美国晚期老年痴呆症患者放弃维持生命治疗病例分析

目的分析美国老年痴呆症患者放弃维持生命治疗的决策。方法对美国某老年痴呆症专科护理中心(BDSC)的10个病例作纵向性研究,分析北美文化及医疗照护文化对放弃维持生命治疗决策的影响。结果BDSC有2个放弃维持生命治疗决策的模式：(1)尊重患者意愿,预立遗嘱放弃维持生命治疗;(2)考虑患者的生存质量,预立遗嘱放弃维持生命治疗。放弃管饲及放弃抗生素治疗的考虑不同,前者基于共识的信念,后者是对生存质量的考虑。结论BDSC所倡议的照护模式得以实践,显示对传统医护价值有三方面的转变。一是当老年痴呆症到了晚期,接受患者已步入死亡的事实;二是将传统医护焦点从拯救生命转变至重视生存质量;三是专注临终关怀,并竭尽所能,让患者在生命最后的一段日子得到最好的照顾。     

Dying patients in the intensive care unit: forgoing treatment, maintaining care

End-of-life care of patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) often requires dramatic shifts in attitudes and interventions, from traditional intensive rescue care to intensive palliative care. The care of patients dying in ICUs raises both clinical and ethical difficulties. Because fewer ICU patients are able to make decisions about withdrawing treatment, careful attention must be paid to previously expressed preferences and surrogate input. Cultural and spiritual values of patients and families may differ markedly from those of clinicians. Although prognostic models are increasingly able to predict mortality rates for groups of ICU patients, their usefulness in guiding specific decisions to forego treatment has not been established. When a decision to forego treatment is made, the focus should be on specifying the patient's goals of care and assessing all treatments in light of these goals; interventions that do not contribute to the patient's goals should be discontinued. Symptoms accompanying withdrawal of life support can almost always be controlled with appropriate palliative measures. After ICU interventions are foregone, patient comfort must be the paramount objective. Whether in the ICU or elsewhere, hospitals have an ethical obligation to provide settings that offer dignified, compassionate, and skilled care.     

The sequence of withdrawing life-sustaining treatment from patients.

PURPOSE: To describe the observed sequence of withdrawal of eight different forms of life-sustaining treatment and to determine whether aspects of those treatments determine the order of withdrawal. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We observed 211 consecutive patients dying in four midwestern US hospitals from whom at least one of eight specific life-sustaining treatments was or could have been withdrawn. We used a parametric statistical technique to explain the order of withdrawal based on selected characteristics of the forms of life support, including cost, scarcity, and discomfort. RESULTS: The eight forms of life support were withdrawn in a distinct sequence. From earliest to latest, the order was blood products, hemodialysis, vasopressors, mechanical ventilation, total parenteral nutrition, antibiotics, intravenous fluids, and tube feedings (P <0.0001). The sequence was almost identical to that observed in a previous study based on hypothetical scenarios. Forms of life support that were perceived as more artificial, scarce, or expensive were withdrawn earlier. CONCLUSION: The preference for withdrawing some forms of life-sustaining treatments more than others is associated with intrinsic characteristics of these treatments. Once the decision has been made to forgo life-sustaining treatment, the process remains complex and appears to target many different goals simultaneously.     

Association of depression and life-sustaining treatment preferences in patients with COPD

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Depressive symptoms and reduced health-related quality of life are common in patients with severe COPD. Therefore, understanding the association between preferences for life-sustaining treatment and depression or quality of life is important in providing care. No prior studies have examined the effects of depression and quality of life on treatment preferences in this population. DESIGN AND PATIENTS: Cross-sectional study of 101 patients with oxygen-prescribed COPD. METHODS: Patients completed the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire, Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression survey, and questions regarding their preferences for mechanical ventilation and cardiopulmonary resuscitation if needed to sustain life. RESULTS: Median age was 67.4 years, and median FEV1 was 26.3% predicted. Depression was significantly associated with preferences for resuscitation (50% of depressed patients and 23% of patients without depression refused resuscitation; p = 0.007), but was not associated with preferences for mechanical ventilation. Health-related quality of life was not associated with preferences for either resuscitation or mechanical ventilation. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians caring for patients with oxygen-prescribed COPD should understand that health-related quality of life does not predict treatment preferences and should not influence clinicians' views of patients' treatment preferences. However, depression does appear to influence patients' treatment decisions for cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and improvement in depressive symptoms should trigger a reassessment of these preferences.     

New guidelines on foregoing life-sustaining treatment in incompetent patients: an anti-cruelty policy

When certain ailments are an overwhelming and irremediable encumbrance, treatment directed at other curable ailments, although life-saving, cannot effectively achieve the goals of medicine. We are morally constrained from perpetuating the effects of a hopeless injury without prospect of benefit to the patient. An anti-cruelty policy is proposed as a new guideline for foregoing life-sustaining treatment that transcends the doctrines of "substituted judgment" or "reasonable persons" for certain incompetent patients. We propose the use of "anti-cruelty care" as an active chart order or progress note, and suggest that institutional ethics committees or governing bodies recommend its implementation.     

Relationship of general advance directive instructions to specific life-sustaining treatment preferences in patients with serious illness.

OBJECTIVE--To determine whether brief general instructions in a typical proxy-instruction advance directive (California Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care [DPAHC]) provide interpretable information about patient requests to limit life-saving treatments, and to determine whether patient treatment preferences are stable over time. DESIGN--Prospective structured interviews. SETTING--University of California, San Diego Medical Center and Veterans Affairs Medical Center, La Jolla. PATIENTS--One hundred four patients (from a randomly chosen sample of 185) with a 5-year life expectancy of no better than 50% as judged by their physicians. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES--Patients completed the California DPAHC, a proxy-instruction advance directive, at entry and at 1 year. The patients also completed a questionnaire at entry, after 6 months, and after 1 year, indicating their preferences on a five-point Likert-format comparative rating scale for cardiopulmonary resuscitation, mechanical ventilation, artificial nutrition, and hospitalization for pneumonia. RESULTS--Sixty-eight percent of the subjects executed the DPAHC. Most patients wished treatments to be limited or withheld under certain conditions of reduced quality of life. Although general instructions noted on the DPAHC and preferences regarding specific procedures were stable over the course of a year, the advance directive's general instructions were often inconsistent with, and poor predictors of, specific procedure preferences. CONCLUSIONS--The brief general instruction component of the California DPAHC is not helpful in communicating patient wishes regarding specific life-saving procedures.     

结核性毁损肺外科胸膜全肺切除手术后ICU治疗28例分析

目的 提高对结核性毁损肺行全肺切除患者的围手术期ICU的治疗水平.方法 对结核性毁损肺28例患者,于手术后住ICU监测治疗：动态监测生命体征、出血情况、肺功能、血气分析;治疗合并疾病;纤维支气管镜吸痰;应用呼吸机进行无创或有创机械通气,治疗急性呼吸衰竭.结果 20例患者经过ICU加强诊疗,术后顺利恢复;8例患者出现急性呼吸衰竭,经过无创及有创呼吸机机械通气治疗后好转;2例合并胸腔感染、支气管残端瘘患者,其中1例死亡.结论 结核性毁损肺胸膜全肺切除手术后病人的围手术期诊疗中,在动态监测病情、防治手术后应激反应、治疗手术后急性呼吸衰竭等方面ICU有明显优势.     

结核性毁损肺外科胸膜全肺切除手术后ICU治疗28例分析

目的提高对结核性毁损肺行全肺切除患者的围手术期ICU的治疗水平。方法对结核性毁损肺28例患者,于手术后住ICU监测治疗:动态监测生命体征、出血情况、肺功能、血气分析;治疗合并疾病;纤维支气管镜吸痰;应用呼吸机进行无创或有创机械通气,治疗急性呼吸衰竭。结果20例患者经过ICU加强诊疗,术后顺利恢复;8例患者出现急性呼吸衰竭,经过无创及有创呼吸机机械通气治疗后好转;2例合并胸腔感染、支气管残端瘘患者,其中1例死亡。结论结核性毁损肺胸膜全肺切除手术后病人的围手术期诊疗中,在动态监测病情、防治手术后应激反应、治疗手术后急性呼吸衰竭等方面ICU有明显优势。     

Seasonal changes in blood pressure and frequency of related complications in elderly Israeli patients with essential hypertension

BACKGROUND: Earlier studies on hypertension demonstrated seasonal variations in different age groups. However, slightly greater fluctuations were found in the hypertensive elderly. OBJECTIVE: We conducted a prospective 5-year study from January 1997 to December 2001 to evaluate the seasonal variation in blood pressure and the variables of age, gender, body mass index and related complications in elderly Israeli patients with essential hypertension. METHODS: Blood pressure was measured in four seasons in 182 patients (98 men and 84 women; age range 65-91 years) treated for hypertension in our outpatient clinic. RESULTS: Both systolic and diastolic mean blood pressures were higher during winter compared to summer (165 +/- 11.6 and 90 +/- 13.7 and 134 +/- 47.3 and 74 +/- 8.5 mm Hg, respectively; p < 0.001). There were no significant seasonal differences between spring and autumn or any correlation between the seasonal winter-summer difference in blood pressure and other studied parameters. Patients aged 65-75 years were unexpectedly more sensitive to winter-summer changes than older patients. There was a correlation between a large winter-summer difference in systolic blood pressure and a body mass index between 20 and 30, but there was none in lower or higher ranges. Supplementary antihypertension treatment was required during winter in 38% of these selected patients. Complications such as myocardial infarctions and strokes occurred twice as frequently in winter than in any other season (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Both systolic and diastolic blood pressures were highest during winter. Hypertension complications were more frequent in winter. Our results refute those of earlier studies that failed to find significant seasonal variations in blood pressure among the elderly.     

Longitudinal changes in attitudes of offspring concerning life-sustaining measures for their terminally ill parents

OBJECTIVES: To define longitudinal changes in the attitudes of offspring concerning life-sustaining measures for their older, terminally ill parents and to determine whether experience of a "life event" influences such decisions. DESIGN: An attitudinal survey of three groups. SETTING: The geriatric department of a university-affiliated general hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Fifty-one subjects who had been interviewed regarding life-sustaining treatment for their terminally ill parents were reinterviewed 6 years later. In addition, a control group composed of 116 participants was generated from patients visiting hospital outpatient clinics. The control group had no prior experience involving hospitalization of a first-degree relative as a result of a life-threatening situation. INTERVENTIONS: Each subject took part in a personal interview. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Attitudes regarding life-sustaining measures were assessed, and the subjects' sociodemographic and religious characteristics were noted. RESULTS: The attitudes of offspring in the acute phase situation and after the passage of 6 years were strikingly consistent. Twenty-one percent had requested the initiation of resuscitation in the acute phase ("real time"), and 27.4% said the same 6 years later. The provision of nutrition and medication was requested by approximately 70% of participants both at the acute phase and 6 years later. When comparing each individual's personal views at the interviews with all others, consistency in attitude was found among answers to most questions. When comparing the acute phase group with the control group, a significantly higher percentage of the former requested the initiation of resuscitation (48.3% vs 25%), whereas a smaller percentage preferred that the decision be made by the physician (3.5% vs 21.3%). Active euthanasia was requested by 6.5% of the acute phase group and 12.9% of the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The decisions made by offspring regarding life-sustaining measures for their terminally ill parent at real time remain unchanged 6 years after the event. Exposure to a life event significantly affects the decision-making of the offspring of a terminally ill parent. However, the subject's attitude toward extreme solutions--opposing active euthanasia and requesting the administration of nutrition and medication--was not influenced by the fact that the subject had undergone a life event.     

Perceived quality of life and preferences for life-sustaining treatment in older adults

We investigated whether perceived quality of life is associated with preferences for life-sustaining treatment for older adults. Participants included chronically ill, elderly outpatients (N = 258) and their primary physicians (N = 105). Patients and physicians were independently administered a questionnaire regarding patient quality of life and preferences for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and mechanical ventilation for the patient. Physicians rated patients' global quality of life, physical comfort, mobility, depression, anxiety, and family relationships significantly worse than did patients. Nearly all perceptions of patients' quality of life were significantly associated with physicians' perceptions, but not patients' treatment preferences. Patient-physician agreement on patient global quality of life was not significantly associated with agreement regarding treatment preferences. We conclude that primary physicians generally consider their older outpatients' quality of life to be worse than do the patients. Furthermore, physicians' estimations of patient quality of life are significantly associated with physicians' attitudes toward life-sustaining treatment for the patients. For the patients, however, perceived quality of life does not appear to be associated with their preferences for life-sustaining treatment.     

Attitudes toward discussing life-sustaining treatments in extended care facility patients.

OBJECTIVE: To determine nursing home residents' attitudes toward discussing life-sustaining treatment plans with their physicians and the factors associated with these attitudes. DESIGN: Random-sample, interviewer-administered survey. SETTING: Forty-one nursing homes in which some residents were cared for by house-staff physicians of the Hennepin County (Minnesota) Medical Center Extended Care Department. PATIENTS: Random sample of 150 nursing home residents receiving primary care from Extended Care Department physicians, 131 (87%) of whom completed the interview. RESULTS: Older individuals were less likely to have spoken with physicians and family members about treatment plans (p < 0.05), and to have felt that they had more say than necessary in their treatment (P < 0.05). Only 19 (14.5%) residents had formal treatment plan discussions about limiting life-sustaining treatment. Although perceived current health status did not differ between residents with and without treatment plans, those residents who had discussions about advance directives were more likely to report health improvement over the past 6 months (P < 0.05). Residents with formal advance directives were, on average, 8.4 years younger than those without them (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Younger patients are more likely to have had discussions about life-sustaining treatment and are also more frequently involved in plan development. Preferences for level of involvement should be considered during advance directive planning, and it should be recognized that these preferences may vary with age. Future research should evaluate whether this age relationship is a true age or a cohort effect.     

HLA antigens in Reiter's syndrome in Israeli patients

Major histocompatibility antigens (HLA loci A, B and C) were determined in 28 Israeli patients with Reiter's syndrome. The HLA-B27 antigen was found in only 8 (29%). Seven of the 20 B27 negative patients (35%) demonstrated crossreactive group antigens (CREG) B7, or Bw 22. HLA-B40 or Bw42 were not found. Only 3 of the 13 (22%) patients with the classical triad were B27 or Bw22 positive. In contrast, 12 of 15 patients with incomplete RS carried the B7 CREG antigens. These data suggest that in the Israeli population Reiter's syndrome is infrequently associated with HLA-B27 and that the B7 CREG antigens may be additional markers for this form of reactive arthritis.     

中药疗法治疗180例ICU重症肺部感染临床疗效观察

目的 对中药疗法治疗ICU重症肺部感染的临床疗效进行探讨.方法 将我院收治的180例ICU重症肺部感染患者,随机分为对照组和中药治疗组.对照组患者采用常规的西药治疗,中药治疗组在西药治疗的基础上,根据患者实际情况进行辅助的中药治疗.疗程结束后对两组患者的临床疗效、与肺功能有关的各项参数及安全性进行分析比较.结果 中药治疗组的不仅其临床总有效率（86.67%）远远高于对照组,而且其于肺功能相关的各项参数值也明显的高于对照组,且P〈0.05具有显著性差异.此外中药治疗组的安全性高达96.67%明显的高于对照组83.33%,且P〈0.05具有显著性差异.结论 中药治疗作为对ICU重症肺部感染的一种辅助疗法具有高效、安全的优点.