The influence of baricity on the haemodynamic effects of intrathecal bupivacaine 0.5%

This study compared the haemodynamic effects of subarachnoid block with plain bupivacaine 0.5% (dextrose-free), heavy bupivacaine 0.5% (in dextrose 8%) and a mixture of these two solutions, i.e. bupivacaine 0.5% in dextrose 4%. Thirty-six male patients, aged 55-89 years, undergoing transurethral surgery were recruited. Invasive systolic arterial and central venous pressures were recorded at 5-s intervals after the block was initiated using a computerised data-collection system. The height of sensory blockade was recorded at 5-min intervals. No preload was given and episodes of hypotension were treated with colloid (8 ml x kg(-1)) and, if this was ineffective, a metaraminol infusion. Systolic arterial and central venous pressures decreased in all three groups following block (p < 0.05). These decreases were more rapid in onset in the heavy bupivacaine group compared with plain bupivacaine group (p < 0.005). Patients in the heavy bupivacaine group also had a greater requirement for early treatment of hypotension (< 10 min) and treatment with metaraminol (p < 0.05). The onset of sensory blockade was more rapid in the heavy group compared with the mixed group, although final sensory levels were similar. The onset of haemodynamic and sensory changes are more rapid when using heavy bupivacaine intrathecally. This leads to a higher and earlier incidence of hypotension and requirement for treatment.     

Screening for depression in African-Caribbean elders

BACKGROUND: There are increasing numbers of older African-Caribbeans in the UK. Primary care staff often feel less confident about diagnosing depression in this group. Screening instruments may assist in making diagnoses in cross-cultural consultations. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to determine the sensitivity and specificity of screening instruments for depression in older African-Caribbean people in Manchester, UK. METHODS: We carried out a two-stage study to compare three screening instruments for depression (Geriatric Depression Scale, Brief Assessment Schedule Depression Cards, Caribbean Culture Specific Screen), with a computerized diagnostic interview for mental health disorders in older adults (Geriatric Mental State). The study was set in inner-city Manchester. The subjects were community-resident African-Caribbeans aged 60 years and over; 227 subjects were approached. Of the 160 people screened, 130 agreed to diagnostic interview. The main outcome measures were Spearman correlation coefficients; these were calculated between each screening instrument and the diagnostic interview. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to determine appropriate sensitivity and specificity for each instrument. RESULTS: The results for the largest subgroup, the Jamaicans (n = 96/130), demonstrated highly significant correlations between screening instruments and diagnostic interview (P < 0.001). Each instrument had a high sensitivity: Brief Assessment Schedule depression cards (cut-off > or =6; sensitivity 90.9% (95% CI 58.8-99.8), specificity 82.1% (95% CI 74.0-90.3)), Caribbean Culture Specific Screen (cut-off > or =6; sensitivity 90.9% (95% CI 58.8-99.8), specificity 74.1% (95% CI 64.8-83.4)), and Geriatric Depression Scale (cut-off > or =4; sensitivity 100% (95% CI 97.1-100), specificity 69.1% (95% CI 59.6-79.2)). CONCLUSIONS: These screening instruments demonstrate high sensitivity levels, if an appropriate cut-off point is used. The culture-specific instrument did not perform better than the traditional instruments. Health professionals should approach the consultation in a culturally sensitive manner and use the validated instrument they are most familiar with.     

The role of research--how much is enough?

A great deal of research is involved in bringing PARNUTs to the marketplace. Research often begins with identifying an unfilled nutritional need, determining if that need is great enough to warrant development of a new product, and then evaluating the efficacy and safety of the potential product in animal models and clinical trials. This approach tends to emphasize short-term outcomes, however, while neglecting the issues of whether a product offers long term benefit or holds long term risks. This article presents discussion centered around the need for selecting appropriate outcomes for nutritional intervention trials, designing trials with a follow-up time sufficient to allow for outcome measurement, and enrolling a patient population large enough to accurately gauge efficacy and tolerability.     

Barriers to follow‐up of abnormal screening mammograms among low‐income minority women

Objective. To describe factors related to compliance diagnostic follow‐up among minority women of low socioeconomic status with abnormal screening mammograms.

Methods. A retrospective cross‐sectional survey using a structured telephone interview. Three cancer screening clinics at an urban inner‐city public hospital. All women with abnormal screening mammograms between September 1990 and January 1992 were eligible; women were interviewed in August 1992. Abnormal mammograms were those requiring specific, non‐routine clinical follow‐up; non‐compliance was defined as delayed follow‐up (four to six months after the date of the mammogram), or no follow‐up at the time of interview (more than 6 months after abnormal).

Results. Sixty‐two of 442 screened women had abnormal results; the overall rate of non‐compliance with follow‐up was 50%. Among the 42 (68%) women who agreed to be interviewed, non‐compliers were less likely to state that they had been told to receive follow‐up than compilers (65% versus 100%; p = 0.008). Non‐compliant women were less likely to have suspicious mammography interpretations (p = 0.05), and more likely to report barriers to follow‐up, such as cost of lost wages and medical care, system barriers, or fears, than compliant women (61.9% versus 9%, p = 0.01). There were no differences between the two groups for age, education, insurance, source of care, family history, knowledge or attitudes.

Conclusions. These preliminary results suggest that follow‐up of low income, minority women with abnormal screening mammograms could be enhanced by improved communication of results. Future studies should extend these findings with larger samples and in other settings and populations.     

Symbolic recognition: Ceremony in a treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder

This brief report describes the utilization of a welcome home ceremony in the treatment of Vietnam War and other war veterans suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder. Designed primarily to address the issues of sanctuary trauma and social isolation and alienation, the ceremony drew upon knowledge gained from the study of Native American ritual. Carefully avoiding mimicking such ritual, the principles of affirmation of the worth of the warrior, societal participation and reintegration, and spiritual and existential support were translated into a mainstream cultural format. The significance of a woman leading the ceremony and veteran reactions are discussed.     

Astrocytoma presenting with vasculitis.

A cerebral astrocytoma which had remained quiescent possibly for 12 years, presented with blackout, vasculitis and a lupus-like (L-E like) syndrome. The association between tumours and "L-E like" syndromes is reviewed briefly.     

Effective use of blood in elective surgical procedures

The preoperative requests for crossmatching of blood in elective surgical procedures were studied at the Flinders Medical Centre, South Australia. The study revealed that surgeons order crossmatched blood on the basis of habit. This led to considerable time-expiry of blood, and to unnecessary use of laboratory personnel's time and reagents. The statistical information collected during the study was used to educate the surgeons to change their blood-ordering practice. In procedures where excessive blood loss is unlikely to occur, as a stand-by, a "group-and-screen" procedure was substituted for crossmatching. A firm recommendation for maximum blood order in elective surgical procedures was also made. It is estimated that this approach would save approximately $80,000 per year per 350-bed general hospital in Australia.     

The European Donor Hospital Education Programme (EDHEP): enhancing communication skills with bereaved relatives

Intensive care medical and nursing staff self-rate their communication skills as improved following attendance at the European Donor Hospital Education Programme (EDHEP) workshop. A prospective study was conducted to determine what impact EDHEP has on communication skills. Doctor-nurse pairs from 10 experimental and 10 control Intensive Care Units undertook two standardized simulated relative encounters (Breaking Bad News and Donation Request) at three measurement points (pre, post and follow-up). Nurses showed no change in communication skills. Experimental group doctors showed significant improvement in breaking bad news and requesting donation; most of these improvements were not maintained. Control group doctors showed some improvement in breaking bad news, indicating that participating in measurement by itself initiates some transient change in communication skills. Attendance at EDHEP does lead to significant improvement in some, but not all, communication skills essential in breaking bad news and requesting donation. Further research is necessary to determine what factors additional to EDHEP will contribute to enduring change in these particular skills.     

Renal allograft rejection: beta-chemokine involvement in the development of tubulitis

BACKGROUND: Tubulitis is a defining feature of renal allograft rejection. Graft dysfunction may result from damage inflicted on tubular epithelial cells by intratubular cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Graft cells are known to produce chemokines during acute rejection, but it is not known whether changes in expression of specific chemokines can influence the composition of the intratubular lymphocyte population. We examined expression of individual chemokines in biopsy sections showing different pathological rejection grades. METHODS: Sections from Banff-graded transplant biopsies were examined for the presence of beta-chemokines (MCP-1, MIP-1alpha, MIP-1beta, and RANTES) by immunofluorescence and semiquantitative confocal laser scanning microscopy. RESULTS: Beta-chemokines were expressed predominantly at the basolateral surface of tubular epithelial cells. Expression of MCP-1 and MIP-1beta was significantly higher in sections showing grade 2 rather than grade 1 acute rejection. RANTES and MIP-1alpha showed no significant variation in level of expression between rejection grades. CONCLUSIONS: Beta-chemokines are expressed by tubular epithelial cells during acute rejection. Consistent expression of RANTES and MIP-1alpha suggests a general role in recruiting T lymphocytes. However, MCP-1 and MIP-1beta may play a more subtle role in recruitment of specific T-cell subsets, such as Th1 cells, during acute cellular rejection.