Management of anaemia and prognosis of patients undergoing maintenance peritoneal dialysis: A nationwide cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Clinical data supporting the target haemoglobin range in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD) are scarce. This study investigated the association between haemoglobin levels and all-cause mortality in Japanese patients undergoing PD using data from a nationwide dialysis registry. METHODS: A total of 4875 patients aged ≥18 years who were undergoing PD at the end of 2012 were analysed. Patients receiving combination therapy with haemodialysis or missing haemoglobin data were excluded. Haemoglobin values were categorised into six groups (<9.0, 9.0-9.9, 10.0-10.9, 11.0-11.9, 12.0-12.9 and ≥13.0 g/dL) and their association with mortality evaluated. RESULTS: Patients' mean age was 63 years, and 62% were men. The mean haemoglobin level was 10.7 g/dL, and 14% were anuric. Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents were used in 89%. During a median follow-up of 3.5 years, 1586 patients died. Haemoglobin levels <9.0 and ≥13.0 g/dL were significantly associated with mortality, as compared with levels of 10.0-10.9 g/dL (adjusted hazard ratios [95% confidence intervals]: 1.25 [1.06-1.48] and 1.45 [1.13-1.88], respectively). Restricted cubic spline analysis revealed a U-shaped association between haemoglobin levels and mortality. A haemoglobin level ≥12 g/dL was associated with mortality in patients with a history of cardiovascular disease (p interaction = 0.023). CONCLUSION: We provide important insights into the target haemoglobin in patients undergoing PD. Our findings suggest that setting a lower upper limit for haemoglobin levels may be beneficial for patients with a history of cardiovascular disease.

Real-world treatment patterns and clinical outcomes in patients with prostate cancer.: A single institution experience in Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the current real-world treatment landscape, sequence of therapies, and outcomes in patients with prostate cancer (PC). METHODS: A retrospective cohort study for PC patients diagnosed at King Abdullah Medical City Cancer Center in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, between January 2011 and December 2021. Data extracted from electronic medical records. RESULTS: A total of 282 patients with PC, with a mean age of 70 years and body mass index of 27. Among them, 274 (99%) had no family history of cancer, while 164 (58%) had hypertension and 125 (44%) had diabetes mellitus. Adenocarcinoma was the most common histology, found in 275 (97%) patients, with 99 (35%) having a Gleason score of 9. Notably, 184 (65%) patients presented with metastatic disease, and 147 (52%) with bone metastasis. While 198 (70%) patients underwent surgery, 184 (65%) did not receive radiotherapy. The most common first-line metastatic therapy was abiraterone in 23 (8%) patients, followed by enzalutamide in 7 (2.5%). During the study period, 167 (59%) patients survived, with an average treatment duration of 2.5 years. CONCLUSION: This study provides insights into real-world treatment patterns and clinical outcomes in patients with PC. The findings of this study highlight the importance of adhering to treatment standards and making informed clinical decisions.

Physical restraint intervention in the intensive care unit: An observational pilot study.

PURPOSE: Physical restraint (PR) is applied for patients' safety and to prevent the removal of inserted devices. No matter how well applied, PR causes undesired effects and discomfort to patients. Because PR-Guidelines are not yet implemented in Turkey, an observational study was performed to get baseline data on the type and number of PR-activities and on patients' complications in intensive care unit (ICU) patients. METHODS: An observational pilot study was conducted in anesthesia and reanimation adult ICUs in a midsized general hospital in Turkey. Included were 31 patients and two data collection tools: a basic form (patient demographics, medical information, and complications) and a PR observation guide on nurses' PR-activities. Descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages, and mean and standard deviation) were used for data evaluation. FINDINGS: Most patients (61.3%) were male, and 74.2% were aged 60-79 years. Almost a third was unconscious (Glasgow Coma Scale <9) and at risk for falling. Of the total 33 activities of the Nursing Interventions Classification (NIC), 13 were never applied in 33% of patients. The most applied activity was "provide sufficient staff to assist with the safe application of physical restraining devices or manual restraints" (96.8%). Least applied were "explain inpatient and significant others the behaviors necessary for the termination of the intervention," "Provide the dependent patient with a means of summoning help" (6.5%), and "Teach family the risks and benefits of restraint reduction" (3.2%). Overall, 58.1% of patients had PR complications. CONCLUSIONS: For the first time, PR NIC activities were evaluated in a Turkish ICU. Findings show low performance of NIC activities and a high complication rate. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: The findings provide the basis to implement a PR-Guideline in Turkish ICUs to enhance patients' safety and comfort.

Assessment of oral hygiene and quality of life of children with autism spectrum disorder and their caregivers: an observational clinical study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the degrees of dependence and presence of bacterial plaque in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and the quality of life (QoL) of children and their caregivers. METHOD AND MATERIALS: This is a cross-sectional observational study. This study included one hundred and nineteen individuals with ASD and their caregivers. Data were collected through a sociodemographic questionnaire, WHOQOL-Bref, and Burden Interview to measure QoL and caregiver burden, respectively. The Autoquestionnaire Qualité de Vie Enfant Imagé questionnaire, adapted in game format, was applied to verify QoL in children with ASD. An oral clinical examination evaluated the visible plaque index. The collected data were tabulated and organized for statistical analysis with a significance level of 5%. RESULTS: It was observed that 52% of the children had a severity of ASD level 1, 70% were dependent on general activities, and 65% were dependent on oral hygiene. Of the 77 children who thoroughly answered the questionnaire about their QoL, 64.9% had good QoL, and 35.1% had scores below 48, that is, low QoL. In general, the caregivers generally presented QoL with a rate of 60.95 (good) points on the scale. It was observed that gingival bleeding greater than 30% is 2 (ASD 2 + ASD 3) to 3 (ASD 3) times more likely to occur in patients who have higher levels of ASD (p˂0.004). CONCLUSION: It was concluded that the QoL of individuals with ASD was good, that most children depend on their daily activities and oral hygiene, and that they showed reasonable plaque control. On the other hand, the caregivers presented low QoL and moderate burden.

Immunological biomarkers in patients with radiographic axial spondyloarthritis, an exploratory longitudinal Swedish study.

Objectives There is a need for more specific biomarkers to diagnose and predict disease course in patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA). This study aimed to study immunological plasma biomarkers, at different time-points in radiographic (r)-axSpA patients overall and stratified by sex and compare these biomarker pattern in r-axSpA patients concerning disease phenotypes and disease activity. Methods Plasma samples were analysed from r-axSpA patients at and prior (Pre-Backbone) inclusion in the Backbone study. Interferon gamma, interleukin-10, -17A, -17F, -22, -23, -6, MCP-1, TNF-α, VEGF-A, MIF, IgA anti-CD74, zonulin, ESR, hsCRP, white blood cell count, and blood lipids were measured. Results Biomarker pattern discriminated significantly between r-axSpA patients in Backbone and Pre-Backbone compared with controls. When stratifying by sex, it was possible to discriminate between male and female r-axSpA patients in Backbone vs controls and between male r-axSpA patients in pre-Backbone and controls. In Backbone, markers with high discriminative capacity were MIF, IgA anti-CD74, and MCP-1. In Pre-Backbone, IL-6, TNF-α, MIF, triglycerides, cholesterol, IL-10, and zonulin displayed high discriminative capacity. Conclusion Based on their temporal pattern and mutual relationship, we suggest studying MIF, IgA anti-CD74, and MCP-1 in depth, at more time points, to further elucidate disease-driving mechanisms in this complex disease.

Predictive values of indirect ultrasound signs for low risk of acute appendicitis in paediatric patients without visualisation of the appendix on ultrasound.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The ability to rule appendicitis in or out using ultrasound is limited by studies where the appendix is not visualised. We determined whether the absence of indirect ultrasound signs can rule out appendicitis in children undergoing a radiology-performed ultrasound in which the appendix is not visualised METHODS: This was a single-centre retrospective observational study of patients aged 3-13 with a clinical suspicion of acute appendicitis evaluated in a Paediatric Emergency Department in Spain from 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2019. For those patients who had formal ultrasound, direct and indirect findings of ultrasound were abstracted from the ultrasound report. The surgical pathology report was established as the gold standard in patients who underwent an appendectomy. In those who did not, appendicitis was considered not to be present if there was no evidence in their charts that they had undergone an appendectomy or conservative therapy for appendicitis during the episode. The main outcome variable was the diagnosis of acute appendicitis. For patients undergoing ultrasound, the independent association of each indirect ultrasound sign with the diagnosis of appendicitis in patients without a visualised appendix was analysed using logistic regression. RESULTS: We included 1756 encounters from 1609 different episodes. Median age at the first visit of each episode was 10.1 years (IQR, 7.7-11.9) and 921 (57.2%) patients were men. There were 730 (41.6%) encounters with an Alvarado score ≤3, 695 (39.6%) with a score 4-6 and 331 (18.9%) with a score ≥7. Appendicitis was diagnosed in 293 (17.8%) episodes. Ultrasonography was performed in 1115 (61.6%) encounters, with a visualised appendix in 592 (53.1%).The ultrasound findings independently associated with appendicitis in patients without a visualised appendix were the presence of free intra-abdominal fluid in a small quantity (OR:5.0 (95% CI 1.7 to 14.6)) or in an abundant quantity (OR:30.9 (95% CI 3.8 to 252.7)) and inflammation of the peri-appendiceal fat (OR:7.2 (95% CI 1.4 to 38.0)). The absence of free fluid and inflammation of the peri-appendiceal fat ruled out acute appendicitis in patients with an Alvarado score <7 with a sensitivity of 84.6% (95% CI 57.8 to 95.7) and a negative predictive value of 99.4% (95% CI 97.8 to 99.8). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with an Alvarado score <7 and without a visualised appendix on ultrasound but who lack free fluid and inflammation of the peri-appendiceal fat are at very low risk of acute appendicitis.

Lower comorbidity scores and severity levels in Veterans Health Administration hospitals: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies found that documentation of comorbidities differed when Veterans received care within versus outside Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Changes to medical center funding, increased attention to performance reporting, and expansion of Clinical Documentation Improvement programs, however, may have caused coding in VHA to change. METHODS: Using repeated cross-sectional data, we compared Elixhauser-van Walraven scores and Medicare Severity Diagnosis Related Group (DRG) severity levels for Veterans' admissions across settings and payers over time, utilizing a linkage of VHA and all-payer discharge data for 2012-2017 in seven US states. To minimize selection bias, we analyzed records for Veterans admitted to both VHA and non-VHA hospitals in the same year. Using generalized linear models, we adjusted for patient and hospital characteristics. RESULTS: Following adjustment, VHA admissions consistently had the lowest predicted mean comorbidity scores (4.44 (95% CI 4.34-4.55)) and lowest probability of using the most severe DRG (22.1% (95% CI 21.4%-22.8%)). In contrast, Medicare-covered admissions had the highest predicted mean comorbidity score (5.71 (95% CI 5.56-5.85)) and highest probability of using the top DRG (35.3% (95% CI 34.2%-36.4%)). CONCLUSIONS: More effective strategies may be needed to improve VHA documentation, and current risk-adjusted comparisons should account for differences in coding intensity.

Pharmacist recommendations for emergency contraception in Belgium: a simulated user study.

BACKGROUND: Emergency contraception reduces the risk of unintended pregnancy, after unprotected sexual intercourse or contraceptive failure. In Belgium, emergency contraception is available without a prescription and pharmacists play therefore a crucial role in dispensing emergency contraception. AIM: This study assesses the dispensing practices of emergency contraception by pharmacists in two regions of Belgium. METHOD AND DESIGN: Simulated patient study, using a predefined scenario, evaluating a request for emergency contraception. The scenario involves a 25-year-old woman not using contraception, who had unprotected sexual intercourse 84 h (3.5 days) ago. Her last menstrual period was 10 days ago. POPULATION: 260 pharmacies were randomly selected. Principal outcome: proportion of pharmacists who deliver the adequate emergency contraception. We considered the following responses as adequate: Prescribing ulipristal acetate or redirecting to another pharmacy, in case of unavailability, or referring for a copper IUD. RESULTS: We analysed the data obtained in 216 pharmacies (216/260 = 83.1%). In 64% of cases, adequate dispensing of emergency contraception (dispensing of ulipristal acetate or referral for intrauterine device insertion) occurred. There was an association between correct dispensing and asking appropriate questions, such as the date of the last menstrual period and the date of the risky sexual intercourse. CONCLUSION: More than one-third of visited pharmacies did not distribute appropriate emergency contraception, underlining the need for improvement. We hypothesise that this may be achieved with appropriate training, use a dispensing checklist.

We assesses the dispensing of emergency contraception by pharmacists using a simulated patient. More than one-third of visited pharmacies did not distribute appropriate emergency contraception, underlining the need for improvement.

Comparative safety and cardiovascular effectiveness of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists in nursing homes.

AIM: Studies examining the safety and effectiveness of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) versus glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) among community-dwelling adults may not generalize to nursing home (NH) residents, who are typically older and more multimorbid. We compared the safety and cardiovascular effectiveness of SGLT2is and GLP-1RAs among US NH residents. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eligible individuals were aged ≥66 years with type 2 diabetes mellitus and initiated an SGLT2i or GLP-1RA in an NH between 2013 and 2018. Safety outcomes included fall-related injuries, hypoglycaemia, diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), urinary tract infection or genital infection, and acute kidney injury in the year following treatment initiation. Cardiovascular effectiveness outcomes included death, major adverse cardiovascular events and hospitalization for heart failure. Per-protocol adjusted hazard ratios (HR) were calculated using stabilized inverse probability of treatment and censoring weighted cause-specific hazard regression models accounting for 127 covariates. RESULTS: The study population included 7710 residents (31.08% SGLT2i, 68.92% GLP-1RA). Compared with GLP-1RA initiators, SGLT2i initiators had higher rates of DKA (HR 1.95, 95% confidence limits 1.27, 2.99) and death (HR 1.18, 95% confidence limits 1.02, 1.36). Rates of urinary tract infection or genital infection, acute kidney injury, major adverse cardiovascular events, and heart failure were also elevated, while rates of fall-related injuries and hypoglycaemia were reduced, but all estimates were imprecise and highly compatible with no difference. CONCLUSIONS: SGLT2is do not have superior, and may have inferior, effectiveness compared with GLP-1RAs for cardiovascular and mortality outcomes in NH residents. Residents initiating SGLT2is should be monitored closely for DKA.

Retrospective Analysis of Clinical Characteristics and Disease Outcomes in Children and Adolescents Hospitalized Due to COVID-19 Infection in Tunisia.

Due to low susceptibility of coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) in children, limited studies are available regarding COVID-19 in the pediatric population in Tunisia. The current study evaluated the incidence, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection among children hospitalized at Béchir Hamza Children's Hospital. A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted using the hospital database between March 2020 and February 2022 with children aged ≤15 years with SARS-CoV-2 infection (confirmed by RT-PCR). A total of 327 COVID-19 hospitalized patients with a mean age of 3.3 years were included; the majority were male. Neurological disease (20%) was the most common comorbidity, while fever (95.3%) followed by cough (43.7%) and dyspnea (39.6%) were the most frequent symptoms reported. Severe disease with oxygen requirement occurred in 30% of the patients; 13% were admitted in the Intensive Care Unit. The overall incidence rate of COVID-19 hospitalization (in Tunis governorates) was 77.02 per 100,000 while the inpatient case fatality rate was 5% in the study population. The most prevalent circulating variant during our study period was Delta (48.8%), followed by Omicron (26%). More than 45% of the study population were <6 months and one-fourth (n = 25, 26.5%) had at least one comorbidity. Thus, the study findings highlight the high disease burden of COVID-19 in infants.

Author Response.

How to cite this article: Vijayakumar M, Selvam V, Renuka MK, Rajagopalan RE. Author Response. Indian J Crit Care Med 2024;28(5):512.

Comparison Between Primary Anastomosis Without Diverting Stoma and Hartmann's Procedure for Colorectal Perforation: A Retrospective Observational Study.

Background Hartmann's procedure (HP) is performed for colorectal perforation to avoid the risk of anastomotic leakage. Few reports have compared the safety between primary anastomosis without diverting stoma (PAWODS) and HP for colorectal perforation, and whether PAWODS or HP should be performed has remained controversial. We aimed to investigate the feasibility and safety of performing PAWODS in comparison to HP for colorectal perforation. Methods The data of 97 consecutive patients with colorectal perforation who underwent surgery from April 2010 to December 2020 were collected retrospectively. PAWODS and HP were performed in 51 and 46 patients, respectively. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to compare the clinical characteristics and postoperative outcomes of patients treated with PAWODS with those treated with HP. Results In the multivariate analysis, low serum albumin (hazard ratio (HR)=3.49; 95%CI=1.247-9.757; P=0.017) and left-sided colon and rectum perforation (HR=16.8; 95%CI=1.792-157.599; P=0.014) were significantly associated with the decision to perform HP. There was a significant difference in the mortality of the two groups (PAWODS vs. HP: 0% vs. 8.7%; P=0.047). The severe morbidity rate (Clavien-Dindo III-V) was significantly higher in the HP group (PAWODS vs. HP: 10% vs. 30%; P=0.020). In the PAWODS group, anastomotic leakage occurred in five of 51 patients (9.8%), four (8.7%) of whom required re-operation. Conclusions In appropriately selected patients, PAWODS could be safely performed with an acceptable rate of anastomotic leakage. The serum albumin level and site of perforation may be simple and useful factors for guiding decision-making on the surgical procedure.

A prospective observational study to evaluate a possible relationship between vitamin K antagonist therapy and risk of peripheral arterial disease in patients with type 2 diabetes.

AIM: The use of vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) may increase the risk of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) because vitamin K is a strong inhibitor of medial arterial calcification. Type 2 diabetes (T2D) exposes patients to an increased risk of PAD. We examined how the use of VKAs modulates the risk of incident PAD in people with T2D. MATERIALS AND METHODS: SURDIAGENE is a French cohort including 1468 patients with T2D with a prospective follow-up from 2002 to 2015. The primary outcome of the current analysis was the first occurrence of PAD, a composite of lower-limb amputation (LLA) or lower-limb revascularization. LLA and lower-limb revascularization were considered individually as secondary outcomes. RESULTS: During a 7-year median follow-up, PAD occurred in 147 (10%) of the 1468 participants. The use of VKAs was not significantly associated with the risk of PAD [multivariable adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 1.42, 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.88-2.31]. During the study period, LLA and lower-limb revascularization occurred in 82 (6%) and 105 (7%) participants, respectively. The use of VKAs was significantly associated with increased risk of LLA [multivariable adjusted HR 1.90 (95% CI, 1.04-3.47)], but not lower-limb revascularization [multivariable adjusted HR 1.08 (95% CI, 0.59-1.97)]. CONCLUSIONS: In this prospective study, we did not observe any excess risk of PAD requiring lower-limb revascularization in people with type 2 diabetes using VKAs. However, our data suggest a high risk of LLA in VKA users. Further studies are required to confirm this observation.

Knowledge, attitude and practice of poststroke depression among patients with poststroke depression and their family members in Heilongjiang Province, China: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of poststroke depression (PSD) among patients with PSD and their family members. DESIGN: Web-based cross-sectional study. SETTING: This study was conducted in Heilongjiang Province between October 2022 and April 2023. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with PSD and their family members. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: KAP scores. METHOD: The self-administered questionnaire comprised demographic characteristics, knowledge dimension, attitude dimension and practice dimensions. RESULTS: A total of 489 valid questionnaires were collected, with the average age of the subjects was 54.68±13.80 years, and including 258 (53.09%) patients who had a stroke. The mean scores for KAP were 6.36±2.66 (possible range: 0-10), 29.07±5.18 (possible range: 8-40) and 37.50±8.49 (possible range: 10-50), respectively. Concerning KAP scores, no differences were found between patients with PSD and their family members. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that retirement (OR=0.29, 95% CI 0.11 to 0.77, p=0.012) and monthly income less than ¥2000 (OR=0.46, 95% CI 0.27, 0.79, p=0.005) were independently associated with adequate knowledge. Knowledge (OR=2.12, 95% CI 1.44 to 3.14, p<0.001) was independently associated with positive attitude. Knowledge (OR=3.85, 95% CI 2.53 to 5.86, p<0.001) and attitude (OR=1.62, 95% CI 1.06 to 2.47, p=0.024) were independently associated with proactive practice. CONCLUSION: Patients and their family members had insufficient knowledge, positive attitude and moderate practice towards PSD. Retirement and low monthly income were associated with insufficient knowledge, while knowledge was associated with positive attitude and proactive practice.

Epidemiological, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Aspects of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Morocco: A Case Series and Review of Literature.

INTRODUCTION: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver tumor. It is considered a global public health problem given its incidence and high mortality rate. Epidemiological studies on hepatocellular carcinoma in our Moroccan and North African contexts are rare. Hence, our study aims to determine the epidemiological, clinical, paraclinical, etiological and therapeutic aspects of this pathology in our context. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a descriptive retrospective study on patients with HCC treated by the Hepato-gastroenterology department of the university hospital of Mohammed VI in Marrakech over a period of 7 years spread between 01/01/2015 and 31/12/2021. The epidemiological characteristics, diagnostic methods and therapeutic management of HCC in these patients have been described and analyzed. RESULTS: 100 patients with HCC were identified and included in our study. The average age was 63.3 ± 12.63 years with a male predominance. The predominant etiology was cirrhosis (87% of cases) then viral hepatitis C (35%) and B (27%) and of unknown origin in 29% of cases. HCC revealed cirrhosis in 41% and was diagnosed during cirrhosis surveillance in 36% of cases. The functional signs were dominated by abdominal pain (68%), deterioration of general condition (58%) and abdominal distension (43%). Alfa-fetoprotein was elevated in 73% of cases and was above 400ng/ml in 41% of cases. The diagnosis was mainly radiological in 92% and histological in 8% of cases. The radiological aspects of HCC were dominated by mononodular form (58%), a right lobar location (80%), a diameter greater than 5 cm (58%), a typical vascular aspect (86%) with portal thrombosis in 24% and metastases in 36% of cases, especially in lymph nodes. The majority of cirrhosis in our series was classified as Child-Pugh stage B (46%) at the time of diagnosis and most patients had an advanced stage of HCC with 31% at BCLC C and 28% at BCLC D. 72% of patients received palliative treatment, and only 6% received curative treatment. At the end of the study, 48% of patients had died with an overall survival of 6.5 months. CONCLUSION: Our study achieved its main objective by providing a snapshot of HCC in our context and confirmed that HCC remains with poor prognosis since its diagnosis is often late, limiting the therapeutic choices with a very short median survival. It also noted that the viral etiology remains the main cause of HCC in our population. Therefore, prevention remains the best therapeutic approach against HCC and the need for a national or at least a regional HCC registry in our country is essential in order to develop targeted preventive measures adapted to our context and to improve the diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for our patients.

Assessment of the Quality and Reliability of Content Available on YouTube About Palpitations.

Palpitations refer to the sensation of rapid, fluttering, or pounding heartbeats in the chest, the determinants of which may range from hormonal changes to anxiety or arrhythmias. YouTube is one of the most prevailing and accepted web-based platforms people trust to help them understand more about their health conditions. Thus, this study aims to assess whether the quality of content about palpitations on this platform is reliable and sufficient. Seventy-one YouTube videos were analyzed using criteria such as date and time of upload, type of uploader, and type of content. The Global Quality Score (GQS) and modified DISCERN score were used to analyze the quality and reliability of the information provided. Microsoft Excel (Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA, US) was used for data analysis, and StataCorp's 2023 Stata Statistical Software (College Station, TX, US) was used for statistical analysis and visualization. Of the 71 videos analyzed, 90.14% were uploaded more than a year ago, 80.28% described the symptomatology in detail, and 81.69% accurately described the etiological factors. Hospitals and doctors were the most common uploaders, constituting 23% and 19% of the uploaded videos, respectively, and had high GQSs (Median GQS = 4). The highest scores also belonged to videos uploaded by patients suffering from the disease (Median GQS = 5). Hospitals and news channels ranked highest on the reliability score (Median DISCERN = 4, respectively). It was determined that despite varied sources, the nature of content provided by the platform contains promotional material and content gaps; YouTube should, therefore, be used critically and as per professional sources.

Association between two novel anthropometric measures and type 2 diabetes in a Chinese population.

AIMS: To investigate the associations of conicity index (C-index) and relative fat mass (RFM) with incident type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) among adults in China. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 10 813 participants aged over 18 years in Shenzhen Longhua district were enrolled in a follow-up study conducted from 2018 to 2022. The participants were categorized based on quartiles (Q) of C-index and RFM. The Cox proportional hazards model was performed to examine the relationships between C-index, RFM and the risk of T2DM. RESULTS: After adjusting for potential confounding factors, including age, sex, occupation, marital status, education level, smoking status, alcohol consumption, physical exercise, hypertension status, fasting blood glucose (FBG) and total cholesterol (TC), both C-index and RFM showed positive and independent associations with risk of T2DM. The multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) for T2DM risk in participants in C-index Q3 and Q4 compared with those in C-index Q1 were 1.50 (1.12, 2.02) and 1.73 (1.29, 2.30), and 1.94 (1.44, 2.63), 3.18 (1.79, 5.64), 4.91 (2.68, 9.00) for participants in RFM Q2, Q3 and Q4 compared with RFM Q1. These differences were statistically significant (all p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: C-index and RFM are strongly associated with new-onset T2DM and could be used to identify the risk of diabetes in large-scale epidemiological studies.

Effectiveness of Virtual Reality in Reducing Perceived Pain and Anxiety Among Patients Within a Hospital System: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study.

BACKGROUND: Within hospital systems, diverse subsets of patients are subject to minimally invasive procedures that provide therapeutic relief and necessary health data that are often perceived as anxiogenic or painful. These feelings are particularly relevant to patients experiencing procedures where they are conscious and not sedated or placed under general anesthesia that renders them incapacitated. Pharmacologic pain management and topical anesthetic creams are used to manage these feelings; however, distraction-based methods can provide nonpharmacologic means to modify the painful experience and discomfort often associated with these procedures. Recent studies support distraction as a useful method for reducing anxiety and pain and as a result, improving patient experience. Virtual reality (VR) is an emerging technology that provides an immersive user experience and can operate through a distraction-based method to reduce the negative or painful experience often related to procedures where the patient is conscious. Given the possible short-term and long-term outcomes of poorly managed pain and enduring among patients, health care professionals are challenged to improve patient well-being during medically essential procedures. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this pilot project is to assess the efficacy of using VR as a distraction-based intervention for anxiety or pain management compared to other nonpharmacologic interventions in a variety of hospital settings, specifically in patients undergoing lumbar puncture procedures and bone marrow biopsies at the oncology ward, patients receiving nerve block for a broken bone at an anesthesia or surgical center, patients undergoing a cleaning at a dental clinic, patients conscious during an ablation procedure at a cardiology clinic, and patients awake during a kidney biopsy at a nephrology clinic. This will provide the framework for additional studies in other health care settings. METHODS: In a single visit, patients eligible for the study will complete brief preprocedural and postprocedural questionnaires about their perceived fear, anxiety, and pain levels. During the procedure, research assistants will place a VR headset on the patient and the patient will undergo a VR experience to distract from any pain felt from the procedure. Participants' vitals, including blood pressure, heart rate, and rate of respiration, will also be recorded before, during, and after the procedure. RESULTS: The study is already underway, and results support a decrease in perceived pain by 1.00 and a decrease in perceived anxiety by 0.3 compared to the control group (on a 10-point Likert scale). Among the VR intervention group, the average rating for comfort was 4.35 out of 5. CONCLUSIONS: This study will provide greater insight into how patients' perception of anxiety and pain could potentially be altered. Furthermore, metrics related to the operational efficiency of providing a VR intervention compared to a control will provide insight into the feasibility and integration of such technologies in routine practice. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/52649.

Progressive Supranuclear palsy (PSP) disease progression, management, and healthcare resource utilization: a retrospective observational study in the US and Canada.

BACKGROUND: Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a rare neurodegenerative brain disease with rapid progression and currently limited treatment options. A comprehensive understanding of disease progression, management, and healthcare resource utilization is limited, and further research is challenging due to the small population of patients. To address these challenges in conducting PSP research, individuals with PSP were recruited using a multichannel approach tailored specifically to the PSP community. We performed a retrospective observational study using data abstracted from participant medical records collected from multiple patient care centers. RESULTS: Seventy-two individuals with PSP were eligible for inclusion. On average, 144 medical documents per participant were collected from an average of 2.9 healthcare centers per participant, with a mean study period of 7.9 years. Among participants with a date of symptom onset documented in the medical records, the median time for the onset of the first fall was 2.0 years (IQR 3.2) before diagnosis, the median onset of unsteady gait or gait impairment was 1.2 years (IQR 1.8) before diagnosis, and the median onset of mobility problems was 0.8 years (IQR 1.8) before diagnosis. The most widely utilized healthcare resources, with at least 85% of participants using each of these resources at some point during the disease course, were medications (100%), imaging (99%), assistive devices (90%), supportive care (86%), and surgeries and procedures (85%). CONCLUSIONS: This retrospective study adds to the current understanding of PSP symptoms, comorbidities, and healthcare resource utilization (HRU) across the disease journey. By involving individuals with PSP and their caregivers or legally authorized representatives in the research process, this study was unique in its approach to participant recruitment and enabled individuals to participate in research without the need for travel. We collected medical documents from multiple healthcare centers, allowing for broad data collection covering the entire disease journey. This approach to the collection of real-world data may be used to generate valuable insights into many aspects of disease progression and management in PSP and many other rare diseases.