Application of moist wound healing to the gerontologic population

During a five year period, approximately 150 elderly patients were treated with a water vapor and oxygen permeable membrane (VPM) in an open fashion. The following is important when treating elderly patients with VPM: xerosis or irritant dermatitis must be thoroughly treated before use of VPM as it will not adhere to abnormal skin; alcohol or acetone should not be used to prepare the treatment site as they cause irritation; VPM must not be stretched prior to placement as friction blisters occur in fragile, elderly skin; prior to removal, VPM should be soaked in soapy water or its surface rubbed lightly with alconol to break the adhesive bond to prevent stripping off epidermis; in patients with protein-calorie malnutrition, serum albumin should be monitored as large amounts of protein-rich fluid collect under VPM. VPM is a useful non-surgical approach to treating many ulcers in the elderly. Certain precautions must be taken to achieve optimum success in this population.     

A rat model of otitis media with effusion caused by eustachian tube obstruction with and without Streptococcus pneumoniae infection: methods and disease course.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical and histopathologic progression of a rat model of otitis media with effusion caused by eustachian tube obstruction (ETO) with and without Streptococcus pneumoniae infection. METHODS: In 164 rats, the left, bony eustachian tube was approached via a ventral incision and obstructed with dental material. Then 108 rats were infected via an intrabullar injection with S pneumoniae. At 48 hours, the infected rats were treated for 5 days with ampicillin. All ears were evaluated by weekly otomicroscopy. On each of days 1, 2, 7, 21, 35, 56, and 112, four rats were killed for histologic study. All effusions were cultured for bacteria. RESULTS: Fourteen rats died of surgical complications; effusion resolved by 2 weeks in 9 rats. During the first few days, infected ears with ETO had bulging tympanic membranes, followed by tympanic membrane retraction, purulent effusion, and otorrhea (50%) over the next few weeks, whereas uninfected ears with ETO developed retraction and serous effusion during the same time frame. At later times, all ears with ETO presented with retraction and serous or serous-mucoid effusion. S pneumoniae was recovered only from the infected ears with ETO (days 1 and 2), with some colonization by nonpathogenic microorganisms observed equally in both groups of ears. Histology showed a typical acute inflammatory reaction in the challenged ears with ETO through day 14 and then a chronic inflammation for all ears with ETO. CONCLUSION: The experimental methods provoked reproducible pathologic signs similar to those for otitis media with effusion. Given the availability of rat-specific reagents, this model is well suited for studies of cytokine elaboration during disease pathogenesis.     

Intraocular acyclovir levels after subconjunctival and topical administration.

Substantial levels of acyclovir were detected in the aqueous and vitreous of New Zealand rabbits at various time intervals following subconjunctival injection. Intravitreal penetration of acyclovir after topical application was poor.     

Intussesception after jejunoileal bypass as diagnosed by ultrasound

Eighty patients who had undergone jejunoileal bypass for morbid obesity were examined by ultrasound at their routine follow-up visits to the clinic. Ultrasonographic evidence of intestinal intussusception was found in 15 patients (19%). Two of these patients were asymptomatic. Ultrasonographic findings were confirmed by operation in 6 patients (5 with intussusception, 1 negative).     

Perceived control of asthma and quality of life among adults with asthma.

BACKGROUND: Perceived control of certain chronic conditions influences health status outcomes. OBJECTIVE: To explore the impact of perceived control of asthma on asthma-specific and generic health status outcomes among adults with asthma. Perceived control was defined as individuals' perceptions of their ability to deal with asthma and its exacerbations. METHODS: Data were drawn from the baseline and first two followups of a longitudinal study of adults with asthma surveyed by telephone at 18-month intervals. An 11-item questionnaire (Perceived Control of Asthma Questionnaire [PCAQ]) was developed and validated. RESULTS: The PCAQ demonstrated high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.79). Greater perceived control was associated with less severe asthma, greater asthma self-efficacy, lower perceived asthma severity, lower perceived danger from asthma, and greater perceived usefulness of asthma medicines. Greater perceived control was significantly associated with better asthma-specific quality of life concurrently and 18 and 36 months later, after controlling for demographics, smoking, and severity of asthma. Greater perceived control as also significantly associated with generic mental health outcomes concurrently and 18 and 36 months later, after controlling for covariates. Perceived control was associated with physical function concurrently and 18 months later, but not 36 months later. CONCLUSIONS: The PCAQ is a reliable and valid measure of perceived control of asthma. Perceived control of asthma was associated with both asthma-specific and generic health status outcomes, concurrently and predictively. If perceived control could be modified, better outcomes, particularly better psychologic outcomes, might be achieved for individuals with asthma.     

Informational needs of individuals and families with hereditary cancers

Individuals and families with hereditary cancers have informational needs that differ, depending on the availability of testing for increased hereditary risk and major focus of concern (reproductive decision-making or risk to self). Cancer risk counseling helps individuals understand risk information so they can make decisions appropriate to their lives and value systems.     

Development and testing of the Assessment of Living Skills and Resources (ALSAR) in elderly community-dwelling veterans

The Assessment of Living Skills and Resources (ALSAR), an innovative instrumental activities of daily living tool, systematically evaluates the accomplishment of 11 tasks by separately rating patient skill and resource levels for each task and combining these levels to determine risk. The ALSAR was administered to 75 elderly veterans in a home care program. It predicted change to more supportive living arrangements and a more structured living environment, nursing home placement, hospitalization, and death during the 6-month study period. The ALSAR has proven useful for interdisciplinary problem solving and treatment planning.