Impact of 222-nm ultraviolet disinfection combined with psychological care on the emotional and hospital infection of critical patients

BACKGROUND Empathetic psychological care improves mood and enhances the quality of life in critically ill patients.AIM To study the impact of combining 222-nm ultraviolet(UV)disinfection with empathetic psychological care on emotional states,nosocomial infection rates,and quality of life in critically ill patients.METHODS A total of 202 critically ill patients admitted to Beijing Ditan Hospital(December 2023 to May 2024)were randomly assigned to control(Ctrl,n=101)or observation groups(Obs,n=101).The Ctrl group received 222-nm UV disinfection and routine care,while the Obs group received 222-nm UV disinfection with empathetic psychological care.Emotional states[Self-Rating Anxiety Scale(SAS),Self-Rating Depression Scale(SDS)],hospital infection rates,quality of life(36-Item Short Form Health Survey),and patient satisfaction were evaluated.RESULTS At baseline,there were no significant differences in SAS and SDS scores between the groups(P>0.05).Following care,both groups demonstrated reductions in SAS and SDS scores,with the Obs group exhibiting a significantly greater reduction(P<0.05).The Obs group also experienced a significantly lower overall hospital infection rate(P<0.05).Similarly,while baseline 36-Item Short Form Health Survey scores did not differ significantly between the groups(P>0.05),post-care scores improved in both groups,with a greater improvement observed in the Obs group(P<0.05).Additionally,the Obs group reported higher patient satisfaction ratings(P<0.05).CONCLUSION The combination of 222-nm UV disinfection and empathetic psychological care improves emotional states,reduces hospital infection rates,enhances the quality of life,and increases patient satisfaction among critically ill patients.

Trends of alkaline phosphatase to prealbumin ratio in patients with hepatitis B linked to hepatocellular carcinoma development

BACKGROUND Chronic hepatitis B often progresses silently toward hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC),a leading cause of mortality worldwide.Early detection of HCC is crucial,yet challenging.AIM To investigate the role of dynamic changes in alkaline phosphatase to prealbumin ratio(APR)in hepatitis B progression to HCC.METHODS Data from 4843 patients with hepatitis B(January 2015 to January 2024)were analyzed.HCC incidence rates in males and females were compared using the log-rank test.Data were evaluated using Kaplan–Meier analysis.The Linear Mixed-Effects Model was applied to track the fluctuation of APR levels over time.Furthermore,Joint Modeling of Longitudinal and Survival data was employed to investigate the temporal relationship between APR and HCC risk.RESULTS The incidence of HCC was higher in males.To ensure the model’s normality assumption,this study applied a logarithmic transformation to APR,yielding ratio.Ratio levels were higher in females(t=5.26,P<0.01).A 1-unit increase in ratio correlated with a 2.005-fold higher risk of HCC in males(95%CI:1.653-2.431)and a 2.273-fold higher risk in females(95%CI:1.620-3.190).CONCLUSION Males are more prone to HCC,while females have higher APR levels.Despite no baseline APR link,rising APR indicates a higher HCC risk.

Predictive modeling for postoperative delirium in elderly patients with abdominal malignancies using synthetic minority oversampling technique

BACKGROUND Postoperative delirium,particularly prevalent in elderly patients after abdominal cancer surgery,presents significant challenges in clinical management.AIM To develop a synthetic minority oversampling technique(SMOTE)-based model for predicting postoperative delirium in elderly abdominal cancer patients.METHODS In this retrospective cohort study,we analyzed data from 611 elderly patients who underwent abdominal malignant tumor surgery at our hospital between September 2020 and October 2022.The incidence of postoperative delirium was recorded for 7 d post-surgery.Patients were divided into delirium and non-delirium groups based on the occurrence of postoperative delirium or not.A multivariate logistic regression model was used to identify risk factors and develop a predictive model for postoperative delirium.The SMOTE technique was applied to enhance the model by oversampling the delirium cases.The model’s predictive accuracy was then validated.RESULTS In our study involving 611 elderly patients with abdominal malignant tumors,multivariate logistic regression analysis identified significant risk factors for postoperative delirium.These included the Charlson comorbidity index,American Society of Anesthesiologists classification,history of cerebrovascular disease,surgical duration,perioperative blood transfusion,and postoperative pain score.The incidence rate of postoperative delirium in our study was 22.91%.The original predictive model(P1)exhibited an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.862.In comparison,the SMOTE-based logistic early warning model(P2),which utilized the SMOTE oversampling algorithm,showed a slightly lower but comparable area under the curve of 0.856,suggesting no significant difference in performance between the two predictive approaches.CONCLUSION This study confirms that the SMOTE-enhanced predictive model for postoperative delirium in elderly abdominal tumor patients shows performance equivalent to that of traditional methods,effectively addressing data imbalance.

Correlation between anxiety, depression, and social stress in young patients with thoracolumbar spine fractures

BACKGROUND Traumatic injuries,such as falling,car accidents,and crushing mostly cause spinal fractures in young and middle-aged people,and>50%of them are thoracolumbar fractures.This kind of fracture is easily combined with serious injuries to peripheral nerves and soft tissues,which causes paralysis of the lower limbs if there is no timely rehabilitation treatment.Young patients with thoracolumbar fractures find it difficult to recover after the operation,and they are prone to depression,low self-esteem,and other negative emotions.AIM To investigate the association between anxiety,depression,and social stress in young patients with thoracolumbar spine fractures and the effect on rehabilitation outcomes.METHODS This study retrospectively analyzed 100 patients admitted to the orthopedic department of Honghui Hospital,Xi’an Jiaotong University who underwent thoracolumbar spine fracture surgery from January 2022 to June 2023.The general data of the patients were assessed with the Hamilton anxiety scale(HAMA),Hamilton depression scale(HAMD),life events scale,and social support rating scale(SSRS)to identify the correlation between anxiety,depression scores,and social stress and social support.The Japanese Orthopedic Association(JOA)was utilized to evaluate the rehabilitation outcomes of the patients and to analyze the effects of anxiety and depression scores on rehabilitation.RESULTS According to the scores of HAMD and HAMA in all patients,the prevalence of depression in patients was 39%(39/100),and the prevalence of anxiety was 49%(49/100).Patients were categorized into non-depression(n=61)and depression(n=39),non-anxiety(n=51),and anxiety(n=49)groups.Statistically significant differences in gender,occupation,Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index(PSQI)score,and monthly family income were observed between the non-depression and depression groups(P<0.05).A significant difference in occupation and PSQI score was found between the non-anxiety and anxiety groups.Both depression(r=0.207,P=0.038)and anxiety scores(r=0.473,P<0.001)were significantly and positively correlated with negative life events.The difference in negative life event scores as well as SSRS total and item scores was statist-ically significant between patients in the non-depression and depression groups(P<0.05).The difference between the non-anxiety and anxiety groups was statistically significant(P<0.05)in the negative life event scores as well as the total SSRS scores.Additionally,JOA scores were significantly lower in both anxious and depressed patients.CONCLUSION Young patients with thoracolumbar fractures are prone to anxiety and depression.Patients’anxiety and depression are closely associated with social pressure,which reduces the life pressure of young patients with thoracolumbar fractures,enhances social support,and improves the psychology of anxiety and depression.,which affects patients’recovery.

Expert consensus on endodontic therapy for patients withsystemic conditions

The overall health condition of patients significantly affects the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of endodontic diseases. Asystemic consideration of the patient’s overall health along with oral conditions holds the utmost importance in determining thenecessity and feasibility of endodontic therapy, as well as selecting appropriate therapeutic approaches. This expert consensus is acollaborative effort by specialists from endodontics and clinical physicians across the nation based on the current clinical evidence,aiming to provide general guidance on clinical procedures, improve patient safety and enhance clinical outcomes of endodontictherapy in patients with compromised overall health.

The association between C-reactive protein to albumin ratio and 6-month neurological outcome in patients with in-hospital cardiac arrest

The global incidence rates of in-hospital cardiac arrest(IHCA)range from1.2 to 9.0 per1,000 hospitalized patients,as per the National Cardiac Arrest Database.[1] While IHCAs tend to exhibit superior 30-day survival rates relative to out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA) due to situational advantages,such as immediate access to medical personnel and treatments.

Updates of developments in interventional therapy for elderly patients with cardiovascular diseases

Cardiovascular diseases(CVD)are the leading cause of death in the world and one of the most common diseases in the elderly,with high prevalence and poor prognosis,which seriously affect the health of the elder patients.One report showed that global deaths from CVD increased from 12.4 million in 1990 to 19.8 million in 2022,reflecting the global population growth and aging,as well as the impact of metabolic,environmental,and behavioral risks.[1]With the progress of aging population,the burden of CVD in the elderly in China has increased year by year,and factors including multiple complications,organ function decline,and high complication rate have made the interventional treatment of CVD in the elderly one of the difficulties and focuses in the field of cardiology in China.

Utilizing complementary therapy to enhance quality of life and reduce stress and fatigue in pediatric cancer patients

The international scientific literature presents still incipient results regarding the management of cancer symptom clusters by oncology nursing,especially in pediatric oncology.This is a promising field of investigation for clinical nurses and researchers,and when it is subsidized by medium-range theories,they co-rroborate the diagnoses and interventions of nursing in oncology,enhancing the science of nursing care.This minireview article aims to discuss the utilizing the hospital clowns as a complementary therapy,to enhance quality of life and reduce stress and fatigue in pediatric cancer patients.Overall,the evidence presented so far pointed out that complementary therapy might help improve the quality of life of pediatric cancer patients,and that complementary therapy usage should be part of a health comprehensive care model,delivering therapeutic approaches that might enhance the mind-body during a pediatric cancer patients’life span.The results of scientific investigations by nurses,particularly those linked to the basic sciences,play a critical role in advancing personalized care in pediatric integrative oncology.

Association between echocardiography utilization and prognosis in patients with cardiac arrest

Despite efforts to develop treatment technology for cardiac arrest (CA),CA incidence and mortality rates are still high.^([1,2])A recent study of CA patients in emergency departments revealed that the incidence of CA is increasing annually,and the in-hospital survival rate of CA patients is only approximately 28.7%.^([3])Echocardiography has been widely used as an important monitoring tool in critical care and helps to identify the cause of shock,monitor hemodynamics,and guide fluid therapy utilization.^([4])One study reported that approximately one-third of patients underwent formal echocardiography during hospitalization in the intensive care unit (ICU).

Evaluation of disease burden and symptom scores in patients with acute atrial fi brillation in the emergency department

Atrial fibrillation(AF)is a major public health problem and poses a substantial economic burden on healthcare systems worldwide.[1-4]The emergency department(ED)serves as the first point of contact with the healthcare system and plays a key role in the management of patients with AF,which accounts for 3%-10%of all hospital admissions.[5]Treatment plans are often discussed and initiated at the ED.

Bridging fulminant myocarditis patients to recovery or advanced therapies with veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation:a single-center retrospective study

Fulminant myocarditis(FM)is a severe inflammatory cardiac disease,typically triggered by viral pathogens or autoimmune disorders.[1,2]Early symptoms of the disease can be mild and nonspecific,but in certain cases,patients may experience sudden and severe heart failure,arrhythmias,refractory cardiogenic shock,or even death.

Aggressive fluid management may be associated with disease progression in suspected sepsis patients admitted to the intensive care unit: a retrospective cohort study

Sepsis is a lethal condition characterized by multiple organ dysfunction due to disrupted host responses to severe infections.[1]Aff ected patients often have a Sequential Organ Failure Assessment(SOFA)score≥2.[2]Patients with a SOFA score<2 and at least one of the following were considered as“suspected sepsis”:(1)quick SOFA(qSOFA)score≥2;(2)SOFA score=1;or(3)National Early Warning Score(NEWS)4-6.[3]Compared with studies on fluid resuscitation in sepsis patients,there are few studies on fluid management in patients with suspected sepsis.Therefore,we conducted a retrospective cohort study to evaluate the relationship between fluid management and disease progression in suspected sepsis patients.

The effect of fasting plasma glucose on in-hospital mortality after acute myocardial infarction in patients with and without diabetes:findings from a prospective,nationwide,and multicenter registry

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the predictive value of fasting plasma glucose(FPG)for in-hospital mortality in patients with acute myocardial infarction(AMI)with different glucose metabolism status.METHODS We selected 5,308 participants with AMI from the prospective,nationwide,multicenter CAMI registry,of which 2,081 were diabetic and 3,227 were nondiabetic.Patients were divided into high FPG and low FPG groups according to the optim-al cutoff values of FPG to predict in-hospital mortality for diabetic and nondiabetic cohorts,respectively.The primary endpoint was in-hospital mortality.RESULTS Overall,94 diabetic patients(4.5%)and 131 nondiabetic patients(4.1%)died during hospitalization,and the optimal FPG thresholds for predicting in-hospital death of the two cohorts were 13.2 mmol/L and 6.4 mmol/L,respectively.Compared with individuals who had low FPG,those with high FPG were significantly associated with higher in-hospital mortality in diabet-ic cohort(10.1%vs.2.8%;odds ratio[OR]=3.862,95%confidence interval[CI]:2.542-5.869)and nondiabetic cohort(7.4%vs.1.7%;HR=4.542,95%CI:3.041-6.782).After adjusting the potential confounders,this significant association was not changed.Further-more,FPG as a continuous variable was positively associated with in-hospital mortality in single-variable and multivariable models regardless of diabetic status.Adding FPG to the original model showed a significant improvement in C-statistic and net reclassification in diabetic and nondiabetic cohorts.CONCLUSIONS This large-scale registry indicated that there is a strong positive association between FPG and in-hospital mor-tality in AMI patients with and without diabetes.FPG might be useful to stratify patients with AMI.

The impact of being in the COVID-19 pandemic on in-hospital mortality of non-infected patients aged 80 years and older with ST-elevation myocardial ınfarction

The COVID-19 outbreak in late 2019 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization(WHO)on March 12,2020.[1]As of the latest WHO data,COVID-19 has caused over 770 million cases and nearly 7 million deaths worldwide.[2]Hospitalizations due to COVID-19 are correlated with advanced age.[3,4]According to re-ports,individuals over the age of 65 account for 80%of COVID-19-related deaths.[3,4]This is primar-ily due to the increased burden of comorbidity with age.

Clinical profile and outcomes in very elderly patients with atrial fibrillation anticoagulated with rivaroxaban: data from the EMIR study

Objectives To analyze the clinical profile,adequacy of treatment with rivaroxaban and outcomes in octogenarians with atrial fibrillation(AF),taking rivaroxaban in clinical practice.Methods Observational and non-interventional study that included AF adults recruited from 79 Spanish centers,anticoagulated with rivaroxaban ≥ 6 months before being included.Data were analyzed according to age(≥ 80 vs.< 80 years) at baseline.Results Out of 1433 patients,453(31.6%) were octogenarians at baseline.Compared to younger patients,octogenarians had more comorbidities,higher CHA2DS2-VASc(4.5 ± 1.3 vs.3.0 ± 1.4;P < 0.001) and HAS-BLED scores(2.0 ± 1.0 vs.1.4 ± 1.0;P < 0.001).Overall,the dose of rivaroxaban was adequately prescribed in 83.4% of patients,but more frequently in the younger population(71.1% vs.89.1%;P = 0.039).After a mean follow-up of 2.2 ± 0.6 years,annual rates of stroke + systemic embolism + transient ischemic attack,MACE,cardiovascular death and major bleeding were 1.03%,1.24%,1.03% and 1.75%,respectively,in octogenarian patients.Except for progressive heart failure death and major bleeding,rates of outcomes in octogenarians were similar compared to younger patients.In octogenarians,the concomitant use of antiplatelet agents and non-severe dementia were independently associated with the development of ischemic stroke,whereas previous coronary revascularization and heart failure with MACE,and higher HAS-BLED score with major bleeding.Conclusions In clinical practice,around one third of patients taking rivaroxaban are octogenarians.These patients have many comorbidities and a high thromboembolic risk.Despite that,rates of adverse events remain low.Rivaroxaban is adequately prescribed in the majority of octogenarians.

The impact of cerebral small vessel disease burden on prognosis in patients with acute coronary syndrome

Background Acute coronary syndrome(ACS)presents with a variable prognosis,posing significant public health challenges.This study investigated the potential link between cerebral small vessel disease(CSVD)burden and outcomes in patients with ACS.Methods In this retrospective cohort study,ACS patients admitted to Beijing Friendship Hospital,Capital Medical Universi-ty,Beijing,China from January 2020 to October 2021,were analyzed.CSVD burden was assessed using magnetic resonance ima-ging markers,including white matter lesions,lacunar infarcts,cerebral microbleeds,and enlarged perivascular spaces.The correl-ation between CSVD burden and clinical outcomes,including major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events,myocar-dial infarction(MI),target vessel revascularization,stroke,and mortality was examined over a one-year follow-up.Results Out of 248 patients,216 patients were categorized into the low score group(LSG-CSVD)and 32 patients were categor-ized into the high score group(HSG-CSVD).Patients in the HSG-CSVD group exhibited significantly worse prognosis,with an el-evated risk of major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events,MI,and target vessel revascularization.After adjusting for age,sex,hypertension,troponin T,and estimated glomerular filtration rate,a significantly higher risk of MI was observed in the HSG-CSVD group(HR=4.51,95%CI:1.53-13.26,P=0.006).Subgroup analysis by age and sex consistently demonstrated in-creased adverse outcomes in the HSG-CSVD.Conclusions The study highlights a direct association between increased CSVD burden and poorer ACS outcomes,particular-ly in MI risk.These findings underscore the importance of considering CSVD burden as a crucial prognostic factor in ACS manag-ement,facilitating risk stratification and guiding personalized treatment strategies.

Nomogram predicting the cardiovascular disease mortality for older patients with colorectal cancer:A real-world population-based study

BACKGROUND Cardio-oncology has received increasing attention especially among older patients with colorectal cancer(CRC).Cardiovascular disease(CVD)-specific mortality is the second-most frequent cause of death.The risk factors for CVDspecific mortality among older patients with CRC are still poorly understood.AIM To identify the prognostic factors and construct a nomogram-based model to predict the CVD-specific mortality among older patients with CRC.METHODS The data on older patients diagnosed with CRC were retrieved from The Surveillance,Epidemiology,and End Results database from 2004 to 2015.The prognostic factors and a nomogram-based model predicting the CVD-specific mortality were assessed using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator and Cox regression.RESULTS A total of 141251 eligible patients with CRC were enrolled,of which 41459 patients died of CRC and 12651 patients died of CVD.The age at diagnosis,sex,marital status,year of diagnosis,surgery,and chemotherapy were independent prognostic factors associated with CVD-specific mortality among older patients with CRC.We used these variables to develop a model to predict CVD-specific mortality.The calibration curves for CVD-specific mortality probabilities showed that the model was in good agreement with actual observations.The C-index value of the model in the training cohort and testing cohort for predicting CVD-specific mortality was 0.728 and 0.734,respectively.CONCLUSION The proposed nomogram-based model for CVD-specific mortality can be used for accurate prognostic prediction among older patients with CRC.This model is a potentially useful tool for clinicians to identify high-risk patients and develop personalized treatment plans.

Assessment of Cancer-Related Fatigue Expression:Comparing the Expression of Fatigue in Patients with a History of Cancer,Patients with Other Chronic Diseases,and Healthy Individuals

Aims:We aimed to compare cancer survivors’fatigue expression with that of the general population and examine psychobiological factors associated with fatigue.Procedure:In this quantitative,transversal study,we analyzed clinical and sociodemographic indicators of 389 participants(68.38%females):148 cancer survivors on active treatment,55 disease-free survivors,75 patients with another chronic disease,and 111 healthy individuals.Results:Fatigue was expressed dissimilarly in patients with a previous history of cancer and participants without a history of cancer.Survivors on active treatment reported significantly higher levels of fatigue than the other clinical status groups.Nonetheless,some level of cancer-related fatigue persisted,in a similar pattern,after active treatment into the survivorship phase.Disease-free survivors showed significantly lower vigor levels when compared to patients with other chronic diseases.Psychological distress and daytime sleepiness emerged as transdiagnostic factors associated with fatigue.Conclusion:Cancer-related fatigue may have a unique pattern,characterized by reduced endurance and muscle weakness.In the present study,psychological distress and daytime sleepiness are associated with cancer-related fatigue.These findings suggest the pertinence of future studies examining whether interventions targeting those factors may help manage this burdensome complaint.

Outcomes of the effect of exercise on cognitive function in patients with depression:A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND Major depressive disorder is a common mental disorder,characterized by a high rate of suicide and recurrence,which is frequently accompanied by cognitive impairments,particularly in executive function,memory,attention,and infor-mation processing speed.As such,improving the cognitive function in patients with depression and enhancing their quality of life are urgent issues.AIM To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of exercise on cognitive function in patients with depression.METHODS The PubMed,Web of Science,Cochrane Library,Embase,China National Knowledge Infrastructure,Wanfang Medical,VIP,and Biomedical Databases for randomized controlled trials(RCTs)databases were searched(from inception to October 19,2023)for studies investigating improvements in cognitive function in patients with depression through exercise.Tools recommended by the Cochrane Handbook for RCT evaluation,and GRADEpro and Stata17 software,were employed for risk of bias assessment,evidence grading,forest plot construction,subgroup and sensitivity analyses,and assessment of publication bias.RESULTS Seventeen RCTs(1173 patients with depression)were included.Exercise had a small but significant positive effect on attention,with an effect size of 0.21,95%CI:0.07-0.34,P<0.01.Specifically,aerobic exercise regimens of 30-60 minute/session,thrice a week,at moderate intensity,and sustained over 3-12 weeks,were associated with the most pronounced benefits(P<0.05),with effect sizes for executive function,memory,and information processing speed of 0.11,95%CI:-0.11-0.32,P=0.34;0.08,95%CI:0.00-0.16,P=0.05;and 0.14,95%CI:0.04-0.25,P=0.01,respectively.The evidence levels for attention,information processing speed,and memory were rated as'low,’whereas that for executive function was rated as'very low’.CONCLUSION Exercise could improve attention and information-processing speed in patients with depression,although improvements in executive function and memory are not significant.

Navigating emotional challenges:A journey with patients undergoing chemotherapy

A recent article reported that cancer patients with subthreshold depression are more likely to develop major depression within a year.Multivariate regression analysis revealed that regular exercise was a protective factor against cancerrelated fatigue,whereas advanced age,radiotherapy,pain,and low hemoglobin were risk factors for cancer-related fatigue.A limitation of this study was the lack of methodological details about leukemia patients receiving depressive treatment at a specific hospital.Professional assessment,behavioral modification plans,communication,destressing techniques,and educational plans may help chemotherapy patients manage emotional issues and reduce anxiety.Furthermore,these strategies can inspire patients to create,facilitate their treatment,and help them to remain healthy.