Overweight or obesity increases the risk of cardiovascular disease among older Australian adults, even in the absence of cardiometabolic risk factors: a Bayesian survival analysis from the Hunter Community Study.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in older adults with overweight or obesity without metabolic risk factors using a Bayesian survival analysis. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study with median follow-up of 9.7 years. SETTING: Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 2313 community-dwelling older men and women. INTERVENTION/EXPOSURE: Participants without known CVD and with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 18.5 kg m2 were stratified by BMI and metabolic risk to create six BMI-metabolic health categories. Metabolic risk was defined according to the International Diabetes Federation criteria for metabolic syndrome. 'Metabolically healthy' was defined as absence of metabolic risk factors. Bayesian survival analysis, incorporating prior information from a previously published meta-analysis was used to assess the effect of BMI-metabolic health categories on time from recruitment to CVD. MAIN OUTCOME: Incident physician-diagnosed CVD, defined as fatal or nonfatal myocardial infarction, fatal or nonfatal stroke, angina, or coronary revascularisation procedure, was determined by linkage to hospital admissions records and Medicare Australia data. Secondary outcomes were cardiovascular mortality and all-cause mortality. RESULTS: From 2313 adults with complete metabolic health data over a median follow-up of 9.7 years, 283 incident CVD events, 58 CVD related deaths and 277 deaths from any cause occurred. In an adjusted Bayesian survival model of complete cases with informative prior and metabolically healthy normal weight as the reference group, the risk of CVD was increased in metabolically healthy overweight (HR = 1.52, 95% credible interval 0.96-2.36), and in metabolically healthy obesity (HR = 1.86, 95% credible interval 1.14-3.08). Imputation of missing metabolic health and confounding data did not change the results. CONCLUSION: There was increased risk of CVD in older adults with overweight or obesity, even in the absence of any metabolic abnormality. This argues against the notion of 'metabolically healthy' overweight or obesity.

Using the AUSDRISK score to screen for pre-diabetes and diabetes in GP practices: a case-finding approach.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the optimal AUSDRISK threshold score to screen for pre-diabetes and diabetes. METHODS: A total of 406 adult patients not diagnosed with diabetes were screened in General Practices (GP) between May and October 2019. All patients received a point of care (POC) HbA1c test. HbA1c test results were categorised into diabetes (≥6.5% or ≥48 mmol/mol), pre-diabetes (5.7-6.4% or 39-47 mmol/mol), or normal (<5.7% or 39 mmol/mol). RESULTS: Of these patients, 9 (2%) had undiagnosed diabetes and 60 (15%) had pre-diabetes. A Receiver Operator Characteristic (ROC) curve was constructed to predict the presence of pre-diabetes and diabetes; the area under the ROC curve was 0.72 (95%CI 0.65-0.78) indicating modest predictive ability. The optimal threshold cut point for AUSDRISK score was 17 (sensitivity 76%, specificity 61%, + likelihood ratio (LR) 1.96, - likelihood ratio of 0.39) while the accepted cut point of 12 performed less well (sensitivity 94%, specificity 23%, +LR=1.22 -LR+0.26). CONCLUSIONS: The AUSDRISK tool has the potential to be used as a screening tool for pre-diabetes/diabetes in GP practices. A cut point of ≥17 would potentially identify 75% of all people at risk and three in 10 sent for further testing would be positive for prediabetes or diabetes. IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH: Routine case-finding in high-risk patients will enable GPs to intervene early and prevent further public health burden from the sequelae of diabetes.

Irritable bowel syndrome and risk of glaucoma: An analysis of two independent population-based cohort studies.

OBJECTIVE: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic disorder associated with an abnormal gastrointestinal microbiome. Microbiome-host interactions are known to influence organ function including in the central nervous system; thus, we sought to identify whether IBS may be a risk factor for the development of glaucoma. DESIGN: Two prospective cohort studies. SUBJECTS: The 1958 United Kingdom Birth Cohort (UKBC; 9091 individuals) and the Danish National Registry of Patients (DNRP; 62,541 individuals with IBS and 625,410 matched general population cohort members). METHODS: In the UKBC, participants were surveyed throughout life (including at ages 42 and 50). The DNRP contains records of hospital-based contacts and prescription data from the national prescription database. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The main outcome measure was incidence of glaucoma. In the UKBC, incident glaucoma at age 50 (n = 48) was determined through comparison of survey responses at ages 42 and 50 years. In the DNRP, glaucoma was assessed by hospital diagnosis (n = 1510), glaucoma surgery (n = 582) and initiation of glaucoma medications (n = 1674). RESULTS: In the UKBC, the odds ratio (OR) of developing glaucoma between ages 42 and 50 in persons with a chronic IBS diagnosis was increased [OR: 5.84, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.26-15.13]. People with an IBS diagnosis in the DNRP had a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.35 for developing physician-diagnosed glaucoma (95% CI: 1.16-1.56), an HR of 1.35 for undergoing glaucoma surgery (95% CI: 1.06-1.70) and an HR of 1.19 for initiating glaucoma medication (95% CI: 1.03-1.38). CONCLUSIONS: In two large European cohort studies, IBS is a risk factor for glaucoma.

Factors to consider during the implementation of nutrition and physical activity trials for people with psychotic illness into an Australian community setting.

BACKGROUND: Research in lifestyle interventions focusing on nutrition and physical activity in people living with psychotic illness, highlights anthropometric and metabolic benefits of these interventions. However, little is known about potential factors to consider during implementation into real-world contexts. Community-managed organisations (CMOs) that provide services for people with mental illness, offer an ideal implementation context for lifestyle interventions. Successful translation of lifestyle interventions into CMOs may be achieved though considering the factors associated with program access and delivery in these settings. This study primarily aimed to identify the factors that affect program access in a local CMO from the perspective of consumers and staff. The secondary aim was to describe the elements that impact on program delivery from the perspective of staff. METHODS: Thirteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with 6 consumers and 7 staff in a CMO in regional Australia. Topics explored in interviews were based on implementation concepts identified in the "Integrated Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Systems" (i-PARIHS) knowledge translation framework. Thematic data analysis was conducted using Nvivo software. RESULTS: Emergent themes on issues that influenced program access were (1) consumer financial status, domestic responsibilities, and health; (2) the design and delivery of programs; (3) structure and practices of the organisation; (4) attitude, skills and effort of staff involved in program delivery; and (5) social connections and stigma experienced by consumers during program access. Moreover, staff perceptions on elements that impacted program delivery highlighted themes on consumer attendance and interest in prospective programs, availability and restrictions to the use of funding, as well as the organisational structure and practices. CONCLUSIONS: The factors affecting program access and delivery can generally be managed or planned for during the design of lifestyle interventions and subsequent translation into the CMO context. However, resolution of issues related to consumer financial status and health requires the collaboration of various government sectors for system-wide solutions.

Comparison of postoperative complications between open and laparoscopic appendectomy: An umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) has been popular for decades because of shorter hospitalization and return to routine activity. However, complications (e.g., surgical site infection [SSI] and intra-abdominal abscess [IAA]) relative to open appendectomy (OA) are still debated. We therefore conducted an umbrella review to systematically appraise meta-analyses (MAs) comparing SSI and IAA between LA and OA. METHODS: Meta-analyses that included only randomized controlled trials were identified from MEDLINE and Scopus databases from inception until July 2018. Their findings were described, the number of overlapping studies was assessed using corrected covered area, and excess significant tests were also assessed. Finally, effect sizes of SSI and IAA were repooled. RESULTS: Ten MAs were eligible; SSI was reported in all MAs and IAA in 8 MAs. Surgical site infection rate was 48% to 70% lower in LA than OA, but conversely, IAA rate was 1.34 to 2.20 higher in LA than OA. Overlapping included studies for SSI and IAA were 61% and 54%, respectively, indicating that less information was added across MAs. However, there was no evidence of bias from excess significant tests when pooling SSI or IAA estimates. The risk ratios (95% confidence interval) comparing LA versus OA were repooled in adults and children yielding risk ratios of 0.56 (0.47-0.67) and 0.40 (0.25-0.65) for SSI, and 1.20 (0.88-1.63) and 1.05 (0.61-1.80) for IAA. CONCLUSION: Evidence from this umbrella review indicates that LA carries a significantly lower risk of SSI but likely a higher risk of IAA than OA. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Systematic review/meta-analysis, level I.

Screening and identification of disordered eating in people with type 1 diabetes: A systematic review.

People with Type 1 diabetes (T1D) have been shown to be an at-risk group for the development of disordered eating behaviours, however, the validity of tools used to assess disordered eating behaviours in T1D is unclear. This review aimed to identify tools used to screen or identify disordered eating behaviours and eating disorders in people with T1D, and evaluate the validity and reliability of these tools. A systematic search strategy was conducted to October 2019 according to the PRISMA guidelines. The search strategy retrieved 2714 articles, with 100 articles describing 90 studies included in the review. Studies were predominantly conducted in adolescent females in clinical settings. Forty-eight individual tools were used across retrieved studies. Overall, the quality of tools reported in included articles was poor, with high risk of bias due to the use of non-validated tools (n = 44 articles) and few studies comparing to the reference standard (n = 10 articles) of a diagnostic interview. This review shows that a variety of tools have been used to screen and identify disordered eating behaviours and eating disorders in people with T1D. Future research including comparison to a gold standard diagnostic interview is warranted to further evaluate the validity and reliability of available tools.

Daily steps and diet, but not sleep, are related to mortality in older Australians.

OBJECTIVES: Supporting healthy ageing is a key priority worldwide. Physical activity, diet quality and sleep are all associated with health outcomes, but few studies have explored their independent associations with all-cause mortality in an older population in the same model. The study aim was to examine associations between step-count, self-reported diet quality, restless sleep, and all-cause mortality in adults aged 55-85 years. DESIGN: A prospective cohort study of adults in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. METHOD: Data were from 1697 participants (49.3% women; baseline mean age 65.4 ±â€¯7.1 years). Daily steps (measured by pedometer), diet quality (from a modified Australian Recommended Food Score), and frequency of restless sleep (by self-report) were assessed in relation to all-cause mortality using Cox proportional hazard regression with adjustment for sex, age, household income and smoking. Baseline data were collected between January 2005 and April 2008, and last follow-up was in March 2017 (median follow-up 9.6 years). RESULTS: Higher step count (HR: 0.93, 95%CI: 0.88-0.98 per 1000-step increment) and higher diet quality (HR: 0.86, 95%CI: 0.74-0.99 per 8-point increment in diet quality score) were associated with reduced mortality risk. Restless sleep for ≥3 nights/week was not associated with mortality risk (HR: 1.03, 95%CI: 0.78-1.39). Sensitivity analyses, adjusting for chronic disease and excluding deaths <1 year after baseline, did not change these estimates. CONCLUSIONS: Increased daily steps and consumption of a greater variety of nutrient-dense foods every week would result in substantial health benefits for older people. Future research should include a greater variety of sleep measures.

An appraisal of methodology reporting in lifestyle interventions among people with psychosis: A systematic review.

ISSUE ADDRESSED: Lifestyle interventions use nutrition and physical activity behaviour modification techniques to decrease obesity and cardio-metabolic risk in people with psychosis. Evidence on the specific behaviour modification strategies applied to decrease obesity is weakened by inadequate methodology reporting of lifestyle interventions. A systematic review that we conducted earlier highlighted a possible deficiency in reporting; hence we aim to critically appraise lifestyle intervention studies that target weight outcomes for people with psychosis against the methods component of the CONSORT statement for randomised trials of nonpharmacologic treatments. METHODS COMPONENT: We considered randomised controlled studies which delivered lifestyle interventions to community-dwelling adults with psychotic disorders, and included those with the following outcomes of interest: weight, body mass index, waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio. The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE/PREMEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Scopus and PsycINFO were searched for English publications between 1985 and 2018. Methodology and reporting of studies were evaluated using the CONSORT statement for randomised trials of nonpharmacologic treatments. RESULTS: Thirty-two studies met the inclusion criteria. Critical appraisals revealed that reporting of lifestyle intervention studies was generally incomplete. Fewer than 50% provided the recommended information on trial design, participant characteristics, detail of interventions, outcomes, sample size, randomisation, blinding and statistical methods. CONCLUSIONS: Application of guidelines, like the CONSORT statement, in future publications of lifestyle interventions for people with psychosis will improve accuracy of reporting. SO WHAT?: Enhanced reporting in lifestyle intervention studies for people with psychosis will promote guideline creation and translation of research, which is likely to positively impact physical health outcomes.

Treatment efficacy for adult persistent immune thrombocytopenia: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Persistent immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) patients require second-line treatments, for which information on clinical outcomes are lacking. A systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA) were conducted. Only randomised controlled trials (RCT) of second-line drugs in adult persistent ITP patients with platelet response, platelet count, any bleeding or serious adverse events (SAE) outcome were eligible. Twelve RCTs (n = 1313) were included in NMA. For platelet response outcome, eltrombopag and romiplostin were the best relative to placebo; the former had a non-significant advantage [risk ratio (RR) = 1·10 (95% confidence interval: 0·46, 2·67)]. Both treatments were superior to rituximab and recombinant human thrombopoietin (rhTPO)+rituximab, with corresponding RRs of 4·56 (1·89, 10·96) and 4·18 (1·21, 14·49) for eltrombopag; 4·13 (1·56, 10·94) and 3·79 (1·02, 14·09) for romiplostim. For platelet count, romiplostim ranked highest, followed by eltrombopag, rhTPO+rituximab, and rituximab. For bleeding, rituximab had lowest risk, followed by eltrombopag and romiplostim. For SAEs, rhTPO+rituximab had highest risk, followed by rituximab, eltrombopag and romiplostim. From clustered ranking, romiplostim had the best balance between short-term efficacy and SAEs, followed by eltrombopag. In conclusion, romiplostim and eltrombopag may yield high efficacy and safety. Rituximab may not be beneficial due to lower efficacy and higher complications compared with the thrombopoietin receptor agonists. RCTs with long-term clinical outcomes are required.

Comparative efficacy of lifestyle intervention strategies targeting weight outcomes in people with psychosis: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this review was to pool and rank the efficacy of lifestyle intervention strategies targeting weight, body mass index, waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio in people with psychosis by comparing the effect size of these weight outcomes. Secondary to this, the objective was to stratify the lifestyle interventions according to their inclusion of dietary information that adheres to Australian Dietary Guidelines. INTRODUCTION: People living with psychosis have a significantly increased risk of all-cause mortality, with cardiovascular disease a considerable contributor to this risk. Controlling lifestyle risk factors, which include smoking, poor diet and inadequate physical activity, leads to significant weight reduction and decreases cardiovascular disease risk. Previous reviews on this topic have not clearly identified essential components of lifestyle interventions in people with psychosis, mainly due to statistical limitations of analyses. This review employed a network meta-analysis, which compares more than two groups of interventions and ranks them according to efficacy, thus providing a global estimate of effect. Additionally, available reviews have not assessed compliance of dietary information offered in lifestyle interventions to established guidelines. INCLUSION CRITERIA: This review considered randomized controlled trials that delivered lifestyle interventions to community-dwelling adults with psychotic disorders. Outcomes of interest included weight, body mass index, waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio. METHODS: The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE/PreMEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus and PsycINFO were searched for studies published in English from 1985 to June 2018. Data were qualitatively summarized, during which lifestyle intervention subgroups were created (based on key similarities) and then compared in direct meta-analyses and network meta-analyses. Assessment of study adherence to Australian Dietary Guidelines was conducted in a narrative format. RESULTS: Thirty-two randomized controlled trials were included, and the overall quality of these studies ranged from what appeared to be low to moderate. Lifestyle intervention studies contained both a dietary and physical activity component, with the exception of two studies that focused solely on physical activity. Delivery of dietary and physical activity information was mainly through education; however, some studies provided additional structure to the intervention by offering tailored advice or helping participants to set goals, and providing regular review of progress for diet, physical activity or both. Results from network-meta-analyses showed that only studies with a structured approach for both diet and physical activity demonstrated significant decreases in weight (effect size = -4.12, 95% confidence interval = -7.772 to -2.760, P = 0.000) and body mass index (effect size = -2.94, 95% confidence interval = -1.78 to -0.357, P = 0.003). Waist circumference subgroup comparisons mainly comprised single studies; therefore, findings were inconclusive. Dietary information provided in studies generally complied with Australian Dietary Guidelines; however, none of the studies complied with all guidelines. CONCLUSIONS: Lifestyle interventions incorporating both dietary and physical activity components led to the greatest decreases in weight (4.1 kg) and body mass index (2.9 points) among people with psychosis. Important intervention strategies for both components are the personalization of education through tailored advice or goal setting, and a corresponding progress review. Dietary information in the included studies appeared to comply with the Australian Dietary Guidelines. However, these findings were weakened by an increased risk of bias, complex and multicomponent study designs, and lack of clarity in reporting of study methodology.

Mesh fixation technique in totally extraperitoneal inguinal hernia repair - A network meta-analysis.

Laparoscopic totally extra-peritoneal inguinal hernia repair is the standard option for inguinal hernia treatment. However, there are various types of mesh fixation and their relative uses are still controversial. This network meta-analysis was conducted to compare and rank the different fixations available for TEP. Medline and Scopus databases were search until February 1, 2017 and using randomized controlled trials comparing outcomes between different mesh fixation techniques were included. The results demonstrated that fifteen RCTs (n = 1783) were eligible for pooling. Five types of mesh fixation were used; metallic tack, no-fixation, absorbable tack, suture, and glue. Network meta-analysis that use metallic tack as the reference, indicated that suture and glue both carried a lower risk of recurrence with pooled risk ratios (RR) of 0.29 (95% CI 0.00, 18.81) and 0.29 (0.07, 1.30), respectively. For overall complications, absorbable tack had lower risk (0.63, 95% CI: 0.02, 16.13). However, none of these estimates reached statistical significance. So, this network meta-analysis suggests that glue and absorbable tack might be best in lowering recurrence risk and complications. However, a large scale RCT is still needed to confirm these results.

Dietary nitrate consumption and risk of CHD in women from the Nurses' Health Study.

The consumption of nitrate-rich vegetables can acutely lower blood pressure and improve mediators shown to optimise vascular health. However, we do not yet understand the impact of long-term habitual dietary nitrate intake and its association with CVD. Therefore, the aim of this investigation was to examine the relationship between habitual dietary nitrate intakes and risk of CHD in women from the Nurses' Health Study. We prospectively followed 62 535 women who were free from diabetes, CVD and cancer at baseline in 1986. Information on diet was updated every 4 years with validated FFQ. The main outcome was CHD defined by the occurrence of non-fatal myocardial infarction or fatal CHD. Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to estimate the relative risks (RR) and 95 % CI. During 26 years of follow-up, 2257 cases of CHD were identified. When comparing the highest quintile of nitrate intake with the lowest quintile, in aged-adjusted analysis there was a protective association for CHD (RR=0·77, 95 % CI 0·68, 0·97; P=0·0002) which dissipated after further adjustment for smoking, physical activity, BMI and race (RR=0·91; 95 % CI 0·80, 1·04; P=0·27). This magnitude of association was further attenuated once we adjusted for the Alternative Healthy Eating Index excluding vegetable and fruit consumption (RR=1·04, 95 % CI 0·91, 1·20; P=0·34). Dietary nitrate intake was not related to the risk of CHD after adjustment for other lifestyle and non-vegetable dietary factors in a large group of US women.

The efficacy of antibiotic treatment versus surgical treatment of uncomplicated acute appendicitis: Systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of antibiotics in appendicitis remains controversial, and physicians are not confident in prescribing antibiotics as the first line treatment. This network meta-analysis was conducted to assess the efficacy and safety of individual antibiotics in uncomplicated appendicitis. METHODS: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were identified from MEDLINE and SCOPUS databases since inception to July 2017. STUDIES: Network meta-analysis was applied to estimate treatment effects and safety. Probability of being the best treatment was estimated using surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA). RESULTS: Among 9 RCTs meeting our inclusion criteria. A network meta-analysis indicated that those receiving antibiotics had about 12-32% lower chance of treatment success and lower risk of complication about 23-86%, especially Beta-lactamase than appendectomy. The overall appendicitis recurrence rate in the antibiotic group was about 18.2%. The SUCRA indicated that appendectomy was ranked first for treatment success and least complications, followed by Beta-lactamase. CONCLUSIONS: Appendectomy is still the most effective treatment in uncomplicated appendicitis but it carries complications. Beta-lactamase, might be an alternative treatment if there are any contraindications for operation.

Cardiovascular disease lifestyle risk factors in people with psychosis: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: People with psychosis die on average 25 years earlier than those in the general population, with cardiovascular disease (CVD) contributing to much of the excess mortality. This cross-sectional study aimed to identify the relationship between lifestyle risk factors for CVD - poor nutrition, smoking and low physical activity levels - and dyslipidaemia, hypertension and hyperglycaemia while controlling for potential confounders in 1825 people from the Survey of High Impact Psychosis (SHIP) in Australia. We also aimed to identify clustering patterns of lifestyle risk factors and associated demographic variables. METHODS: Three logistic regressions were used to predict the effect of nutrition, smoking and physical activity on dyslipidaemia, hypertension and hyperglycaemia while controlling for clozapine use, sex and age. Clustering patterns of nutrition, smoking and physical activity were examined using the two-step cluster method which is based on hierarchical cluster analysis. Demographic variables associated with different clusters were identified using measures of association. RESULTS: Smoking status had a positive association with dyslipidaemia (adjusted odds ratio = 0.50; 95% confidence interval = 0.32-0.78; p = 0.002). Other cardiovascular disease lifestyle risk factors did not have a significant relationship with dyslipidaemia, hypertension and hyperglycaemia. Clustering patterns of lifestyle risk factors showed that younger men, with low education levels, and relying on a government pension, were most likely to display the poorest lifestyle risk behaviours. The largest cluster (42%) of participants was characterised by a mixed demographic profile and were most likely to display poor nutrition and low physical activity levels but less likely to smoke. CONCLUSIONS: Only smoking status had a significant positive association with dyslipidaemia which could indicate that there are additional factors affecting the relationship between other cardiovascular lifestyle risk factors and dyslipidaemia, hypertension and hyperglycaemia in people with psychosis. Unknown confounders and traditional lifestyle risk factors may explain the high rates of CVD in this group. Clustering of lifestyle risk factors and their demographic profiles could help the design of intervention programs in people with psychosis.

The protective effect of muesli consumption on diabetes risk: Results from 12 years of follow-up in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health.

Diabetes affects 9.8% of Australian women. Breakfast cereal consumption is potentially protective against diabetes. This study investigated the effects of breakfast cereal consumption on the 12-year risk of developing diabetes among mid-aged participants of the Australian Longitudinal Study of Women's Health (ALSWH). It was hypothesized that any breakfast cereal and higher-fiber breakfast cereals would be protective against the risk of developing diabetes. Data from Survey 3 (S3) to Survey 7 (S7) inclusive, from the 1946-51 ALSWH cohort were analyzed. Dietary data were obtained at S3 and the outcome was incident diabetes between S4-S7. Women were excluded if: they reported existing diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance at S3; dietary data were incomplete; or daily energy intake was <4,500 or >20,000 kJ. Logistic regression with discrete time survival analyses investigated the association between breakfast cereal intake and incident diabetes. Models were adjusted for income, BMI, smoking, physical activity, education, and dietary intakes and included a measure of time. There were 637 incident cases of diabetes. Breakfast cereal intake per se was not associated with incident diabetes (OR: 1.00; P = .98). Muesli consumption on its own (OR: 0.74; P = .00) or as a part of oats-based cereal (OR: 0.84; P = .047) was significantly associated with a decrease in the odds of developing diabetes. No other breakfast cereals were significantly associated with diabetes risk. Among mid-aged Australian women, muesli consumption was associated with a reduction in diabetes risk. This effect may be due to a particular profile of muesli eaters, but the relationship warrants further investigation.

Genetic overlap between endometriosis and endometrial cancer: evidence from cross-disease genetic correlation and GWAS meta-analyses.

Epidemiological, biological, and molecular data suggest links between endometriosis and endometrial cancer, with recent epidemiological studies providing evidence for an association between a previous diagnosis of endometriosis and risk of endometrial cancer. We used genetic data as an alternative approach to investigate shared biological etiology of these two diseases. Genetic correlation analysis of summary level statistics from genomewide association studies (GWAS) using LD Score regression revealed moderate but significant genetic correlation (rg  = 0.23, P = 9.3 × 10-3 ), and SNP effect concordance analysis provided evidence for significant SNP pleiotropy (P = 6.0 × 10-3 ) and concordance in effect direction (P = 2.0 × 10-3 ) between the two diseases. Cross-disease GWAS meta-analysis highlighted 13 distinct loci associated at P ≤ 10-5 with both endometriosis and endometrial cancer, with one locus (SNP rs2475335) located within PTPRD associated at a genomewide significant level (P = 4.9 × 10-8 , OR = 1.11, 95% CI = 1.07-1.15). PTPRD acts in the STAT3 pathway, which has been implicated in both endometriosis and endometrial cancer. This study demonstrates the value of cross-disease genetic analysis to support epidemiological observations and to identify biological pathways of relevance to multiple diseases.

Comparison of Superficial Surgical Site Infection Between Delayed Primary Versus Primary Wound Closure in Complicated Appendicitis: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare superficial surgical site infection (SSI) rates between delayed primary wound closure (DPC) and primary wound closure (PC) for complicated appendicitis. BACKGROUND: SSI is common in appendectomy for complicated appendicitis. DPC is preferentially used over PC, but its efficacy is still controversial. METHODS: A multicenter randomized controlled trial was conducted in 6 hospitals in Thailand, enrolling patients with gangrenous and ruptured appendicitis. Patients were randomized to PC (ie, immediately wound closure) or DPC (ie, wound closure at postoperative days 3-5). Superficial SSI was defined by the Center for Disease Control criteria. Secondary outcomes included postoperative pain, length of stay, recovery time, quality of life, and cost of treatment. RESULTS: In all, 303 and 304 patients were randomized to PC and DPC groups, and 5 and 4 patients were lost to follow-up, respectively, leaving 300 and 298 patients in the modified intention-to-treat analysis. The superficial SSI rate was lower in the PC than DPC groups [ie, 7.3% (95% confidence interval 4.4, 10.3) vs 10% (95% CI 6.6, 13.3)] with a risk difference (RD) of -2.7% (-7.1%, 1.9%), but this RD was not significant. Postoperative pain, length of stay, recovery times, and quality of life were nonsignificantly different with corresponding RDs of 0.3 (-2.5, 3.0), -0.1 (-0.5, 0.3), -0.2 (-0.8, 0.4), and 0.02 (-0.01, 0.04), respectively. However, costs for PC were 2083 (1410, 2756) Baht cheaper than DPC (∼$60 USD). CONCLUSIONS: Superficial SSI rates for the PC group were slightly lower than DPC group, but this did not reach statistical significance. Costs were significantly lower for the PC group.

Treatment effects of renin-angiotensin aldosterone system blockade on kidney failure and mortality in chronic kidney disease patients.

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a leading cause of death before and after onset of end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Knowing treatments that can delay disease progression will lead to reduced mortality. We therefore aimed to estimate the effectiveness of renin angiotensin aldosterone system (RAAS) blockade on CKD progression. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective CKD cohort at Ubon Ratchathani province, Thailand from 1997 to 2011. ESRD was defined as estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <15 ml/min/1.73 m2, dialysis, or kidney transplantation. All-cause mortality was verified until December 31, 2011. A counterfactual-framework was applied to estimate the effectiveness of RAAS blockade on outcomes, i.e., ESRD, death before and after ESRD. RAAS blockade was categorized according to duration of use <0.25 year, 0.25-1 year (RAAS1), and >1 year (RAAS2). An augmented inverse-probability weighting (AIPW) method was used to estimate potential-outcome mean (POM) and average treatment-effect (ATE). Multi-logit and Poisson regressions were used for treatment and outcome models, respectively. Analyses were stratified by ESRD, death before/after ESRD for diabetic and non-diabetic groups. STATA 14.0 was used for statistical analyses. RESULTS: Among 15,032 diabetic patients, 2346 (15.6%), 2351 (18.5%), and 1607 (68.5%) developed ESRD, died before ESRD, and died after ESRD, respectively. Only RAAS2 effect was significant on ESRD, death before and after ESRD. The ESRD rates were 12.9%, versus 20.0% for RAAS2 and non-RAAS, respectively, resulted in significant risk differences (RD) of -7.2% (95% CI: -8.8%, -5.5%), and a numbers needed-to-treat (NNT) of 14. Death rates before ESRD for these corresponding groups were 14.4% (12.9%, 15.9%) and 19.6% (18.7%, 20.4%) with a NNT of 19. Death rates after ESRD in RAAS2 was lower than non-RASS group (i.e., 62.8% (55.5%, 68.9%) versus 68.1% (65.9%, 70.4%)) but this was not significant. RAAS2 effects on ESRD and death before ESRD were persistently significant in non-diabetic patients (n = 17,074) but not for death after ESRD with the NNT of about 15 and 16 respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Receiving RAAS blockade for 1 year or longer could prevent both CKD progression to ESRD and premature mortality.

Environmental tobacco smoke and peripheral arterial disease: A review.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Despite worldwide reductions in active smoking, non-smokers continue to be exposed to environmental tobacco smoke, especially at home or workplace. There is a well-recognised association between active smoking and peripheral arterial disease, however, a relationship to environmental tobacco smoke exposure is less substantiated. The aims of this paper are to review the literature regarding the association between environmental tobacco smoke and peripheral arterial disease and identify the public health implications of the findings. METHODS: Selected electronic databases (Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsychINFO and Scopus) were searched for studies published up to August 2017. Key words and inclusion/exclusion criteria applied. A manual search of reference lists of studies selected for review was also performed. RESULTS: Of the initial 150 studies identified, 12 met inclusion criteria for review. Three studies showed a positive association between environmental tobacco smoke exposure and definitive diagnosis of peripheral arterial disease, 6 studies demonstrated a positive association with features of vascular injury, and 3 studies found no significant positive or negative association. CONCLUSIONS: An association between exposure to environmental tobacco smoke and development of peripheral arterial disease or clinically significant arterial injury in non-smokers is supported by moderate quality evidence in the literature. Larger, longitudinal observational studies addressing current limitations, including sources of bias, inconsistency and imprecision, are needed to provide more robust and consistent evidence. Regardless, evidence of potential detrimental impacts supports ongoing restrictions on freedom to smoke in public areas, including the workplace, and has implications for those exposed in the home environment.

Breakfast Cereal Consumption and Obesity Risk amongst the Mid-Age Cohort of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health.

Obesity affects 27.5% of Australian women. Breakfast cereal consumption has been proposed to be protective against obesity. This study investigated the association of breakfast cereal consumption with the risk of developing obesity (Body Mass Index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m²) over 12 years among mid-age participants in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health (ALSWH). Dietary data were obtained at S3 and obesity incidence at S4-S7. Women were excluded if: dietary data were incomplete, energy intake was <4500 or >20,000 kJ/day, or they reported being overweight or obese at S3. Logistic regressions with discrete time survival analysis investigated the association between breakfast cereal intake and incident obesity and were adjusted for: area of residency, income, smoking, physical activity, hypertension, dietary intakes and a discrete measure of time. There were 308 incident cases of obesity. Any breakfast cereal intake was not associated with incident obesity (Odds Ratio (OR): 0.92; p = 0.68). Oat-based cereal (OR: 0.71; p = 0.01), muesli (OR: 0.57; p = 0.00) and All-Bran (OR: 0.62; p = 0.01) intakes were associated with a significant reduction in obesity risk. Among this cohort, muesli on its own, or as part of oat-based cereals, and All-Bran, were associated with a reduction in obesity. This effect may be due to particular characteristics of these cereal eaters, but the relationship warrants further investigation.