多器官功能障碍评分系统:3个评分标准预测多器官功能障碍综合征结局关联性和准确性的比较与评估

目的研究高原急性呼吸窘迫综合征(HARDS)/多器官功能障碍综合征(MODS)各项诊断指标参数的变化特点,比较3个MODS评分标准预测结局的准确性。方法统一按通用的MODS诊断标准将540例ARDS/MODS患者按海拔高度分为平原对照组(CG,<430m,n=113)、中度高原1组(H1G,1517m,n=314)、中度高原2组(H2G,2261～2400m,n=78)和高原组(HG,2808～3400m,n=35)。4组分别用平原地区ARDS/MODS评分诊断标准(庐山会议评分标准和Marshall评分标准)以及兰州修订的HARDS/MODS评分标准(兰州标准),建立3个标准的数据统计模型,分别绘制受试者运行特征性曲线(ROC曲线),计算约登指数(Yoden)和最佳界值,验证3个标准在不同海拔高度预测ARDS/MODS结局的准确性;用向前逐步回归模式对影响MODS结局的多因素进行分析。结果用庐山、Marshall和兰州标准检验平原和高原不同海拔高度MODS总分的ROC曲线下面积,预测结局的敏感度、特异度及其最佳界值,结果显示,随海拔梯度上升,兰州标准明显优于庐山和Marshall标准,多元Logistic回归分析也以兰州标准的影响因素最大。结论1通用的ARDS/MODS诊断标准中某些参数界值可能不适合中度高原以上地区,建立HARDS/MODS标准是必要的,兰州标准随海拔梯度升高有进一步提高预测准确性的趋势。2海拔高度大于1500m以上地区     

维拉帕米在治疗室上性心动过速中致心绞痛1例报道

目的对1例室上性心动过速患者在用维拉帕米治疗中导致心绞痛发作分析。方法对1例室上性心动过速患者在用维拉帕米治疗前后的症状、体征、及心电图变化情况进行观察。结果室上性心动过速患者在用维拉帕米治疗中导致心绞痛。结论维拉帕米治疗室上性心动过速时可导致心绞痛发作。     

The systemic lupus erythematosus Tri-nation Study: absence of a link between health resource use and health outcome

OBJECTIVE: Health consumption and health status in SLE in three countries with different health funding structures were compared. METHODS: Seven hundred and fifteen SLE patients (Canada 231, USA 269, UK 215) were surveyed semi-annually over 4 yr for health resource utilization and health status. Cross-country comparisons of (i) cumulative health expenditure (calculated by applying 2002 Canadian prices to resources in all countries) and (ii) disease damage (Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index, SLICC/ACR DI) at study conclusion were performed after adjustment. Missing expenditure and damage data were managed through multiple imputation using best predictive regressions with all available data from all patients as potential covariates. RESULTS: Four hundred and eighty-five patients provided data at study entry and conclusion and at least four resource questionnaires (Canada 162, USA 157, UK 166); 41 died (Canada 13, USA 18, UK 10); 189 withdrew, were lost to follow-up or provided data at entry and conclusion but fewer than four resource questionnaires (Canada 56, USA 94, UK 39). At conclusion, after imputation, in Canada, the USA and the UK respectively, mean cumulative costs per patient over 4 yr [95% confidence interval (CI)] were $15,845 (13,509, 18,182), $20,244 (17,764, 22,724) and $17,647 (15,557, 19,737) and mean changes in SLICC/ACR DI were 0.49 (0.39, 0.60), 0.63 (0.52, 0.74) and 0.48 (0.39, 0.57). After adjustment for baseline differences, on average (95% CI), Canadian and British patients utilized 20% (8%, 32%) and 13% (1%, 24%) less resources than patients in the USA respectively, but experienced similar health outcomes. CONCLUSION: Despite patients in the USA incurring higher health expenditures, they did not experience superior health outcomes.     

Validation of a Systemic Lupus Activity Questionnaire (SLAQ) for population studies

The goal of this work was to develop an economical way of tracking disease activity for large groups of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients in clinical studies. A Systemic Lupus Activity Questionnaire (SLAQ) was developed to screen for possible disease activity using items from the Systemic Lupus Activity Measure (SLAM) and tested for its measurement properties. The SLAQ was completed by 93 SLE patients just prior to a scheduled visit. At the visit, a rheumatologist, blinded to SLAQ results, examined the subject and completed a SLAM. Associations among SLAQ, and SLAM (omitting laboratory items) and between individual items from each instrument were assessed with Pearson correlations. Correlations between pairs of instruments were compared using Student's t-tests. The mean score across all 24 SLAQ items was 11.5 (range 0-33); mean SLAM without labs was 3.0 (range 0-13). The SLAQ had a moderately high correlation with SLAM-nolab (r = 0.62, P < 0.0001). Correlations between patient-clinician matched pairs of items ranged from r = 0.06 to 0.71. Positive predictive values for the SLAQ ranged from 56 to 89% for detecting clinically significant disease activity. In studies of SLE, symptoms suggesting disease can be screened by self-report using the SLAQ and then verified by further evaluation.     

Cross-sectional analysis of the implant-abutment interface

The purpose of this study was to develop a technique to evaluate the implant-abutment gap of an external hexagon implant system as a function of radius. Six implants of 3.75 mm in diameter (Conexao Sistema de Protese Ltda, Sao Paulo, Brazil) and their respective abutments were screw connected and torqued to 20 N cm(-1). The implants were mounted in epoxy assuring an implant long-axis position perpendicular to the vertical axis. Each implant was grounded through its thickness parallel to implant long-axis at six different distance interval. Implant-abutment gap distances were recorded along the implant-abutment region for each section. Individual measurements were related to their radial position through trigonometric inferences. A sixth degree polynomial line fit approach determined radial adaptation patterns for each implant. Micrographs along implant sections showed a approximately 300 mum length implant-abutment engagement region. All implants presented communication between external and internal regions through connection gaps and inaccurate implant-abutment alignment. Average gap distances were not significantly different between implants (P > 0.086). Polynomial lines showed implant-abutment gap values below 10 mum from 0 mum to approximately 250 mum of the implant-abutment engagement region. Gap distances significantly increased from approximately 250 mum to the outer radius of the implant-abutment engagement region. The technique described provided a broader scenario of the implant-abutment gap adaptation compared with previous work concerning implant-abutment gap determination, and should be considered for better understanding mechanical aspects or biological effects of implant-abutment adaptation on peri-implant tissues.     

Investigating Canadian medical school attrition metrics to inform socially accountable admissions planning

Objective: Attrition from Canadian medical degree programs was never described despite differences in admissions requirements at the 17 faculties of medicine. Knowledge on attrition metrics could help the faculties evaluate new avenues for addressing the Association of Faculties of Medicine’s (AFMC) Future of Medical Education in Canada (FMEC MD) recommendation to enhance admissions practices with the goal to improve social accountability and student diversity.

Method: AFMC databases were used to track medical degree completion of all Canadian M.D. students who enrolled between 2003 and 2007. Students were followed and assigned an M.D. completion status as of by July 1, 2013. Bivariate statistics were used to evaluate if demographic, admission and degree progression variables were associated with medical school attrition.

Results: Of 11,454 students enrolled in Canadian M.D. programs from 2003 to 2007, only 197 (1.7%) did not complete. Québec had significantly higher attrition than other jurisdictions with age, educational attainment at time of enrolment, MCAT completion and struggling academically associated with attrition.

Conclusion: Attrition from Canadian MD programs is rare and associated with differences in admission requirements and possibly suggests an optimum life stage for medical studies. Improved knowledge of attrition-related factors may offer an additional level of evidence for improving the alignment between admissions policies and the social accountability objectives of medical schools.