Routine vaginal cuff smear testing in post-hysterectomy patients with benign uterine conditions: when is it indicated?

BACKGROUND: By the age of 60 years, an estimated 33% of women will have undergone a hysterectomy. Approximately 85% of these hysterectomies are performed for benign disease. The object of this study was to evaluate cytologic findings from vaginal cuff smears in patients who have undergone hysterectomy for benign uterine conditions. METHODS: We conducted a community-based retrospective study and follow-up of women with vaginal cuff cytologic smears who had had a hysterectomy for benign uterine conditions. A total of 220 women were randomly selected who had one or more vaginal cuff smears. The main outcomes measures were invasive carcinoma, dysplastic lesions, and infections detected by vaginal cuff smear testing. The setting was a large inner-city hospital. RESULTS: Ninety-seven percent of 220 women who underwent hysterectomy for benign uterine conditions and who were observed for an average of 89 months had no cytologic abnormalities on vaginal cuff smears. Cytologic evaluation found no invasive carcinomas. Dysplastic lesions were detected in 7 patients (3%). Seventy percent of patients (n = 154) had one or more infections; these infections included bacterial vaginosis (106), trichomoniasis (95), candidiasis (40), koilocytosis suggestive of human papilloma virus (HPV) infection (3), and cytopathic effect of herpes (4). The prevalence of koilocytosis was much higher in the patients with dysplasia (P = .0003). CONCLUSIONS: Most routine vaginal cuff cytology screening tests need not be performed in women who have had a hysterectomy for benign uterine conditions.

Training for primary care of mentally handicapped patients in US family practice residencies.

BACKGROUND: As a result of managed care mandates for primary care and the growing community presence of the 6 million mentally handicapped persons in the United States, primary care of this population will increasingly be provided by family physicians. How much family practice residencies emphasize training for care of this population is the focus of this study. METHODS: A questionnaire was mailed to each family practice residency program in the United States asking about didactic teaching, clinical activities, and faculty and curriculum planning related to care of the mentally handicapped population. RESULTS: Seventy-one percent of questionnaires were returned. Only 32 percent of respondents teach related didactic sessions, 24 percent plan clinic patient care for this population, and 42 percent affiliate with a residential care facility. The most frequently listed didactic topics were delayed infant assessment and seizure care. Comprehensive management of the mentally handicapped adult, family issues, behavioral problems, and long-term planning had low ratings compared with the first two topics. Psychiatrists were rated higher than family practice faculty for training in this area. CONCLUSIONS: There is little enthusiasm among residency directors about the need for training in care of mentally handicapped patients. Topics that are most valued, however, were those that are generally within the purview of specialists. A low value was placed upon training for helping families access services, behavior management, or comprehensive long-term planning-areas most often addressed by family physicians. Further studies are needed to assess the training needs of family physicians in caring for mentally handicapped persons.

Hip fractures and fluoridation in Utah's elderly population.

OBJECTIVE: To test the effect of water fluoridated to 1 ppm on the incidence of hip fractures in the elderly. DESIGN: Ecological cohort. SETTING: The incidence of femoral neck fractures in patients 65 years of age or older was compared in three communities in Utah, one with and two without water fluoridated to 1 ppm. PATIENTS: All patients with hip fractures who were 65 years of age and older over a 7-year period in the three communities, excluding (1) those with revisions of hip fractures, (2) those in whom the hip fracture was anything but a first diagnosis, (3) those in whom metastatic disease was present, or (4) those in whom the fracture was a second fracture (n = 246). OUTCOME MEASURE: Rate of hospital discharge for hip fracture. RESULTS: The relative risk for hip fracture for women in the fluoridated area was 1.27 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.08 to 1.46) and for men was 1.41 (95% CI = 1.00 to 1.81) relative to the nonfluoridated areas. CONCLUSIONS: We found a small but significant increase in the risk of hip fracture in both men and women exposed to artificial fluoridation at 1 ppm, suggesting that low levels of fluoride may increase the risk of hip fracture in the elderly.

Red cell membrane sodium transport: possible genetic role and use in identifying patients at risk of essential hypertension.

To investigate the influence of a family history of essential hypertension on abnormalities of red cell membrane sodium transport, 28 hypertensive children and their families were studied. In 15 families one or both parents had either essential hypertension or a strong family history. In 13 families neither parent had essential hypertension or a positive family history. There were significant differences between the children with a positive family history of essential hypertension compared with those without. Values are expressed as mean (SD): intracellular sodium concentration (mmol/l cells) 8.19 (2.18) compared with 6.41 (0.98); sodium efflux rate constant 0.4873 (0.1379) compared with 0.5831 (0.1104); and numbers of sodium-potassium ATPase pump sites (BMax) (nmol/l cells) 7.96 (1.71) compared with 9.56 (1.7). Significant differences were also found when the index hypertensive children were excluded and the normotensive siblings with and without hypertensive family histories were compared. These data suggest that abnormal red cell membrane sodium transport has a familial component, and although it is not caused by the hypertension it may be the earliest pathophysiological step in its development, perhaps allowing the identification of children at risk of essential hypertension.

Chronic compartment syndrome.

Chronic compartment syndrome typically affects young people who are engaged in endurance sports. The primary clinical feature is a sensation of tightness or aching pain in a defined compartment of the affected limb, starting during activity or hours after activity ceases and lasting for varying lengths of time. The diagnosis is based on the history and on measurement of compartmental pressures. Fasciotomy or partial fasciectomy is the definitive treatment.

Home-based renal dialysis.

About 20 percent of chronic dialysis patients receive treatment in their homes. An increasing number of these patients choose peritoneal dialysis. Physicians should be aware of the techniques and possible complications of home-based dialysis so that they can assist patients in choosing a form of dialysis and can help manage problems if they arise. An understanding of the technical and psychosocial problems is also necessary.

Loss of function in the frail elderly. A method for determining the underlying causes.

Five major functional problems that threaten independent living in the elderly are failure to ambulate or transfer, falling, failure to eat or drink adequately, incontinence, and intellectual impairment. The outline at the end of this article list possible underlying diseases or conditions that may lead to each of these dysfunctions. By asking about details of the functional deficits and seeking clinical clues, the physician can save time in determining underlying causes and constructing a treatment plan.

House calls in Utah.

To learn the criteria Utah physicians use in making or not making house calls and their specialty, age and frequency of calls, a random sample of half of Utah's physicians in family practice, general practice and general medicine was surveyed. Of 225 respondents, 70% reported making house calls at an average rate of 2.6 per month. More family practitioners made house calls than did internists; older physicians made more house calls than their younger counterparts. An estimated 82% of the calls were for patients aged 65 years and older. The most frequently stated reasons for making house calls were that patients were homebound and to assess the family or home situation. Reasons given for not making house calls were inefficient use of time and lack of equipment or necessary facilities.