Protective Behaviors for COVID-19 Were Associated With Fewer Psychological Impacts on Nurses: A Cross-Sectional Study in Taiwan.

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic has increased psychological distress among common people and has caused health care providers, such as nurses, to experience tremendous stress.

Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study assessed the psychological impacts on nurses in a community hospital in Taiwan, including major depressive disorder (MDD), posttraumatic stress (PTS), and pessimism. According to transactional theory, coping strategies and personal factors have psychological impacts.

The Relationship Between Depression and Pain During Acute Electroconvulsive Therapy and Follow-Up Period for Patients With Treatment-Resistant Depression.

Objectives: We explored the relationships between depression and pain during acute electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and the follow-up period for patients with treatment-resistant depression and concomitant pain.

Methods: During the acute ECT phase, treatment-resistant depression patients (N = 97) were randomized to receive ECT plus agomelatine 50 mg/d, or ECT plus placebo. Depression and pain severities were measured using the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17), and the pain subscale of the Depression and Somatic Symptoms Scale at baseline, after every 3 ECT treatments, and after acute ECT.

Pre-screening for osteoporosis with calcaneus quantitative ultrasound and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry bone density.

Calcaneal quantitative ultrasonography (QUS) is a useful prescreening tool for osteoporosis, while the dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is the mainstream in clinical practice. We evaluated the correlation between QUS and DXA in a Taiwanese population. A total of 772 patients were enrolled and demographic data were recorded with the QUS and DXA T-score over the hip and spine.

Hypertension and Postoperative Pain: A Prospective Observational Study.

Objectives: The relationship between pain and hypertension is of great pathophysiological and clinical interest in the pain field, but the mechanism is poorly understood. This study used the postoperative patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) dose and the visual analysis scale (VAS) score to assess the relationship between pain and hypertension.

Methods: In this prospective study in a single-center hospital, 200 participants were enrolled and divided into three groups: normotensive group, hypertension without treatment group, and hypertension with treatment group.

Single-injection femoral nerve block lacks preemptive effect on postoperative pain and morphine consumption in total knee arthroplasty.

Objective: Postoperative pain is severe after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Therefore, femoral nerve block (FNB) is commonly used as an adjuvant to spinal anesthesia for TKA. Some anesthesia providers perform this preoperatively, while others perform it postoperatively.

General anesthesia for patients with automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillator in place--a case report.

Automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillator (AICD) was commercially available for use in patients with malignant ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation since its meeting with FDA approval in 1985. The number of AICD implantation has increased year by year worldwide. It was allowed to be used in clinical setting in Taiwan by the Department of Health in April 1997.