Percent Of Patients Research Articles

Radiographic and clinical responses to periodontal therapy.

Mechanical periodontal therapy is widely used for a variety of periodontal conditions. While the clinical efficacy of this treatment has been validated, the radiographic response has not been studied in depth. The purpose of the present study was to examine the clinical and radiographic response to mechanical periodontal therapy, and assess the factors associated with these changes. One hundred and eight patients, with established periodontitis, received oral hygiene instruction and mechanical periodontal therapy for a period of 4 to 5 weeks. Scheduled maintenance visits were performed at 3, 6, 9, and 15 months. Probing depth (PD) and attachment level (AL) measurements were performed at baseline, and at 3 and 15 months. Intraoral radiographs were taken at baseline and 12 to 15 months postsurgery using a Rinn alignment system. Alveolar crestal height (ACH) measurements were performed on a pair of digitized images of the previously taken radiographs. An overall mean of patients' changes for PD, AL, and ACH was initially computed. Active sites (gainers and losers) were determined using a threshold method, and expressed as patient's percentage of active sites (number of active sites of the total sites measured in each patient). Mean overall probing reduction and AL gain was 0.5 mm and 0.44 mm, respectively. Of all sites measured, 16.6% exhibited AL gain, while only 6.2% of all sites exhibited AL loss. Mean overall change in ACH was -0.07 mm, of which 11.8% of all sites exhibited ACH gain, while 15.1% exhibited loss beyond the threshold. Non-smokers presented no change in bone loss, while smokers continued to lose bone at an annual rate of 0.17 mm, despite treatment (P <0.005). Likewise, the average percent of sites per patients showing attachment gain beyond the threshold were much greater in non-smokers (13.9%) compared to 9.0% in smokers (P <0.01). Mean probing reduction was 50% greater among non-smokers (0.6 mm) when compared to smokers (0.4 mm), which was also statistically significant (P <0.05). A positive and significant correlation was established between the percentage of sites with AL gain and sites with ACH gain (Rho =0.40; P=0.0001). It is suggested that monitoring sites for AL and ACH gain expressed as changes beyond a selective threshold is an important outcome variable in treatment studies.

Efficacy and risk of ventricular drainage in cases of grade V subarachnoid hemorrhage

We retrospectively evaluated efficacy and risk of external ventricular drainage which was performed in early management of high grade subarachnoid hemorrhage. Acute ventricular drainage was performed on 36.6% of 93 patients with grade V subarachnoid hemorrhage. The percentages of patients whose GCS improved following ventricular drainage were 14.3% from GCS 3, 61.5% from GCS 4, 42.9% from GCS 5 and 42.9% from GCS 6. The occurrence rate of rebleeding was approximately three-fold higher in patients who underwent ventricular drainage than in patients who did not. Aneurysmal surgery performed after ventricular drainage, compared with acute aneurysmal surgery, resulted in the smaller percentage of patients who became persistently vegetative and in the larger percentage of patients who became severely disabled, while it did not change the percentage of patients who resulted in favorable outcome 'and death. These results of retrospective study suggested that ventricular drainage performed on grade Vsubarachnoid hemorrhage increased the risk ofrebleeding and did not increase the percentage ofpatients who resulted in favorable outcome although it reduced the percentage of patients who resulted in persistent vegetative state. [Neural Res 1997; 19: 649-653]

Percentage of hypochromic red blood cells as predictor of erythropoietic and iron response after i.v. iron supplementation in maintenance haemodialysis patients

The percentage of hypochromic red blood cells (RBC), defined as those with a cellular haemoglobin < 28 g/dl has been suggested to be a sensitive marker of functional iron deficiency in maintenance haemodialysis (HD) patients. Thus, during rHuEpo therapy an increase in hypochromic RBC to > 10% would indicate that more intensive iron supplementation may be required. We investigated 70 HD patients 57.1 +/- 15.3 years old and on maintenance HD for 66.3 +/- 47.9 months without blood loss from gastrointestinal bleeding or from the vascular access, without surgery and without infectious disease or malignancy. During the study period of 12 weeks, each patient received in i.v. dose of 800 mg ferrogluconate. Haemoglobin, haematocrit, and the percentage of hypochromic RBC were measured before and every 4 weeks after the start of the study; serum ferritin, zinc protoporphyrin (ZPP) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured at the beginning (baseline) and end of the study. At baseline the percentage of hypochromic RBC was < or = 5.0% in 28 patients, > 5.0 and < or = 10.0% in 25 patients and > 10.0% in 17 patients, suggesting functional iron deficiency in at least 42 patients. Nine patients had serum ferritin values < 100 micrograms/1; nonetheless in these patients the median percentage of hypochromic RBC was 5.9% (range 0.9-14.3%), indicating that an absolute iron deficiency can occur in the presence of normal amounts of hypochromic RBC. There was a significant correlation between serum ferritin levels and hypochromic RBC at the end, but not at the beginning, of the study. However, there was no correlation between ZPP and hypochromic RBC at any time during the study. During i.v. iron supplementation the rHuEpo dose could be reduced by 8.5% in patients with hypochromic RBC < or = 5.0%, by 11.3% in patients with hypochromic RBC > 5.0 and < or = 10.0% and by 23.4% in patients with hypochromic RBC > 10.0%, demonstrating the benefit of i.v. iron in patients with functional iron deficiency. In HD patients in whom serum ferritin levels remained below 290 micrograms/l until the end of the study, a significant reduction of the rHuEpo dosage could be obtained during i.v. iron therapy. This was not the case in patients with serum ferritin > 290 micrograms/l after iron supplementation. We found that the percentage of hypochromic RBC is the most sensitive parameter for predicting hyporesponsiveness in CRP-positive patients. HD patients with hypochromic RBC > 6% and low to moderate increases in serum ferritin levels after i.v. iron supplementation significantly benefit from i.v. iron therapy compared to HD patients with hypochromic RBC < 6%. Two different aspects should be taken into consideration in HD patients treated with rHuEpo and concomitant i.v. iron therapy: (1) response of the erythropoietic system to rHuEpo, and (2) adequate delivery of the supplemented iron to the erythropoietic system. The patient's percentage of hypochromic RBC and increase in serum ferritin after i.v. iron supplementation should be used to decide whether or not i.v. iron should be given and to monitor this type of therapy in HD patients.

An Improved Colonoscopy Preparation Method and its Acceptability by Patients

The author presents an improved method of preparation for colonoscopy that involved no dietary limitation on the patient until the day of the examination and that was shown by a randomized questionnaire evaluation to earn good patient tolerance and acceptance. Patients were given 10 mg of cisapride and 75 mg of sodium picosulfate before sleep on the day preceding the examination, and 50 g of magnesium citrate powder (MP) in 1,200 mL lukewarm water before the examination. It was divided into 600-mL portions and ingested slowly during two 30-minute periods. Ninety-five percent of patients classified the taste of a magnesium citrate powder laxative as palatable in the questionnaire given immediately after the procedure. Concerning the quantity, 79.4% replied that it was tolerable, 17.3% considered it somewhat excessive, and 3.3% replied that it was barely tolerable. No patient classified it as intolerable. Symptoms after taking laxatives and lukewarm water such as abdominal pain, nausea and abdominal fullness were observed in 3.8%, 4.4% and 5.6%, respectively, whereas there were no symptoms in 79% of patients. Body weight and serum K level showed a tendency to decrease, whereas the serum Mg level showed an increase before and after colonoscopy. The quality of colonic cleansing evaluated by colonoscopy was excellent, good, or fair in a total of 93.3%. No adverse effects were observed. It was concluded that this method is a clinically beneficial and well-tolerated preparation for colonic examinations.

The relationship between unbound and total cortisol: Its usefulness in detecting CBG abnormalities

The relationship between unbound and total cortisol has been studied in patients with a variety of clinical conditions. We report on a simple, rapid and reliable method for evaluating the percentage unbound cortisol in serum or plasma which can be used in conjunction with total plasma cortisol to obtain a more complete understanding of the patients' adrenal status. Comparison of a patient's percentage unbound and total cortisol with a nomogram showing the normal relationship between percentage unbound and total cortisol indicates the patient's concentration of cortisol binding globulin. The concentration of unbound cortisol, the biologically active moiety, is the product of the percentage unbound and total cortisol concentration. The following values for the unbound cortisol concentration (μg/dl) were obtained (mean ± S.D.). Twenty-four normal subjects, 8–10 a.m. 1.2 ± 0.4; 14 women receiving an oral contraceptive 1.4 ± 0.5; 6 patients with adrenal insufficiency 0.2 ± 0.1; 9 hyperthyroid patients 1.7 ± 0.8; 5 acute ill patients 3.8 ± 2.4; and a patient with Cushing's syndrome 6.1. In normal subjects the values decreased at 4 p.m. (0.4 ± 0.1) and after dexamethasone administration (0.1 ± 0.1), and increased following the intravenous injection of adrenocorticotropic hormone (3.6 ± 0.7). In pregnant women the unbound cortisol increased as the pregnancy progressed, first trimester: 1.2 ± 0.3, second trimester: 1.6 ± 0.2, third trimester: 2.4 ± 0.5.

Vocational Rehabilitation Outcome of Patients Discharged from a Rehabilitation Institute

A vocational follow-up questionnaire was given to 118 patients recentlydischarged from a medical rehabilitation institute. The patients, who werecontacted by telephone, were instructed to evaluate the outcome of vocational rehabilitation received. A measuring instrument was also used to predictthe outcome. Some of the patients received services both from a medicalrehabilitation center and a state vocational agency. Thirty-eight percent ofpatients were found to be either employed, attending school, in training ormaintaining the home. Ninety-three percent reported that they could not return to vocational/educational activity due to medical difficulties. Barthelindex was found to predict vocational outcome whereas PULSES index wasnot. Both rehabilitation institute and state agency counselor contact correlated positively with vocational activity.

The Initiation of Long-Term Pharmacotherapy in Schizophrenia: Dosage and Side Effect Comparisons Between Oral and Depot Fluphenazine*

SummaryThis report focuses on two comparisons between oral and depot fluphenazine specifically FPZ decanoate: 1) can equivalent dosages for the two drugs be established and do these equivalencies change over six months of treatment; 2) what are the side effects seen with the two drugs during the early weeks of administration.Patients in the study receive either oral or depot FPZ as the active treatment but in order to preserve double blind conditions, they are also given the other treatment in placebo form. No dosage equivalence is established by the protocol, however, if dosage is adjusted, both forms must be changed and in the same direction. During the first weeks of treatment there is a linear relationship between the two dosage forms but a range of relatively low dosages of the oral compound (5-20 mg) is associated with a single dose (25 mg/q 3 weeks) of FPZ decanoate. At higher dosages of the oral drug the relationship is linear. Side effects of some kind are noted in over 60 percent of patients in both treatment groups after four weeks of treatment, while symptoms of at least moderate severity occur in almost 40 percent. Only symptoms involving the extrapyramidal system and sleep disturbance are observed in more than 20 percent of the patients. Benztropine was prescribed only if needed and was administered to 65 percent of patients. In general, those receiving benztropine had more side effects than those who did not. These differences reached significance for extrapyramidal symptoms and depression.Based on these data, we conclude that at the dosages used in this study there are no side effect differences between these two forms of fluphenazine in the early weeks of administration. Dosage equivalence between the two drugs can be set within the range of 5- 60 mg/day oral and 12.5-100 mg/three weeks depot.