Time taken to resume activities of daily living after transsphenoidal surgery for pituitary tumors.

Postoperative management after transsphenoidal surgery (TSS) is important; however, the guidelines for resuming daily activities after TSS are insufficient. This study aimed to examine the time to return to activities of daily living (ADL) after TSS for pituitary tumors. A 4-month prospective data collection was completed for 114 of 117 patients who underwent TSS for pituitary tumors from April to July 2021. The time when the patient returned to ADL after surgery was measured using the self-recording sheet. More than 97% and 92% of the patients returned within 1 month (median: within 7 days) for the elements of basic ADL and within 2 months (median: within 15 days) for the elements of instrumental ADL, excluding a few. Notably, 73.3% of patients returned to work within 4 months. The median time for the activities included 64 days for washing hair head down, 44 days for blowing nose, 59 days for lifting heavy objects, and 102 days for sexual activity. For patients who received extended-TSS or had postoperative problems, the time to return was delayed. Based on these results, it will be possible to provide practical information and guidelines on the time to return to ADL after TSS in pituitary tumor patients.

Effect of a confirmatory testing algorithm on early acute HIV diagnosis in Korea.

ABSTRACT: The 17 Provincial Institutes of Health and Environment (PIHEs) in Korea use HIV antibody, antigen, and Western blot assays for confirmatory testing of HIV infection. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) has further included p24 antigen neutralization and nucleic acid tests (NATs) since 2015. Our study aimed to investigate the effect of this new testing algorithm on the confirmation rate of HIV infection.Annual changes, from 2012 through 2017, in positive or indeterminate HIV confirmatory results were compared for the two algorithms between the PIHEs and the KDCA. Fiebig stages and Western blot p31 band were used to identify the diagnostic proportions of acute or early chronic HIV for the two algorithms.The number of positive cases in the samples requested from PIHEs for reconfirmation by the KDCA has steadily increased from 10.3% in 2014 to 33.3% in 2017. However, the number of indeterminate cases dropped sharply, from 71.9% in 2014 to 14.0% in 2017. The results for the p31 reactive band were 27.4% and 88.4% for the KDCA and PIHEs, respectively. Of positive cases reported by the KDCA, 22.9% were in the early acute stage and Fiebig stages I to II.The new testing algorithm has improved the diagnosis of HIV infections in the early acute stage. Early confirmatory diagnosis can prevent secondary transmission of HIV and provide early treatment opportunities for people living with HIV infection.