Aquacel Ag dressing versus Acticoat™ dressing in partial thickness burns: A prospective,randomized, controlled study in 100 patients. Part 1: Burn wound healing

Introduction

Studies comparing contemporary silver dressings in burns are scarce.

Methods

In a prospective, randomized, controlled study, counting 50 patients/research group, we compared two frequently used silver dressings, Acticoat™ and Aquacel^® Ag, in the management of partial thickness burns with a predicted healing time between 7 and 21 days as assessed by laser Doppler imaging between 48 and 72 h after burn. Variables investigated were related to baseline research group characteristics, wound healing, bacteriology, economics, nurse, and patient experience.

Results

Both research groups were comparably composed taking into account gender, age and burn characteristics. Similar results were obtained as to healing time and bacterial control with both silver dressings. A statistically significant difference in favor of the Aquacel^® Ag dressing was found for average ease of use (p < 0.001), average ease of application (p = 0.001), patient pain (p < 0.001), patient comfort with the dressing (p = 0.017), silver staining (p < 0.001), and cost effectiveness (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Both silver dressings resulted in comparable healing times and bacterial control but the Aquacel^® Ag dressing significantly increased comfort for patients as well as nurses and was significantly more cost-effective than the Acticoat™ dressing for the given indication.     

Quantitation of Fetal Heart Function With Tissue Doppler Velocity Imaging—Reference Values for Color Tissue Doppler Velocities and Comparison With Pulsed Wave Tissue Doppler Velocities

Quantitative assessment of fetal heart function has been difficult. Increasingly, tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) is used to measure fetal cardiac function noninvasively. There are two principal techniques, spectral pulsed wave (PW) TDI and color TDI (CTDI). Published reference values for fetal myocardial velocities are based on spectral PW TDI only. However, previous phantom, adult, and animal studies have shown that PW TDI velocities are systematically higher than CTDI velocities. There are no fetal studies so far. We hypothesized that myocardial velocities derived by PW TDI and CTDI are significantly different in the fetus. This prospective observational study included 91 fetuses (gestational age 28.6 ± 6.6 weeks; range 19–40 weeks) seen for routine prenatal ultrasound. From apical 4‐chamber views, tricuspid ring (right ventricle), lateral and septal mitral ring were sampled by PW TDI and CTDI. Bland–Altman analysis was used for comparisons. PW and CTDI S′ velocities correlated strongly in all three cardiac segments (r = 0.6 to 0.9; P < 0.01). There was a systematic bias toward higher velocities with PW TDI versus CTDI (bias 0.96 cm/s; 95% CI 1.08–0.85 cm/s). However, the strength of the correlation and bias varied depending on the region of the fetal heart sampled. PW TDI and CTDI velocity measurements are feasible in the fetus and correlate well. However, PW TDI velocities are higher than CTDI velocities with significant regional variation. This precludes a mathematical conversion of PW to CTDI in vivo. As PW TDI and color TDI vary, different reference values for fetal CTDI velocities were generated.     

Low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for dyskinesia and motor performance in Parkinson’s disease

Dyskinesias are one of the most frequent and disabling complications of the long-term treatment of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Although the cause is not completely understood, it appears that an imbalance between excitatory and inhibitory inputs from the basal ganglia to the motor cortex leads to overactivation of motor and premotor areas. Overactivation of the supplementary motor area (SMA) has been observed in neuroimaging studies in dyskinetic PD patients. We investigated the effects of low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the SMA on levodopa-induced dyskinesias (LID) and motor performance in PD. We tested whether longer duration (10 days) and higher number of total pulses (1800 pulses) would enhance the beneficial effect. Seventeen dyskinetic PD patients were randomly assigned to real rTMS or sham (placebo) rTMS, and 1 Hz rTMS or sham rTMS was applied over the SMA for 10 consecutive days. Patients were assessed at baseline and 1 day after the last rTMS with a levodopa challenge test, and video recordings were taken. Dyskinesias and motor performance were rated off-line by two blinded raters using video recordings. After 10 days of treatment with rTMS, we observed that 1 Hz rTMS delivered over the SMA had decreased LID lasting for 24 hours without a change in motor performance, whereas sham rTMS induced no significant change in dyskinesia scores. These results support a possible therapeutic effect of low-frequency rTMS in LID. However, in order to suggest rTMS as an effective treatment, long-term observations and further investigations with a larger patient population are essential.     

200例偏头痛患者急性发作期的经颅多普勒超声（TCD）检测及相关因素分析

目的探讨经颅多普勒超声（TCD）对偏头痛急性发作期的检测意义。方法将200例偏头痛患者按不同年龄段分成5组,在急性发作期进行TCD检测血流速度。结果偏头痛患者不同年龄段急性发作期脑血流速度和正常人血流速度与同名动脉比较,偏头痛患者MCA及PCA、VA血流速度和正常人血流速度比较有显著性差异（P〈0．05）。偏头痛患者TCD检测的总体表现脑血管血流速度增快。有先兆偏头痛与无先兆偏头痛的2组血流速度比较不明显（P〉0．05）。结论TCD能敏感地反映偏头痛患者在急性发作期颅脑血管舒缩功能及其血流动力学变化情况,TCD检测结果可作为偏头痛患者急性发作期的诊断依据。     

高低频重复经颅磁刺激对卒中后认知障碍伴摄食吞咽困难患者的疗效观察

目的：探讨高低频重复经颅磁刺激(rTMS)对卒中后认知障碍伴摄食吞咽困难患者的疗效。方法：将在徐州市中心医院康复医学科住院的60例经简易精神状态量表(MMSE)评估为认知障碍和吞咽造影检查(VFSS)证实存在吞咽障碍的脑卒中患者,随机分为对照组与观察组,每组30例。2组患者均予基础药物治疗、常规吞咽康复训练、常规认知功能训练,在此基础上,观察组给予高低频rTMS,对照组给予高低频rTMS假刺激。2组患者接受3周治疗后,分别评估脑神经营养指标、脑部血流动力学指标、MMSE量表及吞咽功能。结果：治疗后2组脑源性神经营养因子（BDNF）、神经生长因子（NGF）水平均较治疗前提高（P＜0.05）,且观察组低于对照组（P＜0.05）;治疗后2组最大峰值流速（MPV）、平均流速（Vm）均较治疗前增快（P＜0.05）,血管阻力指数（RI）较治疗前降低（P＜0.05）,且观察组MPV、Vm均快于对照组（P＜0.05）,RI低于对照组（P＜0.05）;治疗后2组患者MMSE量表评分提高(P<0.05),观察组评分高于对照组(P<0.05);治疗后2组患者吞咽困难量表(VDS)评分降低(P<0.05),观察组更低于对照组评分(P<0.05);治疗后2组患者口腔运送时间(OTT)、软颚上抬时间(SET)均缩短(P<0.05),观察组较对照组缩短更明显(P<0.05)。结论：高低频rTMS可更好地改善脑卒中后认知障碍伴摄食吞咽困难患者的认知及吞咽功能。     

The effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on refractory neuropathic pain in spinal cord injury

Objective

To investigate the analgesic effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on intractable neuropathic pain in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI).

Design

A single center, prospective, randomized, double-blinded, controlled study.

Setting

SCI rehabilitation unit of university rehabilitation center.

Participants

Seventeen patients with SCI and chronic neuropathic pain who met the inclusion criteria recruited between April 2010 and January 2012.

Interventions

Ten daily treatment sessions of real or sham rTMS (30 trains of 10-Hz stimuli for a duration of 5 seconds; a total of 1500 pulses at intensity equal to 110% of the resting motor threshold) was applied over vertex using a figure-of-8-shaped coil.

Outcome measures

Pain was assessed with visual analog scale (VAS) at baseline and 10 days, 6 weeks and 6 months after the treatment. Patients’ satisfactions obtained using a 5-point Likert scale at 6 months.

Results

Both real and sham rTMS provided a significant reduction in the VAS scores (real rTMS group, P = 0.004; sham rTMS group, P = 0.020). Post hoc analysis revealed the significant difference was at 10 days and 6 weeks compared to baseline in the real rTMS group and only at 10 days compared to baseline in the sham rTMS group. Comparison of VAS scores and patient satisfaction did not show any significant difference at each assessment point (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

Our results demonstrated analgesic effect of rTMS on intractable neuropathic pain in SCI was not superior to placebo. However, middle-term (over 6 weeks) pain relief by rTMS is encouraging and suggests the need for future studies with a larger sample size.     

血卟啉单甲醚声动力疗法对兔耳增生性瘢痕的疗效

目的观察血卟啉单甲醚声动力疗法对兔耳增生性瘢痕（hyperplastic scar,HS）的疗效。方法成年大耳白兔60只,随机分成5组。在声动力治疗第2、4、6、8周分别切取两组瘢痕组织,进行指标检测。结果治疗组可降低成纤维细胞密度、瘢痕增生指数,与模型对照组比较差异有统计学意义（P〈O．05）,可降低胶原纤维的面密度,从上皮化后第4周开始与模型组比较差异有统计学意义（P〈O．01）。结论声动力效应能够显著降低兔耳HS,可望为HS治疗提供新的手段。     

兔耳病理性瘢痕皮回植术后组织中基质金属蛋白酶－1及金属蛋白酶组织抑制剂－1表达的变化

目的通过建立兔耳模型观察基质金属蛋白酶－1（matrixmetalloproteinase－1,MMP－1）及金属蛋白酶组织抑制剂－1（tissueinh｜bitorofmetalloproteinase1,TIMP1）在病理性瘢痕皮回植术后组织中表达的变化,探讨瘢痕皮回植治疗病理性瘢痕的机制。方法建立兔耳病理性瘢痕模型。共分为3组：正常皮肤组（对照组,A组）、病理性瘢痕组（B组）及瘢痕皮回植组（c组）。切取标本行HE染色和Masson特殊组织化学染色及免疫组织化学染色,观察各组标本MMP－1、TIMP－1的表达情况。结果病理性瘢痕经瘢痕皮回植术后,MMP－1及TIMP－l均较A组明显升高（P〈O．01）．MMP一1的表达较TIMP一1明显增强（P〈O．01）。结论瘢痕皮回植术治疗瘢痕的机制与瘢痕组织内MMP一1和TIMP一1相互作用的失衡有关。     

缺血性卒中溶栓治疗的研究进展

研究表明溶栓治疗是有效和安全的,但溶栓药物的选择与剂量、溶栓治疗时间窗、适应证、溶栓途径、合并用药的利弊、溶栓后并发症等问题仍是面前研究的热点,本研究对此方面的研究现状及进展进行综述。     

CT血管造影对颈部血管狭窄性病变的诊断分析

目的探讨颈部血管狭窄性病变行CT血管造影(CTA)检查的诊断效果。方法选取2012年6月至2013年6月收治的43例患者进行检查,随机分为实验组22例,对照组21例,实验组采用64排螺旋CT血管造影检查,对照组采用超声检查,比较两种方法对颈部血管病变的诊断结果。结果实验组的诊断准确率为95.5%,对照组的诊断准确率为76.2%,两组差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论采用64排螺旋CT血管造影技术,通过血管后重建能够立体、直观地显示血管情况,准确判断椎动脉狭窄、闭塞情况,从而为临床治疗提供科学依据,值得推广应用。