Effect of group reminiscence therapy on depression and perceived meaning of life of veterans diagnosed with dementia at veteran homes

ABSTRACT

Most senior veterans who live in veteran homes in Taiwan have few interpersonal relationships. Aging is often accompanied by solitude and illness, which causes senior veterans to doubt the meaning of life and to lose confidence in the value of life. This study tested the effectiveness of a group reminiscence therapy protocol on the depression and meaning of life among elderly institutionalized veterans. A quasi-experimental design was applied. A convenience sample of older adults was drawn from two veteran homes in southern Taiwan. Participants were assigned to intervention or control groups based on the veterans' homes they attended. The participants in the intervention group carried out group reminiscence therapy for 8 weeks in addition to their daily activities. The participants in the comparison group maintained their daily activities. Both groups were evaluated using the GDS-SF and MLS scale including two aspects of depression mood and meaning of life in weeks 1 and 8. The overall life satisfaction increased significantly over time for the intervention group compared to the comparison group from week 1 to week 8. The group reminiscence therapy programs showed promising effects in improving the depression and meaning of life of older veterans living in veteran homes.     

Steep Decrease of Gender Difference in DSM-IV Alcohol Use Disorder: A Comparison of Two Nation-wide Surveys Conducted 10 Years Apart in Korea

While decreasing trend in gender differences in alcohol use disorders was reported in Western countries, the change in Asian countries is unknown. This study aims to explore the shifts in gender difference in alcohol abuse (AA) and dependence (AD) in Korea. We compared the data from two nation-wide community surveys to evaluate gender differences in lifetime AA and AD by Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV). Face-to-face interviews using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) were applied to all subjects in 2001 (n=6,220) and 2011 (n=6,022). Male-to-female ratio of odds was decreased from 6.41 (95% CI, 4.81-8.54) to 4.37 (95% CI, 3.35-5.71) for AA and from 3.75 (95% CI, 2.96-4.75) to 2.40 (95% CI, 1.80-3.19) for AD. Among those aged 18-29, gender gap even became statistically insignificant for AA (OR, 1.59; 95% CI, 0.97-2.63) and AD (OR, 1.18; 95% CI, 0.80-2.41) in 2011. Men generally showed decreased odds for AD (0.55; 95% CI, 0.45-0.67) and women aged 30-39 showed increased odds for AA (2.13; 95% CI 1.18-3.84) in 2011 compared to 2001. Decreased AD in men and increased AA in women seem to contribute to the decrease of gender gap. Increased risk for AA in young women suggests needs for interventions.     

四方联动防跌护理在社区跌倒高危老年人中的应用

目的探讨专科护士-社区护士-个体-家庭四方联动防跌护理模式在社区跌倒高危老年人中的应用与效果。方法选取深圳市龙岗区的2个社区,随机分为观察组和对照组,从两个社区登记建档的跌倒高风险老年居民中分别随机抽选45名进行干预。观察组采用"专科护士-社区护士-个体-家庭"四方联动推进的综合干预方案。对照组接受社区防跌倒常规护理。于干预前及干预后12个月使用修订版社区老年人跌倒危险评估量表、步态和平衡测试量表对两组老年人进行评测,记录两组1年内跌倒发生例次。结果干预期间跌倒发生情况:观察组1人次,对照组6人次。观察组步态和平衡测试得分提高,跌倒危险评估表得分降低,与对照组比较,差异有统计学意义(均P0.01)。结论四方联动的综合干预方案应用于社区居家老年人,能有效降低老年人跌倒风险,提升其防跌能力,对预防社区老年人跌倒的发生有积极作用。     

益胃汤加味方对原发性干燥综合征疲劳症状的影响

目的:探讨益胃汤加味对改善原发性干燥综合征(primary sj?rgren's syndrome,pSS)气阴两虚、瘀血阻络证患者疲劳症状及免疫学指标的治疗效果。方法:将116例原发性干燥综合征患者按照随机、对照、单盲法分为治疗组与对照组,每组58例。治疗组给予益胃汤加味方,每日1剂,2次/d;对照组给予硫酸羟氯喹200 mg/次,2次/d,两组均连续治疗24周。比较治疗前后两组患者中医证候疗效、中医疲劳症状积分、疲劳症状视觉模拟评分(visual analogue scale,VAS)以及类风湿因子(rheumatoid factor,RF)与血清免疫球蛋白G(immunoglobulin G,IgG)水平。结果:治疗后治疗组患者中医证候疗效优于对照组(Z=3. 712,P0. 05);治疗组中医疲劳积分与疲劳症状视觉模拟评分改善均优于对照组(P0. 05)。治疗6个月后,治疗组IgG水平较本组治疗前明显下降(P0. 05),与对照组组间比较差异无统计学意义。治疗后两组类风湿因子与本组治疗前比较均无明显下降。治疗组不良反应率1. 75%(1/57),对照组不良反应发生率为25. 49%(13/51)。结论:与硫酸羟氯喹相比,益胃汤加味方治疗pSS,可明显改善患者疲劳及总体症状,两者均可降低血清IgG,益胃汤加味方组疗效较硫酸羟氯喹更明显。两组药物对pSS患者RF水平均无明显影响。长期用药,益胃汤加味方治疗pSS较硫酸羟氯喹更为安全。     

Elevación del lactato en el postoperatorio como marcador de isquemia mesentérica aguda. Descripción de dos casos

Serum lactate is a non-specific marker of tissue hypoperfusion. Elevated serum lactate is used in the differential diagnosis of acute intestinal ischemia. Although this practice is controversial, in the absence of other validated markers lactate is still used because of its high sensitivity.We present the cases of two patients who developed acute mesenteric ischemia as a post-surgical complication. The patients reported moderate abdominal pain —a non-specific symptom in the postoperative context— and tests showed progressively increasing serum lactate levels, which facilitated suspicion and subsequent diagnostic confirmation through an imaging test.These cases highlight the physiopathological importance of lactate elevation in the perioperative context and of performing a differential diagnosis of its possible causes, including mesenteric ischemia. Although the outcome was negative in the first case, early suspicion allowed us to make an effective diagnosis and administer appropriate treatment in the second patient.     

加强型鼻咽通气道应用于鼻腔手术后气道管理临床研究

目的研制加强型鼻咽通气道应用于五官科鼻腔手术后的气道管理。方法选取2014年1月至2015年3月行五官科鼻腔手术的患者60例,将其分为A组和B组,各30例。A组作为加强型鼻咽通气道组,术毕在膨胀止血海绵中放置加强型鼻咽通气道保留鼻腔通气;B组作为对照组,术毕采用传统单纯填塞膨胀止血海绵。通过术后24、48 h随访,对两组患者进行疼痛、睡眠质量、口干程度评分,并对其进行对比分析。结果加强型鼻咽通气道具有良好的抗压抗折性;A组患者24、48 h睡眠质量、口干程度评分均明显优于B组,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论加强型鼻咽通气道用于五官科鼻腔手术后气道管理可增强气道管理安全性及患者舒适度。     

基于VAS评价右美托咪定在宫颈癌根治术后镇痛及术后快速康复中的临床效果

目的:研究右美托咪定在宫颈癌根治术后镇痛及术后快速康复中的临床应用效果。方法:将2015年7月至2018年7月在本院行宫颈癌根治术的86例患者随机分为对照组和观察组各43例。对照组术后镇痛采用舒芬太尼和格拉司琼，观察组术后镇痛加用右美托咪定。采用视觉模拟评分法（VAS）评价患者术后1 h、6 h、12 h、24 h、48 h疼痛情况，采用Ramesay评分法评价患者不同时间点镇静状况，记录并比较两组患者不同时间点收缩压、舒张压、心率及呼吸频率变化，比较两组患者不良反应发生情况。结果:观察组患者术后6 h、12 h、24 h、48 h VAS评分均明显低于对照组（P＜0.05），Ramesay评分均明显高于对照组（P＜0.05）；观察组和对照组患者术后不同时间点呼吸频率比较，差异无统计学意义，但术后6 h、12 h、24 h观察组患者收缩压、心率均明显低于对照组（P＜0.05），术后1 h、6 h观察组患者舒张压明显低于对照组（P＜0.05）；观察组患者恶心呕吐、高血压发生率较对照组明显减低。结论:右美托咪定用于宫颈癌根治术后镇痛，可以提高镇痛镇静效果，稳定患者血流动力学，有助于术后快速康复。     

Subscapularis Transthoracic Versus Posterolateral Approaches in the Surgical Management of Upper Thoracic Tuberculosis: A Prospective,Randomized Controlled Study

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the clinical, radiological, and functional outcomes of a subscapularis transthoracic surgical approach and a posterolateral surgical approach with debridement, bone graft fusion, and internal fixation for the treatment of upper thoracic tuberculosis.There is currently debate over the best surgical approach for the treatment of upper thoracic tuberculosis. Traditionally, the subscapularis transthoracic approach has been preferred; however, the posterolateral approach has gained popularity in the past few years.A prospective, consecutive cohort of 43 upper thoracic tuberculosis patients with a mean age of 39 years (range: 20–52 years) was followed up for a minimum of 12 months (range: 12–60 months). Patients were randomly divided into 2 groups. Group A (n = 21) was treated by the subscapularis transthoracic approach and group B (n = 22) was treated by the posterolateral approach. All cases were evaluated for clinical, radiological, and functional outcomes. Intraoperative blood loss, operative duration, intraoperative and postoperative complications, hospital stay, the cure rate, fusion time, and the Frankel scale were used for clinical and functional evaluation, whereas the kyphosis angle was used for radiological evaluation.Grafted bones were fused by 10 months in all cases. There was no statistically significant difference between groups before surgery in terms of gender, age, segmental tuberculosis, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), Frankel scale, or Cobb''s angle (P > 0.05). The average operative duration for Group B was lower than that of Group A. There were no significant differences in intraoperative blood loss, intraoperative and postoperative complications, hospital stay, grafted bone fusion time, or cure rate between groups (P > 0.05). The Cobb''s angle correction rate for group B (68.5%) was significantly better than that of group A (30.9%). The neurological score showed significant postoperative improvement in both groups, with no significant difference between the groups.The subscapularis transthoracic approach and the posterolateral approach with debridement, bone graft fusion, and internal fixation are both sufficient and satisfactory for the surgical treatment of upper thoracic tuberculosis. However, the posterolateral approach is superior to the subscapularis transthoracic approach in terms of surgical trauma, operative time, and kyphosis correction.