Computed tomography for the diagnosis of lumbar spinal pathology in adult patients with low back pain or sciatica: a diagnostic systematic review

Aim  

In low back pain if serious pathology is suspected diagnostic imaging could be performed. One of the imaging techniques available for this purpose is computed tomography (CT), however, insight in the diagnostic performance of CT is unclear.     

Prevalence and pattern of radiographic hand osteoarthritis and association with pain and disability (the Rotterdam study)

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence and pattern of radiographic osteoarthritis (ROA) of the hand joints and its association with self reported hand pain and disability. METHODS: Baseline data on a population based study (age >/=55 years) were used (n = 3906). Hand ROA was defined as the presence of Kellgren-Lawrence grade >/=2 radiological changes in two of three groups of hand joints in each hand. The presence of hand pain during the previous month was defined as hand pain. The health assessment questionnaire was used to measure hand disability. RESULTS: 67% of the women and 54.8% of the men had ROA in at least one hand joint. DIP joints were affected in 47.3% of participants, thumb base in 35.8%, PIP joints in 18.2%, and MCP joints in 8.2% (right or left hand). ROA of other joint groups (right hand) co-occurred in 56% of DIP involvement, 88% of PIP involvement, 86% of MCP involvement, and 65% of thumb base involvement. Hand pain showed an odds ratio of 1.9 (1.5 to 2.4) with the ROA of the hand (right). Hand disability showed an odds ratio of 1.5 (1.1 to 2.1) with ROA of the hand (right or left). CONCLUSIONS: Hand ROA is common in the elderly, especially in women. Co-occurrence of ROA in different joint groups of the hand is more common than single joint disease. There is a modest to weak association between ROA of the hand and hand pain/disability, varying with the site of involvement.     

2,4-二氨基-5-甲基-6-(N-甲基取代苄氨基)喹唑啉的合成及其抗肿瘤和抗菌作用

作者曾报道2,4-二氨基-5-甲基-6-取代苄氨基喹唑啉衍生物有较好的抗疟和抗肿瘤作用。鉴于在2,4-二氨基-6-取代苄氨基喹唑啉的6位侧链氨基上引入甲基,可使抗肿瘤活性明显增强,因此设计合成了一系列2,4-二氨基-5-甲基-6-(N-甲基取     

Experimental evaluation of various available contrast agents for use in the upper gastrointestinal tract in case of suspected leakage. Effects on lungs

The reactions of seven contrast agents--pure barium sulphate, Micropaque, Gastrografin, Dionosil, Hytrast, Amipaque and Hexabrix--on the bronchi and lungs of rats were studied. This work was undertaken to find a safe gastrointestinal contrast agent for use in post-operative patients where aspiration may be an accompanying risk. Amipaque and Hexabrix produced no significant histological reaction in the lungs and would, therefore, appear to be suitable for use in such cases.