Health-Related Quality of Life Among Self-Reported Arthritis Sufferers: Effects of Race/Ethnicity and Residence

Objective: We evaluated differences in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) for African Americans and Caucasians with self-reported arthritis residing in rural and urban areas of a southern state. Methods: 1,191 individuals completed a telephone survey, which included the 12-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12). Participants were stratified into groups: African American/rural, Caucasian/rural, African American/urban, and Caucasian/urban. We evaluated differences and associations in HRQoL for the four groups.Results: Multivariable linear regression models revealed that being an African American rural resident was associated with worse self-reported mental health on the SF-12 even after adjusting for multiple confounding variables. In contrast, multivariable linear regression models revealed that being a Caucasian rural resident was associated with worse physical health SF-12 scores.Conclusions: The study revealed differences in HRQoL on the mental and physical health functioning scales of the SF-12 for African American rural and Caucasian rural residents. Researchers assessing HRQoL in arthritis patients should consider using a race/residence product term in their analyses.     

Turnover of rat brain perivascular cells

Brain perivascular spaces harbor a population of cells which exhibit high phagocytic capacity. Therefore, these cells can be labeled by intraventricular injection of tracers. Such perivascular cells at the interface between blood and brain are believed to belong to the monocyte/macrophage lineage and to be involved in antigen presentation. Currently, it is unclear whether these cells undergo a continuous turnover by entering and leaving the bloodstream. Using bone-marrow-chimeric animals, migration of donor macrophages into brain perivascular spaces has been reported. On the other hand, following intracerebral injection of india ink into nontransplanted animals, ink-labeled perivascular cells were still found 2 years after injection, suggesting a high stability of this cell pool. Thus, the turnover of perivascular cells observed in chimeras might be a result of bone marrow transplantation rather than a physiological occurrence. To address this issue, we monitored de novo invasion of macrophages into perivascular spaces of apparently healthy adult rats by applying techniques other than bone marrow transplantation, (i) consecutive injections of different tracers and (ii) ex vivo isolation of macrophages from the blood, cell labeling, and reinjection into the same animal to avoid MHC mismatch. Both approaches revealed vivid de novo invasion of macrophages into perivascular spaces, but not into brain parenchyma, rendering untenable the concept of perivascular cells forming a stable population of macrophages in the brain. Thus, brain perivascular spaces are under permanent immune surveillance of blood borne macrophages in normal adult rats.     

Guidelines to determine the route of oophorectomy with hysterectomy

OBJECTIVES: Our purpose was to determine whether there is adequate visibility and access for transvaginal oophorectomy in most patients and the success rate of the transvaginal approach. The final goal was to establish objective guidelines for choosing the route of oophorectomy with hysterectomy. STUDY DESIGN: Patients underwent laparoscopy-assisted vaginal hysterectomy (n = 91) or vaginal hysterectomy (n = 875). Ovarian removal, either unilateral (n = 97) or bilateral (n = 187), was carried out for clinical or prophylactic reasons. The accessibility of the ovaries for transvaginal removal was assessed by stretching the infundibulopelvic ligament and grading the position of the ovaries from 0 (no descent) to III (descent past the hymenal ring with traction). RESULTS: In 158 patients transvaginal bilateral oophorectomy was performed without laparoscopic assistance. In another 29 patients bilateral transvaginal oophorectomy was performed with laparoscopy-assisted vaginal hysterectomy, and prophylactic bilateral oophorectomy by the transvaginal route was successful in all but 1 of 143 patients with ovaries of grade I or higher. In 20 patients laparoscopic lysis of adhesions was necessary to permit transvaginal oophorectomy. Ninety-seven patients underwent transvaginal unilateral oophorectomy, 74 with conventional vaginal hysterectomy and 23 with laparoscopy-assisted vaginal hysterectomy. Among the patients not having oophorectomy, all ovaries had sufficient mobility to have been removed transvaginally. CONCLUSION: Good surgical practice dictates that visibility and accessibility be the primary criteria for selecting the route of oophorectomy with hysterectomy. In most patients the ovaries are visible and accessible to transvaginal removal. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 1996;175:1483-8.)     

46. Erfahrungen systematisch kombinierter Chemotherapie und operativer Behandlung maligner Tumoren im Kindesalter

Zusammenfassung Anfang 1969 wurde in Österreich eine Arbeitsgemeinschaft zum Studium maligner Tumoren im Kindesalter gegründet. Es wurde zunächst ein zentrales Tumorregister errichtet, an dem die Krankengeschichten, die Operations-berichte und die pathologisch-histologischen Befunde von allen kindlichen Tumoren in ganz Österreich gesammelt werden.Es ist beabsichtigt, neben der Feststellung der Häufigkeit der einzelnen Geschwulsttypen und der Bestimmung ihrer Prognose, auch die derzeit verschieden gehandhabten Operationstaktiken, sowie die auch z. T. verschieden durchgeführten cytostatischen Nachbehandlungen zu beurteilen, um weiterhin in prospektiven, kooperativen Studien eine Optimierung des therapeutischen Vorgehens erreichen zu können.Die bisher bereits an 173 Fällen mit Erfolg erprobte Methodik der Dokumentation besteht darin, daß an jeder chirurgischen Kinderstation die Krankengeschichte, der Operationsbericht und der pathologisch-anatomische und histologische Befund von Tumorpatienten photokopiert wird und davon zentral am Register alle relevanten Daten mittels eines ausführlichen Erhebungsblattes lochkartengerecht dokumentiert werden. Ferner wird von jedem Operationspräparat ein Makrophoto und Tumormaterial an die Zentrale übersandt und gesammelt. Die von dem Material angefertigten histologischen Präparate dienen als Grundlage für eine von allen beteiligten Pathologen gemeinsam zu erarbeitende Klassifikation kindlicher Tumoren.Es wird außerdem der weitere beobachtete Krankheitsverlauf festgehalten, so daß unter Berücksichtigung des internationalen TNM-Systems von prognosegleichen Gruppen Absterbekurven errechnet und beurteilt werden können.

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Experiences in adjuvant chemotherapy and operative treatment of malignant tumours in children

Summary Starting 1969 a cooperative study of malignant tumours in children was initiated. First of all a central tumour register was established and the medical histories, reports of operation and pathological-histological findings of all children treated for malignant tumours in the whole country were collected.The incidence of different types of tumours and estimation of their prognosis after different kinds of operation and/or different adjuvant chemotherapy would be estimated to aime thereafter in prospective cooperative trials the optimal therapeutic procedure.The method of documentation is established on 173 cases and consists of a procedure as follows: on each surgical department copies of the medical history, operation report and pathological-anatomical-histological reports of each patient are done by photography.From these all relevant data are documented at the register by extented forms using punch cards. Additionally a photogramm and samples for histology are collected at the register from each tumour specimen. These histological slides would be the basis for histological classification developed in cooperation with the pathologists involved.Follow-up studies will be done and life-tables of groups of patients equal in prognosis will be calculated.

     

A randomized, double-blind, close-ranging, pilot study of intravenous granisetron in the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting in patients abdominal hysterectomy

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is a frequent and unpleasant experience that may increase postoperative complications and costs. For surgical procedures with a high risk of PONV, prevention is preferable to treatment. In this study, the authors explore the dose-response relationship between granisetron administered just prior to the end of surgery and post-operative nausea and vomiting in patients undergoing abdominal hysterectomy. METHODS: This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, pilot study of post-operative nausea and vomiting prevention. Patients undergoing elective open abdominal hysterectomy requiring general anaesthesia received a single dose of granisetron 0.1, 0.2 or 0.3 mg or placebo administered approximately 15 min prior to the end of surgery. The primary efficacy end-point was the proportion of patients with no vomiting in the 0--6 h interval following medication administration. No inferential statistics were planned. RESULTS: The proportion of patients with no vomiting episode in the 0--6 h interval after administration of study medication was higher in each granisetron treatment group (>90%) than in the placebo group (77%). Proportions of patients with no vomiting episodes in the 0--24 h interval were similar across treatment groups. Results of analyses of proportions of patients with no moderate or severe nausea episodes, proportions of those requiring rescue medication and times to first use of rescue medication suggested a treatment effect of granisetron relative to placebo in both the 0--6 and 0--24 h intervals. Similar proportions of patients in each treatment group reported at least one adverse event. CONCLUSIONS: Granisetron at doses of 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 mg administered just prior to the end of surgery suggested a trend of improved efficacy compared to placebo in preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting in the first 6 h after abdominal hysterectomy. This pilot study did not identify a dose-response relationship.     

Percutaneous coronary intervention to anomalous right coronary artery and retained piece of guidewire in the coronary vasculature

The incidence of anomalous origin of the coronary arteries varies between 0.2% and 1.2%; the anomalous right coronary artery accounting for 6--27% of all the cases. To date technical experience on angioplasty in patients with anomalous coronary arteries reported in the literature is limited. A major factor is the selection of the guiding catheter to access the anomalous origin and also to give good support during angioplasty. We report the details of angioplasty in a patient with a similar problem and the dilemma following a fractured segment of the guidewire retained in the coronary vasculature.     

Control of T helper 2 cell function and allergic airway inflammation by PKCzeta

Asthma is a disease of chronic airway inflammation in which T helper (Th) 2 cells play a critical role. The molecular mechanisms controlling Th2 differentiation and function are of paramount importance in biology and immunology. PKCzeta has been implicated in the regulation of apoptosis and NF-kappaB, as well as in the control of T-dependent responses, although no defects were detected in na?ve T cells from PKCzeta-/- mice. Here, we report that PKCzeta is critical for IL-4 signaling and Th2 differentiation. Thus, PKCzeta levels are increased during Th2 differentiation, but not Th1 differentiation, of CD4+ T cells, and the loss of PKCzeta impairs the secretion of Th2 cytokines in vitro and in vivo, as well as the nuclear translocation and tyrosine phosphorylation of Stat6 and Jak1 activation, essential downstream targets of IL-4 signaling. Moreover, PKCzeta-/- mice display dramatic inhibition of ovalbumin-induced allergic airway disease, strongly suggesting that PKCzeta can be a therapeutic target in asthma.     

Fetoplacental vascular tone is modified by magnesium sulfate in the preeclamptic ex vivo human placental cotyledon

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate fetoplacental vascular tone and response to a vasoconstrictor in placentas of preeclamptic and normotensive pregnancies with and without the presence of magnesium sulfate. STUDY DESIGN: Two cotyledons from each placenta were selected from preeclamptic (n=8) and normotensive (n=7) pregnancies. In one cotyledon from each pair, the maternal circuit was perfused with magnesium sulfate. The fetal arteries were injected sequentially with angiotensin II (10(-10)mol and 10(-11.5) mol). Perfusion pressures and response to angiotensin II were compared, with regard to preeclampsia and exposure to magnesium sulfate. RESULTS: Perfusion pressure was higher in preeclamptic placentas, compared with normotensive placentas (30.4 mm Hg vs 24.4 mm Hg, P=.02). There was a decrease in perfusion pressure with exposure to magnesium sulfate in preeclamptic placentas (22.5 mm Hg, P<.01), but not in normotensive placentas. Fetoplacental vascular response to angiotensin II was not affected by preeclampsia or magnesium sulfate. CONCLUSION: In placentas from preeclamptic pregnancies there is increased fetoplacental perfusion pressure, which decreases with exposure to sulfate.     

The effect of fetal acidemia on fetal-placental vascular tone and production of the inflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to determine the effects of fetal acidemia on placental vascular tone and production of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). STUDY DESIGN: With use of an ex vivo placental perfusion model, the maternal and fetal circulation of two cotyledons from five human placentas were perfused for 4 hours. The fetal circulation of one cotyledon was perfused with acidemic (pH 6.90) Hanks' balanced salt solution (HBSS), whereas the fetal circulation of the other cotyledon was perfused with physiologic (pH 7.35) HBSS. Fetal venous effluents were collected hourly, and IL-6 and TNF-alpha concentrations were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Cotyledon perfusion pressures were recorded every 10 minutes. Paired t tests were used to compare differences in cytokine production and perfusion pressure between the cotyledons. RESULTS: Fetal-placental vascular perfusion pressure was consistently reduced from baseline under acidemic, but not physiologic, conditions with statistical significance achieved from 20 minutes onward (P <.05). IL-6 and TNF-alpha increased exponentially over time for both conditions (P <.05). There was no difference in cytokine production when acidemic conditions were compared with physiologic conditions (P <.05). CONCLUSION: Fetal-placental vasodilation may be a compensatory mechanism to improve acidemic conditions. Unlike fetal hypoperfusion or fetal hyperoxia, fetal acidemia does not result in elevated placental cytokine levels.