Zhonghua yi xue za zhi = Chinese medical journal; Free China ed
-
Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi (Taipei) · Nov 1999
Use of the hospital anxiety and depression scale as a screening tool for patients with headache.
The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) is becoming widely used in medical settings to screen for anxiety or depressive disorders. It has been shown to be a good screening instrument in different ethnic and disease populations. The objective of this study was to evaluate the validity and reliability of HADS in patients with headache at a headache clinic. ⋯ Depression and anxiety were quite common among patients with headache in a headache clinic. The HADS can be used as a screening instrument for depressive and anxiety disorders. Because of the low specificity, the HADS should not be used solely as an indicator of psychiatric comorbidity among patients with headache in a headache clinic. This is the first study that verifies the use of the HADS as a psychiatric screening tool in patients with headache by comparing the scores of the HADS with psychiatric diagnoses.
-
Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi (Taipei) · Oct 1999
Multicenter StudyDevelopment of a new prognostic system and validation of APACHE II for surgical ICU mortality: a multicenter study in Taiwan.
To develop and to validate a new prognostic prediction system for patients admitted to the surgical intensive care unit (ICU), and to compare its performance with the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II system. ⋯ Although APACHE II correlates with mortality for surgical ICU patients in Taiwan, its accuracy is not as good as in the original study. Mortality prediction performance improved with the use of the new, local scoring system.
-
Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi (Taipei) · Sep 1999
Comparative StudyMultiplane transesophageal echocardiography for assessing cardiac abnormalities: comparison to biplane imaging.
Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is useful for visualizing the spatial relationships of the cardiac anatomy. The purpose of this study was to compare the diagnostic yield of multiplane TEE with that of biplane TEE in assessing cardiac abnormalities. ⋯ Multiplane TEE provides precise visualization of cardiac structures without undue probe manipulation, resulting in greater diagnostic assurance than does biplane TEE.
-
The present emergency medical service (EMS) system in the Panchiao area includes operations in Panchiao, Sulin, Sunshia, Chung Ho and Touchen, which is in the early developmental stage. Educational programs such as emergency medical technician (EMT)-I, and -II have been provided for less than 25% of firefighters in that area. Several mass educational programs in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) were also provided for the inhabitants of the area. The purpose of this study was to establish a database of dead-on-arrival (DOA) patients during this early stage of the EMS system development so that comparisons of EMS performance could be assessed to identify any future needs of the EMS system in the Panchiao area. ⋯ Delayed initiation of the EMS system resulted in an average time to hospitalization of 38.3 minutes. Cardiovascular collapse was the leading etiology in DOA patients. There were only two patients who received prehospital CPR, suggesting that layperson CPR and EMT education cannot be overemphasized.
-
Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi (Taipei) · Jul 1999
Normative data of quantitative thermal and vibratory thresholds in normal subjects in Taiwan: gender and age effect.
Quantitative sensory testing has gained popularity as a tool in the diagnosis of peripheral neuropathies. This study aims to establish normative data of quantitative thermal and vibratory thresholds in normal subjects in Taiwan. In addition, we also examined the effect of age and gender differences on these thresholds. ⋯ The female subjects were found to be more sensitive to warm and cold stimulation in the hand than their counterparts. These results have provided valuable normative data on sensory perceptive thresholds in Taiwanese, which are useful as a tool in the diagnosis of peripheral neuropathy.