Conservative management versus open reduction and internal fixation for mid-shaft clavicle fractures in adults - The Clavicle Trial: Study protocol for a multicentre randomized controlled trial

Background: Clavicle fractures account for around 4% of all fractures and up to 44% of fractures of the shoulder girdle. Fractures of the middle third (or mid-shaft) account for approximately 80% of all clavicle fractures. Management of this group of fractures is often challenging and the outcome can be unsatisfactory. In particular it is not clear whether surgery produces better outcomes than non-surgical management. Currently there is much variation in the use of surgery and a lack of good quality evidence to inform our decision.Methods/Design: We aim to undertake a multicentre randomised controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness and safety of conservative management versus open reduction and internal fixation for displaced mid-shaft clavicle fractures in adults. Surgical treatment will be performed using the Acumed clavicle fixation system. Conservative management will consist of immobilisation in a sling at the side in internal rotation for 6 weeks or until clinical or radiological union. We aim to recruit 300 patients. These patients will be followed-up for at least 9 months. The primary endpoint will be the rate of non-union at 3 months following treatment. Secondary endpoints will be limb function measured using the Constant-Murley Score and the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) Score at 3 and 9 months post-operatively.Discussion: This article presents the protocol for a multicentre randomised controlled trial. It gives extensive details of, and the basis for, the chosen methods, and describes the key measures taken to avoid bias and to ensure validity.Trial Registration: United Kingdom Clinical Research Network ID: 8665. The date of registration of the trial is 07/09/2006. The date the first patient was recruited is 18/12/2007. © 2011 Longo et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd

Nursing Care of Patients With Cirrhosis: The LiverHope Nursing Project

Cirrhosis is a complex disease that is associated with disturbances in different organs besides the liver, including kidneys, heart, arterial circulation, lungs, gut, and brain. As a consequence, patients develop a number of complications that result in frequent hospital admissions and high morbidity and mortality. Patients with cirrhosis require constant and rigorous monitoring both in and outside the hospital. In this context, the role of nurses in the care of patients with cirrhosis has not been sufficiently emphasized and there is very limited information about nursing care of patients with cirrhosis compared with other chronic diseases. The current article provides a review of nursing care for the different complications of patients with cirrhosis. Nurses with specific knowledge on liver diseases should be incorporated into multidisciplinary teams managing patients with cirrhosis, both inpatient and outpatient. Conclusion: Nurses play an important role in the management and prevention of complications of the disease and improvement in patients' quality of life and bridge the gap between clinicians and families, between primary care and hospital care, and provide medical education to patients and caregivers

Medical Management of Chronic Cholestatic Liver Diseases

The purpose of the present review is to discuss the diagnosis and management of cholestatic liver diseases. Differential diagnoses to consider are described, including causes of extrahepatic biliary obstruction such as gallstones, strictures, extrabiliary malignancies and pancreatitis. In addition, diseases that cause intrahepatic cholestasis such as primary biliary cirrhosis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, hepatocellular diseases and a variety of miscellaneous causes including drugs that may cause cholestasis are discussed. Primary biliary cirrhosis and primary sclerosing cholangitis are reviewed in detail, and management options are identified. The prognosis of patients with these diseases is discussed, and the Mayo Mathematical Models in Cholestatic Liver Disease for both primary biliary cirrhosis and primary sclerosing cholangitis are provided. Finally, management options for the complications of cholestasis are provided

Primary sclerosing cholangitis associated with elevated immunoglobulin G4: clinical characteristics and response to therapy.

To access publisher full text version of this article. Please click on the hyperlink in Additional Links field.Steroid responsive biliary strictures in patients fulfilling criteria for primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) have been reported. The clinical course and response to therapy in patients with PSC with elevated immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4) levels has not been investigated previously. Patients with PSC were screened for IgG4-related biliary disease during 2006 to 2008 and data were collected prospectively. A total of 33 out of 285 (12%) patients with PSC (18 males) had elevated IgG4 (>140mg/dL) with a median age of 46 years (interquartile range 29-60); 24 could be evaluated. All patients had both intrahepatic and extrahepatic biliary strictures. Pancreatic disorders were found in 4 (17%), and 11 of 24 (46%) presented with jaundice; 8 of 24 (33%) received biliary stenting for a median time of 4 months (0-6). Liver cirrhosis was diagnosed in 12 of the 24 (50%). Overall, 18 patients were treated with corticosteroids and 6 patients managed conservatively. Nine of 10 patients with elevated bilirubin had improvement. Alkaline phosphatase decreased significantly at 2 months and at last follow-up. IgG4 levels at baseline were 242 (216-357) mg/dL and decreased to 109 (80-236) at 2 months (P < 0.05) and 174 (115-269) at last follow-up (P < 0.05). A total of 39% had adverse effects of steroids, mostly hyperglycemia. Relapses occurred in 7 of the 14 (50%), but biliary stents could be removed in all. Elevated IgG4 levels were observed in 12% of typical patients with PSC. Prevalence of cirrhosis was high, suggesting a severe liver disease course. Most patients had a good biochemical response to steroids, but adverse effects were common. Future work should be directed at finding therapy that is more effective, better tolerated, and of more lasting benefit

Alkaline phosphatase normalization is associated with better prognosis in primary sclerosing cholangitis

To access publisher full text version of this article. Please click on the hyperlink in Additional Links fieldBACKGROUND: Primary sclerosing cholangitis results in elevated but fluctuating serum alkaline phosphatase levels that occasionally return to normal. AIMS: To investigate the frequency of normalization of alkaline phosphatase in newly diagnosed primary sclerosing cholangitis patients and the subsequent clinical outcomes. METHODS: Records of newly diagnosed primary sclerosing cholangitis patients were examined retrospectively for laboratory values and clinical end points (cholangiocarcinoma, liver transplantation and death) within 10 years of diagnosis. Data from a recent prospective ursodeoxycholic acid treatment trial were also studied. RESULTS: Eighty-seven patients met the inclusion criteria. Normalization of alkaline phosphatase was seen in 35 (40%) patients. Five (14%) patients with normalization reached an end point whereas 17 (33%) of the patients with persistent elevation reached an end point (P=0.02). Ursodeoxycholic acid was used similarly by both groups. When the investigative criteria were applied to a prospective trial, there was again a significant relationship between normalization of alkaline phosphatase and survival in patients receiving ursodeoxycholic acid (P<0.01) and the placebo group (P=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Serum alkaline phosphatase was found to normalize in a high proportion of newly diagnosed primary sclerosing cholangitis patients. This was significantly associated with a better prognosis in a retrospective cohort and when data from a prospective treatment trial was evaluated