Publications by authors named "P B L Pun"
Importance: Chronic pain is common among individuals with dialysis-dependent kidney failure.
Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of pain coping skills training (PCST), a cognitive behavioral intervention, on pain interference.
Design, Setting, And Participants: This multicenter randomized clinical trial of PCST vs usual care was conducted across 16 academic centers and 103 outpatient dialysis facilities in the US.
Background: Despite an elevated risk of sudden cardiac death among dialysis patients, implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) have not been shown to improve mortality and are associated with high complication rates. Subcutaneous (S-)ICDs may reduce the risk of complications for eligible dialysis patients, but safety and benefits vs transvenous (TV-ICDs are unknown.
Objective: To compare long-term outcomes between dialysis patients receiving S-ICD vs TV-ICDs.
Article Synopsis
- Chronic kidney disease (CKD) and kidney failure with replacement therapy (KFRT) are common in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), and this study aimed to investigate outcomes after left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) procedures in these patients.
- Data from over 59,000 patients indicated that both CKD and KFRT were linked to higher rates of complications during the procedure and increased risk of death and major adverse events within one year.
- However, the study found no significant difference in the rates of stroke over the same period among patients with CKD or KFRT compared to those without.
Article Synopsis
- A study was conducted to find out where Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs) are located in Forsyth County, NC, focusing on large businesses and some small organizations.
- Researchers carried out phone surveys with a 79.1% response rate, discovering that 411 businesses had AEDs and identifying a total of 963 AEDs across 573 locations.
- Most AEDs (65.1%) were not listed in the state registry, and only a small fraction (11.8%) were included in the county’s emergency medical dispatch center registry.
Article Synopsis
- Human-wildlife conflict (HWC) research in high-altitude areas is limited, but this study focuses on the Gaurishankar Conservation Area in Nepal, examining the rising conflict trends involving leopards and Himalayan black bears over the past decade.
- The analysis reveals that goats are the primary livestock attacked, with the Dolakha district reporting the most incidents, underlining the urgent need for mitigation strategies, as livestock attacks account for 85% of compensation claims.
- The study suggests various solutions to reduce conflicts, such as increasing prey populations, community education, and implementing insurance programs, highlighting the research's importance for local communities and biodiversity conservation.