Long-Term Cardiovascular Outcomes in Children and Adolescents With Hypertension.

Importance: Hypertension affects 6% of all children, and its prevalence is increasing. Childhood hypertension tracks into adulthood and is associated with subclinical cardiovascular disease; however, there is a lack of evidence linking childhood hypertension to cardiovascular outcomes, which may contribute to underdiagnosis and undertreatment. Objective: To determine the long-term associated risk of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) among children diagnosed with hypertension. Design, Setting, and Participants: This was a population-based, retrospective, matched cohort study conducted from 1996 to 2022. The study included all children (aged 3-18 years) alive in Ontario, Canada, from 1996 to 2021, who were identified using provincial administrative health databases. Children with prior kidney replacement therapy were excluded. Exposure: Incident hypertension diagnosis, identified by validated case definitions using diagnostic and physician billing claims. Each case was matched with 5 controls without hypertension by age, sex, birth weight, maternal gestational hypertension, prior comorbidities (chronic kidney disease, diabetes, cardiovascular surgery), and a propensity score for hypertension. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was MACE (a composite of cardiovascular death, stroke, hospitalization for myocardial infarction or unstable angina, or coronary intervention). Time to MACE was evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards regression. Results: A total of 25 605 children (median [IQR] age, 15 [11-17] years; 14 743 male [57.6%]) with hypertension were matched to 128 025 controls without hypertension. Baseline covariates were balanced after propensity score matching, and prior comorbidities were uncommon (hypertension vs control cohort: malignancy, 1451 [5.7%] vs 7908 [6.2%]; congenital heart disease, 1089 [4.3%] vs 5408 [4.2%]; diabetes, 482 [1.9%] vs 2410 [1.9%]). During a median (IQR) of 13.6 (7.8-19.5) years of follow-up, incidence of MACE was 4.6 per 1000 person-years in children with hypertension vs 2.2 per 1000 person-years in controls (hazard ratio, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.9-2.2). Children with hypertension were at higher associated risk of stroke, hospitalization for myocardial infarction or unstable angina, coronary intervention, and congestive heart failure, but not cardiovascular death, compared with nonhypertensive controls. Conclusions and Relevance: Children diagnosed with hypertension had a higher associated long-term risk of MACE compared with controls without hypertension. Improved detection, follow-up, and control of pediatric hypertension may reduce the risk of adult cardiovascular disease.

Patient-Reported Outcome Measures for Patients With CKD: The Case for Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Tools.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD), kidney failure, and kidney replacement therapies are associated with high symptom burden and impaired health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Symptoms change with disease progression or transition between treatment modalities and frequently go unreported and unmanaged. Tools that reliably monitor symptoms may improve the management of patients with CKD. Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) assess symptom severity; physical, psychological, social, and cognitive functioning; treatment-related side effects; and HRQOL. Systematic use of PROMs can improve patient-provider communication, patient satisfaction, clinical outcomes, and HRQOL. Potential barriers to their use include a lack of engagement, response burden, and limited guidance about PROM collection, score interpretation, and workflow integration. Well-defined, acceptable, and effective clinical response pathways are essential for implementing PROMs. PROMs developed by the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) address some challenges and may be suitable for clinical use among patients with CKD. PROMIS tools assess multiple patient-valued, clinically actionable symptoms and functions. They can be administered as fixed-length, customized short forms or computer adaptive tests, offering precise measurement across a range of symptom severities or function levels, tailored questions to individuals, and reduced question burden. Here we provide an overview of the potential use of PROMs in CKD care, with a focus on PROMIS.

Impaired Renal Function and Major Cardiovascular Events in Young Adults.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular (CV) disease in young adults (aged 18-39 years) is on the rise. Whether subclinical reductions in kidney function (ie, estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] above the current threshold for chronic kidney disease but below age-expected values) are associated with elevated CV risk is unknown. OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to examine age-specific associations of subclinical eGFR reductions in young adults with major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) and MACE plus heart failure (MACE+). METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of 8.7 million individuals (3.6 million aged 18-39 years) was constructed using linked provincial health care data sets from Ontario, Canada (January 2008-March 2021). Cox models were used to examine the association of categorized eGFR (50-120 mL/min/1.73 m2) with MACE (first of CV mortality, acute coronary syndrome, and ischemic stroke) and MACE+, stratified according to age (18-39, 40-49, and 50-65 years). RESULTS: In the study cohort (mean age 41.3 years; mean eGFR 104.2 mL/min/1.73 m2; median follow-up 9.2 years), a stepwise increase in the relative risk of MACE and MACE+ was observed as early as eGFR <80 mL/min/1.73 m2 in young adults (eg, for MACE, at eGFR 70-79 mL/min/1.73 m2, ages 18-30 years: 2.37 events per 1,000 person years [HR: 1.31; 95% CI: 1.27-1.40]; ages 40-49 years: 6.26 events per 1,000 person years [HR: 1.09; 95% CI: 1.06-1.12]; ages 50-65 years: 14.9 events per 1,000 person years [HR: 1.07; 95% CI: 1.05-1.08]). Results persisted for each MACE component and in additional analyses (stratifying according to past CV disease, accounting for albuminuria at index, and using repeated eGFR measures). CONCLUSIONS: In young adults, eGFR below age-expected values were associated with an elevated risk for MACE and MACE+, warranting age-appropriate risk stratification, proactive monitoring, and timely intervention.

Associations between modest reductions in kidney function and adverse outcomes in young adults: retrospective, population based cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To study age specific associations of modest reductions in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) with adverse outcomes. DESIGN: Retrospective, population based cohort study. SETTING: Linked healthcare administrative datasets in Ontario, Canada. PARTICIPANTS: Adult residents (18-65 years) with at least one outpatient eGFR value (categorized in 10 unit increments from 50 mL/min/1.73m2 to >120 mL/min/1.73m2), with no history of kidney disease. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: eGFRs and hazard ratios of composite adverse outcome (all cause mortality, any cardiovascular event, and kidney failure) stratified by age (18-39 years, 40-49 years, and 50-65 years), and relative to age specific eGFR referents (100-110 mL/min/1.73m2) for ages 18-39 years, 90-100 for 40-49 years, 80-90 for 50-65 years). RESULTS: From 1 January 2008 to 31 March 2021, among 8 703 871 adults (mean age 41.3 (standard deviation 13.6) years; mean index eGFR 104.2 mL/min/1.73m2 (standard deviation 16.1); median follow-up 9.2 years (interquartile range 5.7-11.4)), modestly reduced eGFR measurements specific to age were recorded in 18.0% of those aged 18-39, 18.8% in those aged 40-49, and 17.0% in those aged 50-65. In comparison with age specific referents, adverse outcomes were consistently higher by hazard ratio and incidence for ages 18-39 compared with older groups across all eGFR categories. For modest reductions (eGFR 70-80 mL/min/1.73m2), the hazard ratio for ages 18-39 years was 1.42 (95% confidence interval 1.35 to 1.49), 4.39 per 1000 person years; for ages 40-49 years was 1.13 (1.10 to 1.16), 9.61 per 1000 person years; and for ages 50-65 years was 1.08 (1.07 to 1.09), 23.4 per 1000 person years. Results persisted for each individual outcome and in many sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Modest eGFR reductions were consistently associated with higher rates of adverse outcomes. Higher relative hazards were most prominent and occurred as early as eGFR <80 mL/min/1.73m2 in younger adults, compared with older groups. These findings suggest a role for more frequent monitoring of kidney function in younger adults to identify individuals at risk to prevent chronic kidney disease and its complications.

Assessing Fatigue in Patients Receiving Kidney Replacement Therapy Using PROMIS Computer Adaptive Testing.

RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE: Fatigue is a debilitating symptom for many patients receiving kidney replacement therapy (KRT). Patient-reported outcome measures can help clinicians identify and manage fatigue efficiently. We assessed the measurement characteristics of the Patient Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS)-Fatigue Computer Adaptive Test (PROMIS-F CAT) in patients receiving KRT using the previously validated Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue (FACIT-F) questionnaire. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS: 198 adults treated with dialysis or recipients of a kidney transplant in Toronto, Canada. PREDICTORS: Demographic data, FACIT-F scores, KRT type. OUTCOME: Measurement properties of PROMIS-F CAT T scores. ANALYTICAL APPROACH: Reliability and test-retest reliability were assessed using standard errors of measurement and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), respectively. Construct validity was assessed using correlation and comparisons across predefined groups expected to have different levels of fatigue. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to assess the discrimination of PROMIS-F CAT, with clinically relevant fatigue defined by a FACIT-F score of≤30. RESULTS: Of the 198 participants, 57% were male, the mean±SD age was 57±14 years; 65% had received a kidney transplant. Based on the FACIT-F score, 47 patients (24%) had clinically relevant fatigue. PROMIS-F CAT and FACIT-F were strongly correlated (ρ =-0.80, P<0.001). PROMIS-F CAT had excellent reliability (>0.90 for 98% of sample), and good test-retest reliability (ICC=0.85). The ROC analysis demonstrated outstanding discrimination (area under ROC=0.93 [95%, CI 0.89-0.97]). A PROMIS-F CAT cutoff score of≥59 accurately identified most patients with clinically relevant fatigue (sensitivity=0.83; specificity=0.91). LIMITATIONS: A convenience sample of clinically stable patients. FACIT-F items are a part of the PROMIS-F item bank, although there was minimal overlap with only 4 FACIT-F items completed in PROMIS-F CAT. CONCLUSIONS: PROMIS-F CAT has robust measurement properties with low question burden to assess fatigue among patients with KRT.

Psychosocial Distress in Patients With Advanced CKD by Racial Group and Immigrant Status: A Canadian Cross-sectional Study.

RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE: Patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) have been reported to experience profound psychosocial distress. Other work has established that patients with CKD from marginalized populations (including individuals who on the basis of race often face racism and related discrimination, termed "racialization") experience health care inequities. Given limited information on the intersection of these 2 phenomena, we assessed the association of psychosocial distress with racialized status and immigrant status in Canadians with advanced CKD. STUDY DESIGN: Secondary analysis of cross-sectional data. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS: 536 patients with advanced CKD (estimated glomerular filtration rate<30mL/min/1.73m2, with or without kidney replacement therapy) from multiple clinical centers in Toronto. EXPOSURE: Racialized status (individuals who identify as Asian or as African, Caribbean, or Black Canadian), immigrant status, and combined immigrant-racialized status. OUTCOME: Psychosocial distress, defined as the presence of depression, anxiety, or social difficulties (ie, a score of≥10 points on the Patient Health Questionnaire 9, Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7, or Social Distress 16 scales, respectively). ANALYTICAL APPROACH: The independent associations of racialized status and immigrant status with psychosocial distress, depression, anxiety, and social difficulties were examined using univariable- and multivariable-adjusted logistic regression. RESULTS: Mean age of the 536 participants was 57±16 (SD) years, 62% were male, and 45% were immigrants. Of the sample, 58% were White, 22% were African, Caribbean, or Black Canadian, and 20% were Asian. Psychosocial distress was present in 36% of participants (depression in 19%, anxiety in 12%, and social difficulties in 31%). To assess the combined impact of racialized and immigrant status, we created a variable with mutually exclusive categories: White nonimmigrant, racialized nonimmigrant, White immigrant, and racialized immigrant participants. In our final multivariable-adjusted model, compared with White nonimmigrant participants, racialized immigrant participants were more likely to have psychosocial distress (OR, 2.96 [95% CI, 1.81-4.81]), depression (OR, 1.87 [95% CI, 1.05-3.34]), and social difficulties (OR, 3.36 [95% CI, 2.03-5.57]). Overall similar associations were seen for racialized nonimmigrants and for White immigrants. LIMITATIONS: Convenience sample; small subgroups; combined exposure variable grouping Asian and African, Caribbean, and Black participants together; lack of data about mechanisms. CONCLUSIONS: Both racialized and immigrant status based on self-report of demographic characteristics were associated with psychosocial distress among patients with advanced CKD. These patients may benefit from culturally competent psychosocial support. PLAIN-LANGUAGE SUMMARY: Psychosocial distress is frequent in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease and impacts quality of life and clinical outcomes. Psychosocial distress may be especially scarring in people who are racialized (marginalized on account of their membership in a particular racial group) and/or who are immigrants. We assessed the association of psychosocial distress with racialized and immigrant status in Canadians with advanced chronic kidney disease. Among 536 participants from multiple medical centers in Toronto, we found that racialized and immigrant participants were more likely to have psychosocial distress, depression, and social difficulties compared with White nonimmigrant participants. This is likely related to the multiple intersectional challenges, including experience with racism and discrimination that racialized immigrant patients may face. Further studies are needed to elucidate the specific factors that contribute to more distress. The potential impact of culturally competent and safe support for these patients will also need to be studied.

Characterization of Problematic Alcohol Use Among Physicians: A Systematic Review.

Importance: Problematic alcohol use in physicians poses a serious concern to physicians' health and their ability to provide care. Understanding the extent and characteristics of physicians with problematic alcohol use will help inform interventions. Objective: To estimate the extent of problematic alcohol use in physicians and how it differs by physician sex, age, medical specialty, and career stage (eg, residency vs practicing physician). Evidence Review: Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) 2020-compliant systematic review, searching Medline, Embase, and PsychInfo from January 2006 to March 2020. Search terms included Medical Subject Headings terms and keywords related to physicians as the population and problematic alcohol use as the primary outcome. The quality of studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. We included articles where problematic alcohol use was measured by a validated tool (ie, Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test [AUDIT], AUDIT Version C [AUDIT-C], or CAGE [Cut down, Annoyed, Guilty, and Eye-opener] questionnaire) in practicing physicians (ie, residents, fellows, or staff physicians). Findings: Thirty-one studies involving 51 680 participants in 17 countries published between January 2006 and March 2020 were included. All study designs were cross-sectional, self-reported surveys. Problematic alcohol use varied widely regardless of measurement method (0 to 34% with AUDIT; 9% to 35% with AUDIT-C; 4% to 22% with CAGE). Reported problematic alcohol use increased over time from 16.3% in 2006 to 2010 to 26.8% in 2017 to 2020. The extent of problematic use by sex was examined in 19 studies, by age in 12 studies, by specialty in 7 studies, and by career stage in 5 studies. Seven of 19 studies (37%) identified that problematic alcohol use was more common in males than females. Based on the wide heterogeneity of methods for included studies, limited conclusions can be made on how problematic alcohol use varies based on physician age, sex, specialty, and career stage. Conclusions and Relevance: Studies about problematic alcohol use in physicians demonstrate a high degree of heterogeneity in terms of methods of measurement, definitions for problematic alcohol use, and cohorts assessed. Most studies are primarily self-reported, precluding the ability to determine the true prevalence among the profession. Few studies provide relevant comparisons to aid in identifying key risk groups for targeted interventions.

Associations between sleep patterns, smoking, and alcohol use among older adults in Canada: Insights from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA).

Poor sleep is associated with chronic health conditions among older adults. As substance use rates increase in this population, age-related physiological and cognitive declines may exacerbate its detrimental consequences, including sleep problems. We analyzed cross-sectional associations between sleep patterns, smoking, and alcohol use using baseline data from 30,097 community-dwelling Canadian adults aged 45-85 years from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging. Insomnia symptoms (difficulties falling/staying asleep), sleep duration (short:<6h; long:>8h), and sleep satisfaction(dissatisfied/neutral/satisfied) were measured. Smoking and alcohol-use frequency (past 12 months), average daily amount (past 30 days), and binge drinking (past 12 months) were self-reported, and associations were examined using modified Poisson regression. Approximately 23% of participants had insomnia symptoms, and 26% reported sleep dissatisfaction. 91% of participants were current non-smokers, whereas 7% reported smoking daily. Over 50% drank ≤ 2 drinks daily, and 3% reported binge drinking. There was a higher adjusted prevalence of insomnia among daily smokers (PR = 1.10, 95% CI = 1.00-1.21) and binge drinkers (PR = 1.21, 95% CI = 1.02-1.43). Odds of short sleep duration were lower among regular drinkers (COR = 0.71, 95% CI = 0.56-0.90) and higher among daily smokers (COR = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.01-1.40). Heavy and frequent smoking and alcohol use are associated with both insomnia symptoms and sleep dissatisfaction, but not consistently with sleep duration. Further longitudinal investigation of this relationship in aging populations is needed in clinical and public health settings to infer the extent of causality and design effective public health interventions in this vulnerable population.

Perceptions of using infographics for scientific communication on social media for COVID-19 topics: a survey study.

Navigating for accurate information, especially health- and science-related content, on social media has been challenging during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although infographics are a popular medium for simplifying text-based information into visual components, their usefulness during a global health crisis has not been explored. The study aims to explore the perceptions of infographics in conveying scientific information related to COVID-19 on social media. Following a social media campaign that published COVID-19 related infographics from May to August 2020, a cross-sectional survey was administered to social media users, primarily students from Western University. Several questions asked respondents to make comparisons with written articles when reporting their perceptions of infographics. Seventy-three percent of students from 361 responses belonged to health-related academic backgrounds. Seventy-two percent felt more likely to share infographics than written articles on social media due to the visual appeal. Nearly 90% felt it was easier to navigate through complicated science and that more scientists should use infographics on social media. Educational background did not influence the perceived usefulness of infographics in understanding scientific information. Infographics are perceived favourably in conveying scientific information about COVID-19 on social media. Findings from this study can inform communication strategies during a pandemic and, more broadly, global crises.

Validation of the PROMIS sleep disturbance item bank computer adaptive test (CAT) in patients on renal replacement therapy.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the validity and reliability of the PROMIS Sleep Disturbance Item Bank Computer Adaptive Test (PROMIS-SD CAT) in patients on renal replacement therapy, using the Insomnia Severity Index as the primary legacy instrument. METHODS: Cross-sectional sample of adults on renal replacement therapy completed PROMIS-SD CAT, Insomnia Severity Index, General Anxiety Disorder-7, Edmonton Symptom Assessment System-revised Renal, SF-12 questionnaires. Construct validity was confirmed by associations with legacy instrument scores and measures of emotional wellbeing. Test-retest and scale reliability were assessed using intraclass correlation coefficient and standard errors of measurement, respectively. Discrimination was assessed using receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis. RESULTS: Among 217 participants (133 kidney transplant recipients, 84 on dialysis), 15% had moderate/severe sleep disturbance (Insomnia Severity Index ≥15). PROMIS-SD CAT exhibited good test-retest (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.89, 95% confidence interval (0.83-0.93)) and scale (>0.9 for T-scores 34-73) reliability. PROMIS-SD CAT T-scores were strongly correlated with Insomnia Severity Index (rho = 0.85, 95% confidence interval (0.81-0.88)), Edmonton Symptom Assessment System-revised Renal Sleep Item (rho = 0.75, 95% confidence interval (0.69-0.81)) and moderately with General Anxiety Disorder-7 scores and SF-12 Mental Component Summary scores (p < 0.001 for all). PROMIS-SD CAT demonstrated outstanding discrimination for moderate/severe insomnia (defined as Insomnia Severity Index ≥15) (AUROC 0.93, 95% confidence interval (0.88, 0.98)). PROMIS-SD CAT and Insomnia Severity Index measurement characteristics were qualitatively similar between patients on dialysis and kidney transplant recipients. CONCLUSIONS: These results support PROMIS-SD CAT's validity and reliability for research and as potential screening tool among patients on renal replacement therapy.

Interplay between social media use, sleep quality, and mental health in youth: A systematic review.

Social media applications are increasingly prominent among youth. This systematic review provides a comprehensive assessment of the literature on the relationship between active social media use, sleep quality, and common mental health outcomes (anxiety, depression, and psychological distress) among youth. MEDLINE, PsychINFO, EMBASE and Scopus were searched for observational studies investigating this relationship among youth (aged 16-25). Thirty-six cross-sectional studies and six prospective cohort studies met the inclusion criteria. Among cross-sectional studies, significant associations between excessive social media use with poor mental health outcomes (n = 33), poor sleep quality (n = 24), and significant associations between poor sleep quality and negative mental health (n = 16) were found. In longitudinal studies, frequent social media use was a risk factor for both poor mental health (n = 6) and poor sleep outcomes (n = 5). Some studies showed sleep quality mediating the relationship between social media use and negative mental health outcomes in youth. Overall, included evidence links excessive social media use to poor sleep quality and negative mental health in youth. Given the public health implications of sleep problems, excessive social media use warrants further investigation to clarify the directionality and strength of their associations with poor sleep quality and negative mental health outcomes.