A clinician's perspective on chronic pancreatitis--2002

The diagnosis and management of chronic pancreatitis represents a significant challenge to clinicians. Progress is being made in our understanding of this disease, especially in the area of genetics and molecular biology. Despite these advances, diagnosis of early-stage disease depends on indirect tests, and management is limited to relief of obstruction if present. This review will concentrate on mild to moderate chronic pancreatitis and explore the current state of the diagnosis and management of this disease.     

A clinician's understanding of ethics in palliative care: an American perspective

I believe the standard for making ethical decisions should be the same for all patients: appropriate medical interventions, carefully weighing their benefits and burdens, and trying to honor the wishes of the patients. When cure is not possible, the balance between benefits and burdens should shift to greater consideration of the burden side of the equation. The ascendancy of autonomy over other medical ethical principles is the center for most of the ethical dilemmas encountered in palliative care. This paper discusses the issues of autonomy, informed consent, patient capacity, advance directives, futility, "do-not-resuscitate" orders, withholding or withdrawing interventions, euthanasia, and sedation therapy. After 41 years of my personally caring for over 4000 terminally ill patients, primarily at Calvary Hospital, the most practical approach has been to establish trust with patients and families, determining their goals, and diligently applying the principles of beneficence (benefits) and nonmaleficence (burdens) in everyday practice.     

A European perspective on quality of life in old age

This article focuses on the scientific study of quality of life in old age and summarises, on the one hand, what we know and, on the other, what further research is needed. It consists of three main parts, with an extended introduction charting the recent evolution of a European perspective on ageing. First of all, it emphasises the amorphous, multidimensional and complex nature of quality of life and the high level of inconsistency between scientists in their approach to this subject. Secondly, the article summarises the main areas of consensus about quality of life in old age—its dynamic multifaceted nature, the combination of life course and immediate influences, the similarities and differences in the factors determining quality of life between younger and older people, the most common associations with quality of life and the likely variations between groups, and the powerful role of subjective self-assessment. Thirdly, the main research priorities and gaps in knowledge are outlined, together with the key methodological issues which must be tackled if comparative, interdisciplinary research on quality of life is to develop further. The main sources for the article are two European Framework Programme projects—the one a small five-country comparison and the other a large multidimensional project which, among other things, has been developing recommendations for research on quality of life in old age and included an extensive literature review on this topic. The article also draws on the recently completed UK Growing Older Programme of research on extending quality of life. This article was previously published with DOI s10433-005-0015-8, which was mistakenly created twice and has therefore been replaced by the current DOI. I would like to thank very warmly the following for their help with this paper: Ann Bowling, Joe Cook, Rocio Fernández-Ballesteros, the EJA’s anonymous referees, and all of the participants in the FORUM project quality of life workshops.     

A European perspective on quality of life in old age

This article focuses on the scientific study of quality of life in old age and summarises, on the one hand, what we know and, on the other, what further research is needed. It consists of three main parts, with an extended introduction charting the recent evolution of a European perspective on ageing. First of all, it emphasises the amorphous, multidimensional and complex nature of quality of life and the high level of inconsistency between scientists in their approach to this subject. Secondly, the article summarises the main areas of consensus about quality of life in old age—its dynamic multifaceted nature, the combination of life course and immediate influences, the similarities and differences in the factors determining quality of life between younger and older people, the most common associations with quality of life and the likely variations between groups, and the powerful role of subjective self-assessment. Thirdly, the main research priorities and gaps in knowledge are outlined, together with the key methodological issues which must be tackled if comparative, interdisciplinary research on quality of life is to develop further. The main sources for the article are two European Framework Programme projects—the one a small five-country comparison and the other a large multidimensional project which, among other things, has been developing recommendations for research on quality of life in old age and included an extensive literature review on this topic. The article also draws on the recently completed UK Growing Older Programme of research on extending quality of life. This article was previously published with DOI s10433-005-0015-8, which was mistakenly created twice and has therefore been replaced by the current DOI. I would like to thank very warmly the following for their help with this paper: Ann Bowling, Joe Cook, Rocio Fernández-Ballesteros, the EJA’s anonymous referees, and all of the participants in the FORUM project quality of life workshops.     

Benzene-induced acute myeloid leukemia: a clinician's perspective

Benzene-induced acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is considered a secondary form of AML, based both in theory and on limited cohort observations. Its latency, cytogenetic aberrations, and clinical features are thought similar to, or identical with, AML resulting from the use of modern day cytotoxic agents for chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Although distinction between secondary AML and the far more common de novo AML is difficult to establish with certainty in any given case, latency from toxic therapeutic and environmental exposure and certain clinical and pathological features generally separate these two entities. AML is the only human neoplasm proven to be potentially caused by benzene, which actually is an obsolete form of chemotherapy. Despite many years of environmental regulation, alleged toxic exposure to this ubiquitous chemical has become an expanding area of litigation. A review of benzene-induced AML suggests that, in developed countries, this entity should no longer merit serious consideration among workers in the modern petrochemical industry and related fields.     

The importance of randomized clinical trials and evidence-based medicine: A clinician's perspective

Clinical evaluation of therapies for patient care has evolved during the twentieth century from a variety of scientific methods. As a result of medical, political, and economic changes that occurred in the 1990s, randomized clinical trials and evidence-based methods are presently in the forefront of the physician's thinking in the decision-making process for therapeutic interventions. A new standard of patient care has emerged during this process. This report provides a clinician's viewpoint of the importance and interpretation of evidence-based methods and suggests a strategy when such evidence does not exist.     

A clinician's guide to cost-effectiveness analysis

Cost-effectiveness analysis can be used to help set priorities for funding health care programs. For each intervention, the costs and clinical outcomes associated with that strategy must be compared with an alternate strategy for treating the same patients. If an intervention results in improved outcomes but also costs more, the incremental cost per incremental unit of clinical outcome should be calculated. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratios for various programs can be ranked to set funding priorities. By using this list, the person responsible for allocating resources can maximize the net health benefit for a target population derived from a fixed budget. Clinicians may not share this objective because, individually, they are appropriately concerned solely with the effectiveness of a specific intervention for their patients and are not concerned with the benefit derived from spending those resources on other patients in the target population. In addition, allocation may be driven by distributional and political objectives. Nevertheless, cost-effectiveness analysis demonstrates the consequences of allocation decisions. Because clinicians should participate in policy making, they must understand d the role of this technique in setting funding priorities.     

The current state of cough research: the clinician's perspective

Cough is one of the most common reasons for medical consultation and it is responsible for a large human and socioeconomic burden. Current guidelines provide a useful framework for cough management and summarize current knowledge of causes and optimal testing sequences and treatments of cough. However, research is needed on the role of noninvasive airway inflammation measurement in assessing etiology; optimal treatment of postinfectious cough or cough due to gastroesophageal reflux disease; protussive treatment; causes of chronic cough in immunocompromised hosts; and characteristics and management of psychogenic cough. The effects of the use or nonuse of evidence-based guidelines should be documented. An empiric, integrative approach to management of chronic cough also needs further validation.     

Economic aspects of high-dose chemotherapy: a clinician's perspective review

Over the last 15 years, the increased use of high-dose chemotherapy (HDC) has led to a considerable increase in the cost of cancer treatments. After making a general economic analysis of the benefits and costs of healthcare initiatives, this paper considers all of the different phases and elements of HDC, as well as the strategies for reducing basic, indirect and out-of-pocket costs. The cost of HDC has decreased by 40-60% over the last decade and its cost-effectiveness ratios are now similar or only slightly higher than those of other widely accepted medical interventions. However, except in the case of some hematological and paediatric neoplasms, the efficacy of the treatment has not yet been clearly defined and so it should only be used in well-designed clinical trials that should also include prospective cost evaluation measures.     

Bilateral ankle arthritis with mediastinal lymphadenopathy: a clinician's perspective

Aim: This study is a clinician's perspective of the association of bilateral ankle arthritis with mediastinal lymphadenopathy. Method: Forty‐three patients with bilateral ankle arthritis with mediastinal lymphadenopathy were included in a 14‐month prospective follow‐up study in our hospital. Complete history, examination and investigations were carried out. Result: There were 27 female and 16 male patients. Ankle arthritis with tuberculous mediastinal lymphadenopathy was associated in 58.13%, sarcoidosis in 32.5% and 9.3% were non‐specific. The patients were clustered in the spring‐summer months. Erythema nodosum was found in 14.3%, polyarticular presentation in 25%. Thirteen out of 43 patients (28.2%) had biopsy/fine needle aspiration (FNA), of which 69.23% had histopathological evidence of tuberculosis. Conclusion: The aetiology of bilateral ankle arthritis associated with mediastinal lymphadenopathy may be tuberculosis as opposed to sarcoidosis. There is a seasonal clustering of these cases. FNA of mediastinal lymphadenopathy is a fairly safe procedure and should be carried out when feasible, for confirmation of diagnosis.     

疼痛管理对癌晚原发性肝期患者生命质量的影响分析*

目的 探讨疼痛管理对晚期原发性肝癌（PLC）患者生命质量的影响。方法 在95例PLC患者中,给予42例对照组患者常规护理, 给予43例观察组患者常规护理联合疼痛管理。采用视觉模拟评分（VAS）评估疼痛,采用Morisky用药依从性量表评价患者用药依从性,采用《行为医学量表》评价患者生命质量,采用我院自制的量表行护理满意度评价。结果 干预后,观察组患者癌痛程度明显轻于对照组（P<0.05）;在43例观察组患者中,治疗依从性好者38例（88.4%）,显著高于42例对照组中的26例（61.9%,P<0.05）;生命质量明显好于对照组（P<0.05）;护理满意度为86.0%,显著高于对照组的52.4%（P<0.05）。结论 疼痛管理有助于减轻晚期PLC患者的癌痛程度,提高治疗依从性和生命质量,应强化开展此工作。     

抗病毒治疗对乙型肝炎相关原发性肝癌患者生活质量及预后的影响

目的 探讨抗病毒治疗对乙型肝炎相关原发性肝癌患者生活质量的影响.方法 选择95例诊断为乙型肝炎相关性原发性肝癌且无手术治疗指征的患者,分为抗病毒联合介入治疗组22例、介入治疗组26例、抗病毒治疗组23例、常规治疗组24例.随访监测治疗后4、12、24及48周肝功能、腹部彩色超声或肝脏CT,每4周对患者生活质量包括食欲、体质量(排除腹水影响因素)及乏力情况进行现场或电话随访,所有患者随访4周至48周.统计学处理采用t检验和x2检验.结果 抗病毒联合介入治疗组、介入治疗组、抗病毒治疗组与常规治疗组患者24周生存率分别为86.4％(19例)、73.1％(19例)、73.9％(17例)、54.2％(13例),48周生存率分别为68.2％(15例)、46.2％(8例)、47.8％(11例)、16.7％(4例).抗病毒联合介入治疗组、介入治疗组及抗病毒治疗组患者1年生存率明显高于常规治疗组(P＜0.05).抗病毒联合介入治疗组、介入治疗组及抗病毒治疗组患者12周内生活质量较常规治疗组明显改善,其中抗病毒联合介入治疗组改善最明显,其次为介入治疗组与抗病毒治疗组,常规治疗组在生活质量方面无明显改善.治疗24周后抗病毒联合介入治疗组及介入治疗组的肿瘤大小未明显增大,而常规治疗组患者的肿瘤较抗病毒治疗组增大明显.结论 在介入治疗及常规治疗的基础上联合抗病毒治疗可提高乙型肝炎相关原发性肝癌患者1年生存率、改善生活质量、延缓肿瘤生长.     

Quality of life after curative liver resection: A single center analysis

AIM: To evaluate quality of life (QoL) after curative liver resection and identify variables associated with decreased QoL. METHODS: From October 2001 to July 2004, 323 patients underwent liver resection. At 3-36 mo after discharge, 188 patients were disease free. QoL was assessed using the Short Form (SF)-12 Health Survey with mental and physical component scales (SF-12 MCS and PCS), supplemented with generic questions concerning pain and liver-specific items. RESULTS: Sixty-eight percent (128/188) returne...