International Hand Function Study Following Distal Radial Access: The RATATOUILLE Study

BackgroundDistal radial access (DRA) has been proposed to improve procedure ergonomics and favor radial artery patency. Although promising data, nothing is known on evolving hand function after DRA.ObjectivesThis study sought to comprehensively evaluate hand function in patients undergoing DRA.MethodsReal-world patients undergoing DRA undertook a thorough multimodality assessment of hand function implementing multidomain questionnaires (Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand and Levine-Katz), and motor (pinch grip test) and sensory (Semmes-Weinstein monofilaments test) examinations of both hands. All assessments were performed at preprocedural baseline and planned at 1-, 6-, and 12-month follow-up (FU). Adverse clinical and procedural events were documented too.ResultsData of 313 patients (220 men, age 66 ± 10 years) from 9 international centers were analyzed. The Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand and the Levine-Katz scores slightly improved from baseline to FU (P = 0.008 and P = 0.029, respectively). Pinch strength mildly improved from baseline to FU (P < 0.001 for both the left and right hands). Similarly, touch pressure threshold appeared to faintly improve in both the left and right hands (P < 0.012 for all the sites). For both motor and sensory function tests, comparable findings were found for the DRA hand and the contralateral one, with no significant differences between them. Repeated assessment of all tests over all FU time points similarly showed lack of worsening hand function. Access-related adverse events included 19 harmless bleedings and 3 forearm radial artery and 3 distal radial artery occlusions. None affected hand function at FU.ConclusionsIn a systematic multidimensional assessment, DRA was not associated with hand function impairment. Moreover, DRA emerges as a safe alternative vascular access.     

Evolución e impacto bibliométrico de las becas de la Sociedad Española de Cardiología/Fundación Española del Corazón en el periodo 2007-2012

Introduction and objectivesThe Spanish Society of Cardiology/Spanish Heart Foundation (SEC/FEC) annually awards grants for cardiovascular research projects. Our objective was to analyze the trend in these investments and their resulting scientific production from 2007 to 2012.MethodsA search of the publications funded by the SEC/FEC was carried out, according to the following inclusion criteria: publication in a journal indexed in MEDLINE or EMBASE, publication date after the grant, authorship by the principal investigator of the grant, and acknowledgment of SEC/FEC funding. The impact factor and subsequent citations of the articles were analyzed (Web of Science).ResultsA total of 235 grants were awarded (39/y) with an allocation of €3 854 300 (€642 383/y), 37% of them to women. In all, 122 publications resulted from 88 research projects (37%) funded by the SEC/FEC. Up to October 2017, these publications had received 2258 citations in subsequent studies in the Web of Science, with a mean of 18.5 and a median of 8 citations/study.ConclusionsDespite the economic crisis, the mean number and size of the grants awarded by the SEC/FEC increased in the period analyzed. Grants were awarded on an equal opportunity basis to men and women. The bibliometric impact of the funded projects is acceptable, although efforts should be made to improve it.     

老年人股骨粗隆间骨折手术时机对预后影响的临床研究

目的：探讨老年股骨粗隆间骨折手术时机对临床预后结局的影响。方法整群选取2015年1月—2016年1月该院收治的老年股骨粗隆间骨折患者68例为研究对象。根据患者手术时间将其分为A组与B组, A组32例,B组36例,观察两组患者不同年龄术后30 d、1年的死亡情况。结果两组患者术后30d、1年死亡率比较差异无统计学意义,P>0.05；但A组、B组患者中超过80岁的患者术后1年死亡率明显低于80岁以下年龄患者,P<0.05,差异具有统计学意义。结论年龄超过80岁的老年股骨粗隆间骨折患者术后1年死亡率相对较高。     

益母草对子宫的药理作用研究进展

益母草是著名的经产良药,具有"调经"功效,自古以来是治疗妇人"经产带下"之良药。子宫是益母草"调经"功效的重点靶器官。本文通过对益母草对子宫的药理作用研究进行梳理,显示益母草对子宫有双向调节子宫收缩活动、调节子宫肌电、保护子宫内膜和促进子宫内膜复旧、抗子宫内膜炎等多种作用,其作用的发挥与益母草的入药品种与炮制、提取成分和子宫状态密切相关。本文对指导益母草质量提升和临床应用有参考意义。     

癌症患者心理韧性质性研究的系统评价

目的 系统评价有关癌症患者心理韧性发展的真实体验,为更好地制定心理韧性干预方案提供理论依据。方法 计算机检索Cochrane Library、Medline、CINAHL、Embase、PubMed、Web of Science、Psyc INFO以及中国生物医学文献数据库、中国知网、维普、万方数据库从建库至2019年6月相关的质性研究。采用澳大利亚乔安娜布里格斯研究所循证卫生保健中心质性研究质量评价标准（2016）对文献进行评价,采用汇集性整合方法进行结果整合。结果 共纳入10篇文献,提炼42个明确的结果,形成8个类别,汇总成3个整合结果。①心理韧性发展是动态循环的过程：危机负性期,调节成长期,积极转化期,循环强化期;②心理韧性的阻碍因素：个体（消极应对,错误认知,症状和体象困扰）,环境（传统社会文化,医疗环境,家庭负担）;③心理韧性的保护因素：个体（积极心理与应对方式,复原经历,宗教信仰,自我表露,利他主义与行为）,环境（家庭因素,医疗照护,人际支持）。结论 心理韧性的发展是动态循环过程,受个体和环境因素影响,医护人员应根据不同阶段的影响因素给予针对性护理措施,促进患者心理韧性的形成和发展,提高患者的生活质量。     

Diagnostic sensitivity of electrophysiology and ultrasonography in ulnar neuropathies of different severity

ObjectiveTo assess the diagnostic performance of electrophysiology and nerve ultrasound in ulnar neuropathies of varying clinical severity in 135 consecutive patients.MethodsClinical severity of ulnar neuropathy was graded on a 4 point scale from very mild (symptoms only) to severe (marked atrophy of intrinsic hand muscles). Sensitivity and localization ability of electrophysiology and nerve ultrasound were assessed for each point of the scale.ResultsUltrasound had higher sensitivity than electrophysiology in clinically very mild (20% and 3% for ultrasound and electrophysiology, respectively) and mild (62% and 47% for ultrasound and electrophysiology, respectively) neuropathies, had greater localizing ability in axonal ulnar neuropathies, and identified nerve hypermobility.Ultrasound nerve cross-sectional area had strong positive correlation with both clinical and electrophysiological severity scores, but with significant overlap across the severity groups.ConclusionThe diagnostic work-up of ulnar neuropathies was improved by using both electrophysiology and ultrasound at all levels of clinical severity. Ultrasound increased the diagnostic yield in very mild and mild neuropathies, localized all the ulnar neuropathies with abnormal non-localizing electrophysiology and identified nerve hypermobility.SignificanceThis is the first detailed analysis of the diagnostic performance of electrophysiology and ultrasound in ulnar neuropathies of varying severity.     

Concerns for medical radiation programs in Australian universities

The Australian higher education system is in a state of great change. The Federal education minister, Dr Brendan Nelson, has indicated that he intends to continue introducing far-reaching reforms that will impact significantly on how universities conduct teaching and research. The future allocation of government funding for university programs, including those in medical radiation, will have a significant effect on how those programs are delivered and could even determine whether programs remain viable. There will be a financial imperative for academic departments to strengthen research activity and to obtain funding from non-government sources, such as full-fee paying students, in order to generate enough income to cover program delivery. Medical radiation education in Australia is also facing many other challenges. Some of these are longstanding, such as the high cost of medical radiation program delivery, poor levels of research activity and difficulty in recruiting and retaining academic staff. Other problems have arisen recently, such as increased competition for students and a critical shortage of available training placements in clinical practice. The aim of this paper is to raise and explore these issues from a university perspective.