Clin Infect Dis. 2023 Jul 25;77(Supplement_2):S199-S205. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciad324.
NO ABSTRACT
PMID:37490743 | DOI:10.1093/cid/ciad324
Category: Nevin Manimala
AIDS Care. 2023 Jul 25:1-8. doi: 10.1080/13548506.2023.2229236. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
In Mozambique, women are the most affected by HIV/AIDS and heterosexual encounters remain the main route for HIV/AIDS. Condom use is the most effective method of HIV/AIDS prevention, and the intention to use and buy/get condoms has a significant role in safe sex behavior. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of two psychosocial interventions – the Didactic and ACCENT Interventions – to prevent HIV/AIDS among Mozambican Women. Participants were Mozambican women (n = 150), users of the gynecology clinic of the Central Hospital of Beira. The study design was a randomized controlled trial (RCT) with assignment to three groups: Didactic intervention, ACCENT intervention, and Control group. Measures were from an adaption of the Women’s Health Questionnaire, which includes questions about sociodemographic, clinical, and behavioral variables related to HIV prevention/risk. There was a significant group effect on condom use and safer sex preparatory behaviors, F(2, 146) = 6.45, p = .002, with Bonferroni post-hoc tests showing differences between the ACCENT vs. Control groups and ACCENT vs. Didactic groups (all p = .022). There were no statistically significant time effects on both condom use and safer sex preparatory behaviors. Results are promising for HIV/AIDS prevention in Mozambican women at sexual risk, but replication is needed for generalizability of findings.
PMID:37490699 | DOI:10.1080/13548506.2023.2229236
Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova. 2023;123(7):74-79. doi: 10.17116/jnevro202312307174.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy and safety of non-immunogenic staphylokinase (Fortelysine) and alteplase in patients with ischemic stroke (IS) in real-world clinical practice.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective, observational, non-interventional study of data the register of the Territorial Compulsory Health Insurance Fund was conducted. The proportion of patients with a favorable outcome, the degree of disability at discharge from the hospital, the duration of hospitalization, the proportion of lethal outcome in the groups of Fortelysine and alteplase were evaluated. The effect of the Rankin scale points at the hospitalization, the choice of a medical organization, the month of hospitalization, the choice of a thrombolytic on achieving a favorable outcome was determined.
RESULTS: The data of 1238 patients from 26 hospitals of the Sverdlovsk region were included. There were no statistically significant differences in the proportion of a favorable outcome between the groups of Fortelysine and alteplase (26% and 25% respectively, p=0.845). Mediana of duration of hospitalization in the Fortelysine group was one day less, which is statistically significant compared to the alteplase group (9 [7;12] and 10 [7;13] respectively, p<0.001). There were no differences in the frequency of mortality (11% and 13% respectively, p=0.331). The hospital, the year and month of hospitalization, the level of disability at the baseline have a statistically significant effect on the outcome of hospitalization. The choice of a thrombolytic drug did not have a statistically significant effect on the frequency of favorable outcome.
CONCLUSIONS: The comparable efficacy and safety of Fortelysine and alteplase in IS has been proven in clinical study and confirmed by real-world clinical practice.
PMID:37490668 | DOI:10.17116/jnevro202312307174
Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova. 2023;123(7):41-49. doi: 10.17116/jnevro202312307141.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of Prospect in the treatment of cognitive, behavioral and mental disorders in patients with vascular dementia (VSD).
MATERIAL AND METHODS: In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group randomised clinical trial, 406 patients aged 60-85 years old with a diagnosis of mild/moderate vascular dementia (10-24 on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)) and without signs of depression (Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD) scores ≤10) were included. At Visit 1, complaints and medical history were collected, vital signs were recorded, cognitive impairment was assessed using MMSE and MoCA, NPI-C and CSDD were completed, and an MRI brain scan was performed. Patients were randomised into two groups: patients in group 1 received Prospekta in a dosage of 2 tablets two times a day for 24 weeks, and patients in group 2 received Placebo according to the study drug regimen.
RESULTS: Patients in both groups had no differences in demographic and baseline clinical characteristics. Administration of Prospekta for 24 weeks reduced cognitive impairment in patients with vascular dementia compared to the placebo group. The mean MoCA score increased from 17.0±3.6 [17.1±3.6] to 20.5±4.7 [20.4±4.7] in patients treated with Prospekta, whereas it increased from 17.3±3.7 [17.3±3.8] to 19.2±4.9 [19.2±5.0] in the Placebo group. Treatment with the medication also reduced the severity of neuropsychiatric symptoms as measured by the NPI-C scale. The mean score on this scale decreased from 57.0±26.7 [56.7±25.4] to 39.8±23.6 [39.8±23.5] in the Prospekta group and from 55.5±25.5 [55.3±24.4] to 42.8±27.6 [42.3±25.3] in the Placebo group. The difference in mean MoCA and NPI-C scores between the Prospekta and Placebo groups was statistically significant.
CONCLUSION: Prospekta is an effective and safe drug for treating cognitive, behavioural and mental disturbances in patients with vascular dementia.
PMID:37490664 | DOI:10.17116/jnevro202312307141
Menopause. 2023 Jul 25. doi: 10.1097/GME.0000000000002227. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Translation and cross-cultural validation of the Serbian version of the Lower Extremity Functional Scale (Srb-LEFS).
METHODS: This prospective cross-sectional study initially included 186 postmenopausal women aged 60 to 75 years who underwent an x-ray examination of both knees, along with body mass, body height, waist circumference, knee range of motion, and blood pressure measurements. The laboratory analyses included the evaluation of fasting glucose levels and lipid profile. All participants completed the LEFS, Lequesne index, and 36-Item Short-Form Survey-RAND.
RESULTS: The analyses revealed good internal consistency (α = 0.95), good test-retest reliability, and a two-factor structure of the Srb-LEFS. Concurrent validity analysis confirmed a significant positive correlation between Srb-LEFS scores and the 36-Item Short-Form Survey-RAND Physical Functioning subscale (r = 0.889, P < 0.0001), the Lequesne index (r = -0.976, P < 0.0001), and the Numeric Rating Scale for pain (r = -0.762, P < 0.0001). Convergent validity analyses revealed a statistically significant negative correlation between the Srb-LEFS scores and age (r = -0.25, P = 0.006), body mass index (r = -0.31, P < 0.01), and waist circumference (r = -0.37, P < 0.0001). The Srb-LEFS scores were statistically significantly higher among participants that reported moderate physical activity levels, as well as those that had fewer comorbidities, minor structural knee damage, greater knee range of motion, and greater quadriceps femoris muscle strength.
CONCLUSIONS: The Serbian version of the LEFS is feasible, valid, and reliable for use in both clinical practice and clinical studies to assess self-reported physical functioning in older individuals with knee osteoarthritis.
PMID:37490640 | DOI:10.1097/GME.0000000000002227
Diabetes Care. 2023 Jul 25:dc230206. doi: 10.2337/dc23-0206. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To study the relationships between artificial sweeteners, accounting for all dietary sources(total and by type of artificial sweetener) and risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D), in a large-scale prospective cohort.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The analyses included 105,588 participants from the web-based NutriNet-Santé study (France, 2009-2022; mean age 42.5 ± 14.6 years, 79.2% women). Repeated 24-h dietary records, including brands and commercial names of industrial products, merged with qualitative and quantitative food additive composition data, enabled artificial sweetener intakes to be accurately assessed from all dietary sources. Associations between artificial sweeteners (total, aspartame, acesulfame potassium [K], and sucralose) and T2D were investigated using Cox proportional hazard models adjusted for potential confounders, including weight variation during follow-up.
RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 9.1 years (946,650 person-years, 972 incident T2D), compared with nonconsumers, higher consumers of artificial sweeteners (i.e., above the sex-specific medians of 16.4 mg/day in men and 18.5 mg/day in women) had higher risks of developing T2D (hazard ratio [HR] 1.69; 95% CI 1.45-1.97; P-trend <0.001). Positive associations were also observed for individual artificial sweeteners: aspartame (HR 1.63 [95% CI 1.38-1.93], P-trend <0.001), acesulfame-K (HR 1.70 [1.42-2.04], P-trend <0.001), and sucralose (HR 1.34 [1.07-1.69], P-trend = 0.013).
CONCLUSIONS: Potential for reverse causality cannot be eliminated; however, many sensitivity analyses were computed to limit this and other potential biases. These findings of positive associations between artificial sweetener intakes and increased T2D risk strengthen the evidence that these additives may not be safe sugar alternatives. This study provides important insights in the context of on-going reevaluation of artificial sweeteners by health authorities worldwide.
PMID:37490630 | DOI:10.2337/dc23-0206
J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 2023 Jul 25. doi: 10.1097/MPG.0000000000003895. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
Genetic variations, in specific COMT, OPRM1 and MAO-A polymorphisms, have been associated with hypnotizability in adults. The aim of this exploratory study was to investigate whether these polymorphisms are also associated with response to hypnotherapy (HT) in children. Patients (8-18 years, n=260) diagnosed with a functional abdominal pain disorder (FAPDs) from a previous trial assessing HT efficacy were approached for participation and 144 agreed to collect a buccal sample. Primary aim was to explore the association between COMT, OPRM1 and MAO-A polymorphisms with treatment success after 3-month HT. Additionally, associations between these polymorphisms and adequate relief, anxiety, depression, quality of life, somatization, hypnotic susceptibility, expectations, pain beliefs, and coping strategies were evaluated. Participants with different variations of COMT, MAO-A and OPRM1 achieved similar treatment success levels (p > .05). No associations were found between these polymorphisms and secondary outcomes. This suggest that in pediatric patients with FAPDs, COMT, OPRM1 and MAO-A polymorphisms do not predict HT response.
PMID:37490618 | DOI:10.1097/MPG.0000000000003895
J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2023 Jul 25:1-17. doi: 10.1044/2023_JSLHR-22-00495. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: This study aimed to examine changes in English and Spanish morphosyntactic standardized scores over time in bilingual children.
METHOD: One hundred bilingual children participated in this longitudinal study. The average age of the children at the beginning of the study was 5;11 (years;months). A subset of the participants was identified as children with developmental language disorder (DLD, n = 43). Children completed behavioral testing in Spanish and English at three time points over a period of 2 years. Growth curve modeling was employed to analyze longitudinal data.
RESULTS: Distinct patterns of Spanish and English language growth were observed. While the average standard score in English increased, the average score in Spanish decreased over time for both groups. Children with DLD showed persistent language difficulties in both Spanish and English over time in comparison to their peers.
CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study provide evidence of a shift in language proficiency from Spanish to English for bilingual children with and without language disorders. This study also shows that bilingual children with DLD show a protracted but parallel growth in morphosyntactic skills in comparison to children without DLD.
SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.23671464.
PMID:37490611 | DOI:10.1044/2023_JSLHR-22-00495
Int J Qual Stud Health Well-being. 2023 Dec;18(1):2238994. doi: 10.1080/17482631.2023.2238994.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: As cancers increase in Ghana and in many low-and middle-income countries, healthcare utilization has become critical for disease management and patients’ wellbeing. There is evidence that medical pluralism is common among cancer patients in Ghana and many other African countries, which results in lack of adherence to and absconding from hospital treatments. The objective of this study was to examine ways in which beliefs in disease causation influence medical pluralism among Akan cancer patients in Ghana.
METHODS: A qualitative research approach was employed in this study. In-depth interviews were conducted for thirty (30) cancer patients who were purposively recruited from Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Ghana. Thematic content analysis was used in analysing data.
RESULTS: Our findings revealed that cancer patients ascribed both physical and spiritual causality to their illness. As such, they combined orthodox treatment with spiritual healing and herbal medicine. Regarding the order of therapeutic search, patients reported to herbal and spiritual centres before going to the hospital, a phenomenon which contributes to the late reporting and diagnosis as well as bad prognosis of cancers in Ghana.
CONCLUSION: The findings of this research elucidate the relationship between culture and health care choices of cancer patients in Ghana. Increased awareness creation is crucial in eradicating myths surrounding cancers in Ghana.
PMID:37490583 | DOI:10.1080/17482631.2023.2238994
J Infus Nurs. 2023 Jul 24. doi: 10.1097/NAN.0000000000000513. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
Repeated access of peripheral intravenous (IV) devices theoretically increases the risk of bacterial exposure. PIVO™ (VelanoVascular) is a needleless, single-use device that enables blood sampling from an existing peripheral IV. The goal of this retrospective observational exploratory study was to evaluate the influence of PIVO use on rates of hospital-onset bacteremia and fungemia (HOB) by comparing HOB rates in the year before and after PIVO introduction in hospitals implementing PIVO and over similar time periods in “control” hospitals with no PIVO. Two hospitals implementing PIVO (Hospital 1, a large community hospital; Hospital 2, a tertiary oncology center), and 71 control hospitals were included. During the 1-year period before and after PIVO introduction, HOB rates decreased in hospitals 1 and 2 by 31.9% and 41.8%, respectively. Control hospitals that did not use PIVO had a 12.4% decrease in HOB rates. Multivariable logistic regression analyses found that PIVO was associated with a lower risk (Hospital 1 odds ratio [OR]: 0.63; 95% CI, 0.42-0.94) or no change (Hospital 2 OR: 1.05; 95% CI, 0.72-1.52) in HOB rates. Control hospitals also showed no change in HOB rates between the 2 time periods. These data do not support concerns about increased risk of bacteremia with PIVO.
PMID:37490579 | DOI:10.1097/NAN.0000000000000513