The latest medical research on Retrieval Medicine

To explore the preparedness and training needs of a regional public mental health workforce to support people with intellectual disability and mental ill health.

A mixed-methods design comprised a survey, interviews and a focus group to collect data about staff attitudes, confidence, education and professional development regarding supporting people with intellectual disability and mental ill health. Descriptive and thematic analyses were used.

Data from 31 survey respondents, seven interviews and one focus group were analysed. Survey descriptive analyses showed participants believed treating people with intellectual disability was part of their role but reported areas of low confidence along with insufficient education and training in intellectual disability mental health. Thematic analyses from interviews showed that underpinning confidence, education and training were the themes (1) need for flexibility, such as having more time and (2) solutions but with challenges, such as limited opportunity to upskill and availability of experts. A need for collaborative problem-solving where staff share skills and information to work towards person-centred solutions was a key theme from the focus group analysis.

Professional development in intellectual disability mental health is required for the regional public mental health workforce but needs to account for the challenges experienced and reflect how teams function. Exploration of described preparedness offered a possible learning approach informed by workforce members. Collaborative learning approaches to supporting people with intellectual disability and mental ill health are suggested.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of the central venous-to-arterial carbon dioxide partial pressure difference (Pcv-aCO2) on the administration of cardiotonic drugs in patients with early-stage septic shock.

A retrospective study was conducted on 120 patients suffering from septic shock. At admission, the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and Pcv-aCO2 of the patients were obtained. On the premise of mean arterial pressure (MAP) ≥ 65 mmHg, the patients were divided into two groups according to the treatment approaches adopted by different doctors-Control group: LVEF ≤50%; Observation group: Pcv-aCO2 ≥ 6. Both groups received cardiotonic therapy.

The two groups of patients had similar general conditions and pre-resuscitation conditions (P > 0.05). Compared to the Control group, the Observation group had a higher MAP, Lac clearance rate, and urine output after six hours of resuscitation (P < 0.05), but a lower absolute value of Lac, total fluid intake in 24 hours, and a lower number of patients receiving renal replacement therapy during hospitalization (P < 0.05). After six hours of resuscitation, the percentages of patients meeting central venous oxygen saturation and central venous pressure targets were not significantly different between the Control and Observation groups (P > 0.05). There was no difference in the 28-day mortality rate between the two groups (P > 0.05).

Pcv-aCO2 is more effective than LVEF in guiding the administration of cardiotonic drugs in the treatment of patients with septic shock.

This study clarified the relationship between sex with survival and transfusion volume in severe trauma cases.

A multicenter, collaborative post-hoc analysis of patients with trauma in Japan was conducted. Patients aged ≥18 years with severe trauma indicated by an Injury Severity Score (ISS) of 16 or higher were enrolled. Patients were matched and analyzed by gender based on propensity score with factors determined at the time of injury. Subgroup analysis was performed on patients younger than 50 years and older than 50 years. The significance level was defined as p < 0.05.

The 1,189 patients included in this registry were divided into adjusted groups of 226 male and female patients each. In the main analysis, 28-day survival rates in females were significantly higher than those in males (p = 0.046). In the subgroup analyses, there was no statistically significant prognostic effect of gender. Secondary outcomes, including transfusion volume, showed no significant gender-based variations. Logistic regression analyses consistently demonstrated that female sex was a significant favorable prognostic factor in all ages. This was true for the over-50 group on subgroup analysis, but no significant gender-prognosis relationship was identified in the under-50 age group. High ISS were associated with poorer outcomes across all age groups.

In severe trauma, survival at 28 days was significantly lower in males. However, this trend was not observed in patients aged ˂50 years. Factors other than sex hormones may be responsible for differences in posttraumatic outcomes by gender.