Icodextrin as salvage therapy in peritoneal dialysis patients with refractory fluid overload

Background Icodextrin is a high molecular weight, starch-derived glucose polymer, which is capable of inducing sustained ultrafiltration over prolonged (12–16 hour) peritoneal dialysis (PD) dwells. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of icodextrin to alleviate refractory, symptomatic fluid overload and prolong technique survival in PD patients. Methods A prospective, open-label, pre-test/post-test study was conducted in 17 PD patients (8 females/9 males, mean age 56.8 ± 2.9 years) who were on the verge of being transferred to haemodialysis because of symptomatic fluid retention that was refractory to fluid restriction, loop diuretic therapy, hypertonic glucose exchanges and dwell time optimisation. One icodextrin exchange (2.5 L 7.5%, 12-hour dwell) was substituted for a long-dwell glucose exchange each day. Results Icodextrin significantly increased peritoneal ultrafiltration (885 ± 210 ml to 1454 ± 215 ml, p < 0.05) and reduced mean arterial pressure (106 ± 4 to 96 ± 4 mmHg, p < 0.05), but did not affect weight, plasma albumin concentration, haemoglobin levels or dialysate:plasma creatinine ratio. Diabetic patients (n = 12) also experienced improved glycaemic control (haemoglobin Alc decreased from 8.9 ± 0.7% to 7.9 ± 0.7%, p < 0.05). Overall PD technique survival was prolonged by a mean of 11.6 months (95% CI 6.0–17.3 months). On multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis, extension of technique survival by icodextrin was only significantly predicted by baseline net daily peritoneal ultrafiltration (adjusted HR 2.52, 95% CI 1.13–5.62, p < 0.05). Conclusions Icodextrin significantly improved peritoneal ultrafiltration and extended technique survival in PD patients with symptomatic fluid overload, especially those who had substantially impaired peritoneal ultrafiltration.

Laser-derived particle size data from CRP-3, Victoria Land Basin, Antarctica: Implications for sequence and seismic stratigraphy

Seven hundred and nineteen samples from throughout the Cainozoic section in CRP-3 were analysed by a Malvern Mastersizer laser particle analyser, in order to derive a stratigraphic distribution of grain-size parameters downhole. Entropy analysis of these data (using the method of Woolfe and Michibayashi, 1995) allowed recognition of four groups of samples, each group characterised by a distinctive grain-size distribution. Group 1, which shows a multi-modal distribution, corresponds to mudrocks, interbedded mudrock/sandstone facies, muddy sandstones and diamictites. Group 2, with a sand-grade mode but showing wide dispersion of particle size, corresponds to muddy sandstones, a few cleaner sandstones and some conglomerates. Group 3 and Group 4 are also sand-dominated, with better grain-size sorting, and correspond to clean, well-washed sandstones of varying mean grain-size (medium and fine modes, respectively). The downhole disappearance of Group 1, and dominance of Groups 3 and 4 reflect a concomitant change from mudrock- and diamictite-rich lithology to a section dominated by clean, well-washed sandstones with minor conglomerates. Progressive downhole increases in percentage sand and principal mode also reflect these changes. Significant shifts in grain-size parameters and entropy group membership were noted across sequence boundaries and seismic reflectors, as recognised in others studies.

Quaternary continental weathering geochronology by laser-heating Ar-40/Ar-39 analysis of supergene cryptomelane

Incremental laser-heating analyses of supergene cryptomelane clusters extracted from three distinct weathering profiles from the Mary Valley region, southeast Queensland, Australia, yield reproducible and well-defined plateau ages ranging from 346 +/- 15 to 291 +/- 14 ka (2 a). Precipitation of supergene cryptomelane in this period implies that relative humid climate prevailed in southeast Queensland from 340 to 290 ha, a result consistent with oxygen isotope analyses of marine sediments from Ocean Drilling Program Site 820 and with regional pollen and spore records. These results, the first report on the precise Ar-40/Ar-39 dating of Quaternary supergene cryptomelane, indicate that Ar-40/Ar-39 analysis of pedogenic minerals provides a reliable geochronometer for the study of Quaternary surficial processes useful in the study of soil formation rates, continental paleoclimates, and archaeological sites devoid of datable volcanic minerals.

Cognitive behaviour therapy for the management of obsessive-compulsive disorder

Current research reflects conflict regarding best practice in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The. present study reports on the psychological treatment of a 54-year-old woman diagnosed with OCD, and follows the implementation of pharmacological treatment. The study utilises both exposure and response prevention (ERP) and cognitive therapy (CT), although there was no attempt to compare these approaches in an experimental design. Measures of avoiding and neutralising behaviours were taken on three occasions across treatment. Measures were also taken of intrusive thoughts, appraisal of responsibility, and effective challenging, both across treatment and at follow-up. The results indicate that gains were made in addition to those reported following the implementation of medication. The results also suggest that the addition of CT to exposure and response prevention facilitates the extinction of neutralising behaviours.

Occupational Therapy in mental health: Managing stress and burnout

Stress and burnout for human service workers has received increasing attention over a number of years. It has been suggested that health care professionals may be particularly at risk of stress and burnout because of the amount and type of direct client contact that makes up their work. For workers in the field of mental health, additional stressors are present owing to organisational restructuring and new models of care. Mental health occupational therapists may be vulnerable to stress and burnout owing to the nature of their work, the types of client they see, the changed work environment and professional issues. It is recommended that occupational therapists become aware of the factors contributing to stress and burnout and develop strategies to maintain their wellbeing in the workforce.

Work-related stress and occupational therapy

Occupational stress and burnout have been studied extensively in the human services. It has been suggested that healthcare professionals in particular are at risk of stress owing to the caring nature of their work. Articles related to occupational therapy and work-related stress were reviewed in regard to practice in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States and Sweden. Although the empirical literature is relatively weak for occupational therapy, it has been argued that occupational therapists in health care share risk factors with other healthcare professionals. These risk factors include repeated exposure to distress and difficult behaviour, prolonged interventions and uncertain outcome. Issues such as professional status, staffing issues and the nature of the profession have been identified as additional risk factors for occupational therapists. However, empirical studies that enable burnout rates of occupational therapists to be compared with those of related occupational groups suggest that this may not be the case. Occupational therapists may in fact be protected from some stress and burnout factors. Further research is recommended to clarify the nature of stress experienced by occupational therapists and to identify both risk and protective factors characteristic of the profession. Copyright © 2001 Whurr Publishers Ltd.

Adult Growth Hormone Deficiency. What does the newest hormone replacement therapy do?

All patients with known pituitary or hypothalamic disease, or surgery or radiation treatment to the area could have growth hormone deficiency. Growth hormone deficiency in adults is an approved indication for recombinant growth hormone treatment in Australia. Diagnosis currently requires measurement of growth hormone response to insulin hypoglycaemia. Many patients have dramatic improvements in body composition, functional capacity and psychological wellbeing following recombinant human growth hormone replacement. (author abstract)

Stem cells in the aetiopathogenesis and therapy of rheumatic disease

Animal models of autoimmune disease and case reports of patients with these diseases who have been involved in bone marrow transplants have provided important data implicating the haemopoietic stem cell in rheumatic disease pathogenesis. Animal and human examples exist for both cure and transfer of rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and other organ-specific diseases using allogeneic haemopoietic stem cell transplantation. This would suggest that the stem cell in these diseases is abnormal and could be cured by replacement of a normal stem cell although more in vitro data are required in this area. Given the morbidity and increased mortality in some patients with severe autoimmune diseases and the increasing safety of autologous haemopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), pilot studies have been conducted using HSCT in rheumatic diseases. It is still unclear whether an autologous graft will cure these diseases but significant remissions have been obtained which have provided important data for the design of randomized trials of HSCT versus more conventional therapy. Several trials are now open to accrual under the auspices of the European Bone Marrow Transplant Group/European League Against Rheumatism (EBMT/EULAR) registry. Future clinical and laboratory research will need to document the abnormalities of the stem cell of a rheumatic patient because new therapies based on gene therapy or stem cell differentiation could be apllied to these diseases. With increasing safety of allogeneic HSCT it is not unreasonable to predict cure of some rheumatic diseases in the near future.

Can anticonvulsant drug therapy 'cure' epilepsy?

There is now evidence to show that, as time passes, epilepsy, even if untreated, tends to undergo spontaneous remission in a significant proportion of patients. The question therefore arises as to whether anticonvulsant drug therapy increases this chance of the patient with epilepsy ultimately entering a terminal remission which continues after the treatment is withdrawn, Le. whether anticonvulsant drug therapy itself may sometimes cure epilepsy. There are no well-designed studies available in the literature that provide a clear answer to this question. However, data from a number of investigations carried out for other purposes can be used to see whether contemporary anticonvulsant drug therapy is associated with higher rates of expected untreated terminal remission than those that apply for never-treated patients with epilepsy, or for those whose anticonvulsant treatment has probably been inadequate for various social or historical reasons. Despite the admitted uncertainties inherent in drawing conclusions from such material, there appears to be a reasonably consistent tendency for contemporary anticonvulsant drug treatment to be associated with a greater chance of achieving probable cure of epilepsy. Therefore it would appear premature to take the view that contemporary anticonvulsant drug therapy does no more than suppress epileptic seizures until epilepsy remits spontaneously, or fails to remit, with the passing of time.

Premenstrual syndrome: The condition, the therapy and the pharmacist.

The following aspects of premenstrual syndrome are discussed: classification, common symptoms, aetiology, pharmacological treatment, other therapies, role of the pharmacist. (non-author abstract)