Burnout in healthcare workers in COVID-19-dedicated hospitals.

BACKGROUND: Considering the prolongation of the COVID-19 pandemic, the lack of studies on burnout, particularly in healthcare workers, needs to be addressed. This report aimed to identify the risk factors of burnout by comparing the level of burnout between nurses in general wards and those in COVID-19-dedicated wards in a national university hospital. METHODS: A survey based on the Korean version of Burnout Assessment Tool (BAT-K) was conducted on nurses between 10 January and 31 January 2022. The BAT-K consists of exhaustion, mental distance, cognitive impairment, emotional impairment and secondary symptoms. RESULTS: A total of 165 nurses, including 81 nurses from the COVID-19-dedicated ward, completed the questionnaire. The percentage of general-ward nurses with an emotional impairment score above the clinical cutoff was higher than that of COVID-19 ward nurses. General ward compared to the COVID-19 ward increased the risk of presenting with total-core symptoms. Two factors increased the risk regarding mental distance: short career length and underlying disease. CONCLUSIONS: In contrast to previous studies, the risk of burnout in the COVID-19-ward nurses was lower than that of the general ward nurses. The risk regarding mental distance was correlated with short career length and presence of an underlying disease.

Enteropathy and intestinal malabsorption in patients treated with antihypertensive drugs. A retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate differences in the incidence of enteropathy or intestinal malabsorption in patients taking angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs), angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI), calcium channel blocker (CCB), and beta blockers (BBs) at a single center in Korea. METHODS: In this retrospective study, we utilized data from the Yangsan electronic medical records to identify 129,169 patients. These individuals were prescribed olmesartan, other ARBs, ACEI, CCB, and BBs between November 2008 and February 2021. RESULTS: Of the 44,775 patients, 51 (0.11%) were observed to have enteropathy or intestinal malabsorption. Compared with the ACEI group, the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for enteropathy and intestinal malabsorption were OR=1.313 (95% confidence interval [CI]: [0.188-6.798], p=0.893) for olmesartan, OR=0.915 (95% CI: [0.525-1.595], p=0.754) for the other ARBs, OR=0.928 (95% CI: [0.200-4.307]; p=0.924) for the CCB, and OR=0.663 (95% CI: [0.151-2.906]; p=0.586) for the BBs group. These findings were adjusted for factors such as age, gender, duration of antihypertensive medication, and comorbidities. CONCLUSION: In a retrospective cohort study of patients on antihypertensive medications, no significant difference was found in the incidence of enteropathy or intestinal malabsorption when ACEI was compared to olmesartan, other ARBs, CCB, and BBs.

Effect of Preoperative Low Maximal Flow Rate on Postoperative Voiding Trials after the Midurethral Sling Procedure in Women with Stress Urinary Incontinence.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effects of preoperative low maximal flow rate (Qmax) on voiding trials after the midurethral sling (MUS) procedure in women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI). METHODS: One hundred and sixty-eight women who underwent MUS procedure were enrolled. Preoperative free uroflowmetry was performed and patients were divided by Qmax. Low Qmax was defined as a Qmax under 15 mL/sec with voided volume at least 150 mL. Surgical results, failure of voiding trial, and postoperative uroflowmetry parameters were compared between the groups. Failure of voiding trial was defined by a PVR more than 100 mL on postoperative uroflowmetry. RESULTS: At the discharge day, there were 42 cases showing failure of voiding trial and 33 cases requiring CIC, but only one patient showed failure of voiding trial at 12 months postoperatively. Overall, 48 patients had preoperative low Qmax. Low Qmax group showed lower Qmax in all of postoperative uroflowmetry, but there were no significant differences in the rate of postoperative voiding trial failure or CIC. The low Qmax group was then divided into two groups according to the preoperative detrusor pressure at Qmax over and under 20 cmH2 O in pressure flow study. Comparing the two groups, no significant differences were observed in the cure rate, voiding trial failure or CIC. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that women with preoperative low Qmax experienced no definite unfavorable voiding problem from the MUS procedure compared to those with normal voiding function. MUS procedure may be regarded as a safe and successful procedure in SUI women with low Qmax.