A randomized prospective comparison of chemotherapy to total body irradiation as initial treatment for the indolent lymphoproliferative diseases

One hundred eight consecutive patients with indolent lymphoproliferative diseases were stratified into chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), stage III and IV well-differentiated lymphocytic lymphoma (WDLL), and stage III and IV follicular lymphoma (FL). Within each stratum, patients were prospectively and randomly assigned to receive chemotherapy with chlorambucil and prednisone (CP) or fractionated total body irradiation (TBI). Morbidity from both regimens was negligible. Complete response (CR) was defined as the resolution of organ enlargement and the return of blood count to normal. The CR rate for the entire CP group (n = 54) was 59% and that for the TBI group (n = 54), 52%; median survivals were 53 and 57 months respectively. In the 41 patients with CLL the CR rate for CP (n = 17) was 47% and that for TBI (n = 24), 50%; the median survival for CP was 48 months, and for TBI it was 51 months. In the 21 patients with WDLL the CR rate for CP (n = 15) was 53% and that for TBI (n = 6), 67%; the median survival for CP was 42 months and has not yet been reached for TBI. For the 46 patients with FL the CR rate for CP (n = 22) was 72% and that for TBI (n = 24), 50%; the median survival was 55 months, and for TBI it was 56 months. None of the differences in CR or survival are statistically significant (P greater than .05). In these indolent lymphoproliferative diseases, CP and TBI are equally effective forms of initial treatment irrespective of the end point being defined as CR or survival.     

Qualitative cross-cultural exploration of vaginal bleeding/spotting symptoms and impacts associated with hormone therapy in post-menopausal women to inform the development of new patient-reported measurement tools

Objectives

To understand the vaginal bleeding/spotting experiences of postmenopausal (PM) women taking estrogen plus progestin therapies (EPT) and develop measures to assess these symptoms and their impact on women's daily lives in four countries.

Design

(1) Concept elicitation interviews were conducted with PM women in the US (n = 14), Italy (n = 15), Mexico (n = 15) and China (n = 15) to explore vaginal bleeding/spotting symptoms associated with EPT. The Post-Menopausal Bleeding Questionnaire (PMBQ) was also debriefed to evaluate understanding and comprehensiveness. (2) Based on concept elicitation, a single item electronic daily diary was developed and the PMBQ modified to form a 12-item impact measure. (3) The measures were pilot-tested and then cognitively debriefed with US women receiving EPT. All qualitative data was subject to thematic analysis.

Main outcome measures

The Vaginal Bleeding/Spotting Daily Diary, (VBS-DD) and Post-Menopausal Bleeding Impact Questionnaire (PMBIQ) were developed in this study.

Results

Concept elicitation identified vaginal bleeding and spotting as important symptoms for women taking EPT, impacting their emotional wellbeing, social life, ability to move freely, clothing and sexual activity. Based on pilot testing and cognitive debriefing, women demonstrated good understanding of the VBS-DD and the PMBQ was reduced to 10 items due to conceptual redundancy.

Conclusions

Women taking EPT in the US, China, Mexico and Italy reported vaginal bleeding/spotting symptoms that have a detrimental impact on their quality of life. Two new measures were developed to assess the severity and impact of vaginal bleeding/spotting specific to EPT. This work highlights the need for EPT-related symptoms to be a part of treatment decision-making.     

青年人群腰椎骨密度及标准差对骨质疏松检出率的影响：多中心、大样本分析

背景: 不同地区骨峰值和标准差不同，对骨质疏松诊断率有较大影响。探讨建立一完整数据库为中国人骨质疏松诊断准确性提供依据。 目的：探讨青年人腰椎骨密度和标准差正常参考值影响骨质疏松症检出率的程度。 设计、时间及地点：调查分析，于1997-01/1999-12分别在北京、上海、广州、南京、嘉兴和成都市完成。 对象：采用前瞻性及回顾性方法对全国6个中心骨密度参考数据库中11 418人进行调查统计分析；男3 666人，女7 752人；年龄20岁~90岁；分别来自北京(2 385人)、广州(1 178人)、上海(1 404人)、南京(2 938人)、成都(1 425人)、嘉兴(2 088人),受试者来源于社区调查、健康体检和健康志愿者。 方法：用GE-Lunar公司的DXA仪测量骨密度，调查全国6个中心11 418人L2~L4腰椎后前位和髋部骨密度，建立了骨密度参考数据库。6个中心的仪器内部精度0.3%~0.7%，仪器间的精度1.1%。 主要观察指标：①6个中心不同年龄组腰椎骨密度分布。②青年人群骨密度及其标准差值对骨质疏松症检出率的影响。 结果：中国汉族女性以腰椎进行骨质疏松症诊断的青年人群的骨密度和标准差值，6个中心，最大差值分别为0.098 g/cm2和0.027 g/cm2。用6个中心及总体各自的青年人平均骨密度和标准差值为参考标准，对同一人群计算T-score和获得的骨质疏松症检出率不相同；发现青年人平均骨密度每变化0.01 g/cm2，则骨质疏松症检出率变化1.6%(呈正相关)，其标准差值每变化 0.01 g/cm2，则骨质疏松症检出率变化4%(呈负相关)。 结论：青年人平均骨密度和标准差值不同引起骨质疏松症检出率也不相同。为了让不同中心的骨质疏松症检出率有可比性,建议同一个类型的骨密度仪,同一个种族,同一个地区用一个设计较完善大样本的参考数据库,以其青年人正常参考值计算T-score。     

Nursing practice environment,quality of care,and morale of hospital nurses in Japan

The purpose of this study was to describe Japanese hospital nurses' perceptions of the nursing practice environment and examine its association with nurse‐reported ability to provide quality nursing care, quality of patient care, and ward morale. A cross‐sectional survey design was used including 223 nurses working in 12 acute inpatient wards in a large Japanese teaching hospital. Nurses rated their work environment favorably overall using the Japanese version of the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index. Subscale scores indicated high perceptions of physician relations and quality of nursing management, but lower scores for staffing and resources. Ward nurse managers generally rated the practice environment more positively than staff nurses except for staffing and resources. Regression analyses found the practice environment was a significant predictor of quality of patient care and ward morale, whereas perceived ability to provide quality nursing care was most strongly associated with years of clinical experience. These findings support interventions to improve the nursing practice environment, particularly staffing and resource adequacy, to enhance quality of care and ward morale in Japan.     

非肿瘤性肩关节损伤与人工肩关节置换

目的:分析假体的选择与手术操作技术对非肿瘤性肩关节损伤人工肩关节置换术治疗的影响。方法:选择2001-04/2006-10在上海长征医院、西藏军区总医院、扬州第一人民医院等进行肩关节置换术患者33例。肱骨急性近端粉碎性骨折28例:行单极人工肩关节置换术17例,双极人工肩关节置换术1例,全肩关节置换术3例。肱骨头缺血坏死2例、骨性关节炎3例,均行全肩关节置换术。术后9个月时22例患者参加随访,18个月时17例参加随访,30个月时5例参加随访。结果:33例患者均进入结果分析。①1例肱骨假体留置过长致肩关节上举运动痛、静止不痛,翻修术后缓解。其余32例完全不疼。②术后患者上举85°～130°,平均(98.7±6.0)°,外旋17°～36°,平均(30.0±5.7)°。内旋75°～101°,平均(82.5±4.8)°。③患者假体置位较好,除1例肱骨假体未完全插入髓腔,翻修后正常。④材料与组织的生物相容性能:符合美国FDA及欧洲CE标准。结论:针对患者的具体情况选用合适的人工肩关节假体,术中假体固定方法的选择以及术后外固定材料的佩戴对肩袖功能有重要影响。