Electrical impedance scanning as a new breast cancer risk stratification tool for young women.

BACKGROUND: Electrical impedance scanning (EIS) measures changes in breast tissue associated with breast cancer (Br-Ca) development. The T-Scan(tm2000 (ED is designed to use EIS to identify women ages 30-39 with elevated risk of breast cancer (i.e., T-Scan+ women). AIM: To estimate the relative probability of breast cancer in a T-Scan+ woman compared to a randomly selected young woman. METHODS: A prospective, two-cohort trial was conducted in pre-menopausal women. The Specificity (S(p))-Cohort evaluated T-Scan specificity in 1,751 asymptomatic women ages 30-39. The Sensitivity)S(n))-Cohort evaluated T-Scan sensitivity in 390 women ages 45-30 scheduled for biopsy. Specificity, sensitivity, and conservative estimate of disease prevalence were used to calculate relative probability. RESULTS: In the S(p)-Cohort, 93 of 1,751 women were T-Scan+ (S(p) = 94.7%; 95% CI: 93.7-95.7%). In the S(n)-Cohort, 23 of 87 biopsy-proven cancers were T-Scan+ (S(n) = 26.4%; 95% CI: 17.4-35.4%). Given S(p) = 94.7%, S(n) = 26.4% and prevalence of 1.5 cancers/1,000 women (ages 30-39), the relative probability of a T-Scan+ woman having Br-Ca is 4.95: (95% CI: 3.16-7.14). CONCLUSION: EIS can identify a subset of young women with a relative probability of breast cancer almost five times greater than in the population of young women at-large. T-Scan+ women have a sufficiently high risk of Br-Ca to warrant further surveillance or imaging.

Reliability of spinal palpation for diagnosis of back and neck pain: a systematic review of the literature.

STUDY DESIGN: A systematic review. OBJECTIVES: To determine the quality of the research and assess the interexaminer and intraexaminer reliability of spinal palpatory diagnostic procedures. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Conflicting data have been reported over the past 35 years regarding the reliability of spinal palpatory tests. METHODS: The authors used 13 electronic databases and manually searched the literature from January 1, 1966 to October 1, 2001. Forty-nine (6%) of 797 primary research articles met the inclusion criteria. Two blinded, independent reviewers scored each article. Consensus or a content expert reconciled discrepancies. RESULTS: The quality scores ranged from 25 to 79/100. Subject description, study design, and presentation of results were the weakest areas. The 12 highest quality articles found pain provocation, motion, and landmark location tests to have acceptable reliability (K = 0.40 or greater), but they were not always reproducible by other examiners under similar conditions. In those that used kappa statistics, a higher percentage of the pain provocation studies (64%) demonstrated acceptable reliability, followed by motion studies (58%), landmark (33%), and soft tissue studies (0%). Regional range of motion is more reliable than segmental range of motion, and intraexaminer reliability is better than interexaminer reliability. Overall, examiners' discipline, experience level, consensus on procedure used, training just before the study, or use of symptomatic subjects do not improve reliability. CONCLUSION: The quality of the research on interreliability and intrareliability of spinal palpatory diagnostic procedures needs to be improved. Pain provocation tests are most reliable. Soft tissue paraspinal palpatory diagnostic tests are not reliable.

The role of new progestins in women's health.

The need for safe and efficacious hormone use underlines the importance of long-term contraceptive options as well as safe short-term hormone replacement when symptoms and clinical judgment dictate this course of action. For contracepting women, new progestins have been introduced in an attempt to provide more effective options with fewer side effects. These have been designed to suit a variety of personal needs and life styles. These agents, found in oral contraceptives, injectables, transdermals, transvaginal rings and intrauterine systems, carry improved risk profiles and a wide range of noncontraceptive benefits. For the post-reproductive woman with a uterus the emphasis is on progestin options with the lowest dose and least systemic side effects. These options must, according to the U.S. FDA, prove not only their efficacy but also their safety. Ongoing studies will be necessary to ensure that menopausal women also enjoy safe hormone use for symptom reduction as well as other possible benefits.

Health and economic impact of the premenstrual syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of the premenstrual syndrome (PMS) on health-related quality of life, health care utilization and occupational functioning. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional cohort study of women prospectively diagnosed with PMS. RESULTS: Among women completing the survey, 28.7% were diagnosed with PMS. Women with PMS had significantly lower scores on the Mental Component Summary (MCS) and Physical Component Summary (PCS) scale scores of the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 as compared to women without PMS (MCS = 42.8 vs. 49.5, P < .001, and PCS = 51.1 vs. 53.0, P = .04). Women with PMS reported reduced work productivity, interference with hobbies and greater number of work days missed for health reasons (P < .001). In addition, women with PMS experienced an increased frequency of ambulatory health care provider visits (P = .04) and were more likely to accrue > $500 in visit costs over 2 years (P < .006). CONCLUSION: Findings from this study suggest that premenstrual symptoms significantly affect health-related quality of life and may result in increased health care utilization and decreased occupational productivity.

Spinal palpation: The challenges of information retrieval using available databases.

PURPOSE: This study addressed 2 questions: first, what is the yield of PubMed MEDLINE for complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) studies compared to other databases; second, what is an effective search strategy to answer a sample research question on spinal palpation? METHODS: We formulated the following research question: "What is the reliability of spinal palpation procedures?" We identified specific Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) and key terms as used in osteopathic medicine, allopathic medicine, chiropractic, and physical therapy. Using PubMed, we formulated an initial search template and applied it to 12 additional selected databases. Subsequently, we applied the inclusion criteria and evaluated the yield in terms of precision and sensitivity in identifying relevant studies. RESULTS: The online search result of the 13 databases identified 1189 citations potentially addressing the research question. After excluding overlapping and nonpertinent citations and those not meeting the inclusion criteria, 49 citations remained. PubMed yielded 19, while MANTIS (Manual Alternative and Natural Therapy Index System), a manual therapy database, yielded 35 citations. Twenty-six of the 49 online citations were repeatedly indexed in 3 or more databases. Content experts and selective manual searches identified 11 additional studies. In all, we identified 60 studies that addressed the research question. The cost of the databases used for conducting this search ranged from free-of-charge to $43,000 per year for a single network subscription. CONCLUSIONS: Commonly used databases often do not provide accurate indexing or coverage of CAM publications. Subject-specific specialized databases are recommended. Access, cost, and ease of using specialized databases are limiting factors.

Searching biomedical databases on complementary medicine: the use of controlled vocabulary among authors, indexers and investigators.

BACKGROUND: The optimal retrieval of a literature search in biomedicine depends on the appropriate use of Medical Subject Headings (MeSH), descriptors and keywords among authors and indexers. We hypothesized that authors, investigators and indexers in four biomedical databases are not consistent in their use of terminology in Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM). METHODS: Based on a research question addressing the validity of spinal palpation for the diagnosis of neuromuscular dysfunction, we developed four search concepts with their respective controlled vocabulary and key terms. We calculated the frequency of MeSH, descriptors, and keywords used by authors in titles and abstracts in comparison to standard practices in semantic and analytic indexing in MEDLINE, MANTIS, CINAHL, and Web of Science. RESULTS: Multiple searches resulted in the final selection of 38 relevant studies that were indexed at least in one of the four selected databases. Of the four search concepts, validity showed the greatest inconsistency in terminology among authors, indexers and investigators. The use of spinal terms showed the greatest consistency. Of the 22 neuromuscular dysfunction terms provided by the investigators, 11 were not contained in the controlled vocabulary and six were never used by authors or indexers. Most authors did not seem familiar with the controlled vocabulary for validity in the area of neuromuscular dysfunction. Recently, standard glossaries have been developed to assist in the research development of manual medicine. CONCLUSIONS: Searching biomedical databases for CAM is challenging due to inconsistent use of controlled vocabulary and indexing procedures in different databases. A standard terminology should be used by investigators in conducting their search strategies and authors when writing titles, abstracts and submitting keywords for publications.

Phytoestrogens and breast cancer prevention: what is the evidence?

The use of phytoestrogens as a natural source of estrogen has been rapidly accepted by consumers for various remedial or preventive purposes, including breast cancer prevention. Phytoestrogens exhibit mixed weak estrogen agonist/antagonist properties and antioxidative activity. They may play a significant inhibitory role during the initiation and promotional phases of cancer development. Experimental and physiologic studies provide much of the evidence on the inverse association between breast cancer risk and phytoestrogen intake. Research in humans has been limited to observational (case-control) epidemiologic studies and is far from conclusive. A critical evaluation through controlled trials of phytoestrogens' breast cancer-protective role needs to be performed before they are adopted as chemopreventive agents.

Content validity of manual spinal palpatory exams - A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Many health care professionals use spinal palpatory exams as a primary and well-accepted part of the evaluation of spinal pathology. However, few studies have explored the validity of spinal palpatory exams. To evaluate the status of the current scientific evidence, we conducted a systematic review to assess the content validity of spinal palpatory tests used to identify spinal neuro-musculoskeletal dysfunction. METHODS: Review of eleven databases and a hand search of peer-reviewed literature, published between 1965-2002, was undertaken. Two blinded reviewers abstracted pertinent data from the retrieved papers, using a specially developed quality-scoring instrument. Five papers met the inclusion/exclusion criteria. RESULTS: Three of the five papers included in the review explored the content validity of motion tests. Two of these papers focused on identifying the level of fixation (decreased mobility) and one focused on range of motion. All three studies used a mechanical model as a reference standard. Two of the five papers included in the review explored the validity of pain assessment using the visual analogue scale or the subjects' own report as reference standards. Overall the sensitivity of studies looking at range of motion tests and pain varied greatly. Poor sensitivity was reported for range of motion studies regardless of the examiner's experience. A slightly better sensitivity (82%) was reported in one study that examined cervical pain. CONCLUSIONS: The lack of acceptable reference standards may have contributed to the weak sensitivity findings. Given the importance of spinal palpatory tests as part of the spinal evaluation and treatment plan, effort is required by all involved disciplines to create well-designed and implemented studies in this area.

Quality of life issues. Potential role for an oral contraceptive containing ethinyl estradiol and drospirenone.

The new combined oral contraceptive containing ethinyl estradiol and drospirenone has the potential for improving a woman's quality of life. Drospirenone's antiandrogenic activity, for example, makes it effective in reducing acne and seborrhea. The majority of reproductive-age women suffer from some degree of premenstrual symptomatology. In some cases, these monthly symptoms are severe enough to negatively impact a woman's quality of life. Drospirenone's antimineralocorticoid activity aids in reducing some of the most bothersome symptoms associated with the premenstrual phase of the menstrual cycle.