Sustained Viral Response Is Rarely Achieved in Patients with High Viral Load of HCV RNA by Excessive Interferon Therapy

Adequate dosing of interferon (IFN) and its cost-effectiveness for sustained virological response were evaluated in relation to viral load and subtype. Prospective analysis of IFN therapy on 326 patients with chronic hepatitis C free from cirrhosis was performed using 9 or 6 million unit (MU) of IFN for six months daily and/or three times a week. Sustained virological response was achieved in 50–94% of patients with 2 × 10⁴ copies/ml (competitive RT-PCR) or <100 × 10³ copies/ml (Amplicor monitor) of HCV RNA by 468–1206 MU of IFN, but response was only 0–25% of the patients with 2 × 10^5.5 copies/ml (competitive RT-PCR) or >200 × 10³ copies/ml (Amplicor monitor), even with 468–1206 MU of IFN. A high sustained rate was demonstrated in patients with 100–200 × 10³ copies/ml of HCV RNA by 901–1206 MU of IFN, in comparison to that with 900 MU of IFN. Multivariate analysis showed that IFN dose had a significant value for the efficacy of IFN therapy in patients presenting 100–200 × 10³ copies/ml of HCV RNA. Cost efficacy analysis indicated that it cost approximately $10,000, $26,000, and $50,000–227,000 for one person-viral eradication in the patients with <100, 100–200, and >200 × 10³ copies/ml, respectively. High-dose IFN is only cost effective in patients with intermediate viral loads, and IFN therapy could be recommended in patients with <200 × 10³ copies/ml of HCV RNA.     

心电监护仪智能化质控平台的研究

目的:设计一个对心电监护仪的质控管理平台,使检测人员能迅速、客观评判监护仪的质量控制结果并实现质控工作全流程的监控和记录.方法:通过对现行心电监护仪质量控制方法的深入研究,利用现有检测设备,采用数据库技术和基于神经网络的数字识别技术完成质控平台的设计.结果:该平台能够实现对心电监护仪质控数据的智能采集、识别、数据分析以及统计和评判工作.结论:该平台的应用将大大推动军队医院质控工作朝着准确、高效和客观的方向发展,增强心电监护仪的质控管理力度,提高医疗服务水平.     

多参数监护仪的质控检测初探

目的通过对多参数监护仪的质控工作,掌握在用多参数监护仪的性能现状,提高其使用的安全性和准确性。方法心脏重症监护病房（CCU）的24台某品牌多参数监护仪。采用Fluke专业的质控设备对多参数监护仪的电气安全、心电、血氧、血压、呼吸等进行检测。结果一次合格率为75％,二次合格率为95．8％,其中心率检测有3台不合格,无创血压检测有2台不合格．血氧饱和度检测有2台不合格：不合格主要原因是心电导联线、袖带、血氧探头的老化。结论加强医疗设备的质量控制关系重大．要制定合理的质控方案,确保医疗设备的安全性和准确性。     

湖北省2005~2019年肾综合征出血热监测结果分析

目的分析2005~2019年湖北省肾综合征出血热(HFRS)疫情流行特征,为制定预防控制措施提供科学依据。方法收集2005~2019年湖北省HFRS的疫情资料和鼠监测资料,开展描述性分析和相关分析。结果湖北省2005~2019年HFRS年平均发病率为0.56/10万,发病高峰为每年5~7月、11月至次年1月,2016年以后病例数上升明显,病例以男性、农民为主,35~69岁人群占79.93%,其中60岁及以上的占27.75%(1354/4879)。2019年湖北省HFRS发病率居前五位的地市为潜江市(6.21/10万)、天门市(4.01/10万)、荆州市(3.01/10万)、仙桃市(2.28/10万)和荆门市(2.04/10万)。发病率和鼠密度呈正相关(r_s=0.57,P<0.05)。结论近年来湖北省HFRS疫情有所回升,应重点关注潜江市、天门市和荆州市等江汉平原地区和60岁及以上人群,开展"监测、健教、灭鼠、免疫"并重的综合性防控措施。     

The impact of intracranial pressure monitoring on mortality after severe traumatic brain injury

Background

The effect of intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring on mortality after severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI) remains unclear. We hypothesized that ICP monitoring would not be associated with improved survival in patients with sTBI.

Methods

A retrospective analysis was performed on sTBI patients, defined as admission Glasgow Coma Scale score of 8 or less with intracranial hemorrhage. Patients who underwent ICP monitoring were compared with patients who did not. The primary outcome measure was inhospital mortality.

Results

Of 123 sTBI patients meeting inclusion criteria, 40 (32.5%) underwent ICP monitoring. On bivariate and multivariate regression analyses, ICP monitoring was associated with decreased mortality (odds ratio = .32, 95% confidence interval = .10 to .99, P = .049). This finding persisted on propensity-adjusted analysis.

Conclusions

ICP monitoring is associated with improved survival in adult patients with sTBI. In addition, significant variability exists in the use of ICP monitoring among patients with sTBI.     

The quest for accuracy of blood pressure measuring devices

The accuracy of blood pressure (BP) measuring devices is fundamental to good practice and scientific research. International guidelines on BP measurement are provided for clinicians who diagnose and treat patients with hypertension, clinical researchers who conduct trials on the efficacy of BP lowering drugs and interventional strategies, epidemiologists who conduct population surveys to determine the demographic consequences of hypertension on society, and researchers who perform meta‐analyses on published research to further influence the practice of medicine and the provision of resources. Although the outcomes of the endeavors of all these groups are dependent on the accuracy of BP measurements, the equipment is often of doubtful accuracy and the methodology of measurement is often poorly described and frequently not standardized. Thus, the fundamental element of hypertension evaluation has been largely ignored by both clinical practitioners and scientific researchers. Here, the authors briefly review the development of efforts to improve and validate the accuracy of BP measuring devices and highlight the deficiencies that persist. We conclude that, to protect the public from the serious consequences of inaccurate BP measurements, the following steps are required: (1) regulatory requirement for mandatory independent validation of all BP measuring devices using a universal protocol; (2) accreditation of laboratories for the performance of BP device validations; (3) online evaluation of validation studies with detection of protocol violations prior to publication of results; and (4) establishment of an independent scientific forum for the listing of accurate BP measuring devices.     

江苏省镇江市肺结核患者电子药盒管理模式评估

目的 分析电子药盒在镇江市肺结核患者管理的应用情况,为全市推广使用提供借鉴。方法 以2017年10月1日—12月30日确诊并符合条件患者为研究对象,分析不同特征患者强化期末和疗程结束时服药依从性变化、停止使用电子药盒原因;对医务人员使用电子药盒的满意度和接受度进行问卷调查。结果 使用电子药盒管理的患者中,初治患者2月末及疗程结束时规则服药率均显著高于复治患者(P <0.05);每日服药时间相同或接近患者治疗2月末规则服药率显著高于每日服药时间不同患者(P <0.05);强化期规则服药的患者全疗程规则服药率显著高于强化期规则服药较差患者(P <0.05);≥60岁患者全疗程停止使用电子药盒比例显著高于其他年龄段(P =0.04);93.8%的医务人员认为电子药盒对提醒患者服药/复诊有帮助。结论 电子药盒具有一定推广价值,但在使用中需关注患者每日服药时间及强化期规则服药情况,同时加强对复治患者及低年龄组随访管理。     

Asian management of hypertension: Current status,home blood pressure,and specific concerns in Korea

Hypertension is present in almost one‐quarter of women and one‐third of men in Korea. Although mortality rates from stroke and myocardial infarction (MI) appear to be decreasing, stroke is a more common cause of cardiovascular death than MI. This may be due to better control of hypertension, but national control rates have remained stable for more than a decade (at about 45%). Korean Society of Hypertension guidelines have recommended the use of home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM) since 2007, but a recent survey suggests that physicians have concerns about the accuracy of HBPM devices. Nevertheless, use of HBPM is indispensable to monitoring and achieving blood pressure (BP) control. Current diagnostic and treatment thresholds and recommendations are based on Asian consensus document guidance. Use of dual combination antihypertensive therapy is slightly more common than use of monotherapy in Korea, while triple combination therapy is used less often. Angiotensin receptor blockers and calcium channel blockers are the most popular choices for antihypertensive therapy and are the most widely used combination. HBPM plays an important role in evaluating and monitoring BP, particularly in Asians. Individualized cardiovascular risk assessment and better BP control are required to prevent cardiovascular diseases, but there is a need for local evidence relating to optimal BP thresholds and targets.     

D-dimer relates positively with increased blood pressure in black South Africans: The SABPA study

Introduction

Hypertension is highly prevalent in black South Africans in which morbidity and mortality from stroke are on the increase. Elevated blood pressure and haemostatic markers can induce changes in blood rheology and endothelial function which could result in a procoagulant state that increases the risk for cerebrovascular disease. Information about the coagulation and fibrinolytic systems of people from African descent are limited. We therefore, investigated the haemostatic profile and its relationships with blood pressure in black South Africans.

Materials and methods

We measured ambulatory blood pressure and haemostatic markers of 201 black and 208 white school teachers. The haemostatic markers included measurements representing coagulation and fibrinolysis (von Willebrand factor, fibrinogen, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, fibrin D-dimer and clot lysis time).

Results

Black participants displayed significantly higher blood pressure, von Willebrand factor, fibrinogen, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 and D-dimer levels and longer clot lysis times (p ≤ 0.001). Single, partial and multiple regression analyses showed that systolic (p ≤ 0.011) and diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.010) correlated positively with D-dimer in black participants, while systolic (p ≤ 0.001) and daytime diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.011) correlated negatively with clot lysis time in white participants.

Conclusion

The black population had a more prothrombotic profile, with higher levels of coagulation markers and inhibited fibrinolysis, than the white study participants. The positive association between blood pressure and elevated D-dimer in the blacks may contribute to the high prevalence of hypertension and related increased cardiovascular and cerebrovascular risk in this group.