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PloS One 2024Although breast cancer has a markedly higher incidence in developed countries, seven out of ten deaths occur in developing countries, including Ethiopia. However, there...
BACKGROUND
Although breast cancer has a markedly higher incidence in developed countries, seven out of ten deaths occur in developing countries, including Ethiopia. However, there is a limited information on the quality of life (QoL) among breast cancer patients in Ethiopia, notably in the Amhara region. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the QoL and its associated factors among patients with breast cancer in the Amhara Region, Ethiopia.
METHODS
An institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted from 25th March 2019 to 7th July 2019. A systematically selected sample of 256 breast cancer patients were participated in the study. A standardized interviewer-administered Amharic version questionnaire was used to collect the data. We used the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer quality of life questionnaire core 30 (EORTC QLQ C30) and breast cancer supplementary measure (QLQ-BR23) to measure QoL. The data were analyzed by SPSS version 23. A binary logistic regression model was fitted to identify the predictors of QoL. The adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was reported to show the strength of the association.
RESULTS
Sixty-eight percent of breast cancer patients had poor QoL (68.4%; 95% CI: 62.5-73.8). The mean score of QoL was 70.6 (standard deviation (SD) ±13.9; 95% CI: 69.0-72.4). All functional component scores were less than 75 on the symptom scale. Diarrhea (11.6), constipation (17.5), and dyspnea (24.7) were less noticeable symptoms. Being out of marriage (AOR = 2.59, 95% CI: 1.32-5.07), being poor (AOR = 2.39, 95%CI: 1.32-5.03), being non-housewife (AOR = 3.25, 95% CI: 1.16-7.22), and being complaints of dyspnea (AOR = 3.48, 95% CI: 1.79-6.79), and insomnia (AOR = 2.03, 95% CI: 1.05-3.91) were significantly associated with QoL.
CONCLUSIONS
The proportion of poor QoL among breast cancer patients was high. Health care professionals should give attention to breast cancer patients who are out of marriage, poor and non-housewife while offering the recommended treatment courses.
Topics: Humans; Quality of Life; Ethiopia; Female; Breast Neoplasms; Cross-Sectional Studies; Middle Aged; Adult; Surveys and Questionnaires; Aged
PubMed: 38935776
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305263 -
Kidney360 Jun 2024
Topics: Humans; Dyspnea; Peritoneal Dialysis; Kidney Failure, Chronic; Female; Male; Middle Aged
PubMed: 38935494
DOI: 10.34067/KID.0000000000000467 -
Clinical Case Reports Jul 2024Insertion of a nasogastric tube is one of the most common methods of administering nutrition, but can cause vocal cord paralysis.
Insertion of a nasogastric tube is one of the most common methods of administering nutrition, but can cause vocal cord paralysis.
PubMed: 38933707
DOI: 10.1002/ccr3.8960 -
Health Science Reports Jun 2024Impaired lung function has been observed in patients following COVID-19 infection, with studies reporting persistent lung volume and diffusing capacity impairments. Some...
INTRODUCTION
Impaired lung function has been observed in patients following COVID-19 infection, with studies reporting persistent lung volume and diffusing capacity impairments. Some studies have demonstrated significantly higher small airway resistance in COVID-19 positive cases. This retrospective study aims to examine impulse oscillometry (IOS) data of patients with persistent symptoms after COVID-19 infection, focusing on the relationship between time and symptoms.
MATERIAL AND METHOD
The study analyzed data from adult patients with persistent symptoms who underwent IOS testing within and after 84 days from the diagnosis date.
RESULT
The results showed that patients within 84 days and those between 31 and 84 days had higher small airway resistance values, indicating peripheral airway disease. Patients with dyspnea exhibited higher IOS values compared to those with cough symptoms, suggesting more significant impairment in the peripheral airways.
CONCLUSION
The study highlights the importance of using comprehensive diagnostic tools like IOS to assess respiratory impairments in post-COVID-19 patients, particularly in the small airways. Understanding the relationship between time and symptoms can provide valuable insights for the treatment of peripheral airway dysfunction in post-COVID-19 patients.
PubMed: 38933420
DOI: 10.1002/hsr2.2191 -
Frontiers in Medicine 2024Quantitative computed tomography (CT) analysis is an important method for diagnosis and severity evaluation of lung diseases. However, the association between CT-derived...
PURPOSE
Quantitative computed tomography (CT) analysis is an important method for diagnosis and severity evaluation of lung diseases. However, the association between CT-derived biomarkers and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations remains unclear. We aimed to investigate its potential in predicting COPD exacerbations.
METHODS
Patients with COPD were consecutively enrolled, and their data were analyzed in this retrospective study. Body composition and thoracic abnormalities were analyzed from chest CT scans. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify independent risk factors of exacerbation. Based on 2-year follow-up data, the deep learning system (DLS) was developed to predict future exacerbations. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was conducted to assess the diagnostic performance. Finally, the survival analysis was performed to further evaluate the potential of the DLS in risk stratification.
RESULTS
A total of 1,150 eligible patients were included and followed up for 2 years. Multivariate analysis revealed that CT-derived high affected lung volume/total lung capacity (ALV/TLC) ratio, high visceral adipose tissue area (VAT), and low pectoralis muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) were independent risk factors causing COPD exacerbations. The DLS outperformed exacerbation history and the BMI, airflow obstruction, dyspnea, and exercise capacity (BODE) index, with an area under the ROC (AUC) value of 0.88 (95%CI, 0.82-0.92) in the internal cohort and 0.86 (95%CI, 0.81-0.89) in the external cohort. The DeLong test revealed significance between this system and conventional scores in the test cohorts ( < 0.05). In the survival analysis, patients with higher risk were susceptible to exacerbation events.
CONCLUSION
The DLS could allow accurate prediction of COPD exacerbations. The newly identified CT biomarkers (ALV/TLC ratio, VAT, and pectoralis muscle CSA) could potentially enable investigation into underlying mechanisms responsible for exacerbations.
PubMed: 38933101
DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2024.1370917 -
Viruses Jun 2024The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of administrating Remdesivir at the acute COVID-19 phase on developing post-COVID symptoms in previously...
The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of administrating Remdesivir at the acute COVID-19 phase on developing post-COVID symptoms in previously hospitalized COVID-19 survivors by controlling factors such as age, sex, body mass index, and vaccination status. A case-control study was performed. Hospitalized COVID-19 survivors who had received intravenous Remdesivir during the acute phase (n = 216) were matched by age, sex, body mass index, and vaccination status with survivors who did not receive antiviral treatment (n = 216). Participants were asked to self-report the presence of any post-COVID symptom (defined as a symptom that started no later than three months after infection) and whether the symptom persisted at the time of study (mean: 18.4, SD: 0.8 months). Anxiety levels (HADS-A), depressive symptoms (HADS-D), sleep quality (PSQI), and severity/disability (FIC) were also compared. The multivariate analysis revealed that administration of Remdesivir at the acute COVID-19 phase was a protective factor for long-term COVID development (OR0.401, 95%CI 0.256-0.628) and specifically for the following post-COVID symptoms: fatigue (OR0.399, 95%CI 0.270-0.590), pain (OR0.368, 95% CI 0.248-0.548), dyspnea at rest (OR0.580, 95%CI 0.361-0.933), concentration loss (OR0.368, 95%CI 0.151-0.901), memory loss (OR0.399, 95%CI 0.270-0.590), hair loss (OR0.103, 95%CI 0.052-0.207), and skin rashes (OR0.037, 95%CI 0.005-0.278). This study supports the potential protective role of intravenous administration of Remdesivir during the COVID-19 acute phase for long-lasting post-COVID symptoms in previously hospitalized COVID-19 survivors.
Topics: Humans; Alanine; Adenosine Monophosphate; Female; Male; Antiviral Agents; COVID-19 Drug Treatment; Middle Aged; SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; Case-Control Studies; Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome; Adult; Aged
PubMed: 38932239
DOI: 10.3390/v16060947 -
Viruses Jun 2024The study involved five ferrets from one household in Poland, comprising three sick 9-week-old juveniles, their healthy mother, and another clinically normal adult,...
The study involved five ferrets from one household in Poland, comprising three sick 9-week-old juveniles, their healthy mother, and another clinically normal adult, admitted to the veterinary clinic in June 2023. The juvenile ferrets displayed significant lethargy and a pronounced unwillingness to move with accompanying pulmonary distress. Prompted by concurrent outbreaks of A/H5N1 influenza virus infections in Polish cats, point-of-care tests were conducted that revealed type A influenza antigens in the throat swabs of all five ferrets. Despite treatment, one juvenile ferret exhibited dyspnea and neurological symptoms and eventually died. The two remaining ferrets recovered fully, including one severely affected showing persistent dyspnea and incoordination without fever that recovered after 11 days of treatment. In the RT-qPCR, the throat swabs collected from all surviving ferrets as well as the samples of lungs, trachea, heart, brain, pancreas, liver, and intestine of the succumbed ferret were found positive for A/H5N1 virus RNA. To our best knowledge, this is the first documented natural A/H5N1 avian influenza in domestic ferrets kept as pets. In addition, this outbreak suggests the possibility of asymptomatic A/H5N1 virus shedding by ferrets, highlighting their zoonotic potential and the advisability of excluding fresh or frozen poultry from their diet to reduce the A/H5N1 virus transmission risks.
Topics: Animals; Ferrets; Influenza A Virus, H5N1 Subtype; Orthomyxoviridae Infections; Pets; Female; Male; Poland; Disease Outbreaks; Virus Shedding; Cats
PubMed: 38932223
DOI: 10.3390/v16060931 -
Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) Jun 2024: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is the third most common cause of death globally. Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) programmes are important to reduce COPD... (Review)
Review
: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is the third most common cause of death globally. Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) programmes are important to reduce COPD symptoms and improve the quality of life of people with COPD. Digital health interventions have recently been adopted in PR programmes, which allow people with COPD to participate in such programmes with low barriers. The aim of this study is to review and discuss the reported effects of digital health interventions on PR outcomes in people with COPD. To achieve the study goals, a systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed (MEDLINE), CINAHL, AMED, SPORTDiscus and the Physiotherapy Evidence Database. Randomised clinical trials (RCTs) were included if they met specified criteria. Two reviewers independently checked titles, abstracts, and performed full-text screening and data extraction. The quality assessment and risk of bias were performed in accordance with the PEDRO scale and Cochrane Risk of Bias tool 2, respectively. : Thirteen RCTs were included in this systematic review with 1525 participants with COPD. This systematic review showed the potential positive effect of digital health PR on the exercise capacity-measured by 6- and 12-min walking tests, pulmonary function, dyspnoea and health-related quality of life. There was no evidence for advantages of digital health PR in the improvement of anxiety, depression, and self-efficacy. : Digital health PR is more effective than traditional PR in improving the pulmonary and physical outcomes for people with COPD, but there was no difference between the two PR programmes in improving the psychosocial outcomes. The certainty of the findings of this review is affected by the small number of included studies.
Topics: Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive; Humans; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Quality of Life; Telemedicine; Digital Health
PubMed: 38929580
DOI: 10.3390/medicina60060963 -
Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) Jun 2024Medical and public recognition of "long-COVID or post-COVID syndrome", as well as its impact on the quality of life (QoL), is required to better address the disease... (Observational Study)
Observational Study
Medical and public recognition of "long-COVID or post-COVID syndrome", as well as its impact on the quality of life (QoL), is required to better address the disease burden. Objectives: We aimed to describe the persistence of COVID-19 symptoms and QoL among patients at three and twelve months after their discharge from the hospital. We conducted an observational, prospective, and longitudinal analytic study from September 2021 to April 2022. To measure QoL, we used a validated version of the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). We included 68 patients in the study. A total of 54 (79.4%) patients reported at least one persistent symptom at three months vs. 52 (76.4%) at twelve months ( = 0.804). Some persistent symptoms (myalgia, alopecia, and cough) decreased significantly at twelve months (50% vs. 30.9%, 29.4% vs. 13.2%, and 23.5% vs. 7.4%; respectively, = 0.007); in contrast, other persistent symptoms (sleep-wake and memory disorders) were more frequent (5.9% vs. 32.4% and 4.4% vs. 20.6%; respectively, = ≤0.001). Regarding QoL, a statistically significant improvement was observed in some scores over time, = ≤0.037. At twelve months, dyspnea, myalgia, and depression were risk factors associated with a poor physical component summary (PCS), = ≤0.027, whereas anxiety, depression, and fatigue were associated with a poor mental component summary (MCS), = ≤0.015. As the proportion of persistent symptoms at twelve months is high, we suggest that patients must continue under long-term follow up to reclassify, diagnose, and treat new onset symptoms/diseases.
Topics: Humans; COVID-19; Quality of Life; Female; Male; Middle Aged; Prospective Studies; Patient Discharge; Longitudinal Studies; Aged; SARS-CoV-2; Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome; Adult; Myalgia; Time Factors; Cough; Alopecia
PubMed: 38929561
DOI: 10.3390/medicina60060944 -
Children (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024Respiratory disorders significantly impact adolescents' health, often resulting in hospital admissions. Meteorological elements such as wind patterns have emerged as...
Respiratory disorders significantly impact adolescents' health, often resulting in hospital admissions. Meteorological elements such as wind patterns have emerged as potential contributors to respiratory symptoms. However, it remains uncertain whether fluctuations in wind characteristics over extended periods have a tangible impact on respiratory health, particularly in regions characterized by distinct annual wind patterns. Crete is situated in the central-eastern Mediterranean Sea and frequently faces southerly winds carrying Sahara Desert sand from Africa and northerly winds from the Aegean Sea. This retrospective study analyzes long-term wind direction data and their relationship to respiratory symptoms observed in children up to 14 years old admitted at the University Hospital of Heraklion between 2002 and 2010. Symptoms such as headache, dyspnea, dry cough, dizziness, tachypnea, throat ache, and earache were predominantly reported during the presence of southern winds. Fever, productive cough, and chest pain were more frequently reported during northern winds. Cough was the most common symptom regardless of the wind pattern. Southern winds were significantly associated with higher probabilities of productive or non-productive cough, headache, dyspnea, tachypnea, dizziness, earache, and throat ache. Northern winds were related to a higher incidence of productive cough. Rhinitis, asthma, allergies, pharyngitis, and sinusitis were related to southern winds, while bronchiolitis and pneumonia were associated with northern winds. These findings underscore the critical role of local climatic factors, emphasizing their potential impact on exacerbating respiratory conditions in children. Moreover, they point out the need for further research to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and develop targeted interventions for at-risk populations.
PubMed: 38929296
DOI: 10.3390/children11060717