Improving Prenatal Diagnosis of Coarctation of the Aorta

Background

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the association between fetal echocardiographic measurements and the need for intervention (primary coarctation repair, staged coarctation repair, or catheter intervention) in prenatally diagnosed coarctation of the aorta.

Treatment sequence network meta-analysis in Crohn’s disease: a methodological case study

Objective: Several biologic therapies are available for the treatment of mild-to-moderate Crohn’s disease (CD). This network meta-analysis (NMA) aimed to assess the comparative efficacy of ustekinumab, adalimumab, vedolizumab and infliximab in the maintenance of clinical response and remission after 1?year of treatment.

Methods: A systematic literature search was performed to identify relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Key outcomes of interest were clinical response (CD activity index [CDAI] reduction of 100 points; CDAI-100) and remission (CDAI score under 150 points; CDAI < 150). A treatment sequence Bayesian NMA was conducted to account for the re-randomization of patients based on different clinical definitions, the lack of similarity of the common comparator for each trial and the full treatment pathway from the induction phase onwards.

Results: Thirteen RCTs were identified. Ustekinumab 90?mg q8w was associated with statistically significant improvement in clinical response relative to placebo and vedolizumab 300?mg. For clinical remission, ustekinumab 90?mg q8w was associated with statistically significant improvement relative to placebo and vedolizumab 300?mg q8w. Findings from sub-population analyses had similar results but were not statistically significant.

Conclusions: The NMA suggest that ustekinumab is associated with the highest likelihood of reaching response or remission at 1?year compared with placebo, adalimumab and vedolizumab. Results should be interpreted with caution because this is a novel methodology; however, the treatment sequence analysis may be the most methodologically sound analysis to derive estimates of comparative efficacy in CD in the absence of head-to-head evidence.     

Older age is an adverse prognostic factor in stage I, favorable histology Wilms' tumor treated with vincristine monochemotherapy: a study by the United Kingdom Children's Cancer Study Group, Wilm's Tumor Working Group.

PURPOSE: To identify clinical prognostic factors in children with stage I, favorable histology (FH) Wilms' tumor treated with vincristine monochemotherapy after immediate nephrectomy to define subgroups for consideration of further reduction in treatment intensity. PATIENTS AND METHODS: During two consecutive trials of the United Kingdom Children's Cancer Study Group (UKW2 and UKW3, 1986 to 2001), 242 children with stage I FH Wilms' tumor were treated with immediate nephrectomy followed by 10 weekly injections of vincristine 1.5 mg/m2. Event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) were compared by age group. RESULTS: The 4-year EFS rate was 93.2%, 87.2%, and 71.3% for children less than 2 years old, 2 to 4 years old, and 4 years old or older at diagnosis, respectively (log-rank, P =.001); the corresponding 4-year OS rate was 98.1%, 95.0%, and 87.2% (log-rank, P =.01). There were no toxicity- or procedure-related deaths. In multivariate analysis, specimen weight was not of independent prognostic value (P =.66). Among the 186 children younger than 4 years at diagnosis, there were 17 relapses and five deaths, compared with 16 relapses and eight deaths among the 56 children at least 4 years old at diagnosis. OS after relapse was surprisingly poor (61.6% at 4 years). CONCLUSION: Treatment for stage I FH Wilms' tumor is generally successful using vincristine monotherapy after immediate nephrectomy, and therefore, the risks of dactinomycin hepatopathy can be avoided. However, age at least 4 years is a significant adverse prognostic factor. This treatment schedule should be considered in any trial of treatment reduction in very young children with stage I FH Wilms' tumor, regardless of tumor size, and we suggest that the upper age limit for the reduced therapy be set at 4 years.     

Multiple dimensions of caring for a patient with acute necrotizing fasciitis.

Critical care nurses within acute care settings are responsible for providing healthcare to a wide variety of patients and, consequently, knowledge regarding how to care for a patient with acute necrotizing fasciitis is imperative. A case study is presented to evidence the need for a multidisciplinary approach. Necrotizing fasciitis is defined and treatment options are presented. Caring for this patient is very challenging and demands a multidisciplinary team to coordinate all aspects of care to promote better patient outcomes.     

Measurements of Blood Pressure, Oedema and Proteinuria in a Pregnant Population of New Zealand

Summary: This is the first report of the largest study of blood pressure measurement in pregnancy in a New Zealand population using standardized definitions and methodology. Over 3,800 women who delivered in an 8-month period in the Wellington region were included in the study. Blood pressure measurement and the presence of oedema and proteinuria were recorded from booking until delivery and in the puerperium. Only 2.7% of women were unable to be contacted after delivery for details on outcomes. The results established normal ranges for blood pressure throughout pregnancy. The data show that Mood pressure greater than 140/90 until 35 weeks' gestation is outside 2 standard deviations at all gestations and justifies using these measurements as the definition of hypertension in pregnancy. The fall in blood pressure in the 2nd trimester was less than 1 mm Ffg per week in both the systolic and diastolic pressures. This fall was smaller than previously recorded in other studies. Gestational hypertension was the commonest blood pressure abnormality occurring in 15.2% of the population. This represented 69% of the pregnant women with a hypertensive disorder. The overall incidence of both gestational hypertension and preeclampsia was 18.5% which is higher than reported in other parts of the world. In this study obesity was significantly associated with hypertensive disorders in pregnancy. An arm circumference of >33 cm, one of the measurements of obesity, was found in 6.8% of the study population. Even after the effect of arm circumference was taken into account, hypertensive disorders were also more common in Pacific Island women. Ankle oedema was significantly associated with the development of both gestational hypertension and preeclampsia but the incidence of oedema was noted in only 11.9% of the subjects.     

Statistical analysis of clinical, radiographic, and histologic features of temporomandibular arthropathy

For a variety of reasons, the past few years have brought about a tremendous emphasis on conditions affecting the temporomandibular joint and associated structures. Although important advances are being made relative to the diagnosis and treatment of these conditions, a myriad of problems remain for the practitioner who tries to sort through the literature or who attends courses in order to determine a means for properly diagnosing and treating these patients. This article attempts to develop correlations between certain clinical and radiographic findings documented by histologic evaluation as a beginning guide to more sound diagnosis.     

Are hospitals prepared to support newborn survival? – an evaluation of eight first‐referral level hospitals in Kenya*

Objective To assess the availability of resources that support the provision of basic neonatal care in eight first‐referral level (district) hospitals in Kenya. Methods We selected two hospitals each from four of Kenya’s eight provinces with the aim of representing the diversity of this part of the health system in Kenya. We created a checklist of 53 indicator items necessary for providing essential basic care to newborns and assessed their availability at each of the eight hospitals by direct observation, and then compared our observations with the opinions of health workers providing care to newborns on recent availability for some items, using a self‐administered structured questionnaire. Results The hospitals surveyed were often unable to maintain a safe hygienic environment for patients and health care workers; staffing was insufficient and sometimes poorly organised to support the provision of care; some key equipment, laboratory tests, drugs and consumables were not available while patient management guidelines were missing in all sites. Conclusion Hospitals appear relatively poorly prepared to fill their proposed role in ensuring newborn survival. More effective interventions are needed to improve them to meet the special needs of this at‐risk group.     

Perfusion imaging

The term perfusion has varied connotations in different situations. The word perfusion comes from the Latin to pour or diffuse through or over. Myocardial perfusion depends on (a) coronary artery or vessel flow, and (b) myocardial or muscle flow. The factors which determine perfusion at rest and during stress in coronary vessels and within the myocardium are clearly related but not with a predictable linear relationship. In animals there is extensive literature concerning the regulation of coronary flow and perfusion obtained by many sophisticated methods. In contrast, the techniques that are applicable to humans are relatively crude. To date, the clinical data available suggests that the normal control of coronary flow in man and in dogs is fairly similar but that models of pathology in animals bear little relation to the compensatory changes found in the coronary circulation in man. Although the data available is limited and subject to many technical inaccuracies, this article is confined to the assessment of myocardial perfusion in clinical practice.