Clinical course of masticatory function recovery following arthrocentesis in patients with unilateral mandibular condyle head fracture

The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical course of masticatory function recovery following arthrocentesis. Patients with a unilateral condylar head fracture who underwent arthrocentesis for therapeutic reasons were evaluated and compared with patients with a unilateral condylar head fracture who did not undergo arthrocentesis. At 3 months after treatment, the occlusal contact area and maximum bite force in patients with a fracture treated with arthrocentesis were greater than in those who did not receive arthrocentesis at the same time points, although the differences were not significant. Moreover, at 1 and 3 months following arthrocentesis, mean (±SD) occlusal contact area (1 month: 1.99 ± 0.55 mm², p = 0.01; 3 months: 2.90 ± 1.36 mm², p = 0.03) and maximum bite force (1 month: 82.45 ± 15.04 N, p = 0.01; 3 months: 101.11 ± 14.53 N, p = 0.01) on the fractured side in patients who underwent that treatment were significantly reduced when compared with those on the non-fractured side. The authors conclude that if the priority is to avoid open reduction and internal fixation, then the arthrocentesis approach might be a less invasive alternative, albeit with the price of a prolonged healing interval.     

基于DTI评价急性缺血性脑卒中运动功能缺损程度与肾虚髓亏证的相关性研究＊

目的 运用核磁共振弥散张量成像技术（DTI），从皮质脊髓束损伤程度评价的角度，探讨肾虚髓亏证与急性缺血性脑卒中运动功能缺损程度相关性，丰富中风病病机及证候诊断，拓宽缺血性脑卒中的中医药防治思路，为急性缺血性脑卒中肾虚髓亏证患者运动功能损伤程度提供临床依据，强调肾虚髓亏证在急性缺血性脑卒中运动功能损伤中的重要意义。方法 纳入符合诊断标准的90例病例，根据证候分别归入肾虚髓亏组和非肾虚髓亏组，每组各45例。每组患者均给予常规西药治疗。对两组患者入院后行弥散张量成像检测，同时分别于治疗前及治疗后14天，记录两组患者NIHSS评分、改良Barthel指数量表及简化Fugl-Meyer运动功能评分量表评分，比较两组病例发病时的轻重程度及治疗前后两组病例组间的恢复差异。结果 研究显示，治疗前肾虚髓亏组在NIHSS评分方面高于非肾虚髓亏组（P<0.05）；治疗前肾虚髓亏组在改良Barthel指数量表及简化Fugl-Meyer运动功能评分方面低于非肾虚髓亏组（P<0.05）。治疗前后NIHSS评分、改良Barthel指数评分及简化Fugl-Meyer运动功能评分改善情况，非肾虚髓亏组要优于肾虚髓亏组（P<0.05）。治疗前两组患者在健侧内囊后肢及大脑脚外侧处FA值及ADC值无明显差异；肾虚髓亏组在患侧内囊后肢及大脑脚外侧处FA值及ADC值均低于非肾虚髓亏组（P<0.05）。相关性分析得出，两组患者患侧内囊后肢FA值与患者治疗前NIHSS评分呈负相关；两组患者患侧内囊后肢FA值与患者改良Barthel指数评分及简化Fugl-Meyer运动功能评分呈正相关；肾虚髓亏组患者患侧内囊后肢FA值与肾虚髓亏证中医证候评分呈负相关。结论 肾虚髓亏是急性缺血性脑卒中运动功能障碍的重要病机。研究结果显示，两组皮质脊髓束损伤程度与神经功能及运动功能损伤存在相关性，且肾虚髓亏组在皮质脊髓束的损伤程度方面与其中医证候评分呈负相关。     

基于标准化患者法评价四川农村基层医生两种慢性病诊断准确性及其影响因素

目的 运用标准化患者法评估四川农村地区基层医生不稳定型心绞痛和2型糖尿病两种慢性病诊断准确性现状,探讨基层医生两种慢性病诊断准确性的主要影响因素,为提升基层医生两种慢性病诊断准确性提供科学依据。方法 采用多阶段随机整群抽样方法,抽取四川省自贡市5个区/县50个乡镇100个村为研究现场,以调查当日在岗的全科及内科医生作为研究对象。共进行两轮数据采集,第1轮采集样本乡镇卫生院和村卫生室医生的基本信息;第1轮调查完成1个月后,运用标准化患者法开展第2轮调查,收集农村基层医生对不稳定型心绞痛和2型糖尿病诊断结果信息。运用Logistic回归分析农村基层医生不稳定型心绞痛和2型糖尿病诊断准确性的影响因素。结果 共纳入172名农村基层医生,完成186次标准化患者访问,正确诊断率为48.39%。其中不稳定型心绞痛的正确诊断率为18.68%(17/91),2型糖尿病的正确诊断率为76.84%(73/95)。Logistic回归分析显示,具有执业医师资质的农村基层医生更有可能做出正确诊断(OR=4.857,95%CI=1.076~21.933,P=0.040)。农村基层医生在诊断过程中涉及的必要问诊和检查条目越多,做出正确诊断的概率越高(OR=1.627,95%CI=1.065~2.485,P=0.024)。与不稳定型心绞痛相比,农村基层医生对2型糖尿病做出正确诊断的可能性更高(OR=6.306,95%CI=3.611~11.013,P<0.001)。结论 四川农村基层医生不稳定型心绞痛和2型糖尿病诊断准确性整体较差,建议以基层医生慢性病诊断过程质量改善为突破口,提升基层医生执业水平,进而提高慢性病诊断准确性。     

活血化瘀方联合针灸治疗对脑梗后遗症患者脑血管血液流变动力学及神经功能的影响

目的:探讨血化瘀方联合针灸治疗对脑梗后遗症患者脑血管血液流变动力学及神经功能的影响。方法:选取2016年1月至2017年1月沈阳市第二中医医院收治脑梗后遗症患者120例作为研究对象,对照组61例患者接受针灸治疗;观察组59例患者接受活血化瘀方联合针灸治疗。2组连续治疗30 d。比较2组患者脑血流流变学指标、神经功能评分、中医证候积分、临床疗效。结果:治疗前2组患者脑部平均血流速度、左侧椎动脉血流量、右侧椎动脉血流量、基底动脉血流量比较,差异无统计学意义(P 0. 05)。治疗后观察组患者脑部平均血流速度、左侧椎动脉血流量、右侧椎动脉血流量、基底动脉血流量大于对照组(P 0. 05)。治疗前2组患者NIHSS评分、MMSE评分比较,差异无统计学意义(P 0. 05)。治疗后观察组患者NIHSS评分显著低于对照组,MMSE评分高于对照组(P 0. 05)。治疗前2组患者头晕目眩、语言謇涩、半身不遂、患侧麻木、舌苔白腻证候评分比较,差异无统计学意义(P 0. 05)。治疗后研究患者头晕目眩、语言謇涩、半身不遂、患侧麻木、舌苔白腻证候评分显著低于对照组(P 0. 05)。2组患者临床疗效比较,差异有统计学意义(Z=-5. 626,P=0. 000)。结论:活血化瘀方联合针灸能改善脑梗后遗症患者脑血管血液流变动力学指标,保护神经功能。     

Orientation and mobility outcome measures

Despite orientation and mobility (O&M) being a significant factor determining quality of life of people with low vision or blindness, there are no gold standard measures or agreement on how to measure O&M performance. In the first part of this systematic review, an inventory of O&M outcome measures used by recent studies to assess the performance of orientation and/or mobility of adults with vision impairment (low vision and blindness) is presented. A wide variety of O&M outcome measures have been implemented in different fields of study, such as epidemiologic research and interventional studies evaluating training, assistive technology, vision rehabilitation and vision restoration. The most frequent aspect of outcome measures is efficiency such as time, distance, speed and percentage of preferred walking speed, followed by obstacle contacts and avoidance, and dis/orientation and veering. Other less commonly used aspects are target identification, safety and social interaction and self-reported outcome measures. Some studies employ sophisticated equipment to capture and analyse O&M performance in a laboratory setting, while others carry out their assessment in real-world indoor or outdoor environments. In the second part of this review, the appropriateness of implementing the identified outcome measures to assess O&M performance in clinical and functional O&M practice is evaluated. Nearly a half of these outcome measures meet all four criteria of face validity (either clinical or functional), responsiveness, reliability and feasibility and have the potential to be implemented in clinical or functional O&M practice. The findings of this review confirm the complicated and dynamic nature of O&M. Multiple measures are required in any evaluation of O&M performance to facilitate holistic assessment of O&M abilities and limitations of each individual.     

Associations of accelerometer-based sleep duration and self-reported sleep difficulties with cognitive function in late mid-life: the Finnish Retirement and Aging Study

ObjectivesPrior evidence suggests that sleep duration and sleep difficulties may be associated with cognitive function in old age, but little is known about the sleep–cognition association in late mid-life. Our aim was to examine the associations of accelerometer-based sleep duration as well as subjective sleep difficulties with different domains of cognitive function among aging workers.MethodsThe study population consisted of 289 participants (mean age 62.4 years, SD 1.02; 83% women) from the Finnish Retirement and Aging Study (FIREA). Sleep difficulties were measured using Jenkins Sleep Problem Scale (difficulties falling asleep, difficulties maintaining sleep, waking up too early in the morning, and nonrestorative sleep). Sleep duration was measured with wrist-worn accelerometer and self-report, and participants were divided into short (<7 h/night), mid-range (7–9 h/night) and long (≥9 h/night) sleepers. Participants underwent extensive cognitive testing covering three domains: (1) memory, (2) executive function, and (3) attention and information processing.ResultsGreater difficulties in waking up too early in the morning were associated with poorer executive function measured with Spatial Working Memory (SWM) test (p = 0.005). Additionally, nonrestorative sleep was associated with poorer executive function measured with Trail Making Test, B–A, (p = 0.036) and borderline significantly with lower SWM (p = 0.056). Compared to mid-range sleepers, long sleepers tended to have poorer cognitive function (all memory function tests and SWM), but the associations were not statistically significant due to small number of long sleepers.ConclusionsSubjective sleep difficulties may be linked to poorer executive function in a relatively healthy population of older workers in their 60 s. Thus, promoting good sleep quality may translate into better cognitive health in late mid-life.     

Effects of age,gender and menstrual cycle on platelet function assessed by impedance aggregometry

Platelets are needed to prevent or arrest bleeding and aggregate at the site of injury upon vascular damage. Platelets express receptors for estrogens which might affect the function of the platelets and their hemostatic ability. The aim was to identify possible differences in platelet function related to age, gender, and phases of the menstrual cycle by use of impedance aggregometry with Multiplate. In the first part of the study, platelet function was assessed in 60 healthy individuals (30 men and 30 women) in each of three age groups (20–25, 40–45, and 60–65 years). In the second part of the study, the platelet function was analyzed on four occasions during the menstrual cycle in women without oral contraceptives (OCs) (n = 17) and compared to 19 women on OCs and 18 men of similar age (20–40 years). For the women on OCs, aggregation was analyzed once during the tablet-free week and once late during the period with OCs. The men were sampled once. Women of younger age (<45 years) had significantly higher agonist-induced aggregation response than both men and post-menopausal women (60–65 years). The agonist-induced aggregation response did not differ between phases of the menstrual cycle or OC use. The results suggest that estradiol and/or progesterone affect spontaneous aggregation since it was found to be lowest in the mid-luteal phase. Spontaneous aggregation was significantly lower in women on OCs than in both men and women without OCs. Our findings indicate that fertile age is associated with higher aggregation response capacity of the platelets, possibly to prevent excessive bleeding during menstruation, but this response capacity is not altered during the menstrual cycle or by use of OCs.