Effect of acupoint stimulation on the quality of recovery in patients with radical thyroidectomy under the concept of enhanced recovery after surgery: a randomized controlled trial / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the effect of acupoint stimulation on the quality of recovery in patients with radical thyroidectomy under the concept of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS).@*METHODS@#A total of 62 patients with radical thyroidectomy were randomized into an observation group and a control group, 31 cases in each one. In both of the two groups, general anesthesia with tracheal intubation was applied, the same anesthesia induction and maintenance medication were given. In the observation group, auricular point pressing with magnetic beads was adopted at bilateral shenmen (TF) and transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (dilatational wave, 2 Hz/100 Hz in frequency, 6 to 12 mA) was performed at bilateral Hegu (LI 4) and Neiguan (PC 6) from 30 min before anesthesia induction to the end of the anesthesia. In the control group, medical adhesive plaster was pasted at bilateral shenmen (TF) and the electrodes were plastered at bilateral Hegu (LI 4) and Neiguan (PC 6) with no corresponding stimulation. In both of the two groups, visual analogue scale for anxiety (VAS-A) score was observed to evaluate the anxiety severity before anesthesia induction; the total intraoperative dosages of sufentanil, remifentanil and propofol were recorded; the numerical rating scale (NRS) score was used to assess the pain severity of instant time (T0) and 30 min (T1) of entering post-anesthesia recovery room (PACU), motor and static mode at 2 h (T2), 6 h (T3), 12 h (T4), 24 h (T5) after surgery; time of first anal exhaust, time of getting out of bed after surgery, total hospitalization time and the incidences of postoperative nausea and vomiting were observed; the quality of recovery was assessed by the 40-item quality of recovery score (QoR-40).@*RESULTS@#The VAS-A score and the total intraoperative dosage of remifentanil in the observation group were reduced compared with the control group (0.05). The time of first anal exhaust and getting out of bed after surgery in the observation group were advanced than those in the control group (0.05). Compared with the control group, the QoR-40 score was increased in the observation group (<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Acupoint stimulation can improve the preoperative anxiety in patients with radical thyroidectomy, reduce the intraoperative anesthetic dosage and postoperative pain, advance the time of anal exhaust and getting out of bed, improve the quality of postoperative recovery and enhance the recovery process.

Analysis on the status of vitamin A deficiency among children under 5 years old in poor rural areas of 6 Western Chinese provinces in 2009 / 中华流行病学杂志

Objective To analyze the status of vitamin A deficiency among children under 5 years old in poor rural areas of 6 Western Chinese provinces in 2009.Methods The study subjects involved 2091 children from a program-'Appropriate measurements in improving children under-nutrition in poor rural areas'.Results In 2009,prevalence of vitamin A deficiency among children under 5 years old from the poor rural areas of 6 western Chinese provinces was 20.2％,with boys as 20.6％ and girls as 19.7％.Prevalence rates of vitamin A deficiency among children under 5 years old in the highest and lowest areas were seen in Gansu(25.5％)and Guangxi(12.2％)provinces,respectively.The peak of vitamin A deficiency prevalence fell in the 6-11 months age group.The prevalence of vitamin A deficiency declined along with the increase of age.Conclusion Results from this study demonstrated that vitamin A deficiency among children under 5 years old appeared to be a serious public health problem in the poor rural areas of 6 Western Chinese provinces.Education on reasonable ways of feeding and provision of complementary nutrients to children with vitamin A deficiency,should be the key points in the prevention and control programs on this problem.