Impact of Surgical Positioning on the Occurrence of Postoperative Ipilateral Shoulder Pain After Lung Resection by Video-Assisted Thoracoscopy: A Randomized Trial.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the ipsilateral arm position on ipsilateral shoulder pain after lung cancer resection by video-assisted thoracic surgery. DESIGN: A prospective randomized controlled trial. SETTING: A single academic center study. PARTICIPANTS: Patients undergoing video-assisted thoracic surgery pulmonary resection for cancer at the Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et de Pneumologie de Québec from May 2020 to May 2022 were included. INTERVENTIONS: Patients randomly were assigned with a 1:1 ratio to a supported or suspended ipsilateral arm position. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Ipsilateral shoulder pain incidence, pain score, and opioid use were recorded in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) on postoperative days 1 and 2. One hundred thirty-three patients were randomized, 67 in the suspended-arm group and 66 in the supported-arm group. Of the patients, 31% reported ipsilateral shoulder pain in the PACU with no difference between groups (19/67 [28.4%] v 22/66 patients (33.3%), p = 0.5767). There was no significant difference between the pain score in the PACU (3 [0-6] v 4 [0-6], p = 0.9055) at postoperative day 1 (4 [2-6] v 3 [2-5], p = 0.4113) and at postoperative day 2 (2 [0-5] v 2 [1-4], p = 0.9508). Ipsilateral shoulder pain score decreased rapidly on postoperative day 2. There was no statistical difference in opioid and gabapentinoid use between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Ipsilateral arm position seems to have no impact on ipsilateral shoulder pain.

Sex- and Gender-Related Factors Associated With Cardiac Rehabilitation Enrollment: A SECONDARY ANALYSIS AMONG SYSTEMATICALLY REFERRED PATIENTS.

PURPOSE: To assess sex- and gender-related factors associated with cardiac rehabilitation (CR) enrollment following acute coronary syndrome among systematically referred patients. METHODS: This secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial used an exploratory approach to examine the TRANSITion process for patients between the coronary care unit and CR (TRANSIT-UC). The present analysis examined the relationship between sex- and gender-related factors and CR enrollment in systematically referred women (n = 35) and men (n = 207). We performed χ and logistic regression analyses to identify statistically significant results. Using the Bonferroni method, a P value of .002 or less was considered a significant statistical result. A raw difference of 15% or more between enrolled and nonenrolled participants was considered a difference worthy of further investigation. RESULTS: Men who were regularly engaged in physical activity prior to their hospitalization and who lived near the CR center showed a statistically higher CR enrollment rate. In women and men, a radial entry site for percutaneous coronary intervention resulted in a clinically significant difference in favor of CR enrollment. In women, 3 sex-related and 9 gender-related variables were associated with a difference of 15% or more between enrolled and nonenrolled participants. CONCLUSION: Factors related to CR enrollment in women and men are suggested. As women keep showing a lower rate of CR enrolment, the investigation of these factors in a larger sample of patients may hold valuable insights to improve CR enrolment.

A Web-Based Tailored Intervention to Support Illness Management in Patients With an Acute Coronary Syndrome: Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: Illness management after an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is crucial to prevent cardiac complications, to foster participation in a cardiac rehabilitation (CR) program, and to optimize recovery. Web-based tailored interventions have the potential to provide individualized information and counseling to optimize patient's illness management after hospital discharge. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a Web-based tailored intervention (TAVIE@COEUR) designed to improve illness management in patients hospitalized for an ACS. Illness management outcomes were operationalized by self-care, medication adherence, anxiety management, cardiac risk factors reduction, and enrollment in a CR program. METHODS: This posttest pilot study was conducted with one group (N=30) of patients hospitalized for an ACS on the coronary care unit of a tertiary cardiology center. TAVIE@COEUR comprises three Web-based sessions, with a duration ranging from 10 to 45 min and is structured around an algorithm to allow the tailoring of the intervention to different pathways according to patients' responses to questions. TAVIE@COEUR includes 90 pages, 85 videos, and 47 PDF documents divided across session 1 (S1), session 2 (S2), and session 3 (S3). These sessions concern self-care and self-observation skills related to medication-taking (S1), emotional control and problem-solving skills (S2), and social skills and interacting with health professionals (S3). Throughout the videos, a virtual nurse (providing the intervention virtually) guides the participants in the acquisition of self-care skills. Patients completed S1 of TAVIE@COEUR before hospital discharge and were asked to complete S2 and S3 within 2 weeks after discharge. Feasibility indicators were extracted from the TAVIE@COEUR system. Data regarding acceptability (satisfaction and appreciation of the platform) and preliminary effect (self-care, medication adherence, anxiety management, risk factor reduction, and CR enrollment) were assessed through questionnaires at 1 month following discharge. Preliminary effect was assessed by comparing baseline and 1-month illness management variables. RESULTS: Of the 30 participants, 20 completed S1, 10 completed S2, and 5 completed S3. Good acceptability scores were observed for ease of navigation (mean=3.58, standard deviation [SD]=0.70; scale=0-4), ease of understanding (mean=3.46, SD=0.63; scale=0-4), and applicability (mean=3.55, SD=0.74; scale=0-4). The lowest acceptability scores were observed for information tailoring (mean=2.93, SD=0.68; scale=0-4) and individual relevance (mean=2.56, SD=0.96; scale=0-4). With regard to preliminary effect, we observed an overall self-care at 1 month following discharge score higher than at baseline (mean at 1 month=54.07, SD=3.99 vs mean at baseline=49.09, SD=6.92; scale-0-60). CONCLUSIONS: Although participants reported general satisfaction and appreciation of TAVIE@COEUR, acceptability and feasibility results show the need for further development of the Web-based intervention to enhance its tailoring before undertaking a full-fledged randomized controlled trial. This may be accomplished by optimizing the adaptability of TAVIE@COEUR to patients' knowledge, needs, interests, individual capabilities, and emotional and cognitive responses during session completion.