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Objectives: This study examined whether cancer patients who received home care lived in the places they and their families preferred, and whether their preferences changed while receiving home care.Methods: We conducted a medical record survey of 111 cancer patients who received home care provided by a clinic in Japan, and examined the patients' and their families' preferred places to live in the case of their condition deteriorate (the patients and their families were asked when they began to receive home care, and whenever their and their families' conditions changed), and the actual places where the patients lived out their lives.Results: Among those who preferred home at the beginning of receiving home care, 95.6% of patients and 96.8% of families preferred home in the last survey period. Of those who did not prefer home at the beginning, 87.9% of patients and 84.8% of families preferred home by the last survey period. For 97.4% of patients and 97.2% of families, the actual places where the patients lived out their lives were consistent with their preferred places.Conclusion: We found that cancer patients receiving home care provided by the clinic and their families who preferred home from the beginning often still preferred home until the end of their lives, and that those who did not prefer home at the beginning often preferred home by the last survey period. Thus, most of the patients lived out their lives in the places they and their families preferred.
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<p>Consultations with patients who bring drugs, especially on the high risk drug list, to a hospital is an important role of pharmacists. However, many incident reports occur though pharmacists generally make an effort to check such medications. In Japan, incidents are mostly reported just in terms of numbers but not in terms of the prevalence of a target group. We aim to reveal the prevalence of incidents related to medicine brought-in by patients undergoing surgery in National Hospital Organization (NHO) hospitals. For our study, we extracted patients undergoing surgery who were prescribed antidiabetic agents from the Medical data bank (MIA) in NHO. Chart reviews were performed on patients to evaluate the number of incidents in relation to brought-in medicine. The prevalence of incidents of interest was 4.4% (41/931, 95%CL : 3.2-5.9%). Pre-avoidable incidents represented 56.1% (23/41, p<0.0001). We found that pharmacists play a role in making incidents less severe.</p>
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BACKGROUND: In this study, we examined the influence of exercise loading characteristics on bone metabolic responses and bone morphology in the growth phase and adulthood. METHODS: Running exercise (RUN) and jumping exercise (JUM) were used for the exercise loading in 28-day-old male Wistar rats. Bone metabolism was measured by blood osteocalcin (OC) and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRACP) levels. For bone morphology, the maximum bone length, bone weight, and bone strength of the femur and tibia were measured. RESULTS: A pre- and post-exercise loading comparison in the growth phase showed significantly increased OC levels in the RUN and JUM groups and significantly decreased TRACP levels in the JUM group. On the other hand, a pre- and post-exercise loading comparison in adulthood showed significantly decreased TRACP levels in the RUN and JUM groups. Femur lengths were significantly shorter in the RUN and JUM groups than in the control (CON) group, while bone weight was significantly greater in the JUM group than in the CON group. CONCLUSIONS: Exercise loading activates OC levels in the growth phase and suppresses TRACP levels in adulthood. On the other hand, these results suggest that excessive exercise loading may suppress bone length.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Acid Phosphatase , Femur , Hand , Metabolism , Osteoblasts , Osteocalcin , Osteoclasts , Osteogenesis , Rats, Wistar , Running , TibiaABSTRACT
Background: High heart rate (HR) has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality due to all causes. The present study was conducted to examine the effect of exercise adherence on longitudinal changes in resting heart rate among a population of community-dwelling elderly.Methods: The subjects were 133 men and 209 women aged 65 and older who participated in a baseline survey in August 1992 and were subsequently followed annually for 8 years. Resting HR was measured in the sitting position. The independent variable was the longitudinal change in differences of HR (Δ) from 1996 to 2000. Dependent variables were age, heart rate, smoking habit, TMIG index of competence score, and states of exercise adherence during the period 1992-1996.Results: Multiple regression analysis showed that heart rate in 1996 and smoking in men, and heart rate, TMIG index of competence score, and exercise adherence during the period 1992-1996 in women were significantly associated with longitudinal change in HR.Conclusion: Exercise adherence reduced the increase in HR of elderly women. These results suggest the importance of exercise adherence in elderly women.
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This study was conducted to examine the prevalence of undernourished elderly in community-dwelling elderly people, and to analyze the correlation between under-nutritional status and health status and physical fitness of the elderly.The subjects comprised 1758 residents (757 men and 1001 women) aged 70 or over living in Itabashi-ku, Tokyo, who took part in an interview and biochemical blood examination as part of the “OTASHA-KENSHIN”. In this study, we set the ‘under-nutrition group’ as serum albumin level ≤ 3.8 g/dL (normal group serum albumin level ≥ 3.9 g/dL). Based on this standard, 124 subjects (72 men and 52 women) were found to be undernourished. Physical fitness was measured by handgrip strength, knee extension power, and walking capability (usual and maximal walking speed).The prevalence of undernourished elderly was significantly higher in men than in women, and in those living alone or with a spouse compared with those living with children. It became clear that the lifestyle and health status of the under-nutrition group was generally poor compared with those of the normal group. Handgrip strength and knee extension power were significantly lower in the under-nutrition group than in the normal group of men. Although usual and maximal walking speed tended to be lower in the under-nutrition group, there was no significant difference. In women, a significant difference in handgrip strength, knee extension power, and walking capability was not seen between the two groups.These results suggest that an intervention program for the undernourished elderly living in the community should target an improvement not only of nutrition but also of physical fitness.
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Although body mass is known to be related to bone mass, defined as bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC), little is known about the effects of body mass reduction programs on bone mass. This study assessed bone mass changes in response to four body mass reduction programs that utilized diet and/or exercise. Ninety-four obese or overweight women (age 49.3±7.1 years, body mass 68.5±7.7 kg) were randomly assigned 4 groups (2 intervention forms × 2 trials) : diet in trial 1 (D<SUB>1</SUB>, n=27), diet plus exercise in trial 1 (DE<SUB>1</SUB>, n=28), diet in trial 2 (D<SUB>2</SUB>, n=21), and diet plus exercise in trial 2 (DE<SUB>2</SUB>, n=18) . Body mass, body mass index (BMI), absolute and relative (%fat) fat mass, lean mass, BMC, and BMD were measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry before and after the 3-month intervention program. Body mass loss was similar in DI (-9.7%) and D<SUB>2</SUB> (-11.6%), and in DE<SUB>1</SUB> (-13.8%) and DE<SUB>2</SUB> (-12.2%) . However, BMC loss was different (<I>P</I><0.05) between trial 1 and trial 2 for each intervention form (D<SUB>1</SUB>: -3.2% vs D<SUB>2</SUB> ; -0.9%, DE<SUB>1</SUB>: -4.5% vs DE<SUB>2</SUB>: -0.8%) . With this in mind, multiple regression analyses were applied, with either change in BMC or BMD as the dependent variable, and other physical characteristics measured before and after the intervention program as independent variables. Results indicated that multiple correlation coefficients were statistically significant (R=0.61 with BMC, R=0.49 with BMD) . BMI after the intervention program and change in body mass were identified as the significant contributors to the change in BMC, while change in %fat and age were identified as the significant contributors to the change in BMD. These results suggest that, during body mass reduction, (1) physical characteristics are the significant contributors to changes in BMC and BMD and (2) exercise may not prevent the loss of bone mass.
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Primary malignant cardiac tumors are extremely rare. Among these, leiomyosarcoma are particularly exceptional and only about 20 surgically treated cases have been extensively described. We describe a case of right atrial leiomyosarcoma which was accidentally found by computed tomography. The tumor was surgically resected under extracorporeal circulation. Two months later the patient had cerebral hemorrhage due to a brain metastasis, which almost completely disappeared after irradiation. There was no other evidence of recurrence for 12 months after operation.
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In order to carry out mass examination for detection of stomach ailments effectively and improve screening accuracy, the Nagano Prefectural Welfare Federation of Agricultural Cooperatives, with its mass gastric examination committee as a driving force, has made every endeavor in close collaboration with Federation-affiliated hospitals.<BR>The ratio of those receiving detailed examination to the total number of those who have undergone mass screenings, and the detection ratio of gastric cancer cases, especially those in early stages, have increased steadily over the past years.<BR>This is due in the main to untiring effort exerted by public health nurses and other persons concerned with health problems.<BR>However, the results of X-ray examination made on the basis of the diagnostic standards prepared by the Federation show that there is much need of improving examiners' ability to read mass miniature radiographs correctly.