The use of the Impact on Sibling scale with families of children with chronic illness and developmental disability

Objective   This study evaluated the Impact on Sibling scale, a six-item measure of parents' perception of the effects of a child's illness on healthy siblings.
Methods   Participants were 122 parents of a child with chronic illness, developmental disability, or autism spectrum disorder, and a well sibling aged 4–13 years. Parents completed the Impact on Sibling scale and the Child Behavior Checklist about the sibling, and completed the revised Impact on Family scale and the Brief Symptom Inventory about themselves.
Results   The Impact on Sibling score was correlated with measures of sibling, parent and family functioning. The internal consistency of the Impact on Sibling scale was higher for families with children with chronic illness compared with the other two diagnostic groups.
Conclusion   The Impact on Sibling scale is a brief set of items that can help identify siblings who are negatively affected by a brother/sister's illness. Findings support further research on the Impact on Sibling scale, particularly with families of children with chronic illnesses.     

Critical trust: understanding lay perceptions of health and safety risk regulation

The binary opposition of trusting or not trusting is inadequate to understand the often ambiguous and contradictory ideas people possess about risk regulators, particularly when knowledge and experience of such institutions is limited. The paper reports qualitative and quantitative data from a major study of public perceptions (n?=?30 focus groups) of UK risk regulators. We compare the complex and widely different ‘trust profiles’ of two regulatory organisations which are institutionally related (the Health and Safety Executive and the Railways Inspectorate) but very separate in the minds of our participants. The paper develops the notion of critical trust to interrogate the various ways in which people make sense of such organisations, as well as discussing the modes of reasoning that people deploy. The paper argues that views of participants are the outcome of a reconciliation of diverse perceptions concerning the role of the organisation, structural factors and the nature of the regulated risk.     

肺内源性和肺外源性呼吸衰竭机械通气的临床对比研究

目的探讨肺内源性和肺外源性呼吸衰竭机械通气时的肺保护性策略。方法通过25例呼吸衰竭中12例肺内源性和13例肺外源性机械通气临床资料的回顾性分析,对比研究两组呼吸力学差异时对通气模式选择、参数设置和调节的影响,以及肺保护的实施方法。结果在两组APACHE-Ⅱ评分、平均年龄和Vt设置无差异的条件(P>005)下,肺内源性组PEEP/CPAP、PSV、f的需设值均明显高于肺外源性组(P<001)。肺内源性组Pplat、PIP、Raw的监测结果大于肺外源性组,而Crs小于肺外源性组(P<001)。肺内源性组417%和肺外源性组154%因MOF而死亡(APACHE-Ⅱ评分均>20分),组间比较有显著差异(P<001)。结论肺内源性和肺外源性呼吸衰竭机械通气时,实施肺保护的方法不同。前者应首选压力预置通气模式,后者可首选容量预置通气模式。以设置中、小Vt为原则,按个体化的通气需求而设置f和加用恰当的PSV、CPAP/PEEP对减少VILI、病死率可能有益。     

Minor Psychiatric Morbidity, Its Prevalence and Outcome in a Cohort of Civil Servants A Seven-year Follow-up Study

During the years 1979–1986, a cohort of direct entrantexecutive officers in the Civil Service were followed up toexamine the prevalence and outcome of minor psychiatric morbidityin an occupational setting. All studies using epidemiologicalstandardized research methods agree, that prevalence rates arehigh in occupational settings. As in primary care settings,half of the illness episodes followed a chronic course, whichemphasizes the need for early detection and prompt managementof these conditions, and for evaluative studies of interventionstrategies.     

Risk Factors for a First Febrile Seizure: A Matched Case-Control Study

Summary We conducted a matched casecontrol study to identify risk factors for first febrile seizures, with special emphasis on characteristics of the acute illness episode. Cases were identified through hospital emergency departments; controls were identified through outpatient clinics and emergency departments. Sixtynine children with first febrile seizures and no history of previous unprovoked seizures were matched for age (±6 months), site of routine pediatric care, and date of visit (±weeks) with 1 or 2 febrile controls who had no history of previous febrile or unprovoked seizures. Medical records for the index visit were reviewed, and parents were interviewed by telephone. Illness characteristics examined included height of temperature, type of underlying illness, contact with a physician during the illness but before the index visit, and use of acetaminophen or decongestants. Family history of febrile and of unprovoked seizures, sociodemographic characteristics, daycare use, and selected preand perinatal variables were also studied. On multivariable analysis, significant independent risk factors were height of temperature, history of febrile seizures in a firstor in a higher degree relative. Gastroenteritis as the underlying illness had a significant inverse (i.e., protective) association with febrile seizures. Maternal smoking during pregnancy was a marginally significant predictor of febrile seizures.     

2000年广西麻疹疑似病例血清学监测分析

目的了解麻疹的血清流行病学特征 ,探讨麻疹与风疹之间的血清学鉴别诊断。方法采用酶联免疫吸附法对714例RFIs的血清标本进行麻疹IgM和风疹IgM抗体检测 ,对204例麻疹IgM抗体阳性的血清标本进行麻疹IgG抗体检测。结果麻疹IgM阳性率为45.7 % ,风疹IgM抗体阳性率为27.5%。在出疹后4～14天采集的血清标本其麻疹IgM和风疹IgM抗体阳性检出率最高。麻疹IgM阳性数以1～14岁为主 ,1～6岁最高 (44.5% ) ,风疹IgM阳性数是7～14岁为最高 (73.5% ) ;麻疹IgG检出<1:200为76例 (27.7 % ) ,1:200为59例 (21.5% ) ,1:800为17例(6.2 %) ,1:3200为25例(9.1 %) ,≥1:12800为27例(9.8 %)。结论采血时间与检出率密切相关 ;采集血清标本要注意质量和采集时间 ;麻疹患者与风疹患者有一定的年龄差距 ,风疹是最主要的需要与麻疹相鉴别的RFIs,未经实验室诊断极易发生误诊 ;应提高麻疹实验室诊断的及时性、准确性和敏感性 ,建议有条件的地区开展麻疹抗体血清学检测     

Improvement of Decreased Critical Flicker Frequency (CFF) in Headache Patients With Drug Abuse After Successful Withdrawal

A considerable proportion of headache patients fulfill the criteria of "drug abuse" (definition according to the International Headache Society [IHS] criteria). These patients exhibit markedly reduced vigilance and continuous performance, as shown by the results of critical flicker frequency (CFF) analysis.
The present study deals with the question whether this impairment of vigilance and continuous performance is reversible. Forty-eight headache patients with drug abuse were investigated three times by means of CFF analysis: immediately before (A), immediately after (B), and 3 weeks after having finished (C) inpatient drug withdrawal.
Immediately after withdrawal, a significant decrease of headache intensity was observed. The CFF values, however, remained unchanged at a depressed level, probably due to withdrawal medication and the initial sedative side effects of thymoleptic agents (given as prophylaxis).
Three weeks after withdrawal, however, the CFF values were significantly improved, and were now within a range not far from the normal values known from a healthy general population. Thus, even after many years of drug abuse, headache patients have a good chance to improve their vigilance and continuous performance and to reach normal or close to normal levels.     

Risk factors for coronary heart disease among inpatients who have mild intellectual disability and mental illness

Background Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the UK. The aim of this study was to screen inpatients with mild or borderline intellectual disability, many of whom also have mental illness, for risk factors for CHD. Methods Cross sectional survey. Participants were interviewed, measured and had blood samples taken. Results Of the 53 participants, 20 (37.7%) were overweight and 18 (34.0%) obese. The mean body mass index (BMI) of those participants prescribed regular antipsychotics was higher than those who were not. Nine (20.9%) had waist circumference measurements placing them at increased risk of CHD and 21 (48.8%) were at substantially increased risk. Twenty-eight (52.8%) were current smokers. Of the 49 participants who had their blood pressure measured, 3 (6.1%) had readings above the reference range. Of the 19 participants who had random blood tests, one (5.3%) had an elevated cholesterol level. Conclusions In this population there was a high prevalence of two risk factors for CHD (obesity and smoking), requiring ongoing monitoring and long-term measures to reduce risk.     

QT离散度对急危重病人预后的评估

目的　研究QT离散度对急危重病人预后的预测价值。方法　死亡组 4 7例、疾病组 4 0例和正常组 4 3例。记录 12导联心电图 ,人工测量各导联R -R间期和QT间期 ,计算R -R、QTc、QTd和QTcd。结果　死亡组的R -R、QTc、QTd和QTcd分别为 0 5 6 2± 0 2 2 0ms、0 35 6± 0 0 6 9ms、0 0 5 6± 0 0 33ms和 0 0 79± 0 0 4 6ms ;疾病组的R -R、QTc、QTd和QTcd分别为0 80± 0 134ms、0 4 16± 0 0 3ms、0 0 34± 0 0 14ms和 0 0 39± 0 0 16ms;正常组的R -R、QTc、QTd和QTcd分别为 0 82 5± 0 0 88ms、0 4 0 2± 0 0 3ms、0 0 2 7± 0 0 15ms和 0 0 31± 0 0 15ms。比较死亡组、疾病组和正常组发现 ,死亡组和疾病组的R -R、QTc、QTd和QTcd存在显著差异 (P分别 <0 0 0 1、<0 0 0 2 5、<0 0 0 1和 <0 0 0 1)。死亡组和正常组的R -R、QTc、QTd和QTcd存在显著差异 (P分别 <0 0 0 1、<0 0 0 2 5、<0 0 0 1和 <0 0 0 1)。结论　QTd对急危重病人的预后有一定的预测价值 ;但其它临床应用价值存在局限性 ,有待进一步探索。     

Functional Symptoms and Somatoform Disorders in Children and Adolescents: The Role of Standardised Measures in Assessment

Functional or unexplained medical symptoms (physical symptoms that are not adequately explained by organic factors and where a major role for psychological factors is assumed) are common amongst children in the general population but can also be an expression of somatisation and somatoform disorders. Co-morbid psychopathology is common. We describe measures mostly used in research into problems related to somatisation in children and adolescents that may be helpful to clinical researchers. Some address the nature and severity of physical symptoms, others document illness attitudes, beliefs and functional impairment, and a third group assesses emotional symptoms. Questionnaires can be helpful for clinicians in quantifying (i) the nature and severity of somatic symptoms and associated functional impairment, (ii) contributory health attitudes and illness beliefs and (iii) co-morbid or primary anxiety and depressive disorders. Together with pain and activity diaries and careful documentation of school attendance, these measures may also be helpful in monitoring treatment response.