Factors In Outpatients Research Articles

Constipation-associated factors in outpatients with schizophrenia: A multicenter questionnaire survey.

Constipation is a prevalent gastrointestinal disorder that affects people globally, decreasing their quality of life and life expectancy. Individuals with schizophrenia often suffer from constipation, which could be a result of the illness itself or the side effects of psychotropic medications. However, little research has been conducted on factors contributing to constipation in individuals with schizophrenia. To address this issue, we conducted a survey using self-administered questionnaires and medical records to identify factors associated with constipation in psychiatric outpatients. This study included 399 patients with schizophrenia, resulting in a high prevalence of constipation (43.4%). The analysis suggested that female gender, the doses of antiparkinsonian medications, and benzodiazepine sleeping pills may be associated with constipation.

Malaria Prevalence and Risk Factors in Outpatients at Teda Health Center, Northwest Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Despite extensive efforts and achievements made in prevention and control, malaria is still a public health problem in Ethiopia. Currently, the case number has been climbing, even changing the epidemiology to the previously low-burden reporting locations. Therefore, our study is aimed at assessing malaria prevalence and associated risk factors in outpatients, Northwest Ethiopia. A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 318 malaria-suspected outpatients from October 22 to December 15, 2022, at Teda Health Center, Northwest Ethiopia. Sociodemographic characteristics and malaria risk factors were assessed by a face-to-face interview using a pretested questionnaire. Plasmodium parasites were detected by using microscopy on a blood film stained with 10% and 3% Giemsa stain. The data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences software version 25, and statistical significance was reported at a p value < 0.05. Of the 318 study participants, 124 (39.0%; 95%CI = 33.6% - 44.6%) tested positive for Plasmodium infection. Plasmodium vivax, P. falciparum, and mixed infections were identified in 71 (57.3%), 47 (37.9%), and 6 (4.8%), respectively, among positive study participants. Individuals above the age of 15 (AOR = 2.704, 95% CI 1.370-5.336) were more likely to be infected with Plasmodium than under-five-year-old individuals. Rural residents (AOR = 2.56, 95% CI 1.281-5.098), those who sleep or work outside at night (AOR = 1.99, 95% CI 1.020-3.875), and individuals who did not use long-lasting insecticide-treated net (AOR = 3.26, 95% CI 1.633-6.499) and had a family member with a history of malaria (AOR = 2.902, 95%CI = 1.671 - 5.041) had higher odds of acquiring Plasmodium infection than their counterparts. In our study area, malaria was a major health problem, with P. vivax being the dominant species. Multiple environmental and behavioural factors were associated with the infection acquisition. Therefore, urgent holistic intervention is required.

Non-HDL-C in Conjunction to LDL-C is associated with Incidence of Chronic Coronary Syndrome in Clinical Settings

Background: The biggest cause of death and a major contributor to disability globally is coroner's artery disease (CAD). Chronic coronary syndrome (CCS) is a term that can be used to describe a wide variety of CAD clinical manifestations in clinical settings. Non-HDL-C is advised as a routine component of lipid analysis for risk assessment in patients with elevated plasma TGs. Conflicting results have been yielded as Non-HDL-C is a better marker comparing LDL-C.Objective: The purpose of this study is to find out the relationship of Non-HDL-C levels with the incidence of CCS in conjunction with LDL-C testing in a clinical setting. Methods: Observational analytical research with a cross-sectional design was conducted in Muhammadiyah Palembang Hospital from October to December 2019. Simple random sampling techniques were used to select 89 patients who met the study's inclusion and exclusion criteria. Non-HDL-C and LDL-C calculations based on routine lipid testing. The Chi-Square test with a significant p-value &lt;0,005 was used for bivariate analysis.Results: There is a statistically significant association between non-HDL-C levels and the incidence of CCS (p=0,001), as well as a significant association between LDL-C and CCS incidents (p=0,009). Conclusion: Non-HDL-C provide additional benefits in identifying CAD risk factors in outpatients with CCS patient as well as LDL-C

Physical Activity, Depression and Quality of Life in COPD - Results from the CLARA II Study.

Symptoms of depression, pain and limitations in physical activity may affect quality of life in COPD patients independent from their respiratory burden. We aimed to analyze the associations of these factors in outpatients with COPD in Austria in a stable phase of disease. We conducted a national, cross-sectional study among patients with COPD. For depression, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and for respiratory symptoms the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire for COPD patients (SGRQ-C) were used along with 10-point scales for physical activity and pain. After exclusion of 211 patients due to non-obstructive spirometry or missing data, 630 patients (62.5% men; mean age 66.8±8.6 (SD) years; mean FEV1%pred. 54.3 ± 16.5 (SD)) were analyzed. Of these, 47% reported one or more exacerbations in the previous year, 10.4% with hospitalization. A negative depression score was found in 54% and a score suggesting severe depression (PHQ-9 score≥15) in 4.7%. In a multivariate linear regression model, self-reported pain, dyspnea, and number of exacerbations were predictors for higher PHQ-9-scores. A negative pain score was found in 43.8%, and a score suggesting severe pain in 2.9% (8-10 points of 10-point scale). Patients reporting severe pain were more often female, had more exacerbations, and reported more respiratory and depressive symptoms, a lower quality of life, and less physical activity. About 46% of patients rated their physical activity as severely impaired. These patients were significantly older, had more exacerbations, concomitant heart disease, a higher pain and depression score, and a lower quality of life (SGRQ-C - total score and all subscores). In Austria, nearly half of stable COPD outpatients reported symptoms of depression, which were associated with lower levels of self-reported physical activity, more pain, and respiratory symptoms. The associations were particularly strong for depression with SGRQ-C.

Disease control and its associated factors in outpatients with rheumatoid arthritis

The present study aimed to evaluate disease activity and explore the factors associated with poor disease control among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).&lt;b&gt; &lt;/b&gt;This cross-sectional study was conducted at outpatient rheumatology clinics in two teaching hospitals in Jordan. Medication adherence was assessed using the validated five-item compliance questionnaire for rheumatology, and disease activity was assessed using the clinical disease activity Index score. Ordinal regression was performed to explore the factors associated with uncontrolled RA. Most of the participants (n=261) demonstrated moderate to high disease activity (71.2%). Seronegative RA (B=-0.882, CI [-1.584/-0.180], p&amp;lt;0.05) was significantly associated with lower disease activity, while medication non-adherence was significantly associated with poor RA control (B=1.023, CI [0.289-1.756], p&amp;lt;0.01). Future research should explore the factors associated with medication non-adherence. These factors should be targeted in future interventions to improve RA control, particularly in patients who suffer from high disease severity.

Association between precautionary behaviors against coronavirus disease and psychosocial factors in outpatients with a pre-existing disease and their attendants.

The spread of the novel coronavirus infection (coronavirus disease 2019 [COVID-19]) has caused behavioral changes and mental illness in patients and their attendants during its early phase. The present study aimed to examine the association between precautionary behaviors against COVID-19 and psychosocial factors in outpatients with pre-existing disease and their attendants. We conducted a cross-sectional paper-based questionnaire survey in Chiba University Hospital on 1019 patients and 513 attendants, and a web-based questionnaire survey in Japan on 3981 individuals from the general population. We evaluated the participants' anxiety about COVID-19, depression, health anxiety, and precautionary behaviors. Regarding knowledge and anxiety about COVID-19, the protective factors for the high precautionary behaviors group were knowledge of COVID-19 (odds ratio [OR] = 1.178, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.099-1.263), anxiety about the spread of COVID-19 (OR = 1.348, 95% CI: 1.243-1.461), and anxiety about infecting someone with COVID-19 (OR = 1.135, 95% CI: 1.039-0.239). Regarding psychosocial factors, the protective factors for the high precautionary behaviors group were patients (OR = 1.759, 95% CI: 1.056-2.929), their attendants (OR = 3.892, 95% CI: 1.416-10.700), health anxiety (OR = 2.005, 95% CI: 1.451-2.772), and nondepression states (OR = 1.368, 95% CI: 1.004-1.864). Our findings suggest that patients and their attendants may perform high precautionary behaviors. Health anxiety and nondepression states may be associated with high precautionary behaviors.

Non-adherence to pharmacotherapy and its associated factors in outpatients with rheumatoid arthritis

Non-adherence to pharmacotherapy and its associated factors in outpatients with rheumatoid arthritis

Prevalence of Gestational Diabetes and Associated Maternal Factor

The prevalence of gestational diabetes is rising all over the world. Maternal and neonatal complications are associated with gestational diabetes Mellitus. Objective: To investigate the prevalence of gestational diabetes and associated maternal factors in outpatients of Jinnah Hospital Lahore. Methods: The descriptive cross-sectional study design was used to assess the prevalence of gestational diabetes and associated maternal factors with a 200-population size that is deliberated from Slovin’s formula for the pregnant women of the Gynae outpatient’s department at Jinnah Hospital Lahore. The convenient sampling technique is used to collect the data from pregnant women. The study took approximately 9 months. The questionnaire asked about sociodemographic factors, family history, and medical history. Results: The prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus was 36.8% in Pakistan. Positive family history (41.4%), increased BMI (46.6%), parity (83.5%), and obesity (59.2%) were determinants of gestational diabetes mellitus. Maternal complications like pre-eclampsia (8.3%), pregnancy-induced hypertension (20.1%), cesarean (48.9%), and antepartum hemorrhage (20.2%) were higher in GDM women. Conclusions: The study finding reveals that gestational diabetes mellitus was discovered to be highly prevalent in Pakistani women and they were at higher risk of developing maternal complications. Women with advanced maternal age, low monthly income, obesity, a family history of diabetes, parity number, and increased BMI are risk factors for Gestational diabetes mellitus.

Clinical correlates of COVID-19 disease in psychiatric outpatients

IntroductionPatients suffering from psychiatric illness represent a population that is particularly vulnerable to the SARS-CoV-2 virus and to the pandemic situation due to several factors.ObjectivesWe aimed in our study to determine the rate of COVID-19 infection and to identify its correlated factors in outpatients of the psychiatry department of Monastir, Tunisia.MethodsThis is a descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study conducted on 178 outpatients at the department of psychiatry (Monastir, Tunisia) over a period of one month (from March 2022 to April 2022). Data was collected via a questionnaire focused on two main attributes: (1) sociodemographic and clinical characteristics; (2) questions about the COVID-19 personal and family history.ResultsThe mean age of our population was 44.9±13.7 years. The majority of them (81.5%) had a chronic evolution of their psychiatric disorder (&gt; 2 years) and 68.7% were hospitalized at least once in psychiatry. Psychosis was the most represented disorder with 57.3% compared to mood disorders and anxiety disorders. Among our population, thirty seven patients (21%) had a SARS-CoV-2 infection and 3.1% required hospital care. The infection by the virus of a family member was reported by 46% of cases and 2.5% had intrafamilial death due to COVID-19 disease. Patients with depressive disorder were the most affected (55%). COVID-19 infection was significantly associated with gender (p=0.02), marital status (p=0.016), diagnosis (p=0.001), treatment (p=0.02) and intrafamilial spread of the disease (p&lt;10-3).ConclusionsPatients with psychiatric disorders experience a distinct burden of the COVID-19 disease. Awareness of the vulnerability of this population and psychiatric institutions is necessary in order to adapt mental health care planning and implement preventive measures during potential subsequent pandemics.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Epidemiology and Risk Factors of Community-Associated Bloodstream Infections in Zhejiang Province, China, 2017-2020.

Community-associated bloodstream infection (CA-BSI) is increasing in many community settings. However, the clinical significance and epidemiology of CA-BSI present in hospital admissions in China are not well established. In this work, we identified the risk factors in outpatients presenting with CA-BSI, and investigate the role of procalcitonin (PCT) and hypersensitive C-reactive protein (CRP) in diagnosing different types of the pathogen in patients with acute CA-BSI. A retrospective study enrolling 219 outpatients with CA-BSI from The Zhejiang People's Hospital from January 2017 to December 2020 was performed. Susceptibility of the isolates obtained from these patients was examined. Subjecting receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC) were constructed to analyze the specificity and sensitivity of PCT, CRP, and WBC in determining infections caused by different bacterial genera. Risk factors for CA-BSI in the emergency setting were analyzed using essential information and simple identification of other pathogenic bacterial species through rapidly tested biomarkers. A total of 219 patients were included in the selection criteria, of which 103 were infected with Gram-positive bacteria (G+) and 116 with Gram-negative bacteria (G-). The PCT was significantly higher in the GN-BSI group than in the GP-BSI group, while no significant difference was observed between the two groups for CRP. Subjecting ROC curves were constructed to analyze WBC, CRP, and PCT, and the area under the curve (AUC) of the PCT in this model was 0.6661, with sensitivity = 0.798 and specificity = 0.489. The PCT between the GP-BSI group and the GN-BSI group was significantly different. By combining the knowledge of clinicians and the clinical signs of patients, PCT should be utilized as a supplementary approach to initially determine pathogens and direct medication in the early stages of clinical practice.

Construction of an Explanatory Model for Quality of Life in Outpatients with Ulcerative Colitis

Introduction: To date, no studies have reported explanatory models of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with ulcerative colitis. Therefore, this study aimed to examine HRQoL and its related factors in outpatients with ulcerative colitis to construct an explanatory model. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey at a clinic in Japan. The HRQoL was evaluated using the 32-item Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire. We extracted explanatory variables of HRQoL from demographic, physical, psychological, and social factors reported in previous studies and created a predictive explanatory model. The relationship between explanatory variables and the questionnaire total score was examined using Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient, the Mann-Whitney test, or the Kruskal-Wallis test. We conducted multiple regression and path analyses to examine the effect of explanatory variables on the total score. Results: We included 203 patients. Variables that were associated with the total score were the partial Mayo score (r = −0.451), treatment side effects (p = 0.004), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety score (r = −0.678), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Depression score (r = −0.528), and the availability of an advisor during difficult times (p = 0.001). The model included the partial Mayo score, treatment side effects, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety score, and the availability of an advisor during difficult times as explanatory variables of the total score that showed the best goodness-of-fit (adjusted R² = 0.597). The anxiety score exerted the greatest negative effect on the questionnaire total score (β = −0.586), followed by the partial Mayo score (β = −0.373), treatment side effects (β = 0.121), and availability of an advisor during difficult times (β = −0.101). Conclusion: Psychological symptoms exerted the strongest direct effect on HRQoL in outpatients with ulcerative colitis and mediated the relationship between social support and HRQoL. Nurses should listen carefully to the concerns and anxieties of patients to ensure that a social support system is provided by leveraging multidisciplinary collaborations.

Associations of multidimensional fatigue with the physical, psychological, and situational factors in outpatients with heart failure: a cross-sectional study.

Fatigue, a distressing symptom in patients with heart failure (HF), is associated with progress and health outcomes. Fatigue has been identified as having multidimensions, but a few studies have used a multidimensional fatigue scale. Many factors related to HF, including physical, psychological, and situational factors, may impact fatigue. However, there is limited knowledge about how these HF-related factors are associated with multidimensional fatigue in outpatients with HF in Japan. The aim of this study was to identify HF-related factors [physical; clinical characteristics, New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class and physical function, psychological; depressive symptoms and anxiety, situational; health literacy and perceived control] associated with the five dimensions of fatigue in outpatients with HF. Outpatients with HF (N = 165, mean age = 69.5 years, 78.8% male) completed the survey and physical assessment of gait speed. Fatigue was assessed using five dimensions of the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory-20. Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted for each dimension of fatigue. General fatigue was predicted by age, NYHA, and perceived control. Physical fatigue was predicted by NYHA, depressive symptoms, and perceived control. Reduced activity was predicted by NYHA, gait speed, depressive symptoms, communicative health literacy, and critical health literacy. The reduced motivation was predicted by depressive symptoms and perceived control. Mental fatigue was predicted by depressive symptoms. Different factors were significantly associated with each fatigue dimension. Further research is needed to alleviate fatigue in patients with HF.

Treatment adherence in asthma outpatients at Ba Ria hospital in 2021-2022

Background: The Global Burden of Disease Study found that in 2017, asthma caused about 495 thousand deaths, affecting about 300 million people worldwide. Adherence increases the effectiveness of treatment. Studies on asthma in the world and in Vietnam show that the adherence rate fluctuates in various regions, ranging from 30 to 70%. Objectives: To determine the rate of treatment adherence and some associated factors in outpatients with asthma at Ba Ria Hospital in 2021-2022. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study on 247 asthma patients from October 2021 to January 2022. Assessment of treatment adherence using Atta Abbas Naqvi's General Medication Adherence Scale (GMAS) scale. Results: The study showed that 77.7% of asthmatics had adherence with GMAS 30-33 points (GMAS=33 accounted for 48.6%, GMAS=30-32 points accounted for 29.1%). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that age, smoking, Covid- 19 epidemic statistically significantly affect treatment adherence of asthma patients. Conclusion: The study showed that treatment adherence in asthma outpatients at the hospital reached a high level compared with domestic and international studies.

"Fungal Skin Diseases and Related Factors in Outpatients of Three Tertiary Care Hospitals of Dhaka, an Urban City of Bangladesh: Cross-Sectional Study"

"Fungal Skin Diseases and Related Factors in Outpatients of Three Tertiary Care Hospitals of Dhaka, an Urban City of Bangladesh: Cross-Sectional Study"

Time to resolution of respiratory and systemic coronavirus disease 2019 symptoms in community setting

ObjectivesTo assess the time to resolution of respiratory and systemic symptoms and their associated factors in outpatients during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. MethodsCohort study including adult outpatients, managed with Covidom, a telesurveillance solution, with RT-PCR-confirmed diagnosis, from 9 March 2020 until 23 February 2021. Follow up was 30 days after symptom onset. ResultsAmong the 9667 patients included, mean age was 43.2 ± 14.0 years, and 67.5% were female (n = 6522). Median body mass index (BMI) was 25.0 kg/m2 (interquartile range 22.1–28.8 kg/m2). Main co-morbidities were: hypertension (12.9%; n = 1247), asthma (11.0%; n = 1063) and diabetes mellitus (5.5%; n = 527). The most frequent symptom during follow up was dyspnoea (65.1%; n = 6296), followed by tachypnoea (49.9%; n = 4821), shivers (45.6%; n = 4410) and fever (36.7%; n = 3550). Median times to resolution of systemic and respiratory symptoms were 3 days (95% CI 2−4 days) and 7 days (95% CI 6−8 days), respectively. Ultimately, 17.2% (95% CI 15.7%−18.8%) still presented respiratory symptoms at day 30. Longer time to respiratory symptom resolution was associated with older age, increased BMI, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, coronary artery disease, asthma and heart failure. Regarding systemic symptoms, coronary artery disease, asthma, age above 40 years and elevated BMI were associated with longer time to resolution. ConclusionsTime to symptom resolution among outpatients with COVID-19 seemed shorter for systemic than respiratory symptoms. Prolonged respiratory symptoms were common at day 30. Risk factors associated with later resolution included age, and cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases.

Cognitive functioning after six months of follow-up in a sample of alcohol use disorder outpatients.

Until now, no follow-up studies had simultaneously evaluated executive functions, other non-executive functions related cognitive functions, and impulsivity in a large enough sample of moderate to severe alcohol use disorder (AUD) patients. The main objective of the present study was to compare neuropsychological performance and its relation to alcohol use in patients with AUD and healthy controls, and to determine the evolution of cognitive impairment and alcohol use over time. For this purpose, a 6-month follow-up study was designed to compare a sample of 100 outpatients with AUD (DSM-5 criteria) with 100 matched healthy controls. The patient group was recruited from three different health centres in Spain located in Orense, Gijón and Barcelona. The assessment consisted of a systematic battery of cognitive tests to evaluate the following functions: attention, anterograde memory, processing speed, verbal fluency, executive function, and implicit attitude toward alcoholic beverages. We also compared clinical variables associated with alcohol use, such as alcohol craving and impulsivity. After 6 months, anterograde memory, working memory, and resistance to interference improved remarkably in AUD patients, although not enough to match the normal population. With regard to clinical variables, there was a small but significant cognitive improvement related to a reduction in alcohol use and impulsivity. Executive dysfunction and other non-executive functions related cognitive functions impairment can be considered prognostic factors in outpatients with moderate to severe AUD.

Thirst distress in outpatients with heart failure in a Mediterranean zone of Spain.

AimsThis study aimed to evaluate psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Thirst Distress Scale for patients with Heart Failure (TDS‐HF) and to describe thirst distress‐associated factors in outpatients at a heart failure (HF) clinic in Spain. Thirst is common in patients with HF, but thirst distress has rarely been addressed and may significantly decrease quality of life.Methods and resultsA cross‐sectional study was performed assessing perceived thirst distress by patients with HF during the preceding 3 days, with the TDS‐HF (scores 8 to 40). Univariable and multivariable linear regression analyses were performed to identify variables independently associated with thirst distress. Three‐hundred two HF outpatients were included (age 67 ± 12 years, 74% male, HF duration 82 ± 75 months, left ventricular ejection fraction 42 ± 14%). Most patients were on treatment with fluid restriction (99%), sodium restriction (99%), and diuretics (70%). The psychometric evaluation of the Spanish version of the TDS‐HF showed satisfactory item‐total and inter‐item correlations (range from 0.77 to 0.85 and 0.60 to 0.84, respectively), and internal consistency was 0.95 (Cronbach's alpha). The majority perceived mild to moderate thirst distress, and 18% perceived it as high or severe. The mean score obtained was 16.2 ± 9.3 (median 13, Q1–Q3 8–20). Higher serum urea {beta coefficient 1.6 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.267 to 2.92], P = 0.019} and lower potassium [beta coefficient −3.63 (85% CI −6.32 to −0.93), P = 0.009] remained significantly associated with thirst distress in the multivariable analysis, together with the dose of diuretics [beta coefficient 2.98 (95% CI 1.37 to 4.59), P < 0.001]. Treatment with angiotensin receptor blocker showed an independent protective effect [beta coefficient −3.62 (95% CI −6.89 to −0.345), P = 0.03].ConclusionsThe psychometric evaluation of the Spanish version of the TDS‐HF showed good psychometric properties. One in five patients experienced severe distress by thirst, but the majority had mild to moderate thirst distress. The dose of diuretics and angiotensin receptor blocker treatment influence thirst distress and could be clinically important targets to relieve thirst distress in patients with HF.

Poorly controlled ambulatory blood pressure in outpatients with peripheral arterial disease.

BackgroundPatients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) are generally less intensively managed than patients with coronary heart disease (CHD), despite that their risk of complications is believed to be equivalent. Identification of PAD patients at risk of poorly controlled blood pressure (BP) could lead to improved treatment, thus lowering the risk of cardiovascular (CV) complications. We aimed to describe the prevalence of poorly controlled cardiovascular (CV) risk factors, focusing on BP, in outpatients with PAD diagnosed in a vascular ultrasound laboratory.MethodsConsecutive outpatients with carotid and/or lower extremity PAD were included (n = 402) and examined with blood sampling, clinical BP, and 24-h ambulatory BP measurements. A poorly controlled clinical BP was defined as ≥140/90 mmHg, ambulatory BP ≥130/80 mmHg, low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol level ≥2.5 mmol/L, and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level >53 mmol/mol in those with diabetes.ResultsMost of the patients had poorly controlled clinical (76.6%) and ambulatory BP (51.7%) profiles. Antihypertensive medications were prescribed in 84% of the patients. However, >40% of them used only 0–1 medication, and <25% of them used three or more agents. Clinical BP, a low number of medications, body mass index, and the presence of diabetes independently predicted a poorly controlled ambulatory BP. Nearly one-third of the patients were smokers, and most of the cohort had an LDL-cholesterol level of ≥2.5 mmol/L. An HbA1c level of >53 mmol/mol was present in 55% of diabetic patients.ConclusionPoorly controlled clinical and ambulatory systolic BP profiles were common. In addition, suboptimal control of other important CV risk factors was detected. The findings of this study highlight the need for better preventive efforts against CV risk factors in outpatients with PAD.

Self-care perception and behaviour in patients with heart failure: A qualitative and quantitative study.

Background and objectiveSelf‐care strategies in heart failure (HF) are effective for disease management, yet adherence in many patients is inadequate. Reasons are presumably multifactorial but remain insufficiently investigated; thus, we aimed to analyse self‐care adherence and associated factors in outpatients with HF.Methods and resultsTo measure self‐care levels and explore barriers and facilitators to self‐care adherence in patients with HF, quantitative study using the European Self‐Care Behaviour Scale (EHFScBS‐9) (n = 80; NYHA II–III, mean age 72 ± 10 years, 58% male) and qualitative study using semi‐structured interviews (n = 32; NYHA II–III, mean age 73 ± 11, 63% male) were conducted. We detected lowest adherence to regular exercise (39%) and contacts with healthcare provider in case of worsening symptoms (47%), whereas adherence was highest for regular medication taking (94%). Using the EHFScBS‐9 standardized cut‐off score ≤ 70, 51% of patients reported inadequate self‐care. Binary logistic regression analysis showed significant influence of education (OR = 0.314, 95% CI: 0.103–0.959) and perceived control (OR = 1.236, 95% CI: 1.043–1.465) on self‐care adequacy. According to the situation‐specific theory of HF self‐care, most commonly reported factors affecting the process of self‐care were knowledge about HF self‐care behaviours (84%), experience with healthcare professionals (84%), beliefs about their expertise (69%) and habits related to medication taking (72%). Among values, working responsibilities (53%) and maintenance of traditions (31%) appeared as the most prevalent socially based values affecting motivation for self‐care. Situational characteristics related to the person (self‐confidence, 53%; adaptive coping strategies, 88%), problem (burdensome breathing difficulties, 56%; co‐morbidities, 81%) and environment (practical support from family/caregivers, 59%; financial difficulties, 50%) were also commonly reported.ConclusionsVarious factors, including health‐related beliefs, habits and socially based values, need to be taken into account when planning self‐care interventions in patients with HF. A patient tailored approach should be based on adequate patient evaluation, taking into consideration the particular personal and social context.

Biomarkers of Zinc and Copper Status and Associated Factors in Outpatients with Ischemic and Non-Ischemic Heart Failure

Background: Few studies have explored the impact of ischemic and non-ischemic etiologies of heart failure and other factors associated with heart failure on zinc and copper status. This study examined zinc and copper status in 80 outpatients with ischemic (n = 36) and non-ischemic (n = 44) heart failure and associations with biodemographic, clinical, biochemical, and nutritional parameters. Materials: Biomarkers of plasma zinc and copper, copper-zinc ratio, 24-h urinary zinc excretion, ceruloplasmin, and dietary intake of zinc and copper were assessed. Plasma zinc and copper and urinary zinc were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Results: Patients with ischemic heart failure showed lower dietary zinc intake and higher dietary copper intake (both p = 0.02). Zinc and copper in plasma, copper-zinc ratio, ceruloplasmin, and 24-h urinary zinc excretion showed no statistical differences between the groups (all p ≥ 0.05). An inverse association was found between age (β =−0.001; p = 0.005) and the use of diuretics (β = -0.047; p = 0.013) and plasma zinc. Copper levels in plasma (β = 0.001; p < 0.001), and albumin (β = 0.090; p<0.001) were directly associated with plasma zinc. A positive association was found between ceruloplasmin (β = 0.011; p < 0.001), gamma-glutamyl transferase (β = 0.001; p < 0.001), albumin (β = 0.077; p = 0.001), and high-sensitivity c-reactive protein (β = 0.001; p = 0.024) and plasma copper. Conclusion: Zinc and copper biomarkers in clinically stable patients with heart failure did not seem to be responsive to the differences in zinc and copper intake observed in this study, regardless of heart failure etiology. The predictors of plasma zinc and copper levels related to oxidative stress and inflammation should be monitored in heart failure clinical practice.