Evaluation of the effects of health education interventions for hypertensive patients based on the health belief model

BACKGROUND Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and stroke,and its prevalence is increasing worldwide.Health education interventions based on the health belief model(HBM)can improve the knowledge,attitudes,and behaviors of patients with hypertension and help them control their blood pressure.AIM To evaluate the effects of health education interventions based on the HBM in patients with hypertension in China.METHODS Between 2021 and 2023,140 patients with hypertension were randomly assigned to either the intervention or control group.The intervention group received health education based on the HBM,including lectures,brochures,videos,and counseling sessions,whereas the control group received routine care.Outcomes were measured at baseline,three months,and six months after the intervention and included blood pressure,medication adherence,self-efficacy,and perceived benefits,barriers,susceptibility,and severity.RESULTS The intervention group had significantly lower systolic blood pressure[mean difference(MD):-8.2 mmHg,P<0.001]and diastolic blood pressure(MD:-5.1 mmHg,P=0.002)compared to the control group at six months.The intervention group also had higher medication adherence(MD:1.8,P<0.001),self-efficacy(MD:12.4,P<0.001),perceived benefits(MD:3.2,P<0.001),lower perceived barriers(MD:-2.6,P=0.001),higher perceived susceptibility(MD:2.8,P=0.002),and higher perceived severity(MD:3.1,P<0.001)than the control group at six months.CONCLUSION Health education interventions based on the HBM effectively improve blood pressure control and health beliefs in patients with hypertension and should be implemented in clinical practice and community settings.

Gut microbiota dysbiosis in Chinese children with type 1 diabetes mellitus:An observational study

BACKGROUND Gut microbiota dysbiosis is reportedly actively involved in autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes mellitus(T1DM).However,the alterations in the gut microbiota and their correlation with fasting blood glucose(FBG)in Chinese children with T1DM remain unclear.AIM To investigate alterations in the gut microbiota in Chinese children with T1DM and their associations with clinical indicators.METHODS Samples from 51 children with T1DM and 47 age-matched and gender-matched healthy controls were obtained,to explore the structural and functional alterations in the fecal microbiota.The V3-V4 regions of the 16S rRNA gene were sequenced on a MiSeq instrument,and the association with FBG were analyzed.RESULTS We found that the bacterial diversity was significantly increased in the T1DMassociated fecal microbiota,and changes in the microbial composition were observed at different taxonomic levels.The T1DM-reduced differential taxa,such as Bacteroides vulgatus ATCC8482,Bacteroides ovatus,Bacteroides xylanisolvens,and Flavonifractor plautii,were negatively correlated with FBG,while the T1DMenriched taxa,such as Blautia,Eubacterium hallii group,Anaerostipes hadrus,and Dorea longicatena,were positively correlated with FBG.Bacteroides vulgatus ATCC8482,Bacteroides ovatus,the Eubacterium hallii group,and Anaerostipes hadrus,either alone or in combination,could be used as noninvasive diagnostic biomarkers to discriminate children with T1DM from healthy controls.In addition,the functional changes in the T1DM-associated fecal microbiota also suggest that these fecal microbes were associated with altered functions and metabolic activities,such as glycan biosynthesis and metabolism and lipid metabolism,which might play vital roles in the pathogenesis and development of T1DM.CONCLUSION Our present comprehensive investigation of the T1DM-associated fecal microbiota provides novel insights into the pathogenesis of the disease and sheds light on the diagnosis and treatment of T1DM.

Correction to“Gut microbiota dysbiosis in Chinese children with type 1 diabetes mellitus:An observational study”

Liu X,Cheng YW,Shao L,Sun SH,Wu J,Song QH,Zou HS,Ling ZX.Gut microbiota dysbiosis in Chinese children with type 1 diabetes mellitus:An observational study.World J Gastroenterol 2021;27(19):2394-2414[PMID:34040330 DOI:10.3748/wjg.v27.i19.2394].In this article,the affiliation of the first author was wrong.Xia Liu,the first author,belonged to Department of Intensive Care Unit,The First Affiliated Hospital,School of Medicine,Zhejiang University,Hangzhou,310003,China.

Development and Diagnosis Performance of IgM-Based Rapid Antigen Test for Early Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in a Large Cohort of Suspected COVID-19 Cases—USA,Poland,and Sweden,2021-2022

Introduction:Antigen testing has been crucial in effectively managing the coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)pandemic.This study evaluated the clinical performance of a nasopharyngeal swab(NPS)-based antigen rapid diagnostic test(Ag-RDT)compared to the gold standard real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR)for early detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2).Methods:We developed an IgM-based rapid antigen test for early detection of SARS-CoV-2 infection.Between July 2021 and January 2022,we analyzed 1,030 NPS samples from participants at three centers in different countries,using both antigen rapid diagnostic tests(Ag-RDT)and RT-PCR.Results:The Ag-RDT demonstrated minimal detection limits as low as 0.1 ng/mL for recombinant N antigen and 100 TCID50/mL for heat-inactivated SARS-CoV-2 virus.Specificity assessments involving four human coronaviruses and 13 other respiratory viruses showed no cross-reactivity.The Ag-RDT assay(ALLtest)exhibited high sensitivity(93.18%-100%)and specificity(99.67%-100%)across all centers.Factors such as cycle threshold(Ct)values and the timing of symptoms since onset were influential,with sensitivity increasing at lower Ct values(<30)and within the first week of symptoms.Conclusion:The ALLtest Ag-RDT demonstrated high reliability and significant potential for diagnosing suspected COVID-19 cases.

Efficacy of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation(TEAS)for menopausal insomnia and its effect on serum hormone levels

Objective:To explore the therapeutic efficacy and mechanism of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation(TEAS)for menopausal insomnia.Methods:A total of 80 patients with menopausal insomnia were randomly divided into a control group and an observation group,with 40 cases in each group.The patients in the control group received conventional Western medication treatment,and the patients in the observation group received TEAS on the basis of conventional Western medication treatment.The treatment for both groups lasted for 4 weeks.Before and after treatment,Pittsburgh sleep quality index(PSQI)and modified Kupperman scale were evaluated,and the serum levels of estradiol(E2)and follicular stimulating hormone(FSH)were measured.The therapeutic efficacy was evaluated after treatment.Results:After treatment,the total effective rate of the observation group was significantly higher than that of the control group(P<0.05);in the control group,the improvement of PSQI score was significant(P<0.05),while the change of modified Kupperman score was insignificant(P>0.05);the PSQI and Kupperman scores in the observation group were significantly improved after treatment(both P<0.05),and there were significant differences between the observation group and the control group in PSQI and Kupperman scores(both P<0.05).After treatment,the serum E2 and FSH levels in the control group were not statistically different from those before treatment(both P>0.05);the serum E2 level was significantly increased(P<0.05),and the FSH level was decreased(P<0.05)in the observation group after treatment,and the between-group differences in serum levels of E2 and FSH were significant(both P<0.05).Conclusion:TEAS plus conventional Western medication in treating menopausal insomnia is effective,and can significantly improve the symptoms of insomnia and menopause,which may be related to the regulation of serum E2 and FSH levels.

Clinical observation on acupoint injection for back pain in patients with primary osteoporosis

Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy of acupoint injection with salmon calcitonin for back pain in elderly patients with primary osteoporosis.Methods:A total of 76 patients were selected and randomly divided into two groups by the random number table method,with 39 cases in the treatment group and 37 cases in the control group,respectively.Patients in both groups received routine anti-osteoporosis treatment.Patients in the treatment group received additional acupoint injection with salmon calcitonin at bilateral Pishu(BL 20)and Shenshu(BL 23),while patients in the control group received additional intramuscular injection with salmon calcitonin.The treatments for both groups were given once a day and lasted for 4 weeks.Visual analog scale(VAS)and Chinese Oswestry disability index(CODI)scores were observed before treatment,after 2 weeks and 4 weeks of treatment,and the use of analgesics during the treatment were recorded.Results:After treatment,the clinical efficacy in the treatment group was more significant than that in the control group(P<0.05).After 2 weeks and 4 weeks of treatment,the VAS scores in both groups showed significant intra-group and between-group differences(all P<0.05),and the CODI scores in both groups showed significant intra-group differences(all P<0.05).After 2 weeks of treatment,the CODI score showed no significant between-group difference(P>0.05).After 4 weeks of treatment,the improvement of CODI score in the treatment group was more significant than that in the control group(P<0.05).During the treatment,2 cases in the treatment group took analgesics versus 8 cases in the control group,and the result showed a significant between-group difference(P<0.05).Conclusion:For back pain in elderly patients with primary osteoporosis,based on the routine treatment of oral medication,the clinical efficacy of acupoint injection with salmon calcitonin at bilateral Pishu(BL 20)and Shenshu(BL 23)is more significant than that of intramuscular injection.Acupoint injection treatment can improve patients'conditions and reduce the use of analgesics.

Therapeutic efficacy and mechanism of heat-sensitive moxibustion for adjuvant treatment of depression in Parkinson disease

Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy of heat-sensitive moxibustion for adjuvant treatment of depression in Parkinson disease and explore its mechanism.Methods:A total of 80 patients with Parkinson disease coupled with depression were randomized into an observation group and a control group,with 40 cases in each group.The control group was treated with levodopa and benserazide hydrochloride tablets and paroxetine tablets,while the observation group was treated with heat-sensitive moxibustion on the basis of the medications in the control group.The treatment course was 2 months.The Hamilton depression scale-17(HAMD-17),unified Parkinson's disease rating scale(UPDRS)and Parkinson's disease quality of life questionnaire-39(PDQ-39)were scored before and after the treatment,and the efficacy was evaluated after treatment.Levels of patients'serum dopamine(DA),5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT),tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)and interleukin-6(IL-6)were detected before and after the treatment.Results:After treatment,the total effective rate of the observation group was higher than that of the control group(P<0.05).The HAMD-17 scores in the two groups decreased significantly after treatment(both P<0.05),and the score in the observation group was obviously lower than that in the control group(P<0.05).The component scores and total scores of UPDRS in both groups decreased significantly(all P<0.05),and the scores in the observation group were lower than those in the control group(all P<0.05).The score of PDQ-39 in the observation group decreased significantly(P<0.05),and was lower than that in the control group(P<0.05).After treatment,the serum DA and 5-HT levels in the observation group increased significantly(both P<0.05)and the TNF-αand IL-6 levels decreased significantly(both P<0.05),which were statistically different from those in the control group(all P<0.05).Conclusion:Heat-sensitive moxibustion has certain auxiliary effect in treating depression in Parkinson disease,significantly improving clinical symptoms and the quality of life,which may be related to the up-regulation of DA and 5-HT levels and down-regulation of TNF-αand IL-6 levels.

The XIA's No. 1 Sleeping Prescription for the Treatment of Insomnia of the Deficiency Type:A Clinical Observation of 60 Cases

Objective： To evaluate the therapeutic effects and safety of the XIA＇s No.1 Sleeping Prescription for the treatment of insomnia of the deficiency type. Methods： 120 cases conformed to the diagnostic criteria of the Chinese Classification of Mental Disorders-Version 3 （CCMD-3） and were diagnosed as having insomnia of the deficiency type were divided randomly into a treatment group and a control group, 60 cases in each group. The treatment group was treated with the XIA＇s No.1 Sleeping Prescription, while the control group was given estazolam （ling） for 6 weeks. The Athens Insomnia Scale （AIS） was used to evaluate the clinical therapeutic effects, while the treatment emergent symptom scale （TESS） was used to evaluate adverse reactions. Results： The total effective rate of the treatment group （80%） was higher than that of the control group （70%）, but with no significant difference （P〉0.05）. The effective rate for long-term insomnia was 77.8% in the treatment group and 52.4% in the control group, with a significant difference between the two groups （P〈0.05）. The adverse reactions shown in the treatment group were obviously fewer and milder than those in the control group. Conclusion： The XIA＇s No. 1 Sleeping Prescription is effective for insomnia of the deficiency type and with no obvious toxic side effects.