Tag: pubmed

Cancer Nurs. 2021 Oct 1. doi: 10.1097/NCC.0000000000001014. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Preparedness for caregiving could balance the negative impacts of caregiving. The interventions aimed at increasing readiness among the caregivers are important during the illness period for both patients and their caregivers.

OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to review the interventions applied to the caregivers of cancer patients and to examine the effects of these interventions on the preparedness to care.

METHODS: The ScienceDirect, Scopus, CENTRAL, Web of Science, MEDLINE, and PubMed were searched for relevant studies published between 2000 and 2020. The methodological quality was assessed using the Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies. The statistical analyses were performed using the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software version 3.0. The publication bias was assessed using the Egger test, for funnel plots.

RESULTS: Eleven studies were selected for the meta-analysis, including those about psychoeducation programs (n = 5), education programs (n = 3), supportive programs (n = 2), and a self-care support program for the caregivers (n = 1). The methodological quality assessment revealed 2 studies as “strong.” The results indicated an increase in the caregivers’ preparedness to care after the interventions. The subgroup analysis revealed that the programs with higher ratios of female caregivers were more effective.

CONCLUSION: The interventions applied to the family caregivers can exert beneficial effects on caregivers’ preparedness to care. Nonetheless, future studies should focus on methodological issues, such as randomization and blinding.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Nurse-driven interventions may be used as a useful strategy to improve the preparedness to care among the caregivers of cancer patients. The male caregivers should be closely followed by healthcare professionals for knowledge and support needs.

PMID:34608043 | DOI:10.1097/NCC.0000000000001014

Cancer Nurs. 2021 Sep 30. doi: 10.1097/NCC.0000000000001012. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Complex survivorship cancer care requires nurse-led interventions. Therefore, a nurse-led patient navigation intervention was developed in which trained cancer nurses gave advice and referred to other professionals during the process of recovery and rehabilitation of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) patients.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to understand the nature and effect of this nurse-led information and referral intervention.

METHODS: Of the 199 included patients in the intervention group, 75 completed the quality of life, quality of care, self-efficacy, and self-management behavior questionnaires at baseline and at 6 and 12 months after HSCT. A historical control group of 62 patients completed the same questionnaires 12 months after HSCT. In addition, patients’ experiences with the intervention were evaluated in 2 focus groups.

RESULTS: Patients emphasized the holistic approach of the cancer nurses and the opportunity to discuss psychosocial domains of life. Within the intervention group, a statistically significant effect on quality of life was demonstrated over time. The differences in quality of life, self-efficacy, and self-management were not significant between the intervention group and control group.

CONCLUSION: The holistic focus of this nurse-led intervention proved to be acceptable to the HSCT patients and promising in supporting the (complex) challenges that these patients face during their process of recovery and rehabilitation.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Nurse-led patient navigation interventions with a holistic approach when included in the daily practice of complex survivorship cancer care can support HSCT patients’ information and referral needs during their rehabilitation.

PMID:34608045 | DOI:10.1097/NCC.0000000000001012

Cancer Nurs. 2021 Sep 30. doi: 10.1097/NCC.0000000000001027. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is an aggressive brain tumor. Patients commonly rely on family caregivers for physical and emotional support. We previously demonstrated that caregiver mastery measured shortly after diagnosis was predictive of GBM patient survival, corrected for known predictors of survival (n = 88).

OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to verify the contribution of caregiver mastery and investigate the added value of mastery over other predictors to predict 15-month survival.

METHODS: Data collected for a longitudinal study (NCT02058745) were used. Multivariable Cox regression analyses were performed for models with known clinical predictors (patient age, Karnofsky Performance Status, type of surgery, O6-methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase promotor methylation status), with and without adding caregiver mastery to predict mortality. The added value of each model in discriminating between patients with the lowest and highest chances of survival at 15 months was investigated through Harrell’s concordance index.

RESULTS: In total, 41 caregiver-patient dyads were included. When evaluating solely clinical predictors, Karnofsky Performance Status and patient age were significant predictors of mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 0.974; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.949-1.000; and HR, 1.045; 95% CI, 1.002-1.091, respectively). Adding caregiver mastery, these clinical predictors remained statistically significant, and mastery showed an HR of 0.843 (95% CI, 0.755-0.940). The discriminative value improved from C = 0.641 (model with known clinical predictors) to C = 0.778 (model with mastery), indicating the latter is superior.

CONCLUSIONS: We confirm that caregiver mastery is associated with GBM patient survival.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Incorporating support and guidance for caregivers into standard care could lead to benefits for caregiver well-being and patient outcomes.

PMID:34608049 | DOI:10.1097/NCC.0000000000001027

Female Pelvic Med Reconstr Surg. 2021 Sep 30. doi: 10.1097/SPV.0000000000001036. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: The primary objective of this study was to compare optimal response (“very much better” or “much better” on the Patient Global Impression of Improvement [PGI-I] index) to posterior tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS) for overactive bladder (OAB) in patients with and without diabetes mellitus. Secondary outcomes included longitudinal data regarding PTNS use in patients with diabetes and controls.

METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort analysis of women in our tertiary care center who completed at least 10 weekly and 1 maintenance PTNS treatments for OAB, excluding patients who were treated with PTNS for a non-OAB primary diagnosis. Participants were grouped into those with diabetes mellitus and those without. Previous research demonstrated a 20% difference in subjective response to anticholinergics in persons with diabetes versus persons without diabetes with OAB. To demonstrate a 20% difference in optimal PGI-I with 80% power, our analysis required 92 patients in each group.

RESULTS: We identified 356 patients: 96 with diabetes mellitus, and 260 controls. There was no statistically significant difference in the primary outcome, with 43 (44.8%) of 96 persons with diabetes versus 115 (44.2%) of 260 controls demonstrating optimal PGI-I response (P = 0.92). Among patients with diabetes, no baseline variables were found to predict treatment response, including hemoglobin A1C greater than 7%, diabetes with sequelae, or higher Charlson Comorbidity Index.

CONCLUSIONS: In women undergoing PTNS for OAB, the optimal PGI-I response rate is similar in patients with and without diabetes.

PMID:34608031 | DOI:10.1097/SPV.0000000000001036

Female Pelvic Med Reconstr Surg. 2021 Sep 30. doi: 10.1097/SPV.0000000000001099. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: There does not currently exist a complication scale to evaluate pelvic reconstructive surgery (PRS) that takes in account patient-centered outcomes. The purpose of this study was to characterize and compare patient and surgeon responses to a simplified, patient-centered version of the previously described Pelvic Floor Complication Scale (PFCS).

METHODS: This is a multicenter (4 female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery practices) cross-sectional study of patients and surgeons. Using focus groups and telephone surveys, the original PFCS questionnaire was simplified. One hundred and twenty-four patients were recruited 6-12 months after PRS. Fifty-seven surgeons were recruited via electronic questionnaires. Surgeons and patients were asked to rank the severity and bother of each complication on a scale of 0 to 5 (0, none; 1, mild; 3, moderate; 5, major).

RESULTS: Patients rated bother higher than severity for 36 of 38 complications (all differences ≤0.5 points). For statistical analysis, the highest response to patient bother/severity was chosen to weigh in favor of the patient. Patient bother/severity scores were significantly different (±0.5 points) for 27 of 38 complications compared with surgeon responses. Surgeon scores were higher for 5 complications (0.5-1.9 point differences) related to major injury requiring repair and wound breakdown. Patient scores were higher for 22 complications with the highest differences related to dyspareunia, constipation, or new/persistent urinary incontinence.

CONCLUSIONS: This mixed methods investigation revealed key differences between how patients and surgeons value PRS complications. Surgeons scored major surgical injuries higher than patients, whereas patients rated issues that many surgeons consider quality-of-life outcomes higher due to potential long-term bother. These data will be used to create a simplified, patient-centered PFCS.

PMID:34608035 | DOI:10.1097/SPV.0000000000001099

Eye Contact Lens. 2021 Sep 29. doi: 10.1097/ICL.0000000000000846. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to identify patients with glaucoma and corneal/ocular surface disease who have been fit with Prosthetic Replacement of the Ocular Surface Ecosystem (PROSE; BostonSight, Needham, MA) devices and to understand the PROSE device fit experience in patients with glaucoma at Weill Cornell Medicine (WCM).

METHODS: This is a retrospective chart review of patients older than 18 years who underwent PROSE device fitting at WCM. Records were reviewed for demographic information and ophthalmic variables. Descriptive statistics were performed.

RESULTS: Between 2011 and 2017, 281 patients underwent PROSE device fitting at WCM, of whom 24 patients (8.5%) had a glaucoma diagnosis and 17 patients (6.0%) were identified as glaucoma suspect. Ocular surface disease was the most common indication for PROSE device wear (58.3%). Five patients had a history of incisional glaucoma surgery in the eye undergoing PROSE device fitting: three valved glaucoma drainage implants and two trabeculectomies. Three of these eyes were successfully fit with PROSE devices.

CONCLUSIONS: Patients fitted with Prosthetic Replacement of the Ocular Surface Ecosystem devices at WCM had a higher prevalence of glaucoma than in the general population. Among patients with incisional glaucoma surgery, PROSE device fitting was challenging, with a 40% failure rate.

PMID:34608029 | DOI:10.1097/ICL.0000000000000846

Female Pelvic Med Reconstr Surg. 2021 Oct 1. doi: 10.1097/SPV.0000000000001090. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to describe the fecal relative abundance of potentially uropathogenic bacteria and to analyze antibiotic resistance genes before and after fecal microbiota transplantation in women with recurrent urinary tract infection (UTI).

METHODS: Shotgun sequencing was performed on fecal samples from 3 donors and 4 women with recurrent UTI who underwent transplantation. Recipient samples were sequenced at baseline and at 4 time points through 6 months postintervention. Relative fecal uropathogen abundance was analyzed by species and participant using descriptive statistics. Antibiotic resistance gene abundance was assigned, normalized, and compared between donors and recipients at baseline and postintervention using an abundance bar plot, nonmetric multidimensional scaling, and pairwise permutational multivariate analysis of variance.

RESULTS: The median (range) relative abundance of Escherichia coli in all fecal samples from women with recurrent UTI was 0% (0%-5.10%); Enterococcus faecalis, 0% (0%-0.20%); Enterococcus faecium, 0% (0%-1.90%); Klebsiella pneumoniae, 0% (0%-0.10%); and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 0% (0%-0.10%). Gut microbes carried genes conferring resistance to antibiotics used for UTI. No significant difference was seen in antibiotic resistance gene carriage after transplantation compared with baseline (P=0.22, R2=0.08 at 3 months). Antibiotic gene composition and abundance were significantly associated with the individual from whom the sample came (P=0.004, R2=0.78 at 3 months).

CONCLUSIONS: Exploratory analysis of gut microbiomes in women with recurrent UTI identifies no or low relative putative uropathogen abundance for all species examined. Antibiotic resistance gene carriage persisted after fecal microbiota transplantation, although conclusions are limited by small sample size.

PMID:34608030 | DOI:10.1097/SPV.0000000000001090

Eye Contact Lens. 2021 Sep 30. doi: 10.1097/ICL.0000000000000844. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To identify corneal structure differences on quantitative high-frequency ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) among subjects with congenital glaucoma compared with controls.

METHODS: This prospective case-control study evaluated 180 UBM images from 44 eyes of 30 subjects (18 control and 12 glaucoma, mean age 5.2±8.0 years, range 0.2-25.8 years) enrolled in the Pediatric Anterior Segment Imaging and Innovation Study (PASIIS). ImageJ was used to quantify a comprehensive set of corneal structures according to 21 quantitative parameters. Statistical analysis compared corneal measurements in glaucoma subtypes and age-matched controls with significance testing and mixed effects models.

RESULTS: Significant differences between congenital glaucoma cases and controls were identified in 16 of 21 measured parameters including angle-to-angle, central and peripheral corneal thicknesses, scleral integrated pixel density, anterior corneal radius of curvature, and posterior corneal radius of curvature. Eight parameters differed significantly between primary congenital glaucoma and glaucoma following congenital cataract surgery.

CONCLUSION: Multiple measurable corneal structural differences exist between congenital glaucoma and control eyes, and between primary and secondary congenital glaucoma, including but not limited to corneal width and thickness. The structural differences can be quantified from UBM image analysis. Further studies are needed to determine whether corneal features associated with glaucoma can be used to diagnose or monitor progression of congenital glaucoma.

PMID:34608027 | DOI:10.1097/ICL.0000000000000844

J Craniofac Surg. 2021 Sep 29. doi: 10.1097/SCS.0000000000008226. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The correct surgical approach to benign parotid gland tumors is still matter of debate, it should be chosen considering the possibility of local recurrence or facial nerve complications in case of “not necessary” facial nerve dissection. In the era of minimally invasive surgery, more sparing approaches such as extracapsular dissection or partial superficial parotidectomy (PSP) are gaining popularity. The aim of the study is to present surgical results and long-term outcomes of PSP (level I or II) in a large group of patients. Six hundred fifty-one patients who underwent parotid surgery between 2004 and 2020 were initially considered. Five hundred forty patients with benign lesions treated with PSP, enucleation, ECD were enrolled. Clinical features, surgical data, postoperative scarring, seroma, dehiscence, neuroma, outcomes as Frey syndrome, and delayed facial nerve dysfunction have been evaluated. 65.5% PSP, 25.2% enucleation, and 9.2% extracapsular dissection. No statistical difference in surgical time has been found (P 0.16). P > 0.05 for seroma, neuroma, Frey syndrome, and facial palsy between different type of surgery. Frey syndrome in PSP: 6/135 (4.4%) in 2004 to 2012 and 2/219 (0.9%) in 2013 to 2020. The reduction between periods is significant (P < 0.04). Recurrence: 0.8% (3/354) for PSP patients, 3.4% (5/136) in enucleation and 10% (5/50) in ECD (P = 0.02). Partial superficial parotidectomy can be considered a minimally invasive and quick procedure with low complication rate. Our data seem to support this statement (large case series and long-term follow-up).

PMID:34608007 | DOI:10.1097/SCS.0000000000008226

J Craniofac Surg. 2021 Sep 29. doi: 10.1097/SCS.0000000000008234. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Blood loss is a potential cause of morbidity and mortality in craniosynostosis surgery. Recent reports have suggested that the use of tranexamic acid (TXA), an antifibrinolytic agent, mitigates this blood loss. A retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing craniosynostosis surgery at a tertiary craniofacial hospital in Sydney was undertaken. Primary outcomes were blood loss and transfusion requirements. Two groups were compared: those who received intravenous prophylactic TXA and those who underwent surgery without TXA. Statistical analysis was performed with Student t test and the Mann-Whitney U test for nonparametric results. We identified 206 patients who underwent craniosynostosis surgery over an 8 year period; 78 control patients and 128 patients that received TXA. Tranexamic acid was found to result in a weight-adjusted calculated blood loss mean difference of 9.6 ml/kg across all procedures (P = 0.0332 95% confidence interval 0.7734-18.4266). The actual blood loss reduction achieved with TXA was 6.7 ml/kg in spring cranioplasties, compared to 15.2 ml/kg in fronto-orbital remodeling procedures. There was a statistically and clinically significant reduction in postoperative transfusion incidence, with transfusions required in 27% of controls and 6% of TXA patients (P < 0.0001). The number needed to treat to prevent giving a unit of blood postoperatively was 4.8. There wxere no incidences of TXA-specific complications. This study found that TXA is a safe and effective method of decreasing blood loss and transfusion requirements in patients undergoing craniosynostosis surgery. The clinical benefit of TXA is particularly evident in the more invasive craniosynostosis surgeries.

PMID:34608008 | DOI:10.1097/SCS.0000000000008234