ObjectiveTo describe the status of quality of life (QOL) and self-management behavior in patients following mechanical heart valve replacement, and explore the relationship between QOL and self-management behavior. MethodsConvenient sampling was used to recruit 352 patients following mechanical heart valve replacement in a high-level hospital in Chengdu between January 2011 and June 2012. General information questionnaire, MOS SF-36 scales, and self-management behavior questionnaire were used to collect data. T-test was used to analyze the difference between patients and normal people. And correlation analysis was used to see the correlation between QOL and self-management. ResultsFor MOS SF-36 scale results in patients within one year after surgery, physical functioning (PF) score was 73.44±15.11, role-physical (RP) was 49.52±39.17, body pain (BP) was 63.13±17.93, general health (GH) was 58.85±14.88, vitality (VT) was 63.54±18.10, social functioning (SF) was 76.67±17.40, role-emotional (RE) was 64.96±41.37, and mental health (MH) was 72.76±17.40. All these scores of the patients were significantly lower than the norm of Sichuan Province (P<0.05) except the dimension of mental health. For patients one year or more after surgery, PF score was 76.53±14.41, RP 58.44±39.21, BP 68.16±18.26, GH 61.39±13.57, VT 68.47±16.37, SF 79.79±19.34, RE 72.94±37.29, and MH 75.87±14.70, among which PF, RE, BP and GH scores were lower than the norm (P<0.05). The average total score of self-management behavior was 143.21±20.63. QOL and self-management behavior were positively correlated. ConclusionThere is still a gap between patients following mechanical heart valve replacement and normal people in terms of quality of life. Patients' self-management behavior is positively correlated with the quality of life. Good self-management behavior contributes to the improvement of QOL.
Objective To explore the correlation between anxiety and social support in patients before radio frequency catheter ablation (RFCA). Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted on 120 patients before RFCA from September to November 2014. The participants were asked to complete the Self-rating Anxiety Scale and Social Support Scale. Anxiety score and social support score were compared with the Chinese norm throught-test, and Pearson Correlation was used to identify the correlation between anxiety and social support. Results The mean score of RFCA patients’ anxiety was 46.33±9.67, significantly different from the Chinese norm (t=18.700,P<0.05). The total score of social support was 39.80±7.59, significantly higher than the Chinese normal (t=7.287,P<0.05). Anxiety had negative correlation with social support, and the correlation coefficient was –0.377. Conclusions Patients’ anxiety before RFCA is higher than normal people, and social support is one of the significant factors of anxiety. Consequently, enhancing social support is a great contribution to relieve anxiety.
Objective To investigate the effects of autologous platelet-rich gel (APG) combined with intelligent trauma negative-pressure comprehensive therapeutic instrument on patients with refractory diabetic foot ulcer (DFU). Methods A total of 80 patients with refractory DFU treated in the hospital from January 2015 to January 2017 were divided into the trial group (n=40) and the control group (n=40) by the random number table method. The patients in the two groups were given routine treatment, and on the basis, the patients in the control group were treated with the intelligent trauma negative-pressure comprehensive therapeutic instrument while the ones in the trial group were treated with APG combined with intelligent trauma negative-pressure therapeutic instrument alternately. All patients were observed for 12 weeks. The cure rates, healing time and changes of wound volumes in the two groups before treatment and at 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks after treatment were recorded. Results The total effective rate of treatment in the trial group was higher than that in the control group (87.5% vs. 67.5%, P<0.05). The wound volumes in the two groups at 4, 8 and 12 weeks after treatment were smaller than those before treatment and at 2 weeks after treatment (P<0.05). The wound volumes in the trial group at 4, 8 and 12 weeks after treatment were significantly smaller than those in the control group (P<0.05). The healing times of Wagner Ⅱ and Ⅲ DFU in the trial group were significantly shorter than those in the control group [(24.71±4.29)vs. (33.84±6.09) days, P<0.05; (33.04±5.97)vs. (45.29±7.05) days, P<0.05]. Conclusion Alternate treatment with APG combined with intelligent trauma negative-pressure comprehensive therapeutic instrument for refractory DFU can promote wound healing, shorten wound healing time, and improve the clinical efficacy.