Hyperaemia in rat neocortex produced by acute exposure to methylenedioxymethamphetamine

Cerebral blood flow and glucose utilization were measured in rat neocortex, hippocampus and striatum following methylenedioxymethamphetamine injection (5 mg/kg, i.v.), using the tracers [¹⁴C]iodoantipyrine and [¹⁴C]2-deoxyglucose, respectively. In control rats, blood flow was coupled to glucose metabolism, but in methylenedioxymethamphetamine-treated rats, marked hyperperfusion was measured in frontal and parietal cortex with no change in glucose use. This suggests that methylenedioxymethamphetamine has the potential to disrupt cerebrovascular control.     

Cardiac Surgery in Nonagenarians

A bstract Objectives and Background : The purpose of this study was to document our initial experience with patients 90 years of age and older and to determine whether cardiac surgery is justified in this age group. Cardiac surgery in octogenarians has proven to be a successful and worthwhile procedure. A small group of nonagenarians with severe coronary artery disease (CAD) and aortic valve disease refractory to medical therapy have been considered for surgery. Methods : Fourteen patients aged 90 or more underwent cardiac surgery for symptomatic CAD or aortic valvular disease refractory to medical therapy. Eight patients underwent isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and six patients underwent aortic valve replacement (AVR). All patients were in NYHA Class IV preoperatively. Results : Hospital mortality occurred in one patient (7%). Hospital morbidity occurred in 10 patients (71%) and included 7 cardiac, 5 neurological, 1 gastrointestinal, 1 infectious, and 1 pulmonary event. All survivors left the hospital symptomatically improved. The mean length of stay was 26 days. Four CABG patients went on to die at a mean of 2 years and 2 months, and 3 remain alive at a mean of 2 years and 4 months. Three AVR patients expired at a mean of 3 years and 4 months, and 3 remain alive at 4 years and 1 month. Conclusions : Cardiac surgery in carefully selected nonagenarians is justified and can be performed with acceptable results.     

Influenza vaccination: a collaborative effort to improve the health of the community.

BACKGROUND: The need to improve influenza vaccination delivery in our community became painfully clear during the winter of 1997-1998 when high rates of respiratory illness led to congestion in the emergency department and a critical shortage of hospital beds. In response, the local hospital and the Department of Health launched a collaborative program to increase influenza vaccine coverage in the community. METHODS: The partnership was designed to increase the number of citizens receiving influenza vaccine and to moderate the severity of lower respiratory tract illness during the winter season. A variety of methods were used to increase public awareness, enhance vaccine delivery, and create a relatively seamless service for the community. RESULTS: During three seasons, influenza vaccination rates increased by a relative 150%. This represented immunization of 16% of the entire community and more than 75% of residents older than 65 years. Hospital employee vaccination rates also rose from 34% to 58%. When compared with other hospitals in the county, the campaign reduced the average number of annual visits to the emergency department for all respiratory diagnoses by 34% and exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease by 46%. CONCLUSIONS: This influenza vaccination program illustrates the potential for synergy that exists between local departments of health and community hospitals in successfully increasing vaccine delivery to the community. Furthermore, it also suggests that such efforts can be successful in reducing use of the emergency department, resulting in a positive impact on the health of the community.     

Oral and maxillofacial surgery in patients with chronic orofacial pain.

PURPOSE: In this investigation, we evaluated a population of patients with chronic orofacial pain who sought treatment at a pain center in an academic institution. These patients were evaluated with respect to 1) the frequency and types of previous oral and maxillofacial surgery procedures, 2) the frequency of previous significant misdiagnoses, and 3) the number of patients who subsequently required surgical treatment as recommended by an interdisciplinary orofacial pain team. The major goal of this investigation was to determine the role of oral and maxillofacial surgery in patients with chronic orofacial pain. Patients and Methods: The study population included patients seen at the Center for Oral, Facial and Head Pain at New York Presbyterian Hospital from January 1999 through April 2001. (120 patients; female-to-male ratio, 3:1; mean age, 49 years; average pain duration, 81 months; average number of previous specialists, 6). The patient population was evaluated by an interdisciplinary orofacial pain team and the following characteristics of this population were profiled: 1) the frequency and types of previous surgical procedures, 2) diagnoses, 3) the frequency of previous misdiagnoses, and 4) treatment recommendations made by the center team. RESULTS: There was a history of previous oral and maxillofacial surgical procedures in 38 of 120 patients (32%). Procedures performed before our evaluation included endodontics (30%), extractions (27%), apicoectomies (12%), temporomandibular joint (TMJ) surgery (6%), neurolysis (5%), orthognathic surgery (3%), and debridement of bone cavities (2%). Surgical intervention clearly exacerbated pain in 21 of 38 patients (55%) who had undergone surgery. Diagnoses included myofascial pain (50%), atypical facial neuralgia (40%), depression (30%), TMJ synovitis (14%), TMJ osteoarthritis (12%), trigeminal neuralgia (10%), and TMJ fibrosis (2%). Treatment recommendations included medications (91%), physical therapy (36%), psychiatric management (30%), trigger injections (15%), oral appliances (13%), biofeedback (13%), acupuncture (8%), surgery (4%), and Botox injections (1%) (Allergan Inc, Irvine, CA). Gross misdiagnosis leading to serious sequelae, with delay of necessary treatment, occurred in 6 of 120 patients (5%). CONCLUSIONS: Misdiagnosis and multiple failed treatments were common in these patients with chronic orofacial pain. These patients often have multiple diagnoses, requiring management by multiple disciplines. Surgery, when indicated, must be based on a specific diagnosis that is amenable to surgical therapy. However, surgical treatment was rarely indicated as a treatment for pain relief in these patients with chronic orofacial pain, and it exacerbated and perpetuated pain symptoms in some of them.     

Views of problem drinking among Native American,Hispanic, and Anglo children

Native American, Hispanic, and Anglo sixth graders reacting to an example of teenage problem drinking expressed similar beliefs and attitudes in many respects. However, Native American children viewed the problem as less serious, subscribed more to a disease theory of alcoholism, attributed less causal responsibility to the individual, and adopted a less aggressive approach toward treatment than did Hispanic, and especially Anglo, children. Their less conventional value orientations accounted for all these differences except their stronger endorsement of a disease theory of problem drinking.     

PEPTIDES AS NEUROTRANSMITTERS IN VASCULAR AUTONOMIC NEURONS

1. Neuropeptides are present in the majority of autonomic neurons projecting to blood vessels, where they are co-localized with non-peptide transmitters and sometimes with other peptides. 2. Neuropeptides are released from vasoconstrictor and vasodilator nerve terminals after high frequency stimulation (>2–5 Hz) with trains of impulses. 3. Neuropeptides can have potent post-synaptic effects on vascular tone, but often these effects are restricted to selected regions of the vasculature. 4. Post-synaptic effects of neuropeptides tend to be more slowly-developing and more long-lasting than those of non-peptide transmitters. 5. Autonomic vasoconstrictor and vasodilator responses often have multiple phases, with the faster phases being mediated by non-peptide transmitters and the slower phases mediated predominantly by one or more neuropeptides. 6. Some neuropeptides do not seem to have post-synaptic effects in a particular vascular bed, but can have presynaptic actions on neurotransmitter release. 7. Neuropeptides form an important component of the repertoire of neurotransmitters used by vascular autonomic neurons to regulate regional blood flow in response to a range of physiological stimuli.     

A community-based epidemiologic study of health sequelae of exposure to hydrofluoric acid.

An accident at an oil refinery in Texas City, Texas, released around 40,000 lb of hydrogen fluoride, exposing the community to the highly toxic and corrosive substance. A population-based epidemiologic study was conducted to evaluate the impact of the accident on the health of the community. Exposure assessment was done using a multipronged approach through a door-to-door survey of 10,811 individuals. A symptom survey resulting in 1994 completed interviews was conducted with a stratified random sample selected from the exposure study database. The sampling was balanced with respect to age, gender, and predisposition across the three ordinal exposure categories. The results show a strong dose relationship (P < 10(-4)) between the exposure and symptoms reported following the accident and 2 years later, most notably breathing and eye symptoms. However, substantial improvement in health was reported over the 2-year period regardless of the level of exposure. Problems of recall bias and behavioral sensitization are considered and it is recognized that the study may have overestimated the effect. It is also recognized that the study may not have completely unraveled the relative importance of exposure and host response in health outcome, since the two were probably conflated in the exposure measure. Nevertheless, the independence of predisposition and reported level of exposure, the magnitude of effect and its consistency, the unmistakable dose response, the large sample size, and the mutual corroboration of various findings make it difficult to dismiss the interpretation that the hydrofluoric acid exposure indeed caused health problems in the community that continued for at least 2 years after the accident.