RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Sarcopenia is an age-related decline in skeletal muscle mass, which depends on an assessment of muscle strength and muscle mass. The diagnostic definition of sarcopenia varies by region. AIM: To determine the optimal diagnostic criteria for sarcopenia in a plateau population. Cut off values for the components of diagnostic algorithms for sarcopenia in plateau populations should consider altitude. METHODS: One hundred and fifty subjects aged > 60 years attending a tertiary comprehensive hospital in the city of Xining (elevation: 2260 m) between October and December 2018 were enrolled. Handgrip strength, muscle mass, and physical performance were measured. Sarcopenia was diagnosed according to the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS) 2019 criteria, Beijing criteria, and Lasha criteria. RESULTS: Across diagnostic criteria, there were significant differences in the prevalence of sarcopenia in the overall population and stratified by gender. The prevalence of sarcopenia measured by the AWGS 2019 or Lasha criteria was significantly higher in female compared to male subjects. In males, the prevalence of sarcopenia measured by the Beijing criteria was significantly higher in subjects who identified as Han compared to Minority. In females, there were no significant differences in the prevalence of sarcopenia by ethnicity according to any criteria. CONCLUSION: The Lasha criteria provided a lower prevalence of sarcopenia (males, 8.7%; females, 22.41%; overall, 14%) and were able to differentiate between males and females. The Lasha criteria are likely most appropriate for detection of sarcopenia in this plateau population. We recommend the Lasha criteria for detection of sarcopenia in Xining.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease (AD) influences the social and economic quality of life of older adult patients and their families. AIM: To explore the efficacy of cognitive training in clinical nursing for patients with early AD residing in the plateau area. METHODS: This pilot study was conducted in patients with early AD treated in the Geriatric Department of the Qinghai Provincial People's Hospital between August 2019 and March 2021. The patients were divided into a cognitive training group and a conventional nursing group using the random number table method. Patients in the conventional nursing group received conventional nursing, whereas the patients in the cognitive training group received the new nursing intervention. The mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and activities of daily living (ADL) scales were used to compare the cognitive ability and daily activities, respectively, between the two groups before and after the intervention. RESULTS: Sixty patients were enrolled in this study, with 30 patients in the cognitive training group and conventional nursing group, respectively. The MMSE and ADL scores were significantly higher in the cognitive training group than in the conventional nursing group after the intervention (MMSE: 25.11 ± 2.02 vs 22.26 ± 1. 23, P = 0.032; ADL: 68.72 ± 4.86 vs 60.16 ± 2.27, P = 0.018). CONCLUSION: The application of cognitive training in clinical nursing for patients with early AD could improve both their cognitive ability and ADL. This method could be applied in clinical practice to manage cognitive dysfunction in patients with early AD.
RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: We investigated the relationship between nursing staff's knowledge of hospice care and psychological states, including grief and attitude towards death. METHODS: From October 2018 to December 2018, a total of 1900 professional nursing staff of secondary and tertiary levels in Qinghai Province were chosen as the research subjects. Professional questionnaires were used to evaluate their knowledge level of Hospice Care (HC), psychological states, grief and attitude towards death, while the correlation between HC knowledge level and the latter three were analyzed. RESULTS: In Qinghai Province, the nursing staff had the highest scores in terms of knowledge levels of HC symptom control with a score of 4.48±1.65, and the lowest score of 1.79±1.12 in terms of knowledge levels of death education. In the Death Attitude Profile-Revised (DAP-R) scale, there was a negative correlation between fear of death, death avoidance, escape acceptance, and HC knowledge total score (P<0.05), while there was a positive correlation between natural acceptance and HC knowledge score (P<0.05). There was no statistical correlation between the total score of approach acceptance and HC knowledge (P>0.05). In the Grief Experience Questionnaire (GEQ) questionnaire, there were negative correlations between the total score of HC knowledge and body reaction, general grief response, seeking to explain and respond to special death forms (P<0.05). Hamilton anxiety scale (HAMA) and Hamilton depression scale (HAMD) were negatively correlated with HC knowledge scores (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: There is a correlation between nursing staff's knowledge level of hospice care and the psychological state, partial grief and attitudes towards death. The improvement of levels of nursing staff's HC knowledge plays a positive role in maintaining their healthy psychological state, alleviating their grief and helping them to actively face death.
