Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the experiences of acute care hospital nurses’ on spiritual care with focus group interviews. Methods: Data were collected from 24 nurses recruited from one acute-care hospital in a southern province of Korea. Six focus groups were assembled considering age and religion. All interviews were recorded and transcribed. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results: Five categories with 14 sub-categories emerged: 1) ambiguous concept: confusing terms, an additional job; 2) assessment of spiritual care needs: looking for spiritual care needs, not recognizing spiritual care needs; 3) spiritual care practices: active spiritual care, passive spiritual care ; 4) outcomes of spiritual care: comfort of the recipient, comfort of the provider; and 5) barriers to spiritual care: fear of criticism from others, lack of education, lack of time, space constraints, and absence of a recording system. Conclusion Participants perceived spiritual care as an uncertain concept. Some participants recognized it as a form of nursing care, and others did not. They practiced spiritual care in acute-care settings according to their personal perceptions of spiritual care. Therefore, in order to perform spiritual nursing in acute-care hospitals, it is a priority for nurses to recognize the concept of spiritual nursing accurately. It is also necessary to prepare a hospital environment suitable for the provision of spiritual care.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with cardiac arrest without obvious extracardiac cause who underwent emergency angiography to determine the factors related to significant coronary artery disease in patients in whom coronary angiography was performed. We also addressed the issues around the survival benefit of coronary angiography and subsequent coronary intervention. METHODS: In total 91 patients during the period between 2004 and 2012 were included in the study. Clinical characteristics and coronary angiographic data were collected retrospectively. The success measurement of the study was set as survival at the time of hospital discharge. RESULTS: In comparison of the demographic and clinical variables of patients with and without emergency coronary angiography, only the electrocardiogram differed significantly between the two groups. Fifty four patients underwent an emergency coronary angiography, which was performed later for the remaining seven patients. Acute coronary lesions were observed in 38 patients (62%). Findings of electrocardiograms before and after return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) were not statistically significant in relation to the prevalence of a culprit lesion. Neither an emergency coronary angiography nor successful coronary intervention showed correlation with survival at the time of hospital discharge. A shorter duration to return of spontaneous circulation, an initial shockable rhythm, and the absence of shock were found to be independent factors affecting discharge of patients alive in the overall study population (n=91). CONCLUSION: Considering the angiographic findings, neither the presence of a shockable rhythm nor ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) before and after ROSC were factors favouring acute coronary artery disease. The emergency coronary angiography did not show correlation with survival at hospital discharge in patients with a resuscitated cardiac arrest without non-cardiac cause. Factors positively related to survival should be considered when deciding on coronary angiography in order to identify patients in whom routine angiography is futile (e.g., the delay for return of spontaneous circulation and presence of shock).
Angiography ; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ; Coronary Angiography* ; Coronary Artery Disease ; Electrocardiography ; Emergencies* ; Heart Arrest ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction ; Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest* ; Prevalence ; Retrospective Studies ; Shock

The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) system, a rapidly advancing genome editing technology, allows DNA alterations into the genome of organisms. Gene editing using the CRISPR system enables more precise and diverse editing, such as single nucleotide conversion, precise knock-in of target sequences or genes, chromosomal rearrangement, or gene disruption by simple cutting. Moreover, CRISPR systems comprising transcriptional activators/repressors can be used for epigenetic regulation without DNA damage. Stem cell DNA engineering based on gene editing tools has enormous potential to provide clues regarding the pathogenesis of diseases and to study the mechanisms and treatments of incurable diseases. Here, we review the latest trends in stem cell research using various CRISPR/Cas technologies and discuss their future prospects in treating various diseases.

PURPOSE: Hypotension after emergency endotracheal intubation (ETI) is one of the major complications from emergency airway management. The aim of this study was to determine the possible risk factors that may predict postintubation hypotension (PIH) and its impact on in-hospital mortality. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective, standardized chart review of consecutive emergency department patients that required intubation between January 2011 and December 2014. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to the presence or absence of PIH. PIH was defined as any recorded systolic blood pressure with less than 90 mmHg or mean arterial pressure with less than 65 mmHg within the 60-minute period after intubation. The outcome measures were inhospital mortality, as well as intensive care unit and hospital length of stay. RESULTS: The incidence of PIH was 23% (80 of 352 patients). Patients in the PIH group were slightly older and had more comorbid diseases than those in the non-PIH group. PIH patients had a significantly higher mortality rate (54% vs. 30%, p<0.01). PIH was a strong predictor for in-hospital mortality of intubated patients (hazard ratio, 2.3; 95% confidence interval, 1.3 to 3.4). CONCLUSION: Older age, lack of skill, history of hypertension, low albumin and pH, and elevated were risk factors for the occurrence of hypotension after ETI. Patients with PIH show increased risk of in-hospital mortality.
Airway Management ; Arterial Pressure ; Blood Pressure ; Emergencies ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Hypertension ; Hypotension ; Incidence ; Intensive Care Units ; Intubation ; Intubation, Intratracheal* ; Length of Stay ; Mortality ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVE: Hypotension after emergent endotracheal intubation is a serious complication related to in-hospital mortality. We investigated factors including modified shock index to predict the development of hypotension after emergent intubation. METHODS: This retrospective observational study was conducted between January 2011 and December 2016. The study population included intubated patients among all medical patients admitted to the emergency department (ED) except for patients whose systolic blood pressure was below 90 mmHg at any time before intubation. The postintubation hypotension (PIH) groups were compared with the non-PIH group. The secondary outcome was in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: A total of 285 patients were included in this study, of which 92 patients (32.3%) PIH. The age (odds ratio [OR], 1.04; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01–1.06; P=0.001), serum albumin level (OR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.41–0.92; P=0.019), shock index (OR, 3.25; 95% CI, 1.26–8.38; P=0.015), and modified shock index (MSI) (OR, 2.18; 95% CI, 1.06–4.47; P=0.034) were more closely associated with PIH than any other factors. The average survival of the PIH group was significantly shorter than that of the non-PIH group (13.6±3.5 vs. 35.6±12.0, log-rank test P=0.019). CONCLUSION: Overall, 32.3% of hemodynamically stable medical patients developed PIH in ED. MSI was associated with PIH.
Blood Pressure ; Emergencies* ; Emergency Medical Services ; Emergency Service, Hospital* ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Hypotension* ; Intubation ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; Mortality ; Observational Study ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Serum Albumin ; Shock*

PURPOSE: Arterial hypotension is a recognized complication of emergency intubation, whereas there have been contradicting opinions regarding postintubation hypotension. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence, related factors, and impact on patient outcomes associated with postintubation hypotension (PIH) in intubations performed in the emergency department. METHODS: A structured chart audit of all consecutive adult patients requiring emergency endotracheal intubations over a two-year period (2011.1.1.~2012.12.31.) was performed retrospectively. Patients older than 20 years who had no systolic blood pressure below 90 mmHg at any time before intubation were included. Patients were analyzed in two groups, those with PIH, defined as any recorded systolic pressure less than 90 mmHg within 60 minutes of intubation, and those with no PIH. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: Overall, 186 patients intubated in the emergency department were identified, and 18.4% (34 of 186) developed PIH. Advanced age was an independent factor of developing PIH (OR: 3.4, 95% CI: 1.3-9.0, p=0.02). Patients with PIH had significantly higher in-hospital mortality (53% vs 29%; p=0.01), and multiple logistic regression showed that PIH was an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality (OR: 2.5, 95% CI: 1.1-5.5 p=0.03). CONCLUSION: Postintubation hypotension occurs in 18.3% of hemodynamically stable patients before intubation. PIH is independently associated with in-hospital mortality. Advanced age is an independent predicting factor of PIH.
Adult ; Blood Pressure ; Emergencies ; Emergency Service, Hospital* ; Hospital Mortality* ; Humans ; Hypotension* ; Incidence ; Intubation ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; Logistic Models ; Mortality ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors*

Objective: Optimism, social support, and spirituality can be important factors related to coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) stress. However, studies investigating the influence and interplay of optimism, social support, and spirituality on COVID-19 simultaneously are still few. This study is aimed to explore the influence of optimism, social support, and spirituality on COVID-19 stress in the Christian church community. Methods: A total 350 participants were included in this study. This study was cross-sectionally conducted by using an online survey on optimism, social support, spirituality, and COVID-19 stress that were measured by the Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R), Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support Scale (MSPSS), Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS), and COVID-19 Stress Scale for Korean People (CSSK). The prediction models for COVID-19 stress were analyzed by using univariate and multiple linear regression. Results: Based on the results of univariate linear regression, subjective feelings on income (p<0.001) and health status (p<0.001), LOTR (p<0.001), MSPSS (p=0.025), and SWBS (p<0.001) scores were significantly associated with COVID-19 stress. The multiple linear regression model with subjective feelings on income and health status and SWSB score was significant (p<0.001) and explained 17.7% of the variance (R2=0.177). Conclusion This study showed that subjective feeling on low income, those who had poor health status, lower optimism, lower perceived social support, and lower spirituality were significantly affected with COVID-19 stress. Especially, the model with subjective feelings on income and health status, and spirituality showed highly significant effects, despite the interaction with associated factors. To cope with unpredictable stressful situations like the COVID-19 pandemic, integrated interventions on psycho-socio-spiritual aspect are warranted.

PURPOSE: To develop and validate a scale suitable and efficient scale for use in clinical practice as to assess pain in premature infants. METHOD: Pain indicators identified by observation of preterm infants. A cohort of preterm infants was studied prospectively to determine the construct validity, inter-rater reliability, and internal consistency of the scale. The PIPS uses four indicators of pain: corrected gestational age, heart rate, oxygen saturation, behavioral state. The validation study included 45 premature infants with gestational age of 37 weeks or less. RESULTS: The inter-rater reliability of the PIPS was acceptable, with Pearson correlations ranging from .720 to .970. Internal consistency was high: Cronbach's alpha coefficients ranged from .551 to .653. There was a strong correlation between the PIPS and PIPP scores (each researcher's r=.743, each indicator's r=.914). Although gestational age showed no association between these factors and the sum, the other variables were positively associated with the sum. Time needed to calculate PIPS scores is was less than Premature Infant Pain Profile (PIPP) scores(p<.000). CONCLUSION: The validation data suggest that the PIPS is appropriate and efficient for assessing pain in premature infants. Further studies are required about to determine appropriate interventions for each pain score on the PIPS.
Cohort Studies ; Gestational Age ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature* ; Oxygen ; Prospective Studies

Relapsing polychondritis (RP) is a rare multisystem autoimmune disease of unknown origin characterized by recurrent episodes of inflammation and progressive destruction of cartilaginous tissues. We present a patient diagnosed with meningoencephalitis associated with RP whose initial symptoms included chronic headache with memory disturbance and disorientation. After treatment of meningoencephalitis, the patient had frequent bilateral auricular swelling, polyarthralgia, and sensory neural hearing loss. Although RP is an extremely rare disease, it should be considered as a possible cause of chronic meningoencephalitis.
Arthralgia ; Autoimmune Diseases ; Headache Disorders ; Hearing Loss ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Memory ; Meningoencephalitis* ; Polychondritis, Relapsing* ; Rare Diseases

Background: As the number of large-scale studies involving multiple organizations producing data has steadily increased, an integrated system for a common interoperable format is needed. In response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, a number of global efforts are underway to develop vaccines and therapeutics. We are therefore observing an explosion in the proliferation of COVID-19 data, and interoperability is highly requested in multiple institutions participating simultaneously in COVID-19 pandemic research. Results: In this study, a laboratory information management system (LIMS) approach has been adopted to systemically manage various COVID-19 non-clinical trial data, including mortality, clinical signs, body weight, body temperature, organ weights, viral titer (viral replication and viral RNA), and multiorgan histopathology, from multiple institutions based on a web interface. The main aim of the implemented system is to integrate, standardize, and organize data collected from laboratories in multiple institutes for COVID-19 non-clinical efficacy testings. Six animal biosafety level 3 institutions proved the feasibility of our system. Substantial benefits were shown by maximizing collaborative high-quality non-clinical research. Conclusions This LIMS platform can be used for future outbreaks, leading to accelerated medical product development through the systematic management of extensive data from non-clinical animal studies.