When should patients begin ambulating following lower limb split skin graft surgery? A systematic review

Pretibial lacerations and lower limb wounds are referred to plastic surgery teams for split skin graft surgery. Traditionally, these patients have been immobilised on bedrest following surgery. More recently, patients have commenced ambulation earlier to avoid medical complications and facilitate discharge. The objective of this literature review was to determine when such patients should begin walking. A literature search was undertaken using the electronic databases AMED, Cinahl, Embase, Medline (via Ovid), PEDro and Pubmed. Clinical trials using human subjects, written in English, were included. Seventeen (of 1137) papers met the inclusion criteria and were reviewed. The literature suggested that patients should begin walking immediately or at the earliest possible opportunity after lower limb skin graft surgery. Although the literature advocated early ambulation, the evidence base presented with a number of recurrent methodological limitations, including small sample sizes, lack of a control sample, and limited follow-up. Accordingly, further research employing large, well-designed, randomised controlled trials is recommended. It will then be possible to understand with greater certainty when patients should begin walking after lower extremity split skin graft surgery.     

Primary malignant melanoma of the bladder

Primary malignant melanomma of bladder is extremely rare: 18 cases are reported to date. An 82 year-old man underwent trans-urethral resection of bladder for a bleeding tumor of the posterior wall. Histological diagnosis was melanoma of the bladder. There was no history of previous or regressed cutaneous malignant melanoma. Margins of the bladder lesion contained atypical melanocytes similar to those commonly seen in the periphery of primary mucous membrane lesions. Clinical studies and radiological examinations were negative for other primary site of melanoma. The patient had a bladder recurrence that was consistent with primary tumor and died of widespread disease 9 months after diagnosis.     

Efficacy and safety of herbal medicines for idiopathic Parkinson's disease: a systematic review.

The objective of this study is to assess the efficacy and safety of herbal medicines (HMs), as a monotherapy or adjunct therapy, compared to placebo or conventional approaches in the treatment of idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD). We conducted a systematic review of randomized controlled trials from both conventional and alternative medicine sources. Outcome measures were overall improvement, quality of life, reduction of levodopa dose, and adverse events. Nine studies were included, each testing a different HM. Six of the trials had limited internal validity due to major flaws in design, including the lack of proper randomization; insufficient blinding; unclear inclusive criteria in terms of diagnostic criteria, baseline staging, and duration of disease; lack of proper sample size calculation; and insufficient data analysis. Imbalances in gender and ethnicity among the patients in the included trials were observed. No major adverse events emerged, and no specific pattern was detected from the trials describing such data. In addition to major methodological defects, heterogeneity in (1) HM tested, (2) control treatment, and (3) outcome measure hindered in-depth data analysis and synthesis. Current evidence is insufficient to evaluate the efficacy and safety of various HMs. Further studies with improved trial design and reporting, with assessment on cost-effectiveness, quality of life, and qualitative data are warranted.     

Cancer support groups – are they effective?

Cancer causes significatlt emotional distress to a considerable majority of patients. Many of these patients typically receive little formal psychological intervention. Support groups, however, have provided one forum from which patients can attempt to gain help and can use to overcome some psychological trauma that accompanies the cancer hagnosis, subsequent treatment and relapse. This article reviews past studies of professionally run cancer support groups as opposed to psychological intervention groups. These studies are considered in light of the proposed benefits and the methodological limitations frequently inherent in such studies.     

循证护理学在实践中的应用

循证护理的核心思想是任何护理决策都要建立在临床客观证据的基础上。护理过程中应进一步开展临床试验研究，以提供更好的护理依据。对临床护理工作中存在的同一问题有不同研究结果的情况，要用系统评价的方法进行分析，得出综合可靠的结论。作举例说明循证护理的实施方法。     

环糊精在鼻腔给药系统中的应用

综述了环糊精作为鼻腔给药系统赋形剂的应用及安全性.     

C-反应蛋白水平对急性缺血性脑卒中预后影响的系统评价

目的 应用Meta分析,评价C-反应蛋白(C-reactive protein,CRP)水平对急性缺血性脑卒中预后的影响.方法 计算机检索PubMed、MEDLINE(1991-2006)、中国学术期刊全文数据库(1979-2006)等.搜集CRP水平对急性缺血性脑卒中预后影响非随机对照研究,逐篇评价纳入文献的质量,采用RevMan4.2版软件进行Meta分析.结果 共纳入7篇文献(外文4篇,中文3篇),涉及841例患者.在急性缺血性脑卒中患者中,3个月以上随访截尾时间的死亡率和再发血管事件与CRP水平相关,CRP增高组发生率比CRP正常组分别高2.71和1.81倍[OR合并分别为3.71和2.81,95%CI分别为(2.40,5.73)和(1.42,5.53)]均有统计学意义(P＜0.05);CRP测量值与缺血性脑卒中复发和死亡亦相关,在复发患者中,CRP测量值平均高于未复发者为3.52 mg/L[WMD=3.52,95%CI(-0.01,7.05)],具有一定的临床意义;在死亡患者中,CRP测量值平均高于生存者为8.02 mg/L[WMD=8.02,95%CI(5.68,10.37)],具有统计学意义(P＜0.05).结论 发病时CRP的水平可以初步评价急性缺血性脑卒中患者的预后.