Sensitivity and specificity of a self-administered questionnaire for familial screening of adult-onset dystonia.

We developed a self-administered questionnaire for screening the most common adult-onset dystonias. It was tested in 90 first-degree relatives of 22 adult-onset dystonia patients, yielding 79% sensitivity and 94% specificity. Simulation of a case-finding procedure based on serial application of the questionnaire and clinical examination of both subjects screening positive and subjects screening negative who had < 8 years of schooling increased sensitivity to 95% and specificity to 100%. This questionnaire may be an important screening resource for familial aggregation studies to be used in the context of a complex case-finding procedure.     

气雾熏蒸法与浸泡消毒法消毒吸痰管效果比较

目的比较2%强化戊二醛(下称戊二醛)气雾熏蒸法与浸泡消毒法消毒吸痰管的效果.方法消毒按5周期(1个周期12 d)进行,每周期将200根使用过的吸痰管经初步处理,即5% 84消毒液浸泡30 min后清水冲洗干净晾干.将每周期200根吸氮管随机均分为实验组和对照组,实验组采用戊二醛原液气雾熏蒸法消毒4 h,对照组采用戊二醛原液浸泡消毒30 min,12 d为1个周期.两组分别于第1、6、12天对消毒后的吸痰管及消毒过程中的戊二醛采样行细菌菌落数计数,并观察有无细菌生长.结果两组每周期第1、6天吸痰管和消毒液标本均未检测出细菌,且无致病微生物生长;每周期第12天对照组吸痰管和消毒液标本均检测出细菌,实验组未检测出细菌.结论气雾熏蒸法消毒灭菌效果可靠,具有节约开支、使用方便、有利于吸痰管的保存与放置等优点.     

Prevalence of Candida tropicalis in clinical specimens from patients with variable clinical syndromes over a 5-year period

Summary. In this study, we have examined our records for the isolation of Candida tropicalis from clinical specimens of patients with heterogeneous clinical presentations during the past 5 years. We have found that this species ranks third among all yeasts in frequency of isolation from clinical specimens and that the trend of recovery from the specimens is rising over the years. The isolation rate of C. tropicalis was highest from urine specimens (36%) followed by respiratory specimens (22%). The frequency of isolation of C. tropicalis from vaginal specimens was relatively high (14%), however the trend was declining over the years. In general, the high recovery of Candida tropicalis from clinical specimens of patients with variable disease supports the views of this organism being a major pathogen.
Zusammenfassung. Die Studie basiert auf einer Durchsicht der Patientenarchive der letzten fünf Jahre auf die Isolationshäufigkeit von Candida tropicalis aus klinischen Untersuchungsmaterialien von Patienten mit unterschiedlichen klinischen Krankheitsbildern. Diese Hefeart war die dritthäufigste mit steigender Tendenz über die Jahre. Die Isolierungsrate von C. tropicalis war am höchsten aus Urin (36%), gefolgt von Respirationstrakt-Materialien (22%). Die Isolationshäufigkeit aus dem hinteren Scheidengewölbe war relativ hoch (14%), nahm jedoch mit den jahren ab. Allgemein unterstreicht die hohe Isolationsrate von C. tropicalis aus klinischen Untersuchungsmaterialien die ätiologische Bedeutung dieses Erregers.     

阜新矿区1990～1995年传染病发病趋势

依据阜新矿区１９９０～１９９５年传染病发病情况的调查资料，对此５年间该地区常见传染病发病趋势进行了分析。结果表明，由于增大了预防力度，各种常见传染病发病率基本呈下降趋势，百分构成顺位居后。     

郑州市尘肺流行病学调查研究

尘肺是我国工业生产中危害最严重的职业病。1988年以来,郑州市持续开展了尘肺流行病学调查。1992年全市粉尘作业厂矿接尘人数为103542人,尘肺累积病人2758例,其中现患2541例,死亡217例。尘肺累积患病比为2.59%,现患率为2.39%,病死率为7.87%。尘肺累积病例以巩义市、郑州矿务局、密县为较多;按系统以煤炭(包括县煤炭)、机械、轻工、有色金属为多;尘肺病主要为矽肺及煤工尘肺。统计分析各种尘肺的发病工龄、发病年龄、死亡年龄以及各期别晋级年限等数据。对郑州市尘肺的发展趋势作了预测。     

Guillain-Barré syndrome in South-West Stockholm, 1973–1991, 3. Clinicoepidemiological subgroups

Using hierarchical cluster analysis, applied to 47 cases of Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) incident in South-West Stockholm (SWS) during the period from January 1973 to June 1992, we identified three major clinicoepidemiological subgroups. The first subgroup, 25.5% of the cases (26.7 ± 6.7 years), recorded a peak incidence at ages 20–29 years and presented significant differences from other subgroups, a high proportion of cases with onset at low age preceded by respiratory infection (83.3%) and with normal motor conduction velocity (50.0%). Also found, were less affected biological parameters, a rapidly progressive course and independence in gait at one month after onset. A second subgroup, 27.7% of cases, was severely affected, clinically and functionally. It consisted predominantly of young individuals (22.7 ± 11.1 years), with a high incidence (69.2% of cases) in autumn. A third subgroup, comprising 40.47; of cases, was older (61.1 ± 11.0 years) and, in general, also severely affected. The incidence of this form appeared to be invariant with time.     

On the natural course of oral lichen lesions in a Swedish population-based sample

OBJECTIVES: The aim was to assess the natural course of oral lichen lesions (OLL) among unselected, non-consulting individuals. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A cohort of 327 subjects with OLL, confirmed in 1973-1974 during a population-based survey in two Swedish municipalities, was followed through January 2002 via record linkages with nationwide and essentially complete registers. A sample of 80 drawn from the 194 surviving subjects who still resided in the area in 1993-1995 was invited for interview and oral re-examination. RESULTS: At the end of follow-up, one case of oral cancer was detected, while 0.4 were expected. The overall mortality among subjects with OLL was not significantly different from that in the 15,817 OLL-free subjects who participated in the initial population based survey in 1973-1974. The lesion had disappeared in 14 (39%) of 36 re-examined subjects with white OLLs in 1973-1974, and four (11%) had transformed into red types. In the corresponding group of 19 with red forms initially, five (26%) had become lesion free and four (21%) had switched to white types. Although the cohort size does not permit firm conclusions regarding oral cancer risk, the natural course over up to 30 years appears to be benign in the great majority.     

Is neighbourhood deprivation a risk factor for gestational diabetes mellitus?

AIMS: To assess the relationship between neighbourhood deprivation and the rate of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) using routinely collected data from a clinical information system, in Plymouth, UK. METHODS: Between 1 January 1996 and 31 December 1997, 3933 women residing within the Plymouth Primary Care Trust (PCT) were screened for GDM using indices of neighbourhood deprivation and prevalence of GDM. Areas (n = 43) were classified according to the Townsend index, measuring material deprivation. Pregnant women with and without GDM were compared. RESULTS: The prevalence of GDM was 1.7%[95%, confidence interval (CI) 1.20, 2.11]. The prevalence of GDM ranged from 1.05% (95% CI 0.60, 1.70) in the most deprived to 2.10% (95%, CI 1.34, 3.13), in the least deprived neighbourhood. Crude rates decreased by 50%[relative prevalence (RP) (95% CI) 0.50 (0.27, 0.94); P = 0.06] amongst those living in the most-deprived compared with those living in the least-deprived areas. Using a stepwise binary logistic regression model, older age at delivery significantly increased the risk of developing GDM. [RP (95%, CI) 1.09, (1.04, 1.13)]. Townsend deprivation score had no significant independent association with GDM when other covariates were considered. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that the neighbourhood context in which women live has no impact on the risk of GDM. Diabet.