Antisocial personality disorder, HIV risk behavior and retention in methadone maintenance therapy

In a sample of 55 consecutive methadone maintenance admissions to our clinic, 42% were diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) using the National Institute of Mental Health Diagnostic Interview Schedule NIMH DIS. Individuals with ASPD exhibited greater risk for HIV infection as defined by more sexual contacts, needle use and equipment sharing. Data at 1 year follow-up were obtained on this group of patients. The objective was to compare the ASPD and non-ASPD groups with regards to demographics, drug abuse history, outcome and retention in treatment. There were no significant differences between the groups on any demographic or treatment outcome variables. Survival analysis indicated that there were no group differences in treatment retention. In conclusion, although there were no differences in treatment outcome between ASPD and non-ASPD groups it is possible that ASPD patients who drop out of treatment will be at higher risk for contracting and spreading HIV within the IV drug using population. These data also suggest that in this population the diagnosis of ASPD using primarily behavioral traits as measured in the NIMH-DIS-III, has little utility in predicting treatment outcome.     

Adhesins of uropathogenic bacteria: Properties,identification and use for new antibacterial strategies

Adherence is a major virulence factor in the complex pathogenesis of urinary tract infections (UTI). Colonization of the urinary tract and subsequent spread of infection ascending to the kidneys depends not only on the expression of adhesins by bacteria but also on the presence of host factors which may either contribute to or inhibit infection. The presence of certain types of adhesins expressed by the bacteria and their interactions with epithelial cells play a role in determining where bacteria localize in the urinary tract, the kind and severity of symptoms and how the disease progresses. The knowledge of the molecular mechanisms underlying adherence may be useful for epidemiological research in the pathogenesis of UTI, for the diagnosis of different types of UTI and, in some cases, for prognosis. Furthermore, attachment to epithelia is a promising target for developing new methods in prophylaxis and therapy.     

老年患者尿路感染菌群分布及其耐药性分析

目的 :了解老年患者尿路感染致病菌的菌群分布及其对抗生素的耐药情况 ,为临床合理使用抗生素提供依据。方法 :收集湖北省 15所三级甲等医院 2 0 0 2年尿路感染老年患者清洁中段尿细菌培养分离的 5 34株致病菌 ,对其进行耐药性监测。药敏采用K B法 ,用WHONET 5软件进行数据分析。结果 :共收集致病菌 5 34株 ,其中革兰阴性菌 4 0 9株 (76 .6 % ) ,革兰阳性菌 12 5株(2 3.4 % )。革兰阴性菌中大肠埃希菌检出率最高 (2 6 4株 ,4 9.4 % ) ,其次为克雷白杆菌 (44株 ,8.2 % )。 16 .7%的大肠埃希菌和 2 2 .7%的克雷白杆菌产超广谱 β 内酰胺酶。亚胺培南、阿米卡星、头孢他啶对革兰阴性菌的抗菌活性最强 ,而革兰阴性菌对环丙沙星、庆大霉素、哌拉西林的耐药率均在 5 0 %以上。革兰阳性菌以肠球菌最多见 (6 4株 ,12 % ) ,其次为葡萄球菌属 (43株 ,8.1% )。革兰阳性菌对SMZco、红霉素等的耐药率均在 4 0 %以上 ,但对万古霉素均敏感。结论 :老年患者尿路感染以革兰阴性菌为优势菌株 ,且耐药性日益严重 ,对亚胺培南、阿米卡星、头孢他啶最为敏感。革兰阳性菌宜以万古霉素为首选。     

脑卒中与排尿障碍的研究进展

排尿障碍是脑卒中患者的常见症状,严重影响患者的生活质量,分析排尿障碍与脑卒中的关系对指导脑卒中治疗具有重要意义。本文通过查阅大量国内外文献,综合论述近年有关脑卒中与排尿障碍的研究及其进展。     

无孔处女膜临床分析

目的 分析总结无孔处女膜的诊断要点，提高诊断率。方法 回顾性分析我院近10余收治的5例无孔处女膜的临床资料。结果 5例患均无月经初潮，仅有程度不同的下腹疼痛，尤其是周期性的下腹疼痛。3例表现为急性下腹痛并急性尿潴留。2例误诊为卵巢囊肿、卵巢畸胎瘤。结论 少女己进入月经来潮年龄，但无月经初潮，仅有程度不同的下腹疼痛，尤其是有周期性的下腹疼痛，应想到无孔处女膜的可能。肛诊触及盆腔囊性包块，不活动；B超探查子宫与附件形态正常，相当于阴道的解剖部位有液性暗区，提示经血潴留，有助于本病的诊断。     

改良Indiana膀胱术的远期疗效观察

目的:评价改良Indiana膀胱术的远期疗效.方法:对26例改良Indiana膀胱术术后患者的膀胱可控性、尿动力学、肾盂输尿管扩张、上尿路感染情况、血清电解质和肾功能进行随访.结果:26例随访1～7年,平均3年.白天可控率96.2%;贮尿囊容量为380～640 ml,平均542 ml;贮尿囊内压力为1.215～3.224 kPa,平均1.921 kPa.B超、IVP造影示3 例输尿管扩张,经随访无加重.血清电解质及肾功能正常.结论:改良Indiana膀胱术远期疗效可靠,并发症少,是一种较理想的尿路分流术式.     

Thiazolidinediones and congestive heart failure—exacerbation or new onset of left ventricular dysfunction?

BACKGROUND: Patients with diabetes mellitus have a high incidence of coronary heart disease and congestive heart failure (CHF). Thiazolidinediones (TZD) are a new class of pharmacological agents for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes mellitus, which have many beneficial cardiovascular effects. Peripheral oedema and weight gain have been reported in 4.8% of subjects on TZDs alone, with a higher incidence noted in those receiving combination insulin therapy (up to 15%), but there is limited data on the occurrence of CHF. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this paper, we report on six cases of TZD-induced fluid retention with symptoms and signs of peripheral oedema and/or CHF that occurred in subjects attending our diabetic clinic. The predominant finding in all cases was of diastolic dysfunction. All subjects were obese and hypertensive, with 5/6 having the additional risk factor of LVH, 5/6 subjects had microvascular complications, whilst 3/6 were also on insulin therapy. CONCLUSION: We suggest that obese, hypertensive diabetics may benefit from echocardiographic screening prior to commencement of TZDs, as these agents may exacerbate underlying undiagnosed left ventricular diastolic dysfunction.     

尿液分析标准化在临床上的应用

目的：建立尿液分析的标准化。方法：NCCLS和CCCLS推荐方法。结果：按标准化的要求进行尿液分析，以获得有临床价值的结果。结论：尿液分析是临床最常用的化验指标之一，在临床诊治疾病中起着非常重要的作用，因此在实际工作中必须遵照标准化的操作规程进行操作，更好地为临床服务。     

Infection of catheterised patients: bacterial colonisation of encrusted Foley catheters shown by scanning electron microscopy

Summary The surfaces of 32 encrusted urinary catheters were examined by scanning electron microscopy to investigate the association of bacteria with the encrusting deposits. Deposits consisted of struvite crystals surrounded by aggregates of very small crystallites of hydroxyapatite. Underneath these minerals there was a layer of closely packed bacteria. Impressions of bacteria were also observed in hydroxyapatite. Crystals were often engulfed by the bacterial layer, which thus appeared to bind the crystals to each other and to the catheter surface. This thick layer of bacteria associated with crystals may protect both the bacteria from antibiotics and the crystals from acidic bladder washout solutions intended to dissolve them. Furthermore, the existence of this sessile population explains why urease-producing bacteria are not invariably detected in the urine of patients with encrusted catheters. The observation of this bacterial layer (or biofilm) by scanning electron microscopy provided direct evidence for infection being implicated in catheter encrustation.     

Connective tissue metabolism in children with chronic renal failure

To assess the characteristics of connective tissue metabolism in chronic renal failure (CRF), urinary excretion of glycosaminoglycan (GAG) fractions and hydroxyproline (HYP) was determined in ten patients with CRF and in ten age-matched healthy children. CRF was found to be associated with elevated free HYP (19.9±6.1 vs 9.8±3.6 mol/day,P<0.05) and depressed peptide HYP excretion (33.1±13.5 vs 225.2±17.7 mol/day,P<0.01), a low rate of total GAG excretion (7.0±2.4 vs 16.1±1.9 mol uronic acid/day,P<0.05) with low chondroitin 4 — sulphate + chondroitin 6 — sulphate (Ch-Ss) (14.0±9.9 vs 65.0±22.1%) and a high proportion of non-sulphated or under-sulphated fractions, i.e. hyaluronic acid + chondroitin + heparan sulphate (HA+Ch+HS) (75.3±11.4 vs 31.5±5.7%). Urinary 3-methyl-histidine (3-met-HIS) excretion and plasma essential free amino acids did not differ in the two groups. In response to haemodialysis no consistent change occurred in urinary excretion of 3-met-HIS, peptide-bound HYP, total GAG or percentage distribution of individual GAG fractions. After haemodialysis all plasma amino acids decreased significantly, and there was a significant increase in urinary excretion of free HYP (P<0.05). We conclude that the alterations in urinary excretion of total and individual GAGs observed in CRF may reflect disturbed connective tissue metabolism which does not appear to be accounted for by protein malnutrition or enhanced protein breakdown and remains uninfluenced by haemodialysis therapy.