Screening practices for paediatric asymptomatic adrenal suppression in Canada: Are we addressing this important risk?

BackgroundChildren with adrenal suppression (AS), a potential side effect of glucocorticoids (GCs) may be asymptomatic, present with nonspecific signs and symptoms or with adrenal crisis. Asymptomatic AS (AAS) can only be diagnosed through screening. Identifying and treating asymptomatic patients before symptoms develop may reduce morbidity. Screening guidelines for AS are lacking. Consequently, screening practices are highly variable.ObjectiveTo assess (1) the screening practices for and recognition of paediatric AAS among clinicians in Canada and (2) the educational impact of a 2-year surveillance program of symptomatic AS cases.MethodsBefore and after a 2-year Canadian Paediatric Surveillance Program (CPSP) study of symptomatic AS, participants were surveyed through the CPSP. The prestudy survey was sent to 2,548 participants in March 2010 and the poststudy survey was sent to 2,465 participants in April 2013.ResultsResponse rates were 32% for the prestudy survey and 21% for the poststudy survey. Between the pre- and poststudy surveys, the percentage of physicians who reported routinely screening patients on GCs for AS increased from 10% to 21% and the percentage who reported having a screening policy in their office/centre increased from 6% to 11%. There was no significant change in the percentage of physicians who had diagnosed a child/youth with AAS in the preceding year.ConclusionFrequency of screening for AAS increased following the 2-year study but remains low. Development of a clinical practice guideline should increase both awareness of asymptomatic AS among Canadian paediatricians and the identification of AAS, before symptoms develop.     

40岁以上高龄女性体外受精-胚胎移植妊娠结局分析

目的：探讨40岁以上高龄女性体外受精-胚胎移植（IVF-ET）的妊娠结局，旨在为高龄女性提供生育咨询以及为改善高龄女性个体化辅助生殖治疗结局提供临床依据。方法：选择我院生殖中心2015年1月—2017年12月女方年龄≥40岁且使用自身卵子行体外受精的共2 467个治疗周期资料，对各项临床数据进行回顾性分析。结果：40岁及以上行辅助生殖治疗的患者，随着女性年龄增加获卵数明显减少（40～48岁女性平均获卵数分别为2.97、 2.69、2.17、2.01、1.77、1.61、1.68、1.29和1.00，44～48岁与40～43岁依次组间比较均P＜0.05），尤其是44岁以上女性胚胎发育潜能明显降低（40～48岁囊胚形成率分别为48.90%、43.72%、33.67%、34.29%、24.39%、21.14%、26.32%、16.67%和0%，44～48岁与40～43岁组间依次比较均P＜0.05）。共有518个周期行新鲜胚胎移植，结果显示，随女性年龄增加，临床妊娠率（40～48岁临床妊娠率分别为26.92%、21.15%、20.79%、10.96%、18.87%、11.11%、5.88%、0%和0%，43～48岁与40～42岁组间依次比较均P＜0.05）、种植率（40～48岁种植率分别为23.65%、19.51%、17.70%、8.54%、7.49%、10.81%、5.56%、0%和0%，43～48岁与40～42岁组间依次比较均P＜0.05）和活产率均显著降低（40～46岁活产率分别为18.46%、10.58%、9.90%、5.48%、5.66%、2.78%和5.88%，43～46岁与40～42岁组间依次比较均P＜0.05），43岁以上者结局更差。44岁以上女性自然流产率明显增高（40～45岁流产率分别为31.43%、50.00%、52.38%、50.00%、70.00%和75.00%，44～45岁与40～43岁组间依次比较均P＜0.05）。46岁女性仅1例妊娠并分娩，47岁和48岁女性均无成功妊娠。与抗苗勒管激素（AMH）＞1.0 ng/mL组相比，AMH≤1.0 ng/mL组妊娠率、种植率及活产率均显著下降（27.04% vs. 14.74%，22.99% vs. 13.50%，15.88% vs. 7.37%；均P＜0.05），流产率明显升高（41.27% vs. 50.00%，P＜0.05）。结论：≥40岁高龄女性随年龄增长生育力逐渐降低。40～43岁年龄段女性助孕仍有一定的价值，尤其是卵巢仍有一定储备者（AMH＞1.0 ng/mL），但44岁以上女性原则上不再建议ART助孕，对于46岁以上卵巢功能衰竭的女性强烈建议卵子捐赠或收养。     

Respiratory support in children

Respiratory failure is defined by the inability of the respiratory system to adequately deliver oxygen or remove carbon dioxide from the pulmonary circulation resulting in hypoxemia, hypercapnia or both. A wide variety of disease processes can lead to respiratory failure in children. Multiple interventions can support the paediatric patient with respiratory failure, from simple oxygen delivery devices to high frequency oscillatory ventilation and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. This article will review available devices to improve oxygenation and ventilation, their advantages and disadvantages, and help guide physicians in the management of children with respiratory failure.     

Using recreational cannabis to treat insomnia: Evidence from over-the-counter sleep aid sales in Colorado

This study seeks to understand whether people substitute between recreational cannabis and conventional over-the-counter (OTC) sleep medications. UPC-level grocery store scanner data in a multivariable panel regression design were used to compare the change in the monthly market share of sleep aids with varying dispensary-based recreational cannabis access (existence, sales, and count) in Colorado counties between 12/2013 and 12/2014. We measured annually-differenced market shares for sleep aids as a portion of the overall OTC medication market, thus accounting for store-level demand shifts in OTC medication markets and seasonality, and used the monthly changes in stores’ sleep aid market share to control for short-term trends. Relative to the overall OTC medication market, sleep aid market shares were growing prior to recreational cannabis availability. The trend reverses (a 236% decrease) with dispensary entry (−0.33 percentage points, 95% CI −0.43 to −0.24, p < 0.01) from a mean market share growth of 0.14 ± 0.97. The magnitude of the market share decline increases as more dispensaries enter a county and with higher county-level cannabis sales. The negative associations are driven by diphenhydramine- and doxylamine-based sleep aids rather than herbal sleep aids and melatonin. These findings support survey evidence that many individuals use cannabis to treat insomnia, although sleep disturbances are not a specific qualifying condition under any U.S. state-level medical cannabis law. Investigations designed to measure the relative effectiveness and side effect profiles of conventional OTC sleep aids and cannabis-based products are urgently needed to improve treatment of sleep disturbances while minimizing potentially serious negative side effects.     

The effect of short or long sleep duration on quality of life and depression: an internet-based survey in Japan

BackgroundTo date, no previous studies have evaluated the relationship between sleep duration and quality of life (QOL) or depression in the general population after controlling for daytime sleepiness and sleep disturbances.MethodsA web-based cross-sectional survey was conducted with 8698 subjects aged 20–69 years. We examined the relationships between weekday sleep duration and daytime sleepiness, sleep disturbance, QOL and depression, using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (without the item for sleep duration), 8-item Short Form and Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D).ResultsDaytime sleepiness tended to increase in proportion to shorter weekday sleep durations. Sleep disturbances, physical and mental QOL, and CES-D scores were worse in both the shorter and longer sleep groups compared with the group with 7–8 h of sleep. Hierarchical logistic regression analyses revealed that short sleep duration but not long sleep duration was significantly associated with reduction of both physical and mental QOL, even after controlling for the presence of daytime sleepiness and sleep disturbance. Both short and long sleep duration were independently and significantly correlated with depression after controlling for daytime sleepiness; however, there was no statistically significant association after adjusting for the effects of sleep disturbance.ConclusionsThe results suggested adverse effects of short sleep but not long sleep on both physical and mental QOL. In addition, the negative impact of specific types of sleep disturbance on depression may be greater than the impact of shortening of sleep duration.     

从湿论治慢性静脉功能不全刍见

慢性静脉功能不全是常见的周围血管疾病。文章在梳理历代中医辨证思路的基础上,结合现代医学的认识和临床观察,分别从湿的来源、湿在慢性功能不全疾病中的具体体现和治疗3个方面来探讨本类疾病与湿的关系。认为湿作为本病的重要致病因素和病理产物,贯穿于本病的始终,与本病的形成密不可分,在治疗上应注重对湿的辨析,明确其性质、来源、病证特点等,选用多法以祛湿。     

The effect of Benson’s relaxation response on sleep quality and anorexia in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy: A randomized controlled trial

Background and objectivesPatients with cancer experience many side effects due to its nature and usual treatments. Sleep disorders and anorexia are the most commonly reported symptoms in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of Benson's Relaxation Response (BRR) on sleep quality and anorexia in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.Methodology and participantsIn the present clinical trial, a total of 84 patients were enrolled and randomly divided into two groups of experimental and control. Benson's relaxation response was administered to the experimental group twice a day over 5 consecutive days. Data was collected using St. Mary's Hospital Sleep Questionnaire (SMHSQ) and anorexia questionnaire with Visual Analog Scale (VAS).ResultsThe results of our study showed a significant improvement in the sleep quality in the experimental group at 24 (p = 0.02) and 48 (p = 0.001) hours after the intervention compared to the control group. Benson's relaxation response (BRR) also had a significant effect on the anorexia in the experimental group at 24 (7.5 ± 1.6) and 48 (6.9 ± 2.1) hours after the intervention compared to the control group. No side effects were reported during the study and follow-up period.ConclusionBenson's relaxation response as a complementary method may improve sleep quality and anorexia in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Further studies with greater sample size and longer follow-up period are needed to confirm the current findings.     

点穴推拿治疗颈源性失眠临床研究

目的:观察点穴推拿治疗颈源性失眠的临床疗效。方法:将100例颈源性失眠患者按随机数字表法分为对照组和观察组,每组50例。对照组给予艾司唑仑片治疗,观察组给予点穴推拿治疗,2组均连续治疗10 d。对比2组临床疗效和匹兹堡睡眠质量指数(PSQI)。结果:观察组总有效率94.00%,高于对照组的72.00%,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。治疗后,2组PSQI各项细则评分及总分均较治疗前降低,观察组PSQI各项细则评分及总分均低于对照组,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论:点穴推拿治疗颈源性失眠疗效优于艾司唑仑片。     

Long-term health and socioeconomic outcome of obstructive sleep apnea in children and adolescents

BackgroundThere is limited information about the long-term outcome of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) diagnosed in children and adolescents for educational and social factors. Here, we estimate the long-term socioeconomic outcome and health care costs of OSA.MethodsThe historical case-control cohort study included Danish individuals with OSA diagnosed in childhood or adolescence between 1994 and 2015. Health care costs and socioeconomic data were obtained from nationwide administrative and health registers. A total of 5419 were diagnosed during this period; of these we traced 1004 patients who we compared with 4085 controls (mean index age, 10.2 years; Standard Deviation (SD), 5.6 years) until the age of 20 years. Controls were matched for age, gender, and residency.ResultsComparing the OSA patient and control groups at age 20 years we found: 1) lower parental educational level; 2) significantly lower educational level also after adjustment for parental educational level; 3) lower school grade-point averages; 4) lower employment rate and lower income, which was not fully compensated when transfer payments were considered; and 5) patients' initial health care costs were higher due to higher morbidity. Patients showed higher mortality rates than controls (Hazard Ratio (HR) = 7.63, 95% CI = 4.87–11.95, P < 0.001).ConclusionsOSA in children and adolescent is associated with a significant influence on morbidity, mortality, educational level, grading, social outcome, and welfare consequences.     

Sleep time and sleep-related symptoms across two generations – results of the community-based RHINE and RHINESSA studies

Study objectivesTo analyze the association between sleep-related symptoms and sleep length in parents and their children in relation to other risk factors in both generations.MethodThe participants were parents (n = 5,855, age 54.3 ± 6.5 years, 45.2% men) who participated in the community-based Respiratory Health in Northern Europe (RHINE) study and one random member of their adult offspring (n = 5,855, age 30.2 ± 7.7 years, 41.5% men) who participated in the Respiratory Health in Northern Europe, Spain and Australia (RHINESSA) study. Both generations responded to identical questionnaires on sleep symptoms, including difficulty initiating sleep (DIS), difficulty maintaining sleep (DMS), early morning awakening (EMA), snoring, nocturnal sweating, nocturnal gastroesophageal reflux (nGER), sleep time and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). Insomnia was defined as either, or both, DIS and DMS in combination with EDS.ResultsAll sleep variables except nocturnal sweating were more common in offspring whose parents had reported the same symptom. After adjusting for age, gender, BMI, smoking, physical activity, education, center and parents' total number of children, there were independent associations between sleep symptoms in parents and offspring for DIS (adj. OR, 95% CI: 1.52, 1.20–1.93), DMS (1.34, 1.15–1.56), snoring (1.45, 1.15,1.83), nGER (1.65, 1.15–2.37), insomnia (1.39, 1.13–1.73), short sleep time (<6 h/night) (2.51, 1.72–3.68) and EDS (1.48, 1.26,1.72). There were no independent relationships between symptoms in parents and offspring for EMA, nocturnal sweating or long sleep time (>9 h/night).ConclusionThe familiar aggregation of many sleep disturbances was not explained by investigated lifestyle and environmental factors. This supports a heritable factor in sleep problems.