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BACKGROUND: Mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are being increasingly recognised as common adverse outcomes for critical illness survivors. These conditions can have lasting consequences on their wellbeing, ability to return to their pre-illness level of functioning and health-related quality of life. There is a paucity of South African data in terms of the psychological aspects of the post-intensive care unit (ICU) syndrome. OBJECTIVE: To identify and characterise patients who suffered from significant symptoms of mental health disease and poor mental health- related quality of life after ICU admission and who may benefit from appropriate referral, further investigation and medical intervention. METHODS: Critically ill patients in a multidisciplinary tertiary ICU were prospectively enrolled upon ICU discharge. Survivors were screened for anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress syndrome at 6 weeks and 6 months after hospital discharge. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Score (HADS) and the Impact Of Events Scale - Revised (IES-R) were used as screening tools. The mental component summary score (MCS) of the RAND short form-36 was used to determine the effect of psychological symptoms on health-related quality of life (HRQOL). RESULTS: The median age of the 107 ICU survivors was 42 years, and half of them were admitted for complications of COVID-19. Six out of every 10 ICU survivors experienced significant symptoms of anxiety, depression and/or PTSD at follow-up. At the 6-month study visit, 4 out of every 10 patients were experiencing significant psychological symptoms. Those affected had a significantly lower mental HRQOL when compared with those who were unaffected. More than half of those affected had co-occurrence of psychological symptoms. Significant symptoms of anxiety were common, with 5 out of every 10 participants experiencing significant symptoms at either, or both, of the study visits. More than 3 out of 10 of affected patients' symptoms only occurred after the 6-week visit. Associations for significant psychological symptoms comprised female sex, younger age, a diagnosis of trauma and frightening memories of the ICU admission. CONCLUSION: The burden of mental health disease in ICU survivors is substantial, affecting their HRQOL. Six out of 10 patients experienced symptoms of anxiety, depression and PTSD, and more than half of those affected experienced co-occurrence of the conditions. A third of those affected developed these symptoms only beyond 6 weeks after hospital discharge. A potentially modifiable association with psychological symptoms was frightening memories of the ICU stay.
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Ansiedad , Enfermedad Crítica , Depresión , Unidades de Cuidados Intensivos , Calidad de Vida , Trastornos por Estrés Postraumático , Sobrevivientes , Humanos , Trastornos por Estrés Postraumático/psicología , Trastornos por Estrés Postraumático/epidemiología , Femenino , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Sobrevivientes/psicología , Ansiedad/epidemiología , Ansiedad/psicología , Depresión/epidemiología , Depresión/psicología , Adulto , Sudáfrica/epidemiología , Enfermedad Crítica/psicología , Estudios Prospectivos , COVID-19/psicología , COVID-19/epidemiología , AncianoRESUMEN
Breastfeeding is associated with positive maternal and infant outcomes. It is recommended that women exclusively breastfeed for the first 6 months postpartum; however, these recommendations are not met in the majority of women. Psychological distress in pregnancy is associated with lower rates of breastfeeding initiation and duration in the postpartum period. The mechanisms linking maternal distress to breastfeeding are not understood. In this study we examined maternal circadian cortisol as a mechanism linking distress in pregnancy to breastfeeding. This study is a secondary data analysis of 197 pregnant women with singleton pregnancies who were part of a larger study of the effects of maternal mood on fetal and infant development. About 34% of women reported exclusively breastfeeding, 18% reported exclusively formula feeding, and 48% reported mixed feeding. Participants reported on perceived stress, perinatal anxiety and depression, and socioeconomic status during pregnancy. They provided salivary cortisol samples at three times a day for 3 days at 24, 30, and 36 weeks' gestation. Participants who reported lower socioeconomic status in pregnancy were less likely to breastfeed, and lower maternal cortisol awakening responses mediated this association. This area of research may identify foci in the prenatal period that could serve as targets for interventions to increase rates of breastfeeding. Lay summary Pregnant women who reported lower socioeconomic status in pregnancy were less likely to breastfeed. This association was mediated by lower cortisol awakening responses, but not evening cortisol levels, over pregnancy.
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Lactancia Materna/psicología , Ritmo Circadiano/fisiología , Hidrocortisona/metabolismo , Complicaciones del Embarazo/psicología , Estrés Psicológico/metabolismo , Estrés Psicológico/psicología , Adulto , Afecto/fisiología , Ansiedad/etiología , Ansiedad/metabolismo , Depresión Posparto/metabolismo , Depresión Posparto/psicología , Femenino , Humanos , Lactante , Periodo Posparto/metabolismo , Periodo Posparto/psicología , Embarazo , Encuestas y CuestionariosRESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: This study:Healthy Active and in Control (HA1C), examined the feasibility and acceptability of yoga as a complementary therapy for adults with Type-2 Diabetes (T2DM). DESIGN: A 2-arm randomized clinical trial comparing Iyengar yoga with a supervised walking program. SETTING: Hospital based gym-type facility and conference rooms. INTERVENTIONS: Participants were randomized to a 12-week program of either; (1) a twice weekly Iyengar yoga, or (2) a twice-weekly program of standard exercise (SE). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcomes assessed feasibility and acceptability, including enrollment rates, attendance, study completion, and participant satisfaction. Secondary outcomes included HbA1c, physical activity, and measures of diabetes-related emotional distress, self-care and quality of life (QOL). Assessments were conducted at baseline, end of treatment, 6-months and 9-months post-enrollment. RESULTS: Of 175 adults screened for eligibility, 48 (30 women, 18 men) were eligible and enrolled. The most common reasons for ineligibility were orthopedic restrictions, HbA1c levels <6.5 and BMI > 42. Session attendance was high (82% of sessions attended), as was follow-up completion rates (92%). Program satisfaction rated on a 5-point scale, was high among both Yoga (M = 4.63, SD = 0.57) and SE (M = 4.77, SD = 0.52) participants. Overall 44 adverse events (26 Yoga, 18 SE) were reported. Of these, six were deemed "possibly related" (e.g., neck strain, back pain), and 1 "probably related" (ankle pain after treadmill) to the study. Yoga produced significant reductions in HbA1c. Median HbA1c at 6 months was 1.25 units lower for Yoga compared to SE (95% CI: -2.54 -0.04). Greater improvements in diabetes self-care, quality of life, and emotional distress were seen among Yoga participants than among SE participants. Increases in mindfulness were seen in Yoga but not in SE. CONCLUSIONS: The yoga intervention was highly feasible and acceptable, and produced improvements in blood glucose and psychosocial measures of diabetes management.
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Terapias Complementarias/psicología , Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 2/psicología , Yoga/psicología , Adulto , Anciano , Ejercicio Físico/psicología , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Meditación/psicología , Persona de Mediana Edad , Atención Plena/métodos , Satisfacción del Paciente , Calidad de Vida , Autocuidado/psicología , Caminata/psicologíaRESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: Teaching the social determinants of health using classroom methods and medical settings is not effectual, yet few institutions require students to undertake placements in non-clinical settings. We sought to understand through qualitative investigation how non-clinical community placements contributed to students' understanding of health disparities. STUDY DESIGN: Qualitative methods. METHODS: Semistructured interviews with eight purposively selected students and a focus group were conducted by an independent, non-medical and non-religiously affiliated researcher. A thematic analysis elicited key themes and findings. RESULTS: On analysis, students valued the placements, reporting a greater understanding of and empathy for the needs of people from marginalised socio-economic, cultural and ethnic groups. Some believed this was better gained in non-clinical settings where doctor-patient barriers were absent. CONCLUSIONS: Non-clinical community placements may provide a special opportunity to teach health determinants and cultural competence to medical students.
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Competencia Cultural/educación , Educación Médica/métodos , Disparidades en el Estado de Salud , Determinantes Sociales de la Salud , Estudiantes de Medicina/psicología , Actitud del Personal de Salud , Empatía , Grupos Focales , Humanos , Relaciones Médico-Paciente , Evaluación de Programas y Proyectos de Salud , Investigación CualitativaRESUMEN
INTRODUCTION: In the growing field of medical education research, participant recruitment can be challenging. Incentives, either tangible or intangible, may be offered to encourage participation. This study aimed to understand these incentives and explore the relationship between study quality and incentives in medical education research. METHODS: We reviewed research studies examining medical trainees published in five major journals in 2008. Tangible and intangible incentives used in recruitment were extracted by two researchers. For each quantitative article, medical education research quality instrument (MERSQI) score was calculated and citation counts for all articles were compiled. RESULTS: Of 215 included articles, 8% explicitly reported incentives. Tangible incentives (value range $15-$60 USD) were offered in 7.9% of studies. Intangible incentives were identified in 30% of studies but only one specifically discussed their use. Tangible incentives correlated with a higher MERSQI score (p < 0.001) and with citations (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Most studies in medical education did not describe incentives for participation. Information regarding incentives should be reported in all studies to help inform future recruitment efforts and also to understand the study context including factors that may influence participants motivation.
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Educación Médica , Motivación , Selección de Personal/métodos , Investigación , Estudiantes de MedicinaRESUMEN
In the National Health Service (NHS), clinical negligence claims and associated compensations are constantly rising. The aim of this study is to identify the size, trends, and causes of litigations claims in relation to esophagogastric (EG) cancer in the NHS. Data requests were submitted to the NHS Litigation Authority (NHSLA) for the period of January 2003 to December 2013. Data were reviewed, categorized clinically, and analyzed in terms of causes and costs behind claims. In this time period, there were 163 claims identified from the NHSLA database. Ninety-five (58.3%) claims were successful with a pay out of £6.25 million. An increasing overall claim frequency and success rate were found over the last few years. Majority of the claims were from gastric cancer 84 (88.4%). The commonest cause of complaint in successful claims was delay or failure in diagnosis (21.1%) and treatment (17.9%). There were only 10.5% successful intraoperative claims, of which 50% were due to unnecessary or additional procedures. The frequency and success rates of malpractice claims in EG cancer are rising. The failure or delay in diagnosing and treatment in EG malignancy are the common cause for successful litigation claims. The findings further reinforce the need to improve early diagnosis.
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Neoplasias Esofágicas , Mala Praxis/estadística & datos numéricos , Neoplasias Gástricas , Bases de Datos Factuales , Diagnóstico Tardío/legislación & jurisprudencia , Inglaterra , Neoplasias Esofágicas/diagnóstico , Neoplasias Esofágicas/terapia , Humanos , Medicina Estatal , Neoplasias Gástricas/diagnóstico , Neoplasias Gástricas/terapia , Tiempo de Tratamiento/legislación & jurisprudenciaRESUMEN
p53 is a crucial tumor suppressor that is mutated or deleted in a majority of cancers. Exactly how p53 prevents tumor progression has proved elusive for many years; however, this information is crucial to define targets for chemotherapeutic development that can effectively restore p53 function. Bioactive sphingolipids have recently emerged as important regulators of proliferative, apoptotic and senescent cellular processes. In this study, we demonstrate that the enzyme sphingosine kinase 1 (SK1), a critical enzyme in the regulation of the key bioactive sphingolipids ceramide, sphingosine and sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), serves as a key downstream target for p53 action. Our results show that SK1 is proteolysed in response to genotoxic stress in a p53-dependent manner. p53 null mice display elevation of SK1 levels and a tumor-promoting dysregulation of bioactive sphingolipids in which the anti-growth sphingolipid ceramide is decreased and the pro-growth sphingolipid S1P is increased. Importantly, deletion of SK1 in p53 null mice completely abrogated thymic lymphomas in these mice and prolonged their life span by ~30%. Deletion of SK1 also significantly attenuated the formation of other cancers in p53 heterozygote mice. The mechanism of p53 tumor suppression by loss of SK1 is mediated by elevations of sphingosine and ceramide, which in turn were accompanied by increased expression of cell cycle inhibitors and tumor cell senescence. Thus, targeting SK1 may restore sphingolipid homeostasis in p53-dependent tumors and provide insights into novel therapeutic approaches to cancer.
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Neoplasias/metabolismo , Fosfotransferasas (Aceptor de Grupo Alcohol)/metabolismo , Proteína p53 Supresora de Tumor/metabolismo , Animales , Línea Celular , Transformación Celular Neoplásica/genética , Transformación Celular Neoplásica/metabolismo , Senescencia Celular/genética , Activación Enzimática/genética , Masculino , Ratones , Ratones Endogámicos C57BL , Ratones Noqueados , Neoplasias/genética , Neoplasias/mortalidad , Fosfotransferasas (Aceptor de Grupo Alcohol)/genética , Carga Tumoral/genética , Proteína p53 Supresora de Tumor/genéticaRESUMEN
The shoulder complex has a larger range of motion (ROM) than any other joint complex in the human body, leaving it prone to numerous injuries. Objective kinematic analysis could yield useful functional insights that may assist clinical practice. Non-invasive optoelectronic motion analysis techniques have been used to assess the shoulders of five healthy subjects performing ROM tasks and 10 functional tasks of daily living. The four most demanding tasks - touching the side and back of the head, brushing the opposite side of the head, lifting an object to shoulder height and lifting an object to head height, required 78%, 60%, 61% and 71%, respectively, of the glenohumeral elevation necessary for full abduction in the scapular plane for the 10 shoulders. This has implications for clinical practice where maximum arm elevation is commonly used to determine a patient's ability to return to work and other everyday activities.
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Actividades Cotidianas , Movimiento , Articulación del Hombro/fisiología , Fenómenos Biomecánicos , Humanos , Rango del Movimiento ArticularRESUMEN
The shoulder complex is prone to numerous pathologies and instabilities due to its large range of motion. The extent of injury is assessed through a series of observations and physical examinations. It is hypothesized that objective kinematic analysis of the shoulder could yield useful functional insights to aid clinical practice. Non-invasive motion analysis techniques to monitor shoulder function have been developed using passive markers; however, accurate measurement of scapula kinematics is problematic because of overlying tissue. The scapula locator is the accepted standard by which alternative non-invasive techniques of scapula tracking are validated. In this study, the viability of using skin-mounted markers to measure dynamic scapula movement is determined. Complete kinematic descriptions of ten healthy shoulders were obtained. Elevations of the glenohumeral joint were similar with both techniques, indicating that the skin marker method is suitable for gathering functional glenohumeral data. The main differences of note are seen at the scapulothoracic articulation where the skin marker method underestimated lateral rotation by more than 50 degrees at maximum elevation. However, the correlation between the two approaches is greater than 0.7, suggesting that it may be possible to derive linear regression models to predict dynamic scapulothoracic lateral rotation accurately using skin-mounted scapula markers.
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Aumento de la Imagen/instrumentación , Fotograbar/instrumentación , Rango del Movimiento Articular/fisiología , Escápula/fisiología , Articulación del Hombro/fisiología , Fenómenos Fisiológicos de la Piel , Femenino , Humanos , Aumento de la Imagen/métodos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Fotograbar/métodos , Reproducibilidad de los Resultados , Escápula/anatomía & histología , Sensibilidad y Especificidad , Articulación del Hombro/anatomía & histología , Piel/anatomía & histologíaRESUMEN
Given links between interpersonal functioning and health as well as the dearth of truly interpersonal laboratory stressors, we present a live rejection paradigm, the Yale Interpersonal Stressor (YIPS), and examine its effects on mood, eating behavior, blood pressure, and cortisol in two experiments. The YIPS involves one or more interaction(s) between the participant and two same-sex confederates in which the participant is made to feel excluded and isolated. In Experiment 1, 50 female undergraduates were randomly assigned to the YIPS or a control condition. Participants in the YIPS condition experienced greater negative affect and less positive affect than did those in the control condition. Further, restrained eaters ate more following the YIPS than did nonrestrained eaters. In Experiment 2, 25 male and female undergraduates completed the YIPS. The YIPS induced significant increases in tension, systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) from baseline, while significantly decreasing positive affect. The YIPS appeared particularly relevant for women, resulting in significantly greater increases in cortisol and SBP for women compared to men. The YIPS, then, provides an alternative to traditional, achievement-oriented laboratory stressors and may allow for the identification of individuals most vulnerable to interpersonal stress.
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Afecto/fisiología , Conducta Alimentaria/psicología , Relaciones Interpersonales , Rechazo en Psicología , Estrés Psicológico , Adolescente , Adulto , Análisis de Varianza , Presión Sanguínea , Connecticut , Femenino , Humanos , Hidrocortisona/metabolismo , Masculino , Análisis Multivariante , Estrés Psicológico/fisiopatología , Estrés Psicológico/psicologíaRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To assess the accuracy of nosocomial infections data reported on patients in the intensive-care unit by nine hospitals participating in the National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance (NNIS) System. DESIGN: A pilot study was done in two phases to review the charts of selected intensive-care-unit patients who had nosocomial infections reported to the NNIS System. The charts of selected high- and low-risk patients in the same cohort who had no infections reported to the NNIS System also were included. In phase I, trained data collectors reviewed a sample of charts for nosocomial infections. Retrospectively detected infections that matched with previously reported infections were deemed to be true infections. In phase II, two Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) epidemiologists reexamined a sample of charts for which a discrepancy existed. Each sampled infection either was confirmed or disallowed by the epidemiologists. Confirmed infections also were deemed to be true infections. True infections from both phases were used to estimate the accuracy of reported NNIS data by calculating the predictive value positive, sensitivity, and specificity at each major infection site and the "other sites." RESULTS: The data collectors examined a total of 1,136 patients' charts in phase I. Among these charts were 611 infections that the study hospitals had reported to the CDC. The data collectors retrospectively matched 474 (78%) of the prospectively identified infections, but also detected 790 infections that were not reported prospectively. Phase II focused on the discrepant infections: the 137 infections that were identified prospectively and reported but not detected retrospectively, and the 790 infections that were detected retrospectively but not reported previously. The CDC epidemiologists examined a sample of 113 of the discrepant reported infections and 369 of the discrepant detected infections, and estimated that 37% of all discrepant reported infections and 43% of all discrepant detected infections were true infections. The predictive value positive for reported bloodstream infections, pneumonia, surgical-site infection, urinary tract infection, and other sites was 87%, 89%, 72%, 92%, and 80%, respectively; the sensitivity was 85%, 68%, 67%, 59%, and 30%, respectively; and the specificity was 98.3%, 97.8%, 97.7%, 98.7%, and 98.6%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: When the NNIS hospitals in the study reported a nosocomial infection, the infection most likely was a true infection, and they infrequently reported conditions that were not infections. The hospitals also identified and reported most of the nosocomial infections that occurred in the patients they monitored, but accuracy varied by infection site. Primary bloodstream infection was the most accurately identified and reported site. Measures that will be taken to improve the quality of the infection data reported to the NNIS System include reviewing the criteria for definitions of infections and other data fields, enhancing communication between the CDC and NNIS hospitals, and improving the training of surveillance personnel in NNIS hospitals.
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Infección Hospitalaria/epidemiología , Notificación de Enfermedades/normas , Unidades de Cuidados Intensivos/estadística & datos numéricos , Vigilancia de la Población , Recolección de Datos , Humanos , Proyectos Piloto , Estados UnidosRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To describe the characteristics of and trends in nosocomial infection among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients. DESIGN: Multicenter prospective cohort study. SETTING/PATIENTS: HIV-infected patients were enrolled at time of first inpatient admission at five Veterans' Administration Medical Centers (VAMCs). RESULTS: As of March 1995, 2,541 patients with 6,625 inpatient admissions had been monitored in the five VAMCs. A total of 530 nosocomial infections were detected using standard Centers for Disease Control and Prevention definitions. Overall distribution by infection site was 31% for primary bloodstream infections (BSIs), 28% for urinary tract infections, 15% for pneumonia, and 26% for all other sites. Of BSIs, 63% were central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABs). The rate of CLABs per 1,000 central line days was 6.5 (range, 2.3-8.3) for all patients from participating hospitals, similar to the median CLAB rate of 6.0 for patients in medical intensive-care units (ICUs) of National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance (NNIS) System hospitals from January 1990 through September 1994. For ICU-specific CLABs, the rate from hospitals reporting at least one ICU CLAB was 12.7 (range, 12.1-13.1), comparable to the 90th percentile of NNIS hospital medical ICUs (13.1). Staphylococcus aureus, associated with 35% of BSIs, was the most common nosocomial BSI pathogen. Our data demonstrated the following: 13 (10%) of 134 patients with CD4 counts > or = 200 cells/mm3 had a CLAB, compared with 61 (6%) of 1,011 patients with CD4 counts < 200 cells/mm3, P = .08; the per-day risk of CLABs did not change with increased duration of catheterization (P = .4); and the per-day risk of a temporary (ie, short-term) CLAB was greater than that of a permanent CLAB (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The data suggest that HIV-infected patients were at higher risk of acquiring a BSI than were patients in the NNIS population; patients with CD4 counts > or = 200 cell/mm3 and temporary central lines were at increased risk for BSI, perhaps reflecting widespread prophylaxis with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole among patients with CD4 counts < 200 cells/mm3, and, in contrast to most studies, S aureus, not coagulase-negative Staphylococcus, was the most common BSI pathogen.
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Infecciones Oportunistas Relacionadas con el SIDA/epidemiología , Infección Hospitalaria/epidemiología , Adulto , Anciano , Cateterismo , Hospitales de Veteranos , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Estudios Prospectivos , Factores de Riesgo , Estados Unidos/epidemiologíaRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To determine risk factors for mortality in patients with a nosocomial enterococcal primary bloodstream infection (EPBI) and to assess whether vancomycin resistance placed a patient at increased risk of death. DESIGN/SETTING: A retrospective cohort study was conducted in four National Nosocomial Infection Surveillance System hospitals. RESULTS: Of 145 patients identified with EPBIs, 74 (51%) died, and 26 (18%) had a vancomycin-resistant isolate. Upon comparing patients with EPBIs who survived to those who died, no associations were found between mortality and prior invasive device use, procedure history, type or number of prior nosocomial infections, length of hospitalization before infection, or receipt of vancomycin. Independent predictors of mortality were indices of severity of illness (APACHE II score and comorbidity weighted index), age, the use of third-generation cephalosporins or metronidazole during the week prior to infection, and female gender. CONCLUSIONS: Vancomycin resistance was not an independent predictor of death, and its role was difficult to establish, because cohort patients were among the most severely ill of all hospitalized patients. Enterococcal primary bloodstream infections appear to indicate severe, lifethreatening disease processes. The pathogenicity of enterococci and the role of vancomycin resistance as a cause of mortality in patients with EPBIs need to be assessed further.
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Bacteriemia/mortalidad , Infección Hospitalaria/mortalidad , Enterococcus , Infecciones Estreptocócicas/mortalidad , Adolescente , Adulto , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Antibacterianos/uso terapéutico , Bacteriemia/tratamiento farmacológico , Cefalosporinas/uso terapéutico , Estudios de Cohortes , Infección Hospitalaria/tratamiento farmacológico , Farmacorresistencia Microbiana , Enterococcus/efectos de los fármacos , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Metronidazol/uso terapéutico , Persona de Mediana Edad , Estudios Retrospectivos , Factores de Riesgo , Infecciones Estreptocócicas/tratamiento farmacológico , Estados Unidos , Vancomicina/uso terapéuticoAsunto(s)
Infección Hospitalaria/epidemiología , Vigilancia de la Población , Adulto , Niño , Preescolar , Recolección de Datos/estadística & datos numéricos , Humanos , Profesionales para Control de Infecciones , Unidades de Cuidados Intensivos/estadística & datos numéricos , Factores de Riesgo , Infección de la Herida Quirúrgica/epidemiología , Estados Unidos/epidemiología , Ventiladores Mecánicos/estadística & datos numéricosRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Between June 1990 and February 1993, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted investigations at seven hospitals because of unusual outbreaks of bloodstream infections, surgical-site infections, and acute febrile episodes after surgical procedures. METHODS: We conducted case-control or cohort studies, or both, to identify risk factors. A case patient was defined as any patient who had an organism-specific infection or acute febrile episode after a surgical procedure during the study period in that hospital. The investigations also included reviews of procedures, cultures, and microbiologic studies of infecting, contaminating, and colonizing strains. RESULTS: Sixty-two case patients were identified, 49 (79 percent) of whom underwent surgery during an epidemic period. Postoperative complications were more frequent during the epidemic period than before it. Only exposure to propofol, a lipid-based anesthetic agent, was significantly associated with the postoperative complications at all seven hospitals. In six of the outbreaks, an etiologic agent (Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans, Moraxella osloensis, Enterobacter agglomerans, or Serratia marcescens) was identified, and the same strains were isolated from the case patients. Although cultures of unopened containers of propofol were negative, at two hospitals cultures of propofol from syringes currently in use were positive. At one hospital, the recovered organism was identical to the organism isolated from the case patients. Interviews with and observation of anesthesiology personnel documented a wide variety of lapses in aseptic techniques. CONCLUSIONS: With the increasing use of lipid-based medications, which support rapid bacterial growth at room temperature, strict aseptic techniques are essential during the handling of these agents to prevent extrinsic contamination and dangerous infectious complications.
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Infección Hospitalaria/etiología , Brotes de Enfermedades , Contaminación de Medicamentos , Complicaciones Posoperatorias/etiología , Propofol , Adulto , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Anestesiología/normas , Asepsia , Bacterias/aislamiento & purificación , Candida albicans/aislamiento & purificación , Estudios de Casos y Controles , Estudios de Cohortes , Infección Hospitalaria/epidemiología , Infección Hospitalaria/prevención & control , Brotes de Enfermedades/prevención & control , Contaminación de Medicamentos/prevención & control , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Complicaciones Posoperatorias/epidemiología , Factores de Riesgo , Sepsis/epidemiología , Sepsis/etiología , Infección de la Herida Quirúrgica/epidemiología , Infección de la Herida Quirúrgica/etiología , Estados Unidos/epidemiologíaRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-recommended infection control measures implemented in response to an outbreak of multidrug-resistant (MDR) tuberculosis (TB). DESIGN: Retrospective cohort studies of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients and healthcare workers. The study period (January 1989 through September 1992) was divided into period I, before changes in infection control; period II, after aggressive use of administrative controls (eg, rapid placement of TB patients or suspected TB patients in single-patient rooms); and period III, while engineering changes were made (eg, improving ventilation in TB isolation rooms). SETTING: A New York City hospital that was the site of one of the first reported outbreaks of MDR-TB among AIDS patients in the United States. PARTICIPANTS: All AIDS patients admitted during periods I and II. Healthcare workers on nine inpatient units with TB patients and six without TB patients. RESULTS: The epidemic (38 patients) waned during period II and only one MDR-TB patient presented during period III. The MDR-TB attack rate among AIDS patients hospitalized on the same ward on the same days as an infectious MDR-TB patient was 8.8% (19 of 216) during period I, decreasing to 2.6% (5 of 193; P = 0.01) during period II. In a small group of healthcare workers with tuberculin skin test data, conversions during periods II through III were higher on wards with than without TB patients (5 of 29 versus 0 of 15; P = 0.15), although the difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Transmission of MDR-TB among AIDS patients decreased markedly after enforcement of readily implementable administrative measures, ending the outbreak. However, tuberculin skin-test conversions among healthcare workers may not have been prevented by these measures. CDC guidelines for prevention of nosocomial transmission of TB should be implemented fully at all US hospitals.
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Infección Hospitalaria/prevención & control , Hospitales Urbanos/normas , Control de Infecciones/normas , Tuberculosis Resistente a Múltiples Medicamentos/prevención & control , Infecciones Oportunistas Relacionadas con el SIDA/epidemiología , Infecciones Oportunistas Relacionadas con el SIDA/prevención & control , Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. , Estudios de Cohortes , Infección Hospitalaria/epidemiología , Brotes de Enfermedades , Guías como Asunto , Humanos , Control de Infecciones/métodos , Ciudad de Nueva York/epidemiología , Personal de Hospital , Estudios Retrospectivos , Tuberculosis Resistente a Múltiples Medicamentos/epidemiología , Estados UnidosRESUMEN
This outcome study of children and adolescents with severe burns (ages 7 to 19 years) reports that unrecognized depression is common during their lifetimes. Thirty children who had severe burns (range, 5% to 95% body surface area) were assessed for depression at a mean of 9 years after burn injury. This article presents an analysis of depression items from the Diagnostic Interview for Children and Adolescents, which was used in face-to-face interviews to assess child psychiatric disorders with diagnostic criteria from the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual--Third Edition. At the time that the interviews took place, only one child had symptoms of major depression and only three children had symptoms of dysthymic disorder. However, eight children had a lifetime history of major depression; two of them had been abused by burning and two had been physically or sexually abused. Four had made suicide attempts: one suicide attempt was the cause of the burn injury and three attempts were made after burn injury. Thirteen children had had suicidal thoughts, and their parents were often unaware of this. Other types of affective disorders were prevalent. There was no statistically significant association between depression and burn size or disfigurement. Although burn-related factors were associated with some depressive episodes, other biologic and social risk factors were also very important. The authors conclude that referral for diagnostic services and psychotherapy, and for some, treatment with antidepressant medication, is often a necessary part of medical services for children with burns.
Asunto(s)
Trastorno Bipolar/epidemiología , Quemaduras/psicología , Trastorno Depresivo/epidemiología , Adolescente , Trastorno Bipolar/etiología , Niño , Comorbilidad , Trastorno Depresivo/etiología , Femenino , Humanos , Entrevista Psicológica , Masculino , Trastornos del Humor/epidemiología , Trastornos del Humor/etiología , Prevalencia , Factores de Riesgo , Intento de Suicidio/psicologíaRESUMEN
To investigate the relationship between thigh muscle flexibility and anterior knee pain in adolescent athletes, we examined 46 skaters. We taught them flexibility exercises and later retested 28 of them. Three fourths of the skaters who improved their quadriceps flexibility eliminated their pain. Two of the three skaters who lost flexibility developed pain. Analysis of all examinations showed that skaters with pain had tighter quadriceps muscles than those without pain. Poor hamstring flexibility was correlated with patellofemoral pain. This study shows that adolescent athletes may improve their flexibility after counseling and indicates a clear relationship between thigh muscle flexibility and anterior knee pain.
Asunto(s)
Articulación de la Rodilla , Dolor/fisiopatología , Patinación , Adolescente , Niño , Terapia por Ejercicio , Femenino , Humanos , Artropatías/fisiopatología , Articulación de la Rodilla/fisiología , Masculino , Movimiento , Examen FísicoRESUMEN
Spinal cord compression is a true medical emergency. This article outlines clues in the history and physical examination that may lead to the diagnosis of spinal cord compression. The evaluation and emergent management of the compression are discussed. The advantages and disadvantages of magnetic resonance imaging in the evaluation are detailed. Treatment options, including surgery, are presented.