Assessment of home self care for patient with renal failure undergoing hemodialysis

Home self-care management for hemodialysis patients is very important to be independent, as much as possible. The aim of this study was to assess home self-care for patients with renal failure. A descriptive research design was used. The study was carried out at the hemodialysis units in Benha University Hospital and Benha Educational Hospital, from beginning of January 2010 to beginning of June 2010. composed of 100 female patients with renal failure from the selected dialysis units. Tools of the study 1] Interviewing Questionnaire covering the general characteristics of the study subjects, and assesses their knowledge, and attitude regarding to their disease. 2] An Observational Checklist to observe patients' self care practices at home. The study results revealed that 40% were from Benha Educational Hospital and 60% from Benha University Hospital, 41% of patients were illiterate; the disease was more prevalent among the age group 48 to 57 years, 48% of patients had good knowledge about personal hygiene and 69% of them are not doing simple moving activity. There was highly statistically significant relations between patient's knowledge and self care practices with their age, residence, educational level, occupation, and income p<0.001. There was also a statistically significant relations between total patient knowledge and total self care practices [p<0.05]. There were significant relations between patients' socio-demographic characteristics for age, income, educational level, marital status occupation and residence with knowledge and also with their total self-care practices. Developing a health education program for new cases of renal failure about their health care management. A booklet containing information about renal failure and patient's self care should be available in all hemodialysis units

Appropriateness of hospital admissions in general hospitals in Egypt

We measured the rate of inappropriate admissions, and associated factors, in 3 general hospitals in Egypt. A total of 1191 admissions were reviewed using the Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol for adult patients and the Pediatric Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol for paediatric patients. Inappropriate admissions were 66.3% and 78.9% of admissions in the surgery departments of 2 hospitals compared with 1.9% in the 3rd hospital that followed a specific admission protocol for elective surgery. The paediatrics department had the lowest rates of inappropriate admissions in all hospitals [0%, 1.0% and 1.9%]. On logistic regression analysis, the route of admission was the only factor significantly associated with inappropriate admissions in the departments of surgery, obstetrics/gynaecology and internal medicine

[Foreign bodies in the bladder about 4 cases]

Cases of foreign bodies in the bladder are rare and have variable nature. In our society, self-insertion via urethra is the most common cause, especially in young girls in a psychiatric or erotic context. We report 4 observations of bladder stones including foreign bodies in 4 women aged between 18 and 58 years. In 2 cases, it is about an accidental transurethral insertion of a needle and a piece of wood for the purpose of masturbation. In the third case, a bit of urinary catheter, which was put 10 years ago, was found in the bladder. In the last case, it is about an intrauterine contraceptive device which was put 5 years before and then had migrated into the bladder. A suprapubic cystotomy was performed to the 2 first patients. The 2 others had benefited from ballistic lithotripsy with endoscopic extraction of the foreign body. Throughout these observations, we analyse etiological, diagnostic, and therapeutic aspects of this pathology

Prevalence of wheeze among preschool children in Basra governonate, southern Iraq

A community-based survey was carried out in Basra governorate, Iraq, to estimate the prevalence of wheeze among children under 5 years old and to identify possible risk factors. It was found that 15.8% of the 424 preschool children enrolled in the study had a history of wheeze. More wheezy children lived in the city [16.3%] than in the rural area [15.0%]. Family history of asthma in first-degree relatives was significantly associated with wheeze [44.8% of children with wheeze versus 15.1% without wheeze]. Other household factors-parents' low educational level, formula or supplemental feeding as a baby, overcrowding, smoking at home, pet ownership and using kerosene-were associated with wheeze, but the results were not statistically significant. The role of environmental factors and feeding patterns needs to be further evaluated

Determination of zinc ions in water samples and pharmaceutical preparations

A spectrophotometric technique was adopted for the determination of zinc ions through coordination with 4-[2-pyridylazo]-1-naphthol [p- PAN] at pH 2.5 and formation of dark red color. Beer's law was obeyed in the concentration range of 2 to 40 mug zinc ions per 25 ml with maximum absorbance at 550 nm and molar absorptivity of 9.5 x 10 6 L mol -1 cm -1. Zinc ions were also determined amperometrically at an applied potential of +0.75 volt to the graphite electrode using st and ard solution of p-PAN in the concentration range of 1 x 10 -3 to 1 x 10 -6 M solution. Both procedures were applied for the determination of zinc ions in some water samples of Egypt and in pharmaceutical preparations

Determination of phosphate in water samples of Saudi Arabia

A new method has been adopted for determination of phosphate in water samples of Saudi Arabia by potentiometric technique using lead ion selective electrode. Phosphate was precipitated in nitric acid medium as phosphomolybdate complex and the excess st and ard molybdate solution was determined with st and ard lead nitrate solution in the presence of lead ion-selective electrode. Phosphate was also determined by a new spectrophotometric method, which measured the chloroformic extract obtained from the conjugate molybdenum blue complex with rosaniline at 540 nm. Beer's law was obeyed in the concentration range of 5.6 to 56.2 mug phosphate per 25 ml with molar absorptivity of 89954.3 L Mol -1 cm -1. These procedures were compared statistically with the method, which uses anion exchange resin in the molybdate form

Determination of some catecholamines in pharmaceutical forms

Periodic acid oxidized catecholamines to the corresponding aminochrome derivatives which could be measured spectrophotometrically in acetate buffer [pH 4.7] at 485 nm in the range of 2.4 to 28 mug per ml catecholamines. Catecholamines were also determined amperometrically after their oxidation with periodic acid. In addition, a fluorometric method for the determination of primary amine, e.g. catecholamines, noradrenaline and methyldopa was established. O-phthalaldehyde reacts with these amines in the presence of certain thiol [2-mercaptoethanol] and 50% ammonium acetate to give fluorescent adducts with excitation at 340 nm and emission at 455 nm. Beer's law was obeyed in the concentration range of 1.0 to 12.0 mug per ml catecholamines