Predictors of quality of life in breast cancer patients under chemotherapy

Background: Today, the quality of life studies has an important role in health care especially in chronic diseases. Breast cancer has third order among women\u2032s malignancies. Now, survival rate for this cancer is long. However breast cancer has several complications that affected the patient\u2032s life. Aims : The aim of this study was to assess the quality of life in Breast cancer patients under chemotherapy. Setting and Design: A cross-sectional study conducted on 119 breast cancer patients that were admitted and treated in chemotherapy ward of Namazi hospital in Shiraz city, south of Iran, between Jan and Feb 2006. Materials and Methods: The QLQ-C30 questionnaire was used to assess quality of life in these patients. Statistical Analysis: We used univariate methods. A multiple regression analysis was performed to identify predictors of quality of life. Results: Mean age of patients was 48.27\ub111.42 with quality of life total score 64.92\ub124.28. All symptoms scales had reverse association with quality of life except appetite loss (P>0.05) and diarrhea (P=0.752). The results of the regression analyses showed that only grade of tumor, occupational status, menopausal status, financial difficulties and dyspnea were statistically significant in predicting patients\u2032 quality of life. Conclusion: In conclusion, this study demonstrates the strength of the relationship between clinical and sociodemographical factors and breast cancer patients\u2032 quality of life. Psychological and financial support for women experiencing breast cancer diagnosis may improve quality of life

Predictors of quality of life in breast cancer patients under chemotherapy

Background: Today, the quality of life studies has an important role in health care especially in chronic diseases. Breast cancer has third order among women′s malignancies. Now, survival rate for this cancer is long. However breast cancer has several complications that affected the patient′s life. Aims : The aim of this study was to assess the quality of life in Breast cancer patients under chemotherapy. Setting and Design: A cross-sectional study conducted on 119 breast cancer patients that were admitted and treated in chemotherapy ward of Namazi hospital in Shiraz city, south of Iran, between Jan and Feb 2006. Materials and Methods: The QLQ-C30 questionnaire was used to assess quality of life in these patients. Statistical Analysis: We used univariate methods. A multiple regression analysis was performed to identify predictors of quality of life. Results: Mean age of patients was 48.27±11.42 with quality of life total score 64.92±24.28. All symptoms scales had reverse association with quality of life except appetite loss (P>0.05) and diarrhea (P=0.752). The results of the regression analyses showed that only grade of tumor, occupational status, menopausal status, financial difficulties and dyspnea were statistically significant in predicting patients′ quality of life. Conclusion: In conclusion, this study demonstrates the strength of the relationship between clinical and sociodemographical factors and breast cancer patients′ quality of life. Psychological and financial support for women experiencing breast cancer diagnosis may improve quality of life

Survival to intensive care unit discharge among in-hospital cardiac arrest patients by applying audiovisual feedback device.

AIMS: Survival rates after in-hospital cardiac arrest remain very low. Although there is evidence that the use of audiovisual feedback devices can improve compression components, there are no data on patient survival. Therefore, we conducted this study to analyse the survival rate of patients with in-hospital cardiac arrest after discharge from the intensive care unit. METHODS AND RESULTS: This study was a secondary analysis of a prospective, randomized, controlled, parallel study of patients who received either standard manual chest compression or a real-time feedback device. Parametric and semi-parametric models were fitted to the data. Different survival time of length of stay was investigated by univariate and multiple analyses. Pearson's correlation between length of stay and hospital length of stay was obtained. A total of 900 patients with a mean survival time of 35 days were included. Intervention was associated with a higher length of stay. Relative time was significant in adjusted fitted log-normal regression for intervention group, female gender, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation in the night shift. A positive correlation between length of stay and hospital length of stay was found. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of feedback device improved survival and length of stay. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation performance during the night shift decreased the survival time, which could be due to the inexperienced staff available outside working hours

Prevalence of positive depression screen among post miscarriage women- A cross sectional study

Background: Miscarriages are a common pregnancy complication affecting about 10–15% of pregnancies. Miscarriages may be associated with a myriad of psychiatric morbidity at various timelines after the event. Depression has been shown to affect about 10–20% of all women following a miscarriage. However, no data exists in the local setting informing on the prevalence of post-miscarriage depression. We set out to determine the prevalence of positive depression screen among women who have experienced a miscarriage at the Aga Khan University hospital, Nairobi. Methods: The study was cross-sectional in design. Patients who had a miscarriage were recruited at the post-miscarriage clinic review at the gynecology clinics at Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi. The Edinburgh postpartum depression scale was used to screen for depression in the patients. Prevalence was calculated from the percentage of patients achieving the cut –off score of 13 over the total number of patients. Results: A total of 182 patients were recruited for the study. The prevalence of positive depression screen was 34.1% since 62 of the 182 patients had a positive depression screen. Moreover, of the patients who had a positive depression screen, 21(33.1%) had thoughts of self-harm. Conclusion: A positive depression screen is present in 34.1% of women in our population two weeks after a miscarriage. Thoughts of self-harm are present in about a third of these women (33.1%) hence pointing out the importance of screening these women using the EPDS after a miscarriage

Overweight and constipation in adolescents

Background: the association between overweight and gastrointestinal symptoms has been recently studied in the literature; however, few studies have evaluated the association between overweight and constipation in adolescents in a community-based sample. the aim of this study was to analyze the prevalence of constipation and its association with being overweight in a community-based survey with adolescents.Methods: This cross-sectional study included 1,077 adolescents who were enrolled in five schools in the city of Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil. Constipation was defined according to modified and combined Rome III criteria for adolescents and adults. Being overweight was defined as a body mass index (BMI) that was equal to or greater than that of the 85(th) percentile for age and gender.Results: Constipation was diagnosed in 18.2% (196/1077) of the included adolescents. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of constipation in males and females who were both younger and older than 14 years. Fecal incontinence was observed in 25 adolescents, 22 (88.0%) of whom were diagnosed as being constipated. the prevalence of being overweight was found in 13.5% (145/1077) of the study population. the prevalence of constipation was observed to be similar in adolescents who were (19.4%; 28/144) and were not (18.0%; 168/933) overweight (p = 0.764; OR = 1.10). Fecal incontinence that was associated with constipation was more frequent in adolescents who were overweight (37.0%; 8/28) than in adolescents who were not overweight (8.5%; 14/168; p = 0.005; OR = 4.40).Conclusions: the prevalence of constipation was high among the investigated adolescents. There was no association between being overweight and constipation; however, an association between being overweight and fecal incontinence in constipated adolescents was confirmed.Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Div Pediat Gastroenterol, Escola Paulista Med, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Div Pediat Gastroenterol, Escola Paulista Med, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Investigating the use of sensor-based IoET to facilitate learning for children in rural Thailand

A novel sensor-based Internet of Educational Things (IoET) platform named OBSY was iteratively designed, developed and evaluated to support education in rural regions in Thailand. To assess the effectiveness of this platform, a study was carried out at four primary schools located near the Thai northern border with 244 students and 8 teachers. Participants were asked to carry out three science-based learning activities and were measured for improvements in learning outcome and learning engagement. Overall, the results showed that students in the IoET group who had used OBSY to learn showed significantly higher learning outcome and had better learning engagement than those in the control condition. In addition, for those in the IoET group, there was no significant effect regarding gender, home location (Urban or Rural), age, prior experience with technology and ethnicity on learning outcome. For learning engagement, only age was found to influence interest/enjoyment. The study demonstrated the potential of IoET technologies in underprivileged area, through a co-design approach with teachers and students, taking into account the local contexts

Implementation of statistical analysis in the clinical research of coeliac disease : use of probit and logit analysis

Background: Coeliac disease (CD) is an autoimmune disorder of the small intestine that occurs in genetically predisposed people of all ages.The objective of this study is to investigate the relation between demographic and clinical factors with coeliac disease using probit and logit models.Methods: During the period of January to December 2008, 396 patients were recruited for this study. Histologic characteristics in duodenal biopsy specimens were evaluated in those with serology positive for coeliac disease according to the modified Marsh Classification1999.Results: From all of 369 cases in our study 26 (7.1%) had coeliac disease according to pathology results. Both of models had the same result indicated a negative association between BMI and CD but other factors were not significant.Conclusion: Coeliac patient had less BMI compare with rest of study population. Results from probit and logit models were similar to each others, indicated that probit analysis can be employed as a logit model to analyze the relationship between clinical and demographic factors and CD