A health comparison of Alabama nurses versus US, UK, and Canadian normative populations

This article is one of a two part series examining the people and environment associated with patient handling. The approach used was that of an occupational injury investigation of a job class, which incorporates defining in the task, environment, tools, and worker health status. Hence, the objective of this portion of the research was to develop a method and use it to compare the physical and mental health of Alabama nurses with known normative populations to determine a baseline of overall health. For this purpose, the validated SF-36© survey was used to collect data on Alabama nurses who had been registered in the state for at least one year. The potential participant pool included 1000 nurses randomly selected from more than 49,000 registered. Physical mailers with a pre-paid return envelope and a follow-up reminder post-card were used. A return rate of 10% was expected based on nursing literature. One hundred and one surveys were returned with 87 being complete. Results confirmed that nursing in the US is a female dominated profession with the survey matching both the Alabama and US national average of 92%. Comparisons of the sample data to general populations yielded significant differences in 3 of the 8 outcome measures: social functioning; physical functioning; bodily pain. In each of these measures, Alabama nurses had a reduced health status compared to at least one comparative population. Additionally, data related to body mass index (BMI) for Alabama nurses were stratified by gender and age. Results indicated 28% had a “healthy” BMI with 37% and 35% of the nurses being “overweight” or “obese”, respectively. Consequently, results suggest Alabama nurses have a reduced health status compared to normative populations and show similar but not identical BMI trends to the general populations for the state of Alabama and the US, which warrants concerns about potential declines in health status among caregivers.

Significance to healthcare

Nurses constitute the largest proportion of the healthcare industry’s workforce. Understanding the perceptions of health status of this employee group is essential to gain further information about possible influences of health on nurses’ ability to continue to perform their jobs.     

Comparison of two nutritional assessment methods in gastroenterology patients

AIM:To investigate and compare efficacy and differences in the nutritional status evaluation of gastroenterology patients by application of two methods:subjective global assessment(SGA) and nutritional risk index(NRI).METHODS:The investigation was performed on 299 hospitalized patients,aged 18-84 years(average life span 55.57 ± 12.84),with different gastrointe-stinal pathology,admitted to the Department of Gastroenterohepatology,Clinical and Hospital Center “Bezanijska Kosa“ during a period of 180 d.All the...     

锥板式粘度计测定低切血液粘度方法的实验研究

我们用锥板式粘度计从低切到高切、从高切到低切、以及先在８０ｓ－１下旋转６０ｓ、静止１００ｓ、再从低切到高切三种方法，测定了Ｖｉｓｔｅｒ大白鼠在低切变率为５．７５－１时的血液粘度。组间对照显示，三种测法所得低切血液粘度之间无显著差异，表明这些方法均可用来测量低切血液粘度。从低切稳定性来看，第二种测法最好。就用粘度法反映红细胞聚集性而言，第一种测法比较合适。     

石蜡包埋组织DNA提取方法的比较及巢式PCR技术的应用

确定从福尔马林固定、石蜡包埋(FFPE)组织中提取DNA的最佳方法,增强长片段PCR产物的成功扩增率,便于分子生物学与临床医学的有机结合。本文选取正常甲状腺FFPE标本20份,分别应用一步法、酚/氯仿抽提法和试剂盒法三种不同的方法提取总DNA,并应用传统PCR法和巢式PCR法对线粒体DNA(mtDNA)的D环区进行扩增。结果酚/氯仿抽提法所得样本DNA的OD260/D280比值最高,为1.703±0.086。一步法、酚/氯仿抽提法和试剂盒法提取DNA的普通PCR长片段扩增成功率分别为0%、5%和10%,而巢式PCR长片段扩增成功率分别为0%、95%和85%。可见用蛋白酶K消化、酚/氯仿纯化法提取的FFPE组织标本DNA质量可靠,巢式PCR技术是从石蜡标本中扩增长片段DNA的有效方法。     

Comparison of total hip arthroplasty with minimally invasive SuperPath approach vs. conventional posterolateral approach in elderly patients: A one-year follow-up randomized controlled research

ObjectiveTo compare difference between SuperPath approach and conventional posterolateral approach in total hip arthroplasty (THA) in elderly patients.MethodsThe present prospective randomized controlled single blinded study enrolled a total of 96 elderly patients who received THA in our hospital during April 2015 to December 2018. All patients were randomly divided into the SuperPath group and the conventional group. General demographic characteristics and intraoperative data, as well as hospitalization time were recorded. Harris scores were used for measurement of hip function and visual analogue scale (VAS) was used for pain measurement. Serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and creatine phosphokinase (CK) were measured before and 24 h after surgery. Gait analysis was conducted by the method of footprints.ResultsThe mean surgical time was remarkably longer, the mean blood loss and incision length were significantly lower and the hospitalization time was also shorter in the SuperPath group compared with the conventional group. Both levels of CRP and CK were remarkably lower in the SuperPath group. At time points of 7 d and 1 mon after surgery, the VAS scores were significantly lower, and at 7 d, 1 mon and 3 mon the Harris scores were markedly higher in the SuperPath group compared with the conventional group. The step length and stride speed were significantly larger in the SuperPath group at 7 d and 1 mon after surgery than the conventional group. Joint dislocation was found in 2 cases of patients in the conventional group and no dislocation case was found in the SuperPath group. The angles of anteversion showed no significant difference, while the angles of abduction were significantly lower in the SuperPath group.ConclusionPatients with SuperPath approach had lower levels of CRP, ESR and CK, better hip function and less pain, as well as better gait condition than patients with conventional posterolateral approach in elderly patients.     

Shoulder prostheses treating cuff tear arthropathy: a comparative biomechanical study.

Painful cuff tear arthropathy (CTA) affects the independence of the elderly. Surgical treatment often consists of joint replacement, the functional outcome of which remains variable. Knowledge of the biomechanical properties of the different prosthetic designs can guide the orthopaedic surgeon in the choice of implant to predict its clinical result. A 3-D computer model of the glenohumeral joint is used to analyse the moment of the deltoid muscle in the scapular plane. A geometrical 3-D ball-and-socket model of the shoulder joint was used to calculate (1) the angle-force relationships, (2) the moment arm of the deltoid muscle and (3) the moment of the deltoid muscle components, for increasing degrees of arm elevation in the scapular plane. In this 3-D model, a clinical thoraco-scapular rhythm analysis was implemented, based on measurements in normal subjects, patients treated with an anatomical prosthesis and patients treated with an inversed delta III prosthesis. These data were compared for 10 different prosthetic treatment options. RESULTS: Muscle angle-force curves show a favourable slope in non-anatomical prosthetic designs, where the centre of rotation of the glenohumeral joint is medialized, the deltoid muscle is elongated and the humeral shaft is lateralized. On the contrary, anatomical prosthetic designs do not perform well in this computer analysis. CONCLUSIONS: From a biomechanical point of view, a shoulder prosthesis which medializes the centre of rotation, lengthens the deltoid muscle and increases the deltoid lever arm, results in a significantly more powerful abduction of the shoulder, despite complete loss of rotator cuff function. RELEVANCE: This study explains why a successful functional outcome can be expected in CTA with a reversed prosthesis.     

Influence of follow-up methodology and completeness on apparent clinical outcome of fundoplication

BACKGROUND: Outcomes after surgery can be determined by face-to-face interview, interviewing patients by telephone, or by mailing out questionnaires. For reasons of convenience, many clinical research studies use mail survey methods. Mail-out responses, however, are rarely complete, and patients returning mail-out questionnaires might be different from patients who do not return questionnaires. METHODS: We identified a group of 75 patients who were all sent a mail-out questionnaire 5 or more years after a laparoscopic fundoplication. Some of these patients returned questionnaires and some did not. All patients were subsequently interviewed by telephone. The responses to the two different data collection methods were compared as well as the interview responses of patients who returned questionnaires with those of patients who did not to determine the influence of follow-up methodology on apparent clinical outcome. RESULTS: Of the 75 patients interviewed, 49 patients (65%) had previously returned a mail-out questionnaire and 26 patients had not. The mean time difference between mail-out response and telephone interview was 1 month. When mail-out responses were compared with interview responses of the patients who had returned questionnaires, equivalent answers were obtained for all symptoms except for dysphagia, for which a higher incidence and greater scores were reported by patients in their mail-out questionnaire responses. When mail-out nonresponders were compared with responders, the nonresponders had a lower level of overall satisfaction with the outcome of surgery, a higher incidence of dysphagia, and greater levels of heartburn. CONCLUSIONS: The measurement of surgical outcomes using a mail-out questionnaire may not be an accurate method of assessing patient symptoms and satisfaction after surgery, particularly if follow-up is incomplete. In this study, patients not responding to mail-out questionnaires were more likely to have adverse symptoms and a lower level of satisfaction than patients returning questionnaires. This dissatisfaction could make patients less likely to return mail-out questionnaires, and for this reason studies with incomplete follow-up that rely on mail-out questionnaire responses may report erroneously higher surgical success rates.     

Surgical vs non-surgical management of Weber B fractures: A systematic review

BackgroundThe aim of this systematic review was to compare surgical and non-surgical management of Weber B ankle fractures.MethodsA systematic computer-based search was conducted using the MEDLINE (via OvidSP), EMBASE (via OvidSP) and Central databases. Data were extracted regarding functional outcome, radiological union, range of motion (RoM), infection rate and quality of life (QoL).ResultsThere were no significant differences identified between surgical and non-surgical management of Weber B fractures with respect to functional outcome. There is a higher rate of complication following surgical management, including infection, reoperation, thromboembolic events and death. With respect to QoL and ankle RoM, this review identified no differences between surgical and non-surgical management.ConclusionsThere is a need for further published literature evaluating the most efficacious management as there is a poverty of high-level research available. Currently, the available literature does not overwhelmingly favour a particular approach to Weber B ankle fractures.     

Comparison of three different methods to estimate the burden of disease of burn injuries in Western Australia in 2011-2018

BackgroundPriority setting and resource allocation in health care, surveillance and interventions is based increasingly on burden of disease. Several methods exist to calculate the non-fatal burden of disease of burns expressed in years lived with disability (YLDs). The aim of this study was to assess the burden of disease due to burns in Western Australia 2011–2018 and compare YLD outcomes between three existing methods.MethodsData from the Burns Service of Western Australia was used. Three existing methods to assess YLDs were compared: the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) method, a method dedicated to assess injury YLDs (Injury-VIBES), and a method dedicated to assess burns YLDs (INTEGRIS-burns).ResultsIncidence data from 2,866 burn patients were used. Non-fatal burden of disease estimates differed substantially between the different methods. Estimates for 2011–2018 ranged between 610 and 1,085 YLDs per 100.000 based on the Injury-VIBES method; between 209 and 324 YLDs based on the INTEGRIS-burns method; and between 89 and 120 YLDs based on the GBD method. YLDs per case were three to nine times higher when the Injury-VIBES method was applied compared to the other methods. Also trends in time differed widely through application of the different methods. There was a strong increase in YLDs over the years when the Injury-VIBES method was applied, a slight increase when the INTEGRIS-burns method was applied and a stable pattern when the GBD method was applied.ConclusionThis study showed that the choice for a specific method heavily influences the non-fatal burden of disease expressed in YLDs, both in terms of annual estimates as well as in trends over time. By addressing the methodological limitations evident in previously published calculations of the non-fatal burden of disease, the INTEGRIS-burns seems to present a method to provide the most robust estimates to date, as it is the only method adapted to the nature of burn injuries and their recovery.     

扩髓与非扩髓型带锁髓内钉治疗开放性胫骨骨折的疗效分析

目的比较扩髓与非扩髓型带锁髓内钉治疗开放性胫骨骨折的临床疗效. 方法 2002年4月～2004年4月,对86例(92侧)开放性胫骨骨折采用带锁髓内钉治疗,其中扩髓组54侧,非扩髓组38侧.男65例,女21例,年龄18～68岁,平均36.5岁.伤口拆线后下地扶拐活动,术后均获随访6个月～2年. 结果 86例获随访6～24个月,扩髓组与非扩髓组分别感染11例和2例,感染率分别为20.3%和5.3%,二者差异有统计学意义(P<0. 05);平均骨折愈合时间分别为22.5和19周,二者差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05);延迟愈合分别有8例和3例. 结论非扩髓带锁髓内钉组与扩髓组比较,具有延迟愈合或不愈合少,感染率低等特点.