Risk of behavioural and developmental difficulties in early childhood in the Australian Capital Territory.

AIM: We aimed to estimate the prevalence of risk for developmental and behavioural problems for children in their first year of full-time primary education in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). METHODS: We conducted an analysis of the 2014-2017 Kindergarten Health Check (KHC), an annual series of complete enumeration surveys of all children in their first year of full-time primary education in the ACT. Risk for developmental and behavioural problems was determined using the Parents' Evaluation of Developmental Status (PEDS) questionnaire. RESULTS: 19 414 children (mean age 5.56 years; 51.4% boys; 2.3% Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander; 18.4% quintile of greatest relative disadvantage) who participated in the 2014-2017 KHC were included in the study (87%). More than half of ACT children in their first year of primary education had low/no developmental risk identified through the PEDS questionnaire, with 1 in 10 at high risk. CONCLUSIONS: Those more likely to have a high risk PEDS score were boys, those from the areas experiencing relative disadvantage, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. While we can identify children at risk through screening, the greater challenge remains to identify and address the underlying causes of healthy inequalities, even within highly socioeconomically advantaged communities.

Exploring ownership of change and health equity implications in neighborhood change processes: A community-led approach to enhancing just climate resilience in Everett, MA.

Traditional planning processes have perpetuated the exclusion of historically marginalized communities, imposing vulnerability to climate (health) crises. We investigate how ownership of change fosters equitable climate resilience and community well-being through participatory action research. Our study highlights the detrimental effects of climate gentrification on community advocacy for climate security and health, negatively impacting well-being. We identify three key processes of ownership of change: ownership of social identity, development and decision-making processes, and knowledge. These approaches emphasize community-led solutions to counter climate health challenges and underscore the interdependence of social and environmental factors in mental health outcomes in climate-stressed communities.

Prenatal maternal Inflammation, childhood cognition and adolescent depressive symptoms.

BACKGROUND: Accumulating evidence indicates that higher prenatal maternal inflammation is associated with increased depression risk in adolescent and adult-aged offspring. Prenatal maternal inflammation (PNMI) may increase the likelihood for offspring to have lower cognitive performance, which, in turn, may heighten risk for depression onset. Therefore, this study explored the potential mediating role of childhood cognitive performance in the relationship between PNMI and adolescent depressive symptoms in offspring. METHODS: Participants included 696 mother-offspring dyads from the Child Health and Development Studies (CHDS) cohort. Biomarkers of maternal inflammation [interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) and soluble TNF receptor-II (sTNF-RII)] were assayed from first (T1) and second trimester (T2) sera. Childhood (ages 9-11) cognitive performance was assessed via standardized Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT), a measure of receptive vocabulary correlated with general intelligence. Adolescent (ages 15-17) depressive symptoms were assessed via self-report. RESULTS: There were no significant associations between T1 biomarkers and childhood PPVT or adolescent depressive symptoms. Higher T2 IL1-RA was directly associated with lower childhood PPVT (b = -0.21, SE = 0.08, t = -2.55, p = 0.01), but not with adolescent depressive symptoms. T2 IL-6 was not directly associated with childhood PPVT, but higher T2 IL-6 was directly associated at borderline significance with greater depressive symptoms in adolescence (b = 0.05, SE = 0.03, t = 1.96, p = 0.05). Lower childhood PPVT predicted significantly higher adolescent depressive symptoms (b = -0.07, SE = 0.02, t = -2.99, p < 0.01). There was a significant indirect effect of T2 IL-1RA on adolescent depressive symptoms via childhood PPVT (b = 0.03, 95 % CI = 0.002-0.03) indicating a partially mediated effect. No significant associations were found with T2 sTNF-RII nor IL-8. CONCLUSIONS: Lower childhood cognitive performance, such as that indicated by a lower PPVT score, represents a potential mechanism through which prenatal maternal inflammation contributes to adolescent depression risk in offspring.

Evaluating the Digital Health Experience for Patients in Primary Care: Mixed Methods Study.

BACKGROUND: The digital health divide for socioeconomic disadvantage describes a pattern in which patients considered socioeconomically disadvantaged, who are already marginalized through reduced access to face-to-face health care, are additionally hindered through less access to patient-initiated digital health. A comprehensive understanding of how patients with socioeconomic disadvantage access and experience digital health is essential for improving the digital health divide. Primary care patients, especially those with chronic disease, have experience of the stages of initial help seeking and self-management of their health, which renders them a key demographic for research on patient-initiated digital health access. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to provide comprehensive primary mixed methods data on the patient experience of barriers to digital health access, with a focus on the digital health divide. METHODS: We applied an exploratory mixed methods design to ensure that our survey was primarily shaped by the experiences of our interviewees. First, we qualitatively explored the experience of digital health for 19 patients with socioeconomic disadvantage and chronic disease and second, we quantitatively measured some of these findings by designing and administering a survey to 487 Australian general practice patients from 24 general practices. RESULTS: In our qualitative first phase, the key barriers found to accessing digital health included (1) strong patient preference for human-based health services; (2) low trust in digital health services; (3) high financial costs of necessary tools, maintenance, and repairs; (4) poor publicly available internet access options; (5) reduced capacity to engage due to increased life pressures; and (6) low self-efficacy and confidence in using digital health. In our quantitative second phase, 31% (151/487) of the survey participants were found to have never used a form of digital health, while 10.7% (52/487) were low- to medium-frequency users and 48.5% (236/487) were high-frequency users. High-frequency users were more likely to be interested in digital health and had higher self-efficacy. Low-frequency users were more likely to report difficulty affording the financial costs needed for digital access. CONCLUSIONS: While general digital interest, financial cost, and digital health literacy and empowerment are clear factors in digital health access in a broad primary care population, the digital health divide is also facilitated in part by a stepped series of complex and cumulative barriers. Genuinely improving digital health access for 1 cohort or even 1 person requires a series of multiple different interventions tailored to specific sequential barriers. Within primary care, patient-centered care that continues to recognize the complex individual needs of, and barriers facing, each patient should be part of addressing the digital health divide.

Obstetric and Gynecologic Care for Individuals with Disabilities.

This article explores the inequities experienced by individuals with disabilities when accessing obstetric and gynecologic care. The unique needs, abilities, and barriers to care are reviewed, as well as recommendations for provision of care to people with disabilities.

Endometriosis first presenting in pleural fluid cytology.

Most patients with thoracic endometriosis present with catamenial pneumothorax, a rare condition in which recurrent episodes occur within 72 h before or after the start of menstruation. We report a case of thoracic endometriosis presenting with recurrent bloody pleural effusions without pneumothorax diagnosed on pleural fluid cytology. We describe the cytomorphology and immunoprofile of thoracic endometriosis and discuss the differential diagnoses, including neoplastic processes. We also highlight the importance of communication with clinicians for timeliness of diagnosis and treatment, especially when thoracic endometriosis is not suspected.

A novel methodological approach to participant engagement and policy relevance for community-based primary medical care research during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia and New Zealand.

Community-based primary care, such as general practice (GP) or urgent care, serves as the primary point of access to healthcare for most Australians and New Zealanders. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has created significant and ongoing disruptions to primary care. Traditional research methods have contributed to gaps in understanding the experiences of primary care workers during the pandemic. This paper describes a novel research design and method that intended to capture the evolving impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on primary care workers in Australia and New Zealand. Recurrent, rapid cycle surveys were fielded from May 2020 through December 2021 in Australia, and May 2020 through February 2021 in New Zealand. Rapid survey development, fielding, triangulated analysis and dissemination of results allowed close to real-time communication of relevant issues among general practice workers, researchers and policy-makers. A conceptual model is presented to support longitudinal analysis of primary care worker experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia and New Zealand, and key learnings from applying this novel method are discussed. This paper will assist future research teams in development and execution of policy-relevant research in times of change and may inform further areas of interest for COVID-19 research in primary care.

A diffuse, pustular eruption in a neonate: Recognizing SAMD9L-associated autoinflammatory disease (SAAD).

A 3-week-old baby with hydrops fetalis, acute respiratory failure, and shock of unknown etiology developed a diffuse, pustular rash with worsening inflammatory markers and respiratory status despite antimicrobials. Whole exome sequencing revealed a de novo, frameshift mutation in the SAM9DL gene, leading to the diagnosis of SAMD9L-associated autoinflammatory disease.

Medical students' perceived comfort and competence performing physical examinations on patients with obesity: A mixed-methods needs assessment.

Physicians are unsatisfied with their training in the care of patients with obesity. Physical examination is a key component of care, and modifications to techniques are often necessary for patients with obesity. To determine learning needs, we examined medical students' perceived comfort and competency in conducting physical examinations on patients with obesity. This mixed-methods study of Canadian medical students used a questionnaire and semi-structured focus groups to assess medical students' perceived comfort and competence in examining patients with obesity. Participants included 175 Canadian medical students. A minority of medical students felt comfortable (42%) or competent (14%) examining patients with obesity. Physical exam challenges included modifying exam manoeuvres, interpreting findings and communicating sensitively around weight. Lack of early exposure to patients with obesity, minimal instruction by preceptors and a lack of curricular focus on obesity were felt to be barriers to improving these skills. Students perceived their lack of confidence as negatively impacting their ability to manage patients with obesity and more training in this area was desired to prevent disparities in care. Medical students feel that adequate training on how to perform an obesity-specific physical examination is lacking. Developing curricula and including formal teaching around these key competencies within medical education is essential.

Controlling posture to see the world: The integration of visual task demands and postural sway in sitting and standing infants.

Our ability to integrate posture with visually demanding tasks is a critical aspect of motor behavior flexibility. When looking at a small object, excessive body movements impair an individual's ability to visually attend to the object. To overcome this problem, we adjust our postural sway to successfully focus on the object. The goal of the current study was to assess whether infants also adjust postural sway when engaged in a challenging visual task. The participants, 19 independently sitting infants (Sitters) and 21 newly independently standing infants (Standers), sat or stood on a force plate while viewing differently sized images displayed on a monitor (smaller images: 8 × 6.5 cm or 3 × 3 cm; larger images: 13 × 16 cm or 13 × 13 cm). Regardless of image size, Standers were less stable than Sitters with larger sway areas and faster sway velocities. Both Sitters and Standers adjusted sway area but not sway velocity, based on image size. Sitters and Standers differed in how they controlled sway dynamics. Standers but not Sitters altered sway dynamics based on image size. Overall, infants used posture-specific adaptive control strategies to make fine-grained adjustments based on image size. The development of the ability to integrate posture with a visually demanding task further emphasizes the capability of advanced complex motor behaviors during infancy, enabling infants to flexibly attend to important aspects of their environment at different postural positions.

Working memory performance is related to childhood trauma but not psychotic-like experiences in a nonpsychiatric sample.

OBJECTIVE: This project seeks to clarify the impact of childhood trauma and psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) on working memory (WM) and explore gender differences in these relationships. The effect of childhood trauma on WM performance has yet to be explored in individuals with PLEs, despite consistent associations between trauma, psychosis spectrum symptoms, and WM performance. METHOD: In 466 undergraduates, positive PLEs (Prodromal Questionnaire) and trauma (Childhood Trauma Questionnaire) were examined to determine contributions to WM performance on a spatial n-back task. We conducted hierarchical linear regressions on the total sample and stratified by gender to examine the effects of childhood trauma, positive PLEs, and their interaction on WM performance. Supplemental analyses explored attenuated negative and disorganized symptoms. RESULTS: Controlling for age, there were no significant main effects of positive PLEs, childhood trauma, their interaction, or three-way interaction including gender in predicting WM. After stratifying by gender, childhood trauma was significantly associated with poorer WM in females only. Post hoc analyses revealed that in the full sample, physical neglect predicted WM performance and was a trend for females, while sexual abuse trended toward predicting WM in males. Supplemental analyses of attenuated negative and disorganized symptoms revealed childhood trauma significantly predicted WM in the full sample and females only for negative symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Females who have experienced childhood trauma may be at greater risk for WM problems, irrespective of co-occurring PLEs, suggesting that cognitive difficulties may be partially attributable to history of trauma. These findings have potential implications for intervention strategies in trauma-exposed individuals. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Pregnancy Outcomes in Patients with Obstructed Hemivagina Ipsilateral Renal Agenesis.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Obstructed hemivagina with ipsilateral renal agenesis (OHVIRA) is a rare congenital Müllerian anomaly. We sought to explore the impact of OHVIRA on pregnancy outcomes. METHODS: A retrospective chart review identified 8 patients with an OHVIRA diagnosis and at least 1 documented pregnancy. Data collected included demographic characteristics, age at diagnosis and repair, gynecologic history, and pregnancy outcomes. Descriptive analysis was performed. RESULTS: Twenty-three pregnancies were identified among the 8 patients (range 1-5 pregnancies per patient), resulting in 9 term births, 6 preterm births, and 8 first-trimester spontaneous abortions. The most common pregnancy complications were fetal growth restriction (2/15) and preeclampsia with severe features (2/15). The average gestational age at delivery was 37 2/7 weeks; however, 60% (9/15) of live births were at term. Two patients delivered after going into preterm labor, one of whom also had preterm premature rupture of membranes. Of the 15 live births, there were 10 cesarean deliveries, 4 vaginal deliveries, and 1 forceps-assisted vaginal delivery. Three patients (30%) underwent primary cesarean deliveries due to fetal malpresentation. Five live births were repeat cesarean deliveries, and 2 were unscheduled cesareans, at 34 and 36 weeks, due to preeclampsia with severe features. CONCLUSION: This study is among the first to examine pregnancy outcomes in patients with OHVIRA. Among these patients, there were 23 total pregnancies, with higher incidences of spontaneous abortion, preterm birth, breech presentation, and cesarean delivery compared with the general population. This descriptive data set addresses a knowledge gap to help clinicians more effectively advise patients with OHVIRA about pregnancy outcomes.

Childhood trauma, perceived stress and anhedonia in individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis: multigroup mediation analysis.

BACKGROUND: Evidence suggests that both childhood trauma and perceived stress are risk factors for the development of psychosis, as well as negative symptoms such as anhedonia. Previous findings link increases in perceived stress to anhedonia in individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis (CHR) and depression; however, the role of childhood trauma in this relationship has not yet been explored, despite consistent evidence that it is associated with sensitisation to later stress. AIMS: To examine whether perceived stress mediates the relationship between childhood trauma and anhedonia in a group of youth at CHR as well as in controls (groups with depression and with no diagnosed mental health concerns). METHOD: The study used multigroup mediation to examine the indirect effects of childhood trauma on anhedonia via perceived stress in CHR (n = 117) and depression groups (n = 284) and non-psychiatric controls (n = 124). RESULTS: Perceived stress mediated the relationship between childhood trauma and consummatory anhedonia regardless of group status. Perceived stress mediated the relationship between childhood trauma and anticipatory anhedonia for the CHR and depression groups, but not for non-psychiatric controls. Further, groups differed in the magnitude of this relationship, with the effects trending towards stronger for those in the CHR group. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest a potential transdiagnostic pathway through which childhood trauma contributes to anhedonia across severe mental illness.

Environmental Risk Factors and Cognitive Outcomes in Psychosis: Pre-, Perinatal, and Early Life Adversity.

Risk for psychosis begins to accumulate as early as the fetal period through exposure to obstetric complications like fetal hypoxia, maternal stress, and prenatal infection. Stressors in the postnatal period, such as childhood trauma, peer victimization, and neighborhood-level adversity, further increase susceptibility for psychosis. Cognitive difficulties are among the first symptoms to emerge in individuals who go on to develop a psychotic disorder. We review the relationship between pre-, perinatal, and early childhood adversities and cognitive outcomes in individuals with psychosis. Current evidence shows that the aforementioned environmental risk factors may be linked to lower overall intelligence and executive dysfunction, beginning in the premorbid period and persisting into adulthood in individuals with psychosis. It is likely that early life stress contributes to cognitive difficulties in psychosis through dysregulation of the body's response to stress, causing changes such as increased cortisol levels and chronic immune activation, which can negatively impact neurodevelopment. Intersectional aspects of identity (e.g., sex/gender, race/ethnicity), as well as gene-environment interactions, likely inform the developmental cascade to cognitive difficulties throughout the course of psychotic disorders and are reviewed below. Prospective studies of birth cohorts will serve to further clarify the relationship between early-life environmental risk factors and cognitive outcomes in the developmental course of psychotic disorders. Specific methodological recommendations are provided for future research.

Paraneoplastic Pemphigus: A Striking Complication of Undiagnosed Lymphoma.

A 49-year-old male with no past medical history presented with acute-onset painful mucosal erosions along with flaccid bullae on his trunk, scalp, and intertriginous areas. The patient initially underwent a skin biopsy which demonstrated suprabasilar acantholysis and lichenoid interface dermatitis. This was followed by a computed tomography scan which identified a large abdominal lymph node. Core needle biopsy of this node demonstrated follicular lymphoma. Lastly, indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) in rat bladder was positive (titer 1 : 10,240). This finding confirmed the diagnosis of paraneoplastic pemphigus (PNP) in the setting of follicular lymphoma. The patient's cutaneous disease was treated with a combination of intravenous immunoglobulin and methylprednisolone, along with intravenous rituximab, with a resolution of his cutaneous symptoms. His lymphoma was treated with six cycles of rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP), with an interval decrease in his tumor burden. PNP is an autoimmune-mediated mucocutaneous disease associated with underlying neoplasm, most commonly non-Hodgkin lymphoma or chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Affected patients develop variable autoantibodies to antigens on keratinocytes and the basement membrane zone. Severe intractable stomatitis is characteristic, in addition to polymorphous cutaneous eruptions including bullae and erosions. Mortality rates can reach up to 90% due to malignancy, sepsis, or bronchiolitis obliterans, an irreversible and often lethal cause of pulmonary insufficiency. We highlight PNP manifesting in a patient with lymphoma, who responded well to the skin- and malignancy-directed treatments. PNP is an exceedingly rare diagnosis that should be considered in a patient with intractable stomatitis.

Use of Two Levonorgestrel Intrauterine Devices in a Patient with a Uterus Didelphys: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND: Intrauterine devices (IUDs) are contraindicated in patients with known uterine anomalies, eliminating an extremely effective contraceptive option. However, data regarding contraceptive desires in these patients are limited to a few case reports. CASE: A 20-year-old nulligravida with a uterus didelphys desired contraception after oral contraceptive pills and an etonogestrel implant failed. Despite extensive counseling, including Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines regarding contraindications for IUD placement in the setting of a uterine anomaly, she desired to proceed with placement of 2 IUDs. Two 13.5-mg levonorgestrel IUDs were successfully placed into each uterine horn. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION: In select patients with uterine anomalies, IUD placement can be a safe and effective option. This is especially important in adolescents who might be at increased risk for unintended pregnancy and poor obstetric outcomes.

COVID-19 vaccinations and counselling: a mixed-methods survey of Australian general practice in July 2021.

BACKGROUND: GPs are integral to the COVID-19 vaccination rollout, providing education and administering vaccines. We sought to describe how counselling relating to COVID-19 vaccination was impacting Australian general practice consultations. METHODS: We conducted an online, mixed-methods, cross-sectional survey of Australian community-based primary care from 7 to 15 July 2021. This survey, number 15 in a series of recurrent cross-sectional surveys conducted over a 14-month period, explored how counselling relating to COVID-19 vaccination was impacting general practice consultations, through multiple selection and open text responses; it also included questions on respondent and practice characteristics, and pandemic-related stress and strain. We calculated descriptive statistics for quantitative variables, and analysed free-text responses using an inductive content analysis approach. RESULTS: We received 73 responses (72 GPs) across all states/territories. Discussions with patients about COVID-19 vaccines and vaccination were common, increasing the duration of routine consultations by 6min on average (s.d. 2.9). Respondents described the impact of the resulting time pressures, and the stress and challenges of participating in COVID-19 vaccine communication and administration. Although our results are illuminating, they are limited by the small sample, with some different characteristics from national estimates, an uncertain response rate and the inability to pilot the survey prior to distribution. CONCLUSIONS: The significant impact on general practice consultation from COVID-19 vaccine counselling is on a background of ongoing pandemic-related stress and strain. With a strong track record of population vaccination, GPs are well-placed to deliver COVID-19 immunisations to the Australian population. However, they must be represented in planning and coordination, to reduce the overall burden on primary care.

Non-Obstetric Traumatic Vulvar Hematomas in Premenarchal and Postmenarchal Girls.

BACKGROUND: Traumatic non-obstetrical hematomas of the vulva are rare, and most reports only involve adult patients. There are no data on presentation, management, and outcomes from either conservative or surgical management in pediatric and adolescent patients. The objective of this project was to compare the etiology, treatment, and outcomes of traumatic vulvar hematomas occurring in premenarchal and postmenarchal young women. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed on females aged 0-24 years seen at a tertiary care academic center using ICD 9 and 10 codes for traumatic vulvar hematoma from 2006-2019. Data describing their clinical presentation and course were collected. IRB approval was obtained. RESULTS: Twenty patients, aged 3-23 years (median age of 13.5 years) were identified. All 8 premenarchal patients presented with a straddle injury, whereas only 50% of postmenarchal patients were found to have a straddle injury. Other etiologies among postmenarchal patients included consensual sexual intercourse and recent vulvar surgery. Hematoma diameter ranged from 1-3 cm in premenarchal patients and 0.4-7 cm in postmenarchal patients. Associated perineal lacerations were reported in 50% of the premenarchal girls and 8% of postmenarchal young women. Of the 8 premenarchal patients, 5 were managed conservatively, and 3 were taken to the operating room for repair of perineal lacerations; 1 patient also underwent evacuation of a 3-cm hematoma. Of the 12 postmenarchal patients, 5 had surgical intervention, 2 for pain secondary to large 7-cm hematomas and 3 for suspected vulvar abscesses, which were identified as hematomas after drainage. One patient in each group required a Foley catheter for comfort. Two postmenarchal patients required a second surgery for further wound management. One premenarchal patient with surgical treatment required a follow-up exam under anesthesia. Four patients were admitted for pain and postoperative observation, 1 of whom was premenarchal. Eleven patients were seen for follow-up, and 10 were doing well. One postmenarchal patient in the conservative management group returned to the Emergency Department with continued pain 10 days later. CONCLUSIONS: In this study that examined traumatic vulvar hematomas in premenarchal and postmenarchal young women, the only mechanism of injury in premenarchal girls was straddle injury, and surgical intervention was usually needed only for repair of perineal lacerations, not a primary hematoma. In the postmenarchal patients, surgical intervention was undertaken for larger hematomas and suspected vulvar abscesses. Our study suggests that most hematomas up to 3 cm in premenarchal patients and up to 6 cm in postmenarchal patients can be managed conservatively.

Parents' perceptions of their child's weight among children in their first year of primary school: a mixed-methods analysis of an Australian cross-sectional (complete enumeration) study.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: To describe trends in overweight/obesity in early childhood for all children and those whose parents are concerned about their weight. To describe parents' perceptions of their child's weight and differences by their child's anthropometric and sociodemographic factors. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Analysis of the Kindergarten Health Check, a survey of all children enrolled in their first year of primary education in the Australian Capital Territory. Analysis of detailed data for 2014-2017, including qualitative analysis of parents' comments on weight, and trends for 2001-2017. RESULTS: 71,963 children participated in the survey between 2001 and 2017 (20,427 between 2014 and 2017). The average age of children (2001-2017) was 5 years and 9.6 months at the time of their physical health check. 2377 children (3.5%) were classified as obese based on measured body mass index (BMI) between 2001 and 2017, and a further 7766 (11.6%) overweight. Similar proportions were seen for 2014-2017. Among children with overweight/obesity in 2014-2017, 86.4% of parents (2479/2868) described their children's weight as healthy and 13.3% (382/2868) as overweight/obese. Just 11.5% (339/2946) of parents whose children were later measured with overweight/obesity identified having a concern about their child's weight. Parental comments varied widely and were often incongruent with the known health risks associated with their child's measured BMI. Comments from parents whose children were measured as obese often were normalising e.g., "born big, always big. Definitely NOT overweight, just bigger all over", whilst parents of children in the healthy range expressed concerns about underweight. CONCLUSION: Parents do not accurately perceive their child's weight and few document concerns, even among children measuring in the obese BMI category. This lack of concern makes early interventions challenging as parents are in the "pre-contemplative" stage of behaviour change and may see public health campaigns or clinicians' attempts to address their child's weight as irrelevant or unhelpful.

Prognostic value of blood pressure in ambulatory heart failure: a meta-analysis and systematic review. Ambulatory blood pressure predicts heart failure prognosis.

Previous primary studies have explored the association between blood pressure (BP) and mortality in ambulatory heart failure (HF) patients reporting varying and contrasting associations. The aim is to determine the pooled BP prognostic value and explore potential reasons for between-study inconsistency. We searched Medline, Cochrane, EMBASE and CINAHL from January 2005 to October 2018 for studies with ≥ 50 events (mortality and/or hospitalization) and included BP in a multivariable model in ambulatory HF patients. We pooled hazard ratios (random effects model) for systolic BP (SBP) or diastolic BP (DBP) effect on mortality and/or hospitalization risk. We used a priori defined sub-group analyses to explore heterogeneity and GRADE approach to assess the certainty of the evidence. Seventy-one eligible articles (239,467 screened) at low to moderate risk of bias included 235,752 participants. Higher SBP was associated with reduced all-cause mortality (HR 0.93, 95%CI 0.91-0.95, I2 = 87.13%, moderate certainty), all-cause hospitalization events (HR 0.91, 95%CI 0.88-0.93, I2 = 44.4%, high certainty) and their composite endpoint (HR 0.93 per 10 mmHg, 95%CI 0.91-0.94, I2 = 86.3%, high certainty). DBP did not demonstrate a statistically significant effect for all outcomes. The association strength was significantly weaker in studies following patients with either LVEF > 40%, higher average SBP (> 130 mmHg), increasing age and diabetes. All other a priori subgroup hypotheses did not explain between study differences. Higher ambulatory SBP is associated with reduced risk of all-cause mortality and hospitalization. Patients with lower BP and reduced LVEF are in a high-risk group of developing adverse events with moderate certainty of evidence.