Tolerability of the Oscar 2 ambulatory blood pressure monitor among research participants: a cross-sectional repeated measures study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) is increasingly used to measure blood pressure (BP) in research studies. We examined ease of use, comfort, degree of disturbance, reported adverse effects, factors associated with poor tolerability, and association of poor tolerability with data acquisition of 24-hour ABPM using the Oscar 2 monitor in the research setting.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Sixty adults participating in a research study of people with a history of borderline clinic BP reported on their experience with ABPM on two occasions one week apart. Poor tolerability was operationalized as an overall score at or above the 75th percentile using responses to questions adapted from a previously developed questionnaire. In addition to descriptive statistics (means for responses to Likert-scaled "0 to 10" questions and proportions for Yes/No questions), we examined reproducibility of poor tolerability as well as associations with poor tolerability and whether poor tolerability was associated with removal of the monitor or inadequate number of BP measurements.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The mean ambulatory BP of participants by an initial ABPM session was 148/87 mm Hg. After wearing the monitor the first time, the degree to which the monitor was felt to be cumbersome ranged from a mean of 3.0 to 3.8, depending on whether at work, home, driving, or other times. The most bother was interference with normal sleeping pattern (mean 4.2). Wearers found the monitor straightforward to use (mean 7.5). Nearly 67% reported that the monitor woke them after falling asleep, and 8.6% removed it at some point during the night. Reported adverse effects included pain (32%), skin irritation (37%), and bruising (7%). Those categorized as having poor tolerability (kappa = 0.5 between sessions, p = 0.0003) were more likely to report being in fair/poor health (75% vs 22%, p = 0.01) and have elevated 24-hour BP average (systolic: 28% vs 17%, p = 0.56; diastolic: 30% vs 17%, p = 0.37). They were also more likely to remove the monitor and have inadequate numbers of measurements.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The Oscar 2 ABPM device is straightforward to use but can interfere with sleep. Commonly reported adverse effects include pain, skin irritation, and bruising. Those who tolerate the monitor poorly are more likely to report being in fair or poor health and to remove it, particularly at night.</p

It Costs to Be Clean and Fit: Energetics of Comfort Behavior in Breeding-Fasting Penguins

), seabirds known to fast for up to one month during incubation shifts ashore.A time budget was estimated from focal and scan sampling field observations and the energy cost of comfort activities was calculated from the associated increase in heart rate (HR) during comfort episodes, using previously determined equations relating HR to energy expenditure. We show that incubating birds spent 22% of their daily time budget in comfort behavior (with no differences between day and night) mainly devoted to preening (73%) and head/body shaking (16%). During comfort behavior, energy expenditure averaged 1.24 times resting metabolic rate (RMR) and the corresponding energy cost (i.e., energy expended in excess to RMR) was 58 kJ/hr. Energy expenditure varied greatly among various types of comfort behavior, ranging from 1.03 (yawning) to 1.78 (stretching) times RMR. Comfort behavior contributed 8.8–9.3% to total daily energy expenditure and 69.4–73.5% to energy expended daily for activity. About half of this energy was expended caring for plumage.This study is the first to estimate the contribution of comfort behavior to overall energy budget in a free-living animal. It shows that although breeding on a tight energy budget, king penguins devote a substantial amount of time and energy to comfort behavior. Such findings underline the importance of comfort behavior for the fitness of colonial seabirds

Taurolidine-citrate lock solution (TauroLock) significantly reduces CVAD-associated grampositive infections in pediatric cancer patients

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Taurolidin/Citrate (TauroLock™), a lock solution with broad spectrum antimicrobial activity, may prevent bloodstream infection (BSI) due to coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS or 'MRSE' in case of methicillin-resistant isolates) in pediatric cancer patients with a long term central venous access device (CVAD, Port- or/Broviac-/Hickman-catheter type).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In a single center prospective 48-months cohort study we compared all patients receiving anticancer chemotherapy from April 2003 to March 2005 (group 1, heparin lock with 200 IU/ml sterile normal saline 0.9%; Canusal^®Wockhardt UK Ltd, Wrexham, Wales) and all patients from April 2005 to March 2007 (group 2; taurolidine 1.35%/Sodium Citrate 4%; TauroLock™, Tauropharm, Waldbüttelbrunn, Germany).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In group 1 (heparin), 90 patients had 98 CVAD in use during the surveillance period. 14 of 30 (47%) BSI were 'primary Gram positive BSI due to CoNS (n = 4) or MRSE (n = 10)' [incidence density (ID); 2.30 per 1000 inpatient CVAD-utilization days].</p> <p>In group 2 (TauroLock™), 89 patients had 95 CVAD in use during the surveillance period. 3 of 25 (12%) BSI were caused by CoNS. (ID, 0.45). The difference in the ID between the two groups was statistically significant (P = 0.004).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The use of Taurolidin/Citrate (TauroLock™) significantly reduced the number and incidence density of primary catheter-associated BSI due to CoNS and MRSE in pediatric cancer patients.</p

Menu labelling and food choice in obese adults: a feasibility study.

BACKGROUND: To date research examining the benefits of menu labelling in the UK is sparse. The aim of the present study was to examine the impact of menu labelling in a UK obese population. METHODS: Using a repeated measures design, 61 patients at a tier 3 weight management service completed four questionnaires to assess their food choice (control) and behaviour change when presented with 3 menu labelling formats (calorie content; nutrient content; and energy expenditure). RESULTS: All three forms of labelling increased participants weight control concerns compared to the control condition. There was a significant difference in content of food ordered in the three menu labelling formats compared to the control condition. The calorie condition had the largest percentage decrease in calories selected followed by energy expenditure and nutrient content. However, no difference was observed between the three conditions in the desire for menu labelling in restaurants to be introduced in the UK. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that menu labelling should be enforced in the UK as it is both beneficial to promoting healthy eating and in demand. This study is the first to examine menu labelling in a UK obese population using energy expenditure equivalents to provide nutritional information

Parental role conflict: the nursing diagnosis in mothers of hospitalized newborns

OBJECTIVE: To verify if mothers of newborns hospitalized recognize the defining characteristics of parental role conflict as representative of that experience. METHODS: A cross-sectional and descriptive study, developed in a neonatal unit of a public teaching hospital in the state of São Paulo. The sample consisted of 100 women who assigned scores of 1 to 5 to the defining characteristics of the diagnosis, where 1 meant not at all characteristic and 5 meant completely characteristic of what I am experiencing. RESULT: Of the total sample, 96 women self-identified with the diagnosis. The most prevalent defining characteristics were: anxiety, mother expresses concern(s) in relation to changes in maternal role; verbalizes feelings of frustration, reports concern about family and fear. Women who were with their children less often during hospitalization had a higher number of defining characteristics. CONCLUSION: There was a high prevalence of the defining characteristics of the studied diagnosis, suggesting the relevance of the topic and the need for further studies to be developed in the neonatal unit.OBJETIVO: Verificar si las madres de los recién nacidos hospitalizados reconocen las características definitorias de conflicto de rol parental como representativas de esa experiencia. MÉTODOS: Estudio transversal y descriptivo realizado en una unidad neonatal de un hospital de enseñanza pública en el estado de São Paulo. La muestra consistió en 100 mujeres que le asignaron puntuaciones de 1 a 5 para las características que definen el diagnóstico, en la que 1 significa nada característico y 5 significa completamente característico de lo que estoy viviendo. RESULTADOS: De la muestra total, 96 mujeres se auto-identificaron con el diagnóstico. Las características más comunes que definen fueron: ansiedad,expresa preocupación por los cambios en el rol parental,expresa sentimientos de frustración,expresa preocupación sobre la familia (p. ej., funcionamiento, comunicación, salud),y temor. Las mujeres que estaban con sus hijos con menor frecuencia durante la hospitalización tenían un mayor número de características definitorias. CONCLUSIÓN: Se observó una alta prevalencia de las características definitorias del diagnóstico estudiado, lo que sugiere la relevancia del tema y la necesidad de nuevos estudios que se desarrollarán en la unidad neonatal.OBJETIVO: verificar se mães de recém-nascidos hospitalizados reconhecem as Características Definidoras do conflito no desempenho do papel de mãe como representativas do que vivenciam. MÉTODO: estudo transversal e descritivo, desenvolvido em uma unidade neonatal de um hospital público de ensino do Estado de São Paulo. A amostra foi constituída por 100 mulheres que atribuíram escores de 1 a 5 às características definidoras do diagnóstico, em que 1 significava absolutamente não característico e 5 totalmente característico do que estou vivenciando. RESULTADO: do total da amostra, 96 mulheres identificaram-se com o diagnóstico. As características definidoras mais prevalentes foram: ansiedade; mãe expressa preocupação(ões) em relação a mudanças no papel materno; verbaliza sentimentos de frustração; mãe expressa preocupação(ões) em relação à família e medo. As mulheres que estiveram menos vezes com os filhos, durante a internação, apresentaram maior número de características definidoras. CONCLUSÃO: verificou-se alta prevalência de características definidoras do diagnóstico estudado, o que sugere a pertinência da temática e a necessidade de que mais estudos sejam desenvolvidos na unidade neonatal.Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas Faculdade de EnfermagemUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de EnfermagemUNIFESP, EPESciEL