Is maintenance antiparkinsonian treatment necessary?

The authors designed a three-phase prospective trial in which only those patients who developed an acute, neuroleptic-induced extrapyramidal side effect (EPSE) received benztropine (BZ) at 2 mg i.m. and then 1 mg p.o. b.i.d. for 2 days after their symptoms were rated for severity and type (Preparatory Phase 1). They were then randomly assigned under double-blind conditions to continue BZ or be switched to placebo for 8 days (Experimental Phase 2). Finally in Phase 3 (Followup), all patients continued on placebo in a single-blind design until Day 30. If the patient re-experienced an acute EPSE that was of sufficient severity to require immediate BZ administration, he or she was rated, treated, and then dropped from the study. EPSE scores and dropout rates did not differ in Phase 2 between the placebo- and BZ-treated groups. Implications for the continuation, cessation, or intermittent use of antiparkinsonian (AP) drugs are discussed.     

Surgical process re-engineering: carpal tunnel decompression--a model.

Surgical process re-engineering is a methodology where the entire surgical process is systematically analysed and re-designed. The process starts with mapping of the current process followed by in-depth analysis of the existing process. A new process is drafted with the aim of making the whole procedure more efficient. The new process is then discussed with all the staff involved in the operating room. Following implementation of the process, surgical process re-engineering should ideally be routinely carried out to continuously improve the procedure. We present an example of surgical process re-engineering which we carried out on the procedure of carpal tunnel release. We used carpal tunnel release as a model as it is a very common operation, with predictable intra-operative findings, and the patient is likely to benefit directly from procedure time reduction. A preliminary mapping of three procedures was done followed by a detailed timed mapping of five routine carpal tunnel decompression procedures. The mapped process was analysed in detail and a number of changes were made in the process. After implementing the new process, a further five procedures were mapped and timed again. In comparison to the original process, we achieved a reduction of 20% in the mean procedure time and a reduction of 42% in the number of steps from 66 to 37.     

Can sleep disturbance in depression predict repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) treatment response?

Treatment for depression is not effective in all patients and it is therefore important to identify factors that can be used to tailor treatments. One potential factor is insomnia. Several repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) studies have reported on this symptom, however, they did not take into account the presence of hypersomnia or that insomnia was related to their outcome measure. Our aim was to investigate whether baseline sleep disruption was related to rTMS treatment response. We pooled data from four clinical trials using rTMS to treat depression, including 139 subjects in data analysis. Insomnia was measured using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HamD) sleep questions and hypersomnia from the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). To reduce the possible impact of insomnia on our treatment response outcome we created an adjusted HamD score which omitted sleep items. Sleep disturbances were common in our study: 66% had insomnia and 38% hypersomnia. Using regression analysis with our adjusted HamD score we found no relation between baseline insomnia or hypersomnia and rTMS treatment response. Our data are consistent with previous studies; however, this is the first rTMS study to our knowledge that has attempted to dissociate baseline insomnia from the HamD outcome measure and to report no relationship between hypersomnia and rTMS outcome.     

Can iron status be improved in each of the three trimesters? A community-based study

OBJECTIVE: Intervention with iron supplementation, deworming, and information, education and communication (IEC) to improve the haematological status among each of the three trimesters of pregnant women in a rural community. DESIGN: A community-based study was carried out using a two-group pre-post experimental design in a rural community. SETTING: Two rural blocks in Vellore district were selected for the study. KV Kuppam block with a population of 120,000 and the adjacent Gudiyatham block with a population of 132,000 served as study and control areas for the study. SUBJECTS: Using a multistage sampling, initially 50% of the panchayats, the local village administrative units, were randomly selected and all pregnant women were the subjects. In the pre-intervention survey 458 and 387 pregnant women had haemoglobin tested and the post-intervention survey covered 403 and 425 pregnant women in the study and control areas, respectively. Similarly serum ferritin was tested in a randomly selected sub-sample with 254 and 191 pregnant women before intervention and in 216 and 223 pregnant women after intervention in both study and control areas, respectively. INTERVENTION: Iron supplementation and deworming were provided to all pregnant women in the study area from the fourth month of their pregnancy. An intensive information, education and communication was carried out with facts on anaemia and diet modification to each pregnant woman, using a one-to-one approach in the community, and a group method in the mobile clinics. This was carried out for a period of 18 months. RESULTS: A significant decrease in the prevalence of anaemia was found, from 56.1% to 25.07% (P<0.001), 73. 4% to 49.2% (P<0.001) and 68.8% to 56.8% (P<0.01) among women in the first, second and third trimesters, respectively, in the intervention area. Significant (P<0.001) increases in the mean haemoglobin of 0.85 g/dl (95% CI 10.18-10.84, 11.09-11.63), 0.59 g/dl (95% CI 9.98-10.34, 10.55-10.95) and 0.36 g/dl (95% CI 9.93-10. 33, 10.25-10.73) were also observed in each of the groups. CONCLUSION: A comprehensive community-based intervention with iron supplementation, helminthic treatment and increase in knowledge using IEC through effective strategies can improve the haematological status of pregnant women in each trimester.     

Kaposi's sarcoma of the trachea

The most common tracheal neoplasms are epidermoid carcinomas, papillomas and cylindromas. Kaposi's sarcoma, confined primarily to the trachea, is one of the rarest tumours. The clinical and histological picture of a case of Kaposi's sarcoma of the trachea in a young, pregnant woman, presenting with severe airway obstruction, is described here. The emergency tracheoscopy dislodged a mass from the trachea, which turned out to be a Kaposi's sarcoma on histology. Although Kaposi's sarcoma is one of the manifestations of AIDS, this patient had neither any underlying immunodeficiency nor any skin, visceral or lymphatic lesions.     

Symptomatic ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament of the cervical spine: pictorial essay

Symptomatic ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) of the cervical spine is a rare but well-documented condition. It is the causative factor in up to 5% of cases presenting with cervical radiculopathy or myelopathy. Computed tomography is the modality of choice in showing the distinctive characteristics and extent of the disease. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is sensitive in detecting cord compression and its attendant complications. Cervical OPLL commonly affects those of middle and advanced age, and the condition is noted to be particularly common in Japanese, although other racial groups are also affected. A 'mushroom' or 'hill' shape on axial CT typifies OPLL. A sharp radiolucent line separating the posterior vertebral margin from the superficial component of the ossified ligament is a characteristic feature.     

Health in a 24-h society

With increasing economic and social demands, we are rapidly evolving into a 24-h society. In any urban economy, about 20% of the population are required to work outside the regular 0800-1700 h working day and this figure is likely to increase. Although the increase in shiftwork has led to greater flexibility in work schedules, the ability to provide goods and services throughout the day and night, and possibly greater employment opportunities, the negative effects of shiftwork and chronic sleep loss on health and productivity are now being appreciated. For example, sleepiness surpasses alcohol and drugs as the greatest identifiable and preventable cause of accidents in all modes of transport. Industrial accidents associated with night work are common, perhaps the most famous being Chernobyl, Three Mile Island, and Bhopal.