Abnormal spinal interactions from hand afferents to forearm muscles in writer's cramp.

OBJECTIVE: Spinal reflexes from hand to wrist muscles were investigated in writer's cramp. METHODS: Stimulus-triggered rectified EMG averages after ulnar nerve and cutaneous stimulation, in wrist flexors and extensors during tonic contraction, were compared in 18 controls and 19 patients. RESULTS: On the patient dystonic side, ulnar-induced EMG suppression was decreased in wrist extensors, and facilitation in wrist flexors modified dependent on the dystonic wrist posture during writing. No change was found on the patient non-dystonic side. Cutaneous stimulation increased wrist flexor EMG on both sides of the patients with normal wrist posture during writing, but had no effect in controls and patients with abnormal wrist posture. CONCLUSIONS: Comparison between cutaneous and mixed nerve stimuli suggests that spindle afferents from intrinsic hand muscles may mediate patients' ulnar-induced EMG modulations. Abnormal proprioceptive control was only observed on dystonic side, while bilateral unusual cutaneous control was found in patients. Changes in spinal transmission were partly related to the dystonic wrist posture, suggesting that systems involved in sensory processing can be differentially altered in writer's cramp. SIGNIFICANCE: Changes in spinal transmission, probably related to peripheral and/or cortical inputs, might either take part in primary or adaptive mechanisms underlying writer's cramp.     

补充维生素D预防骨折——随机对照试验汇总分析

背景：对于脊椎以外的骨折而言，补充口服维生素D的预防作用和用量仍无定论。 目的：评估补充维生素D在预防老年髋骨骨折和非脊椎骨折方面的效果。 数据来源：使用MEDLINE、Cochrance对照试验记录（1960～2005年）以及EMBASE（1991-2005年），对英文和非英文文章进行系统回顾。通过与临床专家接触，通过检索美国社会骨和骨矿研究协会提供的参考文献和摘要（1995～2004年）．进一步寻找更多的研究。检索词包括随机对照试验（randomized controlled trial，RCT）、临床对照试验、随机分配、双盲法、维生素D3、维生素D2；25-羟基维生素D、骨折、人类、老年、摔倒和骨密度。 研究选取：纳入的研究仅限于口服补充维生素D（维生素D3、维生素D2、补钙或不补钙）与补钙或安慰剂比较的双盲RCTs。试验于检查髋部骨折或非脊椎骨折的老年人（年龄≥60岁）中进行。数据提取：两位作者根据预先规定独立提取相关数据，其中包括研究质量指标。 数据综合：所有的汇总分析均以随机效应模型为基础。5项有关髋部骨折的RCTs（n=9294）和7项有关非脊椎骨折危险的RCTs（n=9820）符合我们的纳入标准。所有试验均使用了维生素D3。对髋部和非脊椎骨折预防研究的异质性亦进行观察，用低剂量（400IU／d）和高剂量（700～800IU／d）分别合并RCTs后异质性消失。与补钙或安慰剂相比，每天服700～800IU的维生素D可使髋部骨折的相对危险（relative risk，aa）下降26％（3项RCTs共计5572人；RR，0．74；95％可信区间[confidence interval，CI]，0．61～0．88），使非脊椎骨折的相对危险下降23％（5项RCTs共计6098人；RR，0．77；95％CI，0．68～0．87）。每天服400IU的维生素D（2项RCTs共计3722人；髋部骨折RR，1．15；95％CI，0．88～1．50；非脊椎骨折RR，1．03；95％CI，0．86—1．24）未见明显获益。 结论：口服补充维生素D（700～800IU／d）可以降低尚能活动的老人或慈善机构收容的老年人发生髋部骨折和脊椎以外骨折的危险，每天口服400IU维生素D并不足以预防骨折。     

Psoriasis confined strictly to vitiligo areas – a Koebner‐like phenomenon?

Vitiligo and psoriasis are both common skin disorders. However, psoriasis strictly confined to pre-existing vitiligo areas is rare and suggests a causal relationship. We report here on two patients with a strict anatomical colocalization of vitiligo and psoriasis. The histopathological examinations showed typical changes for both diseases together with a dense infiltrate of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. By immunohistochemistry, intracytoplasmatic granzyme B and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) were detected within the T-cell population, suggesting the functional activity of these cells and the creation of a local T helper 1 (Th1)-cytokine milieu. Additionally, in one patient we could identify anti-melanocytic T cells by tetramer staining and enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) analysis. These skin-infiltrating lymphocytes might trigger, by the local production of Th-1 cytokines such as TNF-alpha and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), the eruption of psoriatic plaques in patients with a genetic predisposition for psoriasis.     

The first 1000 cases of Italian Endovenous-laser Working Group (IEWG). Rationale, and long-term outcomes for the 1999-2003 period.

AIM: The innovations for disease management need to be thoroughly evaluated so that their benefits and potential downsides can be compared with the already existing approaches. Endovascular laser (EVL) treatment for varicose veins offers today several advantages over surgical standard stripping. The Italian Endovenous-laser Working Group (IEWG) is a homogeneous group of surgeons and phlebologists who have been using EVL since 1999 and has undertaken to examine EVL in a multicenter study starting from a well defined rationale, with the benefit of a single protocol to use. METHODS: In a cooperative, multicenter, clinical study, 1076 limbs in 1050 patients, mean age of 54.5 years, 241 males and 809 females affected by chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) were considered eligible for surgery and stratified by CEAP classification in a four-year period (January 1999 December 2003). Inclusion criteria were insufficiency of the great and/or small saphenous vein at various levels, beyond those accessory saphenous trunks with incompetence in the saphenofemoral junction. In all cases truncular reflux apparead up on duplex scan examination, with or without associated varicosities. All the patients underwent a surgery on the basis of the clinical assessment. All the centres involved performed treatment in conformity with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) validated procedure, using an endo-laser venous system kit with a 810-980 nm diode. Duplex scan was performed in all patients after 36 months with very few lost to follow-up cases. RESULTS: In the immediate postoperative period the results have been impressive, with a very effective closure of incompetent great saphenous vein and the other treated varicose veins (the early occlusion rate has been 99%). Major complications have not been detected: in particular, no deep venous thrombosis (DVT) evaluated duplex ultrasound. The patients' acceptability and satisfaction regarding the procedure, have been measured by means of a questionnaire on the quality of life, and the result was 96.7%. After 36 months, the total occusion rate of saphenous trunks has been 97%. CONCLUSIONS: The first important Italian experience with EVL based on preoperative, perioperative and postoperative duplex control and which is also based on the patients' satisfaction at mid/long-term has indicated some advantages over the standard treatment with the stripping method. In terms of reduced postoperative pain, shorter sick leave, a faster resumption of the normal activities, and, in particular, the total absence of DVT, we can conclude that EVL is a good solution for all patients with anatomic and hemodinamic patterns for saphenous vein surgery.     

Evaluation of a strict protocol approach in managing women with severe disease due to abortion.

AIM: To evaluate whether the introduction of a strict protocol approach based on the systemic evaluation of critically ill pregnant women with complications of abortion affected outcome. SETTING: Indigent South Africans managed in the regional and tertiary hospitals of the Pretoria Academic Complex. METHOD: Since 1997 a standard definition of severe acute maternal morbidity (SAMM) has been used in the Pretoria Academic Complex. All cases of SAMM and maternal deaths were entered on the Maternal Morbidity and Mortality Audit System programme. A comparison of outcome of severely ill women who had complications of abortion was made between 1997-1998 (original protocol) and 2002-2004 (strict protocol). OUTCOME MEASURES: The mortality index and prevalence of organ system failure or dysfunction. RESULTS: In 1997-1998 there were 43 women with SAMM who survived and a further 10 maternal deaths due to complications of abortion, compared with 107 women with SAMM and 7 maternal deaths during 2002-2004. The mortality index declined from 18.9% in 1997-1998 to 6.1% in 2002-2004 (p = 0.02, odds ratio 0.28, 95% confidence limits 0.10 - 0.79). Significantly more women had hypovolaemic shock in 2002-2004 compared with 1997-1998 (54.4% v. 35.8%, p = 0.04), but fewer women had immune system failure including septic shock (18.4% v. 47.2%, p = 0.0002) and metabolic dysfunction (0 v. 5.7%, p = 0.03) and there was a trend to less renal failure (10.5% v. 22.6%, p = 0.06) and cardiac failure (4.4% v. 13.2%, p = 0.08). CONCLUSION: The strict protocol approach based on systemic evaluation in managing critically ill pregnant women with complications of abortion, coupled with an intensive, regular feedback mechanism, has been associated with a reduction in the mortality index.     

Effect of high up front charges on access to surgery for poor patients at a public hospital in New Mexico

Background  

A public hospital in New Mexico required collection of 50% of estimated costs prior to elective surgeries for self-pay patients. This study assesses the impact of this policy on access to elective surgical procedures.