Early fiberscope endoscopy for upper gastrointestinal bleeding

Conclusions and summary 245 patients (29 postgastrectomy and 216 with intact stomachs) were examined with the gastroduodenal fiberscope within 14 days of bleeding, 91 of these within 24 hr. Direct visualization of lesions was possible in 50%, and in a further 40% the diagnosis could be made by inference or exclusion. Only 4 wrong diagnoses were made. Sites of bleeding were roughly 60% duodenal, 40% stomach; acute erosions accounted for 33% of the total.This procedure, which is safe and well tolerated by the patient is easily learned and should if possible be performed in every patient with acute upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage. In the first 24 hr. it may be an important guide to therapy or aid to surgery.This study was supported by Grants AM 4978 and 2A-5286 from the U. S. Public Health Service, National Institutes of Arthritis and Metabolic Diseases.We acknowledge the assistance of the following Fellows and Residents who examined many of the patients reported in this study: Drs. Jerome G. Ippolito, C. Birnie Johnson, T. A. Farmer, P. W. Morris, J. B. Douglas, Ali M. Fahkro, B. S. Tynes, S. R. Furst, G. E. Ennis, J. W. Trigg Jr., Robert Ryan, Emmett T. Brunson, John Henderson, Omer Baker, B. P. Edmunds, E. Jack Green, and George G. B. Bilsten.     

National multicenter study of HIV testing and HIV seropositivity in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection

BACKGROUND: Although HIV testing is recommended for persons with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection who are at risk for HIV, little is known about HIV testing in this population. METHODS: Data were prospectively collected in 4364 HCV-infected patients at 24 Veterans Affairs medical centers across the United States, including demographics, risk factors for HIV infection, and self-reported information on HIV testing. RESULTS: Overall, 76.8% had been tested for HIV at least once, 14.8% were never tested, 6.6% did not know if they were tested, and 1.8% declined to answer. Multivariable analysis identified injection drug use, needlestick injury, sex with a same-sex partner, a greater number of lifetime sexual partners, and sex with an injection drug user as factors that were independently associated with HIV testing. At least one risk factor for HIV infection was present in 84.5% of the 646 patients who were never HIV tested. Among the 3350 subjects who were tested for HIV, 8.4% were positive, 88.3% were negative, 2.4% did not know the results of their test, and 0.9% declined to answer. Multivariable analysis identified African American and Hispanic race/ethnicity, income < or = 10,000 dollars, sex with a same-sex partner, and sex with an injection drug user as the only variables that were independently associated with HIV seropositivity. CONCLUSIONS: Although a substantial proportion of HCV-infected patients have been tested for HIV, missed opportunities for early diagnosis of HIV infection exist. Public health strategies to improve HIV testing among patients with chronic HCV infection are needed.     

Naltrexone and disulfiram in patients with alcohol dependence and current depression

OBJECTIVE: Although disulfiram and naltrexone have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of alcoholism, no medications have been approved for individuals with alcohol dependence and comorbid psychiatric disorders. In particular, the effect of these medications on alcohol use outcomes and on specific psychiatric symptoms is still unknown in patients with the most common co-occurring disorder, major depression. METHOD: Two hundred fifty-four patients with a major Axis I psychiatric disorder and comorbid alcohol dependence were treated for 12 weeks in an outpatient medication study conducted at 3 Veterans Administration outpatient clinics. Randomization included (1) open randomization to disulfiram or no disulfiram, and (2) double-blind randomization to naltrexone or placebo. This resulted in 4 groups: (1) naltrexone alone, (2) placebo alone, (3) disulfiram and naltrexone, and (4) disulfiram and placebo. Primary outcomes were measures of alcohol use. Secondary outcomes included psychiatric symptoms assessed by the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, alcohol craving, gamma-glutamyltransferase levels, and adverse events. RESULTS: One hundred thirty-nine subjects (54.7%) met the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition criteria for major depression. There was no relationship between the diagnosis of depression and medication treatment on alcohol use outcomes, psychiatric symptoms, or the reporting of side effects for these medications. There was a significant interaction between diagnosis, medication group, and craving, where subjects with depression on disulfram reported lower craving over time than subjects with depression on naltrexone. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that disulfiram and naltrexone are safe pharmacotherapeutic agents for dually diagnosed individuals with depression for the treatment of alcohol use disorders.     

Left ventricular pseudoaneurysm after mitral valve replacement

Development of left ventricular pseudoaneurysm is a rare complication of mitral valve surgery and requires urgent surgical intervention. We describe a case of pseudoaneurysm of membranous septum following repeat mitral valve replacement with the use of multimodality imaging.     

A randomised control trial of the effectiveness of personalised letters sent subsequent to school dental inspections in increasing registration in unregistered children

Background

The Child Perceptions Questionnaires (CPQ_8–10 and CPQ_11–14) are indicators of child oral health-related quality of life. The aim of this study was to assess the validity and reliability of the self-applied CPQ_8–10 and CPQ_11–14 in Brazilian children, after translations and cultural adaptations in the Brazilian Portuguese language.

Methods

Schoolchildren were recruited from general populations for pre-testing (n = 80), validity (n = 210), and test-retest reliability (n = 50) studies. They were also examined for dental caries, gingivitis, fluorosis, and malocclusion.

Results

Children with greater dental caries experience in primary dentition had higher impacts on CPQ domains. Girls had higher scores for CPQ_8–10 domains than boys. Mean CPQ_11–14 scores were highest for 11-year-old children and lowest for 14-year-old children. Construct validity was supported by significant associations between the CPQ_8–10 and CPQ_11–14 scores and the global rating of oral health (r = 0.38, r = 0.43) and overall well-being (r = 0.39, r = 0.60), respectively. The Cronbach's alpha was 0.95 for both questionnaires. The test-retest reliabilities of the overall CPQ_8–10 and CPQ_11–14 scores were both excellent (ICC = 0.96, ICC = 0.92).

Conclusion

The Brazilian Portuguese version of CPQ_8–10 and CPQ_11–14 was valuable and reliable for use in the Brazilian child population, although discriminant validity was sporadic due to the fact that impacts are mediated by others factors, such personal, social, and environmental variables.     

患者的权利

许多人都知道,有一个患者权利法案,但大多数患者不知道他们的权利。许多人只是按照医生告诉他们的去做。一些人甚至不问为什么。许多人不问为什么是因为他们不想耽误医生或护士的时间,或者可能缺少医疗知识,一些人甚至不知道要问些什么问题。护士们应该确信患者和家属知道他们的权利。美国医院协办(AHA)1973年首次起草了患者的权利法案,1992年做了修订。AHA起草这个文件的目的是为了支持那些提供最佳医护的医院和保健护理部门,但在过去只是把权利写进了文件中。这个文件也保护患者的权益。AHA建议所有的患者和保健护理部门都要知道这些…