Disability,depression and somatization in a low back pain population

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of low back pain (LBP) in a primary care setting population and examine its association with the symptoms of depression and somatization. Methods: This is a cross‐sectional study, utilising a survey carried out in primary health care clinics (PHCs) in Al‐Ain, United Arab Emirates (UAE). A multistage stratified sampling design was used and a representative sample of 1304 UAE nationals aged 18–65 years who attended PHC clinics for any reason were included and 1103 (84.5%) subjects agreed to participate and responded to the questionnaire during a period from June 2001 to January 2002. A specially designed questionnaire with three parts was used for the data collection: socio‐demographic information of the studied subjects, modified version of the Roland‐Morris scale for evaluating back‐related functional disability and SCL‐90 R for depression and somatization subscales was used to assess depressive and somatic symptoms. Results: Of the total number of subjects surveyed (1103), 586 (53.1%) were men and 517 (46.9%) women. The mean age was 34.9 ± 13.4 years for men and 33.5 ± 11.8 years for women. The prevalence of LBP in the studied subjects was 64.7% (95% CI, 60.7–68.5] with 46.7% among men and 53.3% among women. There were a significant differences between the subjects with LBP and without LBP with respect to gender (P < 0.001), body mass index (BMI) (P < 0.001), occupational status (P < 0.001) and living environment (P = 0.016). Functional disability was higher in patients with LBP. Young patients in aged 15–34 years, patients with preparatory/secondary educational level and students showed higher depressive symptoms. A similar pattern was found in patients with somatic symptoms. Factor analysis revealed a strong association between depression and somatization in LBP patients. Conclusions: Functional disability was higher in with LBP. Furthermore, symptoms of depression and somatization are prevalent among LBP patients.     

Do patients receive adequate pain control after discharge from the ED?

Studies on the effectiveness of pain management have uniformly concluded that health care providers underestimate or undertreat pain. In the emergency department (ED) in which this study was conducted, physicians receive formal didactic and bedside teaching on pain recognition and management in order to heighten the awareness of patient's need for pain control. The purpose of this study was to determine if this outpatient pain management of patients with acute, painful conditions is better than that reported in the medical literature. In this prospective study, 110 adult patients who had an acute, painful diagnosis were telephoned 48 hours after discharge from the ED and asked if they felt their pain at home was well controlled. Patient satisfaction with pain control was higher (91%) than that reported in the medical literature. Also, pain medication was provided more frequently by this study's ED (95%). Education on pain awareness and treatment is a way to improve pain management.     

Congenital esophageal stenosis presenting as noncardiac,esophageal chest pain

Summary A case of a 31-year-old female with congenital esophageal stenosis presenting with symptoms of chest pain caused by esophageal dysmotility is described. The involved segment in congenital esophageal stenosis has a characteristic thickening of the muscularis propria layer, as seen by EUS examination. In these patients, symptoms of dysphagia can be managed with esophageal dilation and noncardiac esophageal chest pain responds to pharmacotherapy with diltiazem.The opinions and assertions contained herein are the private ones of the authors and are not to be construed as official policy or reflecting the views of the Army or the Department of Defense.     

Tubal patency and fertility outcome after expectant management of ectopic pregnancy

Objective: To study tubal patency and fertility outcome of patients with expectantly managed ectopic pregnancy (EP).

Design: A prospective study.

Setting: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Turku University Central Hospital, Turku, Finland.

Patient(s): Thirty patients who wanted to become pregnant again were treated successfully by expectant management of EP.

Intervention(s): Patients were examined with posttreatment hysterosalpingography, and they filled out a questionnaire about their subsequent pregnancies.

Main Outcome Measure(s): Free passage through open lumen showing tubal patency; number of full-term pregnancies and EPs revealing relative rate of subsequent fertility.

Result(s): A free passage through the diseased tube was seen in 93% of the cases (28 of 30). Two of the 24 patients (8.4%) who wanted to become pregnant had an obstruction in the diseased tube. One (4.2%) of them had a normal opposite tube and later had a normal pregnancy. The other (4.2%) had an obstruction in both tubes and subsequently had a repeat EP. One of the 6 patients had an EP (this patient did not want to become pregnant and did not use contraception). However, her posttreatment hysterosalpingography was normal. In total, the subsequent pregnancy rate was 88% (21 of 24), and the rate of repeat EP was 4.2% (1 of 24).

Conclusion(s): Patients who are treated with expectant management have a good long-term fertility outcome. Spontaneous regression of EP does not lead to increased harm or damage to the tube, i.e., the risk for repeat EP is low.     

The value of different methods of treatment of brain abscess in the CT era

Summary 67 cases of brain abscess were analyzed retrospectively. As 2 comatose patients died on admission before any treatment was started, the results are based on 65 treated patients. Different methods of treatment included: total removal in 36 patients, drainage in 14, aspiration in 6 and conservative treatment in 9. Management mortality was 18,5% and was almost not dependent on the method of treatment (except aspiration) being lowest in the drainage group. The mortality was significantly higher in patients with serious impairment of consciousness on admission.Follow-up examination after 1 to 11 years was performed in 47 out of 53 discharged patients and revealed in 25 of them (53%) full recovery. 10 additional cases (21%) are independent. The best early and long term results were obtained in patients by drainage and medical treatment.Chronic epilepsy developed in 34% of patients with supratentorial lesions. The risk of epilepsy was lowest in the group of patients treated by drainage.The authors present the opinion that removal of brain abscess is necessary only in exceptional cases.     

丙氧氨酚与酮咯酸治疗癌痛的比较

晚期肿瘤疼痛病人３１例（男性１７例，女性１４例，年龄５０±５１４ａ），用丙氧氨酚２片，ｐｏ，ｔｉｄ，共７ｄ。相似病人３０例（男性１６例，女性１４例，年龄５１±１３ａ），用酮咯酸１０ｍｇ，ｐｏ，ｑｉｄ，共７ｄ。结果：疼痛强度（标尺法）２组均有降低；显效时间前组（丙氧氨酚）快于后组（酮咯酸）；药效维持时间后组长于前组；不良反应前组嗜睡多于后组，而胃肠道不适少于后组。     

5-羟色胺对大鼠脊髓P物质痛觉调制的影响(英文)

比较SP,5-HT与For诱发的脊髓内c-fos表达的异同,以及它们之间的相互关系,从而进一步了解SP在脊髓痛觉调制中的主要作用.方法:用免疫组织化学法和痛阈测定法.结果:发现大鼠it P物质(sP)10μg和sc5％甲醛(For)150μL诱发的脊髓c-fos表达主要在背角Ⅰ,Ⅱ,Ⅴ及Ⅵ层,同时SP使痛阈降低,For使痛级均数(PIR)升高.5-HT it 20μg引起的c-fos表达较多地分布于背角Ⅲ—Ⅳ层,并可使痛阈升高.5-HT和Fen可分别减弱和增加SP及For诱发的脊髓c-fos表达及痛反应.结论:SP在脊髓内可能主要起致痛作用,5-HT可抑制SP引起的脊髓c-fos表达,从而参与SP的痛觉调制作用.     

下腰痛患者后路手术并发症的防治

目的：分析下腰痛患者后路手术并发症出现的原因，探讨防治办法。方法：回顾分析我科自１９８８～１９９８年６月间采用后路手术治疗下腰痛，即腰椎间盘突出症和／或腰椎管狭窄症患者５７０例的临床资料。结果：３３例发生术后并发症，发生率５．７９％，早期（术后２周以内）并发症１８例，晚期并发症１５例，但无一例并发神经根损伤。结论：除了术中操作技能外，术前严格掌握手术适应证，术后及时观察、早期功能锻炼，都有利于并发症的防治。     

化学品环境管理与水生实验动物

从分析化学品的特性入手，在概述化学品的环境管理对水生实验生物需求和国内外水生实验生物发展现状的基础上，从加强化学品环境管理的科学基础建设出发，对我国水生实验生物的研究与发展的标准化、产业化、必要的资质认可及信息交流提出建议。