Low Mortality Rate (low + mortality_rate)

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Distribution within Medical Sciences


Selected Abstracts


Covariate Adjustment and Ranking Methods to Identify Regions with High and Low Mortality Rates

BIOMETRICS, Issue 2 2010
Huilin Li
Summary Identifying regions with the highest and lowest mortality rates and producing the corresponding color-coded maps help epidemiologists identify promising areas for analytic etiological studies. Based on a two-stage Poisson,Gamma model with covariates, we use information on known risk factors, such as smoking prevalence, to adjust mortality rates and reveal residual variation in relative risks that may reflect previously masked etiological associations. In addition to covariate adjustment, we study rankings based on standardized mortality ratios (SMRs), empirical Bayes (EB) estimates, and a posterior percentile ranking (PPR) method and indicate circumstances that warrant the more complex procedures in order to obtain a high probability of correctly classifying the regions with the upper,100,%,and lower,100,%,of relative risks for,,= 0.05, 0.1, and 0.2. We also give analytic approximations to the probabilities of correctly classifying regions in the upper,100,%,of relative risks for these three ranking methods. Using data on mortality from heart disease, we found that adjustment for smoking prevalence has an important impact on which regions are classified as high and low risk. With such a common disease, all three ranking methods performed comparably. However, for diseases with smaller event counts, such as cancers, and wide variation in event counts among regions, EB and PPR methods outperform ranking based on SMRs. [source]


Systematic review of cholecystostomy as a treatment option in acute cholecystitis

HPB, Issue 3 2009
Anders Winbladh
Abstract Objectives:, Percutaneous cholecystostomy (PC) is an established low-mortality treatment option for elderly and critically ill patients with acute cholecystitis. The primary aim of this review is to find out if there is any evidence in the literature to recommend PC rather than cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis in the elderly population. Methods:, In April 2007, a systematic electronic database search was performed on the subject of PC and cholecystectomy in the elderly population. After exclusions, 53 studies remained, comprising 1918 patients. Three papers described randomized controlled trials (RCTs), but none compared the outcomes of PC and cholecystectomy. A total of 19 papers on mortality after cholecystectomy in patients aged >65 years were identified. Results:, Successful intervention was seen in 85.6% of patients with acute cholecystitis. A total of 40% of patients treated with PC were later cholecystectomized, with a mortality rate of 1.96%. Procedure mortality was 0.36%, but 30-day mortality rates were 15.4 % in patients treated with PC and 4.5% in those treated with acute cholecystectomy (P < 0.001). Conclusions:, There are no controlled studies evaluating the outcome of PC vs. cholecystectomy and the papers reviewed are of evidence grade C. It is not possible to make definitive recommendations regarding treatment by PC or cholecystectomy in elderly or critically ill patients with acute cholecystitis. Low mortality rates after cholecystectomy in elderly patients with acute cholecystitis have been reported in recent years and therefore we believe it is time to launch an RCT to address this issue. [source]


DEMOGRAPHIC SHIFT AND PROJECTED LABOUR SHORTAGE IN CHINA

ECONOMIC PAPERS: A JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECONOMICS AND POLICY, Issue 3 2007
INGRID NIELSEN
As a result of China's family planning policy of ,raising population quality and controlling population size' initiated in the late 1970s, China has accomplished a population transition from high birth rate, low mortality rate and high population growth to low birth rate, low mortality rate and low population growth within a remarkably short timeframe. Along with this population transition, however, comes a shift in population age structure, with a rapid increase in the proportion of elderly people. This paper explores the implications of China's demographic shift for labour supply and suggests policy changes to target an emerging labour shortage. [source]


Preemptive treatment of fungal infection: has its time arrived in liver transplantation?

LIVER TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 3 2008
James D. Perkins M.D. Special Editor
Background Invasive fungal infection remains a major challenge in liver transplantation and the mortality rate is high. Early diagnosis and treatment are required for better results. Patients We prospectively measured plasma (1 , 3),-d glucan (BDG) levels in 180 living donor liver transplant recipients for 1 year after surgery. Fungal infection was defined as proposed by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer/Mycoses Study Group. Preemptive treatment (intravenous fluconazole and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole) was started when the BDG level was greater than 40 pg/ml. Results Twenty-four patients (13%) were diagnosed with invasive fungal infection. The responsible pathogens included Candida spp. in 14 cases, Aspergillus fumigatus in 5, Cryptococcus neoformans in 3, and Pneumocystis jiroveci in 2. Preemptive treatment was performed in 22% of patients (n = 40). Renal impairment and mild gastrointestinal intolerance due to the drugs were observed in 28% (11/40) of patients during treatment. Among them 14 patients were diagnosed with fungal infection including seven candidiasis, five aspergillosis, and two Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia. The sensitivity and specificity of BDG for overall fungal infection was 58% and 83%, respectively, with a positive predictive value of 35% and a negative predictive value of 93%, and a positive likelihood ratio of 3.41 and a negative likelihood ratio of 1.98. The overall mortality for fungal infection in our series was 0.6%. Conclusion Although the sensitivity and positive predictive value were low, the low mortality rate after fungal infection and the mild side effects of the preemptive treatment might justify our therapeutic strategy. Based on the effectiveness, this strategy warrants further investigation. [source]


Mortality in pediatric renal transplantation: A study of the French pediatric kidney database

PEDIATRIC TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 6 2009
E. Allain-Launay
Abstract:, Objective and Methods:, To assess patient survival in pediatric renal transplantation, we retrospectively reviewed 573 transplants in 553 patients, registered from 1995 to 2005. Results:, Mean age at transplantation was 9.9 years. Patient survival at 1, 5 and 10 years was respectively 99%, 97% and 96%. Death occurred at a median time of 2.6 years after transplantation. Long-term patient survival was significantly lower in recipients younger than 5 years old. Seventeen patients (3.1%) died. Two deaths occurred while under maintenance dialysis. Among the remaining patients, the two main causes of death were infections (33%) and malignancies (27%). Interestingly, initial disease-related complications were a major cause of death (34%). Conclusion:, A low mortality rate was observed, with the majority of deaths due to malignancies and infections, and with a notable participation of complications related to the initial disease. No impact of cardiovascular disease was noted with the given follow-up period. Improvements in managing immunosuppression may contribute to reducing mortality in pediatric renal transplantation. [source]


Improving operative safety for cirrhotic liver resection

BRITISH JOURNAL OF SURGERY (NOW INCLUDES EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SURGERY), Issue 2 2001
Dr C.-C.
Background: Liver resection in a patient with cirrhosis carries increased risk. The purposes of this study were to review the results of cirrhotic liver resection in the past decade and to propose safe strategies for cirrhotic liver resection. Methods: Based on the date of operation, 359 cirrhotic liver resections in 329 patients were divided into two intervals: period 1, from September 1989 to December 1994, and period 2, from January 1995 to December 1999. The patient backgrounds, operative procedures and early postoperative results were compared between the two periods. The factors that influenced surgical morbidity were analysed. Results: In period 2, patient age was higher and the amounts of blood loss and blood transfused were lower. Although postoperative morbidity rates were similar, blood transfusion requirement, postoperative hospital stay and mortality rate were significantly reduced in period 2. No death occurred in 154 consecutive cirrhotic liver resections in the last 38 months of the study. Prothrombin activity and operative time were independent factors that influenced postoperative morbidity. Conclusion: With improving perioperative assessment and operative techniques, most complications after cirrhotic liver resection can be treated with a low mortality rate. However, more care should be taken if prothrombin activity is low or there is a long operating time. © 2001 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd [source]


Brain abscess in children , epidemiology, predisposing factors and management in the modern medicine era

ACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 8 2010
Y Shachor-Meyouhas
Abstract Aims:, Brain abscess is rare in children. Predisposing factors are found in almost 85% of cases. Overall, 25% of brain abscesses develop in children, mostly in the 4,7 years age group. Our study aimed to characterize children with brain abscesses treated in our hospital, identify risk factors, pathogens and short-term outcome. Methods:, A retrospective cohort of 20 years period, (1989,2009) included 27children (0,18 years). Medical records were analysed for age, gender, presenting symptoms and signs, predisposing factors, laboratory tests, imaging, microbiology results, treatment and outcome. Results:, Of all the children, 63% (17/27) were male patients; mean age was 7.9 years and 52% were referred from other hospitals. Predisposing factors were identified in 81%, congenital heart disease and otitis were rare and sinusitis was found in 22% of the children. Main symptoms and signs included headaches, fever, neurological signs convulsions, (41%, 81%, 78% and 41% respectively). In 30% of cases, cultures were sterile. All patients were operated in addition to antibiotic treatment. Outcome was good with low mortality rate (3.7%). Conclusions:, Manifestations of brain abscess may be subtle. A high index of suspicion and early imaging are warranted, different predisposing factors may reflect early intervention for congenital heart diseases. Mortality is rare in the modern medicine era. [source]