Evaluation of the validity and reliability of the KFORCE Sens® electrogoniometer in evaluation of wrist proprioception

The aim of this study was to determine the validity and reliability of the KFORCE Sens® electrogoniometer in the evaluation of wrist proprioception. Wrist position sense was assessed on a Baseline® 360° universal goniometer and a KFORCE Sens® device. The validity and reliability of the KFORCE Sens® device for wrist position sense evaluation were investigated by comparing the two data sets. Fifty-three healthy volunteers (39 female, 14 male) with a mean age of 22.83 ± 1.28 years (range, 21-27 years) were included. Joint position sense test-retest reliability (intra-class correlation coefficient) on KFORCE Sens® was "very good" for all wrist movements. There was a very strong correlation between flexion-extension movements on the dominant side (r = 0.955), and a strong correlation between ulnar-radial deviation movements (r = 0.745). There was also a very strong (r = 0.863) correlation between flexion-extension movements on the non-dominant side and a strong correlation (r = 0.690) between ulnar-radial deviation movements (p < 0.05). Our results showed that the KFORCE Sens® device was a valid and reliable evaluation means of assessing wrist position sense.

Quality of life and difficulties of patients encountered after autologous stem cell transplantation

PURPOSE

To assess the quality of life (QoL) and difficulties of patients encountered after (at least day 100+) autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT).

METHODS

Patients from 4 bone marrow transplantation (BMT) centers in Ankara formed the study group. Data were collected via a socio-demographic form, the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30 (QLQ-C30), the Long-term BMT recovery questionnaire and a specific questionnaire adapted from Bush BMT Symptom Inventory for measuring symptom severity and symptom distress related to ASCT. Out of 114 eligible patients 67 (58.8%) responded the questionnaires and were included in the study.

RESULTS

The mean time elapsed since transplantation was 16.1 months (range 4-43). Sixteen (23.9%) patients returned to work after transplantation; the mean time from transplantation to active work was 8 months. The symptoms experienced most, interfering with the patients' daily activities related to ASCT were fatigue, dental problems, hair loss, tingling sensation /numbness in hands and feet, mouth/throat problems, taste alterations, cough and skin problems. The majority of them reported fear of infection and disease relapse. Sexual dysfunctions, difficulty of concentration and difficulties of maintaining religious activities were also reported. 76% of patients reported their current QoL was the same or better than before transplantation and rated their current health-related QoL as good to excellent (mean 64.5). Financial difficulties, fatigue, sleeping problems, and pain were the factors most rated affecting QoL.

CONCLUSION

Fear of disease relapse, economical problems and difficulties with physical activities were reported as the most difficult factors to deal with after transplantation, showing the importance of creating multidisciplinary teamwork for these groups of patients.

Safety, tolerability, and efficacy of pegylated-interferon alfa-2a plus ribavirin in HCV-related decompensated cirrhotics

BACKGROUND

Pretransplantation clearance of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-RNA reduces the risk of HCV recurrence after transplantation. Furthermore, a sustained virological response could reduce disease progression and slow clinical deterioration in nontransplanted patients.

AIM

To evaluate the safety, tolerability and efficacy of pegylated-interferon (PEG-IFN) alfa-2a plus ribavirin therapy in HCV-related decompensated cirrhotics.

METHODS

Twenty HCV-related decompensated cirrhotics (44-67 years, 12 males, six Child-Pugh score A, 14 Child-Pugh score B, all with genotype 1b) were enrolled into the study. Treatment with PEG-IFN alfa-2a (135 microg, once a week) plus ribavirin (1000-1200 mg/day) was commenced. A 48-week treatment was planned in patients who had early virological response.

RESULTS

Treatment was stopped in 8 (40%) patients. The remaining 12 (60%) patients completed 48 weeks of therapy; nine (45%) of them obtained end-of-therapy virological response and six (30%) of them obtained sustained virological response. Living donor liver transplantation was performed in three (15%) patients. Eight (40%) and six (30%) patients needed to reduce PEG-IFN alfa-2a and ribavirin dosages, respectively. No patient died during the follow-up period.

CONCLUSION

PEG-IFN alfa-2a plus ribavirin therapy is safe, tolerable and efficacious in selected HCV-related decompensated cirrhotics.

Living donor liver transplantation from hepatitis B core antibody positive donors

Liver allografts from donors previously exposed to hepatitis B virus (HBV) carry the risk of transmission of HBV infection to immunosuppressed recipients. However, exclusion of donor candidates with the serologic evidence of resolved hepatitis B-HBV surface antigen (HbsAg) negative and HBV core antibody (anti-HBc) positive-is not feasible in countries endemic for HBV.

AIM

Our aim was to assess the safety of living donor liver transplantation from anti-HBc positive donors.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In our institution, 152 transplants were performed between June 1999 and April 2004. Fifty-six (37%) of the living donors were anti-HBc positive. Twenty of these liver grafts were transplanted to HbsAg-negative recipients. We excluded four HBsAg negative recipients who died because of early complications after transplantation. Lamivudine (100 mg/day) was given for prophylaxis of de novo HBV infection.

RESULTS

The mean follow-up time for 16 HBsAg-negative recipients was 21.7 (7-48) months. None of them experienced de novo HBV infection.

CONCLUSION

The use of liver allografts from anti-HBc-positive living donors is reasonably safe in HBsAg-negative recipients under lamivudine prophylaxis.

Needs of lay caregivers of bone marrow transplant patients in Turkey: a multicenter study

The purpose of this research was to identify the needs of lay caregivers of bone marrow transplant (BMT) patients throughout the BMT trajectory. The sample consisted of 58 lay caregivers of BMT patients (5 of which were inpatients) from the 4 BMT units in Ankara, Turkey. Data were collected through a demographic data form and the Psychological and Social Needs Scale. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 10.0 for Windows. Among the descriptive statistics, frequencies and percentages were used to define the characteristics of lay caregivers and responses related to information. Mean values, standard deviations, and the Pearson correlation coefficients were also calculated for the results of the subscales. Most of the lay caregivers were spouses. The rest were other family members: brother/sister, mother, son/daughter, or father. Only one lay caregiver was a friend. The most common type of BMT was autologous. Most of the surveys were completed by the lay caregivers whose patients had been out of the hospital for 100+ days after BMT. The lay caregivers were educated on the BMT process by various sources, and 67.24% of them expressed satisfaction with the information that they were given. A majority of them preferred face-to-face communication with a healthcare professional. The categories of the information provided were diagnosis and treatment, homecare after discharge, follow-ups and laboratory tests, and nutrition. They indicated a need for more information, particularly regarding homecare after discharge and diagnosis. Fear was the highest scoring psychological needs/problems of lay caregivers, whereas leisure activity deficit was highest among the social needs/problems. The information gathered from this study led us to reevaluate our healthcare services for both patients and lay caregivers to improve physical, psychological, and social aspects of the nursing care as a whole.

Isolated perianal tuberculosis

Perianal tuberculosis, without the presence of any previous or active pulmonary infection, is extremely rare. A case of isolated perianal tuberculosis without gastrointestinal or pulmonary spread will be discussed here with an evaluation of the clinical features.

Autoimmune haemolysis as an unusual cause of anaemia in von Recklinghausen's disease

Von Recklinghausen's disease, now classified as neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF-1), is a relatively frequent autosomal dominant disorder and has clinical manifestations, such as cafe-au-lait spots, freckling, generalised cutaneus neurofibroma, Lisch nodules, short stature, optic glioma and central nervous system tumours. In adults, anaemia in the course of NF-1 is usually due to gastrointestinal tumour bleeding. Association of NF-1 and autoimmune haemolytic anaemia is unusual. Here, we report a 48-year-old woman with NF-1 presenting as autoimmune haemolytic anaemia. We also reviewed the literature about the association of NF-1 and autoimmune diseases.