Scale Score Research Articles

Real-world outcomes for a digital prescription mobile application for adults with irritable bowel syndrome.

Mahana™ IBS is a Food and Drug Administration-cleared prescription mobile application designed to deliver 3 months of gut-directed cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to adults ≥22 years old with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). We assessed whether gut-directed CBT delivered digitally improved outcomes in IBS management. We studied users who had a dispensed physician prescription for Mahana™ IBS between August 2021 and August 2023. The primary outcome was change in IBS symptom severity (IBS-SSS) score. For the 843 patients, 324 (38%) completed half of the program up to session 5, and 162 (19%) of participants completed the full program up to session 10. Median age was 41 years, median IBS-SSS was 270 (moderate severity), IBS-mixed subtype was most common (23%) followed by IBS-C (20%) and IBS-D (19%). The change in IBS-SSS was -81.0 (p = < 0.001) after session 5 and - 104.4 (p = < 0.001) after session 10. In multivariate analyses, a higher baseline IBS-SSS (OR 1.59; 95% CI 1.26-2.01) and high baseline Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) score predicted non-response (OR 0.95; 95% CI 0.91-0.98) while older age (OR 1.10 per decade; 95% CI 1.01-1.20), prescription source from a healthcare provider (as opposed to third party telehealth encounter, OR 1.48; 95% CI 1.07-2.05), and payment for the app (OR 1.93; 95% CI 1.41-2.63) predicted adherence. Use of a digital mobile application for gut-directed CBT improved symptoms of IBS. Digital health applications have the potential to democratize CBT and allow integrated care to scale for patients with IBS.

Prestroke Cognitive Impairment: Frequency and Association With Premorbid Neuropsychiatric, Functional, and Neuroimaging Features.

Some patients with stroke have prestroke cognitive impairment (pre-SCI), but its etiology is not clear. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess the frequency of pre-SCI and its association with premorbid neuropsychiatric, functional, and neuroimaging features. Patients hospitalized in stroke unit with an informant who could complete IQCODE (Informant Questionnaire for Cognitive Decline in the Elderly) were included. Pre-SCI was diagnosed if the IQCODE score was >3.3. Prestroke assessment also included NPI-Q (Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire), the basic Activities of Daily Living and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living scales, and the Clinical Dementia Rating scale. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to evaluate the association of pre-SCI with age, sex, education, arterial hypertension, atrial fibrillation, white matter lesions, cerebral microbleeds, and pathological medial temporal lobe atrophy. IQCODE was available in 474 of 520 patients (91.2%; 45% women; mean age 75.5±13.3 years). Pre-SCI had a prevalence of 32.5% and was associated with prestroke NPI-Q (pre-SCI absent versus present, 1.7±2.3 versus 5.5±4.9; P<0.001), Activities of Daily Living scale (0.3±0.8 versus 1.8±1.9; P<0.001), Instrumental Activities of Daily Living scale (0.6±1.3 versus 3.8±4.0; P<0.001), and Clinical Dementia Rating scale score (0.7±1.7 versus 7.2±6.2; P<0.001). In the 271 patients with a magnetic resonance imaging available, the multivariate logistic regression showed that age (odds ratio [OR], 1.05 [95% CI, 1.62-9.73]), white matter lesions (OR, 1.26 [95% CI, 1.003-1.58]), and a pathological medial temporal lobe atrophy score (OR, 3.97 [95% CI, 1.62-9.73]) were independently associated with pre-SCI. In the 218 patients with ischemic stroke, white matter lesions (OR, 1.34 [95% CI, 1.04-1.72]) and medial temporal lobe atrophy (OR, 3.56 [95% CI, 1.38-9.19]), but not age, were associated with pre-SCI. One-third of patients admitted to a stroke unit have pre-SCI that is associated with preexisting neuropsychiatric symptoms and functional performance. White matter lesions and medial temporal lobe atrophy are associated with pre-SCI, suggesting that both small vessel disease and neurodegeneration might be involved in its etiology.

Association Between Multisensory Impairment and Depression Among Older Adults: A Population-Based Analysis.

In this study, we examine how impairments in vision, hearing, touch, and olfaction relate to depression in older adults, considering both individual and multisensory impairments (MSIs). Analysis of cross-sectional data from a longitudinal investigation involving black and white older adults aged 70 to 79 at enrollment. We studied 1640 black and white participants in the Health ABC study using complete sensory evaluation data from years 3 to 5. Our MSI assessment utilized data obtained for visual acuity, hearing perception, olfactory performance, and tactile function. We performed multivariable logistic regression analyses to examine the associations between the presence of individual and MSIs and depression which was defined as the presence of antidepressants prescribed for depression, or a Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale score of greater than 10. We observed a possible dose-response relationship between the number of sensory impairments and depression. In adjusted models, when compared to no impairments, vision (odds ratio [OR] = 1.45, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.09-1.93) and hearing impairments (OR = 1.49, 95% CI: 1.11-1.99) were significantly associated with depression, whereas olfaction (OR = 1.11, 95% CI: 0.83-1.47) and tactile impairments (OR = 1.28, 95% CI: 0.96-1.70) were not. Participants with 3 sensory impairments had a higher rate of depression (OR = 2.05, 95% CI: 1.22-3.54) compared to those without impairments, and this risk increased further for those with 4 sensory impairments (OR = 2.95, 95% CI: 1.48-5.88). The findings suggest that individuals with MSI represent a high-risk population for depression, warranting close monitoring to screen for depression. The study emphasizes the importance of considering multiple sensory impairments in the context of mental health and supports the early identification and monitoring of depression in this population.

Assessment of pain relief after four botulinum toxin A injection cycles in patients with post-stroke lower limb spasticity: A prospective, observational study

IntroductionSpasticity is common after a stroke and is an independent risk factor for developing pain. BotulinumtoxinA injection is the treatment of choice for focal spasticity. We examined the effect of intramuscular botulinumtoxinA on pain relief in patients in routine clinical practice who were experiencing pain as a primary complaint associated with post-stroke lower limb spasticity. MethodsProspective, multicentre, post-marketing observational study. The study period was 16 months. The primary effectiveness variable was the mean change from baseline on the pain 0–10 Numerical Rating Scale after four botulinumtoxinA injection cycles. Secondary endpoints included changes from baseline on the pain 0–100 Visual Analogue Scale, Goal Attainment Scale, modified Ashworth Scale, 10-Meter Walk Test, Penn Spasm Frequency Scale, and 36-item Short-Form Health Survey. ResultsOf 186 enrolled patients, 180 (96.8%) received botulinumtoxinA at least once. The mean (standard deviation) pain 0–10 Numerical Rating Scale score decreased significantly (p<0.0001) from 4.9 (2.2) at baseline to 2.5 (2.1) at study end, representing a 50% decrease in pain severity. Relief of pain due to spasticity was supported by improvement from baseline in all secondary variables except the 10-Meter Walk Test. Two adverse events (erysipelas and phlebitis) in one patient were considered likely to be related to botulinumtoxinA injection. ConclusionBotulinumtoxinA appears to provide pain relief as an additional benefit of local treatment in patients with post-stroke lower limb spasticity for whom pain relief is a primary therapeutic goal (a Lay Abstract has been provided as Appendix A).

Scapholunate Ligament Reconstruction With Internal Brace Augmentation Techniques for Chronic Scapholunate Dissociation: A Clinical Follow-up Study.

The scapholunate ligament is the most important stabilizer of the scapholunate articulation. The management of chronic irreversible injuries of this ligament in the absence of preexisting arthritis of the wrist joint remains controversial. Recently, surgeons introduced a novel surgical technique using an internal brace (IB). Several biomechanical studies on this technique have been conducted using cadavers; however, very few studies have discussed the results in detail in actual clinical practice. Therefore, herein, we investigated the radiological and functional results of patients who underwent IB augmentation as a treatment for chronic scapholunate dissociation. This retrospective study was conducted from April 2018 to May 2022. Twenty-two patients with chronic scapholunate dissociation were treated using the IB augmentation technique, of whom 17 were followed-up for at least 1 year. Radiological results, including scapholunate distance, scapholunate angle, and radioscaphoid angle, were collected. Furthermore, clinical parameters, such as the visual analog scale (preoperative and at final follow-up), the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand scores (preoperatively and at 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively), and Mayo wrist scores (preoperative and at final follow-up), were measured. The scapholunate distance increased significantly in the affected wrist compared to the unaffected wrist, which improved after reconstruction in all wrist positions ( P < 0.05). Compared to the unaffected wrist, the scapholunate angle increased significantly in all positions ( P < 0.05) except for extension ( P = 0.535) and improved after reconstruction in all wrist positions. The radioscaphoid angle significantly increased compared to the angle of the unaffected wrist in all positions ( P < 0.05) except for extension ( P = 0.602) and clenched fist ( P = 0.556). This angle improved after reconstruction in all wrist positions except for extension ( P = 0.900). The visual analog scale score (7-2, preoperatively and at final follow-up) and Mayo wrist score (53-82, preoperatively and at final follow-up) improved after surgery. The Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand scores also improved after surgery (68, 53, 30, 7, preoperatively and at 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively). This study revealed that scapholunate ligament reconstruction using an autologous tendon and suture tape is a good reconstruction technique that can improve clinical symptoms and radiographic parameters with a shorter operation time and fewer complications than other reconstruction methods.

Aberrant functional hubs and related networks attributed to cognitive impairment in patients with anti‑N‑methyl‑D‑aspartate receptor encephalitis.

Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (anti-NMDAR) encephalitis results in severe neuropsychiatric symptoms and persistent cognitive impairment; however, the underlying mechanism is still not fully understood. The present study utilized the degree centrality (DC), functional connectivity (FC) and multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) to further explore neurofunctional symptoms in patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis. A total of 29 patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis and 26 healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled for neuropsychological assessment and resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) scans. DC, FC and MVPA were examined to investigate cerebral functional activity and distinguish neuroimaging characteristics between the patient and HC groups based on the rs-fMRI data. Compared with the HCs, the patients exhibited cognitive deficits, anxiety and depression. In the DC analysis, the patients exhibited significantly decreased DC strength in the left rectus gyrus, left caudate nucleus (LCN) and bilateral superior medial frontal gyrus, as well as increased DC strength in the cerebellar anterior lobe, compared with the HCs. In the subsequent FC analysis, the LCN showed decreased FC strength in the bilateral middle frontal gyrus and right precuneus. Furthermore, correlation analysis indicated that disrupted cerebral functional activity was significantly correlated with the alerting effect and Hamilton Depression Scale score. Using DC maps and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the MVPA classifier exhibited an area under curve of 0.79, and the accuracy classification rate was 76.36%, with a sensitivity of 79.31% and a specificity of 78.18%. The present study revealed that the disrupted functional activity of hub and related networks in the cerebellum, including the default mode network and executive control network, contributed to deficits in cognition and emotion in patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis. In conclusion, the present study provided imaging evidence and primary diagnostic markers for pathological and compensatory mechanisms of anti-NMDAR encephalitis, with the aim of improving the understanding of this disease.

Endovascular therapy in patients with internal carotid artery occlusion and patent circle of Willis

BackgroundOcclusion of the internal carotid artery (ICA) may extend into the middle or anterior cerebral artery (ICA-T) or be confined to the intracranial (ICA-I) or extracranial segment (ICA-E). While there...

Atrial fibrillation is associated with higher first pass effect following thrombectomy for large vessel occlusion

BackgroundFirst pass effect (FPE), defined as single-pass complete or near complete reperfusion during endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) for large vessel occlusion (LVO) strokes, is a critical performance metric. Atrial fibrillation (AF)-related...

Cardiovascular risk factors among older persons with cognitive frailty in middle income country

BACKGROUND Cognitive frailty, characterized by the coexistence of cognitive impairment and physical frailty, represents a multifaceted challenge in the aging population. The role of cardiovascular risk factors in this complex interplay is not yet fully understood. AIM To investigate the relationships between cardiovascular risk factors and older persons with cognitive frailty by pooling data from two cohorts of studies in Malaysia. METHODS A comprehensive approach was employed, with a total of 512 community-dwelling older persons aged 60 years and above, involving two cohorts of older persons from previous studies. Datasets related to cardiovascular risks, namely sociodemographic factors, and cardiovascular risk factors, including hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, anthropometric characteristics and biochemical profiles, were pooled for analysis. Cognitive frailty was defined based on the Clinical Dementia Rating scale and Fried frailty score. Cardiovascular risk was determined using Framingham risk score. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS version 21. RESULTS Of the study participants, 46.3% exhibited cognitive frailty. Cardiovascular risk factors including hypertension (OR:1.60; 95%CI: 1.12-2.30), low fat-free mass (OR:0.96; 95%CI: 0.94-0.98), high percentage body fat (OR:1.04; 95%CI: 1.02-1.06), high waist circumference (OR:1.02; 95%CI: 1.01-1.04), high fasting blood glucose (OR:1.64; 95%CI: 1.11-2.43), high Framingham risk score (OR:1.65; 95%CI: 1.17-2.31), together with sociodemographic factors, i.e. , being single (OR 3.38; 95%CI: 2.26-5.05) and low household income (OR 2.18; 95%CI: 1.44-3.30) were found to be associated with cognitive frailty. CONCLUSION Cardiovascular-risk specific risk factors and sociodemographic factors were associated with risk of cognitive frailty, a prodromal stage of dementia. Early identification and management of cardiovascular risk factors, particularly among specific group of the population might mitigate the risk of cognitive frailty, hence preventing dementia.

Derivation and Validation of a Scoring System for Predicting Poor Outcome After Posterior Circulation Ischemic Stroke in China.

Guidelines for posterior circulation ischemic stroke (PCIS) treatment are lacking and outcome prediction is crucial for patients and clinicians. We aimed to develop and validate a prognostic score to predict the poor outcome for patients with PCIS. The score was developed from a prospective derivation cohort named the Third China National Stroke Registry (August 2015-March 2018) and validated in a spatiotemporal independent validation cohort (December 2017-March 2023) in China. Patients with PCIS with acute infarctions defined as hyperintense lesions on diffusion-weighted imaging were included in this study. The poor outcome was measured as modified Rankin scale (mRS) score 3-6 at 3 months after PCIS. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictors for poor outcome. The prognostic score, namely PCIS Outcome Score (PCISOS), was developed by assigning points to variables based on their relative β-coefficients in the logistic model. The PCISOS was derived from 3,294 patients (median age 62 [interquartile range (IQR) 55-70] years; 2,250 [68.3%] men) and validated in 501 patients (median age 61 [IQR 53-68] years; 404 [80.6%] men). Among them, 384 (11.7%) and 64 (12.8%) had poor outcome 3 months after stroke in respective cohorts. Age, mRS before admission, NIH Stroke Scale on admission, ischemic stroke history, infarction distribution, basilar artery, and posterior cerebral artery stenosis or occlusion were identified as independent predictors for poor outcome and included in PCISOS. This easy-to-use integer scoring system identified a marked risk gradient between 4 risk groups. PCISOS performed better than previous scores, with an excellent discrimination (C statistic) of 0.80 (95% CI 0.77-0.83) in the derivation cohort and 0.81 (95% CI 0.77-0.84) in the validation cohort. Calibration test showed high agreement between the predicted and observed outcomes in both cohorts. PCISOS can be applied for patients with PCIS with acute infarctions to predict functional outcome at 3 months post-PCIS. This simple tool helps clinicians to identify patients with PCIS with higher risk of poor outcome and provides reliable outcome expectations for patients. This information might be used for personalized rehabilitation plan and patient selection for future clinical trials to reduce disability and mortality.

Will you get what you want? Treatment goals and expectations of patients with femoroacetabular impingement syndrome regarding physiotherapist-led treatment.

OBJECTIVE: To (i) investigate the goals and expectations of participants enrolled in a clinical trial of physiotherapist-led treatment for femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) syndrome and (ii) explore associations between their expectations and self-reported hip burden and kinesiophobia. METHODS: Data from 150 participants with FAI syndrome who participated in a clinical trial were analysed. Participants described their most important treatment goal and the expectation of achieving this goal throughout physiotherapy treatment. The International Hip Outcome Tool (iHOT-33) subscales were used to assess self-reported hip burden. The Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia was used to assess kinesiophobia. Participants goals were qualitatively analysed using content analysis. Linear regression was used to explore associations between patient expectations and iHOT and Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia scores. RESULTS: Participants with FAI syndrome reported goals relating to exercise (52%), improving activities of daily living quality (23%), improving physical function (15%), and reducing pain (10%). Negative expectations regarding physiotherapist-led treatment were reported by 68% of participants. Those with negative expectations reported worse scores for the iHOT-Total score (mean difference = 12 points, 95%CI = [4 to 19]), and iHOT-Symptoms (14 points, [7 to 21]) and iHOT-Social (11 points, [2 to 21]) subscales compared to those with positive expectations. Treatment expectations were not associated with iHOT-Sport, iHOT-Job, and Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia scores (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Patients with FAI syndrome had a generally negative expectation of physiotherapist-led treatment. There was a mismatch between patients' goals and current treatment approaches. Participants with FAI syndrome and negative expectations reported worse quality of life, symptoms, and social concerns than those with positive expectations.

CSF sphingolipids are correlated with neuroinflammatory cytokines and differentiate neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder from multiple sclerosis

BackgroundThere is a need for biomarkers of disease progression and therapeutic response in multiple sclerosis (MS). This study aimed to identify cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) lipids that differentiate MS from other...

Clinical, prognostic and pathophysiological implications of MOG-IgG detection in the CSF: the importance of intrathecal MOG-IgG synthesis

BackgroundCerebrospinal fluid myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein IgG (CSF MOG-IgG) are found in a proportion of patients with MOG antibody-associated disorder (MOGAD) and have been associated with severe disease presentations. However, most...

Randomised trial of ‘hybrid’ water-assisted colonoscopy (modified water immersion) versus water exchange colonoscopy: WAVE study

Background and aimsColonoscopy practice has evolved with a trend towards water-assisted insertion. A recent national survey suggests a hybrid approach to colonic distension during insertion, with water used predominately to...

Cervicocerebral Atherosclerosis Burden Increases Long-Term Mortality in Patients With Ischemic Stroke or Transient Ischemic Attack.

The influence of burden of atherosclerosis in the brain supplying arteries on mortality in patients with acute ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack is poorly known. We assessed whether total burden of atherosclerosis within cervicocerebral arteries is associated with long-term mortality. A total of 406 patients (median age, 71.8 years; 57.9% male) with acute ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack were included and their cervicocerebral arteries imaged with computed tomography angiography. The presence of atherosclerotic findings was scored for 25 artery segments and points were summed as a Cervicocerebral Atherosclerosis Burden (CAB) score, analyzed as quartiles. Data on all-cause mortality came from Statistics Finland. After a median follow-up of 7.3 years, 147 (33.5%) patients had died. Compared with surviving patients, those who died had a higher median CAB score (5, interquartile range 2-10 versus 11, 7-16; P<0.001). Cumulative mortality increased from 8.9% (95% CI, 7.0-10.8) in the lowest to 61.4% (95% CI, 55.4-67.4) in the highest quartile of CAB score. Adjusted for demographics, cardiovascular risk factors, secondary preventive medication, and admission National Institute of Health Stroke Scale score, every CAB score point increased probability of death by 3%. Analyzed in quartiles, the highest CAB quartile was associated with a 2.5-fold likelihood of all-cause mortality. The main findings of our study were the increasing mortality with the total burden of computed tomography angiography-defined atherosclerosis in the brain supplying arteries after ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack and that the CAB score-integrating this pathology-independently increased all-cause mortality.

Cross-cultural adaptation, reliability, and validity of the Turkish Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory-Cognitive Functioning Scale (PedsQLTM-CFS) in children with cancer

ABSTRACT The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory-Cognitive Functioning Scale (PedsQLTM-CFS) was developed as a brief, general, symptom-specific tool to measure cognitive function. The 6-item PedsQL™ Cognitive Functioning Scale and PedsQL 3.0 Cancer Module answered 369 parents and 330 children with 5–18 years. Parents also completed Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF). The PedsQL™ Cognitive Functioning Scale evidenced excellent reliability (parent proxy-report α = 0.980/Fleiss Kappa: 0.794; children self-report α = 0.963/Fleiss Kappa: 0.790). Both child self-report and parent proxy-report PedsQL™ Cognitive Functioning Scale scores exhibited significant correlations with all parent-report BRIEF summary and subscale scores (p < .05). Both child self-report and parent proxy-report PedsQL™ Cognitive Functioning Scale scores exhibited significant correlations with PedsQL 3.0 Cancer Module total score and subscale scores (p < .05). The PedsQLTM-CFS can be used in high-risk populations with substantial to perfect reliability, both in regards to total/subcategory scores as well as in children with cancer.

Development of a Digital Patient Assistant for the Management of Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome: Patient-Centric Design Study.

Cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS) is an enigmatic and debilitating disorder of gut-brain interaction that is characterized by recurrent episodes of severe vomiting and nausea. It significantly impairs patients' quality of life and can lead to frequent medical visits and substantial health care costs. The diagnosis for CVS is often protracted and complex, primarily due to its exclusionary diagnosis nature and the lack of specific biomarkers. This typically leads to a considerable delay in accurate diagnosis, contributing to increased patient morbidity. Additionally, the absence of approved therapies for CVS worsens patient hardship and reflects the urgent need for innovative, patient-centric solutions to improve CVS management. We aim to develop a digital patient assistant (DPA) for patients with CVS to address their unique needs, and iteratively enhance the technical features and user experience on the initial DPA versions. The development of the DPA for CVS used a design thinking approach, prioritizing user needs. A literature review and Patient Advisory Board shaped the initial prototype, focusing on diagnostic support and symptom tracking. Iterative development, informed by the design thinking approach and feedback from patients with CVS and caregivers through interviews and smartphone testing, led to significant enhancements in user interaction and artificial intelligence integration. The final DPA's effectiveness was validated using the System Usability Scale and feedback questions, ensuring it met the specific needs of the CVS community. The DPA developed for CVS integrates an introductory bot, daily and weekly check-in bots, and a knowledge hub, all accessible via a patient dashboard. This multicomponent solution effectively addresses key unmet needs in CVS management: efficient symptom and impacts tracking, access to comprehensive disease information, and a digital health platform for disease management. Significant improvements, based on user feedback, include the implementation of artificial intelligence features like intent recognition and data syncing, enhancing the bot interaction and reducing the burden on patients. The inclusion of the knowledge hub provides educational resources, contributing to better disease understanding and management. The DPA achieved a System Usability Scale score of 80 out of 100, indicating high ease of use and relevance. Patient feedback highlighted the DPA's potential in disease management and suggested further applications, such as integration into health care provider recommendations for patients with suspected or confirmed CVS. This positive response underscores the DPA's role in enhancing patient engagement and disease management through a patient-centered digital solution. The development of this DPA for patients with CVS, via an iterative design thinking approach, offers a patient-centric solution for disease management. The DPA development framework may also serve to guide future patient digital support and research scenarios.

Compliance with oral nutritional supplements and its influencing factors in postoperative patients with digestive tract tumors: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundOral nutritional supplements are one of the preferred methods of nutritional support for postoperative patients. This study aims to investigate the current status of oral nutritional supplements compliance in postoperative patients with digestive tract tumors and its influencing factors.MethodsConvenience sampling was employed to select 242 patients who underwent surgery for digestive tract tumors at a tertiary hospital in Shanghai from October 2022 to July 2023 as the study subjects. Data following a normal distribution were analyzed using independent sample t-tests, ANOVA single-factor analysis, Pearson correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression analysis to determine the factors influencing compliance with oral nutritional supplements.ResultsA total of 252 questionnaires were distributed, with 10 invalid questionnaires excluded, resulting in an effective questionnaire rate of 96.03%. The compliance score for oral nutritional supplements in postoperative patients with digestive tract tumors was (2.40 ± 1.45), General Self-efficacy Scale (GSES) score was (24.72 ± 4.86), Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support Scale (MSPSS) score was (58.67 ± 11.09), and Belief about Medicines Questionnaire Scale (BMQ) score was (0.17 ± 2.78). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that age, adverse reactions, educational level, self-efficacy, medication beliefs, and social support were factors influencing compliance with oral nutritional supplements in postoperative patients with digestive tract tumors (P < 0.05).ConclusionOur study revealed that the compliance to oral nutritional supplements among postoperative patients with digestive tract tumors was at a moderate level and was closely associated with age, educational level, adverse reactions to oral nutritional supplements, medication beliefs, social support, and self-efficacy. Nursing staff should conduct nursing assessments based on the specific circumstances of patients and their families, provide personalized health education management plans based on the patients’ educational level, enhance patients’ nutrition knowledge, improve patient self-efficacy, and enhance social support for patients, while further improving patient nutrition management.

Troponin I as a Predictor of Transcranial Doppler Sonography Defined Vasospasm in Intensive Care Unit Patients After Spontaneous Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.

Elevation of Troponin I (TnI) in spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) patients is a well-known phenomenon and associated with cardiopulmonary complications and poor outcome. The present study was conducted to investigate the association of the TnI value on admission, and the occurrence of cerebral vasospam in SAH patients. A total of 142 patients with SAH, who were admitted to the neurosurgical intensive care unit (ICU) between December 2014 and January 2021 were evaluated. Blood samples were drawn on admission to determine TnI value. Each patient's demographic, radiological and medical data on admission, the modified Ranking Scale score at discharge as well as continuous measurements of transcranial Doppler sonography were analyzed. A maximum mean flow velocity (MMFV) > 120 cm/sec was defined as any vasospasm. These were stratified into severe vasospasms, which were defined as at least two measurements of MMFVs > 200 cm/sec or an increase of MMFV > 50 cm/sec/24 h over two consecutive days or a new neurological deterioration and mild vasospasm defined as MMFVs > 120 cm/sec in absence of severe vasospasm criteria. The total study population was dichotomized into patients with an initially elevated TnI (>0.05 µg/L) and without elevated TnI (≤0.05 μg/L). A total of 52 patients (36.6%) had an elevated TnI level upon admission, which was significantly associated with lower GCS score (p < 0.001), higher WFNS score (p < 0.001) and higher Fisher grade (p = 0.01) on admission. In this context a higher rate of ischemic brain lesions (p = 0.02), a higher modified Rankin Scale score (p > 0.001) and increased mortality (p = 0.02) at discharge were observed in this group. In addition, TnI was identified as an independent predictor for the occurrence of any vasospasm and severe vasospasm. An initially elevated TnI level is an independent predictor for the occurrence of any and severe vasospasm in patients with SAH.

The Swedish Stroke Self-Efficacy Questionnaire: translation and cross-cultural adaptation

ObjectiveTo translate and cross-culturally adapt the Stroke Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (SSEQ) from English to Swedish and to evaluate psychometric properties of the questionnaire.MethodsA cross-sectional study design, where the translation followed a process including initial translation, synthesis, backward translation, expert committee, and pretest. Content validity was assessed using Content validity index (CVI). Psychometric assessments included floor-ceiling effects and internal consistency.ResultsLanguage and cultural congruence were achieved, and content validity index scores were high (0.923-1). The psychometric evaluations provided acceptable outcomes concerning internal consistency, with Cronbach’s alpha scores for the total scale (0.902), the activities subscale (0.861) and the self-management subscale (0.818) respectively. Ceiling effects were evident, but no floor effects.ConclusionThis study found the Swedish version of the SSEQ promising as a tool for assessment of self-efficacy in a Swedish stroke care setting, although further psychometric assessments are recommended in future studies.