Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Brazilian primary care: Diagnostic competence and case-finding.

AIMS: The developing world is particularly at risk of an increasing health burden due to an increased prevalence of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) secondary to increasing tobacco consumption. However, research is scarce. The objectives of this study were to assess the current competence for diagnosing COPD in primary care in a resource-limited setting in Brazil, and to develop a local patient profile for case-finding. METHODS: 34 general practitioners (GPs) in five areas of northern Brazil recruited adult patients with principal complaints of cough and/or shortness of breath who then had spirometry (n = 142). RESULTS: For the dichotomous variable 'COPD' the degree of agreement between GP diagnosis (n = 64, 18.3%) and spirometric outcome (n = 36, 25.4%) was poor, with Kappa = 0.055 (SE 0.087) and DOR = 1.35. False-positive and false-negative diagnosis proportions were 19.8% and 75%, respectively. Independent risk factors were 'smoking history of more than five pack years' and 'presence of both dyspnoea and cough'. It requires the testing of 2.2 smokers with more than five pack years to detect one patient at risk. CONCLUSIONS: COPD is a common yet underdiagnosed disease in Brazilian primary care. Spirometry improves diagnostic competence and case-finding substantially. If applied in a pre-selected high-risk population, we believe spirometry can be a cost-effective diagnostic tool for case-finding in the resource-limited setting. This study provides important baseline information for effective guideline implementation.     

Association Between Outpatient Follow-Up and Pediatric Emergency Department Asthma Visits

Background. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) guidelines recommend that patients receive a follow-up outpatient asthma visit after being discharged from an emergency department (ED) for asthma. Objective. To measure the frequency of follow-up outpatient asthma visits and its association with repeat ED asthma visit. Design. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of children with asthma using claims data from a university-based managed care organization from 01 1998 to 10 2000. We performed a multivariate survival analysis using Cox proportional hazards model to determine the effect of follow-up outpatient asthma visits on the likelihood of a repeat ED asthma visit, after controlling for severity of illness, patient age, gender, insurance, and the specialty of the primary care provider. Results: A total of 561 children had 780 ED asthma visits. Of these, 103 (17%) had a repeat ED asthma visit within 1 year. Almost two-thirds of children (66%) did not receive outpatient follow-up for asthma within 30 days of an ED asthma visit. Outpatient asthma visits within 30 days of an ED asthma visit are associated with an increased likelihood (relative risk = 1.80; 95% confidence interval 1.19, 2.72) for repeat ED asthma visits within 1 year. Conclusions. Most patients do not have outpatient follow-up after an ED asthma visit. However, those patients that present for outpatient follow-up have an increased likelihood for repeat ED asthma visits. For the primary care provider, these outpatient follow-up visits signal an increased risk that a patient will return to the ED for asthma and are a key opportunity to prevent future ED asthma visits.     

下肢深静脉瓣功能不全的二维及彩色多普勒超声诊断

目的 探讨下肢深静脉瓣功能不全的二维及彩色多普勒超声声像图改变。方法 应用二维及彩色多普勒超声检查下肢深静脉瓣功能不全36例，47条腿，观察下肢静脉血管及瓣膜的解剖结构和血流动力学改变。结果 有静脉瓣功能不全的患肢静脉管腔内径均有不同程度增宽，瓣膜均有不同程度的改变，脉冲多普勒显示返流频谱返流时间大于0.5s。结论 该检查对诊断下肢深静脉瓣功能不全有较高的实用价值。     

Foley尿管气囊压迫治疗骶前静脉丛大出血的评价(附6例报告)

目的:评价直肠癌根治术中用Foley尿管气囊压迫治疗骶前静脉丛大出血(MPVP)的临床价值。方法:分析1995~2005年用Foley尿管气囊压迫治疗骶前静脉丛大出血6例的临床资料。结果:6例骶前大出血中全部用Foley尿管气囊压迫控制出血,术中出血量为800~1700mL,Foley尿管于术后4d拔除3例,5d1例,6d2例,均无再出血,会阴切口均一期愈合。结论:Foley尿管气囊压迫治疗骶前静脉丛大出血是一种简单安全有效的治疗方法。     

超声抽吸法治疗下肢原发性淋巴水肿

目的观察超声抽吸法治疗下肢原发性淋巴水肿的疗效。方法为12例患者采用内超声脂肪抽吸机吸除淋巴水肿组织以降低患肢淋巴负荷，抽吸后结合持续弹力袜裤压扎。结果术后2周水肿即时消退明显，术后1年随访水肿消退，复发不明显。结论超声抽吸法治疗原发性淋巴水肿安全简便，结合弹性袜裤压扎可望取得较好的远期疗效。     

静脉药物配置中心的建立在临床中的应用

静脉输液药物集中配置、管理是我国医院管理的一项新举措.长期以来,临床静脉输液中的加药工作一直是由护士在治疗室独立完成,这种方式存在着很多不足之处.在这种环境污染下,职业健康安全管理越来越受到各国政府的重视.为了提高服务质量,预防和控制可能存在的环境污染及职业健康安全风险,国家颁布 GB/T24001～ 1996<环境管理体系规范和使用指南>, GB/T28001-2001<职业健康安全管理体系规范>标准,引进国外的先进管理模式,此项工作由药师和护士共同完成,以期达到合理用药减少药物的流失和浪费,科学配置、降低输液反应.静脉药物配置中心把静脉药物配置从普通环境的治疗室转为在具有洁净条件的配置中心进行集中管理配置,保证配置出来的药品安全无菌、有效.需要输液的患者在舒适、整洁和安静的环境下进行输液,减少临床护理工作量的目的,把更多的时间还给病人.这为顺利实施静脉配置中心的项目提供了保障,确保了输液中心正常运行.     

中医药结合红外热像仪治疗286例脑供血不足

目的 探讨红外热像仪产生的热图与中医学的辨证施治相结合治疗脑供血不足。方法 使用红外热像仪对286例脑供血不足患者进行检查，然后中医分型治疗，再每隔1个月用红外热像仪随访疗效。结果 1个月后平均总有效率85．6％，2个月后平均总有效率91．2％，3个月后平均总有效率达95．7％。结论 红外热像仪对早期诊断脑供血不足及疗效跟踪有很大帮助，为临床提供了一种新颖的检查方法。     

Cerebral venous malformation complicated by spontaneous thrombosis

A case of spontaneous thrombosis and infarction leading to death as complications of a cerebral venous malformation in a 13-yearold boy is reported. This is the first published report of this type of complication occurring in a case of venous angioma. While the biologic behavior of cerebral venous malformations has suggested that they are benign in nature, and the results of surgical management have encouraged a conservative approach, the present case illustrates a potential complication and argues against the assumption that these malformations are completely benign in nature.     

Prevalence of giardiasis among primary school children

Summary This cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the prevalence of intestinal parasites among primary school children in Northern Jordan. Stool specimens were collected from 1100 children of both sexes from urban and rural schools. A questionnaire covering relevant informations was completed for each child. Wet mount preparation, formaline-ether concentration technique, and trichrome stain were prepared for the recovery and identification of parasites. Giardia lamblia was observed in 396 (36%) of the stool specimens examined. The infection rates were higher in the younger age group where several of them had diarrhoea and reported variable symptoms. The infection rates declined with age and children were asymptomatic. Rates were higher in children from the rural areas, from low income families, and it was higher in boys than girls.
Contaminated drinking water is suspected to be the major potential source of infection. The importance of the asymptomatic cases and the epidemiological factors contributing to the transmission in these areas are discussed.     

Left-sided superior vena cava: diagnosis by magnetic resonance imaging

We describe a case of left-sided superior vena cava. The diagnosis was suggested by chest radiograph after central venous catheter placement. This was subsequently confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging. Received: 4 March 1997 Accepted: 21 March 1997