Latest news with #2021Study
Health Line
02-07-2025
- Health
- Health Line
Is Vitamin E Useful for Treating Psoriasis?
Some studies have shown that vitamin E supplementation may be effective for psoriasis, but it is not currently recommended as a treatment method. More research is necessary to investigate its effectiveness. Psoriasis is a condition characterized by patches and scales that develop on the skin. These can also affect the scalp, nails, or joints, and can be itchy and painful. The patches can be red or pink, but may also appear purple on darker skin, while scales can be white, silvery, or even gray. Psoriasis is a chronic, long-term condition, and the symptoms can be different for everyone. Some people may have periods of remission when they're not experiencing any symptoms, followed by flare-ups when their usual symptoms can return and be quite intense. For some, psoriasis may be only a skin condition, but for others, it may also present with pain, tenderness, and swelling in their joints that may need additional treatment. This is called psoriatic arthritis. The article will look at the evidence for vitamin E as potential treatment or additional supplement for psoriasis and its effectiveness. Can vitamin E treat psoriasis? Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin, which means your body can store it in its tissues and use it later when necessary. Your body uses vitamin E for multiple purposes, including supporting immune function and protecting against oxidative stress. This helps maintain healthy skin, eyes, and joints. In a 2021 study on chronic inflammatory diseases, researchers found that participants with vitiligo, psoriasis, or atopic dermatitis had lower levels of vitamin E than the participants in the control group who didn't have these conditions. They also discovered that supplementation with vitamin E showed significant improvement of oxidative stress markers in the participants with psoriasis and vitiligo. Researchers suspect this might be due to vitamin E's effect on antioxidant formation and lipid metabolism. However, more investigation is necessary on the exact mechanism of vitamin E levels in inflammatory skin diseases before this can be offered and recommended as a treatment. A 2024 study also concluded that higher antioxidant intake, particularly higher vitamin E levels, was associated with a lower likelihood of psoriasis. More research is still necessary to explore how targeted dietary interventions could help manage the condition. Research underscored the importance of nutrition and vitamin E intake for the management of psoriasis, but vitamin E supplementation is not currently a treatment method for the condition. While current research has shown some of its benefits, vitamin E is still not recommended as a long-term treatment. What are the treatment methods for psoriasis? Many topical treatments for psoriasis are available over the counter. These include: Coal tar shampoos, creams, ointments, or bath solutions: Coal tar can reduce redness, itching, and swelling. However, coal tar can also irritate the skin, so it's important to test it out first by applying it on a small patch of skin before covering any other areas affected by psoriasis. Hydrocortisone creams and ointments: These can reduce inflammation and itchiness. Ointments can be more soothing than creams on dry or cracked skin. Moisturizer: A daily moisturiser can seal in hydration and soothe the skin. It's important to choose a product that's appropriate for your skin and fragrance-free. Scale softeners: These can help reduce swelling and remove the scales. Try products with ingredients like salicylic acid, lactic acid, or urea to soften and remove the scales. Salicylic acid can sometimes be irritating on the skin, so use it according to instructions. Anti-itch products: Look out for products that contain the following ingredients to soothe the itch that may come with psoriasis: calamine camphor hydrocortisone menthol Other treatments for psoriasis include phototherapy or systemic treatments. Healthcare professionals usually prescribe these for moderate to severe psoriasis and for psoriatic arthritis. Reach out to a healthcare professional or dermatologist if you need more information about treatment methods for psoriasis and what would be most suitable for you. Takeaway Studies suggest a correlation between vitamin E levels and psoriasis. However, more research is necessary to investigate whether vitamin E can be a useful complementary therapy for the treatment of psoriasis. Plenty of treatments for psoriasis include topical therapies such as ointments and moisturisers that contain targeted ingredients such as coal tar or salicylic acid. Reach out to a dermatologist if you have questions or concerns about the condition.
Medscape
02-06-2025
- General
- Medscape
ED Work Environment Discord Affects Patient Outcomes
In a recent study, emergency nurses and physicians in approximately half of the study hospitals disagreed on the quality of the work environment. An environment rated "unfavorable" by both groups was significantly associated with worse clinician and patient outcomes. METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional analysis included emergency department (ED) clinicians (1190 nurses and 414 physicians) from 47 Magnet hospitals who completed the 2021 US Clinician Wellbeing Study. Researchers classified hospitals into profiles according to the level of agreement between nurses and physicians regarding the hospital work environment. Researchers assessed clinician job outcomes (burnout, job dissatisfaction, and intent to leave), patient safety, and quality-of-care metrics. TAKEAWAY: Hospital profiles revealed three distinct patterns: "Agree, Unfavorable Environment" (10 hospitals); "Agree, Favorable Environment" (15 hospitals); and "Disagree, Less Favorable Environment Among Nurses" (22 hospitals). Compared with hospitals where clinicians agreed on a favorable environment, hospitals where clinicians agreed on an unfavorable environment had significantly higher rates of burnout (β, 25.8), job dissatisfaction (β, 32.5), intent to leave (β, 31.7), and unfavorable patient safety grades (β, 29.1), after adjustment for hospital characteristics ( P < .001 for all). < .001 for all). Hospitals where nurses rated the environment less favorably than physicians demonstrated increased burnout (β, 15.4; P < .001) and poorer patient safety grades (β, 11.9; P < .01), after adjustment for hospital characteristics. < .001) and poorer patient safety grades (β, 11.9; < .01), after adjustment for hospital characteristics. Compared with physicians in hospitals with an "Agree, Favorable" profile, those in hospitals rated as having an "Unfavorable" work environment showed significantly higher rates for all outcomes except burnout and patient-care quality. Similarly, nurses in hospitals with a "Disagree, Less Favorable Among Nurses" profile experienced higher rates across all job-related and patient-care outcomes. IN PRACTICE: "This cross-sectional study found that ED nurses and physicians in close to half of study hospitals disagreed on the quality of their work environment. Clinician job and patient outcomes were worse when both clinicians rated their work environment unfavorably and when nurses only reported their work environments as unfavorable," the authors wrote. "The implication of these findings is that, if two essential partners in emergency care within the same institution do not agree on the deficiencies in ED work environments, significant interdisciplinary research is needed to bridge these gaps and disparate experiences," they added. SOURCE: The study was led by Jane Muir, Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research, School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. It was published online on May 16, 2025, in BMC Health Services Research . LIMITATIONS: The study included only Magnet hospitals, which are known for favorable work environments and good physician-nurse collaboration, suggesting the findings may have underestimated the variation in clinician work environment agreement across all hospitals. The cross-sectional design prevented causal inference, and the sample had more nurses than physicians. DISCLOSURES: The research was funded by the Clinician Well-being Study Consortium and the National Institutes of Health. Additionally, it was supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the National Institute of Nursing Research, the National Clinician Scholars Program, and the Emergency Medicine Foundation/Emergency Nurses Association Foundation. The authors reported having no relevant conflicts of interest.
