Treatment Satisfaction Scale Research Articles

Efficacy and safety of single-dose DFN-15 for treatment of acute postsurgical dental pain: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

The analgesic efficacy and safety of DFN-15, a new oral liquid formulation of celecoxib with more rapid absorption than the capsule, were evaluated in the treatment of acute pain in adult patients after dental surgery. In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-ranging study, 120 otherwise healthy adults who underwent the extraction of bilateral impacted mandibular third molar teeth and experienced moderate to severe pain postsurgery were randomly assigned, in a 1:1:1:1 ratio, to receive one dose of either placebo or DFN-15 at 3 doses: 62.5, 125, and 250 mg. Participants were evaluated at prespecified time points over 8 hours after study drug administration, using several instruments, including the 11-point Numerical Pain Rating Scale, 5-point Pain Relief Scale, and 5-point Treatment Satisfaction Scale. Rescue analgesic (oxycodone / acetaminophen) was permitted. The primary endpoint was the summed pain intensity difference (SPID) over the 6-hour postdose period (SPID6), which was compared between each DFN-15 dose and placebo using analysis of covariance. Other assessments of pain relief, use of rescue medication, and safety were also analyzed. All 3 doses of DFN-15 were significantly superior to placebo in SPID6 (least square mean difference over placebo: -756.6, -1120.7, and -1355.1, P < 0.0001 for all comparisons). In addition, DFN-15 was generally superior to placebo in other endpoints, including reduction of pain intensity, speed and magnitude of pain relief, treatment satisfaction, and rescue medication use. DFN-15 was similar to placebo in the incidence of adverse events with no apparent dose-related effects.

The Use of the Seattle Angina Questionnaire in Patients Who Underwent Spinal Cord Stimulation for Refractory Angina Pectoris.

The Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) is a self-administered questionnaire used in cardiac patients to quantify angina based on five scales: physical limitation scale, anginal stability scale, anginal frequency scale, treatment satisfaction scale, and the disease perception scale. Here we report the use of the SAQ to assess angina symptoms in 18 patients who underwent spinal cord stimulation (SCS) for refractory angina pectoris (RAP) at the Mayo Clinic. Electronic health records were searched to find patients who underwent SCS for the treatment of RAP at a single institution from 2003 to 2018. Eligible patients were asked to participate in a phone survey that included the SAQ. Out of 13 patients who still had their implant, six (46%) had minimal physical limitations. Ten patients (76.9%) had favorable anginal frequency scores, defined as minimal or mild. Out of the five patients who had their device removed, one (20%) had minimal physical limitations and three (60%) had favorable anginal frequency scores. There was a high treatment satisfaction score for both those with their implant in place and those with the device removed. The SAQ is useful as a comprehensive measure specific to patients with RAP assessing function, pain, and satisfaction. The utilization of this tool pre- and post-operatively may provide additional information to analyze the effectiveness of SCS for RAP.

Older Patient Satisfaction with Chronic Pain Management in the National Geriatric Hospital in Vietnam.

PurposeThe high prevalence of chronic pain and difficulties in pain management in older people are challenging for healthcare providers globally. Patient satisfaction regarding pain management is one of the measures to assess efficacy of pain control as well as healthcare services. Thus, our study aimed to evaluate the older patients’ satisfaction with pain management and its associated factors in Vietnam.Patients and MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted at National Geriatric Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam from May to October 2018. Face-to-face interviews were conducted on 495 older patients with chronic pain by using a structured questionnaire. The Pain Treatment Satisfaction Scale (PTSS) was used to assess the level of satisfaction with pain management. A Tobit regression model was used to estimate factors associated with satisfaction toward pain management.ResultsThe mean total satisfaction score was 1.77 (SD= 0.22). Older patients were most satisfied with the aspect of side effects of pain relief medication (mean=0.66, SD=0.56). On the contrary, they were most dissatisfied with information provided about pain and its treatment and efficacy of pain relief medication. Outpatients were less satisfied with information provided, the impact of current medication and pain management in general compared to inpatients. The regression model showed that patients with severe pain tended to be more dissatisfied with pain management than those with no pain.ConclusionThis study indicated that the general satisfaction with chronic pain management in older patients was quite good especially in the aspect of pain medication’s side effects. However, dissatisfactory factors remained, including information provided about pain and efficacy of current pain medication. Intensive training regarding pain in geriatric care, health education communication for older people, and improved quality of medical services should be performed to ensure the quality of pain management, especially in the older population.

The Positive Impact of Pharmacist Interventions Using Educational Video Technology on Patient Knowledge of and Satisfaction with Warfarin Therapy

To assess the positive impact of pharmacist interventions via an educational video on patients’ knowledge of and satisfaction with warfarin therapy . This study used a prospective pre-test/post-test design that enrolled 91 patients from an anticoagulant clinic at King Khaled University Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. All patients completed the Anticoagulation Knowledge Assessment (AKA) and Anti-Clot Treatment Satisfaction (ACTS) scales. Afterwards, the patients watched a 10-minute educational video containing basic information about warfarin and were given relevant informative booklets. The patients were reassessed after a mean follow-up period of approximately 52 days. In total, 85 patients completed the study. The impact of the intervention on patient knowledge was highly significant (mean difference=17.7%, 95% CI = 21.75-13.58, P.

The Impact of a Pharmacist-led Warfarin Educational Video in a Saudi Setting.

ABSTRACTContext:Internationally, various warfarin education strategies have been described in the medical literature and delivered by a variety of health-care providers. However, none of these were tested in a Saudi setting.Aim:The aim of this study was to assess the impact of pharmacist interventions via an educational video on improving patient knowledge of and satisfaction with warfarin therapy and the international normalized ratio (INR).Setting and Design:This study adopted a prospective pre- and posttest design and enrolled 91 patients from an anticoagulant clinic at King Khaled University Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, between September 2017 and February 2018.Materials and Methods:All patients completed the Anticoagulation Knowledge Assessment (AKA) and Anti-Clot Treatment Satisfaction (ACTS) scales. Subsequently, the patients watched a 10-min educational video containing basic information regarding warfarin and were given relevant informative booklets. The patients were reassessed after a mean follow-up period of approximately 52 days.Results:In total, 85 patients completed the study. The impact of the intervention on patient knowledge was highly significant (mean difference = 17.7%, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 21.75–13.58, P < 0.000). In addition, the patients showed significant increases in their ACTS benefits subscale scores (mean difference = 0.73, 95% CI = 1.22–0.24, P = 0.004). Despite being long-term warfarin users, the patients’ INRs had a greater tendency to be within the target range after the intervention (56.63% ± 35% vs. 64.72% ± 35% of the time; mean difference, 8.1 percentage points; effect size = 0.23). However, there was no significant effect on patients’ perceptions of the warfarin burden.Conclusion:This study provided evidence that a pharmacist-led audiovisual intervention via an educational video coupled with an informational booklet effectively improved patients’ knowledge retention and satisfaction with warfarin therapy benefits. Longer studies are needed to determine the impact of this intervention on patients’ perceptions of warfarin burdens and their INRs.

Quality of health care service in pain clinics in Mansoura, Egypt: a cross-sectional comparative study

Background Patient satisfaction is an essential parameter for health care service evaluation. The authors evaluated the quality of the health care services and treatment satisfaction among patients with cancer with chronic pain. Materials and methods The authors conducted our study in Oncology Center Mansoura and Mansoura University Hospitals from April 2019 till September 2019. The authors enrolled 259 patients who were subjected to Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire Short Form, pain treatment satisfaction scale, and numerical rating scale. Results Regarding Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire, patients were generally satisfied in the Oncology Center (P Conclusion General satisfaction, technical quality, accessibility, convenience, and medication characteristics were better in the Oncology Center. Patients were more satisfied with the financial aspects in Mansoura University Hospital.

The effectiveness of trimetazidine and fabomotizole in the prevention of angina progression and improvement of life quality in patients in area of armed conflict

Aim.To assess the effectiveness of trimetazidine and fabomotizole adding to standard treatment in prevention of stable angina progression and improving of quality of life (QOL) in patients in area of armed conflict.Material and methods. One hundred and twelve patients with stable angina of II-III functional class (FC) living in the area of armed conflict in Chechen Republic. All participants were randomized into two groups. Within 6 months 54 patients from control group used standard therapy (isosorbide dinitrate 40 mg/day, metoprolol tartrate 50-100 mg/day, acetylsalicylic acid 100 mg/day, simvastatin 40 mg/day). In the study group 58 patients additionally took trimetazidine 70 mg/day and fabomotizole 30 mg/day. We used Seattle Angina Questionnaire initially and after 6 months of treatment to determine QOL: frequency of angina attacks, nitroglycerin taking per week and adverse events were evaluated.Results.The frequency of angina attacks and nitroglycerin taking in patients of study group significantly decreased after treatment compared with control group (p&lt;0,05). In the study group, as a result of treatment, there was a statistically significant increase in QOL compared with their initial values. In the control group there was a positive trend in following questionnaire scales: physical activity (p&lt;0,01), angina frequency (p&lt;0,001) and disease perception (p&lt;0,05). According to scales of treatment satisfaction, physical limitation and disease perception, improvement of QOL in the study group were statistically significant comparing with control group (p=0,01; p&lt;0,01 and p&lt;0,01, respectively).Conclusion. In the control group, there is a positive dynamics of QOL parameters on physical activity (p&lt;0,01), frequency of angina attacks (p&lt;0,001) and disease perception (p&lt;0,05) scales. The inclusion of trimetazidine and fabomotizole to the standard treatment carries statistically significant improvement of treatment satisfaction, physical limitation and disease perception scales. The frequency of angina attacks and nitroglycerin taking in patients of study group significantly decreased after treatment compared with control group (p&lt;0,05).

Comparative evaluation of percutaneous endoscopic and microsurgical lumbar discectomy

The results of percutaneous endoscopic and microsurgical discectomy have been compared. It was established that the operative intervention time, bed-day medians and disability period were significantly shorter (p0,001) in the percutaneous endoscopy group. The average effective dose of radiation exposure for a patient during transforaminal endoscopy was 4,4 mSv, for interlaminar endoscopic techniques and microsurgery - 0,8 mSv. The proportions of complications and repeated operations in both groups were comparable. The risk of recurrence was 10% for the endoscopic group, 4,8% for the microsurgical group. Significant differences in terms of local and radicular pain, quality of life and the physical component of health have not been established. The mental component of health was the best in the endoscopic group. Good and excellent results on the MacNab treatment satisfaction scale in the endoscopy group were observed in 78,2% of cases, after microdiscectomy - in84,9%. Lower invasiveness of percutaneous endoscopy affected the reduction in the period of hospitalization and disability. The effectiveness of percutaneous endoscopic discectomy methods was comparable to standard microsurgical techniques. A statistically insignificant increase in the risk of hernia recurrence after percutaneous endoscopic discectomy was noted. Infectious complications were not typical for percutaneous endoscopic discectomy. Differences in the frequency of complications and reoperations between percutaneous endoscopic and microsurgical lumbar discectomy are also not confirmed.

Methodological study to evaluate the psychometric properties of FACIT-CD in a sample of Brazilian women with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia

BackgroundThe occurrence of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) is associated with changes in health-related quality of life, including psychological factors, such as fear and shame, and changes in sexuality and sexual satisfaction, such as decreased sexual desire and frequency of sexual intercourse. Personal relationships are the most affected because CIN is sexually transmitted and many women tend to blame their partner for disease transmission. The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the FACIT-CD questionnaire in Brazilian women diagnosed with CIN.MethodsThe properties of the FACIT-CD questionnaire were tested on a sample of 439 women seen at the Department of Prevention of Barretos Cancer Hospital, including 329 patients who were diagnosed with CIN and 110 women who were not diagnosed with the disease. The analysed parameters included internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha), reproducibility (intraclass correlation coefficient), structural validity, convergent validity (correlation with the SF-12 and EORTC QLQ-CX24 questionnaires), discriminant validity (according to disease status, and self-rating of health), sensitivity, and responsiveness.ResultsThe Cronbach alpha values ​​of the FACIT-CD scales were higher than 0.70 with the exception of the relationship scale (0.66). The FACIT-CD reproducibility was satisfactory, with variation in the intraclass correlation coefficients ranging between 0.50 and 0.83, although the 95% confidence interval (CI) was lower than 0.40 (0.33–0.64) on the treatment satisfaction scale. Regarding structural validity, only one item on the physical well-being scale was not kept in the original domain. The expected correlations between the FACIT-CD and SF-12 were not confirmed, whereas the correlations between the FACIT-CD and EORTC QLQ-CX24 were confirmed. The questionnaire was able to discriminate the groups according to disease status and self-rating of health. The sensitivity was low for the relationship scale and moderate for the other scales. The responsiveness of the FACIT-CD questionnaire varied between the groups that denominate the self-perception of health as no change, improvement or worsening.ConclusionOur results are encouraging and indicate that the FACIT-CD questionnaire is a promising tool for the analysis of the quality of life of women with CIN.

Lateral Cutaneous Nerve Entrapment Syndrome (LACNES): A previously unrecognized cause of intractable flank pain

Background and aimsChronic abdominal pain may occasionally be due to terminal endings of intercostal nerves (ACNES, abdominal cutaneous nerve entrapment syndrome) that are entrapped in the abdominal wall. Spontaneous neuropathic flank pain may also be caused by involvement of branches of these intercostal nerves. Aim is to describe a series of patients with flank pain due to nerve entrapment and to increase awareness for an unknown condition coined Lateral Cutaneous Nerve Entrapment Syndrome (LACNES). MethodsPatients possibly having LACNES (constant area of flank tenderness, small point of maximal pain with neuropathic characteristics, locoregional altered skin sensation) presenting between January 2007 and May 2016 received a diagnostic 5–10mL 1% lidocaine injection. Pain levels were recorded using a numerical rating scale (0, no pain to 10, worst possible). A >50% pain reduction was defined as success. Long term effect of injections and alternative therapies were determined using a satisfaction scale (1, very satisfied, no pain – 5, pain worse). Results30 patients (21 women, median age 52, range 13–78) were diagnosed with LACNES. Pain following one injection dropped from 6.9±1.4 to 2.4±1.9 (mean, p<0.001) leading to an 83% immediate success rate. Repeated injection therapy was successful in 16 (pain free n=7, pain acceptable, n=9; median 42 months follow-up). The remaining 14 patients received (minimally invasive) surgery (n=5) or other treatments (medication, manual therapy or pulsed radiofrequency, n=9). Overall treatment satisfaction (scale 1 or 2) was attained in 79%. Conclusions and implicationsLACNES should be considered in patients with chronic flank pain. Injection therapy is long term effective in more than half of the population.

Evaluation of 2-stage Treatment for Cervical Dorsal Rami Entrapment Syndrome

To evaluate the effectiveness of a 2-stage nonoperative treatment for patients with cervical dorsal rami entrapment syndrome. The study included 66 patients diagnosed with cervical dorsal rami entrapment syndrome randomized to an experimental group (n=33) and control group (n=33). The experimental group was treated with additional diagnostic block if regular 2 weeks medication was not effective. The control group only received nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for 2 weeks. A visual analog scale (VAS) and pain treatment satisfaction scale (PTSS) were used to assess pain. Muscle power in the upper limbs was also assessed. The registration number of this study is ChiCTR-IIR-15007565. The VAS scores of the experimental group were significantly lower at 2, 4, and 6 months after treatment compared with baseline and the VAS scores of the control group (all P<0.001). The PTSS scores of the experimental group were significantly higher at 2, 4, and 6 months after treatment compared with baseline and the PTSS scores of the control group (all P<0.001). Maximal muscle power after treatment was significantly greater in the experimental group compared with the control group for shoulder abduction (P<0.001), thumb pinch force (P=0.001), and grasp (P<0.001). The results suggest that the 2-stage treatment is effective for patients with cervical dorsal rami entrapment syndrome.

The Real-Life Effectiveness and Care Patterns of Type 2 Diabetes Management in Greece.

To investigate the prevalence of hypoglycaemia during sulfonylurea (SU) treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Greece and its influence on glycaemic control, treatment adherence and quality of life (QoL). This was a retrospective cross-sectional study. We included 383 T2DM patients ≥30 years old on treatment with SU in monotherapy or in combination with metformin for at least 6 months. Patients were requested to fill in retrospective questionnaires on hypoglycaemia experience, adherence, weight gain and lifestyle/behavioural factors along with QoL (EQ-5D-3L), treatment satisfaction (TSQM), and fear of hypoglycaemia (HFS-II Worry scale). HbA1c<7% was found in 161 (42.0%) patients. In total, 165 (43.1%) patients reported hypoglycaemic symptoms during the previous 6 months: 41.6% (67/161) of those with HbA1c <7% and 44.1% (98/222) of those with HbA1c ≥7%. Glycaemic control was achieved by 43.1% (94/218) of patients without hypoglycaemia and 50.0% (41/82), 36.8% (25/68) and 6.7% (1/15) of patients with mild, moderate or severe hypoglycaemia, respectively (p=0.013). In multivariate analysis, both occurrence (none vs. mild/moderate/severe) and severity (none vs. mild vs. moderate vs. severe) of hypoglycaemia were significantly associated with impaired global treatment satisfaction (p=0.002 and p<0.0001 respectively) and HFS-II Worry scale scores (both p<0.0001), while lower QoL (EQ-5D (UK) Index) was related to hypoglycaemia severity (p=0.024) only. Finally, treatment adherence was associated with increased (none/mild vs. moderate/severe) hypoglycaemia severity in univariate analysis (p=0.019). A high prevalence of patient treated with SU reported hypoglycaemia in Greek healthcare settings with negative effects on treatment satisfaction, patient worry and adherence. Severity of hypoglycaemic symptoms was associated with reduced glycaemic control.

Spanish translation and preliminary validation of the Pain Treatment Satisfaction Scale

Satisfactory pain treatment could prevent adverse physical and psychological outcomes in patients. In this sense, adequate survey to measure patient satisfaction of pain management is important. In this study, we translated the Pain Treatment Satisfaction Scale to Spanish and analyzed the psychometric properties of its five dimensions. Reliability was determined with Chronbach´s-α and convergent and divergent validity with a multitrait-multimethod analysis. The latter were reported as successful percentage. In the five dimensions, the reliability of the Spanish version showed Chronbach´s-α values ≥ 0.75; successful percentage for convergent validity was ≥ 88, and successful percentage for divergent validity was ≥ 94. The Spanish version showed good psychometric properties and can be used to measure pain treatment satisfaction.

Medication Adherence and Treatment Satisfaction Among Renal Transplant Recipients

BACKGROUND Evidence suggests that patients who are more satisfied with their treatment show better adherence with the prescribed therapy. Although there is valuable data about medication adherence among renal transplant recipients (RTRs), there is a limited literature about their treatment satisfaction and its relation to adherence. The aim of the present study was to investigate factors that can predict medication adherence and to explore the relationship between treatment satisfaction and medication adherence in renal transplant recipients. MATERIAL AND METHODS Adult RTRs were included in the study using convenient sampling. The participants were asked to complete the 8-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8) and Treatment Satisfaction Scale TSQM 1.4 in addition to several socio-demographic and treatment-related data. The results were statistically analyzed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression modelling in a stepwise procedure. RESULTS A total of 151 RTRs were included in the study, of which 52 were classified as adherent (34%). Univariate analysis showed that, in comparison with non-adherent RTRs, the adherent group demonstrated significantly higher satisfaction scores in the domains of convenience (96.6±8.7 vs. 85.3±19.3), side effects (95.9±14.1 vs. 82.6±24.1), and global satisfaction (93.4±9.8 vs. 86.7±16.7), while they had marginally higher satisfaction scores in the effectiveness domain (90.4±11.6 vs. 86.5±14.5). Results from multiple logistic regression showed that higher likelihood of adherence was significantly associated with increased satisfaction score in the convenience domain [AOR=1.76, 95% CI=(1.21, 2.55); p=0.003] and marginally related to increased satisfaction scores in the side effects domain [AOR=1.31, 95% CI=(0.99, 1.74); p=0.061]. Male RTRs were significantly more likely to be adherent than female RTRs [AOR=2.23, 95% CI=(1.02, 4.84); p=0.043]. CONCLUSIONS Although the adherence rate among RTRs is relatively low, males and RTRs who reported higher treatment satisfaction (convenience and side effects domains) showed better medication adherence. It is recommended that interventional programs for the improvement of dialysis patient adherence should be developed, in addition to designing strategies to improve treatment convenience and knowledge of medication side effects.

Retraction Note: Stress urinary incontinence: long-term results of laparoscopic Burch colposuspension.

The open Burch colposuspension, first described in 1961 had been widely employed for the surgical treatment of women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI) caused by urethral hypermobility. We evaluated the long-term efficacy of laparoscopic Burch colposuspension (LBC) for SUI in women. A randomized prospective trial was conducted from September 2010 to January 2013. The extraperitoneal laparoscopic Burch colposuspension was performed by an operator on 96 women, mean age was 54,3 ± 3,7 years all of whom suffered from SUI or mixed urinary incontinence. Patients completed a self-administered the Short Form-36 (SF-36), the Physical Component Summary (PCS) and Mental Component Summary (MCS), the Short Urinary Distress Inventory (SUDI) and Short Incontinence Impact Questionnaire (SIIQ). at both baseline and follow up(6 weeks, 6 months, 18 months postoperatively). The Genito-Urinary Treatment Satisfaction Scale (GUTSS) was used to assess satisfaction with surgery. After follow up was recorded an improvement of questionnaries scores. The general health score is improved after surgery (2,60 ± 1.02 versus 2,76 ± 1.06) with p = 0.09. The PCS baseline score is 46.29 ± 10.95 versus 49.54 ± 10.41 after treatment with p = 0.01, so there was a significant baseline to follow up improvement. The MCS improved also, infact baseline score is 42.19 ± 12.57 versus 42.70 ± 13.03 with p = 0.87. The SUDI baseline score is 50.22 ± 20.73 versus 23.92 ± 17.90, while SIIQ score is 49.98 ± 23.90 versus 31.40 ± 23.83 with p < 0.01. In both questionnaires there is an improvement. Satisfaction with treatment outcomes from the GUTSS at 6-month follow up is 29.5 ± 6.3 with p = 0.46. The LBC has significant advantages, without any apparent compromise in short-term and long term outcomes.

Abstract 254: The Canadian GENESIS Gender Index may be the Key to Understanding Differences in Health Status Outcomes in Acute Coronary Syndrome.

Background: While it has been identified that gender (socially manufactured roles, behaviours, expressions and identities) plays a central role in men’s and women’s health, the distinction between gender and sex (biological attributes) has largely been ignored in health sciences research. One aspect of the GENESIS-PRAXY study was the development of a ‘gender index’ which measures gender and offers a pragmatic means to explore the relationship between sex, gender and health outcomes. The purpose of this study was to look at the unique contributions of sex, age and the GENESIS Gender Index (GGI) to baseline Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) dimensional scores in a cohort of patients undergoing cardiac catheterization for CAD. Methods: Questions that comprised the GGI were included in the follow-up questionnaire sent to patients in the APPROACH registry. For the purposes of these analyses, SAQ scores were dichotomized whereby respondents were given a score of 1 if they scored 100 (best possible score) on the SAQ scales, and 0 if less than 100. Logistic regression models were created including each of the SAQ dimensional scores as the dependent variables and sex, age and the GGI as the independent variables entered in unique blocks. The area under the curve (AUC) and resulting c statistics were calculated for each block. Results: GGI scores and baseline SAQ scores were calculated for 532 returned questionnaires sent between July 1st and August 31 st 2015 within one week of index catheterization. Men were more likely to report perfect SAQ dimensional scores compared to women and these relationships were significant in the Physical Limitation and Treatment Satisfaction scales (odds ratios 2.75 and 1.56 respectively). The inclusion of age into the models did not change the relationship between sex and the SAQ scales. However the inclusion of the GGI attenuated the relationship between sex and the SAQ scales whereby sex was no longer statistically independently predictive of SAQ scale scores. Furthermore c statistics indicated that including the GGI increased the discrimination of the models in all SAQ dimensional scales. Conclusions: This analyses adds to the literature that specifies that gender is a distinct constructs that can be measured by the GGI. More importantly, the increased predictive accuracy of the models that included the GGI suggests that the psychosocial variables included in the GGI provide more information in understanding the differences in outcomes between men and women undergoing catheterization for CAD.

Adipose derived mesenchymal stem cell therapy in the treatment of isolated knee chondral lesions: design of a randomised controlled pilot study comparing arthroscopic microfracture versus arthroscopic microfracture combined with postoperative mesenchymal stem cell injections

IntroductionThe management of intra-articular chondral defects in the knee remains a challenge. Inadequate healing in areas of weight bearing leads to impairment in load transmission and these defects predispose to...

Nucleoplasty for the Treatment of Low Back Pain Caused by Degenerative Disc Disease

Introduction Puncture methods—Nucleoplasty by coblation and radio frequency denervation—have recently been widely used for the treatment of pain syndrome caused by intervertebral disc protrusion. The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of nucleoplasty and radio frequency denervation of intervertebral joints as advanced minimally invasive surgical techniques for alleviating pain in the case of intervertebral disc disease, spondylarthrosis, and other vertebroneurologic diseases accompanying degenerative disc disease. Methods Since 2010, 70 patients with lumbar disc protrusion and signs disc-radicular conflict underwent nucleoplasty by cold plasma. All patients had a history of back pain or/and leg pain for not less than 3 months and were followed up after undergoing minimally invasive procedures for a year. Visual Analog Scale, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and Treatment Satisfaction Scale were used for evaluation. A total of 50 patients of control group also with protrusion of intervertebral disc were treated therapeutically. Results No complications were noted. At 12-month follow-up, all the operated patients showed the decrease of pain syndrome intensity according to the Visual Analogue Scale ( p &lt; 0.0001), and decrease ODI compared with patients treated therapeutically ( p &lt; 0.001). Treatment Satisfaction scores were higher as compared with the patients of the control group. Conclusions Nucleoplasty allowed us to successfully treat patients affected by lumbar disc protrusion who treated therapeutically not less than 6 weeks without effect. Minimally invasive electrosurgical techniques appeared to be safe and effective in the treatment of carefully selected patients suffering from low back and leg pains caused by a degenerative-dystrophic process. Nucleoplasty technique is more effective in younger patients. Procedures performed at several levels also result in marked clinical improvement. the primary advantages of these techniques were their safety and efficacy, minimal invasiveness, and the absence of a peridural scar. They do not complicate further microsurgical intervention.

A longitudinal analysis on pain treatment satisfaction among Chinese patients with chronic pain: predictors and association with medical adherence, disability, and quality of life.

Patient satisfaction research in chronic pain treatment is scarce internationally and is nonexistent in Chinese communities like Hong Kong. This longitudinal study examined the relationships between medical adherence, pain treatment satisfaction, disability, and quality of life (QoL) in a sample of Chinese patients with chronic pain. A total of 178 patients with chronic pain were assessed at baseline, 3 and 6 months following baseline. Medical adherence and pain treatment satisfaction were assessed by the Participant Compliance Reporting Scale and the Pain Treatment Satisfaction Scale (PTSS), respectively. QoL, depression, pain catastrophizing, and pain-related fear were assessed using SF-12, the depression subscale of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS-D), the Pain Catastrophizing Scale, and the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia, respectively. Linear mixed effects models (LME) were fitted to identify predictors of pain treatment satisfaction, medical adherence, and QoL. Results of univariate LME analyses showed significant quadratic time effects on four PTSS scores and significant associations between disability grade and PTSS scores (all p < 0.05). Medical adherence was not significantly associated with satisfaction regarding pain medication (model 1). Satisfaction with medication characteristics emerged as an independent predictor of medical adherence (model 2: std β = -0.11, p < 0.05) after controlling for sociodemographic and pain variables. Neither medical adherence nor pain treatment satisfaction predicted QoL outcomes (models 3 and 4). Distinct trajectories in pain treatment satisfaction were displayed in the current sample of Chinese patients with different disability grading chronic pain. Within pain treatment, only medication characteristics significantly impacted patients' medical adherence.

Treatment satisfaction of men and partners following switch from on-demand phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor therapy to tadalafil 5 mg once daily.

Treatment satisfaction of men receiving phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors (PDE5) for erectile dysfunction (ED) and their partners is essential to successful long-term therapy. This study aims to assess treatment satisfaction, in men with a partial response to on-demand (PRN) PDE5 and their female partners, following tadalafil 5 mg once daily or placebo. The study was randomized, double-blind, parallel, and placebo-controlled in men primarily with mild to moderate ED. Treatment satisfaction was assessed following a 4-week maximum dose PRN lead-in, 4-week nondrug washout, and treatment through 12 weeks. Men were ≥18 years old with ED for ≥3 months and International Index of Erectile Function Erectile Function score of ≥17 and <26 at screening and <26 following PRN lead-in. Treatment satisfaction was assessed using the Treatment Satisfaction Scale (TSS) for patients and partners. TSS domain scores range from 0 to 100, with higher values indicating greater satisfaction. Statistical comparisons were made using analysis of covariance. Treatment satisfaction was significantly greater with tadalafil once daily vs. placebo across all TSS domains for both patients and their partners (all P < 0.001). For patients, mean scores for the TSS domains Confidence to Complete Sexual Activity and Satisfaction with Orgasm ranged from 53.7 to 57.8 after the PRN lead-in and 26.7 to 31.9 following the nondrug washout. Following randomized treatment, scores for tadalafil and placebo were 55.4 and 32.6, respectively, for Confidence to Complete Sexual Activity and 57.5 and 37.9, respectively, for Satisfaction with Orgasm. Results were comparable for other TSS domains and between men and their partners. Treatment satisfaction was comparable for tadalafil 5 mg once daily and PRN PDE5 for both patients and female partners, suggesting that tadalafil once daily is a viable therapy option for men with ED who had a partial response to PRN PDE5 therapy.