Effectiveness and safety of extracorporeal shock wave treatment for low back pain：a systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs

This meta-analysis was designed to assess the effectiveness and safety of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) for patients with low back pain (LBP). Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane's library, PEDro (Physiotherapy Evidence Database), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Wanfang Data were searched until December 2019 to identify studies assessing the effectiveness and safety of EPSW for LBP. The prime outcome is pain intensity measured by Visual Analog Scale (VAS) or numeric rating scale (NRS). Other outcomes included functional status, quality of life, psychological outcomes measured by Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), as well as the adverse events. Mean differences (MD) were calculated for continuous outcomes, while odd ratios (OR) were calculated for binary outcomes. Revman 5.3 software was used for statistical analysis. Five randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were finally included in this meta-analysis. The pooled mean difference in post-treatment pain scores was −2.37 (P ＜0.0001), indicating that post-treatment pain scores was significantly higher by 2.37 in control group than in ESWT group. At a mean follow-up time of 4–6 weeks, the pooled mean difference in ODI scores was −14.10 (P ＜0.00001), indicating that the pooled mean difference of post-treatment ODI scores was 14.10 higher in control group than in ESWT group. The use of ESWT is effective in alleviating pain and improving the general functional state for patients with LBP. However, more evidence was needed to verify its safety.     

3D-CRT 低剂量区 V5体积的大小对非小细胞肺癌患者肺功能的影响

目的：探讨3D-CRT 低剂量区 V5体积的大小对非小细胞肺癌患者肺功能的影响。方法：收集我院肿瘤科2014年4月～2015年10月收治的46例首次行三维适形放射治疗且顺利完成治疗的非小细胞肺癌患者，对每例患者分别在治疗前以及治疗后的1、3个月进行肺功能检测，分析3D-CRT 低剂量区 V5体积的大小与肺功能变化之间的关系。结果：放疗后1个月的 FEV1％、FVC％值明显高于放疗前且差异均具有显著性。放疗后1个月、3个月的 DLCO％值明显低于放疗前，且放疗前的与放疗后3个月的差异具有显著性；V5≦45％、45％55％三组放疗前后的 FEV1％值和 FVC％值比较差异均不具有显著性。V5≦45％、45％55％三组放疗前后的 DLCO％值均呈逐渐下降趋势，且 V5>55％组的放疗前后 DLCO％值比较差异具有显著性。而 V5≦45％组和45％55％时，DLCO％值降低的趋势更加显著。     

奥扎格雷联合低分子肝素钙治疗脑血栓的临床研究

目的：对应用低分子肝素钙与奥扎格雷联合对患有脑血栓疾病的患者实施治疗的临床效果进行研究。方法整群选择在该院2012年12月—2014年12月就诊的患有脑血栓疾病的患者86例，随机分为对照组和治疗组，每组43例。采用奥扎格雷对对照组患者实施治疗；采用低分子肝素钙与奥扎格雷联合对治疗组患者实施治疗。对比神经功能缺损评分在药物治疗前后的变化幅度、脑神经功能恢复正常时间和脑血栓药物治疗计划实施总时间、脑血栓疾病药物治疗效果、用药期间的不良反应人数。结果治疗组患者神经功能缺损评分在药物治疗前后的变化幅度明显大于对照组；脑神经功能恢复正常时间（9.66±2.41）d和脑血栓药物治疗计划实施总时间（13.28±2.14）d明显短于对照组（13.62±3.47）、（17.39±3.20）d；脑血栓疾病药物治疗效果（总有效率90.6%）明显优于对照组（总有效率69.8%）；用药期间的不良反应人数（1例）明显少于对照组（8例）。结论应用低分子肝素钙与奥扎格雷联合对患有脑血栓疾病的患者实施治疗的临床效果非常明显。     

Fractal dimension in CT low attenuation areas is predictive of long-term oxygen therapy initiation in COPD patients: Results from two observational cohort studies

BackgroundSome chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients develop hypoxemia with disease progression, with some even requiring long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT). Lung function, especially diffusing capacity, and the annual decline in PaO₂, are reported to be predictive factors of chronic respiratory failure. However, the association between lung morphometry evaluated using computed tomography (CT) images and LTOT initiation is unknown.MethodsWe retrospectively evaluated the relationship between clinical indices, including pulmonary function, body mass index (BMI), and CT parameters, at baseline and LTOT initiation in two prospective COPD cohorts. In the Nara Medical University cohort (n = 76), the low attenuation area (LAA) and its fractal dimension (fractal D) were adapted as the indices for parenchymal destruction in CT images. The association between these CT measurements and LTOT initiation was replicated in the Kyoto University cohort (n = 130).ResultsIn the Nara Medical University cohort, lower BMI (hazard ratio [HR]:0.70, p = 0.006), lower % diffusing capacity (%DLCO) (HR: 0.92, p = 0.006), lower %DLCO/VA (HR, 0.90, p = 0.008), higher RV/TLC (HR, 1.26, p = 0.012), higher LAA% (HR: 1.18, p = 0.001), and lower fractal D (HR: 3.27 × 10^?8, p < 0.001) were associated with LTOT initiation. Multivariate analysis in the Kyoto University cohort confirmed that lower %DLCO and lower fractal D were independently associated with LTOT initiation, whereas LAA% was not.ConclusionFractal D, which is the index for morphometric complexity of LAA in CT analysis, is predictive of LTOT initiation in COPD patients.     

早发型子痫前期应用低分子肝素期待治疗的临床效果分析

目的分析早发型子痫前期应用低分子肝素期待治疗的临床效果。方法回顾分析2017-01—2018-12间在郑州大学第一附属医院产科终止妊娠的95例早发型子痫前期患者的临床资料。按终止妊娠前是否应用低分子肝素分为2组。对照组(47例)给予降压、解痉等治疗;观察组(48例)在对照组基础上加用低分子肝素。结果2组分娩孕周、妊娠延长时间、妊娠并发症发生率、新生儿出生体质量、新生儿窒息及胎儿宫内窘迫发生率、新生儿Apgar评分等,差异均无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论对早发型子痫前期患者在常规治疗基础上短期应用低分子肝素,不能延长妊娠时间,不改善母婴结局。     

Elevated glycohemoglobin HbA1c is associated with low back pain in nonoverweight diabetics

Background Context

Low back pain (LBP) is a common complaint in clinical practice of multifactorial origin. Although obesity has been thought to contribute to LBP primarily by altering the distribution of mechanical loads on the spine, the additional contribution of obesity-related conditions such as diabetes mellitus (DM) to LBP has not been thoroughly examined.

Tedium vitae in stroke survivors: a comparative cross-sectional study

Objectives: Suicide is best studied by deconstructing the psychological experiences preceding suicidal death. We assessed the characteristics of tedium vitae (feeling tired of life) after first ever stroke in Nigerian survivors.

Methods: Using the Schedule for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry, tedium vitae was assessed in 130 stroke survivors attending rehabilitation in a large Nigerian university hospital. Global cognitive and executive dysfunctions were evaluated, respectively, using the Mini Mental State Examination and the modi?ed Indiana University Token test. All participants had their index stroke 3 to 24 months before recruitment into the study. We also examined a comparative group of 130 age, gender, and education matched apparently normal persons who were unrelated to the stroke survivors. Associations were explored using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses.

Results: Tedium vitae was experienced by 16 (12.3%) stroke survivors compared with 5 (3.9%) in the comparative group (O. R = 3.5, 95% C. I = 1.3–9.9, p = 0.018). Among stroke survivors, those who were retired were more likely to experience tedium vitae (56.2%, p = 0.045). In analyses adjusting for the effect of systemic hypertension, cognitive dysfunction, retirement and marital separation, there was a 3.5-fold increase in the odds of experiencing tedium vitae after surviving a stroke (O. R = 3.5, 95% C. I = 1.1–11.6, p = 0.042).

Conclusions: Tedium vitae is a common suicidal experience after stroke and may be among the earliest perceptible pointer to impending poststroke suicide. It is easy to assess and may be less costly to obtain an adequate sample size in studies aiming to understand the phenomenon of suicide in the stroke population.     

Mapping Levels of Palliative Care Development in 198 Countries: The Situation in 2017

ContextPalliative care is gaining ground globally and is endorsed in high-level policy commitments, but service provision, supporting policies, education, and funding are incommensurate with rapidly growing needs.ObjectivesThe objective of this study was to describe current levels of global palliative care development and report on changes since 2006.MethodsAn online survey of experts in 198 countries generated 2017 data on 10 indicators of palliative care provision, fitted to six categories of development. Factor analysis and discriminant analysis showed the validity of the categorization. Spearman correlation analyses assessed the relationship with World Bank Income Level (WBIL), Human Development Index (HDI), and Universal Health Coverage (UHC).ResultsNumbers (percentages) of countries in each development category were as follows: 1) no known palliative care activity, 47 (24%); 2) capacity-building, 13 (7%); 3a) isolated provision, 65 (33%); 3b) generalized provision, 22 (11%); 4a) preliminary integration into mainstream provision, 21 (11%); 4b) advanced integration, 30 (15%). Development levels were significantly associated with WBIL (r_S = 0.4785), UHC (r_S = 0.5558), and HDI (r_S = 0.5426) with P < 0.001. Net improvement between 2006 and 2017 saw 32 fewer countries in Categories 1/2, 16 more countries in 3a/3b, and 17 more countries in 4a/4b.ConclusionPalliative care at the highest level of provision is available for only 14% of the global population and is concentrated in European countries. An 87% global increase in serious health-related suffering amenable to palliative care interventions is predicted by 2060. With an increasing need, palliative care is not reaching the levels required by at least half of the global population.