Reperfusion delay in patients treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schoos, Mikkel M; Sejersten, Maria; Hvelplund, Anders

2012-01-01

identification number to emergency medical services (EMS) and National Board of Health databases in the period of 2005-2008. Patients were stratified according to transfer distances to PPCI into zone 1 (0-25 km), zone 2 (65-100 km) and zone 3 (101-185 km) and according to referral by pre-hospital triage. System...... the local hospital (219 (171-250)). System delay was an independent predictor of mortality (ppatients. PCI-related delay exceeded European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines for patients living >100 km away and for non-directly referred......BACKGROUND: Reperfusion delay in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) predicts adverse outcome. We evaluated time from alarm call (system delay) and time from first medical contact (PCI-related delay), where fibrinolysis could be initiated, to balloon inflation in a pre...

Emotions delay care-seeking in patients with an acute myocardial infarction.

Science.gov (United States)

Nymark, Carolin; Mattiasson, Anne-Cathrine; Henriksson, Peter; Kiessling, Anna

2014-02-01

In acute myocardial infarction the risk of death and loss of myocardial tissue is at its highest during the first few hours. However, the process from symptom onset to the decision to seek medical care can take time. To comprehend patients' pre-hospital delay, attention must be focused on the circumstances preceding the decision to seek medical care. To add a deeper understanding of patients' thoughts, feelings and actions that preceded the decision to seek medical care when afflicted by an acute myocardial infarction. Fourteen men and women with a first or second acute myocardial infarction were interviewed individually in semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed by qualitative content analysis. Four themes were conceptualized: 'being incapacitated by fear, anguish and powerlessness', 'being ashamed of oneself', 'fear of losing a healthy identity' and 'striving to avoid fear by not interacting with others'. Patients were torn between feelings such as anguish, fear, shame and powerlessness. They made an effort to uphold their self-image as being a healthy person thus affected by an unrecognized discomfort. This combined with a struggle to protect others from involvement, strengthened the barriers to seeking care. The present study indicates that emotional reactions are important and influence patients' pre-hospital behaviour. Being ashamed of oneself stood out as a novel finding. Emotions might be an important explanation of undesired and persisting patient delays. However, our findings have to and should be evaluated quantitatively. Such a study is in progress.

Impact of delay to treatment upon survival in 1067 patients with breast-cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Rabinovich, M; Vallejo, C; Perez, J; Rodriguez, R; Cuevas, M; Machiavelli, M; Lacava, J; Leone, B; Romero, A; Mickiewicz, E; Chacon, R; Estevez, R

1993-02-01

The medical records of 1067 patients with breast cancer were reviewed to evaluate the influence of delay between first symptom and first treatment upon survival. Three delay intervals were considered: 6 months. At a follow-up of 120 months, survival analyses identified a statistically significant difference (p=0.029) favoring patients with 3 months delay between first symptom and first treatment. Better survival rate for patients with a short delay would obey to a greater number of patients in favorable stages and a higher proportion of women aged 50 or older in this group.

Trauma patients who present in a delayed fashion: a unique and challenging population.

Science.gov (United States)

Kao, Mary J; Nunez, Hector; Monaghan, Sean F; Heffernan, Daithi S; Adams, Charles A; Lueckel, Stephanie N; Stephen, Andrew H

2017-02-01

A proportion of trauma patients present for evaluation in a delayed fashion after injury, likely due to a variety of medical and nonmedical reasons. There has been little investigation into the characteristics and outcomes of trauma patients who present delayed. We hypothesize that trauma patients who present in a delayed fashion are a unique population at risk of increased trauma-related complications. This was a retrospective review from 2010-2015 at a Level I trauma center. Patients were termed delayed if they presented >24 hours after injury. Patients admitted within 24 hours of their injury were the comparison group. Charts were reviewed for demographics, mechanism, comorbidities, complications and outcomes. A subgroup analysis was done on patients who suffered falls. During the 5-y period, 11,705 patients were admitted. A total of 588 patients (5%) presented >24 h after their injury. Patients in the delayed group were older (65 versus 55 y, P fashion have unique characteristics and are more likely to suffer negative outcomes including substance withdrawal. Future goals will include exploring strategies for early intervention, such as automatic withdrawal monitoring and social work referral for all patients who present in a delayed fashion. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Understanding Housing Delays and Relocations Within the Housing First Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Zerger, Suzanne; Pridham, Katherine Francombe; Jeyaratnam, Jeyagobi; Hwang, Stephen W; O'Campo, Patricia; Kohli, Jaipreet; Stergiopoulos, Vicky

2016-01-01

This study explores factors contributing to delays and relocations during the implementation of the Housing First model in Toronto, Ontario. While interruptions in housing tenure are expected en route to recovery and housing stability, consumer and service provider views on finding and keeping housing remain largely unknown. In-person interviews and focus groups were conducted with 48 study participants, including 23 case managers or housing workers and 25 consumers. The following three factors contributed to housing delays and transfers: (1) the effectiveness of communication and collaboration among consumers and service providers, (2) consumer-driven preferences and ambivalence, and (3) provider prioritization of consumer choice over immediate housing access. Two strategies--targeted communications and consumer engagement in housing searches--supported the housing process. Several factors affect the timing and stability of housing. Communication between and among providers and consumers, and a shared understanding of consumer choice, can further support choice and recovery.

Treatment delay among pulmonary tuberculosis patients in pastoralist communities in Bale Zone, Southeast Ethiopia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hussen Awol

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Tuberculosis (TB is a major public health problem in Africa with Ethiopia being the most affected. Treatment delay is an important indicator of access to TB diagnosis and treatment. However, little is known about factors associated with treatment delay of pulmonary TB among pastoralists. Health facility based cross sectional study was conducted on 129 pulmonary TB patients in pastoralist community. The study was conducted in three health centers and a hospital. Time between onset of TB symptoms and first visit to a professional health care provider (patient delay, and the time between first visits to the professional health care provider to the date of diagnosis (provider's delay were analyzed using SPSS 16.0 statistical software. Findings A total of 129 new smear positive pulmonary TB patients participated in the study. The median total delay was 97 days. The median patient and health provider delays were 63 and 34 days, respectively. Ninety six percent of the patients were delayed for more than the twenty one days cutoff point. Patient delay was positively associated with first visit to traditional healer/private clinic/drug shop, rural residence, being illiterate, living in more than 10 kilometers from health facility; severity of illness at first presentation to health facility. Provider delay was positively associated with rural residence, being illiterate, patient with good functional status, patients in contact with more than two health providers, and place of first visit being traditional healer/private clinic/drug shop. Conclusions This study showed that majority of smear positive patients delayed either for diagnosis or treatment, thus continue to serve as reservoirs of infection. This indicates that there is a need for intervention to decrease patient and provider delays. Effort to reduce delays in pastoralist communities should focus on improving access to services in rural communities, engaging traditional and

Factors that influence treatment delay in patients with colorectal cancer

Science.gov (United States)

Zarcos-Pedrinaci, Irene; Fernández-López, Alberto; Téllez, Teresa; Rivas-Ruiz, Francisco; Rueda A, Antonio; Suarez-Varela, María Manuela Morales; Briones, Eduardo; Baré, Marisa; Escobar, Antonio; Sarasqueta, Cristina; de Larrea, Nerea Fernández; Aguirre, Urko; Quintana, José María; Redondo, Maximino

2017-01-01

A prospective study was performed of patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer (CRC), distinguishing between colonic and rectal location, to determine the factors that may provoke a delay in the first treatment (DFT) provided. 2749 patients diagnosed with CRC were studied. The study population was recruited between June 2010 and December 2012. DFT is defined as time elapsed between diagnosis and first treatment exceeding 30 days. Excessive treatment delay was recorded in 65.5% of the cases, and was more prevalent among rectal cancer patients. Independent predictor variables of DFT in colon cancer patients were a low level of education, small tumour, ex-smoker, asymptomatic at diagnosis and following the application of screening. Among rectal cancer patients, the corresponding factors were primary school education and being asymptomatic. We conclude that treatment delay in CRC patients is affected not only by clinicopathological factors, but also by sociocultural ones. Greater attention should be paid by the healthcare provider to social groups with less formal education, in order to optimise treatment attention. PMID:27888636

Oral and pharyngeal cancer : Analysis of patient delay at different tumor stages

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brouha, XDR; Tromp, DM; Hordijk, GJ; Winnubst, JAM; de Leeuw, JRJ

2005-01-01

Background. The aim of this study was to examine which factors are related to patient delay in a cohort of consecutive patients with pharyngeal cancer and oral cancer and to determine whether the different stages of patient delay (ie, appraisal, illness, behavioral, and scheduling) were related to

Understanding the delayed-keyword effect on metacomprehension accuracy.

Science.gov (United States)

Thiede, Keith W; Dunlosky, John; Griffin, Thomas D; Wiley, Jennifer

2005-11-01

The typical finding from research on metacomprehension is that accuracy is quite low. However, recent studies have shown robust accuracy improvements when judgments follow certain generation tasks (summarizing or keyword listing) but only when these tasks are performed at a delay rather than immediately after reading (K. W. Thiede & M. C. M. Anderson, 2003; K. W. Thiede, M. C. M. Anderson, & D. Therriault, 2003). The delayed and immediate conditions in these studies confounded the delay between reading and generation tasks with other task lags, including the lag between multiple generation tasks and the lag between generation tasks and judgments. The first 2 experiments disentangle these confounded manipulations and provide clear evidence that the delay between reading and keyword generation is the only lag critical to improving metacomprehension accuracy. The 3rd and 4th experiments show that not all delayed tasks produce improvements and suggest that delayed generative tasks provide necessary diagnostic cues about comprehension for improving metacomprehension accuracy.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evaluation of developmental delay in pediatric patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Ali, Althaf S; Syed, Naziya P; Murthy, G S N; Nori, Madhavi; Abkari, Anand; Pooja, B K; Venkateswarlu, J

2015-01-01

Developmental delay is defined as significant delay in one or more developmental domains. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is the best modality to investigate such patients. Evaluation of a child with developmental delay is important not only because it allows early diagnosis and treatment but also helpful for parental counseling regarding the outcome of their child and to identify any possible risk of recurrence in the siblings. Thus this study was undertaken to evaluate the developmental delay in Indian children which will help the clinicians in providing an estimation of the child's ultimate developmental potential and organize specific treatment requirement and also relieve parental apprehension. To study the prevalence of normal and abnormal MRI in pediatric patients presenting with developmental delay and further categorize the abnormal MRI based on its morphological features. It is a prospective, observational & descriptive study of MRI Brain in 81 paediatric patients (46 Males and 35 Females), aged between three months to 12 years; presenting with developmental delay in Deccan College of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad; over a period of three years (Sept 2011 to Sept 2014). MRI brain was done on 1.5T Siemens Magnetom Essenza & 0.35T Magnetom C with appropriate sequences and planes after making the child sleep/sedated/ anesthetized. Various anatomical structures like Ventricles, Corpus callosum, etc were systematically assessed. The MRI findings were divided into various aetiological subgroups. Normal MRI findings were seen in 32% cases and 68% had abnormal findings of which the proportion of Traumatic/ Neurovascular Diseases, Congenital & Developmental, Metabolic and Degenerative, neoplastic and non specific were 31%, 17%, 10%, 2.5% and 7.5% respectively. The ventricles and white matter mainly the corpus callosum were the most commonly affected anatomical structures. The diagnostic yield was found to be 68% and higher yield was seen in patients presenting with

Causes of delay in diagnosis of pulmonary tuberCulosis in patients ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2008-06-01

Jun 1, 2008 ... significant difference between males and females, the mean system delay was 3 ± 5 weeks (range: 0-39 weeks). the median patient, health systems and total delays were 42, 2, and 44 days respectively for all the patients. ... and management are done according to the national protocols; diagnosis by ...

Delays in the diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis patients in Vietnam: a cross-sectional study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khanh Vu T

2007-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Treatment delay is an important indicator of access to tuberculosis diagnosis and treatment. Analyses of patient delay (i.e. time interval between onset of symptoms and first consultation of a health care provider and health care delay (i.e. time interval between first consultation and start of treatment can inform policies to improve access. This study assesses the patient, health care provider and total delay in diagnosis and treatment of new smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis patients, and the risk factors for long delay, in Vietnam. Methods A cross-sectional survey of new patients treated by the National Tuberculosis Control Programme was conducted in 70 randomly selected districts in Vietnam. All consecutively registered patients in one quarter of 2002 were interviewed using a pre-coded structured questionnaire. Results Median (range delay was 4 weeks (1–48 for total, 3 (1–48 weeks for patient and 1 (0–25 week for health care delay. Patients with long total delay (≥ 12 weeks, 15% accounted for 49% of the cumulative number of delay-weeks. Independent risk factors (p 5 km distance from a health facility or in the northern area. For long health care delay (≥ 6 weeks this was urban setting, residence in the central area and initial visit to a communal health post, TB hospital or the private sector. Conclusion Analyses of patient and treatment delays can indicate target groups and areas for health education and strengthening of the referral system, in particular between the private sector and the NTP.

[Delayed rupture of the spleen in a multiply injured patient].

Science.gov (United States)

Lică, I; Venter, M D; Mehic, R; Marian, R; Ionescu, G

1997-01-01

The authors present a case of delayed rupture of the spleen in a polytraumatised patient. This entity was defined as a late occurrence of signs and symptoms attributed to splenic injury not detected by diagnostic computed tomographic scanning during the initial examination. The mechanisms in which the delayed rupture of the spleen occurs are discussed and the conclusion is that the delayed rupture of the spleen represent a real clinical entity.

Diagnostic and treatment delay among pulmonary tuberculosis patients in Ethiopia: a cross sectional study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yimer Solomon

2005-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Delayed diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis (TB results in severe disease and a higher mortality. It also leads to an increased period of infectivity in the community. The objective of this study was to determine the length of delays, and analyze the factors affecting the delay from onset of symptoms of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB until the commencement of treatment. Methods In randomly selected TB management units (TBMUs, i.e. government health institutions which have diagnosing and treatment facilities for TB in Amhara Region, we conducted a cross sectional study from September 1-December 31/2003. Delay was analyzed from two perspectives, 1. Period between onset of TB symptoms to first visit to any health provider (health seeking period, and from the first health provider visit to initiation of treatment (health providers' delay, and 2. Period between onset of TB symptoms to first visit to a medical provider (patients' delay, and from this visit to commencement of anti-TB treatment (health systems' delay. Patients were interviewed on the same date of diagnosis using a semi-structured questionnaire. Logistics regression analysis was applied to analyze the risk factors of delays. Results A total of 384 new smear positive PTB patients participated in the study. The median total delay was 80 days. The median health-seeking period and health providers' delays were 15 and 61 days, respectively. Conversely, the median patients' and health systems' delays were 30 and 21 days, respectively. Taking medical providers as a reference point, we found that forty eight percent of the subjects delayed for more than one month. Patients' delays were strongly associated with first visit to non-formal health providers and self treatment (P Conclusion Delay in the diagnosis and treatment of PTB is unacceptably high in Amhara region. Health providers' and health systems' delays represent the major portion of the total delay. Accessing a

Thalidomide for control delayed vomiting in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, Z.; Sun, X.; Du, X.

2016-01-01

To explore the efficacy and safety of thalidomide for the treatment of delayed vomiting, induced by chemotherapy in cancer patients. Study Design: Randomized, double-blind controlled study. Place and Duration of Study: The Oncology Department of Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Jiangsu Xuzhou, China, from January 2012 to January 2014. Methodology: A total of 78 cancer patients, who had delayed vomiting observed from 24 hours to 1 week after chemotherapy, were included in the study. Patients were divided in a treatment group (40 patients, 51.28%) and a control group (38 patients, 48.71%). The treatment group received thalidomide at an oral dose of 100 mg per night; 50 mg was added daily up to a dose of 200 mg per night, if the curative effect was suboptimal and the medicine was tolerated. Both the treatment and the control groups received a drip of 10 mg azasetron 30 minutes before chemotherapy. The control group only proportions of antiemetic effects and adverse reactions were compared using the ?2 test. Antiemetic effects and adverse reactions were assessed from Odds Ratios (OR) with 95% Confidence Intervals(95% CI). Results: The effective control rate of delayed vomiting in the treatment group was significantly higher than that in the control group (?2=5.174, p=0.023). No significant difference was found between the two groups in other adverse effects of chemotherapy. Karnofsky scores or the overall self-evaluation of the patients (p>0.05). Conclusion: Thalidomide can effectively control the delayed vomiting of cancer patients receiving chemotherapy and the adverse reactions of the agent can be tolerated.

Service factors causing delay in specialist assessment for TIA and minor stroke: a qualitative study of GP and patient perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Andrew; Coleby, Dawn; Regen, Emma; Phelps, Kay; Windridge, Kate; Willars, Janet; Robinson, Tom

2016-05-17

To understand how service factors contribute to delays to specialist assessment following transient ischaemic attack (TIA) or minor stroke. Qualitative study using semistructured interviews, analysis by constant comparison. Leicester, UK. Patients diagnosed with TIA or minor stroke, at hospital admission or in a rapid-access TIA clinic (n=42), general practitioners (GPs) of participating patients if they had been involved in the patients' care (n=18). Accounts from patients and GPs of factors contributing to delay following action to seek help from a healthcare professional (HCP). The following categories of delay were identified. First, delay in assessment in general practice following contact with the service; this related to availability of same day appointments, and the role of the receptionist in identifying urgent cases. Second, delays in diagnosis by the HCP first consulted, including GPs, optometrists, out-of-hours services, walk-in centres and the emergency department. Third, delays in referral after a suspected diagnosis; these included variable use of the ABCD(2) (Age, Blood pressure, Clinical features, Duration, Diabetes) risk stratification score and referral templates in general practice, and referral back to the patients' GP in cases where he/she was not the first HCP consulted. Primary and emergency care providers need to review how they can best handle patients presenting with symptoms that could be due to stroke or TIA. In general practice, this may include receptionist training and/or triage by a nurse or doctor. Mechanisms need to be established to enable direct referral to the TIA clinic when patients whose symptoms have resolved present to other agencies. Further work is needed to improve diagnostic accuracy by non-specialists. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Diagnostic delay experienced among gynecological cancer patients: a nationwide survey in Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Robinson, Kirstine M; Ottesen, Bent; Christensen, Karl Bang

2009-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To examine diagnostic delay among gynecological cancer patients. DESIGN: Nationwide study. SETTING: The cohort comprised all women receiving their first treatment for cervical, endometrial, or ovarian cancer between 1 October 2006 and 1 December 2007 in four of the five centers...... for gynecological cancer surgery in Denmark. SAMPLE: Of the 911 women alive, 648 participated, resulting in a response rate of 71.1%; of these, 30.1% were diagnosed with cervical cancer, 31.0% with endometrial cancer, and 38.9% with ovarian cancer. METHODS: Questionnaire survey. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Diagnostic...... experiencing very long delays. Ovarian cancer patients experienced significantly shorter delays compared with other gynecological cancer patients in all parts of the health care system. CONCLUSIONS: Delays occur in all parts of the diagnostic process, suggesting that a multifaceted approach should be adopted...

'Delayed discharges and boarders': a 2-year study of the relationship between patients experiencing delayed discharges from an acute hospital and boarding of admitted patients in a crowded ED.

Science.gov (United States)

Mustafa, Farah; Gilligan, Peadar; Obu, Deborah; O'Kelly, Patrick; O'Hea, Eimear; Lloyd, Catherine; Kelada, Sherif; Heffernan, Attracta; Houlihan, Patricia

2016-09-01

Many believe that hospital crowding manifesting in the ED with the boarding of admitted patients is a result of significant numbers of acute hospital beds being occupied by patients awaiting discharge to nursing homes, step-down facilities or home with or without additional support. This observational study was performed to establish the actual relationship between boarders in the ED and patients experiencing delayed discharge. Data relating to the number of patients in the ED and their points in their patient pathway were entered into a logbook on a daily basis by the most senior doctor on duty. 630 days of observations of patients boarded in the ED were compared with the number of inpatients with delayed discharges, obtained from the hospital information system, to see if large numbers of inpatients with delayed discharges are associated with crowding in the ED. Two years of data showed an annual ED census of more than 47 000, with a daily mean ED admission rate of 29.85 patients and a daily mean ED boarding figure of 29 patients. A mean of 15.4% of the 823 hospital beds was occupied by patients with delayed discharges, and the hospital ran at, or near, full capacity (99%-105%) all the time. Results obtained highlighted a statistically significant relationship between delayed discharges in the hospital and ED crowding as a result of boarders (p value<0.001, with a regression coefficient of 0.16, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.20). The study also showed that the number of boarders was related to the number of ED admissions in the preceding 24 hours (p=0.036, with a regression coefficient of 0.14, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.28). Delayed hospital discharges significantly contribute to crowding in the ED. Healthcare systems should target timely discharge of inpatients experiencing delayed discharge in an urgent and efficient manner to improve timely access to acute hospital beds for patients requiring emergency admission. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission

Delayed endovascular aortic repair is associated with reduced in-hospital mortality in patients with blunt thoracic aortic injury.

Science.gov (United States)

Marcaccio, Christina L; Dumas, Ryan P; Huang, Yanlan; Yang, Wei; Wang, Grace J; Holena, Daniel N

2018-02-13

displaying a higher odds of death (odds ratio, 2.36; 95% confidence interval, 1.03-5.36; P = .042). After adjustment for age, ISS, and admission physiology, the association between early TEVAR and mortality was preserved (adjusted odds ratio, 2.39; 95% confidence interval, 1.01-5.67; P = .047). Consistent with current Society for Vascular Surgery recommendations, more BTAI patients underwent early TEVAR than delayed TEVAR during the study period. However, delayed TEVAR was associated with significantly reduced mortality in this population. Together, these findings support a need for critical appraisal and clarification of existing practice guidelines in management of BTAI. Future studies should seek to understand this survival disparity and to determine optimal selection of patients for early vs delayed TEVAR. Copyright © 2017 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Patient and professional delay in the referral trajectory of patients with diabetic foot ulcers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sanders, A.P.; Stoeldraaijers, L.G.M.C.; Pero, M.W.M.; Hermkes, P.J.; Carolina, R.C.A.; Elders, P.J.M.

2013-01-01

Aims: A cohort study investigated referral and treatment trajectories of patients with diabetic foot ulceration consulting podiatrists. The study aims were to quantify patient, professional and treatment (=total) delay and to identify relationships between patient- or professional-related

Help seeking behavior of women with self-discovered breast cancer symptoms: a meta-ethnographic synthesis of patient delay.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zohreh Khakbazan

Full Text Available BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Patient delay makes a critical contribution to late diagnosis and poor survival in cases of breast cancer. Identifying the factors that influence patient delay could provide information for adopting strategies that shorten this delay. The aim of this meta-ethnography was to synthesize existing qualitative evidence in order to gain a new understanding of help seeking behavior in women with self-discovered breast cancer symptoms and to determine the factors that influence patient delay. METHODS: The design was a meta-ethnography approach. A systematic search of the articles was performed in different databases including Elsevier, PubMed, ProQuest and SCOPUS. Qualitative studies with a focus on help seeking behaviors in women with self-discovered breast cancer symptoms and patient delay, published in the English language between 1990 and 2013 were included. The quality appraisal of the articles was carried out using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme qualitative research checklist and 13 articles met the inclusion criteria. The synthesis was conducted according to Noblit and Hare's meta-ethnographic approach (1988, through reciprocal translational analysis and lines-of-argument. FINDINGS: The synthesis led to identification of eight repeated key concepts including: symptom detection, initial symptom interpretation, symptom monitoring, social interaction, emotional reaction, priority of medical help, appraisal of health services and personal-environmental factors. Symptom interpretation is identified as the important step of the help seeking process and which changed across the process through active monitoring of their symptoms, social interactions and emotional reactions. The perceived seriousness of the situation, priority to receive medical attention, perceived inaccessibility and unacceptability of the health care system influenced women's decision-making about utilizing health services. CONCLUSION: Help seeking

Delayed percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with acute myocardial infarction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu Weiming; Tian Fang; Shi Li; Lan Xi

2004-01-01

Objective: To observe the clinical effects, safeness and prognosis of delayed percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for infarct related artery (IRA) in post-infarct patients. Methods: In total 53 patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) underwent delayed PCI within 5-15 days after the acute event. Conventional treatment (including thrombolytic therapy) was given in all patients as they were admitted. Results: Intervention was performed in 68 branches of IRA were, including 64 cases of PTCA followed by stent implantation and 4 cases of direct stent implantation. In total 68 stents were implanted. The TIMI classification was improved from the pre-PCI 0-2 to post-PCI 3. No patient died during the treatment. No repeated AMI, post-infarct angina and repeated recanalization happened in the hospitalization. A 5-48 month follow up showed there was 1 death (1.9%), 1 case of repeated myocardial infarction (1.9%), 3 cases of unstable angina (5.7%), 2 cases of repeated PCI and 1 case of CABG. The rate of repeated recanalization was 5.7%. Seven patients (13.2%) were admitted for the second time, who survived 6-48 months after the intervention. Conclusion: Delayed PCT can obviously improve the short and long term prognosis as well as the life quality of patients with AMI, which is a safe interventional procedure

Barriers and Explanatory Mechanisms of Delays in the Patient and Diagnosis Intervals of Care for Breast Cancer in Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

Unger-Saldaña, Karla; Ventosa-Santaulària, Daniel; Miranda, Alfonso; Verduzco-Bustos, Guillermo

2018-04-01

Most breast cancer patients in low- and middle-income settings are diagnosed at advanced stages due to lengthy intervals of care. This study aimed to understand the mechanisms through which delays occur in the patient interval and diagnosis interval of care. We conducted a cross-sectional survey including 886 patients referred to four major public cancer hospitals in Mexico City. Based in a conceptual model of help-seeking behavior, a path analysis strategy was used to identify the relationships between explanatory factors of patient delay and diagnosis delay. The patient and the diagnosis intervals were greater than 3 months in 20% and 65% of participants, respectively. We present explanatory models for each interval and the interrelationship between the associated factors. The patient interval was longer among women who were single, interpreted their symptoms as not worrisome, concealed symptoms, and perceived a lack of financial resources and the difficulty of missing a day of work as barriers to seek care. These barriers were more commonly perceived among patients who were younger, had lower socioeconomic status, and lived outside of Mexico City. The diagnosis interval was longer among those who used several different health services prior to the cancer hospital and perceived medical errors in these services. More health services were used among those who perceived errors and long waiting times for appointments, and who first consulted private services. Our findings support the relevance of strengthening early cancer diagnosis strategies, especially the improvement of quality of primary care and expedited referral routes to cancer services. This study's findings suggest that policy in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) should be directed toward reducing delays in diagnosis, before the implementation of mammography screening programs. The results suggest several factors susceptible to early diagnosis interventions. To reduce patient delays, the usually

Comparison of Tc-99m ECD brain SPECT between patients with delayed development and cerebral palsy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, I.; Chun, K.; Won, K.; Lee, H.; Jang, S.; Lee, J.

2002-01-01

Purpose: In previous study, thalamic or cerebellar hypoperfusion were reported in patients with cerebral palsy. This study was performed to evaluate cerebral perfusion abnormalities using Tc-99m ECD brain SPECT in patients with delayed motor development. Methods: Nineteen patients (9 boys, 10 girls, mean age 25.5 months) with delayed development underwent brain SPECT after injection of 185∼370 MBq of Tc-99m ECD. The imaging was obtained between 30 minutes and 1hr after injection. The patients were divided clinically as follows, patients with delayed development (n=5) and patients with cerebral palsy (n=14) who has delayed development and abnormal movement. The clinical subtypes of cerebral palsy were spastic quadriplegia (n=5), spastic diplegia (n=6) and spastic hemiplegia (n=3). In each group, decrease of cerebral perfusion was evaluated visually as mild, moderate and severe and quantitation of cerebral perfusion after Lassen's correction was also obtained. Results: SPECT findings showed normal or mildly decreased thalamic perfusion in patients with delayed development and severe decrease of thalamic or cerebellar perfusion in patients with spastic quadriplegia. In patients with spastic diplegia, mild decrease of perfusion was observed in thalamus. In quantified data, thalamic perfusion was lowest in patients with spastic quadriplegia and highest in patients with delayed development, but there were no statistically significant differences. Conclusion: Brain SPECT with Tc-99m ECD has a role in the detection of perfusion abnormalities in patients with delayed development and cerebral palsy

Delay in Diagnosis of Celiac Disease in Patients Without Gastrointestinal Complaints.

Science.gov (United States)

Paez, Marco A; Gramelspacher, Anna Maria; Sinacore, James; Winterfield, Laura; Venu, Mukund

2017-11-01

The purpose of our study is to investigate the delay in diagnosis of patients with biopsy-proven celiac disease in those who present with gastrointestinal complaints vs nongastrointestinal complaints at our tertiary care center. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that affects approximately 1% of the population worldwide. Celiac disease can have variable clinical presentations; it can be characterized by predominately gastrointestinal symptoms, or it may present without any gastrointestinal symptoms. We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 687 adult patients who carried the diagnosis of celiac disease. Patients included had biopsy-proven celiac disease and were categorized based on presence or absence of gastrointestinal symptoms prior to their diagnosis. There were 101 patients with biopsy-proven celiac disease that met inclusion criteria. Fifty-two patients presented with gastrointestinal symptoms and 49 had nongastrointestinal complaints. Results from Mann-Whitney statistical analysis showed a median delay in diagnosis of 2.3 months for the gastrointestinal symptoms group and 42 months for the nongastrointestinal group (P symptoms had abnormal thyroid-stimulating hormone, as opposed to 15.5% in the gastrointestinal symptom group (P = .004). Of patients with nongastrointestinal symptoms, 69.4% had anemia, compared with 11.5% of the gastrointestinal symptom group (P symptom group, 68%, were noted to have abnormal bone density scans, compared with 41% in the gastrointestinal symptom group. No sex differences were noted on chi-squared analysis between the 2 groups (P = .997). Although there is growing awareness of celiac disease, the delay in diagnosis for patients without gastrointestinal symptoms remains prolonged, with an average delay of 3.5 years. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Delays in switching patients onto second-line antiretroviral treatment ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: South Africa has one of the largest antiretroviral treatment (ART) programmes globally. In addition to increasing access to ART, it is important that the health system also focuses on the appropriate management of patients who fail first-line ART. Delays in switching patients onto second-line ART can adversely ...

Offload zone patient selection criteria to reduce ambulance offload delay

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Laan, Corine Maartje; Vanberkel, Peter T.; Boucherie, Richardus J.; Carter, Alix J.E.

2016-01-01

Emergency department overcrowding is a widespread problem and often leads to ambulance offload delay. If no bed is available when a patient arrives, the patient has to wait with the ambulance crew. A recent Canadian innovation is the offload zone—an area where multiple patients can wait with a

Care seeking behaviour and various delays in tuberculosis patients registered under RNTCP in Pune city

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Jayashree Sachin Gothankar

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Case finding in tuberculosis is known to be influenced by factors such as patient motivation, care seeking, the degree of diagnostic suspicion by health care provider which could result in a delayed diagnosis.Objective: To determine care seeking behaviour and delay in diagnosis and treatment of new sputum positive tuberculosis patients registered under RNTCP.Material and Methods: Descriptive cross sectional study. 283 new sputum positive tuberculosis patients (≥15 years of age registered during a period of six months at two randomly selected tuberculosis unit of Pune city. Questionnaire by WHO was modified and used. Interviews were conducted in DOT centres. Statistical analysis: Frequency, mean and standard deviation, chi square test.Results: Mean age of patients was 35 (±15 years18% of patients were unemployed and 77% resided in urban slums. The commonest co morbidity in 7.4% and 3.5 % patients was HIV/ AIDS followed by diabetics respectively. Majority of the patients, for the first and second time visited a general practitioner. Median patient, health care system and total delay were 18, 22 and 47 days with mean of 24±21, 32±30 and 56±33 days respectively. Health care system delay was less (p<0.05 in patients who first visited the public health care facility than patients who first visited a private health care provider.Conclusions: General practitioners are preferred first choice of health care provider for tuberculosis patients. Mean health care system delay is more than patient delay.

Factors associated with delay in trauma team activation and impact on patient outcomes.

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Connolly, Rory; Woo, Michael Y; Lampron, Jacinthe; Perry, Jeffrey J

2017-09-05

Trauma code activation is initiated by emergency physicians using physiological and anatomical criteria, mechanism of injury, and patient demographic factors. Our objective was to identify factors associated with delayed trauma team activation. We assessed consecutive cases from a regional trauma database from January 2008 to March 2014. We defined a delay in trauma code activation as a time greater than 30 minutes from the time of arrival. We conducted univariate analysis for factors potentially influencing trauma team activation, and we subsequently used multiple logistic regression analysis models for delayed activation in relation to mortality, length of stay, and time to operative management. Patients totalling 846 were included for our analysis; 4.1% (35/846) of trauma codes were activated after 30 minutes. Mean age was 40.8 years in the early group versus 49.2 in the delayed group (p=0.01). Patients were over age 70 years in 7.6% in the early activation group versus 17.1% in the delayed group (p=0.04). There was no significant difference in sex, type of injury, injury severity, or time from injury between the two groups. There was no significant difference in mortality, median length of stay, or median time to operative management. Delayed activation is linked with increasing age with no clear link to increased mortality. Given the severe injuries in the delayed cohort that required activation of the trauma team, further emphasis on the older trauma patient and interventions to recognize this vulnerable population should be made.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Evaluation of Developmental Delay in Pediatric Patients

OpenAIRE

Ali, Althaf S.; Syed, Naziya P.; Murthy, G.S.N.; Nori, Madhavi; Abkari, Anand; Pooja, B.K.; Venkateswarlu, J.

2015-01-01

Introduction: Developmental delay is defined as significant delay in one or more developmental domains. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is the best modality to investigate such patients. Evaluation of a child with developmental delay is important not only because it allows early diagnosis and treatment but also helpful for parental counseling regarding the outcome of their child and to identify any possible risk of recurrence in the siblings. Thus this study was undertaken to evaluate the de...

Delays and care seeking behavior among tuberculosis patients in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Delays and care seeking behavior among tuberculosis patients in Tigray of Northern Ethiopia. Mengiste M Mesfin, Tesfay W Tasew, Israel G Tareke, Yohannes T Kifle, Witten H Karen, Madeley J Richard ...

System delay and mortality among patients with STEMI treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Terkelsen, Christian Juhl; Sørensen, Jacob Thorsted; Maeng, Michael

2010-01-01

Timely reperfusion therapy is recommended for patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), and door-to-balloon delay has been proposed as a performance measure in triaging patients for primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, focusing on the time from first...... contact with the health care system to the initiation of reperfusion therapy (system delay) may be more relevant, because it constitutes the total time to reperfusion modifiable by the health care system. No previous studies have focused on the association between system delay and outcome in patients...

The impact of social isolation on delayed hospital discharges of older hip fracture patients and associated costs.

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Landeiro, F; Leal, J; Gray, A M

2016-02-01

Delayed discharges represent an inefficient use of acute hospital beds. Social isolation and referral to a public-funded rehabilitation unit were significant predictors of delayed discharges while admission from an institution was a protective factor for older hip fracture patients. Preventing delays could save between 11.2 and 30.7 % of total hospital costs for this patient group. Delayed discharges of older patients from acute care hospitals are a major challenge for administrative, humanitarian, and economic reasons. At the same time, older people are particularly vulnerable to social isolation which has a detrimental effect on their health and well-being with cost implications for health and social care services. The purpose of the present study was to determine the impact and costs of social isolation on delayed hospital discharge. A prospective study of 278 consecutive patients aged 75 or older with hip fracture admitted, as an emergency, to the Orthopaedics Department of Hospital Universitário de Santa Maria, Portugal, was conducted. A logistic regression model was used to examine the impact of relevant covariates on delayed discharges, and a negative binomial regression model was used to examine the main drivers of days of delayed discharges. Costs of delayed discharges were estimated using unit costs from national databases. Mean age at admission was 85.5 years and mean length of stay was 13.1 days per patient. Sixty-two (22.3 %) patients had delayed discharges, resulting in 419 bed days lost (11.5 % of the total length of stay). Being isolated or at a high risk of social isolation, measured with the Lubben social network scale, was significantly associated with delayed discharges (odds ratio (OR) 3.5) as was being referred to a public-funded rehabilitation unit (OR 7.6). These two variables also increased the number of days of delayed discharges (2.6 and 4.9 extra days, respectively, holding all else constant). Patients who were admitted from an

Initiation of nutritional support is delayed in critically ill obese patients: a multicenter cohort study.

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Borel, Anne-Laure; Schwebel, Carole; Planquette, Benjamin; Vésin, Aurélien; Garrouste-Orgeas, Maité; Adrie, Christophe; Clec'h, Christophe; Azoulay, Elie; Souweine, Bertrand; Allaouchiche, Bernard; Goldgran-Toledano, Dany; Jamali, Samir; Darmon, Michael; Timsit, Jean-François

2014-09-01

A high catabolic rate characterizes the acute phase of critical illness. Guidelines recommend an early nutritional support, regardless of the previous nutritional status. We aimed to assess whether the nutritional status of patients, which was defined by the body mass index (BMI) at admission in an intensive care unit (ICU), affected the time of nutritional support initiation. We conducted a cohort study that reported a retrospective analysis of a multicenter ICU database (OUTCOMEREA) by using data prospectively entered from January 1997 to October 2012. Patients who needed orotracheal intubation within the first 72 h and >3 d were included. Data from 3257 ICU stays were analyzed. The delay before feeding was different according to BMI groups (P = 0.035). The delay was longer in obese patients [BMI (in kg/m²) ≥30; n = 663] than in other patients with either low weight (BMI nutritional status and a delay in nutrition initiation was independent of potential confounding factors such as age, sex, and diabetes or other chronic diseases. In comparison with normal weight, the adjusted RR (95% CI) associated with a delayed nutrition initiation was 0.92 (0.86, 0.98) for patients with low weight, 1.00 (0.94, 1.05) for overweight patients, and 1.06 (1.00, 1.12) for obese patients (P = 0.004). The initiation of nutritional support was delayed in obese ICU patients. Randomized controlled trials that address consequences of early compared with delayed beginnings of nutritional support in critically ill obese patients are needed. © 2014 American Society for Nutrition.

Quality of life before reconstructive breast surgery: A preoperative comparison of patients with immediate, delayed, and major revision reconstruction.

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Rosson, Gedge D; Shridharani, Sachin M; Magarakis, Michael; Manahan, Michele A; Basdag, Basak; Gilson, Marta M; Pusic, Andrea L

2013-05-01

Women undergo breast reconstruction at different time-points in their cancer care; knowing patients' preoperative quality of life (QoL) is critical in the overall care of the patient with breast cancer. Our objective was to describe presurgical QoL among women undergoing immediate, delayed, or major revision breast reconstructive surgery at our institution. From March 2008 to February 2009, we administered preoperative BREAST-Q questionnaires to women who presented to our institution for breast reconstruction. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to compare patient cohorts across multiple QoL domains including body image, physical well-being, psychosocial well-being, and sexual well-being. Of the 231 patients who presented for preoperative consultation, 176 returned the questionnaire (response rate 76%; 117 from the immediate, 21 from the delayed, and 32 from the major revision reconstruction groups, plus 6 mixed or unknown). The three groups differed significantly (P < 0.05) across four of the six domains: body image (satisfaction with breasts), psychosocial well-being, sexual well-being, and physical well-being of the chest and upper body. The immediate reconstruction group had higher (better) scores than the delayed reconstruction group, which had higher (better) scores than the major revision group. These data suggest that women presenting for breast reconstruction at different stages of reconstruction have different baseline QoL. Such data may help us better understand patient selection, education, and expectations, and may lead to improved patient-surgeon communication. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Determinants of patient delay in seeking treatment among ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

lmboera

A descriptive cross sectional study was employed. A face to .... Face validation of the instrument was done through peer review and pretesting. In this ..... patient delay for Christians was about 3.3 fold higher compared with Muslims. ... Grover, A., Kumar, R. & Jindal, K. (2006) Socio-demographic determinants of treatment.

Triple dose of gadolinium-DTPA and delayed MRI in patients with benign multiple sclerosis.

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Filippi, M; Capra, R; Campi, A; Colombo, B; Prandini, F; Marcianò, N; Gasparotti, R; Comi, G

1996-01-01

OBJECTIVES--To evaluate whether a triple dose of gadolinium-DTPA (Gd-DTPA) or delayed MRI increase the number, size, and conspicuousness of enhancing lesions in patients with benign multiple sclerosis. METHODS--T1 weighted brain MRI was carried out on 20 patients with benign multiple sclerosis (expanded disability status scale 10 years) in two sessions. In the first session, one scan was obtained before and two scans five to seven minutes and 20-30 minutes after the injection of 0.1 mmol/kg Gd-DTPA (standard dose). In the second session, six to 24 hours later, the same procedure was repeated with 0.3 mmol/kg Gd-DTPA (triple dose). RESULTS--Nine enhancing lesions were found in seven patients (35%) using the standard dose of Gd-DTPA. The numbers of enhancing lesions increased to 13 (P = 0.03) and the number of patients with such lesions to eight (40%) on the delayed standard dose scans. On the early triple dose scans, we found 19 enhancing lesions in 10 patients (50%). The number of enhancing lesions was significantly higher (P = 0.01) than that obtained with the early standard dose. The number of enhancing lesions was 18 and the number of "active" patients 11 (55%) on the delayed triple dose scans. The enhancing areas increased progressively from the early standard dose scans to the delayed triple dose scans. The contrast ratios of the lesions detected in early standard dose scans was lower than those of lesions present in the early (P = 0.01) and delayed (P = 0.04) triple dose scans. CONCLUSIONS--More enhancing lesions were detected in patients with benign multiple sclerosis with both delay of MRI and the use of triple dose of Gd-DTPA suggesting that the amount of inflammation in the lesions of such patients is mild and heterogeneous. Images PMID:8778257

Treatment seeking behaviour and prevalence of treatment delay among malaria patients along Thailand-Myanmar border in Tak province

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Krit Sonkong

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Objective: To investigate treatment seeking behaviour and the prevalence of treatment delay of malaria patients. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with malaria patients along the ThailandMyanmar border in Tak province, Thailand. Results: Most of patients (70.0% were treated for fever before receiving treatment at a malaria clinic or public hospital. The sources of initial treatments were self-treatment (64.0%, malaria clinics (20.0%, public hospital (11.0%, sub-district health promotion hospital (3.3%, and malaria posts (1.1%. Prevalence of patients delayed more than one day after onset of symptoms was 79.4%, but doctor delay of more than one day occurred in only 1.3%. The prevalence of treatment delay (total delay of more than one day was 79.6%. Patient delay and treatment delay were found to be significantly higher among hill tribe than Thai subjects (P=0.004 and 0.003, respectively but, there was no significant association between ethnicity and doctor delay (P=0.669. Conclusion: Patient delay in seeking treatment is a major problem along the ThailandMyanmar border in Tak province, especially in hill tribe people. Self-treatment accounted for most of initial treatment sought by patients.

Causes of delay in diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis in patients attending a referral hospital in Western Kenya.

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Ayuo, P O; Diero, L O; Owino-Ong'or, W D; Mwangi, A W

2008-06-01

To determine the length of delays from onset of symptoms to initiation of treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). Cross-sectional study. Chest/TB clinic, Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH), Eldoret, Kenya. Newly diagnosed smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) patients. Two hundred and thirty patients aged between 12 and 80 (median; 28.5) years were included in the study. They comprised 148 (64.3%, median 30 years) males and 82 (35.7%, median 28 years) females. One hundred and two (44%) came from urban and 128 (56%) came from rural setting covering a median distance of 10 (range 0-100) kilometres and paying Kshs 20 (range 0-200) to facility. Cough was the commonest symptom reported by 228 (99.1%) of the patients followed by chest pain in 214 (80%). The mean patient delay was 11 +/- 17 weeks (range: 1-78 weeks) with no significant difference between males and females, the mean system delay was 3 +/- 5 weeks (range: 0-39 weeks). The median patient, health systems and total delays were 42, 2, and 44 days respectively for all the patients. Marital status, being knowledgeable about TB, distance to clinic and where help is sought first had significant effect on patient delay. Patient delay is the major contributor to delay in diagnosis and initiation of treatment of PTB among our patients. Therefore TB control programmes in this region must emphasise patient education regarding symptoms of tuberculosis and timely health seeking behaviour.

Treatment delay of bone tumours, compilation of a sociodemographic risk profile: A retrospective study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schnurr, Christoph; Pippan, Mathias; Stuetzer, Hartmut; Delank, Karl S; Michael, Joern WP; Eysel, Peer

2008-01-01

Bone tumours are comparatively rare tumours and delays in diagnosis and treatment are common. The purpose of this study was to analyse sociodemographic risk factors for bone tumour patients in order to identify those at risk of prolonged patients delay (time span from first symptoms to consultation), professional delay (from consultation to treatment) or symptom interval (from first symptoms to treatment). Understanding these relationships might enable us to shorten time to diagnosis and therapy. We carried out a retrospective analysis of 265 patients with bone tumours documenting sociodemographic factors, patient delay, professional delay and symptom interval. A multivariate explorative Cox model was performed for each delay. Female gender was associated with a prolonged patient delay. Age under 30 years and rural living predisposes to a prolonged professional delay and symptom interval. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment are required for successful management of most bone tumour patients. We succeeded in identifying the histology independent risk factors of age under 30 years and rural habitation for treatment delay in bone tumour patients. Knowing about the existence of these risk groups age under 30 years and female gender could help the physician to diagnose bone tumours earlier. The causes for the treatment delays of patients living in a rural area have to be investigated further. If the delay initiates in the lower education of rural general physicians, further training about bone tumours might advance early detection. Hence the outcome of patients with bone tumours could be improved

Delayed enhancement imaging in a contemporary patient cohort following correction of tetralogy of Fallot.

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Preim, Uta; Sommer, Philipp; Hoffmann, Janine; Kehrmann, Jana; Lehmkuhl, Lukas; Daehnert, Ingo; Gutberlet, Matthias; Grothoff, Matthias

2015-10-01

To test the hypothesis that myocardial scars after repair of tetralogy of Fallot are related to impaired cardiac function and adverse clinical outcome. A total of 53 patients were retrospectively analysed after repair of tetralogy of Fallot. The median patient age was 20 years (range 2-48). Cardiac MRI with a 1.5 T magnet included cine sequences to obtain volumes and function, phase-sensitive inversion recovery delayed enhancement imaging to detect myocardial scars, and flow measurements to determine pulmonary regurgitation fraction. In addition, clinical parameters were obtained. An overall 83% of patients were in NYHA class I. All patients with the exception of 2 (96%) had pulmonary insufficiency. Mean ejection fraction and end-diastolic volume index were 46% and 128 ml/m2 for the right ventricle and 54% and 82 ml/m² for the left ventricle, respectively. Excluding enhancement of the septal insertion and prosthetic patches, delayed enhancement was seen in 11/53 cases (21%). Delayed enhancement of the right ventricle was detected in 6/53 patients (11%) and of the left ventricle in 5/53 patients (9%). The patient group with delayed enhancement was significantly older (p=0.003), had later repair (p=0.007), and higher left ventricular myocardial mass index (p=0.009) compared with the group without delayed enhancement. This study reveals that scarring is common in patients after surgical repair of tetralogy of Fallot and is associated with older age and late repair. However, there was no difference in right ventricular function, NYHA class, or occurrence of clinically relevant arrhythmias between patients with and those without myocardial scars.

Healthcare-seeking behavior, treatment delays and its determinants among pulmonary tuberculosis patients in rural Nigeria: a cross-sectional study

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Ukwaja Kingsley N

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Nigeria ranks fourth among 22 high tuberculosis (TB burden countries. Although it reached 99% DOTS coverage in 2008, current case detection rate is 40%. Little is known about delays before the start of TB therapy and health-seeking behaviour of TB patients in rural resource-limited settings. We aimed to: 1 assess healthcare-seeking behaviour and delay in treatment of pulmonary TB patients, 2 identify the determinants of the delay in treatment of pulmonary TB. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study of adult new pulmonary TB patients notified to the National Tuberculosis Control Programme (NTP by three rural (two mission/one public hospitals. Data on health-seeking and delays were collected using a standardised questionnaire. We defined patient delay as the interval (weeks between the onset of cough and the first visit to any health provider, and health system delay as the time interval (weeks between patient's first attendance to any health provider, and the onset of treatment. Total delay is the sum of both delays. Multiple linear regression models using nine exposure variables were built to identify determinants of delays. Results Of 450 patients (median age 30 years enrolled, most were males (55%, subsistent farmers (49%, rural residents (78%; and 39% had no formal education. About 84% of patients reported first consulting a non-NTP provider. For such patients, the first facilities visited after onset of symptoms were drug shops (79%, traditional healers (10%, and private hospitals (10%. The median total delay was 11 (IQR 9–16 weeks, patient delay 8 (IQR 8–12 and health system (HS delay 3 (IQR 1–4 weeks. Factors associated with increased patient delay were older age (P Conclusion Overall, TB treatment delays were high; and needs to be reduced in Nigeria. This may be achieved through improved access to care, further education of patients, engagement of informal care providers, and strengthening of existing public

A STUDY OF IMPACT OF DETERMINANTS OF PATIENTS AND HEALTH SYSTEM DELAY ON TUBERCULOSIS DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT IN BANGALORE

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Jagadish Siddalinga Devaru

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Setting: TU/DMCs of Bangalore city. India. All new sputum positive patients registered to the selected TU/DMCs were interviewed. A total of 468 patients aged above 20 years were enrolled. The study period was from January to June 2009. Objectives: To track the delay in diagnosis and treatment of patients reporting to tuberculosis units and microscopy centers. Design: A cross sectional study. TU/DMCs were randomly selected. A pretested questionnaire was administered to collect data. Results: The study population had 326 (69.7% males. The mean age of study population was 38.5 years. 74.4% were married, 20.7% were illiterates, 27.8% were daily wagers, 10.5% were unemployed. The median and mean total delays from development of cough to diagnosis were 41 days and 36.04 days; the median and mean patient delay was 24 days and 20.7 days, and health system delay was 18 and 15.31 days respectively. There was a significant difference among the different age group of patients with older people having longer patient delay (p<0.0001. Lower income, illiteracy, unemployment, showed significant association with patients delay (p<0.0001. Alcohol intake and smoking habit among the male patients had significant association for longer patient delay (p=0.00004. Health seeking behavior like self medication, also had longer patient delay. Other socio demographic factors had no significant influence on the patient delay. Longer health system delay was found among patients who visited general practitioners and Ayurvedic medicine. Conclusion: More specific and effective health education of the general public on tuberculosis and seeking of appropriate medical consultation are likely to improve case detection.

A STUDY OF IMPACT OF DETERMINANTS OF PATIENTS AND HEALTH SYSTEM DELAY ON TUBERCULOSIS DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT IN BANGALORE

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Jagadish Siddalinga Devaru

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Setting: TU/DMCs of Bangalore city. India. All new sputum positive patients registered to the selected TU/DMCs were interviewed. A total of 468 patients aged above 20 years were enrolled. The study period was from January to June 2009. Objectives: To track the delay in diagnosis and treatment of patients reporting to tuberculosis units and microscopy centers. Design: A cross sectional study. TU/DMCs were randomly selected. A pretested questionnaire was administered to collect data. Results: The study population had 326 (69.7% males. The mean age of study population was 38.5 years. 74.4% were married, 20.7% were illiterates, 27.8% were daily wagers, 10.5% were unemployed. The median and mean total delays from development of cough to diagnosis were 41 days and 36.04 days; the median and mean patient delay was 24 days and 20.7 days, and health system delay was 18 and 15.31 days respectively. There was a significant difference among the different age group of patients with older people having longer patient delay (p<0.0001. Lower income, illiteracy, unemployment, showed significant association with patients delay (p<0.0001. Alcohol intake and smoking habit among the male patients had significant association for longer patient delay (p=0.00004. Health seeking behavior like self medication, also had longer patient delay. Other socio demographic factors had no significant influence on the patient delay. Longer health system delay was found among patients who visited general practitioners and Ayurvedic medicine. Conclusion: More specific and effective health education of the general public on tuberculosis and seeking of appropriate medical consultation are likely to improve case detection.

Delayed Hospital Discharges of Older Patients: A Systematic Review on Prevalence and Costs.

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Landeiro, Filipa; Roberts, Kenny; Gray, Alastair Mcintosh; Leal, José

2017-05-23

To determine the prevalence of delayed discharges of elderly inpatients and associated costs. We searched Medline, Embase, Global Health, CAB Abstracts, Econlit, Web of Knowledge, EBSCO - CINAHL, The Cochrane Library, Health Management Information Consortium, and SCIE - Social Care Online for evidence published between 1990 and 2015 on number of days or proportion of delayed discharges for elderly inpatients in acute hospitals. Descriptive and regression analyses were conducted. Data on proportions of delayed discharges were pooled using a random effects logistic model and the association of relevant factors was assessed. Mean costs of delayed discharge were calculated in USD adjusted for Purchasing Power Parity (PPP). Of 64 studies included, 52 (81.3%) reported delayed discharges as proportions of total hospital stay and 9 (14.1%) estimated the respective costs for these delays. Proportions of delayed discharges varied widely, from 1.6% to 91.3% with a weighted mean of 22.8%. This variation was also seen in studies from the same country, for example, in the United Kingdom, they ranged between 1.6% and 60.0%. No factor was found to be significantly associated with delays. The mean costs of delayed discharge also varied widely (between 142 and 31,935 USD PPP adjusted), reflecting the variability in mean days of delay per patient. Delayed discharges occur in most countries and the associated costs are significant. However, the variability in prevalence of delayed discharges and available data on costs limit our knowledge of the full impact of delayed discharges. A standardization of methods is necessary to allow comparisons to be made, and additional studies are required-preferably by disease area-to determine the postdischarge needs of specific patient groups and the estimated costs of delays. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Impact of Operative Delay on Sepsis and Mortality in Patients with Acute Diverticulitis

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Robin F. Irons

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Background Ideal operative timing for non-emergent, acute diverticulitis (AD remains unclear. Medical management is initially attempted to convert a high risk urgent surgery to a less morbid elective surgery, or to avoid surgery altogether. A large proportion of patients will fail medical treatment and require colectomy. Objectives To evaluate the effect of operative delay on sepsis and mortality in patients with AD. Methods Patients from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP database who underwent colectomy with a primary diagnosis of diverticulitis between 2005 and 2014 were included. Multiple patient variables were analyzed to see their combined effect on death and sepsis. Patients undergoing surgical intervention on hospital day 0, emergent cases and those with preoperative sepsis were excluded. The impact of operative delay on mortality and sepsis was evaluated using day from admission as the predictor of the primary outcomes. Secondary outcomes included urinary tract infection (UTI, pneumonia (PNA, need for blood transfusion, septic shock, return to the operating room, length of stay (LOS, readmission, wound dehiscence, and surgical site infections (SSI. Frequency of patient variables was recorded and a multiple variable logistic regression analysis was performed to control for possible confounders. Odds ratios (OR with 95% confidence intervals (CI were calculated for primary and secondary outcomes. Results 32,399 patients underwent colectomy for AD on hospital day 1 - 20. Adjusted for other factors, days to operation was found to be a significant predictor for death (OR = 1.038, 95% CI 1.020 - 1.057; P < 0.0001 and sepsis (OR = 1.051, 95% CI, 1.035 - 1.067; P < 0.0001. Each day in which surgical intervention was delayed was associated with a 3.8% increased risk of mortality and 5.1% increased risk of sepsis. Delay of surgery was also associated with an increased risk of blood transfusion

Does delay in diagnosing colorectal cancer in symptomatic patients affect tumor stage and survival? A population-based observational study

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Visser Otto

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Diagnosing colorectal cancer (CRC at an early stage improves survival. To what extent any delay affects outcome once patients are symptomatic is still unclear. Our objectives were to evaluate the association between diagnostic delay and survival in symptomatic patients with early stage CRC and late stage CRC. Methods Prospective population-based observational study evaluating daily clinical practice in Northern Holland. Diagnostic delay was determined through questionnaire-interviews. Dukes' stage was classified into two groups: early stage (Dukes A or B and late stage (Dukes C or D cancer. Patients were followed up for 3.5 years after diagnosis. Results In total, 272 patients were available for analysis. Early stage CRC was present in 136 patients while 136 patients had late stage CRC. The mean total diagnostic delay (SE was 31 (1.5 weeks in all CRC patients. No significant difference was observed in the mean total diagnostic delay in early versus late stage CRC (p = 0.27. In early stage CRC, no difference in survival was observed between patients with total diagnostic delay shorter and longer than the median (Kaplan-Meier, log-rank p = 0.93. In late stage CRC, patients with a diagnostic delay shorter than the median had a shorter survival than patients with a diagnostic delay longer than the median (log-rank p = 0.01. In the multivariate Cox regression model with survival as dependent variable and median delay, age, open access endoscopy, number and type of symptoms as independent variables, the odd's ratio for survival in patients with long delay (>median versus short delay (≤median was 1.8 (95% confidence interval (CI 1.1 to 3.0; p = 0.01. Tumor-site was not associated with patient survival. When separating late stage CRC in Dukes C and Dukes D tumors, a shorter delay was associated with a shorter survival in Dukes D tumors only and not in Dukes C tumors. Conclusion In symptomatic CRC patients, a longer diagnostic and

Gender differences in reasons patients delay in seeking treatment for acute myocardial infarction symptoms.

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Moser, Debra K; McKinley, Sharon; Dracup, Kathleen; Chung, Misook L

2005-01-01

Patients (n = 194) with confirmed acute myocardial infarction (AMI) were interviewed to determine sociodemographic, clinical, social, behavioral, cognitive and emotional factors that contribute to delay in seeking treatment for their symptoms. Initial symptom experience was similar for men and women: both were most commonly at home when symptoms began; both were most commonly in the presence of their spouse or other family member; few patients (trouble others, and prior knowledge of thrombolytics. There was no difference in delay between men and women (median 3.08 versus 3.10 h), but there are important gender differences in the reasons patients delay and in their patterns of decision-making that may assist clinicians trying to tailor interventions.

Delay in DOTS for new pulmonary tuberculosis patient from rural area of Wardha District, India

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Shilpa Bawankule

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Vast majority of active tuberculosis patients seeks treatment, do so promptly, still many patients spend a great deal of time and money “shopping for health” and too often they do not receive either accurate diagnosis or effective treatment, despite spending considerable resources. Objective: To find out the time taken to, for diagnosis of tuberculosis and to put patient on DOTS from the onset of symptoms and pattern of health seeking behavior of new pulmonary tuberculosis patients. A cross-sectional rapid assessment using qualitative (FGD and quantitative (Interview methods conducted at DOTS center of tertiary care hospital from rural Wardha. Participants: 53 pulmonary tuberculosis patients already on DOTS, in intensive phase. Main outcome measure: Delay in initiation of DOTS & health seeking behavior Results: Median total delay for starting DOTS was 111 days, (range: 10 to 321 days. Patient delay was more than provider delay. Patients delay was more in patients above 60 years, illiterate, per-capita income below 650 Rupees and HIV TB co-infection. Pattern of health seeking behavior was complex. Family physician was the preferred health care provider. Patient visited on an average four providers and spent around 1450 rupees (only direct cost before DOTS begin. Time taken from the onset of symptoms and start of DOT is a cause of concern for the tuberculosis control program. Early case detection is important rather than mere achieving target of 70% new case detection. Program manager needs to implement locally relevant & focused strategies for early case detection to improve the treatment success, especially in rural area of India.

The natural number bias and its role in rational number understanding in children with dyscalculia. Delay or deficit?

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Van Hoof, Jo; Verschaffel, Lieven; Ghesquière, Pol; Van Dooren, Wim

2017-12-01

Previous research indicated that in several cases learners' errors on rational number tasks can be attributed to learners' tendency to (wrongly) apply natural number properties. There exists a large body of literature both on learners' struggle with understanding the rational number system and on the role of the natural number bias in this struggle. However, little is known about this phenomenon in learners with dyscalculia. We investigated the rational number understanding of learners with dyscalculia and compared it with the rational number understanding of learners without dyscalculia. Three groups of learners were included: sixth graders with dyscalculia, a chronological age match group, and an ability match group. The results showed that the rational number understanding of learners with dyscalculia is significantly lower than that of typically developing peers, but not significantly different from younger learners, even after statistically controlling for mathematics achievement. Next to a delay in their mathematics achievement, learners with dyscalculia seem to have an extra delay in their rational number understanding, compared with peers. This is especially the case in those rational number tasks where one has to inhibit natural number knowledge to come to the right answer. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Delayed Complications in Patients Surviving at Least 3 Years After Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Brain Metastases

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Yamamoto, Masaaki, E-mail: BCD06275@nifty.com [Katsuta Hospital Mito GammaHouse, Hitachi-naka (Japan); Department of Neurosurgery, Tokyo Women' s Medical University Medical Center East, Tokyo (Japan); Kawabe, Takuya [Katsuta Hospital Mito GammaHouse, Hitachi-naka (Japan); Department of Neurosurgery, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyoto (Japan); Higuchi, Yoshinori [Department of Neurosurgery, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba (Japan); Sato, Yasunori [Clinical Research Center, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba (Japan); Nariai, Tadashi [Department of Neurosurgery, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University School of Medicine, Tokyo (Japan); Barfod, Bierta E. [Katsuta Hospital Mito GammaHouse, Hitachi-naka (Japan); Kasuya, Hidetoshi [Department of Neurosurgery, Tokyo Women' s Medical University Medical Center East, Tokyo (Japan); Urakawa, Yoichi [Katsuta Hospital Mito GammaHouse, Hitachi-naka (Japan)

2013-01-01

Purpose: Little is known about delayed complications after stereotactic radiosurgery in long-surviving patients with brain metastases. We studied the actual incidence and predictors of delayed complications. Patients and Methods: This was an institutional review board-approved, retrospective cohort study that used our database. Among our consecutive series of 2000 patients with brain metastases who underwent Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS) from 1991-2008, 167 patients (8.4%, 89 women, 78 men, mean age 62 years [range, 19-88 years]) who survived at least 3 years after GKRS were studied. Results: Among the 167 patients, 17 (10.2%, 18 lesions) experienced delayed complications (mass lesions with or without cyst in 8, cyst alone in 8, edema in 2) occurring 24.0-121.0 months (median, 57.5 months) after GKRS. The actuarial incidences of delayed complications estimated by competing risk analysis were 4.2% and 21.2% at the 60th month and 120th month, respectively, after GKRS. Among various pre-GKRS clinical factors, univariate analysis demonstrated tumor volume-related factors: largest tumor volume (hazard ratio [HR], 1.091; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.018-1.154; P=.0174) and tumor volume {<=}10 cc vs >10 cc (HR, 4.343; 95% CI, 1.444-12.14; P=.0108) to be the only significant predictors of delayed complications. Univariate analysis revealed no correlations between delayed complications and radiosurgical parameters (ie, radiosurgical doses, conformity and gradient indexes, and brain volumes receiving >5 Gy and >12 Gy). After GKRS, an area of prolonged enhancement at the irradiated lesion was shown to be a possible risk factor for the development of delayed complications (HR, 8.751; 95% CI, 1.785-157.9; P=.0037). Neurosurgical interventions were performed in 13 patients (14 lesions) and mass removal for 6 lesions and Ommaya reservoir placement for the other 8. The results were favorable. Conclusions: Long-term follow-up is crucial for patients with brain metastases

Operative Outcome and Patient Satisfaction in Early and Delayed Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy for Acute Cholecystitis

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Aly Saber

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Early laparoscopic cholecystectomy is usually associated with reduced hospital stay, sick leave, and health care expenditures. Early diagnosis and treatment of acute cholecystitis reduce both mortality and morbidity and the accurate diagnosis requires specific diagnostic criteria of clinical data and imaging studies. Objectives. To compare early versus delayed laparoscopic cholecystectomy regarding the operative outcome and patient satisfaction. Patients and Methods. Patients with acute cholecystitis were divided into two groups, early (A and delayed (B cholecystectomy. Diagnosis of acute cholecystitis was confirmed by clinical examination, laboratory data, and ultrasound study. The primary end point was operative and postoperative outcome and the secondary was patient’s satisfaction. Results. The number of readmissions in delayed treatment group B was three times in 10% of patients, twice in 23.3%, and once in 66.7% while the number of readmissions was once only in patients in group A and the mean total hospital stays were higher in group B than in group A. The overall patient’s satisfaction was 92.66±6.8 in group A compared with 75.34±12.85 in group B. Conclusion. Early laparoscopic cholecystectomy resulted in significant reduction in length of hospital stay and accepted rate of operative complications and conversion rates when compared with delayed techniques.

Impact of delay in clinical presentation on the diagnostic management and prognosis of patients with suspected pulmonary embolism.

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den Exter, Paul L; van Es, Josien; Erkens, Petra M G; van Roosmalen, Mark J G; van den Hoven, Pim; Hovens, Marcel M C; Kamphuisen, Pieter W; Klok, Frederikus A; Huisman, Menno V

2013-06-15

The nonspecific clinical presentation of pulmonary embolism (PE) frequently leads to delay in its diagnosis. This study aimed to assess the impact of delay in presentation on the diagnostic management and clinical outcome of patients with suspected PE. In 4,044 consecutive patients with suspected PE, patients presenting more than 7 days from the onset of symptoms were contrasted with those presenting within 7 days as regards the safety of excluding PE on the basis of a clinical decision rule combined with D-dimer testing. Patients were followed for 3 months to assess the rates of recurrent venous thromboembolism and mortality. A delayed presentation (presentation >7 d) was present in 754 (18.6%) of the patients. The failure rate of an unlikely clinical probability and normal D-dimer test was 0.5% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.01-2.7) for patients with and 0.5% (95% CI, 0.2-1.2) for those without diagnostic delay. D-dimer testing yielded a sensitivity of 99% (95% CI, 96-99%) and 98% (95% CI, 97-99%) in these groups, respectively. Patients with PE with diagnostic delay more frequently had centrally located PE (41% vs. 26%; P presentation. PE can be safely excluded based on a clinical decision rule and D-dimer testing in patients with a delayed clinical presentation. A delayed presentation for patients who survived acute PE was associated with a more central PE location, although this did not affect the clinical outcome at 3 months.

Diagnostic delay, quality of life and patient satisfaction among women diagnosed with endometrial or ovarian cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Robinson, Kirstine M; Christensen, Karl Bang; Ottesen, Bent

2012-01-01

This study investigates the association between diagnostic delay (total delay), quality of life (QoL) and patient satisfaction, and the associations between QoL and patient satisfaction scores and survival for women diagnosed with ovarian or endometrial cancer....

Early and delayed Tc-99m ECD brain SPECT in SLE patients with CNS involvement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kikukawa, Kaoru; Toyama, Hiroshi; Katayama, Masao

2000-01-01

We compared early and delayed Tc-99m ECD SPECT scans in 32 SLE patients (Group 1, definite neuropsychiatric disorders; Group 2, minor neurologic symptoms or normal) with those of normal controls by visual inspection and semi-quantitative evaluation. With visual interpretation, 13 out of 14 patients in Group 1 (93%) and 7 out of 18 patients in Group 2 (39%) had diffuse uneven decrease in early scans. Seven patients in Group 2 (39%) who had normal early scans demonstrated focal decrease in the medial frontal lobe in delayed scans. With cerebral region to cerebellar ratios, in early scans, the medial frontal lobe in Group 1 and Group 2 was significantly lower than in normal controls, and lateral frontal lobe and occipital lobes in Group 1 were significantly lower than in normal controls. Nevertheless, in delayed scans, every cortical region except for the parietal lode in Groups 1 and 2 was significantly lower than in normal controls. The retention rates in all regions in SLE patients were significantly lower than in normal controls. No case showed SPECT improvement on follow-up studies in either group in spite of clinical improvement. Delayed Tc-99m ECD brain SPECT of high sensitivity might be useful in detecting CNS involvement. Although the SPECT findings did not correlate with the neuropsychiatric symptoms, early and delayed Tc-99m ECD SPECT seems to provide useful objective diagnostic information in SLE patients. (author)

Plain radiographic findings of lung cancer with delayed diagnosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choe, Kyu Ok; Chung, Jin Ill

1994-01-01

In Korea, Lung cancer is the Second most common prevailing malignancy among male population next to stomach cancer. Although CT scan and MRI is widely used in the staging of lung cancer, plain chest x-ray still plays an important role in screening and diagnosis. Our intention was to review the confusing radiographic features which result in delayed diagnosis of lung cancer. Of the 160 patients with lung cancer evaluated by us, 62 patients(39%) with delayed diagnosis and average diagnostic duration of 5.1 months compared with 2.1 months for those without delay. We reviewed the plain chest x-ray findings of those 62 patients. The diagnosis of lung cancer was delayed more than half of the cases under the impression of intrathoracic tuberculosis. Upon reviewing the roentgenologic findings in patients with diagnostic delay, central type appeared as a small hilar or mediastinal mass with or without obstructive pneumonia. Peripheral type appeared as an ill-defined pulmonary module, a nodule hidden by overlapping structures, or as a lung cancer associated with pulmonary tuberculosis. Some cases were misinterpreted as extranodal spread of malignancy. To solve above mentioned problems, we recommend proper understanding of natural history of lung cancer, incorporation of high kVp technique in chest radiographs, routine acquisition of lateral chest radiograph to increase diagnostic accuracy, and appropriate use of CT scan in cases of difficult diagnosis

Management Strategies to Facilitate Optimal Outcomes for Patients Treated with Delayed-release Dimethyl Fumarate.

Science.gov (United States)

Mayer, Lori; Fink, Mary Kay; Sammarco, Carrie; Laing, Lisa

2018-04-01

Delayed-release dimethyl fumarate is an oral disease-modifying therapy that has demonstrated significant efficacy in adults with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. Incidences of flushing and gastrointestinal adverse events are common in the first month after delayed-release dimethyl fumarate initiation. Our objective was to propose mitigation strategies for adverse events related to initiation of delayed-release dimethyl fumarate in the treatment of patients with multiple sclerosis. Studies of individually developed mitigation strategies and chart reviews were evaluated. Those results, as well as mitigation protocols developed at multiple sclerosis care centers, are summarized. Key steps to optimize the effectiveness of delayed-release dimethyl fumarate treatment include education prior to and at the time of delayed-release dimethyl fumarate initiation, initiation dose protocol gradually increasing to maintenance dose, dietary suggestions for co-administration with food, gastrointestinal symptom management with over-the-counter medications, flushing symptom management with aspirin, and temporary dose reduction. Using the available evidence from clinical trials and evaluations of post-marketing studies, these strategies to manage gastrointestinal and flushing symptoms can be effective and helpful to the patient when initiating delayed-release dimethyl fumarate.

Pre-hospital and hospital delay in patients with non-ST elevation acute coronary syndromes in tertiary care

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G.S. Youssef

2017-09-01

Conclusion: Pre-hospital delay was mainly patient-related. Hospital delay was mainly related to healthcare resources. Governmental measures to promote ambulance emergency services may reduce the pre-hospital delay, while improving the utilization of healthcare resources may reduce hospital delay.

How do patients access the private sector in Chennai, India? An evaluation of delays in tuberculosis diagnosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Bronner Murrison, L; Ananthakrishnan, R; Swaminathan, A; Auguesteen, S; Krishnan, N; Pai, M; Dowdy, D W

2016-04-01

The diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis (TB) in India are characterized by heavy private-sector involvement. Delays in treatment remain poorly characterized among patients seeking care in the Indian private sector. To assess delays in TB diagnosis and treatment initiation among patients diagnosed in the private sector, and pathways to care in an urban setting. Cross-sectional survey of 289 consecutive patients diagnosed with TB in the private sector and referred for anti-tuberculosis treatment through a public-private mix program in Chennai from January 2014 to February 2015. Among 212 patients with pulmonary TB, 90% first contacted a formal private provider, and 78% were diagnosed by the first or second provider seen after a median of three visits per provider. Median total delay was 51 days (mean 68). Consulting an informal (rather than formally trained) provider first was associated with significant increases in total delay (absolute increase 22.8 days, 95%CI 6.2-39.5) and in the risk of prolonged delay >90 days (aRR 2.4, 95%CI 1.3-4.4). Even among patients seeking care in the formal (vs. informal) private sector in Chennai, diagnostic delays are substantial. Novel strategies are required to engage private providers, who often serve as the first point of contact.

Findings chest radiograph and CT in mediastinitis: effcacy of CT in patients with delayed diagnosis

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Son, Eun Ju; Hong, Yong Kook; Choe, Kyu Ok [Yonsei Univ. College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

1999-01-01

To analyse the causes the radiologic findings in patients with mediastinitis and to evaluate the efficacy of chest CT scanning in patients with delayed diagnosis. Seventeen patients with histopathologically(n=15) or clinically diagnosed(n=2) mediastinitis were involved in this study. Eleven of the former group underwent surgery, and in four, tube drainage was performed. All underwent chest radiography and CT scanning, and in seven patients, the causes of delayed diagnosis were analysed. The most common cause of mediastinitis was esophageal rupture(n=11). Others were extension from neck abscess to the mediastinum(n=3), complications after a Benthall procedure(n=1), tuberculous lymphadenitis(n=1) and mycotic aneurysm(n=1). Patients with esophageal rupture suffered from underlying diseases such as esophageal cancer(n=2), iatrogenic esophageal rupture(n=2), Boerhaave's syndrome(n=2), and esophagitis(n=1). In patients with neck abscess (n=3), each was secondary to infected cystic hygroma, Ludwig angina, or deep neck infection, respectively. On chest CT, patients with esophageal rupture(n=11) had an abscess in the posterior mediastinum ; nine abscesses extended to the cervical area along the retropharyngeal space, and the patient with Ludwig angina had an abscess involving all compartments of the mediastinum. Among the total of 17 patients, diagnostic delays were found in seven, while five had spontaneous esophageal ruptures and two suffered complications after a Benthall procedure and Tbc lymphadenitis, respectively. The causes of diagnostic delay varied. Among seven patients, pnevmonia was initially diagnosed in two, who were treated ; one had multiorgan failure, and one was suffering from pericardial effusion and lung abscess. In three other patients, chest radiographs initially showed non-specific findings, leading to delayed CT examination. The most common cause of mediastinitis was esophageal rupture, and in these patients, chest radiographs and clinical

Findings chest radiograph and CT in mediastinitis: effcacy of CT in patients with delayed diagnosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Son, Eun Ju; Hong, Yong Kook; Choe, Kyu Ok

1999-01-01

To analyse the causes the radiologic findings in patients with mediastinitis and to evaluate the efficacy of chest CT scanning in patients with delayed diagnosis. Seventeen patients with histopathologically(n=15) or clinically diagnosed(n=2) mediastinitis were involved in this study. Eleven of the former group underwent surgery, and in four, tube drainage was performed. All underwent chest radiography and CT scanning, and in seven patients, the causes of delayed diagnosis were analysed. The most common cause of mediastinitis was esophageal rupture(n=11). Others were extension from neck abscess to the mediastinum(n=3), complications after a Benthall procedure(n=1), tuberculous lymphadenitis(n=1) and mycotic aneurysm(n=1). Patients with esophageal rupture suffered from underlying diseases such as esophageal cancer(n=2), iatrogenic esophageal rupture(n=2), Boerhaave's syndrome(n=2), and esophagitis(n=1). In patients with neck abscess (n=3), each was secondary to infected cystic hygroma, Ludwig angina, or deep neck infection, respectively. On chest CT, patients with esophageal rupture(n=11) had an abscess in the posterior mediastinum ; nine abscesses extended to the cervical area along the retropharyngeal space, and the patient with Ludwig angina had an abscess involving all compartments of the mediastinum. Among the total of 17 patients, diagnostic delays were found in seven, while five had spontaneous esophageal ruptures and two suffered complications after a Benthall procedure and Tbc lymphadenitis, respectively. The causes of diagnostic delay varied. Among seven patients, pnevmonia was initially diagnosed in two, who were treated ; one had multiorgan failure, and one was suffering from pericardial effusion and lung abscess. In three other patients, chest radiographs initially showed non-specific findings, leading to delayed CT examination. The most common cause of mediastinitis was esophageal rupture, and in these patients, chest radiographs and clinical symptoms

Reliability Of A Novel Intracardiac Electrogram Method For AV And VV Delay Optimization And Comparability To Echocardiography Procedure For Determining Optimal Conduction Delays In CRT Patients

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N Reinsch

2009-03-01

Full Text Available Background: Echocardiography is widely used to optimize CRT programming. A novel intracardiac electrogram method (IEGM was recently developed as an automated programmer-based method, designed to calculate optimal atrioventricular (AV and interventricular (VV delays and provide optimized delay values as an alternative to standard echocardiographic assessment.Objective: This study was aimed at determining the reliability of this new method. Furthermore the comparability of IEGM to existing echocardiographic parameters for determining optimal conduction delays was verified.Methods: Eleven patients (age 62.9± 8.7; 81% male; 73% ischemic, previously implanted with a cardiac resynchronisation therapy defibrillator (CRT-D underwent both echocardiographic and IEGM-based delay optimization.Results: Applying the IEGM method, concordance of three consecutively performed measurements was found in 3 (27% patients for AV delay and in 5 (45% patients for VV delay. Intra-individual variation between three measurements as assessed by the IEGM technique was up to 20 ms (AV: n=6; VV: n=4. E-wave, diastolic filling time and septal-to-lateral wall motion delay emerged as significantly different between the echo and IEGM optimization techniques (p < 0.05. The final AV delay setting was significantly different between both methods (echo: 126.4 ± 29.4 ms, IEGM: 183.6 ± 16.3 ms; p < 0.001; correlation: R = 0.573, p = 0.066. VV delay showed significant differences for optimized delays (echo: 46.4 ± 23.8 ms, IEGM: 10.9 ± 7.0 ms; p <0.01; correlation: R = -0.278, p = 0.407.Conclusion: The automated programmer-based IEGM-based method provides a simple and safe method to perform CRT optimization. However, the reliability of this method appears to be limited. Thus, it remains difficult for the examiner to determine the optimal hemodynamic settings. Additionally, as there was no correlation between the optimal AV- and VV-delays calculated by the IEGM method and the echo

Praeoperativt delay hos patienter med perforeret ulcus: en klinisk audit fra Det Nationale Indikatorprojekt

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Møller, Morten Hylander; Nørgård, Bente Mertz; Mehnert, Frank

2009-01-01

size, this audit suggests that long preoperative delay in patients with peptic ulcer perforation is associated with factors related to both the internal organisation of the healthcare system, the patient's pathological picture, and the quality of diagnosis and treatment given. Udgivelsesdato: 2009-Nov......INTRODUCTION: Mortality following perforated peptic ulcer in Denmark is nearly 30%. Delayed surgery is a prognostic factor, but only half of the patients are operated within six hours of perforation - a predefined quality of care criterion in The Danish National Indicator Project. A clinical audit...

The Haiti Breast Cancer Initiative: Initial Findings and Analysis of Barriers-to-Care Delaying Patient Presentation

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Ketan Sharma

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Background. In Haiti, breast cancer patients present at such advanced stages that even modern therapies offer modest survival benefit. Identifying the personal, sociocultural, and economic barriers-to-care delaying patient presentation is crucial to controlling disease. Methods. Patients presenting to the Hôpital Bon Sauveur in Cange were prospectively accrued. Delay was defined as 12 weeks or longer from initial sign/symptom discovery to presentation, as durations greater than this cutoff correlate with reduced survival. A matched case-control analysis with multivariate logistic regression was used to identify factors predicting delay. Results. Of N=123 patients accrued, 90 (73% reported symptom-presentation duration and formed the basis of this study: 52 patients presented within 12 weeks of symptoms, while 38 patients waited longer than 12 weeks. On logistic regression, lower education status (OR = 5.6, P=0.03, failure to initially recognize mass as important (OR = 13.0, P<0.01, and fear of treatment cost (OR = 8.3, P=0.03 were shown to independently predict delayed patient presentation. Conclusion. To reduce stage at presentation, future interventions must educate patients on the recognition of initial breast cancer signs and symptoms and address cost concerns by providing care free of charge and/or advertising that existing care is already free.

Factors associated with patient and provider delays for tuberculosis diagnosis and treatment in Asia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

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Jing Cai

Full Text Available Delays in tuberculosis (TB diagnosis and treatment is a major barrier to effective management of the disease. Determining the factors associated with patient and provider delay of TB diagnosis and treatment in Asia may contribute to TB prevention and control.We searched the PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science for studies that assessed factors associated with delays in care-seeking, diagnosis, or at the beginning of treatment, which were published from January 1992 to September 2014. Two reviewers independently identified studies that were related to our meta-analysis and extracted data from each study. Independent variables were categorized in separate tables for patient and provider delays.Among 45 eligible studies, 40 studies assessed patient delay whereas 30 assessed provider delay. Cross-sectional surveys were used in all but two articles, which included 17 countries and regions. Socio-demographic characteristics, TB-related symptoms and medical examination, and conditions of seeking medical care in TB patients were frequently reported. Male patients and long travel time/distance to the first healthcare provider led to both shorter patient delays [odds ratio (OR (95% confidence intervals, CI = 0.85 (0.78, 0.92; 1.39 (1.08, 1.78] and shorter provider delays [OR (95%CI = 0.96 (0.93, 1.00; 1.68 (1.12, 2.51]. Unemployment, low income, hemoptysis, and positive sputum smears were consistently associated with patient delay [ORs (95%CI = 1.18 (1.07, 1.30, 1.23 (1.02, 1.49, 0.64 (0.40, 1.00, 1.77 (1.07, 2.94, respectively]. Additionally, consultation at a public hospital was associated with provider delay [OR (95%CI = 0.43 (0.20, 0.91].We propose that the major opportunities to reduce delays involve enabling socio-demographic factors and medical conditions. Male, unemployed, rural residence, low income, hemoptysis, positive sputum smear, and long travel time/distance significantly correlated with patient delay. Male, long travel time/distance and

Delayed versus immediate treatment for patients with acute hepatitis C: a randomised controlled non-inferiority trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Deterding, Katja; Grüner, Norbert; Buggisch, Peter; Wiegand, Johannes; Galle, Peter R; Spengler, Ulrich; Hinrichsen, Holger; Berg, Thomas; Potthoff, Andrej; Malek, Nisar; Großhennig, Anika; Koch, Armin; Diepolder, Helmut; Lüth, Stefan; Feyerabend, Sandra; Jung, Maria Christina; Rogalska-Taranta, Magdalena; Schlaphoff, Verena; Cornberg, Markus; Manns, Michael P; Wedemeyer, Heiner

2013-06-01

Early treatment of acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection with interferon alfa monotherapy is very effective, with cure rates of greater than 85%. However, spontaneous clearance of HCV occurs in 10-50% of cases. We aimed to assess an alternative treatment strategy of delayed antiviral therapy in patients who do not eliminate the virus spontaneously compared with immediate treatment. In our open-label phase 3 non-inferiority trial, we enrolled adults (≥18 years) with acute hepatitis C but no HIV or hepatitis B co-infection at 72 centres in Germany. We randomly allocated patients with symptomatic acute hepatitis C (1:1) to receive immediate pegylated interferon alfa-2b treatment for 24 weeks or delayed treatment with pegylated interferon alfa-2b plus ribavirin (for 24 weeks) starting 12 weeks after randomisation if HCV RNA remained positive. We used a computer-generated randomisation sequence and block sizes of eight, stratified by bilirubin concentration. We assigned all asymptomatic patients to immediate treatment with pegylated interferon alfa-2b for 24 weeks. The primary endpoint was sustained HCV RNA negativity in all randomly allocated participants who completed screening (intention-to-treat analysis), with a non-inferiority margin of 10%. For the primary analysis, we calculated the virological response of patients in the immediate and delayed treatment groups and an absolute risk difference stratified by bilirubin status. The trial was stopped early on advice from the study advisory committee because of slow recruitment of participants. This study is registered, number ISRCTN88729946. Between April, 2004, and February, 2010, we recruited 107 symptomatic and 25 asymptomatic patients. 37 (67%) of 55 symptomatic patients randomly allocated to receive immediate treatment and 28 (54%) of 52 symptomatic patients randomly allocated to receive delayed treatment had a sustained virological response (difference 13·7%, 95% CI -4·6 to 32·0; p=0·071). 18 (72%) of 25

Durations and Delays in Care Seeking, Diagnosis and Treatment Initiation in Uncomplicated Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients in Mumbai, India.

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Nerges Mistry

Full Text Available Timely diagnosis and treatment initiation are critical to reduce the chain of transmission of Tuberculosis (TB in places like Mumbai, where almost 60% of the inhabitants reside in overcrowded slums. This study documents the pathway from the onset of symptoms suggestive of TB to initiation of TB treatment and examines factors responsible for delay among uncomplicated pulmonary TB patients in Mumbai.A population-based retrospective survey was conducted in the slums of 15 high TB burden administrative wards to identify 153 self-reported TB patients. Subsequently in-depth interviews of 76 consenting patients that fit the inclusion criteria were undertaken using an open-ended interview schedule. Mean total, first care seeking, diagnosis and treatment initiation duration and delays were computed for new and retreatment patients. Patients showing defined delays were divided into outliers and non-outliers for all three delays using the median values.The mean duration for the total pathway was 65 days with 29% of patients being outliers. Importantly the mean duration of first care seeking was similar in new (24 days and retreatment patients (25 days. Diagnostic duration contributed to 55% of the total pathway largely in new patients. Treatment initiation was noted to be the least among the three durations with mean duration in retreatment patients twice that of new patients. Significantly more female patients experienced diagnostic delay. Major shift of patients from the private to public sector and non-allopaths to allopaths was observed, particularly for treatment initiation.Achieving positive behavioural changes in providers (especially non-allopaths and patients needs to be considered in TB control strategies. Specific attention is required in counselling of TB patients so that timely care seeking is effected at the time of relapse. Prioritizing improvement of environmental health in vulnerable locations and provision of point of care diagnostics

Durations and Delays in Care Seeking, Diagnosis and Treatment Initiation in Uncomplicated Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients in Mumbai, India.

Science.gov (United States)

Mistry, Nerges; Rangan, Sheela; Dholakia, Yatin; Lobo, Eunice; Shah, Shimoni; Patil, Akshaya

2016-01-01

Timely diagnosis and treatment initiation are critical to reduce the chain of transmission of Tuberculosis (TB) in places like Mumbai, where almost 60% of the inhabitants reside in overcrowded slums. This study documents the pathway from the onset of symptoms suggestive of TB to initiation of TB treatment and examines factors responsible for delay among uncomplicated pulmonary TB patients in Mumbai. A population-based retrospective survey was conducted in the slums of 15 high TB burden administrative wards to identify 153 self-reported TB patients. Subsequently in-depth interviews of 76 consenting patients that fit the inclusion criteria were undertaken using an open-ended interview schedule. Mean total, first care seeking, diagnosis and treatment initiation duration and delays were computed for new and retreatment patients. Patients showing defined delays were divided into outliers and non-outliers for all three delays using the median values. The mean duration for the total pathway was 65 days with 29% of patients being outliers. Importantly the mean duration of first care seeking was similar in new (24 days) and retreatment patients (25 days). Diagnostic duration contributed to 55% of the total pathway largely in new patients. Treatment initiation was noted to be the least among the three durations with mean duration in retreatment patients twice that of new patients. Significantly more female patients experienced diagnostic delay. Major shift of patients from the private to public sector and non-allopaths to allopaths was observed, particularly for treatment initiation. Achieving positive behavioural changes in providers (especially non-allopaths) and patients needs to be considered in TB control strategies. Specific attention is required in counselling of TB patients so that timely care seeking is effected at the time of relapse. Prioritizing improvement of environmental health in vulnerable locations and provision of point of care diagnostics would be

Diagnosis and treatment delays among elderly breast cancer patients with pre-existing mental illness.

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Iglay, Kristy; Santorelli, Melissa L; Hirshfield, Kim M; Williams, Jill M; Rhoads, George G; Lin, Yong; Demissie, Kitaw

2017-11-01

This study aimed to compare diagnosis and treatment delays in elderly breast cancer patients with and without pre-existing mental illness. A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results-Medicare data including 16,636 women 68+ years, who were diagnosed with stage I-IIIa breast cancer in the United States from 2005 to 2007. Mental illness was identified using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes recorded on inpatient and outpatient claims during the 3 years prior to breast cancer diagnosis. Patients were classified as having no mental illness, anxiety, depression, anxiety and depression, or severe mental illness (bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and other psychotic disorder). Multivariable binomial regression was used to assess the association between mental illness and delays of ≥60 and ≥90 days after adjustment for confounders. Patients with comorbid anxiety and depression had an increased risk for diagnosis delay of ≥90 days from symptom recognition (RR 1.11; 95% CI 1.00, 1.23), and those with severe mental illness had an increased risk for initial treatment delay of ≥60 days from diagnosis (RR 1.36; 95% CI 1.06, 1.74). Patients with any mental illness experienced an increased risk for adjuvant chemotherapy delay of ≥90 days from last operation (RR 1.13; 95% CI 1.01, 1.26) and each category of mental illness, except depression, showed a non-significant trend for this association. Breast cancer patients with mental illness should be closely managed by a cross-functional care team, including a psychiatrist, a primary care physician, and an oncologist, to ensure adequate care is received within an appropriate timeframe.

Comparison of Helicopter Emergency Medical Services Transport Types and Delays on Patient Outcomes at Two Level I Trauma Centers.

Science.gov (United States)

Nolan, Brodie; Tien, Homer; Sawadsky, Bruce; Rizoli, Sandro; McFarlan, Amanda; Phillips, Andrea; Ackery, Alun

2017-01-01

Helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) have become an engrained component of trauma systems. In Ontario, transportation for trauma patients is through one of three ways: scene call, modified scene call, or interfacility transfer. We hypothesize that differences exist between these types of transports in both patient demographics and patient outcomes. This study compares the characteristics of patients transported by each of these methods to two level 1 trauma centers and assesses for any impact on morbidity or mortality. As a secondary outcome reasons for delay were identified. A local trauma registry was used to identify and abstract data for all patients transported to two trauma centers by HEMS over a 36-month period. Further chart abstraction using the HEMS patient care reports was done to identify causes of delay during HEMS transport. During the study period HEMS transferred a total of 911 patients of which 139 were scene calls, 333 were modified scene calls and 439 were interfacility transfers. Scene calls had more patients with an ISS of less than 15 and had more patients discharged home from the ED. Modified scene calls had more patients with an ISS greater than 25. The most common delays that were considered modifiable included the sending physician doing a procedure, waiting to meet a land EMS crew, delays for diagnostic imaging and confirming disposition or destination. Differences exist between the types of transports done by HEMS for trauma patients. Many identified reasons for delay to HEMS transport are modifiable and have practical solutions. Future research should focus on solutions to identified delays to HEMS transport. Key words: helicopter emergency medical services; trauma; prehospital care; delays.

Factors Responsible for the Diagnostic Delay in Oral Cancer Patients: A Hospital Based Sociodemographic Study in Kolkata

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Pramitasri Bhattacharyya

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Introduction Oral cancer is a challenging health problem globally. Delay in diagnosis is an important factor in determining the outcome of the disease. It is a major determinant of mortality and morbidity of oral cancer patients. Present observational study was conducted with the objective of finding the factors responsible for delay in diagnosis of oral cancer in patients. Materials and Methods Hospital based observational study where patient register was used as data source from 15th Nov, 2013-15th Jan, 2014. Results Among the causes for delay in reporting to hospital, financial constraint (84% and illiteracy (56.5% have been found to contribute the most. The risk of primary delay is 3.53 times more among illiterate in comparison with literate. Age, gender, stage of cancer, religion, caste, tobacco use and delayed referral from the first physician were the other factors found to be significant in relation to primary delay. Discussion Early diagnosis is a major factor for favorable outcome of a disease and several factors hinder early diagnosis. Some of these factors can be easily modified through Information, Education and Communication (IEC. Conclusion Some important factors that lead to delay are identified and some of them are preventable. So, IEC regarding cancer among general population will not only provide knowledge to them, but also will break myths regarding cancer and reduce the burden of disease. These identified predictors of delay may be used for designing an educational intervention program for patients with oral cancers.

The diagnostic value of adding dynamic scintigraphy to standard delayed planar imaging for sentinel node identification in melanoma patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nielsen, Kristina Rue; Nielsen, Michael B.; Chakera, Annette H.; Hesse, Birger; Oturai, Peter S.; Scolyer, Richard A.; Stretch, Jonathan F.; Thompson, John F.; Uren, Roger F.

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to compare early dynamic imaging combined with delayed static imaging and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/CT with delayed, planar, static imaging alone for sentinel node (SN) identification in melanoma patients. Three hundred and seven consecutive melanoma patients referred for SN biopsy (SNB) were examined using combined imaging. Secondary interpretation of only the delayed static images was subsequently performed. In 220 patients (72%), complete surgical and pathological information relating to the SNB was available. The number of SNs identified and number of patients with positive SNs were compared between the two interpretations of the imaging studies and, when available, related to pathology data. A slightly higher number of SNs (mean 0.12/patient) was identified when interpreting only delayed static images compared to combined imaging. In a direct patient-to-patient comparison, the number of SN(s) identified on the combined vs static images only showed moderate agreement (kappa value 0.56). In 38 patients (17%), positive SNs were identified by the combined procedure compared to 35 (16%) by static imaging only. Thus by static imaging only, tumour-positive SNs were not identified in 3 of 38 patients (8%). For SN identification in melanoma patients, dynamic imaging combined with delayed static imaging and SPECT/CT is superior to delayed static imaging only because the latter is more likely to fail to identify SNs containing metastases. (orig.)

Delayed-onset complications of facial soft tissue augmentation with permanent fillers in 85 patients.

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Kadouch, Jonathan A; Kadouch, Daniel J; Fortuin, Shai; van Rozelaar, Leo; Karim, Refaat B; Hoekzema, Rick

2013-10-01

To evaluate factors influencing the onset and type of adverse events in patients injected with permanent fillers in the face and to propose a therapeutic strategy for these complications. A prospectively attained series of 85 patients with delayed-onset complications after facial injection with permanent fillers underwent clinical follow-up and treatment of the complications. Lag times until onset and type of delayed-onset complication varied according to filler material. In 28% (n = 24) of the cases, patients reported the onset of complications after dental procedures, additional injections with fillers, or other invasive treatments in the facial area. Forty-eight (57%) patients required invasive treatment. Abscess formation was significantly more frequent in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection and facial lipoatrophy (p = .001). The intrinsic characteristics of the injected filler and the immune status of the patient play important roles in the diversity of time of onset and type of delayed-onset adverse events observed. It seems that invasive facial or oral procedures in the vicinity of filler depots can provoke such complications. We propose a strategy for treating these complications and advise great caution when using permanent filling agents. © 2013 by the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, Inc. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Relevance of I-BMIPP delayed scintigraphic imaging for patients with angina pectoris - a pilot study.

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Koyama, Kohei; Akashi, Yoshihiro J; Kida, Keisuke; Suzuki, Kengo; Ishibashi, Yuki; Musha, Haruki; Banach, Maciej

2011-06-01

The study was designed to clarify the role of (123)I-β-methyl-iodophenylpentadecanoic acid ((123)I-BMIPP) in the evaluation of myocardial fatty acid metabolism in patients with stable angina pectoris (AP) before and after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). TEN CONTROLS (MEAN AGE: 70.4 ±10.5 years) and 12 patients with AP (mean age: 67.4 ±11.6 years) and single vessel coronary artery disease participated in the radionuclide cardiac study. Scintigraphic images were acquired at 30 min and at 4 h after (123)I-BMIPP injection to determine early and delayed BMIPP uptake, respectively. The heart-to-mediastinum (H/M) ratio and the washout rate (WR) were calculated from the planar images. All patients underwent scintigraphy one day before PCI and again 1 month after successful PCI. NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES IN THE EARLY OR DELAYED H/M RATIOS WERE OBSERVED BETWEEN THE PATIENTS AND THE CONTROLS BEFORE PCI (EARLY: 2.70 ±0.36 vs. 2.73 ±0.57; delayed: 2.26 ±0.33 vs. 2.40 ±0.43; p > 0.2 for both). The early and delayed H/M ratios remained unchanged with the comparison with before PCI (early: 2.72 ±0.27, delayed: 2.23 ±0.22; p > 0.2 for both). The global WR before PCI was significantly higher in the patients than in the control group (36.7 ±9.3%, vs. 28.1 ±8.2%, p = 0.02). However, the WR after PCI did not significantly differ between the patients and the controls (34.3 ±7.8% vs. 28.1 ±8.2%, p = 0.1). These data may suggest that the WR of (123)I-BMIPP determined from the planar images enhances the presence of myocardial ischaemia.

Prehospital delay in acute coronary syndrome--an analysis of the components of delay

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ottesen, Michael Mundt; Dixen, Ulrik; Torp-Pedersen, Christian

2004-01-01

BACKGROUND: Prompt hospital admission is essential when treating acute coronary syndrome. Delay prior to admission is unnecessarily long. Therefore, a thorough scrutiny of the influence of characteristics, circumstantial and subjective variables on elements of prehospital delay among patients...... admitted with acute coronary syndrome is warranted. METHODS: A structured interview was conducted on 250 consecutive patients admitted alive with acute coronary syndrome. RESULTS: Median prehospital, decision, physician and transportation delays were 107, 74, 25 and 22 min, respectively. Women (n=77) had...... of acute coronary syndrome among women, and thereby contributes to unnecessary long delay to treatment. The patient's prior experience and interpretation has a significant influence on behaviour....

The identification of risk factors associated with patient and healthcare system delays in the treatment of tuberculosis in Tabriz, Iran.

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Ebrahimi Kalan, Mohammad; Yekrang Sis, Hassan; Kelkar, Vinaya; Harrison, Scott H; Goins, Gregory D; Asghari Jafarabadi, Mohammad; Han, Jian

2018-01-24

Tuberculosis (TB) is a serious health concern, particularly in developing countries. Various delays, such as patient delay (PD) and healthcare system delay (HSD) in the TB process, are exacerbating the disease burden and increasing the rates of transmission and mortality in various global communities. Therefore, the aim of this study is to identify risk factors associated with PD and HSD in TB patients in Tabriz, Iran. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 173 TB patients in Tabriz, Iran from 2012 to 2014. Patients were interviewed with a semi-structured questionnaire. Frequencies and percentages were reported for patient categories of sex, age, and education. The median and interquartile range (IQR) were reported for the time intervals of delays. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions of delay in respect to socio-demographic and clinical variables were performed. Statistical significance was set at p patients during their initial visit to the health care facilities. The knowledge generated from this study will be helpful for prioritizing and developing strategies for minimizing delays, initiating early treatment to TB patients, and improving TB-related training programs and healthcare systems in Tabriz, Iran.

Effect of metoclopramide on normal and delayed gastric emptying in gastroesophageal reflux patients

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Fink, S.M.; Lange, R.C.; McCallum, R.W.

1983-12-01

Gastric emptying has an important role in the pathophysiology of gastroesophageal reflux disease. The effect of metoclopramide, a gastric prokinetic agent, in gastroesophageal reflux patients with normal as well as delayed emptying was investigated. Twenty-six patients with subjective and objective evidence of gastroesophageal reflux ingested an egg salad sandwich meal labeled with /sub 99m/technetium-DTPA for a baseline study, and then again on a separate day after receiving oral metoclopramide, 10 mg, 30 min prior to the test meal. The mean percent isotope remaining in the stomach after 90 min improved significantly from 70.3 +/- 3.9% (SEM) to 55.2 +/- 4.2% after metoclopramide. Fourteen (54%) had a basal emptying in the normal range of 34-69% retention of isotope at 90 min, (means +/- 2 SD), while it was slow in 12 (46%). For those with delayed basal gastric emptying, the mean retention of 88.9 +/- 2.9% at 90 min was significantly decreased by metoclopramide to 68.6 +/- 6.1%. In those patients with a normal basal gastric emptying and a mean retention of 54.4 +/- 2.3% at 90 min, there was also significant improvement (P less than 0.025) to 43.6 +/- 3.6% after metoclopramide. These data indicate that metoclopramide increased gastric emptying in gastroesophageal reflux patients with normal as well as delayed gastric emptying. Therefore on a patient management level a trial of metoclopramide is warranted in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease and is not limited by the gastric emptying status of the patient.

Effect of metoclopramide on normal and delayed gastric emptying in gastroesophageal reflux patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fink, S.M.; Lange, R.C.; McCallum, R.W.

1983-01-01

Gastric emptying has an important role in the pathophysiology of gastroesophageal reflux disease. The effect of metoclopramide, a gastric prokinetic agent, in gastroesophageal reflux patients with normal as well as delayed emptying was investigated. Twenty-six patients with subjective and objective evidence of gastroesophageal reflux ingested an egg salad sandwich meal labeled with /sub 99m/technetium-DTPA for a baseline study, and then again on a separate day after receiving oral metoclopramide, 10 mg, 30 min prior to the test meal. The mean percent isotope remaining in the stomach after 90 min improved significantly from 70.3 +/- 3.9% (SEM) to 55.2 +/- 4.2% after metoclopramide. Fourteen (54%) had a basal emptying in the normal range of 34-69% retention of isotope at 90 min, (means +/- 2 SD), while it was slow in 12 (46%). For those with delayed basal gastric emptying, the mean retention of 88.9 +/- 2.9% at 90 min was significantly decreased by metoclopramide to 68.6 +/- 6.1%. In those patients with a normal basal gastric emptying and a mean retention of 54.4 +/- 2.3% at 90 min, there was also significant improvement (P less than 0.025) to 43.6 +/- 3.6% after metoclopramide. These data indicate that metoclopramide increased gastric emptying in gastroesophageal reflux patients with normal as well as delayed gastric emptying. Therefore on a patient management level a trial of metoclopramide is warranted in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease and is not limited by the gastric emptying status of the patient

Time Delay of CGM Sensors

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Schmelzeisen-Redeker, Günther; Schoemaker, Michael; Kirchsteiger, Harald; Freckmann, Guido; Heinemann, Lutz; del Re, Luigi

2015-01-01

Background: Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) is a powerful tool to support the optimization of glucose control of patients with diabetes. However, CGM systems measure glucose in interstitial fluid but not in blood. Rapid changes in one compartment are not accompanied by similar changes in the other, but follow with some delay. Such time delays hamper detection of, for example, hypoglycemic events. Our aim is to discuss the causes and extent of time delays and approaches to compensate for these. Methods: CGM data were obtained in a clinical study with 37 patients with a prototype glucose sensor. The study was divided into 5 phases over 2 years. In all, 8 patients participated in 2 phases separated by 8 months. A total number of 108 CGM data sets including raw signals were used for data analysis and were processed by statistical methods to obtain estimates of the time delay. Results: Overall mean (SD) time delay of the raw signals with respect to blood glucose was 9.5 (3.7) min, median was 9 min (interquartile range 4 min). Analysis of time delays observed in the same patients separated by 8 months suggests a patient dependent delay. No significant correlation was observed between delay and anamnestic or anthropometric data. The use of a prediction algorithm reduced the delay by 4 minutes on average. Conclusions: Prediction algorithms should be used to provide real-time CGM readings more consistent with simultaneous measurements by SMBG. Patient specificity may play an important role in improving prediction quality. PMID:26243773

Understanding delayed access to antenatal care: a qualitative interview study

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2014-01-01

Background Delayed access to antenatal care ('late booking’) has been linked to increased maternal and fetal mortality and morbidity. The aim of this qualitative study was to understand why some women are late to access antenatal care. Methods 27 women presenting after 19 completed weeks gestation for their first hospital booking appointment were interviewed, using a semi-structured format, in community and maternity hospital settings in South Yorkshire, United Kingdom. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and entered onto NVivo 8 software. An interdisciplinary, iterative, thematic analysis was undertaken. Results The late booking women were diverse in terms of: age (15–37 years); parity (0–4); socioeconomic status; educational attainment and ethnicity. Three key themes relating to late booking were identified from our data: 1) 'not knowing’: realisation (absence of classic symptoms, misinterpretation); belief (age, subfertility, using contraception, lay hindrance); 2) 'knowing’: avoidance (ambivalence, fear, self-care); postponement (fear, location, not valuing care, self-care); and 3) 'delayed’ (professional and system failures, knowledge/empowerment issues). Conclusions Whilst vulnerable groups are strongly represented in this study, women do not always fit a socio-cultural stereotype of a 'late booker’. We report a new taxonomy of more complex reasons for late antenatal booking than the prevalent concepts of denial, concealment and disadvantage. Explanatory sub-themes are also discussed, which relate to psychological, empowerment and socio-cultural factors. These include poor reproductive health knowledge and delayed recognition of pregnancy, the influence of a pregnancy 'mindset’ and previous pregnancy experience, and the perceived value of antenatal care. The study also highlights deficiencies in early pregnancy diagnosis and service organisation. These issues should be considered by practitioners and service commissioners in order to promote

Analysis of the diagnostic pathway and delay in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in the Valencian Community.

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Vázquez-Costa, J F; Martínez-Molina, M; Fernández-Polo, M; Fornés-Ferrer, V; Frasquet-Carrera, M; Sevilla-Mantecón, T

2018-06-11

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an insidious, clinically heterogeneous neurodegenerative disease associated with a diagnostic delay of approximately 12 months. No study conducted to date has analysed the diagnostic pathway in Spain. We gathered data on variables related to the diagnostic pathway and delay for patients diagnosed with ALS between October 2013 and July 2017. The study included 143 patients with ALS (57% men; 68% spinal onset). Patients were diagnosed in public centres in 86% of cases and in private centres in 14%.The mean diagnostic delay was 13.1 months (median 11.7). Patients were examined by neurologists a mean time of 7.9 months after symptom onset, with diagnosis being made 5.2 months later. Half of all patients underwent unnecessary diagnostic tests and multiple electrophysiological studies before diagnosis was established. Diagnostic delay was longer in cases of spinal onset (P = .008) due to onset of the disease in the lower limbs. No differences were found between the public and private healthcare systems (P = .897). The diagnostic delay in ALS in Spain is similar to that of neighboring countries and seems to depend on disease-related factors, not on the healthcare system. Patients with lower-limb onset ALS constitute the greatest diagnostic challenge. Misdiagnosis is frequent, and partly attributable to an incorrect approach or erroneous interpretation of electrophysiological studies. Specific training programmes for neurologists and general neurophysiologists and early referral to reference centers may help to reduce diagnostic delay. Copyright © 2018 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Peroneal electromechanical delay and fatigue in patients with chronic ankle instability.

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Flevas, Dimitrios A; Bernard, Manfred; Ristanis, Stavros; Moraiti, Constantina; Georgoulis, Anastasios D; Pappas, Evangelos

2017-06-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of chronic ankle instability (CAI) on electromechanical delay times (EMD) before and after fatigue. Understanding the mechanisms that contribute to CAI is essential for the development of effective rehabilitation programmes. It was hypothesized that patients with CAI will demonstrate prolonged EMD times compared to healthy subjects and that fatigue will cause greater increases in EMD times in the CAI group. Twenty-one male volunteers participated in the study providing data on 16 ankles with CAI and 26 with no history of ankle injury. EMD was measured on an isokinetic dynamometer. Measurements were taken with the ankle in neutral (0°) and at 30° of inversion. All subjects followed an isokinetic fatigue protocol until eversion torque fell below 50 % of initial torque for three consecutive repetitions. A 2 × 2 × 2 ANOVA was used to calculate the effect of ankle status (CAI vs. healthy), fatigue, angle (0° vs. 30°) and their interactions on EMD. Fatigue caused a significant increase on EMD [non-fatigued: 122(29)ms vs. fatigue 155(54)ms; p ankle status and angle was found (p = 0.026) with CAI ankles demonstrating longer EMD [CAI: 156(45)ms vs. healthy: 133(40)ms] in neutral but not at 30° of inversion [CAI: 133(46)ms vs. 132(33)ms]. Patients with CAI had longer EMD times in neutral, but not when the ankle was placed in inversion. This suggests that rehabilitation programmes may be more effective when retraining occurs with the ankle in neutral position. It is likely that low EMD times prevent ankle acceleration at the beginning of the mechanism of injury, but they are less important when the ankle has already inverted at 30°. Both CAI and healthy subjects demonstrated longer EMD after fatigue, emphasizing the importance of proper conditioning in the prevention of delayed peroneal response and subsequent ankle injury. Improving resistance to fatigue of the peroneals may prove to be an effective

Delayed pneumothorax after laparoscopic sigmoid colectomy in a patient without underlying lung disease

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Richie K Huynh

2014-10-01

Full Text Available We present an unusual case of a delayed pneumothorax occurring approximately 72 h post-operatively in a patient without any underlying lung disease who had undergone laparoscopic sigmoid colon resection. The patient was in her mid-40s with a body mass index of 28.0 and had no history of smoking. Her spontaneous pneumothorax manifested without any precipitating events or complications during recovery. There was no evidence of any infectious process. There were no central line attempts and all ports were placed intra-peritoneally, and there was no evidence of any subcutaneous emphysema. One possible mechanism of injury that we propose is barotrauma from an extended period of time in Trendelenburg position. Notably, the only abnormal finding throughout the entire post-operative period preceding the delayed pneumothorax was a PO 2 desaturation the day before. This case highlights the necessity to examine and investigate any desaturation post-operatively and deliberate its possible significance. Furthermore, it demonstrates that, even during a normal recovery period for a patient without any underlying lung disease or risk factors, spontaneous pneumothorax could still develop in a delayed fashion multiple days post-operatively from a laparoscopic procedure.

The diagnostic value of adding dynamic scintigraphy to standard delayed planar imaging for sentinel node identification in melanoma patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Marie Kristina Rue; Chakera, Annette H; Hesse, Birger

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to compare early dynamic imaging combined with delayed static imaging and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/CT with delayed, planar, static imaging alone for sentinel node (SN) identification in melanoma patients.......The aim of this study was to compare early dynamic imaging combined with delayed static imaging and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/CT with delayed, planar, static imaging alone for sentinel node (SN) identification in melanoma patients....

Patient characteristics associated with self-presentation, treatment delay and survival following primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Science.gov (United States)

Austin, David; Yan, Andrew T; Spratt, James C; Kunadian, Vijay; Edwards, Richard J; Egred, Mohaned; Bagnall, Alan J

2014-09-01

Delayed arrival to a primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI)-capable hospital following ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is associated with poorer outcome. The influence of patient characteristics on delayed presentation during STEMI is unknown. This was a retrospective observational study. Patients presenting for PPCI from March 2008 to November 2011 in the north of England (Northumbria, Tyne and Wear) were included. The outcomes were self-presentation to a non-PPCI-capable hospital, symptom to first medical contact (STFMC) time, total ischaemic time and mortality during follow-up. STEMI patients included numbered 2297; 619 (26.9%) patients self-presented to a non-PPCI-capable hospital. STFMC of >30 min and total ischaemic time of >180 min was present in 1521 (70.7%) and 999 (44.9%) cases, respectively. Self-presentation was the strongest predictor of prolonged total ischaemic time (odds ratio, OR (95% confidence interval, CI): 5.05 (3.99-6.39)). Married patients (OR 1.38 (1.10-1.74)) and patients living closest to an Emergency Room self-presented more commonly (driving time (vs. ≤10 min) 11-20 min OR 0.66 (0.52-0.83), >20 minutes OR 0.46 (0.33-0.64). Unmarried females waited longest to call for help (OR vs. married males 1.89 (1.29-2.78) and experienced longer total ischaemic times (OR 1.51 (1.10-2.07)). Married patients had a borderline association with lower mortality (hazard ratio 0.75 (0.53-1.05), p=0.09). Unmarried female patients had the longest treatment delays. Married patients and those living closer to an Emergency Room self-present more frequently. Early and exclusive use of the ambulance service may reduce treatment delay and improve STEMI outcome. © The European Society of Cardiology 2014.

Clinical Factors and Disease Course Related to Diagnostic Delay in Korean Crohn's Disease Patients: Results from the CONNECT Study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chang Mo Moon

Full Text Available Diagnostic delay frequently occurs in Crohn's disease (CD patients because of diagnostic limitations. However, diagnostic delay and its related factors remain poorly defined. Therefore, we aimed to identify the predictors associated with diagnostic delay and to evaluate the impact of diagnostic delay on clinical course in a Korean CD patient cohort. We performed a multicenter retrospective analysis of 1,047 CD patients registered in the Crohn's Disease Clinical Network and Cohort study in Korea. The mean interval of diagnostic delay was 16.0 ± 33.1 months. Multivariate analysis showed that older age at diagnosis (≥40 years (p = 0.014, concomitant upper gastrointestinal (UGI disease (p = 0.012 and penetrating disease behavior at diagnosis (p = 0.001 were positively associated with long diagnostic delay (≥18 months. During the longitudinal follow-up, long diagnostic delay was independently predictive of further development of intestinal stenosis (hazard ratio [HR], 1.43; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.07-1.93; p = 0.017, internal fistulas (HR, 1.62; 95% CI, 1.12-2.33; p = 0.011, and perianal fistulas (HR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.06-1.80; p = 0.016. However, as for the risk of abscess formation, bowel perforation, and CD-related abdominal surgery, no significant association with diagnostic delay was observed. Older age at diagnosis, UGI involvement, and penetrating behavior are associated with long diagnostic delay in Korean CD patients. Moreover, diagnostic delay is associated with an increased risk of CD-related complications such as intestinal stenosis, internal fistulas, and perianal fistulas.

Randomized Controlled Trial of Early Versus Delayed Statin Therapy in Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke: ASSORT Trial (Administration of Statin on Acute Ischemic Stroke Patient).

Science.gov (United States)

Yoshimura, Shinichi; Uchida, Kazutaka; Daimon, Takashi; Takashima, Ryuzo; Kimura, Kazuhiro; Morimoto, Takeshi

2017-11-01

Several studies suggested that statins during hospitalization were associated with better disability outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke, but only 1 small randomized trial is available. We conducted a multicenter, open-label, randomized controlled trial in patients with acute ischemic strokes in 11 hospitals in Japan. Patients with acute ischemic stroke and dyslipidemia randomly received statins within 24 hours after admission in the early group or on the seventh day in the delayed group, in a 1:1 ratio. Statins were administered for 12 weeks. The primary outcome was patient disability assessed by modified Rankin Scale at 90 days. A total of 257 patients were randomized and analyzed (early 131, delayed 126). At 90 days, modified Rankin Scale score distribution did not differ between groups ( P =0.68), and the adjusted common odds ratio of the early statin group was 0.84 (95% confidence interval, 0.53-1.3; P =0.46) compared with the delayed statin group. There were 3 deaths at 90 days (2 in the early group, 1 in the delayed group) because of malignancy. Ischemic stroke recurred in 9 patients (6.9%) in the early group and 5 patients (4.0%) in the delayed group. The safety profile was similar between groups. Our randomized trial involving patients with acute ischemic stroke and dyslipidemia did not show any superiority of early statin therapy within 24 hours of admission compared with delayed statin therapy 7 days after admission to alleviate the degree of disability at 90 days after onset. URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT02549846. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

The significance of 123I-BMIPP delayed scintigraphic imaging in cardiac patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Akashi, Yoshihiro J; Kida, Keisuke; Suzuki, Kae; Inoue, Koji; Kawasaki, Kensuke; Yamauchi, Masahiro; Musha, Haruki; Anker, Stefan D

2007-04-25

Earlier studies have not fully investigated the significance of radionuclide planar imaging in cardiac patients using the fatty acid analogue 123I-beta-methyl-iodophenylpentadecanoic acid (123I-BMIPP). This study was to clarify the effectiveness of 123I-BMIPP in assessing the heart-to-mediastinum ratio (H/M) and myocardial washout rate (WR) in patients with heart disease. Myocardial 123I-BMIPP imaging was performed in 33 patients (20 with chronic heart failure [CHF] and 13 with stable angina pectoris [AP]) and 11 control subjects. Myocardial 123I-BMIPP planner images were obtained 30 min (early image) and 4 h (delayed image) after tracer injection. The left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was measured by quantitative gated single photon emission computed tomography. The concentration of plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) was measured before the scintigraphic study. (1) Delayed H/M was much lower in CHF than in AP (1.93 +/- 0.37 vs. 2.21 +/- 0.38, p acid metabolism disorders in patients with heart disease in both masked and unmasked conditions.

Beyond consent--improving understanding in surgical patients.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Mulsow, Jürgen J W

2012-01-01

Little is known of the actual understanding that underlies patient choices with regard to their surgical treatment. This review explores current knowledge of patient understanding and techniques that may be used to improve this understanding.

Cognitive and personality factors in the delay of gratification of hemodialysis patients.

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Rosenbaum, M; Ben-Ari Smira, K

1986-08-01

On the basis of Mischel's (1984) social learning analysis of the process of delay of gratification in children and in line with Bandura's (1977) self-efficacy theory, we developed a model of delay of gratification in adults and tested it on dialysis patients who were continuously required to comply with a stringent regimen of fluid-intake to keep alive. We hypothesized that patients' self-evaluations of their past compliance and their efficacy expectations would be associated with their actual delay behavior. Underlying these process-regulating cognitions would be stable competencies, such as learned resourcefulness (i.e., one's self-control skills). Fifty-three dialysis patients self-evaluated their fluid intake compliance, their efficacy expectations, and their health beliefs. Resourcefulness was assessed by Rosenbaum's Self-Control Schedule. Actual fluid-intake compliance was reliably assessed by the mean body weight increase between dialyses during the 3-month period prior to the study and during two follow-up periods. The results supported the model. On the one hand, self-efficacy expectations were related to persistence with the fluid diet and on the other hand to subjects' self-evaluation of their past adherence behavior as well as to their resourcefulness. Although the path model suggested a causal pattern, the correlational nature of the study precluded any conclusions on cause-effect relationship.

Study of Relationship Between Illness Perception and Delay in Seeking Help for Breast Cancer Patients Based on Leventhal's Self-Regulation Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Attari, Seyedeh Maryam; Ozgoli, Giti; Solhi, Mahnaz; Alavi Majd, Hamid

2016-01-01

One of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in breast cancer patients is delay in seeking help. Leventhal's self-regulation model provides an appropriate framework to assess delay in seeking help. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between "illness perception" and "help seeking delay" in breast cancer patients based on Leventhal's self-regulation model. In this correlational descriptive study with convenience sampling conducted in 2013, participants were 120 women with breast cancer who were diagnosed in the last year and referred to chemotherapy and radiotherapy centers in Rasht, Iran. Data collection scales included demographic data, Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ-R)and a researcher made questionnaire to measure the delay in seeking help. Pre-hospital delay (help seeking delay) was evaluated in 3 phases (assessment, disease, behavior). The data were analyzed using SPSS-19. The mean (SD) age calculated for the patients was 47.3±10.2. Some 43% of the patients had a high school or higher education level and 82% were married. The "pre-hospital delay" was reported ≥3 months. Logistic regression analysis showed that none of the illness perception components were correlated with appraisal and behavioral delay phases. In the illness delay phase, "time line" (p-value =0.04) and "risk factors"(p-value=0.03) had significant effects on reducing and "psychological attributions" had significant effects on increasing the delay (p-value =0.01). "Illness coherence" was correlated with decreased pre-hospital patient delay (p-valueperceptions of breast cancer influences delay in seeking help. In addition to verifying the validity of Leventhal's self-regulation model in explaining delay in seeking help, the results signify the importance of the "illness delay phase" (decision to seek help) and educational interventions-counseling for women in the community.

Schedule Matters: Understanding the Relationship between Schedule Delays and Costs on Overruns

Science.gov (United States)

Majerowicz, Walt; Shinn, Stephen A.

2016-01-01

This paper examines the relationship between schedule delays and cost overruns on complex projects. It is generally accepted by many project practitioners that cost overruns are directly related to schedule delays. But what does "directly related to" actually mean? Some reasons or root causes for schedule delays and associated cost overruns are obvious, if only in hindsight. For example, unrealistic estimates, supply chain difficulties, insufficient schedule margin, technical problems, scope changes, or the occurrence of risk events can negatively impact schedule performance. Other factors driving schedule delays and cost overruns may be less obvious and more difficult to quantify. Examples of these less obvious factors include project complexity, flawed estimating assumptions, over-optimism, political factors, "black swan" events, or even poor leadership and communication. Indeed, is it even possible the schedule itself could be a source of delay and subsequent cost overrun? Through literature review, surveys of project practitioners, and the authors' own experience on NASA programs and projects, the authors will categorize and examine the various factors affecting the relationship between project schedule delays and cost growth. The authors will also propose some ideas for organizations to consider to help create an awareness of the factors which could cause or influence schedule delays and associated cost growth on complex projects.

Praeoperativt delay hos patienter med perforeret ulcus: en klinisk audit fra Det Nationale Indikatorprojekt

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Møller, Morten Hylander; Nørgård, Bente Mertz; Mehnert, Frank

2009-01-01

was conducted to investigate possible reasons. MATERIAL AND METHODS: All patients (n = 89) surgically treated for peptic ulcer perforation in six university hospitals in Denmark over a period of one year were included. The association between a number of predefined variables related to the internal organisation......INTRODUCTION: Mortality following perforated peptic ulcer in Denmark is nearly 30%. Delayed surgery is a prognostic factor, but only half of the patients are operated within six hours of perforation - a predefined quality of care criterion in The Danish National Indicator Project. A clinical audit...... size, this audit suggests that long preoperative delay in patients with peptic ulcer perforation is associated with factors related to both the internal organisation of the healthcare system, the patient's pathological picture, and the quality of diagnosis and treatment given. Udgivelsesdato: 2009-Nov...

Patient perspectives on delays in diagnosis and treatment of cancer: a qualitative analysis of free-text data.

Science.gov (United States)

Parsonage, Rachel K; Hiscock, Julia; Law, Rebecca-Jane; Neal, Richard D

2017-01-01

Earlier cancer diagnosis is crucial in improving cancer survival. The International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership Module 4 (ICBP4) is a quantitative survey study that explores the reasons for delays in diagnosis and treatment of breast, colorectal, lung, and ovarian cancer. To further understand the associated diagnostic processes, it is also important to explore the patient perspectives expressed in the free-text comments. To use the free-text data provided by patients completing the ICBP4 survey to augment the understanding of patients' perspectives of their diagnostic journey. Qualitative analysis of the free-text data collected in Wales between October 2013 and December 2014 as part of the ICBP4 survey. Newly-diagnosed patients with either breast, ovarian, colorectal, or lung cancer were identified from registry data and then invited by their GPs to participate in the survey. A thematic framework was used to analyse the free-text comments provided at the end of the ICBP4 survey. Of the 905 patients who returned a questionnaire, 530 included comments. The free-text data provided information about patients' perspectives of the diagnostic journey. Analysis identified factors that acted as either barriers or facilitators at different stages of the diagnostic process. Some factors, such as screening, doctor-patient familiarity, and private treatment, acted as both barriers and facilitators depending on the context. Factors identified in this study help to explain how existing models of cancer diagnosis (for example, the Pathways to Treatment Model) work in practice. It is important that clinicians are aware of how these factors may interact with individual clinical cases and either facilitate, or act as a barrier to, subsequent cancer diagnosis. Understanding and implementing this knowledge into clinical practice may result in quicker cancer diagnoses. © British Journal of General Practice 2017.

Cognitive factors that influence delayed decision to seek treatment among older patients with acute myocardial infarction in Korea.

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Hwang, Seon Young; Jeong, Myung Ho

2012-06-01

The incidence of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is rapidly increasing among older adults in Korea. However, the factors associated with a delayed decision to visit a hospital and the reasons for this delay have not been explored adequately among older patients. To determine factors predicting a prehospital delay time of > 6 h and to identify the cognitive barriers in the delayed decision of AMI patients aged ≥ 65 years. This study adopted a mixed methodological approach using quantitative and qualitative analyses. The sample included 94 male and 71 female patients hospitalized for first-time AMI at a university hospital in Korea. Thematic content analysis was used to identify the themes from the qualitative interview data, and multiple logistic regression analysis was used to predict delayed hospital presentation by > 6 h. The median prehospital delay time was 12 h. Low education level, presence of preinfarction angina pain, and attribution of symptoms to a non-cardiac origin were found to be the predicting factors. From the qualitative data, four meaningful themes including 10 subthemes that influenced the delayed decision were identified. Some culturally peculiar themes were found in this Korean sample. Educational strategies that focus on these cognitive decision-making barriers should be planned for elderly Korean at high risk for AMI.

Comparison of intraoperative versus delayed enteral feeding tube placement in patients undergoing a Whipple procedure.

Science.gov (United States)

Scaife, Courtney L; Hewitt, Kelly C; Mone, Mary C; Hansen, Heidi J; Nelson, Edward T; Mulvihill, Sean J

2014-01-01

The intraoperative placement of an enteral feeding tube (FT) during pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) is based on the surgeon's perception of need for postoperative nutrition. Published preoperative risk factors predicting postoperative morbidity may be used to predict FT need and associated intraoperative placement. A retrospective review of patients who underwent PD during 2005-2011 was performed by querying the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database with specific procedure codes. Patients were categorized based on how many of 10 possible preoperative risk factors they demonstrated. Groups of patients with scores of ≤ 1 (low) and ≥ 2 (high), respectively, were compared for FT need, length of stay (LoS) and organ space surgical site infections (SSIs). Of 138 PD patients, 82 did not have an FT placed intraoperatively, and, of those, 16 (19.5%) required delayed FT placement. High-risk patients were more likely to require a delayed FT (29.3%) compared with low-risk patients (9.8%) (P = 0.026). The 16 patients who required a delayed FT had a median LoS of 15.5 days, whereas the 66 patients who did not require an FT had a median LoS of 8 days (P < 0.001). In this analysis, subjects considered as high-risk patients were more likely to require an FT than low-risk patients. Assessment of preoperative risk factors may improve decision making for selective intraoperative FT placement. © 2013 International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association.

Isolated neurodevelopmental delay in childhood: clinicoradiological correlation in 170 patients

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Demaerel, P. (Department of Neuroradiology, Hospital for Sick Children, London (United Kingdom)); Kingsley, D.P.E. (Department of Neuroradiology, Hospital for Sick Children, London (United Kingdom)); Kendall, B.E. (Department of Neuroradiology, Hospital for Sick Children, London (United Kingdom))

1993-03-01

CT findings on 170 patients presenting with isolated moderate to severe neurodevelopmental delay have been compared with the final diagnosis. MRI was undertaken in 29 patients. Eighty per cent of the patients remained undiagnosed, and although the MRI findings were abnormal in 65.5% compared with only 30% of the CT examinations, imaging uncommonly suggested a specific diagnosis. Biochemical and chromosomal investigations were significantly more diagnostic. The results of these studies should restrict the number of non-contributory neuroradiological examinations. The superior intrinsic contrast of MRI will detect more lesions, particularly in white matter, but these are rarely diagnostic and where access to MRI is limited, CT is usually adequate. (orig.)

Isolated neurodevelopmental delay in childhood: clinicoradiological correlation in 170 patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Demaerel, P.; Kingsley, D.P.E.; Kendall, B.E.

1993-01-01

CT findings on 170 patients presenting with isolated moderate to severe neurodevelopmental delay have been compared with the final diagnosis. MRI was undertaken in 29 patients. Eighty per cent of the patients remained undiagnosed, and although the MRI findings were abnormal in 65.5% compared with only 30% of the CT examinations, imaging uncommonly suggested a specific diagnosis. Biochemical and chromosomal investigations were significantly more diagnostic. The results of these studies should restrict the number of non-contributory neuroradiological examinations. The superior intrinsic contrast of MRI will detect more lesions, particularly in white matter, but these are rarely diagnostic and where access to MRI is limited, CT is usually adequate. (orig.)

The reasons for delay lumbar puncture

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MH. Lotfi

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Early diagnosis of meningitis and encephalitis and prompt initiation of appropriate therapy is vital and any delay will lead to high mortality and serious and permanent morbidity. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the management of 220 patients with suspected central nervous system (CNS infections (meningitis and encephalitis to determine the percentage of patients’ suspected CNS infection undergo lumbar puncture in acceptable time (in accordance with conventional algorithms. In this descriptive study, patients with suspected CNS infections admitted to Bu-Ali and Qods hospitals, in the period July 2013 to December 2015 were studied. Information of 220 patients was collected. Continuous variables were summarized as means ± standard deviation and categorical variables as frequencies and percentages. Lumbar puncture (LP in patients was delayed in 200 cases (91%. Most common causes of delay in performing LP were prolongation of the process of determining patient needs to puncture, satisfying patients, CT scan delay and the delay in allowing LP by neurologist. In this study, delaying LP rate was higher than other studies. It seems certain pattern in assistants’ visits for counseling. CT requests and neurologic consultation before LP performed for all adult patients.

Hyperglycaemia and ketosis in a non-diabetic patient--an unusual cause of delayed recovery.

Science.gov (United States)

Pawar, Sundeep T; Nath, Soumya S; Ansari, Farrukh

2014-01-01

We report a case of hyperglycaemia and ketosis developing in a non-diabetic patient who underwent a neurosurgical procedure under general anaesthesia. A 52-year-old non-diabetic female patient underwent excision of acoustic neuroma under general anaesthesia. Pancreatic function was not disturbed and she received a single dose of dexamethasone (8 mg) and paracetamol (1 g). Delayed recovery from anaesthesia occurred. On investigation, she was found to have hyperglycaemia and ketosis. She was further managed on the line of diabetic ketoacidosis. After 24 hours, when blood glucose had normalised and ketosis abated, she could be weaned from mechanical ventilation and extubated. The patient did not receive any drugs known to cause such a condition. To the best of our knowledge, hyperglycaemia and ketosis developing in a non-diabetic patient causing delayed recovery and extubation is here reported for the first time.

123I-BMIPP delayed scintigraphic imaging in patients with chronic heart failure.

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Kida, Keisuke; Akashi, Yoshihiro J; Yoneyama, Kihei; Shimokawa, Mitsuhiro; Musha, Haruki

2008-11-01

The objective of the present study was to clarify the ability of 123I-beta-methyl-iodophenylpentadecanoic acid (123I-BMIPP) to evaluate the heart-to-mediastinum (H/M) ratio and myocardial global washout rate (WR) in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). The severity of CHF was evaluated on the basis of the New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification. Twenty patients with CHF (13 with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy and 7 with ischemic cardiomyopathy) and 11 age-matched controls underwent myocardial radionuclide imaging. Scintigraphic images were obtained from each participant at the early (30 min following radio-isotope injection) and late (4 h) phases using 123I-BMIPP. The H/M ratio and WR were calculated from planar images. Concentrations of plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) were measured prior to the scintigraphic study. The 123I-BMIPP uptake of early H/M and global WR did not significantly differ among groups, but uptake of delayed H/M was significantly lower in patients with NYHA class III than in controls (control 2.47 +/- 0.39; class III 1.78 +/- 0.28, P < 0.05). The uptake of delayed H/M and global WR correlated with plasma log BNP in all participants (r = -0.38, P < 0.05; 0.43, P < 0.05, respectively). These data suggest that 123I-BMIPP uptake of delayed H/M enhances the image of CHF severity. The myocardial WR of 123I-BMIPP also effectively depicted the severity of CHF.

[Determinants of patient and health system delays for women with breast cancer in Morocco, 2013].

Science.gov (United States)

Benbakhta, B; Tazi, M; Benjaafar, N; Khattabi, A; Maaroufi, A

2015-06-01

In Morocco, breast cancer is the first most common cancer in women. It is diagnosed in most cases at an advanced stage. Delay in diagnosis and access to treatment for breast cancer increases morbidity and mortality. The objective of this study was to determine the consultation delay (patient delay), diagnosis delay and access to treatment delay (health system delays) of women with breast cancer admitted at the National Institute of Oncology in Rabat. Factors associated with these delays were analyzed. We conducted a cross-sectional study from December 2012 to May 2013 at the National Institute of Oncology in Rabat. Two hundred eligible and consenting women were interviewed using a structured and pre-tested questionnaire. Stages I and II were identified as "early stages" and III and IV as "advanced stages". In our population, 54% were diagnosed at an early stage of breast cancer and 46% at an advanced stage. The median total delay was 120 days (interquartile interval [IIQ]=81-202 days). The patient delay (median=65 days, IIQ=31-121) was longer than the health system delay (median=50 days, IIQ=29-77). High risk for a long total delay (more than 4 months) was observed for women who were aged over 65 years (OR=1.30, 95% CI 1.10-4.20), illiterate (OR=4.50, 95% CI 2.10-6.20), rural residents (OR=3.40, 95% CI 1.23-8.13), in a lower socioeconomic category (OR=4.75, 95% CI 1.45-15.60), without knowledge about breast self-examination (OR=5.67, 95% CI 2.65-12.15) and seen more than 2 times before diagnosis (OR=7.70, 95% CI 2.88-20.50). A long total delay increased the risk of being diagnosed at an advanced stage (OR=5.62, 95% CI 3.03-10.45). Efforts should be directed to providing good information to the population at risk, better access to screening and continuing medical training to enable diagnosis and early treatment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Total Delay Is Associated with Unfavorable Treatment Outcome among Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients in West Gojjam Zone, Northwest Ethiopia: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Senedu Bekele Gebreegziabher

Full Text Available delay in diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis (TB may worsen the disease, increase mortality and enhance transmission in the community. This study aimed at assessing the association between total delay and unfavorable treatment outcome among newly diagnosed pulmonary TB (PTB patients.A prospective cohort study was conducted in West Gojjam Zone, Amhara Region of Ethiopia from October 2013 to May 2015. Newly diagnosed PTB patients who were ≥15 years of age were consecutively enrolled in the study from 30 randomly selected public health facilities. Total delay (the time period from onset of TB symptoms to first start of anti-TB treatment was measured. Median total delay was calculated. Mixed effect logistics regression was used to analyze factors associated with unfavorable treatment outcome.Seven hundred six patients were enrolled in the study. The median total delay was 60 days. Patients with total delay of > 60 days were more likely to have unfavorable TB treatment outcome than patients with total delay of ≤ 60 days (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 2.33; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04-5.26. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV positive TB patients were 8.46 times more likely to experience unfavorable treatment outcome than HIV negative TB patients (AOR, 8.46; 95% CI, 3.14-22.79.Long total delay and TB/HIV coinfection were associated with unfavorable treatment outcome. Targeted interventions that can reduce delay in diagnosis and treatment of TB, and early comprehensive management of TB/HIV coinfection are needed to reduce increased risk of unfavorable treatment outcome.

Delayed follow-up in patients with diabetic retinopathy in South India: Social factors and impact on disease progression

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Natrajan Vengadesan

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose: To identify social factors associated with delayed follow-up in South Indian patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR and to study DR progression during the delayed follow-up period. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 500 consecutive patients with DR returning after greater than twice the advised follow-up period were identified from a tertiary referral center in South India. A previously validated 19-item questionnaire was administered to study patients to assess causes for the follow-up delay. Patient demographics, DR status, and treatment plan were recorded at the study visit and the visit immediately before the delay. The eye with the most severe disease was included in the analysis. Results: Complete data were available for 491 (98.2% patients. Among these, 248 (50.5% cited “my eyes were okay at the time,” 201 (41.0% cited “no attender to accompany me,” and 190 (38.6% cited “financial cost” as causes of the follow-up delay. Those with vision-threatening DR (VTDR, n = 233 predominantly reported “financial cost” (47% vs. 32%, P= 0.001, whereas those with non-VTDR more frequently reported “my eyes were okay at the time” (58% vs. 42%, P= 0.001. Evidence of disease progression from non-VTDR to VTDR was seen in 67 (26% patients. Almost 1/3rd (29% of patients who were previously advised regular examination required additional intervention. Conclusion: Many patient-level factors affect poor compliance with follow-up in DR, and these factors vary by disease severity. Targeting these barriers to care through patient education and clinic procedures may promote timely follow-up and better outcomes in these patients.

Delay discounting, impulsiveness, and addiction severity in opioid-dependent patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Robles, Elias; Huang, B Emma; Simpson, Pippa M; McMillan, Donald E

2011-12-01

Individuals who abuse drugs show higher delay discounting (DD) rate and impulsiveness scores compared with controls; however, it is unclear if DD rate covaries with severity of the addiction or if an individual's discounting rate can be changed by effective substance abuse treatment. This study compared methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) patients (n = 30) who had not used illegal drugs for 2 years with drug-using MMT patients (n = 30) and controls (n = 25) in terms of addiction severity, DD rate, and impulsiveness. Methadone patients abstinent from illegal drugs scored significantly lower on a number of addiction severity measures than the drug-using methadone patients. In addition, both groups of MMT patients showed significantly higher rates of DD and impulsiveness than the control group; however, no differences in DD rate or impulsiveness were found between the groups of patients. Results suggest that DD rate and impulsiveness may not covary with indicators of addiction severity in MMT patients. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Delayed-onset complications of facial soft tissue augmentation with permanent fillers in 85 patients

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kadouch, Jonathan A.; Kadouch, Daniel J.; Fortuin, Shai; van Rozelaar, Leo; Karim, Refaat B.; Hoekzema, Rick

2013-01-01

To evaluate factors influencing the onset and type of adverse events in patients injected with permanent fillers in the face and to propose a therapeutic strategy for these complications. A prospectively attained series of 85 patients with delayed-onset complications after facial injection with

Delays in the management of retroperitoneal sarcomas

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Seinen, Jojanneke; Almquist, Martin; Styring, Emelie

2010-01-01

Retroperitoneal sarcomas are rare and treatment should optimally be centralized. Despite successful centralization with 90% of the patients referred prior to surgery, delays occur, which led us to assess lead times in a population-based series. Method. Patients diagnosed with retroperitoneal...... sarcoma in the southern Sweden health care region 2003-2009 were eligible for the study. Data on referrals and diagnostic investigations were collected from clinical files from primary health care, local hospitals, and from the sarcoma centre. Lead times were divided into patient delays and health care...... delays caused by primary health care, local hospitals, or procedures at the sarcoma centre. Results. Complete data were available from 33 patients and demonstrated a median patient delay of 23¿days (0-17¿months) and median health care delay of 94¿days (1-40¿months) with delays of median 15¿days...

Relevance of 123I-BMIPP delayed scintigraphic imaging for patients with angina pectoris – a pilot study

Science.gov (United States)

Koyama, Kohei; Akashi, Yoshihiro J.; Kida, Keisuke; Suzuki, Kengo; Ishibashi, Yuki; Musha, Haruki; Banach, Maciej

2011-01-01

Introduction The study was designed to clarify the role of 123I-β-methyl-iodophenylpentadecanoic acid (123I-BMIPP) in the evaluation of myocardial fatty acid metabolism in patients with stable angina pectoris (AP) before and after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Material and methods Ten controls (mean age: 70.4 ±10.5 years) and 12 patients with AP (mean age: 67.4 ±11.6 years) and single vessel coronary artery disease participated in the radionuclide cardiac study. Scintigraphic images were acquired at 30 min and at 4 h after 123I-BMIPP injection to determine early and delayed BMIPP uptake, respectively. The heart-to-mediastinum (H/M) ratio and the washout rate (WR) were calculated from the planar images. All patients underwent scintigraphy one day before PCI and again 1 month after successful PCI. Results No significant differences in the early or delayed H/M ratios were observed between the patients and the controls before PCI (early: 2.70 ±0.36 vs. 2.73 ±0.57; delayed: 2.26 ±0.33 vs. 2.40 ±0.43; p > 0.2 for both). The early and delayed H/M ratios remained unchanged with the comparison with before PCI (early: 2.72 ±0.27, delayed: 2.23 ±0.22; p > 0.2 for both). The global WR before PCI was significantly higher in the patients than in the control group (36.7 ±9.3%, vs. 28.1 ±8.2%, p = 0.02). However, the WR after PCI did not significantly differ between the patients and the controls (34.3 ±7.8% vs. 28.1 ±8.2%, p = 0.1). Conclusions These data may suggest that the WR of 123I-BMIPP determined from the planar images enhances the presence of myocardial ischaemia. PMID:22295024

Impact of health care system delay in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction on return to labor market and work retirement.

Science.gov (United States)

Laut, Kristina Grønborg; Hjort, Jacob; Engstrøm, Thomas; Jensen, Lisette Okkels; Tilsted Hansen, Hans-Henrik; Jensen, Jan Skov; Pedersen, Frants; Jørgensen, Erik; Holmvang, Lene; Pedersen, Alma Becic; Christensen, Erika Frischknecht; Lippert, Freddy; Lang-Jensen, Torsten; Jans, Henning; Hansen, Poul Anders; Trautner, Sven; Kristensen, Steen Dalby; Lassen, Jens Flensted; Lash, Timothy L; Clemmensen, Peter; Terkelsen, Christian Juhl

2014-12-15

System delay (delay from emergency medical service call to reperfusion with primary percutaneous coronary intervention [PPCI]) is acknowledged as a performance measure in ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), as shorter system delay is associated with lower mortality. It is unknown whether system delay also impacts ability to stay in the labor market. Therefore, the aim of the study was to evaluate whether system delay is associated with duration of absence from work or time to retirement from work among patients with STEMI treated with PPCI. We conducted a population-based cohort study including patients ≤67 years of age who were admitted with STEMI from January 1, 1999, to December 1, 2011 and treated with PPCI. Data were derived from Danish population-based registries. Only patients who were full- or part-time employed before their STEMI admission were included. Association between system delay and time to return to the labor market was analyzed using a competing-risk regression analysis. Association between system delay and time to retirement from work was analyzed using a Cox regression model. A total of 4,061 patients were included. Ninety-three percent returned to the labor market during 4 years of follow-up, and 41% retired during 8 years of follow-up. After adjustment, system delay >120 minutes was associated with reduced resumption of work (subhazard ratio 0.86, 95% confidence interval 0.81 to 0.92) and earlier retirement from work (hazard ratio 1.21, 95% confidence interval 1.08 to 1.36). In conclusion, system delay was associated with reduced work resumption and earlier retirement. This highlights the value of system delay as a performance measure in treating patients with STEMI. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An empirical assessment of boarding and quality of care: delays in care among chest pain, pneumonia, and cellulitis patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Shan W; Chang, Yuchiao; Weissman, Joel S; Griffey, Richard T; Thomas, James; Nergui, Suvd; Hamedani, Azita G; Camargo, Carlos A; Singer, Sara

2011-12-01

As hospital crowding has increased, more patients have ended up boarding in the emergency department (ED) awaiting their inpatient beds. To the best of our knowledge, no study has compared the quality of care of boarded and nonboarded patients. This study sought to examine whether being a boarded patient and boarding longer were associated with more delays, medication errors, and adverse events among ED patients admitted with chest pain, pneumonia, or cellulitis. This study was a retrospective cohort design in which data collection was accomplished via medical record review from two urban teaching hospitals. Patients admitted with chest pain, pneumonia, or cellulitis between August 2004 and January 2005 were eligible for inclusion. Our outcomes measures were: 1) delays in administration of home medications, cardiac enzyme tests, partial thromboplastin time (PTT), and antibiotics; 2) medication errors; and 3) adverse events or near misses. Primary independent variables were boarded status, boarding time, and boarded time interval. Multiple logistic regression models controlling for patient, ED, and hospital characteristics were used. A total of 1,431 patient charts were included: 811 with chest pain, 387 with pneumonia, and 233 with cellulitis. Boarding time was associated with an increased odds of home medication delays (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.07, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.05 to 1.10), as were boarded time intervals of 12, 18, and 24 hours. Boarding time also was associated with lower odds of having a late cardiac enzyme test (AOR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.88 to 0.97). Boarding was associated with home medication delays, but fewer cardiac enzyme test delays. Boarding was not associated with delayed PTT checks, antibiotic administration, medication errors, or adverse events/near misses. These findings likely reflect the inherent resources of the ED and the inpatient units. © 2011 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

Predictors of delay in starting radiation treatment for patients with early stage breast cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benk, Veronique; Ho, Vivian; Fortin, Paul R.; Zhang, G.; Levinton, Carey; Freeman, C.R.

1998-01-01

Purpose: To describe the factors predicting waiting time for radiation treatment in early breast cancer. Materials and Methods: Between January 1992 and December 1993, 739 patients with Stage I and II breast cancer were treated with conservative treatment at three McGill University Hospitals. Waiting time was defined as the interval between the date of surgery and the date of the first radiation treatment. Delay was defined as a waiting time of more than 7 weeks for women who did not receive chemotherapy (Group NC, n 478), and as a waiting time of more than 24 weeks for those who received chemotherapy (Group C, n = 261). We analyzed predictive factors related to the patient (age, stage, treatment on protocol, income by postal code) and to the referring hospital (university or community hospital). Results: For the entire population, 54% of patients were delayed, 72% in Group NC and 21.4% in Group C. Univariate analysis showed an impact of referring hospital in both groups, and of stage and treatment on protocol in Group C (all p = 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that delays were significantly less in Group NC for women referred from a community hospital (p = 0.001) and in Group C for women with Stage I disease (p = 0.06), those treated on protocol, and those referred from a university hospital (p = 0.001). Conclusion: More than half of patients with early breast cancer waited more than the recommended intervals for radiation therapy. However, lower income breast cancer patients did not wait longer for treatment than higher income patients, possibly a result of the Canadian Medicare system which provides universal access to health care

Delay From First Medical Contact to Primary PCI and All‐Cause Mortality: A Nationwide Study of Patients With ST‐Elevation Myocardial Infarction

Science.gov (United States)

Koul, Sasha; Andell, Pontus; Martinsson, Andreas; Gustav Smith, J.; van der Pals, Jesper; Scherstén, Fredrik; Jernberg, Tomas; Lagerqvist, Bo; Erlinge, David

2014-01-01

Background Early reperfusion in the setting of an ST‐elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is of utmost importance. However, the effects of early versus late reperfusion in this patient group undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) have so far been inconsistent in previous studies. The purpose of this study was to evaluate in a nationwide cohort the effects of delay from first medical contact to PCI (first medical contact [FMC]‐to‐PCI) and secondarily delay from symptom‐to‐PCI on clinical outcomes. Methods and Results Using the national Swedish Coronary Angiography and Angioplasty Register (SCAAR) registry, STEMI patients undergoing primary PCI between the years 2003 and 2008 were screened for. A total of 13 790 patients were included in the FMC‐to‐PCI analysis and 11 489 patients were included in the symptom‐to‐PCI analyses. Unadjusted as well as multivariable analyses showed an overall significant association between increasing FMC‐to‐PCI delay and 1‐year mortality. A statistically significant increase in mortality was noted at FMC‐to‐PCI delays exceeding 1 hour in an incremental fashion. FMC‐to‐PCI delays in excess of 1 hour were also significantly associated with an increase in severe left ventricular dysfunction at discharge. An overall significant association between increasing symptom‐to‐PCI delays and 1‐year mortality was noted. However, when stratified into time delay cohorts, no symptom‐to‐PCI delay except for the highest time delay showed a statistically significant association with increased mortality. Conclusions Delays in FMC‐to‐PCI were strongly associated with increased mortality already at delays of more than 1 hour, possibly through an increase in severe heart failure. A goal of FMC‐to‐PCI of less than 1 hour might save patient lives. PMID:24595190

What do our patients understand about their trial participation? Assessing patients' understanding of their informed consent consultation about randomised clinical trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Behrendt, C; Gölz, T; Roesler, C; Bertz, H; Wünsch, A

2011-02-01

Ethically, informed consent regarding randomised controlled trials (RCTs) should be understandable to patients. The patients can then give free consent or decline to participate in a RCT. Little is known about what patients really understand in consultations about RCTs. Cancer patients who were asked to participate in a randomised trial were surveyed using a semi-standardised interview developed by the authors. The interview addresses understanding, satisfaction and needs of the patients. The sample included eight patients who participated in a trial and two who declined. The data were analysed on the basis of Mayring's qualitative analysis. Patients' understanding of informed consent was less developed than anticipated, especially concerning key elements such as randomisation, content and procedure of RCTs. Analysing the result about satisfaction of the patients, most of the patients described their consultations as hectic and without advance notice. Health limitations due to cancer played a decisive role. However, most of the patients perceived their physician to be sympathetic. Analysing the needs of patients, they ask for a clear informed consent consultation with enough time and adequate advance notice. This study fills an important empirical research gap of what is ethically demanded in an RCT consultation and what is really understood by patients. The qualitative approach enabled us to obtain new results about cancer patients' understanding of informed consent, to clarify patients' needs and to develop new ideas to optimise the informed consent.

Improved Delayed-Neutron Spectroscopy Using Trapped Ions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Norman, Eric

2018-04-24

The neutrons emitted following the  decay of fission fragments (known as delayed neutrons because they are emitted after fission on a timescale of the -decay half-lives) play a crucial role in reactor performance and control. Reviews of delayed-neutron properties highlight the need for high-quality data for a wide variety of delayed-neutron emitters to better understand the timedependence and energy spectrum of the neutrons as these properties are essential for a detailed understanding of reactor kinetics needed for reactor safety and to understand the behavior of these reactors under various accident and component-failure scenarios. For fast breeder reactors, criticality calculations require accurate delayed-neutron energy spectra and approximations that are acceptable for light-water reactors such as assuming the delayed-neutron and fission-neutron energy spectra are identical are not acceptable and improved -delayed neutron data is needed for safety and accident analyses for these reactors. With improved nuclear data, the delayedneutrons flux and energy spectrum could be calculated from the contributions from individual isotopes and therefore could be accurately modeled for any fuel-cycle concept, actinide mix, or irradiation history. High-quality -delayed neutron measurements are also critical to constrain modern nuclear-structure calculations and empirical models that predict the decay properties for nuclei for which no data exists and improve the accuracy and flexibility of the existing empirical descriptions of delayed neutrons from fission such as the six-group representation

Patient Related Factors Associated with Delayed Reporting in Oral Cavity and Oropharyngeal Cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Akram

2014-01-01

Conclusions: The results of this study provide guidance towards interventions to reduce patient delay. Interventions should target the rural, older age group and lower socioeconomic population for educating them and to change their psychosocial behavior for oral and oropharyngeal cancer.

Dyspeptic symptoms and delayed gastric emptying of solids in patients with inactive Crohn’s disease

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nóbrega Ana Carolina Mello

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Patients with Crohn’s disease (CD have been shown to present dyspeptic symptoms more frequently than the general population. Some of these symptoms could be related to motility disorders to some degree. Then, we propose to investigate whether gastric emptying of solids in patients with inactive CD is delayed and to determine the relationships between gastric emptying and dyspeptic symptoms in inactive CD. Methods Twenty-six patients with inactive Crohn’s disease, as defined by a Crohn’s Disease Activity Index (CDAI 13C octanoic acid coupled to a solid meal and answered a validated questionnaire (The Porto Alegre Dyspeptic Symptoms Questionnaire to assess dyspeptic symptoms. Patients with scores ≥ 6 were considered to have dyspepsia. The control group was composed by 19 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers. Results Patients with CD had a significantly longer t 1/2 and t lag (p Conclusion Delayed gastric emptying in inactive Crohn’s disease patients seems to be associated with dyspeptic symptoms, particularly vomiting, even without any evidence of gastrointestinal obstruction.

Reducing time delays in the management of ischemic stroke patients in Northern Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Vidale, Simone; Arnaboldi, Marco; Bezzi, Giacomo; Bono, Giorgio; Grampa, Giampiero; Guidotti, Mario; Perrone, Patrizia; Salmaggi, Andrea; Zarcone, Davide; Zoli, Alberto; Agostoni, Elio

2016-07-15

Thrombolysis represents the best therapy for ischemic stroke but the main limitation of its administration is time. The avoidable delay is a concept reflecting the effectiveness of management pathway. For this reason, we projected a study concerning the detection of main delays with following introduction of corrective factors. In this paper we describe the results after these corrections. Consecutive patients admitted for ischemic stroke during a 3-months period to 35 hospitals of a macro-area of Northern Italy were enrolled. Each time of management was registered, identifying three main intervals: pre-hospital, in-hospital and total times. Previous corrective interventions were: 1.increasing of population awareness to use the Emergency Medical Service (EMS); 2.pre-notification of Emergency Department; 3.use of high urgency codes; 4.use of standardised operational algorithm. Statistical analysis was conducted using time-to-event analysis and Cox proportional hazard regression. 1084 patients were enrolled. EMS was alerted for 56.3% of subjects, mainly in females and severe strokes (ptimes were 113 and 105min, while total time was 240. High urgency codes at transport contributed to reduce pre-hospital and in-hospital time (p<0.05). EMS use and high urgency codes promoted thrombolysis. Treatment within 4.5hours from symptom onset was performed in 14% of patients more than the first phase of study. The implementation of an organizational system based on EMS and concomitant high urgency codes use was effective to reduce avoidable delay and to increase thrombolysis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of health care system delay in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction on return to labor market and work retirement

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Laut, Kristina Grønborg; Hjort, Jacob; Engstrøm, Thomas

2014-01-01

system delay also impacts ability to stay in the labor market. Therefore, the aim of the study was to evaluate whether system delay is associated with duration of absence from work or time to retirement from work among patients with STEMI treated with PPCI. We conducted a population-based cohort study...... including patients ≤67 years of age who were admitted with STEMI from January 1, 1999, to December 1, 2011 and treated with PPCI. Data were derived from Danish population-based registries. Only patients who were full- or part-time employed before their STEMI admission were included. Association between...... system delay and time to return to the labor market was analyzed using a competing-risk regression analysis. Association between system delay and time to retirement from work was analyzed using a Cox regression model. A total of 4,061 patients were included. Ninety-three percent returned to the labor...

Delayed flumazenil injection after endoscopic sedation increases patient satisfaction compared with immediate flumazenil injection.

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, Hyun Jung; Bang, Byoung Wook; Kim, Hyung Gil; Kwon, Kye Sook; Shin, Yong Woon; Jeong, Seok; Lee, Don Haeng; Park, Shin Goo

2014-01-01

Flumazenil was administered after the completion of endoscopy under sedation to reduce recovery time and increase patient safety. We evaluated patient satisfaction after endoscopy under sedation according to the timing of a postprocedural flumazenil injection. In total, 200 subjects undergoing concurrent colonoscopy and upper endoscopy while sedated with midazolam and meperidine were enrolled in our investigation. We randomly administered 0.3 mg of flumazenil either immediately or 15 minutes after the endoscopic procedure. A postprocedural questionnaire and next day telephone interview were conducted to assess patient satisfaction. Flumazenil injection timing did not affect the time spent in the recovery room when comparing the two groups of patients. However, the subjects in the 15 minutes injection group were more satisfied with undergoing endoscopy under sedation than the patients in the immediate injection group according to the postprocedural survey (p=0.019). However, no difference in overall satisfaction, memory, or willingness to undergo a future endoscopy was observed between the two groups when the telephone survey was conducted on the following day. This study demonstrated that a delayed flumazenil injection after endoscopic sedation increased patient satisfaction without prolonging recovery time, even though the benefit of the delayed flumazenil injection did not persist into the following day.

123I-BMIPP delayed scintigraphic imaging in patients with chronic heart failure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kida, Keisuke; Akashi, Yoshihiro J.; Yoneyama, Kihei; Shimokawa, Mitsuhiro; Musha, Haruki

2008-01-01

The objective of the present study was to clarify the ability of 123 I-beta-methyl-iodophenylpentadecanoic acid ( 123 I-BMIPP) to evaluate the heart-to-mediastinum (H/M) ratio and myocardial global washout rate (WR) in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). The severity of CHF was evaluated on the basis of the New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification. Twenty patients with CHF (13 with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy and 7 with ischemic cardiomyopathy) and 11 age-matched controls underwent myocardial radionuclide imaging. Scintigraphic images were obtained from each participant at the early (30 min following radio-isotope injection) and late (4 h) phases using 123 I-BMIPP. The H/M ratio and WR were calculated from planar images. Concentrations of plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) were measured prior to the scintigraphic study. The 123 I-BMIPP uptake of early H/M and global WR did not significantly differ among groups, but uptake of delayed H/M was significantly lower in patients with NYHA class III than in controls (control 2.47±0.39; class III 1.78±0.28 P 123 I-BMIPP uptake of delayed H/M enhances the image of CHF severity. The myocardial WR of 123 I-BMIPP also effectively depicted the severity of CHF. (author)

Pathophysiology and therapy of irinotecan-induced delayed-onset diarrhea in patients with advanced colorectal cancer: a prospective assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Saliba, F; Hagipantelli, R; Misset, J L; Bastian, G; Vassal, G; Bonnay, M; Herait, P; Cote, C; Mahjoubi, M; Mignard, D; Cvitkovic, E

1998-08-01

Irinotecan (CPT-11), a camptothecin derivative, has shown efficacy against colorectal cancer. Delayed-onset diarrhea is its main limiting toxicity. The aim of this study was to determine the pathophysiology of CPT-11-induced delayed-onset diarrhea and assess the efficacy of combined antidiarrheal medication in a phase II, prospective, successive-cohorts, open study. Twenty-eight patients with advanced colorectal cancer refractory to fluorouracil (5-FU) therapy received CPT-11 350 mg/m2 every 3 weeks. The first cohort of 14 consecutive patients explored for the mechanism of diarrhea received acetorphan (a new enkephalinase inhibitor) 100 mg three times daily; the second 14-patient cohort received, in addition to acetorphan, loperamide 4 mg three times daily. Before treatment, and if late diarrhea occurred, patients underwent colon mucosal biopsies for CPT-11 and topoisomerase I levels; intestinal transit time; fecalogram; fat and protein excretion; alpha1-antitrypsin clearance; D-xylose test; blood levels for vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, glucagon, gastrin, somatostatin, prostaglandin E2, and carboxylesterase; CPT-11/SN-38 and SN-38 glucuronide pharmacokinetics; and stool cultures. Delayed-onset diarrhea occurred during the first three treatment cycles in 23 patients (82%). Electrolyte fecal measurements showed a negative or small osmotic gap in nine of nine patients and an increased alpha1-antitrypsin clearance in six of six patients. There were no modifications in stool cultures or hormonal dysfunction. Four of 11 patients (36%) with delayed-onset diarrhea in the first cohort responded to acetorphan, whereas nine of 10 patients (90%) responded to the combination of acetorphan and loperamide (P diarrhea is caused by a secretory mechanism with an exudative component. Early combined treatment with loperamide and acetorphan seems effective in controlling the diarrheal episodes.

Impact of delay in clinical presentation on the diagnostic management and prognosis of patients with suspected pulmonary embolism

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Den Exter, Paul L.; Van Es, Josien; Erkens, Petra M.G.; Van Roosmalen, Mark J.G.; Van Den Hoven, Pim; Hovens, Marcel M.C.; Kamphuisen, Pieter W.; Klok, Frederikus A.; Huisman, Menno V.

2013-01-01

Rationale: The nonspecific clinical presentation of pulmonary embolism (PE) frequently leads to delay in its diagnosis. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the impact of delay in presentation on the diagnostic management and clinical outcome of patients with suspected PE. Methods: In 4,044

Leveraging delay discounting for health: Can time delays influence food choice?

Science.gov (United States)

Appelhans, Bradley M; French, Simone A; Olinger, Tamara; Bogucki, Michael; Janssen, Imke; Avery-Mamer, Elizabeth F; Powell, Lisa M

2018-03-15

Delay discounting, the tendency to choose smaller immediate rewards over larger delayed rewards, is theorized to promote consumption of immediately rewarding but unhealthy foods at the expense of long-term weight maintenance and nutritional health. An untested implication of delay discounting models of decision-making is that selectively delaying access to less healthy foods may promote selection of healthier (immediately available) alternatives, even if they may be less desirable. The current study tested this hypothesis by measuring healthy versus regular vending machine snack purchasing before and during the implementation of a 25-s time delay on the delivery of regular snacks. Purchasing was also examined under a $0.25 discount on healthy snacks, a $0.25 tax on regular snacks, and the combination of both pricing interventions with the 25-s time delay. Across 32,019 vending sales from three separate vending locations, the 25-s time delay increased healthy snack purchasing from 40.1% to 42.5%, which was comparable to the impact of a $0.25 discount (43.0%). Combining the delay and the discount had a roughly additive effect (46.0%). However, the strongest effects were seen under the $0.25 tax on regular snacks (53.7%) and the combination of the delay and the tax (50.2%). Intervention effects varied substantially between vending locations. Importantly, time delays did not harm overall vending sales or revenue, which is relevant to the real-world feasibility of this intervention. More investigation is needed to better understand how the impact of time delays on food choice varies across populations, evaluate the effects of time delays on beverage vending choices, and extend this approach to food choices in contexts other than vending machines. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02359916. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characteristics of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy on delayed contrast-enhanced MRI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yan Chaowu; Zhao Shihua; Li Hua; Jiang Shiliang; Lu Minjie; Zhang Yan; Wei Yunqing; Ling Jian; Fang Wei

2010-01-01

Objective: To analyze the characteristics of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) on delayed contrast-enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI). Methods: All patients underwent delayed contrast-enhanced CMRI. The left ventricle was divided into 9 segments to assess the location, extent and function of the hypertrophic segments. The t test was applied for the statistics. Results: Of 154 patients, delayed enhancement of' hypertrophic segment was found in 95 cases and non-delayed enhancement in 59 cases. The thickness and number of hypertrophic segment in patients with delayed enhancement were larger than those with non-delayed enhancement [(24.8±5.5) mm vs (20.4± 3.8) mm, t=3.82, P<0.05; (3.3±1.9) vs (2.4±1.7), t=2.26, P<0.05], and the age was younger [(46.0±15.2) years vs (55.0±11.9) years, t=-3.67, P<0.05]. The diffuse enhancement was found in 62 patients, and confluent enhancement in 33 patients. Confluent enhancement was found in all 14 patients after the alcohol ablation procedure. Conclusion: The age, thickness and number of hypertrophic segments in patients with delayed enhancement are different from those with non-delayed enhancement. (authors)

Prospective analysis of delayed colorectal post-polypectomy bleeding.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Soo-Kyung; Seo, Jeong Yeon; Lee, Min-Gu; Yang, Hyo-Joon; Jung, Yoon Suk; Choi, Kyu Yong; Kim, Hungdai; Kim, Hyung Ook; Jung, Kyung Uk; Chun, Ho-Kyung; Park, Dong Il

2018-01-17

Although post-polypectomy bleeding is the most frequent complication after colonoscopic polypectomy, only few studies have investigated the incidence of bleeding prospectively. The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of delayed post-polypectomy bleeding and its associated risk factors prospectively. Patients who underwent colonoscopic polypectomy at Kangbuk Samsung Hospital from January 2013 to December 2014 were prospectively enrolled in this study. Trained nurses contacted patients via telephone 7 and 30 days after polypectomy and completed a standardized questionnaire regarding the development of bleeding. Delayed post-polypectomy bleeding was categorized as minor or major and early or late bleeding. Major delayed bleeding was defined as a > 2-g/dL drop in the hemoglobin level, requiring hospitalization for control of bleeding or blood transfusion; late delayed bleeding was defined as bleeding occurring later than 24 h after polypectomy. A total of 8175 colonoscopic polypectomies were performed in 3887 patients. Overall, 133 (3.4%) patients developed delayed post-polypectomy bleeding. Among them, 90 (2.3%) and 43 (1.1%) patients developed minor and major delayed bleeding, respectively, and 39 (1.0%) patients developed late delayed bleeding. In the polyp-based multivariate analysis, young age ( 10 mm (OR 2.45; 95% CI 1.38-4.36) were significant risk factors for major delayed bleeding, while young age (< 50 years; OR 2.6; 95% CI 1.35-5.12) and immediate bleeding (OR 3.3; 95% CI 1.49-7.30) were significant risk factors for late delayed bleeding. Young age, aspirin use, polyp size, and immediate bleeding were found to be independent risk factors for delayed post-polypectomy bleeding.

Numeracy Predicts Risk of Pre-Hospital Decision Delay: a Retrospective Study of Acute Coronary Syndrome Survival.

Science.gov (United States)

Petrova, Dafina; Garcia-Retamero, Rocio; Catena, Andrés; Cokely, Edward; Heredia Carrasco, Ana; Arrebola Moreno, Antonio; Ramírez Hernández, José Antonio

2017-04-01

Many patients delay seeking medical attention during acute coronary syndromes (ACS), profoundly increasing their risk for death and major disability. Although research has identified several risk factors, efforts to improve patient decision making have generally been unsuccessful, prompting a call for more research into psychological factors. The purpose of this study is to estimate the relationship between ACS decision delay and numeracy, a factor closely related to general decision making skill and risk literacy. About 5 days after experiencing ACS, 102 survivors (mean age = 58, 32-74) completed a questionnaire including measures of numeracy, decision delay, and other relevant factors (e.g., anxiety, depression, symptom severity, knowledge, demographics). Low patient numeracy was related to longer decision delay, OR = 0.64 [95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.44, 0.92], which was in turn related to higher odds of positive troponin on arrival at the hospital, OR = 1.37 [95 % CI 1.01, 2.01]. Independent of the influence of all other assessed factors, a patient with high (vs. low) numeracy was about four times more likely to seek medical attention within the critical first hour after symptom onset (i.e., OR high-low  = 3.84 [1.127, 11.65]). Numeracy may be one of the largest decision delay risk factors identified to date. Results accord with theories emphasizing potentially pivotal roles of patient deliberation, denial, and outcome understanding during decision making. Findings suggest that brief numeracy assessments may predict which patients are at greater risk for life-threatening decision delay and may also facilitate the design of risk communications that are appropriate for diverse patients who vary in risk literacy.

Representing delayed force feedback as a combination of current and delayed states.

Science.gov (United States)

Avraham, Guy; Mawase, Firas; Karniel, Amir; Shmuelof, Lior; Donchin, Opher; Mussa-Ivaldi, Ferdinando A; Nisky, Ilana

2017-10-01

To adapt to deterministic force perturbations that depend on the current state of the hand, internal representations are formed to capture the relationships between forces experienced and motion. However, information from multiple modalities travels at different rates, resulting in intermodal delays that require compensation for these internal representations to develop. To understand how these delays are represented by the brain, we presented participants with delayed velocity-dependent force fields, i.e., forces that depend on hand velocity either 70 or 100 ms beforehand. We probed the internal representation of these delayed forces by examining the forces the participants applied to cope with the perturbations. The findings showed that for both delayed forces, the best model of internal representation consisted of a delayed velocity and current position and velocity. We show that participants relied initially on the current state, but with adaptation, the contribution of the delayed representation to adaptation increased. After adaptation, when the participants were asked to make movements with a higher velocity for which they had not previously experienced with the delayed force field, they applied forces that were consistent with current position and velocity as well as delayed velocity representations. This suggests that the sensorimotor system represents delayed force feedback using current and delayed state information and that it uses this representation when generalizing to faster movements. NEW & NOTEWORTHY The brain compensates for forces in the body and the environment to control movements, but it is unclear how it does so given the inherent delays in information transmission and processing. We examined how participants cope with delayed forces that depend on their arm velocity 70 or 100 ms beforehand. After adaptation, participants applied opposing forces that revealed a partially correct representation of the perturbation using the current and the

Impact of delay in clinical presentation on the diagnostic management and prognosis of patients with suspected pulmonary embolism

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Den Exter, P. L.; Van Es, J.; Erkens, P. G. M.; Roosmalen, M.; Hoven, P.; Hovens, M.; Kamphuisen, P. W.; Klok, F. A.; Huisman, M.

Background: The non-specific clinical presentation of pulmonary embolism (PE) frequently leads to delay in its diagnosis. Aims: To assess the impact of delay in presentation on the diagnostic management and clinical outcome of patients with suspected PE. Methods: For this post-hoc analysis, we used

Assessment of Confounding in Studies of Delay and Survival

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tørring, Marie Louise; Vedsted, Peter; Frydenberg, Morten

BACKGROUND: Whether longer time to diagnosis (diagnostic delay) in patients with cancer symptoms is directly and independently associated with poor prognosis cannot be determined in randomised controlled trials. Analysis of observational data is therefore necessary. Many previous studies of the i......BACKGROUND: Whether longer time to diagnosis (diagnostic delay) in patients with cancer symptoms is directly and independently associated with poor prognosis cannot be determined in randomised controlled trials. Analysis of observational data is therefore necessary. Many previous studies......) Clarify which factors are considered confounders or intermediate variables in the literature. 2) Assess how and to what extent these factors bias survival estimates. CONSIDERATIONS: As illustrated in Figure 1, symptoms of cancer may alert patients, GP's, and hospital doctors differently and influence both...... delay and survival time in different ways. We therefore assume that the impact of confounding factors depends on the type of delay studied (e.g., patient delay, GP delay, referral delay, or treatment delay). MATERIALS & METHODS: The project includes systematic review and methodological developments...

Boarding is associated with higher rates of medication delays and adverse events but fewer laboratory-related delays.

Science.gov (United States)

Sri-On, Jiraporn; Chang, Yuchiao; Curley, David P; Camargo, Carlos A; Weissman, Joel S; Singer, Sara J; Liu, Shan W

2014-09-01

Hospital crowding and emergency department (ED) boarding are large and growing problems. To date, there has been a paucity of information regarding the quality of care received by patients boarding in the ED compared with the care received by patients on an inpatient unit. We compared the rate of delays and adverse events at the event level that occur while boarding in the ED vs while on an inpatient unit. This study was a secondary analysis of data from medical record review and administrative databases at 2 urban academic teaching hospitals from August 1, 2004, through January 31, 2005. We measured delayed repeat cardiac enzymes, delayed partial thromboplastin time level checks, delayed antibiotic administration, delayed administration of home medications, and adverse events. We compared the incidence of events during ED boarding vs while on an inpatient unit. Among 1431 patient medical records, we identified 1016 events. Emergency department boarding was associated with an increased risk of home medication delays (risk ratio [RR], 1.54; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.26-1.88), delayed antibiotic administration (RR, 2.49; 95% CI, 1.72-3.52), and adverse events (RR, 2.36; 95% CI, 1.15-4.72). On the contrary, ED boarding was associated with fewer delays in repeat cardiac enzymes (RR, 0.17; 95% CI, 0.09-0.27) and delayed partial thromboplastin time checks (RR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.27-0.96). Compared with inpatient units, ED boarding was associated with more medication-related delays and adverse events but fewer laboratory-related delays. Until we can eliminate ED boarding, it is critical to identify areas for improvement. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Early and delayed Tc-99m-tetrofosmin myocardial SPECT in patients with left bundle branch block

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sugihara, Hiroki; Kinoshita, Noriyuki; Adachi, Yoshihiko

1998-01-01

To determine the utility of the myocardial tracer Tc-99m-tetrofosmin in the examination of patients with left bundle branch block (LBBB) and to investigate Tc-99m-tetrofosmin uptake and retention in the myocardium, early and delayed Tc-99m-tetrofosmin SPECT was performed in 10 patients having LBBB without coronary stenosis. After 740 MBq of Tc-99m-tetrofosmin injection in the resting state, the early and delayed SPECT imaging was done at 30 min and 180 min, respectively. Decreased Tc-99m-tetrofosmin uptake in the septal segments was observed in 4 patients (40%) at 30 min and in 9 (90%) at 180 min. Reverse redistribution was seen in 9 of 10 patients. In patients with LBBB, the septal-to-lateral uptake ratio was lower in the delayed images than in the early images (0.80±0.09 vs. 0.89±0.09, p<0.001). In patients with LBBB, the washout rate of Tc-99m-tetrofosmin was higher in the septal segments than in the lateral segments (28.3±4.3% vs. 22.8±3.3%, p<0.001). The SPECT data indicate that in LBBB without coronary stenosis, the uptake of Tc-99m-tetrofosmin is decreased in the septal wall, and that reverse redistribution occurs frequently. Our results contribute to the elucidation of both the cellular biokinetics of Tc-99m-tetrofosmin in the myocardium and the hemodynamics of the septum in LBBB, and indicate the possible clinical utility of Tc-99m-tetrofosmin. (author)

Observations on early and delayed colostomy closure.

Science.gov (United States)

Tade, A O; Salami, B A; Ayoade, B A

2011-06-01

Traditional treatment of a variety of colorectal pathologies had included a diverting colostomy that was closed eight or more weeks later during a readmission. The aim of this retrospective study was to determine the outcomes of early colostomy closure and delayed colostomy closure in patients with temporary colostomies following traumatic and non-traumatic colorectal pathologies. In this study early colostomy closure was the closure of a colostomy within three weeks of its construction, while delayed colostomy closure referred to closure after 3 weeks. Complete records of the 37 adult patients who had temporary colostomy constructed and closed between Jan. 1997 December 2003 for various colorectal pathologies were studied. Fourteen patients had early colostomy closure while 23 had delayed closure. In the early colostomy closure group there were 10 men and 4 women. The mean age of the patients was 28yr with a range of 18-65yr. Colostomies were closed 9-18 days after initial colostomy construction. There was no mortality. Morbidity rate 28.6% (4 out of 14). There were two faecal fistulas (14.3%). Twenty-three patients had delayed colostomy closure 8 weeks to 18 months after initial colostomy construction. These were patients unfit for early surgery after initial colostomy construction because of carcinoma, significant weight loss, or sepsis. There was no mortality. Morbidity rate was 26.1%. There were 3 faecal fistulas (13.2%). Outcomes following early colostomy closure and delayed closure were comparable. Patients fit for surgery should have early closure whilst patients who may have compromised health should have delayed closure.

Delay of insulin initiation in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus inadequately controlled with oral hypoglycemic agents (analysis of patient- and physician-related factors): A prospective observational DIPP-FACTOR study in Korea.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Sin Gon; Kim, Nam Hoon; Ku, Bon Jeong; Shon, Ho Sang; Kim, Doo Man; Park, Tae Sun; Kim, Yong-Seong; Kim, In Joo; Choi, Dong Seop

2017-05-01

To assess the time to initiation of insulin therapy, and concurrently investigate both patient- and physician-related factors associated with delaying insulin therapy in Korean patients with type 2 diabetes uncontrolled by oral hypoglycemic agents (OHAs). This prospective, observational disease registry study was carried out across 69 centers in Korea. Type 2 diabetes patients who had received two or more OHAs within the past 5 years, had a glycated hemoglobin ≥8% in the past 6 months and had not received insulin were included. Data recorded on data collection forms during a 12-month period were analyzed. Of 2168 patients enrolled, 1959 were evaluated and classified as the insulin-initiated or insulin-delayed group. Insulin was prescribed for just 20% of the patients during a 1-year follow-up period, and less than half (44.5%) of the patients who were taking two OHAs started insulin after 6 years. Patient-related factors for delay in insulin initiation included older age, shorter duration of diabetes and lower glycated hemoglobin. Physician-related factors included age (~50 to 1000) of patients consulted per month. Patient refusal (33.6%) and physicians' concerns of patient non-compliance (26.5%) were the major physician-reported reasons for delaying insulin therapy. Inconvenience of insulin therapy (51.6%) and fear of injection (48.2%) were the major reasons for patient refusal. Insulin initiation is delayed in patients with type 2 diabetes uncontrolled by two or more OHAs in Korea. Patient- and physician-related factors associated with this delay need to be addressed for better diabetes management. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Diabetes Investigation published by Asian Association for the Study of Diabetes (AASD) and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Prevalence of conduction delay of the right atrium in patients with SSS: implications for pacing site selection.

Science.gov (United States)

Verlato, Roberto; Zanon, Francesco; Bertaglia, Emanuele; Turrini, Pietro; Baccillieri, Maria Stella; Baracca, Enrico; Bongiorni, Maria Grazia; Zampiero, Aldo; Zonzin, Pietro; Pascotto, Pietro; Venturini, Diego; Corbucci, Giorgio

2007-09-01

To evaluate the prevalence of severe right atrial conduction delay in patients with sinus node dysfunction (SND) and atrial fibrillation (AF) and the effects of pacing in the right atrial appendage (RAA) and in the inter-atrial septum (IAS). Forty-two patients (15 male, 72 +/- 7 years) underwent electrophysiologic study to measure the difference between the conduction time from RAA to coronary sinus ostium during stimulation at 600 ms and after extrastimulus (DeltaCTos). Patients were classified as group A if DeltaCTos > 60 ms and group B if IAS pacing and algorithms ON/OFF. Fifteen patients (36%, group A) had DeltaCTos = 76 +/- 11 ms and 27 patients (64%, group B) had DeltaCTos = 36 +/- 20 ms. Twenty-two patients were paced at the RAA and 20 at the IAS. During the study, no AF recurrences were reported in 11 of 42 (26%) patients, independently of RAA or IAS pacing. Patients from group A and RAA pacing had 0.79 +/- 0.81 episodes of AF/day during DDD, which increased to 1.52 +/- 1.41 episodes of AF/day during DDDR + Alg (P = 0.046). Those with IAS pacing had 0.5 +/- 0.24 episodes of AF/day during DDD, which decreased to 0.06 +/- 0.08 episodes of AF/day during DDDR + Alg (P = 0.06). In group B, no differences were reported between pacing sites and pacing modes. Severe right atrial conduction delay is present in one-third of patients with SND and AF: continuous pacing at the IAS is superior to RAA for AF recurrences. In patients without severe conduction delay, no differences between pacing site or mode were observed.

Diagnosis delay in tuberculosis and its consequences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Habibullah, S.; Sheikh, M.A.; Sadiq, A.; Anwar, T.

2004-01-01

Objective: To find out the average duration from onset of symptoms to the diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis, reasons for diagnostic delay, its consequences, association of variables and formulation of recommendations. Results: In this study it was found that average time from onset of initial symptoms to diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis was 120 days. In 64% of the patients medical practitioners were responsible for delaying the diagnosis of tuberculosis. Loss of weight in 40% and haemoptysis is 21% were the consequences of diagnostic delay of tuberculosis. Delay in the diagnosis of tuberculosis was statistically significant in those patients who consulted private practitioners, and consequences of tuberculosis were severe in those patients who consulted late. (author)

[Re-bleeding predictors in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage and delayed neurosurgical treatment].

Science.gov (United States)

Rivero Rodríguez, Dannys; Scherle Matamoros, Claudio; Fernández Cúe, Leda; Miranda Hernández, José Luis; Pernas Sánchez, Yanelis; Pérez Nellar, Jesús

2016-01-01

To evaluate the re-bleeding predictors in patients with delayed treatment of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. A prospective cohort study enrolled 261 patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage, attending in Hermanos Ameijeiras Hospital from October 2005, and June 2014. An increased re-bleeding risk in the multivariate analysis was associated with grade III (OR 2.01; 95% CI; 1.06-3.84) and grade IV (OR 3.84; 95% CI; 2.06-7.31) on World Federation Neurological Surgeon (WFNS) scale; grade III (OR 2.04; 95% CI; 1.01-4.13) and grade IV (OR 2.12, 95% CI; 1.05-4.28) on the Fischer scale, aneurism location in posterior circulation (OR 2.45, 95% CI; 1.33-4.44), and anterior communicant artery (OR 1.57, 95% CI;1.00-2.46). Hypertension history was present in 60.9% (159 patients) and was also associated with risk of re-bleeding (OR 2.70, 95% CI; 1.00-7.30). Blood pressure, haematocrit, glycemic, aneurysm size, multiple aneurysms, and location in the middle cerebral artery, do not show any relationship. Hypertension history, poor grade (III and IV) on WFNS and Fisher scale and aneurysm location were independent risks factors of re-bleeding in patients with delayed aneurysmal treatment. Copyright © 2014 Sociedad Española de Neurocirugía. Published by Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of therapeutically induced hypertension in patients with delayed cerebral vasospasm by xenon-enhanced computed tomography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Touho, Hajime; Karasawa, Jun; Ohnishi, Hideyuki; Shishido, Hisashi; Yamada, Keisuke; Shibamoto, Keiji [Osaka Neurological Inst., Toyonaka (Japan)

1992-08-01

Serial cerebral blood flow (CBF) measurement were made with stable xenon-enhanced computed tomography in 20 patients with angiographically confirmed reputerd intracranial aneurysms, before and during induced hypertension with continuous infusion of dopamine. All patients showed angiogaphic vasospasm during their course. Twelve patients without symptomatic vasospasm (Group 1) had the lowest hemispheric CBF on the craniotomy side of 31.6[+-]6.8 ml/100 gm/min on days 4-9 (control value, 40.1[+-]2.0 ml/100 gm/min), while the other eight patients with symptomatic vasopsasm (Group 2) had the lowest hemispheric CBF on the craniotomy side of 25.0[+-]7.6 ml/100 gm/min on days 10-14. The critical hemispheric CBF inducing neurological deficits was about 20 ml/ 100 gm/min in Group 2. Dysautoregulation was usually present in Groups 1 and 2, but therapeutically induced hypertension could reverse the delayed neurological deficits, it begun early at the stage of delayed vasospasm. (author).

Understanding Patients? Process to Use Medical Marijuana

OpenAIRE

Crowell, Tara L

2016-01-01

Given the necessity to better understand the process patients need to go through in order to seek treatment via medical marijuana, this study investigates this process to better understand this phenomenon. Specifically, Compassion Care Foundation (CCF) and Stockton University worked together to identify a solution to this problem. Specifically, 240 new patients at CCF were asked to complete a 1-page survey regarding various aspects associated with their experience prior to their use of medici...

Delayed Radiation-Induced Vasculitic Leukoencephalopathy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rauch, Philipp J. [Departments of Pathology and Neurosurgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut (United States); Faculty of Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg (Germany); Park, Henry S. [Departments of Pathology and Neurosurgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut (United States); Knisely, Jonathan P.S. [Department of Radiation Medicine, North Shore University Hospital, Manhasset, New York (United States); Chiang, Veronica L. [Departments of Pathology and Neurosurgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut (United States); Vortmeyer, Alexander O., E-mail: alexander.vortmeyer@yale.edu [Departments of Pathology and Neurosurgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut (United States)

2012-05-01

Purpose: Recently, single-fraction, high-dosed focused radiation therapy such as that administered by Gamma Knife radiosurgery has been used increasingly for the treatment of metastatic brain cancer. Radiation therapy to the brain can cause delayed leukoencephalopathy, which carries its own significant morbidity and mortality. While radiosurgery-induced leukoencephalopathy is known to be clinically different from that following fractionated radiation, pathological differences are not well characterized. In this study, we aimed to integrate novel radiographic and histopathologic observations to gain a conceptual understanding of radiosurgery-induced leukoencephalopathy. Methods and Materials: We examined resected tissues of 10 patients treated at Yale New Haven Hospital between January 1, 2009, and June 30, 2010, for brain metastases that had been previously treated with Gamma Knife radiosurgery, who subsequently required surgical management of a symptomatic regrowing lesion. None of the patients showed pathological evidence of tumor recurrence. Clinical and magnetic resonance imaging data for each of the 10 patients were then studied retrospectively. Results: We provide evidence to show that radiosurgery-induced leukoencephalopathy may present as an advancing process that extends beyond the original high-dose radiation field. Neuropathologic examination of the resected tissue revealed traditionally known leukoencephalopathic changes including demyelination, coagulation necrosis, and vascular sclerosis. Unexpectedly, small and medium-sized vessels revealed transmural T-cell infiltration indicative of active vasculitis. Conclusions: We propose that the presence of a vasculitic component in association with radiation-induced leukoencephalopathy may facilitate the progressive nature of the condition. It may also explain the resemblance of delayed leukoencephalopathy with recurring tumor on virtually all imaging modalities used for posttreatment follow-up.

Understanding patient perceptions of shared decision making.

Science.gov (United States)

Shay, L Aubree; Lafata, Jennifer Elston

2014-09-01

This study aims to develop a conceptual model of patient-defined SDM, and understand what leads patients to label a specific, decision-making process as shared. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 23 primary care patients following a recent appointment. Patients were asked about the meaning of SDM and about specific decisions that they labeled as shared. Interviews were coded using qualitative content analysis. Patients' conceptual definition of SDM included four components of an interactive exchange prior to making the decision: both doctor and patient share information, both are open-minded and respectful, patient self-advocacy, and a personalized physician recommendation. Additionally, a long-term trusting relationship helps foster SDM. In contrast, when asked about a specific decision labeled as shared, patients described a range of interactions with the only commonality being that the two parties came to a mutually agreed-upon decision. There is no one-size-fits all process that leads patients to label a decision as shared. Rather, the outcome of "agreement" may be more important than the actual decision-making process for patients to label a decision as shared. Studies are needed to better understand how longitudinal communication between patient and physicians and patient self-advocacy behaviors affect patient perceptions of SDM. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Prevalence of delayed gastric emptying in diabetic patients and relationship to dyspeptic symptoms: a prospective study in unselected diabetic patients

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Samsom, M.; Vermeijden, J. R.; Smout, A. J. P. M.; van Doorn, E.; Roelofs, J.; van Dam, P. S.; Martens, E. P.; Eelkman-Rooda, S. J.; van Berge-Henegouwen, G. P.

2003-01-01

OBJECTIVE: Data on the prevalence of abnormal gastric emptying in diabetic patients are still lacking. The relation between gastric emptying and dyspeptic symptoms assessed during gastric emptying measurement has not yet been investigated. The aim was to investigate the prevalence of delayed gastric

Factors associated with nonunion, delayed union, and malunion in foot and ankle surgery in diabetic patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Shibuya, Naohiro; Humphers, Jon M; Fluhman, Benjamin L; Jupiter, Daniel C

2013-01-01

The incidence of bone healing complications in diabetic patients is believed to be high after foot and ankle surgery. Although the association of hyperglycemia with bone healing complications has been well documented, little clinical information is available to show which diabetes-related comorbidities directly affect bone healing. Our goal was to better understand the risk factors associated with poor bone healing in the diabetic population through an exploratory, observational, retrospective, cohort study. To this end, 165 diabetic patients who had undergone arthrodesis, osteotomy, or fracture reduction were enrolled in the study to assess the risk factors associated with nonunion, delayed union, and malunion after elective and nonelective foot and/or ankle surgery. Bivariate analyses showed that a history of foot ulcer, peripheral neuropathy, and surgery duration were statistically significantly associated with bone healing complications. After adjusting for other covariates, only peripheral neuropathy, surgery duration, and hemoglobin A1c levels >7% were significantly associated statistically with bone healing complications. Of the risk factors we considered, peripheral neuropathy had the strongest association with bone healing complications. Copyright © 2013 American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

System dynamics modeling in the evaluation of delays of care in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients within a tiered health system.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luciano de Andrade

Full Text Available Mortality rates amongst ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI patients remain high, especially in developing countries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the factors related with delays in the treatment of STEMI patients to support a strategic plan toward structural and personnel modifications in a primary hospital aligning its process with international guidelines.The study was conducted in a primary hospital localized in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil. We utilized a qualitative and quantitative integrated analysis including on-site observations, interviews, medical records analysis, Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA and System Dynamics Modeling (SD. Main cause of delays were categorized into three themes: a professional, b equipment and c transportation logistics. QCA analysis confirmed four main stages of delay to STEMI patient's care in relation to the 'Door-in-Door-out' time at the primary hospital. These stages and their average delays in minutes were: a First Medical Contact (From Door-In to the first contact with the nurse and/or physician: 7 minutes; b Electrocardiogram acquisition and review by a physician: 28 minutes; c ECG transmission and Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Center team feedback time: 76 minutes; and d Patient's Transfer Waiting Time: 78 minutes. SD baseline model confirmed the system's behavior with all occurring delays and the need of improvements. Moreover, after model validation and sensitivity analysis, results suggested that an overall improvement of 40% to 50% in each of these identified stages would reduce the delay.This evaluation suggests that investment in health personnel training, diminution of bureaucracy, and management of guidelines might lead to important improvements decreasing the delay of STEMI patients' care. In addition, this work provides evidence that SD modeling may highlight areas where health system managers can implement and evaluate the necessary changes in order to improve the

Cysteine 138 mutation in HIV-1 Nef from patients with delayed disease progression

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tolstrup, Martin; Laursen, Alex Lund; Gerstoft, J.

2006-01-01

on the delayed disease status. However, the results demonstrate a high incidence of a single amino acid polymorphism (cysteine 138) in HIV-1 Nef. The allelic frequency of cysteine 138 between the delayed disease progression group and the progressor group was found to be statistically significant (P = 0.......0139). The phylogeny of isolates was investigated and the variants harbouring the cysteine 138 mutation clustered independently. CONCLUSION: The present study describes a viral genetic polymorphism related to AIDS disease progression. The polymorphism (cysteine 138) has previously been reported to confer decreased...... viral replication (Premkumar DR, et al. AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses 1996; 12(4): 337-45). A sequence database search for comparative mutations revealed a high frequency of cysteine 138 in patients with reported SP AIDS...

Developmental delay and connective tissue disorder in four patients sharing a common microdeletion at 6q13-14.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Esch, Hilde; Rosser, Elisabeth M; Janssens, Sandra; Van Ingelghem, Ingrid; Loeys, Bart; Menten, Bjorn

2010-10-01

Interstitial deletions of the long arm of chromosome 6 are rare, and most reported cases represent large, cytogenetically detectable deletions. The implementation of array comparative genome hybridisation in the diagnostic work-up of patients presenting with congenital disorders, including developmental delay, has enabled identification of many patients with smaller chromosomal imbalances. In this report, the cases are presented of four patients with a de novo interstitial deletion of chromosome 6q13-14, resulting in a common microdeletion of 3.7 Mb. All presented with developmental delay, mild dysmorphism and signs of lax connective tissue. Interestingly, the common deleted region harbours 16 genes, of which COL12A1 is a good candidate for the connective tissue pathology.

Praeoperativt delay hos patienter med perforeret ulcus: en klinisk audit fra Det Nationale Indikatorprojekt

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Møller, Morten Hylander; Nørgård, Bente Mertz; Mehnert, Frank

2009-01-01

Mortality following perforated peptic ulcer in Denmark is nearly 30%. Delayed surgery is a prognostic factor, but only half of the patients are operated within six hours of perforation - a predefined quality of care criterion in The Danish National Indicator Project. A clinical audit was conducted...

Management of thallium poisoning in patients with delayed hospital admission.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Tong-Wen; Xu, Qing-Yan; Zhang, Xiao-Juan; Wu, Qiong; Liu, Zhang-Suo; Kan, Quan-Cheng; Sun, Cheng-Ye; Wang, Lexin

2012-01-01

To describe the clinical features and management of thallium poisoning in patients with delayed hospital admission. Fourteen patients (median age 36 years) were admitted 9-19 days after ingesting food poisoned with thallium. Clinical and laboratory data, including blood and urine thallium concentrations, were collected. Patients were treated with oral Prussian blue, a chelating agent sodium dimercaptosulfonate, and hemodialysis. All patients experienced a triad of symptoms of acute gastrointestinal upset, painful combined polyneuropathy, and hair loss after consuming poisoned food. Fatigue and skin pigmentation were observed in all patients. Abnormal liver function tests were found in 6 (42.9%) and delirium and coma were identified in 4 (28.6%). Two weeks after the poisoning, the blood and urine thallium concentration ranged from 219.0 to 1414.4 μg/L (median: 535.3) and 956.5 to 11285.0 μg/L (median: 7460.0), respectively. One patient (7.1%) with a previous history of pulmonary fibrosis died of respiratory failure in hospital. Symptoms were improved and blood or urine thallium levels were normalized in the remaining 13 patients before discharge. After a 6.5 ± 1-month follow-up, 1 patient (7.1%) developed deep venous thrombosis in the left lower limb. In another patient (7.1%), numbness in the lower limbs remained. Acute thallium poisoning is commonly manifested by gastrointestinal upset, painful polyneuropathy, and significant hair loss. Treatment strategies included Prussian blue and hemodialysis, which were associated with a good outcome in this case series.

Diagnosis delay in Libyan female breast cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Ermiah, Eramah; Abdalla, Fathi; Buhmeida, Abdelbaset; Larbesh, Entesar; Pyrhönen, Seppo; Collan, Yrjö

2012-08-21

To study the diagnosis delay and its impact on stage of disease among women with breast cancer on Libya. 200 women, aged 22 to 75 years with breast cancer diagnosed during 2008-2009 were interviewed about the period from the first symptoms to the final histological diagnosis of breast cancer. This period (diagnosis time) was categorized into 3 periods: 6 months. If diagnosis time was longer than 3 months, the diagnosis was considered delayed (diagnosis delay). Consultation time was the time taken to visit the general practitioner after the first symptoms. Retrospective preclinical and clinical data were collected on a form (questionnaire) during an interview with each patient and from medical records. The median of diagnosis time was 7.5 months. Only 30.0% of patients were diagnosed within 3 months after symptoms. 14% of patients were diagnosed within 3-6 months and 56% within a period longer than 6 months. A number of factors predicted diagnosis delay: Symptoms were not considered serious in 27% of patients. Alternative therapy (therapy not associated with cancer) was applied in 13.0% of the patients. Fear and shame prevented the visit to the doctor in 10% and 4.5% of patients, respectively. Inappropriate reassurance that the lump was benign was an important reason for prolongation of the diagnosis time. Diagnosis delay was associated with initial breast symptom(s) that did not include a lump (p diagnosis, the clinical stage distribution was as follows: 9.0% stage I, 25.5% stage II, 54.0% stage III and 11.5% stage IV.Diagnosis delay was associated with bigger tumour size (p Diagnosis delay is very serious problem in Libya. Diagnosis delay was associated with complex interactions between several factors and with advanced stages. There is a need for improving breast cancer awareness and training of general practitioners to reduce breast cancer mortality by promoting early detection. The treatment guidelines should pay more attention to the early phases of breast

Diagnosis delay in Libyan female breast cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ermiah Eramah

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Aims To study the diagnosis delay and its impact on stage of disease among women with breast cancer on Libya. Methods 200 women, aged 22 to 75 years with breast cancer diagnosed during 2008–2009 were interviewed about the period from the first symptoms to the final histological diagnosis of breast cancer. This period (diagnosis time was categorized into 3 periods: 6 months. If diagnosis time was longer than 3 months, the diagnosis was considered delayed (diagnosis delay. Consultation time was the time taken to visit the general practitioner after the first symptoms. Retrospective preclinical and clinical data were collected on a form (questionnaire during an interview with each patient and from medical records. Results The median of diagnosis time was 7.5 months. Only 30.0% of patients were diagnosed within 3 months after symptoms. 14% of patients were diagnosed within 3–6 months and 56% within a period longer than 6 months. A number of factors predicted diagnosis delay: Symptoms were not considered serious in 27% of patients. Alternative therapy (therapy not associated with cancer was applied in 13.0% of the patients. Fear and shame prevented the visit to the doctor in 10% and 4.5% of patients, respectively. Inappropriate reassurance that the lump was benign was an important reason for prolongation of the diagnosis time. Diagnosis delay was associated with initial breast symptom(s that did not include a lump (p  Diagnosis delay was associated with bigger tumour size (p Conclusions Diagnosis delay is very serious problem in Libya. Diagnosis delay was associated with complex interactions between several factors and with advanced stages. There is a need for improving breast cancer awareness and training of general practitioners to reduce breast cancer mortality by promoting early detection. The treatment guidelines should pay more attention to the early phases of breast cancer. Especially, guidelines for good practices in managing

Myocardial delayed contrast enhancement in patients with arterial hypertension: Initial results of cardiac MRI

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Andersen, Kjel [Institute of Diagnostic Radiology, University Hospital Duesseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225 Duesseldorf (Germany)], E-mail: kjel_andersen@web.de; Hennersdorf, Marcus [Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Duesseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225 Duesseldorf (Germany)], E-mail: hennersdorf@med.uni-duesseldorf.de; Cohnen, Mathias [Institute of Diagnostic Radiology, University Hospital Duesseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225 Duesseldorf (Germany)], E-mail: cohnen@med.uni-duesseldorf.de; Blondin, Dirk [Institute of Diagnostic Radiology, University Hospital Duesseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225 Duesseldorf (Germany)], E-mail: blondin@med.uni-duesseldorf.de; Moedder, Ulrich [Institute of Diagnostic Radiology, University Hospital Duesseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225 Duesseldorf (Germany)], E-mail: moedder@uni-duesseldorf.de; Poll, Ludger W. [Institute of Diagnostic Radiology, University Hospital Duesseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225 Duesseldorf (Germany)], E-mail: poll@gmx.de

2009-07-15

Purpose: In arterial hypertension left ventricular hypertrophy comprises myocyte hypertrophy, interstitial fibrosis and structural alterations of the coronary microcirculation. MRI enables the detection of myocardial fibrosis, infarction and scar tissue by delayed enhancement (DE) after contrast media application. Aim of this study was to investigate patients with arterial hypertension but without known coronary disease or previous myocardial infarction to detect areas of DE. Methods and material: Twenty patients with arterial hypertension with clinical symptoms of myocardial ischemia, but without history of myocardial infarction and normal coronary arteries during coronary angiography were investigated on a 1.0 T superconducting magnet (Gyroscan T10-NT, Intera Release 8.0, Philips). Fast gradient-echo cine sequences and T2-weighted STIR-sequences were acquired. Fifteen minutes after injection of Gadobenate dimeglumine inversion recovery gradient-echo sequences were performed for detection of myocardial DE. Presence or absence of DE on MRI was correlated with clinical data and the results of echocardiography and electrocardiography, respectively. Results: Nine of 20 patients showed DE in the interventricular septum and the anteroseptal left ventricular wall. In 6 patients, DE was localized intramurally and in 3 patients subendocardially. There was a significant correlation between myocardial DE and ST-segment depressions during exercise and between DE and left-ventricular enddiastolic pressure. Patients with intermittent atrial fibrillation showed a myocardial DE more often than patients without atrial fibrillation. Conclusion: In our series, 45% of patients with arterial hypertension showed DE on cardiac MRI. In this clinical setting, delayed enhancement may be due to coronary microangiopathy. The more intramurally localization of DE, however, rather indicates myocardial interstitial fibrosis.

Myocardial delayed contrast enhancement in patients with arterial hypertension: Initial results of cardiac MRI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andersen, Kjel; Hennersdorf, Marcus; Cohnen, Mathias; Blondin, Dirk; Moedder, Ulrich; Poll, Ludger W.

2009-01-01

Purpose: In arterial hypertension left ventricular hypertrophy comprises myocyte hypertrophy, interstitial fibrosis and structural alterations of the coronary microcirculation. MRI enables the detection of myocardial fibrosis, infarction and scar tissue by delayed enhancement (DE) after contrast media application. Aim of this study was to investigate patients with arterial hypertension but without known coronary disease or previous myocardial infarction to detect areas of DE. Methods and material: Twenty patients with arterial hypertension with clinical symptoms of myocardial ischemia, but without history of myocardial infarction and normal coronary arteries during coronary angiography were investigated on a 1.0 T superconducting magnet (Gyroscan T10-NT, Intera Release 8.0, Philips). Fast gradient-echo cine sequences and T2-weighted STIR-sequences were acquired. Fifteen minutes after injection of Gadobenate dimeglumine inversion recovery gradient-echo sequences were performed for detection of myocardial DE. Presence or absence of DE on MRI was correlated with clinical data and the results of echocardiography and electrocardiography, respectively. Results: Nine of 20 patients showed DE in the interventricular septum and the anteroseptal left ventricular wall. In 6 patients, DE was localized intramurally and in 3 patients subendocardially. There was a significant correlation between myocardial DE and ST-segment depressions during exercise and between DE and left-ventricular enddiastolic pressure. Patients with intermittent atrial fibrillation showed a myocardial DE more often than patients without atrial fibrillation. Conclusion: In our series, 45% of patients with arterial hypertension showed DE on cardiac MRI. In this clinical setting, delayed enhancement may be due to coronary microangiopathy. The more intramurally localization of DE, however, rather indicates myocardial interstitial fibrosis.

Patient-dependent count-rate adaptive normalization for PET detector efficiency with delayed-window coincidence events

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Niu, Xiaofeng; Ye, Hongwei; Xia, Ting; Asma, Evren; Gagnon, Daniel; Wang, Wenli; Winkler, Mark

2015-01-01

Quantitative PET imaging is widely used in clinical diagnosis in oncology and neuroimaging. Accurate normalization correction for the efficiency of each line-of- response is essential for accurate quantitative PET image reconstruction. In this paper, we propose a normalization calibration method by using the delayed-window coincidence events from the scanning phantom or patient. The proposed method could dramatically reduce the ‘ring’ artifacts caused by mismatched system count-rates between the calibration and phantom/patient datasets. Moreover, a modified algorithm for mean detector efficiency estimation is proposed, which could generate crystal efficiency maps with more uniform variance. Both phantom and real patient datasets are used for evaluation. The results show that the proposed method could lead to better uniformity in reconstructed images by removing ring artifacts, and more uniform axial variance profiles, especially around the axial edge slices of the scanner. The proposed method also has the potential benefit to simplify the normalization calibration procedure, since the calibration can be performed using the on-the-fly acquired delayed-window dataset. (paper)

Factors affecting presentation and delay in patients with testicular cancer: results of a qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Gascoigne, P; Mason, M D; Roberts, E

1999-01-01

A qualitative study was undertaken with men treated for testicular tumours, to ascertain how they interpreted their symptoms and the factors which influenced a decision to consult a physician. The research was undertaken with six men who had been diagnosed as having testicular tumours. Interviews were also conducted with four wives and one mother. The findings showed that giving men information on testicular cancer may not guarantee early presentation. Symptoms were not generally attributed to cancer and the one patient who practised self-examination had delayed seeking help for 6 months. The extent to which symptoms affected the patient's lifestyle was also a factor in the decision-making process, as was the checking of symptoms with other family members. Wives were often pivotal in persuading men to seek help. The discovery of testicular symptoms produced emotional responses which included embarrassment and fear of both cancer and castration. There was evidence of strong feelings of masculine identity bound up with the appearance of 'normal' genitals. Provider-delay was identified in four cases and was associated with misattribution of symptoms by physicians and the failure to initiate specialist referral. Delay was under-recorded in the hospital notes in all cases where presentation was not immediate.

Factors influencing diagnosis delay of advanced breast cancer in Moroccan women.

Science.gov (United States)

Maghous, A; Rais, F; Ahid, S; Benhmidou, N; Bellahamou, K; Loughlimi, H; Marnouche, E; Elmajjaoui, S; Elkacemi, H; Kebdani, T; Benjaafar, N

2016-06-07

Delay in the diagnosis of breast cancer in symptomatic women of 3 months or more is associated with advanced stage and low survival. We conducted this study to learn more about the extent and reasons behind diagnosis delay of advanced breast cancer in Moroccan women. A group of patients with advanced breast cancer were interviewed at the National Institute of Oncology in Rabat during the period from February to December 2014. Diagnosis delay was devised into patient delay and system delay. Patient delay was defined as time from first symptoms until first medical consultation. System delay was defined as time from first presentation to a health care provider until definite diagnosis or treatment. Prospective information and clinical data were collected on a form during an interview with each patient and from medical records. In all, 137 patients were interviewed. The mean age of women was 48.3 ± 10.4 years. The median of consultation time was 6[4,12] months and the median of diagnosis time was 1[1,3] months. Diagnosis delay was associated to a personal reason in 96 (70.1 %) patients and to a medical reason in 19 (13.9 %) patients. A number of factors predicted diagnosis delay: symptoms were not considered serious in 66 (55.9 %) patients; traditional therapy was applied in 15 (12.7 %) patients and fear of cancer diagnosis and/or treatment in 14 (11.9 %) patients. A use of traditional methods was significantly associated with rural residence and far away from basic health center (p = 0.000). Paradoxically, a family history of breast cancer was significantly higher in who report a fear of cancer diagnosis and/or treatment to diagnosis delay (p Diagnosis delay is very serious problem in Morocco. Diagnosis delay was associated with complex interactions between several factors and with advanced stages. There is a need for improving breast cancer information in our populations and training of general practitioners to reduce advanced breast cancer by

Understanding prehospital delay behavior in acute myocardial infarction in women.

Science.gov (United States)

Waller, Cynthia G

2006-12-01

Studies demonstrate that acute myocardial infarction (AMI) mortality can be reduced if reperfusion therapy is initiated within 1 hour of AMI symptom onset. However, a considerable number of men and women arrive at the emergency department outside of the time frame for thrombolytic and angioplasty effectiveness. This is especially true for women who have been shown to delay longer than men due to their prehospital decision-making process utilized. With a mean total delay time greater than 4 hours, the time interval from symptom onset to transport activation to the hospital consumes the majority of the prehospital phase of emergency cardiac care. The health belief model, self-regulation model, theory of reasoned action, and theory of planned behavior have all been used to describe the prehospital decision-making process of both men and women with an AMI and the variables that impact that process. These models have identified the importance of symptom attribution to cardiac-related causes as a target variable for research and interventions related to care-seeking behavior.

Delayed action does not always require the ventral stream: a study on a patient with visual form agnosia.

Science.gov (United States)

Hesse, Constanze; Schenk, Thomas

2014-05-01

It has been suggested that while movements directed at visible targets are processed within the dorsal stream, movements executed after delay rely on the visual representations of the ventral stream (Milner & Goodale, 2006). This interpretation is supported by the observation that a patient with ventral stream damage (D.F.) has trouble performing accurate movements after a delay, but performs normally when the target is visible during movement programming. We tested D.F.'s visuomotor performance in a letter-posting task whilst varying the amount of visual feedback available. Additionally, we also varied whether D.F. received tactile feedback at the end of each trial (posting through a letter box vs posting on a screen) and whether environmental cues were available during the delay period (removing the target only vs suppressing vision completely with shutter glasses). We found that in the absence of environmental cues patient D.F. was unaffected by the introduction of delay and performed as accurately as healthy controls. However, when environmental cues and vision of the moving hand were available during and after the delay period, D.F.'s visuomotor performance was impaired. Thus, while healthy controls benefit from the availability of environmental landmarks and/or visual feedback of the moving hand, such cues seem less beneficial to D.F. Taken together our findings suggest that ventral stream damage does not always impact the ability to make delayed movements but compromises the ability to use environmental landmarks and visual feedback efficiently. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Early versus delayed rehabilitation treatment in hemiplegic patients with ischemic stroke: proprioceptive or cognitive approach?

Science.gov (United States)

Morreale, Manuela; Marchione, Pasquale; Pili, Antonio; Lauta, Antonella; Castiglia, Stefano F; Spallone, Aldo; Pierelli, Francesco; Giacomini, Patrizia

2016-02-01

Early/intensive mobilization may improve functional recovery after stroke but it is not clear which kind of "mobilization" is more effective. Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) and cognitive therapeutic exercise (CTE) are widespread applied in post-stroke rehabilitation but their efficacy and safety have not been systematically investigated. To compare PNF and CTE methods in a two different time setting (early versus standard approach) in order to evaluate different role of time and techniques in functional recovery after acute ischemic stroke. We designed a prospectical multicenter blinded interventional study of early versus standard approach with two different methods by means of both PNF and CTE. A discrete stroke-dedicated area for out-of-thrombolysis patients, connected with two different comprehensive stroke centres in two different catchment areas. Three hundred and forty consecutive stroke patient with first ever sub-cortical ischemic stroke in the mean cerebral artery (MCA) territory and contralateral hemiplegia admitted within 6 and 24 hours from symptoms onset. All patients were randomly assigned by means of a computer generated randomization sequence in blocks of 4 to one to the 4 interventional groups: early versus delayed rehabilitation programs with Kabat's schemes or Perfetti's technique. Patients in both delayed group underwent to a standard protocol in the acute phase. disability at 3-12 months. Disability measures: modified Rankin Score and Barthel Index. Safety outcome: immobility-related adverse events. Six-Minute Walking Test, Motricity Index, Mini-Mental State Examination, Beck Depression Inventory. Disability was not different between groups at 3 months but Barthel Index significantly changed between early versus delayed groups at 12 months (P=0.01). Six-Minute Walking Test (P=0.01) and Motricity Index in both upper (P=0.01) and lower limbs (P=0.001) increased in early versus delayed groups regardless rehabilitation schedule. A

The extent of surgical patients' understanding.

Science.gov (United States)

Pugliese, Omar Talhouk; Solari, Juan Lombardi; Ferreres, Alberto R

2014-07-01

The notion that consent to surgery must be informed implies not only that information should be provided by the surgeon but also that the information should be understood by the patient in order to give a foundation to his or her decision to accept or refuse treatment and thus, achieve autonomy for the patient. Nonetheless, this seems to be an idyllic situation, since most patients do not fully understand the facts offered and thus the process of surgical informed consent, as well as the patient's autonomy, may be jeopardized. Informed consent does not always mean rational consent.

Early versus delayed hormonal treatment in locally advanced or asymptomatic metastatic prostatic cancer patient dilemma.

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Prezioso, Domenico; Iacono, Fabrizio; Romeo, Giuseppe; Ruffo, Antonio; Russo, Nicola; Illiano, Ester

2014-06-01

The objective of this work is to compare the effectiveness of hormonal treatment (luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonists and/or antiandrogens) as an early or as a deferred intervention for patients with locally advanced prostate cancer (LAPC) and/or asymptomatic metastasis. Systematic review of trials published in 1950-2007. Sources included MEDLINE and bibliographies of retrieved articles. Eligible trials included adults with a history of LAPC who are not suitable for curative local treatment of prostate cancer. We retrieved 22 articles for detailed review, of which 8 met inclusion criteria. The Veterans Administration Cooperative Urological Research Group suggested that delaying hormonal therapy did not compromise overall survival and that many of the patients died of causes other than prostate cancer. In European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) 30846 trial, the median survival for delayed endocrine treatment was 6.1 year, and for immediate treatment 7.6 year, the HR for survival on delayed versus immediate treatment was 1.23 (95 % CI 0.88-1.71), indicating a 23 % nonsignificant trend in favour of early treatment. In EORTC 30891, the immediate androgen deprivation resulted in a modest but statistically significant increase in overall survival. The protocol SAKK 08/88 showed the lack of any major advantage of immediate compared with deferred hormonal treatment regarding quality of life or overall survival. The early intervention with hormonal treatment for patients with LAPC provides important reductions in all-cause mortality, prostate cancer-specific mortality, overall progression, and distant progression compared with deferring their use until standard care has failed to halt the disease.

Cysteine 138 mutation in HIV-1 Nef from patients with delayed disease progression

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tolstrup, Martin; Laursen, Alex Lund; Gerstoft, J.

2006-01-01

.0139). The phylogeny of isolates was investigated and the variants harbouring the cysteine 138 mutation clustered independently. CONCLUSION: The present study describes a viral genetic polymorphism related to AIDS disease progression. The polymorphism (cysteine 138) has previously been reported to confer decreased......-1 isolates from patients in a long-term non-progressor (LTNP) cohort and a slow-progressor (SP) cohort (n = 11) was analysed and compared with isolates from a control patient group of progressors (n = 18). Most of the patients with delayed disease progression had extensive medical records, providing...... an insight into the LTNP disease profile and allowing for the stratification of patients based on their CD4 cell decline. RESULTS: In sequences from nine patients, most of the functional domains of HIV-1 Nef appeared intact, and no major deletions were observed to possibly account for an effect...

Comparison of Outcomes between Early Fascial Closure and Delayed Abdominal Closure in Patients with Open Abdomen: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

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Yu Chen

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Up to the present, the optimal time to close an open abdomen remains controversial. This study was designed to evaluate whether early fascial abdominal closure had advantages over delayed approach for open abdomen populations. Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library were searched until April 2013. Search terms included “open abdomen,” “abdominal compartment syndrome,” “laparostomy,” “celiotomy,” “abdominal closure,” “primary,” “delayed,” “permanent,” “fascial closure,” and “definitive closure.” Open abdomen was defined as “fail to close abdominal fascia after a laparotomy.” Mortality, complications, and length of stay were compared between early and delayed fascial closure. In total, 3125 patients were included for final analysis, and 1942 (62% patients successfully achieved early fascial closure. Vacuum assisted fascial closure had no impact on pooled fascial closure rate. Compared with delayed abdominal closure, early fascial closure significantly reduced mortality (12.3% versus 24.8%, RR, 0.53, P<0.0001 and complication incidence (RR, 0.68, P<0.0001. The mean interval from open abdomen to definitive closure ranged from 2.2 to 14.6 days in early fascial closure groups, but from 32.5 to 300 days in delayed closure groups. This study confirmed clinical advantages of early fascial closure over delayed approach in treatment of patients with open abdomen.

Clinical Significance of Reverse Redistribution Phenomenon on Delayed Tc-99m Tetrofosmin Myocardial Perfusion Imaging in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Soon Ah; Kim, Dae Weung; Kim, Chang Guhn; Jeong, Jin Won; Kim, Nam Ho; Yun, Kyeong Ho

2009-01-01

This study was performed to investigate the clinical significance of reverse redistribution (RR) phenomenon detected on delayed Tc-99m tetrofosmin myocardial single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) in patients with acute myocardial infarction after revascularization. A Tc-99m tetrofrosmin myocardial SPECT was performed in 67 consecutive patients after revascularization for acute myocardial infarction. Myocardial SPECT imaging was performed for early imaging at 40 min and for delayed imaging at 180 min after reinjection at myocardial stress. Regional myocardial uptakes were scored by 4-point scoring in the left ventricular wall divided into 17 segments. Reverse redistribution was defined as an increase of more than 2 point in the activity score on the delayed image. Follow-up myocardial SPECT and coronary angiography (CAG) were performed 9 months later. On myocardial SPECT performed following revascularization, RR was observed in 100 of all 319 segments (31%) and in 43 patients (64%). The abnormalities of perfusion and regional wall motion were more severe in the patients with RR compared to those without RR (p<0.05). On follow-up myocardial SPECT, the myocardial perfusion, regional wall motion, and myocardial thickness were significantly improved in the patients with RR (p<0.05) however, these changes were not significant in those without RR. There was no significant difference between the patients with RR and those without RR in the occurrence of restenosis on CAG. In patients with acute myocardial infarction, the regions showing the RR phenomenon on delayed Tc-99m tetrofosmin SPECT may reflect viable myocardium and indicate recovery of salvaged myocardium

Atrial fibrillation and delayed gastric emptying.

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Isadora C Botwinick

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation and delayed gastric emptying (DGE are common after pancreaticoduodenectomy. Our aim was to investigate a potential relationship between atrial fibrillation and DGE, which we defined as failure to tolerate a regular diet by the 7(th postoperative day. METHODS: We performed a retrospective chart review of 249 patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy at our institution between 2000 and 2009. Data was analyzed with Fisher exact test for categorical variables and Mann-Whitney U or unpaired T-test for continuous variables. RESULTS: Approximately 5% of the 249 patients included in the analysis experienced at least one episode of postoperative atrial fibrillation. Median age of patients with atrial fibrillation was 74 years, compared with 66 years in patients without atrial fibrillation (p = 0.0005. Patients with atrial fibrillation were more likely to have a history of atrial fibrillation (p = 0.03. 92% of the patients with atrial fibrillation suffered from DGE, compared to 46% of patients without atrial fibrillation (p = 0.0007. This association held true when controlling for age. CONCLUSION: Patients with postoperative atrial fibrillation are more likely to experience delayed gastric emptying. Interventions to manage delayed gastric function might be prudent in patients at high risk for postoperative atrial fibrillation.

Delayed somatic effects following extended radiotherapy

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Slanina, J

1977-10-27

A group of 135 patients was investigated, who suffered from Hodgkin's disease with long-term remission following radiotherapy. By restricting the investigations to the patient group with long-term remission and correlative examinations, differentiation was made between exclusive or principal delayed radiation effects and delayed effects due to other factors. The study reports the most significant results obtained in the fields of catamnesis, laboratory diagnostics, hematology, pulmology, cardiology, thyroid function tests, neurology, andrology and dermatology. Due to the numerous detectable delayed effects the group of patients with long-term remission receives a special status. Although those effects are in no proportion to the deletary risks of an untreated Hodgkin's disease and though they are consequently tolerable in the present state of the therapeutic development, they must initiate the completion of the therapeutic concept including performance of radiotherapy and aftercare, because only then the risk for the patient provoked by these effects, which ranges beyond the malignity of this disease can be reduced or prevented.

The clinical value of 99Tcm-N-NOET exercise and delayed myocardial perfusion imaging in patients with hypertension

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wei Hua; Li Sijin; Liu Jianzhong; Wu Zhifang; Liu Haiyan; Hu Guang; Wang Jin; Li Qing

2010-01-01

Objective: To investigate clinical significance of the 99 Tc m -bis (N-ethoxy-N-ethyl-dithiocar-bamato) nitridotechnetium ( 99 Tc m -N-NOET) exercise and delayed myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) in hypertensive patients. Methods: Sixty patients with hypertension and 19 normal subjects were carried out 99 Tc m -N-NOET exercise and delayed MPI, and analyzed the results of MPI, exercise electrocardiography (ECG), cardiac function parameters end-diastolic volume (EDV), end-systolic volume (ESV), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), triangle open LVEF (LVEF exercis-LVEF delay) and coronary angiography (CAG). Results: 1) Sixty patients with hypertension, 22 cases (36.7%) of exercise ECG were abnormal, 16 cases (26.7%) were the chest tightness in exercise, 13 cases (21.7%) were blood pressure excessive reaction in exercise; control group, 2 cases (10.5%) of exercise ECG were abnormal, 1 case (5.3%, 1/19) was chest tightness in exercise, no person was blood pressure response in excessive. 2) The positive rate of myocardial perfusion in hypertensive group was significantly higher than the control group (31.75%vs. 5.30%, P 0.05), triangle open LVEF 2 =4.501, P 2 =0.25, P>0.05). The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of 99 Tc m -N-NOET MPI were 72.7%, 87.5% and 78.9%. Conclusions: 1) 99 Tc m -N-NOET exercise and delayde MPI can diagnose whether hypertension patients with myocardial ischemia or not. 2) triangle open LVEF of hypertensive patients reduced, triangle open LVEF is lower in hypertensive patients of MPI-positive. (authors)

Delayed traumatic intracranial hematoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tomita, Hiroki

1984-01-01

CT was performed serially within 24 hours after head injury in 64 patients having Glasgow Coma Scale of 14 or less or cranial fracture shown on roentgenogram. Delayed traumatic extradural hematoma was observed within 7-12 hours after head injury in 6 cases (9.4%). This was prominent in the frontal and occipital regions (67%). Good recovery was seen in 83.3%. Delayed traumatic intracerebral hematoma was observed within 6-24 hours after head injury in 17 cases (26.6%). This higher incidence was related to contre coup injury. Conservative treatment was possible in 14 of the 17 patients (82.4%), showing good recovery in 70%. (Namekawa, K.)

Effect of magnesium treatment and glucose levels on delayed cerebral ischemia in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage: a substudy of the Magnesium in Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Haemorrhage trial (MASH-II).

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Leijenaar, Jolien F; Dorhout Mees, Sanne M; Algra, Ale; van den Bergh, Walter M; Rinkel, Gabriel J E

2015-10-01

Magnesium treatment did not improve outcome in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage in the Magnesium in Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Haemorrhage II trial. We hypothesized that high glucose levels may have offset a potential beneficial effect to prevent delayed cerebral ischemia. We investigated if magnesium treatment led to less delayed cerebral ischemia and if glucose levels interacted with magnesium treatment in the Magnesium in Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Haemorrhage II trial. To investigate the effect of magnesium treatment on occurrence of delayed cerebral ischemia and the interaction between glucose levels and magnesium treatment in subarachnoid hemorrhage patients. The Magnesium in Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Haemorrhage was a phase III randomized placebo-controlled trial assessing the effect of magnesium sulphate on clinical outcome in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage patients. For the current study, we included only the patients admitted to the University Medical Centre-Utrecht. We calculated hazard ratios for occurrence of delayed cerebral ischemia in patients treated with magnesium vs. placebo for the entire study population, and separately in the subgroups of patients with high and low mean fasting and mean daily glucose levels until onset of delayed cerebral ischemia. We used the cross-product of magnesium and glucose in the regression analysis to evaluate whether an interaction between magnesium and glucose existed. We included 616 patients: 307 received magnesium and 309 placebo; 156 patients had delayed cerebral ischemia. Hazard ratio for magnesium on occurrence of delayed cerebral ischemia was 1·0 (95% confidence interval: 0·7-1·4). Results were similar in patients with low or high fasting or daily glucose levels. We found no interactions between magnesium treatment and high fasting (P = 0·54) and daily glucose (P = 0·60). Magnesium treatment did not reduce the risk of delayed cerebral ischemia in patients with aneurysmal

Delayed treatment of basilar thrombosis in a patient with a basilar aneurysm: a case report

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Fakhouri T

2008-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Introduction Acute occlusion of the basilar artery is a neurological emergency that has a high risk of severe disability and mortality. Delayed thrombolysis or endovascular therapy has been performed with some success in patients who present after 3 hours of symptom onset. Here we present the first case of delayed intra-arterial thrombolysis of a basilar artery thrombosis associated with a large saccular aneurysm. Case presentation A 73-year-old Caucasian man with a history of smoking and alcohol abuse presented to the Emergency Department complaining of diplopia and mild slurred speech and who progressed over 12 hours to coma and quadriparesis. He was found to have a large basilar tip aneurysm putting him at high risk for hemorrhage with lytic treatment. Conclusion The treatment options for basilar thrombosis are discussed. Aggressive treatment options should be considered despite long durations of clinical symptoms in basilar thrombosis, even in extremely high risk patients.

Onset of Coagulation Function Recovery Is Delayed in Severely Injured Trauma Patients with Venous Thromboembolism.

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McCully, Belinda H; Connelly, Christopher R; Fair, Kelly A; Holcomb, John B; Fox, Erin E; Wade, Charles E; Bulger, Eileen M; Schreiber, Martin A

2017-07-01

Altered coagulation function after trauma can contribute to development of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Severe trauma impairs coagulation function, but the trajectory for recovery is not known. We hypothesized that enhanced, early recovery of coagulation function increases VTE risk in severely injured trauma patients. Secondary analysis was performed on data from the Pragmatic Randomized Optimal Platelet and Plasma Ratio (PROPPR) trial, excluding patients who died within 24 hours or were on pre-injury anticoagulants. Patient characteristics, adverse outcomes, and parameters of platelet function and coagulation (thromboelastography) were compared from admission to 72 hours between VTE (n = 83) and non-VTE (n = 475) patients. A p value value (48 vs 24 hours), α-angle (no recovery), maximum amplitude (24 vs 12 hours), and clot lysis at 30 minutes (48 vs 12 hours). Platelet function recovery mediated by arachidonic acid (72 vs 4 hours), ADP (72 vs 12 hours), and collagen (48 vs 12 hours) was delayed in VTE patients. The VTE patients had lower mortality (4% vs 13%; p < 0.05), but fewer hospital-free days (0 days [interquartile range 0 to 8 days] vs 10 days [interquartile range 0 to 20 days]; p < 0.05) and higher complication rates (p < 0.05). Recovery from platelet dysfunction and coagulopathy after severe trauma were delayed in VTE patients. Suppressed clot lysis and compensatory mechanisms associated with altered coagulation that can potentiate VTE formation require additional investigation. Copyright © 2017 American College of Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Risk-factors for surgical delay following hip fracture.

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Sanz-Reig, J; Salvador Marín, J; Ferrández Martínez, J; Orozco Beltrán, D; Martínez López, J F

To identify pre-operative risk factors for surgical delay of more than 2 days after admission in patients older than 65 years with a hip fracture. A prospective observational study was conducted on 180 hip fractures in patients older than 65 years of age admitted to our hospital from January 2015 to April 2016. The data recorded included, patient demographics, day of admission, pre-fracture comorbidities, mental state, level of mobility and physical function, type of fracture, antiaggregant and anticoagulant medication, pre-operative haemoglobin value, type of treatment, and surgical delay. The mean age of the patients was 83.7 years. The mean Charlson Index was 2.8. The pre-fracture baseline co-morbidities were equal or greater than 2 in 70% of cases. Mean timing of surgery was 3.1 days. At the time of admission, 122 (67.7%) patients were fit for surgery, of which 80 (44.4%) underwent surgery within 2 days. A Charlson index greater than 2, anticoagulant therapy, and admission on Thursday to Saturday, were independently associated with a surgical delay greater than 2 days. The rate of hip fracture patients undergoing surgery within 2 days is low. Risk factors associated to surgical delay are non-modifiable. However, their knowledge should allow the development of protocols that can reduce surgical delay in this group of patients. Copyright © 2017 SECOT. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Delays in the management of retroperitoneal sarcomas

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Seinen, Jojanneke; Almquist, Martin; Styring, Emelie

2010-01-01

Retroperitoneal sarcomas are rare and treatment should optimally be centralized. Despite successful centralization with 90% of the patients referred prior to surgery, delays occur, which led us to assess lead times in a population-based series. Method. Patients diagnosed with retroperitoneal...... sarcoma in the southern Sweden health care region 2003-2009 were eligible for the study. Data on referrals and diagnostic investigations were collected from clinical files from primary health care, local hospitals, and from the sarcoma centre. Lead times were divided into patient delays and health care...... at the general practitioner, 36 days at local hospitals, and 55 days at the sarcoma centre. Conclusion. Centralization per se is not sufficient for optimized and efficient management. Our findings suggest that delays can be minimized by direct referral of patients from primary health care to sarcoma centers...

A delayed presentation of ameloblastic fibrosarcoma in an African patient.

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Chauke, Nkhensani Yvonne; Sofianos, Chrysis; Liakos, Dimitri; Ndobe, Elias

2017-08-01

A 24-year-old womanpresented with ameloblastic fibrosarcoma arising from ameloblastic fibroma. The delayed presentation accounted for the extensive destruction of the mandible and complete occlusion of her oral cavity. This resulted in an inability to eat and maintain oral hygiene. A multidisciplinary team management approach involved nutritional optimisation, segmental mandibulectomy, reconstruction with a reconstructive plate and a free anterolateral thigh flap to line the the floor of mouth. Functional and aesthetic outcome was acceptable, and the patient is planned for secondary free fibular flap bony reconstruction. © BMJ Publishing Group Ltd (unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Delayed diagnosis of xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis in a quadriplegic patient with uncontrolled cutaneous fistula

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Yang, Jae-Hyuk; Shin, Jin Yong; Roh, Si-Gyun; Chang, Suk-Choo; Lee, Nae-Ho

2018-01-01

Abstract Rationale: Xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis (XGP) is a chronic destructive granulomatous inflammation that is characterized by urinary tract obstruction and invasion of the renal parenchyma. Although rare, XGP can lead to fatal complications, including perinephric inflammation, psoas abscess, and cutaneous fistula. Patient concerns: A quadriplegic patient initially presented to the hospital with a chronic open wound and cutaneous fistula. Diagnoses: Abdominal computed tomography revealed a renal obstructing stone and enlarged right kidney with a perinephric fluid collection that communicated with the cutaneous fistula. Interventions: The patient underwent a right nephrectomy at the department of urology. Outcomes: Two months after surgery, the patient was clinically well with no discharging fistula. Lessons: The XGP accompanied by complications requires an immediate evaluation and early diagnosis. In this case, the diagnosis was delayed because the state of quadriplegia rendered no symptoms of XGP. PMID:29480882

Delayed radiation necrosis of the central nervous system in patients irradiated for pituitary tumours

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grattan-Smith, P.J.; Morris, J.G.; Langlands, A.O.

1992-01-01

Four cases of delayed radiation necrosis involving the CNS were found in a group of 46 patients irradiated for pituitary tumours over a six year period. This occurred in three of 11 patients with Cushing's disease representing an incidence of 27% in this group. There were no cases among 11 patients with acromegaly or among seven with prolactinomas. One case (6%) was found in the 17 patients with chromophobe adenomas. Standard doses of radiation were delivered to these patients and the findings support suggestions that the metabolic disturbances of Cushing's disease may reduce tolerance to radiation. Our results and a literature review indicate that if radiotherapy is used to treat Cushing's disease, the total dose should be less than 50 Gy at 2 Gy per day fractionation. (Author)

Delayed radiation necrosis of the central nervous system in patients irradiated for pituitary tumours

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grattan-Smith, P.J.; Morris, J.G.; Langlands, A.O. (Westmead Hospital, Sydney (Australia))

1992-10-01

Four cases of delayed radiation necrosis involving the CNS were found in a group of 46 patients irradiated for pituitary tumours over a six year period. This occurred in three of 11 patients with Cushing's disease representing an incidence of 27% in this group. There were no cases among 11 patients with acromegaly or among seven with prolactinomas. One case (6%) was found in the 17 patients with chromophobe adenomas. Standard doses of radiation were delivered to these patients and the findings support suggestions that the metabolic disturbances of Cushing's disease may reduce tolerance to radiation. Our results and a literature review indicate that if radiotherapy is used to treat Cushing's disease, the total dose should be less than 50 Gy at 2 Gy per day fractionation. (Author).

Patients subject to high levels of coercion: staff's understanding.

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Bowers, Len; Wright, Steve; Stewart, Duncan

2014-05-01

Measures to keep staff and patients safe (containment) frequently involve coercion. A small proportion of patients is subject to a large proportion of containment use. To reduce the use of containment, we need a better understanding of the circumstances in which it is used and the understandings of patients and staff. Two sweeps were made of all the wards, spread over four hospital sites, in one large London mental health organization to identify patients who had been subject to high levels of containment in the previous two weeks. Data were then extracted from their case notes about their past history, current problem behaviours, and how they were understood by the patients involved and the staff. Nurses and consultant psychiatrists were interviewed to supplement the information from the case records. Twenty-six heterogeneous patients were identified, with many ages, genders, diagnoses, and psychiatric specialities represented. The main problem behaviours giving rise to containment use were violence and self-harm. The roots of the problem behaviours were to be found in severe psychiatric symptoms, cognitive difficulties, personality traits, and the implementation of the internal structure of the ward by staff. Staff's range and depth of understandings was limited and did not include functional analysis, defence mechanisms, specific cognitive assessment, and other potential frameworks. There is a need for more in-depth assessment and understanding of patients' problems, which may lead to additional ways to reduce containment use.

Delayed Development of Pneumothorax After Pulmonary Radiofrequency Ablation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clasen, Stephan; Kettenbach, Joachim; Kosan, Bora; Aebert, Hermann; Schernthaner, Melanie; Kroeber, Stefan-Martin; Boemches, Andrea; Claussen, Claus D.; Pereira, Philippe L.

2009-01-01

Acute pneumothorax is a frequent complication after percutaneous pulmonary radiofrequency (RF) ablation. In this study we present three cases showing delayed development of pneumothorax after pulmonary RF ablation in 34 patients. Our purpose is to draw attention to this delayed complication and to propose a possible approach to avoid this major complication. These three cases occurred subsequent to 44 CT-guided pulmonary RF ablation procedures (6.8%) using either internally cooled or multitined expandable RF electrodes. In two patients, the pneumothorax, being initially absent at the end of the intervention, developed without symptoms. One of these patients required chest drain placement 32 h after RF ablation, and in the second patient therapy remained conservative. In the third patient, a slight pneumothorax at the end of the intervention gradually increased and led into tension pneumothorax 5 days after ablation procedure. Underlying bronchopleural fistula along the coagulated former electrode track was diagnosed in two patients. In conclusion, delayed development of pneumothorax after pulmonary RF ablation can occur and is probably due to underlying bronchopleural fistula, potentially leading to tension pneumothorax. Patients and interventionalists should be prepared for delayed onset of this complication, and extensive track ablation following pulmonary RF ablation should be avoided.

A quadriplegic patient's cholescintigraphic findings: delayed gallbladder visualization and common bile duct dilation.

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Shih, W. J.; Magoun, S.; Lu, G.

1996-01-01

A Tc-99m DISIDA cholescintigraphic study of a 37-year-old patient with a 20-year history of quadriplegia demonstrated dilation of the common bile duct and delayed gallbladder visualization. A concurrent sonographic study showed an enlarged gallbladder with stones and dilation of the common bile duct. These findings were proved by autopsy. Quadriplegia secondary to a high level of spinal cord injury may result in gallbladder dysfunction. Images Figure PMID:8776068

Factors affecting professional delay in diagnosis and treatment of oral cancer in Iran.

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Esmaelbeigi, Farhad; Hadji, Maryam; Harirchi, Iraj; Omranipour, Ramesh; vand Rajabpour, Mojtaba; Zendehdel, Kazem

2014-04-01

Oral cancer is the most common malignant tumor among head and neck cancers. Delay in diagnosis affects the treatment and prognosis of oral cancer. We measured the professional delay in the diagnosis and its attributes in the Cancer Institute of Iran, the largest referral center for oral cancer patients in the country.  We interviewed oral cancer patients to measure the delay and used case-control approach to study association of various prognostic factors with professional delay and tumor stage. Out of 206 patients, 71.4% were diagnosed at the advanced stage. The median of the patient, professional and total delays were 45, 86 and 140 day, receptively. In the univariate model, prescription of medicines like analgesics (OR = 5.3, 95% CI 2.2-12.9) and history of dental procedure (OR=6.8, 95% CI 1.7-26.9) were associated with higher risk of delay compared to patient who were biopsied from the beginning. History of loose teeth increased risk of delay 4 times (OR = 4.0, 95% CI 1.6-9.8). Patients with primary education had 70% lower risk of delay compared to the illiterate patients (OR = 0.3, 95% CI 0.1-0.7) and the risk was lower among patients who had diploma (OR = 0.04, 95% CI 0-0.7) and college education (OR = 0.1, 95% CI 0-0.4). The delayed patients were diagnosed in more advanced stage compared to the patients without delay (OR = 2.1, 95% CI 1.0-4.4). Development of a national guideline for follow-up of oral lesions, training and awareness of health care professionals about oral cancer diagnosis may decrease the delay and improve the oral cancer outcome in Iran.

[Analysis of characteristics and influence factors of diagnostic delay of endometriosis].

Science.gov (United States)

Han, X T; Guo, H Y; Kong, D L; Han, J S; Zhang, L F

2018-02-25

Objective: To access the influence factors of diagnostic delay of endometriosis. Methods: We designed a questionnaire of diagnostic delay of endometriosis. From February 2014 to February 2016, 400 patients who had dysmenorrhea and diagnosed with endometriosis by surgery in Peking University Third Hospital were surveyed retrospectively. Time and risk factors of diagnostic delay were analyzed. Results: The diagnostic delay of 400 patients was 13.0 years (0.2-43.0 years), 78.5%(314/400) patients thought pain was a normal phenomenon and didn't see the doctor. Patients who suffered dysmenorrhea at menarche experienced longer diagnostic delay than those who had dysmenorrhea after menarche (18.0 vs 4.5 years; Z= 191.800, Pendometriosis (DIE) , family history of dysmenorrhea or endometriosis, previous surgical history of endometriosis, high stage, with infertility, adenomyoma or other symptoms, could help to shorten diagnostic delay with no significant difference ( P> 0.05) . By multiple logistic regression analysis, the results shown that whether have dysmenorrhea at menarche and clinical diagnosis time were the independent factors affecting delayed diagnosis ( Pendometriosis is common and the mean delay time is 13.0 years mainly due to the unawareness of dysmenorrhea. Dysmenorrhea at menarche, clinical diagnosis time and dysmenorrhea intensity are the factors affecting time of diagnostic delay.

Delayed rectal and urinary symptomatology in patients treated for prostate cancer by radiotherapy with or without short term neo-adjuvant androgen deprivation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Christie, David; Denham, James; Steigler, Allison; Lamb, David; Turner, Sandra; Mameghan, Hedy; Joseph, David; Matthews, John; Franklin, Ian; Atkinson, Chris; North, John; Poulsen, Michael; Spry, Nigel A.; Tai, Keen-Hun; Wynne, Chris; Duchesne, Gillian; Kovacev, Olga; Francis, Lynne; Kramar, Andrew; D'Este, Cate; Bill, Dana

2005-01-01

Background and purpose: To identify contributing factors to delayed rectal and urinary symptoms in a randomised trial comparing different durations of maximal androgen deprivation (MAD), given prior to radiotherapy, for locally advanced prostate cancer. Patients and methods: Between 1996 and 2000, 818 patients with stages T2b,c, 3 and 4 prostate cancer were entered into a trial comparing 0, 3 and 6 months of MAD prior to and during radiotherapy. Their delayed normal tissue effects were recorded by their treating doctors using standardised scales and by the patients using a self-assessment questionnaire regularly. Time to occurrence and prevalence data were analysed. Results: Rectal and urinary symptom levels were observed to vary markedly over time in at least 80% of patients, with some indicating lasting resolution of symptoms. Prevalence rates were found to be substantially lower than actuarial probability rates. Baseline symptom levels and greatest acute symptom levels were both very powerful predictors. Obstructive lower urinary tract symptoms were noted to improve during the first 4 years after radiotherapy in approximately 60% of cases in each treatment arm. However, the treatment arm itself was not shown to influence these improvements in other univariate or multivariate analyses. MAD was shown to reduce both time to occurrence and prevalence of delayed proctopathic symptoms, but this effect was confirmed statistically in the 3 month treatment arm only. Multivariate models indicated that higher levels of haemoglobin prior to any treatment may in some way protect against delayed proctopathic symptoms. Conclusions: Prevalence data provide more clinically meaningful estimates of risk of delayed effects in normal tissues where assessment relies substantially on reported symptom levels. In these tissues consideration of the impact of baseline symptom levels and pathologies, and greatest acute symptom levels in analyses of delayed effects appears mandatory

Factors associated with delayed presentation in patients with TIA and minor stroke in China: analysis of data from the China National Stroke Registry (CNSR).

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Linyu; Chao, Yangyun; Zhao, Xingquan; Liu, Liping; Wang, Chunxue; Wang, David Z; Meng, Xia; Wang, Anxin; Wang, Yongjun; Xu, Yuming

2013-06-01

We aimed to evaluate the management of patients with transient ischemic attack (TIA) and minor stroke in China. Data from the China National Stroke Registry (CNSR) were used to identify patients who were admitted to 132 urban hospitals across China with TIA or minor stroke. Factors associated with delayed presentation to hospital were evaluated. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to analyze relationships between patient characteristics and time of presentation. Of the 7467 patients entered into the CNSR (1204 with TIA, 6263 with minor stroke), 780 patients (64·78%) with TIA and 3467 patients (55·36%) with minor stroke had delayed presentation to hospital (>24 hours). In both groups, factors associated with early presentation (≤24 hours) included transportation by ambulance and direct presentation to the emergency room. In patients with minor stroke, early presentation was associated with older age (65-80 years), motor and sensory symptoms, speech impairment, atrial fibrillation, previous TIA, and living in central or eastern China; and delayed presentation was associated with female sex, cognitive dysfunction, and diabetes. In patients with TIA, early presentation was associated with motor symptoms, and delayed presentation was associated with headache or vertigo. In China, many patients with TIA and minor stroke do not seek medical treatment immediately. Further education is needed to teach members of the public about the warning signs and symptoms of TIA and minor stroke, and encourage the use of ambulance transportation after TIA or stroke.

Short-course radiotherapy, with elective delay prior to surgery, in patients with unresectable rectal cancer who have poor performance status or significant co-morbidity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hatfield, Paul; Hingorani, Mohan; Radhakrishna, Ganesh; Cooper, Rachel; Melcher, Alan; Crellin, Adrian; Kwok-Williams, Michelle; Sebag-Montefiore, David

2009-01-01

Background and purpose: Standard treatment for rectal cancer which threatens the expected plane of resection on MRI imaging is long-course, pre-operative chemoradiotherapy (1.8-2 Gy, 25-28 fractions). Not all patients are suitable for this because of age, poor performance status or co-morbidities. We describe our experience of short-course (5 x 5 Gy) pre-operative radiotherapy with planned, delayed surgery (SCPRT-delay) in this patient group. Materials and methods: Between April 2001 and October 2007, 43 patients were selected for SCPRT-delay. The clinical records were retrospectively evaluated. Results: Median age was 82 (range 58-87). Forty-one patients had radiotherapy of which 26 (61%) were subsequently able to have surgery. Of these, R0, R1 and R2 resections were performed in 22, 2 and 2 patients, respectively. Treatment was well tolerated, although two patients required hospital admission for management of diarrhoea and one developed significant late small bowel toxicity, attributable to radiotherapy. In those undergoing R0 or R1 resection there have been no local recurrences (median follow-up 18 months). Median survival for the whole group was 23 months, although this was 44 months in those undergoing surgery. Conclusions: SCPRT-delay appears to be a useful alternative to long-course pre-operative chemoradiotherapy in this high-risk group of patients.

Delays in the operating room: signs of an imperfect system.

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Janice; Khu, Kathleen Joy; Kaderali, Zul; Bernstein, Mark

2010-06-01

Delays in the operating room have a negative effect on its efficiency and the working environment. In this prospective study, we analyzed data on perioperative system delays. One neurosurgeon prospectively recorded all errors, including perioperative delays, for consecutive patients undergoing elective procedures from May 2000 to February 2009. We analyzed the prevalence, causes and impact of perioperative system delays that occurred in one neurosurgeon's practice. A total of 1531 elective surgical cases were performed during the study period. Delays were the most common type of error (33.6%), and more than half (51.4%) of all cases had at least 1 delay. The most common cause of delay was equipment failure. The first cases of the day and cranial cases had more delays than subsequent cases and spinal cases, respectively. A delay in starting the first case was associated with subsequent delays. Delays frequently occur in the operating room and have a major effect on patient flow and resource utilization. Thorough documentation of perioperative delays provides a basis for the development of solutions for improving operating room efficiency and illustrates the principles underlying the causes of operating room delays across surgical disciplines.

Disseminating results to clinical trial participants: a qualitative review of patient understanding in a post-trial population.

Science.gov (United States)

Darbyshire, Julie Lorraine; Price, Hermione Clare

2012-01-01

To identify the most appropriate format for results dissemination to maximise understanding of trial results. Qualitative. Of the original 58 4-T trial centres, 34 agreed to take part in this ancillary research. All participants from these centres were eligible. All 343 participants were sent questionnaires. The low response rate meant that we were unable to make any firm conclusions about the patients' preferred method of dissemination; however, we were able to comment on the level of understanding demonstrated by the trial participants. All 40 (12%) returned questionnaires were received from 15 centres. We received no questionnaires from over half of the centres. The questionnaires which were returned demonstrated broad satisfaction with the results letter, general enthusiasm for the trial and a variable level of understanding of the results; however, there was a high proportion of responders who were not clear on why the research was undertaken or what the results meant. The low response rate may be related to delays during the trial set-up process suggesting that interest in a study quickly wanes for both patients and centres. From this we deduce that rapid dissemination of results is needed if it is to have any impact at all. The responders are likely to reflect a biased cohort who were both enthusiastic about the research and who had a good experience during their 3 years in the 4-T trial. It is perhaps not surprising therefore that the overview is positive. That this population was still not fully informed about the purpose of the research would seem to confirm a low level of understanding among the general public which we suggest should be addressed during the consent process.

Factors affecting the diagnostic delay in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Cellura, Eleonora; Spataro, Rossella; Taiello, Alfonsa Claudia; La Bella, Vincenzo

2012-07-01

Although amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a relentlessly progressive disorder, early diagnosis allows a prompt start with the specific drug riluzole and an accurate palliative care planning. ALS at onset may however mimic several disorders, some of them treatable (e.g., multifocal motor neuropathy) or epidemiologically more frequent (e.g., cervical myelopathy). To study the delay from onset to diagnosis in a cohort of ALS patients and to the variables that may affect it. We performed a retrospective analysis of the diagnostic delays in a cohort of 260 patients affected by ALS (M/F = 1.32) followed at our tertiary referral ALS Center between 2000 and 2007. The median time from onset to diagnosis was 11 months (range: 6-21) for the whole ALS cohort, 10 months (range: 6-15) in bulbar-onset (n = 65) and 12 months (range: 7-23) in spinal-onset (n = 195) patients (p = 0.3). 31.1% of patients received other diagnoses before ALS and this led to a significant delay of the correct diagnosis in this group (other diagnoses before ALS, n = 81: median delay, 15 months [9.75-24.25] vs ALS, n = 179, median delay, 9 months [6-15.25], p heuristics might represent an important contributing factor. Furthermore, the length of the differential diagnosis from other disorders and delays in referral to the neurologist seems to be positively associated with the delay in diagnosis. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Lesions Responsible for Delayed Oral Transit Time in Post-stroke Dysphagia.

Science.gov (United States)

Moon, Hyun Im; Yoon, Seo Yeon; Yi, Tae Im; Jeong, Yoon Jeong; Cho, Tae Hwan

2017-10-11

Some stroke patients show oral phase dysphagia, characterized by a markedly prolonged oral transit time that hinders oral feeding. The aim of this study was to clarify the clinical characteristics and lesions responsible for delayed swallowing. We reviewed 90 patients with stroke. The oral processing time plus the postfaucial aggregation time required to swallow semisolid food was assessed. The patients were divided into two groups according to oral transit time, and we analyzed the differences in characteristics such as demographic factors, lesion factors, and cognitive function. Logistic regression analyses were performed to examine the predictors of delayed oral transit time. Lesion location and volume were measured on brain magnetic resonance images. We generated statistic maps of lesions related to delayed oral phase in swallowing using voxel-based lesion symptom mapping (VLSM). The group of patients who showed delayed oral transit time had significantly low cognitive function. Also, in a regression model, delayed oral phase was predicted with low K-MMSE (Korean version of the Mini Mental Status Exam). Using VLSM, we found the lesion location to be associated with delayed oral phase after adjusting for K-MMSE score. Although these results did not reach statistical significance, they showed the lesion pattern with predominant distribution in the left frontal lobe. Delayed oral phase in post-stroke patients was not negligible clinically. Patients' cognitive impairments affect the oral transit time. When adjusting it, we found a trend that the lesion responsible for delayed oral phase was located in the left frontal lobe, though the association did not reach significance. The delay might be related to praxis function.

[Factors linked to delayed diagnosis of tuberculosis in Conakry (Guinea)].

Science.gov (United States)

Camara, A; Diallo, A; Camara, L M; Fielding, K; Sow, O Y; Chaperon, J

2006-03-01

Untreated smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis constitutes a reservoir of infection which is highly contagious. The present study was conducted in Conakry, Guinea, to determine the different options which are available when seeking treatment or care, and to ascertain the average delay in diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis and the main factors linked to the delay in diagnosis after the initial onset of symptoms. Through a cross-sectional study, 113 consecutive patients with smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis were interviewed through the use of a questionnaire. The median total delay from the onset of symptoms of pulmonary tuberculosis until the diagnosis was 11 weeks. This delay period exceeded 4 weeks for 90 of the patients (80%). The average delay linked to the conventional health care system was double that of the one at the fault of the patient (6 weeks versus 3 weeks, respectively). 54% of the patients had initially resorted to non-conventional care. To shorten this mean delay period, it is necessary to both strengthen the professional abilities and skills which train for one to better to detect tuberculosis and to sensitize the population to the subject matter and information on the illness and its symptoms.

Financial Toxicity among Patients with Bladder Cancer: Reasons for Delay in Care and Effect on Quality of Life.

Science.gov (United States)

Casilla-Lennon, Marianne M; Choi, Seul Ki; Deal, Allison M; Bensen, Jeannette T; Narang, Gopal; Filippou, Pauline; McCormick, Benjamin; Pruthi, Raj; Wallen, Eric; Tan, Hung-Jui; Woods, Michael; Nielsen, Matthew; Smith, Angela

2018-05-01

Costly surveillance and treatment of bladder cancer can lead to financial toxicity, a treatment related financial burden. Our objective was to define the prevalence of financial toxicity among patients with bladder cancer and identify delays in care and its effect on health related quality of life. We identified patients with bladder cancer in the University of North Carolina Health Registry/Cancer Survivorship Cohort. Financial toxicity was defined as agreement with having "to pay more for medical care than you can afford." Health related quality of life was measured using general and cancer specific validated questionnaires. Statistical analyses were performed using the Fisher exact test and the Student t-test. A total of 138 patients with bladder cancer were evaluated. Median age was 66.9 years, 75% of the patients were male and 89% were white. Of the participants 33 (24%) endorsed financial toxicity. Participants who were younger (p = 0.02), black (p = 0.01), reported less than a college degree (p = 0.01) and had noninvasive disease (p = 0.04) were more likely to report financial toxicity. On multivariable analysis only age was a significant predictor of financial toxicity. Patients who endorsed financial toxicity were more likely to report delaying care (39% vs 23%, p = 0.07) due to the inability to take time off work or afford general expenses. On general health related quality of life questionnaires patients with financial toxicity reported worse physical and mental health (p = 0.03 and life (p = 0.01), physical well-being (p = 0.01) and functional well-being (p = 0.05). Financial toxicity is a major concern among patients with bladder cancer. Younger patients were more likely to experience financial toxicity. Those who endorsed financial toxicity experienced delays in care and poorer health related quality of life, suggesting that treatment costs should have an important role in medical decision making. Copyright © 2018 American Urological Association

Early Versus Delayed Postoperative Feeding After Major Gynaecological Surgery and its Effects on Clinical Outcomes, Patient Satisfaction, and Length of Stay: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Balayla, Jacques; Bujold, Emmanuel; Lapensée, Louise; Mayrand, Marie-Hélène; Sansregret, Andrée

2015-12-01

To compare early versus delayed postoperative feeding in women undergoing major gynaecological surgery with regard to clinical outcomes, duration of postoperative stay, and patient satisfaction. We conducted a parallel-randomized controlled trial at a tertiary care centre in Montreal, Quebec, between June 2000 and July 2001. Patients undergoing major gynaecological surgery were randomized following a 1:1 allocation ratio to receive either early postoperative feeding in which oral clear fluids were begun up to six hours after surgery followed by solid foods as tolerated, or delayed postoperative feeding, in which clear fluids were begun on the first postoperative day and solid foods on the second or third day as tolerated. The primary outcomes analyzed were duration of postoperative stay and patient satisfaction. Secondary outcomes included mean time to appetite, passage of flatus, and bowel movement, as well as the presence of symptoms of paralytic ileus. A total of 119 patients were randomized; 61 patients were assigned to the early feeding group and 58 to the delayed feeding group. Demographic characteristics, including age, weight, smoking status, and prior surgical history were comparable between both groups. There was no difference in length of postoperative stay between the two groups (86.4 ± 21.0 hours in the early feeding group vs. 85.6 ± 26.2 hours in the delayed feeding group; P > 0.05). No significant difference was noted in patient satisfaction (P > 0.05). No difference was found in the frequency of postoperative ileus, mean time to appetite, passage of flatus, or first bowel movement. The introduction of early postoperative feeding appears to be safe and well tolerated by patients undergoing major gynaecological surgery. The duration of postoperative stay, patient satisfaction, and gastrointestinal symptoms are comparable between patients undergoing early or delayed postoperative feeding.

How many segments are necessary to characterize delayed colonic transit time?

Science.gov (United States)

Bouchoucha, Michel; Devroede, Ghislain; Bon, Cyriaque; Raynaud, Jean-Jacques; Bejou, Bakhtiar; Benamouzig, Robert

2015-10-01

Measuring colonic transit time with radiopaque markers is simple, inexpensive, and very useful in constipated patients. Yet, the algorithm used to identify colonic segments is subjective, rather than founded on prior experimentation. The aim of the present study is to describe a rational way to determine the colonic partition in the measurement of colonic transit time. Colonic transit time was measured in seven segments: ascending colon, hepatic flexure, right and left transverse colon, splenic flexure, descending colon, and rectosigmoid in 852 patients with functional bowel and anorectal disorders. An unsupervised algorithm for modeling Gaussian mixtures served to estimate the number of subgroups from this oversegmented colonic transit time. After that, we performed a k-means clustering that separated the observations into homogenous groups of patients according to their oversegmented colonic transit time. The Gaussian mixture followed by the k-means clustering defined 4 populations of patients: "normal and fast transit" (n = 548) and three groups of patients with delayed colonic transit time "right delay" (n = 82) in which transit is delayed in the right part of the colon, "left delay" (n = 87) with transit delayed in the left part of colon and "outlet constipation" (n = 135) for patients with transit delayed in the terminal intestine. Only 3.7 % of patients were "erroneously" classified in the 4 groups recognized by clustering. This unsupervised analysis of segmental colonic transit time shows that the classical division of the colon and the rectum into three segments is sufficient to characterize delayed segmental colonic transit time.

Factors associated with delayed tuberculosis test-seeking behavior in the Peruvian Amazon.

Science.gov (United States)

Ford, Carolyn M; Bayer, Angela M; Gilman, Robert H; Onifade, Dami; Acosta, Colleen; Cabrera, Lilia; Vidal, Carlos; Evans, Carlton A

2009-12-01

This study aimed to determine the psychosocial factors associated with delayed test-seeking among tuberculosis patients. The duration of symptoms before seeking medical care was assessed by interview for 108 newly diagnosed pulmonary tuberculosis patients in the city of Iquitos in the Peruvian Amazon, which has high tuberculosis incidence. Beliefs associated with test-seeking behavior and delay was assessed in these patients. The median delay from symptom onset to seeking diagnostic testing was 61 days (inter-quartile range 30-91 days). The belief that tuberculosis is curable was associated with a 100% longer test-seeking delay; the perception that tuberculosis was common was associated with a 57% longer delay; male gender was associated with a 48% longer delay; and education less than complete secondary schooling was associated with a 44% longer delay. In conclusion, current health promotion activities that emphasize tuberculosis curability and high prevalence may paradoxically increase test-seeking delay and therefore require prospective evaluation.

Delayed diagnosis of sarcoidosis is common in Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mauri Monteiro Rodrigues

2013-09-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of and the factors related to delayed diagnosis of sarcoidosis in Brazil. METHODS: We evaluated patients with a biopsy-proven diagnosis of sarcoidosis, using a questionnaire that addressed the following: time since symptom onset and since the first medical visit; and the number and specialty of the physicians visited. We divided the patients by the timeliness of the diagnosis-timely (< 6 months and delayed (≥ 6 months-comparing the two groups in terms of systemic and pulmonary symptoms; extrathoracic involvement; spirometric data; radiological staging; level of education; income; and tuberculosis (diagnosis and treatment. RESULTS: We evaluated 100 patients. The median number of physicians consulted was 3 (range, 1-14. In 11 cases, sarcoidosis was diagnosed at the first visit. In 54, the first physician seen was a general practitioner. The diagnosis of sarcoidosis was timely in 41 patients and delayed in 59. The groups did not differ in terms of gender; race; type of health insurance; level of education; income; respiratory/systemic symptoms; extrathoracic involvement; and radiological staging. In the delayed diagnosis group, FVC was lower (80.3 ± 20.4% vs. 90.5 ± 17.1%; p = 0.010, as was FEV1 (77.3 ± 19.9% vs. 86.4 ± 19.5%; p = 0.024, misdiagnosis with and treatment for tuberculosis (≥ 3 months also being more common (24% vs. 7%, p = 0.032, and 20% vs. 0%; p = 0.002, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnosis of sarcoidosis is often delayed, even when the imaging is suggestive of sarcoidosis. Delayed diagnosis is associated with impaired lung function at the time of diagnosis. Many sarcoidosis patients are misdiagnosed with and treated for tuberculosis.

Developmental delay and connective tissue disorder in four patients sharing a common microdeletion at 6q13-14

OpenAIRE

2010-01-01

Abstract Interstitial deletions of the long arm of chromosome 6 are rare, and most of the reported cases represent large, cytogenetically detectable deletions. The implementation of array-CGH in the diagnostic work-up of patients presenting with congenital disorders including developmental delay has enabled the identification of many patients with smaller chromosomal imbalances. Here we present 4 patients with a de novo interstitial deletion of chromosome 6q13-14, resulting in a c...

Feedback and feedforward adaptation to visuomotor delay during reaching and slicing movements.

Science.gov (United States)

Botzer, Lior; Karniel, Amir

2013-07-01

It has been suggested that the brain and in particular the cerebellum and motor cortex adapt to represent the environment during reaching movements under various visuomotor perturbations. It is well known that significant delay is present in neural conductance and processing; however, the possible representation of delay and adaptation to delayed visual feedback has been largely overlooked. Here we investigated the control of reaching movements in human subjects during an imposed visuomotor delay in a virtual reality environment. In the first experiment, when visual feedback was unexpectedly delayed, the hand movement overshot the end-point target, indicating a vision-based feedback control. Over the ensuing trials, movements gradually adapted and became accurate. When the delay was removed unexpectedly, movements systematically undershot the target, demonstrating that adaptation occurred within the vision-based feedback control mechanism. In a second experiment designed to broaden our understanding of the underlying mechanisms, we revealed similar after-effects for rhythmic reversal (out-and-back) movements. We present a computational model accounting for these results based on two adapted forward models, each tuned for a specific modality delay (proprioception or vision), and a third feedforward controller. The computational model, along with the experimental results, refutes delay representation in a pure forward vision-based predictor and suggests that adaptation occurred in the forward vision-based predictor, and concurrently in the state-based feedforward controller. Understanding how the brain compensates for conductance and processing delays is essential for understanding certain impairments concerning these neural delays as well as for the development of brain-machine interfaces. © 2013 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Data Mining for Understanding and Impriving Decision-Making Affecting Ground Delay Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Kulkarni, Deepak; Wang, Yao Xun; Sridhar, Banavar

2013-01-01

The continuous growth in the demand for air transportation results in an imbalance between airspace capacity and traffic demand. The airspace capacity of a region depends on the ability of the system to maintain safe separation between aircraft in the region. In addition to growing demand, the airspace capacity is severely limited by convective weather. During such conditions, traffic managers at the FAA's Air Traffic Control System Command Center (ATCSCC) and dispatchers at various Airlines' Operations Center (AOC) collaborate to mitigate the demand-capacity imbalance caused by weather. The end result is the implementation of a set of Traffic Flow Management (TFM) initiatives such as ground delay programs, reroute advisories, flow metering, and ground stops. Data Mining is the automated process of analyzing large sets of data and then extracting patterns in the data. Data mining tools are capable of predicting behaviors and future trends, allowing an organization to benefit from past experience in making knowledge-driven decisions. The work reported in this paper is focused on ground delay programs. Data mining algorithms have the potential to develop associations between weather patterns and the corresponding ground delay program responses. If successful, they can be used to improve and standardize TFM decision resulting in better predictability of traffic flows on days with reliable weather forecasts. The approach here seeks to develop a set of data mining and machine learning models and apply them to historical archives of weather observations and forecasts and TFM initiatives to determine the extent to which the theory can predict and explain the observed traffic flow behaviors.

Understanding the Effect of Audio Communication Delay on Distributed Team Interaction

Science.gov (United States)

2013-06-01

means for members to socialize and learn about each other, engenders development cooperative relationships, and lays a foundation for future interaction...length will result in increases in task completion time and mental workload. 3. Audiovisual technology will moderate the effect of communication...than audio alone. 4. Audiovisual technology will moderate the effect of communication delays such that task completion time and mental workload will

The effect of pylorus removal on delayed gastric emptying after pancreaticoduodenectomy: a meta-analysis of 2,599 patients.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wenming Wu

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Delayed gastric emptying is a serious complication of pancreaticoduodenectomy. The effect of pylorus removal on delayed gastric emptying has not been well evaluated. STUDY DESIGN: We searched five databases (PubMed, EMBASE and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Scopus and Web of Science up to July 2014. The meta-regression analysis was performed to evaluate any factors accountable for the heterogeneity. Publication bias was assessed by Egger's test, and corrected by Duval's trim and fill method. Subgroup analyses were conducted for different surgical techniques of pyloric removal. Other intraoperative and postoperative parameters were compared between two groups. RESULTS: We included 27 studies involving 2,599 patients, with a moderate-high heterogeneity for primary outcome (I(2 = 63%. Meta-regression analysis showed that four variables primarily contributed to the heterogeneity, namely nasogastric tube intubation time, solid food start time, preoperative diabetes percentage and the number of patients in pylorus-preserving group. After excluding four studies, the remaining twenty-three studies showed reduced heterogeneity (I(2 = 51%. Then we used Duval's trim and fill method to correct publication bias. The corrected MH odds ratio was 0.78 (95% CI: 0.52-1.17. A subgroup analysis showed that pylorus removal tends to reduce delayed gastric emptying incidence for subtotal stomach-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy or pylorus-resecting pancreaticoduodenectomy, compared with pylorus-preserving group. However, standard Whipple procedure failed to show any significant reduction of DGE compared with pylorus-removal group. No significant differences were observed in terms of length of hospital stay, infection and pancreatic fistula; however, pylorus removal resulted in longer operation time, more blood loss and higher mortality. CONCLUSION: The pylorus removal does not significantly reduce the overall incidence of delayed

Reasons for Delay in Seeking Care for Tuberculosis, Republic of Armenia, 2006–2007

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dana Schneider

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Tuberculosis (TB is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In Armenia, case reports of active TB increased from 590 to 1538 between 1990 and 2003. However, the TB case detection rate in Armenia in 2007 was only 51%, indicating that many cases go undetected or that suspected cases are not referred for confirmatory diagnosis. Understanding why Armenians do not seek or delay TB medical care is important to increase detection rates, improve treatment outcomes, and reduce ongoing transmission. Methods. Two hundred-forty patients hospitalized between August 2006 and September 2007 at two Armenian TB reference hospitals were interviewed about symptoms, when they sought medical attention after symptom onset, outcomes of their first medical visit, and when they began treatment after diagnosis. We used logistic regression modeling to identify reasons for delay in diagnosis. Results. Fatigue and weight loss were significantly associated with delay in seeking medical attention [aOR=2.47 (95%CI=1.15, 5.29; aOR=2.99 (95%CI=1.46, 6.14, resp.], while having night sweats protected against delay [aOR=0.48 (95%CI=0.24, 0.96]. Believing the illness to be something other than TB was also significantly associated with delay [aOR=2.63 (95%CI=1.13, 6.12]. Almost 20% of the 240 TB patients were neither diagnosed at their first medical visit nor referred for further evaluation. Conclusions. This study showed that raising awareness of the signs and symptoms of TB among both the public and clinical communities is urgently needed.

Differences in symptoms, first medical contact and pre-hospital delay times between patients with ST- and non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

Science.gov (United States)

Ängerud, Karin H; Sederholm Lawesson, Sofia; Isaksson, Rose-Marie; Thylén, Ingela; Swahn, Eva

2017-11-01

In ST-elevation myocardial infarction, time to reperfusion is crucial for the prognosis. Symptom presentation in myocardial infarction influences pre-hospital delay times but studies about differences in symptoms between patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction and non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction are sparse and inconclusive. The aim was to compare symptoms, first medical contact and pre-hospital delay times in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction and non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction. This multicentre, observational study included 694 myocardial infarction patients from five hospitals. The patients filled in a questionnaire about their pre-hospital experiences within 24 h of hospital admittance. Chest pain was the most common symptom in ST-elevation myocardial infarction and non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (88.7 vs 87.0%, p=0.56). Patients with cold sweat (odds ratio 3.61, 95% confidence interval 2.29-5.70), jaw pain (odds ratio 2.41, 95% confidence interval 1.04-5.58), and nausea (odds ratio 1.70, 95% confidence interval 1.01-2.87) were more likely to present with ST-elevation myocardial infarction, whereas the opposite was true for symptoms that come and go (odds ratio 0.58, 95% confidence interval 0.38-0.90) or anxiety (odds ratio 0.52, 95% confidence interval 0.29-0.92). Use of emergency medical services was higher among patients admitted with ST-elevation myocardial infarction. The pre-hospital delay time from symptom onset to first medical contact was significantly longer in non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (2:05 h vs 1:10 h, p=0.001). Patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction differed from those with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction regarding symptom presentation, ambulance utilisation and pre-hospital delay times. This knowledge is important to be aware of for all healthcare personnel and the general public especially in order to recognise symptoms suggestive of ST-elevation myocardial infarction and

Factors influencing diagnosis delay of advanced breast cancer in Moroccan women

OpenAIRE

Maghous, A.; Rais, F.; Ahid, S.; Benhmidou, N.; Bellahamou, K.; Loughlimi, H.; Marnouche, E.; Elmajjaoui, S.; Elkacemi, H.; Kebdani, T.; Benjaafar, N.

2016-01-01

Background Delay in the diagnosis of breast cancer in symptomatic women of 3?months or more is associated with advanced stage and low survival. We conducted this study to learn more about the extent and reasons behind diagnosis delay of advanced breast cancer in Moroccan women. Methods A group of patients with advanced breast cancer were interviewed at the National Institute of Oncology in Rabat during the period from February to December 2014. Diagnosis delay was devised into patient delay a...

Delayed autonomic neuropathy in a patient with diethylene glycol poisoning: a case report.

Science.gov (United States)

Kamada, Hiroki; Suzuki, Hideaki; Yamamoto, Saori; Nomura, Ryosuke; Kushimoto, Shigeki

2017-07-01

A 72-year-old man presented to our hospital after ingesting insecticide containing approximately 2 mL/kg diethylene glycol, which exceeded the lethal dose of 1 mL/kg. The patient recovered from critical symptoms on acute phase until day 3, but received artificial ventilation for muscle weakness secondary to sensorimotor neuropathy on days 11-54. Even after marked improvement from sensorimotor neuropathy, the patient continued to complain of orthostatic hypotension. Autonomic neuropathy was identified by positive result of a head-up tilt test, and reduction in coefficient of variation of R-R intervals and cardiac iodine-123-metaiodobenzylguanidine uptake for the assessment of cardiac sympathetic activity. The patient's symptoms fully recovered 2 years after the exposure to diethylene glycol. This case shows the first report of delayed autonomic neuropathy after recovery from severe sensorimotor neuropathy, and suggests the importance of continuous monitoring for late-onset neurological complications.

Delay-induced cluster patterns in coupled Cayley tree networks

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Singh, A.; Jalan, S.

2013-07-01

We study effects of delay in diffusively coupled logistic maps on the Cayley tree networks. We find that smaller coupling values exhibit sensitiveness to value of delay, and lead to different cluster patterns of self-organized and driven types. Whereas larger coupling strengths exhibit robustness against change in delay values, and lead to stable driven clusters comprising nodes from last generation of the Cayley tree. Furthermore, introduction of delay exhibits suppression as well as enhancement of synchronization depending upon coupling strength values. To the end we discuss the importance of results to understand conflicts and cooperations observed in family business.

Reasons for diagnostic delay in gynecological malignancies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vandborg, Mai Partridge; Christensen, René dePont Christensen; Kragstrup, Jakob

2011-01-01

(≤ or > 60 years), performance of gynecological examination by the GP and notification of cancer suspicion on first referral from GP’s on the diagnostic delay (short delay ≤90 days and long delay >90 days). Results Across cancer type a median total delay of 101 days was observed. The 10% of women......Aim The primary aim of this study was to identify and describe different delay types in women with gynecologic cancer, and to analyze the relationship between diagnostic delay and a number of characteristics for patients, cancers and the health care system. Setting A cohort study of women newly......) and The Danish Gynecological Cancer Database (DGCD). 161 women were included; ovarian cancer: 63, endometrial cancer: 50, cervical cancer: 34 and vulvar cancer: 14. Outcome measures were different delay types counted in days and the influence of four clinical important variables: Presence of alarm symptoms, age...

The significance of resting thallium-201 delayed SPECT for assessing viability of infarcted regions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mori, Takao; Yamabe, Hiroshi; Yoshida, Hiroyuki; Maeda, Kazumi; Fukuzaki, Hisashi

1991-01-01

Thirty-eight patients with old myocardial infarction (OMI) and 35 patients with effort angina pectoris (EAP) underwent resting thallium-201 (Tl) SPECT one week after exercise (Ex) Tl SPECT. On the basis of both resting and Ex Tl SPECT scans, OMI patients were divided into 3 groups: those who had Tl redistribution (RD) on Ex images and the same perfusion defect (PD) on both resting and Ex delayed images (n=12, Group 1); those who had a lower PD on resting delayed images than Ex delayed images (n=15, Group 2); and those who had no Tl RD on Ex images in spite of the same PD on both resting and EX delayed images (n=11, Group 3). EAP patients were divided into Group 1 (n=18) in whom no PD was seen on Ex delayed image and Group 2 (n=17) in whom PD was not seen on Ex delayed images either, but seen on resting delayed images. EX images showed higher pulmonary artery wedge pressure in Group 2 than Group 1 of both OMI and EAP patients (27±7 mmHg vs 15±6 mmHg for OMI patients; 22±6 mmHg vs 12±7 mmHg for EAP patients). For PD, Tl uptake rate on Ex initial images was higher in Group 1 than Gorup 2 of both OMI and EAP patients (63±7% vs 55±9% for OMI patients; 72±7% vs 65±9% for EAP patients). Resting delayed images for OMI patients showed the highest Tl uptake rate in Group 1 (78±7%), followed by Group 2 (74±8%) and then Group 3 (41±10%). In the group of OMI patients, the incidence of akinetic or dyskinetic wall motion on left ventriculography was the highest in Group 3 (85.7%), followed by Group 2 (52.2%) and Group 1 (24.3%). OMI patients, as well as EAP patients, had lower PD on resting delayed images than EX delayed images. Thus, severer ischemia may be associated with stress and infarcted areas may not involve viable muscle when Tl PD is decreased on resting delayed images. (N.K.)

[The delayed word recall task using ADAS-Jcog word booklet effectively divides patients with mild cognitive impairment from normal elderly people].

Science.gov (United States)

Kawano, Naoko; Umegaki, Hiroyuki; Suzuki, Yusuke; Yamamoto, Sayaka; Mogi, Nanaka; Iguchi, Akihisa

2007-07-01

A new screening test for detecting mild cognitive impairment (MCI) with higher sensitivity that can easily be administered at the bedside is necessary. In this study, we proposed the delayed recall task using the word booklet of Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive component-Japanese version (ADAS-Jcog) and compared the score of the task in patients with MCI with that of cognitive normal elderly (NE) and patients with AD. Thirty six patients with MCI, 13 very mild AD, 104 mild AD, 13 moderate AD, and age- and education-matched 19 NE, recruited from the memory clinic of Nagoya University Hospital, were evaluated by the ADAS-Jcog word recall task which consisted of immediate recall (IR), a classical method on ADAS-Jcog, and delayed recall (DR) that has been newly introduced. Compared with controls, patients with MCI were significantly impaired on both IR and DR. On the other hand, DR is more sensitive than IR for distinguishing MCI from NE. The highest sensitivity (94.4%) and specificity (68.4%) were achieved when the results of IR were combined with those of DR. The result suggests that the delayed word recall task using the word booklet of ADAS-Jcog may be a useful tool as a screening method for the detection of MCI.

Demographic and clinical characteristics in relation to patient and health system delays in a tuberculosis low-incidence country

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Leutscher, Peter; Madsen, Gitte; Erlandsen, Mogens

2012-01-01

Background: Delays in the diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis (TB) are commonly encountered. Methods: A study was undertaken among pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) and extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) patients in a Danish university hospital to describe demographic and clinical characteristics...

Numerical bifurcation analysis of delay differential equations arising from physiological modeling.

Science.gov (United States)

Engelborghs, K; Lemaire, V; Bélair, J; Roose, D

2001-04-01

This paper has a dual purpose. First, we describe numerical methods for continuation and bifurcation analysis of steady state solutions and periodic solutions of systems of delay differential equations with an arbitrary number of fixed, discrete delays. Second, we demonstrate how these methods can be used to obtain insight into complex biological regulatory systems in which interactions occur with time delays: for this, we consider a system of two equations for the plasma glucose and insulin concentrations in a diabetic patient subject to a system of external assistance. The model has two delays: the technological delay of the external system, and the physiological delay of the patient's liver. We compute stability of the steady state solution as a function of two parameters, compare with analytical results and compute several branches of periodic solutions and their stability. These numerical results allow to infer two categories of diabetic patients for which the external system has different efficiency.

Delayed Partial Nephrectomy for Hydronephrosis After Renal Trauma.

Science.gov (United States)

Setia, Shaan; Jackson, Jessica Nicole; Herndon, C D Anthony; Corbett, Sean T

2017-03-01

Delayed sequelae following conservative management of renal trauma in the pediatric population are uncommon. Reports of delayed operations to manage these sequelae are even less common. Here we present the case of a 16-year-old male patient who had delayed development of upper urinary tract obstruction with recurrent infections following high-grade renal trauma managed conservatively. Ultimately, he required a robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy 2 years after initial nonoperative management. This is unique as no prior studies to our knowledge have described delayed hydronephrosis and delayed partial nephrectomy over a year following renal trauma. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

What 'outliers' tell us about missed opportunities for tuberculosis control: a cross-sectional study of patients in Mumbai, India

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Porter John DH

2010-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background India's Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP is deemed highly successful in terms of detection and cure rates. However, some patients experience delays in accessing diagnosis and treatment. Patients falling between the 96th and 100th percentiles for these access indicators are often ignored as atypical 'outliers' when assessing programme performance. They may, however, provide clues to understanding why some patients never reach the programme. This paper examines the underlying vulnerabilities of patients with extreme values for delays in accessing the RNTCP in Mumbai city, India. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study with 266 new sputum positive patients registered with the RNTCP in Mumbai. Patients were classified as 'outliers' if patient, provider and system delays were beyond the 95th percentile for the respective variable. Case profiles of 'outliers' for patient, provider and system delays were examined and compared with the rest of the sample to identify key factors responsible for delays. Results Forty-two patients were 'outliers' on one or more of the delay variables. All 'outliers' had a significantly lower per capita income than the remaining sample. The lack of economic resources was compounded by social, structural and environmental vulnerabilities. Longer patient delays were related to patients' perception of symptoms as non-serious. Provider delays were incurred as a result of private providers' failure to respond to tuberculosis in a timely manner. Diagnostic and treatment delays were minimal, however, analysis of the 'outliers' revealed the importance of social support in enabling access to the programme. Conclusion A proxy for those who fail to reach the programme, these case profiles highlight unique vulnerabilities that need innovative approaches by the RNTCP. The focus on 'outliers' provides a less resource- and time-intensive alternative to community-based studies for

Specific diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma by delayed hepatobiliary imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hasegawa, Y.; Nakano, S.; Ibuka, K.

1986-01-01

For assessment of the value of delayed hepatobiliary imaging with technetium 99m (/sup 99m/Tc)-(Sn)-N-pyridoxyl-5-methyltryptophan (/sup 99m/Tc-PMT) for specific diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma, 88 patients with various malignant and benign liver diseases (49 with hepatocellular carcinoma, 4 with cholangiocellular carcinoma, 10 with metastatic liver carcinoma, 2 with liver cysts, 2 with liver hemangioma, 1 with liver abscess, 2 with intrahepatic lithiasis, 12 with liver cirrhosis, and 6 with chronic hepatitis) were studied. In 20 (41%) of the 49 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, greater uptake of /sup 99m/Tc-PMT by the tumor than by the surrounding liver tissue was seen in delayed hepatobiliary images, whereas in eight patients (16%), equilibrated uptake was seen. No increased uptake of the radioisotope by hepatic lesions was seen in 21 patients with localized liver diseases other than hepatoma. Moreover, in 18 patients with diffuse liver diseases, no focal accumulation of the radioisotope was seen in delayed /sup 99m/Tc-PMT images. In addition, of 28 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma in whom the serum alpha-fetoprotein level showed little or no increase, 12 showed increased uptake of /sup 99m/Tc-PMT by the tumor. In assessing delayed /sup 99m/Tc-PMT images, however, it was necessary to consider following complications: accumulation of tracer in obstructed and dilated biliary trees; retention of radioactivity in nonneoplastic liver tissues; difficulties in evaluating /sup 99m/Tc-PMT uptake by small hepatic tumors; overlapping of radioactivity in the gut and gallbladder in delayed /sup 99m/Tc-PMT images of tumors. This study indicates that delayed /sup 99m/Tc-PMT images can be useful in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma

Delayed reactions to reusable protective gloves.

Science.gov (United States)

Pontén, Ann; Dubnika, Inese

2009-04-01

The materials in plastic protective gloves are thought to cause less contact allergy than rubber gloves. Our aim was to estimate the frequency of delayed reactions to different types of reusable protective gloves among dermatitis patients. 2 x 2 cm pieces of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) gloves, nitrile gloves, and natural rubber latex (NRL) gloves were tested as is in consecutive dermatitis patients tested with the baseline series. Among 658 patients, 6 patients reacted to PVC gloves and 6 patients to the NRL gloves. None reacted to both these types of gloves. Five of six patients with reactions to rubber gloves reacted to thiuram mix in the baseline series. Delayed reactions to reusable PVC gloves may be as common as to reusable NRL gloves. In contrast to most reactions to the NRL glove, the reactions to the PVC glove had no obvious association with reactions to any allergen(s) in the baseline series.

Risk factors for delayed healing at the free anterolateral thigh flap donor site

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Yoshiro Abe

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Background The free anterolateral thigh (ALT flap has been widely used for various kinds of reconstructions. However, delayed healing at the donor site occasionally occurs due to wound dehiscence or the partial loss of grafted skin at the donor site. The aim of the present study was to identify reliable predictive factors for delayed healing at the donor site after the harvest of a free ALT flap. Methods This study included 52 patients who underwent reconstructive procedures using free ALT flaps. The delayed healing group included patients with wounds at the donor site that had not healed over 3 weeks after surgery, and the normal healing group included patients who showed wound healing within 3 weeks after surgery. Multivariate logistic regression models were created to identify the risk factors for delayed healing at the ALT flap donor site. Results Among the 52 patients, 24 (46.2% showed delayed healing at the donor site, and 6 patients required additional operative treatment. A high preoperative body mass index (BMI, smoking, and skin grafting were found to be significantly associated with delayed healing at the ALT donor site. Of the 37 patients who underwent skin grafting, 23 (62% experienced delayed healing at the donor site. Conclusions A high preoperative BMI, smoking, and skin grafting were risk factors for delayed healing at the free ALT donor site. Skin grafting at the ALT donor site should be avoided in patients with a high BMI or a habit of smoking.

Patient comprehension of emergency department care and instructions: are patients aware of when they do not understand?

Science.gov (United States)

Engel, Kirsten G; Heisler, Michele; Smith, Dylan M; Robinson, Claire H; Forman, Jane H; Ubel, Peter A

2009-04-01

To be able to adhere to discharge instructions after a visit to the emergency department (ED), patients should understand both the care that they received and their discharge instructions. The objective of this study is to assess, at discharge, patients' comprehension of their ED care and instructions and their awareness of deficiencies in their comprehension. We conducted structured interviews of 140 adult English-speaking patients or their primary caregivers after ED discharge in 2 health systems. Participants rated their subjective understanding of 4 domains: (1) diagnosis and cause; (2) ED care; (3) post-ED care, and (4) return instructions. We assessed patient comprehension as the degree of agreement (concordance) between patients' recall of each of these domains and information obtained from chart review. Two authors scored each case independently and discussed discrepancies before providing a final concordance rating (no concordance, minimal concordance, partial concordance, near concordance, complete concordance). Seventy-eight percent of patients demonstrated deficient comprehension (less than complete concordance) in at least 1 domain; 51% of patients, in 2 or more domains. Greater than a third of these deficiencies (34%) involved patients' understanding of post-ED care, whereas only 15% were for diagnosis and cause. The majority of patients with comprehension deficits failed to perceive them. Patients perceived difficulty with comprehension only 20% of the time when they demonstrated deficient comprehension. Many patients do not understand their ED care or their discharge instructions. Moreover, most patients appear to be unaware of their lack of understanding and report inappropriate confidence in their comprehension and recall.

Diagnostic Delay in Rheumatoid Arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mølbaek, Karen; Hørslev-Petersen, Kim; Primdahl, Jette

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: To prevent joint damage among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), there is a need to minimize delays from the onset of symptoms until the initiation of appropriate therapy. The present study explored the factors that have an impact on the time it takes for Danish patients with RA...

Understanding social context on TB cases

Science.gov (United States)

Ariyanto, Y.; Wati, D. M.

2017-01-01

Tuberculosis (TB) nowadays still becomes one of the world’s deadliest communicable disease. More than half were in South-East Asia and Western Pacific Regions, including Indonesia. As developing country, Indonesia remains classic problems in overcoming TB, that is discontinuation on treatment. Most of discontinuation on treatment among TB patients are affected by diagnostic delay that caused by patient delay. These phenomena occur in many areas, rural to suburb, coastal to plantation, and so on, and they are related with social context among community that could be social capital for each community to deal with TB. Jember as one of county in East Java is known as plantation area. It also has a high prevalence of TB. This study focused on understanding about social context among community, especially on plantation area. This cross-sectional study involved in three districts of Jember, those are Tanggul, Pakusari, and Kalisat. The data were obtained directly from the TB patients, local community, and Primary Health Care (PHC) where the patients recorded. Spatial analysis and social network analysis (SNA) were applied to obtain health seeking behavior pattern among the TB patients coincide the community. Most of TB patients had already chosen health professionals to lead the treatment, although some of them remained to choose self-medication. Meanwhile, SNA showed that religious leader was considered as main part of countermeasures of TB. But they didn’t ever become central figures. So it can be concluded that there are other parts among community who can contribute due to combatting on TB.

Clinical Factors of Delayed Perforation after Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection for Gastric Neoplasms

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Yoshinobu Yamamoto

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Delayed perforation is a rare but severe complication of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD for early gastric neoplasm (EGN. The aim of this study was to clarify clinical factors related to delayed perforation after ESD. Methods. A total of 1158 consecutive patients with 1199 EGNs underwent ESD at our hospital between January 2000 and December 2015. Univariate analysis was used to identify clinicopathological factors related to delayed perforation. Moreover, duration of cautery needed for hemostasis was measured by comparison between perforated and nonperforated points in patients with delayed perforation. Results. Delayed perforation occurred in 5 of 1158 consecutive patients with 1199 EGNs who underwent ESD (0.42%. All cases were diagnosed within 24 h after ESD and recovered with conservative management. On univariate analysis, location in the upper stomach was the factor most significantly associated with delayed perforation (P<0.01. Duration of cautery needed for hemostasis was significantly longer at perforated points (9 s than at nonperforated points (3.5 s in five patients. Conclusions. Location in the upper stomach was the risk factor most prominently associated with delayed perforation after ESD for EGNs. In addition, delayed perforation appears associated with excessive electrocautery for hemostasis.

Delayed recovery from anesthesia: A postgraduate educational review

OpenAIRE

Misal, Ullhas Sudhakarrao; Joshi, Suchita Annasaheb; Shaikh, Mudassir Mohd

2016-01-01

Delayed awakening from anesthesia remains one of the biggest challenges that involve an anesthesiologist. With the general use of fast-acting anesthetic agents, patients usually awaken quickly in the postoperative period. The time to emerge from anesthesia is affected by patient factors, anesthetic factors, duration of surgery, and painful stimulation. The principal factors responsible for delayed awakening following anesthesia are anesthetic agents and medications used in the perioperative p...

Delayed hepatobiliary imaging in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, S.; Ma, Z.; Tang, Z.

2000-01-01

In recent years, the use of ultrasonography (US), X-CT and MRI has reduced the employment of isotopic explorations in the detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). But sometime the results of US, X-CT or MRI were different and diagnosis was very difficult. This present investigation was aimed to assess the usefulness of delayed hepatobiliary imaging in the diagnosis of HCC in these patients. Forty-eight patients consisting of 33 males and 15 females were entered into the research protocol. The mean age was 46 yr old (range 12-71 yr old). All of the patients were performed by surgery and verified histologically after nuclear examination. The subject was in a supine position under a gamma camera (Elscint, Apex Ap-6) and 555 MBq of Tc-99m-PMT were injected intravenously. The initial scinphotos obtained within 1 min after injection were used to image the blood pool phase. Subsequently, hepatic scans were obtained at 5 min, 1,2 and 5 hr. Anterior, right lateral and posterior hepatic images were recorded. According to the radioactive uptake by the lesion in delayed phase, the negative (no or minor uptake), positive (equal or greater uptake) or very strong positive (almost equal to the activity, of gallbladder) were judged. The positive were considered as diagnostic of HCC. And the very strong positive, were considered as diagnostic of benign hepatoma, such as adenoma or FNH. Thirty-seven of the forty-eight patients were HCC based on histology. Delayed imaging revealed increased or equilibrated uptake of radioactivity by the tumors in 22 of 37 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. The sensitivity was 59.5%. One patient final diagnosis based on histology was focal nodular regenerative hyperplasia, and only the diagnosis with delayed hepatobiliary imaging before surgery was correct. Compared with US, X-CT and MRI, delayed hepatobiliary imaging had the highest specificity for diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma. In recent group, the specificity of Tc-99m-PMT delayed

Short-term delayed recall of auditory verbal learning test is equivalent to long-term delayed recall for identifying amnestic mild cognitive impairment.

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Qianhua Zhao

Full Text Available Delayed recall of words in a verbal learning test is a sensitive measure for the diagnosis of amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI and early Alzheimer's disease (AD. The relative validity of different retention intervals of delayed recall has not been well characterized. Using the Auditory Verbal Learning Test-Huashan version, we compared the differentiating value of short-term delayed recall (AVL-SR, that is, a 3- to 5-minute delay time and long-term delayed recall (AVL-LR, that is, a 20-minute delay time in distinguishing patients with aMCI (n = 897 and mild AD (n = 530 from the healthy elderly (n = 1215. In patients with aMCI, the correlation between AVL-SR and AVL-LR was very high (r = 0.94, and the difference between the two indicators was less than 0.5 points. There was no difference between AVL-SR and AVL-LR in the frequency of zero scores. In the receiver operating characteristic curves analysis, although the area under the curve (AUC of AVL-SR and AVL-LR for diagnosing aMCI was significantly different, the cut-off scores of the two indicators were identical. In the subgroup of ages 80 to 89, the AUC of the two indicators showed no significant difference. Therefore, we concluded that AVL-SR could substitute for AVL-LR in identifying aMCI, especially for the oldest patients.

Evaluation of atrial electromechanical delay and diastolic functions in patients with hyperthyroidism.

Science.gov (United States)

Sokmen, Abdullah; Acar, Gurkan; Sokmen, Gulizar; Akcay, Ahmet; Akkoyun, Murat; Koroglu, Sedat; Nacar, Alper Bugra; Ozkaya, Mesut

2013-11-01

Hyperthyroidism is a well-known cause of atrial fibrillation (AF) which is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Atrial electromechanical delay (EMD) is a significant predictor of AF. The aim of this study was to assess the atrial EMD and diastolic functions in subclinical and overt hyperthyroidism by using tissue Doppler imaging (TDI). The study population consisted of 3 groups: group I (30 healthy subjects), group II (38 patients with subclinical hyperthyroidism), and group III (25 patients with overt hyperthyroidism). Atrial electromechanical coupling was measured with TDI. Standard echocardiographic measurements and parameters of diastolic function were obtained by conventional echocardiography and TDI. Intra- and inter-atrial EMD were significantly prolonged in subclinical and overt hyperthyroidism compared with control group (P = 0.03 and P hyperthyroidism. TSH level and mitral Em /Am ratio were found as independent predictors of atrial EMD. © 2013, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Patient understanding of diabetes self-management: participatory decision-making in diabetes care.

Science.gov (United States)

Quinn, Charlene C; Royak-Schaler, Renee; Lender, Dan; Steinle, Nanette; Gadalla, Shahinaz; Zhan, Min

2011-05-01

Our aim was to determine whether patient participation in decision-making about diabetes care is associated with understanding of diabetes self-management and subsequent self-care practices. We also identified issues that would impact messaging for use in mobile diabetes communication. A cross-sectional observational study was conducted with type 2 diabetes patients (n = 81) receiving their care at the University of Maryland Joslin Diabetes Center. A convenience sample of patients were eligible to participate if they were aged 25-85 years, had type 2 diabetes, spoke English, and visited their physician diabetes manager within the past 6 months. In-person patient interviews were conducted at the time of clinic visits to assess patient understanding of diabetes management, self-care practices, and perceptions of participation in decision-making about diabetes care. African Americans reported fewer opportunities to participate in decision-making than Caucasians, after controlling for education [mean difference (MD) = -2.4, p = .02]. This association became insignificant after controlling for patient-physician race concordance (MD = -1.5, p = .21). Patient understanding of self-care was predicted by having greater than high school education (MD = 3.6, p = .001) and having physicians who involved them in decision-making about their care. For each unit increase in understanding of diabetes self-care, the mean patient self-care practice score increased by 0.16 (p = .003), after adjustment for patient race and education. Patient participation in decision-making is associated with better understanding of care. Participation in decision-making plays a key role in patient understanding of diabetes self-management and subsequent self-care practices. Patients with limited education need specific instruction in foot care, food choices, and monitoring hemoglobin A1c. © 2011 Diabetes Technology Society.

[Delayed perforation of the cecum and sigmoid colon after blunt abdominal trauma in a patient with multiple injuries].

Science.gov (United States)

Miranda, E; Arroyo, A; Ronda, J M; Muñoz, J L; Alonso, C; Martínez-Peñuelas, F; Martí-Viaño, J L

2007-01-01

Blunt abdominal trauma can damage the intestinal vasculature and may occasionally lead to delayed intestinal perforation, associated with a combined rate of morbidity and mortality of 25%. The diagnosis of such complications is hindered by sedation in critical patients, however, and morbimortality in this population is therefore higher. We report the case of a man with multiple injuries admitted to the intensive care unit, where delayed perforations of the sigmoid colon and cecum were diagnosed. The management of blunt abdominal trauma is reviewed and the possible causes, diagnostic approaches, and treatment options for colon injuries are discussed.

Understanding barriers to glycaemic control from the patient's perspective

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Janes R

2013-06-01

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: To better understand barriers to glycaemic control from the patient's perspective. METHODS: An interpretative phenomenological approach was used to study the experiences of 15 adults with Type 2 diabetes. Participants each gave a semi-structured interview of their experiences of living with diabetes. Interviews were transcribed, and themes extracted and organised using a patientcentred framework. FINDINGS: Participants' stories confirmed many of the barriers in the literature, particularly those related to context, such as family, finances, work. Barriers also related to negative emotional reactions to diabetes: fear of new events (diagnosis, starting pills/insulin; guilt about getting diabetes and not controlling it; and shame about having diabetes. Barriers also related to unscientific beliefs and personal beliefs. There were additional barriers related to poor clinician-patient relationships. Overall, participants had a poor understanding of diabetes, and complained that their clinician simply 'told them what to do'. CONCLUSION: Using a patient-centred approach, this study identified many barriers to glycaemic control. We suggest that a key barrier is clinician ignorance of their patients' fears, beliefs, expectations, context; of what constitutes a positive therapeutic relationship; and of the limitations of a biomedical approach to patient non-adherence. Faced with both a worsening diabetes epidemic and increasing health care workforce shortages, clinicians urgently need to understand that it is they, not their patients, who must change their approach if diabetes care is to be improved.

Impact of delays to cardiac surgery after failed angioplasty and stenting.

Science.gov (United States)

Lotfi, Mat; Mackie, Karen; Dzavik, Vladimir; Seidelin, Peter H

2004-02-04

This study was designed to determine the likelihood of harm in patients having additional delays before urgent coronary artery bypass graft (UCABG) surgery after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Patients who have PCI at hospitals without cardiac surgery have additional delays to surgery when UCABG is indicated. Detailed chart review was performed on all patients who had a failed PCI leading to UCABG at a large tertiary care hospital. A prespecified set of criteria (hemodynamic instability, coronary perforation with significant effusion or tamponade, or severe ischemia) was used to identify patients who would have an increased likelihood of harm with additional delays to surgery. From 1996 to 2000, 6,582 PCIs were performed. There were 45 patients (0.7%) identified to have UCABG. The demographic characteristics of the UCABG patients were similar to the rest of the patients in the PCI database, except for significantly more type C lesions (45.3% vs. 25.0%, p surgery. The absolute risk of harm is approximately one to two patients per 1,000 PCIs. Approximately one in four patients referred for UCABG would be placed at increased risk of harm if delays to surgery were encountered.

Delayed-enhancement magnetic resonance imaging in patients with clinically suspected stress cardiomyopathy (Tako-Tsubo)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muellerleile, K.; Sultan, A.; Willems, S.; Lund, G.; Groth, M.; Adam, G.; Barmeyer, A.; Meinertz, T.; Koester, R.; Heitzer, T.

2010-01-01

To compare the ability of delayed-enhancement magnetic resonance imaging (DE-MRI) and other MRI and clinical parameters to identify diseases mimicking stress cardiomyopathy (SCM). The study included 14 consecutive patients fulfilling the American Heart Association (AHA) criteria for SCM with acute left ventricular dysfunction in the absence of coronary artery disease, triggered by psychological stress. The MRI protocol consisted of cine, T 2-weighted, first-pass-perfusion (FPP) and DE-MRI. Six patients with DE were classified as mimicking SCM (non-SCM) and 8 patients without DE as SCM. FPP defects were found in 4 patients with non-SCM and in none with SCM (p < 0.05). Myocardial edema was found in 5 patients with non-SCM and in 2 patients with SCM (p = ns). No significant differences in clinical findings such as ECG, cardiac markers and echocardiographic recovery of left ventricular function were found between patients with non-SCM and SCM. Non-SCM defined by DE-MRI is a frequent finding in patients fulfilling the AHA criteria for SCM. Clinical findings seem to be of limited value to differentiate between non-SCM and SCM. (orig.)

Long-term resolution of delayed onset hypoglossal nerve palsy following occipital condyle fracture: Case report and review of the literature

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Sudhakar Vadivelu

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The authors present the case of a patient that demonstrates resolution of delayed onset hypoglossal nerve palsy (HNP subsequent to occipital condyle fracture following a motor vehicle accident. Decompression of the hypoglossal nerve and craniocervical fixation led to satisfactory long-term (>5 years outcome. There is a scarcity of literature in recognizing HNPs following trauma and a lack of pathophysiological understanding to both a delayed presentation and to resolution versus persistence. This is the first report demonstrating long-term resolution of hypoglossal nerve injury following trauma to the craniocervical junction.

Sleep Phase Delay in Cystic Fibrosis: A Potential New Manifestation of Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Regulator Dysfunction.

Science.gov (United States)

Jensen, Judy L; Jones, Christopher R; Kartsonaki, Christiana; Packer, Kristyn A; Adler, Frederick R; Liou, Theodore G

2017-08-01

Cystic fibrosis (CF) transmembrane regulator (CFTR) protein dysfunction causes CF. Improving survival allows detection of increasingly subtle disease manifestations. CFTR dysfunction in the central nervous system (CNS) may disturb circadian rhythm and thus sleep phase. We studied sleep in adults to better understand potential CNS CFTR dysfunction. We recruited participants from April 2012 through April 2015 and administered the Munich Chronotype Questionnaire (MCTQ). We compared free-day sleep measurements between CF and non-CF participants and investigated associations with CF survival predictors. We recruited 23 female and 22 male adults with CF aged 18 to 46 years and 26 female and 22 male volunteers aged 18 to 45 years. Compared with volunteers without CF, patients with CF had delayed sleep onset (0.612 h; P = .015), midsleep (1.11 h; P < .001), and wake (1.15 h; P < .001) times and prolonged sleep latency (7.21 min; P = .05) and duration (0.489 h; P = .05). Every hour delay in sleep onset was associated with shorter sleep duration by 0.29 h in patients with CF and 0.75 h in subjects without CF (P = .007) and longer sleep latency by 7.51 min in patients with CF and 1.6 min in volunteers without CF (P = .035). Among patients with CF, FEV 1 % predicted, prior acute pulmonary exacerbations, and weight were independent of all free-day sleep measurements. CF in adults is associated with marked delays in sleep phase consistent with circadian rhythm phase delays. Independence from disease characteristics predictive of survival suggests that sleep phase delay is a primary manifestation of CFTR dysfunction in the CNS. Copyright © 2017 American College of Chest Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Delays in presentation and treatment of breast cancer in Enugu ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

To assess the delays and define the causes of delay in presentation and treatment of breast cancer patients inEnugu,Nigeria. Across-sectional survey of breast cancer patients using a semi structured questionnaire. SurgicalOncology unit,University ofNigeriaTeachingHospitalEnugu, (UNTH-E),Nigeria. 164 consecutively ...

First-Case Operating Room Delays: Patterns Across Urban Hospitals of a Single Health Care System

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Callie M. Cox Bauer

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Purpose: Operating room delays decrease health care system efficiency and increase costs. To improve operating room efficiency in our system, we retrospectively investigated delay frequencies, causes and costs. Methods: We studied all first-of-the-day nonemergent surgical cases performed at three high-volume urban hospitals of a large health system from July 2012 to November 2013. Times for patient flow from arrival to procedure start and documented reasons for delay were obtained from electronic medical records. Delay was defined as patient placement in the operating room later than scheduled surgery time. Effects of patient characteristics, late patient arrival to the hospital, number of planned procedures, years of surgeon experience, service department and hospital facility on odds of delay were examined using logistic regression. Results: Of 5,598 cases examined, 88% were delayed. Patients arrived late to the hospital (surgery in 65% of first cases. Mean time from arrival to scheduled surgery and in-room placement was 104.6 and 127.4 minutes, respectively. Mean delay time was 28.2 minutes. Nearly 60% of delayed cases had no documented reason for delay. For cases with documentation, causes included the physician (52%, anesthesia (15%, patient (13%, staff (9%, other sources (6% and facility (5%. Regression analysis revealed age, late arrival, department and facility as significant predictors of delay. Estimated delay costs, based on published figures and representing lost revenue, were $519,388. Conclusions: To improve operating room efficiency, multidisciplinary strategies are needed for increasing patient adherence to recommended arrival times, documentation of delay by medical staff and consistency in workflow patterns among facilities and departments.

Relationship between interstitial and blood glucose in type 1 diabetes patients: delay and the push-pull phenomenon revisited

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wentholt, Iris M. E.; Hart, Augustus A. M.; Hoekstra, Joost B. L.; DeVries, J. Hans

2007-01-01

BACKGROUND: Interpretation of glucose sensor results requires clarification of the relationship between interstitial (IG) and blood (BG) glucose. We examined the delay of IG upon BG change and reinvestigated the push-pull phenomenon in type 1 diabetes patients. The push-pull phenomenon postulates

Assessment of malnutrition in hip fracture patients: effects on surgical delay, hospital stay and mortality.

Science.gov (United States)

Symeonidis, Panagiotis D; Clark, David

2006-08-01

The importance of malnutrition in elderly hip fracture patients has long been recognised. All patients operated upon for a hip fracture over a five-year period were assessed according to two nutritional markers : a) serum albumin levels and b) peripheral blood total lymphocyte count. Patients were subdivided into groups according to the four possible combinations of these results. Outcomes according to four clinical outcome parameters were validated: a) waiting time to operation b) length of hospitalisation, c) in-hospital mortality, and d) one-year postoperative mortality. Significant differences were found between malnourished patients and those with normal laboratory values with regard to surgical delay and one year postoperative mortality. Malnourished patients were also more likely to be hospitalised longer than a month and to die during their hospital stay, but the difference was not significant. The combination of serum albumin level and total lymphocyte count can be used as an independent prognostic factor in hip fracture patients.

Delay in diagnosis of cancer as a patient safety issue - a root cause analysis based on a representative case report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mansour Paul

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background It is well known in the literature that imaging has almost no value for diagnosis of superficial bladder cancer. However, wide gap exists between knowledge on diagnosis of bladder cancer and actual clinical practice. Case presentation Delay in diagnosis of bladder cancer in a male person with tetraplegia occurred because of reliance on negative flexible cystoscopy and single biopsy, negative ultrasound examination of urinary bladder, and computerised tomography of pelvis. Difficulties in scheduling cystoscopy also contributed to a delay of nearly ten months between the onset of haematuria and establishing a histological diagnosis of vesical malignancy in this patient. The time interval between transurethral resection and cystectomy was 42 days. This delay was mainly due to scheduling of surgery. Conclusion We learn from this case that doctors should be aware of the limitations of negative flexible cystoscopy and single biopsy, cytology of urine, ultrasound examination of urinary bladder, and computed tomography of pelvis for diagnosis of bladder cancer in spinal cord injury patients. Random bladder biopsies must be considered under general anaesthesia when there is high suspicion of bladder cancer. Spinal cord injury patients with lesions above T-6 may develop autonomic dysreflexia; therefore, one should be extremely well prepared to prevent or manage autonomic dysreflexia when performing cystoscopy and bladder biopsy. Spinal cord injury patients, who pass blood in urine, should be accorded top priority in scheduling of investigations and surgical procedures.

Effect of delay in hospital presentation on clinical and imaging findings in acute pulmonary thromboembolism.

Science.gov (United States)

Jenab, Yaser; Alemzadeh-Ansari, Mohammad Javad; Fehri, Seyedeh Arezoo; Ghaffari-Marandi, Neda; Jalali, Arash

2014-04-01

There is limited information on the extent and clinical importance of the delay in hospital presentation of acute pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE). The aim of this study was to investigate the delay in hospital presentation of PTE and its association with clinical and imaging findings in PTE. This prospective study was conducted on patients admitted to our hospital with a diagnosis of acute PTE between September 2007 and September 2011. Relationships between delay in hospital presentation and clinical findings, risk factors, imaging findings, and in-hospital mortality were analyzed. Of the 195 patients enrolled, 84 (43.1%) patients presented 3 days after the onset of symptoms. Patients with chest pain, history of immobility for more than 3 days, recent surgery, and estrogen use had significantly less delayed presentation. Right ventricular dysfunction was significantly more frequent in patients with delayed presentation (odds ratio [OR] = 2.38; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.27-4.44; p = 0.006); however, no relationship was found between delay in presentation and pulmonary computed tomographic angiography or color Doppler sonography findings. Patients with delayed presentation were at higher risk of in-hospital mortality (OR = 4.32; 95% CI 1.12-16.49; p = 0.021). Our study showed that a significant portion of patients with acute PTE had delayed presentation. Also, patients with delayed presentation had worse echocardiographic findings and higher in-hospital mortality. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Prevalence and determinants of delay in diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis in Darjeeling district of West Bengal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sibasis Das

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Delayed diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB is a significant problem both in individual as well as community level. Different studies around globe revealed that these diagnostic delays are attributed to both patient delay and health system-related delay. Aims: This study aims to assess the magnitude of delay in diagnosis and the association with sociodemographic profile among new sputum-positive pulmonary TB patients in Darjeeling district. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 374 TB patients from October 2011 to March 2012 using a predesigned pretested schedule by face-to-face interview. Statistical Analysis: Logistic regression analysis, odds ratios (OR, adjusted ORs. Results: Patient delay, health system delay and total diagnostic delay were 27 days, 20.1 days, and 20.6 days; mean delays were 23.64, 5.71, and 29.46 days, and median delays were 25, 5, and 32 days, respectively. Risk factors associated with patient delay were female gender, rural residence, illiteracy, smoking, alcohol consumption, taking two, or more alternate treatments; for health system delay were female sex, rural residence, time to reach health facility, time spent per visit; and for total diagnostic delay were female sex, alcoholism, and seeking more than two alternate treatment. Conclusions: The risk factors for delay identified may be the subject of future interventions.

Gallium-67 and subphrenic abscesses: is delayed scintigraphy necessary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hopkins, G.B.; Mende, C.W.

1975-01-01

Forty postoperative patients with clinical and roentgenographic findings suggestive of subphrenic abscess were evaluated by early and delayed 67 Ga scintigraphy. Early 67 Ga scintigraphs obtained 6 hr after injection correctly localized seven right and five left subphrenic abscesses. In no instance was an abscess present on delayed scintigraphs that was not evident on the 6-hr study. Two patients with left subphrenic abscess had false-negative results on both early and delayed scintigraphy. No false-positive studies were recorded. Early 67 Ga scintigraphy can be a valuable noninvasive adjunct in the diagnosis of subphrenic abscess. (U.S.)

Transfer between hospitals as a predictor of delay in diagnosis and treatment of patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Iachina, Maria; Jakobsen, Erik; Fallesen, Anne Kudsk

2017-01-01

with treatment facilities during the care pathway. We wanted to investigate whether this organizational set-up influenced the time that patients wait for the diagnosis and treatment. Therefore, the objective of this study was to uncover the impact of transfer between hospitals on the delay in the diagnosis......BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is the second most frequent cancer diagnosis in Denmark. Although improved during the last decade, the prognosis of lung cancer is still poor with an overall 5-year survival rate of approximately 12%. Delay in diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer has been suggested...... and incomplete data on the dates of referral, diagnosis and treatment were excluded. RESULTS: A total of 11 273 patients were included for further analyses. Transfer patients waited longer for treatment after the diagnosis, (Hazard ratio (HR) 0.81 (0.68-0.96)) and in total time from referral to treatment (HR 0...

Delayed Union of a Jones Fracture in a Patient With Rothmund-Thomson Syndrome: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Barisonek, Kirsten L; Protzman, Nicole M; Wobst, Garrett M; Brigido, Stephen A

2016-01-01

Rothmund-Thomson syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive genodermatosis, characterized by poikiloderma, small stature, juvenile cataracts, sparse hair, skeletal abnormalities, and a predisposition to osteogenic sarcomas and skin cancers. Although numerous skeletal abnormalities have been described in patients with Rothmund-Thomson syndrome, to our knowledge, only 1 study has shown evidence of delayed fracture healing in a patient with Rothmund-Thomson syndrome. We present the case of a 13-year-old female diagnosed with Rothmund-Thomson syndrome who demonstrated delayed union of her fifth metatarsal after a Jones fracture. She was treated conservatively for 6 weeks with non-weightbearing cast immobilization and was then transitioned to a controlled ankle motion walker for an additional 4 weeks. Two months later, however, she continued to experience pain, and, on radiographic examination, the fracture remained unchanged. Therefore, with her guardian's consent, the patient elected to undergo open reduction and internal fixation of the fifth metatarsal fracture. At 8 weeks postoperatively, the patient reported a subsidence of symptoms and had returned to normal activity. With our report, we hope to increase practitioner awareness that delayed bone healing could be a possibility in patients with Rothmund-Thomson syndrome and encourage consideration of routine imaging and supplementation with calcium and vitamin D. Additionally, the present findings suggest that patients with Rothmund-Thomson syndrome could benefit from early surgical intervention, given their poor bone healing capacity and high likelihood of nonunion. Although the association between impaired bone healing and Rothmund-Thomson syndrome is rational, additional studies are needed to determine the prevalence of chronic nonunion in this patient population. Copyright © 2016 American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

De novo deletion of HOXB gene cluster in a patient with failure to thrive, developmental delay, gastroesophageal reflux and bronchiectasis.

Science.gov (United States)

Pajusalu, Sander; Reimand, Tiia; Uibo, Oivi; Vasar, Maire; Talvik, Inga; Zilina, Olga; Tammur, Pille; Õunap, Katrin

2015-01-01

We report a female patient with a complex phenotype consisting of failure to thrive, developmental delay, congenital bronchiectasis, gastroesophageal reflux and bilateral inguinal hernias. Chromosomal microarray analysis revealed a 230 kilobase deletion in chromosomal region 17q21.32 (arr[hg19] 17q21.32(46 550 362-46 784 039)×1) encompassing only 9 genes - HOXB1 to HOXB9. The deletion was not found in her mother or father. This is the first report of a patient with a HOXB gene cluster deletion involving only HOXB1 to HOXB9 genes. By comparing our case to previously reported five patients with larger chromosomal aberrations involving the HOXB gene cluster, we can suppose that HOXB gene cluster deletions are responsible for growth retardation, developmental delay, and specific facial dysmorphic features. Also, we suppose that bilateral inguinal hernias, tracheo-esophageal abnormalities, and lung malformations represent features with incomplete penetrance. Interestingly, previously published knock-out mice with targeted heterozygous deletion comparable to our patient did not show phenotypic alterations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Rapid detox: understanding new treatment approaches for the addicted patient.

Science.gov (United States)

McCabe, S

2000-01-01

Despite substantive advances in understanding of genetic and biochemical basis of substance abuse and addiction in the last decade, little information has been translated into alternative treatment models for the addicted patient. Rapid detox, an alternative form of detox treatment, is gaining in both acceptance and popularity. To increase readers' understanding of the neurobiology of addiction and the mode of action of new detox approaches for patients addicted to opiate drugs. A review of the current literature pertaining to rapid detox. Rapid detox is a viable alternative for selected patients attempting to detox from opiate agents of abuse. Increasing knowledge of new treatment approaches allows nurses working to assist addicted patients in planning and receiving treatment based on new awareness of the neurobiology of addiction.

A multidisciplinary protocol for planned skin-preserving delayed breast reconstruction for patients with locally advanced breast cancer requiring postmastectomy radiation therapy: 3-year follow-up.

Science.gov (United States)

Kronowitz, Steven J; Lam, Candace; Terefe, Welela; Hunt, Kelly K; Kuerer, Henry M; Valero, Vicente; Lance, Samuel; Robb, Geoffrey L; Feng, Lei; Buchholz, Thomas A

2011-06-01

The authors examined the safety of a protocol for planned skin-preserving delayed breast reconstruction after postmastectomy radiotherapy with placement of a tissue expander for patients with locally advanced breast cancer (stages IIB and III). The authors compared 47 patients treated according to the protocol between December 2003 and May 2008 with 47 disease-stage-matched control patients who underwent standard delayed reconstruction after postmastectomy radiotherapy (no skin preservation or tissue expander) during the same period. Protocol-group complication rates were 21 percent for skin-preserving mastectomy and placement of the expander (stage 1), 5 percent for postmastectomy radiotherapy, 25 percent for expander reinflation after radiotherapy, and 24 percent for skin-preserving delayed reconstruction. The complication rate for standard delayed reconstruction was 38 percent. Tissue-expander loss rates were 32 percent overall, 9 percent for stage 1, 5 percent for postmastectomy radiotherapy, and 22 percent for reinflation. Wound-healing complications after reconstruction occurred in 3 percent of protocol-group and 10 percent of control-group patients. The median follow-up time for patients still alive at last follow-up was 40 months (range, 8.5 to 85.3 months). Three-year recurrence-free survival rates were 92 percent (95 percent CI, 83 to 100 percent) and 86 percent (95 percent CI, 76 to 98 percent) for the protocol and control groups, respectively (p = 0.87). In patients with locally advanced breast cancer, skin-preserving mastectomy with a deflated tissue expander on the chest wall during postmastectomy radiotherapy does not increase locoregional recurrence risk and is associated with lower complication rates of definitive reconstruction.

Delayed-onset dementia after stroke or transient ischemic attack.

Science.gov (United States)

Mok, Vincent C T; Lam, Bonnie Y K; Wang, Zhaolu; Liu, Wenyan; Au, Lisa; Leung, Eric Y L; Chen, Sirong; Yang, Jie; Chu, Winnie C W; Lau, Alexander Y L; Chan, Anne Y Y; Shi, Lin; Fan, Florence; Ma, Sze H; Ip, Vincent; Soo, Yannie O Y; Leung, Thomas W H; Kwok, Timothy C Y; Ho, Chi L; Wong, Lawrence K S; Wong, Adrian

2016-11-01

Patients surviving stroke without immediate dementia are at high risk of delayed-onset dementia. Mechanisms underlying delayed-onset dementia are complex and may involve vascular and/or neurodegenerative diseases. Dementia-free patients with stroke and/or transient ischemic attack (TIA; n = 919) were studied for 3 years prospectively, excluding those who developed dementia 3 to 6 months after stroke and/or TIA. Forty subjects (4.4%) developed dementia during the study period. Imaging markers of severe small vessel disease (SVD), namely presence of ≥3 lacunes and confluent white matter changes; history of hypertension and diabetes mellitus independently predicted delayed-onset dementia after adjustment for age, gender, and education. Only 6 of 31 (19.4%) subjects with delayed cognitive decline harbored Alzheimer's disease-like Pittsburg compound B (PiB) retention. Most PiB cases (16/25, 64%) had evidence of severe SVD. Severe SVD contributes importantly to delayed-onset dementia after stroke and/or TIA. Future clinical trials aiming to prevent delayed-onset dementia after stroke and/or TIA should target this high-risk group. Copyright © 2016 The Alzheimer's Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Delayed splenic rupture presenting 70 days following blunt abdominal trauma.

Science.gov (United States)

Resteghini, Nancy; Nielsen, Jonpaul; Hoimes, Matthew L; Karam, Adib R

2014-01-01

Delayed splenic rupture following conservative management of splenic injury is an extremely rare complication. We report a case of an adult patient who presented with delayed splenic rupture necessitating splenectomy, 2 months following blunt abdominal trauma. Imaging at the initial presentation demonstrated only minimal splenic contusion and the patient was discharge following 24 hours of observation. © 2014.

Maternal mortality and delay: Socio-demographic characteristics of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study assessed the contribution of delay to maternal deaths and also determined the socio¬demographic characteristics of patients with maternal deaths with associated delay. Methods: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study of all maternal deaths in Irrua specialist Teaching Hospital, Nigeria between January 1999 ...

Early-delayed radiation rhombencephalopathy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nightingale, S.; Dawes, P.J.D.K.; Cartlidge, N.E.F.; Newcastle upon Tyne Univ.

1982-01-01

A 37-year-old woman developed an early-delayed rhombencephalopathy 7 weeks after completing a course of radiotherapy to a glomus jugulare tumour. The clinical features, comprising nystagmus, skew strabismus, unilateral facial weakness, dysarthria and ataxia, are compared with four previously reported patients with this syndrome. (author)

On the Behavioral Side of Procrastination: Exploring Behavioral Delay in Real-Life Settings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Frode Svartdal

2018-05-01

Full Text Available This paper examines how procrastinators behave differently from non-procrastinators in implementing intended behavior. By focusing on time-related attributes of behavior, we demonstrate in five studies (aggregated N = 965 that onset delay seems to be a preferred option for procrastinators in common daily situations. Thus, when an action possibility is available for intended behavior, procrastinators tend to delay behavior onset, both in actual behavior and in onset preferences, often instigating chains of events with negative consequences. We discuss possible mechanisms responsible for such delays and explore how such mechanisms generate and sustain dilatory behavior. We conclude that a better understanding of why behavioral delays occur in early phases of action implementation is of importance in understanding and preventing procrastination.

On the Behavioral Side of Procrastination: Exploring Behavioral Delay in Real-Life Settings.

Science.gov (United States)

Svartdal, Frode; Granmo, Sjur; Færevaag, Fredrik S

2018-01-01

This paper examines how procrastinators behave differently from non-procrastinators in implementing intended behavior. By focusing on time-related attributes of behavior, we demonstrate in five studies (aggregated N = 965) that onset delay seems to be a preferred option for procrastinators in common daily situations. Thus, when an action possibility is available for intended behavior, procrastinators tend to delay behavior onset, both in actual behavior and in onset preferences, often instigating chains of events with negative consequences. We discuss possible mechanisms responsible for such delays and explore how such mechanisms generate and sustain dilatory behavior. We conclude that a better understanding of why behavioral delays occur in early phases of action implementation is of importance in understanding and preventing procrastination.

Pseudotumoral delayed cerebral radionecrosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ciaudo-Lacroix, C.; Lapresle, J.

1985-01-01

A 60 year-old woman with a scalp epithelioma underwent radiotherapy, the dose being 57 Gray. A first epileptic seizure occurred twenty months later. Neurological examination revealed signs of left hemisphere involvement. γEG, angiography, CT scans, demonstrated a pseudotumoral avascular process. On account of the localisation, the patient being right-handed, no surgical procedure was performed. In spite of corticotherapy and anticonvulsive treatment, seizures recurred and neurological signs slowly progressed. The patient died, 22 months after the first seizure, of an associated disseminated carcinoma with cachexia. Neuropathological examination showed a massive lesion presenting all the features of delayed radionecrosis in the left hemisphere: situated mainly in the white matter; numerous vascular abnormalities; wide-spread demyelination; disappearance of oligoglial cells. The Authors recall the clinical and anatomical aspects of this condition for which the only successful treatment is surgical removal when location and size of the lesion permit. Finally, the mechanisms which have been proposed to explain this delayed cerebral radionecrosis are discussed [fr

Pseudotumoral delayed cerebral radionecrosis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ciaudo-Lacroix, C; Lapresle, J [Centre Hospitalier de Bicetre, 94 - Le Kremlin-Bicetre (France)

1985-01-01

A 60 year-old woman with a scalp epithelioma underwent radiotherapy, the dose being 57 Gray. A first epileptic seizure occurred twenty months later. Neurological examination revealed signs of left hemisphere involvement. ..gamma..EG, angiography, CT scans, demonstrated a pseudotumoral avascular process. On account of the localisation, the patient being right-handed, no surgical procedure was performed. In spite of corticotherapy and anticonvulsive treatment, seizures recurred and neurological signs slowly progressed. The patient died, 22 months after the first seizure, of an associated disseminated carcinoma with cachexia. Neuropathological examination showed a massive lesion presenting all the features of delayed radionecrosis in the left hemisphere: situated mainly in the white matter; numerous vascular abnormalities; wide-spread demyelination; disappearance of oligoglial cells. The Authors recall the clinical and anatomical aspects of this condition for which the only successful treatment is surgical removal when location and size of the lesion permit. Finally, the mechanisms which have been proposed to explain this delayed cerebral radionecrosis are discussed.

Understanding spasticity from patients' perspectives over time.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhimani, Rozina H; McAlpine, Cynthia Peden; Henly, Susan J

2012-11-01

  The purpose of this paper was to report patients' understanding and perceptions of personal spasticity experiences over time.   Spasticity is an unpleasant and poorly understood experience associated with upper motor neuron disease.   An original qualitative study was conducted in 2008-2009.   Content analysis was used to extract meaning from the responses of 23 patients to semi-structured interviews during 7 days of acute rehabilitation for neurological diseases associated with spasticity. Findings.  Patients used words reflecting muscle tone and spasms to describe spasticity. Themes reflecting the spasticity experience over time were Ambiguous Experiences, Navigating Symptom Experience, Wounded Self, and Unending Journey.   Spasticity as experienced is complex, involving a wide range of unusual sensations sensitive to stressors in everyday life. Clinical evaluation of spasticity should include patient reports. Knowledge about patient word choice used to describe spasticity can enhance communication with healthcare providers. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Delay in the Diagnosis of Stable Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Hosseinzadeh, Pooya; Iwinski, Henry J; Salava, Jonathon; Oeffinger, Donna

2017-01-01

Delays in the diagnosis of stable slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) is common due to the vague symptomatology and the lack of awareness of this entity by healthcare providers. Delays in the diagnosis of this condition can lead to poor outcomes for the patients. This study was designed to identify factors that contributed to delays in the diagnosis or the treatment of patients with SCFE seen at our institution. A retrospective chart review of patients with the diagnosis of a stable SCFE who had undergone screw stabilization between 1989 and 2010 at our hospital was performed. For each patient, demographic data, the date of initial onset of symptoms, the date of the first visit to the medical provider, the type of provider seen initially (orthopaedic surgeon or not), the date of diagnosis of SCFE, the type of physician who made the diagnosis (orthopaedic surgeon or not), and the date of surgery were recorded. For each patient, the presenting symptom was recorded as hip, thigh, or knee pain. The effect of demographic data, presenting symptoms, and the type of initial provider seen on the delay to diagnosis was studied using 2 Cox models. A total of 149 patients with 196 stable SCFE were included. The average time from the first physician visit to diagnosis was 94 days in the group seen by a nonorthopaedic provider compared with an average of 2.9 days in the group seen by an orthopaedist (Pprovider versus 97% in the group seen by orthopaedic surgeons. It took significantly longer to be diagnosed with SCFE in patients who presented with initial knee pain (P=0.0097) compared with those who presented with hip pain at the initial visit. This study shows a significant delay in the diagnosis of SCFE in the United States, particularly in patients seen by nonorthopaedic providers initially. Level III-prognostic.

Level of Understanding and Requirement of Education of Patients on Radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kang, Soo Man; Lee, Choul Soo

2006-01-01

The purpose of this study is to understand preliminary education. Level of understanding and the degrees of educational requirement for cancer patients on radiotherapy and to present the preliminary data to development of effective and practical patients treatment programs. Based on the above mentioned results of this study. Relationship between degrees of knowledge and demand for educational requirement for patients who are undertaking radiotherapy could be varied with different factors such as educational background, ages, regions of treatment, experience of symptoms. In general, patients do not have enough information, on the other hand, have very high demand for educational requirement. Customized education patients by patients would not be possible in reality. However, if we could provide standard for patients and establish systematic sessions during treatment based on this study, more and better patients satisfaction and results of treatments could be achieved.

Complex Time-Delay Systems Theory and Applications

CERN Document Server

Atay, Fatihcan M

2010-01-01

Time delays in dynamical systems arise as an inevitable consequence of finite speeds of information transmission. Realistic models increasingly demand the inclusion of delays in order to properly understand, analyze, design, and control real-life systems. The goal of this book is to present the state-of-the-art in research on time-delay dynamics in the framework of complex systems and networks. While the mathematical theory of delay equations is quite mature, its application to the particular problems of complex systems and complexity is a newly emerging field, and the present volume aims to play a pioneering role in this perspective. The chapters in this volume are authored by renowned experts and cover both theory and applications in a wide range of fields, with examples extending from neuroscience and biology to laser physics and vehicle traffic. Furthermore, all chapters include sufficient introductory material and extensive bibliographies, making the book a self-contained reference for both students and ...

Modeling delay in genetic networks: from delay birth-death processes to delay stochastic differential equations.

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Chinmaya; López, José Manuel; Azencott, Robert; Bennett, Matthew R; Josić, Krešimir; Ott, William

2014-05-28

Delay is an important and ubiquitous aspect of many biochemical processes. For example, delay plays a central role in the dynamics of genetic regulatory networks as it stems from the sequential assembly of first mRNA and then protein. Genetic regulatory networks are therefore frequently modeled as stochastic birth-death processes with delay. Here, we examine the relationship between delay birth-death processes and their appropriate approximating delay chemical Langevin equations. We prove a quantitative bound on the error between the pathwise realizations of these two processes. Our results hold for both fixed delay and distributed delay. Simulations demonstrate that the delay chemical Langevin approximation is accurate even at moderate system sizes. It captures dynamical features such as the oscillatory behavior in negative feedback circuits, cross-correlations between nodes in a network, and spatial and temporal information in two commonly studied motifs of metastability in biochemical systems. Overall, these results provide a foundation for using delay stochastic differential equations to approximate the dynamics of birth-death processes with delay.

Modeling delay in genetic networks: From delay birth-death processes to delay stochastic differential equations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gupta, Chinmaya; López, José Manuel; Azencott, Robert; Ott, William [Department of Mathematics, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77004 (United States); Bennett, Matthew R. [Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77204, USA and Institute of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005 (United States); Josić, Krešimir [Department of Mathematics, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77004 (United States); Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77204 (United States)

2014-05-28

Delay is an important and ubiquitous aspect of many biochemical processes. For example, delay plays a central role in the dynamics of genetic regulatory networks as it stems from the sequential assembly of first mRNA and then protein. Genetic regulatory networks are therefore frequently modeled as stochastic birth-death processes with delay. Here, we examine the relationship between delay birth-death processes and their appropriate approximating delay chemical Langevin equations. We prove a quantitative bound on the error between the pathwise realizations of these two processes. Our results hold for both fixed delay and distributed delay. Simulations demonstrate that the delay chemical Langevin approximation is accurate even at moderate system sizes. It captures dynamical features such as the oscillatory behavior in negative feedback circuits, cross-correlations between nodes in a network, and spatial and temporal information in two commonly studied motifs of metastability in biochemical systems. Overall, these results provide a foundation for using delay stochastic differential equations to approximate the dynamics of birth-death processes with delay.

Modeling delay in genetic networks: From delay birth-death processes to delay stochastic differential equations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gupta, Chinmaya; López, José Manuel; Azencott, Robert; Ott, William; Bennett, Matthew R.; Josić, Krešimir

2014-01-01

Delay is an important and ubiquitous aspect of many biochemical processes. For example, delay plays a central role in the dynamics of genetic regulatory networks as it stems from the sequential assembly of first mRNA and then protein. Genetic regulatory networks are therefore frequently modeled as stochastic birth-death processes with delay. Here, we examine the relationship between delay birth-death processes and their appropriate approximating delay chemical Langevin equations. We prove a quantitative bound on the error between the pathwise realizations of these two processes. Our results hold for both fixed delay and distributed delay. Simulations demonstrate that the delay chemical Langevin approximation is accurate even at moderate system sizes. It captures dynamical features such as the oscillatory behavior in negative feedback circuits, cross-correlations between nodes in a network, and spatial and temporal information in two commonly studied motifs of metastability in biochemical systems. Overall, these results provide a foundation for using delay stochastic differential equations to approximate the dynamics of birth-death processes with delay

Imposition of a delay prior to beginning radiotherapy: impact on mood states for cancer patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Merker, R.A.

1988-01-01

Waiting lists for radiotherapy are a recent phenomenon in highly populated areas and, coupled with the public's awareness of the nature of cancer and the need for immediate treatment, a psychological dilemma has emerged. Since virtually all patients are now assigned to the radiotherapy waiting list, a random sample of patients who would begin radiotherapy immediately following their initial consultation was created. Quality of life, in terms of self-reported mood indices, was assessed at five points in time for each patient using the Profile of Mood States. Approximately 25% of the delayed patients chose to leave the waiting list and seek treatment elsewhere. The most striking finding was that patients who began radiotherapy immediately experienced improved quality of life during the course of treatment as per Forester, et al., (1985). In contrast, the patients who spent time (1-8 weeks) on a treatment waiting list experienced a decrease in quality of life over their course of radiotherapy and even more so at a month following the end of treatment

Delayed puberty and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. Differential diagnosis and treatment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Snoep, Marinus Cornelis

1978-01-01

This thesis describes a method enabling a prospecrive differential diagnosis to be made berween delayed puberty (DP) and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (HH). The influence of androgen administration on the gonadal feedback sysrem of patients with delayed puberty was also studied. ... Zie: Summary

"I Wasted 3 Years, Thinking It's Not a Problem": Patient and Health System Delays in Diagnosis of Leprosy in India: A Mixed-Methods Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Muthuvel, Thirumugam; Govindarajulu, Srinivas; Isaakidis, Petros; Shewade, Hemant Deepak; Rokade, Vasudev; Singh, Rajbir; Kamble, Sanjeev

2017-01-01

Worldwide, leprosy is one of the major causes of preventable disability. India contributes to 60% of global leprosy burden. With increasing numbers of leprosy with grade 2 disability (visible disability) at diagnosis, we aimed to determine risk factors associated with grade 2 disability among new cases and explore patients and providers' perspectives into reasons for late presentation. This was an explanatory mixed-methods study where the quantitative component, a matched case-control design, was followed by a qualitative component. A total of 70 cases (grade 2 disability) and 140 controls (grade 0) matched for age and sex were randomly sampled from new patients registered between January 2013-January 2015 in three districts of Maharashtra (Mumbai, Thane and Amaravati) and interviewed using a structured close ended questionnaire. Eight public health care providers involved in leprosy care and 7 leprosy patients were purposively selected (maximum variation sampling) and interviewed using a structured open-ended interview schedule. Among cases, overall median (IQR) diagnosis delay in months was 17.9(7-30); patient and health system delay was 7(4-16.5) and 5.5(0.9-12.5) respectively; this was significantly higher than the delay in controls. Reasons for delayed presentation identified by the quantitative and qualitative data were: poor awareness of leprosy symptoms, first health care provider visited being private practitioners who were not aware about provision of free leprosy treatment at public health care facilities, reduced engagement and capacity of the general health care system in leprosy control. Raising awareness in communities and health care providers regarding early leprosy symptoms, engagement of private health care provider in early leprosy diagnosis and increasing capacity of general health system staff, especially targeting high endemic areas that are hotspots for leprosy transmission may help in reducing diagnosis delays.

Delayed Catheter-Related Intracranial Hemorrhage After a Ventriculoperitoneal or Ventriculoatrial Shunt in Hydrocephalus.

Science.gov (United States)

Qian, Zhouqi; Gao, Liang; Wang, Ke; Pandey, Sajan

2017-11-01

Delayed catheter-related intracranial hemorrhage is not rare after a ventriculoperitoneal (VP) or ventriculoatrial (VA) shunt for the treatment of hydrocephalus. Immediate postoperative catheter-related intracranial hemorrhage is possibly due to the procedure itself; however, delayed intracranial hemorrhage may have other underlying mechanisms. This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics and reveal the risk factors of delayed catheter-related intracranial hemorrhage after a VP or VA shunt. We did a retrospective study to review patients with hydrocephalus and underwent VP or VA shunt in our department from September 2011 to December 2015. We reviewed the clinical characteristics of the patients with delayed catheter-related intracranial hemorrhage, and its risk factors were analyzed with SPSS 16.0. Of the 218 patients enrolled in the study (145 male, 73 female), 17 (7.8%) patients experienced delayed catheter-related intracranial hemorrhage, including 11 of 151 (7.3%) patients with a VP shunt and 6 of 67 (9.0%) patients with a VA shunt. Additionally, 4 of the 16 patients with postoperative low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) therapy and 13 of the 202 patients without LMWH experienced bleeding, showing a significant difference (25% vs. 6.4%, P = 0.026). The relative risk was 4.8 (95% confidence interval: 1.4-17.1). Delayed catheter-related intracranial hemorrhage is not rare after a VP or VA shunt. However, most patients can be cured after appropriate treatment. Postoperative anticoagulation therapy with enoxaparin may be associated with an increased risk of bleeding. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Surgery for hip fractures: Does surgical delay affect outcomes?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicole Simunovic

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Hip fractures are associated with a high rate of mortality and profound temporary and sometimes permanent impairment of quality of life. Current guidelines indicate that surgeons should perform surgery for a hip fracture within 24 hours of injury because earlier surgery is associated with better functional outcome and lower rates of perioperative complications and mortality. Proponents of early treatment argue that this approach minimizes the length of time a patient is confined to bed rest, thereby reducing the risk for associated complications, such as pressure sores, deep vein thrombosis, and urinary tract infections. Those favoring delaying surgery beyond the guideline recommendations believe that this approach is required to medically optimize patients, and therefore decrease the risk for perioperative complications. Further challenges to resolving this debate is the lack of an accepted definition of what should constitute an "unacceptable delay" for hip fracture surgery and the fact that outcomes associated with surgical delay are based on observational data alone (i.e., not randomized controlled trials. The effect of preoperative timing on mortality and other patient-important outcomes across various age groups remains controversial and warrants a large randomized controlled trial to offer clear insights into the effects associated with early versus delayed surgery among hip fracture patients.

Factors associated with long diagnostic delay in celiac disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Fuchs, Valma; Kurppa, Kalle; Huhtala, Heini; Collin, Pekka; Mäki, Markku; Kaukinen, Katri

2014-11-01

Here, we investigated the factors associated with long diagnostic delay in celiac disease and the impact of the national Current Care Guidelines in reducing the delay. This population-based study involved 825 adult celiac disease patients. The diagnosis was considered delayed when the interval between first symptoms and diagnosis was >10 years. The patients were asked about the duration and type of symptoms before diagnosis, time and site (tertiary, secondary, or primary care) of the diagnosis, family history of the disease, and presence of significant comorbidities. Analysis was performed by binary logistic regression. Altogether, 261 (32%) out of 825 participants reported a diagnostic delay of >10 years. Female gender, neurological or musculoskeletal disorders and presence of diarrhea, abdominal pain, and malabsorption were associated with prolonged delay. Male gender, diagnosis after the introduction of the first Current Care Guidelines in 1997, and being detected by serological screening, and family history of celiac disease were associated with a lower risk of delayed diagnosis. Factors not associated with the delay were site of diagnosis, age, and presence of dermatitis herpetiformis, type 1 diabetes, or thyroidal disease. The number of long diagnostic delays in celiac disease has decreased over the past decades. The shift of diagnostics from secondary and tertiary care to primary care has not been detrimental. National guidelines together with increased awareness and active screening in at-risk groups of celiac disease are important in these circumstances.

Finding determinants of audit delay by pooled OLS regression analysis

OpenAIRE

Vuko, Tina; Čular, Marko

2014-01-01

The aim of this paper is to investigate determinants of audit delay. Audit delay is measured as the length of time (i.e. the number of calendar days) from the fiscal year-end to the audit report date. It is important to understand factors that influence audit delay since it directly affects the timeliness of financial reporting. The research is conducted on a sample of Croatian listed companies, covering the period of four years (from 2008 to 2011). We use pooled OLS regression analysis, mode...

Delay in diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis: a survey in the Lazio region, Italy

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Patrizio Pezzotti

2014-11-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To estimate patient and health care delays in the diagnosis of PTB and to evaluate associated factors.METHODS: PTB incident cases ≥18 years diagnosed between September 2010 and September 2011 in the Lazio region; information on symptoms and date of onset, health professionals contacts, diagnostic exams performed, and drugs prescribed before diagnosis were collected through a standardized questionnaire. The total delay (TD was divided into patient delay (PD: from symptoms onset to first contact with healthcare services and health system delay (HSD: from first contact to diagnosis.RESULTS: 278 cases were evaluated. Median PD,HSD, and TD, were 31, 15, and 77.5 days, respectively. The median PD, HSD, and TD were significantly lower in foreign born patients (26, 10.5, 63.5, vs. 45, 36, 100 days, respectively. Other factors independently associated with longer delay were: absence of fever and presence of weight loss for PD; prior unspecific treatment, absence of cough, consult with a general practitioner, visit to an outpatient clinic, and a PD <30 days for HSD.CONCLUSIONS: In Italy, the delay in TB diagnosis is similar to that estimated in other European countries. Results indicate that actions aimed to reduce diagnostic delay should be primarily addressed to Italian patients.

PEMF as treatment for delayed healing of foot and ankle arthrodesis.

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Saltzman, Charles; Lightfoot, Andrew; Amendola, Annunziato

2004-11-01

Arthrodesis is the most common surgical treatment for foot and ankle arthritis. In adults, these procedures are associated with a 5% to 10% rate of nonunion. Pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) stimulation was approved by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of delayed unions after long-bone fractures and joint arthrodesis. The purpose of this study was to examine the results of PEMF treatment for delayed healing after foot and ankle arthrodesis. Three hundred and thirty-four foot and ankle arthrodeses were done. Nineteen resulted in delayed unions that were treated with a protocol of immobilization, limited weightbearing, and PEMF stimulation for a median of 7 (range 5 to 27) months. All patients were followed clinically and radiographically. The use of PEMF, immobilization, and limited weightbearing to treat delayed union after foot and ankle arthrodesis was successful in 5 of 19 (26%) patients. Of the other 14 patients with nonunions, nine had revision surgery with autogenous grafting, continued immobilization, and PEMF stimulation. Seven of these eventually healed at a median of 5.5 (range 2 to 26) months and two did not heal. One patient had a below-knee amputation, and four refused further treatment. The protocol of PEMF, immobilization, and limited weightbearing had a relatively low success rate in this group of patients. We no longer use this protocol alone to treat delayed union after foot and ankle arthrodesis.

Delayed Single Stage Perineal Posterior Urethroplasty.

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Ali, Shahzad; Shahnawaz; Shahzad, Iqbal; Baloch, Muhammad Umar

2015-06-01

To determine the delayed single stage perineal posterior urethroplasty for treatment of posterior urethral stricture/distraction defect. Descriptive case series. Department of Urology, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi, from January 2009 to December 2011. Patients were selected for delayed single stage perineal posterior urethroplasty for treatment of posterior urethral stricture / distraction defect. All were initially suprapubically catheterized followed by definitive surgery after at least 3 months. Thirty male patients were analyzed with a mean follow-up of 10 months, 2 patients were excluded as they developed failure in first 3 months postoperatively. Mean patient's age was 26.25 ± 7.9 years. On follow-up, 7 patients (23.3%) experienced recurrent stricture during first 10 months. Five (16.6%) patients were treated successfully with single direct visual internal urethrotomy. Two patients (6.6%) had more than one direct visual internal urethrotomy and considered failed. Re-do perineal urethroplasty was eventually performed. The overall success rate was 93.3% with permissive criteria allowing single direct visual internal urethrotomy and 76.6% with strict criteria allowing no more procedures postoperatively. Posterior anastomotic urethroplasty offers excellent long-term results to patients with posterior urethral trauma and distraction defect even after multiple prior procedures.

Health system delay and its effect on clinical stage of breast cancer: Multicenter study.

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Unger-Saldaña, Karla; Miranda, Alfonso; Zarco-Espinosa, Gelasio; Mainero-Ratchelous, Fernando; Bargalló-Rocha, Enrique; Miguel Lázaro-León, Jesús

2015-07-01

The objective of this study was to determine the correlation between health system delay and clinical disease stage in patients with breast cancer. This was a cross-sectional study of 886 patients who were referred to 4 of the largest public cancer hospitals in Mexico City for the evaluation of a probable breast cancer. Data on time intervals, sociodemographic factors, and clinical stage at diagnosis were retrieved. A logistic regression model was used to estimate the average marginal effects of delay on the probability of being diagnosed with advanced breast cancer (stages III and IV). The median time between problem identification and the beginning of treatment was 7 months. The subinterval with the largest delay was that between the first medical consultation and diagnosis (median, 4 months). Only 15% of the patients who had cancer were diagnosed with stage 0 and I disease, and 48% were diagnosed with stage III and IV disease. Multivariate analyses confirmed independent correlations for the means of problem identification, patient delay, health system delay, and age with a higher probability that patients would begin cancer treatment in an advanced stage. In the sample studied, the majority of patients with breast cancer began treatment after a delay. Both patient delays and provider delays were associated with advanced disease. Research aimed at identifying specific access barriers to medical services is much needed to guide the design of tailored health policies that go beyond the promotion of breast care awareness and screening participation to include improvements in health services that facilitate access to timely diagnosis and treatment. © 2015 The Authors. Cancer published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Cancer Society.

Determinants of delay between symptoms and hospital admission in 5978 patients with acute myocardial infarction. The TRACE Study Group. Trandolapril Cardiac Evaluation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ottesen, M M; Køber, L; Jørgensen, S

1996-01-01

of 6676 consecutive patients with enzyme-confirmed acute myocardial infarction, admitted alive to 27 Danish hospitals over a 26 month period from 1990 to 1992, were studied. Due to missing information on delay or in-hospital acute myocardial infarction 698 patients were excluded, leaving 5978 patients...... associated with male gender (odds ratio (OR) = 0.809, P = 0.003), increased age (P = 0.0001), diabetes mellitus (OR = 1.269, P = 0.03), left ventricular systolic function (wall motion index) (P = 0.02), onset from midnight to 0600h (OR = 1.434, P = 0.0001), onset on a weekday (OR = 0.862, P = 0.04), history...... depressions (OR = 0.847, P = 0.01). All these variables, except history of diabetes mellitus, angina pectoris, and chest pain as an initial symptom were also associated with a delay of more than 6 h. Thrombolytic therapy was administered to 55.8% of patients admitted within 2 h of an acute myocardial...

Factors Associated with Delayed Cancer Diagnosis in Egyptian Children

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E.R. Abdelkhalek

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background Despite tremendous importance of early cancer diagnosis in children, few studies on this topic have been conducted in Egypt. Early stage diagnosis can have a positive effect on prognoses and the quality of life of children with cancer. We investigated delays in the diagnosis of childhood cancers in Egypt and determined the factors associated with these delays. Methods This retrospective study included 172 children with cancer from two pediatric oncology units. The interval between symptoms onset and final diagnosis for each child was estimated and examined by univariate and multivariate analyses to determine correlations with the child's sex, age at diagnosis, type and site of malignancy, family residence, socioeconomic status, and parental educational level. Findings The median total diagnosis delay period was 47 days caused by patients and/or parents (8 days and diagnosis (28 days. Statistically significant patient factors associated with delayed diagnosis were age (<5 years, lower parental education, and socioeconomic status. Sex residence and family size were not significant. Malignancy type and tumor site significantly affected the time for diagnosis. The lowest median value was associated with germ cell tumors (GCTs and leukemia, and the highest value was in children with brain tumor. Missed diagnoses were initially recorded in 39.5% of the patients and were associated with patient and tumor factors. Interpretation Delayed diagnosis of childhood cancer is related to age, family, socioeconomic status and parental education, and cancer type and site. Efforts should be made to promote awareness, develop effective steps to eliminate possible contributing factors, and determine the best intervention method.

Differing influence on delays in the case-finding process for tuberculosis between general physicians and specialists in Mongolia.

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Enkhbat, S; Toyota, M; Yasuda, N; Ohara, H

1997-06-01

The objective of this study is to compare the influence on delays in the tuberculosis case-finding process according to the types of medical facilities initially visited. The subjects include 107 patients 16 years and older who were diagnosed with bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis at nine tuberculosis specialized facilities in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia from May 1995 to March 1996. Patients were interviewed about their demographic and socioeconomic factors and their medical records were reviewed for measuring delays. Fifty-five patients initially consulted general physicians and the remaining 52 patients initially visited other types of facilities including tuberculosis specialized facilities. Patients who initially consulted general physicians had shorter patient's delays and longer doctor's delays than those who had visited other facilities first. Since the reduction of patient's delay outweighs the extension of doctor's delay among patients who initially consulted general physicians, their total delay was shorter than that of patients who visited other facilities first. The beneficial influence of consulting general physicians first on the total delay was observed after adjusting for patient's age, sex, residence area, family income and family history of tuberculosis. This finding indicates that general physicians play an important role in improving the passive case-finding process in Mongolia.

Usefulness and safety of early against delayed oral intake after appendectomy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sheikh, I.A.; Taj, R.U.

2015-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the usefulness and safety of early versus late oral intake after appendectomy. Study Design: Randomized clinical trial. Place and Duration of Study: Combined Military Hospital Multan from August 2008 to February 2009. Material and Methods: One hundred patients with uncomplicated acute appendicitis, undergoing appendectomy under general anesthesia were included in the study and randomly divided into two equal groups. Early oral intake group (group A) was allowed fluids, when patients were out of effects of general anesthesia. Delayed fed (group B) was started oral fluids, on appearance of normal bowel sounds or passage of flatus. Low residue solid diet was started, after tolerance of oral fluids, in both groups. Results: Early oral intake resulted in start of solid diet earlier by average 9 hours; these patients had normal bowel sounds, and passed flatus, earlier, after 4 hours and 5 hours as compared to late feeding group. Six (12%) patients had mild ileus in early fed group whereas 4(8%) patients in delayed fed group had mild ileus. Thirty eight (76%) early fed patients were very satisfied, as compared to 29 (58%) delayed fed patients. The hospital stay was prolonged by 2 days in delayed fed group. Conclusion: Early oral feeding implemented after appendectomy is safe and effective, with a shortened hospital stay as the primary benefit in patients after appendectomy. (author)

Delays in initiation of acyclovir therapy in herpes simplex encephalitis.

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Hughes, Peter S; Jackson, Alan C

2012-09-01

Diagnosis of herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE) is based on clinical findings, MRI, and detection of herpes simplex virus (HSV) DNA in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) using polymerase chain reaction amplification. Delays in starting treatment are associated with poorer clinical outcomes. We assessed the timing of initiation of acyclovir therapy in HSE. Inpatient databases from seven hospitals in Winnipeg, Manitoba were used to identify individuals diagnosed with encephalitis and HSE from 2004 to 2009. The time taken to initiate therapy with acyclovir and the reasons for delays were determined. Seventy-seven patients were identified; 69 (90%) received acyclovir; in the others a non-HSV infection was strongly suspected. Thirteen patients were subsequently confirmed to have HSE. Acyclovir was initiated a median of 21 hours (3-407) after presentation in encephalitis cases, and a median of 11 hours (3-118) in HSE. The most common reason for delay was a failure to consider HSE in the differential diagnosis, despite suggestive clinical features. Where therapy was delayed in HSE patients, the decision to begin acyclovir was prompted by transfer of the patient to a different service (55%), recommendations by consultants (18%), imaging results (18%), and CSF pleocytosis (9%). Delays in initiating acyclovir for HSE are common, and are most often due to a failure to consider HSE in a timely fashion on presentation. In order to improve patient outcomes, physicians should be more vigilant for HSE, and begin acyclovir therapy expeditiously on the basis of clinical suspicion rather than waiting for confirmatory tests.

Electromechanical delay components during skeletal muscle contraction and relaxation in patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1.

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Esposito, Fabio; Cè, Emiliano; Rampichini, Susanna; Limonta, Eloisa; Venturelli, Massimo; Monti, Elena; Bet, Luciano; Fossati, Barbara; Meola, Giovanni

2016-01-01

The electromechanical delay during muscle contraction and relaxation can be partitioned into mainly electrochemical and mainly mechanical components by an EMG, mechanomyographic, and force combined approach. Component duration and measurement reliability were investigated during contraction and relaxation in a group of patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1, n = 13) and in healthy controls (n = 13). EMG, mechanomyogram, and force were recorded in DM1 and in age- and body-matched controls from tibialis anterior (distal muscle) and vastus lateralis (proximal muscle) muscles during maximum voluntary and electrically-evoked isometric contractions. The electrochemical and mechanical components of the electromechanical delay during muscle contraction and relaxation were calculated off-line. Maximum strength was significantly lower in DM1 than in controls under both experimental conditions. All electrochemical and mechanical components were significantly longer in DM1 in both muscles. Measurement reliability was very high in both DM1 and controls. The high reliability of the measurements and the differences between DM1 patients and controls suggest that the EMG, mechanomyographic, and force combined approach could be utilized as a valid tool to assess the level of neuromuscular dysfunction in this pathology, and to follow the efficacy of pharmacological or non-pharmacological interventions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The delaying effect of stigma on mental health help-seeking in Sri Lanka.

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Fernando, Sunera M; Deane, Frank P; McLeod, Hamish J

2017-03-01

Mental health stigma has been associated with delays in seeking treatment. To describe perceived stigma experienced by patients and carers in Sri Lanka and to determine the effects of stigma on help-seeking delay. Survey of outpatients and family carers (n = 118 dyads) attending two psychiatric hospitals in Sri Lanka, using the Disclosure and Discrimination subscales of the Stigma Scale. Stigma was positively related to help-seeking delay for carers but not patients. Public stigma experienced by carers accounted for 23% of the variance in help-seeking delay. Reducing stigma may reduce help-seeking delays during the course of treatment. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Impact of Dose Reductions, Delays Between Chemotherapy Cycles, and/or Shorter Courses of Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Stage II and III Colorectal Cancer Patients: a Single-Center Retrospective Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Sgouros, Joseph; Aravantinos, Gerasimos; Kouvatseas, George; Rapti, Anna; Stamoulis, George; Bisvikis, Anastasios; Res, Helen; Samantas, Epameinondas

2015-12-01

Most stage II or III colorectal cancer patients are receiving nowadays a 4 to 6-month course of adjuvant chemotherapy. However, delays between cycles, reductions in the doses of chemotherapy drugs, or even permanent omissions of chemotherapy cycles might take place due to side effects or patient's preference. We examined the impact of these treatment modifications on recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS). We retrospectively collected data from colorectal cancer patients who had received adjuvant chemotherapy in our Department. Patients were categorized in five groups based on whether they had or not delays between chemotherapy cycles, dose reductions, and permanent omissions of chemotherapy cycles. Three-year RFS and OS of the five different groups were compared using the log-rank test and the Sidak approach. Five hundred and eight patients received treatment. Twenty seven percent of the patients had the full course of chemotherapy; the others had delays, dose reductions, or early termination of the treatment. No statistically significant differences were observed in 3-year RFS and OS between the five groups. A trend for worse RFS was noticed with early termination of treatment. A similar trend was also noticed for OS but only for stage II patients. In colorectal cancer patients, receiving adjuvant chemotherapy, delays between chemotherapy cycles, dose reductions of chemotherapy drugs, or even early termination of the treatment course do not seem to have a negative impact in 3-year RFS and OS; however, due to the trend of worse RFS in patients receiving shorter courses of chemotherapy, further studies are needed.

High mortality during tuberculosis treatment does not indicate long diagnostic delays in Vietnam: a cohort study

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Sy Dinh N

2007-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Delay in tuberculosis diagnosis and treatment initiation may increase disease severity and mortality. In evaluations of tuberculosis control programmes high fatality rates during tuberculosis treatment, are used as an indicator of long delays in low HIV-prevalence settings. However, data for this presumed association between delay and fatality are lacking. We assessed the association between diagnostic delay and mortality of new smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis patients in Vietnam. Methods Follow-up of a patient cohort included in a survey of diagnostic delay in 70 randomly selected districts. Data on diagnosis and treatment were extracted from routine registers. Patients who had died during the course of treatment were compared to those with reported cure, completed treatment or failure (survivors. Results Complete data were available for 1881/2093 (89.9% patients, of whom 82 (4.4% had died. Fatality was 4.5% for patients with ≤ 4 weeks delay, 5.0% for 5- ≤ 8 weeks delay (aOR 1.11, 95%CI 0.67–1.84 and 3.2% for > 9 weeks delay (aOR 0.69, 95%CI 0.37–1.30. Fatality tended to decline with increasing delay but this was not significant. Fatality was not associated with median diagnostic delay at district level (Spearman's rho = -0.08, P = 0.5. Conclusion Diagnostic delay is not associated with treatment mortality in Vietnam at individual nor district level, suggesting that high case fatality should not be used as an indicator of long diagnostic delay in national tuberculosis programmes.

Factors associated with delayed bleeding after resection of large nonpedunculated colorectal polyps.

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Elliott, Timothy R; Tsiamoulos, Zacharias P; Thomas-Gibson, Siwan; Suzuki, Noriko; Bourikas, Leonidas A; Hart, Ailsa; Bassett, Paul; Saunders, Brian P

2018-04-06

 Delayed bleeding is the most common significant complication after piecemeal endoscopic mucosal resection (p-EMR) of large nonpedunculated colorectal polyps (NPCPs). Risk factors for delayed bleeding are incompletely defined. We aimed to determine risk factors for delayed bleeding following p-EMR.  Data were analyzed from a prospective tertiary center audit of patients with NPCPs ≥ 20 mm who underwent p-EMR between 2010 and 2012. Patient, polyp, and procedure-related data were collected. Four post p-EMR defect factors were evaluated for interobserver agreement and included in analysis. Delayed bleeding severity was reported in accordance with guidelines. Predictors of bleeding were identified.  Delayed bleeding requiring hospitalization occurred after 22 of 330 procedures (6.7 %). A total of 11 patients required blood transfusion; of these, 4 underwent urgent colonoscopy, 1 underwent radiological embolization, and 1 required surgery. Interobserver agreement for identification of the four post p-EMR defect factors was moderate (kappa range 0.52 - 0.57). Factors associated with delayed bleeding were visible muscle fibers ( P  = 0.03) and the presence of a "cherry red spot" ( P  = 0.05) in the post p-EMR defect. Factors not associated with delayed bleeding were American Association of Anesthesiologists class, aspirin use, polyp size, site, and use of argon plasma coagulation.  Visible muscle fibers and the presence of a "cherry red spot" in the resection defect were associated with delayed bleeding after p-EMR. These findings suggest evaluation and photodocumentation of the post p-EMR defect is important and, when considered alongside other patient and procedural factors, may help to reduce the incidence and severity of delayed bleeding. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Postraumatic delayed loss of vision

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Partington, C.R.; Graves, V.B.; Ruetenacht, D.A.; Weinstein, J.M.; Strother, C.M.

1989-01-01

The imaging studies and clinical findings in 10 patients who suffered delayed vision loss beginning 1 day to 13 years after head trauma have been reviewed. Two different primary lesions could be identified: pseudoaneurysm of the internal carotid artery and carotid cavernous fistula. The pathologic changes associated with pseudoaneurysm included compression of the optic nerves and/or chiasm by arterial aneurysm and intracranial hematoma. Carotid cavernous fistula caused delayed vision loss by compression of the optic nerves and chiasm by saccular dilatation of the cavernous sinus and by abnormal orbital venous drainage with retinal venous stasis, retinal edema, and glaucoma

Eye movements in interception with delayed visual feedback.

Science.gov (United States)

Cámara, Clara; de la Malla, Cristina; López-Moliner, Joan; Brenner, Eli

2018-04-19

The increased reliance on electronic devices such as smartphones in our everyday life exposes us to various delays between our actions and their consequences. Whereas it is known that people can adapt to such delays, the mechanisms underlying such adaptation remain unclear. To better understand these mechanisms, the current study explored the role of eye movements in interception with delayed visual feedback. In two experiments, eye movements were recorded as participants tried to intercept a moving target with their unseen finger while receiving delayed visual feedback about their own movement. In Experiment 1, the target randomly moved in one of two different directions at one of two different velocities. The delay between the participant's finger movement and movement of the cursor that provided feedback about the finger movements was gradually increased. Despite the delay, participants followed the target with their gaze. They were quite successful at hitting the target with the cursor. Thus, they moved their finger to a position that was ahead of where they were looking. Removing the feedback showed that participants had adapted to the delay. In Experiment 2, the target always moved in the same direction and at the same velocity, while the cursor's delay varied across trials. Participants still always directed their gaze at the target. They adjusted their movement to the delay on each trial, often succeeding to intercept the target with the cursor. Since their gaze was always directed at the target, and they could not know the delay until the cursor started moving, participants must have been using peripheral vision of the delayed cursor to guide it to the target. Thus, people deal with delays by directing their gaze at the target and using both experience from previous trials (Experiment 1) and peripheral visual information (Experiment 2) to guide their finger in a way that will make the cursor hit the target.

Is immediate adjunctive CBT more beneficial than delayed CBT in treating depression?: A Pilot Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Rizvi, Sakina J; Zaretsky, Ari; Schaffer, Ayal; Levitt, Anthony

2015-03-01

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is an efficacious first-line therapy for patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Due to the limited accessibility of CBT, long wait lists result in delayed treatment, which may affect treatment outcomes. The goal of this pilot study was to obtain preliminary data from a randomized controlled trial to determine whether delayed CBT reduces the effectiveness of the therapy compared to immediate CBT in patients with MDD receiving pharmacotherapy. Patients were randomized to receive immediate CBT (n=18) or to begin CBT after 6 months (n=20) and received 14 weekly sessions, followed by two additional booster sessions. During the active treatment months, patients in the immediate group demonstrated reductions in scores on the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II) that were similar to those in the delayed CBT group. However, when the analysis was performed using only data from patients in the delayed group who were still in a depressive episode, there was an overall greater decrease in BDI-II scores in the immediate group vs. the delayed group over the active treatment months, but not specifically at the 6-month endpoint. These findings suggest delays in depression treatment, similar to what occurs with real-world wait list times, may not have a significant impact on the effectiveness of CBT in patients who are already receiving treatment as usual. However, such delays may affect the effectiveness of CBT in those patients who remain depressed during the time delay. A larger trial is necessary to confirm these findings. (Journal of Psychiatric Practice 2015;21:107-113).

Do intra-articular hyaluronic acid injections delay total knee replacement in patients with osteoarthritis - A Cox model analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Delbarre, Angélique; Amor, Bernard; Bardoulat, Isabelle; Tetafort, Aymeric; Pelletier-Fleury, Nathalie

2017-01-01

This study aimed to describe patients treated for knee osteoarthritis between 2006 and 2013 in France and to compare the delay from diagnosis to total knee replacement between patients who received intra-articular hyaluronic acid injections and those who did not receive the injections. A second objective was to compare direct medical costs for ambulatory care between treatment groups. Patients were selected from a representative sample of the real world administrative claims database using an algorithm developed by experts from the scientific committee of the study. Data were matched with the medico-administrative database for hospital care. A Cox proportional hazards model was stratified for the treatment group and adjusted for available socio-demographic and medical covariates to compare restricted mean survival times at different time points (1, 3, 5 and 7.5 years) between groups. Costs were expressed in 2013 euros. A total of 14,782 patients were treated for knee osteoarthritis (67% women; mean age = 68 years). Among this population, 1,662 patients had total knee replacement (11.2%). At each time point, restricted mean survival time without total knee replacement was significantly higher (p-valueshyaluronic acid group, from +51 to +217 days at 1 and 7.5 years, respectively. For the year preceding total knee replacement, the means for total direct medical costs were similar between groups, €744 vs €805 for treatment and control groups, respectively, (p-value = 0.104). Intra-articular injections accounted for less than 10% of the total costs. This is the first retrospective longitudinal study involving knee osteoarthritis patients using medico-administrative databases in France. The results support the effectiveness of hyaluronic acid injections in delaying total knee replacement and show that patients treated with hyaluronic acid have similar direct medical costs for ambulatory care compared to patients treated with corticosteroids only.

Being altered by the unexpected: understanding the perioperative patient's experience: a case study.

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Rudolfsson, Gudrun

2014-08-01

The present paper focuses on the process of understanding the patient in the context of perioperative caring and reports a story narrated by a perioperative nurse as well as her emerging understanding of the patient prior to surgery at an operating department. This qualitative case study had a dual purpose; firstly, to describe how the perioperative nurse's understanding of the patient emerged and, secondly, to establish how the researcher interpreted the situation. As a perioperative nurse and researcher, the author is both the narrator and interpreter. To date we have rarely discussed the fact that, in a perioperative context, the patient might feel ashamed of his/her body, even before arriving at the operating department. This new understanding emerged from the hermeneutical dialogue in the present study. © 2013 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Dissecting delays in trauma care using corporate lean six sigma methodology.

Science.gov (United States)

Parks, Jennifer K; Klein, Jorie; Frankel, Heidi L; Friese, Randall S; Shafi, Shahid

2008-11-01

The Institute of Medicine has identified trauma center overcrowding as a crisis. We applied corporate Lean Six Sigma methodology to reduce overcrowding by quantifying patient dwell times in trauma resuscitation units (TRU) and to identify opportunities for reducing them. TRU dwell time of all patients treated at a Level I trauma center were measured prospectively during a 3-month period (n = 1,184). Delays were defined as TRU dwell time >6 hours. Using personnel trained in corporate Lean Six Sigma methodology, we created a detailed process map of patient flow through our TRU and measured time spent at each step prospectively during a 24/7 week-long time study (n = 43). Patients with TRU dwell time below the median (3 hours) were compared with those with longer dwell times to identify opportunities for improvement. TRU delays occurred in 183 of 1,184 trauma patients (15%), and peaked on days with >15 patients or with presence of five simultaneous patients. However, 135 delays (74%) occurred on days when Six Sigma mapping identified four processes that were related to TRU delays. Reduction of TRU dwell time by 1 hour per patient using interventions targeting these specific processes has the potential to improve our TRU capacity to care for more patients. Application of corporate Lean Six Sigma methodology identified opportunities for reducing dwell times in our TRU. Such endeavors are vital to maximize operational efficiency and decrease overcrowding in busy trauma centers working at capacity.

Examining patient comprehension of emergency department discharge instructions: Who says they understand when they do not?

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Margaret Jane; Tirosh, Adva Gutman; Landry, Alden

2015-12-01

Patient comprehension of emergency department (ED) discharge instructions is important for ensuring that patients understand their diagnosis, recommendations for treatment, appropriate follow-up, and reasons to return. However, many patients may not fully understand their instructions. Furthermore, some patients may state they understand their instructions even when they do not. We surveyed 75 patients on their perception of their understanding of their ED discharge instructions, and asked them specific questions about the instructions. We also performed a chart review, and examined patients' answers for correlation with the written instructions and medical chart. We then performed a statistical analysis evaluating which patients claimed understanding but who were found to have poor understanding on chart review. Overall, there was no significant correlation between patient self-reported understanding and physician evaluation of their understanding (ρ = 0.221, p = 0.08). However, among female patients and patients with less than 4 years of college, there was significant positive correlation between self-report and physician evaluation of comprehension (ρ = 0.326, p = 0.04 and ρ = 0.344, p = 0.04, respectively), whereas there was no correlation for male patients and those with more than 16 years of education (ρ = 0.008, p = 0.9, ρ = -0.041, p = 0.84, respectively). Patients' perception of their understanding may not be accurate, especially among men, and those with greater than college education. Identifying which patients say they understand their discharge instructions, but may actually have poor comprehension could help focus future interventions on improving comprehension.

Delayed encephalopathy after acute carbon monoxide poisoning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehmet İbrahim Turan

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Carbon monoxide poisoning is a major cause of death following attempted suicide and accidental exposures. Although clinical presentation depends on the duration and the intensity of exposure, the assessment of the severity of intoxication is difficult. A small percentage of patients who show complete initial recovery may develop delayed neurological deficits. Delayed encephalopathy after acute carbon monoxide poisoning is a rare and poor prognosis neurologic disorders and there is no specific treatment. We present a case with early onset of delayed encephalopathy after acute carbon monoxide poisoning with typical cranial imaging findings in a child with atypical history and clinical presentation.

Delayed discounting of pain with and without monetary reward

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Kicman Paweł

2017-12-01

Full Text Available We investigated the effect of monetary rewards on the rate of pain discounting. Our aim, also, was to understand the effect of previous painful dental experiences on the rate of discounting pain. Two groups (N = 148 completed a discounting task. In the first group, delayed pain was weaker than immediate pain, and in the second group delayed pain was stronger than immediate pain. Two conditions were studied: pain was either accompanied by a monetary reward or not. We found that people preferred immediate pain when it was weaker than delayed pain; however, when delayed pain was stronger than immediate pain, there was no clear preference. In both groups the preference for immediate pain was higher when pain was accompanied by a monetary reward. Previous painful experiences were not related to the rate of discounting. It was concluded that the preference for delayed pain depends on the intensity of pain, and it can be modified by rewards that accompany pain.

The glaucoma research foundation patient survey: patient understanding of glaucoma and its treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Herndon, Leon W; Brunner, Thomas M; Rollins, Jane Neff

2006-01-01

Determine patients' understanding of glaucoma and its treatment, their sources of information about glaucoma, their preferences for treatment, their experience with medication side effects, and their reasons for changing eye doctors. Prospective, nonrandomized patient survey study. A questionnaire was developed and sent to the 22,000 subscribers of the Gleams newsletter who have glaucoma. Questionnaires were returned by 4310 glaucoma patients. Most respondents received glaucoma information from their eye doctor. Only 28% of respondents reported having changed eye doctors for reasons related to their glaucoma. Of those who had, 60% cited poor communication as the reason. When queried about specific side effects associated with their medication, over 85% of responding patients were never or rarely bothered by headaches and eyelid darkening. Most respondents (67% and 55%, respectively) were rarely or never disturbed by red eye or burning and stinging. Most respondents understood the importance of intraocular pressure (IOP) lowering in glaucoma, and of those patients who expressed a preference, 92% reported that they would prefer the medication that lowers IOP the most, even if it caused red eye for a few weeks, over a medication that caused no red eye but did not get IOP as low. Patients who subscribe to Gleams and responded to the survey rely most on their doctors for information about glaucoma and its treatment. Most understand the importance of maintaining low IOP to decrease the risk of vision loss, and most will tolerate temporary ocular side effects to achieve low IOP.

Delay differential systems for tick population dynamics.

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Fan, Guihong; Thieme, Horst R; Zhu, Huaiping

2015-11-01

Ticks play a critical role as vectors in the transmission and spread of Lyme disease, an emerging infectious disease which can cause severe illness in humans or animals. To understand the transmission dynamics of Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases, it is necessary to investigate the population dynamics of ticks. Here, we formulate a system of delay differential equations which models the stage structure of the tick population. Temperature can alter the length of time delays in each developmental stage, and so the time delays can vary geographically (and seasonally which we do not consider). We define the basic reproduction number [Formula: see text] of stage structured tick populations. The tick population is uniformly persistent if [Formula: see text] and dies out if [Formula: see text]. We present sufficient conditions under which the unique positive equilibrium point is globally asymptotically stable. In general, the positive equilibrium can be unstable and the system show oscillatory behavior. These oscillations are primarily due to negative feedback within the tick system, but can be enhanced by the time delays of the different developmental stages.

Desensitization in delayed drug hypersensitivity reactions -- an EAACI position paper of the Drug Allergy Interest Group.

Science.gov (United States)

Scherer, K; Brockow, K; Aberer, W; Gooi, J H C; Demoly, P; Romano, A; Schnyder, B; Whitaker, P; Cernadas, J S R; Bircher, A J

2013-07-01

Drug hypersensitivity may deprive patients of drug therapy, and occasionally no effective alternative treatment is available. Successful desensitization has been well documented in delayed drug hypersensitivity reactions. In certain situations, such as sulfonamide hypersensitivity in HIV-positive patients or hypersensitivity to antibiotics in patients with cystic fibrosis, published success rates reach 80%, and this procedure appears helpful for the patient management. A state of clinical tolerance may be achieved by the administration of increasing doses of the previously offending drug. However, in most cases, a pre-existent sensitization has not been proven by positive skin tests. Successful re-administration may have occurred in nonsensitized patients. A better understanding of the underlying mechanisms of desensitization is needed. Currently, desensitization in delayed hypersensitivity reactions is restricted to mild, uncomplicated exanthems and fixed drug eruptions. The published success rates vary depending on clinical manifestations, drugs, and applied protocols. Slower protocols tend to be more effective than rush protocols; however, underreporting of unsuccessful procedures is very probable. The decision to desensitize a patient must always be made on an individual basis, balancing risks and benefits. This paper reviews the literature and presents the expert experience of the Drug Hypersensitivity Interest Group of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Economic evaluation of spondyloarthritis: economic impact of diagnostic delay in Italy.

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Mennini, Francesco S; Viti, Raffaella; Marcellusi, Andrea; Sciattella, Paolo; Viapiana, Ombretta; Rossini, Maurizio

2018-01-01

Spondyloarthritis (SpA) is a disease that normally affects the axial skeleton. It progressively leads to overall stiffness up to severe postural deformity of rachis and functional impotence. The objective of the study was to quantify, through an economic model, the impact of specialized testing and pharmacological treatments carried out by the National Health Service (NHS) in normal clinical practice, before the patient is diagnosed with SpA in Italy. In line with the analysis objective, the chosen perspective is that of the NHS. The study was conducted by analyzing the Health Search Database - IMS Health Longitudinal Patient Database, from which newly diagnosed SpA patients were identified over the period 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2013. The use of specialist health care services and pharmacological treatments provided to the patients before the final SpA diagnosis were estimated. Through a retrospective analysis of the Health Search Database, 1,084 subjects (aged 25-45 years) were identified. These patients produced an expense of approximately €153,000 in the 3 years prior to a confirmed SpA diagnosis, in terms of specialist check-ups and drugs, presumably not appropriately used due to a lack of diagnosis. If we assume that the Health Search Database is a representative sample of the Italian population, it may be estimated that, in the 3 years prior to SpA diagnosis, over €5.4 million was largely unduly spent in Italy to examine and manage 38,232 newly diagnosed SpA patients, between 2010 and 2013. The costs due to the delay in SpA diagnosis were quantified for the first time in Italy. For this reason, this work represents a contribution for national and regional decision makers to understand the current clinical practice and the economic consequences of a diagnostic delay in the short and medium term.

Finding determinants of audit delay by pooled OLS regression analysis

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Tina Vuko

2014-03-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to investigate determinants of audit delay. Audit delay is measured as the length of time (i.e. the number of calendar days from the fiscal year-end to the audit report date. It is important to understand factors that influence audit delay since it directly affects the timeliness of financial reporting. The research is conducted on a sample of Croatian listed companies, covering the period of four years (from 2008 to 2011. We use pooled OLS regression analysis, modelling audit delay as a function of the following explanatory variables: audit firm type, audit opinion, profitability, leverage, inventory and receivables to total assets, absolute value of total accruals, company size and audit committee existence. Our results indicate that audit committee existence, profitability and leverage are statistically significant determinants of audit delay in Croatia.

Time Delay and Associated Factors in Diagnosis and Treatment of Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Markazi Province

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Aliasghar Farazi

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Delay in the diagnosis of tuberculosis increases the risk of death and enhances the transmission of disease in the community. This study aims to determine the patient and health service delay and factors affecting it in tuberculosis diagnosis. Materials & Methods: A cross-sectional survey that included all the public health centers was conducted in Markazi province from March 2009 till June 2011. Patients were interviewed after diagnosis by using a structured questionnaire. Results: One hundred and sixty-six patients aged between 9 and 87 (median; 66 years were included in the study. They comprised 87 (52.4% females and 79 (47.6% males. The median and mean of patient delay was 35 and 62 days, respectively; the median and mean of health system diagnosis delay was 34 and 53 days, respectively; the median and mean of health system treatment delay was 5 and 6 days, respectively; The median and mean of total delays were 86 and 121 days, respectively for all patients. The main determinants of delay were non education, poor economic, private sector, female gender and age≥55. Conclusion: The results of this review suggest that there is a need for revising case-finding strategies and reduction of infectious cases for better control of tuberculosis.

Delayed Single Stage Perineal Posterior Urethroplasty

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ali, S.; Shahnawaz; Shahzad, I.; Baloch, M. U.

2015-01-01

Objective: To determine the delayed single stage perineal posterior urethroplasty for treatment of posterior urethral stricture/distraction defect. Study Design: Descriptive case series. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Urology, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi, from January 2009 to December 2011. Methodology: Patients were selected for delayed single stage perineal posterior urethroplasty for treatment of posterior urethral stricture / distraction defect. All were initially suprapubically catheterized followed by definitive surgery after at least 3 months. Results: Thirty male patients were analyzed with a mean follow-up of 10 months, 2 patients were excluded as they developed failure in first 3 months postoperatively. Mean patients age was 26.25 ± 7.9 years. On follow-up, 7 patients (23.3 percentage) experienced recurrent stricture during first 10 months. Five (16.6 percentage) patients were treated successfully with single direct visual internal urethrotomy. Two patients (6.6 percentage) had more than one direct visual internal urethrotomy and considered failed. Re-do perineal urethroplasty was eventually performed. The overall success rate was 93.3 percentage with permissive criteria allowing single direct visual internal urethrotomy and 76.6% with strict criteria allowing no more procedures postoperatively. Conclusion: Posterior anastomotic urethroplasty offers excellent long-term results to patients with posterior urethral trauma and distraction defect even after multiple prior procedures. (author)

Hyaluronic Acid Injections Are Associated with Delay of Total Knee Replacement Surgery in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis: Evidence from a Large U.S. Health Claims Database.

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Roy Altman

Full Text Available The growing prevalence of osteoarthritis (OA and the medical costs associated with total knee replacement (TKR surgery for end-stage OA motivate a search for agents that can delay OA progression. We test a hypothesis that hyaluronic acid (HA injection is associated with delay of TKR in a dose-dependent manner.We retrospectively evaluated records in an administrative claims database of ~79 million patients, to identify all patients with knee OA who received TKR during a 6-year period. Only patients with continuous plan enrollment from diagnosis until TKR were included, so that complete medical records were available. OA diagnosis was the index event and we evaluated time-to-TKR as a function of the number of HA injections. The database included 182,022 patients with knee OA who had TKR; 50,349 (27.7% of these patients were classified as HA Users, receiving ≥1 courses of HA prior to TKR, while 131,673 patients (72.3% were HA Non-users prior to TKR, receiving no HA. Cox proportional hazards modelling shows that TKR risk decreases as a function of the number of HA injection courses, if patient age, gender, and disease comorbidity are used as background covariates. Multiple HA injections are therefore associated with delay of TKR (all, P < 0.0001. Half of HA Non-users had a TKR by 114 days post-diagnosis of knee OA, whereas half of HA Users had a TKR by 484 days post-diagnosis (χ2 = 19,769; p < 0.0001. Patients who received no HA had a mean time-to-TKR of 0.7 years; with one course of HA, the mean time to TKR was 1.4 years (χ2 = 13,725; p < 0.0001; patients who received ≥5 courses delayed TKR by 3.6 years (χ2 = 19,935; p < 0.0001.HA injection in patients with knee OA is associated with a dose-dependent increase in time-to-TKR.

Optimal Joint Expected Delay Forwarding in Delay Tolerant Networks

OpenAIRE

Jia Xu; Xin Feng; Wen Jun Yang; Ru Chuan Wang; Bing Qing Han

2013-01-01

Multicopy forwarding schemes have been employed in delay tolerant network (DTN) to improve the delivery delay and delivery rate. Much effort has been focused on reducing the routing cost while retaining high performance. This paper aims to provide an optimal joint expected delay forwarding (OJEDF) protocol which minimizes the expected delay while satisfying a certain constant on the number of forwardings per message. We propose a comprehensive forwarding metric called joint expected delay (JE...

Delay in the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis in Uzbekistan: a cross-sectional study.

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Belkina, Tatiana V; Khojiev, Doniyor S; Tillyashaykhov, Mirzagaleb N; Tigay, Zinaida N; Kudenov, Marat U; Tebbens, Jurjen Duintjer; Vlcek, Jiri

2014-11-25

Early diagnosis and prompt effective therapy are crucial for the prevention of tuberculosis (TB) transmission, particularly in regions with high levels of multi-drug resistant TB. This study aimed to evaluate the extent of delay in diagnosis and treatment of TB in Uzbekistan and identify associated risk factors. A cross-sectional study was performed on hospital patients with newly diagnosed TB. The time between the onset of respiratory symptoms and initiation of anti-TB treatment was assessed and delays were divided into patient, health system and total delays. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate determinants of diagnostic and treatment delay. Among 538 patients enrolled, the median delay from onset of symptoms until treatment with anti-TB drugs was 50 days. Analysis of the factors affecting health-seeking behaviour and timely treatment showed the presence of the patient factor. Self-medication was the first health-seeking action for 231 (43%) patients and proved to be a significant predictor of delay (p = 0.005), as well as coughing (p = 0.009), loss of weight (p = 0.001), and visiting private and primary healthcare facilities (p = 0.03 and p = 0.02, respectively). TB diagnostic and treatment delay was mainly contributed to by patient delay and should be reduced through increasing public awareness of TB symptoms and improving public health-seeking behaviour for timely initiation of anti-TB treatment. Efforts should be made to minimise irrational use of antibiotics and support interventions to restrict over-the-counter availability of antibiotics.

Delay in seeking medical help following Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) or "mini-stroke": a qualitative study.

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Mc Sharry, Jennifer; Baxter, Alison; Wallace, Louise M; Kenton, Anthony; Turner, Andrew; French, David P

2014-01-01

Prompt treatment following Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) can reduce the risk of subsequent stroke and disability. However, many patients delay in making contact with medical services. This study aimed to explore TIA patients' accounts of delay between symptom onset and contacting medical services including how decisions to contact services were made and the factors discussed in relation to delay. Twenty interviews were conducted with TIA patients in England. Using a previous systematic review as an initial framework, interview data were organised into categories of symptom recognition, presence of others and type of care sought. A thematic analysis was then conducted to explore descriptions of care-seeking relevant to each category. Delay in contacting medical services varied from less than an hour to eight days. Awareness of typical stroke symptoms could lead to urgent action when more severe TIA symptoms were present but could lead to delay when experienced symptoms were less severe. The role of friends and family varied widely from deciding on and enacting care-seeking decisions to simply providing transport to the GP practice. When family or friends played a greater role, and both made and enacted care-seeking decisions, delays were often shorter, even when patients themselves failed to identify symptoms. Healthcare professionals also impacted on patients' care-seeking with greater delays in seeking further care for the same episode described when patients perceived a lack of urgency during initial healthcare interactions. This study provides new information on patients' decisions to contact medical services following TIA and identifies overlapping factors that can lead to delay in receiving appropriate treatment. While recognition of symptoms may contribute to delay in contacting medical services, additional factors, including full responsibility being taken by others and initial healthcare interactions, can over-ride or undermine the importance of patients

Delayed interval delivery in twin pregnancy without cerclage: Case ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

After the loss of the first foetus, delayed delivery in multiple pregnancies can be successful in selected cases as exemplified by the case presentation. In well prepared perinatal centers, with physically and psychologically balanced patients who are well informed about the risks and benefits of the procedure, delayed interval ...

A survey of how patient-perceived empathy affects the relationship between health literacy and the understanding of information by orthopedic patients?

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Chu, Cheng-I; Tseng, Chia-Chih Alex

2013-02-19

There is a lack of research examining patient-perceived empathy and its effect on low-literacy patients' understanding of health information. This study investigated the moderating effect of patient-perceived empathy on the relationship between health literacy and understanding of preoperative information. During a 2-month period, a total of 144 patients took a survey that included the Chinese-edition Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine, the Barrett-Lennard Relationship Inventory and the Preoperative Information Understanding Scale. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis provided a test of moderator effects. All Cronbach's alphas exceeded 0.6, with REALM at 0.91, BLRI at 0.67, and PIUS at 0.77.The finding that the interaction term was significant suggests perceived empathy is a relevant factor when considering the relationship between health literacy and the understanding of information by patients. The relationship between the health literacy and understanding of information was stronger and positive among patients who perceived greater empathy from their physicians. Our study demonstrates that a focus on improving physician-patient empathy skills could be beneficial in helping to overcome the negative consequences associated with limited health-literacy capabilities. Healthcare providers who wish to improve the understanding of information by low health-literacy patients should first identify components of their empathic communication mechanisms, and then try to refine these skills to better serve their patients.

Emergency surgery pre-operative delays - realities and economic impacts.

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O'Leary, D P; Beecher, S; McLaughlin, R

2014-12-01

A key principle of acute surgical service provision is the establishment of a distinct patient flow process and an emergency theatre. Time-to-theatre (TTT) is a key performance indicator of theatre efficiency. The combined impacts of an aging population, increasing demands and complexity associated with centralisation of emergency and oncology services has placed pressure on emergency theatre access. We examined our institution's experience with running a designated emergency theatre for acute surgical patients. A retrospective review of an electronic prospectively maintained database was performed between 1/1/12 and 31/12/13. A cost analysis was conducted to assess the economic impact of delayed TTT, with every 24hr delay incurring the cost of an additional overnight bed. Delays and the economic effects were assessed only after the first 24 h as an in-patient had elapsed. In total, 7041 procedures were performed. Overall mean TTT was 26 h, 2 min. There were significant differences between different age groups, with those aged under 16 year and over 65 having mean TTT at 6 h, 34 min (95% C.I. 0.51-2.15, p 65 years age group had a mean TTT of 23 h, 41 min which was significantly longer than the overall mean TTT Vascular and urological emergencies are significantly disadvantaged in competition with other services for a shared emergency theatre. The economic impact of delayed TTT was calculated at €7,116,000, or €9880/day of additional costs generated from delayed TTT over a 24 month period. One third of patients waited longer than 24 h for emergency surgery, with the elderly disproportionately represented in this group. Aside from the clinical risks of delayed and out of hours surgery, such practices incur significant additional costs. New strategies must be devised to ensure efficient access to emergency theatres, investment in such services is likely to be financially and clinically beneficial. Copyright © 2014 Surgical Associates Ltd. Published by Elsevier

Coping with persistent environmental problems: systemic delays in reducing eutrophication of the Baltic Sea

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Riku Varjopuro

2014-12-01

Full Text Available In this paper we focus on systemic delays in the Baltic Sea that cause the problem of eutrophication to persist. These problems are demonstrated in our study by addressing three types of delays: (1 decision delay: the time it takes for an idea or perceived need to be launched as a policy; (2 implementation delay: the time from the launch of a policy to the actual implementation; (3 ecosystem delay: the time difference between the implementation and an actual measurable effects. A policy process is one characterized by delays. It may take years from problem identification to a decision to taking action and several years further for actual implementation. Ecosystem responses to measures illustrate that feedback can keep the ecosystem in a certain state and cause a delay in ecosystem response. These delays can operate on decadal scales. Our aim in this paper is to analyze these systemic delays and especially to discuss how the critical delays can be better addressed in marine protection policies by strengthening the adaptive capacity of marine protection. We conclude that the development of monitoring systems and reflexive, participatory analysis of dynamics involved in the implementation are keys to improve understanding of the systemic delays. The improved understanding is necessary for the adaptive management of a persistent environmental problem. In addition to the state of the environment, the monitoring and analysis should be targeted also at the implementation of policies to ensure that the societies are investing in the right measures.

Predictive values of early rest/24 hour delay Tl-201 perfusion SPECT for wall motion improvement in patients with acute myocardial infarction after reperfusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hyun, In Young; Kwan, June

1998-01-01

We studied early rest/24 hour delay Tl-201 perfusion SPECT for prediction of wall motion improvement after reperfusion in patients with acute myocardial infarction. Among 17 patients (male/female=11/6, age: 59±13) with acute myocardial infarction, 15 patients were treated with percutaneous transcoronary angioplasty (direct:2, delay:11) and intravenous urokinase (2). Spontaneous resolution occurred in infarct related arteries of 2 patients. We confirmed TIMI 3 flow of infarct-related artery after reperfusion in all patients with coronary angiography. We performed rest Tl-201 perfusion SPECT less then 6 hours after reperfusion and delay Tl-201 perfusion SPECT next day. Tl-201 uptake was visually graded as 4 point score from normal (0) to severe defect (3). Rest Tl-201 uptake ≤2 or combination of rest Tl-201 uptake ≤2 or late reversibility were considered to be viable. Myocardial wall motion was graded as 5 point score from normal (1) to dyskinesia (5). Myocardial wall motion was considered to be improved when a segment showed an improvement ≥1 grade in follow up echo compared with the baseline values. Among 98 segments with wall motion abnormality, the severity of myocardial wall motion decrease was as follow: mild hypokinesia: 18/98 (18%), severe hypokinesia: 28/98 (29%), akinesia: 51/98 (52%), dyskinesia: 1/98 (1%). The wall motion improved in 85%. Redistribution (13%), and reverse redistribution (4%) were observed in 24 hour delay SPECT. Positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of combination of late reversibility and rest Tl-201uptake were 99%, and 54%.PPV and NPV of rest Tl-201 uptake were 100% and 52% respectively. Predictive values of comibination of rest Tl-201 uptake and late reversibility were not significantly different compared with predictive values of rest Tl-201 uptake only. We conclude that early Tl-201 perfusion SPECT predict myocardial wall motion improvement with excellent positive but relatively low negative

The Use of Milrinone in Patients with Delayed Cerebral Ischemia Following Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Systematic Review.

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Lannes, Marcelo; Zeiler, Frederick; Guichon, Céline; Teitelbaum, Jeanne

2017-03-01

The purpose of this article is to provide a systematic review of the evidence supporting the use of milrinone for the management of delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) following subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Primary outcomes were functional neurological status and the incidence of cerebral infarction. Search strategies adapted to the different databases were developed by a professional librarian. Medline, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library database, Web of Science, SCOPUS, BIOSIS, Global Health, Health Star, Open SIGLE, Google Scholar and the New York Academy of Medicine Gray Literature were searched as well as clinical trials databases and the proceedings of several scientific meetings. Quality of the evidence for these outcomes across studies was adjudicated using the GRADE Working Group criteria. The search resulted in 284 citations after elimination of duplicates. Of those 9 conference proceedings and 15 studies met inclusion criteria and consisted of case reports, case series and two comparative studies: one non-randomized study with physiological outcomes only and a case series with historical controls. There was considerable variation in dosing and in co-interventions and no case control or randomized controlled studies were found. There is currently only very low quality evidence to support the use of milrinone to improve important outcomes in patients with delayed cerebral ischemia secondary to subarachnoid hemorrhage. Further research is needed to clarify the value and risks of this medication in patients with SAH.

Functions of delay-period activity in the prefrontal cortex and mnemonic scotomas revisited

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Shintaro eFunahashi

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Working memory is one of key concepts to understand functions of the prefrontal cortex. Delay-period activity is an important neural correlate to understand the role of working memory in prefrontal functions. The importance of delay-period activity is that this activity can encode not only visuospatial information but also a variety of information including non-spatial visual features, auditory and tactile stimuli, task rules, expected reward, and numerical quantity. This activity also participates in a variety of information processing including sensory-to-motor information transformation. These mnemonic features of delay-period activity enable to perform various important operations that the prefrontal cortex participates in, such as executive controls, and therefore, support the notion that working memory is an important function to understand prefrontal functions. On the other hand, although experiments using manual versions of the delayed-response task had revealed many important findings, an oculomotor version of this task enabled us to use multiple cue positions, exclude postural orientation during the delay period, and further prove the importance of mnemonic functions of the prefrontal cortex. In addition, monkeys with unilateral lesions exhibited specific impairment only in the performance of memory-guided saccades directed toward visual cues in the visual field contralateral to the lesioned hemisphere. This result indicates that memories for visuospatial coordinates in each hemifield are processed primarily in the contralateral prefrontal cortex. This result further strengthened the idea of mnemonic functions of the prefrontal cortex. Thus, the mnemonic functions of the prefrontal cortex and delay-period activity may not need to be reconsidered, but should be emphasized.

Impact of delayed information in sub-second complex systems

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Manrique, Pedro D.; Zheng, Minzhang; Johnson Restrepo, D. Dylan; Hui, Pak Ming; Johnson, Neil F.

What happens when you slow down the delivery of information in large-scale complex systems that operate faster than the blink of an eye? This question just adopted immediate commercial, legal and political importance following U.S. regulators' decision to allow an intentional 350 microsecond delay to be added in the ultrafast network of financial exchanges. However there is still no scientific understanding available to policymakers of the potential system-wide impact of such delays. Here we take a first step in addressing this question using a minimal model of a population of competing, heterogeneous, adaptive agents which has previously been shown to produce similar statistical features to real markets. We find that while certain extreme system-level behaviors can be prevented by such delays, the duration of others is increased. This leads to a highly non-trivial relationship between delays and system-wide instabilities which warrants deeper empirical investigation. The generic nature of our model suggests there should be a fairly wide class of complex systems where such delay-driven extreme behaviors can arise, e.g. sub-second delays in brain function possibly impacting individuals' behavior, and sub-second delays in navigational systems potentially impacting the safety of driverless vehicles.

Impact of delayed information in sub-second complex systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pedro D. Manrique

Full Text Available What happens when you slow down the delivery of information in large-scale complex systems that operate faster than the blink of an eye? This question just adopted immediate commercial, legal and political importance following U.S. regulators’ decision to allow an intentional 350 microsecond delay to be added in the ultrafast network of financial exchanges. However there is still no scientific understanding available to policymakers of the potential system-wide impact of such delays. Here we take a first step in addressing this question using a minimal model of a population of competing, heterogeneous, adaptive agents which has previously been shown to produce similar statistical features to real markets. We find that while certain extreme system-level behaviors can be prevented by such delays, the duration of others is increased. This leads to a highly non-trivial relationship between delays and system-wide instabilities which warrants deeper empirical investigation. The generic nature of our model suggests there should be a fairly wide class of complex systems where such delay-driven extreme behaviors can arise, e.g. sub-second delays in brain function possibly impacting individuals’ behavior, and sub-second delays in navigational systems potentially impacting the safety of driverless vehicles. Keywords: Ultra-fast networks, Temporal perturbation, Competition, Modeling

“I Wasted 3 Years, Thinking It’s Not a Problem”: Patient and Health System Delays in Diagnosis of Leprosy in India: A Mixed-Methods Study

Science.gov (United States)

Govindarajulu, Srinivas; Isaakidis, Petros; Shewade, Hemant Deepak; Rokade, Vasudev; Singh, Rajbir; Kamble, Sanjeev

2017-01-01

Background Worldwide, leprosy is one of the major causes of preventable disability. India contributes to 60% of global leprosy burden. With increasing numbers of leprosy with grade 2 disability (visible disability) at diagnosis, we aimed to determine risk factors associated with grade 2 disability among new cases and explore patients and providers’ perspectives into reasons for late presentation. Methodology/Principal Findings This was an explanatory mixed-methods study where the quantitative component, a matched case-control design, was followed by a qualitative component. A total of 70 cases (grade 2 disability) and 140 controls (grade 0) matched for age and sex were randomly sampled from new patients registered between January 2013-January 2015 in three districts of Maharashtra (Mumbai, Thane and Amaravati) and interviewed using a structured close ended questionnaire. Eight public health care providers involved in leprosy care and 7 leprosy patients were purposively selected (maximum variation sampling) and interviewed using a structured open-ended interview schedule. Among cases, overall median (IQR) diagnosis delay in months was 17.9(7–30); patient and health system delay was 7(4–16.5) and 5.5(0.9–12.5) respectively; this was significantly higher than the delay in controls. Reasons for delayed presentation identified by the quantitative and qualitative data were: poor awareness of leprosy symptoms, first health care provider visited being private practitioners who were not aware about provision of free leprosy treatment at public health care facilities, reduced engagement and capacity of the general health care system in leprosy control. Conclusions Raising awareness in communities and health care providers regarding early leprosy symptoms, engagement of private health care provider in early leprosy diagnosis and increasing capacity of general health system staff, especially targeting high endemic areas that are hotspots for leprosy transmission may

Delayed pneumothorax complicating minor rib fracture after chest trauma.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Ming-Shian; Huang, Yao-Kuang; Liu, Yun-Hen; Liu, Hui-Ping; Kao, Chiung-Lun

2008-06-01

Pneumothorax (PTX) after trauma is a preventable cause of death. Drainage procedures such as chest tube insertion have been traditionally advocated to prevent fatal tension PTX. We evaluated the safety of close observation in patients with delayed PTX complicating rib fracture after minor chest trauma. Adult patients (>18 years) with a diagnosis of chest trauma and 3 or fewer fractured ribs were reviewed. Case patients were divided according to age, location and number of fractured ribs, mechanism of trauma, and initial pulmonary complication after thoracic trauma for comparative analysis. There were 207 male (70.2%) and 88 female (29.8%) patients whose ages ranged from 18 to 93 years (median, 55 years). The mechanisms of trauma were a motor vehicle accident in 207 patients, falls in 66, pedestrian injury in 10, and assaults in 14. Ninety-five patients sustained 1 rib fracture, 95 had 2 rib fractures, and 105 suffered 3 rib fractures. Right-sided injury occurred in 164 cases, left-sided injury did in 127, and bilateral injury did in 4. The most frequent location of rib fractures was from the fourth rib to the ninth rib. The initial pulmonary complications after trauma were PTX in 16 patients, hemothorax in 43, pneumohemothorax in 14, lung contusion in 75, and isolated subcutaneous emphysema (SubcEmph) in 33. Thirty percent of the patients (n = 5/16) who presented with traumatic PTX were observed safely without drainage. Delayed PTX was recorded in 16 patients, occurring mostly during the first 2 days of their admission. Associated extrathoracic injury was recorded in 189 patients. The mean hospital stay of the patients was 7.66 days. Longer hospital stay was related to increasing number of fractured ribs, need for thoracic drainage, and the presence of associated extrathoracic injury. The mortality rate for the entire group was 2%. The presence of SubcEmph was the only risk factor associated with the development of delayed PTX. Patients sustaining blunt chest

Brain MR imaging in children with psychomotor developmental delay

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Hirai, Toshinori; Korogi, Yukunori; Sakamoto, Yuji; Furusawa, Mitsuhiro; Hamatake, Satoshi; Takahashi, Mutsumasa [Kumamoto Univ. (Japan). School of Medicine

1994-06-01

Fifty-two patients with developmental delay of unknown cause underwent MR imaging of the brain. Their ages ranged from 5 months to 22 years, with a mean of 2.2 years. Thirty-seven (71%) had positive MR findings, including nine with congenital malformation, nine with atrophy, six with white matter lesion, five with delayed myelination, five with atrophy and delayed myelination, two with acquired injury of corpus callosum, and one with ulegyria. Congenital malformations obtained included holoprosencephaly, polymicrogyria, dysgenesis of corpus callosum, hypoplasia of cerebellum, and tuberous sclerosis. Abnormal MR findings were frequently observed both in the children with neurologic physical findings and in generally retarded children, while in the children with suspected autism, MR imaging did not demonstrate any abnormalities. Of 24 patients with epilepsy, abnormal MR findings were obtained in 17 patients (71%). The frequency of white matter lesion and atrophy was slightly higher in the patients with epilepsy. However, no significant correlations were found between MR findings and the presence of epilepsy. Also, no significant correlations were obtained between MR findings and the degree of developmental quotient (DQ). Severely injured cases did not necessarily show abnormal findings on MRI. (author).

Brain MR imaging in children with psychomotor developmental delay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirai, Toshinori; Korogi, Yukunori; Sakamoto, Yuji; Furusawa, Mitsuhiro; Hamatake, Satoshi; Takahashi, Mutsumasa

1994-01-01

Fifty-two patients with developmental delay of unknown cause underwent MR imaging of the brain. Their ages ranged from 5 months to 22 years, with a mean of 2.2 years. Thirty-seven (71%) had positive MR findings, including nine with congenital malformation, nine with atrophy, six with white matter lesion, five with delayed myelination, five with atrophy and delayed myelination, two with acquired injury of corpus callosum, and one with ulegyria. Congenital malformations obtained included holoprosencephaly, polymicrogyria, dysgenesis of corpus callosum, hypoplasia of cerebellum, and tuberous sclerosis. Abnormal MR findings were frequently observed both in the children with neurologic physical findings and in generally retarded children, while in the children with suspected autism, MR imaging did not demonstrate any abnormalities. Of 24 patients with epilepsy, abnormal MR findings were obtained in 17 patients (71%). The frequency of white matter lesion and atrophy was slightly higher in the patients with epilepsy. However, no significant correlations were found between MR findings and the presence of epilepsy. Also, no significant correlations were obtained between MR findings and the degree of developmental quotient (DQ). Severely injured cases did not necessarily show abnormal findings on MRI. (author)

A pilot study on understanding the journey of advanced prostate cancer patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Wagholikar, Amol; Fung, Maggie; Nelson, Colleen

2011-01-01

To understand the journey of advanced prostate cancer patients for supporting development of an innovative patient journey browser. Prostate cancer is one of the common cancers in Australia. Due to the chronic nature of the disease, it is important to have effective disease management strategy and care model. Multi-disciplinary care is a well-proven approach for chronic disease management. The Multi-disciplinary team (MDT) can function more effectively if all the required information is available for the clinical decision support. The development of innovative technology relies on an accurate understanding of the advanced prostate cancer patient's journey over a prolonged period. This need arises from the fact that advanced prostate cancer patients may follow various treatment paths and change their care providers. As a result of this, it is difficult to understand the actual sources of patient's clinical records and their treatment patterns. The aim of the research is to understand variable sources of clinical records, treatment patterns, alternative therapies, over the counter (OTC) medications of advanced prostate cancer patients. This study provides better and holistic understanding of advanced prostate cancer journey. The study was conducted through an on-line survey developed to seek and analyse the responses from the participants. The on-line questionnaire was carefully developed through consultations with the clinical researchers at the Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre-Queensland, prostate cancer support group representatives and health informaticians at the Australian E-Health Research Centre. The non-identifying questionnaire was distributed to the patients through prostate cancer support groups in Queensland, Australia. The pilot study was carried out between August 2010 and December 2010. The research made important observations about the advanced prostate cancer journey. It showed that General Practitioner (GP) was the common source of

Role of surgery in delayed local treatment for INSS 4 neuroblastoma.

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Uehara, Shuichiro; Yoneda, Akihiro; Oue, Takaharu; Nakahata, Kengo; Zenitani, Masahiro; Miyamura, Takako; Hashii, Yoshiko; Fukuzawa, Masahiro; Okuyama, Hiroomi

2017-09-01

The aim of the present study was to compare the efficacy, complications and outcomes of the following two surgical strategies for delayed local treatment for International Neuroblastoma Staging System (INSS) 4 neuroblastoma (NB): complete resection (CR; period A); and gross total resection/subtotal resection (GTR/STR) with local irradiation (period B). We retrospectively analyzed 17 patients with INSS 4 NB who received delayed local treatment (period A, n = 11; period B, n = 6). Eleven patients in period A received CR. Two patients underwent GTR and four patients underwent STR in period B. The amount of blood loss in period A was significantly greater than that in period B. Postoperative complications were observed in eight patients in period A (73%), but in only one patient in period B (17%; P < 0.01). Recurrence was observed in five patients in period A and in one patient in period B (45.4% vs 16.6%; P = n.s.). Distant metastasis at recurrence was observed in four patients in period A and in one patient in period B. Gross total resection/subtotal resection with local irradiation may be a safe and effective delayed local treatment for INSS 4 NB. © 2017 Japan Pediatric Society.

Time delay induced different synchronization patterns in repulsively coupled chaotic oscillators

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Yao, Chenggui; Yi, Ming; Shuai, Jianwei

2013-09-01

Time delayed coupling plays a crucial role in determining the system's dynamics. We here report that the time delay induces transition from the asynchronous state to the complete synchronization (CS) state in the repulsively coupled chaotic oscillators. In particular, by changing the coupling strength or time delay, various types of synchronous patterns, including CS, antiphase CS, antiphase synchronization (ANS), and phase synchronization, can be generated. In the transition regions between different synchronous patterns, bistable synchronous oscillators can be observed. Furthermore, we show that the time-delay-induced phase flip bifurcation is of key importance for the emergence of CS. All these findings may light on our understanding of neuronal synchronization and information processing in the brain.

Factors associated with delays in treatment initiation after tuberculosis diagnosis in two districts of India.

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Durba Paul

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Excessive time between diagnosis and initiation of tuberculosis (TB treatment contributes to ongoing TB transmission and should be minimized. In India, Revised National TB Control Programme (RNTCP focuses on indicator start of treatment within 7 days of diagnosis for patients with sputum smear-positive PTB for monitoring DOTS implementation. OBJECTIVES: To determine length of time between diagnosis and initiation of treatment and factors associated with delays of more than 7 days in smear-positive pulmonary TB. METHODS: Using existing programme records such as the TB Register, treatment cards, and the laboratory register, we conducted a retrospective cohort study of all patients with smear-positive pulmonary TB registered from July-September 2010 in two districts in India. A random sample of patients with pulmonary TB who experienced treatment delay of more than 7 days was interviewed using structured questionnaire. RESULTS: 2027 of 3411 patients registered with pulmonary TB were smear-positive. 711(35% patients had >7 days between diagnosis and treatment and 262(13% had delays >15 days. Mean duration between TB diagnosis and treatment initiation was 8 days (range = 0-128 days. Odds of treatment delay >7 days was 1.8 times more likely among those who had been previously treated (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.5-2.3 and 1.6 (95% CI 1.3-1.8 times more likely among those diagnosed in health facilities without microscopy centers. The main factors associated with a delay >7 days were: patient reluctance to start a re-treatment regimen, patients seeking second opinions, delay in transportation of drugs to the DOT centers and delay in initial home visits. To conclude, treatment delay >7 days was associated with a number of factors that included history of previous treatment and absence of TB diagnostic services in the local health facility. Decentralized diagnostic facilities and improved referral procedures may reduce such treatment

Neurodevelopmental delay in children exposed in utero to hyperemesis gravidarum.

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Fejzo, Marlena S; Magtira, Aromalyn; Schoenberg, Frederic Paik; Macgibbon, Kimber; Mullin, Patrick M

2015-06-01

The purpose of this study is to determine the frequency of emotional, behavioral, and learning disorders in children exposed in utero to hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) and to identify prognostic factors for these disorders. Neurodevelopmental outcomes of 312 children from 203 mothers with HG were compared to neurodevelopmental outcomes from 169 children from 89 unaffected mothers. Then the clinical profiles of patients with HG and a normal child outcome were compared to the clinical profiles of patients with HG and a child with neurodevelopmental delay to identify prognostic factors. Binary responses were analyzed using either a Chi-square or Fisher Exact test and continuous responses were analyzed using a t-test. Children exposed in utero to HG have a 3.28-fold increase in odds of a neurodevelopmental diagnosis including attention disorders, learning delay, sensory disorders, and speech and language delay (Pneurodevelopmental delay. We found no evidence for increased risk of 13 emotional, behavioral, and learning disorders, including autism, intellectual impairment, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. However, the study was not sufficiently powered to detect rare conditions. Medications, treatments, and preterm birth were not associated with an increased risk for neurodevelopmental delay. Women with HG are at a significantly increased risk of having a child with neurodevelopmental delay. Common antiemetic treatments were not linked to neurodevelopmental delay, but early symptoms may play a role. There is an urgent need to address whether aggressive treatment that includes vitamin and nutrient supplementation in women with early symptoms of severe nausea of pregnancy decreases the risk of neurodevelopmental delay. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Different CT perfusion algorithms in the detection of delayed cerebral ischemia after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

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Cremers, Charlotte H P; Dankbaar, Jan Willem; Vergouwen, Mervyn D I; Vos, Pieter C; Bennink, Edwin; Rinkel, Gabriel J E; Velthuis, Birgitta K; van der Schaaf, Irene C

2015-05-01

Tracer delay-sensitive perfusion algorithms in CT perfusion (CTP) result in an overestimation of the extent of ischemia in thromboembolic stroke. In diagnosing delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH), delayed arrival of contrast due to vasospasm may also overestimate the extent of ischemia. We investigated the diagnostic accuracy of tracer delay-sensitive and tracer delay-insensitive algorithms for detecting DCI. From a prospectively collected series of aSAH patients admitted between 2007-2011, we included patients with any clinical deterioration other than rebleeding within 21 days after SAH who underwent NCCT/CTP/CTA imaging. Causes of clinical deterioration were categorized into DCI and no DCI. CTP maps were calculated with tracer delay-sensitive and tracer delay-insensitive algorithms and were visually assessed for the presence of perfusion deficits by two independent observers with different levels of experience. The diagnostic value of both algorithms was calculated for both observers. Seventy-one patients were included. For the experienced observer, the positive predictive values (PPVs) were 0.67 for the delay-sensitive and 0.66 for the delay-insensitive algorithm, and the negative predictive values (NPVs) were 0.73 and 0.74. For the less experienced observer, PPVs were 0.60 for both algorithms, and NPVs were 0.66 for the delay-sensitive and 0.63 for the delay-insensitive algorithm. Test characteristics are comparable for tracer delay-sensitive and tracer delay-insensitive algorithms for the visual assessment of CTP in diagnosing DCI. This indicates that both algorithms can be used for this purpose.

Recent results on nonlinear delay control systems in honor of Miroslav Krstic

CERN Document Server

Pepe, Pierdomenico; Mazenc, Frederic; Karafyllis, Iasson

2016-01-01

This volume collects recent advances in nonlinear delay systems, with an emphasis on constructive generalized Lyapunov and predictive approaches that certify stability properties. The book is written by experts in the field and includes two chapters by Miroslav Krstic, to whom this volume is dedicated. This volume is suitable for all researchers in mathematics and engineering who deal with nonlinear delay control problems and students who would like to understand the current state of the art in the control of nonlinear delay systems.

Delayed Development of Brain Connectivity in Adolescents With Schizophrenia and Their Unaffected Siblings.

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Zalesky, Andrew; Pantelis, Christos; Cropley, Vanessa; Fornito, Alex; Cocchi, Luca; McAdams, Harrison; Clasen, Liv; Greenstein, Deanna; Rapoport, Judith L; Gogtay, Nitin

2015-09-01

Abnormalities in structural brain connectivity have been observed in patients with schizophrenia. Mapping these abnormalities longitudinally and understanding their genetic risk via sibship studies will provide crucial insight into progressive developmental changes associated with schizophrenia. To identify corticocortical connections exhibiting an altered developmental trajectory in adolescents with childhood-onset schizophrenia (COS) and to determine whether similar alterations are found in patients' unaffected siblings. Using prospective structural brain magnetic resonance imaging, large-scale corticocortical connectivity was mapped from ages 12 to 24 years in 109 patients with COS (272 images), 86 of their unaffected siblings (184 images), and 102 healthy controls (262 images) over a 20-year period beginning January 1, 1991, through April 30, 2011, as part of the ongoing COS study at the National Institute of Mental Health. Structural connectivity between pairs of cortical regions was estimated using a validated technique based on across-subject covariation in magnetic resonance imaging-derived cortical thickness measurements. Compared with normally developing controls, significant left-hemisphere occipitotemporal deficits in cortical thickness correlations were found in patients with COS as well as their healthy siblings (P siblings normalized by mid-adolescence, whereas patients with COS showed significantly longer maturational delays, with cortical thickness correlations between the left temporal lobe and left occipital cortex not showing evidence of development until early adulthood. The normalization of deficits with age in patients with COS correlated with improvement in symptoms. Compared with controls, left-hemisphere occipitotemporal thickness correlations in a subgroup of patients with high positive symptoms were significantly reduced from age 14 to 18 years (P siblings associated with resilience to developing schizophrenia. These findings indicate

Mutations in HIVEP2 are associated with developmental delay, intellectual disability, and dysmorphic features

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Steinfeld, Hallie; Cho, Megan T.; Retterer, Kyle; Person, Rick; Schaefer, G. Bradley; Danylchuk, Noelle; Malik, Saleem; Wechsler, Stephanie Burns; Wheeler, Patricia G.; van Gassen, Koen L I; Terhal, P. A.; Verhoeven, Virginie J M; van Slegtenhorst, Marjon A.; Monaghan, Kristin G.; Henderson, Lindsay B.; Chung, Wendy K.

Human immunodeficiency virus type I enhancer binding protein 2 (HIVEP2) has been previously associated with intellectual disability and developmental delay in three patients. Here, we describe six patients with developmental delay, intellectual disability, and dysmorphic features with de novo likely

Delay in Seeking Medical Help following Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) or “Mini-Stroke”: A Qualitative Study

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Mc Sharry, Jennifer; Baxter, Alison; Wallace, Louise M.; Kenton, Anthony; Turner, Andrew; French, David P.

2014-01-01

Background Prompt treatment following Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) can reduce the risk of subsequent stroke and disability. However, many patients delay in making contact with medical services. This study aimed to explore TIA patients' accounts of delay between symptom onset and contacting medical services including how decisions to contact services were made and the factors discussed in relation to delay. Methods Twenty interviews were conducted with TIA patients in England. Using a previous systematic review as an initial framework, interview data were organised into categories of symptom recognition, presence of others and type of care sought. A thematic analysis was then conducted to explore descriptions of care-seeking relevant to each category. Results Delay in contacting medical services varied from less than an hour to eight days. Awareness of typical stroke symptoms could lead to urgent action when more severe TIA symptoms were present but could lead to delay when experienced symptoms were less severe. The role of friends and family varied widely from deciding on and enacting care-seeking decisions to simply providing transport to the GP practice. When family or friends played a greater role, and both made and enacted care-seeking decisions, delays were often shorter, even when patients themselves failed to identify symptoms. Healthcare professionals also impacted on patients' care-seeking with greater delays in seeking further care for the same episode described when patients perceived a lack of urgency during initial healthcare interactions. Conclusions This study provides new information on patients' decisions to contact medical services following TIA and identifies overlapping factors that can lead to delay in receiving appropriate treatment. While recognition of symptoms may contribute to delay in contacting medical services, additional factors, including full responsibility being taken by others and initial healthcare interactions, can over

Shoulder-related donor site morbidity and patient-reported satisfaction after delayed breast reconstruction with pedicled flaps from the back

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rindom, Mikkel Børsen; Gunnarsson, Gudjon L.; Lautrup, Marianne D.

2018-01-01

reconstructed using the TAP flap had a difference of 3.2 points for pain (p-value 0.003) and 5.5 points for ROM (p-value 0.011). The factors ADL and strength were of equal magnitude in both groups. Conclusions: Patients who undergo delayed breast reconstruction by the TAP flap seem less prone to suffer from...

Delayed Diagnosis in an Elderly Schizophrenic Patient with Catatonic State and Pulmonary Embolism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hsueh-Chin Hu

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Catatonia is a syndrome with any two of five core features: stupor/motoric immobility/catalepsy/waxy flexibility, excitement, negativism/mutism, posturing, and echolalia/echopraxia. We describe a case of delayed diagnosis of pulmonary embolism with an atypical presentation in an elderly schizophrenia male patient, which led to a life-threatening brain infarction. A 75-year-old male was hospitalized in a psychiatric ward because of stupor, poor intake and mutism under a diagnosis of recurrent catatonia. His inability to express his suffering, dehydration, exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and upper gastrointestinal bleeding, however, made an accurate diagnosis difficult. Finally, the high D-dimer level and further chest computed tomography confirmed pulmonary embolism in the trunk of the bilateral main pulmonary arteries. The brain computed tomography also confirmed brain infarcts. He was transferred to the cardiac intensive care unit and was eventually rescued from near death due to pulmonary embolism and brain infarction. A careful differential diagnosis for pulmonary embolism-induced delirium and catatonic state is important in the treatment of patients with a previous diagnosis of catatonic schizophrenia.

Stability and delay sensitivity of neutral fractional-delay systems.

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Xu, Qi; Shi, Min; Wang, Zaihua

2016-08-01

This paper generalizes the stability test method via integral estimation for integer-order neutral time-delay systems to neutral fractional-delay systems. The key step in stability test is the calculation of the number of unstable characteristic roots that is described by a definite integral over an interval from zero to a sufficient large upper limit. Algorithms for correctly estimating the upper limits of the integral are given in two concise ways, parameter dependent or independent. A special feature of the proposed method is that it judges the stability of fractional-delay systems simply by using rough integral estimation. Meanwhile, the paper shows that for some neutral fractional-delay systems, the stability is extremely sensitive to the change of time delays. Examples are given for demonstrating the proposed method as well as the delay sensitivity.

MR findings of congenital craniocerebral anomaly: correlation with seizures and development delay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ko, Seog Wan; Seo, Jeong Jin; Kim, Yun Hyeon; Yoon, Jong Hun; Kim, Hyun Ju; Kim, Hyeong Kil; Kang, Heoung Keun; Chung, Hyon De

1995-01-01

To evaluate characteristic MR findings of craniocerebral anomaly and its relationship with neurologic manifestations. We retrospectively reviewed MR images of 36 patients with craniocerebral anomaly diagnosed by MRI and clinical courses. We correlated the characteristic MR findings in 41 lesions with neurologic manifestations focusing on seizures and developmental delay. Twenty-three patients with seizures consisted of 14 patients(60%) with neuronal migration disorders and seven(30%) with phakomatosis, among which 18 patients(78%) had generalized type of seizures. Locations of the lesions were the parietal lobes in 11 patients(52%) and the subependymal or periventricular regions in seven(33%). Two patients with tuberous sclerosis had the lesions in both parietal and subependymal areas. Nine patients had the signs of developmental delay that were seen in the four(44%) with schizencephaly, two (22%) with tuberous sclerosis, two(22%) with heterotopia, and noe(11%) with pachygyria. Neuronal migration anomaly was relatively common lesion that presented neurologic festations such as seizures and developmental delay. Generalized type of seizures were common. We were able to diagnose these anomalies using the MRI that helped establish therapeutic plans

Construction Delay Analysis Techniques—A Review of Application Issues and Improvement Needs

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Nuhu Braimah

2013-07-01

Full Text Available The time for performance of a project is usually of the essence to the employer and the contractor. This has made it quite imperative for contracting parties to analyse project delays for purposes of making right decisions on potential time and/or cost compensation claims. Over the years, existing delay analysis techniques (DATs for aiding this decision-making have been helpful but have not succeeded in curbing the high incidence of disputes associated with delay claims resolutions. A major source of the disputes lies with the limitations and capabilities of the techniques in their practical use. Developing a good knowledge of these aspects of the techniques is of paramount importance in understanding the real problematic issues involved and their improvement needs. This paper seeks to develop such knowledge and understanding (as part of a wider research work via: an evaluation of the most common DATs based on a case study, a review of the key relevant issues often not addressed by the techniques, and the necessary improvements needs. The evaluation confirmed that the various techniques yield different analysis results for the same delay claims scenario, mainly due to their unique application procedures. The issues that are often ignored in the analysis but would also affect delay analysis results are: functionality of the programming software employed for the analysis, resource loading and levelling requirements, resolving concurrent delays, and delay-pacing strategy. Improvement needs by way of incorporating these issues in the analysis and focusing on them in future research work are the key recommendations of the study.

Delayed Complications After Transsphenoidal Surgery for Pituitary Adenomas.

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Alzhrani, Gmaan; Sivakumar, Walavan; Park, Min S; Taussky, Philipp; Couldwell, William T

2018-01-01

Perioperative complications after transsphenoidal surgery for pituitary adenomas have been well documented in the literature; however, some complications can occur in a delayed fashion postoperatively, and reports are sparse about their occurrence, management, and outcome. Here, we describe delayed complications after transsphenoidal surgery and discuss the incidence, temporality from the surgery, and management of these complications based on the findings of studies that reported delayed postoperative epistaxis, delayed postoperative cavernous carotid pseudoaneurysm formation and rupture, vasospasm, delayed symptomatic hyponatremia, hypopituitarism, hydrocephalus, and sinonasal complications. Our findings from this review revealed an incidence of 0.6%-3.3% for delayed postoperative epistaxis at 1-3 weeks postoperatively, 18 reported cases of delayed carotid artery pseudoaneurysm formation at 2 days to 10 years postoperatively, 30 reported cases of postoperative vasospasm occurring 8 days postoperatively, a 3.6%-19.8% rate of delayed symptomatic hyponatremia at 4-7 days postoperatively, a 3.1% rate of new-onset hypopituitarism at 2 months postoperatively, and a 0.4%-5.8% rate of hydrocephalus within 2.2 months postoperatively. Sinonasal complications are commonly reported after transsphenoidal surgery, but spontaneous resolutions within 3-12 months have been reported. Although the incidence of some of these complications is low, providing preoperative counseling to patients with pituitary tumors regarding these delayed complications and proper postoperative follow-up planning is an important part of treatment planning. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ignition delay times of Gasoline Distillation Cuts measured with Ignition Quality Tester

KAUST Repository

Naser, Nimal

2017-04-21

Tailoring fuel properties to maximize the efficiency of internal combustion engines is a way towards achieving cleaner combustion systems. In this work, the ignition properties of various gasoline fuel distillation cuts are analyzed to better understand fuel properties of the full boiling range fuel. An advanced distillation column (ADC) provides a more realistic representation of volatility characteristics, which can be modeled using equilibrium thermodynamic methods. The temperature reported is that of the liquid, as opposed to the vapor temperature in conventional ASTM D86 distillation standard. Various FACE (fuels for advanced combustion engines) gasolines were distilled and various cuts were obtained. The separated fractions were then tested in an ignition quality tester (IQT) to see the effect of chemical composition of different fractions on their ignition delay time. Fuels with lower aromatic content showed decreasing ignition delay time with increasing boiling point (i.e., molecular weight). However, fuels with higher aromatic content showed an initial decrease in ignition delay time with increasing boiling point, followed by drastic increase in ignition delay time due to fractions containing aromatics. This study also provides an understanding on contribution of different fractions to the ignition delay time of the fuel, which provides insights into fuel stratification utilized in gasoline compression ignition (GCI) engines to tailor heat release rates.

Transcatheter Embolization for Delayed Hemorrhage Caused by Blunt Splenic Trauma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krohmer, Steven J.; Hoffer, Eric K.; Burchard, Kenneth W.

2010-01-01

Although the exact benefit of adjunctive splenic artery embolization (SAE) in the nonoperative management (NOM) of patients with blunt splenic trauma has been debated, the role of transcatheter embolization in delayed splenic hemorrhage is rarely addressed. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of SAE in the management of patients who presented at least 3 days after initial splenic trauma with delayed hemorrhage. During a 24-month period 4 patients (all male; ages 19-49 years) presented with acute onset of pain 5-70 days after blunt trauma to the left upper quadrant. Two had known splenic injuries that had been managed nonoperatively. All had computed axial tomography evidence of active splenic hemorrhage or false aneurysm on representation. All underwent successful SAE. Follow-up ranged from 28 to 370 days. These cases and a review of the literature indicate that SAE is safe and effective for NOM failure caused by delayed manifestations of splenic arterial injury.

Improved parenchymal liver enhancement with extended delay on Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI in patients with parenchymal liver disease: associated clinical and imaging factors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Esterson, Y.B.; Flusberg, M.; Oh, S.; Mazzariol, F.; Rozenblit, A.M.; Chernyak, V.

2015-01-01

Aim: To establish the effect of prolonged hepatobiliary phase (HBP) delay time on hepatic enhancement in patients with parenchymal liver disease (PLD). Materials and methods: Gadoxetate disodium (Gd-EOB-DTPA)-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations with HBP were obtained after 20- (HBP-20) and 30-minute (HBP-30) delays in patients with PLD. For each patient, the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score, total and direct bilirubin, aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), prothrombin time (PT), and partial thromboplastin time (PTT) were recorded. Signal intensities of the liver, main portal vein, and spleen on pre-contrast, HBP-20, and HBP-30 were documented. Signal intensities were used to calculate liver relative enhancement (LRE), liver–spleen index (LSI), and liver–portal vein index (LPI) for HBP-20 and HBP-30. Improved hepatic enhancement was considered if two or more indices were higher on HBP-30 than HBP-20. A logistic regression model was constructed with improved hepatic enhancement as the outcome. Results: One hundred and twenty-nine patients underwent 142 MRIs. Mean LRE, LSI, and LPI each increased from HBP-20 to HBP-30 (p = 0.004, p < 0.001, and p < 0.001, respectively). Seventy-two point five percent of cases demonstrated improved hepatic enhancement. The odds ratios for improved hepatic enhancement were 0.85 for MELD score (p = 0.02) and 3.2 for the 3 T scanner (p = 0.02), adjusted for age and sex. Conclusion: Increasing HBP delay to 30 minutes improves hepatic enhancement in patients with PLD, particularly if using a 3 T scanner. This effect is attenuated with higher MELD scores. -- Highlights: •Increasing hepatobiliary phase delay improves hepatic enhancement in liver disease. •This effect is enhanced if using a 3T scanner. •This effect is attenuated with higher MELD scores

Health care system delay and heart failure in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention: follow-up of population-based medical registry data

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Terkelsen, Christian Juhl; Jensen, Lisette Okkels; Hansen, Hans-Henrik Tilsted

2011-01-01

In patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), delay between contact with the health care system and initiation of reperfusion therapy (system delay) is associated with mortality, but data on the associated risk for congestive heart failure (CHF) among survivors are limited....

Delays by people living with HIV/AIDS in accessing antiretroviral ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Objective: To understand, by qualitative enquiry, the underlying reasons and narratives ... denial, practical clinic constraints and appropriate types of health education. Keywords: qualitative research, delays, access, antiretroviral drugs, ARVs ...

Temporal trends and associated factors for pre-hospital and in-hospital delays of stroke patients over a 16-year period: the Athens study.

Science.gov (United States)

Papapanagiotou, Panagiotis; Iacovidou, Nicoletta; Spengos, Konstantinos; Xanthos, Theodoros; Zaganas, Ioannis; Aggelina, Afrodite; Alegakis, Athanasios; Vemmos, Konstantinos

2011-01-01

The management and outcome of acute ischemic stroke changed dramatically after the introduction of intravenous thrombolysis. However, relatively few patients have received thrombolytic treatment, mainly due to pre-hospital and/or in-hospital delays. Although the causes of these delays have been adequately studied, their change over a long period has not. All acute first-ever stroke patients (n = 2,746) presenting to our academic center from 1993 to 2008 were prospectively documented in a computerized stroke data bank. The time from symptoms onset to presentation at the emergency room and to acquisition of a brain CT was calculated. Time trends over this period as well as the factors affecting them were analyzed. The final study cohort consisted of 2,326 acute stroke patients after excluding 302 patients with an unknown time of stroke onset and 118 who suffered a stroke during hospitalization for another illness. Over the 16-year period, the median time from stroke onset to presentation at the emergency room decreased significantly from 3.15 h (interquartile range 1.30-10.30) to 2.00 h (range 1.00-4.00) (p best early management of acute stroke patients. Copyright © 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Television viewing associates with delayed language development.

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Chonchaiya, Weerasak; Pruksananonda, Chandhita

2008-07-01

To identify impact of television viewing on language development. The case-control study included 56 new patients with language delay and 110 normal children, aged 15-48 months. Language delay was diagnosed by reviewing language milestones and Denver-II. Television viewing variables and child/parental characteristics between both groups were interviewed. The data were analyzed by ANOVA and chi-square test. Adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated from multivariate logistic regression model. Forty-six boys and 10 girls; mean [+/-SD] age, 2.11+/-0.47 years of the case group and 59 boys and 51 girls; mean [+/-SD] age, 2.23+/-0.80 years of the control group were enrolled. Children who had language delay usually started watching television earlier at age 7.22+/-5.52 months vs. 11.92+/-5.86 months, p-valuetelevision than normal children (3.05+/-1.90 h/day vs. 1.85+/-1.18 h/day; p-valuetelevision attelevision>2 h/day were approximately six times more likely to have language delays. There is a relationship between early onset and high frequency of TV viewing and language delay.

Microcephaly, microtia, preauricular tags, choanal atresia and developmental delay in three unrelated patients: a mandibulofacial dysostosis distinct from Treacher Collins syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Wieczorek, Dagmar; Gener, Blanca; González, Ma Jesús Martínez; Seland, Saskia; Fischer, Sven; Hehr, Ute; Kuechler, Alma; Hoefsloot, Lies H; de Leeuw, Nicole; Gillessen-Kaesbach, Gabriele; Lohmann, Dietmar R

2009-05-01

Treacher Collins syndrome (TCS, OMIM 154500) is a well-defined mandibulofacial dysostosis characterized by symmetric facial anomalies consisting of malar hypoplasia, coloboma of the lower eyelid, dysplastic ears, micrognathia, cleft palate and deafness. Other mandibulofacial dysostoses (MDs) such as Toriello (OMIM 301950), Bauru (OMIM 604830), Hedera-Toriello-Petty (OMIM 608257), and Guion-Almeida (OMIM 610536) syndromes are less well characterized and much rarer. Here we describe three unrelated patients showing clinical features overlapping with TCS, but who in addition have developmental delay, microcephaly and a distinct facial gestalt. Because of the distinct ear anomalies and the hearing loss a HOXA2 mutation was taken into account. CHARGE syndrome was discussed because of ear anomalies, choanal atresia, and developmental delay in our patients. But mutational analyses including sequencing of the TCOF1, the HOXA2, and the CHD7 genes, deletion screening of the TCOF1 gene as well as genomewide array analyses revealed normal results. We suggest that these three patients have a new type of mandibulofacial dysostosis. As all three cases are sporadic and both sexes are affected the pattern of inheritance might be autosomal dominant or autosomal recessive. Identification of additional patients will allow to further delineate the phenotype, to assign the inheritance pattern and to identify the molecular basis.

Understanding delayed T-cell priming, lung recruitment, and airway luminal T-cell responses in host defense against pulmonary tuberculosis.