Traditional and complementary medicine (TCM) usage and its association with Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care (PACIC) among individuals with metabolic syndrome in primary care

Background Traditional and Complementary Medicine (TCM) is widely used particularly among patients with chronic diseases in primary care. However, evidence is lacking regarding TCM use among patients with Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) and its association with patients’ experience on chronic disease conventional care that they receive. Therefore, this study aims to determine the prevalence and pattern of TCM use, compare the patients’ experience of chronic disease care using the Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care - Malay version (PACIC-M) questionnaire between TCM users and non-users and determine the factors associated with TCM use among patients with MetS in primary care. Methodology A cross-sectional study was conducted at a university primary care clinic. Patients aged 18 to 80 years old with MetS were recruited. Socio-demographic characteristic, clinical characteristics and information on TCM use and its pattern were recorded in a proforma. Patient’s experience of chronic disease conventional care was measured using PACIC-M questionnaire. The comparison of PACIC-M mean score between TCM users and non-users was measured using independent t-test. The factors associated with TCM use were determined by simple logistic regression (SLogR), followed by multiple logistic regression (MLogR). Results Out of 394 participants, 381 (96.7%) were included in the final analysis. Of the 381 participants, 255 (66.9%) were TCM users (95% CI 62.7, 71.7). Only 36.9% of users disclosed about TCM use to their health care providers (HCP). The overall mean PACIC-M score was 2.91 (SD ± 0.04). TCM users had significantly higher mean PACIC-M score compared to non-users (2.98 ± 0.74 vs 2.75 ± 0.72, p = 0.01). The independent factors associated with TCM use were being female (Adj. OR 2.50, 95% CI 1.55, 4.06), having high education level (Adj. OR 2.16, 95% CI 1.37, 3.41) and having high overall PACIC-M mean score (Adj. OR 1.49, 95% CI 1.10, 2.03). Conclusion TCM use was highly prevalent in this primary care clinic. However, the disclosure rate of TCM use to HCP was low. Females, those with high education and high PACIC-M mean score were more likely to use TCM. Further research should explore the reasons for their TCM use, despite having good experience in conventional chronic disease care.

A Randomized Controlled Trial of Intermittent Kangaroo Mother Care versus Conventional Care in Increasing the Rate of Weight Gain among Low-Birth-Weight Neonates

Objective. To determine the effectiveness of Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) in increasing the rate of weight gain and decreasing hypothermia, apnea, and sepsis rate, and shorten hospital stay among low-birth-weight infants. Methods. Very low birth weight (VLBW) infants (≤1500 grams) were randomized to either the KMC or conventional care group. KMC provided skin-to-skin contact at least 6 hours per day while the conventional group received the usual care in the newborn intensive care unit (NICU). Daily weight measurements and weekly measurements of length, head, and chest circumference were recorded until discharge. Occurrence of hypothermia, apnea, sepsis, and length of stay was noted. Results. KMC group had a higher mean weight gain per day (p=0.0102). There was no difference in the length, head, and chest circumference between the two groups. Sepsis and apnea rates were not significant between the two groups. Significantly more neonates experience hypothermia in the control group (p<0.0069). Conclusion. KMC is effective in increasing the weight per day compared with the control group. KMC protects the neonates against hypothermia. There is not enough evidence to show a difference in the incidence of sepsis, apnea, and the length of hospital stay between the two groups.

Joint Deep-Learning-Enabled Impact of Holistic Care on Line Coagulation in Hemodialysis

In order to investigate the impact of holistic care on line coagulation and safety in hemodialysis and to address limitations of the conventional ultrasound flow vector imaging (VFM) technique, which requires proprietary software to acquire raw Doppler and scatter tracking data, a combined deep-learning-enabled holistic care approach to line coagulation in hemodialysis is proposed. First, velocity along the direction of the sound beam, which is provided by the color Doppler echocardiogram, is obtained as the radial velocity component using a velocity scale. Moreover, the left ventricular wall contour is automatically identified using a U-Net network and the left ventricular wall velocity is calculated as the boundary condition of continuity equation by a retrained PWC-Net model. Likewise, the velocity component of each blood mass in the vertical direction of the sound beam is obtained by solving the continuity equation (i.e. tangential velocity component). Finally, the velocity vector map of cardiac flow field was synthesized and visualized in the flow diagram. For this purpose, sixty patients admitted to receive hemodialysis from February 2019 to June 2020 were randomly divided into two groups of 30 patients where the control group implemented conventional care and the study group implemented all-round care on the basis of conventional care. The nursing effects of both groups were compared. Incidence of pipeline coagulation and complications in the study group were lower than those in the control group and the difference was statistically significant ( P < 0.05 ). The nursing detail score, nursing attitude score, nursing professionalism score, and total satisfaction score in the study group were higher than those in the control group and the difference was statistically significant ( P < 0.05 ). Applying all-round nursing in hemodialysis can effectively reduce the incidence of line coagulation complications and improve the safety of hemodialysis, as well as improve patients’ satisfaction with nursing care.

Do differentiated service delivery models for HIV treatment in sub-Saharan Africa save money? Synthesis of evidence from field studies conducted in sub-Saharan Africa in 2017-2019

Introduction: “Differentiated service delivery” (DSD) for antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV is rapidly being scaled up throughout sub-Saharan Africa, but only recently have data become available on the costs of DSD models to providers and patients. We synthesized recent studies of DSD model costs in five African countries. Methods: The studies included cluster randomized trials in Lesotho, Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe and observational studies in Uganda and Zambia. For 3-5 models per country, studies collected patient-level data on clinical outcomes and provider costs for 12 months, and some studies surveyed patients about costs they incurred. We compared costs of differentiated models to those of conventional care and identified drivers of cost differences. We also report patient costs of seeking care. Results: The studies described 22 models, including facility-based conventional care. Of these, 13 were facility-based and 9 community-based models; 15 were individual and 7 group models. Average provider cost/patient/year ranged from $100 in Zambia to $187 in Zimbabwe, in both cases for facility-based conventional care. Conventional care was less expensive than any other model in the Zambia observational study, more expensive than any other model in Lesotho, Malawi, and Zimbabwe, and in the middle of the range in the Zambia trial and the observational study in Uganda. Models incorporating 6-month dispensing were consistently less expensive to the provider per patient treated. Savings to patients were substantial for most models, with patients’ costs roughly halved. Conclusion: In five field studies of the costs of DSD models for HIV treatment, most models within each country had relatively similar costs, except for 6-month dispensing models, which were slightly less expensive. Most models provided substantial savings to patients. Research is needed to understand the effect of DSD models on the costs of ART programmes as a whole.

Efficacy of a technology-based client-centred training system in neurological rehabilitation: a randomised controlled trial

Background A client-centred task-oriented approach has advantages towards motivation and adherence to therapy in neurorehabilitation, but it is costly to integrate in practice. An intelligent Activity-based Client-centred Training (i-ACT), a low-cost Kinect-based system, was developed which integrates a client-centred and task-oriented approach. The objectives were (1) to investigate the effect of additional i-ACT training on functioning. And (2) to assess whether training with i-ACT resulted in more goal oriented training. Methods A single-blind randomised controlled trial was performed in 4 Belgian rehabilitation centres with persons with central nervous system deficits. Participants were randomly allocated through an independent website-based code generator using blocked randomisation (n = 4) to an intervention or control group. The intervention group received conventional care and additional training with i-ACT for 3 × 45 min/week during 6 weeks. The control group received solely conventional care. Functional ability and performance, quality of life (QoL), fatigue, trunk movement, and shoulder active range of motion (AROM) were assessed at baseline, after 3 weeks and 6 weeks of training, and 6 weeks after cessation of training. Data were analysed using non-parametric within and between group analysis. Results 47 persons were randomised and 45 analysed. Both intervention (n = 25) and control (n = 22) group improved over time on functional ability and performance as measured by the Wolf Motor Function Test, Manual Ability Measure-36, and Canadian Occupational Performance Measure, but no major differences were found between the groups on these primary outcome measures. Regarding QoL, fatigue, trunk movement, and shoulder AROM, no significant between group differences were found. High adherence for i-ACT training was found (i.e. 97.92%) and no adverse events, linked to i-ACT, were reported. In the intervention group the amount of trained personal goals (88%) was much higher than in the control group (46%). Conclusions Although additional use of i-ACT did not have a statistically significant added value regarding functional outcome over conventional therapy, additional i-ACT training provides more individualised client-centred therapy, and adherence towards i-ACT training is high. A higher intensity of i-ACT training may increase therapy effects, and should be investigated in future research. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT02982811. Registered 29 November 2016.

Outcome of Intermittent Kangaroo Mother Care in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Objective: To find out the outcome of intermittent Kangaroo Mother Care KMC) in terms of weight-gain among low birth weight (LBW) neonates in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Study Design: A randomized controlled trial. Place and Duration of the Study: This study was conducted at Department of Pediatrics Gulab Devi Hospital, Lahore from March 2020 to February 2021. Methodology: A total of 226 (113 KMC Group and 113 controls) neonates of both genders with birth weight between 1500 grams to 2499 grams admitted to NICU with their mothers available for KMC application were enrolled. KMC Groups received KMC whereas controls were given conventional care. KMC was started from 8th post-natal day and a separate block of NICU was dedicated for the implementation of KMC. Body weight of all the neonates was measured from day-zero (8th post-natal day) up to day-7 (15th post-natal day). Results: Out of a total of 226 neonates, 121 (53.5%) were boys and 105 (46.5%) girls, Overall, mean gestational age was calculated to be 34.8±2.6 weeks. Most frequent main diagnosis at the time of admission was pneumonia, 64 (28.3%) neonates. Mean body weight was significantly increased among neonates of KMC Group in comparison to control at day-4, day-6 and day-7 (p<0.05). Total weight gain from day-0 to day-7 was found to be 0.24±0.1 kg in KMC groups and 0.15±0.1 kg among controls (p<0.0001). Mean duration of hospital stay was noted to be 17.5±2.9 days in KMC Group versus 20.7±3.4 days among controls (p<0.0001). Conclusion: In comparison to conventional care, intermittent KMC was found to significantly more effective in terms of improvement in weight gain and reduction in duration of hospitalization. Keywords: Exclusive breast-feeding, Kangaroo mother care, neonatal intensive care unit, pneumonia.

Developmental Care Implementation on preterm neonates in Ain Shams University Pediatric Hospitals: An interventional study

Introduction Developmental care is an approach to individualize care of infants to maximize neurological development and reduce long term cognitive and behavioral problems which may result from the stressful experience in the neonatal intensive care units like neonatal exposure to loud noise, bright light, heel pricking, orogastric suction and endotracheal intubation. It includes minimizing exposure to noise, light, proper skin to skin contact or kangaroo care, proper positioning, applying clustering of care and non-nutritive suckling. Objectives To study developmental care implementation and its relation to time to achieve full feed, length of hospital stay, amount of feeding, incidence of IVH, NEC & ROP, and consequently death in preterm neonates admitted to NICU. Patients and methods A Double arm randomized controlled clinical trial, care application, carried out on 60 preterms in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Children's Hospital, Ain Shams university. Inclusion criteria of Developmental care group & controls (conventional care group) was; gestational age 29-36 week, no major congenital anomalies, and no pharmacological analgesics nor sedation were received before enrollment in the study. N-PASS (neonatal pain agitation sedation scale) and NISS (neonatal infant stressor scale) scores were assessed in both groups before and after developmental care implementation on developmental care group and conventional care application in conventional care group. Results N-PASS & NISS scores were decreased significantly with developmental care application, developmental care implementation resulted in a significant decrease in time to achieve full feed & length of hospital stay, there was a tendency to a decrease in incidence & grading of IVH, NEC & ROP, and consequently death in developmental care group compared to conventional care group. Conclusion Application of developmental care measures to NICU admitted preterm babies minimizes neonatal pain, stress, helps reaching amount of full feeding in a shorter time, with an increase in neonatal weight gain & a decrease in length of hospital stay.

Enhanced Recovery After Colo-Rectal Surgeries (ERAS) V.S Conventional Care A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background ERAS programs are not only used in abdominal surgeries, they are also used in cardiothoracic, gynecology, urology, orthopedic, and neurosurgery. Many authors and surgeons worldwide have been adapting this program, also trying to modify it due to its promising outcomes and it’s low damage toit’s continence. Objective To present an updated assessment of perioperative care in colorectal surgery from the available evidence and Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) group recommendations. Patients and Methods We performed this systematic review and meta-analysis in accordance to the recommendations of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement and Meta-analysis Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (MOOSE) statement. PRISMA and MOOSE are reporting checklists for Authors, Editors, and Reviewers of Meta-analyses of interventional and observational studies. According to International committee of medical journal association (ICJME), reviewers must report their findings according to each of the items listed in those checklists. An electronic search was conducted from the inception till March 2019 in the following bibliographic databases: Medline via PubMed, SCOPUS, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Web of Science, and Google Scholar to identify relevant articles. We used different combinations of the following queries: ("Colorectal Surgery"[Mesh]) AND ("Enhanced recovery" OR "conventional care"). The search have been done with no limit regarding the year publication or language. Results In the present study, we searched Medline via PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and Google Scholar from their inception till March 2019. The search retrieved 2861 unique records. We then retained 41 potentially eligible records for full-texts screening. Finally, 28 reports of 25 RCTs were included in the present systematic review and meta-analysis Conclusion ERAS was proven to be feasible, minimally invasive, cheap, relatively easy, which is safe and effective at the same time. This program can be ideal for patients undergoing elective colo-rectal surgery, yet more studies should be conducted in Egypt to compare results regarding different approaches of this program with longer follow up and randomization of patients.

Quantitative Ultrasound Changes in Echotexture and Functional Parameters after a Multicomponent Training Program in Pre-Frailty Individuals: A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial

Objective: Currently, ultrasound imaging (USI) is considered a feasible tool in the evaluation of structural and textural muscle differences due to aging. The main aim of this study was to evaluate sonographic changes in muscular structure and function after a 12-week multicomponent training program in pre-frailty individuals. Design: A prospective, randomized, clinical trial was carried out. Participants: Thirty-two pre-frailty subjects were recruited and randomly divided into a multicomponent training program group (n = 16; Multicomponent group) and a conventional care group (n = 14; Control group) with a 12-week follow up. Main outcome measures: Rectus femoris thickness, cross-sectional area (CSA), echointensity, echovariation and vastus lateralis pennation angle tests were carried out to assess the structure and echotexture, and the force–velocity (F-V) profile for muscle power and muscle strength was employed to assess the functional parameters. Results: Statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) were shown for the left rectus femoris echointensity and in the functional parameter of muscle power after a 12-week program for the multicomponent training group compared to the conventional care group. Conclusions: Pre-frailty elderly subjects showed a decrease in rectus femoris echointensity (RF-EI) and an increase in the functional parameter of muscle power after a 12-week multicomponent training program compared to the control group.