ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of knee joint stability training in treating patients with knee osteoarthritis. MethodsSixty-one patients with knee osteoarthritis treated between April 2014 and April 2015 were randomly divided into 2 groups:rehabilitation group (n=30) and control group (n=31).Patients in the rehabilitation group received knee joint stability training (30-40 minutes once, once every day); the control group received diclofenac sodium orally at 75 mg/d (25 mg per time, 3 times every day).The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis index (WOMAC) and short-form health survey (SF-36) were used before and after treatment.Patients' and physicians' assessment of the total efficacy rate was also analyzed. ResultsAfter 5 weeks of treatment, the total efficacy rate assessed by the patients for the rehabilitation group and the control group was respectively 93.33% and 87.10%, and those two numbers assessed by physicians were respectively 86.67% and 80.65%;the differences were not statistically significant (P > 0.05).Significant improvement was observed in the results of WOMAC and SF-36 in both two groups (P < 0.05).There was no significant difference in the clinical efficacy between the two groups (P > 0.05).No incidence of related adverse events occurred in the rehabilitation group, while the incidence of adverse events was 16.13% in the control group (P < 0.05). ConclusionThe knee joint stability training is as effective as diclofenac sodium in treating patients with knee osteoarthritis, but the joint stability training is better tolerated than the latter.
We analysed the profiles of teaching practice in clinical diagnostics for international students in recent three years in West China School of Medicine, Sichuan University. Teaching experiences and characteristics were summarized through the following five aspects:pre-service training for all teachers, textbook selection and lesson plan formulation, teaching style and problem-based learning, as well as teaching feedback. We aimed to improve the quality of medical education for international students. Our teaching practice can offer better clinical skills and correct clinical analysis ability for international students in West China School of Medicine, which should be a great help for their further career development.
ObjectiveTo explore the actual effect of “graphic-sequenced memory method” in teaching electrocardiogram (ECG). MethodsOne hundred students were randomly divided into a traditional teaching group (n=50) and an innovative teaching group (n=50) in May, 2014. Teachers in the traditional teaching group utilized the traditional teaching outline, and teachers in the innovative teaching group received training in the new teaching method and syllabus. All students took an examination in the final semester by analyzing 20 ECGs from real clinical cases and gave their ECG reports. ResultsThe average ECG reading time was (32.0±4.8) minutes for the traditional teaching group and (18.0±3.6) minutes for the innovative teaching group. The average ECG accuracy results were (43.0±5.2)% for the traditional teaching group and (77.0±9.6)% for the innovative teaching group. ConclusionsECG learning is an important branch of the cardiac discipline, but ECG’s mechanisms are intricate and the learning content scattered. Textbooks tend to make students feel confused due to the restrictions of the length and format of the syllabi, and there are many other limitations. Graphic-sequenced memory method is a useful method which can be fully used in ECG teaching.