Influenza control can be achieved in a custodial setting: pandemic (H1N1) 2009 and 2011 in an Australian prison.

OBJECTIVES: Information on the effectiveness of interventions regarding control in closed institutional settings, including prisons, is limited. This study gathered evidence relating to influenza control in an Australian prison. STUDY DESIGN: This study built on a 2009 H1N1 outbreak investigation at the Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC) in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). METHODS: Influenza surveillance data, ACT 2010 Inmate Health Survey data, New South Wales 2001 and 2009 Inmate Health Survey data, ACT Department of Corrective Services administrative data, and ACT Health clinical data were analysed. RESULTS: In 2011, the AMC was exposed to influenza virus, resulting in a single case. Public health activities included exclusion of symptomatic cases from the health facility, isolation of cases, and quarantine of contacts. Contact between prisoners and the ACT community was maintained; the AMC detainee visitor rate was one visitor per prisoner every 10 days. CONCLUSIONS: The rehabilitative benefits of human contact for AMC detainees were not compromised during the surveillance period, despite the potential that a higher visitor rate may suggest. This highlights some features of the AMC which make its operational context different from many other correctional settings, but gives some indication of how good public health practice supports human rights.

Mental illness and intellectual disability in Magistrates Courts in New South Wales, Australia.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the prevalence of intellectual disability (ID) and/or cognitive impairment (CI) among accused persons in the Magistrates (Local) Courts, the personal, health and mental health characteristics of this cohort, and their service provision needs in the community. The study aimed to determine the prevalence of dual diagnoses of ID and/or CI and psychiatric disorder in a sample of accused persons appearing before four Magistrates Courts. Accused persons with ID and/or CI may not be identified in the Magistrates Court as having a disability and therefore may be unable to access the legal safeguards which exist for their protection within the criminal justice system and/or may fail to receive appropriate community health and welfare services. METHOD: The sample was drawn from accused persons aged over 18 years appearing before four Magistrates Courts in metropolitan and urban areas of a large city. Participants were assessed using the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test, Second Edition (KBIT-2), Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, Second Edition (VABS2) and the Psychiatric Assessment Schedules for Adults with Developmental Disabilities Checklist. RESULTS: On the KBIT-2, 10% of participants achieved a standard score (SS) below 70 (mild ID range) and a further 20% were in the 70-79 (borderline) range. The VABS2 results indicated that 12% of participants had SS below 70 and a further 9% were in the 70-79 (borderline) range. The prevalence of mental illness in the group with intellectual deficits was 46%, compared with a prevalence of 36% for those without intellectual deficits. CONCLUSIONS: People with ID and/or CI were found to be over-represented in the Magistrates Court. Furthermore, results highlight the unmet mental health needs of this cohort in the criminal justice system. The results of the study have implications for the planning of services and diversionary options to facilitate better management of defendants with ID and/or CI with mental health needs.

Extreme cause-specific mortality in a cohort of adult prisoners--1988 to 2002: a data-linkage study.

OBJECTIVES: Describe the standardized mortality ratio (SMR) and its trend in adults who have served time in prison. DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study of 85,203 adults imprisoned in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, between 1 January 1988 and 31 December 2002. METHODS: We obtained information on deaths by record linkage with the Australian National Death Index (NDI). Mortality rates were estimated using the person-time method. SMRs were calculated using sex, age, and calendar-specific death rates from the NSW population. Time trends in SMRs were assessed using the test for linear trends. RESULTS: The median overall follow-up of the cohort was 7.7 years. We identified 5137 deaths (4714 men, 423 women) among the cohort of which the vast majority (4834, 94%) occurred following release from custody. All-cause SMR was 3.7 (95% CI: 3.6-3.8) in men and 7.8 (95% CI: 7.1-8.5) in women. SMRs were substantially raised for deaths due to mental and behavioural disorders (men: 13.2, 95% CI: 12.3-14.0; women: 62.8, 95% CI: 52.7-74.9) and drug-related deaths (men: 12.8, 95% CI: 12.2-13.5; women: 50.3, 95% CI: 43.7-57.8). The SMR for death by homicide was 10.2 (95% CI: 8.9-11.7) in men and 26.3 (95% CI: 17.8-39.0) in women. Aboriginal men were 4.8 times, and Aboriginal women 12.6 times, more likely to die than the general NSW population. Over the study period on average all-cause SMR decreased significantly in men (p = 0.003) and women (p = 0.05) largely due to the decline in SMRs for drug-related deaths and suicide. CONCLUSION: In the largest study so far reported, mortality of male and female offenders was far greater than expected for all major causes, especially deaths caused by drug overdose. Despite some indication of a reduction in excess mortality in recent years, there remains an overwhelming need for enhanced responses to mental health and drug problems for people who have been in prison.

Phase II study of weekly 5-fluorouracil, cisplatin and vinblastine in advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

The scheduling of chemotherapeutic agents may be important in optimising their antitumour actions. This has been explored in non-Hodgkin lymphoma, osteogenic sarcoma and bladder cancer with improved results using intensive, weekly dosing schemas. We began a phase II study of cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil and vinblastine in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) on a weekly schedule. 38 patients with advanced or metastatic NSCLC were entered; 32 are evaluable for response. 11 patients were treated with 5-fluorouracil 1.5 g/m2 and vinblastine 4 mg/m2 by 24-h continuous infusion, and cisplatin 30 mg/m2 over 30 min, 6-8 h after the start of the infusion. Because of prohibitive myelotoxicity, the next 27 patients received 5-fluorouracil 1.2 g/m2 and vinblastine 3 mg/m2. None had had prior chemotherapy while 6 had had previous radiation therapy. Myelosuppression was the predominant toxic effect. Other side-effects included neuropathy, diarrhoea, mucositis, nausea and vomiting. 32 patients are evaluable for response: there have been 14 partial remissions (44%). Responses have occurred chiefly in lung and lymph nodes. The median survival on this study is 7 months, and responders did not live longer than non-responders. While this regimen is well tolerated by the majority of patients and has a response rate comparable to other active regimens identified in single institution studies, survival does not appear to be enhanced. We conclude that the schedule manipulation described here does not enhance the therapeutic index of these drugs in NSCLC.

Pharmacologic management of cancer pain.

The ideal goal of cancer pain management is the combination of comfort and function. For the vast majority of cancer pain patients, this balance can be achieved with individually titrated opioid analgesics and specifically prescribed coanalgesics. Integration of pain blocking procedures and cognitive behavioral therapies can further enhance the quality of life of selected patients. Comprehensive cancer pain management should be offered in concert with anticancer therapy and shares many of its constructs: prevention, early detection, specific therapy, combination chemotherapy, dose intensity, combined modalities, and psychosocial support. Unlike the control of cancer, the tools to effectively control cancer pain are readily available. Their use takes time, skill, and commitment and should be the very least that is provided to all cancer patients and their families.

Zygomaticofrontal suture defect associated with orbital dermoid cyst.

The zygomaticofrontal suture is a strong joint needed for protection of the orbit. During infancy its development can be altered by local mechanical factors which prevent its complete union. The following case report of a man with a slowly growing lesion of the left orbit was found to have a large dermoid cyst communicating with the temporal fossa. Presumably, the presence of choristomatous tissue at the junction of the zygomatic and frontal bones prevented normal closure of the joint during infancy. The computed tomographic findings in this condition are pathognomonic of dermoid cyst.

The incredible shrinking brain.

A 65-year-old white woman developed progressive visuospatial abnormalities over an eight-year course, secondary to Alzheimer's disease with amyloid angiopathy. Imaging studies demonstrated focal atrophy of the parietal and occipital lobes without hemorrhage. This patient manifested simultagnosia without ocular dysmetria or optic ataxia; hence, a true Balint's syndrome was not present. Her visual acuities and fields have remained stable status post-occipital lobe biopsy.

Tuberculosis control practices in some prison systems of the Asia-Pacific Region, 1997.

SETTING: Prison health services of Member States of the Western-Pacific Region (WPR) of the World Health Organization (WHO). OBJECTIVE: To assess tuberculosis control activities in prisons. DESIGN: Self-reporting questionnaire. RESULTS: A total of 15 responses out of a possible 26 (57%) were received from WPR countries. The estimated population for the respondent countries was 65 154 000 out of a possible 1 580 000 000 (4%); 69% of respondents stated that the prison health service was independent of the custodial service, 86% notified tuberculosis cases to national health authorities, and 84% of respondents applied directly observed therapy to tuberculosis cases. Only 76% of respondents reported that patients were transferred on release to community treatment services. CONCLUSIONS: Tuberculosis control practices in prisons are inconsistent, and do not conform to guidelines now promoted by the WHO. Emphasis on the diagnosis and treatment of infectious cases, improved surveillance of tuberculosis, and the integration of prison programmes into the National Tuberculosis Programmes (NTP) will improve the current epidemic behind prison walls.

Sputum microscopy results at two and three months predict outcome of tuberculosis treatment.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the importance of monitoring sputum conversion as an early treatment indicator of treatment success. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of sputum conversion in a cohort of 'cured' tuberculosis patients. RESULTS: Of 65 (95%) patients whose sputum converted in the third month of treatment, 62 were cured; only 21 of 35 (60%) patients whose sputum was still positive at the end of three months of treatment were ultimately cured. CONCLUSION: Sputum conversion during the third month of treatment is an important predictor of treatment success; failure to convert predicts treatment failure.

Advancement of opioid analgesia with controlled-release oxycodone.

Optimal pharmacologic management of pain requires selection of the appropriate analgesic drug, prescription of the appropriate dose, administration of the analgesic by the appropriate route, scheduling of the appropriate dosing interval, prevention of persistent pain and relief of breakthrough pain, aggressive titration of the dose of the analgesic, prevention, anticipation, and management of analgesic side-effects, use of appropriate co-analgesic drugs, and consideration of sequential trials of opioid analgesics. Controlled-release oxycodone (CRO) has the characteristics of an 'ideal' opioid analgesic drug: short half-life, long duration of action, predictable pharmacokinetics, absence of clinically active metabolites, rapid onset of action, easy titration, no ceiling dose, minimal adverse effects, and minimal associated stigma. CRO has been shown to be effective in the control of pain caused by cancer, osteoarthritis, post-herpetic neuralgia, major surgery, and degenerative spine disease.

Progressive subretinal fibrosis and blindness in patients with multifocal granulomatous chorioretinitis.

PURPOSE: To describe the clinical and histopathologic findings in four eyes of three patients who became blind because of multifocal choroiditis and massive subretinal fibrosis. METHODS: Clinicopathologic correlative study. RESULTS: During a period of several years, three healthy elderly patients developed severe visual loss only partly explained by multifocal chorioretinitis and massive subretinal fibrosis. Histopathologic examination of four eyes from these patients disclosed widespread destruction of the outer retina and retinal pigment epithelium, massive areas of subretinal fibrous tissue proliferation, granulomatous inflammation centered around degenerated and fragmented Bruch's membrane, and chronic uveitis. No infectious organisms were identified by special stains or electron microscopy in one eye. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical and histopathologic findings in these three patients were consistent with an autoimmune disease process directed at the retina, retinal pigment epithelium, inner choroid, or all three. Cellular injury in this location can result in massive subretinal fibrosis. Subretinal fibroplasia, however, is probably a nonspecific reparative response to injury. The pathogenesis of this blinding disorder in elderly patients may be similar to the less severe disease usually occurring in younger patients with multifocal choroiditis, panuveitis, and punctate inner choroiditis.

Transdermal fentanyl: seeding trial in patients with chronic cancer pain.

In this study, 6 patients with pain from advanced cancer were enrolled in a multicenter, open-label seeding trial of transdermal fentanyl. Following equianalgesic dose conversion, transdermal fentanyl patches were applied every 3 days. Mean fentanyl dosage doubled by week 2 and tripled by week 4. Pain control improved in all patients. There were no significant changes in mood, constipation, nausea, sedation, daily activities, or interpersonal relationships from pretrial to posttrial analyses. Following the study period, 5 patients were monitored for a mean total of 55 days with a mean final fentanyl dose of 240 micrograms/hr. As part of a comprehensive cancer pain management program, transdermal fentanyl appears to be safe and effective, and should prove to be a useful addition to currently available opioid analgesics.

Pain control in patients with cancer.

Pain is the most common symptom of advanced cancer. For most cancer patients, pain can be controlled with systemic analgesic and coanalgesic therapy in concert with treatment of their underlying cancer. Analgesic therapy for pain involves choosing the right drug and giving it at the proper dose and interval via the best route of administration. The goal of pain prevention requires around-the-clock dosing and aggressive titration of long-acting opioids with as--needed supplements of short-acting opioids for breakthrough pain. Sequential trials of alternative opioids plus the early use of pain-specific coanalgesics can further optimize patient comfort and function. Most clinicians should be able to control most of the pain in most of their cancer patients. Collaboration with pain and palliative care experts can help the rest. No cancer patient should live or die with unrelieved pain.

NCCN Practice Guidelines for Cancer Pain.

The overall approach to pain management encompassed in these guidelines is comprehensive. It is based on objective pain assessments, utilizes both pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic interventions, and requires continual reevaluation of the patient. The NCCN Cancer Pain Practice Guidelines Panel believes that cancer pain can be well controlled in the vast majority of patients if the algorithms presented are systematically applied, carefully monitored, and tailored to the needs of the individual patient.

Supportive care in oncology.

Pain management, nutritional support, and psychosocial support are fundamental services that enhance patients' ability to cope with their cancer and its therapy. The common goal of symptom prevention mandates that each of these supportive services be provided to all patients throughout their cancer experience. Comprehensive cancer pain management begins with identifying the origin of all of the patient's pains and treating each one specifically. Pain prevention can be achieved through around-the-clock opioid administration with as-needed supplements for breakthrough pain and dose titration. Common narcotic side effects such as constipation and nausea also must be prevented. Successful opioid analgesia requires that patient and family concerns regarding addiction and tolerance be dispelled at the outset. Cancer pain prevention can be further optimized with the use of appropriate coanalgesics in response to the pathophysiology of the patient's pains. Cognitive and behavioral therapies may also be useful adjuncts to reduce both pain and suffering. Procedure-oriented pain control should be considered when systemic pharmacologic therapy does not provide adequate pain relief or is associated with intolerable side effects. The only absolute contraindications for pain-relieving procedures are untreatable coagulopathy and a decrease in mental status not related to medical pain management. Useful neurodestructive techniques include radiofrequency lesioning, cryoanalgesia, and chemical neurolysis with agents such as phenol, alcohol, and hypertonic saline. The most beneficial pain-relieving procedures and percutaneous cordotomy, spinal narcotics, celiac and hypogastric plexus ablation, spinal neurolysis, and epidural injection of steroids and hypertonic saline. Procedure selection depends on the cause of the pain and the patient's prognosis. Common indications for pain-relieving procedures include unilateral pain below the shoulder, upper abdominal visceral pains, pelvic visceral pain, perineal pain, vertebral body metastasis, discogenic pain, and spinal stenosis. As results of well-conducted scientific trials begin to appear in the literature, the indications for these procedures will be better understood, resulting in their more appropriate use. Principles of nutritional support in patients with cancer include an awareness of the problem of malnutrition and its impact on performance status, quality of life, prognosis, and treatment; identification of those patients at risk; prophylactic versus therapeutic intervention; and analysis and management of the specific impediment(s) to adequate nutrient intake and absorption. The primary goals for nutritional support in cancer patients are prevention of weight loss and maintenance of adequate protein status. Appreciation of practical issues of nutritional support will enable the practicing physician to achieve these goals using primarily oral nutrition options.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Cancer patients' knowledge, beliefs, and behavior regarding pain control regimens: implications for education programs.

The inadequate control of cancer-related pain is a matter of great concern. Misconceptions about pain medications on the part of professionals and the public have been implicated as causes of this problem. Another cause may be noncompliance with prescribed regimens. A study of 82 cancer patients who were prescribed pain medications was conducted to further investigate the problem of pain control in this population. Patients were interviewed twice: on the day after they received pain prescriptions (T1) and again two weeks later (T2). There was a significant decrease in patients' reported pain between T1 and T2 (P = 0.0001). By their own report, the level of patients' compliance with prescribed pain control regimens was very high. At T2 77% of the patients recalled the correct names of their pain medications and 88% had been taking them. However, an important gap in patients' knowledge was revealed by their general inability to recall any of the common side effects of pain medications (constipation, nausea, and sedation). None of the measures of pain--pain level at T1 and T2 and change in pain between T1 and T2--was related to the patients' education, age, attending physician, prescribed medication schedule, or medication strength. More women than men reported increased pain during the study period (P = 0.04). In general, the patients' concern about possible addiction or tolerance to prescribed medications were low. However, there was a positive relationship between intensity of pain and concern about tolerance to drugs (P = 0.0003).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Enhancing cancer pain control regimens through patient education.

The problem of cancer-related pain afflicts millions of people annually. The study described here was aimed at improving cancer patients' pain control through a planned patient education program. A randomized clinical trial with a Solomon Four-Group design was used to assess the effectiveness of a patient education intervention consisting of nurse counseling and printed materials. The sample included 230 cancer patients. One month later, patients in the experimental group were more likely to have taken their pain medicine on the correct schedule and to have taken the correct dosage. The experimental group also was significantly less likely to report stopping the medicine when they felt better. In addition, they were significantly less worried about tolerance and addiction to pain medicines. Forty-four percent of the experimental group compared to 24% of the control group reported no or mild pain at the posttest.

Overwhelming consumption in prisons: human rights and tuberculosis control.

Tuberculosis is thought to be the single biggest cause of death among the world's prisoners, but a human rights approach to tuberculosis control has not yet been applied. We propose that existing guidelines for the control of HIV be adapted and applied to tuberculosis. Tuberculosis control in prisons provides a platform to develop these concepts.