Posttraumatic growth and death anxiety in caregivers of cancer patients: PHOENIX study

Background/aim: Posttraumatic growth (PTG) is defined as positive psychological changes following a challenging or traumatic life event. The purpose of this study is to define the predictors of PTG and death anxiety (DAN) in caregivers of cancer patients and evaluate the impact of DAN on PTG. Materials and methods: The caregivers of cancer patients were evaluated using structured questionnaires, including a validated PTG scale and Templer death anxiety scale. Results: In 3 different cancer centers, 426 participants were evaluated. In multivariate analysis of factors associated with PTG, a high DAN score was the only parameter associated with high PTG scores [OR: 1.6, CI (95%) 1.02­2.5, P = 0.03]. In multivariate analysis of factors associated with DAN, female sex was the only risk factor for high DAN scores [OR: 1.6, CI (95%) 1.1­2.8, P = 0.049]. There was a positive correlation between PTG and DAN scores (r = 0.15, P = 0.001). Higher DAN scores were associated with positive impacts on self-perception (37.0 versus 35.0, P = 0.02), philosophy of life (16.0 versus 13.0, P = 0.035), and changes in relationship (16.0 versus 14.0, P = 0.01) Conclusions: This is the first report regarding the association between DAN and PTG. We found a positive impact of death anxiety on psychological changes in caregivers of cancer patients.

Immunoglobulin G4-related thoracic disease: clinical and radiological findings of a Turkish cohort.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Thoracic involvement of Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is relatively rare and may be disregarded at the time of initial diagnosis due to its asymptomatic nature. This study aimed to ascertain the prevalence and patterns of thoracic involvement in a retrospective cohort of Turkish patients with IgG4-RD. METHODS: A total of 90 patients (47 males and 43 females, with a mean age of 57.7±15.5 years) diagnosed with IgG4-RD were reviewed retrospectively. All computed tomography (CT) scans were re-evaluated by two thoracic radiologists and IgG4-related thoracic disease was assessed on four compartments: The mediastinum, pulmonary parenchyma, airways, and pleura. IgG4-related thoracic disease was categorized as: definite, highly probable, probable or possible. RESULTS: There were 64 patients who had undergone at least one thorax CT examination, and 18 (28%) were diagnosed with IgG4-related thoracic disease. The rate of IgG4-related thoracic disease increased by 20% and reached a ratio of 48.4% (n=31) after a thorough reevaluation of registry data specifically to thoracic findings. The mediastinum was the most frequently involved compartment, affecting 16 (51.6%) patients, followed by pulmonary parenchyma in 14 (45.2%) patients, and airways and pleura in 10 (32.3%) patients each. Other organ involvements were more prevalent and IgG4 levels were higher in patients with thoracic involvement. Eosinophils were significantly elevated in patients with thoracic involvement (p=0.023). CONCLUSIONS: IgG4-related thoracic disease is heterogeneous and likely to be more prevalent than currently recognized. The mediastinum is the most frequently involved compartment. It is important to assess IgG4-related thoracic disease at the time of initial diagnosis. Elevated levels of serum IgG4 and eosinophils, as well as a greater number of organ involvements may serve as indicators of thoracic involvement.

Rectus abdominis and rectus femoris muscle thickness in determining nutritional risk in critically ill patients: a prospective cohort study in Turkey.

OBJECTIVES: Malnutrition is a clinical condition that is frequently seen in critically ill patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). Although there are many scoring systems and tools used to determine nutritional risk, those that can be used in critically ill patients in the ICU are very few. The scoring systems used are insufficient to identify ICU patients with malnutrition or at risk.Malnutrition is generally presented with a decrease in skeletal muscle mass and muscle strength. Therefore, in many recent studies, attention has been drawn to the relationship between nutritional status and loss of muscle mass. DESIGN: A cohort study. SETTING: Forty-five patients hospitalised in an anaesthesia ICU in Turkey were included in the study. PARTICIPANTS: Patients aged 18 years and older. INTERVENTIONS: Demographic data of patients included in the study, and Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 (NRS-2002) and Modified Nutrition Risk in Critically ill (mNUTRIC) scores in the first 24 hours of ICU admission were noted. Rectus abdominis muscle (RAM) and rectus femoris muscle (RFM) thicknesses were measured by the same person (intensive care specialist) with ultrasonography (USG). OUTCOME MEASURES: Finding a quantitative and practical evaluation method by determining the correlation of measurement of RAM and RFM thickness with USG with NRS-2002 and mNUTRIC score, which are scoring systems used to assess nutritional risk. RESULTS: The performance of RAM and RFM thickness in determining nutritional status was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Area under the ROC curves were calculated as >0.7 for RFM and RAM measurements (p<0.05). Specificity and sensitivity percentages of RAM were found to be higher than RFM in determining nutritional status. CONCLUSION: This study showed that RAM and RFM thickness measured by USG can be a reliable and easily applicable quantitative method that can be used to determine nutritional risk in the ICU.

The efficacy of esmolol, remifentanil and nitroglycerin in controlled hypotension for functional endoscopic sinus surgery.

INTRODUCTION: Controlled hypotension is a reversible procedure in which the patient's baseline mean arterial blood pressure is reduced by 30% and sustained at 60-70 mmHg during the procedure. It decreases blood loss and provides clear surgical field during the procedures. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of controlled hypotension agents esmolol, remifentanil, and nitroglycerin in functional endoscopic sinus surgery, in terms of hemodynamic changes and impact on the surgical efficiency. METHODS: The research was carried out as a cohort study. Patients who underwent functional endoscopic sinus surgery were randomized into 3 groups. Controlled hypotension was achieved with remifentanil (Group R), esmolol (Group E) and nitroglycerin (Group N). The efficacy of the drugs was tested by comparing the length of time with the targeted mean arterial pressure, the amount of anesthetics used, surgical field bleeding score and surgeon's satisfaction. RESULTS: Between May to December 2015, 60 patients were included and randomized equally into 3 different study groups. The median of the length of time with the targeted mean arterial pressure was shorter in the Group R when compared with Group E (p = 0.01) and Group N (p = 0.14). The amount of volatile anesthetics used was 25.0 mL (15-51), 43.0 mL (21-105) and 40.0 mL (26-97) in Groups R, E and N, respectively (p < 0.001). While there was more bleeding with nitroglycerin, surgical field bleeding scores were lower in Group R when compared with esmolol (p = 0.001) and nitroglycerin (p < 0.001). The analysis of surgeon's satisfaction scores concluded that surgeons were more satisfied with the group R (100%), when compared with group E (60%) and group N (30%) (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Less volatile agent, short time to achieve controlled hypotension, stable blood pressure, lower surgical field bleeding scores and larger length of time with the targeted mean arterial pressure were found as the advantages of Remifentanil. Less costly, efficiency of achieving the targeted median arterial pressure and less postoperative complications were the advantages of nitroglycerin. In functional endoscopic sinus surgery procedures, appropriate controlled hypotensive agents should be selected according to the patients' characteristics and advantages/disadvantages of the drugs.

The efficacy of esmolol, remifentanil and nitroglycerin in controlled hypotension for functional endoscopic sinus surgery / Eficácia do esmolol, remifentanil e nitroglicerina na hipotensão controlada para cirurgia sinusal endoscópica funcional

Abstract Introduction Controlled hypotension is a reversible procedure in which the patient's baseline mean arterial blood pressure is reduced by 30% and sustained at 60-70 mmHg during the procedure. It decreases blood loss and provides clear surgical field during the procedures. Objectives The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of controlled hypotension agents esmolol, remifentanil, and nitroglycerin in functional endoscopic sinus surgery, in terms of hemodynamic changes and impact on the surgical efficiency. Methods The research was carried out as a cohort study. Patients who underwent functional endoscopic sinus surgery were randomized into 3 groups. Controlled hypotension was achieved with remifentanil (Group R), esmolol (Group E) and nitroglycerin (Group N). The efficacy of the drugs was tested by comparing the length of time with the targeted mean arterial pressure, the amount of anesthetics used, surgical field bleeding score and surgeon's satisfaction. Results Between May to December 2015, 60 patients were included and randomized equally into 3 different study groups. The median of the length of time with the targeted mean arterial pressure was shorter in the Group R when compared with Group E (p = 0.01) and Group N (p = 0.14). The amount of volatile anesthetics used was 25.0 mL (15-51), 43.0 mL (21-105) and 40.0 mL (26-97) in Groups R, E and N, respectively (p < 0.001). While there was more bleeding with nitroglycerin, surgical field bleeding scores were lower in Group R when compared with esmolol (p = 0.001) and nitroglycerin (p < 0.001). The analysis of surgeon's satisfaction scores concluded that surgeons were more satisfied with the group R (100%), when compared with group E (60%) and group N (30%) (p < 0.001). Conclusion Less volatile agent, short time to achieve controlled hypotension, stable blood pressure, lower surgical field bleeding scores and larger length of time with the targeted mean arterial pressure were found as the advantages of Remifentanil. Less costly, efficiency of achieving the targeted median arterial pressure and less postoperative complications were the advantages of nitroglycerin. In functional endoscopic sinus surgery procedures, appropriate controlled hypotensive agents should be selected according to the patients' characteristics and advantages/disadvantages of the drugs.

Resumo Introdução Hipotensão controlada é um procedimento reversível no qual a pressão arterial média basal do paciente é reduzida em 30% e mantida em 60-70 mmHg durante o procedimento. Isso diminui a perda de sangue e propicia um campo cirúrgico limpo durante os procedimentos. Objetivo Comparar agentes usados para hipotensão controlada: esmolol, remifentanil e nitroglicerina em cirurgia sinusal endoscópica funcional, em termos de alterações hemodinâmicas e impactos na eficácia cirúrgica. Método O estudo foi feito como de coorte. Pacientes submetidos à cirurgia sinusal endoscópica funcional foram randomizados em 3 grupos. A hipotensão controlada foi feita com remifentanil (Grupo R), esmolol (Grupo E) e nitroglicerina (Grupo R). A eficácia dos medicamentos foi testada com a comparação do período de tempo com a pressão arterial média desejada, a quantidade de anestésicos usados, o escore de sangramento no campo cirúrgico e a satisfação do cirurgião. Resultados Entre maio e dezembro de 2015, 60 pacientes foram incluídos e randomizados igualmente nos três grupos de estudo. A mediana do período com a pressão arterial desejada foi menor no Grupo R quando comparado ao Grupo E (p = 0,01) e Grupo N (p = 0,14). A quantidade de anestésicos voláteis usados foi de 25,0 mL (15 ± 51), 43,0 mL (21 ± 105) e 40,0 mL (26 ± 97) nos Grupos R, E e N, respectivamente (p < 0,001). Houve mais sangramento com nitroglicerina e escores de sangramento no campo cirúrgico foram menores no Grupo R quando comparados com esmolol (p = 0,001) e nitroglicerina (p < 0,001). A análise dos escores da satisfação do cirurgião concluiu que os cirurgiões estavam mais satisfeitos com o grupo R (100%) quando comparados ao grupo E (60%) e o grupo N (30%) (p < 0,001). Conclusão Agente menos volátil, pouco tempo para obter a hipotensão controlada, pressão arterial estável, menor escore de sangramento no campo cirúrgico e período de pressão arterial desejada curto foram considerados como vantagens do remifentanil. Menor custo, eficácia de obtenção da pressão arterial média desejada e menos complicações pós-operatórias foram as vantagens da nitroglicerina. Nos procedimentos de cirurgia sinusal endoscópica funcional, os agentes apropriados para obtenção de hipotensão controlada devem ser selecionados de acordo com as características dos pacientes e as vantagens/desvantagens dos fármacos.

Modeling chromatographic columns non-equilibrium packed-bed adsorption with non-linear adsorption isotherms.

In this work a new mathematical model, based on non-equilibrium conditions, describing the dynamic adsorption of proteins in columns packed with spherical adsorbent particles is used to study the performance of chromatographic systems. Simulations of frontal chromatography, including axial dispersion, for non-equilibrium systems with non-linear adsorption isotherms are made and compared to those of the experimentally determined protein A affinity chromatography breakthrough curves of hIgG, gathered from the literature. The non-equilibrium model developed here combines external mass transfer and intra-particle transport by solid (surface) diffusion, and permits the prediction of (time and bed height dependent) interface and average solid concentrations, along with interface and bulk liquid concentrations. The present non-equilibrium approach significantly improved the model predictions of experimentally observed distended breakthrough fronts over local equilibrium based models, and can be used to evaluate the influence of system parameters on the performance of chromatographic packed-bed adsorption columns.