Peer support between healthcare workers in hospital and out-of-hospital settings: a scoping review

Background and aim: the healthcare workers, mostly in emergency departments, are exposed to emotionally strong situations: this condition often can lead them to operate incorrectly. In the face of the mistake, many of them experience psychological trauma, becoming “second victims” of the event. In this case they can find comfort in dealing with Peers that can help to understand emotions and normalize lived experiences. A scoping review was conducted to clarify the key concepts available in the literature and understand Peer Support characteristics and methods of implementation. Methods: scoping review approach of Joanna Briggs Institute was used. The reviewers analyzed the last twenty-one years of literature and extracted data from relevant studies. Results: 49 articles were relevant. Articles involve mostly physicians and nurses, but all the other healthcare professionals are included. 56% of the articles have been published in the last two years during the Covid 19 pandemic, which revealed the growing need of developing Peer Support programs; the Anglo-Saxon countries are the main geographical area of origin (82%). Peer support emerges as a preclinical psychological support for people involved in tiring situations. It’s based on mutual respect and on voluntary and not prejudicial help. Peers are trained to guide the support relationship. Peer Support can be proposed as one to one/group peer support, or through online platforms. Conclusions: many of the studies affirm that the personnel involved have benefited from the programs available. It is necessary to carry out further research to determine the pre and post intervention benefits. (www.actabiomedica.it)

Diurnal measurements of macular thickness and vessel density on OCT angiography in healthy eyes and those with ocular hypertension and glaucoma

Precis:Macular superficial capillary plexus (SCP) and thickness are reduced in eyes with glaucoma and ocular hypertension, but do not change significantly during the day. No relationships with age, intraocular pressure, systemic hypertension, or axial length were found.Purpose:The purpose of this study was to evaluate diurnal differences in retinal thickness and vessel density (VD) of the macular SCP and deep capillary plexus (DCP) using optical coherence tomography angiography among 3 groups: eyes with glaucoma, eyes with ocular hypertension, and healthy eyes.Methods:A consecutive series of individuals was recruited prospectively. Optical coherence tomography angiography was performed in the morning and in the evening.Results:Forty eyes from 23 individuals with glaucoma (58.35\ub16 y), 52 eyes from 32 individuals with ocular hypertension (58.84\ub17 y), and 73 eyes from 44 controls (57.84\ub16 y) were enrolled. Morning and evening measurements of all SCP-VD and retinal thickness parameters were statistically significantly different (P0.19). A positive linear correlation in diurnal changes was found between SCP-VD and DCP-VD in the fovea and in the parafovea (r=0.5567 and 0.5892, respectively) and between SCP-VD and retinal thickness in the fovea and in the parafovea (r=-0.2288 and 0.2418, respectively).Conclusions:Macular SCP-VD and thickness are reduced in eyes with glaucoma and ocular hypertension. Although diurnal changes in SCP-VD, DCP-VD and macular thickness were not significant among the groups, some linear correlations in increasing or decreasing values of the investigated parameters were found

Type A competitiveness traits correlate with downregulation of c-Fos expression in patients with type 1 diabetes

Type A personality has been associated with increased survival in people with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Systemic low-grade inflammation may play a critical role, as suggested in recent reports, although the links between the inflammatory circulating transcriptome and Type A remain unknown. This prompted our exploration of the potential associations between Type A personality and c-Fos gene expression, a candidate gene closely linked to inflammatory processes, in T1D