A clinical sickness score for the critically ill in Central Africa

Scoring systems provide a means for comparing results, ensuring consistent standards and evaluating changes in therapy. The APACHE II system depends partly on the results of laboratory tests which are not normally available in Central Africa. The aim of this study was to develop a scoring system based only on clinical observations. Six hundred and twenty-four consecutive admissions to the intensive care unit (ICU) were allocated a clinical sickness score (CSS) according to pulse rate, blood pressure, respiration rate, urine output, Glasgow Coma Scale, temperature and age. CSS was significantly associated with outcome, there being no significant difference between actual and predicted outcomes calculated by logistic regression analysis. There was a significant difference between mean scores for survivors and non-survivors in all diagnostic groups except diabetes. The proportional change in score from admission was also significantly associated with outcome on each subsequent day in ICU. The CSS provides an objective measure of illness severity for critically ill patients in Africa.     

消痹合剂治疗活动期风湿性关节的临床研究

目的：观察中药复方消痹合剂对活动期风湿性关节炎的临床疗效。方法：１５３例活动期风湿性关节炎患者随机粉为治疗组９２例（口服消痹合剂５０ｍｌ,每日２次）和对照组６１例（口服雷公藤多甙片２０ｍｇ,每日３次,消炎冯２５ｍｇ,每日３次）,观察２组患者服药６０日后临床疗效、症状、体征、红外线热图像,炎性标志物、血液流变悸的变化。结果：治疗组治愈显效率为８０．４％,总有效率９１．３％,主要症状及体征均有显著性改     

制定循证指南的原则

各国都有自己的临床指南,用于规范医疗行为,中国亦在建立自已的临床指南.然而,从全世界多年的临床指南使用情况看,并未达到应有的指导效果.循证医学的发展,给指南的制定带来了根本性的转变,以证据为基础建立循证临床指南已在世界迅速兴起.作者根据苏格兰制定国家循证指南的经验,对循证指南的建立原则进行了探讨,以供国内同事参考.     

网络环境下护理专业文献检索课的教学改革

目的：文章探讨在网络环境下,针对护理专业特点,医学文献检索教学的改革。方法：从护理专业开设文献检索课的重要性入手,结合医学文献检索课的专业特点,具体分析文献检索课在教学内容、教学方法以及考试方式等方面的改革措施。结果：采取优化教材内容;改革教学模式以及重视实际操作的考试方式等形式开展检索教学。结论：实践表明,此种教学模式,对护理专业学生利用信息、整合信息的能力培养具有较好效果。     

大剂量中西药物硬膜外腔灌注治疗椎动脉型颈椎病的临床研究

目的观察大剂量中西药物硬膜外腔灌注治疗椎动脉型颈椎病的临床效果。方法以2005-01—2006-10中西药物硬膜外腔灌注治疗椎动脉型颈椎病119例为研究对象，随机分为大剂量中西药物硬膜外腔灌注治疗组（89例）和单纯静脉注射用药治疗对照组（30例），分别观察和记录治疗前后临床主要自觉症状的模拟评分，评定治疗效果。结果大剂量硬膜外腔灌注结束时即刻开始观察，治疗后所有临床主要自觉症状的模拟评分较治疗前均显著降低（P〈0．01）；与对照组比较，各观察阶段均有显著疗效。结论大剂量中西药物硬膜外腔灌注治疗颈椎病有令人满意的的疗效。     

导泻排毒液清除化道毒物治疗急性中毒的实验研究

目的：探讨导泻排毒液通过清除消化道残留毒物而治疗急性中毒的机制。方法：观察导泻排毒液对小白鼠胃排空的影响;对小鼠白鼠肠功能的;对家兔离体肠平滑肌的影响。对大白鼠口服苯巴比妥血药浓度的影响。结果：导泻降低小白鼠胃中甲基残留率,有促进胃排空作用,能提高小白鼠肠道炎末推进率,有增强肠道推进功能作用。能使家兔离体肠客收缩幅度增大,蠕皮明显加深,肠管肌张力明显增加,能降低大白鼠口服苯巴比妥血药浓度。与对照组     

US in the evaluation of abdominal pain in a department of internal medicine

Introduction

US (US) examination of the abdomen has acquired a growing role in the investigation of abdominal pain; however its role in the diagnosis of some important causes of abdominal pain is still under investigation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of US of the abdomen in the diagnosis of abdominal pain in patients referred to a department of internal medicine.

Materials and methods

A retrospective analysis was carried out on 248 US examinations performed in our department due to abdominal pain. For each examination the data written on the request form were registered as well as US findings which could be correlated with abdominal pain.

Results

In 105 patients (42%), US examination of the abdomen resulted in a relevant clinical finding and was thus considered positive. A high percentage of patients were elderly (>65 years; 52%) and very elderly (>80 years; 24%); these patients showed a significantly higher percentage of positive US scans. The proportion of positive scans was not significantly different between localized and non-localized pain. Specific pain location was associated with US findings such as hepatic masses, ovarian masses and renal stones, whereas non-localized pain was associated with abdominal free fluid and fluid-distended bowel loops.

Discussion

A high percentage of US examinations identified conditions that could possibly cause abdominal pain. Diagnostic yield of abdominal US was higher in elderly and very elderly patients. When a US examination is requested, it should always be evaluated within the clinical context. The physician should be aware of the great value of abdominal US in the diagnosis of the various causes of abdominal pain, but also of its possible limitations.     

Just caring: Assessing the ethical and economic costs of personalized medicine

Personalized medicine has been touted as a revolutionary form of cancer care. It has been portrayed as precision medicine, targeting with deadly accuracy cancer cells and sparing patients the debilitating broad-spectrum side effects of more traditional forms of cancer therapy. But personalized medicine still has its costs to patients and society, both moral and economic costs. How to recognize and address those issues will be the focus of this essay. We start with these questions: Does everyone faced with cancer have a moral right to the most effective cancer care available, no matter what the cost, no matter whether a particular individual has the personal ability to pay for that care or not? Or are there limits to the cancer care that anyone has a right to at social expense? If so, what are those limits and how are those limits to be determined? Are those limits a matter of both morality and economics? I will answer this last question in the affirmative. This is what I refer to as the “Just Caring” problem in health care.