Hemoglobin A1c in combination with fasting plasma glucose trumps fasting plasma glucose alone as predictive indicators for diabetes mellitus: an ambidirectional cohort study of Thai people with impaired fasting glucose.

INTRODUCTION: This ambidirectional cohort study aimed to assess the performance of combining hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) to fasting plasma glucose (FPG) for estimation of progression rate to diabetes mellitus (DM) and to explore the risk factors of DM in patients with impaired fasting glucose (IFG). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Patients with IFG were eligible for this study. IFG was defined as FPG of 100-125 mg/dL. Progression rates to DM were estimated using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Risk factors of DM were explored by Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: 3011 patients were enrolled with median follow-up time of 8 years (range: 6 months-29 years). Progression rates to DM in patients with FPG 100-109 mg/dL and 110-125 mg/dL were 2.64 and 4.79 per 100 person-years. After adjusting covariables, compared with patients with FPG 100-109 mg/dL plus normal HbA1c (<5.7%), hazard ratios (95% CI) of patients with FPG 110-125 plus normal HbA1c, FBG 100-109 plus abnormal HbA1c (5.7%-6.49%), and FPG 110-125 plus abnormal HbA1c were 5.89 (2.37 to 14.63), 16.30 (8.59 to 30.92), and 33.84 (16.41 to 69.78), respectively. Body mass index ≥27.5 kg/m2, serum triglyceride level ≥150 mg/dL, family history of DM, and low level of high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol were independently associated with risk of DM in patients with IFG. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with both IFG and abnormal HbA1c had higher risk of DM than patients with IFG alone. Therefore, performing HbA1c in combination with FPG helps to identify subgroups of people with IFG at highest risk of DM. These patients should have the highest priority in diabetes prevention programs, especially in countries with low and limited resources.

Efficacy of different dietary patterns on lowering of blood pressure level: an umbrella review.

BACKGROUND: Many systematic reviews and meta-analyses have assessed the efficacy of dietary patterns on blood pressure (BP) lowering but their findings are largely conflicting. OBJECTIVE: This umbrella review aims to provide an update on the available evidence for the efficacy of different dietary patterns on BP lowering. METHODS: PubMed and Scopus databases were searched to identify relevant studies through to June 2020. Systematic reviews with meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were eligible if they measured the effect of dietary patterns on systolic (SBP) and/or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) levels. The methodological quality of included systematic reviews was assessed by A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Review version 2. The efficacy of each dietary pattern was summarized qualitatively. The confidence of the effect estimates for each dietary pattern was graded using the NutriGrade scoring system. RESULTS: Fifty systematic reviews and meta-analyses of RCTs were eligible for review. Twelve dietary patterns namely the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), Mediterranean, Nordic, vegetarian, low-salt, low-carbohydrate, low-fat, high-protein, low glycemic index, portfolio, pulse, and Paleolithic diets were included in this umbrella review. Among these dietary patterns, the DASH diet was associated with the greatest overall reduction in BP with unstandardized mean differences ranging from -3.20 to -7.62 mmHg for SBP and from -2.50 to -4.22 mmHg for DBP. Adherence to Nordic, portfolio, and low-salt diets also significantly decreased SBP and DBP levels. In contrast, evidence for the efficacy of BP lowering using the Mediterranean, vegetarian, Paleolithic, low-carbohydrate, low glycemic index, high-protein, and low-fat diets was inconsistent. CONCLUSION: Adherence to the DASH, Nordic, and portfolio diets effectively reduced BP. Low-salt diets significantly decreased BP levels in normotensive Afro-Caribbean people and in hypertensive patients of all ethnic origins. This review was registered at PROSPERO as CRD42018104733.

Efficacy of home-based non-pharmacological interventions for treating depression: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.

OBJECTIVES: To systematically review and compare the efficacy of all available home-based non-pharmacological treatments of depression. DESIGN: Systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. DATA SOURCES: Medline, Scopus and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) databases were searched since inceptions to 7 August 2016. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Randomised controlled trials comparing the efficacy of home-based non-pharmacological interventions with usual care of patients with depression were included in the review. MAIN OUTCOMES: Depression symptom scores and disease remission rates at the end of treatment. RESULTS: Seventeen studies were included in the review. Home-based non-pharmacological interventions were categorised as (1) home-based psychological intervention, (2) home-based exercise intervention, (3) combined home-based psychological intervention with exercise intervention and (4) complementary medicine. Complementary medicine approaches were excluded from the meta-analysis due to heterogeneity. The standardised mean differences of post-treatment depression symptom scores between usual care groups and home-based psychological intervention, home-based exercise intervention and combined home-based psychological intervention with exercise intervention were âˆ'0.57 (95% CI âˆ'0.84 to âˆ'0.31), âˆ'1.03 (95% CI âˆ'2.89 to 0.82) and âˆ'0.78 (95% CI âˆ'1.09 to âˆ'0.47), respectively. These results suggest that only home-based psychological intervention and combined home-based psychological intervention with exercise intervention could significantly decrease depression scores. Compared with usual care groups, the disease remission rate was also significantly higher for home-based psychological intervention (pooled risk ratio=1.53; 95% CI 1.19 to 1.98) and combined home-based psychological intervention with exercise intervention (pooled risk ratio=3.47; 95% CI 2.11 to 5.70). Of all the studied interventions, combined home-based psychological intervention with exercise intervention had the highest probability of resulting in disease remission. CONCLUSION: Our study confirms the efficacy of home-based psychological intervention and combined home-based psychological intervention with exercise intervention in the treatment of depression. Combined home-based psychological intervention and exercise intervention was the best treatment and should be considered for inclusion in clinical guidelines for managing depression.

Cartoon versus traditional self-study handouts for medical students: CARTOON randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to compare the effectiveness of a "cartoon-style" handout with a "traditional-style" handout in a self-study assignment for preclinical medical students. METHODS: Third-year medical students (n = 93) at the Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, took a pre-learning assessment of their knowledge of intercostal chest drainage. They were then randomly allocated to receive either a "cartoon-style" or a "traditional-style" handout on the same topic. After studying these over a 2-week period, students completed a post-learning assessment and estimated their levels of reading completion. RESULTS: Of the 79 participants completing the post-learning test, those in the cartoon-style group achieved a score 13.8% higher than the traditional-style group (p = 0.018). A higher proportion of students in the cartoon-style group reported reading ≥75% of the handout content (70.7% versus 42.1%). In post-hoc analyses, students whose cumulative grade point averages (GPA) from previous academic assessments were in the middle and lower range achieved higher scores with the cartoon-style handout than with the traditional one. In the lower-GPA group, the use of a cartoon-style handout was independently associated with a higher score. CONCLUSIONS: Students given a cartoon-style handout reported reading more of the material and achieved higher post-learning test scores than students given a traditional handout.

To be or not to be a facilitator of reflective learning for medical students? a case study of medical teachers' perceptions of introducing a reflective writing exercise to an undergraduate curriculum.

BACKGROUND: Introducing reflective writing to a medical curriculum requires the acceptance and participation of teachers. The purpose of this study was to explore medical teachers' views on the benefits of introducing a reflective writing exercise into an undergraduate medical curriculum, including their levels of satisfaction and their concerns. We also investigated effects on the teachers' personal and professional development arising from their roles as novice facilitators. METHODS: A qualitative approach was employed using semi-structured interviews. During an attachment to Primary Care Medicine course, fourth-year medical students (n = 180) in the Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand were assigned to write a reflective essay titled, "A Significant Event in My First Clinical Year". After reading the essays and facilitating between one to three small group discussions based on these, each of the 18 teachers enrolled in our study completed an in-depth face to face interview. Transcripts of these were studied, using thematic content analysis to identify emerging themes. RESULTS: The novice facilitators felt that facilitated reflection was both valuable and appropriate for students. They also perceived that it had a positive impact on their own personal and professional lives. In the early phase of implementing this activity, teachers expressed concerns about 1) their ability and confidence as facilitators in small group discussion 2) their ability to deal with emotions raised within their groups 3) the effectiveness of the activity 4) poor presentation and possible fabrication of student work. CONCLUSIONS: Most teachers regarded this activity as being beneficial to them, to student learning, and to the curriculum. Their insights, including concerns about the level of skill needed for facilitation, provide valuable material for planning a comprehensive faculty development programme.

Efficacy of additional psychosocial intervention in reducing low birth weight and preterm birth in teenage pregnancy: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

This systematic review aimed to assess the efficacy of psychosocial interventions in reducing risk of low birth weight (LBW) and preterm birth (PTB) in teenage pregnancy. Relevant studies were identified from Medline, Scopus, CINAHL, and CENTRAL databases. Randomized controlled trials investigating effect of psychosocial interventions on risk of LBW and PTB, compared to routine antenatal care (ANC) were eligible. Relative risks (RR) of LBW and PTB were pooled using inverse variance method. Mean differences of birth weight (BW) between intervention and control groups were pooled using unstandardized mean difference (USMD). Five studies were included in the review. Compared with routine ANC, psychosocial interventions significantly reduced risk of LBW by 40% (95%CI: 8%,62%) but not for PTB (pooled RR = 0.67, 95%CI: 0.42,1.05). Mean BW of the intervention group was significantly higher than that of the control group with USMD of 200.63 g (95% CI: 21.02, 380.25). Results of our study suggest that psychosocial interventions significantly reduced risk of LBW in teenage pregnancy.