Health technological innovation has helped to improve health care delivery and patient outcomes. However, the proliferation of health care technology has accompanied burgeoning health care costs and evoked social, ethical, legal, and political concerns. Health technology assessment (HTA) is the systematic evaluation of properties, effects and/or other impacts of health care technology. The main purpose of HTA is to inform persons of technology-related policy making in health care. There is great variation in the scope, selection of methods and level of detail in the practice of HTA. This paper will introduce the basic concepts and methods of HTA in order to help those who are interested in conducting HTA.
Random allocation to intervention groups remains the best method of ensuring that the groups being compared are similar at the onset of study and of avoiding removing selection bias between groups of patients. The success of randomization depends on two interrelated processes. First, an unpredictable allocation sequence must be generated based on a random procedure. Second, strict implementation of that sequence must be secured through an assignment mechanism called allocation concealment to prevent those involved in a trial from knowing upcoming assignments. Inadequate allocation concealment can lead to clinicians scheduling patient’s assignment and compromising the unpredictable allocation sequence.
Objective To investigate the impact of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation on a rat model of experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU) and analyze its immune regulatory mechanisms in vivo.Methods Eighteen Lewis rats were randomly divided into three groups: model control group, intervention group and normal control group, six animals in each group. Human retinal S-antigen peptide (HS-AgP35, 1 mg/ml) was mixed and emulsified with complete Freundprime;s adjuvant and injected into hind foot pad of rats on the first and eighth day to establish the animal model of EAU. For bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation, 1 ml of cell suspension (2times;106 cells/ml) was injected into tail vein of the intervention group rats on the first day when the emulsified S-antigen was injected. EAU manifestation, pathological change and IFN-gamma; level were evaluated and compared among those three groups after two weeks. Results No abnormal signs were found in the eyes of rats in normal control group. The manifestation grading of the intervention group (two rats at grade 0, three rats at grade 0.5, one rat at grade one) was significantly different from the model control group (one rat at grade one, one rat at grade two, three rats at grade three, one rat at grade four) (P=0.015). The retina of rats in normal control group was ordinary under light microscope. The histopathologrical grading of the intervention group (one rat at grade 0, four rats at grade 0.5,one rat at grade one) and the model control group (four rats at grade three, two rats at grade four) was also statistically different (P＜0.01). Furthermore, the IFN-gamma; level in peripheral blood of the intervention group rats declined significantly compared to the model control group (t=9.0574, P=0.01). Conclusions Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells can inhibit EAU significantly, possibly by lowering the level of IFN－gamma;, thereby reduce the severity of uveitis and improve the condition of uveitis in rats.
This article illustrates the development, current status and future prospects of knowledge translation. Its importance and necessity are introduced and some measurements or approaches to promote knowledge translation are discussed.
Objective To investigate the application and advancement of hepatocyte t ransplantation ( HCT) .Methods Literatures about the advancement of HCT were reviewed and analyzed. Results There have been manynovel technologies and advancement s in the application of HCT. For example , gene modified cell can be used as seedcell , subcutaneous t ransplantation can be taken when combined with giant molecule material and the encap sulationpreconditioning technique can also carried before operation to improve the rate of survival. Conclusion With moreand deeper understanding of hepatocyte t ransplantation and the development of advanced techniques such as the application of giant molecule , HCT will be extensively used in the clinical t reatment of acute and chronic hepatic diseases.
Bone tumor surgery involves tumor resection and subsequent reconstruction. With the development of surgical technique and new material, there is a great step toward bone and joint reconstruction in bone tumor surgery. Generally speaking, there are two major reconstructive methods including bio-reconstruction and mechanical reconstruction. In addition, three-dimensional printed prosthesis has been widely applied in the field of bone tumor surgery. The short-term result is encouraged; however, long-term results and related complications are seldom reported.
Interstitial lung disease is the most common pulmonary complication in patients with inflammatory myopathy, with a high case fatality rate, unknown pathogenesis, and complex clinical manifestations, and the treatment is difficult. Early and timely treatment can improve the patient’s clinical symptoms and inhibit the development of the disease. The present treatment protocols can be mainly summarized as the commonly used drugs (corticosteroids, azathioprine, cyclophosphamide, mycophenolate mofetil, and intravenous immunoglobulin) and new drugs (cyclosporin A, tacrolimus, biological agents, and anti-fibrosis drug), etc. In this paper, the treatment progress of inflammatory myopathy-related interstitial lung disease and different myositis antibody-related interstitial lung disease in recent years at home and abroad is reviewed, so as to provide a basis for clinical treatment.
Systematic reviews provide information about the effectiveness of interventions by identifying, appraising, and summarizing the results of otherwise unmanageable quantities of primary research in an effort to provide valid, reliable evidence for health decision-making and clinical practice. They differ from traditional reviews produced by "content experts" in that they use a replicable, scientific and explicit approach that seeks to minimize bias. They are particularly useful when there is uncertainty regarding the potential benefits or harm of an intervention and when there are variations in practice. Poor quality systematic reviews may mislead policy-makers and clinicians. This paper will introduce the basic methods of Cochrane systematic reviews in order to help those who are interested in conducting systematic review.
Background Mortality and morbidity of acute myocardial infarction remains high. Intravenous magnesium started early after the onset of myocardial infarction is a promising adjunctive treatment that may limit infarct size, prevent serious arrhythmias, and reduce mortality. Several earlier trials and meta-analyses demonstrated a mortality rate reduction with magnesium treatment, but one mega trial found no benefit. Objective To examine the effect of intravenous magnesium versus control on early mortality and morbidity, stratified by time since onset of symptoms (lt;6 hours, 6+ hours), use of thrombolysis (used, not used), dose of magnesium used (lt;75 mmol, 75+ mmol). Search strategy We search the Cochrane controlled trial register (CCTR) of Cochrane Library, Medline and Embase. We also search Chinese Biomedical Disk (CBM disk) to identify the Chinese trials. Each database will be searched from its starting date to the first-half year of 2002. Selection criteria All randomized controlled trials that compared intravenous magnesium with placebo in the presence or absence of fibrolytic therapy in addition to routine treatment are eligible if they reported mortality and clinical events within 35 days of onset, regardless of language. Methods of review A data abstraction form will be specifically developed to extract information from the eligible articles. The quality assessment of RCT will be focused on method of treatment assignment, blinding of participants and investigators, control of selection bias after treatment assignment. The selection of studies, data extraction and assessment of methodological quality will be performed independently by two reviewers. Disagreements will be resolved through discussion, when necessary, in consultation with a third reviewer. Publication bias, heterogeneity and sensitivity analysis will be performed. The odds ratio (OR) will be used to pooling the effect if appropriate.
Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of teaching evidence-based medicine (EBM). Methods 1. Introducing EBM teaching material in Chinese. 2. Offering EBM course in medical college of Sichuan University. 3. Problem-based,self-directed teaching methods. 4. A variety of test method. Results 36 Cochrane systematic review titles were registered, 17 Cochrane systematic review protocols were published in Cochrane Library, 6 Cochrane systematic reviews were published in Cochrane Library. 62 EBM research papers were published on Chinese Journal of EBM. Feedback of teaching EBM from postgraduates: 77.6%, 22.4% postgraduates consider this EBM course is very helpful and helpful for them respectively; 14.3%, 80% postgraduates achieve completely the goal and achieve the goal in greater part by this EBM course respectively; the reason of not achieving the goal is a lack of time to read and attend the course. 61.2%-80% and 16.3%-32.7% postgraduates consider the teaching contents is very good and good respectively; 61.2%-75.5% and 12.3%-28.6% postgraduates consider this teaching model is very good and good respectively; 44.9% postgraduates hope to increase hours of EBM course, increase discusses, increase EBM practice in future; 10.2% postgraduates consider the questions of test are hard to solve. Conclusion This EBM course is effective.