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Cariprazine in Pediatric Patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Results of a Pharmacokinetic, Safety and Tolerability Study

J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol. 2023 Jul 12. doi: 10.1089/cap.2022.0097. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Objective: Cariprazine is a dopamine D3-preferring D3/D2 and serotonin 5-HT1A receptor partial agonist approved to treat adults with schizophrenia and manic/mixed or depressive episodes associated with bipolar I disorder. This study, which is the first to evaluate cariprazine in pediatric patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) (including children 5-9 years of age) using an oral solution formulation, evaluated the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PK), and exploratory efficacy of cariprazine and its two major active metabolites, desmethyl cariprazine (DCAR) and didesmethyl cariprazine (DDCAR). Methods: This clinical pharmacology, open-label, multiple-dose study enrolled 25 pediatric patients from 5 to 17 years of age, who met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition criteria for ASD. All patients began treatment with cariprazine 0.5 mg once daily (QD) and underwent a titration over 7 days to maintenance doses of 1.5 or 3 mg QD for patients 13-17 years of age at Screening, 0.75 or 1.5 mg QD for patients 10-12 years of age at Screening, and 0.5 or 1.5 mg QD for patients 5-9 years of age at Screening. After 6 weeks total of dosing, there was a 6-week follow-up period. Study assessments included adverse events (AEs), safety parameters, noncompartmental PK parameters, and exploratory efficacy assessments, including the Aberrant Behavior Checklist-Irritability Subscale (ABC-I), Clinical Global Impressions (CGI-S), Caregiver Global Impressions (CgGI-S), Children’s Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsiveness Scale Modified for ASD (CYBOCS-ASD), Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), and Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale (VABS-III). Results: All AEs were mild or moderate in severity. Most frequent treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were increased weight, increased alanine aminotransferase, increased appetite, dizziness, agitation, and nasal congestion. Increases in weight were not considered clinically meaningful. Two subjects reported extrapyramidal symptom-related TEAEs that resolved without leading to discontinuation. Dose-normalized exposures of all analytes were modestly higher in pediatric patients from 5 to 9 years of age when compared to older patients. Consistent with previous studies, at steady state, the rank of exposure in plasma was DDCAR > cariprazine > DCAR. There was numerical improvement on all exploratory endpoints (ABC-I, CGI-S, CgGI-S, CYBOCS-ASD, SRS, and VABS-III). Conclusions: PK of cariprazine and its metabolites were characterized in pediatric patients with ASD at doses up to 3 mg QD (13-17 years) and 1.5 mg QD (5-12 years). Caripazine treatment was generally well tolerated and results from this study will inform the selection of appropriate pediatric doses for subsequent studies.

PMID:37437109 | DOI:10.1089/cap.2022.0097

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Variability of clinical chemical and hematological parameters, immunological parameters, and behavioral tests in data sets of the Mouse Phenome Database

PLoS One. 2023 Jul 12;18(7):e0288209. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0288209. eCollection 2023.

ABSTRACT

The use of mice as animal models in biomedical research allows the standardization of genetic background, housing conditions as well as experimental protocols, which all affect phenotypic variability. The phenotypic variability within the experimental unit determines the choice of the group size which is necessary for achieving valid and reproducible results. In this study, the variability of clinical chemical and hematological parameters which represent a comprehensive blood screen of laboratory mice, as well as of immunological parameters and behavioral tests was analyzed in data sets which have been submitted to the Mouse Phenome Database for mouse strains which are predominantly used in biomedical research. Most of the clinical chemical and hematological parameters-except of some parameters being known for their high variability-showed an average coefficient of variation (CV = standard deviation / mean) below 0.25. Most immunological parameters measured in blood samples had a CV between 0.2 and 0.4. The behavioral tests showed a CV between 0.4 and 0.6, or higher. In addition, a large range of the CV was found for most parameters/tests between and within the selected projects. This clearly demonstrates the appearance of unpredictable major interactions between genotype, environment and experiment regarding the variability of the parameters and tests analyzed.

PMID:37437097 | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0288209

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Comparisons between young adult waterpipe smokers and nonsmokers’ reactions to pictorial health warning labels in Lebanon: a randomized crossover experimental study

Health Educ Res. 2023 Jul 11:cyad027. doi: 10.1093/her/cyad027. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

This study compares the impact of pictorial health warning labels (HWLs) and their placements on waterpipe parts (device, tobacco and charcoal packages) on health communication outcomes between waterpipe smokers and nonsmokers in Lebanon. An online randomized crossover experimental study was conducted among young adults (n = 403, August 2021) who observed three conditions of HWLs: pictorial HWLs on the tobacco package, pictorial HWLs on all waterpipe’s parts and text-only HWL on the tobacco package in random order. Participants completed post-exposure assessments of health communication outcomes after each image. Using linear mixed models, we examined the differences in the effect of HWL conditions on several outcomes (i.e. warning reactions) between waterpipe smokers and nonsmokers, controlling for confounders (i.e. age, sex). Nonsmokers reported greater attention (β = 0.54 [95% confidence interval: 0.25-0.82]), cognitive elaboration (0.31 [0.05-0.58]) and social interaction (0.41 [0.18-0.65]) for pictorial HWLs on the tobacco packages than text-only compared with smokers. Pictorial HWLs on three parts versus one part elicited higher cognitive reactions and perceived message effectiveness in nonsmokers compared with waterpipe smokers. These findings provide valuable information for policymakers about the potential of implementing HWLs specific to waterpipes to prevent their use among young adults and limit tobacco-related morbidity and mortality in Lebanon.

PMID:37436823 | DOI:10.1093/her/cyad027

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Duration of Protection From Pneumonia After Pneumococcal Vaccination in Hemodialysis Patients (DOPPIO): Protocol for a Prospective Multicenter Study

JMIR Res Protoc. 2023 Jul 12;12:e45712. doi: 10.2196/45712.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Pneumonia is a leading cause of death in patients with end-stage chronic kidney disease treated with dialysis. Current vaccination schedules recommend pneumococcal vaccination. However, this schedule disregards findings of rapid titer decline in adult hemodialysis patients after 12 months.

OBJECTIVE: The primary objective is to compare pneumonia rates between recently vaccinated patients and patients vaccinated more than 2 years ago. As an exploratory objective, antipneumococcal antibody titers in hemodialysis patients will be determined as a function. Factors influencing antibody kinetics will be identified.

METHODS: Within this prospective multicenter study, we aim to compare 2 strata of vaccinated patients: those recently vaccinated and those vaccinated more than 2 years ago. A total of 792 patients will be enrolled. Twelve partner sites (within the German Centre for Infection Research [DZIF]) with allocated dialysis practices participate in this study. All dialysis patients who are vaccinated against pneumococcal infection in accordance with Robert Koch Institute guidelines prior to enrollment will be eligible. Data on baseline demographics, vaccination history, and underlying disease will be assessed. Pneumococcal antibody titers will be determined at baseline and every 3 months for 2 years. DZIF clinical trial units coordinate titer assessment schedules and actively follow-up on study patients for 2-5 years after enrollment, including validation of end points of hospitalization, pneumonia, and death.

RESULTS: The study has enrolled 792 patients and the last follow-up has been completed. Currently, the statistical and laboratory analyses are ongoing.

CONCLUSIONS: Results will increase physician adherence to current recommendations. Establishing a framework for the efficient evaluation of guideline recommendations through a combination of routine and study data will inform the evidence base for future guidelines.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03350425; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03350425.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/45712.

PMID:37436797 | DOI:10.2196/45712

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Feasibility of a Home-Based Cognitive-Physical Exercise Program in Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Protocol for a Feasibility and Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

JMIR Res Protoc. 2023 Jul 12;12:e48666. doi: 10.2196/48666.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive condition associated with physical and cognitive impairments contributing to difficulty in performing activities of daily living (ADLs) that require dual tasking (eg, walking and talking). Despite evidence showing that cognitive decline occurs among patients with COPD and may contribute to functional limitations and decreased health-related quality of life (HRQL), pulmonary rehabilitation continues to focus mainly on physical training (ie, aerobic and strength exercises). An integrated cognitive and physical training program compared to physical training alone may be more effective in increasing dual-tasking ability among people living with COPD, leading to greater improvements in performance of ADLs and HRQL.

OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study are to evaluate the feasibility of an 8-week randomized controlled trial of home-based, cognitive-physical training versus physical training for patients with moderate to severe COPD and derive preliminary estimates of cognitive-physical training intervention efficacy on measures of physical and cognitive function, dual task performance, ADLs, and HRQL.

METHODS: A total of 24 participants with moderate to severe COPD will be recruited and randomized into cognitive-physical training or physical training. All participants will be prescribed an individualized home physical exercise program comprising 5 days of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (30-50 minutes/session) and 2 days of whole-body strength training per week. The cognitive-physical training group will also perform cognitive training for approximately 60 minutes, 5 days per week via the BrainHQ platform (Posit Science Corporation). Participants will meet once weekly with an exercise professional (via videoconference) who will provide support by reviewing the progression of their training and addressing any queries. Feasibility will be assessed through the recruitment rate, program adherence, satisfaction, attrition, and safety. The intervention efficacy regarding dual task performance, physical function, ADLs, and HRQL will be evaluated at baseline and at 4 and 8 weeks. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize intervention feasibility. Paired 2-tailed t tests and 2-tailed t tests will be used to compare the changes in the outcome measures over the 8-week study period within and between the 2 randomized groups, respectively.

RESULTS: Enrollment started in January 2022. It is estimated that the enrollment period will be 24 months long, with data collection to be completed by December 2023.

CONCLUSIONS: A supervised home-based cognitive-physical training program may be an accessible intervention to improve dual-tasking ability in people living with COPD. Evaluating the feasibility and effect estimates is a critical first step to inform future clinical trials evaluating this approach and its effects on physical and cognitive function, ADL performance, and HRQL.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05140226; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05140226.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/48666.

PMID:37436794 | DOI:10.2196/48666

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Investigating COVID-19’s Impact on Mental Health: Trend and Thematic Analysis of Reddit Users’ Discourse

J Med Internet Res. 2023 Jul 12;25:e46867. doi: 10.2196/46867.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in heightened levels of depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues due to sudden changes in daily life, such as economic stress, social isolation, and educational irregularity. Accurately assessing emotional and behavioral changes in response to the pandemic can be challenging, but it is essential to understand the evolving emotions, themes, and discussions surrounding the impact of COVID-19 on mental health.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to understand the evolving emotions and themes associated with the impact of COVID-19 on mental health support groups (eg, r/Depression and r/Anxiety) on Reddit (Reddit Inc) during the initial phase and after the peak of the pandemic using natural language processing techniques and statistical methods.

METHODS: This study used data from the r/Depression and r/Anxiety Reddit communities, which consisted of posts contributed by 351,409 distinct users over a period spanning from 2019 to 2022. Topic modeling and Word2Vec embedding models were used to identify key terms associated with the targeted themes within the data set. A range of trend and thematic analysis techniques, including time-to-event analysis, heat map analysis, factor analysis, regression analysis, and k-means clustering analysis, were used to analyze the data.

RESULTS: The time-to-event analysis revealed that the first 28 days following a major event could be considered a critical window for mental health concerns to become more prominent. The theme trend analysis revealed key themes such as economic stress, social stress, suicide, and substance use, with varying trends and impacts in each community. The factor analysis highlighted pandemic-related stress, economic concerns, and social factors as primary themes during the analyzed period. Regression analysis showed that economic stress consistently demonstrated the strongest association with the suicide theme, whereas the substance theme had a notable association in both data sets. Finally, the k-means clustering analysis showed that in r/Depression, the number of posts related to the “depression, anxiety, and medication” cluster decreased after 2020, whereas the “social relationships and friendship” cluster showed a steady decrease. In r/Anxiety, the “general anxiety and feelings of unease” cluster peaked in April 2020 and remained high, whereas the “physical symptoms of anxiety” cluster showed a slight increase.

CONCLUSIONS: This study sheds light on the impact of COVID-19 on mental health and the related themes discussed in 2 web-based communities during the pandemic. The results offer valuable insights for developing targeted interventions and policies to support individuals and communities in similar crises.

PMID:37436793 | DOI:10.2196/46867

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Association Between Syncope Trigger Type and Risk of Subsequent Life-Threatening Events in Patients With Long QT Syndrome

JAMA Cardiol. 2023 Jul 12. doi: 10.1001/jamacardio.2023.1951. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

IMPORTANCE: Syncope is the most powerful predictor for subsequent life-threatening events (LTEs) in patients with congenital long QT syndrome (LQTS). Whether distinct syncope triggers are associated with differential subsequent risk of LTEs is unknown.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between adrenergic (AD)- and nonadrenergic (non-AD)-triggered syncopal events and the risk of subsequent LTEs in patients with LQT types 1 to 3 (LQT1-3).

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This retrospective cohort study included data from 5 international LQTS registries (Rochester, New York; the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota; Israel, the Netherlands, and Japan). The study population comprised 2938 patients with genetically confirmed LQT1, LQT2, or LQT3 stemming from a single LQTS-causative variant. Patients were enrolled from July 1979 to July 2021.

EXPOSURES: Syncope by AD and non-AD triggers.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary end point was the first occurrence of an LTE. Multivariate Cox regression was used to determine the association of AD- or non-AD-triggered syncope on the risk of subsequent LTE by genotype. Separate analysis was performed in patients with β-blockers.

RESULTS: A total of 2938 patients were included (mean [SD] age at enrollment, 29 [7] years; 1645 [56%] female). In 1331 patients with LQT1, a first syncope occurred in 365 (27%) and was induced mostly with AD triggers (243 [67%]). Syncope preceded 43 subsequent LTEs (68%). Syncopal episodes associated with AD triggers were associated with the highest risk of subsequent LTE (hazard ratio [HR], 7.61; 95% CI, 4.18-14.20; P < .001), whereas the risk associated with syncopal events due to non-AD triggers was statistically nonsignificant (HR, 1.50; 95% CI, 0.21-4.77; P = .97). In 1106 patients with LQT2, a first syncope occurred in 283 (26%) and was associated with AD and non-AD triggers in 106 (37%) and 177 (63%), respectively. Syncope preceded 55 LTEs (56%). Both AD- and non-AD-triggered syncope were associated with a greater than 3-fold increased risk of subsequent LTE (HR, 3.07; 95% CI, 1.66-5.67; P ≤ .001 and HR, 3.45, 95% CI, 1.96-6.06; P ≤ .001, respectively). In contrast, in 501 patients with LQT3, LTE was preceded by a syncopal episode in 7 (12%). In patients with LQT1 and LQT2, treatment with β-blockers following a syncopal event was associated with a significant reduction in the risk of subsequent LTEs. The rate of breakthrough events during treatment with β-blockers was significantly higher among those treated with selective agents vs nonselective agents.

CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE: In this study, trigger-specific syncope in LQTS patients was associated with differential risk of subsequent LTE and response to β-blocker therapy.

PMID:37436769 | DOI:10.1001/jamacardio.2023.1951

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County-Level Income Inequality, Social Mobility, and Deaths of Despair in the US, 2000-2019

JAMA Netw Open. 2023 Jul 3;6(7):e2323030. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.23030.

ABSTRACT

IMPORTANCE: Increasing mortality from suicide, drug overdose, and alcohol-related liver disease (collectively referred to as deaths of despair) is a critical public health crisis. Income inequality and social mobility have been separately associated with all-cause mortality; however, no studies have examined their interaction with these preventable deaths.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the interaction between income inequality and social mobility with deaths of despair among working-age Hispanic, non-Hispanic Black, and non-Hispanic White populations.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This cross-sectional study analyzed data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention WONDER (Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research) database on county-level deaths of despair from 2000 to 2019 across racial and ethnic groups. Statistical analysis was performed from January 8 to May 20, 2023.

EXPOSURES: The primary exposure of interest was county-level income inequality, measured by the Gini coefficient. Another exposure was race- and ethnicity-specific absolute social mobility. Tertiles for the Gini coefficient and social mobility were created to evaluate the dose-response association.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The main outcomes were adjusted risk ratios (RRs) of deaths from suicide, drug overdose, and alcoholic liver disease. The interaction between income inequality and social mobility was formally tested on both the additive and multiplicative scales.

RESULTS: The sample included 788 counties for Hispanic populations, 1050 counties for non-Hispanic Black populations, and 2942 counties for non-Hispanic White populations. Over the study period, 152 350, 149 589, and 1 250 156 deaths of despair were recorded for working-age Hispanic, non-Hispanic Black, and non-Hispanic White populations, respectively. Compared with the reference group (counties with low income inequality and high social mobility), counties with greater income inequality (high inequality: RR, 1.26 [95% CI, 1.24-1.29] for Hispanic populations; RR, 1.18 [95% CI, 1.15-1.20] for non-Hispanic Black populations; and RR, 1.22 [95% CI, 1.21-1.23] for non-Hispanic White populations) or less social mobility (low mobility: RR, 1.79 [95% CI, 1.76-1.82] for Hispanic populations; RR, 1.64 [95% CI, 1.61-1.67] for non-Hispanic Black populations; and RR, 1.38 [95% CI, 1.38-1.39] for non-Hispanic White populations) had higher RRs for deaths of despair. In counties with high income inequality and low social mobility, positive interactions were observed on the additive scale for Hispanic populations (relative excess risk due to interaction [RERI], 0.27 [95% CI, 0.17-0.37]), non-Hispanic Black populations (RERI, 0.36 [95% CI, 0.30-0.42]), and non-Hispanic White populations (RERI, 0.10 [95% CI, 0.09-0.12]). In contrast, positive interactions on the multiplicative scale were found only for non-Hispanic Black populations (ratio of RRs, 1.24 [95% CI, 1.18-1.31]) and non-Hispanic White populations (ratio of RRs, 1.03 [95% CI, 1.02-1.05]), but not for Hispanic populations (ratio of RRs, 0.98 [95% CI, 0.93-1.04]). In the sensitivity analyses using continuous Gini coefficient and social mobility, a positive interaction was observed between higher income inequality and lower social mobility with deaths of despair on both the additive and multiplicative scales for all 3 racial and ethnic groups.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: This cross-sectional study found that the joint exposure of unequal income distribution and lack of social mobility was associated with additional risks for deaths of despair, suggesting that addressing the underlying social and economic conditions is crucial in responding to the epidemic of deaths of despair.

PMID:37436752 | DOI:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.23030

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Effect of Nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure vs Heated Humidified High-Flow Nasal Cannula on Feeding Intolerance in Preterm Infants With Respiratory Distress Syndrome: The ENTARES Randomized Clinical Trial

JAMA Netw Open. 2023 Jul 3;6(7):e2323052. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.23052.

ABSTRACT

IMPORTANCE: Respiratory distress syndrome and feeding intolerance are common conditions that are often associated with preterm infants. Showing similar efficacy, nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP) and heated humidified high-flow nasal cannula (HHHFNC) are the most widespread noninvasive respiratory support (NRS) in neonatal intensive care units, but their effect on feeding intolerance is unknown.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of NCPAP vs HHHFNC on high-risk preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This multicenter randomized clinical trial involved infants who were born in 1 of 13 neonatal intensive care units in Italy between November 1, 2018, and June 30, 2021. Preterm infants with a gestational age of 25 to 29 weeks, who were suitable for enteral feeding and who proved to be medically stable on NRS for at least 48 hours were enrolled in the study within the first week of life and randomized to receive either NCPAP or HHHFNC. Statistical analysis was performed according to the intention-to-treat approach.

INTERVENTION: NCPAP or HHHFNC.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary outcome was the time to full enteral feeding (FEF), defined as an enteral intake of 150 mL/kg per day. Secondary outcomes were the median daily increment of enteral feeding, signs of feeding intolerance, effectiveness of the assigned NRS, peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2)-fraction of inspired oxygen (FIO2) ratio at changes of NRS, and growth.

RESULTS: Two-hundred forty-seven infants (median [IQR] gestational age, 28 [27-29] weeks; 130 girls [52.6%]) were randomized to the NCPAP group (n = 122) or the HHHFNC group (n = 125). There were no differences in the primary and secondary nutritional outcomes between the 2 groups. The median time to reach FEF was 14 days (95% CI, 11-15 days) in the NCPAP group and 14 days (95% CI, 12-18 days) in the HHHFNC group, and similar results were observed in the subgroup of infants with less than 28 weeks’ gestation. On the first NRS change, higher SpO2-FIO2 ratio (median [IQR], 4.6 [4.1-4.7] vs 3.7 [3.2-4.0]; P < .001) and lower rate of ineffectiveness (1 [4.8%] vs 17 [73.9%]; P < .001) were observed in the NCPAP vs HHHFNC group.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: This randomized clinical trial found that NCPAP and HHHFNC had similar effects on feeding intolerance, despite different working mechanisms. Clinicians may tailor respiratory care by selecting and switching between the 2 NRS techniques on the basis of respiratory effectiveness and patient compliance, without affecting feeding intolerance.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03548324.

PMID:37436750 | DOI:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.23052

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Sociodemographic Characteristics and Mental and Physical Health Diagnoses of Yazidi Refugees Who Survived the Daesh Genocide and Resettled in Canada

JAMA Netw Open. 2023 Jul 3;6(7):e2323064. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.23064.

ABSTRACT

IMPORTANCE: The health status of Yazidi refugees, a group of ethnoreligious minority individuals from northern Iraq who resettled in Canada between 2017 and 2018 after experiencing genocide, displacement, and enslavement by the Islamic State (Daesh), is unknown but important to guide health care and future resettlement planning for Yazidi refugees and other genocide victims. In addition, resettled Yazidi refugees requested documentation of the health impacts of the Daesh genocide.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize sociodemographic characteristics, mental and physical health conditions, and family separations among Yazidi refugees who resettled in Canada.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This retrospective clinician- and community-engaged cross-sectional study included 242 Yazidi refugees seen at a Canadian refugee clinic between February 24, 2017, and August 24, 2018. Sociodemographic and clinical diagnoses were extracted through review of electronic medical records. Two reviewers independently categorized patients’ diagnoses by International Statistical Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) codes and ICD-10-CM chapter groups. Diagnosis frequencies were calculated and stratified by age group and sex. Five expert refugee clinicians used a modified Delphi approach to identify diagnoses likely to be associated with Daesh exposure, then corroborated these findings with Yazidi leader coinvestigators. A total of 12 patients without identified diagnoses during the study period were excluded from the analysis of health conditions. Data were analyzed from September 1, 2019, to November 30, 2022.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Sociodemographic characteristics; exposure to Daesh captivity, torture, or violence (hereinafter, Daesh exposure); mental and physical health diagnoses; and family separations.

RESULTS: Among 242 Yazidi refugees, the median (IQR) age was 19.5 (10.0-30.0) years, and 141 (58.3%) were female. A total of 124 refugees (51.2%) had direct Daesh exposure, and 60 of 63 families (95.2%) experienced family separations after resettlement. Among 230 refugees included in the health conditions analysis, the most common clinical diagnoses were abdominal and pelvic pain (47 patients [20.4%]), iron deficiency (43 patients [18.7%]), anemia (36 patients [15.7%]), and posttraumatic stress disorder (33 patients [14.3%]). Frequently identified ICD-10-CM chapters were symptoms and signs (113 patients [49.1%]), nutritional diseases (86 patients [37.4%]), mental and behavioral disorders (77 patients [33.5%]), and infectious and parasitic diseases (72 patients [31.3%]). Clinicians identified mental health conditions (74 patients [32.2%]), suspected somatoform disorders (111 patients [48.3%]), and sexual and physical violence (26 patients [11.3%]) as likely to be associated with Daesh exposure.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In this cross-sectional study, Yazidi refugees who resettled in Canada after surviving the Daesh genocide experienced substantial trauma, complex mental and physical health conditions, and nearly universal family separations. These findings highlight the need for comprehensive health care, community engagement, and family reunification and may inform care for other refugees and genocide victims.

PMID:37436749 | DOI:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.23064