Audit of referral of obstetric emergencies in Angola: a tool for assessing quality of care.

By auditing various aspects of referrals of obstetric emergencies, we wanted to study the effectiveness over time of a recently established network of peripheral birth units and two central hospitals in Luanda. 157 women referred for obstetric emergencies were studied regarding clinical outcome and process indicators like waiting time, partogramme quality and Caesarean section rate (CSR). After a change in routines at hospital admission and further partogramme education 92 referred women were compared with the former. Maternal mortality decreased from 17.8% to nil in the second. Total mean waiting time was reduced from 13.7 hours to 1.2 hours. Partogramme quality was significantly improved. CSR increased from 13 to 30%. Prolonged labour was the most common diagnosis.This study demonstrates the importance of clinic-based audit to enhance quality of care regarding referrals of patients with obstetric emergencies.

Audit of referral of obstetric emergencies in Angola: a tool for assessing quality of care

By auditing various aspects of referrals of obstetric emergencies, we wanted to study the effectiveness over time of a recently established network of peripheral birth units and two central hospitals in Luanda. 157 women referred for obstetric emergencies were studied regarding clinical outcome and process indicators like waiting time, partogramme quality and Caesarean section rate (CSR). After a change in routines at hospital admission and further partogramme education 92 referred women were compared with the former. Maternal mortality decreased from 17.8% to nil in the second. Total mean waiting time was reduced from 13.7 hours to 1.2 hours. Partogramme quality was significantly improved. CSR increased from 13 to 30%. Prolonged labour was the most common diagnosis.This study demonstrates the importance of clinic-based audit to enhance quality of care regarding referrals of patients with obstetric emergencies (Afr J Reprod Health 2009; 13[2]:75-85)

Comparison of oral health assessments between nursing staff and patients on medical wards.

The maintenance of good oral health is essential for nutrition, recovery and well-being. This requires the involvement of the nursing staff, especially in cases where oral care and any necessary dental treatment are vital to ensure medical treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the validity of oral assessments performed by nursing staff using the revised oral assessment guide (ROAG), using comparisons with patients' self-assessment of oral problems. When a comparison was made of how the staff and patients assessed their oral status, a high level of agreement was found. In these assessments, with the exception of oral mucosa and teeth, the percentage agreement was >80. The kappa coefficient revealed slight to moderate agreement. When there was a disagreement, the staff assessed the oral health as being significantly poorer than the patients did. In the present study, it was shown that few oral assessments performed by the nursing staff and patient disagreed. The ROAG may therefore be useful for the nursing staff to make the patients' oral health problems visible.

Induction of inflammatory mediators during reperfusion of the human heart.

BACKGROUND: Cardioplegia and reperfusion may induce an inflammatory reaction, which may contribute to postoperative morbidity and mortality. METHODS: Gene expression of cytokines, adhesion molecules, and vasoactive substances was evaluated in left ventricular biopsies taken before cardioplegia (lasting approximately 70 minutes) and after reperfusion (approximately 40 minutes) from 19 patients (5 with valvular or combined disease, 7 with stable angina pectoris, 7 with unstable angina). mRNA was extracted and amplified with a semiquantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Cardioplegia-reperfusion increased mRNA for E-selectin by a factor of 17 +/- 5 (p < 0.002) (mean +/- SEM), interleukin-1beta, with 9 +/- 3 (p < 0.007), tumor necrosis factor-alpha with 6 +/- 3 (p < 0.05), interleukin-2 receptor alpha chain CD25 with 2 +/- 0.6 (p < 0.04), and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 with 2 +/- 0.4 (p < 0.005). Before cardioplegia, mRNA for endothelial nitric oxide synthase was predominantly detected in unstable angina patients, and increased by a factor of 11 +/- 6 (p < 0.02) during reperfusion. mRNA for endothelin-1 decreased by a factor of 0.5 +/- 0.1 (p < 0.0005). The changes were more pronounced in unstable patients. The transcription factor nuclear factor kappa B (NFkappaB), which regulates expression of inflammatory mediators, was activated during reperfusion (n = 10, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Open heart surgery induces an inflammatory response in the human heart, which is more pronounced in patients with unstable angina. It involves NFkappaB activation and expression of several NFkappaB-regulated genes.

Recall of an oral health education programme by nursing personnel in special housing facilities for the elderly.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the recall of oral health knowledge and confidence by nursing personnel in special housing facilities for the elderly, three years after an education programme. DESIGN: A cross sectional design using a questionnaire. SAMPLE: All nursing personnel, a total of 2,901 subjects, in five municipalities in south-western Sweden; of whom 950 had attended the programme. The response rate was 67% (1930 subjects). INTERVENTION: An oral health education programme consisting of four one-hour lessons. RESULTS: The oral health education programme still had an effect on the participants' attitudes towards oral health three years later. When comparing the trained group (OHEP+) which attended the programme with those who did not have training (OHEP-), the perceived ability, opportunity and the knowledge of oral health were significantly better in the former group, p < 0.01 Further, within the OHEP- group who did not attend the programme there was a significant difference in the perceived ability, opportunity and the knowledge of oral health between those with a higher level of health care education, p < 0.01. CONCLUSIONS: The effect of an oral health education programme on the participants' attitudes towards oral health persists at least for three years. The data indicate that trainees with a low level of health care education benefit most.

Ability to estimate oral health status and treatment need in elderly receiving home nursing--a comparison between a dental hygienist and a dentist.

The aim of this study was to compare the estimation ability of a dental hygienist to that of a dentist when, independently, recording the oral health status and treatment need in a population of elderly, receiving home nursing. Seventy-three persons, enrolled in a home nursing long-time care programme, were recruited. For the oral examination a newly developed protocol with comparatively blunt measurement variables was used. The oral examination protocol was tested for construct validity and for internal consistency reliability. Statistical analyses were performed using Wilcoxon matched pairs signed rank sum test for testing differences, while inter-examiner agreement was estimated by calculating the kappa-values. Comparing the two examiners, good agreement was demonstrated for all mucosal recordings, colour, form, wounds, blisters, mucosal index, and for the palatal but not the lingual mucosa. For the latter, the dental hygienist recorded significantly more changes. The dental hygienist also recorded significantly higher plaque index values. Also regarding treatment intention and treatment need, the dental hygienist's estimation was somewhat higher. In conclusion, when comparing the dental hygienist's and the dentist's ability to estimate oral health status, treatment intention, and treatment need, some differences were observed, the dental hygienist tending to register "on the safe side", calling attention to the importance of inter-examiner calibration. However, for practical purpose the inter-examiner agreement was acceptable, constituting a promising basis for future out-reach activities.

Evidence for antigen-driven T-cell response in unstable angina.

BACKGROUND: Activation of T cells and macrophages has been associated with unstable angina (UA), but whether this reflects specific immune responses remains unclear. METHODS AND RESULTS: We analyzed the repertoire and the length of complementarity-determining region 3 of the T-cell receptor (TCR) beta-chain variable (BV) gene segments of activated lymphocytes in 23 patients with UA, 13 patients with chronic stable angina (CSA), and 6 normal control subjects. We also tested the proliferation of systemic T cells in response to autologous coronary plaque proteins, oxidized LDL, and Chlamydia pneumoniae as candidate antigens, in vitro. The activated T cell-TCRBV repertoire was perturbed in 13 (57%) of 23 UA patients versus 3 (23%) of 13 CSA patients (P=0.016) and was restricted to 6 (28%) of 21 expanded TCRBV families; all were significantly higher in UA than in CSA patients. At least one monotypic or oligotypic activated TCRBV population was found in 15 (65%) of 23 UA patients and in 3 (23%) of 13 CSA patients (P<0.001). Finally, T cells from UA patients, but not from CSA patients or normal control subjects, proliferated in response to autologous proteins from coronary culprit lesions and/or to oxidized LDL. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the T-cell response observed in UA patients is antigen-driven and directed to antigens contained in the culprit coronary atherosclerotic plaques.

Gene expression of inflammatory mediators in different chambers of the human heart.

BACKGROUND: Inflammatory genes may be unevenly expressed in different heart chambers. METHODS: Biopsies were taken simultaneously from the right atrium (RA), left atrium (LA), and left ventricle (LV) of 19 patients before cardioplegic arrest during open heart surgery. The mRNA expression of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha), interleukin 1beta (IL-1beta), inducible and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (iNOS and eNOS), endothelin-1 (ET-1), E-selectin (CD62E), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and its ligand CD18, and CD25 was evaluated with semiquantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: Expression of TNFalpha mRNA was higher in RA than LA and LV (p<0.05), whereas IL-1beta was more expressed in LA than RA (p<0.05), which was higher than LV (p<0.0001). There were no significant regional differences in the expression of ICAM-1, CD62E, CD25, iNOS, and eNOS. CD18 was higher in RA than LA (p<0.05); ET-1 was more expressed in RA than LV (p<0.04). Patients with stable angina had no expression of eNOS. CONCLUSIONS: Gene expression of inflammatory mediators was detected in the hearts of patients with different cardiovascular disorders, and was unevenly distributed in different heart chambers. Cardiac biopsies should be taken from the same site.

Induction of neonatal tolerance to oxidized lipoprotein reduces atherosclerosis in ApoE knockout mice.

BACKGROUND: In the course of atherosclerosis, humans and apolipoprotein (apoE) Knockout (KO) mice exhibit an active cell-mediated and humoral immune process, both at the systemic level and within atheromata. Low density lipoproteins (LDL) infiltrate the vascular wall, where they are oxidatively modified. This oxidative modification may generate new epitopes for which tolerance is not achieved during ontogenesis. Such epitopes could constitute new targets for autoreactive immune responses that may have a physiopathological role in disease development. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Exposing mice to high dose of antigens during thymic T-cell education induces immunological tolerance to the administered antigens. We injected newborn apoE KO mice with oxidized LDL. They were fed a cholesterol-rich diet and aortic atherosclerosis, cell-mediated immune response, and T-cell repertoire were analyzed after 5 months. RESULTS: Injection of oxidized LDL at birth reduced not only the immune response to oxidized LDL, but also susceptibility to atherosclerosis in apoE mice. Injection of oxidized LDL induced T-cell tolerance due to clonal deletion, rather than anergy of the reactive T cells. The T-cell repertoire of apoE KO mice was affected by the development of the disease, whereas tolerization normalized it. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that the immune response against oxidized LDL has a deleterious role in atherogenesis and that a fine-tuning of this response could modify the course of the disease.

The role of adaptive immunity in atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disease induced by a lipid metabolic disturbance at sites of hemodynamic strain in the vasculature. Studies in both man and experimental animal models show an involvement of innate and adaptive immune mechanisms in the disease process. Our recent studies in apoE-knockout mice show that the level of hypercholesterolemia affects the functional properties of the immune response. Modulating immune activity by injections of polyclonal immunoglobulins inhibits disease progression, suggesting that immunomodulation may be useful to treat atherosclerosis. Analysis of T cell receptor (TCR) mRNA in atherosclerotic lesions shows expansions of T cells expressing TCR-V beta 6, a receptor type that is also expressed by T cells recognizing oxidized low density lipoprotein (oxLDL). This suggests that oxLDL is an autoantigen that induces strong, local T cell responses in the plaque. Further characterization of this and other candidate antigens, such as heat shock proteins and macromolecular components of Chlamydia pneumoniae, may provide important information on which specific interference with the disease process could be based.

Oligoclonal T cell expansions in atherosclerotic lesions of apolipoprotein E-deficient mice.

T cells are present in atherosclerotic lesions at all stages of development. They exhibit activation markers and are particularly prominent at sites of plaque rupture. This suggests that T-cell-mediated immune responses are involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Antigen-specific T cells reactive with oxidized lipoproteins and heat shock proteins have been isolated from plaques, indicating that local activation and clonal expansion might occur. To analyze different stages of atherosclerosis, we have used a murine model. Targeted deletion of the apolipoprotein E gene results in severe hypercholesterolemia and spontaneous atherosclerosis, with lesions containing large numbers of T cells and macrophages. We have analyzed mRNA for T-cell antigen receptors (TCRs) from aortic fatty streaks, early fibrofatty plaques, and advanced fibrofatty plaques of such mice. Polymerase chain reaction amplification of complementarity-determining region 3 (CDR3 region) of TCRs was followed by spectratyping of fragment lengths. This analysis detected all types of variable (V) segments with a gaussian distribution of CDR3 in lymph nodes. In contrast, a restricted heterogeneity was found in atherosclerotic lesions, with expansion of a limited set of Vbeta and Valpha segments and a monotypic or oligotypic CDR3 spectrum in each lesion. Vbeta6 was expressed in all lesions; Vbeta5.2, Vbeta16, Valpha34s, and Valpha9, in the majority of lesions; and Vbeta6, Vbeta5.2, and Valpha34S, in lesions at all 3 stages of development. The strongly skewed pattern of the CDR3 region in the TCR is indicative of oligoclonal expansions of T cells and suggests the occurrence of antigen-driven T-cell proliferation in atherosclerosis.

Evaluation of an oral health education program for nursing personnel in special housing facilities for the elderly. Part II: Clinical aspects.

In Sweden, efforts are being made to create strategies for evaluating realistic dental treatment needs among the elderly, who are retaining more natural teeth. These strategies focus on the importance of maintaining adequate oral hygiene. Elderly in long-term-care facilities often depend on nursing personnel for carrying out daily oral hygiene procedures. Therefore, the nursing personnel's knowledge about and attitudes toward oral health make oral health education for health care professionals an important concern. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical oral health outcome in residents after their caregivers had undergone a one-session, four-hour oral health education program. The study consisted of an intervention with a pre- and a post-test and was carried out in three municipalities in the southwestern part of Sweden. A newly developed oral health screening protocol was carried out for 170 subjects living in long-term-care facilities both before and 3-4 months after nursing personnel had attended an oral health education program. Following the intervention, a statistically significant improvement was recorded for changes in oral mucosal color, a modified plaque index which measured oral hygiene status, and a mucosal index which recorded mucosal inflammation. This study indicated that a limited, one-session, four-hour oral health education, offered to caregivers within long-term-care facilities, had a positive impact on the oral health status of residents.

Conceptions of oral health among nurse managers. A qualitative analysis.

AIM: The aim of this study was to describe how nurse managers perceive oral health in general and the oral health of the care-receiver in particular. BACKGROUND: Oral health and general health are independent and influence each other through biological, psychological, emotional and developmental factors. To most adults, oral health is a natural daily routine of hygiene, whereas to people who are dependent on other people's assistance, it is a procedure carried out by nursing personnel. METHODS: Data were collected through interviews and analysed according to the phenomenographical method. FINDINGS: Five categories emerged describing how nurse managers perceive oral health: maintaining patients' well-being, having knowledge about oral health, behaviour towards the patient, feeling of being insufficient and creating the necessary conditions. CONCLUSION: The nurses considered oral health an important and obvious, but neglected, part of nursing. They expressed the wish to be updated in the knowledge area concerned, both for themselves and for their personnel. A majority called for standards for oral care, including documentation, which was considered necessary for the successful implementation. IMPLICATIONS: A suggestion for further research is to study whether the creation of national standards may increase its status and quality.

Hydrogen peroxide induces mRNA for tumour necrosis factor alpha in human endothelial cells.

Reactive oxygen intermediates are important mediators of inflammation. We investigated if hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) induces tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) expression in cultured human cells from umbilical vein endothelium (HUVEC), aortic smooth muscle cells (SMC), peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), or the cell line Mono Mac 6. Cultures were stimulated with 200 micromol/L H2O2 for 15 min. After 4 h cells were harvested, mRNA extracted, and amplified by semiquantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with histone (H3) as reference gene. In HUVECs, mRNA for TNFalpha increased with a factor of 4 after stimulation (p < 0.001), in PBMC with a factor of 2 (p < 0.05), while mRNA from SMC and Mono Mac 6 did not increase significantly. Cellular TNFalpha protein in HUVECs was measured with flow cytometry (FACS) before and 6, 12, and 24 h after stimulation. TNFalpha protein was detectable in small, but reproducible amounts 12 h after stimulation, and increased further after 24 h. However, no secretion of TNFalpha was detected by ELISA. FACS analysis of the passaged HUVEC cultures did not reveal any contamination with non-endothelial cells. In conclusion, H2O2 induces TNFalpha mRNA in HUVECs and PBMC. In HUVECs an increase of intracellular TNFalpha protein was also detected, indicating that endothelial cells can produce small amounts of TNFalpha.

Promoter regions of four Balbiani ring genes in Chironomus tentans exhibit a common salivary gland-specific chromatin organisation, which is independent of the rate of transcriptional initiation.

The Balbiani ring (BR) gene family consists of four closely related genes which show some differences in transcriptional regulation. Here we analyse the chromatin structure of the promoter regions of the four BR genes. In cells in which the genes are inactive, digestion of chromatin with micrococcal nuclease suggests for the BR1 gene that precisely positioned nucleosomes are present from position +200 to -600. In salivary gland cells, a distinctly different organisation of the promoter chromatin leads to the appearance of two sites that are hypersensitive to both DNase I and micrococcal nuclease, located at the approximate positions -50 and -240. Nuclease digestion experiments suggest the presence of a nucleosome in the region between the two hypersensitive sites, and nucleosome disruption at the transcription initiation site. The positions of these hypersensitive sites in all BR genes is unaffected by extensive modulation of the rate of transcriptional initiation, although some alterations in the intensity of the hypersensitive sites were observed. We also show that total nucleosome displacement from the transcribing template is seen only when the RNA polymerase density exceeds one polymerase molecule per 100 bp.

Hypercholesterolemia is associated with a T helper (Th) 1/Th2 switch of the autoimmune response in atherosclerotic apo E-knockout mice.

Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory-fibrotic response to accumulation of cholesterol in the artery wall. In hypercholesterolemia, low density lipoproteins (LDL) accumulate and are oxidized to proinflammatory compounds in the arterial intima, leading to activation of endothelial cells, macrophages, and T lymphocytes. We have studied immune cell activation and the autoimmune response to oxidized LDL in atherosclerotic apo E-knockout mice. Autoantibodies to oxidized LDL exhibited subclass specificities indicative of T cell help, and the increase in antibody titers in peripheral blood was associated with increased numbers of cytokine-expressing T cells in the spleen. In addition to T cell-dependent antibodies, IgM antibodies to oxidized LDL were also increased in apo E-knockout mice. This suggests that both T cell-dependent and T cell-independent epitopes may be present on oxidized LDL. In moderate hypercholesterolemia, IgG antibodies were largely of the IgG2a isotype, suggesting that T cell help was provided by proinflammatory T helper (Th) 1 cells, which are prominent components of atherosclerotic lesions. In severe hypercholesterolemia induced by cholesterol feeding of apo E-knockout mice, a switch to Th2-dependent help was evident. It was associated with a loss of IFN-gamma-producing Th1 cells in the spleen, whereas IL-4-producing Th2 cells were more resistant to hypercholesterolemia. IFN-gamma but not IL-4 mRNA was detected in atherosclerotic lesions of moderately hypercholesterolemic apo E-knockout mice, but IL-4 mRNA appeared in the lesions when mice were made severely hypercholesterolemic by cholesterol feeding. These data show that IFN-gamma-producing Th1 cells infiltrate atherosclerotic lesions and provide T cell help for autoimmune responses to oxidized LDL in apo E-knockout mice. However, severe hypercholesterolemia is associated with a switch from Th1 to Th2, which results not only in the formation of IgG1 autoantibodies to oxidized LDL, but also in the appearance of Th2-type cytokines in the atherosclerotic lesions. Since the two subsets of T cells counteract each other, this switch may have important consequences for the inflammatory/immune process in atherosclerosis.

Evaluation of an oral health education program for nursing personnel in special housing facilities for the elderly.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of an oral health education program (OHEP) on attitudes among the responsible nursing personnel toward performing oral health procedures for care receivers. A total of 2882 nursing personnel were offered participation in the OHEP, and the effect was evaluated by means of a questionnaire distributed pre-educationally as well as 1-2 months post-educationally. The nursing personnel were allocated, on the basis of nursing education, to either a "high level of health care education" group (HHCE), including registered and enrolled nurses, or a "low level of health care education" group (LHCE), including nursing assistants and home care aides. Statistical analysis was performed by means of descriptive and analytical statistics. After the OHEP, the nursing personnel estimated their ability to perform oral hygiene procedures for care receivers to be significantly increased. Post-educationally, a significant shift in importance was observed from knowledge regarding the diseased oral cavity to knowledge regarding the healthy oral cavity. It was also observed that, in the LHCE group, the OHEP favored practical procedures, while in the HHCE group, theoretical considerations were favored. This indicates that, when oral health education programs are designed, due attention should be paid to the nursing personnel's education level.

Laparoscopic prostaglandin injection in ectopic pregnancy: success rates according to endocrine activity.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical performance of local prostaglandin treatment of ectopic pregnancies (EPs) in relation to their biologic activity as determined by preoperative serum hCG levels. DESIGN: Prospective study over a 2-year period of 108 patients with 127 tubal pregnancies. SETTING: A department of obstetrics and gynecology in a central county hospital. PATIENTS: One hundred eight patients who presented with a clinical diagnosis of EP. INTERVENTIONS: Patients with EP were treated with laparoscopy-guided injection of prostaglandin F2 alpha in the surrounding tubal wall and the corpus luteum-bearing ovary. All members of the staff participated. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Success rate, hospitalization cost, and convalescence period. RESULTS: Seven laparotomies (7.5%) were performed postoperatively due to increasing hCG levels or ruptures with circulatory reactions. All except one had an initial (preoperative) hCG value > 1,000 mIU/mL (conversion factor to SI unit, 1.00). The mean hospitalization period was 2.7 days and 90% of the medically treated patients returned home on the first postoperative day. The mean convalescence period was 18 days. CONCLUSION: The procedure is simple and carries an acceptable success rate in cases with hCG levels < 1,000 mIU/mL. The approach demands minimal technical resources and it may reduce health care costs substantially.