Health services needs and quality of life assessment of individuals with brain injuries: a pilot cross-sectional study

Background and purpose: Quality of Life (QoL) studies have received a substantial amount of attention in medical and rehabilitative practices. However, there is still a paucity of studies in the area, especially on persons with brain injuries (BI). This pilot study, on the QoL of individuals with brain injuries in Hong Kong, attempts to fill this void. It is hoped that the finding of this study will guide the development of programmes and services to people with brain injuries.

Methods: Through the Self-help Group for People with Brain Damage in Hong Kong, 35 subjects (22 men and 13 women) were successfully recruited to participate in this study by convenience sampling. Demographic data were collected through face-to-face interviews guided by a questionnaire and QoL data were gathered using the Comprehensive Quality of Life Scale—Intellectual/Cognitive Disability—5th edition (ComQol-I5). The general emotional condition of the participants over the past 2 months was measured by a validated Chinese version of the Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS). The participants' ratings on the importance of and their satisfaction with 20 health services areas were also collected.

Results: Preliminary results show that the overall mean quality of life score, as measured by ComQol-I5, was slightly less than two-thirds of the maximum score. Among the seven QoL domains, health and safety received some of the highest scores, while the lowest scores were obtained in the area of material well-being, place in community and productivity. People whose injuries had occurred relatively recently (less than 5 years ago) were found to have higher intimacy QoL scores than their counterparts injured more than 5 years ago. In the domain of safety, persons with a brain injury who were employed scored significantly higher than those who were not. Positive affect scores and the total affect of PANAS scores correlated significantly with the overall QoL scores. Moreover, persons with a brain injury usually felt satisfied with the services they valued as important. The top five most important services were medical services, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, vocational counselling and social work.

Discussion and conclusion: The QoL profile of people with brain injuries in Hong Kong was initially obtained and low scores in the ComQoL were identified in the domains of material well-being, community activities and responsibility and productivity. These might be the consequences of their physical and cognitive limitations due to brain injury. This implies that appropriate interventions to improve their daily life conditions and their social integration would be necessary to improve their QoL. On the other hand, the BI sample also rated relatively high scores in other ComQoL areas such as safety and health, reflecting a good living environment and probably good health care services. Those whose brain injuries had occurred less than 5 years ago tended to have a higher ComQoL intimacy score than those whose injuries occurred more than 5 years ago. In other words, their social relationships may deteriorate with the longer period post-injury so that this group may need more supportive services. In the safety domain, it was found that subjects who were employed after their brain injury scored significantly higher than those who were not, which matched studies about the significant contribution of work towards life satisfaction. The satisfaction of their needs in the services they received, which may affect their QoL, was also investigated. It is clear that they valued the medical and rehabilitation services they received and felt satisfied with them.     

The effects of subluxation of the femoral head with avascular necrosis in growing rabbits

To validate the adverse effects of subluxation of the femoral head in Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, the authors made an experimental model of Perthes disease with subluxation in growing rabbits by interrupting the epiphyseal artery (devascularization) and immobilizing the knee in extension (immobilization). Seventy-two rabbits, 4 to 5 weeks old, were divided into three groups: group A with both devascularization and immobilization (25 rabbits), group B with devascularization only (25 rabbits), and group C with immobilization only (22 rabbits). In each experimental group, four to six rabbits each were killed at 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks. After reviewing the serial radiographs and gross specimens, the authors found six radiologic and six macroscopic abnormalities. The incidence and the severity of deformity in group A rabbits were higher than that of groups B or C in terms of the overall incidence of deformities (P <0.001), head deformity scores (P <0.001), and the incidence of a total collapse of the capital femoral epiphysis. In conclusion, subluxation of the immature femoral head with avascular necrosis in rabbits increased femoral head deformities.     

多体素1H-MRS联合ADC在脑胶质瘤分级诊断与瘤细胞增殖评估中的应用

目的 探讨多体素氢质子磁共振波谱成像（¹H-MRS）联合表观扩散系数（ADC）在脑胶质瘤分级诊断、评估肿瘤细胞增殖活性的应用价值。方法 60例脑胶质瘤患者,低级别胶质瘤（LGG）组（Ⅰ、Ⅱ级）22例,高级别胶质瘤（HGG）组（Ⅲ、Ⅳ级）38例。所有患者术前完成多体素¹H-MRS及扩散加权成像（DWI）检查。分析瘤体区胆碱（Cho）/肌酸（Cr）、Cho/N-乙酰天门冬氨酸（NAA）、NAA/Cr、瘤体区表观扩散系数（ADC_T）、对侧正常脑实质表观扩散系数（ADC_H）、相对表观扩散系数（rADC）(rADC=ADC_T/ADC_H)、Ki-67指数的统计学差异。结果 LGG、HGG瘤体区Cho/Cr、Cho/NAA及ADC_T、rADC值的差异均有统计学意义（P<0.01）;Cho/Cr联合rADC值的受试者工作特征曲线（ROC）曲线下面积（AUC）最大（AUC=0.92）,脑胶质瘤分级诊断敏感度、特异度为92.1%、80.3%。瘤体区...     

CT联合超声诊断POEMS综合征

目的探讨POEMS综合征CT和超声影像学表现特点,提高认识能力。方法选取4例经CT和超声诊断的POEMS综合征患者临床资料,分析影像学表现。结果 4例均为男性,CT表现4例腋窝、腹股沟淋巴结多发肿大,3例纵隔淋巴结肿大,增强扫描呈明显均匀强化,超声显示淋巴结内部及周围血流丰富;4例多浆膜腔积液;3例脊柱、骨盆、胸骨多发局限性骨质硬化;3例乳腺发育;3例肺动脉高压。结论骨质硬化性改变、多中心富血供淋巴结肿大、肺动脉高压在POEMS综合征有一定影像学特点,密切结合临床可做出正确诊断。     

Cross sectional survey on the concerns and anxiety of patients waiting for organ transplants

Aim: We aimed to gain an understanding of patient concerns while on a transplantation waiting list in areas with long transplant waiting time. Methods: The study population comprised patients with organ failure on the transplant waiting list in Hong Kong. They were invited to complete a questionnaire survey. Demographic data and waiting time were collected. Respondents rated their chance of getting transplanted, their subjective concerns and feelings, level of happiness and support received. Results: A total of 442 patients on the waiting list for kidney, liver, lung and heart‐lung transplants completed the questionnaire survey. The majority of patients (93.0%) were waiting for kidney transplantation. More than half of the respondents (63.3%) had been waiting for more than 3 years. Patients with longer transplant waiting times had lower self‐estimated chance of receiving a transplant (P = 0.004). Self‐estimated chance of getting transplanted was positively associated with the happiness score (P < 0.0001). Issues of most concerns to the patients waiting for organ transplants were: inconvenience of therapy (48.2%), disease progression (47.9%), burden to family (59.5%) and financial difficulties (52.3%). More female patients on the waiting list (50.0% vs 25.7% in male) reported concerns about suffering associated with the illnesses. 21.7% of patients considered the level of support received inadequate. Conclusions: Our patients had long waiting time for transplantation, which is associated with a lower perceived chance of getting a transplant. Attention to more psychosocial support to these patients waiting for organ transplant is important. Promoting and improving organ donation would be the ultimate way to help these patients.     

Streptococcus dysgalactiae subspecies dysgalactiae infection after total knee arthroplasty: a case report

Streptococcus dysgalactiae subspecies dysgalactiae (SDSD), Lancefield group C streptococcus, is an animal pathogen which often causes pyogenic infection in domestic animals. Human infection by SDSD has been reported as a cellulitis on the upper arm, but a prosthetic joint infection caused by SDSD after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) has not yet been reported in the literature demonstrating that its clinical manifestation and management have not been well established. In this case report, we aimed to present a case of SDSD prosthetic joint infection after TKA, which was successfully treated by two-stage re-implantation with an application of antibiotic-impregnated cement spacer.     

High Expression of Delta-Like Ligand 4 Predicts Poor Prognosis After Curative Resection for Pancreatic Cancer

Background

Delta-like ligand 4 (DLL4)-Notch signaling plays a key role in tumor angiogenesis, but its prognostic value in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains unclear. Our aim was to determine whether high DLL4 expression is correlated with poor prognosis after curative resection for PDAC.

Methods

Surgical specimens obtained from 89 patients with PDAC were immunohistochemically assessed for DLL4 and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR-2) expression. Prognostic significance of DLL4 expression was evaluated by Kaplan–Meier method and Cox regression. The correlations of DLL4 expression with VEGFR-2 expression, tumor stage, and lymph node metastasis were examined by chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression.

Results

There were 38 (42.7%) and 51 patients who showed high and low DLL4 expression, respectively. Survival curves showed that patients with low DLL4 expression had a significantly better survival than those with high DLL4 expression (P < .001). Multivariate survival analysis demonstrated that high DLL4 expression was independently associated with both reduced overall survival (hazard ratio [HR] 2.24; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.14–4.38) and reduced progression-free survival (HR 2.37; 95% CI 1.22–4.60). Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that high DLL4 expression was independently associated with both advanced tumor stage (odds ratio [OR] 6.84; 95% CI 2.42–9.36) and lymph node metastasis (OR 3.27; 95% CI 1.04–10.34). We also found a positive correlation between DLL4 and VEGFR-2 expression (P < .001).

Conclusions

High DLL4 expression is significantly associated with poor prognosis for surgically resected PDAC, advanced tumor stage, and lymph node metastasis. Application of adjuvant therapy targeting DLL4-Notch signaling may improve prognosis.

     

电针刺激足三里和肺俞穴对兔内毒素休克诱发急性肺损伤的影响

目的 评价电针刺激足三里和肺俞穴对兔内毒素休克诱发急性肺损伤的影响.方法 健康雄性新西兰大白兔60只,体重1.5 ～ 2.0 kg,2月龄,采用随机数字表法,将其随机分为6组(n=10):假手术组(S组)、血红素加氧酶-1(HO-1)抑制剂锌原卟啉-Ⅸ组(Z组)、内毒素组(L组)、电针刺激穴位+内毒素组(EL组)、电针刺激非穴位+内毒素组(SEL组)、电针刺激穴位+锌原卟啉-Ⅸ+内毒素组(ELZ组).EL组和ELZ组电针刺激双侧足三里和肺俞穴,疏密波,频率15 Hz,刺激强度以兔出现轻微肌颤为宜,1次/d,15 min/次,连续5d;SEL组刺激足三里和肺俞穴旁开0.5 cm处.停止电针刺激后24 h,L组、EL组、SEL组和ELZ组静脉注射脂多糖5 mg,/kg,S组和Z组给予等容量生理盐水0.5ml.Z组和ELZ组给予脂多糖后2h腹腔注射锌原卟啉-Ⅸ10 μmol/kg,其他4组给予等容量NaHCO3 1 ml.注射脂多糖后6h时处死兔,取肺组织,进行肺损伤评分,测定肺泡上皮细胞凋亡指数、HO-1和HO-1 mRNA表达.结果 与S组比较,Z组肺损伤评分、肺泡上皮细胞凋亡指数、HO-1和HO-1 mRNA 表达差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05),其他4组肺损伤评分和肺泡上皮细胞凋亡指数升高,HO-1和HO-1 mRNA表达上调(P＜0.01);与L组比较,EL组肺损伤评分和肺泡上皮细胞凋亡指数降低,HO-1 和HO-1 mRNA表达上调(P＜0.01),其他2组上述指标差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05);与EL组比较,ELZ组肺损伤评分和肺泡上皮细胞凋亡指数升高,HO-1和HO-1 mRNA表达下调(P＜0.01).结论 电针刺激足三里和肺俞穴可减轻兔内毒素休克诱发急性肺损伤,其机制与上调肺组织HO-1表达,抑制肺泡上皮细胞凋亡有关.