Correlations among improvements in urgency urinary incontinence, health-related quality of life, and perception of bladder-related problems in incontinent subjects with overactive bladder treated with tolterodine or placebo

Background  

Previous studies demonstrate that tolterodine extended release (ER) significantly improves urgency urinary incontinence (UUI) episodes. Instruments that measure patient-reported outcomes (PROs) provide additional information that is valuable for assessing whether clinical improvements are meaningful to the patient. This study determined the correlation of changes in bladder diary variables and other PROs in subjects with overactive bladder (OAB).     

Comparison of milk and maize based diets in kwashiorkor

The dual sugar test of intestinal permeability is a reliable non-invasive way of assessing the response of the small intestinal mucosa to nutritional rehabilitation. AIM: To compare a local mix of maize-soya-egg to the standard milk diet in the treatment of kwashiorkor. DESIGN: The diets were alternated three monthly in the sequence milk-maize-milk. There were a total of 533 kwashiorkor admissions of at least five days during the study who received either milk or maize. Intestinal permeability was assessed at weekly intervals by the lactulose-rhamnose test in 100 kwashiorkor cases, including 55 on milk and 45 on the maize diet. RESULTS: Permeability ratios (95% confidence interval) on the milk diet improved by a mean of 6.4 (1.7 to 11.1) compared with -6.8 (-16.8 to 5.0) in the maize group. The improved permeability on milk occurred despite more diarrhoea, which constituted 34.8% of hospital days (29.8 to 39.8) compared with 24.3% (17.8 to 30.8) in the maize group. Case fatality rates for all 533 kwashiorkor admissions were 13.6% v 20.9%, respectively, giving a relative risk of death in the maize group of 1.54 (1.04 to 2.28). The maize group also had more clinical sepsis (60% v 31%) and less weight gain (2.9 v 4.4 g/kg/day) than the milk group. IMPLICATIONS: Milk is superior to a local maize based diet in the treatment of kwashiorkor in terms of mortality, weight gain, clinical sepsis, and improvement in intestinal permeability.     

The medical-and-genetic training of family physician

The development of family medicine and promotion of genetic approaches to maintaining the health of population are under discussion in the paper. The necessity of training a new generation of physicians by using special programs is substantiated. The system approach to the training of family doctors must comprise, apart from clinical disciplines, the knowledge of human genetics as of a leading medical-and-biological branch of science. The significance of family-related research and analysis of pedigree (for the sake of accurate diagnosis and prevention of diseases) are demonstrated.     

Medicare Accountable Care Organizations and the Adoption of New Surgical Technology

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