Peculiarities of clinical course of children skin cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zikiryakhodjaev, D.Z.; Sanginov, D.R.

2001-01-01

In this chapter of book authors investigated the peculiarities of clinical course of children skin cancer. They noted that comprehensive studying of peculiarities of clinical course of children skin cancer proved that they depend not only from age, but from morphologic structure, previous skin illness which was cause of skin cancer

Collagenous colitis: histopathology and clinical course.

Science.gov (United States)

Goff, J S; Barnett, J L; Pelke, T; Appelman, H D

1997-01-01

symptom severity. Two required only antidiarrheals, but five required or failed steroids, azathioprine, or sandostatin. There was no significant difference in collagen thickness, epithelial damage, and inflammation between the two groups, but Paneth cell metaplasia was seen more often in those with ongoing symptoms. In 24 of 27 patients, diagnostic changes were present in left-sided biopsies. In our cohort of patients, 63% had lasting resolution of symptoms after a mean 3.5 yr follow-up. There was a high incidence of arthritis and NSAID use in our population, but there was no relationship between these entities and clinical course or histology. Initial histology, except possibly for Paneth cell metaplasia, did not reliably predict severity or course of disease. Finally, although variable in clinical presentation, treatment-free remissions are common in collagenous colitis.

A Clinical Pharmacology Course for Veterinary Students.

Science.gov (United States)

Paulsen, Lynn Mulcahy

1983-01-01

A one-semester, two-credit course is described that was developed cooperatively by the colleges of pharmacy and veterinary medicine at Washington State University to help resolve an acute shortage of clinical pharmacologists in veterinary medicine and veterinary medical education. Course procedures, content, and evaluation are outlined (MSE)

Identifying clinical course patterns in SMS data using cluster analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kent, Peter; Kongsted, Alice

2012-01-01

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Recently, there has been interest in using the short message service (SMS or text messaging), to gather frequent information on the clinical course of individual patients. One possible role for identifying clinical course patterns is to assist in exploring clinically important...... showed that clinical course patterns can be identified by cluster analysis using all SMS time points as cluster variables. This method is simple, intuitive and does not require a high level of statistical skill. However, there are alternative ways of managing SMS data and many different methods...

Defining the clinical course of multiple sclerosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lublin, Fred D; Reingold, Stephen C; Cohen, Jeffrey A

2014-01-01

Accurate clinical course descriptions (phenotypes) of multiple sclerosis (MS) are important for communication, prognostication, design and recruitment of clinical trials, and treatment decision-making. Standardized descriptions published in 1996 based on a survey of international MS experts...

Absence of correlation between utrophin localization and quantity and the clinical severity in Duchenne/Becker dystrophies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vainzof, M.; Passos-Bueno, M.R.; Man, N.; Zatz, M. [IB USP, Sao Paulo (Brazil)] [and others

1995-09-25

While present in the surface membrane of embryonic muscle fibers, in adult normal muscle fibers, utrophin is restricted to the motor endplate and cells of blood vessel walls. However, the observation that utrophin is maintained in the extrajunctional plasma membrane in Duchenne (DMD) and in mdx muscle fibers has led to the suggestion that excess utrophin might compensate for dystrophin deficiency in the Xp21 muscular dystrophies. In order to detect an inverse correlation of utrophin presence and clinical severity, we have assessed utrophin distribution and quantity in DMD and Becker (BMD) patients of different ages and stages of clinical severity. All patients showed a positive discontinuous immunolabeling of utrophin on the sarcolemma, staining equally small and large muscle fibers, indicating that immature characteristics are maintained in such fibers. On Western blot, utrophin bands with concentrations 2- to 10-fold greater than in normal controls were detected in all DMD/BMD patients. However, no negative correlation was found between the amount of utrophin and the severity of clinical course, implying that the detectable utrophin levels in these patients did not compensate for dystrophin deficiency. In a DMD patient with growth hormone (GH) deficiency and a BMD-like clinical course, utrophin levels were comparable to the other typical DMD cases, which reinforces the hypothesis that the observed increase in utrophin is apparently not responsible for a milder clinical course in some patients with Xp21 muscular dystrophies. 35 refs., 2 figs., 1 tab.

Course of Tourette Syndrome and Comorbidities in a Large Prospective Clinical Study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Groth, Camilla; Mol Debes, Nanette; Rask, Charlotte Ulrikka

2017-01-01

Objective: Tourette syndrome (TS) is a childhood-onset neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by tics and frequent comorbidities. Although tics often improve during adolescence, recent studies suggest that comorbid obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder...... (ADHD) tend to persist. This large prospective follow-up study describes the clinical course of tics and comorbidities during adolescence and the prevalence of coexisting psychopathologies. Method: The clinical cohort was recruited at the Danish National Tourette Clinic, and data were collected...... at baseline (n = 314, age range 5–19 years) and at follow-up 6 years later (n = 227) to establish the persistence and severity of tics and comorbidities. During follow-up, the Development and Well-Being Assessment (DAWBA) was used to diagnose coexisting psychopathologies. Repeated measures of severity scores...

Clinical Course of Acute Pancreatitis in Chronic Kidney Disease ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Introduction: The aim of this study was to assess the clinical course, etiology and complications of acute pancreatitis among chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients in a tertiary care renal center in Karachi. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated the clinical course of CKD patients who presented to our emergency room with ...

Near-drowning: clinical course of lung injury in adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Gregorakos, Leonidas; Markou, Nikolaos; Psalida, Vasiliki; Kanakaki, Maria; Alexopoulou, Anastasia; Sotiriou, Eva; Damianos, Anastasios; Myrianthefs, Pavlos

2009-01-01

Although anoxic encephalopathy is the most dreaded consequence of submersion accidents, respiratory involvement is also very common in these patients. Nevertheless, few data are available about the clinical course and resolution of lung injury in adult victims of near-drowning. Our goal was to study the clinical manifestations of near-drowning and the course of respiratory involvement in a retrospective cohort of adult, mostly elderly patients. Our study included adult patients who were hospitalized after near-drowning in seawater over an 8-year period. Forty-three patients (26 female, 17 male), with an age range of 18-88 years old, were studied. Most (79%) of the patients were elderly (>60 years). In the Emergency Department two patients were comatose and required intubation. Another patient was intubated within the first 24 h because of ARDS. At presentation, all patients but two had a PaO(2)/FiO(2) near-drowning in adult immersion victims are often severe. Nevertheless, in noncomatose patients at least, intubation can often be avoided and quick improvement is the rule while a good outcome is usually expected even in elderly patients.

78 FR 63988 - Clinical Investigator Training Course

Science.gov (United States)

2013-10-25

... communication between clinical investigators and FDA; Enhance investigators' understanding of FDA's role in... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration [Docket No. FDA-2013-N-1214... support regulatory decisions. This course is intended to assist clinical investigators in understanding...

Features of clinical course and treatment principles of endodontic-periodontal lesions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P I Moroz

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Aim. To study the characteristic differences in the clinical course of chronic generalized periodontitis in the presence of periapical infection focus and the principles of combined treatment of endodontium and periodontium. Methods. A clinical and X-ray examination of 1525 patients of different age groups was performed. As a result, a clinical group of 68 patients with chronic generalized moderate and severe periodontitis was formed, who were divided into two groups depending on the presence or absence of periapical destruction. In group 1, 32 patients with the presence of chronic generalized periodontitis and signs of chronic apical periodontitis were united. Group 2 included 36 patients with chronic generalized periodontitis and no periapical infection and damage. The index estimation of the periodontal tissues state in the dynamics of combined endodontic and periodontal treatment was performed. Results. The initial task of treating endodontic periodontal lesions, regardless of the localization of the primary lesion focus, is the elimination or reversal of chronic periapical inflammatory processes of the teeth. The proposed monitoring system in the course of treatment and dynamic follow-up for 18 months for patients suffering from endodontic periodontal lesions using clinical and radiological methods of examination involves: (1 interim epicrisis or conclusion about negative or positive compliance 1-2 months after the completion of endodontic treatment and hygiene procedures; (2 periodontal treatment (according to indications with the assessment of clinical efficacy 6 and 12 months after the start of treatment; (3 epicrisis after 18 months. Conclusion. The use of proposed concept of complex treatment of endodontic-periodontal lesions, monitoring system in the course of dental therapeutic and preventive measures and dynamic follow-up for 18 months allows achieving positive compliance in 85% of patients according to the clinical examination and

Can we Predict Disease Course with Clinical Factors?

Science.gov (United States)

Vegh, Zsuzsanna; Kurti, Zsuzsanna; Golovics, Petra A; Lakatos, Peter L

2018-01-01

The disease phenotype at diagnosis and the disease course of Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) show remarkable heterogeneity across patients. This review aims to summarize the currently available evidence on clinical and some environmental predictive factors, which clinicians should evaluate in the everyday practice together with other laboratory and imaging data to prevent disease progression, enable a more personalized therapy, and avoid negative disease outcomes. In recent population-based epidemiological and referral cohort studies, the evolution of disease phenotype of CD and UC varied significantly. Most CD and severe UC patients still require hospitalization or surgery/colectomy during follow-up. A change in the natural history of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) with improved outcomes in parallel with tailored positioning of aggressive immunomodulator and biological therapy has been suspected. According to the currently available literature, it is of major importance to refer IBD cases at risk for adverse disease outcomes as early during the disease course as possible. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Comorbid personality disorders in subjects with panic disorder: which personality disorders increase clinical severity?

OpenAIRE

Mustafa Ozkan; Abdurrahman Altindag

2003-01-01

Personality disorders are common in subjects with panic disorder. Personality disorders have shown to affect the course of panic disorder. The purpose of this study was to examine which personality disorders effect clinical severity in subjects with panic disorder. This study included 122 adults (71 female, 41 male), who met DSM-IV criteria for panic disorder (with or without agoraphobia). Clinical assessment was conducted by using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders...

The Consumer Protection Clinical Course at UCLA School of Law

Science.gov (United States)

Bergman, Paul

1978-01-01

The Consumer Protection clinical course, in which case supervision is provided by government agency personnel, is described. Implications are considered regarding the necessity and emphasis of a seminar component, and the usefulness of clinical courses in teaching substantive law as well as lawyering skills. (LBH)

Clinical course of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: an assessment of severity, progression, and outcomes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Simeone JC

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Jason C Simeone,1 Jay P Bae,2 Byron J Hoogwerf,3 Qian Li,1 Axel Haupt,3 Ayad K Ali,4 Marilyn K Boardman,3 Beth L Nordstrom1 1Real-world Evidence, Evidera, Waltham, MA, USA; 2Global Patient Outcomes and Real World Evidence, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, USA; 3Lily Diabetes, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, USA; 4Global Patient Safety, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, USA Purpose: To identify the characteristics and initial disease severity of patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD and assess incidence and risk factors for disease progression in a retrospective study.Methods: Patients ≥18 years of age without alcoholism or other liver diseases (eg, hepatitis B/C were selected from Geisinger Health System electronic medical record data from 2004 to 2015. Initial disease stage was stratified into uncomplicated NAFLD, advanced fibrosis, cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC, and liver transplant using clinical biomarkers, diagnosis, and procedure codes. Disease progression was defined as stage progression or death and analyzed via Kaplan–Meier plots and multistate models.Results: In the NAFLD cohort (N=18,754, 61.5% were women, 39.0% had type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM, and the mean body mass index was 38.2±10.2 kg/m2. At index, 69.9% had uncomplicated NAFLD, 11.7% had advanced fibrosis, and 17.8% had cirrhosis. Of 18,718 patients assessed for progression, 17.3% progressed (11.0% had stage progression, 6.3% died without evidence of stage progression during follow-up (median=842 days. Among subgroups, 12.3% of those without diabetes mellitus progressed vs 24.7% of those with T2DM. One-year mortality increased from 0.5% in uncomplicated NAFLD to 22.7% in HCC. After liver transplant, mortality decreased to 5.6% per year.Conclusions: In 2.3 years of follow-up, approximately 17% of patients progressed or died without evidence of stage progression. T2DM was associated with approximately twice the risk of

Clinical course of Tourette syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Bloch, Michael H; Leckman, James F

2009-12-01

Tourette syndrome (TS) is a childhood-onset neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by multiple motor and vocal tics lasting at least a year in duration. Children with TS often experience comorbid conditions such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and attention-deficit disorder. The goal of this article was to review the long-term clinical course of tics and comorbid conditions in children with TS. We conducted a traditional literature search to locate relevant articles regarding long-term outcome and prognosis in TS and tic disorders. Tics typically have an onset between the ages of 4 and 6 years and reach their worst-ever severity between the ages of 10 and 12 years. On average, tic severity declines during adolescence. By early adulthood, roughly three-quarters of children with TS will have greatly diminished tic symptoms and over one-third will be tic free. Comorbid conditions, such as OCD and other anxiety and depressive disorders, are more common during the adolescence and early adulthood of individuals with TS than in the general population. Although tics are the sine qua non of TS, they are often not the most enduring or impairing symptoms in children with TS. Measures used to enhance self-esteem, such as encouraging strong friendships and the exploration of interests, are crucial to ensuring positive adulthood outcome in TS.

The Features of the Clinical Course and Treatment of Moderately Severe Graves’ Ophthalmopathy in Patients with Graves’ Disease in Response to Catamnesis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E K Fattakhova

2005-03-01

Full Text Available Objective. To document the course of Graves’ ophthalmopathy (GO, following immunosuppressive therapy and the spontaneous course of the disease in patients with Graves’ disease (GD. Design. Randomized study with three-year follow-up. Patients. 150 euthyroid patients with moderately severe GO. Intervention. In group 1 (n = 52 patients received glucocorticoids (GC alone (prednisolone per os for 5 months, starting dose, 50—80 mg/d; or intravenous, 500—1000 mg/d, given during 3 days weekly; 5—6 cycles in all. Group 2 (n = 51 treated by GC in combination with orbital radiotherapy (16—20 Gy. None of 47 patients of group 3 treated with immunosuppressive therapy either due to contraindications to corticosteroids, or refusal of patients (spontaneous course of GO. Measurements: The activity of GO was scored by the method of Mourits et al., 1997, (Clinical Activity Score, CAS and confirmed by the assessment of serum sICAM-1 (soluble form of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and uGAGs (the urinary excretion of glycosaminoglycans. Results. Group 2 was characterized with the earliest establishment of the inactive GO (CAS J 2 (in 2.7 ± 1.4 months after beginning of the treatment (p < 0.05, and the lowest frequency of deteriorations (p < 0,05. In the end of observation the “burnt out” stage of GO (fibrosis was revealed in 98% of patients of group 2, that statistically differs from two other groups (p < 0.001. Group 3, in this respect, statistically did not differ from group 1 (45% vs 38%, P = 0.39, detected by comparison of CAS values, uGAGs, sICAM-1, obtained in inactive GO. Conclusions. 1 the absence of statistical verified differences of parameters, obtained in the inactive GO in groups 3 and 1 allow to use active observation at the planning of GO treatment; 2 the most effective strategy of treatment of moderately severe GO should be considered combined immunosuppressive therapy. Key words: graves’disease, ophthalmopathy, hyperthyroidism.

Severity of depressive episodes during the course of depressive disorder

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kessing, L.V.

2008-01-01

Background It is not clear whether the severity of depressive episodes changes during the course of depressive disorder. Aims To investigate whether the severity of depressive episodes increases during the course of illness. Method Using a Danish nationwide case register, all psychiatric inpatients...... and out-patients with a main ICD-10 diagnosis of a single mild, moderate or severe depressive episode at the end of first contact were identified. Patients included in the study were from the period 1994-2003. Results A total of 19 392 patients received a diagnosis of a single depressive episode at first...... contact. The prevalence of severe depressive episodes increased from 25.5% at the first episode to 50.0% at the 15th episode and the prevalence of psychotic episodes increased from 8.7% at the first episode to 25.0% at the 15th episode. The same pattern was found regardless of gender, age at first contact...

Severity of depressive episodes during the course of depressive disorder

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kessing, Lars Vedel

2008-01-01

BACKGROUND: It is not clear whether the severity of depressive episodes changes during the course of depressive disorder. AIMS: To investigate whether the severity of depressive episodes increases during the course of illness. METHOD: Using a Danish nationwide case register, all psychiatric in......-patients and out-patients with a main ICD-10 diagnosis of a single mild, moderate or severe depressive episode at the end of first contact were identified. Patients included in the study were from the period 1994-2003. RESULTS: A total of 19 392 patients received a diagnosis of a single depressive episode at first...... contact. The prevalence of severe depressive episodes increased from 25.5% at the first episode to 50.0% at the 15th episode and the prevalence of psychotic episodes increased from 8.7% at the first episode to 25.0% at the 15th episode. The same pattern was found regardless of gender, age at first contact...

Phenomenology and course of severe accidents in PWR-plants training by teaching and demonstration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sonnenkalb, M.; Rohde, J.

1999-01-01

A special one day training course on 'Phenomenology and Course of Severe Accidents in PWR-Plants' was developed at GRS initiated by the interest of German utilities. The work was done in the frame of projects sponsored by the German Ministries for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMW) and for Education, Science, Research and Technology (BMBF). In the paper the intention and the subject of this training course are discussed and selected parts of the training course are presented. Demonstrations are made within this training course with the GRS simulator system ATLAS to achieve a broader understanding of the phenomena discussed and the propagation of severe accidents on a plant specific basis. The GRS simulator system ATLAS is linked in this case to the integral code MELCOR and pre-calculated plant specific severe accident calculations are used for the demonstration together with special graphics showing plant specific details. Several training courses have been held since the first one in November, 1996 especially to operators, shift personal and the management board of a German PWR. In the meantime the training course was updated and suggestions for improvements from the participants were included. In the future this training course will be made available for members of crisis teams, instructors of commercial training centres and researchers of different institutions too. (author)

Incidence and course of child malnutrition according to clinical or anthropometrical assessment: a longitudinal study from rural DR Congo

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Background Longitudinal studies describing incidence and natural course of malnutrition are scarce. Studies defining malnutrition clinically [moderate clinical malnutrition (McM) marasmus, kwashiorkor] rather than anthropometrically are rare. Our aim was to address incidence and course of malnutrition among pre-schoolers and to compare patterns and course of clinically and anthropometrically defined malnutrition. Methods Using a historical, longitudinal study from Bwamanda, DR Congo, we studied incidence of clinical versus anthropometrical malnutrition in 5 657 preschool children followed 3-monthly during 15 months. Results Incidence rates were highest in the rainy season for all indices except McM. Incidence rates of McM and marasmus tended to be higher for boys than for girls in the dry season. Malnutrition rates increased from the 0–5 to the 6 – 11 months age category. McM and marasmus had in general a higher incidence at all ages than their anthropometrical counterparts, moderate and severe wasting. Shifts back to normal nutritional status within 3 months were more frequent for clinical than for anthropometrical malnutrition (62.2-80.3% compared to 3.4-66.4.5%). Only a minority of moderately stunted (30.9%) and severely stunted children (3.4%) shifted back to normal status. Alteration from severe to mild malnutrition was more characteristic for anthropometrically than for clinically defined malnutrition. Conclusions Our data on age distribution of incidence and course of malnutrition underline the importance of early life intervention to ward off malnutrition. In principle, looking at incidence may yield different findings from those obtained by looking at prevalence, since incidence and prevalence differ approximately differ by a factor “duration”. Our findings show the occurrence dynamics of general malnutrition, demonstrating that patterns can differ according to nutritional assessment method. They suggest the importance of applying a mix of clinical

Incidence and course of child malnutrition according to clinical or anthropometrical assessment: a longitudinal study from rural DR Congo.

Science.gov (United States)

Kismul, Hallgeir; Schwinger, Catherine; Chhagan, Meera; Mapatano, Mala; Van den Broeck, Jan

2014-01-28

Longitudinal studies describing incidence and natural course of malnutrition are scarce. Studies defining malnutrition clinically [moderate clinical malnutrition (McM) marasmus, kwashiorkor] rather than anthropometrically are rare. Our aim was to address incidence and course of malnutrition among pre-schoolers and to compare patterns and course of clinically and anthropometrically defined malnutrition. Using a historical, longitudinal study from Bwamanda, DR Congo, we studied incidence of clinical versus anthropometrical malnutrition in 5,657 preschool children followed 3-monthly during 15 months. Incidence rates were highest in the rainy season for all indices except McM. Incidence rates of McM and marasmus tended to be higher for boys than for girls in the dry season. Malnutrition rates increased from the 0-5 to the 6 - 11 months age category. McM and marasmus had in general a higher incidence at all ages than their anthropometrical counterparts, moderate and severe wasting. Shifts back to normal nutritional status within 3 months were more frequent for clinical than for anthropometrical malnutrition (62.2-80.3% compared to 3.4-66.4.5%). Only a minority of moderately stunted (30.9%) and severely stunted children (3.4%) shifted back to normal status. Alteration from severe to mild malnutrition was more characteristic for anthropometrically than for clinically defined malnutrition. Our data on age distribution of incidence and course of malnutrition underline the importance of early life intervention to ward off malnutrition. In principle, looking at incidence may yield different findings from those obtained by looking at prevalence, since incidence and prevalence differ approximately differ by a factor "duration". Our findings show the occurrence dynamics of general malnutrition, demonstrating that patterns can differ according to nutritional assessment method. They suggest the importance of applying a mix of clinical and anthropometric methods for assessing

Clinical course of Crohn's disease first diagnosed at surgery for acute abdomen.

Science.gov (United States)

Latella, G; Cocco, A; Angelucci, E; Viscido, A; Bacci, S; Necozione, S; Caprilli, R

2009-04-01

The severity of clinical activity of Crohn's disease is high during the first year after diagnosis and decreases thereafter. Approximately 50% of patients require steroids and immunosuppressants and 75% need surgery during their lifetime. The clinical course of patients with Crohn's disease first diagnosed at surgery has never been investigated. To assess the clinical course of Crohn's disease first diagnosed at surgery for acute abdomen and to evaluate the need for medical and surgical treatment in this subset of patients. Hospital clinical records of 490 consecutive Crohn's disease patients were reviewed. Patients were classified according to the Vienna criteria. Sex, extraintestinal manifestations, family history of inflammatory bowel diseases, appendectomy, smoking habit and medical/surgical treatments performed during the follow-up period were assessed. Kaplan-Meier survival method and Cox proportional hazards regression model. Of the 490 Crohn's disease patients, 115 had diagnosis of Crohn's disease at surgery for acute abdomen (Group A) and 375 by conventional clinical, radiological, endoscopic and histologic criteria (Group B). Patients in Group A showed a low risk of further surgery (Log Rank test pacute abdomen showed a low risk for reintervention and less use of steroids and immunosuppressants during follow-up than those not operated upon at diagnosis. Early surgery may represent a valid approach in the initial management of patients with Crohn's disease, at least in the subset of patients with ileal and complicated disease.

Clinical course teaching in transport of critically ill patients: Small group methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Taghi Beigmohammadi

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Critically ill patient transfer is potentially risky and may be lead to morbidity and mortality. Physicians' skill is very important for safe transport. We want to evaluate the effect of clinical course teaching on the promotion of physicians' abilities in the transport of critically ill patients. In an interventional study, 320 interns, male and female, were taught about patient transfer in two groups include in one day clinical course as the small group system (n=160 and other group the lecture base learning (n=160. In the clinical course, each participant under observation of an anesthesiologist in the operation room and ICU was acquainted with mask ventilation, intubation and learned to work with a defibrillator, infusion pump, portable ventilator and pulse oximeter. In lecture group, the anesthesiologist explained the topics by video and dummy. At the end of education course, the interns’ abilities were evaluated based on checklist method and scored by the project colleague in all educational items. Three hundred twenty interns, 122 males, and 198 females; were enrolled, two groups. The clinical course training caused improvements in the interns’ knowledge and abilities in intubation and use of the defibrillator and portable ventilator vs.lecture group significantly (P<0.005. The males were better than females in laryngoscopy, but the progress of the females was significantly better than males (P=0.003. The rate of adverse events was reduced significantly after clinical course teaching (P=0.041 Clinical course teaching could promote interns' clinical competencies in the transport of critically ill patients.

Clinical presentation and course of bleeding events in patients with venous thromboembolism, treated with apixaban or enoxaparin and warfarin. Results from the AMPLIFY trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Bleker, Suzanne M; Cohen, Alexander T; Büller, Harry R; Agnelli, Giancarlo; Gallus, Alexander S; Raskob, Gary E; Weitz, Jeffrey I; Curto, Madelyn; Sisson, Melanie; Middeldorp, Saskia

2016-11-30

Apixaban, a direct acting oral anticoagulant (DOAC), was found to be non-inferior to and safer as enoxaparin followed by warfarin for treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in the AMPLIFY trial. Information is needed on how bleeding events with DOACs present and develop. In this post-hoc analysis, the clinical presentation and course of all major and clinically relevant non major (CRNM) bleeding events in the AMPLIFY trial were blindly classified by three investigators, using pre-designed classification schemes containing four categories. Odds ratios (OR) for classifying as category three or four (representing a more severe clinical presentation and course) were calculated between apixaban and enoxaparin/warfarin. In total, 63 major and 311 CRNM bleeding events were classified. Of the major bleeds, a more severe clinical presentation occurred in 28.5 % of apixaban versus 44.9 % of enoxaparin/warfarin related recipients (OR 0.49, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 0.14-1.78). A severe clinical course was observed in 14.3 % and in 12.2 %, respectively (OR 1.19, 95 %CI 0.21-6.69). Of the CRNM bleeding events, a more severe clinical presentation and extent of clinical care was found in 25 % of apixaban recipients compared to 22.7 % in the enoxaparin/warfarin group (OR 1.13, 95 %CI 0.65-1.97). The clinical presentation and course of major and CRNM bleeds were similar in apixaban and enoxaparin/warfarin treated patients. This finding should reassure physicians and patients that even in the absence of a specific reversal agent, apixaban is a convenient and safe choice for VTE.

Staff Perspectives of Service User Involvement on Two Clinical Psychology Training Courses

Science.gov (United States)

Clarke, Simon P.; Holttum, Sue

2013-01-01

This study investigated both negative and positive staff perspectives of service user involvement on two clinical psychology training courses as part of an ongoing process of service evaluation. Ten clinical psychology staff from two training courses were interviewed over the telephone by a current trainee clinical psychologist using a…

Age of child, more than HPV type, is associated with clinical course in recurrent respiratory papillomatosis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Farrel J Buchinsky

2008-05-01

Full Text Available RRP is a devastating disease in which papillomas in the airway cause hoarseness and breathing difficulty. The disease is caused by human papillomavirus (HPV 6 or 11 and is very variable. Patients undergo multiple surgeries to maintain a patent airway and in order to communicate vocally. Several small studies have been published in which most have noted that HPV 11 is associated with a more aggressive course.Papilloma biopsies were taken from patients undergoing surgical treatment of RRP and were subjected to HPV typing. 118 patients with juvenile-onset RRP with at least 1 year of clinical data and infected with a single HPV type were analyzed. HPV 11 was encountered in 40% of the patients. By our definition, most of the patients in the sample (81% had run an aggressive course. The odds of a patient with HPV 11 running an aggressive course were 3.9 times higher than that of patients with HPV 6 (Fisher's exact p = 0.017. However, clinical course was more closely associated with age of the patient (at diagnosis and at the time of the current surgery than with HPV type. Patients with HPV 11 were diagnosed at a younger age (2.4y than were those with HPV 6 (3.4y (p = 0.014. Both by multiple linear regression and by multiple logistic regression HPV type was only weakly associated with metrics of disease course when simultaneously accounting for age. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE ABSTRACT: The course of RRP is variable and a quarter of the variability can be accounted for by the age of the patient. HPV 11 is more closely associated with a younger age at diagnosis than it is associated with an aggressive clinical course. These data suggest that there are factors other than HPV type and age of the patient that determine disease course.

Natural course and predictors of severe disability and death in Thai patients with dementia.

Science.gov (United States)

Dharmasaroja, Pornpatr A; Lolekha, Praween; Kulkantrakorn, Kongkiat; Charernboon, Thammanard; Watcharakorn, Arvemas; Piyabhan, Pritsana

2017-12-01

More than half of patients with dementia lived in countries with low and middle incomes. However, there have been few studies on the natural course of disease in these countries. The purpose of this study was to study the natural course and the predictive factors of advanced stage and death in Thai patients with dementia. Patients with dementia who were treated in neurologic and psychiatric clinic from September 2004 to February 2016, were included. Data about natural course of diseases, behavioral and psychological symptoms in dementia (BPSD) and complications were studied. 207 patients were included. Mean age was 77years old. Mean Thai Mental State Examination (TMSE) was 17.5. Alzheimer's disease was the most common cause of dementia (55%). With the mean follow-up of 39months (range from 2 to 126months), 64% of the patients had BPSD. Sixty-two patients (30%) had complications required admission. Seven patients died. Fifty-four patients (29%) ended in the advanced stage of dementia. Mean duration from diagnosis to the advanced stage was 49months. Complications that required admission usually occurred in moderate to severe dementia and were strongly associated with the advanced stage or death (OR 6.1, 95%CI 2.57-14.49, p-valuedementia in the study. Most demented patients presented in moderate severity of dementia. Mean duration from diagnosis to the advanced stage of dementia was approximate 4-5years. Complications required admissions related to the progression to advanced stage or death. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of childhood trauma on course of panic disorder: contribution of clinical and personality characteristics.

Science.gov (United States)

De Venter, M; Van Den Eede, F; Pattyn, T; Wouters, K; Veltman, D J; Penninx, B W J H; Sabbe, B G

2017-06-01

To investigate the impact of childhood trauma on the clinical course of panic disorder and possible contributing factors. Longitudinal data of 539 participants with a current panic disorder were collected from the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA). Childhood trauma was assessed with a structured interview and clinical course after 2 years with a DSM-IV-based diagnostic interview and the Life Chart Interview. At baseline, 54.5% reported childhood trauma, but this was not predictive of persistence of panic disorder. Emotional neglect and psychological abuse were associated with higher occurrence of anxiety disorders other than panic disorder (social phobia) and with higher chronicity of general anxiety symptoms (anxiety attacks or episodes and avoidance). Baseline clinical features (duration and severity of anxiety and depressive symptoms) and personality traits (neuroticism and extraversion) accounted for roughly 30-60% of the total effect of childhood trauma on chronicity of anxiety symptoms and on occurrence of other anxiety disorders. After two years, childhood trauma is associated with chronicity of anxiety symptoms and occurrence of social phobia, rather than persistence of panic disorder. These relationships are partially accounted for by duration and severity of anxiety and depressive symptoms, and neuroticism and extraversion. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Intrathecal IgM index correlates with a severe disease course in multiple sclerosis: Clinical and MRI results.

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Ozakbas, Serkan; Cinar, Bilge Piri; Özcelik, Pinar; Baser, Hatice; Kosehasanoğullari, Gorkem

2017-09-01

Intrathecally synthesized IgM can be seen not only in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in infectious and inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system, but also in that of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Intrathecal IgM synthesis in MS seems to be correlated with an unfavorable disease course. In one cross-sectional study, intrathecal synthesis of IgM (IgM index) was found to be correlated with cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) parameters. The purpose of this study was to determine the possible relationship between the IgM index and MRI and clinical parameters. Eighty-one patients with MS (58 female) undergoing lumbar puncture were included in the study. Fifty-one patients had a relapsing-remitting (RR) disease course, while 30 cases were secondary progressive MS (SPMS). IgM was detected in paired CSF and serum specimens using ELISA. The IgM index was calculated using the formula CSF IgM/serum IgM: CSF albumin/serum albumin. IgM indexes higher than 0.1 were considered "increased". All patients underwent brain and whole spinal cord MRI. The IgM index was normal in 43 of the 81 patients (53.1%) and increased in 38 (46.9%). A significant correlation was determined between the IgM index and Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) (r=0.638, p=0.001). Most of the subjects with increased IgM indexes were SPMS patients, 28 having a SPMS course and 10 a RRMS course. Only two patients with SPMS courses had normal IgM indexes. EDSS scores were significantly higher in patients with increased IgM indexes (EDSS 4.3 vs EDSS 2.8, p=0.000). All patients with EDSS >3 had increased IgM indexes. All patients with IgM index values higher than 0.2 IgM had SPMS courses and EDSS >6. Time to onset of the secondary progressive phase of the disease was correlated with IgM index values (p=0.004). IgM index values were also correlated with T1 hypointense lesions (r=0.0431, p=0.008) and Gd enhancing lesions (r=0.0396, p=0.006). Patients with increased IgM indexes also had more

Autoimmune Thyroiditis: Clinical Course Features and Principles of Differential Therapy

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L.Ye. Bobyryova

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Constant increase in the incidence of autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT in different regions of Ukraine puts this problem in actual number that determines the need to identify features of the clinical course of AIT, the principles of differentiated treatment depending on the nature of the metabolic changes and taking into account regional differences in thyroid pathology, particularly AIT. The paper presents data on the study of features of clinical course and complex treatment of AIT.

Tic-Related Versus Tic-Free Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Clinical Picture and 2-Year Natural Course.

Science.gov (United States)

de Vries, Froukje E; Cath, Danielle C; Hoogendoorn, Adriaan W; van Oppen, Patricia; Glas, Gerrit; Veltman, Dick J; van den Heuvel, Odile A; van Balkom, Anton J L M

2016-10-01

The tic-related subtype of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has a distinct clinical profile. The course of tic-related OCD has previously been investigated in treatment studies, with inconclusive results. This study aimed to compare clinical profiles between tic-related and tic-free OCD patients and to establish the influence of tics on the 2-year natural course in adult OCD patients. Within the Netherlands OCD Association cohort, 377 patients with a current DSM-IV diagnosis of OCD were divided into a tic-related group (28%) and a tic-free group and compared on clinical variables with t tests or χ² tests. Linear mixed-model analyses were used to compare the 2-year course between the groups, with the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) as primary outcome measure. Data were collected from 2005 to 2007 and from 2007 to 2009. Compared to patients with tic-free OCD, those with tic-related OCD reported earlier disease onset (P = .009) and more symmetry/ordering symptoms (P = .002). Overall symptom severity was similar in both groups. Patients with tic-related OCD reported increased traits of attention-deficit hyperactivity (P tic-free OCD group. Clinical improvement at 2-year follow-up (mean = 5.3-point decrease on the Y-BOCS, P tic status (P = .24). This remained unchanged after correcting for baseline differences. Tics do not critically affect the 2-year course of adult OCD, but tic-related OCD shows differences from tic-free OCD, such as early onset and increased autism and ADHD traits, that may indicate a neurodevelopmental subtype. © Copyright 2016 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.

Electronic Portfolios for Distance Learning: A Case from a Nursing Clinical Course

Science.gov (United States)

Josephsen, Jayne

2012-01-01

Clinical nursing courses can already be challenging, in the traditional context of placements and hours spent in a health care setting. These types of courses are additionally problematic when offered via distance learning, due to geographic separation of students, lack of clinical placement sites in the student's community, and lack of…

Brief Report: Association of Myositis Autoantibodies, Clinical Features, and Environmental Exposures at Illness Onset With Disease Course in Juvenile Myositis.

Science.gov (United States)

Habers, G Esther A; Huber, Adam M; Mamyrova, Gulnara; Targoff, Ira N; O'Hanlon, Terrance P; Adams, Sharon; Pandey, Janardan P; Boonacker, Chantal; van Brussel, Marco; Miller, Frederick W; van Royen-Kerkhof, Annet; Rider, Lisa G

2016-03-01

To identify early factors associated with disease course in patients with juvenile idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs). Univariable and multivariable multinomial logistic regression analyses were performed in a large juvenile IIM registry (n = 365) and included demographic characteristics, early clinical features, serum muscle enzyme levels, myositis autoantibodies, environmental exposures, and immunogenetic polymorphisms. Multivariable associations with chronic or polycyclic courses compared to a monocyclic course included myositis-specific autoantibodies (multinomial odds ratio [OR] 4.2 and 2.8, respectively), myositis-associated autoantibodies (multinomial OR 4.8 and 3.5), and a documented infection within 6 months of illness onset (multinomial OR 2.5 and 4.7). A higher overall clinical symptom score at diagnosis was associated with chronic or monocyclic courses compared to a polycyclic course. Furthermore, severe illness onset was associated with a chronic course compared to monocyclic or polycyclic courses (multinomial OR 2.1 and 2.6, respectively), while anti-p155/140 autoantibodies were associated with chronic or polycyclic courses compared to a monocyclic course (multinomial OR 3.9 and 2.3, respectively). Additional univariable associations of a chronic course compared to a monocyclic course included photosensitivity, V-sign or shawl sign rashes, and cuticular overgrowth (OR 2.2-3.2). The mean ultraviolet index and highest ultraviolet index in the month before diagnosis were associated with a chronic course compared to a polycyclic course in boys (OR 1.5 and 1.3), while residing in the Northwest was less frequently associated with a chronic course (OR 0.2). Our findings indicate that myositis autoantibodies, in particular anti-p155/140, and a number of early clinical features and environmental exposures are associated with a chronic course in patients with juvenile IIM. These findings suggest that early factors, which are associated with poorer

Using Technology to Evaluate a Web-Based Clinical Social Work Research Course

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Zvi Gellis

2004-05-01

Full Text Available This article reports on a clinical research methods course taught online to a total of 90 off-campus MSW students in the fall of 1999, 2000, and 2001. The course was taught in a mid-size public university in a CSWE-accredited School of Social Work. The purpose of the course was to teach single subject design research skills for the evaluation of clinical social work practice. The student experience of the online course was assessed using qualitative interviews that add a deeper, textured understanding of the various facets of online instruction from the learner's perspective. Important dimensions for social work instruction in online courseware were delineated. A collaborative learning and teaching framework is presented for those social work educators interested in implementing web-based courses.

Clinical features and treatment of organ failure in severe acute pancreatitis

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CUI Lijian

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Organ failure is an important factor causing death in patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP. In recent years, thanks to the further study of pathophysiology of SAP and the continuous accumulation of experience and technology, substantial progress has been made in the diagnosis and treatment of SAP complicated by organ failure. The clinical features of SAP complicated by organ failure and the measures to be strengthened in the treatment of SAP are summarized. Currently, it is thought that organ failure tends to appear once SAP occurs, so timely, standardized treatment can shorten the course of disease and significantly reduce mortality.

Orbital Cellulitis: Clinical Course and Management Challenges. The ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Orbital Cellulitis: Clinical Course and Management Challenges. The Lagos State University Teaching Hospital Experience. ... The major management challenges were poor financial status of patients precluding necessary diagnostic laboratory and imaging studies. Early recognition, diagnosis and treatment are crucial to ...

Course of Tourette Syndrome and Comorbidities in a Large Prospective Clinical Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Groth, Camilla; Mol Debes, Nanette; Rask, Charlotte Ulrikka; Lange, Theis; Skov, Liselotte

2017-04-01

Tourette syndrome (TS) is a childhood-onset neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by tics and frequent comorbidities. Although tics often improve during adolescence, recent studies suggest that comorbid obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) tend to persist. This large prospective follow-up study describes the clinical course of tics and comorbidities during adolescence and the prevalence of coexisting psychopathologies. The clinical cohort was recruited at the Danish National Tourette Clinic, and data were collected at baseline (n = 314, age range 5-19 years) and at follow-up 6 years later (n = 227) to establish the persistence and severity of tics and comorbidities. During follow-up, the Development and Well-Being Assessment (DAWBA) was used to diagnose coexisting psychopathologies. Repeated measures of severity scores were modeled using mixed effects models. Tic severity declined yearly (0.8 points, CI: 0.58-1.01, on the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale [YGTSS]) during adolescence; 17.7% of participants above age 16 years had no tics, whereas 59.5% had minimal or mild tics, and 22.8% had moderate or severe tics. Similarly, significant yearly declines in severity of both OCD (0.24, CI: 0.09-0.39, on the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale for Adults [Y-BOCS] and Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale for Children [CY-BOCS]) and ADHD (0.42, CI: 0.32-0.52, DSM-IV) were recorded. At follow-up, 63.0% of participants had comorbidities or coexistent psychopathologies, whereas 37.0% had pure TS. Severity of tics, OCD, and ADHD were significantly associated with age and declined during adolescence. However, considerable comorbidities and coexisting psychopathologies persist throughout adolescence and require monitoring by clinicians. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Blended Learning Course Design in Clinical Pharmacology for Post-graduate Dental Students

Science.gov (United States)

Rosenbaum, Paul-Erik Lillholm; Mikalsen, Øyvind; Lygre, Henning; Solheim, Einar; Schjøtt, Jan

2012-01-01

Postgraduate courses in clinical pharmacology are important for dentists to be updated on drug therapy and information related to their clinical practice, as well as knowledge of relevant adverse effects and interactions. A traditional approach with classroom delivery as the only method to teaching and learning has shortcomings regarding flexibility, individual learning preferences, and problem based learning (PBL) activities compared to online environments. This study examines a five week postgraduate course in clinical pharmacology with 15 hours of lectures and online learning activities, i.e. blended course design. Six postgraduate dental students participated and at the end of the course they were interviewed. Our findings emphasize that a blended learning course design can be successfully used in postgraduate dental education. Key matters for discussion were time flexibility and location convenience, change in teacher’s role, rein-forced learning strategies towards professional needs, scarcity in online communication, and proposed future utilization of e-learning components. PMID:23248716

Encouraging primary care research: evaluation of a one-year, doctoral clinical epidemiology research course.

Science.gov (United States)

Liira, Helena; Koskela, Tuomas; Thulesius, Hans; Pitkälä, Kaisu

2016-01-01

Research and PhDs are relatively rare in family medicine and primary care. To promote research, regular one-year research courses for primary care professionals with a focus on clinical epidemiology were started. This study explores the academic outcomes of the first four cohorts of research courses and surveys the participants' perspectives on the research course. An electronic survey was sent to the research course participants. All peer-reviewed scientific papers published by these students were retrieved by literature searches in PubMed. Primary care in Finland. A total of 46 research course participants who had finished the research courses between 2007 and 2012. Of the 46 participants 29 were physicians, eight nurses, three dentists, four physiotherapists, and two nutritionists. By the end of 2014, 28 of the 46 participants (61%) had published 79 papers indexed in PubMed and seven students (15%) had completed a PhD. The participants stated that the course taught them critical thinking, and provided basic research knowledge, inspiration, and fruitful networks for research. A one-year, multi-professional, clinical epidemiology based research course appeared to be successful in encouraging primary care research as measured by research publications and networking. Activating teaching methods, encouraging focus on own research planning, and support from peers and tutors helped the participants to embark on research projects that resulted in PhDs for 15% of the participants. Clinical research and PhDs are rare in primary care in Finland, which has consequences for the development of the discipline and for the availability of clinical lecturers at the universities. A clinical epidemiology oriented, one-year research course increased the activity in primary care research. Focus on own research planning and learning the challenges of research with peers appeared to enhance the success of a doctoral research course. A doctoral research course encouraged networking, and

Comorbidity of Anxiety Disorders and Substance Abusewith Bipolar Mood Disorders and Relationship with ClinicalCourse

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Reza Shafiee-Kandjani

2009-12-01

Full Text Available "n Objective: Patients with bipolar mood disorder constitute a relatively large number of individuals hospitalized in psychiatric hospitals. This disorder is highly co-morbid with other psychiatric disorders and may effect their clinical course. The goal of this study was to determine the co-occurrence rate of anxiety disorders and substance abuse with bipolar mood disorders and their impact on clinical course. "n Methods: 153 bipolar patients (type I were selected among the hospitalized patients at Razi Psychiatric Hospital in Tabriz, Iran, from September 2007 to October 2008 through convenience sampling method. The participants were evaluated by a structured clinical interview based on DSM-IV criteria (SCID, Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD and Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS. Results: Co-morbidity of anxiety disorders was 43% . Occurrence of anxiety disorders was 26% for obsessive-compulsive disorder, 24.8% for generalized anxiety disorder, 3.9% for phobia and 2% for panic disorder. Co-morbidity of substance abuse was 7.2% and the highest occurrence of substance abuse was 5.2% for alcoholism and 3.9% for opium. No significant difference was observed between the severity of disease and duration of hospitalization in bipolar patients with or without anxiety disorder. The severity of disease and duration of hospitalization in bipolar patients with substance abuse was higher compared to bipolar patients without substance abuse (P<0.05. "nConclusions: This study suggests that there is a high co-morbidity between anxiety disorders and substance abuse with bipolar disorder. Further, this study suggests that co-occurrence of substance abuse disorder with bipolar disorder increases the severity of the disease and duration of hospitalization.

Osteogenesis imperfecta: clinical diagnosis, nomenclature and severity assessment.

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Van Dijk, F S; Sillence, D O

2014-06-01

Recently, the genetic heterogeneity in osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), proposed in 1979 by Sillence et al., has been confirmed with molecular genetic studies. At present, 17 genetic causes of OI and closely related disorders have been identified and it is expected that more will follow. Unlike most reviews that have been published in the last decade on the genetic causes and biochemical processes leading to OI, this review focuses on the clinical classification of OI and elaborates on the newly proposed OI classification from 2010, which returned to a descriptive and numerical grouping of five OI syndromic groups. The new OI nomenclature and the pre-and postnatal severity assessment introduced in this review, emphasize the importance of phenotyping in order to diagnose, classify, and assess severity of OI. This will provide patients and their families with insight into the probable course of the disorder and it will allow physicians to evaluate the effect of therapy. A careful clinical description in combination with knowledge of the specific molecular genetic cause is the starting point for development and assessment of therapy in patients with heritable disorders including OI. © 2014 The Authors. American Journal of Medical Genetics Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non-commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made. © 2014 The Authors. American Journal of Medical Genetics Part A Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A study on correlation between CT findings and clinical course of meningitis in children

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song, Chi Sung; Chang, Kee Hyun; Yeon, Kyung Mo; Hwang, Yong Seung

1984-01-01

63 cases of meningitis in children were reviewed to study correlated between brain CT findings and clinical course. We divided 63 cases into 3 groups according to clinical course, that is , Group I: Healed without significant sequelae. Group II: Discharged with sequelae such as neurologic deficit or complicated clinical course. Group III: Expired or considered to be expired after hopeless discharge. The CT findings were retrospectively analyzed and compared with each clinical group. We drawed several conclusions as follows: 1. The wrost prognostic CT findings is dirty basal cisternal enhancement. ( Group I only 5%, Group II 50%, Group III 45%). 2. Focal brain parenchymal lesion, especially multiple, such as granuloma and infarct shows unfavorable clinical outcome, that is , high rate of Group III and evident neurologic deficit, in contrast to only 7% of Group I. 3. In 7 case of which CT findings is only hydrocephalus, the prognosis is rather favorable, that is 57% were Group I, 43% were improved after V-P shunt (Group II) and no Group III. But hydrocephalus with dirty cisternal enhancement results in grave prognosis, that is, Group I only 8%, Group II 54%, Group III 38%. With regard to overall hydrocephalus, predilection for good or bad prognosis can't be mentioned. 4. No prognostic difference were noted between presence and absence of periventricular low density in hydrocephalus. 5. CSF pressure of hydrocephalus is mostly high (over 20 cm H 2 O), but normal pressure hydrocephalus were noted in 24%. CSF pressure of normal ventricle size is mostly under 18 cm H 2 O but high pressure were noted in 18 % of the normal sized ventricle (most of them shows intracranial space occupying lesion such as granuloma, accute infarct, subdural effusion, etc). 6. Most of diffuse brain swelling, diffuse brain atrophy and subdural effusion result in Group I , that is , favorable clinical outcome. 7. Normal CT findings are found in 29%, of which 61% belong to Group I and 31% to Group

76 FR 63355 - Proposed Information Collection (Prevalence and Clinical course of Depression Among patients with...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-10-12

...: Prevalence and Clinical Course of Depression Among Patients with Heart Failure, VA HSR&D, Nursing Research... hospitalization and outpatient care, and to understand the temporal relationship between clinical depression... (Prevalence and Clinical course of Depression Among patients with Heart Failure); Comment Request AGENCY...

Of Course: Prerequisite Courses for Admission into APA-Accredited Clinical and Counseling Psychology Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Norcross, John C.; Sayette, Michael A.; Stratigis, Katerina Y.; Zimmerman, Barrett E.

2014-01-01

Students often inquire about which psychology courses to complete in preparation for graduate school. This study provides data that enable students and their advisors to make research-informed decisions. We surveyed the directors of the 304 American Psychological Association-accredited doctoral programs in clinical and counseling psychology (97%…

Learning experience of Chinese nursing students in an online clinical English course: qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Anson C Y; Wong, Nick; Wong, Thomas K S

2015-02-01

The low English proficiency of Chinese nurse/nursing students affects their performance when they work in English-speaking countries. However, limited resources are available to help them improve their workplace English, i.e. English used in a clinical setting. To this end, it is essential to look for an appropriate and effective means to assist them in improving their clinical English. The objective of this study is to evaluate the learning experience of Chinese nursing students after they have completed an online clinical English course. Focus group interview was used to explore their learning experience. 100 students in nursing programs at Tung Wah College were recruited. The inclusion criteria were: (1) currently enrolled in a nursing program; and (2) having clinical experience. Eligible participants self-registered for the online English course, and were required to complete the course within 3 months. After that, semi-structured interviews were conducted on students whom completed the whole and less than half of the course. One of the researchers joined each of the interviews as a facilitator and an observer. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Finally, 7 themes emerged from the interviews: technical issues, adequacy of support, time requirement, motivation, clarity of course instruction, course design, and relevancy of the course. Participants had varied opinions on the 2 themes: motivation and relevancy of the course. Overall, results of this study suggest that the online English course helped students improve their English. Factors which support their learning are interactive course design, no time constraint, and relevancy to their work/study. Factors which detracted from their learning are poor accessibility, poor technical and learning support and no peer support throughout the course. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Effects of an intensive clinical skills course on senior nursing students' self-confidence and clinical competence: A quasi-experimental post-test study.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Soohyun

2018-02-01

To foster nursing professionals, nursing education requires the integration of knowledge and practice. Nursing students in their senior year experience considerable stress in performing the core nursing skills because, typically, they have limited opportunities to practice these skills in their clinical practicum. Therefore, nurse educators should revise the nursing curricula to focus on core nursing skills. To identify the effect of an intensive clinical skills course for senior nursing students on their self-confidence and clinical competence. A quasi-experimental post-test study. A university in South Korea during the 2015-2016 academic year. A convenience sample of 162 senior nursing students. The experimental group (n=79) underwent the intensive clinical skills course, whereas the control group (n=83) did not. During the course, students repeatedly practiced the 20 items that make up the core basic nursing skills using clinical scenarios. Participants' self-confidence in the core clinical nursing skills was measured using a 10-point scale, while their clinical competence with these skills was measured using the core clinical nursing skills checklist. Independent t-test and chi-square tests were used to analyze the data. The mean scores in self-confidence and clinical competence were higher in the experimental group than in the control group. This intensive clinical skills courses had a positive effect on senior nursing students' self-confidence and clinical competence for the core clinical nursing skills. This study emphasizes the importance of reeducation using a clinical skills course during the transition from student to nursing professional. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Genital herpes simplex virus infections: clinical manifestations, course, and complications.

Science.gov (United States)

Corey, L; Adams, H G; Brown, Z A; Holmes, K K

1983-06-01

The clinical course and complications of 268 patients with first episodes and 362 with recurrent episodes of genital herpes infection were reviewed. Symptoms of genital herpes were more severe in women than in men. Primary first-episode genital herpes was accompanied by systemic symptoms (67%), local pain and itching (98%), dysuria (63%), and tender adenopathy (80%). Patients presented with several bilaterally distributed postular ulcerative lesions that lasted a mean of 19.0 days. Herpes simplex virus was isolated from the urethra, cervix, and pharynx of 82%, 88%, and 13% of women with first-episode primary genital herpes, and the urethra and pharynx of 28% and 7% of men. Complications included aseptic meningitis (8%), sacral autonomic nervous system dysfunction (2%), development of extragenital lesions (20%), and secondary yeast infections (11%). Recurrent episodes were characterized by small vesicular or ulcerative unilaterally distributed lesions that lasted a mean of 10.1 days. Systemic symptoms were uncommon and 25% of recurrent episodes were asymptomatic. The major concerns of patients were the frequency of recurrences and fear of transmitting infection to partners or infants.

Comorbid personality disorders in subjects with panic disorder: which personality disorders increase clinical severity?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mustafa Ozkan

2003-03-01

Full Text Available Personality disorders are common in subjects with panic disorder. Personality disorders have shown to affect the course of panic disorder. The purpose of this study was to examine which personality disorders effect clinical severity in subjects with panic disorder. This study included 122 adults (71 female, 41 male, who met DSM-IV criteria for panic disorder (with or without agoraphobia. Clinical assessment was conducted by using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders (SCID-I, the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II Personality Disorders (SCID-II and the Panic and Agoraphobia Scale (PAS, Global Assessment Functioning Scale (GAF, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI, and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI. Patients who had a history of sexual abuse were assessed with Sexual Abuse Severity Scale. Logistic regressions were used to identify predictors of suicide attempts, suicidal ideation, agoraphobia, different panic attack symptoms, sexual abuse, and early onset of disorders. The rates of comorbid Axis I and Axis II psychiatric disorders were 80.3% and 33.9%, consecutively, in patients with panic disorder. Panic disorder patients with comorbid personality disorders had more severe anxiety, depression and agoraphobia symptoms, and had earlier ages of onset, and lower levels of functioning. The rates of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts were 34.8% and 9.8%, consecutively, in subjects with panic disorder. The rate of patients with panic disorder had a history of childhood sexual abuse was 12.5%. The predictor of sexual abuse was more than one comorbid Axis II diagnosis. The predictors of suicide attempt were comorbid paranoid and borderline personality disorders, and the predictor of suicidal ideation was major depressive disorder in subjects with panic disorder. In conclusion, this study documents that comorbid personality disorders increase the clinical severity of panic disorder. Patients with more than one

The impact of lifetime PTSD on the seven-year course and clinical characteristics of OCD.

Science.gov (United States)

Ojserkis, Rachel; Boisseau, Christina L; Reddy, Madhavi K; Mancebo, Maria C; Eisen, Jane L; Rasmussen, Steven A

2017-12-01

Research has suggested that the co-occurrence of PTSD in individuals with OCD is associated with more severe symptoms and less responsivity to empirically supported treatment as compared to individuals with OCD and no history of PTSD. However, much of this work has been limited by non-empirical case report design, cross-sectional and retrospective analyses, or small sample sizes. The current study extended this research by comparing the clinical characteristics of individuals with OCD with and without a lifetime PTSD diagnosis in a large, naturalistic, longitudinal sample over the course of seven years. At baseline, individuals with comorbid lifetime PTSD reported significantly more severe symptoms of OCD (including symptom levels and insight), lower quality of life, and higher rates of comorbid lifetime mood and substance use disorders than participants without lifetime PTSD. Further, individuals with comorbid OCD and lifetime PTSD reported significantly more severe OCD symptoms over the course of seven years than those without lifetime PTSD. These results are largely consistent with the existing literature and support the need to consider PTSD symptoms in the assessment and treatment of OCD. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Clinical predictors of adverse course of nonspecific bacterial vulvovaginitis at girls born from mothers with dysplasia of connective tissue

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Mozes V.G.

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Research objective: To define clinical predictors of adverse course of nonspecific bacterial vulvovaginitis (NBV at girls born from mothers with the undifferentiated forms of dysplasia of connective tissue (UFDCT. Materials: At 157 girls clinical research, bacteriological and bacterioscopy research of leucorrhoea from vagina has been conducted, NBV has been diagnosed at 111 girls. At all girls and at their mothers the immunity has been investigated; at all mothers of girls with NBV phenotypic reveals of UFDCT have been found out. Results: At girls with NBV born from mothers with UFDCT severe course of a disease has been marked; and at mothers with UFDCT and at their children with NBV disorders of humoral immunity have been revealed. Presence of more than 5 stigmas of dysembryogenesis with prevalence of thoracodiaphragmatic, articular, cosmetic syndromes and pathology of organs of vision at mothers of girls with NBV is possible to use as predictors of adverse course of the disease

Temporal Course of the Tourette Syndrome Clinical Triad

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David R. Shprecher

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Background: Tourette syndrome (TS is a disorder characterized by childhood onset of motor and phonic tics, often with improvement of tic symptoms by young adult years. The temporal course of tics and commonly comorbid behavioral symptoms is still not well characterized.Methods: In order to clarify the time course of tics and comorbid attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD or obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD in TS, we administered a brief survey regarding the course of symptoms at a single point in time to 53 TS patients aged 13–31 years.Results: Mean age (±SD at symptom onset was 7.9 (±3.6 years for tics, 7.9 (±3.5 for ADHD, and 9.2 (±5.0 for OCD. Age at peak symptom severity was 12.3 (±4.6 years for tics, 10.8 (±3.8 for ADHD, and 12.6 (±5.5 for OCD. Tics, ADHD, and OCD were reported to be no longer present in 32.0%, 22.8%, and 21.0% of subjects, respectively. Decline in symptom severity began at age 14.7 (±3.7 years for tics, 13.9 (±2.9 for ADHD, and 15.1 (±5.0 for OCD. Remission of symptoms occurred at age 17.4 (±3.8 years for tics, 17.4 (±1.3 for ADHD, and 15.6 (±2.3 for OCD. Discussion: Our data confirm and expand previously reported TS spectrum symptom milestones and may guide design of future research aimed at improving the course of TS.

Cortisol exposure, cognition and clinical course of bipolar disorder

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Spijker, Anne Titia

2012-01-01

In this dissertation, we aimed to identify the influence of cortisol exposure and cognitive performance on the clinical course of bipolar disorder. Data regarding sociodemographics, disease characteristics and genetic analysis of the cortisol receptors, were collected of 366 patients with bipolar

Clinical course of primary HIV infection: consequences for subsequent course of infection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, C; Lindhardt, B O; Jensen, B L

1989-01-01

of symptoms or had mild illness. All six patients who developed AIDS had had longlasting primary illnesses. Three year progression rates to a CD4 lymphocyte count less than 0.5 X 10(9)/l and to recurrence of HIV antigenaemia were significantly higher for those who had longlasting primary illnesses than those......OBJECTIVE--To investigate the impact of the clinical course of the primary HIV infection on the subsequent course of the infection. DESIGN--Prospective documenting of seroconversion, follow up at six month intervals, and analysis of disease progression by life tables. PATIENTS--86 Men in whom...... seroconversion occurred within 12 months. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURE--Progression of HIV infection, defined as CD4 lymphocyte count less than 0.5 X 10(9)/l, recurrence of HIV antigenaemia, or progression to Centers for Disease Control group IV. MAIN RESULTS--Median follow up was 670 (range 45-1506) days. An acute...

The effectiveness of clinical teaching of mental health courses in nursing using clinical supervision and Kirkpatrick's model.

Science.gov (United States)

Maddineshat, Maryam; Hashemi, Mitra; Besharati, Reza; Gholami, Sepideh; Ghavidel, Fatemeh

2018-01-01

Clinical experience associated with the fear and anxiety of nursing students in the psychiatric unit. Mental health nursing instructors find it challenging to teach nursing students to deal with patients with mental disorders in an environment where they need to provide patient teaching and clinical decision-making based on evidence and new technology. To measure the effectiveness of clinical teaching of mental health courses in nursing using clinical supervision and Kirkpatrick's model evaluation in the psychiatry unit of Imam Reza Hospital, Bojnurd, Iran. This cross-sectional study was carried out from 2011 to 2016 on 76 nursing students from a university as part of a clinical mental health course in two semesters. The students were selected by a non-probable convenient sampling method. After completing their clinical education, each student responded to checklist questions based on the four-level Kirkpatrick's model evaluation and open questions relating to clinical supervision. Finally, all data was analyzed using the SPSS version 16. The students have evaluated clinical supervision as a useful approach, and appreciated the instructor's supportive behavior during teaching and imparting clinical skills. This has made them feel relaxed at the end of the clinical teaching course. In addition, in the evaluation through Kirkpatrick's model, more than 70% of the students have been satisfied with the method of conducting the teaching and average score of nursing students' attitude toward mental health students: Their mean self-confidence score was 18.33±1.69, and the mean score of their performance in the study was evaluated to be 93.74±5.3 from 100 points. The results of clinical mental health teaching through clinical supervision and Kirkpatrick's model evaluation show that the satisfaction, self-esteem, attitude, and skill of nursing students are excellent, thereby portraying the effectiveness of clinical teaching. But this program still needs to be reformed. To

Improving critical thinking and clinical reasoning with a continuing education course.

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Cruz, Dina Monteiro; Pimenta, Cibele Mattos; Lunney, Margaret

2009-03-01

Continuing education courses related to critical thinking and clinical reasoning are needed to improve the accuracy of diagnosis. This study evaluated a 4-day, 16-hour continuing education course conducted in Brazil.Thirty-nine nurses completed a pretest and a posttest consisting of two written case studies designed to measure the accuracy of nurses' diagnoses. There were significant differences in accuracy from pretest to posttest for case 1 (p = .008) and case 2 (p = .042) and overall (p = .001). Continuing education courses should be implemented to improve the accuracy of nurses' diagnoses.

Clinical characterization of two severe cases of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS caused by hantaviruses Puumala and Dobrava-Belgrade genotype Sochi

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Ellen Krautkrämer

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Hantavirus disease belongs to the emerging infections. The clinical picture and severity of infections differ between hantavirus species and may even vary between hantavirus genotypes. The mechanisms that lead to the broad variance of severity in infected patients are not completely understood. Host- and virus-specific factors are considered. Case presentation We analyzed severe cases of hantavirus disease in two young women. The first case was caused by Puumala virus (PUUV infection in Germany; the second case describes the infection with Dobrava-Belgrade virus (DOBV in Russia. Symptoms, laboratory parameters and cytokine levels were analyzed and compared between the two patients. Serological and sequence analysis revealed that PUUV was the infecting agent for the German patient and the infection of the Russian patient was caused by Dobrava-Belgrade virus genotype Sochi (DOBV-Sochi. The symptoms in the initial phase of the diseases did not differ noticeably between both patients. However, deterioration of laboratory parameter values was prolonged and stronger in DOBV-Sochi than in PUUV infection. Circulating endothelial progenitor cells (cEPCs, known to be responsible for endothelial repair, were mobilized in both infections. Striking differences were observed in the temporal course and level of cytokine upregulation. Levels of angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF, and stromal derived factor-1 (SDF-1α were increased in both infections; but, sustained and more pronounced elevation was observed in DOBV-Sochi infection. Conclusions Severe hantavirus disease caused by different hantavirus species did not differ in the general symptoms and clinical characteristics. However, we observed a prolonged clinical course and a late and enhanced mobilization of cytokines in DOBV-Sochi infection. The differences in cytokine deregulation may contribute to the observed variation in the clinical course.

Demography and clinical course of ulcerative colitis in a multiracial Asian population: a nationwide study from Malaysia.

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Hilmi, I; Singh, R; Ganesananthan, S; Yatim, I; Radzi, M; Chua, A B S; Tan, H J; Huang, S; Chin, K S; Menon, J; Goh, K L

2009-02-01

To establish the clinical course of ulcerative colitis (UC) in the Malaysian population, comparing the three major ethnic groups: Malay, Chinese and Indian. Patients who were diagnosed with UC from seven major medical referral centers in Malaysia were recruited. Their baseline characteristics, and the extent of the disease, its clinical course and complications were recorded. A total of 118 patients was included. The extent of disease was as follows: proctitis alone in 22 (18.6%), sigmoid colon in 23 (19.5%), descending colon in 16 (13.6%), transverse colon in 11 (9.3%), ascending colon and pancolitis 46 (39%). Most patients had chronic intermittent disease. Extra-intestinal complications were seen in 27 (22.9%) patients and fulminant colitis was seen in four (3.4%). None developed colorectal cancer. The overall cumulative colectomy rates at 1, 5 and 10 years were 3.4% (CI: 0.9-8.5), 5.9% (CI: 1.9-13.2) and 15.6% (CI: 6.5-29.4), respectively. There was a higher prevalence of extra-intestinal manifestations and a trend towards more extensive disease among Indian patients. However, no significant differences were seen in the age of onset, the severity of disease (fulminant colitis, refractory disease) and the colectomy rate. As in developed countries, most of our patients have a remitting and relapsing pattern of disease but the clinical course appears to be milder, with lower rates of colectomies. There are differences in clinical presentation among the three major ethnic groups, with Indians having a higher prevalence of extra-intestinal manifestations and a trend towards more extensive disease.

Langerhans Cells Histiocytosis: Features of Clinical and Laboratory Manifestations and Course of the Disease

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O.I. Dorosh

2014-08-01

Results of the Study. An analysis of 25 cases of LCH in children was presented. Monosystem LCH most often affects the skeletal system. Multisystem LCH is characterized by diversity of clinical manifestations, more severe course and high risk of death. One third of patients with multisystem LCH are infants. In children with monosystem LCH we observed complete clinical response to first-line therapy. At the same time, complete response to polychemotherapy is observed only in 30 % of children with multisystem LCH. Prognosis of the disease depends on the initial affection of risk organs (bone marrow, liver, lungs, spleen, their dysfunction and the child’s age at the time of diagnosis. Process reactivation in children with multisystem LCH occurs in the first 12 months from the onset of the disease.

Morfeo Study II: Clinical Course and Complications in Patients With Long-Term Disorders of Consciousness.

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Romaniello, Caterina; Bertoletti, Erik; Matera, Nunzio; Farinelli, Marina; Pedone, Vincenzo

2016-06-01

The life expectancy of patients with disorders of consciousness (DOCs) is ever-increasing, but little is known about their clinical course over late stages. Several issues (premorbid conditions, complications and pressure sores) are to be considered for their effect on clinical outcome, risk of death and recovery of functional performance. Unfortunately, in late stages of long-term rehabilitation, these aspects are still more neglected than in acute and postacute stages. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical course and the complications of patients in the late stages of DOCs and to explore the relationship between mortality and specific biomarkers. A total of 112 patients, admitted over 10 years in a dedicated ward, were retrospectively studied. Sociodemographic data, preadmission and inpatient clinical features were collected. Disability Rating Scale scores, complications including pressure sores and blood markers were assessed monthly. Data were analyzed through descriptive statistics and correlations using SPSS. Most patients were men older than 50 years with a nontraumatic etiology and a history of hypertension (42.86%). The most common complication was pneumonia (76.79%). No association was found between sex and mortality or between etiology and mortality (P > 0.05). Mortality correlated significantly with sepsis (ρ = 0.253), albumin (ρ = -0.558), hemoglobin (ρ = -0.354) and white blood cells (ρ = 0.243). Only 42% of patients remained unchanged at Disability Rating Scale evaluation. These data confirmed that DOCs are not static conditions and they require ongoing monitoring and assessment of clinical status, level of consciousness and laboratory biomarkers. Copyright © 2016 Southern Society for Clinical Investigation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Description of 3,180 courses of chelation with dimercaptosuccinic acid in children ≤ 5 y with severe lead poisoning in Zamfara, Northern Nigeria: a retrospective analysis of programme data.

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Natalie Thurtle

2014-10-01

transaminase (ALT, creatinine, and full blood count revealed moderate ALT elevation in <2.5% of courses. No clinically severe adverse drug effects were observed, and no laboratory findings required discontinuation of treatment. Limitations include that this was a retrospective analysis of clinical data, and unmeasured variables related to environmental exposures could not be accounted for. CONCLUSIONS: Oral DMSA was a pharmacodynamically effective chelating agent for the treatment of severe childhood lead poisoning in a resource-limited setting. Re-exposure to lead, despite efforts to remediate the environment, and non-adherence may have influenced the impact of outpatient treatment. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary.

Development and clinical course of diseases accompanied by connective tissue dysplasia in children of puberty age

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Elizarova S.Yu.

2011-03-01

Full Text Available The risk of development and clinical course of somatic diseases have been analyzed in the research work. 111 adolescents suffering from connective tissue dysplasia have been under the study. It has been stated that the frequency of somatic diseases among adolescents with connective tissue dysplasia is higher than this frequency among adolescents without such disease. Phenotypic signs of connective tissue dysplasia have been revealed. They are responsible for the development of bronchial asthma and severe stomach ulcer

Symptom dimensions, clinical course and comorbidity in men and women with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

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Torresan, Ricardo C; Ramos-Cerqueira, Ana Teresa A; Shavitt, Roseli G; do Rosário, Maria Conceição; de Mathis, Maria Alice; Miguel, Euripedes C; Torres, Albina R

2013-09-30

The study aimed to compare male and female patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) across symptom dimensions, clinical course and comorbidity. A cross-sectional study was undertaken with 858 adult OCD patients (DSM-IV) from the Brazilian Research Consortium on Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders. Patients were evaluated using structured interviews, including the Dimensional Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (DY-BOCS) and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I disorders (SCID-I). The sample was composed of 504 women (58.7%) and 354 men (41.3%) with a mean age of 35.4 years-old (range: 18-77). Men were younger, more frequently single and presented more tics, social phobia and alcohol use disorders. Among men, symptom interference occurred earlier and symptoms of the sexual/religious dimension were more common and more severe. Conversely, women were more likely to present symptoms of the aggressive, contamination/cleaning and hoarding dimension and comorbidity with specific phobias, anorexia nervosa, bulimia, trichotillomania, skin picking and "compulsive" buying. In the logistic regression, female gender remained independently associated with the aggressive and contamination/cleaning dimensions. In both genders the aggressive dimension remained associated with comorbid post-traumatic stress disorder, the sexual/religious dimension with major depression and the hoarding dimension with tic disorders. Gender seems to be relevant in the determination of OCD clinical presentation and course and should be considered an important aspect when defining more homogeneous OCD subgroups. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Clinical features and course of ocular toxocariasis in adults.

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Seong Joon Ahn

2014-06-01

Full Text Available PURPOSE: To investigate the clinical features, clinical course of granuloma, serologic findings, treatment outcome, and probable infection sources in adult patients with ocular toxocariasis (OT. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, we examined 101 adult patients diagnosed clinically and serologically with OT. Serial fundus photographs and spectral domain optical coherence tomography images of all the patients were reviewed. A clinic-based case-control study on pet ownership, occupation, and raw meat ingestion history was performed to investigate the possible infection sources. RESULTS: Among the patients diagnosed clinically and serologically with OT, 69.6% showed elevated immunoglobulin E (IgE levels. Granuloma in OT involved all retinal layers and several vitreoretinal comorbidities were noted depending on the location of granuloma: posterior pole granuloma was associated with epiretinal membrane and retinal nerve fiber layer defects, whereas peripheral granuloma was associated with vitreous opacity. Intraocular migration of granuloma was observed in 15 of 93 patients (16.1%. Treatment with albendazole (400 mg twice a day for 2 weeks and corticosteroids (oral prednisolone; 0.5-1 mg/kg/day resulted in comparable outcomes to patients on corticosteroid monotherapy; however, the 6-month recurrence rate in patients treated with combined therapy (17.4% was significantly lower than that in patients treated with corticosteroid monotherapy (54.5%, P=0.045. Ingestion of raw cow liver (80.8% or meat (71.2% was significantly more common in OT patients than healthy controls. CONCLUSIONS: Our study discusses the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention strategies for OT. Evaluation of total IgE, in addition to anti-toxocara antibody, can assist in the serologic diagnosis of OT. Combined albendazole and corticosteroid therapy may reduce intraocular inflammation and recurrence. Migrating feature of granuloma is clinically important and may further suggest

Early onset and severe clinical course associated with the m.5540G>A mutation in MT-TW

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Jorge L. Granadillo

2014-01-01

Full Text Available We report a patient harboring a de novo m.5540G>A mutation affecting the MT-TW gene coding for the mitochondrial tryptophan-transfer RNA. This patient presented with atonic–myoclonic epilepsy, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, ataxia, motor regression, ptosis, and pigmentary retinopathy. Our proband had an earlier onset and more severe phenotype than the first reported patient harboring the same mutation. We discuss her clinical presentation and compare it with the only previously published case.

Translating Life Course Theory to Clinical Practice to Address Health Disparities

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Solomon, Barry S.

2013-01-01

Life Course Theory (LCT) is a framework that explains health and disease across populations and over time and in a powerful way, conceptualizes health and health disparities to guide improvements. It suggests a need to change priorities and paradigms in our healthcare delivery system. In “Rethinking Maternal and Child Health: The Life Course Model as an Organizing Framework,” Fine and Kotelchuck identify three areas of rethinking that have relevance to clinical care: (1) recognition of context and the “whole-person, whole-family, whole-community systems approach;” (2) longitudinal approach with “greater emphasis on early (“upstream”) determinants of health”; and (3) need for integration and “developing integrated, multi-sector service systems that become lifelong “pipelines” for healthy development”. This paper discusses promising clinical practice innovations in these three areas: addressing social influences on health in clinical practice, longitudinal and vertical integration of clinical services and horizontal integration with community services and resources. In addition, barriers and facilitators to implementation are reviewed. PMID:23677685

Serial EEG findings in anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis: correlation between clinical course and EEG.

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Ueda, Jun; Kawamoto, Michi; Hikiami, Ryota; Ishii, Junko; Yoshimura, Hajime; Matsumoto, Riki; Kohara, Nobuo

2017-12-01

Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis is a paraneoplastic encephalitis characterised by psychiatric features, involuntary movement, and autonomic instability. Various EEG findings in patients with anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis have been reported, however, the correlation between the EEG findings and clinical course of anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis remains unclear. We describe a patient with anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis with a focus on EEG findings, which included: status epilepticus, generalised rhythmic delta activity, excess beta activity, extreme delta brush, and paroxysmal alpha activity upon arousal from sleep, which we term"arousal alpha pattern". Initially, status epilepticus was observed on the EEG when the patient was comatose with conjugate deviation. The EEG then indicated excess beta activity, followed by the emergence of continuous slow activity, including generalised rhythmic delta activity and extreme delta brush, in the most severe phase. Slow activity gradually faded in parallel with clinical amelioration. Excess beta activity persisted, even after the patient became almost independent in daily activities, and finally disappeared with full recovery. In summary, our patient with anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis demonstrated slow activity on the EEG, including extreme delta brush during the most severe phase, which gradually faded in parallel with clinical amelioration, with excess beta activity persisting into the recovery phase.

Metabolic profile of clinically severe obese patients.

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Faria, Silvia Leite; Faria, Orlando Pereira; Menezes, Caroline Soares; de Gouvêa, Heloisa Rodrigues; de Almeida Cardeal, Mariane

2012-08-01

Since low basal metabolic rate (BMR) is a risk factor for weight regain, it is important to measure BMR before bariatric surgery. We aimed to evaluate the BMR among clinically severe obese patients preoperatively. We compared it with that of the control group, with predictive formulas and correlated it with body composition. We used indirect calorimetry (IC) to collect BMR data and multifrequency bioelectrical impedance to collect body composition data. Our sample population consisted of 193 patients of whom 130 were clinically severe obese and 63 were normal/overweight individuals. BMR results were compared with the following predictive formulas: Harris-Benedict (HBE), Bobbioni-Harsch (BH), Cunningham (CUN), Mifflin-St. Jeor (MSJE), and Horie-Waitzberg & Gonzalez (HW & G). This study was approved by the Ethics Committee for Research of the University of Brasilia. Statistical analysis was used to compare and correlate variables. Clinically severe obese patients had higher absolute BMR values and lower adjusted BMR values (p BMR were found in both groups. Among the clinically severe obese patients, the formulas of HW & G and HBE overestimated BMR values (p = 0.0002 and p = 0.0193, respectively), while the BH and CUN underestimated this value; only the MSJE formulas showed similar results to those of IC. The clinically severe obese patients showed low BMR levels when adjusted per kilogram per body weight. Body composition may influence BMR. The use of the MSJE formula may be helpful in those cases where it is impossible to use IC.

An Elective Course on the Basic and Clinical Sciences Aspects of Vitamins and Minerals

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Objective. To develop and implement an elective course on vitamins and minerals and their usefulness as dietary supplements. Design. A 2-credit-hour elective course designed to provide students with the most up-to-date basic and clinical science information on vitamins and minerals was developed and implemented in the doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) curriculum. In addition to classroom lectures, an active-learning component was incorporated in the course in the form of group discussion. Assessment. Student learning was demonstrated by examination scores. Performance on pre- and post-course surveys administered in 2011 demonstrated a significant increase in students’ knowledge of the basic and clinical science aspects of vitamins and minerals, with average scores increasing from 61% to 86%. At the end of the semester, students completed a standard course evaluation. Conclusion. An elective course on vitamin and mineral supplements was well received by pharmacy students and helped them to acquire knowledge and competence in patient counseling regarding safe, appropriate, effective, and economical use of these products. PMID:23463149

An elective course on the basic and clinical sciences aspects of vitamins and minerals.

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Islam, Mohammed A

2013-02-12

Objective. To develop and implement an elective course on vitamins and minerals and their usefulness as dietary supplements. Design. A 2-credit-hour elective course designed to provide students with the most up-to-date basic and clinical science information on vitamins and minerals was developed and implemented in the doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) curriculum. In addition to classroom lectures, an active-learning component was incorporated in the course in the form of group discussion. Assessment. Student learning was demonstrated by examination scores. Performance on pre- and post-course surveys administered in 2011 demonstrated a significant increase in students' knowledge of the basic and clinical science aspects of vitamins and minerals, with average scores increasing from 61% to 86%. At the end of the semester, students completed a standard course evaluation. Conclusion. An elective course on vitamin and mineral supplements was well received by pharmacy students and helped them to acquire knowledge and competence in patient counseling regarding safe, appropriate, effective, and economical use of these products.

Multiple sclerosis with predominant, severe cognitive impairment

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Staff, Nathan P.; Lucchinetti, Claudia F.; Keegan, B. Mark

2009-01-01

Objective To describe the characteristics of multiple sclerosis (MS) presenting with severe cognitive impairment as its primary disabling manifestation. Design Retrospective case series. Setting Tertiary referral center. Patients Patients were identified through the Mayo Clinic data retrieval system (1996–2008) with definite MS (McDonald criteria) and severe cognitive impairment as their primary neurological symptom without accompanying significant MS-related impairment or alternative diagnosis for cognitive dysfunction. Twenty-three patients meeting inclusion criteria were compared regarding demographics, clinical course and radiological features. Main Outcome Measures Demographic, clinical, and radiological characteristics of the disease. Results Twelve patients were men. The median age of the first clinical symptom suggestive of CNS demyelination was 33 years, and severe MS-related cognitive impairment developed at a median of 39 years. Cognitive impairment could be dichotomized as subacute fulminant (n=9) or chronic progressive (n=14) in presentation, which corresponded to subsequent relapsing or progressive MS courses. Study patients commonly exhibited psychiatric (65%), mild cerebellar (57%) and cortical symptoms and signs (e.g. seizure, aphasia, apraxia) (39%). Fourteen of 21 (67%), where documented, smoked cigarettes. Brain MRI demonstrated diffuse cerebral atrophy in 16 and gadolinium enhancing lesions in 11. Asymptomatic spinal cord MRI lesions were present in 12 of 16 patients (75%). Immunomodulatory therapies were generally ineffective in improving these patients. Conclusions We describe patients with MS whose clinical phenotype is characterized by severe cognitive dysfunction and prominent cortical and psychiatric signs presenting as a subacute fulminant or chronic progressive clinical course. Cigarette smokers may be over represented in this phenotype. PMID:19752304

Type I-II laryngeal cleft: clinical course and outcome.

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Slonimsky, Guy; Carmel, Eldar; Drendel, Michael; Lipschitz, Noga; Wolf, Michael

2015-04-01

Laryngeal cleft (LC) is a rare congenital anomaly manifesting in a variety of symptoms, including swallowing disorders and aspirations, dyspnea, stridor and hoarseness. The mild forms (types I-II) may be underdiagnosed, leading to protracted symptomatology and morbidity. To evaluate the diagnostic process, clinical course, management and outcome in children with type I-II laryngeal clefts. We conducted a retrospective case analysis for the years 2005-2012 in a tertiary referral center. Seven children were reviewed: five boys and two girls ranging in age from birth to 5 years. The most common presenting symptoms were cough, aspirations and pneumonia. Evaluation procedures included fiber-optic laryngoscopy (FOL), direct laryngoscopy (DL) and videofluoroscopy. Other pathologies were seen in three children. Six children underwent successful endoscopic surgery and one child was treated conservatively. The postoperative clinical course was uneventful in most of the cases. Types I-II LC should be considered in the differential diagnosis of children presenting with protracted cough and aspirations. DL is crucial for establishing the diagnosis. Endoscopic surgery is safe and should be applied promptly when conservative measures fail.

Clinical course and prognosis of musculoskeletal pain in patients referred for physiotherapy

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de Vos Andersen, Nils-Bo; Kent, Peter; Hjort, Jakob

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Danish patients with musculoskeletal disorders are commonly referred for primary care physiotherapy treatment but little is known about their general health status, pain diagnoses, clinical course and prognosis. The objectives of this study were to 1) describe the clinical course...... of patients with musculoskeletal disorders referred to physiotherapy, 2) identify predictors associated with a satisfactory outcome, and 3) determine the influence of the primary pain site diagnosis relative to those predictors. METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study of patients (n = 2,706) newly...... referred because of musculoskeletal pain to 30 physiotherapy practices from January 2012 to May 2012. Data were collected via a web-based questionnaire 1-2 days prior to the first physiotherapy consultation and at 6 weeks, 3 and 6 months, from clinical records (including primary musculoskeletal symptom...

Introduction to clinical pathology: A brief course of laboratory medicine in the field for medical students

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Omidifar, Navid; Keshtkari, Ali; Dehghani, Mohammadreza; Shokripour, Mansoureh

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVES: Teaching of clinical pathology to medical students has been ignored in many countries such as Iran. We aim to introduce a practical brief course and its proper timing. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three groups of medical students from consecutive years of entrance passed a 1.5 working day practical course on the field. Their level of knowledge was assessed by pre- and post-tests. Their idea and satisfaction were gathered by questionnaires. RESULTS: Knowledge of students became significantly higher after the course. Their satisfaction was high. Students in later year of education got significantly higher marks. Most of the students wished such a course should be away from basic sciences period and as near as possible to internship. DISCUSSION: Due to overloaded curriculum of general medicine in Iran, we decided to run a brief practical course of laboratory medicine education for medical students. Although the course was practical, the knowledge of students became higher. Students with more clinical experience and knowledge absorbed more. Being actively involved in the classes lit the enthusiasm of students and made them satisfied with the course. It seemed that the course should be placed in later years of clinical training to get the best uptake and results. PMID:29114552

Hypoxic-ischemic encefalopathy: Clinical course and prognosis

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Ćosić-Cerovac Nataša

2003-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Establishing the value of neurological examination, and additional diagnostic methods (ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging of the brain in the diagnosis and prognosis of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and its treatment, tracking the clinical course, and making the prognosis of neurological development in newborn infants with hypoxic-ischemic encefalopathy. Methods. The group of 40 term newborn infants with suspected intrauterine asphyxia was examined. All the infants were prospectivelly followed untill the 3rd year of age at the Clinic for Neurology and Psychiatry for Children and Youth in order to estimate their neurological development and to diagnose the occurence of persistent neurological disorders. All the infants were analyzed by their gestational age and Apgar score in the 1st and the 5th minute of life. They were all examined neurologically and by ultrasonography in the first week of life and, repeatedly, at the age of 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, as well as in the 24th month of life. They were treated by the standard methods for this disease. Finally, all the infants were examined neurologically and by magnetic resonance imaging of the brain in their 3rd year of age. On the basis of neurological finding infants were devided into 3 groups: infants with normal neurological finding, infants with mild neurological symptomatology, and infants with severe neurological disorders. Results. It was shown that neurological finding, ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging of the brain positively correlated with the later neurological development of the infants with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. Conclusion. Only the combined use of these techniques had full diagnostic and prognostic significance emphasizing that the integrative approach was very important in the diagnosis of brain lesions in infants.

Pediatric Achalasia in the Netherlands : Incidence, Clinical Course, and Quality of Life

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Smits, Marije; van Lennep, Marinde; Vrijlandt, Remy; Benninga, Marc; Oors, Jac; Houwen, Roderick; Kokke, Freddy; van der Zee, David; Escher, Johanne; van den Neucker, Anita; de Meij, Tim; Bodewes, Frank; Schweizer, Joachim; Damen, Gerard; Busch, Olivier; van Wijk, Michiel

Objective To assess incidence and clinical course of Dutch patients with achalasia diagnosed before 18 years of age as well as their current symptoms and quality of life (QoL). Study design Retrospective medical chart review and a cross-sectional study assessing current clinical status using the

An Endocrine Pharmacology Course for the Clinically-Oriented Pharmacy Curriculum

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Rahwan, Ralf G.

1976-01-01

In view of trends in clinical pharmacy education, the role of the traditional basic sciences has to be reassessed. An endocrine pharmacology course comprised of 49 clock-hours and open for professional undergraduate and graduate credit is described that blends basic and applied pharmacology. (LBH)

A pilot study on implementation of an e-learning course for clinical education in oral medicine

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Vlaho Brailo

2015-09-01

Full Text Available This study presents the process of implementing an e-learning course for clinical education in oral medicine and examines its impact on students’ knowledge and satisfaction. Thirty six (39.6% fifth-year undergraduate students participated in the study. Every week before their clinical practice, students studied relevant e-learning materials and completed an assessment test. At the end of the semester, students’ knowledge and attitudes towards e-learning were assessed by the knowledge test and anonymous questionnaire. Students who had access to the e-learning course had significantly better knowledge than students who did not have access to the e-learning course. Exposure to the e-learning course contributed to a better understanding of oral medicine curriculum, increased confidence with oral medicine patients and easier participation in oral medicine clinical practice. This study provided evidence that the e-learning can be implemented as a valuable adjunct to clinical education in oral medicine.

Erratum to: Courses of helping alliance in the treatment of people with severe mental illness in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Loos, Sabine; Arnold, Katrin; Slade, Mike

2015-01-01

with severe mental illness across Europe over a measurement period of one year. METHODS: Self-ratings of the HA by 588 people with severe mental illness who participated in a multicentre European study (CEDAR; ISRCTN75841675) were examined using latent class analysis. RESULTS: Four main patterns of alliance...... of life. CONCLUSIONS: Results support findings from psychotherapy research about a predominantly stable course of the helping alliance in patients with severe mental illness over time. Implications for research and practice indicate to turn the attention to subgroups with noticeable courses.......PURPOSE: The helping alliance (HA) between patient and therapist has been studied in detail in psychotherapy research, but less is known about the HA in long-term community mental health care. The aim of this study was to identify typical courses of the HA and their predictors in a sample of people...

Pediatric Achalasia in the Netherlands: Incidence, Clinical Course, and Quality of Life

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Smits, Marije; van Lennep, Marinde; Vrijlandt, Remy; Benninga, Marc; Oors, Jac; Houwen, Roderick; Kokke, Freddy; van der Zee, David; Escher, Johanne; van den Neucker, Anita; de Meij, Tim; Bodewes, Frank; Schweizer, Joachim; Damen, Gerard; Busch, Olivier; van Wijk, Michiel

2016-01-01

To assess incidence and clinical course of Dutch patients with achalasia diagnosed before 18 years of age as well as their current symptoms and quality of life (QoL). Retrospective medical chart review and a cross-sectional study assessing current clinical status using the Eckardt score and reflux

Admission interview scores are associated with clinical performance in an undergraduate physiotherapy course: an observational study.

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Edgar, Susan; Mercer, Annette; Hamer, Peter

2014-12-01

The purpose of this study was to determine if there is an association between admission interview score and subsequent academic and clinical performance, in a four-year undergraduate physiotherapy course. Retrospective observational study. 141 physiotherapy students enrolled in two entry year groups. Individual student performance in all course units, practical examinations, clinical placements as well as year level and overall Grade Point Average. Predictor variables included admission interview scores, admission academic scores and demographic data (gender, age and entry level). Interview score demonstrated a significant association with performance in three of six clinical placements through the course. This association was stronger than for any other admission criterion although effect sizes were small to moderate. Further, it was the only admission score to have a significant association with overall Clinical Grade Point Average for the two year groups analysed (r=0.322). By contrast, academic scores on entry showed significant associations with all year level Grade Point Averages except Year 4, the clinical year. This is the first study to review the predictive validity of an admission interview for entry into a physiotherapy course in Australia. The results show that performance in this admission interview is associated with overall performance in clinical placements through the course, while academic admission scoring is not. These findings suggest that there is a role for both academic and non-academic selection processes for entry into physiotherapy. Copyright © 2014 Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Persistent fatigue in young athletes: measuring the clinical course and identifying variables affecting clinical recovery.

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Locke, S; Osborne, M; O'Rourke, P

2011-02-01

The objective of this paper is to measure the clinical course (months) in young athletes with persistent fatigue and to identify any covariates affecting the duration of recovery. This was a prospective longitudinal study of 68 athletes; 87% were elite (42 males, 26 females), aged 20.5±3.74 years (SD), who presented with the symptom of persistent fatigue. The collective duration to full clinical recovery was estimated using Kaplan-Meier product-limit curves, and covariates associated with prolonging recovery were identified from Cox proportional hazard models. The median recovery was 5 months (range 1-60 months). The range of presenting symptom duration was 0.5-36 months. The covariates identified were an increased duration of presenting symptoms [hazard ratio (HR), 1.06; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.02-1.12; P=0.005] and the response of serum cortisol concentration to a standard exercise challenge (HR, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.09-3.38; P=0.03). Delay in recovery was not associated with categories of fatigue that included medical, training-related diagnoses, or other causes. In conclusion, the fatigued athlete represents a significant clinical problem with a median recovery of 5 months, whose collective clinical course to recovery can be estimated by Kaplan-Meier curves and appears to be a continuum. © 2009 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

A Laboratory Course in Clinical Biochemistry Emphasizing Interest and Relevance

Science.gov (United States)

Schwartz, Peter L.

1975-01-01

Ten laboratory experiments are described which are used in a successful clinical biochemistry laboratory course (e.g. blood alcohol, glucose tolerance, plasma triglycerides, coronary risk index, gastric analysis, vitamin C and E). Most of the experiments are performed on the students themselves using simple equipment with emphasis on useful…

Septic pulmonary embolism caused by a Klebsiella pneumoniae liver abscess: clinical characteristics, imaging findings, and clinical courses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Deng-Wei Chou

2015-06-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: Septic pulmonary embolism caused by a Klebsiella (K. pneumoniae liver abscess is rare but can cause considerable morbidity and mortality. However, clinical information regarding this condition is limited. This study was conducted to elucidate the full disease spectrum to improve its diagnosis and treatment. METHOD: We reviewed the clinical characteristics, imaging findings, and clinical courses of 14 patients diagnosed with septic pulmonary embolism caused by a K. pneumoniae liver abscess over a period of 9 years. RESULTS: The two most prevalent symptoms were fever and shortness of breath. Computed tomography findings included a feeding vessel sign (79%, nodules with or without cavities (79%, pleural effusions (71%, peripheral wedge-shaped opacities (64%, patchy ground-glass opacities (50%, air bronchograms within a nodule (36%, consolidations (21%, halo signs (14%, and lung abscesses (14%. Nine (64% of the patients developed severe complications and required intensive care. According to follow-up chest radiography, the infiltrates and consolidations were resolved within two weeks, and the nodular opacities were resolved within one month. Two (14% patients died of septic shock; one patient had metastatic meningitis, and the other had metastatic pericarditis. CONCLUSION: The clinical presentations ranged from insidious illness with fever and respiratory symptoms to respiratory failure and septic shock. A broad spectrum of imaging findings, ranging from nodules to multiple consolidations, was detected. Septic pulmonary embolism caused by a K. pneumoniae liver abscess combined with the metastatic infection of other vital organs confers a poor prognosis.

PRIMARY RESULTS OF LONG-TERM DYNAMIC MONITORING OF CHILDREN WITH BRONCHIAL ASTHMA OF UNCONTROLLED SEVERE PERSISTENT COURSE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. S. Namazova-Baranova

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Patients registers help obtain the latest information about the clinical course of a disease, safety and effectiveness of the medical technology. Objective: Our aim was to analyze the efficiency and safety of omalizumab with children suffering from uncontrolled severe persistent bronchial asthma (BA according to the data of the developed register. Methods.  A register of patients with severe asthma of uncontrolled course receiving omalizumab in addition to basic therapy has been developed. Results. Results of treatment of 101 children aged 6–17 have been analyzed. The duration of therapy with omalizumab lasted from 1 to 85 months, with a median of 16 (10; 44 months. The drug was used in doses of 75 to 600 mg, with a median of 300 (225; 375 mg. The therapy with omalizumab allowed achieving a better control of the disease (AST test prior to start of therapy — 14 (11; 17 points, in 1 year — 20 (13; 25; p < 0,001; reduction of the volume of daily base therapy (prior to start of therapy, average dose of inhaled corticosteroids in terms of fluticasone was 629 ± 304 mg (n = 15, in 4 years — 524 ± 342 mg; p = 0.065; reduction of the number of aggravations and the need to use short-effectiv   2-agonists.  No adverse systemic effects of the introduction of genetically engineered biological drugs have been found. Conclusion. Register of patients with severe persistent asthma can be used as a tool for long-term  monitoring and integrated assessment of the efficiency and safety of therapy.

Clinical Course Score (CCS): a new clinical score to evaluate efficacy of neurotrauma treatment in traumatic brain injury and subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Science.gov (United States)

Brandner, Sebastian; Kellermann, Isabel; Hore, Nirjhar; Bozhkov, Yavor; Buchfelder, Michael

2015-01-01

Neurotrauma continues to represent a challenging public health issue requiring continual improvement in therapeutic approaches. As no such current system exists, we present in this study the Clinical Course Score (CCS) as a new clinical score to evaluate the efficacy of neurotrauma treatment. The CCS was calculated in neurotrauma patients to be the difference between the grade of the Glasgow Outcome Scale 6 months after discharge from our department and the grade of a 1 to 5 point reduced Glasgow Coma Scale on admission. We assessed the CCS in a total of 248 patients (196 traumatic brain injury [TBI] patients and 52 subarachnoid hemorrhage [SAH] patients) who were treated in our Department of Neurosurgery between January 2011 and December 2012. We found negative CCS grades both in mild TBI and in mild SAH patients. In patients with severe TBI or SAH, we found positive CCS grades. In SAH patients, we found higher CCS scores in younger patients compared with elderly subjects in both mild and severe cases. The CCS can be useful in evaluating different therapeutic approaches during neurotrauma therapy. This new score might improve assessment of beneficial effects of therapeutic procedures.

Interactive tele-education applied to a distant clinical microbiology specialization university course.

Science.gov (United States)

Andreazzi, Denise B; Rossi, Flávia; Wen, Chao L

2011-09-01

The microbiology laboratory provides a strategic support for infectious disease diagnosis and also alerts the medical community about bacterial resistance to antibiotics. The microbiologists' training is a challenge in Brazil, a country with an extensive territory, a diverse population, and disparity of resource allocation. The aim of this study was to implement an interactive tele-educational course in clinical microbiology to reach distant laboratory workers and to improve their professional skills. The course scientific content was defined according to competences associated, distributed in 560 h, with laboratory practices (knowledge matrix-contextual education). The 11-module course structure comprised 70% distance learning, 22% on campus (integrated modules), and 8% monographs. The group included 7 physicians and 21 microbiologists from 20 different Brazilian cities. The time flexibility and location were the two main reasons for student participation, thus decreasing absences to the workplace, different from the traditional teaching methodologies. The group performance was measured by monthly evaluations, and 1 year postcourse, the researcher visited their workplace. There was significant improvement in microbiological practices performed before compared with after group participation. Therefore, 76.9% of laboratory practices were modified because of the knowledge acquired in the course. Students showed behavioral changes in relation to performance in infection control as well as on the dissemination of their knowledge. This specialization course using distance education did not compromise the quality. This educational methodology represents an alternative to teach clinical microbiology to laboratory workers from remote hospitals, as a nationwide continuing educational strategy.

A scoring system predicting the clinical course of CLPB defect based on the foetal and neonatal presentation of 31 patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Pronicka, Ewa; Ropacka-Lesiak, Mariola; Trubicka, Joanna; Pajdowska, Magdalena; Linke, Markus; Ostergaard, Elsebet; Saunders, Carol; Horsch, Sandra; van Karnebeek, Clara; Yaplito-Lee, Joy; Distelmaier, Felix; Õunap, Katrin; Rahman, Shamima; Castelle, Martin; Kelleher, John; Baris, Safa; Iwanicka-Pronicka, Katarzyna; Steward, Colin G; Ciara, Elżbieta; Wortmann, Saskia B

2017-11-01

Recently, CLPB deficiency has been shown to cause a genetic syndrome with cataracts, neutropenia, and 3-methylglutaconic aciduria. Surprisingly, the neurological presentation ranges from completely unaffected to patients with virtual absence of development. Muscular hypo- and hypertonia, movement disorder and progressive brain atrophy are frequently reported. We present the foetal, peri- and neonatal features of 31 patients, of which five are previously unreported, using a newly developed clinical severity scoring system rating the clinical, metabolic, imaging and other findings weighted by the age of onset. Our data are illustrated by foetal and neonatal videos. The patients were classified as having a mild (n = 4), moderate (n = 13) or severe (n = 14) disease phenotype. The most striking feature of the severe subtype was the neonatal absence of voluntary movements in combination with ventilator dependency and hyperexcitability. The foetal and neonatal presentation mirrored the course of disease with respect to survival (current median age 17.5 years in the mild group, median age of death 35 days in the severe group), severity and age of onset of all findings evaluated. CLPB deficiency should be considered in neonates with absence of voluntary movements, respiratory insufficiency and swallowing problems, especially if associated with 3-methylglutaconic aciduria, neutropenia and cataracts. Being an important differential diagnosis of hyperekplexia (exaggerated startle responses), we advise performing urinary organic acid analysis, blood cell counts and ophthalmological examination in these patients. The neonatal presentation of CLPB deficiency predicts the course of disease in later life, which is extremely important for counselling.

Clinical Course, Genetic Etiology, and Visual Outcome in Cone and Cone-Rod Dystrophy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Thiadens, Alberta A. H. J.; Phan, T. My Lan; Zekveld-Vroon, Renate C.; Leroy, Bart P.; van den Born, L. Ingeborgh; Hoyng, Carel B.; Klaver, Caroline C. W.; Roosing, Susanne; Pott, Jan-Willem R.; van Schooneveld, Mary J.; van Moll-Ramirez, Norka; van Genderen, Maria M.; Boon, Camiel J. F.; den Hollander, Anneke I.; Bergen, Arthur A. B.; De Baere, Elfride; Cremers, Frans P. M.; Lotery, Andrew J.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical course, genetic etiology, and visual prognosis in patients with cone dystrophy (CD) and cone-rod dystrophy (CRD). Design: Clinic-based, longitudinal, multicenter study. Participants: Consecutive probands with CD (N = 98), CRD (N = 83), and affected relatives (N =

Clinical course of non-operated patients with spinal cord tumor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kamata, Michihiro; Kinouchi, Junnosuke; Maruiwa, Hirofumi; Nakamura, Masaya; Matsumoto, Morio; Chiba, Kazuhiro; Toyama, Yoshiaki

2003-01-01

The clinical course of spinal cord tumors in 24 non-operated patients who were followed by MRI for more than 1 year was investigated retrospectively. Only 7 patients were positive in neurological symptoms. 7 patients had multiple tumors, and the histopathologic diagnosis in 16 patients was neurinoma. The MRI findings changed in 4 patients, and follow-up MR images showed rapid growth of 2 neurinomas. The clinical manifestations did not change in 17 patients, but they improved in 3 patients whose symptoms were not caused by tumors and improved after temporary worsening caused by tumor growth in 2 patients. They worsened in 2 patients with intramedullary tumors associated with neurological symptoms. The diameter of the spinal cord of the patients with intramedullary tumors increased, making the spinal cord susceptible to both anterior and posterior compression. Finally, the clinical course of the patients with spinal cord tumors did not deteriorate rapidly, except in the patients with intramedullary tumor associated with neurological manifestations. We concluded that when spinal cord tumors that are asymptomatic or associated with minor symptoms are diagnosed as neurinoma or neurofibroma based on the MRI findings, early surgery should not be performed and followed by meticulous follow-up. (author)

Computed tomography and clinical outcome in patients with severe traumatic brain injury.

Science.gov (United States)

Stenberg, Maud; Koskinen, Lars-Owe D; Jonasson, Per; Levi, Richard; Stålnacke, Britt-Marie

2017-01-01

To study: (i) acute computed tomography (CT) characteristics and clinical outcome; (ii) clinical course and (iii) Corticosteroid Randomisation after Significant Head Injury acute calculator protocol (CRASH) model and clinical outcome in patients with severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI). Initial CT (CT i ) and CT 24 hours post-trauma (CT 24 ) were evaluated according to Marshall and Rotterdam classifications. Rancho Los Amigos Cognitive Scale-Revised (RLAS-R) and Glasgow Outcome Scale Extended (GOSE) were assessed at three months and one year post-trauma. The prognostic value of the CRASH model was evaluated. Thirty-seven patients were included. Marshall CT i and CT 24 were significantly correlated with RLAS-R at three months. Rotterdam CT 24 was significantly correlated with GOSE at three months. RLAS-R and the GOSE improved significantly from three months to one year. CRASH predicted unfavourable outcome at six months for 81% of patients with bad outcome and for 85% of patients with favourable outcome according to GOSE at one year. Neither CT nor CRASH yielded clinically useful predictions of outcome at one year post-injury. The study showed encouragingly many instances of significant recovery in this population of sTBI. The combination of lack of reliable prognostic indicators and favourable outcomes supports the case for intensive acute management and rehabilitation as the default protocol in the cases of sTBI.

Predicting severity of paranoid schizophrenia

OpenAIRE

Kolesnichenko Elena Vladimirovna

2015-01-01

Clinical symptoms, course and outcomes of paranoid schizophrenia are polymorphic. 206 cases of paranoid schizophrenia were investigated. Clinical predictors were collected from hospital records and interviews. Quantitative assessment of the severity of schizophrenia as special indexes was used. Schizoid, epileptoid, psychasthenic and conformal accentuation of personality in the premorbid, early onset of psychosis, paranoid and hallucinatory-paranoid variants of onset predicted more expressed ...

Pediatric Achalasia in the Netherlands : Incidence, Clinical Course, and Quality of Life

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Smits, Marije; van Lennep, Marinde; Vrijlandt, Remy; Benninga, Marc; Oors, Jac; Houwen, RHJ; Kokke, Freddy; van der Zee, David; Escher, Johanne; van den Neucker, Anita; de Meij, Tim; Bodewes, Frank; Schweizer, Joachim; Damen, Gerard; Busch, Olivier; van Wijk, Michiel

OBJECTIVE: To assess incidence and clinical course of Dutch patients with achalasia diagnosed before 18 years of age as well as their current symptoms and quality of life (QoL). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective medical chart review and a cross-sectional study assessing current clinical status using the

Teaching self-concept and self-esteem in a clinical communications course.

Science.gov (United States)

Medina, Melissa S

2006-10-15

Effective interpersonal communication skills are needed for pharmacists to deliver patient-centered care. To achieve this outcome with pharmacists, communication skills are emphasized in pharmacy school in required coursework, such as a clinical communication course. One important concept to include in communication coursework is content on perceptions because perceptions influence communication interactions. Specific emphasis should include a focus on self-perceptions and self-concept, because related empirical literature demonstrates that accurate academic self-concepts predict academic success. These results were extrapolated to a pharmacy clinical communications course where a lecture and laboratory series was designed to emphasize self-concept and facilitate communication skills improvement. The instructional design of this series promoted the advancement of students' communication skills by using communication inventories, self-reflection activities, peer and class discussion, and lecture content. Class discussions, self-reflections, and baseline, and follow-up counseling activities throughout the semester provided evidence of improvements.

Teaching Self-concept and Self-esteem in a Clinical Communications Course

Science.gov (United States)

2006-01-01

Effective interpersonal communication skills are needed for pharmacists to deliver patient-centered care. To achieve this outcome with pharmacists, communication skills are emphasized in pharmacy school in required coursework, such as a clinical communication course. One important concept to include in communication coursework is content on perceptions because perceptions influence communication interactions. Specific emphasis should include a focus on self-perceptions and self-concept, because related empirical literature demonstrates that accurate academic self-concepts predict academic success. These results were extrapolated to a pharmacy clinical communications course where a lecture and laboratory series was designed to emphasize self-concept and facilitate communication skills improvement. The instructional design of this series promoted the advancement of students’ communication skills by using communication inventories, self-reflection activities, peer and class discussion, and lecture content. Class discussions, self-reflections, and baseline, and follow-up counseling activities throughout the semester provided evidence of improvements. PMID:17149428

Practice of the integrated endocrine system course

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Wen-han MEI; Rong CAI

2015-01-01

The integrated curriculum is an important direction of the medical medical education reform under new situation and challenges of medical development.Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine has implemented the integrated curriculum reform in recent years.The endocrine system course is one of important intergrated courses and integrates relevant contents of multiple disciplines of basic medicine,diagnostics and medical imaging.Various teaching methods are adopted,such as classroom lecture,discussion,problembased learning,experimental lesson and clinical clerkship,etc.The teaching practice is carried on in several aspects:course arrangement,teaching methods,course website construction,teaching team construction and so on.

Piloting case-based instruction in a didactic clinical immunology course.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoag, Kathleen; Lillie, Janet; Hoppe, Ruth

2005-01-01

To assess (1) the effect of case-based instructional modules on student critical thinking, class attendance, and satisfaction and (2) student opinion of case formats. University-based upper division course in clinical immunology and serology. The course was taught by the same instructor for two consecutive semesters with the intervention introduced in the second semester. Sixty-seven students experienced the intervention and 56 students were in the baseline cohort. Nine cases were interspersed between lectures during the semester. Each case took one 50-minute class in which students worked in groups of five or six. Student performance on five critical thinking multiple-choice examination questions and percent student attendance on case days versus lecture days were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney test. Student ratings on course evaluations were analyzed using t-test comparing semesters with and without intervention. Student opinion of cases was obtained through surveys and a focus group. Student performance on critical thinking exam questions was similar in the two groups. Student attendance was significantly higher on case days (95.6%) versus lecture days (80.3%; p student-instructor interaction, and course organization were significantly improved in the semester with cases compared to the semester with lecture only (p student performance on critical thinking questions, they still proved to be a valuable instructional method. Student attendance, student-instructor interaction, and instructor involvement in the course were all positively affected by incorporation of case studies. Discussion of cases also helped to uncover student misconceptions of course material.

Severe Legionnaires’ Disease Complicated by Rhabdomyolysis and Clinically Resistant to Moxifloxacin in a Splenectomised Patient: Too Much of a Coincidence?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Theocharis Koufakis

2015-01-01

Full Text Available We here report a case of Legionnaires’ disease in a splenectomised patient, complicated by rhabdomyolysis and acute renal failure and characterized by a poor clinical response to moxifloxacin. Splenectomy is not included among the factors, typically associated with higher risk or mortality in patients with Legionellosis. However, our report is consistent with previous case reports describing severe Legionella infections in asplenic subjects. The possibility that functional or anatomic asplenia may be a factor predisposing to severe clinical course or poor response to therapy in patients with Legionella infection cannot be excluded, deserving further investigation in the future. More studies are required in order to clarify the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms that connect asplenia, immunological response to Legionella, and pathogen’s resistance to antibiotics.

Development and evaluation of an electronic health record configuration and customization laboratory course for clinical informatics students.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohan, Vishnu; Hersh, William R

2013-01-01

There is a need for informatics educational programs to develop laboratory courses that facilitate hands-on access to an EHR, and allow students to learn and evaluate functionality and configuration options. This is particularly relevant given the diversity of backgrounds of informatics students. We implemented an EHR laboratory course that allowed students to explore an EHR in both inpatient and outpatient clinical environments. The course focused on specific elements of the EHR including order set development, customization, clinical decision support, ancillary services, and billing and coding functionality. Students were surveyed at the end of the course for their satisfaction with the learning experience. We detailed challenges as well as lessons learned after analyzing student evaluations of this course. Features that promote the successful offering of an online EHR course, include (1) using more than one EHR to allow students to compare functionalities, (2) ensuring appropriate course calibration, (3) countering issues specific to EHR usability, and (4) fostering a fertile environment for rich online conversations are discussed.

A case-based, small-group cooperative learning course in preclinical veterinary science aimed at bridging basic science and clinical literacy.

Science.gov (United States)

Schoeman, J P; van Schoor, M; van der Merwe, L L; Meintjes, R A

2009-03-01

In 1999 a dedicated problem-based learning course was introduced into the lecture-based preclinical veterinary curriculum of the University of Pretoria. The Introduction to Clinical Studies Course combines traditional lectures, practical sessions, student self-learning and guided tutorials. The self-directed component of the course utilises case-based, small-group cooperative learning as an educational vehicle to link basic science with clinical medicine. The aim of this article is to describe the objectives and structure of the course and to report the results of the assessment of the students' perceptions on some aspects of the course. Students reacted very positively to the ability of the course to equip them with problem-solving skills. Students indicated positive perceptions about the workload of the course. There were, however, significantly lower scores for the clarity of the course objectives. Although the study guide for the course is very comprehensive, the practice regarding the objectives is still uncertain. It is imperative to set clear objectives in non-traditional, student-centred courses. The objectives have to be explained at the outset and reiterated throughout the course. Tutors should also communicate the rationale behind problem-based learning as a pedagogical method to the students. Further research is needed to verify the effectiveness of this course in bridging the gap between basic science and clinical literacy in veterinary science. Ongoing feedback and assessment of the management and content are important to refine this model for integrating basic science with clinical literacy.

Effect of a Dengue Clinical Case Management Course on Physician Practices in Puerto Rico.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, George S; Gregory, Christopher J; Biggerstaff, Brad J; Horiuchi, Kalanthe; Perez-Guerra, Carmen; Soto-Gomez, Eunice; Matos, Desiree; Margolis, Harold S; Tomashek, Kay M

2016-11-15

 Prior to 2010, the clinical management of dengue in Puerto Rico was inconsistent with World Health Organization guidelines. A 4-hour classroom-style course on dengue clinical management was developed in 2009 and mandated for Puerto Rico medical licensure in 2010. Fifty physicians were trained as "master trainers" and gave this course to 7638 physicians. This study evaluated the effect of the course on the clinical management of hospitalized dengue patients.  Pre- and post-course test responses were compared. Changes in physician practices were assessed by reviewing medical records of 430 adult and 1075 pediatric dengue patients at the 12 hospitals in Puerto Rico that reported the most cases during 2008-2009 (pre-intervention) and 2011 (post-intervention). Mixed-effects logistic regression was used to compare key indicators of dengue management.  Physician test scores increased from 48% to 72% correct. Chart reviews showed that the percentage of adult patients who did not receive corticosteroids increased from 30% to 68% (odds ratio [OR], 5.9; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.7-9.5) and from 91% to 96% in pediatric patients (OR, 2.7; 95% CI, 1.5-4.9). Usage of isotonic intravenous saline during the critical period increased from 57% to 90% in adult patients (OR, 6.2; 95% CI, 1.9-20.4) and from 25% to 44% in pediatric patients (OR, 3.4; 95% CI, 2.2-5.3).  Management of dengue inpatients significantly improved following implementation of a classroom-style course taught by master trainers. An online version of the course was launched in 2014 to expand its reach and sustainability. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America 2016. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

The varied clinical presentations of major depressive disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Rush, A John

2007-01-01

DSM-IV major depressive disorder (MDD) is a clinical syndrome notable for heterogeneity of its clinical presentation, genetics, neurobiology, clinical course, and treatment responsiveness. In an attempt to make sense of this heterogeneity, clinicians and researchers have proposed a number of MDD "subtypes" based on differences in characteristic symptoms (e.g., atypical, melancholic, psychotic), onset (e.g., early vs. late, post-partum, seasonal), course of illness (e.g., single vs. recurrent, chronic, double), and severity. This article provides a brief review of the status of several of the most common subtypes in terms of their clinical features, biological correlates, course of illness, and treatment implications.

Cytokine responses to Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infection differ between patient cohorts that have different clinical courses of infection.

Science.gov (United States)

McNicholas, Sinead; Talento, Alida Fe; O'Gorman, Joanne; Hannan, Margaret M; Lynch, Maureen; Greene, Catherine M; Humphreys, Hilary; Fitzgerald-Hughes, Deirdre

2014-11-15

The clinical course of Staphylococcus aureus bloodstream infection is unpredictable and bacterial virulence, host immune response and patient characteristics are among the factors that contribute to the clinical course of infection. To investigate the relationship between cytokine response and clinical outcome, circulating cytokine levels were investigated in response to S. aureus bloodstream infection in patients with different clinical courses of infection. A prospective study was carried out in 61 patients with S. aureus bloodstream infection and circulating levels of IL-6, GRO-γ, RANTES and leptin were assessed over the course of the infection. Levels were compared in patients with complicated courses of infection (e.g. infective endocarditis) versus uncomplicated courses of S. aureus bloodstream infection and methicillin-resistant S. aureus Vs methicillin-susceptible S. aureus infection. Significantly lower leptin levels (p < 0.05) and significantly higher IL-6 levels (p < 0.05) were detected at laboratory diagnosis in patients with complicated compared to uncomplicated S. aureus bloodstream infection. Significantly higher levels of GRO-γ were associated with MRSA infection compared to MSSA infection. IL-6 may be an early inflammatory marker of complicated S. aureus bloodstream infection. Leptin may be protective against the development of a complicated S. aureus bloodstream infection.

Variants in LTA, TNF, IL1B and IL10 genes associated with the clinical course of sepsis.

Science.gov (United States)

Montoya-Ruiz, Carolina; Jaimes, Fabián A; Rugeles, Maria T; López, Juan Álvaro; Bedoya, Gabriel; Velilla, Paula A

2016-12-01

The aim of this study was to explore the association between some SNPs of the TNF, LTA, IL1B and IL10 genes with cytokine concentrations and clinical course in Colombian septic patients. We conducted a cross-sectional study to genotype 415 septic patients and 205 patients without sepsis for the SNPs -308(G/A) rs1800629 of TNF; +252 (G/A) rs909253 of LTA; -511(A/G) rs16944 and +3953(C/T) rs1143634 of IL1B; and -1082(A/G) rs1800896, -819(C/T) rs1800871 and -592(C/A) rs1800872 of IL10. The association of theses SNPs with the following parameters was evaluated: (1) the presence of sepsis; (2) severity and clinical outcomes; (3) APACHE II and SOFA scores; and (4) procalcitonin, C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor, lymphotoxin alpha, interleukin 1 beta and interleukin 10 plasma concentrations. We found an association between the SNP LTA +252 with the development of sepsis [OR 1.29 (1.00-1.68)]; the SNP IL10 -1082 with sepsis severity [OR 0.53 (0.29-0.97)]; the TNF -308 with mortality [OR 0.33 (0.12-0.95)]; and the IL10 -592 and IL10 -1082 with admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) [OR 3.36 (1.57-7.18)] and [OR 0.18 (0.04-0.86)], respectively. None of the SNPs were associated with cytokine levels, procalcitonin and C-reactive protein serum concentrations, nor with APACHE II and SOFA scores. Our results suggest that these genetic variants play an important role in the development of sepsis and its clinical course.

A case-based, small-group cooperative learning course in preclinical veterinary science aimed at bridging basic science and clinical literacy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J.P. Schoeman

2009-05-01

Full Text Available In 1999 a dedicated problem-based learning course was introduced into the lecture-based preclinical veterinary curriculum of the University of Pretoria. The Introduction to Clinical Studies Course combines traditional lectures, practical sessions, student self-learning and guided tutorials. The self-directed component of the course utilises case-based, small group cooperative learning as an educational vehicle to link basic science with clinical medicine. The aim of this article is to describe the objectives and structure of the course and to report the results of the assessment of the students' perceptions on some aspects of the course. Students reacted very positively to the ability of the course to equip them with problem-solving skills. Students indicated positive perceptions about the workload of the course. There were, however, significantly lower scores for the clarity of the course objectives. Although the study guide for the course is very comprehensive, the practice regarding the objectives is still uncertain. It is imperative to set clear objectives in non-traditional, student-centred courses. The objectives have to be explained at the outset and reiterated throughout the course. Tutors should also communicate the rationale behind problem based learning as a pedagogical method to the students. Further research is needed to verify the effectiveness of this course in bridging the gap between basic science and clinical literacy in veterinary science. Ongoing feedback and assessment of the management and content are important to refine this model for integrating basic science with clinical literacy.

Risk factors and clinical course of hungry bone syndrome after total parathyroidectomy in dialysis patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism.

Science.gov (United States)

Ho, Lo-Yi; Wong, Ping-Nam; Sin, Ho-Kwan; Wong, Yuk-Yi; Lo, Kwok-Chi; Chan, Shuk-Fan; Lo, Man-Wai; Lo, Kin-Yee; Mak, Siu-Ka; Wong, Andrew Kui-Man

2017-01-10

Hungry bone syndrome (HBS) is an important postoperative complication after parathyroidectomy for severe secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT). There is, however, little data in the literature on its detailed clinical course, and the associated risk factors remain controversial. We did a single-center retrospective study on 62 consecutive dialysis patients who underwent total parathyroidectomy for SHPT to examine the risk factors, clinical course and outcome. Data on demographic characteristics, perioperative laboratory parameters including serum calcium, phosphate, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and parathyroid hormone (PTH), drug treatment for SHPT and operative details of parathyroidectomy were collected. Seventeen (27.4%) patients developed severe postoperative hypocalcemia with HBS. The serum calcium dropped progressively while serum ALP rose after operation until 2 weeks later when serum calcium reached the trough and serum ALP peaked. Serum phosphate also fell but stabilized between 4 and 14 days. The total postoperative calcium and vitamin D supplementation was significantly larger, and hospital stay was significantly longer in the group with HBS as compared with those without HBS. Young age, high body weight, high preoperative ALP level, and low preoperative calcium level independently predicted the development of HBS while preoperative PTH and use of cinacalcet or paricalcitol did not. HBS was common after total parathyroidectomy in patients with SHPT, and it is important to closely monitor the postoperative serum calcium, phosphate and ALP levels in the following 2 weeks, especially for those at risk. The implications of our findings on perioperative management are discussed.

Neurological soft signs in the clinical course of schizophrenia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silke eBachmann

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Neurological soft signs (NSS comprise subtle deficits in sensory integration, motor coordination, and sequencing of complex motor acts which are typically observed in the majority of schizophrenia patients, including chronic cases and neuroleptic-naïve first-episode patients. However, recent studies clearly demonstrate that NSS are not a static feature of schizophrenia but vary in the clinical course of the disorder. This effect was investigated in a meta-analysis based on 17 longitudinal studies published between 1992 and 2012. Studies included between 10 and 93 patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (total number 787 with follow-up periods between 2 and 208 weeks. Beside the Neurological Examination Scale, the Cambridge Neurological Inventory and the Heidelberg NSS Scale were used to assess NSS. All but three studies found NSS to decrease in parallel with remission of psychopathological symptoms. This effect was more pronounced in patients with a remitting compared to a non-remitting, chronic course (Cohen´s d 0.81 vs. 0.15 and was significantly correlated with length of the follow-up period (r=-0.64 but not with age (r=0.28. NSS scores did not decrease to the level typically observed in healthy controls. From a clinical perspective, NSS may therefore be used to identify subjects at risk to develop schizophrenia and to monitor disease progression.

Biphasic Clinical Course Among Kenyan Children With Cerebral ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background Cerebral malaria is the most severe neurological complication of Falciparum malaria. It is associated with a significant risk of death and neurological sequelae. A biphasic clinical picture is associated with an even greater risk of neurological sequelae. Objective To examine the incidence and clinical ...

Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis - CT findings in context with the clinical course

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seyfarth, H.J.; Winkler, J.; Wirtz, H.; Nenoff, P.; Krahl, R.; Kloeppel, R.; Borte, G.

2002-01-01

Purpose: To investigate the impact of chest radiographs and CT in patients suffering from invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) compared to the clinical course. Patients and Methods: Twenty-three patients with confirmed diagnosis of IPA between January 1996 and September 1999 were included in this study. Signs of inflammatory infiltrates on chest radiographs and CT were retrospectively evaluated in relation to the onset of the clinical symptoms. Infiltrates on CT were analyzed in detail with respect to number, morphology, and localization. Results: Seventy-six infiltrates were found on the CT of 22 patients; one patient had diffuse areas of lung infiltrates. Both lungs were affected by infiltrates in 14 patients. Pleural effusions were confirmed in 12 patients. Twelve patients had typically round foci with halo and nine patients crescent air signs. The preferred localization of lung infiltrates was segment 6. The median interval between the onset of clinical symptoms and the first radiographic changes was 5.5 days, with an additional interval of 4.5 days until confirmation by CT. Localization, number of infiltrates, and clinical course were not related. Conclusion: In immune-compromised patients with fever, a CT of the chest should be carried out as soon as possible to detect signs indicative of IPA. Morphological changes on CT like a round focus with halo and crescent air sign support the diagnosis of IPA. In this context, special attention should be directed to pulmonary segment 6. (orig.) [de

A 2-Week Course of Enteral Treatment with a Very Low-Calorie Protein-Based Formula for the Management of Severe Obesity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giuseppe Castaldo

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Multiple weight loss failures among obese patients suggest the design of new therapeutic strategies. We investigated the role of 2-week course of enteral treatment with a very low-calorie protein-based formula in the management of severe obesity. Methods. We evaluated the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of 2-week continuous administration of a protein-based formula (1.2 g/kg of ideal body weight/day by nasogastric tube in severely obese adults (body mass index (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2. Results. In total, 364 patients (59% women; BMI = 46.6±7.2 kg/m2 were recruited. The intervention was discontinued within 48 hours in 26 patients, due to nasogastric tube intolerance. No serious adverse events occurred. During the first and the second week, 65% and 80% patients, respectively, reported no side effects. All biochemical safety parameters were affected by the intervention, particularly uric acid (+45% and aminotransferases (+48%. In the other cases the change was negligible. We observed significant weight loss (5.7±2.3% and improvement in blood pressure and glucose and lipid metabolism parameters (P<0.001. Conclusions. A 2-week course of enteral treatment with a very low-calorie protein-based formula appeared a feasible, likely safe, and efficacious therapeutic option to be considered for inclusion into a composite weight loss program for the management of severe obesity. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01965990.

76 FR 78740 - Agency Information Collection (Prevalence and Clinical Course of Depression Among Patients With...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-12-19

... between clinical depression, alterations in physical functioning, and the levels of circulating... (Prevalence and Clinical Course of Depression Among Patients With Heart Failure) Activity Under OMB Review AGENCY: Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: In...

CYCLOSPORINE IN TREATMENT OF SEVERE ATOPIC DERMATITIS IN CHILDREN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A.A. Alekseeva

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Atopic dermatitis (AtD is one of the most widespread types of allergic lesions of skin in children. Increase of severe types of AtD with lesion of big parts of skin, high frequency of exacerbations, presence of concomitant atopic diseases, and inefficiency of standard therapeutic approaches, torpid clinical course and early development of disability, causes an anxiety. Present standard approaches can be ineffective in children with severe clinical course of AtD and they are not able to prevent progression of disease, development of severe exacerbations and child’s disability. One of therapeutic alternatives for these patients is treatment with immunosuppressive agents. The article describes questions of treatment with cyclosporine in systemic therapy of severe resistant forms of AtD in children. Author discusses effectiveness and safety of a drug, formulated rules of treatment of severe AtD with cyclosporine. Key words: children, atopic dermatitis, cyclosporine, treatment.(Voprosy sovremennoi pediatrii — Current Pediatrics. 2010;9(5:117-120

Hotspots in clinical management of severe liver diseases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

LYU Jiayu

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Severe liver diseases such as liver failure and acute decompensated cirrhosis have critical conditions and high mortality rates, and the prognosis of such patients is closely associated with early warning, timely dynamic assessment, and comprehensive and effective therapy. The patients require a series of effective clinical management measures for elimination of causative factors, organ support, and prevention and treatment of complications. Medical treatment-artificial liver-liver transplantation is an important modality for severe liver diseases. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, stem cell therapy, and bioartificial liver have a promising future, while there are still controversies over non-selective β-blocker. This article reviews the hotspots in the clinical management of severe liver diseases.

Building Surgical Research Capacity Globally: Efficacy of a Clinical Research Course for Surgeons in Low-Resource Settings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Theodore A. Miclau

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Musculoskeletal injury confers an enormous burden of preventable disability and mortality in low- and moderate-income countries (LMICs. Appropriate orthopedic and trauma care services are lacking. Leading international health agencies emphasize the critical need to create and sustain research capacity in the developing world as a strategic factor in the establishment of functional, independent health systems. One aspect of building research capacity is partnership between developing and developed countries, and knowledge sharing via these collaborations. This study evaluated the efficacy of a short, intensive course designed to educate surgeons on fundamental aspects of clinical research using evidence-based medicine (EBM principles. Orthopedic surgeons from the United States and Canada presented a one-day course on the fundamentals of clinical research in Havana, Cuba. Knowledge acquisition was assessed on the part of course participants and surveyed current involvement with and attitudes toward clinical research. Questionnaires were presented to participants immediately preceding and following the course. The mean pre-test score was 43.9% (95% CI: 41.1–46.6%. The mean post-test score was 59.3% (95% CI: 56.5–62.1%. There were relative score increases in each subgroup based on professional level, subjective level of familiarity with EBM concepts, and subjective level of experience in research. This study establishes the short-term efficacy of an intensive course designed to impart knowledge in EBM and clinical research. Further study is necessary to determine the long-term benefits of this type of course. This may be a useful part of an overall strategy to build health research capacity in LMICs, ultimately contributing to improved access to high-quality surgical care.

Potential biomarkers for the clinical prognosis of severe dengue

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mayara Marques Carneiro da Silva

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Currently, several assays can confirm acute dengue infection at the point-of-care. However, none of these assays can predict the severity of the disease symptoms. A prognosis test that predicts the likelihood of a dengue patient to develop a severe form of the disease could permit more efficient patient triage and treatment. We hypothesise that mRNA expression of apoptosis and innate immune response-related genes will be differentially regulated during the early stages of dengue and might predict the clinical outcome. Aiming to identify biomarkers for dengue prognosis, we extracted mRNA from the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of mild and severe dengue patients during the febrile stage of the disease to measure the expression levels of selected genes by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The selected candidate biomarkers were previously identified by our group as differentially expressed in microarray studies. We verified that the mRNA coding for CFD, MAGED1, PSMB9, PRDX4 and FCGR3B were differentially expressed between patients who developed clinical symptoms associated with the mild type of dengue and patients who showed clinical symptoms associated with severe dengue. We suggest that this gene expression panel could putatively serve as biomarkers for the clinical prognosis of dengue haemorrhagic fever.

77 FR 61767 - The Science of Small Clinical Trials; Notice of Course

Science.gov (United States)

2012-10-11

... Science of Small Clinical Trials Course is presented by FDA's Office of Orphan Product Development, Center... from outside experts. It will also include case studies of regulatory trials and interactive panel... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration [Docket No. FDA-2012-N-1025...

Tic-Related Versus Tic-Free Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder : Clinical Picture and 2-Year Natural Course

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Vries, Froukje E; Cath, Danielle C; Hoogendoorn, Adriaan W; van Oppen, Patricia; Glas, Gerrit; Veltman, Dick J; van den Heuvel, Odile A; van Balkom, Anton J L M

2016-01-01

OBJECTIVE: The tic-related subtype of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has a distinct clinical profile. The course of tic-related OCD has previously been investigated in treatment studies, with inconclusive results. This study aimed to compare clinical profiles between tic-related and tic-free

Severity, course, and predictors of sleep disruption following hematopoietic cell transplantation: a secondary data analysis from the BMT CTN 0902 trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Jim, Heather S L; Sutton, Steven; Majhail, Navneet S; Wood, William A; Jacobsen, Paul B; Wingard, John R; Wu, Juan; Knight, Jennifer M; Syrjala, Karen L; Lee, Stephanie J

2018-03-07

Sleep disruption has received little attention in hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). The goal of this study was to describe severity, course, and predictors of sleep disruption following HCT. A secondary data analysis was conducted of the Blood and Marrow Transplantation Clinical Trials Network (BMT CTN) 0902 study. Participants completed a modified version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index prior to transplant and 100 and 180 days posttransplant. Growth mixture models were used to characterize subgroups of patients based on baseline sleep disruption and change over time. A total of 570 patients (mean age 55 years, 42% female) were included in the current analyses. Patients could be grouped into four distinct classes based on sleep disruption: (1) clinically significant sleep disruption at baseline that did not improve over time (20%); (2) clinically significant sleep disruption at baseline that improved over time (22%); (3) sleep disruption that did not reach clinical significance at baseline and did not improve over time (45%); and (4) no sleep disruption at baseline or over time (13%). These data provide a more comprehensive understanding of sleep disruption that can be used to develop interventions to improve sleep in HCT recipients.

[Study of the impact of a MBA Administration in Health course on the organizational modernity of ophthalmologic clinics].

Science.gov (United States)

Meireles, Manuel; Scarpi, Marinho Jorge

2005-01-01

Investigations in the field of the learning competence that investigate the impact of the acquisition of new individual competence of those responsible for ophthalmologic clinics, by means of a MBA Administration in Health course, on the organizational modernity of ophthalmologic clinics. Survey using questionnaires applied to students and former students of the course and to managers of ophthalmologic clinics not linked to the course (n=30 each one). The analysis was made by means of statistical methods: r of Pearson and Q of Yule; Student's t test, sum of series test, median test and U test of Mann-Whitney. Linear and positive correlation was observed between excellency of MBA Administration in Health and the development of the veteran students' capacities (rho correlation of Spearman at the level of 0.01); there is a significant difference (0.0364, by the Mann-Whitney test), between veteran students and freshmen regarding the need to extend the individual capacities provided by the MBA Administration in Health course, to the other operational employees of the ophthalmologic clinics; and there is a significant difference (0.0057, for the Mann-Whitney test), among veteran students of the MBA Administration in Health course and freshmen regarding the importance of the organizational modernity for the ophthalmologic clinics. The obtained results are consistent, in a general way, with the proposed model: MBA Administration's excellence in Health contributes significantly to the organizational modernity, to the development of competence of the veteran students, and, also in substantial way to the perception of organizational hiatuses.

Nocardia keratitis: clinical course and effect of corticosteroids.

Science.gov (United States)

Lalitha, Prajna; Srinivasan, Muthiah; Rajaraman, Revathi; Ravindran, Meenakshi; Mascarenhas, Jeena; Priya, Jeganathan Lakshmi; Sy, Aileen; Oldenburg, Catherine E; Ray, Kathryn J; Zegans, Michael E; McLeod, Stephen D; Lietman, Thomas M; Acharya, Nisha R

2012-12-01

To compare the clinical course of Nocardia species keratitis with keratitis resulting from other bacterial organisms and to assess the effect of corticosteroids as adjunctive therapy using data collected from the Steroids for Corneal Ulcers Trial. Subgroup analysis of a randomized controlled trial. setting: Multicenter randomized controlled trial. study population: Five hundred patients with bacterial keratitis randomized 1:1 to topical corticosteroid or placebo who had received at least 48 hours of topical moxifloxacin. intervention/observation procedure: Topical prednisolone phosphate 1% or placebo and clinical course of Nocardia keratitis. main outcome measures: Best spectacle-corrected visual acuity and infiltrate or scar size at 3 months from enrollment. Of 500 patients enrolled in the trial, 55 (11%) had a Nocardia corneal ulcer. Patients with Nocardia ulcers had better presentation visual acuity compared with non-Nocardia ulcers (median Snellen visual acuity, 20/45, compared with 20/145; P < .001) and comparable 3-month visual acuity (median, 20/25, vs 20/40; P = .25). Nocardia ulcers had approximately 2 lines less of improvement in visual acuity compared with non-Nocardia ulcers (0.21 logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution; 95% confidence interval, 0.09 to 0.33 logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution; P = .001). This difference may reflect the better starting visual acuity in patients with Nocardia ulcers. In Nocardia ulcers, corticosteroids were associated with an average 0.4-mm increase in 3-month infiltrate or scar size (95% confidence interval, 0.03 to 0.77 mm; P = .03). Nocardia ulcers responded well to treatment. They showed less overall improvement in visual acuity than non-Nocardia ulcers, but had better presentation acuity. Corticosteroids may be associated with worse outcomes. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Clinical profile and warning sign finding in children with severe dengue and non-severe dengue

Science.gov (United States)

Adam, A. S.; Pasaribu, S.; Wijaya, H.; Pasaribu, A. P.

2018-03-01

Dengue fever is one of the most important emerging vector-borne viral diseases. Approximately 500,000 out of 100 million cases develop to severe dengue infection. Patient with severe dengue (SD) can be predicted by clinical profile, laboratory and warning sign which could be saved by early interventions.This was a retrospective descriptive-analytic study to investigate clinical manifestations, laboratory and warning signs ofchildren with dengue infection in Haji Adam Malik hospital during January 2014–May 2016. Through medical records, we had selected 140 cases which fulfilled research criteria.Cases were classified as SD (n=28) and NSD (n=112). Most common clinical manifestations for NSD were abdominal pain (39.3%), myalgia (39.3%), headache (37.1%), mucosal bleeding (36.4%) while for SD were shock (15.7%), mucosal bleeding (15.7%), clinical fluid accumulation (15%), shortness of breath (14.3%). SGPT >1000IU/L (5 cases), SGOT >1000IU/L (9 cases), PT (10 cases) and aPTT (16 cases) were abnormal in SD. Severe dengue was frequently found in the range of white cell count 1000-4000/L and platelet count 20,000-50,000mm/uL. Clinical manifestations, warning sign, and laboratoryfinding, were different between SD and NSD.

Clinical symptoms, diagnosis and course of chronic T-cell-type lymphadenosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Becher, C.

1982-01-01

The clinical course of T-lymphadenosis is illustrated by the example of 5 patients and compared with the case studies in relevant publications. The latency period between initial anamnesis and diagnosis was 4 to 6 months, the patients' mean age 65 years, and the male/female ratio 4:1. Of the clinical symptoms, splenomegaly was observed in 80% of all cases, while the lymph nodes were only slightly enlarged in 46% of the cases. One third of the patients presented with diffuse, erythroderma-type skin infiltrations with lymphatic elements. Of the hematological findings, excessive leukocytosis with an average of 300 000/μl and a lymphocyte fraction of 93% was the most frequent. Detailed information can be obtained by immunological lymphocyte differentiation. The disease is rapidly progressive, with an exponential lymphocyte growth rate. The individual lymphocyte doubling time is well correlated with the forecasts. Both chemotherapy and radiotherapy require high doses and have no significant effect on the course of the disease. The mean survival time after diagnosis is 8.1 mon. Differential diagnosis is made possible by the cytochemical and immunological cell parameters described. (orig./MG) [de

Sub-clinical assessment of atopic dermatitis severity using angiographic optical coherence tomography

Science.gov (United States)

Byers, Robert A.; Maiti, Raman; Danby, Simon G.; Pang, Elaine J.; Mitchell, Bethany; Carré, Matt J.; Lewis, Roger; Cork, Michael J.; Matcher, Stephen J.

2018-01-01

Measurement of sub-clinical atopic dermatitis (AD) is important for determining how long therapies should be continued after clinical clearance of visible AD lesions. An important biomarker of sub-clinical AD is epidermal hypertrophy, the structural measures of which often make optical coherence tomography (OCT) challenging due to the lack of a clearly delineated dermal-epidermal junction in AD patients. Alternatively, angiographic OCT measurements of vascular depth and morphology may represent a robust biomarker for quantifying the severity of clinical and sub-clinical AD. To investigate this, angiographic data sets were acquired from 32 patients with a range of AD severities. Deeper vascular layers within skin were found to correlate with increasing clinical severity. Furthermore, for AD patients exhibiting no clinical symptoms, the superficial plexus depth was found to be significantly deeper than healthy patients at both the elbow (p = 0.04) and knee (p<0.001), suggesting that sub-clinical changes in severity can be detected. Furthermore, the morphology of vessels appeared altered in patients with severe AD, with significantly different vessel diameter, length, density and fractal dimension. These metrics provide valuable insight into the sub-clinical severity of the condition, allowing the effects of treatments to be monitored past the point of clinical remission. PMID:29675335

[Severe hypertension: definition and patients profiles].

Science.gov (United States)

Mourad, Jean-Jacques

2013-05-01

Severe arterial hypertension gathers relatively different clinical situations explained by the heterogeneity of the definitions of this clinical setting. From a medical point of view, severe hypertension is a short course situation defined by very high values of blood pressure corresponding to grade 3 hypertension. In France, until 2011, the social security also included in the definition of severe HTA chronic situations characterized by moderate blood pressure values requiring at least triple anthihypertensive therapies associated with a clinical or infraclinical target organ damages. These clinical profiles, much more frequent than grade 3 hypertension, allowed the full reimbursement of care costs for these patients. In France, it is estimated that 10% of hypertensive patients present a severe form with an annual incidence of 50,000 patients. The patients with severe hypertension have an increased cardiovascular morbidity justifying a closer clinical monitoring. From an economic point of view, these severe forms of hypertension have a higher cost of care, explained primarily by a more frequent need of specialized referrals, radiological exams and hospitalizations. This excess cost justified the existence of a full coverage of induced costs by the social security, since the incidence of severe hypertension is more frequent in the low social categories, and in patients with economic fragility.

Association of ubiquitin carboxy-terminal hydrolase-L1 in cerebrospinal fluid with clinical severity in a cohort of patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Nagamine, Satoshi; Fujiwara, Yuuki; Shimizu, Toshio; Kawata, Akihiro; Wada, Keiji; Isozaki, Eiji; Kabuta, Tomohiro

2015-06-01

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is an acute immune-mediated polyneuropathy. Although its pathogenic mechanism has been revealed and various therapeutic trials have been performed, a proportion of patients experience the severe sequelae associated with GBS. In this paper, we investigated whether the amount of the neuron-specific protein, ubiquitin carboxy-terminal hydrolase-L1 (UCH-L1), in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with GBS was correlated with the clinical course of the disease. UCH-L1 protein levels were greater in patients with GBS than in controls. The patients with GBS whose UCH-L1 protein levels were higher than those of the controls presented with more severe symptoms at peak. UCH-L1 protein levels tended to become elevated as the total protein levels were increased; however, elevated UCH-L1 without an increase in total protein might be correlated with severe disease course (bedridden or ventilator supported). These results suggest that UCH-L1 could be a biomarker associated with the severity of the disease at the acute phase of GBS.

Severe hypertriglyceridemia. Clinical characteristics and therapeutic management.

Science.gov (United States)

Masson, Walter; Rossi, Emiliano; Siniawski, Daniel; Damonte, Juan; Halsband, Ana; Barolo, Ramiro; Scaramal, Miguel

2018-05-19

The therapeutic management of severe hypertriglyceridaemia represents a clinical challenge. The objectives of this study were 1) to identify the clinical characteristics of patients with severe hypertriglyceridaemia, and 2) to analyse the treatment established by the physicians in each case. A cross-sectional study was carried out using the computerised medical records of all patients>18 years of age with a blood triglyceride level≥1,000mg/dL between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2016. Clinical and laboratory variables were collected. The behaviour of the physicians in the 6 months after the lipid finding was analysed. A total of 420 patients were included (mean age 49.1±11.4 years, males 78.8%). The median of triglycerides was 1,329mg/dL (interquartile range 1,174-1,658). No secondary causes were found in 34.1% of the patients. The most frequent secondary causes were obesity (38.6%) and diabetes (28.1%). Physical activity was recommended and a nutritionist was referred to in 49.1% and 44.2% of the patients, respectively. Secondary causes were identified and attempts were made to correct them in 40.7% of cases. The most indicated pharmacological treatments were fenofibrate 200mg/day (26.5%) and gemfibrozil 900mg/day (19.3%). Few patients received the indication of omega 3 fatty acids or niacin. This study showed, for the first time in our country, the characteristics of a population with severe hypertriglyceridaemia. The therapeutic measures instituted by the physicians were insufficient. Knowing the characteristics in this particular clinical scenario could improve the current approach of these patients. Copyright © 2018 Sociedad Española de Arteriosclerosis. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

University course timetabling and the requirements: Survey in several universities in the east-coast of Malaysia

Science.gov (United States)

Aziz, Nurul Liyana Abdul; Aizam, Nur Aidya Hanum

2017-08-01

Course timetabling problem receives the highlight at the beginning of every semester. The problem is mainly on assigning courses to timeslot, rooms and lecturers which involving a set of rules and policies constraints. Generally, researchers present different features to signify their own universities' timetable according to the structure and behavior of their institution. However, the gap between theory and real-world applications that can be seen in the resulted timetable is the lacking of acknowledging human preferences. As to overcome this, it is very important to consider all the demands and preferences from timetabling community. This research therefore tries to accommodate the problem by investigating through surveys to several universities in the east coast of Malaysia the demands and preferences of individuals involved directly. Results from the questionnaires will be analyzed by using SPSS and all current issues regarding the demands will be included into our existing general university course timetabling mathematical model. The new university course timetabling mathematical model could best represent universities and be useful, especially in universities in Malaysia.

Quantitation of respiratory viruses in relation to clinical course in children with acute respiratory tract infections

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jansen, Rogier R.; Schinkel, Janke; dek, Irene; Koekkoek, Sylvie M.; Visser, Caroline E.; de Jong, Menno D.; Molenkamp, Richard; Pajkrt, Dasja

2010-01-01

Quantitation of respiratory viruses by PCR could potentially aid in clinical interpretation of PCR results. We conducted a study in children admitted with acute respiratory tract infections to study correlations between the clinical course of illness and semiquantitative detection of 14 respiratory

Content and implementation of clinical decisions in the routine care of people with severe mental illness

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Konrad, Jana; Loos, Sabine; Neumann, Petra

2015-01-01

with severe mental illness across Europe over a measurement period of one year. METHODS: Self-ratings of the HA by 588 people with severe mental illness who participated in a multicentre European study (CEDAR; ISRCTN75841675) were examined using latent class analysis. RESULTS: Four main patterns of alliance...... of life. CONCLUSIONS: Results support findings from psychotherapy research about a predominantly stable course of the helping alliance in patients with severe mental illness over time. Implications for research and practice indicate to turn the attention to subgroups with noticeable courses.......PURPOSE: The helping alliance (HA) between patient and therapist has been studied in detail in psychotherapy research, but less is known about the HA in long-term community mental health care. The aim of this study was to identify typical courses of the HA and their predictors in a sample of people...

The effectiveness of a clinically integrated e-learning course in evidence-based medicine: A cluster randomised controlled trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arvanitis Theodoros N

2009-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background To evaluate the educational effects of a clinically integrated e-learning course for teaching basic evidence-based medicine (EBM among postgraduates compared to a traditional lecture-based course of equivalent content. Methods We conducted a cluster randomised controlled trial in the Netherlands and the UK involving postgraduate trainees in six obstetrics and gynaecology departments. Outcomes (knowledge gain and change in attitude towards EBM were compared between the clinically integrated e-learning course (intervention and the traditional lecture based course (control. We measured change from pre- to post-intervention scores using a validated questionnaire assessing knowledge (primary outcome and attitudes (secondary outcome. Results There were six clusters involving teaching of 61 postgraduate trainees (28 in the intervention and 33 in the control group. The intervention group achieved slightly higher scores for knowledge gain compared to the control, but these results were not statistically significant (difference in knowledge gain: 3.5 points, 95% CI -2.7 to 9.8, p = 0.27. The attitudinal changes were similar for both groups. Conclusion A clinically integrated e-learning course was at least as effective as a traditional lecture based course and was well accepted. Being less costly than traditional teaching and allowing for more independent learning through materials that can be easily updated, there is a place for incorporating e-learning into postgraduate EBM curricula that offer on-the-job training for just-in-time learning. Trial registration Trial registration number: ACTRN12609000022268.

Clinical significance of transforming growth factor β1 in the diagnosis of the severity of acute pancreatitis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Михаил Викторович Клименко

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Aim. Determine the clinical-diagnostic and prognostic value of transforming growth factor ß1 (TGF-ß1 at different degrees of severity of acute pancreatitis (AP on the basis of studying the characteristics of content of anti-inflammatory cytokine in serum to create a diagnostic algorithm severity and course of AP.Methods. It is analyzed the data for the study of nature of the transforming growth factor ß1 (TGF-ß1 content in the serum of 94 patients with AP varying severity (mild case of AP-20 patients, average case - 12, severe case -62 in the first 24-48 hours and 7-10 days of hospitalization.Results. Analysis of the data can reliably assert that the value of TGF-ß1 in the first 48 hours of admission to correlate with AP severity. It is proposed the use of TGF-ß1 level in clinical and diagnostic complex of diagnostic of AP severity in the first 48 hours of hospitalization. If the patient has TGF-β1≤70.0 ng / ml it is mild AP. If the level of cytokine ≥70.1 ng / ml produce differentiation between moderate and severe AP. At the level of cytokine ≥120.1 ng / ml it is severe AP and diagnosis is completed. In the case of the definition of TGF-β1 in the range of> 80.1 - <120.0 ng / ml AP degree uncertain and requires further observation and examination.Conclusions. Diagnostic thresholds of AP severity are determined. It is allowed use of TGF-β1 in a modern complex AP diagnostics. It is proven a diagnostic and prognostic significance level of anti-inflammatory cytokine TGF-ß1

On the clinical value of roentgenological observation of the clinical course of renal osteopathy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fritsch, R.; Freyschmidt, J.; Lustenberger, N.; Hesch, R.D.; Medizinische Hochschule Hannover

1980-01-01

Basing on radiological observation of the course of renal osteopathy confirmed both clinically and by bone biopsy in 96 patients - the X-ray examination comprising primarily the entire axial skeleton including the proximal extremities and hands - 60% of the patients showed mineralisation in their hands. The rest of the skeleton was affected only if there were identifiable alterations at the hands, although the affection of the axial skeleton was definitely lower in terms of percentage. Hence, radiological observation of renal osteopathy based on X-ray films of both hands with additional magnification technique appears both possible and meaningful. (orig.) [de

[Epidemiologic findings on the spontaneous long-term course of psychogenic disease over 10 years].

Science.gov (United States)

Franz, M; Schepank, H; Reister, G; Schellberg, D

1994-01-01

207 individuals were selected from a random sample of the adult urban population of Mannheim according to the criterion of medium psychogenic impairment (high-risk population) and investigated three times between 1979 and 1991 with regard to prevalence and severity of psychogenic disorders. In contrast to clinical investigations, the present data render statements on the spontaneous course of psychogenic disorders in the general population. The existing psychogenic impairment was determined by means of various operationalizations (symptomatology, ICD-diagnoses, severity of impairment). The available data indicate a high stability of psychogenic impairment in the spontaneous course. Group statistically the severity of impairment even increases in the long term course. However, different subtypes of course in the investigated high-risk population can be identified by a cluster analysis.

Effectiveness of a radiology-anatomy instructional module in a clinical course on oral radiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Imanaka, Masahiro; Tamaki, Yoh; Nomura, Yoshiaki

2007-01-01

An insufficient knowledge of anatomy often complicates the interpretation of radiological findings by students learning clinical medicine. During a 3-week clinical course in oral radiology, students attended lectures on anatomy for half of each day. Our objectives were to evaluate this program and determine why some students remained unmotivated to learn anatomy. Surveys were carried out using two questionnaires, one for evaluating the students' beliefs regarding the necessity of knowing anatomy and their understanding of radiology and anatomy, and the other for determining the value of the educational program. In total, 126 questionnaires were analyzed. Structural equation modeling and decision analysis were used to analyze the data obtained. Beliefs regarding the necessity of knowing anatomy were explained by three variables: the necessity of knowing imaging anatomy, the necessity of knowing gross anatomy, and understanding of anatomy. Awareness of the necessity of knowing anatomy and understanding of graphical images were not strongly correlated. The educational program was characterized by two factors: 'value' and 'appropriateness' These were strongly correlated. Student interest in the content of the course was found to be the most important factor in student evaluations of the educational program. Students who answered 'agree', 'disagree' or 'strongly disagree' to three items, interested in the content of the course', 'obtained knowledge through the course' and 'expected the course to be useful in the near future were likely to have insufficient understanding of and awareness of the necessity of radiology and anatomy. The inclusion of lectures on anatomy is beneficial for improving student understanding of oral radiology. Student interest in the content is important in evaluations of radiology-anatomy programs. (author)

The effectiveness of a clinically integrated e-learning course in evidence-based medicine: A cluster randomised controlled trial

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kulier, Regina; Coppus, Sjors F. P. J.; Zamora, Javier; Hadley, Julie; Malick, Sadia; Das, Kausik; Weinbrenner, Susanne; Meyerrose, Berrit; Decsi, Tamas; Horvath, Andrea R.; Nagy, Eva; Emparanza, Jose I.; Arvanitis, Theodoros N.; Burls, Amanda; Cabello, Juan B.; Kaczor, Marcin; Zanrei, Gianni; Pierer, Karen; Stawiarz, Katarzyna; Kunz, Regina; Mol, Ben W. J.; Khan, Khalid S.

2009-01-01

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: To evaluate the educational effects of a clinically integrated e-learning course for teaching basic evidence-based medicine (EBM) among postgraduates compared to a traditional lecture-based course of equivalent content. METHODS: We conducted a cluster randomised controlled

Diffusion-weighted imaging and magnetic resonance spectroscopy of sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease: correlation with clinical course

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jae Hyoung; Choi, Byung Se; Jung, Cheolkyu; Chang, YoungHee; Kim, SangYun

2011-01-01

Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD) is a fatal disease with variable clinical courses. The presence or absence of basal ganglia (BG) involvement has been reported to be associated with clinical course. We investigated the association of clinical course of sCJD with diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and MR spectroscopy (MRS) as well as BG involvement at early stage. DWI and single voxel proton MRS were performed in 14 patients with sCJD during the initial diagnostic workup. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and metabolites were measured in medial occipitoparietal cortices where large hyperintense DWI lesions were found in all patients. The presence or absence of BG involvement, ADC, N-acetylaspartate (NAA)/creatine (Cr) ratios, and choline (Cho)/Cr ratios were correlated with disease duration (i.e., the time from the symptom onset to death). The disease duration ranged from 2 to 31 months (median, 16). Hyperintense DWI lesions were observed bilaterally in both cortices and basal ganglia in eight patients and in cortices alone in six patients. Patients with BG involvement had shorter disease duration (median, 6.8 versus 20.5; p = 0.039) than those without and lower NAA/Cr ratios (median, 1.41 versus 2.03; p = 0.001). ADC and Cho/Cr ratios were not significantly different between the patients with BG involvement and those without. By multiple regression analysis, NAA/Cr ratios had the greatest correlation with the disease duration (p = 0.029). The disease duration of sCJD was variable. NAA/Cr ratios of the affected brain at the early stage of sCJD can be used as a useful parameter in predicting the clinical course. (orig.)

Diffusion-weighted imaging and magnetic resonance spectroscopy of sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease: correlation with clinical course

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Jae Hyoung; Choi, Byung Se; Jung, Cheolkyu [Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Department of Radiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam-si (Korea, Republic of); Chang, YoungHee; Kim, SangYun [Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Department of Neurology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam-si (Korea, Republic of)

2011-12-15

Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD) is a fatal disease with variable clinical courses. The presence or absence of basal ganglia (BG) involvement has been reported to be associated with clinical course. We investigated the association of clinical course of sCJD with diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and MR spectroscopy (MRS) as well as BG involvement at early stage. DWI and single voxel proton MRS were performed in 14 patients with sCJD during the initial diagnostic workup. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and metabolites were measured in medial occipitoparietal cortices where large hyperintense DWI lesions were found in all patients. The presence or absence of BG involvement, ADC, N-acetylaspartate (NAA)/creatine (Cr) ratios, and choline (Cho)/Cr ratios were correlated with disease duration (i.e., the time from the symptom onset to death). The disease duration ranged from 2 to 31 months (median, 16). Hyperintense DWI lesions were observed bilaterally in both cortices and basal ganglia in eight patients and in cortices alone in six patients. Patients with BG involvement had shorter disease duration (median, 6.8 versus 20.5; p = 0.039) than those without and lower NAA/Cr ratios (median, 1.41 versus 2.03; p = 0.001). ADC and Cho/Cr ratios were not significantly different between the patients with BG involvement and those without. By multiple regression analysis, NAA/Cr ratios had the greatest correlation with the disease duration (p = 0.029). The disease duration of sCJD was variable. NAA/Cr ratios of the affected brain at the early stage of sCJD can be used as a useful parameter in predicting the clinical course. (orig.)

Clinical course and signs in patients with uveitis associated with ankylosing spondylitis

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Refik Oltulu

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Aim: To evaluate clinical course and signs in patients withuveitis associated ankylosing spondylitis (AS.Methods: In this retrospective study we evaluated thepatients who were diagnosed as uveitis related to AS andfollowed up at the Ophthalmology Department of NecmettinErbakan University Hospital between May 2009 andJune 2012. Demographical features and clinical courseswere assessed.Results: Seventeen eyes of 13 patients were includedin the study. Nine patients (69.2% were male and four(30.8% were female. The mean age at presentation was38.54±9.61 years (range 28-63. Bilateral involvementwas observed in four (30.8% patients. The mean followuptime was 17.46±11.86 months (range 3-36. The meannumber of attacks was 1.15±0.37 (range 1-2. Posteriorsegment manifestation accompanied anterior uveitis inthree eyes (17.6%. Posterior synechia developed in one(7.7% and cataract in one patient (7.7%, cystoid macularedema in two patients (15.4%, and epiretinal membranein one patient (%7.7. The mean final visual acuitywas 0.975±0.07 (range 0.2-1.0.Conclusion: The prognosis of anterior uveitis associatedwith AS is good if the treatment is administered at theappropriate time. However, the posterior segment complicationsmay develop in these patients, treatment andfollow-up should be done in co-operation with the departmentof rheumatology.Key words: Ankylosing spondylitis, uveitis, rheumatology,clinical course

Quality in Online Courses: Technical Production Regarding Clinical Biochemistry Online Course Performed by Students in Advanced Learning in Scientific Education Discipline

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

W.B. Maia

2011-04-01

Full Text Available It is important to consider quality and efficacy concerning online courses. This study was accomplished with Master’s students in order to promote technical production regardingClinical Biochemistry online course. In web, www.bioq.educacao.biz, it was accessible strategic and organizational management training in distance learning course. Enrolled students(7, monitors (3 and the manager (1 have made use of thevirtual environment asa channel of communication as well as to construct the extension course (80 hours. Some strategies were discussed and planned for the purpose of a significant apprenticeship. In all, there were 173 standard contents available, which were 4 audiovisual presentations, 13 debating forums, 1 chat, 10 classes,77 scientific articles, 30 tests, 3 glossaries, 1 mini-library, 18 links, 3 texts and 13 folders. Although the managerwas not responsible for the construction ofthe contents, system reports have shown that the manager’s attendance and permanence online were three times superior to other users. It once more revealed that new Information and Communication Technologies(ICTs requires from the manager to plan an efficient pedagogical orientation.

A multinational randomised study comparing didactic lectures with case scenario in a severe sepsis medical simulation course.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Chih-Huang; Kuan, Win-Sen; Mahadevan, Malcolm; Daniel-Underwood, Lynda; Chiu, Te-Fa; Nguyen, H Bryant

2012-07-01

Medical simulation has been used to teach critical illness in a variety of settings. This study examined the effect of didactic lectures compared with simulated case scenario in a medical simulation course on the early management of severe sepsis. A prospective multicentre randomised study was performed enrolling resident physicians in emergency medicine from four hospitals in Asia. Participants were randomly assigned to a course that included didactic lectures followed by a skills workshop and simulated case scenario (lecture-first) or to a course that included a skills workshop and simulated case scenario followed by didactic lectures (simulation-first). A pre-test was given to the participants at the beginning of the course, post-test 1 was given after the didactic lectures or simulated case scenario depending on the study group assignment, then a final post-test 2 was given at the end of the course. Performance on the simulated case scenario was evaluated with a performance task checklist. 98 participants were enrolled in the study. Post-test 2 scores were significantly higher than pre-test scores in all participants (80.8 ± 12.0% vs 65.4 ± 12.2%, pdidactic lectures followed by simulation experience.

Determining triglyceride reductions needed for clinical impact in severe hypertriglyceridemia.

Science.gov (United States)

Christian, Jennifer B; Arondekar, Bhakti; Buysman, Erin K; Jacobson, Terry A; Snipes, Rose G; Horwitz, Ralph I

2014-01-01

Patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and pancreatitis. Target triglyceride levels associated with clinical benefit for patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia are not currently known. This study evaluates the association between lower follow-up triglyceride levels and incidence of clinical events for patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia. By using claims data from 2 large US healthcare databases, we conducted a retrospective cohort study and identified 41,210 adults with severe hypertriglyceridemia (triglycerides ≥ 500 mg/dL) between June 2001 and September 2010. The date of the first severe hypertriglyceridemia laboratory result was the index date. Patients were categorized into 1 of 5 triglyceride ranges (severe hypertriglyceridemia with follow-up triglyceride levels severe hypertriglyceridemia with follow-up triglyceride levels 200 to 299 mg/dL and 300 to 399 mg/dL (P severe hypertriglyceridemia with the lowest follow-up triglyceride levels. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Clinical characteristic of patients with acute kidney injury complicated severe cardio-vascular diseases].

Science.gov (United States)

Wróbel, Paweł; Wyrwicz-Zielińska, Grażyna; Krzysztonek-Weber, Izabela; Sułowicz, Władysław

2016-01-01

Patients with cardiovascular diseases are a group of increased risk of acute kidney injury (AKI). Mortality in this group of patients with AKI, especially treated in intensive care units, is very high. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical characteristic of patients with AKI complicated severe cardiovascular diseases. Retrospective evaluation of 246 questionnaire of patients with AKI in the course of severe cardiovascular diseases treated in the wards of nephrological profile from the malopolska and podkarpackie voivodships in the years 2000-2011 was performed. The group of patients consisted of 157 men and 89 women, with mean age 67.9 ± 14.8 years. The most common cause of AKI were: acute decompensated heart failure--24 (9.8%), chronic decompensated heart failure--94 (38.2%), cardiac arrest--29 (11.8%), myocardial infarction--48 (19.5%), CABG--12 (4.9%), cardiac valve implantation--14 (5.7), heart transplantation--4 (1.6%) and aortic aneurysm--21 (8.5%). Age distribution of patients with AKI revealed that most numerous group had 71-80 years. The most of patients (95.9%) with AKI were treated with hemodialysis. The mortality rate in the study group was very high (69.5%). Recovery of renal function was observed in 39 (27.3%) of patients. Signs of kidney disease before AKI was noted in 116 (47.2%) of patients. Patients with severe cardiovascular complications and AKI had high mortality rate instead of performed hemodialysis treatment.

Differentiating Bipolar Disorder--Not Otherwise Specified and Severe Mood Dysregulation

Science.gov (United States)

Towbin, Kenneth; Axelson, David; Leibenluft, Ellen; Birmaher, Boris

2013-01-01

Objective: Bipolar disorder--not otherwise specified (BP-NOS) and severe mood dysregulation (SMD) are severe mood disorders that were defined to address questions about the diagnosis of bipolar disorder (BD) in youth. SMD and BP-NOS are distinct phenotypes that differ in clinical presentation and longitudinal course. The purpose of this review is…

Distinctive clinical course and pattern of relapse in adolescents with medulloblastoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tabori, Uri; Sung, Lillian; Hukin, Juliette; Laperriere, Normand; Crooks, Bruce; Carret, Anne-Sophie; Silva, Mariana; Odame, Isaac; Mpofu, Chris; Strother, Douglas; Wilson, Beverly; Samson, Yvan; Bouffet, Eric

2006-01-01

Purpose: To report the clinical course of adolescents with medulloblastoma, with specific emphasis on prognosis and pattern of relapse. Methods and Materials: We retrospectively studied the clinical course and outcomes of children aged 10-20 years with medulloblastoma, treated at centers throughout Canada between 1986 and 2003. To better assess time to relapse, a cohort of patients aged 3-20 years at diagnosis was generated. Results: A total of 72 adolescents were analyzed. Five-year overall survival and event-free survival rates were 78.3% ± 5.4% and 68.0% ± 6.2%, respectively. Late relapses occurred at a median of 3.0 years (range, 0.3-6.8 years). In univariate analysis, conventional risk stratification and the addition of chemotherapy to craniospinal radiation did not have prognostic significance. Female patients had improved overall survival (p = 0.007). Time to relapse increased with age in a linear fashion. After relapse, patients faired poorly regardless of treatment modality. Patients who did not receive chemotherapy initially had improved progression-free survival at relapse (p 0.05). Conclusions: Our study suggests that adolescents with medulloblastoma might have a unique prognosis and pattern of relapse, dissimilar to those in younger children. They might benefit from different risk stratifications and prolonged follow-up. These issues should be addressed in future prospective trials

Correlation between CAT-findings and clinical course in viral and bacterial meningoencephalitis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krueger, H.; Drewnitzky, H.; Rohkamm, R.; Grosse, D.

1983-01-01

The computed axial tomograms (CAT) of 50 patients with viral or bacterial meningoencephalitis are correlated with the clinical course, the laboratory data, and the EEG changes. The diagnostic value of CAT in the early diagnosis of herpes simplex encephalitis is of specific importance. Hypodense regions are demonstrated after the fifth day of illness in the temporal lobe. All other viral or bacterial meningoencephalitis cases have no specific changes on CAT examination compared with clinical or laboratoy data. However, in localised encephalitis CAT may reveal hypodense regions. For follow-up studies of meningoencephalitis CAT is of important diagnostic value in demonstrating complications such as abscess or occlusive hydrocephalus. (orig.) [de

Perceived social stress and symptom severity among help-seeking adolescents with versus without clinical high-risk for psychosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Millman, Zachary B; Pitts, Steven C; Thompson, Elizabeth; Kline, Emily R; Demro, Caroline; Weintraub, Marc J; DeVylder, Jordan E; Mittal, Vijay A; Reeves, Gloria M; Schiffman, Jason

2018-02-01

Research suggests that social stress exposure influences illness presentation and course among youth at clinical high-risk (CHR) for psychosis, though less is known about the extent to which self-reported perceptions of social stress relate to the severity of positive symptoms. Importantly, despite the notion that youth at CHR are especially susceptible to elevations in positive symptoms under conditions of stress, no study has examined this presumption relative to other psychiatric groups. Extending previous work demonstrating that perceived social stress was higher in a CHR group than in a clinical group of non-CHR, help-seeking controls, the current study aimed to: (1) examine whether perceived social stress is related to the severity of attenuated positive symptoms in the full sample (N=110); and (2) determine whether CHR status moderates the stress-symptom relation. Exploratory analyses examined relations of perceived social stress to negative, disorganized, and general symptoms. Greater perceptions of social stress were associated with more severe positive symptoms in the entire sample; however, although positive symptoms and perceived social stress were higher in the CHR group, the strength of this relation was statistically indistinguishable across groups. No differential effect of perceived social stress was observed for any symptom domain. Results provide some support for the diathesis-stress model of psychosis, while also suggesting that social stress and symptomatology are related independent of clinical vulnerability to psychosis. Future research would benefit from longitudinal studies of stress-symptom relations across CHR and help-seeking control groups. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Clinical indicators for severe prognosis of scrub typhus

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Sriwongpan P

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Pamornsri Sriwongpan,1,2 Pornsuda Krittigamas,3 Pacharee Kantipong,4 Naowarat Kunyanone,5 Jayanton Patumanond,1 Sirianong Namwongprom1,61Clinical Epidemiology Program, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand; 2Department of Social Medicine, Chiang Rai Prachanukroh Hospital, Chiang Rai, Thailand; 3Department of General Pediatrics, Nakornping Hospital, Chiang Mai, Thailand; 4Department of Internal Medicine, 5Department of Medical Technology, Chiang Rai Prachanukroh Hospital, Chiang Rai, Thailand; 6Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, ThailandBackground: The study explored clinical risk characteristics that may be used to forecast scrub typhus severity under routine clinical practices.Methods: Retrospective data were collected from patients registered at two university-affiliated tertiary care hospitals in the north of Thailand, from 2004 to 2010. Key information was retrieved from in-patient records, out patient cards, laboratory reports and registers. Patients were classified into three severity groups: nonsevere, severe (those with at least one organ involvement, and deceased. Prognostic characteristics for scrub typhus severity were analyzed by a multivariable ordinal continuation ratio regression.Results: A total of 526 patients were classified into nonsevere (n = 357, severe (n = 100, and deceased (n = 69. The significant multivariable prognostic characteristics for scrub typhus severity were increased body temperature (odds ratio [OR] = 0.58, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.45–0.74, P < 0.001, increased pulse rate (OR = 1.03, 95% CI = 1.01–1.05, P < 0.001, presence of crepitation (OR = 3.25, 95% CI = 1.52–6.96, P = 0.001, increased percentage of lymphocytes (OR = 0.97, 95% CI = 0.95–0.98, P = 0.001, increased aspartate aminotransferase (every 10 IU/L (OR = 1.04, 95% CI = 1.02–1.06, P < 0.001, increased serum albumin (OR = 0.47, 95% CI = 0.27–0.80, P = 0

Cognitive impairment, clinical severity and MRI changes in MELAS syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Kraya, Torsten; Neumann, Lena; Paelecke-Habermann, Yvonne; Deschauer, Marcus; Stoevesandt, Dietrich; Zierz, Stephan; Watzke, Stefan

2017-12-29

To examine clinical severity, cognitive impairment, and MRI changes in patients with MELAS syndrome. Cognitive-mnestic functions, brain MRI (lesion load, cella media index) and clinical severity of ten patients with MELAS syndrome were examined. All patients carried the m.3243A>G mutation. The detailed neuropsychological assessment revealed cognitive deficits in attention, executive function, visuoperception, and -construction. There were significant correlations between these cognitive changes, lesion load in MRI, disturbances in everyday life (clinical scale), and high scores in NMDAS. Patients with MELAS syndrome showed no global neuropsychological deficit, but rather distinct cognitive deficits. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. and Mitochondria Research Society. All rights reserved.

Courses of helping alliance in the treatment of people with severe mental illness in Europe: a latent class analytic approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Loos, Sabine; Arnold, Katrin; Slade, Mike; Jordan, Harriet; Del Vecchio, Valeria; Sampogna, Gaia; Süveges, Ágnes; Nagy, Marietta; Krogsgaard Bording, Malene; Østermark Sørensen, Helle; Rössler, Wulf; Kawohl, Wolfram; Puschner, Bernd

2015-03-01

The helping alliance (HA) between patient and therapist has been studied in detail in psychotherapy research, but less is known about the HA in long-term community mental health care. The aim of this study was to identify typical courses of the HA and their predictors in a sample of people with severe mental illness across Europe over a measurement period of one year. Self-ratings of the HA by 588 people with severe mental illness who participated in a multicentre European study (CEDAR; ISRCTN75841675) were examined using latent class analysis. Four main patterns of alliance were identified: (1) high and stable (HS, 45.6 %), (2) high and increasing (HI, 36.9 %), (3) high and decreasing (HD, 11.3 %) and (4) low and increasing (LI, 6.1 %). Predictors of class membership were duration of illness, ethnicity, and education, receipt of state benefits, recovery, and quality of life. Results support findings from psychotherapy research about a predominantly stable course of the helping alliance in patients with severe mental illness over time. Implications for research and practice indicate to turn the attention to subgroups with noticeable courses.

Noise Maps for Quantitative and Clinical Severity Towards Long-Term ECG Monitoring.

Science.gov (United States)

Everss-Villalba, Estrella; Melgarejo-Meseguer, Francisco Manuel; Blanco-Velasco, Manuel; Gimeno-Blanes, Francisco Javier; Sala-Pla, Salvador; Rojo-Álvarez, José Luis; García-Alberola, Arcadi

2017-10-25

Noise and artifacts are inherent contaminating components and are particularly present in Holter electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring. The presence of noise is even more significant in long-term monitoring (LTM) recordings, as these are collected for several days in patients following their daily activities; hence, strong artifact components can temporarily impair the clinical measurements from the LTM recordings. Traditionally, the noise presence has been dealt with as a problem of non-desirable component removal by means of several quantitative signal metrics such as the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), but current systems do not provide any information about the true impact of noise on the ECG clinical evaluation. As a first step towards an alternative to classical approaches, this work assesses the ECG quality under the assumption that an ECG has good quality when it is clinically interpretable. Therefore, our hypotheses are that it is possible (a) to create a clinical severity score for the effect of the noise on the ECG, (b) to characterize its consistency in terms of its temporal and statistical distribution, and (c) to use it for signal quality evaluation in LTM scenarios. For this purpose, a database of external event recorder (EER) signals is assembled and labeled from a clinical point of view for its use as the gold standard of noise severity categorization. These devices are assumed to capture those signal segments more prone to be corrupted with noise during long-term periods. Then, the ECG noise is characterized through the comparison of these clinical severity criteria with conventional quantitative metrics taken from traditional noise-removal approaches, and noise maps are proposed as a novel representation tool to achieve this comparison. Our results showed that neither of the benchmarked quantitative noise measurement criteria represent an accurate enough estimation of the clinical severity of the noise. A case study of long-term ECG is reported

The Course of Headache in Patients With Moderate-to-Severe Headache Due to Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hong, Chang-Ki; Joo, Jin-Yang; Kim, Yong Bae; Shim, Yu Shik; Lim, Yong Cheol; Shin, Yong Sam; Chung, Joonho

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the course of headache in patients with moderate-to-severe headache due to aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) and to identify its predisposing factors. Little is known about the long-term course of headache in patients with aSAH. Since September 2009, patients with aSAH have had their headaches prospectively rated using a numeric rating scale (NRS). From this database containing 838 patients, 217 were included and all included patients met the following criteria: (1) presence of ruptured intracranial aneurysms on computed tomography angiography or magnetic resonance angiography; (2) alert consciousness (Glasgow Coma Scale 15); (3) newly onset moderate-to-severe headache (NRS ≥ 4) due to ruptured intracranial aneurysms; and (4) good clinical outcome at discharge (modified Rankin Scale 0, 1, or 2). We observed the changes in NRS scores from initial to 12-month follow-up and identified the predisposing factors of NRS changes. Of the 217 patients, 182 (83.9%) experienced improvement in NRS score ≤ 3 upon discharge. The NRS scores at discharge were significantly lower than those on admission (P headache improvement included previous stroke (odds ratio [OR] = 0.141; 95% CI 0.051-0.381; P headache treated with medication (OR = 0.079; 95% CI 0.010-0.518; P = .008), and endovascular treatment (EVT; OR = 2.531; 95% CI 1.141-5.912; P = .026). The NRS scores tended to decrease continuously until the 12-month follow-up. EVT and symptomatic vasospasm were independently associated with a decrease of NRS in the follow-up periods. The course of headache in patients with aSAH continuously improved during the 12 months of follow-up. Headache improvement might be expected in patients who were treated with EVT and in those who did not have previous stroke or headache. © 2015 American Headache Society.

Developing and providing an online (web-based) clinical research design course in Japan: lessons learned.

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, Glenn T; Mulligan, Roseann; Baba, Kazuyoshi

2011-04-01

This article reports on the lessons learned while teaching an 8-week-long online course about the principles of clinical research design in Japan. Student activity data and how it relates to performance in the course are presented. As prolog, this article focuses on the barriers and solutions to creating and delivering a web-based course and it lists and discusses the most common concerns that educators often have about this process, namely, cost of the system and time requirement of the faculty. Options that must be considered when selecting the support software and hardware needed to conduct live streaming lecture, online video-based conference course are presented. The ancillary role of e-mail based distribution lists as an essential instruction tool within an interactive, instructor-supervised online course is discussed. This article then discusses the inclusion of active learning elements within an online course as well as the pros and cons regarding open-book versus closed book, proctored testing. Lastly, copyright issues the online instructor should know about are discussed. The student tracking data show that as the course progresses, students will reduce the number for page viewings. We speculate that this reduction is due to a combination of conflicting priorities plus increasing efficiency of the students at extracting the critical information. The article also concludes that software and hardware costs to deliver an online course are relatively minor but the faculty's time requirement is initially substantially higher than teaching in a conventional face-to-face course. Copyright © 2011 Japan Prosthodontic Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of human papilloma virus expression on clinical course of laryngeal papilloma.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Kwang Moon; Cho, Nam Hoon; Choi, Hong Shik; Kim, Young Ho; Byeon, Hyung Kwon; Min, Hyun Jin; Kim, Se-Heon

2008-10-01

Our observations suggest that human papilloma virus (HPV) 6/11 is the main causative agent of laryngeal papilloma and that detection of active HPV DNA expression may be helpful in identifying patients with aggressive recurrent laryngeal papilloma. HPV is assumed to be the main causative agent of this disease. We investigated the expression of the entire genotype of HPV in cases of laryngeal papilloma and correlated their expression with the clinical course of the disease. Seventy cases of laryngeal papilloma were evaluated for the presence of the HPV genome by in situ hybridization (ISH) using wide-spectrum HPV DNA probe. Specific types of HPV infection were determined by DNA ISH using type-specific HPV DNA probes (HPV 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33). Separate analyses were conducted comparing viral types, frequency of recurrences and duration of disease-free periods. We detected HPV DNA in 40 of the 70 laryngeal papilloma cases (57%). In particular, HPV DNA was detected in 75% of the juvenile types. There were significant associations between HPV and laryngeal papilloma (p<0.01). Among the HPV-positive cases, major specific types were HPV 6/11 (97%). Significant associations were also noted between viral expression and clinical course.

Correlates of Stress and Coping among Jordanian Nursing Students during Clinical Practice in Psychiatric/Mental Health Course.

Science.gov (United States)

Alzayyat, Abdulkarim; Al-Gamal, Ekhlas

2016-10-01

Training in psychiatric settings is stressful for nursing students. The purpose of this study was to examine the correlations between the students' characteristics, their stress degrees, stressors and types of coping strategies they experience during training in psychiatric course. A descriptive, correlational, longitudinal design was used. Sixty-five undergraduate nursing students were recruited randomly from five Jordanian universities. Self-report questionnaires were administered at the second semester of the 2012-2013 academic year. The findings showed that students who utilized avoidance or transference strategies reported high stress degrees. Moreover, the results showed that those students who were in the fourth year, with a low family income, who avoid extracurricular activities, with a low academic grade or who registered in other clinical course(s) reported high stress degrees. These findings present a worthy data for the clinical instructors that facilitate students training in psychiatric settings and promote their psychosocial well-being. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Complications of nonbiliary laparoscopic gastrointestinal surgery : Radiologic findings and clinical courses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jung, Seon Ah; Lee, Sang Hoon; Won, Yong Sung; Park, Young Ha; Kim, Jun Gi [St. Vincent' s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University, Suwon (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Hyun [St. Mary' s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

2000-05-01

To evaluate the radiological findings and clinical course of the complications arising after nonbiliay laparoscopic gastrointestinal surgery (NLGS). We retrospectively reviewed the clinical records of 131 patients who underwent NLGS (83 cases involving colorectal surgery, 18 splenectomies, 14 appendectomies, ten adrenalectomies, three lumbar sympathectomies, two Duhamel's operation, and one peptic ulcer perforation repair) over a four-year period. Among these 131 patients, the findings of fifteen in whom postoperative complications were confirmed were analysed. The radiologic examinations these patients underwent included CT (n=3D8), barium enema and fistulography (n=3D4), ultrasonography (n=3D3), ascending venography of the lower legs (n=3D2), and penile Doppler sonography (n=3D1). We evaluated the radiologic findings and clinical courses of early (within 2 weeks) and late (after 2 weeks) postoperative complications. Sixteen cases of postoperative complications developed in fifteen patients ; in 14 (17%) after colorectal surgery and in one (6%) after splenectomy. Eleven of the sixteen cases (69%) involved early complications, consisting of an abscess in three, ischemic colitis in two, hemoperitoneum in one, perforation of the colon in one, pancreatitis in one, recto-vaginal fistula in one, deep vein thrombosis after colorectal surgery in one, and abscess after splenectomy in one. The remaining five cases (31%) involved late complications which developed after colorectal surgery, comprising anastomosic site stricture in two, abdominal wall (trocar site) metastasis in one, colo-cutaneous fistula in one, and impotence in one. Among the 16 cases involving postoperative complications, recto-vaginal fistula, colon perforation, and abdominal wall metastasis were treated by surgery, while the other thirteen cases were treated conservatively. Various postoperative complications develop after NLGS, with a higher rate of these being noted in cases involving colorectal

Complications of nonbiliary laparoscopic gastrointestinal surgery : Radiologic findings and clinical courses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jung, Seon Ah; Lee, Sang Hoon; Won, Yong Sung; Park, Young Ha; Kim, Jun Gi; Kim, Hyun

2000-01-01

To evaluate the radiological findings and clinical course of the complications arising after nonbiliay laparoscopic gastrointestinal surgery (NLGS). We retrospectively reviewed the clinical records of 131 patients who underwent NLGS (83 cases involving colorectal surgery, 18 splenectomies, 14 appendectomies, ten adrenalectomies, three lumbar sympathectomies, two Duhamel's operation, and one peptic ulcer perforation repair) over a four-year period. Among these 131 patients, the findings of fifteen in whom postoperative complications were confirmed were analysed. The radiologic examinations these patients underwent included CT (n=3D8), barium enema and fistulography (n=3D4), ultrasonography (n=3D3), ascending venography of the lower legs (n=3D2), and penile Doppler sonography (n=3D1). We evaluated the radiologic findings and clinical courses of early (within 2 weeks) and late (after 2 weeks) postoperative complications. Sixteen cases of postoperative complications developed in fifteen patients ; in 14 (17%) after colorectal surgery and in one (6%) after splenectomy. Eleven of the sixteen cases (69%) involved early complications, consisting of an abscess in three, ischemic colitis in two, hemoperitoneum in one, perforation of the colon in one, pancreatitis in one, recto-vaginal fistula in one, deep vein thrombosis after colorectal surgery in one, and abscess after splenectomy in one. The remaining five cases (31%) involved late complications which developed after colorectal surgery, comprising anastomosic site stricture in two, abdominal wall (trocar site) metastasis in one, colo-cutaneous fistula in one, and impotence in one. Among the 16 cases involving postoperative complications, recto-vaginal fistula, colon perforation, and abdominal wall metastasis were treated by surgery, while the other thirteen cases were treated conservatively. Various postoperative complications develop after NLGS, with a higher rate of these being noted in cases involving colorectal

The impact of a structured clinical training course on interns' self-reported confidence with core clinical urology skills.

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Browne, C; Norton, S; Nolan, J M; Whelan, C; Sullivan, J F; Quinlan, M; Sheikh, M; Mc Dermott, T E D; Lynch, T H; Manecksha, R P

2018-02-01

Undergraduate training in core urology skills is lacking in many Irish training programmes. Our aim was to assess newly qualified doctors' experience and confidence with core urological competencies. A questionnaire survey covering exposure to urology and confidence with core clinical skills was circulated to all candidates. The group then attended a skills course covering male/female catheterisation, insertion of three-way catheters, bladder irrigation and management of long-term suprapubic catheters. The groups were re-surveyed following the course. Forty-five interns completed the pre-course questionnaire (group 1) and 27 interns completed the post-course questionnaire (group 2). 24/45 (53%) had no experience of catheter insertion on a patient during their undergraduate training. 26/45 (58%) were unsupervised during their first catheter insertion. 12/45 (27%) had inserted a female catheter. 18/45 (40%) had inserted a three-way catheter. 12/45 (27%) had changed a suprapubic catheter. 40/45 (89%) in group 1 reported 'good' or 'excellent' confidence with male urinary catheterisation, compared to 25/27 (92.5%) in group 2. 18/45 (40%) in group 1 reported 'none' or 'poor' confidence with female catheterisation, compared to 7/27 (26%) in group 2. 22/45 (49%) in group 1 reported 'none' or 'poor' confidence with insertion of three-way catheters, compared to 2/27 (7%) in group 2. 32/45 (71%) in group 1 reported 'none' or 'poor' confidence in changing long-term suprapubic catheters, falling to 3/27 (11%) in group 2. This study raises concerns about newly qualified doctors' practical experience in urology. We suggest that this course improves knowledge and confidence with practical urology skills and should be incorporated into intern induction.

Upper gastrointestinal bleeding caused by severe esophagitis: a unique clinical syndrome.

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Guntipalli, Prathima; Chason, Rebecca; Elliott, Alan; Rockey, Don C

2014-12-01

We have recognized a unique clinical syndrome in patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding who are found to have severe esophagitis. We aimed to more clearly describe the clinical entity of upper gastrointestinal bleeding in patients with severe esophagitis. We conducted a retrospective matched case-control study designed to investigate clinical features in patients with carefully defined upper gastrointestinal bleeding and severe esophagitis. Patient data were captured prospectively via a Gastrointestinal Bleeding Healthcare Registry, which collects data on all patients admitted with gastrointestinal bleeding. Patients with endoscopically documented esophagitis (cases) were matched with randomly selected controls that had upper gastrointestinal bleeding caused by other lesions. Epidemiologic features in patients with esophagitis were similar to those with other causes of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. However, hematemesis was more common in patients with esophagitis 86% (102/119) than in controls 55% (196/357) (p bleeding than those without cirrhosis. We have described a unique clinical syndrome in patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding who have erosive esophagitis. This syndrome is manifest by typical clinical features and is associated with favorable outcomes.

How do social networks and faculty development courses affect clinical supervisors' adoption of a medical education innovation? An exploratory study.

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Jippes, Erik; Steinert, Yvonne; Pols, Jan; Achterkamp, Marjolein C; van Engelen, Jo M L; Brand, Paul L P

2013-03-01

To examine the impact of social networks and a two-day faculty development course on clinical supervisors' adoption of an educational innovation. During 2007-2010, 571 residents and 613 clinical supervisors in four specialties in the Netherlands were invited to complete a Web-based questionnaire. Residents rated their clinical supervisors' adoption of an educational innovation, the use of structured and constructive (S&C) feedback. Clinical supervisors self-assessed their adoption of this innovation and rated their communication intensity with other clinical supervisors in their department. For each supervisor, a centrality score was calculated, representing the extent to which the supervisor was connected to departmental colleagues. The authors analyzed the effects of supervisor centrality and participation in a two-day Teach-the-Teacher course on the degree of innovation adoption using hierarchical linear modeling, adjusting for age, gender, and attitude toward the S&C feedback innovation. Respondents included 370 (60%) supervisors and 357 (63%) residents. Although Teach-the-Teacher course participation (n=172; 46.5%) was significantly related to supervisors' self-assessments of adoption (P=.001), it had no effect on residents' assessments of supervisors' adoption (P=.371). Supervisor centrality was significantly related to innovation adoption in both residents' assessments (P=.023) and supervisors' self-assessments (P=.024). A clinical supervisor's social network may be as important as faculty development course participation in determining whether the supervisor adopts an educational innovation. Faculty development initiatives should use faculty members' social networks to improve the adoption of educational innovations and help build and maintain communities of practice.

Dynamic CT findings of eosinophilic hepatic abscess and its clinical course

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, Dae Hyoun; Chang, Jae Chun; Seong, Ki Ho

1996-01-01

To evaluate dynamic CT features and its clinical courses of eosinophilic hepatic abscess. Two-phase dynamic CT findings and the clinical courses of 13 pathologically proven cases of eosinophilic abscess were reviewed. All patients showed peripheral eosinophilia, and diagnoses were confirmed by ultrasound-guided biopsy(n=9) or operation(n=4). In two of the four patients who underwent segmental hepatectomy, worms of the species fasciola hepatica were detected. Follow-up CT scans after treatment with antibiotics or praziquantel were available in seven and eitht patients, respectively. All hepatic lesions were found in a subcapsular location or in contact with Glisson's capsule around the bile duct Arterial-dominant phase CT(n=11) demonstrated clusters of ill-defined low density masses without rim enhancement. Late-phase CT(n=13) more clearly depicted clustering lesions with enhancing rims and diminyution of the low-density area. Follow-up CT scans after treatment with antibiotics(n=7) showed no change in the lesions in three patients and slight shrinkage of the main mass with additional new lesions in four. On CT scans of nine patients performad after praziquantel therapy, hepatic masses were seen in all patients to be very slightly smaller after improvement of peripheral hypereosinophilia. Two-phase dynamic CT features appear to be helpful for the diagnosis of eosinophilic hepatic abscess in patients with peripheral eosinophilia. Parasitic infestation by Fasciola hepatica for example, is the presumed cause of such abscesses, though further studies are required

Dynamic CT findings of eosinophilic hepatic abscess and its clinical course

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cho, Dae Hyoun; Chang, Jae Chun; Seong, Ki Ho [Yeungnam Univ. School of Medicine, Taegu (Korea, Republic of)

1996-01-01

To evaluate dynamic CT features and its clinical courses of eosinophilic hepatic abscess. Two-phase dynamic CT findings and the clinical courses of 13 pathologically proven cases of eosinophilic abscess were reviewed. All patients showed peripheral eosinophilia, and diagnoses were confirmed by ultrasound-guided biopsy(n=9) or operation(n=4). In two of the four patients who underwent segmental hepatectomy, worms of the species fasciola hepatica were detected. Follow-up CT scans after treatment with antibiotics or praziquantel were available in seven and eitht patients, respectively. All hepatic lesions were found in a subcapsular location or in contact with Glisson's capsule around the bile duct Arterial-dominant phase CT(n=11) demonstrated clusters of ill-defined low density masses without rim enhancement. Late-phase CT(n=13) more clearly depicted clustering lesions with enhancing rims and diminyution of the low-density area. Follow-up CT scans after treatment with antibiotics(n=7) showed no change in the lesions in three patients and slight shrinkage of the main mass with additional new lesions in four. On CT scans of nine patients performad after praziquantel therapy, hepatic masses were seen in all patients to be very slightly smaller after improvement of peripheral hypereosinophilia. Two-phase dynamic CT features appear to be helpful for the diagnosis of eosinophilic hepatic abscess in patients with peripheral eosinophilia. Parasitic infestation by Fasciola hepatica for example, is the presumed cause of such abscesses, though further studies are required.

An extremely rare neoplasm, histiocytic sarcoma: A report of two cases with an aggressive clinical course

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Erkan Kayikcioglu

2017-07-01

Conclusions: HS is an extremely rare malignant neoplasm of the monocytic/macrophage lineage, with no standardized chemotherapy regimen for multisystemic disease. Metastatic patients have a more aggressive clinical course than those with unifocal disease.

Clinical Course and Outcomes of Small Supratentorial Intracerebral Hematomas.

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Behrouz, Réza; Misra, Vivek; Godoy, Daniel A; Topel, Christopher H; Masotti, Luca; Klijn, Catharina J M; Smith, Craig J; Parry-Jones, Adrian R; Slevin, Mark A; Silver, Brian; Willey, Joshua Z; Masjuán Vallejo, Jaime; Nzwalo, Hipólito; Popa-Wagner, Aurel; Malek, Ali R; Hafeez, Shaheryar; Di Napoli, Mario

2017-06-01

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) volume, particularly if ≥30 mL, is a major determinant of poor outcome. We used a multinational ICH data registry to study the characteristics, course, and outcomes of supratentorial hematomas with volumes hematoma expansion, Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS), and in-hospital death. Poor outcome was defined as composite of in-hospital death and severe disability (GOS ≤ 3). Comparison was conducted based on hemorrhage location. Logistic regression using dichotomized outcome scales was applied to determine predictors of poor outcome. Among 375 cases of supratentorial ICH with volumes hematomas <30 mL expands, leading to END or death. Copyright © 2017 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Partial clinical response to anakinra in severe palmoplantar pustular psoriasis.

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Tauber, M; Viguier, M; Alimova, E; Petit, A; Lioté, F; Smahi, A; Bachelez, H

2014-09-01

Palmoplantar pustular psoriasis is a clinical psoriasis variant characterised by a high impact on quality of life and poor response to biologics approved for plaque type psoriasis.The recombinant interleukin-1 (IL-1) receptor antagonist anakinra has been recently used for the treatment of isolated refractory cases of generalised pustular psoriasis with contrasted results. To report the clinical response in two patients treated with anakinra as salvage therapy in two patients with severe palmoplantar pustular psoriasis refractory to currently available antipsoriatic systemic therapies. Anakinra was given subcutaneously at the daily dose of 100 mg, and clinical response was evaluated using the palmoplantar psoriasis area and severity index (PPPASI). Only partial and transient responses were observed in both patients, who had to stop anakinra due to lack of efficacy and to side effects. Anakinra appears to provide only partial clinical improvement in refractory palmoplantar pustular psoriasis. Prospective clinical studies on larger populations are warranted to investigate more accurately both efficacy and safety of IL-1-inhibiting strategies in pustular psoriasis. © 2014 British Association of Dermatologists.

The Direct and Interactive Effects of Neuroticism and Life Stress on the Severity and Longitudinal Course of Depressive Symptoms

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Brown, Timothy A.; Rosellini, Anthony J.

2011-01-01

The direct and interactive effects of neuroticism and stressful life events (chronic and episodic stressors) on the severity and temporal course of depression symptoms were examined in 826 outpatients with mood and anxiety disorders, assessed on three occasions over a one-year period (intake, 6- and 12-month follow-ups). Neuroticism, chronic stress, and episodic stress were uniquely associated with intake depression symptom severity. A significant interaction effect indicated that the strength of the effect of neuroticism on initial depression severity increased as chronic stress increased. Although neuroticism did not have a significant direct effect on the temporal course of depression symptoms, chronic stress significantly moderated this relationship such that neuroticism had an increasingly deleterious effect on depression symptom improvement as the level of chronic stress over follow-up increased. In addition, chronic stress over follow-up (but not episodic stress) was uniquely predictive of less depression symptom improvement. Consistent with a stress generation framework, however, initial depression symptom severity was positively associated with chronic stress during follow-up. The results are discussed in regard to diathesis-stress conceptual models of emotional disorders and the various roles of stressful life events in the onset, severity, and maintenance of depressive psychopathology. PMID:21381799

Specific clinical signs and symptoms are predictive of clinical course in sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

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Nakatani, E; Kanatani, Y; Kaneda, H; Nagai, Y; Teramukai, S; Nishimura, T; Zhou, B; Kojima, S; Kono, H; Fukushima, M; Kitamoto, T; Mizusawa, H

2016-09-01

Akinetic mutism is thought to be an appropriate therapeutic end-point in patients with sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD). However, prognostic factors for akinetic mutism are unclear and clinical signs or symptoms that precede this condition have not been defined. The goal of this study was to identify prognostic factors for akinetic mutism and to clarify the order of clinical sign and symptom development prior to its onset. The cumulative incidence of akinetic mutism and other clinical signs and symptoms was estimated based on Japanese CJD surveillance data (455 cases) collected from 2003 to 2008. A proportional hazards model was used to identify prognostic factors for the time to onset of akinetic mutism and other clinical signs and symptoms. Periodic synchronous discharges on electroencephalography were present in the majority of cases (93.5%). The presence of psychiatric symptoms or cerebellar disturbance at sCJD diagnosis was associated with the development of akinetic mutism [hazard ratio (HR) 1.50, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.14-1.99, and HR 2.15, 95% CI1.61-2.87, respectively]. The clinical course from cerebellar disturbance to myoclonus or akinetic mutism was classified into three types: (i) direct path, (ii) path via pyramidal or extrapyramidal dysfunction and (iii) path via psychiatric symptoms or visual disturbance. The presence of psychiatric symptoms or cerebellar disturbance increased the risk of akinetic mutism of sCJD cases with probable MM/MV subtypes. Also, there appear to be sequential associations in the development of certain clinical signs and symptoms of this disease. © 2016 The Authors. European Journal of Neurology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Academy of Neurology.

Retroillumination photography analysis enhances clinical definition of severe Fuchs Corneal Dystrophy

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Eghrari, Allen O.; Garrett, Brian S.; Mumtaz, Aisha A.; Edalati, Armand E.; Meadows, Danielle N.; McGlumphy, Elyse J.; Iliff, Benjamin W.; Gottsch, John D.

2015-01-01

Purpose Retroillumination photography analysis (RPA) provides objective assessment of the number and distribution of guttae in Fuchs Corneal Dystrophy. Here, we assess its correlation with clinical grading using slit-lamp biomicroscopy across varying levels of severity. Methods Retroillumination photographs were conducted of 95 affected corneas with slit-lamp flash photography after pupillary dilation. Individual guttae were counted manually and the position of individual points recorded. Clinical grading using the Krachmer scale was documented for each eye during examination, and regression analyses were performed to identify the strength of association with number of guttae. We assessed range at each stage of clinical grading, and utilized the Mann-Whitney U test to assess whether clinical grading levels demonstrated successively higher numbers of guttae. Results Krachmer score ranged from 1 to 5, with mean of 2.6. Mean numbers of guttae at each level of severity were 289 (1+), 999 (2+), 2669 (3+), 5474 (4+), and 7133 (5+). Each stage demonstrated significantly higher numbers of guttae than its preceding level except from 4+ to 5+ (p=0.30), consistent with the definition of 4+ as the highest level defined by presence of guttae. Higher levels of clinical grading were associated with larger ranges of guttae (p<0.01). A linear regression model resulted in a strong fit between RPA and Krachmer score (r=0.81). Conclusion In this largest study of RPA data and comparison with subjective clinical grading of FCD severity, RPA correlates strongly and demonstrates enhanced definition of severity at advanced stages of disease. PMID:26488628

[Clinical features and course of Kawasaki disease in central Tunisia: a study about 14 cases collected over a period of three years (2000-2002)].

Science.gov (United States)

Chemli, Jalel; Kchaou, Habib; Amri, Fethi; Belkadhi, Adel; Essoussi, Ahmed Sahloul; Gueddiche, Neji; Harbi, Abdelaziz

2005-08-01

To analyze the clinical features and course of Kawasaki disease in central Tunisia. We studied retrospectively 14 cases of children with Kawasaki disease collected in tunisian center during three years (2000-2002). The study is about 11 boys and 3 girls (sex - ratio: 3.6/1) aged from 6 months to 8 years (mean age : 4 years). Twelve patients had at least 5 diagnostic criteria of the illness, the two others had an incomplete form. We noted cardiac complications in seven patients treated belatedly, beyond 10 days of progression, because of atypical clinical presentations. All patients had all a middle caliber coronary aneurysm that was complicated by a thrombus in three cases, associated with pericarditis and minimal mitral insufficiency in a case and with a cardiac rhythm disturbance (block of branch) in another case. Besides the cardiac complications, several other visceral manifestation could be noted: joint symptoms in five cases, GI tract symptomes in three cases, neuro-meningeal in two cases and urinary trad symptomes in two other cases. Specific treatment (aspirin with antiinflammatory dose and intravenous immune globulin (IVIG)) has been instituted in all patients. The course was favorable for 12 patients with fast regression of clinical manifestation and progressive normalisation of biologic values. Two patients did not respond to the initial IVIG treatment, and had to recense received an additional course of IGIV but without clinical nor biological improvement. These two patients were treated with corticosteroids. Cardiac lesions disappeared completely in all patients even for those with thrombosis and in patients with IVIG-resistant Kawasaki disease. Only one patient had kept neurologic sequellae: aphasia, bevavioral problemes and partial epilepsy. Kawasaki disease is not rare in our region. Incomplete or atypical presentations are frequent and are a source of diagnostic delay. Coronary aneurysm due to the delay of treatment often regresses even in patients

Apoptosis and clinical severity in patients with psoriasis and HCV infection

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Sami A Gabr

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background: It has been proposed that hepatitis C virus (HCV antigens are involved in the pathogenesis of psoriasis and may contribute to severity of the disease. Increased expression of the apoptosis-regulating proteins p53 and tTG and decreased levels of bcl-2 in the keratinocytes of the skin of psoriatic patients have been reported. Aim: This study aims to identify the serum levels of apoptosis-regulating proteins in patients with psoriasis and without HCV infection and to study the relation between clinical severity of psoriasis and the presence of HCV infection. Materials and Methods: Disease severity was assessed by psoriasis area severity index score (PASI of 90 patients with psoriasis grouped as mild (n = 30, moderate (n = 30 and severe (n = 30; 20 healthy individuals were used as controls. All groups were subjected for complete history taking, clinical examination, and tests for liver function and HCV infection. The serum levels of apoptosis related proteins: p53, tTG and bcl-2 were estimated by enzyme linked immune sorbent assay (ELISA. Results: There was a statistically significant (P < 0.001 correlation between clinical severity of psoriasis and presence of HCV antibodies and HCV-mRNA. In addition, significantly (P < 0.001 raised serum p53 and tTG, and reduced bcl-2 were observed among HCV-positive patients as compared to HCV-negative patients and control patients. Conclusion: These results conclude that clinical severity of psoriasis is affected by the presence of HCV antibodies and overexpression of apoptotic related proteins. In addition, altered serum levels of apoptosis-regulating proteins could be useful prognostic markers and therapeutic targets of psoriatic disease.

Clinical Course and Risk Factors of Diabetic Retinopathy in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Korea

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Jae-Seung Yun

2016-10-01

Full Text Available BackgroundWe investigated clinical course and risk factors for diabetic retinopathy (DR in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM.MethodsA total of 759 patients with T2DM without DR were included from January 2001 to December 2004. Retinopathy evaluation was performed at least annually by ophthalmologists. The severity of the DR was classified into five categories according to the International Clinical Diabetic Retinopathy Severity Scales.ResultsOf the 759 patients, 523 patients (68.9% completed the follow-up evaluation. During the follow-up period, 235 patients (44.9% developed DR, and 32 patients (13.6% progressed to severe nonproliferative DR (NPDR or proliferative DR (PDR. The mean duration of diabetes at the first diagnosis of mild NPDR, moderate NPDR, and severe NPDR or PDR were 14.8, 16.7, and 17.3 years, respectively. After adjusting multiple confounding factors, the significant risk factors for the incidence of DR risk in patients with T2DM were old age, longer duration of diabetes, higher mean glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c, and albuminuria. Even in the patients who had been diagnosed with diabetes for longer than 10 years at baseline, a decrease in HbA1c led to a significant reduction in the risk of developing DR (hazard ratio, 0.73 per 1% HbA1c decrement; 95% confidence interval, 0.58 to 0.91; P=0.005.ConclusionThis prospective cohort study demonstrates that glycemic control, diabetes duration, age, and albuminuria are important risk factors for the development of DR. More aggressive retinal screening for T2DM patients diagnosed with DR should be required in order to not miss rapid progression of DR.

Personality traits and clinical/biochemical course in the first year after kidney transplant.

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Thomas, Caroline Venzon; de Castro, Elisa Kern; Antonello, Ivan Carlos Ferreira

2016-10-01

The relationship between personality and health is frequently studied in scientific research. This study investigated the clinical/biochemical course of kidney transplant patients based on personality traits. A longitudinal study assessed 114 kidney transplant patients (men = 68 and women = 46) with an average age of 47.72 years (SD = 11.4). Personality was evaluated using the Brazilian Factorial Personality Inventory (BFP/Big Five Model). Clinical variables were analyzed based on patient charts (estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), hypertension, acute rejection, infection, graft loss, and death). Personality types were assessed by hierarchical cluster analysis. Two groups with personality types were differentiated by psychological characteristics: Cluster 1 - average neuroticism, high surgency, agreeableness and conscientiousness, and low openness; Cluster 2 - high neuroticism, average surgency and agreeableness, average conscientiousness, and low openness. There was no statistically significant difference between the clusters in terms of hypertension, acute infection, graft loss, death, and Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) I and II panel reactive antibodies. eGFR was associated with the personality types. Cluster 2 was associated with a better renal function in the 9-month follow-up period after kidney transplantation. In this study, patients from Cluster 2 exhibited higher eGFR 9 months after the transplant procedure compared to those from Cluster 1. Monitoring these patients over a longer period may provide a better understanding of the relationship between personality traits and clinical course during the post-transplant period.

A required course in the development, implementation, and evaluation of clinical pharmacy services.

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Skomo, Monica L; Kamal, Khalid M; Berdine, Hildegarde J

2008-10-15

To develop, implement, and assess a required pharmacy practice course to prepare pharmacy students to develop, implement, and evaluate clinical pharmacy services using a business plan model. Course content centered around the process of business planning and pharmacoeconomic evaluations. Selected business planning topics included literature evaluation, mission statement development, market evaluation, policy and procedure development, and marketing strategy. Selected pharmacoeconomic topics included cost-minimization analysis, cost-benefit analysis, cost-effectiveness analysis, cost-utility analysis, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Assessment methods included objective examinations, student participation, performance on a group project, and peer evaluation. One hundred fifty-three students were enrolled in the course. The mean scores on the objective examinations (100 points per examination) ranged from 82 to 85 points, with 25%-35% of students in the class scoring over 90, and 40%-50% of students scoring from 80 to 89. The mean scores on the group project (200 points) and classroom participation (50 points) were 183.5 and 46.1, respectively. The mean score on the peer evaluation was 30.8, with scores ranging from 27.5 to 31.7. The course provided pharmacy students with the framework necessary to develop and implement evidence-based disease management programs and to assure efficient, cost-effective utilization of pertinent resources in the provision of patient care.

An Examination of Fifth Grade Students' Attitudes towards Social Studies Course in Terms of Severable Variables

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Ilgaz, Selçuk

2018-01-01

The aim of this research is to investigate the 5th grade students' attitude towards social studies course regarding several variables. The population of the study consisted of 4435 fifth grade students studying in public schools in Malatya, Yesilyurt. The sample group consisted of 362 students from 10 schools in the same district. The data used in…

Clinical and laboratory assessment of dehydration severity in children with acute gastroenteritis.

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Parkin, Patricia C; Macarthur, Colin; Khambalia, Amina; Goldman, Ran D; Friedman, Jeremy N

2010-03-01

To evaluate clinical and laboratory assessment of dehydration severity in children, 1 to 36 months, with acute gastroenteritis. Clinical and laboratory measures and weight change following rehydration were collected for enrolled children. Pediatric emergency department. Likelihood ratio (LR+) and 95% confidence interval (CI): for a clinical score of 0, the LR+ was 2.2 (95% CI = 0.9-5.3); for a clinical score of 1 to 4, the LR+ was 1.3 (95% CI = 0.90-1.74); for a clinical score of 5 to 8, the LR+ was 5.2 (95% CI = 2.2-12.8); for a venous pH Dehydration Scale and laboratory measures into clinical decision-making algorithms to assess dehydration severity in children with acute gastroenteritis.

IAEA training course series TCS-37 clinical training of medical physicists specializing in radiation oncology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inamura, Kiyonari

2015-01-01

Training program IAEA TCS-37 (Training course series No.37) 'Clinical Training Specializing in Radiation Oncology (2009)' was fixed to practical training syllabus at faculty and graduate course of medical physics of a university. TCS-47 for diagnostic radiology (2010) and TCS-50 for nuclear medicine (2011) were also involved in the syllabus. These training courses had been developed by IAEA RCA RAS6038 project since 2002. In this paper, first, comparison with other training programs in the world was made in terms of (1) Degree of extent of subject or field, (2) Concreteness or specificity, (3) Degree of completion, (4) Method of certification and (5) Practicability. IAEA TCS series got the most points among ten programs such as EMERALD/EMIT, AAPM rpt. No.90 and CAMPEP accredited programs. Second, TCS-37, TCS-47 and TCS-50 were broken down to 6, 5 and 6 subjects of training course respectively. Third, each subject was further broken down to 15 times of training schedule where every time was composed by 3 hours of training. Totally 45 hours of a subject were assigned to one semester for getting one unit of credit. Seventeen units should be credited up to three years in graduate course to finish the whole program. (author)

Clinical, general, hemocoagulation and pathologicanatomical features of patients with moderate and severe community acquired pneumonia by the data of retrospective analysis

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Pertseva T.A.

2017-10-01

Full Text Available According to literature data, patients with community acquired pneumonia (CAP fall into several groups of unfavorable prognostic factors. Development of thrombotic complications is one of causes of mortality of hospitalized patients. In this case systemic inflammation, which is always present in moderate and severe CAP, is the starting mechanism of formation of disorders in the hemostasis system. The aim of our work was to determine anamnestic, clinical, laboratory and pathologic anatomical features in patients with CAP, taking into account markers of systemic inflammation and coagulogram indices, as well as predicting the occurrence of complications. In the course of the work, a retrospective analysis of 151 medical histories of hospitalized patients with CAP was made. We analyzed anthropometric indicators, complaints at the time of hospitalization, results of physical examination, results of the chest X-ray, clinical and laboratory indicators, microbiological sputum analysis and to assess the possibility of thrombotic complications a RAM scale was used. It was found that late asking for medical help, the presence of mixed infection, underestimation of the severity of condition and severe systemic inflammation increase the risk of lethal outcome in patients with CAP. Considering a high risk of thrombosis in patients with CAP, it is necessary to assess the risk of thrombotic complications with the help of special scales, as well as timely detection and correction of disorders from the hemostasis system.

Prediction of clinical course of glioblastomas by MRI during radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leitzen, Christina; Schild, Hans H.; Bungart, Birgitta; Luetter, Christiana; Muedder, Thomas; Wilhelm-Buchstab, Timo; Schueller, Heinrich; Herrlinger, Ulrich

2010-01-01

Purpose: Determine the value of MR studies in patients undergoing radiotherapy for glioblastomas pre and during radiotherapy to predict the clinical course. Patients and Methods: MR follow-up studies were performed in 33 patients with glioblastomas before radiotherapy, after 30 Gy, after 60 Gy, and in the treatment follow-up. Findings on MR were categorized into: definite progress, questionable progress, status idem. Patients were followed clinically (median for 11 months). Results: After 30 Gy 23/33 (70%) of the MR examination showed status idem. 10/33 (30%) demonstrated definite (n = 6) or questionable (n = 4) progress. Further tumor progress was faster in these patients and patients succumb to their disease earlier (9 vs. 22 months). The 60 Gy study showed definite (n = 8) and questionable (n = 6) progress in 14/33 (42%) cases. All these tumors were progressing faster and were associated with a comparatively reduced life expectancy. Conclusion: MR follow-up studies after 30 Gy in patients undergoing radiotherapy for glioblastomas allow for prognostic appraisal, and potentially early modification of treatment. (orig.)

Factors Associated With Nursing Students' Resilience: Communication Skills Course, Use of Social Media and Satisfaction With Clinical Placement.

Science.gov (United States)

Sigalit, Warshawski; Sivia, Barnoy; Michal, Itzhaki

The purpose of this study was to explore the (a) associations between students' personal and group resilience to their utilization of social networking platforms and formally taught communication skills, (b) students' personal and clinical characteristics that are related to personal and group resilience and the perceived helpfulness of communication course, and (c) factors that contribute to students' satisfaction with their clinical placement. Data were collected from 149 second year nursing students learning in a major university in the country of Israel with the use of a self-administered structured questionnaire. Students' satisfaction from their clinical placement was measured using 1 open-ended question, analyzed through qualitative methods. Results demonstrated positive correlations between students' use of social networking to their personal and group resilience (Pmedia use, religion, and clinical placement characteristics were related to resilience and to the perceived helpfulness of the communication course (P<.01). Students' satisfaction with their clinical placement was based primarily on the clinical instructors' personal and professional skills. In conclusion, social networking can and should be used as a learning tool to promote resilience among nursing students. Faculty and nurse managers should be aware of the central role of the clinical instructor and initiate collaborative and supporting initiatives. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Coffee consumption, metabolic syndrome and clinical severity of psoriasis: good or bad stuff?

Science.gov (United States)

Barrea, Luigi; Muscogiuri, Giovanna; Di Somma, Carolina; Annunziata, Giuseppe; Megna, Matteo; Falco, Andrea; Balato, Anna; Colao, Annamaria; Savastano, Silvia

2018-05-01

Despite the wide consumption of coffee, its anti-inflammatory effect on clinical severity of psoriasis is still debatable. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between the coffee consumption and clinical severity of psoriasis in a sample of patients stratified according to the presence of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) and smoking. This cross-sectional case-control observational study was conducted on 221 treatment-naïve psoriatic patients. Lifestyle habits, anthropometric measures, clinical and biochemical evaluations were obtained. Clinical severity of psoriasis was assessed by Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score. Data on energy caloric intake and coffee consumption were collected using a 7-day food diary record. The coffee consumption was analyzed as coffee intake (consumers and non-consumers) and daily servings (range 0-4 servings/day). Coffee consumers have a lower PASI score vs non-consumers (p < 0.001). The lowest PASI score and MetS prevalence were found in patients consuming 3 cups of coffee/day (p < 0.001), which was also the most common daily serving (34.8%), whereas the highest PASI score was found among those drinking ≥ 4 cups/day. Grouping the case patients according to smoking and MetS, the best odds of PASI score was observed in those drinking 3 cups of coffee per day and no smokers, after adjusting for total energy intake (OR 74.8; p < 0.001). As a novel finding, we reported a negative association between coffee intake, MetS prevalence and clinical severity of psoriasis. The evaluation of the anti-inflammatory effect of coffee on clinical severity of psoriasis, whose metabolic risk increases along with its clinical severity, could be of great importance from a public health perspective.

Impact of early surgical evacuation of sylvian hematoma on clinical course and outcome after subarachnoid hemorrhage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mutoh, Tatsushi; Ishikawa, Tatsuya; Moroi, Junta; Suzuki, Akifumi; Yasui, Nobuyuki

2010-01-01

The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of early surgical evacuation of sylvian hematoma caused by ruptured middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysm on clinical outcome after subarachnoid hemorrhage. Hospital records and computed tomography scans for 26 patients with MCA aneurysm who underwent surgical clipping between June 2001 and January 2008 were retrospectively reviewed. All patients presented with sylvian hematoma associated with subarachnoid hemorrhage and received surgery at 7.9±3.6 (mean±standard deviation) hours of ictus. They were divided postoperatively into two groups, achievement (n=16) and non-achievement (n=10) of extensive hematoma evacuation, and their clinical course and functional outcomes were compared. The frequencies of delayed ischemic neurological deficit and vasospasm-related cerebral infarction were significantly less (p<0.05) in the achievement group. Better functional outcomes were obtained in patients with successful evacuation (p<0.05), as assessed by improvement of hemiparesis on manual muscle testing scale at postoperative 1-month follow up and by the modified Rankin scale at postoperative 3 and 6 months. Clinical outcomes were also better in the achievement group. These results suggest that better clinical course and outcome can be expected in patients who undergo early successful hematoma evacuation with surgical clipping of a ruptured MCA aneurysm. (author)

Long-term course of severe depression: late remission and recurrence may be found in a follow-up after 38-53 years

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Lisa Crona

2012-07-01

Full Text Available This study is a follow-up of inpatients diagnosed with severe depression/melancholia between 1956 and 1969. During this period, all inpatients at the Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital, Lund, were rated on a multidimensional diagnostic schedule on discharge. There were 471 patients born from 1920 onward. In the present follow-up, 2006 to 2010, 169 survivors could be traced. They were asked to participate in the study involving a telephone interview, in which a structured life chart was used. Of the patients contacted, 16 were ill or confused and 3 did not remember ever being depressed, leaving 150 who could participate. Seventy-five of these agreed to participate in the study. Long-term course of depression was evaluated by cluster analysis and compared to background variables, such as heredity for depression, perceived parental rearing behaviour, and treatment of index depressive episode. Using a cluster analysis the patients could be separated into six clusters describing the course: i single or few episodes followed by long-lasting remission; ii single or few episodes followed by long-lasting remission, although shorter; iii single or few episodes followed by late recurrence; iv single or few episodes, but more frequently ill, followed by late recurrence; v several episodes followed by lasting remission; vi chronic course of episodes. Remission or recurrence could there- fore occur even after more than a decade. In summary, there was a short-term course with or without recurrence or a chronic course with or without late remission. Heredity for depression was significantly related to a chronic course with or without late remission.

Pneumomediastinum and pneumothorax as presenting signs in severe Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vazquez, Jose L.; Vazquez, Ignacio; Garcia-Tejedor, Jose L. [Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Vigo, Department of Radiology, Vigo (Spain); Gonzalez, Maria L.; Reparaz, Alfredo [Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Vigo, Department of Pediatrics, Vigo (Spain)

2007-12-15

We present a 3-year-old child with severe extensive Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia complicated with pneumomediastinum and pneumothorax. Pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum have only exceptionally been described in mild cases of the disease. The radiological findings, differential diagnosis and clinical course are discussed. (orig.)

Pneumomediastinum and pneumothorax as presenting signs in severe Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vazquez, Jose L.; Vazquez, Ignacio; Garcia-Tejedor, Jose L.; Gonzalez, Maria L.; Reparaz, Alfredo

2007-01-01

We present a 3-year-old child with severe extensive Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia complicated with pneumomediastinum and pneumothorax. Pneumothorax and pneumomediastinum have only exceptionally been described in mild cases of the disease. The radiological findings, differential diagnosis and clinical course are discussed. (orig.)

Perceived coercion in inpatients with Anorexia nervosa: Associations with illness severity and hospital course.

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Schreyer, Colleen C; Coughlin, Janelle W; Makhzoumi, Saniha H; Redgrave, Graham W; Hansen, Jennifer L; Guarda, Angela S

2016-04-01

The use of coercion in the treatment for anorexia nervosa (AN) is controversial and the limited studies to date have focused on involuntary treatment. However, coercive pressure for treatment that does not include legal measures is common in voluntarily admitted patients with AN. Empirical data examining the effect of non-legal forms of coerced care on hospital outcomes are needed. Participants (N = 202) with AN, Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), or subthreshold AN admitted to a hospital-based behavioral specialty program completed questionnaires assessing illness severity and perceived coercion around the admissions process. Hospital course variables included inpatient length of stay, successful transition to a step-down partial hospitalization program, and achievement of target weight prior to program discharge. Higher perceived coercion at admission was associated with increased drive for thinness and body dissatisfaction, but not with admission BMI. Perceived coercion was not related to inpatient length of stay, rate of weight gain, or achievement of target weight although it was predictive of premature drop-out prior to transition to an integrated partial hospitalization program. These results, from an adequately powered sample, demonstrate that perceived coercion at admission to a hospital-based behavioral treatment program was not associated with rate of inpatient weight gain or achieving weight restoration, suggesting that coercive pressure to enter treatment does not necessarily undermine formation of a therapeutic alliance or clinical progress. Future studies should examine perceived coercion and long-term outcomes, patient views on coercive pressures, and the effect of different forms of leveraged treatment. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Trichinella infection and clinical disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Clausen, M R; Meyer, C N; Krantz, T

1996-01-01

Trichinellosis is caused by ingestion of insufficiently cooked meat contaminated with infective larvae of Trichinella species. The clinical course is highly variable, ranging from no apparent infection to severe and even fatal disease. We report two illustrative cases of trichinellosis. Returning....... Life-threatening cardiopulmonary, renal and central nervous system complications developed. The patient recovered after several months. Her husband, who also ate the pork, did not have clinical symptoms, but an increased eosinophil count and a single larva in a muscle biopsy confirmed infection....... The epidemiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of trichinellosis are reviewed....

Evaluation of Acne Quality of Life and Clinical Severity in Acne Female Adults

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amal Kokandi

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Acne is a common disease especially among teenagers. It has a considerable psychological impact on affected individuals. The aim of this paper was to assess if the effect of acne on acne-related quality of life is correlated to acne clinical severity. 112 university female students attending the university medical clinics with acne complaints were examined. Cardiff Acne Disability Index (CADI was used to assess acne-related quality of life, and global acne grading system (GAGS was used to assess clinical severity of acne. There was no correlation between acne severity (GAGS scoring system and quality of life impairment as assessed by CADI score (=0.145, =.127. Additionally, CADI score did not correlate with disease duration or age of patients. We therefore conclude that acne clinical severity alone does not affect acne-related quality of life changes. Many other factors might play a role.

[Clinical and histological findings in Fabry nephropathy].

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Pieruzzi, Federico; Salerno, Fabio; Di Giacomo, Antonella; Torti, Giacomo; Ferrario, Franco; Pagni, Fabio; Stella, Andrea

2013-01-01

Fabry disease is a complex pathology, requiring a multidisciplinar approach both in the diagnostic workout and in the management of therapy. Clinical criteria able to predict its morbidity have not yet been found. The wide variability of clinical signs and symptoms requires an individual approach based on the single patient, in order to achieve an optimal management. Enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) has been introduced in the clinical setting for over ten years, but its ability to change the course of the disease has not yet been clearly proved. Recently the hypothesis that ERT may be ineffective in patients with severe organ involvement has emerged. The clinical course of Fabry disease is usually slower in eterozygous women than emizygous men, but can be frequently associated to severe organ failure and premature death in both cases. In this review we discuss the histological aspects of Fabry nephropathy in relation to diagnosis, prognosis, therapy and its effectiveness.

Clinical differences in patients with mitochondriocytopathies due to nuclear versus mitochondrial DNA mutations.

Science.gov (United States)

Rubio-Gozalbo, M E; Dijkman, K P; van den Heuvel, L P; Sengers, R C; Wendel, U; Smeitink, J A

2000-01-01

Defects in oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) are genetically unique because the different components involved in this process, respiratory chain enzyme complexes (I, III, and IV) and complex V, are encoded by nuclear and mitochondrial genome. The objective of the study was to assess whether there are clinical differences in patients suffering from OXPHOS defects caused by nuclear or mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations. We studied 16 families with > or = two siblings with a genetically established OXPHOS deficiency, four due to a nuclear gene mutation and 12 due to a mtDNA mutation. Siblings with a nuclear gene mutation showed very similar clinical pictures that became manifest in the first years (ranging from first months to early childhood). There was a severe progressive course. Seven of the eight children died in their first decade. Conversely, siblings with a mtDNA mutation had clinical pictures that varied from almost alike to very distinct. They became symptomatic at an older age (ranging from childhood to adulthood), with the exception of defects associated with Leigh or Leigh-like phenotype. The clinical course was more gradual and relatively less severe; four of the 26 patients died, one in his second year, another in her second decade and two in their sixth decade. There are differences in age at onset, severity of clinical course, outcome, and intrafamilial variability in patients affected of an OXPHOS defect due to nuclear or mtDNA mutations. Patients with nuclear mutations become symptomatic at a young age, and have a severe clinical course. Patients with mtDNA mutations show a wider clinical spectrum of age at onset and severity. These differences may be of importance regarding the choice of which genome to study in affected patients as well as with respect to genetic counseling. Copyright 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Implementation and assessment of a training course for residents in neonatology and pediatric emergency medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Brossier, D; Bellot, A; Villedieu, F; Fazilleau, L; Brouard, J; Guillois, B

2017-05-01

Residents must balance patient care and the ongoing acquisition of medical knowledge. With increasing clinical responsibilities and patient overload, medical training is often left aside. In 2010, we designed and implemented a training course in neonatology and pediatric emergency medicine for residents in pediatrics, in order to improve their medical education. The course was made of didactic sessions and several simulation-based seminars for each year of residency. We conducted this study to assess the impact of our program on residents' satisfaction and self-assessed clinical skills. A survey was conducted at the end of each seminar. The students were asked to complete a form on a five-point rating scale to evaluate the courses and their impact on their satisfaction and self-assessed clinical skills, following the French National Health Institute's adapted Kirkpatrick model. Sixty-four (84%) of the 76 residents who attended the courses completed the form. The mean satisfaction score for the entire course was 4.78±0.42. Over 80% of the students felt that their clinical skills had improved. Medical education is an important part of residency training. Our training course responded to the perceived needs of the students with consistently satisfactory evaluations. Before the evaluation of the impact of the course on patient care, further studies are needed to assess the acquisition of knowledge and skills through objective evaluations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Prediction of later clinical course by a specific glucose metabolic pattern in non-demented patients with probable REM sleep behavior disorder admitted to a memory clinic: A case study.

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Ota, Kazumi; Fujishiro, Hiroshige; Kasanuki, Koji; Kondo, Daizo; Chiba, Yuhei; Murayama, Norio; Arai, Heii; Sato, Kiyoshi; Iseki, Eizo

2016-02-28

The present study is a follow-up study of 11 non-demented patients with probable rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (RBD) at our memory clinic. During the follow-up period (mean±SD of 46.7±6.4 months), all 11 patients exhibited cognitive decline: four (Group A) exhibited core clinical features of dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), along with severe cognitive decline, and were subsequently diagnosed as having probable DLB; four (Group B) did not exhibit core clinical features of DLB; and the remaining three (Group C) were diagnosed as having Parkinson's disease with dementia (PDD). Positron emission tomography with fluorodeoxyglucose-F18 at baseline revealed that Groups A and B exhibited glucose hypometabolism in the occipital lobe, especially in the primary visual cortex, and Group A tended to present hypometabolism in the parieto-temporal area as well. Group C tended to present hypometabolism in the medial prefrontal area and anterior cingulate gyrus. Neuropsychological examinations indicated poor performance in verbal memory and visuoperception in all groups. This case study suggests that patterns of hypometabolism and neuropsychological examinations at baseline may be indicators of the later clinical course of probable RBD patients. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Clinical and radiological follow-ups on onlays and overlays from student courses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amann, W.

1982-01-01

45 patients, whose teeth had been given onlays/overlays in student courses, were followed-up. The following values were measured: plaque index, sulcus bleeding index, clinical depth of the sulcus and the clinical findings for D (decayed) according to the DMF index for the maintained surfaces as well as for the control surfaces; beyond this eye tooth contact in lateral protrusion, lack of contact, approximal contact and approximal spatial orientation were evaluated. Bite wing pictures were taken and evaluated for the comprehension of iatrogenic marginal imperfections, for the control of the dentine in the area of the cervical edge of the filling and for the evaluation of the control surfaces. The maintained approximal surfaces were divided according to the degree of marginal imperfection into four imperfection groups. The data which were collected into a study list were evaluated statistically. (TRV) [de

Clinical course and outcome of early rheumatoid arthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Papadopoulos, I A; Katsimbri, P; Katsaraki, A; Temekonidis, T; Georgiadis, A; Drosos, A A

2001-07-01

We studied whether patients with seropositivity in early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) comprise a different clinical group than those with seronegativity. Four hundred seventeen patients with early RA according to the American College of Rheumatology criteria (disease duration less than 1 year) were retrospectively studied by analysis of demographic, clinical, laboratory, radiological, and therapeutic disease characteristics from the time of diagnosis until the end of the study period (1981 1999) using a data base. There were 248 seropositive patients and 169 seronegative patients with RA. No statistically significant differences were seen between the two groups before commencement of the study period in relation to age of disease onset, male:female ratio, and disease duration. However, seropositive patients showed longer medical follow-up. In addition, at disease onset, seropositive RA patients presented more frequently with symmetrical polyarthritis and small joint involvement than seronegative patients. The seropositive group also had more tender and swollen joints, weaker grip strength, and higher erythrocyte sedimentation and C-reactive protein rates during the follow-up period. In contrast, the seronegative group had less severe radiological findings and greater functional ability at the end of the study. In Greek patients with early RA, rheumatoid factor seems to be a predictor of more severe disease activity.

Severe hyperthyroidism: aetiology, clinical features and treatment outcome.

Science.gov (United States)

Iglesias, P; Dévora, O; García, J; Tajada, P; García-Arévalo, C; Díez, J J

2010-04-01

Severe hyperthyroidism (SH) is a serious medical disorder that can compromise life. There have not been systematic studies in which SH has been evaluated in detail. Here, our aims were: (1) to analyse both clinical and analytical features and outcome in patients with SH and (2) to compare these data with those found in more usual forms of hyperthyroidism. Patients and methods All patients diagnosed of SH (free thyroxine, FT4 > 100 pmol/l, NR: 11-23) seen in our endocrinology clinic in the last 15 years were studied and compared with a sample of patients with mild (mH; FT4, 23-50 pmol/l) and moderate (MH; FT4, 51-100 pmol/l) hyperthyroidism. Aetiology, clinical analytical and imaging data at diagnosis, therapeutic response and outcome were registered. Results A total of 107 patients with overt hyperthyroidism (81 females, mean age +/- SD 46.9 +/- 16.1 years) were evaluated. We studied a historic group with SH (n = 21; 14 females, 40.9 +/- 17.2 years) and, as a comparator group, we analyszed the data of 86 hyperthyroid patients (67 females, 48.4 +/- 15.5.6 years, NS) comparable in age and gender. The comparator group was classified in MH (n = 37, 26 females, 47.2 +/- 16.6 years) and mH (n = 49, 41 females, 49.4 +/- 14.8 years). In comparison with mH group, SH patients were significantly (P hyperthyroidism. FT4 was the only independent predictor of cure [OR 0.98 (CI 95%, 0.97-0.99), P hyperthyroidism is usually de novo and is accompanied by more clinical signs, symptoms, and analytical derangements, as well as higher titres of TRAb at diagnosis than milder forms of hyperthyroidism. The present data are not able to show differences in treatment modality, time to achieve cure, and remission rate among patients with mild, moderate and severe hyperthyroidism.

A Clinical Prediction Algorithm to Stratify Pediatric Musculoskeletal Infection by Severity

Science.gov (United States)

Benvenuti, Michael A; An, Thomas J; Mignemi, Megan E; Martus, Jeffrey E; Mencio, Gregory A; Lovejoy, Stephen A; Thomsen, Isaac P; Schoenecker, Jonathan G; Williams, Derek J

2016-01-01

Objective There are currently no algorithms for early stratification of pediatric musculoskeletal infection (MSKI) severity that are applicable to all types of tissue involvement. In this study, the authors sought to develop a clinical prediction algorithm that accurately stratifies infection severity based on clinical and laboratory data at presentation to the emergency department. Methods An IRB-approved retrospective review was conducted to identify patients aged 0–18 who presented to the pediatric emergency department at a tertiary care children’s hospital with concern for acute MSKI over a five-year period (2008–2013). Qualifying records were reviewed to obtain clinical and laboratory data and to classify in-hospital outcomes using a three-tiered severity stratification system. Ordinal regression was used to estimate risk for each outcome. Candidate predictors included age, temperature, respiratory rate, heart rate, C-reactive protein, and peripheral white blood cell count. We fit fully specified (all predictors) and reduced models (retaining predictors with a p-value ≤ 0.2). Discriminatory power of the models was assessed using the concordance (c)-index. Results Of the 273 identified children, 191 (70%) met inclusion criteria. Median age was 5.8 years. Outcomes included 47 (25%) children with inflammation only, 41 (21%) with local infection, and 103 (54%) with disseminated infection. Both the full and reduced models accurately demonstrated excellent performance (full model c-index 0.83, 95% CI [0.79–0.88]; reduced model 0.83, 95% CI [0.78–0.87]). Model fit was also similar, indicating preference for the reduced model. Variables in this model included C-reactive protein, pulse, temperature, and an interaction term for pulse and temperature. The odds of a more severe outcome increased by 30% for every 10-unit increase in C-reactive protein. Conclusions Clinical and laboratory data obtained in the emergency department may be used to accurately

Impact of the clinical ultrasound elective course on retention of anatomical knowledge by second-year medical students in preparation for board exams.

Science.gov (United States)

Kondrashov, Peter; Johnson, Jane C; Boehm, Karl; Rice, Daris; Kondrashova, Tatyana

2015-03-01

Ultrasound has been integrated into a gross anatomy course taught during the first year at an osteopathic medical school. A clinical ultrasound elective course was developed to continue ultrasound training during the second year of medical school. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of this elective course on the understanding of normal anatomy by second-year students. An anatomy exam was administered to students enrolled in the clinical ultrasound elective course before the start of the course and after its conclusion. Wilcoxon signed ranks tests were used to determine whether exam scores changed from the pre-test to the post-test. Scores from two classes of second-year students were analyzed. Students who took the elective course showed significant improvement in the overall anatomy exam score between the pre-test and post-test (P students with an important review of key anatomical concepts while preparing them for board exams. Our results suggested that more emphasis should be placed on head and neck ultrasound to improve student performance in those areas. Musculoskeletal, abdominal, and heart ultrasound labs were more successful for retaining relevant anatomical information. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

[Severe rhabdomyolysis syndrome in the course of alcohol withdrawal syndrome and hyponatremia].

Science.gov (United States)

Majewska, Magdalena; Tchórz, Michał; Szponar, Jarosław; Radoniewicz-Chagowska, Anna; Kołodziej, Małgorzata

2012-01-01

Rhabdomyolysis and associated kidney failure is a medical problem, often faced by doctors working in the centers of toxicology. Its most common cause is mechanical damage to the muscles, but predisposing factors include a big group of other pathologies and clinical conditions, including: electrolyte imbalance, immobility, infections, drug or psychoactive substances poisoning. The article presents an example of a patient with severe rhabdomyolysis syndrome caused by an alcohol withdrawal syndrome. Based on our experience and scientific studies of other clinical centres the paper presents various causes of muscle damage, including the iatrogenic effects of ethanol intoxication treatment. The article explains the importance of a proper and quick treatment which prevents damage of internal organs, including kidney failure.

Step Up-Not On-The Step 2 Clinical Skills Exam: Directors of Clinical Skills Courses (DOCS) Oppose Ending Step 2 CS.

Science.gov (United States)

Ecker, David J; Milan, Felise B; Cassese, Todd; Farnan, Jeanne M; Madigosky, Wendy S; Massie, F Stanford; Mendez, Paul; Obadia, Sharon; Ovitsh, Robin K; Silvestri, Ronald; Uchida, Toshiko; Daniel, Michelle

2018-05-01

Recently, a student-initiated movement to end the United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 2 Clinical Skills and the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination Level 2-Performance Evaluation has gained momentum. These are the only national licensing examinations designed to assess clinical skills competence in the stepwise process through which physicians gain licensure and certification. Therefore, the movement to end these examinations and the ensuing debate merit careful consideration. The authors, elected representatives of the Directors of Clinical Skills Courses, an organization comprising clinical skills educators in the United States and beyond, believe abolishing the national clinical skills examinations would have a major negative impact on the clinical skills training of medical students, and that forfeiting a national clinical skills competency standard has the potential to diminish the quality of care provided to patients. In this Perspective, the authors offer important additional background information, outline key concerns regarding the consequences of ending these national clinical skills examinations, and provide recommendations for moving forward: reducing the costs for students, exploring alternatives, increasing the value and transparency of the current examinations, recognizing and enhancing the strengths of the current examinations, and engaging in a national dialogue about the issue.

Multidimensional Analyses of Long-Term Clinical Courses of Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Toru Oga

Full Text Available ABSTRACT: Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD are chronic respiratory disorders involving obstructive airway defects. There have been many discussions on their similarities and differences. Although airflow limitation expressed as forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1 has been considered to be the main diagnostic assessment in both diseases, it does not reflect the functional impairment imparted to the patients by these diseases. Therefore, multidimensional approaches using multiple measurements in assessing disease control or severity have been recommended, and multiple endpoints in addition to FEV1 have been set recently in clinical trials so as not to miss the overall effects. In particular, as improving symptoms and health status as well as pulmonary function are important goals in the management of asthma and COPD, some patient-reported measurements such as health-related quality of life or dyspnea should be included. Nonetheless, there have been few reviews on the long-term clinical course comparing asthma and COPD as predicted by measurements other than airflow limitation. Here, we therefore analyzed and compared longitudinal changes in both physiological measurements and patient-reported measurements in asthma and COPD. Although both diseases showed similar long-term progressive airflow limitation similarly despite guideline-based therapies, disease progression was different in asthma and COPD. In asthma, patient-reported assessments of health status, disability and psychological status remained clinically stable over time, in contrast to the significant deterioration of these parameters in COPD. Thus, because a single measurement of airflow limitation is insufficient to monitor these diseases, multidimensional analyses are important not only for disease control but also for understanding disease progression in asthma and COPD. KEY WORDS: asthma, COPD, longitudinal survey, multidimensional analysis, patient

A leprosy clinical severity scale for erythema nodosum leprosum: An international, multicentre validation study of the ENLIST ENL Severity Scale.

Science.gov (United States)

Walker, Stephen L; Sales, Anna M; Butlin, C Ruth; Shah, Mahesh; Maghanoy, Armi; Lambert, Saba M; Darlong, Joydeepa; Rozario, Benjamin Jewel; Pai, Vivek V; Balagon, Marivic; Doni, Shimelis N; Hagge, Deanna A; Nery, José A C; Neupane, Kapil D; Baral, Suwash; Sangma, Biliom A; Alembo, Digafe T; Yetaye, Abeba M; Hassan, Belaynesh A; Shelemo, Mohammed B; Nicholls, Peter G; Lockwood, Diana N J

2017-07-01

We wished to validate our recently devised 16-item ENLIST ENL Severity Scale, a clinical tool for measuring the severity of the serious leprosy associated complication of erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL). We also wished to assess the responsiveness of the ENLIST ENL Severity Scale in detecting clinical change in patients with ENL. Participants, recruited from seven centres in six leprosy endemic countries, were assessed using the ENLIST ENL Severity Scale by two researchers, one of whom categorised the severity of ENL. At a subsequent visit a further assessment using the scale was made and both participant and physician rated the change in ENL using the subjective categories of "Much better", "somewhat better", "somewhat worse" and "much worse" compared with "No change" or "about the same". 447 participants were assessed with the ENLIST ENL Severity Scale. The Cronbach alpha of the scale and each item was calculated to determine the internal consistency of the scale. The ENLIST ENL Severity Scale had good internal consistency and this improved following removal of six items to give a Cronbach's alpha of 0.77. The cut off between mild ENL and more severe disease was 9 determined using ROC curves. The minimal important difference of the scale was determined to be 5 using both participant and physician ratings of change. The 10-item ENLIST ENL Severity Scale is the first valid, reliable and responsive measure of ENL severity and improves our ability to assess and compare patients and their treatments in this severe and difficult to manage complication of leprosy. The ENLIST ENL Severity Scale will assist physicians in the monitoring and treatment of patients with ENL. The ENLIST ENL Severity Scale is easy to apply and will be useful as an outcome measure in treatment studies and enable the standardisation of other clinical and laboratory ENL research.

Effect of learner-centered teaching on motivation and learning strategies in a third-year pharmacotherapy course.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheang, Kai I

2009-05-27

To develop, implement, and assess a learner-centered approach to teaching a third-year pharmacotherapy course in a doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) program. The pharmacotherapy course was restructured according to the learner-centered approach. The Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) was administered to students before and after taking the course, and changes in MSLQ subscales from baseline were evaluated. Students' response to the learner-centered approach and characteristics associated with MSLQ scores were also evaluated. Compared to baseline, students' intrinsic goal orientation control of learning beliefs, self-efficacy, critical thinking, and metacognitive self-regulation improved after taking the course. Students responded positively to the learner-centered approach. Additionally, students with a clinical practice career orientation or who prepared frequently for classes scored higher on several MSLQ domains. The learner-centered approach was effective in promoting several domains of motivation and learning strategies in a third-year pharmacotherapy course.

Patient profiles and clinical utility of mepolizumab in severe eosinophilic asthma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Haldar P

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Pranabashis Haldar Respiratory Biomedical Research Unit, Glenfield Hospital, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK Abstract: Mepolizumab (Nucala® is an effective and specific anti-eosinophil molecular therapy that has recently been approved as add-on therapy for the management of severe eosinophilic asthma by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA, European Medicines Agency (EMA; European Union and more recently National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE; UK. It is one of several molecular therapies in development for this indication and is illustrative of the strategic trajectory for pharmaceutical drug development taken over the past decade in several disease areas. Molecular therapies offer the prospect of improved specificity and effectiveness of biological effect. However, this necessitates a clear understanding of the underlying mechanistic pathways underpinning pathological processes, to inform drug development that yields novel more efficacious treatment options with a better clinical profile than existing agents. For the first time, utilization of molecular therapies in clinical trials is providing a novel in vivo model to characterize the association between specific pathways and clinical disease expression. It is increasingly recognized that asthma exhibits both clinical and pathological heterogeneity. It follows that a one-size-fits-all approach will not be appropriate and cost-effectiveness may only be achieved by identifying responder subgroups. This so-called personalized approach to therapy is being supported by the parallel development of companion biomarkers for clinical application. In this review, the author summarizes the clinical studies, their interpretation and the lessons learnt with mepolizumab that have informed our understanding of the approach to personalized molecular therapy in asthma. Keywords: IL-5, Nucala, exacerbations 

Supportive Group Factors, Course Pedagogy, and Multicultural Competency within Multicultural Psychology Courses

Science.gov (United States)

Stoyer, Michael Ryan

2017-01-01

This study examined the relationship between course pedagogy and supportive group factors with variables of multicultural competency and multicultural counseling self-efficacy at the completion of a multicultural psychology course. The participants were students in graduate clinical psychology, counseling psychology, and school psychology programs…

[Clinical presentation of different severities of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome: how to recognise it].

Science.gov (United States)

Lausević, Mirjana; Lausević, Zeljko; Stojimirović, Biljana

2012-07-01

Besides viral serotype, HLA haplotype and cytokine genes polymorphism are associated with clinical presentation of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome. Since these analyses are unavailable in routine clinical practice, the aim of this study was to assess clinical, laboratory and radiographic findings associated with clinical presentation of disease severity. A total of 30 patients (27 men and 3 women), average age 40 +/- 14.9 years, treated for hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome from January 1, 1999 to December 31, 2009 in Clinical Center of Serbia, were included in the study. Nine patients (30%) had mild, 14 (46.7%) moderate and 7 (23.3%) severe form of the disease; 24 (800%) recovered, 6 (20%) died in the acute phase of the illness, and 19 patients (63.3%) required hemodialysis. The average titer of antiviral antibodies in patients infected with Belgrade serotype virus were significantly higher in those with severe clinical presentation. Hypotension, anuria, macrohaematuria, pulmonary infiltration, pleural effusion, hepatomegalia and positive meningeal signs were more frequent in the patients with severe form of the disease. Statistically significant differences between groups with mild, moderate and severe clinical picture were found in serum total protein, albumin, calcium, glutamate pyruvate and glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase on admittance; serum creatinine and phosphorus concentration on day 14 and day 21; serum sodium and calciums on day 14; hemoglobine concentration on day 21. A statistically significant correlation was found between clinical presentation of the disease severity and platelet count, white blood cell count, hemoglobine concentration, serum calcium and serum transaminases on admittance. Multivariate analysis identified variables' combinations associated with clinical presentation of the disease. Our study confirmed that we can distinguish patients who will manifest different severities of the disease on the basis of careful

Clinical presentation of different severities of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome: How to recognize it

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laušević Mirjana

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Background/Aim. Besides viral serotype, HLA haplotype and cytokine genes polymorphism are associated with clinical presentation of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome. Since these analyses are unavailable in routine clinical practice, the aim of this study was to assess clinical, laboratory and radiographic findings associated with clinical presentation of disease severity. Methods. A total of 30 patients (27 men and 3 women, average age 40 ± 14.9 years, treated for hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome from January 1, 1999 to December 31, 2009 in Clinical Center of Serbia, were included in the study. Nine patients (30% had mild, 14 (46.7% moderate and 7 (23.3% severe form of the disease; 24 (80% recovered, 6 (20% died in the acute phase of the illness, and 19 patients (63.3% required hemodialysis. Results. The average titer of antiviral antibodies in patients infected with Belgrade serotype virus were significantly higher in those with severe clinical presentation. Hypotension, anuria, macrohaematuria, pulmonary infiltration, pleural effusion, hepatomegalia and positive meningeal signs were more frequent in the patients with severe form of the disease. Statistically significant differences between groups with mild, moderate and severe clinical picture were found in serum total protein, albumin, calcium, glutamate pyruvate and glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase on admittance; serum creatinine and phosphorus concentration on day 14 and day 21; serum sodium and calciums on day 14; hemoglobine concentration on day 21. A statistically significant correlation was found between clinical presentation of the disease severity and platelet count, white blood cell count, hemoglobine concentration, serum calcium and serum transaminases on admittance. Multivariate analysis identified variables` combinations associated with clinical presentation of the disease. Conclusion. Our study confirmed that we can distinguish patients who will manifest different

Test Operation Procedure (TOP) 01-1-010A Vehicle Test Course Severity (Surface Roughness)

Science.gov (United States)

2017-12-12

Increases in roughness may signify the need to change course maintenance patterns. For example, secondary gravel roads at YTC go through a cycle of...CSTE-DTC-AT-AD) U.S. Army Aberdeen Test Center 400 Colleran Road Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21005-5059 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT...test courses at ATEC Test Centers. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Automotive test course Roughness of roads Wave number spectrum Test course surface roughness

Implementation of a Clinical Reasoning Course in the Internal Medicine trimester of the final year of undergraduate medical training and its effect on students' case presentation and differential diagnostic skills.

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Harendza, Sigrid; Krenz, Ingo; Klinge, Andreas; Wendt, Ulrike; Janneck, Matthias

2017-01-01

Background: Clinical reasoning, comprising the processes of clinical thinking, which form the basis of medical decisions, constitutes a central competence in the clinical routine on which diagnostic and therapeutic steps are based. In medical curricula in Germany, clinical reasoning is currently taught explicitly only to a small extend. Therefore, the aim of this project was to develop and implement a clinical reasoning course in the final year of undergraduate medical training. Project description: A clinical reasoning course with six learning units and 18 learning objectives was developed, which was taught by two to four instructors on the basis of 32 paper cases from the clinical practice of the instructors. In the years 2011 to 2013, the course of eight weeks with two hours per week was taught seven times. Before the first and after the last seminar, the participating students filled out a self-assessment questionnaire with a 6-point Likert scale regarding eight different clinical reasoning skills. At the same times, they received a patient case with the assignment to prepare a case presentation and differential diagnoses. Results: From 128 participating students altogether, 42 complete data sets were available. After the course, participants assessed themselves significantly better than before the course in all eight clinical reasoning skills, for example in "Summarizing and presentation of a paper case" or in the "Skill to enumerate differential diagnoses" (ppresentation of the paper case was significantly more focused after the course (p=0.011). A significant increase in the number of gathered differential diagnoses was not detected after the course. Conclusion: The newly developed and established Clinical Reasoning Course leads to a gain in the desired skills from the students' self-assessment perspective and to a more structured case presentation. To establish better options to exercise clinical reasoning, a longitudinal implementation in the medical

Clinical Presentation and Course of Depression in Youth: Does Onset in Childhood Differ from Onset in Adolescence?

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Birmaher, Boris; Williamson, Douglas E.; Dahl, Ronald E.; Axelson, David A.; Kaufman, Joan; Dorn, Lorah D.; Ryan, Neal D.

2004-01-01

Objective: To simultaneously and prospectively compare the clinical presentation, course, and parental psychiatric history between children and adolescents with major depressive disorder. Method: A group of prepubertal children (n = 46) and postpubertal adolescents (n = 22) were assessed with structured interviews for psychopathology and parental…

The importance of acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastography in the diagnosis and clinical course of acute pancreatitis.

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Kaya, Muhsin; Değirmenci, Serdar; Göya, Cemil; Tuncel, Elif Tuba; Uçmak, Feyzullah; Kaplan, Mehmet Ali

2018-05-01

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is characterized by acute inflammation of the pancreas and it has a highly variable clinical course. The aim of our study was to evaluate the value of acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastography in the diagnosis and clinical course of AP. Consecutive patients with a diagnosis of AP (patients group) and healthy subject (control group) were prospectively enrolled to the study. Demographic features and clinical, laboratory, and radiological data were recorded. Virtual Touch Tissue Quantification (VTQ) was used to implement ARFI elastography. The tissue elasticity is proportional to the square of the wave velocity (SWV). A total of 108 patients (age, 57±1.8 y) and 79 healthy subjects (age, 53.6±1.81 y) were included in the study. There were 100 (92.5%) edematous and 8 (7.4%) necrotizing AP. The mean SWV was significantly higher in the patient group than in the control group (2.43±0.08 vs. 1.27±0.025 m/s, p < 0.001). There was not significant difference between patient and control group regarding age and gender. SWV cutoff value of 1.63 m/s was associated with 100% sensitivity and 98% specificity for the diagnosis of AP. There was not significant difference between patients with and without complications and patients with edematous and necrotizing AP regarding mean SWV value. There was also not significant correlation between mean SWV value and age, mean length of hospital stay, and mean amylase level. ARFI elastography may be a feasible method for the diagnosis of AP, but it has no value for the prediction of clinical course of AP.

Correlation between clinical severity and type and degree of pectus excavatum in twelve brachycephalic dogs.

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Hassan, Elham A; Hassan, Marwa H; Torad, Faisal A

2018-05-18

The aim of the study was to correlate the clinical severity of pectus excavatum with its type and degree based on objective radiographic evaluation. Twelve brachycephalic dogs were included. Grading of the clinical severity was done based on a 6-point grading score. Thoracic radiographs were used to calculate the frontosagittal and vertebral indices at the tenth thoracic vertebra and the vertebra overlying the excavatum. Correlation between the clinical severity score and frontosagittal and vertebral indices was evaluated using Pearson's correlation coefficient. Typical pectus excavatum was recorded in the caudal sternum in seven dogs, with a mean clinical severity score of 1.7 ± 1.4, whereas in five dogs, atypical mid-sternal deviation was recorded with a mean clinical severity score of 3.8 ± 0.7. A strong correlation (r=0.7) was recorded between the clinical severity score and vertebral index in the atypical form, whereas a weak correlation (r=0.02) was recorded in the typical form (Pcorrelated (r=0.3) in the typical form of pectus excavatum, whereas it was strongly correlated (r=0.9) in the atypical form. Pectus excavatum in dogs is associated with compressive cardiopulmonary dysfunction, which depends mainly on the site/type of deviation rather than the degree of deviation.

Automated interpretable computational biology in the clinic: a framework to predict disease severity and stratify patients from clinical data

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Soumya Banerjee

2017-10-01

Full Text Available We outline an automated computational and machine learning framework that predicts disease severity and stratifies patients. We apply our framework to available clinical data. Our algorithm automatically generates insights and predicts disease severity with minimal operator intervention. The computational framework presented here can be used to stratify patients, predict disease severity and propose novel biomarkers for disease. Insights from machine learning algorithms coupled with clinical data may help guide therapy, personalize treatment and help clinicians understand the change in disease over time. Computational techniques like these can be used in translational medicine in close collaboration with clinicians and healthcare providers. Our models are also interpretable, allowing clinicians with minimal machine learning experience to engage in model building. This work is a step towards automated machine learning in the clinic.

Two distinct clinical courses of renal involvement in rheumatoid patients with AA amyloidosis.

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Uda, Hiroshi; Yokota, Akira; Kobayashi, Kumiko; Miyake, Tadao; Fushimi, Hiroaki; Maeda, Akira; Saiki, Osamu

2006-08-01

We conducted a prospective study to investigate whether a correlation exists between the clinical course of renal involvement and the pathological findings of renal amyloidosis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Patients with RA of more than 5 years' duration and who did not show renal manifestations were selected and received a duodenal biopsy for the diagnosis of amyloidosis. After the diagnosis of AA amyloidosis, patients received a renal biopsy, and patterns of amyloid deposition were examined. We followed the renal functions (serum levels of blood urea nitrogen and creatinine) of patients diagnosed with AA amyloidosis for 5 years. We diagnosed 53 patients with AA amyloidosis and monitored the renal function of 38 of them for > 5 years. The histological patterns were examined; in the 38 patients there were appreciable variations in the patterns of amyloid deposition. In 27 patients, amyloid deposits were found exclusively in the glomerulus (type 1). In the other 11 patients, however, amyloid deposits were found selectively around blood vessels and were totally absent in the glomerulus (type 2). In type 1 patients with glomerular involvement, renal function deteriorated rapidly regardless of disease state; most patients received hemodialysis. In type 2 patients with purely vascular involvement, however, renal function did not deteriorate significantly. In patients with RA and AA amyloidosis, 2 distinct clinical courses in terms of renal involvement were identified. It is suggested that renal function does not deteriorate when amyloid deposition is totally lacking in the glomerulus.

Multivariate Analysis of Students' Performance in Math Courses and Specific Engineering Courses

OpenAIRE

H. Naccache; R. Hleiss

2016-01-01

The aim of this research is to study the relationship between the performance of engineering students in different math courses and their performance in specific engineering courses. The considered courses are taken mainly by engineering students during the first two years of their major. Several factors are being studied, such as gender and final grades in the math and specific engineering courses. Participants of this study comprised a sample of more than thousands of engineering students a...

Spontaneously Reported Symptoms by Informants Are Associated with Clinical Severity in Dementia Help-Seekers.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Jia-Qi; Choy, Jacky C P; Tang, Jennifer Y M; Liu, Tian-Yin; Luo, Hao; Lou, Vivian W Q; Lum, Terry Y S; Wong, Gloria H Y

2017-09-01

To investigate the predictive value of symptoms of dementia that the person or an informant noticed spontaneously in determining the clinical severity of dementia. Cross-sectional. Community-based open-referral dementia assessment service in Hong Kong between 2005 and 2013. Help-seekers for dementia assessment service and their informants (N = 965 dyads). Participants underwent a clinical dementia interview based on the Clinical Dementia Rating. Spontaneous complaints that the person and the informant made that had prompted their help-seeking of groups with interview results suggestive of no impairment, mild cognitive impairment, and dementia were compared. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the predictive value of spontaneous complaints for clinical severity. Independent raters blinded to clinical results coded spontaneously reported symptoms into theoretical themes: memory, executive function, language, time and place orientation, neuropsychiatric, mood, and avolition. Memory problems were the most frequently reported complaints for participants (87.7%) and their informants (95.5%), followed by self-reported language (33.0%) and informant-reported orientation (33.0%) difficulties. Informant-reported but not self-reported symptoms predicted clinical severity. Compared with the persons themselves, informants reported more pervasive symptoms corresponding to clinical severity. Persons with dementia self-reported fewer types of symptoms than their healthy or mildly impaired counterparts. Spontaneously reported language and orientation symptoms by the informant distinguished persons with mild or worse dementia (P < .001, Nagelkerke coefficient of determination = 29.7%, percentage correct 85.6%). The type and pervasiveness of symptoms spontaneously that informants reported predicted clinical severity. This may provide a quick reference for triage. © 2017, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2017, The American Geriatrics Society.

Influenza and other respiratory viruses: standardizing disease severity in surveillance and clinical trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Rath, Barbara; Conrad, Tim; Myles, Puja; Alchikh, Maren; Ma, Xiaolin; Hoppe, Christian; Tief, Franziska; Chen, Xi; Obermeier, Patrick; Kisler, Bron; Schweiger, Brunhilde

2017-06-01

Influenza-Like Illness is a leading cause of hospitalization in children. Disease burden due to influenza and other respiratory viral infections is reported on a population level, but clinical scores measuring individual changes in disease severity are urgently needed. Areas covered: We present a composite clinical score allowing individual patient data analyses of disease severity based on systematic literature review and WHO-criteria for uncomplicated and complicated disease. The 22-item ViVI Disease Severity Score showed a normal distribution in a pediatric cohort of 6073 children aged 0-18 years (mean age 3.13; S.D. 3.89; range: 0 to 18.79). Expert commentary: The ViVI Score was correlated with risk of antibiotic use as well as need for hospitalization and intensive care. The ViVI Score was used to track children with influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, human metapneumovirus, human rhinovirus, and adenovirus infections and is fully compliant with regulatory data standards. The ViVI Disease Severity Score mobile application allows physicians to measure disease severity at the point-of care thereby taking clinical trials to the next level.

Sustained impact of a short small group course with systematic feedback in addition to regular clinical clerkship activities on musculoskeletal examination skills--a controlled study.

Science.gov (United States)

Perrig, Martin; Berendonk, Christoph; Rogausch, Anja; Beyeler, Christine

2016-01-28

The discrepancy between the extensive impact of musculoskeletal complaints and the common deficiencies in musculoskeletal examination skills lead to increased emphasis on structured teaching and assessment. However, studies of single interventions are scarce and little is known about the time-dependent effect of assisted learning in addition to a standard curriculum. We therefore evaluated the immediate and long-term impact of a small group course on musculoskeletal examination skills. All 48 Year 4 medical students of a 6 year curriculum, attending their 8 week clerkship of internal medicine at one University department in Berne, participated in this controlled study. Twenty-seven students were assigned to the intervention of a 6×1 h practical course (4-7 students, interactive hands-on examination of real patients; systematic, detailed feedback to each student by teacher, peers and patients). Twenty-one students took part in the regular clerkship activities only and served as controls. In all students clinical skills (CS, 9 items) were assessed in an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) station, including specific musculoskeletal examination skills (MSES, 7 items) and interpersonal skills (IPS, 2 items). Two raters assessed the skills on a 4-point Likert scale at the beginning (T0), the end (T1) and 4-12 months after (T2) the clerkship. Statistical analyses included Friedman test, Wilcoxon rank sum test and Mann-Whitney U test. At T0 there were no significant differences between the intervention and control group. At T1 and T2 the control group showed no significant changes of CS, MSES and IPS compared to T0. In contrast, the intervention group significantly improved CS, MSES and IPS at T1 (p skills during regular clinical clerkship activities. However, an additional small group, interactive clinical skills course with feedback from various sources, improved these essential examination skills immediately after the teaching and several months later

The comparative clinical course of pregnant and non-pregnant women hospitalised with influenza A(H1N1pdm09 infection.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gayle P Dolan

Full Text Available The Influenza Clinical Information Network (FLU-CIN was established to gather detailed clinical and epidemiological information about patients with laboratory confirmed A(H1N1pdm09 infection in UK hospitals. This report focuses on the clinical course and outcomes of infection in pregnancy.A standardised data extraction form was used to obtain detailed clinical information from hospital case notes and electronic records, for patients with PCR-confirmed A(H1N1pdm09 infection admitted to 13 sentinel hospitals in five clinical 'hubs' and a further 62 non-sentinel hospitals, between 11th May 2009 and 31st January 2010.Outcomes were compared for pregnant and non-pregnant women aged 15-44 years, using univariate and multivariable techniques.Of the 395 women aged 15-44 years, 82 (21% were pregnant; 73 (89% in the second or third trimester. Pregnant women were significantly less likely to exhibit severe respiratory distress at initial assessment (OR = 0.49 (95% CI: 0.30-0.82, require supplemental oxygen on admission (OR = 0.40 (95% CI: 0.20-0.80, or have underlying co-morbidities (p-trend <0.001. However, they were equally likely to be admitted to high dependency (Level 2 or intensive care (Level 3 and/or to die, after adjustment for potential confounders (adj. OR = 0.93 (95% CI: 0.46-1.92. Of 11 pregnant women needing Level 2/3 care, 10 required mechanical ventilation and three died.Since the expected prevalence of pregnancy in the source population was 6%, our data suggest that pregnancy greatly increased the likelihood of hospital admission with A(H1N1pdm09. Pregnant women were less likely than non-pregnant women to have respiratory distress on admission, but severe outcomes were equally likely in both groups.

A 12-Day Course of Imiquimod 5% for the Treatment of Actinic Keratosis: Effectiveness and Local Reactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Serra-Guillén, C; Nagore, E; Llombart, B; Sanmartín, O; Requena, C; Calomarde, L; Guillén, C

2018-04-01

Imiquimod is an excellent option for patients with actinic keratosis, although its use may be limited by the long course of treatment required (4 weeks) and the likelihood of local skin reactions. The objectives of the present study were to demonstrate the effectiveness of a 12-day course of imiquimod 5% for the treatment of actinic keratosis and to examine the association between treatment effectiveness and severity of local reactions. We included patients with at least 8 actinic keratoses treated with imiquimod 5% cream for 12 consecutive days. Local reactions were classified as mild, moderate, or severe. The statistical analysis of the association between local reactions and clinical response was based on the Pearson χ 2 test and the Spearman rank correlation test. Sixty-five patients completed the study. Complete response was recorded in 52.3% and partial response in 75.4%. We found a statistically significant association between severity of the local reaction and response to treatment in both the Pearson χ 2 test and the Spearman rank correlation test. A 12-day course of imiquimod 5% proved effective for the treatment of actinic keratosis. Severity of local reactions during treatment was correlated with clinical response. Copyright © 2017 AEDV. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Does socioeconomic status predict course and outcome in patients with psychosis?

Science.gov (United States)

Samele, C; van Os, J; McKenzie, K; Wright, A; Gilvarry, C; Manley, C; Tattan, T; Murray, R

2001-12-01

We examined the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and course and outcome of patients with psychosis. Two hypotheses were examined: a) patients with higher best-ever SES will have better course and outcome than those with lower best-ever SES, and b) patients with greater downward drift in SES will have poorer course and outcome than those with less downward drift. Data were drawn from the baseline and 2-year follow-up assessments of the UK700 Case Management Trial of 708 patients with severe psychosis. The indicators of SES used were occupational status and educational achievement. Drift in SES was defined as change from best-ever occupation to occupation at baseline. For the baseline data highly significant differences were found between best-ever groups and negative symptoms (non-manual vs. unemployed--coef -10.5, p=0.000, 95% CIs 5.1-15.8), functioning (non-manual vs. unemployed--coef -0.6, p=0.000, 95% CIs 0.3 to -0.8) and unmet needs (manual vs. unemployed - coef 0.5, p=0.004, 95% CIs 0.2-0.9). No significant differences between best-ever groups were found for days in hospital, symptoms, perceived quality of life and dissatisfaction with services. Significant differences for clinical and social variables were found between drift and non-drift SES groups. There were no significant findings between educational groups and clinical and social variables. Best-ever occupation, but not educational qualifications, appeared to predict prognosis in patients with severe psychosis. Downward drift in occupational status did not result in poorer illness course and outcome.

Peculiarities of clinical course of gastroesophageal reflux disease in patients with type 2 diabetes and obesity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andreeva E.l.

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Aim: to study the clinical course of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD in patients with type 2 diabetes and evaluation of the parameters of the esophagus 24-hour pH-metry. Material and Methods. In the examination of patients with GERD, three groups of patients were selected for 50 people each. The first group includes patients with GERD with combined course of obesity and type 2 diabetes (mean age 54.6±2.73 year; 32 females and 18 males. The second group included patients with GERD against obesity (mean age 42.3±2.11 year; 30 females and 20 males. The control group consisted of patients with GERD without excess body weight and concomitant pathology (average age43.6±2.11 year; 29 females and 21 males. In addition to collecting complaints and anamnesis, the patients and the control group underwent a 24-hour pH-metric study of the esophagus according to a conventional method. Results. Patients suffering from GERD in the background of type 2 diabetes have a clinically asymptomatic or asymptomatic course; there is a significant increase in the daily pH-metry, indicating a more pronounced nature of the changes. Conclusion. Patients suffering from GERD in the background of type 2 diabetes require a comprehensive examination of the upper digestive tract to identify GERD, even if there are no complaints characteristic of the disease.

Improvement in pain severity category in clinical trials of pregabalin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Parsons B

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Bruce Parsons,1 Charles E Argoff,2 Andrew Clair,1 Birol Emir1 1Pfizer, New York, NY, USA; 2Albany Medical Center, Albany, NY, USA Background: Pregabalin is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of fibromyalgia (FM, diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN, postherpetic neuralgia (PHN, and neuropathic pain due to spinal cord injury (SCI. Approval was based on clinical trial data demonstrating statistically significant differences in pain scores versus placebo. However, statistically significant pain relief may not always equate to clinically meaningful pain relief. To further characterize the clinical benefit of pregabalin, this analysis examined shifts in pain severity categories in patients with FM, DPN/PHN (pooled in this analysis, and SCI treated with pregabalin.Methods: Data were pooled from 23 placebo-controlled trials in patients with FM (1,623 treated with pregabalin, 937 placebo, DPN/PHN (2,867 pregabalin, 1,532 placebo, or SCI (181 pregabalin, 175 placebo. Pain scores were assessed on an 11-point numeric rating scale and categorized as mild (0 to <4, moderate (4 to <7, or severe (7 to 10. Only patients with mean score ≥4 at baseline were randomized to treatment. The percentage of patients shifting pain category from baseline to endpoint for pregabalin and placebo was analyzed using a modified ridit transformation with the Cochran–Mantel–Haenszel procedure.Results: A higher proportion of patients shifted to a less severe pain category at endpoint with pregabalin compared with placebo. With flexible-dose pregabalin, the percentage of patients improving from: severe to mild (pregabalin versus placebo was 15.8 versus 13.4 in FM patients, 36.0 versus 16.6 in DPN/PHN patients, 14.3 versus 7.7 in SCI patients; severe to moderate was 28.7 versus 28.2 in FM patients, 32.5 versus 28.2 in DPN/PHN patients, 35.7 versus 28.2 in SCI patients; and moderate to mild was 38.3 versus 26.4 in FM patients, 59.5 versus 41.4 in

[Results of the use of pumpan preparation in the treatment of severe forms of angina pectoris].

Science.gov (United States)

Parshina, S S; Golovacheva, T V; Afanas'eva, T N; Panchenko, O V; Baldina, A A; Starostina, N V; Lial'chenko, I F; Egorova, L P

2000-01-01

To assess validity of adjuvant use of pumpan, a homeopathic compound, in patients with unstable angina pectoris and angina of effort (functional class III-IV) receiving conventional treatment. A direct open controlled trial for 15 months performed initially in hospital, then outpatiently, covered 49 patients with severe angina. Examination of the patients included evaluation of clinical condition and the disease course, lipid metabolism, hemostasis, blood plasma electrolytes, aminotransferases, echo-CG, bicycle exercise, rheoencephalography, ultrasonic dopplerography of head and neck vessels. Pumpan produced a positive effect total nonspecific systemic resistance improved, number of hospitalizations reduced, intracardiac hemodynamics improved in some cases with severe angina. Homeopathic compound pumpan can be recommended in the treatment of severe angina to reinforce antianginal effect, improve the disease clinical course, to obtain a hypocoagulative and hypocholesterolemic effect, to normalize intracardiac hemodynamics, to raise myocardial performance and intracoronary reserve as well as nonspecific resistance of the body.

Radiating low back pain in general practice : Incidence, prevalence, diagnosis, and long-term clinical course of illness

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Spijker-Huiges, Antje; Groenhof, Feikje; Winters, Jan C.; van Wijhe, Marten; Groenier, Klaas H.; van der Meer, Klaas

Objective. The aim of this study was to calculate the incidence and prevalence of radiating low back pain, to explore the long-term clinical course of radiating low back pain including the influence of radiculopathy (in a subsample of the study population) and non-radiating low back pain thereon,

Mild Cognitive Impairment: Diagnosis, Longitudinal Course, and Emerging Treatments

Science.gov (United States)

Vega, Jennifer N.; Newhouse, Paul A.

2014-01-01

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is widely regarded as the intermediate stage of cognitive impairment between the changes seen in normal cognitive aging and those associated with dementia. Elderly patients with MCI constitute a high-risk population for developing dementia, in particular Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Although the core clinical criteria for MCI have remained largely unchanged, the operational definition of MCI has undergone several revisions over the course of the last decade and remains an evolving diagnosis. Prognostic implications of this diagnosis are becoming clearer with regard to the risk of progressive cognitive deterioration. Although patients with MCI may represent an optimal target population for pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions, results from clinical trials have been mixed and a definitive effective treatment remains elusive. This article provides a brief overview of the evolution of the concept of MCI and reviews current diagnostic criteria, the longitudinal course of the disorder, and current and emerging treatments for MCI. PMID:25160795

Educational paper: The expanding clinical and immunological spectrum of severe combined immunodeficiency

NARCIS (Netherlands)

M. van der Burg (Mirjam); A.R. Gennery (Andy R.)

2011-01-01

textabstractSevere combined immunodeficiency (SCID) is one of the most severe forms of primary immunodeficiency characterized by absence of functional T lymphocytes. It is a paediatric emergency, which is life-threatening when recognized too late. The clinical presentation varies from the classical

Development of Pediatric Neurologic Emergency Life Support Course: A Preliminary Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Haque, Anwarul; Arif, Fehmina; Abass, Qalab; Ahmed, Khalid

2017-11-01

Acute neurological emergencies (ANEs) in children are common life-threatening illnesses and are associated with high mortality and severe neurological disability in survivors, if not recognized early and treated appropriately. We describe our experience of teaching a short, novel course "Pediatric Neurologic Emergency Life Support" to pediatricians and trainees in a resource-limited country. This course was conducted at 5 academic hospitals from November 2013 to December 2014. It is a hybrid of pediatric advance life support and emergency neurologic life support. This course is designed to increase knowledge and impart practical training on early recognition and timely appropriate treatment in the first hour of children with ANEs. Neuroresuscitation and neuroprotective strategies are key components of this course to prevent and treat secondary injuries. Four cases of ANEs (status epilepticus, nontraumatic coma, raised intracranial pressure, and severe traumatic brain injury) were taught as a case simulation in a stepped-care, protocolized approach based on best clinical practices with emphasis on key points of managements in the first hour. Eleven courses were conducted during the study period. One hundred ninety-six physicians including 19 consultants and 171 residents participated in these courses. The mean (SD) score was 65.15 (13.87%). Seventy percent (132) of participants were passed (passing score > 60%). The overall satisfaction rate was 85%. Pediatric Neurologic Emergency Life Support was the first-time delivered educational tool to improve outcome of children with ANEs with good achievement and high satisfaction rate of participants. Large number courses are required for future validation.

Prognostic significance of distal blood pressure measurements in patients with severe ischaemia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Paaske, William; Tønnesen, K H

1980-01-01

The clinical course was followed and the ankle and toe blood pressures were measured with the strain gauge technique on 5 occasions during 2 years in 43 patients with pain at rest and/or ischaemic ulceration due to severe ischaemia of the legs on the basis of occlusive arterial disease. Although...

Clinical characteristics of Japanese patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia.

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Tada, Hayato; Kawashiri, Masa-Aki; Nakahashi, Takuya; Yagi, Kunimasa; Chujo, Daisuke; Ohbatake, Azusa; Mori, Yukiko; Mori, Shunsuke; Kometani, Mitsuhiro; Fujii, Hiroshi; Nohara, Atsushi; Inazu, Akihiro; Mabuchi, Hiroshi; Yamagishi, Masakazu; Hayashi, Kenshi

2015-01-01

Although of interest, few data exist on the clinical characteristics of Japanese patients with an extremely high triglyceride level (≥ 1000 mg/dL). We assessed the clinical characteristics of Japanese patients with an extremely high triglyceride level. We investigated the presence of coronary artery disease, history of pancreatitis, the presence of fatty liver, and the potential causes of elevated triglyceride in Japanese subjects with an extremely high level of fasting triglyceride (≥ 1000 mg/dL) among 70,368 subjects whose serum triglyceride was measured for any reason at Kanazawa University Hospital from April 2004 to March 2014. We identified 215 (0.31%) subjects (mean age, 46 years; male, 170, mean body mass index, 25 kg/m(2)) with severe hypertriglyceridemia. Among them, 4 (1.9%) subjects were classified as type I, 97 (45.1%) subjects were type IV, and 114 (53.0%) subjects were type V hyperlipidemia, according to Fredrickson's classification. Among 215 subjects, 116 subjects (54.0%) drank alcohol, 58 (27.0%) showed heavy intake (≥ 60 g/d), and 64 (29.8%) subjects had diabetes. In total, 59 (27.4%) subjects had transient severe hypertriglyceridemia caused by corticosteroids (N = 19), antidepressant (N = 18), l-asparaginase and steroids for acute lymphoid leukemia (N = 15), hormone replacement therapy for breast cancer (N = 9), β-blocker (N = 5), hypothyroidism (N = 4), pregnancy (N = 4), and panhypopituitarism (N = 2). As many as 119 (55.3%) subjects exhibited fatty liver. Moreover, 12 (5.6%) and 17 (7.9%) subjects had a history of pancreatitis and coronary artery disease, respectively. A variety of situations can cause severe hypertriglyceridemia. We suggest that potential secondary causes should be carefully assessed for such patients. Copyright © 2015 National Lipid Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Value of Clinical Practice in Cadaveric Dissection: Lessons Learned From a Course in Eye and Orbital Anatomy.

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Schulz, Christopher

To test the hypothesis that there is greater benefit in a dissection-based anatomy course among those participants with clinical experience in the relevant field, and those without. A retrospective comparative study. Brighton and Sussex Medical School Anatomy Department: an educational facility that provides undergraduate and postgraduate anatomy teaching using cadaveric specimens. All attendees (n = 40) to a postgraduate course in eye and orbital anatomy completed course evaluation forms. The course has been attended by delegates from around the country, with experience ranging from that of final year medical students to clinical fellows who have completed their specialist training in ophthalmology. Those participants who were practicing ophthalmology tended to be older than those who were not, with a greater amount of time spent on prior learning. Participants scored both the prosection-led and dissection-led sessions highly, with a mean combined evaluation of 8.9 (out of 10) for dissection-led learning and 9.2 for prosection-led learning. Prosection-led learning was regarded equally by those participants currently practicing in ophthalmology, and those who are not. In contrast, dissection-led learning was scored higher by those participants who were practicing ophthalmology (9.4), when compared with those not in ophthalmic practice (8.5; p = 0.018). The present study supports the hypothesis that the benefits of cadaveric dissection could be maximized during postgraduate surgical training. This has important implications given the trend away from cadaveric dissection in the undergraduate curriculum. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Correlation and characteristics of self-rating and clinical rating of depression among alcoholics in the course of early abstinence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mandić-Gajić Gordana

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background/Aim. Depression is an alcoholism relapse risk factor, but frequently stays underdiagnosed among treated alcoholics. The correlation and characteristics of self-reported and clinically assessed depression in the course of early alcohol abstinence were explored. Methods. A total of 100 inpatient, primary male alcoholics (20-60 years diagnosed according to Classificaton of Mental and Behavioural Disorders (ICD-10 and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV were recruited consecutively. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI were scored on admission (T1, after 4 weeks (T2 and after 8 weeks (T3. Student's t-test, repeated measures ANOVA and Pearson's correlation between the scores were done (p < 0.05. Factor analyses of symptoms were performed. Results: On HDRS T1, T2, T3 90,7%, 39.5%, 17.4% alcoholics were depressive, respectively. The mean HDRS vs BDI scores on T1, T2 and T3 were 15.16 ± 6.34, 7.35 ± 4.18, 4.23 ± 2.93 vs 14.20 ± 9.56, 8.14 ± 7.35, 5.30 ± 4.94, respectively. Depression severity significantly lowered in the course of abstinence (ANOVA. The HRDS and BDI correlations on T1, T2 and T3 were significant (r1 = 0.763, r2 = 0.684, r3 = 0.613 respectively. Dysphoric mood, anxious, vegetative and cognitive HDRS subscales on T1, T2 and T3 were detected, but not BDI factors, thus BDI symptoms were analysed. Conclusions. The majority of alcoholics had depression on admission. A predominant mild-degree with a significant lowering of depression severity and positive significant correlations between HRDS and BDI scores in the course of abstinence were detected. The dysphoric mood on the HDRS sub-scale, and self-blame, anhedonia and guilt BDI symptoms were most prominent and persisted. The BDI could be a useful tool not only for routine screening and reassessment of depression, but also for exploring emotional content during early abstinence and planning tailored

The Ethics of Clinical Trials Research in Severe Mood Disorders.

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Nugent, Allison C; Miller, Franklin G; Henter, Ioline D; Zarate, Carlos A

2017-07-01

Mood disorders, including major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BD), are highly prevalent, frequently disabling, and sometimes deadly. Additional research and more effective medications are desperately needed, but clinical trials research in mood disorders is fraught with ethical issues. Although many authors have discussed these issues, most do so from a theoretical viewpoint. This manuscript uses available empirical data to inform a discussion of the primary ethical issues raised in mood disorders research. These include issues of consent and decision-making capacity, including patients' motivations for participating in research. We also address drug withdrawals, placebo controls, and the overall safety of research. Finally, we examine the extant literature for studies discussing potential indirect benefits of clinical trials research to participants. Taken together, the evidence suggests that clinical trials research incorporating drug withdrawals and placebo controls can be conducted safely and ethically, even in patients with severe or treatment-resistant mood disorders. In fact, given the dearth of effective treatment options for this population, it is our opinion that a moral imperative exists to extend the offer of research participation to severely ill or treatment-resistant groups. Published 2017. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Fatigue in the first year after traumatic brain injury: course, relationship with injury severity, and correlates.

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Beaulieu-Bonneau, Simon; Ouellet, Marie-Christine

2017-10-01

The objectives of this study were to document the evolution of fatigue in the first year after traumatic brain injury (TBI), and to explore correlates of fatigue. Participants were 210 adults who were hospitalised following a TBI. They completed questionnaires 4, 8, and 12 months post-injury, including the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI). Participants with severe TBI presented greater mental and physical fatigue, and reduced activity compared to participants with moderate TBI. For all MFI subscales except reduced motivation, the general pattern was a reduction of fatigue levels over time after mild TBI, an increase of fatigue after severe TBI, and stable fatigue after moderate TBI. Fatigue was significantly associated with depression, insomnia, cognitive difficulties, and pain at 4 months; the same variables and work status at 8 months; and depression, insomnia, cognitive difficulties, and work status at 12 months. These findings suggest that injury severity could have an impact on the course of fatigue in the first year post-TBI. Depression, insomnia, and cognitive difficulties remain strong correlates of fatigue, while for pain and work status the association with fatigue evolves over time. This could influence the development of intervention strategies for fatigue, implemented at specific times for each severity subgroup.

Clinical course of cor pulmonale investigated after an interval of one year by thallium-201 myocardial SPECT scintigraphy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamaoka, Shimpachi; Nishimura, Kouichi; Kuno, Kenshi; Yonekura, Yoshiharu; Koide, Harutoshi.

1988-01-01

Cor pulmonale was evaluated in 13 patients with chronic lung disease by thallium-201 myocardial SPECT scintigraphy together with pulmonary function tests and right heart catheterization. One year later, we performed this scintigraphy again to investigate the clinical course of the cor pulmonale. In 6 of 13 patients with respiratory failure (Pao 2 less than 60 Torr), a remarkable progression in cor pulmonale was noted after one year, despite outpatient oxygen therapy. If the patients were admitted because of acute exacerbation of respiratory failure, the cor pulmonale was found to have worsened. In contrast, patients with acute exacerbation due to respiratory infection or causes other than respiratory failure, showed little change in cor pulmonale. Although patients with a marked progression of cor pulmonale tended to have poor pulmonary function data and elevated pulmonary arterial pressure, the clinical course of cor pulmonale could not be predicted from the initial pulmonary function tests or right heart catheterization. (author)

Hydrocephalus following severe traumatic brain injury in adults. Incidence, timing, and clinical predictors during rehabilitation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kammersgaard, Lars Peter; Linnemann, Mia; Tibæk, Maiken

2013-01-01

To investigate timing and clinical predictors that might predict hydrocephalus emerging during rehabilitation until 1 year following severe traumatic brain injury (TBI).......To investigate timing and clinical predictors that might predict hydrocephalus emerging during rehabilitation until 1 year following severe traumatic brain injury (TBI)....

Hypnosis Training and Education: Experiences with a Norwegian One-Year Education Course in Clinical Hypnosis for Children and Adolescents.

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Lindheim, Maren Ø; Helgeland, Helene

2017-01-01

Although the efficacy of clinical hypnosis is well documented, its implementation in clinical practice is far from completed and there are few reports of systematic, professional training. This article gives a historical overview and description of a 1-year training program in clinical hypnosis which started in Norway in 2008 and has been held yearly since then. We describe the present education course with respect to aims, conceptual framework, structure, target groups, teaching themes, and experiences. The following factors have been considered of importance for the success of this program: The extent and duration of the course, the focus on demonstrations, experiential skill-building and exercises, and that the education is rooted in acknowledged clinical, academic, and educational environments. The participants' evaluations tell stories of mastery and positive experiences with hypnosis as a therapeutic tool in their clinical practice. However, many struggle to understand the various concepts of hypnosis, trance, and suggestions. Some find it hard to get started and challenging to integrate hypnosis in their clinical practice. Finally, some report scarce opportunities to apply their newly acquired skills at their work places and limited support by their leaders. The development of systematic, professional training programs as described in this article may be of importance for further implementation. However, this will also require that clinicians and leaders in universities and professional environments, and policymakers at higher levels, recognize clinical hypnosis as a valid and efficient choice of treatment. This must be reflected in dedicated efforts to ensure successful implementation in practice.

LPL gene mutation as the cause of severe hypertriglyceridemia in the course of ketoacidosis in a patient with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes mellitus.

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Nocoń-Bohusz, Julita; Wikiera, Beata; Basiak, Aleksander; Śmigiel, Robert; Noczyńska, Anna

2016-02-18

Severe hypertriglyceridemia is a condition associated with extremely high triglycerides (TG) plasma concentrations exceeding 1000mg/dl. This condition may result in mutations in genes encoding lipoprotein lipase (LPL), apolipoprotein C2 (APOC2) and apolipoprotein A5 (APOA5) characterized by an autosomal recessive inheritance pattern. A case report of a patient in which clinical picture of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) was accompanied by diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and severe hypertriglyceridemia. A 2.5-year-old boy was admitted to the hospital with ketoacidosis (pH - 7.0, BE - 20mmol/l, HCO3 10mmol/l), glucose level of 850mg%, hyponatremia (Na 100mmol/l) and hyperlipidemia (TG 13493 mg/dl, TC 734 mg/dl). The administered treatment resulted in nearly normal glycemic values and lipid disturbances normalization. This child was diagnosed with a heterozygous mutation of the LPL gene. Currently with an intensive insulin therapy and correct metabolic control of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), this patient maintains a normal lipid profile. In patient with T1DM the diagnosis of severe hypertriglyceridemia in the course of ketoacidosis should be based on careful interpretation of laboratory tests results. Moreover genetic tests of the patient and his/her immediate relatives blood samples should be performed. © Polish Society for Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetology.

Sleep Disruption in Hematopoietic Cell Transplant Recipients: Prevalence, Severity, and Clinical Management

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Jim, Heather S.L.; Evans, Bryan; Jeong, Jiyeon M.; Gonzalez, Brian D.; Johnston, Laura; Nelson, Ashley M.; Kesler, Shelli; Phillips, Kristin M.; Barata, Anna; Pidala, Joseph; Palesh, Oxana

2014-01-01

Sleep disruption is common among hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) recipients, with over 50% of patients experiencing sleep disruption pre-transplant, up to 82% experiencing moderate to severe sleep disruption during hospitalization for transplant, and up to 43% in the post-transplant period. These rates of sleep disruption are substantially higher than the general population. Although sleep disruption can be distressing to patients and contribute to diminished quality of life, it is rarely discussed during clinical visits. The goal of the current review is to draw attention to sleep disruption as a clinical problem in HCT in order to facilitate patient education, intervention, and research. The review opens with a discussion of sleep disruption measurement and clinical diagnosis of sleep disorders. An overview of the prevalence, severity, and chronicity of sleep disruption and disorders in patients receiving HCT follows. Current evidence regarding sociodemographic and clinical predictors of sleep disruption and disorders is summarized. The review concludes with suggestions for behavioral and pharmacologic management of sleep disruption and disorders as well as directions for future research. PMID:24747335

THE CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS AND COURSE OF DUODENAL ULCER DISEASE AFTER PERFORATED ULCER

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L. A. Lyubskaya

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: to compare clinical manifestations, course, mental status in duodenal ulcer (DU patients with a history of perforated ulcer and its uncomplicated course.Subjects and methods. One hundred and thirteen patents with DU were examined. Group 1 included 61 patients with uncomplicated DUand Group 2 comprised 52 patients with a history of perforated ulcer. A comparison group consisted of 20 patients who had undergone laparotomy. Physical and mental status examinations, esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGDS, and 24-hour pH-metry were performed.Results. Classical pain syndrome was observed in 75 % of the patients with uncomplicated DU. Prior to perforation, the pain and dyspeptic syndromes were distinguished only by a significantly lower degree in Group 2; following perforation, the pain syndrome was recorded more frequently, it was more extensive, meal-unrelated, and similar to that in the patients who had undergone laparotomy and had diminished appetite (36.5 %. EGDS showed that the complicated course was accompanied by the significantly higher incidence of erosive esophagitis (21.2 %, gastritis (51.9 %, duodenitis (25.0 %, multiple ulcers (28.8 %, and larger ulcers. 24-hour pH-metry indicated that the level of hyperacidity in Group 2 was higher and the circadian intragastric pH variations were less marked than those in uncomplicated DU. The patients with a history of perforated ulcer showed a high rate of anxiety and depressive changes. Conclusion. In complicated DU, marked monotonic hyperacidity causes common erosive-ulcerative lesions in the gastroduodenal area in relatively mild pain syndrome, late referrals, and long-term ulcer healing. After perforation followed by wound closure, the pain and dyspeptic syndromes become more pronounced, which is associated with anxiety and depressive changes in the mental status, as well as with early referrals and less healing time.

The NOD2 p.Leu1007fsX1008 mutation (rs2066847) is a stronger predictor of the clinical course of Crohn's disease than the FOXO3A intron variant rs12212067.

Science.gov (United States)

Schnitzler, Fabian; Friedrich, Matthias; Wolf, Christiane; Angelberger, Marianne; Diegelmann, Julia; Olszak, Torsten; Beigel, Florian; Tillack, Cornelia; Stallhofer, Johannes; Göke, Burkhard; Glas, Jürgen; Lohse, Peter; Brand, Stephan

2014-01-01

Very recently, a sub-analysis of genome-wide association scans revealed that the non-coding single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs12212067 in the FOXO3A gene is associated with a milder course of Crohn's disease (CD) (Cell 2013;155:57-69). The aim of our study was to evaluate the clinical value of the SNP rs12212067 in predicting the severity of CD by correlating CD patient genotype status with the most relevant complications of CD such as stenoses, fistulas, and CD-related surgery. We genotyped 550 CD patients for rs12212067 (FOXO3A) and the three common CD-associated NOD2 mutations rs2066844, rs2066847, and rs2066847 and performed genotype-phenotype analyses. No significant phenotypic differences were found between the wild-type genotype TT of the FOXO3A SNP rs12212067 and the minor genotypes TG and GG independently from NOD2 variants. The allele frequency of the minor G allele was 12.7%. Age at diagnosis, disease duration, body mass index, surgery rate, stenoses, fistula, need for immunosuppressive therapy, and disease course were not significantly different. In contrast, the NOD2 mutant p.Leu1007fsX1008 (rs2066847) was highly associated with penetrating CD (p = 0.01), the development of fistulas (p = 0.01) and stenoses (p = 0.01), and ileal disease localization (p = 0.03). Importantly, the NOD2 SNP rs2066847 was a strong separator between an aggressive and a mild course of CD (p = 2.99×10(-5)), while the FOXO3A SNP rs12212067 did not separate between mild and aggressive CD behavior in our cohort (p = 0.35). 96.2% of the homozygous NOD2 p.Leu1007fsX1008 carriers had an aggressive disease behavior compared to 69.3% of the patients with the NOD2 wild-type genotype (p = 0.007). In clinical practice, the NOD2 variant p.Leu1007fsX1008 (rs2066847), in particular in homozygous form, is a much stronger marker for a severe clinical phenotype than the FOXO3A rs12212067 SNP for a mild disease course on an individual patient level despite its

Comparison of clinical associations and laboratory abnormalities in children with moderate and severe dehydration.

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Hayajneh, Wail A; Jdaitawi, Hussein; Al Shurman, Abdullah; Hayajneh, Yaseen A

2010-03-01

To search for possible early clinical associations and laboratory abnormalities in children with severe dehydration in northern Jordan. We prospectively evaluated 251 children with acute gastroenteritis. Dehydration assessment was done following a known clinical scheme. Probable clinical associations and laboratory abnormalities were examined against the preassigned dehydration status. Children with severe dehydration had significantly more hypernatremia and hyperkalemia, less isonatremia, and higher mean levels of urea, creatinine, and glucose (P dehydration. Historic clinical characteristics of patients did not correlate to dehydration degree. Serum urea, creatinine, sodium, potassium, and glucose were useful independently in augmenting clinical examination to diagnose the degree of dehydration status among children presenting with gastroenteritis. Serum urea performed the best among all. On the contrary, none of the examined historical clinical patterns could be correlated to the dehydration status. Larger and multicenter studies are needed to validate our results and to examine their impact on final outcomes.

The Netherlands XTC Toxicity (NeXT) study: objectives and methods of a study investigating causality, course, and clinical relevance

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Win, Maartje M. L.; Jager, Gerry; Vervaeke, Hylke K. E.; Schilt, Thelma; Reneman, Liesbeth; Booij, Jan; Verhulst, Frank C.; den Heeten, Gerard J.; Ramsey, Nick F.; Korf, Dirk J.; van den Brink, Wim

2005-01-01

This paper describes the objectives and methods of The Netherlands XTC Toxicity (NeXT) study focussing on the causality, course, and clinical relevance of ecstasy neurotoxicity. Previous studies suggest that ecstasy (3,4 methylene-dioxymethamphetamine, MDMA, XTC) is toxic toward brain serotonin

Clinical Trial of Imipenem/Cilastatin in Severely Burned and Infected Patients

Science.gov (United States)

1987-07-01

34"OT FILE CO.Y CLINICAL TRIAL OF IMIPENEM /CILASTATIN IN SEVERELY BURNED AND INFECTED PATIENTS Gary R. Culbertson, M.D., Albert T. McManus, PH.D., D T...NOV 1 3 1987 San Antonio, Texas b H Imipenem /cilastatin was examined for safety and effi- ,-;Opportunistic organisms causing infections in cacy in a...All of the clinical failures were in the pulmonary in ec- imipenem /cilastatin, a novel thienamycin alti- tion group. No serious toxicity or side

Use of clinical practice as a motivating tool of radioprotection teaching and radiopharmacology in early semesters of pharmacy course

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andrighetto, Daniela; Lüdke, Everton

2014-01-01

The research teaching methods aimed at the success of the higher education student in pharmacology and medicine courses in technical expertise in the fields of radiological protection, radiopharmacology and interventional radiology is extremely important in view of the progress of these sectors. The objective of this work is to propose a methodological sequence of teaching work with first-year students of pharmacy and medicine courses within a biophysical discipline where the integrated knowledge to clinical practice can be used for this purpose. The methodology was to assess individual learning of a group of N = 49 students of the first half in the age group of 17-19 years through conceptual acquisition by the traditional method of 'blackboard and chalk' and developed method that includes four pedagogical moments focused on the area health. An analysis of the evaluation student performance through Variance Analysis of a pathway showed improved scores with respect to the performance of application issues of knowledge concerning radiation protection and biological mechanisms of radiation with respect to the method of 'blackboard and chalk' with p < 0.05. Therefore, work with students with respect to the content in the form of six steps of clinical interest are a promising technique for radiation protection education in the early grades of college courses with experimental effectiveness

Pilot program: NRC severe reactor accident incident response training manual: Severe reactor accident overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McKenna, T.J.; Martin, J.A.; Miller, C.W.; Hively, L.M.; Sharpe, R.W.; Giitter, J.G.; Watkins, R.M.

1987-02-01

This pilot training manual has been written to fill the need for a general text on NRC response to reactor accidents. The manual is intended to be the foundation for a course for all NRC response personnel. Severe Reactor Accident Overview is the second in a series of volumes that collectively summarize the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) emergency response during severe power reactor accidents and provide necessary background information. This volume describes elementary perspectives on severe accidents and accident assesment. Each volume serves, respectively, as the text for a course of instruction in a series of courses. Each volume is accompanied by an appendix of slides that can be used to present this material. The slides are called out in the text

The use of trypsin-like blood activity as a marker of pulmonary fibrosis severity.

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V. V. Rodionova

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Purpose – to determine changes in the trypsin-like blood activity and its relationship with acute phase indices of inflammation in patients with pulmonary fibrosis (PF as a marker of course severity and prognosis of the disease. Materials and Methods: The study included 18 patients: 15 (83% women and 3 (17% men, mean age 53±2.5 years. The control group included 15 practically healthy persons. All the examined patients (n=18 were divided into two groups: with mild or moderately severe PF – 8 (44.4% patients (group I, severe PF – 10 (55.6% of patients (group II. Duration of the disease - from 1 month. up to 4 years. Patients underwent clinic-laboratory and anthropometric studies, a mMRC questionnaire was used, blood saturation was measured, lung radiography in 2 projections, echocardiography, and if necessary a high-resolution computer tomography etc were performed. Results and discussion: More than half of the patients were overweight (44,4% or had obesity of І-ІІІ st. (27.8%. The severity of dyspnea according to mMRC scale was 3.0 (3.0-4.0 points in patients of group II and 2.5 (2.0-3.0 points in patients of group I. There was a decrease in C-reactive protein (CRP in group I and a tendency to increase in patients of group II. When analyzing the indicator of trypsin-like blood activity (TLA, it was found that the median TLA at the beginning of the observation was twice as high as in healthy individuals, direct correlation was established between the level of TLA and the severity of the disease course. After treatment the level of TLA decreased in group I patients. In the severe course of PF, the average TLA level remained high. The progredient course of LF is characterized by severe clinical symptoms, a significant increase in TLA, CRP, reduced O2 saturation, a lack of response to treatment and an unfavorable prognosis. The TLA index can be used as a biochemical marker of the severity of PF along with the CRPindex, O2 saturation and

Using thermographic cameras to investigate eye temperature and clinical severity in depression

Science.gov (United States)

Maller, Jerome J.; George, Shefin Sam; Viswanathan, Rekha Puzhavakkathumadom; Fitzgerald, Paul B.; Junor, Paul

2016-02-01

Previous studies suggest that altered corneal temperature may be a feature of schizophrenia, but the association between major depressive disorder (MDD) and corneal temperature has yet to be assessed. The aim of this study is to investigate whether eye temperature is different among MDD patients than among healthy individuals. We used a thermographic camera to measure and compare the temperature profile across the corneas of 16 patients with MDD and 16 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects. We found that the average corneal temperature between the two groups did not differ statistically, although clinical severity correlated positively with right corneal temperature. Corneal temperature may be an indicator of clinical severity in psychiatric disorders, including depression.

Clinical course and effective treatment of varicose vein of lower limb in diabetic patients

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Yu.O. Syniachenko

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Background. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2 is a risk factor for arteriosclerosis of the lower extremities, and the relationship with the state of the feet venous vascular territory remains insufficiently studied, the effectiveness of surgical treatment of patients with varicose veins is not defined. Objective: to analyze the clinical course of foot varicose veins and the effectiveness of medical measures on the background of DM2. Materials and methods. The study included 302 patients (227 men and 75 women aged 29–72 years old, 16 % of which had previous phlebothrombosis and the prevalece of II, III, IV, V and VI class of venous insufficiency was 10, 14, 37 16 and 23 %, respectively. 263 patients underwent endovenous laser coagulation, and 39 — the traditional phlebectomy and ligation of perforating veins. Results. Among the examined patients with varicose veins of lower extremities DM2 was diagnosed in 9 % of cases, more often in males and elderly patients on the background of atherosclerosis of the foot vessels (iliac, femoral, tibial, popliteal artery, which was accompanied by more frequent involvement of the great saphenous vein in the process and its gate extension, the prevalence of severe grades of venous insufficiency, significantly worse the results of surgical treatment of varicose veins and greater frequency of complications, despite more frequent using of rivaroxaban and low molecular weight heparins, and the effectiveness of endovenous laser ablation after four weeks of its implementation is inferior to that in the group without DM2, while glycemic index inversely correlated with the surface tension of the venous blood, which has prognostic significance in the context of future medical interventions. Conclusions. The presence of DM2 is a risk factor for more severe feet varicose veins, is a negative predictive factor in the effectiveness of surgical treatment of the disease and the complications number.

Is postpartum depression a homogenous disorder: time of onset, severity, symptoms and hopelessness in relation to the course of depression.

Science.gov (United States)

Kettunen, Pirjo; Koistinen, Eeva; Hintikka, Jukka

2014-12-10

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a common illness, but due to the underlying processes and the diversity of symptoms, some variability is exhibited. The risk of postpartum depression is great if the mother has previously suffered from depression, but there is some evidence that a certain subgroup of women only experience depression during the postpartum period. The study group consisted of 104 mothers with postpartum major depression and a control group of 104 postpartum mothers without depression. The Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders (SCID-I) was used for data collection. The severity of depression and other mental symptoms were assessed using several validated rating scales. A history of past depression (82%), including depression during pregnancy (42%) and during the postpartum period (53%), was very common in those with current PPD. Eighteen per cent of mothers with current PPD had previously not had any depressive episodes and four per cent had experienced depression only during the postpartum period. Therefore, pure PPD was rare. The onset of PPD was usually (84%) within six weeks of childbirth. Obsessive-compulsive symptoms, phobic anxiety, paranoid ideation, depressed mood, diminished pleasure/interest, decreased energy, and psychomotor agitation/retardation were common with all kinds of depression histories. Pure PPD was the most similar to the first depressive episode. Nevertheless, the severity of depression, the level of hopelessness, somatisation, interpersonal sensitivity, anxiety, hostility, psychoticism, sleep disturbance, and suicidal ideation were lower, appetite changed less, and concentration was better than in other recurrent depressions. According to this study, PPD is not a homogenous disorder. The time of onset, severity, symptoms, level of hopelessness, and the course of depression vary. Recurrent depression is common. All mothers must be screened during the sixth week postpartum at the latest. Screening alone is not

Two-year course of depressive and anxiety disorders: results from the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA).

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Penninx, Brenda W J H; Nolen, Willem A; Lamers, Femke; Zitman, Frans G; Smit, Johannes H; Spinhoven, Philip; Cuijpers, Pim; de Jong, Peter J; van Marwijk, Harm W J; van der Meer, Klaas; Verhaak, Peter; Laurant, Miranda G H; de Graaf, Ron; Hoogendijk, Witte J; van der Wee, Nic; Ormel, Johan; van Dyck, Richard; Beekman, Aartjan T F

2011-09-01

Whether course trajectories of depressive and anxiety disorders are different, remains an important question for clinical practice and informs future psychiatric nosology. This longitudinal study compares depressive and anxiety disorders in terms of diagnostic and symptom course trajectories, and examines clinical prognostic factors. Data are from 1209 depressive and/or anxiety patients residing in primary and specialized care settings, participating in the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety. Diagnostic and Life Chart Interviews provided 2-year course information. Course was more favorable for pure depression (n=267, median episode duration = 6 months, 24.5% chronic) than for pure anxiety (n=487, median duration = 16 months, 41.9% chronic). Worst course was observed in the comorbid depression-anxiety group (n=455, median duration > 24 months, 56.8% chronic). Independent predictors of poor diagnostic and symptom trajectory outcomes were severity and duration of index episode, comorbid depression-anxiety, earlier onset age and older age. With only these factors a reasonable discriminative ability (C-statistic 0.72-0.77) was reached in predicting 2-year prognosis. Depression and anxiety cases concern prevalent - not incident - cases. This, however, reflects the actual patient population in primary and specialized care settings. Their differential course trajectory justifies separate consideration of pure depression, pure anxiety and comorbid anxiety-depression in clinical practice and psychiatric nosology. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Online course design for teaching critical thinking.

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Schaber, Patricia; Shanedling, Janet

2012-01-01

Teaching critical thinking (CT) skills, a goal in higher education, is seldom considered in the primary design of either classroom or online courses, and is even less frequently measured in student learning. In health professional education, CT along with clinical reasoning skills is essential for the development of clinical practitioners. This study, measuring CT skill development in an online theory course, supports using a cyclical course design to build higher level processes in student thinking. Eighty-six Masters of Occupational Therapy students in four sections of an occupation-based theory course were evaluated on elements in the Paul and Elder CT Model throughout the course and surveyed for their perceptions in their ability to think critically at course completion. Results of this study demonstrated that the online theory course design contributed to improving critical thinking skills and student's perceived CT skill development as applicable to their future professional practice. In a focus group, eight students identified four effective course design features that contributed to their CT skill development: highly structured learning, timely feedback from instructor, repetition of assignments, and active engagement with the material.

SEVERE IMMUNE HEMOLYTIC ANEMIA AFTER LIVER TRANSPLANTATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. I. Sushkov

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Clinical case of successful treatment of severe immune hemolytic anemia after liver transplantation is represen- ted in this article. The cause of complication was so-called passenger lymphocyte syndrome (a type of graft- versus-host disease. Two plasmapheresis sessions and Ig (0.5 g/kg in combination with increased maintenance immunosuppression with a short course of oral methylprednisolone in a total dose of 150 mg during 12 days were effective. The patient was discharged from hospital 34 days after transplantation in a satisfactory condition with a stable hemoglobin level. 

How formative courses about damage control surgery and non-operative management improved outcome and survival in unstable politrauma patients in a Mountain Trauma Center.

Science.gov (United States)

Bellanova, Giovanni; Buccelletti, Francesco; Berletti, Riccardo; Cavana, Marco; Folgheraiter, Giorgio; Groppo, Francesca; Marchetti, Chiara; Marzano, Amelia; Massè, Alessandro; Musetti, Antonio; Pelanda, Tina; Ricci, Nicola; Tugnoli, Gregorio; Papadia, Damiano; Ramponi, Claudio

2016-01-01

Aim of this study is to analyze how the starting of Course of Trauma in our hospital improved survival and organization in management of polytraumatized patients. We analysed all major trauma patients (Injury Severity Score (Injury Severity Score (ISS)> 15) treated at Emergency Department of the Santa Chiara Hospital between January 2011 and December 2014. The training courses (TC) were named "management of polytrauma" (MP) and "clinical cases discussion" (CCD), and started in November 2013. We divided the patients between two groups: before November 2013 (pre-TC group) and after November 2013 (post-TC group). MTG's courses (EMC accredited), CCD and MP courses started in November 2013. The target of these courses was the multidisciplinary management of polytrauma patient; the courses were addressed to general surgeons, anaesthesiologists, radiologists, orthopaedics and emergency physicians. Respectively 110 and 78 doctors were formed in CCD's and MP's courses. Patients directly transported to our trauma centre rose from 67.5% to 83% (pOperative Management, Trauma Course, Trauma Team, Trauma Center.

Interhospital Transfer of Neurosurgical Patients: Implications of Timing on Hospital Course and Clinical Outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Holland, Christopher M; Lovasik, Brendan P; Howard, Brian M; McClure, Evan W; Samuels, Owen B; Barrow, Daniel L

2017-09-01

Interhospital transfer of neurosurgical patients is common; however, little is known about the impact of transfer parameters on clinical outcomes. Lower survival rates have been reported for patients admitted at night and on weekends in other specialties. Whether time or day of admission affects neurosurgical patient outcomes, specifically those transferred from other facilities, is unknown. To examine the impact of the timing of interhospital transfer on the hospital course and clinical outcomes of neurosurgical patients. All consecutive admissions of patients transferred to our adult neurosurgical service were retrospectively analyzed for a 1-year study period using data from a central transfer database and the electronic health record. Patients arrived more often at night (70.8%) despite an even distribution of transfer requests. The lack of transfer imaging did not affect length of stay, intervention times, or patient outcomes. Daytime arrivals had shorter total transfer time, but longer intenstive care unit and overall length of stay (8.7 and 11.6 days, respectively), worse modified Rankin Scale scores, lower rates of functional independence, and almost twice the mortality rate. Weekend admissions had significantly worse modified Rankin Scale scores and lower rates of functional independence. The timing of transfer arrivals, both by hour or day of the week, is correlated with the time to intervention, hospital course, and overall patient outcomes. Patients admitted during the weekend suffered worse functional outcomes and a trend towards increased mortality. While transfer logistics clearly impact patient outcomes, further work is needed to understand these complex relationships. Copyright © 2017 by the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.

A predeployment trauma team training course creates confidence in teamwork and clinical skills: a post-Afghanistan deployment validation study of Canadian Forces healthcare personnel.

Science.gov (United States)

McLaughlin, Thomas; Hennecke, Peter; Garraway, Naisan Robert; Evans, David C; Hameed, Morad; Simons, Richard K; Doucet, Jay; Hansen, Daniel; Annand, Siobhan; Bell, Nathaniel; Brown, D Ross

2011-11-01

The 10-day Intensive Trauma Team Training Course (ITTTC) was developed by the Canadian Forces (CFs) to teach teamwork and clinical trauma skills to military healthcare personnel before deploying to Afghanistan. This article attempts to validate the impact of the ITTTC by surveying participants postdeployment. A survey consisting of Likert-type multiple-choice questions was created and sent to all previous ITTTC participants. The survey asked respondents to rate their confidence in applying teamwork skills and clinical skills learned in the ITTTC. It explored the relevancy of objectives and participants' prior familiarity with the objectives. The impact of different training modalities was also surveyed. The survey showed that on average 84.29% of participants were "confident" or "very confident" in applying teamwork skills to their subsequent clinical experience and 52.10% were "confident" or "very confident" in applying clinical knowledge and skills. On average 43.74% of participants were "familiar" or "very familiar" with the clinical topics before the course, indicating the importance of training these skills. Participants found that clinical shadowing was significantly less valuable in training clinical skills than either animal laboratory experience or experience in human patient simulators; 68.57% respondents thought that ITTTC was "important" or "very important" in their training. The ITTTC created lasting self-reported confidence in CFs healthcare personnel surveyed upon return from Afghanistan. This validates the importance of the course for the training of CFs healthcare personnel and supports the value of team training in other areas of trauma and medicine.

Prediction of the course of acute odontogenic pathology with pronounced osteomyelitis by immunoglobulin and cytokin evaluation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. I. Yaremenko

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of our trial was detection of the most significant clinico-laboratory factors in the saliva and blood samples of the patients with odontogenic osteomyelitis in order to predict severity of the clinical course of osteomyelitis and to choose the optimal treatment tactics.

A Multi-Center Prospective Derivation and Validation of a Clinical Prediction Tool for Severe Clostridium difficile Infection.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Na, Xi

2015-04-23

Prediction of severe clinical outcomes in Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is important to inform management decisions for optimum patient care. Currently, treatment recommendations for CDI vary based on disease severity but validated methods to predict severe disease are lacking. The aim of the study was to derive and validate a clinical prediction tool for severe outcomes in CDI.

Malignant fatty tumors: classification, clinical course, imaging appearance and treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peterson, J.J.; Kransdorf, M.J.; Bancroft, L.W.; O'Connor, M.I.

2003-01-01

Liposarcoma is a relatively common soft tissue malignancy with a wide spectrum of clinical presentations and imaging appearances. Several subtypes are described, ranging from lesions nearly entirely composed of mature adipose tissue, to tumors with very sparse adipose elements. The imaging appearance of these fatty masses is frequently sufficiently characteristic to allow a specific diagnosis, while in other cases, although a specific diagnosis is not achievable, a meaningful limited differential diagnosis can be established. The purpose of this paper is to review the spectrum of malignant fatty tumors, highlighting the current classification system, clinical presentation and behavior, treatment and spectrum of imaging appearances. The imaging review will emphasize CT scanning and MR imaging, and will stress differentiating radiologic features. (orig.)

Benign fatty tumors: classification, clinical course, imaging appearance, and treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bancroft, Laura W.; Kransdorf, Mark J.; Peterson, Jeffrey J.; O'Connor, Mary I.

2006-01-01

Lipoma is the most common soft-tissue tumor, with a wide spectrum of clinical presentations and imaging appearances. Several subtypes are described, ranging from lesions entirely composed of mature adipose tissue to tumors intimately associated with nonadipose tissue, to those composed of brown fat. The imaging appearance of these fatty masses is frequently sufficiently characteristic to allow a specific diagnosis. However, in other cases, although a specific diagnosis is not achievable, a meaningful limited differential diagnosis can be established. The purpose of this manuscript is to review the spectrum of benign fatty tumors highlighting the current classification system, clinical presentation and behavior, spectrum of imaging appearances, and treatment. The imaging review emphasizes computed tomography (CT) scanning and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, differentiating radiologic features. (orig.)

Renal MRI findings and their clinical associations in nephropathia epidemica: analysis of quantitative findings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Paakkala, A. [University of Tampere, Medical School, Tampere (Finland); Tampere University Hospital, Department of Radiology, Tampere (Finland); Dastidar, P.; Ryymin, P. [Tampere University Hospital, Department of Radiology, Tampere (Finland); Huhtala, H. [University of Tampere, School of Public Health, Tampere (Finland); Mustonen, J. [University of Tampere, Medical School, Tampere (Finland); Tampere University Hospital, Department of Medicine, Tampere (Finland)

2005-05-01

Morphologic renal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in patients with nephropathia epidemica (NE) were evaluated, and these findings were correlated with the clinical course of NE. Renal MRI was performed in 20 hospitalized NE patients during the acute phase of their disease. A repeat MRI study was made 5-8 months later. Renal parenchymal volume, renal length and parenchymal thickness were decreased in all patients in the repeat study. Edema/fluid collections were found bilaterally in 16 patients in the primary MRI study. Greater change in parenchymal volume, renal length and parenchymal thickness between the primary and the repeat MRI study as well as the presence of edema/fluid collections in the primary study evinced mild association with clinical fluid volume overload, high blood pressure level, inflammation, thrombocytopenia and severe clinical renal insufficiency. Change in parenchymal volume was associated with a severe clinical course more markedly than the other MRI findings. Measurable renal MRI changes occurred in every NE patient. The severity of the findings in MRI evinced mild association with clinical fluid volume overload, high blood pressure level, inflammation, thrombocytopenia and severe clinical renal insufficiency. Based on this study and our previous ultrasound (US) findings, we prefer US as the primary examination mode in NE patients. (orig.)

Renal MRI findings and their clinical associations in nephropathia epidemica: analysis of quantitative findings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paakkala, A.; Dastidar, P.; Ryymin, P.; Huhtala, H.; Mustonen, J.

2005-01-01

Morphologic renal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in patients with nephropathia epidemica (NE) were evaluated, and these findings were correlated with the clinical course of NE. Renal MRI was performed in 20 hospitalized NE patients during the acute phase of their disease. A repeat MRI study was made 5-8 months later. Renal parenchymal volume, renal length and parenchymal thickness were decreased in all patients in the repeat study. Edema/fluid collections were found bilaterally in 16 patients in the primary MRI study. Greater change in parenchymal volume, renal length and parenchymal thickness between the primary and the repeat MRI study as well as the presence of edema/fluid collections in the primary study evinced mild association with clinical fluid volume overload, high blood pressure level, inflammation, thrombocytopenia and severe clinical renal insufficiency. Change in parenchymal volume was associated with a severe clinical course more markedly than the other MRI findings. Measurable renal MRI changes occurred in every NE patient. The severity of the findings in MRI evinced mild association with clinical fluid volume overload, high blood pressure level, inflammation, thrombocytopenia and severe clinical renal insufficiency. Based on this study and our previous ultrasound (US) findings, we prefer US as the primary examination mode in NE patients. (orig.)

A pilot study on conducting mobile learning activities for clinical nursing courses based on the repertory grid approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Po-Han; Hwang, Gwo-Jen; Tsai, Chin-Chung; Chen, Ya-Chun; Huang, Yueh-Min

2011-11-01

In clinical nursing courses, students are trained to identify the status of the target patients. The mastery of such ability and skills is very important since patients frequently need to be cared for immediately. In this pilot study, a repertory grid-oriented clinical mobile learning system is developed for a nursing training program. With the assistance of the mobile learning system, the nursing school students are able to learn in an authentic learning scenario, in which they can physically face the target patients, with the personal guidance and supplementary materials from the learning system to support them. To show the effectiveness of this innovative approach, an experiment has been conducted on the "respiratory system" unit of a nursing course. The experimental results show that the innovative approach is helpful to students in improving their learning achievements. Moreover, from the questionnaire surveys, it was found that most students showed favorable attitudes toward the usage of the mobile learning system and their participation in the training program. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effectiveness of asthma principles and practice course in increasing nurse practitioner knowledge and confidence in the use of asthma clinical guidelines.

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor-Fishwick, Judith C; Okafor, Maureen; Fletcher, Monica

2015-04-01

The Asthma Principle and Practice (APP) course, an evidence-based blended distance-learning educational encounter, was designed to aid in the dissemination of the 2007 asthma clinical guidelines (EPR-3) and priority messages, increase knowledge of content of the guidelines as well as create an environment to enable participants to apply knowledge and skills into clinical practice. Students received a self-study binder 6-week period prior to attendance at an interactive study day. The APP is grounded in adult education principle and practices. A questionnaire was completed before reading the study binder and post study day to measure demographic variables as well as awareness of and changes in knowledge and confidence in key attributes of the clinical guidelines including patient education. The results showed that by taking the APP course confidence levels related to knowledge of asthma and its management increased with specific reference to the asthma clinical guidelines. Confidence in the use of patient education/communication strategies improved as well as the use of pulmonary function tests and the interpretation of test results. Nurse practitioners are an important audience to target in the dissemination of clinical guidelines and benefit from educational materials based on adult education strategies. ©2014 American Association of Nurse Practitioners.

Social, dietary and clinical correlates of oedema in children with severe acute malnutrition

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rytter, Maren Johanne Heilskov; Namusoke, Hanifa; Babirekere-Iriso, Esther

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Severe acute malnutrition is a serious public health problem, and a challenge to clinicians. Why some children with malnutrition develop oedema (kwashiorkor) is not well understood. The objective of this study was to investigate socio-demographic, dietary and clinical correlates...... of oedema, in children hospitalised with severe acute malnutrition. METHODS: We recruited children with severe acute malnutrition admitted to Mulago Hospital, Uganda. Data was collected using questionnaires, clinical examination and measurement of blood haemoglobin, plasma c-reactive protein and α1-acid...... glycoprotein. Correlates of oedema were identified using multiple logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Of 120 children included, 77 (64%) presented with oedematous malnutrition. Oedematous children were slightly older (17.7 vs. 15.0 months, p = 0.006). After adjustment for age and sex, oedematous children...

[No best treatment for severe outbreaks: Maintenance, the key in colitis].

Science.gov (United States)

Sicilia, Beatriz

2011-12-01

Several drugs are currently available to maintain remission in patients who have responded after one or other type of induction therapy, depending on the initial severity of the outbreak. Salicylates are the drugs of choice to maintain remission after a mild-to-moderate outbreak controlled by salicylates or oral corticosteroids. To maintain remission after a severe outbreak or in patients with corticosteroid dependence or resistance, thiopurines are the drugs of choice. In patients who have failed to respond to thiopurines and in those with thiopurine intolerance, biological agents, mainly infliximab, can be used to maintain remission in patients after induction therapy with infliximab for a severe outbreak. However, these scenarios may not reflect reality of gastroenterologists' daily clinical practice. Treatment will therefore be based on the patient's individual characteristics (age, clinical course, previous treatment, adverse effects and personal preferences) as well as the physician's medical art. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Clinical course of alcoholic liver cirrhosis: a Danish population-based cohort study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jepsen, Peter; Ott, Peter; Andersen, Per Kragh

2010-01-01

The clinical course of alcoholic cirrhosis, a condition with a high mortality, has not been well described. We examined prevalence, risk, chronology, and mortality associated with three complications of cirrhosis: ascites, variceal bleeding, and hepatic encephalopathy. We followed a population......-risks methods. At diagnosis of alcoholic cirrhosis, 24% of patients had no complications, 55% had ascites alone, 6% had variceal bleeding alone, 4% had ascites and variceal bleeding, and 11% had hepatic encephalopathy. One-year mortality was 17% among patients with no initial complications, 20% following...... variceal bleeding alone, 29% following ascites alone, 49% following ascites and variceal bleeding (from the onset of the later of the two complications), and 64% following hepatic encephalopathy. Five-year mortality ranged from 58% to 85%. The risk of complications was about 25% after 1 year and 50% after...

[Clinical analysis of acute encephalocele during operation in 21 patients with severe craniocerebral injury].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhuang, Qiang; Qu, Chun-cheng; Liang, Wen-zhi; Qin, Hao; Yu, Rui

2011-03-08

To analyze the clinical features of acute intra-operative encephalocele and the proper prophylactic-therapeutic measures for severe craniocerebral injury. The clinical data were collected and analyzed for 21 patients with severe head injuries who suffered acute intra-operative encephalocele from June 2008 to May 2010. There were 12 males and 9 females with an age range of 18 - 69 years old. Among these patients, 6 died with a mortality rate of 28.5%. It was lower than that reported in literatures. One patient died post-operatively of severe brain swelling and intracranial infection secondary to leakage of cerebrospinal fluid. Four patients died of severe craniocerebral injury, brain swelling and brain stem failure. And 1 patient died after his guardian abandoned the treatment. The follow-up period for the remaining 15 surviving patients was 3 - 6 months. According to the Glasgow outcome score (GOS), there were a favorable prognosis (n = 9), moderate disabilities (n = 5) and severe disability (n = 1). The probability of acute intra-operative encephalocele may be predicted in advance with a combination of clinical features and computed tomographic scans. The therapeutic success rate of acute encephalocele will be boosted by taking protective and therapeutic measures pre- and intra-operatively.

The Netherlands XTC Toxicity (NeXT) study: objectives and methods of a study investigating causality, course, and clinical relevance.

Science.gov (United States)

De Win, Maartje M L; Jager, Gerry; Vervaeke, Hylke K E; Schilt, Thelma; Reneman, Liesbeth; Booij, Jan; Verhulst, Frank C; Den Heeten, Gerard J; Ramsey, Nick F; Korf, Dirk J; Van den Brink, Wim

2005-01-01

This paper describes the objectives and methods of The Netherlands XTC Toxicity (NeXT) study focussing on the causality, course, and clinical relevance of ecstasy neurotoxicity. Previous studies suggest that ecstasy (3,4 methylene-dioxymethamphetamine, MDMA, XTC) is toxic toward brain serotonin axons, but most of these studies have serious methodological limitations. The current study is a combination of different approaches with three substudies: (1) a crosssectional substudy among heavy ecstasy users and controls with variation in drug use, which will provide information about potential neurotoxic consequences of ecstasy in relation to other drugs; (2) a prospective cohort substudy in ecstasy-naive subjects with high risk for future ecstasy use, which will provide information on the causality and short-term course of ecstasy use and potential neurotoxicity, and (3) a retrospective cohort substudy in lifetime ecstasy users and matched controls of an existing epidemiological sample that will provide information on long-term course and outcome of ecstasy use in the general population. Neurotoxicity is studied using (a) different imaging techniques (beta-CIT SPECT, 1H-MR spectroscopy, diffusion tensor imaging, perfusion weighted imaging and functional magnetic resonance imaging), and (b) neuropsychological and psychiatric assessments of memory, depression, and personality. The combined results will lead to conclusions that can be used in prevention messages, clinical decision making, and the development of an (inter)national ecstasy policy.

Improved self- and external assessment of the clinical abilities of medical students through structured improvement measures in an internal medicine bedside course

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fünger, S. M.

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Background: Bedside courses are of outstanding importance when training medical students. The fact that less and less teaching is taking place nowadays at the patient's bedside makes it all the more important that the available time be put to effective use. The aim of this study was to check whether structured improvement measures in the course (scripts, lecturer briefing, e-learning cases would improve the abilities of the students on the basis of a subjective self-assessment as well as an external assessment by the lecturers with respect to clinical abilities. Methods: Bedside teaching takes place in the fourth study year in the Medical Clinics of the TU Munich. Both students and lecturers had the chance to hand in an anonymous, quantitative self- and external assessment of the clinical abilities of the students (German grading system after every course date. This assessment took place online in the three categories "Medical history & examination", "Diagnosis" and "Therapy". An overall period of four semesters, each with 6 course dates, was investigated. After two of the total of four semesters in the study, the course was changed by introducing scripts, lecturer briefing as well as interactive e-learning cases. The self- and external assessment was compared both within the semester (date 1-3: A; date 4-6: B, during the course as well as before and after introducing the improvement measures ("before" (T0: SS 2012, SS 2013, "after" (T1: WS 2013/2014, SS 2014.Results: There was a significant improvement in one's own abilities on the basis of the self-assessment within each semester when comparing the first (A and the last (B course dates. Moreover, there was a significant improvement in the performances in all three categories when T0 was compared with T1, from both the point of view of the students ("Medical history & examination": T0 =2.5±0.9, T1=2.2±0.7, pp<0.001; "Diagnosis" T0=3.1±1.0, T1=2.8 ±0.9, pp<0.001; "Therapy": T0=3.8±1.3, T1

The effects of co-morbidity in defining major depression subtypes associated with long-term course and severity.

Science.gov (United States)

Wardenaar, K J; van Loo, H M; Cai, T; Fava, M; Gruber, M J; Li, J; de Jonge, P; Nierenberg, A A; Petukhova, M V; Rose, S; Sampson, N A; Schoevers, R A; Wilcox, M A; Alonso, J; Bromet, E J; Bunting, B; Florescu, S E; Fukao, A; Gureje, O; Hu, C; Huang, Y Q; Karam, A N; Levinson, D; Medina Mora, M E; Posada-Villa, J; Scott, K M; Taib, N I; Viana, M C; Xavier, M; Zarkov, Z; Kessler, R C

2014-11-01

Although variation in the long-term course of major depressive disorder (MDD) is not strongly predicted by existing symptom subtype distinctions, recent research suggests that prediction can be improved by using machine learning methods. However, it is not known whether these distinctions can be refined by added information about co-morbid conditions. The current report presents results on this question. Data came from 8261 respondents with lifetime DSM-IV MDD in the World Health Organization (WHO) World Mental Health (WMH) Surveys. Outcomes included four retrospectively reported measures of persistence/severity of course (years in episode; years in chronic episodes; hospitalization for MDD; disability due to MDD). Machine learning methods (regression tree analysis; lasso, ridge and elastic net penalized regression) followed by k-means cluster analysis were used to augment previously detected subtypes with information about prior co-morbidity to predict these outcomes. Predicted values were strongly correlated across outcomes. Cluster analysis of predicted values found three clusters with consistently high, intermediate or low values. The high-risk cluster (32.4% of cases) accounted for 56.6-72.9% of high persistence, high chronicity, hospitalization and disability. This high-risk cluster had both higher sensitivity and likelihood ratio positive (LR+; relative proportions of cases in the high-risk cluster versus other clusters having the adverse outcomes) than in a parallel analysis that excluded measures of co-morbidity as predictors. Although the results using the retrospective data reported here suggest that useful MDD subtyping distinctions can be made with machine learning and clustering across multiple indicators of illness persistence/severity, replication with prospective data is needed to confirm this preliminary conclusion.

Feasibility of PBL implementation in clinical courses of nursing and midwifery from the viewpoints of faculty members of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vahidi R.Gh

2004-01-01

Full Text Available Background: PBL, as a teaching method, has a basic role in promoting education level and combining the theoretical and practical knowledge. But there still exist serious obstacles to implementing this educational method Purpose: To recognize the impediments an obstacle preventing PBL method implementation. Methods: The Subjects studied in this research are all the tutors who taught basic and clinical courses in the faculty of nursing and midwifery in the first and second terms of the year 2001-2002. Choosing subjects was done by using census method and the number of subjects was 33 basic course teachers and 20 clinical course teachers. A questionnaire developed based on the studies’ goals was the tool used for collecting data. Data was analysed by means of SPSS/Win 10 Soft ware using descriptive statistics Results: The 95% of basic course teachers and 93.9% clinical course teachers think of the conditions and facilities needed for implementing PBL as of medium level. Tutors believe that most of the impediments are related to student's lack of group work skills, and the skills needed for making correct communication, and the need for students practical participation in PBL for making them ready and receptive. They also relate most of the strong points to PBL's being efficient in training community – oriented students. The tutors state that performing PBL does not decrease their motivation at all, due to the change in their role from lecturer to facilitator. Conclusion: The Although findings of this research indicate that the conditions needed for implementing PBL exist at present, still there are many obstacles to its performance such as student's lack of group work skills and their disability in making correct interaction, costliness of beginning and marinating PBL, large number of students and lack of tutors Keywords: PBL IMPLEMENTATION, MEDICAL EDUCATION

A new course in the clinical pathways for metabolic syndrome

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kageyama, Shoko; Wada, Yumi; Nakamura, Rie

2006-01-01

Metabolic syndrome is consisted with multiple risk factors such as diabetes, dyslipidemia, and hypertension based on visceral fat accumulation, for the development of arteriosclerosis. We present, here, a clinical pathway for education of patients with metabolic syndrome. The program contains an adequate explanation of the high risk for arteriosclerosis to the patients, the measurement of visceral fat content by computed tomography, and several clinical examinations for the evaluation of arteriosclerotic lesions. We have presented this program on the ward of diabetes center in our hospital for patients diagnosed as having metabolic syndrome. Because the focus of education is to clarify understanding of the harmful effects of visceral fat and the benefits of its reduction, it might be a valuable tool to motivate and empower the patient and improve the patient's lifestyle. (author)

A new course in the clinical pathways for metabolic syndrome

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kageyama, Shoko; Wada, Yumi; Nakamura, Rie [Sumitomo Hospital, Osaka, Osaka (Japan)

2006-07-15

Metabolic syndrome is consisted with multiple risk factors such as diabetes, dyslipidemia, and hypertension based on visceral fat accumulation, for the development of arteriosclerosis. We present, here, a clinical pathway for education of patients with metabolic syndrome. The program contains an adequate explanation of the high risk for arteriosclerosis to the patients, the measurement of visceral fat content by computed tomography, and several clinical examinations for the evaluation of arteriosclerotic lesions. We have presented this program on the ward of diabetes center in our hospital for patients diagnosed as having metabolic syndrome. Because the focus of education is to clarify understanding of the harmful effects of visceral fat and the benefits of its reduction, it might be a valuable tool to motivate and empower the patient and improve the patient's lifestyle. (author)

Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in AIDS patients: clinical course in relation to the parasite number found in routine specimens obtained by fiberoptic bronchoscopy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Orholm, M; Nielsen, T L; Holten-Andersen, W

1992-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the amount of Pneumocystis carinii organisms found at fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FB) performed on HIV-positive patients correlated to the character of the P. carinii pneumonia (PCP). A consecutive series of 105 patients presented with 131 episodes...... of pulmonary symptoms requiring FB, and in 75 of these episodes a diagnosis of PCP was made. Specimens were stained with Giemsa and methenamine silver nitrate and the number of parasites found was given as: numerous, many, few or none. The following signs and symptoms were registered: cough, dyspnoea, fever......, loss of weight, chest radiograph, haemoglobin, WBC, CD4 cell count, PO2 and HIV p24 antigen. The PCP was characterized by the clinical course: mild, moderate, severe, and by the outcome: pulmonary healthy, pulmonary insufficiency and death. No correlations between the number of P. carinii organisms...

Changes in Student Perceptions and Study Strategies Over Time in a Veterinary Clinical Pathology Course Using Case-Based Instruction.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandez, Nicole J; Wagg, Catherine R; Warren, Amy L

2018-06-13

Veterinary students are challenged to develop new, nonlinear ways of thinking as they learn diagnostic reasoning skills. To support this process, we use real-life cases in our clinical pathology course. Changes in student perceptions regarding the use of cases and changes in study strategies over time have not been previously investigated or compared to student grades. Students participated in three voluntary online surveys that included 4-point Likert scale questions and open-ended questions on the helpfulness of cases for learning and study strategies used during the course. We used Friedman tests to detect any differences in perceptions over time; McNemar's test and "Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to detect any differences in study strategies over time. Fisher's exact tests'were used to examine the association between the Likert scale responses and grades in quartiles. Before beginning the course, 29% of students responded that cases were very helpful to their learning, with similar "responses for helpfulness in applying course material and grasping important concepts. There was a significant trend of increasing positivity over the duration of the course, with 74% responding that cases were very helpful at the end of the course. The most-reported study strategy was working individually on cases before the midterm (74% of students), and the most helpful study strategy was attending class regularly (88% reported it as very "helpful). Study strategies did not change significantly over time. Overall, perceptions and study strategies did not vary significantly with grades.

High-risk angina patient: identification by clinical features, hospital course, electrocardiography, and technetium-99m stannous pyrophosphate scintigraphy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olson, H.G.; Lyons, K.P.; Aronow, W.S.; Stinson, P.J.; Kuperus, J.; Waters, H.J.

1981-01-01

We evaluated 193 consecutive unstable angina patients by clinical features, hospital course and electrocardiography. All patients were managed medically. Of the 193 patients, 150 (78%) had a technetium-99m pyrophosphate (Tc-PYP) myocardial scintigram after hospitalization. Of these, 49 (33%) had positive scintigrams. At a follow-up of 24.9 +- 10.8 months after hospitalization, 16 of 49 patients (33%) with positive scintigrams died from cardiac causes, compared with six of 101 patients (6%) with negative scintigrams (p < 0.001). Of 49 patients with positive scintigrams, 11 (22%) had had nonfatal myocardial infarction at follow-up, compared with seven of 101 patients (7%) with negative scintigrams (p < 0.01). Age, duration of clinical coronary artery disease, continuing angina during hospitalization, ischemic ECG, cardiomegaly and a history of heart failure also correlated with cardiac death at follow-up. Ischemic ECG and a history of angina with a crescendo pattern also correlated with nonfatal infarction at follow-up. Patients with continuing angina, an ischemic ECG and a positive scintigram constituted a high-risk unstable angina subgroup, with a survival rate of 58% at 6 months, 47% at 12 months and 42% at 24 and 36 months. We conclude that the assessment of clinical features, hospital course, ECG and Tc-PYP scintigraphy may be useful in identifying high-risk unstable angina patients

High-risk angina patient. Identification by clinical features, hospital course, electrocardiography and technetium-99m stannous pyrophosphate scintigraphy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olson, H.G.; Lyons, K.P.; Aronow, W.S.; Stinson, P.J.; Kuperus, J.; Waters, H.J.

1981-01-01

We evaluated 193 consecutive unstable angina patients by clinical features, hospital course and electrocardiography. All patients were managed medically. Of the 193 patients, 150 (78%) had a technetium-99m pyrophosphate (Tc-PYP) myocardial scintigram after hospitalization. Of these, 49 (33%) had positive scintigrams. At a follow-up of 24.9 +/- 10.8 months after hospitalization, 16 of 49 patients (33%) with positive scintigrams died from cardiac causes, compared with six of 101 patients (6%) with negative scintigrams (p less than 0.001). Of 49 patients with positive scintigrams, 11 (22%) had had nonfatal myocardial infarction at follow-up, compared with seven of 101 patients (7%) with negative scintigrams (p less than 0.01). Age, duration of clinical coronary artery disease, continuing angina during hospitalization, ischemic ECG, cardiomegaly and a history of heart failure also correlated with cardiac death at follow-up. Ischemic ECG and a history of angina with a crescendo pattern also correlated with nonfatal infarction at follow-up. Patients with continuing angina, an ischemic ECG and a positive scintigram constituted a high-risk unstable angina subgroup with a survival rate of 58% at 6 months, 47% at 12 months and 42% at 24 and 36 months. We conclude that the assessment of clinical features, hospital course, ECG and Tc-PYP scintigraphy may be useful in identifying high-risk unstable angina patients

Features of Onset and Clinical Course of Reactive Arthritis in Children

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I.S. Lebets

2013-09-01

Results. Reactive arthritis of chlamydial etiology is characterized by lesion of large and medium-sized joints of the lower limbs, which is often accompanied by short-term morning stiffness and rapid onset of transient hypomyatrophy. Reiter’s disease may develop rarely. Mycoplasma-induced reactive arthritis is characterized by debut with arthritis of knee, ankle, wrist and small joints of the hand, the development of bursitis and hypomyatrophy. Feature of Ureaplasma arthritis is the formation of bursitis in the heel and tendinitis. Reactive arthritis associated with elevated titers to antistreptolysin O differs with polymorphism of articular syndrome manifestations and, to some extent, of similarity with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Unspecified reactive arthritis has a number of the general features with others reactive arthritis and it is characterized by rather benign clinical course, long preservation of joints function and low laboratory activity. Relapse rate of reactive arthritis increases with an increase of duration of illness.

Neonatal hemochromatosis and patent ductus venosus: clinical course and diagnostic pitfalls

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsai, Andy; Paltiel, Harriet J.; Sena, Laureen M.; Kim, Heung Bae; Fishman, Steven J.; Alomari, Ahmad I.

2009-01-01

Neonatal hemochromatosis is a rare metabolic disorder characterized by excessive iron deposition within the liver leading to hepatic failure and portal hypertension. We describe the clinical course and imaging findings in three infants with neonatal hemochromatosis associated with patent ductus venosus. We paid special attention to the diagnostic challenges encountered in these patients in order to emphasize some of the potential diagnostic pitfalls. We conducted a comprehensive search of our radiology database of the last 10 years (1999-2008) for the keywords ''neonatal hemochromatosis.'' Medical records and imaging studies of various modalities were reviewed. Three neonates were found to have neonatal hemochromatosis; all of them were associated with patent ductus venosus. Two of these patients were referred to our tertiary center for embolization of an inaccurately diagnosed hepatic vascular malformation. Two patients underwent successful liver transplantation and one died shortly after referral. The awareness and inclusion of neonatal hemochromatosis in the differential diagnosis of newborns with liver failure and patent ductus venosus has critical treatment implications. (orig.)

CENTRAL DIABETES INSIPIDUS: CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND LONG-TERM COURSE IN A LARGE COHORT OF ADULTS.

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Masri-Iraqi, Hiba; Hirsch, Dania; Herzberg, Dana; Lifshitz, Avner; Tsvetov, Gloria; Benbassat, Carlos; Shimon, Ilan

2017-05-01

Central diabetes insipidus (CDI) is a rare heterogeneous condition with various underlying causes. This study sought to increase the still-limited data on the clinical characteristics and long-term course in adults diagnosed with CDI. Data on demographics, presentation, imaging findings, affected pituitary axes, treatment, and complications were collected retrospectively from the files of 70 adult patients with CDI followed at a referral endocrine clinic. Forty women and 30 men were included. Mean age was 46.8 ± 15 years at the time of this study and 29.3 ± 20 years at CDI diagnosis. Twenty-eight patients were diagnosed in childhood. Forty patients (57%) acquired CDI following surgery. Main sellar pathologies were: craniopharyngioma, 17 patients (11 diagnosed in childhood); Langerhans histiocytosis, 10 patients (5 diagnosed in childhood); 7 patients (all diagnosed as adults) had a growth hormone-secreting adenoma; 12 patients (17%; 6 diagnosed in childhood) had idiopathic CDI. At least one anterior pituitary axis was affected in 73% of the cohort: 59% had growth hormone deficiency, 56% hypogonadism, 55% central hypothyroidism, 44% adrenocorticotropic hormone-cortisol deficiency. Patients with postoperative/trauma CDI (n = 44) tended to have multiple anterior pituitary axes deficits compared to the nonsurgical group of patients. All patients were treated with vasopressin preparations, mostly nasal spray. Hyponatremia developed in 32 patients, more in women, and was severe (150 mEq/L) was noticed in 5 patients. Overall, the calculated complication rate was 22 in 1,250 treatment-years. Most adult patients with CDI have anterior pituitary dysfunction. Stability is usually achieved with long-term treatment. Women were more susceptible to desmopressin complications, albeit with an overall relatively low complication rate. ACTH = adrenocorticotropic hormone CDI = central diabetes insipidus GH = growth hormone MRI = magnetic resonance imaging.

Linked Psychology and Writing Courses across the Curriculum

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Cargill, Kima; Kalikoff, Beth

2007-01-01

To enhance student performance, prevent attrition, and build a learning community, two courses were linked together by requiring concurrent enrollment. "Writing Effectively," an upper-division composition course, was linked with "Abnormal Psychology," an upper-division clinical psychology course, requiring concurrent enrollment in both. In short,…

The NOD2 p.Leu1007fsX1008 mutation (rs2066847 is a stronger predictor of the clinical course of Crohn's disease than the FOXO3A intron variant rs12212067.

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Fabian Schnitzler

Full Text Available Very recently, a sub-analysis of genome-wide association scans revealed that the non-coding single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP rs12212067 in the FOXO3A gene is associated with a milder course of Crohn's disease (CD (Cell 2013;155:57-69. The aim of our study was to evaluate the clinical value of the SNP rs12212067 in predicting the severity of CD by correlating CD patient genotype status with the most relevant complications of CD such as stenoses, fistulas, and CD-related surgery.We genotyped 550 CD patients for rs12212067 (FOXO3A and the three common CD-associated NOD2 mutations rs2066844, rs2066847, and rs2066847 and performed genotype-phenotype analyses.No significant phenotypic differences were found between the wild-type genotype TT of the FOXO3A SNP rs12212067 and the minor genotypes TG and GG independently from NOD2 variants. The allele frequency of the minor G allele was 12.7%. Age at diagnosis, disease duration, body mass index, surgery rate, stenoses, fistula, need for immunosuppressive therapy, and disease course were not significantly different. In contrast, the NOD2 mutant p.Leu1007fsX1008 (rs2066847 was highly associated with penetrating CD (p = 0.01, the development of fistulas (p = 0.01 and stenoses (p = 0.01, and ileal disease localization (p = 0.03. Importantly, the NOD2 SNP rs2066847 was a strong separator between an aggressive and a mild course of CD (p = 2.99×10(-5, while the FOXO3A SNP rs12212067 did not separate between mild and aggressive CD behavior in our cohort (p = 0.35. 96.2% of the homozygous NOD2 p.Leu1007fsX1008 carriers had an aggressive disease behavior compared to 69.3% of the patients with the NOD2 wild-type genotype (p = 0.007.In clinical practice, the NOD2 variant p.Leu1007fsX1008 (rs2066847, in particular in homozygous form, is a much stronger marker for a severe clinical phenotype than the FOXO3A rs12212067 SNP for a mild disease course on an individual patient level despite

Frontotemporal dementia with severe thalamic involvement : a clinical and neuropathological study

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Radanovic Márcia

2003-01-01

Full Text Available Frontotemporal dementia (FTD is the third-leading cause of cortical dementia after Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body dementia, and is characterized by a dementia where behavioral disturbances are prominent and appear early in the course of the disease. We report the case of a 58 year-old man affected by dementia with behavioral disturbances, in addition to rigid-hypokinetic and a lower motor neuron syndrome that were present at later stages of the illness. Neuroimaging studies showed frontotemporal atrophy. Neuropathological studies revealed intense thalamic neuronal loss and astrocytic gliosis, as well as moderate frontotemporal neuronal loss, astrocytosis and spongiform degeneration. Thalamic degeneration has previously been described among the wide group of neuropathological features of FTD. The aim of the present study is to show the clinical and neuropathological aspects of thalamic degeneration in FTD, along with its role in behavioral disturbances, a common finding in this condition.

Impact of parental history of substance use disorders on the clinical course of anxiety disorders

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Moskowitz Amanda T

2007-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Among the psychological difficulties seen in children of parents with substance use problems, the anxiety disorders are among the most chronic conditions. Although children of alcoholic parents often struggle with the effects of parental substance use problems long into adulthood, empirical investigations of the influence of parental substance use disorders on the course of anxiety disorders in adult offspring are rare. The purpose of this study was to examine prospectively the relationship between parental substance use disorders and the course of anxiety disorders in adulthood over the course of 12 years. Methods Data on 618 subjects were derived from the Harvard/Brown Anxiety Research Project (HARP, a longitudinal naturalistic investigation of the clinical course of multiple anxiety disorders. Kaplan-Meier survival estimates were used to calculate probabilities of time to anxiety disorder remission and relapse. Proportional hazards regressions were conducted to determine whether the likelihood of remission and relapse for specific anxiety disorders was lower for those who had a history of parental substance use disorders than for individuals without this parental history. Results Adults with a history of parental substance use disorders were significantly more likely to be divorced and to have a high school level of education. History of parental substance use disorder was a significant predictor of relapse of social phobia and panic disorders. Conclusion These findings provide compelling evidence that adult children of parents with substance use disorders are more likely to have relapses of social phobia and panic disorders. Clinicians who treat adults with anxiety disorders should assess parental substance use disorders and dependence histories. Such information may facilitate treatment planning with regards to their patients' level of vulnerability to perceive scrutiny by others in social situations, and ability to

Severe visceral leishmaniasis in children: the relationship between cytokine patterns and clinical features

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Monica Elinor Alves Gama

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Introduction The relationship between severe clinical manifestations of visceral leishmaniasis (VL and immune response profiles has not yet been clarified, despite numerous studies on the subject. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between cytokine profiles and the presence of immunological markers associated with clinical manifestations and, particularly, signs of severity, as defined in a protocol drafted by the Ministry of Health (Brazil. Methods We conducted a prospective, descriptive study between May 2008 and December 2009. This study was based on an assessment of all pediatric patients with VL who were observed in a reference hospital in Maranhão. Results Among 27 children, 55.5% presented with more than one sign of severity or warning sign. Patients without signs of severity or warning signs and patients with only one warning sign had the highest interferon-gamma (IFN-γ levels, although their interleukin 10 (IL-10 levels were also elevated. In contrast, patients with the features of severe disease had the lowest IFN-γ levels. Three patients who presented with more than two signs of severe disease died; these patients had undetectable interleukin 2 (IL-2 and IFN-γ levels and low IL-10 levels, which varied between 0 and 36.8pg/mL. Conclusions Our results showed that disease severity was associated with low IFN-γ levels and elevated IL-10 levels. However, further studies with larger samples are needed to better characterize the relationship between disease severity and cytokine levels, with the aim of identifying immunological markers of active-disease severity.

Clinical Features and Outcome of Children with Severe Lower Respiratory Tract Infection Admitted to a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit in South Africa.

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Hutton, Hayley K; Zar, Heather J; Argent, Andrew C

2018-03-09

Severe acute lower respiratory tract infection (ALRTI) remains an important cause of childhood morbidity and mortality. This is a 12-month retrospective cohort study of children (0-12 years) admitted to a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) with ALRTI to investigate risk factors, clinical course and in-hospital survival. In total, 265 patients (median age = 4 months [2-12 months]) were identified. In all,102 (38.5%) had co-morbid disease. Twenty-seven (10.2%) were HIV-infected and 87 (32.8%) were HIV-exposed. In-hospital mortality was 34 (12.8%)-24 (9.1%) in PICU and 10 in the wards. Median duration of intensive care unit was 4.0 days (2.0-8.0) and hospital stay was 12.5 days (7.9-28.0). In total, 192 (72.5%) children required invasive ventilation and 42 (15.8%) required inotropic support. Risk factors for mortality included severe malnutrition (odds ratio [OR] = 8.25; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.47-46.21), informal housing (OR = 11.87; CI = 1.89-20.81) or inotropic support (OR = 44.35; CI = 8.20-239.92). HIV exposure or infection was associated with a longer duration of hospital stay (OR = 4.41; CI = 2.44-6.39). Severe ALRTI is associated with a high mortality with several factors impacting on in-hospital survival.

Spontaneously draining acute otitis media in children: an observational study of clinical findings, microbiology and clinical course.

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Neumark, Thomas; Ekblom, Maria; Brudin, Lars; Groth, Anita; Eliasson, Ingvar; Mölstad, Sigvard; Petersson, Ann-Cathrine; Törngren, Annika

2011-12-01

To study the outcome of acute otitis media (AOM) with otorrhoea in children managed initially without antibiotics, in relation to bacterial and clinical findings, and to identify those who may benefit from antibiotics. Otherwise healthy, not otitis prone children aged 2-16 y, presenting with AOM with spontaneous otorrhoea, were recruited from primary care and followed at selected ear, nose and throat (ENT) clinics. Specimens for bacterial investigations were obtained; symptoms were registered on a daily basis. The main outcomes measured were the frequency of children treated with antibiotics due to persisting AOM within 9 days in relation to clinical and bacteriological findings, and new AOM within 3 months. Twelve of 71 children who completed the trial received antibiotics during the first 9 days due to lack of improvement. One received antibiotics after 16 days due to relapsing AOM and 6 received antibiotics after 30 days due to new AOM. At 2-4 days following inclusion, over 70% of children showed normalized eardrum status and markedly reduced secretion. Alloiococcus otitidis was found in 23 samples, Streptococcus pneumoniae in 12, Streptococcus pyogenes in 6, and Fusobacterium nucleatum in 5. Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydia pneumoniae, and Fusobacterium necrophorum were not detected. Antibiotics were prescribed more extensively to children with a pulsating eardrum and abundant purulent secretion. All children with S. pyogenes received antibiotics, whereas children with only A. otitidis did not. The results suggest that antibiotics are indicated in AOM with otorrhoea and the presence of abundant purulent secretion, a pulsating eardrum, or the presence of S. pyogenes. The presence of only A. otitidis was not associated with a more prolonged course or the need for antibiotics.

[Value of nutritional risk screening in evaluating adverse clinical outcomes in children with severe pneumonia].

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Guo, Xiao-Hui; Sun, Yan-Feng; Wang, Jiang-Bo; Han, Shu-Zhen; Miao, Jing; Cui, Min

2017-03-01

To investigate the nutritional risk in children with severe pneumonia using the Screening Tool for the Assessment of Malnutrition in Paediatrics (STAMP) and the association between nutritional risk and adverse clinical outcomes. According to the STAMP score, 216 children with severe pneumonia were classified into high nutritional risk group (HR group; n=98), moderate nutritional risk group (MR group; n=65), and low nutritional risk group (LR group; n=53). Fasting blood samples were collected to measure the levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), adiponectin, leptin, non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA), albumin, transferrin, prealbumin, and retinol binding protein (RBP). The adverse clinical outcomes were recorded. Compared with the MR and LR groups, the HR group had significantly lower serum levels of IGF-1, leptin, adiponectin, prealbumin, and RBP, as well as a significantly higher serum level of NEFA (Prisk screening has an important value in evaluating the clinical outcome of children with severe pneumonia, and children at a higher nutritional risk tend to have more adverse clinical outcomes.

Clinical and radiological analysis of severe acute respiratory syndrome

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Long; Li Zhi; Chi Xiaoyu; Huang Shupeng; Sheng Yan

2003-01-01

Objective: To study the X-ray features of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Methods: The clinical data and X-ray appearances of 29 cases with SARS were analyzed retrospectively. Results: Epidemic outbreak of SARS has occurred at this area. 29 cases of SARS in this group began with a fever. 15 cases (51.7%) experienced mild respiratory symptoms. In 10 patients (34.5%) the antibacterial medication showed inefficacy before hospitalization. Leucocyte counting was normal in 18 cases (62.1%) and decreased in 11 cases (37.9%). Platelet counting slightly decreased in 7 cases (24.1%). Hepatic function test was abnormal in 16 patients (55.2%), mostly with a decrease of serum enzymology. Obvious abnormalities were seen on the chest films, which were in sharp contrast with the mild clinical respiratory signs. Chest X-ray findings were as follows: Exaggerated and indistinct lung markings with reticular shadow in 7 cases (24.1%), ground-glass opacity in 3 cases (10.4%), small patchy and multi-patchy imaging in 12 cases (41.4%), and large patchy shadow in 7 cases (24.1%). X-ray abnormality was presented later and absorbed slower. Conclusion: SARS carries a variety of X-ray appearances. The combined use of epidemiologic history, clinical situation, laboratory tests, and imaging examinations can make a definite diagnosis

Studying Different Clinical Syndromes Of Paediatric Severe Malaria Using Plasma Proteomics

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Ramaprasad, Abhinay

2012-08-01

Background- Severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria remains one of the major causes of childhood morbidity and mortality in Africa. Severe malaria manifests itself as three main clinical syndromes-impaired consciousness (cerebral malaria), respiratory distress and severe malarial anaemia. Cerebral malaria and respiratory distress are major contributors to malaria mortality but their pathophysiology remains unclear. Motivation/Objectives- Most children with severe malaria die within the first 24 hours of admission to a hospital because of their pathophysiological conditions. Thus, along with anti-malarial drugs, various adjuvant therapies such as fluid bolus (for hypovolaemia) and anticonvulsants (for seizures) are given to alleviate the sick child’s condition. But these therapies can sometimes have adverse effects. Hence, a clear understanding of severe malaria pathophysiology is essential for making an informed decision regarding adjuvant therapies. Methodology- We used mass spectrometry-based shotgun proteomics to study plasma samples from Gambian children with severe malaria. We compared the proteomic profiles of different severe malaria syndromes and generated hypotheses regarding the underlying disease mechanisms. Results/Conclusions- The main challenges of studying the severe malaria syndromes using proteomics were the high complexity and variability among the samples. We hypothesized that hepatic injury and nitric oxide play roles in the pathophysiology of cerebral malaria and respiratory distress.

The Clinical Significance of Specific Antibody Deficiency (SAD) Severity in Chronic Rhinosinusitis (CRS).

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Keswani, Anjeni; Dunn, Neha M; Manzur, Angelica; Kashani, Sara; Bossuyt, Xavier; Grammer, Leslie C; Conley, David B; Tan, Bruce K; Kern, Robert C; Schleimer, Robert P; Peters, Anju T

Despite the increased identification of specific antibody deficiency (SAD) in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), little is known about the relationship between SAD severity and the severity and comorbidities of CRS. The prevalence of an impaired antibody response in the general population is also unknown. The objective of this study was to determine if the SAD severity stratification applies to real-life data of patients with CRS. An electronic health record database was used to identify patients with CRS evaluated for humoral immunodeficiency with quantitative immunoglobulins and Streptococcus pneumoniae antibody titers before and after pneumococcal vaccine. SAD severity was defined, according to the guidelines, based on the numbers of titers ≥1.3 μg/dL after vaccination: severe (≤2 serotypes), moderate (3-6 serotypes), and mild (7-10 serotypes). Comorbidities and therapeutic response were assessed. The prevalence of an impaired antibody response in a normal population was assessed. Twenty-four percent of the patients with CRS evaluated for immunodeficiency had SAD, whereas 11% of a normal population had an impaired immune response to polysaccharide vaccination (P SAD. Twenty-four (10%) had severe SAD, 120 (50%) had moderate SAD, and 95 (40%) had mild SAD. Patients with moderate-to-severe SAD had worse asthma, a greater likelihood of pneumonia, and more antibiotic courses in the 2 years after vaccination than patients with mild SAD. This study provides real world data supporting stratification of SAD by severity, demonstrating a significant increase in the comorbid severity of asthma and infections in CRS patients with moderate-to-severe SAD compared with those with mild SAD and those without SAD. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Intramedullary disorders diagnosed by MRI. Clinical course in 23 cases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagata, Kensei; Ohashi, Teruaki; Ishibashi, Kazumasa; Hirohashi, Akiyuki; Sato, Kimiaki

1996-01-01

We report the clinical course of 23 cases with intramedullary disorders diagnosed by MRI. Spinal vascular disease was the most common, and occurred in 11 cases, intramedullary tumor occurred in 6, and multiple sclerosis, myelitis, spinal edema each in 2. The characteristic MRI findings of the intramedullary disorders were spinal cord swelling on T1 weighted image and changes in the intensity on the T2 weighted image. Surgical treatment was performed in 5 of the 11 with spinal vascular disease and in 6 with an intra-medullary tumor. One patient with AV malformation underwent embolization of the spinal artery. The other 11 received conservative treatment. The period of follow-up ranged from 6 months to 9 years after onset. Complete recovery from symptoms was achieved in only 2 patients, some recovery was achieved in 8, no change in 10, and deterioration occurred in 3. In conclusion, it has become easy to diagnose intramedullary disorders by utilizing MRI. However, an accurate qualitative diagnosis is difficult except for spinal vascular disease. Complete recovery from the symptoms of intramedullary disorders remains difficult to achieve by available treatments. (author)

Intramedullary disorders diagnosed by MRI. Clinical course in 23 cases

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Nagata, Kensei; Ohashi, Teruaki; Ishibashi, Kazumasa; Hirohashi, Akiyuki; Sato, Kimiaki [Kurume Univ., Fukuoka (Japan). School of Medicine

1996-09-01

We report the clinical course of 23 cases with intramedullary disorders diagnosed by MRI. Spinal vascular disease was the most common, and occurred in 11 cases, intramedullary tumor occurred in 6, and multiple sclerosis, myelitis, spinal edema each in 2. The characteristic MRI findings of the intramedullary disorders were spinal cord swelling on T1 weighted image and changes in the intensity on the T2 weighted image. Surgical treatment was performed in 5 of the 11 with spinal vascular disease and in 6 with an intra-medullary tumor. One patient with AV malformation underwent embolization of the spinal artery. The other 11 received conservative treatment. The period of follow-up ranged from 6 months to 9 years after onset. Complete recovery from symptoms was achieved in only 2 patients, some recovery was achieved in 8, no change in 10, and deterioration occurred in 3. In conclusion, it has become easy to diagnose intramedullary disorders by utilizing MRI. However, an accurate qualitative diagnosis is difficult except for spinal vascular disease. Complete recovery from the symptoms of intramedullary disorders remains difficult to achieve by available treatments. (author)

The Clinical Impression of Severity Index for Parkinson's Disease: international validation study.

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Martínez-Martín, Pablo; Rodríguez-Blázquez, Carmen; Forjaz, Maria João; de Pedro, Jesús

2009-01-30

This study sought to provide further information about the psychometric properties of the Clinical Impression of Severity Index for Parkinson's Disease (CISI-PD), in a large, international, cross-culturally diverse sample. Six hundred and fourteen patients with PD participated in the study. Apart from the CISI-PD, assessments were based on Hoehn & Yahr (HY) staging, the Scales for Outcomes in PD-Motor (SCOPA-M), -Cognition (SCOPA-COG) and -Psychosocial (SCOPA-PS), the Cumulative Illness Rating Scale-Geriatrics, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. The total CISI-PD score displayed no floor or ceiling effects. Internal consistency was 0.81, the test-retest intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.84, and item homogeneity was 0.52. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis (CFI = 0.99, RMSEA = 0.07) confirmed CISI-PD's unifactorial structure. The CISI-PD showed adequate convergent validity with SCOPA-COG and SCOPA-M (r(S) = 0.46-0.85, respectively) and discriminative validity for HY stages and disease duration (P validation study, thus showing that the CISI-PD is a valid instrument to measure clinical impression of severity in PD. Its simplicity and easy application make it an attractive and useful tool for clinical practice and research.

Foetal haemoglobin and disease severity in sickle cell anaemia patients in Kampala, Uganda

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Mpalampa Lena

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Sickle cell anaemia (SCA is a major chronic health problem in Uganda. In patients with SCA, the level of foetal haemoglobin (HbF has been found to be important in influencing the clinical course of the disease. Thus populations with high levels of HbF like those in Saudi Arabia have been described as having a milder clinical course with fewer complications as compared to populations with lower levels. Disease modifying drugs can increase the Hb F levels and modify the presentation of SCA. Methods This was a cross sectional study in which we determined foetal haemoglobin levels and examined the relationship between HbF levels and disease severity in SCA patients in Mulago Hospital, Kampala, Uganda. We consecutively enrolled 216 children aged 1 year to 18 years with SCA attending the Sickle Cell Clinic at Mulago Hospital whose guardians had given consent. The history included age at onset of initial symptoms and diagnosis, number of hospitalisations and blood transfusions and other complications of SCA (cardiovascular accidents, avascular hip necrosis and priapism. A detailed physical examination was performed to assess the current state and help describe the disease severity for each patient. Blood samples were drawn for HbF levels. HbF levels ≥10% was defined as high. Results Of the 216 children, (80 37% had HbF levels ≥10%. Significant correlations were observed between HbF level and several clinical parameters independent of age including age at diagnosis (p value 0.013, number of hospitalisations (p value 0.024 and transfusions (p value 0.018 since birth. Conclusion A third of the children with SCA attending the Sickle cell clinic in Mulago Hospital have high HbF levels. Higher HbF level is associated with later onset of symptoms and presentation, and less severe disease characterised by fewer hospitalisations and blood transfusions. We suggest HbF levels should be determined at initial contact for patients with SCA to

Frequency and clinical course of hepatitis E in tertiary care hospitals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saeedi, M.I.; Khamood, K.; Amanullah; Ziauddin, M.; Ilyas, N.; Zarif, M.

2004-01-01

Objective: To find out the frequency of hepatitis E virus as a cause of acute hepatitis and its clinical course in hospitalized patients. Patients and Methods: Amongst the total number of 1922 admitted patients, 148 had history of nausea, vomiting and jaundice and raised serum bilirubin with raised hepatic transaminases (ALT) , were screened for HBV (hepatitis B virus), HCV (hepatitis C virus) and subsequently for HEV (hepatitis E virus). Acute hepatitis A, autoimmune hepatitis and Wilson's disease were excluded by doing appropriate test as and when required. The patients with hepatitis E were then monitored by checking their serial transaminases on day 1,4,8 and day 18 or until their transaminases dropped to normal. They were also clinically assessed and followed-up. Results: Amongst the total admission of 1922 patients during one-year period, 148 had acute hepatitis and out of these, 21 patients (14.189%) suffered from hepatitis E. Seventeen patients were below the age of 40. There were increased number of cases during the late summer and early winter seasons. Majority of the hepatitis E patients recovered during the short follow-up period of two weeks. Two patients had fulminate hepatitis. A four months pregnant young female died of her illness despite intensive treatment. Conclusion: Hepatitis E virus is fairly common cause of acute hepatitis in hospitalized patients. Most of the patients are having a benign self-limiting illness. (author)

Practical study on the integrated course of general pathology and pathophysiology

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Qian ZHAO; Guo-hui FU; Ying HUANG; Wei LIU

2015-01-01

This paper aims at summarizing the experience of offering the integrated course of general pathology and pathophysiology for eight-year clinical medicine program, providing references for further improving the teaching quality,and laying a foundation for expanding the course to five-year clinical medicine program. Teaching contents of the integrated course of general pathology and pathophysiology focus on the crossing and integration of relevant discipline knowledge and properly integrating the traditional pathological knowledge,which emphasizes morphological changes of human body,with the pathophysiological knowledge,which emphasizes functional and metabolic changes of human body. It is helpful for breaking the boundaries of disciplines and enabling students to understand the laws of occurrence and development of diseases as a whole.The teaching model has been improved by introducing new teaching methods such as PBL,so as to avoid the shortcomings of traditional teaching method. The innovation consciousness,spirit of active learning,and critical thinking of students are trained via discussions of clinical cases,so as to lay a solid foundation for the learning of subsequent clinical courses and academic research in the future. In summary,integrated course benefits the overall optimization of the structure of medical courses,promotes the improvement of teaching quality,and can be expanded to five-year clinical medicine program in the future.

Clinical neurological characteristics of ischemic stroke subtypes in acute phase

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S. I. Shkrobot

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Objectives. The aim of the present study was to clarify clinical neurological characteristics and different ischemic stroke subtypes unfavorable course predictors in acute phase. Material and Methods. 482 patients with different ischemic stroke subtypes were observed. Among them there were 125 (25.9 % with cardioembolic infarct (CEI, 119 (24.7 % with large artery atherosclerosis (LAAS infarct, 122 (25.3 % with lacunar stroke (LAC, 116 (24.1 % with stroke of undetermined etiology (UDE. The comparative analysis of clinical picture was performed. The predictors of unfavorable course of acute phase were established. Results. We have found out that severe neurological deficit, high mortality and the worst functional outcome during the first 14 days were observed in patients with CEI and LAAS. The highest frequency of early neurological deterioration (END was detected at LAC (in 22.7 % of patients. There was a relationship between END and presence of transient ischemic attack (TIA in past medical history, the level of systolic blood pressure (SBP at the beginning of the disease and the degree of carotid arteries stenosis on the side of lesion. The patients with LAC had mild neurological deficit and better prognosis compared with other ischemic stroke subtypes. Among the clinical factors that have impact on the CEI, LAAS and UDE acute phase course were: the size of lesion, the level of consciousness on the 1st day, the baseline SBP, patient’s age. At LAAS, the presence of transient ischemic attack (TIA in past medical history and low SBP in the onset of the disease (less than140 mm Hg has an additional prognostic value for an unfavorable functional outcome. The severity of LAC in acute period depended on its localization and size. Localization of LAC in the internal capsule, thalamus and pons were characterized by the highest severity. Conclusions. Clinical neurological features of ischemic stroke depend on its subtype and have some prognostic value

Sarnet lecture notes on nuclear reactor severe accident phenomenology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trambauer, K.; Adroguer, B.; Fichot, F.; Muller, C.; Meyer, L.; Breitung, W.; Magallon, D.; Journeau, C.; Alsmeyer, H.; Housiadas, C.; Clement, B.; Ang, M.L.; Chaumont, B.; Ivanov, I.; Marguet, S.; Van Dorsselaere, J.P.; Fleurot, J.; Giordano, P.; Cranga, M.

2008-01-01

The 'Severe Accident Phenomenology Short Course' is part of the Excellence Spreading activities of the European Severe Accident Research NETwork of Excellence SARNET (project of the EURATOM 6. Framework programme). It was held at Cadarache, 9-13 January 2006. The course was divided in 14 lectures covering all aspects of severe accident phenomena that occur during a scenario. It also included lectures on PSA-2, Safety Assessment and design measures in new LWR plants for severe accident mitigation (SAM). This book presents the lecture notes of the Severe Accident Phenomenology Short Course and condenses the essential knowledge on severe accident phenomenology in 2008. (authors)

Nitric oxide as an indicator for severity of injury in polytrauma.

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Beitl, E; Banasova, A; Vlcek, M; Mikova, D; Hampl, V

2016-01-01

Patients with injuries to multiple organs or organ systems are in a serious risk of shock, multiorgan failure and death. Although there are scoring systems available to assess the extent of polytrauma and guide the prognosis, their usefulness is limited by their considerably subjective nature. As the production of nitric oxide (NO) by many cell types is elevated in tissue injury, we hypothesized that serum concentration of NO (and its oxidation products, NOx) represents a suitable marker of polytrauma correlating with prognosis. We wanted to prove that nitric oxide could serve as an indicator for severity of injury in polytrauma. We measured serum NOx and standard biochemical parameters in 93 patients with various degrees of polytrauma, 15 patients with minor injuries and 20 healthy volunteers. On admission, serum NOx was higher in patients with moderate polytrauma than both in controls and patients with minor injury, and it was even higher in patients with severe polytrauma. Surprisingly, NOx on admission was normal in the group of patients that required cardiopulmonary resuscitation or died within 48 hours after admission. In the groups, where it was elevated on admission, serum NOx dropped to normal values within 12 hours. Blood lactate levels on admission were elevated in proportion to the severity of subsequent clinical course. Elevated serum NOx and blood lactate in patients with polytrauma are markers of serious clinical course, while normal NOx combined with a very high lactate may signal a fatal prognosis (Fig. 4, Ref. 8).

Clinical predictors for severe sepsis in patients with necrotizing fasciitis: an observational cohort study in northern Thailand

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Khamnuan P

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Patcharin Khamnuan,1,2 Wilaiwan Chongruksut,3 Kijja Jearwattanakanok,4 Jayanton Patumanond,5 Apichat Tantraworasin,3 1Clinical Epidemiology Program, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand; 2Department of Nursing, Phayao Hospital, Phayao, Thailand; 3Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, 4Department of Surgery, Nakornping Hospital, Chiang Mai, Thailand; 5Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Clinical Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Thammasat University, Pathum Thani, Thailand Background: Necrotizing fasciitis (NF is a life-threatening infection of skin and fascia. Its progress is extremely fast, with extensive necrosis. Delay in treatment, with subsequent huge soft tissue loss and associated severe sepsis, remains a major cause of death in the management of NF. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore clinical characteristics that may be used to predict severe sepsis in patients with NF, in the context of routine clinical practice in northern Thailand. Methods: A retrospective observational cohort study was conducted. The patient cohort in this study consisted of all patients who were diagnosed with NF by surgical or pathological confirmation. The follow-up period started with the admission date and ended with the discharge date. The clinical variables were collected from patients registered at three provincial hospitals in northern Thailand from 2009 to 2012. The clinical predictors for severe sepsis were analyzed using multivariable risk regression. Results: A total of 1,452 patients were diagnosed with NF, either with severe sepsis (n=237 [16.3%] or without severe sepsis (n=1,215 [83.7%]. From the multivariable analysis, female sex (relative risk [RR] =1.51; 95% confidence interval [CI] =1.04–2.20, diabetes mellitus (RR =1.40; 95% CI =1.25–1.58, chronic heart disease (RR =1.31; 95% CI =1.15–1.49, hemorrhagic bleb (RR =1.47; 95% CI =1.32–1.63, skin necrosis (RR =1.45; 95% CI =1

Comparing Dropouts and Persistence in E-Learning Courses

Science.gov (United States)

Levy, Yair

2007-01-01

Several studies have been conducted related to dropouts from on-campus and distance education courses. However, no clear definition of dropout from academic courses was provided. Consequently, this study proposes a clear and precise definition of dropout from academic courses in the context of e-learning courses. Additionally, it is documented in…

Welding. Performance Objectives. Intermediate Course.

Science.gov (United States)

Vincent, Kenneth

Several intermediate performance objectives and corresponding criterion measures are listed for each of nine terminal objectives for an intermediate welding course. The materials were developed for a 36-week (3 hours daily) course designed to prepare the student for employment in the field of welding. Electric welding and specialized (TIG & MIG)…

Welding. Performance Objectives. Basic Course.

Science.gov (United States)

Vincent, Kenneth

Several intermediate performance objectives and corresponding criterion measures are listed for each of eight terminal objectives for a basic welding course. The materials were developed for a 36-week (2 hours daily) course developed to teach the fundamentals of welding shop work, to become familiar with the operation of the welding shop…

The effect of Trim5 polymorphisms on the clinical course of HIV-1 infection.

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Daniëlle van Manen

2008-02-01

Full Text Available The antiviral factor tripartite interaction motif 5alpha (Trim5alpha restricts a broad range of retroviruses in a species-specific manner. Although human Trim5alpha is unable to block HIV-1 infection in human cells, a modest inhibition of HIV-1 replication has been reported. Recently two polymorphisms in the Trim5 gene (H43Y and R136Q were shown to affect the antiviral activity of Trim5alpha in vitro. In this study, participants of the Amsterdam Cohort studies were screened for polymorphisms at amino acid residue 43 and 136 of the Trim5 gene, and the potential effects of these polymorphisms on the clinical course of HIV-1 infection were analyzed. In agreement with the reported decreased antiviral activity of Trim5alpha that contains a Y at amino acid residue 43 in vitro, an accelerated disease progression was observed for individuals who were homozygous for the 43Y genotype as compared to individuals who were heterozygous or homozygous for the 43H genotype. A protective effect of the 136Q genotype was observed but only after the emergence of CXCR4-using (X4 HIV-1 variants and when a viral load of 10(4.5 copies per ml plasma was used as an endpoint in survival analysis. Interestingly, naive CD4 T cells, which are selectively targeted by X4 HIV-1, revealed a significantly higher expression of Trim5alpha than memory CD4 T cells. In addition, we observed that the 136Q allele in combination with the -2GG genotype in the 5'UTR was associated with an accelerated disease progression. Thus, polymorphisms in the Trim5 gene may influence the clinical course of HIV-1 infection also underscoring the antiviral effect of Trim5alpha on HIV-1 in vivo.

The Effect of Trim5 Polymorphisms on the Clinical Course of HIV-1 Infection

Science.gov (United States)

van Manen, Daniëlle; Rits, Maarten A. N; Beugeling, Corrine; van Dort, Karel; Schuitemaker, Hanneke; Kootstra, Neeltje A

2008-01-01

The antiviral factor tripartite interaction motif 5α (Trim5α) restricts a broad range of retroviruses in a species-specific manner. Although human Trim5α is unable to block HIV-1 infection in human cells, a modest inhibition of HIV-1 replication has been reported. Recently two polymorphisms in the Trim5 gene (H43Y and R136Q) were shown to affect the antiviral activity of Trim5α in vitro. In this study, participants of the Amsterdam Cohort studies were screened for polymorphisms at amino acid residue 43 and 136 of the Trim5 gene, and the potential effects of these polymorphisms on the clinical course of HIV-1 infection were analyzed. In agreement with the reported decreased antiviral activity of Trim5α that contains a Y at amino acid residue 43 in vitro, an accelerated disease progression was observed for individuals who were homozygous for the 43Y genotype as compared to individuals who were heterozygous or homozygous for the 43H genotype. A protective effect of the 136Q genotype was observed but only after the emergence of CXCR4-using (X4) HIV-1 variants and when a viral load of 104.5 copies per ml plasma was used as an endpoint in survival analysis. Interestingly, naive CD4 T cells, which are selectively targeted by X4 HIV-1, revealed a significantly higher expression of Trim5α than memory CD4 T cells. In addition, we observed that the 136Q allele in combination with the −2GG genotype in the 5′UTR was associated with an accelerated disease progression. Thus, polymorphisms in the Trim5 gene may influence the clinical course of HIV-1 infection also underscoring the antiviral effect of Trim5α on HIV-1 in vivo. PMID:18248091

Implementing the Flipped Classroom in a Veterinary Pre-clinical Science Course: Student Engagement, Performance, and Satisfaction.

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Dooley, Laura M; Frankland, Sarah; Boller, Elise; Tudor, Elizabeth

2018-01-01

There has been a recent move toward active learning pedagogies in veterinary education, with increasing use of a blended approach that incorporates both online resources and live classroom sessions. In this study, an established veterinary pre-clinical course in introductory animal health was transitioned from a traditional didactic lecture delivery mode to a flipped classroom approach with core content delivered online. This study compared the experiences of two cohorts of students who studied the same course in the different formats in consecutive years. Online learning resources included short video segments and a variety of short problems and activities. Online materials were complemented with weekly small-group case-based learning classes facilitated by academic staff. A mixed methods evaluation strategy was applied using student grades, surveys, and focus groups to compare student academic performance, satisfaction, and engagement between the two cohorts. The flipped classroom cohort achieved significantly higher grades in the written answer section of the final examination. Student satisfaction with learning resources was also higher in this cohort. However, satisfaction with other aspects of the course was largely the same for both cohorts. This study revealed some of the challenges associated with achieving adequate student preparation for class using online resources. The outcomes of this study have implications for veterinary educators considering the design and development of new online learning resources.

Clinical profile, degree of severity and underlying factors of acute pancreatitis among a group of Bangladeshi patients

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Indrajit Kumar Datta

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Background and objectives: Acute pancreatitis is a common condition for hospital admission. In Bangladesh, no study has yet investigated the clinical profile, degree of severity and underlying factors of acute pancreatitis. The aim of the present study was to determine the clinical profile, degree of severity and underlying factors of acute pancreatitis in a cohort of Bangladeshi patients. Methods: This prospective study was conducted from April 2016 to March 2017 on patients admitted with acute pancreatitis at Bangladesh Institute of Research and Rehabilitation in Diabetes, Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders (BIRDEM General Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh. History and clinical features of each patient was systematically recorded. Diagnosis of acute pancreatitis was made by clinical findings, serum amylase and lipase levels (> 3 times the upper limit of normal values, evidences of acute pancreatitis by ultrasonography and computed tomography (CT. Severity of acute pancreatitis was classified according to the revised version of Atlanta classification. Results: A total of 40 patients with acute pancreatitis were enrolled in the study. Male and female were equally distributed. The mean age was 44.3±2.7 years. Among 40 cases, 26 (65.0% and 14 (35% had moderate and severe acute pancreatitis respectively. No specific clinical feature including ascites or pleural effusion was found significantly related to severity of the disease. Gall stone and metabolic (hypertriglyceridaemia/hypercalcemia causes were present in 62.5% cases, but none had significant association with the severity of the disease. Conclusion: The present study has demonstrated that no specific observed clinical feature or underlying factor was related to the degree of severity of acute pancreatitis in a cohort of Bangladeshi patients. IMC J Med Sci 2018; 12(1: 06-10

Clinical Relevance of Brain Volume Measures in Multiple Sclerosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

De Stefano, Nicola; Airas, Laura; Grigoriadis, Nikolaos

2014-01-01

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease with an inflammatory and neurodegenerative pathology. Axonal loss and neurodegeneration occurs early in the disease course and may lead to irreversible neurological impairment. Changes in brain volume, observed from the earliest stage of MS...... therefore have important clinical implications affecting treatment decisions, with several clinical trials now demonstrating an effect of disease-modifying treatments (DMTs) on reducing brain volume loss. In clinical practice, it may therefore be important to consider the potential impact of a therapy...

Pulse Clarithromycin Therapy In Severe ACNE Vulgaris

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Rathi Sanjay K

2002-01-01

Full Text Available Three patients with severe acne vulgaris, not responding with long courses of doxycycline, minocycline and erythromycin were given oral clarithromycin in pulsed regimen. The patients were given 7 days course of clarithromycin 250mg twice daily, which was repeated after a gap of 10 days. Such 3 courses were given. The lesions responded significantly. No significant side effect was noted. Pulse clarithromycin therapy seems to be a good alternative and effective tool in the management of severe acne vulgaris.

Association between maternal comorbidity and preterm birth by severity and clinical subtype: retrospective cohort study.

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Auger, Nathalie; Le, Thi Uyen Nhi; Park, Alison L; Luo, Zhong-Cheng

2011-10-04

Preterm birth (PTB) is a major cause of infant morbidity and mortality, but the relationship between comorbidity and PTB by clinical subtype and severity of gestational age remains poorly understood. We evaluated associations between maternal comorbidities and PTB by clinical subtype and gestational age. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 1,329,737 singleton births delivered in hospitals in the province of Québec, Canada, 1989-2006. PTB was classified by clinical subtype (medically indicated, preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM), spontaneous preterm labour) and gestational age (PTBs across all gestational ages (OR > 2.0). At the population level, several major comorbidities (placental abruption, chorioamnionitis, oliogohydramnios, structural abnormality, cervical incompetence) were key contributors to all clinical subtypes of PTB, especially at PTBs. The relationship between comorbidity and clinical subtypes of PTB depends on gestational age. Prevention of PPROM and spontaneous PTB may benefit from greater attention to preeclampsia, anemia and comorbidities localized to the reproductive system.

Evaluation of the impact of a nationwide massive online open course on the appropriate use of antimicrobials.

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez-Moreno, María Antonia; Peñalva-Moreno, Germán; Praena, Julia; González-González, Ana; Martínez-Cañavate, María Teresa; Rodríguez-Baño, Jesús; Cisneros, José Miguel

2018-04-25

To evaluate the impact of a massive online open course (MOOC) design on the appropriate use of antimicrobial agents, to determine specific study areas with better learning outcomes and to identify weak points. A pre- and post-intervention study in the context of a training course on infectious diseases aimed at health professionals. We designed a questionnaire with 30 questions related to the management of infectious diseases in different clinical situations. Participants had to answer the questions based on their competencies and training for these situations. We analysed the scores obtained before and after the course and the resulting progress. In addition, an open response section was provided to enable a qualitative evaluation. Two thousand one hundred and forty-eight health professionals were enrolled in the course. The questionnaire was completed before and after the course by 606 participants, mainly physicians (81.2%) and pharmacists (15.4%). The mean overall scores for the pre- and post-course questionnaires were 6.2 (SD 1.38) and 7.9 (SD 0.88), respectively (overall score increase = 1.8, SD 1.21, P MOOC design showed a great teaching capacity in the infectious diseases area for all the clinical situations analysed, notably in the management of severe infections with higher mortality. For future editions of this training activity, the need to include other infectious diseases, especially infections in primary care, was highlighted.

Calcification of the alar ligament of the cervical spine: imaging findings and clinical course

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Kobayashi, Yuka; Mochida, J.; Toh, E. [Dept. of Orthopaedic Surgery, Tokai Univ., Isehara, Kanagawa (Japan); Saito, Ikuo; Matui, Sizuka [Dept. of Orthopaedic Surgery, Odawara Hospital, Printing Bureau, Ministry of Finance, Sakawa, Odawara, Kanagawa (Japan)

2001-05-01

Ligamentous calcification of the cervical spine has been reported in the yellow ligament, anterior and posterior longitudinal ligaments and interspinous ligament. Calcification in the upper cervical spine is rare, although some cases with calcification of the transverse ligament of the atlas have been reported. Two patients with calcification of the alar ligament with an unusual clinical presentation and course are described. Examination by tomography and computed tomography (CT) showed calcification of the alar ligament and the transverse ligament of the atlas. CT documented decreased calcification as symptoms resolved. There may be a role for CT in the search for calcifications in the upper cervical spine in patients presenting with neck pain and pharyngodynia if radiographs are normal. (orig.)

Calcification of the alar ligament of the cervical spine: imaging findings and clinical course

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kobayashi, Yuka; Mochida, J.; Toh, E.; Saito, Ikuo; Matui, Sizuka

2001-01-01

Ligamentous calcification of the cervical spine has been reported in the yellow ligament, anterior and posterior longitudinal ligaments and interspinous ligament. Calcification in the upper cervical spine is rare, although some cases with calcification of the transverse ligament of the atlas have been reported. Two patients with calcification of the alar ligament with an unusual clinical presentation and course are described. Examination by tomography and computed tomography (CT) showed calcification of the alar ligament and the transverse ligament of the atlas. CT documented decreased calcification as symptoms resolved. There may be a role for CT in the search for calcifications in the upper cervical spine in patients presenting with neck pain and pharyngodynia if radiographs are normal. (orig.)

Natural course of LGI1 encephalitis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Szots, Monika; Marton, Annamaria; Kover, Ferenc

2014-01-01

. Follow-up brain MRI indicated early hippocampal sclerosis and global brain atrophy in one case characterized by more pronounced cognitive deficit. Memory and verbal fluency were affected most during the natural course of LGI1 encephalitis. LGI1 encephalitis had a monophasic course and spontaneously...... improved, suggesting that a relatively benign natural course may contribute to the favorable outcome observed after immunotherapy. Our data also indicate that LGI1 antibodies can be present in the sera without clinical disease activity....

Omalizumab for severe asthma: toward personalized treatment based on biomarker profile and clinical history

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Tabatabaian F

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Farnaz Tabatabaian, Dennis K Ledford Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA Abstract: Asthma is a heterogeneous syndrome with numerous underlining molecular and inflammatory mechanisms contributing to the wide spectrum of clinical phenotypes. Multiple therapies targeting severe asthma with type 2 (T2 high inflammation are or soon will be available. T2 high inflammation is defined as inflammation associated with atopy or eosinophilia or an increase in cytokines associated with T-helper 2 lymphocytes. Omalizumab is a humanized anti-IgE monoclonal antibody and the first biologic therapy approved for moderate–severe allergic asthma. Despite the specificity of biologic therapies like omalizumab, clinical response is variable, with approximately 50% of treated patients achieving the primary outcome. A prior identification of the ideal candidate for therapy would improve patient outcomes and optimize the use of health care resources. As the number of biologic therapies for asthma increases, the goal is identification of biomarkers or clinical phenotypes likely to respond to a specific therapy. This review focuses on potential biomarkers and clinical history that may identify responders to omalizumab therapy for asthma. Keywords: severe persistent asthma, asthma phenotype and endotype, T2 high inflammation, omalizumab, asthma biomarkers, eosinophils, fractional exhaled nitric oxide, IgE

Clinical and epidemiological features of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome course in Perm region

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M. V. Ivanova

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The results of retrospective analysis of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS incidence in the Perm region for 1995–2009 are shown in the article. There are highly active natural foci of infection on the territory of the region, mainly in the subzone of mixed coniferous-deciduous forests. Factors supporting the morbidity are high numbers of small mammals, in particular, the bank vole, with a large circulation of the HFRS virus and active population visit of natural foci in summer-autumn period. Analysis of clinical features of HFRS in 338 patients living in the Perm region, revealed some peculiarities of its course. Among surveyed contingent men (72,4% prevailed. Most of the patients (80,4% were of working age (16 to 60 years. More frequently mild and moderate forms (92,8% of HFRS were observed. A typical picture of the disease with the development of all specific syndromes occurred mainly in patients with severe and moderate forms. Mild cases occurred blurry in the absence of pathognomonic symptoms. Notable was the frequent lesion of liver, with the development of acute anicteric hepatitis (51,2%. Among the complications dominated: pneumonia (4,7% and acute renal  ailure (4,4%. Manifestations of DIC syndrome with recurrent bleeding were registered in 0,6% of patients, toxic shock – at 0,3%. Case fatality rate was 0,6%.

Clinical characteristics and factors associated with severe acute respiratory infection and influenza among children in Jingzhou, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Huai, Yang; Guan, Xuhua; Liu, Shali; Uyeki, Timothy M; Jiang, Hui; Klena, John; Huang, Jigui; Chen, Maoyi; Peng, Youxing; Yang, Hui; Luo, Jun; Zheng, Jiandong; Peng, Zhibin; Huo, Xixiang; Xiao, Lin; Chen, Hui; Zhang, Yuzhi; Xing, Xuesen; Feng, Luzhao; Hu, Dale J; Yu, Hongjie; Zhan, Faxian; Varma, Jay K

2017-03-01

Influenza is an important cause of respiratory illness in children, but data are limited on hospitalized children with laboratory-confirmed influenza in China. We conducted active surveillance for severe acute respiratory infection (SARI; fever and at least one sign or symptom of acute respiratory illness) among hospitalized pediatric patients in Jingzhou, Hubei Province, from April 2010 to April 2012. Data were collected from enrolled SARI patients on demographics, underlying health conditions, clinical course of illness, and outcomes. Nasal swabs were collected and tested for influenza viruses by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. We described the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of children with influenza and analyzed the association between potential risk factors and SARI patients with influenza. During the study period, 15 354 children aged acute respiratory infection patients aged 5-15 years with confirmed influenza (H3N2) infection were more likely than children without influenza to have radiographic diagnosis of pneumonia (11/31, 36% vs 15/105, 14%. Pacute respiratory infection cases aged 5-15 years diagnosed with influenza were also more likely to have a household member who smoked cigarettes compared with SARI cases without a smoking household member (54/208, 26% vs 158/960, 16%, Pinfection was an important contributor to pneumonia requiring hospitalization. Our results highlight the importance of surveillance in identifying factors for influenza hospitalization, monitoring adherence to influenza prevention and treatment strategies, and evaluating the disease burden among hospitalized pediatric SARI patients. Influenza vaccination promotion should target children. © 2016 The Authors. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The clinical importance of expanded subarachnoid spaces detected by CT in early infancy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krusche, S.

1982-01-01

It depends on the clinical course and on follow-jup CT findings whether expansions of the subarachnoid space should be considered as pathological changes or as normal. There is no direct correlation between the degree of severity of the clinical symptoms on the one hand and the CT changes on the other. The clinical course and the follow-up CT images are found to be uncorrelated, too. CT findings alone are insufficient in predicting children's development. Especially in the case of unspecific changes, e.g. slight expansions of the subarachnoid space, cranial CT can only provide further proof of a suspected clinical diagnosis. The ventricular indices frequently used for CT interpretation can rarely be used as decision aids or as factors providing new information. (orig./MG) [de

Clinical aspects of a multicenter clinical trial of implant-retained mandibular overdentures in patients with severely resorbed mandibles

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Geertman, ME; Boerrigter, EM; VanWaas, MAJ; vanOort, RP

In a multicenter clinical trial treatment, the effects of overdentures on different implant systems in patients with severely resorbed mandibles were compared 1 year after the insertion of new dentures. The implant systems used were the transmandibular implant (TMI), the IMZ (IMZ), and the Branemark

Assessment of liver fibrosis stage influence on clinical course of periodontal diseases in patients with chronic hepatitis C

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О. М. Slaba

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The aim. To assess the influence of liver fibrosis stage on the clinical course of periodontal diseases in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Material and Methods. 122 patients with chronic hepatitis C, treated at the 7th department ofLvivRegionalInfectiousDiseasesHospital during 2013 – 2015 were included into dental investigation. The periodontal disease was diagnosed in accordance with the classification of M. F. Danilevsky (1994. The clinical condition of periodontium was assessed by the papillary marginal alveolar index (PMA in the modification ofParma, by the periodontal index – PI (AL Russel, 1956, by the Muhlemann and Son index – the degree of bleeding in the region of the gingival papilla (PBI. The stage of liver fibrosis was determined according to the medical history. The significance of the difference between two or more relative indicators was calculated using the Fisher test with the Metropolis algorithm. The correlation dependence between the clinical condition of periodontal tissues and the stage of liver fibrosis in patients with viral hepatitis C was studied using the Spearman rank correlation coefficient. Results. The highest percentage of patients with stage of liver fibrosis F0 (70.00 ± 15.28 % was registered in patients with healthy periodont, the lowest - in patients with generalized periodontitis of the third stage (7.89 ± 4.37 %. The highest frequency of patients with the stage of liver fibrosis F3 (73.68 ± 7.14 % was also observed in persons suffering from generalized periodontitis stage III (73.68 ± 7.14 %. Conclusions. The distribution of periodontal lesion severity statistically significant (p < 0.001 depended on the stage of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Direct (R = 0.70; p < 0.001 strong correlation between the clinical state of periodontal tissues and the stage of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C (using the Spearman rank correlation coefficient has been determined

Rectal dihydroartemisinin versus intravenous quinine in the treatment of severe malaria: a randomised clinical trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Esamai, F; Ayuo, P; Owino-Ongor, W; Rotich, J; Ngindu, A; Obala, A; Ogaro, F; Quoqiao, L; Xingbo, G; Guangqian, L

2000-05-01

To compare the clinical efficacy and safety of rectal dihydroartemisinin (DATM--Cotecxin) and intravenous quinine in the treatment of severe malaria in children and adults. Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Eldoret, Kenya between July and November 1998. A total of sixty seven patients aged two to sixty years with severe malaria were studied. This was an open randomised comparative clinical trial. These were parasite clearance time, fever clearance time, efficacy and the side effect profile of the two drugs. The two groups were comparable on admission on the clinical and laboratory parameters. The parasite clearance time was shorter in the rectal DATM group than quinine group. There was no statistical difference on the fever clearance time and cure rates in the two groups. The adverse reaction profile was better with rectal DATM than with quinine, tinnitus observed more in the quinine group. Rectal DATM is faster in parasite clearance than quinine and is a safe and convenient alternative to quinine in the treatment of severe malaria.

Neonatal hemochromatosis and patent ductus venosus: clinical course and diagnostic pitfalls

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tsai, Andy; Paltiel, Harriet J.; Sena, Laureen M. [Children' s Hospital Boston and Harvard Medical School, Department of Radiology, Boston, MA (United States); Kim, Heung Bae; Fishman, Steven J. [Children' s Hospital Boston and Harvard Medical School, Department of Surgery, Boston, MA (United States); Alomari, Ahmad I. [Children' s Hospital Boston and Harvard Medical School, Department of Radiology, Boston, MA (United States); Children' s Hospital Boston, Division of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, Boston, MA (United States)

2009-08-15

Neonatal hemochromatosis is a rare metabolic disorder characterized by excessive iron deposition within the liver leading to hepatic failure and portal hypertension. We describe the clinical course and imaging findings in three infants with neonatal hemochromatosis associated with patent ductus venosus. We paid special attention to the diagnostic challenges encountered in these patients in order to emphasize some of the potential diagnostic pitfalls. We conducted a comprehensive search of our radiology database of the last 10 years (1999-2008) for the keywords ''neonatal hemochromatosis.'' Medical records and imaging studies of various modalities were reviewed. Three neonates were found to have neonatal hemochromatosis; all of them were associated with patent ductus venosus. Two of these patients were referred to our tertiary center for embolization of an inaccurately diagnosed hepatic vascular malformation. Two patients underwent successful liver transplantation and one died shortly after referral. The awareness and inclusion of neonatal hemochromatosis in the differential diagnosis of newborns with liver failure and patent ductus venosus has critical treatment implications. (orig.)

Heartburn Severity Does Not Predict Disease Severity in Patients With Erosive Esophagitis

Science.gov (United States)

Fennerty, M. Brian; Johnson, David A.

2006-01-01

Background For patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), it is often assumed by treating physicians that the severity of heartburn correlates with the severity of erosive esophagitis (EE). Objective This is a post hoc analysis of data from 5 clinical trials that investigate the relationship between the baseline severity of heartburn and the baseline severity of EE. Methods Patients with endoscopically confirmed EE were assessed for heartburn symptoms with a 4-point scale at baseline and during treatment for 8 weeks with various proton pump inhibitors in 5 double-blind trials in which esomeprazole was the common comparator. EE was graded with the Los Angeles (LA) classification system. In these trials, healing and symptom response were evaluated by endoscopy and questionnaire after 4 weeks of treatment. Patients who were not healed were treated for an additional 4 weeks and reevaluated. Results A total of 11,945 patients with endoscopically confirmed EE participated in the 5 trials, with patients receiving esomeprazole 40 mg (n = 5068), esomeprazole 20 mg (n = 1243), omeprazole 20 mg (n = 3018), or lansoprazole 30 mg (n = 2616). Approximately one quarter of the 11,945 GERD patients in these 5 trials had severe EE (defined as LA grades C or D), regardless of their baseline heartburn severity. Conclusion The severity of GERD symptoms does not correlate well with disease severity. These findings indicate that endoscopy may have value in GERD patients in identifying those with EE, and if empirical therapy is chosen, then longer courses (4-8 weeks) of antisecretory therapy may be necessary to ensure healing of unrecognized esophagitis. PMID:16926745

Why are clinicians not embracing the results from pivotal clinical trials in severe sepsis? A bayesian analysis.

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Andre C Kalil

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Five pivotal clinical trials (Intensive Insulin Therapy; Recombinant Human Activated Protein C [rhAPC]; Low-Tidal Volume; Low-Dose Steroid; Early Goal-Directed Therapy [EGDT] demonstrated mortality reduction in patients with severe sepsis and expert guidelines have recommended them to clinical practice. Yet, the adoption of these therapies remains low among clinicians. OBJECTIVES: We selected these five trials and asked: Question 1--What is the current probability that the new therapy is not better than the standard of care in my patient with severe sepsis? Question 2--What is the current probability of reducing the relative risk of death (RRR of my patient with severe sepsis by meaningful clinical thresholds (RRR >15%; >20%; >25%? METHODS: Bayesian methodologies were applied to this study. Odds ratio (OR was considered for Question 1, and RRR was used for Question 2. We constructed prior distributions (enthusiastic; mild, moderate, and severe skeptic based on various effective sample sizes of other relevant clinical trials (unfavorable evidence. Posterior distributions were calculated by combining the prior distributions and the data from pivotal trials (favorable evidence. MAIN FINDINGS: Answer 1--The analysis based on mild skeptic prior shows beneficial results with the Intensive Insulin, rhAPC, and Low-Tidal Volume trials, but not with the Low-Dose Steroid and EGDT trials. All trials' results become unacceptable by the analyses using moderate or severe skeptic priors. Answer 2--If we aim for a RRR>15%, the mild skeptic analysis shows that the current probability of reducing death by this clinical threshold is 88% for the Intensive Insulin, 62-65% for the Low-Tidal Volume, rhAPC, EGDT trials, and 17% for the Low-Dose Steroid trial. The moderate and severe skeptic analyses show no clinically meaningful reduction in the risk of death for all trials. If we aim for a RRR >20% or >25%, all probabilities of benefits become lower

Clinical neuropsychiatric symptoms in perpetrators of severe crimes against persons.

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Söderström Anckarsäter, Henrik

2005-01-01

The objective of the study was to explore the possibility of common signs and symptoms of childhood-onset neuropsychiatric disorders and personality disorders, especially psychopathy, in a cohort of violent offenders. A structured neuropsychiatric status comprising features recorded in childhood-onset neuropsychiatric disorders and adult personality disorders was assessed in 89 perpetrators of severe crimes against other persons, analysed for factor structure, and compared to clinical diagnostics of neuropsychiatric disorders and independent assessments of psychopathy rated by the Psychopathy Checklist Revised (PCL-R). One or several childhood-onset neuropsychiatric disorders [autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD), tics and learning disability] affected the majority of adult offenders. A factor analysis yielded four higher-order problem constellations: Executive Dysfunction, Compulsivity, Social Interaction Problems and Superficiality. All four constellations were positively correlated with life histories of aggression, stressing the clinical importance of these problems in adult forensic psychiatry. Compulsivity and Social Interaction Problems were associated with autistic traits and tics, Executive Dysfunction with AD/HD, conduct disorder and psychopathic as well as autistic traits. Superficiality was a distinct aspect of AD/HD and psychopathic traits, especially the PCL-R factor reflecting interpersonal callousness. Neuropsychiatric disorders and personality disorders such as psychopathy share common symptoms. The various facets of psychopathy are associated with executive dysfunction and empathy deficits with superficial understanding of self, others and the rules of communication.

Retrospective, Single Center Study of Clinical, Paraclinical and Natural Course of Infantile-Onset Pompe Disease

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Noormohammad Noori

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Infantile-onset Pompe disease is a rare genetic and lethal disorder which is caused by the lack of acid alpha-glucosidase activity (GAA. The aim of our study was to identify the demographic and clinical characteristics, and natural history of these patients. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective study, clinical file of 15 patients diagnosed with infantile-onset Pompe disease whose symptoms started before the age of 12 months were studied. Diagnosis was based on clinical history, physical examination and diagnostic parameters in chest X-ray, echocardiogram, electrocardiogram and biochemical tests after rule out the other metabolic and neuromuscular disorders. Results: Sixty percent of the patients were male and 40% were female. The mean age at the onset of symptoms was 78 days (range: 3-150 days. Most frequent clinical and paraclinical symptoms were cardiomegaly, hypotonia, hyporeflexia, macroglossia, failure to thrive, hepatomegaly, and feeding problems, respectively. The mean age at the time of death was 5.96 months (range: 4-8 months, and all patients died before one year of age. Muscle enzymes including AST, ALT, LDH, and CPK were elevated in all patients. Due to the lack of availability, enzyme replacement therapy was not possible for any patient. Conclusion: The study showed that despite the supportive measures and no specific treatment, the clinical course is not significantly different with similar studies and the overall prognosis of this form of disease is very poor and disappointing.

Association between maternal comorbidity and preterm birth by severity and clinical subtype: retrospective cohort study

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Le Thi

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Preterm birth (PTB is a major cause of infant morbidity and mortality, but the relationship between comorbidity and PTB by clinical subtype and severity of gestational age remains poorly understood. We evaluated associations between maternal comorbidities and PTB by clinical subtype and gestational age. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 1,329,737 singleton births delivered in hospitals in the province of Québec, Canada, 1989-2006. PTB was classified by clinical subtype (medically indicated, preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM, spontaneous preterm labour and gestational age ( Results PTB rates were higher among mothers with comorbidity (10.9% compared to those without comorbidity (4.7%. Several comorbidities were associated with greater odds of medically indicated PTB compared with no comorbidity, but only comorbidities localized to the reproductive system were associated with spontaneous PTB. Drug dependence and mental disorders were strongly associated with PPROM and spontaneous PTBs across all gestational ages (OR > 2.0. At the population level, several major comorbidities (placental abruption, chorioamnionitis, oliogohydramnios, structural abnormality, cervical incompetence were key contributors to all clinical subtypes of PTB, especially at Conclusions The relationship between comorbidity and clinical subtypes of PTB depends on gestational age. Prevention of PPROM and spontaneous PTB may benefit from greater attention to preeclampsia, anemia and comorbidities localized to the reproductive system.

Patients with low back pain had distinct clinical course patterns that were typically neither complete recovery nor constant pain. A latent class analysis of longitudinal data

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Kongsted, A.; Kent, P.; Hestbaek, L.

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: The clinical presentation and outcome of patients with non-specific low back pain (LBP) are very heterogeneous and may be better understood by the recognition of reproducible subgroups. One approach to subgrouping is the identification of clinical course patterns (trajectories...

A case of chronic myelogenous leukemia with atypical clinical course seen in a radiological worker

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sato, Isao; Endo, Kazuyasu; Mikami, Masatsugu; Niikawa, Katsuhisa; Sasaki, Takeshi

1977-01-01

A 51 year old health nurse had helped X ray photography for 22 years without any protector. Her routine medical check up in September, 1973, showed WBC 14400/cumm, appearance of immature granulocytes, basophilia in peripheral blood and predominant granulocytes series in bone marrow. But she did not have splenomegaly, low neutrophil alkaline phosphatase score, confirmed Ph 1 chromosome and marked neutrophilia. We thought she was in early stage of CML and kept observing her clinical course, but she was admitted with chief complaints of general malaise, slight fever and pain of lower ledgs in April, 1974. Findings in physical and laboratory examinations on admission were as follows: slight splenomegaly, accelerated blood sedimentation rate, 12.5% myeloblasts in peripheral blood, 37.6% myeloblasts in bone marrow and positive Ph 1 chromosome. At this stage, she was regarded to be in blast crisis of CML. The administration of 6MP and prednisolone brought the blast crisis back to chronic phase of CML, but two months later, blast crisis developed again. She died of sepsis and pulmonary hemorrhage in December, 1974. Some aspects of the atypical course were discussed. (auth.)

Proteomic profiling in multiple sclerosis clinical courses reveals potential biomarkers of neurodegeneration.

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Maria Liguori

Full Text Available The aim of our project was to perform an exploratory analysis of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF proteomic profiles of Multiple Sclerosis (MS patients, collected in different phases of their clinical course, in order to investigate the existence of peculiar profiles characterizing the different MS phenotypes. The study was carried out on 24 Clinically Isolated Syndrome (CIS, 16 Relapsing Remitting (RR MS, 11 Progressive (Pr MS patients. The CSF samples were analysed using the Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionisation Time Of Flight (MALDI-TOF mass spectrometer in linear mode geometry and in delayed extraction mode (m/z range: 1000-25000 Da. Peak lists were imported for normalization and statistical analysis. CSF data were correlated with demographic, clinical and MRI parameters. The evaluation of MALDI-TOF spectra revealed 348 peak signals with relative intensity ≥ 1% in the study range. The peak intensity of the signals corresponding to Secretogranin II and Protein 7B2 were significantly upregulated in RRMS patients compared to PrMS (p<0.05, whereas the signals of Fibrinogen and Fibrinopeptide A were significantly downregulated in CIS compared to PrMS patients (p<0.04. Additionally, the intensity of the Tymosin β4 peak was the only signal to be significantly discriminated between the CIS and RRMS patients (p = 0.013. Although with caution due to the relatively small size of the study populations, and considering that not all the findings remained significant after adjustment for multiple comparisons, in our opinion this mass spectrometry evaluation confirms that this technique may provide useful and important information to improve our understanding of the complex pathogenesis of MS.

Undergraduate Biology Lab Courses: Comparing the Impact of Traditionally Based "Cookbook" and Authentic Research-Based Courses on Student Lab Experiences

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Brownell, Sara E.; Kloser, Matthew J.; Fukami, Tadishi; Shavelson, Rich

2012-01-01

Over the past decade, several reports have recommended a shift in undergraduate biology laboratory courses from traditionally structured, often described as "cookbook," to authentic research-based experiences. This study compares a cookbook-type laboratory course to a research-based undergraduate biology laboratory course at a Research 1…

Тhe features of severe community acquired pneumonia

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Avramenko I.V.

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Based on data from a prospective analysis for the year of observation, the article presents information about the features of severe community acquired pneumonia in patients who were hospitalized at the department of pulmonology (or therapy, as well as department of the intensive care from three teaching hospitals in Dnepropetrovsk, namely "Dnipropetrovsk City Hospital №6», "Dnipropetrovsk City Hospital №2», "Dnipropetrovsk City Hospital №16», which are the clinical ones of "Dnepropetrovsk Medical Academy of the Ministry of Health Ukraine". Dependence of the severity of the condition shown on duration of illness before admission, features of season character of disease. The effect of breathing exercises on the course of the disease. The results can be the basis for a more personal approach to the development of diagnostic and therapeutic programs for patients with severe community-acquired pneumonia.

The cerebral SPECT in the psychiatric dysfunctions in severe atopic dermatitis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferrando, Rodolfo; Lago, Graciela; Vignale, Raul; Fabius, Bettina; Lyford Pike, Alexander

2007-01-01

Introduction: Severe atopic dermatitis (AD) usually has a psychiatric component that may influence the course of the cutaneous symptoms. Functional neuroimaging could evidence brain dysfunctions in this kind of patients. Objective: Evaluate the presence and characteristics of cerebral perfusion changes in severe AD patients using SPECT. Materials and methods: 11 severe AD patients were subjected to clinical psychiatric evaluation and 99mTc-ECD SPECT. Results: 90.3% of the patients presented a generalized anxiety disorder, 63.6% an obsessive compulsive disorder and 63.6% a depression. The 11 patients presented perfusion changes that prevailed at the prefrontal cortex. The alterations were concordant with the patterns described in those patients in which anxiety disorders and depression coexist. Conclusions: We demonstrate the frequent presence of perfusion changes in severe AD patients with psychiatric symptoms (au)

Etiology, clinical profile, severity and outcome of acute pancreatitis in relation to bed side index for severity of acute pancreatitis bisap and CT severity index [CTSI] scores

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Bezwada Srinivasa Rao, Matta SreeVani, V.Sarat Chandra

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Background: Acute pancreatitis is an inflammatory process of the pancreas with involvement of regional tissues or remote organ systems and with potentially devastating consequences. Early prediction of outcome of acute pancreatitis within 24 hrs by clinically based bed Side Index of Severity of Acute Pancreatitis [BISAP] Score and radiological based CT Severity Index [CTSI] later on being useful in initiation of early treatment, assessing severity, to prevent morbidity and mortality. In those who survive, it can progress to chronic pancreatitis resulting in malabsorption and permanent diabetes. Aim: The aim was to study aetiology, clinical profile, severity, outcome of acute pancreatitis in relation to BISAP Score and CTSI. Materials and Methods: This was an observational and prospective study. The present study enrolled 55 patients who were diagnosed as acute pancreatitis and patients with chronic pancreatitis were excluded from the study. Vital data like pulse rate, blood Pressure, temperature, respiratory rate, conscious level using Glasgow coma scale, serum amylase, lipase, Chest x-ray, US abdomen and CT abdomen [both CECT & NCCT] were done. BISAP Score was obtained at the time of presentation or within 24 hours of presentation and radiological based CT Severity Index [CTSI] was calculated using the Balthazar grading system and Necrosis Scoring system to assess the severity, morbidity and mortality. The results: In this study, the most common aetiology being alcohol intake followed by gall stones. BISAP Score 3 had organ dysfunction and Score 4 had 100% mortality. The relation between CTSI score and Organ dysfunction showed increased organic dysfunction and higher mortality with higher CTSI Scores. p value < 0.0001 was calculated using Pearson Chi-square test and found to be statistically significant. Conclusions: Both BISAP and CTSI scores had positive correlation with morbidity and mortality.

Pharmokinetics in Drug Therapy as a Required Undergraduate Course

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Schumacher, G. E.

1976-01-01

This course is offered in the third quarter of the fourth year of the five-year curriculum in pharmacology. The year includes (1) a 350-hour clinical clerkship, (2) two courses in "Case Studies in Drug Therapy," (3) one course in "Case Studies in Pharmacy Practice," and (4) professional electives. (LBH)

Is panic disorder associated with clinical severity of fibromyalgia? A preliminary study in a tertiary-care centre.

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Alciati, Alessandra; Caldirola, Daniela; Sarzi-Puttini, Piercarlo; Atzeni, Fabiola; Grassi, Massimiliano; Perna, Giampaolo

2016-01-01

To investigate the influence of panic disorder (PD) with/without agoraphobia on the clinical severity of fibromyalgia (FM). Eighty-one patients with FM, among those consecutively referring to a tertiary-care setting, were included in this cross-sectional study. Psychiatric diagnoses were made by the structured clinical interview in accordance with the 4th-TR version of the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. The clinical severity of FM was measured by means of the following self-administered scales: Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), Fibromyalgia Assessment Status (FAS), Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ). A final sample of 66 females with FM with or without past PD was included in the analyses. The two groups did not significantly differ in age, years of education, length of illness or medication distribution. We did not find significant differences between the two groups in the FIQ and FAS scale scores, whereas subjects with FM and past PD showed significantly higher HAQ scale scores than those without past PD (p<.001). A history of PD in patients with FM increases the severity of functional impairment in performing a wide range of daily-life activities, as measured by the HAQ scale, with no effects on the severity of other clinical dimensions of FM. Potential underlying mechanisms and clinical implications will be discussed.

Neurological abnormalities in localized scleroderma of the face and head: a case series study for evaluation of imaging findings and clinical course.

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Lis-Święty, Anna; Brzezińska-Wcisło, Ligia; Arasiewicz, Hubert

2017-09-01

Localized scleroderma (LoS) of the face and head is often associated with neurological manifestations and/or imaging abnormalities in the central nervous system (CNS). We present an analysis of 20 cases of LoS affecting the face and head. The CNS symptoms and/or abnormalities in high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were observed in 12 patients (60%). In addition to the mild and unspecific disorders (e.g. headaches), serious neurological complications probably in the course of vasculitis were revealed: epilepsy (in two patients), epilepsy and pyramidal sings (in one patient). Neurological disorders and LoS occurred at the same time (in three patients) or at the course of the disease (nine patients) and no later than 29 years since the onset of the disease. No link between neurological disorders and the LoS clinical morphology, immunological and other laboratory parameters has been established. CNS involvement is not correlated with the clinical course of the facial and head LoS and may occur years after the disease initial symptomatology. Imaging follow-up is not required if there is not any emerging neurological symptom. In some cases, however, both HRCT and MRI are useful for monitoring disease evolution and addressing therapeutic choices.

Impact of Parental Severe Mental Illness: Ethical and Clinical Issues for Counselors

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Spiegelhoff, Sarah F.; Ahia, C. Emmanuel

2011-01-01

This article draws attention to the issue of parental severe mental illness and the ethical and clinical implications for counselors who work with this population. Parents with mental illness face a multitude of life challenges including, but not limited to, parenting difficulties, medication and hospitalization, custody and placement of their…

Severe paraquat poisoning: clinical and radiological findings in a survivor

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Neves, Fabio Fernandes; Sousa, Romualdo Barroso; Pazin-Filho, Antonio; Cupo, Palmira; Elias Junior, Jorge; Nogueira-Barbosa, Marcello Henrique, E-mail: fabioneves@hcrp.usp.b [University of Sao Paulo (USP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil). Medical School

2010-07-01

Paraquat is a nonselective contact herbicide of great toxicological importance, being associated with high mortality rates, mainly due to respiratory failure. We report the case of a 22-year-old male admitted to the emergency room with a sore throat, dysphagia, hemoptysis, and retrosternal pain after the ingestion of 50 mL of a paraquat solution, four days prior to admission. Chest CT scans revealed pulmonary opacities, pneumomediastinum, pneumothorax, and subcutaneous emphysema. The patient was submitted to two cycles of immunosuppressive therapy with cyclophosphamide, methylprednisolone, and dexamethasone. The pulmonary gas exchange parameters gradually improved, and the patient was discharged four weeks later. The clinical and tomographic follow-up evaluations performed at four months after discharge showed that there had been further clinical improvement. We also present a brief review of the literature, as well as a discussion of the therapeutic algorithm for severe paraquat poisoning. (author)

Use of Lactoferrin in the Treatment of Patients with Severe Concomitant Injury

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V. M. Kapitonov

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: to define the degree of activation of lipid peroxidation in patients with severe concomitant injury and to determine whether they could be corrected with the antioxidant agent Laprot. Subjects and methods. The time course of changes in lipid peroxidation parameters and clinical data was studied in 68 patients with severe concomitant injury, in 35 of whom Laprot (made by P. A. Herzen Moscow Oncological Research Institute, Russian Agency for Medical Technologies (Russia, was added to the standard treatment. Results. The significant activation of oxidative processes and lipid peroxi-dation, which was accompanied by antioxidant system imbalance, was ascertained to occur in severe concomitant injury. Key words: injury, lipid peroxidation, lactoferrin.

Postgraduate Courses in Pharmaceutical Medicine in Italy

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Domenico Criscuolo

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Italy has a significant tradition of excellence in the area of clinical trials (CTRs: important achievements in the clinical development of rifampicin and adriamycin, the two most famous drugs discovered in the research laboratories of two Italian pharmaceutical companies, paved the way to the establishment of a culture of clinical development, mainly in the areas of antimicrobials and oncology. Despite the fact that now the Italian market of pharmaceuticals is largely dominated by multinational companies with headquarters outside Italy, the contribution of Italian studies to the clinical development of new drugs is still significant. Indeed, it largely exceeds the percentage of Italian inhabitants versus the ones living in the remaining EU countries, as Italy has about 12% of EU population, but has a 17% share of the EU CTRs. Education in Pharmaceutical Medicine is now a must for all professionals interested to work either in pharma companies or in contract research organizations: several Italian universities are offering high quality courses, and in the last 10 years, more than 1,200 professionals received a postgraduate education in pharmaceutical medicine. This result places Italy on top of countries concerned about the professional education of people involved in drug development and will represent an asset for a larger involvement of Italian clinical sites in the global process of clinical research.

Severe acute syphilitic posterior placoid chorioretinitis with complete spontaneous resolution: The natural course

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Franco, Mónica

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Purpose: We report on a case of unilateral acute syphilitic posterior placoid chorioretinitis (ASPPC with spontaneous resolution of the lesions, and discuss the role of an altered versus adequate immune response as the major pathogenic factor.Methods: We describe a case of acute loss of visual acuity (VA in the left eye (LE in a 55-year-old healthy man.Results: The patient presented with VA of 20/20 in the right eye (RE and hand movements in the LE. Fundoscopy revealed a large yellowish placoid macular lesion with subretinal fluid in the LE, with no abnormalities detected in the RE. Fluorescein angiography showed early hypofluorescence with late staining in the affected area. The clinical findings progressed fast during the first week, with extension of the initial lesion outside the temporal retinal vascular arcades and the appearance of new lesions in the same eye. The patient abandoned the clinic for two weeks with no treatment. When observed again, VA of the LE had recovered to 20/20 and the lesions had completely resolved. Venereal disease research laboratory (VDRL and fluorescent treponemal antibody absorption (FTA-ABS tests results were positive and HIV antibody test titers negative. The diagnosis of ASPPC in the left eye was made. The patient accepted treatment with penicillin G only 45 days after the initial presentation. AV remained stable at 20/20 both eyes and no relapses of the lesions were observed during this period without therapy. The patient was followed for 3 months after treatment. He remained asymptomatic and the ophthalmic examination was unremarkable. Conclusions: The pathogenesis of ASPPC is still not understood. Our case showed a sequential pattern of the chorioretinal lesions, with initial aggravation and complete posterior spontaneous resolution, showing the natural course of the disease. These findings suggest the presence of an adequate ocular immune response in patients with ASPPC, not supporting the initially

Early Improvement in Work Productivity Predicts Future Clinical Course in Depressed Outpatients: Findings from the CO-MED Trial

Science.gov (United States)

Jha, Manish K.; Minhajuddin, Abu; Greer, Tracy L.; Carmody, Thomas; Rush, A. John; Trivedi, Madhukar H.

2018-01-01

Objective Depression symptom severity, the most commonly studied outcome in antidepressant treatment trials, accounts for only a small portion of burden related to major depression. While lost work productivity is the biggest contributor to depression’s economic burden, few studies have systematically evaluated the independent effect of treatment on work productivity and the relationship between changes in work productivity and longer-term clinical course. Method Work productivity was measured repeatedly by the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI) self-report in 331 employed participants with major depression enrolled in the Combining Medications to Enhance Depression Outcomes (CO-MED) trial. Trajectories of change in work productivity during the first 6 weeks of treatment were identified and used to predict remission at 3 and 7 months. Results Participants reported reduced absence from work and increased work productivity with antidepressant treatment even after controlling for changes in depression severity. Three distinct trajectories of changes in work productivity were identified: 1) robust early improvement (24%), 2) minimal change (49%), and 3) high-impairment slight reduction (27%). As compared to other participants, those with robust improvement had 3–5 times higher remission rates at 3 months and 2–5 times higher remission rates at 7 months, even after controlling for select baseline variables and remission status at week 6. Conclusions In this secondary analysis, self-reported work productivity improved in depressed patients with antidepressant treatment even after accounting for depressive symptom reduction. Early improvement in work productivity is associated with much higher remission rates after 3 and 7 months of treatment. PMID:27523501

An elective course on current concepts in adult ambulatory care.

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Vincent, Ashley H; Weber, Zachary A

2014-12-15

To design and evaluate a doctor of pharmacy course exploring disease states commonly encountered in ambulatory care, while applying literature to clinical practice and promoting a continual learning mindset. This elective incorporated a learner-centered teaching approach. Each week, 2 groups of students were assigned a clinical trial to present to their peers. The focus was on clinical application and impact, rather than literature evaluation. A social networking group on Facebook was used to expose students to pharmacy information outside the classroom. Student grades were determined by multiple activities: presentations, participation and moderation of the Facebook group, class participation, quiz scores, and quiz question development. Course evaluations served as a qualitative assessment of student learning and perceptions, quizzes were the most objective assessment of student learning, and presentation evaluations were the most directed assessment of course goals. This elective was an innovative approach to teaching ambulatory care that effectively filled a curricular void. Successful attainment of the primary course goals and objectives was demonstrated through course evaluations, surveys, and quiz and presentation scores.

Role of the functional status of the autonomic nervous system in the clinical course of purulent meningitis

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D. A. Zadiraka

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Purulent meningitis is defined by high indices of sickness and lethality rates, a great risk of cerebral and extracerebral complications development, steady residual consequences formation. During neuroinfections, the state of adaptation mechanisms, which is characterized by exhaustion of regulatory systems with the development of decompensation, plays a crucial part. Heart rate variability clearly reflects the degree of regulatory system tension caused by the influence of both physiological and pathological factors. Research aim: to increase the autonomic dysfunction diagnostics efficiency for patients suffering from purulent meningitis in the disease dynamics based on the complex of clinical evidence and functional status of autonomic nervous system. Materials and methods. There were 60 patients with purulent meningitis under medical observation. Wein’s questionnaire was used for the detection of clinical presentations of autonomic dysfunction. Functional status of autonomic nervous system was diagnosed using the method of computer-based cardiointervalometry. The screening group was formed of 20 healthy individuals. Research findings and theirs discussion. Cerebral meningeal symptom was dominant among the patients suffering from purulent meningitis at the peak of the disease. At hospitalization every fifth person (23,3% had the objective evidence of autonomic dysfunction in the form of a postural tremor of upper limbs and eyelids. The analysis of autonomic nervous system parameters functional status among the patients suffering from purulent meningitis at the peak of disease showed heart rate variability decrease in the main branches of autonomic regulation and the presence of autonomic imbalance towards vagotonia. Since the second week, clinical signs of autonomic dysfunction prevailed in the dynamics of patients suffering from purulent meningitis in the course of standard treatment, which was proved by Wein’s survey of the patients. The

Clinical outcome during the peri-operative (thyroidectomy) period of severely hyperthyroid patients with normalized pre-operative free-T4 levels: Importance of I-131 therapy as a part of pre-operative preparation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Siguan-Crisaldo, M.A.L.; Mercado-Asis, L.B.

2005-01-01

Thyroidectomy is performed for hyperthyroidism on patients who do not respond to or are not compliant with medical therapy and in patients with very large goiters causing compressive symptoms. All thyrotoxic patients undergoing thyroidectomy usually are first treated with anti-thyroid drugs to normalize free thyroid hormone levels and render them euthyroid before surgery in order to prevent complications particularly thyroid storm and circulatory collapse. In this case series, we describe the clinical outcome during the perioperative (thyroidectomy) period of three severely hyperthyroid patients, two females and one male, with ages ranging from 13 to 38 years. All patients had grade III goiter, and only one had exophthalmos. The mean duration of goiter was 3.6 years. All of them were given preoperative treatment consisting of propylthiouracil (PTU) at 450-600 mg/day; iodone, 3 tablets daily and propranolol at 30-120 mg/day for one month. All of them had normalized preoperative thyroid function tests. In addition to the preoperative medications mentioned above, all three patients received radioactive iodine therapy before surgery. The first two patients received relatively low doses of 8.0 and 7.5 mCi of I-131 respectively. Unfortunately the first patient had supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), post skin cutting and the other one went into thyroid storm. The third patient who received a cumulative dose of 23.5 mCi of I-131 before surgery had an uneventful postoperative course. It is concluded that normalization of thyroid hormone parameters, especially free T4 is not sufficient for an uneventful and uncomplicated peri-thyroidectomy period in severely hyperthyroid patients with large goiters. Effective radioactive iodine therapy might prove to be helpful in inducing thyroid tissue fibrosis, thus leading to true clinical euthyroidism and excellent clinical course postoperatively. (author)

Open courses: one view of the future of online education.

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Alemi, Farrokh; Maddox, P J

2008-01-01

Open courses provide the entire course (lectures, assignments, syllabus, student's discussions, and student's projects) online without revealing student's personal information. We report on our experience in managing 8 open online courses at http://nhs.georgetown.edu/open. Open courses have several advantages over password protected courses: (1) they are available through search engines and thus reduce the program's marketing cost, (2) continuous feedback from the web enables rapid improvements to the course, (3) customer relationship tools, tied to open courses, radically reduce faculty time spent on one-on-one emails while increasing student/faculty interaction. We provide details of one course. In 15 weeks, 803 emails were received by and 1181 sent by the faculty (all within 6% of a working week and 82% savings of faculty time). We show how open courses can be accessed through search engines, how students questions are answered on the web and how student projects, in popular sites such as You Tube and Face Book, improve course marketing. The paper reports that student satisfaction with three open online courses delivered overall several semesters was high.

Factors Most Likely to Contribute to Positive Course Evaluations

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VanMaaren, Victoria G.; Jaquett, Caroline M.; Williams, Robert L.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which students differentially rated ten factors likely to affect their ratings on overall course evaluations. Students (N = 148) in several sections of an undergraduate educational psychology course indicated their preferences among several designated factors. We found remarkable similarity…

Is diabetes a risk factor for a severe clinical presentation of dengue?--review and meta-analysis.

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Htun, Nan Shwe Nwe; Odermatt, Peter; Eze, Ikenna C; Boillat-Blanco, Noémie; D'Acremont, Valérie; Probst-Hensch, Nicole

2015-04-01

The mean age of acute dengue has undergone a shift towards older ages. This fact points towards the relevance of assessing the influence of age-related comorbidities, such as diabetes, on the clinical presentation of dengue episodes. Identification of factors associated with a severe presentation is of high relevance, because timely treatment is the most important intervention to avert complications and death. This review summarizes and evaluates the published evidence on the association between diabetes and the risk of a severe clinical presentation of dengue. A systematic literature review was conducted using the MEDLINE database to access any relevant association between dengue and diabetes. Five case-control studies (4 hospital-based, 1 population-based) compared the prevalence of diabetes (self-reported or abstracted from medical records) of persons with dengue (acute or past; controls) and patients with severe clinical manifestations. All except one study were conducted before 2009 and all studies collected information towards WHO 1997 classification system. The reported odds ratios were formally summarized by random-effects meta-analyses. A diagnosis of diabetes was associated with an increased risk for a severe clinical presentation of dengue (OR 1.75; 95% CI: 1.08-2.84, p = 0.022). Large prospective studies that systematically and objectively obtain relevant signs and symptoms of dengue fever episodes as well as of hyperglycemia in the past, and at the time of dengue diagnosis, are needed to properly address the effect of diabetes on the clinical presentation of an acute dengue fever episode. The currently available epidemiological evidence is very limited and only suggestive. The increasing global prevalence of both dengue and diabetes justifies further studies. At this point, confirmation of dengue infection as early as possible in diabetes patients with fever if living in dengue endemic regions seems justified. The presence of this co-morbidity may

Incidence and severity of stage IV bronchopulmonary dysplasia in infants of very low birth weight

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parker, B.R.; Stevens, S.K.; Northway, W.H.

1989-01-01

To evaluate the incidence and severity of stage IV bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in infants of very low birth weight, the authors reviewed the clinical course and chest radiographs of 138 such infants. In the lowest weight group ( 1500 g, 10%). However, the severity of BPD (graded by the Toce-Edwards Scale) was highest (6.3) in the < 1500-g group (< 900 g, 5.4; 1200-1500 g, 5.9). These data showed that, although the incidence of stage IV BVD significantly decreased as birth weight increased, the severity of chronic changes was independent of birth weight

ABO blood groups and malaria related clinical outcome.

Science.gov (United States)

Deepa; Alwar, Vanamala A; Rameshkumar, Karuna; Ross, Cecil

2011-03-01

The study was undertaken to correlate the blood groups and clinical presentations in malaria patients and to understand the differential host susceptibility in malaria. From October 2007 to September 2008, malaria positive patients' samples were evaluated in this study. Hemoglobin, total leukocyte count, and platelet count of each patient were done on an automated cell counter. After determining the blood groups, malarial species and the severity of clinical course were correlated. A total of 100 patients were included in the study, of which 63 cases were positive for Plasmodium falciparum and 37 cases were positive for P. vivax infection and 11 patients had mixed infection. The results of the blood groups showed 22 - 'A' group, 42 - 'B' group, 35 - 'O' group and 1 was 'AB' group. When the clinical courses between different groups were compared using the following parameters for severe infection--a parasitic load of >10/1000 RBCs, severe anemia with hemoglobin 101°F and other organ involvement, it was observed that 'O' group had an advantage over other the groups. The difference in rosetting ability between red blood cells of different 'ABO' blood groups with a diminished rosetting potential in blood group 'O' red blood cells was due to the differential host susceptibility. 'O' group had an advantage over the other three blood groups. Based on literature and the results of this study, the diminished rosetting potential in blood group 'O' red blood cells is suggested as the basis for the differential host susceptibility.

Adulthood outcome of tic and obsessive-compulsive symptom severity in children with Tourette syndrome.

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Bloch, Michael H; Peterson, Bradley S; Scahill, Lawrence; Otka, Jessica; Katsovich, Lily; Zhang, Heping; Leckman, James F

2006-01-01

Tourette syndrome (TS) is a childhood-onset neuropsychiatric disorder that is characterized by both motor and phonic tics. One half to two thirds of children with TS experience a reduction or complete resolution of tic symptoms during adolescence. At least one third of adults with TS have comorbid obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). To clarify the clinical course of tic and OCD symptoms in children with TS and determine if baseline clinical measurements in childhood are associated with future symptom severity in late adolescence and early adulthood. Prospective cohort study. Yale Child Study Center tic and OCD outpatient specialty clinic. Forty-six children with TS who received a structured clinical evaluation prior to age 14 years. Expert-rated tic and OCD symptom severity at follow-up interview an average of 7.6 years later (range, 3.8-12.8 years). Eighty-five percent of subjects reported a reduction in tic symptoms during adolescence. Only increased tic severity in childhood was associated with increased tic severity at follow-up. The average age at worst-ever tic severity was 10.6 years. Forty-one percent of patients with TS reported at one time experiencing at least moderate OCD symptoms. Worst-ever OCD symptoms occurred approximately 2 years later than worst-ever tic symptoms. Increased childhood IQ was strongly associated with increased OCD severity at follow-up. Obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms in children with TS became more severe at a later age and were more likely to persist than tic symptoms.

HIV-1 Promoter Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms Are Associated with Clinical Disease Severity.

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Michael R Nonnemacher

Full Text Available The large majority of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1 markers of disease progression/severity previously identified have been associated with alterations in host genetic and immune responses, with few studies focused on viral genetic markers correlate with changes in disease severity. This study presents a cross-sectional/longitudinal study of HIV-1 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs contained within the viral promoter or long terminal repeat (LTR in patients within the Drexel Medicine CNS AIDS Research and Eradication Study (CARES Cohort. HIV-1 LTR SNPs were found to associate with the classical clinical disease parameters CD4+ T-cell count and log viral load. They were found in both defined and undefined transcription factor binding sites of the LTR. A novel SNP identified at position 108 in a known COUP (chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter/AP1 transcription factor binding site was significantly correlated with binding phenotypes that are potentially the underlying cause of the associated clinical outcome (increase in viral load and decrease in CD4+ T-cell count.

Clinical Course and Outcomes of Small Supratentorial Intracerebral Hematomas

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Behrouz, R.; Misra, V.; Godoy, D.A.; Topel, C.H.; Masotti, L.; Klijn, C.J.M.; Smith, C.J.; Parry-Jones, A.R.; Slevin, M.A.; Silver, B.; Willey, J.Z.; Vallejo, J. Masjuan; Nzwalo, H.; Popa-Wagner, A.; Malek, A.R.; Hafeez, S.; Napoli, M. Di

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) volume, particularly if >/=30 mL, is a major determinant of poor outcome. We used a multinational ICH data registry to study the characteristics, course, and outcomes of supratentorial hematomas with volumes <30 mL. METHODS: Basic

Association between methylation of the glucocorticoid receptor gene, childhood maltreatment, and clinical severity in borderline personality disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Martín-Blanco, Ana; Ferrer, Marc; Soler, Joaquim; Salazar, Juliana; Vega, Daniel; Andión, Oscar; Sanchez-Mora, Cristina; Arranz, Maria Jesús; Ribases, Marta; Feliu-Soler, Albert; Pérez, Víctor; Pascual, Juan Carlos

2014-10-01

The hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) is essential in the regulation of stress responses. Increased methylation of the promoter region of the glucocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C1) has been described both in subjects with history of childhood trauma and in patients with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). However, no data on the possible association between a higher methylation of this gene and clinical severity is available. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between NR3C1 methylation status, the history of childhood trauma, and current clinical severity in subjects with BPD. A sample of 281 subjects with BPD (diagnosed by SCID-II and DIB-R semi-structured diagnostic interviews) was recruited. Clinical variables included previous hospitalizations, self-injurious behavior, and self-reported history of childhood trauma. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood. The results indicated a significant positive correlation between NR3C1 methylation status and childhood maltreatment (specifically physical abuse). In addition, a positive correlation between methylation status and clinical severity (DIB-R total score and hospitalizations) was observed. These findings suggest that NR3C1 methylation in subjects with BPD may be associated not only with childhood trauma but also with clinical severity, adding new evidence to the involvement of gene-environment interactions in this disorder. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Severity variation of clinical E.coli mastitis in cows: where do we stand?

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Neutrophils are key effector cells that underpin both defence and severity of clinical coliform mastitis. Increased turnover and viability of neutrophils in the lumen of the bovine mammary gland facilitate the physiological response and acute inflammation that fuel this effective mammary defence mec...

Novos aspectos na evolução clínica da pitiríase versicolor New aspects in the clinical course of pityriasis versicolor

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Valéria Maria de Souza Framil

2011-12-01

Full Text Available FUNDAMENTO: A pitiríase versicolor é uma doença infecciosa causada por várias espécies de Malassezia com uma tendência a se tornar recidivante ou crônica. OBJETIVOS: Este trabalho foi conduzido na tentativa de conhecer a evolução clínica da pitiríase versicolor em relação ao número de recidivas após um tratamento adequado no período de 12 meses e correlacionar o número de recidivas com as espécies de Malassezia isoladas. MATERIAL E MÉTODOS: Cento e dois pacientes com diagnóstico clínico e laboratorial de pitiríase versicolor foram acompanhados por um período de 12 meses para observarmos o número de recidivas da doença. RESULTADOS: A pitiríase versicolor, após um tratamento adequado, apresentou três tipos de evolução clínica num período de 12 meses: pitiríase versicolor sem nenhum episódio de recidiva (32,35%; pitiríase versicolor recidivante, com um a quatro episódios de recidiva (52,94% devidos a fatores de predisposição relacionados; e pitiríase versicolor crônica, com mais de quatro episódios de recidiva (14,70% sem nenhuma relação com fatores de predisposição. CONCLUSÕES: A pitiríase versicolor apresentou uma evolução clínica de acordo com o número de episódios de recidiva da doença analisados durante um período de 12 meses que pode ser considerada da seguinte maneira: pitiríase versicolor com cura clínica e micológica, pitiríase versicolor recidivante e pitiríase versicolor crônica.BACKGROUND: Pytiriasis versicolor is an infectious disease caused by several Malassezia species which has a tendency to become relapsing or chronic. OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted in an attempt to investigate the clinical course of pityriasis versicolor with regard to the number of relapses after a 12-month therapy and correlate this number with isolates of Malassezia species. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 102 patients with clinical and laboratory diagnosis of pityriasis versicolor were monitored for 12

[Characteristics of clinical features of tick-borne encephalitis in Crimea].

Science.gov (United States)

Borisova, M A; Markeshin, S Ia; Riazanova, N Ia; Degtiareva, A A; Zakharova, T F; Bychkova, M V

1989-12-01

The analysis of data collected from the clinical epidemiological and virological surveys in 1985-1988 on the incidence of arbovirus infection in population provided evidence for circulation of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus in the Crimea. Etiological relevance of TBE virus in the onset of the diseases was revealed. Clinical picture of TBE in the Crimea is characterized by severe forms and diphasic fever with the relapse running more grave and protracted course.

Clinical Features of Primary Glaucoma in South East Nigeria ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: The clinical course of glaucoma depends on the type, onset, severity and response to treatment. The intraocular pressure and heredity also play a role in its presentation as members of the same family tend to have the same type of glaucoma. This paper seeks to address the problem of primary open angle ...

Long-term effect of a course on in-training assessment in postgraduate specialist education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Malling, B; Bested, K M; Skjelsager, K

2007-01-01

BACKGROUND: In-training assessment has become an important part of clinical teachers' responsibilities. One way to ensure that clinical teachers are qualified for this role is setting up a course. A "Teach the teachers" course focusing on in-training assessment was designed for anaesthesiologists...... in Denmark. Aims: To evaluate short and longer term effects of a course on in-training assessment for clinical teachers in Anaesthesiology. METHOD: Fifty-one anaesthesiologists attended a 2-day interactive course about in-training assessment. Effects of the course on knowledge were assessed using identical...... pre- and post- tests. Longer- term effects were measured six months after the course using the same test. Self-reported use of in-training assessment methods was evaluated using supplemental questions in the follow-up test. RESULTS: There were significant increases in knowledge about in...

Clinical Factors and Viral Load Influencing Severity of Acute Hepatitis A.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Hyun Woong; Chang, Dong-Yeop; Moon, Hong Ju; Chang, Hye Young; Shin, Eui-Cheol; Lee, June Sung; Kim, Kyung-Ah; Kim, Hyung Joon

2015-01-01

Clinical manifestations of hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection vary from mild to fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) in adults. We investigated the relationship between laboratory findings, including viral load, and clinical outcomes in patients with acute hepatitis A (AHA) and evaluated predictive factors for severe acute hepatitis (s-AH). We analyzed the clinical manifestations of AHA in 770 patients. Patients with a prothrombin time (PT) of less than 40% of normal were classified as s-AH and included 4 patients with FHF, 11 patients with acute renal failure, and 3 patients with prolonged jaundice (n = 128). Other patients were defined as mild acute hepatitis (m-AH) (n = 642). Serum samples were obtained from 48 patients with acute hepatitis A. Among them, 20 with s-AH, and 28 with m-AH, were tested for HAV RNA titer. In a multivariate analysis, age (HR = 1.042, P = 0.041), peak creatinine (HR = 4.014, P = 0.001), bilirubin (HR = 1.153, P = 0.003), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (HR = 1.001, P hepatitis A.

Clinical Factors and Viral Load Influencing Severity of Acute Hepatitis A

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Hyun Woong; Chang, Dong-Yeop; Moon, Hong Ju; Chang, Hye Young; Shin, Eui-Cheol; Lee, June Sung; Kim, Kyung-Ah; Kim, Hyung Joon

2015-01-01

Background and Aims Clinical manifestations of hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection vary from mild to fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) in adults. We investigated the relationship between laboratory findings, including viral load, and clinical outcomes in patients with acute hepatitis A (AHA) and evaluated predictive factors for severe acute hepatitis (s-AH). Methods We analyzed the clinical manifestations of AHA in 770 patients. Patients with a prothrombin time (PT) of less than 40% of normal were classified as s-AH and included 4 patients with FHF, 11 patients with acute renal failure, and 3 patients with prolonged jaundice (n = 128). Other patients were defined as mild acute hepatitis (m-AH) (n = 642). Serum samples were obtained from 48 patients with acute hepatitis A. Among them, 20 with s-AH, and 28 with m-AH, were tested for HAV RNA titer. Results In a multivariate analysis, age (HR = 1.042, P = 0.041), peak creatinine (HR = 4.014, P = 0.001), bilirubin (HR = 1.153, P = 0.003), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (HR = 1.001, Phepatitis A. PMID:26090677

Building Maintenance. Performance Objectives. Basic Course.

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Taylor, Ernest

Several intermediate performance objectives and corresponding criterion measures are listed for each of the 13 terminal objectives for a basic high school building maintenance course (the first year of a 3-year program). The materials were developed for a 36-week course (2 hours daily) designed to enable 10th grade students to develop competencies…

Thymic hyperplasia - clinical course and imaging diagnostic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Drebov, R.; Panov, M.; Totev, M.; Deliverski, T.; Tcandev, I.; Velkovski, I.

2006-01-01

The real thymic hyperplasia is benign disease sometimes simulating malignant tumours. The aim of this study is to analyse the clinical symptoms of real thymic hyperplasia and the results from imaging diagnostic based on our clinical material. Clinical material include 27 children, aged from two months to 15 years, admitted in department of thoracic surgery, for a period of 20 years (1985 - 2004). We retrospectively analyze the clinical signs and results from X-ray investigation, CT (Siemens Somatom DRG and Philips Secura) and echocardiography (Acuson TX, 5 and 7 MHz). We discuss the diagnostic value of different methods as well as typical and atypical findings. (authors)

Radiological and clinical course of pneumonia in patients with avian influenza H5N1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bay, Ali; Etlik, Omer; Oner, A. Faik; Unal, Ozkan; Arslan, Halil; Bora, Aydin; Davran, Ramazan; Yuca, Sevil Ari; Dogan, Murat

2007-01-01

Introduction: We evaluated chest X-ray and clinical findings of patients with lower respiratory tract infection due to influenza H5N1 and presented the radiological findings and clinical course of the infection. Materials and methods: Between December 2005 and February 2006, eight hospitalized patients (median age 10, 5-15 years) with avian-flu were evaluated in this study. All patients were evaluated with chest X-ray and four of them with CT scan. Post mortem pathological characterization were also available for three of the patients. Results: A rapidly progressive pneumonia with high mortality rate was observed especially for cases with late admission. The major radiologic abnormalities were extensive pneumonic infiltration with segmental and multifocal distribution, mostly located in lower zones of the lung. No pleural effusion and hilar lymphadenopathy was noted. Conclusion: Avian flu may be presented as rapidly progressive pneumonia. The chest radiography has an important role in diagnosis and should be obtained daily because of rapid change of the findings that may necessitate prompt action

Radiological and clinical course of pneumonia in patients with avian influenza H5N1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bay, Ali [Yuzuncu Yil University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Van (Turkey)]. E-mail: bayalibay@yahoo.com; Etlik, Omer [Yuzuncu Yil University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Van (Turkey); Oner, A. Faik [Yuzuncu Yil University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Van (Turkey); Unal, Ozkan [Yuzuncu Yil University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Van (Turkey); Arslan, Halil [Yuzuncu Yil University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Van (Turkey); Bora, Aydin [Yuzuncu Yil University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Van (Turkey); Davran, Ramazan [Yuzuncu Yil University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Van (Turkey); Yuca, Sevil Ari [Yuzuncu Yil University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Van (Turkey); Dogan, Murat [Yuzuncu Yil University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Van (Turkey)

2007-02-15

Introduction: We evaluated chest X-ray and clinical findings of patients with lower respiratory tract infection due to influenza H5N1 and presented the radiological findings and clinical course of the infection. Materials and methods: Between December 2005 and February 2006, eight hospitalized patients (median age 10, 5-15 years) with avian-flu were evaluated in this study. All patients were evaluated with chest X-ray and four of them with CT scan. Post mortem pathological characterization were also available for three of the patients. Results: A rapidly progressive pneumonia with high mortality rate was observed especially for cases with late admission. The major radiologic abnormalities were extensive pneumonic infiltration with segmental and multifocal distribution, mostly located in lower zones of the lung. No pleural effusion and hilar lymphadenopathy was noted. Conclusion: Avian flu may be presented as rapidly progressive pneumonia. The chest radiography has an important role in diagnosis and should be obtained daily because of rapid change of the findings that may necessitate prompt action.

Acne severity grading: determining essential clinical components and features using a Delphi consensus.

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Jerry; Wolfe, Barat; Weiss, Jonathan; Stein-Gold, Linda; Bikowski, Joseph; Del Rosso, James; Webster, Guy F; Lucky, Anne; Thiboutot, Diane; Wilkin, Jonathan; Leyden, James; Chren, Mary-Margaret

2012-08-01

There are multiple global scales for acne severity grading but no singular standard. Our objective was to determine the essential clinical components (content items) and features (property-related items) for an acne global grading scale for use in research and clinical practice using an iterative method, the Delphi process. Ten acne experts were invited to participate in a Web-based Delphi survey comprising 3 iterative rounds of questions. In round 1, the experts identified the following clinical components (primary acne lesions, number of lesions, extent, regional involvement, secondary lesions, and patient experiences) and features (clinimetric properties, ease of use, categorization of severity based on photographs or text, and acceptance by all stakeholders). In round 2, consensus for inclusion in the scale was established for primary lesions, number, sites, and extent; as well as clinimetric properties and ease of use. In round 3, consensus for inclusion was further established for categorization and acceptance. Patient experiences were excluded and no consensus was achieved for secondary lesions. The Delphi panel consisted solely of the United States (U.S.)-based acne experts. Using an established method for achieving consensus, experts in acne vulgaris concluded that an ideal acne global grading scale would comprise the essential clinical components of primary acne lesions, their quantity, extent, and facial and extrafacial sites of involvement; with features of clinimetric properties, categorization, efficiency, and acceptance. Copyright © 2011 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Clinical characteristic of epidemic hepatitis in case of the effect of low dose irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Geras'kov, O.P.; Shubik, V.M.

1990-01-01

Clinical course of infections hepatitics B, developed on the background of pulmonary tuberculosis in people, who were subjected to chronic low dose ionizing radiation, indicated more frequent cases of severe and medium-severe forms of morbidity as compared to non-irradiated patients and those with no comitant pulmonary tuberculosis. However the reconvalescence terms, hepatitis size normalization, urine colour in different group patients did not differ essentially. The data obtained testify to the absence of significant peculiarities in the course of infections hepatitis B, combined with pulmonar tuberculosis under conditions of chronic low dose ionizing radiation. 3 refs.; 3 tabs

Features of Atopic Reactivity in Schoolchildren with Severe Bronchial Asthma

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U.I. Marusyk

2014-11-01

Full Text Available The study involved 30 students with severe bronchial asthma and 30 children with moderate to severe course. Patients with severe bronchial asthma revealed a clear tendency to increase the relative content of interleukin 4 in peripheral blood, which indirectly indicates the severity of inflammation in the bronchi. Almost every second child suffering from severe bronchial asthma reported an increase in the concentration of immunoglobulin E (more than 545.3 IU/ml, and the odds ratio was 1.9 (95% CI 1.1–3.4. In the group of patients with severe bronchial asthma, cases of increased skin sensitivity to household allergens were significantly more frequent compared to the second group. Thus, the size of hyperemia over 15.0 mm was recorded in 81.5 % of children of the first group and only in 51.9 % of persons (Pϕ < 0.05 in the second one. Clinical and epidemiological risk and diagnostic value of individual indicators of atopic reactivity were determined to verify the phenotype of severe bronchial asthma.

Evaluation of the DSM-5 severity indicator for binge eating disorder in a clinical sample

Science.gov (United States)

Grilo, Carlos M.; Ivezaj, Valentina; White, Marney A.

2015-01-01

Objective This study tested the new DSM-5 severity criterion for binge eating disorder (BED) based on frequency of binge-eating in a clinical sample. This study also tested overvaluation of shape/weight as an alternative severity specifier. Method Participants were 834 treatment-seeking adults diagnosed with DSM-5 BED using semistructured diagnostic and eating-disorder interviews. Participants sub-grouped based on DSM-5 severity levels and on overvaluation of shape/weight were compared on demographic and clinical variables. Results Based on DSM-5 severity definitions, 331 (39.7%) participants were categorized as mild, 395 (47.5%) as moderate, 83 (10.0%) as severe, and 25 (3.0%) as extreme. Analyses comparing three (mild, moderate, and severe/extreme) severity groups revealed no significant differences in demographic variables or body mass index (BMI). Analyses revealed significantly higher eating-disorder psychopathology in the severe/extreme than moderate and mild groups and higher depression in moderate and severe/extreme groups than the mild group; effect sizes were small. Participants characterized with overvaluation (N = 449; 54%) versus without overvaluation (N = 384; 46%) did not differ significantly in age, sex, BMI, or binge-eating frequency, but had significantly greater eating-disorder psychopathology and depression. The robustly greater eating-disorder psychopathology and depression levels (medium-to-large effect sizes) in the overvaluation group was observed without attenuation of effect sizes after adjusting for ethnicity/race and binge-eating severity/frequency. Conclusions Our findings provide support for overvaluation of shape/weight as a severity specifier for BED as it provides stronger information about the severity of homogeneous groupings of patients than the DSM-5 rating based on binge-eating. PMID:26114779

AN OBSERVATIONAL CLINICAL STUDY OF ASSESSING THE UTILITY OF PSS (POISON SEVERITY SCORE AND GCS (GLASGOW COMA SCALE SCORING SYSTEMS IN PREDICTING SEVERITY AND CLINICAL OUTCOMES IN OP POISONING

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S. Chandrasekhar

2017-05-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND Organophosphorus compound poisoning is the most common poisonings in India because of easy availability often requiring ICU care and ventilator support. Clinical research has indicated that respiratory failure is the most important cause of death due to organophosphorus poisoning. It results in respiratory muscle weakness, pulmonary oedema, respiratory depression, increased secretions and bronchospasm. These complications and death can be prevented with timely institution of ventilator support. MATERIALS AND METHODS Hundred consecutive patients admitted with a history of organophosphorus poisoning at Kurnool Medical College, Kurnool, were taken for study after considering the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Detailed history, confirmation of poisoning, examination and other than routine investigations, serum pseudocholinesterase and arterial blood gas analysis was done. The severity and clinical outcomes in OP poisoning is graded by PSS (poison severity score and GCS (Glasgow coma scale scoring systems. RESULTS This study was conducted in 100 patients with male preponderance. Majority of poisoning occurred in 21-30 age group (n=5. Most common compound consumed in our study was methyl parathion and least common was phosphoran. Slightly more than half of the patients consumed less than 50 mL of poison. 21 patients consumed between 50 to 100 mL. Distribution of poison severity score of patients studied showed 45 cases of grade 1 poisoning. 26 cases of grade 2 poisoning, 23 cases of grade 3 poisoning and 6 cases of grade 4 poisoning (death within first 24 hours. Distribution of GCS score of patients studied GCS scores were <10 in 25 patients at admission and 24 patients after 24 hours. GCS scores were ≥10 in 75 patients at admission and 76 patients after 24 hours. Poison severity score is not prognostic, but merely defines severity of OP poisoning at a given time. CONCLUSION Both Glasgow coma scale and poison severity scoring systems

Clinical Epidemiology of Buruli Ulcer from Benin (2005-2013: Effect of Time-Delay to Diagnosis on Clinical Forms and Severe Phenotypes.

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Carlos Capela

Full Text Available Buruli Ulcer (BU is a neglected infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans that is responsible for severe necrotizing cutaneous lesions that may be associated with bone involvement. Clinical presentations of BU lesions are classically classified as papules, nodules, plaques and edematous infiltration, ulcer or osteomyelitis. Within these different clinical forms, lesions can be further classified as severe forms based on focality (multiple lesions, lesions' size (>15 cm diameter or WHO Category (WHO Category 3 lesions. There are studies reporting an association between delay in seeking medical care and the development of ulcerative forms of BU or osteomyelitis, but the effect of time-delay on the emergence of lesions classified as severe has not been addressed. To address both issues, and in a cohort of laboratory-confirmed BU cases, 476 patients from a medical center in Allada, Benin, were studied. In this laboratory-confirmed cohort, we validated previous observations, demonstrating that time-delay is statistically related to the clinical form of BU. Indeed, for non-ulcerated forms (nodule, edema, and plaque the median time-delay was 32.5 days (IQR 30.0-67.5, while for ulcerated forms it was 60 days (IQR 20.0-120.0 (p = 0.009, and for bone lesions, 365 days (IQR 228.0-548.0. On the other hand, we show here that time-delay is not associated with the more severe phenotypes of BU, such as multi-focal lesions (median 90 days; IQR 56-217.5; p = 0.09, larger lesions (diameter >15 cm (median 60 days; IQR 30-120; p = 0.92 or category 3 WHO classification (median 60 days; IQR 30-150; p = 0.20, when compared with unifocal (median 60 days; IQR 30-90, small lesions (diameter ≤15 cm (median 60 days; IQR 30-90, or WHO category 1+2 lesions (median 60 days; IQR 30-90, respectively. Our results demonstrate that after an initial period of progression towards ulceration or bone involvement, BU lesions become stable regarding size and focal

Does Viral Co-Infection Influence the Severity of Acute Respiratory Infection in Children?

Science.gov (United States)

Cebey-López, Miriam; Herberg, Jethro; Pardo-Seco, Jacobo; Gómez-Carballa, Alberto; Martinón-Torres, Nazareth; Salas, Antonio; Martinón-Sánchez, José María; Justicia, Antonio; Rivero-Calle, Irene; Sumner, Edward; Fink, Colin; Martinón-Torres, Federico

2016-01-01

Multiple viruses are often detected in children with respiratory infection but the significance of co-infection in pathogenesis, severity and outcome is unclear. To correlate the presence of viral co-infection with clinical phenotype in children admitted with acute respiratory infections (ARI). We collected detailed clinical information on severity for children admitted with ARI as part of a Spanish prospective multicenter study (GENDRES network) between 2011-2013. A nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) approach was used to detect respiratory viruses in respiratory secretions. Findings were compared to an independent cohort collected in the UK. 204 children were recruited in the main cohort and 97 in the replication cohort. The number of detected viruses did not correlate with any markers of severity. However, bacterial superinfection was associated with increased severity (OR: 4.356; P-value = 0.005), PICU admission (OR: 3.342; P-value = 0.006), higher clinical score (1.988; P-value = 0.002) respiratory support requirement (OR: 7.484; P-value respiratory distress (OR: 2.917; P-value = 0.035), PICU admission (OR: 0.301; P-value = 0.011), lower clinical score (-1.499; P-value = 0.021) respiratory support requirement (OR: 0.324; P-value = 0.016) and oxygen necessity (OR: 0.328; P-value = 0.001). All these findings were replicated in the UK cohort. The presence of more than one virus in hospitalized children with ARI is very frequent but it does not seem to have a major clinical impact in terms of severity. However bacterial superinfection increases the severity of the disease course. On the contrary, pneumococcal vaccination plays a protective role.

A Network Approach to Bipolar Symptomatology in Patients with Different Course Types.

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M A Koenders

Full Text Available The longitudinal mood course is highly variable among patients with bipolar disorder(BD. One of the strongest predictors of the future disease course is the past disease course, implying that the vulnerability for developing a specific pattern of symptoms is rather consistent over time. We therefore investigated whether BD patients with different longitudinal course types have symptom correlation networks with typical characteristics. To this end we used network analysis, a rather novel approach in the field of psychiatry.Based on two-year monthly life charts, 125 patients with complete 2 year data were categorized into three groups: i.e., a minimally impaired (n = 47, a predominantly depressed (n = 42 and a cycling course (n = 36. Associations between symptoms were defined as the groupwise Spearman's rank correlation coefficient between each pair of items of the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS and the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS. Weighted symptom networks and centrality measures were compared among the three groups.The weighted networks significantly differed among the three groups, with manic and depressed symptoms being most strongly interconnected in the cycling group. The symptoms with top centrality that were most interconnected also differed among the course group; central symptoms in the stable group were elevated mood and increased speech, in the depressed group loss of self-esteem and psychomotor slowness, and in the cycling group concentration loss and suicidality.Symptom networks based on the timepoints with most severe symptoms of bipolar patients with different longitudinal course types are significantly different. The clinical interpretation of this finding and its implications are discussed.

REHABILITATION OF SEVERELY ATROPHIED UPPER JAW WITH INTRAOSSAL DENTAL IMPLANTS - clinical case

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivan Chenchev

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Objective: The purpose of this presentation is to show the difficulty in prosthetization of a clinical case with a pronounced atrophy of the upper jaw and the various types and nature of restrictions imposed by the requirements of the patient. Methods: The clinical analysis, surgical protocol and prosthetic solution are presented in the treatment of 72 year-old woman with a pronounced atrophy of the upper jaw. OPG, standard CT of the upper jaw was used in the planning and a special surgical template was fabricated, helping us to find intraoperatively the exact locations of implants. The preliminary analysis of the number, height and diameter of intraossal implants helped us to find the exact prosthetic solution in this clinical case. The preparation of the implant bed was done by conical osteotomy in order to expand and condense the existing bone, which allowed us to use endoossal implants with a possible maximum size in a very limited maxillary volume and the reluctance of the patient to use other methods and surgical techniques. Conical threaded and self-tapping intraossal implants were used, placed according to a classic two-stage methodology with a flap and a long-term functional loading after a period of four months.Results and Conclusion: The applied surgical and prosthetic solution allowed us to achieve a good functional and aesthetic rehabilitation in this case of severe atrophy of the upper jaw, following a number of restrictions imposed on us by the reluctance of the patient to use other surgical solutions. This shows that in the case of severe atrophy of the upper jaw, a good clinical result can be achieved. For this reason, the use of CT,a well-planned surgical template, sufficient preparation ,the maximum use of available bone volume and the choice of a good prosthetic solution is very important.

Heterogeneity in 10-Year Course Trajectories of Moderate to Severe Major Depressive Disorder: A Danish National Register-Based Study.

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Musliner, Katherine L; Munk-Olsen, Trine; Laursen, Thomas M; Eaton, William W; Zandi, Peter P; Mortensen, Preben B

2016-04-01

Evidence suggests that long-term trajectories of major depressive disorder (MDD) are heterogeneous. The Danish Psychiatric Central Research Register (DPCRR) provides a rare opportunity to examine patterns and correlates of long-term trajectories in a large sample of patients with moderate to severe MDD. To characterize patterns and correlates of 10-year course trajectories of MDD in the DPCRR. A cohort containing 11 640 individuals born in Denmark in 1955 or later with their first recorded MDD diagnosis in the DPCRR between 1995 and 2002 was established. Patients were followed for 10 years from the date of their initial MDD diagnosis. Data were obtained from Danish civil and psychiatric national registers in June 2013 and were analyzed from April 4, 2014, to December 17, 2015. Correlates of trajectory class membership were sex, characteristics of the first recorded MDD episode (ie, age, severity, inpatient treatment, and record of suicide attempt or self-harm), and psychiatric diagnoses in parents (ie, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia-spectrum disorders, substance abuse, and anxiety or somatoform disorders). The outcome variable was past-year contact at a psychiatric hospital with a main diagnosis of MDD during each of the 10 years following the initial MDD diagnosis. Trajectories were modeled using latent class growth analysis. The sample included 11 640 individuals (7493 [64.4%] women) aged 18 to 48 years (mean [SD], 31.4 [7.3]) at their first recorded MDD diagnosis. Four trajectory classes were identified: brief contact (77.0%) (characterized by low probability of contact after 2 years); prolonged initial contact (12.8%) (characterized by high decreasing probability of contact during the first 5 years); later reentry (7.1%) (characterized by moderate probability of contact during the second 5 years); and persistent contact (3.1%) (characterized by high or moderate probability of contact throughout). Female sex (odds ratio [OR] range, 1

Anti-ribosomal P antibodies related to depression in early clinical course of systemic lupus erythematosus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mansoor Karimifar

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Diagnosis and treatment of neuropsychiatric lupus is still a major challenge in clinical practice. We investigated the association between depression and anti-ribosomal P (anti-P antibodies in a sample of Iranian patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on adult patients with SLE referring to a referral out-patient clinic of rheumatology. Demographic data and clinical data with regards to measuring disease activity with the systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index were gathered. Anti-P antibodies were measured with the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. Depression severity was measured by the Beck Depression Inventory-II. Results: One hundred patients (80% female and 20% male, age = 34.8 ± 10.9 years were included. Anti-P antibodies were present more frequently in depressed than non-depressed patients (30% vs. 10%, P = 0.015. Depression severity was correlated with anti-P antibodies level only in patients with disease duration of less than 2 years (r = 0.517, P = 0.019. There was no association between the depression severity and disease activity. Binary logistic regression analysis showed age (B = 0.953, CI 95%: 0.914-0.993 and positive anti-P antibodies (B = 4.30, CI 95%: 1.18-15.59 as factors that independently associated with depression. Conclusion: We found an association between depression and presence of anti-P antibodies, and also strong correlation between depression severity and anti-P antibodies level in newly diagnosed SLE patients. Depression severity in newly diagnosed SLE patients may reflect a neuropsychiatric involvement, and in later phases, it is more affected by the chronicity of the disease as well as other environmental factors.

Epidemiology, course, and outcome of eating disorders.

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Smink, Frédérique R E; van Hoeken, Daphne; Hoek, Hans W

2013-11-01

To review the recent literature about the epidemiology, course, and outcome of eating disorders in accordance with the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). The residual category 'eating disorder not otherwise specified' (EDNOS) was the most common DSM-IV eating disorder diagnosis in both clinical and community samples. Several studies have confirmed that the DSM-5 criteria for eating disorders effectively reduce the proportion of EDNOS diagnoses. The lifetime prevalence of DSM-5 anorexia nervosa among women might be up to 4%, and of bulimia nervosa 2%. In a cross-national survey, the average lifetime prevalence of binge eating disorder (BED) was 2%. Both anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are associated with increased mortality. Data on long-term outcome, including mortality, are limited for BED. Follow-up studies of BED are scarce; remission rates in randomized controlled trials ranged from 19 to 65% across studies. On a community level, 5-year recovery rates for DSM-5 anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are 69 and 55%, respectively; little is known about the course and outcome of BED in the community. Applying the DSM-5 criteria effectively reduces the frequency of the residual diagnosis EDNOS, by lowering the threshold for anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, and adding BED as a specified eating disorder. Course and outcome studies of both anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa show that no significant differences exist between DSM-5 and DSM-IV definitions.

The Clinical Course of Late Diagnosed Fatal Cases of A (H1N1 Influenza in Poland 

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Marta Rorat

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The most frequent complication of A (H1N1 influenza and the leading cause of death was pneumonia with a primary viral or mixed viral and bacterial etiology. 182 patients had died because of a pandemic influenza in Poland by 31st July 2010.Material and Methods: A retrospective study of 6 fatal cases of pandemic influenza, aged 23-41, including 3 women, hospitalised between November 2009 and February 2011 in different Polish medical centres.Results: We present the clinical course of 6 late diagnosed cases of A (H1N1 influenza. All patients presented typical flu-like symptoms in the beginning. 4/6 patients had severe disease risk factors: pregnancy, arthritis, Wegener granulomatosis and obesity. All patients were seen by doctors, no one had received antiviral therapy, 4/5 were treated with antibiotics before they were hospitalized. One patient had nosocomial infection. Patients were admitted to the hospital on the 3rd to 8th day of the disease. They received oseltamivir treatment on the 4th to 9th day. All patients developed pneumonia complicated by acute respiratory distress syndrome. Death appeared between the 4th and 27th day after the onset of symptoms. Autopsies were performed in 5 cases and revealed haemorrhagic pneumonia in 2 patients.Conclusion: Delayed diagnosis and antiviral treatment initiation has a significant impact on mortality in A (H1N1 influenza. During the influenza epidemic, patients presenting typical symptoms should always be suspected of having influenza. Antiviral treatment has to be initiated immediately, especially ifthere are risk factors of severe disease.

Clinical implications of ST segment time-course recovery patterns ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Arun Kumar Agnihotri

Journal home page: http://www.akspublication.com/ijmu. Original Work. 3. Copyrighted © by Dr. ... KEY WORDS: Exercise stress test; ST segment time course patterns. INTRODUCTIONᴪ .... using simple descriptive statistics (mean ± SD) and contingency .... two patients who had the recovery time of less than. 3 minutes, had ...

Poor versus rich children with epilepsy have the same clinical course and remission rates but a less favorable social outcome: A population-based study with 25 years of follow-up.

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Camfield, Carol; Camfield, Peter; Smith, Bruce

2016-11-01

To explore the influence of several estimates of family socioeconomic status on the long-term clinical course and social outcomes of children with epilepsy. The Nova Scotia childhood epilepsy cohort is population based and includes all children in this Canadian province who developed epilepsy between 1977 and 1985. Eligible patients had ≥10 years of follow-up. Children with childhood absence epilepsy were excluded. Total family income at seizure onset was assessed at seizure onset and classified as "poor" (first quintile), "adequate" (second to third quintiles), and "well-off" (fourth to fifth quintiles). We also assessed parental education and home ownership. Social outcome was assessed in those with normal intelligence who were ≥18 years of age at the end of follow-up using a semistructured interview that explored eight adverse effects. Of 584 patients, 421 (72%) were included. Average follow-up was 26 ± 5.6 years. Overall 137 families (33%) had "poor" income, 159 (38%) had "adequate income," and 125 (30%) were "well-off." Terminal remission of epilepsy occurred in 65% of the poor, 61% of the adequate, and 61% of the well-off (p = ns). Intractable epilepsy, status epilepticus, number of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) used, and the number of generalized tonic-clonic or focal with secondary generalization seizures through the clinical course was the same in all groups. Home ownership did not predict remission. Neither paternal nor maternal education was associated with remission. Poor children had significantly more adverse social outcomes including failure to graduate from high school, unemployment, personal poverty, inadvertent pregnancy, and psychiatric diagnoses. In Nova Scotia with universal health care, coming from a poor or more affluent family does not seem to affect the clinical course or long-term seizure outcome of childhood epilepsy. Unfortunately children from poor families are less likely to have a good social outcome. Wiley Periodicals, Inc

Concept and benefits of the Inverted Classroom method for a competency-based biochemistry course in the pre-clinical stage of a human medicine course of studies.

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Kühl, Susanne J; Toberer, Matthias; Keis, Oliver; Tolks, Daniel; Fischer, Martin R; Kühl, Michael

2017-01-01

Background: Medical students often have a problem recognising the relevance of basic science subjects for their later professional work in the pre-clinical stage of their studies. This can lead to a lower motivation to learn biochemical content and dissatisfaction in the courses amongst the students. Alternative teaching methods such as the Inverted Classroom (IC) method can address this deficiency. The goal of this study was: to analyse the motivation and satisfaction of the students in a biochemistry seminar through the use of the e-learning-based IC method, to investigate the acceptance against the IC teaching method in biochemistry, and to compare the learning success achieved using the IC approach with that of a traditional course. We also investigated how a biochemistry course in the pre-clinical stage of a human medicine course of studies can be successfully organised according to the IC method. Furthermore, we examined the benefits of the IC method over conventional teaching formats. Method: The IC method was implemented in accordance with the guidelines of the GMA committee "New Media" [30] in a biochemistry seminar for two student IC intervention groups with 42 students. A part of the factual knowledge from the on-site phase in the form of teaching videos together with self-learning control tasks were provided online before the seminar for both IC intervention groups. Exporting content to the self-learning phase creates new free time in the on-site phase, during which the content can be critically considered and processed and additional competency-based learning objectives can be taught. Identical biochemistry teaching content was taught in parallel control groups (14 student groups with n=299 students), but no material was handed out beforehand for a self-learning phase. These students only received the materials after the on-site phase. Motivation and satisfaction as well as the acceptance for the teaching methods were recorded by questionnaires, the

Augmentative and alternative communication in adolescents with severe intellectual disability: a clinical experience.

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Uliano, D; Falciglia, G; Del Viscio, C; Picelli, A; Gandolfi, M; Passarella, A

2010-06-01

Augmentative and alternative communication devices proved to be effective in patients with severe intellectual disability to overcome their communication impairments. In order to give a contribution for design of augmentative and alternative communication systems that better meet the needs of beginning communicators we decided to report our clinical experience about using augmentative and alternative communication in adolescents with severe intellectual disability. Five patients who underwent a long time traditional speech rehabilitation program (at least 5 years) with scant improvements in linguistic function were recruited and evaluated by means of the Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scale before and after a three years augmentative and alternative communication intervention carried out by a multidisciplinary team. After the rehabilitative intervention patients showed an improvement in communication, daily living skills and socialization as measured by the Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scale. Augmentative and alternative communication is an effective rehabilitation approach to people with severe intellectual disability and impairments in linguistic expression. Moreover augmentative and alternative communication is a useful tool allowing these patients to increase their social participation also enhancing their self-esteem. Our clinical experience confirmed these topics also in adolescents who underwent a long time traditional speech rehabilitation program with scant improvements, providing practical information to clinicians.

Antisocial personality disorder and borderline symptoms are differentially related to impulsivity and course of illness in bipolar disorder.

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Swann, Alan C; Lijffijt, Marijn; Lane, Scott D; Steinberg, Joel L; Moeller, F Gerard

2013-06-01

Interactions between characteristics of bipolar and Axis II cluster B disorders are clinically and diagnostically challenging. Characteristics associated with personality disorders may be dimensional aspects of bipolar disorder. We investigated relationships among antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) or borderline personality disorder symptoms, impulsivity, and course of illness in bipolar disorder. Subjects with bipolar disorder were recruited from the community. Diagnosis was by structured clinical interview for DSM-IV (SCID-I and -II), psychiatric symptom assessment by the change version of the schedule for affective disorders and schizophrenia (SADS-C), severity of Axis II symptoms by ASPD and borderline personality disorder SCID-II symptoms, and impulsivity by the Barratt impulsiveness scale (BIS-11). ASPD and borderline symptoms were not related to clinical state or affective symptoms. Borderline symptoms correlated with BIS-11 impulsivity scores, and predicted history of suicide attempts independently of the relationship to impulsivity. ASPD symptoms were more strongly related to course of illness, including early onset, frequent episodes, and substance-related disorders. These effects persisted after allowance for gender and substance-use disorder history. Personality disorder symptoms appear to be dimensional, trait-like characteristics of bipolar disorder. ASPD and Borderline symptoms are differentially related to impulsivity and course of illness. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Antisocial Personality Disorder and Borderline Symptoms are Differentially Related to Impulsivity and Course of Illness in Bipolar Disorder

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Swann, Alan C.; Lijffijt, Marijn; Lane, Scott D.; Steinberg, Joel L.; Moeller, F. Gerard

2012-01-01

Background Interactions between characteristics of bipolar and Axis II cluster B disorders are clinically and diagnostically challenging. Characteristics associated with personality disorders may be dimensional aspects of bipolar disorder. We investigated relationships among antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) or borderline personality disorder symptoms, impulsivity, and course of illness in bipolar disorder. Methods Subjects with bipolar disorder were recruited from the community. Diagnosis was by Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID-I and –II), psychiatric symptom assessment by the Change version of the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (SADS-C), severity of axis II symptoms by ASPD and borderline personality disorder SCID-II symptoms, and impulsivity by the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11). Results ASPD and borderline symptoms were not related to clinical state or affective symptoms. Borderline symptoms correlated with BIS-11 impulsivity scores, and predicted history of suicide attempts independently of the relationship to impulsivity. ASPD symptoms were more strongly related to course of illness, including early onset, frequent episodes, and substance-related disorders. These effects persisted after allowance for gender and substance-use disorder history. Conclusions Personality disorder symptoms appear to be dimensional, trait-like characteristics of bipolar disorder. ASPD and Borderline symptoms are differentially related to impulsivity and course of illness. PMID:22835849

Self-study program on HTML browser--application to Clinical Nursing General Remarks Course.

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Ochiai, N; Sota, Y; Ezumi, H

1997-01-01

We created a self-study program using HTML browser on the Clinical Nursing General Remarks Course, Eighty-three students each selected a published book on a personal history (written personal reflections from individuals who had undergone medical treatment and hospitalization), read it and submitted reports of their impressions of the histories. Their reports were arranged from a nursing perspective and entered on the home page of our college using HTML browser. We intended that the students would become more interested in reading of the personal histories, and that they would acquire new self-study skills and increase their interest in Internet through use of our program. In addition, we hoped that this program would encourage positive communication and mutual sharing of information. The students were able to easily refer to a personal history according to their interest from a nursing perspective. Therefore this program realized the mutual learning among students and other users.

Commentary: charting a course for success: excellence in clinical care and discovery in academic departments.

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Cooper, William O; Gitlin, Jonathan D

2011-05-01

The current shifts in academics not only invite new challenges but create previously unexplored opportunities for unique discoveries in health. Leaders in academic departments must consider changes in academic medicine as new courses to be charted rather than an inevitable shifting of the ground beneath them. Under this model, clinical excellence is coupled with discovery, where trainees, faculty, and patients and families are continually exposed to asking questions and identifying ways to move science forward to improve health. Academic pediatrics remains today a vibrant and exciting discipline with extraordinary leaders and committed trainees. We must continue to inspire on the voyage to excellence, keeping our eyes on the horizon and not the gathering storms. Copyright © by the Association of American medical Colleges.

Viridans Streptococci in Peritoneal Dialysis Peritonitis: Clinical Courses and Long-Term Outcomes

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Chao, Chia-Ter; Lee, Szu-Ying; Yang, Wei-Shun; Chen, Huei-Wen; Fang, Cheng-Chung; Yen, Chung-Jen; Chiang, Chih-Kang; Hung, Kuan-Yu; Huang, Jenq-Wen

2015-01-01

♦ Background: The clinical courses and long-term outcomes of viridans streptococcus (VS) peritoneal dialysis (PD) peritonitis remain unclear. ♦ Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of all PD patients in a single center with gram-positive cocci (GPC) peritonitis between 2005 and 2011, and divided them into 3 groups: VS, other streptococci and other GPC (apart from VS). Clinical characteristics and outcomes of the VS group were compared with the other streptococci and other GPC groups, with prognostic factors determined. ♦ Results: A total of 140 patients with 168 episodes of GPC peritonitis (44% of all peritonitis) were identified over 7 years. Among these, 18 patients (13%) developed VS peritonitis, while 14 patients (10%) developed other streptococcal peritonitis. Patients with VS peritonitis had a high cure rate by antibiotic alone (94%), despite a high polymicrobial yield frequency (28%). We found that VS peritonitis carried a lower risk of Tenckhoff catheter removal and relapsing episodes than other GPC peritonitis (6% vs 11%), and a lower mortality than other streptococci peritonitis (0% vs 7%). However, after the index peritonitis episodes, VS, other streptococci, and other GPC group had a significantly increased peritonitis incidence compared with the period before the index peritonitis (all p peritonitis had a significantly higher incidence of refractory peritonitis compared with other streptococci or other GPC peritonitis in the long term (both p peritonitis after the index episode as compared with other streptococcal or GPC peritonitis. It might be prudent to monitor the technique of these patients with VS peritonitis closely to avoid further peritonitis episodes. PMID:24497584

Evaluation of the DSM-5 severity ratings for anorexia nervosa in a clinical sample.

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Dakanalis, Antonios; Alix Timko, C; Colmegna, Fabrizia; Riva, Giuseppe; Clerici, Massimo

2018-04-01

We examined the validity and utility of the DSM-5 severity ratings for anorexia nervosa (AN) in a clinical (treatment-seeking) sample (N = 273; 95.6% women). Participants classified with mild, moderate, severe, and extreme severity of AN based on their measured body mass index, differed significantly from each other in eating disorder features, putative maintenance factors, and illness-specific functional impairment (medium effect sizes). However, they were statistically indistinguishable in psychiatric-disorder comorbidity and distress, demographics, and age-of-AN onset. The implications of our findings, providing limited support for the DSM-5 severity ratings for AN, and directions for future research are outlined. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of the interval of training course on understanding of radiation safety and an improvement of re-training course

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miyoshi, Hirokazu; Yamamoto, Yasuyo; Adachi, Akio

2005-01-01

Radiation safety training courses are indispensable educational programs for radiation workers. We have two kinds of courses, which are held before use of radioisotope (beginner's training course) and held annually (re-training course). The interval between two courses was found to give some effects for radiation worker's recognition and knowledge on radiation safety through the result of examination and questionnaire on the radiation safety after training. The average scores of participants indicated that the short interval (3 months) was better than the long interval (almost one year). Furthermore, the average scores of participants in the 2003 training course were higher than those in the 2002 and 2001 training courses. Several participants were found to lack in the basic radiation safety attitude and knowledge. In order to improve these results, the practical training should be given additionally for workers, who lacked in understanding. (author)

77 FR 60440 - Clinical Investigator Training Course

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2012-10-03

... concerns, adverse event monitoring, compliance with the legal and ethical obligations of clinical research... with knowledge, experience, and commitment to investigational medicine; Promote communication between clinical investigators and FDA; Enhance investigators' understanding of FDA's role in experimental medicine...

Clinical and socioeconomic impact of moderate-to-severe versus mild influenza in children.

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Heikkinen, T; Silvennoinen, H; Heinonen, S; Vuorinen, T

2016-07-01

Some studies have assessed the efficacy of influenza vaccination in children separately for moderate-to-severe and any influenza, but the definition used for identifying children with moderate-to-severe illness has not been validated. We analyzed clinical and socioeconomic data from two prospective cohort studies of respiratory infections among children aged ≤13 years (four influenza seasons, 3,416 child-seasons of follow-up). We categorized children with laboratory-confirmed influenza into two mutually exclusive groups of moderate-to-severe and mild influenza using the previously proposed criteria. We obtained the data for the analyses from structured medical records filled out by the study physicians and from daily symptom cards filled out by the parents. Of 434 cases of influenza, 217 (50 %) were classified as moderate-to-severe and 217 (50 %) as mild. The mean duration of fever was 4.0 days in children with moderate-to-severe influenza and 3.1 days in those with milder illness (P socioeconomic impact of influenza is highest. Illness severity should be considered when assessing influenza vaccine effectiveness in children.

Severe Maternal or Near Miss Morbidity: Implications for Public Health Surveillance and Clinical Audit.

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Kuklina, Elena V; Goodman, David A

2018-06-01

This chapter reviews the historical development of indicators to identify severe maternal morbidity/maternal near miss (SMM/MNM), and their use for public health surveillance, research, and clinical audit. While there has been progress toward identifying standard definitions for SMM/MNM within countries, there remain inconsistencies in the definition of SMM/MNM indicators and their application between countries. Using these indicators to screen for events that then trigger a clinical audit may both under identify select SMM/MNM (false negative)and over identify select SMM/MNM (false positive). Thus, indicators which support the efficient identification of SMM/MNM for the purpose of facility-based clinical audits are still needed.