Effectiveness of self-care program on the quality of life in patients with coronary artery disease undergoing cardiac rehabilitation: A Randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a life-threatening condition that causes physical and psychological disorders and decreases patients' quality of life (QoL). Performing proper educational self-care program may lead to higher QoL in these patients. This study was performed to investigate the effectiveness of a self-care educational program on QoL in patients with CAD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This semi-experimental study was performed on 60 patients with CAD referred to the cardiac rehabilitation (CR) center of Vali Asr hospital in Qom, Iran, in 2018-2019. Patients were divided into control and intervention groups by randomized sampling. The self-care educational program was provided through lectures and booklet. Data collection was done using the "demographic and clinical data questionnaire," and "Seattle Angina questionnaire." Questionnaires were completed in both groups, before and at least 1 month after education. Analysis of the obtained data was performed using SPSS software (version 25), central indexes, Mann-Whitney test, and Wilcoxon test. RESULTS: No significant differences were observed between the two groups for demographics characteristics and quality of life before the intervention. Before the self-care program, the mean score of the QoL in the intervention and control group were 56.14 ± 9.75 and 58.46 ± 11.71, respectively. After that, the mean score of the QoL in the intervention and control group were 59.25 ± 10.56 and 59.7 ± 13.33, respectively. The statistical analysis showed significant differences in the mean scores of QoL in the intervention group before and after the intervention (P < 0.05). However, no statistically significant differences were seen in the control group before and after the study (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The self-care educational program improved the QoL in patients with CAD. Therefore, lectures and educational booklets should be considered by CR nurses.

A collection of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) detection assays, issues, and challenges.

The global pandemic of COVID-19 has rapidly increased the number of infected cases as well as asymptomatic individuals in many, if not all the societies around the world. This issue increases the demand for accurate and rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2. While accurate and rapid detection is critical for diagnosing SARS-CoV-2, the appropriate course of treatment must be chosen to help patients and prevent its further spread. Testing platform accuracy with high sensitivity and specificity for SARS-CoV-2 is equally important for clinical, regional, and global arenas to mitigate secondary transmission rounds. The objective of this article is to compare the current detection technology and introduce the most accurate and rapid ones that are suitable for pandemic circumstances. Hence, the importance of rapid detection in societies is discussed initially. Following this, the current technology for rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2 is explained and classified into three different categories: nucleic acid-based, protein-based, and point of care (PoC) detection testing. Then, the current issues for diagnostic procedures in laboratories are discussed. Finally, the role of new technologies in countering COVID-19 is also introduced to assist researchers in the development of accurate and timely detection of coronaviruses. As coronavirus continues to affect human lives in a detrimental manner, the development of rapid and accurate virus detection methods could promote COVID-19 diagnosis accessible to both individuals and the mass population at patient care. In this regard, rRT-PCR and multiplex RT-PCR detection techniques hold promise.

The effects of environmental factors in waiting rooms on anxiety among patients undergoing coronary angiography: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: According to Florence Nightingale's hypothesis, the environment can play a central role in the healing of the patient's body and mind. The nurse should, therefore, strive to provide a healing and stress-reducing environment for patients about to undergo invasive procedures. AIMS: This study aimed to investigate the effects of environmental factors on anxiety as experienced by patients in waiting rooms prior to coronary angiography. METHODS: In this randomized controlled trial, 200 patients undergoing coronary angiography in an urban area of Iran were assigned randomly to the following intervention groups: (1) nature sounds; (2) nature sounds and daylight; (3) nature sounds, daylight, and colour enhancements; and (4) control. Portable monitors were used to measure the patients' physiological indices upon admission and 30 and 60 minutes thereafter. RESULTS: Patients who experienced environmental affecting interventions had significantly lower physiological indices of anxiety than the control group (P < 0.001). Some significance was demonstrated between the three interventions groups, with patients in the intervention group that experienced maximum environmental interventions demonstrating the most overall reduction in anxiety indices. CONCLUSION: Environmental factors were shown to have a positive effect on the indices of anxiety experienced by patients waiting for the procedure of coronary angiography; this is therefore an area of study and practice worthy of further development.

Epidemiology and clinical characteristics of chronic daily headache in a clinic-based cohort of Iranian population.

Although CDH is a major health care problem encountered in headache clinics, our knowledge about the epidemiological features of CDH is limited in developing countries. The objective of this study was to survey the frequency and clinical features of chronic daily headache (CDH) and its subtypes among Iranian population presenting to a referral tertiary Headache clinic in a University Hospital. This cross-sectional survey was carried out between September 2011 and March 2012. Data of patients with CDH including their age, sex, educational level, and marital status were recorded using structured face-to-face interview. Subtypes of the CDH were determined by history, physical examination and appropriated laboratory or imaging findings. A total number of 177 cases (32.71%) fulfilled the CDH criteria. The frequency of CDH was higher in 40-49 age groups (n = 54) and among women with a female to male ratio of 2.12/1. Chronic migraine was the most common subtype of CDH in 75 cases (44.4%). Chronic tension-type headache and secondary causes were second and third frequent subtypes of CDH in 27.8 and 20.1% of cases, respectively. Cervicogenic headaches (10.7%) and medication overuse headache (4.1%) were the most common causes of secondary headaches. The present study confirmed previous findings which showed a high prevalence of CDH and chronic migraine in clinic setting, with preponderance for women. In addition, we found the highest prevalence of cervicogenic headaches among secondary causes of CDH.

Anaesthesia Management During Interventional Bronchoscopic Procedures: Laryngeal Mask Airway or Rigid Bronchoscope.

OBJECTIVE: Interventional bronchoscopy procedures are novel and effective modes of diagnosing and treating airway lesions. Airway management and ventilation are a major concern, especially when considering the fire hazard of ventilating during endobronchial thermal therapies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usage of laryngeal mask airway (LMA) compared to rigid bronchoscopy for the ventilation of patients undergoing diagnostic or therapeutic interventional bronchoscopy procedures. METHODS: During this prospective randomised clinical trial study, patients were randomly allocated to two groups for ventilation: LMA and rigid bronchoscopy. Vital signs, including blood pressure, heart rate and percentage of blood O2 saturation before and during the procedure, degree of sore throat after recovery and physician's satisfaction, were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 83 patients, including 45 in the "LMA" and 38 in the "rigid" groups, were enrolled in this study. Their mean age was 51±17 years, and 59 (71%) were male. There was a statically significant difference between "rigid" and "LMA" categories regarding the decrease in O2 during the procedure in proportion to baseline figures (p=0.028). Haemodynamic parameters were better maintained using LMA compared to rigid bronchoscopy. CONCLUSION: Laryngeal mask ventilation maintains better oxygenation and haemodynamic stability and ensures physicians' and patients' satisfaction regarding ease of use, airway access and fewer complications compared to rigid bronchoscopy. Therefore, LMA can be introduced as a reliable alternative for ventilation during interventional airway procedures.