Postgraduate medicine
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Postgraduate medicine · Jun 2021
How to strengthen basic competencies in self-care - a pre-post interventional study with postgraduate trainees in Family Medicine in Germany.
Introduction: Self-care includes taking care of our psychosocial health. Many experts agree that self-care should be included in training for Family Medicine (FM) residents, though it is unclear to what extent and by what means. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate competencies of FM residents in self-care and changes in knowledge, skills and attitudes after an educational compact intervention. ⋯ A total of 85.6% of IG reflected their attitudes towards psychosocial health of physicians in general (n = 95/111) and 22.5% of IG changed the views on their own health (n = 25/111) in terms of improved risk-awareness, increased intention for self-care and change of behavior. Conclusion: A compact intervention in self-care strengthens competencies, increases awareness, and helps FM residents identify their psychosocial health risks. Further research is necessary to specify the effectiveness of similar compact interventions in self-care and their long-term results.
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Postgraduate medicine · Jun 2021
Case ReportsAddressing unmet needs for diagnosis and management of chronic cough in the primary care setting.
Chronic cough (i.e. cough lasting >8 weeks) has a global prevalence of approximately 10% and is associated with substantial patient burden, including social, psychological, and physical impairments. This burden can be long-lasting, with some patients experiencing cough for many years. Although chronic cough is often a symptom of respiratory diseases (e.g. interstitial lung disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) or is associated with comorbid conditions (e.g. asthma, gastroesophageal reflux disease) and may resolve after targeted treatment of these conditions, some patients continue to cough despite optimal treatment of associated conditions (refractory chronic cough (RCC)) or have no identifiable conditions presumed to be contributing to the cough (unexplained chronic cough (UCC)). ⋯ Primary care physicians may be in an important position to provide the initial diagnostic workup of patients with chronic cough as well as identify when referral to specialists (e.g. pulmonologists, allergists, otolaryngologists) is appropriate. In this narrative review, current diagnosis and management guidelines for chronic cough are summarized and recommendations for diagnostic workup in a primary care setting are provided. Increased appreciation of chronic cough as a distinct condition, rather than as only a symptom of other diseases, may help overcome current challenges in diagnosing and managing chronic cough and reduce patient burden.
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Postgraduate medicine · Jun 2021
Factors associated with prognosis after small-vessel occlusion among young and middle-aged patients: a hospital-based follow-up study.
Objective: Small-vessel occlusions are the most common causes of mild strokes and, in China, account for approximately 27.3% of ischemic stroke cases. However, the factors associated with short- and long-term outcomes appear contradictory. Thus, we assessed the factors related to outcomes 3 years after small-vessel occlusion among patients aged 18 to 55 years. ⋯ The risks of recurrence and dependency within 3 years increased by 17% and 18%, respectively, for each 1-unit increase in fasting plasma glucose levels (RR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.05-1.30 and RR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.06-1.32, respectively; both P < 0.05). Conclusion: Our findings suggest that small-vessel occlusions cause the heaviest disease burden in patients aged 45 to 55 years. To reduce stroke recurrence, young and middle-aged patients with small-vessel occlusions should control their fasting plasma glucose levels and manage their weight.
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Postgraduate medicine · Jun 2021
ReviewJAK-STAT pathway inhibition and their implications in COVID-19 therapy.
As the incidence of COVID-19 increases with time, more and more efforts are made to pave a way out for the therapeutic strategies to deal with the disease progression. Inflammation being a significant influencer in COVID-19 patients, it drives our focus onto the signaling cascades of the JAK/STAT pathway. JAK phosphorylation mediated by cytokine receptor activation leads to phosphorylation of STATs that translocate into the nucleus to translate for inflammatory mediators. ⋯ With an attempt to reduce excessive inflammation, JAK/STAT inhibitors like Ruxolitinib, Baricitinib, Tofacitinib have been employed that mediate its actions via suppressors of cytokine signaling, cytokine inducible SH2 containing protein, Protein inhibitor of activated STAT and protein tyrosine phosphatases. Even though they are implicated with multiple adverse effects, the regulatory authorities have supported its use, and numerous clinical trials are in progress to prove their safety and efficacy. On the contrary, the exact mechanism of JAK/STAT inhibition at molecular levels remains speculative for which further investigations are required.
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Postgraduate medicine · Jun 2021
ReviewHome-based exercise can be beneficial for counteracting sedentary behavior and physical inactivity during the COVID-19 pandemic in older adults.
The novel pandemic called coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), as a global public health emergency, seems to be having a major impact on physical activity (PA) behaviors. Older adults are at high risk of death from the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS CoV-2). Health authorities around the world have been implementing preventive health measures, including quarantine and self-isolation, to mitigate the COVID-19 outbreak. ⋯ To avoid the harmful effects of periods of exercise cessation, PA could be prescribed to older adults, which is of great importance for breaking their sedentary lifestyle and improving their immunity. The present review discusses the potential impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on sedentary behavior and physical inactivity in older adults. The importance of performing PA to reduce the harmful effects of the COVID-19 pandemic is discussed, and useful recommendations on home-based exercise for the older adults to maintain their level of independence, physical and mental health as well as their well-being are provided.