Duke Activity Status Index for Cardiovascular Diseases: Validation of the Portuguese Translation

Background

The Duke Activity Status Index (DASI) assesses the functional capacity of patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD), but there is no Portuguese version validated for CVD.

Objectives

To translate and adapt cross-culturally the DASI for the Portuguese-Brazil language, and to verify its psychometric properties in the assessment of functional capacity of patients with CVD.

Methods

The DASI was translated into Portuguese, then checked by back-translation into English and evaluated by an expert committee. The pre-test version was first evaluated in 30 subjects. The psychometric properties and correlation with exercise testing was performed in a second group of 67 subjects. An exploratory factor analyses was performed in all 97 subjects to verify the construct validity of the DASI.

Results

The intraclass correlation coefficient for test-retest reliability was 0.87 and for the inter-rater reliability was 0.84. Cronbach''s α for internal consistency was 0.93. The concurrent validity was verified by significant positive correlations of DASI scores with the VO₂max (r = 0.51, p < 0.001). The factor analysis yielded two factors, which explained 54% of the total variance, with factor 1 accounting for 40% of the variance. Application of the DASI required between one and three and a half minutes per patient.

Conclusions

The Brazilian version of the DASI appears to be a valid, reliable, fast and easy to administer tool to assess functional capacity among patients with CVD.     

Prevention and management of recurrent postoperative Hirschsprung's disease obstructive symptoms and enterocolitis: Systematic review and meta-analysis

Background/Purpose

The purpose of this study was to review the management of obstructive symptoms and enterocolitis (HAEC) following pull-through for Hirschsprung's disease.

Association between mode of anaesthesia and severe maternal morbidity during admission for scheduled Caesarean delivery: a nationwide population-based study in Japan, 2010–2013

Background

Although the incidence of maternal mortality during Caesarean delivery remains very low, the rate of severe maternal morbidity is increasing. Improvements in obstetric anaesthetic practice have resulted in a dramatic reduction in the risk of maternal death from general anaesthesia. Less clear is whether the risk of severe maternal morbidity differs according to mode of anaesthesia for women undergoing Caesarean delivery. We analysed the association between the mode of anaesthesia and severe maternal morbidity during Caesarean delivery using a nationally representative inpatient database.

Comparative Analysis of the Reconstruction of Individual Hip Anatomy Using 3 Different Cementless Stem Designs in Patients With Primary Hip Osteoarthritis

Background

We questioned whether there was a radiographic difference in hip geometry reconstruction and implant fixation between 3 different cementless stem design concepts in patients with primary end-stage hip osteoarthritis.

中药干预对急性心肌梗死远期预后影响的回顾性研究

目的回顾性分析早期使用中药对首次急性心肌梗死(AMI)患者远期预后的影响。方法以1996年1月~2002年4月因AMI在北京中医药大学附属东直门医院、东方医院心内科住院并渡过急性期(28d)且资料完整的所有患者(共162例)为研究对象;随访患者发生联合终点事件(死亡和重大心脑血管事件)的情况;单因素分析采用Kaplan-Meier法描绘生存曲线,用log-rank法进行比较检验,多因素分析采用Cox回归分析。结果单因素分析显示使用中药汤剂患者无事件生存率高于未使用者(P<0.01);多因素分析显示年龄、前壁梗死、心功能减低、心律失常和糖尿病史与联合终点事件的风险呈正相关,而使用血管紧张素转化酶抑制剂(ACEI)和中药汤剂呈负相关,其中中药汤剂的相对危险度RR为0.093(95%CI=0.029~0.294,P<0.001)。结论年龄、心力衰竭、前壁梗死、梗死后心律失常、糖尿病史是AMI远期预后的危险因素,而早期应用中药汤剂和ACEI制剂是AMI远期预后的保护因素,初步从回顾性研究的角度为中医药治疗AMI提供了基于循证医学的证据。     

胫骨残端长度对前交叉韧带重建术后本体觉恢复的影响

目的:研究保留韧带胫骨残端的长度对前交叉韧带重建术后膝关节本体觉恢复的影响.方法:自2011年3月至2011年12月于我院骨科就诊的42例前交叉韧带重建患者分为3组,每组14例.A组保留韧带胫骨残端长度15～20 mm,男8例,女6例,平均年龄(28.2±6.6)岁;B组保留韧带胫骨残端5～10 mm,男9例,女5例,平均年龄(27.9±6.4)岁;C组保留韧带胫骨残端小于2 mm,男9例,女5例,平均年龄(28.6±6.8)岁.治疗前后采用Lachman试验、前抽屉试验对稳定性进行评价,行Lysholm评分和Tegner评分评价关节功能,采用非负重位被动重复位置法对膝关节本体觉进行检测.结果:3组患者术后6个月Lachman试验、前抽屉试验均为阴性,12、18个月3组各1例前抽屉试验呈弱阳性.术后18个月Lysholm和Tegner评分均高于术前,而术后18个月3组间差异无统计学意义.屈曲20°和伸直80°、20°测试重复位置觉显示,3组在治疗前后差异无统计学意义.屈曲50°和伸直50°测试重复位置觉显示,A组和B组在术后6个月较治疗前好转,且明显优于C组;术后18个月3组差异无统计学意义.屈曲80°测试重复位置觉显示,A组和B组在术后12个月较治疗前好转,且明显优于C组;术后18个月3组差异无统计学意义.结论:保留韧带胫骨残端有助于前交叉韧带重建术后早期本体觉的恢复,残端长度以5～10 mm为宜.     

External validation of the post-varicocele repair semen analysis nomogram to predict total motile sperm count: A multicenter study

Total motile sperm count is an important parameter for predicting the probability of natural pregnancy. We have externally validated the Samplaski's post-varicocele repair semen analysis nomogram to confirm the predictive accuracy of total motile sperm count. A total of 300 patients who had undergone varicocelectomy between July 2016 and July 2019 from 4 treatment centres were included in this validation cohort study. The predictive performance of the externally validated nomogram was revealed by applying the Pearson correlation coefficient (R = 0.328; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.220–0.435; p < .001). Compared to Samplaski's nomogram result (R = 0.581; 95% CI 0.186–0.729), our study also revealed a statistically significant rate. However, it had a relatively lower correlation coefficient rate. Notably, the predicted total motile sperm count was lower than the observed post-varicocelectomy total motile sperm count. The calibration plot revealed that the discrepancy between the predicted and observed total motile sperm count was plausible. However, it had low explanatory power in this nomogram model. This validation study demonstrates that the post-varicocele repair Samplaski's nomogram predicts a relatively lower total motile sperm count than the observed count.     

A Precise and Reliable Method of Determining Lesion Size in Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head Using Volumes

BackgroundTo ascertain whether volumetric measurements to characterize lesion size in osteonecrosis of the femoral head using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and 3D software are more precise than other previously described methods.MethodsTwenty-four patients were included in the study. Two musculoskeletal radiologists independently analyzed radiographs and MRIs using the methods described by Kerboul et al [9], Koo and Kim [10], and Cherian et al [11]. Volumetric measurements were calculated from the MRIs using 3D imaging software. Inter-rater reliability was calculated for all 4 methods using the interclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Levene's test was used to compare the variance across methods, serving as a measure of precision of each method.ResultsAn ICC value of 0.81 was calculated for the volumetric measurements. The ICC values of the Kerboul et al, Koo and Kim, and Cherian et al methods were 0.94, 0.61, and 0.49, respectively. Levene's test for homogeneity of variance using absolute deviations showed the variance was not equal across methods (P < .01). The variance and the corresponding 95% confidence interval were calculated showing that the variance for the volumetric measurements was the smallest among the 4 methods examined, indicating that the volumetric measurements are more precise in characterizing lesion size as compared to the other methods.ConclusionVolumetric measurements of lesion size using 3D MRI imaging software to assess osteonecrosis of the femoral head are more precise than previously described methods and have excellent interobserver reliability. A 3D MRI assessment of volume of osteonecrosis in the femoral head may be useful in clinical decision-making.