Archibald Leman Cochrane（1909 to 1988）was a physician and clinical epidemiologist from the UK. The basic theroy of evidence-based medicine was established because of his influential book, Effectiveness and Efficiency: Random Reflections on Health Services published in 1972. The randomized controlled trial and systematic review promoted by Archie has become the key stone of evidence-based medicine. He was known as one of the forefathers of evidence-based medicine because of his outstanding contribution. In commemoration of Arichie Cochrane, The Cochrane Collaboration was named after him. His legendary life story and the early stages of the development of evidence-based medicine are introduced in this article.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the histological characteristics of xenogeneic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), and to differentiate it from the allogeneic GVHD. METHODS: The original articles related to the characteristics of xenogeneic GVHD and the relationship between xenogeneic GVHD and allogeneic GVHD were widely reviewed in the past decade. RESULTS: Xenogeneic GVHD was different from allogeneic GVHD in the speed of development, position and features of pathological changes, due to the incompatibility of common simulative signals, adhesive molecules and difference of antigens. Xenogeneic spleen transplantation could induce xenogeneic GVHD. CONCLUSION: Xenogeneic GVHD can be used as a model to mimic rejection in xenotransplantation and to evaluate the compatibility of xenotransplantation.
OBJECTIVE The pathogenesis, mechanism, manifestation and diagnosis of graft-versus-host disease(GVHD) are reviewed in this article. METHODS The relevant articles in recent public magazines were reviewed and summarized. RESULTS It was indicated that GVHD occurred in the conditioned recipients in animal experiments and clinical transplantations. Humoral and cellular factors were involved in GVHD, which could be diagnosed and classified according to their characteristics. CONCLUSION As a kind of interactions between the host and donor, GVHD are severely harmful to the host. It may also occur in xenotransplantation, where GVHD can be utilized in the studies on transplant immunology, oncology etc. Xenogeneic GVHD is receiving more and more attentions.
Medical behaviors involve multi level and multi subject legal relations. In the process of medical and nursing care, there are two categories of legal relations concerning medical behaviors. They are external and internal legal relations. External legal relations involve legal relations between hospitals, between physicians and patients and between major medical accidents and penalties; internal legal relations involve physicians, nurses and hospital authorities.
Objective To provide references to control the cost of stroke inpatients by analysing pertinent factors of stroke inpatients. Methods According to the models of Anderson and Newnan, univariable analysis and multivariable statistical analysis were applied to a number of factors including predisposing factors, enabling factors, and needs factors in 1 969 stroke inpatients of two third level first-class hospitals in Chongqing. Results Among the 1 969 stroke inpatients, 64% had a history of hypertension, and 50% exhibited hypertension during their stay in hospital. Expenditure on medication consumed the highest costs (51%). Length of stay was the most important factor affecting inpatient expense, additional factors were number of surgical operation, nurse type, Rankin score, number of complications etc. Conclusions Complex measures focusing on hypertension to prevent and control of stroke are recommended. Reducing unnecessary stay in hospital and appropriate prescribing are important methods to reduce cost of stroke inpatients.
Objective To Provide statistical references for disease-based payment reform with Diagnosis Related Groups (DRGs). Methods Based on 1 969 stroke inpatients from two hospitals in Chongqing city, we used classification and regression trees (CART) of decision tree to establish classification regulations of the case-mix model for stroke inpatients, and multivariate statistical model to evaluate whether the case-mix could provide a satisfactory prediction to costs for stroke inpatients in comparison with the foreign model. Results ① The classification nodes of our model were surgical procedure, nursing care degree, and hospital infection respectively by which 1 969 stroke inpatients were divided into 5 groups. The classification nodes in foreign model were surgical procedure, age≥50 years, and whether patients would refer to other institutions after leaving the hospitals by which 1 969 stroke inpatients were also classified into 5 groups. ② For medical institutions and the third payers, we found that the data from our model could explain 80.46% of the total costs and 16.58% for individual inpatient, which were higher than that of foreign model (76.87% for medical institutions and the third payers, 9.13% for individuals ). Conclusions Compared with foreign model, our model is more suitable for the situation in China. The study is only based on 1 969 stroke inpatients from south west part of China, so the conclusion needs further studies to confirm.
Objective To assess the effectiveness and safety of nine lipid-lowing agents in the national essential drug list (2000) and provide evidence for the adjustment and selection of essential drugs. Methods Based on principles of health technology assessment (HTA) and evidence-based medicine, we searched for all published clinical studies about these drugs from the following databases: MEDLINE (1966-2002.8), The Cochrane Library, EMBASE (1974-2002), CBMdisk (1979-2002.8) and VIP (1989-2002.8), the database of National Center for Adverse Drug Reaction(ADR) Monitoring of China and the database of WHO Uppsala drug monitoring center. Included studies were appraised, analyzed and compared for the reduction of triglyceride (TC) or low density lipoprotein (LDL-C), the prevention for the coronary events and the incidence of ADR. Results The results from comparative trials for lipid-lowing agents showed that the equivalent dose of statins for 25% reduction of LDL-C was atorvastatin 10 mg/d, simvastatin 20 mg/d, pravastatin 40mg/d, lovastatin 40 mg/d, cerivastatin 0.3 mg/d and fluvastatin 80 mg/d. It was difficult to compare fenofibrate with gemfibrozil, acipimox with statins or fibrates based on available data. The study on the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular events showed that pravastatin and lovastatin were effective in primary prevention, and long-term use could reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease.Gemfibrozil could reduce the mortality from coronary heart disease (CHD) but the overall mortality was not changed. Pravastatin, simvastatin, atorvastatin, fluvastatin, gemfibrozil and fenofibrate had a confirmed effect in secondary prevention. Data from large-scale clinical trials and the reports from ADR monitoring center of England, America, Canada and Australia suggested that the statins which had rare ADR were safe and tolerated. Rhabdomyolysis was rare but had a serious adverse reaction associated with statins. The rate of fatal rhabdomyolysis related to cerivastatin was the highest among 6 statins. The safety of simvastatin, lovastatin and atorvastatin was lower than cerivastatin but higher than simvastatin and atorvastatin. The number of ADR reports of fenofibrate was fewer than that of gemfibrozil. Conclusions At present, the best evidence focused on pravastatin, simvastatin and lovastatin are widely used and have a confirmed safety and efficacy. Atorvastatin, fluvastatin and fenofibrate still need more data to confirm their effects on coronary heart disease prevention. The drugs which were shown to be inferior or insufficient evidence are cerivastatin, gemfibrozil and acipimox.
