Quality of life and COVID-19 phobia of cancer patients receiving chemotherapy in a state hospital during pandemic: a cross sectional study

Objective: COVID-19 pandemic has become a global public health problem and led to phobia among people. There is also no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic had a great impact on the quality of people's lives. The goal of this study was to assess the factors that might be affecting the quality of life and COVID-19 phobia of the cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between November 2021 and April 2022 in an outpatient chemotherapy unit within a state hospital in Istanbul. Participants' data was gathered by a questionnaire that had 3 components: participants' characteristics, the COVID-19 phobia scale, and the WHOQOL-BREF scale. Results: The results showed that perceived economic status, education level, having comorbidities, having a caregiver and whom the caregiver had an impact on the Quality of Life, and people who have an acquaintance who died due to COVID-19 had higher COVID-19 phobia total score. Furthermore, it was seen that as the age or COVID-19 phobia total score increased, each component of the Quality of Life score decreased. Conclusions: Quality of life and COVID-19 phobia of cancer patients were observed to be inversely proportional in chemotherapy receiving patients in a state hospital in Istanbul

The experience of low back pain in people with incomplete spinal cord injury in the USA, UK and Greece

Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council's (EPSRC

Evaluation of the Charlson Comorbidity Index and Laboratory Parameters as Independent Early Mortality Predictors in Covid 19 Patients

Betül Cavuşoğlu Türker,1 Fatih Türker,2 Süleyman Ahbab,2 Emre Hoca,2 Ayşe Oznur Urvasızoğlu,2 Seher Irem Cetin,2 Hayriye Esra Ataoğlu2 1University of Health Sciences, Taksim Health Training and Research Hospital, Internal Medicine Clinic, İstanbul, Turkey; 2University of Health Sciences, Haseki Health Training and Research Hospital, Internal Medicine Clinic, İstanbul, TurkeyCorrespondence: Fatih Türker, University of Health Sciences, Haseki Health Training and Research Hospital, Internal Medicine Clinic, Aksaray, Dr. Adnan Adıvar Cd. No: 9, Fatih, İstanbul, 34130, Turkey, Tel +905364721656, Fax +90 212 453 20 00, Email [email protected]: Purpose: Various parameters have been proposed to predict the outcome of patients with coronavirus disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility of the age-adjusted CCI score and biochemical parameters for predicting outcomes for COVID-19 patients on admission.Patients and methods: A total of 511 patients were included in the study. Only swab or serological tests positive patients were included. The clinical characteristics of the patients were compared between survival and non-survival COVID-19 inpatients. Hemoglobin, platelet, sedimentation, creatinine, AST, ALT, LDH, CK, albumin, ferritin, lymphocyte, neutrophil, CRP (1– 5;5– 10;10– 20 × upper limit), procalcitonin (5– 10;10– 20; > 20 × upper limit), D Dimer (> 2 × upper limit), age, gender, chronic diseases and CCI scores were compared between the two groups.Results: 68 patients died and 443 patients survived. Mean age was 74.3± 7.3 years in survival group and 76.7± 8.0 in nonsurvival group. Age, male sex, ischemic heart disease (CHD), chronic kidney disease and active malignancy was statistically higher in non-survivor group. The biochemical parameters was compared in survival and nonsurvival group. CCI score, AST, LDH, CK, Ferritin, CRP are significantly higher and albumin, lymphocyte levels are significantly lower in nonsurvival group. D-dimer and procalcitonin levels are significantly higher in nonsurvival group. CCI score and neutrophil, creatinine, ALT, AST, d-dimer and procalcitonin elevations were correlated. Low albumin and lymphocyte levels were correlated with the CCI score. There was no significant correlation between ferritin, sedimentation, CRP levels and CCI score. A multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that anaemia, elevated CRP (> 10– 20 × upper limit), procalcitonin (> 5– 10 × upper limit), ALT, AST levels and higher CCI score were independent risk factors for mortality in COVID-19 patients.Conclusion: Anaemia, elevated CRP, procalcitonin levels, ALT, AST levels and higher CCI score were found independent risk factors for mortality in COVID-19 patients.Keywords: CCI score, laboratory parameters, mortality, COVID 1

Is gluteus medius injured in patients treated with a trochanter tip entry intramedullary nail? Clinical, electrophysiological and functional outcomes

Objectives: This study aims to assess the functional outcomes, static-dynamic postural stability of patients and evaluate electromyographic activity of gluteus medius (GMed) muscle during gait and spatiotemporal parameters of gait in patients after antegrade intramedullary nailing (IMN) of femoral shaft fractures with trochanter tip entry. Patients and methods: Sixteen patients (15 males, 1 female; mean age 34.8 +/- 15.2 years; range, 18 to 58 years) who were treated with an antegrade trochanteric IMN between January 2009 and July 2013 and eight healthy male controls (mean age 39.3 +/- 9.8 years; range, 27 to 57 years) were included in this retrospective study. Muscle strength, static and dynamic postural stability and fall risk were evaluated. In addition, spatiotemporal parameters of gait were assessed using a validated wireless inertial sensing device and a wireless electromyography (EMG) device was used to measure electromyographic activity of GMed muscle in both groups. Results: There were significant differences in muscle strength, functional and dynamic balance test scores between operated and intact sides (one-leg hop test score p=0.009, balance test scores p 0.001-0.033). There were significant differences in functional and quality of life physical function test scores between groups (one-leg hop test score p=0.014). However, no significant differences were found in EMG results, dynamics balance, and statics postural stability test scores between groups (p>0.05). Conclusion: After isolated femur fracture, patients treated with antegrade trochanteric IMN demonstrated good static and dynamic stability and poor functional outcomes compared to controls. In conclusion, patients with antegrade trochanteric IMN have good balance but poor functional performance; however, further studies are needed to find out the primary reason for these results

Prevalence and factors associated with a higher risk of neck and back pain among permanent wheelchair users: a cross-sectional study.

STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of, and factors associated with, spinal pain among wheelchair users. SETTING: Four Spanish hospitals specialized in providing care for wheelchair users. METHODS: Persons who had used a wheelchair for a median (IRQ) of 10 (5;19) years, 27% of them due to reasons other than spinal cord injury, were recruited consecutively (n = 750). Data on 43 demographic, psychosocial, ergonomic, and clinical variables were collected, and analyzed. Main outcome measures were: point prevalence of neck (NP), thoracic (TP), low back pain (LBP), and pain at any spinal level (PASL); and factors associated with them. RESULTS: Point prevalence was 56% for NP, 54% for TP, 45% for LBP, and 76% for PSAL. PASL was associated with a lower quality of life (OR (95% CI) 0.91 (0.86; 0.97)). Multivariable regression models showed that the main factors associated with significant pain (≥1.5 VAS points) were: (a) For NP: cervical spinal injury and wheelchair seat cushion thickness, (b) For TP: thoracic spinal injury and sagittal index, (c) For LBP: thoracic or lumbar spinal injury, with some sensitivity remaining, (d) For PASL: being female, living alone, and using a non-power wheelchair. Discrimination (AUC) of these models ranged between 0.638 and 0.818. p-values in the Hosmer-Lemeshow test ranged between 0.420 and 0.701. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of spinal pain among wheelchair users is high. It is associated with a lower quality of life. Future studies should assess whether using a power wheelchair affects PASL, and if the thickness of seat cushion affects NP. SPONSORSHIP: Spanish Back Pain Research Network.Spanish Back Pain Research Network (SBPRN