ABSTRACT
Objective: To explore the association between cardiometabolic diseases (CMD) and quality of life, the association between CMD and perceived stress, and the mediation effect of perceived stress on the association between CMD and quality of life, and to provide evidence for the prevention and treatment of CMD and the improvement of quality of life in these patients. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study. Data were collected by the employees' physical examination of a company in Xi'an in 2021. Multiple linear regression models were used to analyze the association between the status of CMD (divided into three categories: no CMD, presence of one kind of CMD, and with≥2 kinds of CMD (≥2 kinds of CMD were defined as cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CMM)), quality of life, and perceived stress. Mediation analysis with a multi-categorical independent variable was conducted to determine the mediation effect of perceived stress on the association between CMD and quality of life. Results: Among all 4 272 participants, 1 457 (34.1%) participants had one kind of CMD and 677 (15.8%) participants had CMM. The average scores for quality of life and perceived stress were (57.5±15.7) and (16.9±7.9), respectively. Compared with participants without CMD, after adjusting for demographic and lifestyle factors, no statistically significant associations were observed between one kind of CMD and perceived stress or quality of life (both P>0.05). Perceived stress did not mediate the association between one kind of CMD and quality of life. However, participants with CMM had lower quality of life and higher perceived stress than participants without CMD. The relative total effect coefficient c (95%CI) and the relative direct effect coefficient c' (95%CI) between CMM and quality of life were -3.71 (-5.04--2.37) and -2.52 (-3.81--1.24) (both P<0.05), respectively. The relative indirect effect coefficient a2b (95%CI) of perceived stress on the association between CMM and quality of life was -1.18 (-1.62--0.77) (P<0.05). The mediation effect size was 31.8%. Conclusions: CMM is negatively associated with quality of life and positively associated with perceived stress. Perceived stress partially mediates the association between CMM and quality of life. Our results suggest that, in addition to preventing and treating CMM actively, efforts should be taken to relieve the perceived stress of people with CMM to improve their quality of life.
Subject(s)
Humans , Quality of Life , Cross-Sectional Studies , Cardiovascular Diseases/complications , Stress, PsychologicalABSTRACT
Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of DZWJY-1 type electronic moxibustion apparatus and traditional moxibustion in treating knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Methods: A total of 76 eligible patients were randomized into an electronic moxibustion apparatus group and a traditional moxibustion group, with 38 cases in each group. The electronic moxibustion apparatus group was intervened by DZWJY-1 type electronic moxibustion apparatus, and the traditional moxibustion group received moxa stick moxibustion for treatment. Neixiyan (EX-LE 4), Dubi (ST 35), Xuehai (SP 10) and Liangqiu (ST 34) were selected for both groups and the treatment was conducted 3 times a week for a total of 12 times. The visual analog scale (VAS) and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities osteoarthritis index (WOMAC) scores were observed before treatment and after 6 and 12 sessions of treatment, respectively. Results: There were 4 dropout cases in the traditional moxibustion group. Therefore, this trial had 72 valid cases, including 38 cases in the electronic moxibustion apparatus group and 34 cases in the traditional moxibustion group, the differences in the baseline data between the two groups were statistically insignificant (P>0.05). After 6 and 12 sessions of treatment, the VAS scores decreased significantly with the increase of treatment sessions in both groups (all P<0.01), and the betweengroup differences were statistically insignificant at the same time points (both P>0.05). The pain intensity was evaluated using the weighted value of VAS score. The markedly effective rate was 47.4％ and the total effective rate was 89.5％ in the electronic moxibustion apparatus group, versus 50.0％ and 94.1％ in the traditional moxibustion group, and the betweengroup differences were statistically insignificant (both P>0.05). After 6 and 12 sessions of treatment, the total score and the component scores including pain, stiffness and difficulty moving in the WOMAC decreased significantly with the increase of treatment sessions in both groups (all P<0.01), and the between-group differences were statistically insignificant (all P>0.05). Conclusion: Electronic moxibustion apparatus and traditional moxibustion both are effective in reducing joint pain and improving joint function in KOA patients, and they are equivalent comparing the clinical efficacy.
ABSTRACT
Dried herb of Delphinium brunonianum Royle (Ranunculaceae) has long been used under the herbal name "Xiaguobei" (Delphinii Brunoniani Herba) in traditional Tibetan medicine and prescribed for the treatment of influenza, itchy skin rash and snake bites. In order to find a useful and convenient method for the identification of microscopic features, the technique of fluorescence microscopy was applied to authenticate "Xiaguobei" of Tibet. The transverse sections of stem and leaf, as well as the powder of "Xiaguobei" were observed to seek for typical microscopic features by normal light and fluorescence microscopy. A style-like, single-cell glandular hair containing yellow secretions on the leaf, young stem and sepal of "Xiaguobei" was found. Under the fluorescence microscope, the xylem and pericycle fiber group emitted significant fluorescence. This work indicated that fluorescence microscopy could be an useful additional method for the authentication work. Without the traditional dyeing methods, the main microscopic features could be easily found by fluorescence microscopy. The results provided reliable references for the authentication of "Xiaguobei".