Potential Urine and Serum Biomarkers in Patients with Bladder Pain Syndrome/Interstitial Cystitis.

BACKGROUND: Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) is a common chronic disease, and its aetiology and pathogenesis remain unclear. This study aimed to identify potential urine and serum biomarkers in patients with IC/BPS to further understand the pathogenesis and diagnosis of the disease. METHODS: Patients with IC/BPS diagnosed and treated in the First Hospital of Hebei Medical University from 1 July 2021 to 30 July 2023 were selected. The urine and serum biomarkers of 50 patients with IC/BPS were investigated and compared with the urine and serum samples of 50 healthy controls. IBM SPSS Statistics 26.0 was used for statistical analysis of the recorded data by using chi-square test, T-test and logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Overall, 50 patients with IC/BPS (mean age, 54.20 ± 8.15 years) were included in the study. Those with history of urinary diseases, anxiety or depression were susceptible to IC/BPS. Levels of interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), nerve growth factor, and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in urine, as well as IL-8, TNF-α, and PGE2 in serum, were found to significantly increase in patients with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS). These differences were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Multifactor analysis showed that anxiety, depression, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α and PEG2 are risk factors for patients with IC/BPS. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple biomarkers were identified in the urine and serum of patients with IC/BPS, suggesting a potential close relationship to the pathogenesis of IC/BPS.

New nurses' experience during a two year transition period to clinical practice: A phenomenological study.

BACKGROUND: New nurses' clinical competency is a central concern across the world. The China Health and Planning Commission proposed an "Outline of transition programs for newly graduated nurses (try out)" to promote the new nurses' clinical competency within the first two years. Compared with the transition program in other countries, the one in China is longer. New nurses' experiences in their transition to practice were not fully explored in China. Their lived experience may inform the better transition program in China and other countries. OBJECTIVE: To explore the experience of new nurses during the two-year transition period to clinical practice. DESIGN: A descriptive phenomenological study. METHODS: Face-to-face, semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted in two teaching hospitals in China to interview 14 nurses within three months after the completion of transition. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi's seven-step data analysis method，which includes familiarization, identifying significant statements, formulating meanings, clustering themes, developing an exhaustive description, producing the fundamental structure, and seeking verification (1978). Tape-recording and observational notes were taken and typed word by word. Two researchers verified the verbatim transcripts. RESULTS: Five categories and 15 theme clusters were identified: 1. CHALLENGE: early-stage stress and anxiety; perceived change of mentality and self-reflection; 2. RESPONSE: self-encouragement; self-compulsion, tolerance, adaptation; peer support and affirmation; 3. Growth: overall clinical competency improvement; perceived harvesting; nursing skills improvement; knowledge enhancement; 4. REFLECTION: self-inadequacy; rotation benefits; the merits of different departments; lack sense of belonging; and 5. Expectation: desire to be treated equally; hope to have more opportunities. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of our study suggested that support was most needed while the new nurses were facing challenges in the early stage to promote their sense of belonging. In addition, more systematic learning opportunities are needed to maximize learning for NGNs with different nursing degrees.

Self-management in patients with coronary heart disease after stent implantation at the long-term stage: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The self-management of risk reduction in coronary heart disease (CHD) plays an important role in mediating health outcomes following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), but there is a lack of research on self-management status in the long-term stage after PCI in Chinese patients with CHD. Hence, this study investigated the self-management status in the long-term stage (>2 years) after PCI in patients with CHD. The results could provide a reference for the development of targeted interventions. METHODS: This cross-sectional study administered a questionnaire survey on self-management in patients with CHD who underwent PCI (convenience sampling) and had been discharged from our medical center for >2 years, excluding the patients with severe hepatic or renal dysfunction or tumor. Data about cardiovascular risk factors, including body mass index (BMI), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and self-management status, were collected. The Coronary Artery Disease Self-Management Scale (CSMS) was used to assess patient self-management. RESULTS: The total CSMS score was 69.5±11.0, suggesting that the patients' self-management level was average. The scores for life management, emotion management, and disease management were 87.4±9.7, 77.6±7.7, and 57.5±11.0, respectively. Significant differences were noted in the patients' self-management scores according to occupation, education level, residence, and sex (all P<0.05). The self-management ability of farmers, primary school-educated, and male participants was relatively low. Moreover, cardiovascular risk factors were positively correlated with the emotion and disease management scores. CONCLUSIONS: CHD patients' self-management status in the long-term stage after PCI was moderate or poor. Medical staff should provide targeted guidance and education (for example, effective guidance on smoking cessation, first aid training, repeated disease education, and use of electronic devices to improve medication compliance) to improve the self-management level for the secondary prevention of CHD.