Health technological innovation has helped to improve health care delivery and patient outcomes. However, the proliferation of health care technology has accompanied burgeoning health care costs and evoked social, ethical, legal, and political concerns. Health technology assessment (HTA) is the systematic evaluation of properties, effects and/or other impacts of health care technology. The main purpose of HTA is to inform persons of technology-related policy making in health care. There is great variation in the scope, selection of methods and level of detail in the practice of HTA. This paper will introduce the basic concepts and methods of HTA in order to help those who are interested in conducting HTA.
Random allocation to intervention groups remains the best method of ensuring that the groups being compared are similar at the onset of study and of avoiding removing selection bias between groups of patients. The success of randomization depends on two interrelated processes. First, an unpredictable allocation sequence must be generated based on a random procedure. Second, strict implementation of that sequence must be secured through an assignment mechanism called allocation concealment to prevent those involved in a trial from knowing upcoming assignments. Inadequate allocation concealment can lead to clinicians scheduling patient’s assignment and compromising the unpredictable allocation sequence.
Objective To investigate the application and advancement of hepatocyte t ransplantation ( HCT) .Methods Literatures about the advancement of HCT were reviewed and analyzed. Results There have been manynovel technologies and advancement s in the application of HCT. For example , gene modified cell can be used as seedcell , subcutaneous t ransplantation can be taken when combined with giant molecule material and the encap sulationpreconditioning technique can also carried before operation to improve the rate of survival. Conclusion With moreand deeper understanding of hepatocyte t ransplantation and the development of advanced techniques such as the application of giant molecule , HCT will be extensively used in the clinical t reatment of acute and chronic hepatic diseases.
This article illustrates the development, current status and future prospects of knowledge translation. Its importance and necessity are introduced and some measurements or approaches to promote knowledge translation are discussed.
Bone tumor surgery involves tumor resection and subsequent reconstruction. With the development of surgical technique and new material, there is a great step toward bone and joint reconstruction in bone tumor surgery. Generally speaking, there are two major reconstructive methods including bio-reconstruction and mechanical reconstruction. In addition, three-dimensional printed prosthesis has been widely applied in the field of bone tumor surgery. The short-term result is encouraged; however, long-term results and related complications are seldom reported.
Interstitial lung disease is the most common pulmonary complication in patients with inflammatory myopathy, with a high case fatality rate, unknown pathogenesis, and complex clinical manifestations, and the treatment is difficult. Early and timely treatment can improve the patient’s clinical symptoms and inhibit the development of the disease. The present treatment protocols can be mainly summarized as the commonly used drugs (corticosteroids, azathioprine, cyclophosphamide, mycophenolate mofetil, and intravenous immunoglobulin) and new drugs (cyclosporin A, tacrolimus, biological agents, and anti-fibrosis drug), etc. In this paper, the treatment progress of inflammatory myopathy-related interstitial lung disease and different myositis antibody-related interstitial lung disease in recent years at home and abroad is reviewed, so as to provide a basis for clinical treatment.
Objective To investigate the impact of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation on a rat model of experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU) and analyze its immune regulatory mechanisms in vivo.Methods Eighteen Lewis rats were randomly divided into three groups: model control group, intervention group and normal control group, six animals in each group. Human retinal S-antigen peptide (HS-AgP35, 1 mg/ml) was mixed and emulsified with complete Freundprime;s adjuvant and injected into hind foot pad of rats on the first and eighth day to establish the animal model of EAU. For bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation, 1 ml of cell suspension (2times;106 cells/ml) was injected into tail vein of the intervention group rats on the first day when the emulsified S-antigen was injected. EAU manifestation, pathological change and IFN-gamma; level were evaluated and compared among those three groups after two weeks. Results No abnormal signs were found in the eyes of rats in normal control group. The manifestation grading of the intervention group (two rats at grade 0, three rats at grade 0.5, one rat at grade one) was significantly different from the model control group (one rat at grade one, one rat at grade two, three rats at grade three, one rat at grade four) (P=0.015). The retina of rats in normal control group was ordinary under light microscope. The histopathologrical grading of the intervention group (one rat at grade 0, four rats at grade 0.5,one rat at grade one) and the model control group (four rats at grade three, two rats at grade four) was also statistically different (P＜0.01). Furthermore, the IFN-gamma; level in peripheral blood of the intervention group rats declined significantly compared to the model control group (t=9.0574, P=0.01). Conclusions Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells can inhibit EAU significantly, possibly by lowering the level of IFN－gamma;, thereby reduce the severity of uveitis and improve the condition of uveitis in rats.
Objective To investigate the relationship between smoking and lung cancer by evidence-based evaluation. Methods Using Meta-analysis method, the results of 29 case-control studies involving the relationship between smoking and lung cancer in recent decade were analyzed by Review Manager 4. 2 software. Results The association between smoking and lung cancer was significant ( Z =12. 16, P lt; 0. 000 01) , and the pooled OR value was 5. 75( 4. 34, 7. 62) . The population attributable risk percentage( PARP) of smoking was 69. 16% . The pooled OR of 1-10 cpd( cigarettes per day) , 10-20 cpd, 20-40 cpd and more than 40 cpd were 1. 97( 1. 69, 2. 30) , 5. 20( 3. 54, 7. 62) , 7. 46( 5. 22, 10. 67) and 15. 14 ( 5. 27, 43. 44) respectively. The pooled OR of less than 20 years of smoking duration, 20-40 years and more than 40 years were 1. 25( 1. 01, 1. 53) , 5. 10( 3. 03, 8. 57) and 10. 77( 7. 30, 15. 89) respectively. While the pooled ORof less than 10 pack-years, 10-20 pack-years, 20-40 pack-years and more than 40 pack-years were 1. 73( 1. 01, 2. 96) , 3. 73 ( 3. 02, 4. 61) , 5. 69 ( 3. 79, 8. 54) and 8. 41 ( 4. 56, 15. 51) respectively. The pooled OR of initial smoking age less than 15 years old, 15-20 years old and more than 20 years old were 13. 31( 7. 09, 24. 97) , 7. 21( 4. 51, 11. 52) and 4. 74( 3. 47, 6. 47) respectively. The pooled OR of quitting smoking for 1-10 years, 10-20 years and more than 20 years were 7. 16( 4. 70, 10. 91) , 2. 12( 1. 16, 3. 86)and 1. 47 ( 0. 67, 3. 20 ) respectively, and more than 20 years of quitting smoking had no significant difference. The pooled OR of light smoking and deep smoking were 3. 26( 1. 24, 8. 58) and 8. 07( 4. 67, 13. 94) respectively. Conclusions Smoking is an important risk factor of lung cancer. Meta-anlalysis revealed cigarettes comsuption per day, smoking duration, total amount of cigarettes ( pack-years) , smoking behaviour( depth) , initial age of smoking and duration of quitting smoking can increase the risk of lung cancer.
Objective To undertake a preliminary study of the concept and approach of patient value and preference and to learn how to understand and elicit patient preference in the light of evidence-based medicine so as to promote evidence-based practice and improve the relationship between clinicians and patients. Methods The searching key words were developed and pertinent data were retrospectively retrieved for the years of 1992-2002. MEDLINE and CBMdisc were searched along with handsearching 9 Chinese medical journals and 4 evidence-based medicine books. Data were scanned and analyzed. Results A total of 2 646 related articles were identified, most of which were found in MEDLINE (2 403), followed by CBMdisc (185) and the journals (58). Currently there is no original article to study in this field from a point of view of evidence-based medicine in China. Conclusion Patient value and preference have been emphasized in the approach of evidence-based medicine and it is a worthwhile topic for us to explore.
Objective To research whether systemic family therapy is a useful intervention for behavioral problems. Methods Two hundred and seventy six children who were in the fourth grade of elementary school were assessed by family dynamics questionnaires and their parents were tested by Achenbach Child Behavioral Checklist. Fifty-seven children with behavioral problems were divided into two groups: 20 children and their parents agreed to receive systemic therapy for four weeks and 37 children and their parents who refused this therapy formed the control group.All children and their parents were reassessed after four months. Data were analyzed by SPSS 11.5. Results The characteristics of family dymanmic and children’s behavior improved significantly after systemic therapy. The "depressing and hostile family" at mosphere became "harmonious and open" (P=0.000) and this was also significantly better than the control group after therapy(P=0.000). "Self-differentiation of family members" was significantly improved after therapy (P=0.000) and also was significantly better than the control group after therapy (P=0.005). "Patient is helpless victim" changed to "Patient can do something" (P=0.000) and this was significantly better than the control group after therapy (P=0.003) . Total CBCL score decreased in the treatment group after therapy (P=0.003 for father, P=0.000 for mother). Compared with the control group. Total CBCL score also showed decreases (P=0.033 for father, P=0.014 for mother). Conclusions The techniques of systemic family therapy are practical and effective methods to intervene children’s behavioral problems.