Pelargonium sidoides preparation EPs 7630 in COPD: health-related quality-of-life and other patient-reported outcomes in adults receiving add-on therapy

Objective: Patient-reported outcomes (PRO) such as health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) belong to the most important criteria for the evaluation of medical therapies in clinical trials or practice-based benefit assessments. This study, therefore, revisited results of an earlier published clinical trial investigating the effects of the herbal drug preparation from the roots of Pelargonium sidoides EPs 7630, administered as add-on therapy in patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), with respect to HRQoL and other PRO.

Methods: A total of 199 adults diagnosed with COPD stages II/III and receiving standard treatment according to the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) were randomly assigned to add-on therapy with EPs 7630 or placebo for 24 weeks. HRQoL (disease-specific St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire, SGRQ; current HRQoL state according to the EuroQuol visual analog scale, EQ VAS) and PRO (Integrative Medicine Outcomes Scale, IMOS; Integrative Medicine Patient Satisfaction Scale, IMPSS; symptom severity score of cough, sputum production and sternal pain while coughing; duration of inability to work) were assessed at each study visit or documented daily by the patient in a patient diary, respectively.

Results: At week 24, all HRQoL and PRO measures showed a more pronounced improvement under EPs 7630 than under placebo (EQ VAS, p?p?p?=?.021; duration of inability to work, p?=?.004; two-sided t-test each; IMOS, p?p?Conclusions: Add-on therapy with EPs 7630 led to an improvement in HRQoL and other PRO in adult patients with COPD compared to placebo while showing a good long-term tolerability.     

A multivariable analysis of patient dental satisfaction and oral health-related quality-of-life. A cross-sectional study based on DVSS and OHIP-14

Objective. The aim of this paper was to study the association between dental satisfaction and oral health-related quality-of-life (OHRQoL) when controlling for individual, clinical and psychological factors. Materials. Secondary analysis was conducted using data from a large study carried out in the Swedish region of Värmland in 2004. The questionnaire included demographic variables, clinical assessment and the following instruments: the Dental Visit Satisfaction Scale (DVSS), the short version of Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) and a modified version of the revised helping alliance questionnaire. Internal consistency analysis was undertaken on the instruments to assess reliability; bivariate comparisons were assessed to compare DVSS scores with individual factors (age, gender and education). In addition, a three step hierarchical multiple regression analysis was performed with DVSS as a dependent variable. Results. Data were completed for 485 randomly selected patients. The mean age of participants was 43.5 years, 54.6% were women,and 41.2% had high education. The median DVSS score was 48 (range 10–50) and the median OHIP was 3.0 (range 0–56). All the instruments showed good reliability. Bivariate analysis showed that females were more satisfied than males (p ≤ 0.01) and patients of 50 years or older were more satisfied than the younger ones (p ≤ 0.05). Finally, the following variables explained 31% of the variance of being very satisfied with dental visit: a good OHRQoL and patients' positive perceptions of the relationship with their care provider. Conclusion. This study showed positive associations between dental satisfaction and OHRQoL when controlling for related factors. The result suggests that care providers should take into account the various dimensions of OHRQoL rather than use only clinical measurements when they evaluate patient satisfaction.     

Applying the ICF framework to study changes in quality-of-life for youth with chronic conditions

Objective: The objective of this paper is to describe how the ICF framework was applied as the foundation for a longitudinal study of changes in quality-of-life (QoL) for youth with chronic conditions.

Method: This article will describe the study's aims, methods, measures and data analysis techniques. It will point out how the ICF framework was used—and expanded upon—to provide a model for studying the impact of factors on changes in QoL for youth with chronic conditions. Further, it will describe the instruments that were chosen to measure the components of the ICF framework and the data analysis techniques that will be used to examine the impact of factors on changes in youths’ QoL.

Conclusions: Qualitative and longitudinal designs for studying QoL based on the ICF framework can be useful for unraveling the complex ongoing inter-relationships among functioning, contextual factors and individuals’ perceptions of their QoL.     

Quality-of-life in patients with Dercum's disease—before and after liposuction

Abstract

Dercum's disease is characterised by obesity, pronounced pain in the adipose tissue, and a number of associated symptoms. Liposuction has been suggested as a treatment. However, the effect on quality-of-life after liposuction in Dercum's disease has never been investigated. The objective of this study was to examine the quality-of-life in Dercum's disease before and after liposuction. A total of 114 women fulfilling the clinical criteria of Dercum's disease were included. Of the 114 women, 53 were operated on with liposuction and 61 were Dercum controls. In addition, 41 obese healthy women operated on with abdominoplasty were recruited as controls. Health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) was measured with the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) and the Psychological General Well-Being index (PGWB). The Dercum group had lower HRQoL than the abdominoplasty controls. After liposuction, a slight improvement could be seen in HRQoL in the operated patients compared with preoperatively, but it did not become as high as in the abdominoplasty patients. In conclusion, the findings could suggest that liposuction improves the quality-of-life slightly in Dercum's disease. Nonetheless, the causality is unclear and the improvement is not big enough to warrant operation.     

Health Profile Preferences of Hepatitis C Patients

The side effects of interferon- for chronic hepatitis C are well-known. Patients may differ with respect to their tolerance of these side effects and also with respect to their individual preferences. We administered a brief questionnaire to 67 outpatients with hepatitis C virus infection. Patients were asked to make hypothetical choices between six-month profiles of health. The results were as follows: (1) patients preferred to expedite rather than postpone intervals of poor health; (2) preferences of patients with low quality-of-life were quite similar to preferences of healthier patients; (3) patients' choices satisfied transitivity; (4) patients' choices satisfied preferential independence; and (5) patients gave a variety of reasons for their choices. These results corroborate other investigations of health preferences, and serve to introduce the field of preference elicitation to gastroenterologists.     

Health-related quality of life problems of children aged 8–11 years with a chronic disease

In paediatric research, Health-Related Quality-of-Life (HRQoL) has received increasing recognition as an important health outcome. This study aimed to investigate the nature and prevalence of HRQoL problems in children with different chronic diseases. Data were available on 318 children aged 8–11 years with different diseases: congenital heart disease (n?=?50); coeliac disease (n?=?105); asthma (n?=?32); cancer (n?=?23); juvenile chronic arthritis (n?=?45); children with capillary haemangioma (n?=?25) and severe meningococcal disease (n?=?38). They all answered a validated generic instrument [TNO-AZL Children's Quality of life questionnaire] (TACQoL), in the outpatient clinic or at home. Analyses of variance were performed to investigate differences in mean scores for children with chronic conditions in comparison to healthy children. Prevalence of children at risk for substantial HRQoL problems was based on the 25th percentile in the norm population. In comparison to healthy children, only a small number of differences were found in mean scores of children studied. In contrast, prevalence of HRQoL problems in children with chronic diseases was higher in several domains. It is concluded that using an indicator variable of the norm 25th percentile seems important in identifying at-risk children with chronic disease.     

儿童和青少年颞叶癫癎的术后长期疗效观察

目的总结儿童和青少年颞叶癫癎手术后的长期疗效和生活质量。方法回顾性分析31例儿童和青少年颞叶癫癎病人的临床资料,行标准前颞叶切除术26例,扩大前颞叶切除术2例,前颞叶切除术＋软化灶切除术2例,颞后顶下致癎灶切除术1例。评估术后癫癎发作改善情况及认知、生活质量等。结果术后随访5年以上,其中癫癎发作消失、达到EngelⅠ级26例,EngelⅡ级1例,EngelⅢ级2例,EngelⅣ级2例。术后病理示：海马组织硬化13例,皮质发育异常伴胶质增生9例,皮质发育异常伴海马组织硬化6例,神经元胶质肿瘤2例,继发性瘢痕脑回形成1例。术后并发症多数可恢复。结论儿童和青少年颞叶癫癎术后长期疗效良好,生活质量提高。     

Quality-of-life and asthma-severity in general population asthmatics: results of the ECRHS II study

Background:  Health-related quality-of-life (HRQL) has been poorly studied in large samples of asthmatics from the general population. HRQL and its relationship to asthma-severity were assessed among 900 asthmatics enrolled in the European Community Respiratory Health Survey.
Methods:  Among asthmatics, 864 completed the short form-36 (SF-36) questionnaire and 477 also completed the Asthma Quality-of-life Questionnaire (AQLQ). A 4-class asthma-severity scale, combining clinical items, forced expiratory volume in 1 s and the level of treatment and the different asthma-severity components (each of the clinical items and hospitalization) were studied in relation to HRQL.
Results:  Mean SF-36 Physical Component Summary (PCS) and Mental Component Summary (MCS) scores (45.5 and 48.8 respectively) were lower than expected in a general population. The mean total AQLQ score was 5.8. The AQLQ score and to a lesser extent the PCS score were significantly related to the 4-class asthma-severity scale, although the risk of having a lower HRQL score did not vary proportionally across the levels of severity. Asthma-severity had no impact on the MCS score. Asthma attack frequency and hospitalization were associated with both total AQLQ and PCS scores, whereas nocturnal symptoms and lung function were more strongly related to the AQLQ and PCS score respectively.
Conclusion:  In population-based asthmatics, the specific AQLQ questionnaire, and also to a lesser extent the generic SF-36 questionnaire, were sensitive to asthma-severity. Frequencies of asthma attacks, of nocturnal symptoms and hospitalization for asthma have independent impact on HRQL.     

腹膜透析与血液透析病人生活质量与营养状况的关系

[目的]比较两种透析方式的生活质量与营养状况的关系。[方法]分别对50个血透病人及46个腹透病人用短表36项(SF-36)进行生活质量的调查并用主观整体评估(SGA)分析其营养状态。[结果]两种透析方式在体力、疼痛、情感、疲乏等方面均无差别,社会功能方面腹透病人大于血透病人(P<0.001)。用SGA分析两组病人的营养状态并无差别,生活质量与营养状况成正相关关系。[结论]营养状况与透析病人的生活质量密切相关,营养状况好的透析病人其生活质量较好,而血液透析与腹膜透析病人的生活质量及营养状态无明显差别。     

Hydration in older adults: The contribution of bioelectrical impedance analysis

Abstract

The sensory and gastrointestinal changes that occur with ageing affect older adults’ food and liquid intake. Any decreased liquid intake increases the risk for dehydration. This increased dehydration risk is compounded in older adults with dysphagia. The availability of a non-invasive and easily administered way to document hydration levels in older adults is critical, particularly for adults in residential care. This pilot study investigated the contribution of bioelectrical impedance analysis to measure hydration in 19 older women in residential care: 13 who viewed themselves as healthy and six with dysphagia. Mann-Whitney U analyses documented no significant between-group differences for Total Body Water (TBW), Fat Free Mass (FFM), Fat Mass (FM), and percentage Body Fat (%BF). However, when compared to previously published data for age-matched women, the TBW and FFM values of the two participant groups were notably less, and FM and %BF values were notably greater than expected. If results are confirmed through continued investigation, such findings may suggest that long-term care facilities are unique environments in which all older residents can be considered at-risk for dehydration and support the use of BIA as a non-invasive tool to assess and monitor their hydration status.