Factors affecting quality of life among patients with corrosive injury.

This study aimed to investigate the factors influencing quality of life (QOL) among patients with corrosive injuries, considering the rising incidence of such cases, particularly in developing countries. Corrosive ingestion is a serious global public health problem and a common form of self-harm. This was a cross-sectional study using purposive sampling. A total of 82 patients with corrosive injuries who were admitted to the gastroenterology ward of a medical center in Taiwan between June 2018 and July 2020 completed the Perceived Stress Scale, Coping Strategy Scale, and World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale. We used an independent t-test and analysis of variance to examine the distribution and differences in demographic and disease characteristics, perceived stress, and the coping strategy scale. Multiple linear regression was then used to analyze the main predictors of QOL. The mean patient age was 58.2 (standard deviation = 2.4) years. A significant difference was observed between patients with a history of mental illness and perceived stress (P < .05). The patients were highly stressed and used emotional coping strategies to solve problems. Stress perception was significantly negatively correlated with overall QOL. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that a history of mental illness was a significant factor for overall QOL. The results of this study suggest that a history of mental illness significantly affects the QOL of patients with corrosive gastrointestinal injuries, and regular assessment and monitoring are essential.

[Quality of Life of Primary Caregivers of Liver Cirrhosis Patients and Related Factors].

BACKGROUND: The prognosis of patients with liver cirrhosis often involves multiple complications and repeated admissions, which may significantly burden and reduce the quality of life of the primary caregivers of these patients. PURPOSE: The purpose of this correlational study was to explore the relationship between the burden of caregivers of liver cirrhosis patients and their quality of life. METHODS: A structured questionnaire, which included the Primary Caregiver Burden Scale, Coping Behaviors Scale, the WHOQOL-BREF, and a caregiver demographic datasheet, was used to collect data. Descriptive and inferential statistics (independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson's product-moment correlation, and stepwise regression analysis) were used to analyze data. RESULTS: A total of 113 participants were recruited from a medical center in northern Taiwan. The results revealed: (1) The highest average scores for caregiver burden were in the financial domain, while the lowest average scores were in the physical domain. The highest average scores for quality of life were observed in the environment domain, while the lowest average scores were in the physical health domain. (2) Most of the caregivers adopted a problem-solving oriented strategy to care for their patient. (3) Overall care burden correlated negatively with overall quality of life (r = -.223, p < .05). The caregivers' "self-assessed health", "financial load", and "daily care hours" were significant factors affecting overall quality of life (F = 52.78, p < .05), accounting for 58% of the total variance in the results. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study may help nurses better understand and work to reduce the burden of caregivers in order to enhance their quality of life. Nurses should assess caregiver burden, especially in cases where caregivers themselves are in a poor financial situation or have poor self-assessed health, in order to provide necessary support and assistance.

Body Posture Angle Affects the Physiological Indices of Patients With Liver Cirrhosis Ascites.

The study objective was to compare the effect of different angles of lying positions on the physiological indices of patients with cirrhosis ascites. Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis were ranked 9th among the top 10 causes of death. Ascites is the most common cirrhosis comorbidity. Body posture can affect pulmonary ventilation and arterial oxygen partial pressure, making it an important clinical nursing intervention significantly affecting patient recovery. This was a quasi-experimental study design. From a medical center in Taiwan, 252 patients with cirrhosis ascites were recruited. Subjects were randomly divided into three groups by bed angle: 15°, 30°, and 45°. Physiological indices were measured at 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 minutes to determine any changes in heart rate, respiration rate, and oxygenation saturation. Data analysis included descriptive statistics and the generalized estimating equation for statistical analysis with significance set at α= 0.05. After controlling for confounding variables, the three groups differed significantly in heart rate at 20, 25, and 30 minutes, oxygenation saturations at 15 and 20 minutes, and respiration rate at 5 and 10 minutes (α< 0.05). Body posture can affect pulmonary ventilation and arterial oxygen partial pressure and is thus an important clinical nursing intervention that significantly affects the recovery of patients. When caring for patients with cirrhosis ascites, nurses should help patients to choose the most comfortable angle for them with no particular restrictions. Our results can be used to guide nurses in making a plan for health education and nursing that improves the quality of care for patients with chronic liver disease and cirrhosis patients with ascites.

[Effects of head posture on oxygenation saturation, comfort, and dyspnea in patients with liver cirrhosis-related ascites].

BACKGROUND: Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis are collectively ranked as the ninth most prevalent cause of death in Taiwan. Ascites is the most common comorbidity associated with liver cirrhosis. Different body postures affect pulmonary ventilation and arterial oxygen partial pressure. Thus, ensuring proper body posture in patients is an important clinical nursing intervention that significantly affects the recovery of patients. PURPOSE: This study investigates the effects of head posture on oxygenation saturation, comfort, and dyspnea in patients with liver cirrhosis-related ascites. METHODS: A quasi-experimental study design was used. A total of 252 participants were recruited from a medical centre hospital in Taiwan. Participants were allocated randomly into three groups of bed-elevation angles: 15 degrees, 30 degrees, and 45 degrees. The physiological indices were measured at 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 minutes in order to investigate the change in oxygenation saturations that were attributable to the different angles. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The generalized estimating equation (GEE) was used for statistical analysis, with the level of significance set at: α = .05. RESULTS: After controlling for confounding variables, the results showed that patients in the three groups earned similar scores for the degree of difficulty in the oxygen values. The supine group earned significantly different scores than the other two groups in terms of blood oxygen values related to time to change the angle of the three groups at five minutes after adjusting the angle (p < .01). This study found no differences among the three groups in terms of comfort. In terms of breathing, this study found a significant difference between 45-degree and 15-degree supine dyspnea (p < .05). Therefore, patients with ascites at 15 degrees supine and with better access to better oxygen saturation had superior results to their peers at 30 degrees and 45 degrees supine. Furthermore, this group was less likely to perceive breathing difficulties. CONCLUSIONS / IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The results of this study may guide health education and care for nurses in order to improve the quality of care for patients with chronic liver disease / cirrhosis with concomitant ascites.

Evaluation of polyphenolic acid esters as potential antioxidants.

Six polyphenolic acid esters were synthesized and their antioxidative properties were evaluated in three model systems [2,2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging assay, 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane)dihydrochloride (AAPH)-induced lipid peroxidation system, and the dye-bleaching assay of peroxynitrite radical]. Among these compounds, we found that compounds 4 [3,4-dihydroxy-benzoic acid-(2-phenoxyethyl ester)], and 5 [3,4-dihydroxy-cinnamic acid-(2-phenoxyethyl ester)] provided comparable activity to caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) in the DPPH model. Compound 3 [2,5-dihydroxy-benzoic acid-(2-phenoxyethyl ester)], was found to be more active than CAPE in the AAPH system, it also displayed about 2-fold greater activity than CAPE in the peroxynitrite radical model. These results suggest that these phenolic acid ester derivatives, with their potent anti-oxidant activities, may have useful applications as antioxidants.