Does Serum Vitamin D Influence the Prognosis of Critically Ill Patients with Trauma? A Prospective, Observational Study in a Trauma Center

Background@#Vitamin D concentrations are associated with sepsis, pneumonia, and mortality in critically ill patients. However, the role of vitamin D in critically injured patients with trauma remains unknown. This study investigated the effects of vitamin D concentrations on outcomes in critically injured patients with trauma. @*Methods@#A prospective observational study was conducted by randomly selecting 100 patients among those who visited our trauma center. The serum vitamin D concentration was measured upon arrival at the hospital, and the length of stay in a trauma intensive care unit after admission, duration of mechanical ventilation, number of days spent in the hospital, development of complications, and death were investigated. The association between the surveyed variables and vitamin D concentrations was investigated using regression analysis. @*Results@#Of the 100 patients, 69 were men and 31 were women with an average age of 51.7 years. The average intensive care unit stay length was 18.4 days, and 6 patients (5.9%) died. Univariate regression analysis showed that the factors affecting patient mortality were age (p = 0.02), volume of blood transfused within 24 hours of arrival (p = 0.009), systolic blood pressure measured upon hospital arrival (p = 0.01), and serum lactate concentration measured upon hospital arrival (p = 0.03). Multivariate regression analysis showed that the factors affecting patient mortality were age (p = 0.01), volume of blood transfusion (p = 0.04), and systolic blood pressure measured upon hospital arrival (p = 0.01). @*Conclusions@#There were no statistically significant effects of serum vitamin D concentrations in critically ill patients with trauma on death during hospitalization.

A Survey on the Current Working Conditions and Job Satisfaction on Aquatic Therapy Performed by Physical Therapists

PURPOSE: This study assessed the current working conditions and job satisfaction on aquatic therapy performed by physical therapists in South Korea. METHODS: A total of 139 (managers: 53, staff: 86) physical therapists participated in this survey (90 questionnaires) and the data were analyzed using the SPSS 21.0 Windows. RESULTS: The retention conditions of aquatic therapy facilitation was high in the rehabilitation centers (or disabled living facilities) and rehabilitation hospitals. On the other hand, there were regional variations. The physical therapists in this field were likely to have limitations or restrictions of professional aquatic therapy education. The subjects showed a tendency for a career interruption during their fifth working year. The overall job satisfaction on aquatic therapy of physical therapists was high (managers: 94.3%, staff: 95.3%, p=0.276), but the work intensity was higher than the other parts of physical therapy and the relative reward was comparatively low (managers: 60.3%, staff: 66.3%, p=0.865). CONCLUSION: Based on this study, the current working conditions regarding aquatic therapy by physical therapists were assessed. These results will help enhance aquatic therapy and/or in aquatic therapy facilitation.