Variation in Mortality from Ischaemic Heart Disease between England and Scotland

A Comparison of mortality from ischaemic heart disease underthe age of 60 for 1980 to 1981 between the Grampian Health Boardand the North Staffordshire Health Authority has been made.A total of 993 deaths was notified by death certificate fromthe two areas of similar population of which 434 were from Grampianand 559 from North Staffordshire. After examination of generalpractitioner and hospital case notes, autopsy reports and deathcertificates, nearly all (532) of the North Staffordshire deathswere accepted as being due to ischaemic heart disease but onlythree-fifths (263) of the Grampian deaths could be begin besubstantiated as there was inadequate information for the remainder.Deaths from ischaemic heart disease seem apparently to be twofoldgreater in North Staffordshire than Grampian but much of thisdiscrepancy could be attributed to a widely different autopsyrate and to unavailability of case notes. Experience of thissurvey suggests that the results of other epidemiological investigationsmay be equally or even more unreliable.     

Comparative analysis of the effect of gestagens,antiestrogencytostatics, and androstenes on the viability of tumor and normal cells

The hormonal compound with the highest cytostatic activity against MCF-7 tumor cells (human breast cancer, BC) and the lowest activity against normal cells (rat skin fibroblasts) was sought among gestagens, androstenes, and antiestrogencytostatics. It was found that antiestrogencytostatics and androstenes had the highest cytostatic activity against tumor cells whereas gestagens and antiestrogencytostatics were least active against fibroblasts. Studies of the activity of the hormonal compounds in combination with doxorubicin on the viability of MCF-7 and rat skin fibroblasts found that all investigated compounds with the exception of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) intensify the cytostatic activity of doxorubicin against tumor cells, the greatest effect seen for antiestrogencytostatics. A chemoprotective effect of androstenes on normal cells was noted. __________ Translated from Khimiko-Farmatsevticheskii Zhurnal, Vol. 41, No. 7, pp. 3–7, July, 2007.     

Mindestmengen

BACKGROUND: Consequences of the volume outcome relationship are controversial. Objectification based on data analysis is strongly needed. The aim of this publication was to analyse the effects of volume outcome reallocations based on German inpatient data. METHOD: The analysis based on inpatient data of the Krankenhauszweckverband Koeln, Bonn und Region (Hospital Association of the Cologne and Bonn Region) of 2002 and 2005. Relevant data sets were identified according to the effects of current German regulations on volume outcome on the special fields liver transplant, kidney transplant, complex pancreatic surgery, and complex oesophageal surgery. RESULTS: The effects of current German regulations on volume outcome results differed greatly between the four surgical specialities. There were fewer effects on kidney transplant, but due to an already very high level of centralisation 34% (oesophagus) and 8% (pancreas) of the hospitals stopped related surgery. This affected 8.9% (oesophagus) and 2.2% (pancreas) of related cases. CONCLUSION: Concentration and the formation of specialised medical centres are results of the implementation of volume outcome relationships. The quality of medical treatment does not automatically improve from this development. It is necessary to analyse any correlation between quality and frequency of treatment or other criteria such as know-how, structure and process management, and multidisciplinarity.