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Everyday Clinical Practice (everyday + clinical_practice)
Selected AbstractsStuck in the past: negative bias, explanatory style, temporal order, and evaluative perspectives in life narratives of clinically depressed individualsDEPRESSION AND ANXIETY, Issue 11 2008Tilmann Habermas Ph.D. Abstract This study attempted to replicate negative bias and depressive explanatory style in depression using life narratives. The two central aspects of narrative, temporal succession and evaluation, were also explored. These aspects were tested for the first time using entire life narratives of 17 depressed inpatients and non-depressed controls matched for sex and educational level. Negative bias and depressive explanatory style were replicated as typical for the depressed group. Life narratives of depressed patients also deviated more from a linear temporal order and compared less frequently the past with the present. Contrary to expectations, the depressed did not differ in the overall frequency of evaluations. However, they used more past than present evaluations and more experience-near evaluations than cognitive evaluations, suggesting that they are more immersed in past experiences. It is concluded that negative bias and depressive explanatory style can be found also in a naturalistic narrative measure, and that depression affects the two major aspects of narrative. It is argued that life narratives, as measures close to everyday clinical practice and as the most encompassing form of self-representation, should complement more experimental procedures in the study of cognitive and communicative processes in psychopathology. Depression and Anxiety, 2008. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Pathogenesis, detection and treatment of Achilles tendon xanthomasEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION, Issue 4 2005S. G. Tsouli Abstract Tendon xanthomatosis often accompanies familial hypercholesterolaemia, but it can also occur in other pathologic states. Achilles tendons are the most common sites of tendon xanthomas. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) derived from the circulation accumulates into tendons. The next steps leading to the formation of Achilles tendon xanthomas (ATX) are the transformation of LDL into oxidized LDL (oxLDL) and the active uptake of oxLDL by macrophages within the tendons. Although physical examination may reveal Achilles tendon xanthomas (ATX), there are several imaging methods for their detection. It is worth mentioning that ultrasonography is the method of choice in everyday clinical practice. Although several treatments for Achilles tendon xanthomas (ATX) have been proposed (LDL apheresis, statins, etc.), they target mostly in the treatment of the basic metabolic disorder of lipid metabolism, which is the main cause of these lesions. In this review we describe the formation, detection, differential diagnosis and treatment of ATX as well as the relationship between tendon xanthomas and atheroma. [source] EFNS guidelines on the use of neuroimaging in the management of multiple sclerosisEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY, Issue 4 2006M. Filippi Magnetic resonance (MR)-based techniques are widely used for the assessment of patients with suspected and definite multiple sclerosis (MS). However, despite the publication of several position papers, which attempted to define the utility of MR techniques in the management of MS, their application in everyday clinical practice is still suboptimal. This is probably related, not only, to the fact that the majority of published guidelines focused on the optimization of MR technology in clinical trials, but also to the continuing development of modern, quantitative MR-based techniques, that have not as yet entered the clinical arena. The present report summarizes the conclusions of the ,EFNS Expert Panel of Neuroimaging of MS' on the application of conventional and non-conventional MR techniques to the clinical management of patients with MS. These guidelines are intended to assist in the use of conventional MRI for the diagnosis and longitudinal monitoring of patients with MS. In addition, they should provide a foundation for the development of more widespread but rational clinical applications of non-conventional MR-based techniques in studies of MS patients. [source] Effectiveness of hepatitis C treatment with pegylated interferon and ribavirin in urban minority patients,HEPATOLOGY, Issue 4 2010Paul Feuerstadt Randomized controlled trials of hepatitis C virus (HCV) therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin have demonstrated sustained viral response rates (SVRs) of 54%-63% (efficacy). Treatment results in clinical practice (effectiveness) may not be equivalent. The goal of this study was to assess the effectiveness of HCV treatment with pegylated interferon and ribavirin in a treatment-naïve, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-negative, United States urban population with many ethnic minority patients. We evaluated 2,370 outpatients for HCV therapy from 2001 to 2006 in the Faculty Practice of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine or the attending-supervised Montefiore Medical Center Liver Clinic. Care was supervised by one experienced physician under conditions of everyday clinical practice, and appropriate ancillary resources were made available to all patients. Two hundred fifty-five patients were treated with a mean age of 50 years (60% male, 40% female; 58% Hispanic, 20% African American, 9% Caucasian, 13% other; 68% genotype 1, the remainder genotypes 2 or 3). Patients had at least one liver biopsy. Intention-to-treat analysis (ITT) showed SVR in 14% of genotype 1 patients and 37% in genotype 2/3 patients (P < 0.001). SVR was significantly higher in faculty practice (27%) than in clinic patients (15%) by intention-to-treat (P = 0.01) but not per-protocol analysis (46% faculty practice, 34% clinic). 3.3% of 1,656 treatment-naïve, HIV antibody,negative individuals ultimately achieved SVR. Current hepatitis C therapies may sometimes be unavailable to, inappropriate for, and ineffective in United States urban patients. Treatment with pegylated interferon and ribavirin was less effective in this population than is implied by multinational phase III controlled trials. New strategies are needed to care for such patients. (HEPATOLOGY 2010.) [source] How pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic principles pave the way for optimal basal insulin therapy in type 2 diabetesINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PRACTICE, Issue 10 2010S. Arnolds Summary This pedagogical review illustrates the differences between pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) measures, using insulin therapy as the primary example. The main conclusion is that PD parameters are of greater clinical significance for insulin therapy than PK parameters. The glucose-clamp technique, the optimal method for determining insulin PD, is explained so that the reader can understand the important studies in the literature. Key glucose-clamp studies that compare two basal insulin analogues , insulin glargine and insulin detemir , to Neutral Protamine Hagedorn insulin and to each other are then presented. The review further explains how PD parameters have been translated into useful clinical concepts and simple titration algorithms for everyday clinical practice. Finally, the necessity of overcoming patient and/or physician barriers to insulin therapy and providing continuing education and training is emphasised. [source] Prevalence and cognitive impact of cerebrovascular findings in Alzheimer's disease: a retrospective, naturalistic studyINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PRACTICE, Issue 2 2009N. Tabet Summary Aims:, Cerebrovascular disease (CVD) is a major risk factor for cognitive decline associated with progression to Alzheimer's disease (AD) and dementia. The objective of this study was to retrospectively assess the prevalence of CVD and its cognitive impact in patients with AD in everyday clinical practice. Methods:, Medical notes were retrospectively reviewed for all individuals who presented at East Sussex Memory Clinic (2004,2008) for investigation of cognitive impairment and had brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as part of their clinical work-up. Global cognitive status was assessed with Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Cambridge Cognitive Examination. The extent of cerebrovascular abnormalities was qualitatively evaluated with MRI. Results:, Notes were reviewed for 232 patients (109 males, 123 females), mean age 76 years (range 62,93), who underwent MRI. Of these, 167 (72%) patients were diagnosed with AD. CVD was present in 89% of AD patients and 47% of patients had moderate to severe cerebrovascular abnormalities. The majority of patients (57%) had MMSE scores in the 21,26 range, indicative of mild AD. There was a trend towards worse cognitive status in patients with more severe CVD, which did not reach significance. Hachinski Ischaemic score indicated these patients did not have vascular dementia (VaD) (mean ± standard deviation 1.1 ± 1.3). Conclusion:, These findings, based on qualitative MRI, indicate that cerebrovascular pathology is a very common associated feature in patients with mild to moderate AD, without VaD. Although the study suggests that CVD does not contribute to cognitive decline, and is not associated with the development of VaD, a non-significant trend was observed towards worsening cognitive status with increasing severity of CVD. The finding of this trend suggests a need for additional research, especially a prospective quantitative method of assessing CVD, to improve our understanding of how CVD contributes to cognitive impairment in AD. [source] Near misses: Paradoxical realities in everyday clinical practiceINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF NURSING PRACTICE, Issue 6 2008Lianne Jeffs RN PhD (c) This qualitative study was conducted to define and describe what constitutes and contributes to near miss occurrences in the health-care system and what is needed to ensure safer processes of care. Nine health-care organizations (13 sites total) including six academic health sciences centres (acute care, mental health and geriatric) and three community hospitals participated in this study. The final sample consisted of 37 focus groups (86 in the nursing staff only; 62 in the pharmacy staff only; and 99 in the mixed nursing and pharmacy focus groups respectively) and 120 interviews involving 144 health-care consumers. Data were collected using focus groups (health-care professionals) and key informant interviews (health-care consumers). A multi-level content analyses schema (transcription, coding, categorizing, internal consistency, thematic analysis and community validation) was used. Six themes emerged from the multi-level content analyses that combined focus group (health-care professionals) and key informant interview (health-care consumers) data. These themes are discussed under the three original research questions with supporting data derived from codes and categories. Study findings implicate changes for the health-care landscape relative to system, health policy, professional development and quality improvement. [source] Evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for bladder cancer (Summary , JUA 2009 Edition)INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF UROLOGY, Issue 2 2010The Committee for Establishment of the Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Bladder Cancer, the Japanese Urological Association Abstract In Japan, until now, the treatment of bladder cancer has been based on guidelines from overseas. The problem with this practice is that the options recommended in overseas guidelines are not necessarily suitable for Japanese clinical practice. A relatively large number of clinical trials have been conducted in Japan in the field of bladder cancer, and the Japanese Urological Association (JUA) considered it appropriate to formulate their own guidelines. These Guidelines present an overview of bladder cancer at each clinical stage, followed by clinical questions that address problems frequently faced in everyday clinical practice. In this English translation of a shortened version of the original Guidelines, we have abridged each overview, summarized each clinical question and its answer, and only included the references we considered of particular importance. [source] Blending Incremental and Stratified Layering Techniques to Produce an Esthetic Posterior Composite Resin Restoration with a Predictable PrognosisJOURNAL OF ESTHETIC AND RESTORATIVE DENTISTRY, Issue 2 2001DAVID KLAFF BDS ABSTRACT Composite resin restorations play an ever-increasing role as routine restorations in everyday clinical practice. However, the long-term prognosis of these restorations is still widely debated and open to question. The restorative protocols are still evolving, whether for direct or indirect placement, and little evidence is available in the scientific literature as to the ideal choice of site, technique, and category for placement. This article discusses the problems encountered and suggests a clinical restorative protocol to optimize composite resin placement. [source] Viral loads of herpes simplex virus in clinical samples,A 5-year retrospective analysis,JOURNAL OF MEDICAL VIROLOGY, Issue 11 2010Julian W. Tang Abstract Viral loads of herpes simplex virus (HSV) are not monitored usually for the effective clinical management of HSV-related diseases. However, recently, there has been more interest about the typical HSV levels in clinical specimens, and how such data may improve understanding of the behavior of this virus in such clinical presentations, particularly in immunocompromised patients, where more prolonged therapy using higher doses of antiviral drugs may be required. Using an in-house quantitative HSV-1/HSV-2 polymerase chain reaction assay, an observational, retrospective 5-year analysis of diagnostic, quantitative HSV-1 and HSV-2 DNA levels was conducted. The results (all in median log10 DNA copies/ml), including perhaps the first quantitative comparison of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) HSV viral loads, were as follows: CSF: HSV-1, 3.40 (range 2.30,8.98) versus HSV-2, 3.60 (range 2.31,6.86) (P,=,0.559); plasma: HSV-1, 3.20 (range 2.23,5.51) versus HSV-2, 3.20 (range 3.18,3.41) (P,=,0.905); genital swabs: HSV-1, 6.79 (range 2.28,8.48) versus HSV-2, 6.97 (range 3.40,9.66) (P,=,0.810); oral swabs: HSV-1, 7.28 (range 2.46,10.04) versus HSV-2, 5.62 (range 4.60,6.63) (P,=,0.529). Note that with the samples usually collected for HSV testing (i.e., CSF, plasma, oral, and genital swabs) there was no significant difference in the viral loads between HSV-1 and HSV-2 types, nor between immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients for each of these different HSV types. Indeed, even between immunocompromised patients with similar diseases, for these samples, the HSV loads were found to vary considerably. These findings may therefore limit the usefulness of monitoring HSV loads in everyday clinical practice. J. Med. Virol. 82:1911,1916, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Understanding the essential elements of work-based learning and its relevance to everyday clinical practiceJOURNAL OF NURSING MANAGEMENT, Issue 6 2010BSc (Hons) Nurse Practitioner, CAROLINE WILLIAMS RN, Dip N, MSc (Nursing), PGCE (FE), PGCert (Facilitation & life-long learning) williams c. (2010) Journal of Nursing Management 18, 624,632 Understanding the essential elements of work-based learning and its relevance to everyday clinical practice Aim, To critically review the work-based learning literature and explore the implications of the findings for the development of work-based learning programmes. Background, With NHS budgets under increasing pressure, and challenges to the impact of classroom-based learning on patient outcomes, work-based learning is likely to come under increased scrutiny as a potential solution. Evidence from higher education institutions suggests that work-based learning can improve practice, but in many cases it is perceived as little more than on-the-job training to perform tasks. Evaluation, The CINAHL database was searched using the keywords work-based learning, work-place learning and practice-based learning. Those articles that had a focus on post-registration nursing were selected and critically reviewed. Key issues, Using the review of the literature, three key issues were explored. Work-based learning has the potential to change practice. Learning how to learn and critical reflection are key features. For effective work-based learning nurses need to take control of their own learning, receive support to critically reflect on their practice and be empowered to make changes to that practice. Conclusions, A critical review of the literature has identified essential considerations for the implementation of work-based learning. A change in culture from classroom to work-based learning requires careful planning and consideration of learning cultures. Implications for nursing management, To enable effective work-based learning, nurse managers need to develop a learning culture in their workplace. They should ensure that skilled facilitation is provided to support staff with critical reflection and effecting changes in practice. Contribution to New Knowledge, This paper has identified three key issues that need to be considered in the development of work-based learning programmes. [source] Allergic rhinitis and its impact on otorhinolaryngologyALLERGY, Issue 6 2006P. W. Hellings Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a disease with growing impact on everyday medical practice, as its prevalence has steadily increased during the last decades. Immunoglobulin-E (IgE)-mediated airway inflammation may manifest itself as AR, asthma or both. Allergic inflammation in upper and lower airways is now considered as one airway disease, with manifestation of symptoms in upper, lower or global airway. This insight into allergic inflammation of the whole respiratory tract has consequences for the diagnostic and therapeutic approach of affected patients, as highlighted in the ARIA document. In contrast to asthma, the link between AR and associated conditions in the upper airways like rhinosinusitis, nasal polyps, recurrent viral infections, adenoid hypertrophy, tubal dysfunction, otitis media with effusion and laryngitis remains less explored. It is however of utmost importance to consider the aetiological role of IgE-mediated inflammation of the nasal mucosa in several diseases of the upper respiratory tract, as they represent a large body of patient population seen by the general practitioner as well as the paediatrician, allergologist and otorhinolaryngologist. We here aim at reviewing the current literature on the relationship between AR and conditions in upper airways frequently encountered in everyday clinical practice, and highlight the need for further studies exploring the role of allergic inflammation in the development of these diseases. [source] Current and future use of the mannitol bronchial challenge in everyday clinical practiceTHE CLINICAL RESPIRATORY JOURNAL, Issue 4 2009Celeste Porsbjerg Abstract Objectives:, Asthma is a disease associated with inflammation, airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) and airflow limitation. Clinical diagnosis and management of asthma often relies on assessment of lung function and symptom control, but these factors do not always correlate well with underlying inflammation. Bronchial challenge tests (BCTs) assess AHR, and can be used to assist in the diagnosis and management of asthma. Data Source:, Data presented at the symposium ,Use of inhaled mannitol for assessing airways disease' organised by the Allied Respiratory Professionals Assembly (9) of the European Respiratory Society (ERS) at the ERS Congress, Berlin 2008. Results:, Indirect challenge tests such as exercise testing, hypertonic saline or adenosine 5,-monophosphate (AMP) are more specific though less sensitive than direct challenge tests (such as methacholine) for identifying patients with active asthma. Indirect BCTs may be used to diagnose exercise-induced bronchoconstriction or AHR consistent with active asthma, to evaluate AHR that will respond to treatment with anti-inflammatory drugs and to determine the effectiveness and optimal dosing of such therapy. An ideal indirect challenge test should be standardised and reproducible, and the test result should correlate with the degree of airway inflammation. The mannitol BCT provides a standardised and rapid point-of-need test to identify currently active asthma, and is clinically useful in the identification of patients with asthma who are likely to benefit from inhaled corticosteroid therapy. Conclusion:, In the future, mannitol BCT may be added to lung function and symptom assessment to aid in the everyday management of asthma. Please cite this paper as: Porsbjerg C, Backer V, Joos G, Kerstjens HAM and Rodriguez-Roisin R. Current and future use of the mannitol bronchial challenge in everyday clinical practice. The Clinical Respiratory Journal 2009; 3: 189,197. [source] Statin treatment after a recent TIA or stroke: is effectiveness shown in randomized clinical trials also observed in everyday clinical practice?ACTA NEUROLOGICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 1 2010H. F. Lingsma Lingsma HF, Steyerberg EW, Scholte op Reimer WJM, van Domburg R, Dippel DWJ, the Netherlands Stroke Survey Investigators. Statin treatment after a recent TIA or stroke: is effectiveness shown in randomized clinical trials also observed in everyday clinical practice? Acta Neurol Scand: 2010: 122: 15,20. © 2009 The Authors Journal compilation © 2009 Blackwell Munksgaard. Aim and background,,, The benefit of statin treatment in patients with a previous ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) has been demonstrated in randomized clinical trials (RCT). However, the effectiveness in everyday clinical practice may be decreased because of a different patient population and less controlled setting. We aim to describe statin use in an unselected cohort of patients, identify factors related to statin use and test whether the effect of statins on recurrent vascular events and mortality observed in RCTs is also observed in everyday clinical practice. Methods,,, In 10 centers in the Netherlands, patients admitted to the hospital or visiting the outpatient clinic with a recent TIA or ischemic stroke were prospectively and consecutively enrolled between October 2002 and May 2003. Statin use was determined at discharge and during follow-up. We used logistic regression models to estimate the effect of statins on the occurrence of vascular events (stroke or myocardial infarction) and mortality within 3 years. We adjusted for confounders with a propensity score that relates patient characteristics to the probability of using statins. Results,,, Of the 751 patients in the study, 252 (34%) experienced a vascular event within 3 years. Age, elevated cholesterol levels and other cardiovascular risk factors were associated with statin use at discharge. After 3 years, 109 of 280 (39%) of the users at discharge had stopped using statins. Propensity score adjusted analyses showed a beneficial effect of statins on the occurrence of the primary outcome (odds ratio 0.8, 95% CI: 0.6,1.2). Conclusion,,, In our study, we found poor treatment adherence to statins. Nevertheless, after adjustment for the differences between statin users and non-statin users, the observed beneficial effect of statins on the occurrence of vascular events within 3 years, although not statistically significant, is compatible with the effect observed in clinical trials. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||