Feasibility of a method for low contrast CT image quality assessment using difference detail curves for abdominal scans

This work describes a measurement method for assessing dose-related image-quality of CT scans based on the difference detail curve (DDC) method, and showcases its use in a low contrast setting. The method is based on a phantom consisting of elliptical slices of different sizes into which contrast object modules can be inserted. These modules contain contrast objects based on (synthetic) resin mixtures with sucrose (native) or sodium iodine (contrast medium). Mixing ratios are provided to achieve a range of clinically relevant CT-numbers with these materials. The phantom is characterized in terms of contrast accuracy, energy dependency and long-term drift with satisfying results. Contrast accuracy and energy dependency are similar to that of water or soft tissue. Image quality of 655 scans of the phantom acquired at 30 different clinical institutions and with 16 different CT scanner models from 4 manufacturers was assessed by calculating a difference detail curve (DDC) from evaluation of up to 5 human observers using a custom-made software (RadiVates) described in this work. Based on these measurements, inter-observer variability was quantified using a bootstrap method and was shown to be a large contributor to the overall variability. This work demonstrates that assessment of CT image quality is feasible with the aforementioned phantom and DDC method.     

低分子量肝素对子痫前期产妇产后凝血指标的影响

目的探讨低分子量肝素在子痫前期患者中的应用效果。方法回顾性调查我院2019年1~4月290例子痫前期患者,根据产后1 d采用的治疗方法分为肝素组(190例)及对照组(100例),分析比较两组的一般资料和凝血指标差异。结果肝素组的新生儿体重和Apgar评分(1 min)低于对照组(P<0.05)。肝素组与对照组在产前仅凝血酶时间、D-二聚体、血小板体积分布宽度有差异,产后1 d肝素组纤维蛋白原含量、血小板计数、血小板压积低于对照组,凝血酶时间、D-二聚体、血小板体积分布宽度高于对照组(P<0.05)。产后3 d仅D-二聚体有差异。结论在产后1 d应用低分子量肝素有助于子痫前期患者产后凝血状态向正常恢复。     

Effectiveness and safety of extracorporeal shock wave treatment for low back pain：a systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs

This meta-analysis was designed to assess the effectiveness and safety of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) for patients with low back pain (LBP). Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane's library, PEDro (Physiotherapy Evidence Database), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Wanfang Data were searched until December 2019 to identify studies assessing the effectiveness and safety of EPSW for LBP. The prime outcome is pain intensity measured by Visual Analog Scale (VAS) or numeric rating scale (NRS). Other outcomes included functional status, quality of life, psychological outcomes measured by Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), as well as the adverse events. Mean differences (MD) were calculated for continuous outcomes, while odd ratios (OR) were calculated for binary outcomes. Revman 5.3 software was used for statistical analysis. Five randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were finally included in this meta-analysis. The pooled mean difference in post-treatment pain scores was −2.37 (P ＜0.0001), indicating that post-treatment pain scores was significantly higher by 2.37 in control group than in ESWT group. At a mean follow-up time of 4–6 weeks, the pooled mean difference in ODI scores was −14.10 (P ＜0.00001), indicating that the pooled mean difference of post-treatment ODI scores was 14.10 higher in control group than in ESWT group. The use of ESWT is effective in alleviating pain and improving the general functional state for patients with LBP. However, more evidence was needed to verify its safety.     

“保胆”理念正误

胆囊切除术是公认的胆囊良性疾病的治愈手段，国内外学术界对于手术适应证和手术时机已有明确共识。近年来，“保胆手术”治疗胆囊良性疾病颇受热议，一些医生将“保护胆囊”的学术观点等同于“保留胆囊”的手术技术，这种误解可能导致病人出现差异性的预后。因此，临床医师应明晰“保护胆囊”理念与“保胆手术”的差别，对胆囊良性疾病的诊疗原则有正确的理解和应用。     

玻切二期术后低视力人群的护理策略

目的对玻切二期术后低视力人群采取特殊的护理策略,来平复病人的负面情绪,提高治疗满意度。方法对2019年11月6日至2020年11月6日在我院接受玻璃体切割二次手术的96名低视力患者进行特殊护理干预,然后进行回顾性分析。结果在结合实际病情分析采取的特殊护理策略干预下,病人术后情绪稳定,未出现不良投诉事件,满意度较高。结论对玻切二期术后低视力人群采取特殊的护理干预策略十分必要。     

An economic analysis of the cost of survival of micro preemies: A systematic review

ObjectiveThis study aimed to systematically review the current literature on the economic costs of micro preemie as well as evidence on the cost-effectiveness of interventions to improve outcomes for micro preemie babies with a birth weight of ≤500 g.MethodWe searched MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus, ECONLIT, Business Source Premier and Cochrane Library for studies reporting costs of micro preemie from January 2000. Costs were inflated to 2019 United States dollars (US$). All full-text articles were assessed for eligibility and a quality assessment of included articles was conducted using the Drummond and the Larg and Moss checklists.ResultsThe search identified three studies that met the inclusion criteria; two cost-of-illness studies and one cost-effectiveness study. Across studies, the mean healthcare spending per micro preemie survivor (in 2019 US$) ranged from US$61,310 (birth admission) to US$263,958 (inpatient and outpatient for the first six months of life). One modelling study reported exclusive human milk diet for micro preemies at birth was more cost-effective compared to the standard approach with cow milk diet from the third-party payer and societal perspectives.ConclusionDespite significant advances in perinatal care and expanded access to life-saving equipment to improve survival outcomes of micro preemie, there remains a paucity of research on economic costs associated with these babies. No study has utilised quality-adjusted life-years as an outcome measure. Given the chronic conditions and long-term neurologic disability associated with micro preemie survivors, an estimate of the lifetime cost to the individual, healthcare providers and society would provide a benchmark of the potential cost-savings that could accrue from cost-effective interventions to improve the survival rate of micro preemies.     

Tedium vitae in stroke survivors: a comparative cross-sectional study

Objectives: Suicide is best studied by deconstructing the psychological experiences preceding suicidal death. We assessed the characteristics of tedium vitae (feeling tired of life) after first ever stroke in Nigerian survivors.

Methods: Using the Schedule for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry, tedium vitae was assessed in 130 stroke survivors attending rehabilitation in a large Nigerian university hospital. Global cognitive and executive dysfunctions were evaluated, respectively, using the Mini Mental State Examination and the modi?ed Indiana University Token test. All participants had their index stroke 3 to 24 months before recruitment into the study. We also examined a comparative group of 130 age, gender, and education matched apparently normal persons who were unrelated to the stroke survivors. Associations were explored using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses.

Results: Tedium vitae was experienced by 16 (12.3%) stroke survivors compared with 5 (3.9%) in the comparative group (O. R = 3.5, 95% C. I = 1.3–9.9, p = 0.018). Among stroke survivors, those who were retired were more likely to experience tedium vitae (56.2%, p = 0.045). In analyses adjusting for the effect of systemic hypertension, cognitive dysfunction, retirement and marital separation, there was a 3.5-fold increase in the odds of experiencing tedium vitae after surviving a stroke (O. R = 3.5, 95% C. I = 1.1–11.6, p = 0.042).

Conclusions: Tedium vitae is a common suicidal experience after stroke and may be among the earliest perceptible pointer to impending poststroke suicide. It is easy to assess and may be less costly to obtain an adequate sample size in studies aiming to understand the phenomenon of suicide in the stroke population.