A strategic approach to employees’ well-being: study assessing the relationship between holistic wellness, job satisfaction emotions, and productivity

Employee holistic well-being is attracting more interest and consideration from businesses as the employers started realizing the gains and impact this implementation of holistic wellness policies for workers in the workplace can have on the business. This study aims to analyze the impact of the holistic wellness of employees on their job satisfaction and work productivity. This paper aims to assess the approaches adopted by organizations towards employees’ holistic wellness and how it contributes to their job satisfaction and quality of work. The study aims to identify current employee well-being in organizations, employee wellness dimensions being covered through workplace wellness programs, and analyze the relationship between employees’ holistic well-being and work productivity, job satisfaction, and organization performance. The approach of the study includes a quantitative survey, qualitative interviews, and empirical evidence. Primary research is done at the organizational level using structured interviews with HR leads and employees. Secondary research is done by reviewing existing literature to explore industry best practices in holistic well-being. The deductive approach has been used to explain explanations and arguments backed by empirical observations in organizations and relevant theoretical concepts. The findings from the study will help the organizations who are in the process of streamlining and structuring the employee wellness programs to understand the link between employees’ holistic wellness and their productivity and job satisfaction and use these findings to increase job satisfaction and productivity of the employees. The data gathered not only from quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews but also through empirical observations. These findings can provide valuable pointers for human resource managers in other organizations.

Vitamin D focused approach of nutritional therapy for the management of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: A Review

Background:

In several studies, Vitamin D supplementation was found useful against the highly infectious SARS-CoV-2 to reduce the mortality rate and severity of its infection. Viral replication was also found to be affected negatively with vitamin D administration. Objective: The study was performed with an aim to study the efficacy of therapeutic approach of nutrition by intervention of Vitamin D towards decreasing the severity of prevailing pandemic of SARS-CoV-2.

Methods:

A background research of literature was performed using the key words “SARS-CoV-2”, “Covid-19”, “nutritional therapy”, “Vitamin D”, “immunity”, “AEC2 receptors” and “RAS system” in pubmed and google scholar.

Results:

If combined with medical sciences this nutritional therapy approach can end up as an influential solution to reduce the severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection which is a prevailing pandemic to human kind. A combination of assessment, supplementation of this required micro-nutrient (Vitamin D) and monitoring can be used to aid the immune system of Covid-19 patients.

Conclusion:

Nutritional therapy with Vitamin D as a major factor can be used to increase the immunity of an individual to fight against the highly infectious SARS-CoV-2. However the actual mechanism about how Vitamin D supplementation functions to improve health of an individual is yet unclear.

Safety and efficacy of donepezil hydrochloride in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease: Findings of an observational study

BACKGROUND

Alzheimer's disease (AD), a progressive brain disorder, is the most common cause of dementia among the elderly. Donepezil hydrochloride is a potent, reversible, and highly selective inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase (AChE). It is chemically distinct from other cholinesterase (ChE) inhibitors which are effective in the treatment of AD.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of donepezil hydrochloride therapy over a 12 weeks period in patients with mild to moderate AD in Indian population.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this post-marketing study, patients with mild to moderate AD received oral donepezil hydrochloride 5 mg/day for 4 weeks followed by 10 mg/day for 8 weeks. Patients were assessed 4 times weekly for cognition on 'Mini Mental Status Examination (MMSE) scale', and function on 'Activities of Daily Living (ADL) index'. Clinicians and caregivers assessment of safety and efficacy was assessed on a 5-point rating scale.

RESULTS

One hundred and seventy two of one hundred and eighty two patients completed 12 weeks of study period. MMSE score significantly improved (P<0.0001) from 16.72 at baseline to 19.77 after 12 weeks, and there was significant improvement (P<0.05) in ADL index in 13 of 17 domains after 12 weeks. Caregivers and clinicians rated the therapy as very good to good in >80% and >90% patients, respectively. Adverse events were consistent with the known pharmacological and safety profile of donepezil.

CONCLUSIONS

Donepezil is well tolerated in Indian patients with mild to moderate AD with significant improvement in cognition and function.

SAMITAL® improves chemo/radiotherapy-induced oral mucositis in patients with head and neck cancer: results of a randomized, placebo-controlled, single-blind Phase II study

PURPOSE

This randomised, placebo-controlled single-blind trial investigated the safety and efficacy of SAMITAL®, a formulation of highly standardised botanical extracts, in the treatment of chemo/radiotherapy-induced oral mucositis (OM) in patients with head and neck cancer.

METHODS

Patients received SAMITAL® or placebo four times daily for up to 50 days during scheduled chemo/radiotherapy. Severity of OM was monitored according to a modified WHO severity scale, and pain and quality-of-life assessments were based on the effect of symptoms of OM on relevant daily activities, according to a visual analogue scale.

RESULTS

Mean scores for the severity of OM were significantly (p < 0.05 versus baseline) reduced from day 31 until the end of treatment in patients treated with SAMITAL® (n = 20). No significant improvement was observed in the placebo group (n = 10). Pain reduction was significant from day 4 till end of treatment with SAMITAL® and from days 7 to 21 in placebo patients. SAMITAL® also significantly improved quality of life, as shown by improvements in scores for relevant daily activities including eating, drinking and sleeping. All SAMITAL® patients completed the treatment period, but no placebo recipients completed treatment. No severe adverse events were observed with SAMITAL®, and systemic absorption of relevant active ingredients was undetectable.

CONCLUSIONS

SAMITAL® significantly decreased the severity of chemo/radiotherapy-induced OM in patients with head and neck cancer, with no treatment-related adverse events. Pain relief lasted through the treatment period, and improvements in quality of life were reflected by the significant benefits of SAMITAL® on activities like drinking, eating and speaking.

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate efficacy and tolerability of an optimized botanical combination in the management of patients with primary hypercholesterolemia and mixed dyslipidemia

This study compared the efficacy and tolerability of an optimized botanical combination containing policosanol, tomato extract, orally bioavailable grape procyanidins and Oenothera biennis oil against placebo in the management of patients with primary hypercholesterolemia and mixed dyslipidemia. Such a combination is endowed with biological properties targeted to cholesterol control and vasoprotection. This randomized, double-blind, parallel-group trial consisted of a 6 week treatment period following 4 week baseline period, and a 2 week post-treatment follow-up. At baseline, both the groups were comparable to each other. Both the active treatment and the placebo group included 30 patients (active treatment: mean age 46.80 ± 7.43 years, nine males; placebo: mean age 45.50 ± 6.76 years, eight males). Significant reductions in the LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C; -17.33% from baseline, p < 0.001) and total cholesterol (TC; -13.38% from baseline, p < 0.0001) values over the treatment period were observed with the tested product. The treatment also resulted in reductions in C-reactive protein (CRP), malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) values, which are indices of oxidative stress. This rational combination of different compounds is effective and safe in lowering the elevated LDL-C and TC values. It is also effective in the modulation of the oxidation indices values; however, a further long term study in a larger population would be needed in order to confirm these preliminary findings.

Intraoperative anaphylaxis caused by a hepatic hydatid cyst

Anaphylactic and anaphylactoid reactions during anaesthesia are a major cause of concern for anaesthesiologists. During the perioperative period, any symptomatology relating to sudden-onset haemodynamic collapse or increased airway pressures during certain surgical procedures should raise suspicion of anaphylaxis. We report a case of anaphylaxis during pericystectomy for hydatid cyst of the liver intraoperatively in a 29-year-old Indian woman. Although a rare occurrence, reporting of such perioperative events is crucial for future references. Anaphylactic reactions should be seriously considered whenever a hydatid cystectomy is performed, especially in the event of a sudden haemodynamic collapse. Early diagnosis and correct treatment are essential to ensure a favourable patient outcome.

Aspirin---the novel antiplatelet drug

Aspirin is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug that has potent antiplatelet actions. Aspirin was initially used as an analgesic and antipyretic drug before its anti-inflammatory properties were discovered. Aspirin also has antithrombotic effects due to the inhibition of cyclo- oxygenase activity in platelets, which reduces the extent of thromboxane A2 formation and consequently the aggregability of platelets. Prophylactic low-dose aspirin therapy reduces the risk of future cardiovascular events in a variety of clinical settings. The maximum effect of aspirin in reducing risks of myocardial infarction is achieved soon after the initiation of therapy. The selective inhibition of platelet thromboxane A2 may be the pharmacological basis for the effectiveness of aspirin in treating pregnancy-induced hypertension. Aspirin can virtually abolish thromboxane A2 production in patients receiving fish oil. Thus, aspirin has been and will be the standard reference compound for long-term oral treatment of platelet hyperactivity, most notably in the secondary prevention of myocardial infarction.