Tag: pubmed

Health Serv Res. 2024 May 28. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.14331. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of Medicaid expansion on state expenditures through the end of 2022.

DATA SOURCES: We used data from the National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO)’s State Expenditure Report, Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF)’s Medicaid expansion tracker, US Bureau of Labor Statistics data (BLS), US Bureau of Economic Analysis data (BEA), and Pandemic Response Accountability Committee Oversight (PRAC).

STUDY DESIGN: We investigated spending per capita (by state population) across seven budget categories, including Medicaid spending, and four spending sources. We performed a difference-in-differences (DiD) analysis that compared within-state changes in spending over time in expansion and nonexpansion states to estimate the effect of Medicaid expansion on state budgets. We adjusted for annual state unemployment rate, annual state per capita personal income, and state spending of Coronavirus Relief Funds (CRF) from 2020 to 2022 and included state and year fixed effects.

DATA COLLECTION/EXTRACTION METHODS: We linked annual state-level data on state-reported fiscal year expenditures from NASBO with state-level characteristics from BLS and BEA data and with CRF state spending from PRAC.

PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Medicaid expansion was associated with an average increase of 21% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 16%-25%) in per capita Medicaid spending after Medicaid expansion among states that expanded prior to 2020. After inclusion of an interaction term to separate between the coronavirus disease (COVID) era (2020-2022) and the prior period following expansion (2015-2019), we found that although Medicaid expansion led to an average increase of 33% (95% CI: 21%-45%) in federal funding of state expenditures in the post-COVID years, it was not significantly associated with increased state spending.

CONCLUSIONS: There was no evidence of crowding out of other state expenditure categories or a substantial impact on total state spending, even in the COVID-19 era. Increased federal expenditures may have shielded states from substantial budgetary impacts.

PMID:38804047 | DOI:10.1111/1475-6773.14331

J Basic Clin Physiol Pharmacol. 2024 May 29. doi: 10.1515/jbcpp-2024-0004. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: The main objective of the current study was to find the association between oxidative stress, inflammatory markers, and electrophysiological profile with symptom severity in patients of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS).

METHODS: Thirty-two carpal tunnel syndrome patients and 32 controls were included in the study. Boston CTS questionnaire along with plasma oxidative stress markers including superoxide dismutase, malondialdehyde, and nitric oxide and inflammatory markers including IL-6 and TNF-α were compared with the electrophysiological parameters derived from nerve conduction studies. Statistical significance of the levels between groups was calculated using unpaired-t test after checking for normality with D’Agostino & Pearson omnibus normality test.

RESULTS: We found that the median nerve conduction velocity was prolonged, amplitude was decreased, while the levels of oxidative stress markers like malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxidase dismutase (SOD), and nitric oxide (NO) were increased in CTS patients compared to controls. Inflammatory markers like interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) were also increased in CTS patients. We found that plasma SOD and TNF-α correlated well with the median motor amplitude. There was no other significant correlation between oxidative stress markers and inflammatory markers with nerve conduction studies or disease severity. Patients with mild disease also showed lesser levels of SOD, NO, IL-6, and TNF-α markers than patients with severe disease.

CONCLUSIONS: CTS is probably a disease of sterile inflammation and disbalance of oxidative stress, with higher inflammatory and oxidative stress markers pointing to a more severe disease.

PMID:38804046 | DOI:10.1515/jbcpp-2024-0004

Yonsei Med J. 2024 Jun;65(6):363-370. doi: 10.3349/ymj.2023.0455.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: We investigated the association between social support, metabolic syndrome, and incident cardio-cerebrovascular disease (CCVD) in rural Koreans aged ≥50 years.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a prospective study using the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study on Atherosclerosis Risk of Rural Areas in the Korean General Population (KoGES-ARIRANG) dataset. From the baseline of 5169 adults, 1682 participants were finally included according to the exclusion criteria. For outcomes, myocardial infarction, angina, and stroke were included. For independent variables, the social support score and metabolic syndrome were used. Descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression were performed to investigate the association among the variables. Paired t-test was conducted to analyze the longitudinal variation of social support scores.

RESULTS: During the 6.37 years of median follow-up, 137 participants developed CCVD. The adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of metabolic syndrome with persistently high social support was 2.175 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.479-3.119]. The aOR of metabolic syndrome with persistently low social support was 2.494 (95% CI: 1.141-5.452). The longitudinal variation of the social support score of persistently high social support group was increased significantly by 4.26±26.32. The score of the persistently low social support group was decreased by 1.34±16.87 with no statistical significance.

CONCLUSION: The presence of metabolic syndrome increases the likelihood of developing onset CCVD. Within the metabolic syndrome positive group, when social support was persistently low, the cohort developed more cardio-cerebrovascular disease compared to the persistently higher social support group. The social support score of the persistently low social support group could be improved through proper intervention. To prevent CCVD, metabolic syndrome components and low social support should be improved in the study participants.

PMID:38804031 | DOI:10.3349/ymj.2023.0455

Yonsei Med J. 2024 Jun;65(6):356-362. doi: 10.3349/ymj.2023.0099.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: There are many studies regarding the increased relationship between pregnancy outcomes of singleton with endometriosis. However, there was limited evidence of twin pregnancies with endometriosis. This study aimed to compare the pregnancy outcomes and complications in twin pregnancies with or without endometriosis in a single institution.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 2011 to July 2022, a retrospective analysis of twin pregnancies was conducted. The endometriosis group included patient with histological or visual confirmation before pregnancy or during cesarean section. Pregnancy outcomes and complications were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS: Out of 1714 patients examined, 127 (7.4%) were included in the endometriosis group. Maternal body mass index (BMI) was lower in the endometriosis group (p<0.001). There were no significant differences in maternal age, mode of conception, chorionicity, and pregnancy outcomes, such as gestational age at delivery (p=0.835) and the preterm birth rate (p=0.579). The endometriosis group had a significantly higher rate of obstetrical complication: small for gestational age (SGA) <10% (p=0.029). However, after adjustment for BMI, the endometriosis group showed no statistical significance in obstetrical complications, including SGA (adjusted odds ratio, 1.568; 95% confidence interval, 0.984-2.499; p=0.059).

CONCLUSION: Twin pregnancies with endometriosis were not related to adverse effects on pregnancy outcomes and obstetrical complications. To confirm these outcomes, further large prospective studies are required.

PMID:38804030 | DOI:10.3349/ymj.2023.0099

Nutr Diet. 2024 May 28. doi: 10.1111/1747-0080.12885. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIMS: To co-create strategies and identify opportunities to integrate eating disorder content within dietetics curricula at one Australian university with stakeholders using a design thinking approach.

METHODS: A pragmatic mixed-methods, participatory design approach was used. An online survey explored the learning needs of dietetic students and recent graduates regarding eating disorders. Following the survey, a one-day design thinking retreat was held with stakeholders who were identified from the research team’s professional networks. Eating disorder dietitians, learning experts, dietetic students, graduates, and those with lived experience were asked to identify strategies to enhance students’ confidence and competence to provide care for people living with eating disorders. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and qualitative data were analysed using inductive coding and reflexive thematic analysis.

RESULTS: Sixty-four students (n = 55, 86%) and recent graduates (n = 9, 14%) completed the online survey (26% response). Seventeen stakeholders attended the retreat. Four themes were identified: (1) changing perceptions of eating disorder care from specialist to ‘core business’; (2) desiring and advocating for a national change to dietetics curricula; (3) importance of lived experience at the centre of curriculum design and delivery; and (4) collaborating to co-design and deliver eating disorder content at university.

CONCLUSION: Raising awareness, upskilling students and educators, enhanced collaboration between universities and stakeholders, and the inclusion of lived experience were key to preparing students to provide care to people seeking support for eating disorders. Further research is needed to assess the impact these strategies have on dietetic students’ confidence and competence.

PMID:38804016 | DOI:10.1111/1747-0080.12885

J Korean Med Sci. 2024 May 27;39(20):e168. doi: 10.3346/jkms.2024.39.e168.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: South Korea faces a critical challenge with its rapidly declining fertility rates and an increasingly aging population, which significantly impacts the country’s blood supply and demand. Despite these nationwide trends, regional disparities in blood supply and demand have not been thoroughly studied.

METHODS: This research utilized blood donation data from the Korean Red Cross and blood transfusion data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. We analyzed these datasets in conjunction with regional population projections to simulate blood supply and demand from 2021 to 2050 across South Korea. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess the impact of various factors, including the number of donors, age eligibility criteria for donations, frequency of donations, and blood discard rates.

RESULTS: Our projections indicate a decreasing trend in blood supply, from 2.6 million units in 2021 to 1.4 million units by 2050, while demand is expected to peak at 5.1 million units by 2045 before declining. Metropolitan areas, particularly Gyeonggi Province, are projected to experience the most severe shortages. Sensitivity analyses suggest that increasing the donation frequency of existing donors and relaxing age eligibility criteria are more effective strategies in addressing these imbalances than merely increasing the number of new donors. Blood discard rates showed minimal impact on the overall blood shortage.

CONCLUSION: The findings emphasize the urgent need for targeted strategies to mitigate national and regional blood supply shortages in South Korea. Encouraging frequent donations from experienced donors and broadening eligibility criteria are critical steps toward stabilizing the blood supply amidst demographic shifts. These strategies must be prioritized to address the impending regional disparities in blood availability.

PMID:38804012 | DOI:10.3346/jkms.2024.39.e168

J Korean Med Sci. 2024 May 27;39(20):e167. doi: 10.3346/jkms.2024.39.e167.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Coinfections with multiple nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) species have not been widely studied. We aimed to evaluate the clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes in patients with NTM-pulmonary disease (PD) caused by coinfection with multiple NTM species.

METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed patients with NTM-PD at a tertiary referral hospital in Korea between March 2012 and December 2018. Coinfection was defined as two or more species of NTM pathogens isolated from the same respiratory specimen or different specimens within three months.

RESULTS: Among 1,009 patients with NTM-PD, 147 (14.6%) NTM coinfections were observed (average age 64.7 years, 69.4% women). NTM species were identified more frequently (median 6 vs. 3 times, P < 0.001) in the coinfection group than in the single species group, and follow-up duration was also longer in the coinfection group (median 44.9 vs. 27.1 months, P < 0.001). Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) and M. abscessus and M. massiliense (MAB) were the dominant combinations (n = 71, 48.3%). For patients treated for over six months in the MAC plus MAB group (n = 31), sputum culture conversion and microbiological cure were achieved in 67.7% and 41.9% of patients, respectively. We divided the MAC plus MAB coinfection group into three subgroups according to the target mycobacteria; however, no statistical differences were found in the treatment outcomes.

CONCLUSION: In NTM-PD cases, a significant number of multiple NTM species coinfections occurred. Proper identification of all cultured NTM species through follow-up is necessary to detect multispecies coinfections. Further research is needed to understand the nature of NTM-PD in such cases.

PMID:38804011 | DOI:10.3346/jkms.2024.39.e167

Birth. 2024 May 28. doi: 10.1111/birt.12833. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: This exploratory review aimed to provide empirical evidence on the definitions of labor, the statistical approaches and measures reported in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies measuring the duration of labor.

METHODS: A systematic electronic literature search was conducted using different databases. An extraction form was designed and used to extract relevant data. English, French, and German studies published between 1999 and 2019 have been included. Only RCTs and observational studies analyzing labor duration (or a phase of labor duration) as a primary outcome have been included.

RESULTS: Ninety-two RCTs and 126 observational studies were eligible. No definition of the onset of labor was provided in 21.7% (n = 20) of the RCTs and 23.8% (n = 30) of the observational studies. Mean was the most frequently applied measure of labor duration in the RCTs (89.1%, n = 82), and median in the observational studies (54.8%, n = 69). Most RCTs (83%, n = 76) and observational studies (70.6%, n = 89) analyzed labor duration using a bivariate method, with the t-test being the most frequently applied (45.7% and 27%, respectively). Only 10.8% (n = 10) of the RCTs and 52.4% (n = 66) of the observational studies conducted a multivariable regression: 3 (30%; out of 10) RCTs and 37 (56%; out of 66) observational studies used a time-to-event adapted model.

CONCLUSION: This survey reports a lack of agreement with respect to how the onset of labor and phases of labor duration are presented. Concerning the statistical approaches, few studies used survival analysis, which is the appropriate statistical framework to analyze time-to-event data.

PMID:38804004 | DOI:10.1111/birt.12833

Heliyon. 2024 May 16;10(10):e31141. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e31141. eCollection 2024 May 30.

ABSTRACT

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: Postoperative pelvic radiographs remain a vital tool for assessing cup orientation after total hip arthroplasty (THA), with the accuracy influenced by various factors. The objective of this study is to investigate the accuracy of cup anteversion measurement in developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) patients and others based on postoperative pelvic radiographs conducted under the current heavy workload conditions.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients who underwent THA at our hospital with both postoperative X-ray and CT images from January 2020 to December 2022 were included in this retrospective cohort study. Virtual X-ray films were generated using digitally reconstructed radiographs (DRR) technology from CT images, with pelvic position perfectly controlled. Radiographic anteversion (RA) was measured on 3D-CT, virtual X-rays, and actual postoperative X-rays, abbreviated as RA_3D, RA_DRR, and RA_Xray, respectively. A repeated-measures analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was utilized to evaluate the variations in RA within and between different groups across three methods. The Bland-Altman plot analysis showed the variations among methods in DDH and non-DDH patients, setting a clinically acceptable limits of agreement (LOA) at ±5°.

RESULTS: This study included 154 hip cases, with 63 DDH and 91 other diseases. Repeated-measures ANCOVA revealed a descending trend in RA across three methods, with differences of 2.64° (DDH) vs. 2.74° (others) from 3D to DRR, and 4.89° (DDH) vs. 1.07° (others) from DRR to X-ray. The group by methods interaction effect were significant (p = 0.002). Significant statistical differences in RA_Xray (P = 0.035) were observed between DDH and non-DDH patients, but not in RA_3D and RA_DRR. Bland-Altman plots showed 71.4 % of DDH patients exceeded the clinically acceptable LOA, compared to 36.3 % of other patients.

CONCLUSION: Our study indicated that under the current intense workload, the reliability of assessing cup anteversion using postoperative pelvic radiographs is challenged, especially in patients with DDH.

PMID:38803989 | PMC:PMC11128930 | DOI:10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e31141

Heliyon. 2024 May 10;10(10):e30822. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e30822. eCollection 2024 May 30.

ABSTRACT

The evaluation of primordial radionuclide concentrations in rapidly urbanized and concrete-laden areas through the importation of construction materials from various regions of Nepal is both important and essential. This study utilized a portable gamma-ray spectrometer (PGIS 2) to analyze the distribution of three natural radionuclides: uranium (²³⁸U), thorium (²³²Th), and potassium (⁴⁰K) in Tarakeshwor Municipality, Kathmandu, Nepal. The measured dose rates ranged from 70.22 nSv hr^-1 to 163.66 nSv hr^-1, with an average of 124.65±20.29 nSv hr^-1, surpassing the global average of 59 nSv hr^-1. The activity concentrations of ⁴⁰K, ²³⁸U, and ²³²Th exceeded global averages, indicating relatively higher natural radioactivity concentrations in the region. Specifically, the average values for ⁴⁰K, ²³⁸U, and ²³²Th were 935.26±172.30 Bq kg^-1, 80.47±15.53 Bq kg^-1, and 80.44±18.58 Bq kg^-1, respectively. The calculated radium equivalent (${\text{Ra}}_{\text{eq}}$) ranged from 132.26 to 351.22 Bq kg^-1, and the annual gonadal equivalent dose ($AGED$) varied from 372.61 to 1028.81 μSv yr^-1. The annual effective dose rates for indoor and outdoor environments were 0.54±0.09 mSv yr^-1 and 0.15±0.03 mSv yr^-1, respectively, both exceeding the global average. The representative level index (RLI) within the study area averaged 1.96±0.32, indicating an elevated radiation risk. The excess lifetime cancer risk ($ELCR$) values for outdoor and indoor environments were 0.52$\times {10}^{–3}$ ±0.09 $\times {10}^{–3}$ and 1.87 $\times {10}^{–3}$ ±0.31$\times {10}^{–3}$, respectively, surpassing the world average. Additionally, external hazard indices ($H_{\text{ex}}$) ranged from 0.36 to 0.59, while internal hazard indices ($H_{\text{in}}$) ranged from 0.38 to 1.20, both indicating values higher than UNSCEAR recommendations. These findings underscore the necessity for further experimental analysis employing ex-situ equipment. The data generated in this study can provide a valuable baseline for future assessments and interventions in radiation risk management guidelines within the country.

PMID:38803985 | PMC:PMC11128470 | DOI:10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e30822