Radiologically recognized pleural changes in nonpneumoconiotic silica-exposed coal miners

OBJECTIVES: Whether nonpneumoconiotic silica-exposed coal miners develop radiologically recognizable pleural changes was studied. METHODS: In a retrospective follow-up study, the oldest and the most recent chest X-rays of 765 workers with a profusion category lower than 1/0 according to the International Labour Office were read. RESULTS: Altogether 720 (94.1%) workers had no abnormalities, and 45 (5.9%) showed some pleural alteration in the first X-ray. In 43 (6%) of the 720 with no initial abnormalities, some pleural change was detected in the last X-ray. There was a statistical difference (P = 0.022) according to silica exposure category [low: 5 (2.4%); medium: 8 (6%); high: 30 (8%)]. The relative risk for any pleural alteration was significantly increased in relation to the silica-exposed group [medium: odds ratio (OR) 5.72, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.4-23.5, P = 0.016; high: OR 7.62, 95% CI 2.1-27.2, P = 0.002] and to rib alterations (OR 3.74, 95% CI 1.4-9.7, P = 0.007). In 19 (2.6%) workers with no alterations initially, a costophrenic sinus alteration was detected later. Again the silica exposure categories [low: 1 (0.5%); medium: 3 (2.2%); high: 15 (4.2%)] differed significantly (P = 0.033). The relative risk of costophrenic sinus obliteration was significantly increased in relation to the silica-exposed group [medium: OR 8.59, 95% CI 0.7-113, P = 0.102; high: OR 16.44, 95% CI 1.5-177, P = 0.021]. The appearance of two costophrenic sinus obliterations and the disappearance of four were detected in the last chest X-ray of the 45 workers with some pleural alteration initially. CONCLUSIONS: Costophrenic sinus obliteration can be found in nonpneumoconiotic silica-exposed coal miners and seems to be associated with silica exposure intensity.     

腰椎间盘突出症术后专业康复师指导康复训练效果观察

目的目前研究认为,手术是根治腰椎间盘突出症(lumbar interertebral disc herniation,LIDH)的重要治疗方法。但通过手术治疗后,有一部分患者会遗留腰痛和下肢麻木等症状,本研究探讨LIDH术后专业康复师指导康复训练效果。方法将2016-06-01-2018-06-28于辽宁中医药大学附属医院接受手术治疗的70例LIDH患者作为研究对象,按照其初次就诊的顺序排号分为对照组和治疗组,每组35例。两组患者均给予术后对症治疗。对照组给予常规康复训练,治疗组由专业康复师指导系统康复训练,对术后各个阶段的锻炼力度和频次进行了严格要求并对患者进行差异性专业康复指导。两组均治疗3个月。比较两组治疗前后临床疗效、视觉模拟评分(visual analogue scale,VAS)、日本骨科协会(Japanese orthopedic association,JOA)腰痛评分和改良Oswestry功能障碍指数(Oswestry disability index,ODI)。结果治疗前两组VAS评分分别为(6.23±0.77)和(6.32±0.65)分,ODI评分分别为(61.31±3.47)和(62.43±3.45)分,JOA评分分别为(12.26±1.51)和(12.17±1.79)分,差异均无统计学意义,均P0.05。治疗周期结束后治疗组VAS评分为(1.46±0.42)分,优于对照组的(2.57±0.51)分,t=9.94,P0.01;ODI评分为(5.68±1.51)分,优于对照组的(10.22±1.92)分,t=11.00,P0.01;JOA评分为(26.29±1.24)分,优于对照组的(23.44±1.66)分,t=-8.14,P0.01。治疗组总有效率为94.3%,高于对照组的88.6%,差异无统计学意义,χ2=0.729,P=0.393。结论 LIDH术后系统的康复治疗,可以改善患者临床症状,减轻患者痛苦,帮助患者早日回归家庭和社会。     

Large-scale MPA injections

Data on the use of 3-monthly (later 6-monthly) injections of medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) in 3728 women at the McCormick Hospital and 5 cooperating clinics in Thailand are presented. 3 women receiving doses of 125 mg of MPA became pregnant. This dosage was raised to 200 mg and the 6-monthly dose is 400 mg. 1 reason the MPA program began was because a contraceptive method was needed that required little continued motivation. The IUD was losing popularity due to bleeding, expulsions, and other complications. Between July 1965 and December 1966, first choices were 1432 for IUDs and 198 for MPA. But from January to June 1967 first choices were 520 for IUDs and 2371 for MPA. The growing demand for MPA has been through patient recommendation. Of the 836 women on MPA up to February 25, 1967, 54 discontinued and 29 of these were to be followed up for possible restoration of the method. 9 stopped because bleeding problems. This low rate may be due to the routine use of oral estrogen for 2-3 days at the time of each full moon in an attempt to promote regular monthly withdrawal bleeding. It is concluded that the injection method of contraception control is becoming increasingly popular, is highly effective, and apparently safe.     

Unsafe injections.

In many developing countries use of unsterilized or improperly sterilized needles and syringes is common and causes millions of cases of viral hepatitis B and C as well as contributing to the spread of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other bloodborne pathogens. To combat this problem, WHO has stimulated the development of the "auto-destruct" syringe and encourages all donors, international agencies, and health departments to include a supply of such syringes with all vaccines supplied for emergency purposes. In addition, health providers and the public need to be educated about the risk of inappropriate and unsterile injections.     

Strategies for safe injections

In 1998, faced with growing international concern, WHO set out an approach for achieving injection safety that encompassed all elements from patients' expectations and doctors' prescribing habits to waste disposal. This article follows that lead and describes the implications of the approach for two injection technologies: sterilizable and disposable. It argues that focusing on any single technology diverts attention from the more fundamental need for health services to develop their own comprehensive strategies for safe injections. National health authorities will only be able to ensure that injections are administered safely if they take an approach that encompasses the whole system, and choose injection technologies that fit their circumstances.     

The cost of unsafe injections

Unsafe injection practices are associated with substantial morbidity and mortality, particularly from hepatitis B and C and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections. These inadvertently transmitted bloodborne diseases become manifest some considerable time after infection and hence may not be appropriately accounted for. Annually more than 1.3 million deaths and US$ 535 million are estimated to be due to current unsafe injection practices. With the global increase in the number of injections for vaccination and medical services, safer injecting technologies such as auto-disable syringes must be budgeted for. Investment in health education and safer disposal will also reduce infections associated with unsafe injecting practices. Safer injecting practices are more expensive than current less safe practices, but the additional cost is more than offset by the reduction in disease that would result.     

Provocation of poliomyelitis by multiple injections

Injections of vaccines provoked paralytic poliomyelitis in children in the UK and elsewhere. The effect of multiple injections has not been recognized previously but could be important in the tropics where children receive many injections. A number of epidemics of poliomyelitis between 1914 and 1962 are related to children with congenital syphilis or yaws under treatment with arsenicals or penicillin. Rates of 25% of children with paralysis occurred in epidemics while in non-epidemic periods the increase in susceptibility was about 25 fold. Other possible cases of provocation are discussed. Although in the tropics injections before paralysis may be causal, it will be difficult to prove that they are not coincident. The very high rate of paralysis following multiple injections is powerful evidence that injections in the tropics are often causal.     

Postabortal contraception with norethisterone enanthate injections

Intramuscular injection of 200 mg norethisterone enanthate (NET-EN) was given to five women on the day of first trimester abortion. The injection was repeated twice at eight-week intervals, and thereafter at twelve-week intervals for one year. Plasma samples were collected for FSH, LH/hCG, estradiol, progesterone and norethisterone (NET) determinations. NET-EN did not affect the elimination of hCG, estradiol or progesterone. Plasma NET concentrations reached a peak (5.5–11 ng/ml) in about ten days after the injection and declined constantly thereafter, to levels of 0.18–0.64 ng/ml at 8 weeks after the injection. NET-EN postponed the increase in FSH secretion until 17–20 days after the injection, $\text{i.e.}$ until plasma NET concentrations fell below 3 ng/ml. In three out of five women some follicular activity was present 5 weeks after NET-EN injection as evidenced by increased plasma estradiol concentrations. No ovulation occurred within 8 weeks after NET-EN injection, as judged by low progesterone values. There was a definite accumulation of NET during the first six months, when NET-EN injections were given at eight-week intervals. Mean plasma NET concentrations increased from 0.34 ng/ml at eight weeks to 0.78 ng/ml at 24 weeks. When the injection interval was increased to twelve weeks, the plasma NET concentrations prior to the next injection started to decrease. This was accompanied by increased follicular activity, culminating with one ovulation observed. It is concluded that in this population of women, an injection interval of less than twelve weeks is needed for ovulation inhibition.     

Hyaluronic acid injections relieve knee pain

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of intra-articular viscosupplementation therapy with hyaluronic acid for pain relief of knee osteoarthritis, we conducted a meta-analysis of randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trials. METHODS: We searched systematically for randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trials of hyaluronic acid (hyaluronan and hylan G-F20) for pain relief of knee osteoarthritis. Studies reporting pain visual analogue scale (VAS) differences were included in the meta-analysis. Changes in pain were measured by VAS for placebo and treatment, and summary estimates of the differences between the 2 arms were calculated at 1 week, 5 to 7 weeks, 8 to 12, and 15 to 22 weeks after the last intra-articular injection. Sources of heterogeneity were assessed using information on quality score, type of viscosupplementation, and VAS change in pain with activity or rest. Heterogeneity across the studies was significant in all analyses (P<.01); therefore a random effect model was used. Pain was measured either on activity or at rest. RESULTS: Eleven trials (9 hyaluronan and 2 hylan G-F 20) allowed calculation of the summary estimate of difference in change of VAS pain at 1 week, 6 of the 11 allowed the estimation between 5 to 7 weeks and 8 to 12 weeks, and only 3 at 15 to 22 weeks. The summary estimates of VAS differences between therapy and placebo injection: at 1 week, 4.4 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1-7.2); at 5 to 7 weeks, 17.7 (7.5-28.0); at 8 to 12 weeks, 18.1 (6.3-29.9) and at 15 to 22 weeks, 4.4 (-15.3 to 24.1). CONCLUSION: Intra-articular viscosupplementation was moderately effective in relieving knee pain in patients with osteoarthritis at 5 to 7 and 8 to 10 weeks after the last injection but not at 15 to 22 weeks.