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Assessing the impact of musical proficiency on percussion note identification skills in undergraduate medical students: an analysis using the Montreal Battery of Evaluation of Amusia

BMC Med Educ. 2025 Apr 10;25(1):509. doi: 10.1186/s12909-025-06679-w.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The art of percussion in physical examination is a critical skill for clinicians, offering insights into the condition of internal organs. Historical ties between music and medicine, exemplified by Apollo, the Greek God of both domains, suggest a potential correlation between musical aptitude and clinical acumen. This study investigates the relationship between musical abilities, as measured by the Montreal Battery of Evaluation of Amusia (MBEA), and the proficiency in identifying percussion notes among medical students.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 250 pre-clinical undergraduate medical students from the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. Participants completed the MBEA, which assesses various aspects of music processing, along with a self-engineered percussion sound test. The percussion test involved identifying different percussion notes from clinical demonstration videos. Correlation and regression analyses were performed to evaluate relationships between MBEA scores, prior musical training, and proficiency in identifying percussion notes. Statistical significance was determined at p < 0.05.

RESULTS: Among 250 participants, 38.8% had prior musical experience. MBEA scores weakly correlated with percussion competency (r≈0.18, R^2 = 0.033, p = 0.003), while prior training in music strongly correlated with MBEA scores (r≈0.89, p < 0.001) and modestly with percussion competency (r≈0.23, p < 0.001). Logistic regression revealed variability in predictive accuracy, highlighting the complex interplay of factors influencing auditory skills and supporting music education as a supplementary tool in medical training.

CONCLUSION: The study indicates a minimal correlation between musical aptitude and the ability to discern percussion notes, highlighting the complexity of auditory perception skills among medical students. While prior musical experience shows a stronger association with MBEA scores, the overall impact on clinical percussion skills appears limited. These findings suggest that while there may be a relationship between musical training and auditory skills, it is not a strong predictor of clinical percussion proficiency.

PMID:40205615 | DOI:10.1186/s12909-025-06679-w

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Kangaroo mother care among hospitalised neonates: evaluation of the validity of duration measurement methods compared to observation linked to the OMWaNA trial in Uganda

BMC Pediatr. 2025 Apr 9;25(1):283. doi: 10.1186/s12887-025-05629-1.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Studies evaluating the impact of kangaroo mother care (KMC) on neonatal mortality and morbidity often rely on healthcare worker records or caregiver reports to measure intervention duration. However, the accuracy of these methods remains uncertain. We examined the validity of different methods of KMC duration measurement amongst neonates ≤ 2000 g in Uganda.

METHODS: This observational study was embedded within the OMWaNA trial, which examined the impact of KMC on neonatal mortality before clinical stability. An independent observer (considered the gold standard) monitored neonates every 2 h to confirm KMC position, using an Android tablet-based application adapted from the EN-BIRTH study. The gold standard was compared to routine healthcare workers’ charting and caregiver diary reports of KMC.

RESULTS: Among 222 caregiver-newborn pairs, 219 initiated KMC. The mean daily KMC duration recorded by the gold standard was 8·4 h (SD 3·5). Healthcare workers reported an average of 8·5 h (SD 4·0), while caregivers reported 10·4 h (SD 3·8). The mean difference was 0·2 h less for healthcare workers (95% CI -0·3 to 0·6) and 1·7 h more for caregivers (-2·1 to -1·3) compared to the gold standard. Agreement rates for individual KMC episodes were 55·2% (95% CI 54·4-55·9) for healthcare workers and 58·2% (57·2-59·0) for caregivers. Participants with a helper (substitute KMC provider) had longer daily duration compared to those without (mean difference 1·89 h [0·89 – 2·84]; p < 0·001).

CONCLUSION: Healthcare worker records provide a reasonably accurate estimate of KMC duration at the population level, supporting the integration of KMC indicators into national health information systems to facilitate monitoring and evaluation. The presence of a helper increases KMC duration, underscoring the need for research to identify strategies to increase family involvement.

PMID:40205609 | DOI:10.1186/s12887-025-05629-1

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Perceived injustice in patients with chronic pain

Biopsychosoc Med. 2025 Apr 9;19(1):7. doi: 10.1186/s13030-025-00328-w.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Chronic pain, particularly pain secondary to trauma, is often accompanied by a feeling of perceived injustice. A prevalent feeling of injustice often goes along with a prolonged rehabilitation and problematic development of chronic pain. This feeling also correlates to catastrophizing. To date, too little is known about how the perception of injustice in chronic pain patients is interwoven with a variety of psychological, social and somatic factors. The present study sought to examine whether perceived injustice is correlated with pain level, pain diagnosis, depression, anxiety, stress, quality of life, pain related disability, occupation status and ongoing workers compensation litigation.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: During the three month period, all patients undergoing an interdisciplinary assessment of their chronic pain at our institution (n = 191) were asked to take part in the study. 164 patients (86%) completed the injustice experience questionnaire (IEQ). Data regarding pain level, pain diagnosis, gender, age, depression, anxiety, stress, quality of life, pain related disability, occupation status and ongoing workers compensation litigation were extracted from the patient’s charts. Correlations of these data to IEQ scores and differences between distinct subgroups of patients were analysed.

RESULTS: Median total IEQ scores were 36.0 (IQR: 29.0-42.75). Median IEQ scores for the subscale blame and severity were 14.0 (IQR: 10.0-19.5) and 21.0 (IQR: 18.0-24.0) respectively. The IEQ correlated statistically significant with anxiety, depression and stress. No statistically significant differences were found in the IEQ scores between men and women. There was no statistically significant correlation of the IEQ scores with age, neither were statistically significant correlations with pain localizations found. No statistically significant correlation between IEQ scores and the different pain scores were found. IEQ values were higher in patients with pension application and with current sick leave. The presence of biographical factors (i.e. childhood trauma or experiences of emotional neglect) was related with higher IEQ values.

CONCLUSION: The IEQ appears to be more closely related to psychological and social determinants of pain than to somatic factors.

PMID:40205605 | DOI:10.1186/s13030-025-00328-w

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Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a meta-analysis on a global scale

J Health Popul Nutr. 2025 Apr 9;44(1):112. doi: 10.1186/s41043-025-00860-z.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of metabolic abnormalities that increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may be at higher risk of developing MetS due to chronic inflammation, altered adipokine profiles, and the effects of corticosteroid treatment. However, the prevalence of MetS in IBD patients remains inconsistent across studies. This meta-analysis aims to estimate the prevalence of MetS in IBD patients and compare its occurrence between Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC).

METHODS: A systematic search was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science from their inception up to January 19, 2025. Eligible observational studies reporting MetS prevalence in IBD patients were included. Meta-analysis was performed using a random-effects model, with heterogeneity assessed via the I² statistic. Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA) software, version 4.0 was used for analysis.

RESULTS: The pooled prevalence of MetS in IBD patients was 21.8% (95% CI: 14.3-31.6%). The prevalence was higher in UC patients (32.7%, 95% CI: 16.0-55.5%) compared to CD patients (14.1%, 95% CI: 8.6-22.3%). Patients with UC had significantly higher odds of MetS than those with CD (OR = 1.38, 95% CI: 1.03-1.85, P = 0.02). Additionally, IBD patients with MetS were significantly older than those without (MD: 9.89, 95% CI: 5.12-14.67, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION: In summary, this meta-analysis reveals a notable prevalence of MetS among patients with IBD, particularly in those with UC, where the prevalence is higher than in CD. The analysis also shows that IBD patients with MetS tend to be older, suggesting age as a contributing factor. These findings underscore the need for routine metabolic screening in IBD care, especially in UC and elderly patients.

PMID:40205601 | DOI:10.1186/s41043-025-00860-z

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Treating the individual: moving towards personalised eating disorder care

J Eat Disord. 2025 Apr 9;13(1):63. doi: 10.1186/s40337-025-01246-6.

ABSTRACT

Eating disorders (EDs) are complex and heterogeneous conditions, which are often not resolved with conventional, manualised treatments. Arguments for the development of holistic, person-centred treatments accounting for individual variability have been mounting amongst researchers, clinicians and people with lived experience alike. This review explores the transformative potential of personalised medicine in ED care, emphasising the integration of precision diagnostics and tailored interventions based on individual genetic, biological, psychological and environmental profiles. Building on advancements in genomics, neurobiology, and computational technologies, it advocates for a shift from categorical diagnostic frameworks to symptom-based and dimensional approaches. The paper summarises emerging evidence supporting precision psychiatry, including the development of biomarkers, patient-reported outcomes, predictive modelling, and staging models, and discusses their application in ED research and clinical care. It highlights the utility of machine learning and idiographic statistical methods in optimising therapeutic outcomes and identifies key challenges, such as ethical considerations, scalability and implementation.

PMID:40205596 | DOI:10.1186/s40337-025-01246-6

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Community health fairs as experiential learning: a qualitative exploration of benefits and challenges

BMC Med Educ. 2025 Apr 10;25(1):508. doi: 10.1186/s12909-025-07071-4.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The shortage of clinical placements and preceptors necessitates innovative approaches to healthcare education. Community health fairs (CHFs) offer a potential solution, but their effectiveness as learning environments is limited. Further, there is lack of recent literature exploring CHFs settings as potential learning environments. This study examined and explored the benefits and challenges of healthcare students and faculty participating in a CHF setting.

METHODS: Using a semi-structured guide developed by the researchers for this study, qualitative conversational interviews were conducted with 14 participants (7 students, 7 faculty) involved in an annual CHF. Prior to the interview, all participants completed a demographic data sheet. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, checked for accuracy, and de-identified, and MAXQDA was used to manage and code the interviews. Two coders analyzed the transcripts, and a third coder served to confirm the qualitative findings, and Clarke and Braun thematic analysis was employed to develop themes. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the sample.

RESULTS: Seven faculty participated in this study; the age range was 34-64 and years in practice ranged from 7 to 23, four participants were advanced practice nurses (28.6%), two mental health providers (14.3%), and one dental provider (7.1%). The student participants consisted of five dental hygiene students (35.7%) and two nursing students (14.3%). Participants were predominantly female (92.9%), with one male participant (7.1%). The average interview lasted 8 min reflecting the dynamic and fast-paced nature of CHFs. Four major themes emerged from the interviews: (1) Skills development and practical experience, (2) Perspective enhancement, (3) Challenges within the Learning environment, and (4) Recommendations for enhancing health fair settings experiences.

CONCLUSIONS: CHFs can serve as valuable active learning environments that promote clinical skill development and broaden perspectives. To improve CHFs experiences, participants discussed increasing collaborations with other healthcare institutions within the state, making the examination rooms more realistic, and increasing privacy for the patients. Participants also recommended pre-training of healthcare volunteers and incorporating technology for teaching patients. More research is needed to evaluate the utility of CHFs as a learning environment. This is urgent since clinical settings are limited and saturated. Further, researchers should continue doing research in this environment since the literature is scant and dated.

PMID:40205592 | DOI:10.1186/s12909-025-07071-4

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Social media-based bibliotherapy for improving the mental health of informal caregivers of people with dementia: a randomized controlled trial

BMC Nurs. 2025 Apr 9;24(1):396. doi: 10.1186/s12912-025-02778-7.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Despite their own experience of mental health issues, informal caregivers of individuals with dementia are often overlooked, and there is a limited availability of community services tailored specifically for them. A self-help intervention, bibliotherapy, shows promise as an intervention to enhance the mental well-being of caregivers in resource-constrained settings, and social media has demonstrated its efficacy as a user-friendly platform for delivering health interventions. However, the efficacy of social media-based bibliotherapy remains untested.

AIM: This study aims to test the efficacy of social media-based bibliotherapy on improving the mental health of informal caregivers of people with dementia through a randomized controlled trial.

METHODS: A total of 60 informal caregivers were enrolled in this randomized controlled trial. Participants were randomly assigned to either the social media-based bibliotherapy group, which received eight weekly sessions of bibliotherapy, or the usual care group, which only received routine services from community centers. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and immediately after the intervention. Post-intervention interviews were conducted to explore participants’ experiences with this intervention. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, Mann-Whitney U tests, χ2 tests, and generalized estimating equations were used for quantitative data analysis. Content analysis was employed for qualitative data analysis.

RESULTS: The average age of caregivers was 57.41 (SD, 13.63), with a majority being female (79.3%). Baseline characteristics were similar between groups. Both quantitative and qualitative data demonstrated that social media-based bibliotherapy was acceptable for informal caregivers, with WhatsApp being the preferred medium in this study. The recruitment rate, retention rate, and completion rate of weekly tasks all met satisfactory levels. Caregivers found the intervention useful and flexible while experiencing changes in their perceptions towards caregiving responsibilities. The efficacy on mental health (Wald χ2 = 8.918, p =.003) and all the subscales of stress (Wald χ2 = 4.198, p =.040), anxiety (Wald χ2 = 7.667, p =.006), depression (Wald χ2 = 9.127, p =.003) was statistically significant. The efficacy on caregiving appraisal was only significant on the perceived caregiving burden subscale (Wald χ2 = 4.954, p =.026). However, caregivers expressed changes in caregiving appraisal in qualitative interviews. The efficacy on the mental component scale of health-related quality of life approached significance (Wald χ2 = 3.634, p =.057). However, the efficacy on the positive psychological well-being remains insignificant.

CONCLUSIONS: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first attempt to use social media-based bibliotherapy among informal caregivers of individuals with dementia. The utilization of WhatsApp was well received among caregivers, and the positive effects on their mental health was demonstrated.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial has been registered on ClinicalTrial.gov (Ref: NCT06327022).

PMID:40205579 | DOI:10.1186/s12912-025-02778-7

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The impact of insulin requirement on mortality and morbidity in non-diabetic covid-19 patients in the intensive care unit: A retrospective, observational study

BMC Anesthesiol. 2025 Apr 9;25(1):160. doi: 10.1186/s12871-025-03037-7.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 ranges from asymptomatic cases to severe disease with high mortality. Corticosteroids are crucial in treatment, reducing mortality and morbidity. However, the use of corticosteroids poses additional challenges in maintaining glycemic control in COVID-19 patients This study aims to eva-luate the impact of insulin requirement on mortality and morbidity in non-diabetic ICU patients and investigate its correlation with disease severity.

METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included non-diabetic COVID-19 patients aged ≥ 18 years admitted to the ICU of Prof. Dr. Cemil Taşcıoğlu City Hospital (Turkey) between September 1, 2020, and May 31, 2021. Patients requiring ≥ 24 h of insulin therapy were compared with those who did not need insulin. Data on demographics, severity scores (SOFA, APACHE II, SAPS II), insulin initiation and duration, corticosteroid therapy, mechanical ventilation, antiviral and immunomodulatory treatments, laboratory markers, and infection parameters were analyzed. Mortality and incidence of new-onset diabetes mellitus within the first six months post-discharge were assessed. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS v22.0, with p < 0.05 considered statistically significant.

RESULTS: Patients with insulin requirements had higher SOFA (p = 0.001), APACHE II (p < 0.001), and SAPS II (p = 0.041) scores, along with increased mechanical ventilation duration (p < 0.001). While corticosteroid type had no effect, > 1 mg/kg/day methylprednisolone or equivalent dexamethasone significantly increased insulin demand (p = 0.002). Among laboratory markers, only peak CRP levels were significantly higher in insulin-requiring patients (p = 0.001). ICU and total hospital stays were significantly longer in the insulin group (p < 0.001). Although in-hospital mortality was similar, 6-month mortality was significantly higher in insulin-requiring patients (p = 0.022). New-onset DM rates were 4.2% in the non-insulin group vs. 31.1% in the insulin group (p = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: Insulin requirement in non-diabetic COVID-19 ICU patients is a predictor of 6-month mortality. High-dose corticosteroids exacerbate glycemic dysregulation, increasing insulin needs. SARS-CoV-2-induced beta-cell damage and hyperinflammation-related stress hyperglycemia elevate the risk of post-discharge DM. Close monitoring and diabetes screening are essential in this population.

PMID:40205573 | DOI:10.1186/s12871-025-03037-7

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Vector-borne pathogens in dogs from the Republic of Kosovo

Parasit Vectors. 2025 Apr 9;18(1):136. doi: 10.1186/s13071-025-06777-0.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Canine vector-borne pathogens (CVBP) are transmitted by arthropod vectors such as ticks, fleas, mosquitoes, and phlebotomine sand flies and are of global veterinary and medical importance. Dogs are important reservoir hosts, which may develop potentially life-threatening clinical signs. The Balkan area harbors diverse vector fauna and associated CVBPs, and data, particularly from the Republic of Kosovo, are scarce. Considering the high number of stray and privately owned dogs primarily kept outside, living in close contact with dogs might promote spillover of zoonotic pathogens to human populations. To combat these diseases, a One Health approach is required. Therefore, our study molecularly analyzed samples of dogs for CVBP.

METHODS: Blood samples of 276 dogs originating from all seven districts of Kosovo collected from 2021 to 2022 were screened using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing for a substantial set of pathogens, including Anaplasma spp., Babesia spp., Bartonella spp., Ehrlichia spp., Filarioidea, Hepatozoon spp., Mycoplasma spp., Rickettsia spp., and Trypanosoma spp. Prevalence rates were statistically assessed on the basis of various factors such as sex, breed, age, and district.

RESULTS: In total, 150 (54.3%) dogs tested positive for at least one pathogen, comprising eight species of five genera. The most prevalent pathogens detected were Candidatus Mycoplasma haematoparvum (55; 19.9%), Hepatozoon canis (52; 18.8%), and Mycoplasma haemocanis (49; 17.8%). We also detected double (32; 11.6%) and triple (5; 1.8%) infections, with the latter involving combinations of Mycoplasma spp., Dirofilaria repens, Dirofilaria immitis, H. canis, or Babesia vulpes. In addition, prevalence rates were calculated and mapped by district. Of all included factors, significant prevalence differences were found for purebred/mixed breed dogs as well as between age groups.

CONCLUSIONS: This study provides the first comprehensive polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based screening and detection of vector-borne pathogens in dogs from Kosovo and highlights the circulation of pathogens with high veterinary importance and zoonotic potential.

PMID:40205569 | DOI:10.1186/s13071-025-06777-0

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Efficacy of a four-drug combined regimen compared to uterine curettage in the treatment of incomplete medical abortion: a prospective observational study

J Health Popul Nutr. 2025 Apr 9;44(1):111. doi: 10.1186/s41043-025-00771-z.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical efficacy of the combined regimen of four drugs (drospirenone and ethinylestradiol tablets (II), mifepristone, misoprostol, and Xinshenghua granules) for the treatment of incomplete medical abortion (MA).

METHODS: 184 patients diagnosed with incomplete MA were recruited and divided into two groups: the combined medication group (n = 92) and the uterine curettage group (n = 92). Patients in the combined medication group were treated with a combined regimen of four drugs, while those in the uterine curettage group were treated with uterine curettage.

RESULTS: After treatment, the diameter of residue (0.00 VS 4.26 ± 2.34 mm, t=-3.359, P = 0.010), days of vaginal bleeding (9.79 ± 1.76 VS 11.92 ± 1.91 days, t=-4.688, P = 0.010) and return time of menses (28.58 ± 2.67 VS 31.24 ± 2.43 days, t=-4.238, P < 0.001) of the combined medication group were significantly lower than those of the uterine curettage group. The duration of menstruation (6.12 ± 1.12 VS 5.11 ± 0.98 days, t=-2.681, P = 0.007) and the proportion of menstrual volume equal to past menstruation after return of menses were higher in the combined medication group than in the uterine curettage group (80.43% VS 57.61%, χ2 = 16.472, P < 0.001). No statistically significant difference was observed between the two groups in terms of serum β-HCG levels after treatment (P > 0.05); the overall response rate was higher in the combined medication group than in the uterine curettage group (97.83% VS 80.43%, χ2 = 54.331, P < 0.001). No adverse reaction events occurred during the treatment.

CONCLUSION: The combined regimen of four drugs boasts favorable efficacy for the treatment of incomplete MA, and is equally efficient as compared to uterine curettage.

PMID:40205568 | DOI:10.1186/s41043-025-00771-z