ObjectiveTo analyze standards of alginate-based medical devices at home and abroad, and to emphasize key issues of quality control that should be concerned about.MethodsBased on investigation of alginate application in medical devices and alginate-related medical standards, alginate-related technical indicators and quality control points were comprehensively analyzed.ResultsWith the rapid development of alginate-based medical materials and medical devices, the relevant standards at home and abroad have been elaborated on the basic technical indicators and detection methods. In addition to Chinese Pharmacopoeia, China has issued one alginate standard for tissue engineering and three alginate related product standards.ConclusionConsidering the special physical and chemical properties of alginate, researchers also need to focus on the sterilization method, expiry date, molecular weight, and ratio of α-L-guluronic acid to β-D-mannuronic acid of alginate, and impurity content.
ObjectiveTo investigate whether continuous quality improvement (CQI) measures can reduce the episodes of peritonitis.
MethodsWe analyzed the data of 114 cases of peritoneal dialysis related peritonitis from January to December 2011 before applying CQI measures and 72 cases from January and December 2012 after applying CQI measures in West China Hospital. Then we studied the episodes, cause and pathogenic bacteria species of peritonitis in peritoneal dialysis patients. We implemented the process of reducing the episodes of peritonitis by applying PDCA four-step design: plan-do-check-act.
ResultsThe episodes of peritonitis were reduced from per 60.8 patient-months (0.197/patient-years) to per 66.6 patient-months (0.180/patient-years) after applying CQI measures. The positive rate of pathogenic bacteria culture was both 50.0% before and after applying CQI measures, in which 66.7% were gram-positive cocci. The curing rate of peritonitis was increased from 57 case/times (76.3%) to 87 case/times (79.2%). Switching to hemodialysis rate was reduced from 17 cases/times (14.9%) to 10 cases/times (13.9%). Death cases was reduced from 9 cases/times (7.9%) to 5 cases/times (6.9%).
ConclusionThese results show that the incidence of peritoneal dialysis related peritonitis decreases and the curing rate increases through CQI measures.
ObjectiveTo investigate the quality of life of family caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and to explore the related factors.
MethodsTwenty family caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease were surveyed with short form 36 health survey questionnaire between October 2013 and August 2014.
ResultsThe subjects who were over 60 years old had lower scores in the dimensions of physical functioning, role limitations due to physical problem and role limitations due to emotional problem than those below 60 years old. Female subjects scored better than male subjects in the dimension of vitality. The sons and daughters had higher scores than the wives and husbands in the dimensions of physical functioning, role limitations due to physical problem and role limitations due to emotional problem. The subjects whose patients had medical insurance scored better than those whose patients with no insurance. The differences above were all statistically significant. The scores of caregivers with senior middle school edudation or above were higher than the caregivers with lower education level in the dimensions of mental health, vitality and general health perceptions.
ConclusionThe quality of life of the family members of AD patients is obviously affected by many factors. It is very important to implement planned, targeted, reasonable and effective interventions to enhance the quality of life of these people.
