Calcium and vitamin D supplements and burnout of anesthesiologists: National cross-sectional study from China.

OBJECTIVE: Job burnout among anesthesiologists has been consistently high. This study evaluated the association of calcium and vitamin D supplementation with burnout among Chinese anesthesiologists. METHOD: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted during April and May 2023. Burnout was evaluated using the Maslach Burnout Inventory, which assesses emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and low personal accomplishment. Data on calcium and vitamin D supplementations were self-reported. Sociodemographic information and medical history were also assessed. Binary and ordinal logistic regression were used to evaluate the risk of burnout and burnout levels, respectively. The relative excess risk due to interaction and the attributable proportion due to interaction were examined to determine the synergistic effects of calcium and vitamin D supplementations on burnout risk. RESULTS: Among the 4222 invited anesthesiologists, 3766 submitted eligible questionnaires. Approximately 49.8% met the criteria for general burnout. Among anesthesiologists with burnout, 58.4% experienced emotional exhaustion, 35.8% depersonalization, and 61.2% low personal accomplishment. Anesthesiologists receiving calcium supplementation had a decreased risk of emotional exhaustion (OR = .83, 95% CI = .70-.99). Supplementation of vitamin D with or without calcium was not associated with overall burnout and any of its dimensions. No additive interaction of calcium and vitamin D on burnout was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Job burnout among anesthesiologists is of concern in China. Burnout is negatively associated with calcium supplementation but not with vitamin D. Further research is warranted to confirm the mechanism and causal relationship.

The effectiveness of esketamine and propofol versus dezocine and propofol sedation during gastroscopy: A randomized controlled study.

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: Propofol is widely used in painless gastroscopy. However, sedation with propofol alone might increase the risk of respiratory and circulatory complications. This randomized clinical study compares the efficacy and safety of esketamine or dezocine combined with intravenous (IV) propofol in patients undergoing gastroscopy. METHODS: A total of 102 patients were enrolled in this study and randomized into two groups. All patients were adults aged 18-64 years who underwent upper gastrointestinal gastroscopy. Patients were randomly assigned to two groups to receive esketamine (0.3 mg/kg) combined with propofol (group E) or dezocine (0.05 mg/kg) combined with propofol (group D). In both groups, the drugs were administered intravenously. The primary outcome was the dose of propofol which provided a satisfactory sedative effect, both to the endoscopist and the patients. Secondary outcomes included recovery time, side effects (such as hypotension, nausea and vomiting and agitation), and the number of adverse circulatory and respiratory events. RESULTS: Data of 83 patients were analysed in the present study. Dosage of propofol required in group E (1.44 mg/kg ± 0.67 mg/kg) was significantly lower compared with that in group D (2.12 mg/kg ± 0.37 mg/kg) (p < 0.0001). There was no statistically significant difference in recovery time, side effects, and the frequency of sedation-related adverse events between the two groups. WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION: The study indicates that intravenous injection of propofol and esmketamine is more effective for gastroscopy. Use of esketamine reduces the total amount of propofol required in ASA I-II patients undergoing gastroscopy compared with single use of dezocine. It also provides more stable hemodynamics, without affecting the recovery time and side effects such as respiratory and circulatory adverse events. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was registered at the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (www.chictr.org.cn; registration number: ChiCTR2100051814) on 05/10/2021.

Acupuncture Regulates Serum Differentially Expressed Proteins in Patients with Chronic Atrophic Gastritis: A Quantitative iTRAQ Proteomics Study.

OBJECTIVE: To identify differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in sera of patients with chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) using isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) and to explore acupuncture's mechanism in CAG. METHODS: Peripheral sera from 8 healthy volunteers (HC), 8 chronic nonatrophic gastritis (NAG) patients, 8 CAG patients, and 8 CAG patients who underwent acupuncture treatment (CAG + ACU) were collected followed by labeling with iTRAQ reagent for protein identification and quantification using two-dimensional liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (2D-LC-MS/MS). Representative DEPs were selected through bioinformatics, and proteins were verified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: A total of 4,448 unique peptides were identified, corresponding to 816 nonredundant proteins. A 1.4-fold difference was used as the threshold. Compared with the HC group, 75 and 106 DEPs were identified from CAG and NAG groups, respectively. Compared with the CAG group, 110 and 66 DEPs were identified from the NAG and CAG + ACU groups, respectively. The DEPs were mainly involved in protein binding and the Notch signaling pathway-related proteins, and the upregulated proteins included actin-binding proteins (thymosin beta-4, tropomyosin-4, profilin-1, transgelin-2), while the downregulated proteins included Notch2 and Notch3. After acupuncture, the expression of these proteins in CAG patients was less differentiated from that in healthy people. The level of the above 6 proteins were verified by ELISA, and the results were similar to the results of iTRAQ analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Actin-binding proteins and Notch signaling pathway-related proteins were correlated with the development and progression of CAG and thus are potential diagnostic markers for CAG. Acupuncture may play a role in regulating actin-binding proteins and Notch signaling pathway-related proteins to play a therapeutic role in CAG.