老年充血性心力衰竭患者血浆脑钠肽前体水平与长期预后的关系

目的:血浆脑钠肽水平对于充血性心力衰竭的预后评估均具有重要意义,但脑钠肽前体的敏感性和特异性更高。分析血浆脑钠肽前体水平对老年充血性心力衰竭患者长期预后的预测价值。方法:选择2003-05/2005-07在桂林医学院附属医院心内科住院的心力衰竭患者208例及本科同期收住院的急性冠状动脉综合征组患者26例,另外选择正常对照组30例,为本院的医学生,以上观察对象均自愿参加观察。分别测定各组观察对象的血浆脑钠肽前体水平,均在入院的第1天完成,患者出院后不再测定脑钠肽前体。使用惠普500型心动图检测心力衰竭组患者的心脏各腔室直径及射血指数。对所有出院的心力衰竭患者均进行电话随访,每3个月随访1次,平均随访2年,只电话询问死亡还是健在。结果:心力衰竭患者208例、急性冠状动脉综合征患者26例及正常对照组30例全部进入结果分析,无脱落。①各组观察对象的血浆脑钠肽前体水平比较:心力衰竭组是正常对照组的150倍[(4.82±0.75)μg/L,(31.38±29.28)ng/L(P<0.01)],是急性冠脉综合征组的23倍[(208.80±120.13)ng/L(P<0.01)]。②不同年龄、性别、病种、心功能分级心力衰竭患者血浆脑钠肽前体水平比较:心力衰竭患者脑钠肽前体的水平随年龄的增加而升高(P<0.05～0.01);女性显著高于男性(P<0.01);心功能不同级别间脑钠肽前体的水平呈倍数增加(P<0.01),死亡者显著高于生存者(P<0.01)。③心力衰竭患者血浆脑钠肽前体水平与各临床指标的相关性分析:心力衰竭患者血浆脑钠肽前体水平与年龄、左心室直径及纽约心脏协会心功能分级呈正相关(r=0.310,0.283,0.647,P<0.05～0.01),与射血指数呈负相关(r=-0.327,P<0.01)。结论:老年心力衰竭患者的血浆脑钠肽前体水平明显增高,与之相关的预后不良危险因素包括心功能分级增高、射血分数降低、左心室直径扩大、老年及女性心力衰竭患者等。     

Inhibition of experimental caries by plaque prevention

abstract – The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that a frequent intake of sucrose does not produce caries if the teeth are regularly treated with an antibacterial agent. Twenty-four students with clean teeth and normal gingivae were assigned to one of the following three groups: (1) eight individuals ceased all active oral hygiene measures and rinsed 9 times daily with 50% sucrose, (2) eight students refrained from all active oral hygiene procedures, rinsed 9 times daily with sucrose and twice daily with 10 ml 0.2% chlorhexidine gluconate, (3) the third group consisted of two subgroups each comprising 4 students. One subgroup ceased all oral hygiene procedures and rinsed twice daily with 0.2% chlorhexidine gluconate. The other was instructed to practice meticulous tooth brushing twice daily. The experiment lasted for 22 days. The group who rinsed with sucrose showed heavy plaque accumulation, those who rinsed with sucrose + chlorhexidine showed a drastic reduction in the formation of plaque. In the subgroup rinsing with chlorhexidine only and in that performing good oral hygiene, plaque was non-existent. The gingival state essentially paralleled the plaque formation. The sucrose group showed a definite increase in Caries Index. No significant changes occurred in the group rinsing with sucrose + chlorhexidine, with chlorhexidine only, or in the group performing good oral hygiene. It is concluded that prevention of plaque formation inhibits the development of gingivitis and dental caries, even with frequent rinses of sucrose.     

Fusion of dispatching centres into one entity: effects on performance

Background: Dispatching centres were fused into one of the 112 entity, which caused concerns regarding whether the medical calls could be processed effectively also in the new centre. We evaluated the effects of the reform on key performance criteria in medical calls. Methods: This observational study in the Helsinki Dispatching Centre consisted of two periods: Period I 2 years before the reform and Period II 2 years after. The main outcome measures were answering and call processing times, accuracy of risk assessment and appropriate use of ambulances. Results: In Period I (n=574,276), 92.2% of all incoming phone calls were answered within 10 s and in Period II (n=758,022) 82.8% (P<0.0001). Time to dispatch a first responding fire unit increased from 98 to 113 s (P<0.0001) and an advanced life support unit in category A calls increased from 73 to 84 s (P<0.0001). In Period I 47.7%, 34.8% and 17.5% of phone calls were completed in <3, 3–5 and >5 min and in Period II 29.8%, 36.1% and 34.1% (P<0.0001). The number of three studied non‐transportation call types and unnecessary lights‐and‐siren responses increased significantly (P<0.0001 and 0.0001, respectively). Neither the accuracy of risk assessment in the three studied call types nor the rate of telephone‐guided cardiopulmonary resuscitation changed. Conclusions: The reform increased the total number of ambulance dispatches, prolonged answering and call processing times and had a negative effect on the appropriate use of ambulances. The accuracy of risk assessment was not affected. Evidence‐based data should be the basis for the future as dispatching centre processes are shown to be vulnerable during organisational reforms.     

简易4步让全身肌肤柔滑过冬

冬天干冷的气候会令全身肌肤可能因此越来越干燥、粗糙，失去水分和光泽。选择有良好滋润功效的沐浴露和身体乳液，让你在寒冷冬天也能拥有一身光滑细腻的肌肤。[编者按]     

Cost‐effectiveness of CT thorax and bronchoscopy in haemoptysis with normal CXR for exclusion of lung cancer

As fibre‐optic bronchoscopy and CT thorax become more widely used, patients with haemoptysis who had normal CXR and sputum results are more commonly offered both CT and bronchoscopy to exclude lung cancer. Doctors who are under possible litigation pressure arising from missed diagnoses of lung cancer are often exhaustive in their investigations, even when the haemoptysis has been transient. The present study aims to investigate the number of cancer patients who can be detected with the two investigations, and compare recent similar study results with archive results. We found that despite the use of more efficient investigation tools, the yield is paradoxically much lower and, hence, less cost‐effective than that of previous studies. The likely reason is that doctors tend to over‐investigate, even for short‐term, minimal blood‐streaked sputum, which is common among simple bronchitis. In order to be more cost‐effective, these investigations should be used more selectively and for high risk patients such as those with prolonged haemoptysis and those who are heavy smokers.     

Obstetric outcome of teenage pregnancies

A retrospective cohort study was performed in a tertiary centre to determine if teenage nulliparas (aged alpha19 years, study group) had higher incidences of instrumental and Caesarean deliveries compared with nulliparas aged 20-34 years (control group) selected from the first women in the birth registry who delivered after each study case and satisfying the criteria for controls. The hospital records of the study and control cases were retrieved for review. Comparison was made in the maternal demographics, major antenatal complications, outcome of labour, mode of delivery, and perinatal outcome. In the study group, maternal height was similar but the body mass index was lower. Although the mean birthweight was lower and the incidences of preterm labour and small-for-gestational-age infants higher, there were also increased incidences of large-for-gestational-age and macrosomic infants. While there was no difference in the types of labour, there were fewer Caesarean and instrumental deliveries, a finding that persisted even after excluding the preterm deliveries. Lastly, teenage mothers aged <17 years had similar outcomes to those aged 17-19 years. These results indicated that teenage mothers had better obstetric outcomes, despite the higher incidence of preterm labour, and that young adolescents (<17 years) performed as well as their older peers.