Efficacy of photobiomodulation therapy in the management of oral mucositis in patients with head and neck cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Numerous studies have examined the effectiveness of photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) in reducing chemoradiotherapy (CRT)-induced oral mucositis (OM) in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC). Despite this, there is an urgent need to update the meta-analyses on this topic. This meta-analysis aims to explore the impact of PBMT on CRT-induced OM in these patients. We conducted a systematic search in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, LILACS, and Web of Science from January 2000 to October 2023. This search focused on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that assessed the effects of PBMT on CRT-induced OM. The study included a total of 14 RCTs encompassing 869 patients with HNC. The incidence of OM in the PBMT group was significantly lower from the second week onwards compared to the control group (RR = 0.49, CI = 0.25-0.97, I2 = 71%, p = 0.04), and this was present until the seventh week (RR = 0.77, CI = 0.61-0.99, I2 = 89%, p = 0.04). Furthermore, the occurrence of severe mucositis in the PBMT group decreased from the third week (RR = 0.51, CI = 0.29-0.90, I2 = 12%, p = 0.02) until the conclusion of the intervention (RR = 0.45, CI = 0.24-0.85, I2 = 80%, p = 0.01). Additionally, PBMT showed beneficial effects in alleviating OM-related pain (WMD = -1.09, 95% CI = -1.38 to -0.880, I2 = 13%, p < 0.00001). The use of He-Ne or InGaAlP lasers with a power range of 10-25 mW demonstrated the most favorable outcomes in preventing and treating OM. PBMT has shown considerable efficacy in reducing the incidence, severity, and pain associated with OM in patients with HNC. Future studies are encouraged to further investigate the most effective parameters for PBMT in the management of OM.

Are couple-based psychological interventions beneficial for the mental health of prostate cancer patients and their spouses? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

As the survival rates for prostate cancer (PCa) have improved, there has been an increasing focus on the mental health of couples affected by this condition. There have been several couple-based psychological interventions, and yet the impact of this treatment modality on the mental health of PCa patients and their spouses is unclear. Consequently, a systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, LILACS, and Web of Science up to March 2023 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) addressing the impacts of couple-based psychological interventions on both PCa patients and their spouses. Besides, the Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool was employed to evaluate the methodological quality and potential bias of the included studies. Moreover, statistical analysis and meta-analysis were performed utilizing Revman 5.4, and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) was employed to assess the certainty of evidence. A total of nine RCTs were included, utilizing anxiety, depression, distress, communication, and self-efficacy as outcome indicators to assess mental health. Results demonstrated that couple-based psychological interventions increased spouses' self-efficacy (WMD, 0.21; 95% CI: -0.00 ~ 0.42; P = 0.05) and communication (SMD, 0.34; 95% CI: 0.09 ~ 0.59; P = 0.009), while reducing their distress (SMD, -0.21; 95% CI: -0.40 ~ -0.02; P = 0.03). Nonetheless, there is a need for additional research on the effect of couple-based psychological interventions on the mental health of PCa-affected couples given the limited evidence supporting this conclusion.

Job stressors and burnout among clinical nurses: a moderated mediation model of need for recovery and career calling.

BACKGROUND: Burnout is a major concern in healthcare professions. Although theory and empirical evidence support the relationship between job stressors and burnout, the question remains how and when the job stressors are related to burnout. Based on conservation of resources theory and effort recovery model, the current study aimed to provide a deeper understanding of the effect of job stressors on burnout by investigating the mediating role of need for recovery and the moderating role of career calling. METHODS: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 709 nurses enrolled from eight public hospitals in China. The Work Stressors Scale, Psychological Detachment Scale, Brief Calling Scale, and Maslach Burnout Inventory were used to collect data. Hierarchical regression analysis with bootstrapping procedure was performed to test the proposed model. RESULTS: The results showed that need for recovery mediated the job stressors-burnout relationship, and that high career calling buffered against the relationships between job stressors and need for recovery and burnout. Furthermore, the result revealed a moderated mediation model that career calling buffered the indirect effect of job stressors on burnout through need for recovery. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that environmental demands and personal resource are important antecedents of nurses' burnout. Career calling as personal resources can serve as a protective factor that guards against burnout. Thus, nursing managers can reduce nurse burnout by focusing on effective strategies related to recovery experiences, as well as investing in training career calling.

A mobile terminal application program was used for endotracheal tube cuff pressure measurement.

We studied the application of a mobile terminal application program in endotracheal tube (ETT) cuff pressure measurement to improve the implementation rate of scientific ETT cuff pressure measurement and to ensure that the pressure falls within the recommended range. A pre-post controlled study lasting for 18 months was undertaken in a 40-bed general intensive care unit (GICU). This included a 6-month baseline period (baseline group) and a 6-month intervention period (intervention group). The mobile terminal application program was applied to monitor the cuff pressure of endotracheal intubation as an intervention measure during the intervention period. ETT pressure was the main outcome measure, while gender, age, causes for ICU admission, sedation score, duration of prior intubation, size of ETT, and number of VAP patients were secondary outcomes. ETT cuff pressure was monitored 742 times in both the baseline group and the intervention group. A total of 56.9% of the cuff pressure measurements in the baseline group were within the recommended range, while 78.4% of measurements in the intervention group were within the recommended range, reflecting a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05). The application of the mobile terminal application program used for ETT cuff pressure measurement could improve the percentage of ETT cuff pressure measurements falling within the recommended range.