Methods We compared two audits: a 2001 audit of 103 patients over the age of 65 years with hip fracture and a 2006 audit on 98 admissions using the THZ1 datasheet same parameters.

Results Inpatient mortality dropped from 20% to 8%. Discharge to home increased from 8% to 18% and to nursing home fell from 25% to 21%. Prescription of perioperative antibiotics, DVT prophylaxis and osteoporosis medications improved. There were no significant differences in age or sex but there were significantly higher levels of disability in the 2001 group.

Conclusion Following introduction of an

orthogeriatric service, improvements in mortality and discharge destination occurred. This may have been influenced by higher proportions of disability among the 2001 cohort.”
“Decorative tattoos are associated with a variety of adverse cutaneous reactions. We describe a unique fibrosing vasculitic reaction to red tattoo ink. The histopathology was similar to that in localized chronic fibrosing vasculitis (LCFV), but sharply limited to sites of red tattoo ink injection and associated with florid verrucoid epidermal hyperplasia. LCFV has been described in a broad variety of slowly progressive disorders with a firm

consistency such as erythema elevatum diutinum, plasma cell granuloma, granuloma faciale, and IgG4-associated sclerosing diseases. It has been hypothesized that LCFV is the result of maladaptive immune reaction with failure Galardin to clear the causative antigen. To the Stattic nmr best of our knowledge, this is the first case of LCFV associated with tattoo. We speculate on the implications our case holds for the pathogenesis of LCFV.”
“Purpose: In several cases of meningitis routinely used diagnostic procedures are unable to identify the cause of this disease. The objective of the present study was to determine whether proinflammatory cytokine (tumour necrosis factor (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1

beta (IL-1 beta), interleukin-8 (IL-8)) and nitric oxide (NO) concentrations in the CSF are useful markers for the differential diagnosis of meningitis.

Material and Methods: Sixty-seven patients (42 patients with bacterial meningitis and 25 patients with viral meningitis) were included in the present study. In the investigated group, the TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta and IL-8 concentrations in the CSF samples collected on the day of admission were assessed. Furthermore, the NO concentrations were assessed in 23 patients.

Results: The results revealed that the measurement of proinflammatory cytokines in CSF can aid in a differential diagnosis. In particular, a high concentration of TNF-alpha may be a sensitive and specific marker of a bacterial aetiology of the neuroinfection. In the present study, TNF-alpha concentrations greater than 75.8 pg/ml differentiated between bacterial and viral meningitis with 100% sensitivity and specificity.