Bronchoscopic findings in post-obstructive pulmonary oedema

Purpose

To present the first photographed bronchoscopic findings associated with negative pressure pulmonary oedema (NPPE).

Clinical features

A previously healthy patient underwent anterior C₃–C₄ disc removal and arthrodesis. Following tracheal extubation he developed acute respiratory distress manifested as stridor, tachypnoea, restlessness, and desaturation. Once the trachea was reintubated, he displayed the classic findings of pulmonary oedema. Bronchoscopy was performed to confirm tracheal tube position and to rule out tracheal injury secondary to surgical manipulation. Diffuse punctate haemorrhages were noted throughout the visualised tracheobronchial tree.

Conclusion

We believe that these haemorrhages represent disruption of the bronchial vasculature and may contribute to the clinical presentation of NPPE.     

Spatio-temporal progression of the AEP P300 component using the cortical imaging technique

Summary The cortical imaging technique (CIT), a mathematical method for simulating the potential fields on the surface of the brain, was used to analyze the spatio-temporal progression of the AEP P300 component (as well as the preceding and subsequent N2a and N3 components) from thirty normal adult subjects recorded in a standard oddball paradigm. Comparisons were made between the progressions of the endogenous event-related cognitive potentials and the exogenous stimulus-dependent potentials (Nl component). Cortical imaging results suggest that different and multiple generator sites are involved in the production of exogenous and endogenous evoked responses. We particularly note the asymmetric development of the P300 component and the apparent anterior generator sites for the N2a component. This last result is interesting because the N2a precedes the P300 component and supports an earlier frontal contribution.     

Mind-Body Innovations—An Integrative Care Approach

Integration of behavioral health and medicine has gained increased support recently within the new field of complementary medicine. Providers from both disciplines are acknowledging the mind-body connection and recognizing the value of treating the whole patient through working within an integrative delivery model. This paper describes two treatment programs which were developed using the principles of the mind-body connection and implemented within an integrative setting at a large HMO. The results of research studies are presented and discussed to demonstrate the efficacy of these programs.     

Evaluation of measures used to assess quality of life after stroke

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Assessment of quality of life (QOL) after stroke is becoming common with the recognition that evaluation of treatment should include quality as well as quantity of survival. This article will outline the main conceptual and methodological issues in QOL assessment, highlight advantages and disadvantages of measures used in stroke QOL research, and discuss some unresolved issues. SUMMARY OF REVIEW: We undertook a MEDLINE search using the keywords "stroke" and "quality of life" and reviewed 3 key texts on QOL measurement in stroke. Fifteen generic and 10 condition-specific measures used to assess QOL in stroke were identified and evaluated with the following criteria: reliability, validity, responsiveness, precision, acceptability, suitability for proxy respondents, mode of administration, and use of patient-centered approaches in development. Domains covered and level of comprehensiveness varied widely between generic and stroke-specific measures. No stroke-specific instruments used patient-centered approaches in their development. Four stroke-specific measures (Frenchay Activities Index, Niemi QOL scale, Ferrans and Powers QOL Index-Stroke Version, and Stroke-Adapted Sickness Impact Profile [SA-SIP30]) provided evidence of reliability and validity. CONCLUSIONS: The need remains for a patient-centered, psychometrically robust, stroke-specific QOL measure. Patients should be involved in each stage of instrument development. Caution is needed in the selection of an instrument to measure QOL after stroke. Although the Ferrans and Powers QOL Index-Stroke Version, Niemi QOL scale, SA-SIP30, and Sickness Impact Profile come closest to satisfying many of the criteria outlined in this article, the selection of any individual instrument depends on the specific goals and constraints of a particular study.     

Evaluation of the dermal subchronic toxicity of diphenyl ether in the rat.

Diphenyl ether (DPE) was investigated to determine the dermal absorption parameters and subchronic toxicity of this fragrance ingredient. For the absorption, distribution and elimination study, Sprague-Dawley rats received a dermal application of [14C]DPE under a semi-occlusive dressing for 6 h. DPE was diluted in diethyl phthalate (DEP) to administer a total application volume of 2 ml/kg and concentrations of 0.5, 5 and 50% (approximately equal to 10, 100 and 1000 mg DPE/kg body weight). Approximately 17.7% of the administered dose was eliminated in the urine, with small amounts also found in the feces (1.18-3.79%). At 72 h post-dosing, approximately 0.2% of the applied dose was retained in the body with low levels also measured in the liver, kidney and gastrointestinal tract (approximately equal to 0.04, 0.02 and 0.3%, respectively). The 13-week subchronic toxicity study was performed with groups of 12 Sprague-Dawley rats/sex/dose that received semi-occluded daily dermal applications of DPE for 6 h/day. All groups were dosed at a constant 2 ml/kg body weight volume of DPE in the DEP vehicle at concentrations to administer 0, 100, 300 or 1000 mg DPE/kg body weight/day. At the high dose level, there was a slight reduction in body weight gain in males (13%), increase in albumin (5-6%) and phosphate (10-15%) levels in both sexes, a reduction of cholesterol in females (14%), an increase in kidney (17%) and brain (8%) weights in males, and an increase in liver weight (18-19%) in both sexes. No histopathological lesions were seen in any organ examined. At 300 mg/kg body weight/day, the only notable findings were an increase in liver weight (10%) in both sexes and a slight increase in albumin (5%) in females. In addition, skin irritation reactions at the site of application were observed in all DPE dose groups. The systemic no-observed-effect level (NOEL) in this study is 100 mg/kg body weight/day. Owing to mitigating factors, the systemic findings were judged to lack biological significance and the no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) was determined to be 1000 mg/kg body weight/day.     

The palliative benefits of MVP (mitomycin C, vinblastine and cisplatin) chemotherapy in patients with malignant mesothelioma.

BACKGROUND: With the rising incidence of malignant mesothelioma (MM), it is important to optimise treatment to control symptoms, maintain quality of life and, if possible, prolong life. We have analysed prospectively collected data to evaluate a frequently used palliative chemotherapy regimen. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between October 1986 and May 2002 all patients with inoperable pleural mesothelioma were considered for treatment with MVP (mitomycin C 8 mg/m2 every 6 weeks, vinblastine 6 mg/m2 every 3 weeks and cisplatin 50 mg/m2 every 3 weeks) chemotherapy. Symptoms were assessed by physician assessment at baseline and after each cycle of chemotherapy. RESULTS: One hundred and fifty patients were treated with MVP for mesothelioma. Forty-three per cent had a performance status (PS) 2 or worse. The response rate was 15.3%, with 68.6% having stable disease. Sixty-nine per cent reported an improvement in symptoms; in particular there were good responses for pain (71%), cough (62%) and dyspnoea (50%). The most common grade 3/4 toxicity was neutropenia (22%). Median overall survival was 7 months, with 1-year survival 31% and 2-year survival 11%. Median survival for patients with PS 0/1 was 10 months, and was 6 months for patients with PS 2/3. Poor prognostic factors in univariate analysis included poor PS, weight loss, mixed or sarcomatoid histology, low haemoglobin and high white blood cell count. Excluding pathological subtype, the prognostic significance of poor PS and weight loss were retained in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Palliation of symptoms in MM is achievable with current cisplatin-based treatments.     

Mouse mammary tumor virus-like gene sequences in breast tumors of Australian and Vietnamese women.

PURPOSE: There is considerable evidence that the presence of mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV)-like gene sequences in human breast cancer is highly associated with human breast carcinoma. Previous studies have found MMTV-like gene sequences in 38% of breast cancer tissue from United States women. The prevalence of these sequences in Australian and Vietnamese women has never been reported. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Using PCR and primers that amplify MMTV-like gene sequences, we tested cancerous and benign breast tissue from Caucasian-Australian, Vietnamese-Australian, and Vietnamese women. RESULTS: MMTV-like gene sequences were amplified in 19 of 45 (42.2%) archival breast cancer biopsy tissues from Caucasian-Australian women, but only 1 of 120 (0.8%) and 0 of 41 breast cancer biopsy tissues from Vietnamese and Vietnamese-Australian women, respectively. The same sequences were found in only 2 of 111 (1.8%) and 0 of 60 normal (benign) breast tissue samples from Australian and Vietnamese women, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: MMTV-like gene sequences are found in only some human populations and are rarely found in normal human breast tissue from all populations, suggesting they are not present in the normal human genome and have been acquired.