Blood specimens were collected from 50 hospitalized geriatric patients with a range of chronic diseases. Analyses were conducted for 12 plasma components. Additional tests were performed on patients with abnormal results in the first tests. Of the 50 patients, 21 (42 per cent) had biochemical abnormalities, often unexpected on the basis of current diagnoses. It is suggested that routine biochemical screening should be conducted on geriatric patients at regular intervals.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The effects of malnutrition in hospital.

Between 30 and 50% of inpatients suffer some degree of malnutrition and as a result have a higher risk of complications and higher mortality than well-nourished patients. Nurses have a fundamental role in combating and preventing malnutrition, yet lack knowledge and understanding of the problem. This article describes the effects of malnutrition and discusses the nurse's role in the provision of nutritional care.

Energy Metabolism↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Nursing a teenager with burns.

Development of body image is an integral part of a teenager's psychological growth. Burned teenagers experience great difficulty in readjusting psychosocially after injury as they have not yet formed their own self-concept and sense of worth. Burns patients experience a range of psychological problems as a consequence of disfigurement. These include depression, phobias, insomnia, sexual problems, high divorce rates, juvenile delinquency and impaired employment or academic status. Few nursing research articles have addressed the psychosocial problems of burns patients. Even if nurses are not skilled in counselling they must be able to recognize problems and refer patients to colleagues with the appropriate skills.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Feeding the wound: nutrition and wound care.

The nutritional health of the individual can determine the outcome of wound management. Frequent nutritional assessments must be performed in order to detect patients with malnutrition or at risk of malnutrition. Energy requirements must be calculated for those deemed to be malnourished or at risk of malnourishment. Early intervention is paramount to ensure that wound healing occurs unimpeded. The use of glutamine and arginine supplements enhances wound healing and should be increased. Nutritional care is cost-effective.

Dietary Proteins↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The prevalence of HIV-1 infection among inmates in Ontario, Canada.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

A population-based hepatitis B seroprevalence and risk factor study in a northern Ontario town.

OBJECTIVE: To determine a) population-based hepatitis B seroprevalence rates; and b) associated behavioural risk factors. SETTING: A remote northern Ontario town with a cluster of hepatitis B cases. INTERVENTIONS: Anonymous blood testing linked with risk-factor questionnaires. RESULTS: 635 persons aged 14 to 30 years (51% of the eligible age cohort) donated blood in return for free vaccination; four were anti-HBs positive, and none was HBsAg positive. In all, 19% of participants reported two or more sexual partners in the previous year, 6% reported at least one tattooing in the previous year, and 1% reported illicit injection drug use. Of persons with multiple sexual partners 84% did not consistently use condoms. CONCLUSIONS: When the serological results of the original cluster (and contacts) were considered, the age cohort's HBsAg seroprevalence rate was estimated to be between 0.24% and 0.47%. While the serosurvey did not discover additional HBsAg positive cases, there was great potential for heterosexual transmission.

Adolescent↗