Objective To investigate the occurrence rate and risk factors of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in lung cancer patients following lobectomy and application of analgesic pumps. Methods This retrospective study reviewed clinical data from patients that had undergone lobectomy for lung cancer under general anaesthesia. The risk factors of PONV were analysed using binary logistic regression models. Results A total of 203 patients (97 females) were enrolled. The rate of PONV was 29.6% (60 of 203 patients) for all patients, 42.3% (41 of 97 patients) for female patients and 17.9% (19 of 106 patients) for male patients. Female patients undergoing thoracotomy (odds ratio [OR] 7.770, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.747, 34.568) or having surgery durations ≥120 min (OR 4.493, 95% CI 1.502, 12.851) were significantly more susceptible to PONV. The risk of PONV in female patients that received postoperative dolasetron (100 mg, once a day) was significantly lower (OR 0.075, 95% CI 0.007, 0.834). For male patients, the risk of PONV was significantly lower in those with a body mass index ≥24 kg/m2 (OR 0.166; 95% CI 0.035, 0.782). Conclusion Female and male patients have different risk factors for PONV following lobectomy for lung cancer and application of analgesic pumps.

Background Cancer impacts both patients and their family caregivers. This study aimed to explore the interdependence between depression and intimacy in lung cancer patients and their family caregivers, providing the basis for developing a patient-caregiver centered dyadic intervention. Methods This cross-sectional study recruited 182 dyads of lung cancer patients and their family caregivers using a convenient sampling. The depression subscale of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Mutuality Scale (MS) were used to measure participants’ depression and intimacy respectively; and the correlation between depression and intimacy in patients and caregivers was analyzed by establishing the actor-partner interdependence model. Results Thirty four percent of the patients and 19.2% of the caregivers were at risk of depression, with an intimacy score of 2.67 ± 0.74 points and 2.6 ± 0.86 points, respectively; Pearson correlation analysis showed that there was a positive correlation between the depression score (r = 0.226, P < 0.01) and intimacy score (r = 0.344, P < 0.01) in patients and caregivers; and the results of actor-partner interdependence model showed that caregivers’ depression had an actor effect on their own intimacy (b = -0.054, P = 0.004) as well as a partner effect on patients’ intimacy (b = -0.041, P = 0.011). However, patients’ depression has no influence on the intimacy of patients or caregivers. Conclusions There is an interdependent relationship between depression and intimacy in lung cancer patients and family caregivers. Therefore, dyadic interventions can help them to cope with cancer together.

BackgroundEsophageal cancer patients suffer from multiple and severe symptoms during the postoperative recovery period. Family caregivers play a vital role in assisting patients to cope with their symptoms.ObjectiveTo examine the concordance of esophageal cancer patients and their caregivers on assessing patients’ symptoms after surgery and identify predictors associated with the symptom concordance.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, 213 patient-caregiver dyads completed general information questionnaires, the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale, the Depression Subscale of Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Mutuality Scale, and the Zarit Burden Interview (for caregivers). Data were analyzed using intraclass correlation coefficients, paired t tests, and binary logistic regression.ResultsAt the dyad level, agreement of patients’ and caregivers’ reported symptoms ranged from poor to fair. At the group level, patients reported significantly higher scores than caregivers in most symptoms. Of the 213 dyads, 119 (55.9%) were identified as concordant on symptom assessment. Patients’ nasogastric tube, perceived mutuality, caregivers’ educational background, and dyad’s communication frequency with each other could predict their concordance of symptom assessment.ConclusionsThere were relatively low agreements between esophageal cancer patients and caregivers on assessing patients’ symptoms, and caregivers tended to underestimate patients’ symptoms. The dyad’s symptom concordance was influenced by patient-, caregiver-, and dyad-related factors.Implications for PracticeHaving an awareness of the incongruence on assessing symptoms between esophageal cancer patients and caregivers may help healthcare professionals to comprehensively interpret patients’ symptoms and develop targeted dyadic interventions to improve their concordance, contributing to optimal symptom management and health outcomes.