Background:Health education has been considered as the effectiveness method to increase the self-care skills of diabetes patients. However, limited studies to investigate the association of health education via Wechat platform on increased the basic self-care skills and glycemic control rate in patients with type 2 diabetes.Methods:A total number of 120 type 2 diabetes patients were randomized into intervention (health education by Wechat platform plus usual care) and the control group (usual care). Biochemical parameters including fasting plasma glucose (FPG), 2-hour plasma glucose (2hPG), glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) were measured among the 2 groups at baseline 6-month and 12-month. Diabetes Management Self-Efficacy (SE) Scale was completed at baseline 6-month and 12-month.Results:Significant difference of HbA1c concentration and SE were found between intervention and control groups at 6-month and 12-month (P <.05). The effect of groups and health education duration times was found on reduced HbA1c concentration and increased the total score of SE (P <.05). No significant difference of FPG and 2hPG concentrations were found between intervention and control groups at 6 months and 12 months (P >.05).Conclusion:Health education of diabetic individuals via Wechat platform in conjunction with conventional diabetes treatment could improve glycemic control and positively influence other aspects of diabetes self-care skills.

Background Psychological factors are known to significantly modulate itch in patients suffering from chronic itch. Itch is also highly susceptible to both placebo and nocebo (negative placebo) effects. Brain activity likely supports nocebo-induced itch, but is currently unknown. Methods We collected functional MRI (fMRI) data from atopic dermatitis (AD) patients, in a within-subject design, and contrast brain response to nocebo saline understood to be allergen versus open-label saline control. Exploratory analyses compared results to real allergen itch response and placebo responsiveness, evaluated in the same patients. Results Nocebo saline produced greater itch than open saline control (p<0.01). Compared to open saline, nocebo saline demonstrated greater fMRI response in caudate, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), and intraparietal sulcus (iPS) - brain regions important for cognitive executive and motivational processing. Exploratory analyses found that subjects with greater dlPFC and caudate activation to nocebo-induced itch also demonstrated greater dlPFC and caudate activation, respectively, for real allergen itch. Subjects reporting greater nocebo-induced itch also demonstrated greater placebo reduction of allergen-evoked itch, suggesting increased generalized modulation of itch perception. Conclusions Our study demonstrates the capacity of nocebo saline to mimic both the sensory and neural effects of real allergens and provides an insight to the brain mechanisms supporting nocebo-induced itch in AD, thus aiding our understanding of the role that expectations and other psychological factors play in modulating itch perception in chronic itch patients.

The prognosis for patients with a complete traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) is generally poor. It is unclear whether some subgroups of patients with a complete traumatic SCI could benefit from early surgical decompression of the spinal cord. The objectives of this study were: (1) to compare the effect of early and late surgical decompression on neurological recovery in complete traumatic SCI and (2) to assess whether the impact of surgical timing is different in patients with cervical or thoracolumbar SCI. A prospective cohort study was followed in a single Level 1 Trauma Center specializing in SCI care. All consecutive patients who sustained a traumatic SCI and were referred between 2010 and 2013 were screened for eligibility. Neurological status was assessed systematically using the American Spinal Injury Association impairment scale (AIS) at arrival to the trauma center and at rehabilitation discharge. Patients operated within 24 h of the trauma were compared with patients operated later than 24 h after the trauma. Potential confounders such as age, Injury Severity Score (ISS), smoking history, body mass index (BMI), Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, and duration of follow-up were recorded. Fifty-three patients with complete SCI were included in the study: 33 thoracolumbar and 20 cervical SCIs. The 38 patients operated <24 h were generally younger than the 15 patients operated ≥ 24 h (p = 0.049). Overall, 28% (15/53) of complete SCI had improvement in AIS: 34% (13/38) who were operated <24 h and 13% (2/15) who were operated ≥ 24 h (p = 0.182). Sixty-four percent (9/14) of cervical complete SCI operated <24 h had improvement in AIS as opposed to none in the subgroup of six complete cervical SCI operated ≥ 24 h (p = 0.008). Surgical decompression within 24 h in complete SCI may optimize neurological recovery, especially in patients with cervical SCI.