The use of the placebo effect in clinical medicine — ethical blunder or ethical imperative?

The current debate in medical ethics on placebos focuses mainly on their use in health research. Whereas this is certainly an important topic the discussion tends to overlook another longstanding but nevertheless highly relevant question, namely if and how the placebo effect should be employed in clinical practice. This paper describes the way the placebo effect is perceived in modern medicine and offers some historical reflections on how these perceptions have developed; discusses elements of a definition of the placebo effect; and suggests some conditions under which making use of the therapeutic potential of the placebo effect can be ethically acceptable, if not warranted. An earlier version of this paper was presented at an international conference, “Placebo: Its Action and Place in Health Research Today,” held in Warsaw, Poland on 12–13 April, 2003. Nikola Biller-Andorno, MD, PhD, is Assistant Professor in the Dept. of Medical Ethics and History of Medicine, University of Goettingen, Germany. Dr. Biller-Andorno also serves as an ethicist for the World Health Organization (WHO). This paper does not necessarily reflect the views of the World Health Organization.     

A Method for Introducing the Concepts of Chaos Theory to Medical Students

Chaos theory is beginning to find applications in the field of medicine. The theory of chaos should be introduced to students to help them as they make the transition from learning the scientific literature to actually applying this newly acquired knowledge in clinical situations. Chaos theory will give the students a powerful conceptual framework from which they can better understand the limits of predictability in clinical situations. Failure to understand the limits of predictability in chaotic natural systems will invariably lead to frustration in both patients and physicians.     

Genetic Counseling and Screening Issues in Familial Dilated Cardiomyopathy

Idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC), a treatable condition characterized by left ventricular dilatation and systolic dysfunction of unknown cause, has only recently been recognized to have genetic etiologies. Although familial dilated cardiomyopathy (FDC) was thought to be infrequent, it is now believed that 30-50% of cases of IDC may be familial. Echocardiographic and electrocardiographic (ECG) screening of first-degree relatives of individuals with IDC and FDC is indicated because detection and treatment are possible prior to the onset of advanced, symptomatic disease. However, such screening often creates uncertainty and anxiety surrounding the significance of the results. Furthermore, FDC demonstrates incomplete penetrance, variable expression, and significant locus and allelic heterogeneity, making genetic counseling complex. The provision of genetic counseling for IDC and FDC will require collaboration between cardiologists and genetics professionals, and may also improve the recognition of FDC, the availability of support services, and overall outcomes for patients and families.     

How to Regulate a Practice: The Case of Cosmetic Surgery

How should a practice, subservient to a public good, be regulated in order to guarantee fair access without encouraging improper claims? In the first place, a clear understanding of the goal of the practice is indispensable for knowing what criteria the regulation must contain. As to the purely formal aspect, the regulation of any practice must include both general rules and particular instances. Finally, to resolve conflicts, committees in which different kinds of expertise are represented should be installed. These three theses are illustrated by the Dutch regulation for cosmetic surgery.     

万爽力对老年瓣膜退性变致心功能不全的研究

探讨万爽力对老年心脏瓣膜退性变致心功能不全患者治疗的效果。入选病例共84例,随机分为对照组42例传统方法治疗;治疗组42例,加用万爽力治疗,3个月后,观察心功能、左室舒张期内径、左室射血分数、测6min步行距离、血浆脑钠肽水平。3个月治疗后,两组心功能、左室舒张期内径、左室射血分数、6min步行距离、血浆脑钠肽水平有显著性差异(P<0.05)。由此可以得出结论,万爽力对老年心脏瓣膜退性变致心功能不全治疗有临床治疗意义。     

变性术后患者心理状况的影响因素分析及对策

变性术后的患者是个特殊的弱势群体,心理问题非常突出,它是生理、个人、家庭、社会等多种因素交互影响的结果;因此,通过社会、家庭及个体的共同努力,帮助其建立良好的个体心理模式,稳定其心理状态,可促进其心理的健康发展,这对于变性手术的成功和帮助变性后患者重新走向社会有重要意义。     

Concurrent Validity of the Multidimensional Health Profile—Health Functioning Scales (MHP-H) in the Pre-operative Assessment of Applicants for Gastric Bypass Surgery

The concurrent validity of a brief screening test, the Multidimensional Health Profile-Health Functioning (MHP-H) was examined in conjunction with a much more lengthy pre-operative assessment procedure in 449 applicants for gastric bypass surgery (GBS). The MHP-H is a 69-item screening inventory that assesses five areas of health functioning: Adult Health History, Health Habits, Health Care Utilization, Health Beliefs and Attitudes, and Response to Illness. The more lengthy procedure included a comprehensive 273-item structured interview plus the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2), Basic Personality Inventory (BPI), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). The MHP-H showed significant correspondence with the more comprehensive assessment on measures of potential relevance to outcome in GBS, supporting the use of the MHP-H as a low-cost alternative to the more extensive procedure. The utility of the MHP-Psychosocial Functioning (MHP-P), a companion instrument to the MHP-H, was demonstrated in an earlier study.     

外科手术在晚期乳腺癌中的作用与地位

首诊Ⅳ期乳腺癌的外科治疗是否获益,是当前热议的问题,目前争议很大。本文就外科手术在晚期乳腺癌中的作用与地位问题,进行了探讨,认为需要更多的实践才能得出结论;提出晚期乳腺癌外科手术治疗的辩证观点,即处理好局部与整体的关系,抓住主要矛盾,根据不同的分子分型进行个体化的治疗选择。     

酮咯酸氨丁三醇复合丙泊酚-瑞芬太尼麻醉用于门诊宫腔镜检术的效果观察

观察和评价酮咯酸氨丁三醇复合丙泊酚一瑞芬太尼麻醉用于门诊宫腔镜检术的临床效果。选取无痛门诊宫腔镜检术患者60例,依据随机数字表法将患者随机分为瑞芬太尼组（R组）和酮咯酸氨丁三醇组（K组）。统计患者麻醉满意度、围术期心血管用药情况和术毕2h内不良反应发生情况。结果与K组相比,R组手术开始时（T1）、手术开始10min（T2）循环和呼吸抑制较明显（P〈0．05）,麻醉起效时间相对较长（P〈0．05）,术毕镇静效果较差（P〈0．01）,麻醉满意度较低（P〈0．01）,同时心血管用药次数增多（P〈0．05）。两组患者术后均未发生严重不良反应,但K组患者术后镇痛效果明显好于R组（P〈0．05）。酮咯酸氨丁三醇复合丙泊酚一瑞芬太尼麻醉应用于门诊无痛宫腔镜检术能够使患者呼吸循环更加平稳,提高麻醉满意度,减少围术期心血管用药次数和有效缓解术后疼痛的发生。     

右美托咪定对鼻内镜手术患者血流动力学及苏醒期的影响

探讨鼻内镜手术时应用右美托咪定对其血流动力学及苏醒期的影响。选择100例行鼻内镜的择期手术患者,随机分为两组,右美托咪定组（D组）,持续泵入右美托咪定0.4μg·kg-1·h-1从麻醉诱导开始到拔管结束;对照组（C组）,持续泵入相同剂量的生理盐水。诱导药物均为依托咪酯0.3mg/kg,舒芬太尼0.4μg/kg,罗库溴铵0.6mg/kg,术中以丙泊酚6mg·kg-1·h-1、瑞芬太尼0.1μg·kg-1·min-1维持。观察并记录诱导前5min,手术开始后10min及30min,手术结束时,拔管时及拔管后2min的MAP及HR;记录术野质量和术中出血量、手术时间和拔管时间、拔管时躁动的发生率、呛咳评分、拔管后患者的Ramsay镇静评分。结果 D组在拔管时及拔管后2min血压和心率与C组相比降低（P〈0.05）;D组的术野质量优于C组（P〈0.05）,术中出血量D组少于C组（P〈0.05）;两组的手术时间和拔管时间差异无统计学意义;拔管时躁动的发生率及呛咳评分D组低于C组（P〈0.05）;D组拔管后患者的Ramsay镇静评分高于C组（P〈0.05）。术中应用右美托咪定,可使鼻内镜手术患者术中血流动力学更稳定,苏醒期更为平稳。