Background And Aim Of The Study: After aortic valve replacement (AVR), 90% of survivors are in NYHA class I or II, and most return to work after three months. It is unclear, however, whether at that time patients have an improved quality of life (QOL), are able to perform physical and social activities, and live independently.
Methods: To assess this situation, 62 patients (39 males, 23 females; mean age 68.5 +/- 10 years) who underwent primary AVR completed the validated Short Form 36 (SF-36) questionnaire. QOL parameters were determined before and three months after surgery prospectively, and analyzed using the Wilcoxon matched pairs rank test.
Results: All patients showed significant improvement in all eight QOL parameters (score 0-100): (i) physical function (67 +/- 26 versus 37 +/- 28; p <0.00001); (ii) role limitation due to physical function (52 +/- 43 versus 20 +/- 37; p <0.0001); (iii) social function (80 +/- 25 versus 59 +/- 30; p <0.0001); (iv) role limitation due to emotional problems (64 +/- 41 versus 41 +/- 46; p = 0.01); (v) energy (62 +/- 22 versus 42 +/- 23; p <0.00001); (vi) mental health (78 +/- 19 versus 63 +/- 22; p <0.00001); (vii) pain (78 +/- 27 versus 67 +/- 32; p = 0.02); and (viii) general health perception (72 +/- 20 versus 58 +/- 21; p <0.00001). Significant improvements in QOL parameters were: (i) after mechanical and bioprosthetic AVR, seven of eight QOL parameters were improved; (ii) patients aged < 70 years had pronounced improvement in six of seven parameters, while those aged > or = 70 years had limited improvement in five of eight parameters; (iii) patients with valve sizes 19 and 21 mm improved in five of eight parameters, while those with > or = 23 mm implants improved in all eight parameters, regardless of post-AVR peak gradient of < 20 or > or = 20 mmHg; and (iv) patients with left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (LVEDD) < 55 mm improved in all eight parameters while those with LVEDD > or = 55 mm improved in only five parameters.
Conclusion: There was significant improvement in patients' QOL at three months after AVR, regardless of the type of aortic implant used; improvement was greatest in those aged < 70 years. The results also suggest that patients with smaller implants (who were older) and those with LVEDD > or = 55 mm were less likely to show significant improvement in all QOL parameters at three months after AVR.
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J Med Internet Res
January 2025
International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (WPI-IIIS), University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
Background: Few studies have explored the relationship between macronutrient intake and sleep outcomes using daily data from mobile apps.
Objective: This cross-sectional study aimed to examine the associations between macronutrients, dietary components, and sleep parameters, considering their interdependencies.
Methods: We analyzed data from 4825 users of the Pokémon Sleep and Asken smartphone apps, each used for at least 7 days to record objective sleep parameters and dietary components, respectively.
J Med Internet Res
January 2025
Department of Radiation Oncology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Background: Primary intracranial germ cell tumors (iGCTs) are highly malignant brain tumors that predominantly occur in children and adolescents, with an incidence rate ranking third among primary brain tumors in East Asia (8%-15%). Due to their insidious onset and impact on critical functional areas of the brain, these tumors often result in irreversible abnormalities in growth and development, as well as cognitive and motor impairments in affected children. Therefore, early diagnosis through advanced screening techniques is vital for improving patient outcomes and quality of life.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJMIR Aging
January 2025
Department of Geriatrics, Guangdong Provincial Geriatrics Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, No. 106, Zhongshan 2nd Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, China, 0898-66571684.
Background: The utility of aging metrics that incorporate cognitive and physical function is not fully understood.
Objective: We aim to compare the predictive capacities of 3 distinct aging metrics-motoric cognitive risk syndrome (MCR), physio-cognitive decline syndrome (PCDS), and cognitive frailty (CF)-for incident dementia and all-cause mortality among community-dwelling older adults.
Methods: We used longitudinal data from waves 10-15 of the Health and Retirement Study.
Neurology
February 2025
From the Temple University College of Public Health (I.L.H.); Thomas Jefferson University (G.G.); and Department of Neurology (T.D.H.-P.), Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA.
Background And Objectives: Clinical care for people living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (PLWALS) is directed at slowing disease progression and symptom management. The American Academy of Neurology recommends a multidisciplinary approach to providing ALS health care because observational studies show that multidisciplinary clinics (MDCs) extend survival and improve quality of life. However, providing multidisciplinary care is a challenging financial proposition.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAm J Hosp Palliat Care
January 2025
VA Quality Improvement Resource Center for Palliative Care, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, CA, USA.
Purpose: To determine the feasibility of mapping interdisciplinary role ownership over actionable practices identified from qualitative comments in the Veterans Affairs Bereaved Family Survey (BFS).
Methods: We polled two providers from each of 14 disciplines as to whether an actionable practice that improved end-of-life care quality sits within their scope of practice. We grouped practices by having the greatest, middle, and fewest number of disciplines that claimed role ownership and then characterized what roles were shared.
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