Outpatient burn data: An untapped resource

Introduction

The National Burn Repository (NBR) currently only contains inpatient data from participating United States burn centres. However, the majority of the patients treated in burn centres are managed as outpatients. Unfortunately, this significant demographic is not represented in the NBR annual report. The purpose of this study is to compare the difference in aetiology and demographics between inpatient and outpatient burn patients. In addition, the workload demands for data entry of inpatient and outpatient records in the burn registry will be compared.

Methods

Outpatient and inpatient burn data at an American Burn Association-Verified Burn Center were prospectively collected during fiscal year 2008. Data collected included age, burn size and aetiology of burn. Aetiology was also stratified by age group. Inpatient data were compared with outpatient data with Fisher's exact test. The amount of time taken to enter inpatients’ and outpatients’ data parameters in the TRACS v5.0 database was also recorded.

Results

Data were collected for 241 inpatients and for 543 outpatients during fiscal year 2008. No significant differences in gender or race were found between the two groups. When comparing demographics, outpatients tended to be younger (26 ± 19 years vs. 32 ± 22 years, p = 0.01) with a smaller burn size (2.5 ± 7% vs. 6.8 ± 12%, p < 0.001) and a lower frequency of full-thickness burns (17% vs. 41%, p < 0.001).Of the patients managed as an outpatient, a total 29.7% were eventually admitted to the hospital. Just over half of those (16.7%) initially managed in the outpatient setting were admitted for a planned surgical procedure. The other 13% were admitted for pain control and wound-care issues.Injury was more likely to be caused by flame in inpatients (p < 0.001). Scald injuries were more common in the outpatient setting (34% vs. 27%), but this difference did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.079). Outpatients were more likely to be injured with a contact burn (p < 0.0001). Outpatient injury was more likely to be work-related than inpatient injury (p = 0.0497), but less likely to be related to recreational activity (p = 0.006) or arson/abuse/assault (p = 0.0158). An experienced TRACSv5.0 user required 11 ± 0.6 min to enter an inpatient record and 6 ± 0.6 min to enter an outpatient record in the system (p = 0.002).

Conclusions

Inpatient injury is more likely to be caused by flame, whereas outpatient injury is more likely to be caused by scald and contact burns. Work-related burn is more likely to be treated in the outpatient setting. Outpatient burn data also take less time to enter. Since significant differences in aetiology exist, outpatient data should be reported separately from inpatient data in order to understand the full spectrum of burn aetiology. The NBR and other registries should be modified to track outpatient burn data and outcomes.     

Contralateral electrodiagnosis in patients with abnormal median distal sensory latency

Background

We hypothesized that electrodiagnostic evidence of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) on the contralateral, less-severe side correlates with disease severity.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed 285 adults that had bilateral electrodiagnostic testing and a median distal sensory latency (DSL) greater than 3.6 ms on at least one side. Variables associated with abnormal contralateral median DSL were analyzed in bivariable and multivariable analysis.

Results

Patients with a nonrecordable median DSL on the worst side were significantly more likely to have electrodiagnostic evidence of contralateral CTS compared to patients with a prolonged DSL on the worst side (90 versus 65 %, respectively; p < 0.001). Bilateral symptoms were reported by 75 % of patients. The best logistic regression model for electrodiagnostic evidence of contralateral CTS included nonrecordable median DSL of the worst side and polyneuropathy (p < 0.001 and p = 0.14, respectively).

Conclusions

The finding that disease severity relates to the probability of contralateral abnormalities is consistent with the concept that CTS is typically bilateral. Patients with CTS on one side should be advised of the likelihood that it can be present or may develop on the other side.     

2010至2012年成都市手足口病的流行病学与临床特点分析

目的：研究成都地区2010至2012年手足口病的流行病学、病原学及临床特征,为防治该病提供依据。方法回顾性分析本院2010至2012年住院治疗的2686例患儿的流行病学、病原学及临床特征。结果本组病例中,年龄为2个月～16岁,平均年龄（1.87±3.21）岁,以婴幼儿（≤3岁）最多见（2463/2686,91.70%）,且男童︰女童（1.55︰1）;散居儿童（2034/2686,75.73%）多于幼托儿童（635/2686,23.64%）和学生（17/2686,0.63%）,城区（2145/2686,79.86%）多于乡村（541/2686,20.14%）。发病高峰在4～7月份（1533/2686,57.07%）。本组病例以轻症为主,重症较少（268/2686,9.98%）。主要临床表现为皮疹和发热,所有患儿均出现皮疹,皮疹以手、足掌、口腔黏膜或臀部等部位多见;1934例（1934/2686,72.0%）患儿有发热,多呈不规则热型,以低中热为主（2413/2686,89.84%）,发热持续时间多为1～3 d（2517/2686,93.71%）。经咽拭子病原学检查,重症病例以感染EV71为主（187/268,占69.78%）,柯萨奇病毒A 16共11株,其他肠道病毒27株。经治疗后,好转1810例（1810/2686,67.39%）,治愈871例（871/2686,32.43%）,死亡5例（5/2686,0.19%）。结论手足口病发病与年龄、季节、地区有关,经过早隔离、早治疗后,预后较好。     

Endovenous Glue-Induced Thrombosis in Nonthermal Glue Closure Therapy for Greater Saphenous Vein Insufficiency: A Single-Center Experience

A retrospective analysis of endovenous glue-closure therapy (EVGC) performed in 76 greater saphenous veins (GSVs) from February 2016 to December 2017 was conducted to assess the incidence and characteristics of endovenous glue-induced thrombosis (EGIT), a phenomenon unique to nonthermal EVGC for GSV insufficiency. Kabnick and Lawrence classifications for endovenous heat-induced thrombosis were adopted. Seven instances of EGIT were detected among 54 patients (13%), with median/mode Kabnick and Lawrence classifications of 2/2 and 4/5, respectively. EGIT resolved with observation within an average of 5.2 wk after detection (range, 2–8 wk) without deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism. EGIT was associated with significantly greater mean age (+7.75 y; P = .0308).     

Libre de faire le mal ?

In the Eighties, Benjamin Libet demonstrated that we become aware of an action that happens several hundred milliseconds after the onset of the brain activity, suggesting that our voluntary decisions escape to our consciousness. This original experimental study has been replicated several times with the same results-even if their interpretations differ, which challenges scientifically the issue of free will. Thus, criminal Intentionality of psychopathic individuals could be re-examined. Using Edelman‘s Neural Darwinism, we developed the hypothesis that free will materializes in neural networks and we illustrate this by clinical case analysis. These have developed and perpetuated during the child development via their sensory experiences indexed with emotional values. These networks are stored in memory, and constitute a collection of our own individual habits which serve as a model for all our future decisions. General human and particularly psychopathic criminals would have even less latitude to act freely since their complexes have developed uniformly and rigidly during their childhood.     

感音神经性耳聋的影像学及病因学研究

听力障碍的病人很多,但有关听力障碍,尤其是感音神经性耳聋的研究,还处于初期阶段,听觉传导通路耳蜗以及蜗后的病变均可引起感音神经性耳聋,包括耳蜗、蜗神经、蜗神经核以及听觉中枢.本文主要探讨感音神经性耳聋的病因学及影像学表现.     

BNP检测在急诊呼吸困难患者病因诊断及心功能评估中的意义

目的：探讨脑钠肽(BNP)检测在急诊呼吸困难患者病因诊断及心功能评估中的意义。方法回顾性分析2014年3月至2015年6月因急诊呼吸困难在中医医院和中心医院治疗的100例患者的临床诊治资料,分析肺源性（42例）和心源性呼吸困难(58例)患者的BNP水平,比较左心功能不全(32例)和右心功能不全(26例)以及不同心功能等级患者BNP水平的差异。结果心源性呼吸困难者BNP水平为(422.85±16.93) pg/mL,明显高于肺源性呼吸困难患者的(162.38±15.42) pg/mL,差异具有显著统计学意义(P<0.01);左心功能不全患者的BNP水平为(435.96±13.65) pg/mL,明显高于右心功能不全者的(372.32±15.31) pg/mL,差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05);不同心功能等级患者的BNP水平差异较大：心功能等级越高,BNP浓度越高,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);BNP浓度与每搏输出量(SV)、左心室收缩压(LVPS)和左室射血分数(LVEF)呈负相关(r=-0.356、-0.362、-0.423),与CTnl浓度呈正相关(r=0.268,P<0.05)。结论血清BNP浓度对急诊呼吸困难患者病因的判断具有较好的价值,并可初步判断患者心功能情况,具有临床推广应用价值。     

药物性肝损伤诊断治疗进展概述

摘 要药物性肝损伤（DILI）是指使用一种或多种药物后,由药物或其代谢产物引起的肝脏损伤。引起DILI最常见的药物包括：中药、抗结核药、抗肿瘤药、解热镇痛药、抗生素等,目前保健品、减肥药、食品添加剂等导致肝功能损伤越来越受到临床医生的重视。DILI可表现为急性或慢性肝损伤,可进展至肝硬化,轻者停药后肝功能可自行恢复,重者可出现黄疸、肝衰竭和各种并发症危及生命。随着生活水平的提高、生活习惯的改变及药物种类的增多,DILI的发病率逐年升高,其病因、诊断和治疗方面的相关问题越来越受到关注。本文将从DILI的诊断、治疗及预后等方面进行综述。