Incident allergic diseases in post-COVID-19 condition: multinational cohort studies from South Korea, Japan and the UK.

As mounting evidence suggests a higher incidence of adverse consequences, such as disruption of the immune system, among patients with a history of COVID-19, we aimed to investigate post-COVID-19 conditions on a comprehensive set of allergic diseases including asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, and food allergy. We used nationwide claims-based cohorts in South Korea (K-CoV-N; n = 836,164; main cohort) and Japan (JMDC; n = 2,541,021; replication cohort A) and the UK Biobank cohort (UKB; n = 325,843; replication cohort B) after 1:5 propensity score matching. Among the 836,164 individuals in the main cohort (mean age, 50.25 years [SD, 13.86]; 372,914 [44.6%] women), 147,824 were infected with SARS-CoV-2 during the follow-up period (2020-2021). The risk of developing allergic diseases, beyond the first 30 days of diagnosis of COVID-19, significantly increased (HR, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.13-1.27), notably in asthma (HR, 2.25; 95% CI, 1.80-2.83) and allergic rhinitis (HR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.15-1.32). This risk gradually decreased over time, but it persisted throughout the follow-up period (≥6 months). In addition, the risk increased with increasing severity of COVID-19. Notably, COVID-19 vaccination of at least two doses had a protective effect against subsequent allergic diseases (HR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.68-0.96). Similar findings were reported in the replication cohorts A and B. Although the potential for misclassification of pre-existing allergic conditions as incident diseases remains a limitation, ethnic diversity for evidence of incident allergic diseases in post-COVID-19 condition has been validated by utilizing multinational and independent population-based cohorts.

Global burden of vaccine-associated multiple sclerosis, 1967-2022: A comprehensive analysis of the international pharmacovigilance database.

Vaccine-associated multiple sclerosis (MS) is rare, with insufficient evidence from case reports. Given the scarcity of large-scale data investigating the association between vaccine administration and adverse events, we investigated the global burden of vaccine-associated MS and potential related vaccines from 1967 to 2022. Reports on vaccine-associated MS between 1967 and 2022 were obtained from the World Health Organization International Pharmacovigilance Database (total number of reports = 120 715 116). We evaluated global reports, reporting odds ratio (ROR), and information components (IC) to investigate associations between 19 vaccines and vaccine-associated MS across 156 countries and territories. We identified 8288 reports of vaccine-associated MS among 132 980 cases of all-cause MS. The cumulative number of reports on vaccine-associated MS gradually increased over time, with a substantial increase after 2020, owing to COVID-19 mRNA vaccine-associated MS. Vaccine-associated MS develops more frequently in males and adolescents. Nine vaccines were significantly associated with higher MS reporting, and the highest disproportional associations were observed for hepatitis B vaccines (ROR 19.82; IC025 4.18), followed by encephalitis (ROR 7.42; IC025 2.59), hepatitis A (ROR 4.46; IC025 1.95), and papillomavirus vaccines (ROR 4.45; IC025 2.01). Additionally, MS showed a significantly disproportionate signal for COVID-19 mRNA vaccines (ROR 1.55; IC025 0.52). Fatal clinical outcomes were reported in only 0.3% (21/8288) of all cases of vaccine-associated MS. Although various vaccines are potentially associated with increased risk of MS, we should be cautious about the increased risk of MS following vaccination, particularly hepatitis B and COVID-19 mRNA vaccines, and should consider the risk factors associated with vaccine-associated MS.

National prevalence of smoking among adolescents at tobacco tax increase and COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea, 2005-2022.

Prior research has predominantly focused on the overall effects of the tobacco tax increase and the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescent smoking behavior. However, there is a need to examine both the immediate and sustained associations of these two factors on subgroups of adolescents, employing an interrupted time-series model. We aimed to investigate the immediate and sustained association of tobacco tax increase and the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescent smoking prevalence. This study utilized data from the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-Based Survey to analyze the prevalence of current smoking among all participants (CSP) and the prevalence of daily smoking among current smokers (DSP) of Korean adolescents (n = 1,159,995; mean, age 14.99; male 51.5%) over 18 years from 2005 to 2022. The study examined 18-year trends in CSP and DSP among Korean adolescents, emphasizing the influences of the 2015 tobacco tax increase and the COVID-19 pandemic, using ß coefficients and their differences (ßdiff) from an interrupted time-series ARIMA model. While CSP exhibited a decreasing trend, DSP exhibited an increasing trend. Tobacco tax increase was associated with both the short and long terms in smoking prevalence, however, the short-term association on prevalence (CSP, - 3.076 [95% CI, - 3.707 to - 2.445]; DSP, - 4.112 [95% CI, - 6.488 to - 1.735]) was stronger. The pandemic was associated with an immediate increase in DSP (9.345 [95% CI, 5.285-13.406]). These effects were strongest among adolescents from low economic status and those exposed to familial secondhand smoking. Supportive programs for adolescents in low-income families will help overcome the effects associated with the pandemic. As a tobacco tax increase was associated with a reduction in smoking prevalence, this could be one method to overcome the effects of the pandemic.

Prenatal opioid exposure and subsequent risk of neuropsychiatric disorders in children: nationwide birth cohort study in South Korea.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the potential association between prenatal opioid exposure and the risk of neuropsychiatric disorders in children. DESIGN: Nationwide birth cohort study. SETTING: From 1 January 2009 to 31 December 2020, birth cohort data of pregnant women in South Korea linked to their liveborn infants from the National Health Insurance Service of South Korea were collected. PARTICIPANTS: All 3 251 594 infants (paired mothers, n=2 369 322; age 32.1 years (standard deviation 4.2)) in South Korea from the start of 2010 to the end of 2017, with follow-up from the date of birth until the date of death or 31 December 2020, were included. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Diagnosis of neuropsychiatric disorders in liveborn infants with mental and behaviour disorders (International Classification of Diseases 10th edition codes F00-99). Follow-up continued until the first diagnosis of neuropsychiatric disorder, 31 December 2020 (end of the study period), or the date of death, whichever occurred first. Eight cohorts were created: three cohorts (full unmatched, propensity score matched, and child screening cohorts) were formed, all of which were paired with sibling comparison cohorts, in addition to two more propensity score groups. Multiple subgroup analyses were performed. RESULTS: Of the 3 128 571 infants included (from 2 299 664 mothers), we identified 2 912 559 (51.3% male, 48.7% female) infants with no prenatal opioid exposure and 216 012 (51.2% male, 48.8% female) infants with prenatal opioid exposure. The risk of neuropsychiatric disorders in the child with prenatal opioid exposure was 1.07 (95% confidence interval 1.05 to 1.10) for fully adjusted hazard ratio in the matched cohort, but no significant association was noted in the sibling comparison cohort (hazard ratio 1.00 (0.93 to 1.07)). Prenatal opioid exposure during the first trimester (1.11 (1.07 to 1.15)), higher opioid doses (1.15 (1.09 to 1.21)), and long term opioid use of 60 days or more (1.95 (1.24 to 3.06)) were associated with an increased risk of neuropsychiatric disorders in the child. Prenatal opioid exposure modestly increased the risk of severe neuropsychiatric disorders (1.30 (1.15 to 1.46)), mood disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and intellectual disability in the child. CONCLUSIONS: Opioid use during pregnancy was not associated with a substantial increase in the risk of neuropsychiatric disorders in the offspring. A slightly increased risk of neuropsychiatric disorders was observed, but this should not be considered clinically meaningful given the observational nature of the study, and limited to high opioid dose, more than one opioid used, longer duration of exposure, opioid exposure during early pregnancy, and only to some neuropsychiatric disorders.

Prenatal and postnatal exposure to antibiotics and risk of food allergy in the offspring: A nationwide birth cohort study in South Korea.

BACKGROUND: There are only preliminary studies examining the associations of postnatal antibiotic exposure with food allergy in childhood, and the effect of antibiotic exposure in utero has not been resolved. Thus, we aimed to investigate the effect of prenatal and postnatal antibiotic exposure on the risk of food allergy in childhood. METHODS: Using the nationwide birth cohort in South Korea, all 3,163,206 infants (pairing mother; n = 2,322,735) born in South Korea between 2010 and 2017 were included in the analysis. The primary outcome was the diagnosis of food allergy, and the observation period was between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2020. We implemented four different designs for the study, which consisted of a full unmatched cohort, 1:1 propensity-matched cohort, sibling comparison cohort, and health screening cohort along with multiple subgroup analyses. RESULTS: During the follow-up period (median 6.92 years [IQR, 4.72-9.00]) of the 3,161,858 infants (52.6% male) in the birth cohort, 29,973 (1.9%) were diagnosed with food allergies. After a 1:1 propensity score matching, the use of antibiotics increased the risk of overall food allergy (prenatal [HR, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.04-1.09] and postnatal [HR, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.01-1.10] periods). The association was more significantly accentuated when antibiotic exposure was used in the short term, and the children were born preterm or with low birthweight; however, a trimester-specific effect was not observed. We observed more pronounced risks of food allergy in the health screening cohort (prenatal, 17%; postnatal, 15%), thus addressing the adverse effects of critical factors including maternal BMI, smoking status, and type of infant feeding. Similar trends were observed across all four differnt cohorts. CONCLUSION: This study reported a moderate association between early-life antibiotic use and subsequent food allergy during childhood throughout four different designs of analyses. This study suggests that clinicians need to consider the risks and benefits of antibiotics when administering antibiotics to individuals in the prenatal and postnatal periods.

Association of handgrip strength with suicidal ideation among adults aged ≥50 years from low- and middle-income countries.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to investigate the association between handgrip strength and suicidal ideation in representative samples of adults aged ≥50 years from six LMICs (China, Ghana, India, Mexico, Russia, and South Africa). METHODS: Cross-sectional, community-based data from the World Health Organization's Study on Global Aging and Adult Health were analyzed. Handgrip strength quintiles by sex were created based on the average value of two handgrip measurements of the dominant hand. Self-reported information on past 12-month suicidal ideation was collected. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess associations. RESULTS: Data on 34,129 individuals were analyzed [mean (SD) age 62.4 (16.0) years; age range 50-114 years; 52.1% females]. After adjustment for potential confounders, in the overall sample, compared to the handgrip strength quintile with the highest values [Quintile 1 (Q1)], Q2, Q3, Q4, and Q5 were associated with significant 2.15 (95% CI = 1.05-4.39), 2.78 (95% CI = 1.06-7.32), 3.53 (95% CI = 1.68-7.42), and 6.79 (95% CI = 2.80-16.48) times higher odds for suicidal ideation. CONCLUSIONS: Lower handgrip strength was significantly and dose-dependently associated with higher odds for suicidal ideation in adults aged ≥50 years from LMICs. Future longitudinal studies are needed to understand the underlying mechanisms, and whether increasing general muscular strength and physical function may lead to reduction in suicidal ideation.

Long-Term Autoimmune Inflammatory Rheumatic Outcomes of COVID-19 : A Binational Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Some data suggest a higher incidence of diagnosis of autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases (AIRDs) among patients with a history of COVID-19 compared with uninfected patients. However, these studies had methodological shortcomings. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of COVID-19 on long-term risk for incident AIRD over various follow-up periods. DESIGN: Binational, longitudinal, propensity-matched cohort study. SETTING: Nationwide claims-based databases in South Korea (K-COV-N cohort) and Japan (JMDC cohort). PARTICIPANTS: 10 027 506 Korean and 12 218 680 Japanese patients aged 20 years or older, including those with COVID-19 between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2021, matched to patients with influenza infection and to uninfected control patients. MEASUREMENTS: The primary outcome was onset of AIRD (per appropriate codes from the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision) 1, 6, and 12 months after COVID-19 or influenza infection or the respective matched index date of uninfected control patients. RESULTS: Between 2020 and 2021, among the 10 027 506 Korean participants (mean age, 48.4 years [SD, 13.4]; 50.1% men), 394 274 (3.9%) and 98 596 (0.98%) had a history of COVID-19 or influenza, respectively. After propensity score matching, beyond the first 30 days after infection, patients with COVID-19 were at increased risk for incident AIRD compared with uninfected patients (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.25 [95% CI, 1.18 to 1.31]) and influenza-infected control patients (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.30 [CI, 1.02 to 1.59]). The risk for incident AIRD was higher with more severe acute COVID-19. Similar patterns were observed in the Japanese cohort. LIMITATIONS: Referral bias due to the pandemic; residual confounding. CONCLUSION: SARS-CoV-2 infection was associated with increased risk for incident AIRD compared with matched patients without SARS-CoV-2 infection or with influenza infection. The risk for incident AIRD was higher with greater severity of acute COVID-19. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: National Research Foundation of Korea.

Physical activity and prevention of mental health complications: An umbrella review.

The potential of physical activity in preventing mental health issues has garnered interest among health professionals. We conducted a systematic umbrella review of evidence supporting the relationship between physical activity and the prevention of mental health complications. Our findings revealed a significant association between higher physical activity levels and reduced risk of depression (OR = 0.77, 95% CI 0.72 - 0.82). This association was consistent across various age groups, sex, and geographical regions. Interestingly, low and moderate-intensity physical activity showed the most significant protective effects against depression (low-intensity: OR = 0.81, 95% CI: 0.75-0.56; moderate-intensity: OR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.72-0.87). Our analysis also showed significant associations between higher physical activity levels and prevention of anxiety disorders (OR = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.61-0.82). However, the evidence regarding the association between physical activity and psychosis/schizophrenia risk was less clear. These findings underscore the physical activity's potential as a preventative measure against mental health complications, highlighting the importance of promoting physical activity in mental health interventions.

Regional differences in mortality risk and in attenuating or aggravating factors in schizophrenia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

People with schizophrenia die prematurely, yet regional differences are unclear. PRISMA 2020-compliant systematic review/random-effects meta-analysis of cohort studies assessing mortality relative risk (RR) versus any control group, and moderators, in people with ICD/DSM-defined schizophrenia, comparing countries and continents. We conducted subgroup, meta-regression analyses, and quality assessment. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes were suicide-, /natural-cause- and other-cause-related mortality. We included 135 studies from Europe (n = 70), North-America (n = 29), Asia (n = 33), Oceania (n = 2), Africa (n = 1). In incident plus prevalent schizophrenia, differences across continents emerged for all-cause mortality (highest in Africa, RR=5.98, 95 %C.I.=4.09-8.74, k = 1, lowest in North-America, RR=2.14, 95 %C.I.=1.92-2.38, k = 16), suicide (highest in Oceania, RR=13.5, 95 %C.I.=10.08-18.07, k = 1, lowest in North-America, RR=4.4, 95 %C.I.=4.07-4.76, k = 6), but not for natural-cause mortality. Europe had the largest association between antipsychotics and lower all-cause mortality/suicide (Asia had the smallest or no significant association, respectively), without differences for natural-cause mortality. Higher country socio-demographic index significantly moderated larger suicide-related and smaller natural-cause-related mortality risk in incident schizophrenia, with reversed associations in prevalent schizophrenia. Antipsychotics had a larger/smaller protective association in incident/prevalent schizophrenia regarding all-cause mortality, and smaller protective association for suicide-related mortality in prevalent schizophrenia. Additional regional differences emerged in incident schizophrenia, across countries, and secondary outcomes. Significant regional differences emerged for all-cause, cause-specific and suicide-related mortality. Natural-cause death was homogeneously increased globally. Moderators differed across countries. Global initiatives are needed to improve physical health in people with schizophrenia, local studies to identify actionable moderators.

Temporal Trends of Physical Fights and Physical Attacks Among Adolescents Aged 12-15 years From 30 Countries From Africa, Asia, and the Americas.

PURPOSE: There is a scarcity of literature on temporal trends in physical fighting and physical attacks among the global adolescent population. Therefore, we aimed to examine these trends in a nationally representative sample of school-going adolescents aged 12-15 years from 30 countries in Africa, Asia, and the Americas, for which temporal trends of physical fighting and physical attacks are largely unknown. METHODS: Cross-sectional data from the Global School-based Student Health Survey 2003-2017 were analyzed. Self-reported data on past 12-month physical fights and physical attacks were collected. For each survey, the prevalence and 95% confidence interval of physical fights and physical attacks were calculated. Linear regression models were used to examine crude linear trends. RESULTS: Data on 190,493 students aged 12-15 years were analyzed [mean (standard deviation) age 13.7 (1.0) years; 48.9% boys]. The mean prevalence of past 12-month physical fight and physical attack was 36.5% and 37.2%, respectively. Significant decreasing trends in physical fights were observed in 16/30 countries, while significant increasing trends were found in 2/30 countries. For physical attacks, significant decreasing and increasing trends were observed in 13/26 and 1/26 countries, respectively. The remaining countries showed stable trends. DISCUSSION: It is encouraging that decreasing trends in physical fighting and physical attacks were observed across a large number of countries. However, stable trends were also common, while increasing trends also existed, suggesting that global efforts to address adolescent violence are still required.

Association between tuberculosis and psychotic experiences: Mediating factors and implications for patient care in low- and middle-income countries.

Background: Tuberculosis may play a role in the aetiology of psychosis. However, little is known about the association between tuberculosis and psychotic experiences (PEs) or the mediating factors of this association. Methods: We analysed cross-sectional data from 48 low- and middle-income countries of the World Health Survey (WHS). Tuberculosis assessment was based on past 12-month symptoms of active tuberculosis. We assessed four types of past 12-month PEs with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. We performed multivariable multinomial logistic regression and mediation analysis. Results: We analysed data on 224 842 individuals aged ≥18 years (mean age = 38.3 years, standard deviation = 16.0; 50.7% women). Tuberculosis was associated with 1.84 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.41-2.40), 2.18 (95%CI = 1.58-3.03), and 3.79 (95%CI = 2.88-4.98) times higher odds for 1, 2, and ≥3 PEs, respectively. The mediation analysis showed that the association between tuberculosis and at least one PE is mainly explained by anxiety (31.5%), sleep/energy (27.8%), and pain/discomfort (23.5%). Conclusions: Tuberculosis was associated with increased odds of PEs. Factors such as affect, sleep, and pain should be considered in tuberculosis patients to target those who might be particularly vulnerable to PEs, and consequently, to psychotic disorders and other adverse effects of PE.

Comparison of agranulocytosis and anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis caused by two antithyroid drugs: A pharmacovigilance study using the WHO international database.

BACKGROUND: Methimazole (MMI) and propylthiouracil (PTU) are commonly used for patients with thyrotoxicosis. Agranulocytosis and antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) is associated with high morbidity and mortality, requiring appropriate interventions. In this study, we compared adverse drug effects associated with MMI and PTU using a real-world large pharmacovigilance database. METHODS: We searched all Individual Case Safety Reports reported to be associated with MMI and PTU, from VigiBase between 1967 and June 2, 2021. We conducted disproportionality analysis (case/non-case analysis) to analyze the difference in reported adverse drug reactions (ADRs) between antithyroid drugs (case) and the entire database (non-cases). We further analyzed information for the cases of agranulocytosis and AAV. RESULTS: Among 11 632 cases of ADRs reported after MMI intake, agranulocytosis occurred in 1633 cases and AAV occurred in 41 cases. For 5055 cases of ADRs reported after PTU intake, agranulocytosis occurred in 459 cases and AAV occurred in 110 cases. Agranulocytosis occurred after a median of 28 days after PTU intake and 33 days after MMI intake. More than 95% of the agranulocytosis cases were classified as serious, but most of them (65.1% for PTU and 70.4% for MMI) were reported to have recovered after dechallenge actions; mostly drug withdrawal. AAV occurred after a median of 668 days after PTU intake, and 1162 days after MMI intake. CONCLUSIONS: This is a pharmacoepidemiological study investigating agranulocytosis and AAV caused by MMI and PTU. Through this research, we could provide more specific insights into a safe prescription of antithyroid drugs in a real-world setting.

Global prevalence of functional dyspepsia according to Rome criteria, 1990-2020: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Although functional dyspepsia (FD) is a common functional gastroduodenal disorder with a high socioeconomic burden, little is known about its global prevalence. Thus, we performed a comprehensive study to estimate long-term trends in the prevalence of FD. We searched PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, and Google Scholar from 1990 to 2022 for population-based studies that reported the prevalence of FD in adults (≥ 18 years old) according to Rome I, II, III, or IV criteria. The prevalence of FD was extracted from included studies to obtain pooled prevalence with 95% confidence intervals (CI) and 95% prediction intervals. Subgroup analysis was performed according to certain characteristics, including geographic region. A total of 44 studies met the eligibility criteria, including 256,915 participants from 40 countries across six continents. The overall global pooled prevalence of FD was 8.4% (95% CI 7.4-.9.5). The prevalence was the highest in Rome I (11.9%; 95% CI 5.1-25.4) and lowest in Rome IV (6.8%; 95% CI 5.8-7.9). Developing countries showed a higher prevalence than developed countries (9.1% versus 8.0%), and prevalence was higher in women, irrespective of the definition used (9.0% versus 7.0%). The pooled prevalence gradually decreased from 1990 to 2020 (12.4% [8.2-18.3] in 1990-2002 versus 7.3% [6.1-8.7] in 2013-2020). The prevalence of FD differs by country, economic status, geographical region, and sex, and the global prevalence has been gradually declining. Despite the heterogeneity of sample population, our study estimates the current global burden of FD and provides information to heath care policy decisions.

National prevalence and trends in food labeling awareness, comprehension, usage, and COVID-19 pandemic-related factors in South Korea, 2014-2022.

Although food labeling on food packages is crucial for promoting a healthy diet, limited research has been conducted on how the COVID-19 pandemic (hereinafter "the pandemic") has affected food labeling awareness. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the changes in trends in food labeling awareness, comprehension, and usage in South Korea during the pandemic. We utilized a nationwide, large-scale, and long-term dataset provided by the Korea Community Health Survey (KCHS) from 2014 to 2022 (total = 1,756,847 participants). This allowed the researchers to assess the long-term trends in the prevalence of food labeling awareness, comprehension, and usage. Furthermore, we investigated the factors associated with awareness specifically related to the pandemic. In total, 1,756,847 adults (54.19% women) participated in this study. The upward slope in overall food labeling awareness became less pronounced and even exhibited a downward slope during the pandemic (ßdiff - 1.759; 95% CI - 1.874 to - 1.644). The upward slope in food labeling comprehension and usage became more pronounced during the pandemic (comprehension: ßdiff 0.535; 95% CI 0.436-0.634; usage: ßdiff 0.693; 95% CI 0.601-0.785). The vulnerability factors associated with lower food labeling awareness during the pandemic included older age, male, obesity, residing in rural areas, lower household income, lower educational level, smoking, and increased alcohol consumption. This study analyzed the 9-year trend in the prevalence of food labeling awareness, comprehension, and usage based on nationally representative data of adults in South Korea from 2014 to 2022. Our findings suggest that personalized nutrition strategies are needed to recognize vulnerable groups with risk factors and improve food labeling awareness among Korean adults during the pandemic.

Temporal trends of carbonated soft-drink consumption among adolescents aged 12-15 years from eighteen countries in Africa, Asia and the Americas.

Carbonated soft-drink consumption is detrimental to multiple facets of adolescent health. However, little is known about temporal trends in carbonated soft-drink consumption among adolescents, particularly in non-Western countries. Therefore, we aimed to examine this trend in representative samples of school-going adolescents from eighteen countries in Africa, Asia and the Americas. Cross-sectional data from the Global School-based Student Health Survey 2009-2017 were analysed. Carbonated soft-drink consumption referred to drinking carbonated soft-drinks at least once per day in the past 30 d. The prevalence of carbonated soft-drink consumption was calculated for each survey, and crude linear trends were assessed by linear regression models. Data on 74 055 students aged 12-15 years were analysed (mean age 13·9 (sd 1·0) years; 49·2 % boys). The overall mean prevalence of carbonated soft-drink consumption was 42·1 %. Of the eighteen countries included in the study, significant decreasing, increasing and stable trends of carbonated soft-drink consumption were observed in seven, two and nine countries, respectively. The most drastic decrease was observed in Kuwait between 2011 (74·4 %) and 2015 (51·7 %). Even in countries with significant decreasing trends, the decrease was rather modest, while some countries with stable trends had very high prevalence across time (e.g. Suriname 80·5 % in 2009 and 79·4 % in 2016). The prevalence of carbonated soft-drink consumption was high in all countries included in the present analysis, despite decreasing trends being observed in some. Public health initiatives to reduce the consumption of carbonated soft-drink consumption among adolescents are urgently required.

National Trends in Allergic Rhinitis and Chronic Rhinosinusitis and COVID-19 Pandemic-Related Factors in South Korea, from 1998 to 2021.

INTRODUCTION: Existing studies provide insights into the prevalence and environmental factors associated with allergic rhinitis (AR) and chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) globally. However, limitations still persist in these studies, particularly regarding cohort sizes and the duration of follow-up periods, indicating a need for more comprehensive and long-term research in these fields. Our study aimed to investigate the prevalence, long-term trends, and underlying factors of these conditions in the general population of adult participants (≥19 years) in Korea. METHOD: We analyzed data from adult participants (≥19 years) from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) study to determine the prevalence of AR and CRS from 1998 to 2021. To analyze prevalence trends before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, we employed a weighted linear regression model and obtained ß-coefficients with 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: Between 1998 and 2021, over a span of 24 years, the comprehensive KNHANES study included 146,264 adult participants (mean age: 47.80 years, standard deviation: 16.49 years; 66,177, 49.3% men). The prevalence of AR and CRS increased from 1998 to 2021, with AR prevalence rising from 5.84% (95% CI, 5.57-6.10) in 1998-2005 to 8.99% (8.09-9.91) in 2021 and CRS from 1.84% (1.70-1.97) in 1998-2005 to 3.70% (3.18-4.23) in 2021. However, the increasing trend has slowed down during the COVID-19 pandemic era. CONCLUSIONS: The significance of continuous monitoring and focused interventions for AR and CRS is underscored by this study. The observed deceleration in the rising prevalence of AR and CRS during the pandemic indicates the possibility of beneficial impacts from lifestyle modifications triggered by the pandemic. These findings call for additional research to explore potential protective effects in greater depth.

Pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions for irritability in autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis with the GRADE assessment.

BACKGROUND: Numerous interventions for irritability in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have been investigated. We aimed to appraise the magnitude of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions for irritability in ASD without any restrictions in terms of eligible interventions. METHODS: We systematically searched PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science until April 15, 2023. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with a parallel design that examined the efficacy of interventions for the treatment of irritability in patients of any age with ASD without any restrictions in terms of eligible interventions. We performed a random-effects meta-analysis by pooling effect sizes as Hedges' g. We classified assessed interventions as follows: pharmacological monotherapy, risperidone plus adjuvant therapy versus risperidone monotherapy, non-pharmacological intervention, and dietary intervention. We utilized the Cochrane tool to evaluate the risk of bias in each study and the GRADE approach to assess the certainty of evidence for each meta-analyzed intervention. RESULTS: Out of 5640 references, we identified 60 eligible articles with 45 different kinds of interventions, including 3531 participants, of which 80.9% were males (mean age [SD] = 8.79 [3.85]). For pharmacological monotherapy, risperidone (Hedges' g - 0.857, 95% CI - 1.263 to - 0.451, certainty of evidence: high) and aripiprazole (Hedges' g - 0.559, 95% CI - 0.767 to - 0.351, certainty of evidence: high) outperformed placebo. Among the non-pharmacological interventions, parent training (Hedges' g - 0.893, 95% CI - 1.184 to - 0.602, certainty of evidence: moderate) showed a significant result. None of the meta-analyzed interventions yielded significant effects among risperidone + adjuvant therapy and dietary supplementation. However, several novel molecules in augmentation to risperidone outperformed risperidone monotherapy, yet from one RCT each. LIMITATIONS: First, various tools have been utilized to measure the irritability in ASD, which may contribute to the heterogeneity of the outcomes. Second, meta-analyses for each intervention included only a small number of studies and participants. CONCLUSIONS: Only risperidone, aripiprazole among pharmacological interventions, and parent training among non-pharmacological interventions can be recommended for irritability in ASD. As an augmentation to risperidone, several novel treatments show promising effects, but further RCTs are needed to replicate findings. Trial registration PROSPERO, CRD42021243965.

Physical Activity Participation Decreases the Risk of Depression in Older Adults: The ATHLOS Population-Based Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: To which extent physical activity is associated with depression independent of older adults' physical and cognitive functioning is largely unknown. This cohort study using harmonised data by the EU Ageing Trajectories of Health: Longitudinal Opportunities and Synergies consortium, including over 20 countries, to evaluate the longitudinal association of physical activity (light-to-moderate or vigorous intensity) with depression in older adults (aged ≥ 50 years). RESULTS: We evaluated 56,818 participants (light-to-moderate models; 52.7% females, age 50-102 years) and 62,656 participants (vigorous models; 52.7% females, age 50-105 years). Compared to never, light-to-moderate or vigorous physical activity was associated with a lower incidence rate ratio (IRR) of depression (light-to-moderate model: once/week: 0.632, 95% CI 0.602-0.663; twice or more/week: 0.488, 95% CI 0.468-0.510; vigorous model: once/week: 0.652, 95% CI 0.623-0.683; twice or more/week: 0.591, 95% CI 0.566-0.616). Physical activity remained associated with depression after adjustment for the healthy ageing scale, which is a scale that incorporated 41 items of physical and cognitive functioning (light-to-moderate model: once/week: 0.787, 95% CI 0.752-0.824; twice or more/week: 0.711, 95% CI 0.682-0.742; vigorous model: once/week: 0.828, 95% CI 0.792-0.866; twice or more/week: 0.820, 95% CI 0.786-0.856). CONCLUSIONS: Physical activity, of any intensity and weekly frequency, was a strong protective factor against depression, independent of physical and mental functioning. Health policies could stimulate the incorporation of lower physical activity intensity to protect against depression, which might be more feasible at the population level.