An association between plastic mattress covers and sheepskin underbedding use in infancy and house dust mite sensitization in childhood: a prospective study

BACKGROUND: Higher house dust mite (HDM) allergen exposure during infancy has been associated with increased HDM sensitization. Infant bedding has been associated with the accumulation of varying levels of HDM. Prospective data on the relationship between infant bedding and the development of HDM sensitization has not been previously examined. OBJECTIVES: To determine if particular types of bedding used in infancy are associated with increased risk of house dust mite sensitization in childhood. METHODS: A population-based sample (n = 498) of children born in 1988 or 1989, and who were resident in Northern Tasmania in 1997, participated in this study. These children were part of a birth cohort study (1988-95), the Tasmanian Infant Health Survey. Data on infant underbedding and mattresses was available on 460 and 457 children, respectively. The main outcome measure was HDM sensitization defined as a skin prick test (SPT) reaction of 3 mm or more to the allergens of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and/or Dermatophagoides farinae. RESULTS: The use of either sheepskin underbedding or plastic mattress covers in infancy was associated with an increased risk of sensitization to HDM allergens at age 8 years. The adjusted risk ratio (RR) for sensitization to HDM with sheepskin in infancy was 2.27 (95% CI: 1.14, 4.55), P = 0.020. The adjusted RR for sensitization to HDM with the use of plastic mattress covers in infancy was 2.06 (95% CI: 1.22, 3.51), P = 0.007. The use of a foam mattress in infancy was not related to subsequent HDM sensitization. CONCLUSION: Infant's bedding plays a role in the development of HDM sensitization in childhood. Intervention studies to examine mite allergen levels and the role of underbedding on the development of HDM sensitization are required.     

Determinant attributes in formulation of attitudes toward four health care systems.

Consumers were surveyed to determine their attitudes toward four systems of health care delivery (home health care, hospitals, nursing homes, and outpatient clinics) along 10 attributes. The results are analyzed using multiple discriminant analysis. Implications for the formulation of marketing strategies are discussed.     

HELLP Syndrome: an Often Unrecognized Complication of Preeclampsia

We describe a case of preeclampsia with the HELLP (Haemolysis, Elevated Liver enzymes, Low Platelets) syndrome and highlight the delayed diagnosis due to its nonspecific presentation. This syndrome is associated with significant maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity and we discuss the importance of early recognition of the condition, aggressive management and a multidisciplinary approach.     

Syringomyelia with Arnold Chiari I malformation: a report of four cases

4 cases of syringomyelia with type I Arnold Chiari malformation was seen presenting mainly with dissociated sensory loss, weakness of hands and upper motor neurone signs in the lower limbs. The first patient improved with posterior fossa decompression. The second and fourth patient appeared not to have improved after surgery, and the third case refused operation. One patient showed cord atrophy on myelogram presumably due to a collapse of the syrinx. One of the patients was unusual in that the syrinx extended down to segment T11. Magnetic resonance imaging of the posterior fossa and the cervical cord, to date, is the most useful procedure for diagnosis.     

Should all the N3 lymph nodes group metastasis be regarded as distant metastasis (M1) in curatively resected gastric cancer?

Recently, metastasis to N3 lymph nodes group was regarded as distant metastasis by the new TNM staging system due to poor overall survival. However, the 5-year overall survival rate of patients with metastasis to N3 groups was 34.5% after curative surgery. Moreover, in patients with metastasis to lymph node subgroups of #12, #13, #14, the overall 5-year survival rate increased upto 47.2% after curative resection and adjuvant chemotherapy. This was similar to that of the patients with metastasis to N1 and N2 lymph nodes groups. But in these highly tumor burden states, no survival benefit was found with the addition of immunotherapy to chemotherapy as we achieved in stage II and III. Therefore, we suggest that, at least, metastasis to #12, #13, #14 lymph nodes subgroups should not be categorized as a distant metastasis. And in these situations, active curative radical surgery with extended lymphadenectomy and adjuvant chemotherapy are recommended.     

多巴酚丁胺负荷对缺血性扩张型心肌病患者左心室充盈的影响：病理生理学及预后意义

目的：本研究旨在探讨多巴酚丁胺对缺血性心肌病（ICM）患者左心室（LV）充盈功能的影响，并确定峰值负荷时限制性充盈型（RFP）是否具有预后预测价值。背景：ICM患者峰值负荷时RFP的预后价值尚属未知。方法：在静息和负荷情况下，采用多普勒超声心动检查研究了69例ICM患者；RFP定义为跨二尖瓣E／A比≥1．0、等容舒张时间（IVRT）〈80ms及E波减速时间（EDT）〈120ms。结果：69例患者中有42例静息时出现RFP，其中有24例患者负荷情况下转变为非RFP（EA），18例患者RFP持续存在（EE）；69例患者中27例静息和峰值负荷时均无RFP（AA）。     

Decrement of the skin conductance response to repeated volitional inspiration.

OBJECTIVE: To examine response decrement of the recently reported inspiratory skin conductance response (SCR) [Lim CL, Seto-Poon M, Clouston PD, Morris JG. Sudomotor nerve conduction velocity and central processing time of the skin conductance response. Clin Neurophysiol 2003;114:2172-80]. METHODS: Twelve healthy adult volunteers performed 3 tasks (A) a control task of maintaining tidal breathing and then two randomized tasks, (B) a deep inspiration to a target oral pressure and (C) tapping with a finger. Each task was performed 30 times on cue every 20s in 3 runs with 5 min of rest between runs. The SCR, oral pressure, airflow, inspired volume and cue signal were recorded continuously and analysed offline. SCR amplitude was logarithmically transformed and then statistically analysed, using a linear mixed effects model, as a function of run number, trial number and absolute error between target and actual oral pressures. RESULTS: Inspiratory efforts elicited exponentially decreasing SCR amplitude with increasing trial number during each run (P < 0.0001). After adjusting for trial number, the mean SCR amplitude of the second and the third run were, respectively, 24.2 (95% CI (0.175, 0.336), P < 0.001) and 14.4% (95% CI (0.104, 0.200), P < 0.001) of the first run amplitude. CONCLUSIONS: Volitional deep inspiration reliably activates an SCR that exhibits response decrement with repetition, which may be habituation. SIGNIFICANCE: The volitional inspiratory SCR may assist in the assessment of sympathetic autonomic status in patients with peripheral afferent neuropathy.     

Do commonly used oral antihypertensives alter fetal or neonatal heart rate characteristics? A systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: To examine fetal (FHR) and neonatal heart rate patterns following use of common oral antihypertensives in pregnancy. METHODS: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs), observational studies (N >/= 6 women), and animal studies. Data were abstracted (two reviewers) to determine relative risk (RR) (or risk difference (RD) for low event rates) and 95% CI. RESULTS: Eighteen RCTs (1858 women), one controlled observational study (N = 22), and seven case series (N = 117) were reviewed. Most hypertension was pregnancy-induced (N = 14 studies). The FHR was assessed by cardiotocogram (CTG) (N = 17 studies (visual interpretation); 1 study (computerized CTG), or umbilical artery velocimetry (N = 4). Four studies examined neonatal heart rate. In placebo-controlled RCTs (N = 192 women), adverse FHR effects did not differ between groups [9/101 (drugs) vs. 7/91 (placebo); RD 0.02, 95% CI (- 0.06, 0.11); chi2 = 1.02]. In six drug vs. drug RCTs (295 women), adverse FHR effects did not differ between groups [29/144 (methyldopa) vs. 42/151 (other drugs); RR 0.72, 95% CI (0.49, 1.07); chi2 = 0.69]. In one labetalol vs. placebo trial, neonatal bradycardia did not differ between groups [4/70 (labetalol) vs. 4/74 (placebo); OR 1.06, 95% CI (0.26, 4.39)], while in three drug vs. drug RCTs, neonatal bradycardia was not observed (0/24 vs. 0/26). CONCLUSIONS: Available data are inadequate to conclude whether oral methyldopa, labetalol, nifedipine, or hydralazine adversely affect fetal or neonatal heart rate and pattern. Until definitive data are available, FHR changes cannot be reliably attributed to drug effect, but may be due to progression of the underlying maternal or placental disease.