Randomised comparison of ondansetron and metoclopramide plus dexamethasone for chemotherapy induced emesis

The serotonin (5HT3) antagonist ondansetron was compared in a randomised study with metoclopramide and dexamethasone for the prevention of chemotherapy induced emesis. Thirty children aged 1-15 years with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia received 'intensification modules' according to the MRC United Kingdom acute lymphoblastic leukaemia regimen UKALL XI. This contains the moderately emetogenic drugs daunorubicin, etoposide, and cytarabine. Fifteen children received an intravenous loading dose of ondansetron followed by intravenous or oral doses 12 hourly for five days. Fifteen children received intravenous metoclopramide every six hours for three days with a loading dose of dexamethasone, repeated every eight hours for three days intravenously or orally. Efficacy was assessed by a diary card documenting the incidence of nausea, retching, or vomiting. In the 24 hour period after starting chemotherapy, ondansetron was more effective, with a complete or major response rate of 93%, compared with 33% using metoclopramide/dexamethasone.     

Increased hepatic microsomal activity after halothane anaesthesia in children

The effect of anaesthesia and surgery on microsomal enzyme activity was studied in 19 children aged 4-9 years, scheduled for tonsillectomy. The children were randomly allocated to either halothane or ketamine anaesthesia. Antipyrine clearance was measured before and 4 days after surgery by a salivary one-sample technique. Statistically significant (p less than 0.001) increases in antipyrine clearance was found in children who received halothane anaesthesia. The antipyrine clearance was increased by a mean of 26% 4 days after surgery, compared with a pre-operative control measurement. No significant change in antipyrine clearance was observed in children who received ketamine anaesthesia. There was also a significant difference in antipyrine clearance changes after surgery between the two groups (p less than 0.05). Halothane has enzyme-inducing properties after a single exposure in children, while a single dose of ketamine does not.     

Diagnosis and Medical Management of Infective Endocarditis: Transthoracic and Transesophageal Echocardiography

The use of echocardiography in the diagnosis of vegetative endocarditis has been a keystone in the diagnosis and treatment of this important clinical syndrome. In addition, with the use of transesophageal echo this modality has now made important advances in not only diagnosis but in evaluation of global cardiac function. A considerable amount of information has been gathered on the vegetation and these data will be discussed.     

Pain location and associated symptoms in post-lumbar puncture headache

In this prospective study of 239 patients, 88 (37%) suffered from post-lumbar puncture headache (PPH). The pain was located within the region innervated by the trigeminal nerve in 49% of the drawings, within the occipital and/or suboccipital region in 11%, and within the combined trigeminal/occipital region in 39%. The headache was unilateral at least once in 34% of the patients. Changes in pain location from one region to the other and/or between bilateral and unilateral headache were observed in 54% of the patients throughout the PPH period. Associated symptoms were experienced by 85%, nausea (73%) and dizziness (60%) being the most frequently reported. In the upright position, nausea, dizziness, and tinnitus tended to be present during a fairly large part of the PPH period (57–63% of the days), vomiting occurring only occasionally (28%). The intensity of associated symptoms was positively correlated to PPH severity. Pain in the combined trigeminal/occipital region was most severe and related to more associated symptoms than pain in other regions, and unilateral pain was milder than bilateral pain. Pain in the occipital and/or suboccipital region was mildest. The severity of nausea decreased significantly on the last 2 days of the PPH period, and the intensity of dizziness decreased when PPH was about to subside. Tinnitus is probably due to a cochlear dysfunction, and presents special characteristics. Its incidence was not clearly related to PPH severity and it increased with increasing duration of PPH; its intensity did not decline when PPM was about to wane.     

医院间接成本分配方法之模拟比较

介绍了医院间接成本的四种分配方法,即:1直接分配法;2.顺序分配法或阶梯分配法;3.双重分配法;4.联立方程法,并进行了模拟比较,认为双重分配法和联立方程法将成为最主要的间接成本分配方法。     

Effect of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy on Prostate Specific Antigen

Purpose

We evaluated the effects of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL^*) of distal ureteral calculi on serum prostate specific antigen (PSA).

Materials and Methods

A total of 29 consecutive men with distal ureteral calculi at a maximum of 25 mm. from the ureteral orifice, and without any history of urinary tract infection, benign prostatic hyperplasia or prostate cancer underwent ESWL with the Dornier MPL 9000 × lithotriptor. The therapeutic focus size was 48 × 7 mm. PSA was measured exactly 5 minutes before ESWL, as well as 120 minutes, 24 hours and 7 days after termination of treatment.

Results

Fragmentation rate was 100 percent and all patients were stone-free within 1 week of therapy. There was no statistically significant difference between PSA values before and after treatment. Only 15 patients had a slight increase in PSA at 120 minutes after treatment (range 0.01 to 0.41 ng./ml., mean 0.07).

Conclusions

ESWL can be performed in men at risk for prostate cancer without impairing the predictive value of PSA.     

A novel system for providing compatible blood to patients during surgery: "self-service" electronic blood banking by nursing staff

BACKGROUND: A good blood bank must be able to provide compatible blood units promptly to operating room patients with minimal wastage. A "self- service" by nursing staff blood banking system that is safe, efficient, and well-accepted has been developed. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Specific blood units are no longer assigned to surgical patients who have a negative pretransfusion antibody screen, irrespective of the type of surgery. A computer-generated list of the serial numbers of all group-identical blood units currently in the blood bank inventory is provided for each patient. The units themselves are not labeled with a patient's name. The group O list will be provided for group O patients, the group A list for group A patients, and so forth. Should the patient require transfusion during surgery, the operating room nurses go to the refrigerator, remove any group-identical unit, and check the serial number of the unit against the serial numbers on the patient's list. If the serial number is on that list, the blood bank will accept responsibility for compatibility. The system was implemented in 1995. RESULTS: Since implementation, a total of 2154 patients have undergone operations at this hospital. Thirty-two patients received more than 10 units of red cells each. There were no transfusion errors. The crossmatch-to-transfusion ratio was reduced from 1.67 to 1.12. Turnaround time for supplying additional or urgent units to patients in operating room was shortened from 33 to 2.5 minutes. There was no incidence of a blood unit's serial number not being on the list. Work by nurses and technical staff was reduced by nearly 50 percent. CONCLUSION: The "self-service" (by nursing staff) blood banking system described is safe and efficient. It saves staff time and can be easily set up.     

纺织工作环境及其噪声对女工心理健康的影响

目的：评价纺织工作环境及其噪声对纺织女工心理健康的影响,为有关部门制定卫生标准和防护措施提供科学依据。 方法：调查于2006-02/04进行,选取成都市某织布厂接触噪声高于85dB（A）的女工341名作观察组,另选取同厂接触噪声强度低于85dB（A）的女工154名作对照组,检测两组作业环境的噪声强度、风速、气温、气湿,并了解两组受试者的一般情况,采用SCL-90症状自评量表评价调查对象的心理健康状况,包括躯体不适、强迫症状、人际关系敏感、抑郁、焦虑、敌对、恐怖、偏执和精神病性9项因子,得分越高症状越重。 结果：495名受试者的资料进入结果分析。①两组作业环境检测,除观察组接触的噪声强度超过国家噪声卫生限值[85dB（A）]外,两组的其余各项指标均符合国家卫生标准,并且其一般情况的构成相似。②观察组SCL-90量表的9项因子分、总均分、阳性项目数以及阳性症状均分均高于对照组（P〈0.05）,躯体不适和强迫症状两项因子分≥3分的阳性检出率明显高于对照组（P〈0.05）。③观察组各个工龄组SCL-90的9项因子分、总均分和阳性项目数中,除躯体不适和敌对因子以外,其余指标均以1-年工龄组为最高（P〈0.05）。 结论：高强度的纺织噪声对女工心理健康有一定的影响,其中对1-年工龄组的影响最明显。建议采取积极有效的措施,以保护纺织女工的心理健康。