Differences in triage thresholds for patients presenting with possible acute coronary syndromes: more than meets the eye.

BACKGROUND: Many studies have shown differences in cardiac care by racial/ethnic groups without accounting for institutional factors at the location of care. OBJECTIVE: Exploratory analysis of the effect of hospital funding status (public vs private) on emergency department (ED) triage decision making for patients with symptoms suggestive of acute coronary syndromes (ACSs) and on the likelihood of ED discharge for patients with confirmed ACS. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Secondary analysis of data from a randomized controlled trial of 10,659 ED patients with possible ACS in five urban academic public and five private hospitals. The main outcome measures were the sensitivity and specificity of hospital admission for the presence of ACS at public and private hospitals and the adjusted odds of a patient with ACS not being hospitalized at public versus private hospitals. RESULTS: Of 10,659 ED patients, 1,856 had confirmed ACS. For patients with suspected ACS, triage decisions at private hospitals were considerably more sensitive (99 vs 96%; p<.001) but less specific (30 vs 48%; p<.001) than at public hospitals. The difference between hospital types persisted after adjustment for multiple patient-level and hospital-level characteristics. CONCLUSION: Significant differences in triage for patients with suspected ACS exist between public and private hospital EDs, even after adjustment for multiple patient demographic, clinical, and institutional factors. Further studies are needed to clarify the causes of the differences.     

营养素食预防化疗患者便秘的效果观察

目的 观察营养素食预防化疗患者便秘的效果。方法 选择128例化疗患者，随机分为观察组和对照组各61例，对照组常规正常饮食，观察组于化疗开始当天实施营养素食．连续7～10d，比较两组患者便秘发生率及体重、血红蛋白、白蛋白等指标。结果　对照组便秘发生率显著高于观察组（P〈0．01）；两组化疗后营养指标比较，差异无显著性意义（均P〉0．05）。结论　营养素食对化疗患者便秘有较好的预防作用。     

Community support services and functioning of the seriously mentally ill

A cohort of 729 chronically mentally ill patients receiving community support services (CSS) were followed over a nine-month period. Receiving needed community support services was shown to predict change in client functioning as measured by the Global Assessment Scale (GAS) even after the initial values on the GAS, as well as demographic, psychiatric, residential and medication maintenance variables were considered. Adequacy of social support from family, friends and others also contributed to predicting change in global functioning of the CSS patients.Johns Hopkins UniversityPresented at the American Psychological Association Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C., August 16, 1992.     

Kinesthetic sense of the shoulder in patients with impingement syndrome

A proprioceptive deficit is an important determinant of disability in various shoulder disorders, such as instability and osteoarthrosis. In 15 patients with impingement syndrome stage II (Neer 1983), who were treated by arthroscopic subacromial decompression, we measured movement sense by determining threshold levels for the perception of motion of the shoulder. The patients were placed in a specially designed chair allowing continuous passive motion of the shoulder joint, while avoiding cutaneous, auditory and visual stimuli. To assess movement detection thresholds, passive abduction movements of the shoulder were performed at a starting angle of 60°, an amplitude of 10° and an angular velocity of 1.3°/s. Before surgery, all patients had higher threshold levels for the perception of motion in their affected shoulders then in the other side. After decompression, proprioception had improved on the decompressed side, but was unchanged on the other side.     

Symmetry主动脉吻合器对大隐静脉移植物的损伤

目的　观察使用Symmetry主动脉吻合器时对大隐静脉移植物内皮有无损伤。 方法　对 10例使用Symmetry主动脉吻合器行冠状动脉旁路移植术患者进行自身对照研究。在主动脉吻合器使用前和使用后 ,切取自体大隐静脉片断 ,进行Ⅷ因子免疫组化染色 ,对照血管内皮损伤情况。结果　血管内皮细胞均匀着色 ,为深褐色颗粒 ,损伤处褐色颗粒排列中断。吻合器组内皮损伤处平均为 2 .5 5处 ,对照组为 2 .0处。结论　Symmetry主动脉吻合器对静脉内皮细胞无明显的机械损伤