The acquisition of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in village doctors in China: a prospective study

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (12) ◽  
pp. 1241-1246
Author(s):  
H. Zhang ◽  
X. Cao ◽  
D. Wang ◽  
H. Xin ◽  
Z. Liu ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND: Occupational exposure-related risk of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection has been reported for village doctors in China. This prospective study aims to estimate the infection acquisition in this key population.METHODS: At baseline, all village doctors registered in Zhongmu County were tested by QuantiFERON®-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT) and QuantiFERON®-TB Gold Plus (QFT-Plus) in parallel. Those negatives for either of the tests were retested to identify conversions at the 2-year follow-up investigation.RESULTS: A total of 367 eligible participants completed the 2-year follow-up survey with frequency of conversion of 5.0% (18/361) for QFT and 6.1% (21/343) for QFT-Plus. The agreement of follow-up results between the tests was 93.2% with a κ coefficient of 0.43 (95%CI 0.20–0.65). Among QFT-Plus convertors, the difference between TB1 and TB2 tubes (TB2-TB1) was significantly increased as compared with baseline results (P = 0.039). Participants from the villages with occurrence of microbiologically confirmed pulmonary TB showed higher frequency of QFT conversions (11.0% vs. 3.2%, P = 0.011) and QFT-Plus conversions (12.3% vs. 4.4%, P = 0.027) than those from the villages without occurrence.CONCLUSION: Our results consistently suggest that capability on occupational protection and M. tuberculosis infection control should be improved in village doctors in China.

2014 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 418-426 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisa Piovano ◽  
Luca Fuso ◽  
Cinzia Baima Poma ◽  
Annamaria Ferrero ◽  
Stefania Perotto ◽  
...  

IntroductionThe evaluation of treatment complications is crucial in modern oncology because they heavily influence the every day life of patients. Several authors confirmed the reproducibility of the French-Italian glossary to score the complications in patients with endometrial cancer after radiotherapy (RT), but the treatment of endometrial carcinoma is primarily surgical and chemotherapy is often used for high-risk disease.ObjectivesThis study aimed to analyze the incidence of complications in our patients treated for endometrial cancer and to verify whether the glossary is a suitable instrument in the description of complications after surgery, RT, and chemotherapy.MethodsThe data of patients affected by endometrial cancer treated in the Gynecology and Obstetrics Academic Department, Azienda Ospedaliera Mauriziano Umberto I in Turin from 2000 to 2009 (with surgery alone or integrated treatments) were prospectively collected, and complications were described using the glossary. Every patient included in the analyses had a minimum of 18 months follow-up.ResultsOf the 271 patients, 68 (25%) experienced at least 1 complication with 87 overall complications. Most of the complications were mild (63%) and were found in the urinary (30%) or cutaneous systems (30%). Forty-four (50%) complications appeared within 1 year after treatment, but 9 (10%) complications appeared after 60 months of follow-up. Patients who were submitted to both surgery and RT showed a trend of higher rate of at least 1 complication (19/58 [32.7%]) if compared with surgery alone (36/135 [26.6%]), even if the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.09). The incidence of complications in patients treated or not with lymphadenectomy was not statistically different (P = 0.088), whereas patients treated with laparotomy had a higher rate of cutaneous complications if compared with the laparoscopic approach (P = 0.018). The glossary included all observed complications.ConclusionsOne every 4 women treated for endometrial cancer develops a complication. Clinicians should check for complications especially after integrated treatments maintaining surveillance even in the long term. The glossary is a comprehensive instrument to describe the complications of endometrial cancer, regardless of the type of treatment delivered.


Author(s):  
Rahul Varshney ◽  
Parthasarathi Datta ◽  
Pulak Deb ◽  
Santanu Ghosh

Abstract Objective The aim of this article was to analyze the clinical and radiological outcomes of transpedicular decompression (posterior approach) and anterolateral approach in patients with traumatic thoracolumbar spinal injuries. Methods  It was a prospective study of patients with fractures of dorsolumbar spine from December 2011 to December 2013. A total of 60 patients with traumatic spinal injuries were admitted during the study period (December 2011–2013), of which 51 cases were finally selected and taken for operations while 3 were eventually lost in follow-up. Twenty patients were operated by anterolateral approach, titanium mesh cage, and fixation with bicortical screws. Twenty-eight patients were treated with posterior approach and transpedicular screw fixation. Clinical and radiographic evaluations were performed on all 48 patients before and after surgery. Results There were 48 patients of thoracolumbar burst fractures with 40 male and 8 female patients. Range of follow-up was from 1 month to 20 months, with a mean of 7.4. Preoperatively in anterior group, 65% of the patients were bed ridden, 20% patients were able to walk with support, and 15% of the patients were able to walk without support. In posterior group, 78.57% patients were bed ridden, 10.71% were able to walk with support, and 10.71% patients were able to walk without support. Kyphotic angle changes were seen in 16 patients out of 18 in anterior group and 20 patients in posterior group out of 25. Out of 18 patients in anterior group, 14 showed reduction in kyphotic angle of 10 to 100 (improvement), with mean improvement of 4.070. In posterior group, 7 patients showed improvement of 10 to 80 (reduction in kyphotic angle) whereas 13 patients showed deterioration of 1 to 120. The mean improvement was 2.140 in 7 patients and mean deterioration was 4.920. No statistical difference was found (p > 0.05) regarding improvement in urinary incontinence during the follow-up period. Conclusion There are significant differences in anterior and posterior approaches in terms of clinical improvement. Compared with posterior approach, the anterolateral approach can reduce fusion segment and well maintain the kyphosis correction. The selection of treatment should be based on clinical and radiological findings, including neurological deficit.


2008 ◽  
Vol 122 (10) ◽  
pp. 1088-1091 ◽  
Author(s):  
N Jayashankar ◽  
K P Morwani ◽  
M J Shaan ◽  
S R Bhatia ◽  
K T Patil

AbstractGold eyelid implantation is widely considered the procedure of choice to reanimate the upper eyelid in paralytic lagophthalmos. Commercially supplied implants are not readily available in all places and are sometimes cumbersome to import.Objective:We aimed to devise a method whereby every surgeon performing gold eyelid implantation could have easy and quick access to the implant. Furthermore, we aimed to develop a means of creating an implant of the exact weight required for complete eyelid closure.Study design and setting:A prospective study was performed from 1997 to 2005 in a tertiary research hospital, involving 50 subjects requiring gold upper eyelid implantation and using the technique in question.Results:Only patients with a minimum follow up of one year were included in the study group. Symptoms improved in 96 per cent of subjects, who were able to dispense with eyedrops and eye ointments. Visual acuity improved in 92 per cent of patients. There were two extrusions amongst the early cases.Conclusion and significance:Customised gold eyelid implantation offers an alternative in regions where commercial implants are not easily obtained.


2003 ◽  
Vol 164 (7) ◽  
pp. 533-536 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick M. Vos ◽  
Maarten P. Simons ◽  
Jan S. K. Luitse ◽  
Dick van Geldere ◽  
Mark J. W. Koelemaij ◽  
...  

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document