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Hereditary pancreatitis (HP) is one of the major causes of pancreatitis in children and has a high risk of carcinogenesis after they become adults. This article reviews the recent research advances in HP, including historical development, epidemiology, pathogenic mechanism, and related pathogenic genes, clinical features, and diagnosis and treatment, in order to provide new reference information for delaying the progression of HP in children and conducting related basic research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim was to estimate the effect of reported history of smallpox vaccination prior to 1980 on clinical expression of mpox. We included all confirmed mpox cases identified by the national mpox surveillance system in France between May and July 2022. Cases tested positive for monkeypox virus or orthopoxviruses by PCR. Cases were interviewed by phone using a questionnaire documenting demographics, symptoms and exposures. To estimate the effect of smallpox vaccination on the presence of marked mpox symptoms (association of fever, lymphadenopathy and extensive mucocutaneous lesions), we estimated prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% CIs using Poisson regression models with robust standard errors. There were 1888 confirmed mpox cases with date of symptom onset between 7 May and 31 July 2022. Overall, 7% (93/1394) presented marked mpox symptoms. Among patients who provided information about their vaccination status, 14% (207/1469) reported smallpox vaccination prior to 1980. The proportion of cases with marked symptoms was 2% (3/170) among those reporting smallpox vaccination prior to 1980 and 8% (76/974) among those who reported no vaccination. The proportion of marked symptoms was four times lower among cases reporting previous smallpox vaccination than in cases reporting no vaccination (PR, 0.24; 95% CI: 0.08–0.76). There was no evidence of an effect of smallpox vaccination on development of complications (PR, 0.65; 95% CI: 0.35–1.22) or hospitalization due to mpox (PR, 0.64; 95% CI: 0.23–1.80). Our results suggest that smallpox vaccination during childhood attenuated the clinical expression of monkeypox virus infection, but there was no evidence of an effect on complications or hospitalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to comprehensively investigate the prevalence of ABPA and AFRS, scrutinize existing diagnostic criteria and immunoassays, pinpoint their limitations, highlight ABPA as an occupational health implication, and identify suggestive measures to improve ABPA diagnosis in the context of Occupational Health Nursing and primary healthcare. The data sources such as PubMed, Health and Safety Science Abstracts, OSH Update, Medline, and Google Scholar were searched. All published studies in the English language from 1990 till Oct, 2023 using Mesh terms keywords "Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis," "Allergic fungal rhinosinusitis," "Signs and Symptoms," "Rapid Diagnostic Tests," "Diagnosis," "Occupational Health," "Occupational Health Nursing," "Prevalence," "Allergens" following "Boolean operators" search strategy were selected. This review succinctly covered signs, symptoms, and prevalence data concerning ABPA and AFRS. It briefly discussed existing diagnostic criteria and immunoassays, highlighted factors influencing the assay's variability, and underscored the role and scope of specific allergens toward improved, simple, and early ABPA diagnosis. ABPA as a neglected occupational health concern was emphasized, and the importance of RDTs in the context of healthcare professionals and OHNs was stated. Finally, this study suggested analyzing the impact of compromised post-pandemic immune status and the use of immunosuppressive drugs on ABPA prevalence among vulnerable communities and occupations. To conclude, global and Indian ABPA and AFRS prevalence data, factors influencing existing assay variability, and the scope of improvement in RDTs for ABPA diagnosis in the background of primary healthcare professionals and OHNs were addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strokes represent a major global health challenge, as they now affect up to 15 million people annually, with increasing mortality rates accompanying growing prevalence. In Saudi Arabia, hypertension (HTN) and diabetes mellitus (DM) have been identified as major contributors to stroke risk, with a combination of HTN and DM significantly magnifying the risk of strokes. While there have been global improvements in stroke prevention, recently knowledge levels vary significantly worldwide, and multiple studies in Saudi Arabia show inconsistent awareness levels. This study seeks to develop insights for the development of tailored prevention programs that align with Saudi Vision 2030 in terms of enhancing quality of life. Thus, the aim of the study is to assess knowledge levels of stroke risk factors, warning signs, symptoms, and prevention methods among high-risk groups (HTN and DM patients) at King Saud University Medical City (KSUMC). This was an analytical cross-sectional study conducted among 422 participants from June 2022 to January 2023, using a validated Arabic questionnaire taken, with permission, from previous studies. All HTN and T2DM patients in the waiting areas of the outpatient clinics at KSUMC, Riyadh were included as part of the random sampling, though patients below 20-years-old and those with other endocrine disorders were then excluded. The majority of participants were male (64.5 %). The analysis showed that 66.1 % of participants had "poor total knowledge" of stroke factors. Half of the participants (50.5 %) had "poor knowledge" about stroke risk factors, though the most commonly identified risk factor was "hypertension". Additionally, the findings showed that 46.4 % of participants had "poor knowledge" of stroke warning signs and symptoms, with the most commonly identified warning sign being "difficulty in speaking." Nearly half of participants (46.4 %) had "good knowledge" of stroke prevention methods; however, "regular exercise" was the most commonly identified prevention method. Although the participants displayed decent knowledge of stroke prevention methods, several notable deficits in overall knowledge of stroke factors emerged. In particular, knowledge of stroke risk factors and warning signs and symptoms among participants was inadequate. This implies that healthcare providers should seek to launch campaigns addressing stroke knowledge mainly among high-risk groups, potentially distributing brochures about stroke knowledge in the relevant clinics and seeking to provide a range of educational content by means of social media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background This study compared trends in norovirus cases to determine whether chief complaint–based emergency department (ED) visit data could reflect trends of norovirus in Korea. Methods The ED visits from the National Emergency Department Information System database and the weekly reported number of noroviruses from the sentinel surveillance system were collected between August 2017 and December 2020. The correlation between weekly norovirus cases and weekly ED visits considering the chief complaint and discharge diagnosis code was estimated using a 3-week moving average. Results In total, 6 399 774 patients with chief complaints related to digestive system disease visited an ED. A higher correlation between reported norovirus cases and ED visit with chief complaint of vomiting and discharge diagnosis code of gastroenteritis and colitis of unspecified origin or other and unspecified gastroenteritis and colitis of infectious origin was observed (R = 0.88, P <.0001). The correlation was highest for the age group 0–4 years (R = 0.89, P <.0001). However, no correlation was observed between the reported norovirus cases and the number of ED visits with norovirus identified as a discharge diagnosis code. Conclusions ED visit data considering a combination of chief complaints and discharged diagnosis code would be useful for early detection of infectious disease trends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Foco (Interdisciplinary Studies Journal) is the property of Revista Foco and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The persistence of symptoms for more than three months following infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 is referred to as "Long COVID". To gain a deeper understanding of the etiology and long-term progression of symptoms, this study aims to analyze the prevalence of Long COVID and its associated factors in a cohort of Brazilian adults and elders, twelve months after hospital discharge. An observational, prospective, and follow-up study was performed with a cohort of adults and older adults diagnosed with COVID-19 in 2020 in the State of Paraná, Brazil. Twelve months after hospital discharge, patients answered a phone questionnaire about the persistence of symptoms after three levels of exposure to COVID-19's acute phase (ambulatory, medical ward, and intensive care unit). According to the characteristics of participants, the prevalence of Long COVID-19 was calculated, and logistic regression analyses were conducted. We analyzed data from 1822 participants (980 adults [≥18–<60 years] and 842 older people [≥60 years]) across three exposure levels. The overall Long COVID prevalence was 64.2%. Long COVID was observed in 646 adults (55%; of which 326 were women) and 523 older people (45%; of which 284 were women). Females had a higher prevalence of long-term symptoms (52%) compared with men. The most common post-COVID-19 conditions in the 12-month follow-up were neurological (49.8%), followed by musculoskeletal (35.1%) and persistent respiratory symptoms (26.5%). Male individuals were less likely to develop Long COVID (aOR = 0.50). Other determinants were also considered risky, such as the presence of comorbidities (aOR = 1.41). Being an adult and having been hospitalized was associated with the development of Long COVID. The risk of developing Long COVID was twice as high for ward patients (aOR = 2.53) and three times as high for ICU patients (aOR = 3.56) when compared to non-hospitalized patients. Presenting clinical manifestations of digestive (aOR = 1.56), endocrine (aOR = 2.14), cutaneous (aOR = 2.51), musculoskeletal (aOR = 2.76) and psychological systems (aOR = 1.66) made adults more likely to develop Long COVID. Long COVID was present in a large proportion of people affected by the SARS-CoV-2 infection. Presence of Long COVID symptoms displayed a dose–response relationship with the level of disease exposure, with a greater prevalence of symptoms associated with the severe form in the acute period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why you should read this article: • To understand the complexity of the needs of people with delirium superimposed on dementia • To enhance your knowledge of second-generation activity theory • To recognise the consequences of the separation of physical health and mental healthcare. Background: Delirium superimposed on dementia (DSD) affects the physical, mental and cognitive well-being of the person. The separation of physical health and mental health means that the care of people with DSD is at odds with the multifaceted aetiology and presentation of the condition. There is a lack of research on DSD from a mental health perspective. Aim: To explore UK mental health nurses’ experiences of providing care for people with DSD. Method: Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven mental health nurses from one NHS trust in England. Participants’ experiences were considered through the lens of second-generation activity theory. Data were analysed using framework analysis. Findings: Six themes were identified: awareness of guidance and tools; guidance or tools as ‘paper exercises’; knowing the patient; the multidisciplinary team; care burden; and mental health versus physical health. Conclusion: When providing care for people with DSD, mental health nurses use their skills in knowing patients as individuals. However, this aspect of ‘knowing’ cannot be readily translated into the use of a numerical scoring tool. An integrated approach is required to support the care of people with DSD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This umbrella review was to synthesize the summarized evidence-based research regarding interventions addressing symptoms in older populations with multimorbidity. Three databases including PsycINFO, MEDLINE, and CINAHL were searched systematically. The JBI Methodology for Umbrella Reviews and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statements were used to report this review. Six reviews published between 2016 and 2010 were included for analysis. Interventions were mixed and included components on health-related behaviors, body systems or functions, activities and participation domains, and the environment. Outcomes concerning physiological/clinical functioning were most reported. The evidence regarding the symptoms-related interventions was mixed, but all showed promising outcomes compared with usual care or not. To sum up, this umbrella review reveals the lack of strong empirical evidence for the effectiveness of intervention addressing symptoms in older adults with multimorbidity. It highlights the need to evaluate the established approach of interventions further to support this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Foco (Interdisciplinary Studies Journal) is the property of Revista Foco and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Schistosomiasis is a debilitating neglected tropical disease endemic in sub-Saharan Africa. The role of health facilities in the prevention, diagnosis, control, and elimination of schistosomiasis is poorly documented. In a setting targeted for schistosomiasis elimination in Zanzibar, we assessed the prevalence of Schistosoma haematobium among patients seeking care in a health facility and investigated schistosomiasis-related knowledge of staff, and health facilities' capacities and needs for schistosomiasis diagnosis and management. Methods: We conducted a health facility-based mixed-method study on Pemba Island from June to August 2023. Patients aged ≥ 4 years seeking care in four health facilities were screened for S. haematobium infection using urine filtration and reagent strips. Those patients aged ≥ 10 years were additionally interviewed about signs and symptoms. Staff from 23 health facilities responded to a questionnaire assessing knowledge and practices. Ten staff participated in a focus group discussion (FGD) about capacities and needs for schistosomiasis diagnosis and management. Results: The prevalence of S. haematobium infection in patients attending the health facilities, as determined by the presence of eggs in urine, was 1.1% (8/712). Microhaematuria was detected in 13.3% (95/712) of the patients using reagent strips. Among patients responding to the questionnaire, pelvic pain, pain during sex, and painful urination were reported by 38.0% (237/623), 6.3% (39/623), and 3.2% (20/623), respectively. Among the health facility staff, 90.0% (44/49) and 87.8% (43/49) identified blood in urine and pelvic pain, respectively, as symptoms of urogenital schistosomiasis, 81.6% (40/49) and 93.9% (46/49) reported collecting a urine sample and pursuing a reagent strip test, respectively, for diagnosis, and 87.8% (43/49) administered praziquantel for treatment. The most reoccurring themes in the FGD were the need for more staff training about schistosomiasis, requests for diagnostic equipment, and the need to improve community response to schistosomiasis services in health facilities. Conclusions: The prevalence of S. haematobium infection in patients seeking care in health facilities in Pemba is very low and similar to what has been reported from recent community-based cross-sectional surveys. The health facility staff had good schistosomiasis-related knowledge and practices. However, to integrate schistosomiasis patient management more durably into routine health facility activities, scalable screening pathways need to be identified and capacities need to be improved by regular staff training, and an unbroken supply of accurate point-of-care diagnostics and praziquantel for the treatment of cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Aim Methods Results Conclusions Pain in cancer patients is a complex clinical problem. Pain is systematically assessed and treated during palliative care, but little is known about how it is addressed before starting palliative care.This study primarily analyzed pain, symptoms, ongoing therapy at patients' admittance to the palliative care unit, and the relationships between pain and tumor, comorbidities, performance status and quality of life (QoL). Notably, patient satisfaction with the received antalgic therapy was assessed.A multicentric, prospective, observational study was conducted in seven Italian palliative centers. The population consisted of adult cancer patients admitted to specialist palliative care units in hospice and home care.The sample consisted of 476 patients. Ninety‐three patients reported moderate pain of 4.0 and worst pain of 5.9 at the initial medical examination. The pain was high, and QoL was lower in breakthrough pain. The pain was lower in older subjects when it was discontinuous and when it was also treated with corticosteroids. A total of 61% of the patients were unsatisfied with the prescribed pain therapy.Before the beginning of palliative care, physicians do not manage pain adequately. We support the idea that palliative care is not only intended for the last days of life but must be started early and simultaneously with oncological treatments. All that, in our opinion, is often ignored, and we hope that our study could have a positive influence and that the study results stimulate further research in this area with in‐depth studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To establish relationship between train-of-four ratio and clinical signs including head lift during emergence from general anesthesia. Study Design: Cross Sectional Study. Place and Duration of Study: Combined Military Hospital, Rawalpindi Pakistan, from Apr to Sep 2021. Methodology: A total of 93 patients with age range 18-60 years and ASA (American society of Anesthesiologist's) physical Status I or I undergoing an elective procedure lasting more than 60 minutes under general anesthesia were included in study. Train-of-four ratio was calculated using a nerve stimulator at the time of extubation folowed by the appearance of each clinical sign. Results: Of 93 patients 63(67.7%) were males while 30(32.2%) were females with mean age 35.6±12.5 years. 77(82.7%) patients were graded as ASA-I and 16(17.2%) were graded as ASA-I. The mean duration of surgery was 83.5±8.3 mins however the mean TOFR was 0.35±1.1. At the appearance of each clinical sign mean TOFR was calculated and recorded. The results showed significant relationship between clinical signs (sustained head lift, ability to retain tongue depressor, hand grip 60% of control and ability to cough) and Train-of-four ratio. Conclusion: There is a significant relationship between clinical signs (sustained head lift, ability to retain tongue depressor, hand grip 60% of control and ability to cough) and Train-of-four ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Snakebites result from snake bites, causing a major impact on public health in Brazil. Snakes of the genus Bothrops, popularly known as "jararacas", are responsible for the vast majority of snakebites reported in Central and South America, requiring immediate medical treatment due to the actions of their venom, which can affect the circulatory system and lead to tissue damage. and hemorrhages. Antivenom serum is effective and essential for neutralizing the effects of venom in humans, reducing the severity of symptoms and helping to save lives. The purpose of the present study was to present a literature review on the predominant clinical manifestations in cases of snakebites with the genus Bothrops, thus increasing the population's knowledge regarding the main signs and symptoms that should be given more attention in the face of such accidents. According to the results obtained, it was found that the main and most recurrent clinical manifestations involving accidents with "jararaca" are: pain, edema, erythema, ecchymosis and serious complications such as blister formation, abscess and necrosis. Early recognition and treatment of clinical manifestations aims to reduce mortality and improve the quality of life of injured patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the epidemiology, symptoms, diagnosis, and management of Pelvic inflammatory disease, highlighting its impact on women's health globally. It emphasizes the challenges in diagnosis due to varied symptoms and the necessity of prompt treatment to prevent long-term complications. It discusses risk factors, causative organisms, and differential diagnoses, providing guidance for healthcare providers to improve recognition and management of this prevalent condition.

Background To address the public’s fear of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), understanding the clinical features of the disease is essential. However, research on the clinical features of COVID-19, including illness duration and post-acute COVID-19, in Korean pediatric patients has been limited. Therefore, this study investigated the clinical features of COVID-19 based on the medical records of pediatric patients with a history of COVID-19 who visited a single center. Methods In total, 311 patients were included in this study. The presence and duration of 19 symptoms were examined. Additionally, clinical features were investigated by dividing the patients into different age ranges. Patients aged 6 and above were further categorized according to the presence of asthma, while adolescent patients were divided into vaccinated and unvaccinated groups. Results Fever and cough were the most common symptoms. The mean illness duration was 2–4 days. Only 3.5% of the patients were asymptomatic. Post-acute COVID-19 was observed in 13.2% of the patients. The incidence of most symptoms tended to increase with age. Post-acute COVID-19 was observed more frequently in patients with asthma than in those without asthma. Vaccinated patients experienced less fever, vomiting, and fatigue than unvaccinated patients. Conclusions Our data suggest that most patients had mild disease lasting less than a week, and the clinical course may differ depending on the presence of asthma. The findings also indicate that vaccination may alleviate the symptoms of COVID-19 in breakthrough infections.

Background: As acute stroke remains an important leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the world, this study sought to survey the general public in four different countries, in four different continents to ascertain the level of knowledge of the public for the risk factors, and the signs and symptoms of stroke. Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey of the general public that was conducted via a self-administered online survey using the SurveyMonkey® platform in the United States, the United Kingdom, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. Questions on identifying the risk factors, as well as the signs and symptoms of stroke were asked. A score was given to all subjects, and they were then asked to identify the life-style changes that they thought would reduce the risk of getting a stroke. Results: A total of 2000 subjects were recruited via the electronic search engine at the SurveyMonkey®, 500 from each country. The data showed that subjects in Western countries agreed on dyslipidemia and lack of exercise being the top two risk factors for stroke. While the Middle Eastern subjects mostly identified smoking and having a previous stroke as the top risk factors. Regarding the signs and symptoms, Western subjects agreed perfectly that the top three were hemiparesis, heavy tongue and facial asymmetry. Conclusion: It was clear from the data collected in this study that the knowledge level of signs and symptoms of stroke in the general public, irrespective of the country was poor. [SJEMed 2024; 5(1.000): 001-009]

Background Drug-induced liver injury is one of the most common adverse drug reactions, and atorvastatin is one of the widely used statin lipid-lowering drugs in clinical practice, which is susceptible to hepatic injury. Currently, there is limited research data on the clinical characteristics of liver injury induced by atorvastatin. Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics of liver injury induced by atorvastatin, so as to improve clinicians' understanding of liver injury induced by atorvastation. Methods The patients who were hospitalized and treated with atorvastatin in the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University from January 2012 to August 2022, developed liver injury and were evaluated as liver injury induced by atorvastation based on Roussel Uclaf Causality Assessment Method were selected, and analyzed on clinical characteristics. Results A total of 84 cases of liver injury induced by atorvastation were diagnosed by Causality Assessment Method. The patients with liver injury induced by atorvastation were more male (72.6%), with an average age of (60.2±11.5) years, and all of them were comorbid with the underlying diseases (100.0%) ; two cases (2.4%) reached moderate liver injury, and the cure or improvement rate after treatment reached 100.0%. According to the stage of the disease, the main manifestation was an acute course (100.0%) ; according to the damaged target cells, the mixed type was the most frequent (60.7%), followed by the cholestasis type (26.2%) and the hepatocyte type (11.9%). The statistical results showed that 78.6% of the patients with liver injury occurred within 3 months after taking atorvastation and predominantly in the 1st to 2nd week; and 81.0% of the patients developed liver injuryat 80 defined daily dose (DDD) of cumulative atorvastation. Conclusion Liver injury induced by atorvastation occurs mostly in male, middle-aged and elderly patients patients with underlying diseases, mostly have mild liver injury and good prognosis, and the clinical types were mostly mixed type and cholestasis type. Liver injury occurs mainly within 3 months and the occurrence of liver injury induced by atorvastation was dose-dependent.

Background: Fatigue is significant in the context of Parkinson's disease (PD), considering that one-third of patients classify it as the most restricting symptom in their daily life activities (DLAs). The objective was to verify the relationship (association) between fatigue and non-motor and motor symptoms of PD. Methods: A cross-sectional study which included 100 individuals with PD. Initially, demographic and clinical data (modified Hoehn and Yahr scale—HY, anxiety, and depression) were collected. To assess the non-motor and motor symptoms of PD, the Movement Disorders Society—Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) was applied. Fatigue was evaluated using the Parkinson Fatigue Scale. Results: A higher HY score, greater severity of non-motor aspects of DLAs and motor aspects of DLAs, more motor complications, and higher levels of anxiety as well as depression were observed in the "fatigue" group. Fatigue was associated with a lower daily equivalent levodopa dose (LEDD), a higher body mass index (BMI), anxiety, depression, and the presence of non-motor symptoms. Conclusion: Non-motor symptoms are more determining factors for fatigue than the motor condition itself, with an association between fatigue and higher BMI scores, increased anxiety and depression, lower LEDD, and greater severity of non-motor aspects of DLAs. Individuals in the "fatigue" group had higher HY scores, anxiety, and depression, worse non-motor and motor symptoms related to experiences of daily life, as well as motor complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Postoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak remains a concerning complication of the endoscopic endonasal approach (EEA) for skull base pathology. Signs and symptoms suggesting CSF leak often trigger additional workup during the postoperative course. We systematically evaluate associations between subjectively reported clinical signs/symptoms noted during the immediate postoperative period and incidence of postoperative CSF leaks. Methods: Retrospective chart review was conducted at a tertiary academic medical centre including 137 consecutive patients with intraoperative CSF leak during EEA with primary repair between July 2018 and August 2022. Postoperative CSF leak associations with clinical signs and symptoms were evaluated using positive (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV), sensitivity, specificity and odds ratio (OR) via univariate logistic regression. Results: Seventy‐nine patients (57.7%) had high‐flow leaks repaired and 5 (3.6%) developed CSF leaks postoperatively. Of reported symptoms, rhinorrhea was most common (n = 52, 38.0%; PPV [95% CI] = 7.6% [4.8%, 11.9%]), followed by severe headache (n = 47, 34.3%; 6.3% [3.1%, 12.5%]), dizziness (n = 43, 31.4%; 2.3% [0.4%, 12.1%]), salty or metallic taste (n = 20, 14.6%; 9.9% [3.3%, 25.8%]), and throat drainage (n = 10, 7.3%; 9.9% [1.7%, 41.4%]). Nausea or vomiting constituted the most reported sign concerning for CSF leak (n = 73, 53.3%; PPV [95% CI] = 4.1% [2.0%, 8.1%]). On univariate regression, no sign or symptom, including rhinorrhea (OR [95% CI] = 7.00 [0.76–64.44]), throat drainage (3.42 [0.35–33.86]), salty/metallic taste (4.22 [0.66–27.04]), severe headache (3.00 [0.48–18.62]), dizziness (0.54 [0.06–4.94]), fever (3.16 [0.50–19.99]), and nausea/vomiting (1.33 [0.22–8.21]), associated with postoperative CSF leak. Conclusions: A range of subjectively reported symptoms and signs failed to predict postoperative CSF leak. Further investigation is warranted to inform appropriate attention and response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• ACS symptom knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs were suboptimal in this sample of hispanic and Latina/o/x/e individuals. • No differences in ACS symptom knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs were seen based on language proficiency. • Stronger knowledge and attitude scores were observed for participants endorsing previous exposure to symptom information. • The spanish version of the ACS response index showed favorable internal consistency, though more research is needed. Little attention has been placed on language proficiency as a potential variable affecting ACS symptom knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs. To compare the ACS symptom knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs of Hispanic and Latina/o/x/e individuals proficient in English and in those only proficient in Spanish. Secondary aims were to determine if there were differences in ACS symptom knowledge, attitudes, or beliefs based on participants' previous exposure to ACS symptom information and to evaluate instrument characteristics of the new Spanish version of the ACS Response Index. This cross-sectional, comparative study included participants (N = 99) from a community-based clinic in Illinois. Knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs related to ACS symptoms were measured using the ACS Response Index. The average participant was 39.8 (SD 15.6) years of age, female (n = 56, 56.6 %), and had a high school education or less (n = 61, 61.6 %). Participants correctly classified a mean 57.5 % (SD 12.8) of symptoms and had mean attitude and belief scores of 12.1 (SD 3.3) and 17.5 (SD 2.9), respectively. There were no significant differences in knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs based on language proficiency. However, there were some statistically significant differences for knowledge and attitude scores based on exposure to ACS symptom information. The ACS Response Index (Spanish Version) also demonstrated favorable internal consistency. Overall knowledge, attitude, and belief scores were modest in this sample. Higher knowledge and attitude scores were observed for some types of ACS information exposure, supporting the importance of future educational efforts in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To date, many randomized studies have proven the importance of evaluating clinical and anamnestic data in the initial diagnosis of genital endometriosis. Clinical assessment of “classic” complaints of patients, which are characteristic of genital endometriosis, allows to predict the presence of endometriosis with a high probability, which is an important component of choosing the optimal treatment tactics. Despite a fairly significant number of developed questionnaires for the assessment of endometriosis symptoms, none of them has been widely used among domestic clinicians. Implementation of a diary of symptoms of endometriosis in practice will allow to more carefully assess the general pain of endometriosis, the impact on the patient’s quality of life, and also to evaluate the quality of the chosen method of treatment. The aim of the study: on the basis of a retrospective analysis of patients’ disease histories, assessment of the presence of clinical and anamnestic data characteristic of genital endometriosis in accordance with the obtained results of pathohistologically confirmed endometriosis. Materials and methods. We performed a retrospective analysis of 160 patient histories. The criteria for selecting patients with genital endometriosis were the presence of the following symptoms: premenstrual pain syndrome, dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, the nature of menstrual discharge (brown discharge before and after menstruation), chronic pelvic pain, as well as confirmation, with the help of histopathological examination, of genital endometriosis. Results. By comparing the obtained data on pain symptoms with the clinical diagnosis made on the basis of histopathological examination, it can be concluded that the symptoms were most likely caused by endometriosis. Conclusions. Clinical and anamnestic data most characteristic of genital endometriosis were found in 138 (86.25 %) patients, data on the frequency of combination of painful symptoms were as follows: combination of two symptoms in 27.50 % (n = 44), three symptoms in 26.88 % (n = 43), four symptoms in 14.38 % (n = 23) and five studied symptoms in 6.25 % (n = 10), which in turn influenced the choice of the expected volume of surgical intervention and contributed to the establishment of a clinical diagnosis. The description of pain symptoms is quite limited, since the assessment of the characteristic symptoms of genital endometriosis did not include: conducting additional examinations in order to exclude additional causes of functional pain in the pelvis, the description of pain symptoms was incomplete, which, in turn, minimized the assessment of the adverse impact on daily activities, work or the quality of life in general, characteristic of pain symptoms, there is no clear difference between chronic pelvic pain and dysmenorrhea, the absence of data regarding the work of the gastrointestinal tract and urinary system, regarding the symptoms of genital endometriosis, which may indicate damage to the above-mentioned departments.

Background The current classification of cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP) is only based on the ultrasonic characteristics. At present, there is a lack of analysis and summarization of the clinical characteristics of different types of CSP cases under this classification criteria. Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics and management variance of different types of CSP. Methods A total of 862 patients with CSP admitted to the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital from July 2014 to June 2022 were enrolled and divided into the type Ⅰ, type Ⅱ and type Ⅲ groups. The clinical characteristics and indicators of diagnosis and treatment were analyzed retrospectively. Results Among the total CSP patients, 36.5% (315/862) were typeⅠ, 53.1% (458/862) were typeⅡ, and 10.3% (89/862) were type Ⅲ. The incidence of abdominal pain was 24.2% (209/862) and vaginal bleeding was 65.0% (560/862) in CSP patients. There was no statistically significant difference in the age, history of pregnancy and childbirth, and proportion of previous uterine cavity surgery among the three groups of patients (P>0.05). There was no significant difference in abdominal pain (P=0.261) and vaginal bleeding (P=0.062) among the three groups. In typeⅢ patients, the average gestational age was 55 (46, 64) days, the average diameter of gestational mass was 29.6 (19.1, 43.3) mm, and the serum β-HCG level was 60 673 (17 164, 122 203) mU/mL at diagnosis. The proportion of patients who needed adjuvant pharmacologic embryocidal therapy, laparoscopic surgery and uterine artery occlusion was 27% (24/89), 33.7% (30/89) and 32.6% (29/89), respectively. The operation duration was 101 (67, 125) min, the hospitalization duration was 4 (3, 7) days, and the treatment cost was 11 933.7 (8 760.7, 15 250.6) CNY for typeⅢpatients. The accumulated bleeding volume within 24 hours after surgery, the proportion of patients with perioperative bleeding≥200 mL and requiring blood transfusion was 24.7% (22/89) and 7.9% (7/89) in typeⅢ patients, respectively, which were higher than the other two groups (P

Background: COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 11th March 2020. The SARS-CoV-2 virus has mutated over time, which has resulted in genetic variation among population of circulating viral strains over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. Preventive measures like vaccination, social distancing, using of face mask and hand hygiene practices played a vital role in mitigating the spread of this pandemic. But were these measures effective enough to curtail this pandemic. Purpose: To assess the presenting features of COVID 19 in the third wave and to assess the effectiveness of preventive measures against COVID 19 during the third wave. Methods: This is a hospital based prospective study where participants were regularly followed up till 14 days, conducted in rural part of North of India. Results: A total of 239 participants were included in this study. The study found that 95% of these participants received first dose of COVID vaccine as compared to 49.8% who received second dose. Some of the participants (39.7%) were not obeying the norms of social distancing. 52.1% of the subjects were using masks, which has been proven to be one of the effective measures for prevention of transmission of COVID 19. 71.1% were practicing hand hygiene measures. Conclusion: Vaccination and using face mask were significantly associated with mitigating the spread of COVID-19 among rural population who visited the health care facility.

INTRODUCTION: The primary occurrence and persistence of negative symptoms observed in patients with schizophrenia is deficit syndrome. Although the association between thyroid hormones and schizophrenia symptoms has been reported, no studies have investigated thyroid function in patients with deficit schizophrenia (DS). This study aims to investigate the clinical features and thyroid function in DS patients by comparing them with patients with non-deficit schizophrenia (NDS) and a control group. METHODS: 33 subjects from DS, 35 subjects from NDS and 35 healthy control subjects were included in the study. Patients with schizophrenia were classified into DS and NDS using the deficit syndrome table. Thyroid function was assessed by the levels of TSH, free T3 (fT3), and free T4 (fT4). Sociodemographic data and clinical characteristics were evaluated using the Sociodemographic Data Form, the Positive Symptoms Evaluation Scale (SAPS), the Negative Symptoms Evaluation Scale (SANS), and the Calgary Depression in Schizophrenia Scale (CDSS). RESULTS: There was no significant difference between DS and NDS groups in terms of age, gender, marital status and education (p>0.05). The percentage of unemployed was significantly higher in the DS group than in the NDS group (p=0.005). There were 14 (42.4%) suicide attempts in the DS group and 11 (31.4%) in the NDS group, and there was no significant difference between the groups (p>0.05). There was no significant difference between the groups when comparing the thyroid functions of the DS, NDS and healthy control groups regarding fT4, fT3 and TSH (p>0.05). There was no significant correlation between TSH, free T3, free T4 and total SANS, total SAPS and CDSS scores (p>0.05). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: According to our study thyroid function is not different in DS, NDS and healthy controls and is not associated with positive, negative and depressive symptoms in patients with schizophrenia.

The COVID-19 pandemic presents unique requirements for accessible, reliable testing, and many testing platforms and sampling techniques have been developed over the course of the pandemic. Not all test methods have been systematically compared to each other or a common gold standard, and the performance of tests developed in the early epidemic have not been consistently re-evaluated in the context of new variants. We conducted a repeated measures study with adult healthcare workers presenting for SARS-CoV-2 testing. Participants were tested using seven testing modalities. Test sensitivity was compared using any positive PCR test as the gold standard. A total of 325 individuals participated in the study. PCR tests were the most sensitive (saliva PCR 0.957 ± 0.048, nasopharyngeal PCR 0.877 ± 0.075, oropharyngeal PCR 0.849 ± 0.082). Standard nasal rapid antigen tests were less sensitive but roughly equivalent (BinaxNOW 0.613 ± 0.110, iHealth 0.627 ± 0.109). Oropharyngeal rapid antigen tests were the least sensitive (BinaxNOW 0.400 ± 0.111, iHealth brands 0.311 ± 0.105). PCR remains the most sensitive testing modality for the diagnosis of COVID-19 and saliva PCR is significantly more sensitive than oropharyngeal PCR and equivalent to nasopharyngeal PCR. Nasal AgRDTs are less sensitive than PCR but have benefits in convenience and accessibility. Saliva-based PCR testing is a viable alternative to traditional swab-based PCR testing for the diagnosis of COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a case of paravertebral retroperitoneal ancient schwannoma (RPAS) with symptoms suggestive of irritable bowel syndrome that was relieved after resection. Very few cases have been reported of RPAS with gastrointestinal symptoms. Increased bowel activity associated with RPAS has not been reported. Our case report suggests that RPAS may present with increased bowel frequency that could be relieved after surgical resection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD) is a rapidly progressive neurodegenerative disease with public health implications. Mean age of onset is 68 years. Age-specific incidence declines after 80 years. This may arise from under-ascertainment or other biological features of the disease. Accurate characterisation of late-onset sCJD is important for early diagnosis, avoiding unnecessary investigations and improving ascertainment for public health purposes. Objective To phenotype the clinical features and investigation profile of sCJD in adults >80 years. Methods We analysed all probable and definite sCJD cases identified by the UK National CJD Research & Surveillance Unit over a 10-year period (2011–2021). Individuals were grouped by age of onset. Clinical features and investigation profiles were compared. Results 10.3% (123/1196) had an age of onset over 80. Median survival was shorter (3.2 vs 4.3 months; P  < 0.001). Pyramidal signs (48.3% vs 34.2%; P  = 0.008) and akinetic mutism (55.1% vs 33.2%; P  < 0.001) were more frequent. Psychiatric symptoms (26.3% vs 39.6%; P  = 0.01) and cerebellar signs (65.4% vs 78.6%, P  = 0.007) were less frequent. Cognitive impairment and myoclonus were highly prevalent regardless of age. Between age groups, the diagnostic sensitivity of cerebrospinal fluid real-time quaking-induced conversion (CSF RT-QuIC) (92.9% vs 91.9%, P  = 0.74) was comparable, electroencephalography was superior (41.5% vs 25.4%; P  = 0.006) and MRI was inferior (67.8% vs 91.4%; P  < 0.001). Conclusions Late-onset sCJD has distinct clinical features, shorter survival and a different profile of investigation sensitivity. CSF RT-QuIC, MRI brain and specialist CJD review is recommended in older adults with a rapidly progressive neurological disorder. Autopsy is valuable when the cause remains elusive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loss-of-function mutation of ABCC9 , the gene encoding the SUR2 subunit of ATP sensitive-potassium (KATP) channels, was recently associated with autosomal recessive ABCC9 -related intellectual disability and myopathy syndrome (AIMS). Here we identify nine additional subjects, from seven unrelated families, harbouring different homozygous loss-of-function variants in ABCC9 and presenting with a conserved range of clinical features. All variants are predicted to result in severe truncations or in-frame deletions within SUR2, leading to the generation of non-functional SUR2-dependent KATP channels. Affected individuals show psychomotor delay and intellectual disability of variable severity, microcephaly, corpus callosum and white matter abnormalities, seizures, spasticity, short stature, muscle fatigability and weakness. Heterozygous parents do not show any conserved clinical pathology but report multiple incidences of intra-uterine fetal death, which were also observed in an eighth family included in this study. In vivo studies of abcc9 loss-of-function in zebrafish revealed an exacerbated motor response to pentylenetetrazole, a pro-convulsive drug, consistent with impaired neurodevelopment associated with an increased seizure susceptibility. Our findings define an ABCC9 loss-of-function-related phenotype, expanding the genotypic and phenotypic spectrum of AIMS and reveal novel human pathologies arising from KATP channel dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diagnostic performance of a prospective, systematic screening strategy for COVID-19 associated pulmonary aspergillosis (CAPA) during the COVID-19 pandemic was investigated. Patients with COVID-19 admitted to the ICU were screened for CAPA twice weekly by collection of tracheal aspirate (TA) for Aspergillus culture and PCR. Subsequently, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) sampling was performed in patients with positive screening results and clinical suspicion of infection. Patient data were collected from April 2020–February 2022. Patients were classified according to 2020 ECMM/ISHAM consensus criteria. In total, 126/370 (34%) patients were positive in screening and CAPA frequency was 52/370 (14%) (including 13 patients negative in screening). CAPA was confirmed in 32/43 (74%) screening positive patients who underwent BAL sampling. ICU mortality was 62% in patients with positive screening and confirmed CAPA, and 31% in CAPA cases who were screening negative. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value (PPV & NPV) of screening for CAPA were 0.71, 0.73, 0.27, and 0.95, respectively. The PPV was higher if screening was culture positive compared to PCR positive only, 0.42 and 0.12 respectively. CAPA was confirmed in 74% of screening positive patients, and culture of TA had a better diagnostic performance than PCR. Positive screening along with clinical manifestations appeared to be a good indication for BAL sampling since diagnosis of CAPA was confirmed in most of these patients. Prospective, systematic screening allowed to quickly gain insight into the epidemiology of fungal superinfections during the pandemic and could be applicable for future pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Atrial fibrillation (AF) symptom relief is a primary indication for catheter ablation, but AF symptom resolution is not well characterized. The study objective was to describe AF symptom documentation in electronic health records (EHRs) pre- and post-ablation and identify correlates of post-ablation symptoms. Methods and results We conducted a retrospective cohort study using EHRs of patients with AF (n = 1293), undergoing ablation in a large, urban health system from 2010 to 2020. We extracted symptom data from clinical notes using a natural language processing algorithm (F score: 0.81). We used Cochran's Q tests with post-hoc McNemar's tests to determine differences in symptom prevalence pre- and post-ablation. We used logistic regression models to estimate the adjusted odds of symptom resolution by personal or clinical characteristics at 6 and 12 months post-ablation. In fully adjusted models, at 12 months post-ablation patients, patients with heart failure had significantly lower odds of dyspnoea resolution [odds ratio (OR) 0.38, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.25–0.57], oedema resolution (OR 0.37, 95% CI 0.25–0.56), and fatigue resolution (OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.34–0.85), but higher odds of palpitations resolution (OR 1.90, 95% CI 1.25–2.89) compared with those without heart failure. Age 65 and older, female sex, Black or African American race, smoking history, and antiarrhythmic use were also associated with lower odds of resolution of specific symptoms at 6 and 12 months. Conclusion The post-ablation symptom patterns are heterogeneous. Findings warrant confirmation with larger, more representative data sets, which may be informative for patients whose primary goal for undergoing an ablation is symptom relief. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Real-world evidence on exposure to harmful and potentially harmful constituents (HPHCs) and on biological effects in cigarette smokers who switch to electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) can inform the health effects of switching. Aims and Methods This cross-sectional, observational study assessed adults who had smoked ≥10 cigarettes/day for ≥10 years, comparing 124 continuing cigarette smokers (Smokers) to 140 former smokers who switched to JUUL-brand ENDS exclusively for ≥6 months (Switchers). Assessments included biomarkers of exposure (BOEs) to select HPHCs, biomarkers of potential harm (BOPHs) related to smoking-related diseases, psychometric assessments of dependence on cigarettes and ENDS, respectively, and respiratory symptoms. Planned analyses compared geometric means, adjusted for demographic covariates; further analyses adjusted for additional lifestyle and smoking history covariates. Results Nicotine levels were significantly higher in Switchers (median time switched = 3 years), who were unusually heavy users of JUUL. All other BOEs, including NNAL and HPMA3 (primary endpoints), were significantly lower in Switchers than Smokers. Most BOPHs (sICAM-1 [primary], and eg, white blood cell count, MCP1, HbA1c) were significantly lower in Switchers than Smokers; HDL was significantly higher. Switchers reported significantly lower dependence on JUUL than Smokers did on cigarettes, and respiratory symptom scores were significantly lower among Switchers than Smokers. Conclusions Compared to continuing smokers, smokers who switched to JUUL had substantially lower exposures to multiple HPHCs, favorable differences in markers of inflammation, endothelial function, oxidative stress, and cardiovascular risk, and fewer respiratory symptoms. These findings suggest that switching from cigarettes to JUUL likely reduces smokers' health risks. Implications Short-term confinement studies and randomized clinical trials demonstrate that adult smokers who switch completely to ENDS experience substantial reductions in exposure to many smoking-related toxicants. This study extends those findings to longer periods of switching to JUUL-brand ENDS (almost 3 years on average) under naturalistic use conditions in real-world settings and also found that switching to JUUL resulted in favorable differences in BOPHs more proximally related to smoking-induced disease, as well as in respiratory symptoms. Smokers who switch to ENDS reduce their exposure to toxicants, likely reducing their disease risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traumatic diaphragmatic hernia is a sign of severe thoracoabdominal trauma that is often difficult to detect because of nonspecific presenting symptoms, delayed presentation, and distracting injuries. Diagnosis depends on imaging and a high degree of suspicion in patients who present with respiratory or gastrointestinal symptoms after trauma, and prompt surgical repair is required. This case reviews a patient who presented to the emergency department with burning epigastric pain radiating to the left chest and hematemesis ~1 month after sustaining a blunt abdominal injury. Imaging studies revealed a substantial portion of the gastric body in the left hemithorax. Robot-assisted reduction of the stomach was performed followed by repair with tension-free primary closure without mesh reinforcement and gastropexy. The patient was monitored for return of bowel function and discharged upon recovery. This case report highlights the diagnostic challenges of traumatic diaphragmatic hernia and the benefit of robot-assisted repair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) generates long‐term sequelae, but studies investigating patients with chronic pain syndrome (CPS) are limited. This study aimed to establish the etiological factors of CPS in patients with post‐COVID‐19 conditions. Methods: This was a case–control retrospective study. The predictor variables were sex, diabetes mellitus, obesity (predisposing factors), unfavorable socioeconomic conditions, impaired rehabilitation (disabling factors), repeated exposure to COVID‐19 (precipitating factor), home isolation, stress overload, fear of dying, admission to intensive care unit, prone positioning, and use of medications (reinforcing factors). The outcome variable was the presence of CPS. Findings: This study included 120 individuals. Prolonged days of isolation (p = 0.005), fear (p < 0.001), stress overload (p < 0.001), and impaired rehabilitation (p = 0.003) were significantly associated with CPS. Conclusions: A significant relationship was found between prolonged days of isolation, fear, stress overload, impaired rehabilitation, and CPS. Implications for nursing practice: The study findings can assist nurses by promoting their knowledge of the causes of CPS and supporting the care planning needs of patients with post‐COVID‐19 conditions, in addition to promoting the use of the NANDA‐International taxonomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Electronic health record–linked portals may improve health-care quality for patients with cancer. Barriers to portal access and use undermine interventions that rely on portals to reduce cancer care disparities. This study examined portal access and persistence of portal use and associations with patient and structural factors before the implementation of 3 portal-based interventions within the Improving the Management of symPtoms during And following Cancer Treatment (IMPACT) Consortium. Methods Portal use data were extracted from electronic health records for the 12 months preceding intervention implementation. Sociodemographic factors, mode of accessing portals (web vs mobile), and number of clinical encounters before intervention implementation were also extracted. Rurality was derived using rural-urban commuting area codes. Broadband access was estimated using the 2015-2019 American Community Survey. Multiple logistic regression models tested the associations of these factors with portal access (ever accessed or never accessed) and persistence of portal use (accessed the portal ≤20 weeks vs ≥21 weeks in the 35-week study period). Results Of 28 942 eligible patients, 10 061 (35%) never accessed the portal. Male sex, membership in a racial and ethnic minority group, rural dwelling, not working, and limited broadband access were associated with lower odds of portal access. Younger age and more clinical encounters were associated with higher odds of portal access. Of those with portal access, 25% were persistent users. Using multiple modalities for portal access, being middle-aged, and having more clinical encounters were associated with persistent portal use. Conclusion Patient and structural factors affect portal access and use and may exacerbate disparities in electronic health record–based cancer symptom surveillance and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emergency nurses must quickly identify patients with potential acute coronary syndrome. However, no recent nationwide research has explored nurses' knowledge of acute coronary syndrome symptoms. The purpose of this study was to explore emergency nurses' recognition of acute coronary syndrome symptoms, including whether nurses attribute different symptoms to women and men. We used a cross-sectional, descriptive design using an online survey. Emergency nurses from across the United States were recruited using postcards and a posting on the Emergency Nurses Association website. Demographic data and participants' recognition of acute coronary syndrome symptoms, using the Acute Coronary Syndrome Symptom Checklist, were collected. Descriptive statistics and ordinal regression were used to analyze the data. The final sample included 448 emergency nurses with a median 7.0 years of emergency nursing experience. Participants were overwhelmingly able to recognize common acute coronary syndrome symptoms, although some symptoms were more often associated with women or with men. Most participants believed that women and men's symptoms were either "slightly different" (41.1%) or "fairly different" (42.6%). Nurses who completed training for the triage role were significantly less likely to believe that men and women have substantially different symptoms (odds ratio 0.47; 95% CI 0.25-0.87). Emergency nurses were able to recognize common acute coronary syndrome symptoms, but some reported believing that the symptom experience of men and women is more divergent than what is reported in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bipolar disorders are serious mental illnesses, yet evidence suggests that the diagnosis and treatment of bipolar disorder can be delayed by around 6 years. Aim: To identify signals of undiagnosed bipolar disorder using routinely collected electronic health records. Design and setting: A nested case–control study conducted using the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) GOLD dataset, an anonymised electronic primary care patient database linked with hospital records. 'Cases' were adult patients with incident bipolar disorder diagnoses between 1 January 2010 and 31 July 2017. Method: The patients with bipolar disorder (the bipolar disorder group) were matched by age, sex, and registered general practice to 20 'controls' without recorded bipolar disorder (the control group). Annual episode incidence rates were estimated and odds ratios from conditional logistic regression models were reported for recorded health events before the index (diagnosis) date. Results: There were 2366 patients with incident bipolar disorder diagnoses and 47 138 matched control patients (median age 40 years and 60.4% female: n = 1430/2366 with bipolar disorder and n = 28 471/47 138 without). Compared with the control group, the bipolar disorder group had a higher incidence of diagnosed depressive, psychotic, anxiety, and personality disorders and escalating self-harm up to 10 years before a bipolar disorder diagnosis. Sleep disturbance, substance misuse, and mood swings were more frequent among the bipolar disorder group than the control group. The bipolar disorder group had more frequent face-to-face consultations, and were more likely to miss multiple scheduled appointments and to be prescribed ≥3 different psychotropic medication classes in a given year. Conclusion: Psychiatric diagnoses, psychotropic prescriptions, and health service use patterns might be signals of unreported bipolar disorder. Recognising these signals could prompt further investigation for undiagnosed significant psychopathology, leading to timely referral, assessment, and initiation of appropriate treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 11th March 2020. The SARS-CoV-2 virus has mutated over time, which has resulted in genetic variation among population of circulating viral strains over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. Preventive measures like vaccination, social distancing, using of face mask and hand hygiene practices played a vital role in mitigating the spread of this pandemic. But were these measures effective enough to curtail this pandemic. Purpose: To assess the presenting features of COVID 19 in the third wave and to assess the effectiveness of preventive measures against COVID 19 during the third wave. Methods: This is a hospital based prospective study where participants were regularly followed up till 14 days, conducted in rural part of North of India. Results: A total of 239 participants were included in this study. The study found that 95% of these participants received first dose of COVID vaccine as compared to 49.8% who received second dose. Some of the participants (39.7%) were not obeying the norms of social distancing. 52.1% of the subjects were using masks, which has been proven to be one of the effective measures for prevention of transmission of COVID 19. 71.1% were practicing hand hygiene measures. Conclusion: Vaccination and using face mask were significantly associated with mitigating the spread of COVID-19 among rural population who visited the health care facility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to develop standardized guidelines for telephone consultations and assess the impact of computerization on clinical utility. Methods: Guidelines for patient classification were developed for 14 symptoms, validated by experts, and integrated into a real-time computer program. Patient classification involved categorizations of 'observation,' 'outpatient,' and 'emergency'. Subsequent to computerization, a survey was conducted to evaluate its usefulness. Results: Items with an Item-Content Validity Index (I-CVI) score of 0.75 or lower were removed or adjusted within the guidelines. Analysis of 200 consultation records indicated that lung cancer (87 cases) was the most common disease and the most prevalent symptom was pain (57 cases). Among 93 cases classified as 'observation', 6 patients visited the emergency room. Among 30 cases categorized as 'outpatient', 24 patients visited a clinic, and 6 patients visited the emergency room. Of the 19 cases classified as 'emergency', 18 patients actually visited the emergency room. User satisfaction from 12 nurses was very high, with an average score of 3.7/4. Conclusion: Due to the standardized telephone triage and the concurrent implementation of a computerized program, healthcare professionals can conveniently and comprehensively analyze big data pertaining to patients' symptoms. Ultimately, nurses were able to receive help with more specialized telenursing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why you should read this article: • To enhance your understanding of the risk of skeletal-related events in patients with bone metastases • To increase your awareness of the need to inform at-risk patients about metastatic spinal cord compression • To identify the potential benefits of monitoring, educating and supporting at-risk patients. Patients with bone metastases are at significant risk of skeletal-related events such as metastatic spinal cord compression (MSCC), pathological fractures and hypercalcaemia. There is increasing evidence to support the early recognition of, and intervention for, skeletal-related events resulting from bone metastases. To enable early diagnosis and treatment, patients and families need to know what signs and symptoms to look out for and be aware that they must promptly report them if they appear. This is particularly the case of MSCC, which is an oncological and palliative care emergency. This article outlines the development of a multidisciplinary palliative care bone metastases review service in England which provides monitoring, education and support to patients with bone metastases. The service has not yet been formally audited but initial achievements and feedback are promising. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Abstract Objective This study aimed to translate and validate the Estro-Androgenic-Symptom Questionnaire in Women (EASQ-W) into Brazilian Portuguese language, as we hypothesized that this tool would be consistent for addressing the specific context of hormonal symptoms in menopause. Methods In a cross-sectional study, a total of 119 women with Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause (GSM) and 119 climacteric women without GSM were included. The EASQ-W was translated, and its psychometric properties were rigorously examined. Participants completed questionnaires covering sociodemographic details, the EASQ-W, and the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS). A subgroup of 173 women was re-invited after 4 weeks for test-retest analysis of the EASQ-W. Additionally, the responsiveness of the questionnaire was evaluated in 30 women who underwent oral hormonal treatment. Results The internal consistency of the EASQ-W was found to be satisfactory in both GSM and control groups (Cronbach’s alpha ≥ 0.70). Notably, a floor effect was observed in both groups; however, a ceiling effect was only evident in the sexual domain of the GSM group. Construct validity was established by comparing the EASQ-W with the MRS, yielding statistically significant correlations (0.33831-0.64580, p < 0.001). The test-retest reliability over a 4-week period was demonstrated to be satisfactory in both the GSM and control groups (ICC 0.787-0.977). Furthermore, the EASQ-W exhibited appropriate responsiveness to oral hormonal treatment (p < 0.001). Conclusion This study successfully translated and validated the Estro-Androgenic-Symptom Questionnaire in Women (EASQ-W) into Brazilian Portuguese, with satisfactory internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and construct validity.

ABSTRACT Objective: to analyze sleep duration and sleep quality in nursing professionals who work in shifts. Method: this is a cross-sectional, analytical research, carried out between September 2017 and April 2018, at a public hospital in southern Brazil, with the nursing team. A socio-occupational and health symptoms questionnaire, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index were used. Data are presented as descriptive and inferential statistics, bivariate analysis, and binary logistic regression. Results: participants were 308 nursing professionals with a predominance of long-term sleep, absence of drowsiness, and poor sleep quality. Short-term sleep (