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BackgroundWeb-based approaches are an effective and convenient medium to deliver eHealth interventions. However, few studies have attempted to evaluate the accuracy of online self-reported weight, and only one has assessed the accuracy of online self-reported height and body mass index (BMI). ObjectiveThis study aimed to validate online self-reported height, weight, and calculated BMI against objectively measured data in young Australian adults. MethodsParticipants aged 18-35 years were recruited via advertisements on social media sites and reported their current height and weight as part of an online survey. They then subsequently had the same measures objectively assessed by a trained researcher. ResultsSelf-reported height was significantly overestimated by a mean of 1.36 cm (SD 1.93; P

Background: It is unclear why neck pain persists or resolves, making assessment and management decisions challenging. Muscle composition, particularly muscle fat infiltrate (MFI), is related to neck pain, but it is unknown whether MFI changes with recovery following targeted interventions. Methods: We compared muscle composition quantified from fat-water magnetic resonance images from the C3 to T1 vertebrae in individuals with and without chronic idiopathic neck pain at two times 6 months apart. Those with neck pain received six weeks of intervention (physiotherapy or chiropractic) after their baseline MRI; at 6 months, they were classified as recovered (≥3 on the 11-point Global Rating of Change scale) or not recovered. Results: At 6 months, both asymptomatic and recovered individuals had decreased MFI compared to baseline (asymptomatic estimated marginal mean difference −1.6% 95%; CI −1.9, −1.4; recovered −1.6; −1.8, −1.4; p < 0.001) whereas those classified as not recovered had increased MFI compared to baseline (0.4; 0.1, 0.7; p = 0.014), independent of age, sex and body mass index. Conclusions: It appears MFI decreases with recovery from neck pain but increases when neck pain persists. The relationship between cervical MFI and neck pain suggests MFI may inform diagnosis, theragnosis and prognosis in individuals with neck pain. Future development of a clinical test for MFI may assist in identifying patients who will benefit from targeted muscle intervention, improving outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cerebral collateral status has a potential role in mediating postreperfusion clinical and safety outcomes in acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Purpose: To investigate the prognostic accuracy and impact of collateral status on clinical and safety outcomes in patients with AIS receiving reperfusion therapy. Material and Methods: Studies with AIS patients treated with reperfusion therapy, collateral status assessed using Tan, ASITN/SIR, or similar collateral grading methods and data stratified according to collateral status were included. Relevant data on clinical outcomes, such as functional outcome at 90 days, mortality at 90 days, angiographic reperfusion, symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH) and hemorrhagic transformation (HT), were collated and analyzed. Results: A meta-analysis of 18 studies involving 4132 patients with AIS was conducted. Good collateral status was significantly associated with angiographic reperfusion (odds ratio [OR]=1.97, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.38–2.80; P < 0.0001), sICH (OR=0.67, 95% CI=0.46–0.99; P = 0.042), and 90-day functional outcome (OR=3.05, 95% CI=1.78–5.24; P < 0.0001). However, its association with HT (OR=0.76, 95% CI=0.38–1.51; P = 0.425) and three-month mortality (OR=0.53, 95% CI=0.17–1.69; P = 0.280) did not reach statistical significance. The prognostic accuracy of collaterals for predicting angiographic reperfusion, HT, functional outcome (at 90 days), and mortality (at 90 days) were 63%, 49%, 66%, and 48%, respectively. Conclusion: Cerebral collaterals are significantly associated with clinical and safety outcomes, albeit with a prognostic accuracy range of 48%–66%; thus, evaluation of their patency is a useful prognostic tool in patients with AIS receiving reperfusion therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Byline: Sonu. Bhaskar, Peter. Stanwell, Andrew. Bivard, Neil. Spratt, Rhonda. Walker, Gemma. Kitsos, Mark. Parsons, Malcolm. Evans, Louise. Jordan, Michael. Nilsson, John. Attia, Christopher. Levi Background and Purpose: Epidemiological studies [...]