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Objective. To evaluate the validity, in terms of the patients’ acceptance, preference, feasibility and reliability of an innovative, interactive computerized system for collection of patient-reported outcome (PRO) data on axial SpA against the paper-and-pencil version.Methods. Fifty-five patients with axial SpA completed both the touch screen and the paper-and-pencil set of questionnaires. A computerized touch-screen system, SPEAMonitor, was developed to capture PRO data. Variables recorded included demographic data, patient’s assessment of general health status, BASDAI, BASFI, BASMI and acute-phase reactant levels. In order to assess the patient’s acceptance of, preference for and feasibility of computer-based questionnaires, the participants filled in an additional questionnaire. The time taken to complete both formats was measured. In a further test–retest study, 25 patients were re-evaluated.Results. The agreement between the paper-administered and computer touch-screen format of the BASFI, BASDAI questionnaires and the Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Scores was excellent. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) between data ranged from 0.90 to 0.96. Additionally the test–retest study showed a very good agreement between the scores for the two administrations (ICC ≥ 0.90). Age, computer experience and education level had no significant impact on the results. The computerized questionnaires were reported to be easier to use. The mean time spent completing the questionnaires on a touch screen was 5.1 min and on paper 7.9 min.Conclusion. Our newly developed computer-assisted touch-screen questionnaires for PRO in axial SpA were well accepted by patients, with good data quality, reliability and score agreement. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Biostatistics plays a pivotal role in developing, interpreting and drawing conclusions from clinical, biological and epidemiological data. However, the improper application of statistical methods can lead to erroneous conclusions and misinterpretations. This paper provides a comprehensive examination of the most frequent mistakes encountered in the biostatistical analysis process. We identified and elucidated 10 common errors in biostatistical analysis. These include using the wrong metric to describe data, misinterpreting P -values, misinterpreting the 95% confidence interval, misinterpreting the hazard ratio as an index of prognostic accuracy, ignoring the sample size calculation, misinterpreting analysis by strata in randomized clinical trials, confusing correlation and causation, misunderstanding confounders and mediators, inadequately codifying variables during the data collection, and bias arising when group membership is attributed on the basis of future exposure in retrospective studies. We discuss the implications of these errors and propose some practical strategies to mitigate their impact. By raising awareness of these pitfalls, this paper aims to enhance the rigor and reproducibility of biostatistical analyses, thereby fostering more robust and reliable biomedical research findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Previous meta-analyses have indicated that aspirin could affect breast cancer outcomes, particularly when taken post-diagnostically. However, several recent studies appear to show little to no association between aspirin use and breast cancer mortality, all-cause mortality, or recurrence. Aims This study aims to conduct an updated systematic review and meta-analysis on the associations of pre-diagnostic and post-diagnostic aspirin use with the aforementioned breast cancer outcomes. It also looks, through subgroup analyses and meta-regressions, at a range of variables that could explain the associations between aspirin use and breast cancer outcomes. Results In total, 24 papers and 149 860 patients with breast cancer were included. Pre-diagnostic aspirin use was not associated with breast-cancer-specific mortality (HR 0.98, 95% CI, 0.80-1.20, P =.84) or recurrence (HR 0.94, 95% CI, 0.88-1.02, P =.13). Pre-diagnostic aspirin was associated with non-significantly higher all-cause mortality (HR 1.27, 95% CI, 0.95-1.72, P =.11). Post-diagnostic aspirin was not significantly associated with all-cause mortality (HR 0.87, 95% CI, 0.71-1.07, P =.18) or recurrence (HR 0.89, 95% CI, 0.67-1.16, P =.38). Post-diagnostic aspirin use was significantly associated with lower breast-cancer-specific mortality (HR 0.79, 95% CI, 0.64-0.98, P =.032). Conclusions The only significant association of aspirin with breast cancer outcomes is lower breast-cancer-specific mortality in patients who used aspirin post-diagnostically. However, factors such as selection bias and high inter-study heterogeneity mean that this result should not be treated as conclusive, and more substantial evidence such as that provided by RCTs is needed before any decisions on new clinical uses for aspirin should be made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivation The functions of genes in networks are typically correlated due to their functional connectivity. Variable selection methods have been developed to select important genes associated with a trait while incorporating network graphical information. However, no method has been proposed to quantify the uncertainty of individual genes under such settings. Results In this paper, we construct confidence intervals (CIs) and provide P -values for parameters of a high-dimensional linear model incorporating graphical structures where the number of variables p diverges with the number of observations. For combining the graphical information, we propose a graph-constrained desparsified LASSO (least absolute shrinkage and selection operator) (GCDL) estimator, which reduces dramatically the influence of high correlation of predictors and enjoys the advantage of faster computation and higher accuracy compared with the desparsified LASSO. Theoretical results show that the GCDL estimator achieves asymptotic normality. The asymptotic property of the uniform convergence is established, with which an explicit expression of the uniform CI can be derived. Extensive numerical results indicate that the GCDL estimator and its (uniform) CI perform well even when predictors are highly correlated. Availability and implementation An R package implementing the proposed method is available at https://github.com/XiaoZhangryy/gcdl. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Utilities are values of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) based on patient preference for a health status. The purpose of this study was to compare indirect measures to a directly elicited utility. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting and Patients Emory Spine Center and the Emory Center for Chronic Pain at Crawford Long Hospital. Patients at least 18 years of age with chronic pain, defined as pain that persists beyond the normal time of healing, usually beyond 6 months. Measures Chronic pain subjects completed a paper-based, self-administered time trade-off ( TTO) survey, EQ-5 D survey, and a face-to-face ( FTF) TTO interview. Current pain severity was graded using the Numeric Rating Scale-11, subsequently stratified into no (0), mild (1-3), moderate (4-6), and severe (7-10) pain. Results Paired t test comparing FTF TTO and proxy utility measures stratified by severity revealed FTF TTO utility values significantly higher than EQ-5 D utility values for all pain severities (overall mean difference 0.18, standard deviation [ SD] 0.30, P < 0.001; Pearson's correlation 0.34, P < 0.0001); FTF TTO utility values were lower than paper TTO utility values, reaching statistical significance for mild and moderate pain (overall mean difference 0.09, SD 0.29, P = 0.0006; Pearson's correlation 0.38, P < 0.0001). Conclusions This study demonstrates that the EQ-5 D overestimates, whereas the paper version of TTO underestimates, the impact of pain on HRQoL compared with the directly elicited FTF TTO utility. Our findings provide preliminary evidence that utilities vary by method, and directly elicited utility values differ from indirectly elicited measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To validate an ion exchange high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for measuring glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in gingival crevicular blood (GCB) spotted on filter paper, for use in screening dental patients for diabetes. Methods: We collected the GCB specimens for this study from the oral cavities of patients during dental visits, using rigorous strategies to obtain GCB that was as free of debris as possible. The analytical performance of the HPLC method was determined by measuring the precision, linearity, carryover, stability of HbA1c in GCB, and correlation of HbA1c results in GCB specimens with finger-stick blood (FSB) specimens spotted on filter paper. Results: The coefficients of variation (CVs) for the inter- and intrarun precision of the method were less than 2.0%. Linearity ranged between 4.2% and 12.4%; carryover was less than 2.0%, and the stability of the specimen was 6 days at 4ºC and as many as 14 days at -70ºC. Linear regression analysis comparing the HbA1c results in GCB with FSB yielded a correlation coefficient of 0.993, a slope of 0.981, and an intercept of 0.13. The Bland-Altman plot showed no difference in the HbA1c results from the GCB and FSB specimens at normal, prediabetes, and diabetes HbA1c levels. Conclusion: We validated an HPLC method for measuring HbA1c in GCB; this method can be used to screen dental patients for diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Disparity between patient report and physician perception of pain from radiotracer injection for sentinel node biopsy is thought to center on the severity of the intervention, ethnic composition of population queried, and socioeconomic factors. Objective. The objectives of this study were, first, to explore agreement between physicians' and their breast cancer patients' pain assessment during subareolar radionucleotide injection; and second, to evaluate potential ethnic differences in ratings. Methods. A trial was conducted, from January 2006 to April 2009, where 140 breast cancer patients were randomly assigned to standard topical lidocaine-4% cream and 99mTc-sulfur colloid injection, or to one of three other groups: placebo cream and 99mTc-sulfur colloid injection containing NaHCO3, 1% lidocaine, or NaHCO3 + 1% lidocaine. Providers and patients completed numeric pain scales (0-10) immediately after injection. Results. Patients and providers rated pain similarly over the entire cohort (median, 3 vs 2, P = 0.15). Patients rated pain statistically significantly higher than physicians in the standard (6 vs 5, P = 0.045) and placebo + NaHCO3 (5 vs 4, P = 0.032) groups. No significant difference in scores existed between all African Americans and their physicians (3 vs 4, P = 0.27). Conclusion. Patient-physician pain assessment congruence over the less painful injections and their statistically similar scores with the more painful methods suggests the importance of utilizing the least painful method possible. Providers tended to underestimate patients with the highest pain ratings-those in the greatest analgesic need. Lack of statistical difference between African American and physician scores may reflect the equal-access-to-care over the entire patient cohort, supporting the conclusion that socioeconomic factors may lie at the heart of previously reported discrepancies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives The aetiology of primary chronic pain syndromes (CPS) is highly disputed. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis aiming to assess differences in circulating cytokine levels in patients with diffuse CPS (fibromyalgia) vs healthy controls (HC). Methods Human studies published in English from the PubMed, MEDLINE/Scopus and Cochrane databases were systematically searched from inception up to January 2020. We included full text cross-sectional or longitudinal studies with baseline cytokine measurements, reporting differences in circulating cytokine levels between fibromyalgia patients and HC. Random-effects meta-analysis models were used to report pooled effects and 95% CIs. This study is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020193774). Results Our initial search yielded 324 papers and identified 29 studies (2458 participants) eligible for systematic review and 22 studies (1772 participants) suitable for meta-analysis. The systematic analysis revealed reproducible findings supporting different trends of cytokine levels when fibromyalgia patients were compared with HC, while the chemokine eotaxin, was consistently raised in fibromyalgia. Meta-analysis showed significantly increased TNF-α [standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.36, 95% CI: 0.12, 0.60, P  = 0.0034; I 2 = 71%, Q 2 P  = 0.0002], IL-6 (SMD = 0.15, 95% CI: 0.003, 0.29, P  = 0.045; I 2 = 39%, Q 2 P  = 0.059), IL-8 (SMD = 0.26, 95% CI: 0.05, 0.47, P  = 0.01; I 2 = 61%, Q 2 P  = 0.005) and IL-10 (SMD = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.34, 0.89, P  < 0.001; I 2 = 10%, Q 2 P  = 0.34) in fibromyalgia patients compared with HC. Conclusion We found evidence of significant differences in the peripheral blood cytokine profiles of fibromyalgia patients compared with HC. However, the distinctive profile associated with fibromyalgia includes both pro-inflammatory (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8) and anti-inflammatory (IL-10) cytokines in pooled analysis, as well as chemokine (eotaxin) signatures. Further research is required to elucidate the role of cytokines in fibromyalgia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estimating the fraction of dementia cases in a population attributable to a risk factor or combination of risk factors (the population attributable fraction (PAF)) informs the design and choice of dementia risk-reduction activities. It is directly relevant to dementia prevention policy and practice. Current methods employed widely in the dementia literature to combine PAFs for multiple dementia risk factors assume a multiplicative relationship between factors and rely on subjective criteria to develop weightings for risk factors. In this paper we present an alternative approach to calculating the PAF based on sums of individual risk. It incorporates individual risk factor interrelationships and enables a range of assumptions about the way in which multiple risk factors will combine to affect dementia risk. Applying this method to global data demonstrates that the previous estimate of 40% is potentially too conservative an estimate of modifiable dementia risk and would necessitate subadditive interaction between risk factors. We calculate a plausible conservative estimate of 55.7% (95% confidence interval: 55.2, 56.1) based on additive risk factor interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Anticholinergic medications block the neurotransmitter acetylcholine in the brain and peripheral nervous system. Many medications have anticholinergic properties, and the cumulative effect of these medications is termed anticholinergic burden. Increased anticholinergic burden can have short-term side effects such as dry mouth, blurred vision and urinary retention as well as long-term effects including dementia, worsening physical function and falls. Methods We carried out a systematic review (SR) with meta-analysis (MA) looking at randomised controlled trials addressing interventions to reduce anticholinergic burden in older adults. Results We identified seven papers suitable for inclusion in our SR and MA. Interventions included multi-disciplinary involvement in medication reviews and deprescribing of AC medications. Pooled data revealed no significant difference in outcomes between control and intervention group for falls (OR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.52–1.11, n  = 647), cognition (mean difference = 1.54, 95% CI: −0.04 to 3.13, n  = 405), anticholinergic burden (mean difference = 0.04, 95% CI: −0.11 to 0.18, n  = 710) or quality of life (mean difference = 0.04, 95% CI: −0.04 to 0.12, n  = 461). Discussion Overall, there was no significant difference with interventions to reduce anticholinergic burden. As we did not see a significant change in anticholinergic burden scores following interventions, it is likely other outcomes would not change. Short follow-up time and lack of training and support surrounding successful deprescribing may have contributed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Declines in cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and muscle mass are both associated with advancing age and each of these declines is associated with worse health outcomes. Resistance exercise training (RET) has previously been shown to improve muscle mass and function in the older population. If RET is also able to improve CRF, as it has been shown to do in younger populations, it has the potential to improve multiple health outcomes in the expanding older population. Methods This systematic review aimed to identify the role of RET for improving CRF in healthy older adults. A search across CINAHL, MEDLINE, EMBASE and EMCARE databases was conducted with meta-analysis performed on eligible papers to identify improvements in established CRF parameters (VO2 peak, aerobic threshold (AT), 6-minute walking distance test (6MWT) following RET intervention. Main eligibility criteria included older adults (aged over 60), healthy cohorts (disease-specific cohorts were excluded) and RET intervention. Results Thirty-seven eligible studies were identified. Meta-analysis revealed a significant improvement in VO2 peak (MD 1.89 ml/kg/min; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.21–2.57 ml/kg/min), AT (MD 1.27 ml/kg/min; 95% CI 0.44–2.09 ml/kg/min) and 6MWT (MD 30.89; 95% CI 26.7–35.08) in RET interventions less than 24 weeks. There was no difference in VO2 peak or 6MWT in interventions longer than 24 weeks. Discussion This systematic review adds to a growing body of evidence supporting the implementation of RET in the older population for improving whole-body health, particularly in time-limited timeframes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background frailty is common in older adults and associated with poor outcomes following illness. Although stroke is predominantly a disease of older people, our knowledge of frailty in stroke is limited. We aimed to collate the literature on acute stroke and frailty to estimate the prevalence of pre-stroke frailty and its associations with outcomes. Methods paired researchers searched multidisciplinary electronic databases for papers describing frailty and acute stroke. We assessed risk of bias using Newcastle-Ottawa tools appropriate to study design. We created summary estimates of pre-stroke frailty using random effects models. We collated whether studies reported significant positive associations between frailty and clinical outcomes in adjusted models. Results we included 14 studies (n  = 27,210 participants). Seven studies (n  = 8,840) used a frailty index approach, four studies (n  = 14,924) used Hospital Frailty Risk Scores. Pooled prevalence of pre-stroke frailty was 24.6% (95% confidence interval, CI: 16.2–33.1%; low quality evidence, downgraded due to heterogeneity, bias). Combining frailty and pre-frailty (nine studies, n  = 23,827), prevalence of any frailty syndrome was 66.8% (95%CI: 49.9–83.7%). Seven studies were at risk of bias, from participant selection or method of frailty assessment. Pre-stroke frailty was associated with all adverse outcomes assessed, including longer-term mortality (positive association in 6 of 6 studies reporting this outcome; odds ratio: 3.75 [95%CI: 2.41–5.70]), length of admission (3 of 4 studies) and disability (4 of 6 studies). Conclusions despite substantial heterogeneity, whichever way it is measured, frailty is common in patients presenting with acute stroke and associated with poor outcomes. This has implications for the design of stroke services and pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The aim of this paper is to examine the link between severity in exposure to parental problem drinking in a Swedish national population sample of children aged 15–16 years. Specifically, we assessed whether the risk of poor health, poor relationships and a problematic school situation increase with severity in exposure to parental problem drinking. Methods National population survey from 2017 with a representative sample of 5 576 adolescents born in 2001. Logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). A short version of The Children of Alcoholics Screening Test, CAST-6, was used to identify children with problem-drinking parents. Health status, social relations and school situation were assessed by well-established measures. Results The risk of having poor health, poor school performance and poor social relations increased with severity of parental problem drinking. The risk was lowest among children least severely affected (Crude models ranged from OR: 1.2, 95% CI 1.0–1.4 to OR: 2.2, 95% CI 1.8–2.6) and highest among children most severely affected (Crude models ranges from OR: 1.7, 95% CI 1.3–2.1 to OR: 6.6, 95% CI 5.1–8.6). The risk became lower when adjusting for gender and socioeconomic position but were still higher compared to children without problem-drinking parents. Conclusions Appropriate screening and intervention programs are necessary for children with problem-drinking parents especially when exposure is severe but also at mild forms of exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Fusion" study designs combine data from different sources to answer questions that could not be answered (as well) by subsets of the data. Studies that augment main study data with validation data, as in measurement-error correction studies or generalizability studies, are examples of fusion designs. Fusion estimators, here solutions to stacked estimating functions, produce consistent answers to identified research questions using data from fusion designs. In this paper, we describe a pair of examples of fusion designs and estimators, one where we generalize a proportion to a target population and one where we correct measurement error in a proportion. For each case, we present an example motivated by human immunodeficiency virus research and summarize results from simulation studies. Simulations demonstrate that the fusion estimators provide approximately unbiased results with appropriate 95% confidence interval coverage. Fusion estimators can be used to appropriately combine data in answering important questions that benefit from multiple sources of information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The screening method provides a simple and rapid way of estimating vaccine effectiveness. This paper discusses the validity of the screening method with particular reference to bias and precision. Methods for correcting confounding, adjusting for covariates and over-dispersion, and deriving confidence limits are discussed in a modelling framework. The methods are illustrated using data on measles and pertussis vaccines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have performed targeted searches of known extragalactic transient events at millimetre wavelengths using nine seasons (2013–2021) of 98, 150, and 229 GHz Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) observations that mapped ∼40 per cent of the sky for most of the data volume. Our data cover 88 gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), 12 tidal disruption events (TDEs), and 203 other transients, including supernovae (SNe). We stack our ACT observations to increase the signal-to-noise ratio of the maps. In all cases but one, we do not detect these transients in the ACT data. The single candidate detection (event AT2019ppm), seen at ∼5σ significance in our data, appears to be due to active galactic nuclei activity in the host galaxy coincident with a transient alert. For each source in our search we provide flux upper limits. For example, the medians for the 95 per cent confidence upper limits at 98 GHz are 15, 18, and 16 mJy for GRBs, SNe, and TDEs, respectively, in the first month after discovery. The projected sensitivity of future wide-area cosmic microwave background surveys should be sufficient to detect many of these events using the methods described in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The frailty index (FI) quantifies frailty as deficit accumulation. It has been adapted to employ laboratory test data (FI-Lab). Our objective was to systematically review and meta-analyse the FI-Lab's ability to predict mortality. Secondary objectives were to review the FI-Lab's association with adverse health outcomes and whether FI-Lab scores differed between the sexes. A systematic literature search was carried out using six online databases to identify studies that measured the FI-Lab in humans. Hazard ratios (HRs) were combined in a meta-analysis to create a pooled risk estimate for mortality. Of the 1,201 papers identified, spanning January 2010 until 11 July 2022, 38 were included. FI-Lab scores per 0.01 unit increase predicted mortality overall (HR = 1.04; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.03–1.05) and for studies with a mean age of 81+ years (HR = 1.04; 95% CI = 1.03–1.05). The quality of evidence for these meta-analyses are moderate and high, respectively. Further, higher FI-Lab scores were associated with more frequent adverse health outcomes. Sex differences in FI-Lab scores varied, with no consistent indication of a sex effect. The FI-Lab is associated with mortality and with a variety of adverse health outcomes. No consistent sex differences in FI-Lab scores were observed, with several studies in disagreement. Notably, these conclusions were most relevant to older (65+ years old) individuals; further evidence in younger people is needed in both clinical and population representative studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Glioblastoma (GBM) has a poor prognosis, and patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) amplification have an even worse prognosis. Nimotuzumab is an EGFR monoclonal antibody thought to play a significant role in the treatment of GBM. This paper presents a retrospective cohort study that evaluates the clinical efficacy and safety of nimotuzumab in GBM. Materials and Methods A total of 56 newly diagnosed patients with EGFR-positive GBM were included in our study. The patients were divided into radiotherapy (RT) + temozolomide (TMZ) + nimotuzumab (39 patients) and RT + TMZ (17 patients) groups based on whether or not nimotuzumab was added during RT. Progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and toxicities were assessed. Results The median follow-up time was 27.9 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 25.1-30.8). The median PFS was 12.4 months (95% CI, 7.8-17.0) and 8.2 months (95% CI, 6.1-10.3) in the 2 groups, respectively, P  = .052. The median OS was 27.3 months (95% CI, 19.0-35.6) and 16.7 months (95% CI, 11.1-22.2), respectively, P   =  .018. In patients with unmethylated O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter, the PFS and OS were significantly better in patients treated with nimotuzumab than in those without nimotuzumab (median PFS: 19.3 vs 6.7 months, P   =  .001; median OS: 20.2 vs 13.8 months, P   =  .026). During the treatment period, no statistically significant difference in toxicity was noted between the 2 groups. Conclusion Our retrospective cohort study suggests the efficacy of Nimotuzumab combined with concurrent RT with TMZ in patients with newly diagnosed EGFR-positive GBM, and specifically those with unmethylated MGMT promoter. Further prospective studies are warranted to validate our findings. Besides, nimotuzumab demonstrated good safety and tolerability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Lowering the strength of alcohol products could lead to less alcohol being bought and drunk. In its prevention White Paper, the UK Government aims to promote a significant increase in the availability of alcohol-free and low-alcohol products by 2025. Methods Through descriptive analysis and ARIMA modelling of >4 million alcohol purchases from 69 803 British households, we study the potential impact of lower strength alcohol products in reducing household purchases of grams of alcohol over 2015–2019. Households are divided into predominantly beer, wine or spirits purchasers. Results Over 5 years, there were decreases in purchases of grams of alcohol within beer amongst beer-purchasing households and increases in purchases of grams of alcohol within wine and spirits amongst, respectively, wine- and spirits-purchasing households. Almost all the changes were due to beer-purchasing households buying less regular strength beer, and wine and spirits-purchasing households buying, respectively, more regular strength wine and spirits, rather than increases in purchases of no- and low-alcohol products. Conclusions In general, lower strength alcohol products have not contributed to British households buying fewer grams of alcohol over the 5-year follow-up period during 2015–2019. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) may be helpful for the management of hypertension, but little is known about its tolerability in people with dementia. Objective: to review the published evidence to determine the tolerability of ABPM in people with dementia. Methods: English language search conducted in MEDLINE and EMBASE, using Ambulatory blood pressure' AND 'Dementia' (and associated synonyms) from 1996 to March 2015. Inclusion criteria: people diagnosed with dementia AND in whom blood pressure was measured using ABPM. The initial search was undertaken using title and abstract reviews, with selected papers being agreed for inclusion by two reviewers. Potentially eligible papers were assessed, and high-quality papers were retained. Two reviewers agreed the abstracted data for analysis. Meta-analysis was used to combine results across studies. Results: of the 221 screened abstracts, 13 studies (6%) met inclusion criteria, 5 had sufficient data and were of sufficient quality, involving 461 participants, most of whom had mild--moderate dementia. 77.7% (95% CI 62.2-93.2%) were able to tolerate ABPM; agreement with office BP was moderate to weak (two studies only--coefficients 0.3-0.38 for systolic blood pressure and 0.11-0.32 for diastolic blood pressure). One study compared home BP monitoring by a relative or ambulatory BP monitoring with office BP measures and found high agreement (ϗ 0.81). The little available evidence suggested increased levels of dementia being associated with reduced tolerability. Conclusions: ABPM is well tolerated in people with mild-moderate dementia and provides some additional information over and above office BP alone. However, few studies have addressed ABPM in people with more severe dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: weak grip strength is a key component of sarcopenia and is associated with subsequent disability and mortality. We have recently established life course normative data for grip strength in Great Britain, but it is unclear whether the cut points we derived for weak grip strength are suitable for use in other settings. Our objective was to investigate differences in grip strength by world region using our data as a reference standard. Methods: we searched MEDLINE and EMBASE for reporting age- and gender-stratified normative data for grip strength. We extracted each item of normative data and converted it on to a Z-score scale relative to our British centiles. We performed meta-regression to pool the Z-scores and compare them by world region. Findings: our search returned 806 abstracts. Sixty papers met inclusion criteria and reported on 63 different samples. Seven UN regions were represented, although most samples (n = 44) were based in developed regions. We extracted 726 normative data items relating to 96,537 grip strength observations. Normative data from developed regions were broadly similar to our British centiles, with a pooled Z-score 0.12 SDs (95% CI: 0.07, 0.17) above the corresponding British centiles. By comparison, normative data from developing regions were clearly lower, with a pooled Z-score of -0.85 SDs (95% CI: -0.94, -0.76). Interpretation: our findings support the use of our British grip strength centiles and their associated cut points in consensus definitions for sarcopenia and frailty across developed regions, but highlight the need for different cut points in developing regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background the prevalence of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in hospitalised older patients, their clinical presentations, causative drugs, severity, preventability and measurable outcomes are unclear, ADRs being an increasing challenge to older patient safety. Methods we systematically searched PubMed, Embase, EBSCO-CINAHL, the Cochrane Library, 'rey' literature and relevant systematic review bibliographies, published from database inception to March 2020. We included any study reporting occurrence of in-hospital ADRs as primary or secondary outcomes in hospitalised older adults (mean age ≥ 65 years). Two authors independently extracted relevant information and appraised studies for bias. Study characteristics, ADR clinical presentations, causative drugs, severity, preventability and clinical outcomes were analysed. Study estimates were pooled using random-effects meta-analytic models. Results from 2,399 abstracts, we undertook full-text screening in 286, identifying 27 studies (29 papers). Final analysis yielded a pooled ADR prevalence of 16% (95%CI 12–22%, I 2 98%, τ 2 0.8585), in a population of 20,153 hospitalised patients aged ≥65 years of whom 2,479 patients experienced ≥ one ADR. ADR ascertainment was highly heterogeneous. Almost 48.3% of all ADRs involved five presentations: fluid/electrolyte disturbances (17.3%), gastrointestinal motility/defaecation disorders (13.3%), renal disorders (8.2%), hypotension/blood pressure dysregulation disorders/shock (5.5%) and delirium (4.1%). Four drug classes accounted for 57.8% of causative medications i.e. diuretics (19.8%), anti-bacterials (14.8%), antithrombotic agents (12.2%) and analgesics (10.9%). Pooled analysis of severity was not feasible. Four studies reported the majority of ADRs as preventable (55–95%). Conclusions on average, 16% of hospitalised older patients experience significant ADRs, varying in severity and mostly preventable, with commonly prescribed drug classes accounting for most ADRs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data collected from a validation substudy permit calculation of a bias-adjusted estimate of effect that is expected to equal the estimate that would have been observed had the gold standard measurement been available for the entire study population. In this paper, we develop and apply a framework for adaptive validation to determine when sufficient validation data have been collected to yield a bias-adjusted effect estimate with a prespecified level of precision. Prespecified levels of precision are decided a priori by the investigator, based on the precision of the conventional estimate and allowing for wider confidence intervals that would still be substantively meaningful. We further present an applied example of the use of this method to address exposure misclassification in a study of transmasculine/transfeminine youth and self-harm. Our method provides a novel approach to effective and efficient estimation of classification parameters as validation data accrue, with emphasis on the precision of the bias-adjusted estimate. This method can be applied within the context of any parent epidemiologic study design in which validation data will be collected and modified to meet alternative criteria given specific study or validation study objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) has been in use for the last three decades. However, some doubts remain regarding its clinical use. Therefore, we aimed to capture the breadth of outcomes reported and assess the strength of evidence of the use of comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) for health outcomes in older persons. Methods Umbrella review of systematic reviews of the use of CGA in older adults searching in Pubmed, Embase, Scopus, Cochrane library and CINHAL until 05 November 2021. All possible health outcomes were eligible. Two independent reviewers extracted key data. The grading of evidence was carried out using the GRADE for intervention studies, whilst data regarding systematic reviews were reported as narrative findings. Results Among 1,683 papers, 31 systematic reviews (19 with meta-analysis) were considered, including 279,744 subjects. Overall, 13/53 outcomes were statistically significant (P  < 0.05). There was high certainty of evidence that CGA reduces nursing home admission (risk ratio [RR] = 0.86; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.75–0.89), risk of falls (RR = 0.51; 95%CI: 0.29–0.89), and pressure sores (RR = 0.46; 95%CI: 0.24–0.89) in hospital medical setting; decreases the risk of delirium (OR = 0.71; 95%CI: 0.54–0.92) in hip fracture; decreases the risk of physical frailty in community-dwelling older adults (RR = 0.77; 95%CI: 0.64–0.93). Systematic reviews without meta-analysis indicate that CGA improves clinical outcomes in oncology, haematology, and in emergency department. Conclusions CGA seems to be beneficial in the hospital medical setting for multiple health outcomes, with a high certainty of evidence. The evidence of benefits is less strong for the use of CGA in other settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Within the European Union (EU), substantial efforts are being made to achieve economic and social cohesion, and the reduction of health inequalities between EU regions is integral to this process. This paper is the first to examine how self-reported conditions and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) vary spatially between and within countries. Methods: Using 2014 European Social Survey (ESS) data from 20 countries, this paper examines how regional inequalities in self-reported conditions and NCDs vary for men and women in 174 regions (levels 1 and 2 Nomenclature of Statistical Territorial Units, 'NUTS'). We document absolute and relative inequalities across Europe in the prevalence of eight conditions: general health, overweight/obesity, mental health, heart or circulation problems, high blood pressure, back, neck, muscular or joint pain, diabetes and cancer. Results: There is considerable inequality in self-reported conditions and NCDs between the regions of Europe, with rates highest in the regions of continental Europe, some Scandinavian regions and parts of the UK and lowest around regions bordering the Alps, in Ireland and France. However, for mental health and cancer, rates are highest in regions of Eastern European and lowest in some Nordic regions, Ireland and isolated regions in continental Europe. There are also widespread and consistent absolute and relative regional inequalities in all conditions within countries. These are largest in France, Germany and the UK, and smallest in Denmark, Sweden and Norway. There were higher inequalities amongst women. Conclusion: Using newly available harmonized morbidity data from across Europe, this paper shows that there are considerable regional inequalities within and between European countries in the distribution of self-reported conditions and NCDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It has been suggested that cross-national variation in educational inequalities in health outcomes (e.g. NCDs) is due to cross-national variation in risky health behaviour. In this paper we aim to use highly recent data (2014) to examine educational inequalities in risky health behaviour in 21 European countries from all regions of the continent to map cross-national variation in the extent to which educational level is associated with risky health behaviour. We focus on four dimensions of risky health behaviour: smoking, alcohol use, lack of physical activity and lack of fruit and vegetable consumption. Methods: We make use of recent data from the 7th wave of the European Social Survey (2014), which contains a special rotating module on the social determinants of health. We performed logistic regression analyses to examine the associations between educational level and the risky health behaviour indicators. Educational level was measured through a three-category version of the harmonized International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED). Results: Our findings show substantial and mostly significant inequalities in risky health behaviour between educational groups in most of the 21 European countries examined in this paper. The risk of being a daily smoker is higher as respondents' level of education is lower (Low education (L): OR = 4.24 (95% CI: 3.83^.68); Middle education (M): OR = 2.91 (95% CI: 2.65-3.19)). Respondents have a lower risk of consuming alcohol frequently if they have a low level of education (L: OR = 0.59 (95% CI: 0.54-0.64); M: OR = 0.70 (95% CI: 0.65-0.76)), but a higher risk of binge drinking frequently (L: OR = 1.29 (95% CI: 1.16-1.44); M: OR = 1.15 (95% CI: 1.04-1.27)). People are more likely to be physically active at least 3 days in the past week when they have a higher level of education (M: OR = 1.42 (95% CI: 1.34-1.50); H: OR = 1.67 (95% CI: 1.55-1.80)). Finally, people are more likely to consume fruit and vegetables at least daily if they have a higher level of education (fruit: M: OR = 1.09 (95% CI: 1.03-1.16); H: OR = 1.77 (95% CI: 1.63-1.92); vegetables: M: OR = 1.34 (95% CI: 1.26-1.42); H: OR = 2.35 (95% CI: 2.16-2.55)). However, we also found considerable cross-national variation in the associations between education and risky health behaviour. Conclusions: Our results yield a complex picture: the lowest educational groups are more likely to smoke and less likely to engage in physical activity and to eat fruit and vegetables, but the highest educational groups are at greater risk of frequent alcohol consumption. Additionally, inequalities in risky health behaviour do not appear to be systematically weakest in the South or strongest in the North and West of Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background To address social inequalities in adolescent substance use and consequent disparities in health, it is important to identify the mechanisms of the association between substance use and academic performance. We study the role of health literacy (HL) in the association between academic performance and weekly smoking, monthly alcohol use and cannabis ever-use among adolescents in Europe. Methods SILNE-R school survey data, which was collected in 2016–17 with paper-and-pencil-method from Hanover (GE), Amersfoort (NL) and Tampere (FI), were used (N  = 5088, age 13–19). Health Literacy for School-aged Children instrument was used to assess students' HL. Logistic regression analyzed the association of substance use with academic performance and HL, separately and in the same model. Linear and multinomial logistic regression analyzed the association between academic performance and HL. Results Poor academic performance compared with high was associated with smoking [odds ratio (OR) 3.94, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.83–5.49], alcohol use (OR: 2.94, 95% CI: 2.34–3.68) and cannabis use (OR: 2.56, 95% CI: 1.89–3.48). Poor HL was also associated with each substance use (with ORs of 2.32, 1.85 and 1.29). HL was positively associated with academic performance (β = 1.04, 95% CI: 0.89–1.20). The associations between academic performance and substance use were only slightly attenuated after controlling for HL. Conclusions Academic performance and HL were both determinants of substance use, confirming their role in tackling the disparities in substance use. However, HL did not demonstrably mediate the association between academic performance and substance use. A wider set of factors needs to be tackled to address emerging social inequalities in adolescent substance use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Uptake of iron – folate supplementation for at least 90 days during pregnancy is recommended as a cost-effective way of reducing iron deficiency anemia, the commonest form of anemia among women of childbearing ages. The paper examines the level of compliance in Nigeria. Methods We analysed a sample of 14 740 married women aged 15–49 years from the 2018 Nigerian Demographic and Health Survey with available data on hemoglobin and anemia. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to establish associations between socio-demographic characteristics, compliance with recommended uptake of micronutrients and anemia status of the mothers. Results A number of socio-demographic factors, namely maternal age, type of residence, education, wealth, among others correlated with incidence of maternal anemia as well as compliance with recommended uptake of micronutrient to protect against anemia. For instance, whereas 46.3% of mothers from rural backgrounds were not anemic, 39.0% of those with urban background were not anemic (P  < 0.001). More than half (56.2%) of mothers in the richest households were anemic compared with about a third (34.6%) of mothers in the poorest household who were not anemic (P  < 0.001). The urban dwellers, richer and more educated mothers complied more with the uptake of iron–folate supplements to protect against anemia during pregnancy (P  < 0.001). The younger mothers (15–29 years) were more likely to comply with iron intake (odds ratio: 1.150 (1.060–1.247)). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A systematic review and narrative synthesis to determine the effectiveness of contraception service interventions for young people delivered in health care premises was undertaken. We searched 12 key health and medical databases, reference lists of included papers and systematic reviews and cited reference searches on included articles. All retrieved literature was screened at title and abstract levels, and relevant articles were taken through to full paper appraisal. Data relating to study design, outcomes and quality were extracted by one reviewer and independently checked by a second reviewer. We included interventions that consisted of contraceptive service provision for young people, and also interventions to encourage young people to use existing contraceptive services. The searches identified 23 studies that met the inclusion criteria. The papers focused on: new adolescent services, outreach to existing services, advanced provision of emergency contraception, condom/contraceptive provision and advice and repeat pregnancy prevention. The literature in general is not well developed in terms of good quality effectiveness studies and key outcome measures. However, it is possible to make recommendations in terms of outreach versus targeted young people’s services in health care settings, advanced provision of emergency contraception and long-acting reversible contraception to prevent repeat adolescent pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective: to identify all published papers on risk factors and risk assessment tools for falls in hospital inpatients. To identify clinical risk assessment tools or individual clinical risk factors predictive of falls, with the ultimate aim of informing the design of effective fall prevention strategies. Design: systematic literature review (Cochrane methodology). Independent assessment of quality against agreed criteria. Calculation of odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for risk factors and of sensitivity, specificity, negative and positive predictive value for risk assessment tools (with odds ratios and confidence intervals), where published data sufficient. Results: 28 papers on risk factors were identified, with 15 excluded from further analysis. Despite the identification of 47 papers purporting to describe falls risk assessment tools, only six papers were identified where risk assessment tools had been subjected to prospective validation, and only two where validation had been performed in two or more patient cohorts. Conclusions: a small number of significant falls risk factors emerged consistently, despite the heterogeneity of settings namely gait instability, agitated confusion, urinary incontinence/frequency, falls history and prescription of 'culprit' drugs (especially sedative/hypnotics). Simple risk assessment tools constructed of similar variables have been shown to predict falls with sensitivity and specificity in excess of 70%, although validation in a variety of settings and in routine clinical use is lacking. Effective falls interventions in this population may require the use of better-validated risk assessment tools, or alternatively, attention to common reversible falls risk factors in all patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background While tobacco smoking has declined among UK youth in recent decades, cannabis use has begun to show some growth. Given their interrelationship, growth in cannabis use may act as a barrier to continued reduction in youth smoking. This paper assesses recent tobacco and cannabis use trends in Wales, and their association, to explore whether change in cannabis use might have impacted youth tobacco smoking prevalence. Methods Repeat cross-sectional data on tobacco and cannabis use were obtained from biennial Welsh Student Health and Wellbeing surveys between 2013 and 2019. Data were pooled and analysed using logistic regression with adjustment for school-level clustering. Results No change in regular youth tobacco smoking was observed between 2013 and 2019. In contrast, current cannabis use increased during this time, and cannabis users had significantly greater odds of regular tobacco smoking. After adjusting for change in cannabis use, a significant decline in youth tobacco smoking was observed (OR 0.95; 95% confidence intervals: 0.92, 0.97). Conclusion Recent growth in cannabis use among young people in Wales may have offset prospective declines in regular tobacco smoking. Further reductions in youth smoking may require more integrated policy approaches to address the co-use of tobacco and cannabis among adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Impaired glucose regulation represents an opportunity to prevent Type 2 diabetes mellitus. It is important to have a clear understanding of the prevalence of this condition in order to be able to plan interventions and health care provision. This paper presents a meta-analysis of literature assessing the prevalence of impaired glucose regulation in the general population of developed countries in Europe. Methods: Five electronic databases were systematically searched in March 2014 to identify English language articles with general population samples aged 18 and over from developed countries in Europe. Values for the measures of interest were combined using a random effects model and analysis of the effects of moderator variables was carried out. Results: A total of 5594 abstracts were screened, with 46 studies included in the review. Overall prevalence of impaired glucose regulation was 22.3%. Mean prevalence of impaired glucose tolerance was 11.4% (10.1-12.8) and did not differ by gender. Sample age, diagnostic criteria and country were found to have a significant univariate effect on prevalence of impaired glucose tolerance but only diagnostic criteria remained significant in multivariate analysis. Mean prevalence of impaired fasting glucose was significantly higher in men at 10.1% (7.9-12.7) compared with 5.9% in women (4-8.7). The only moderator variable with a significant effect on impaired fasting glucose prevalence was country. Conclusions: This meta-analysis shows a moderate prevalence of impaired glucose regulation in developed Europe with over one in five people meeting the criteria for either impaired glucose tolerance, impaired fasting glucose or both. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The decrease in the magnitude of stunting over the past 20 years has been slow in Ethiopia. To date, in Ethiopia, the trends in and extent of inequality in stunting have not been investigated using methods suitably developed for disparity studies. This paper investigated both the extent and overtime dynamics of stunting inequality in Ethiopia over the last 17 years. Methods Using the World Health Organization's Health Equity Assessment Toolkit software, data from the Ethiopia Demographic and Health surveys (EDHS) were analyzed between 2000 and 2016. The inequality analysis consisted of disaggregated rates of stunting using five equity stratifiers (economic status, education, residence, region and sex) and four summary measures (Difference, Population Attributable risk, Ratio and Absolute Concentration Index). A 95% uncertainty interval was constructed around point estimates to measure statistical significance. Results The study showed that both absolute and relative inequalities in stunting exist in all the studied years in Ethiopia. The inequality disfavors children of mothers who are poor, uneducated and living in rural areas and specific regions such as Amhara. The pro-rich (R = 1.2; 1.1, 1.3 in 2000 to R = 1.7; 1.4, 2 in 2016) and pro-educated (R = 1.6; 95%UI = 1.3, 1.9 in 2000 and R = 2.3; 95%UI = 1.5, 3 in 2011) inequalities slightly increased with time. Male children bear a disproportionately higher burden of stunting, and the disparity increased between the first and the last time points (PAR = −1.5 95%UI = −2.5, −0.6 in 2000 and PAR = −2.9 95%UI = −3.9, −1.9) based on complex measures but remained constant with simple measures (R = 1; 95%UI = 0.9, 1.1 in 2000 and R = 1.1 95%UI = 1, 1.2 in 2016). Similarly, both the sub-national regional and residence-related stunting disparities generally widened over time according to some of the inequality measures. Conclusions Stunting appeared to be highly prevalent among certain sub-groups (i.e. poor, uneducated and living in rural regions). The subpopulations experiencing excessively high stunting prevalence should be the focus of policy makers' attention as they work to achieve the WHO 40% reduction in stunting target by 2025 and the UN Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development Goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring survival in cancer is a common concern for patients, physicians, and public health researchers. The traditional cohort approach for monitoring cancer prognosis has a timeliness problem. In this paper, we propose a survivorship-period-cohort (SPC) model for examining the effects of survivorship, period, and year-of-diagnosis cohort on cancer prognosis and for predicting future trends in cancer survival. We used the developed SPC model to evaluate the relative survival (RS) of patients with liver cancer in Taiwan (diagnosed from 1997 to 2016) and to predict future trends in RS by imputing incomplete follow-up data for recently diagnosed patient cohorts. We used cross-validation to select the extrapolation method and bootstrapping to estimate the 95% confidence interval for RS. We found that 5-year cumulative RS increased for both men and women with liver cancer diagnosed after 2003. For patients diagnosed before 2010, the 5-year cumulative RS rate for men was lower than that for women; thereafter, the rates were better for men than for women. The SPC model can help elucidate the effects of survivorship, period, and year-of-diagnosis cohort effects on cancer prognosis. Moreover, the SPC model can be used to monitor cancer prognosis in real time and predict future trends; thus, we recommend its use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: exposure to air pollution has been shown to increase risk of inflammatory processes and risk of cardiovascular mortality. Such exposure may therefore also be a risk factor for cognitive impairment/dementia. Method: a systematic review of the literature was conducted with databases searched using keywords for air pollution, cognitive decline and dementia. All identified abstracts and potentially relevant articles were double read. For those papers meeting the inclusion criteria, summary tables were prepared and papers quality assessed. Results: from 1,551 abstracts identified, 10 articles were retrieved of which two were rejected. Of the eight remaining six reported prevalent cognitive assessment with historical pollution exposure and two incident cognitive decline, also with historical pollution exposure. In general, an association was reported between exposure and poorer prevalent measures of cognitive function. Data were mixed for incident cognitive decline with one study finding an association and the other not. Reports were limited by a lack of detailed reporting, use of proxy measures of pollution exposure and a lack of clarity regarding cognitive testing methodology and analysis. Conclusion: this systematic review highlights that there is some evidence of a potential association between air pollution and subsequent cognitive decline. Further work is clearly required and longitudinal analysis of ongoing cohort studies or new research would add much needed clarity to this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Principled methods with which to appropriately analyze missing data have long existed; however, broad implementation of these methods remains challenging. In this and 2 companion papers (Am J Epidemiol. 2018;187(3):576-584 and Am J Epidemiol. 2018;187(3):585-591), we discuss issues pertaining to missing data in the epidemiologic literature. We provide details regarding missing-data mechanisms and nomenclature and encourage the conduct of principled analyses through a detailed comparison of multiple imputation and inverse probability weighting. Data from the Collaborative Perinatal Project, a multisite US study conducted from 1959 to 1974, are used to create a masked data-analytical challenge with missing data induced by known mechanisms. We illustrate the deleterious effects of missing data with naive methods and show how principled methods can sometimes mitigate such effects. For example, when data were missing at random, naive methods showed a spurious protective effect of smoking on the risk of spontaneous abortion (odds ratio (OR) = 0.43, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.19, 0.93),while implementation of principled methods multiple imputation (OR = 1.30, 95% CI: 0.95, 1.77) or augmented inverse probability weighting (OR = 1.40, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.97) provided estimates closer to the "true" full-data effect (OR = 1.31, 95% CI: 1.05, 1.64). We call for greater acknowledgement of and attention to missing data and for the broad use of principled missing-data methods in epidemiologic research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medication use is often underreported in paper-based questionnaires or interviews.Web-based questionnaires may improve recall ofmedication use, but data on their validity are currently lacking. Participants in the Pregnancy and Infant Development (PRIDE) Study (2014-2016; n = 557) and the Pregnancy Drug Registry (pREGnant) (2015-2016; n = 169) completed a 6-week paper-based medication diary during gestational weeks 19-24 or 26-31. In week 34, they completed a Web-based questionnaire with questions on medication names, time period and frequency of use, and quantity taken. To assess the degree of underreporting, we calculated the questionnaire's sensitivity using the medication diary as the reference standard. Sensitivity was high formany medication groups, including antiepilepticmedication (sensitivity (Sn) = 0.96, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.89, 1.00), antacids (Sn = 0.89, 95% CI: 0.86, 0.93), and iron preparations (Sn = 0.81, 95% CI: 0.64, 0.98). However, medications for short-term use were underreported more frequently, with sensitivities of 0.54 (95% CI: 0.35, 0.72) for antihistamines, 0.63 (95% CI: 0.57, 0.69) for analgesic and antipyretic agents, and 0.57 (95% CI: 0.51, 0.64) for acetaminophen. Shortening the period of time between exposure and questionnaire administration increased sensitivity substantially. In conclusion, underreporting in Web-based questionnaires is limited for many medication groups. In prospective studies, underreporting of medications for short-term usemay be reduced by decreasing the interval between consecutive questionnaires. medication use; pregnancy; Pregnancy Drug Registry (pREGnant); Pregnancy and Infant Development (PRIDE) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives The purpose of this paper is to investigate the utilisation of general practice Medicare Benefit Schedule (MBS) services aligned to Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) within 6 months of an aged care eligibility assessment and its effects on mortality and transition to permanent residential aged care (PRAC). Design Retrospective cohort study from the Historical Cohort of the Registry of Senior Australians. Setting Community. Participants In total, 69,171 Individuals (aged 75+) receiving home care packages (HCPs) between 2011 and 2015. Outcome measures Mortality and transition to PRAC. Results The claims for a management plan with team care arrangement (TCA) within 3 months of the health assessment (i.e. CGA) was present in 5% and associated with 14% lower mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 95%CI = 0.86, 0.80–0.93) compared to no claims, lower than that seen with partial CGA which was either health assessment claims only 7.0% (aHR, 95%CI = 0.93, 0.89–0.97) or management plan coupled with TCA claims only 9.0% (aHR, 95%CI = 0.91, 0.89–0.97). This pattern was seen in those frailer but not in those where the frailty index score was <0.21. Claims for management plans coupled with TCAs alone were associated with a 10% lower transition to PRAC (asHR, 95%CI = 0.90, 0.85–0.96) in those with FI score < 0.21 while this estimate was not significant in individuals with FI score ≥ 0.21. Conclusion It appears the conduct of a combination of interventions considered to be components of the CGA by GPs was associated with a lower risk of mortality that no claims or partial conduct of CGA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Hypothesis Psychotic experiences (PEs) are associated with increased risk for mental disorders, in particular persistent PEs. PEs therefore might be useful within intervention research. We sought to systematically determine the incidence and persistence of PEs in the general population. Study Design A double-blind search of databases (Embase, Pubmed PMC, Psychinfo, Medline, and Web of Science) from inception to January 2023 and data extraction, were conducted. Study quality was assessed using the NIH assessment tool. Random effects models were conducted to calculate pooled incidence rate per person-year and proportion of persistent PEs per year. Age and study design were all examined using subgroup analyses. Demographic, risk factors, and outcomes for incidence and persistence of PEs were reported in a narrative synthesis. Study Results Using a double-blind screening method for abstract (k = 5763) and full text (k = 250) were screened. In total 91 samples from 71 studies were included, of which 39 were included in a meta-analysis (incidence: k = 17, n = 56 089; persistence: k = 22, n = 81 847). Incidence rate was 0.023 per person-year (95% CI [0.0129;0.0322]). That is, for every 100 people, 2 reported first onset PEs in a year. This was highest in adolescence at 5 per 100(13–17 years). The pooled persistence rate for PEs was 31.0% (95% CI [26.65,35.35]) This was highest in adolescence at 35.8%. Cannabis was particularly associated with incidence of PEs, and persistence of PEs were associated with multiple mental disorders. Conclusions Each year incidence of PEs is 2 of every 100 people, and persists each year in 31% of cases, this risk is highest in adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background COVID-19 has disproportionately affected older people. Objective The objective of this paper to investigate whether frailty is associated with all-cause mortality in older hospital inpatients, with COVID-19. Design Cohort study. Setting Secondary care acute hospital. Participants Participants included are 677 consecutive inpatients aged 65 years and over. Methods Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine the association of frailty with mortality. Frailty was assessed at baseline, according to the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS), where higher categories indicate worse frailty. Analyses were adjusted for age, sex, deprivation, ethnicity, previous admissions and acute illness severity. Results Six hundred and sixty-four patients were classified according to CFS. Two hundred and seventy-one died, during a mean follow-up of 34.3 days. Worse frailty at baseline was associated with increased mortality risk, even after full adjustment (P  = 0.004). Patients with CFS 4 and CFS 5 had non-significant increased mortality risks, compared to those with CFS 1–3. Patients with CFS 6 had a 2.13-fold (95% CI 1.34–3.38) and those with CFS 7–9 had a 1.79-fold (95% CI 1.12–2.88) increased mortality risk, compared to those with CFS 1–3 (P  = 0.001 and 0.016, respectively). Older age, male sex and acute illness severity were also associated with increased mortality risk. Conclusions Frailty is associated with all-cause mortality risk in older inpatients with COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epidemiologists often compare the observed number of deaths in a cohort with the expected number of deaths, obtained by multiplying person-time accrued in the cohort by mortality rates for a reference population (ideally, a reference that represents the mortality rate in the cohort in the absence of exposure). However, if exposure is hazardous (or salutary), this calculation will not consistently estimate the number of deaths expected in the absence of exposure because exposure will have affected the distribution of person-time observed in the study cohort. While problems with interpretation of this standard calculation of expected counts were discussed more than 2 decades ago, these discussions had little impact on epidemiologic practice. The logic of counterfactuals may help clarify this topic as we revisit these issues. In this paper, we describe a simple way to consistently estimate the expected number of deaths in such settings, and we illustrate the approach using data from a cohort study of mortality among underground miners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Deaths and injuries related to fires are largely preventable events. In the UK, a plethora of community-based fire safety initiatives have been introduced over the last 25 years, often led by fire and rescue services, to address this issue. This paper focuses on one such initiative—home safety assessments (HSAs). Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service (in England) implemented a uniquely large-scale HSA intervention. This paper assesses its effectiveness. Methods The impact of HSAs was assessed in relation to three outcomes: accidental dwelling fires (ADFs), ADFs contained and injuries arising from ADFs. A two-period comparison in fire-related rates of incidences in Cheshire between 2002 and 2011 was implemented, using Poisson regression and adjusting for the national temporal trend using a control group comprising the 37 other English non-metropolitan fire-services. Results Significant reductions were observed in rates of ADFs [incidence rate ratios (IRR): 0.79, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.74–0.83, P < 0.001, 2002/03–2007/08 versus 2008/09–2010/11] and associated injuries (IRR: 0.49, 95% CI: 0.39–0.60, P < 0.001, 2002/03–2006/07 versus 2007/08–2010/11), but not in the proportion of fires contained to room of origin. Conclusions There is strong evidence to suggest that the intervention was successful in reducing domestic fires and related injuries. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective. To compare the clinical and functional outcomes of US-guided (USG) vs landmark-guided (LMG) injection for the treatment of adults with shoulder pathology.Method. MEDLINE, AMED and Embase in addition to unpublished literature databases were searched from 1950 to August 2011. Studies were included if they were randomized or non-randomized controlled trials comparing USG vs LSG injections for the treatment of adults with shoulder pathology. Two reviewers independently performed data extraction and appraisal of the studies. Meta-analyses were performed where possible and when inappropriate a narrative review of the data was presented.Results. Six papers including 307 patients were reviewed; 142 received LMG injections and 165 received USG injections. There was a statistically significant difference in favour of USG for pain at 6 weeks (standardized mean difference 1.03; 95% CI 0.12, 1.93; P = 0.03). There was no statistically significant difference between the injection methods with respect to shoulder function (standardized mean difference 0.33; 95% CI −0.59, 1.25; P = 0.48). There was a significant difference between interventions for shoulder abduction at 6 weeks in favour of the USG method (mean difference 2.81; 95% CI 0.67, 4.95; P = 0.01). No other movements showed a statistically significant difference.Conclusion. There is a statistically significant difference in pain and abduction between LMG and USG steroid injections for adults with shoulder pathology. However, these differences are small and may not represent clinically useful differences. The current evidence base is limited by a number of important methodological weaknesses, which should be considered when interpreting these findings. The cost-effectiveness of the intervention should be considered in the design of future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective. To perform a systematic literature review as a basis for the update of the Assessment in SpondyloArthritis International Society and European League Against Reumatism (ASAS/EULAR) recommendations for the management of AS with non-pharmacological interventions and non-biologic drugs.Methods. The search was performed in PubMed, EMBASE, PEDro and Cochrane between 1 January 2005 and 1 December 2009, and in abstracts of EULAR and ACR meetings (2007–09). Effect sizes for outcomes on pain, disease activity, spinal mobility and physical function and level of evidence were presented.Results. Of 2383 papers, 35 with complete data were included. Physical therapy exercises in various modalities have positive effects on BASFI, BASDAI, pain and mobility function. Various NSAIDs including coxibs improve BASDAI, disease activity and BASFI. No effect of SSZ and MTX on any variable was found. Surgical interventions of the spine and the hip can give excellent results by restoring function.Conclusion. This concise summary of current evidence for non-pharmacological interventions and non-biologic drugs formed the basis for the update of the ASAS/EULAR recommendations for the management of AS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper has the following aims: (i) to explore the extent to which students who received an intervention involving HIV/AIDS and sexuality perceived that their teacher cared for their health and well-being, (ii) to investigate the characteristics of students who reported to have caring teachers and (iii) to document the association between students’ perceptions of care and reported onset of sexual activity. Data were obtained from the second follow-up survey of a prospective study carried out among high school students in South Africa (Cape Town and Mankweng). We analyzed data from 3483 students who met the inclusion criteria. Students from the intervention group perceived greater care from teachers than students in the control group. Female students and students from Cape Town perceived having received more care, and their perception of care was associated with the number of lessons received, how often students expressed their opinions in class and how often teachers talked about HIV/AIDS, condoms and abstinence. Students who perceived that their teacher cared for their health and well-being were less likely to initiate sexual intercourse. This is the first paper to demonstrate the salience of the concept of care in studies of school-based HIV/AIDS prevention programs in sub-Saharan Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background Self-reported measures of tobacco use may have limited validity, particularly among some populations. This study aims to validate self-reported smoking measures among Georgian adults participating in the 2016 STEPS survey using cotinine biomarker measurements, and to explore potential differences according to sociodemographic characteristics. Additionally, this paper examines how the estimated prevalence of smoking in the population varies according to measurement type. Methods Using the WHO standardized STEPS methodology, adults self-reported their smoking status. In a later stage of the survey, a subset of participants provided a urine sample, which was tested for cotinine. Using each participant's objective cotinine measurement and their self-reported smoking status, we calculated the sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value of self-reported smoking. Next, we calculated the estimated prevalence of smokers according to the type of measurement. Results Results indicated high sensitivity (83.37%, 95% CI: 76.79–88.37%) among males and relatively low sensitivity (38.60% CI: 29.23–48.90%) among females. According to self-report, the prevalence of smokers was 26.44% (23.61–29.48%), while according to cotinine detection, the prevalence of smokers was 32.27% (29.16–35.55%). Among all subgroups, the self-reported prevalence of smoking was significantly lower than the cotinine-detected prevalence. Conclusions To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that the validity of the STEPS self-reported tobacco indicator has been tested. Self-reported measures of smoking status may lead to an under-estimation of smoking prevalence among Georgian adults, especially women. These findings suggest that integration of biochemical measures of smoking into tobacco use studies may be an important investment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Depression is common in people with cognitive impairment but the effect of cognitive training in the reduction of depression is still uncertain. Aims The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effect of cognitive training interventions in the reduction of depression rating scale score in people with cognitive impairment. Methods Literature searches were conducted via OVID databases. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluated the effect of cognitive training interventions for the reduction of depression rating scale score in people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia were included. Mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to combine the results of Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). Standardized mean difference (SMD) was used to combine the results of different depression rating scales. Subgroup analyses were conducted according to the types of cognitive training and severity of cognitive impairment, i.e. MCI and dementia. Results A total of 2551 people with MCI or dementia were extracted from 36 RCTs. The baseline mean score of GDS-15 was 4.83. Participants received cognitive training interventions had a significant decrease in depression rating scale score than the control group (MD of GDS-15 = -1.30, 95% CI = -2.14–−0.47; and SMD of eight depression scales was −0.54 (95% CI = −0.77–−0.31). In subgroup analyses, the effect size of computerized cognitive training and cognitive stimulation therapy were medium-to-large and statistically significant in the reduction of depression rating scale score. Conclusions Cognitive training interventions show to be a potential treatment to ameliorate depression in people with cognitive impairment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background older patients aged ≥65 years constitute the majority of the National Emergency Laparotomy Audit (NELA) population. To better understand this group and inform future service changes, this paper aims to describe patient characteristics, outcomes and process measures across age cohorts and temporally in the 4-year period (2014–2017) since NELA was established. Methods patient-level data were populated from the NELA data set years 1–4 and linked with Office of National Statistics mortality data. Descriptive data were compared between groups delineated by age, NELA year and geriatrician review. Primary outcomes were 30- and 90-day mortality, length of stay (LOS) and discharge to care-home accommodation. Results in total, 93,415 NELA patients were included in the analysis. The median age was 67 years. Patients aged ≥65 years had higher 30-day (15.3 versus 4.9%, P  < 0.001) and 90-day mortality (20.4 versus 7.2%, P  < 0.001) rates, longer LOS (median 15.2 versus 11.3 days, P  < 0.001) and greater likelihood of discharge to care-home accommodation compared with younger patients (6.7 versus 1.9%, P  < 0.001). Mortality rate reduction over time was greater in older compared with younger patients. The proportion of older NELA patients seen by a geriatrician post-operatively increased over years 1–4 (8.5 to 16.5%, P  < 0.001). Post-operative geriatrician review was associated with reduced mortality (30-day odds ratio [OR] 0.38, confidence interval [CI] 0.35–0.42, P  < 0.001; 90-day OR 0.6, CI 0.56–0.65, P  < 0.001). Conclusions older NELA patients have poorer post-operative outcomes. The greatest reduction in mortality rates over time were observed in the oldest cohorts. This may be due to several interventions including increased perioperative geriatrician input. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]