Landscape structure and diseases profile: associating land use type composition with disease distribution

Human health and well-being presuppose environmental quality. Several studies have documented the indicative role of land use types in environmental quality. However, the exact role of land use composition on disease distribution has remained scientifically vague. We assessed the congruence of diseases’ distribution with land use composition, focusing on high environmental quality areas, defined as tranquil areas with view to indicating places offering well-being. Landscape composition is linked to the presence of diseases across 51 prefectures of Greece. Agricultural and natural land use types proved to be the main drivers of disease distribution. Tranquility demonstrated a strong negative correlation with population density, thus could be considered as a quantitative spatial index of life-quality. We concluded that the landscape context affects the dominance of diseases’ patterns. Special emphasis should be put on the role of tranquil areas in human health and the relative environmental health policies.     

Assessment of quality of life after endoscopic sinus surgery for chronic rhinosinusitis

Chronic rhinosinusitis is a disease of undefined etiology that significantly impacts the quality of life of its patients. Various studies carried out in countries other than Brazil have shown endoscopic sinus surgery as an effective means of treating this condition.ObjectiveThis study aims to analyze, with the aid of SNOT-20, the association between endoscopic sinus surgery and disease-specific quality of life of Brazilian patients treated for chronic rhinosinusitis accompanied or not by nasal polyps.Materials and MethodsThis prospective study enrolled patients submitted to endoscopic sinus surgery after drug therapy failed to improve their symptoms. They were assessed based on questionnaire SNOT-20p before and 12 months after surgery. Improvement on total scores and on the five items deemed more important by each patient were assessed. The study also looked into the correlation between preoperative scores and postoperative improvement and if there were any gender-related improvement differences.ResultsForty-three patients aged 44 (19), md (IQR), 65% of whom (26/43) were males. Statistically significant improvement was seen on SNOT-20 and SNOT-20(5+) and a correlation was established between preoperative scores and postoperative improved scores (p<0.001). No gender-related differences were observed in quality of life.ConclusionEndoscopic sinus surgery in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis is associated with statistically significant improvements in disease-specific quality of life.     

慢性肾脏病肾阳虚证证候特征与临床生物学指标相关性及危险因素

目的 观察慢性肾脏病（CKD）肾阳虚证证候特征、与临床指标的相关性并探索影响CKD肾阳虚证的危险因素。方法 通过对符合纳入标准的225例慢性肾脏病患者进行中医证候判断，获得肾阳虚证组99例，非肾阳虚证组126例。总结肾阳虚证组症状、舌脉及兼证，运用因子分析和聚类分析归纳证候特征，运用方差分析及非参数检验方法比较肾阳虚证组、非肾阳虚证组及正常对照组之间的血红蛋白、红细胞计数、尿蛋白、尿葡萄糖、肌酐、尿素氮、肾小球滤过率水平，采用二分类Logistic回归分析模型对生活习惯、身体质量指数（BMI）、血糖、血脂等危险因素进行证候相关性分析。结果 CKD肾阳虚证患者高频症状是腰部酸痛、畏寒喜暖、精神萎靡、腰膝畏寒等。脉象以沉脉、细脉、弱脉为主，舌象中以白苔、暗淡舌、薄苔、腻苔为主。因子分析获得13个公因子分为5类，发现肾阳虚证患者症状病位在四肢尤以下肢为主、心胸、膀胱、肌表和胃部，病性表现主要是虚寒、气虚、水饮及血瘀。聚类分析可聚为11类，反映了肾阳虚证患者以气虚、血瘀和水饮停滞为主的舌脉及症状表现，证候体现病位特征集中在肌表、四肢、脾胃、耳窍、心神和膀胱等，总体而言病性表现与因子分析基本一致，一派虚寒衰弱表现兼有水饮、血瘀表现。频数分析也显示常见兼证证候要素主要包括气虚证、饮停证、寒湿证、血瘀证。与非肾阳虚证组比较，肾阳虚证组CKD 3-5期出现比例更高，肾功能尿素氮明显增高（P<0.05），肾小球滤过率明显降低（P<0.05）；血红蛋白和红细胞计数明显降低（P<0.05）；尿蛋白定性等级明显提升。此外，经回归分析结果显示女性、不运动或很少运动、存在饮食偏嗜是CKD肾阳虚证产生的危险因素（P<0.05）。结论 CKD肾阳虚证症状表现在病位病性表现上均具有相应特征，其中医证型与其对应的生物学指标具有一定程度上的相关性，血红蛋白、红细胞计数及肾小球滤过率、尿素氮和尿蛋白等能够一定程度反映CKD肾阳虚证的证候内涵，生活中相关危险因素能够影响CKD肾阳虚证的产生。     

临床血液流变学指标检测报告单设计不合理应该修正

笔者发现虽然血液流变学广泛用于l临床已经20几年，但其指标检测报告单的指标设置仍然比较混乱。报告单设计不合理的现象普遍存在。笔者为了纠正这种现象而撰写此文。研究指出了哪些是科学合理必须的指标和设置这些指标的两方面依据。论文阐明了全血高剪变率、中剪变率、低剪变率黏度，红细胞变形性、聚集性指标的正确含义，并将若干指标的优劣性进行了分析、比较。笔者为血液流变学首次提出了红细胞变形率、红细胞聚集率这两个新概念。研究揭示报告单指标设置不合理性归纳为三个方面：指标太多，指标重复，指标无意义。产生这些不合理性的缘由是：检测仪器厂商炫耀其仪器功能齐全，利于销售；设计者和检验人员血液流变学知识浅薄，指标良莠不分。但愿此文能引起人们重视，共同促进临床血液流变学指标设置和检测规范化。