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“Objective-To establish a technique of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in birds without cardiac disease and describe the imaging planes obtained.
Design-Validation study.
Animals-18 birds including 3 pigeons (Columbia livia), 3 barred owls (Strix varia), 2 red-tailed hawks (Buteo jamaicensis), 1 goose (Anser anser), 1 mallard duck (Anas platyrhynchos), I Muscovy duck (Cairina moschata),
2 brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis), 2 Hispaniolan Amazon parrots (Amazona MLN4924 manufacturer ventralis), 2 red-fronted macaws (Ara rubrogenys), and 1 military macaw (Ara militaris).
Procedures-For each bird, anesthesia was induced and maintained by use of isoflurane. A pediatric, multiplane transesophageal ultrasound probe was passed into the esophagus and adjusted to the level of the heart for echocardiography. Probe positions were recorded via fluoroscopy, and associated imaging planes were described.
Results-TEE was performed successfully in all birds except buy VX-680 the pelicans, 1 Hispaniolan Amazon parrot, and the red-fronted macaws. Five imaging planes of the heart were consistently viewed from 3 positions of the probe (identified as caudal, middle, and cranial positions relative to the cardiac silhouette). M-mode echocardiography of the left ventricle and the aortic root was performed. Color flow and spectral Doppler ultrasonographic images of in- and outflow regions were obtained. One Hispaniolan Amazon parrot died as a result of esophageal
perforation.
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-TEE examination of birds was feasible and provided a larger number of imaging planes with better resolution and details than those typically achieved via a check details transcoelomic approach. However, TEE should be performed with caution in psittacines. (J Am Vet Med Assoc 2010:236:540-547)”
“Background and aims: Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) make it possible to assess health-status problems from the perspective of persons suffering from a disease. The objective of the paper is to examine and compare the contents of PROMs related to IBD based on the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF)
as the frame of reference.
Methods: A systematic literature review (1999-2009) in the databases Medline, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL and CENTRAL was performed to select IBD-specific PROMs. Abstracts and full-text articles were checked applying predefined eligibility criteria; IBD-specific PROMs were identified. The contents of the identified PROMs were examined by linking the items to ICF categories. The linked ICF categories of the PROMs were then compared.
Results: The review resulted in the selection of eight IBD-specific PROMs (e.g., Cleveland Global Quality of Life, Inflammatory Bowel Disease Quality of Life Questionnaire, Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire-32, Rating Form of IBD Patient Concerns, Short Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire).