Objective: Creative, cost-effective ways are needed to help older adults deal effectively with chronic diseases. Spiritual beliefs and practices are often used to deal with health problems. We evaluated whether a minimal intervention, consisting of a video and workbook encouraging use of patient spiritual coping, would be inoffensive and improve perceived health status.
Methods: A randomized clinical trial of 100 older, chronically ill adults were assigned to a Spiritual (SPIRIT) or Educational (EDUC--standard cardiac risk reduction) intervention. Individuals in each group were shown a 28-minute video and given a workbook to complete over 4 weeks. Selected psychosocial and health outcome measures were administered at baseline and 6 weeks later.
Results: Participants were mostly female (62%), with a mean age of 65.8 +/- 9.6 years and had an average of three chronic illnesses. More than 90% were Christian. At baseline, frequent daily spiritual experiences (DSE) were associated with being African American (p < .05) and increased pain (p < .01) and co-morbidities (p < or = .01). Energy increased significantly (p < .05) in the SPIRIT group and decreased in the EDUC group. Improvements in pain, mood, health perceptions, illness intrusiveness, and self-efficacy were not statistically significant.
Conclusions: A minimal intervention encouraging spiritual coping was inoffensive to patients, associated with increased energy, and required no additional clinician time.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.2190/PM.41.1.h | DOI Listing |
Dig Dis Sci
January 2025
Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endoscopy, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
Background: Chronic constipation, diarrhea, and fecal incontinence (FI) are prevalent with significant impact on quality of life and healthcare utilization. Thyroid dysfunction was recognized as a potential contributor to bowel disturbances in selected populations, but the strength/consistency of this association remain unclear.
Aims: To investigate the relationship between thyroid function and bowel health measures (constipation, diarrhea, and FI) in a nationally representative sample of the U.
Metab Brain Dis
January 2025
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Ipiranga, 2752, Porto Alegre, CEP 90610-000, RS, Brazil.
Phenylketonuria is a genetic disorder characterized by high phenylalanine levels, the main toxic metabolite of the disease. Hyperphenylalaninemia can cause neurological impairment. In order to avoid this symptomatology, patients typically follow a phenylalanine-free diet supplemented with a synthetic formula that provides essential amino acids, including L-carnitine.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFClin Rheumatol
January 2025
Department of Rheumatology, Guang'anmen Hospital, Chinese Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
Introduction/objectives: Sjogren's syndrome (SS) is a chronic inflammatory and difficult-to-treat autoimmune disease. Timosaponin AIII (TAIII), a plant-derived steroidal saponin, effectively inhibits cell proliferation, induces apoptosis, and exhibits anti-inflammatory properties. This study explored the mechanisms of action of TAIII in SS treatment by studying gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) using fecal metabolomics.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCurr Cardiol Rep
January 2025
Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine II, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
Purpose Of Review: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is the most common chronic liver disease, characterized by hepatic steatosis with at least one cardiometabolic risk factor. Patients with MASLD are at increased risk for the occurrence of cardiovascular events. Within this review article, we aimed to provide an update on the pathophysiology of MASLD, its interplay with cardiovascular disease, and current treatment strategies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFClin Exp Nephrol
January 2025
Department of Nephrology, Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Background: Previous studies have suggested a potential role of estrogen in the pathophysiology of chronic kidney disease (CKD); however, the association and causality between estrogen and kidney function remain unclear.
Methods: The cross-sectional correlation between serum estradiol concentration and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR) was analyzed using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2013-2016. Causality was tested using mutual bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) approaches based on six large-scale GWAS studies.
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