广州市1991－2013年艾滋病相关死亡影响因素分析

目的 分析广州市艾滋病病毒感染者和艾滋病患者(HIV/AIDS)中艾滋病相关死亡的影响因素,为采取相应的措施提供依据。方法 利用国家艾滋病综合防治信息系统中1991－2013年广州市疫情资料,使用Cox风险比例模型分析艾滋病相关死亡的影响因素。结果 广州市HIV/AIDS病例中,报病时病程阶段为AIDS(HR=2.717,95%CI:2.039～3.621)、由医疗机构诊疗发现(HR=1.516,95%CI:1.159～1.981)、未接受过CD₄⁺T淋巴细胞检测(HR=4.866,95%CI:3.674～6.444)、符合治疗标准未治疗(HR=12.213,95%CI:8.467～17.616)、报病时年龄40岁以上的病例发生艾滋病相关死亡的风险更高。另外,不符合治疗标准而未治疗的病例发生艾滋病相关死亡的风险也高于接受抗病毒治疗的病例(HR=1.936,95%CI:1.145～3.272)。结论 及早发现HIV/AIDS病例,接受CD₄⁺T淋巴细胞检测和抗病毒治疗可降低HIV/AIDS的死亡风险,延长生存时间。     

湖北省荆州市1996-2021年HIV/AIDS病死率及其影响因素回顾性队列研究

目的 分析荆州市HIV/AIDS病死率及其影响因素。方法 资料来源于中国疾病预防控制信息系统的艾滋病综合防治信息系统,选取现住址为荆州市、确诊时年龄≥15岁、确诊时间为1996-2021年的HIV/AIDS作为研究对象。采用乘积极限法绘制死亡曲线,Cox比例风险回归模型识别死亡的影响因素。结果 HIV/AIDS共3 304例,随访16 091.5人年,死亡893例,病死率为5.5/100人年。HIV/AIDS确诊后1、5和10年的累积死亡概率分别为15.4%、25.0%和34.6%,参加抗病毒治疗者1、5和10年的累积死亡概率为6.9%、14.4%和23.7%,未参加抗病毒治疗者1、5和10年的累积死亡概率为68.0%、90.1%和98.7%。Cox比例风险回归模型分析结果显示,未参加抗病毒治疗者的死亡风险高于参加抗病毒治疗者（aHR=9.85,95%CI：8.19~11.85）;参加抗病毒治疗者死亡的危险因素包括男性（aHR=1.64,95%CI：1.29~2.08）、确诊时年龄≥60岁（aHR=3.52,95%CI：2.38~5.20）、注射吸毒/其他途径感染（aHR=2.38,95%CI：1.30~4.34）、医疗机构发现（aHR=1.53,95%CI：1.11~2.11）和首次CD4⁺T淋巴细胞（CD4）计数<50个/μl（aHR=2.58,95%CI：1.87~3.58）,死亡的保护因素是较高文化程度（高中/中专：aHR=0.64,95%CI：0.46~0.90;大专及以上：aHR=0.42,95%CI：0.24~0.73）。未参加抗病毒治疗者死亡的危险因素包括确诊时年龄较大（30~岁：aHR=2.32,95%CI：1.40~3.84;45~岁：aHR=2.61：95%CI：1.59~4.27;≥60岁：aHR=3.31,95%CI：2.01~5.47）、首次CD4计数较低（<50个/μl：aHR=10.47,95%CI：6.47~16.56;50~199个/μl：aHR=2.31,95%CI：1.08~4.94;200~349个/μl：aHR=2.35,95%CI：1.46~3.79）。结论 1996-2021年荆州市HIV/AIDS病死率较高,首次CD4计数、抗病毒治疗和确诊时年龄是影响HIV/AIDS死亡的主要因素,应进一步坚持扩大检测和“发现即治疗”政策,提升抗病毒治疗效果和HIV/AIDS生存率。     

四川省1991-2017年HIV/AIDS生存分析

目的 分析1991-2017年四川省HIV/AIDS生存时间及其影响因素。方法 运用回顾性队列研究方法,对全国艾滋病综合防治数据信息系统中1991-2017年四川省新报告的143 988例HIV/AIDS的资料,采用寿命表法计算生存概率,用Cox比例风险模型分析生存时间的影响因素。结果 143 988例HIV/AIDS中,30 420例死于艾滋病及相关疾病（21.1%）,平均生存时间为11.51年（95% CI：11.39~11.64）;多因素Cox比例风险模型分析结果显示,HIV/AIDS生存的相关影响因素包括性别（男比女：HR=1.35,95% CI：1.32~1.40）、文化程度（小学及以下比初中及以上：HR=1.15,95% CI：1.12~1.18）、民族（汉族比其他：HR=1.46,95% CI：1.41~1.52）、职业（农民比其他：HR=1.26,95% CI：1.22~1.29）、诊断时年龄（≥ 55岁比15~24岁：HR=3.18,95% CI：3.02~3.36）、诊断时疾病状态（艾滋病比HIV感染：HR=1.44,95% CI：1.39~1.48）、抗病毒治疗（ART）（接受ART者比未接受ART者：HR=0.20,95% CI：0.19~0.20）、首次CD₄⁺T淋巴细胞计数（CD₄）（>500个/μl比<200个/μl：HR=0.42,95% CI：0.40~0.45）。结论 1991-2017年四川省HIV/AIDS诊断后平均生存时间为11.51年。男性、小学及以下文化程度、汉族、农民、诊断时较大年龄、诊断时为艾滋病状态是HIV/AIDS生存的危险因素,接受ART、首次CD₄水平高是HIV/AIDS生存的保护因素。     

山东省抗病毒治疗HIV/AIDS生存状况及影响因素分析

目的 了解山东省抗病毒治疗HIV/AIDS的生存状况及影响因素。方法 运用Kaplan-Meier（K-M）法及累积发生函数（CIF）估算2003-2015年山东省抗病毒治疗HIV/AIDS的艾滋病相关死亡发生率、部分分布比例风险回归模型（F-G模型）分析生存状况及影响因素。结果 竞争风险存在时,K-M法计算艾滋病相关死亡累积发生率高于CIF。CIF估算5 593例治疗HIV/AIDS随访1、3、5、10年艾滋病相关死亡累积发生率分别为3.08%、4.21%、5.37%和7.59%。大专及以上文化程度（HR=0.40,95% CI：0.24~0.65）HIV/AIDS的艾滋病相关死亡发生危险较低,现住址在鲁西地区（HR=1.33,95% CI：1.01~1.89）、医疗机构检测发现（HR=1.39,95% CI：1.06~1.80）、治疗基线方案含NVP（HR=1.36,95% CI：1.03~1.88）、治疗基线临床症状Ⅲ/Ⅳ期（HR=2.61,95% CI：1.94~3.53）、诊断1年后接受随访（HR=2.02,95% CI：1.30~3.15）、诊断基线CD₄⁺T淋巴细胞计数（CD₄）≤ 200个/μl（HR=3.41,95% CI：2.59~4.59）、治疗基线CD₄ ≤ 350个/μl（HR=5.48,95% CI：2.32~12.72）的HIV/AIDS发生艾滋病相关死亡风险高。结论 竞争风险存在时,K-M法高估艾滋病相关死亡累积发生率,优选竞争风险模型进行生存分析;早诊断、及时随访、早治疗可降低HIV/AIDS艾滋病相关死亡。     

山东省2017-2021年HIV感染者艾滋病相关死亡的影响因素分析

目的 分析山东省HIV感染者艾滋病相关死亡的影响因素，为降低死亡风险及延长生存时间提供参考。方法 研究对象为2017-2021年山东省HIV感染者，采用Cox比例风险回归模型分析艾滋病相关死亡及确证1年内死亡的影响因素。结果 2017-2021年山东省报告的14 700例HIV感染者中，发生艾滋病相关死亡351例，占2.4%（351/14 700）。多因素Cox比例风险回归模型分析结果显示，HIV感染者艾滋病相关死亡的危险因素包括文化程度为初、高中/中专（aHR=1.37，95%CI：1.01~1.84）、样本来源自医疗机构（aHR=1.61，95%CI：1.22~2.12）、病程为艾滋病期（aHR=9.86，95%CI：6.86~14.19）、未检测基线CD4⁺T淋巴细胞（CD4）（aHR=3.93，95%CI：2.69~5.75）、抗病毒治疗（ART）时间<6个月（aHR=3.46，95%CI：2.42~4.93）和未ART（aHR=1.45，95%CI：1.02~2.07）、末次CD4<200个/μl（aHR=3.51，95%CI：2.18~5.65）和末次CD4未检测（aHR=10.58，95%CI：6.15~18.19）、末次病毒载量（VL）值为50~999拷贝数/ml、≥1 000拷贝数/ml和未检测（aHR=2.59，95%CI：1.07~6.26；aHR=9.50，95%CI：5.60~16.12；aHR=15.33，95%CI：8.91~26.36）；HIV感染者确证1年内发生艾滋病相关死亡风险较高的因素包括样本来源自医疗机构（aHR=1.68，95%CI：1.19~2.36）、病程为艾滋病期（aHR=10.60，95%CI：7.13~15.75）、基线CD4未检测（aHR=3.71，95%CI：2.34~5.90）、ART时间<6个月（aHR=4.30，95%CI：2.85~6.49）和未ART（aHR=2.05，95%CI：1.35~3.13）、末次CD4<200个/μl（aHR=5.45，95%CI：2.04~14.60）和末次CD4未检测（aHR=20.95，95%CI：7.69~57.04）、末次VL值为50~999、≥1 000拷贝数/ml和未检测（aHR=15.21，95%CI：2.54~91.21；aHR=42.93，95%CI：9.64~191.20；aHR=61.35，95%CI：13.85~271.77）。结论 扩大检测覆盖面，促进早发现和早治疗，加强对HIV感染者的定期随访和检测，掌握病程进展并进行精准管理和治疗，对降低HIV感染者病死率和延长生存时间有重要作用。     

沈阳市15~30岁学生HIV/AIDS患者抗病毒治疗相关因素分析

目的 探讨沈阳市学生HIV/AIDS患者抗病毒治疗（ART）的影响因素。方法 横断面调查获得2007-2015年沈阳市艾滋病治疗定点医院（中国医科大学附属第一医院）15~30岁学生HIV/AIDS患者ART相关信息,多因素logistic回归模型探讨ART的影响因素。结果 2007-2015年该医院共收治15~30岁学生HIV/AIDS患者146例,占累计治疗HIV/AIDS患者的6.1%（146/2 379）。患者均为男性,男男性行为传播途径占93.2%（136/146）,HIV延迟诊断率[诊断时CD₄⁺T淋巴细胞计数（CD₄）≤ 350个/μl]为52.7%（77/146）,患者中ART的构成比为67.1%（98/146）。多因素logistic回归分析显示,HIV诊断年份（aOR=1.21,95%CI：1.02~1.44）、年龄24~30岁（aOR=8.15,95%CI：1.46~45.52）和延迟诊断（aOR=2.22,95%CI：1.05~4.71）是学生HIV/AIDS患者ART的独立影响因素。结论 HIV诊断时间越晚、年龄越大及延迟诊断可能增加学生HIV/AIDS患者的ART比例。。     

北京市1995-2015年艾滋病病例诊断后生存时间与影响因素分析

目的 分析1995-2015年北京市HIV感染者/AIDS患者（HIV/AIDS）诊断后生存时间及影响因素。方法 运用回顾性队列研究方法,对1995-2015年中国艾滋病综合防治信息系统中报告的12 874例HIV/AIDS的数据资料进行分析,应用寿命表法计算生存率,采用Cox比例风险模型分析生存时间的相关因素。结果 12 874例HIV/AIDS中,303例（2.4%）死于艾滋病及相关疾病,接受抗病毒治疗9 346例（72.6%）。平均生存时间为226.5个月（95% CI：223.0~230.1）,1、5、10、15年生存率分别为98.2%、96.4%、93.2%、91.9%。Cox比例风险模型分析结果显示,艾滋病死亡风险较高的因素包括诊断时为艾滋病患者（比HIV感染者,HR=1.439,95% CI：1.041~1.989）;异性传播（比同性传播,HR=1.646,95% CI：1.184~2.289）;现有或曾有配偶（比未婚,HR=2.186,95% CI：1.510~3.164）;诊断时年龄≥ 60岁（比≤ 30岁,HR=6.608,95% CI：3.546~12.316）;诊断后首次CD₄⁺T淋巴细胞计数（CD₄）<350个/μl（比≥ 350个/μl,HR=8.711,95% CI：5.757~13.181）;未抗病毒治疗（比抗病毒治疗,HR=18.223,95% CI：13.317~24.937）。结论 1995-2015年北京市HIV/AIDS诊断后的平均生存时间为226.5个月。诊断为HIV感染、同性传播、未婚、≤ 30岁、首次CD₄ ≥ 350个/μl、接受抗病毒治疗的HIV/AIDS生存时间较长。相反,诊断为AIDS、异性传播、现有或曾有配偶、年龄≥ 60岁、CD₄<350个/μl、未抗病毒治疗的死亡风险较高。     

河南省2008-2015年15岁及以上HIV/AIDS生存状况回顾性队列研究

目的 了解河南省HIV感染者/AIDS患者（HIV/AIDS）确诊AIDS后生存状况及其影响因素。方法 从国家艾滋病综合防治信息系统下载河南省相关数据库，筛选出2008-2015年间确诊为AIDS且≥15岁患者，进行回顾性研究。结果 纳入25 525例研究对象，观察期内病死率为24.9%，其中接受高效抗反转录病毒治疗（HAART）为14.4%。治疗比例从2008年的72.1%上升到2015年的92.8%，同期病死率从21.2%下降到4.1%，其中接受HAART者从9.2%下降到2.6%。多因素分析显示，确诊AIDS时CD₄⁺T淋巴细胞（CD₄）计数<50个/μl的患者死亡风险大（aHR=2.45）；接受HAART的患者死亡风险低（aHR=0.13）。在接受HAART患者中，有复方磺胺甲恶唑（TMP-SMZ）服用史的患者死亡风险低（aHR=0.76）；确诊AIDS时CD₄计数50~个/μl组和<50个/μl组死亡风险高（aHR值分别为1.26和1.97）；基线CD₄计数50~个/μl、<50个/μl组死亡风险高（aHR值分别为1.44和1.84）。结论 抗病毒治疗是影响HIV/AIDS生存时间的重要因素，加强HIV/AIDS的CD₄检测，尽早纳入HAART，同时及时开展TMP-SMZ预防治疗，是减少患者AIDS相关疾病死亡的有效途径。     

2010年全国新报告HIV感染者/AIDS病例生存时间及其相关因素分析

目的 分析全国2010年新报告HIV感染者/AIDS病例（HIV/AIDS）生存时间及影响因素。方法 使用艾滋病综合防治数据信息系统截至2015年12月31日的病例报告历史卡片和随访定时数据库,筛选出2010年新报告HIV/AIDS并整理出随访结局数据,以寿命表法计算其生存率,采用Kaplan-Meier法拟合不同状态下的生存曲线,Cox比例风险模型分析HIV/AIDS生存时间的影响因素。结果 40 335例HIV/AIDS中,11 975例因艾滋病及相关疾病死亡;截至观察终点时,中位生存时间为63.1（95%CI：63.0~63.2）个月,1年和5年生存率分别为81.2%和69.9%;多因素Cox比例风险模型分析结果显示,艾滋病死亡的风险随年龄增加而增加,25~34、35~44、45~54和≥55岁组因艾滋病死亡的风险分别是15~24岁组的1.41倍（95%CI：1.29~1.54）、1.90倍（95%CI：1.74~2.07）、2.24倍（95%CI：2.04~2.46）和2.81倍（95%CI：2.57~3.08）;HIV/AIDS首次检测CD₄^＋T淋巴细胞（CD₄）值≥500个/μl是CD₄值<200个/μl 的0.12倍（95%CI：0.11~0.13）;接受抗病毒治疗者是未接受治疗者的0.11倍（95%CI：0.10~0.12）。结论 确诊时年龄、确诊时CD₄值水平、是否接受抗病毒治疗是HIV/AIDS生存时间的主要影响因素,应及早进行艾滋病检测、接受抗病毒治疗,以延长HIV/AIDS生存时间。     

云南省德宏州艾滋病病毒感染者/艾滋病患者阴性配偶HIV新发感染研究

目的 了解云南省德宏州艾滋病病毒感染者/艾滋病患者(HIV/AIDS)阴性配偶HIV新发感染率及其危险因素。方法 2009年2月至2014年12月,在HIV/AIDS的阴性配偶中建立前瞻性队列,每年随访一次,进行问卷调查及HIV检测。结果 至2014年12月,共纳入研究对象2091例,其中1692例研究对象至少随访一次,34例研究对象新发感染HIV,累计观察时间为5494.52人年, HIV新发感染率为0.62/100人年。2009-2010、2011-2012、2013-2014年HIV新发感染率分别为0.79/100人年、0.62/100人年、0.47/100人年。Cox回归分析显示,HIV新发感染的危险因素为不坚持使用安全套(HR=4.64,95%CI:1.89~11.40,P=0.001);与阴性配偶入组时间相比,HIV/AIDS开始抗病毒治疗时间晚一年以上(HR=3.70,95%CI:1.44~9.49,P=0.007),HIV/AIDS未进行抗病毒治疗(HR=3.62,95%CI:1.14~11.51,P=0.029)。结论 德宏州HIV/AIDS阴性配偶中HIV新发感染率相对较低。仍需在阴性配偶人群中进一步宣传坚持使用安全套的重要性,并尽早对HIV/AIDS进行抗病毒治疗。     

The human drama of genetics: 'hard' and 'soft' media representations of inherited breast cancer

This paper examines media coverage of 'breast cancer genetics', and explores its implications for public understanding. We present a content analysis of coverage in British newspapers and look at a variety of popular forms, including women's magazines, television soap opera and radio drama. Genetic/inherited risk receives a great deal of coverage across a wide range of media formats and outlets. Much of this attention has focused on individuals from 'high risk families' and dilemmas around prophylactic mastectomies. Through examining media coverage, combined with interviews with media personnel and their sources, we show why this story proved so attractive to the media and highlight the different production values which influence coverage. Finally, we introduce preliminary findings from focus group discussions to demonstrate how such 'human interest' framing has engaged audience attention and influenced public understandings. The paper concludes by highlighting the implications for analysing, predicting, and engaging with, media representations of science.     

Worker education in the primary prevention of occupational dermatoses

This paper reports the evaluation of a skin care education programmeconducted on a fine chemicals manufacturing site where over1,000 employees are located. Approximately 60% are involvedin chemical manufacture. Over a 12 month period production staffreceived training in prevention of occupational dermatoses linkedto a site-wide poster initiative. The incidence of new casesof occupational dermatoses fell from 0.055 (70 cases in 1,277employees) to 0.021 (27 cases in 1,277 employees) before andafter the intervention respectively (p<0.0001). After otherfactors such as chemicals handled, observer bias and changesin reporting related to socioeconomic climate were taken intoaccount it is concluded that this study demonstrates the importanceof worker education as a tool for primary prevention of disease.Training materials such as video and poster presentations maybe effectively used in the chemical manufacturing industry asan adjunct to prevention and control of exposure to substanceshazardous to the skin. Such methods may also be used in otherindustries where there are significant risks of dermatoses.     

Regional Variation in Travel-related Illness acquired in Africa,March 1997–May 2011

To understand geographic variation in travel-related illness acquired in distinct African regions, we used the GeoSentinel Surveillance Network database to analyze records for 16,893 ill travelers returning from Africa over a 14-year period. Travelers to northern Africa most commonly reported gastrointestinal illnesses and dog bites. Febrile illnesses were more common in travelers returning from sub-Saharan countries. Eleven travelers died, 9 of malaria; these deaths occurred mainly among male business travelers to sub-Saharan Africa. The profile of illness varied substantially by region: malaria predominated in travelers returning from Central and Western Africa; schistosomiasis, strongyloidiasis, and dengue from Eastern and Western Africa; and loaisis from Central Africa. There were few reports of vaccine-preventable infections, HIV infection, and tuberculosis. Geographic profiling of illness acquired during travel to Africa guides targeted pretravel advice, expedites diagnosis in ill returning travelers, and may influence destination choices in tourism.     

The design of hazard risk assessment matrices for ranking occupational health risks and their application in mining and minerals processing

Two hazard risk assessment matrices for the ranking of occupational health risks are described. The qualitative matrix uses qualitative measures of probability and consequence to determine risk assessment codes for hazard-disease combinations. A walk-through survey of an underground metalliferous mine and concentrator is used to demonstrate how the qualitative matrix can be applied to determine priorities for the control of occupational health hazards. The semi-quantitative matrix uses attributable risk as a quantitative measure of probability and uses qualitative measures of consequence. A practical application of this matrix is the determination of occupational health priorities using existing epidemiological studies. Calculated attributable risks from epidemiological studies of hazard-disease combinations in mining and minerals processing are used as examples. These historic response data do not reflect the risks associated with current exposures. A method using current exposure data, known exposure-response relationships and the semi-quantitative matrix is proposed for more accurate and current risk rankings.     

Psychopathological features of a patient population of targets of workplace bullying

BACKGROUND: A strong association between workplace bullying and subsequent anxiety and depression, indicated by empirical research, suggests that bullying is an aetiological factor for mental health problems. AIMS: To evaluate levels of stress and anxiety-depression disorder developed by targets of workplace bullying together with outcome at 12 months and to characterize this population in terms of psychopathology and sociodemographic features. METHODS: Forty-eight patients (36 women and 12 men) meeting Leymann Inventory of Psychological Terror criteria for bullying were included in a prospective study. Evaluations were performed at first consultation and at 12 months using a standard clinical interview, a visual analogue scale of stress, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) scale, the Beech scale of stress in the workplace and a projective test (Picture-Frustration Study). RESULTS: At first consultation, 81% of patients showed high levels of perceived stress at work and 83 and 52% presented with anxiety or depression, respectively. At 12 months, only 19% of working patients expressed a feeling of stress at work. There was a significant change in symptoms of anxiety while there was no change in symptoms of depression. Stress at work and depression influenced significatively capacity to go back to work. At 12-month assessments, workers showed a significantly better score on the HAD scale than non-workers. Over half the targets presented a neuroticism-related predominant personality trait. CONCLUSION: Workplace bullying can have severe mental health repercussions, triggering serious and persistent underlying disorders.     

The rise and fall in incidence of malignant mesothelioma from a British Naval Dockyard, 1979-1999

BACKGROUND: The incidence of malignant mesothelioma in Britain is predicted to rise over the next 15-25 years because of past failure to protect the workforce against inhalation of asbestos. In British Naval dockyards, alternative insulation materials and respiratory protection were introduced from the mid-1960s. Aims This study was carried out to investigate the effects of these control measures on mesothelioma deaths in dockyard workers. METHODS: Cases of mesothelioma of the pleura and peritoneum between 1979 and 1999 in workers from the Devonport Naval Dockyard, south-west England, were sought from coroners' and medico-legal records. RESULTS: Three hundred and one cases were identified, 7% peritoneal. The peak incidence occurred in 1991 with 25 cases per annum (quadratic model fit R(2) = 74.2%, P < 0.001) and we predict that by 2003 the incidence will fall to fewer than five cases per annum. The mean time between first exposure and presentation was 48.5 years [95% confidence interval (CI) = 47.3-49.8], but this was significantly shorter in the more heavily exposed trades, when compared with the less heavily exposed (42 years, 95% CI = 39.0-45.0, versus 49.5 years, 95% CI = 48.2-50.9). Those with higher exposure were also at significantly greater risk of peritoneal disease (P < 0.023, Fisher's exact test). CONCLUSION: The reduction in incidence of mesothelioma is greater than can be accounted for by reduction in numbers of dockyard workers over the last 50 years. Changes in insulation materials and improved industrial hygiene measures introduced into the Devonport Dockyard from the mid-1960s have resulted in an earlier decline in the incidence of malignant mesothelioma than that predicted for the British workforce as a whole.     

Die sogenannte Vinylchlorid-Krankheit—eine berufsbedingte Systemsklerose?

Zusammenfassung Es wurden 13 Arbeiter untersucht, die zwischen 1 3/4 und 18 Jahren in einem PVC-herstellenden Betrieb beschäftigt waren. 8 von ihnen wiesen sklerodermieartige Hautveränderungen (Abb. 2) auf, die histologisch charakterisiert sind durch Verbreiterung und Homogenisierung der kollagenen Faserbündel (Abb. 3 u. 4) sowie Fragmentation und Rarefizierung der elastischen Fasern (Abb. 5). Bei 7 Patienten bestanden trommelschlegelartige Auftreibungen einzelner Fingerendphalangen (Abb. 1). 11 Patienten zeigten Durchblutungsstörungen der Extremitäten (4 von diesen ein Raynaud-Syndrom) und 6 Patienten Acroosteolysen einzelner Fingerendphalangen (Abb. 6, Tabellen 1–3).Darüber hinaus bestand bei allen Patienten eine Thrombocytopenie, bei 12 Patienten eine Splenomegalie, bei 11 Patienten eine Einschränkung der Leberfunktion (erhöhte BSP-Retention). An der Leber ließ sich histologisch bei den 5 laparoskopierten Patienten eine deutliche Fibrosierung der Portalfelder nachweisen. Bei 4 Patienten bestanden Oesophagusvaricen (Tabellen 4 u. 5). 8 Patienten zeigten eine Partialinsuffizienz mit Hinweisen für vorwiegend restriktive Veränderungen.Die hier beschriebenen Veränderungen gehen weit über das bisher bekannte Acroosteolysesyndrom hinaus. Es wird der dringende Verdacht geäußert, daß langfristige Vinylchlorid-Exposition dieses komplexe Krankheitsbild verursacht. Daher wird für diese systemische Krankheit die Bezeichnung Vinylchlorid-Krankheit vorgeschlagen.Wir danken Frau E. Voigtländer für die Herstellung der klinischen und histologischen Abbildungen.     

Organophosphate toxicity and occupational exposure

The ubiquitous organophosphates present a continuing health hazard in agriculture, public health eradication programmes and as chemical warfare agents. Despite significant progress in understanding the potential mechanisms of toxicity far beyond the commonly accepted mechanism of cholinesterase inhibition in intentional exposures, the precise health effects following occupational exposures are yet to be completely defined. A much greater understanding exists of the clinical features of organophosphate poisoning. These are characterized by a triphasic response involving an initial acute cholinergic phase, an intermediate syndrome (both associated with high mortality) and a disabling but non-lethal delayed polyneuropathy. The delayed polyneuropathy may occur in the absence of the cholinergic or intermediate phases. However, progress is still required in order to improve the quantification and assessment of occupational exposures and the implementation of appropriate preventive measures. Finally, evidence-based guidelines for appropriate or optimal therapeutic interventions following poisoning are required urgently and collaborative work with colleagues in developing countries, where the occurrence of organophosphate exposures is more frequent, may provide the answers.     

Miliaria rubra of the lower limbs in underground miners

This report documents a case series of miliaria rubra of the lower limbs in miners at a deep underground metalliferous mine in tropical arid Australia. During the summer months of February and March 1999, all cases of miliaria rubra of the lower limbs in underground miners seen at the mine's medical centre were clinically examined and administered a questionnaire. Twenty-five patients were seen, an incidence of 56.4 cases per million man-hours. Miliaria rubra was most often located between the ankle and knee (88% of cases). Twenty-four percent had concurrent folliculitis and 20% had concurrent tinea. Thirty-two percent had a personal history of asthma. Walking through ground-water and splashing of the legs was common. Three to 4 weeks of sedentary duties in air conditioning was generally required to achieve resolution of miliaria rubra. The incidence of miliaria rubra of the lower limbs is 38% of the incidence of heat exhaustion at the same mine. The length of disablement is greater, however. Atopics may be at increased risk of miliaria rubra. Control measures are discussed.     

Planning research

The starting point for any research project should be a question.Once this has been defined and the relevant scientific literaturereviewed, a protocol should be drawn up. This will be used notonly as a guide to the conduct of the study and in the preparationof the final report, but also in seeking any financial supportand approvals that are required for the investigation. A protocolis normally arranged in sections covering the background tothe study, the question(s) that it will address, the methodsthat will be used for the collection and analysis of data, thestatistical power of the investigation (where relevant), anyethical considerations, and the financial input that will beneeded. A pilot study is often helpful where aspects of thestudy method are untried or of uncertainvalidity.