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Aim: To assess the Scottish newborn screening programme for congenital hypothyroidism from 1994 to 2003 (period 2) for performance and compare with an initial audit covering 1979 to 1993 (period 1). Design: Performance data-age at blood spot sampling, notification by screening laboratory, start of treatment, and the prevalence of late testing, notification or treatment-were compared, together with the incidence of congenital hypothyroidism. Results: Comparing data for period 2 with period 1, the mean annual incidence of true congenital hypothyroidism was 1:3655 live births v 1:4363. Median age for Guthrie sampling (all referrals) was 6 v 7 days (p<0.0001). Late sampling (>10 days) had fallen from 10.7% to 7%. For infants requiring repeat sampling before notification, the median (range) interval between initial and final repeat samples was 11 (1 to 52) compared with 14 (3 to 73) days. Median age at notification for true congenital hypothyroidism was 10 v 12 days (p <0.0001 ). Late notification (>15 days) was justifiable (mild TSH elevation) in 10 of 13 patients in period 2. Median age at start of treatment for true congenital hypothyroidism had improved to 11 days from 13.5 days. For true congenital hypothyroidism, late treatment (>16 days) occurred in 7% of patients compared with 19% (p<0.0001). Conclusions: There has been an improvement in performance measures for the congenital hypothyroidism screening programme in Scotland. However, late sampling, occurring primarily in inpatients and which is never justified, remains a problem, while the interval between initial and recall sampling is a further source of delay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Turner syndrome can be defined as loss or abnormality of the second X chromosome in at least one cell line in a phenotypic female. The condition occurs in approximately 1 in every 2000 live female births,1 so that in the UK the prevalence for any year of life is in the region of 200 girls. The condition is much more common in utero, it being estimated that 1-2% of all conceptuses are affected, of whom only 1% will survive to term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Fall risk is a major contributor to fracture risk; implementing fall reduction programmes remains a challenge for health professionals and policymakers. Materials and methods: We aimed to (1) ascertain whether the care received by 54 older adults after an emergency department (ED) fall presentation met internationally recommended 'Guideline Care', and (2) prospectively evaluate this cohort's 6-month change in fall risk profile. Participants were men and women aged 70 years or older who were discharged back into the community after presenting to an urban university tertiary-care hospital emergency department with a fall-related complaint. American Geriatric Society (AGS) guideline care was documented by post-presentation emergency department chart examination, daily patient diary of falls submitted monthly, patient interview and physician reconciliation where needed. Both at study entry and at a 6-month followup, we measured participants physiological characteristics by Lord's Physiological Profile Assessment (PPA), functional status, balance confidence, depression, physical activity and other factors. Results: We found that only 2 of 54 (3.7%) of the fallers who presented to the ED received care consistent with AGS Guidelines. Baseline physiological fall risk scores classified the study population at a 1.7 SD higher risk than a 65-year-old comparison group, and during the 6-month followup period the mean fall-risk score increased significantly (i.e. greater risk of falls) (1.7±1.6 versus 2.2±1.6, p=0.000; 29.5% greater risk of falls). Also, functional ability [100 (15) versus 95 (25), p=0.002], balance confidence [82.5 (44.4) versus 71.3 (58.7), p=0.000] and depression [0 (2) versus 0 (3), p=0.000] all worsened over 6 months. Within 6 months of the index ED visit, five participants had suffered six fall-related fractures. Discussion: We conclude that this group of community-dwelling fallers, who presented for ED care with a clinical profile suggesting a high risk of further falls and fracture, did not receive Guideline care and worsened in their fall risk profile by 29.5%. This gap in care, at least in one centre, suggests further investigation into alternative approaches to delivering Guideline standard health service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To evaluate the relative diagnostic strength of cup to disc (C/D) ratio, clinical disc damage likelihood scale (DDLS), a new clinical method of documenting glaucomatous optic disc changes, and Heidelberg retina tomograph (HRT-Il) in patients with glaucoma, glaucoma suspects, and normal controls. Method: Consecutive observational case series. 110 eyes from 1 10 patients categorised as glaucoma, glaucoma suspect, or normal were examined clinically to grade the DDLS score. HRT-II examination was performed by an examiner masked to the clinical examination findings. Optic disc parameters and Moorfields regression analysis findings were recorded. Stereophotographs of the optic disc were examined independently by two glaucoma specialists in masked fashion to determine the C/D ratio. Zeiss SITA Standard 24-2 visual fields were obtained within 3 months of HRT-D and clinical examination. For each patient, the eye with the worse mean deviation of the visual field test was enrolled in the study, and each field was additionally graded by the four level Hodapp-Parrish-II-Anderson staging. Specificity and sensitivity were calculated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results: Mean patient age was 58 years (SD 13.3) with 45 glaucoma patients, 23 glaucoma suspects, and 42 normals. The mean deviation on Humphrey visual field assessment using SITA-Standard was -4.95 D (SD 5 D) Clinical examination using DDLS had the best predictive power with an area under the ROC curve value of 0.95 when glaucoma patients and suspects were separated from borderline or normals. This was followed by clinical examination of C/D ratio (0.84), and HRT-II Moorfields analysis (0.68). The order of diagnostic strength did not change when definite glaucoma was compared to borderline and normals. Conclusions: The DDLS grading performs well compared to C/D ratio and HRT-II evaluation. Attention to disc diameter and to rim width may increase the value of clinical optic disc examination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Many people with learning disabilities (LD) show aggressive behaviour, but the extent of the problem and its associated factors and effects are unclear. Methods A cross-sectional analysis was carried out using interview data from 3065 adults with LD on the Leicestershire LD Register. Physical aggression towards others was defined as carers reporting frequent (more than three times per week) and/or severe episodes. Individuals with and without aggression were compared using multiple logistic regression models for potential physical and psychological factors. Results Carers reported that 443 (14%) of adults were physically aggressive towards others. Men ( P = 0.001), younger individuals ( P < 0.001), people with more severe LD ( P < 0.001) and those in institutional settings ( P < 0.001) had a significantly higher prevalence of physical aggression. People with Down syndrome had a lower prevalence of physical aggression ( P < 0.001). After adjustment, we found no relationship between aggression and the presence of epilepsy or autism. Among psychological factors, symptoms of frustration ( P < 0.001) and mood swings ( P < 0.001) were associated with higher levels of aggression. Failure to cope among carers was reported by 14% overall: 42% of people caring for adults with aggression said they were unable to cope compared with 10% of those caring for adults without aggression. Conclusions Physical aggression towards other people presents a significant challenge to carers of adults with LD. Further research is needed to identify aetiological factors with a view to finding effective interventions to reduce, and improve management of, this behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS) is a genetic disorder caused by the absence of expression of maternally imprinted genes on the long arm of chromosome 15 (15q 11-13). There are two main genetic sub-types: (1) deletion, caused by the absence of paternally derived genetic material; and (2) uniparental disomy (UPD), where two copies of maternally derived chromosome 15 are present. In addition to generally mild/borderline intellectual disability (ID) and the almost universal feature of hyperphagia, PWS is associated with high rates of behaviour problems including temper tantrums, compulsive behaviour, perseverative speech, skin picking and rigid thinking. The present study seeks to explore whether these behaviours are associated with relative deficits in executive function (EF), which comprises the set of non-automatic processes utilized by an individual when faced with a novel situation. Eighteen adult participants with a clinical diagnosis of PWS (12 with deletion sub-type, 6 with UPD) were recruited from a UK Health Service PWS clinic, and compared with 15 participants of similar age and verbal ability on a series of EF tasks and also Digit Span Forwards. An informant completed two ratings of behaviour, the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC) and the Dysexecutive Questionnaire (DEX). The PWS group had significantly higher scores on the ABC but not on the DEX. There were no significant differences between the whole PWS group and the comparison group on any of the EF tasks. The deletion sub-type group was significantly poorer at a non-executive task, Digit Span Forwards. There was an unexpected trend for the deletion sub-type group to show more efficient performance on a visuospatial planning task, the Tower of London (TOL), but this trend did not reach significance. The lack of relative deficits in EF task performance does not support the hypothesis that EF differences could account for the high levels of behaviour problems found in PWS. Applying the Baddeley and Hitch model of working memory it is suggested that the PWS group have a relatively intact central executive and visuospatial sketchpad but a relative impairment in the phonological loop, perhaps relating to the capacity of the phonological store. This latter finding seems to be particularly salient for those with a deletion. As differences in EF ability were not found, it is suggested that a region of the brain involved in the modulation of emotion but not particularly with EF, the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), may be implicated in the behaviour problems reported in PWS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following a successful clinical trial in 1996, the long-acting GnRH analogue goserelin (Zoladex LA 10·8 mg; Astra Zeneca) has been our preferred treatment for central early (CEP) or precocious puberty (CPP). However, some female patients have expressed concern about perceived weight gain during therapy and delay in the onset or resumption of menses on completion of therapy. The primary aim of this study was to investigate these concerns by determining the auxological parameters and timing of menarche or re-menarche in all girls with CEP/CPP who have completed a course of Zoladex LA treatment. The secondary aim was to assess auxological outcome in girls who have attained final height.Case records of all girls with idiopathic CEP/CPP or CEP/CPP secondary to CNS pathology treated with Zoladex LA since 1996 were reviewed. A total of 46 girls who have completed therapy were identified, of whom 11 had reached final height.Height, weight and bone age (RUS (TW2) method) were measured before treatment, when Zoladex LA was stopped and at final height. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated as a clinical measure of body fatness. Pubertal status was assessed pre- and post-treatment by Tanner staging and pelvic ultrasonography. Timing of menarche or re-menarche following cessation of treatment was recorded.The mean (range) age of starting GnRH analogue therapy was 8·3 (1·8–10·5) years and the duration of treatment was 2·9 (0·7–8·9) years. Pre-treatment height was above average at 0·72 SD but had declined to 0·28 SD by the end of therapy. The 46 girls were heavier than average before treatment (Wt SDS 1·04) with no change in weight status on completion of therapy. Mean BMI SDS increased significantly from 0·93 to 1·2 during treatment, indicating that the girls became relatively fatter. Using recommended BMI cut-off values for defining overweight and obesity in children of the 85th and 95th centiles, 41% of the cohort were overweight and 28% were obese before treatment, rising to 59% and 39%, respectively, at the end of therapy. The average time interval to onset or resumption of menses after stopping treatment was 1·46 years (median 1·5, range 0·8–2·0 years). None of the following variables was found to be predictive of the time interval to menarche after completion of therapy: duration of treatment; chronological age; bone age; Tanner breast stage or uterine maturation at the end of treatment; the frequency of injections required to suppress puberty; or treatment with alternative GnRH analogue prior to Zoladex LA. Mean final height in 11 girls was 159·7 cm (−0·63 SD), close to the mean parental target height of 160·9 cm (−0·48 SD). Nine of the 11 girls (82%) attained final heights within or above their target range. In keeping with the whole cohort this subset of girls became fatter during treatment, although this difference was not statistically significant. However, they returned to their pretreatment size at final height (mean BMI SDS 1·18, 1·41 and 1·16 before, at the end of treatment and at final height, respectively).Our cohort of 46 girls treated with long-acting goserelin was already considerably overweight at the start of therapy and became fatter during treatment. However, adiposity appeared to return to pretreatment levels in the 11 girls followed up to final height. Most of the girls who have attained final height are within or above their expected target range. The relatively long time interval to menarche of 1·5 years after stopping treatment is unexplained but may reflect a residual suppressive effect on the hypothalamo–pituitary axis of this long-acting GnRH analogue. Anticipation of the timing of menarche has proved to be of value in planning when to stop therapy in girls in whom treatment is mainly for practical and/or psychological reasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE:: To assess the association between diet and the onset of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in women aged 40?y plus. DESIGN AND SETTING:: The Leicestershire MRC Incontinence Study - a prospective longitudinal study of the prevalence, incidence and aetiology of urinary symptoms. SUBJECTS AND METHODS:: A total of 5816 women aged 40?y plus and living in the community. Urinary symptoms were reported in a postal questionnaire at baseline and at 1-y follow-up. Dietary intake was assessed in a food frequency questionnaire at baseline. RESULTS:: Intakes of total fat, saturated fatty acids and monounsaturated fatty acids were associated with an increased risk of SUI onset 1?y later. Of the micronutrients studied, zinc and vitamin B12 were positively associated with SUI onset. CONCLUSION:: The results from this prospective study suggest there may be an aetiological association between certain components of the diet and the onset of SUI. The findings need confirming and possible mechanisms to explain these associations need further investigation. SPONSORSHIP:: The study was funded by the Medical Research Council.European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2004) 58, 920-926. doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601913 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To establish valid and reliable prevalence and incidence rates for urinary incontinence and storage disorder, and estimate the extent of healthcare need and requirement for the UK. This was a cross-sectional and longitudinal population-based study involving registrants with 108 general practices in Leicestershire and Rutland counties (UK). In all, 162 533 (prevalence study) and 39 602 (incidence study) people aged ≥ 40 years were approached by postal questionnaire, with response rates of 60% and 63%, respectively; 1050 non-responders were followed up. The main measures were incontinence (involuntary leakage) storage disorder (including incontinence or urgency or frequency or nocturia above clinically defined thresholds), storage symptoms (as for storage disorder, above epidemiologically defined thresholds), professionally defined healthcare need (storage disorder, or storage symptoms with an impact on quality of life, QoL), and healthcare requirement (using services or wanting help among those with a healthcare need), all within the last year. The period prevalence was: moderate or greater incontinence, 16.1%; storage disorder, 28.5%; storage symptoms with impact on QoL, 30.4%; healthcare need, 37.1% and requirement 20.4%. Among those with storage disorders 81% reported effects on QoL. Annual incidence rates were: incontinence, 6.3%; storage disorder, 14.1%; healthcare need, 15.6% and requirement 8.4%. The remission rates were substantially greater in men than women. The problem becomes increasingly established and less likely to remit with age. In the UK over a 1-year period, over a third of people aged ≥ 40 years are estimated to have a healthcare need for urinary storage symptoms (i.e. 9 million) and a fifth (i.e. 5 million) are estimated to require healthcare, with unmet requirement affecting 3 million. This represents a major public health problem. Apparent inconsistencies between prevalence, impact and uptake of services are explained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to establish how accurately a trained continence nurse could allocate appropriate second-line conservative treatment to women without urodynamic investigations. Depending on the number of patients coming taking up the service, there were between five and 12 nurses operating at any one time. Women aged 40 years and over, of which there were 2421 reporting lower urinary tract symptoms, were randomly allocated to a new nurse-led continence service. Of these women, 450 subsequently underwent urodynamic investigation, before which the nurses documented which second-line conservative treatment would be appropriate. The results showed that of all women with detrusor overactivity, 79.1% were correctly allocated anticholinergic treatment, and 64.8% were allocated pelvic floor exercises (PFE). Of all women with urodynamic stress incontinence, 88.8% were correctly allocated PFE, and 43.4% were allocated anticholinergic therapy. Of all women with mixed incontinence, 44.8% were correctly allocated both PFE and anticholinergic therapy, while 52.1% were allocated only one treatment. This study showed that a trained continence nurse is able to allocate conservative treatment appropriately the majority of women without the need for urodynamic investigation. This indicated that the management of urinary dysfunction by a team of trained, dedicated nurses has the potential to reduce waiting lists for urodynamic investigation, avoid unnecessary investigations and achieve greater patient satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two cases of osteosarcoma of the jaws in children are reported. One patient was a 13-year-old girl whose first symptoms included nasal and maxillary sinus congestion, followed by epistaxis. She was found to have chondroblastic osteosarcoma extending through the left maxillary alveolar process and sinus. Following surgery and chemotherapy, the patient has been free of disease for 7 years. The second patient, an 8-year-old boy, was diagnosed with juxtacortical (parosteal) osteosarcoma of the mandible, which is a less aggressive variant of the neoplasm. It is believed that this is the youngest patient reported to date with juxtacortical osteosarcoma of the jaws. He was treated by block resection of the right side of the mandible and is free of disease 3½ years later. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors examined the prevalence of one component of the female athlete triad, osteo- porosis, in studies of athletic women with menstrual disturbance. Osteoporosis can, and does, occur in athletes, but the authors argue that requiring this condition to be present in the female athlete triad syndrome relegates the syndrome to relative obscurity. It is unlikely that the prevalence of osteoporosis in athletes with disordered eating could be greater than the prevalence of osteoporosis in anorexia nervosa. Therefore, the female athlete triad, as currently defined, most likely has a lower prevalence than anorexia nervosa.

: Risk assessment for osteoporotic fracture within a primary care context, in old age, has received little attention. We aimed to develop such a risk score and assess its feasibility and validity. This was a 100% population-based, prospective cohort study, with a minimum 51/2 year follow-up among women aged 70 years and over, set in a large single general practice in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, UK. The main outcome measures were hip fracture, death and migration. Baseline measures included calcaneal broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA), reported falls, balance, previous fracture history, medical problems, visual acuity, foot problems, body size, lifestyle factors and cognitive impairment. Seventy percent of the sample (1289) participated, including those in residential accommodation. Independent predictors of hip fracture over 3 years were low weight, kyphosis, poor circulation in the foot, epilepsy, short-term use of steroids and poor trunk maneuver. Using the highest tertile, a risk score based on these variables identified 84% (95% CI: 70% to 98%) of the hip fractures with a specificity of 68% (95% CI: 65% to 71%). BUA did not independently predict hip fracture in women of this age group. This study shows that a combination of readily obtained risk factors can identify elderly women who will sustain a hip fracture in the next 3 years more accurately than bone measurements alone in younger women. It also suggests that a risk score approach to universal assessment in the elderly is a feasible proposition in the primary care setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract – Resorption is the main reason for loss of replanted teeth. The outcome examined in this study is the timing of the onset of resorption. The effect of dichotomised dry and wet time intervals as well as the presence of additional crown damage and of contamination were determined. Of 84 replanted teeth, 67.5% developed resorptions. Twenty-eight had detectable additional crown damage with a more rapid onset being seen in these cases (P=0.009). The critical limit for dry time was 15 min (P=0.038) and significant differences persisted for greater limits also. Serial analysis of the association between the time of onset of root resorption and dichotomised wet time variables failed to yield any significant associations. There was visible contamination detected in 32 teeth and these exhibited a more rapid onset of resorption than the other cases (P=0.030). Teeth with inflammatory root resorption (12.8%) had a more rapid onset of resorption than those that developed replacement resorption (54.7%) (P<0.001). It is concluded that the risk of early resorption is increased in teeth that have additional damage or have contamination, or are kept in dry conditions for longer than 15 min. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To test the efficacy of a community based 10 week exercise intervention to reduce fall risk factors in women with osteoporosis.Methods: Static balance was measured by computerised dynamic posturography (Equitest), dynamic balance by timed figure of eight run, and knee extension strength by dynamometry. Subjects were randomised to exercise intervention (twice weekly Osteofit classes for 10 weeks) or control groups.Results: The outcome in 79 participants (39 exercise, 40 control) who were available for measurement 10 weeks after baseline measurement is reported. After confounding factors had been controlled for, the exercise group did not make significant gains compared with their control counterparts, although there were consistent trends toward greater improvement in all three primary outcome measures. Relative to the change in control subjects, the exercise group improved by 2.3% in static balance, 1.9% in dynamic balance, and 13.9% in knee extension strength.Conclusions: A 10 week community based physical activity intervention did not significantly reduce fall risk factors in women with osteoporosis. However, trends toward improvement in key independent risk factors for falling suggest that a study with greater power may show that these variables can be improved to a level that reaches statistical significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Noonan syndrome, a constellation of dysmorphic features initially described in 1963, occurs with a prevalence of approximately 1 in 1000. Dominant inheritance with incomplete penetrance is often found in affected families, and the gene for Noonan syndrome has now been mapped to chromosome 12p. At present, the diagnosis is a clinical one and a number of scoring systems exist. Final height is often compromised, with mean adult height for males 162.5 cm, and for females 152.7 cm.5. The cause of the short stature in Noonan syndrome is unclear. Although insulin like growth factor-1 concentrations are reported as low or low normal, formal anterior pituitary function testing is usually normal,6 as is spontaneous growth hormone secretion. Other endocrine abnormalities described include hypogonadism and autoimmune thyroiditis.

The study was designed to examine whether dynamic measurements of inhibin B and oestradiol following single administration of buserelin acetate were correlated with the ovarian response to stimulation in IVF. A total of 37 patients undergoing IVF treatment was studied when the long protocol was started in the early follicular phase. Blood samples were taken twice: on day 2 of the menstrual cycle, before the first s.c. administration of buserelin acetate 0.5 mg and on day 3, 24 h later. Inhibin B and oestradiol concentrations were compared with the ovarian response to stimulation. The ovarian response was defined in two ways: 'number of oocytes/total recombinant (r) follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) dose'; and 'square-root (number of follicles/total rFSH dose)'. The following measurements were highly correlated with the ovarian response to stimulation: increase in oestradiol (day 3-day 2 oestradiol concentration) [correlation coefficient (r) = 0.68, P: < 0.0001] and sum of inhibin B (day 2 + day 3 inhibin B concentrations) (r = 0.6, P: < 0.0001). Age and basal concentrations of FSH and inhibin B were inferior to the above measurements in terms of correlation with the ovarian response. In conclusion, dynamic measurements of inhibin B and oestradiol following single administration of buserelin acetate were highly correlated with the ovarian response to stimulation for IVF treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A lyophilized one-step kit of Mab FC-5.01, reactive with human breast cancer and malignant melanomas, was formulated. A direct method based on the reduction of protein disulphide bridges using 2-mercaptoethanol was used with methylene diphosphonate as the transchelating ligand. The labeled species were analyzed by ITLC thin layer chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography. Labeling efficiency was greater than 90%. Immunoreactivity was assessed on IIB-BR-G cells. 99mTc-labeled Mab FC-5.01 biodistribution and tumor imaging were performed in nude mice bearing IIB-BR-G breast cancer xenografts. At 24 hs accumulation of 99mTc increased in tumor and decreased in blood and most organs in agreement with results of an in vitro cysteine challenge assay. Quality control tests demonstrated that the kit was stable for up to 120 days. Animal studies demonstrated good and specific in vivo tumor targeting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fifteen per cent of children treated with growth hormone (GH) are receiving treatment for Turner syndrome, but few results are available on final height in the UK. In this study, data were obtained from the UK KIGS database for 485 girls with Turner syndrome who were treated from 1986, allowing an audit of practice and outcome over 10 years. Over the decade, the mean age of starting growth hormone treatment fell from 10.4 to 8.5 years and the starting dose increased from 0.55 to 0.95 IU/kg/week. The frequency of injections increased from three to six or seven/week. Some girls received suboptimal doses, which also differed depending on whether they were based on weight or surface area. To assess what height gain might be expected at final height, all 52 girls who were prepubertal at the start of treatment, which continued for four years or more, and who had reached final height or had a growth velocity < 2 cm/year were selected. Their mean gain in final height was 5.2 cm and the GH dose was 0.78 IU/kg/week over 5.8 years. Final height gain correlated significantly with duration of treatment, total dose received, and first year response, which itself related to starting dose. This audit shows a changing pattern of treatment over the past decade, which in many instances has been inadequate. When treatment starts before puberty and continues through to final height, with a dose of 30 IU/m2/week in six or seven injections, a mean increase in final height of 5 cm or more would be expected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the immunological responses of mice to Ross River virus infection to enable a subsequent examination of the protective or pathogenic role the different responses might play in man in a primary infection with Ross River virus. Infection of mice with Ross River virus produced an incomplete cell-mediated immune response. In vitro, spleen cells from infected animals showed a strong virus-specific T-lymphocyte proliferative response while the lymphokine and virus-specific cytotoxic lymphocyte responses were almost undetectable.

Objective: To examine the responsiveness of the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) to clinical changes in three surgical groups and to study how health-related quality of life (HRQL) changes with time among patients who undergo total hip arthroplasty, thoracic surgery for treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer, or abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair.Design: Prospective cohort study with serial evaluations of HRQL preoperatively and at 1, 6, and 12 months after surgery.Setting: University tertiary care hospital.Patients: Of 528 patients, more than 50 years of age, who were admitted for these elective procedures, 454 (86%) provided preoperative health status data and are members of the study cohort. At 12 months after surgery, 439 (93%) of the cohort was successfully contacted and 390 (90%) provided follow-up interviews.Measurements and Main Results: The Medical Outcomes Study SF-36, the Specific Activity Scale, five validated health transition questions, and a 0 to 100 scale measure of global health were used to assess changes in health status at 1, 6, and 12 months after surgery. Change in health status as measured by the SF-36 demonstrated that physical function and role limitations due to physical health problems were worse 1 month after these three surgeries. However, by 6 months after surgery, most patients experienced significant gains in the majority of the dimensions of health, and these gains were sustained at 12 months after surgery. Longitudinal changes in the SF-36 were positively associated with responses to the five health transition questions, to changes on the Specific Activity Scale and global health rating question, and to clinical parameters for persons who had AAA repair. These findings indicate that the SF-36 has evidence of validity and is responsive to expected changes in HRQL after elective surgery for these procedures.Conclusions: For the total hip arthroplasty patients, responsiveness was greatest for the SF-36 scales that measure physical constructs. However, for the two other procedures and at various points of recovery, significant changes were observed for all eight subscales, suggesting that responsiveness was dependent on the type of surgery and the timing of follow-up, and that multidimensional measures are needed to fully capture changes in HRQL after surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents several correspondence on medical sciences in Great Britain. Rights of a Down's syndrome child; Hesitation of pediatricians to admit parasuicidal children to pediatric ward; Focus on child abuse.

Objective: To evaluate the relative benefits and cost-effectiveness of revascularization for femoropopliteal disease using percutaneous transluminal angioplasty or bypass surgery.Design: Decision analysis using a multistate transition simulation model (Markov process) and cost-effectiveness analysis from the perspective of the health care system.Setting: Based on mortality, morbidity, patency, and cost data from a literature review.Patients: Hypothetical cohort of patients with chronic femoropopliteal disease who desire revascularization. Subgroup analysis for patients defined by age, sex, indication, lesion type, and graft type.Interventions: Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, bypass surgery, and a strategies combining the two treatments.Main Outcome Measures: Five-year patency results, quality-adjusted life expectancy, lifetime costs, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios.Results: For 65-year-old men with disabling claudication and a femoropopliteal stenosis or occlusion and for 65-year-old men with chronic critical ischemia and a femoropopliteal stenosis, initial angioplasty increased quality-adjusted life expectancy by 2 to 13 months and resulted in decreased lifetime expenditures compared with bypass surgery. For patients with chronic critical ischemia and a femoropopliteal occlusion, initial bypass surgery increased quality-adjusted life expectancy by 1 to 4 months and resulted in decreased lifetime expenditures compared with angioplasty. Sensitivity analysis demonstrated that angioplasty would always be the preferred initial treatment if the angioplasty 5-year patency rate exceeds 30%.Conclusion: Angioplasty is the preferred initial treatment in patients with disabling claudication and a femoropopliteal stenosis or occlusion and in those with chronic critical ischemia and a stenosis. Bypass surgery is the preferred initial treatment in patients with chronic critical ischemia and a femoropopliteal occlusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article states that the disease epidemic polyarthritis (EPA) has been recognized in Australia since 1928. An alphavirus (Ross River virus) isolated from a collection of Aedes vigilax mosquitoes in 1963 was shown, on serological grounds, to be the causative agent of EPA. Extensive efforts to isolate Ross River virus from EPA patients in Australia using suckling mice or vertebrate cell cultures have all been unsuccessful. During epidemics of Ross River virus infection in the Pacific during 1979 and 1980, virus was isolated from EPA patients in all areas in which studies were performed.

Quality assurance programs are now a fact of life in health care institutions, yet the effectiveness of these programs in improving care is unproven. Reports of quality assurance activities rarely discuss "remedy implementation" or the outcome of such attempts. Effectiveness does not flow naturally from sound methodology or documentation but is the most challenging part of the program. This article examines reasons for this difficulty, and the authors recommend strategies for improving problem resolution and increasing the influence of the program in the organization. They urge attention to program design from the earliest stages of program implementation and emphasize active participation by clinicians, patients, administration, and staff This broad representation promotes examination of a wide range of patient care issues as well as medical audits, allows the program to enlist support for change, and enables the program to anticipate and make timely contributions to the decisions of policymaking groups. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]