BACKGROUND

Burn injuries remain a significant global public health problem, causing substantial morbidity, mortality, and economic burden, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where nearly 90% of cases occur. Despite the importance of timely and appropriate first aid in reducing complications, community responses to burn injuries in many settings continue to rely on traditional or non-evidence-based practices.

OBJECTIVES

This qualitative phenomenological study explored community-based knowledge and responses related to the causes and first aid of burn injuries.

METHODS

The study involved ten (10) purposively selected informants residing in South Mangga Dua Urban Village, Central Jakarta, Indonesia. Data collection methods included semi-structured interviews, direct observations, and focus group discussions (FGDs). Thematic analysis was used.

RESULTS

Three (3) core domains were identified: (1) community perceptions of burn causes and classifications, (2) indigenous first aid practices used in domestic settings, and (3) sources of knowledge and information pathways related to burn first aid. Participants commonly attributed burns to incidents involving fire, hot liquids, and electrical faults. Their understanding of burn severity was limited to superficial assessments, with little awareness of clinical classifications. First aid responses were largely based on traditional practices such as the application of toothpaste, honey, or aloe vera, while evidencebased practices like using running water were rarely mentioned. Notably, most participants relied on familial teachings and informal community experiences as their primary sources of knowledge, with limited exposure to health professionals or verified media content.

CONCLUSION

Community knowledge is culturally rooted but misaligned with medical standards, potentially leading to unsafe practices. Culturally sensitive health education integrating traditional beliefs and accurate information is essential to improve outcomes in burn injury management.

Wounds And Injuries ; Residence Characteristics ; Public Health ; Mortality ; Insemination, Artificial, Heterologous ; Income ; Financial Stress ; Burns ; Health Education ; Attitude ; First Aid ; Medicine ; Health Communication ; Urban Population

BACKGROUND

Burn injuries remain a significant global public health problem, causing substantial morbidity, mortality, and economic burden, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where nearly 90% of cases occur. Despite the importance of timely and appropriate first aid in reducing complications, community responses to burn injuries in many settings continue to rely on traditional or non-evidence-based practices.

OBJECTIVES

This qualitative phenomenological study explored community-based knowledge and responses related to the causes and first aid of burn injuries.

METHODS

The study involved ten (10) purposively selected informants residing in South Mangga Dua Urban Village, Central Jakarta, Indonesia. Data collection methods included semi-structured interviews, direct observations, and focus group discussions (FGDs). Thematic analysis was used.

RESULTS

Three (3) core domains were identified: (1) community perceptions of burn causes and classifications, (2) indigenous first aid practices used in domestic settings, and (3) sources of knowledge and information pathways related to burn first aid. Participants commonly attributed burns to incidents involving fire, hot liquids, and electrical faults. Their understanding of burn severity was limited to superficial assessments, with little awareness of clinical classifications. First aid responses were largely based on traditional practices such as the application of toothpaste, honey, or aloe vera, while evidencebased practices like using running water were rarely mentioned. Notably, most participants relied on familial teachings and informal community experiences as their primary sources of knowledge, with limited exposure to health professionals or verified media content.

CONCLUSION

Community knowledge is culturally rooted but misaligned with medical standards, potentially leading to unsafe practices. Culturally sensitive health education integrating traditional beliefs and accurate information is essential to improve outcomes in burn injury management.

Wounds And Injuries ; Residence Characteristics ; Public Health ; Mortality ; Insemination, Artificial, Heterologous ; Income ; Financial Stress ; Burns ; Health Education ; Attitude ; First Aid ; Medicine ; Health Communication ; Urban Population

INTRODUCTION

The social determinants of health refer to an individual's social, political, and economic situation and environment, which can have an impact on their health. On the other hand, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) reflect the mortalities and morbidities incurred due to disease and injury.

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to analyze the social determinants of health indicators and their association with communicable, non-communicable, and injury-related DALYs and deaths.

METHODS

Data from World Health Organization, World Bank, and International Labor Organization were used and considered for the 17 Social Determinants of Health categories. Logistic regression was used to determine the relationship of social determinants of health indicators with communicable, non-communicable, and injury-related DALYs and deaths.

RESULTS

Results show that an increase in the population, monetary poverty, adult illiteracy, and fine particulate matter increase IPNN DALYs. This study also found correlations of socioeconomic factors to NCD deaths and DALYs attributable to the environment. NCD DALYs and deaths are found to increase with the number of poor living with 3.10 dollars a day, while median daily per capita income, and increase in persons above retiring age receiving pension decrease NCD DALYs attributable to the environment. Focusing on injury DALYs and deaths, an increase in the number of poor living at 3.10 dollars a day, non-agricultural informal employment, and total average concentration of f ine particulate matter increases injury DALYs while the latter is observed to decrease when there is an increase in the medial daily per capita income, agricultural employment outside the formal sector, and vulnerable persons covered by social assistance.

CONCLUSION

Socio-economic factors such as income, employment, education, and social welfare program affect morbidity, disability, and mortality.

Human ; Social Determinants Of Health ; Disability-adjusted Life Years ; Injury ; Wounds And Injuries ; Morbidity ; Mortality

INTRODUCTION

It is anticipated that Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) has greater risk in acquiring COVID-19 infection and poorer outcome. However, current worldwide data are conflicting.

OBJECTIVES

This study primarily aims to compare the outcomes of COVID-19 patients with COPD and those without COPD in terms of length of hospital stay (LOS), recovery or mortality, treatment received, and predictors of mortality.

METHODS

This is a retrospective cohort chart review of 1,017 admitted adult COVID-19 patients from July to December 2020. Age, gender, smoking status, current control and medications for COPD, COVID-19 severity, symptoms, treatment, and outcomes of the two study groups were compared.

RESULTS

Prevalence rate of COPD was 3.8%. COVID-19 patients with COPD were older (median age of 69 vs 54, pCONCLUSION

COPD increases the risk for severe COVID-19 and lengthens LOS.

Human ; Covid-19 ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive ; Mortality

Yinyang Gongji Pills have the effects of strengthening the body resistance to eliminate pathogenic factors, removing stasis, and reducing swelling, which is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) formula for treating intestinal accumulation. A real-world, registered, and single-arm clinical trial was conducted to observe the clinical efficacy and safety of Yinyang Gongji Pills combined with capecitabine in the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer and analyze the clinical characteristics of the patients. A total of 60 patients with advanced colorectal cancer who refused or could not tolerate standard treatment of western medicine were included in the study. They were treated with Yinyang Gongji Pills combined with capecitabine until disease progression or intolerable adverse events occurred. The main observation indicators were progression-free survival(PFS) and safety. The treatment effects of the patients under different baseline characteristics were analyzed. The clinical trial has found that the median PFS of all enrolled patients was 7.3 months, with 30.1% of patients having a PFS exceeding 12.0 months. Layered analysis showed that the median PFS of patients with the onset site being the colon and rectum were respectively 8.4 and 4.7 months. The median PFS of patients with high, medium, and low tumor burden were respectively 7.0, 4.7, and 10.8 months. The median PFS of patients with wild-type and mutant-type RAS/BRAF were respectively 7.9 and 6.9 months. The median PFS of patients with KPS scores ≥80 and ≤70 were respectively 7.9 and 6.5 months. The median PFS of patients treated with Yinyang Gongji Pills for ≥6, 3-6, and ≤3 months were respectively 8.0, 5.2, and 4.2 months. The median PFS of patients with spleen, kidney, liver, and lung syndrome differentiation in TCM were respectively 8.3, 6.7, 7.3, and 5.6 months. The median PFS of patients with TCM pathological factors including phlegm, dampness, and blood stasis were respectively 7.0, 7.3, and 6.5 months. Common adverse reactions include anemia, decreased white blood cells, decreased appetite, fatigue, and hand foot syndrome, with incidence rates being respectively 44.2%, 34.6%, 42.3%, 32.7%, and 17.3%. The results showed that the combination of Yinyang Gongji Pills and capecitabine demonstrated potential clinical efficacy and good safety in this study. The patients have clinical characteristics such as low tumor burden, onset site at the colon, KPS scores ≥ 80, long duration of oral TCM, and TCM syndrome differentiation including spleen or liver.
Humans ; Capecitabine/adverse effects* ; Colorectal Neoplasms/mortality* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/adverse effects* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Female ; Aged ; Adult ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVES: To develop and validate a preoperative clinical-radiomics model for predicting overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) in patients with extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (eCCA) undergoing radical resection. METHODS: In this retrospective study, consecutive patients with pathologically-confirmed eCCA who underwent radical resection at our institution from 2015 to 2022 were included. The patients were divided into a training cohort and a validation cohort according to the chronological order of their CT examinations. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO)-Cox regression was employed to select predictive radiomic features and clinical variables. The selected features and variables were incorporated into a Cox regression model. Model performance for 1-year OS and DFS prediction was assessed using calibration curves, area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), and concordance index (C-index). RESULTS: This study included 123 patients (mean age 64.0 ± 8.4 years, 85 males/38 females), with 86 in the training cohort and 37 in the validation cohort. The OS-predicting model included four clinical variables and four radiomic features. It achieved a training cohort AUC of 0.858 (C-index = 0.800) and a validation cohort AUC of 0.649 (C-index = 0.605). The DFS-predicting model included four clinical variables and four other radiomic features. It achieved a training cohort AUC of 0.830 (C-index = 0.760) and a validation cohort AUC of 0.717 (C-index = 0.616). CONCLUSIONS The preoperative clinical-radiomics models show promise as a tool for predicting 1-year OS and DFS in eCCA patients after radical surgery.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Retrospective Studies ; Middle Aged ; Cholangiocarcinoma/mortality* ; Prognosis ; Bile Duct Neoplasms/mortality* ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed/methods* ; Aged ; Radiomics

COMPERA 2.0 risk stratification has been demonstrated to be useful in patients with precapillary pulmonary hypertension (PH). However, its suitability for patients at risk for post-capillary PH or PH associated with left heart disease (PH-LHD) is unclear. To investigate the use of COMPERA 2.0 in patients with severe aortic stenosis (SAS) undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), who are at risk for post-capillary PH, a total of 327 eligible SAS patients undergoing TAVR at our institution between September 2015 and November 2020 were included in the study. Patients were classified into four strata before and after TAVR using the COMPERA 2.0 risk score. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality. Survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier curves, log-rank test, and Cox proportional hazards regression model. The study cohort had a median (interquartile range) age of 76 (70‒80) years and a pulmonary arterial systolic pressure of 33 (27‒43) mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa) before TAVR. The overall mortality was 11.9% during 26 (15‒47) months of follow-up. Before TAVR, cumulative mortality was higher with an increase in the risk stratum level (log-rank, both P<0.001); each increase in the risk stratum level resulted in an increased risk of death (hazard ratio (HR) 2.53, 95% confidential interval (CI) 1.54‒4.18, P<0.001), which was independent of age, sex, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), hemoglobin, albumin, and valve type (HR 1.76, 95% CI 1.01‒3.07, P=0.047). Similar results were observed at 30 d after TAVR. COMPERA 2.0 can serve as a useful tool for risk stratification in patients with SAS undergoing TAVR, indicating its potential application in the management of PH-LHD. Further validation is needed in patients with confirmed post-capillary PH by right heart catheterization.
Humans ; Aortic Valve Stenosis/complications* ; Aged ; Hypertension, Pulmonary/mortality* ; Male ; Female ; Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement ; Aged, 80 and over ; Risk Assessment/methods* ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the correlation of mean arterial oxygen tension (PaO₂) during the first 24 h following intensive care unit (ICU) admission with mortality in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) and determine the optimal PaO₂ threshold for devising oxygen therapy strategies for these patients. METHODS: We collected the clinical data of ICU patients with AKI from the MIMIC-IV database. Based on the optimal first 24-h PaO₂ threshold determined by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and the Youden index maximization principle, we classified the patients into hyperoxia group (with PaO₂ ≥137.029 mmHg) and hypoxemia group (PaO₂<137.029 mm Hg). Multivariable logistic regression and propensity score matching were used to evaluate the correlation of first 24-h PaO₂ levels with in-hospital mortality of the patients. RESULTS: Among the 18 335 patients, 46.7% were in the hyperoxia group, who had an overall mortality rate of 16.9%. The optimal PaO₂ threshold (137.029 mm Hg) had a sensitivity of 78.3%, a specificity of 63.7%, and an AUC of 0.76 (95% CI: 0.74=0.78). Hyperoxia within the first 24 h after ICU admission was associated with a significantly lower in-hospital mortality (OR=0.78) and 90-day mortality (OR=0.77), particularly in stage 1 AKI patients. A non-linear relationship was identified between PaO₂ and mortality of the patients (P<0.001). Kaplan-Meier survival curves indicated a significantly increased 90-day survival rate in the patients in hyperoxia group (P<0.001), who also had shorter durations of mechanical ventilation, less vasopressor use, and shorter lengths of hospital/ICU stay. CONCLUSIONS Maintenance of a PaO₂ level ≥137.029 mmHg within 24 h after ICU admission may improve clinical outcomes of critically ill AKI patients, which underscores the importance of targeted oxygen delivery in ICU care.
Humans ; Acute Kidney Injury/blood* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Intensive Care Units ; Aged ; Oxygen/blood* ; Hospital Mortality ; Partial Pressure ; Adult ; Databases, Factual

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association of serum albumin level after human albumin infusion with 28-day mortality in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) and its impact on 90-day outcomes of the patients. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study based on the MIMIC IV database (2008-2019), including 5918 AKI patients treated with albumin in the ICU. Based on serum albumin levels within 72 h after albumin infusion, the patients were divided into low (<30 g/L), medium (30-35 g/L), and high albumin (>35 g/L) groups. Restricted cubic spline regression and multivariate logistic regression were used to analyze the association of albumin levels with patient mortality, and the results were verified in a external validation cohort consisting of 110 sepsis-induced AKI patients treated in Nanfang Hospital between 2017 and 2022 using survival analysis and multivariate adjustment. RESULTS: In the MIMIC training cohort, multivariate logistic regression showed no significant differences in 28-day mortality of the patients with different albumin levels (P>0.05). However, restricted cubic spline analysis indicated a non-linear dose-response relationship between albumin levels and 28-day mortality (threshold effect: risk increased when albumin levels >3.6 g/dL). Secondary endpoint analysis revealed that the patients with high albumin levels had a shorter duration of mechanical ventilation (P<0.001) but a longer ICU stay (P<0.001). In the validation cohort, albumin levels ≥30 g/L were significantly associated with a reduced 28-day mortality rate (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS The association between increased serum albumin levels following albumin infusion and 28-day mortality of critically ill patients with AKI exhibits a cohort dependency and can be influenced by multiple factors including disease type and severity, infusion strategies, and statistical methods.
Humans ; Acute Kidney Injury/therapy* ; Critical Illness/mortality* ; Retrospective Studies ; Serum Albumin/analysis* ; Male ; Female ; Intensive Care Units ; Middle Aged ; Logistic Models ; Aged

OBJECTIVES: To conduct a comprehensive analysis of the global burden of diarrheal diseases in children under 5 years. METHODS: The data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 were analyzed to assess the incidence, mortality rates and average annual percentage changes (AAPC) of diarrhea among children under 5 years across nations(regions) and GBD regions from 1990 to 2021 using joinpoint regression. Smoothed curve regression was employed to explore the correlation of diarrheal disease burden with the Social Development Index (SDI) and for analyzing the burden of specific diarrheal pathogens. The Slope and Concentration Indices quantified disparities across SDI levels and the future trend were projected by the Bayesian Age-Period-Cohort (BAPC) model. RESULTS: From 1990 to 2021, the global incidence (AAPC: -3.65) and mortality (AAPC: -5.15) rates of diarrheal diseases declined steadily in children below 5 years. In 2021, neonates (<28 days) were the most affected, with an incidence rate of 138 058.74 per 100 000 and a mortality rate of 251.14 per 100 000. Rotavirus was the leading cause of death. The incidence rate of diarrheal diseases was negatively correlated with SDI, and the Concentration Index decreased from -0.293 in 1990 to -0.314 in 2021 without a significant gender difference. The BAPC model suggested that the global incidence rate of diarrheal diseases tends to decrease progressively from 2022 to 2050, with a predicted rate of 23 448.04 per 100 000 for male and 29 932.59 per 100 000 for female by 2050. CONCLUSIONS Despite the reduction in the global burden of diarrhea and the projection of its further decline, diarrheal diseases disproportionately affect neonates and low-SDI regions. While rotavirus remains the primary etiological agent worldwide, the predominant pathogens vary by nations (regions) and GBD regions, and strengthened interventions targeting vulnerable populations are needed.
Humans ; Child, Preschool ; Diarrhea/mortality* ; Infant ; Incidence ; Infant, Newborn ; Global Burden of Disease/trends* ; Global Health ; Male ; Bayes Theorem ; Female