Musculoskeletal pain in elite professional musicians from British symphony orchestras.

BACKGROUND: Professional musicians have high rates of musculoskeletal pain, but few studies have analysed risks by work activities or the psychosocial work environment. AIMS: To assess the prevalence and impact of musculoskeletal pain, and its relation to playing conditions, mental health and performance anxiety, in musicians from leading British symphony orchestras. METHODS: Musicians from six professional orchestras completed a questionnaire concerning their orchestral duties and physical activities at work, mental health (somatizing tendency, mood, demand, support and control at work, performance anxiety) and regional pain in the past 4 weeks and past 12 months. Prevalence rates were estimated by anatomical site and associations with risk factors assessed by logistic regression. RESULTS: Responses were received from 243 musicians (51% of those approached), among whom 210 (86%) reported regional pain in the past 12 months, mainly affecting the neck, low back and shoulders. Risks tended to be higher in women, in those with low mood, and especially in those with high somatizing scores. Only weak associations were found with psychosocial work stressors and performance anxiety. However, risks differed markedly by instrument category. Relative to string players, the odds of wrist/hand pain were raised 2.9-fold in wind players, but 60% lower in brass players, while the odds of elbow pain were 50% lower among wind and brass players. CONCLUSIONS: Musculoskeletal pain is common in elite professional musicians. A major personal risk factor is somatizing tendency, but performance anxiety has less impact. Risks differ substantially by instrument played, offering pointers towards prevention.

The evidence for urethral meatal cleansing.

This article, the fourth in a series of articles relating to clinical skills in nursing, outlines the procedure of urethral meatal cleansing. This involves cleansing the area around the urethra and is usually undertaken before insertion of a urinary catheter.

Modified ureterosigmoidostomy (Mainz II): a long-term follow-up.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the long-term results in patients treated using a modified ureterosigmoidostomy (Mainz II). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 1994 and 1999, 17 patients had their lower urinary tract reconstructed by a ureterosigmoidostomy, modified by reconfiguring the rectum to make a low-pressure reservoir (Mainz II). All patients were followed on a standard protocol. Data were extracted from the database and from a review of the case-notes. In 12 patients the procedure was with a radical cystectomy for carcinoma. Five had a failed conventional ureterosigmoidostomy for bladder exstrophy and therefore proceeded to a Mainz II. The data on continence and complications were retrieved for a retrospective analysis; the mean (range) follow-up was 6.4 (4-8.6) years. RESULTS: Ten of those with bladder cancer and one in the revision group were continent. Two patients in the revision group had sufficiently severe nocturnal incontinence to require conversion to a colonic conduit. Seven of the 17 patients had hyperchloraemic acidosis, one had pyelonephritis and one had renal stones. There were no anastomotic neoplasms. CONCLUSION: The Mainz II has a good outcome if used as the primary procedure. In patients with an existing ureterosigmoidostomy who are incontinent, detubularization of the rectosigmoid alone is unlikely to restore continence.

Pregnancy after lower urinary tract reconstruction for congenital abnormalities.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of pregnancy on renal function, and the effect of congenital urinary tract abnormality and reconstruction on pregnancy and delivery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The case notes were reviewed of 20 women (median age 32.5 years) who had had 29 live babies. Data collected included patient demographics, congenital urological abnormality, urological reconstructive procedure(s) and any subsequent urological complications. Pregnancy details, including urological and obstetric complications, presentation and mode of delivery, were obtained via a postal questionnaire from the relevant obstetrician. RESULTS: Seven patients had exstrophy-epispadias, seven spinal dysraphism, two sacral agenesis, and one each cerebral palsy, epispadias, imperforate anus and small bladder with vesico-ureteric reflux and congenital incontinence. They had had a mean (range) of 5.7 (1-12) urological reconstructive procedures each. Patients with exstrophy-epispadias had significantly more operations (mean 7.8) than those with spinal dysraphism (mean 4.14) or other diagnoses (mean 2.6) (P < 0.01). At the last follow-up 13 patients had an enterocystoplasty, six a neobladder and one an ileal conduit. Pregnancy-related urological complications were urinary tract infection in 15, upper tract obstruction requiring nephrostomy and stent in three, Mitrofanoff difficulties in two and pyelonephritis in one. There was no significant deterioration in glomerular filtration rate or serum creatinine after pregnancy. Only 10 of the births were normal or assisted vaginal deliveries. Seven patients had emergency and 12 had elective Caesarean sections for obstetric indications, including four breech births in the seven patients with vesical exstrophy. CONCLUSIONS: Pregnancy has no long-term effect on renal function and does not compromise reconstruction. Although there is a substantial complication rate and an increased need for Caesarean section, pregnancy in women with lower urinary tract reconstruction for congenital urological abnormalities is ultimately safe for both mother and baby. Interdisciplinary co-operation is desirable for a successful outcome.

[The effect of enterocystoplasty in childhood on linear growth]. / Längenwachstum nach Harnblasenaugmentation mit Darmsegmenten.

OBJECTIVE: The assumption that enterocystoplasty in children has a detrimental effect on linear growth has been based almost exclusively upon a chance finding in a retrospective study 10 years ago. We re-evaluated the same research question in a larger cohort and with a longer follow-up. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 1982 and 1997, 242 children and adolescents underwent enterocystoplasty. Patients with conditions involving organ systems apart from the urinary tract, and those with myelomeningocele, malignant diseases, reduced glomerular filtration rate and incomplete notes were excluded. In the definitive study cohort (123; mean age at operation 8.6 years; mean age at investigation 16.8 years), enterocystoplasty had been undertaken using colon in 70, ileum in 37, a combination of both in 11, ileocaecal segments in three and stomach in two patients. RESULTS: In all, 1215 height and weight measurements had been recorded. The distribution of percentile positions before and after enterocystoplasty showed a normal configuration, with 83 % and 80 % of patients growing within two standard deviations of the 50th percentile. After surgery, 85 % either remained the same or reached a higher percentile. Nineteen (15.5 %) were in a lower position, with a similar tendency in the weight percentile. A clinically relevant growth disorder was recognized in four patients with a complete endocrinological evaluation; in none of these was enterocystoplasty thought to be a causal factor. CONCLUSIONS: It is very unlikely that loss of the preoperative percentile position on the growth curve in 15 % of children after enterocystoplasty is a consequence of that particular surgery. Rather, it is a non-specific phenomenon that has to be considered in any clinical population of the same size and age distribution after the same length of time.

Enterocystoplasty in childhood: a second look at the effect on growth.

OBJECTIVE: To re-evaluate the assumption that enterocystoplasty in children has a detrimental effect on linear growth (which is almost exclusively based upon a chance finding in a retrospective study 10 years ago) in a larger cohort and with a longer follow-up. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The original 12 children who had impaired linear growth in a previous study 10 years earlier were re-measured. A larger cohort was identified from the 242 children and adolescents who had undergone enterocystoplasty between 1982 and 1997. Patients with conditions involving organ systems apart from the urinary tract, and those with myelomeningocele, malignant diseases, reduced glomerular filtration rate and incomplete notes were excluded. In the definitive study cohort (123; mean age at operation 8.6 years; mean age at investigation 16.8 years) enterocystoplasty had been undertaken using colon in 70, ileum in 37, a combination of both in 11, ileocaecal segments in three and stomach in two patients. RESULTS: Of the original 12 patients, six had regained or surpassed their preoperative position on their growth charts. In all patients with a known target centile range the final height was within their genetic growth potential. In the cohort of 123 patients, 1215 height and weight measurements had been recorded. The distribution of percentile positions before and after enterocystoplasty showed a normal configuration, with 83% and 80% of patients growing within two standard deviations of the 50th percentile. After surgery, 85% either remained on the same or reached a higher centile. Nineteen (15.5%) were in a lower position, with a similar tendency in the weight centile. A clinically relevant growth disorder was recognized in four patients with a complete endocrinological evaluation; in none of these was enterocystoplasty thought to be a causal factor. CONCLUSIONS: It is very unlikely that the loss of the preoperative percentile position on the growth curve in 15% of children after enterocystoplasty is a consequence of the surgery. Rather it is a non-specific phenomenon that has to be considered in any clinical population of the same size and age distribution after the same length of time.

False-positive pregnancy tests in patients with enterocystoplasties.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence and causes of false-positive pregnancy tests in patients with enterocystoplasties. Patients and methods In a pilot study, 15 consecutive patients (both sexes, with any type of urinary diversion) provided a urine sample for testing using the Clearview pregnancy test (Unipath Ltd, Bedford, England). False-positive results occurred only in patients with continent reservoirs; patients with ileal conduits produced no false-positive results and were excluded from the main study. The main study included 23 patients with a urinary reservoir constructed partly or solely of large bowel or ileum, who provided urine and blood samples for the assay of beta human chorionic gonadotrophin and protein. Each urine sample was also analysed with the Clearview test. RESULTS: In the pilot study, three men and two women had positive pregnancy test results. In the main study, 14 patients had a positive Clearview test (nine women and five men). One women was found to be pregnant and was therefore excluded from further analysis, giving a false-positive rate of 57%. There was no difference in the type of reservoir, urine biochemistry and urine analysis results between the positive and negative groups. Frozen/thawed samples all tested negatively. Conclusion It is possible that the mucus produced in enterocystoplasties may be interfering with the pregnancy test. Patients should be aware of this and not rely on commercial test kits. There is some potential that this test system could be adapted for measuring mucus production in urinary diversions.

The empowerment of patients with chronic urinary tract infection.

Living with a chronic illness affects every aspect of a person's life, including his or her sense of self, family relationships and work. It may be particularly hard to cope with an illness that is invisible, such as chronic urinary tract infection. Nurses can work with patients to help them feel empowered to take control of their condition.

The effect of intestinal urinary reservoirs on renal function: a 10-year follow-up.

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of the storage of urine in intestinal reservoirs on long-term renal function and the possible causes of deterioration. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eighty-seven patients (aged 4-35 years) with bladder exstrophy who underwent reconstruction of the lower urinary tract using a bowel segment were enrolled in a prospective protocol. The glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was measured before and after surgery at 1, 2, 5 and 10 years using 51Cr-ethylenediamine tetra-acetic acid. Patients with a decline in GFR of > 5% were investigated to identify the cause. RESULTS: Of 58 patients with a follow-up of > or = 10 years, 53 were evaluable, four having been lost to follow-up and one refusing to accept the protocol. In these 53 patients, the mean (SD) GFR decreased from 97. 9 (20.4) to 92.9 (23.6) mL/min/1.73 m2 (P = 0.24). However, this decrease was accounted for by 10 patients (19%) whose GFR fell by > or = 20% over the 10 years. The causes of renal deterioration in these 10 patients were; chronic retention and/or infection caused by inadequate catheterization in poorly compliant patients (five), uretero-ileal stenosis (one), a high-pressure reservoir (one) and uncertain causes (three). CONCLUSIONS: For 80% of the patients, the storage of urine in intestinal reservoirs did not change renal function for at least 10 years. However, approximately 20% of patients had some deterioration in renal function during the 10-year follow-up, usually from identifiable and remediable causes. The storage of urine in bowel does not appear to be inherently damaging to kidney function. Patients with an enterocystoplasty need regular monitoring of renal function; when deterioration is detected the urinary tract must be functionally assessed.

The value of the MACE (Malone antegrade colonic enema) procedure in adult patients.

BACKGROUND: We report our experience with the Malone antegrade colonic enema (MACE) procedure in adult patients suffering from urinary incontinence and intractable constipation with or without fecal soiling. STUDY DESIGN: Since June 1990, the MACE procedure was initiated in 4 female and 12 male patients 14-54 years old (mean age, 29.9 years) with different pathologic conditions (myelodysplasia, n = 7; anorectal anomaly, n = 3; spinal cord lesion, n = 4; neuropathic disease of unclear cause, n = 2). Three surgical techniques were used: reversed and in situ appendix and tapered ileum). Complex simultaneous urologic continence procedures were performed in nine patients. Two patients had undergone previous operations in the lower urinary tract. RESULTS: After 6.6 years of followup (average, 41.7 months), eight patients (50%) were still using the MACE successfully. They were completely clean day and night and were relieved of symptoms of constipation. Eleven complications related to the MACE procedure occurred in seven patients (44%). Eight patients abandoned the procedure for various reasons. The failure rate was higher in chronically constipated patients without fecal soiling. CONCLUSIONS: The MACE procedure is associated with a high failure rate when used in adults, but it may be possible to identify a subgroup of patients in whom the procedure could be beneficial. Success would depend on overcoming technical problems and difficulties with patient compliance.

The Mitrofanoff pouch: a continent urinary diversion.

1. Continent urinary diversions are an alternative diversion to urostomies. 2. Nurses must be aware of the intense preparation, high level nursing and continuous support needed by patients. 3. Patients and carers need to be made aware of the high complication rate of these operations. 4. Commitment to care of the diversion by the patient and a strict follow-up regimen are essential to ensure complications are avoided or dealt with early.

Is Mycoplasma pneumoniae a precipitating factor in acute severe asthma in children?

A randomized prospective trial in 39 children with acute severe asthma admitted to the emergency ward of the Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital and a matched comparative group showed that Mycoplasma pneumoniae was not a precipitating factor.

Bee venom allergy.

Bee venom allergy is a common problem in medical practice. The immunological mechanisms and management thereof are reviewed.