Interpretation of Post-operative Distal Humerus Radiographs After Internal Fixation: Prediction of Later Loss of Fixation

PURPOSE

Stable fixation of distal humerus fracture fragments is necessary for adequate healing and maintenance of reduction. The purpose of this study was to measure the reliability and accuracy of interpretation of postoperative radiographs to predict which implants will loosen or break after operative treatment of bicolumnar distal humerus fractures. We also addressed agreement among surgeons regarding which fracture fixation will loosen or break and the influence of years in independent practice, location of practice, and so forth.

METHODS

A total of 232 orthopedic residents and surgeons from around the world evaluated 24 anteroposterior and lateral radiographs of distal humerus fractures on a Web-based platform to predict which implants would loosen or break. Agreement among observers was measured using the multi-rater kappa measure.

RESULTS

The sensitivity of prediction of failure of fixation of distal humerus fracture on radiographs was 63%, specificity was 53%, positive predictive value was 36%, the negative predictive value was 78%, and accuracy was 56%. There was fair interobserver agreement (κ = 0.27) regarding predictions of failure of fixation of distal humerus fracture on radiographs. Interobserver variability did not change when assessed for the various subgroups.

CONCLUSIONS

When experienced and skilled surgeons perform fixation of type C distal humerus fracture, the immediate postoperative radiograph is not predictive of fixation failure. Reoperation based on the probability of failure might not be advisable.

TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Diagnostic III.

A virtual environment for the treatment of chronic combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one of the most disabling psychopathological conditions affecting the veteran population. An estimated 830,000 U.S. veterans currently have symptoms of chronic combat-related PTSD. No therapeutic approach has proven to be consistently effective in the management of combat-related PTSD. Behavior therapies with an exposure element have proven more effective than most other types of treatment, but a significant number of patients do not seem to benefit from them, possibly because of difficulties imagining, visualizing, or describing their traumatic experiences. In this article, we describe Virtual Vietnam, a set of two virtual environments we have developed for the treatment of combat-related PTSD, and its use as one component of a comprehensive treatment program.

Polymorphisms of the gene coding for copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (SOD1) in patients with Japanese encephalitis

Japanese encephalitis is the commonest form of encephalitis globally. Most cases develop characteristic encephalitis but some also present with flaccid paralysis. The paralysis is secondary to damage at the alpha motor neurone, the site that is also damaged in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The gene coding for superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) is thought to be involved in ALS and may also be linked to susceptibility to Japanese encephalitis. To investigate this possibility, polymorphisms in the SOD1 gene were investigated, in 61 cases of Japanese encephalitis, 61 matched controls and 171 population controls, in Vietnam. Novel polymorphisms, found only in three of the cases and one of the population controls, may be involved with susceptibility to Japanese encephalitis and potentially to other flavivirus infections that lead to damage to the cells of the anterior horn. Further research on this possible association is required.

Low prevalence of antiretroviral drug resistance among HIV-1 seroconverters in London, 1984-1991

OBJECTIVES

To examine the prevalence of resistance mutations and natural polymorphisms to reverse transcriptase (RT) and protease inhibitors in a cohort of patients with defined seroconversion dates.

METHODS

Eligible patients were those attending an HIV centre in North London who seroconverted from HIV negative to positive status between 01/01/85 and 31/12/91 (n=104). Genotypic resistance analysis was performed on the first positive serum sample after seroconversion and before use of antiretroviral therapy using population-based sequencing of RT-PCR fragments and rule-based sequence interpretation (Vircogen).

RESULTS

Protease and RT sequences were successfully amplified from only 37 (35.6%) of the 104 seroconverters. Only one patient who seroconverted in August 1991 showed any evidence of significant mutations in the RT region, and this was associated with resistance to zidovudine (ZDV) (215Y and 210W). An additional patient who seroconverted in July 1991 had a TOR mutation and was classified as having intermediate resistance to ZDV. No spontaneous mutations were detected in the protease region.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall only 2 (5%) of these treatment-naïve individuals were infected with HIV variants resistant to ZDV. Although the data at present do not support the need for pretreatment genotyping, there is a need for continued surveillance of the frequency of resistance mutations in antiretroviral naïve patients since the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy.

Observations of HIV-1 Genotypic Drug Resistance in a Trial of Four Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (Quattro Trial)

The Quattro Trial compared the use of four HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) inhibitors (zidovudine, lamivudine, loviride and zalcitabine), given either as four-drug combination therapy or monotherapy, with 8-week cycles of each drug, with zidovudine/lamivudine dual therapy. Observations of resistance associated and other mutations in the RT gene were made to determine whether therapy failure could be explained by acquisition of these mutations and whether novel mutation patterns developed. As in the intent-to-treat analysis, the use of cyclical monotherapy gave a smaller reduction in plasma virus load at 64 weeks (0.4 log10 copies/ml below baseline) than the quadruple or dual therapy arms (1.3 and 0.8 log10 copies/ml below baseline). Cyclical therapy appeared to generate less genotypic resistance to zidovudine, loviride or zalcitabine than the other arms. Resistance to lamivudine (mutation M184V) developed rapidly in all three arms. Resistance to zidovudine was acquired by a larger proportion of subjects on dual therapy than on quadruple therapy. Resistance to loviride or zalcitabine was rarely observed. During lamivudine monotherapy the M184V mutation was rapidly acquired and viral load rebounded. Zalcitabine monotherapy initially selected M184V mutants, but these were lost as therapy continued. Novel mutations that may have been associated with combination or cyclical quadruple therapy were observed infrequently. There was no clear correlation between changes in response to therapy and the development of previously described resistance mutations or with novel mutations in the RT gene.

Acute management of dengue shock syndrome: a randomized double-blind comparison of 4 intravenous fluid regimens in the first hour

Dengue hemorrhagic fever is an important cause of morbidity among Asian children, and the more severe dengue shock syndrome (DSS) causes a significant number of childhood deaths. DSS is characterized by a massive increase in systemic capillary permeability with consequent hypovolemia. Fluid resuscitation is critical, but as yet there have been no large trials to determine the optimal fluid regimen. We undertook a randomized blinded comparison of 4 fluids (dextran, gelatin, lactated Ringer's, and "normal" saline) for initial resuscitation of 230 Vietnamese children with DSS. All the children survived, and there was no clear advantage to using any of the 4 fluids, but the longest recovery times occurred in the lactated Ringer's group. The most significant factor determining clinical response was the pulse pressure at presentation. A comparison of the colloid and crystalloid groups suggested benefits in children presenting with lower pulse pressures who received one of the colloids. Further large-scale studies, stratified for admission pulse pressure, are indicated.

The rabbit study: ritonavir and saquinavir in combination in saquinavir-experienced and previously untreated patients

Thirteen protease inhibitor-naive patients with HIV-1 infection, and 12 patients with a median of 58 months prior treatment with saquinavir (SQV) monotherapy, were treated with SQV (400 mg twice daily) and ritonavir (RIT, 500 mg twice daily) in a study designed to assess the effect of prior treatment with SQV monotherapy on the antiretroviral activity of RIT-SQV combination therapy. Median baseline viral load and CD4+ cell counts were 155,000 and 262,000 copies/ml and 333 and 225 cells/mm3 in the naive and experienced groups, respectively. Mean viral load changes at 24 weeks were -1.63 and -0.27 log copies/ml in the naive and SQV-experienced groups, respectively (intent-to-treat analysis). Baseline genotype by point mutation assay and sequencing in the SQV-experienced group was highly predictive of virological response. Eight of 11 SQV-experienced patients had evidence of phenotypic resistance to RIT at baseline, despite previous treatment with SQV only. There was strong correlation between phenotypic resistance to RIT and the presence of the L90M mutation. We conclude that prolonged prior treatment with saquinavir monotherapy may produce cross-resistance to ritonavir and reduce the subsequent response to ritonavir-saquinavir in combination. In this study, both phenotypic resistance to ritonavir and presence of the L90M mutation predicted the viral load response to ritonavir-saquinavir.

Virtual reality exposure therapy for PTSD Vietnam Veterans: a case study

Virtual reality (VR) integrates real-time computer graphics, body tracking devices, visual displays, and other sensory input devices to immerse a participant in a computer-generated virtual environment that changes in a natural way with head and body motion. VR exposure (VRE) is proposed as an alternative to typical imaginal exposure treatment for Vietnam combat veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This report presents the results of the first Vietnam combat veteran with PTSD to have been treated with VRE. The patient was exposed to two virtual environments, a virtual Huey helicopter flying over a virtual Vietnam and a clearing surrounded by jungle. The patient experienced a 34% decrease on clinician-rated PTSD and a 45% decrease on self-rated PTSD. Treatment gains were maintained at 6-month follow-up.