Developments in the Market for Assisted Living: Residential Care Availability in 2017

ObjectivesDescribe how the availability of assisted living (AL) and dementia-specific AL vary across counties and correlate with demographic and socioeconomic characteristics.DesignMaps, univariate statistics, and standardized mean differences show the differences between counties with high and low levels of AL market penetration, and between counties with and without dementia-specific AL.Setting and ParticipantsData collected from state agencies on licensed AL communities, capacity, and geographic location, and population characteristics from the Area Health Resource file. We include novel and previously undescribed data on dementia-specific AL licenses in 21 states.MeasuresAL market penetration is reported as the number of AL units or beds per 1000 persons over age 65 years in a county.ResultsIn comparison to counties with the lowest AL penetration, high-penetration counties had higher high school and college education attainment (mean 25.3% vs 18.5%) and median annual income ($56,000 vs $46,800), and lower poverty (12.8% vs 17.3%) and unemployment rates (3.9% vs 5.1%). Compared to counties with AL but no dementia-specific care, counties with dementia care had substantially higher college attainment (24.6% vs 17.7%) and had higher urbanity index (3.8 vs 5.6 on a 1-9 scale, 1 most urban). Counties with dementia care also had, on average, 16% more in median household income ($54,200 vs $46,400) and 40% greater home value ($159,800 vs. $113,600).Conclusions and ImplicationsLarge socioeconomic disparities persist among counties without any AL or low penetration of AL in their borders in comparison to those with high AL penetration, as well as between counties with and without dementia-specific AL communities. There may be a mismatch in need and availability of residential care options for older adults with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias that contributes to the disproportionate share of racial/ethnic minorities with dementia in nursing homes. Lack of available AL beds in the communities where Medicaid individuals reside could make rebalancing efforts doubly difficult, in that Medicaid enrollees may be reluctant to move out of their neighborhoods.     

腰椎间盘突出症动物模型的研究进展

近年来,腰椎间盘突出症发病率逐渐增高,由于动物模型对于阐明疾病发病机制及评估新的治疗方法具有重要作用,越来越多的学者开始研究如何建立合适的、能够更好地模拟人类腰椎间盘突出的动物模型。近期的研究多选用包括大鼠、兔、羊、猪等动物作为实验对象,通过物理或化学方式直接损伤其椎间盘或神经根,或通过限制实验动物的行为动作、改变其饲养环境以及性别年龄导致的生理因素等方式诱导其出现椎间盘退变。各种造模方法均有其特点及局限性,适用于不同情况,有必要继续完善。     

连续性肾脏替代治疗联合中药灌肠对急性肾损伤患者尿KIM-1、NGAL水平的影响

目的:探讨连续性肾脏替代治疗(CRRT)联合中药灌肠对重症急性肾损伤患者尿肾损伤分子-1(KIM-1)、中性粒细胞明胶酶相关脂质运载蛋白(NGAL)水平和预后的影响。方法:回顾性分析89例重症急性肾损伤患者临床资料,依据不同治疗方式分为对照组43例和研究组46例,对照组采用CRRT治疗,研究组采用CRRT联合中药灌肠治疗。比较两组尿量恢复时间、重症医学科(ICU)住院时间、治疗前后肾功能、尿KIM-1、NGAL水平,序贯器官衰竭估计评分(SOFA)、急性生理与慢性健康评分表(APACHEⅡ)评分和预后情况。结果:研究组尿量恢复时间、ICU住院时间均少于对照组(P<0.05)。治疗前,两组肾功能、尿KIM-1、NGAL水平,SOFA、APACHEⅡ评分比较,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05); 治疗后,两组肾功能指标、尿KIM-1、NGAL水平,SOFA、APACHEⅡ评分均较治疗前下降,研究组低于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。研究组死亡率较对照组低(P<0.05)。结论:CRRT联合中药灌肠能够促进重症急性肾损伤患者肾功能的恢复,降低尿KIM-1、NGAL水平,改善预后。     

颈椎终板弧形高度与椎间隙后缘骨赘的相关性研究

目的：通过对颈椎病患者上下终板弧形高度、椎间隙高度与椎间隙后骨赘的影像学测量，研究其相关性及其临床应用价值。方法：收集2017年9月至2018年9月颈椎病手术108例患者的临床资料，男48例，年龄30~72岁，平均52岁，女60例，年龄37~79岁，平均54岁。其中C_2，3 6例，C_3，4 15例，C_4，5 32例，C_5，6 42例，C_6，7 13例。术前及术后摄颈椎X线片，利用PACS（Picture Archiving and Communication Systems）调阅影像，测量椎间隙的下上终板弧形高度（L₁，L₂），椎间隙高度（L₃）及后方骨赘的宽度（L₄）。利用Spearman分析它们之间的相关性。结果：L₁与L₄对比（r=-0.34，P<0.05），L₃与L₄对比（r=-0.36，P<0.05），存在负相关。L₁与L₃对比（r=0.38，P<0.05），L₂与L₃对比（r=0.48，P<0.05），存在正相关。L₁与L₂对比（P>0.05），L₂与L₄对比（P>0.05），差异无统计学意义。结论：下终板弧形高度与椎间隙后缘骨赘宽度呈负相关，通过其测量可明确颈椎退变程度，对颈椎病的早期防治有指导意义。     

耳穴贴压联合涌泉穴按摩对老年原发性高血压患者血压变异性的影响

目的:探讨耳穴贴压联合涌泉穴按摩治疗老年原发性高血压的效果及对患者血压变异性(BPV)的影响。方法:将94例老年原发性高血压患者随机分为对照组(n=47)和观察组(n=47)。常规西医治疗基础上,观察组给予王不留行籽耳穴贴压联合涌泉穴按摩治疗。比较两组治疗前后收缩压(SBP)、舒张压(DBP)水平、SBP/DBP下降幅度并评估降压疗效,BPV根据24 h动态血压监测结果评估,计算两组治疗前后24h SBP标准差(24h SBP)、24h DBP标准差(24h DBP)、白天SBP标准差(dSSD)、白天DBP标准差(dDSD)、夜间SBP标准差(nSSD)和夜间DBP标准差(nDSD),记录两组治疗期间不良反应情况。结果:观察组治疗后SBP、DBP水平和下降幅度均优于对照组(P<0.05); 观察组降压总有效率97.87%明显高于对照组82.98%,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05); 对照组治疗后24h SBP、24h DSD、dSSD、dDSD较治疗前有明显下降(P<0.05),观察组治疗后24h SBP、24h DSD、dSSD、dDSD、nSSD显著低于治疗前(P<0.05),观察组治疗后24h SBP、24h DSD、dSSD均显著低于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05); 两组不良反应以头晕、头痛、恶心和眩晕为主,症状程度均较轻,患者耐受性好,组间不良反应率比较差异均无统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论:常规西医治疗基础上给予中医耳穴贴压联合涌泉穴按摩,不仅能有效降低老年原发性高血压患者血压水平和增益降压疗效,而且能显著降低BPV。     

Risk factors for an atherothrombotic event in patients with diabetic macular edema treated with intravitreal injections of bevacizumab

AIM: To identify risk factors for an atherothrombotic event (ATE) among patients who were treated for DME with intravitreal bevacizumab injections. METHODS: This retrospective study enrolled all consecutive patients with DME who were treated by intravitreal bevacizumab from 2009 through 2016 in a single center. They were divided into one group treated by bevacizumab and subsequently had an ATE and a second group also treated by bevacizumab and did not have an ATE. RESULTS: A total of 455 patients with DME were enrolled. Seventy-two of the patients had an ATE. A multivariate model adjusted for age, gender, smoking, body mass index, HbA1c, duration of diabetes, creatinine, and blood pressure revealed an increased risk for ATE in the patients with diabetic duration of more than 13y, a systolic blood pressure over 153 mm Hg at first treatment, or having been treated by more than 4 intravitreal bevacizumab injections. Additionally, patients that had an ATE within 3mo from the last intravitreal treatment underwent more bevacizumab injections (5.17±3.82 vs 3.08±1.96; P=0.0003). CONCLUSIONS: The risk factors for an ATE identified in this study were systolic blood pressure >153.5 mm Hg, a history of diabetic mellitus for more than 13y, and treatment with more than 4 intravitreal bevacizumab injections. These factors need to be borne in mind when bevacizumab is being considered in the management of patients with DME.