Management of acute osteoporotic vertebral fractures: a nonrandomized trial comparing percutaneous vertebroplasty with conservative therapy

PURPOSE: We sought to determine whether percutaneous vertebroplasty--which involves the injection of cement to stabilize a fractured vertebral body--may be an effective treatment for vertebral fracture. METHODS: We enrolled 79 consecutive osteoporotic patients (24 men and 55 women; ages 51 to 93 years) presenting with acute vertebral fractures. Clinical characteristics and bone densitometry were measured at baseline. Pain scores (on a 0 to 25 scale) and levels of function (on a 0 to 20 scale) were recorded on presentation, at 24 hours, at 6 weeks, and 6 to 12 months after therapy. RESULTS: Fifty-five patients (70%) were treated by percutaneous vertebroplasty and 24 (30%) were treated by conservative therapy alone. They were followed for a mean of 215 days (range, 57 to 399 days). The baseline clinical characteristics, bone densitometry, and fracture data were similar in the two groups. Twenty-four hours after vertebroplasty, there was a 53% reduction in pain scores (from 19 to 9; P = 0.0001) and a 29% improvement in physical functioning (from 14 to 18; P = 0.0001), whereas pain scores and physical functioning remained unchanged at 24 hours in the patients treated conservatively (both P = 0.0001 compared with the changes after percutaneous vertebroplasty). Thirteen patients (24%) treated by percutaneous vertebroplasty were able to cease all analgesia after 24 hours (P = 0.0001 compared with none of the 24 patients treated conservatively). Clinical outcomes at 6 weeks and 6 to 12 months were similar in both groups. CONCLUSION: When compared with conservative therapy, percutaneous vertebroplasty results in prompt pain relief and rapid rehabilitation. In experienced hands, it is a safe and effective procedure for treating acute osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures.     

Prediction of shoulder dystocia using multivariate analysis

We evaluated the use of multivariate analysis in the prediction of shoulder dystocia (SD). One hundred consecutive cases with SD were matched with 100 controls without dystocia. All patients had term, vaginal delivery. Multivariate analysis was used to identify independent variables significantly related to shoulder dystocia. The regression coefficients for the identified factors were used to calculate a composite score from which receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves were derived. Birthweight (BW), 1-hour Glucola (GLU), operative vaginal delivery (OVD), and height of fundus (HOF) were related independently to SD. The sensitivity and specificity reached 84 and 80%, respectively, with BW + GLU + OVD. Significant associations persisted when HOF and carbohydrate intolerance were substituted for BW and GLU, respectively. SD is independently associated with BW, GLU, and OVD, and may be predicted with clinically acceptable accuracy using multiple variables. This model may be useful in the design of prospective studies for managing suspected macrosomia.     

Improved Survival of Young Adults with Cancer Following the Passage of the Affordable Care Act

BackgroundCompared with their ensured counterparts, uninsured adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with cancer are more likely to present with advanced disease and have poor prognoses. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), enacted in 2010, provided health care coverage to millions of uninsured young adults by allowing them to remain on their parents’ insurance until age 26 years (the Dependent Care Expansion, DCE). The impact of the expansion of insurance coverage on survival outcomes for young adults with cancer has not been assessed.ParticipantsUtilizing the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database, we identified all patients aged 12-16 (younger-AYAs), 19-23 (middle-AYAs), and 26-30 (older-AYAs) who were diagnosed with cancer between 2006-2008 (pre-ACA) and 2011-2013 (post-ACA).MethodsIn this population-based cohort study, we used an accelerated failure time model to assess changes in survival rates before and after the enactment of the ACA DCE.ResultsMiddle-AYAs ages 19-23 (thus eligible to remain on their parents’ insurance) experienced significantly increased 2-year survival after the enactment of the ACA DCE (survival time ratio 1.25, 95% confidence interval: 0.75-2.43, P = .029) and that did not occur in younger-AYAs (ages 12-16). Patients with sarcoma and acute myeloid leukemia accounted for the majority of improvement in survival. Middle-AYAs of hispanic ethnicity and those with low socioeconomic status experienced trends of improved survival after the ACA DCE was enacted.ConclusionSurvival outcomes improved for young adults with cancer following the expansion of health insurance coverage. Efforts are needed to expand coverage for the millions of young adults who do not have health insurance.     

Atherosclerotic disease of the abdominal aorta and its branches: prognostic implications in patients with heart failure

Aortic atherosclerosis reduces compliance in the systemic circulation and increases peripheral resistance, afterload and left ventricular wall stress. In patients with heart failure, these changes can impair left ventricular systolic function and energy efficiency, which could reduce exercise capacity. Though the interaction and the impact of aortic atherosclerosis on left ventricular function have been investigated, its prognostic implications in patients with heart failure are unclear. We used cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and gadolinium-enhanced abdominal aortography to investigate the prevalence and prognostic impact of atherosclerotic disease of the abdominal aorta and its side branches in 355 patients with heart failure. Sclerotic abdominal aortic disease was defined as a luminal narrowing >50% of the aorta and its side branches or the presence of abdominal aortic aneurysm. Patients with disease of the aorta and its branches were older (P?相似文献