Efficacy and safety of switching from brand-name to domestic generic levetiracetam in children with epilepsy / 中国当代儿科杂志

OBJECTIVES@#To study the efficacy and safety of domestic generic levetiracetam in replacement of brand-name levetiracetam in the treatment of children with epilepsy.@*METHODS@#A retrospective analysis was performed on the medical data of 154 children with epilepsy who received domestic generic levetiracetam in the inpatient or outpatient service of Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital from May 2019 to December 2020. Domestic generic levetiracetam and brand-name levetiracetam were compared in terms of efficacy and safety.@*RESULTS@#For these 154 children, the epilepsy control rate was 77.3% (119/154) at baseline. At 6 months after switching to domestic generic levetiracetam, the epilepsy control rate reached 83.8% (129/154), which showed a significant increase (P<0.05). There was no significant change in the frequency of seizures from baseline to 6 months after switching (P>0.05). The incidence of refractory epilepsy in children with no response after switching treatment was significantly higher than that in children with response (P<0.05). Before switching, only 1 child (0.6%) experienced somnolence, while after switching, 3 children (1.9%) experienced mild adverse drug reactions, including dizziness, somnolence, irritability, and bad temper.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Switching from brand-name to generic levetiracetam is safe and effective and holds promise for clinical application, but more prospective randomized controlled trials are required in future.

Patients after colostomy: relationship between quality of life and acceptance of disability and social support / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>The aim of this research was to explore quality of life (QOL) and acceptance of disability and social support of colostomy patients as well as the relationship between these factors.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A descriptive, correlational study was conducted using four scales: the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Colorectal Cancer-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-CR38) scales, the Acceptance of Disability Scale (ADS), and the Social Relational Quality Scale (SRQS). A convenience sample of 111 colostomy patients from four hospitals in Guangzhou who underwent colostomy operation at least one month prior to the study and who visited the stoma clinic or association from August 2011 to February 2012 was evaluated for inclusion in the study. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 17.0 software (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The patients' general health status was better than the reference level recommended by European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer, and the overall ADS score was average. The SRQS score was similar to that found in a Hong Kong study. The general health status and dimensions of QOL were significantly correlated with ADS and all of its dimensions (P < 0.05). The general health status and dimensions of QOL were also significantly correlated with SRQS and all of its dimensions (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>QOL, acceptance of disability, and social relational quality of colostomy patients were closely related. Our results emphasize that patients should work to form rational values and close bonds with families and friends to achieve a better QOL.</p>

Use of local or epidural anesthesia in inguinal hernia repair: a randomized trial / 中华外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the efficacy and safety of local anesthesia and epidural anesthesia in tension-free repair of inguinal hernia.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Between January 2004 and December 2006, 269 patients underwent inguinal hernia repair were randomly divided into two groups, receiving local anesthesia (143 cases) and epidural anesthesia (126 cases). The clinical data from the two groups were analyzed retrospectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The operation time, ambulation time, length of hospital stay and cost of hospitalization in local anesthesia group were significantly less than those in epidural anesthesia group (P < 0.05). No significant differences were found in intra-operative use of ancillary sedation drugs, postoperative recovery situation, pain scores and operation-correlated complications between the two groups. The occurrence of postoperative anaesthetic complication rate was also significantly lower in local anesthesia group (P < 0.05). One case of recurrence occurred in each group during postoperative follow-up period.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Tension-free inguinal hernia repair under local anesthesia is a simple, safe, economical, effective procedure and superior to epidural anesthesia.</p>