תוצאת חיפוש

הפרעה טורדנית כפייתית שאינה מגיבה לטיפול המקובל בתרופות ובטיפול פסיכולוגי קוגניטיבי-התנהגותי, נחשבת להפרעה פסיכיאטרית חמורה המובילה לירידה בתפקוד. בעבר הוצעו טיפולים לכריתת מסלולים עצביים הקשורים לפתופיסיולוגיה של ההפרעה. הטיפול בגירוי עמוק של המוח מהווה חלופה יעילה ובטוחה, מאפשר שינוי הפיך במעגלים העצביים ומביא להקלה בתסמיני ההפרעה. תיאור פרשת החולה מציג את מהלך ותוצאות הטיפול בגירוי עמוק של המוח שניתן לחולה הלוקה בהפרעה טורדנית כפייתית חמורה ועמידה לטיפול מקובל, לראשונה בישראל. חולה זו השיגה שיפור משמעותי בתסמיני ההפרעה ובתפקודה החברתי והאישי. הדיון מתמקד באמצעים להטמעת הטיפול בגירוי עמוק של המוח במטופלים הלוקים בהפרעה טורדנית כפייתית בישראל. 

Prevalence of Medical Complaints in the Community-Dwelling Elderly

J. Gindin, M. Geitzn, M. Dushenat, H. Siboni, D. Goldstein, Z. Shapira, N. Konstantin, A. Wurm, A. Goldsmid, E. Hay-Am

Geriatric Institute of Education and Research, Kaplan Medical Center, Rehovot; Pharmacology Dept., Kupat Holim Klalit, Tel Aviv and Central District; and Kupat Holim Klalit, Rishon LeZion

We assessed the prevalence of self-reported medical complaints among the community-dwelling elderly receiving regular medication, and determined associations between health and sociodemographic variables, and the prevalence of complaints.

The study included 170 patients, 60-90 years of age, living at home. Participants were recruited from the 3 main primary care clinics in Rishon LeZion. All were receiving chronic medication and were followed-up utilizing a long-term medication card. Data were gathered in interviews held in patients' homes using a structured questionnaire which included sociodemographics, diseases and medication, mental state assessment by Katzman's score, and a list of 15 medical complaints common among the aged. Relations to age, gender, education, living arrangements, number of diseases and number of medications per patient were determined.

Mean age of participants was 73.2±6.0 years and they suffered an average of 4.07±2.16 diseases and took 5.10±2.83 types of drugs. The most prevalent complaints were: weakness and fatigue (65.0%), agitation and restlessness (56.4%), dry mouth (45.6%), constipation (43.6%) and dizziness (43.2%). The number of diseases, gender, education and age had the strongest associations with the prevalence of specific complaints, as well as their total number. The association between number of medications and mean number of complaints was of borderline significance.

Abnormal Liver Function Tests in the Primary Care Setting

Shlomo Vinker, Sasson Nakar, Emanuel Nir, Eitan Hyam, Michael A. Weingarten

Dept. of Family Medicine, Rabin Medical Center, Sackler Faculty of Medicine; Tel Aviv University; and General Sick Fund, Central District

Results of laboratory tests ordered during a primary care encounter may reveal findings of abnormal liver function tests, including elevated liver enzymes, hyperbilirubinemia, hypoalbuminemia or abnormal coagulation tests. The object of this study was to describe the spectrum of these liver function test (LFT) abnormalities in primary care.

Results of all laboratory tests ordered during 10 months in an urban primary care clinic were retrospectively reviewed and the medical charts of patients with abnormal LFTs were studied. In 217/1088 (20%) of the tests at least 1 LFT abnormality was found in 156 patients. New diagnoses were made in 104 patients. The main diagnostic groups were: non-alcoholic fatty liver changes, Gilbert's disease, acute infectious hepatitis, alcoholic liver disease and cirrhosis and hepatotoxic drug injury. In 60 patients the physician classified the abnormality as negligible and not associated with significant disease. However, an abnormal test that had been ordered for evaluation of a specific complaint, was indeed likely to represent significant disease (X²=29.5, p<0.001). We conclude that finding abnormalities in liver function tests is common in the primary care clinic but does not often indicate significant liver disease.