Infant and Parent Outcomes Related to NICU-Based Co-occupational Engagement.

Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) co-occupations may impact parent-infant outcomes. The main objective of this study was to explore relationships between parent and infant outcomes based on whether sensory-based interventions (co-occupations) occurred most often between parent-infant dyads or provider/volunteer-infant dyads. Thirty-five families received the Supporting and Enhancing NICU Sensory Experiences (SENSE) program, which includes education defining specific amounts of sensory exposures for infants to receive each day of NICU hospitalization (with a preference for parent delivery). Infant sensory experiences in the NICU were logged, and dyads were grouped based on who conducted most of the sensory interventions with the infant in the NICU into a Parent-Infant Co-occupation group or Other Administered group. The Parent-Infant Co-occupation group had infants with less lethargy on the NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale (p = .04), and parents with lower scores on the Parental Stress Scale (p = .003) and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-state (p = .047). Parent-infant engagement in co-occupations was related to parental mental health and infant neurobehavior.

Etiology and clinical relevance of elevated platelet count in ICU patients : A retrospective analysis.

BACKGROUND: Thrombocytosis is a common phenomenon in critically ill patients. Although thrombocytosis is an independent risk factor for complications, it does not seem to influence mortality in intensive care (ICU) patients. OBJECTIVES: Our investigation aimed to evaluate the etiological and clinical relevance of a platelet count greater than 450 × 109/l in ICU patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients admitted for a minimum of 4 days to an interdisciplinary ICU during a 45-month period were enrolled in this retrospective observational study. Thrombocytopenic patients (platelet count <150 × 109/l in at least one measurement) were excluded. The study patients were divided into two groups: thrombocytosis group (thrombocytes >450 × 109/l in at least one measurement) and control group (thrombocytes = 150 - 450 × 109/l during ICU stay). Univariate and multiple regression analysis were used to determine the influence of severe co-morbidities on the development of thrombocytosis and the association of elevated platelet count with thrombotic embolism, length of stay (LOS) in ICU, and mortality. RESULTS: A total of 307 patients were analyzed, of whom thrombocytosis was observed in 119 cases. Independent risk factors for the development of thrombocytosis included SIRS, mechanical ventilation, and acute bleeding. Increasing age reduced the risk of thrombocytosis. Thromboembolism occurred in 16 patients (13.4%) with an elevated platelet count and only in nine patients (4.7%) with physiological platelet values (OR: 3.1; 95% CI: 1.3-7.2; p = 0.009). Mean duration of LOS was significantly longer in patients with thrombocytosis (25.2 vs.11.7 days, p < 0.0001). Elevated platelet count showed a negative correlation with ICU mortality (OR: 0.32; 95%-CI: 0.12-0.83; p = 0.019). CONCLUSION: In our retrospective analysis the occurrence of thrombocytosis in a cohort of interdisciplinary ICU patients was associated with a higher rate of complications and longer LOS in the ICU. Despite these findings, thrombocytosis seems to reduce mortality in critical ill patients.

Predictive value of outcome scores in patients suffering from cardiogenic shock complicating AMI: APACHE II, APACHE III, Elebute-Stoner, SOFA, and SAPS II.

BACKGROUND: Scoring systems in critical care patients are essential for prediction of outcome and for evaluation of therapy. In this study we determined the value of the APACHE II, APACHE III, Elebute-Stoner, SOFA, and SAPS II scoring systems in the prediction of mortality in patients with cardiogenic shock (CS) complicating acute myocardial infarction (AMI). MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this prospective, observational study, patients who were admitted to the ICU with CS complicating AMI were consecutively included. Data for the APACHE II, APACHE III, Elebute-Stoner, SOFA, and SAPS II scores were recorded on admission and during the following 96 h. Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses and the area under the curve (AUC) were used to estimate the predictive ability (mortality) of the scoring systems on admission and the maximum value. RESULTS: Mortality among the 41 patients included in this study was 44 %. On admission, the mean APACHE II (p = 0.035), APACHE III (p = 0.003), SAPS II (p = 0.001), and SOFA (p = 0.042) scores were significantly higher in nonsurvivors than in survivors. At maximum score, APACHE II (p = 0.009), APACHE III (p < 0.001), and SAPS II (p < 0.001) appeared to have higher significance. On admission, the discrimination for APACHE III was 0.786, for SAPS II 0.790, and for APACHE II 0.691. The maximum-score AUC for APACHE II was 0.726, for APACHE III 0.827, and for SAPS II 0.832. Elebute-Stoner and SOFA did not yield valuable results at maximum score or, in the case of Elebute-Stoner, on admission. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that at the time of diagnosis and at maximum value, the SAPS II, APACHE III, and APACHE II scores may be useful in predicting a high probability of survival of patients with CS complicating AMI.

Glutamine and alanine-induced differential expression of intracellular IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α in LPS-stimulated monocytes in human whole-blood.

To investigate the effects of the commonly-used immunomodulators l-glutamine, l-alanine, and the combination of both l-alanyl-l-glutamine (Dipeptamin(®)) on intracellular expression of IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α during endotoxemia, lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated human monocytes in a whole blood system were investigated by flow cytometry. Whole blood of twenty-seven healthy volunteers was stimulated with LPS and incubated with three different amino acid solutions (1. l-glutamine, 2. l-alanine, 3. l-alanyl-l-glutamine, each concentration 2 mM, 5 mM, incubation time 3 h). CD14(+) monocytes were phenotyped in whole-blood and intracellular expression of cytokines was assessed by flow cytometry. Our investigations showed for the first time in whole blood probes, imitating best physiologically present cellular interactions, that l-glutamine caused a dose-independent inhibitory effect on IL-6 and TNF-α production in human monocytes stimulated with LPS. However, l-alanine had contrary effects on IL-6 expression, significantly upregulating expression of IL-6 in LPS-treated monocytes. The impact of l-alanine on the expression of TNF-α was comparable with glutamine. Neither amino acid was able to affect IL-8 production in LPS-stimulated monocytes. The combination of both did not influence significantly IL-6 and IL-8 expression in monocytes during endotoxemia, however strongly reduced TNF-α production. For the regulation of TNF-α, l-glutamine, l-alanine and the combination of both show a congruent and exponentiated downregulating effect during endotoxemia, for the modulation of IL-6, l-glutamine and l-alanine featured opposite regulation leading to a canceling impact of each other when recombining both amino acids.

[Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage]. / Aneurysmatisch bedingte Subarachnoidalblutung.

Acute subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a severe and acute life-threatening cerebrovascular disease. Approximately 80% of all acute non-traumatic SAHs are the result of a ruptured cerebrovascular aneurysm. Despite advances in diagnosis and treatment a high morbidity and mortality still exists. Apart from the primary cerebral damage there are also secondary complications, such as vasospasm, rebleeding, hydrocephalus, cerebral edema or hydrocephalus. For an appropriate therapy an understanding of the extensive pathophysiology, the options in diagnostics and therapy and the complications of the disease are essential. Anesthesiologists are decisively involved in the therapy of the primary and secondary damages and subsequently in the outcome as well. This article provides an overview of the perioperative and intensive care management of patients with SAH.

Directly observed therapy for tuberculosis in New York City: factors associated with refusal.

OBJECTIVES: To describe patients who utilize hospital-based directly observed therapy (DOT) programs and to describe factors that influence refusal of DOT. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of patients diagnosed with tuberculosis through hospital admission in 1997 at 12 hospital sites with out-patient DOT programs. Data were obtained from hospital patient records and from the New York City Tuberculosis Case Registry. RESULTS: Of 443 patients diagnosed with tuberculosis in 1997 at the 12 hospital sites and available and/or eligible for DOT, 52 (12%) refused DOT. The two main reasons for DOT refusal were that the patients felt they could self-medicate (21%) and that their work schedule interfered with a DOT program (19%). White non-Hispanic race/ethnicity was associated with refusal of DOT (P = 0.001). Conversely, interview for DOT while in the hospital (P < 0.001) and enrollment in drug treatment were associated with acceptance of DOT (P = 0.05). The five hospitals with tuberculosis clinics on site had the lowest percentages (0-9%) of patients refusing DOT. CONCLUSION: To increase patient acceptance of DOT, programs need flexible hours that accommodate patients in the workforce. Patient education should focus on the difficulty of completing tuberculosis treatment on a self-administered regimen and the importance of the support offered through DOT.

Control of tuberculosis in the workplace: toward an integration of occupational health and public health.

The authors discuss current efforts at and obstacles to forging a link between public health and occupational health in the control of tuberculosis. They trace the historical roots of TB in the workplace as well as the current crisis that has resulted from the emergence of both the AIDS and tuberculosis epidemics. The authors also detail how the CDC's guidelines embody a comprehensive approach to TB control.

Mechanism of gastric emptying of a nondisintegrating radiotelemetry capsule in man.

We studied the mechanism of gastric emptying of a pH-sensitive radiotelemetry capsule with respect to phases of the interdigestive migrating motor complex (IMMC) in fasting normal volunteers and the effect of the Heidelberg capsule (HC) on the duration or timing of the IMMC phases. A manometric catheter with eight mounted solid-state strain gauges was passed transnasally and positioned fluoroscopically in the duodenum and jejunum in four normal, fasted male volunteers, in their right lateral position. The HC was administered orally following the establishment of one complete IMMC cycle (defined by the recording time between the end of two subsequent phase III activity fronts) and during the beginning of Phase I of the next cycle. The gastric residence time (GRT) of the HC was measured as the time of a gastric pH rise of greater than or equal to 3.0 units. In three subjects, GRT of the HC lasted to within 5 min of the onset of the next duodenal phase III of the IMMC, while in the fourth subject, the HC passed during the second phase III activity front. There were no significant differences in the duration of each phase of duodenal IMMC in the presence or absence of the HC (Phase I, 54 +/- 9.3 vs 31.6 +/- 10.1; Phase II, 22 +/- 8.1 vs 58.9 +/- 32; Phase III, 5.3 +/- 0.7 vs 4.2 +/- 0.7 min; mean +/- SE; P greater than 0.1 in all phases). In addition, the HC had no effect on motility index or patterns of contractions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Effects of gender, posture, and age on gastric residence time of an indigestible solid: pharmaceutical considerations.

We have recently reported the effect of varying food composition on the gastric residence time (GRT) of an indigestible solid, the Heidelberg capsule (HC). The purpose of the present evaluation was to evaluate the reproducibility and the effect of gender, posture, and age on the GRT of the HC. The reproducibility in measurement of the GRT of the Heidelberg capsule was evaluated in two trials separated by 1 week. Mean GRT values obtained in nine healthy men on day 1 were not statistically different from those on day 8 (3.5 +/- 0.6 vs 3.5 +/- 0.7 hr, P greater than 0.05). To evaluate the influence of gender on the GRT of the HC, 12 healthy male volunteers and 12 age (+/- 3 years)- and race-matched female counterparts entered into a randomized study. Each subject was served a standardized 500-kcal breakfast 30 min prior to oral ingestion of the HC. The mean (+/- SD) ambulatory GRT in the males was significantly faster than in the females (3.4 +/- 0.6 vs 4.6 +/- 1.2 hr, P less than 0.01). Influence of posture on the GRT of HC was examined in the same 12 men in a two-way, randomized, crossover study. The mean GRT for volunteers in the supine state was not statistically different from that in the upright, ambulatory state (3.4 +/- 0.8 vs 3.5 +/- 0.7 hr, P greater than 0.05). The effect of age on the GRT of the HC was evaluated in 12 healthy elderly males (greater than 65 years) with no prior gastrointestinal complications.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Suicidal behaviour in schizophrenic day patients.

A survey of non-hospitalised schizophrenics was conducted to test the hypothesis that schizophrenics who had attempted suicide are phenomenologically and demographically different from the ones that do not. On comparison, it emerged that the former had significantly higher incidence of psychiatric morbidity in the family, were on the whole younger and had a much larger number of Present State Examination (PSE) depressive symptoms.