The role of National Immunization Technical Advisory Groups (NITAG) in strengthening health system governance: Lessons from three middle-income countries—Argentina,Jordan, and South Africa (2017–2018)

IntroductionToward the Global Vaccine Action Plan 2020 goal, almost 90% of countries have established a National Immunization Technical Advisory Group (NITAG). However, little is known about NITAG's contributions to governance.MethodsIn 2017–2018, a two-step, qualitative retrospective study was conducted. Jordan (JO), Argentina (AR), and South Africa (SA) were selected owing to government-financed NITAGs from middle-income countries (MICs), geographic diversity, and a vaccine introduction with NITAG support. Country case studies were developed, collecting data through desk review and face-to-face key informant interviews (KIIs) from Ministry of Health (MoH) and NITAG. Case studies were analyzed together, to assess governance applying the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies framework focusing on transparency, accountability, participation, integrity, and policy capacity (TAPIC).ResultsDocument review and 53 KII (22 AR, 20 SA, 11 JO) showed NITAGs played a pivotal role as advisors promoting a culture of evidence-informed policies. NITAGs strengthened governance, although practices varied among countries. Meetings were conducted behind-closed-doors, participation restricted to members, only in one country agendas, and recommendations were public (AR). To increase participation, policy capacity, and transparency, countries considered adding experts in communications, advocacy, and economics. AR and SA contemplated including community members. NITAGs functioned autonomously from the government, with no established internal or external monitoring or supervision. NITAG meeting minutes allowed the review of integrity, adherence to terms of reference, standard operating procedures, and conflict of interest (CoI). For the most part, NITAGs abided by their mandates. Significant issues were related to the level of MoH support and oversight of CoI declaration and documentation.ConclusionsSystematically implementing governance approaches could improve processes, better tailor policies, and implementation. The long-term survival and resilience of NITAGs in these countries showed they play a significant role in strengthening governance. Lessons learned could be useful to those promoting country-driven evidence-informed decision-making.     

Morphological imaging and CT histogram analysis to differentiate pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor grade 3 from neuroendocrine carcinoma

PurposeTo compare morphological imaging features and CT texture histogram parameters between grade 3 pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (G3-NET) and neuroendocrine carcinomas (NEC).Materials and methodsPatients with pathologically proven G3-NET and NEC, according to the 2017 World Health Organization classification who had CT and MRI examinations between 2006-2017 were retrospectively included. CT and MRI examinations were reviewed by two radiologists in consensus and analyzed with respect to tumor size, enhancement patterns, hemorrhagic content, liver metastases and lymphadenopathies. Texture histogram analysis of tumors was performed on arterial and portal phase CT images. images. Morphological imaging features and CT texture histogram parameters of G3-NETs and NECs were compared.ResultsThirty-seven patients (21 men, 16 women; mean age, 56 ± 13 [SD] years [range: 28-82 years]) with 37 tumors (mean diameter, 60 ± 46 [SD] mm) were included (CT available for all, MRI for 16/37, 43%). Twenty-three patients (23/37; 62%) had NEC and 14 patients (14/37; 38%) had G3-NET. NECs were larger than G3-NETs (mean, 70 ± 51 [SD] mm [range: 18 - 196 mm] vs. 42 ± 24 [SD] mm [range: 8 - 94 mm], respectively; P = 0.039), with more tumor necrosis (75% vs. 33%, respectively; P = 0.030) and lower attenuation on precontrast (30 ± 4 [SD] HU [range: 25-39 HU] vs. 37 ± 6 [SD] [range: 25-45 HU], respectively; P = 0.002) and on portal venous phase CT images (75 ± 18 [SD] HU [range: 43 - 108 HU] vs. 92 ± 19 [SD] HU [range: 46 - 117 HU], respectively; P = 0.014). Hemorrhagic content on MRI was only observed in NEC (P = 0.007). The mean ADC value was lower in NEC ([1.1 ± 0.1 (SD)] × 10⁻³ mm²/s [range: (0.91 - 1.3) × 10⁻³ mm²/s] vs. [1.4 ± 0.2 (SD)] × 10⁻³ mm²/s [range: (1.1 - 1.6) × 10⁻³ mm²/s]; P = 0.005). CT histogram analysis showed that NEC were more heterogeneous on portal venous phase images (Entropy-0: 4.7 ± 0.2 [SD] [range: 4.2-5.1] vs. 4.5 ± 0.4 [SD] [range: 3.7-4.9]; P = 0.023).ConclusionPancreatic NECs are larger, more frequently hypoattenuating and more heterogeneous with hemorrhagic content than G3-NET on CT and MRI.     

中西医结合治疗癫痫伴抑郁Meta分析

目的:系统评价中西医结合治疗癫痫伴抑郁患者的临床疗效。方法:计算机检索中国知网、万方数据库、中国医学生物文献数据库、维普资讯、PubMed及Web of Science等中英文数据库,筛选出自各数据库建库以来至2018年7月关于中西医结合治疗癫痫伴抑郁的临床随机对照试验(randomized controlled trial,RCT)研究,根据系统评价标准依次进行文献质量评价和Meta分析。结果:纳入14个研究,共1183例患者。Meta分析结果显示:中西医结合治疗癫痫伴抑郁在降低HAMD评分、提高QLOIE-31评分方面优于单纯西药治疗。癫痫发作频次改善率效应值合并量OR=3.53,95%CI(1.73,7.17),Z=3.48(P=0.0005),差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。临床安全性效应值合并量OR=0.59,95%CI(0.35,0.98),Z=2.03(P=0.04),差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论:中西医结合足疗程治疗癫痫伴抑郁临床疗效优于单纯西药治疗,且临床安全性良好,但因纳入研究数量和质量有限,上述结论尚待高质量的RCT研究验证。     

中西医结合治疗动眼神经麻痹疗效观察

目的了解中西医结合法治疗动眼神经麻痹的临床疗效。方法对我院2012-03—2014-03收治的动眼神经麻痹患者进行抽样,择取74例患者随机分成2组,对照组予以基础性西医疗法,实验组在对照组治疗基础上予以中医疗法(包括针刺及服用中药正容汤等),观察2组患者的临床治疗效果。结果实验组总有效率(94.60%)明显高于对照组(64.86%),差异具有统计学意义(P0.05)。结论中西医结合法治疗动眼神经麻痹临床疗效确切,安全系数高,值得临床大力推广使用。     

辨证论治联合西药治疗IgA肾病的临床研究

目的研究辨证分型联合西药治疗免疫球蛋白a(Ig A)肾病的临床效果。方法选取收治的74例Ig A肾病患者,采用均衡分组法分为西药组和联合组,各37例。西药组采用氯沙坦钾片治疗,联合组辅以辨证分型治疗,治疗6个月后开展随访观察疗效。结果联合组治疗总有效率94.59%高于西药组的64.86%,联合组并发症发生率2.70%低于西药组的21.62%,联合组不良反应发生率2.70%低于西药组的24.32%,对比差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。治疗后,联合组血肌酐高于西药组和治疗前,尿红细胞、尿蛋白指标低于西药组和治疗前,对比有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论辨证分型联合西药治疗Ig A肾病的临床效果显著,可降低并发症及不良反应发生风险,改善其血液指标,具有较高临床推广价值。     

中西医结合治疗慢性支气管炎急性发作临床观察

目的研究中西医结合治疗慢性支气管炎急性发作的效果。方法选取2018年11月-2019年11月就诊的60例慢性支气管炎急性发作期患者作为此次研究的对象,其中2018年11月-2019年4月到院的30例患者归为对照组,予以常规西医给药治疗;2019年4月-2019年11月到院的30例患者归为观察组,在对照组的基础身上予以清化止咳汤治疗,对比2组的临床疗效、不良症状改善的时间变化情况及不良反应的发生情况。结果观察组患者的临床总有效率(93.33%)显著高于对照组(73.33%)(P<0.05)。观察组患者不良症状改善的时间均短于对照组(P<0.05)。观察组患者的不良反应发生率(6.67%)显著低于对照组(26.67%)(P<0.05)。结论予以慢性支气管炎急性发作期患者中西结合治疗,能够有效的减轻其临床症状,使不良症状能够更快速的得到改善,并且减少不良反应的发生现象,进一步提高患者身体健康的恢复。     

中西医结合精准护理在日间腹腔镜胆囊切除术围手术期的应用

目的:探讨中西医结合精准护理在日间腹腔镜胆囊切除术(laparoscopic cholecystectomy,LC)中的应用价值。方法:对2018年5月—2018年11月115例行日间LC术患者实施精准护理(观察组),并与同期住院行常规LC术患者92例(对照组)进行对比,观察组在常规护理的基础上,实施耳穴压豆联合穴位贴敷及精准护理方法,分析对比两组患者住院时间、护理满意度评分、术后疼痛评分、术后不良反应发生率等。结果:观察组住院时间、术后疼痛评分及术后不良反应发生率均明显低于对照组(P0.05),护理满意度评分明显高于对照组(P0.05)。结论:中西医结合精准护理可明显提高行日间LC术患者的护理质量,促进患者快速康复。     

Barriers to vaccination service delivery within general practice: opportunity to make a sustainable difference in Aboriginal child health?

Objective: To identify behavioural barriers of service provision within general practice that may be impacting the vaccination coverage rates of Aboriginal children in Perth, Western Australia (WA). Methods: A purposive developed survey was distributed to 316 general practices across Perth and three key informant interviews were conducted using a mixed‐methods approach. Results: Of the surveyed participants (n=101), 67.4% were unaware of the low vaccination coverage in Aboriginal children; 64.8% had not received cultural sensitivity training in their workplace and 46.8% reported having inadequate time to follow up overdue child vaccinations. Opportunistic vaccination was not routinely performed by 30.8% of participants. Key themes identified in the interviews were awareness, inclusion and cultural safety. Conclusion: Inadequate awareness of the current rates, in association with a lack of cultural safety training, follow‐up and opportunistic practice, may be preventing greater vaccination uptake in Aboriginal children in Perth. Cultural safety is a critical component of the acceptability and accessibility of services; lack of awareness may restrict the development of strategies designed to equitably address low coverage. Implications: The findings of this study provide an opportunity to raise awareness among clinicians in general practice and inform future strategies to equitably deliver targeted vaccination services to Aboriginal children.     

综合疗法治疗4~5期慢性肾脏病31例临床观察

目的:观察综合疗法治疗慢性肾脏病(CKD)4~5期脾肾亏虚证的效果。方法:将CKD4~5期脾肾亏虚证患者62例随机分为2组,其中治疗组31例,对照组30例(剔除1例)。对照组予基础治疗合中药、骨化三醇及碳酸钙D3片治疗,治疗组予基础治疗合中药、骨化三醇及益肾泄浊汤保留灌肠治疗,观察时间为4周。比较2组血肌酐(Scr)、肾小球滤过率(e GFR)、尿素氮(BUN)、血钙、血磷、碱性磷酸酶(ALP)、甲状旁腺激素(i PTH)及中医证候疗效。结果:中医证候总有效率治疗组为83.87%(26/31),对照组为73.33%(22/30),组间比较,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);2组Scr、e GFR、BUN、血磷治疗前后组内比较及治疗后组间比较,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.01或P<0.05);2组血钙、i PTH、ALP治疗前后组内比较,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.01),但治疗后组间比较,差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论:综合疗法治疗慢性肾脏病4~5期脾肾亏虚证效果确切,安全可靠。