Comparison of energy and protein intakes of older people consuming a texture modified diet with a normal hospital diet.

Background: There are very few studies looking at the energy and protein requirements of patients requiring texture modified diets. Dysphagia is the main indication for people to be recommended texture-modified diets. Older people post-stroke are the key group in the hospital setting who consume this type of diet.

Endoanal magnetic resonance imaging of fistula-in-ano: a comparison of STIR with gadolinium-enhanced techniques.

Purpose: To compare a STIR sequence with gadolinium-enhanced techniques on endoanal magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of fistulas-in-ano by correlating the findings with those at surgery.

Material And Methods: Twenty-two consecutive patients with clinical suspicion of perianal sepsis were studied using an endoanal coil followed immediately by a phased array coil. T1-weighted precontrast and postcontrast and STIR images in transverse and coronal planes were produced with each coil and analysed by noting the presence and site of a collection, primary track, the position of any internal opening, and subcutaneous or supralevator extension.

Foot care education in renal patients with diabetes.

Foot complications are said to be the primary cause of hospitalization for patients with diabetes, resulting in enormous personal and financial costs. It is reported that end-stage renal disease (ESRD) diabetic patients with peripheral vascular disease have a much higher incidence of foot complications and increased risk for amputation. However, despite the serious financial burden caused by diabetic foot ulcers and their complications, the importance of diabetic foot care is still not fully recognised or supported.

Variability of detrusor overactivity on repeated filling cystometry in men with urge symptoms: comparison with spinal cord injury patients.

Objective: To investigate the variation in urodynamic variables during repeated filling cystometry and the impact that the variability had on the observed incidence of detrusor overactivity, to evaluate the correlation of detrusor overactivity with the symptoms of urge in men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), and to compare the variability of detrusor overactivity in men with LUTS to that in men with spinal cord injury (SCI).

Patients And Methods: Sixty men with LUTS and 35 with neurogenic bladders after SCI were assessed. Investigations included the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), Madsen-Iversen Symptom Score (MSS), uroflowmetry, filling cystometry and pressure-flow, in three successive studies.

Studies of the human oropharyngeal airspaces using magnetic resonance imaging. II. The use of three-dimensional gated MRI to determine the influence of mouthpiece diameter and resistance of inhalation devices on the oropharyngeal airspace geometry.

The anatomical geometry of the upper airways of 20 volunteers has been studied using three-dimensional (3D)inhalation-gated magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)for four separate dummy inhalation devices of varying diameters and resistances. The only anatomical parameters showing a consistent dependence upon device characteristics were the total airway and buccal volumes between large and small mouthpieces and the distance from the back of the teeth to the first solid obstacle encountered. Individual subjects showed varied device dependent changes: 45% having an increase in regional airway volumes, particularly in the nasopharynx (+46% volume increase)and laryngo-pharynx (+36% volume increase)for the high-resistance devices compared with the low-resistance ones.

Standards for gene therapy clinical trials based on pro-active risk assessment in a London NHS Teaching Hospital Trust.

Conducting gene therapy clinical trials with genetically modified organisms as the vectors presents unique safety and infection control issues. The area is governed by a range of legislation and guidelines, some unique to this field, as well as those pertinent to any area of clinical work. The relevant regulations covering gene therapy using genetically modified vectors are reviewed and illustrated with the approach taken by a large teaching hospital NHS Trust.

Positron emission tomography in cancer of the head and neck.

The use of positron emission tomography (PET) has increased in oncology and in the assessment of head and neck tumours, where it is most useful for recurrent disease. It has good sensitivity and specificity for diagnosis and staging but is generally not necessary except in difficult cases. Quantitative measures of uptake on PET at diagnosis and after treatment do seem to have prognostic value independent of other information about the tumour and so PET may influence management.

Transdermal estradiol improves bone density when used as single agent therapy for prostate cancer.

Purpose: Current androgen deprivation therapies for men with prostate cancer cause accelerated osteoporosis and a significant risk of osteoporotic fracture. We have recently shown that transdermal estradiol is an effective alternative for such patients. Here we report the impact of transdermal estradiol therapy on the bone mineral density of men with prostate cancer.

Electron microscopy of tissue adherent to explanted electrodes in dystonia and Parkinson's disease.

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is used to treat a variety of severe medically intractable movement disorders, including Parkinson's disease, tremor and dystonia. There have been few studies examining the effect of chronic DBS on the brains of Parkinson's disease patients. Most of these post mortem studies concluded that chronic DBS caused mild gliosis around the lead track and did not damage brain tissue.

Organising an awareness week to target hand hygiene practice.

When an audit of hand hygiene practice in an NHS trust revealed room for improvement, a strategy was developed to address the issue. An awareness week has been organised to launch the strategy and to take the message about the importance of hand hygiene to all hospital staff, patients and visitors in innovative and engaging ways. This article reports on the organisation of the awareness week.

Pre-operative information and patient-controlled analgesia: much ado about nothing.

We examined whether pre-operative information benefited patients receiving patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) after major surgery. We investigated whether patients felt better informed about PCA and also whether pre-operative information altered the use of PCA, the adequacy of pain relief, worries about addiction and safety, and knowledge of side-effects. We investigated the effectiveness of information provided in two ways, namely by a patient-determined leaflet or an interview by a trained nurse from the pain team, compared with routine pre-operative information.

Clinical brain proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy for management of Alzheimer's and sub-cortical ischemic vascular dementia in older people.

This study examined the clinical usefulness of magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) performed using an automated single voxel technique at 1.0 T field strength in a district general hospital magnetic resonance (MR) scanner in the assessment of older people referred to a memory clinic with suspected dementia. Of 50 elderly subjects (M:F 20:30) examined and followed-up clinically over more than 2 years, 20 had clinical Alzheimer's disease (AD), 18 had clinical vascular dementia, six had mixed features and three were normal.

Does additional feeding support provided by health care assistants improve nutritional status and outcome in acutely ill older in-patients?--a randomised control trial.

Background & Aims: Malnutrition is common in the elderly and increases morbidity and mortality. Most attempts to reverse malnutrition have used liquid supplements, but the findings are inconsistent. This study tests a new approach using a randomised-controlled design.

Peritoneal dialysis catheter removal for acute peritonitis: a retrospective analysis of factors associated with catheter removal and prolonged postoperative hospitalization.

Background: Most patients with acute peritoneal dialysis (PD) peritonitis respond to antibiotic therapy, but a significant minority of patients require surgical catheter removal to eradicate the infection. These patients may experience an adverse postsurgical course.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 64 episodes of acute peritonitis requiring PD catheter removal in comparison to 426 episodes treated with antibiotics alone.

Physicians and foundation hospitals.

Foundation NHS Trusts will be constituted in the same way as Mutual Societies, and local people and patients will be invited to become subscribers. Subscribers will elect a board of governors who will appoint the non-executive directors of the Trusts. Foundation Trusts will be outside the performance management system, but will be subject to a regulator and to inspection.

How we do a bloodless partial splenectomy.

Partial splenectomy and Tru-cut biopsy are not routinely practiced because of the lack of vascular control to arrest bleeding. Using radiofrequency energy to coagulate the resection margin and biopsy tract, a 74-year-old woman with a tumor in the lower pole of the spleen underwent partial splenectomy and Tru-Cut biopsy of the spleen. Hemostasis was excellent.

A rapid protocol for the prevention of contrast-induced renal dysfunction: the RAPPID study.

Objectives: This study was designed to test a rapid protocol of intravenous acetylcysteine for prevention of radiocontrast-induced nephropathy (RCIN).

Background: Oral acetylcysteine (NAC) may provide better prophylaxis against RCIN than intravenous (i.v.