Are Continuity Clinic Patients Less Satisfied When the Resident Is Postcall?

Due to recent public debate and newly imposed resident work hour restrictions, we decided to investigate the relationship of resident call status to their ambulatory patients' satisfaction. Resident continuity clinic patients were asked to rate their level of satisfaction on a 10-point Likert-type scale. Using multiple regression approaches, these data were then assessed as a function of resident call status. We found that in 646 patient encounters, patient satisfaction scores were significantly less when the resident was postcall, 8.99 ± 1.8, than when not postcall, 9.31 ± 1.3. We herein discuss etiologies and implications of these findings for both patient care and medical education.     

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.     

Unusual Delayed Manifestation of a Penetrating Chest Trauma

Abstract Pericardial tamponade remains a diagnostic challenge to the clinician especially when the patient is well compensated hemodynamically. We report an unusual case who sought medical help 1 month after having been stabbed in his chest. An investigation revealed a perforation of the myocardium and a pericardial tamponade. The patient survived thanks to a large organized clot that plugged the perforation. The patient was exposed to increased risk due to delayed onset, recognition, and therapy of the tamponade. Most reports on this subject deal with acute pericardial tamponade. Only few cases of delayed pericardial tamponade have been reported. A review of the relevant literature and the therapeutic approaches are discussed.     

失眠症患者睡眠质量的主观评估与多导睡眠图参数对比分析

目的 探讨失眠症患者对睡眠质量的主观评估,并通过对多导睡眠图(PSG)睡眠参数的定量分析,对失眠症患者的睡眠状况进行客观评估,进一步将二者进行对比分析.方法 对失眠症患者和健康人各100例运用匹兹堡睡眠质量指数问卷(PSQI)进行评定,并分别进行多导睡眠图的整夜睡眠描记,次日晨起后询问夜间睡眠情况.结果 失眠症组PSQI各成分得分及总分均高于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P＜0.01).与对照组相比,失眠症组的睡眠潜伏期(min)延长(失眠症组43.69±11.54,对照组16.01±10.44)、总睡眠时间(min)减少(失眠症组314.65±91.89,对照组446.41±77.81)、睡眠效率降低(失眠症组64.51%±18.59%,对照组91.32%±3.58%)、快眼动睡眠时间(min)减少(失眠症组33.26±15.61,对照组93.21±21.63),差异有统计学意义(P＜0.01).失眠症组对总睡眠时间的评估较PSG检测值显著减低、对睡眠潜伏期的评估较PSG检测值显著增高,自我评估与实际睡眠情况不一致.结论 失眠症患者睡眠质量较差.失眠症患者的PSG各睡眠参数有特征性的改变,利用PSG检查发现失眠症患者对失眠情况的主客观评估不一致,存在过高估价睡眠潜伏期和过低估价睡眠时间的倾向.     

全身麻醉药物对学习记忆功能的影响

全身麻醉药物通过对中枢多种神经递质和受体系统的影响，调节神经突触传递可塑性的改变，从而对学习记忆功能产生广泛作用。深入考察全身麻醉药物对学习记忆功能的影响，将为合理解释术中残留记忆和术后认知功能障碍的发生机制，婴幼儿和老年痴呆患者手术期间选择合适的全身麻醉药物和方法提供借鉴。     

ENDOSCOPIC PANCREATIC STENTING IN CHRONIC PANCREATITIS WITH DUCTAL DILATION PROXIMAL TO A STRICTURE: A SAFE and EFFECTIVE PROTOCOL

After removal of intraductal stones, a 10‐Fr or 7‐Fr pancreatic stent was placed in 16 patients with upstream ductal dilation proximal to a stricture of the main pancreatic duct. Stents were removed after a mean duration of 52.5 days. Nine patients underwent repeated stenting. About one year after removal of the initial stent, when the remaining upstream ductal dilation was found on follow‐up pancreatograms, the next stent was replaced. Repeated stenting improved outflow of pancreatic juice more effectively than one‐time stenting. Correlation between long‐term pain relief without recurrence of intraductal stones and reduction of duct diameter was also shown. Stent occlusion was observed in 14 of 30 stents. Stent occlusion was frequently associated with recurrence of pancreatitis and intraductal stones, and was also associated with morphologic changes in the pancreatic ductal system. Although there were no significant differences between stent patency of the initial stents and that of the next stents, stent patency of 10‐Fr stents was superior to that of 7‐Fr stents. 10‐Fr stents should be removed within 8 weeks and 7‐Fr stents should be removed within 4 weeks for the prevention of stent occlusion. Repeated stenting with short‐term stenting is therefore considered a safe and effective protocol of endoscopic pancreatic stenting.     

SARS流行期间肺炎患者的临床表现和胸部影像变化的探讨

目的 探讨SARS流行期间肺炎患者的临床表现和胸部影像变化特点。方法 对76例SARS流行期间发热留观室收治的肺炎患者的临床表现及胸部影像进行分析。结果 (1)此组肺炎患者多为青壮年(占60．53％)，无固定职业或职业性质流动性较大者居多(69．74％)；(2)临床特征主要是发热，以中高热为多见(80．26％)，发病早期部分患者呼吸道症状并不明显(67．10％)，外周血WBC在正常或低于正常范围(85．53％)，淋巴细胞比例减少(75．00％)；(3)肺部CT表现为不同程度的炎性浸润；病灶形态以斑片状和球形多见(77．63％)；病灶常位于肺周边，常出现支气管气像；动态观察病变影像大多无明显进展(88．16％％)，经治疗均完全吸收。结论 SARS流行期间普通肺炎与非典型肺炎有相似的临床及胸部影像表现；肺部CT扫描能早期发现肺炎患者的异常阴影，明显优于胸片，但无特异性。因此，在SARS流行期间发热诊室医务人员应加强肺部炎性改变的早期诊断和鉴别诊断水平。     

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.