Characteristics of Acute Asthma Patients Attended Frequently Compared with Those Attended Only Occasionally in an Emergency Department

Asthma patients that depend on emergency department (ED) services are generally considered to have extremely poor disease control and prognosis. It is important to identify characteristics related to poor disease control and frequent visits to the ED to apply appropriate clinical management. This study comprised a cross-sectional survey of consecutive patients with asthma exacerbation (age ≥12 years) presenting at the adult ED of a large, tertiary care, university-affiliated hospital over a 2-month period. The frequent visitors (FV) were defined by ≥3 visits to the ED in the preceding year, and the occasional visitors (OV) by ≤2 visits. Eighty-six patients (61 females and 25 males) were included in the study (mean age 38 ± 18 years). Of these patients, 51.2% were FV and 48.8% were OV. Sixty-nine percent had annual income lower than A$3000 and 66.3% had ≤8 years of the formal education. Only 18.6% had used inhaled corticosteroids, 79.1% identified the asthma attack severity, 70.9% increased or initiated inhaled β-agonist, 20.9% increased or initiated steroid therapy, and 55.8% had an asthma action plan for attack. The number of hospital admissions in past year (OR 4.3, P = .02), use of home nebulizer (OR 3.6, P = .05) and the lack of a written asthma action plan (OR 3.3, P = .03) were independently associated with frequent visits to the ED. We conclude that a substantial proportion of the patients that visit the ED are FV. These patients are more likely to have hospital admission in the past year, to use a home nebulizer, and to lack a written asthma action plan. They should be considered the most important target for asthma education.     

National intercomparisons of I radioactivity measurements in nuclear medicine centres in India

National intercomparisons of activity measurements of ¹³¹I, a radioisotope widely used for diagnosis and therapy of thyroid related ailments, were initiated in 1979 as a quality assurance program, towards improving radiation safety procedures and related dosimetry in Nuclear Medicine Centres (NMCs) in India. Oral administration of a known quantity of radioiodine to patients requires accurate radioactivity measurements to be performed on a well-calibrated isotope calibrators. Under or over estimation of the activity due to a faulty or uncalibrated isotope calibrator could provide misleading results. Calibration of isotope calibrators and the traceablity of subsequent measurements to the national standards laboratory is one of the essential basic radiation safety requirement of the IAEA. In view of the stringent quality assurance requirements for activity measurements imposed by Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, a National Intercomparison Program was initiated and to date ten such intercomparison programs have been conducted by the Radiation Safety Systems Division, of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre. This program has benefited the participants by making their measurements traceable to the National Primary Standards. Over the years there has been a marked increase in the number of NMCs participating in the intercomparison programs. As a result, the number of institution showing large deviation from the correct value has decreased considerably over the years. This program thus, has enabled participating NMCs to check their isotope calibrators so as to ensure proper delivery of radiation dose to the patients and hence to optimise patient exposure.     

中西医联合治疗单纯疱疹性角膜炎的疗效观察

目的 :探讨单纯疱疹性角膜炎是中西医联合用药的治疗方法。方法 :本组 10 0例 ( 10 6只眼 )单纯疱疹性角膜炎患者应用抗病毒药物联合清热解毒中药的疗效观察。结果 :本组病例治疗后总有效率 82 .0 8%。结论 :中西医联合治疗措施是我们对单纯疱疹性角膜炎治疗的一项新的探讨。     

多站点综合性毕业考试的改革与实践

我校改革临床医学专业毕业考试模式与方法，在临床实习过程中组织多站点综合性考试，采用闭卷笔试方法考核临床理论知识，占70％；采用实践操作与现场口试方法考核临床技能及相关知识，占20％；采用开卷笔试方法考核医疗文书书写，占10％。实践证明，此项改革能促进医学生端正实习态度，调动实习的积极性与主动性，引导医学生在实习中重视理论学习与临床实践的密切结合，促进临床教学质量的提高。     

深化医学教学改革为社区培养实用型医学人才的实践

为适应医学模式的转变，实现“人人享有卫生保健“的全球战略目标，培养和建设一支满足社区卫生服务急需的实用型医学人才。文章介绍了我院在深化医学教学改革过程中，采用多种综合性措施强化在校临床医学专业本科生的全科医学知识教育，为其将来从事社区卫生服务奠定基础。为满足当前我国社区卫生服务工作对实用型医学人才的急需，对于主要面向基层培养高级医学人才的地方性普通高等医学院校，应对在校学生提前有机地增加和融入社区全科医学知识教育，这有利于强化和巩固医学生的社区卫生服务观念和综合素质。     

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.     

复方麝香注射液联合脑血肿引流术治疗中老年高血压脑出血疗效观察及费用对比

目的:探讨复方麝香注射液联合微创手术治疗中老年高血压脑出血的临床疗效.方法:将78例接受微创治疗的患者随机分组,两组均采用内科综合治疗.手术对照组在综合治疗基础上加用微创手术进行脑血肿引流;中西医结合组在微创手术治疗后加用复方麝香注射液(10～20 ml/d)静脉滴注1周.结果:中西医结合组显效率(66.67%)、有效率(82.05%)均明显高于手术对照组(46.15%和69.23%,P均<0.05),存活患者日常生活能力也明显优于手术对照组(P<0.05),意识恢复时间明显短于手术对照组(P<0.05),并发症的发生率(15.38%)明显低于手术对照组(38.46%,P<0.01),病死率(5.13%)明显低于手术对照组(10.26%,P<0.01),平均住院天数[(18.29±4.93)d]明显少于手术对照组[(26.23±5.82)d,P<0.05],平均住院费用[(5 916.23±826.39)元]明显少于手术对照组[(8 168.35±1 021.21)元,P<0.05].结论:脑血肿引流术后加用复方麝香注射液治疗中老年高血压脑出血,可降低病死率,减少并发症,降低病残程度,提高生存患者的生活质量,缩短住院时间,降低治疗费用.     

中西医结合治疗坏死性筋膜炎

本文积累了１９８１～１９９４年近十余年的临床资料，总结了中西医结合治疗坏死性筋膜炎的临床治疗经验。指出坏死性筋膜炎是一种少见的严重的软组织感染，发展迅速，病死率高，应引起临床医生的高度警惕，做出早期诊断是非常必要的。提出了扶正祛邪的中西医结合的整体治疗方案，全身治疗与局部处理相结合。对患处要采取早期，这时的多切口引流，给＂邪＂以出路。取得良好的疗效。