The Development of an Opiate Withdrawal Scale (OWS)

Withdrawal symptoms are feared by many addicts and, according to behavioural models, provide negative reinforcement for continued drug taking. Furthermore, conditioning models emphasize the role of conditioned withdrawal in precipitating relapse. A satisfactory scale for measuring withdrawal symptoms would aid the evaluation of these models and it would provide practical benefits in allowing more precise and economical use of drugs during drug withdrawal procedures. The development of such a scale, the OWS, is described. A principal components analysis showed that a single factor (severity) adequately accounted for the results. The scale has good discriminative efficiency in showing clear differences between withdrawal and post-withdrawal phases of treatment. It also discriminates clearly between those undergoing withdrawal and controls. Concurrent validity is shown by agreement with observers' ratings of withdrawal severity at high levels of severity. At lower levels, the OWS appears to be more sensitive than observers' ratings.     

The genetic interaction between VKORC1 c1173t and calumenin a29809g modulates the anticoagulant response of acenocoumarol

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of oral anticoagulant therapy is largely conditioned by both environmental and genetic factors. Objectives: To attempt to define the genetic profile involved in the response to this treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We selected 100 men younger than 75 years, with non-valvular atrial fibrillation, who started anticoagulation with acenocoumarol following the same protocol: 3 mg for three consecutive days. Then, doses were individually adjusted to achieve a steady International Normalized Ratio (INR). The basal plasma level and the level after 3 days were obtained, and the INR was determined. We studied five functional polymorphisms: FVII -323 Del/Ins, CYP2C*9, VKORC1 c1173t, calumenin (CALU) R4Q and CALU a29809g. The dose required for a steady INR was also recorded. RESULTS: Only the VKORC1 genotype had significant impact on the efficacy of therapy. Carriers of the 1173t allele were significantly more sensitive to therapy for 3 days [INR 2.07 (1.59-2.87) vs. 1.74 (1.30-2.09); P = 0.015] and they needed lower acenocoumarol doses to stabilize their INR (15.8 +/- 5.6 vs. 19.5 +/- 6.0 mg week(-1); P = 0.004). Its effect was exacerbated by combination with the CALU a29809g polymorphism. Carriers of both variants (27% of the sample) achieved the highest INR [2.26 (1.70-3.32)] and required the lowest dose (14.1 +/- 5.1 mg week(-1)). This genetic profile was particularly relevant in patients with INR >or= 3.5 at the start of therapy (P = 0.005; odds ratio = 6.67, 95% confidence interval = 1.32-37.43). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that CALU a29809g might be a new genetic factor involved in the pharmacogenetics of anticoagulant therapy, and confirm that specific genetic profiles defined by different polymorphisms will determine the initial response and dose required to achieve a stable and safe INR.     

Local Repolarization Abnormalities Induced by Transcatheter Radiofrequency Ablation in Pigs

Radiofrequency (RF) ablation alters action potential repolarization of myocardial cells and, theoretically, tbis should induce ST-T segment changes in the ECG. Since these ECG abnormalities have been rarely reported in patients submitted to RF ablation we assess the ability of the procedure to caase ST-T segment changes in local electrograms. Epicardial ECG mapping was performed in 17 anesthetized open chest pigs submitted to endocardial (n = 9) or to epicardial (n = 8) unipolar radiofrequency ablation (500 kHz, 20 W for 5-10 s). To characterize the cellular electrophysiological alterations induced by RE ablation transmembrane action potentials were recorded at various distances from the ablation lesion; these were compared with seven control pigs. Endocardial RE ablation induced a transient (< 5 min) change of 6.1 ± 2.4 m V in T wave amplitude (baseline: 12.8 ± 5.6 mV, P < O.OOl) in 141 out of 269 epicardial electrodes. T wave changes were associated with shortening in local activation time (20.1 ± 2.3 ms at baseline vs 18.5 ± 2.5 ms at 60 s after ablation, P = 0.03). RE current caused persistent ST segment elevation at the center of the ablation lesion with no transmural expansion. Intracellular potentials along a 2-6-mm wide myocardial band bordering the RE lesion showed lower amplitude (101 ± 7.0 mV vs 71 ± 23 mV, P < 0.01) and shorter duration (254 ± 44 ms vs 156 ± 29 ms, P < 0.01) than control hearts. The center of the ablation lesion was electrically anexcitable. We concluded that RF ablation alters cellular electrophysiology in small areas surrounding the ablation lesion and this causes short-lasting transmural changes in T wave amplitude and nontransmural ST segment elevation.     

Head-Up Tilt Test in Patients with High Pretest Likelihood of Neurally Mediated Syncope: An Approximation to the "Real Sensitivity" of this Testing

This study was designed to examine the "true sensitivity" of a specific head-up tilt (HUT) testing protocol using clinical findings. The HUT protocol used 45 minutes at 60 degrees for the baseline portion and intermittent boluses of 2, 4, and 6 micrograms of isoproterenol in the second phase. Eighty-eight patients (40 men and 48 women; mean age of 33.8 +/- 16 years) with recurrent syncope and high pretest likelihood of neurally mediated syncope were included. The following were considerated as high pretest likelihood criteria: (1) at least two syncopal episodes; (2) no structural heart disease and normal baseline ECG; (3) age < 65 years; (4) a typical history of neurally mediated syncope, triggering factors plus premonitory signs; and (5) short duration of symptoms and fast recovery without neurological sequelae. Fifty-four patients (61%) had a positive tilt test (34/88 baseline [39%] and 20/50 with isoproterenol [40%]). The shorter time interval between the last syncopal episode and baseline HUT test was the only predictor for a positive response (P < 0.003). Conversely, this time interval was not predictor of positive responses during isoproterenol-tilt testing. In conclusion: (1) we claim a "sensitivity" for this combined protocol of 61%; and (2) our results indicate that patients with syncope of unknown origin must be tilted nearest as possible to the last syncope to increase the positive responses of HUT test.     

冠状动脉粥样硬化患者高危因素相关分析与护理指导

目的 研究冠状动脉粥样硬化患者危险因素,有利于预防和改善预后。方法 回顾2011年1月-2012年3月我科行冠脉造影的连续住院的患者245例。通过冠脉造影确定为冠状动脉粥样硬化患者狭窄程度>50%者188例为冠心病组,57例为冠状动脉粥样硬化患者狭窄程度<50%者为对照组。记录纳入样本的临床资料,分析心血管病危险因素,包括左心射血分数、血脂系统等。进行单因素分析和多因素非条件逐步Logistic回归。结果 冠心病组患者在高血压、高血糖、高血脂、抽烟明显高于对照组(P<0.01)。进一步对血压、血糖、血脂、抽烟危险因素作非条件逐步Logistic回归,其OR值依次为:抽烟OR=2.78,高血脂OR=3.10,高血压OR=1.65,高血糖OR=1.02。结论 冠状动脉粥样硬化患者狭窄程度>50%者在高血压、高血糖、高血脂、抽烟等危险因素均与冠状动脉病变严重程度密切相关,因此有必要在疾病的进行性发展过程中重视护理干预,如戒烟酒、提倡规律生活、改善遵医行为等,以减少危险因素对冠状动脉的进一步的损害。     

右胸外侧小切口与胸骨正中切口心内直视手术的对比研究

目的探讨右胸外侧小切口行心内直视手术的疗效及治疗体会。方法回顾分析1999年6月～2009年3月期间,常见先心病患者行经右胸外侧小切口手术97例,与同期行正中切口进行同类先心病手术129例的治疗效果进行比较研究,对比研究两组主动脉阻断时间、体外循环时间、术后胸液量、辅助呼吸时间、术后平均住院时间、鸡胸发生率及住院死亡率。结果两组均无住院死亡;主动脉阻断时间、体外循环时间右胸组与正中组比较差异无统计学意义(P0.05);右胸组与正中组比较:平均总胸腔引流量分别为(223.9±127.1)ml,(379.4±203.9)ml;辅助呼吸时间分别为(248.5±74.4)min,(293.1±122.3)min;术后平均住院时间分别为(7.7±1.2)d,(9.4±0.86)d;鸡胸发生率分别为0%,2.3%(3/129);右胸组均低于正中组(P0.05)。结论右胸外侧小切口可安全有效地用于部分心内直视手术,与正中切口手术相比,明显缩短术后气管插管及住院时间,切口隐蔽,美观效果好。     

体外药物敏感试验对ⅢA期非小细胞肺癌新辅助化疗的临床预测价值探讨

目的 探讨体外药物敏感试验对ⅢA期非小细胞肺癌新辅助化疗的临床价值. 方法 64例ⅢA期非小细胞肺癌患者,其中32例应用MTT法检测癌细胞对抗癌药的敏感性,根据药敏结果对患者进行新辅助化疗,无敏感药物者按经验方案化疗:另外32例同期患者按经验方案化疗,观察实验与临床结果的相关性. 结果 应用体外药敏试验评估体内用药效果的敏感性为81.8%(18/22),特异性为70.0%(7/10),总预测准确率为78.1%(25/32).阳性预测值为85.7%(18/21),阴性预测值为63.6%(7/11).药敏阳性组与经验组临床疗效比较差异有显著性(X2=8.14,P<0.05),药敏组与经验组两组手术切除率比较差异显著(X2=4.27,P<0.05). 结论 应用体外药物敏感试验指导ⅢA期非小细胞肺癌新辅助化疗具有重要的临床意义.     

Who Would Pay Higher Taxes for Better Mental Health? Results of a Large‐Sample National Choice Experiment

Policy Points

•  Public funding for mental health programs must compete with other funding priorities in limited state budgets.
•  Valuing state‐funded mental health programs in a policy‐relevant context requires consideration of how much benefit from other programs the public is willing to forgo to increase mental health program benefits and how much the public is willing to be taxed for such program benefits.
•  Taxpayer resistance to increased taxes to pay for publicly funded mental health programs and perceived benefits of such programs vary with state population size.
•  In all states, taxpayers seem to support increased public funding for mental health programs such as state Medicaid services, suggesting such programs are underfunded from the perspective of the average taxpayer.

ContextThe direct and indirect impacts of serious mental illness (SMI) on health care systems and communities represents a significant burden. However, the value that community members place on alleviating this burden is not known, and SMI treatment must compete with a long list of other publicly funded priorities. This study defines the value of public mental health interventions as what the public would accept, either in the form of higher taxes or in reductions in nonhealth programs, in return for increases in the number of mental health program beneficiaries.MethodsWe developed and fielded a best‐practice discrete‐choice experiment survey to quantify respondents’ willingness to be taxed for increased spending among several competing programs, including a program for treating severe mental health conditions. A realistic decision frame was used to elicit respondents’ willingness to support expanded state budgets for mental health programs if that expansion required either cuts in the competing publicly financed programs or tax increases. The survey was administered to a general population national sample of 10,000 respondents.FindingsNearly half the respondents in our sample either chose “no budget increase” for all budget scenarios or had preferences that were too disordered to estimate trade‐off values. Including zero values for those respondents, we found that the mean (median) amount that all respondents were willing to be taxed annually for public mental health programs ranged between $156 ($99) per year for large‐population states and $343 ($181) per year for small‐population states. Respondents would accept reductions of between 1.6 and 3.4 beneficiaries in other programs in return for 1 additional mental health program beneficiary.ConclusionsOur results are consistent with findings that a substantial portion of the US public is unwilling to pay higher taxes. Nevertheless, even including the substantial number of respondents who opposed any tax increase, the willingness of both the mean and median respondent to be taxed for mental health program expansions implies that programs providing mental health services such as state Medicaid are underfunded.