A New Acceleration Driven Pacemaker: Rate Modulation Versus Normal Sinus Rhythm—Comparison During Treadmill Exercise

The pocing rate response of a new acceleration driven pulse generator (SWING 100, SORIN BIOMEDICA) was compared with simultaneous normal sinus rhythm (NSR) during two different treadmill exercises. This pacemaker has a gravitational acceleration sensor able to discriminate between physical activities and vibrations. Six healthy volunteers (three male, three female; aged 21.7 ± 4,3 years), with the pacemaker strapped to their right infraclavicular area, performed each test three times with different rise response curve (RRC) each time: fast, normal, and slow. The fall response curve used was the same as the rising one during each test. Pacing rates were recorded using the VEGA analyzer (SORIN BIOMEDICA) and compared with simultaneous NSR recorded by a 7-channel ECG recorder (MINGOGRAF 7, SIEMENS), During all tests immediate (within seconds) rapid increase in pacemaker rate was seen up to about 60 seconds, then a slower increase followed thereafter. The mean correlation between pacing rates and NSR during the Bruce tests were 0.7941 ± 0.10, 0.8562 ± 0.14, and 0.8292 ± 0.07; during the discontinous tests 0.7292 ± 0.16, 0.7233 ± 0.10, and 0.7480 ± 0.11 for fast, normal, and slow RRC, respectively. Each 30 seconds, nonsignificant differences were present between pacing rate and NSR during all the discontinuous tests; similar responses were observed only during the first two stages of Bruce tests after which NSR was significantly higher than pacemaker rates. The speed of rise to upper rate was the main difference between the different programs (fast, normal, and slow). The discontinuous tests showed that the pacemaker responds more to speed than to grade. In conclusion, the Swing pacemaker is easy to use and program, fast, reliable, and is able to mimic the normal sinus behavior especially during discontinuous activities.     

米索前列醇用于正常足月妊娠计划分娩临床效果分析

目的:研究米索前列醇促宫颈成熟、诱发临产的效果及用药量。方法:将200例正常足月孕妇随机分为催产素组(对照组)100例和米索前列醇组(观察组)100例。结果:①引产有效率观察组明显高于对照组;②米索前列醇用药1天有效率为91％,用药量为100.54±25.27μg;2天有效率为97％,用药量为108.76±63.53μg;③孕妇产后出血及剖宫产率两组无显著差异;④羊水混浊发生率,观察组高于对照组差异有显著性;新生儿窒息率,两组相同,差异无显著性。结论:米索前列醇促宫颈成熟及诱发临产效果明显好于催产素,用于正常足月妊娠进行计划分娩是一种安全、有效、方便的方法,值得推广。     

Infusion clearance of subcutaneous iothalamate versus standard renal clearance

 Accurate, timed urine collections for the measurement of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) may be impractical in infants or in patients with urological abnormalities. GFR may be measured without urine collection using a constant subcutaneous infusion of iothalamate. We compare the infusion clearance with conventional renal clearance in 14 children and young adults. The mean clearance ratio (infusion clearance/renal clearance ± 1 SD) was 0.99±0.1 and the mean discrepancy between the two methods was 8.5%±4.7%. The 95% limits of agreement for the ratio of the two methods are 0.83–1.23. These data indicate that subcutaneous infusion of iothalamate is a practical method for measuring GFR in children without a urine collection. Received March 18, 1996; received in revised form February 12, 1997; accepted March 26, 1997     

气功对冠心病人CM_5ST段/心率斜率的影响

37名冠心病患者随机分为气功治疗组(22人)和对照组(15人)。气功治疗组接受12周动功治疗,对照组接受安慰剂治疗,治疗前后均测定CM_5 ST段/心率斜率。结果发现动功治疗组CM_5 ST段/心率斜率减少,而对照组不变或增大,两组有显著性差异,ST段下移及常规分级运动试验其它指标在两组间无显著差异。表明CM_5ST段/心率斜率是一个敏感的心肌缺血指标。     

A porcine model for sequential assessments of cerebral haemodynamics and metabolism

We present a physiologically stable porcine model designed for sequential assessments of pharmacological effects on mean hemispheric cerebral blood flow (CBF) and cerebral metabolic rate for oxygen (CMRO2) at sustained normocapnia. The dynamic influence of continuously administered fentanyl (0.040 mg.kg-1.h-1 i.v.), nitrous oxide (70%) and pancuronium (0.30 mg.kg-1.h-1 i.v.) on these variables was studied in eight normoventilated pigs. CBF was reliably assessable at 10-min intervals by clearance of intra-arterially injected 133Xe, monitored by an extracranial scintillation detector. CMRO2 was calculated from CBF and the simultaneously measured cerebral arteriovenous difference in blood oxygen content. The intracerebral distribution of a contrast medium injected into the external and internal carotid arteries was studied by angiography, and the cerebral venous outflow was investigated by measurements of the distribution of an intra-arterially administered non-diffusible tracer, [99mTc]pertechnetate, to the internal and external jugular veins. After a 3-h equilibration period, CBF and CMRO2 were determined on six occasions over a study period lasting 1 h 40 min. The mean ranges of these variables were 56-60 and 1.9-2.0 ml.100 g-1.min-1, respectively. We conclude that the model enables repeated assessments of CBF and CMRO2 under stable physiological background conditions and thus valid cerebral pharmacodynamic investigations of drugs given for anaesthesia.     

Risk factors for Caesarean section in Italy: results of amulticentre study

A recent large increase in Caesarean section (CS) in Italy was the initial stimulus for a study to identify risk factors for CS and, if possible, to suggest strategies to counteract the rise. The study was conducted in three hospitals where a wide range of individual variables was collected from the clinical records and from personal interviews. Crude CS rates and odds ratios were evaluated for each single variable while logistic regression has been used to investigate possible confounding factors. The study involved 1316 consecutive deliveries. Crude CS rates were 29.4%, 15.7% and 16.1%. Variables identified as high risk factors were pre-eclampsia, previous CS, breech and other non-vertex presentations. Antenatal care under an obstetrician working in the same hospital, a low number of antenatal consultations, previous miscarriages, offer (by obstetrician) and request (by women) for CS showed significantly high odds ratios (ORs). Previous live births was strongly negatively associated with CS. No relationship between type of delivery and social status was observed while a physician factor was detected in all three hospitals where rates for different physicians ranged from 0% to 52.8%. Apart from the main medical indications for Caesarean section (previous CS, breech presentation), the results seem to indicate that individual practice style may be an important determinant of the wide variation in the rates of Caesarean delivery. While this may have been suspected before this study, these results are the first hard data to indicate that, in Italy, CS is widely performed for non-medical reasons.     

农村健康保险的精算体系

本文提出了我国农村健康保险的精算体系和测算保险费、管理费、储备金、预防保健费、保险因子、增加系数、医药费及其补偿比的实用方法。     

Sterile surgical technique for shunt placement reduces the shunt infection rate in children: preliminary analysis of a prospective protocol in 115 consecutive procedures

Objective The objective of this study was to evaluate whether the rigid application of a sterile protocol for shunt placement was applicable on a routine basis and allowed the reduction of shunt infections (SI) in children. Materials and methods Since 2001, a rigid sterile protocol for shunt placement in children using neither antibiotic-impregnated catheters nor laminar airflow was prospectively applied at Erasme Hospital, Brussels, Belgium. For assessing the protocol efficacy before continuation, we preliminarily analyzed the results of the first 100 operated children (43 females, 57 males, 49 aged <12 months; 115 consecutive shunt placement/revision procedures). All procedures were performed by the same senior surgeon, one assistant, one circulating nurse, one anesthesiologist. The sterile protocol was rigidly imposed to these four staff members: uniformed surgical technique; limited implant and skin edge manipulation; minimized human circulation in the room; scheduling surgery as first morning operation; avoiding postoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak; double gloving; procedures of less than 30-min duration; systemic antibiotics prophylaxis. We analyzed separately: (1) children carrying an increased risk of SI (n = 38) due to preoperative external ventricular drainage, CSF leak, meningitis, glucocorticoids, chemotherapy; (2) children aged <12 months; (3) procedures for shunt revision. Results Errors in protocol application were recorded in 71/115 procedures. They were mainly done by non-surgical staff, decreased with time and were medically justified in some young children. Surprisingly, no SI occurred (follow-up, 4 to 70 months). One child developed an appendicitis with peritonitis (Streptococcus faecalis) after 6 months. No SI was found. After peritonitis was cured, shunt reinsertion was uneventful. Conclusion These preliminary results suggest that a uniform and drastic sterile surgical technique for shunt placement: (1) can be rigidly applied on a routine basis; (2) can lower the early SI rate below 1%; (3) might have a stronger impact to reduce SI than using antibiotic-impregnated catheters and optimizing the operative environment such as using laminar airflow and reducing the non-surgical staff. This last issue will be evaluated further in the present ongoing protocol.     

应用电泳技术分析飞行员富含三酰甘油脂蛋白亚组分及其代谢特征

目的 分析富含三酰甘油脂蛋白(TRLs)分子组成及其代谢特征.方法应用脂蛋白电泳技术,对30例飞行员空腹和脂肪负荷餐后血浆做脂蛋白分析,以扫描图面积表示各亚组分构成,观察脂蛋白亚组分变化特点.结果 30例飞行员TRLs清除延迟发生率46.67%.TRLs分子脂蛋白亚组分由极低密度脂蛋白(VLDL)、中密度脂蛋白(IDL)、低密度脂蛋白(LDL)、乳糜微粒(CM)和脂蛋白a[LP(a)]组成.TRLs清除延迟典型扫描图特征为LDL左侧区面积增高,呈双峰或多峰.LDL、VLDL区面积增高,伴有高密度脂蛋白(HDL)面积降低.结论 高三酰甘油血症致动脉粥样硬化作用是在代谢水平异常所致的TRLs清除延迟,TRLs清除延迟是核心环节.     

Sarcomas of head and neck — A 10 yrs experience

38 cases of sarcoma of head and neck region were analysed in a retrospective way in relation to age, anatomic location, histological, clinical profile, and surgical approaches. Compared to other types of head and neck neoplasms, such as squamous cell carcinoma, soft tissue sarcomas have low rates of regional metastases. However the biological behaviour of soft tissue sarcoma is more aggressive specially in paediatric age group. In the present series, CT scan was considered as the primary modality of investigation. Surgery generally has been recommended as the primary method of treatment for achieving local control, except in those high-grade tumours arising in sites not amenable to resection. 3-year and 5-year survival rates in this present series 50% and 31.6% respectively.