A mobile phone application for malaria case-based reporting to advance malaria surveillance in Myanmar: a mixed methods evaluation.

BACKGROUND: To achieve malaria elimination in the Greater Mekong Subregion, including Myanmar, it is necessary to ensure all malaria cases are detected, treated, and reported in a timely manner. Mobile phone-based applications for malaria reporting, case management, and surveillance implemented at a community-level may overcome reporting limitations associated with current paper-based reporting (PBR), but their effectiveness in this context is unknown. METHODS: A mixed methods evaluation study was undertaken to determine the effectiveness of a national Malaria Case-Based Reporting (MCBR) mobile phone application in improving malaria case reporting compared to the existing PBR reporting system in Myanmar. Methods included secondary analysis of malaria case report data, questionnaires, focus group discussions and field observations of community volunteers, interviews and direct observations of malaria programme stakeholders, and cost analysis. Using a combination of these approaches the following areas were investigated: data quality and completeness, data access and usage, capacity for timely reporting, the acceptability, functionality, and ease of use of the application and facilitators and barriers to its use, and the relative cost of MCBR compared to the PBR system. RESULTS: Compared to PBR, MCBR enabled more accurate and complete data to be reported in a much timelier manner, with 63% of MCBR users reporting they transmit rapid diagnostic test outcomes within 24 h, compared to 0% of PBR users. MCBR was favoured by integrated community malaria volunteers and their supervisors because of its efficiency. However, several technical and operational challenges associated with internet coverage, data transmission, and e-literacy were identified and stakeholders reported not being confident to rely solely on MCBR data for programmatic decision-making. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of MCBR provided timely and accurate data for malaria surveillance. Findings from this evaluation study will enable the optimization of an application-based reporting system for malaria monitoring and surveillance in the Greater Mekong Subregion and advance systems to track progress towards, and certify, the achievement of malaria elimination targets.

Evaluation of tumescent local anesthesia in cats undergoing unilateral mastectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the analgesic efficacy and safety of tumescent local anesthesia (TLA) in cats undergoing unilateral mastectomy. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective clinical trial. ANIMALS: A total of 12 ovariohysterectomized female cats. METHODS: All animals were premedicated with pethidine (4 mg kg-1) intramuscularly (IM), followed by induction of anesthesia with propofol (5 mg kg-1) intravenously and maintenance with isoflurane in oxygen. A refrigerated TLA solution (15 mL kg-1, 8 °C) was injected using a Klein cannula. The solution was composed of 0.5 mL of epinephrine (1 mg mL-1) and 40 mL of 2% lidocaine added to 210 mL lactated Ringer's solution (final lidocaine concentration 0.32%). Heart and respiratory rates, systolic arterial blood pressure, temperature and oxygen saturation were measured during anesthesia. Blood samples were collected from the jugular vein for measurement of plasma lidocaine concentration using high performance liquid chromatography. Postoperative pain scores were evaluated hourly for 6 hours. Analgesic rescue was performed with tramadol (2 mg kg-1) IM and meloxicam (0.15 mg kg-1) subcutaneously. RESULTS: Plasma lidocaine concentration peaked at 90 minutes after injection of TLA, but no concentration considered toxic for the species was measured. The median postoperative analgesia time was 6 hours after injection of TLA. CONCLUSIONS: This study found that TLA prevented sympathetic response to noxious stimuli during anesthesia and provided satisfactory postoperative analgesia in cats submitted to total unilateral mastectomy, with no apparent signs of toxicity. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: TLA can prevent sympathetic stimulation resulting from noxious stimuli during anesthesia, promoting good intraoperative conditions, proving to be a viable addition to analgesia in cats submitted to a total unilateral mastectomy.

Gaps in the HIV diagnosis and care cascade for migrants in Australia, 2013-2017: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Globally, few studies compare progress toward the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) Fast-Track targets among migrant populations. Fast-Track targets are aligned to the HIV diagnosis and care cascade and entail achieving 90-90-90 (90% of people living with HIV [PLHIV] diagnosed, 90% of those diagnosed on treatment, and 90% of those on treatment with viral suppression [VS]) by 2020 and 95-95-95 by 2030. We compared cascades between migrant and nonmigrant populations in Australia. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We conducted a serial cross-sectional survey for HIV diagnosis and care cascades using modelling estimates for proportions diagnosed combined with a clinical database for proportions on treatment and VS between 2013-2017. We estimated the number of PLHIV and number diagnosed using New South Wales (NSW) and Victorian (VIC) data from the Australian National HIV Registry. Cascades were stratified by migration status, sex, HIV exposure, and eligibility for subsidised healthcare in Australia (reciprocal healthcare agreement [RHCA]). We found that in 2017, 17,760 PLHIV were estimated in NSW and VIC, and 90% of them were males. In total, 90% of estimated PLHIV were diagnosed. Of the 9,391 who were diagnosed and retained in care, most (85%; n = 8,015) were males. We excluded 38% of PLHIV with missing data for country of birth, and 41% (n = 2,408) of eligible retained PLHIV were migrants. Most migrants were from Southeast Asia (SEA; 28%), northern Europe (12%), and eastern Asia (11%). Most of the migrants and nonmigrants were males (72% and 83%, respectively). We found that among those retained in care, 90% were on antiretroviral therapy (ART), and 95% of those on ART had VS (i.e., 90-90-95). Migrants had larger gaps in their HIV diagnosis and care cascade (85-85-93) compared with nonmigrants (94-90-96). Similarly, there were larger gaps among migrants reporting male-to-male HIV exposure (84-83-93) compared with nonmigrants reporting male-to-male HIV exposure (96-92-96). Large gaps were also found among migrants from SEA (72-87-93) and sub-Saharan Africa (SSA; 89-93-91). Migrants from countries ineligible for RHCA had lower cascade estimates (83-85-92) than RHCA-eligible migrants (96-86-95). Trends in the HIV diagnosis and care cascades improved over time (2013 and 2017). However, there was no significant increase in ART coverage among migrant females (incidence rate ratio [IRR]: 1.03; 95% CI 0.99-1.08; p = 0.154), nonmigrant females (IRR: 1.01; 95% CI 0.95-1.07; p = 0.71), and migrants from SEA (IRR: 1.03; 95% CI 0.99-1.07; p = 0.06) and SSA (IRR: 1.03; 95% CI 0.99-1.08; p = 0.11). Additionally, there was no significant increase in VS among migrants reporting male-to-male HIV exposure (IRR: 1.02; 95% CI 0.99-1.04; p = 0.08). The major limitation of our study was a high proportion of individuals missing data for country of birth, thereby limiting migrant status categorisation. Additionally, we used a cross-sectional instead of a longitudinal study design to develop the cascades and used the number retained as opposed to using all individuals diagnosed to calculate the proportions on ART. CONCLUSIONS: HIV diagnosis and care cascades improved overall between 2013 and 2017 in NSW and VIC. Cascades for migrants had larger gaps compared with nonmigrants, particularly among key migrant populations. Tracking subpopulation cascades enables gaps to be identified and addressed early to facilitate achievement of Fast-Track targets.

The duration of chemoprophylaxis against malaria after treatment with artesunate-amodiaquine and artemether-lumefantrine and the effects of pfmdr1 86Y and pfcrt 76T: a meta-analysis of individual patient data.

BACKGROUND: The majority of Plasmodium falciparum malaria cases in Africa are treated with the artemisinin combination therapies artemether-lumefantrine (AL) and artesunate-amodiaquine (AS-AQ), with amodiaquine being also widely used as part of seasonal malaria chemoprevention programs combined with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine. While artemisinin derivatives have a short half-life, lumefantrine and amodiaquine may give rise to differing durations of post-treatment prophylaxis, an important additional benefit to patients in higher transmission areas. METHODS: We analyzed individual patient data from 8 clinical trials of AL versus AS-AQ in 12 sites in Africa (n = 4214 individuals). The time to PCR-confirmed reinfection after treatment was used to estimate the duration of post-treatment protection, accounting for variation in transmission intensity between settings using hidden semi-Markov models. Accelerated failure-time models were used to identify potential effects of covariates on the time to reinfection. The estimated duration of chemoprophylaxis was then used in a mathematical model of malaria transmission to determine the potential public health impact of each drug when used for first-line treatment. RESULTS: We estimated a mean duration of post-treatment protection of 13.0 days (95% CI 10.7-15.7) for AL and 15.2 days (95% CI 12.8-18.4) for AS-AQ overall. However, the duration varied significantly between trial sites, from 8.7-18.6 days for AL and 10.2-18.7 days for AS-AQ. Significant predictors of time to reinfection in multivariable models were transmission intensity, age, drug, and parasite genotype. Where wild type pfmdr1 and pfcrt parasite genotypes predominated (<=20% 86Y and 76T mutants, respectively), AS-AQ provided ~ 2-fold longer protection than AL. Conversely, at a higher prevalence of 86Y and 76T mutant parasites (> 80%), AL provided up to 1.5-fold longer protection than AS-AQ. Our simulations found that these differences in the duration of protection could alter population-level clinical incidence of malaria by up to 14% in under-5-year-old children when the drugs were used as first-line treatments in areas with high, seasonal transmission. CONCLUSION: Choosing a first-line treatment which provides optimal post-treatment prophylaxis given the local prevalence of resistance-associated markers could make a significant contribution to reducing malaria morbidity.

Population-level diagnosis and care cascade for chlamydia in Australia.

OBJECTIVES: Key strategies to control chlamydia include testing, treatment, partner management and re-testing. We developed a diagnosis and care cascade for chlamydia to highlight gaps in control strategies nationally and to inform efforts to optimise control programmes. METHODS: The Australian Chlamydia Cascade was organised into four steps: (1) annual number of new chlamydia infections (including re-infections); (2) annual number of chlamydia diagnoses; (3) annual number of diagnoses treated; (4) annual number of diagnoses followed by a re-test for chlamydia within 42-180 days of diagnosis. For 2016, we estimated the number of infections among young men and women aged 15-29 years in each of these steps using a combination of mathematical modelling, national notification data, sentinel surveillance data and previous research studies. RESULTS: Among young people in Australia, there were an estimated 248 580 (range, 240 690-256 470) new chlamydia infections in 2016 (96 470 in women; 152 100 in men) of which 70 164 were diagnosed (28.2% overall: women 43.4%, men 18.6%). Of the chlamydia infections diagnosed, 65 490 (range, 59 640-70 160) were treated (93.3% across all populations), but only 11 330 (range, 7660-16 285) diagnoses were followed by a re-test within 42-180 days (17.3% overall: women 20.6%, men 12.5%) of diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: The greatest gaps in the Australian Chlamydia Cascade for young people were in the diagnosis and re-testing steps, with 72% of infections undiagnosed and 83% of those diagnosed not re-tested: both were especially low among men. Treatment rates were also lower than recommended by guidelines. Our cascade highlights the need for enhanced strategies to improve treatment and re-testing coverage such as short message service reminders, point-of-care and postal test kits.

The effects of lidocaine-prilocaine cream on responses to intravenous catheter placement in cats sedated with dexmedetomidine and either methadone or nalbuphine.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the reaction to cephalic intravenous (IV) catheter placement with or without lidocaine-prilocaine cream in cats sedated with dexmedetomidine and methadone or nalbuphine. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, blind study. ANIMALS: A group of 24 female mixed breed cats. METHODS: Cats were randomly allocated to one of the two sedation protocols: dexmedetomidine (0.01 mg kg-1) and methadone (0.3 mg kg-1; DEXMET) or dexmedetomidine (0.01 mg kg-1) and nalbuphine (0.3 mg kg-1; DEXNALB). Sedation was scored 30 minutes later using a visual analog scale. Subsequently, a 2 × 3.5 cm area of the antebrachium over the cephalic vein was clipped, and half the cats within each protocol were randomly assigned for topical lidocaine-prilocaine cream (treatment), whereas no cream was applied to other cats (control). After 20 minutes, an attempt was made to place a 24 gauge catheter into the cephalic vein and the reaction of the cats to this procedure was scored using a numeric scale 0-3. Sedation and catheterization reaction scores were compared between sedation protocols and whether cats were administered lidocaine-prilocaine cream or not using the Friedman test followed by the Bonferroni procedure. A p value < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: Sedation scores were not different between sedation protocols or between treatment and control cats within each protocol. All cats administered lidocaine-prilocaine cream showed no reaction to IV catheter placement. Among the control cats, no response was observed in one cat in DEXNALB. Catheterization reaction score was lower in the treatment cats in both the sedation protocols when compared with their respective controls. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Lidocaine-prilocaine cream applied for 20 minutes abolished the reaction to catheterization in cats sedated with dexmedetomidine and nalbuphine or methadone. Facilitation of IV catheter placement occurred within 20 minutes of lidocaine-prilocaine application.

A systematic review of sub-microscopic Plasmodium vivax infection.

BACKGROUND: An accurate estimate of Plasmodium vivax prevalence is essential for the successful implementation of malaria control and elimination programmes. Prevalence estimates both inform control strategies and are used in their evaluation. Light microscopy is the main method for detecting Plasmodium parasitaemia in the peripheral blood, but compared to molecular diagnostics, such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR), has limited sensitivity. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to assess the effect of detection method on the prevalence of P. vivax and to quantify the extent to which P. vivax infections are undetected by microscopy. Embase, Medline and the Cochrane Database were searched for studies reporting prevalence by PCR and by microscopy and that contained all of the following key words: vivax, PCR, and malaria. Prevalence estimates and study meta-data were extracted systematically from each publication. Combined microscopy:PCR prevalence ratios were estimated by random effects meta-analysis. Sensitivity and specificity of microscopy were calculated using PCR as the gold standard. RESULTS: Of 874 studies reviewed, 40 met the criteria for inclusion contributing 54 prevalence pairs. The prevalence of P. vivax infection measured by PCR was consistently higher than the prevalence measured by microscopy with sub-patent parasitaemia. The mean prevalence of infection detected by microscopy was 67 % (95 % CI 59-73 %) lower than the prevalence detected by PCR. The detection of sub-patent parasitaemia did not vary according to the microscopy method (thick or, thick and thin smears), the PCR prevalence (as a measure of the true P. vivax prevalence), the type of blood used or DNA extraction method. CONCLUSIONS: Quantifying P. vivax parasitaemia by PCR rather than microscopy consistently increased prevalence estimates by a factor of 2.3. Whilst the sensitivity of microscopy can be improved by better methods, molecular methods have potential to be scaled up to improve the detection of P. vivax transmission reservoirs.

Baseline data of parasite clearance in patients with falciparum malaria treated with an artemisinin derivative: an individual patient data meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Artemisinin resistance in Plasmodium falciparum manifests as slow parasite clearance but this measure is also influenced by host immunity, initial parasite biomass and partner drug efficacy. This study collated data from clinical trials of artemisinin derivatives in falciparum malaria with frequent parasite counts to provide reference parasite clearance estimates stratified by location, treatment and time, to examine host factors affecting parasite clearance, and to assess the relationships between parasite clearance and risk of recrudescence during follow-up. METHODS: Data from 24 studies, conducted from 1996 to 2013, with frequent parasite counts were pooled. Parasite clearance half-life (PC1/2) was estimated using the WWARN Parasite Clearance Estimator. Random effects regression models accounting for study and site heterogeneity were used to explore factors affecting PC1/2 and risk of recrudescence within areas with reported delayed parasite clearance (western Cambodia, western Thailand after 2000, southern Vietnam, southern Myanmar) and in all other areas where parasite populations are artemisinin sensitive. RESULTS: PC1/2 was estimated in 6975 patients, 3288 of whom also had treatment outcomes evaluate d during 28-63 days follow-up, with 93 (2.8 %) PCR-confirmed recrudescences. In areas with artemisinin-sensitive parasites, the median PC1/2 following three-day artesunate treatment (4 mg/kg/day) ranged from 1.8 to 3.0 h and the proportion of patients with PC1/2 >5 h from 0 to 10 %. Artesunate doses of 4 mg/kg/day decreased PC1/2 by 8.1 % (95 % CI 3.2-12.6) compared to 2 mg/kg/day, except in populations with delayed parasite clearance. PC1/2 was longer in children and in patients with fever or anaemia at enrolment. Long PC1/2 (HR = 2.91, 95 % CI 1.95-4.34 for twofold increase, p < 0.001) and high initial parasitaemia (HR = 2.23, 95 % CI 1.44-3.45 for tenfold increase, p < 0.001) were associated independently with an increased risk of recrudescence. In western Cambodia, the region with the highest prevalence of artemisinin resistance, there was no evidence for increasing PC1/2 since 2007. CONCLUSIONS: Several factors affect PC1/2. As substantial heterogeneity in parasite clearance exists between locations, early detection of artemisinin resistance requires reference PC1/2 data. Studies with frequent parasite count measurements to characterize PC1/2 should be encouraged. In western Cambodia, where PC1/2 values are longest, there is no evidence for recent emergence of higher levels of artemisinin resistance.

Stroke subtypes and comorbidity among ischemic stroke patients in Brasilia and Cuenca: a Brazilian-Spanish cross-cultural study.

BACKGROUND: With the increase in life expectancy worldwide, changes in stroke subtypes and burden of stroke population are expected in both developing and developed countries. Prevalence of stroke subtypes and comorbidity in ischemic stroke patients was assessed in Brasilia, Brazil, and Cuenca, Spain. METHODS: This was an international (Brazilian-Spanish) cross-sectional study. Stroke subtypes were assessed by means of Trial of ORG 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment (TOAST) classification. Modified Rankin scale was used to measure functional recovery and the Cumulative Illness Rating Scale for Geriatrics (CIRS-G) was used to assess comorbidity. RESULTS: A total of 500 patients (mean age 66.2 ± 16.4 years; 48% female; 48.2% Spanish) were included in the study. Spanish patients were significantly older than Brazilian ones (76.4 ± 11.2 versus 56.7 ± 14.6 years; P < .0001). Prevalence of ischemic cardiopathy (20.3% versus 6.2%) and atrial fibrillation (25.7% versus 6.6%) was significantly higher in Spanish stroke patients, whereas they less frequently used tobacco (28.3% versus 52.9%); P less than .0001. Prevalence of stroke subtypes in Spanish and Brazilian stroke patients was: stroke of undetermined etiology (58.1% versus 32.4%), cardioembolism (24.5% versus 11.6%), lacunar infarct (11.6% versus 25.5%), atherothrombotic (3.7% versus 19.7%), and other causes (2.1% versus 10.8%); P less than .0001. The Spanish sample had a significantly higher frequency of comorbidities. The CIRS-G total score and CIRS-G mean number of affected organs significantly increased with age, and correlated with the level of functional dependence as measured by Rankin scale (rS = 0.50; P = .0005). CONCLUSION: Spanish stroke people had a higher frequency of comorbid conditions, atrial fibrillation, and cardioembolism and these facts were associated with age. Atherothrombotic and lacunar strokes were more common in the younger Brazilian stroke population.

Severity of COVID-19 among Residents in Aged Care Facilities in Victoria, Australia: A Retrospective Cohort Study Comparing the Delta and Omicron Epidemic Periods.

OBJECTIVES: During the COVID-19 pandemic, no country with widespread community transmission has avoided outbreaks or deaths in residential aged care facilities (RACFs). As RACF residents are at high risk of morbidity and mortality from COVID-19, understanding disease severity risk factors is imperative. DESIGN: This retrospective cohort study aimed to compare COVID-19 disease severity (hospitalization and deaths) and associated risk factors among RACF residents in Victoria, Australia, across Delta and Omicron epidemic periods. SETTINGS AND PARTICIPANTS: Resident case hospitalization risk (HR) and case fatality risk (CFR) were assessed using Victorian RACFs COVID-19 outbreaks data across 2 epidemic periods; Delta, 994 resident cases linked to 86 outbreaks; and Omicron, 1882 resident cases linked to 209 outbreaks. METHODS: Adjusting for outbreak-level clustering, age, sex, up-to-date vaccination status, and time since last vaccination, the odds of hospitalization and death were compared using mixed effects logistic regression. RESULTS: The HR and CFR was lower during the Omicron period compared with the Delta period [HR 8.2% vs 24.6%, odds ratio (OR) 0.17, 95% CI 0.11-0.26, and CFR: 11.4% vs 18.7%, OR 0.40, 95% CI 0.28-0.56]. During both periods, males had higher odds of hospitalization and odds of death; being up to date with vaccination reduced odds of hospitalization by 40% (excluding nonemergency patient transfers) and odds of death by 43%; and for each month since last vaccination, odds of hospitalization increased by 9% and odds of death by 16%. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: This study provides empirical evidence of lower COVID-19 severity among RACF residents in the Omicron period and highlights the importance of up-to-date and timely vaccination to reduce disease severity in this cohort.

Self- and proxy-report agreement on the Stroke Impact Scale.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine proxy-patient agreement on the domains of the Stroke Impact Scale (SIS), as per the proxy-proxy perspective. METHODS: Stroke patients were prospectively assessed by means of the NIH Stroke Scale, Barthel index, and modified Rankin scale. Proxies and patients answered the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the SIS 3.0. Comparisons of patient-proxy mean scores (paired t test), effect size, and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were calculated for each of the SIS domains, and weighted kappa for individual items. RESULTS: 180 proxy-patient pairs were assessed. Proxies were younger (mean age: 43.1 versus 57.9 years) and had a higher education level (P<0.0001). The bias between patient-proxy mean differences was low (from 5.3, Strength, to 0.1, Communication). Proxies significantly scored patients as more severely affected in Strength (41.7 versus 36.6; P<0.0001) and ADL (46.2 versus 43.1; P=0.01) domains, and Composite Physical Domain (CPD; 39.7 versus 34.9; P<0.0001). The magnitude of difference was small (size effect: 0.21). ICC values for the SIS domains ranged from 0.17 (Emotion) to 0.79 (Hand function). The ICC value for the CPD was 0.83. Memory, Communication, Emotion, and Social Participation domains had ICC lower values. The weighted kappa values for the SIS items ranged from 0.09 (item 4e) to 0.80 (item 7d). Highest values (moderate/high agreement) were observed for the SIS-16 and CPD (kappa values: 0.31 to 0.80). CONCLUSIONS: Agreement between stroke patients and proxies was acceptable for most SIS domains and SIS-16. Proxy's assessment of SIS subjective domains should be taken with caution.

Poststroke depression: prevalence and determinants in Brazilian stroke patients.

BACKGROUND: Poststroke depression (PSD) is one of the most important long-term adverse psychosocial consequences in stroke survivors. Our objective was to assess the prevalence of PSD in Brazilian stroke patients and identify significant associated factors. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of stroke patients consecutively admitted for rehabilitation was conducted. The patients were evaluated by means of the NIH Stroke Scale, Mini-Mental State Examination, Barthel Index, Lawton Scale, modified Rankin Scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and MOS-Short Form 36. Patients with a HADS-depression subscale score > or = 11 and/or GDS score > or = 8 were classified as depressed. RESULTS: Three hundred stroke survivors were assessed (mean age: 56.3 years; 51.7% males). Half (46.7%) of the stroke patients had an m-RS score < or = 2. The proportion of stroke patients who scored > or = 11 points on the HADS-depression and HADS-anxiety subscales were 19.2 and 23.7%, respectively. One third (29.7%) had a GDS mean score > or = 8. The GDS scores significantly correlated (p < 0.0001) with the HADS-depression (r = 0.51) and HADS-anxiety subscales (r = 0.54). The prevalence of mood disorders was significantly higher in females than in males (24.8 vs. 14.2%; x(2), p = 0.03). PSD was significantly associated (p < 0.0001) with work status (housewife), education level, lower social and cognitive functioning, dependence in the instrumental activities of daily living and presence of diabetes in the multivariable regression analysis (R adjusted = 0.32). CONCLUSIONS: PSD was highly prevalent in the chronic phase of stroke. Early detection and recognition of associated risk factors is important to treat and prevent PSD in a rehabilitation setting.

Burden and perceived health status among caregivers of stroke patients.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the main determinants of burden and perceived health status in caregivers of Brazilian stroke survivors. METHODS: Cross-sectional study. Caregivers answered the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Zarit caregiver burden interview (ZCBI) and EuroQol. Patients were assessed with the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale, Barthel index (BI), modified-Rankin scale (m-RS), Mini Mental State Examination and HADS. RESULTS: 200 caregiver-patient dyads were assessed. Caregivers were significantly younger (42 vs. 57.7 years) and had more years of formal education (10 vs. 7.8 years); p < 0.0001. Seventy-seven percent of caregivers were females, and 41% were spouses. The prevalence of anxiety disorders was significantly higher in female caregivers than in males (26.1 vs. 10.9%; p = 0.04). ZCBI mean score was 27.2, and female caregivers had significantly worse scores (28.7 vs. 22.3, p = 0.003). ZCBI mean score significantly increased (worsened) as the severity of the disease, based on m-RS, increased. ZCBI mean scores were significantly higher in wives than in other relatives (31.4 vs. 22.6; ANOVA, p < 0.0001). The EuroQol-5D and EuroQol-Visual Analog Scale mean scores were 0.7 (range: 0.04-0.85) and 75.2 (range: 1-100), respectively. Adequate convergent validity (r = -0.38 to -0.40) between EuroQol and ZBCI mean scores was observed. Patient s disability (as measured by the BI) and caregiver's factors (female sex, depression as measured by HADS-depression) were independent predictors of caregiver's burden (r2 adjusted = 0.48; p < 0.0001) in the multivariate regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Caregiver's mood was the most consistent factor influencing caregiver burden and perceived health in stroke caregivers.

Two decades of surveillance data show late presentation among a diverse group of women diagnosed with HIV in Victoria, Australia.

OBJECTIVE: To develop an HIV response suited to women and to inform appropriate services, we describe the characteristics of women diagnosed and living with HIV using 22 years of high-quality surveillance data. METHODS: Data on women newly diagnosed with HIV between 1994 and 2016 and women living with diagnosed HIV in Victoria at 31 December 2016 were extracted from the Victorian Public Health Surveillance System. Descriptive analysis by place of birth was performed and Poisson regression used to assess trends over time. RESULTS: There were 465 new diagnoses among women in Victoria between 1994 and 2016 and 613 women living with HIV in 2016. Women were diagnosed late, and frequently reported no HIV testing history, AIDS-defining illness or other symptoms of HIV at diagnosis. These indicators of delayed diagnosis were even greater for non-Australian-born women. Conclusions and implications for public health: For Victoria to reach the ambitious targets for diagnosis, treatment and viral suppression in 95% of people living with HIV, prevention programs and efforts to increase early diagnosis as well as support services must consider the epidemiology and diversity of women.

Pathology Laboratory Surveillance in the Australian Collaboration for Coordinated Enhanced Sentinel Surveillance of Sexually Transmitted Infections and Blood-Borne Viruses: Protocol for a Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Passive surveillance is the principal method of sexually transmitted infection (STI) and blood-borne virus (BBV) surveillance in Australia whereby positive cases of select STIs and BBVs are notified to the state and territory health departments. A major limitation of passive surveillance is that it only collects information on positive cases and notifications are heavily dependent on testing patterns. Denominator testing data are important in the interpretation of notifications. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to establish a national pathology laboratory surveillance system, part of a larger national sentinel surveillance system called ACCESS (the Australian Collaboration for Coordinated Enhanced Sentinel Surveillance). ACCESS is designed to utilize denominator testing data to understand trends in case reporting and monitor the uptake and outcomes of testing for STIs and BBVs. METHODS: ACCESS involves a range of clinical sites and pathology laboratories, each with a separate method of recruitment, data extraction, and data processing. This paper includes pathology laboratory sites only. First established in 2007 for chlamydia only, ACCESS expanded in 2012 to capture all diagnostic and clinical monitoring tests for STIs and BBVs, initially from pathology laboratories in New South Wales and Victoria, Australia, to at least one public and one private pathology laboratory in all Australian states and territories in 2016. The pathology laboratory sentinel surveillance system incorporates a longitudinal cohort design whereby all diagnostic and clinical monitoring tests for STIs and BBVs are collated from participating pathology laboratories in a line-listed format. An anonymous, unique identifier will be created to link patient data within and between participating pathology laboratory databases and to clinical services databases. Using electronically extracted, line-listed data, several indicators for each STI and BBV can be calculated, including the number of tests, unique number of individuals tested and retested, test yield, positivity, and incidence. RESULTS: To date, over 20 million STI and BBV laboratory test records have been extracted for analysis for surveillance monitoring nationally. Recruitment of laboratories is ongoing to ensure appropriate coverage for each state and territory; reporting of indicators will occur in 2019 with publication to follow. CONCLUSIONS: The ACCESS pathology laboratory sentinel surveillance network is a unique surveillance system that collects data on diagnostic testing, management, and care for and of STIs and BBVs. It complements the ACCESS clinical network and enhances Australia's capacity to respond to STIs and BBVs. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/13625.

The stroke impact scale 3.0: evaluation of acceptability, reliability, and validity of the Brazilian version.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: We sought to assess the psychometric attributes of the Brazilian version of the Stroke Impact Scale (SIS) 3.0 in stroke survivors. METHODS: Patients were evaluated by the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, Mini-Mental State Examination, Barthel Index, Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale, modified Rankin Scale, Geriatric Depression Scale, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Health-related quality of life was evaluated with the MOS-Short Form 36 and SIS 3.0. RESULTS: One hundred seventy-four stroke survivors were assessed (mean age, 56.9 years; 55.2% male). Hand function had a prominent floor effect (45.9%), whereas a ceiling effect was observed in the communication domain (17.3%). The internal consistency of SIS (Cronbach's alpha=0.94) and SIS domains (item-dimension correlation, 0.17 to 0.89) were satisfactory; only the emotion domain had poor internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha=0.49). Test-retest reliability was evaluated in 50 consecutive patients. Concerning the stability of the SIS, the weighted kappa values ranged from 0.33 (item 3a) to 0.94 (item 7e). Intraclass correlation coefficient values for the SIS domains ranged from 0.48 (emotion) to 0.94 (hand function). Standard error of measurement values for SIS domains ranged from 6.85 (mobility) to 9.63 (social participation). Regarding convergent validity, a significant correlation (Spearman's correlation coefficient, P<0.0001) was found between the SIS composite physical domain and the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (-0.69), modified Rankin Scale (-0.81), Barthel Index (0.87), Lawton Scale (0.76), and MOS-Short Form 36 physical component summary (0.61). SIS domain scores significantly decreased as modified Rankin Scale scores increased (discriminative validity; ANOVA, P<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The Brazilian version of SIS 3.0 has satisfactory psychometric properties and can be used in stroke survivors to assess health-related quality of life.

Effect of administration rate on propofol requirement in cats.

Objectives The objective of this study was to determine the effect of administration rate on propofol dose for induction of anesthesia and the effect of methadone on this dose. Methods This was a prospective, randomized, blinded clinical study. Forty male cats (mean ± SD age 1.5 ± 0.8 years) were admitted for orchiectomy. Cats were randomly allocated to receive acepromazine (0.05 mg/kg) with either methadone (MET; 0.3 mg/kg) or saline (SAL; 0.03 ml/kg). Each premedication group then received anesthetic induction with propofol at 5 (F) or 1.5 mg/kg/min (S), resulting in the following four groups: MET-F, SAL-F, MET-S and SAL-S. Sedation scores were assigned at 15 and 30 mins after premedication using a simple descriptive scale (SDS) and a visual analog scale (VAS). After assignment of sedation scores, respiratory frequency ( fR) was recorded, and anesthetic induction began and was continued until cats lost their palpebral reflexes and jaw tone, and the eye globe rotated ventromedially. The time for induction and the total amount of propofol needed was recorded, and intubation was then performed. After intubation, fR was also recorded. Results SDS and VAS sedation scores were low at 15 and 30 mins after premedication. There was no significant difference in sedation scores by time or between the groups at any time on any scale. The amount of propofol needed to achieve anesthetic induction was 5.3 ± 1.1 mg/kg in group MET-F, which was statistically lower when compared with the other three groups, which demonstrated no difference among them. Conclusions and relevance Premedication with acepromazine and methadone was not able to produce adequate sedation in healthy cats. The slow induction rate is not adequate for use in cats considering that all of the animals demonstrated excitement during anesthetic induction. The fast administration rate was able to produce adequate induction of anesthesia and reduce the amount of propofol needed to achieve intubation only when using methadone.

Monitoring the Control of Sexually Transmissible Infections and Blood-Borne Viruses: Protocol for the Australian Collaboration for Coordinated Enhanced Sentinel Surveillance (ACCESS).

BACKGROUND: New biomedical prevention interventions make the control or elimination of some blood-borne viruses (BBVs) and sexually transmissible infections (STIs) increasingly feasible. In response, the World Health Organization and governments around the world have established elimination targets and associated timelines. To monitor progress toward such targets, enhanced systems of data collection are required. This paper describes the Australian Collaboration for Coordinated Enhanced Sentinel Surveillance (ACCESS). OBJECTIVE: This study aims to establish a national surveillance network designed to monitor public health outcomes and evaluate the impact of strategies aimed at controlling BBVs and STIs. METHODS: ACCESS is a sentinel surveillance system comprising health services (sexual health clinics, general practice clinics, drug and alcohol services, community-led testing services, and hospital outpatient clinics) and pathology laboratories in each of Australia's 8 states and territories. Scoping was undertaken in each jurisdiction to identify sites that provide a significant volume of testing or management of BBVs or STIs or to see populations with particular risks for these infections ("priority populations"). Nationally, we identified 115 health services and 24 pathology laboratories as relevant to BBVs or STIs; purposive sampling was undertaken. As of March 2018, we had recruited 92.0% (104/113) of health services and 71% (17/24) of laboratories among those identified as relevant to ACCESS. ACCESS is based on the regular and automated extraction of deidentified patient data using specialized software called GRHANITE, which creates an anonymous unique identifier from patient details. This identifier allows anonymous linkage between and within participating sites, creating a national cohort to facilitate epidemiological monitoring and the evaluation of clinical and public health interventions. RESULTS: Between 2009 and 2017, 1,171,658 individual patients attended a health service participating in ACCESS network comprising 7,992,241 consultations. Regarding those with unique BBV and STI-related health needs, ACCESS captured data on 366,441 young heterosexuals, 96,985 gay and bisexual men, and 21,598 people living with HIV. CONCLUSIONS: ACCESS is a unique system with the ability to track efforts to control STIs and BBVs-including through the calculation of powerful epidemiological indicators-by identifying response gaps and facilitating the evaluation of programs and interventions. By anonymously linking patients between and within services and over time, ACCESS has exciting potential as a research and evaluation platform. Establishing a national health surveillance system requires close partnerships across the research, government, community, health, and technology sectors. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/11028.

Arc's Self-Determination Scale: Adaptação e Validação à População Adolescente e Adulta Portuguesa com DID / Arc's Self-Determination Scale: Adaptation and Validation to the Portuguese Adolescent and Adult Population with IDD

RESUMO: No atual contexto português, é ainda visível a generalizada dificuldade em obter instrumentos de avaliação adaptados à população com Dificuldades Intelectuais e Desenvolvimentais (DID) que avaliem o constructo da autodeterminação. Nesse sentido, este artigo tem por objetivo a adaptação e a validação da Arc's Self-Determination Scale à população adolescente e adulta portuguesa com DID. Para esse efeito, foram seguidas as recomendações internacionais inerentes a processos dessa natureza, culminando em uma avaliação de 11 peritos para a evidência quantitativa da validade de conteúdo. Todos os itens dessa escala foram considerados como relevantes ou muito relevantes (n=72), tendo-se obtido acordos moderados (k>.40) e excelentes (k>.75) entre os peritos no cálculo do Kappa de Cohen. A amostra foi constituída por 500 indivíduos adolescentes e adultos entre 16 e 70 anos de idade (24.03±9.15), sendo 256 do género feminino e 244 do género masculino com e sem DID. A escala apresentou uma excelente consistência interna (α=.89), com tendência para correlações fracas a moderadas (.01>r<.51). Os procedimentos inerentes à validade de constructo são, igualmente, apresentados e discutidos. Os principais resultados parecem apontar a ideia de que o instrumento em estudo apresenta as características de validade e de fiabilidade necessárias para que possa ser utilizado em nível nacional.

ABSTRACT: In the current Portuguese context, the generalized difficulty in obtaining assessment instruments adapted to the population with Intellectual and Developmental Difficulties (IDD) that evaluate the construct of self-determination is still visible. In this sense, this paper aims to adapt and validate the Arc's Self-Determination Scale to the Portuguese adolescent and adult population with IDD. To this end, it was considered the international guidelines in cross-cultural adaptation process, culminating with an evaluation of 11 experts for the quantitative evidence of the content validity. All items of this scale were considered as relevant or very relevant (n=72) and there was a moderated (k>.40) and an excellent agreement (k>.75) among the experts in the calculation of Cohen's Kappa. The sample comprised 500 adolescents/adults, aged between 16 and 70 years-old (24.03±9.15), 256 females and 244 males with and without IDD. The scale showed an excellent internal consistency (α=.89) and weak to moderate correlations between sections (.01>r<.51). The procedures inherent to the validity of construct are also presented and discussed. The main results seem to point out the idea that the instrument under study presents the characteristics of validity and reliability required so that it can be used at the national level.

Terapia a laser de baixa potência no manejo da cicatrização de feridas cutâneas / Low-level laser therapy in the management of skin wound healing

Introdução: O reparo tecidual e a cicatrização de feridas cutâneas são processos complexos que envolvem uma série de eventos dinâmicos, incluindo coagulação, inflamação, formação de tecido de granulação, contração da ferida e remodelação tecidual. A necessidade de cuidar de pacientes com dificuldades na cicatrização de feridas é um desafio crescente e requer estratégias inovadoras. Uma abordagem que se destaca no tratamento dessas lesões é a laserterapia de baixa potência. Este estudo tem como objetivo demonstrar a aplicabilidade e os resultados de um protocolo de laserterapia de baixa potência no manejo da cicatrização de feridas cutâneas. Métodos: Trata-se de estudo retrospectivo de revisão de casos relatando o uso de laser no tratamento de feridas cutâneas em um centro único. Resultados: Avaliamos os resultados do uso de laserterapia de baixa potência e relatamos cinco casos de pacientes com feridas cutânea que não apresentaram melhora com o tratamento convencional. As lesões eram localizadas em sítios diversos, com lesão no tronco, membro superior e membro inferior. Os cinco casos apresentaram uma boa resposta com a terapia a laser, evoluindo com a cicatrização das feridas em um curto período de tempo, com período médio de cicatrização de 48 dias. Conclusão: Conclui-se que a laserterapia de baixa potência quando aplicada sobre feridas cutâneas sugere uma ação benéfica, promissora e tem um potencial para aumentar as opções terapêuticas disponíveis para o cirurgião, porém, como relatamos um número de cinco casos, há necessidade de mais estudos para verificar a eficiência do laser em feridas.

Introduction: Tissue repair and skin wound healing are complex processes that involve a series of dynamic events, including coagulation, inflammation, granulation tissue formation, wound contraction and tissue remodeling. The need to care for patients with difficulties in wound healing is a growing challenge and requires innovative strategies. One approach that stands out in the treatment of these injuries is low-power laser therapy. This study aims to demonstrate the applicability and results of a low-power laser therapy protocol in the management of skin wound healing. Methods: This is a retrospective case review study reporting the use of laser in the treatment of skin wounds in a single center. Results: We evaluated the results of the implementation of this low-power laser therapy protocol and reported five cases of patients with skin wounds that did not improve with conventional treatment. The lesions were located in different places, with lesions on the trunk, upper limb and lower limb. The five cases showed a good response to laser therapy, evolving with wound healing in a short period of time, with an average healing time of 48 days. Conclusion: It is concluded that low power laser therapy when applied to skin wounds suggests a beneficial, promising action and has the potential to increase the therapeutic options available to the surgeon, however as we report a number of five cases, further studies are needed for check laser efficiency on wounds.