Australasian Medical Journal
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Family Caregiver Burden of Elderly Patients with cultural correlates: A Systematic Review
Get PDFBackground: The elderly eventually need caregiving, and the role for this has been more often than not fulfilled by family members. This can be attributed to numerous factors, from financial constraints to a lack of trust in others, or religious/cultural reasons. The purpose of this study is to review all current literature to find how cultural differences can impact caregiving with respect to the burden perceived by the caregiver. Study design: Systematic review Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, a search was done using specific keywords such as “family”, “caregiver”, and “burden” from the databases of MEDLINE, Cochrane, and Pedro. The data items included a measure of burden with mention of scale used, stressors or factors along with their scales used, and cultural correlates of caregiver burden. Results: Most of the family caregivers were elder daughters around the age range of 40-60 looking after their parents. The most common scale used to measure burden was the ZBI, followed by CBI, then CSI. The stressors that aggravated the burden were health-related disabilities of the elderly, and this was often measured using scales such as ADL or IADL. Eastern societies, and even immigrants from the eastern nations, followed filial obligation and teachings such as Confucianism which stressed the importance of family care. These same individuals either experienced more burden or less burden, and the exact cause was not determined, but multiple factors were given including personal health of the caregiver, marriage status, and sense of obligation. Conclusion: Obligation to the family is still present in much of the eastern hemisphere of the world, but it does not explain why different ethnicities that share similar beliefs and cultures experience different rates of burden. All the factors which affect burden have not been completely elucidated yet, and more research is required into determining how the different cultures are influenced by the multitude of factors related to caregiving.
Journal Thank you note
Get PDFI am pleased to present to you this latest issue of the year 2023. Australasian medical Journal was established in the year 2008 and ever since its inception; the Journal has been consistently publishing scholarly and systematic study findings at issue release frequency of twelve issues per year. All the published issues comprised a balanced article types that include the original research, reviews, case reports, case studies, letter to the editors, commentaries and opinion
The effects of Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors on fracture risk. A review of the literature.
Get PDFBackgroundDiabetes mellitus is now approaching an epidemic and osteoporotic fractures had a high mortality and morbidity, Salt-glucose transporters inhibitors (SGLT-2) are relatively new class of oral hypoglycemic medications with cardio-renal protective effects, the association of SGLT-2 inhibitors with fracture risk is controversial, the current review aimed to assess the relationship of SGLT-2 inhibitors with osteoporosis and fracture risk.MethodsAn electronic literature search was carried out in the PubMed, and Google Scholar. The keywords used were SGLT2 inhibitors-canagliflozin, dapagliflozin, empagliflozin, osteoporosis, and fracture risk. Two hundred and twenty-four were found, the number stood at 21 after removing irrelevant article and duplication and applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria. ResultsThere were 21 studies, six on canagliflozin, five on dapagliflozin, five on empagliflozin, and another five on drugs combinations. Six of the studies were pooled analysis, four randomized controlled trials, three reviews, two meta-analyses, one case-control study, one comparative cohort, an opinion, and one essay. No association was found between fracture risk, dapagliflozin, and empagliflozin, the results were mixed regarding canagliflozinConclusionSGLT-2 inhibitors were not associated with fracture risk except canagliflozin when used among patients with cardiovascular disease or at risk and among patients with low baseline glomerular filtration rate. The observed increased fracture risk among patients taking canagliflozin may be due to fall and decreased bone mineral density due to weight loss
Investigation of 3D virtual reality in pre-surgical planning of malignant hepatic tumours.
Get PDFBackground Personalised resection planning for hepatobiliary surgery is key to ensure successful outcomes with minimal risks or complications due to the complexity of hepatic anatomy and the relatively common presence of anatomical variants of the vascular and biliary structures. The emerging application of virtual reality (VR) technology in the medical domain has shown superior advantages over traditional visualisation techniques when planning complex or challenging surgeries. Aims This study aimed to develop a VR demonstration of hepatobiliary malignancies with surrounding hepatic anatomy, to investigate how VR assists clinicians in the pre-surgical planning of tumour resection. Methods 3D Slicer was used to segment high-resolution computed tomography (CT) datasets, using manual and semi-automatic approaches in two selected cases of hepatobiliary malignancies: multifocal hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma. The 3D segmented volume data were then demonstrated on a Meta Quest 2 VR headset using the SlicerVirtualReality extension for 3D Slicer. Results Two cases of hepatobiliary malignancies were successfully segmented and demonstrated in VR. Realistic 3D visualisation of hepatic tumours in relation to surrounding structures were clearly demonstrated with observers being able to visualise either individual segmented structures or the entire volume data together. Conclusion The VR demonstration may allow clinicians to improve their understanding of the spatial relationships between the pathology and surrounding structures, compared to the current methods of 2D/3D image visualisations. Furthermore, improvement in pre-surgical planning has potential to increase treatment outcomes by decreasing inappropriate surgical procedures and postoperative complications
Current status of surgical training and practice: Australasian regional perspective
Get PDFAustralasian region has unique geography and demography. In term of medical services including surgical treatments the challenges that are faced in the Australasian regions are also unique. Surgical treatments requires clinical expertise backed by extensive training, technological development and expertise gained over years of practic
Ipsilateral femoral neck and shaft fractures in a woman with osteogenesis imperfecta
Get PDFOsteogenesis imperfecta (OI), also known as Ekman-Lobstein syndrome, is a hereditary disease of the connective tissue that primarily affects the bones, leading to bone fragility and increased susceptibility to fractures. The disease can also affect other connective tissues such as ligaments, teeth, and sclera.
Anifrolumab in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE): A Critical Appraisal of Clinical Trials and its Prospects for Elevating Patients' Quality of Life
Get PDFSystemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) presents a complex autoimmune challenge characterized by chronic inflammation and multi-organ involvement. This paper offers a comprehensive analysis of anifrolumab, a promising monoclonal antibody that targets type I interferon signaling, as a potential treatment for SLE. It also compares with existing therapies, namely belimumab and rituximab. Anifrolumab received FDA approval in 2021 based on evidence from clinical trials, such as MUSE and TULIP-2, demonstrating its effectiveness in reducing disease activity, glucocorticoid usage, and flares among SLE patients. However, concerns regarding its safety profile, particularly herpes zoster infections and immunosuppression, should be addressed. Comparative analysis of belimumab and rituximab reveals their distinct mechanisms of action and levels of clinical evidence. Belimumab, focusing on B-cell activity, has a longer history of reducing disease activity and flares. Rituximab, while promising, lacks direct comparative data. Challenges related to the long-term safety and efficacy of anifrolumab emphasize the need for personalized treatment strategies, patient selection, and real-world data integration. The paper discusses the importance of tailoring therapies based on biomarker profiles and clinical characteristics, involving patients in shared decision-making, and monitoring treatment responses over time. The paper highlights ongoing research and clinical trials exploring new therapeutic approaches for SLE, offering hope for improved outcomes. It underscores that anifrolumab, while promising, should be considered within the context of individual patient needs, with further studies necessary to refine treatment choices for SLE patients
Cardiac Myopathy and Metabolic Disorders among Elderly Patients in Saudi Arabia: A Systematic Review
Get PDFCardiac myopathy and metabolic disorders are increasingly common health issues among the elderly population in Saudi Arabia. These conditions can have significant impacts on the health and well-being of older individuals, and it is important to understand their prevalence and risk factors in this population
Parental knowledge of RSV infection and attitude to infant immunization with monoclonal antibodies in western region, Saudi Arabia
Get PDFBackground: Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a single-stranded (RNA) virus belongs to genus orthopneumovirus. It accounted as one of the main causes of lower respiratory tract infection in the pediatric age group and associated with their hospitalization and morbidity. Prophylactic monoclonal antibodies help in improvement and reduction of the serious complications resulting from the virus. Objective : The aim of this paper is to assess parental knowledge of RSV infection and attitudes to infant immunization with monoclonal antibodies. Method: A cross-sectional study conducted using online questionnaire from February 2023 to June 2023 in western region in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A total of 606 of participants, which include any parents or caregiver who believe in childhood vaccination in western region of Saudi Arabia with exclusion of any parents who hesitate towards or refuse childhood vaccinations and outside western region. The statistical analysis done using IBM SPSS. Results: The study included 606 participants from the western province of Saudi Arabia, 218 (36%) were in the age group of 20-30 years, 383 (63.2%) had bachelor degrees And 77(12.7) works in healthcare, RSV was the least known childhood infectious agent (48.7%) of the participants never heard of it. 542 (89.4%) had a positive attitude toward childhood vaccinations in general and (51.2%) toward RSV vaccination with (75.2%) concerned about its safety.Conclusion: Despite the fact that practically all children were exposed to RSV, a sizable percentage of parents never heard of it. We propose that dependable healthcare professionals provide evidence-based information regarding RSV and its safety, effectiveness, and duration of protection against RSV for parents
Safe practice of nurses in developing countries: challenges for the next 10 years
Get PDFThe hospital, being a multifaceted institution encompassing healthcare, treatment, and education, is recognized as a complex environment. Within such a setting, the well-being and safety of patients are susceptible to potential impacts. Hence, the hospital diligently strives to enhance service safety, thereby safeguarding both patient health and safety, as well as bolstering public confidence in the healthcare system. Consequently, it can be asserted that any endeavors to improve and augment safety are indispensabl