A Noninterventional,Observational, European Post-Authorization Safety Study of Patients With Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myeloma Treated With Lenalidomide

IntroductionLenalidomide plus dexamethasone is effective and well tolerated in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM). In this observational, noninterventional European post-authorization safety study, the safety profile of lenalidomide plus dexamethasone was investigated and compared with that of other agents in the treatment of RRMM in a real-world setting.Patients and MethodsPatients had received ≥ 1 prior antimyeloma therapy; prior lenalidomide was excluded. Treatment was per investigator’s routine practice. Adverse events were analyzed by incidence rates per 100 person-years to account for differences in observation length and treatment duration.ResultsIn total, 2150 patients initiated lenalidomide, and 1479 initiated any other antimyeloma therapy, predominately bortezomib (80.3%), which was primarily administered intravenously (74.3%). The incidence rate of neuropathy was lower with lenalidomide (10.5) than with bortezomib (78.9) or thalidomide (38.7). Lenalidomide also had a lower incidence rate of infections (68.7) versus bortezomib (95.9) and thalidomide (76.0). Conversely, the incidence rate of neutropenia was higher with lenalidomide (38.0) than with bortezomib (18.2) or thalidomide (25.7). The incidence rates of thrombocytopenia were 24.4, 40.4, and 14.4 with lenalidomide, bortezomib, and thalidomide, respectively.ConclusionNo new safety signals for lenalidomide were identified in this study, which is the largest prospective real-world European study of lenalidomide in patients with RRMM to date. These results confirm that the safety profile of lenalidomide plus dexamethasone in RRMM in a real-world setting is comparable to that reported in clinical trials.     

温州口岸出入境人员心房颤动分析

目的了解温州口岸出入境人员中的心房颤动的发生情况，探讨旅行保健方法。方法对检出的48例心房颤动患者的资料进行分析。结果对2003．11-2004．10从温州口岸出入境的19862名人员进行心电图检查，发现心房颤动病例48例，检出率为0．24％，其中男性29例，女性19例，男女之间检出率没有显著差异。心房颤动多见于老年人。结论出入境人员进行健康体检具有重要意义。确保出入境人员的健康。     

Mortality rates in the Federal Republic of Germany following previous occupational exposure to asbestos dust

Summary In 1972, a procedure was introduced by the Industrial Injuries Insurance Institutes (Berufsgenossenschaften) of the Federal Republic of Germany, which is to be used by the special occupational health service for employees exposed to asbestos dust. Since 1 January 1972, occupational health examinations are performed when exposure to asbestos dust has been of at least 3 years' duration.On 1 January 1977, a prospective cohort study was started with employees formerly exposed to asbestos dust whilst working for companies manufacturing or using asbestos. Data on these persons are collected in the Central Register of Employees Exposed to Asbestos Dust of the Industrial Injuries Insurance Institutes. A total of 3,070 male and female employees in whom asbestos exposure terminated after 1 January 1972 formed subcohort I of the study. For comparison, 665 persons whose exposure terminated before 1 January 1972 served as subcohort II. In addition to several other inclusion criteria, each individual's permission was required before personal data could be evaluated.Of the subjects in the two subcohorts, 185 and 71, respectively, had died by 31 December 1982. Tumours were more frequently than this cause of death is expected in the general population. In addition to a high incidence of mesothelioma, the standard mortality rate was especially increased for lung cancer.The proportional mortality rates of about 40% for tumours of all sites (with about 17% lung cancer and 8% mesothelioma) especially in subcohort II, seemed to be comparable to the international figures for epidemiological mortality.Supported by the Central Office of the Industrial Injuries Insurance Institutes, Bonn, Contract no.638.31:376.3-4104.Presented as a Short Communication at the XXI International Congress on Occupational Health, Dublin, September 9–14, 1984.     

Electrocardiogram Interpretation Training and Competency Assessment in Emergency Medicine Residency Programs

OBJECTIVES: To determine the type of electrocardiogram (ECG) interpretation instruction in emergency medicine (EM) residency programs, the use and perceived value of teaching modalities and resources, and the methods used to assess competency of ECG interpretation. METHODS: An interactive survey instrument was posted on the Internet using SurveySuite, Inc., software and e-mailed to program directors (PDs) of all 125 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-approved U.S. EM residency programs. Responses are reported in total numbers and percentages. RESULTS: Ninety-nine of 125 PDs completed the online survey (response rate, 79.2%). Emergency department instruction (99%), case-based lectures (98%), and didactic lectures (98%) were most commonly used to teach interpretation of ECGs, followed by computer-based instruction (34%) and ECG laboratory (12%). The majority of programs (53%) spent more than eight hours on formal ECG lectures per year, while 11% spent less than three hours. Observation during clinical time (99%), lecture time (76%), and hypothetical cases (57%) were the most common ways to determine competency in reading ECGs, while clinical observation and hypothetical cases were perceived as the most valuable. The most commonly used resource was personal or departmental ECG files (91%), and this had the highest perceived value. The majority of PDs were comfortable with residents' abilities to read ECGs by the third year (96%) and fourth year (91%) of residency. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that EM PDs believe that EM residency is adequately preparing graduates to interpret ECGs. This goal is achieved through a variety of methods.     

投影法植入椎弓根螺钉的可行性

目的探讨通过椎弓根的投影法植入椎弓根螺钉的可行性及临床应用价值。方法通过对椎弓根的解剖及椎弓根投影的影像解剖研究,探讨通过椎弓根投影植入椎弓根螺钉的可行性,临床上前瞻性地利用该法植入胸椎椎弓根螺钉50枚,腰椎椎弓根86枚,术后CT复查。胸椎植入的成功率与经典Margel法对比,腰椎植入的成功率与经典的AO法对比,利用SPSS13.0的Pearson Chi-Squaretest对结果进行统计分析,分析该法与AO及Margel法的成功率是否存在显著差异。结果椎弓根的投影就是椎弓根行径在X线片及CT片上的投影,临床利用椎弓根的投影法植入胸椎螺钉16例50枚,Margel法31例74枚,投影法植入腰椎螺钉23例86枚,AO法32例142枚,投影法胸椎的成功率明显高于Margel法,腰椎的成功率与AO法没有明显的显著性差异。结论椎弓根投影法植入螺钉的方法是可靠、可行的。