ObjectiveTo systematically review the short term and long term efficacy of early surgery for infective endocarditis (IE) patients. MethodsWe searched PubMed, EMbase, The Cochrane Library, CBM, WanFang Data and CNKI databases for cohort studies concerning the efficacy of early surgery for IE patients from inception to October 2014. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data and assessed the risk bias of included studies. Then meta-analysis was performed by using RevMan 5.3 software. ResultsSixteen cohort studies including 8 141 patients were included. The results of meta-analysis showed that early surgery could reduce the short term mortality (OR=0.57, 95%CI 0.42 to 0.77, P=0.000 4) and long term mortality (OR=0.57, 95%CI 0.43 to 0.77, P=0.000 7) in IE patients. Subgroup analysis showed that early surgery could significantly reduce the short term mortality and long term mortality in patients with native valve endocarditis (NVE). ConclusionEarly surgery can reduce IE patients' short term mortality and long term mortality. Due to the limited quality and quantity of the included studies, more large-scale high-quality studies are needed to verify the above conclusion.
ObjectiveTo systematically review the efficacy and safety of prostacyclin for patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).MethodsWe searched PubMed, EMbase, The Cochrane Library, WanFang Data, CBM and CNKI databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) compared prostacyclin with placebo from inception to April 2018. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted the data and assessed the risk of bias of included studies. Then meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software.ResultsEleven RCTs including 2 549 participants were included. The results of meta-analysis showed that, compared with placebo group, prostacyclin group was superior to the placebo group in 6-min walk distance (MD=31.10, 95%CI 16.89 to 45.30, P<0.001), mortality (RR=0.62, 95%CI 0.41 to 0.94,P=0.03), Brog score (MD=–0.88, 95%CI –1.28 to –0.49, P<0.001), mean pulmonary arterial pressure (MD=–3.31, 95%CI –4.34 to –2.29,P<0.001) and cardiac index (MD=0.32, 95%CI 0.14 to 0.51,P<0.001). However, there were no differences between two groups in reducing delaying time to clinical deterioration (RR=1.27, 95%CI 0.99 to 1.63,P=0.06), tolerability (RR=0.74, 95%CI 0.42 to 1.31, P=0.30) and pulmonary vascular resistance (MD=–4.35, 95%CI –8.85 to 0.15, P=0.06).ConclusionsCurrent evidence reveals that prostacyclin therapy appears to be superior to the placebo in reducing the mortality, improving excise capacity, respiratory and cardiac function, and ameliorating mean pulmonary arterial pressure for pulmonary arterial hypertension. However, the efficacy of prostacyclin in delaying time to clinical deterioration, tolerability and pulmonary vascular resistance for PAH is not clear. Due to the limited quality and quantity of included studies, more high quality RCTs are required for further verification.
Objective By investigating the employment situation and intentions of medical students, to provide scientific evidence for guiding students’ employment by relevant departments, and to give references for formulating reasonable medical personnel training and distribution policy by health administrations. Methods The medical students of Grade 2005 in Lanzhou University were investigated by using a self-designed questionnaire. Results Among 397 questionnaires distributed, 337 were returned (84.8%). The analyses showed, when hunting a job, 45% of the respondents thought the “opportunities for personal development” was the most important factor, 61% thought the influence of parents’ or family’s desires was “greater” or “extremely greater”, 85% thought the job matching their majors was “important” or “very important”, 57% thought it is “easier” to get a content job by their majors, 51% held that the “fewer opportunities” were the most unfavorable conditions for working in township hospitals, 68% wouldn’t directly choose township hospitals after graduation, and 67% still gave up the choice even if an official position was provided. Conclusion The medical students attach great importance to the opportunities for their personal development, but they lack self-consciousness in choosing the occupation. They are optimistic about the employment but lack passion for primary hospitals. Meanwhile, they aren’t familiar with national policy guidance; their employment fields are narrow.
Objective To investigate the villagers’ cognitive degree of health knowledge in Gaolan county, Gansu province, so as to explore new methods to promote health education and spread health knowledge in rural areas. Methods Through non-random sampling methods, the questionnaires were distributed to the residents in Shagang village, Manwan village and Yanzi village, and the data were then statistically analyzed by using Epidata 3.1 and Excel 2003 softwares. Results A total of 290 questionnaires were distributed and retrieved with 100% valid rate. Only 23% of the surveyed had physical examination in the last one year; 75% thought they were lack of health knowledge; 92% would like to obtain health knowledge in regular; 86% thought lack of health knowledge was the reason of their or their relatives’ diseases; 74% obtained health knowledge by watching TV; 59% went to their village clinic first when suffering from mild symptoms of common diseases; and only 6% did exercises in their leisure time. Conclusion Most people in rural areas don’t pay enough attention to their health condition and are lack of high-quality health knowledge resources as well as consciousness of physical training. So it is not only necessary to strengthen health education, but also urgent to promote physical and mental health education in rural areas.