Purpose: This study evaluated the effectiveness of a nursing intervention program to promote cancer pain self-management for outpatients using a non-randomized controlled trial. Methods: An intervention group underwent 3 sessions of the intervention program. The primary outcome measured was pain intensity (Japanese brief pain inventory [BPI-J]), and the secondary outcomes included the influence of pain on daily life, the effectiveness of pain relief treatment (BPI-J), quality of life (12-item short-form health survey [SF-12]), self-efficacy (pain self-efficacy questionnaire [PSEQ]), and psychological stability (hospital anxiety and depression scale [HADS]). Results: The data from 19 participants in the control and 16 in the intervention groups were analyzed. A comparison of changes in pain intensity before and after the study showed no statistically significant differences between the 2 groups. However, there was a statistically significant difference in the SF-12 role physical, with a decrease in the control group and an increase in the intervention group ( P=0.020). Conclusion: The only significant difference in the amount of change was found in the SF-12 role physical, and the intervention effect of this program could not be clarified. The reason for this was that the number of subjects was less than the sample size.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Twenty-four-hour esophageal impedance and pH monitoring allows detection of all types of reflux episodes and is considered the best technique for identifying gastroesophageal refluxes. However, normative data for the Japanese population are lacking. This multicenter study aimed to establish the normal range of 24-hour esophageal impedance and pH data both in the distal and the proximal esophagus in Japanese subjects. METHODS: Forty-two healthy volunteers (25 men and 17 women) with a mean ± standard deviation age of 33.3 ± 12.4 years (range: 22–72 years) underwent a combined 24-hour esophageal impedance and pH monitoring. According to the physical and pH properties, distal or proximal esophageal reflux events were categorized. RESULTS: Median 45 reflux events occurred in 24 hours, and the 95th percentile was 85 events. Unlike previous reports, liquid-containing reflux events are median 25/24 hours with the 95th percentile of 62/24 hours. Acidic reflux events were median 11/24 hours with the 95th percentile of 39/24 hours. Non-acidic gas reflux events were median 15/24 hours with the 95th percentile of 39/24 hours. Proximal reflux events accounted for 80% of the total reflux events and were mainly non-acidic gas refluxes. About 19% of liquid and mixed refluxes reached the proximal esophagus. CONCLUSIONS: Unlike previous studies, liquid-containing and acidic reflux events may be less frequent in the Japanese population. Non-acidic gas reflux events may be frequent and a cause of frequent proximal reflux events. This study provides important normative data for 24-hour impedance and pH monitoring in both the distal and the proximal esophagus in the Japanese population.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Electric Impedance* ; Esophagus ; Gastroesophageal Reflux ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration* ; Male ; Reference Values*