Association Between Patient and Physician Sex and Physician-Estimated Stroke and Bleeding Risks in Atrial Fibrillation

Background

Physicians treating nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF) assess stroke and bleeding risks when deciding on anticoagulation. The agreement between empirical and physician-estimated risks is unclear. Furthermore, the association between patient and physician sex and anticoagulation decision-making is uncertain.

四方联动防跌护理在社区跌倒高危老年人中的应用

目的探讨专科护士-社区护士-个体-家庭四方联动防跌护理模式在社区跌倒高危老年人中的应用与效果。方法选取深圳市龙岗区的2个社区,随机分为观察组和对照组,从两个社区登记建档的跌倒高风险老年居民中分别随机抽选45名进行干预。观察组采用"专科护士-社区护士-个体-家庭"四方联动推进的综合干预方案。对照组接受社区防跌倒常规护理。于干预前及干预后12个月使用修订版社区老年人跌倒危险评估量表、步态和平衡测试量表对两组老年人进行评测,记录两组1年内跌倒发生例次。结果干预期间跌倒发生情况:观察组1人次,对照组6人次。观察组步态和平衡测试得分提高,跌倒危险评估表得分降低,与对照组比较,差异有统计学意义(均P0.01)。结论四方联动的综合干预方案应用于社区居家老年人,能有效降低老年人跌倒风险,提升其防跌能力,对预防社区老年人跌倒的发生有积极作用。     

地中海贫血孕妇产前诊断的护理效果评价

目的研究地中海贫血孕妇实施产科综合护理模式的护理配合措施及效果。方法选择78例于我院检查地中海贫血孕妇,纳入时间为2017年5月-2018年5月,采用随机数字表法将其分为综合护理组与对照组,每组均39例。其中对照组采用常规护理形式,综合护理组行产科综合护理模式,对比综合护理组与对照组护理前后心理状态评估指标及家属的护理满意度。结果护理前综合护理组与对照组患者心理状态评估指标差异无统计学意义(P>0.05),与对照组(76.92%)相比,护理后综合护理组焦虑指标、抑郁指标更低,综合护理组孕妇及家属的护理满意度(94.87%)较高(P<0.05)。结论通过综合护理模式可提升地中海贫血孕妇护理满意度,并改善其心理状态。     

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.     

张立平教授治疗消化道术后胃肠功能紊乱经验

消化道术后胃肠功能紊乱影响着患者们的生活质量。张立平教授认为术后胃肠功能紊乱，证属本虚标实，临床治疗当从调理中焦-脾胃肝为切入点，强调"脾胃为本""中焦一体"的治疗思路，总结出脾胃虚弱、肝郁脾虚两个证型，临证时以培土达木为基本治疗原则，辨证论治，临床疗效显著。     

从“血不利则为水”探讨乳腺癌相关淋巴水肿

导致血不利的原因一是不足,即由于气、血、津、液等物质的缺乏致无源行血;一是不通,即水、湿、痰、饮、瘀、食积、火郁、内风、外伤等病理因素阻滞,致血行不畅。血瘀经脉之内,则水亦瘀积脉中,致脉络胀满,形成水肿。乳腺癌术后患者,金刃本已损伤血脉,术后的放疗、化疗又属祛邪之法,故机体元气受损,气虚无力行血,血运行不畅,导致患侧上肢水肿。故治疗乳腺癌相关淋巴水肿时,应当血水同治,即活血利水之法要贯穿始终。先病血而后病水者,可以活血化瘀为主,利水为辅;先病水后病血者,则以利水消肿为主,酌加活血养血之品。但需要注意的是:①临证时切不可拘泥于单纯的活血利水法,而忽视乳腺癌相关淋巴水肿(breast cancer related lymphedema,BCRL)患者机体本身的状况。②临证勿忽视五脏与血、水的关系,以及肺、脾、肾、三焦与水肿的内在关系。③可多种方法联合运用,审证求因,标本同治。BCRL术后宜补气活血,通脉利水;术后兼化疗者可疏肝健脾、利水消肿;早期可在活血利水基础上,侧重利湿消肿,后期多湿聚为痰,治疗侧重化痰软坚。     

Interaction of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors with dopamine receptors in synaptic plasticity of the mouse insular cortex

The insular cortex plays essential roles in nicotine addiction. However, much is still unknown about its cellular and synaptic mechanisms responsible for nicotine addiction. We have previously shown that in layer 5 pyramidal neurons of the mouse insular cortex, activation of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) suppresses synaptic potentiation through enhancing GABAergic synaptic transmission, although it enhances both glutamatergic and GABAergic synaptic transmission. In the present study, we examined whether dopamine receptors might contribute to the nicotine‐induced inhibition of synaptic potentiation. The nicotine‐induced inhibition of synaptic potentiation was decreased in the presence of a D1 dopamine receptor antagonist SCH23390 irrespective of the presence of a D2 dopamine receptor antagonist sulpiride, suggesting that D1 dopamine receptors are involved in nicotine‐induced inhibition. We also investigated how dopamine receptors might contribute to the nAChR‐induced enhancement of glutamatergic and GABAergic synaptic transmission. The nAChR‐induced enhancement of GABAergic synaptic transmission was decreased in the presence of SCH23390 irrespective of the presence of sulpiride, whereas that of glutamatergic synaptic transmission was not altered in the presence of SCH23390 and sulpiride. These results suggest that D1 dopamine receptors are involved in the nAChR‐induced enhancement of GABAergic synaptic transmission while dopamine receptors are not involved in that of glutamatergic synaptic transmission. These observations indicate that the interaction between nAChRs and D1 dopamine receptors plays critical roles in synaptic activities in layer 5 pyramidal neurons of the mouse insular cortex. These insular synaptic changes might be associated with nicotine addiction.     

The role of geriatric palliative care in hospitalized older adults

ABSTRACT

Take-Away Points:

1. Geriatric palliative care requires integrating the disciplines of hospital medicine and palliative care in pursuit of delivering comprehensive, whole-person care to aging patients with serious illnesses.

2. Older adults have unique palliative care needs compared to the general population, different prevalence and intensity of symptoms, more frequent neuropsychiatric challenges, increased social needs, distinct spiritual, religious, and cultural considerations, and complex medicolegal and ethical issues.

3. Hospital-based palliative care interdisciplinary teams can take many forms and provide high-quality, goal-concordant care to older adults and their families.