Management of Valvular Heart Disease in Adults: Implications for Nurse Practitioner Practice

Valvular heart disease affects patients of all ages, with the highest incidence in patients older than 75 years. The nurse practitioner, whether in the primary or acute care setting, plays a vital role in the detection, monitoring, and shared decisions in treatment options. Assessment skills in conjunction with appropriate testing can identify patients early in the trajectory of the disease. The purpose of this article is to provide tips for history-taking and physical exam techniques, identify appropriate diagnostic testing, and review treatment options for adults with valvular heart disease.     

Fístulas posquirúrgicas de líquido cefalorraquídeo tras cirugía transesfenoidal de adenomas hipofisarios: análisis de una serie de 302 intervenciones

IntroductionTranssphenoidal surgical removal is the preferred treatment of most pituitary adenomas. Postoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage is the leading cause of morbidity after this procedure, with an incidence rate that varies from 0,5-15% in the main published series.ObjectivesThe primary objective of this study was to establish the incidence of postoperative CSF leakage in a sample of surgeries performed at the University Hospital of La Ribera by the same surgical team. The secondary objectives were to: ascertain the distinctive features between patients with and without postoperative CSF leakage, identify risk factors for their development, evaluate the relationship between the surgical technique for closing the sella turcica and the onset of postoperative CSF leakage and evaluate different treatment regimens for this complication.MethodsThe data of 302 consecutive transsphenoidal surgical procedures for pituitary adenoma removal which were performed between 1999 and 2017 were retrospectively reviewed.Results and conclusionsThe incidence of postoperative CSF leakage in our series was 2,3% (in accordance with similar published studies). It was possible to correlate intraoperative CSF leakage with two variables: pituitary macroadenoma and tumors with suprasellar extension (P < .005). This correlation did not exist for postoperative CSF leakage. We found a statistically significant correlation between intraoperative and postoperative CSF leakage (P < .005). Due to the low incidence of postoperative CSF leakage in our series, it was not possible to identify risk factors for its development.     

关节滑液检测在关节假体周围感染诊断中的研究进展

关节假体周围感染(periprosthetic joint infection,PJI)是人工关节置换术后可能发生的一种严重并发症,其导致的严重后果,无论对于医生还是患者来说,都很难接受。目前,由于多种不确定因素的存在,PJI诊断的准确性较低。传统的血清学检查、影像学检查有一定的价值,但是易受全身情况的影响,导致特异性不高。为了正确诊断关节假体周围感染,不同学科的研究人员采用各种不同的方法进行了大量的诊断研究,并取得了丰富的成果。近年来,关节滑液炎性标志物检测、分子生物学方法等被研究证实具有较高的敏感性和特异性。因此,关节滑液CRP、-防御素、白细胞酯酶、PCR技术等被广泛研究,期望能从中找到诊断关节假体周围感染的特异性指标,提高临床诊断的准确性。     

Computer-aided design of dry powder inhalers using computational fluid dynamics to assess performance

Dry powder inhalers (DPIs) are gaining popularity for the delivery of drugs. A cost effective and efficient delivery device is necessary. Developing new DPIs by modifying an existing device may be the simplest way to improve the performance of the devices. The aim of this research was to produce a new DPIs using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The new DPIs took advantages of the Cyclohaler® and the Rotahaler®. We chose a combination of the capsule chamber of the Cyclohaler® and the mouthpiece and grid of the Rotahaler®. Computer-aided design models of the devices were created and evaluated using CFD. Prototype models were created and tested with the DPI dispersion experiments. The proposed model 3 device had a high turbulence with a good degree of deagglomeration in the CFD and the experiment data. The %fine particle fraction (FPF) was around 50% at 60?L/min. The mass median aerodynamic diameter was around 2.8–4?μm. The FPF were strongly correlated to the CFD-predicted turbulence and the mechanical impaction parameters. The drug retention in the capsule was only 5–7%. In summary, a simple modification of the Cyclohaler® and Rotahaler® could produce a better performing inhaler using the CFD-assisted design.     

脑脊液降钙素原及乳酸测定在早期诊断颅脑术后颅内感染的意义

目的研究降钙素原(PCT)及乳酸水平在早期诊断颅脑术后颅内感染的意义。方法颅脑术后颅内感染患者(n=20)和非颅内感染患者(n=20)的脑脊液和血液样本,检测脑脊液和血清PCT,脑脊液和血液乳酸水平等指标并进行统计分析。结果感染组脑脊液和血清PCT、乳酸水平较非感染组显著升高,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。脑脊液PCT和乳酸水平诊断敏感性及特异性均较血清PCT和乳酸水平高。结论脑脊液PCT、乳酸在颅脑手术术后颅内感染的诊断中均有意义,其中脑脊液PCT较乳酸敏感性更高,临床应用价值更大。     

小儿化脓性脑膜炎76例临床分析

目的：探讨小儿化脓性脑膜炎的临床疗效和临床观察。方法回顾分析76例小儿化脓性脑膜炎患者的临床资料。结果76例患儿中，54例患儿治愈,16例患儿好转,6例患儿转科治疗。治疗前患儿脑脊液检查外观混浊的检出率和球蛋白阳性的检出率分别为73.7%和92.1%,显著高于治疗后的外观混浊的检出率7.9%和球蛋白阳性的检出率5.3%，治疗前后对比差异具有统计学意义（P<0.05）。结论对接诊的疑似化脓性脑膜炎的患儿及早地诊断、治疗，可以有效减少患儿并发症及后遗症的发生，提高患儿的治愈率。     

Understanding the Influence of Nanocarrier-Mediated Brain Delivery on Therapeutic Performance Through Pharmacokinetic-Pharmacodynamic Modeling

This study aimed at evaluating how encapsulation in a regular nanocarrier (NC) (providing extended circulation time) or in a brain-targeting NC (providing prolonged circulation time and increased brain uptake) may influence the therapeutic index compared with the unformulated drug and to explore the key parameters affecting therapeutic performance using a model-based approach. Pharmacokinetic (PK) models were built with chosen PK parameters. For a scenario where central effect depends on area under the unbound brain concentration curve and peripheral toxicity relates to peak unbound plasma concentration, dose-effect and drug-side effect curves were constructed, and the therapeutic index was evaluated. Regular NC improved the therapeutic index compared with the unformulated drug due to reduced peripheral toxicity, while brain-targeting NC enhanced the therapeutic index by lowering peripheral toxicity and increasing central effect. Decreasing drug release rate or systemic clearance of NC with drug still encapsulated could increase the therapeutic index. Also, a drug with shorter half-life would therapeutically benefit more from a NC encapsulation. This work provides insights into how a NC for brain delivery should be optimized to maximize the therapeutic performance and is helpful to predict if and to what extent a drug with certain PK properties would obtain therapeutic benefit from nanoencapsulation.