The Nurse Practitioners-Physician Team in Nursing Home Practice

Development and effectiveness of a Family Nurse Practitioner-Physician faculty team is providing health care to nursing home residents and educational experiences to Family Practice residents is evaluated. Indicated changes in the educational program and implications for faculty teams are given.     

Comparative study of awake endotracheal intubation with Glidescope video laryngoscope versus flexible fiber optic bronchoscope in patients with traumatic cervical spine injury

BackgroundThe Gldiescope video laryngoscope (GVL) as a recent intubating device has gained much popularity in difficult intubation over the last decade. It can be used as a substitute to flexible fiber optic bronchoscope (FOB) in intubating challenges. The object of this study is to compare the utility of GVL and FOB for intubating time, attempts, effects on hemodynamics, adverse effects, patient satisfaction and post intubation neurological outcome during awake intubation in traumatic cervical spine injury.MethodsFifty patients undergoing post traumatic cervical spine fixation under general anesthesia were randomly allocated to two groups in a prospective, controlled non-blinded study. All patients were premedicated with glycopyrrolate 0.2 mg iv and midazolam 1 mg iv that be repeated up to 0.05 mg/kg followed with a bolus dose of remifentanil 1.5 μg/kg then a continuous remifentanil infusion of 0.15 μg/kg/min for 3 min before procedure. Each patient underwent a wake endotracheal intubation with either GVL (G group) or FOB (F group) with manual in line stabilization (MILS). Intubating time, intubating attempts, hear rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP), oxygen desaturation (SO₂ < 90%), sore throat, patient satisfaction and postintubation neurological outcome were recorded.ResultsIntubating time was significantly lower in G group compared with F group (26 ± 5 versus 72 ± 11 respectively), while the percentage of the first successful intubating attempt was insignificantly higher in G group (88%) than in F group (72%). Both HR and MAP were significantly increased only in F group during intubation in comparison with the basal line values. Both devices were safe for post neurological outcome. No significant differences of adverse effects or patient satisfaction were recorded between groups.ConclusionThe GVL is a safe surrogate for FOB during awake intubation for post traumatic cervical spine fixation.     

A modified approach for eminectomy for temporomandibular joint dislocation under local anaesthesia: report on a series of 50 patients

Conventional eminectomy for habitual dislocation of the temporomandibular joint is usually performed under general anaesthesia. This technique was modified for use under local anaesthesia to treat medically compromised patients. Fifty elderly patients (90 joints) were treated, for whom general anaesthesia was considered a serious risk due to systemic diseases; the dislocation was habitual in 39 and long-standing in 11. Following intravenous sedation and local anaesthesia, a 2-cm superficial vertical skin incision was made directly above the articular eminence. Careful and gentle dissection of the subcutaneous tissue was performed until the lateral joint capsule was exposed. The superior compartment was entered, followed by shaving of the articular eminence in a conventional manner. The surgery was successful in all patients, with a mean operative time of 47 ± 12 minutes. Intraoperative events occurred in 10 patients (20%). Postoperative complications affected 25 patients (50%), varying from severe (two deaths, due to cardiopulmonary arrest and accidental fall) to mild (local infection, etc.). Eleven patients (22%) had facial nerve palsy limited to the temporal branch; all recovered after 6 months. This approach is useful when general anaesthesia is contraindicated due to existing medical conditions. However, prudent consideration may be required to avoid serious complications when local anaesthesia is used.     

Influence of formulation composition and processing on the content uniformity of low-dose tablets manufactured at kilogram scale

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of processing, API loading, and formulation composition on the content uniformity of low-dose tablets made using direct compression (DC) and roller compaction (RC) methods at 1?kg scale. Blends of 1:1 microcrystalline cellulose/lactose or 1:1 microcrystalline cellulose/dicalcium phosphate anhydrous with active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) at loadings of 0.2, 1 and 5% were processed either by DC or RC. A statistical analysis showed that DC produced comparable content uniformity results to RC. Microcrystalline cellulose/lactose formulations had improved average potency compared to microcrystalline cellulose/dicalcium phosphate anhydrous formulations for both DC and RC. The impact of segregation in the DC blends and adhesion to equipment surfaces was assessed to aid in understanding potency trends. DC may be as suitable as RC for low-dose regime (e.g. <?1?mg) when manufacturing clinical supplies at small scale provided the API has a suitable particle size and potency loss to equipment is negligible.     

Clearing hepatitis C virus with direct antiviral agents reduces cardiovascular events in patients with prediabetes. Commentary to Sasso and colleagues

Liver health is a key determinant of cardiovascular risk (CVR). Hepatic fibrosis is the shared common result of chronic hepatitis, irrespective of aetiology. Fibrosis profoundly distorts liver tissue architecture and perturbs hepatic physiology, dictates the course of chronic liver disease and is increasingly recognized as a CVR factor. The relative weights of pre-diabetes and hepatic fibrosis as risk factors for major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in patients with HCV remain an open issue. Sasso and Colleagues answered this research question by treating approximately half of 770 HCV positive pre-diabetic patients with direct antiviral agents (DAAs), while the rest served as historical controls. Data have shown that achieving HCV clearance with DAAs was associated with a 60% reduced risk of MACE, thereby implying that this antiviral strategy is recommended in HCV positive pre-diabetic patients, regardless of the severity of liver disease and concurrent CVR factors. This study paves the way for additional studies addressing the molecular patho-mechanisms and changes in the clinical spectrum involved in cardio-metabolic protection following HCV eradication in patients with pre-diabetes.     

The Effects of Bi-Anodal tDCS Over the Prefrontal Cortex Regions With Extracephalic Reference Placement on Insight Levels and Cardio-Respiratory and Autonomic Functions in Schizophrenia Patients and Exploratory Biomarker Analyses for Treatment Response

BackgroundWe previously showed the efficacy of bi-anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the prefrontal cortex (PFC) regions with extracephalic reference placement in improving negative symptoms in schizophrenia. In this ancillary investigation, the effects of this intervention on insight levels, other clinical outcomes, and cardio-respiratory and autonomic functions were examined and the potential of biomarkers for treatment response was explored.MethodsSchizophrenia patients were randomly allocated to receive 10 sessions of bi-anodal tDCS over the PFC regions with extracephalic reference placement (2 mA, 20 minutes, twice daily for 5 weeks) or sham stimulation. We examined, in 60 patients at baseline, immediately after stimulation and at follow-up visits, the insight levels, other clinical outcomes, blood pressure, respiratory rate, heart rate, and heart rate variability.ResultsInsight levels as assessed by the abbreviated version of the Scale to Assess Unawareness in Mental Disorder in schizophrenia awareness of the disease, positive and negative symptoms dimensions, and beliefs about medication compliance as assessed by Medication Adherence Rating Scale were significantly enhanced by active stimulation relative to sham. No effects were observed on cognitive insight, other clinical outcomes, or cardio-respiratory and autonomic functions. Heart rate variability indices as biomarkers were not associated with the clinical response to the intervention.ConclusionsOur results provide evidence for bi-anodal tDCS over the PFC regions with extracephalic reference placement in heightening the levels of insight into the disease and symptoms, as well as beliefs about medication compliance in schizophrenia, without impacting other clinical outcomes and cardio-respiratory/autonomic functions.