International Hand Function Study Following Distal Radial Access: The RATATOUILLE Study

BackgroundDistal radial access (DRA) has been proposed to improve procedure ergonomics and favor radial artery patency. Although promising data, nothing is known on evolving hand function after DRA.ObjectivesThis study sought to comprehensively evaluate hand function in patients undergoing DRA.MethodsReal-world patients undergoing DRA undertook a thorough multimodality assessment of hand function implementing multidomain questionnaires (Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand and Levine-Katz), and motor (pinch grip test) and sensory (Semmes-Weinstein monofilaments test) examinations of both hands. All assessments were performed at preprocedural baseline and planned at 1-, 6-, and 12-month follow-up (FU). Adverse clinical and procedural events were documented too.ResultsData of 313 patients (220 men, age 66 ± 10 years) from 9 international centers were analyzed. The Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand and the Levine-Katz scores slightly improved from baseline to FU (P = 0.008 and P = 0.029, respectively). Pinch strength mildly improved from baseline to FU (P < 0.001 for both the left and right hands). Similarly, touch pressure threshold appeared to faintly improve in both the left and right hands (P < 0.012 for all the sites). For both motor and sensory function tests, comparable findings were found for the DRA hand and the contralateral one, with no significant differences between them. Repeated assessment of all tests over all FU time points similarly showed lack of worsening hand function. Access-related adverse events included 19 harmless bleedings and 3 forearm radial artery and 3 distal radial artery occlusions. None affected hand function at FU.ConclusionsIn a systematic multidimensional assessment, DRA was not associated with hand function impairment. Moreover, DRA emerges as a safe alternative vascular access.     

TEN YEARS' EXPERIENCE IN LOW VISION PRACTICE

The Low Vision Clinic at the Palmerston North Hospital has now been oerating for 70 years. Over the course of these ten years a number of factors have emerged which can be as readily applied to general ophthalmological practice as to low vision practice. The philosophy of low vision care is one of which all ophthalmologists should be aware and includes factors to be taken into account when dealing with children, people in the workplace, and everyday factors involved in daily living activities, all of which are equally relevant in routine ophthalmological practice. This paper endeavours to share some thoughts on these factors and also discusses means by which the visually handicapped can be helped in areas where specialist low vision services are not readily available.     

更昔洛韦治疗婴幼儿手足口病的疗效观察

目的 探讨更昔洛韦对婴幼儿手足口病（HFMD）的临床疗效。方法 将65例婴幼儿HFMD患儿随机分为治疗组和对照组，治疗组加用更昔洛韦，观察临床有效率及不良反应率，并对结果进行统计学分析。结果 临床有效率治疗组为90．91地，对照组56．25％，引起白细胞下降，血小板下降治疗组为33．33％、27．27％，对照组为9．38％、3．13％，差异均有显著性。结论 治疗组疗效优于对照组，但须随访对白细胞和血小板的影响。     

近节指骨段屈肌腱鞘不同范围损伤对肌腱功能的影响

目的 探索手指屈肌腱在近节指骨段不同范围损伤时对屈指肌腱功能的影响。方法 采用12只成人尸体手指。实验分为:第一阶段屈指肌腱完整,以后四个阶段依次沿近节指骨掌侧小线闭开小央1/4、1/2、3/4及全长。在掌指关节被动屈80°和掌指关节屈80°同时近侧指关节屈100°时,测量指浅屈肌腱(FDS)和指深屈肌腱(FDP)的滑动距离。根据肌腱力臂和滑动距离的关系,得出屈指肌腱在掌指关节处和近侧指间关节及肌腱在近节指骨段的弓弦畸形程度。结果 腱鞘中央1/4切开时,指屈肌腱的滑动距离、力臂均无显著变化;1/2切开后,单纯屈曲掌指关节时的FDS腱和掌指、近节指间关节屈曲时的FDS、HDP腱的滑动距离和力臂较腱鞘完整时显苫增大(P<0.05);切开3/4长度后,FDS、FDP腱滑动距离均有统计学意义变化,FDS、FDP腱力臂平均增加8～9％;全切开腱鞘,FDS、FDP腱滑动距离变化正统计学上有高度显著性(P<0.01),两腱力臂分别增加16％和15％。随腱鞘切开范围增大,FDS、FDP在近节指骨段的弓弦畸形程度也越来越大。结论 从肌腱的生物力学变化可见,近节指骨段腱鞘的小范围损伤如中间1/4以内损伤时,对肌腱功能影响小,可以不予修复;若损伤超过1/2长度,尤其对腱鞘全长损伤,应予以修复以恢复肌腱功能。     

Grip and pinch strength among selected adult occupational groups

A survey of 402 normal subjects (203 men, 199 women) was conducted to assist in distinguishing potential differences in norms of hand strength. Norm data had previously been collected from mixed occupational groups, but in the present study it was hypothesised that people involved in heavy manual work on a daily basis might possess greater hand strength than others. The volunteers were adults working in industry and agriculture; they were subdivided into occupational categories. Measurements of grip, key and palmar pinch using the Jamar dynamometer and B and L pinch gauge were collected, using the protocol described by Mathiowetz. Volunteers also rated their individual hand strength job requirements subjectively. Mean values were established with regard to age, sex, dominance, occupational group and subjective rating. Significant differences were found with regard to age and sex but not to dominance; there was no evidence of differences between occupational groups or between subjective rating and individual scoring, i.e. volunteers who perceived their job as requiring a high degree of strength did not achieve higher test measurements than others. A high interrater reliability was demonstrated when comparing these follow-up measurements with the original data. It was concluded that, for clinical and rehabilitative purposes, therapists can interpret assessment of outcome most accurately by comparing patients' results with the existing norm data.     

Impaired modulation of motor cortex excitability by homonymous and heteronymous muscle afferents in focal hand dystonia.

A decrease of heteronymous median nerve-evoked inhibition of corticospinal projections to forearm extensor muscles was reported in a group of 10 dystonic patients by Bertolasi and colleagues in 2003. Here we tested the excitability of corticomotoneuronal connections to both wrist extensor (ECR) and flexor (FCR) muscles after conditioning stimulation of median and also radial nerve at rest in a group of 25 patients with focal hand dystonia compared to 20 healthy subjects. We also investigated the effect of the wrist dystonic posture, either in flexion or in extension, on the afferent modulation of ECR and FCR motor evolved potentials (MEPs). The heteronymous (median-induced) but also homonymous (radial-induced) inhibitions (interstimuli intervals 13-21 ms) of ECR MEP size observed in healthy subjects were decreased in patients. In addition, homonymous (median-induced) facilitation of FCR MEP size was also decreased in patients while heteronymous inhibition (radial-induced) was not. Neither the involvement of the target muscle in the dystonic posture nor the origin of the afferent volley (from a dystonic muscle) influenced the degree of impairment of afferent modulation of the MEP. These findings support the view that a global abnormal somatosensory coupling in focal hand dystonia may contribute to an inadequate motor command to wrist muscles.     

Predicting spontaneous early neurological recovery after acute ischemic stroke

We assessed predictors of spontaneous early neurological recovery after acute ischemic stroke by means of multivariate analysis in a cohort of 1,473 consecutive patients treated at one academic center. At hospital discharge, spontaneous neurological improvement or good outcome was defined as grades 0-2 of the Rankin scale, and poor outcome (no improvement or in-hospital death) as grades 3-5. Spontaneous recovery of neurological deficit at the time of discharge from the hospital was observed in 16% of patients with cerebral infarction (n = 238). Dysarthria-clumsy hand syndrome improved in 44% of patients and was the only variable significantly associated with in-hospital functional recovery in three logistic regression models that in addition to lacunar syndromes, included demographic variables, cardiovascular risk factors, and clinical variables [odds ratio (OR) 2.56], neuroimaging findings (OR 2.48), and outcome data (OR 2.39), respectively. Clinical factors related to severity of infarction available at stroke onset have a predominant influence upon in-hospital outcome and may help clinicians to assess prognosis more accurately. Our work gives a contribution into prognostic factors after acute ischemic stroke. With regard to patterns of stroke, dysarthria-clumsy hand syndrome was a significant predictor of spontaneous in-hospital recovery in ischemic stroke patients.     

Early parental adjustment to visible congenital disfigurement

Summary When a baby is born with a visible disfigurement, then parents need to adjust to the loss of the anticipated 'perfect' child and thus accept their baby. The impact of the birth on the parents is described in the context of a measure which identifies areas of potential difficulty. The two groups studied were parents of children with cleft palates and parents of children with congenital hand deficit. A wide range of adjustment was found. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of their overall adjustment, but there were individual differences in adjustment which did not relate to the severity or type of anomaly. The only significant variable found to relate to parental adjustment was perceived family support.     

前臂逆行骨间背侧皮瓣的临床应用

目的总结前臂逆行骨间背侧皮瓣的临床疗效。方法回顾性分析42例前臂逆行骨间背侧皮瓣，并结合文献阐明其变异程度及变异的处理。结果骨间背侧血管在前臂中1／3缺如1例．皮瓣边缘坏死；皮瓣向近端延伸超过4cm者4例，远端坏死，延迟愈合；其余均一期愈合：结论虽然前臂骨间背侧血管有变异，但前臂逆行骨间背侧皮瓣仍是修复手背中等大小创面较为理想的方法，以近点皮肤穿支向近端延伸皮瓣不要超过4cm。