Background: The notification of unexpected and violent death represents a challenging experience for police officers and health workers. These professionals are exposed to very intense emotions during this task. Aim: We aimed to investigate the degree of preparation, and the emotions and attitudes of police officers and health professionals while communicating such a death. Method: An ad hoc online questionnaire was created and disseminated through Qualtrics software. The participants were recruited through the institutional channels of Police, the College of Physicians, the ONG De Leo Fund and the Department of General Psychology of the University of Padua. In this qualitative study, thematic content analysis was used to examine the responses. Results: A total of 155 individuals participated in the study (44 females, 111 males): 102 individuals were police officers, 23 were doctors and were 30 nurses. Five main themes were identified: (1) how the communication took place; (2) the experiences during the communication; (3) the difficulties encountered; (4) coping strategies, and (5) forms of support. Most communications were performed in person, and most represented an intense emotional experience for the notifiers. There is a generalised lack of specific preparation and training for this practice. The recipient’s characteristics (culture of origin, language, age, health conditions, psychological vulnerability) may add to the difficulties of the notification process. Professionals unload their tension by practicing sport, relying on their hobbies or interacting socially. The presence of other colleagues during and after the death notification is usually able to alleviate the burden of the communication. Conclusions: Communication modalities can have a profound impact on the recipients and intensify the trauma of the loss; however, they also have the possibility of mitigating it. The notification of a violent and unexpected death remains a difficult and challenging task for the notifier, which is potentially stressful and emotionally charged. The topic is of great relevance and more research should be promoted in this area.
(1) Background: The loss of a significant person can be especially traumatic when death comes without warning and is due to causes such as suicide, murder and accidents. The way an individual is informed about the loss can affect the way of adapting to the loss and the quality of life of survivors. Communication modalities of the notifier may deeply influence the bereavement process. Aim: The present investigation aimed to explore the experience of those who received communication of such a type of death by a professional figure. (2) Method: Snowball sampling was used to recruit the participants to this qualitative study. Social networks, word of mouth and researchers’ acquaintances were used, including clients of the NGO De Leo Fund. A total of 52 Italian people (eight males and forty four females, mean age = 49.44; SD = 14.23) who received notification of the death of a loved one by police officers or by health professionals participated in the study. Deaths involved cases of suicide, murder, road accident and mountain accident. (3) Results: The following four key themes were identified: (a) how the communication took place; (b) reactions; (c) support; and (d) coping strategies. Only 22 participants reported having received clear information about the dynamics of what happened; the rest of the sample obtained only poor or ambiguous information. The majority of participants sought or received informal support from family and friends immediately after notification; however, some participants experienced a total lack of support. The opportunity to see the body of the loved one for the last farewell, when denied, caused discomfort in recipients of the news. (4) Conclusions: Even the impactful notification of a traumatic death such as suicide or road accident can be mitigated by the appropriate behaviour and attitude of notifiers, who should always avoid providing generic or ambiguous information about what happened. The notification process should not end with the simple transmission of the communication, but should also look at the following phases by including referral to supportive networks or bereavement services, aimed at assisting individuals in the immediate aftermath but also in the long term.
Background and Aims The aim of this prospective study is to investigate the long term safety and efficacy of intesified B-cell depletion therapy (IBCDT) in patients with active lupus nephritis (LN), in comparison to a conventional immunosuppresant therapy, followed by a 3 year maintenence micophenolate mofetil (MMF) regimen. Method Thirty patients were administered an IBCDT (4 weekly rituximab [RTX] 375 mg/m2 and 2 more doses after 1 and 2 months; 2 infusions of 10 mg/kg cyclophosphamide [CYC], 3 methylprednisolone pulses), followed by oral prednisone (tapered to 5 mg/d by the third month). No immunosuppressive maintenance therapy was given. Thirty patients matched for LN class and age were selected as controls: 20 received 3 methylprednisolone pulses days followed by oral prednisone and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) 2 to 3 g/d, whereas 10 were given the Euro Lupus CYC. MMF (1-2 g/daily) or azathioprine (AZA, 1-2 mg/kg/day) were given for > 3 years as a maintenance therapy. Results At 12 months, complete renal remission was observed in 93% of patients on IBCDT, in 62.7% on MMF, and in 75% on CYC (P = 0.03); the dose of oral prednisone was lower in the IBCDT group (mean ± SD 2.9 ± 5.0 mg/dl) than MMF (10.5 ± 8.0 mg/d, P < 0.01) or CYC group (7.5 ± 9.0 mg/d, P < 0.01). Mean follow-up after treatment was 44.5 months (interquartile range [IQR] 36-120 months), 48.6 months (IQR 36-120 months), and 45.3 (IQR 36-120 months) for IBCDT, MMF, and CYC, respectively. At their last follow-up visit, we observed no significant differences in proteinuria and serum creatinine, nor in the frequency of new flares among the 3 groups. Conclusion In biopsy-proven LN, the IBCDT without further immunosuppressive maintenance therapy was shown to be as effective as conventional regimen of MMF or CYC followed by >3-year maintenance either MMF or AZA regimen. Moreover, the use of IBCDT was associated with a marked reduction of glucocorticoid cumulative dose.
Background and Aims A considerable number of patients with high clinical suspicion for cryoglobulinaemic vasculitis either show negative results for the detection of cryoglobulins or show only trace amounts which cannot be characterized for composition. We aimed at establishing whether the failure to detect or the detection of trace amounts of cryoglobulin with conventional methods either identifies a peculiar subset of low level cryoglobulinaemia (from now on hypocryoglobulinaemia) or represents a separate entity. Method Using a modified precipitation technique in hypo-ionic medium, we prospectively identified between 2008 and 2021 237 patients (median age 60.8 years [22-97], 137 females) having <0.5% cryocrit and clinical suspicion of autoimmune disorder Results 54 out of 237 patients (22.7%) had a history of HCV infection. 169 out of 237 patients (71%) had an established underlying disease, while 68 patients (28.6%) (median age 62.9 years [29-93], 35 females) did not show either laboratory markers or clinical symptoms consonant with an underlying aetiology. These 68 cases with only trace amounts of cryoglobulins were defined as having a putatively idiopathic hypocryoglobulinaemia. Nineteen of these 68 patients (27.9%) had a history of HCV infection. Twenty-four patients out of 68 (35.3%) were positive for rheumatoid factor (RF), while 25 (36.7%) patients had signs of complement consumption, and 36 (52.9%) had increased inflammatory indexes. Seven patients only had arthralgia and constitutional symptoms while 61 out of 68 (89.7%) presented with at least one of the three cardinal signs of cryoglobulinaemic vasculitis including skin lesions, peripheral nerve involvement, and glomerulonephritis. Seventy-five percent of the subjects had type III hypocryoglobulins. In patients with hypocryoglobulinaemia the histologic features of glomerulonephritis (also examined by electron microscopy) resembled those of mixed cryoglobulinaemia-associated glomerulonephritis Conclusion In conclusion, hypocryoglobulins are often polyclonal and are mainly unrelated to HCV infection. Patients who present high clinical suspicion for vasculitis, especially glomerulonephritis and yet test negative for cryoglobulinaemia detected by standard techniques, could require deeper investigation even in the absence of HCV infection, RF activity or signs of complement consumption.
Background and Aims Remarkable results in severe HCV-related cryoglobulinemic vasculitis have been obtained with Rituximab. Details of the clinical characteristics and effective treatment of non HCV-related cryogloulinemic syndromes are presently lacking. Method This paper reports on a prospective single-Center open study aimed at evaluating the clinical presentation and effects of Rituximab administered alone in patients with severe non HCV-related cryoglobulinemic syndrome Results The study group included 11 patients followed for at least 6 months. Three patients had type I cryoglobulinemia, 6 had type II and the remaining 2 patients had type III. Mean cryocrit was 2.5%. Four out of 11 patients had symptomatic sicca complex with anti-SSA (Ro)/anti SSB (La) antibodies. All 11 patients presented with biopsy-proven renal involvement, 4 out of 11 with leukocytoclastic vasculitis, and 8 with involvement of the peripheral nervous system. Renal biopsy revealed diffuse membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) in 9 out of 11 patients. Extracapillary proliferation and necrosis of the glomerular tuft was observed in 1 of these 9 cases. Interstitial nephritis together with mesangial expansion and capillary immune deposits were observed in 1 patient. Prevalent interstitial fibrosis and glomerular sclerosis were detected in the remaining case. Patients underwent treatment with rituximab alone. After 6 months we observed a remarkable improvement in the necrotizing skin ulcers and a substantial amelioration of the electrophysiological parameters of motor and sensory peripheral neuropathy. Improvement in both renal function (from 2.8 to 1.4 mg/dl, p < 0.001) and proteinuria (from 4.2 g/24 to 0.4 g/24 h, p < 0.001) was found in 10 out of 11 patients, while 1 could not be fully treated because of a severe infusion reaction and sudden development of anti-Rituximab antibodies. Good renal response was confirmed at the end of follow-up (38.4 months). Three patients had a relapse at 6, 12, and 48 months, respectively. Conclusion In our cohort the administration of 4 once-weekly infusions of Rituximab followed by 2 more infusions after 1 and 2 months proved to be effective in the management of these rare patients.
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