Factors Affecting Cardiac Catheterization Rates in Elders with Acute Coronary Syndromes

Background: Elder patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) are less likely to receive cardiac catheterization. The reasons for this are unclear.
Objectives: To assess whether elder patients who had a documented history of dementia, lived in extended care facilities, or had do not intubate–do not resuscitate (DNR-DNI) advance directives were less likely to receive cardiac catheterization, despite having ACS with high-risk features.
Methods: This was a medical record review conducted at an urban teaching hospital. DNR-DNI status before hospitalization, extended care facility (nursing home or assisted living) residence, and a previous diagnosis of dementia were obtained from the medical record. Patients 65 years and older who presented to the emergency department with acute myocardial infarction or with unstable angina with ST segment deviation were included. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were performed, and odds ratios (ORs) were reported with their 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
Results: Of the 201 eligible patients, 66 (32.8%) patients did not undergo cardiac catheterization. In the univariate analysis, patients who had dementia, resided in extended care facilities, or were DNR-DNI were less likely to receive cardiac catheterization. Only extended care facility residence (OR, 0.18; 95% CI = 0.04 to 0.83) and DNR-DNI status (OR, 0.19; 95% CI = 0.04 to 0.92) remained significantly associated with decreased cardiac catheterization in the multivariate analysis.
Conclusions: Elder patients with ACS residing in extended care facilities or who are DNR-DNI are less likely to receive cardiac catheterization. Future studies concerning the quality of ACS care for elders should take these variables into account.     

改良内侧上颌骨切除术治疗21例鼻息肉病

目的:探讨鼻息肉病的可行性手术方法,以提高治疗效果。方法:21例鼻息肉病患者一侧行唇龈沟径路,保留下鼻甲的改良内侧上颌骨切除术(modifiedmedialmaxillectomy,MMM);另侧行单纯鼻息肉摘除和鼻内筛窦切除术,并作为对照组。结果:术后随访12～34个月,平均20个月;改良内侧上颌骨切除术侧未见复发,另侧复发6例,两组复发率差异有显著性(P<0.05)。结论:改良内侧上颌骨切除术使鼻息肉病患者术后复发率显著降低,治疗效果显著,是一种可供选择的有效的治疗手段。     

尿毒症患者的性激素变化及其临床意义探讨

目的 :探讨女性尿毒症患者卵巢功能障碍的发病情况及其临床意义。方法 :应用酶免疫法 (EIA)测定了2 3例更年期前女性尿毒症非透析患者、15例透析患者及 2 9例健康献血者中促卵泡素 (FSH)、泌乳素 (PRL)、促黄体素 (LH)、雌二醇 (E2 )及孕酮 (P)的水平。结果 :尿毒症女患者PRL、FSH及LH均较健康对照组升高 ,而孕酮值显著降低 ,对此均有显著差异 ;且尿毒症女患者PRL升高、孕酮值降低与肾小球滤过率 (GFR)呈明显相关。透析患者较非透析患者PRL升高更为明显 ,孕酮值亦较非透析患者有所升高 ,但无显著意义。结论 :尿毒症女患者的排卵障碍及月经紊乱等都与尿毒症的严重程度相平行。透析并不能改善尿毒症女患者的卵巢功能障碍 ,只有纠正与改善肾功能 ,才能使尿毒症女患者的卵巢功能得以改善     

Retropharyngeal lymph node metastasis from olfactory neuroblastoma: a report of two cases

Olfactory neuroblastoma is a rare, malignant neoplasm arising from the olfactory epithelium. It has an aggressive biological behavior that is characterized by local recurrence, atypical distant metastasis, and poor long-term prognosis. The incidence of cervical lymph node metastasis in olfactory neuroblastoma is variable, and treatment modalities are controversial. Moreover, few reports have been published concerning retropharyngeal lymph node metastasis from olfactory neuroblastoma. We present two cases of olfactory neuroblastoma with retropharyngeal lymph node metastasis. In addition, we provided a review of the current literature regarding olfactory neuroblastoma and retropharyngeal lymph node metastasis from olfactory neuroblastoma.     

Ca^＋＋对链霉素抗原—抗体反应的抑制作用

为探讨临床中使用钙制剂抢救链霉素过敏休克病人有良好效果的原因,由被动血凝试验、被动皮肤过敏试验和ELISA法证实,Ca~( )可以抑制链霉素抗原-抗体的反应。这种抑制作用是通过Ca~( )链霉素抗原结合,封闭链霉素抗原决定簇来加以实现的。     

Localization of dystonic muscles with 18F-FDG PET/CT in idiopathic cervical dystonia.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether (18)F-FDG PET/CT is useful for localizing dystonic cervical muscles in patients with idiopathic cervical dystonia (ICD) by comparing disease severity before and disease severity after botulinum toxin (BT) injection into hypermetabolic muscles. METHODS: Six patients with ICD underwent (18)F-FDG PET/CT. Dystonic muscles suitable for BT injection therapy were defined as those showing diffusely increased (18)F-FDG uptake. RESULTS: Hypermetabolic cervical muscles were identified in all 6 patients. In 2 patients who underwent PET/CT both in a supine position and in a sitting position during (18)F-FDG uptake, abnormal hypermetabolic muscles were observed by PET/CT only when patients were in the sitting position with their heads and necks in the adopted abnormal involuntary posture. Symptoms were significantly improved in 4 patients who underwent BT injection therapy guided by PET/CT and who were clinically monitored. CONCLUSION: (18)F-FDG PET/CT is potentially useful for identifying dystonic cervical muscles for BT therapy in patients with ICD.     

宋《本草图经》草木部所述植物药主要产地及药材集散地考略

1 宋代社会经济、医事制度与历史地理 1.1 宋代的社会经济 宋朝是我国历史上继唐朝之后,社会经济发展、科技文化进步的一个历史时期,后世有"治隆唐宋"之说.公元960年陈桥兵变,赵匡胤(宋太祖)"黄袍加身"以后,遂代周而自立,是为宋朝,史称北宋.当时的社会在经历了五代十国的战乱之后而趋于安定,经济逐渐恢复,科学也日益发达.     

The role of growth hormone replacement in a growth hormone deficient patient with underlying cardiomyopathy and severe congestive heart failure.

It has been reported that growth hormone (GH) deficiency induced cardiomyopathy responds to growth hormone replacement therapy. We describe the case of a middle-aged male with cardiomyopathic heart failure and growth hormone deficiency of the adult secondary to surgical panhypopituitarism. We demonstrate clinical and hemodynamic improvement of cardiac function with growth hormone replacement therapy despite underlying structural heart disease.     

The effects of chymase on matrix metalloproteinase-2 activation in neointimal hyperplasia after balloon injury in dogs.

Chymase is known to generate angiotensin II in the vascular wall. In this study we investigated a novel role for chymase other than angiotensin II production in vascular proliferation after balloon injury. Chymase promoted the migration of vascular smooth muscle cells in the matrix-coated invasion chambers and activated promatrix metalloproteinase-2 obtained from the culture medium of vascular smooth muscle cells. Two weeks after balloon injury, significant neointimal formation was found in dog carotid arteries. After injury, active matrix metalloproteinase-2 was increased in parallel with the augmentation of chymase activity that was seen in the proliferating region of the vascular wall. The oral administration of NK3201 (1 mg/kg per day), a chymase inhibitor, prevented neointimal formation and significantly suppressed both active matrix metalloproteinase-2 and chymase activities 2 weeks after injury. These results suggest that chymase inhibitors can prevent the development of intimal hyperplasia via the inhibition of matrix metalloproteinase-2 activation in balloon-injured arteries.     

The effect of cognitive-behavioral group therapy on the self-esteem, depression, and self-efficacy of runaway adolescents in a shelter in South Korea.

This study examined the effects of cognitive-behavioral group therapy (CBT) on the self-esteem, depression, and self-efficacy of runaway adolescents residing in a shelter in Seoul, South Korea. The study used a control group pretest-posttest design. The experimental group and the control group consisted of 14 and 13 male subjects, respectively, with subjects having been randomly assigned to these groups. The experimental group participated in a CBT that consisted of eight sessions over an 8-week period; the control group did not participate in the program. To examine the effects of the CBT on dependent variables, the Wilcoxon signed rank test was used. The scores on depression decreased significantly (z = -2.325, p = .02) and those on self-efficacy increased significantly (z = -2.098, p = .03) after the intervention in the experimental group. There was no significant change on self-esteem (z = -1.19, p = .23). In the control group, the scores on depression, self-esteem, and self-efficacy did not change significantly after the intervention period. The CBT developed in this study consisted of structured and specific content that could be usefully applied to runaway adolescents residing in a shelter.