TEN YEARS' EXPERIENCE IN LOW VISION PRACTICE

The Low Vision Clinic at the Palmerston North Hospital has now been oerating for 70 years. Over the course of these ten years a number of factors have emerged which can be as readily applied to general ophthalmological practice as to low vision practice. The philosophy of low vision care is one of which all ophthalmologists should be aware and includes factors to be taken into account when dealing with children, people in the workplace, and everyday factors involved in daily living activities, all of which are equally relevant in routine ophthalmological practice. This paper endeavours to share some thoughts on these factors and also discusses means by which the visually handicapped can be helped in areas where specialist low vision services are not readily available.     

Removal of famotidine by haemodialysis in elderly anuric patients

Summary The effect of haemodialysis on the pharmacokinetics of oral famotidine has been studied in five elderly anuric patients. Famotidine 20 mg was administered in a cross-over design to patients on and not on haemodialysis.The elimination rate constant of haemodialysis (k) was 4.6-fold larger than the systemic elimination rate constant (k_e). Although the mean maximum serum concentration of famotidine during haemodialysis (141.5 ng·ml^–1) was not significantly lower than that without haemodialysis (195.6 ng·ml^–1), the AUC up to 5 h during haemodialysis was significantly decreased to 58.1% of the value without it.The data suggest that famotidine is dialysable by haemodialysis.     

Preconditions for and consequences of self-determination: the psychiatric patient's point of view

In the context of an interview study concerned with self-determination in psychiatric patients, this paper describes the preconditions for and consequences of self-determination from the point of view of psychiatric patients themselves. The data were collected in semi-structured interviews with long-term psychiatric patients ( n =72) and analysed using the method of content analysis. Responses on the preconditions for self-determination were grouped into three categories: firstly, there were those who said that reference to self-determination in the case of psychiatric patients is nonsense; secondly, there were those who said that self-determination requires no preconditions; and thirdly, there were those who said that there are certain preconditions, such as the ability to think and make decisions, activity, obedience, and illness. Both positive and negative consequences were identified in situations where self-determination is maintained, but only negative consequences in situations where self-determination is lost. On the basis of these tentative results, self-determination seemed to be relevant in psychiatric nursing. We are continuing to develop and test an instrument for the evaluation of the opportunity for self-determination in clinical practice.     

心包内处理肺血管及心房部分切除治疗中心型肺癌

１９８７年５月至１９９３年１２月对１６例较晚期肺癌采用心包内处理肺血管及心房部分切除的方法作了全肺切除术，肿瘤均为中心型。ＣＴ扫描显示隆突下或主肺动脉窗淋巴结肿大者占５０％，术中见肺动脉，肺静脉均受累者８例，肺静脉受累者６例，２例作左心室部分切除，１５例恢复良好，１例术中大出血致心脏停搏，复苏后并发脑水肿昏迷死亡。我们认为，心包内处理肺血管全肺切除提高了手术切除率，且手术过程较安全可靠，作者对这种     

老年重症急性胰腺炎手术治疗探讨

目的：讨论老年重症急性胰腺炎的手术治疗。方法：我院1984年1月－2000年10月共收治60岁以上手术证实的重症急性胰腺炎26例，本对其手术治疗的方法和时机以及相应的并发症和死亡率进行回顾性分析。结果：本组术后死亡6例，其中4例死于MOF，2例死于ARDS。在发病24小时内手术8例中无1例死亡，24－36小时内手术14例有2例死亡，36小时后手术4例均死亡。结论：老年重症胰腺炎患多伴有心、肺、肾等重要器官慢性疾病，脏器代偿功能差，较易出现MOF，因此如有手术指证或经短期非手术治疗效果不明显，应及时手术，并在术中和术后采用合理的治疗措施，有利于减少术后并发症，降低手术死亡率。     

Efficacy of piribedil as early combination to levodopa in patients with stable Parkinson's disease: a 6-month, randomized, placebo-controlled study.

Piribedil is a non-ergot D2/D3 agonist with a significant antagonist action on alpha2A and alpha2C adrenergic receptor subtypes. This double-blind placebo-controlled study was undertaken to confirm the efficacy of 150 mg/day piribedil po in improving motor symptoms of idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) in nonfluctuating patients insufficiently controlled by a stable daily dose of levodopa (L-dopa). Efficacy was assessed using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) III score as primary criterion over 4 months. A second comparison was planned at 6 months, after possible adjustment of L-dopa. At 4 months, the rate of response, defined as a 30% decrease from baseline on UPDRS III score, was significantly greater with piribedil compared with placebo (56.4% vs. 37.7%; P = 0.040). At 6 months, the better efficacy of piribedil was maintained (61.8% of responders vs. 39.6% on placebo; P = 0.020). The difference between groups on UPDRS III change from baseline reached statistical significance only at 6 months: -10.0 points in the piribedil group vs. -6.7 points in the placebo group (P = 0.037). Secondary end-points were not significantly different. The most frequently reported adverse events were gastrointestinal symptoms (27 of 61 patients in the piribedil group vs. 13 of 54 patients in the placebo group). In conclusion, a 6-month oral administration of 150 mg/day piribedil in combination with L-dopa is well tolerated, except for minor gastrointestinal symptoms at the beginning of the treatment and significantly improves motor symptoms compared with placebo in PD nonfluctuating patients.     

整体护理改善护患关系的体会

整体护理的实施,重塑了护士的职业价值观,增加了护患之间的接触。护士能够在自己的专业范围内积极主动地解决病人的问题,挖掘了护理人员的自身潜力,加深了护患交流,使护患关系明显改善。     

Structured treatment and teaching of patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus and impaired cognitive function--the DICOF trial.

BACKGROUND: Patient education is integral part of any diabetes therapy in Germany, but elderly patients are not able to follow the variety of topics comprising standard treatment and teaching programmes (TTP), primarily due to impaired neuropsychological function. This leads to deficits in diabetes knowledge and hindered ability for diabetes self-management. AIM: To evaluate structured TTP for geriatric patients with impaired cognitive function. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A neuropsychological examination was performed on all patients over 54 years [n=102, age 68.6 +/- 8.7 years, diabetes duration 10.3 (0.03-35.4) years, HbA1c 10.3 +/- 1.7% (HPLC, Diamat, NR 4.5-6.3%), cognitive function 87.7 +/- 12.3 IQ points] who took part in TTP for insulin therapy. Patients with impaired cognitive function participated either in the standard TTP of Berger [n = 35, age 67.6 +/- 8.9 years, diabetes duration 9.9 (0.04-35.4) years, HbA1c 10.3 +/- 2.0%] or in the specialized structured geriatric DICOF-TTP [n=33, age 70.4 +/- 8.2 years, diabetes duration 10.4 (0.03-24.9) years, HbA1c 10.7 +/- 1.8%]. RESULTS: After TTP there were no differences in knowledge and ability for diabetes self-management (standard/DICOF: knowledge 11.0 +/- 2.6 vs. 12.2 +/- 2.7 points, P = 0.11; handling 14.9 +/- 3.3 vs. 15.9 +/- 2.5 points, P = 0.18). However, patients who took part in the DICOF programme showed better scores in satisfaction with the education programme [standard/DICOF 44.7 (31-57) vs. 52.5 (45-59) points, P < 0.001]. Six months later the DICOF participants showed better results regarding diabetes self-management (standard/DICOF: handling 12.5 +/- 4.1 vs. 15.9 +/- 3.1 points, P = 0.001). Both groups showed HbA1c decrease (8.3 +/- 1.4 vs. 8.5 +/- 1.3%, P=0.62) and similar incidence of acute complications. CONCLUSIONS: Elderly patients with impaired cognitive function should take part in specialized structured TTP. This leads to both better satisfaction with the education programme and an improved ability for diabetes self-management.     

精神分裂症患者及家属、医生对知情同意具体程序态度的初步分析

目的分析精神科医生、精神分裂症患者及其家属对知情同意具体程序的态度，以指导今后知情同意的实施。方法所有样本均来自中南大学湘雅二医院，共计55名患者，46名家属，61名医生。采用知情同意态度问卷，来调查精神科医生、精神分裂症患者及其家属对知情同意具体程序的态度。结果患者、家属、精神科医生非参数检验结果表明，共计有17项条目存在显著性差异。比如条目4“签写一份接受医疗服务的知情同意书，其目的是”，67．4％的家属，59．2％的患者，90．2％的医生选择第3项“既保护医生又保护患者”，仅21．7％的家属，26．5％的患者，1．6％的医生选择第2项“保护患者”。结论目前精神分裂症患者、家属以及精神科医生对知情同意具体程序的态度存在明显差异。