Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to J R Bennett.
The consultants in a single large acute hospital trust were given a personal allocation of 500.00 pounds for study leave and asked to supply reports on the purpose and value of that leave. The majority of consultants (82%) took leave during the 12-month period at an average cost of 182.80 pounds for each episode. Most was regarded of value and the majority was shared with other members of staff.
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BACKGROUND & AIMS: The study and management of reflux esophagitis require an endoscopic classification system founded on esophageal lesions that can be reproducibly identified. The aim of this study was to investigate interobserver agreement for the identification of endoscopic lesions typical of reflux esophagitis. METHODS: Paired comparisons of observers' descriptions were obtained. Seventeen endoscopists assessed 100 still images, and 42 endoscopists, including 13 endoscopists in training, assessed 23 endoscopic video recordings. In a third, ancillary study, using a simpler evaluation sheet, 219 gastroenterologists recorded their assessments of 20 still images. RESULTS: The agreement between endoscopists was similar for still images and video recordings. Agreement between experienced endoscopists was acceptable to good for recognition of minimal changes (erythema, friability, mucosal edema; kappa = 0.46 to kappa = 0.8), mucosal breaks (discretely, demarcated areas of slough or erythema; kappa = 0.84), and complications (ulceration, kappa = 0.92; stricturing, kappa = 0.80; columnar metaplasia, kappa = 0.81), although there was poor agreement when the circumferential extent and number of mucosal breaks were assessed. However, total circumferential extent of the mucosal break had a kappa value of 0.59. Agreement between inexperienced endoscopists was poor for recognition of minimal changes but was good for recognition of complications (kappa, 0.70-0.90). CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopists can identify mucosal breaks confined to a mucosal fold and lesions that extend throughout the esophageal circumference. Complications of reflux disease can be reproducibly recorded. Criteria for assessing the number of mucosal breaks and their radial extent must be defined more clearly, as must the features of minimal change esophagitis.
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A cross sectional study was undertaken to examine the relationship between coeliac disease and bone mineral density. The 135 female coeliac patients registered on the database of the Department of Gastroenterology at Hull Royal Infirmary were approached by letter, advising them of a potential risk of osteoporosis and inviting them to undergo bone densitometry. A total of 81 registered women (60%) attended the Osteoporosis Laboratory, Princess Royal Hospital and underwent dual energy x ray absorptiometry at the lumbar spine (L2-L4) and femoral neck. Historical data relating to the time of diagnosis and adherence to a gluten free diet were obtained. A control group was selected from the local normal population and was first matched for height, weight, and menopausal status. Postmenopausal patients were then further matched to controls of equivalent menopausal age. In coeliac patients, bone mineral density expressed in g/cm2 as mean (SD) was significantly lower at the lumbar spine (1.076 (0.186)) than in the control group (1.155 (0.143), p < 0.001). This was also the case at the femoral neck (0.887 (0.142) versus 0.965 (0.127), p < 0.001). When the coeliac patients were stratified by menopausal status, it was found that femoral neck bone mineral density was significantly below control values in both premenopausal and postmenopausal women. Spinal bone mineral density exhibited a significant decrement only in the postmenopausal group. The age at diagnosis of coeliac disease and adherence to a gluten free diet did not influence bone mineral density at either hip or spine. These results confirm coeliac patients' higher risk of osteopenia. Coeliac disease should be added to the list of medical conditions which constitute an indication for bone densitometry in order that the individual risk of osteoporosis related fracture may be determined.
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Ninety-three adult patients with benign esophageal stricture were randomized to receive balloon or bougie dilatation. Eighty-five patients were eligible for analysis and were followed prospectively for a year. Twenty-four patients required repeat dilatation within a year, but 50 patients completed a year's follow-up without further dilatation. The bougie group initially had a better symptomatic result, experiencing significantly less dysphagia at five months, although this difference had disappeared at one year. Eighteen patients in the balloon group required redilatation for symptoms compared with six in the bougie group. The bougie group had a significantly greater increase in their stricture diameter, and this was still present at one year after dilatation. There was no significant difference in safety or patient acceptability. Balloons are probably more costly to use than bougies. Bougie dilatation is to be preferred to balloon dilatation in adults except in special circumstances.
It is a common observation that stricture patients with severe dysphagia may have a wide lumen, while others with a narrow stricture have few swallowing complaints. In 64 patients with benign oesophageal stricture the dysphagia score (determined by questionnaire and by a test meal both based on nine different items of food scored according to their solidity) was compared with the diameter of the stricture measured radiologically by premeasured barium spheres. There was evidence of an association, but the correlation coefficient (r) was 0.544 (p = 0.0001), suggesting that the diameter of the stricture is an important, although not the sole, determinant of dysphagia. Stricture diameter explains 29.6% (r2) of variation in dysphagia score. The patients (mean dysphagia score 71 of a maximum possible 90) were divided into three groups according to the severity of oesophagitis (19 patients had minimal, 22 moderate and 23 severe oesophagitis). Analysis revealed the mean dysphagia score to be 83, 73, 59 in each group respectively. Dysphagia score of each group was significantly different from the others (Kruskal-Wallis test). Relating the dysphagia score to stricture diameter for each group gives correlation coefficient r = 0.379 (p = 0.110) in the minimal oesophagitis group, r = 0.651 (p = 0.001) in the moderate group, r = 0.583 (p = 0.004) in the severe group. If both diameter and severity of oesophagitis are included then 66.0% of the variation can be explained. It is concluded that the degree of oesophagitis is as important as luminal diameter in determining swallowing ability.
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In order to assess the in vivo significance of the free radical scavenging properties of propofol the effect of propofol anaesthesia on the sensitivity of rat liver microsomes to radical-induced lipid peroxidation has been examined. Microsome peroxidation was initiated with a combination of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate and ferric ions, and assessed by measuring the changes in oxygen tension in the microsome suspension. In comparison to animals receiving 10% intralipid, saline or midazolam, microsomes prepared from animals anaesthetized with propofol demonstrated a significantly increased resistance to lipid peroxidation. Thus, the median delay in onset of the maximum rate of oxygen consumption in animals receiving a bolus of propofol was 23.1 min (range 14.4-32.3), in comparison to delays in the animals receiving intralipid, saline or midazolam of 1.9 (0.5-4.1), 2.4 (2.0-3.7) and 3.0 (1.8-6.1) min respectively (P < 0.01 in each case, Mann Whitney U-test). More prolonged anaesthesia with either repeated boluses or an infusion of propofol also delayed the onset of lipid peroxidation (45.6 (27.2-60) and 18.3 (9.2-60) min respectively). We conclude that the free radical scavenging properties of propofol are biologically significant at anaesthetic doses.
Twenty patients who were diagnosed as having Behçet's Disease between 1976 and 1990 were asked to attend the dermatology department so that their diagnosis could be reviewed in the light of recently established criteria for the diagnosis of Behçet's disease. Ten patients fulfilled the diagnostic criteria, nine of whom agreed to participate in this endoscopic study. Nine patients underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, three of whom had dyspepsia alone, two had dysphagia and dyspepsia, one had symptoms of acid regurgitation, and the remainder were asymptomatic at the time of endoscopy. One patient had evidence of grade 1 reflux esophagitis, one had an incidental pyloric canal ulcer, and one patient who had severe dysphagia on presentation was found to have a high esophageal stricture with accompanying ulceration. Behçet's disease rarely affects the esophagus but when present can cause marked esophagitis with consequent stricture formation. Since the incidence of esophageal involvement was low (11%), we conclude that unless the patient had marked esophageal symptoms there is no indication for routine endoscopy of patients with Behçet's disease.
Patients' accounts of their eating capacity correlate reasonably well with their observed performance, but they do not exactly match each other. This can be attributed to patients' inaccurate estimation of eating ability and the inconstant nature of dysphagia. Therefore, we advocate a combined score in clinical trials. However, for clinical practice, a quantitative assessment of the patient's account is quicker, more convenient, and sufficiently accurate. The advantage of a numerical score is obvious in clinical trials because of its statistical versatility, and may also be desirable in certain cases in clinical practice.
Fifty-nine consecutive patients admitted for colonoscopy were randomized to receive polyethylene glycol or sodium picosulphate. Patients expressed their opinion in a questionnaire and the endoscopists, blinded to the preparation, assessed the cleanliness of different segments of the colon. There was no statistically significant difference in the taste-acceptability of the preparations, frequency of nausea, abdominal pain, peri-anal soreness or sleep disturbance between the two groups. Polyethylene glycol caused vomiting in 13% of patients while this was absent in those who received sodium picosulphate (P less than 0.05). The average number of stools passed was 12.4 in the polyethylene glycol and 8.6 in the sodium picosulphate groups; mean difference 3.8 (95% C.I. 0.7-6.9) with P less than 0.02. The overall cleanliness of the colon was better in the polyethylene glycol group (P = 0.002) as judged by the blinded colonoscopist. There was less delay (P = 0.06) and more completed colonoscopies (P = 0.01) in this group. Polyethylene glycol was a better preparation in all segments of the colon except the rectum. We conclude that polyethylene glycol is the choice of the colonoscopist and should be given to all patients; sodium picosulphate would be a good alternative if patients are intolerant. If a limited colonoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy is intended, sodium picosulphate may be preferred because of its acceptable efficacy and slightly advantageous side-effect profile.
The experience of Advanced Trauma Life Support training received by three anaesthetists is discussed with particular reference to the teaching of airway management, the grade of staff who should attend the present courses and the relevance to the British hospital system. We conclude that these courses are useful but limited by their inflexibility and failure to recognise the difference in skill mix in the British setting.
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