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The purpose of this subset analysis was to examine the effect of a symptom management (SM) intervention on postoperative symptom evaluation, physical functioning, and physical activity among the female participants (N = 40) of the larger parent study of coronary artery bypass graft patients aged 65 years and older. The intervention group (n = 23) had significantly lower fatigue scores at 6 weeks (Z = 1.96, P < .05) and higher levels of physical activity (Z = -1.71, P < .05) reflected in the expended kcal(-1) x kg x d(-1), as measured by the activity diary at 3 months after coronary artery bypass graft surgery. At 6 weeks and 3 months after surgery, there were significant correlations between cardiac surgery-related recovery symptoms (shortness of breath, fatigue, depression, incision pain, and sleep problems) and physical functioning (physical, vitality, and bodily pain functioning subscale scores), with correlations ranging from 0.31 to 0.46. Given that this was a subset analysis of a larger study, significant differences were not expected for all variables. Study findings support the need for a targeted (women-focused) and tailored (self-management recovery) intervention to assist females in recovering from coronary artery bypass graft surgery to improve symptom management, thereby enhancing physical functioning and physical activity outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: This pilot study examined the effect of a home communication intervention (HCI) to augment home health care (HHC) on functioning and recovery outcomes of elderly patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft. DESIGN: A randomized, experimental two-group (N = 50) repeated-measures design was used. Both HCI and control subjects received HHC, and the HCI group also received the 12-week HCI delivered by a telehealth device, the Health Buddy (Health Hero Network). The Medical Outcome Study Short Form-36 measured physiologic and psychosocial functioning at baseline, 6 weeks, and 3 months after surgery. Follow-up subject interviews ascertained self-report of postoperative problems and health care use. SAMPLE: Subjects had an average age of 75.3 years and included males (56%) and females (44%). RESULTS: By using repeated-measures analyses of covariance, covariating for the total number of HHC visits, HCI subjects, compared with the HHC group only, had a significantly higher adjusted mean general health functioning score (F = 8.41 [1, 36], P < .01). There were significant time effects on physical, role-physical, and mental health functioning, indicating that both groups improved over time. The groups reported similar postoperative problems; however, the control group had more emergency department visits than the HCI group. CONCLUSIONS: Findings demonstrate the potential benefit of using an HCI to further augment outcomes of high-risk patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery referred to HHC after hospitalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three female patients with a serious form of Raynaud's disease, especially in the lower extremities, are described. The patients were examined with the aid of skin temperature measurements and reflection photoplethysmography. It was possible to abolish the spastic conditions which also existed in the fingers, although to a lesser degree, with intravenous injections of or Duvadilan. The vessels of the toe, however, showed neither subjective nor objective reaction to these injections. Medical treatment did not lead to improvement in any one of the patients, and sympathectomy of the lower extremities had to be undertaken in all of them. Some months after this operation all patients developed serious spastic conditions in the upper extremities; these conditions could no longer be influenced by medical treatment, and sympathectomy of the upper extremities also became necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this pilot study was to test the impact of a symptom management intervention (using a device called the Health Buddy) on recovery outcomes (symptom evaluation and response and postoperative problems) of elderly coronary artery bypass graft patients at time of discharge, at 2, 4, and 6 weeks after surgery, and at 6 months after surgery. While there were no statistically significant differences found for many of the study variables, there were trends in the intervention group of more improvement for many of the outcome variables, supporting the need for a randomized clinical trial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]