Guillain-Barre Syndrome Research Assignment Paper - 550 Words

Guillain-Barre Syndrome Research Assignment Paper (Essay Sample) Content: Guillain-Barre SyndromeNameInstitution The current patient is 70 years old and has had a history of alcohol abuse, diabetes mellitus, stroke/CVA, hypertension as well as residual deficit. The patient has been in hospital for prolonged period, with complicated Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS). He has respiratory failure, is currently weak and has been referred to physical therapy for functional assessment. The disease process has greatly affected the patients independence. He has supine bed mobility, is able to sit with moderate assistance, with fair but static sitting balance. He has to use bed rails to achieve balance, thus is balance dependent. He also requires maximal assistance for transfer, and lacks ambulatory ability. The patient requires maximum assistance in carrying out activities of daily living, such as feeding and dressing. Cafasso and Reed-Guy (2015) affirm that GBS causes decreased functional ability and with time, the patient experiences decreased muscle strength, and decreased endurance. The patients social history reveals that he is sexually inactive. Ranjani et al. (2014) note that GBS contributes significantly to a patients increased fatigue level due to progressive muscle weakness, a condition that reduces mobility and independence. Ultimately, the quality of life decreases. Loss of independence is also attributable to respiratory failure. The patients low CO2 level is precursor for respiratory failure. The patients CO2 rate is 20 mmol/L, a rate that falls below the normal range of 24-30 mmol/L (MedlinePlus, 2016). Respiratory failure inhibits effective brain functioning, which implies reduced nerve response, including muscle coordination, a condition that is seen in GBS patients. As a primary diagnosis, GBS is linked to smoking. Smoking can be associated with GBS directly or indirectly (through diabetes mellitus, as is exhibited in the patient). Smoking aggravates glucose homeostasis and increases the risk of chronic diabetic mellitus complications, and adversely affects diabetic nephropathy (Chang, 2012). Smoking habit reduces an individuals nerve functions and ultimately, muscle movements are affected (Chang, 2012). Smoking not only increases the risk of developing diabetes mellitus, it also increases micro and macro-vascular complications associated with diabetes mellitus (Chang, 2012). A study done on 304 GBS patients by Wang et al. (2015) showed that type I diabetes may share systematic immune pathways with GBS. High level of fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and fibrinogen was associated with high severity of GBS due to the various infectious and inflammatory conditions, particularly inflammation of peripheral nerves as well as spinal nerve roots, conditions that are typically seen in GBS patients (Wang et al., 2015). Another study directly linked cigarette smoking to poor functional recovery after peripheral nerve reperfusion injury. The study, by Rinker et al. (2011) found that exposure to cigarette smoke significantly reduced the recovery rate for affected individuals, such as GBS patients whose peripheral nerve had been damaged through autoimmune infections. Diagnosis of GBS can be done by spinal tap, electromyography, or nerve conduction tests (Cafasso Reed-Guy, 2015). Neurological conduction tests were done on the patient. The patients muscle strength is rated 3/5, indicating a drop in muscle ability. Cranial nerves II XII are within normal limits, bilateral shoulder flexion, elbow and shoulder flexion is normal but wrist flexion is below NL, at 2/5. This is indicative of slow nerve and muscle response to small electrical pulses (Cafasso Reed-Guy, 2015). Respiratory failure for the patient is linked to his low CO2 rate as revealed by metabolic diagnosis. The diagnosis results in the nervous system being affected. The syndrome can temporarily weaken the bodys ability to control blood pressure. Consequently, the patient can experience dangerously low blood pressure whe n they attempt to stand up after sitting or lying down (Drugs, 2016). As the syndrome results in the immune system attacking the peripheral nervous system, the nerves connecting the brain to the rest of the body are affected thus the transmission of signals to the muscles slows down. The muscles ability to respond to signals sent from the brain diminishes and sensory...

Wayne State Medical School Increases Minority Acceptance

Diversity has returned to  Wayne State  In an effort to boost their minority student numbers, Detroits Wayne State University of Medicine increased their minority stats by a whopping 643% for the coming year. In the 2015-2016 entering class, there are five black students, two Hispanic students, and no Native Americans; in next years class, however, the expected breakdown is 31 black students, 18 Hispanic students, and three Native Americans. (The admissions process for next year is still not complete, so those numbers may increase.) This drop in diversity has occurred only in the last 10 years – from 1990 to 2006, Wayne State admitted about 35 African-American students (13% of the class) per year. In a Crains Detroit article, Dean Jack Sobel, M.D. points to new leadership, a completely new holistic admissions process, [and] very active community outreach, campaigning and recruitment, as well as a new Diversity Advisory Council of the Dean, as ways in which the school is addressing the problem. Wayne State was placed on accreditation probation last June due to 12 infractions – lack of diversity in recruiting was just one of these violations. The probation was lifted in October and the program was given the status of accreditation with warning. (15 of the 50 schools placed on probation from 2005-2014 were cited for lack of diversity.) Next years incoming class has a slightly higher average GPA (3.78) and MCAT (84th percentile) than the previous year’s. â€Å"This tells me that what I suspected was true: These students, who are more than qualified to attend medical school, were out there all the time,† said Sobel. â€Å"We simply had stopped seeking them out, and worse, turned them away by considering only GPA and MCAT scores.† hbspt.cta.load(58291, '8a858f89-733f-41cd-8f46-83f20077e591', {}); Related Resources: †¢Ã‚  Navigate the Med School Maze  [free guide] †¢A Med School With A Mission: Sophie Davis School Of Biomedical Education   †¢Ã‚  Approaching the Diversity Essay Question