Tranexamic acid through intravenous,intramuscular and oral routes: an individual participant data meta‐analysis of pharmacokinetic studies in healthy volunteers

Tranexamic acid (TXA) is an antifibrinolytic drug that reduces surgical blood loss and death due to bleeding after trauma and post‐partum haemorrhage. One key issue for treatment success is early administration. While usually given intravenously, oral and intramuscular use would be useful in specific circumstances. Therefore, an understanding of TXA pharmacokinetics when given via different routes is valuable. The aim of this study was to perform an individual participant data meta‐analysis of pharmacokinetic studies with TXA given to healthy volunteers via different routes. We searched the following databases: PubMed, Web of Science, Wiley Online Library, Elsevier Science Direct and J‐STAGE. Individual subject data were extracted when available, otherwise arithmetic means were used. A population pharmacokinetic model was developed using nonlinear mixed effect modelling. Seven studies were included in the analysis with data from 10 patients for the IV route, six patients for the IM route and 114 patients for the oral route. The pharmacokinetics was ascribed to a two‐compartment model, and the main covariate was allometrically scaled bodyweight. Oral and IM bioavailabilities were 46 and 105%, respectively. For a 70 kg bodyweight, the population estimates were 7.6 L/h for clearance, 17.9 L for the volume of the central compartment, 2.5 L/h for the diffusional clearance and 16.6 L for the peripheral volume of distribution. Larger well‐designed studies are needed to describe the pharmacokinetics of TXA when given IM or as an oral solution before these can be recommended as alternatives to IV.     

全程分期式健康教育对Miles术后患者生活质量的影响

目的探讨全程分期式健康教育对Miles术患者生活质量的影响.方法将80例行Miles术的直肠癌患者随机分为观察组与对照组各40例.观察组采用全程分期式健康教育,对照组采用传统的手术前后宣教.两组均在出院前,出院后1、3、6个月发放Miles术患者生活质量问卷,在出院前发放护理工作满意度调查表进行调查.结果观察组出院前自理能力、造口情况、心理状况及护理工作满意度显著优于对照组(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),出院时间显著缩短(P＜0.05);出院后观察组自理能力、造口情况等及生活质量总分均显著优于对照组(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).结论全程分期式健康教育能有效提高Miles术患者的近期和远期生活质量.     

产后家庭角色适应状况调查研究

目的了解产后家庭角色的适应情况,并探讨可能影响家庭角色适应的因素.方法采用自行设计的问卷对初产妇及其丈夫在角色认同、亲子依附的建立及照顾行为的实施三方面进行问卷调查.结果调查对象角色适应情况总体良好.初产妇及其丈夫在与新生儿进行语言沟通、抚触等亲子依附行为以及在购置婴儿用品、为新生儿换尿布、为新生儿洗澡三方面照顾行为的适应情况相对薄弱.良好的夫妻关系有助于产后家庭角色认同(t=2.04,P<0.05),计划妊娠有助于产后家庭全面的角色适应(t=3.51、2.64、2.64,均P<0.01);对新生儿性别满意的家庭在角色认同(t=3.51,P<0.01)和亲子依附的建立(t=2.21,P<0.05)方面适应较好.结论产科护理工作者应根据产后家庭成员角色适应情况,有针对性地加强住院期间的健康教育及产后家庭随访,以促进家庭角色的适应.     

小剂量低LET辐射对人淋巴细胞SCE的影响

本文用磷酸盐Giemsa法观察了小剂量X射线照射对人离体外周血淋巴细胞SCE的影响。其结果照射组各剂量点均不明显地高于对照组,证实了SCE对电离辐射不敏感,说明染色体结构畸变和SCE的发生是彼此独立的两个不同事件。     

乳腺影像学报告及数据系统:超声良恶性病变鉴别诊断初探

1992年美国放射学会制定了乳腺影像学报告及数据系统(breast imaging reporting and data system,BI-RADS),2003年第四版修订时包括了超声诊断(BI-RADS-US)。本文旨在初步探讨BI-RADS-US对于乳腺良恶性病变鉴别诊断的能力。我们收集了2006年1月至2007年3月期间、获得病理诊断的乳腺占位性病变共69例72灶。均为女性,年龄14-83岁,平均41.6岁。首先根据一般的非BI-RADS标准,做出良恶性鉴别。然后用BI-RADS-US标准进行鉴别和分级(0-6级),其中2级和3级为良性和良性可能性大,4级为性质待定,5级为恶性可能性大。计算并比较上述两种方法的准确性、敏感性、特异性。结果在72病灶中,根据非BI-RADS标准,诊断为良性者40灶,符合病理诊断者38灶(95.0%),诊断为恶性者23灶,符合病理者18灶(78.3%);诊断为性质待定者9灶。根据BI-RADS-US标准和分级,2级和3级共有37灶,与病理结果符合者为36灶(97.2%);5级有31灶,与病理符合者为22灶(71.0%);4级有4灶。非BI-RADS和BI-RADS-US的准确性各为83.3%和81.9%(P=1.000),敏感性各为91.7%和95.8%(P=1.000),特异性各为79.2%和75.0%(P=0.754)。总之,第一版BI-RADS-US在乳腺良恶性病变鉴别诊断方面的初步应用表现出较高的敏感性,而与非BI-RADS方法比较则尚无明显差别。     

Discussing options between patients and health care professionals in genetic diagnosis: ethical and legal criteria

The specific characteristics of genetic data lead to ethical-legal conflicts in the framework of genetic diagnosis. Several international organisations, including UNESCO and the Council of Europe, have enacted rules referring to the use of genetic information. This paper discusses possible legal and ethical criteria that could be used in genetic testing.     

Statistical clues to postoperative blood loss: Moving averages applied to medical data

With the advent of computerized databases, medical data has become easy to accumulate; however, effective use of this data continues to pose significant problems. In other circumstances, smoothing algorithms have been used to uncover non-obvious correlations, trends and relationships in noisy data. We have applied four such algorithms to a large dataset of postoperative blood replacement in cardiopulmonary bypass patients. When applied to this dataset, one of the algorithms proved surprisingly effective. It confirmed several previously observed correlations, and also provided an additional series of counterintuitive and apparently unrelated associations. These associations have been explored in an accompanying paper.     

New scoring matrix for amino acid residue exchanges based on residue characteristic physical parameters

Based on residue characteristic physical parameters, a new scoring matrix, called EMPAR, for amino acid exchanges in proteins was obtained. When comparing protein sequences for detecting homologies, the use of this matrix in place of the Dayhoff log-odds matrix yields results that reflect the topological similarities in the proteins. The use of EMPAR is equivalent to the parametric correlation coefficient approach of Ooi and his colleagues. This matrix correlates at 0.63 with the Dayhoff matrix.     

Pharmacy customers’ views and experiences of using pharmacies which provide needle exchange services in Aberdeen and Glasgow, Scotland

Community pharmacists contribution to the management of drug problems is considerable. As the use of illicit drugs has increased, pharmacists have come under increasing pressure to offer services to problem drug users. However, there is concern among some pharmacists that offering such services may deter other customers. There is particular concern among some pharmacists about needle exchange services. Only 9.5% of Scottish pharmacies offer needle exchange services compared to 69% which are dispensing methadone (57% of which supervise methadone consumption). Qualitative interviews were used in a purposive sample of 10 pharmacies in Scotland. Eight customers were interviewed in each pharmacy to ascertain pharmacy customers’ views on these services. The majority of customers were supportive of these services. Customers were often unaware that the pharmacy they were interviewed in was offering services for people with drug problems. Pharmacy customers were more knowledgeable about, and more supportive, of needle exchange services than they were of methadone. This was because they believed needle exchange services helped to reduce the amount of discarded needles in public places. Pharmacy customers also recognised that needle exchange helped reduce the spread of disease. These findings should be used to encourage more pharmacists to offer needle exchange services.