Search

Objective: Longus colli provides stability to cervical spine during movements. In clinical practice, the clinicians teach exercises to longus colli to manage neck pain. The aim of this study was to investigate differences in thickness or anterior-posterior dimension (APD), shape ratio and contraction ratio of longus colli between subjects with neck pain and healthy controls. Materials and methods: A total of 12 subjects (6 with neck pain and 6 healthy controls) were recruited by predefined selection criteria. Ultrasound imaging of bilateral longus colli was conducted at the level C5-C6. Anterior-posterior dimension (APD) and lateral dimension (LD) were measured using Ultrasonography. Shape ratio (LD/APD) and contraction ratio (APD during contraction/APD during rest) were calculated. Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the thickness of longus colli between healthy and neck pain subjects. Results and discussion: The results showed that the subjects with neck pain had smaller APD (Mean Rank=4.83, n=6) than healthy subjects (Mean Rank=8.17, n=6), U=16.00, z=-1.601 (corrected for ties), p=0.109, two tailed. Also, shape ratio showed higher values in neck pain subjects (Mean Rank=7.17, n=6) than normal subjects (Mean Rank=5.83, n=6), U=14.00, z=-0.641(corrected for ties) p=0.522, two tailed. In addition, contraction ratio was smaller in neck pain subjects (Mean Rank=4.83, n=6) than those healthy subjects (Mean Rank=8.17, n=6), U=8.00, z=- 1.601(corrected for ties) p=0.109, two tailed. Conclusion: There is a trend of reduced size of longus colli with the median of APD and smaller contraction ratio among patients with neck pain when compared to healthy controls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Academic Emergency Medicine is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article reports on the prevalence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in adult hospitalizations in the U.S. from 2007-2009. A new program of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services called Partnership for Patients: Better Care, Lower Costs, aims to reduce the number of preventable VTE case in hospitals. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) analyzed data from the National Hospital Discharge Survey (NHDS) regarding VTE. The analysis determined an average of 547,596 VTE hospitalizations.

To explore the relative species specificities of the IgE and IgG antibody responses to helminth infections in man, we studied four pools of sera from patients infected with Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi, Onchocerca volvulus or Ascaris lumbricoides and ten individual sera from patients with onchocerciasis. IgE antibodies were detected by radioallergosorbent test (RAST) analysis and IgO antibodies by a Staphylococcus protein A radioimmunoassay (Staph A-RIA). Analysis of the binding curves with four different immunosorbents (prepared from antigens of B. malayi, O. volvulus, Dipesalonema viteae and A. lwnbricoides) in the RAST and the binding curves with these same four antigens in the Staph A-RIA confirmed the relative species specificities for both the IgE and IgO antibody responses. Then determination of these antibody levels after specific absorption of the sera with both homologous and heterologous antigens showed that in all instances there was significantly less cross-reactivity with heterologous parasite antigens (i.e. higher species specificity) in the IgE antibody. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Primary care providers are well placed to control the spread of sexually transmitted infections (STI); however, care is likely to be influenced by their attitudes and beliefs. The present study investigates the relationship between general practitioner's (GP) self-reported level of comfort in dealing with patients with STI and the care they deliver. Methods: A postal survey was conducted using a stratified random sample of 15% of GPs practising in New South Wales, Australia, to assess practitioners' management of STI. A total of 409 GPs participated in the study yielding a response rate of 45.4%. Results: Although over two-thirds (69-72%) of GPs were comfortable in managing STI in heterosexual or young patients, fewer than half (40-46%) felt comfortable caring for patients who were sex workers, indigenous, people who inject drugs, gay or lesbian. Practitioners who were comfortable were more likely to offer sexual risk assessment, safe-sex counselling, and were less likely to report limited ability to influence patients' risk behaviours. Practitioner discomfort was positively associated with reporting constraints in sexual history-taking and the need for training in sexual health. Conclusions: Practitioners' care and support for patients with STI are influenced by their inexperience, lack of skills and/or attitudes. The reasons for GP discomfort in managing STI patients need further exploration as does its impact on patient care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) often use emergency department services to obtain medical care. Limited information is available about emergency department use among patients with SCD. Purpose: This study assessed characteristics of emergency department visits made nationally by patients with SCD. Methods: Data from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) for the years 1999–2007 were analyzed. The NHAMCS is a survey of hospital emergency department and outpatient visits. Emergency department visits by patients with SCD were identified using ICD-9-CM codes, and nationally weighted estimates were calculated. Results: On average, approximately 197,333 emergency department visits were estimated to have occurred each year between 1999 and 2007 with SCD as one of the diagnoses listed. The expected source of payment was private insurance for 14%, Medicaid/State Children''s Health Insurance Program for 58%, Medicare for 14%, and other/unknown for 15%. Approximately 29% of visits resulted in hospital admission; this was 37% among patients aged 0–19 years, and 26% among patients aged ≥20 years. The episode of care was indicated as a follow-up visit for 23% of the visits. Patient-cited reasons for the emergency department visit included chest pain (11%); other pain or unspecified pain (67%); fever/infection (6%); and shortness of breath/breathing problem/cough (5%), among other reasons. Conclusions: Substantial numbers of emergency department visits occur among people with SCD. The most common reason for the emergency department visits is pain symptoms. The findings of this study can help to improve health services delivery and utilization among patients with SCD. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article focuses on the study concerning the diagnosis of acute renal allograft in patient with sickle cell disease. The 33 year old underwent several surgeries with immediate graft function. The percutaneous renal biopsy of the patient shows focal cortical necrosis and acute tubular damage coherent with ischemia. It concludes that the allograft sickling is the primary cause of the acute renal dysfunction in patients with sickle cell disease.