A PIL for every ill? Patient information leaflets (PILs): a review of past, present and future use

This article reviews the usefulness and importance of written information, specifically leaflets, being given to patients. Evidence suggesting how both patient and doctor may benefit from the giving of written information is reviewed. Identification of good practice relating to the content and readability of leaflets is discussed. An argument is put forward that the giving of written information is an under-utilized resource in contributing to improving patient outcomes but that this may be changing with the increasing use of patient leaflet databases. The advantages and disadvantages of computer- generated patient leaflets are discussed and desirable further areas of research on computer-generated leaflets are proposed.      

巯基苯并噻唑或巯基混合物：何为标准品系？

巯基苯并噻唑（MBT）化合物是已知的接触性变应原。为检测对橡胶过敏的患者，作者使用MBT（2％凡士林制剂）以及包含4种成分（各含0．5％）的巯基混合物作标准品系。本文中EECDRG提供32475例试验患者资料，这些患者分别来自欧洲11个中心的接触性皮炎诊所，旨在确定混合物和MBT能否检测出同一个过敏患者。作者发现327例患者对混合物或MBT，或对二者呈阳性反应。261例对混合物呈阳性反应，254例对MBT呈阳性反应。73例对MBT呈阴性反应的患者对混合物有阳性反应。若标准品系中无混合物，平均22％的对巯基混合物过敏的患者被漏检。若标准品系中无MBT，则有20％的患者漏检。如果二者均未被用于检测，所有诊所将漏检大量的阳性反应结果。作者认为：巯基混合物和BMT均应作为标准品系。