Evaluating the impact of two training interventions to improve diagnosis and case-management of malaria and pneumonia in Uganda.

We present an age-structured mathematical model of malaria and pneumonia to study the effect of two capacity-building interventions: Integrated Management of Infectious Diseases (IMID) and On-site Support Services (OSS). IMID leads to a reduction in malaria prevalence by more than 2·4% across the [0,5), [5,14) and [14,50) age groups. IMID + OSS reduces it by more than 16·0% across all age groups. IMID decreases pneumonia prevalence by more than 3·0% across all age groups while IMID + OSS decreases it by more than 1·0% across all age groups. The number of malaria and pneumonia deaths is reduced by 7·8% by IMID across all age groups and IMID + OSS decreases this number by 30·5% across all age groups, which translates to saving a life of a child per month. Prevalence of malaria-pneumonia for the [0,5) age group is 0·52% at baseline, and IMID and IMID + OSS reduce it by 6·6% and 23·6%, respectively. There is no change in incidence of malaria or pneumonia disease episodes. The results also indicate that triaging of children contributes more than 50% to the effect of the interventions in reduction of deaths and a range of 14-91% in reduction of disease cases.

Patterns and outcomes of aortofemoral bypass grafting in the era of endovascular interventions.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study is to study contemporary presentation patterns and clinical results in patients undergoing aortofemoral bypass (AFB) surgery. DESIGN: This was a retrospective comparative study. MATERIAL AND METHODS: During a 14-year period, 269 consecutive patients (mean age 65 years) underwent AFB. Indications included occlusive disease with severe intermittent claudication (IC) (n = 86), critical limb ischaemia (CLI, n = 97) and aneurysmo-occlusive disease (n = 86). RESULTS: From 2000-07 on, AFB was performed more frequently for occlusive disease with CLI than for other indications (48% vs. 31% before 2000, P = 0.009) and also in women (51% vs. 32% before 2000, P = 0.003), compared to the period before 2000. Thirty-day mortality was reduced during 2000-2007 to 2.4%, compared with 4.3% during 1993-1999, although this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.73). Morbidity did not change substantially over the study period. Predictors of 30-day mortality included indication (CLI = 4.1% vs. claudication = 1.2% (P = 0.37)) and chronic kidney disease (CKD, serum creatinine > 1.5 mg dl⁻¹) (11.1% vs. 2.9% in normal renal function, P = 0.07), the latter being the single predictor on multivariate analysis (hazard risk 4.2, P = 0.047). Overall 5 and 10-year assisted primary and secondary patency was 95% and 88%, and 99% and 95%, respectively. Survival at 5 and 10 years was 69% and 48%, respectively. Patient age (hazard risk 1.05, P < 0.001), CKD (hazard risk 1.79, P = 0.018) and diabetes (hazard risk 1.56, P = 0.022) were independent predictors of worse long-term survival. Long-term outcome did not change over the course of the study. CONCLUSIONS: In the contemporary era, AFB is more likely to be performed for CLI and in women than in the past. Despite these changes, perioperative mortality and morbidity remain low and long-term outcome excellent.

Basilic vein transposition: what is the optimal technique?

OBJECTIVES: To compare the outcome of the one-stage basilic vein transposition (BVT) fistula with a modified, two-stage technique. DESIGN: Retrospective case-controlled study, performed in an academic centre. MATERIAL: A total of 173 candidates for BVT fistula (87 males, mean age 61 years). METHODS: In one-stage BVT, the basilic vein is mobilised through a single incision, placed inside an anterolateral arm tunnel and anastomosed with the brachial artery. In two-stage procedures, the fistula-arterial anastomosis is created first, followed by the second stage, after fistula maturation several weeks later, when the basilic vein is mobilised through two skip incisions, transected near the anastomosis, placed inside an anterolateral arm tunnel and reanastomosed. Morbidity and fistula maturation rate were the main outcome measures. RESULTS: In one-stage BVT (n=76), the incidence of venous hypertension, wound haematomas and all complications (17%, 13% and 43%, respectively) was significantly higher than in two-stage procedures (n=98) (4%, p=0.004, 3%, p=0.012 and 11%, p<0.001, respectively). Time (68 days) to fistula use was significantly decreased in one-stage BVT than in two-stage procedures (132 days, p<0.001) but failure to mature rate was equivalent (15% vs. 18%, p=0.49). CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that the two-stage BVT fistula through two skip-arm incisions is superior to the established one-stage procedure in terms of less morbidity but at the cost of a second operation and longer time to access use. Further research comparing these two techniques is necessary. Until this issue is resolved, an individualised approach is suggested.

Routine HIV testing in the context of syndromic management of sexually transmitted infections: outcomes of the first phase of a training programme in Botswana.

OBJECTIVE: In 2004, the Ministry of Health adopted revised protocols for the syndromic management of sexually transmitted infections (STI) that included routine HIV testing. A training programme for providers was developed on the revised protocols that featured interactive case studies and training videos. An objective of the first phase of the training programme was to test its effect on four measures of clinical practice: (1) routine HIV testing; (2) performance of physical examination; (3) risk-reduction counselling and (4) patient education. METHODS: Clinical practice in a district where providers were trained was compared with a district without training. The measures of clinical practice were reported by 185 patients of providers who had been trained and compared with reports by 124 patients at comparison clinics. RESULTS: Relative to patients at comparison clinics, a higher percentage of patients of trainees reported that the provider: (1) offered an HIV test (87% versus 29%; p<0.001); (2) conducted a physical examination (98% versus 64%; p<0.001); (3) helped them to make a plan to avoid future STI acquisition (95% versus 76%; p<0.001) and (4) provided patient-specific information about HIV risk (65% versus 32%; p<0.001). Among patients offered HIV testing, the percentage who accepted did not differ between groups (38% of 161 patients of trainees versus 50% of 36 comparison patients; p = 0.260). Overall, 33% of patients of trainees and 14% of comparison patients were tested (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: A multifaceted training programme was associated with higher rates of HIV testing, physical examination, risk-reduction counselling and better HIV risk education.

Oculomotor control in asymptomatic and recently diagnosed individuals with the genetic marker for Huntington's disease.

We compared oculomotor control among individuals in the early stages of Huntington's disease (HD), with that of individuals who are presymptomatic HD gene carriers (PSGC) and nongene carriers (NGC). The oculomotor testing paradigm included both traditional tests and a novel experimental procedure to assess visual scanning. Traditional tests elicited saccades, pursuit and optokinetic nystagmus (OKN). HD patients demonstrated marked delay in the initiation of volitional saccades (anti-saccade and memory-guided saccades), a reduced number of correct volitional saccades, reduced velocity of saccades, and a decreased OKN gain. We also studied visual scanning while the participants completed the Digit Symbol Subscale of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Survey-Revised (WAIS-R). The HD participants demonstrated an abnormal gaze strategy, which may be associated with attention and/or planning deficits. Differences between the PSGC and NGC groups were only observed for two measures: PSGC had a decreased number of memory-guided saccades and a subtle delay in the initiation of volitional saccades. Our results suggest that oculomotor measures are a sensitive biomarker in the early stage of HD and demonstrate that the combination of more traditional oculomotor tests with visual scanning tests is useful in the evaluation of visual performance.

Increasing influenza and pneumococcal immunization rates: a randomized controlled study of a senior center-based intervention.

BACKGROUND: Immunizations decrease morbidity from influenza and pneumococcal infections. Immunization levels remain below desired levels despite clinic-based and public education efforts. This paper describes a randomized, controlled trial of a senior center-based program, which used peer-to-peer outreach to increase pneumococcal and influenza immunization rates among an urban senior population. METHODS: Seniors were randomized to intervention or control groups. The intervention group received educational brochures mailed with reply cards to report immunization status, telephone calls from senior volunteers to unimmunized participants, and computerized immunization tracking. Immunization rates were obtained before and after the intervention by self-report. RESULTS: Among participants without prior pneumococcal immunization, the pneumococcal immunization rate among the intervention group (52.0%; 95% CI = 46.6%-57.4%) was significantly higher than that of the control group (30.9%; 95% CI = 26.6%-35.2%) (rate ratio = 1.68; 95% CI = 1.40-2.03). Among those without influenza immunization in the prior year, significantly more (50.0%; 95% CI = 40.0%-60.0%) were immunized against influenza in the intervention group than in the control group (23.0%; 95% CI = 15.2%-33.3%) (rate ratio = 2.17; 95% CI = 1.42-3.31). Among those with influenza immunization in the prior year, the rate ratio was 1.04 (95% CI = 1.01-1.07). CONCLUSIONS: The intervention increased both influenza and pneumococcal immunization rates to high levels, suggesting that further progress in increasing adult immunization coverage is possible.

Reliability and validity of medical outcome and patient satisfaction measures among injured workers in Washington State: a pretest.

Several existing measures of medical outcomes and some newly constructed measures of patient satisfaction were tested for reliability and validity on a sample of 100 subjects who had suffered work-related injuries and illnesses in Washington State. Included in the measures of medical outcome were the SF-36 and the upper body mobility subscale of the Health Assessment Questionnaire. The newly constructed measures of patient satisfaction assessed areas such as satisfaction with the attending physician and with access to referrals. Also administered were assessments of job satisfaction, both prior to and since the injury, and a measure of chance health locus of control. The patient satisfaction and medical outcomes measures demonstrated good reliability and validity for use with this population. However, neither the measures of job satisfaction nor chance health locus of control were related to either patient satisfaction with medical care nor to medical outcomes.

Stability of in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer success rates from the 1989, 1990, and 1991 Clinic-Specific Outcome Assessments.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if the differences in IVF-ET success rates among clinics are due to chance alone. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of data reported by individual clinics. SETTING: One hundred seventy-five clinics in 1989, 192 clinics in 1990, and 208 clinics in 1991 that reported IVF-ET success rates to the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (formerly The American Fertility Society). PATIENTS: Women < 40 years of age with no male factor. INTERVENTION: In vitro fertilization-ET. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Delivery rate per retrieval and delivery rate per transfer. RESULTS: The hypothesis that the differences among IVF-ET success rates for clinics is due to chance alone can be rejected. Seven clinics were found to have pregnancy rates significantly higher than average and six clinics were found to have pregnancy rates significantly lower than average. Significant correlations were found between different years in the success rates for individual clinics but not for success as a function of the number of patients treated. CONCLUSIONS: Success rates for a few clinics are significantly different from the average success rate, but success rates must be used with caution in selecting a clinic.

An O2-based enzyme electrode for whole blood lactate measurement under continuous flow conditions.

An enzyme electrode-continuous flow system for whole blood lactate measurement has been produced using ultrafiltration membrane-entrapped lactate oxidase retained over an O2 sensor housed in a measuring chamber. Linearity was to 0.8 mmol/l. Oxalate inhibition of the enzyme necessitated the use of lithium heparin-fluoride as anticoagulant for blood samples. A continuous flow system was devised which eliminated differences in sample PO2; analysis of serum and plasma specimens showed good correlation with a routine fluorimetric method (y = 1.097x -0.494, r = 0.959 and y = 0.978x + 0.085, r = 0.952, respectively). The correlation for the enzyme electrode between whole blood and plasma lactate concentrations was y = 0.801x + 0.142, r = 0.986. The flow system should, furthermore, allow reagentless continuous in vivo extracorporeal lactate monitoring.