Lung Transplant Recipients Holding Companion Animals: Impact on Physical Health and Quality of Life

Since lung transplant recipients are susceptible to infections and inhaled pollution, many centers warn against pets. However, data supporting this recommendation are lacking. Our program is less restrictive regarding pets. This study, for the first time, investigates the association of pets with physiological and psychological parameters in these patients. A questionnaire concerning pets was sent to 104 lung transplant recipients. Lung function tests, levels of exhaled nitric oxide (FE(NO)), need for antibiotic treatments and hospitalizations, creatinine clearance, body mass index (BMI) and demographic data were assessed. Additionally, the questionnaire of life satisfaction (FLZ), a question on summarized life satisfaction (LS), the life orientation test (LOT), the hospital anxiety depression scale (HADS) and the social support questionnaire (F-SozU) were assessed. Response rate was 86%. Fifty-two percent defined themselves as pet owners, whereas 48% did not. The two groups did not differ in demographic or physiological data. Significant differences in FLZ (79/65, p = 0.04), in LS (4.3/3.9, p = 0.01), LOT (32/29, p = 0.006) and F-SozU (4.5/4.2, p = 0.04) were found in favor of pet owners. In lung transplant recipients keeping pets the frequency of somatic complications is not higher compared to lung transplant recipients without pets. After lung transplantation, pets are associated with a better quality of life.     

颈部软组织状态对颈源性高血压影响的随机对照研究

目的探讨颈部软组织状态的改变对颈源性高血压的影响.方法采用分层区组随机分组方法.治疗组107例,男32例,女75例;年龄40～69岁,平均56.89岁.对照组109例,男28例,女81例;年龄44～73岁,平均56.36岁.治疗组使用温热理疗床,以温热理疗头自受试者颈根部至脊椎T2部位沿两侧颈肌进行连续的上、下滚动按摩10 min;对照组使用场效应治疗仪与无针针灸按摩仪在肾俞、风池、曲池、外关、阳陵泉等穴位进行治疗.两组均为每日治疗1次,连续7 d为1个疗程,共治疗8个疗程.结果治疗后,两组血压均无明显改变;两组颈部软组织压痛、颈部活动度及临床症状均有改善(P＜0.05),且治疗组疗效优于对照组.结论单纯改变颈部软组织状态不足以对高血压产生直接的治疗作用,但对患者临床症状具有一定的改善作用.     

理疗床和手法治疗肩关节周围炎的随机对照临床观察

目的评价两种不同方法治疗肩关节周围炎的临床疗效.方法采用随机数字表将患者随机分为治疗组和对照组.治疗组36例,男8例,女28例,年龄45～64岁;对照组36例,男15例,女21例,年龄45～62岁.治疗组采用温热理疗床治疗4周.对照组采用推拿按摩手法治疗4周.分别在筛选期(治疗前)及治疗后14、28 d(治疗结束时)各观察记录1次,对比两组肩部疼痛症状、肩关节功能及症状疗效的改善.结果两组治疗前后各观察指标比较,肩部疼痛症状明显改善(P＜0.05);肩关节上举外展、外旋、后伸内旋活动角度均有明显增大(P＜0.05).治疗结果显示治疗组显效4例,有效25例,无效7例;对照组痊愈12例,显效13例,有效7例,无效4例.两组疗效比较差异有统计学意义(P＜0.05),对照组优于治疗组.结论理疗床和手法对肩关节周围炎引起的一系列临床症状及功能障碍均具有一定程度的改善效果.     

Whole-heart cine MRI using real-time respiratory self-gating.

Two-dimensional (2D) breath-hold cine MRI is used to assess cardiac anatomy and function. However, this technique requires cooperation from the patient, and in some cases the scan planning is complicated. Isotropic nonangulated three-dimensional (3D) cardiac MR can overcome some of these problems because it requires minimal planning and can be reformatted in any plane. However, current methods, even those that use undersampling techniques, involve breath-holding for periods that are too long for many patients. Free-breathing respiratory gating sequences represent a possible solution for realizing 3D cine imaging. A real-time respiratory self-gating technique for whole-heart cine MRI is presented. The technique enables assessment of cardiac anatomy and function with minimum planning or patient cooperation. Nonangulated isotropic 3D data were acquired from five healthy volunteers and then reformatted into 2D clinical views. The respiratory self-gating technique is shown to improve image quality in free-breathing scanning. In addition, ventricular volumetric data obtained using the 3D approach were comparable to those acquired with the conventional multislice 2D approach.     

Factors associated with quality of life in Menière's disease

The aim of this study was to identify the factors associated with better or worse quality of life in a sample of people with Menière's disease drawn from a UK self‐help group (the Menière's Society) and to assess the forms of support on which the respondents could draw. A postal survey was sent to 1000 randomly selected group members, containing validated questionnaires assessing: (1) quality of life (the Short Form 36 (SF‐36)); (2) factors that might predict quality of life; and (3) usage of resources provided to members by the Menière's Society. A total of 509 members completed the main survey, and 370 the second part of the survey. Factors associated with a less good quality of life included more severe vertigo, pressure in the ear, hearing loss and tinnitus, being younger, being female, living alone, having a lower occupational status and believing that the attitude of the consultant is unhelpful. Levels of vertigo severity in this sample were similar to those found in hospital samples, but it is possible that these respondents may differ in other respects from patients who do not join a self‐help group.     

物理疗法治疗慢性疲劳综合征的临床观察

目的:观察与评价两种物理疗法对慢性疲劳综合征的临床疗效。方法:应用随机数字表,随机分为治疗组和对照组。治疗组36例,男12例,女24例;年龄27~65岁,平均50.80岁。对照组36例,男19例,女17例;年龄23~60岁,平均41.37岁。治疗组采用温热理疗床治疗6周。对照组采用腹部推拿手法治疗6周。观察并对比两组治疗前后记忆力或注意力下降,咽痛,颈部僵直或腋下淋巴结肿大、触痛,肌肉疼痛,多发性关节疼痛,反复头痛,睡眠紊乱,劳累后肌痛等症状体征的变化。结果:两组治疗后症状体征积分变化均有统计学意义(P<0.05);两组间疗效变化有统计学意义(P<0.05),对照组优于治疗组。结论:物理疗法对慢性疲劳综合征引起的一系列临床症状及体征具有一定程度的改善效果。     

Participation in patient self‐management programs

Objective

Participation in evidenced‐based arthritis self‐management programs (SMPs) has not been well documented. The purpose of this study was to investigate the participation rate and participant characteristics in a closed cohort of subjects in a geographic region where arthritis SMPs have been offered multiple times and continuously for 2 decades.

Methods

Data were from osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis subjects participating in the Arthritis, Rheumatism, and Aging Medical Information System (ARAMIS) who resided in the San Francisco (SF) Bay area who had responded to questions about ever participating in an SMP. Differences between participants and nonparticipants were examined by t‐tests and chi‐square tests.

Results

Questions added to the Health Assessment Questionnaire were returned by 1,176 patients; 618 resided in the SF Bay area. Of the SF Bay area sample, 41.9% had participated in an SMP. Small group SMPs, which had been offered multiple times, in diverse settings, continuously over the past 2 decades, were attended by the highest proportion (28%) of participants. Characteristics of participants and nonparticipants in the SF Bay area were similar (～70 years old, 15 years of education, and the majority had OA [～72%]). However, a higher proportion of participants were white (88% versus 82%; P = 0.046) and female (82% versus 73%; P < 0.05).

Conclusion

When arthritis SMPs were offered multiple times in diverse settings and continuously over many years, >40% of the cohort was reached. More research is needed with larger samples and different geographic regions to identify participation rates in more diverse populations.     

中国内地城市和香港9～18岁学生心肺耐力及肌肉素质的比较研究

为了比较中国内地城市和香港青少年儿童的心肺耐力和肌肉素质，对两地的青少年儿童体质调查数据进行了比较研究。结果发现：内地各年龄组男女生的心肺耐力均优于香港同龄者；香港青少年儿童的肌肉素质除立定跳远外，其他项目的成绩均弱于内地青少年儿童。提示：随着生活水平的提高，应重视青少年儿童对体育活动的参与。     

Unemployment and health impairments: Longitudinal analyses for the Federal Republic of Germany

In recent years many studies of unemployment and health haveshown that unemployed persons are in poorer health. However,one question remained unanswered: is the poorer health of theunemployed caused by unemployment Itself (causation hypotheses)or is it a result of selection processes, whereby people inpoor health are more likely to lose their job and less likelyto be re-employed (selection hypothesis)? Findings from a studybased on the longitudinal data of the German Socio-economicPanel (1984–1988, N=5, 516 persons, 18–64 years)are presented. All health indicators (health satisfaction, chronicillness, handicaps in fulfilling daily life tasks, disability)showed poorer outcomes for the unemployed persons, even aftercontrolling for the possible confounding effects of sodo-demographicvariables. Unemployed persons also consulted a physician morefrequently and were hospitalized more often. But longitudinalanalyses (of becoming unemployed and of re-employment) did notlend much support to the causation hypothesis. Instead, a constantlevel of health satisfaction for persons losing their job andfor the re-employed compared to their initial ratings supportedthe selection hypotheses. This means that in the Federal Republicof Germany persons in poorer health are more likely to losetheir jobs and persons in better health are more likely to bere-employed.     

肾综合征出血热病毒气溶胶的物理稳定性实验研究

本文采用荧光素钠正常鼠脑悬液做模拟示踪物质，对肾综合征出血热病毒气溶胶在空气中的物理稳定性进行了测定，并与其生物稳定性做了比较。结果表明：病毒气溶胶的粒子大小在１ｕｍ左右，它随气溶胶的胶龄增长而减少，且其分散度变窄。初始气溶胶的物理回收率及其各胶龄的物理存留率均明显地高于它的生物回收率和生物存活率。本文还就肾综合征出血热病毒气溶胶的物理稳定性和生物稳定性，对本病空气传播的影响进行了讨论。