Rumination: One Construct, Many Features in Healthy Individuals, Depressed Individuals, and Individuals with Lupus

Rumination has been associated with depression and negative health effects. Yet measures of rumination appear to index multiple constructs that may be differentially related to clinical phenomena. To clarify this literature, we explored convergence and divergence among self-report measures of rumination in 349 undergraduates, 59 depressed adults, 81 healthy adults, and 15 never-depressed adults with Systemic Lupus Erythematosis (SLE). Results suggested there are separate constructs labeled rumination with different relationships to depression. Yet, aggregate measures index a central construct. Depressed individuals ruminated more, across measures, than individuals with SLE, who ruminated more than healthy individuals; this relationship was mediated by dysphoria. Thus, administering multiple rumination measures and attending to constructs assessed by rumination measures appears important in clinical studies.     

Lower urinary tract symptoms in older adults undergoing hip arthroplasty: a feasibility study.

PURPOSE: We undertook a feasibility study to explore the prevalence of preoperative and postoperative lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in older adults undergoing elective hip arthroplasty and to determine whether a larger prospective study was warranted. METHOD: Subjects awaiting elective hip arthroplasty were recruited preoperatively from an orthopedic office and preadmission clinic at 1 university-affiliated hospital. LUTS and related quality of life were measured prehospitalization and 6 weeks postoperatively using the American Urological Association Symptom Index and quality-of-life score. Postvoid residual urine and the 24-hour pad test were used to assess bladder emptying and continence status. RESULTS: Sixteen participants (9 males, 7 females, mean age 74 years) completed the study. Preoperatively, 15 participants reported at least 1 symptom and none had discussed these with a healthcare professional. The most common LUTS were nocturia, frequency, and urgency. Postoperatively, all reported symptoms, with 8 (53%) experiencing increased symptoms with a negative impact on quality of life for 3. Recruitment was a major barrier in conducting the study and would need to be taken into account in further studies of the topic. CONCLUSION: Despite recruitment issues, we suggest larger studies of LUTS in older adults undergoing surgery are warranted to further understand potential problems and risks in transition from hospital to home. Future studies should include identification of potential reasons for increased LUTS, including urinary tract infection.     

Utilization of preoperative cerebrospinal fluid drain in skull base surgery.

OBJECTIVE: Retrospectively assess the efficacy of lumbar cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) drainage placed preoperatively in skull base operations in decreasing the incidence of postoperative CSF fistula. METHODS: A retrospective review of 150 patients undergoing a posterior fossa craniotomy from 1989 to 2000 was conducted. Patients were divided into those receiving preoperative lumbar drains and those that did not. The rates of postoperative CSF leakage were compared between the two groups. Patient data were analyzed to determine if there were other comorbidities affecting the postoperative incidence of CSF leakage such as smoking, diabetes, or hypertension. RESULTS: Between 1989 and 1994, 25/72 (35%) patients with no preoperative lumbar drain had a postoperative CSF leak. From 1995 to 2000, 9/78 (12%) patients with a preoperative lumbar drain had a CSF leak. This was a 23% decreased incidence of postoperative CSF leakage and a significant decrease in the probability (p < 0.001) of CSF leakage in patients treated with a preoperative lumbar drain. The comorbidities of diabetes, smoking, or hypertension did not increase the probability of a CSF leak (p = 0.43). CONCLUSIONS: A preoperatively placed lumbar drain can significantly lower the rate of postoperative CSF leakage after skull base surgery. The drain is a well-tolerated adjunct to dural closure and helps increase surgical exposure of the posterior fossa. The comorbidities of diabetes, smoking, or hypertension do not contribute to an increased rate of CSF leakage.dagger Lyal Leibrock M.D., F.A.C.S. is Deceased.     

Surgical complications of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis

Surgical experience with 260 consecutive patients with chronic renal failure receiving continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) at one medical center from 1980 to 1989 is reviewed. Patients received CAPD for a mean of 24.2 months (range: 3 days to 91 months). Catheter longevity consistently improved in all but 1 year from 1984 to 1989, as did exit-site and tunnel infections. Of 311 catheters inserted, 151 (49%) required removal, of which 111 (74%) were attributed to peritonitis. Cumulative patient survival was 80%, 60%, and 53% at 1, 2, and 3 years, respectively. Diabetic patients had statistically significant lower survival rates. Additional complications including catheter leakage, catheter malposition, catheter obstruction, and abdominal wall hernias were negligible. Although CAPD is not free from serious complications, our data show remarkable improvement since 1980 in catheter longevity, hospital stay, and infection rates.     

Rare craniofacial clefts.

I present a review of the pattern of rare craniofacial clefting in patients presenting to a tertiary referral craniofacial unit. Patients with an isolated rare cleft were uncommon; most had multiple axes of disruption. Midline and paramedian facial clefts, although occasionally occurring alone, often overlap with adjacent facial clefts and extend along an upward cranial axis. The corresponding midline and paramedian facial clefts were never seen in isolation but were almost always seen with their axial downward cleft. Lateral nasal, oro-ocular, and lateral forehead clefts showed diffuse and often poorly defined regions of disruption, resulting in a multiplicity in clefts. The small subgroup of patients with features of the amniotic band sequence had more and differently distributed clefts compared with the larger nonamniotic band group.