Background: Vitamin B12 deficiency after gastric surgery for obesity is due to a failure of separation of vitamin B12 from protein foodstuffs and to a failure of absorption of crystalline vitamin B12 in the presence of intrinsic factor. The purpose of this study was to determine which of four oral doses of crystalline vitamin
B12 was most effective in treating vitamin B12 deficiency in 102 patients. Methods and Results: At time of entry into the study, the patients had a serum vitamin B12 < 100 pmol L −1, were 29.9 ± 21.7 months post-op, were 37 ± 8 years old and had a body mass index of 30 ± 6 kg m−2. Eight (8%) had had a vertical banded gastroplasty and 94 (92%) a gastric bypass. For the first 3 months all patients received
350 μg per day of crystalline vitamin B12 and all increased their serum vitamin B12 levels to over 100 pmol L−1. The patients were then assigned to receive for a further 3 month period one of four oral doses of crystalline vitamin B12-100 μg, 250 μg, 350 μg and 600 μg. Serum vitamin B12 levels were greater than 150 pmol L−1 after 6 months in 83.3% of patients who received 100 μg; 92.3% of patients who received 250 μg; 94.7% after 350 μg and 95.2%
after 600 μg (p%0.525). Conclusion: At least 350 μg per day is the appropriate oral dose of crystalline vitamin B12 after gastric surgery for obesity to correct low serum vitamin B12 levels in 95% of patients. 相似文献
WHO and its partners recommend the use of auto-disable syringes, "bundled" with the supply of vaccines when donor dollars are used, in all mass immunization campaigns, and also strongly advocate their use in routine immunization programmes. Because of the relatively high price of auto-disable syringes, WHO's Technical Network for Logistics in Health recommends that activities be initiated to encourage the transfer of production technology for these syringes as a means of promoting their use and enhancing access to the technology. The present article examines factors influencing technology transfer, including feasibility, corporate interest, cost, quality assurance, intellectual property considerations, and probable time frames for implementation. Technology transfer activities are likely to be complex and difficult, and may not result in lower prices for syringes. Guidelines are offered on technology transfer initiatives for auto-disable syringes to ensure the quality of the product, the reliability of the supply, and the feasibility of the technology transfer activity itself. 相似文献
An analysis of bone tumor occurrences among male and female beagles given monomeric 239Pu or 226Ra was not able to establish a difference in sensitivity to induction of bone malignancy by radium or plutonium exposure. This is in contrast to the situation reported for mice. Female mice are substantially more sensitive to 239Pu irradiation than males, but this difference is obliterated by gonadectomy, females becoming less sensitive and males becoming more sensitive. Although there may be some nonuniformity between human males and females for radiation-induced bone sarcoma occurrence, analysis of data sets containing both men and women exposed to 224Ra, 226Ra, 228Ra, or 226+228Ra appears not to reveal substantial differences in sensitivity by gender, a situation similar to that reported herein for beagles. 相似文献
There are fundamental problems with the calculation of radiation doses to the skeleton from internal emitters deposited in bone. Some of these include dose inhomogeneities, identity of cells at risk and their dynamics, changing deposition patterns of bone-seeking radionuclides with time after exposure, seemingly unique responses of the skeleton to each deposited radionuclide, the role of radioactive progeny produced by deposited emitters and their individual dynamics and effects, different responses of mammals of different ages at exposure to identical dosages, different responses to different chemical forms of a given radionuclide, and different responses to an identical dose from a given radionuclide at different dose-rates. This situation makes it necessary to choose some common dose parameter that will allow the overall effects of different radionuclides to be compared directly so that projected effects of each of them in humans can be estimated. For radiation protection purposes, it appears premature to abandon the concept of average skeletal dose (which appears to be a practical compromise for use) until an undelusive, non-artificial and uncontrived method of calculating absorbed dose to the appropriate cells in bone is developed that fulfills the requirement of equal cancer response for equal skeletal dose for all circumstances. 相似文献
Background. Emphasis on cost containment in coronary artery bypass surgery is becoming increasingly important in modern hospital management. The revival of interest in off-pump (beating heart) coronary artery bypass surgery may influence the economic outcome. This study examines these effects.
Methods. Two hundred patients undergoing first-time coronary artery bypass surgery were prospectively randomized to either conventional cardiopulmonary bypass and cardioplegic arrest or off-pump surgery. Variable and fixed direct costs were obtained for each group during operative and postoperative care. The data were analyzed using parametric methods.
Results. There was no difference between the groups with respect to pre- and intraoperative patient variables. Off-pump surgery was significantly less costly than conventional on-pump surgery with respect to operating materials, bed occupancy, and transfusion requirements (total mean cost per patient: on pump, $3,731.6 ± 1,169.7 vs off-pump, $2,615.13 ± 953.6; p < 0.001). Morbidity was significantly higher in the on-pump group, which was reflected in an increased cost.
Conclusions. Off-pump revascularization offers a safe, cost-effective alternative to conventional coronary revascularization with cardiopulmonary bypass and cardioplegic arrest. 相似文献
Addresses the issue of empowerment and its possible role in promoting the effectiveness of health services. Empowerment represents the ability of people within organisations to use their own initiative to further organisational interests. However, despite its apparent simplicity, the concept turns out to be quite complex and to have unanticipated implications. We explore some of these implications in health service organisations, and their consequences for health policy. Our conclusion is that many health policies may well act to degrade the empowerment of health service workers, and hence the performance of health service organisations. 相似文献
Farm workers in developing countries tend not to use protective measures while handling pesticides. This study investigates
the use of personal protection equipment and the practice of safety and hygiene procedures in the handling of pesticides in
agriculture. Methods: Through a multi-stage sampling technique, one-fifth of the farms in a region were selected and all the farm workers at these
farms were included in the study. A comparison population matching in age, socio-economic status and stay in the region was
selected. A specifically designed questionnaire was used to collect information on the use of protective measures and the
practice of safety and hygiene during work and on the disposal of empty pesticide containers. Blood pressure and erythrocyte
acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity were measured in the exposed and the unexposed populations. Results: Protective equipment was worn by a minority of farm workers – gloves, by 35%; work coveralls, by 36%; a scarf to cover the
nose and mouth, by 39%; and shoes at work, by 79%. With regard to personal hygiene measures, 83% of the workers changed clothes
after work and the same proportion took a shower after work; 63% and 46% drank and ate while at work respectively; and 11%
used articles of domestic use in the preparation of pesticides on the farm. Most of the farm workers (96%) were asked to prepare
pesticides for spraying by the foreman and 61% were asked to spray the pesticides on the crops. AChE activity was highly significantly
depleted in the exposed population as compared with the unexposed population. Conclusions: AChE depletion was found to be negatively associated with the use of gloves, of work coveralls, and of a scarf to cover the
nose and mouth and with the implementation of safety and hygiene procedures on the farm. AChE depletion was positively associated
with the frequency of pesticide spraying.
Received: 30 January 1998 / Accepted: 19 August 1998 相似文献
OBJECTIVE: To report the longer term results of a randomized, clinical trial comparing the 350-mm2 and the 500-mm2 Baerveldt glaucoma implants. DESIGN: Extended follow-up on a randomized, controlled trial. PARTICIPANTS: Between March 1991 and April 1993, 107 patients with uncontrolled intraocular pressure (IOP) due to non-neovascular glaucoma associated with aphakia, pseudophakia, or failed filters were randomly assigned for surgical placement of either the 350-mm or the 500-mm2 Baerveldt implant at the Doheny Eye Institute. METHODS: A random-numbers table was used to assign each patient to one of the two groups. Preoperative IOPs and visual acuities were recorded. Clinical records were reviewed to ascertain postoperative IOPs, visual acuities, number of medications used, and implant-related complications that occurred throughout the follow-up period. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Success was defined as IOP of 6 mmHg or greater and of 21 mmHg or less in two or more consecutive follow-up visits without further glaucoma surgery or loss of light perception attributable to glaucoma. RESULTS: The overall success rates were 87% for the 350-mm2 group and 70% for the 500-mm2 group (P = 0.05). Average follow-up was 37 months (range, 1-76 months) for the 350-mm2 group and 34 months (range, 5-77 months) for the 500-mm2 group. The life-table success rates declined over time for both implant groups, from a high of 98% for the 350-mm2 group and 92% for the 500-mm2 group at 1 year to a cumulative success rate of 79% for the 350-mm2 group and 66% for the 500-mm2 group at 5 years. Visual acuities were better or remained the same in 50% of the patients in the 350-mm2 group and 46% of those in the 500-mm2 group. Complications during the 5-year follow-up were also statistically similar. CONCLUSIONS: The longer term results show that the 350-mm2 Baerveldt implant is more successful than the 500-mm2 implant for overall IOP control. Interval comparisons indicate a higher rate of success for the 350-mm2 implant in the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth years of implantation. Visual acuities, implant-related complications, and average IOPs were statistically indistinguishable between the two groups. 相似文献