Comparison of Euroqol EQ-5D and SF-36 in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome

The objective of the study was to compare the Euroqol EQ-5D (Euroqol) and short-form 36 (SF-36) health questionnaires in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). One hundred and twenty-seven out-patients referred to a hospital-based infectious disease clinic with a diagnosis of CFS were contacted by post and asked to complete both questionnaires. Additional data were determined from hospital casenotes. Eighty-five patients returned correctly completed questionnaires. Euroqol health values and visual analogue scale (VAS) scores were strongly and significantly correlated with all dimensions of the SF-36, with the exception of physical limitation of role. SF-36 dimensions were in turn strongly and significantly correlated with each other, with the same exception. Patients reported a high degree of physical disability and a moderate degree of emotional or psychological ill-health. The Euroqol elements dealing with mobility and self-care referred to inappropriately severe degrees of disability for these patients with CFS. Similarly some dimensions in the SF-36 were oversensitive and did not discriminate between patients with moderate or severe disability. It was concluded that Euroqol scores correlated strongly with SF-36 scores and provided useful information about patients with CFS and that Euroqol would be a useful tool for the rapid assessment of health status in CFS. The current Euroqol instrument refers to inappropriately severe degrees of disability for patients with CFS and would need to be modified to be maximally useful in this situation.     

儿童接种肾综合征出血热Ⅰ型灭活疫苗的成本效益和效果分析

采用建德市肾综合征出血热Ⅰ型灭活疫苗效果考核现场资料,计算５～９岁和１０～１４岁各年龄组的效益费用比（ＢＣＲ）和效果费用比（ＣＥＲ）。结果各年龄组ＢＣＲ和ＣＥＲ均小于１或大于０;５～９岁年龄组儿童接种疫苗后的ＣＥＲ和预防一个病人的费用是１０～１４岁年龄组的一倍左右。结论：可在高发区１０～１４岁儿童中开展ＨＦＲＳ疫苗预防接种。     

Vitrectomy for macular pucker and vitreomacular traction syndrome

During the course of a so-called posterior vitreous detachment, a thin layer of the posterior vitreous cortex often remains adherent to the underlying retina. Tangential stretch of this vitreous pseudomembrane may cause vitreomacular traction syndrome, edema, and macular hole formation. The same process appears to underlie the development of true epimacular membranes (idiopathic macular pucker). Vitrectomy is generally agreed to be the most appropriate treatment for these clinical situations. We evaluated the incidence of vitreomacular adhesion and of visual improvement after vitrectomy of eyes with macular pucker (group 1; n=60) and vitreomacular traction syndrome (group 2; n=50). Vitreomacular attachment was assessed during vitrectomy under the condition of continuous air infusion. In the two groups, complete or partial vitreous attachment to the macula was observed in 57.4% and 74%, respectively. We conclude that vitreomacular adhesion is a common feature of the two clinical situations. Visual improvement was achieved in 73% of both groups. High rates of postoperative visual acuities of 20/50 or better (60.6% in group-1; 65.7% in group-2 cases) occurred only in eyes with preoperative values of 20/100 or better. It is reported that the visual outcome of vitreoretinal surgery for the two clinical conditions deteriorates with increasing duration after initial manifestation. Vitrectomy should not be postponed in patients who complain of disturbing visual symptoms such as reduced visual acuity, metamorphopsia and disturbance of binocular reading. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome during low dosed neuroleptic medication in first-episode psychosis: a case report

 Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) is a rare but potentially fatal side-effect of antipsychotic drug therapy, especially of dopamine receptor antagonists. As a dose relationship has been postulated, low dose neuroleptization would be expected to help to avoid this side-effect. In contrast, we report on a 21-year-old female following low dose fluphenazine treatment with 2.5 mg/day. The patient recovered from NMS after 3 days of dantrolene administration. Eventually, remission from psychotic symptoms was achieved with clozapine. At 8-month follow-up, psychopathology remained stable and there were no more signs of NMS. Received: 8 July 1998 / Final version: 6 November 1998     

多脏器微栓塞病细胞综合征动物实验模型──定义、判断标准、发生机制及其与临床的关系

利用健康杂交犬制作了多脏器微栓塞病细胞综合征（ＰＯＭＳ）模型,观察在不同时限、不同组织器官造成的病理生理改变。从中发现,钳夹腹主动脉阻断血流后,其供血器官都发生了ＲＯＭＳ,且不同器官的功能与结构损害有发生时间和程度的不同,但均有不同程度的微栓塞形成趋势,这有助对“多脏器衰竭”概念认识的深化。     

Successful chemotherapeutic treatment of diencephalic syndrome with continued tumor presence

A 7-month-old infant with typical features of diencephalic syndrome (DES) associated with a hypothalamic mass, most probably a glioma, was treated with chemotherapy. The tumor showed clear shrinkage, but after more than 2 years regrowth was noted. During the treatment period the child regained normal growth and became free of symptoms. As radiation therapy, especially at a young age, has significant adverse effects and a neurosurgical approach to the diencephalic region also has the potential to cause significant sequelae, a chemolherapeulic option, when it exists, is preferred. Thus, in an infant in whom a glioma is suspected to be the cause of the DES, based on the clinical picture and the neuroimaging appearance, chemotherapy should be considered the primary therapeutic modality. Even if its effect is temporary, its use is well justified. The most appropriate treatment protocol still needs to be determined.     

Aniridie et tumeur de Wilms : deux cas de néphroblastome fœtal rhabdomyomateux

Background.

Wilms tumor is associated in 7 to 10 % of patients with congenital abnormalities. Among those, aniridia is the most constant feature of the WAGR syndrome that includes, in one third of cases, Wilms tumor. We report two cases of aniridia associated with fetal rhabdomyomatous nephroblastoma.

Case reports.

Case 1. A one-year old girl with congenital aniridia was admitted for macroscopic hematuria. Abnormal ultrasonography and tomodensitometry revealed a large, bilateral, kidney tumor. The patient was given actinomycin and vincristine, without efficacy. Bilateral tumorectomy was performed 6 months later and the histological study showed a fetal rhabdomyomatous nephroblastoma. This patient is in remission at the age of 5. Case 2. A boy, also with congenital aniridia, presented with macroscopic hematuria at the age of 2 years revealing a nephroblastoma located on his right kidney. Preoperative chemotherapy remained uneffective and the nephrectomy performed 1 month later permitted the diagnosis of fetal rhabdomyomatous nephrolastoma. The patient is well 4 years later.

Conclusion.

Both cases of fetal rhabdomyomatous nephroblastoma, a histological variant of Wilms tumor, seem to be the first reported in the WAGR syndrome.     

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome in a patient with head injury

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome is an idiosyncratic reaction associated with the use of neuroleptic drugs. We report a case of this rare syndrome in a head injury patient associated with some unusual features: rhabdomyolysis with a high level of creatine kinase, the development of acute renal failure, the early use of continuous venovenous haemofiltration in treatment and rigidity that was refractory to conventional treatment with dantrolene and bromocriptine. The diagnosis in patients with multiple injuries must be based on a high index of suspicion.     

Influence of environmental and genetic factors on variation in human response to DNA damaging agents

Exogenous DNA damaging agents must be considered in the context of endogenous reactive species which have the potential to damage DNA. Although a no-effect level for a DNA-damaging compound may not exist, it may be feasible to define a level where reducing exposure to the compound is no longer the most effective way of reducing human risk. Modifying environmental factors which affect human response to damage may be the better strategy. Although a number of rare human syndromes are associated with a reduced ability to repair DNA damage, it is not clear how wide is the range of genetic variation in repair capacity among normal individuals. Studies with DNA repair-deficient human syndromes indicate that processes other than mutation and DNA repair must be involved in the development of cancer, and these processes may represent new sources of variation in human response to genotoxic agents.