An equinus deformity of the ankle accounts for only a small amount of the increased forefoot plantar pressure in patients with diabetes.

Patients with diabetes mellitus may develop plantar flexion contractures (equinus) which may increase forefoot pressure during walking. In order to determine the relationship between equinus and forefoot pressure, we measured forefoot pressure during walking in 27 adult diabetics with a mean age of 66.3 years (sd 7.4) and a mean duration of the condition of 13.4 years (sd 12.6) using an Emed mat. Maximum dorsiflexion of the ankle was determined using a custom device which an examiner used to apply a dorsiflexing torque of 10 Nm (sd 1) for five seconds. Simple linear regression showed that the relationship between equinus and peak forefoot pressure was significant (p < 0.0471), but that only a small portion of the variance was accounted for (R(2) = 0.149). This indicates that equinus has only a limited role in causing high forefoot pressure. Our findings suggest caution in undertaking of tendon-lengthening procedures to reduce peak forefoot plantar pressures in diabetic subjects until clearer indications are established.

Are drivers more likely to injure their right or left foot in a frontal car crash: a crash and biomechanical investigation.

In this study we hypothesized that for frontal crashes, the driver was more likely to sustain foot injury than the front seated passenger and the right foot was more likely to be injured than the left because the driver's right foot was positioned in dorsiflexion and eversion during the crash and less able to tolerate crash forces. Seventeen CIREN frontal crashes were studied to document the circumstances and resulting foot injuries. NASS data was sampled to determine frequencies of injury to foot side and occupant position. Biomechanically, matched pairs of cadaveric feet were tested in compression with one in dorsiflexion, and the other, dorsiflexion, and eversion. Results showed that drivers were more likely than passengers to sustain a foot or ankle injury and this was almost exclusively due to a higher frequency of right foot injuries in drivers. Braking, with significant toepan intrusion, was associated with an increase in both right and left foot injuries in drivers. Biomechanically, 9 of 15 pairs tested provided useable data. There was a significant decrease in load to failure between specimens forced into dorsiflexion and eversion (mean, 4107 N, sd = 1630 N) compared with dorsiflexion alone (mean, 6468 N, sd = 2435 N, p = 0.001). The majority (16 of 17) of foot injuries in the CIREN cases were to drivers of which 13 injured their right foot and ankle. An implication of this work is that if thresholds based on data from dorsiflexion and compression loading are used to predict foot and ankle injury in frontal crashes they may not represent that population of drivers who are braking at the time of the crash and could suffer injuries at forces lower than current threshold values.

Socio-demographic and medical characteristics of advanced cancer patients using conventional or complementary medicine.

BACKGROUND: To provide prospective comparative data describing the profiles of two patient populations attending conventional or complementary medicine institutions. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A registration study was set up in an oncology ward at the Institute for Medical Oncology (IMO) of the University Hospital in Bern, and at the Lukas Clinic (LC) for Anthroposophical Cancer Treatment in Arlesheim, Switzerland. The same eligibility criteria were applied to enrol into the study all newly referred or newly diagnosed patients with advanced cancer over a 2-year period. Their socio- demographic and clinical characteristics at presentation have been compared between the two institutions. RESULTS: Patients at LC are primarily females, of higher educational level, and living in an urban environment. Patients at LC are also more frequently of poorer performance status but present with less comorbidity and a longer interval between diagnosis of metastatic disease and accrual into the study. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the respective merits of these two schools of medicine can be assessed successfully only through a concrete research partnership based on rigorously controlled clinical trials.

Experiences in the realisation of a research project on anthroposophical medicine in patients with advanced cancer.

QUESTIONS UNDER STUDY: To date most of the published studies on the effectiveness of complementary therapies in cancer patients have yielded controversial results because of questionable methodology. Research strategies and methodologies acceptable to both conventional and unconventional medicine are difficult to find due to different belief systems. In this publication we describe the development and implementation of a project conducted as part of National Research Programme 34 (NFP 34). Detailed analysis of our experiences might provide some information on how to deal with practical difficulties in the planning and conduct of further research projects in this field. The project involved the anthroposophical Lukas Clinic in Arlesheim and the Institute of Medical Oncology of the University Hospital, Berne. This interdisciplinary research project was devised to study the relative merits of these two schools of medicine in the care of advanced cancer patients. The project was made up of three components: (1) a registration study aimed at comparing the case mix at the two institutions; (2) a three armed randomised study on the effectiveness of supportive therapy, comparing anthroposophy to psychosocial group therapy, and (3) a longitudinal study to monitor the evaluation of quality of life of patients at the anthroposophical clinic. METHODS: After a brief review of the study protocol, which presents the theoretical framework of the project, problems of its implementation are described. Aspects of accrual, acceptance of randomisation and data availability are presented using simple descriptive statistics and logistic regression. RESULTS: The registration study was duly completed with a total of 567 patients. For several reasons (not meeting inclusion requirements, high refusal rate) the accrual into the randomised study was slower than expected and required modification of the original design specifications with regard to inclusion criteria and data collection schedule. Additionally, a high dropout rate contributed to premature closure of this part of the project. The longitudinal study also suffered from low data availability at follow up. CONCLUSIONS: The study protocol constituted a major effort at compromise without loss of scientific rigour, and this effort demonstrates that it is possible to allow for different views on patients, on clinical interventions and on research strategies when establishing collaboration between different schools of medicine. Despite a theoretically sound framework, the randomised part of the project proved difficult in its practical execution. Some unexpected logistical constraints and some unmet expectations influenced the feasibility of this part of the project. Therefore, careful planning of research projects in this field of medicine should always include an extended analysis of various practical aspects of study implementation.

Respiratory comfort and breathing pattern during volume proportional assist ventilation and pressure support ventilation: a study on volunteers with artificially reduced compliance.

OBJECTIVE: To assess respiratory comfort and associated breathing pattern during volume assist (VA) as a component of proportional assist ventilation and during pressure support ventilation (PSV). DESIGN: Prospective, double-blind, interventional study. SETTING: Laboratory. SUBJECTS: A total of 15 healthy volunteers (11 females, 4 males) aged 21-31 yrs. INTERVENTIONS: Decreased respiratory system compliance was simulated by banding of the thorax and abdomen. Volunteers breathed via a mouthpiece with VA and PSV each applied at two levels (VA, 8 cm H2O/L and 12 cm H2O/L; PSV, 10 cm H2O and 15 cm H2O) using a positive end-expiratory pressure of 5 cm H2O throughout. The study was subdivided into two parts. In Part 1, volunteers breathed three times with each of the four settings for 2 mins in random order. In Part 2, the first breath effects of multiple, randomly applied mode, and level shifts were studied. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: In Part 1, the volunteers were asked to estimate respiratory comfort in comparison with normal breathing using a visual analog scale. In Part 2, they were asked to estimate the change of respiratory comfort as increased, decreased, or unchanged immediately after a mode shift. Concomitantly, the respiratory pattern (change) was characterized with continuously measured tidal volume, respiratory rate, pressure, and gas flow. Respiratory comfort during VA was higher than during PSV. The higher support level was less important during VA but had a major negative influence on comfort during PSV. Both modes differed with respect to the associated breathing pattern. Variability of breathing was higher during VA than during PSV (Part 1). Changes in respiratory variables were associated with changes in respiratory comfort (Part 2). CONCLUSIONS: For volunteers breathing with artificially reduced respiratory system compliance, respiratory comfort is higher with VA than with PSV. This is probably caused by a better adaptation of the ventilatory support to the volunteer's need with VA.

Breathing pattern associated with respiratory comfort during automatic tube compensation and pressure support ventilation in normal subjects.

BACKGROUND: Automatic tube compensation (ATC) is a new option to support spontaneously breathing tracheally intubated patients. We have previously demonstrated an increased respiratory comfort compared to pressure support ventilation (PSV) in volunteers. Here we characterized the breathing pattern during ATC associated with respiratory comfort in comparison to PSV. Furthermore, we studied whether ATC can be substituted by a simple modification of PSV. METHODS: We exposed 10 volunteers breathing through a 7.5 mm endotracheal tube via mouthpiece to PSV with 1) immediate and 2) delayed pressure rise and to 3) ATC. Immediate changes of the respiratory pattern after mode shifts were analyzed in detail. Furthermore, the volunteers were instructed to indicate changes in comfort after transitions between these modes as increased, unchanged, or decreased. RESULTS: Decreased comfort was associated with a substantial increase of tidal volume, minute ventilation, gas flow, and pressure. No differences in respiratory comfort were perceived between immediate and delayed pressure rise during PSV. CONCLUSION: PSV resulted in excessive tidal volumes and airflow, which was perceived as discomfort. This cannot be avoided by a delayed pressure rise but can be by the more comfortable ATC. ATC seems to adapt better to the ventilatory demand than PSV.

Attitudes and Beliefs towards Disease and Treatment in Patients with Advanced Cancer Using Anthroposophical Medicine.

BACKGROUND: In Switzerland, anthroposophical medicine has a long tradition, offers a special tumor treatment, is frequently used by cancer patients, and has been approved in 1998 by the Swiss government to be reimbursed by health insurances. This popularity contrasts with the fact that to date no sound evidence of the effectiveness of anthroposophical cancer treatments exists. In this study we draw a profile on a population of patients with advanced disease attending treatment at the anthroposophical Lukas Clinic (LC) regarding patients' attitudes, experiences and expectations. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All newly admitted patients with a diagnosis of locally advanced or metastasized breast, gastrointestinal, lung or gynecological cancer were recruited into a registration study. In parallel, a population of patients with the same inclusion criteria attending a conventional institution (Institute of Medical Oncology, University of Bern, IMO) was taken as a reference sample. Data were collected by means of a fully structured interview, and simple descriptive statistics was used for evaluation. RESULTS: 221 and 280 patients accrued at LC and at IMO, respectively. LC patients were mainly women (87%), had a good education (36% with completed college or university education), and were admitted on average 3.5 months after the diagnosis of advanced disease. With respect to their advanced cancer, they put very little hope in the effectiveness of conventional medicine, but expected great help from anthroposophical treatment. Compared with the reference population they cared more for psychological well-being and quality of life, but an important factor for choosing treatment at the LC was clearly the patients' strong belief in the effectiveness of anthroposophical treatment. CONCLUSIONS: With its holistic approach, anthroposophical medicine intends to provide tumor treatment together with supportive care throughout the course of the illness. To some patients this is an attractive alternative to conventional medicine, which too often focuses on tumor treatment only. Conventional medicine should clearly be advised to give higher priority to supportive care already early in the course of the disease. We acknowledge some patients' need for a more holistic approach, but anthroposophical medicine or any other providers of alternative or complementary cancer therapies should evaluate treatment effectiveness more thoroughly according to the principles of evidence-based medicine. Copyright 2000 S. Karger GmbH, Freiburg

[Vascular diseases in orthopedic practice]. / Gefässerkrankungen in der orthopädischen Fachpraxis.

From 1.4.1995 to 30.3.1997 1861 patients had been treated in orthopedic practice. In 52 cases deep vein thrombosis was detected. We found severe varicosis in 169 legs. A complete occlusion of the arteria femoralis superficialis or arteria popliteal was found in 16 legs, an aneurysm of the femoral or popliteal artery was seen in 5 legs.

Relapse and subarachnoid dissemination of a pineal germinoma 14 years after radiation therapy.

Intracranial germinomas are rare tumours which are highly curable with radiotherapy. In recent years treatment with chemotherapy has gained importance. Recurrence and dissemination is seen in about 10-20% of cases within the first 2 years after diagnosis; late recurrence and dissemination is very rare. We describe a patient with a recurrent germinoma 14 years after radiotherapy of a pineal tumour. We further report the management with chemotherapy, the late side effects of radiotherapy and the course of the disease with its fatal dissemination. We conclude that the use of radiotherapy, despite being highly effective, is clearly limited by its late side-effects. New regimens with chemotherapy seem promising but proved to be less effective in our case with tumour seeding throughout the subarachnoid space.

The cognitive-spiritual dimension--an important addition to the assessment of quality of life: validation of a questionnaire (SELT-M) in patients with advanced cancer.

UNLABELLED: Questions of meaning and challenge by illness, i.e., the spiritual dimension of quality of life (QL) traditionally played an important role in anthroposophically oriented medicine and have gained importance in palliative medicine and supportive care. In the context of a research project on QL in patients with advanced cancer, we therefore investigated the psychometric properties of a questionnaire covering spiritual QL issues, with the aim of providing a module for the assessment of cognitive-spiritual QL. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We investigated 89 patients with advanced breast and gastro-intestinal cancer. Construct validity of a modified version of the SELT (Skalen zur Erfassung von Lebensqualität bei Tumorkranken), the SELT-M was tested by multitrait scaling analysis. Discriminant and convergent validity were also tested. The EORTC QLQ-C30 was used as a standard for validation. Results showed the SELT-M as feasible in administration. Four of the five SELT-M subscales were internally consistent (Cronbach's Alpha = > 0.7). The subscale on spiritual QL showed higher within than outside subscale correlations for six of its eight items. Association of the SELT-M with the EORTC QLQ-C30 was good for the items and subscales covering the same aspects of QL in both questionnaires: emotional (Spearman r = 0.61), physical functioning (r = -0.54) and fatigue (r = -0.75). In accordance with expectations, there was no association between spiritual QL with any EORTC QLQ-C30 subscales. Self-assessed spiritual QL in the SELT-M corresponded well with interviewer assessments (test for trend accross ordered groups, P = 0.0023). CONCLUSIONS: Overall there is confirming evidence for the hypothesised structure of the SELT-M, especially for the newly developed module on spiritual QL. This module may be used as a module together with other cancer specific QL questionnaires.

Fluorescence instability of propidium iodide-labelled microspheres in (para)formaldehyde.

An instability of the fluorescence of propidium iodide (PI)-labelled microspheres was observed when the beads were used as an internal fluorescence standard in cell samples suspended in paraformaldehyde (pFA) for flow cytometric phenotyping. Flow cytometry of fluorochrome-labelled microspheres as well as spectrofluorometry of PI-fluorochrome solutions in PBS-buffered 1% pFA or formalin (FA) revealed strong increases of PI fluorescence starting immediately after the addition to the fixatives. We propose a chemical reaction which leads to two additional conjugated double bonds in the modified fluorochrome causing the increased fluorescence emission. Therefore, PI-labelled microspheres should not be applied as internal fluorescence references in aldehyde-containing cell suspensions for flow cytometric analysis, except when the time interval between the addition of beads and the measurement can be kept constant or if it lasts longer than 1 h.

[Technique of ultrasound examination of injuries of the posterior horn of the medial meniscus]. / Die Technik der Ultraschalluntersuchung bei Hinterhornverletzungen des Innenmeniskus.

High-resolution real-time ultrasonography (5 MHz linear and 7.5 MHz sector) was used to examine patients with knee injuries. The posterior horn of the medial meniscus was easily demonstrated. With the knee in a special position (70 degrees flexion and internal-rotation) it was possible to visualize latent tears. Effusion escapes between the two parts of the injured meniscus; therefore, the space between the meniscus fragments was hypoechoic and the surface of the fragment had increased echogenicity.

[Are there problems in changing diabetic patients from animal to human insulin?]. / Gibt es Probleme bei der Umstellung von Diabetikern von tierischem auf Humaninsulin?

In Switzerland it is still a debatable point whether diabetics whose treatment has been changed from animal to human insulin notice premonitory symptoms of hypoglycemia to a lesser degree and whether this could be hazardous for them. In a prospective study, 18 longstanding type 1 and type 2 diabetics, treated with insulin Lente MC, were selected and observed at frequent intervals for three months. This first period was followed by a transfer to human insulin (Protaphan HM) and a close observation for another three months. Before the transfer, all patients were well informed about a possible change in premonitory symptoms of hypoglycemia. The initial dose of Protaphan HM was 10% lower than in the treatment with Lente MC. During the three month period with human insulin, we observed no change with regard to blood-sugar regulation or Hb-A1. The most important observation was that the number of hypoglycemic episodes did not change after the transfer to human insulin. There were only mild to moderate degrees of hypoglycemia, the average being three episodes per patient. The change to human insulin was without any problems for the patients: they all preferred to stay on Protaphan HM for future treatment. Also, in general practice, patients can be changed without difficulties from animal to human insulin, provided that the above-mentioned precautions are respected.

[Sonographic imaging of the anterior cruciate ligament]. / Sonographische Darstellung des vorderen Kreuzbandes.

At the present time the cruciate ligaments can be demonstrated only via CT and arthroscopy. The typical clinical ligament signs (anterior and posterior drawer sign) cannot always be provoked. Especially in older ruptures the uncharacteristic knee pain and the feeling of instability are the most prominent symptoms. Experimentally the anterior cruciate ligament is well demonstrable via sonography both ventrally and dorsally, using a knee ligament preparation. In the patient, however, the anterior cruciate ligament can often be seen sonographically only in ventral longitudinal sections.

[Sonographic imaging of the posterior cruciate ligament]. / Die sonographische Darstellung des hinteren Kreuzbandes.

At present, cruciate ligaments can only be demonstrated by invasive examination methods (computerized tomography, arthroscopy). In roughly 50% of all cruciate ligament ruptures, the typical clinical symptoms of torn ligaments (abnormally increased motility of the tibia against the femur) cannot be elicited. In the case of older cruciate ligament ruptures especially, uncharacteristic complaints such as recurrent water on the knee, pain in the knee, and a feeling of instability are prominent. In experiments (knee ligament system), the posterior cruciate ligament (p.c.l) can be demonstrated clearly. In longitudinal scans the ligament can be located easily both in specimens as well as in patients. In contrast, the p.c.l. can usually only be identified in transverse scans by the typical shift of the ligament cross-section at various levels.