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Prospective Group (prospective + group)
Selected AbstractsEffect of caffeine on prospective and retrospective duration judgementsHUMAN PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY: CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL, Issue 5 2003Ronald P. Gruber Abstract The effects of caffeine on prospective and retrospective duration judgements were evaluated in a double-blind placebo-controlled experiment. After taking either 200,mg caffeine or a placebo, participants touched a 17-sided polygon for 15,s. Then they verbally estimated the number of angles and the duration. Participants in the prospective group were told in advance they would be making a duration estimate, whereas those in the retrospective group were not told. Caffeine reduced duration estimates in the prospective condition but not in the retrospective condition. The effect of caffeine on very long duration comparisons (the past year compared with a year at one-half and one-quarter of one's age) was also evaluated, but none was found. The findings do not support the hypothesis that caffeine affects duration experience by increasing the internal clock rate as a result of its dopamine D2 agonist properties. The hypothesis that caffeine produces its effect by enhancing memory was considered and rejected. The most parsimonious explanation is that caffeine increased arousal level, which led to a narrowing of the focus of attention to the most salient task. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Prevalence and clinical significance of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody in Graves' patients treated with propylthiouracilINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PRACTICE, Issue 2 2009M.Ozduman Cin Summary Development of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) during therapy with propylthiouracil (PTU) is not uncommon and PTU-induced ANCA-positive vasculitis is also reported. The aim of this study was to assess the presence and clinical significance of ANCA positivity in Graves' patients treated with PTU. Newly diagnosed Graves' disease patients (prospective group, n = 58) were evaluated before and during therapy with PTU to investigate the development of ANCA positivity. ANCA positivity is also investigated in previously diagnosed Graves' patients who had already been receiving PTU treatment (cross-sectional group, n = 51). Comparisons with Hashimoto thyroiditis (n = 55) and toxic nodular goitre (n = 20) patients, and healthy control subjects (n = 20) were carried out to define the possible influence of hyperthyroidism and/or thyroid autoimmunity on ANCA positivity. At baseline evaluation, ANCA was negative in all newly diagnosed Graves' patients. Only 28 of the 58 patients in prospective group completed 2 years of follow-up which occurred at 3-month intervals. ANCA positivity was detected 32.1% (n = 9) in a mean period of 11.7 ± 6.1 months in prospective group. Only two (3.9%) patients in a cross-sectional group had ANCA positivity in a mean treatment period of 7.6 ± 4.6 months. None of the patients with ANCA positivity developed symptoms and signs related to vasculitis. None of the patients with Hashimoto thyroiditis and toxic nodular goitre, and healthy control subjects had ANCA positivity. PTU therapy is associated with asymptomatic production of ANCA in a time-dependent manner, which mostly disappears after discontinuation of therapy. Hyperthyroidism or autoimmunity per se does not appear to have effect on development of ANCA positivity. [source] Efficiency of obliteration procedures in the surgical treatment of hydatid cyst of the liverANZ JOURNAL OF SURGERY, Issue 11 2004Yilmaz Akgun Background: Hydatid cyst of the liver (HCL) is a parasitic infestation caused by several species of Echinococcus and is endemic in many sheep-raising areas. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the value of clinical, physical and laboratory findings and to discuss the diagnostic and therapeutic options in 250 patients with HCL. Methods: Between January 1980 and December 1989, 148 patients with HCL were treated surgically, and surgical procedures performed were evaluated retrospectively. On the basis of these findings, a prospective study of 102 patients was initiated between January 1990 and December 1999. Results: External drainage was performed in retrospective and prospective groups, respectively, in 110 and five patients, obliteration procedures in 31 and 82 and resectional procedures in seven and 15. While mean hospitalization time morbidity, mortality and recurrence rates were 16.2 ± 6.9 days, 37.8%, 2.0% and 6.7% in the retrospective group, these rates were decreased to 7.8 ± 3.5 days, 10.7%, 0.9% and 1.9%, respectively, in the prospective group. Overall morbidity, mortality and recurrence rates and median hospitalization time were 49.5%, 2.6%, 9.5% and 18.0 ± 7.4 days in external drainage group, 7.0%, 0% 0.8% and 8.5 ± 4.5 in obliteration procedures and 9.0%, 4.5%, 0% and 7.3 ± 1.9 resectional procedures, respectively. Conclusions: External drainage should be performed only in infected HCL. Resection procedures are too radical and extensive for benign lesions. Obliteration procedures are simple and safe methods for the treatment of HCL, and they have low morbidity, mortality and recurrence rates. [source] The influence of an Enhanced Recovery Programme on clinical outcomes, costs and quality of life after surgery for colorectal cancerCOLORECTAL DISEASE, Issue 6 2006P. M. King Objective, Optimizing peri-operative care using an enhanced recovery programme improves short-term outcomes following colonic resection. This study compared a prospective group of patients undergoing resection of colorectal cancer within an enhanced recovery programme, with a prospectively studied historic cohort receiving conventional care. Patients and methods, Sixty patients underwent elective resection within an enhanced recovery programme (ERP). This incorporated pre-operative counselling, epidural analgesia, early feeding and mobilization. Clinical outcomes were compared with 86 prospectively studied historic control patients receiving conventional care (CC). All patients completed EORTC QLQ-C30, QLQ-CR38 and health economics questionnaires up to three months after surgery. Results, Baseline clinical data were similar in both groups. Postoperative hospital stay was significantly reduced in the ERP, with patients staying 49% as long as those in the CC group including convalescent hospital stay (95% CI 39% to 61%P < 0.001). There were no differences in the number of complications, readmissions or re-operations. There were no significant differences in quality of life or health economic outcomes. Conclusion, Patients undergoing colorectal resection within an ERP stay in hospital half as long as those receiving conventional care, with no increased morbidity, deterioration in quality of life or increased cost. [source] | ||||||||||