Total Experience (total + experience)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Pregnancy outcome in Type 1 diabetes mellitus treated with insulin lispro (Humalog)

DIABETIC MEDICINE, Issue 1 2003
E. A. Masson
Abstract Aims The use of insulin lispro in pregnancy has not been systematically investigated despite its increasing use. Pooled data from seven centres with experience in the use of insulin lispro were accumulated to evaluate pregnancy outcome in women with Type 1 diabetes. Methods Seven units with specialist obstetric diabetes services were recruited to describe their total experience with insulin lispro in pregnancy. Outcomes with respect to the rate of miscarriage, congenital abnormality, perinatal mortality and maternal parameters were recorded in a standardized format. Results Outcomes on 71 babies from 76 pregnancies were documented. There were six (7.8%) early miscarriages. All 71 babies were liveborn with a mean gestational age of 37.2 weeks, and median birthweight of 3230 g. Seven babies weighed > 4 kg. There were four congenital abnormalities (5.6%). There was a 72% increase in the mean insulin dose (0.75,1.29 IU/kg per day). Maternal glycaemic control improved throughout pregnancy. No women developed retinopathy de novo during pregnancy and six with established retinopathy required laser therapy during pregnancy. Conclusions The use of insulin lispro in Type 1 diabetes during pregnancy results in outcomes comparable to other large studies of diabetic pregnancy. [source]


Single-center experience with mycophenolate mofetil in pediatric renal transplant recipients

PEDIATRIC TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 4 2001
Mumtaz Virji
Abstract: Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), a potent and specific inhibitor of guanosine nucleotide synthesis, is a new immunosuppressive drug used to prevent rejection in transplant patients. Extensive data on its utility and efficacy exists in adult patients but there is limited experience in pediatrics. Twenty-four children (14 male, 10 female; 2,19 yr of age), eight of whom had received living-related donor (LRD) transplants and 16 of whom had received cadaveric donor (CD) transplants, have been treated with MMF in our institution since September 1996. MMF was administered for a duration ranging from 13 weeks to 38 months, at an average dose of 600 mg/m2 (range: 200,1,000 mg/dose) every 12 h, for a total experience of 304 patient months. MMF capsules were used in 16 patients and/or pediatric suspension in eight. Five patients were switched to MMF from azathioprine as a result of rejection episodes or inability to taper prednisone, between 5 weeks and 3.5 yr post-transplant. All patients received prednisone, cyclosporin A (CsA), and induction therapy with anti-lymphocyte globulin (19 patients), anti-thymocyte globulin (one patient) or daclizumab (four patients). In 12 patients started on MMF at the time of CD transplant, five (42%) had an acute rejection episode. In seven who received a LRD transplant, one (14%) had an acute rejection episode. No patients who were converted to MMF were treated for acute rejection following conversion to MMF. One LRD graft was lost at 19 days following injury to the donor artery at the time of retrieval. At the last follow-up, the average creatinine level was 93 µmol/L and average urea level was 8.6 mmol/L. One patient developed epigastric distress. Three patients developed diarrhea/abdominal pain requiring dose adjustment. Five episodes of leukopenia and one episode of thrombocytopenia required dose adjustment. Two patients developed symptomatic cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection, one while on acyclovir prophylaxis. No malignancy has been encountered to date. Hence, MMF can be administered safely to children with good effect and with an acceptable side-effect profile. [source]


Sensory and affective dimensions of advanced cancer pain

PSYCHO-ONCOLOGY, Issue 1 2002
Rami A. Sela
The present study was designed to explore the extent to which advanced cancer pain is explicable in terms of both physical pain intensity and affect. Most notably, it expanded on previous findings by more clearly elucidating the relationship between several discrete emotional states and the total experience of cancer pain. One hundred and eleven patients with cancer pain attending a Pain and Symptom Control Clinic were studied. Visual Analogue Scales (VASs) were used to quantify overall pain intensity and the accompanying affect. Then, correlations were calculated to evaluate the relationships both between and within these two variables. Overall, the participants rated both the pain intensity and the negative affect associated with that pain as high. Of the examined affective components of pain, frustration and exhaustion were found to be the most significant. In addition, some gender differences were identified in terms of frustration, anger, fear, exhaustion, helplessness, and hopelessness. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Conscious or deep sedation: a questionnaire regarding the experience of parents, children and staff during small bowel biopsy

ACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 6 2003
J Skoglösa
Aim: The paediatric clinics of Linköping and Norrköping, Sweden, have different procedures regarding premedication and sedation during small bowel biopsy in children with suspected or diagnosed coeliac disease. In Linköping deep sedation using intravenous propofol is the method of sedation being used and parents are not present during the biopsy procedure. In Norrköping conscious sedation using intravenous midazolam is the routine and parents stay with their child throughout the whole biopsy procedure. The aim of this study was to find out whether the preprocedural and procedural differences between the clinics affected the way in which the parents and children experienced the time before and during the biopsy procedure. Methods: A questionnaire was used to ask the parents of 102 children who had undergone small bowel capsule biopsy for their opinion regarding the discomfort experienced by their children. The parents'and children's experience was also compared with that of the paediatric nurse caring for the family during the biopsy procedure, and the paediatric gastroenterologist performing the biopsy. Results: The differences regarding premedication and sedation between the two groups did not seem to affect the parents'or the children's total experience of the biopsy procedure, nor did the presence or absence of the parents throughout the biopsy procedure. As regards the sedation given, 95% of the parents did not think that their children suffered any discomfort at all. The total experience of the biopsy procedure on a five-grade scale (5 being very good, 1 being very bad) was 5 for the parents and 4 for the children in both centres. Parents and children in both centres were very satisfied with the way in which they were taken care of during their visit to the hospital. In both units there was an obvious correlation between how the paediatric nurse experienced the biopsy procedure and how the paediatric gastroenterologist did, but only a weak correlation between the experience of the parents and that of the paediatric gastroenterologist and paediatric nurse. The anxiety of the parents was similarly estimated by the paediatric gastroenterologist and the paediatric nurse in both centres. There was no correlation between their assessment and the experience reported by the parents. Conclusion: The children undergoing small bowel biopsy and their parents felt well taken care of during their visit to the two hospitals. The differences between the clinics regarding method of sedation and presence or absence of the parents did not seem to affect how the parents and children experienced the biopsy procedure. [source]