Cost of Medical Treatment for Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma in Relation to Patients’ Income and Its Impact on the Prognosis of the Disease, in Bouaké University Hospital

Introduction: Medical treatment for POAG is continuous and lifelong treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the cost of this treatment and patients’ income and the impact of this relationship on treatment compliance. Materials and Methods: Prospective cross-sectional study with a descriptive aim covering sociodemographic data, average incomes, and direct and indirect costs of treatment of 57 patients followed for POAG during the period from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2016 (5 years). Results: The patients were aged 25 to 77 years (mean = 54.4 years) with a male predominance (sex ratio = 1.5). Retirees were the most represented (26.32%), followed by workers in the informal sector (14.04%) and housewives (12.28%). Patients who had an annual income less than or equal to 900,000 CFA francs (€1370.83) per year represented 56.14% and those who did not have health coverage represented 57.89%. The treatment was monotherapy (64.91%), dual therapy (31.58%) or triple therapy (3.05%) and the average ratio of “annual cost of treatment to annual income” was 0.56 with for maximum 2.23 and 0.02 as minimum. Patients who considered the cost of treatment unbearable for their income represented 78.95%. Conclusion: Prevention of blindness due to glaucoma requires early detection but also the establishment of health coverage mechanisms to improve compliance with medical treatment. In addition, consideration should be given to the development of glaucoma surgery in our country, the indication of which could be the first intention in certain patients, considering for those patients, the geographical and financial accessibility of medical treatment. .

Exploration and Research on the Integrated Development of“Internet Plus Medical Treatment”

Objective To analyze the development of“internet plus medical treatment”and to explore advantages.Methods The literature of“internet plus medical treatment”was systematically combed and analyzed.Results and Conclusion After exploring the status quo of“internet plus hospitals”,smart pharmacy and web-assisted health management in China,we find that there are some problems in the medical service at present,such as the imperfect laws and regulations,the hidden dangers of information security and the obstacles of medical insurance payment.Therefore,we propose that the development of web-assisted medical service should be led by the government and relevant policies must be improved.Then,self-regulation should be strengthened,and industry standards should be enhanced.Three suggestions are made to improve medical insurance payment and benefit both hospitals and patients,which can provide reference for promoting the development of“internet plus medical treatment”in China.

Long-term medical treatment of patients with severe burns at exposed sites

BACKGROUND Body parts such as the face and hands are highly exposed during daily life and burns may accumulate in these areas.In addition,residual wounds,scar hyperplasia and contracture often exist in the late stage of a deep burn in these areas,which may affect patients’appearance,movements,and mental health.However,inadequate attention has been paid to this issue which can result in problems,such as difficulty in healing,possibility of carcinoma,chronic pain and a heavy mental burden.AIM To investigate the long-term medical treatment of patients with severe burns at exposed sites following a mass burn casualty event.METHODS A retrospective analysis of 13 patients with severe burns at exposed sites was performed to determine their respective long-term medical treatment.A combined wound dressing scheme consisting of traditional Chinese and Western medicine was introduced to repair residual wounds.Active and passive functional exercises with massage,Chinese herbal baths and compression fixation were proposed to ameliorate the condition of the hands.A combination of physical,chemical and photoelectrical measures was adopted for anti-scar treatment.A psychological intervention and recovery guide was provided which corresponded to the patients’psychological status.RESULTS Compared to patients who did not simultaneously receive the same treatment,patients who underwent systematic treatment recovered with a lower woundinfection rate(P<0.05),a shorter healing time(13.6±3.2 d)compared with(19.1±3.5 d)and more bearable pain during wound dressing at three days,one week and two weeks after a Chinese herbal bath(P<0.05).Satisfactory results were achieved with regard to restored function of patients’joints and blood supply to nerve endings,closure of the eyelids and the size of mouth opening tended to be normal,and only 7.1%of patients were diagnosed with severe scar hyperplasia and contracture deformity compared with 30.7%in the control group.In addition,the color,thickness,vascular distribution and softness score of the scars improved(P<0.01),and the effects of the psychological intervention was remarkable as shown by the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale and Self-Rating Depression Scale.CONCLUSION A better prognosis can be achieved in patients in the late stage of a burn with active residual wound repair,limb functional exercise,anti-scar and psychological rehabilitation.

Advances in medical treatment for pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms

Pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms(PanNENs)are rare neoplasms with strong heterogeneity that have experienced an increasing incidence rate in recent years.For patients with locally advanced or distant metastatic PanNENs,systemic treatment options vary due to the different differentiations,grades and stages.The available options for systemic therapy include somatostatin analogs,molecularly targeted agents,cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agents,immune checkpoint inhibitors,and peptide receptor radionuclide therapy.In addition,the development of novel molecularly targeted agents is currently in progress.The sequence of selection between different chemotherapy regimens has been of great interest,and resistance to chemotherapeutic agents is the major limitation in their clinical application.Novel agents and high-level clinical evidence continue to emerge in the field of antiangiogenic agents.Peptide receptor radionuclide therapy is increasingly employed for the treatment of advanced neuroendocrine tumors,and greater therapeutic efficacy may be achieved by emerging radiolabeled peptides.Since immune checkpoint inhibitor monotherapies for PanNENs appear to have limited antitumor activity,dual immune checkpoint inhibitor therapies or combinations of antiangiogenic therapies and immune checkpoint inhibitors have been applied in the clinic to improve clinical efficacy.Combining the use of a variety of agents with different mechanisms of action provides new possibilities for clinical treatments.In the future,the study of systemic therapies will continue to focus on the screening of the optimal benefit population and the selection of the best treatment sequence strategy with the aim of truly achieving individualized precise treatment of PanNENs.

Impact of the adherence to medical treatment on the main urinary metabolic disorders in patients with kidney stones

Objective:To assess the effect of the adherence to medical treatment on urinary parameters in the 24-h metabolic study of patients with kidney stones.Methods:A retrospective,longitudinal,descriptive,and observational study was carried out by reviewing the hospital electronic medical record from 2014 to 2018.The adherence to drug treatment was measured 6 months after its initiation,and the numerical values of the metabolic studies were compared.Wilcoxon tests were performed to compare the difference before and after treatment.Results:Ninety patients were evaluated,with 73.3% of adherence.The 180-day overall adherence rate was 61.2% in patients treated with a single drug and 85.4% in patients treated with multiple drugs.There is a statistically significant increase in citrate levels in patients with good adherence in comparison with non-adherent patients(p=0.031 vs.p=0.528).Conclusions:Medical treatment and dietary measures in patients with kidney stones have an initial impact at 6 months on the values of the main urinary metabolic alterations that predispose to calculi formation;the most significant is seen in those patients with adherence to medical treatment for hypocitraturia.

Nursing Effects of Medical Treatment Combination on Patients at High Risk of Developing Pressure Ulcers at Rural Homes

Objective:To explore the nursing effects of medical treatment combination on patients at high risk of developing pressure ulcers at rural homes.Methods:From January 2018 to December 2018,86 patients at high risk of developing pressure ulcers at rural homes who were in Wenjiang Hospital were randomly divided into a control group and an observed group.The control group received the routine publicity and education and visiting,while the observed group adopted the cooperative nursing model of medical treatment combination.Then compare the healing status and nursing satisfaction of the two groups.Results:Of the 43 patients with pressure ulcers in the observed group,18 had been in the second stage of pressure ulcers and 16 had been healed;14 had been in the third stage of pressure ulcers and 8 had been healed;11 had been in the fourth stage of pressure ulcers and 5 had been healed.The nursing satisfaction of the patients in the observed group was 95.35%.Conclusion:Conducting medical treatment combination on patients at high risk of developing pressure ulcers at rural homes can effectively improve the patients’and their families’awareness of pressure ulcer nursing,standardize their nursing behaviour,help recover the patients themselves and promote the patients’satisfaction.

The medical treatment of cardiogenic shock

Cardiogenic shock (CS) is a leading cause of mortality worldwide. CS presentation and management in the current era have been widely depicted in epidemiological studies. Its treatment is codified and relies on medical care and extracorporeal life support (ECLS) in the bridge to recovery, chronic mechanical device therapy, or transplantation. Recent improvements have changed the landscape of CS. The present analysis aims to review current medical treatments of CS in light of recent literature, including addressing excitation–contraction coupling and specific physiology on applied hemodynamics. Inotropism, vasopressor use, and immunomodulation are discussed as pre-clinical and clinical studies have focused on new therapeutic options to improve patient outcomes. Certain underlying conditions of CS, such as hypertrophic or Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, warrant specifically tailored management that will be overviewed in this review.

Medical treatments of endometriosis: a review

Endometriosis is a chronic gynecological disorder that affects approximately 10%of women of reproductive age.Most medical treatments used today for endometriosis pain are hormonal therapies,which are not an option for those trying to conceive and are not tolerated by a subset of patients due to side effects.In this article,we offer a comprehensive review of current and investigational medical therapeutic options used to treat endometriosis pain,as well as a symptom-based systematic approach for patients with painful endometriosis.We have also included recommendations for research to enhance the evolution of novel therapeutic options.A thorough literature search was carried out,and the data were synthesized using a synthesis matrix that classifies and categorizes various arguments.

The promoting effect of health education on medical treatment seeking behavior in the context of healthy China:based on the comparison of migrants and registered local residents

The migrants are the important participant and contributor in China’s economic and social construction,but they still have many restrictions on their access to health services.This paper analyzes the differences between the migrants and the regis-tered local residents in looking for medical treatment and explores the relationship between health education and medical treatment seeking behavior,so as to find an appropriate way to improve the health level of the migrants.By using the compara-tive survey data of the floating population and registered population in 2017 and establishing the binary Logit model,this paper finds that the health education has a promoting effect on medical treatment seeking behaviors.In terms of the influence mechanism of health education on medical treatment seeking behavior,the mediat-ing effect of social participation factors is stronger in the migrants’group because making new friends and learning about local public health resources through health education is of great significance to the migrants.It is proposed to expand the cov-erage of health education among migrant groups and improve the accessibility of health education.At the same time,public medical and health services should be used as a window to guide the migrants to seek medical treatment in an orderly manner while assisting their social integration.

Exploring exosomes to provide evidence for the treatment and prediction of Alzheimer’s disease

Exosomes are extracellular vesicles with a 30–150 nm diameter originating from endosomes.In recent years,scientists have regarded exosomes as an ideal small molecule carrier for the targeted treatment of Alzheimer’s disease(AD)across the blood-brain barrier due to their nanoscale size and low immunogenicity.A large amount of evidence shows that exosomes are rich in biomarkers,and it has been found that the changes in biomarker content in blood,cerebrospinal fluid,and urine are often associated with the onset of AD patients.In this paper,some recent advances in the use of exosomes in the treatment of AD are reviewed,and various exosome markers and some latest detection methods are summarized to provide some evidence for the detection or treatment of AD by exosomes.

Study to Explore Laughter As Adjunct to Medical Treatment

笑,真的是一帖良药吗?首次进行该类研究的是加利福尼亚大学洛杉矶分校的的乔森癌症中心,研究将确定笑是否能减轻疼痛,是否有助于对儿童或青少年癌症患者、获得性免疫缺陷病毒感染者或爱滋病患者的治疗。

Medical Waste Treatment Station Selection Based on Linguistic q-Rung Orthopair Fuzzy Numbers

During the COVID-19 outbreak,the use of single-use medical supplies increased significantly.It is essential to select suitable sites for establishing medical waste treatment stations.It is a big challenge to solve the medical waste treatment station selection problem due to some conflicting factors.This paper proposes a multi-attribute decision-making(MADM)method based on the partitioned Maclaurin symmetric mean(PMSM)operator.For the medical waste treatment station selection problem,the factors or attributes(these two terms can be interchanged.)in the same clusters are closely related,and the attributes in different clusters have no relationships.The partitioned Maclaurin symmetric mean function(PMSMF)can handle these complex attribute relationships.Hence,we extend the PMSM operator to process the linguistic q-rung orthopair fuzzy numbers(Lq-ROFNs)and propose the linguistic q-rung orthopair fuzzy partitioned Maclaurin symmetric mean(Lq-ROFPMSM)operator and its weighted form(Lq-ROFWPMSM).To reduce the negative impact of unreasonable data on the final output results,we propose the linguistic q-rung orthopair fuzzy partitioned dual Maclaurin symmetric mean(Lq-ROFPDMSM)operator and its weighted form(Lq-ROFWPDMSM).We also discuss the characteristics and typical examples of the above operators.A novel MADM method uses the Lq-ROFWPMSM operator and the Lq-ROFWPDMSM operator to solve the medical waste treatment station selection problem.Finally,the usability and superiority of the proposed method are verified by comparing it with previous methods.

Impact of specialized nursing outpatient case management on postcoronary artery bypass grafting patients

BACKGROUND Some patients with coronary atherosclerotic heart disease experience major adverse cardiac events(MACE)and require readmission after Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting(CABG)surgery.This is often attributed to patients'unhealthy lifestyles and dietary habits,inadequate understanding of the disease,and poor disease management compliance.Thus,searching for more targeted nursing intervention models that can enhance patients'self-management abilities and reduce the risk of readmission after CABG surgery is significant.AIM To observe the impact of specialized nursing outpatient case management on patients after CABG surgery.METHODS A total of 103 patients who underwent CABG surgery in our hospital between April 2021 and April 2022 comprised the study sample.The patients were divided into two groups using an odd-even number grouping method.The control group received routine nursing care,while the case management group received specialized nursing outpatient case management.The differences in psychological status,adherence to medical treatment,self-care ability,knowledge mastery,quality of life scores,and the occurrence rate of MACE were compared between the two groups.RESULTS After the intervention,the case management group had lower scores on the selfrating depression scale and self-rating anxiety scale and lower MACE rate,as well as higher scores for adherence to a healthy diet,medication adherence,good lifestyle habits,regular exercise,and timely follow-up,higher scores on the Coronary Heart Disease Self-Management Scale,higher scores for managing adverse habits,symptoms,emotional cognition,emergency response,disease knowledge,general lifestyle,and treatment adherence,higher scores for understanding coronary heart disease,recognizing the importance of medication adherence,understanding selfcare points after CABG surgery,and being aware of post-CABG precautions,higher scores for physical well-being,disease condition,general health,social-psychological well-being,and work-related aspects(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Specialized nursing outpatient case management can enhance patient adherence to medical treatment,knowledge mastery,psychological well-being,and overall quality of life in patients after CABG surgery.

Epidemiological, Clinical, Therapeutic and Evolutive Profile of Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma in a Cameroonian Population

Background: Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest prevalence of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), at 4.2%. The efficacy of medical treatment has been demonstrated and remains one of the treatments of choice for POAG. However, in sub-Saharan Africa, its effectiveness has many challenges, due to multiple factors, including cost and access to care. Thus, the present study aimed to determine the epidemiological, clinical, therapeutic and evolutive profile of primary open-angle glaucoma patients. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in two hospitals in western Cameroon. Epidemiological, clinical, therapeutic, and evolutionary data on intraocular pressure at one year after medical treatment were analyzed. SPSS version 23 software was used for statistical analysis, with a significant p-value set at 5%. Results: A total of 201 patients with POAG were included in the study. The population comprised 100 men and 101 women, with a mean age of 54 ± 12 years. At diagnosis, the mean intraocular pressure was 23.9 ± 8.70 mmHg for the right eye and 25.5 ± 9.57 mmHg for the left eye. The mean cup/disc ratio was 0.64 ± 0.2 [0.2-1] and 0.67 ± 0.19 [02-1] in the right and left eyes, respectively. Monotherapy was the most prescribed treatment [59.2%]. After one year of treatment, intraocular pressure was reduced by 15.5% with beta-blockers, 23.66% with prostaglandins, 19.11% with carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, 35, 92% with beta-blockers and carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, 25.92% with beta-blockers and prostaglandins, 48.03% with carbonic anhydrase inhibitors and prostaglandin agonists, and 38.77% with triple therapy. Taking glaucoma severity into account, a significant reduction in intraocular pressure at one year was observed in all participants [p 0.05]. However, the target pressure was obtained in 47%, 20% and 14% of eyes suffering of mild, moderate, and severe grade of POAG respectively. Conclusion: In the present study, there was a significant reduction in intraocular pressure after one year of medical treatment. However, the reduction in intraocular pressure does not allow the target pressure to be reached in severe forms. Thus, alternatives to the medical treatment of POAG should be discussed early in the present context. .

Clinical Characteristics of 42 SARS Patients and Their Treatment of Integrative Chinese and Western Medicine

Objective:To understand the clinical manifestation of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and explore its effective treatment with integrative Chinese and western medicine (ICWM). Methods:The data of patients, whose diagnosis of SARS had been confirmed were summarized and analyzed, and clinical observation was conducted when the patients were treated with ICWM. Results:In the early stage of the 42 patients, the symptoms revealed were fever in 100% of SARS patients, headache in 92. 9%, aversion to cold in 76. 2%, chest stuffiness in 76. 2% , cough in 73. 8% and myalgia in 88.1%; pulmonary lesion involves >3 lobes in 42. 9%, 2 lobes in 47. 6% and 1 lobe in 9. 5%; 61. 9% of them showed liver function abnormality (increase of ALT or AST), 47. 6% showed elevated myocardial enzyme (CK or CK-MB) , 0. 48% showed an inclination of renal function (higher of BUN or Cr); in their T lymphocyte subsets, 91. 2% (31/34 patients) had lowered CD3 and 76. 5% (26/34 patients) lowered CD4/CD8 ratio. In the mid-late stage, the symptoms were lassitude and weakness in 85. 7%, scare in 81. 0%, short of breath or chest stuffiness in 71. 4%, loss of appetite in 64. 3%;light dark tongue proper in 52. 4%, yellow and white tongue coating in 45. 2%, and yellow thick coating on the middle-root part of the tongue in 21. 4%. Most of them were asymptomatic when discharged from hospital, with 92. 8% of their pulmonary lesion, according to chest film, completely absorbed and liver function, myocardial enzyme and renal function all normalized. However, of the 30 patients who had CD3 reexamination, 70% of the CD3 showed lower than normal range and 36. 7% showed their CD4/CD8 inclined to lower margin, follow-up should be done for these patients. Of the 42 patients, who received western medicine (WM) alone in the early stage and ICWM in the mid-late stage, 10 were severe cases and 3 critical cases, but none of them died. The mean defervescent time was 3. 52±0. 85 days, the time for complete absorption of pulmonary lesion judged by chest X-ray film was 26. 82±5. 98 days, and the mean hospitalization time was 33. 60±4. 37 days. Conclusion:The manifestation of SARS is multifarious, showing that there were damage in multiple organs. The T lymphocyte count percentage and its subsets, CD3 and CD4 /CD8 ratio, are valuable for early diagnosis and follow-up in the rehabilitation stage. Majority of the patients could be clinically cured. Combined treatment of WM and TCM according to syndrome differentiation and psychiatric intervention are beneficial to remit partial symptoms and promote rehabilitation.

Gangrene of the External Genitalia at Chu-Abeche

Introduction: Gangrene of the external genitalia organs (EGO) is a medico-surgical emergency that is still very common in Third World countries. The main etiologies are urogenital, dermocutaneous and proctological. Mortality remains very high despite therapeutic advances. Our aim was to report on the epidemiological, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of gangrene of the external genitalia, and to identify prognostic factors. Patients and Method: This was a 5-year retrospective descriptive study, from February 2016 to February 2021, of cases of gangrene of the external genitalia admitted to and treated in the Urology Department of Abeche University Hospital. Results: We collected 49 cases of gangrene of the external genitalia. The mean age of patients was 42 ± 16.81, with extremes of 20 and 81 years. The age group most concerned was between 20 and 29. The most frequent reasons for consultation were suppuration of the external genitalia and scrotal swelling. The average consultation time was 19.05 ± 16.02 days. The most common comorbidity was diabetes (35.9%). The most frequent pathological antecedents were urinary tract infections and endourethral maneuvers, reported in 40.5% and 38.7% respectively. Urogenital aetiology was predominant in 54.7%, and idiopathic in 35.9%. Lesions involved the scrotum in 60.6%, the scrotum and penis in 16.5%, and the penis alone in 5.7% of cases. Lesions extended to the perineum in 13.6% of cases, and to the abdomen in 3.6%. Vascular filling via the central venous line was performed in 58.6% of cases, and via the peripheral venous line in 41.4%. 3rd-generation cephalosporins and associated imidazoles were the most commonly used antibiotics. Necrosectomy was performed in 37 patients (73.4%), debridement combined with bypass cystostomy in 26.6% of cases. Colostomy was performed in 4% of cases. 90.8% of patients were cured and 9.2% died. The average hospital stay was 30 ± 75 days. Conclusion: The gangrene of the external genitalia is a medical and surgical emergency which has become rare in Europe, but which is still very common in the context of our practice in Chad. The severity of the disease is linked to delayed consultation and co-morbidity factors. Mortality remains very high despite therapeutic advances.

Thoughts on the Innovative Design of the Integrated Service Mode of Pharmacies and Elderly Care Centers

Objective To evaluate the service model that integrates medical treatment and elderly care to provide a reference for the development of pharmacies and elderly care centers.Methods Through the literature investigation and case analysis,the domestic integrated medical treatment and elderly care service model was analyzed,and new ideas for the integration of pharmacies and elderly care centers were provided.Results and Conclusion The integrated service model of pharmacies and elderly care centers is designed and the integration mode of pharmacies,hospitals and elderly care centers is proposed by analyzing their advantages.The“pharmacy+elderly care”mode and the“pharmacy+medical treatment+elderly care”mode that integrates pharmacies,hospitals,and elderly care centers are put forward to predict its new development opportunities in the future.

Tuberculosis of the spine

Pott’s spine,commonly known as spinal tuberculosis(TB),is an extrapulmonary form of TB caused by Mycobacterium TB.Pott’s paraplegia occurs when the spine is involved.Spinal TB is usually caused by the hematogenous spread of infection from a central focus,which can be in the lungs or another location.Spinal TB is distinguished by intervertebral disc involvement caused by the same segmental arterial supply,which can result in severe morbidity even after years of approved therapy.Neurological impairments and spine deformities are caused by progressive damage to the anterior vertebral body.The clinical,radiographic,microbiological,and histological data are used to make the diagnosis of spinal TB.In Pott’s spine,combination multidrug antitubercular therapy is the basis of treatment.The recent appearance of multidrug-resistant/extremely drug-resistant TB and the growth of human immunodeficiency virus infection have presented significant challenges in the battle against TB infection.Patients who come with significant kyphosis or neurological impairments are the only ones who require surgical care.Debride-ment,fusion stabilization,and correction of spinal deformity are the cornerstones of surgical treatment.Clinical results for the treatment of spinal TB are generally quite good with adequate and prompt care.

Acute Alithiasis Cholecystitis in Children: Diagnostic and Therapeutic Approach in the Pediatric Surgery Department of the CHU of Conakry

Acute alithiasic cholecystitis (AAC) is the inflammatory disease of the gallbladder in the absence of gallstones. It is a rare pathology in children. The aim was to describe the clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic characteristics of this disease. Materials and Method: This was a 3-year retrospective study (January 2008 to December 2010) including 66 patient records collected for CAA. Results: The frequency of AAC was 3.57%, the mean age of the patients was 8 ± 3.52 years, and there were 36 boys and 30 girls. The main clinical features were right hypochondrial pain (66 cases), positive Murphy’s (66 cases), fever (53 cases) and jaundice or sub-jaundice (51 cases). The main ultrasound signs were thickened vesicular wall 50 cas (75.76%), vesicular distension 50cas (75.76%) and positive ultrasound Murphy 47 cas (71.21%). Medical treatment was exclusive in 64 patients (96.97%) and surgical treatment in 2 patients (3.03%). Conclusion: Acute alithiasic cholecystitis is a rare pathology in children, the clinical picture is not very specific and abdominal ultrasound is the key to early diagnosis. Conservative treatment is the first choice in the absence of any complications.