BACKGROUND & AIMS: Various practice parameters have emphasized a step-wise approach to the treatment of asthma utilizing high doses of inhaled corticosteroids, i.e., 2000 ug per day for the most difficult-to-manage asthmatic patient, along with maximum bronchodilator therapy. The use of such vigorous therapy presupposes that various triggers that perpetuate asthma have been considered and hopefully eliminated or diminished, such as occupational incitants, gastroesophageal reflux, and concomitant medication such as beta blockers and perhaps difficult-to-recognize allergen stimulation. As new therapies emerge, their role in the treatment of a severe subgroup of the population remains uncategorized and will only be clarified with personal experience and appropriate double-blind studies. For example, there are data to support the concept that salmeterol plus moderate dose aerosol corticosteroids is superior to high dose corticosteroid aerosols. Theoretically, the use of anti-leukotrienes for a patient with aspirin idiosyncrasy may be superior to other combinations as would be conjectured from aspirin challenge data. Lidocaine has recently been employed in severe asthmatics, and preliminary data suggest benefit. The purpose of this review is to summarize some of our knowledge regarding medications that are either steroid-sparing or that might be useful in a subgroup of asthmatic patients with severe asthma.

背景与目标： 各种实践参数强调了使用高剂量的吸入皮质类固醇治疗哮喘的逐步方法，即对于最难管理的哮喘患者，每天2000 ug，以及最大的支气管扩张剂治疗。使用这种剧烈疗法的前提是，已经考虑并希望消除或减少了使哮喘持续存在的各种诱因，例如职业性诱因，胃食管反流以及伴随药物 (例如 β 受体阻滞剂和可能难以识别的过敏原刺激)。随着新疗法的出现，它们在严重人群亚组治疗中的作用仍然未分类，只有通过个人经验和适当的双盲研究才能阐明。例如，有数据支持沙美特罗加中等剂量气雾剂皮质类固醇优于高剂量皮质类固醇气雾剂的概念。从理论上讲，阿司匹林特质患者使用抗白三烯可能优于其他组合，这可以从阿司匹林激发数据中得出。利多卡因最近被用于严重哮喘患者，初步数据表明有益。这篇综述的目的是总结我们有关保留类固醇或可能对患有严重哮喘的哮喘患者亚组有用的药物的一些知识。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: :We report for the first time the possibility of weekly paclitaxel chemotherapy for a patient with advanced, nonresectable gastric cancer undergoing hemodialysis. A 50-year-old man with chronic renal failure due to bilateral polycystic kidneys, who had undergone hemodialysis three times a week for 5 years, presented with hematemesis in December 2004. Based on the diagnosis of gastric cancer with lymph node metastases, surgery was performed. On the 15th postoperative day, the patient was treated with chemotherapy using paclitaxel. Paclitaxel was administered at a dose of 60 mg/m2 as a 1 h iv infusion in 250 mL of saline. Hemodialysis was started 1 h after the completion of the paclitaxel infusion and was performed for 3 h. Paclitaxel was administered weekly on d 1, 8, and 15 on a 28-d cycle. The maximum plasma concentration of paclitaxel was 1390 microg/L. The area under the curve of paclitaxel was 4398.6 microg x h/L. Grade 2 leukopenia was encountered during the first cycle. The plasma concentrations of paclitaxel from 6 to over 24 h after the infusion were 0.01 to 0.1 micromol/L in our patient, and these concentrations have been shown to be effective on inhibiting the growth of gastric cancer cells without producing adverse side effects in the patient. The plasma concentration of paclitaxel was not influenced by hemodialysis. We conclude that the pharmacokinetics of paclitaxel is not altered in a patient with renal failure, and that weekly paclitaxel is a suitable treatment regimen for hemodialysis patients with advanced gastric cancer.

背景与目标： : 我们首次报告了接受血液透析的晚期，不可切除的胃癌患者每周进行紫杉醇化疗的可能性。一名50岁的男子因双侧多囊肾而患有慢性肾功能衰竭，他每周接受3次血液透析，持续5年，2004年12月出现呕血。根据胃癌伴淋巴结转移的诊断，进行了手术治疗。术后第15天，患者接受紫杉醇化疗。紫杉醇以60 mg/m2的剂量在250 mL生理盐水中静脉输注1 h。紫杉醇输注完成后1小时开始血液透析，并进行3小时。紫杉醇每周在第1、8和15天的28天周期给药。紫杉醇的最年夜血浆浓度为1390 μ g/L。紫杉醇曲线下面积为4398.6 μ g × h/L。在第一个周期中遇到2级白细胞减少症。在我们的患者中，输注后6至24小时内紫杉醇的血浆浓度被0.01至0.1 micromol/L，并且这些浓度已被证明可有效抑制胃癌细胞的生长，而不会在患者中产生不良副作用。紫杉醇的血浆浓度不受血液透析的影响。我们得出的结论是，在肾功能衰竭患者中，紫杉醇的药代动力学没有改变，并且每周紫杉醇是晚期胃癌血液透析患者的合适治疗方案。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: OBJECTIVE:To study the temporal relationships between cytomegalovirus (CMV) viral load and specific UL97 mutations in polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL) and plasma samples from a patient with AIDS who developed ganciclovir-resistant CMV retinitis.

METHODS:Sequential PMNL and plasma samples were analysed for determination of the CMV viral load using non-molecular methods and a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. Screening of the same samples for the most common mutations conferring ganciclovir resistance was performed using nested PCR and restriction enzyme analysis.

RESULTS:At the time of progression of CMV retinitis (after 6 months of ganciclovir), a rapid increase in the CMV DNA load was found in both PMNL and plasma samples. This increase paralleled the emergence of a specific mutation (V594) in the same samples and recovery of ganciclovir-resistant blood isolates. In this patient, however, the only tests that substantially predicted the progression of CMV disease were the quantitative PCR assay using PMNL and to a lesser extent the pp65 antigenemia assay.

CONCLUSIONS:Quantitative evaluation of the CMV viral load in PMNL using sensitive assays such as PCR appears to be a promising approach for monitoring antiviral therapy in subjects with AIDS. In addition, common mutations conferring ganciclovir resistance can be detected directly in PMNL and plasma samples.

背景与目标： 目标 : 研究巨细胞病毒 (CMV) 病毒载量与多形核白细胞 (PMNL) 和血浆样本中特定UL97突变之间的时间关系，该患者患有更昔洛韦耐药的CMV视网膜炎。
方法 : 使用非分子方法和定量聚合酶链反应 (PCR) 分析方法分析了连续的PMNL和血浆样品，以确定CMV病毒载量。使用巢式PCR和限制性内切酶分析对相同样品进行了更昔洛韦抗性最常见突变的筛选。
结果 : 在CMV视网膜炎进展时 (更昔洛韦6个月后)，在PMNL和血浆样品中发现CMV DNA载量迅速增加。这种增加与同一样品中出现特定突变 (V594) 和更昔洛韦耐药血液分离株的回收平行。但是，在该患者中，唯一可以基本预测CMV疾病进展的测试是使用PMNL的定量PCR测定，以及在较小程度上使用pp65抗原血症测定。
结论 : 使用敏感的检测方法 (例如PCR) 定量评估PMNL中的CMV病毒载量似乎是监测艾滋病患者抗病毒治疗的有希望的方法。此外，可以直接在PMNL和血浆样品中检测到赋予更昔洛韦抗性的常见突变。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: :Health care workers' perceptions of patient suffering have not been well studied. Patients and health care workers were invited to answer a single, open-ended question. To develop a survey tool that could be validated and used for future research, what health care workers thought causes or caused the most suffering for patients was compared with what patients actually identified as the cause of their worst suffering. Health care workers underestimated loss and significantly underestimated physical nonpainful symptoms as causes of maximal suffering. Communication, emotional, and systems issues were often overestimated by health care workers. Health care workers may not accurately perceive what causes the worst suffering for patients. More studies are needed.

背景与目标： : 医护人员对病人痛苦的看法没有得到很好的研究。邀请患者和医护人员回答一个开放式的问题。为了开发一种可以验证并用于未来研究的调查工具，将医护人员认为导致或导致患者最痛苦的原因与患者实际确定的最痛苦原因进行了比较。医护人员低估了损失，并大大低估了身体上的无痛苦症状，这是造成最大痛苦的原因。医护人员经常高估沟通，情感和系统问题。医护人员可能无法准确理解是什么导致了患者最严重的痛苦。需要更多的研究。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: :The nature of the temporal relationship between antibacterial consumption and Streptococcus pneumoniae penicillin resistance is investigated using population level data across time. IMS Health Global Services provided national outpatient antibiotic prescription data for the years 1996-2003 from France, Spain, Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Surveillance data consist of S. pneumoniae isolates obtained from a surveillance database in the same geographic regions from 1996 to 2003. A linear mixed model for repeated measures was used to analyze the association between resistance and several antibacterial classes through time. Changes in penicillin resistance through time in any country are better explained by the weighted cumulative antibacterial consumption with a 2-year lag. Narrow-spectrum penicillins are associated with lower resistance rates. Large reductions in consumption at the population level are needed to affect resistance. There is a peak level of penicillin resistance associated with cumulative exposure to a combination of antibiotic classes that is unique for every country.

背景与目标： : 使用跨时间的人群水平数据研究了抗菌药物消耗与肺炎链球菌青霉素耐药性之间的时间关系的性质。IMS Health Global Services提供了来自法国，西班牙，意大利，德国，英国和美国的1996-2003年全国门诊抗生素处方数据。监视数据由从2003年1996年相同地理区域的监视数据库中获得的肺炎链球菌分离株组成。使用用于重复测量的线性混合模型来分析耐药性与几种抗菌剂之间的关系。在任何国家，青霉素耐药性随时间的变化都可以通过滞后2年的加权累积抗菌药物消耗量来更好地解释。窄谱青霉素与较低的耐药率相关。为了影响抵抗力，需要大量减少人口消费。青霉素耐药性的峰值水平与累积暴露于抗生素类别的组合有关，这在每个国家都是独一无二的。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The dose, efficacy, and side effects of continuous intravenous infusion (CIVI) of morphine were compared with continuous subcutaneous infusion (CSCI) of morphine in patients with chronic cancer pain. Eligible patients were referred to the Palliative Care Program and were receiving a stable dose of CIVI of morphine. The design was a within-patient, one-way crossover; in which each patient provided data before and after a switch from CIVI to CSCI of morphine. "Rescue" doses were 50% of the hourly dose given every 2 hours as needed. Morphine was infused intravenously (i.v.) and subcutaneously (s.c.) via a McGaw/AccuPro Volumetric Infusion Pump. After baseline data, including side effects and pain assessment, were obtained, patients were evaluated twice daily for toxicity and analgesic efficacy. Those who had a stable CIVI dose for 48 consecutive hr were crossed over to the CSCI at the same dose as the intravenous (i.v.) phase. A stable dose was defined as no dose change, four or less rescue doses in the previous 24 hr, and a pain rating of none or mild. CIVI was considered equal to CSCI if these criteria were maintained for 96 consecutive hr. Fifty-seven patients were entered, and 40 were evaluable (15 women and 25 men). The median age was 67 (range 30-83 years). All 40 participants, after maintaining a stable dose throughout the i.v. phase, crossed to the s.c. phase and remained on s.c. for at least 48 hr. Thirty-two patients maintained a stable dose throughout the i.v. and s.c. phases. The mean stable i.v. dose (day 2) was 5.05 mg/hr, and the mean stable s.c. dose (day 4) was 5.7 mg/hr (P = 0.01). The mean number of rescue doses on day 2 was 0.83 per 24 hr versus 0.80 per 24 hours on day 4 (P = 0.6). The mean categorical pain score on day 2 was 0.83, and on day 4, 0.85 (P = 0.7). The mean visual analogue scale (VAS) on day 2 was 22.9 mm versus 17.6 mm on day 4 (P = 0.1). The mean incidence of side effects on day 2 was 1.7, and on day 4, 2.0 (P = 0.2). No patient was withdrawn or had a dose reduction due to unacceptable toxicity. There were two reports of local toxicity (mild erythema) at the SC needle insertion point, which required a site change. All of our 40 patients had adequate pain control with CIVI and CSCI morphine. Of the eight participants who were not maintained on the same i.v. and s.c. dose, all had adequate pain control and a similar side-effect profile on a higher s.c. morphine dose. These data suggest that the i.v. and s.c. routes are equianalgesic for most patients when administered as a continuous infusion. Pain control and side-effect profiles are quite similar and acceptable. s.c. morphine is an excellent alternative to i.v. morphine in both inpatients and outpatients requiring parenteral morphine for pain.

背景与目标： 比较了慢性癌痛患者持续静脉输注 (CIVI) 吗啡与持续皮下输注 (CSCI) 吗啡的剂量，疗效和副作用。符合条件的患者被转诊到姑息治疗计划，并正在接受稳定剂量的CIVI吗啡。该设计是患者内部的单向交叉; 其中每个患者在吗啡从CIVI切换到CSCI之前和之后提供数据。“抢救” 剂量是根据需要每2小时给予的每小时剂量的50%。通过McGaw/AccuPro容积输液泵静脉内 (i.v.) 和皮下 (s.c.) 注入吗啡。获得包括副作用和疼痛评估在内的基线数据后，每天两次评估患者的毒性和镇痛效果。那些连续48小时稳定的CIVI剂量的人以与静脉 (i.v.) 阶段相同的剂量交叉到CSCI。稳定剂量定义为无剂量变化，在之前的24小时内有四个或更少的抢救剂量，并且疼痛等级为无或轻度。如果连续96个小时保持这些标准，CIVI被认为等于CSCI。进入了57名患者，其中40名可评估 (15名女性和25名男性)。中位年龄为67岁 (范围30-83岁)。所有40名参与者在整个静脉内保持稳定剂量后。阶段，越过s.C.阶段并保留在s.c.至少48小时。32名患者在整个静脉内保持稳定剂量。和南卡罗来纳州阶段。平均稳定的静脉注射。剂量 (第2天) 为5.05 mg/hr，平均稳定s.c.剂量 (第4天) 为5.7 mg/hr (P = 0.01)。第2天的平均抢救剂量为每24小时0.83次，而第4天的平均抢救剂量为每24小时0.80次 (P = 0.6)。第2天和第4天的平均分类疼痛评分为0.83，0.85 (P = 0.7)。第2天的平均视觉模拟量表 (VAS) 为22.9毫米，第4天为17.6毫米 (P = 0.1)。第2天和第4天的平均副作用发生率为1.7，2.0 (P = 0.2)。没有患者因不可接受的毒性而退出或剂量减少。有两份关于SC针插入点局部毒性 (轻度红斑) 的报告，需要改变部位。我们的40名患者均使用CIVI和CSCI吗啡进行了足够的疼痛控制。在没有保持相同i.v.的八名参与者中。和南卡罗来纳州剂量，都有足够的疼痛控制，并且在较高的s.C.上有相似的副作用。吗啡剂量。这些数据表明，静脉注射和南卡罗来纳州当作为连续输注给药时，大多数患者的途径是等镇痛。疼痛控制和副作用特征非常相似且可以接受。吗啡是静脉注射的绝佳替代品需要胃肠外吗啡治疗疼痛的住院患者和门诊患者的吗啡。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: BACKGROUND:A large insurer in Hawaii mails annual reminders to its members regarding recommended health screenings. This study examined the associations between the characteristics of physicians visited after the reminders were sent and the health screenings received for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancers, and for diabetes and cholesterol. METHODS:The study population included members identified as needing health screenings from 2000 to 2003 based on age and gender criteria. The study used a longitudinal design focusing on the 12 months after reminders were sent. Data were analyzed using logistic regression examining physician visits, other health services, and receipt of health screenings by 1-month intervals subsequent to the reminder mailings. RESULTS:In adjusted, multivariable models, members who saw physicians they had not seen in the past year had odds ratios for obtaining health screenings 6 to 8 times higher than members who only saw previously visited physicians. This enhanced response occurred among members receiving their first, second, and third (or subsequent) annual reminder letter. The more physicians that were visited and who were new to the members, the more likely the members were to obtain health screenings. CONCLUSIONS:Members seeing physicians they had not seen in the past year had significantly higher screening rates than the members only seeing physicians they had previously visited. The results suggest that healthcare screening may receive less attention at repeat visits with a physician than at visits with a physician who is new to a member.

背景与目标：

BACKGROUND & AIMS: -2

背景与目标： -2

BACKGROUND & AIMS: :Crossing of the pleurovisceral nerve cords in gastropods has supported the view that gastropods evolved by 180 degrees rotation between the ventral and dorsal body regions. Indeed, a rotation of this type occurs as a dramatic morphogenetic movement ("ontogenetic torsion") during the development of basal gastropods. According to a long-standing hypothesis, ontogenetic torsion in basal gastropods preserves an ancient developmental aberration that generated the contorted gastropod body plan. It follows from this reasoning that crossing of the pleurovisceral nerve cords during gastropod development should be mechanically coupled to ontogenetic torsion. The predicted mechanical coupling can now be examined because of the discovery of an early differentiating neuron in Haliotis kamtschatkana (Vetigastropoda) that expresses 5-hydroxytryptamine-like immunoreactivity. The neuron appeared to delineate the trajectory of the pleurovisceral nerve cords beginning before ontogenetic torsion. Before torsion, the neuronal soma is embedded in mantle epithelium at the ventral midline and two neurites extend anteriorly toward the apical sensory organ. Contrary to expectation, the two neurites of this cell did not cross-over during ontogenetic torsion because the soma of this mantle neuron shifted in the same direction as the rotating head and foot. Full crossing of the pleurovisceral nerve cords occurred gradually during later development as the mantle cavity deepened and expanded leftward. These results are consistent with a generalization emerging from comparative studies indicating a conserved developmental stage for gastropods in which the mantle cavity is localized to one side, despite a fully "post-torsional" orientation for other body components. Developmental morphology before this stage is much more variable among different gastropod clades.

背景与目标： 腹足动物胸膜内脏神经索的交叉支持了腹足动物通过腹侧和背侧身体区域之间180度旋转而进化的观点。实际上，在基础腹足类动物的发育过程中，这种类型的旋转是一种戏剧性的形态发生运动 (“个体发生扭转”)。根据长期存在的假设，基础腹足动物的个体发育扭转保留了古老的发育畸变，该畸变产生了扭曲的腹足动物身体计划。从这种推理可以得出，腹足动物发育过程中胸膜内脏神经索的交叉应与个体发生扭转机械耦合。现在可以检查预测的机械耦合，因为在Haliotis kamtschatkana (Vetigastropoda) 中发现了表达5-羟色胺样免疫反应性的早期分化神经元。神经元似乎描绘了个体发生扭转之前开始的胸膜内脏神经索的轨迹。在扭转之前，神经元躯体嵌入腹侧中线的套膜上皮中，两个神经突向前向顶端感觉器官延伸。与预期相反，该细胞的两个神经突在个体发生扭转期间没有交叉，因为该套神经元的躯体与旋转的头和脚沿相同的方向移动。在后来的发育过程中，随着地幔腔的加深和向左扩展，胸膜内脏神经索的完全交叉逐渐发生。这些结果与比较研究得出的概括一致，该比较研究表明腹足类动物处于保守的发育阶段，尽管其他身体成分完全处于 “扭转后” 方向，但地幔腔仍位于一侧。不同腹足纲进化枝在此阶段之前的发育形态变化更大。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: BACKGROUND:Side-stream spirometry offers a non-invasive method to monitor continuously respiratory mechanics in intubated patients. We studied the effects of different positions on dynamic lung compliance during anaesthesia. METHODS:The study consisted of 56 patients, operated in supine, prone, kneeling or lateral park-bench position. Dynamic lung compliance and inspiratory peak pressure were recorded after induction of anaesthesia, 15 min and 1 h after posturing the patient. RESULTS:The first measured compliances were comparable in all groups. The compliance in the lateral and the prone positions was significantly lower than in the supine position at 15 min (P < 0.01) and 1 h (P < 0.001) after the posture change. The peak inspiratory pressure was significantly lower in the kneeling position than in the other groups (P < 0.01 at the first measurement, P < 0.001 at the later measurements). No correlation was found between body mass index and compliance. CONCLUSION:We found that dynamic lung compliance decreased significantly upon change of posture from supine to lateral or prone position, whereas in the kneeling position no change in compliance was observed. We suggest that the kneeling position might be preferable to the prone position.

背景与目标：

BACKGROUND & AIMS: :Severe preeclampsia rarely occurs prior to 20 weeks of gestation except in pregnancies with triploidy. The patient reported herein is a 29-year-old primigravida who developed severe preeclampsia at 20 weeks of gestation. Evaluation of the pregnancy demonstrated a markedly abnormal quadruple screen. Amniocentesis demonstrated a fetus with triploidy, despite a normal appearance.

背景与目标： : 除三倍体妊娠外，妊娠20周前很少发生严重的先兆子痫。本文报道的患者是一名29岁的初产妇，在妊娠20周时出现严重的先兆子痫。对妊娠的评估显示出明显异常的四重筛查。羊膜穿刺术显示胎儿具有三倍体，尽管外观正常。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: PURPOSE:Consistent condom use is critical to efforts to prevent sexually transmitted infections among adolescents, but condom use may decline as relationships and contraceptive needs change. The purpose of this research is to assess changes in condom non-use longitudinally in the context of changes in relationship quality, coital frequency and hormonal contraceptive choice. METHODS:Participants were women (aged 14-17 years at enrollment) recruited from three urban adolescent medicine clinics. Data were collected at three-month intervals using a face-to-face structured interview. Participants were able to contribute up to 10 interviews, but on average contributed 4.2 interviews over the 27-month period. Independent variables assessed partner-specific relationship quality (five items; scale range 5-25; alpha = .92, e.g., this partner is a very important person to me); and, number of coital events with a specific partner. Additional items assessed experience with oral contraceptive pills (OCP) use and injected depo medroxy-progesterone acetate (DMPA). The outcome variable was number of coital events without condom use during the past three months. Analyses were conducted as a three-level hierarchical linear growth curve model using HLM 6. The Level 1 predictor was time, to test the hypothesis that condom non-use increases over time. Level 2 predictors assessed relationship quality and coital frequency across all partners to assess hypotheses that participants' condom non-use increases over time as a function of relationship quality and coital frequency. Level 3 predictors assessed the participant-level influence of OCP or DMPA experience on time-related changes in condom non-use. RESULTS:A total of 176 women reported 279 sex partners and contributed 478 visits. Both average coital frequency and average condom non-use linearly increased during the 27-month follow-up. At any given follow-up, about 35% reported recent OCP use, and 65% reported DMPA use. HLM analyses showed that condom non-use increased as a function of time (beta = .12; p = .03, Level 1 analysis). Increased condom non-use over time was primarily a function of increased coital frequency (beta = .01; p = .00), although higher levels of relationship quality were associated with increased condom non-use at enrollment (beta = .44; p = .00, Level 2 analysis). The temporal rise in condom non-use significantly increased among DMPA users (beta = .06; p = .00) but not OCP users (Level 3 analysis) (beta = -.04; p = .06). CONCLUSIONS:Developmentally, relationship characteristics and coital frequency appear to have increasing weight in decisions about condom use. Hormonal contraceptive methods are not equivalently associated with the overall temporal decline in condom use. Future research associated with dual contraceptive/condom use should address differential factors associated condom use in combination with different hormonal methods.

背景与目标：

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The accuracy of cervicovaginal fetal fibronectin as a predictor of preterm birth was studied in patients with increased risk for preterm delivery (according to the Creasy-score). In a prospective blind observational study the smear from the posterior fornix vaginae of 56 pregnant patients without PROM was examined using a quantitative immunoassay for the detection of fetal fibronectin. The patients who tested positively for fetal fibronectin had significantly more preterm deliveries than those with a negative result (CHI square-test, p < 0.01, RR 5.1). Overall, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were 56%, 87%, 45% and 91%, respectively. In patients with preterm labor these values were 75%, 87%, 60%, and 93%, respectively. No patient with a negative result delivered preterm during the following two weeks. It is concluded that performing the fetal fibronectin test in patients with preterm labor is useful for the prediction of preterm birth. Routine testing in patients at increased risk (asymptomatic patients) is not recommended for lack of effectiveness.

背景与目标： 在早产风险增加的患者中研究了宫颈阴道胎儿纤维连接蛋白作为早产预测指标的准确性 (根据Creasy评分)。在一项前瞻性盲观察研究中，使用定量免疫测定法检查了56例无胎膜早破的孕妇的后穹窿阴道涂片，以检测胎儿纤连蛋白。胎儿纤连蛋白检测呈阳性的患者的早产明显多于阴性结果的患者 (卡方检验，p <0.01，RR 5.1)。总体而言，敏感性、特异性、阳性和阴性预测值分别为56% 、87% 、45% 和91%。在早产患者中，这些值分别为75%，87%，60% 和93%。在接下来的两周内，没有阴性结果的患者早产。结论对早产患者进行胎儿纤连蛋白试验对预测早产有一定的帮助。不建议对风险增加的患者 (无症状患者) 进行常规测试，因为缺乏有效性。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Environmental pollution has become a major concern for the future of life on our planet; medical care, especially in hospitals, contributes significantly to this pollution. The increasing usage of highly-developed medical devices, drugs and disposable products are a drain on natural resources as well as financial ones. In this situation, it is a major task for hospital epidemiologists to maintain high standards of hygiene while reducing environmental pollution, reducing consumption of limited natural resources, and minimizing costs. The reduction of hospital waste, the control of polluting and toxic emissions, the avoidance of unnecessary disinfection procedures and disposables, the implementation of energy and water saving technologies are practicable measures in hospital ecology. To realize a sustainable development within hospitals, it is necessary that the need to maintain a balance between effective infection control and a good ecological environment is recognized and supported by health-care workers and the hospital management.

背景与目标： 环境污染已成为地球生命未来的主要问题; 医疗保健，尤其是医院的医疗保健，对这种污染有很大影响。高度发达的医疗设备，药品和一次性产品的使用日益增加，既消耗了自然资源，也消耗了金融资源。在这种情况下，医院流行病学家的主要任务是在减少环境污染的同时保持高标准的卫生，减少对有限自然资源的消耗并最大程度地降低成本。减少医院废物，控制污染和有毒排放物，避免不必要的消毒程序和一次性用品，实施节能节水技术是医院生态中的可行措施。为了实现医院内部的可持续发展，有必要在有效的感染控制和良好的生态环境之间保持平衡的需要得到医护人员和医院管理层的认可和支持。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: OBJECTIVE:To assess whether interindividual variation in renal plasma flow or in its response to angiotensin II infusion is associated with interindividual differences in blood pressure in a population-based sample of 287 non-Hispanic whites (143 women and 144 men), aged 20-49.9 years.

METHODS:After seven days of eating a high-sodium diet (260 mmol/day), the renal plasma flow was determined by measuring the clearance of p-aminohippurate before and after infusion of 3 ng/kg per min angiotensin II. Multiple linear regression methods were used to assess whether measures of the renal plasma flow and of its response to angiotensin II infusion were predictive of systolic or diastolic blood pressures measured prior to administration of the high-sodium diet, on day 6 of the high-sodium diet, or during the renal clearance procedure on day 7 prior to angiotensin II infusion.

RESULTS:There was some evidence that measures of the renal plasma flow and of its response to angiotensin II infusion during the high-sodium diet were statistically significant predictors of measures of blood pressure in women; there was less evidence for this for blood pressures in men. Interindividual variation in measures of the renal plasma flow and of its response to angiotensin II infusion explained less than 10% of the interindividual variation in any measure of the blood pressure in both sexes.

CONCLUSION:These results suggest that interindividual variation in renal plasma flow ad in its response to angiotensin II infusion during a high-sodium diet will be of limited utility in elucidating the basis for interindividual differences in blood pressure.

背景与目标： 目的 : 在基于人群的287非西班牙裔白人 (143名女性和144名男性) 样本中，评估肾血浆流量或对血管紧张素II输注的反应的个体差异是否与血压的个体差异相关，年龄在20-49.9岁之间。
方法 : 在食用高钠饮食 (260 mmol/天) 7天后，通过在每分钟输注3 ng/kg血管紧张素II之前和之后测量对氨基马尿酸盐的清除率来确定肾血浆流量。使用多元线性回归方法来评估肾血浆流量及其对血管紧张素II输注的反应的测量是否可以预测高钠饮食第6天在给予高钠饮食之前测得的收缩压或舒张压。钠饮食，或在输注血管紧张素II之前第7天的肾脏清除过程中。
结果 : 有证据表明，高钠饮食期间肾脏血浆流量的测量及其对血管紧张素II输注的反应是女性血压测量的统计学显着预测指标; 男性血压的证据较少。肾血浆流量测量及其对血管紧张素II输注的反应的个体差异解释了男女血压测量中个体间差异的10%。
结论 : 这些结果表明，在高钠饮食中对血管紧张素II输注的反应中，肾血浆流量ad的个体差异在阐明血压个体差异的基础方面将是有限的。