Prospective randomized study to evaluate and compare the post-procedural sexual function in patients undergoing semi-rigid ureterorenoscopy for distal ureteric stones in three different operating room settings

Objective:To evaluate and compare the effect of semi-rigid ureterorenoscopy on post-procedural sexual function with three different operating room settings.Methods:In this prospective randomized study,consecutive sexually active patients with normal pre-operative sexual function undergoing uncomplicated semi-rigid ureterorenoscopy for distal ureteric stones were randomized into three groups,with three different operating room settings.Procedure-related anxiety and sexual function were assessed pre-operatively using Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale and Brief Sexual Function Inventory(in males)and Female Sexual Function Index-6(in females),respectively.All the participants were stented following the procedure,and the stent was removed after 3 weeks.Post-procedural sexual function and general discomfort were assessed and compared between three groups at 1 week,3 weeks,and 12 weeks.The effect of surgery-related anxiety,preoperative sexual function,age,and general discomfort(including stent-related discomfort)on post-procedural sexual function were analyzed using multiple regression analysis.A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results:Totally,327 eligible patients were randomized into three groups.The group of patients who underwent the procedural with a screen separating the operating area from the patient vision,while the patient could watch the endoscopy through a separate monitor,had better post-procedural sexual function compared to those who had total vision of the operating area as well as to those whose eyes were blocked.This difference was statistically significant.This post-procedural reduction in sexual function could not be attributed to in situ stent alone.Conclusions:Our study showed that semi-rigid ureterorenoscopy can have significant negative effect on sexual function,which can be reduced with proper preoperative counseling and an ideal operating room settings.

The Impact of Patient Education on the Nursing Care of Perioperative Patients in the Interventional Catheterization Room

Objective:To explore and analyze the effect of implementing a precise education model on the nursing care of perioperative patients in the interventional catheterization room.Methods:We selected 70 patients who were going to undergo surgical intervention in our hospital from August 2020 to December 2022 as the subjects for this study through random sampling.The patients were divided into a control group and an observation group,with 35 cases in each group.The control group underwent basic nursing intervention,and the observation group was given precise patient education.The nursing effects of both groups were observed.Results:After the intervention,all compliance indicators of the observation group were better than those of the control group(P<0.05).Besides,the incidence of complications in the observation group(2.86%)was lower than that of the control group(17.14%)with P<0.05.Furthermore,the patient satisfaction of the observation group(97.14%)was higher than that of the control group(82.86%),with P<0.05.Conclusion:A precise propaganda and education model facilitates the nursing of perioperative patients in the interventional catheterization room.Therefore,this practice should be popularized.

The Preventive Effect of Comprehensive Nursing Intervention on Arteriovenous Fistula Failure in Patients in the Hemodialysis Room

Objective:To explore the preventive effect of comprehensive nursing intervention on arteriovenous fistula failure in patients in the hemodialysis room.Methods:82 patients with arteriovenous fistula in the hemodialysis chamber treated in our hospital from July 2022 to October 2023 were selected as the research subjects.The random number table method divided them into a control group and an experimental group of 41 cases each.The control group received general nursing intervention measures,while the experimental group underwent comprehensive nursing intervention.The incidence of complications(internal fistula failure,bleeding,thrombosis,infection),psychological emotions(SAS scale,SDS scale),quality of life(physical pain,physiological function,emotional function,social function),and nursing satisfaction(very satisfied,basically satisfied,satisfied,dissatisfied)were compared between the two groups of patients.Results:The incidence of complications in the experimental group(4,9.76%)was significantly lower than that in the control group(29,70.73%);the SAS scores and SDS scores of the patients in the experimental group after intervention were both lower than those in the control group;the quality of life score(physical pain,physiological function,emotional function,and social function)was all higher than those of the control group;the post-intervention nursing satisfaction of the experimental group(40,97.57%)was also significantly higher than that of the control group(29,73.17%);and the listed differences were statistically significant(P<0.01).Conclusion:For patients with hemodialysis ventricular arteriovenous fistula failure,comprehensive nursing intervention can reduce the incidence of complications,relieve anxiety and stress,improve quality of life and nursing satisfaction,and achieve better preventive effects.

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.

Association of cardiometabolic multimorbidity with all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality among Chinese hypertensive patients

BACKGROUND Hypertension usually clusters with multiple comorbidities.However,the association between cardiometabolic multimorbidity(CMM)and mortality in hypertensive patients is unclear.This study aimed to investigate the association between CMM and all-cause and cardiovascular disease(CVD)mortality in Chinese patients with hypertension.METHODS The data used in this study were from the China National Survey for Determinants of Detection and Treatment Status of Hypertensive Patients with Multiple Risk Factors(CONSIDER),which comprised 5006 participants aged 19–91 years.CMM was defined as the presence of one or more of the following morbidities:diabetes mellitus,dyslipidemia,chronic kidney disease,coronary heart disease,and stroke.Cox proportional hazard models were used to calculate the hazard ratios(HR)with 95%CI to determine the association between the number of CMMs and both all-cause and CVD mortality.RESULTS Among 5006 participants[mean age:58.6±10.4 years,50%women(2509 participants)],76.4%of participants had at least one comorbidity.The mortality rate was 4.57,4.76,8.48,and 16.04 deaths per 1000 person-years in hypertensive patients without any comorbidity and with one,two,and three or more morbidities,respectively.In the fully adjusted model,hypertensive participants with two cardiometabolic diseases(HR=1.52,95%CI:1.09–2.13)and those with three or more cardiometabolic diseases(HR=2.44,95%CI:1.71–3.48)had a significantly elevated risk of all-cause mortality.The findings were similar for CVD mortality but with a greater increase in risk magnitude.CONCLUSIONS In this study,three-fourths of hypertensive patients had CMM.Clustering with two or more comorbidities was associated with a significant increase in the risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality among hypertensive patients,suggesting more intensive treatment and control in this high-risk patient group.

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.

Multimorbidity and mortality among older patients with coronary heart disease in Shenzhen,China

BACKGROUND The current understanding of the magnitude and consequences of multimorbidity in Chinese older adults with coronary heart disease(CHD)is insufficient.We aimed to assess the association and population-attributable fractions(PAFs)between multimorbidity and mortality among hospitalized older patients who were diagnosed with CHD in Shenzhen,China.METHODS We conducted a retrospective cohort study of older Chinese patients(aged≥65 years)who were diagnosed with CHD.Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the associations between multimorbidity and all-cause and cardiovascular disease(CVD)mortality.We also calculated the PAFs.RESULTS The study comprised 76,455 older hospitalized patients who were diagnosed with CHD between January 1,2016,and August 31,2022.Among them,70,217(91.9%)had multimorbidity,defined as the presence of at least one of the predefined 14 chronic conditions.Those with cancer,hemorrhagic stroke and chronic liver disease had the worst overall death risk,with adjusted HRs(95%CIs)of 4.05(3.77,4.38),2.22(1.94,2.53),and 1.85(1.63,2.11),respectively.For CVD mortality,the highest risk was observed for hemorrhagic stroke,ischemic stroke,and chronic kidney disease;the corresponding adjusted HRs(95%CIs)were 3.24(2.77,3.79),1.91(1.79,2.04),and 1.81(1.64,1.99),respectively.All-cause mortality was mostly attributable to cancer,heart failure and ischemic stroke,with PAFs of 11.8,10.2,and 9.1,respectively.As for CVD mortality,the leading PAFs were heart failure,ischemic stroke and diabetes;the corresponding PAFs were 18.0,15.7,and 6.1,respectively.CONCLUSIONS Multimorbidity was common and had a significant impact on mortality among older patients with CHD in Shenzhen,China.Cancer,heart failure,ischemic stroke and diabetes are the primary contributors to PAFs.Therefore,prioritizing improved treatment and management of these comorbidities is essential for the survival prognosis of CHD patients from a holistic public health perspective.

Refining safety considerations for intradialytic blood flow restriction exercise. Commentary on “Concerns on the application of blood-flow restriction resistance exercise and thrombosis risk in hemodialysis patients”

I read with great interest the article“Concerns on the application of blood flow restriction resistance exercise and thrombosis risk in hemodialysis patients”by Correa et al.1 The study presents complementary data from a previous randomized controlled trial,2 exploring the application of intradialytic blood flow restriction exercise for hemodialysis patients.

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.

Depression and anxiety among cancer patients visiting a tertiary care cancer hospital

BACKGROUND Cancer patients frequently experience psychological problems related to reactions to cancer diagnosis,cancer type and stage,treatment effects,recurrence,fear of end-of-life,survivorship,and financial burden.Depression and anxiety are both psychological and physiological disturbances among cancer patients.AIM To assess the prevalence of depression and anxiety among cancer patients attending a tertiary care cancer hospital.METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted at Bhaktapur Cancer Hospital in Kathmandu Valley among 220 cancer patients aged from 18 years to 70 years.Ethical approval was taken from the Institutional Review Committee of CiST College.Convenient sampling was used to interview patients with the standardized Patient-Health Questionnaire(PHQ-9)for Depression and Hospital Anxiety and Depression sub-scale(HADS-A)for anxiety.Epi-Data was used for data entry and transferred to SPSS Version 25 for analysis.RESULTS The study revealed that of 220 patients,most of the respondents belonged to the age group 51-60 years.More than half 131(59.6%)of the respondents were female,most of them had depression,and one-third had anxiety.Among the respondents,124(56.4%)had mild depression,70(31.8%)had moderate depression,and 3(1.3%)had severe depression;79(35.9%)had mild anxiety,64(29.1%)had moderate anxiety,and 4(1.8%)had severe anxiety.CONCLUSION Most respondents were depressed and one-third had anxiety.More than half and nearly one-third had mild and moderate depression,respectively,and nearly one-third had mild and moderate anxiety,which is higher than other studies.

Effect of remimazolam vs. propofol on hemodynamics during general anesthesia induction in elderly patients: Single-center, randomized controlled trial

The current study aimed to compare the effects between remimazolam and propofol on hemodynamic stability during the induction of general anesthesia in elderly patients.We used propofol at a rate of 60 mg/(kg·h)in the propofol group(group P)or remimazolam at a rate of 6 mg/(kg·h)in the remimazolam group(group R)for the induction.A processed electroencephalogram was used to determine whether the induction was successful and when to stop the infusion of the study drug.We measured when patients entered the operating room(T_(0)),when the induction was successful(T_(1)),and when before(T_(2))and 5 min after successful endotracheal intubation(T_(3)).We found that mean arterial pressure(MAP)was lower at T_(1–3),compared with T_(0) in both groups,but higher at T_(2) in the group R,whileΔMAP_(T0–T2) andΔMAP_(max) were smaller in the group R(ΔMAP_(T0–T2):the difference between MAP at time point T_(0) and T_(2),ΔMAP_(max):the difference between MAP at time point T_(0) and the lowest value from T_(0) to T_(3)).Cardiac index and stroke volume index did not differ between groups,whereas systemic vascular resistance index was higher at T_(1–3) in the group R.These findings show that remimazolam,compared with propofol,better maintains hemodynamic stability during the induction,which may be attributed to its ability to better maintain systemic vascular resistance levels.

Enhancing Patient Safety in the Operating Room: A Comprehensive Guide from a Nurse’s Perspective

Ensuring patient safety within the operating room is a paramount concern in contemporary healthcare, and this guide aims to provide an in-depth exploration of this crucial aspect from the perspective of nurses. Nurses play a pivotal role in supporting surgeons and maintaining a safe environment for patients undergoing various medical procedures.

Molecular Characterization of Coxsackievirus B1 Strains Isolated from Patients with Hand Foot and Mouth Disease in Yunnan,Southwest China

Coxsackievirus(CV)B belongs to the species Enterovirus B,genus Enterovirus of the family Picornaviridae.Enterovirus B(EV-B)includes 63 serotypes:CVB1-6;CVA9;echoviruses E1-7,9,11-21,24-27,and 29-33;EV-B69,EV-B 73-75,EV-B77-88,EV-B 93,EV-B 97-101,EV-B 106-107.

Hemoperfusion and continuous veno-venous hemodiafiltration for eliminating chlorfenapyr in poisoning patients

Chlorfenapyr is a liposoluble insecticide belonging to the pyrrole family.Chlorfenapyr is activated when the N-ethoxymethyl side chain breaks,forming a toxic metabolite,which uncouples oxidative phosphorylation in the mitochondria,inhibits the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP),and leads to the death of cells and targe organisms.[1] Symptoms of chlorfenapyr poisoning in patients are mild and atypical in the early stage,especially in patients receiving low dose exposure;however,such cases are rare and may be ignored by physicians,often leading to delayed treatment.[2,3].

Optimal timing of invasive intervention for high-risk non-ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction patients

OBJECTIVE To compare the immediate,early,and delayed percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI)strategies in non-ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction(NSTEMI)patients with high-risk.METHODS Medical records of patients treated at the Daping Hospital,Third Military Medical University,Chongqing,China between 2011 and 2021 were retrospectively reviewed.Only patients with complete available information were included.All patients assigned into three groups based on the timing of PCI including immediate(<2 h),early(2–24 h)and delayed(≥24 h)intervention.Multivariable Cox hazards regression and simpler nonlinear models were performed.RESULTS A total of 657 patients were included in the study.The median follow-up length was 3.29(interquartile range:1.45–4.85)years.Early PCI strategy improved the major adverse cardiac event(MACE)outcome compared to the immediate or delayed PCI strategy.Early PCI,diabetes mellitus,and left main or/and left anterior descending or/and left circumflex stenosis or/and right coronary artery≥99%were predictors for MACE outcome.The optimal timing range for PCI to reduce MACE risk is 3–14 h post-admission.For high-risk NSTEMI patients,early PCI reduced primary clinical outcomes compared to immediate or delayed PCI,and the optimal timing range was 3–14 h post-admission.Delayed PCI was superior for NSTEMI with chronic kidney injury.CONCLUSIONS Delayed invasive strategy was helpful to reduce the incidence of MACE for high-risk NSTEMI with chronic kidney injury.An immediate PCI strategy might increase the rate of MACE.

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.

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.

Risk factors for early death in severe non-brain- injured trauma patients

Severe trauma is one of the main causes of premature death,posing a significant challenge to public health systems.[1]At present,there is a lack of universally accepted guidelines for rapid detection of life-threatening severe trauma,[2]and the accuracy of existing prognostic models in predicting early death is limited.[3,4]Severe non-brain-injured trauma(SNT)patients account for approximately 70%of all trauma-related deaths.Moreover,there is a lack of studies on early death in SNT patients.[5]This study aims to identify risk factors associated with early death(≤72 h post-admission)in SNT patients.

Association of prealbumin with short-term and long-term outcomes in patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction

BACKGROUND Prealbumin is considered to be a useful indicator of nutritional status. Furthermore, it has been found to be associated with severities and prognosis of a range of diseases. However, limited data on the association of baseline prealbumin level with outcomes of patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction(STEMI) are available.METHODS We analyzed 2313 patients admitted for acute STEMI between October 2013 and December 2020. In-hospital outcomes and mortality during the 49 months(interquartile range: 26–73 months) follow-up period were compared between patients with the low prealbumin level(< 170 mg/L) and those with the high prealbumin level(≥ 170 mg/L).RESULTS A total of 114 patients(4.9%) died during hospitalization. After propensity score matching, patients with the low prealbumin level than those with the high prealbumin level experienced higher incidences of heart failure with Killip class Ⅲ(9.9%vs. 4.4%, P = 0.034), cardiovascular death(8.4% vs. 3.4%, P = 0.035) and the composite of major adverse cardiovascular events(19.2%vs. 10.3%, P = 0.012). Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified that the low prealbumin level(< 170 mg/L) was an independent predictor of in-hospital major adverse cardiovascular events(odds ratio = 1.918, 95% CI: 1.250–2.942, P = 0.003). The cutoff value of prealbumin level for predicting in-hospital death was 170 mg/L(area under the curve = 0.703, 95% CI: 0.651–0.754, P< 0.001;sensitivity = 0.544, specificity = 0.794). However, after multivariate adjustment of possible confounders, baseline prealbumin level(170 mg/L) was no longer independently associated with 49-month cardiovascular death. After propensity score matching, Kaplan-Meier survival curves revealed consistent results.CONCLUSIONS Decreased prealbumin level closely related to unfavorable short-term outcomes. However, after multivariate adjustment and controlling for baseline differences, baseline prealbumin level was not independently associated with an increased risk of long-term cardiovascular mortality in STEMI patients.

Predicting cardiovascular events in out-of-hospital patients presenting with atypical chest pain and complete left bundle branch block: role of CTA and echocardiographic Global Longitudinal Strain

Background Out-of-hospital patients presenting with atypical chest pain and complete left bundle branch block(LBBB)have to be stratified for the presence of coronary artery disease and the risk of developing heart failure(HF).We investigated the pro-gnostic role of coronary CT-angiography(CTA)and echocardiographic global longitudinal strain(GLS)in those patients in a mid-term follow-up.Methods Out-of-hospital patients with LBBB underwent echocardiography and a 64-slice CT angiography were evaluated ret-rospectively.Development of HF or a cardiovascular death were the events scheduled.Results Seventy-eight patients(32 female;mean age:66.0±10.4 years were enrolled.During a follow-up of 33 months(IQR:17-77),one patient(1.5%)experienced a cardiovascular death,14 patients(17.9%)required urgent outpatient visits due to acute de-compensated HF(12 hospitalizations).Echocardiography showed a slightly reduced left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF)(50.0%±9.8%)and GLS within the normal range(-16.2%±4.1%).CTA analysis showed coronary stenosis>50%in 28 patients(35.9%).A high Agatston score(>100)was observed in 29.5%.Notably,25 patients(32.1%)were diagnosed with left main coron-ary artery disease and 15 patients(16.7%)underwent revascularization during the follow up.Significant associations were ob-served between events and LVEF(P=0.001),diastolic dysfunction grade≥2(P=0.02),GLS(P<0.001),multiple coronary stenos-is(P=0.04)and Agatston score(P=0.05).Multivariate analysis confirmed the relationships with LVEF(R^(2)=0.89,P<0.001),dia-stolic dysfunction(R^(2)=3.30,P=0.04),GLS(R^(2)=1.43,P<0.001),and Agatston score(R^(2)=1.01,P=0.05).Conclusions In patients with complete LBBB,CTA and GLS identified those at a high risk of development HF.