METHODS: A case-control study was carried out among patients with CSOM (cases) and controls were those with no ear pathology. The presence of CSOM was made through a medical history and otoscopic examination. Allergen testing was done by the skin prick test.
RESULTS: In all 124 subjects were recruited in this study with equal number of the cases and controls. The commonest positive reaction in the skin prick test in both groups was to house dust mites. Among CSOM cases, half (50%) of them had an allergy to Blomia tropicalis and 48.4% to Dermatophagoides while in the control group, 27.4% to Dermatophagoides and 25.8% to B. tropicalis. There were significant associations between CSOM and allergy to B. tropicalis (p=0.005), Dermatophagoides (p=0.016) and Felis domesticus (p=0.040). The prevalence of allergy at 95% confidence interval (95%CI) in CSOM and control groups were demonstrated as 59.7% (95%CI: 47.5, 71.9) and 30.6 % (95%CI: 19.1, 42.1) respectively. There was a significant association between allergy and CSOM (p=0.001).
CONCLUSION: Indoor allergens are the most prevalent in our environment and therefore good control may difficult to achieve. The hypersensitivity states of the subject are likely to have a role in the pathogenesis of CSOM especially in the tropical countries where allergy occurs perennially.
Material and Methods: The present investigation is a prospective randomised controlled open label study, performed at our Hand Surgery Department (Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome) from October 2018 to March 2019. The enrolled patients were divided in two groups: Group A (ALA-R 600mg once day for 60 days) and Group B (control Group, no drug administration).
Results: 134 patients (74 F, 60 M) met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. In Group A, there was a statistically significant pain reduction compared to the control Group. Using the Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire, there were no significant improvements in the other symptoms and function.
Conclusion: ALA-R full dose administration for two months leads to positive short term results in terms of symptoms and function improvement, even if the surgical carpal tunnel release remains the treatment of choice.
Material and Methods: Retrospective review was done to the patients who received two-stage revisions with an antibiotic loaded cement-spacer for PJI of the hip between January 2010 to May 2015. We found 65 patients (65 hips) with positive culture findings. Eight patients were lost to follow-up and excluded from the study. Among the rest of the 57 patients, methicillin-resistant infection (MR Group) was found in 28 cases. We also evaluate the 29 other cases that caused by the other pathogen as control group. We compared all of the relevant medical records and the treatment outcomes between the two groups.
Results: The mean of follow-up period was 33.7 months in the methicillin-resistant group and 28.4 months in the control group (p = 0.27). The causal pathogens in the methicillin-resistant group were: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in 10 cases, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis (MRSE) in 16 cases and Methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (MRCNS) in two cases. The reimplantation rate was 92.8% and 89.6% in the methicillin-resistant and control group, respectively (p= 0.66). The rates of recurrent infection after reimplantation were 23.1% (6/26) in the methicillin-resistant group and 7.6% (2/26) in the control group (p= 0.12). The overall infection control rate was 71.4% (20/28) and 89.6% (26/29) in the methicillin-resistant and control group, respectively (p = 0.08). Both groups showed comparable baseline data on mean age, BMI, gender distribution, preoperative ESR/CRP/WBC and comorbidities.
Conclusions: Two-stage revision procedure resulted in low infection control rate and high infection recurrency rate for the treatment of methicillin-resistant periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) of the hip. Development of the treatment strategy is needed to improve the outcome of methicillin-resistant periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) of the hip.
OBJECTIVE: This study aims to determine the effectiveness of the web-based application, WESIHAT 2.0©, for improving cognitive function, physical fitness, biochemical indices, and psychosocial variables among older adults in Klang Valley, Malaysia. The cost analysis of WESIHAT 2.0© was also determined.
METHOD: The study utilized a two-arm randomized controlled trial with 25 subjects in each of the intervention and control groups. The participants chosen for the study included those who were 60 years and above with at least secondary education and had internet access using a computer at home. The intervention group was exposed to the website (30 minutes per day, 4 days per week) for six months, while the control group was given health education pamphlets. Activity-Based Costing method was used to determine the cost saved using WESIHAT 2.0© as compared to using the pamphlet.
RESULTS: Significant intervention effects were observed for self-perception of disability and informational support scores. WESIHAT 2.0© was able to save costs in improving the self-perception of disability score and the informational support score at MYR 6.92 and MYR 13.52, respectively, compared to the conventional method.
CONCLUSION: WESIHAT 2.0© was able to save costs in improving the self-perceived disability and informational support scores for the intervention group.
Methods: This school-based, non-randomised controlled study was conducted among secondary school students with a total of 236 respondents. The KAPS score were assessed before and 1 month after using self-administered validated KAPS questionnaire on TB. Analysis was done using repeated measures ANOVA.
Results: The mean percentage score (SD) for baseline knowledge, attitude, practice and stigma score for the respondents were 54.0 (4.48), 65.6 (1.74), 70.0 (1.43) and 66.0 (6.88), respectively. There was a significant difference (P < 0.001) in the knowledge and stigma score for intervention group compared to control group, adjusted for gender, ethnicity and smoking status 4 weeks post-TB educational programme. However, with regards to attitude and practice score, there was no significant difference (P = 0.210 and P = 0.243, respectively).
Conclusion: TB education programme was effective in improving knowledge and stigma related to TB. This health education programme can be used as one of the strategies for the prevention and control of TB in schools.
Objective: To determine the effectiveness of breastfeeding intervention in improving breastfeeding outcomes.
Method: A quasi-experimental design was used involving a purposive sample of 96 primigravidas (intervention group (IG) = 48, control group (CG) = 48) recruited at Hospital USM. Data were collected using the Breastfeeding Assessment Questionnaire. Mothers in IG received the current usual care and two hours of an additional education programme on breastfeeding, breastfeeding booklet, notes from the module, and postnatal breastfeeding support in the first week of postpartum. Mothers in CG received the current usual care only. The mothers were assessed on the first and sixth week and then the fourth and sixth month of postpartum.
Results: The results indicated that there was a statistically significant difference between the groups on the fourth month postpartum (X2= 5.671,P= 0.017) in practicing full breastfeeding. The breastfeeding duration rates of the IG were longer than those of the CG. However, the results showed only two follow-up weeks that were significant (week 6,X2= 5.414,P= 0.020, month 4,X2= 7.515,P= 0.006). There was a statistically significant difference between IG and CG as determined by one-way ANCOVA on the breastfeeding duration after controlling age and occupation, F (3, 82) = 6.7,P= 0.011. The test revealed that the breastfeeding duration among IG was significantly higher (20.80 ± 6.31) compared to CG (16.98 ± 8.97).
Conclusions: Breastfeeding intervention can effectively increase breastfeeding duration and exclusivity outcomes among primiparous mothers.
Methods: A pretest-posttest experimental design was employed. Fifty subjects, diagnosed with T2DM, attending the Diabetes Clinic of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, were conveniently recruited, gender and age-matched, and randomised into exercise and control groups. The intervention included an eight-week aerobic exercise at 60%-79% HRmax for 45 min-60 min, 3-days per week. The FBS, SpO2, BMI, resting heart rate (RHR), and systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) of the subjects were measured before and after the intervention. The paired and independent t-test(s) were used for the analyses within and between the groups, respectively (P ≤ 0.05).
Results: The exercise group had a significantly lower SBP (15.0 mmHg, P = 0.001), DBP (7.9 mmHg, P = 0.001), RHR (4.8 bpm, P = 0.001), FBS (34.9 mg/dl, P = 0.001), and BMI (2.3, P = 0.001), while the SpO2 improved by 3.9% with P = 0.001, relative to the control group.
Conclusion: Aerobics is an efficacious adjunct therapy in controlling the FBS level, blood pressure, BMI, and improving SpO2 among T2DM subjects.
Methods: In this study, to find published articles electronically from 2006 to 2019, the published articles in national and international databases of SID, MagIran, IranMedex, IranDoc, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, Embase, ScienceDirect, Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science (ISI) were used. Heterogenic index between studies was determined by Cochrane test (Q)c and I2. Due to heterogeneity, the random effects model was used to estimate standardize difference of the mean score of lavender test in order to assess the labor pain between intervention and control group.
Results: In this meta-analysis and systematic review, finally 13 eligible articles met the inclusion criteria of the study. The sample size from original studies enrolled in the meta-analysis entered in the intervention group was 794 individuals and in the control group was 795 individuals. Mean score for pain in the control group was 7.2 ± 0.42 and in the intervention group was 5.4 ± 0.58 and this difference was statistically significant (p ≤ 0.001).
Conclusion: The results of this study showed that lavender can reduce labor pain, which can be considered by health policy makers and gynecologists.
METHODS: This experimental study was done on a sample of 86 caregivers of elderly with dementia in 2018. The study sample was selected from memory clinic of Taleghani Hospital and randomly assigned into groups (intervention n = 43, control n = 43 groups). The well-being was measured using the World Health Organization - Five Well-Being Index (WHO-5), before and two months after the intervention. Cyberspace-based educational intervention was conducted for one month. The SPSS software version 23 was employed in data analysis.
RESULTS: The mean age of the caregivers in the intervention and control groups were (M = 51.95, SD = 10.90) and (M = 51.36, SD = 15.12) respectively. No significant difference was found between two groups in terms of age, gender and level of education. The results of analysis showed that while the well-being of the intervention group was significantly increased (t (38) = -11.38, P<0.001) the well-being in the control group was significantly reduced ( t(36) =4.71 , P<0.001).
CONCLUSION: The findings showed that cyberspace-based education can improve the well-being of caregivers of the elderly with dementia.
Methods: Inbred mice received saline, DMSO and amygdalin, as control groups. ER stress was induced by tunicamycin (TM) injection. Amygdalin was administered 1 h before the TM challenge (Amy + TM group). Mice body and liver weights were measured. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and oil red O staining from liver tissue, were performed. Alanin aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), triglyceride and cholesterol levels were measured.
Results: Histological evaluation revealed that amygdalin was unable to decrease the TM induced liver steatosis; however, ALT and AST levels decreased [ALT: 35.33(2.15) U/L versus 92.33(6.66) U/L; (57.000, (50.63, 63.36),P< 0.001) and AST: 93(5.09) U/L versus 345(97.3) U/L, (252, (163.37, 340.62),P< 0.001)]. Amygdalin also decreased triglyceride and cholesterol plasma levels in the Amy + TM group [TG: 42.66(2.15) versus 53.33(7.24) mg/dL; (10.67, (3.80, 17.54),P= 0.006) and TC: 9.33(3.55) versus 112.66(4.31) mg/dL, (103.33, (98.25, 108.40)P< 0.001)].
Conclusion: Amygdalin improved the ALT, AST, and lipid serum levels after the TM challenge; however, it could not attenuate hepatic steatosis.
Aim: This study aims to study the efficacy of 5-min mindful breathing for rapid reduction of pain in a palliative care setting.
Methods: This is a sub-analysis of the previous randomized controlled study on distress reduction. Sixty patients were recruited and randomly assigned to either the intervention (5-min mindful breathing) or the control (5-min normal listening) group. Participants reported their pain on a 10-item analog scale at baseline, immediately after intervention and 10 min postintervention. Changes in pain scores were further analyzed.
Results: Pain scores decreased for both the intervention and control groups. However, the reduction of pain did not reach statistical difference in both groups (P > 0.05).
Conclusion: Five-minute mindful breathing is a quick and easy to administer therapy but does not have significant effects in terms of pain reduction in palliative settings. Future research and directions are nonetheless suggested and encouraged to look for short-term mindfulness-based therapies on pain reduction for this population.