Longitudinal assessment of spiral and uterine arteries in normal pregnancy using novel ultrasound tool.

OBJECTIVES: To use superb microvascular imaging (SMI) to evaluate longitudinally spiral artery (SA) and uterine artery (UtA) vascular adaptation in normal human pregnancy, and to develop reference ranges for use at various gestational ages throughout pregnancy. METHODS: The data for this study were obtained from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded Human Placenta Project. Women aged 18-35 years, with a body mass index < 30 kg/m2 , without comorbidities, with a singleton gestation conceived spontaneously, and gestational age at or less than 13 + 6 weeks were eligible for inclusion. The current analysis was restricted to uncomplicated pregnancies carried to term. Exclusion criteria included maternal or neonatal complications, fetal or umbilical cord anomalies, abnormal placental implantation or delivery < 37 weeks. Women who fulfilled the inclusion criteria formed the reference population of the Human Placenta Project study. Each participant underwent eight ultrasound examinations during pregnancy. The pulsatility index (PI) of both the left and right UtA were obtained twice for each artery and the presence or absence of a notch was noted. Using SMI technology, the total number of SA imaged was recorded in a sagittal placental section at the level of cord insertion. The PI and peak systolic velocity (PSV) were also measured in a total of six SA, including two in the central portion of the placenta, two peripherally towards the uterine fundal portion, and two peripherally towards the lower uterine segment. RESULTS: A total of 90 women fulfilled the study criteria. Maternal UtA-PI decreased throughout the first half of pregnancy from a mean ± SD of 1.39 ± 0.50 at 12-13 weeks' gestation to 0.88 ± 0.24 at 20-21 weeks' gestation. The mean number of SA visualized in a sagittal plane of the placenta increased from 8.83 ± 2.37 in the first trimester to 16.99 ± 3.31 in the late-third trimester. The mean SA-PI was 0.57 ± 0.12 in the first trimester and decreased progressively during the second trimester, reaching a nadir of 0.40 ± 0.10 at 24-25 weeks, and remaining constant until the end of pregnancy. SA-PSV was highest in early pregnancy with a mean of 57.16 ± 14.84 cm/s at 12-13 weeks' gestation, declined to a mean of 49.38 ± 17.88 cm/s at 20-21 weeks' gestation and continued to trend downward for the remainder of pregnancy, reaching a nadir of 34.50 ± 15.08 cm/s at 36-37 weeks' gestation. A statistically significant correlation was noted between SA-PI and UtA-PI (r = 0.5633; P < 0.001). Multilevel regression models with natural cubic splines were used to create reference ranges of SA-PSV and SA-PI for given gestational ages. CONCLUSION: From early gestation, we have demonstrated the ability to image and quantify SA blood flow in normal pregnancy, and have developed reference ranges for use at various gestational ages throughout pregnancy. © 2023 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Imaging findings in infants with recurrent vomiting after pyloromyotomy: a pictorial review.

Hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (HPS) is a common entity with an incidence of 2-4 per 1000 live births. Current definitive treatment is with pyloromyotomy, which is usually performed laparoscopically. The procedure is generally well tolerated with resolution of the patient's symptoms. In a small percentage of patients, however, there is recurrent vomiting which warrants further investigation. In this pictorial review, the expected post-operative appearance of the pylorus will be described, and the imaging findings and clinical course of two patients with recurrent vomiting after pyloromyotomy will be presented.

Ethnicity and cognitive performance among older African Americans, Japanese Americans, and Caucasians: the role of education.

This cross-sectional analysis evaluated the association between ethnicity and cognitive performance and determined whether education modifies this association for nondemented older people (103 African Americans, 1,388 Japanese Americans, 2,306 Caucasians) in a study of dementia incidence. African Americans scored lower (median 89 out of 100) than Japanese Americans (93) and Caucasians (94) on the Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument (CASI). Education affected CA

Dietary soy isoflavone intake in older Japanese American women.

OBJECTIVE: In a sample of older Japanese American women, we aimed to: (1) describe the most commonly consumed soy foods, (2) estimate dietary soy isoflavone intake, (3) describe characteristics associated with dietary soy isoflavone intake, and (4) compare our estimates with previously published estimates in other Japanese samples. DESIGN: A 14-item soy food-frequency questionnaire was administered to older Japanese American women and responses were converted to quantitative estimates of soy isoflavones (genistein plus daidzein). Multiple regression was used to examine characteristics associated with dietary soy isoflavone intake, including self-reported lifestyle and cultural factors and dietary intake of various foods ascertained from a semi-quantitative food-frequency questionnaire. To compare our estimates with other samples, a review of the literature was conducted. SETTING/SUBJECTS: Data are from 274 women aged 65+ years, recruited from a longitudinal cohort study of Japanese Americans in King County, Washington State. RESULTS: The soy foods most commonly consumed were tofu (soybean curd), miso (fermented soybean paste) and aburaage (fried thin soybean curd). The mean intake of dietary soy isoflavones was 10.2 (standard deviation (SD), 12.4) mg day(-1), approximately a quarter to a half that of previously published estimates in Japanese samples. Dietary soy isoflavone intake was positively associated with speaking Japanese, the consumption of traditional Japanese dishes (kamaboko, manju and mochi), low-fat/non-fat milk and yellow/red vegetables, vitamin E supplement use, and walking several blocks each day. Dietary soy isoflavone intake was negatively associated with the consumption of butter. CONCLUSIONS: The estimated dietary soy isoflavone intake in Japanese American women living in King County, Washington State was about a quarter to a half that of women living in Japan. Dietary soy isoflavone intake was associated with speaking Japanese and healthy lifestyle and dietary habits.

Postmenopausal estrogen and estrogen-progestin use and 2-year rate of cognitive change in a cohort of older Japanese American women: The Kame Project.

BACKGROUND: The relation between estrogen and cognition among postmenopausal women remains controversial. Also uncertain is whether the proposed association varies between women taking unopposed estrogen and those taking estrogen combined with progestin. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether unopposed estrogen and combined estrogen-progestin use were associated with the rate of cognitive change in a cohort of older, Japanese American, postmenopausal women. METHODS: A prospective observational study in a population-based cohort of older Japanese Americans (aged > or =65 years) living in King County, Washington. Cognitive performance was measured in 837 women at baseline (1992-1994) and 2-year follow-up (1994-1997) examinations using the 100-point Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument (CASI). Least squares means general linear models were used to estimate the 2-year rate of cognitive change according to categories of postmenopausal estrogen use. RESULTS: Approximately half of this cohort (n=455) had never used estrogen at any time since menopause, 186 were past users, 132 were current unopposed estrogen users, and 64 were current estrogen-progestin users. The majority of current estrogen users were taking conjugated estrogens, and all women receiving combined therapy were taking medroxyprogesterone acetate. After adjusting for age, education, language spoken at the interview, surgical menopause, and baseline CASI score, women who had never used postmenopausal estrogen improved slightly on the CASI scale (mean adjusted change, 0.79; SEM, 0.19). This change was significantly greater for current unopposed estrogen users (mean adjusted change, 1.68; SEM, 0.36; P=.04) and significantly worse for current estrogen-progestin users (mean adjusted change, -0.41; SEM, 0.50; P =.02) compared with never users. The improvement observed in past users (mean adjusted change, 1.12; SEM, 0.29) was intermediate between the changes for never users and current unopposed estrogen users and not significantly greater than that for never users (P=.35). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support a modest beneficial association between current unopposed estrogen use and the rate of cognitive change. We also observed a modest detrimental association between current estrogen-progestin use and the rate of cognitive change. The clinical significance of these modest differences, however, is uncertain. Data from large, long-term randomized trials are required before applying this information to the clinical setting.

The potential for improved teamwork to reduce medical errors in the emergency department. The MedTeams Research Consortium.

This article describes emergency department care work teams designed to improve team communication and coordination and reduce error. The core of this teamwork system is the teaching of teamwork behaviors and skills, development of teamwork habits, and creation of small work teams, all of which are key teamwork concepts largely drawn from successful aviation programs. Arguments for enculturating teamwork into ED practice are drawn from a retrospective study of ED malpractice incidents. Fifty-four incidents (1985-1996), a sample of convenience drawn from 8 hospitals, were identified and judged mitigable or preventable by better teamwork. An average of 8.8 teamwork failures occurred per case. More than half of the deaths and permanent disabilities that occurred were judged avoidable. Better teamwork could save nearly $3.50 per ED patient visit. Caregivers must improve teamwork skills to reduce errors, improve care quality, and reduce litigation risks.

Standardization of the clinical diagnosis of the dementia syndrome and its subtypes in a cross-national study: the Ni-Hon-Sea experience.

BACKGROUND: Clinical investigators from Seattle, Honolulu, Tokyo, and Hiroshima participated in two standardization exercises in which data were collected on independent assessments. Exercises were conducted to evaluate the interobserver agreement on clinical diagnoses of dementia and dementia subtypes in a cross-national study of dementia prevalence and incidence rates in the United States and Japan. METHOD: Fifteen clinicians from four participating sites assessed the diagnosis of 85 patients based on standardized summaries of clinical and diagnostic test data on each patient. Diagnostic guidelines and conventions were adopted on the basis of group consensus during standardization exercises. RESULTS: Using DSM-III-R criteria, generally good levels of agreement for all dementia diagnostic categories occurred in both years. For most measures of diagnostic agreement, improvements were observed between the 1995 and 1996 standardization sessions. Interrater agreement was highest for discrimination between dementia and nondementia (1996 overall kappa, K = .90). The kappa values for dementia subtypes in 1996 ranged from .5 to .85, and for all sites combined the value was .67. For dementia subtypes, percent agreement was highest for vascular dementia and Alzheimer's disease, but was less reliable for other types of dementia. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians from different cultures and medical traditions can reliably use the DSM-III-R criteria to classify dementia cases in cross-national research. The interrater agreement on dementia and its subtypes improved after clear-cut guidelines for interpretation of diagnostic criteria were developed and followed.

Estrogen replacement therapy and cognitive function in postmenopausal women without dementia.

The epidemiologic evidence for an association between estrogen and cognitive function among healthy postmenopausal women remains controversial. Equivocal findings may be explained, in part, by differences in the methodologic approaches of these studies. Overall, the evidence for a positive relationship comes primarily from randomized clinical trials. These trials suggest an acute effect on specific tests of recent verbal memory and tasks incorporating concept formation and reasoning. The potential long-term effects of estrogen in slowing or delaying the age-related decline in cognitive function require further study. More data are needed to determine the effects of estrogen replacement therapy on cognitive function, independent of changes in mood and depressive symptoms. In addition, evidence suggests that progesterone may mitigate the beneficial effects of estrogen on mood. Research should be undertaken to determine the interactive effects of estrogen and progesterone on cognitive function. Lastly, there should be continued investigation by both epidemiologic and basic neuroscientific studies to further elucidate the specific cognitive domains that may respond to estrogen.

Prevalence of dementia and its subtypes in the Japanese American population of King County, Washington state. The Kame Project.

Studies of Asian populations generally have reported prevalence rates for dementia similar to those of predominantly Caucasian populations, but relative prevalence rates of Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia have differed. Between May 1, 1992 and May 1, 1994, the prevalence rates of dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and vascular dementia were examined in the Japanese American population aged over 65 years in King County, Washington State. A total of 3,045 eligible individuals were identified in a census of persons who were of at least 50% Japanese heritage. Of 1,985 persons who participated in the baseline examination, 382 individuals of 450 sampled from all cognitive performance strata received a diagnostic evaluation. A total of 107 cases with a Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) of > or = 1 met criteria for dementia according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 3rd edition, revised (DSM-III-R); 58 of these cases were diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and 24 with multi-infarct dementia. The estimated prevalence rate for all dementias was 6.3% (95% confidence interval 5.9-6.8). Prevalence rates for dementia increased continuously with age and were 30%, 50%, and 74% for participants aged 85-89, 90-94, and > or = 95 years, respectively; for Alzheimer's disease, prevalence rates were 14%, 36%, and 58% for these three age groups. Rates for Alzheimer's disease were generally higher among women; for multi-infarct dementia, rates for men and women were similar. In the institutional population, the prevalence rate was 66%, and in the community, 2.9%. Persons with lower education had higher overall rates of dementia than those with higher education, but this tendency became weak and inconsistent when rates were age-stratified. The prevalence of dementia in this geographically defined population of Japanese Americans was somewhat higher than prevalence rates reported from Japan, and the distribution of dementia subtypes more closely resembled that found in Caucasian populations in North America and Europe than previously reported in Asian populations.

Referral and consultation in emergency medicine practice.

Since emergency physicians (EPs) frequently initiate referrals and consultations, accept patients in referral, and may provide consultation services, it is imperative that EPs fully understand these processes. Such an understanding improves communication and facilitates professional interactions and patient care. There is little published information concerning the significance and practice of referrals and consultations as they pertain to the EP. This article addresses referrals and consultations in relation to EPs. Specific recommendations are made for consultation initiation and execution. The dynamics and ethical/legal issues associated with initiating and accepting referrals and consultations are discussed.

Military emergency medicine physician assistants.

For well over 200 years, non-physician practitioners have been providing quality, supplemental medical care in civilian and military communities worldwide. Physician shortages, increased accessibility, and cost-effectiveness have made supplemental health care especially appealing in the 1990s. Physician assistants are perhaps the most well-known of these physician extenders. Initially incorporated into the primary care system, physician assistants are now encouraged to specialize. One of the newest and most exciting areas of specialization is emergency medicine with residency programs available at Brooke Army Medical Center in Texas and Madigan Army Medical Center in Washington.

Consultation and referral patterns from a teaching hospital emergency department.

The objective of this study was to describe consultation and referral patterns from a military emergency department (ED). The design of the study consisted of a prospective analysis of consultations and referrals from Madigan Army Medical Center ED during April 1990, an Army Medical Center with multiple residencies, including emergency medicine (EM). Patient population included active and retired military personnel, their families, and civilian emergency medical system-transported patients. ED visits averaged 60,000 per year. The overall rate of consultation and referral was 39.9%; 10.7% were consultations, whereas 29.2% were referrals. PGY-2 and -3 EM residents consultation rates were higher than average. Of all ED visits, 19.7% resulted in consultations or referrals to surgical services, 13.6% to medical services, and 2.8% to pediatrics. ED patients frequently are referred to or result in consultations with non-EM physicians. Differences in consultation by level of training and the impact of consultation on consulting services both deserve further investigation. Review of EM resident use of consultation and referral may focus evaluation of ED care in teaching hospitals.

Medicolegal issues in pediatric and adolescent emergencies.

The process of providing emergency care is a difficult one. In pediatric emergency care, this process is complicated by a host of factors, including special legal considerations. A basic identification of these legal issues as discussed will enhance the ability of the emergency physician to feel more comfortable in an already complicated work environment. More important, a working knowledge of legal principles allows additional time during a crisis to focus on quality medicine rather than ponder legal considerations. When questions of law versus medicine conflict, it is best to consult competent legal authority. When time does not permit such access, it is imperative that proper medical care is pursued to the best ability of the physician provider. No matter what the legal outcome in a particular case, one must feel comfortable within professional practice standards and be able to live with oneself.

Management of the violent patient. Therapeutic and legal considerations.

1. Express consent is desirable in caring for patients. However, in an emergency, when the patient is incapable of giving valid consent and harm from failure to treat is potentially imminent, care must be provided. 2. Presentation of a combative patient to an Emergency Department implies a duty of the emergency physician to render assistance according to standards of emergency medical care. 3. Third-party interests must be considered when other patients, coworkers, or potential victims of harm or violence are foreseeably recognized.

Removal of obstructed Foley catheter from the urethra.

This case illustrates an approach to resolve a frustrating problem associated with Foley catheter balloon obstructions. By identifying its position in the urethra, the balloon can be deflated with minimal effort and limited urethra injury, using the suggested technique of transperineal needle insertion.