Recognition of elevated blood pressure in an outpatient pediatric tertiary care setting.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of elevated blood pressure (BP) and its identification among outpatients at a pediatric tertiary care hospital and to assess clinician attitudes towards BP management. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective review was undertaken of electronic medical record data of visits over the course of 1 year to 10 subspecialty divisions and 3 primary care services at an urban tertiary care hospital. Interviews of division/service representatives and a clinician survey on perceived role on BP care, practices, and protocols related to BP management were conducted. Elevated BP was defined as ≥90th percentile (using US references); identification of elevated BP was defined as the presence of appropriate codes in the problem list or visit diagnoses. RESULTS: Among 29,000 patients (ages 2-17 years), 70% (those with ≥1 BP measurement) were analyzed. Patients were as follows: 50% male; 42% white, 31% Hispanic, 16% black, 5% Asian, and 5% other/missing; 52% had Medicaid insurance. A total of 64% had normal BPs, 33% had 1-2 elevated BP measurements, and 3% had ≥3 elevated BP measurements. Among those with ≥3 elevated BP measurements, the median frequency of identification by division/service was 17%; the greatest identification was for Kidney Diseases (67%), Wellness & Weight Management (60%), and Cardiology (33%). Among patients with ≥3 elevated BP measurements, 21% were identified vs 7% identified among those with 1-2 increased measurements (P<.001). All clinician survey respondents perceived self-responsibility for identification of elevated BP, but opinions varied for their role in the management of elevated BP. CONCLUSIONS: The identification of patients with elevated BP measurements was low. Strategies to increase the identification of elevated BPs in outpatient tertiary care settings are needed.

Paleopathology of the commoners at Tell Amarna, Egypt, Akhenaten's capital city

The Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten initiated worship of a single god and established a new capital city (Tell Amarna) that was built and occupied only once from 1350-1330 BCE. This single short occupation offers a unique opportunity to study a short time period. The royal tombs have long been known and studied, but the location of graves for the common inhabitants has been an archaeological puzzle for more than 50 years. Recently four cemeteries have been located and the analysis of commingled bones from the South Tombs cemetery is presented here. The remains yield the following demographic profile: 53 adults with 19 females and 18 males; 14 juveniles between the ages of 5 and 17; and 3 infants. Arthritis and degenerative joint disease of the spine and joints indicates that DJD was not excessive. Only 2 to 8 percent of the adult population exhibits arthritis. There are 3 healed fractures of the arm (2 to 8 percent of the adult sample). There is 1 healed compressed fracture of the skull suggesting violence. The adult infection rate is between 2 and 8 percent with 3 healed and 1 active case of periostitis and no severe infections. Anemia is implicated by 23 percent of adult frontals exhibiting cribra orbitalia. Life for the common residents of Amarna appears to not have been as good as initially postulated.

Sublethal exposure from microcystins to renal insufficiency patients in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

In November 2001, a cyanobacterial bloom dominated by Microcystis and Anabaena occurred in the Funil Reservoir and the Guandu River, both of which supply drinking water to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Using ELISA, microcystins were detected at a concentration of 0.4 microg/L in the drinking water, whereas a concentration of 0.32 microg/L was detected in activated carbon column-treated water for use at the renal dialysis center of Clementino Fraga Filho Hospital (HUCFF) at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. A total of 44 hemodialysis patients who received care at this center were believed to be exposed. Initial ELISA analyses confirmed the presence of serum microcystin concentrations > or = 0.16 ng/mL in 90% of serum samples collected from these patients. Twelve patients were selected for continued monitoring over the following 2-month period. Serum microcystin concentrations ranged from < 0.16 to 0.96 ng/mL during the 57 days after documented exposure. ELISA-positive samples were found throughout the monitoring period, with the highest values detected 1 month after initial exposure. ESI LC/MS analyses indicated microcystins in the serum; however, MS/MS fragmentation patterns typical of microcystins were not identified. LC/MS analyses of MMPB for control serum spiked with MCYST-LR. and patient sera revealed a peak at retention time of 8.4 min and a mass of 207 m/z. These peaks are equivalent to the peak observed in the MMPB standard analysis. Taken together ELISA, LC/MS, and MMPB results indicate that these renal dialysis patients were exposed to microcystins. This documents another incident of human microcystin exposure during hemodialysis treatment.

Paleopathology of the commoners at Tell Amarna, Egypt, Akhenaten's capital city.

The Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten initiated worship of a single god and established a new capital city (Tell Amarna) that was built and occupied only once from 1350-1330 BCE. This single short occupation offers a unique opportunity to study a short time period. The royal tombs have long been known and studied, but the location of graves for the common inhabitants has been an archaeological puzzle for more than 50 years. Recently four cemeteries have been located and the analysis of commingled bones from the South Tombs cemetery is presented here. The remains yield the following demographic profile: 53 adults with 19 females and 18 males; 14 juveniles between the ages of 5 and 17; and 3 infants. Arthritis and degenerative joint disease of the spine and joints indicates that DJD was not excessive. Only 2 to 8% of the adult population exhibits arthritis. There are 3 healed fractures of the arm (2 to 8% of the adult sample). There is 1 healed compressed fracture of the skull suggesting violence. The adult infection rate is between 2 and 8% with 3 healed and 1 active case of periostitis and no severe infections. Anemia is implicated by 23% of adult frontals exhibiting cribra orbitalia. Life for the common residents of Amarna appears to not have been as good as initially postulated.