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Context Intimate partner violence against women can have negative mental health consequences for survivors. The effect of interventions designed to improve the survivors' depressive symptoms is unclear.Objective To determine whether an advocacy intervention would improve the depressive symptoms of Chinese women survivors of intimate partner violence' Design, Setting, and Participants Assessor-blind, randomized controlled trial of 200 Chinese women aged 18 years or older with ahistory of intimate partner violence was conducted from February 2007 to June 2009 in a community in Hong Kong, China. Participants were randomly assigned to an intervention or control group.Intervention The intervention group (n:100) received a l2-week advocacy intervention comprising empowerment and telephone social support. The control group (n:100) received usual community services including child care, health care and promotion, and recreational programs.Main Outcome Measures The primary outcome was change in depressive symptoms (Chinese Version of Beck Depression Inventory II) between baseline and 9 months. The minimal clinically important difference was 5 units. Secondary outcomes were changes in intimate partner violence (Chinese Revised Conflict Tactics Scales), health-related qualrty of life (Short Form Health 12 Survey) and perceived social support (Interpersonal Support Evaluation List) between baseline and 9 months. The usefulness of the intervention/usual community services was evaluated at 9 months. Results At 3 months, the mean change of depressive symptoms was 1I.6 (95% confidence interval [CI], 9.5-13.7) in the control group and 14'9 (95yo Cl, in the intervention group. The respective mean changes at 9 months were 19.6 (95o/o CI, 16.6-22.7) and,23.2 (95o CI,20.4-26.0). The intervention effects at 3 and 9 months were not significantly different (P:.86). The intervention significantly reduced depressive symptoms over the control by 2.66 (95Yo,0.26-5.06; P:.03) which was less thanthe minimal clinically important difference. Among the secondary outcomes, statistically significant improvement was found in psychological aggression (-1.87;95% CI: -3.34, -0.40; 3 months: mean change from baseline : 1.5 [95yo CI, -1.0 to 3.9] in the control group and 0.3 l95yo CI, -0.7 to 1.41 in the intervention group; 9 months: mean change from baseline : -6.4195% CI, -7.8 to -5.0] in the control group and -8.9 l95yo CI, -10.6 to -7 .21inthe intervention group) and perceived social support (2.18; 95% CI: 0.48 to 3.89; 3 months: mean change from baseline: 6.4 l95o/o CI, 4.9-7 .8] in the control group and 9 .2 [95yo CI, 7 .7 -10.8] in the intervention group; 9 months: mean change from baseline: 12.4l95yo CI,10.5-14.31 in the control group and I4.4195% CI, l2.l-16.Il in the intervention group) but not in physical assault, sexual coercion, and health-related quality of life. By the end of the study, more women in the intervention group found the intervention to be useful-extremely useful in improving their intimate relationships vs those in the con...

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Background A high proportion of COVID-19 patients were reported to have cardiac involvements. Data pertaining to cardiac sequalae is of urgent importance to define subsequent cardiac surveillance. Methods We performed a systematic cardiac screening for 97 consecutive COVID-19 survivors including electrocardiogram (ECG), echocardiography, serum troponin and NT-proBNP assay 1–4 weeks after hospital discharge. Treadmill exercise test and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) were performed according to initial screening results. Results The mean age was 46.5 ± 18.6 years; 53.6% were men. All were classified with non-severe disease without overt cardiac manifestations and did not require intensive care. Median hospitalization stay was 17 days and median duration from discharge to screening was 11 days. Cardiac abnormalities were detected in 42.3% including sinus bradycardia (29.9%), newly detected T-wave abnormality (8.2%), elevated troponin level (6.2%), newly detected atrial fibrillation (1.0%), and newly detected left ventricular systolic dysfunction with elevated NT-proBNP level (1.0%). Significant sinus bradycardia with heart rate below 50 bpm was detected in 7.2% COVID-19 survivors, which appeared to be self-limiting and recovered over time. For COVID-19 survivors with persistent elevation of troponin level after discharge or newly detected T wave abnormality, echocardiography and CMR did not reveal any evidence of infarct, myocarditis, or left ventricular systolic dysfunction. Conclusion Cardiac abnormality is common amongst COVID-survivors with mild disease, which is mostly self-limiting. Nonetheless, cardiac surveillance in form of ECG and/or serum biomarkers may be advisable to detect more severe cardiac involvement including atrial fibrillation and left ventricular dysfunction.

High recurrent T stage, skull base involvement, repeated recurrence before surgery, nodal metastasis, and positive surgical margins carry a poor prognosis. This is particularly evident with high T stage and concurrent nodal metastasis. However, patients with low T stage have a survival advantage and benefit most from surgical treatment.

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