ABSTRACT
Part I of this paper considers three competing ethical approaches to the valuation of human life: "Vitalism', 'Inviolability', and 'Worth'. Part II argues that, largely as a result of the case of Airedale NHS Trust v Bland, English law relating to 'euthanasia' (the intentional shortening of a patient's life, by act or omission, as part of his/her medical care) is in a morally and intellectually inconsistent state, incorporating Inviolability by prohibiting doctors from intentionally killing patients by an act but adopting Worth by permitting them intentionally to kill certain patients by omission. Part III maintains that the recent Report of the House of Lords Select Committee on Medical Ethics missed an opportunity to recommend the resolution of this inconsistency.
Subject(s)
Cross-Cultural Comparison , Ethics Committees , Euthanasia/legislation & jurisprudence , State Medicine/legislation & jurisprudence , England , Humans , MoralsABSTRACT
RESUMEN: La caries temprana de la infancia severa (CTI-S) es una enfermedad crónica que afecta a niños menores de 6 años, produce dolor, infección y destrucción de los tejidos dentales. El dolor que experimentan los niños con CTI-S puede llevar a hábitos alimenticios alterados que pueden causar deficiencias nutricionales. El objetivo fue evaluar los valores de hemograma en niños con CTI-S y compararlos con los valores normales de referencia para la edad. Se realizó un estudio retrospectivo observacional. Se analizaron las fichas y hemogramas de 47 niños con CTI-S, clasificados como ASA 1, atendidos bajo anestesia general en el Hospital de la Fuerza Aérea de Chile. Se tomaron en cuenta los valores del hemograma en relación a: Hematocrito, Hemoglobina y VCM. Se realizaron test descriptivos para las variables en estudio y se utilizó el testt para comparar los valores de hemograma con los valores normales de referencia. Se encontró una disminución de los valores de hematocrito en 4 pacientes (8,5 %) y una disminución del valor de VCM en 17 pacientes (36,7 %). Se encontraron diferencias significativas al comparar los promedios obtenidos en relación a hematocrito, VCM y hemoglobina en niños con CTI-S con el promedio de referencia (p <0,001). De acuerdo con los resultados obtenidos en este estudio, podemos concluir que los niños con caries temprana de la infancia severa, tienen alteraciones en los valores promedio de hemograma en relación a hematocrito, hemoglobina y VCM.
ABSTRACT: Severe early childhood caries (S-ECC) is a multifactorial chronic disease that affects children under 6 years of age, produces pain, infection and destruction of the dental tissues. The pain experienced by children with SECC may lead to altered eating habits that may cause nutritional deficiencies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the hemogram values in children with severe early childhood caries, and compare them with age population reference values. An observational retrospective study was carried out. We analyzed the medical records and their respective hemograms of 47 children with S-ECC, classified as ASA1, attended at the Chilean Air Force Hospital under general anesthesia. The hemogram values were taken into account in relation to: hematocrit, hemoglobin and mean corpuscular volume (MCV). Descriptive tests were carried out for the variables under study and the t-test was used to compare the hemogram values with the normal reference values. A decrease in hematocrit values was found in 4 patients (8.5 %) and a decrease in the value of MCV in 17 patients (36.7 %). Significant differences were found when comparing the averages obtained in relation to hematocrit, hemoglobin and MCV in children with S-ECC with the reference average (p <0.001). According to the results obtained, in this study, we can conclude that children with severe early childhood caries, have alterations in the average of hemogram values in relation to hematocrit, hemoglobin and MCV.