Effect of Isocaloric, Time-Restricted Eating on Body Weight in Adults With Obesity : A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Time-restricted eating (TRE) lowers body weight in many studies. Whether TRE induces weight loss independent of reductions in calorie intake, as seen in rodent studies, is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of TRE versus a usual eating pattern (UEP) on body weight in the setting of stable caloric intake. DESIGN: Randomized, isocaloric feeding study. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03527368). SETTING: Clinical research unit. PARTICIPANTS: Adults with obesity and prediabetes or diet-controlled diabetes. INTERVENTION: Participants were randomly assigned 1:1 to TRE (10-hour eating window, 80% of calories before 1 p.m.) or UEP (≤16-hour window, ≥50% of calories after 5 p.m.) for 12 weeks. Both groups had the same nutrient content and were isocaloric with total calories determined at baseline. MEASUREMENTS: Primary outcome was change in body weight at 12 weeks. Secondary outcomes were fasting glucose, homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), glucose area under the curve by oral glucose tolerance test, and glycated albumin. We used linear mixed models to evaluate the effect of interventions on outcomes. RESULTS: All 41 randomly assigned participants (mean age, 59 years; 93% women; 93% Black race; mean BMI, 36 kg/m2) completed the intervention. Baseline weight was 95.6 kg (95% CI, 89.6 to 101.6 kg) in the TRE group and 103.7 kg (CI, 95.3 to 112.0 kg) in the UEP group. At 12 weeks, weight decreased by 2.3 kg (CI, 1.0 to 3.5 kg) in the TRE group and by 2.6 kg (CI, 1.5 to 3.7 kg) in the UEP group (average difference TRE vs. UEP, 0.3 kg [CI, -1.2 to 1.9 kg]). Change in glycemic measures did not differ between groups. LIMITATION: Small, single-site study; baseline differences in weight by group. CONCLUSION: In the setting of isocaloric eating, TRE did not decrease weight or improve glucose homeostasis relative to a UEP, suggesting that any effects of TRE on weight in prior studies may be due to reductions in caloric intake. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: American Heart Association.

Engaging Payors and Primary Care Physicians Together in Improving Diabetes Prevention.

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes can be prevented through lifestyle programs like the Diabetes Prevention Programs (DPP), but few people with prediabetes participate in them, in part because their insurance does not reliably cover DPPs. Prior studies have not focused on payor-level barriers. OBJECTIVE: To understand barriers to DPP uptake that exist and intersect at different levels (patients, PCPs, and payors) to inform strategies to improve diabetes prevention in primary care settings through interviews with PCPs and payors. DESIGN: From May 2020 to October 2021, we conducted remote, semi-structured interviews with PCPs and payors. PARTICIPANTS: PCPs were from primary care practices affiliated with one mid-Atlantic academic system. Payor leaders were from regional commercial, Medicare, and Medicaid plans. APPROACH: Using a standardized interview guide focused on barriers, facilitators, and potential intervention components, interviews were audio-recorded using Zoom and professionally transcribed. Two reviewers double-coded transcripts using the framework analytic approach. KEY RESULTS: We interviewed 16 PCPs from 13 primary care clinics and 7 payor leaders representing 6 insurance plans. Two themes emerged from PCP reports of patient-level barriers: (1) lack of programs and insurance coverage of resources to address nutrition and exercise and (2) inadequate resources to address social determinants of health that impact diabetes prevention. Among barriers PCPs faced, we identified two themes: (1) low PCP knowledge about DPPs and misperceptions of insurance coverage of DPPs and (2) inadequate clinical staff to address diabetes prevention. Barriers common to PCPs and payors included (1) absence of prediabetes quality measures and (2) inadequate engagement of PCPs and patients with payors. CONCLUSIONS: Discussions with PCPs and payors revealed systemic barriers that suggest important priorities to improve prediabetes clinical care, including universal coverage of DPPs, clarity about coverage benefits, data reporting and outreach by payors to PCPs, and adoption of appropriate prediabetes quality measures.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease from a primary care perspective.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) affects up to one-third of the US population. Approximately one-fifth of patients with NAFLD have nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), characterized by hepatocyte damage and inflammation with or without fibrosis. NASH leads to greater risk of liver-related complications and liver-related mortality, with the poorest outcomes seen in patients with advanced fibrosis. NASH is also associated with other metabolic comorbidities and conveys an increased risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes and extrahepatic cancers. Despite its high prevalence, NAFLD is frequently underdiagnosed. This is a significant concern, given that early diagnosis of NAFLD is a key step in preventing progression to NASH. In this review, we describe the clinical impact of NASH from the perspective of both the clinician and the patient. In addition, we provide practical guidance on the diagnosis and management of NASH for primary care providers, who play a pivotal role in the frontline care of patients with NASH, and we use case studies to illustrate real-world scenarios encountered in the primary care setting.

Clinical Care Among Individuals with Prediabetes in Primary Care: a Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of diabetes in the general US population (6.7 per 1000 adults in 2018) has not changed significantly since 2000, suggesting that individuals with prediabetes are not connecting to evidence-based interventions. OBJECTIVE: We sought to describe the clinical care of individuals with prediabetes, determine patient factors associated with this care, and evaluate risk for diabetes development. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study using linked claims and electronic health record data. PARTICIPANTS: We created a cohort of adults with prediabetes based on laboratory measures. We excluded patients with a prior history of diabetes, pregnancy in prior 6 months, or recent steroid use. MAIN MEASURES: We measured ordering and completion of clinical services targeting prediabetes management and diabetes incidence within 12 months following cohort entry. We tested the strength of the association between individuals' characteristics and outcomes of interest using bivariate and multiple logistic regression. RESULTS: Our cohort included 3888 patients with a laboratory diagnosis of prediabetes (incident or prevalent prediabetes). Within 12 months, 63.4% had repeat glycemic testing, yet only 10.4% had coded diagnoses of prediabetes, 1.0% were referred for nutrition services, and 5.4% were prescribed metformin. Most patients completed labs and nutrition visits when referred and filled metformin when prescribed. Individuals with a higher glycemic level or BMI were more likely to receive prediabetes clinical care. Six percent of individuals developed diabetes within 12 months of cohort entry and had higher glycemic levels and BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2. In the adjusted model, Black individuals had 1.4 times higher odds of developing diabetes than White individuals. CONCLUSIONS: Rates of prediabetes clinical care activities are low and have not improved. Strategies are urgently needed to improve prediabetes care delivery thereby preventing or delaying incident diabetes.

Effect of renin-angiotensin system antihypertensive medication use on cognitive function in diabetes mellitus with obesity or overweight: An ancillary study to the Action for Health in Diabetes (Look AHEAD) trial.

AIM: To determine whether antihypertensive medication (AHM) acting through the renin angiotensin system (RAS-AHM), compared with other AHM, can mitigate effects on cognitive function and risk for impairment in a population with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This secondary analysis of the randomized controlled Action for Health in Diabetes (Look AHEAD) study included 712 community-dwelling participants who were followed over 15 years. Logistic regression was used to relate RAS-AHM use to cognitive impairment, and linear regression was used to relate RAS-AHM use to domain-specific cognitive function after adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS: A total of 563 individuals reported RAS-AHM use and 149 reported other-AHM use during the study. RAS-AHM users have college or higher education (53%), had higher baseline glycated haemoglobin (57 mmol/mol), and reported higher diabetes medication use (86%), while other-AHM users were more likely to be White (72%), obese (25%) and to have cardiovascular history (19%). RAS-AHM use was not associated with a reduced risk of dementia compared with other-AHM use. We did observe better executive function (Trail Making Test, part B, P < 0.04), processing speed (Digit Symbol Substitution Test, P < 0.004), verbal memory (Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test-delayed recall, P < 0.005), and composite score (P < 0.008) among RAS-AHM users compared with other-AHM users. CONCLUSION: In this sample of adults with T2DM, free of dementia at baseline, we observed a slower decline in processing speed, executive function, verbal memory, and composite score among RAS-AHM users.

Electronic Health Record-Based Recruitment and Retention and Mobile Health App Usage: Multisite Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: To address the obesity epidemic, there is a need for novel paradigms, including those that address the timing of eating and sleep in relation to circadian rhythms. Electronic health records (EHRs) are an efficient way to identify potentially eligible participants for health research studies. Mobile health (mHealth) apps offer available and convenient data collection of health behaviors, such as timing of eating and sleep. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this descriptive analysis was to report on recruitment, retention, and app use from a 6-month cohort study using a mobile app called Daily24. METHODS: Using an EHR query, adult patients from three health care systems in the PaTH clinical research network were identified as potentially eligible, invited electronically to participate, and instructed to download and use the Daily24 mobile app, which focuses on eating and sleep timing. Online surveys were completed at baseline and 4 months. We described app use and identified predictors of app use, defined as 1 or more days of use, versus nonuse and usage categories (ie, immediate, consistent, and sustained) using multivariate regression analyses. RESULTS: Of 70,661 patients who were sent research invitations, 1021 (1.44%) completed electronic consent forms and online baseline surveys; 4 withdrew, leaving a total of 1017 participants in the analytic sample. A total of 53.79% (n=547) of the participants were app users and, of those, 75.3% (n=412), 50.1% (n=274), and 25.4% (n=139) were immediate, consistent, and sustained users, respectively. Median app use was 28 (IQR 7-75) days over 6 months. Younger age, White race, higher educational level, higher income, having no children younger than 18 years, and having used 1 to 5 health apps significantly predicted app use (vs nonuse) in adjusted models. Older age and lower BMI predicted early, consistent, and sustained use. About half (532/1017, 52.31%) of the participants completed the 4-month online surveys. A total of 33.5% (183/547), 29.3% (157/536), and 27.1% (143/527) of app users were still using the app for at least 2 days per month during months 4, 5, and 6 of the study, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: EHR recruitment offers an efficient (ie, high reach, low touch, and minimal participant burden) approach to recruiting participants from health care settings into mHealth research. Efforts to recruit and retain less engaged subgroups are needed to collect more generalizable data. Additionally, future app iterations should include more evidence-based features to increase participant use.

Interaction Between Alcohol Consumption and PNPLA3 Variant in the Prevalence of Hepatic Steatosis in the US Population.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: To our knowledge, the interaction between alcohol consumption and PNPLA3 genotype on hepatic steatosis has not been explored in a representative sample. To examine the interaction between alcohol consumption and PNPLA3 genotype on hepatic steatosis in the US adult population. METHODS: Cross-sectional study of 4,674 adult participants of the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, Phase 2 (1991-1994) with data on PNPLA3 genotype, self-reported alcohol consumption, ultrasound-defined hepatic steatosis and socio-demographic characteristics. RESULTS: In 1991-1994 in the U.S. population, the weighted allele frequency of the G (risk) allele of the rs738409 at PNPLA3 was 25.4%. We confirmed both a J shaped association between alcohol consumption and hepatic steatosis among those with the CC genotype of PNPLA3, and a higher prevalence of hepatic steatosis among those with PNPLA3 gene G variant. We found evidence of an interaction of PNPLA3 G allele presence on the association between moderate alcohol consumption and hepatic steatosis on both the multiplicative (relative prevalence ratio [RPR]=1.95, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.04-3.65) and additive scales (relative excess risk due to interaction=0.49, 95% CI 0.13-0.85). Compared to never drinkers, moderate alcohol drinking was associated with a 48% decreased risk of hepatic steatosis only among those without PNPLA3 G allele (PR=0.52, 95% CI 0.26-1.05), with no association among those with at least one copy of the PNPLA3 G allele (PR=1.02, 95% CI 0.68-1.54). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that a highly common and strong genetic susceptibility to liver disease is modifiable by the level of alcohol consumption. Keeping alcohol consumption low may offset genetic predisposition to liver disease.

Increased TLR/MyD88 signaling in patients with obesity: is there a link to COVID-19 disease severity?

COVID-19 is a pandemic disease caused by a coronavirus, designed as SARS CoV-2, whose clinical presentation is widely variable, with most patients having mild or no symptoms, but others developing a malign disease with multi-organ failure and even death. Accumulating data from different populations have shown that obesity is a risk factor for a severe evolution of the disease, however, the mechanisms that explain this association are not clearly understood. An ominous evolution of COVID-19 has been attributed to an exacerbated inflammatory response, designed as "cytokine storm" with augmented production of cytokines/chemokines through the activation of toll-like receptors (TLR) by pathogen-associated molecular patterns, that triggers an inflammatory downstream response, mediated in part by the adaptor molecule, myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88). Previous studies have reported an increased expression of MyD88 and TLRs in people with obesity, mainly in those with metabolic complications. Therefore, we hypothesize, that an underlying increased Myd88/TLR signaling may predispose to patients with obesity to develop an exaggerated and dangerous inflammatory reaction against SARS CoV-2 infection, explaining at least in part, the higher severity of COVID-19. In addition, MyD88/TLR signaling in people with obesity could have a role in the development of several chronic diseases.

Outpatient metformin use is associated with reduced severity of COVID-19 disease in adults with overweight or obesity.

Observational studies suggest outpatient metformin use is associated with reduced mortality from coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). Metformin is known to decrease interleukin-6 and tumor-necrosis factor-α, which appear to contribute to morbidity in COVID-19. We sought to understand whether outpatient metformin use was associated with reduced odds of severe COVID-19 disease in a large US healthcare data set. Retrospective cohort analysis of electronic health record (EHR) data that was pooled across multiple EHR systems from 12 hospitals and 60 primary care clinics in the Midwest between March 4, 2020 and December 4, 2020. Inclusion criteria: data for body mass index (BMI) > 25 kg/m2 and a positive SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction test; age ≥ 30 and ≤85 years. Exclusion criteria: patient opt-out of research. Metformin is the exposure of interest, and death, admission, and intensive care unit admission are the outcomes of interest. Metformin was associated with a decrease in mortality from COVID-19, OR 0.32 (0.15, 0.66; p = .002), and in the propensity-matched cohorts, OR 0.38 (0.16, 0.91; p = .030). Metformin was associated with a nonsignificant decrease in hospital admission for COVID-19 in the overall cohort, OR 0.78 (0.58-1.04, p = .087). Among the subgroup with a hemoglobin HbA1c available (n = 1193), the adjusted odds of hospitalization (including adjustment for HbA1c) for metformin users was OR 0.75 (0.53-1.06, p = .105). Outpatient metformin use was associated with lower mortality and a trend towards decreased admission for COVID-19. Given metformin's low cost, established safety, and the mounting evidence of reduced severity of COVID-19 disease, metformin should be prospectively assessed for outpatient treatment of COVID-19.

What influences the "when" of eating and sleeping?A qualitative interview study.

Timing of eating relative to sleep and endogenous circadian rhythm impacts weight and cardiometabolic health. We used qualitative methods to explore what influences the "when" of eating and sleeping. We conducted 37 one-on-one semi-structured interviews among participants with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m2 recruited from three internal medicine clinics affiliated with an urban academic hospital. Participants (70.3% Female; 51.4% White; Age range: 21-83 years old) completed measures of social jetlag, physical activity, eating habits, and mobile application use and participated in interviews following a guide developed by the study team. Responses were recorded, transcribed and coded sequentially by two trained researchers using editing-style analysis to identify themes. We identified two main themes, each with subthemes: 1) influences on the "when" of eating and sleeping, with subthemes including social jetlag and being overscheduled, and 2) contextualizing beliefs and perceptions about the "when" of eating and sleeping, with subthemes including perceived recommendations for timing of eating and sleeping, and alignment of behaviors with perceived recommendations. Many participants noted being more flexible in their eating and sleeping times on work-free vs work days. The themes this study identified should be considered when designing interventions that influence the timing of eating and sleeping for weight management.

Patient Recruitment Into a Multicenter Clinical Cohort Linking Electronic Health Records From 5 Health Systems: Cross-sectional Analysis.

BACKGROUND: There is growing interest in identifying and recruiting research participants from health systems using electronic health records (EHRs). However, few studies have described the practical aspects of the recruitment process or compared electronic recruitment methods to in-person recruitment, particularly across health systems. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to describe the steps and efficiency of the recruitment process and participant characteristics by recruitment strategy. METHODS: EHR-based eligibility criteria included being an adult patient engaged in outpatient primary or bariatric surgery care at one of 5 health systems in the PaTH Clinical Research Network and having ≥2 weight measurements and 1 height measurement recorded in their EHR within the last 5 years. Recruitment strategies varied by site and included one or more of the following methods: (1) in-person recruitment by study staff from clinical sites, (2) US postal mail recruitment letters, (3) secure email, and (4) direct EHR recruitment through secure patient web portals. We used descriptive statistics to evaluate participant characteristics and proportion of patients recruited (ie, efficiency) by modality. RESULTS: The total number of eligible patients from the 5 health systems was 5,051,187. Of these, 40,048 (0.8%) were invited to enter an EHR-based cohort study and 1085 were enrolled. Recruitment efficiency was highest for in-person recruitment (33.5%), followed by electronic messaging (2.9%), including email (2.9%) and EHR patient portal messages (2.9%). Overall, 779 (65.7%) patients were enrolled through electronic messaging, which also showed greater rates of recruitment of Black patients compared with the other strategies. CONCLUSIONS: We recruited a total of 1085 patients from primary care and bariatric surgery settings using 4 recruitment strategies. The recruitment efficiency was 2.9% for email and EHR patient portals, with the majority of participants recruited electronically. This study can inform the design of future research studies using EHR-based recruitment.

Perspectives of pregnant and postpartum women and obstetric providers to promote healthy lifestyle in pregnancy and after delivery: a qualitative in-depth interview study.

BACKGROUND: Pregnancy provides an opportunity to promote healthy lifestyle behaviors. This study's aim was to explore the perspectives of pregnant and postpartum women and obstetric providers around behavioral lifestyle changes in pregnancy and postpartum. METHODS: We conducted a qualitative study with pregnant and postpartum patients recruited from 2 prenatal care clinics at an urban, academic hospital in the United States. In-depth interviews with 23 pregnant or postpartum women and 11 obstetric providers were completed between October 2015-April 2016. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. We coded transcripts for thematic content and applied the PRECEDE-PROCEED framework for results to directly inform program development. RESULTS: Six themes highlighted the predisposing, enabling and reinforcing factors that enable and sustain health behavior changes in pregnancy and postpartum: 1) "Motivation to have a healthy baby" during pregnancy and to "have my body back" after delivery, 2) Pre-pregnancy knowledge and experiences about pregnancy and the postpartum period, 3) Prioritizing wellness during pregnancy and postpartum, 4) The power of social support, 5) Accountability, 6) Integration with technology to reinforce behavior change. CONCLUSIONS: In this qualitative study, pregnant and postpartum women and obstetric providers described themes that are aimed at encouraging lifestyle changes to promote healthy weight gain in pregnancy and can directly inform the development of a behavioral weight management intervention for pregnant and postpartum women that is patient-centered and tailored to their needs.

Histologic Findings of Advanced Fibrosis and Cirrhosis in Patients With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Who Have Normal Aminotransferase Levels.

OBJECTIVES: Patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and normal aminotransferase levels may have advanced liver histology. We conducted a study to characterize the prevalence of and factors associated with advanced liver histology in patients with histologically characterized NAFLD and normal aminotransferase levels. METHODS: We evaluated 534 adults with biopsy-proven NAFLD and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) <40U/L within 3 months of their liver biopsy. Histological phenotypes of primary interest were nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) with stage 2-3 fibrosis (NASH F2-3) and cirrhosis. Using multiple logistic regression models with Akaike's Information Criteria (AIC), we identified variables associated with these histological phenotypes. We developed and internally validated their clinical prediction models. RESULTS: The prevalence of NASH F2-F3 and cirrhosis was 19% and 7%, respectively. The best multiple regression AIC model for NASH F2-3 consisted of type 2 diabetes, white race, lower low-density lipoprotein, lower platelet count, higher AST/ALT ratio, higher serum triglycerides, and hypertension. The best AIC model for cirrhosis consisted of lower platelet count, lower AST/ALT ratio, higher body mass index, and female sex. The area under the receiver operator curves of the prediction models were 0.70 (95% confidence interval: 0.65-0.76) for detecting NASH-F2-3 and 0.85 (95% confidence interval: 0.77-0.92) for detecting cirrhosis. When models were fixed at maximum Youden's index, their positive and negative predictive values were 35% and 88% for NASH F2-F3 and 30% and 98% for cirrhosis, respectively. DISCUSSION: Clinically significant histological phenotypes are observed in patients with NAFLD and normal aminotransferase levels. Our models can assist the clinicians in excluding advanced liver histology in NAFLD patients with normal aminotransferase levels.

National Survey of Primary Care Physicians' Knowledge, Practices, and Perceptions of Prediabetes.

BACKGROUND: Despite strong evidence and national policy supporting type 2 diabetes prevention, little is known about type 2 diabetes prevention in the primary care setting. OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to assess primary care physicians' knowledge and practice regarding perceived barriers and potential interventions to improving management of prediabetes. DESIGN: Cross-sectional mailed survey. PARTICIPANTS: Nationally representative random sample of US primary care physicians (PCPs) identified from the American Medical Association Physician Masterfile. MAIN MEASURES: We assessed PCP knowledge, practice behaviors, and perceptions related to prediabetes. We performed chi-square and Fisher's exact tests to evaluate the association between PCP characteristics and the main survey outcomes. KEY RESULTS: In total, 298 (33%) eligible participants returned the survey. PCPs had limited knowledge of risk factors for prediabetes screening, laboratory diagnostic criteria for prediabetes, and management recommendations for patients with prediabetes. Only 36% of PCPs refer patients to a diabetes prevention lifestyle change program as their initial management approach, while 43% discuss starting metformin for prediabetes. PCPs believed that barriers to type 2 diabetes prevention are both at the individual level (e.g., patients' lack of motivation) and at the system level (e.g., lack of weight loss resources). PCPs reported that increased access to and insurance coverage of type 2 diabetes prevention programs and coordination of referral of patients to these resources would facilitate type 2 diabetes preventive efforts. CONCLUSIONS: Addressing gaps in PCP knowledge may improve the identification and management of people with prediabetes, but system-level changes are necessary to support type 2 diabetes prevention in the primary care setting.

Understanding Primary Care Patients' Self-weighing Habits: Cohort Analysis from the PaTH Clinical Data Research Network.

BACKGROUND: Greater than 60% of adults have overweight or obesity. Self-weighing is an effective weight loss and weight maintenance tool. However, little is known about self-weighing habits among the primary care patient population. Our objective was to examine the frequency of patient-reported self-weighing, and to evaluate the associations of self-weighing with demographic characteristics and self-monitoring behaviors. METHODS: We conducted an analysis of survey data collected as part of the PaTH Clinical Data Research Network, which recruited a cohort of 1,021 primary care patients at 4 academic medical centers. Patients of all body mass index (BMI) categories were included. RESULTS: Response rate of 6-month survey was 727 (71%). The mean age was 56 years, and most were female (68%), White (78%), college graduates (66%), and employed/retired (85%). The mean BMI was 30.2 kg/m2, 80% of participants had a BMI â‰§ 25 kg/m2. Of patients with BMI â‰§ 25 kg/m2, 35% of participants self-weighed weekly and 23% daily. Participants who reported self-weighing at least weekly were more likely to be older (59 vs 54 years, p < 0.01), married (p = 0.01), college graduates (p = 0.03), White (p < 0.01), and employed vs disabled/unemployed (p < 0.01). Patients who self-weighed daily had a lower BMI (29 kg/m2 vs 31 kg/m2, p = 0.04). Patients who tracked exercise or food intake were more likely to self-weigh daily (p < 0.01), as were patients wanting to lose or maintain weight (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Despite its potential for primary and secondary obesity prevention, only 35% of primary care patients with overweight or obesity engage in self-weighing weekly and less than a quarter (23%) self-weigh daily. Socioeconomic status appears to be a factor influencing regular self-weighing in this population, potentially contributing to greater health disparities in obesity rates. Patients who self-weighed daily had a lower BMI, suggesting that it may play a role in primary prevention of obesity. More work is needed to explore self-weighing among patients.

Predictors of Insulin Initiation in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: An Analysis of the Look AHEAD Randomized Trial.

BACKGROUND: The decision to initiate insulin in patients with type 2 diabetes is a challenging escalation of care that requires an individualized approach. However, the sociodemographic and clinical factors affecting insulin initiation are not well understood. OBJECTIVE: We sought to identify patient factors that were independent predictors of insulin initiation among participants in the Look AHEAD (Action for Health in Diabetes) clinical trial. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of a randomized clinical trial. PARTICIPANTS: Beginning in 2001, Look AHEAD enrolled ambulatory U.S. adults with type 2 diabetes who were overweight or obese and had a primary healthcare provider. Participants were randomized (1:1) to an intensive lifestyle intervention, or diabetes support and education. This study examined 3913 participants across the two trial arms who were not using insulin at baseline. MAIN MEASURES: We used Cox proportional hazards models to estimate the association between participant characteristics and time to insulin initiation. We performed time-varying adjustment for HbA1c measured eight times over the 10-year study period, as well as for multiple clinical and socioeconomic factors. KEY RESULTS: A total of 1087 participants (27.8%) initiated insulin during a median follow-up of 8.0 years. Age was inversely associated with insulin initiation (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 0.88 per 10 years, P = 0.025). The risk of insulin initiation was greater with a higher number of diabetes complications (P < 0.001 for trend); chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular disease were independently associated with insulin initiation. There was a lower risk of insulin initiation in black (aHR 0.77, P = 0.008) and Hispanic participants (aHR 0.66, P < 0.001) relative to white participants. Socioeconomic factors were not associated with insulin initiation. CONCLUSIONS: Patient age, race/ethnicity, and diabetes complications may influence insulin initiation in type 2 diabetes, independent of glycemic control. Future work is needed to understand the drivers of racial differences in antihyperglycemic treatment, and to identify patients who benefit most from insulin.

Team-Based Health Information Exchange Use Increased Mammography Documentation and Referral in an Academic Primary Care Practice: An Interrupted Time Series.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have examined the impact of health information exchanges (HIE) on quality in ambulatory settings. METHODS: From September 29, 2014, to September 4, 2015, we conducted an interrupted time series analysis of query-based use of the state HIE as part of team-based care to improve mammography screening in an academic primary care practice. Women aged 50-74 years with a practice visit and who were eligible for mammography were included. We conducted non-parametric data analysis using LOESS, followed by ARIMA analysis. RESULTS: During the study period, there were 2020 visits among 904 eligible patients, including 648 visits among 485 patients during 16 baseline weeks, and 1372 visits by 755 patients during 33 intervention weeks. During the intervention period, 16.0% of eligible women who were not up to date in our EHR had a mammogram in the HIE. Of eligible women, the proportion who had a documented up-to-date mammogram at the time of their visit increased by 11.3%, from 73.4% at baseline to 84.7% (p < 0.0001), the proportion who had mammography addressed at the time of their visit increased by 42.7%, from 32.7% at baseline to 75.4% (p < 0.0001), and the proportion who were up to date at 8 weeks post-visit increased by 11.7%, from 76.3% at baseline to 88.0% (p < 0.0001). DISCUSSION: Query-based use of the state HIE as part of team-based care improved documentation of mammography and led to an increase in the proportion of eligible women who received counseling on mammography screening in one primary care practice. These results suggest that HIE use in primary care could lead to improved delivery of other preventive services.

Patient Sex, Reproductive Status, and Synthetic Hormone Use Associate With Histologic Severity of Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Sex and sex hormones can affect responses of patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) to metabolic stress and development of hepatocyte injury and inflammation. METHODS: We collected data from 3 large U.S. studies of patients with NAFLD (between October 2004 and June 2013) to assess the association between histologic severity and sex, menopause status, synthetic hormone use, and menstrual abnormalities in 1112 patients with a histologic diagnosis of NAFLD. We performed logistic or ordinal logistic regression models, adjusting for covariates relevant to an increase of hepatic metabolic stress. RESULTS: Premenopausal women were at an increased risk of lobular inflammation, hepatocyte ballooning, and Mallory-Denk bodies than men and also at an increased risk of lobular inflammation and Mallory-Denk bodies than postmenopausal women (P < .01). Use of oral contraceptives was associated with an increased risk of lobular inflammation and Mallory-Denk bodies in premenopausal women, whereas hormone replacement therapy was associated with an increased risk of lobular inflammation in postmenopausal women (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Being a premenopausal woman or a female user of synthetic hormones is associated with increased histologic severity of hepatocyte injury and inflammation among patients with NAFLD at given levels of hepatic metabolic stress.

In Children With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Cysteamine Bitartrate Delayed Release Improves Liver Enzymes but Does Not Reduce Disease Activity Scores.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: No treatment for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been approved by regulatory agencies. We performed a randomized controlled trial to determine whether 52 weeks of cysteamine bitartrate delayed release (CBDR) reduces the severity of liver disease in children with NAFLD. METHODS: We performed a double-masked trial of 169 children with NAFLD activity scores of 4 or higher at 10 centers. From June 2012 to January 2014, the patients were assigned randomly to receive CBDR or placebo twice daily (300 mg for patients weighing ≤65 kg, 375 mg for patients weighing >65 to 80 kg, and 450 mg for patients weighing >80 kg) for 52 weeks. The primary outcome from the intention-to-treat analysis was improvement in liver histology over 52 weeks, defined as a decrease in the NAFLD activity score of 2 points or more without worsening fibrosis; patients without biopsy specimens from week 52 (17 in the CBDR group and 6 in the placebo group) were considered nonresponders. We calculated the relative risks (RR) of improvement using a stratified Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel analysis. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between groups in the primary outcome (28% of children in the CBDR group vs 22% in the placebo group; RR, 1.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.8-2.1; P = .34). However, children receiving CBDR had significant changes in prespecified secondary outcomes: reduced mean levels of alanine aminotransferase (reduction, 53 ± 88 U/L vs 8 ± 77 U/L in the placebo group; P = .02) and aspartate aminotransferase (reduction, 31 ± 52 vs 4 ± 36 U/L in the placebo group; P = .008), and a larger proportion had reduced lobular inflammation (36% in the CBDR group vs 21% in the placebo group; RR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.1-2.9; P = .03). In a post hoc analysis of children weighing 65 kg or less, those taking CBDR had a 4-fold better chance of histologic improvement (observed in 50% of children in the CBDR group vs 13% in the placebo group; RR, 4.0; 95% CI, 1.3-12.3; P = .005). CONCLUSIONS: In a randomized trial, we found that 1 year of CBDR did not reduce overall histologic markers of NAFLD compared with placebo in children. Children receiving CBDR, however, had significant reductions in serum aminotransferase levels and lobular inflammation. ClinicalTrials.gov no: NCT01529268.

Low and High Birth Weights Are Risk Factors for Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Children.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the distribution of birth weight in children with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) compared with the general US population, and to investigate the relationship between birth weight and severity of NAFLD. STUDY DESIGN: A multicenter, cross-sectional study of children with biopsy-proven NAFLD enrolled in the Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Clinical Research Network Database. Birth weight was categorized as low birth weight (LBW), normal birth weight (NBW), or high birth weight (HBW) and compared with the birth weight distribution in the general US population. The severity of liver histology was assessed by birth weight category. RESULTS: Children with NAFLD (n = 538) had overrepresentation of both LBW and HBW compared with the general US population (LBW, 9.3%; NBW, 75.8%; HBW, 14.9% vs LBW, 6.1%; NBW, 83.5%; HBW 10.5%; P < .0001). Children with HBW had significantly greater odds of having more severe steatosis (OR, 1.82, 95% CI. 1.15-2.88) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (OR, 2.03; 95% CI, 1.21-3.40) compared with children with NBW. In addition, children with NAFLD and LBW had significantly greater odds of having advanced fibrosis (OR, 2.23; 95% CI, 1.08-4.62). CONCLUSION: Birth weight involves maternal and in utero factors that may have long-lasting consequences. Children with both LBW and HBW may be at increased risk for developing NAFLD. Among children with NAFLD, those with LBW or HBW appear to be at increased risk for more severe disease.