Effects Of Shift Work On Insulin Dependent Diabetics

Over 25% of the work force is comprised of insulin-dependent diabetics. The purpose of this descriptive study was to determine the impact of shift work on blood sugar levels in insulin-dependent diabetics. Rogers\u27 Theory of Homeodynamics was the conceptual framework guiding the study. The research question was does rotating shift work have an impact on blood sugar levels in insulin-dependent diabetics. The total sample (N = 40) was selected from 100 insulin-dependent diabetics who work at an industrial plant in midwestern Alabama. Thirty insulin-dependent diabetics who were working rotating shifts and 10 insulin-dependent diabetics who worked regular day shift were used for comparison. Blood sugar levels were measured daily during shift rotations, and measurements were taken on the insulindependent diabetics who worked regular day shifts. The hypothesis generated was there will be no difference in blood sugar levels in persons who work shift work and those persons who work regular hours. Examination of the data revealed a 2.20% increase in blood sugar level when the insulin-dependent diabetic subjects (n = 30) worked the night shift. There was an 11.9% increase in blood sugar level in the diabetic subjects (n = 30) when they worked the evening shift. Analysis of the data using the student t test revealed a significant difference between the blood sugar levels of those who worked shift work and those who worked regular hours (t = 4.52; p \u3c .004). Implications for nursing and recommendations were presented

Causes of death among people with myelomeningocele: A multi-institutional 47-year retrospective study

Purpose: This study aimed to analyze organ system-based causes and non-organ system-based mechanisms of death (COD, MOD) in people with myelomeningocele (MMC), comparing urological to other COD. Methods: A retrospective review was performed of 16 institutions in Canada/United States of non-random convenience sample of people with MMC (born > = 1972) using non-parametric statistics. Results: Of 293 deaths (89% shunted hydrocephalus), 12% occurred in infancy, 35% in childhood, and 53% in adulthood (documented COD: 74%). For 261 shunted individuals, leading COD were neurological (21%) and pulmonary (17%), and leading MOD were infections (34%, including shunt infections: 4%) and non-infectious shunt malfunctions (14%). For 32 unshunted individuals, leading COD were pulmonary (34%) and cardiovascular (13%), and leading MOD were infections (38%) and non-infectious pulmonary (16%). COD and MOD varied by shunt status and age (p = 0.16). Urology-related deaths (urosepsis, renal failure, hematuria, bladder perforation/cancer: 10%) were more likely in females (p = 0.01), independent of age, shunt, or ambulatory status (p > = 0.40). COD/MOD were independent of bladder augmentation (p = >0.11). Unexplained deaths while asleep (4%) were independent of age, shunt status, and epilepsy (p >= 0.47). Conclusion: COD varied by shunt status. Leading MOD were infectious. Urology-related deaths (10%) were independent of shunt status; 26% of COD were unknown. Life-long multidisciplinary care and accurate mortality documentation are needed

Health-status outcomes with invasive or conservative care in coronary disease

BACKGROUND In the ISCHEMIA trial, an invasive strategy with angiographic assessment and revascularization did not reduce clinical events among patients with stable ischemic heart disease and moderate or severe ischemia. A secondary objective of the trial was to assess angina-related health status among these patients. METHODS We assessed angina-related symptoms, function, and quality of life with the Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) at randomization, at months 1.5, 3, and 6, and every 6 months thereafter in participants who had been randomly assigned to an invasive treatment strategy (2295 participants) or a conservative strategy (2322). Mixed-effects cumulative probability models within a Bayesian framework were used to estimate differences between the treatment groups. The primary outcome of this health-status analysis was the SAQ summary score (scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better health status). All analyses were performed in the overall population and according to baseline angina frequency. RESULTS At baseline, 35% of patients reported having no angina in the previous month. SAQ summary scores increased in both treatment groups, with increases at 3, 12, and 36 months that were 4.1 points (95% credible interval, 3.2 to 5.0), 4.2 points (95% credible interval, 3.3 to 5.1), and 2.9 points (95% credible interval, 2.2 to 3.7) higher with the invasive strategy than with the conservative strategy. Differences were larger among participants who had more frequent angina at baseline (8.5 vs. 0.1 points at 3 months and 5.3 vs. 1.2 points at 36 months among participants with daily or weekly angina as compared with no angina). CONCLUSIONS In the overall trial population with moderate or severe ischemia, which included 35% of participants without angina at baseline, patients randomly assigned to the invasive strategy had greater improvement in angina-related health status than those assigned to the conservative strategy. The modest mean differences favoring the invasive strategy in the overall group reflected minimal differences among asymptomatic patients and larger differences among patients who had had angina at baseline