Effects of Auricular Acupressure on Symptoms and Quality of Life of Patients with Allergic Rhinitis / 기본간호학회지

PURPOSE: To examine the effects of auricular acupressure on symptoms of patients with allergic rhinitis and their quality of life. METHODS: A quasi experimental was used with a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest method involving 56 adult outpatients who were seen in the Allergy & Asthma clinic at a tertiary referral hospital in Seoul, Korea. The experimental group (n=28) received 2 weeks of auricular acupressure to the Shenmen, wind stream, endocrine, adrenal, and lung acupuncture points; no acupressure was provided to the control group (n=28). Outcome measures included Total Nasal Symptom Score used to assess nasal symptoms, and the Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire to assess the quality of life. Repeated measure ANOVA and independent t-test were used to calculate statistical significance. RESULTS: The experimental group showed significant improvements in terms of allergic rhinitis symptoms (p < .001) and on the Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (p < .001) compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: Finding in this study indicate that auricular acupressure can be used as a nursing intervention to alleviate nasal symptoms and improve rhinoconjuctivitis quality of life in allergic rhinitis patients.

Análise de 10 anos de seguimento de transplantesrenais com doador vivo não aparentado / Ten-year follow-up of kidney transplantation with living unrelated donor

INTRODUÇÃO: No contexto atual da elevada escassez de órgãos para o transplante renal e do reconhecimento cada vez maior da rejeição crônica mediada por anticorpos anti-HLA como uma importante causa de perda do enxerto, uma contínua demonstração da boa evolução a longo prazo de transplantes renais com doadores vivos não aparentados (DVNA) é de suma importância. OBJETIVOS: Analisar a sobrevida do enxerto e dos pacientes transplantados com DVNA, e compará-la com doadores vivos aparentados (DVA). MÉTODOS: Foram analisados 389 primeiros transplantes renais com doador vivo realizados em um único centro, entre janeiro de 1998 e dezembro de 2007, 281 com DVA e 108 com DVNA. RESULTADOS: Não houve diferença significativa na sobrevida dos pacientes (89,1 por cento vs. 84,7 por cento, p = 0,40) e do enxerto (81,1 por cento vs. 68,9 por cento, p = 0,77), em 10 anos de seguimento, entre DVA e DVNA, respectivamente. Na análise multivariada do modelo de regressão proporcional de Cox, a reatividade contra painel (PRA) > 10 por cento e a ocorrência de rejeição aguda no 1º ano após o transplante foram os únicos preditores independentes de perda do enxerto (OR 2,54, IC 95 por cento 1,35 - 4,78; p < 0,05 e OR 4,1, IC 95 por cento 2,04 -4,78; p < 0,05, respectivamente). CONCLUSÃO: Transplantes renais com DVNA representam uma importante fonte de órgãos para suprir uma crescente demanda, com resultados semelhantes aos transplantes com DVA, independente da compatibilidade HLA.

INTRODUCTION: In the current era of scarcity of kidneys available for transplantation, and chronic anti-HLA-mediated rejection as a main cause of graft loss, continuous demonstration of the long-term survival of grafts from living unrelated kidney donors (LURD) is paramount. OBJECTIVE: Analyze long-term kidney graft and patient outcomes using LURD, and compare them with living related donors (LRD). METHODS: We analyzed the 389 first renal transplantations performed with a living donor (281 LRD and 108 LURD), in a single center, from January 1998 through December 2007. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between LRD and LURD as refers to patient survival (89.1 percent vs. 84.7 percent, p = 0.40, respectively) and graft survival (81.1 percent vs. 68.9 percent, p = 0.77, respectively), 10 years post-transplantation. On Cox proportional regression model of multivariate analysis, panel reactive antibodies (PRA) > 10 percent and the occurrence of acute rejection in the first year posttransplantation were the only independent predictors of graft loss (HR 2.54, 95 percent CI 1.35 -4.78; p < 0.05 and HR 4.1, 95 percent CI 2.04 - 4.78; p < 0.05, respectively). CONCLUSION: LURD are an important source of organs for renal transplantation, with results similar to those obtained with LRD, regardless of HLA matching.