[When to ask for a skin biopsy in a patient with leg ulcer? Retrospective study of 143 consecutive biopsies]. / Quand poser l'indication d'une biopsie cutanée chez un patient porteur d'ulcère de jambe ? Étude rétrospective sur 143 biopsies consécutives.

OBJECTIVE: A vascular cause is found in around 85% of leg ulcer patients, but non-vascular causes are also observed. Their diagnosis is based on a set of clinical arguments and skin biopsy with histological analysis. The aim of this study was to analyze the results of these biopsies and to find common criteria for ulcers whose skin biopsies had led to the diagnosis of a non-vascular ulcer. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A retrospective study was carried out on the analysis of 143 skin biopsies of leg ulcers. The reasons for the biopsy were mainly atypical clinical signs and/or the lack of improvement in care after 6 months, as advocated by the French health authorities. RESULTS: The skin biopsies led to a diagnosis of non-vascular ulcer in 4.9% of cases (7/143), including skin cancer (n=5, 3.5%), cutaneous leishmaniasis (n=1, 0.7%) and Pyoderma gangrenosum (n=1, 0.7%). The univariate statistical analysis revealed that an elevated rim and abnormal excessive granulation tissue were significantly more frequently found in these ulcers. All patients with a positive skin biopsy had associated vascular involvement. CONCLUSION: This study found a 5% rate of non-vascular causes of ulcers, mainly skin cancer. Elevated rims and abnormal excessive granulation tissue were the unusual features most commonly found in these ulcers. All patients whose skin biopsy revealed a non-vascular cause had associated vascular involvement. This information confirms the need to perform a skin biopsy, even in the presence of a vascular disease.

Patient satisfaction surveys as a market research tool for general practices.

BACKGROUND: Recent policy developments, embracing the notions of consumer choice, quality of care, and increased general practitioner control over practice budgets have resulted in a new competitive environment in primary care. General practitioners must now be more aware of how their patients feel about the services they receive, and patient satisfaction surveys can be an effective tool for general practices. AIM: A survey was undertaken to investigate the use of a patient satisfaction survey and whether aspects of patient satisfaction varied according to sociodemographic characteristics such as age, sex, social class, housing tenure and length of time in education. METHOD: A sample of 2173 adults living in Medway District Health Authority were surveyed by postal questionnaire in September 1991 in order to elicit their views on general practice services. RESULTS: Levels of satisfaction varied with age, with younger people being consistently less satisfied with general practice services than older people. Women, those in social classes 1-3N, home owners and those who left school aged 17 years or older were more critical of primary care services than men, those in social classes 3M-5, tenants and those who left school before the age of 17 years. CONCLUSION: Surveys and analyses of this kind, if conducted for a single practice, can form the basis of a marketing strategy aimed at optimizing list size, list composition, and service quality. Satisfaction surveys can be readily incorporated into medical audit and financial management.