Unexplained developmental delay/learning disability: guidelines for best practice protocol for first line assessment and genetic/metabolic/radiological investigations.

BACKGROUND: Investigation of patients, particularly children, with unexplained global developmental delay (GDD)/learning disability (LD) has been challenging due to a lack of clear guidance from specialised centres. Limited knowledge of rare diseases and a poor understanding of the purpose or limitations of appropriate investigations have been some of the principal reasons for this difficulty. AIMS: A guideline development group was formed to recommend on appropriate, first line metabolic, genetic and radiological investigations for children and adults with unexplained GDD/ID. METHODS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: A comprehensive literature search was conducted, evaluated and reviewed by the guideline committee and a best practice protocol for first line assessment and genetic, metabolic and radiological investigations was decided upon after considering diagnostic yield, practicality, treatability and costs. CONCLUSION: It is hoped that these recommendations will become national guidelines for the first line metabolic, genetic and radiological investigation of patients presenting with unexplained GDD/ID.

The adaptation problems of patients undergoing hemodialysis: socio-economic and clinical aspects / Problemas adaptativos de pacientes em hemodiálise: aspectos socioeconômicos e clínicos / Problemas adaptativos de pacientes en hemodiálisis: aspectos socioeconómicos y clínicos

OBJECTIVES: to identify adaptation problems under Roy's Model in patients undergoing hemodialysis and to correlate them with the socioeconomic and clinical aspects. METHOD: a transversal study, undertaken using a questionnaire. The sample was made up of 178 individuals. The Chi-squared and Mann-Whitney U tests were undertaken. RESULTS: the adaptation problems and the socioeconomic and clinical aspects which presented statistical associations were: Hyperkalemia and age; Edema and income; Impairment of a primary sense: touch and income; Role failure and age; Sexual dysfunction and marital status and sex; Impairment of a primary sense: vision and years of education; Intolerance to activity and years of education; Chronic pain and sex and years of education; Impaired skin integrity and age: Hypocalcemia and access; Potential for injury and age and years of education; Nutrition below the organism's requirements and age; Impairment of a primary sense: hearing and sex and kinetic evaluation of urea; Mobility in gait and/or coordination restricted, and months of hemodialysis; and, Loss of ability for self-care, and months of hemodialysis and months of illness. CONCLUSION: adaptation problems in the clientele undergoing hemodialysis can be influenced by socioeconomic/clinical data. These findings contribute to the development of the profession, fostering the nurse's reflection regarding the care. .

OBJETIVOS: identificar os problemas adaptativos de Roy em pacientes submetidos a hemodiálise e correlacioná-los aos aspectos socioeconômicos e clínicos. MÉTODO: estudo transversal, realizado através de um formulário. A amostra foi de 178 indivíduos. Efetuaram-se os testes qui-quadrado e U de Mann-Whitney. RESULTADOS: os problemas adaptativos e os aspectos socioeconômicos e clínicos que apresentaram associações estatísticas foram: hipercalemia e idade; edema e renda; deficiência de um sentido primário: tátil e renda; falha no papel e idade; disfunção sexual e estado civil e sexo; deficiência de um sentido primário: visão e anos de estudo; intolerância à atividade e anos de estudo; dor crônica e sexo e anos de estudo; integridade da pele prejudicada e idade; hipocalcemia e acesso; potencial para lesão e idade e anos de estudo; nutrição menor que as necessidades do organismo e idade; deficiência de um sentido primário: audição e sexo e avaliação cinética da ureia; mobilidade andar e/ou coordenação restritas e meses de hemodiálise e perda de habilidade de autocuidado e meses de hemodiálise e meses de doença. CONCLUSÃO: problemas adaptativos da clientela hemodialítica podem sofrer influências de dados socioeconômicos/clínicos. Tais achados contribuem para o desenvolvimento da profissão, proporcionando reflexão por parte do enfermeiro acerca do cuidado. .

OBJETIVOS: identificar los problemas adaptativos de Roy en pacientes sometidos a hemodiálisis y correlacionarlos a los aspectos socioeconómicos y clínicos. MÉTODO: estudio transversal, realizado a través de un formulario. La muestra fue de 178 individuos. Se efectuaron las pruebas Chi-cuadrado y U de Mann-Whitney. RESULTADOS: los problemas adaptativos y los aspectos socioeconómicos y clínicos que presentaron asociaciones estadísticas fueron: Hiperkalemia y edad; Edema y renta; Deficiencia de un sentido primario: táctil y renta; Fracaso en el papel y edad; Disfunción sexual y estado civil y sexo; Deficiencia de un sentido primario: visión y años de estudio; Intolerancia a la actividad y años de estudio; Dolor crónico y sexo y años de estudio; Integridad de la piel perjudicada y edad; Hipocalcemia y acceso; Potencial para lesión y edad y años de estudio; Nutrición menor que las necesidades del organismo y edad; Deficiencia de un sentido primario: audición y sexo y evaluación cinética de la urea; Movilidad andar y/o coordinación restringidas y meses de hemodiálisis; y, Pérdida de habilidad de autocuidado y meses de hemodiálisis y meses de enfermedad. CONCLUSIÓN: los problemas adaptativos de la clientela hemodialítica pueden sufrir influencias de datos socioeconómicos/clínicos. Esos hallazgos contribuyen para el desarrollo de la profesión, permitiendo la reflexión del enfermero acerca del cuidado. .

A modular NIRS system for clinical measurement of impaired skeletal muscle oxygenation.

Near-infrared spectrometry (NIRS) is a well-known method used to measure in vivo tissue oxygenation and hemodynamics. This method is used to derive relative measures of hemoglobin (Hb) + myoglobin (Mb) oxygenation and total Hb (tHb) accumulation from measurements of optical attenuation at discrete wavelengths. We present the design and validation of a new NIRS oxygenation analyzer for the measurement of muscle oxygenation kinetics. This design optimizes optical sensitivity and detector wavelength flexibility while minimizing component and construction costs. Using in vitro validations, we demonstrate 1) general optical linearity, 2) system stability, and 3) measurement accuracy for isolated Hb. Using in vivo validations, we demonstrate 1) expected oxygenation changes during ischemia and reactive hyperemia, 2) expected oxygenation changes during muscle exercise, 3) a close correlation between changes in oxyhemoglobin and oxymyoglobin and changes in deoxyhemoglobin and deoxymyoglobin and limb volume by venous occlusion plethysmography, and 4) a minimal contribution from movement artifact on the detected signals. We also demonstrate the ability of this system to detect abnormal patterns of tissue oxygenation in a well-characterized patient with a deficiency of skeletal muscle coenzyme Q(10). We conclude that this is a valid system design for the precise, accurate, and sensitive detection of changes in bulk skeletal muscle oxygenation, can be constructed economically, and can be used diagnostically in patients with disorders of skeletal muscle energy metabolism.

Electrolyte economy and its hormonal regulation in congenital chloride diarrhea.

The economy of Cl-, K+, and Mg++, extracellular volume (ECV) and plasma volume, and the role of hyperreninemia and hyperaldosteronism were explored in 22 patients with congenital chloride diarrhea. Stool volume was in significant correlation with its Cl-, Na+ and K+ content, the correlation being significantly better with Cl- content than with the Na+ content. Low fecal Cl- concentrations were seen in chronic hypochloremic contraction, but acute episodes did not cause reduction of fecal Cl- concentration from the basal level of 140--150 mmol/liter. The adequate condition (defined as normal serum electrolyte concentrations and bl;od pH, and presence of Cl- in urine) was associated with high total exchangeable Cl- and ECV. This excess Cl- and ECV roughly equalled the high daily fecal amount of Cl- and volume. Reduced ECV was accompanied by high renin activities and hyperaldosteronism, but in the adequate condition these were normal. Hyperaldosteronism caused a decrease in urinary Na+-K+ ratio and, after the age of 2--6 months, in the fecal Na+-K+ ratio. Total exchangeable K+ was normal in the adequate condition. No Mg++ depletion was present, although the patients lack Mg++ substitution. The adequate condition could be maintained with an oral supplement of NaCl, KCl and water.