12-year survival analysis of 322 Hintegra total ankle arthroplasties from an independent center

Background and purpose — Total ankle arthroplasties (TAAs) have larger revision rates than hip and knee implants. We examined the survival rates of our primary TAAs, and what different factors, including the cause of arthritis, affect the success and/or revision rate.Patients and methods — From 2004 to 2016, 322 primary Hintegra TAAs were implanted: the 2nd generation implant from 2004 until mid-2007 and the 3rd generation from late 2007 to 2016. A Cox proportional hazards model evaluated sex, age, primary diagnosis, and implant generation, pre- and postoperative angles and implant position as risk factors for revision.Results — 60 implants (19%) were revised, the majority (n = 34) due to loosening. The 5-year survival rate (95% CI) was 75% (69–82) and the 10-year survival rate was 68% (60–77). There was a reduced risk of revision, per degree of increased postoperative medial distal tibial angle at 0.84 (0.72–0.98) and preoperative talus angle at 0.95 (0.90–1.00), indicating that varus ankles may have a larger revision rate. Generation of implant, sex, primary diagnosis, and most pre- and postoperative radiological angles did not statistically affect revision risk.Interpretation — Our revision rates are slightly above registry rates and well above those of the developer. Most were revised due to loosening; no difference was demonstrated with the 2 generations of implant used. Learning curve and a low threshold for revision could explain the high revision rate.

Arthritis in the ankle often develops earlier than in the hip or knee, and 70% have a traumatic etiology (Saltzman et al. 2005, Brown et al. 2006). Total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) can be indicated for severe arthritis in the ankle joint, but the anatomical preconditions, like a small surface area and high stress from compression and torque (Bouguecha et al. 2011, Kakkar and Siddique 2011), makes it less durable than hip and knee prosthetics. The Hintegra TAA, a 3-component mobile bearing, uncemented implant (Hintermann et al. 2004) is widely used and results from the development center demonstrate survival rates of 94% and 84% after 5 and 10 years’ follow-up (Barg et al. 2013). This is considerably more than the survival rates from national registries. Labek et al. (2011) demonstrated that development centers report only half of the revision rate that can be found in the few existing national registers. In a systematic review of primary Agility total ankle arthroplasty (DePuy Synthes Orthopedics, Warsaw, IN, USA), the author (Roukis 2012) found that the incidence of complications increased from 7% to 12%, in studies where the inventor was excluded. Similar results were found by Prissel and Roukis (2013), who found an increased incidence of complications from 6% to 13% in studies where the inventor or faculty consultants were excluded. These studies indicated the risk of selection (inventor) and publication (conflict of interest) bias.Planning and surgical technique, including significant experience, are mandatory for a successful outcome. The better result from development centers may reflect, besides the above-mentioned bias, that there is a long learning curve and that the indication for revision surgery varies.We examined the survival rates of primary Hintegra TAAs performed at Hvidovre Hospital, with revision rate as outcome. We report primary diagnosis for primary TAA and examine whether sex, generation of the implant, preoperative angles and implant position affect the revision rate.     

Just-in-Time Evidence-Based E-mail “Reminders” in Home Health Care: Impact on Patient Outcomes

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact and cost-effectiveness of two information-based provider reminder interventions designed to improve self-care management and outcomes of heart failure (HF) patients. DATA SOURCES/STUDY SETTING: Interview and agency administrative data on 628 home care patients with a primary diagnosis of HF. STUDY DESIGN: Patients were treated by nurses randomly assigned to usual care or one of two intervention groups. The basic intervention was an e-mail to the patient's nurse highlighting six HF-specific clinical recommendations. The augmented intervention supplemented the initial nurse reminder with additional clinician and patient resources. DATA COLLECTION: Patient interviews were conducted 45 days post admission to measure self-management behaviors, HF-specific outcomes (Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire-KCCQ), health-related quality of life (EuroQoL), and service use. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Both interventions improved the mean KCCQ summary score (15.3 and 12.9 percent, respectively) relative to usual care (p< or =.05). The basic intervention also yielded a higher EuroQoL score relative to usual care (p< or =.05). In addition, the interventions had a positive impact on medication knowledge, diet, and weight monitoring. The basic intervention was more cost-effective than the augmented intervention in improving clinical outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the positive impact of targeting evidence-based computer reminders to home health nurses to improve patient self-care behaviors, knowledge, and clinical outcomes. It also advances the field's limited understanding of the cost-effectiveness of selected strategies for translating research into practice.     

推动医疗改革应制定分区医疗系统战略

医疗改革是一个世界性难题，各国在医疗改革中都会遇到各自相关的问题。改革艰巨，但并不是不可能完成，本文作者认为，通过关注以分区的方式提供医疗服务可以让医疗改革取得实效。本文从划定分区边界的方式出发，介绍了制定分区医疗战略的五个步骤，并讨论了各医疗系统成功实施各自战略所需采取的措施，这也可以为我国正在推行的医疗改革提供一定的借鉴和参考。     

Americans' Awareness, Knowledge, and Behaviors Regarding Fats: 2006-2007

In recent years, epidemiologic and clinical studies, public and regulatory policy activity, and media coverage have focused on issues related to trans fats. To help increase awareness and understanding of trans fats and other fats, the American Heart Association (AHA) launched the “Face the Fats” national consumer education campaign in April 2007. The AHA commissioned a quantitative tracking survey between 2006 and 2007 to measure changes in consumer awareness, knowledge, and behaviors related fats and oils and their perceived impact on heart disease. The survey was conducted by Cogent Research. Data were collected during March 2006 and May 2007. At both time points, the survey included a representative sample of the American population age 18 to 65 years (n=1,000). The sampling plan for the survey was designed based on the 2000 and 2003 US Census. The margin of error was ±3.10 percentage points. Awareness of trans fats increased during the 1-year study period. In 2007, 92% of respondents were aware of trans fats, an increase from 84% in 2006 (P<0.05). The 2007 level was similar to the awareness of saturated fats (93%). Perceptions that certain fats and oils heighten the risk of heart disease increased for trans fats (73% in 2007 vs 63% in 2006; P<0.05), saturated fats (77% in 2007 vs 73% in 2006; P<0.05), and partially hydrogenated oils (56% in 2007 vs 49% in 2006; P<0.05). Knowledge about food sources of different fats remained low. On an unaided basis, 21% could name three food sources of trans fats in 2007, up from 17% in 2006 (P<0.05). Knowledge of food sources of saturated fat remained unchanged at 30% in 2007. Significantly more respondents in 2007 reported behavioral changes related to trans fat information, such as buying food products because they show “zero trans fat” on labels or packages (37% in 2007 vs. 32% in 2006; P<0.05). Between 2006 and 2007, consumer awareness about trans fats increased and attained awareness levels similar to saturated fats. The increased awareness is associated with improved self-reported behaviors in grocery shopping. Nonetheless, overall knowledge, especially regarding food sources of saturated and trans fats, remains relatively low, underscoring the need for heightened consumer education activities. The positive change in consumer awareness about trans fats is likely attributable to the wide range of messages available to them, including the AHA “Face the Fats” national consumer education campaign.     

Fate of TR-2, the hepatic metabolite of the tremorgenic mycotoxin verruculogen, in sheep

1. Verruculogen is eliminated in bile after transformation to TR-2, only a trace of which was excreted as such in faeces of sheep given verruculogen per os. Negligible TR-2 was present free in urine; no glucuronide was found. 2. An isomer of TR-2, a minor component of the bile of sheep given verruculogen, has been defined by 1H-n.m.r. spectroscopy and the isomerism involves the disposition of the two adjacent hydroxyl groups with a concomitant change in the conformation of the ring adjacent to the indole. 3. 14C-TR-2, added to the perfusate of isolated rat liver, was excreted unchanged in the bile, implying no significant loss of any biliary TR-2 subject to enterohepatic recycling in vivo. 4. 14C-TR-2 incubated anaerobically in sheep ileum contents was 95% transformed into more polar metabolites, the majority of the radiolabelled metabolites isolated being water soluble. 5. The principal fate of biliary TR-2 is as a metabolic substrate for the intestinal microflora.     

An analysis of injury rates after the seasonal change in rugby league.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether the increase in the incidence of injury found for the first summer season in which rugby league (RL) was played in the UK was repeated in subsequent summer seasons. DESIGN: A retrospective and prospective cohort study design. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Injuries were recorded from all players who took part in 141 games over 3 summer seasons (1997 to 1999) for 1 professional team. These were compared against rates from previously collected data for 3 earlier winter and 1 summer season. ASSESSMENT OF RISK FACTORS: For each injury it was recorded in which season it occurred; how many games or training sessions, if any, were subsequently missed; the type, site and severity of injury. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Injuries were reported as rate per 1000 hours, also broken down into severity according to the number of games missed and whether subsequent training sessions were missed. RESULTS: A sustained increase in injury incidence has been found comparing summer RL over RL played in the winter. There was an increase in injury rates for all sites and types, but not all reached significance. CONCLUSIONS: Data collected over 6 seasons indicate a higher risk of sustaining an injury playing summer RL, but the cause may be related to a combination of factors. These may include the ground or weather conditions associated with summer rugby, player characteristics or changes in the game itself and future research needs to investigate these further.     

Indwelling Versus Intermittent Feeding Tubes in Premature Neonates

Objective: To determine the effect of indwelling versus intermittent feeding tube placement on weight gain, apnea, and bradycardia in premature neonates.
Design: Eligible subjects were assigned randomly to either feeding tube method. Each subject was followed for 6 days.
Setting: The study was conducted in a secondary level neonatal intensive-care unit (NICU), a tertiary level NICU in a perinatal center, and a tertiary level NICU in a referral center.
Patients/Participants: Neonates who were 24–34 weeks gestational age, developmentally appropriate for gestational age, medically stable, on full enteral feedings through an orogastric or a nasogastric tube, and not fluid restricted. Ninety-three neonates were enrolled-49 in the indwelling group and 44 in the intermittent group. Nine neonates did not complete the study.
Interventions: Nasogastric indwelling feeding tubes were placed and left in site for up to 3 days. Orogastric intermittent feeding tubes were placed for each feeding and removed at completion of the feeding.
Main outcome measures: Weight gain, apnea, and bradycardia. Results: Members of both groups had similar demographic characteristics, clinical problems, and nutritional intake. No statistical differences were found between the two groups in weight gain or episodes of apnea and bradycardia.
Conclusions: There were no statistically or clinically significant differences between the two groups. The intermittent method of feeding is more expensive. Because no clinical differences were found, the type of tube placement chosen for feeding the premature infant may be based on economics.     

Decreased expression of DMPK: correlation with CTG repeat expansion and fibre type composition in myotonic dystrophy type 1

Abstract Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is an autosomal dominant disease caused by a trinucleotide repeatexpansion, cytosine-thymine-guanine (CTG)_n, in the 3′ untranslated region of a gene encoding the myotonic dystrophy protein kinase (DMPK). To correlate CTG expansion and protein expression, we studied muscle specimens from 16 adult DM1 patients using three anti-DMPK antibodies for immunoblotting. We estimated the amount of the full-length DMPK (85 kDa) in muscle biopsies from normal controls and from DM1 patients carrying different (CTG)_n expansions. We found that DMPK concentration was decreased to about 50% in DM patients’ muscles; the protein decrease did not seem correlated with the CTG repeat length. However, the fibre type composition in skeletal muscle seemed somehow to affect DMPK decrease, as the lowest level of the enzyme was found in patients with the lowest content of type 1 fibre.