Inter-rater Accuracy and Reliability of a Palpation Protocol of the C7 Spinous Process Comprising a Combination of 3 Traditional Palpation Techniques

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to determine the accuracy and intrarater reliability of a palpatory protocol based on a combination of 3 palpatory methods to identify both the C7 spinous process (C7 SP) and the factors that affect the errors and inaccuracy of palpation.MethodsTwenty-five women between the ages of 18 and 60 years were submitted to a palpation protocol of the C7 SP, and a radiopaque marker was fixed on the skin at the possible location of the vertebrae. A radiograph and a photograph of the cervical spine were obtained in the same posture by a first rater. A second rater performed the same palpation protocol and took a second photograph. The accuracy and measurement error of the palpation protocol of C7 SP were assessed through radiographic images. The inter-rater reliability was estimated by the interclass correlation coefficient and assessed using photographs of each rater. The Pearson's correlation coefficients (r), the Fisher exact test, and the χ² test were used to identify the factors associated with the error and inaccuracy of palpation.ResultsAccuracy of the C7 palpation was 76% with excellent reliability (interclass correlation coefficient = 0.99). There was a moderate correlation between weight and the measurement of palpation error (r = –0.6; P = .003). One hundred percent of inaccuracy palpation was related to the increased soft-tissue thickness (P = .005) in the cervical region.ConclusionThe palpation protocol described in this study was accurate and presented excellent reliability in identifying the C7 SP. Increased weight and dorsocervical fat pad were associated to error and palpation inaccuracy, respectively.     

The HLA-DQB1 gene polymorphisms associated with cervical cancer risk: A meta-analysis

Human leukocyte antigens (HLA) alleles may affect the development of cervical cancer through immunologic control of human papillomavirus (HPV). The association between HLA-DQB1 alleles and risk of cervical cancer has been extensively studied, but the results obtained remain inconsistent. To explore a more extensive role of HLA-DQB1 alleles on cervical cancer risk, we carried out a meta-analysis including 4862 cases and 8988 controls from 22 published studies. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to assess the strength of the association. The overall results suggested that HLA-DQB1*02 (OR = 0.91, 95% CI = 0.82–0.99), *03 (OR = 0.85, 95% CI = 0.74–0.97) and *0603 (OR = 0.62, 95% CI = 0.53–0.72) had a significantly association with decreased cervical cancer risk. In contrast, DQB1*05 (OR = 1.18, 95% CI = 1.01–1.38), *0301 (OR = 1.14, 95% CI = 1.06–1.23) and *0402 (OR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.04–1.64) conferred a significantly higher risk to cervical cancer. Moreover, a significantly association with increased or decreased cervical cancer risk was found among Europeans and Asians after stratification of the HLA-DQB1 alleles by ethnicity. These findings supported that the HLA-DQB1 alleles may contribute to genetic susceptibility of cervical cancer. Further studies with a greater number of cases are expected to confirm our results.     

保妇康凝胶联合诺氟沙星治疗宫颈糜烂50例疗效观察

目的：探讨保妇康凝胶联合诺氟沙星治疗宫颈糜烂的临床效果。方法将100例宫颈糜烂患者根据随机数字表法分为观察组和对照组各50例。观察组给予保妇康凝胶和诺氟沙星联合治疗，对照组单独给予治糜灵栓治疗，比较两组患者临床症状的变化，并对临床疗效进行评价。结果观察组治愈率为86.00%，明显高于对照组的74.00%，临床症状评分改善较对照组明显，且其临床症状消失的时间短于对照组，差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论保妇康凝胶与诺氟沙星合用比治糜灵栓治疗宫颈糜烂效果更佳，且治愈时间上明显较优，值得临床上推广应用。     

Influence of Prior Psychiatric Disorders on the Treatment Course of Gynaecological Cancer – A Nationwide Cohort Study

Aims

To examine the influence of pre-existing psychiatric disorder on the choice of treatment in patients with gynaecological cancer.

妇科门诊子宫颈病变常识问卷调查

目的了解我院门诊就诊者对子宫颈病变相关知识的认识。方法自制问卷调查表，采用无记名，当面问卷调查方式。结果从调查100例就诊者中，未做过健康体检、妇科盆腔检查和宫颈刮片检查分别为34例、24例和52例。对宫颈癌的认识不知道者53例。结论建议相关部门加强对妇女的健康教育，提高其健康意识，强化临床医生的防癌意识和对子宫病变的规范化诊治。     

Distribution patterns of transforaminal injections in the cervical spine evaluated by multi-slice computed tomography

Transforaminal injections are sometimes used for the diagnosis and treatment of painful conditions in the lumbar and to a lesser degree in the cervical spine. The technique is most often used when investigating/treating radiculopathy caused by degenerative disease. But how selective are the nerve root blocks? What possible structures other than the intended nerve root are affected from such injections? This study was undertaken in order to try to answer these questions, as no study focusing on the possible spread from the transforaminal selective nerve root blocks in the cervical spine has been performed earlier. In three groups of patients, each group including three patients, we injected three different volumes (0.6, 1.1 and 1.7 ml) with a transforaminal technique in the cervical spine. In all the injections, a small amount of contrast media was added. The spread of the injections were then investigated using multi-slice computed tomography with reconstructions. The imaging revealed a possible effect on other nerve roots than the intended ones when a larger volume was used for the root blocks. The spread was related to the injected volume as well as to local anatomy (size of foraminal area). In this study, only 0.6-ml injections could be accepted for being selective enough for diagnostic investigations.     

项韧带骨化相关因素及其组织学变化

目的：探讨脊髓型颈椎病患者项韧带骨化的相关因素及其组织学改变特点.方法：将45例脊髓型颈椎病患者根据项韧带有无骨化分为两组,观察并统计两组患者的年龄、性别组成、颈椎椎间退变和颈椎稳定性情况,对各指标与项韧带骨化的关系进行相关性分析,同时观察项韧带骨化的组织学改变.结果：统计分析表明,项韧带骨化和颈椎椎间退行性改变及颈椎不稳定之间具有相关性（P＜0.05）;同时还与患者年龄、性别组成有相关性（P＜0.05）.项韧带骨化的组织学改变以软骨内化骨为主.结论：项韧带骨化与颈椎退行性改变及颈椎椎间关节不稳定具有相关性,组织学改变以软骨内化骨为主.     

颈椎前路手术内置物并发症的分析

在颈椎前路减压、植骨、带锁钢板内固定技术日渐成熟的今天,越来越多的医院开展了该项手术。自1998年2月-2005年8月应用该方法治疗颈椎病215例,发生与内置物钢板及钛网相关的并发症14例,为此积累了一定的经验,现总结如下。1临床资料本组215例,男126例,女89例;年龄42～82岁,平均     

颈椎旋转、半失稳在椎动脉型、交感型、神经根型颈椎病间的相关研究

目的:探讨椎动脉型颈椎病、交感型颈椎病、神经根型颈椎病之间颈椎旋转、半失稳的关系。方法:本组112例,其中椎动脉型38型、交感型36例、神经根型38例,应用图像存档和传输系统(picture archiving and communication systems,PACS)在X线正位片上测量患者每个颈椎椎体的旋转度和在侧位片上测量椎体半失稳的位移距离。结果:在C6旋转度上,椎动脉型颈椎病和交感型颈椎病均与神经根型颈椎病有统计学差异(P<0·01),椎动脉型颈椎病和交感型颈椎病间的C2旋转度有统计学差异(P<0·05),椎动脉型颈椎病和神经根型颈椎病间的C4旋转度有统计学差异(P<0·05)。在椎体半失稳的位移距离和椎体半失稳率上,椎动脉型颈椎病和交感型颈椎病均与神经根型颈椎病有统计学差异(P<0·01)。结论:在椎动脉型颈椎病和交感型颈椎病中椎体半失稳和颈椎旋转是它们发病的一个重要因素,而在神经根型颈椎病中不是发病的重要因素。