范金茹教授治疗颈性眩晕经验举隅

范金茹教授为首批全国优秀中医临床人才,在诊治眩晕类疾病方面积累了丰富经验。颈性眩晕多表现为眩晕、头颈部疼痛、恶心、呕吐、耳鸣等,严重影响了人们的生活质量。范师认为颈性眩晕为本虚标实之证,病位在头颈,肝肾亏虚为本,病性因素多为痰瘀。强调分急性期、缓解期治疗,注重气之升降--引痰饮血瘀下行而出,津气上行以荣脑。自拟颈痹眩晕方,为升降散合泽泻汤加减而成,组方精当,临床运用每获良效。     

滋阴药延缓衰老机制的研究进展＊

当代社会，老年人口比例呈现不断上升的趋势，老龄化问题日益严峻。因此，如何有效地延缓衰老不仅成为了世界医学研究的热点，也成为了全球亟待解决的问题。中医药在延缓衰老方面经验丰富，而滋阴药在此类研究中效果显著。本文通过整理滋阴药抗衰老作用机制的若干文献，对滋阴复方六味地黄丸、二至丸、左归丸及其他滋阴中药延缓衰老的机制研究进展进行综述。     

Cardiovascular risk assessment tools: A scoping review

ObjectivesThe objective of this review was to describe cardiovascular risk (CVR) assessment methods and to identify evidence-based practice recommendations when dealing with population at risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.Review methods and data sourcesA literature review following the Arksey and O'Malley scoping review methodology was conducted. By using appropriate key terms, literature searches were conducted in PubMed, SciELO, Cochrane Library, Dialnet, ENFISPO, Medigraphic, ScienceDirect, Cuiden, and Lilacs databases. A complementary search on websites related to the area of interest was conducted. Articles published in English or Spanish in peer-review journals between 2010 and 2017. Critical appraisal for methodological quality was conducted. Data was extracted using ad-hoc tables and qualitatively synthesized.ResultsAfter eliminating duplicates, 55 325 records remained, and 1432 records were selected for screening. Out of these, 88 full-text articles were selected for eligibility criteria, and finally, 67 studies were selected for this review, and 25 studies were selected for evidence synthesis. In total, 23 CVR assessment tools have been identified, pioneered by the Framingham study. Qualitative findings were grouped into four thematic areas: assessment tools and scores, CVR indicators, comparative models, and evidence-based recommendations.ConclusionsIt is necessary to adapt the instruments to the epidemiological reality of the population. The most appropriate way to estimate CVR is to choose the assessment tool that best suits individual conditions, accompanied by a comprehensive assessment of the patient. More research is required to determine a single, adequate, and reliable tool.     

Dry eye signs and symptoms in aromatase inhibitor treatment and the relationship with pain

PurposeAromatase inhibitors (AIs) limit the synthesis of oestrogen in peripheral tissues thus lowering levels of oestrogen. The primary aim was to evaluate whether women treated with AIs have altered dry eye symptoms and signs. A sub-aim was to investigate whether symptoms of dry eye in postmenopausal women were associated with symptoms of non-eye pain, ocular pain and self-rated pain perception.MethodsThis cross-sectional, observational, single visit study recruited 56 postmenopausal women (mean age 64.1 + 7.9 years) and 52 undergoing AI treatment (mean age 66.6 + 9.0). Ocular symptoms (OSDI, MGD14) and pain questionnaires (PSQ, OPAS) were administered and signs of dry eye and meibomian gland dysfunction were evaluated.ResultsAlmost half of each group reported dry eye symptoms, defined as OSDI>12 (48% control, 46% AI). The PSQ score was significantly higher in the AI group (p = 0.04). Neither frequency or severity of dry eye (or MGD) symptoms scores were significantly different between groups. In the AI group, meibomian gland expressibility score was worse (p = 0.003); there were no differences in any other signs. Higher OSDI scores were associated with higher OPAS eye-pain scores (r = 0.49, p < 0.001), but not OPAS non-eye pain (r = 0.09, p = 0.35). Pain perception (PSQ) showed a moderate positive association with OPAS eye-pain (r = 0.30, p = 0.003).ConclusionsIn this study elevated ocular symptoms were observed in both the AI treated and the untreated groups, with no difference between the groups. Women undergoing AI treatment for early stage breast cancer had worse meibum expressibility score and increased pain perception compared to an untreated group of women.     

Family Physician Clinical Inertia in Managing Hypoglycemia

AimsClinical inertia behaviour affects family physicians managing chronic disease such as diabetes. Literature addressing clinical inertia in the management of hypoglycemia is scarce. The objectives of this study were to create a measurement for physician clinical inertia in managing hypoglycemia (ClinInert_InHypoDM), and to determine physicians’ characteristics associated with clinical inertia.MethodsThe study was a secondary analysis of data provided by family physicians from the InHypo-DM Study, applying exploratory factor analysis. Principal axis factoring with an Oblimin rotation was employed to detect underlying factors associated with physician behaviors. Multiple linear regression was used to determine association between the ClinInert_InHypoDM scores and physician characteristics.ResultsFactor analysis identified a statistically sound 12-item one-factor scale for clinical inertia behavior. No statistically significant differences in clinical inertia score for the studied independent variables were found.ConclusionsThis study provides a scale for assessing clinical inertia in the management of hypoglycemia. Further testing this scale in other family physician populations will provide deeper understanding about the characteristics and factors that influence clinical inertia. The knowledge derived from better understanding clinical inertia in primary care has potential to improve outcomes for patients with diabetes.     

Immunisation with the BCG and DTPw vaccines induces different programs of trained immunity in mice

In addition to providing pathogen-specific immunity, vaccines can also confer nonspecific effects (NSEs) on mortality and morbidity unrelated to the targeted disease. Immunisation with live vaccines, such as the BCG vaccine, has generally been associated with significantly reduced all-cause infant mortality. In contrast, some inactivated vaccines, such as the diphtheria, tetanus, whole-cell pertussis (DTPw) vaccine, have been controversially associated with increased all-cause mortality especially in female infants in high-mortality settings. The NSEs associated with BCG have been attributed, in part, to the induction of trained immunity, an epigenetic and metabolic reprograming of innate immune cells, increasing their responsiveness to subsequent microbial encounters. Whether non-live vaccines such as DTPw induce trained immunity is currently poorly understood. Here, we report that immunisation of mice with DTPw induced a unique program of trained immunity in comparison to BCG immunised mice. Altered monocyte and DC cytokine responses were evident in DTPw immunised mice even months after vaccination. Furthermore, splenic cDCs from DTPw immunised mice had altered chromatin accessibility at loci involved in immunity and metabolism, suggesting that these changes were epigenetically mediated. Interestingly, changing the order in which the BCG and DTPw vaccines were co-administered to mice altered subsequent trained immune responses. Given these differences in trained immunity, we also assessed whether administration of these vaccines altered susceptibility to sepsis in two different mouse models. Immunisation with either BCG or a DTPw-containing vaccine prior to the induction of sepsis did not significantly alter survival. Further studies are now needed to more fully investigate the potential consequences of DTPw induced trained immunity in different contexts and to assess whether other non-live vaccines also induce similar changes.     

«¿Para qué auscultarle si le voy a pedir una TAC?» y otras perversiones en la práctica clínica diaria del siglo XXI. Defensa de la historia clínica para aspirar a la excelencia profesional

A presentation is made of 12 cases that have a full and detailed clinical history and physical examination, which are essential for obtaining optimal diagnostic-therapeutic planning for quality care. Furthermoe, education in values focused on the patient is considered as another of the essential objectives to be transmitted in university faculties and hospitals. This article, based on anonymised real cases, aims to provide small brushstrokes in this regard, hoping that they will be useful.