Search

Background: ASTHMAXcel PRO, an enhanced version of the ASTHMAXcel mobile application, has been developed to deliver comprehensive, guideline-based asthma education while also facilitating the collection of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and enhancing user experience., Objective: To perform field testing and conduct formative and summative evaluation of the ASTHMAXcel PRO application to assess its impact on patient satisfaction, usability, and usage., Methods: Twenty-eight adult patients completed a baseline visit during which ASTHMAXcel PRO was introduced, health literacy was assessed, and demographic data were collected. They were instructed to use the app for 4 weeks. The Questionnaire for User Interface Satisfaction (QUIS) and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) questionnaire were administered at baseline and 4 weeks to assess user satisfaction and technology acceptance, respectively. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to gather feedback regarding the application from patients., Results: The baseline total scores were high for both UTAUT and QUIS (mean (SD): 64.2 (10.1), 6.8 (2.2) respectively) indicating that user satisfaction and acceptance began at high levels. UTAUT total score, as well as all domain scores, improved significantly from baseline to 4 weeks ( p < 0.02). QUIS total score along with several domain scores (screen, system capabilities, usability) also increased from baseline to 4-weeks ( p = 0.03, 0.01, 0.03, 0.01, respectively). These improvements remained significant when adjusting for age, gender, education, and health literacy. Patients reported that the application was helpful, informative, and easy to understand and use., Conclusion: The significant increases in satisfaction and technology adoption observed among ASTHMAXcel PRO users demonstrate that the application is viable and has the potential to improve upon usability challenges faced by existing mobile health applications.

A positive effect on survival of renal grafts of pretransplant blood transfusions have been reported from several centers. The aim of this study was to study if the described graft-protecting effect of blood transfusion was present in the Gothenburg material of transplanted patients, and if this effect could be achieved by deliberately transfusing previously non-transfused patients with two units of leukocyte-reduced blood. The effect on graft survival (GS) of the number and timing of transfusions to recipients, transfusions to the cadaveric donors, HLA-A, B matching, lymphocytotoxic antibodies and pretransplant hemodialysis was also studied. The study includes 844 recipients of primary renal grafts from living related and cadaveric donors (LRD, CD) and 70 patients waiting for transplantation. In the retrospective part of the study the GS of previously transfused and non-transfused non-transfused patients was compared. In the prospective part of the study a protocol with two deliberate transfusions (DT) to previously non-transfused patients was introduced. The GS of the DT group was compared to that for patients transfused for strictly medical reasons (MT) and non-transfused patients (NT). Survival of patients and grafts was calculated according to the life table method. In the retrospective part of study one year GS in LRD transplantation was 86.6% for transfused and 38.4% for non-transfused patients (P less than 0.01). In the first period one year GS in CD transplantation was 62.1% for transfused and 35.1% for non-transfused patients (P less than 0.01). The corresponding figures in the second period were 68.1% and 39.5%, respectively (P less than 0.001). In transfused recipients receiving kidneys from transfused and non-transfused cadaveric donors, the GS was 76.3% and 55.4%, respectively (P less than 0.05). In the prospective part of study the one year GS after LRD transplantation was 85.0% in both the DT and MT groups. In CD transplantation the one year GS was 73.4% and 75.7% of the DT and MT groups, respectively. The GS of each of these two groups was significantly better than that of 20.8% for the NT group (P less than 0.01). Lymphocytotoxic antibodies were detected in 5.0% of the DT group and 23.0% of the MT group (P less than 0.001). Foreign HLA-B series antigens had a negative influence on GS in the first period of the retrospective CD study. Later, no influence on GS was noted of HLA-A, B matching. Hemodialysis prior to transplantation did not influence GS.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Between 1967 and 1978 41 patients were transplanted at an age of 60 years or more. The patient survival was approximately 50% at two years. Most of the dead patients died with functioning grafts. Infections and cardiovascular complications dominated as causes of death. Main complications were cardiovascular diseases, infections, musculosceletal diseases and diabetes. During the last three years results have improved and we will continue to offer kidney transplantation to elderly patients in terminal renal failure.

177 consecutive primary cadaveric renal transplantations were performed during April 1977-October 1980 in our centre. The graft survival in 58 recipients who were transfused with two units of blood for "immunological" reasons was the same as for 107 patients transfused with 1-96 units for medical reasons prior to transplantations. Twelve non-transfused patients had a significantly lower graft survival than the transfused ones (p less than 0.01). No additional beneficial effect of transfusions exceeding two in number was found. When three or more units of blood were given peroperatively to earlier transfused recipients, a lower early graft loss due to rejection was demonstrated than when two or less units were administered. The risk of sensitization of the recipient after two units of leucocyte poor blood was low.