OBJECTIVE:To establish a microbial limit test method for povidone iodine solution.METHODS:Validation on methodology of the microbial limit test of povidone iodine solution was performed using plating method(Ⅰ),culture agent dilution method(Ⅱ),membrane-filter procedure method(Ⅲ)and sodium thiosulfate neutralization in combination with membrane-filter procedure method(Ⅳ).RESULTS:The recovery rates of all of the test organisms in method Ⅰ and method Ⅱ approached zero,less than 70% in method Ⅲ but above 85% in method Ⅳ.The growth of the control bacteria was abnormal in method Ⅱand method Ⅲ,but normal in method Ⅳ.CONCLUSION:It is advisable to adopt the method Ⅳ for microbial limit test of povidone iodine solution.

Objective To describe the distribution of medication costs of rheumatoid arthritis patients, and to analyze the factors that may affect the costs. Methods Data were obtained from a 12-month retrospective investigation of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) across China. Department of Rheuma-tology of 18 hospitals were randomly selected. The data about their social conditions, clinical conditions, medications associated with RA such as disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), non -steroidal anti -inflammtory drugs (NSAIDs), steroids, biologic agents were collected, and the costs of drugs were calculated. A non-parameter test and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed. Results Six hundred and forty six patients were enrolled into the study, 435 completed data were chosen for analysis. The results demonstrated that the average costs per patient for medications in the past year was 8018 . The total medication costs were further subdivided into the following parts: DMARDs, (represented 20% of the total costs), biologic drugs (49%), NSAIDs (4%), herbal drugs (22%), steroids (1%). Data analysis showed that patients with higher education and higher incomes, with medical insurance,better health function status and outpatients paid more on DMARDs. Extra-articular manifestations increased the odds of the high-cost group (OR: 2.180, 95%CI: 1.335～3.558, P=0.002), while poor health function status increased the probability of paying high costs (OR: 1.373, 95%CI: 1.012～1.863, P=0.041). Conclusion High medication costs in RA do exist in RA patients. The costs of medication is associated with health function status and the presence of extra-articular manifestations.