BMJ : British medical journal
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To assess risk factors for important neurosurgical effects in patients who reattend after head injury. ⋯ All patients who reattend after head injury should undergo computed tomography as at least 14% of scans can be expected to yield positive results. Where this facility is not available patients with predictors for operation should be urgently referred for neurosurgical opinion. Other patients can be readmitted and need referral only if symptoms persist despite symptomatic treatment or there is neurological deterioration while under observation. These patients are a high risk group and should be treated seriously.
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To determine whether epidural anaesthesia during labour and delivery is a risk factor for postpartum back pain. ⋯ Postpartum low back pain was common but decreased considerably over the short term. The association between epidural anaesthesia and postpartum low back pain was inconsistent over time with a significantly increased risk of low back pain (epidural v non-epidural) noted only on the first day after delivery.
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To determine factors associated with cardiopulmonary resuscitation being attempted after cardiac arrest from myocardial infarction, in or outside hospital, and estimate short term and long term survival rates. ⋯ The reasons for better education to predict cardiopulmonary resuscitation being attempted need explanation. The higher survival rate after cardiopulmonary resuscitation in hospital compared with outside hospital and the good long term prognosis for survivors in both settings suggest that attempts to improve success of cardiopulmonary resuscitation outside hospital may be worth while.