Tc-99m diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA): Is it reliable for assessment of methotrexate-induced cumulative effect on renal filtration in rheumatoid arthritis patients?

Methotrexate[MTX] is commonly employed as the initial DMARD used for treatment of Rheumatoid arthritis[RA]. We aimed to contribute to the safety profile of MTX by assessing its cumulative effect on renal filtration. Fifty two RA adult females with normal base-line serum creatinine and GFR at the initial diagnosis of the disease were included. Group-1[G1] included 30 patients[mean age 40.4 ± 4.4 years] on MTX and NSAIDS, while 22 RA patients[mean age 38.5 ± 8.2 years] who received NSAIDs only served as the control group[G2]. Renal function was assessed by GFR-measurement using Technetium diethylenetriamine-pentaacetic acid[Tc-99 m-DTPA] at the point of the study time corresponding to disease duration. 21/30[70%] in G1 showed reduced GFR compared to 6/22[27.3%] in G2[P0.007] with 3.3 ± 0.5% annual reduction of GFR. Reduced GFR in G1 showed significant negative correlation with age[r = ?0.396, P = 0.005], MTX-cumulative dose[r = ?0.263, P = 0.049], MTX-intake duration[r = ?0.293, P = 0.031] and NSAID-intake duration[r = ?0.344, P = 0.014]. Low dose MTX has a slow cumulative effect on renal filtration manifested by GFR reduction over time that could be monitored by Tc-99 m DTPA.     

Reducing the probability of falsely elevated HbA1c results in diabetic patients by applying automated and educative HbA1c re-testing intervals

IntroductionToo frequent HbA1c measurements may lead to unnecessary treatment modifications of diabetic patients. The aim of this study was to estimate the percentage of falsely elevated HbA1c results in two hospitals, Landeskrankenhaus/Uniklinikum Salzburg (LKH) and Landesklinik St. Veit (STV), as well as to retrospectively investigate the effect of an automated and an educative 60-day re-testing interval (RTI).MethodsThe amount of estimated falsely elevated results (eFER), based on odds calculated using the baseline and the follow-up values and the time between these measurements, the number of HbA1c re-testings within 60 days as well as the overall number of ordered and performed HbA1c analyses were calculated. In LKH, an automated algorithm cancelling inappropriate HbA1c testing was applied, and in STV, educational actions were taken.ResultsBefore RTI-implementation, eFER were 0.9% and 2.1% and within-60-days-re-testing were 15.0% and 7.4% of cases in LKH and STV, respectively. After RTI-implementation, these numbers decreased to 0.2% (p < .001) and 1.8% (p = .869) and within-60-days-re-testing decreased to 1.1% (p < .001) and 3.6% (p = .003) in LKH and STV, respectively. Median monthly HbA1c measurements decreased by 15.8% (p < .001) and 21.1% (p = .002) in LKH and STV, respectively.ConclusionBoth the educational and the automated 60-day-RTI were proven to be efficient in reducing overall HbA1c measurements, re-testing within 60 days and eFER.     

命门动静观——兼论中医关于内分泌学的早期发现

明代命门学说的形成是中国古代医家为探索生命的起源及其内在规律所作的伟大尝试,反映出中国医药学早期对人体内分泌功能的发现和认识[1]。明代医家关于命门的解剖位置及其功能的描述,与现代医学肾上腺的位置和生理功能基本相合。"命门动静观"——即命门是五脏整合的生殖调节中枢,平时处在半关闭的状态,静以蓄养,为生殖作物质和能量方面的储备;激发态下命门全面开放,整合脏腑,使之同步;奇经八脉为命门开放、整合五脏的通道。命门为生命之原,相火之主,具有阴阳相济的特性,因而有别于五脏、十二经脉,反映出太极层次下生命活动的内在规律和调节机制。这项研究澄清了长期以来"肾命不分"的混淆。命门学说研究的深入为在生命的高层次上探索中西医结合之路开辟了广阔的前景。     

Auditory Analgesia: Somatosensory Evoked Response and Subjective Pain Rating

Subjective rating responses and averaged evoked responses (AERs) to shock stimuli of varying intensity were recorded in 20 subjects to examine the possible analgesic effects of sound stimulation (music) and suggested analgesia. Subjects (10 men, 10 women, ages 19–31) were divided into two groups of 10, each receiving the sound-suggestion condition and the no-sound, no-suggestion condition in different order. Sound and suggestion produced the following significant (p<.05) effects: 1) increased electrical stimulus levels required to elicit discomfort ratings; 2) decreased slope of somatosensory AER amplitudes plotted against stimulus intensity; and 3) decreased mean AER amplitudes. These AER effects were greatest in time bands centered on the P100 component. Prior exposure to the electrical stimuli also reduced AER slopes and mean amplitudes, but mostly in time bands centered on the P200 component.     

Cigarette smoking among adolescents: Is the rate declining?

Recent reports have indicated that adolescent cigarette smoking is declining. This report presents new data which point to sharply higher smoking levels than those reported elsewhere. These findings raise questions about whether adolescent smoking levels are truly declining and suggest that the traditional methods for measuring adolescent smoking may be inadequate.     

Pain mechanisms: a commentary on concepts and issues

This commentary on ideas about neural mechanisms underlying pain is aimed at providing perspective for a reader who does not work in the field of mammalian somatic sensation. It is not a comprehensive review of the literature. The organization is historical to chronicle the evolution of ideas. The aim is to call attention to source of concepts and how various ideas have fared over time. One difficulty in relating concepts about pain is that the term is used to refer to human and animal reactions ranging from protective spinal reflexes to complex affective behaviors. As a result, the spectrum of "pain"-related neural organization extends to operation of multiple neuronal arrangements. Thinking about pain has shadowed progress in understanding biological mechanisms, in particular the manner of function of nervous systems. This essay concentrates on the evolution of information and concepts from the early 19th century to the present. Topics include the assumptions underlying currently active theories about pain mechanisms. At the end, brief consideration is given to present-day issues, e.g., chronic pain, central pain, and the view of pain as an emotion rather than a sensation. The conceptual progression shows that current controversies have old roots and that failed percepts often resurface after seemingly having been put to rest by argument and evidence.     

北京市区县二级医院神经内科医疗资源现况调查与对策

目的对北京二级医院神经内科的医疗服务进行现况调查。方法对北京市66家二级医院进行定性与定量结合的普查。结果收治的病种以脑血管病为主（84％）。城区二级与三级医院的比例为58：60;而远郊区县为48：6。远郊区县中,能提供尿激酶和组织纤溶酶原激活剂（t-PA）溶栓治疗的医院仅占64．7％和26．5％。结论担负脑血管病救治重任的远郊二级医院尚不能满足需求。应加强培训、建立远程医疗模式。     

Modified gate flap for lower lip reconstruction

Summary One of the latest techniques advocated for total lower lip reconstruction is thegate flap described by Fujimori in 1980 [3]. This technique has been modified and used in two patients. With this modification, it is no longer necessary for the lateral margins of resection to extend beyond the commissure for technical purposes, and the shape of the resection does not have to be rectangular. Thus, unnecessary resection of normal tissue and macrostomia are prevented. Widely used reconstruction techniques for large lower lip defects were compared and an attempt was made to explain how to choose the proper technique for a given defect.     

"双诊制"的相关研究综述

为研究社区卫生服务与“双诊制”的关系,本文综述了双诊制的相关概念及其内涵、国外实施情况、我国研究进展及存在的问题。指出我国“双诊制”与国外“守门人”制概念上的差别,同时提出就诊制度、医疗保障体系、全科医生准入制度是“双诊制”实施的必要条件。     

Management of hypercholesterolemia: evaluation of practical clinical approaches in healthy young adults.

A work site-located clinic screened 6,000 employees (91 percent participation) and identified 146 hypercholesterolemic subjects (100 percent initial participation, 12 percent subsequent dropout rate). The subjects, aged 20 to 50 years, were randomly classified into four groups: Group A, treatment in a lipid intervention clinic with diet for 6 weeks, then diet plus clofibrate for the subsequent 18 weeks; Group B, diet treatment from a clinic nutritionist with the cooperation of the subject's private physician; Group C, referral for treatment by a private physician; and Group D, no intervention. Initial mean cholesterol was 294 mg/100 ml. At 24 weeks, all intervention groups had decreases in serum cholesterol (Group A, 12 percent; Group B, 15 percent; Group C, 17 percent; P less than 0.001). The control group (D) had a small decrease in cholesterol (4 percent). Decreases in cholesterol were correlated with weight loss and decrease in fasting serum triglycerides but not with the use of clofibrate. Serum cholesterol can be reduced in healthy young adults by several practical methods.