Accuracy and reliability of the clinical indicators related to hip fractures.

In order to assess the accuracy of the clinical indicators for hip fracture outcomes, we compared the hip fracture outcomes of in-hospital mortality and length of hospital stay as determined by the hospital coded records with that of a prospectively recorded separate hip fracture database over a 5-year period. There was excellent correlation between the two databases with in-hospital mortality figures of 78/1264 versus 79/1299 patients, a difference of 0.1%.

Indirect measurements of sweat electrolyte concentration in the laboratory diagnosis of cystic fibrosis.

Aim: To investigate whether analytical methods based on the colligative physical chemical properties of ions or solutes in sweat are less effective than the specific measurement of electrolytes in the diagnosis of cystic fibrosis (CF).

Methods: A single sweat sample was collected (Macroduct) from each of 211 infants and children, of whom 57 had CF, for the measurement of sodium, chloride, osmolality, and conductivity.

Results: The ranges within which CF and non-CF individual values overlapped (equivocal ranges), were wider for sodium and osmolality measurement than for chloride or conductivity.

Fractures of the hip: does the type of fall really affect the site of fracture?

The purpose of this study was to test accepted theories relating the characteristics of a fall to the anatomical site of hip fracture in the elderly. Twisting injuries are said to result in intracapsular fractures and falls directly onto the side are said to result in extracapsular fractures. 618 consecutive patients with a hip fracture were studied prospectively by being questioned with regard to the nature of their fall.