The association between simple renal cyst and aortic diseases: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies

Levels and influencing factors of mental workload among intensive care unit nurses: A systematic review and meta-analysis

AIM

The purpose of this systematic review was to determine the levels and influencing factors of mental workload in intensive care unit nurses.

BACKGROUND

Intensive care unit nurses have a high mental workload level. To our knowledge, no meta-analytic research investigating the levels of mental workload in intensive care unit nurses and related factors has yet been performed.

DESIGN

This article is a systematic review and meta-analysis.

METHODS

Eleven electronic databases were searched from the database setup dates until 31 December 2022. The research team independently conducted study selection, quality assessments, data extractions and analysis of all included studies. The PRISMA guideline was used to guide reportage of the systematic review and meta-analysis.

RESULTS

Seventeen studies were included. In these studies, the pooled mean score of mental workload was 68.07 (95%CI:64.39-71.75). Furthermore, subgroup analyses indicated that intensive care unit nurses' mental workload differed significantly by countries, sample size and publication year. The mental workload influential factors considered were demographic, work-related and psychological factors.

CONCLUSION

Hospital administrators should develop interventions to reduce mental workload to enhance the mental health of intensive care unit nurses and nursing care quality. Hospital managers should pay attention to the mental health of nurses and guide them to correctly relieve occupational stress and reduce mental workload.

Population risk profile analysis of acute uncomplicated type B aortic dissection patients undergoing thoracic endovascular aortic repair

BACKGROUND

Uncomplicated type B aortic dissection (unTBAD) comprises the estimated majority of type B aortic dissection (TBAD), presenting without any of the complications associated with complicated TBAD (coTBAD). Although first-line treatment for coTBAD is thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR), and despite the fact that TEVAR has proven its safety and effectiveness in the treatment of unTBAD, unTBAD is still being predominantly managed conservatively with medical therapy, with a small proportion of patients being offered TEVAR.

AIMS

The main scope of this review is to highlight the evidence in the literature of the demographic characteristics and associated co-morbidities of unTBAD patients undergoing TEVAR in order to produce a risk stratification system to achieve favourable outcomes.

METHODS

A comprehensive literature search was conducted using multiple electronic databases including PubMed, Ovid, Scopus, and EMBASE.

RESULTS

Multiple demographic characteristics and associated co-morbidities of unTBAD patients affecting TEVAR outcomes were identified, assessed, and investigated, including age, gender, race, genetics, medical conditions, such as hypertension and diabetes, and lifestyle factors such as smoking. Most factors were associated with increased risks of mortality and morbidity, while others, such as race, were identified as being protective against those when it comes to TEVAR.

CONCLUSION

Despite the favourable results yielded by TEVAR in unTBAD, there remains a grey area concerning its management. Thus, it is important to incorporate the demographics and co-morbidities of unTBAD patients' when into clinical judgement when assessing indications for TEVAR intervention to ensure optimum results can be achieved.

Existing and Emerging Approaches to Risk Assessment in Patients with Ascending Thoracic Aortic Dilatation

Ascending thoracic aortic aneurysm is a life-threatening disease, which is difficult to detect prior to the occurrence of a catastrophe. Epidemiology patterns of ascending thoracic aortic dilations/aneurysms remain understudied, whereas the risk assessment of it may be improved. The electronic databases PubMed/Medline 1966–2022, Web of Science 1975–2022, Scopus 1975–2022, and RSCI 1994–2022 were searched. The current guidelines recommend a purely aortic diameter-based assessment of the thoracic aortic aneurysm risk, but over 80% of the ascending aorta dissections occur at a size that is lower than the recommended threshold of 55 mm. Moreover, a 55 mm diameter criterion could exclude a vast majority (up to 99%) of the patients from preventive surgery. The authors review several visualization-based and alternative approaches which are proposed to better predict the risk of dissection in patients with borderline dilated thoracic aorta. The imaging-based assessments of the biomechanical aortic properties, the Young’s elastic modulus, the Windkessel function, compliance, distensibility, wall shear stress, pulse wave velocity, and some other parameters have been proposed to improve the risk assessment in patients with ascending thoracic aortic aneurysm. While the authors do not argue for shifting the diameter threshold to the left, they emphasize the need for more personalized solutions that integrate the imaging data with the patient’s genotypes and phenotypes in this heterogeneous pathology.

The Correlation and Copathogenesis of Coronary Aortic Sandwich and Renal Cysts

Objective

To determine the correlation for aortic occlusion and hydronephrosis and the pathogenesis of copathogenesis.

Methods

A retrospective census was established to probe the correlation with renal cysts by gathering aortic coarctation details concerning generic symptoms, diabetes, and liver and kidney profiles from 244 hospitalized aortic clinographers from April 2014 to December 2021 (study category, SG category), 150 hypertensive clients with primary hypertension attending our institution in the same period (matched category, MG category), and 150 able-bodied volunteers (control category, CG category).

Results

(1) Intercategory discrepancies in regard to aortic occlusion, diabetic malfunction, and kidney and liver abnormality were neither mutually nor predominantly measured (P > 0.05); (2) 244 enrolled SG for aortic occlusion and 150 CG for aortic occlusion were categorized by whether or not aortic occlusion was manifested, and the correlation between maternal age, gender, diabetic malfunction, and kidney and liver abnormality and renal cysts was estimated. The correlation of clogged aorta was demonstrated by a multifactorial logistic regression with gender and the presence of renal cysts (P < 0.05); (3) the correlation of clogged aorta was demonstrated by a multifactorial logistic regression with renal cysts as an independent risk factor for clogged aorta (95% CI: 1.028–10.291;P = 0.031).

Conclusion

As renal cysts are an autonomous risk of aortic coarctation, it is recommendable to strengthen clinical investigations such as monitoring of clinical blood pressures in kidney cyst recipients to assess their aortic function in order to evaluate their prognosis and minimize the prevalence of aortic coarctation.

The levels, prevalence and related factors of compassion fatigue among oncology nurses: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Compassion fatigue is described as the phenomenon of exhaustion and dysfunction in healthcare workers resulting from prolonged exposure to work-related stress and compassion stress. Oncology nurses are at high risk for compassion fatigue.

AIMS

Our study aims to estimate the levels, prevalence and related factors of compassion fatigue dimension in oncology nurses.

DESIGN

Systematic review and meta-analysis.

METHOD

Ten electronic databases were conducted in the systematic review and meta-analysis. Time frame of the searches is from inception up to 31 January 2020. The research team independently conducted study selection, quality assessments, data extractions and analysis of all included studies. The means, standard deviations and prevalence of three dimensions of compassion fatigue were pooled using random-effects meta-analysis. The PRISMA guideline was used to report the systematic review and meta-analysis. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42020205521.

RESULTS

The systematic review included 21 studies, involving 6533 oncology nurses across 6 different countries. In our studies, the pooled mean scores of compassion satisfaction (CS), burnout (BO) and secondary traumatic stress (STS) were 35.47 (95% CI: 33.54-37.41), 24.94 (95% CI: 23.47-26.41) and 24.48 (95% CI: 23.36-25.60), respectively; the pooled prevalence of "low" rates of CS, "high" rates of BO and STS were 20% (CI 13%-28%), 22% (CI 18%-26%) and 22% (CI 17%-28%), respectively; furthermore, geographical regions (Asia) significantly affect the prevalence of compassion fatigue among oncology nurses. The compassion fatigue variables considered were demographic (age, marital status, education background, health condition and gender), work-related (job satisfaction, income satisfaction, years of working experience, professional title, position and work environment) and other variables (social support, coping strategy, self-compassion, professional cognition and psychological training).

CONCLUSION

Oncology nurses were at "moderate" level of compassion satisfaction, burnout and secondary traumatic stress, and 22% of oncology nurses suffered from "high" risk of compassion fatigue. Hospital administrators should develop interventions to address compassion fatigue phenomenon, and enhance the mental health of oncology nurses and nursing care results.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

Oncology unit warrants special attention, and oncology nurses are at high risk for compassion fatigue. However, the reported prevalence rates and oncology nurses with different characteristics vary considerably. The review provides a preliminary framework for nursing administrators to develop interventions to address compassion fatigue phenomenon, and enhance the psychological health of oncology nurses.