Quality Of Life Scores Research Articles

Evaluation of learning curves for contact laser vaporization of the prostate using the 980 nm diode laser for benign prostatic hyperplasia.

We investigated the background of patients who underwent contact laser vaporization of the prostate (CVP) surgery and the learning curve of the operators. A total of 207 patients who underwent CVP surgery for benign prostatic hyperplasia between August 2018 and March 2023 were included in this study. Patient background, perioperative results, pre- and postoperative urinary flow tests, and complications were collected retrospectively. We enrolled 12 doctors who were divided into expert (five doctors) and novice (seven doctors) groups based on the number of TURP experiences before CVP. The median patient age was 73 years (51-92 years) and prostate volume was 56 cc (15-190 cc) with no difference between the expert and novice groups. Complications included urinary retention (eight cases), hematuria (four), urinary tract infection (four), intraoperative perforation (two), and postoperative stricture (one). Both cases of intraoperative perforation occurred in the novice group. The expert group had a significantly shorter operative time (38 vs. 66 min) and a higher operative efficacy of prostate volume divided by operative time (1.43 vs. 0.88 cc/min). Postoperatively, IPSS, quality of life scores, and postvoid residual urine volume decreased, and maximal flow rate increased; however, there was no significant difference between the groups. The expert group showed stable operative time and operative efficacy after about five to eight cases, while the novice group showed stable after about 15 cases. Our findings suggest that CVP was safely performed at our hospital, and operators with limited experience in TURP can achieve stable perioperative results.

Perceptions and Expectations: A Study on Prognostic Perception and Quality of Life in Patients With Metastatic Renal and Bladder Cancer.

Durable complete response rates for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) and metastatic bladder cancer (mBC) are low despite new therapy. Palliative care focuses on life extension and quality of life (QoL), not cure. This study aims to investigate patients' perceptions of treatment outcomes in mRCC and mBC and to assess the influence of QoL and optimism levels on these perceptions. From March 15, 2023, to January 15, 2024, a multicenter, cross-sectional online survey was carried out, targeting patients diagnosed with mRCC and mBC. The survey comprised structured questions aimed at evaluating perceptions concerning disease cure, symptom improvement, daily activity performance, and life extension due to treatment. Additionally, to evaluate optimism and QoL, the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer 30.3 QoL questionnaire and life orientation test were implemented. Study on patients' perceptions of treatment outcomes in metastatic kidney and bladder cancer shows high optimism, inaccurate cure beliefs. In total, 169 patients participated in the survey; the majority of the patients stated their general health status as good (72.2%) and excellent (13.6%). Patients who rated their overall health status as good-excellent had a higher median general QoL and optimism score compared with those who rated it as fair-poor. In all, 85.2% of patients considered the possibility of a cure very likely or likely. Most participants believed treatment could provide symptom relief (30.2% very likely, 49.1% likely), enhanced ability to perform daily activities (28.4% very likely, 55.6% likely), and life extension (32.5% very likely, 53.3% likely). Patients responding very likely and likely to these questions regarding treatment outcomes had higher QoL and optimism scores than those responding a little likely and not possible. The majority of patients with mRCC and mBC held inaccurate beliefs about treatment outcomes. Better QoL and optimism were associated with increased inaccuracy.

Can we improve the management of inoperable malignant bowel obstruction? Results of a feasibility study of elemental diet as an alternative to parenteral nutrition in patients with advanced gynaecological cancer

PurposeNutrition support in inoperable bowel obstruction (IBO) remains challenging. Parenteral nutrition (PN) is recommended if the prognosis is > 2 months. An elemental diet (ED) is licensed for strictures in Crohn’s disease but has not been used in malignant bowel obstruction. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of ED in patients with IBO and provide a proof of concept of ED as an acceptable feeding option.MethodsThis was a mixed-methods single-arm feasibility study. The primary endpoint was to provide a ‘proof of concept’ of ED as an acceptable feeding option for patients with IBO. Secondary endpoints included taste acceptability, incidences of vomiting and pain, the proportion of women who tolerated ED, the number of cartons drunk, quality of life (QOL) and the number of women treated with chemotherapy. Patients (> 18 years) with CT-confirmed IBO who could tolerate 500 ml of liquid in 24 h remained on the trial for 2 weeks.ResultsA total of 29 patients were recruited; of those, 19 contributed to the analysis for the primary endpoint; 13 (68.4%) participants tolerated the ED; 26 patients contributed to MSAS and EORTC QLQ questionnaires at baseline to allow for the assessment of symptoms. At the start of the study, 18 (69%) of patients experienced vomiting, reducing to 4 (25%) by the end of day 15 of the study; 24 (92%) of patients reported pain at consent, reducing to 12 (75%) by the end of day 15. QOL scores improved from 36.2 (95% CI 27.7–44.7) at baseline to 53.1 (95% CI 40.3–66) at the end of day 15; 16 (84%) participants commenced chemotherapy within the first week of starting ED. The number of cartons across all participants showed a median of 1.3 cartons per day (range 0.8 to 2.5).ConclusionED is well tolerated by patients with IBO caused by gynaecological malignancies and may have a positive effect on symptom burden and QOL.

Quality of Life Outcomes in Breast Cancer Patients Receiving Chemotherapy With or Without Radiation Therapy

PurposeUnderstanding quality of life (QOL) implications of individual components of breast cancer treatment is important as systemic therapies continue to improve oncologic outcomes. We hypothesized that adjuvant radiation therapy does not significantly impact QOL domains in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. MethodsData was drawn from three prospective studies in women with localized breast cancer being treated with chemotherapy from March 2014 to December 2019. Patient-reported measures were collected at baseline (pretreatment) and post-treatment using the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue (FACIT-F) measure, which consists of 5 subscales. Changes in mean QOL scores in patients who received radiotherapy were compared to those who did not using a one-sided noninferiority method. Statistical significance was determined below 0.05 to meet noninferiority. ResultsIn a sample of 175 patients, 131 were treated with radiation and 44 had no radiation. The sample consisted mostly of stage I-II breast cancer (78%) with hormone receptor positive (59%) disease, receiving either neoadjuvant (36%) or adjuvant chemotherapy (64%). Mean change in QOL for the group treated with radiation compared to no radiation was noninferior with respect to Physical Well-Being (P = .0027), Social/Family Well-Being (P = .0002), Emotional Well-Being (P = .0203), FACIT-Fatigue Subscale (P = .0072), and the Total FACIT-F score (P = .0005); however, mean change in QOL did not meet noninferiority for Functional Well-Being (P = .0594). ConclusionPatient-reported QOL from baseline to post-treatment, using the Total FACIT-F score, was noninferior in patients treated with versus without radiation therapy. This finding, in addition to individualized QOL subscales, provides important information in the informed decision-making process when discussing the effects of locoregional radiation on QOL in localized breast cancer patients treated with chemotherapy.

Clinical effectiveness of dimethyl fumarate in multiple sclerosis patients from Argentina.

We assessed the effectiveness, safety and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) of dimethyl fumarate (DMF) in real-world clinical practice in patients with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) from Argentina. We conducted a multicenter ambispective cohort study in Argentina between September 2020 and March 2023. Changes in annualized relapse rate (ARR), Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), no evidence of disease activity (NEDA), PROs (depression, anxiety, fatigue, burden of treatment and quality of life), and safety data were collected at clinical visits performed every 6 months for at least 24 months. We included 161 PwMS (64% female). DMF treatment was associated with a significant reduction in ARR from baseline after 24 months of treatment (from 0.87 to 0.23, p < 0.001). Disability progression was observed in 27.9% vs. 9.3% pre- and post-DMF, and disability improvement was found in 13% of patients from baseline to month 24. MRI activity was significantly reduced compared with baseline. Fatigue, depression, and quality of life scores were significantly improved from baseline to 24 months. Flushing was the most frequent adverse event reported in 19.2%. No significant reduction was observed in the hospitalization rate pre- and post-DMF (19.8% vs. 5.6%, p = 0.32). During follow-up, 135 (83%) patients were relapse-free, 110 (68.3%) were MRI free activity (Gad + lesion) and 108 (67%) reached NEDA. DMF significantly reduced disease activity in PwMS from Argentina with a good safety profile in real-world settings. A significant impact on the quality of life during follow-up was found.

Impact of Treatment on Quality of Life in Oropharyngeal Cancer Survivors: A 3-Year Prospective Study.

(1) Background: This prospective study aimed to assess the impact on quality of life (QoL) from pretreatment to 3 years after treatment in oropharyngeal carcinoma (OPC) survivors. (2) Methods: QoL was measured with the EORTC QLQ-C30 and EORTC QLQ-H&N35 scales before treatment and in the first and third years. (3) Results: Of 72 patients, 51 completed all questionnaires over 3 years. A variable deterioration of QoL scores was detected before treatment. Most items worsened significantly after treatment and during the first year and improved in the third year. Advanced-stage cancer and definitive chemoradiotherapy treatment showed the worst scores. At 3 years, patients who underwent surgery with adjuvant radiation therapy/chemotherapy had significantly better scores on global QoL and emotional functioning compared to those treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy, who also reported problems with sticky salivation and dry mouth. Patients treated with an open surgical approach showed significantly greater deterioration in physical and role functioning compared to transoral surgery. (4) Conclusions: This long-term prospective study is the first in Spain to use EORCT scales in a homogeneous group of OPC survivors. QoL was generally good, although patients needed a long period of time to recover from both cancer and side effects of treatment. Advanced-stage cancer and definitive chemoradiotherapy showed the worst scores.

Impact of hypersensitivity-hyperactivity syndrome on the quality of life of dogs and their owners

This study investigates the impact of the behaviours of dogs with hypersensitivity-hyperactivity syndrome (HSHA) on their quality of life (QoL) and that of their owners. Dogs classified under this diagnosis label present polymorphous and productive symptoms that often leads to owner exhaustion and significant challenges in daily life. Utilizing a survey to collect data on the mental and physical health of dogs and the well-being of their owners, the study compared 20 HSHA-affected dogs with matched 20 control dogs. Resultsreveal that owners of HSHA dogs report significantly lower QoL scores compared to owners of control dogs, citing increased stress, physical injuries, and emotional distress. Additionally, HSHA dogs exhibited lower well-being and more frequent physical health issues, such as injuries and digestive problems, compared to control dogs.The findings underscore the need for early diagnosis and effective management of HSHA to improve the welfare of affected dogs, prevent potential relinquishments or euthanasia, and enhance the quality of life for their owners. Future research should focus on longitudinal studies with larger and more diverse populations to develop targeted strategies for managing HSHA in dogs, ultimately fostering healthier and happier human-animal relationships.

Relationship between Lifestyle with Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Patients

The high rate of increase in mortality due to breast cancer shows the need for lifestyle modifications to reduce the mortality rate due to breast cancer. an increase in pain which results in a decrease in quality of life so that it can reduce compliance with patient treatment which hurts prognosis and death due to cancer. So it is important to target quality of life in breast cancer patients. Something closely related to a better quality of life is lifestyle, lifestyle modifications need to be made to maintain the lives of breast cancer patients. This research uses quantitative methods using a correlational design with a cross-sectional approach to determine the relationship between lifestyle and quality of life in breast cancer patients. Researchers used the pearson correlation test if the data is normally distributed (&gt;0.05) and use the spearman correlation test if the data is not normally distributed (&lt;0.05), this test is used to see whether there is a relationship between lifestyle and the quality of life of breast cancer patients. The research was conducted at the RSUD Kota Bogor with the total 116 respondents by filling in the Lifestyle Questionnaire Related to Cancer and the EORTC QLQ-30 quality of life instrument for breast cancer patients and the results of the two were correlated with a p-value &lt;0.001, r = 0.88. Analysis of the relationship carried out on 8 lifestyle factors with 3 quality of life scales, was found that 5 lifestyle factors were interconnected with the quality of life scale. Overall, quality of life influences the lifestyle of breast cancer patients in Bogor City Regional Hospital with a strong positive relationship. This research can help clinicians in the development and management of cancer to improve the quality of life of breast cancer patients.

Effect of Selected Yoga Interventions on Psycho-Physiological Function in IT Professionals with Chronic Back Pain - A Randomized Controlled Trial

Purpose: This study sought to explore the effects of specific yoga practices on psycho-physiological function in IT professionals suffering from CLBP. Material and Methods: IT professionals with CLBP (n=83) were randomly allocated to intervention group (n=41) in which they practiced yoga interventions for 12 weeks, while the control group (n=42) received standard care without any special intervention. Pain intensity, quality of life (QoL), chronic pain self-efficacy, and self-efficacy for managing chronic disease were evaluated before and after the 12-week intervention period using the brief pain inventory (BPI), rand 36-item health survey, chronic pain self-efficacy scale (CPSS), and 6-item stanford self-efficacy for managing chronic disease (SSMCD-6) scale. Yoga group participants (n=32) demonstrated significant improvements in pain intensity, QoL, chronic pain self-efficacy, and self-efficacy for managing chronic disease compared to the control group (n=34). Results: Specifically, the yoga group showed a mean reduction in intensity of pain from 6.8±1.2 to 4.2±1.0 (p&lt;0.001) on the BPI scale, an increment in QoL scores from 45.6±9.3 to 62.4±10.5 (p&lt;0.001), an enhancement in chronic pain self-efficacy from 60.2±8.5 to 78.5±6.7 (p&lt;0.001) on the CPSS, and another enhancement in self-efficacy for managing chronic disease from 25.4 ± 4.6 to 32.8 ± 5.2 (p &lt; 0.001) on the SSMCD-6 scale. Conclusion: Selected yoga interventions demonstrated favorable effects on psycho-physiological function in IT professionals with CLBP. Integrating these postures into management strategies for CLBP could offer promising outcomes in terms of pain reduction, enhanced quality of life, and improved self-efficacy for pain management. Further research is needed to validate these findings and explore long-term effects.

Correlation of self-management and social support with quality of life in patients with chronic kidney disease undergoing hemodialysis: A cross-sectional study from Kerala, India

IntroductionChronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is a progressive condition that impacts the quality of life (QOL) of individuals worldwide. However, the role of self-management and social support among CKD patients on their QOL remains understudied in India. Therefore, this study aims to find the correlation of self-management and social support on the QOL of CKD patients undergoing hemodialysis. MethodsThis hospital-based cross-sectional study involved 110 adult CKD patients (mean (SD) age of 56 (±13.9) years, 73 % men) undergoing hemodialysis in two tertiary care hospitals in Ernakulam district. Face-to-face interviews with questionnaires, including World Health Organisation Quality of Life- Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF), Medical Outcome Survey – Social Support Survey (MOS-SSS), and Hemodialysis Self-Management Instrument-18 (HDSMI-18) were used. Pearson correlation and simple linear regression analysis were done to find the correlation between self-management and social support with QOL. FindingsThe mean (SD) QOL score was 56.27 (11.62), with the environment domain rating highest [62.47 (14.02)] and social relations lowest [52.12 (18.52)]. Mean (SD) self-management score was 41.12 (5.66) and mean (SD) social support score was 65.28 (18.21). Self-management (r = 0.382, p = 0.001) and social support (r = 0.309, p = 0.001) showed a moderate positive correlation with QOL. DiscussionSelf-management and social support were moderately correlated with QOL. Strengthening self-management programs and social support networks are likely to improve the QOL of CKD patients undergoing hemodialysis.

Quality of Life in Lymphedema Patients Treated by Microsurgical Lymphatic Vessel Transplantation-A Long-Term Follow-Up.

Lymphedema is a chronic condition characterized by the accumulation of lymph fluid in the upper or lower extremities, leading to swelling, discomfort, and disability in everyday life. While various treatment modalities exist, microsurgical lymphatic vessel transplantation (LVT) has emerged as a promising option. However, there is little to no long-term follow-up data regarding patients' improvement in quality of life for this surgical technique. The present study conducts an investigation of the long-term health-related quality of life (HRQoL) over more than 20 years in patients with lymphedema treated with LVT and accomplishes this by utilizing an adapted SF-12 survey. A retrospective analysis was conducted on patients who underwent LVT between 1 January 1983 and 1 October 2010 at LMU Clinic Munich (n = 35). Quality of life scores were assessed preoperatively and today in terms of physiological conditions, psychological conditions, and burden of therapy using a SF-12 survey adapted to the symptoms and impairments that chronic lymphedemas are known to cause. Our findings demonstrate a significant improvement in HRQoL following LVT, with notable enhancements in physiological and psychological conditions such as burden of therapy. Physiological conditions showed a significant positive change of 3.2648 (p < 0.01). Psychological conditions improved significantly by a factor of 2.0882 (p < 0.01). Additionally, the burden of therapy improved significantly by 1.5883 points (p < 0.01). Previous studies have already shown a significant improvement of HRQoL within the first postoperative years for patients treated by LVT. This study also demonstrates significant long-term improvement after LVT, thus underlining the effectiveness of using LVT to improve the quality of live for patients with both primary and secondary lymphedema long-term.

Quality of Life of Cancer Patients In A Cancer Hospital of Chitwan

Introduction: Cancer is the third leading cause of death in developing countries and is appearing indistinctly public health catastrophe. Quality of Life (QoL) is one of the most important patient-reported outcomes in cancer therapy. As many studies had shown that QoL is important to be assessed but it is still lacking in it. Thus, the objective of this research was to assess quality of life of cancer patients. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional research design was used to assess the quality of life of cancer patients in B.P. Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital. Non-probability purposive sampling technique was adopted to collect data from 384 respondents. Structured interview schedule; European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC QLQ-C30): A Quality of Life Instrument tool was used to collect data. Descriptive (mean, frequency, percentage, and standard deviation) and inferential (Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis H and Pearson's correlation coefficient) statistics were applied for data analysis in Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version-16. Results: The finding of this study showed that more than half (63.3%) of the respondents had high quality of life. The average quality of life score for three different scales were 59.8 (global health status scale), 82.0 (functional scale) and 25.8 (symptom scale). Education, annual family income, ECOG performance status and site of cancer were found to be significantly associated with the three different quality of life scales. There was positive relation of functional scale and negative relation of symptom scale with global health status scale. Conclusion: Most of the respondents had high QoL but few of them had still low QoL. Therefore the research finding highlights the importance of provision of necessary beneficiaries for cancer patients to improve their quality of life.

Examining the quality of life among pregnant women diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and meta-analysis for women's health promotion.

Quality of life (QoL) of women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is one of the fundamental issues and public health challenges. This study examines the QoL among pregnant women with GDM through a systematic review and meta-analysis. A search was conducted in Scopus, PubMed, and the Web of Science databases for articles published until Jan 30, 2024. Manual searches of gray literature, Google Scholar, reference checks, and citation checks were conducted. The JBI's Critical Appraisal Checklist for Analytical Cross-Sectional Studies was utilized to assess the quality of the articles' reporting. The random model implemented in Stata software (version 16; Stata Corp.) was utilized to conduct the meta-analysis. Among the 516 studies obtained from the literature, only 15 were deemed suitable for inclusion. Most studies (73.3%) were conducted in nations with high-income levels. Additionally, general QoL was assessed in most studies (11 studies). The SF-36 and WHOQOLBREF questionnaires were the most often utilized. Based on the SF-36 measure, there was no statistically significant difference in the QoL of patients with GDM compared to the control group in most of dimensions. The WHOQOL-BREF instrument was utilized to estimate the QoL score at 49.69. The EQ-5D-5L tool revealed a difference in QoL scores between the GDM and control groups (MD=-7.40). The research findings were highly heterogeneous. The median evaluation score for the reporting quality of the articles was calculated to be 5, with a mean of 4.8 out of 7. The results of the present study showed that GDM reduces the QoL of pregnant women, especially in terms of mental and social health. Therefore, interventions and support programs should be designed and implemented to improve these women's QoL.

Cross-sectional study to identify health literacy, health behavior, and quality of life in Chofu and Komae cities in Japan: Formative research in community-based nursing practice.

The Jikei Academic Nursing Practice Center for the Community developed a community nursing practice that matched community health problems and concerns in Chofu and Komae cities, suburban areas of the Tokyo Metropolis. This study aimed to identify health problems and high-risk populations via an understanding of the practice of health behaviors, health literacy, and quality of life. This was an online, cross-sectional study conducted in September 2023. In total, 1520 (Chofu:n=1170; Komae:n=350) participants were enrolled. Participants' demographic characteristics, health literacy, health behaviors, and quality of life scores were obtained. Sleep quality was poor compared with national data. Younger participants had higher poor health literacy, did not practice health behaviors, and had a lower quality of life. In addition, parenting and informal nursing care for family members were associated with unhealthy eating, smoking, drinking, and poor quality of life. This study found that health problems and concerns before planning were significant in increasing the salience of interventions for community residents. Based on the findings of this study, an action plan for community-wide nursing practice was created.

Effects of a Short-time health literacy promotion program (HeLPP) on biochemical factors, self-care and quality of life among rural patients with type-2 diabetes: A field trial with Solomon four-group design.

Current evidence suggests that health literacy (HL) impacts self-care behaviors and quality of life (QOL) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a short-time health literacy promotion program (HeLPP) on self-care behaviors and QOL in rural patients with type 2 diabetes. Conducted from 2018 to 2019 in Chaldoran county, Iran, this randomized controlled trial followed the Solomon four-group design. Participants included 160 rural individuals with T2DM, who were divided into two intervention (A and C) and two control (B and D) groups. Pre-tests were conducted for intervention group A and control group B, with post-tests administered to all groups at three and six months. Interventions, consisting of five training sessions lasting 45 to 55 minutes, were planned and executed based on pre-test analyses. Primary outcomes were QOL and self-care behaviors, and secondary outcomes were glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), HL and patients' awareness of the disease. Prior to the intervention, there was no significant difference in awareness, HL, self-care behaviors, HbA1c, and QOL between intervention group A and control group B (P>0.05). However, at three and six months after the educational program, intervention group A exhibited significantly increased average scores in awareness, HL, self-care behaviors, and QOL, along with reduced HbA1c levels (P<0.05) compared to control group B. No interaction was detected between the pre-test and the primary and secondary outcome scores after intervention. Implementing intervention programs like HeLPP focusing on enhancing practical HL and empowering T2DM patients seems to be promising in improving patients' self-care behaviors and QOL, while reducing their HbA1c levels. Identifier: IRCT20131116015422N7; https://irct.behdasht.gov.ir/trial/35569.

Are Depressive Symptoms in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Attributable to a Syndrome of Dysregulation of Rhythms and Hyperactivity (DYMERS)?

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is characterized by repeated airway obstructions during sleep, causing hypopnea, apnea, intermittent hypoxia, and sleep fragmentation. The severity of OSA is measured using the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), with AHI ≥ 5 indicating OSA. This study aims to assess the frequency and type of depressive disorder characteristics of OSA patients and to evaluate the impact on quality of life, also considering the presence of hyperactivity. Methods: A case-control study using OSA patients referred to Cagliari's sleep disorder center. Controls were matched by age and sex from community databases. OSA diagnoses were made with AHI > 15. Depressive episodes were identified using BDI-SF, and H-QoL (Health related Quality of Life) was measured with the SF-12, focusing on item 10 for hyper-energy. Results: The clinical sample (n = 25) had a higher frequency of depressive episodes (36%) compared to controls (7% and 4%). Depressed OSA patients had worse H-QoL and higher hyper-energy scores, but the additional burden from depression was relatively low. Conclusions: The OSA sample has a higher frequency of depressive episodes compared to the general population. Depressive episodes in OSA patients are linked to higher scores on item 10 of the SF-12, indicating hyper-energy despite lower overall quality of life scores. While OSA significantly impacts quality of life, the additional burden from depression is less severe than in other chronic diseases. These findings suggest that depressive episodes in OSA may be related to rhythm dysregulation and hyperactivity (DYMERS).

The Impact of the Dietary Intake of Vitamin B12, Folic Acid, and Vitamin D3 on Homocysteine Levels and the Health-Related Quality of Life of Levodopa-Treated Patients with Parkinson's Disease-A Pilot Study in Romania.

Previous studies have shown that the levodopa treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD) elevates circulating homocysteine levels, which are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular and neurological disorders, or thrombosis. The present trial aimed to examine whether the intake of vitamin B12, folic acid, and vitamin D3 supplements improved homocysteine level and quality of life (QoL). An interventional prospective trial was conducted in multiple centers across Romania. Participants with clinically established PD taking at least 300 mg/day of levodopa for more than 1 year received a daily tablet of a supplement containing 800 UI of vitamin D3, 1000 µg of folic acid, and 15 µg of vitamin B12. They were followed for 6 months and their serum homocysteine, vitamin B12, vitamin D, and QoL scores were measured at baseline and at 6 months of treatment. QoL was measured using a 15D questionnaire, which assesses mobility, vision, hearing, breathing, sleeping, eating, speech, excretion, usual activities, mental function, discomfort and symptoms, depression, distress, vitality, and sexual activity. Twenty-four PD patients with a mean age of 71 ± 5.04 years (54.2% male and 45.8% female) finished the study. After the intervention, the mean score of speech, mental function, discomfort and symptoms, depression, and QoL significantly increased (p < 0.05 for all). Also, the serum homocysteine and vitamin D were significantly enhanced (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.025, respectively). Changes in vitamin B12 were not statistically significant at 6 months of treatment (p = 0.996). No gender differences were found among the changes that we have demonstrated for homocysteine, vitamin B12, vitamin D, and QoL levels (p < 0.05 for all). The findings of this study showed that the dietary intake of vitamin B12, folic acid, and vitamin D3 remarkably decreased the dimensions of homocysteine and finally increased the total score of QoL in PD patients. We have successfully captured the potential benefits of the supplementation regimen over time and provided insights into the broader implications for managing PD with a focus on nutritional support.

The impact of cognitive functions, psychological disorders, and coping strategies on quality of life and disease outcomes in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases: A cross-sectional study.

Quality of life (QoL) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is influenced by several factors, many of which may also impact cognitive function. However, the extent of the interaction among these factors, QoL, and disease outcomes in IBD patients remains unknown. We thus aim to characterize the relationships among psychological disorders, coping mechanisms, cognitive function, and the overall impact on QoL and disease outcomes in patients with IBD. This cross-sectional observational study was conducted at an academic care center. QoL was evaluated using the Short Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (SIBDQ), and disease severity was evaluated using the Harvey-Bradshaw Index (HBI) for Crohn's disease (CD) and the Simple Clinical Colitis Activity Index (SCCAI) for ulcerative colitis (UC). We also used the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HADS). Regression models were used to test the associations among QoL, number of hospitalizations, disease severity, cognitive functioning (working memory [WM] and reaction time), and coping strategies while controlling for anxiety and depressive symptoms, age, and sex. This study included 41 patients (24 patients with CD and 17 with UC) whose mean age was 28.2 (±8.4) years (23 males) and mean SIBDQ score was 51.5 (±10.0). Patients with more WM errors had lower QoL scores (P = .041), whereas patients with higher anxiety levels had lower QoL and more active UC (P = .008 and P = .016, respectively). The use of avoidant coping mechanisms was associated with a significantly higher number of hospitalizations (P = .038), and patients who adopted more emotion-focused coping strategies had a longer illness duration (P = .021). Finally, patients with higher education levels were found to use more active coping mechanisms than others. These results confirm the impact of cognitive, psychological, and coping factors on QoL and disease outcomes in patients with IBD; however, the mechanisms by which these factors interrelate remain unclear. Therapies aimed at improving both cognitive functions and psychological conditions may thus be effective at improving QoL and disease outcomes in IBD patients, and education may play a positive role in promoting the adoption of more effective coping strategies among IBD patients.

An Indian multicentre real-world study on long-term quality of life outcomes following bariatric surgery.

The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) on Quality of Life (QoL) in Indian patients with obesity over 10 years. A retrospective chart review was conducted at 11 centres for individuals with MBS between February 2013 and May 2022. Patient medical records provided the source of de-identified data. Data from 2132 individuals with a mean age of 43.28 ± 11.96 years was analysed. There were 37.43% men and 62.57% females in the study population. The study population had a mean preoperative body mass index (BMI) of 45.71 ± 10.38 kg/m2. The Bariatric Analysis and Reporting Outcome System (BAROS) scoring method showed a higher overall QoL score throughout all follow-up periods, with 'very good' outcomes at one, three and 7 years and 'good' outcomes at 5 and 10 years. Improvements in QoL were associated with a substantial improvement (p < .01) in BMI at every follow-up time point. Following MBS, individuals with obesity exhibited a substantial and long-term improvement in their overall QoL for up to 10 years. This study presents Indian data on QoL, which is considered one of the most important decision-making factors for or against an intervention.

Kinesiophobia, physical activity levels and barriers in breast cancer patients, survivors, and healthy controls: A case-control analysis.

To investigate kinesiophobia, physical activity levels and barriers to physical activity in women with breast cancer and breast cancer survivors. The case-control study was conducted at the Breast Clinic of Acıbadem Maslak Hospital, and the Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation at Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University, Turkey, from October 2021 to July 2022, and comprised patients with breast cancer in group A, breast cancer survivors in group B and healthy controls in group C. The primary outcome measures were physical activity levels, barriers to physical activity and kinesiophobia levels, while the secondary outcome measures were levels of anxiety, depression, fatigue and quality of life. Data was collected using standard tools. Data was analysed using SPSS 22. Of the 212 women, 70(33%) were in group A with mean age 50.71±11.30 years, 70(33%) in group B with mean age 47.64±9.85 years, and 72(34%) in group C with mean age 47.03±7.48 years. Group C had better physical activity levels, fatigue and quality of life scores than the other groups, but it had worse perceptions of physical activity and more individual, psychosocial and environmental barriers to physical activity compared to the other groups (p<0.05). Group A had more barriers to exercise related to fear of overall body pain, poor balance, fear of falling and fear of feeling worse post-exercise compared to the other groups (p<0.05). Group B subjects were more afraid that lymphoedema might be exacerbated if they exercised (p<0.05). Women with breast cancer and breast cancer survivors had worse scores for physical activity levels, fatigue and quality of life compared to the healthy controls. All three groups had a variety of barriers to physical activity.