Outcome after traumatic frontal intracerebral haemorrhage: a comparison of unilateral and bilateral haematomas

Frontal intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) is a common result of cranial trauma. Outcome differences between bilateral and unilateral frontal ICH are not well studied but would be valuable to predict prognosis in clinical practice. Two aims are proposed in this study: first to compare the risk of developing delayed ICH after bilateral or unilateral frontal ICH, and second to determine the variables helpful to predict outcome according to the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS). Between January 1993 and December 1997, 694 consecutive patients with traumatic ICH were admitted to the Chang Gung Medical Center within 24 h of the trauma. Patients with ICH in sites other than the frontal lobes were excluded. A total of 161 cases (mean age 46.3+/-20.3 years), including 57 bilateral (mean age 52.5+/-18.7 years) and 104 unilateral (mean age 42.9+/-20.5 years) traumatic frontal ICH were studied. Twenty-eight of 57 patients (49%) with bifrontal ICH versus 17 of 104 patients (16%) with unilateral frontal ICH had a further, delayed ICH. In 42 of 45 patients (93%) with delayed ICH, this occurred within 5 days of the initial trauma. Multivariate logistic regression was used to select significant predictors of outcome. We found that delayed ICH (p<0.001), age (p=0.004) and mechanism of injury (p=0.001) explained the worse outcome in patients with bifrontal ICH. The best-fitting logistic regression model included three variables: delayed ICH (p=0.011), initial GCS (p=0.023), and a sum score of clinical and radiological variables (p=0.003). Bifrontal ICH tended to occur in older patients after a fall and was associated with a higher risk of developing delayed ICH or brain stem compression compared to unilateral ICH damage. Using these three variables - delayed ICH, initial GCS, and the sum score - in a logistical regression model is useful to predict outcome in patients with traumatic frontal ICH and may aid patient management.     

Evaluating risk factors associated with severe hypoglycaemia in epidemiology studies—what method should we use?

AIMS: To determine the most appropriate regression models to use when assessing risk factors for severe hypoglycaemia and to investigate the impact of model misspecification and its clinical implications. METHODS: A total of 1229 children with Type 1 diabetes (mean age 11.7 years sd 4.1), of which 605 (49.2%) were males, were studied. Prospective assessment of severe hypoglycaemia (an event leading to loss of consciousness or seizure) was made over the 9-year period, 1992-2001. Patients were seen every 3 months and episodes of hypoglycaemia along with clinical data were recorded. Over 70% of children never experienced a severe hypoglycaemic event. Data were analysed using the Poisson regression, negative binomial, zero-inflated Poisson (ZIP) and zero-inflated negative binomial (ZINB) models. The over-dispersion and likelihood ratio statistics were calculated and the analytical methods compared. RESULTS: The Poisson regression model did not fit the data well. The negative binomial and the zero inflated Poisson and negative binomial models fitted the data better than Poisson. CONCLUSIONS: The commonly used Poisson regression models to analyse hypoglycaemia epidemiology may lead to biased parameter estimates and incorrect determination of risk factors for hypoglycaemia. We recommend the use of the negative binomial or zero inflated models to examine any risk factors associated with severe hypoglycaemia. Careful consideration must be given to the interpretation of hypoglycaemia surveys and their analysis.     

猪心脏移植缺血再灌注损伤中NO和NOS的表达

①目的　了解猪同种原位心脏移植术后早期一氧化氮 (NO)、一氧化氮合酶 (NOS)含量的变化 ,及其与早期缺血再灌注损伤的关系。②方法　建立猪同种原位心脏移植模型。供心在移植前低温保存 (Thomas液 ,4℃ ) 4h ,移植成功心脏复搏后 2h取材。应用组织化学方法测定心肌组织中NO、NOS的含量 ,应用核酸原位末端标记法 (TUNEL)测定心肌细胞凋亡指数 ,作为评价心肌缺血再灌注损伤的指标。以正常心肌及单纯缺血心肌组织作为对照。③结果　移植后心肌组织NO、NOS的含量较缺血组与正常组低 ,差异有显著意义 (F =2 7.2 2 9、16 .2 0 3,q =5 .716～ 6 .4 12 ,P <0 .0 1)。移植组心肌细胞凋亡指数与正常组及缺血组比较明显升高 ,差异有显著性(F =16 3.884 ,q =7.4 82、6 .975 ,P <0 .0 1)。心肌组织NO、NOS含量与心肌细胞凋亡指数呈负相关关系 (r =- 0 .886、- 0 .795 ,P <0 .0 1)。④结论　猪心脏移植后早期心肌缺血再灌注损伤所致的细胞死亡主要表现为心肌细胞凋亡 ;再灌注期间内源性NO、NOS的减少参与了心脏移植后早期缺血再灌注损伤的发生     

股骨头缺血性坏死的病理和影像学研究进展

目的：探讨股骨头缺血坏死的病理和影像学研究进展情况。方法：阅读并分析关于股骨头缺血坏死的文献。结果：影像学检查反映疾病的病理改变，在诊断中占有重要地位。结论：磁共振成像具有很高的敏感性和准确性，不仅能发现股骨头坏死的早期病变，且能反映病变的范围和程度，对早期诊断和治疗具有积极意义。     

Diagrammatic recording of head and neck tumours1

The increasing demands of clinical audit have resulted in the need for accurate data collection. The use of tumour maps allows standardization of the records of patients with head and neck cancer, which facilitates collation of data in multicentre studies and makes interdepartmental comparisons more meaningful. The aim of this study was to develop an improved standard set of tumour maps for recording the stage of head and neck tumours. A review of the existing tumour diagrams was performed to identify those anatomical areas that are not adequately represented or where ambiguity exists. The areas where improvements could be made were identified as: (1) the anterior commissure of the larynx; (2) axial and sagittal views of the larynx; (3) the pyriform fossa and cervical oesophagus; (4) the oropharynx and vallecula; (5) the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses; and (6) cervical nodal involvement. A new set of tumour maps is presented in an attempt to correct some of the limitations of the existing diagrams.     

Treatment of iatrogenic biliary obstruction by balloon dilatation of a biliary jejunal fistula

Biliary obstruction and multiple hepatic abscesses occurred in a patient after ligation of a segmental branch of the right hepatic duct. The patient was successfully managed by transhepatic biliary drainage and balloon dilatation of an internal fistula that developed between the ligated duct and a Roux limb of jejunum. Internal biliary fistulas may be dilated using interventioanl radiologic techniques to permit nonobstructed bile flow. Implications for the nonsurgical treatment' of biliary strictures are discussed.     

跳水运动员颈椎损伤的生物力学研究

作者通过在新鲜成人颈椎标本上做了椎体静力性负荷和动力性负荷实验,表明颈椎在后伸位应力为前屈位的50%,最大应力位于颈椎4-6,是跳水运动员头颈部入水时引起颈椎致伤的生物力学因素。     

兔坐骨神经挤压伤的MRI与SEP对比研究

目的:探讨磁共振成像和体感诱发电位以及两者结合在坐骨神经急性挤压伤中的诊断价值。方法:24只兔按钳夹力的不同随机分为A、B两组,左后肢为损伤侧,右后肢为对照侧,建立坐骨神经急性挤压伤模型,于伤后1、2、4、8周行MR扫描,同时行双侧体感诱发电位检查。结果:损伤侧24条神经,有23条MR显示异常,诊断正确率95.8%,假阴性率4.17%(1/24);24条损伤侧坐骨神经,有22条SEP显示异常,诊断正确率91.6%,假阴性率8.3%(2/24)。MRI与SEP对神经损伤的正确诊断率无统计学差异(P>0.05)。MRI与SEP结合起来,24条损伤神经均显示异常,诊断正确率100%。结论:MR与SEP检查可无创、准确地判断神经损伤,两者结合可明显提高神经损伤的正确诊断率,重复性好,可作为神经损伤的较好诊断手段。     

Severe hemorrhagic radiation proctitis advancing to gradual cessation with hyperbaric oxygen

Summary We report a case of a male patient suffering from a severe hemorrhagic radiation proctitis which gradually ceased with hyperbaric oxygen. We discuss the mechanisms of chronic radiation injury and the effect of the hyperbaric oxygen. This therapy is proposed as an alternative to surgical intervention for this abnormality.