scholarly journals Gender effects on outcomes of psychosomatic rehabilitation are reduced

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (8) ◽  
pp. e0256916
Author(s):  
Juliane Burghardt ◽  
Friedrich Riffer ◽  
Manuel Sprung

Objective The study examined whether psychiatric/psychosomatic rehabilitation continues to have a better course of treatment for women than men. Methods We compared the course of global symptom severity, health-related quality of life and functioning between admission and discharge in patients (848 men, 1412 women) at an Austrian psychiatric/psychosomatic rehabilitation clinic. Results Gender-specific differences in the course of treatment were all too small to be clinically relevant. The differences were smallest in the middle-aged cohort. However, at the time of admission, women reported a slightly higher symptom burden. Conclusion Overall, the results show a gender-fair effectiveness of the rehabilitation. The new findings could be explained by changes in living conditions, gender roles, or better treatment methods.

Author(s):  
Grete K. Velure ◽  
Bernd Müller ◽  
May Aa. Hauken

Abstract Purpose Curative radiotherapy for cancer may lead to severe late radiation tissue injuries (LRTIs). However, limited knowledge exists about pelvic cancer survivors’ LRTI symptoms, distress, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL). We sought to assess the symptom burden, distress, and HRQOL in survivors with established pelvic LRTIs compared to norm populations and to investigate the relation between these factors. Methods Cancer survivors referred for treatment of established pelvic LRTIs were recruited nationwide. LTRIs were assessed with the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC), psychological distress was assessed with the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), and HRQOL was assessed with the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORCT-QLQ-C30). Results A total of 107 participants (mean age 64, 53% men) were included. Compared to norms, participants reported more urinary (mean 68.7 vs. 89.5; p = 0.00; d = 1.4) and bowel symptoms (mean 62.5 vs. 92.4; p = 0.00; d = 2.7), increased psychological distress (mean 13.4 vs. 10.3; p = 0.00; d = 0.6), and overall poorer HRQOL (mean 54.9 vs. 71.2; p = 0.00; d = 0.7). Higher symptom burden and higher levels of psychological distress were associated with lower HRQOL (r2 = 46%), but psychological distress did not moderate the influence of symptoms on HRQOL. Conclusion Cancer survivors with established pelvic LRTIs are highly burdened compared to norms. The association of the LRTI-related symptom burden with HRQOL is independent of the level of psychological distress. Both coping and treatment interventions are crucial to promoting long-term health and HRQOL. Trial registration NCT03570229.


2020 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 284-295 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ijeoma Julie Eche ◽  
Ifeoma Mary Eche ◽  
Teri Aronowitz

Children with cancer experience multiple symptoms at end of life (EOL) that impair their health-related quality of life. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, this integrative literature review comprehensively summarized symptom experiences of children with cancer at EOL. The Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PubMed, and Academic Premier were searched between January 2007 to September 2019 for articles published in English using the MeSH terms: symptom burden or distress AND children with cancer or pediatric cancer or cancer children or oncology and pediatrics AND EOL care or palliative care or death or dying or terminally ill. The inclusion criteria were the following: (a) study designs [randomized controlled trials, nonexperimental, secondary analysis (if aims were distinct from primary studies) and qualitative]; (b) participants <18 years old (died of cancer, had no realistic chance of cure, or had advanced cancer); and (c) focused on symptom experiences/burden at EOL. Exclusion criteria were nonresearch articles, systematic reviews, case studies, reports, and studies that focused on cancer survivors and/or those receiving curative therapies. Twenty-seven articles met inclusion criteria. The most prevalent symptoms—pain, fatigue, dyspnea, and loss of appetitewere associated with impairments in health-related quality of life. Children with brain tumors experienced higher symptom burden compared to those with hematologic/solid malignancies. Children who received cancer-directed therapies experienced disproportionate symptoms and were more likely to die in the intensive care unit compared with those who did not receive cancer-directed therapies. Most common location of death was home. This integrative review indicated that children with cancer were polysymptomatic at EOL. Strategies facilitating effective symptom management at EOL are needed.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 276-286
Author(s):  
Raymond Javan Chan ◽  
Laisa Teleni ◽  
Suzanne McDonald ◽  
Jaimon Kelly ◽  
Jane Mahony ◽  
...  

ObjectivesTo examine the effects of nurse-led interventions on the health-related quality of life, symptom burden and self-management/behavioural outcomes in women with breast cancer.MethodsCochrane Controlled Register of Trials (CENTRAL), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Medline and Embase databases were searched (January 1999 to May 2019) to identify randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and controlled before-and-after studies of interventions delivered by nurses with oncology experience for women with breast cancer. Risk of bias was evaluated using the revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomised trials. Intervention effects were synthesised by cancer trajectory using The Omaha System Intervention Classification Scheme.ResultsThirty-one RCTs (4651 participants) were included. All studies were at risk of bias mainly due to inherent limitations such as lack of blinding and self-report data. Most studies (71%; n=22) reported at least one superior intervention effect. There were no differences in all outcomes between those who receive nurse-led surveillance care versus those who received physical led or usual discharge care. Compared with control interventions, there were superior teaching, guidance and counselling (63%) and case management (100%) intervention effects on symptom burden during treatment and survivorship. Effects of these interventions on health-related quality of life and symptom self-management/behavioural outcomes were inconsistent.DiscussionThere is consistent evidence from RCTs that nurse-led surveillance interventions are as safe and effective as physician-led care and strong evidence that nurse-led teaching, guidance and counselling and case management interventions are effective for symptom management. Future studies should ensure the incorporation of health-related quality of life and self-management/behavioural outcomes and consider well-designed attentional placebo controls to blind participants for self-report outcomes.Protocol registrationThe International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO): CRD42020134914).


Author(s):  
Linda Henry ◽  
Sharon Hunt ◽  
Sari D. Holmes ◽  
Lisa M. Martin ◽  
Niv Ad

Objective Atrial fibrillation (AF) management suggests that women do not tolerate medication rhythm control strategies as well as men do; however, AF percutaneous catheter ablation has been found to be favorable. The study purpose was to compare the sex-based outcomes for patients who undergo the Cox-Maze procedure for AF. Methods Data were collected through our AF surgical ablation registry. Rhythm was verified by electrocardiogram and 24-hour holter at 6 and 12 months. General health-related quality of life (Short-Form 12) and specific AF symptom burden (Atrial Fibrillation Symptom Checklist: Frequency and Severity, version 3) were obtained at baseline and 12 months. Results Since 2005, a total of 540 patients have undergone a Cox-Maze procedure (34% were women). The women presented with higher operative risk [additive European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation (EuroSCORE), 6.71 ± 2.61 vs 5.25 ± 2.80, t = 5.85, P < 0.001], higher rates of congestive heart failure (49% vs 32%, P < 0.001), and more concomitant mitral valve procedures (32% vs 19%, P = 0.001). Perioperative outcomes were similar. Return to sinus rhythm off antiarrhythmics were not different at 6 and 12 months (78% vs 75%, P = 0.53, and 81% vs 80%, P = 1.00, respectively). Cumulative 2-year survival (93.9% for the men and 89.3% for the women) was not different for all-cause mortality (hazard ratio, 1.47; confidence interval, 0.68–3.21; P = 0.33) and cardiac-related mortality [women: 10/14 (71%) vs men 7/11 (64%), P = 1.00]. Health-related quality of life showed significant improvement; AF symptoms significantly decreased across the sexes. Conclusions Outcomes after the Cox-Maze procedure are similar across sex. Atrial fibrillation surgical ablation should be considered a treatment option for women—it is safe and effective, improves general health-related quality of life, and reduces AF symptom burden.


Open Heart ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. e000880 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neil A Smart ◽  
Nicola King ◽  
Jeffrey D Lambert ◽  
Melissa J Pearson ◽  
John L Campbell ◽  
...  

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to undertake a contemporary review of the impact of exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (CR) targeted at patients with atrial fibrillation (AF).MethodsWe conducted searches of PubMED, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library of Controlled Trials (up until 30 November 2017) using key terms related to exercise-based CR and AF. Randomised and non-randomised controlled trials were included if they compared the effects of an exercise-based CR intervention to a no exercise or usual care control group. Meta-analyses of outcomes were conducted where appropriate.ResultsThe nine randomised trials included 959 (483 exercise-based CR vs 476 controls) patients with various types of AF. Compared with control, pooled analysis showed no difference in all-cause mortality (risk ratio (RR) 1.08, 95% CI 0.77 to 1.53, p=0.64) following exercise-based CR. However, there were improvements in health-related quality of life (mean SF-36 mental component score (MCS): 4.00, 95% CI 0.26 to 7.74; p=0.04 and mean SF-36 physical component score: 1.82, 95% CI 0.06 to 3.59; p=0.04) and exercise capacity (mean peak VO2: 1.59 ml/kg/min, 95% CI 0.11 to 3.08; p=0.04; mean 6 min walk test: 46.9 m, 95% CI 26.4 to 67.4; p<0.001) with exercise-based CR. Improvements were also seen in AF symptom burden and markers of cardiac function.ConclusionsExercise capacity, cardiac function, symptom burden and health-related quality of life were improved with exercise-based CR in the short term (up to 6 months) targeted at patients with AF. However, high-quality multicentre randomised trials are needed to clarify the impact of exercise-based CR on key patient and health system outcomes (including health-related quality of life, mortality, hospitalisation and costs) and how these effects may vary across AF subtypes.


2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
E Wu ◽  
L Desta ◽  
A Brostrom ◽  
J Martensson

Abstract Background Patients with refractory angina pectoris (RAP) suffer from debilitating symptoms with considerable limitation of functional capacity and impaired health-related quality of life (HRQoL) despite optimized medical therapy. Recurrent angina symptoms are strongly associated with psychological distress and cardiac anxiety (i.e., a subtype of anxiety related to cardiac sensations). Enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) is an alternative non-invasive treatment for these patients. An EECP course includes 35 1-hour sessions over 7 weeks. No previous study has explored long-term EECP effects on cardiac anxiety in patients with RAP. Objective To evaluate the effects of EECP treatment in patients with RAP regarding usage of nitrates, physical capacity, cardiac anxiety and HRQoL. Methods A quasi experimental design with long-term follow-up (6 months) involving 50 patients (men=37, 47–91 years) who had finished one course of EECP. Assessment of average use of nitrates, six-minute walk test, functional class with Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) classification and questionnaires for cardiac anxiety and HRQoL were collected pre and post treatment. In addition, the questionnaires were collected 6 months after completion of EECP. Results Patients used significantly less nitrates (p<0.001) compared to at the start of treatment. They enhanced the walking distance on average by 46 m after EECP (p<0.001) and CCS class also improved (p<0.001). All subscales except for one in cardiac anxiety were significantly reduced (p<0.05). All dimensions in HRQoL improved significantly (p<0.01). The positive effects in both cardiac anxiety and HRQoL were maintained 6 months after the treatment. Conclusions Patients with RAP received beneficial effects from EECP. Reduced symptom burden and improved physical capacity enable engagement in physical activities. Furthermore, less cardiac anxiety and improved HRQoL may enhance life satisfaction for these patients. EECP treatment should be considered to a greater extent to improve the life situation for these patients.


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