Qualitative evaluation of an AIDS health education poster. A rapid assessment method for health education materials.

In January 1989, the Johannesburg City Health Department developed an AIDS education poster. The poster was adapted from a cartoon in the Sowetan newspaper and was formally evaluated before its final production. As a result of this evaluation further editing and restructuring of the poster proved necessary. The methodology used in the evaluation is outlined, and some of the findings that emerged during the evaluation are discussed, since few formal evaluations of health education material seem to have been documented in South Africa. This study highlights the importance of formative evaluation of printed health educational media by a sample of the target audience before production and distribution.     

Adjunctive therapy with bromocriptine in Parkinson's disease

Patients with moderately severe Parkinson's disease complicated by the adverse effects of chronic levodopa use benefited from the addition of bromocriptine (Parlodel; Sandoz) in doses up to 26 mg daily, which allowed an approximate 30% reduction of levodopa dose. This resulted in a significant decrease in the amount of levodopa side-effects while maintaining or improving the original parkinsonian clinical stage. Increased effectiveness in these patients was not associated with increased dosage beyond 25-30 mg daily. When the doses of bromocriptine were increased slowly, the adverse reactions were minor and usually transient.     

Are clinical differences between black and white stroke patients caused by variations in the atherosclerotic involvement of the arterial tree?

The differences in site and degree of atherosclerotic involvement of various vascular beds and their clinical significance are emphasised in a study of 304 black stroke patients. Detailed clinical examinations, computed tomography (CT), gated blood pool studies, echocardiography and ECG were performed and autopsy studies carried out. CT of the brain showed that non-haemorrhage, i.e. ischaemic lesions, accounted for 71.2% of strokes, a similar figure to that found in white stroke patients. However, carotid bruits (0.62%) and peripheral vascular disease (0.9%) followed by transient ischaemic attacks (1.9%) were found to be uncommon. Similarly, ischaemic heart disease (6.9%) appeared to be less common than the incidence in reported white stroke patients. In 30 patients who came to autopsy, the maximum degree of atherosclerotic stenosis of the extracranial carotid arteries was 21.7% of the lumen diameter. The differences in the site and degree of atherosclerosis in blacks not only give rise to differences in the clinical features of stroke patients but may have an important bearing on their investigation, management and prognosis.     

Spontaneous haemorrhage in a cerebellar abscess: a unique complication

A case of spontaneous haemorrhage in a cerebellar abscess is reported. Only two reports of this complication have been found in the literature. An incidental acoustic schwannoma was also found close to the abscess.     

A dosage study of the effect of the 21-aminosteroid U74006F on chronic cerebral vasospasm in a primate model

The efficacy of the 21-aminosteroid U74006F was investigated using different dosages in a restricted, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Forty cynomolgous monkeys were divided into five groups of eight. There were two groups given treatment with placebos, one being saline and the other the vehicle in which U74006F was delivered. There were three U74006F treatment dosage groups: 0.3, 1.0, and 3.0 mg/kg. Each monkey underwent baseline cerebral angiography followed by right-sided craniectomy and subarachnoid placement of a clot around the middle cerebral artery (MCA). Treatment was administered intravenously every 8 hours for 6 days. Seven days after experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage, angiography was repeated, and the animals were killed. In both saline or vehicle placebo treatment groups, significant vasospasm (VSP) occurred on the clot side in the extradural internal carotid artery (C3), the intradural internal carotid artery, the precommunicating segment of the anterior cerebral artery (A1,) and the MCA (P less than 0.01). After U74006F treatment, significantly less VSP developed in the A1 on the clot side (0.3 mg/kg U74006F treatment group) and the MCA (all U74006F treatment groups, P less than 0.05). When the percentages of change from the baseline for the vessel diameters on the clot side were compared, VSP was attenuated in the A1 (P less than 0.05) and MCA (P less than 0.001) of all U74006F treatment groups as compared with the placebo treatment groups. Only 0.3 mg/kg of U74006F significantly prevented VSP in C3 (P less than 0.01). Although the 0.3 mg/kg dosage appeared to have the most favorable effect, no significant differences were observed among the three dosage groups. Electron microscopy of the MCA on the clot side in the animals treated with U74006F still showed luminal convolutions and morphological changes in the endothelial cells. These changes appeared less prominent in those MCAs with milder VSP. If these results in primates are applicable to humans, U74006F would be useful in reducing VSP after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.     

A critical comparison of osteoplastic and alloplastic augmentation genioplasty

This retrospective study was undertaken in order to compare the objective and subjective outcomes of the osteoplastic and alloplastic genioplasties. Of the 76 patients that underwent augmentation or advancement genioplasty, 34 were subjects of osteoplastic genioplasty and 42 received implants. Twenty seven of 34 patients who underwent osteotomy and 32 of 42 patients whose chins were augmented with an implant responded to the questionnaires. The results revealed that both groups were highly satisfied, with a slightly higher satisfaction rate for those who underwent osteotomy. The morbidity was the same for both procedures. However, the soft tissue response was more predictable for the osteoplastic genioplasty. The cervicomental angle improved more with the osteoplastic genioplasty. Based on our experience and conclusions from this study, we recommend the osteoplastic genioplasty for every patient. However, for patients in the older age group, particularly those with a small degree of microgenia, alloplastic genioplastic can be justified.     

Bladder leiomyosarcoma following cyclophosphamide therapy for lupus nephritis

We report 2 cases of leiomyosarcoma of the bladder that occurred after long-term cyclophosphamide chemotherapy for lupus nephritis and rheumatoid arthritis. One patient had a tumor at the end of an 11-year course of chemotherapy and 1 approximately 7 years after completing a 7-year course of chemotherapy. Patient 1 underwent left partial cystectomy and patient 2 underwent cystectomy with ileal conduit urinary diversion. In patient 1 the tumor was a typical leiomyosarcoma and patient 2 had a myxoid variant. Both patients were free of disease at 4 months and 3 years, respectively. Whereas previous reports of the carcinogenic effects of cyclophosphamide have been questioned, since the induced tumors occurred in patients being treated for other neoplasms (lymphoproliferative and myeloproliferative disorders), the disease in both of our patients followed cyclophosphamide therapy for nonneoplastic disorders.     

Selection criteria for the evaluation of living related renal donors

The documented long-term health of the living related renal donor is a tribute to careful preoperative selection and surgical technique. At our medical center 187 prospective donors were evaluated during a 6-year period and 91 underwent donor nephrectomy. Hypertension, renal artery anomalies and donor indecision were the most common reasons for donor rejection. Recipient health and/or death, or a positive crossmatch after pre-transplant donor specific transfusion were other post-arteriogram reasons not to proceed with transplantation. Women were more likely to undergo nephrectomy than men, and older or heavier donors were more likely to be rejected. Using the transcostal, extrapleural surgical approach for nephrectomy there were no deaths or major complications, and the mean postoperative length of stay was 6.4 days. The average postoperative increase in serum creatinine was 0.33 mg./dl. with an average creatinine at discharge of the patient from the hospital of 1.2 mg./dl. The latter creatinine values varied concordantly with donor age. Only 56% of fully evaluated donors (91 of 159) actually underwent donor nephrectomy. The minimal morbidity sustained by these patients re-emphasizes the importance of careful donor selection.     

State of natural killer cells after surgical treatment of oncologic patients

In 53 patients with gastric and intestinal cancer, the content and functional activity of the natural killer cells was studied. The suppression of these indices at the first days after the operation, and restoration of their preoperative levels within 2-2.5 weeks was noted.