Patterns of diagnostic testing in the academic setting: The influence of medical attendings' subspeciality training

Internists with subspecialty training (subspecialists) constitute the majority of the medical faculty members and the test-ordering behavior of these subspecialists influences how house officers and students solve clinical problems. To assess whether test-ordering patterns are influenced by the ward attendings' subspecialty status, we identified the number of gastrointestinal endoscopic procedures, bone marrow procedures and exercise stress tests that were ordered on 9608 patients admitted to a medical service during a 3 year period. The patient management was supervised by attendings, 8 of whom were generalists and 37 of whom were subspecialists. House officers supervised by generalists ordered 23% fewer gastrointestinal procedures, 47% fewer bone marrow procedures, 43% fewer exercise stress tests and 29% fewer total procedures than house staff supervised by subspecialists (P—not significant, P < 0.001, P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively). House officers perceive a difference between the test-ordering patterns of subspecialists and generalists. They attribute this difference to post-residency training and believe that the use of more tests indicates a greater compulsion toward an exhaustive evaluation.     

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent shunt: 11 years' experience at a regional referral centre

OBJECTIVES: Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent shunt (TIPSS) is now widely used in the treatment of uncontrolled and recurrent variceal haemorrhage. This study reports the outcome and long-term follow-up of 125 patients who were referred to a single centre for TIPSS. METHODS: One hundred and twenty-five patients were referred to undergo TIPSS. All but 10 had variceal haemorrhage. The 10 patients referred with refractory ascites were excluded from the analysis. Our follow-up protocol was to assess shunt patency only if bleeding recurred or there was a clinical indication. The mean age was 51.5 years (range 18-87 years) and 64 patients (56%) were male. The commonest aetiology for chronic liver disease was alcohol (80%). At referral, 19 patients (16%) were Child-Pugh class A, 26 patients (23%) were Child-Pugh class B and 70 patients (61%) were Child-Pugh class C. The mean follow-up period was 20.4 months (range 0-95 months). RESULTS: TIPSS was successfully placed in 108 of 115 patients (94%). The thirty-day mortality was 30%. One-year and 2-year overall cumulative survival was 52% (survival ratio, 0.525; 95% confidence interval, 0.432-0.619) and 43% (survival ratio, 0.436; 95% confidence interval, 0.340-0.532), respectively. CONCLUSION: TIPSS is effective in the treatment of uncontrolled or recurrent variceal bleeding. In comparison with previously published studies, our study suggests no value in regular or routine shunt surveillance to reduce rebleeding episodes or mortality, but this needs to be further assessed in prospective randomized studies.     

Administration of N-acetylcysteine after focal cerebral ischemia protects brain and reduces inflammation in a rat model of experimental stroke

Free radicals and inflammatory mediators are involved in transient focal cerebral ischemia (FCI). Preadministration of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) has been found to attenuate the cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in a rat model of experimental stroke. This study was undertaken to investigate the neuroprotective potential of NAC administered after ischemic events in experimental stroke. FCI was induced for 30 min by occluding the middle cerebral artery (MCA). NAC (150 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally at the time of reperfusion followed by another dose 6 hr later. Animals were sacrificed after 24 hr of reperfusion. The cerebral infarct consistently involved the cortex and striatum. Infarction was assessed by staining the brain sections with 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride. Animals treated with NAC showed a significant reduction in infarct area and infarct volume and an improvement in neurologic scores and glutathione level. Reduction in infarction was significant even when a single dose of NAC was administered at 6 hr of reperfusion. Immunohistochemical and quantitative real-time PCR studies demonstrated a reduction in the expression of proinflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) and interleukin 1beta (IL-1beta) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in NAC compared to that in vehicle-treated animals. The expression of activated macrophage/microglia (ED1) and apoptotic cell death in ischemic brain was also reduced by NAC treatment. These results indicate that in a rat model of experimental stroke, administration of NAC even after ischemia onset protected the brain from free radical injury, apoptosis, and inflammation, with a wide treatment window.     

Abdominal compartment syndrome related to noninvasive ventilation

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) on intra-abdominal pressure. DESIGN AND SETTING: Single case report from a tertiary teaching hospital. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A 65-year-old man who experienced a sudden respiratory and cardiovascular collapse during NIPPV. This was caused by gastric overdistension due to aerophagia followed by raised intra-abdominal pressure leading to intra-abdominal hypertension and abdominal compartment syndrome. RESULTS: The respiratory and cardiovascular problems resolved immediately after the introduction of a nasogastric tube. This resulted in normalization of IAP. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first case reported of an abdominal compartment syndrome related to NIPPV. Clinicians should be aware of this possible complication while using NIPPV.     

Modified glasgow coma scale to predict mortality in febrile unconscious children

A prospective hospital based study was conducted in the Department of Pediatrics of the Kasturba Hospital, Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Sevagram, Wardha to predict the mortality in children admitted with fever and unconsciousness using the Modified Glasgow Coma Scale (MGCS) score. Forty eight children were admitted with fever and unconsciousness; cases of febrile convulsions, epilepsy and cerebral palsy were excluded. MGCS scores were assessed on admission and repeated at 12 hours, 24 hours, 48 hours and 72 hours after admission in each case. Diagnosis in each case was confirmed by history, examinations and investigations. All the cases were regularly followed up till death/discharge. The overall mortality was 29.1% (14/ 48) out of which 85% (12/14) died within the first 24 hours. Mortality was highest in the toddler age group and in patients with pyogenic meningitis. There was a significant association between death and MGCS scores on admission with a post test probability for discharge being only 10% with a score of less than 5 and 99% with a score of more than 10 respectively. MGCS scores on admission can be used to predict mortality in patients hospitalized with fever and unconsciousness. The scale is simple, easy, can be applied at bed side and does not need any investigations. Its application in developing countries with limited investigative and intensive care facilities can help the treating physician decide regarding referral and counseling the parents regarding the probable clinical outcome.