Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Mandatory Testing”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 649 records · Page 36Linked to original sources

Alabama laws on drug testing in the work place.

Alabama law related to employee work place drug testing consists of the newly enacted drug free work place program, the workers' compensation law and the unemployment compensation law. These laws contain specific requirements relating to the performance of employee drug testing. Physicians will play a key role in the management, supervision and implementation of employer drug testing programs and should become familiar with state and federal laws and regulations pertaining to the operation of those programs.

Alabama↗

Reducing the risk of perinatal HIV-1 transmission with zidovudine: results and implications of AIDS Clinical Trials Group protocol 076.

This paper reviews the rationale for the AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG) protocol 076 design, the study results and the implications of these results, including discussion of the US Public Health Service Task Force recommendations on the use of zidovudine to reduce perinatal transmission and for prenatal human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) counseling and testing.

AIDS Serodiagnosis↗

Cause and course in a series of patients with sporadic chorea.

OBJECTIVE: To identify correlations between clinical and neuroimaging features in sporadic chorea and to explicate the evolution of choreas of differing aetiologies. METHODS: We analysed the clinical and neuroimaging data of 51 consecutive cases (17 males, 34 females; age 16-95 years) of sporadic chorea admitted to the neurology departments of two general hospitals from January 1994 to December 1999, and two neurological institutes from January 1997. Six months later the patients were reassessed clinically and those still with chorea (20 cases) were asked to undergo the genetic tests for Huntington's disease and dentatorubropallidoluysian atrophy. RESULTS: There were 9 cases of focal dyskinesias, 18 of hemichorea, and 24 of generalised chorea; onset was acute in 17, subacute in 27, and insidious in seven. Analysis permitted classification as follows: vascular-related (21 cases); vasculitis (1 case); hypoxia (2 cases); drug-induced (7 cases); AIDS-related (5 cases), borreliosis (1 case); Sydenham's chorea (1 case); hyperglycaemia (2 cases); hyponatraemia (2 cases); Huntington's disease (HD) (5 cases) and acanthocytosis (1 case). In 3 patients neither etiological factors nor neuroradiological alterations were found. CONCLUSIONS: Although a convincing concordance between choreic signs and neuroradiological findings was possible in 4 patients only, it was possible to assign an aetiology in most cases with vascular related causes the most frequent and metabolic factors often participating. Huntington's disease is not unusual as a cause of sporadic choreas. HIV infection is an emerging cause of chorea and AIDS-related disease should be considered in young patients presenting without a family history of movement disorders. We emphasize the importance of follow-up to identify persistent chorea for which genetic testing is mandatory.

Adolescent↗

Human immunodeficiency virus test refusal in pregnancy: a challenge to voluntary testing.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if awareness of methods to reduce vertical transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is associated with HIV test acceptance and to clarify patients' attitudes toward routine versus elective prenatal HIV testing. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, 247 antenatal patients were surveyed regarding HIV knowledge, self-perceived HIV risk, and willingness to learn a positive test result. This information, along with demographic and risk factor data, was related to HIV test acceptance. Patients also indicated their attitudes toward routine versus elective prenatal testing for HIV and other common prenatal screening tests. RESULTS: Seventy-two percent of antenatal patients accepted HIV testing. Test acceptance was not associated with the presence of risk factors, self-perceived HIV risk, or demographic factors, including race and ethnicity. Test acceptance was associated positively with patients' knowledge of a medical intervention to reduce vertical transmission and their willingness to learn a positive HIV test result. Only 24% of patients knew that the risk of vertical transmission could be reduced using medication. Sixty-nine percent of patients said that prenatal HIV testing should be routine, whereas 27% said that it should be done only after specific written consent. As a group, our patients viewed HIV screening no differently from screening for other infections in pregnancy. CONCLUSION: Interventions aimed at increasing HIV testing rates among pregnant women should focus on educating patients about vertical transmission reduction and promising new therapies for HIV infection. Proponents of elective testing should re-evaluate the assumption that patients view HIV testing differently from other prenatal tests for which separate written consent is not required.

Adult↗

Medical and nursing students' attitudes about AIDS issues.

A 12-item questionnaire was administered in late 1987-early 1988 to 445 medical students, 133 medical school applicants, and 111 nursing students to assess any differences in their attitudes toward medicine-related AIDS issues. These groups were also given a 31-item test of their knowledge of AIDS issues. Significant differences by levels of knowledge were obtained for eight of the 12 attitude items. For example, the more knowledgeable the student, the less likely he or she was to refuse treatment to an AIDS patient, to require mandatory AIDS testing of physicians, or to require medical personnel to wear gloves. The findings strongly suggest that education has an important role in changing attitudes about AIDS in a direction that fosters better health care for AIDS patients.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

"Guidance for industry: current good manufacturing practice for blood and blood components: (1). Quarantine and disposition of units from prior collections from donors with repeatedly reactive screening test for antibody to hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV); (2). Supplemental testing, and the notification of consignees and blood recipients of donor test results for anti-HCV;" availability--FDA. Notice.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing the availability of a guidance document (dated September 1998) entitled "Guidance for Industry: Current Good Manufacturing Practice for Blood and Blood Components: (1) Quarantine and Disposition of Units From Prior Collections From Donors With Repeatedly Reactive Screening Test for Antibody to Hepatitis C Virus (Anti-HCV); (2) Supplemental Testing, and the Notification of Consignees and Blood Recipients of Donor Test Results for Anti-HCV." The guidance document provides recommendations for donor screening and supplemental testing for antibody to hepatitis C virus (HCV), notification of consignees and quarantine of prior collections from a donor who later tests repeatedly reactive for antibody to HCV, notification of recipients of blood and blood components at increased risk for transmitting HCV.

Blood Banks↗

[The value of color-coded duplex ultrasound as standard assessment in erectile dysfunction].

Erectile dysfunction has taken on increasing importance in urologic practice. Still open is the question of which tests are mandatory for adequate clinical assessment of erectile dysfunction. One accepted standard modality is the intracavernous pharmacotest with vasoactive agents. In contrast, color duplex sonography is not considered mandatory although it reveals detailed information about penile vessels and functional implications. The question remains whether the information gained by color duplex sonography is relevant for therapy, making it an indispensable standard procedure. Patients with erectile dysfunction were evaluated, without preselection, by extensive history, clinical evaluation, laboratory tests, tumescence and rigidity measurements, intracavernous administration of vasoactive drugs and color duplex sonography. Seventy-nine patients were available for final analysis. Color duplex sonography revealed 39 normal tests, 16 arterial impairments. 19 venous leakages and 5 arteriovenous fistulae. Intracavernous vasoactive agents (pharmacotest) revealed 44 reactions sufficient for intercourse and 35 insufficient responses. In 89% of patients, the diagnoses on color duplex sonography and intracavernous pharmaco-testing were similar. The accuracy of the two methods in diagnosing erectile dysfunction was not statistically different (McNemar's test). In contrast to intracavernous pharmaco-testing, color duplex sonography permitted further etiologic subdivision into arterial disease, venous leakage, arteriovenous fistula and normal result. This was made possible by measuring significantly (P < 0.01) different arterial peak flow velocities, end-diastolic velocities and calculated resistance index. These data did not imply direct clinical consequences. Color duplex sonography and intracavernous pharmacotesting reveal comparable results concerning the diagnosis of an erectile dysfunction. In contrast to pharmacotesting, color duplex sonography reveals details of the nature of the erectile dysfunction. Because this information has no profound implications for the choice of therapeutic procedure, color duplex sonography can not be recommended as a standard procedure in the evaluation of erectile dysfunction.

Adolescent↗

Testing patients for HIV before surgery: the views of doctors performing surgery.

The aim of this study was to investigate the attitudes of doctors performing surgery to the HIV antibody testing of surgical patients. Fifty of eighty (62.5%) doctors performing surgery who are working in two London teaching hospitals returned completed anonymous postal questionnaires. Sixty-six per cent of the sample would like some form of compulsory testing of pre-operative patients, although most of them feel that this is only necessary for patients considered to be in 'high-risk groups'. Eighty-four per cent believe that this would ensure their safety from infection during surgery. Forty-eight per cent agreed with testing patients without their consent. Results suggest that most of the doctors performing surgery in this study agree with compulsory HIV antibody testing of pre-operative patients in the belief that this would protect them from infection during surgery. The problems associated with compulsory testing and relying on such testing in order to protect doctors from infection during surgery are discussed.

AIDS Serodiagnosis↗

[Cardiopulmonary capacity in patients with mucoviscidosis. Comparison of ergospirometry findings with clinical and radiological scores].

AIM OF STUDY: Shwachman-Kulczycki- and Chrispin-Norman-Scores are widely used scoring systems for CF-patients. Maximum bicycle exercise testing was performed in 15 patients (medium age 13.4 years) to investigate whether clinical and radiographic scores or pulmonary function testing could predict cardiorespiratory fitness. METHODS: A progressive exercise test was used to determine maximum working capacity (Wmax). Prior to exercise testing, lung function and blood gases were investigated. Chest radiographs were scored by an independent radiologist (G.B.) applying the Chrispin-Norman-Score. The Shwachman-Kulczycki-Score was determined by two observers (F.F., H.S.). RESULTS: Chrispin-Norman-Score, Schwachman-Kulczycki-Score, results of lung function testing and blood gas values were significantly correlated to each other. However no significant correlation was found to the degree of exercise limitation. CONCLUSION: Clinical, radiographic scores and lung function testing cannot predict exercise tolerance. Exercise testing is mandatory to evaluate cardio-respiratory fitness in CF-patients.

Adolescent↗

Changing needs, opportunities and constraints for the 21st century microbiology laboratory.

Clinical microbiologists and microbiology laboratories are experiencing changes due to evolving views on 'healthcare delivery' as an economic activity, due to changes in the medical environment and the demographics of the workforce, and technical evolution. Cost-effectiveness of laboratory procedures has been achieved through consolidation and integration of laboratories. Consolidation offers economy of scale and reduction in numbers of on-site staff, but also leads to separation of microbiologists from their clinical colleagues. Integration puts different laboratory disciplines under a single management, and leads to reorganisation of laboratories along common work-lines. Cost-savings combined with on-site availability of laboratories are achieved at the expense of a reduction in the influence of microbiologists in the daily running of the laboratory. Medically, there is growing emphasis on evidence-based diagnostics. Because of time-delays inherent in culturing, microbiology through rapid testing is mandatory. There is an increasing shortage in Europe and the USA of trained microbiology laboratory technicians and microbiologists. This reinforces the trend towards more automation and integration. Technological advances, particularly in molecular diagnostics, offer the possibility of rapid reporting and improvement of the impact of clinical microbiology on patient management. Molecular tests, however, fit perfectly the concept of an integrated laboratory and may further loosen the link between microbiologist and microbiology tests. The challenge for clinical microbiology will be to use new techniques to improve its cost-effectiveness and impact on infectious disease management. The future organisation of microbiology laboratories must support this but is itself of secondary importance. The training of future microbiologist must prepare them for this changing environment.

Communicable Disease Control↗

The future of prenatal HIV testing.

The use of zidovudine for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of human immunodeficiency virus, as well as continuing advances in our understanding of the determinants of that transmission, and of potential new avenues of intervention augur ever more efficient perinatal prevention strategies in the near future. In this paper the evolving role of prenatal testing in an era of ever more successful interventions will be discussed. At least four factors will be critical in determining what that role will be: clinical, legal, ethical and economic. Each of these are parochial, i.e. they will feature in eradication strategies in different ways in different geographical, economic and cultural settings. An understanding of these factors will help to suggest what course testing policy should take and to determine the role clinicians must play if any testing policy is to succeed in contributing to the end of pediatric HIV disease.

AIDS Serodiagnosis↗