Estimating profits in a capitation program. Planning for cost

This article is designed to help dentists make better decisions regarding capitation programs. It focuses on approaches to costs that can be useful. An example is given that illustrates how these cost concepts might be used to analyze a capitation proposal.     

PSEUDOHYPERPHOSPHATAEMIA AND MONOCLONAL GAMMOPATHY

SUMMARY A case is reported of pseudohyperphosphataemia in association with a monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance.     

Comparative efficacy of Hanifin and Rajka''s criteria and the UK working party''s diagnostic criteria in diagnosis of atopic dermatitis in a hospital setting in North India

BACKGROUND: Diagnosis of atopic dermatitis (AD) depends on clinical features because no definitive diagnostic test exists. Criteria proposed by Hanifin and Rajka (Acta Derm Venereol (Stockh) 1980; Suppl 92: 44-47) were acceptable for hospital-based studies but were found not to be suitable for field studies. A UK working party formulated clinical diagnostic criteria that could be used in both hospital and epidemiological settings. Validation studies of the criteria showed widely variable results, probably due to different clinical settings and ethnicity. AIM AND OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to validate Hanifin and Rajka's criteria and to assess the comparative efficacy of their criteria and the UK working party's diagnostic criteria in the diagnosis of AD in a hospital setting in North India. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This study serially included 101 patients with AD and 48 controls of paediatric age group. The study period was from July 2003 to December 2004. RESULTS: Hanifin and Rajka's criteria (sensitivity 96%, specificity 93.75%, positive predictive value 97% (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) 91.84%) had a statistical advantage over the UK working party's diagnostic criteria (sensitivity 86%, specificity 95.83%, PPV 97.75% and NPV 76.67%), with a P-value < 0.005.     

IMPOTENCE AND ITS NON-SURGICAL MANAGEMENT

SUMMARY Impotence is a common symptom which can cause considerable distress to both the sufferer and his partner. The use of pharmacotherapy to improve erectile function will continue to increase as safe and effective drugs are developed. However, restoring erectile function should not be the only treatment objective. It is also essential to address personal and emotional factors in the sufferer, conflicts in his relationship with his partner, and sexual problems in his partner, all of which may be instrumental in causing or maintaining the presenting impotence. We advocate a combined approach with appropriate medical treatment and sex and couple therapy     

Studies in Red Blood Cell Preservation. 8. Liquid Storage of Red Cells in a Glycerol-Containing Additive Solution

The purpose of the present study was to determine whether a hypotonic additive containing a low concentration of glycerol as a membrane permeable solute would improve the liquid storage of red blood cells (RBCs). Packed RBCs were stored either with 200 ml of an experimental additive solution, EAS 25, containing (m M ): glycerol 150, adenine 2, glucose 110, mannitol 55, and NaCl 50, or with 100 ml/unit of a conventional additive solution Adsol®. The results show that the adenosine triphosphate values, hemolysis, potassium leakage, and the morphology scores of RBCs were significantly better with EAS 25 than with Adsol up to 84 days of storage. The ATP values were significantly different only after the first 42 days of storage. The mean corpuscular volumes (MCVs) of the RBCs were significantly higher throughout in the experimental additive accompanied by decreased microvesiculation as compared to Adsol. The total microvesicle membrane protein shed by 100 ml of RBCs was 47.92±12.31 mg in Adsol and 18.96±5.49 mg in EAS 25 (p<0.001). The larger MCVs of the RBCs in EAS 25 may have a favorable effect on maintaining membrane integrity by decreasing the loss of membrane by microvesiculation.