Category: Nevin Manimala

Front Psychiatry. 2022 May 23;13:869685. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.869685. eCollection 2022.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a program based on the telementoring model [Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO)] for primary care physicians in diagnosing and treating patients with dementia.

METHOD: The ECHO model was adapted through 12 live sessions of 2 h every 2 weeks consisting of a didactic presentation by the expert, peer-led new case discussions, and follow-up discussions. In addition, there were 10 h of self-paced e-learning and interim assignments. The impact was examined by noting participation, session ratings, monthly clinical reports, and comparing knowledge and competency scores before and after the course.

RESULTS: Among the 63 participants, 39.7% attended at least 80% of the sessions; completing the program successfully. The ratings for all sessions ranged from “good” to “excellent.” The paired sample t-test revealed a statistically significant improvement (p < 0.001) in self-rated skills and confidence in diagnosing and treating dementia with an effect size of 1.25 and 1.37, respectively. No change in the knowledge score was observed throughout the course. A considerable increase in dementia-related clinical practice was observed during four monthly summary of clinical cases. Due to the limited data of monthly reports during the COVID pandemic, no statistical analysis was attempted.

CONCLUSION: The ECHO model appears to have a positive immediate impact on the clinical ability of primary care physicians to diagnose and treat dementia. Its direct impact on patient health and at the community level should be aimed at in future studies.

PMID:35677870 | PMC:PMC9168648 | DOI:10.3389/fpsyt.2022.869685

Front Psychiatry. 2022 May 23;13:896018. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.896018. eCollection 2022.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: ECT is a rapid and effective treatment for depression. While efficacy is often remarkable over the initial 3-4 sessions, the efficacy of later sessions is less rapid, and the side-effects, especially cognitive impairment limit its use. To preliminarily compare the efficacy and acceptability of a novel hybrid-ECT (HECT) protocol for patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) with standard ECT, we conducted this pilot trial.

METHODS: Thirty patients were randomly assigned to ECT or HECT. Both arms received three ECT sessions (phase 1) but, in phase 2, the HECT arm received low-charge electrotherapy instead of ECT. The primary outcome was the change in 24-item Hamilton depression rating scale (HAMD-24) scores between baseline and the end of treatment. Cognitive function was assessed by repeatable battery for the assessment of neuropsychological status (RBANS), Stroop color word, and orientation recovery tests (ORT). Safety was measured by the drop-out rate and adverse events (AEs). Four visits were conducted at baseline, post-phase 1, post-phase 2, and at 1-month follow-up. Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (http://www.chictr.org.cn/), identifier: ChiCTR1900027701.

RESULTS: Patients in both arms showed significant within-group improvements in HAMD-24, but the between-group differences were non-significant. Participants in the HECT arm outperformed ECT patients for most cognitive tests at the end of treatment or at follow-up. There was a significantly lower AE rate and shorter ORT in phase 2 of the HECT ar.

CONCLUSION: In this pilot trial, HECT was associated with fewer AEs and better cognitive function including executive and memory function, but its possible similar antidepressive efficacy needs to be further investigated in future.

PMID:35677877 | PMC:PMC9168000 | DOI:10.3389/fpsyt.2022.896018

Gen Psychiatr. 2022 May 16;35(3):e100732. doi: 10.1136/gpsych-2021-100732. eCollection 2022.

ABSTRACT

Suppose we have a sample of subjects in two treatment groups. To study the difference of the treatment effects, we can analyse the data using all subjects (overall analysis). We may also divide the subjects into several subgroups based on some covariates of interest (eg, gender), and study the treatment effects within each subgroup. The results of these two analyses may be different or even in opposite directions. In this paper, we give a general sufficient condition of consistency between the overall and subgroup analyses.

PMID:35677850 | PMC:PMC9114839 | DOI:10.1136/gpsych-2021-100732

Resusc Plus. 2022 Jun 2;10:100258. doi: 10.1016/j.resplu.2022.100258. eCollection 2022 Jun.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Several biochemical markers in blood correlate with the magnitude of brain injury and may be used to predict neurological outcome after cardiac arrest. We present a protocol for the evaluation of prognostic accuracy of brain injury markers after cardiac arrest. The aim is to define the best predictive marker and to establish clinically useful cut-off levels for routine implementation.

METHODS: Prospective international multicenter trial within the Targeted Hypothermia versus Targeted Normothermia after Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest (TTM2) trial in collaboration with Roche Diagnostics International AG. Samples were collected 0, 24, 48, and 72 hours after randomisation (serum) and 0 and 48 hours after randomisation (plasma), and pre-analytically processed at each site before storage in a central biobank. Routine markers neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and S100B, and neurofilament light, total-tau and glial fibrillary acidic protein will be batch analysed using novel Elecsys® electrochemiluminescence immunoassays on a Cobas e601 instrument.

RESULTS: Statistical analysis will be reported according to the Standards for Reporting Diagnostic accuracy studies (STARD) and will include comparisons for prediction of good versus poor functional outcome at six months post-arrest, by modified Rankin Scale (0-3 vs. 4-6), using logistic regression models and receiver operating characteristics curves, evaluation of mortality at six months according to biomarker levels and establishment of cut-off values for prediction of poor neurological outcome at 95-100% specificities.

CONCLUSIONS: This prospective trial may establish a standard methodology and clinically appropriate cut-off levels for the optimal biomarker of brain injury which predicts poor neurological outcome after cardiac arrest.

PMID:35677835 | PMC:PMC9168690 | DOI:10.1016/j.resplu.2022.100258

Syst Rev. 2022 Jun 8;11(1):117. doi: 10.1186/s13643-022-01995-4.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Improving the delivery, uptake, and implementation of cancer screening to meet evidence-based recommendations is needed to reduce persistent cancer health disparities in the USA. Current national public health targets emphasize the role of social determinants of health (SDOH) on cancer screening. However, there remains a need to explicate these linkages, toward the goal of identifying and implementing effective interventions that target and address SDOH to reduce inequities in cancer screening.

METHODS: We will conduct a systematic review of English language peer-reviewed original research articles published between 2010 and 2021 that describe observational (qualitative and quantitative) and intervention studies conducted in the USA. In alignment with Healthy People 2030, we will include studies of breast, cervical, colorectal, and/or lung cancer screening. Guided by multiple SDOH frameworks, we will broadly define SDOH by five domain areas: economic stability, education access and quality, healthcare access and quality, neighborhood and built environment, and social and community context. Following systematic literature searches in five databases (Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science, Cochrane Library) and piloting of screening procedures, reviewers will independently screen titles/abstracts for potential relevance. Reviewer pairs will then screen full text articles for eligibility criteria. We will extract data items from included articles, including study characteristics, cancer screening intervention information, and coding of SDOH constructs. We will assess study quality using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool and synthesize our findings using narrative, descriptive statistics, tables, and figures. Our approach will adhere to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) recommendations.

DISCUSSION: By completing this systematic review, we will summarize recent literature on SDOH and cancer screening, identify research gaps for inclusion of SDOH, and propose future opportunities for advancing equity in cancer screening by integrating SDOH as part of the implementation context to promote uptake, sustainability, and scale-up in the implementation of screening guidelines.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42021276582 .

PMID:35676720 | DOI:10.1186/s13643-022-01995-4

Harm Reduct J. 2022 Jun 8;19(1):64. doi: 10.1186/s12954-022-00645-1.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Expanding availability to naloxone is a core harm reduction strategy in efforts to address the opioid epidemic. In the US, state-level legislation is a prominent mechanism to expand naloxone availability through various venues, such as community pharmacies. This qualitative study aimed to identify and summarize the views of experts on state-level naloxone access laws.

METHODS: We conducted a three-round modified-Delphi process using the online ExpertLens platform. Participants included 46 key stakeholders representing various groups (advocates, healthcare providers, human/social service practitioners, policymakers, and researchers) with expertise naloxone access laws. Participants commented on the effectiveness and implementability of 15 state-level naloxone access laws (NALs). We thematically analyzed participant comments to summarize views on NALs overall and specific types of NAL.

RESULTS: Participants commented that the effectiveness of NALs in reducing opioid-related mortality depends on their ability to make sustained, significant impacts on population-level naloxone availability. Participants generally believed that increased naloxone availability does not have appreciable negative impacts on the prevalence of opioid misuse, opioid use disorder (OUD), and non-fatal opioid overdoses. Implementation barriers include stigma among the general public, affordability of naloxone, and reliance on an inequitable healthcare system.

CONCLUSIONS: Experts believe NALs that significantly increase naloxone access are associated with less overdose mortality without risking substantial unintended public health outcomes. To maximize impacts, high-value NALs should explicitly counter existing healthcare system inequities, address stigmatization of opioid use and naloxone, maintain reasonable prices for purchasing naloxone, and target settings beyond community pharmacies to distribute naloxone.

PMID:35676719 | DOI:10.1186/s12954-022-00645-1

Global Health. 2022 Jun 8;18(1):58. doi: 10.1186/s12992-022-00836-2.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Apart from infecting a large number of people around the world and causing the death of many people, the COVID-19 pandemic seems to have changed the healthcare processes of other diseases by changing the allocation of health resources and changing people’s access or intention to healthcare systems.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the incidence of endpoints marking delayed healthcare seeking in medical emergencies, before and during the pandemic.

METHODS: Based on a PICO model, medical emergency conditions that need timely intervention was selected to be evaluated as separate panels. In a systematic literature review, PubMed was quarried for each panel for studies comparing the incidence of various medical emergencies before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Markers of failure/disruption of treatment due to delayed referral were included in the meta-analysis for each panel.

RESULT: There was a statistically significant increased pooled median time of symptom onset to admission of the acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients; an increased rate of vasospasm of aneurismal subarachnoid hemorrhage; and perforation rate in acute appendicitis; diabetic ketoacidosis presentation rate among Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus patients; and rate of orchiectomy among testicular torsion patients in comparison of pre-COVID-19 with COVID-19 cohorts; while there were no significant changes in the event rate of ruptured ectopic pregnancy and median time of symptom onset to admission in the cerebrovascular accident (CVA) patients.

CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 has largely disrupted the referral of patients for emergency medical care and patient-related delayed care should be addressed as a major health threat.

PMID:35676714 | DOI:10.1186/s12992-022-00836-2

Virol J. 2022 Jun 8;19(1):101. doi: 10.1186/s12985-022-01828-9.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Certain clinical manifestations of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) mimic those associated with human herpesvirus (HHV) infection. In this study, we estimated the prevalence of herpesvirus in patients with COVID-19 and determined if coinfection is associated with poorer outcomes and neurological symptoms.

METHODS: We analyzed samples of 53 patients diagnosed with COVID-19. The samples were evaluated for the presence of alphaherpesviruses, betaherpesviruses, and gammaherpesviruses, and the viral loads were quantified using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) method.

RESULTS: Among the patients, in 79.2% had detection at least one type of herpesvirus. HHV-6 (47.2%), cytomegalovirus (43.3%), and HHV-7 (39.6%) showed the highest detection rates. Patients with a high severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) load were more likely to show herpes simplex virus 1 detection (p = 0.037). Among patients coinfected with SARS-CoV-2 and HHVs, 26.4% showed central nervous system-associated neurological symptoms and herpetic manifestations. A statistically significant association was observed between neurological changes and HHV-6 detection (p = 0.034).

CONCLUSIONS: The findings showed a high prevalence of herpesvirus in patients with COVID-19. Furthermore, even though SARS-CoV-2 and HHV coinfection was not associated with poorer outcomes, the findings demonstrated the association between neurological symptoms and HHV-6 detection.

PMID:35676707 | DOI:10.1186/s12985-022-01828-9

Eye Vis (Lond). 2022 Jun 9;9(1):21. doi: 10.1186/s40662-022-00293-3.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The accuracy of using total keratometry (TK) value in recent IOL power calculation formulas in highly myopic eyes remained unknown.

METHODS: Highly myopic patients who underwent uneventful cataract surgery were prospectively enrolled in this prospective comparative study. At one month postoperatively, standard deviation (SD) of the prediction errors (PEs), mean and median absolute error (MedAE) of 103 highly myopic eyes were back-calculated and compared among ten formulas, including XGboost, RBF 3.0, Kane, Barrett Universal II, Emmetropia Verifying Optical 2.0, Cooke K6, Haigis, SRK/T, and Wang-Koch modifications of Haigis and SRK/T formulas, using either TK or standard keratometry (K) value.

RESULTS: In highly myopic eyes, despite good agreement between TK and K (P > 0.05), larger differences between the two were associated with smaller central corneal thickness (P < 0.05). As to the refractive errors, TK method showed no differences compared to K method. The XGBoost, RBF 3.0 and Kane ranked top three when considering SDs of PEs. Using TK value, the XGboost calculator was comparable with the RBF 3.0 formula (P > 0.05), which both presented smaller MedAEs than others (all P < 0.05). As for the percentage of eyes within ± 0.50 D or ± 0.75 D of PE, the XGBoost TK showed comparable percentages with the RBF 3.0 TK formula (74.76% vs. 66.99%, or 90.29% vs. 87.38%, P > 0.05), and statistically larger percentages than the other eight formulas (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: Highly myopic eyes with thinner corneas tend to have larger differences between TK and K. The XGboost enhancement calculator and RBF 3.0 formula using TK showed the most promising outcomes in highly myopic eyes.

PMID:35676698 | DOI:10.1186/s40662-022-00293-3

BMC Womens Health. 2022 Jun 8;22(1):215. doi: 10.1186/s12905-022-01780-4.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Intimate partner violence (IPV) adversely affects women’s reproductive health outcomes but to what extent women’s justification of IPV affects maternal health care service utilization is unexplored.

METHODS: The secondary cross-sectional datasets from multiple indicator cluster surveys of Afghanistan, Bhutan, Nepal and Pakistan conducted between 2010 and 2015 were used. We used a generalized linear mixed model with random effects, at both cluster- and country-level, to determine the odds ratio of maternal health service utilization at the regional level and a multivariable logistic regression model adjusting for complex survey design at the country level. Interaction between women’s justification of IPV and residential location, and linear trend in the utilization of maternal health care services associated with increasing levels of women’s justification of IPV, were examined using the Likelihood Ratio Test (LRT).

RESULTS: A total of 26,029 women aged 15-49 years, living with their partners and had a pregnancy outcome 2 years prior to the survey were included. Women justifying IPV were less likely to utilize contraceptive methods (aOR) = 0.86, 95% CI 0.84, 0.88), at-least one Antenatal Care (ANC) visit (aOR = 0.80, 95% CI 0.72, 0.88), four or more ANC services (aOR = 0.81, 95% CI 0.76, 0.86), institutional delivery (aOR = 0.87, 95% CI 0.80, 0.94) and Post-natal Care (aOR = 0.76, 95% CI 0.62, 0.95) services. A decreasing linear trend was observed for four or more ANC visits (LRT P = 0.96) and institutional delivery (LRT P = 0.80) with increasing levels of IPV justification. Women justifying IPV were less likely to have at least one ANC visit in urban (aOR 0.67, 95% CI 0.60, 0.75) compared to rural areas (aOR 0.83, 95% CI 0.73, 0.94).

CONCLUSIONS: Women’s justification of IPV was associated with decreased odds of utilizing a wide range of maternal health care services at the regional level. Although further research that may help establish a causal link is important before formulating public health interventions, our study indicates interventions targeting women’s condoning attitude toward IPV, delivered sooner rather than later, could potentially help to improve women’s utilization of essential maternal health care services in the South Asian region that comprises Afghanistan, Bhutan, Nepal, and Pakistan.

PMID:35676686 | DOI:10.1186/s12905-022-01780-4