Intrathecal Ziconotide in the Treatment of Chronic Nonmalignant Pain: A Randomized,Double‐Blind,Placebo‐Controlled Clinical Trial

Objective. The safety and efficacy of intrathecal (IT) ziconotide was studied in a randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial. Materials and Methods. Patients (169 ziconotide, 86 placebo) with severe chronic nonmalignant pain unresponsive to conventional therapy and a visual analog scale of pain intensity (VASPI score) ≥ 50 mm were treated over a 6‐day period in an inpatient hospital setting. Initial starting dose was 0.4 µg/hour and was titrated to analgesia or intolerance (maximum dose 7.0 µg/hour). The starting and maximum doses were reduced to 0.1 µg/hour and 2.4 µg/hour, respectively, due to adverse events (AEs). Results. The mean percent reduction in VASPI score from baseline was 31.2% and 6.0% for ziconotide‐ and placebo‐treated patients, respectively (p ≤ 0.001). During the initial titration phase, a significantly greater percentage of patients in the ziconotide group compared to the placebo group reported AEs, including abnormal gait, amblyopia, dizziness, nausea, nystagmus, pain, urinary retention, and vomiting. Conclusion. Ziconotide provided significant analgesia in patients for whom conventional therapy failed. However, there was a considerable incidence of ziconotide‐associated AEs due to the rapid titration and high doses administered.     

天文潮汐对心脏病患者心力衰竭发生率影响的研究

目的　研究天文潮汐对心脏病患者发生心衰的影响。方法　分析 118例心脏病患者发生心衰在各潮汐期的分布。结果　在强天文潮汐期内心脏病患者发生心衰显著多于其余时期 ,而且在朔、望期发生的人数多于上、下弦期。结论　护理人员要了解天文潮汐的变化规律 ,教育心脏病患者在强天文潮汐期内要保持情绪稳定 ,必要时在强天文潮汐期内可给予心脏病患者适量的镇静剂和安眠药。     

弹性绷带在乳腺癌术后应用的效果观察

目的　观察弹性绷带在乳腺癌术后应用效果。方法　 4 8例乳腺癌根治术后应用弹性绷带包扎为实验组 ,4 5例用普通宽绷带包扎为对照组。然后 ,对两组患者术后并发症进行观察。结果　实验组患者的并发症明显低于对照组 ,两组比较有显著性差异 ,P <0 .0 5。结论　应用弹性绷带包扎 ,能明显减少并发症的发生 ,促进切口愈合 ,使患者术后术侧上肢功能锻炼可以提早进行。     

UVB靶向光疗治疗斑块型银屑病

目的:确定UVB靶向光疗治疗局限性银屑病是否安全有效及是否存在量效关系。设计:随机、对评估者设盲对照研究。机构:泰国曼谷大学医院皮肤病门诊。患者:14例稳定性局限性斑块型银屑病患者。干预:依据预定的最小红斑量(M EDs),随机给予患者不同通量的UVB靶向光线治疗,3次/周。在4     

一种双侧供肾大鼠肾移植模型的建立

目的 探讨同时取大鼠双侧肾脏分别移植的可行性，其目的是节省实验费用、缩短手术时间。方法 以近交系Brown-Norway大鼠为供者，同时取其双肾作为供肾，原位灌洗；近交系Lewis大鼠为受者，切除其左肾，移植供肾1只。以冠状动脉造影支架为支撑行供肾静脉与受者肾静脉端端吻合，供肾动脉与受者的腹主动脉行端侧吻合，供肾输尿管膀胱瓣与受者的膀胱吻合。受者术中预置右侧肾脏血管体外结扎线，术后3d结扎。结果 每只供鼠手术耗时约40min，热缺血时间约10S，冷缺血时间约20min。40次实验均获成功，移植肾功能正常，在不用免疫抑制剂的情况下，受者存活时间均超过7d。结论 同时取双侧肾脏分别移植给2个受者是可行的，可降低实验成本；要获得相同数量的供肾，同时取双肾的耗时较仅取单侧肾脏大大缩短。     

Cognitive function after on or off pump coronary artery bypass grafting.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate cognitive outcome after on and off pump coronary artery bypass grafting. METHODS: Seventy patients between 50 and 80 years with stable angina pectoris, ejection fraction >30%, serum creatinine <150 micromol/l, and lack of tight main stem stenosis were randomized to on or off pump coronary artery bypass grafting. Standardized neuropsychological tests evaluated attention, verbal and visuo-spatial short-term and working memory, verbal learning, delayed recall, visuo-motor speed, and aspects of executive functions. Levels of anxiety and depression were also investigated. Testing was performed before and at 1 week, 1 and 6 months after surgery. RESULTS: There was no difference in cognitive impairment (defined as a 20% reduction in at least 20% of the tests) between groups. The incidence at 1 week post-operatively was 57% in the on pump group and 58% in the off pump group, after 1 month 30% and 12% and after 6 months 19% and 15%, respectively (p for interaction=0.19). There was no difference between groups in anxiety (p=0.18) or depression (p=0.48). CONCLUSIONS: This prospective, randomized study showed no differences in post-operative cognitive function after on pump compared to off pump coronary artery bypass grafting in low risk patients.     

Early, but not late therapy with a vasopressin V1a-antagonist ameliorates the development of renal damage after 5/6 nephrectomy.

INTRODUCTION: Vasopressin, mainly through the V1a-receptor, is thought to be a major player in the maintenance of hyperfiltration. Its inhibition could therefore lead to a decrease in progression of chronic renal failure. To this end, the effect of the vasopressin V1a-receptor-selective antagonist, YM218, was studied on proteinuria and focal glomerulosclerosis in early and late intervention after 5/6 nephrectomy in rats, and compared with an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACE-I). MATERIALS AND METHODS: After 5/6 nephrectomy, early intervention was performed between week 2 and 10 thereafter with the V1a-receptor-selective antagonist (VRA, 10 mg/kg/day, n=10), enalapril (ACE-I, 10 mg/kg/day, n=9), or vehicle (n=8). Late intervention was performed in another group between week 6 and 12 with VRA (10 mg/kg/day, n=7), lisinopril (ACE-I, 5 mg/kg/day, n=7), or vehicle (n=7). RESULTS: In early intervention, proteinuria and focal glomerulosclerosis were significantly decreased by VRA compared to vehicle (44+7% and 59+8% respectively). ACE-I significantly decreased proteinuria (67+7%) and a trend towards a decrease in focal glomerulosclerosis was observed (30+18%). In late intervention, VRA did not decrease proteinuria and focal glomerulosclerosis compared to vehicle (21+20% and 0%, respectively), ACE-I significantly lowered proteinuria (92+2%) and a focal glomerulosclerosis (69+1%) lowering trend was observed. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that VRA may protect against early progression of renal injury after 5/6 nephrectomy, whereas its effectiveness seems limited in established renal damage.     

Spray coated pellets as carrier system for mucoadhesive drug nanocrystals.

High pressure homogenization can be employed to produce drug nanocrystals with a number of advantages, like improved solubility behaviors, better drug targeting or even increased mucoadhesiveness. To obtain a controlled drug delivery system it is necessary to transform the resulting nanosuspension into a solid dosage form. The present study shows the feasibility to use a mucoadhesive nanosuspension of poorly soluble hydrocortisone acetate produced by high pressure homogenization as layering dispersion in a fluidized bed process, followed by the application of an enteric coating to achieve a controlled drug release. To point out the advantages of drug nanocrystals the new fomulation was compared with a formulation containing micronized drug. Both formulations were characterized with regard to their particle size and crystallinity by using laser diffractometry, photon correlation spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The pellet morphology was characterized by using the environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM). In the in vitro dissolution tests an accelerated dissolution velocity and an increased drug release could be shown for the pellets containing drug nanocrystals.