Conectar
To evaluate the prevalence of frailty and its impact on quality of life (QoL) in older Chinese breast cancer (BC) patients, which have not been thoroughly reported in this population.
A prospective multi-centre cross-sectional registry study.
Data were collected from Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking University Third Hospital and Beijing Chaoyang District San Huan Cancer Hospital between October 2021 and July 2023.
BC patients aged over 65 years were enrolled in this study. They completed three assessment scales including the FRAIL scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30), to screen for frailty, related factors and QoL. Clinical and pathological data were also collected. Analysis of frailty and prefrailty risk factors was performed via logistic regression. A multivariable linear regression model was used to evaluate the mean differences in scores for each QoL domain between patients with different frailty statuses.
A total of 946 patients were enrolled from three hospitals in Beijing between October 2021 and July 2023. Their median age was 69 years and 73.6% of them had early-stage breast cancer. Further, 37.2% of these patients had ≥ 1 comorbidity. The prevalence of frailty was 8.8% and frailty was more common in those with aged ≥ 75 years (22.3%), those with advanced tumours (15.6%), those with anxiety (31.3%) and those with depression (29.3%). More than half (57.2%) of the patients were prefrail. Regression analysis revealed that older age (odds ratio [OR] 1.12 [95% CI 1.07–1.17], p < 0.001), an advanced tumour (OR 2.27 [1.33–3.89], p = 0.003), anxiety (OR 2.74 [1.37–5.48], p = 0.004) and depression (OR 3.84 [1.97–7.49], p < 0.001) were significantly associated with frailty. After adjusting for other factors, different frailty states were shown to be independent influencing factors for QoL in both the functional and the symptom domains (all p < 0.05).
Our study provides data on the prevalence of frailty and prefrailty in older Chinese patients with BC. Both conditions are closely related to poor QoL. It is helpful for oncologist and clinical care to making intervention and better treatment decisions.
The study adhered to the STROBE checklist.
This study provides detailed data on the prevalence of frailty in older Chinese patients with BC and correlative factors. It suggests that clinical care should fully assess patients' frailty before making treatment decisions and provide early intervention for related factors.
Patients participated in the implementation of the project (including the informed consent and questionnaire process). No other public contribution to this research.
This study provides data on the prevalence of frailty in Chinese older BC patients and correlative factors. It indicates that clinicians should fully assess patients' frailty before making treatment decisions and provide early intervention for related factors.
ChiCTR2200056070
Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) emerges as a common symptom in pediatric cancer patients during treatment. Exercise interventions are increasingly being used as CRF interventions to improve CRF in children with cancer.
The objective of this meta-analysis was to synthesize the best available evidence concerning the effectiveness of exercise interventions for cancer-related fatigue in children with cancer.
Six databases were extensively searched from inception to December 2023 to identify relevant randomized controlled trials. The risk of bias and methodological quality were assessed using the Cochrane appraisal tool. Pooled effects were calculated using a random-effects model. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I 2 test.
Eight trials (n = 465) were finally included. Exercise was statistically more effective than conventional care in improving CRF in children with cancer (SMD = −0.62, 95% CI [−1.21, −0.03]) with high statistical heterogeneity (p = .004; I 2 = 86%). The results of the subgroup analysis showed that intervention duration <12 weeks (p < .05), exercise frequency ≥ 3 times/week (p < .05), and exercise duration <45 min/time (p < .05) were more effective in improving CRF in children with cancer.
Our results suggest that exercise interventions are effective in reducing CRF in children with cancer. We recommend exercise frequency ≥ 3 times/week, exercise duration <45 min/time, and intervention duration <12 weeks.
Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is a psychotherapy technique, which promotes psychological flexibility and enables patients to change behaviors based on value-directed goals. However, the beneficial effects of ACT on glycemic control, self-care behaviors, acceptance of diabetes, self-efficacy, and psychological burden are still unclear among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).
This study aimed to systematically synthesize scientific evidence to determine the effectiveness of ACT among patients with T2DM on glycemic control, self-care behaviors, acceptance of diabetes, self-efficacy, and psychological burden and identify the optimal characteristics of effective interventions.
Nine electronic databases were searched to identify eligible studies of randomized controlled trials from inception to June 2023. Two reviewers independently assessed the study eligibility, extracted the data, and performed the quality appraisal using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 Tool. The meta-analysis was conducted using Review Manager 5.3. The certainty of the evidence was rated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation system.
Ten studies involving 712 participants were included. ACT demonstrated significant improvements on patients' glycemic control (mean difference [MD]: 0.95%; p < .001), self-care behaviors (MD: 1.86; p = .03), diabetes acceptance (MD: 7.80; p < .001), self-efficacy (standardized mean difference [SMD]: 1.04; p < .001), anxiety (SMD: −1.15; p = .006), and depression (SMD: −1.10; p = .04). However, favorable but nonsignificant improvements were found in diabetes distress. Subgroup analyses demonstrated that ACT offered more than five sessions using individualized format, with theoretical underpinnings and professional input from multidisciplinary therapists are recommended to yield better results on glycemic control and self-care behaviors.
Acceptance and commitment therapy could generate beneficial effectiveness on glycemic control, self-care behaviors, acceptance of diabetes, self-efficacy, anxiety, and depression among patients with T2DM. Large-scale trials with rigorous design and representative samples are warranted to strengthen the current evidence.
Ultrasound (US) has traditionally been recognised for its imaging capabilities, but its emerging role as a therapeutic modality in postoperative wound management, especially in paediatric care, has garnered significant attention. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the influence of US on postoperative wound healing and infection rates in paediatric patients. From an initial pool of 1236 articles, seven were deemed suitable for inclusion. Postoperative wound healing was assessed using the Redness, Edema, Ecchymosis, Discharge, and Approximation (REEDA) scale. Notably, there was a significant difference in wound healing patterns between the US-treated and control groups (I 2 = 94%, standardized mean difference [SMD]: −4.60, 95% confidence intervals [CIs]: −6.32 to −2.88, p < 0.01), as illustrated in Figure 4. Additionally, a marked difference in wound infection rates was observed between the groups (I 2 = 93%, SMD: −5.86, 95% CIs: −9.04 to −2.68, p < 0.01), as portrayed in Figure 5. The findings underscore the potential benefits of US in enhancing postoperative wound healing and reducing infection rates in paediatric surgical settings. However, the application of US should be judicious, considering the nuances of individual patient needs and clinical contexts.
Health literacy, empowerment, and self-care activities are likely the crucial concepts affecting the quality of life and glycemic control in people with type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, evidence demonstrating the mechanisms underlying these concepts is scarce.
The aim of this study was to test the serial mediation roles of empowerment and self-care activities on the relationships between health literacy and quality of life and between health literacy and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) in people with T2D.
A cross-sectional study was conducted among 319 people with T2D in Guangzhou, China, from July 2019 to January 2020. Data were collected using the Health Literacy Scale, the Diabetes Empowerment Scale—Short Form, the Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities Measure, and the Adjusted Diabetes—Specific Quality of Life Scale. RStudio 4.2.1 was used for serial mediation analysis.
The dimension of communicative health literacy accounted for the most total variance (β = 0.810, p < .001) in the construct of health literacy. The serial multiple mediation of empowerment and self-care activities in the associations between health literacy and quality of life (β = −.046, p = .019) and between health literacy and HbA1c (β = −.045, p = .005) were statistically significant.
This study emphasized the vital role of communicative health literacy when improving health literacy in people with T2D. Diabetes care and education specialists could implement empowerment approaches and flexible self-care strategies to improve the quality of life and glycemic control in people with T2D. Enhancing health literacy was suggested as a favorable strategy for promoting empowerment and self-care activities in people with T2D.
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