Patient-based outcomes and quality of life

Patient-based outcomes complement clinical data with patients’ self-evaluation of their physical, psychological, and social well-being, and as such facilitate clinical decision-making, assessing the quality of care provided, and evaluating practices and policies. Some validated generic oral health-related quality of life measures used in recent research indicated a high performance. There is a proportional relationship between the quality of life and periodontitis, ie, the higher the level of periodontitis, the poorer the oral health-related quality of life. This relationship is heightened by the presence of symptoms such as bleeding, halitosis, and mobility. On the other hand, periodontal treatment has demonstrated the capability to improve quality of life substantially. Future research should focus on questionnaires that are able to explain the interlinked pathways between periodontal conditions, approaches to treatment approaches, and patients’ well-being. The acquisition of new knowledge in the field is essential for the whole community, as we treat people not millimeters.     

Higher Imaging Yield When Clinical Decision Support Is Used

ObjectiveIncreased utilization of CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA) for the evaluation of pulmonary embolism has been associated with decreasing diagnostic yields and rising concerns about the harms of unnecessary testing. The objective of this study was to determine whether clinical decision support (CDS) use would be associated with increased imaging yields after controlling for selection bias.MethodsWe performed a retrospective cohort study in the emergency departments of two tertiary care hospitals of all CTPAs performed between August 2015 and September 2018. Providers ordering a CTPA are routed to an optional CDS tool, which allows them to use Wells’ Criteria for pulmonary embolism. After propensity score matching, CTPA yield was calculated for the CDS-use and CDS-dismissal groups and stratified by provider type.ResultsA total of 7,367 CTPAs were ordered during the study period. Of those, providers used the CDS tool in 2,568 (35%) cases and did not use the tool in 4,799 (65%) of cases. After propensity score matching, CTPA yield was 11.99% in the CDS-use group and 8.70% in the CDS-dismissal group (P < .001). Attending physicians, residents, and physician assistant CDS users demonstrated a 56.5% (P = .006), 38.7% (P = .01), and 16.7% (P = .03) increased yield compared with those who dismissed the tool, respectively.DiscussionDiagnostic yield was 38% higher for CTPAs when the provider used the CDS tool, after controlling for selection bias. Yields were higher for every provider type. Further research is needed to discover successful strategies to increase provider use of these important tools.     

Supporting government policies to embed and expand rehabilitation in health systems in Europe: A framework for action

Investment in action is vital to confront the challenges associated with chronic diseases and disability facing European health systems. Although relevant policy responses are being increasingly developed, most of them fail to recognize the role of rehabilitation services in achieving public health and social goals. Comprehensive guidance is thus urgently needed to support rehabilitation policy development and expand access to rehabilitation care to meet population needs effectively. This paper describes a framework to guide policy action for rehabilitation in Europe. The framework was developed in collaboration with the European Academy of Rehabilitation Medicine based on a focused literature review and expert consultations. A review in PubMed and grey literature sources identified 458 references and resulted in 135 relevant documents published between 2006 and 2019. Thematic analysis of extracted information helped summarize the findings and develop the draft policy action framework. This was circulated to a wider group of experts and discussed in three workshops in 2018-2019. The framework was revised according to their feedback.The proposed framework contains 48 options for policy action organized in six domains and twelve subdomains that address several areas of health programming. The proposed framework provides a structure to understand the policy terrain related to rehabilitation in Europe and the measures required for translating aspirational political pronouncements into targeted programmatic action and tangible health and social outcomes.     

知母种子质量分级标准的研究

目的:研究制定知母种子的质量分级标准。方法:通过对不同产地20个批次知母种子的净度、千粒质量、含水量、生活力、发芽率等指标测定和外观形态观察,利用Excel 2010、SPSS 20.0软件对以上数据进行相关分析、主成分以及K-均值聚类分析,初步确定知母种子质量分级指标和分级标准,且以各等级知母种子分别在田间对比种植,通过测定1年产苗量,2年药材产量及有效成分含量,验证知母种子质量分级标准的合理性。结果:Ⅰ级知母种子发芽率不低于85%,千粒质量不低于7.5 g,净度不低于95%;Ⅱ级知母种子发芽率不低于70%,千粒质量不低于7.0 g,净度不低于85%;Ⅲ级知母种子发芽率不低于65%,千粒质量不低于6.0 g,净度不低于80%;各级种子含水量均小于10%。结论:发芽率和千粒质量为知母种子质量分级标准的主要指标,净度和含水量为参考指标。不同等级知母种子种植后对知母种苗产量、药材产量及质量会有显著影响。该研究制定的知母种子质量分级标准科学可行、符合生产实际,为知母的种子质量评价和规范化栽培提供参考依据。     

参麦注射液质量影响因素的研究进展

参麦注射液是由红参、麦冬制得的中药注射剂,具有益气固脱、养阴生津、生脉的功效,临床上用于治疗气阴两虚型之休克、冠心病、病毒性心肌炎、慢性肺心病、粒细胞减少症。主要围绕与产品质量紧密相关的生产工艺、药材质量、辅料3个方面进行总结,为优化该产品的生产工艺、提高产品质量提供参考。     

高血压与男性生殖损伤男性生殖功能的研究进展

高血压是我国常见的慢性病,随着高血压患病人群年轻化以及生育年龄的延后,高血压对男性生殖相关疾病的影响逐渐被重视。本文就高血压与抗高血压药物对男性勃起功能障碍(Erectile dysfunction,ED)和男性生育力标志物的影响进行综述。