Bevacizumab

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goyal, Sharad; Rao, Malay S.; Khan, Atif; Huzzy, Lien; Green, Camille; Haffty, Bruce G.

2011-01-01

Purpose: Preclinical studies have shown that bevacizumab combined with radiotherapy (RT) induces a radiosensitizing effect. Published reports regarding the safety of combination therapy involving bevacizumab and RT are lacking. The purpose of this study was to analyze acute locoregional toxicity in patients with breast cancer receiving concurrent bevacizumab plus RT. Methods and Materials: After institutional review board approval was obtained, patients with breast cancer who received bevacizumab were identified; these patients were then cross-referenced with patients receiving RT. Toxicity was scored by the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events. Patients were matched 1:1 with those who did not receive bevacizumab. Statistical analysis was performed to analyze toxicity between the two groups. Results: Fourteen patients were identified to have received bevacizumab plus RT. All patients receivedbevacizumab during RT without delay or treatment breaks; there were no RT treatment breaks in all patients. No patient receiving bevacizumab plus RT experienced ≥Grade 3 toxicity; 3 matched control patients experienced a Grade 3 skin reaction. There was no difference in fatigue, radiation fibrosis, pneumonitis, or lymphedema between the two groups. Five patients (35%) developed reduction in ejection fraction; 2 with right-sided and 3 with left-sided treatment. Patients with left-sided treatment experienced a persistent reduction in ejection fraction compared with those receiving right-sided treatment. Conclusion: Concurrent bevacizumab and RT did not increase acute locoregional toxicity in comparison with matched control patients who did not receive RT alone. The addition of concurrent RT when treating the intact breast, chest wall, and associated nodal regions in breast cancer seems to be safe and well tolerated.

The Effect of Rilonacept versus Placebo on Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Poorly Controlled Familial Mediterranean Fever

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Philip J. Hashkes

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. To examine the effect of rilonacept on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL in patients with poorly controlled familial Mediterranean fever (FMF. Methods. As part of a randomized, double-blinded trial comparing rilonacept and placebo for the treatment of FMF, patients/parents completed the modified Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ at baseline, and at the start and end of each of 4 treatment courses, 2 each with rilonacept and placebo. Results. Fourteen subjects were randomized; mean age was 24.4 ± 11.8 years. At baseline the physical HRQoL score was significantly less (24.2 ± 49.5 but the psychosocial score was similar to the population norm (49.5 ± 10.0. There were significant improvements in most HRQoL concepts after rilonacept but not placebo. Significant differences between rilonacept and placebo were found in the physical (33.7 ± 16.4 versus 23.7 ± 14.5, P=0.021 but not psychosocial scores (51.4 ± 10.3 versus 49.8 ± 12.4, P=0.42. The physical HRQoL was significantly impacted by the treatment effect and patient global assessment. Conclusion. Treatment with rilonacept had a beneficial effect on the physical HRQoL in patients with poorly controlled FMF and was also significantly related to the patient global assessment. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT00582907.

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

Establishment and current status of patient community at Tokyo Dental College.

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Yamamoto, Hitoshi; Murakami, Satoshi; Hirata, Soichiro; Sugihara, Naoki; Mochizuki, Riuji; Takahashi, Toshiyuki; Kawada, Eiji

2012-01-01

The "Dental students training to address the needs of each individual patient: enhancement of ability to make a comprehensive diagnosis and treatment plans with high ethical standards and good communication skills", project launched at Tokyo Dental College was adopted by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology as part of its "Program for Promoting University Education and Student Support, Theme A: Program for Promoting University Education Reform" in 2009. One of the main goals of this subject is "the establishment of Patient Community". Patient Community members allowed students to gain a more realistic experience of clinical practice than simulated patients. The Patient Community consists of patients and members of the parents' association who have agreed to cooperate for the advancement of dental education, becoming involved in dental student education through Communication Studies, which are held for first- to fourth-year students. Patient Community members were recruited at the open lectures (15 times, between July 10, 2010 and November 30, 2011). The Patient Community comprised 24 members, including 8 men and 16 women by November 30, 2011. The cumulative number of attendees in Communication Studies (I-IV, 6 times) was 35, including 13 men and 22 women. Fourteen people applied for admission on the day of the open lecture. Seven people signed up between 1 and 7 days after the open lecture. On the other hand, only 3 people applied within 8 to 9 days after the open lecture. However, interestingly, the ratio of the attendance for Communication Studies by Patient Community members who applied 8 to 9 days after the open lecture was higher than that of members who applied for admission on the day of the open lecture. Since the number of Patient Community members is insufficient for the purposes of the Patient Community, it is necessary to think about how recruitment methods can be made more effective and how such open lectures should be

Long-term follow-up with Granulocyte and Monocyte Apheresis re-treatment in patients with chronically active inflammatory bowel disease

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Karlsson Mats

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Patients with IBD and chronic inflammation refractory to conventional therapy often demonstrate higher risk of serious complications. Combinations of immunosuppression and biological treatment as well as surgical intervention are often used in this patient group. Hence, there is need for additional treatment options. In this observational study, focused on re-treatment and long-term results, Granulocyte/Monocyte Adsorption (GMA, Adacolumn® treatment has been investigated to study efficacy, safety and quality of life in IBD-patients with chronic activity. Methods Fifteen patients with ulcerative colitis and 25 patients with Crohn's disease, both groups with chronically active inflammation refractory to conventional medication were included in this observational study. The patients received 5-10 GMA sessions, and the clinical activity was assessed at baseline, after each completed course, and at week 10 and 20 by disease activity index, endoscopy and quality of life evaluation. Relapsed patients were re-treated by GMA in this follow-up study up to 58 months. Results Clinical response was seen in 85% and complete remission in 65% of the patients. Ten patients in the UC-group (66% and 16 patients in the CD-group (64% maintained clinical and endoscopic remission for an average of 14 months. Fourteen patients who relapsed after showing initial remission were re-treated with GMA and 13 (93% went into a second remission. Following further relapses, all of seven patients were successfully re-treated for the third time, all of three patients for the fourth time and one for a fifth time. Conclusions IBD-patients with chronic inflammation despite conventional therapy seem to benefit from GMA. Re-treatment of relapsing remission patients seems to be effective.

Chronic pain after liechtenstein mesh repair for inguinla hernia a review of 114 patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shah, S.F.; Hameed, S.; Aurakzai, J.K.; Chaudry, MA.

2015-01-01

Objective: To determine factors related to chronic persistent pain lasting more than 6 months after mesh repair for inguinal hernia. Methodology: This study included 114 patients who underwent elective inguinal hernioplasty at Department of General Surgery, Federal General Hospital, Islamabad, Pakistan from July 2012 to December 2014. All were followed upto end of six months. Postoperatively pain was recorded at second, seventh and fourteen day and at the end of six months on Visual Analogue Scale. Results: Chronic pain at six-month follow up was present in 37 (32.45%) patients. The incidence of factors responsible for chronic pain were pain before surgery in 22 (19.29%), early postoperative pain in 10 (8.77%) of patients, wound infection in 2 (1.75%), hematoma formation in 3 (2.63%), and seroma formation in 4 (3.508%) patients. Conclusion: Chronic pain after mesh repair for inguinal hernia causes significant morbidity. Early recognition and management of the factors prevents patient morbidity. (author)

Changes in cerebral blood flow after cognitive behavior therapy in patients with panic disorder: a SPECT study

Science.gov (United States)

Seo, Ho-Jun; Choi, Young Hee; Chung, Yong-An; Rho, Wangku; Chae, Jeong-Ho

2014-01-01

Aim Inconsistent results continue to be reported in studies that examine the neural correlates of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in patients with panic disorder. We examined the changes in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) associated with the alleviation of anxiety by CBT in panic patients. Methods The change in rCBF and clinical symptoms before and after CBT were assessed using single photon emission computed tomography and various clinical measures were analyzed. Results Fourteen subjects who completed CBT showed significant improvements in symptoms on clinical measures, including the Panic and Agoraphobic Scale and the Anxiety Sensitivity Index-Revised. After CBT, increased rCBF was detected in the left postcentral gyrus (BA 43), left precentral gyrus (BA 4), and left inferior frontal gyrus (BA 9 and BA 47), whereas decreased rCBF was detected in the left pons. Correlation analysis of the association between the changes in rCBF and changes in each clinical measure did not show significant results. Conclusion We found changes in the rCBF associated with the successful completion of CBT. The present findings may help clarify the effects of CBT on changes in brain activity in panic disorder. PMID:24790449

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 ...

Busulfan and total body irradiation as antihematopoietic stem cell agents in the preparation of patients with congenital bone marrow disorders for allogenic bone marrow transplantation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parkman, R.; Rappeport, J.M.; Hellman, S.; Lipton, J.; Smith, B.; Geha, R.; Nathan, D.G.

1984-01-01

The capacity of busulfan and total body irradiation to ablate hematopoietic stem cells as preparation for the allogeneic bone marrow transplantation of patients with congenital bone marrow disorders was studied. Fourteen patients received 18 transplants; busulfan was used in the preparatory regimen of eight transplants and total body irradiation in the regimens of six transplants. Sustained hematopoietic ablation was achieved in six of eight patients prepared with busulfan and in all six patients prepared with total body irradiation. Three patients prepared with total body irradiation died with idiopathic interstitial pneumonitis, whereas no patients receiving busulfan developed interstitial pneumonitis. The optimal antihematopoietic stem cell agent to be used for the preparation of patients with congenital bone marrow disorder for bone marrow transplantation is not certain

Percutaneous atrial appendage occlusion for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Munkholm-Larsen, Stine; Cao, Christopher; Yan, Tristan D

2012-01-01

databases. Fourteen studies were identified for evaluation. Overall, implantation was successful in 93% of all cases. Periprocedural mortality and stroke rates were 1.1% and 0.6%, respectively. The incidences of pericardial effusion/cardiac tamponade and device embolisation were 4% and 0.7%, respectively....... At the time of the latest follow-up (up to 40 months), the overall incidence of stroke among all studies was 1.4% per annum. Existing evidence suggests that PLAAO is a relatively safe treatment for patients with AF. However, there is a need for further evaluation of its efficacy in the form of large and well...

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.

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.

Evaluation of carcinogenic potential of the herbicide glyphosate, drawing on tumor incidence data from fourteen chronic/carcinogenicity rodent studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Greim, Helmut; Saltmiras, David; Mostert, Volker; Strupp, Christian

2015-03-01

Abstract Glyphosate, an herbicidal derivative of the amino acid glycine, was introduced to agriculture in the 1970s. Glyphosate targets and blocks a plant metabolic pathway not found in animals, the shikimate pathway, required for the synthesis of aromatic amino acids in plants. After almost forty years of commercial use, and multiple regulatory approvals including toxicology evaluations, literature reviews, and numerous human health risk assessments, the clear and consistent conclusions are that glyphosate is of low toxicological concern, and no concerns exist with respect to glyphosate use and cancer in humans. This manuscript discusses the basis for these conclusions. Most toxicological studies informing regulatory evaluations are of commercial interest and are proprietary in nature. Given the widespread attention to this molecule, the authors gained access to carcinogenicity data submitted to regulatory agencies and present overviews of each study, followed by a weight of evidence evaluation of tumor incidence data. Fourteen carcinogenicity studies (nine rat and five mouse) are evaluated for their individual reliability, and select neoplasms are identified for further evaluation across the data base. The original tumor incidence data from study reports are presented in the online data supplement. There was no evidence of a carcinogenic effect related to glyphosate treatment. The lack of a plausible mechanism, along with published epidemiology studies, which fail to demonstrate clear, statistically significant, unbiased and non-confounded associations between glyphosate and cancer of any single etiology, and a compelling weight of evidence, support the conclusion that glyphosate does not present concern with respect to carcinogenic potential in humans.

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.

The prevalence of antinuclear antibodies in patients with apparent polymorphic light eruption.

Science.gov (United States)

Murphy, G M; Hawk, J L

1991-11-01

Polymorphic light eruption (PLE) is a very common photosensitive disorder, the most important differential diagnosis of which is lupus erythematosus (LE). One-hundred and forty-two patients with PLE were screened for circulating antinuclear (ANA), Ro and La antibodies over a 2-year period. Results were negative in 66 patients. Sixty-two patients had low-titre ANA of various patterns, ranging from trace to 1/80 without evidence of LE although one later developed subacute cutaneous LE. Fourteen had more significant findings, six with ANA ranging from 1/160 to 1/1280 but no anti-Ro antibodies, four with ANA ranging from 1/160 to 1/1280 and also with anti-Ro antibodies and four patients with anti-Ro antibodies but low-titre ANA, one of whom later developed discoid LE. Three of these 14 patients fulfilled the American Rheumatism Association criteria for the diagnosis of systemic LE, but it was not certain in any of the patients whether the PLE-like rash represented cutaneous LE or coincidental PLE. However the overall 10% incidence of definite or possible LE in patients with suspected PLE suggests that all PLE patients should be screened for LE.

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

What influences patient decision-making in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis multidisciplinary care? A study of patient perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Hogden, Anne; Greenfield, David; Nugus, Peter; Kiernan, Matthew C

2012-01-01

Patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are required to make decisions concerning quality of life and symptom management over the course of their disease. Clinicians perceive that patients' ability to engage in timely decision-making is extremely challenging. However, we lack patient perspectives on this issue. This study aimed to explore patient experiences of ALS, and to identify factors influencing their decision-making in the specialized multidisciplinary care of ALS. An exploratory study was conducted. Fourteen patients from two specialized ALS multidisciplinary clinics participated in semistructured interviews that were audio recorded and transcribed. Data were analyzed for emergent themes. Decision-making was influenced by three levels of factors, ie, structural, interactional, and personal. The structural factor was the decision-making environment of specialized multidisciplinary ALS clinics, which supported decision-making by providing patients with disease-specific information and specialized care planning. Interactional factors were the patient experiences of ALS, including patients' reaction to the diagnosis, response to deterioration, and engagement with the multidisciplinary ALS team. Personal factors were patients' personal philosophies, including their outlook on life, perceptions of control, and planning for the future. Patient approaches to decision-making reflected a focus on the present, rather than anticipating future progression of the disease and potential care needs. Decision-making for symptom management and quality of life in ALS care is enhanced when the patient's personal philosophy is supported by collaborative relationships between the patient and the multidisciplinary ALS team. Patients valued the support provided by the multidisciplinary team; however, their focus on living in the present diverged from the efforts of health professionals to prepare patients and their carers for the future. The challenge facing health

Prevalence of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Morbidly Obese Patients Undergoing Sleeve Bariatric Surgery in Iran and Association With Other Comorbid Conditions

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Karimi-Sari

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Background Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD is one of the most common causes of chronic liver disease including simple steatosis to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH. NASH could progress to cirrhosis and liver cancer. The prevalence of NAFLD is increasing by increasing the prevalence of obesity. Objectives This study was designed to determine the prevalence of NASH in morbidly obese patients undergoing sleeve bariatric surgery and its correlation with other comorbidities. Patients and Methods In this analytical cross-sectional study, 114 morbidly obese patients undergoing sleeve gastrectomy were selected. Liver ultrasonography was performed for all patients before surgery and NAFLD existence and its grade was determined by hyperechoic texture and fatty infiltration. The liver enzymes and lipid profile were also measured. Prevalence of NAFLD in these patients and its correlation with other comorbid conditions (e.g. diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, hypothyroidism and ischemic heart disease were evaluated by SPSS software version 18. Results One hundred fourteen patients with a mean age of 33.96 ± 9.92 years and mean BMI of 43.61 ± 5.77 kg/m2 were enrolled (48 males and 66 females. The prevalence of NAFLD was 16.7%. NAFLD existence was associated with systolic blood pressure, hyperlipidemia, hemoglobin, hematocrit, triglyceride, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase and potassium (P < 0.05. Conclusions According to high prevalence of NAFLD in morbidly obese patients undergoing sleeve gastrectomy in Iran, we suggest using gold standard diagnostic method to determine the exact NAFLD prevalence and evaluation of impact of sleeve surgery on NAFLD in short and long term follow-up periods.

Use of technetium-99m-HM-PAO in the assessment of patients with dementia and other neuropsychiatric conditions

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Smith, F.W.; Besson, J.A.; Gemmell, H.G.; Sharp, P.F.

1988-01-01

One hundred fourteen patients suffering from neuropsychiatric conditions have been studied using 99mTc-labeled hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime (HM-PAO) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). Ninety-one patients had a firm clinical diagnosis while 23 were examined without knowledge of the clinical diagnosis. Of the 91 patients, 51 were suffering from dementia, 25 multi-infarct type and 26 Alzheimer's disease. In 19 of the Alzheimer's patients, a characteristic pattern of decreased perfusion in the parieto-occipital regions was demonstrated while those with multi-infarct type showed varying degrees of irregular uptake in the cerebral cortex. These appearances are similar to those shown with positron emission tomography (PET) and we believe that HM-PAO will provide a widely available method for identifying patients with Alzheimer's disease. Twenty-nine patients were suffering from diseases involving the basal ganglia. Fifteen patients with Parkinson's disease showed no significant abnormality in basal ganglia uptake, while 7 or 8 patients with Huntington's disease who had full examinations showed decreased uptake in the caudate nuclei. Similarly, four of six patients with other basal ganglia diseases showed impaired uptake by basal ganglia, and it is concluded that HM-PAO may be useful for the diagnosis and management of this type of patient. Twenty-three patients received HM-PAO imaging as part of their diagnostic work-up; in 19 of them, detailed follow-up was obtained, which indicated that in 7 cases the result of the HM-PAO scan altered the clinical diagnosis and in 9 cases resulted in a change in management. In the remaining 13 cases, the study was found to be helpful in confirming the diagnosis

Learning outcomes associated with patient simulation method in pharmacotherapy education: an integrative review.

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Aura, Suvi M; Sormunen, Marjorita S T; Jordan, Sue E; Tossavainen, Kerttu A; Turunen, Hannele E

2015-06-01

The aims of this systematic integrative review were to identify evidence for the use of patient simulation teaching methods in pharmacotherapy education and to explore related learning outcomes. A systematic literature search was conducted using 6 databases as follows: CINAHL, PubMed, SCOPUS, ERIC, MEDIC, and the Cochrane Library, using the key words relating to patient simulation and pharmacotherapy. The methodological quality of each study was evaluated. Eighteen articles met the inclusion criteria. The earliest article was published in 2005. The selected research articles were subjected to qualitative content analysis. Patient simulation has been used in pharmacotherapy education for preregistration nursing, dental, medical, and pharmacy students and for the continuing education of nurses. Learning outcomes reported were summarized as follows: (1) commitment to pharmacotherapy learning, (2) development of pharmacotherapy evaluation skills, (3) improvement in pharmacotherapy application skills, and (4) knowledge and understanding of pharmacotherapy. To develop effective teaching methods and ensure health care professionals' competence in medication management, further research is needed to determine the educational and clinical effectiveness of simulation teaching methods.

Phase II Study of Temozolomide and Thalidomide in Patients with Unresectable or Metastatic Leiomyosarcoma

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Michelle S. Boyar

2008-01-01

Full Text Available We assessed the efficacy of combined temozolomide and thalidomide in patients with unresectable or metastatic leiomyosarcoma in a phase II single-institution trial. Twenty-four patients were enrolled. Temozolomide (150 mg/m2/day for 7 days every other week was administered with concomitant thalidomide (200 mg/day, and continued until unacceptable toxicity or disease progression. There were no complete responses and two (10% partial responses. Five patients (24% had stable disease for at least six months. Fourteen patients (67% progressed after a median of two-month treatment. The median overall survival (twenty-two assessable patients was 9.5 months [95% CI 7–28 months]. There were no treatment-related deaths or CTC grade 4 toxicities. Thirteen patients were dose-reduced or discontinued thalidomide due to toxicity. In conclusion, this combination of temozolomide and thalidomide provided disease stabilization in a subset of patients with advanced leiomyosarcoma. We hypothesize that temozolomide is the active agent in this regimen, and should be further studied.

Improving efficiency and patient satisfaction in a tertiary teaching hospital preoperative clinic.

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Harnett, Miriam J P; Correll, Darin J; Hurwitz, Shelley; Bader, Angela M; Hepner, David L

2010-01-01

Clinical and organizational aspects of the preoperative visit can have a significant impact on patient satisfaction. The authors' previous work demonstrated that communication of information from the clinician to the patient was found to be the most positively rated component, whereas organizational issues, particularly waiting time, were the most negative. This study compares two yearly cycles of patient satisfaction surveys to assess the process and impact of implementation of changes. The authors distributed a one-page questionnaire, consisting of elements evaluating satisfaction with clinical providers and with organizational aspects of the visit, to patients in their preoperative clinic during two different time periods. Fourteen different questions had five Likert scale options ranging from excellent to poor. Changes implemented included clerical, scheduling, and clinical changes. The overall collection rate of completed questionnaires was 79%. The scores for each question in Cycle 2 were higher for all questions, with 3 of 14 reaching statistical significance (P customer service, and implementation of changes in provider roles. These modifications resulted in an improvement in patient satisfaction and a reduction in waiting time with minimal economic impact.

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

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

Survey of Fertility Preservation Options Available to Patients With Cancer Around the Globe

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Alexandra S. Rashedi

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Purpose: Oncofertility focuses on providing fertility and endocrine-sparing options to patients who undergo life-preserving but gonadotoxic cancer treatment. The resources needed to meet patient demand often are fragmented along disciplinary lines. We quantify assets and gaps in oncofertility care on a global scale. Methods: Survey-based questionnaires were provided to 191 members of the Oncofertility Consortium Global Partners Network, a National Institutes of Health–funded organization. Responses were analyzed to measure trends and regional subtleties about patient oncofertility experiences and to analyze barriers to care at sites that provide oncofertility services. Results: Sixty-three responses were received (response rate, 25%, and 40 were analyzed from oncofertility centers in 28 countries. Thirty of 40 survey results (75% showed that formal referral processes and psychological care are provided to patients at the majority of sites. Fourteen of 23 respondents (61% stated that some fertility preservation services are not offered because of cultural and legal barriers. The growth of oncofertility and its capacity to improve the lives of cancer survivors around the globe relies on concentrated efforts to increase awareness, promote collaboration, share best practices, and advocate for research funding. Conclusion: This survey reveals global and regional successes and challenges and provides insight into what is needed to advance the field and make the discussion of fertility preservation and endocrine health a standard component of the cancer treatment plan. As the field of oncofertility continues to develop around the globe, regular assessment of both international and regional barriers to quality care must continue to guide process improvements.

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

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

Clinical outcomes for T1-2N0-1 oral tongue cancer patients underwent surgery with and without postoperative radiotherapy

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Choi Eun

2010-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The aim of this study was to assess the results of curative surgery with and without radiotherapy in patients with T1-2N0-1 oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC and to evaluate survival and prognostic factors. Methods Retrospective analysis of 86 patients with T1-2N0-1 OSCC who received surgery between January 2000 and December 2006. Fourteen patients (16.3% received postoperative radiotherapy (PORT. Patient characteristics, tumor characteristics, treatment modality, failure patterns, and survival rates were analyzed. Results The median follow-up was 45 months. The five-year overall survival (OS and disease-free survival (DFS rates were 80.8% and 80.2%, respectively. Higher tumor grade and invasion depth ≥ 0.5 cm were the significant prognostic factors affecting five-year OS and DFS (OS rate; 65% vs. 91%, p = 0.001 for grade; 66% vs. 92%, p = 0.01 for invasion depth: DFS rate; 69% vs. 88%, p = 0.005 for grade; 66% vs. 92%, p = 0.013 for invasion depth. In the risk group, there was no local failure in patients with postoperative radiotherapy. Conclusions In T1-2N0-1 OSCC, factors that affected prognosis after primary surgery were higher tumor grade and deep invasion depth over 0.5 cm. Postoperative radiotherapy should be considered in early oral tongue cancer patients with these high-risk pathologic features.

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.

Analgesic efficacy, adverse effects, and safety of oxycodone administered as continuous intravenous infusion in patients after total hip arthroplasty

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Olczak B

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Bogumił Olczak,1 Grzegorz Kowalski,1,2 Wojciech Leppert,2 Iwona Zaporowska-Stachowiak,3 Katarzyna Wieczorowska-Tobis2 1Department of Anesthesiology, Józef Struś Multiprofile Municipal Hospital, 2Department of Palliative Medicine, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 3Department of Pharmacology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland Background: Total hip arthroplasty (THA causes extensive tissue damage and severe pain. This study aimed to assess the analgesic efficacy, adverse effects (AEs, and safety of continuous intravenous (iv oxycodone infusion with ketoprofen (injected into the iv line in patients after THA, and to assay serum oxycodone levels.Patients and methods: Fourteen patients, aged 59‒82 years with American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA classification I or III, underwent THA with intrathecal analgesia and sedation induced by iv propofol. After the surgery, oxycodone (continuous iv infusion at a dose of 1 mg/h (five patients or 2 mg/h (nine patients with 100 mg ketoprofen (injected into the iv line was administered to each patient every 12 h. Pain was assessed using a numerical rating scale (NRS: 0 – no pain, 10 – the most severe pain at rest and during movement. AEs, including hemodynamic unsteadiness, nausea, vomiting, pruritus, cognitive impairment, and respiratory depression, were registered during the first 24 h after surgery.Results: Oxycodone (continuous iv infusion at a dose of 2 mg/h with ketoprofen (100 mg administered every 12 h provided satisfactory analgesia in all nine patients without the need of rescue analgesics within the first 24 h after THA. In three out of five patients, oxycodone at 1 mg/h was effective. Oxycodone did not induce drowsiness, vomiting, pruritus, respiratory depression, or changes in blood pressure. Bradycardia appeared in two patients, and nausea was observed in one patient.Conclusion: Oxycodone infusion with ketoprofen administered by iv is effective in patients after THA

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

ABPM in COPD patients with sleep desaturation.

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Aidar, Neila Anders; Silva, Márcio Alberto Carvalho da; Melo e Silva, César Augusto; Ferreira Júnior, Pedro Nery; Tavares, Paulo

2009-09-01

Sleep hypoxemia may change blood pressure by sympathetic activation. Few studies have analyzed blood pressure parameters in COPD patients who do not present sleep apnea, but do present sleep desaturation. To analyze blood pressure parameters in COPD patients with sleep desaturation not caused by apnea. Thirteen patients with COPD underwent spirometry, blood gas, polysomnography and ABPM for blood pressure evaluation. Fourteen patients without COPD underwent spirometry, oximetry and ABPM. Blood pressure analyses were carried out both during wakefulness and sleep. Both groups were comprised of patients with no history of hypertension. The two groups were similar as regards age, height, weight, and body mass index. A significant difference (p<0.05) was found between blood pressure levels during the wakefulness, sleep, 24-hour and sleep dip periods. Higher blood pressure levels were observed in patients with COPD, except for diastolic levels during wakefulness and maximum values during sleep and in the 24 hours. Sleep dip in the COPD group was attenuated, whereas physiological dip was observed in the control group, with lower blood pressure levels. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels in the COPD group were higher than those of the control group, with a significant difference found for all periods studied, except for diastolic levels during wakefulness and in the 24 hours. We can conclude that the group of COPD patients with sleep desaturation has significantly higher blood pressure levels than the control group.

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

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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)

Fournier's gangrene: A retrospective analysis of 25 patients.

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Yücel, Metin; Özpek, Adnan; Başak, Fatih; Kılıç, Ali; Ünal, Ethem; Yüksekdağ, Sema; Acar, Aylin; Baş, Gürhan

2017-09-01

Fournier's gangrene is a surgical emergency that progresses rapidly and insidiously and results in high morbidity and mortality rates unless it is immediately diagnosed and managed. Here we analyze the outcomes of patients who were followed up and treated for Fournier's gangrene. We conducted a retrospective analysis of the medical data of 25 patients operated on for Fournier's gangrene between January 2010 and June 2015. The diagnosis of Fournier's gangrene was made by performing a physical examination. Patients who had genital, perineal, and perianal tenderness; induration; cyanosis; gangrene; and subcutaneous crepitation were considered as having Fournier's gangrene. Following resuscitation, aggressive surgical debridement was performed and vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) was conducted in addition to debridement in select patient. Repeat debridements were performed as requirement. This study included 25 patients. Fourteen patients (56%) were females and 11 (44%) were males. The mean age of the patients was 54.3 years (range: 27-82 years). The mean duration of hospital stay was 21.4 days; the mean number of debridements performed was 2.4. Thirteen patients (52%) had perianal abscesses, and 20 (80%) had diabetes mellitus. All patients underwent extensive debridement; 16 patients (64%) underwent VAC in addition to debridement. Patients undergoing VAC had significantly longer durations of hospital stay and a higher mean number of debridements performed (p=0.004 and p=0.048, respectively). An ostomy was made in one patient, and one patient died. In Fournier's gangrene, early diagnosis, effective resuscitation, aggressive debridement, and VAC application in suitable cases may reduce the morbidity and mortality rates and the need for an ostomy.

Endovascular Treatment of Chronic Mesenteric Ischemia: Results in 14 Patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chahid, Tamam; Alfidja, Agaicha T.; Biard, Marie; Ravel, Anne; Garcier, Jean Marc; Boyer, L.

2004-01-01

We evaluated immediate and long-term results of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) and stent placement to treat stenotic and occluded arteries in patients with chronic mesenteric ischemia. Fourteen patients were treated by 3 exclusive celiac artery (CA) PTAs (2 stentings), 3 cases with both Superior Mesenteric Artery (SMA) and CA angioplasties, and 8 exclusive SMA angioplasties (3 stentings). Eleven patients had atheromatous stenoses with one case of an early onset atheroma in an HIV patient with antiphospholipid syndrome. The other etiologies of mesenteric arterial lesions were Takayashu arteritis (2 cases) and a postradiation stenoses (1 case). Technical success was achieved in all cases. Two major complications were observed: one hematoma and one false aneurysm occurring at the brachial puncture site (14.3%). An immediate clinical success was obtained in all patients. During a follow-up of 1-83 months (mean: 29 months), 11 patients were symptom free; 3 patients had recurrent pain; in one patient with inflammatory syndrome, pain relief was obtained with medical treatment; in 2 patients abdominal pain was due to restenosis 36 and 6 months after PTA, respectively. Restenosis was treated by PTA (postirradiation stenosis), and by surgical bypass (atheromatous stenosis). Percutaneous endovascular techniques are safe and accurate. They are an alternative to surgery in patients with chronic mesenteric ischemia due to short and proximal occlusive lesions of SMA and CA

[Atorvastatin improves reflow after percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction by decreasing serum uric acid level].

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Yan, Ling; Ye, Lu; Wang, Kun; Zhou, Jie; Zhu, Chunjia

2016-05-25

Objective: To investigate the effect of atorvastatin on reflow in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and its relation to serum uric acid levels. Methods: One hundred and fourteen STEMI patients undergoing primary PCI were enrolled and randomly divided into two groups:55 cases received oral atorvastatin 20 mg before PCI (routine dose group) and 59 cases received oral atorvastatin 80 mg before PCI (high dose group). According to the initial serum uric acid level, patients in two groups were further divided into normal uric acid subgroup and hyperuricemia subgroup. The changes of uric acid level and coronary artery blood flow after PCI were observed. Correlations between the decrease of uric acid, the dose of atorvastatin and the blood flow of coronary artery after PCI were analyzed. Results: Serum uric acid levels were decreased after treatment in both groups (all P uric acid level ( P uric acid level in patients with hyperuricemia decreased more significantly in the high dose group ( P uric acid levels in two groups ( P >0.05). Among 114 patients, there were 19 cases without reflow after PCI (16.7%). In the routine dose group, there were 12 patients without reflow, in which 3 had normal uric acid and 9 had high uric acid levels ( P uric acid and 5 had high uric acid ( P uric acid levels and improve reflow after PCI in patients with STEMI.

Race, Identity and the Transference/Countertransference: A Mixed –Race Patient and a Mixed-Race Therapist- A Single Case Study

OpenAIRE

Millar, Tennyson

2014-01-01

This thesis is a single case-study of a child and adolescent psychotherapist working with a fourteen year old female adolescent patient of similar mixed ethnic background. The thesis presents the completed two year therapeutic work which included periods of intensive therapy (3-4 times-a-week work) following less intensive work.\\ud The patient’s early life was marked by witnessing parental domestic violence and parents who divorced. She subsequently struggled with maintaining relationships an...

Clinical outcomes of surgical clipping for intracranial aneurysms in patients with a Hunt and Hess grade 4 or 5

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Yang Zhang

2016-06-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT We retrospectively evaluated the records of 49 grade 4 and 5 patients with 42 intracranial aneurysms treated within 72 h of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH. In total, 35 patients (71% were grade 4, and 14 (29% were grade 5. A total of 42 (85% patients had one aneurysm, 6 (12% had two aneurysms, and 1 (3% had three aneurysms. Out of 49 patients, one technical (2% and one clinical (2% complication occurred at surgery. Twenty-one (43% patients recovered well, including 7 with postoperative hematoma requiring an immediate evacuation of a clot. Fourteen (29% patients had hydrocephalus and required a ventriculo-peritoneal shunt; 12 patients underwent tracheotomy postoperatively due to coma and pulmonary infection. We found that patients with Hunt and Hess grade 4 and 5 aneurysms can undergo successful neurosurgical clipping of the aneurysms after SAH. However, the morbidity and mortality rates remain high because of their poor clinical condition and a high incidence of vasospasm during treatment.

Salivary gland function of nasopharyngeal cancer patients treated by simultaneous modulated accelerated radiation therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Qi; Li Huanbin; Wang Ling

2007-01-01

The work was to study protective effect of simultaneous modulated accelerated radiation therapy (SMART) on salivary function of nasopharyngeal cancer patients. Forty-six patients were treated by SMART with 2.5Gy/fraction at gross tumor volume to a total does of 70 Gy, and 2.0 Gy/fraction at the clinical treatment volume to a total does of 56 Gy. The SMART was practiced in step-and-shoot mode, one time a day, and five times each week. Fourteen patients were treated by conventional radiation therapy. All the patients received salivary gland function imaging for their uptake index, excretive index and excretive speed, so as to evaluate their degree of salivary function injury. Meanwhile, the dry discomfort in mouth of the patients was recorded and classified. The results showed that the functional indexes of the SMART group were significantly higher than those of the conventional radiation therapy group (P 2 =23.52, P<0.005). Therefore, SMART can play a key role in protecting salivary gland function of naso- pharyngeal cancer patients. (authors)

S-MRI score: A simple method for assessing bone marrow involvement in Gaucher disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roca, M.; Mota, J.; Alfonso, P.; Pocovi, M.; Giraldo, P.

2007-01-01

Semi quantitative MRI is a very useful procedure for evaluating the bone marrow burden (BMB) in Gaucher disease (GD). Score systems have been applied to obtain a parameter for evaluating the severity of bone disease. Our purpose was to test a simple, reproducible and accurate score to evaluate bone marrow involvement in GD patients. MRI was performed in spine, pelvis and femora at diagnosis in 54 adult GD1 patients, 61.1% of whom were female. Three MRI patterns and punctuation in each location were defined: normal, 0; non-homogeneous infiltration subtypes reticular, 1; mottled, 2; diffuse, 3; and homogeneous infiltration, 4. This score was called Spanish-MRI (S-MRI). Two independent observers applied the S-MRI and bone marrow burden score and compared the differences using the non-parametric Mann-Whitney test. Correlation rank test was calculated. In 46 patients (85.2%), bone involvement was observed. Thirty-nine (72.3%) had their spine affected, 35 (64.8%) pelvis and 33 (61.2%) femora. Fourteen patients had bone infarcts, 14 avascular necrosis, 2 vertebral fractures and 2 bone crises. Correlation analysis between S-MRI and BMB was (r 2 = .675; p = .0001). No evidence of correlation was observed between CT activity and S-MRI nor between CT activity and BMB. We have found a relationship between genotype and bone infiltration according to S-MRI site and complications. S-MRI is a simple method that provides useful information to evaluate bone infiltration and detect silent complications. Our results correlated with the BMB score but offer higher sensitivity, specificity and accuracy for classifying the extent of bone disease

S-MRI score: A simple method for assessing bone marrow involvement in Gaucher disease

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Roca, M. [Radiology (Magnetic Resonance) Instituto Aragones de Ciencias de la Salud (I-CS), Zaragoza (Spain); Mota, J. [Diagnostic Imaging Department, Medimagen, Barcelona (Spain); Alfonso, P. [Radiology (Magnetic Resonance) Instituto Aragones de Ciencias de la Salud (I-CS), Zaragoza (Spain); Pocovi, M. [Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology Department, Zaragoza University (Spain); Giraldo, P. [Haematology Department, Miguel Servet University Hospital, 50009 Zaragoza (Spain)]. E-mail: pgiraldo@salud.aragon.es

2007-04-15

Semi quantitative MRI is a very useful procedure for evaluating the bone marrow burden (BMB) in Gaucher disease (GD). Score systems have been applied to obtain a parameter for evaluating the severity of bone disease. Our purpose was to test a simple, reproducible and accurate score to evaluate bone marrow involvement in GD patients. MRI was performed in spine, pelvis and femora at diagnosis in 54 adult GD1 patients, 61.1% of whom were female. Three MRI patterns and punctuation in each location were defined: normal, 0; non-homogeneous infiltration subtypes reticular, 1; mottled, 2; diffuse, 3; and homogeneous infiltration, 4. This score was called Spanish-MRI (S-MRI). Two independent observers applied the S-MRI and bone marrow burden score and compared the differences using the non-parametric Mann-Whitney test. Correlation rank test was calculated. In 46 patients (85.2%), bone involvement was observed. Thirty-nine (72.3%) had their spine affected, 35 (64.8%) pelvis and 33 (61.2%) femora. Fourteen patients had bone infarcts, 14 avascular necrosis, 2 vertebral fractures and 2 bone crises. Correlation analysis between S-MRI and BMB was (r {sup 2} = .675; p = .0001). No evidence of correlation was observed between CT activity and S-MRI nor between CT activity and BMB. We have found a relationship between genotype and bone infiltration according to S-MRI site and complications. S-MRI is a simple method that provides useful information to evaluate bone infiltration and detect silent complications. Our results correlated with the BMB score but offer higher sensitivity, specificity and accuracy for classifying the extent of bone disease.

Detection and management of drug-resistant tuberculosis in HIV-infected patients in lower-income countries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ballif, M; Nhandu, V; Wood, R

2014-01-01

SETTING: Drug resistance threatens tuberculosis (TB) control, particularly among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected persons. OBJECTIVE: To describe practices in the prevention and management of drug-resistant TB under antiretroviral therapy (ART) programs in lower-income countries. DESIGN...... patients seen at 40 of the participating ART programs. RESULTS: Phenotypic drug susceptibility testing (DST) was available in 36 (77%) ART programs, but was only used for 22% of all TB patients. Molecular DST was available in 33 (70%) programs and was used in 23% of all TB patients. Twenty ART programs (43......%) provided directly observed therapy (DOT) during the entire course of treatment, 16 (34%) during the intensive phase only, and 11 (23%) did not follow DOT. Fourteen (30%) ART programs reported no access to second-line anti-tuberculosis regimens; 18 (38%) reported TB drug shortages. CONCLUSIONS: Capacity...

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

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Improved left ventricular function after growth hormone replacement in patients with hypopituitarism: assessment with radionuclide angiography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cuocolo, A.; Nicolai, E.; Colao, A.; Longobardi, S.; Cardei, S.; Fazio, S.; Merola, B.; Lombardi, G.; Sacca, L.; Salvatore, M.

1996-01-01

Prolonged growth hormone deficiency (GHD) leads to marked cardiac dysfunction; however, whether reversal of this abnormality may be achieved after specific replacement therapy has not yet been completely clarified. Fourteen patients with childhood-onset GHD (nine men and five women, mean age 27±4 years) and 12 normal control subjects underwent equilibrium radionuclide angiography under control conditions at rest. Patients with GHD were also studied 6 months after recombinant human (rh) GH treatment (0.05 IU/kg per day). Normal control subjects and patients with GHD did not differ with respect to age, gender and heart rate. In contrast, left ventricular ejection fraction (53%±9% vs 66%±6%, P 2 , P 2 , P 2 , P 2 , P <0.01) was observed in GHD patients. In conclusion, prolonged lack of GH leads to impaired left ventricular function at rest. Reversal of this abnormality may be observed after 6 months of specific replacement therapy in patients with childhood-onset GHD. (orig.). With 4 figs., 1 tab

Double primary malignancies associated with colon cancer in patients with situs inversus totalis: two case reports

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Kim Dae

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Situs inversus totalis (SIT is not itself a premalignant condition, however, rare synchronous or metachronous multiple primary malignancies have been reported. Herein we present a case of synchronous transverse and sigmoid colon cancers and a case of metachronous rectosigmoid colon and gastric cancers in patients with SIT. A 66-year-old male with SIT was referred for a two-month history of hematochezia. Synchronous colonic tumors were found on the proximal transverse and sigmoid colon. The patient underwent open total colectomy and was discharged without incident. A 71-year-old female with rectosigmoid colon cancer and SIT underwent laparoscopy-assisted low anterior resection. Fourteen months after the surgery, the patient developed a single hepatic metastasis and underwent hepatic segmentectomy (S6. Forty-six months after laparoscopy-assisted low anterior resection, the patient developed metachronous early gastric cancer on the antrum and underwent radical subtotal gastrectomy with gastroduodenostomy. The patient is doing well without recurrence for 28 months.

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.

Transcoronary sinus administration of autologous bone marrow in patients with chronic refractory stable angina

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vicario, J.; Campos, C.; Piva, J.; Faccio, F.; Gerardo, L.; Becker, C.; Ortega, H.H.; Pierini, A.; Lofeudo, C.; Novero, R.; Licheri, A.; Milesi, R.; Perez Balino, N.; Monti, A.; Amin, A.; Pfeiffer, H.; De Giovanni, E.; Fendrich, I.

2004-01-01

Purpose: Based on our preclinic studies with autologous unfractionated bone marrow (AUBM) via coronary sinus with transitory occlusion, a clinic study in patients with chronic stable angina was designed. The objectives were to evaluate safety, tolerance and feasibility. Methods and materials: A multicenter prospective study with inclusion and exclusion criteria defined by an Independent Clinical Committee was carried out. Fourteen patients underwent transcoronary sinus administration of freshly aspirated and filtered AUBM (60-120 ml). Safety and tolerance were evaluated. Feasibility was evaluated with Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ), Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) angina classification (baseline-Day 180), myocardial perfusion (baseline-Day 90) with independent core laboratory and coronary angiography (baseline and Day 30). Results: There were no changes in the safety and tolerance parameters. Preliminary clinical efficacy at Day 180 disclosed a significant improvement of 38%, evaluated by the SAQ. The CCS angina classification shows that the mean angina class was 3.0±0.55 at baseline and improved to 2.0±0.00 at Day 180 (P<.001). Semiquantitative radionuclide perfusion imaging (core lab) showed a significant improvement at Day 90 in 13/14 patients, with a mean improvement of 24% at rest (P<.01) and 33% at stress (P<.05). Coronary angiography showed more collateral vessels in 9/14 patients. Conclusions: We can conclude that AUBM via coronary sinus with transitory occlusion is tolerable and safe. Significant improvement in the myocardial perfusion at Day 90 and in the quality of life at Day 180 was observed

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

Injection laryngoplasty as miniinvasive office-based surgery in patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis - voice quality outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Sielska-Badurek, Ewelina M; Sobol, Maria; Jędra, Katarzyna; Rzepakowska, Anna; Osuch-Wójcikiewicz, Ewa; Niemczyk, Kazimierz

2017-09-01

Injection laryngoplasty (glottis augmentation) is the preferred method in surgical management of unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP). Traditionally, these procedures are performed in the operating room. Nowadays, however, these procedures have moved into the office. To evaluate the voice quality after transoral injection laryngoplasty under local anaesthesia in patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis. Fourteen subjects (5 women and 9 men) with unilateral vocal fold paresis (9 with right vocal fold paresis and 5 with left vocal fold paresis) were included in the study. The mean age of the group was 57.8 ±19.0 years (32-83 years). All of the injection laryngoplasties were performed transorally, under local anaesthesia. The injection material was calcium hydroxylapatite. Before and 1, 3 and 6 months after the procedure the following variables were evaluated: voice perception, videostroboscopy, acoustic analysis, aerodynamic evaluation, and the subjective rating of the voice quality by the patient. After injection laryngoplasty, complete glottal closure was achieved or there was a significant improvement in the glottal closure of each subject. We noted great improvement in the post-injection objective and subjective voice outcomes and patients reported improvement in the voice-related quality of life. The transoral approach for injection laryngoplasty under local anaesthesia is an effective and safe way to treat incomplete glottal closure in patients with UVFP. The transoral approach is an efficient alternative to other surgical techniques used for vocal fold injection.

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.

IIVP salvage regimen induces high response rates in patients with relapsed lymphoma before autologous stem cell transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Abali, Huseyin; Oyan, Basak; Koc, Yener; Kars, Ayse; Barista, Ibrahim; Uner, Aysegul; Turker, Alev; Demirkazik, Figen; Tekin, Fatma; Tekuzman, Gulten; Kansu, Emin

2005-06-01

Patients with relapsed lymphoma can be cured with high-dose chemotherapy and autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). New therapeutic approaches with better cytoreductive capacity are needed for relapsed patients to keep their chance for cure with transplantation. We report 30 patients with relapsed lymphoma, median age 43 years, treated with IIVP salvage regimen consisting of ifosfamide, mesna, idarubicin, and etoposide for 2 or 3 cycles. Seventeen patients had non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and 13 patients had Hodgkin disease (HD). Fourteen (47%) patients were at their first relapse. Overall response rate was 86.6% (n = 26) with 19 patients (63.3%) achieving complete response. Overall response rate was 92% in patients with HD and 82% in NHL. The most frequent side effects observed were grade III-IV neutropenia (87%) and thrombocytopenia (73%). IIVP regimen is a highly effective salvage therapy for patients with relapsed HD or NHL who are candidates for autologous HSCT. Close follow up is necessary because of the high incidence of grade III-IV hematologic toxicity.

Better Survival of Total Knee Replacement in Patients Older Than 70 Years: A Prospective Study with 8 To 12 Years Follow-Up

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ricardo Fernandez-Fernandez

2015-01-01

Full Text Available  Background: Modern knee designs have popularized its use in younger patients due to its better performance. There remains uncertainty whether higher demands of these patients can affect implant survivorship.    Purpose: To assess whether modern knee designs have provided similar results in patients younger than 70 years versus older patients. Methods: We included 203 consecutive patients (236 knees who underwent knee replacement for osteoarthritis with a mean follow-up of 11.4 years (range: 8.8 to 12. The mean age was 70 years (range: 31 to 85. Knee replacements were stratified into two groups: 109 were younger than 70 years and 127 were older than 70 years (70 years of age is the mandatory retirement age. Results: There were no significant pre-operative differences between groups with regards to knee alignment, alpha or beta angles, knee score or function score. Fourteen implants were radiographically loose at last follow up visit. Groups were matched in terms of demographic data. We found that patients older than 70 years had significantly better mean survivorship at 12 years. (97% vs. 88%; P=0.010. Patients under 70 years presented with a higher rate of polyethylene wear which was further associated with radiolucent lines in the femur and tibia as well as the presence of osteolysis. There was also an association between migration and presence of osteolysis. Conclusions: Patients over 70 years old undergoing cemented total knee replacement for osteoarthritis showed better implant survivorship versus patients under 70 years old.

Dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma: Radiological features, prognostic factors and survival statistics in 23 patients

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Chenglei; Xi, Yan; Li, Mei; Jiao, Qiong; Zhang, Huizhen; Yang, Qingcheng; Yao, Weiwu

2017-01-01

Background Dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma is a rare, highly malignant tumor with a poor survival. There are many confusing issues concerning the imaging feature that can facilitate early diagnosis and the factors that might be related to outcomes. Methods Twenty-three patients with dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma confirmed by pathology were retrospectively reviewed from 2008 to 2015. The patients’ clinical information, images from radiographs (n = 17), CT (n = 19), and MRI (n = 17), histological features, treatment and prognosis were analyzed. Results There were 12 males and 11 females, and the mean age was 50.39 years old. Fourteen cases affected the axial bone (pelvis, spine), and 9 cases involved the appendicular bone. Seven (41.17%), 9 (47.36), and 12 (66.66%) lesions showed a biphasic nature on radiograph, CT and MRI, respectively. Of the lesions, 17.39% (4/23) were accompanied by pathological fractures. Histologically, the cartilage component was considered histological Grade1 in 12 patients and Grade 2 in 11 patients. The dedifferentiated component showed features of osteosarcoma in 8 cases, malignant fibrous histiocytoma in3 cases, myofibroblastic sarcoma in 1 case and spindle cell sarcoma in 11cases. Twenty-two cases were treated with surgical resection, and 17 cases achieved adequate (wide or radical) surgical margin. In 8 cases, surgery was combined with adjuvant chemotherapy. The overall median survival time was nine months; 17.4% of patients survived to five years. Conclusion Axial bone location, lung metastasis at diagnosis, inadequate surgical margin, incorrect diagnosis before surgery and pathological fractures was related to poorer outcome. Pre- or postoperative chemotherapy had no definitively effect on improved survival. PMID:28301537

Online communication in a rehabilitation setting: Experiences of patients with chronic conditions using a web portal in Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cerdan de Las Heras, Jose Manuel; Catalan-Matamoros, Daniel; Warny, Sarah

2017-01-01

an online rehabilitation programme with key information, clinical advice, and self-management activities. After two weeks, patients were invited to participate in focus groups. A topic guide was used to explore this new online rehabilitation programme in relation to participants’ experiences. Results...... Fourteen participants, ranging from 42 to 72 years old, were allocated into three focus groups. Participants mainly reported negative experiences by the following four themes: ‘patients’ experiences’, ‘technical aspects’, ‘areas for improvement’, and ‘digitalization added value’. Conclusion Participants...

The use of scintigraphy in the management of patients with pulmonary aspiration.

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Silver, K H; Van Nostrand, D

1994-01-01

Pulmonary aspiration was assessed using a scintigraphic swallowing procedure in 14 dysphagics in whom penetration of the larynx had been previously diagnosed. No patient had recent evidence of aspiration pneumonia. Imaging was performed during and following ingestion of a cupful of thin liquid admixed with between 1-2 mCi of Tc-99m sulfur colloid. Follow-up scans were obtained several hours later as needed to assess airway clearance. Five of the fourteen (36%) showed penetration distal to the trachea. Seven (50%) were indeterminate for aspiration, as isotope localized to the neck could not be clearly designated as being in either airway or foodway. Two subjects had negative studies. Of patients with subtracheal penetration, (1) fractions of the ingested material which were aspirated ranged from restriction at the time of testing were allowed to ease restrictions. Five patients without prior liquid restriction were allowed to continue to drink. We propose that scintigraphy provides important data on airway penetration and clearance that is useful in the dietary management of dysphagic patients.

Determinants of exocrine pancreatic function as measured by fecal elastase-1 concentrations (FEC in patients with diabetes mellitus

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Ewald N

2009-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Objective Recently it has been shown that there is not only endocrine insufficiency in diabetic patients, but a frequent co-morbidity of both, the endocrine and exocrine pancreas. The present study was performed to further analyse the determinants of exocrine pancreatic function in patients with diabetes mellitus. Methods The records of 1992 patients with diabetes mellitus who had been treated in our hospital during a 2-year period were re-evaluated. Defined parameters were documented in standardized data sheets. Records were further checked for the results of imaging procedures of the pancreas. In 307 patients FEC had been performed and documented. Only these patients were included in further evaluation. Results FEC was inversely correlated with diabetes duration and HbA1c-levels but not with age. C-peptide levels correlated positively with FEC. BMI and FEC were also significantly correlated. There was no correlation between diabetes therapy and exocrine pancreatic function as there was no correlation with any concomitant medication. The presence of diabetes-associated antibodies was not related to FEC. According to the documented data 38 were classified as type-1 diabetes (12.4%, 167 as type-2 (54.4%, and 88 patients met the diagnostic criteria of type-3 (28.7%. Fourteen patients could not be classified because of lacking information (4.6%. Conclusions Exocrine insufficiency might be explained as a complication of diabetes mellitus. However, it is more likely that type-3 diabetes is much more frequent than previously believed. Consequently the evaluation of exocrine function and morphology should be included into the clinical workup of any diabetic patient at least at the time of manifestation.

Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in Primary Immunodeficiency Patients in the Black Sea Region of Turkey

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Alişan Yıldıran

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is a promising curative therapy for many combined primary immunodeficiencies and phagocytic disorders. We retrospectively reviewed pediatric cases of patients diagnosed with primary immunodeficiencies and scheduled for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. We identified 22 patients (median age, 6 months; age range, 1 month to 10 years with various diagnoses who received hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The patient diagnoses included severe combined immunodeficiency (n=11, Chediak-Higashi syndrome (n=2, leukocyte adhesion deficiency (n=2, MHC class 2 deficiency (n=2, chronic granulomatous syndrome (n=2, hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (n=1, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (n=1, and Omenn syndrome (n=1. Of the 22 patients, 7 received human leukocyte antigen-matched related hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, 12 received haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, and 2 received matched unrelated hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The results showed that 5 patients had graft failure. Fourteen patients survived, yielding an overall survival rate of 67%. Screening newborn infants for primary immunodeficiency diseases may result in timely administration of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in Primary Immunodeficiency Patients in the Black Sea Region of Turkey.

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Yıldıran, Alişan; Çeliksoy, Mehmet Halil; Borte, Stephan; Güner, Şükrü Nail; Elli, Murat; Fışgın, Tunç; Özyürek, Emel; Sancak, Recep; Oğur, Gönül

2017-12-01

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is a promising curative therapy for many combined primary immunodeficiencies and phagocytic disorders. We retrospectively reviewed pediatric cases of patients diagnosed with primary immunodeficiencies and scheduled for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. We identified 22 patients (median age, 6 months; age range, 1 month to 10 years) with various diagnoses who received hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The patient diagnoses included severe combined immunodeficiency (n=11), Chediak-Higashi syndrome (n=2), leukocyte adhesion deficiency (n=2), MHC class 2 deficiency (n=2), chronic granulomatous syndrome (n=2), hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (n=1), Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (n=1), and Omenn syndrome (n=1). Of the 22 patients, 7 received human leukocyte antigen-matched related hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, 12 received haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, and 2 received matched unrelated hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The results showed that 5 patients had graft failure. Fourteen patients survived, yielding an overall survival rate of 67%. Screening newborn infants for primary immunodeficiency diseases may result in timely administration of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Mutation spectrum of Chinese patients with Bartter syndrome.

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Han, Yue; Lin, Yi; Sun, Qing; Wang, Shujuan; Gao, Yanxia; Shao, Leping

2017-11-24

Bartter syndrome (BS) has been rarely reported in Chinese population except for a few case reports. This investigation was aimed to analyze the mutations of the causal genes in sixteen Chinese patients with BS, and review their followup and treatment. Identify mutations by the next generation sequencing and the multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA). Clinical characteristics and biochemical findings at the first presentation as well as follow-up were reviewed. 15 different CLCNKB gene mutations were identified in fourteen patients with BS, including 11 novel ones. A novel missense mutation and a novel small deletion were found from SLC12A1 gene. A novel gross deletion was found in CLCNKA gene. A recurrent missense mutation was identified from BSND gene. We found that the whole gene deletion mutation of CLCNKB gene was the most frequent mutation (32%), and the rate of gross deletion was up to 50 percent in this group of Chinese patients. The present study has found 19 mutations, including 14 novel ones, which would enrich the human gene mutation database (HGMD) and provide valuable references to the genetic counseling and diagnosis of the Chinese population.

SSRIs increase risk of blood transfusion in patients admitted for hip surgery.

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Hermien Janneke Schutte

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Recent studies have shown that an increased bleeding tendency can be caused by Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI use. We aimed to investigate the occurrence and risk of blood transfusion in SSRI users compared to non-SSRI users in a cohort of patients admitted for hip-surgery. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent planned or emergency hip surgery from 1996 to 2011 in the Academic Medical Center in Amsterdam. Primary outcome measure was risk of blood transfusion. Secondary outcome measures were pre- and postoperative hemoglobin level. Multivariate logistic regression was used to adjust for potential confounders. RESULTS: One-hundred and fourteen SSRI users were compared to 1773 non-SSRI users. Risk of blood transfusion during admission was increased for SSRI users in multivariate analyses (OR 1.7 [95% CI 1.1-2.5]. Also, pre-operative hemoglobin levels were lower in SSRI users (7.8 ± 1.0 mmol/L compared to non-SSRI users (8.0 ± 1.0 mmol/L (p  =  0.042, as were postoperative hemoglobin levels (6.2 ± 1.0 mmol/L vs. 6.4 ± 1.0 mmol/L respectively (p  =  0.017. CONCLUSIONS: SSRI users undergoing hip surgery have an increased risk for blood transfusion during admission, potentially explained by a lower hemoglobin level before surgery. SSRI use should be considered as a potential risk indicator for increased blood loss in patients admitted for hip surgery. These results need to be confirmed in a prospective study.

Development and Psychometric Testing of the Caregiver Communication Competence Scale in Patients With Dementia.

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Chao, Hui-Chen; Yang, Ya-Ping; Huang, Mei-Chih; Wang, Jing-Jy

2016-01-01

Appropriate communication skills are essential for understanding patient needs, particularly those of patients with dementia. Assessing health care providers' competence in communicating with patients with dementia is critical for planning a communication education program. However, no formally established scale can be used. The purpose of the current study was to develop a valid and reliable instrument for determining the communication competence of health care providers with patients with dementia. Through use of a literature review and previous clinical experience, an initial 28-item scale was developed to assess the frequency of use of each item by health care providers. Fourteen items were extracted and three factors were distinguished. Results indicated that the internal consistency reliability of the 14-item scale was 0.84. Favorable convergent and discriminant validities were reached. The communication competence scale provides administrators or educators with a useful tool for assessing communication competence of health care providers when interacting with patients with dementia so a suitable education program can be planned and implemented. Copyright 2016, SLACK Incorporated.

Long Term Effects of Volar-Dorsal Wrist/ Hand Immobilization Splint on Motor Components and Function of Stroke Patients

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Malek Amini

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Objectives: This study was designed to determine the effects of Volar-Dorsal Wrist/Hand Immobilization Splint on upper extremity motor components and function of stroke patients. Methods: fourteen patients were participated in this study. The patients were selected based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and were given the splint after a primary evaluation. They were re-evaluated after one, two and three months. In order to assess spasticity, the range of motion, and upper extremity function, the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS, the goniometry, and fugl-meyer assessment were used respectively. The splints were used 2 hours during the day and the whole night in three months. Results: The amount of the upper extremity function changes (P(v=0.07 was not significant: and the amount of the ranges of the motion changes (P(v=0.02 were statistically significant. The changes in range of  motion of other joints and spasticity were not significant (P(v>.05. Discussion: The results of the present study indicated that, volar-dorsal wrist/hand immobilization splints can improve the AROM of metha-carpophalengeal joints. Although spasticity, the range of motion of other joints, and the upper extremity function went through some changes due to  splinting (3month, these changes were not significant, which requires further research.

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

Medial tibial plateau morphology and stress fracture location: A magnetic resonance imaging study

OpenAIRE

Yukata, Kiminori; Yamanaka, Issei; Ueda, Yuzuru; Nakai, Sho; Ogasa, Hiroyoshi; Oishi, Yosuke; Hamawaki, Jun-ichi

2017-01-01

AIM To determine the location of medial tibial plateau stress fractures and its relationship with tibial plateau morphology using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). METHODS A retrospective review of patients with a diagnosis of stress fracture of the medial tibial plateau was performed for a 5-year period. Fourteen patients [three female and 11 male, with an average age of 36.4 years (range, 15-50 years)], who underwent knee MRI, were included. The appearance of the tibial plateau stress fract...

Plasma apolipoprotein M responses to statin and fibrate administration in type 2 diabetes mellitus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kappelle, Paul J W H; Ahnström, Josefin; Dikkeschei, Bert D

2010-01-01

by statin or fibrate administration in patients with diabetes mellitus. Methods: Fourteen type 2 diabetic patients participated in a placebo-controlled crossover study which included three 8-week treatment periods with simvastatin (40mg daily), bezafibrate (400mg daily), and their combination. Results: Apo.......02 to P treatment periods. Conclusions: This study suggests that, even though plasma apoM is lowered by statins, apoM metabolism is to a considerable extent independent of statin- and fibrate-affected pathways involved in cholesterol...

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.

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.

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

Custom-Made Synthetic Scaffolds for Bone Reconstruction: A Retrospective, Multicenter Clinical Study on 15 Patients

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Fabrizia Luongo

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose. To present a computer-assisted-design/computer-assisted-manufacturing (CAD/CAM technique for the design, fabrication, and clinical application of custom-made synthetic scaffolds, for alveolar ridge augmentation. Methods. The CAD/CAM procedure consisted of (1 virtual planning/design of the custom-made scaffold; (2 milling of the scaffold into the exact size/shape from a preformed synthetic bone block; (3 reconstructive surgery. The main clinical/radiographic outcomes were vertical/horizontal bone gain, any biological complication, and implant survival. Results. Fifteen patients were selected who had been treated with a custom-made synthetic scaffold for ridge augmentation. The scaffolds closely matched the shape of the defects: this reduced the operation time and contributed to good healing. A few patients experienced biological complications, such as pain/swelling (2/15: 13.3% and exposure of the scaffold (3/15: 20.0%; one of these had infection and complete graft loss. In all other patients, 8 months after reconstruction, a well-integrated newly formed bone was clinically available, and the radiographic evaluation revealed a mean vertical and horizontal bone gain of 2.1±0.9 mm and 3.0±1.0 mm, respectively. Fourteen implants were placed and restored with single crowns. The implant survival rate was 100%. Conclusions. Although positive outcomes have been found with custom-made synthetic scaffolds in alveolar ridge augmentation, further studies are needed to validate this technique.

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

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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.

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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.

A comparison of the efficacy, adverse effects, and patient compliance of the sena-graph®syrup and castor oil regimens for bowel preparation.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghazikhanlou Sani, Karim; Jafari, Mahmood-Reza; Shams, Safar

2010-01-01

Sena-Graph syrup has recently been formulated by an Iranian pharmaceutical company for being used in bowel evacuation before radiography, colonoscopy and surgery. This study compares the efficacy, adverse effects and patient compliance of two bowel preparation regimens with castor oil and Sena-Graph syrup in of outpatients for Intravenous Urography (IVU). One hundred and fourteen consecutive outpatients were randomized to receive either the standard bowel preparation with 60 mL of castor oil or the test method with 60 mL of Sena-Graph syrup before IVU examination. Demographic data of patients and their prior bowel preparation experience were collected before the examination. Two radiologists, blinded to the method of bowel preparation, reviewed the radiographs and graded the bowel preparation. The compliance and acceptability of both regimens were assessed by using structured questionnaires filled by the patients. The Numbers, ages, weights and gender distribution of patients and their prior bowel preparation experience in the two groups did not differ significantly. The cleanliness scores for the castor oil and Sena-Graph group were 3.97 ± 0.971 and 4.87 ± 0.917, respectively. The results indicated that Sena-Graph syrup causes a better bowel cleansing compared castor oil. Adverse effects in Sena-Graph groups were significantly lower than the castor oil group. Acceptability of the regimen in patients who used Sena-Graph was higher than the other group. The Sena-Graph regimen is significantly more effective and better tolerated than of Castor oil regimen in bowel cleansing. The incidence and severity of the adverse effects from Castor oil was higher than Sena-Graph.

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...

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

Assessing Patient Activation among High-Need, High-Cost Patients in Urban Safety Net Care Settings.

Science.gov (United States)

Napoles, Tessa M; Burke, Nancy J; Shim, Janet K; Davis, Elizabeth; Moskowitz, David; Yen, Irene H

2017-12-01

We sought to examine the literature using the Patient Activation Measure (PAM) or the Patient Enablement Instrument (PEI) with high-need, high-cost (HNHC) patients receiving care in urban safety net settings. Urban safety net care management programs serve low-income, racially/ethnically diverse patients living with multiple chronic conditions. Although many care management programs track patient progress with the PAM or the PEI, it is not clear whether the PAM or the PEI is an effective and appropriate tool for HNHC patients receiving care in urban safety net settings in the United States. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and PsycINFO for articles published between 2004 and 2015 that used the PAM and between 1998 and 2015 that used the PEI. The search was limited to English-language articles conducted in the United States and published in peer-reviewed journals. To assess the utility of the PAM and the PEI in urban safety net care settings, we defined a HNHC patient sample as racially/ethnically diverse, low socioeconomic status (SES), and multimorbid. One hundred fourteen articles used the PAM. All articles using the PEI were conducted outside the U.S. and therefore were excluded. Nine PAM studies (8%) included participants similar to those receiving care in urban safety net settings, three of which were longitudinal. Two of the three longitudinal studies reported positive changes following interventions. Our results indicate that research on patient activation is not commonly conducted on racially and ethnically diverse, low SES, and multimorbid patients; therefore, there are few opportunities to assess the appropriateness of the PAM in such populations. Investigators expressed concerns with the potential unreliability and inappropriate nature of the PAM on multimorbid, older, and low-literacy patients. Thus, the PAM may not be able to accurately assess patient progress among HNHC patients receiving care in urban safety net settings. Assessing

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.

Computed Tomography Features of Pulmonary Nocardiosis in Immunocompromised and Immunocompetent Patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mehrian, Payam; Esfandiari, Ehsan; Karimi, Mohammad Ali; Memari, Behzad

2015-01-01

Nocardiosis primarily occurs in the setting of immunocompromising conditions. However, it may also occur in immunocompetent patients. We described computed tomography features of pulmonary nocardiosis and compared immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients. CT images of 25 patients (Mean age of 39.5 years; 76% male) with pulmonary nocardiosis proved by bronchoalveolar lavage or biopsy were reviewed by two experienced pulmonary radiologists and detailed findings were reported on. Fourteen patients (56%) were immunocompetent, while 44% had an underlying immunocompromising condition, including chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) (n=4), diabetes mellitus (DM) (n=2), malignancy (n=2), HIV (n=1), concomitant CGD and DM (n=1), and steroid therapy for nephrotic syndrome (n=1). Most patients had bilateral involvement with no zonal predominance. Multiple pulmonary nodules (96%) were the most common CT findings, followed by consolidation (76%) and cavity (52%). Other findings included bronchiectasis (48%), pleural thickening (40%), ground glass opacity (32%), mass-like consolidation (20%), intrathoracic lymphadenopathy (16%), pleural effusion (12%), reticular infiltration (4%), and pericardial effusion (4%). There was no statistically significant difference in the CT findings of immunocompromised and immunocompetent groups. Pulmonary nocardiosis presents mainly as multiple pulmonary nodules, consolidations, and cavity in both immunocompromised and immunocompetent patients. However, these features are more suggestive of nocardiosis in the setting of an underling immunocompromised condition

[NDT-Bobath method used in the rehabilitation of patients with a history of ischemic stroke].

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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.

Extragonadal germ cell tumors. Clinicaopathologic findings, staging and treatment experience in 14 patients

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Berkmen, F.; Peker, A.F.; Ayyildiz, A.; Basay, S.; Arik, A.I.; Ugur, I. [Ankara Oncology Education and Research Hospital, Dept. of Urologic Oncology and Radiotherapy, Ankara (Turkey)

2000-09-01

Extragonadal germ cell tumors (EGCT) are a rare group of neoplasms histologically identical to testicular counterparts. Fourteen cases of primary mediastinal and retroperitoneal germ cell tumors were treated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy between 1987 and 1999 in Ankara Oncology Hospital. There were 9 (64%) complete remissions (CR), one (7%) partial remission (PR) and 2 (14%) stable diseases (SD). The remaining 2 patients were lost due to dissemination of disease. The median duration of response was 19 months. Our modified chemotherapeutic results were similar to original doses of PVB and BEP but toxicity was less. The necessity of a uniform staging system and treatment programs are discussed.

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.

High prevalence of DUOX2 mutations in Japanese patients with permanent congenital hypothyroidism or transient hypothyroidism.

Science.gov (United States)

Matsuo, Kumihiro; Tanahashi, Yusuke; Mukai, Tokuo; Suzuki, Shigeru; Tajima, Toshihiro; Azuma, Hiroshi; Fujieda, Kenji

2016-07-01

Dual oxidase 2 (DUOX2) mutations are a cause of dyshormonogenesis (DH) and have been identified in patients with permanent congenital hypothyroidism (PH) and with transient hypothyroidism (TH). We aimed to elucidate the prevalence and phenotypical variations of DUOX2 mutations. Forty-eight Japanese DH patients were enroled and analysed for sequence variants of DUOX2, DUOXA2, and TPO using polymerase chain reaction-amplified direct sequencing. Fourteen sequence variants of DUOX2, including 10 novel variants, were identified in 11 patients. DUOX2 variants were more prevalent (11/48, 22.9%) than TPO (3/48, 6.3%) (p=0.020). The prevalence of DUOX2 variants in TH was slightly, but not significantly, higher than in PH. Furthermore, one patient had digenic heterozygous sequence variants of both DUOX2 and TPO. Our results suggest that DUOX2 mutations might be the most common cause of both PH and TH, and that phenotypes of these mutations might be milder than those of other causes.

Transarterial chemoembolization of liver metastases in patients with uveal melanoma

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Huppert, P.E., E-mail: huppert@klinikum-darmstadt.d [Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Klinikum Darmstadt, Darmstadt (Germany); Fierlbeck, G., E-mail: gerhard.fierlbeck@med.uni-tuebingen.d [Department of Dermatology, University of Tuebingen, Liebermeisterstrasse 25, D-72076 Tuebingen (Germany); Pereira, P., E-mail: philippe.pereira@slk-kliniken.d [Department of Diagnostic Radiology, University of Tuebingen, Hoppe-Seyler-Strasse 3, D-72076 Tuebingen (Germany); Schanz, S., E-mail: stefan.schanz@med.uni-tuebingen.d [Department of Dermatology, University of Tuebingen, Liebermeisterstrasse 25, D-72076 Tuebingen (Germany); Duda, S.H., E-mail: stephan.duda@t-online.d [Department of Diagnostic Radiology, University of Tuebingen, Hoppe-Seyler-Strasse 3, D-72076 Tuebingen (Germany); Wietholtz, H., E-mail: hubertus.wietholtz@klinikum-darmstadt.d [Department of Internal Medicine II, Klinikum Darmstadt, Darmstadt (Germany); Rozeik, C., E-mail: rozeik.christoph@klinloe.d [Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Klinikum Darmstadt, Darmstadt (Germany); Claussen, C.D., E-mail: claus.claussen@med.uni-tuebingen.d [Department of Diagnostic Radiology, University of Tuebingen, Hoppe-Seyler-Strasse 3, D-72076 Tuebingen (Germany)

2010-06-15

Summary: Metastases from uveal melanoma are often confined to the liver. Palliative hepatic chemoembolization has been considered to be a reasonable treatment approach. We enrolled 14 patients with hepatic metastases from uveal melanoma into a pilot trial of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE). All patients received additional systemic immuno-chemotherapy or best supportive care. In 31 procedures 100 mg/m{sup 2} of cisplatine was continuously infused by means of a power injector preceding embolization by manual injection of polyvinyl alcohol particles. In three procedures cisplatine was replaced by 200 mg/m{sup 2} carboplatine because of increased serum creatinine levels. Tumor response was evaluated using RECIST criteria. Fourteen patients received 34 TACE's (mean: 2.4 treatments). Eight patients (57%) achieved partial response (PR), four patients (29%) had stable disease and two patients (14%) tumor progression. Median time to progression was 8.5 months (5-35 months). Median survival after first TACE was 14.5 months in responders compared to 10 months in non-responders (p = 0.18, not significant) and 11.5 months (3-69 months) in all patients. In seven patients with metastases occupying less than 25% of liver volume median survival was 17 months compared to 11 months in seven patients with tumor involvement of more than 25% (p = 0.02) with partial response rate of 86% and 29%, respectively. TACE of liver metastases from uveal melanoma is well tolerated and may prolong survival in patients with limited tumor extension.

Addressing health literacy in patient decision aids

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background Effective use of a patient decision aid (PtDA) can be affected by the user’s health literacy and the PtDA’s characteristics. Systematic reviews of the relevant literature can guide PtDA developers to attend to the health literacy needs of patients. The reviews reported here aimed to assess: 1. a) the effects of health literacy / numeracy on selected decision-making outcomes, and b) the effects of interventions designed to mitigate the influence of lower health literacy on decision-making outcomes, and 2. the extent to which existing PtDAs a) account for health literacy, and b) are tested in lower health literacy populations. Methods We reviewed literature for evidence relevant to these two aims. When high-quality systematic reviews existed, we summarized their evidence. When reviews were unavailable, we conducted our own systematic reviews. Results Aim 1: In an existing systematic review of PtDA trials, lower health literacy was associated with lower patient health knowledge (14 of 16 eligible studies). Fourteen studies reported practical design strategies to improve knowledge for lower health literacy patients. In our own systematic review, no studies reported on values clarity per se, but in 2 lower health literacy was related to higher decisional uncertainty and regret. Lower health literacy was associated with less desire for involvement in 3 studies, less question-asking in 2, and less patient-centered communication in 4 studies; its effects on other measures of patient involvement were mixed. Only one study assessed the effects of a health literacy intervention on outcomes; it showed that using video to improve the salience of health states reduced decisional uncertainty. Aim 2: In our review of 97 trials, only 3 PtDAs overtly addressed the needs of lower health literacy users. In 90% of trials, user health literacy and readability of the PtDA were not reported. However, increases in knowledge and informed choice were reported in those studies

A multimedia campaign to improve back beliefs in patients with non-specific low back pain: a process evaluation.

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Suman, Arnela; Schaafsma, Frederieke G; Bamarni, Jiman; van Tulder, Maurits W; Anema, Johannes R

2017-05-18

Low back pain (LBP) is one of the most prevalent and costly disorders worldwide. To reduce its burden in the Netherlands, implementation of a multidisciplinary guideline for LBP was supported by a multifaceted eHealth campaign for patients with LBP. The current study aims 1) to evaluate whether the implementation strategy was performed as planned; 2) to assess the feasibility, barriers and facilitators of the patient based eHealth campaign; 3) to gain insight into the satisfaction and experiences of patients with various ethnic backgrounds with the implementation strategy and to make a comparison between them; and 4) to explore the association between exposure to and satisfaction with the implementation strategy. This process evaluation was performed using the Linnan and Steckler framework, and used a mixed methods approach for data collection and analysis. The relationship between satisfaction of patients and exposure to the strategy was statistically examined. Semi-structured interviews were analysed using qualitative data analysis methods. Two hundred and fourteen patients participated in the quantitative, and 44 in the qualitative analysis. Most were female and had a high level of education. Many patients did not use the campaign at all or only once, and those that did rated it as reasonable. Patient satisfaction with the campaign increased significantly with an increase in its use. Qualitative analysis showed that four main themes played a role in campaign rating and use: satisfaction with intervention components, perceived benefits of the intervention, usage of the intervention, and satisfaction with the medium used. This process evaluation showed that the eHealth campaign was used only by a small proportion of patients with non-specific LBP. It seemed that the campaign was offered to the patients too late, that the lay-out of the campaign did not meet patient needs, and that healthcare providers rarely discussed the campaign with their patients, while

Changing practice: red blood cell typing by molecular methods for patients with sickle cell disease.

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Retention of antiretroviral naïve patients registered in HIV care in a program clinic in Pune, India

Science.gov (United States)

Ghate, Manisha V.; Zirpe, Sunil S.; Gurav, Nilam P.; Rewari, Bharat B.; Gangakhedkar, Raman R.; Paranjape, Ramesh S.

2014-01-01

Background: Retention in HIV care ensures delivery of services like secondary prevention, timely initiation of treatment, support, and care on a regular basis. The data on retention in pre antiretroviral therapy (ART) care in India is scanty. Materials and Methods: Antiretroviral naïve HIV-infected adult patients registered between January 2011 and March 2012 in HIV care (pre-ART) were included in the study. The follow-up procedures were done as per the national guidelines. Patients who did not report to the clinic for 1 year were considered as pre-ART lost to follow-up (pre-ART LFU). They were contacted either telephonically or by home visits. Logistic regression analysis was done to find out factors associated with pre-ART loss to follow-up. Results: A total of 689 antiretroviral naïve adult patients were registered in the HIV care. Fourteen (2%) patients died and 76 (11%) were LFU till March 2013. The multivariate analysis showed that baseline CD4 count >350 cells/mm3 (P ART LFUs, 35 (46.1%) informed that they would visit the clinic at their convenient time. NGOs that referred 16 female sex workers (FSWs) who were LFU (21.1%) informed that they would make efforts to refer them to the clinic. Conclusion: Higher CD4 count and illiteracy were significantly associated with lower retention in pre-ART care. Developing effective “retention package” for patients and strengthening linkage strategies between key sub-population such as FSWs and ART programming will help to plug the leaky cascade in HIV care. PMID:26396447

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.

Science.gov (United States)

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.

The prognostic significance of midline shift at presentation on survival in patients with glioblastoma multiforme

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gamburg, Eugene S.; Regine, William F.; Patchell, Roy A.; Strottmann, James M.; Mohiuddin, Mohammed; Young, A. Byron

2000-01-01

Purpose: While patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) who present with midline shift have a presumably worse prognosis, there is little literature evaluating the prognostic significance of this presentation in multivariate analysis in the context of other known prognostic factors. Methods and Materials: From March 1981 to September 1993, 219 patients underwent irradiation for intracranial glioma at our institution. One hundred fourteen patients with a diagnosis of a primary GBM were analyzed for the influence of the presence of midline shift at diagnosis on survival with respect to other known prognostic factors, including age, Karnofsky performance status (KPS), and extent of surgery. Eighty-five patients (74%) presented with midline shift. Surgical treatment consisted of subtotal/total resection in 86 patients (75%). Among patients presenting with midline shift, 68 (80%) underwent subtotal/total resection before irradiation. Results: Multivariate analysis of the entire cohort of patients found none of the potential prognostic factors analyzed to significantly influence survival. The overall median survival was 6 months. However, when multivariate analysis was limited to patients with a KPS of ≥ 70, only the presence of midline shift and age were found to significantly influence survival. Patients with a KPS ≥ 70 and with midline shift present at diagnosis had a median survival of 8 months, as compared to 14 months for those not having midline shift at presentation (p = 0.04). Patients with a KPS ≥ 70 and age > 50 years had a median survival of 5 months as compared to 11 months for those ≤ 50 (p 0.02). Conclusion: In this series, where 80% of patients who presented with a midline shift underwent decompressive resection of GBM before irradiation, the presence of midline shift at diagnosis remained an independent prognostic factor influencing survival among good performance status patients. While the role of decompressive surgery in this setting is

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…

Efficacy of SPECT over planar bone scan in the diagnosis of solitary vertebral lesions in patients with low back pain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sudhakar, Pushpalatha; Bhushan, Shanti M.; Ranadhir, G.; Prabhakar Rao, V.V.S.; Sharma, Anshu Rajnish; Narsimuhulu, G.

2010-01-01

The purpose of our study has been to evaluate the efficacy of single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) over planar bone scan in identifying solitary vertebral lesions in patients with low backache and its ability to differentiate various pathologies according to the uptake pattern. Materials and Methods: The study included twenty patients out of whom six patients presented with known carcinoma and fourteen patients with low back pain. SPECT was done in all following planar skeletal survey. Benign and malignant lesions were identified according to the uptake pattern in vertebral elements, based on Gary F. Gates observations. Final diagnosis was obtained by means of biopsy or correlation with radiograph or computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and/or follow up. Results: SPECT detected additional 30% of solitary vertebral lesions that were obscured on planar scan. Seven out of twenty were localized in anterior vertebral body and were diagnosed as benign ostophytes in six and osteoma in one substantiating the previous observations. Out of six cases of known carcinoma, three were having solitary metastases and showed posterior vertebral body uptake with pedicle involvement. SPECT could localize specific lesions as source of pain in eleven patients with low back pain (78%) and identified various etiologies including benign tumors (osteoid osteoma and osteoma), facet arthritis, discitis, transverse process fractures and spondylolysis. Conclusion: Our study highlighted the higher diagnostic value of SPECT over planar skeletal scintigraphy in localizing solitary vertebral lesions in low backache patients. Based on SPECT pattern, malignant and benign lesions could be differentiated in the given clinical context. (author)

Efficacy of Adjunctive Treatments Added to Olanzapine or Clozapine for Weight Control in Patients with Schizophrenia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yun-Jung Choi

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Objectives. This study was conducted to review systematically adjunctive treatments for weight reduction in patients with schizophrenia and compare efficacies of clinical trials through meta-analysis, so as to provide effective clinical guideline regarding weight control for patients taking atypical antipsychotics. Methods. Candidate clinical trials were identified through searching the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PubMed, and PsycINFO. Fourteen randomized clinical trials were included for systematic review and meta-analysis from 132 potential trials. The Comprehensive Meta-Analysis version 2 was used for meta-analysis. Results. Difference in means and significances from meta-analyses regarding weight control by adjunctive treatments showed that topiramate, aripiprazole, or sibutramine was more effective than metformin or reboxetine. Psychiatric evaluations did not show statistically significant changes between treatment groups and placebo groups except topiramate adjunctive treatments. Adverse effects regarding adjunctive therapies were tolerable and showed statistically no significances compared to control groups. Conclusion. Though having several reports related to exacerbation of psychiatric symptoms, topiramate and aripiprazole are more efficacious than other medications in regard to weight reduction and less burden of critical adverse effects as well as being beneficial for clinical improvement.

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.

CE-Magnetic Resonance mammography for the evaluation of the contralateral breast in patients with diagnosed breast cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pediconi, Federica; Venditti, Fiammetta; Padula, Simona; Roselli, Antonella; Moriconi, Enrica; Catalano, Carlo; Passariello, Roberto; Giacomelli, Laura

2005-01-01

Purpose. To evaluate the role of contrast-enhanced Magnetic Resonance Mammography (MRM) in the evaluation of the contralateral breast in patients with recently diagnosed breast cancer. Materials and methods. Fifty patients with proved unilateral breast cancer, with a negative contralateral breast at physical examination, ultrasound and mammography, were studied with a 1.5 T magnet (Siemens, Vision Plus, Germany). A bilateral breast surface coil was used. Dynamic 3D Flash T1-weighted sequences were acquired in the axial plane before and 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 minutes after the administration of 0.1 mmol/kg of Gd-BOPTA at a flow rate of 2 ml/s followed by 10 ml of saline. The level of suspicion was reported on a scale from 0 to 5 following the BI-RADS classification, based on lesion morphology and kinetic features. The results were compared with the histological findings after biopsy or surgery. Results. Fourteen out of 50 patients (28%) had contralateral lesions identified on MRM. Biopsy was performed in four of them for suspicious lesions (BI-RADS 4) while 10 patients underwent surgery because of highly suggestive malignant lesions (BI-RADS 5). Histology diagnosed three fibroadenomas, 5 ductal carcinoma in situ, 2 lobular carcinomas in situ, 3 invasive ductal carcinomas and 1 invasive lobular carcinoma. Contrast enhanced MRM yielded no false negative and three false positives. Conclusions. Our results demonstrate a very good accuracy of Magnetic Resonance Mammography in the detection of synchronous contralateral cancer in patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer. Therefore, contrast-enhanced MRM could be introduced to screen patients with proven breast cancer before they under-go surgery [it

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)

Individual radiation therapy patient whole-body phantoms for peripheral dose evaluations: method and specific software.

Science.gov (United States)

Alziar, I; Bonniaud, G; Couanet, D; Ruaud, J B; Vicente, C; Giordana, G; Ben-Harrath, O; Diaz, J C; Grandjean, P; Kafrouni, H; Chavaudra, J; Lefkopoulos, D; de Vathaire, F; Diallo, I

2009-09-07

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.

A mixed method thematic review: the importance of hope to the dying patient.

Science.gov (United States)

Broadhurst, Kathleen; Harrington, Ann

2016-01-01

To review the literature and investigate the meaning of hope to patients receiving palliative care and to examine the themes that foster hope in those patients. Hope is often linked to the future and is a significant factor for patients dealing with adversity, such as a terminal illness. The concept of hope is underreported in the literature. Mixed method thematic review. CINAHL, Scopus, PsychINFO, Informit, PubMed, Science Direct, ProQuest, Web of Science and Google Scholar online databases were searched using keywords and inclusion and exclusion criteria published between 2003-2013. Twelve qualitative articles were thematically analysed using Braun and Clarke's (2006) steps to ascertain major themes and sub-themes. On analysis, the remaining three mixed method studies were found to reflect the themes generated by the qualitative studies. Seven key themes that increased hope were found: disease status; positive personal relationships; positive character traits; quality of life; setting and achieving goals; spirituality/religion; and hope after death. The importance of hope to dying patients was established. Hope is a very complex and personal phenomena requiring hope-enhancing strategies to be individualized. More research is needed with groups whose culture, youth or type of illness may affect their ability to foster and maintain hope. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

NDT-Bobath method in normalization of muscle tone in post-stroke patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Mikołajewska, Emilia

2012-01-01

Ischaemic stroke is responsible for 80-85% of strokes. There is great interest in finding effective methods of rehabilitation for post-stroke patients. The aim of this study was to assess the results of rehabilitation carried out in the normalization of upper limb muscle tonus in patients, estimated on the Ashworth Scale for Grading Spasticity. The examined group consisted of 60 patients after ischaemic stroke. 10 sessions of NDT-Bobath therapy were provided within 2 weeks (ten days of therapy). Patient examinations using the Ashworth Scale for Grading Spasticity were done twice: the first time on admission and the second after the last session of the therapy to assess rehabilitation effects. Among the patients involved in the study, the results measured on the Ashworth Scale (where possible) were as follows: recovery in 16 cases (26.67%), relapse in 1 case (1.67%), no measurable changes (or change within the same grade of the scale) in 8 cases (13.33%). Statistically significant changes were observed in the health status of the patients. These changes, in the area of muscle tone, were favorable and reflected in the outcomes of the assessment using the Ashworth Scale for Grading Spasticity.

Hepatic encephalopathy before and neurological complications after liver transplantation have no impact on the employment status 1 year after transplantation

OpenAIRE

Pflugrad, Henning; Tryc, Anita B; Goldbecker, Annemarie; Strassburg, Christian P; Barg-Hock, Hannelore; Klempnauer, J?rgen; Weissenborn, Karin

2017-01-01

AIM To investigate the impact of hepatic encephalopathy before orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) and neurological complications after OLT on employment after OLT. METHODS One hundred and fourteen patients with chronic liver disease aged 18-60 years underwent neurological examination to identify neurological complications, neuropsychological tests comprising the PSE-Syndrome-Test yielding the psychometric hepatic encephalopathy score, the critical flicker frequency and the Repeatable Batt...

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

OpenAIRE

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 ...

Determination of fourteen sunscreen agents in cosmetics using high-performance liquid chromatography.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, N I; Yoo, M Y; Lee, S H

2015-04-01

Commercial sunscreens consist of various compounds ranging from inorganic mineral pigments to organic chemical absorbents to achieve the required degree of protection against sunlight. However, the UV radiation screening ingredients have side effects. In this study, therefore, to ensure compliance with the maximum permissible chemical concentrations in sunscreen cosmetic products, a simultaneous and improved determination method for sunscreen chemicals was assessed. Waters 2690 separations module HPLC system equipped with a Waters 486 tunable absorbance detector (UV-visible detector) has been employed and optimized to detect 14 compounds. For the separation, a Waters C18 column (5 μm, 4.6 mm i.d. 150 mm) and 1% of 0.1 M phosphoric acid in ethanol (solvent A) and in distilled water (solvent B) as mobile phases were used. The correlation coefficients of 14 standard mixture solutions exceeded 0.9993 in the range 2.5-200 μg mL(-1). The intra- and interday recovery and precision (relative standard deviation) of the method were 90.91-109.98% and within 10%, respectively, indicating that the developed method could provide reliable, precise and reproducible data. The detection limit was determined to be 0.01-1.99 μg mL(-1), and the quantization limit was determined to be 0.02-6.02 μg mL(-1), which were relatively lower than previous studies. This method was highly optimized in terms of selectivity, reproducibility and efficiency for the detection of 14 compounds. The validation data indicated that the improved method was quite suitable for their quantitative analysis of commercial product samples. Therefore, this method was applied to the determination of 14 compounds in commercial sunscreen cosmetic products. We verified that the amounts of sunscreen ingredients in the five currently sold sunscreens were >0.5% and within the designated limit, which means those could produce the safe and desired sunscreen effects on the skin. The present method could be applied to

Targetting in atelectatic lung by positron emission tomography in non-small cell lung cancer patients treated with three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Kai; Wang Luhua; Liang Jun; Ou Guangfei; Lu Jima

2006-01-01

Objective: To investigate the potential benefit of incorporating fluorodeoxyglucose positron e- mission tomography (FDG PET) to delineate tire gross tumor volume(GTV) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) complicated with atelectasis who are to be treated with three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3DCRT). Methods: Fourteen patients histopathologically proven as having NSCLC with image diagnosed as complicated with various degrees were studied in this study. All patients were scanned with both thoracic CT and thoracic or whole body PET. The GTV was delineated basing on both CT image and PET image (CT-GTV, PET- GTV) and the volume of each GTV(designated CT-GTV and PET-GTV) was compared by 3DCRT plan. Results: Each paired CT-GTV and PET-GTV was different from each other. All patients' GTV was reduced to an average of 27 cm 3 (20.4%) with median CT-PET of 133 cm 3 (90-180 cm 3 ) and median PET-GTV of 106 cm 3 , with a in- crease of 16.9%, 22 cm 3 ). The reduction of PET-GTV was due to PET could so differ cancer-induced atelectasis from gross tumor that it reduced the tarbet volume and spared more surrounding normal tissues. Conclusions: The incorporation of FDG PET data with gross tumor delineation is able to improve the accuracy of 3DCRT for non-small cell lung cancer patients complicated with atelectasis. (authors)