Parameters Affecting Length of Stay Among Neurosurgical Patients in an Intensive Care Unit

Aim: to determine the predictive factors on the length of stay of neurosurgical patients in the ICU setting. Methods: all patients admitted to the neurosurgical ICU between February 1 and July 31, 2011 were recruited. Patient demographics and clinical data for each variable were collected within 30 minutes of admission. The ICU length of stay was recorded and analyzed by linear regression model with statistical significance at p-value <0.05. Results: there were 276 patients admitted, of whom 89.1% were elective cases. The mean (95% CI) and median (min-max) of ICU length of stay were 2.36 (2.09-2.63) and 2 (1-25) days. The variables associated with ICU length of stay and their percent change (95% CI) were the Glasgow Coma Scale motor subscore (GCSm), 6.72% (-11.20 to -2.01) lower for every 1 point score change; blood pH, 1.16% (0.11 to 2.21) higher for every 0.01 unit change; and emergency admission type, 58.30% (29.16 to 94.0) higher as compared to elective admission. Conclusion: the GCSm, pH and emergency admission were found to be the main predictive variables of neurosurgical patient length of stay in the intensive care unit, however, the model should be further explored in a larger sample size and using subgroup analysis

Sustav APACHE II. kao klinički prediktor u neurokirurškoj jedinici intenzivnog liječenja

The APACHE II scoring system is approved for its benchmarking and mortality predictions, but there are only a few articles published to demonstrate it in neurosurgical patients. Therefore, this study was performed to acknowledge this score and its predictive performance to hospital mortality in a tertiary referral neurosurgical intensive care unit (ICU). All patients admitted to the Neurosurgical ICU from February 1 to July 31, 2011 were recruited. The parameters indicated in APACHE II score were collected. The adjusted predicted risk of death was calculated and compared with the death rate observed. Descriptive statistics including the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was performed. The results showed that 276 patients were admitted during the mentioned period. The APACHE II score was 16.56 (95% CI, 15.84-17.29) and 19.08 (95% CI, 15.40- 22.76) in survivors and non-survivors, while the adjusted predicted death rates were 13.39% (95% CI, 11.83-14.95) and 17.49% (95% CI, 9.81-25.17), respectively. The observed mortality was only 4.35%. The area under the ROC of APACHE II score to the hospital mortality was 0.62 (95% CI, 0.44-0.79). In conclusion, not only the APACHE II score in neurosurgical patients indicated low severity, but its performance to predict hospital mortality was also inferior. Additional studies of predicting mortality among these critical patients should be undertaken.Sustav APACHE II. odobren je kao mjerilo i prediktor smrtnosti, no samo se nekoliko članaka bavi njegovom primjenom kod neurokirurških bolesnika. Stoga smo proveli ovo istraživanje kako bismo potvrdili ovaj sustav i njegovu sposobnost predviđanja bolničke smrtnosti u referentnoj tercijarnoj neurokirurškoj jedinici intenzivnog liječenja (JIL). U istraživanje su bili uključeni svi bolesnici primljeni u neurokiruršku JIL od 1. veljače do 31. srpnja 2011. godine. Prikupljeni su podaci koji se odnose na parametre sustava APACHE II. Izračunat je prilagođeni rizik smrti i uspoređen sa zabilježenom stopom smrtnosti. U analizi je primijenjena deskriptivna statistika uključujući ROC. Rezultati su pokazali da je primljeno 276 bolesnika. Zbir APACHE II. bio je 16,56 (95% CI, 15,84-17,29) za preživjele i 19,08 (95% CI, 15,40-22,76) za umrle, dok je prilagođena predviđena stopa smrtnosti bila 13,39% (95% CI, 11,83-14,95) odnosno 17,49% (95% CI, 9,81-25,17). Zabilježena stopa smrtnosti bila je samo 4,35%. Područje ispod ROC zbira APACHE II. za bolničku smrtnost iznosila je 0,62 (95% CI, 0,44-0,79). U zaključku, ne samo da je zbir APACHE II. pokazao nisku težinu kod neurokirurških bolesnika, nego je i njegov rezultat u predviđanju bolničke smrtnosti bio nezadovoljavajući. Treba provesti daljnja istraživanja prediktora smrtnosti kod ovih kritičnih bolesnika

The Influence Factors That Affect Thailands Management Of Youth Reproductive Health Service

The management of reproductive health service for youth has become an important issue during the recent year. However, management has no clear idea about the influential factors of concern to. In this paper, we will discuss these influence factors that affect the management of youth reproductive healthcare service. Mixed methods were used for data collection, including qualitative methods that were conducted by in-dept interview and analyzed by binary logistic regression. According to the analysis, we found six factors that affect the management of reproductive health service, including (1) personal expense, (2) communication within the family, (3) fear of parents reactions, (4) the bureaucratic process of healthcare services, (5) the limitation of healthcare services, and (6) healthcare providers. Then, we reduced the six factors into three group factors that we call three systems to explain these important factors that are of concern to management of reproductive health service. These include the personnel system, service system, and the family support system

Evaluation Iodine Status and Factors Associated with Low Urinary Iodine Level among Pregnant Women Who Received Iodine Supplementation during Pregnancy

Objectives: To assess iodine status and factors associated with low urinary iodine level in women who received iodine supplementation during pregnancy.Materials and Methods: A prospective cross sectional study in term pregnant women admitted to labor room, Srinagarind Hospital, Khon Kaen University was implemented during May 2014 to December 2015. All 245 recruited women after completing the questionnaire for evaluating their knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of iodine consumption were asked to collect urine 5 - 10 ml. to assess urine iodine level. The information from their medical records was used to assess their obstetric history and medications during pregnancy. The good KAP was defined as six or higher from the full ten score. The urine iodine (UI) level <150 μg/L was categorized as low level. The microplate method was used to assess urine iodine levels by certified laboratory at Regional Health Promotion Center 7 Khon Kaen, Department of Health, Ministry of Public Health.Results: Almost all of women received daily iodine supplementation tablets, only 6 received iodized oil. Their median UI level was 182 μg/L and 35.5% had low UI level. Their mean KAP score was 4.9 (SD=1.9). There were 39.6% women with good KAP. The daily tablet of iodine supplementation side-effect was the only significant factor associated with low UI levels. Conclusion: Though the findings demonstrated the adequate median urine iodine level in pregnant women with the iodine supplementation, a substantial proportion of them still had low urine iodine level and need additional intervention

Calendario para el Reyno de Valencia...: Año 1894

Microfilme. Valencia : BV, ca. 1990Recurso electrónico. Valencia : BVNP, 201

The outcomes of midline versus medio-lateral episiotomy

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licens

The World Health Organization Fetal Growth Charts: A Multinational Longitudinal Study of Ultrasound Biometric Measurements and Estimated Fetal Weight.

BACKGROUND: Perinatal mortality and morbidity continue to be major global health challenges strongly associated with prematurity and reduced fetal growth, an issue of further interest given the mounting evidence that fetal growth in general is linked to degrees of risk of common noncommunicable diseases in adulthood. Against this background, WHO made it a high priority to provide the present fetal growth charts for estimated fetal weight (EFW) and common ultrasound biometric measurements intended for worldwide use. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We conducted a multinational prospective observational longitudinal study of fetal growth in low-risk singleton pregnancies of women of high or middle socioeconomic status and without known environmental constraints on fetal growth. Centers in ten countries (Argentina, Brazil, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Norway, and Thailand) recruited participants who had reliable information on last menstrual period and gestational age confirmed by crown-rump length measured at 8-13 wk of gestation. Participants had anthropometric and nutritional assessments and seven scheduled ultrasound examinations during pregnancy. Fifty-two participants withdrew consent, and 1,387 participated in the study. At study entry, median maternal age was 28 y (interquartile range [IQR] 25-31), median height was 162 cm (IQR 157-168), median weight was 61 kg (IQR 55-68), 58% of the women were nulliparous, and median daily caloric intake was 1,840 cal (IQR 1,487-2,222). The median pregnancy duration was 39 wk (IQR 38-40) although there were significant differences between countries, the largest difference being 12 d (95% CI 8-16). The median birthweight was 3,300 g (IQR 2,980-3,615). There were differences in birthweight between countries, e.g., India had significantly smaller neonates than the other countries, even after adjusting for gestational age. Thirty-one women had a miscarriage, and three fetuses had intrauterine death. The 8,203 sets of ultrasound measurements were scrutinized for outliers and leverage points, and those measurements taken at 14 to 40 wk were selected for analysis. A total of 7,924 sets of ultrasound measurements were analyzed by quantile regression to establish longitudinal reference intervals for fetal head circumference, biparietal diameter, humerus length, abdominal circumference, femur length and its ratio with head circumference and with biparietal diameter, and EFW. There was asymmetric distribution of growth of EFW: a slightly wider distribution among the lower percentiles during early weeks shifted to a notably expanded distribution of the higher percentiles in late pregnancy. Male fetuses were larger than female fetuses as measured by EFW, but the disparity was smaller in the lower quantiles of the distribution (3.5%) and larger in the upper quantiles (4.5%). Maternal age and maternal height were associated with a positive effect on EFW, particularly in the lower tail of the distribution, of the order of 2% to 3% for each additional 10 y of age of the mother and 1% to 2% for each additional 10 cm of height. Maternal weight was associated with a small positive effect on EFW, especially in the higher tail of the distribution, of the order of 1.0% to 1.5% for each additional 10 kg of bodyweight of the mother. Parous women had heavier fetuses than nulliparous women, with the disparity being greater in the lower quantiles of the distribution, of the order of 1% to 1.5%, and diminishing in the upper quantiles. There were also significant differences in growth of EFW between countries. In spite of the multinational nature of the study, sample size is a limiting factor for generalization of the charts. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides WHO fetal growth charts for EFW and common ultrasound biometric measurements, and shows variation between different parts of the world

Building capacity for evidence generation, synthesis and implementation to improve the care of mothers and babies in South East Asia: methods and design of the SEA-ORCHID Project using a logical framework approach

Background: Rates of maternal and perinatal mortality remain high in developing countries despite the existence of effective interventions. Efforts to strengthen evidence-based approaches to improve health in these settings are partly hindered by restricted access to the best available evidence, limited training in evidence-based practice and concerns about the relevance of existing evidence. South East Asia - Optimising Reproductive and Child Health in Developing Countries (SEA-ORCHID) was a five-year project that aimed to determine whether a multifaceted intervention designed to strengthen the capacity for research synthesis, evidence-based care and knowledge implementation improved clinical practice and led to better health outcomes for mothers and babies. This paper describes the development and design of the SEA-ORCHID intervention plan using a logical framework approach. Methods: SEA-ORCHID used a before-and-after design to evaluate the impact of a multifaceted tailored intervention at nine sites across Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines and Indonesia, supported by three centres in Australia. We used a logical framework approach to systematically prepare and summarise the project plan in a clear and logical way. The development and design of the SEA-ORCHID project was based around the three components of a logical framework (problem analysis, project plan and evaluation strategy). Results: The SEA-ORCHID logical framework defined the project's goal and purpose (To improve the health of mothers and babies in South East Asia and To improve clinical practice in reproductive health in South East Asia), and outlined a series of project objectives and activities designed to achieve these. The logical framework also established outcome and process measures appropriate to each level of the project plan, and guided project work in each of the participating countries and hospitals. Conclusions: Development of a logical framework in the SEA-ORCHID project enabled a reasoned, logical approach to the project design that ensured the project activities would achieve the desired outcomes and that the evaluation plan would assess both the process and outcome of the project. The logical framework was also valuable over the course of the project to facilitate communication, assess progress and build a shared understanding of the project activities, purpose and goal.Steve McDonald, Tari Turner, Catherine Chamberlain, Pisake Lumbiganon, Jadsada Thinkhamrop, Mario R Festin, Jacqueline J Ho, Hakimi Mohammad, David J Henderson-Smart, Jacki Short, Caroline A Crowther, Ruth Martis, Sally Green for the SEA-ORCHID Study Grou