EVALUATION OF THE LOOPING FORMATION AND PAIN DURING INSERTION INTO THE CECUM IN COLONOSCOPY

Introduction: One of the causes of pain during insertion of the colonoscope is stretching of the mesenterium by loop formation. The degree of pain differs according to the type of loop formation. Our aims were to study the accuracy of the colonoscopist’s assessment of the presence and type of loop formation and to study the degree of pain in relation to the type of loop by administering the visual analog scale (VAS). Methods: Two hundred and fifty‐seven consecutive patients were enrolled. All procedures were performed by two experienced colonoscopists who were blind to magnetic endoscope imaging view. After the colonoscopy, the colonoscopist was asked to assess the presence and type of loop formation. The degree of pain was assessed using the VAS. Results: The accuracy of estimating N loop, alpha loop, absence of loop formation and U loop was each over 70%. The accuracy of estimating gamma and splenic loop was significantly lower than the accuracy of estimating U loop. Colonoscopy was significantly more painful in women than in men. The degree of pain was significantly higher upon formation of reverse alpha loop and gamma and splenic loop than upon formation of N loop and U loop. Conclusions: Upon formation of reverse alpha loop or gamma and splenic loop, patients experienced more pain and it was difficult for the endoscopists to assess these loops. As women had severe pain compared with men, the use of a pediatric colonoscope or higher dosage of sedation in women should be considered.     

A nationwide survey of excessive daytime sleepiness in Parkinson's disease in France

To determine the prevalence of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and that of dozing and sudden onset of sleep episodes (SOS) while driving in ambulatory patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) in France, a national sample of private and public neurologists was asked to recruit the first 10 consecutive nondemented PD patients. Each patient completed a questionnaire including the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) and the likelihood of dozing off and experiencing SOS episodes behind the wheel. Clinical and demographic data were collected. One thousand six hundred and twenty‐five patients with PD were included in the survey. Twenty‐nine percent of the patients suffered from EDS (ESS score ≥10) but only 0.8% declared a high chance of dozing while driving and 0.5% reported totally unpredictable SOS episodes while driving. Risk factors for EDS were male gender, reduced activity of daily living, and a high daily levodopa equivalent dosage. Risk factors for SOS episodes while driving were an ESS score ≥10, male gender, and low Hoehn and Yahr staging. EDS is common in ambulatory patients with PD and is a major risk factor for dozing and for SOS episodes behind the wheel in patients who drive. © 2007 Movement Disorder Society     

Disturbed behaviour in dementia sufferers: A comparison of three nursing home settings

In order to determine whether a specialist psychogeriatric nursing home was fulfilling its intended role of caring for the most behaviourally disturbed dementia sufferers, 24 of its demented residents were compared with 28 demented individuals discharged from a psychiatric unit to ordinary nursing homes and 30 mobile dementia sufferers in nursing home wards of a geriatric centre. Those in the psychogeriatric nursing home showed more disturbed behaviours than those in the other two settings. Scores on the Rating Scale for Aggressive Behaviour in the Elderly were compared with degree of cognitive impairment for the first time in the literature and showed no correlation with degree of cognitive impairment for the first time in the literature and showed no correlation with congnitive performance.     

Statistical analysis of the factors affecting the outcome of extradural haematomas: 115 Cases

Summary 115 traumatic extradural haematoma cases who were treated surgically at Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty Neurosurgery Department between 1987 and 1992 are evaluated.When factors affecting the outcome were examined, a strong correlation was found between the result andGlasgow coma scale (GCS) (p<0.00001). The existence of a fracture, the interval between onset of haematoma symptoms and intervention and the existence of an intracerebral haematoma together with contusion accompanying intradural haematoma, affect the outcome in a negative direction. There was no statistical correlation between the outcome and the age of patient, localization of the haematoma and aetiology.     

Dysphagia,an unrecognized handicap

The aim of this study was to examine whether esophageal dysphagia can be described as a handicap and to grade the severity of handicap as the discrepancy between the subject's own eating goals and his or her eating disability. The severity of the disability-goal-handicap (DGH) regarding dysphagia was expressed on a scale ranging from 0 to 48 points. Nineteen patients with dysphagia of differing causes were selected from a patient register at a laboratory for diagnostic procedures of the esophagus. The severity of handicap for the 19 patients was, on average, 33 points (range, 20–44). The DGH score correlated significantly with the patients' own evaluation of the severity of their dysphagia (p=0.008). The DGH scores did not differ markedly based on patient's sex, age, or cause of dysphagia. Patients who were operated upon because of dysphagia had significantly more points on the DGH scale prior to operation than patients who were not (p=0.001). Denial of dysphagia (N=18), concealment of dysphagia (N=18), and lack of confirmation by the patient's physician (N=15) were common but did not influence the severity of handicap as assessed by the DGH scale. It was shown that dysphagia affects all aspects of life as expressed by reduction in self-esteem (N=13), security (N=16), work capacity (N=8), exercise (N=7), and leisure time (N=6). Esophageal dysphagia may therefore be regarded as a handicap when assessed using the DGH code described in this study.     

高频灰阶超声鉴别良恶性胸肌淋巴结

目的:评价灰阶超声在鉴别良、恶性胸肌淋巴结中的应用价值.材料和方法:研究对象为43枚乳癌患者的胸肌淋巴结,其中16枚为转移性胸肌淋巴结、27枚为非转移性胸肌淋巴结;另有19枚乳腺良性病变患者的胸肌淋巴结和22枚正常者的胸肌淋巴结作为对照组.使用仪器为HDI-3000型彩色多普勒超声诊断仪,配备5～12MHz宽频控头.运用超声测量胸肌淋巴结的长径、轮廓形态、长径-厚度比、髓皮质厚度比,作为鉴别良、恶性胸肌淋巴结的参数,比较良、恶性胸肌淋巴结在形态学上差异.结果:良、恶性胸肌淋巴结的长径、轮廓形态、髓皮质厚度比无显著性差异;恶性淋巴结长径-厚度比(1.7±0.4)明显低于良性淋巴结(2.0±0.5),P＜0.05.结论:灰阶超声在鉴别良、恶性胸肌淋巴结中具有一定的应用价值.     

Sleep complaints and their relation with drug treatment in patients suffering from Parkinson's disease.

The aim of this research was to quantify sleep problems in patients suffering from Parkinson's disease by means of the new Parkinson's Disease Sleep Scale (PDSS) and to correlate such problems with the possible influence of current drug treatment. A total of 70 patients (36 men and 34 women) with a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease were enrolled. Their mean age was 69.7 +/- 8.2 years, and duration of disease was 7.4 +/- 4.8 years. All patients completed the PDSS and the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS Parts I-IV). Drug consumption and doses were registered. The mean score on the PDSS scale was 109.23 +/- 19.75 and on the UPDRS III scale was 25.24 +/- 11.35. The lowest scores were obtained in Item 3 (sleep fragmentation): 5.53 (2.46); and in Item 8 (nocturia): 5.75 (2.91). There was a weak correlation between the PDSS and UPDRS III (cc = -0.355, P = 0.003), PDSS and UPDRS I (cc = -0.272, P = 0.02), and PDSS and UPDRS IV (cc = -0.416, P < 0.001). Motor conditions, mental state, and drug complications influence sleep quality. Although this effect was significant, it was not of a great magnitude. Dopaminergic drugs did not increase daytime sleepiness. As a whole, sleep quality in patients who took dopaminergic agonists did not differ from that of patients who took levodopa in monotherapy.     

青年男性MMPI-215F量表应答时间效应分析

目的分析青年男性心理测评中F量表条目应答时间,研究其相关影响因素和变化规律,并对该测评计算机化过程中应答时间的设定提供一定的参考.方法使用MMPI-215对全国18个省市的青年男性进行测试,利用计算机对时间记录,汇总分析.结果青年男性在F量表各条目平均应答时间（以下简称F均时）为4.57s;低于总测试的各条目平均应答时间（6.34 s）（P＜0.01）;F均时与F分数、应答前后不一致的条目数以及漏答条目数有显著相关;F均时受文化程度、年龄、城乡结构多种因素影响;每个条目的应答时间主要取决于条目汉字的个数.结论 F均时在测评中表现出一定的变化规律,可以结合临床进一步深入研究,使其成为评价青年男性性格特征的客观性指标之一.     

Diagnosing the personality organization of drug abusers by rating ego balance

A community-based case-finding sample of 1824 narcotic abusers in Stockholm County was used to standardize a set of rating scales in order to reflect levels of personality organization (PO), in the spirit of Kernberg's theory. PO is assumed to be a function of the ego's capacity to endure inner and outer stress, which manifests itself in the frequency and depth of regressions and the rate of recovery from them. The principles of a method, Rating Ego Balance, for charting the person's characteristic pattern of regression are presented, and its psychometric properties are described on the basis of item response theory. The scales have satisfactory reliabilities and maximal discrimination at subneurotic levels of PO. They show strong construct validity in relation to Kernberg's theory.