Search

Objective: To investigate the correlation between stigma and ostomy adjustment in patients with a permanent colostomy. Methods: A total of 118 patients (male 81/female 37 with an average age 57.4±15.0) from six grade 3 hospitals of the Midlands of China with a permanent colostomy were recruited. Participants responded to a questionnaire to obtain sociodemographic data, Social Impact Scale (SIS) scores to ascertain stigma level and Ostomy Adjustment Inventory (OAI-20) scores to identify the level of psychosocial adjustment. Results: The patients’ average SIS score was (60.7±10.4). The QAI-20 total score was (41.3±10.8). The SIS total score and SIS subscores were negatively related to the total score and subscore of QAI-20 (r=-0.222~-0.537, all P

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy may decrease the risk of mortality and cardiovascular events in patients with obstructive sleep apnea. However, these benefits are not completely clear. We undertook a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials identified in systematic searches of MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Database. Eighteen studies (4146 patients) were included. Overall, CPAP therapy did not significantly decrease the risk of cardiovascular events compared with the control group (odds ratio (OR), 0.84; 95 % confidence intervals (CI), 0.62–1.13; p = 0.25; I 2 = 0 %). CPAP was associated with a nonsignificant trend of lower rate of death and stroke (for death: OR, 0.85; 95 % CI, 0.35–2.06; p = 0.72; I 2 = 0.0 %; for stroke: OR, 0.56; 95 % CI, 0.18–1.73; p = 0.32; I 2 = 12.0 %), a significantly lower Epworth sleepiness score (ESS) (mean difference (MD), −1.78; 95 % CI, −2.31 to −1.24; p