A novel multidisciplinary approach to the management of end-stage macular disease

2021 ◽  
pp. 026461962110326
Author(s):  
Su Ling Young ◽  
Nathan Ng ◽  
Ngee Jin Yap ◽  
Zain Hussain ◽  
Peter D Cackett

Introduction: In 2017, the Royal College of Ophthalmologists UK published ‘The Way Forward’ describing the effects of the ageing UK population on clinical demand for macular conditions. Although one-stop clinics have become accepted standard practice for combined assessment and injections, there is little guidance regarding eventual discharge of patients, and practice varies between clinicians. In 2018, NHS Lothian started a multidisciplinary one-stop clinic involving an Ophthalmologist, a Medical Photographer, a specialist Low Vision Optometrist, and a Low Vision Counsellor. We aimed to detail our experiences of this novel multidisciplinary discharge clinic for advanced macular disease patients. We also aimed to assess patient-reported anxiety and depression outcomes following this clinic. Retrospective data on 60 patients who attended the clinic from August 2018 to January 2019 were collected and included in analysis. Average age at presentation to the clinic was 85.76 ± 8.18 years old and patients had been followed up in the macula clinic for a mean of 4.80 ± 2.43 years prior to attending the clinic. In all, 31 patients responded to a survey on anxiety and depression using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression score (HADS). Three (10%) of the patients reported scores abnormal for anxiety, and there were no abnormal scores for depression. The clinic provides a holistic approach for end-stage macular disease patients and reduces unnecessary macular anti–vascular endothelial growth factor treatments and clinic review appointments. This is especially important now during the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 global pandemic. This provides significant benefits to capacity for delivery of clinical services and facilitates a safe and supported discharge for patients.

2004 ◽  
Vol 62 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ornella Bettinardi ◽  
Giorgio Bertolotti ◽  
Paola Baiardi ◽  
Giuseppe Calsamiglia ◽  
Sylvia D'Cruz ◽  
...  

Various functional indicators are utilized to measure outcome in cardiac rehabilitation. Little information exists regarding the role played by psychological variables during the rehabilitative period, after cardiac valve surgery. The present study aims at exploring the relationship existing between different levels of functional capacity measured by six-minute walking test, (6MWT) and emotional aspects such as anxiety and depression. Materials and methods. 126 post-surgical heart valve patients underwent at the beginning and at the end of the rehabilitative programme: 1) 6MWT; 2) assessment of anxiety and depression (A-D Questionnaire according to the CBA-2.0 Primary Scale). Results. Cardiac rehabilitation was associated with a general and significant improvement in the 6MWT (273+98 metres versus 363+96; p<0.001) and the functional performance parameters (diastolic blood pressure; p<0.001 and fatigue p<0.001). Simultaneously there was a significant improvement of patient-reported quality of life, revealed by the A-D questionnaire in both male and female patients. The Depression Questionnaire score is predictive of functional capacity. It was demonstrated that no matter what the clinical condition of the patient, the depression score influences the patient’s performance during the 6MWT, not only regards the distance covered (p=.008), but also fatigue expressed by the Borg RPE index (p=.044). Conclusion. Depression, an emotional variable, selfevaluated by the standardized questionnaire can, even if only partially, influence the 6MWT, a functional indicator of exercise tolerance, widely utilized in cardiac rehabilitation.


2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 524-531
Author(s):  
Taylor E. Purvis ◽  
Brian J. Neuman ◽  
Lee H. Riley ◽  
Richard L. Skolasky

OBJECTIVEIn this paper, the authors demonstrate to spine surgeons the prevalence and severity of anxiety and depression among patients presenting for surgery and explore the relationships between different legacy and Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) screening measures.METHODSA total of 512 adult spine surgery patients at a single institution completed the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder questionnaire (GAD-7), 8-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-8) depression scale, and PROMIS Anxiety and Depression computer-adaptive tests (CATs) preoperatively. Correlation coefficients were calculated between PROMIS scores and GAD-7 and PHQ-8 scores. Published reference tables were used to determine the presence of anxiety or depression using GAD-7 and PHQ-8. Sensitivity and specificity of published guidance on the PROMIS Anxiety and Depression CATs were compared. Guidance from 3 sources was compared: published GAD-7 and PHQ-8 crosswalk tables, American Psychiatric Association scales, and expert clinical consensus. Receiver operator characteristic curves were used to determine data-driven cut-points for PROMIS Anxiety and Depression. Significance was accepted as p < 0.05.RESULTSIn 512 spine surgery patients, anxiety and depression were prevalent preoperatively (5% with any anxiety, 24% with generalized anxiety screen-positive; and 54% with any depression, 24% with probable major depression). Correlations were moderately strong between PROMIS Anxiety and GAD-7 scores (r = 0.72; p < 0.001) and between PROMIS Depression and PHQ-8 scores (r = 0.74; p < 0.001). The observed correlation of the PROMIS Depression score was greater with the PHQ-8 cognitive/affective score (r = 0.766) than with the somatic score (r = 0.601) (p < 0.001). PROMIS Anxiety and Depression CATs were able to detect the presence of generalized anxiety screen-positive (sensitivity, 86.0%; specificity, 81.6%) and of probable major depression (sensitivity, 82.3%; specificity, 81.4%). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis demonstrated data-driven cut-points for these groups.CONCLUSIONSPROMIS Anxiety and Depression CATs are reliable tools for identifying generalized anxiety screen-positive spine surgery patients and those with probable major depression.


2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (Supplement_N) ◽  
pp. N135-N137
Author(s):  
Teresa Fedele ◽  
Silvia Orefice ◽  
Ludovica Fiorillo ◽  
Vittoria Cuomo ◽  
Valentina Capone ◽  
...  

Abstract Aims The inability to carry office visits was collateral damage caused by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Tele-health is a relatively new, and yet fundamental amid the current crisis, resource to bridge the gap between phisicians and patients. Methods and results We report our experience with telemedicine and describe the major events occured in our patients. 121 consecutive adult patients with arterial hypertension (F/M: 56/65; mean age: 66.8 years) were enrolled. 33 patients (27%) had also diabetes, 94 (78%) were also affected from dyslipidemia and 11 (9%) had CAD. They all referred to our ambulatory of hypertension, in most of case for several years. Given the impossibility to continue routine outpatient visits during lockdown, they were all phone called by three residents in order to detect their state of health or any events they could have experienced over this period. They were all asked about their own blood pressure values, the occurrence of new symptoms and of new-onset both cardiovascular and non cardiovascular events. We also followed a self-made preset form. 31 of them (26%) experienced cardiovascular symptoms/events during this period: 11 had hypertensive peaks, in one case associated with nausea and vomiting while 2 of them had hypotensive episodes; 10 had typical angina and/or dyspnoea while 4 had atypical angina; 6 had palpitations; 1 of them developed new onset atrial fibrillation resolved with pharmacologic cardioversion during hospitalization; 1 had syncope; 1 patient reported new onset peripheral oedema; 2 patients died during lockdown for non cardiovascular causes. 17 of them also developed non cardiovascular symptoms, 7 of whom were severe anxiety and/or panic attacks. Almost all patients had important lifestyle changes, in 15 cases (12.3%) associated with weight increase. Conclusion The impossibility to access to routine outpatient visits during lockdown due to global pandemic of SARS-CoV2, has brought out the risk of underestimating consequences of chronic disease, in absence of appropriate Follow-up. Nevertheless, the two deaths we report were not related to cardiovascular disease. The risk is that both the missing of cardiovascular control visit and the extension of the waiting list, could provoke serious complications in patients suffering from chronic cardiovascular disease.


2020 ◽  
pp. bmjspcare-2020-002608
Author(s):  
Joaquín T Limonero ◽  
Jorge Maté-Méndez ◽  
María José Gómez-Romero ◽  
Dolors Mateo-Ortega ◽  
Jesús González-Barboteo ◽  
...  

BackgroundFamily caregivers of patients with advanced illness at end of life often report high levels of emotional distress. To address this emotional distress is necessary to have adequate and reliable screening tools.AimThis study analyses the psychometric properties and clinical utility of the Family Caregiver Emotional Detection Scale for caregivers of patients with end-stage cancer (DME-C, Spanish acronym) who are receiving palliative care (PC).DesignMulticentre, cross-sectional study.Settings/participantsFamily caregivers of patients with advanced cancer at end of life receiving palliative treatment were interviewed to explore their emotional distress through the DME-C scale and other instruments measuring anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)), distress thermometer (DT) and overload (B), as well as a clinical psychological assessment (CPA).Results138 family caregivers, 85 (61.6%) female and 53 (38.4%) male, with an average age of 59.69±13.3 participated in the study. The reliability of the scale, as measured by Cronbach’s alpha, was 0.76, and its stability over time was 0.734. Positive, significant correlations were found between the DME-C and the scores for anxiety and depression registered on the HADS scale, as well as with the total result of this latter scale and the results for B, the DT and the CPA. A statistical analysis of the receiver-operating characteristic curves showed that the scale has a sensitivity and specificity of 75%, and that the cut-off point for the detection of emotional distress was a score ≥11. Fifty-four per cent of the caregivers displayed emotional distress according to this scale.ConclusionsThe DME-C displays good psychometric properties. It is simple, short, reliable and easy to administer. We believe that the instrument is useful for the detection of emotional distress in the family caregivers of hospitalised patients suffering from end-stage illnesses and receiving PC.


Author(s):  
Wouter R Verberne ◽  
Iris D van den Wittenboer ◽  
Carlijn G N Voorend ◽  
Alferso C Abrahams ◽  
Marjolijn van Buren ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Non-dialytic conservative care (CC) has been proposed as a viable alternative to maintenance dialysis for selected older patients to treat end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). This systematic review compares both treatment pathways on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and symptoms, which are major outcomes for patients and clinicians when deciding on preferred treatment. Methods We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) Plus and PsycINFO from inception to 1 October 2019 for studies comparing patient-reported HRQoL outcomes or symptoms between patients who chose either CC or dialysis for ESKD. Results Eleven observational cohort studies were identified comprising 1718 patients overall. There were no randomized controlled trials. Studies were susceptible to selection bias and confounding. In most studies, patients who chose CC were older and had more comorbidities and worse functional status than patients who chose dialysis. Results were broadly consistent across studies, despite considerable clinical and methodological heterogeneity. Patient-reported physical health outcomes and symptoms appeared to be worse in patients who chose CC compared with patients who chose dialysis but had not yet started, but similar compared with patients on dialysis. Mental health outcomes were similar between patients who chose CC or dialysis, including before and after dialysis start. In patients who chose dialysis, the burden of kidney disease and impact on daily life increased after dialysis start. Conclusions The available data, while heterogeneous, suggest that in selected older patients, CC has the potential to achieve similar HRQoL and symptoms compared with a dialysis pathway. High-quality prospective studies are needed to confirm these provisional findings.


2021 ◽  
Vol 80 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 1011.2-1011
Author(s):  
Y. Olyunin ◽  
V. Rybakova ◽  
E. Likhacheva ◽  
E. Nasonov

Background:The patient-reported outcomes are important components of quantitative methods of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) activity assessment which are used to choose the appropriate drug therapy. The value of these parameters can be significantly affected not only by the inflammatory process, but also by the psychological characteristics of the patient and, in particular, by hardiness [1].Objectives:To study the relationship between psychological factors and signs of RA activity.Methods:Patients with RA who met the EULAR/ACR 2010 criteria, and observed at the V. A. Nasonova Research Institute of Rheumatology were included. Clinical examination was performed including patient global assessment (PGA), physician global assessment (PhGA), pain measurement on a visual analog scale, tender joint count (TJC), swollen joint count (SJC). The functional status was determined by HAQ, the quality of life – by SF-36 EQ-5D, the nature of pain – by painDETECT, the presence of anxiety and depression – by HADS. Patients also completed Hardiness Survey questionnaire to assess hardiness (HDS) and 3 components of the HDS – commitment (CMT), control (CT) and challenge (CLN). Disease activity was evaluated with DAS28, CDAI, and RAPID3. All patients signed informed consent to participate in the study. Analysis of the data was performed using Spearman’s rank test, Fisher exact test, qui-square and t-tests.Results:85 patients with RA were included. There were 69 women and 16 men. Mean age was 56.7±13.1 years, disease duration – 7.6±2.7 years. 72 patients were positive for rheumatoid factor, 75 – for anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody. CDAI showed high activity in 15, moderate – in 37, low – in 30, and remission in 3 patients, DAS 28 – in 10, 55, 12, and 8, and RAPID3 – in 24, 25, 15, and 21, respectively. 24 patients had subclinically or clinically expressed anxiety and 15 –subclinically or clinically expressed depression (≥8 according to HADS). In 31 patients, the painDETECT questionnaire revealed possible or probable neuropathic pain. Mean HDS was 84.8±21.7, CMT – 38.9±9.2, CT – 29.4±8.6, CLN – 17.3±7.1. These values were comparable with the corresponding population data for this age group. There was a significant inverse correlation between HDS and RA activity measures, including SJC, TJC, DAS28 (p<0.05), pain, PGA, PhGA, CDAI, RAPID3, and HAQ (p<0.01). In addition, HDS and all its components positively correlated with quality of life, assessed by SF-36 and EQ-5D (p<0.01). In patients with subclinically and clinically expressed anxiety and depression, HDS, CMT, and CT were significantly lower than in patients without anxiety and depression (p<0.01), while the values of CLN in these groups did not differ significantly.Conclusion:The results of the present study suggest that low HDS may be one of the significant factors determining RA activity level because it does not allow patients to adapt adequately to a stressful situation produced by the disease.References:[1]Maddi SR. Am Psychol. 2008 Sep;63(6):563-4.Disclosure of Interests:None declared


2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 2473011417S0001
Author(s):  
Monique Chambers ◽  
MaCalus Hogan ◽  
Dukens LaBaze

Category: Bunion, Midfoot/Forefoot Introduction/Purpose: Hallux rigidus is a degenerative disease of the first metatarsophalangeal joint. Severe, end-stage hallux rigidus can become debilitating with surgical intervention becoming necessary once conservative measures and shoe modifications have failed. Joint salvage procedures include metatarsal phalangeal (MTP) arthrodesis and MTP arthroplasty. The purpose of this study was to assess for differences in patient reported outcomes in two cohorts who underwent fusion or joint reconstruction. Methods: This study was a retrospective review of prospectively collected data of 385 patients from an academic medical institution. Patients who underwent surgical intervention from July 2015 to November 2016 were identified based on CPT codes for MTP arthrodesis (28750) and arthroplasty (28293). We extracted outcome scores including SF12-M, SF12-P, FAAM, and VAS scores. Exclusion criteria included poly-trauma, revision procedures, and lack of pre and post-operative outcome scores. Mann- Whitney t-test was performed using GraphPad Prism version 7.0b for Mac to compare procedure groups, with significance define by a p-value of 0.05. Results: A total of eighteen patients met the inclusion criteria, with 6 who underwent arthroplasty and 12 arthrodesis. The average age was 63.7 amongst the cohort, with a total of 16 female and 2 males. Patients who underwent arthrodesis had better outcomes across all parameters. When comparing preoperative and postoperative scores, arthrodesis patients showed greater improvement of SF12-M (arthrodesis 9 vs arthroplasty -2, p=0.05), and SF12-P (9 vs -16, respectively p=0.05) scores. Arthroplasty patients were more likely to have a decrease in their SF-12 scores. VAS scores and FAAM scores showed no statistical difference between the two cohorts. Postoperative VAS scores were worse in 33% of arthroplasty patients despite surgical intervention, compared to 10% of arthrodesis patients. Conclusion: Our results suggests that both procedures provide a statistically significant difference in pain with several patients having a Global Rate of Change that is “very much better”. However, fusion of the metatarsophalangeal joint results in improved pain and functional outcomes for patients with severe hallux rigidus. These findings are consistent with current reports in the literature, which are mostly case series reports. Larger studies are needed to provide appropriate power and better support the findings of this study.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 2258
Author(s):  
Massimiliano Mosca ◽  
Silvio Caravelli ◽  
Emanuele Vocale ◽  
Simone Massimi ◽  
Davide Censoni ◽  
...  

Recently, the progress in techniques and in projecting new prosthetic designs has allowed increasing indications for total ankle replacement (TAR) as treatment for ankle osteoarthritis. This retrospective work comprehended 39 subjects aged between 47 and 79 years old. The patients, observed for at least 12 months (mean follow up of 18.2 ± 4.1 months), have been evaluated according to clinical and radiological parameters, both pre- and post-operatively. The AOFAS and VAS score significantly improved, respectively, from 46.2 ± 4.8 to 93.9 ± 4.1 and from 7.1 ± 1.1 to 0.7 ± 0.5 (p value < 0.05). At the final evaluation, the mean plantarflexion passed from 12.2° ± 2.3° to 18.1° ± 2.4° (p value < 0.05) and dorsiflexion from a pre-operative mean value of 8.7° ± 4.1° to 21.7° ± 5.4° post-operatively (p value < 0.05). This study found that this new total ankle replacement design is a safe and effective procedure for patients effected by end-stage ankle osteoarthritis. Improvements have been demonstrated in terms of range of motion, radiographic parameters and patient-reported outcomes. However, further studies are needed to assess the long-term performance of these prostheses.


2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. S409-S409
Author(s):  
A. Dolfi ◽  
A. Anton ◽  
V. Marinescu

BackgroundIn both hepatic and cardiac disease, a bidirectional relationship exists between somatic and psychiatric symptoms: is anxiety/depression caused by the somatic burden of the symptoms or the psychiatric symptoms and stress are an important pathophysiologic factor for the somatic disease?ObjectiveThe objectives of our observational study were to see if any differences exist regarding the anxiety level in patients with hepatic versus cardiac disease and if the depressive symptomatology differs between the two groups of patients.Materials and methods: We conceived a 2X2 study model by including two independent variables (the somatic pathology, hepatic and cardiac) and two dependent variables (anxiety and depression) which included 66 patients (35 with hepatic and 31 with cardiac pathology) who completed both STAI X1 scale for anxiety and BECK scale for depression with good reliability for both scales (Cronbach's alpha value of 0.74 for STAI X1 and 0.76 for BECK), data analyzed with SPSS 17.ResultsWe obtained a low level for anxiety (mean = 17.76) and a medium level for depression (mean = 49), both anxiety and depression level being higher in the patients with hepatic disease versus cardiac patients (P > 0.05). The patients with hepatic failure had a higher medium anxiety score (54.66) vs cardiac failure patients (42.61). The depression score was 19.71 in patients with hepatic failure and 15.55 in patients with cardiac failure.ConclusionBoth anxiety and depression severity scores were increased in patients with hepatic disease vs patients with cardiac disease in the studied groups.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.


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