Inpatient management of asthma in the Chicago suburbs: the Suburban Asthma Management Initiative (SAMI).

BACKGROUND: Assessment of inpatient asthma management has generally been limited to urban settings, including Chicago, which is known for its high asthma morbidity and mortality. Previously published data have been based on survey methodology. The Suburban Asthma Consortium (SAC) sought to obtain patient-based data unique to the Chicago suburbs to improve asthma care in those areas. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate current inpatient asthma management based on the 1997 National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (NAEPP). DESIGN: Retrospective chart review of all hospitalized patients 3-65 years bearing asthma-related ICD-9 codes for fiscal year 2002 in community, nonteaching hospitals in Chicago suburbs. RESULTS: Nine hundred two cases were submitted from seven hospitals. The majority ( > or = 75%) received inhaled bronchodilators, systemic steroids, oxygen and pulse oximetry. Antibiotic use (67%), chest radiography (85%), complete blood count (77%), and electrolytes (59%) appeared excessive in view of NAEPP recommendations. Peak flow monitoring (PFM) was recorded on admission in 45% of patients 5 years old and older; 52% had PFM during hospitalization. Thirty-eight percent of patients were taking ICS prior to admission; of those not on ICS, only 12% were newly diagnosed asthmatics. Overall, 51% of patients were discharged with ICS. Patients were more likely to receive ICS at discharge if they had required intensive care (ICU), had been on ICS prior to admission, were referred to an asthma specialist while hospitalized, or were insured. Patients with Medicare/Medicaid (MC/MA) had more repeat emergency visits and hospitalizations, longer lengths of stay, and received less ICS at discharge. Depending on the parameter, 41% or less patients received discharge planning education and were not more likely to have received education if in the ICU. Results ranged significantly between hospitals for most parameters (p < 0.05 or less). CONCLUSION: Study subjects received appropriate acute therapy and oxygen monitoring, but there was a divergence from NAEPP recommendations regarding PFM, ICS use, antibiotics, and laboratory evaluation. Patients receiving MC/MA experienced higher morbidity and received less ICS. Discharge asthma education was suboptimal for most hospitals. Most parameters demonstrated significantly wide practice variations between hospitals. Peak flow monitoring and patient education findings differed significantly from those in survey-conducted studies.     

6种中药制剂治疗急性脑梗死的成本-效果分析

目的：运用药物经济学的方法对在我院应用的6种中药注射液进行成本-效果分析。方法：271例急性脑梗死患者依据药物治疗方案不同分为6组，即血塞通组、舒血宁组、苦碟子组、疏血通组、川芎嗪组、丹红组，分别观察疗效，并运用药物经济学的方法进行成本-效果分析。结果：疏血通组的成本为3 419.90元，总有效率最高（91.84%），6组间增量成本-效果最低。因此疏血通组是较为合理、经济的方案。     

新生儿颅内出血的临床分析

目的 为探讨各种类型新生儿颅内出血的早期诊断方法，明确其临床特点与CT的关系。方法 对176例经CT证实有颅内出血新生儿的临床资料进行回顾性分析。结果 176例患儿中缺氧所致123例(72．6％)，产伤21例(11．9％)，新生儿出血症22例(12．5％)，早产儿10例。患儿有意识障碍者156例(88．6％)，惊厥98例(55．68％)，肌张力改变113例(64．2％)，原始反射减弱或消失104例(59％)，贫血16例。CT示：SAH121例。占68．75％，为NICH最常见类型；SDH17例，IPH13例，IVH5例，混合性出血20例。结论 根据临床表现考虑NICH者应做头颅CT或头颅B超检查。Cr是确诊的最佳手段，能正确显示出血部位、范围、程度及区分各种类型，头颅B超对早产儿、低出生体重儿的IVH、IPH检出率高。     

球囊二尖瓣扩张术后心房纤颤复律的临床研究

目的探讨二尖瓣狭窄合并心房纤颤患者在球囊二尖瓣扩张后,转复心房纤颤的临床效果及影响心房纤颤转复后窦性心律维持的相关因素.方法 206例二尖瓣狭窄合并心房纤颤患者在球囊扩张术后,采用口服胺碘酮及电复律治疗心房纤颤,对复律成功的患者给予小剂量胺碘酮维持窦性心律并随访1年.结果服用胺碘酮者58例,17例转复成功(29.3%);189例行电转复,178例转复成功(94.2%),电转复成功率明显高于胺碘酮转复(P＜0.01).心房纤颤复发组与保持窦性心律组相比,左心房内径明显扩大(P＜0.01),心房纤颤持续时间明显长(P＜0.01),中度二尖瓣关闭不全人数的比率明显高(P＜0.05).随访1年,有45例患者心房纤颤复发.影响心房纤颤转复后维持窦性心律的相关因素有左心房内径扩大、心房纤颤持续时间长及明显的二尖瓣关闭不全.结论对左心房内径明显扩大、心房纤颤持续时间过长及有明显的二尖瓣关闭不全的患者,在选择心房纤颤转复时应慎重.     

Direct excitatory effects of neuropeptide Y (NPY) on rat hippocampal neurones in vitro

Intracellular recordings from granule cells of the rat dentate gyrus show neuropeptide Y (NPY) applied by pressure ejection from pipettes containing 1.2-12 microM by pressures of less than 200 kPa for 1-5 s in duration to consistently evoke membrane depolarisations accompanied by a reduction in membrane resistance. The depolarisations were accompanied by an increase in excitability. Since the depolarisations evoked by NPY were not attenuated by either tetrodotoxin or kynurenic acid a direct excitatory action of NPY is postulated.     

Cognitive evoked potentials and disorders of recent memory

P3 potentials evoked by spoken words were recorded from seven patients with disorders of recent memory and seven age-matched controls. Inclusion criteria included a clearly identifiable P3 to pure tone stimuli. Absence or marked decrement of P3 to word stimuli was seen in the patients even though they could perform the word task. The results are consistent with an encoding disorder and failure in elaboration of information processing.     

Developing a Documentation System That Works

A documentation system that facilitates accurate and complete recording is needed by every obstetric/neonatal nursing service. Developing an individualized system is a major undertaking. However, specific steps can be taken to ease the process. These steps are described, beginning with the assessment phase and concluding with evaluation.