Effect of hand reflexology in ameliorating anxiety, pain, and fatigue among patients undergoing coronary angiography.

BACKGROUND: Reflexology is a popular non-invasive complementary medicine technique to enhance anxiety, pain, and fatigue among patients undergoing coronary angiography. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the effect of hand reflexology in ameliorating anxiety, pain, and fatigue among patients undergoing coronary angiography. METHODS: A quasi-experimental research design was used on 60 patients undergoing coronary angiography at Alexandria Main University Hospital's cardiology department (30 patients in each study and control group). Four tools were used to collect data: the socio-demographic and clinical data assessment sheet, the visual analogue scale, the Rhoten fatigue scale, and the Beck anxiety inventory. RESULTS: Scores of moderate anxiety, intractable pain, and severe fatigue among the study group significantly decreased after 2 h and three days of applying hand reflexology. CONCLUSION: The current study findings showed that hand reflexology is a simple, non-invasive nursing intervention that is effective and useful for managing pain, fatigue, and anxiety in patients undergoing coronary angiography as it resulted in a significant reduction in the severity of pain, fatigue, and anxiety after coronary angiography in the study group compared to the control group. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was registered in the clinical trial.gov database (Clinicaltrials.gov NCT05887362 , 23/05/2023).

Hydroxocobalamin as Rescue Therapy in a Patient With Refractory Amlodipine-Induced Vasoplegia.

Vasoplegic syndrome is a type of distributive shock characterized by mean arterial pressure of less than 65 mmHg, with normal to high cardiac output and often refractory to fluid resuscitation, high doses of intravenous vasopressors, and inotropes. It is usually observed after cardiac and solid organ transplantation surgeries. Here, we report a 56-year-old female patient who presented with a profound vasoplegia manifesting as lethargy and confusion in the setting of amlodipine toxicity. This case of severe vasoplegia was refractory to all conditional lines of medical management reported in the literature. The mainstay treatment modalities for vasoplegia include volume resuscitation, catecholamines, vasopressin, angiotensin II, and possibly methylene blue in unresponsive cases. Our patient was given hydroxocobalamin in favor of methylene blue, given the history of serotonin reuptake inhibitors use, which would have caused a life-threatening serotonin syndrome. Hydroxycobolamine resulted in a dramatic clinical recovery, suggesting its potentially significant role in refractory vasoplegia.

Helicobacter pylori resistance to antibiotics at the An-Najah National University Hospital: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Bacterial resistance to antibiotics is considered the most important determinant of treatment failure. Monitoring the evolution of antimicrobial resistance to common antibiotics is therefore of special importance for clinicians. The frequency of resistance to antibiotics in Helicobacter pylori isolates is increasing. The aim of this study was to determine the pattern of H pylori antibiotic resistance at the An-Najah National University Hospital. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we recruited patients older than 18 year who were admitted to the An-Najah National University Hospital. Participants underwent oesophageal gastroduodenoscopy and gastric biopsy in the hospital's laparoscopic department. Biopsies were taken from the gastric antrum and body during endoscope. The analysis of the biopsies included rapid urease test, histological examination to detect H pylori, and bacterial culture using selective media. After culturing the bacteria for 7 days, we tested oxidase, urease, and catalase activity. Cultures that were positive for H pylori were tested for their susceptibility to various antimicrobial agents. Ethical approval was obtained from the An-Najah National University before starting the data collection. All participants gave informed consent before the procedure. FINDINGS: Between July 1, 2016, and Jan 1, 2017, we enrolled 91 patients with dyspepsia (49 women and 42 men). 38 (42%) patients had an H pylori infection. H pylori was found in three (100%) of three patients with a duodenal ulcer, three (46%) of ten patients with a gastric ulcer, 20 (54%) of 37 patient with gastritis, and 12 (41%) of 29 patient with a normal endoscopic appearance. When isolates of H pylori isolates were subjected to sensitivity tests against six antibiotics, ciprofloxacin was the most effective drug against H pylori (0% resistance), followed by levofloxacin (0%), moxifloxacin (3%), and amoxicillin (18%). Metronidazole and clarithromycin were the least effective drugs, with resistance rates of 100% and 47%, respectively. INTERPRETATION: H pylori isolates from the Palestinian patients included in this study were highly resistant to the traditional first-line antibiotics clarithromycin and metronidazole. However, fluoroquinolones and amoxicillin are still effective antimicrobial choices. This could be the result of the unjustified wide use of antibiotics in the Palestinian community and the use of clarithromycin-based therapy as first-line treatment for H pylori, which in turn has led to increased rates of H pylori eradication failure. We recommend using quinolone-based regimens for H pylori and rationing the use of antibiotics in Palestinian patients. FUNDING: An-Najah National University.