First implantable cardiac defibrillator insertions in New South Wales, 2005-2020: an analysis of linked administrative data.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the annual numbers of first ICD insertions in New South Wales during 2005-2020; to examine health outcomes for people who first received ICDs during this period. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study; analysis of linked administrative health data. SETTING, PARTICIPANTS: All first insertions of ICDs in NSW, 2005-2020. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Annual numbers of first ICD insertions, and of emergency department presentations and hospital re-admissions 30 days, 90 days, 365 days after first ICD insertions; all-cause and disease-specific mortality (to ten years after ICD insertion). RESULTS: During 2005-2020, ICDs were first inserted into 16 867 people (18.5 per 100 000 population); their mean age was 65.7 years (standard deviation, 13.5 years; 7376 aged 70 years or older, 43.7%), 13 214 were men (78.3%). The annual number of insertions increased from 791 in 2005 to 1256 in 2016; the first ICD insertion rate increased from 15.5 in 2005 to 18.9 per 100 000 population in 2010, after which the rate was stable until 2019 (19.8 per 100 000 population). Of the 16 778 people discharged alive from hospital after first ICD insertions, 54.4% presented to emergency departments within twelve months, including 1236 with cardiac arrhythmias (7.4%) and 434 with device-related problems (2.6%); 56% were re-admitted to hospital, including 1944 with cardiac arrhythmias (11.5%) and 2045 with device-related problems (12.1%). A total of 5624 people who received first ICDs during 2005-2020 (33.3%) died during follow-up (6.7 deaths per 100 person-years); the survival rate was 94.4% at one year, 76.5% at five years, and 54.2% at ten years. CONCLUSIONS: The annual number of new ICDs inserted in NSW has increased since 2005. A substantial proportion of recipients experience device-related problems that require re-admission to hospital. The potential harms of ICD insertion should be considered when assessing the likelihood of preventing fatal ventricular arrhythmia.

Pregnancy-associated gynecological cancer in New South Wales, Australia 1994-2013: A population-based historical cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: Pregnancy-associated gynecological cancer (PAGC) refers to cancers of the ovary, uterus, fallopian tube, cervix, vagina, and vulva diagnosed during pregnancy or within 12 months postpartum. We aimed to describe the incidence of, and perinatal outcomes associated with, invasive pregnancy-associated gynecological cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted a population-based historical cohort study using linked data from New South Wales, Australia. We included all women who gave birth between 1994 and 2013, with a follow-up period extending to September 30, 2018. Three groups were analyzed: a gestational PAGC group (women diagnosed during pregnancy), a postpartum PAGC group (women diagnosed within 1 year of giving birth), and a control group (women with control diagnosis during pregnancy or within 1 year of giving birth). We used generalized estimation equations to compare perinatal outcomes between study groups. RESULTS: There were 1 786 137 deliveries during the study period; 70 women were diagnosed with gestational PAGC and 191 with postpartum PAGC. The incidence of PAGC was 14.6/100 000 deliveries and did not change during the study period. Women with gestational PAGC (adjusted odds ratio [aAOR] 6.81, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.97-15.62) and with postpartum PAGC (aOR 2.65, 95% CI 1.25-5.61) had significantly increased odds of a severe maternal morbidity outcome compared with the control group. Babies born to women with gestational PAGC were more likely to be born preterm (aOR 3.11, 95% CI 1.47-6.59) and were at increased odds of severe neonatal complications (aOR 3.47, 95% CI 1.45-8.31) compared with babies born to women without PAC. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of PAGC has not increased over time perhaps reflecting, in part, the effectiveness of cervical screening and early impacts of human papillomavirus vaccination programs in Australia. The higher rate of preterm birth among the gestational PAGC group is associated with adverse outcomes in babies born to these women.

Regular high-frequency whole blood donation and risk of cardiovascular disease in middle-aged and older blood donors in Australia.

BACKGROUND: Previous mixed findings on the associations between whole blood (WB) donation and risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) may in part reflect inadequate adjustment for the "healthy donor effect" (HDE). METHODS: We used the Sax Institute's 45 and Up Study linked with blood donation history and other health-related databases to examine the association between regular, high-frequency WB donation and the risk of CVD. To mitigate the impact of HDE, we used a "5-years qualification period," in which donors must donate at least 1 WB donation in the 1st and 5th year of "qualification period." We then compared the risk of CVD in the years following the "qualification period" between the regular high-frequency WB donors (≥2 WB donation in each qualification year) and others using Cox proportional-hazards models. Analyses were adjusted for potential confounders, such as sociodemographic, lifestyle, and health-related variables, and results are reported separately for male and female donors. RESULTS: A total of 2736 male and 2917 female donors were included in the analyses. The median years of follow-up per donor was 5.84 years (Q1-Q3, 5.47-6.23). The rate of CVD hospitalization was 11.20 and 4.50 per 1000 person-years for males and females, respectively. In fully adjusted models, the risk (hazard ratio) of CVD in regular high-frequency donors compared to other donors was 0.93 (95% Confidence Interval (CI), 0.68-1.29) for males and 0.79 (95% CI, 0.49-1.28) for females. CONCLUSIONS: We did not observe a statistically significant reduction of CVD risk in regular, high-frequency WB donors when adjusted for potential confounders.

Evaluating equity across the continuum of care for maternal health services: analysis of national health surveys from 25 sub-Saharan African countries.

BACKGROUND: Ensuring access to the continuum of care for maternal, neonatal, and child health is an effective strategy for reducing maternal and child mortality. We investigated the extent of dropout, wealth-related inequalities, and drivers of inequality in the continuum of care for maternal health services in sub-Saharan Africa. METHODS: We analysed Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) conducted between 2013 and 2019 across 25 sub-Saharan African countries. We defined the continuum of care for maternal health services as women who had received at least four ANC contacts (ANC 4 + contacts), skilled care at birth, and immediate postnatal care (PNC). We used concentration index to estimate wealth-related inequalities across the continuum of care. Multilevel logistic regression models were used to identify predictors of inequality in completing the continuum of care. RESULTS: We included data on 196,717 women with the most recent live birth. About 87% of women reported having at least one ANC contact, but only 30% of women received the recommended care package that includes ANC 4 + contacts, skilled care at birth, and PNC. The proportion of women who had completed the continuum of care ranged from 6.5% in Chad to 69.5% in Sierra Leone. Nearly 9% of women reported not having contact with the health system during pregnancy or childbirth; this ranged from 0.1% in Burundi to 34% in Chad. Disadvantaged women were more likely to have no contact with health systems and less likely to have the recommended care package than women from wealthier households. Women with higher education levels, higher exposure to mass media (radio and TV), and higher household wealth status had higher odds of completing the continuum of care. CONCLUSIONS: Persistent and increasing inequalities were observed along the continuum of care from pregnancy to the postnatal period, with socioeconomically disadvantaged women more likely to drop out of care. Improving access to and integration of services is required to improve maternal health. Initiatives and efforts to improve maternal health should prioritise and address the needs of communities and groups with low coverage of maternal health services.

Incidence of catastrophic health spending in Indonesia: insights from a Household Panel Study 2018-2019.

BACKGROUND: Indonesia implemented one of the world's largest single-payer national health insurance schemes (the Jaminan Kesehatan Nasional or JKN) in 2014. This study aims to assess the incidence of catastrophic health spending (CHS) and its determinants and trends between 2018 and 2019 by which time JKN enrolment coverage exceeded 80%. METHODS: This study analysed data collected from a two-round cross-sectional household survey conducted in ten provinces of Indonesia in February-April 2018 and August-October 2019. The incidence of CHS was defined as the proportion of households with out-of-pocket (OOP) health spending exceeding 10% of household consumption expenditure. Chi-squared tests were used to compare the incidences of CHS across subgroups for each household characteristic. Logistic regression models were used to investigate factors associated with incurring CHS and the trend over time. Sensitivity analyses assessing the incidence of CHS based on a higher threshold of 25% of total household expenditure were conducted. RESULTS: The overall incidence of CHS at the 10% threshold fell from 7.9% to 2018 to 4.4% in 2019. The logistic regression models showed that households with JKN membership experienced significantly lower incidence of CHS compared to households without insurance coverage in both years. The poorest households were more likely to incur CHS compared to households in other wealth quintiles. Other predictors of incurring CHS included living in rural areas and visiting private health facilities. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that the overall incidence of CHS decreased in Indonesia between 2018 and 2019. OOP payments for health care and the risk of CHS still loom high among JKN members and among the lowest income households. More needs to be done to further contain OOP payments and further research is needed to investigate whether CHS pushes households below the poverty line.

Pharmacological treatment of gastro-oesophageal reflux in children.

BACKGROUND: Gastro-oesophageal reflux (GOR) is characterised by the regurgitation of gastric contents into the oesophagus. GOR is a common presentation in infancy, both in primary and secondary care, affecting approximately 50% of infants under three months old. The natural history of GOR in infancy is generally of a self-limiting condition that improves with age, but older children and children with co-existing medical conditions can have more protracted symptoms. The distinction between gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) and GOR is debated. Current National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines define GORD as GOR causing symptoms severe enough to merit treatment. This is an update of a review first published in 2014. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of pharmacological treatments for GOR in infants and children. SEARCH METHODS: For this update, we searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science up to 17 September 2022. We also searched for ongoing trials in clinical trials registries, contacted experts in the field, and searched the reference lists of trials and reviews for any additional trials. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that compared any currently-available pharmacological treatment for GOR in children with placebo or another medication. We excluded studies assessing dietary management of GORD and studies of thickened feeds. We included studies in infants and children up to 16 years old. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We used standard methodology expected by Cochrane. MAIN RESULTS: We included 36 RCTs involving 2251 children and infants. We were able to extract summary data from 14 RCTs; the remaining trials had insufficient data for extraction. We were unable to pool results in a meta-analysis due to methodological differences in the included studies (including heterogeneous outcomes, study populations, and study design). We present the results in two groups by age: infants up to 12 months old, and children aged 12 months to 16 years old. Infants Omeprazole versus placebo: there is no clear effect on symptoms from omeprazole. One study (30 infants; very low-certainty evidence) showed cry/fuss time in infants aged three to 12 months had altered from 246 ± 105 minutes/day at baseline (mean +/- standard deviation (SD)) to 191 ± 120 minutes/day in the omeprazole group and from 287 ± 132 minutes/day to 201 ± 100 minutes/day in the placebo group (mean difference (MD) 10 minutes/day lower (95% confidence interval (CI) -89.1 to 69.1)). The reflux index changed in the omeprazole group from 9.9 ± 5.8% in 24 hours to 1.0 ± 1.3% and in the placebo group from 7.2 ± 6.0% to 5.3 ± 4.9% in 24 hours (MD 7% lower, 95% CI -4.7 to -9.3). Omeprazole versus ranitidine: one study (76 infants; very low-certainty evidence) showed omeprazole may or may not provide symptomatic benefit equivalent to ranitidine. Symptom scores in the omeprazole group changed from 51.9 ± 5.4 to 2.4 ± 1.2, and in the ranitidine group from 47 ± 5.6 to 2.5 ± 0.6 after two weeks: MD -4.97 (95% CI -7.33 to -2.61). Esomeprazole versus placebo: esomeprazole appeared to show no additional reduction in the number of GORD symptoms compared to placebo (1 study, 52 neonates; very low-certainty evidence): both the esomeprazole group (184.7 ± 78.5 to 156.7 ± 75.1) and placebo group (183.1 ± 77.5 to 158.3 ± 75.9) improved: MD -3.2 (95% CI -4.6 to -1.8). Children Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) at different doses may provide little to no symptomatic and endoscopic benefit. Rabeprazole given at different doses (0.5 mg/kg and 1 mg/kg) may provide similar symptom improvement (127 children in total; very low-certainty evidence). In the lower-dose group (0.5 mg/kg), symptom scores improved in both a low-weight group of children (< 15 kg) (mean -10.6 ± SD 11.13) and a high-weight group of children (> 15 kg) (mean -13.6 ± 13.1). In the higher-dose groups (1 mg/kg), scores improved in the low-weight (-9 ± 11.2) and higher-weight groups (-8.3 ± 9.2). For the higher-weight group, symptom score mean difference between the two different dosing regimens was 2.3 (95% CI -2 to 6.6), and for the lower-weight group, symptom score MD was 4.6 (95% CI -2.9 to 12). Pantoprazole: pantoprazole may or may not improve symptom scores at 0.3 mg/kg, 0.6 mg/kg, and 1.2 mg/kg pantoprazole in children aged one to five years by week eight, with no difference between 0.3 mg/kg and 1.2 mg/kg dosing (0.3 mg/kg mean -2.4 ± 1.7; 1.2 mg/kg -1.7 ± 1.2: MD 0.7 (95% CI -0.4 to 1.8)) (one study, 60 children; very low-certainty evidence). There were insufficient summary data to assess other medications. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: There is very low-certainty evidence about symptom improvements and changes in pH indices for infants. There are no summary data for endoscopic changes. Medications may or may not provide a benefit (based on very low-certainty evidence) for infants whose symptoms remain bothersome, despite nonmedical interventions or parental reassurance. If a medication is required, there is no clear evidence based on summary data for omeprazole, esomeprazole (in neonates), H2antagonists, and alginates for symptom improvements (very low-certainty evidence). Further studies with longer follow-up are needed. In older children with GORD, in studies with summary data extracted, there is very low-certainty evidence that PPIs (rabeprazole and pantoprazole) may or may not improve GORD outcomes. No robust data exist for other medications. Further RCT evidence is required in all areas, including subgroups (preterm babies and children with neurodisabilities).

Pregnancy associated cancer, timing of birth and clinical decision making-a NSW data linkage study.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of pregnancy-associated cancer (PAC), comprising cancer diagnosed during pregnancy or within one year postpartum, is increasing. We investigated the obstetric management and outcomes of women with PAC and their babies. METHODS: A population-based observational study of all women who gave birth between 1994 and 2013 in New South Wales, Australia. Women were stratified into three groups: those diagnosed during pregnancy (gestational cancer group), those diagnosed within one year of giving birth (postpartum cancer group), and a no-PAC group. Generalized estimating equations were used to examine the association between PAC and adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. RESULTS: One million seven hundred eighty-eight thousand four hundred fifty-onepregnancies were included-601 women (614 babies) were in the gestational cancer group, 1772 women (1816 babies) in the postpartum cancer group, and 1,786,078 women (1,813,292 babies) in the no-PAC group. The overall crude incidence of PAC was 132.7/100,000 women giving birth. The incidence of PAC increased significantly over the twenty-year study period from 93.5/100,000 in 1994 to 162.5/100,000 in 2013 (2.7% increase per year, 95% CI 1.9 - 3.4%, p-value < 0.001). This increase was independent of maternal age. The odds of serious maternal complications (such as acute abdomen, acute renal failure, and hysterectomy) were significantly higher in the gestational cancer group (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 5.07, 95% CI 3.72 - 6.90) and the postpartum cancer group (AOR 1.55, 95% CI 1.16 - 2.09). There was no increased risk of perinatal mortality in babies born to women with PAC. However, babies of women with gestational cancer (AOR 8.96, 95% CI 6.96 - 11.53) or postpartum cancer (AOR 1.36, 95% CI 1.05 - 1.81) were more likely to be planned preterm birth. Furthermore, babies of women with gestational cancer had increased odds of a severe neonatal adverse outcome (AOR 3.13, 95% CI 2.52 - 4.35). CONCLUSION: Women with PAC are more likely to have serious maternal complications. While their babies are not at increased risk of perinatal mortality, they are more likely to experience poorer perinatal outcomes associated with preterm birth. The higher rate of birth intervention among women with gestational cancers reflects the complexity of clinical decision-making in this context.

The relationship between biochemical recurrence and number of lymph nodes removed during surgery for localized prostate cancer.

PURPOSE: To assess whether completeness of pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) as measured by lymph node yield reduces biochemical recurrence (BCR) in men undergoing radical prostatectomy (RP) for prostate cancer (PCa), stratified according to Briganti nomogram-derived risk (≥5% vs. < 5%) of lymph node invasion (LNI). METHODS: Retrospective study of 3724 men who underwent RP between January 1995 and January 2015 from our prospectively collected institutional database. All men included had minimum five years follow-up and were not given androgen deprivation therapy or radiotherapy prior to BCR. Primary endpoint was time to BCR as defined by PSA > 0.2ng/ml. Patients were analysed according to Briganti Nomogram derived risk of 'low-risk' (< 5%) vs. 'high-risk' (≥ 5%). Extent of PLND was analysed using number of nodes yielded at dissection as a continuous variable as well as a categorical variable: Group 1 (limited, 1-4 nodes), Group 2 (intermediate, 5-8 nodes) and Group 3(extensive, ≥9 nodes). RESULTS: Median follow-up in the overall cohort was 79.7 months and 65% of the total cohort underwent PLND. There were 2402 patients with Briganti risk of LNI < 5% and 1322 with a Briganti risk of LNI ≥5%. At multivariate analysis, only PSA (HR1.01, p < 0.001), extracapsular extension at RP (HR 1.86, p < 0.001), positive surgical margin (HR 1.61, p < 0.001) and positive lymph node on pathology (HR 1.52, p = 0.02) were independently associated with BCR. In the high-risk group, increased nodal yield at PLND was associated with reduction in risk of BCR (HR 0.97, 95%CI 0.95-1.00 p = 0.05, Cochran Mantel Haenszel test, p < 0.05: respectively). In the low-risk group increased number of nodes at PLND did not reduce risk of BCR. CONCLUSIONS: In this study of extent of PLND at RP, higher nodal yield did not reduce risk of BCR in low-risk men (Briganti risk < 5%), however there was a weak benefit in terms of reduced long-term risk of BCR in high-risk men (Briganti risk ≥5%).

The effect of distance to health facility on neonatal mortality in Ethiopia.

INTRODUCTION: In Ethiopia, more than half of newborn babies do not have access to Emergency Obstetric and Neonatal Care (EmONC) services. Understanding the effect of distance to health facilities on service use and neonatal survival is crucial to recommend policymakers and improving resource distribution. We aimed to investigate the effect of distance to health services on maternal service use and neonatal mortality. METHODS: We implemented a data integration method based on geographic coordinates. We calculated straight-line (Euclidean) distances from the Ethiopian 2016 demographic and health survey (EDHS) clusters to the closest health facility. We computed the distance in ESRI ArcGIS Version 10.3 using the geographic coordinates of DHS clusters and health facilities. Generalised Structural Equation Modelling (GSEM) was used to estimate the effect of distance on neonatal mortality. RESULTS: Poor geographic accessibility to health facilities affects maternal service usage and increases the risk of newborn mortality. For every ten kilometres (km) increase in distance to a health facility, the odds of neonatal mortality increased by 1.33% (95% CI: 1.06% to 1.67%). Distance also negatively affected antenatal care, facility delivery and postnatal counselling service use. CONCLUSIONS: A lack of geographical access to health facilities decreases the likelihood of newborns surviving their first month of life and affects health services use during pregnancy and immediately after birth. The study also showed that antenatal care use was positively associated with facility delivery service use and that both positively influenced postnatal care use, demonstrating the interconnectedness of the components of continuum of care for maternal and neonatal care services. Policymakers can leverage the findings from this study to improve accessibility barriers to health services.

Using measures of quality of care to assess equity in health care funding for primary care: analysis of Indonesian household data.

BACKGROUND: Many countries implementing pro-poor reforms to expand subsidized health care, especially for the poor, recognize that high-quality healthcare, and not just access alone, is necessary to meet the Sustainable Development Goals. As the poor are more likely to use low quality health services, measures to improve access to health care need to emphasise quality as the cornerstone to achieving equity goals. Current methods to evaluate health systems financing equity fail to take into account measures of quality. This paper aims to provide a worked example of how to adapt a popular quantitative approach, Benefit Incidence Analysis (BIA), to incorporate a quality weighting into the computation of public subsidies for health care. METHODS: We used a dataset consisting of a sample of households surveyed in 10 provinces of Indonesia in early-2018. In parallel, a survey of public health facilities was conducted in the same geographical areas, and information about health facility infrastructure and basic equipment was collected. In each facility, an index of service readiness was computed as a measure of quality. Individuals who reported visiting a primary health care facility in the month before the interview were matched to their chosen facility. Standard BIA and an extended BIA that adjusts for service quality were conducted. RESULTS: Quality scores were relatively high across all facilities, with an average of 82%. Scores for basic equipment were highest, with an average score of 99% compared to essential medicines with an average score of 60%. Our findings from the quality-weighted BIA show that the distribution of subsidies for public primary health care facilities became less 'pro-poor' while private clinics became more 'pro-rich' after accounting for quality of care. Overall the distribution of subsidies became significantly pro-rich (CI = 0.037). CONCLUSIONS: Routine collection of quality indicators that can be linked to individuals is needed to enable a comprehensive understanding of individuals' pathways of care. From a policy perspective, accounting for quality of care in health financing assessment is crucial in a context where quality of care is a nationwide issue. In such a context, any health financing performance assessment is likely to be biased if quality is not accounted for.

The effect of national antenatal care guidelines and provider training on obstetric danger sign counselling: a propensity score matching analysis of the 2014 Ethiopia service provision assessment plus survey.

BACKGROUND: Most pregnant women in low and lower-middle-income countries do not receive all components of antenatal care (ANC), including counselling on obstetric danger signs. Facility-level ANC guidelines and provider in-service training are major factors influencing ANC counselling. In Ethiopia, little is known about the extent to which guidelines and provider in-service training can increase the quality of ANC counselling. METHODS: We examined the effect of national ANC guidelines and ANC provider in-service training on obstetric danger sign counselling for pregnant women receiving ANC using the 2014 Ethiopian service provision assessment plus (ESPA +) survey data. We created two analysis samples by applying a propensity score matching method. The first sample consisted of women who received ANC at health facilities with guidelines matched with those who received ANC at health facilities without guidelines. The second sample consisted of women who received ANC from the providers who had undertaken in-service training in the last 24 months matched with women who received ANC from untrained providers. The outcome variable was the number of obstetric danger signs described during ANC counselling, ranging from zero to eight. The covariates included women's socio-demographic characteristics, obstetric history, health facility characteristics, and ANC provider characteristics. RESULTS: We found that counselling women about obstetric danger signs during their ANC session varied according to the availability of ANC guidelines (61% to 70%) and provider training (62% to 68%). After matching the study participants by the measured covariates, the availability of ANC guidelines at the facility level significantly increased the average number of obstetric danger signs women received during counselling by 24% (95% CI: 12-35%). Similarly, providing refresher training for ANC providers increased the average number of obstetric danger signs described during counselling by 37% (95% CI: 26-48%). CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that the quality of ANC counselling in Ethiopia needs strengthening by ensuring that ANC guidelines are available at every health facility and that the providers receive regular ANC related in-service training.

Maternal death from preventable pregnancy-related complications remains a global health challenge. In 2017, there were 295,000 maternal deaths worldwide, and about two-thirds of these deaths were from Sub-Saharan Africa. Ethiopia is a Sub-Saharan African country with 401 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in 2017, and this rate is higher than the target indicated in sustainable development goals. Most maternal deaths are due to obstetric complications and could have been averted through early detection and treatment. Providing antenatal care counselling about obstetric danger signs enhances women's awareness of obstetric complications and encourages women to seek treatment from a skilled care provider. However, most women from low-income settings, including Ethiopia, do not receive counselling about obstetric danger signs. Facility-level antenatal care guidelines and provider in-service training improve antenatal care counselling. In Ethiopia, little is known to what extent antenatal care guidelines and provider training increase counselling on obstetric danger signs. The present study used the 2014 Ethiopian service provision assessment data and estimated the effect of antenatal care guidelines and provider training on counselling about obstetric danger signs. The analysis involved a propensity score matching method and included 1725 pregnant women. The study found that antenatal care guidelines at health facilities and antenatal care provider in-service training significantly increase counselling on obstetric danger signs by 24% and 37%, respectively. The finding suggests improving the quality of antenatal care counselling in Ethiopia needs antenatal care guidelines at each antenatal care clinic and refresher training for the providers.

Practice- and individual-level antibiotic prescribing associated with antibiotic treatment non-response in respiratory tract infections: a national retrospective observational study.

OBJECTIVES: Antibiotic overuse results in adverse clinical outcomes. This study quantified the independent contributions of practice- and individual patient-level antibiotic prescribing to antibiotic treatment non-response in respiratory tract infections (RTIs) in primary care. METHODS: RTI episodes with antibiotic prescribed in 2018 were extracted from an Australian national general practice database. Practices were classified into tertiles by total antibiotic prescriptions per patient and ratios of broad- to narrow-spectrum antibiotic prescriptions. The association between practice- and individual patient-level antibiotic prescribing in the previous year and antibiotic treatment non-response (defined as prescription of a different antibiotic) ≤30 days after the initial RTI episode was quantified using generalized estimating equations. RESULTS: Of 84 597 RTI episodes with antibiotics prescribed in 558 practices, 5570 (6.6%) episodes of treatment non-response were identified. Patients with high individual-level antibiotic prescribing (≥4 prescriptions/year) had an increased risk of treatment non-response (versus no prescriptions/year: OR = 1.64, 95% CI = 1.52-1.77). At the practice level, there was no significant association between total antibiotic prescriptions per patient and treatment non-response (high versus low: OR = 0.99, 95% CI = 0.92-1.06). RTI episodes in practices with high broad- to narrow-spectrum antibiotic ratios had an increased risk of treatment non-response (versus low-ratio practices: OR = 1.14, 95% CI = 1.05-1.23); this association was only observed among patients with <4 antibiotic prescriptions/year. CONCLUSIONS: The general practice-level broad- to narrow-spectrum antibiotic ratio was a predictor of RTI antibiotic treatment non-response in patients with lower individual-level antibiotic use. The measure of practice-level antibiotic prescribing could potentially guide the improvement of antibiotic treatment.

Visits to general practitioners after iron-related deferrals from blood donation in middle-aged and older Australian blood donors.

BACKGROUND: Australian Red Cross Lifeblood (Lifeblood) advises donors to visit their general practitioner (GP) for medical follow-up if they are deferred from donating due to having a lower than acceptable level of hemoglobin (Hb) and/or serum ferritin (iron-related deferrals). METHODS: We used the Sax Institute's 45 and Up Study data linked to Lifeblood's donor datasets and other health administrative datasets. We examined the rate of visits to a GP after iron-related deferral from donation, and investigated whether an early visit to a GP (within 30 days following the deferral) had an impact on return to make successful donation within 12, 18, and 24 months compared to a delayed or no GP visit. RESULTS: A total of 1928 donors underwent iron-related deferral. The rate of visits to a GP in the first month after deferral was double the rate observed a month prior. However, only 52.4% of those deferred visited a GP early with slightly more than half of those receiving an iron-monitoring test. Return to donate over the 24 months was lower in donors visiting their GP early (adjusted Hazard Ratio [aHR] 0.86, 95% CI 0.77-0.97). Early GP visitors were likely to have a relatively poorer health than the delayed or no GP visit group. CONCLUSIONS: Only half of the donors with an iron-related deferral followed advice from Lifeblood and visited their GP within 30 days of deferral, and these donors have a significantly reduced likelihood of future successful blood donation which may be due to their relatively poorer health status.

Willingness of blood donors in Australia to provide additional data and blood sample for health research.

BACKGROUND: Many blood collection agencies are generating important data on donor health outcomes using large-scale blood donor cohort studies. Such studies can be very effective when donors provide access to linkage of their data to external health databases, and storage and genomic testing of their blood sample. In this study, we aimed to assess the willingness of Australian blood donors to provide additional data and blood sample for donation-related and other health research. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: We invited 2017 donors to complete a survey using four methods (postal letter, postal letter and email, email only, and in-center recruitment). The survey asked for information on demographics, lifestyle behaviors, health, experience and attitude to blood donation, and willingness to give blood sample and additional data for research. RESULTS: Response rates ranged from 23.8% for email only to 77.2% for in-center recruitment. Of those who responded (n = 827), 95.5% indicated they would be willing to provide a blood sample for donation and transfusion-related research. Of these, >90.0% were willing for their sample to be used in research involving genetic testing and other health-related topics. Also, >90.0% were willing to consent for linkage of their information to external health databases. CONCLUSIONS: Donors surveyed reported a high willingness to participate in health research by completing surveys, allowing linkage to external datasets, and providing a blood sample. These findings provide strong support for future longitudinal research studies with Australian blood donors.

Microbiology testing and antibiotic treatment for urinary tract infections in general practice: a nationwide observational study.

PURPOSE: Routine urine testing is recommended prior to antibiotic treatment for urinary tract infections (UTIs) among high-risk groups for complicated UTIs. This study aims to examine whether the proportion of UTI encounters where antibiotics are prescribed that have accompanying urine testing differs by patient groups. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted using records of general practice encounters for UTIs occurring between January 2013 and July 2018 in an Australian national database. We calculated the proportion of UTI encounters with antibiotics prescribed that had accompanying urine microbiology testing and the odds ratios for the likelihood of testing by patient groups using generalised estimating equations. RESULTS: Of 132,688 UTI encounters with antibiotics prescribed, 95,800 (72.2%) were accompanied by urine testing. Among high-risk groups for complicated UTIs and expected to have a high likelihood of testing, we found pregnant women [82.6% vs. non-pregnant 72.3%, adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.82, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.55-2.12] and children aged 5-9 years (77.6% vs. 20-44 years 72.0%, aOR 1.33, 95% CI 1.22-1.45) had relatively high odds of testing. However, children aged < 5 years (68.7% vs. 20-44 years 72.0%, aOR 0.83, 95% CI 0.76-0.90), patients with recurrent UTIs (69.0% compared to first-onset UTIs 73.6%, aOR 0.81, 95% CI 0.79-0.83), and patients in residential aged care facilities (67.3% vs. not 72.3%, aOR 0.80, 95% CI 0.72-0.90) had relatively low odds of testing. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest inconsistencies and potential underuse of urine testing when antibiotics were prescribed for high-risk groups in UTI management. Further antibiotic stewardship is needed to improve guideline-based antibiotic prescribing for UTIs.

Early life and socio-economic determinants of dietary trajectories in infancy and early childhood - results from the HSHK birth cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Early childhood is a period when dietary behaviours are established. This study aimed to examine the longitudinal intake of core and discretionary foods and identify early life and socio-economic factors influencing those intakes. METHODS: Mother-infant dyads (n = 934) from the Healthy Smiles Healthy Kids study, an ongoing birth cohort study, were interviewed. The information on 'weekly frequency of core and discretionary foods intake' using a food frequency questionnaire was collected at 4 months, 8 months, 1 year, 2 years and 3 years age points. Group-based trajectory modelling analyses were performed to identify diet trajectories for 'core' and 'discretionary' foods respectively. A multinomial logistic regression was performed to identify the maternal and child-related predictors of resulting trajectories. RESULTS: The intake of core and discretionary foods each showed distinct quadratic (n = 3) trajectories with age. Overall, core foods intake increased rapidly in the first year of life, followed by a decline after age two, whereas discretionary foods intake increased steadily across the five age points. Multiparity (Relative Risk (RR): 0.46, 95%CI: 0.27-0.77), non-English speaking ethnicity of mother (RR: 0.66, 95%CI: 0.47-0.91) and having a single mother (RR: 0.40, 95%CI: 0.18-0.85) were associated with low trajectories of core foods intake whereas older maternal age (RR: 1.05, 95%CI: 1.01-1.08) and longer breastfeeding duration (RR: 1.02, 95%CI: 1.00-1.03) were associated with higher trajectories of core foods intake. Also, multiparity (RR 2.63, 95%CI: 1.47-4.70), low maternal education (RR 3.01, 95%CI: 1.61-5.65), and socio-economic disadvantage (RR 2.69, 95%CI: 1.31-5.55) were associated with high trajectories of discretionary foods intake. Conversely, longer duration of breastfeeding (RR 0.99, 95%CI: 0.97-0.99), and timely introduction of complementary foods (RR 0.30, 95%CI: 0.15-0.61) had a protective effect against high discretionary foods consumption in infancy and early childhood. CONCLUSION: Children's frequency of discretionary foods intake increases markedly as they transition from infancy to preschool age, and the trajectories of intake established during early childhood are strongly influenced by socio-demographic factors and infant feeding choices. Hence, there is a need for targeted strategies to improve nutrition in early childhood and ultimately prevent the incidence of chronic diseases in children.

Patterns and predictors of gestational weight gain in Addis Ababa, Central Ethiopia: a prospective cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: Gaining excessive or inadequate gestational weight is associated with many adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. Inadequate gestational weight gain (GWG) increases the risk of fetal growth restriction, pre-term birth, and low birth weight. It is a public health concern in sub-Saharan Africa. The aim of this study was to assess the patterns and predictors of GWG in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study among pregnant women who attended antenatal care in health centres in Addis Ababa, from January to September 2019. Data were collected by a structured questionnaire and checklists and analysed using Stata version-14. Weight at or before 16 weeks gestation was used as a proxy for pre-pregnancy weight. Women's height and baseline weight were measured by data collectors, and we obtained weight at the end of the 24th and 36th weeks of gestation from women's medical records. GWG was categorized as inadequate, adequate and excessive based on the United States Institute of Medicine criteria. Predictors of GWG were identified using multinomial logistic regression. RESULTS: A total of 395 pregnant women were enrolled in the study. GWG was assessed for 369 (93%) women. The median GWG was 8.7 kg with inter quartile ranges (25th, 75th percentiles) of 7.0 kg and 11.6 kg. More than two-third of the participants, 248 (67.2% [95% CI: 62.2, 72.0%]), gained inadequate weight; 103 (27.9% [95% CI: 23.4, 32.8%]) gained adequate weight; and 18 (4.9% [95% CI: 2.9%, 7.6%]) gained excessive weight. Three quarters (75%) of underweight women gained inadequate gestational weight, whereas 43% of overweight or obese women gained inadequate gestational weight. Being underweight (AOR = 3.30 [95% CI: 1.32, 8.24]) or normal weight (AOR = 2.68 [95% CI: 1.37, 5.24]) before pregnancy increased the odds of gaining inadequate gestational weight compared to overweight or obese women. Not having paid employment was associated with higher odds of gaining inadequate gestational weight compared to women employed outside the home (AOR = 2.17 [95% CI: 1.16, 4.07]). CONCLUSIONS: Most pregnant women in Addis Ababa gain inadequate gestational weight. In particular, three quarters of underweight women gained inadequate gestational weight. Being underweight, normal weight or having no paid employment were associated with higher odds of inadequate GWG. Promoting adequate GWG in Addis Ababa among underweight and normal weight women may be an important public health initiative.

Pregnant women are expected to gain weight due to various biological changes. Gaining inadequate or excessive weight during pregnancy poses a health risk to the mother and baby. Inadequate weight gain is a public health concern in low-income countries, including Ethiopia. This study assessed patterns and predictors of weight gain during pregnancy in Addis Ababa, Central Ethiopia. The study was conducted from January to September 2019. Women attending public health facilities were followed from before or at 16 weeks of gestation until 36 weeks of pregnancy. A total of 395 pregnant women enrolled in the study. Weight gain was assessed for 369 (93%) women. More than two-third of the participants (67.2%) gained inadequate weight during pregnancy. Three quarters (75%) of underweight women gained inadequate weight, whereas 43% of overweight or obese women gained inadequate weight during pregnancy. Promoting adequate weight gain during pregnancy for underweight and normal weight women in Addis Ababa is an important public health initiative.

Trends in Ischaemic Heart Disease in Australia, 2001-2015: A Comparison of Urban and Rural Populations.

OBJECTIVE: Ischaemic heart disease (IHD) is a major source of disease burden worldwide. Recent trends show incidence is declining but it is unclear whether the trends are similar in urban and rural populations. This study examines the trends of IHD events (i.e. hospitalisations and deaths) in New South Wales, Australia by rurality. METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of linked administrative data for hospitalisation and death records across NSW between 2001 and 2015. Participants were NSW residents aged 15-105 years who died or were hospitalised with a principal diagnosis of IHD. The main outcome measures were annual age-standardised mortality and hospitalisations for IHD by calendar year and rurality. RESULTS: Between 2001 and 2015, age-standardised annual IHD hospitalisations declined in urban areas from 587 to 260 and in rural areas from 766 to 395 per 100,000 people. The annual decline in hospitalisations was greater in urban than rural areas, with Annual Percentage Change (APC) of -5.6% (95% CI, -6.1%, -5.0%) and -4.5% (95% CI, -5.0%, -4.0%), respectively (p=0.012). Ischaemic heart disease mortality declined at a similar rate in urban and rural regions (APC -7.6% and -6.7% per annum, p=0.28). Absolute inequalities in IHD deaths persisted until 2015 when there were 49 (urban) and 70 (rural) IHD deaths per 100,000 people. CONCLUSIONS: Ischaemic heart disease hospitalisations and mortality have declined considerably between 2001 and 2015 in both rural and urban areas, yet inequalities persist, suggesting more intensive preventive efforts are required to further reduce the burden of IHD in rural populations.

Effectiveness of Acellular Pertussis Vaccine in Older Adults: Nested Matched Case-control Study.

BACKGROUND: Despite recommendations that older adults receive acellular pertussis vaccines, data on direct effectiveness in adults aged over 50 years are sparse. METHODS: A case-control study nested within an adult cohort. Cases were identified from linked pertussis notifications and each matched to 3 controls on age, sex, and cohort recruitment date. Cases and controls were invited to complete a questionnaire, with verification of vaccination status by their primary care provider. Vaccine effectiveness (VE) was estimated by conditional logistic regression, with adjustment for reported contact with children and area of residence. RESULTS: Of 1112 notified cases in the cohort, we had complete data for 333 cases and 506 controls. Among 172 PCR-diagnosed cases (mean age, 61 years), 11.2% versus 19.5% of controls had provider-verified pertussis vaccination, on average, 3.2 years earlier. Adjusted VE against PCR-diagnosed pertussis was 52% (95% CI, 15-73%), nonsignificantly higher if vaccinated within 2 years (63%; -5-87%). Adjusted VE was similar in adults born before 1950, presumed primed by natural infection (51%; -8-77%) versus those born 1950 or later who may have received whole-cell pertussis vaccine (53%; -11-80%) (P-heterogeneity = 0.9). Among 156 cases identified by single-point serology, adjusted VE was -55% (-177-13%). CONCLUSIONS: We found modest protection against PCR-confirmed pertussis among older adults (mean age, 61 years; range, 46-81 years) within 5 years after acellular vaccine. The most likely explanation for the markedly divergent VE estimate from cases identified by single-titer serology is misclassification arising from limited diagnostic specificity in our setting.

Legacy effect of fibrate add-on therapy in diabetic patients with dyslipidemia: a secondary analysis of the ACCORDION study.

BACKGROUND: The Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD)-Lipid study found no evidence of a beneficial effect of statin-fibrate combined treatment, compared to statins alone, on cardiovascular outcomes and mortality in type 2 diabetes mellitus after 5 years of active treatment. However, a beneficial reduction in major CVD events was shown in a pre-specified sub-group of participants with dyslipidemia. The extended follow-up of this trial provides the opportunity to further investigate possible beneficial effects of fibrates in this group of patients. We aimed to evaluate possible "legacy effects" of fibrate add-on therapy on mortality and major cardiovascular outcomes in patients with dyslipidemia. METHODS: The ACCORD-lipid study was a randomized controlled trial of 5518 participants assigned to receive simvastatin plus fenofibrate vs simvastatin plus placebo. After randomized treatment allocation had finished at the end of the trial, all surviving participants were invited to attend an extended follow-up study (ACCORDION) to continue prospective collection of clinical outcomes. We undertook a secondary analysis of trial and post-trial data in patients who had dyslipidemia. The primary outcome was all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, and secondary outcomes were nonfatal myocardial infarction, stroke, congestive heart failure and major coronary heart disease. We used an intention-to-treat approach to analysis to make comparisons between the original randomized treatment groups. RESULTS: 853 participants with dyslipidemia had survived at the end of the trial. Most participants continued to use statins, but few used fibrates in either group during the post-trial period. The incidence rates in the fenofibrate group were lower with respect to all-cause mortality, CVD mortality, nonfatal myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure and major coronary heart disease than those in the placebo group over a post-trial follow-up. Allocation to the combined fibrate-statin treatment arm during the trial period had a beneficial legacy effect on all-cause mortality (adjusted HR = 0.65, 95% CI 0.45-0.94; P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Fibrate treatment during the initial trial period was associated with a legacy benefit of improved survival over a post-trial follow-up. These findings support re-evaluation of fibrates as an add-on strategy to statins in order to reduce cardiovascular risk in diabetic patients with dyslipidemia. Trial registration clinicaltrials.gov, Identifier: NCT00000620.