FEASIBILITY OF CONDUCTING CARDIOVASCULAR OUTCOME RESEARCH IN AUSTRALIAN GENERAL PRACTICE: RESULTS FROM THE ANBP2 PILOT STUDY

1. The present study aimed to determine the feasibility of conducting a 5 year cardiovascular outcome trial of the treatment of 6000 elderly hypertensive patients in Australian general practices. 2. General practitioners (GPs) were invited to participate by mail and personal follow-up. Patient records were reviewed to identify subjects for a blood pressure (BP) screening programme. Blood pressure was measured on three occasions and eligible subjects were included if the average BP was 160 mmHg systolic or 90 mmHg diastolic if systolic BP was 140 mmHg. 3. Seven hundred and forty-one GPs were approached and 89 were enrolled in the study (12% of mail invites and 75% of those receiving a personal contact). In 16 practices where screening was completed, 82 000 records were reviewed to identify 4% patients eligible for screening. Twenty-two per cent of eligible subjects attended screening. Of 1938 subjects screened, 180 (9%) had BP 5=160/90 mmHg. Forty-seven percent of subjects (n = 916) were receiving antihypertensive therapy and 184 (20%) were withdrawn from therapy. One hundred and sixteen (63%) of these subjects had BP return to study entry levels within 6 weeks. Fifty-seven newly diagnosed and 81 previously treated subjects were randomized (7% of the screened population). 4. Based on the high participation rate of GPs, the response rate of patients to attend a BP screening programme and the 7% randomization to screening ratio for entry into the study, the ANBP2 pilot study has demonstrated that it is feasible to recruit subjects from Australian general practices to a cardiovascular outcome trial.     

'This isn't very typical I'm afraid': observing community care complaints procedures

The new complaints procedures which local authority social services departments have been required to introduce represent an important mechanism for managing the change of culture associated with recent community care reforms. They also represent a new genre in mechanisms of redress for welfare recipients. This paper reports the findings of a study which has observed considerable diversity in the ways in which local authorities are interpreting the nature and purposes of the new procedures and, in particular, the functions of review panels established under those procedures. Variations in the composition of panels, in the style of review panel proceedings, in perceptions of the panels' powers, and in the ways that complaints and complainants are constituted are all discussed. Attention is drawn to four competing interpretations of the review panels' role and to the need for these to be clarified and prioritised.     

Needs and needs assessment: their components and definitions with reference to dementia

The concept of need and the practice of needs assessment are both subject to a wide range of interpretations, to the likely detriment of individual assessments and to multidisciplinary working. Clear definition is important for individual assessment, for the development of multidisciplinary tools and in gathering planning information. The concept of need is clarified, firstly by distinguishing between need and the difficulties that engender it, and secondly through a taxonomy of need. These assist clear definitions of both need and needs assessment when linked with a consideration of the current help a person receives and a specification of the type of help required by a person to meet their needs. Such definitions have implications for the role of needs assessment in individual assessment, service evaluation, service management and planning and in the development of multidisciplinary needs assessment tools.     

Hydrocephalus and cavernoma of the cauda equina

The association of a tumor of the cauda equina and hydrocephalus is unusual. We report a case of hydrocephalus with normal pressure associated with an equally rare affliction, a cavernous angioma of the cauda equina, which regressed after surgical ablation. The physiological mechanism involved is discussed.     

6种中药制剂治疗急性脑梗死的成本-效果分析

目的：运用药物经济学的方法对在我院应用的6种中药注射液进行成本-效果分析。方法：271例急性脑梗死患者依据药物治疗方案不同分为6组，即血塞通组、舒血宁组、苦碟子组、疏血通组、川芎嗪组、丹红组，分别观察疗效，并运用药物经济学的方法进行成本-效果分析。结果：疏血通组的成本为3 419.90元，总有效率最高（91.84%），6组间增量成本-效果最低。因此疏血通组是较为合理、经济的方案。     

新生儿颅内出血的临床分析

目的 为探讨各种类型新生儿颅内出血的早期诊断方法，明确其临床特点与CT的关系。方法 对176例经CT证实有颅内出血新生儿的临床资料进行回顾性分析。结果 176例患儿中缺氧所致123例(72．6％)，产伤21例(11．9％)，新生儿出血症22例(12．5％)，早产儿10例。患儿有意识障碍者156例(88．6％)，惊厥98例(55．68％)，肌张力改变113例(64．2％)，原始反射减弱或消失104例(59％)，贫血16例。CT示：SAH121例。占68．75％，为NICH最常见类型；SDH17例，IPH13例，IVH5例，混合性出血20例。结论 根据临床表现考虑NICH者应做头颅CT或头颅B超检查。Cr是确诊的最佳手段，能正确显示出血部位、范围、程度及区分各种类型，头颅B超对早产儿、低出生体重儿的IVH、IPH检出率高。     

球囊二尖瓣扩张术后心房纤颤复律的临床研究

目的探讨二尖瓣狭窄合并心房纤颤患者在球囊二尖瓣扩张后,转复心房纤颤的临床效果及影响心房纤颤转复后窦性心律维持的相关因素.方法 206例二尖瓣狭窄合并心房纤颤患者在球囊扩张术后,采用口服胺碘酮及电复律治疗心房纤颤,对复律成功的患者给予小剂量胺碘酮维持窦性心律并随访1年.结果服用胺碘酮者58例,17例转复成功(29.3%);189例行电转复,178例转复成功(94.2%),电转复成功率明显高于胺碘酮转复(P＜0.01).心房纤颤复发组与保持窦性心律组相比,左心房内径明显扩大(P＜0.01),心房纤颤持续时间明显长(P＜0.01),中度二尖瓣关闭不全人数的比率明显高(P＜0.05).随访1年,有45例患者心房纤颤复发.影响心房纤颤转复后维持窦性心律的相关因素有左心房内径扩大、心房纤颤持续时间长及明显的二尖瓣关闭不全.结论对左心房内径明显扩大、心房纤颤持续时间过长及有明显的二尖瓣关闭不全的患者,在选择心房纤颤转复时应慎重.