The Effects of Aroma Foot Baths on Stress and Sleep in Terminal Cancer Patients / 한국호스피스완화의료학회지

Purpose@#This study aimed to investigate the effects of aroma foot baths on stress and sleep in terminally ill cancer patients. @*Methods@#We performed a non-randomized interventioncontrol study with 30 terminal cancer patients who were admitted to a palliative care unit.Participants responded to questionnaires on stress and sleep before and after a 5-day interval. The intervention group received a daily aroma foot bath for 5 days. We performed multivariate regression analysis to examine the changes in outcomes on stress and sleep for the intervention group compared to the control group. @*Results@#The differences in baseline characteristics between groups, excluding subjective economic status and general weakness, did not show statistical significance. In contrast to the control group, the intervention group showed a statistically significant change in physical stress and psychological stress levels, but significant changes were not observed in quality of sleep. Compared to the control group, the intervention group showed a significant reduction in physical stress (P=0.068) and psychological stress (P=0.021). @*Conclusion@#Aroma foot baths are effective for reducing stress in patients hospitalized with terminal cancer.

The Effects of Aroma Foot Baths on Stress and Sleep in Terminal Cancer Patients / 한국호스피스완화의료학회지

Purpose@#This study aimed to investigate the effects of aroma foot baths on stress and sleep in terminally ill cancer patients. @*Methods@#We performed a non-randomized interventioncontrol study with 30 terminal cancer patients who were admitted to a palliative care unit.Participants responded to questionnaires on stress and sleep before and after a 5-day interval. The intervention group received a daily aroma foot bath for 5 days. We performed multivariate regression analysis to examine the changes in outcomes on stress and sleep for the intervention group compared to the control group. @*Results@#The differences in baseline characteristics between groups, excluding subjective economic status and general weakness, did not show statistical significance. In contrast to the control group, the intervention group showed a statistically significant change in physical stress and psychological stress levels, but significant changes were not observed in quality of sleep. Compared to the control group, the intervention group showed a significant reduction in physical stress (P=0.068) and psychological stress (P=0.021). @*Conclusion@#Aroma foot baths are effective for reducing stress in patients hospitalized with terminal cancer.

N-Methyl-D-Aspartate (NMDA)-induced Apoptosis in Rabbit Retina

PURPOSE: To evaluate the involvement of apoptosis in N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-induced excitotoxicity in the rabbit retina. METHODS: After intravitreal injection of 680 and 2,000 nmoles of NMDA in rabbit eyes, the eyes were enucleated at 2, 16, and 60 hours and 1 and 2 weeks. The apoptotic cell death was determined with TdT-mediated biotin-dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) stain, and immunohistochemical stains of Bcl-2, Bax, and caspase-3 were performed. RESULTS: TUNEL showed increased labeling scattered in the ganglion cell layer and inner nuclear layer from 16 to 60 hours. The number of TUNEL-positive nuclei decreased at 60 hours, and none was observed at 2 hours, 1 week, and 2 weeks. More TUNEL-positive nuclei were seen with injection of 2,000 nmoles compared to 680 nmoles. Bcl-2, Bax, and caspase-3 were seen histologically as early as 2 hours in the ganglion cell layer and inner nuclear layer; there was no stained nuclei with the TUNEL stain. At 2 hours after intravitreal NMDA injection, Bcl-2, Bax, and caspase-3 were also stained in Muller cells. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that apoptosis is involved in NMDA-induced excitotoxicity in the rabbit retina. Bcl-2, Bax, and caspase-3 may play important roles in modulating the apoptosis in NMDA-induced excitotoxicity, and Muller cells are involved in the apoptotic pathway.

The Effect of Unilateral Medial Rectus Muscle Resection in Patients with Recurrent Exotropia

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of unilateral medial rectus muscle resection for recurrent exotropia after bilateral lateral rectus muscle recession for intermittent exotropia METHODS: A retrospective analysis was made of thirtypatients who underwent unilateral medial rectus resection for recurrent exotropia. All had prior bilateral lateral rectus recession for intermittent exotropia. Data were collected for age, the preoperative deviation, the postoperative deviation at 2 weeks, 3 months, 6 months and the last visit, and the amount of medial rectus resection performed. RESULTS: The average preoperative deviation was 27.0+/-3.6 PD. After unilateral medial rectus resection, average deviation at distance was 2.8 PD at postoperative 2 weeks, 4.5 PD at 3 months, 5.1 PD at 6 months and 5.8 PD at last visit. The average deviation corrected per millimeter of medial rectus resection was 3.53+/-0.17 PD/mm. CONCLUSIONS: Considering that deviation angles of recurrent exotropia is smaller than those of primary surgery and the possibility of saving the other medial rectus muscle, unilateral rectus muscle resection could be effective surgical method for recurrent exotropia.

Reduction of Deviation Angle During Occlusion Therapy: In Partially Accommodative Esotropia with Moderate Amblyopia

PURPOSE: To evaluate changes in ocular alignment in partially accommodative esotropic children age ranged from 3 to 8 years during occlusion therapy for amblyopia. METHODS: Angle measurements of twenty-two partially accommodative esotropic patients with moderate amblyopia were evaluated before and at 2 years after occlusion therapy. RESULTS: Mean deviation angle with glasses at the start of occlusion treatment was 19.45+/-5.97 PD and decreased to 12.14+/-12.96 PD at 2 years after occlusion therapy (p<0.01). After occlusion therapy, 9 (41%) cases were indications of surgery for residual deviation but if we had planned surgery before occlusion treatment, 18 (82%) of patients would have had surgery. There was a statistical relationship between increase of visual acuity ratio and decrease of deviation angle (r=-0.479, p=0.024). CONCLUSIONS: There was a significant reduction of deviation angle of partially accommodative esotropic patients at 2 years after occlusion therapy. Our results suggest that occlusion therapy has an influence on ocular alignment in partially accommodative esotropic patients with amblyopia.