W Indian Med J
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The Barbados Eye Studies have provided the most comprehensive information on the major eye diseases in African origin populations to date. Black Barbadians have among the highest rates of primary open-angle glaucoma (OAG) reported to date in a population-based study (7.0%). Incidence rates of OAG over a nine-year follow-up period were 0.5% per year, and two to five times higher than reported in predominantly Caucasian populations. ⋯ Recent analyses revealed a region on chromosome 2 associated with increased OAG risk, which has potential implications for early diagnosis and treatment. Approximately 50% of Barbadians with OAG were unaware of having the disease in the baseline study and this situation remained unchanged nine years later open-angle glaucoma causes painless, irreversible loss of vision and there are clear reasons why screening may be of particular public health importance in high risk African descent populations, given the benefits of early detection and appropriate treatment. There are data that suggest that it would be cost-effective to conduct open-angle glaucoma screening in Barbados and this has implications for policy and care, with the ultimate aim of reducing glaucoma-related blindness.
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Propofol sedation is increasingly used for colonoscopy and may be associated with increased satisfaction and efficiency in diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy. However propofol has a relatively narrow therapeutic window as it frequently produces deep sedation, and can precipitate respiratory depression. ⋯ Propofol sedation was associated with quick recovery and excellent satisfaction by patients and is a suitable alternative for sedation for colonoscopy in Jamaica.
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Comparative Study
Therapeutic results of the modified Cadenat procedure for acromioclavicular joint separations compared with the modified Dewar procedure.
The surgical treatment for acromioclavicular joint dislocations is recommended for Rockwood's classification types 4, 5 and 6. In this study we evaluate the therapeutic results of the modified Cadenat procedure on type 5 acromioclavicular joint dislocation, and report on a comparative study of the modified Dewar procedure also on type 5 acromioclavicular joint dislocation. ⋯ The modified Cadenat procedure could provide satisfactory therapeutic results and avoid postoperative failure of reduction compared to the modified Dewar procedure. However the modified Cadenat procedure does not aim to restore the anatomical coracoclavicular ligaments. It is believed that anatomic restoration of both coracoclavicular ligaments could best restore the function of the acromioclavicular joint.
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To identify factors associated with antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence in order to guide the development of strategies to improve the situation. ⋯ Improvements in ART adherence may be achieved by counselling, focussed attention to alcohol users and developing drugs with reduced side effects. Such measures are critical to maintain PLHIV quality of life gains and prevent the proliferation of drug resistant HIV strains.
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Interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) treatment is associated with up-regulation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression and marked growth inhibition of colon cancer cell lines. We aimed to determine the effect of combining IFN-alpha and gefitinib in the growth of human colon cancer cell lines. ⋯ IFN-alpha promotes the antiproliferaative effect of gefitinib on human colon cancer cell lines and the mechanism may be related to up-regulation expression of EGFR by IFN-alpha.