Effects of abdominal surgery through a midline incision on postoperative trunk flexion strength in patients with colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Abdominal surgery with bowel resection through a midline or transverse incision is performed in most cases of colorectal cancer (CRC). Both incisions affect abdominal wall function and may lead to differences in postoperative clinical outcomes. Although postoperative isometric trunk flexion strength (ITFS) has previously been investigated, the results were based on measurement tools distinguished by poor reproducibility and validity. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the reproducibility of and variations in ITFS following abdominal surgery using a dynamometer and explore the correlation between ITFS and the scar length. METHOD: The study group consisted of 22 consecutive patients (15 men and 7 women) referred for surgery. The outcome parameters included ITFS which was measured using a fixed dynamometer and a digital manometer, scar length, weight and pain. Test-retest measurement (3 h apart) of ITFS was taken 1 day before surgery to determine the instruments' reproducibility. Additional measurements of the outcome parameters were taken 1 and 6 weeks postoperatively. RESULTS: Excellent test-retest correlations (ICC > 0.85) coupled with low standard error of the measurement for both the ITFS and the manometric findings indicated clinically acceptable reproducibility of the findings. Significant pre- and postoperative differences in ITFS were noted using both techniques. Six weeks postoperatively, fair and significant correlations were noted between the dynamometry-based ITFS and both the scar length (r = 0.452) and age (r = 0.498). Of note, scar length and preoperative dynamometric ITFS predicted ITFS 6 weeks postoperatively (F = 102.949, p < 0.001, R(2) = 0.92). CONCLUSIONS: Measurements of ITFS using dynamometry in elective CRC patients are reproducible, sensitive to clinical changes and allow prediction of postoperative ITFS scores based on their preoperative counterparts.

Breast cancer in the elderly: histological, hormonal and surgical characteristics.

The characteristics, menstrual risk factors and surgical therapy of 187 consecutive patients more than 70 years of age (mean: 75.9) were investigated and compared with those of 609 patients less than 70 years of age (mean: 53.9). There was no difference in stage, size, state of axillary nodes, grade, histological types, Ki-67, vascular invasion, estrogen receptor rate, and HER-2/neu (+) rate. Positive progesterone receptor rate was higher in older patients (54.7% vs. 63.1%). Tumors were larger (p=0.01) and their stage higher (p=0.014) in patients more than 80 years of age. All menstrual risk factors were similar in the two groups. Positive familial history was more frequent in patients <60 years. Significantly more young patients used hormone replacement therapy (HRT) (21.8 vs. 8.6%). Older patients underwent less breast-conserving surgery (36.1 vs. 55.1%), and less axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) (69.7 vs. 84.9%). We conclude that breast cancer characteristics and menstrual risk factors are similar in the two age groups.

Brane world solution to the cosmological constant problem.

We consider a model with two parallel (positive tension) 3-branes separated by a distance L in five-dimensional spacetime. If the interbrane space is anti--de Sitter, or is not precisely anti--de Sitter but contains no event horizons, the effective four-dimensional cosmological constant seen by observers on one of the branes (chosen to be the visible brane) becomes exponentially small as L grows large.

Surgical treatment of leiomyosarcoma of the distal duodenum.

Malignant tumors of the small intestine are rare. An uncommon finding of leiomyosarcoma located in the fourth part of the duodenum was diagnosed by gastrointestinal contrast studies, CT and angiography. Although malignant lesions of the small bowel are usually diagnosed late and thus are far advanced, curative resection was possible in our case. The location and histology of the tumor permitted a 'pancreas-preserving segmental duodenectomy'. The operative approach and exposure using the Cattell maneuver is described. It is emphasized that the more extensive pancreatoduodenectomy should be reserved for adenocarcinomas or lesions situated in the proximal part of the duodenum. Thirteen years following the operation, the patient is asymptomatic while CT and gastrointestinal contrast studies reveal no evidence of disease.

Inflammatory fibroid polyp and Helicobacter pylori. Aetiology or coincidence?

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate our incidence of inflammatory fibroid polyps, compare our experience with that of others, and to analyze the possible pathophysiological and aetiological factors. DESIGN: Retrospective review. SETTING: Teaching hospital. MATERIAL: All histopathological slides of the gastrointestinal tract. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidence and treatment in our Medical Center and elsewhere. RESULTS: We could find only one case of inflammatory fibroid polyp, an estimated incidence of 1/4000. Between 1987-1996 only 331 were reported elsewhere, most of which (293, 88.5%), were located in the stomach. CONCLUSION: Primary mucosal damage can expose the stroma to several irritants (chemical, mechanical and biological), that may subsequently cause inflammatory fibroid polyps in certain people.

Associations of peptic ulcer and gastric cancer with other diseases in US veterans.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine, through the database of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the joint occurrence of different diseases in individual patients. METHODS: Patients with a diagnosis of gastric cancer, gastric ulcer, or duodenal ulcer were extracted from the 1987 through 1990 computer files. A random sample of patients from each annual file served as a control population. All previous discharges of each case or control patient between 1970 and 1990 were searched for the occurrence of hypertensive diseases or chronic diseases of the joints, lungs, pancreas, and liver. The relative frequencies of such diagnoses in case and control patients were compared by multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: Gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer, but not gastric cancer, were significantly associated with chronic diseases of the joints, lungs, pancreas, and liver. None of the three diagnoses showed any significant association with hypertensive diseases. CONCLUSIONS: These relationships may reflect the influence of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, smoking, and alcohol. They stress the importance of environmental risk factors other than Helicobacter pylori in terms of damage to the upper gastrointestinal mucosa.

Marital status, alcohol abuse and attempted suicide: a logit model.

Research on suicide and marital status has neglected the impact of alcohol abuse. Given that nonmarried people are more apt to abuse alcohol than married people, the often cited relationship between low marital integration and suicide may either be spurious, or it may involve a complicated interaction between the two variables. Married individuals consume less alcohol than unmarried individuals, but within marriage alcohol abuse does occur, and when it leads to family abuse it may trigger suicide. Also, over the life course individuals experience stressors (e.g., unemployment, illness) that may influence alcohol abuse and suicide. The present study explores the causal linkage between marital status, alcohol abuse and suicide at the micro level, employing data from the Epidemiological Catchment Area surveys. Logistic regression results indicate that marital status affects the odds of attempting suicide independent of indicators of alcohol abuse. Alcohol abuse is, however, a better predictor of attempted suicide than marital status.

Diseases preceding colon cancer. A case-control study among veterans.

Patients with regular use of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) appear to have a reduced mortality from colon cancer. As NSAID use is associated with gastrointestinal bleeding, endoscopic exploration of patients on NSAID may lead to more efficient screening and frequent detection of colon cancer. A case-control study was conducted among 12,304 veterans with a colon cancer diagnosed between 1988 and 1992. Four controls were matched by age, sex, and race to each case. The frequency distributions of previous discharge diagnoses in cases and controls were compared. Arterial embolism and thrombosis, spondylosis, peripheral vascular disease, angina, osteoarthrosis, and ischemic heart disease protected against future development of colon cancer. On the other hand, atrial fibrillation and flutter, as well as phlebitis and thrombophlebitis, were associated an increased occurrence of colon cancer after 5-10 years. The study contrasts diseases that are treated with aspirin with those that are treated with other anticoagulants. Both cause bleeding, but the reduced risk of colon cancer was seen only in conditions treated with aspirin. The difference between the two disease groups from the same VA patient population suggests that chronic use of NSAID truly protects against future development of colon cancer.

Age, birthdays, and suicide.

The present study, which contained a sample of 3,948 suicides and controls for seasonal effects, did not replicate the results of Barraclough and Hughes's (1987) study. People are not significantly more likely to die near the time of their birthdays than they are at other times of the year.

Periodicity of hospital admissions for inflammatory bowel disease.

OBJECTIVES: It has been speculated that exacerbations of inflammatory bowel disease are influenced by seasonal variations. METHODS: This hypothesis was tested in a large data base of the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), consisting of all hospitalized US Medicare beneficiaries from four consecutive years. RESULTS: The total of hospital admissions (for all diagnoses) was characterized by a marked seasonal variation occurring similarly in each consecutive year. It was high during winter and low during summer. Peak and trough of admission rate varied by 10%. In striking contrast to this general pattern, both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis showed an annual pattern of variability without any clear-cut seasonality. However, the time trends of both diseases showed a striking parallelism concerning their short-term changes (affecting 1-3 consecutive months) and long-term changes (affecting 4-8 consecutive months). The parallelism of the temporal changes affected different age and sex groups alike. CONCLUSIONS: The parallel monthly variations suggest that exacerbations in the activity of inflammatory bowel disease may be modulated by exogenous factors, and that Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis may be influenced by identical modulators of disease activity.

Healing process of laser-welded intestinal anastomosis.

Intestinal welding by means of low-power laser has been reported as an efficient method for intestinal anastomosis. We designed an experimental model in rats to investigate collagen and DNA concentrations in CO2 laser-welded anastomoses as compared with those in sutured anastomoses on the 4th, 7th, and 10th postoperative days. The results revealed that DNA, total collagen, and insoluble collagen concentrations were significantly lower in the lased anastomoses than in the sutured anastomoses on the 4th postanastomotic day. On the 7th and 10th postanastomotic days, collagen concentrations increased in the laser-treated group attaining significantly higher levels than in the sutured group at that time. These findings are compatible with other studies demonstrating that laser-welded intestinal anastomoses are more prone to dehiscence during the first 4 postanastomotic days, but become at least as effective as the sutured ones with passage of time.

Colorectal cancer in patients over 70 years old. A prospective study of operative results.

All patients (284, mean age 70.8 years) admitted with a diagnosis of primary colorectal cancer to our surgical department during the years 1984-87 were evaluated prospectively. We compare 170 (59.9%) patients > 70 years old and 114 (40.1%) patients < or = 70 years. The overall operability rate was 97.3% and the resectability rate 92.8%. The overall operative mortality rate was 2.1%, four patients in the older group and two patients in the younger group (NS). Among patients who underwent emergency surgery, the operative mortality was 6.1% (4 patients). The overall morbidity rate was 26.7% without significant differences between the two age-groups. A separate subset analysis was done to compare the very old patients (age > or = 80) to the old patients (age 70-79). There were no significant differences between these groups in tumor location, presentation and staging, as well as in operability rate and operative morbidity and mortality. The operative mortality in those over the age of 80 was 3.5%. We concluded that age should not be a determinant in consideration of operation for primary colorectal cancer, since operative mortality and morbidity are similar in both the elderly and their younger counterparts.

Monthly variation of hospital admission and mortality of peptic ulcer disease: a reappraisal of ulcer periodicity.

The occurrence of peptic ulcer is characterized by a seasonal variation, the meaning of which is poorly understood. The present study examined the periodicity of hospital admissions and mortality resulting from gastric and duodenal ulcer to determine its etiologic relevance. Ulcer periodicity was studied in the nationwide data sets of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Health Care Financing Administration, and the Vital Statistics. Both ulcer types were characterized by similar patterns of periodicity. Hospital admissions peaked during the first 3 months of the year, followed by a marked decline during summer and a second smaller peak around October. This pattern occurred independently of age, sex, race, and place of residence. It also pertained to ulcers complicated by hemorrhage or perforation. Although total admissions peaked earlier during the year and showed a less consistent peak in October, there was a close resemblance between the periodicity of all diseases and that of peptic ulcer. Mortality was highest in January and lowest in July for all disease and ulcer diseases alike. The similarity between the periodicity of peptic ulcer and other diseases suggests that the major factors responsible for the cyclic behavior of gastric and duodenal ulcer are not particular to these diseases but affect other unrelated diseases alike.

The impact of epidemic, war, prohibition and media on suicide: United States, 1910-1920.

The paper utilizes a natural experiment approach to estimate the impact of exogenous social and political events on suicide behavior in the United States between 1910 and 1920. The study is concerned with determining the impact of World War I, the great Influenza Epidemic, and the prohibition experiment on suicide. Estimating the monthly population in the United States registration area from 1910 to 1920, monthly suicide and mortality rates are computed. A time-series model is postulated, and second-order autoregressive estimates are used to determine the impact of the independent variables in the model. It is concluded that World War I did not influence suicide; the Great Influenza Epidemic caused it to increase; and the continuing decline in alcohol consumption between 1910 and 1920 depressed national suicide rates. Further individual-level aggregate studies are needed to confirm the findings of the study.

Epidemiology of inflammatory bowel disease among U.S. military veterans.

The Department of Veterans Affairs maintains a computerized patient treatment file that contains all records from veterans treated as inpatients in VA hospitals distributed throughout the United States. Using the patient treatment files from 1986 to 1989, the present study takes advantage of this large national data set to examine demographic and geographic associations of inflammatory bowel disease. Inflammatory bowel disease tended to affect predominantly female, white, and younger veterans, these trends being more marked in cases of Crohn's disease than ulcerative colitis. Hospital discharges secondary to both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis appeared to be more frequent in veterans from northern than southern parts of the United States, but did not show a seasonal variation different from the general pattern of all other diagnoses. The results in veterans confirm observations made in other studies and suggest that inflammatory bowel disease among different populations is modulated by similar pathophysiologic mechanisms and environmental risk factors.

Scintigraphic pattern of pneumothorax complicating Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in patients with AIDS.

Spontaneous pneumothorax is a serious though infrequently reported pulmonary complication of AIDS. An unsuspected lung collapse was discovered via gallium scintigraphy for the study of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. Neither the pneumonia nor the pneumothorax were apparent on the most recent chest roentgenogram. In evaluating gallium images during the work-up of AIDS patients with associated pulmonary pathology, the possible complication of lung collapse should be considered. If pneumothorax is suspected on gallium imaging, a chest roentgenogram in expiration must be obtained for prompt delineation of this serious, yet correctable, condition.

Perforated duodenal ulcer in the elderly patient.

Acute perforation of a duodenal ulcer in a patient over of 70 years of age is associated with a high death rate. During a 10-year period, 35 such patients were operated on; in all omentopexy was performed. Two courses of the disease were observed: the first (19 patients) was defined by acute disease of less than 24 hours' duration preceding surgery; the second (16 patients) was of longer duration, starting with various abdominal complaints and presenting more severely only after the first 24 hours. Postoperative death rates were 0% in the first group and 50% in the second. Other factors that were studied, including diabetes mellitus, presence of concomitant malignant diseases and intake of ulcerogenic drugs, had no significant effect on the outcome in these patients.