Impact of multimorbidity and polypharmacy on mortality after cancer: a nationwide registry-based cohort study in Denmark 2005-2017.

BACKGROUND: Concurrent chronic diseases and treatment hereof in patients with cancer may increase mortality. In this population-based study we examined the individual and combined impact of multimorbidity and polypharmacy on mortality, across 20 cancers and with 13-years follow-up in Denmark. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This nationwide study included all Danish residents with a first primary cancer diagnosed between 1 January 2005 and 31 December 2015, and followed until the end of 2017. We defined multimorbidity as having one or more of 20 chronic conditions in addition to cancer, registered in the five years preceding diagnosis, and polypharmacy as five or more redeemed medications 2-12 months prior to cancer diagnosis. Cox regression analyses were used to estimate the effects of multimorbidity and polypharmacy, as well as the combined effect on mortality. RESULTS: A total of 261,745 cancer patients were included. We found that patients diagnosed with breast, prostate, colon, rectal, oropharynx, bladder, uterine and cervical cancer, malignant melanoma, Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and leukemia had higher mortality when the cancer diagnosis was accompanied by multimorbidity and polypharmacy, while in patients with cancer of the lung, esophagus, stomach, liver, pancreas, kidney, ovarian and brain & central nervous system, these factors had less impact on mortality. CONCLUSION: We found that multimorbidity and polypharmacy was associated with higher mortality in patients diagnosed with cancer types that typically have a favorable prognosis compared with patients without multimorbidity and polypharmacy. Multimorbidity and polypharmacy had less impact on mortality in cancers that typically have a poor prognosis.

The effect of group-based cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: The primary objective was to compare the effect of cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) to usual care on sleep efficiency, measured by polysomnography (PSG) immediately after the intervention at week 7. Secondary objectives included comparing the longer-term effect on sleep- and RA-related outcomes at week 26. METHODS: In a randomized controlled trial using a parallel group design, the experimental intervention was 6 weeks' nurse-led group-based CBT-I; the comparator was usual care. Analyses were based on the intention-to-treat (ITT) principle; missing data were statistically modelled using repeated-measures linear mixed effects models adjusted for the level at baseline. RESULTS: The ITT population consisted of 62 patients (89% women), with an average age of 58 years and an average sleep efficiency of 83.1%. At primary end point, sleep efficiency was 88.7% in the CBT-I group, compared with 83.7% in the control group (difference: 5.03 [95% CI -0.37, 10.43]; P = 0.068) measured by PSG at week 7. Key secondary outcomes measured with PSG had not improved at week 26. However, for all the patient-reported key secondary sleep- and RA-related outcomes, there were statistically highly significant differences between CBT-I and usual care (P < 0.0001), e.g. insomnia (Insomnia Severity Index: -9.85 [95% CI -11.77, -7.92]) and the RA impact of disease (RAID: -1.36 [95% CI -1.92, -0.80]) at week 26. CONCLUSION: Nurse-led group-based CBT-I did not lead to an effect on sleep efficiency objectively measured with PSG. However, CBT-I showed improvement on all patient-reported key secondary sleep- and RA-related outcomes measured at week 26. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, https://clinicaltrials.gov, NCT03766100.

Impact of Nonpharmacologic Interventions Targeting Sleep Disturbances or Disorders in Patients With Inflammatory Arthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials.

OBJECTIVE: Patients with inflammatory arthritis have a high risk of sleep disturbances and disorders. The objective was to evaluate the evidence of nonpharmacologic interventions targeting sleep disturbances or disorders in patients with inflammatory arthritis. METHODS: A systematic search was undertaken from inception to September 8, 2020. We included randomized trials concerning nonpharmacologic interventions applied in adults with inflammatory arthritis and concomitant sleep disturbances or disorders. The primary outcome was the sleep domain, while secondary outcomes were core outcome domains for inflammatory arthritis trials and harms. The Cochrane Risk of Bias tool was applied, and the overall quality of the evidence was assessed using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation criteria. Effect sizes for continuous outcomes were based on the standardized mean difference, combined using random-effects meta-analysis. RESULTS: Six trials (308 patients) were included in the quantitative synthesis; 3 of these reported improvement in sleep in favor of the nonpharmacologic interventions. The meta-analysis of the sleep domains indicated a large clinical effect of -0.80 (95% confidence interval -1.33, -0.28) in favor of nonpharmacologic interventions targeting sleep disturbances or disorders. The estimate was rated down twice for risk of bias and unexplained inconsistency; this risk was assessed as corresponding to low-quality evidence. None of the secondary core outcomes used in contemporary inflammatory arthritis trials indicated a clinical benefit in favor of nonpharmacologic interventions targeting sleep. CONCLUSION: Nonpharmacologic interventions targeting sleep disturbances/disorders in patients with inflammatory arthritis indicated a promising effect on sleep outcomes, but not yet with convincing evidence.

Sustained Long-Term Efficacy of Motivational Counseling and Text Message Reminders on Daily Sitting Time in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis: Long-Term Follow-up of a Randomized, Parallel-Group Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the 18-month postintervention efficacy following a 4-month individually tailored behavioral intervention on daily sitting time in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: In an observer-blinded randomized trial, 150 RA patients were included. During 4 months, the intervention group (n = 75) received 3 motivational counseling sessions and tailored text messages aimed at increasing light-intensity physical activity through reduction of sedentary behavior. The control group (n = 75) maintained their usual lifestyle. The primary outcome was change from baseline to 18 months postintervention in objectively measured daily sitting time (using ActivPAL). Secondary outcomes included changes in clinical patient-reported outcomes and cardiometabolic biomarkers. A mixed-effect repeated measures analysis of covariance model in the intent-to-treat population was applied. RESULTS: At 22 months follow-up from baseline, 12 participants were lost to follow-up. Compared to baseline, sitting time in the intervention group decreased 1.10 hours/day, whereas it increased by 1.32 hours/day in the control group, a between-group difference of -2.43 hours/day (95% confidence interval [95% CI] -2.99, -1.86; P < 0.0001) favoring the intervention group. For most secondary outcomes, between-group differences favored the intervention: visual analog scale (VAS) pain -15.51 mm (95% CI -23.42, -7.60), VAS fatigue -12.30 mm (95% CI -20.71, -3.88), physical function -0.39 Health Assessment Questionnaire units (95% CI -0.53, -0.26), total cholesterol -0.86 mmoles/liter (95% CI -1.03, -0.68), triglycerides -0.26 mmoles/liter (95% CI -0.43, -0.09), and average glucose -1.15 mmoles/liter (95% CI -1.39, -0.91). CONCLUSION: The 4-month postintervention results showed that patients in the intervention reduced their daily sitting time and improved patient-reported outcomes and total cholesterol levels compared to the control group. Eighteen months after intervention, patients in the intervention group were still significantly less sedentary than controls. Findings suggest that a behavioral approach is beneficial for promoting long-term physical activity and health in patients with RA.