Insight into illness and attitudes toward medications among inpatients with schizophrenia

This study assessed symptoms, severity of illness functional level, insight into illness, and attitudes toward medication in a sample of psychiatric patients who were newly admitted to a state hospital. The patients were evaluated before and after treatment with atypical, conventional, or mixed (atypical plus conventional) antipsychotic medication regimens with the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), the Clinical Global Impression, the Global Assessment of Functioning, the Scale to Assess Unawareness of Mental Disorder, and the Drug Attitude Inventory. Overall, the patients showed significant improvement in symptoms, severity of illness, functional level, and insight into their illness during the course of hospitalization. Their attitudes toward medications changed minimally during treatment. Only the patients who were treated with conventional antipsychotics showed significant improvement in their attitudes toward medication. However, the change was not large enough to differentiate the conventional antipsychotic treatment group from the other treatment groups.     

Internal hernia formation after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass for morbid obesity

There is mounting concern that internal hernia formation after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) for morbid obesity remains unrecognized until complications develop. In this report we present our experience with this complication. Out of 100 patients who underwent LRYGB we identified five patients who were diagnosed with postoperative internal hernia formation. The medical records and operative details of these patients were reviewed. Of the five patients four were female and the average age was 36 years (range 30-43). All Roux limbs were placed in a retrocolic position. The average time interval to presentation was 104 days (range 4-305). All patients had abdominal pain and four patients experienced vomiting. One patient had obstipation. Only one patient had fever (38.1 degrees C) and the highest white cell count was 14,500. The average loss in body-mass index was 5.21 kg/m2 (range 2.5-14.8). Plain abdominal films revealed dilated bowel in the upper abdomen in three patients. Contrast bowel series was diagnostic in only one patient. One patient had a CT scan, which was diagnostic of small bowel obstruction. All patients underwent operative reduction of the internal hernia; two of these were completed laparoscopically. All hernias had occurred at the mesocolic window and were caused by sutures that had pulled through tissue at the dorsal and lateral aspect of the initial repair. One patient had a nonviable segment of small bowel. There were no deaths. Patients who undergo LRYGB are at a 5 per cent risk for developing small bowel obstruction secondary to internal hernia formation at the mesocolic window. Clinical evaluation and traditional study modalities may not be effective diagnostic tools. A high index of suspicion and low threshold to explore these patients may be the best way to avoid serious sequelae. Modification of operative techniques may reduce the occurrence of internal hernia formation.     

Preoperative risk prediction and intraoperative events in cardiac surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between preoperative risk prediction and intraoperative events. METHODS: A total of 3118 patients operated in 1999 and 2000 at our institution were analysed, all of whom had their EuroSCORE collected prospectively. The intraoperative variables studied were consultant or trainee operating, long bypass time, long ischaemic time, return on bypass in theatre and use of intra-aortic balloon pump at the end of the procedure. The outcomes are reported as hospital mortality, prolonged length of stay in the intensive therapy unit (pLOS-ITU, >48 h) and death or pLOS-ITU. Risk models were constructed by logistic regression for predicting these three outcomes. RESULTS: With the exception of prolonged cross-clamp time, all variables analysed were independently predictive of a negative outcome. Trainee operating had an apparent protective effect. All risk models performed well. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (95% CI) increased from 0.857 (0.81, 0.90) for EuroSCORE to 0.874 (0.83, 0.92) for the risk of death model. Similarly, the area under the ROC curve for the pLOS-ITU model increased from 0.687 (0.642, 0.732) to 0.734 (0.691, 0.777) and for the death or pLOS-ITU model from 0.717 (0.677, 0.756) to 0.757 (0.719, 0.795). CONCLUSIONS: Knowledge of adverse intraoperative events enhances preoperative risk prediction. This type of analysis could be used for identifying "near miss" outcomes in adult cardiac surgery.     

A 2-year follow-up after rotoresection of the prostate: a prospective study

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the success of rotoresection of the prostate for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), after a follow-up of 24 months. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The 24 patients who were the subject of a previous report were followed for up to 24 months; only one patient was lost to follow-up. RESULTS: The mean (sd) American Urologic Association-7 score decreased from 20.5 (3.8) before surgery to 1.12 (1.56) at 24 months; the mean maximum urinary flow rate increased from 8.7 (2.1) to 21.8 (8.5) mL/s, and the mean total prostate volume decreased from 36.5 (12.9) to 21 (7.9) mL. Early complications were urinary tract infection in 10 patients and mild stress urinary incontinence in 11. One patient had a urethral stricture and another had a posterior urethral stone at 6 months; both were treated successfully with good urinary flow rates thereafter. At 24 months, 23 patients had sterile urine and were continent. CONCLUSION: Thus far, rotoresection of the prostate is a safe and effective method for treating BPH. The hospital stay was short and the functional results excellent at up to 24 months.     

Polymorphisme génétique et interactions médicamenteuses : leur importance dans le traitement de la douleur

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the impact of certain genetic polymorphisms on variable responses to analgesics SOURCES: Systematic review, by means of a structured computerized search in the Medline database (1966-2004). KEY WORDS: pharmacogenetics, polymorphism, cytochrome P450 (CYP), glycoprotein P (P-gp), pain, antalgics, opiates, morphine, codeine, tramadol, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID). Articles in English and French were selected. References in relevant articles were also retrieved. MAIN FINDINGS: Most analgesics are metabolized by CYP isoenzymes subject to genetic polymorphism. NSAIDs are metabolized by CYP2C9; opioids described as "weak" (codeine, tramadol), anti-depressants and dextromethorphan are metabolized by CYP2D6 and some "potent" opioids (buprenorphine, methadone or fentanyl) by CYP3A4/5. After the usual doses have been administered, drug toxicity or, on the contrary, therapeutic ineffectiveness may occur, depending on polymorphism and the substance. Drug interactions mimicking genetic defects because of the existence of CYP inhibitors and inducers, also contribute to the variable response to analgesics.Some opioids are substrates of P-gp, a transmembrane transporter also subject to genetic polymorphism. However, P-gp could only play a minor modulating role in man on the central effects of morphine, methadone and fentanyl. CONCLUSION: In the near future, pharmacogenetics should enable us to optimize therapeutics by individualizing our approach to analgesic drugs and making numerous analgesics safer and more effective. The clinical usefulness of these individualized approaches will have to be demonstrated by appropriate pharmacoeconomic studies and analyses.     

Recipient intramuscular cotransfection of transforming growth factor beta1 and interleukin 10 ameliorates acute lung graft rejection

OBJECTIVE: Multiple gene transfer might permit modulation of concurrent biochemical pathways involved in acute lung graft rejection. We investigated whether gene cotransfection into the recipient reduces acute lung graft rejection. METHODS: Brown Norway rats were used as donors, and F344 rats were used as recipients. Recipient animals were injected with saline (groups I/VI) or 1 x 10(10) pfu of adenovirus encoding beta-galactosidase (groups II/VII), transforming growth factor beta1 (groups III/VIII), interleukin 10 (groups IV/IX), or both transforming growth factor beta1 and interleukin 10 (groups V/X) into both leg muscles 2 days before transplantation (groups I-V) or at the time of harvest (groups VI-X). The Kruskal-Wallis test for rejection score and 1-way analysis of variance were used to compare groups. RESULTS: Oxygenation was significantly improved in the cotransfected groups treated 2 days before transplantation and at the time of harvest. Rejection scores were also reduced in the cotransfected groups. In group V cotransfection suppressed endogenous interleukin 2 but not interferon gamma and tumor necrosis factor alpha. CONCLUSION: Recipient intramuscular cotransfection of transforming growth factor beta1 and interleukin 10 suppressed interleukin 2 expression and provided a synergistic effect that reduced acute lung graft rejection. This approach might be applied to the clinical setting because transplant recipients could be treated at the time of implantation.     

Long-term effects of acute and of chronic hypoxia on behavior and on hippocampal histology in the developing brain

Ten-day-old rat pups (P10) subjected to acute hypoxia (down to 4% O2) had as adults increased aggression (handling test), memory impairment (water maze test), and decreased CA1 cell counts. Pups subjected to chronic hypoxia (10% O2 from P0 to P21) had increased aggression, hyperactivity (open-field test), and decreased CA1 cell counts. Chronic hypoxia with superimposed acute hypoxia resulted in consequences that were not different from those of chronic hypoxia.     

Vitamin C in health and disease

Vitamins are essential to maintain normal metabolic processes and homeostasis within the body. The amount of a specific vitamin required by an individual varies considerably and it is influenced by such factors as body size, growth rate, physical activity, and pregnancy. Most vitamins are stored minimally in human cells, but some are stored in liver cells to a greater extent. Vitamins A and D, for example, may be stored in sufficient amounts to maintain an individual without any intake for 5 to 10 months and 2 to 4 months, respectively. However, a deficiency of vitamin B compounds (except vitamin B12) may be noted within days, and the lack of vitamin C will manifest within weeks and may result in death in 5 to 6 months. The current recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of vitamin C is 75 mg for woman and 90 mg for men, based on the vitamin's role as an antioxidant as well as protection from deficiency. High intakes of the vitamin are generally well tolerated, however, a Tolerable Upper Level (TUL) was recently set at 2 g based on gastrointestinal upset that sometimes accompanies excessive dosages. Several populations warrant special attention with respect to vitamin C requirements. These include patients with periodontal disease, smokers, pregnant and lactating women, and the elderly.