Treatment of five haemodynamically stable dogs with immune-mediated thrombocytopenia using mycophenolate mofetil as single agent.

Five dogs were presumptively diagnosed with immune-mediated thrombocytopenia. As they had all been chronically treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, administration of immunosuppressive doses of corticosteroids was considered contraindicated. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were temporarily discontinued in all the dogs and mycophenolate mofetil was introduced as first-line single immunomodulatory therapy. This treatment protocol resulted in complete remission of immune-mediated thrombocytopenia in all the dogs, and mycophenolate mofetil was discontinued after several months of therapy in four of the five dogs with no relapses, even when non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug administration was resumed. The remaining dog required continued mycophenolate mofetil therapy to avoid relapse. One dog experienced diarrhoea, and another dog had diarrhoea and decreased appetite.

Cervical cancer screening and chinese women: insights from focus groups.

OBJECTIVE: Despite extensive efforts to raise awareness, Papanicolaou (Pap) testing rates among Chinese women living in North America remain low compared with Euro-American women. Although the lower Pap testing rate and ensuing health repercussions among Chinese women are well characterized, mechanisms underlying such health disparities are not. The aim of this study was to use a qualitative approach to delineate such mechanisms. Qualitative approaches to understand constructs within the domain of sexual and reproductive health have been shown to be particularly appropriate, and offer a nuanced view of sexuality that is not afforded by traditional quantitative methods. METHOD: We carried out two focus groups aimed at exploring how Mandarin-speaking and English-speaking Chinese women experience Pap testing (N = 12). The women were invited to partake in the focus groups from having participated in a large-scale quantitative study. Participants were all first-generation immigrants and their average age was 53-years-old. We used content analyses to analyze transcripts and extract themes. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The women heavily endorsed traditional Chinese medicine philosophy, conceptualizing physical health holistically, and valuing preventative measures over screening and interceptive measures. Pap testing was described as qualitatively different from other screening procedures, such that women assigned a sexually charged meaning to Pap testing, often discussing it in relation to sexual activity and promiscuity. Women expressed their preference for the compulsory and depersonalized manner that Pap tests are performed in their home country of China, as this lessens the embarrassment associated with undergoing Pap testing. CONCLUSION: Three mechanisms may contribute to lower Pap testing among middle-aged first-generation Chinese immigrants: preference for Chinese medicine philosophy, perceived sexualization of Pap testing, and the institutionalization of medical care. Implications for improving the reproductive health of Chinese women are discussed.

Innovative program for palliative radiotherapy in Australia.

Radiotherapy plays a significant role in the palliation of symptoms in patients with cancer. It can improve symptoms from bone metastases, spinal cord compression, superior vena cava obstruction and cerebral metastases. Long waiting lists and inconvenient access prolong suffering and may even discourage patients from utilising this service. With this in mind, a Rapid Response Palliative Radiotherapy Clinic was established at the Mater Centre - Radiation Oncology Services, Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane. The study evaluates whether the clinic achieves its aim of providing timely and efficient palliative radiotherapy for oncology patients. Data were collected in the first 6 months of the clinic's operation and compared with data from palliative patients seen in other clinics at the same centre over the same period. Patients seen in the Rapid Response Clinic were more likely to have been treated within 24 h of being assessed, and were more likely to have received a single fraction treatment. The clinic fulfils the role of offering a timely and convenient radiation service for palliative patients and acts as a reference for other palliative radiotherapy services in Australia.