Tag: pubmed

Nutr Hosp. 2024 Apr 26. doi: 10.20960/nh.04787. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The effectiveness of an elemental diet (ED) for preventing adverse events (AEs) during chemotherapy for patients with esophageal cancer (EC) remains unclear. The aim of this meta-analysis was to comprehensively assess the efficacy of ED for preventing AE in EC patients during chemotherapy. Medline (via PubMed), Embase, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science were searched to retrieve prospective and randomized studies published before April 12, 2023. The odds ratio (OR) of each AE was calculated using Review Manger 5.4.1. The risk of bias was assessed, and a random effect model-based meta-analysis was used to analyze the available data. Four prospective and randomized studies involving 237 patients were identified after a systematic search. Regarding gastrointestinal toxicities, the findings indicated a trend toward a decrease in the risk of mucositis (OM) (OR = 0.54, 95 % CI: 0.25-1.14), constipation (OR = 0.87, 95 % CI: 0.49-1.53), and anorexia (OR = 0.99, 95 % CI: 0.32-3.05), as well as an increasing trend in the risk of diarrhea (OR = 1.48, 95 % CI: 0.79-2.79), among patients treated with ED. However, none of these reached statistical significance. For hematological toxicities, the risk of all-grade neutropenia (OR = 0.28, 95 % CI: 0.14-0.57), grade ≥ 2 leucopenia (OR = 0.43, 95 % CI: 0.22-0.84), grade ≥ 2 neutropenia (OR = 0.34, 95 % CI: 0.17-0.67), and grade ≥ 3 neutropenia (OR = 0.28, 95 % CI: 0.12-0.63) was significantly decreased. There is no firm evidence confirming the preventive effect of an ED against OM or diarrhea. However, an ED may potentially be helpful in preventing neutropenia and leucopenia.

PMID:38726608 | DOI:10.20960/nh.04787

J Prev Med Public Health. 2024 May 5. doi: 10.3961/jpmph.23.497. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Health development is a key element of national development. The goal of improving health development at the societal level will be readily achieved if it is directed from the smallest social unit, namely the family. This was the goal of the Healthy Indonesia Program with a Family Approach. The objective of the study was to analyze variables of family health indicators across all provinces in Indonesia to identify provincial disparities based on the status of healthy families.

METHODS: This study examined secondary data for 2021 from the Indonesia Health Profile, provided by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia, and from the 2021 welfare statistics by Statistics Indonesia (BPS). From these sources, we identified 10 variables for analysis using the k-means method, a non-hierarchical method of cluster analysis.

RESULTS: The results of the cluster analysis of healthy family indicators yielded 5 clusters. In general, cluster 1 (Papua and West Papua Provinces) had the lowest average achievements for healthy family indicators, while cluster 5 (Jakarta Province) had the highest indicator scores.

CONCLUSIONS: In Indonesia, disparities in healthy family indicators persist. Nutrition, maternal health, and child health are among the indicators that require government attention.

PMID:38726578 | DOI:10.3961/jpmph.23.497

J Glob Health. 2024 May 10;14:04099. doi: 10.7189/jogh.14.04099.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: To explore trends of the association between body mass index (BMI) and age at menarche or spermarche and its urban-rural disparities from 1995 to 2019.

METHODS: A total of 912 753 children and adolescents – including 519 940 9-18 years old girls and 392 813 11-18 years old boys – were involved in six successive cross-sectional surveys conducted across 30 provinces in China from 1995 to 2019. Data on menarche and spermarche was collected using the status quo method, where same-gender physicians conducted face-to-face interviews to determine if children and adolescents had experienced their first menstrual cycle or ejaculation (yes/no). The median age at menarche or spermarche was estimated by probit analysis. Anthropometric measurements measured the height and weight of the study subjects. Children and adolescents were classified into thinness, normal range of weight, overweight, and obesity. t test was used to compare the differences in BMI between premenarchal and postmenarchal girls or prespermarcheal and postspermarcheal boys. Logistic regression was used to explore the associations between BMI/nutritional status and menarche or spermarche stratified by urban or rural residency status.

RESULTS: From 1995 to 2019, BMI in all age groups growth over time, and the values of BMI among children and adolescents under 15 who had menarche or spermarche were more significant than those without menarche or spermarche. In 2019, for girls, thinness was associated with delayed menarche (odds ratio (OR) = 0.26; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.24-0.28), while overweight (OR = 1.99; 95% CI = 1.85-2.14) and obesity (OR = 2.20; 95% CI = 1.92-2.53) was associated with advanced menarche. For boys, thinness was associated with delayed spermarche (OR = 0.71; 95% CI = 0.65-0.78), overweight was associated with advanced spermarche (OR = 1.08; 95% CI = 1.01-1.15) while obesity had no association with spermarche. The OR between BMI and menarche in 1995 was 1.35 (95% CI = 1.33-1.37), which decreased to 1.19 (95% CI = 1.18-1.20) by 2019. The OR between BMI and spermarche in 1995 was 1.10 (95% CI = 1.09-1.11), which decreased to 1.02 (95% CI = 1.02-1.03) by 2019. The trends by urban-rural stratification were consistent with the total sample.

CONCLUSIONS: We have established a dose-response relationship between BMI and menarche in girls, whereas the association appears to be nonlinear in boys, and the associations were diminishing. Similar findings were observed in both urban and rural areas. Considering the dual adverse effects of obesity and early puberty on health, the results of this study suggest that sexual health education should be strengthened, especially among obese girls. Further research on the influencing factors and biological mechanisms of early puberty will be beneficial.

PMID:38726560 | DOI:10.7189/jogh.14.04099

J Glob Health. 2024 May 10;14:04083. doi: 10.7189/jogh.14.04083.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Intergenerational family care, which was upended by the HIV epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), may return to a pre-HIV era arrangement as access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) expands and treated adults can once again provide support for older household members. Empirical research has demonstrated positive ‘spillover effects’ of ART uptake from treated adults to younger generations, yet much less is known about the nature and breadth of such effects to older generations. This study explores the role and lived experiences among adults who take up ART and those of an older generation with whom they live.

METHODS: We conducted a qualitative study consisting of semi-structured interviews (n = 46) embedded in the Agincourt Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) in rural South Africa, between July and September 2022. We purposefully sampled two respondent categories: (i) young or middle-aged adults on ART (aged 18-59 years old); and (ii) older adults (aged ≥60 years old) who were affiliated with a young or middle-aged adult on ART. We used thematic content analysis to extract, code, and categorise relevant text by types of upward spillover effects from ART in younger adults to older adults. Quantitative data was extracted from the existing Agincourt HDSS database and matched to qualitative interview data based on Clinic link unique identifiers of study participants.

RESULTS: Mean age was 41 years among young or middle-aged adults (n = 29) and 72 years among older adults (n = 17). Among younger adults, time on ART ranged from five months to more than 21 years. Both young or middle-aged adults on ART and older adults reported positive spillover effects for older adults across five main tiers: caregiving, financial support, physical and mental health, living arrangements and household relationships, and stigma and reputation. Spillover challenges included financial costs and caregiving responsibilities following ART initiation of young or middle-aged adults, although these additional caregiving responsibilities were generally not perceived as particularly burdensome.

CONCLUSIONS: ART is likely to benefit older adults in South Africa whose families are affected by HIV. This study identified a wide range of perceived spillover effects from ART in younger adults to older adults, including improvements to upward intergenerational support. These qualitative findings offer a guide to researchers, policymakers, and donors to capitalise on the broader societal effects of a large-scale health intervention to further support family structures and meet the needs of a growing older population.

PMID:38726557 | DOI:10.7189/jogh.14.04083

J Glob Health. 2024 May 10;14:04092. doi: 10.7189/jogh.14.04092.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Medical oxygen is essential for managing hypoxaemia, which has a multifactorial origin, including acute and chronic lung diseases such as pneumonia, asthma, and severe malaria. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) revealed substantial gaps in the availability and accessibility of safe medical oxygen, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This study aimed to assess the availability and sources, as well as the barriers to the availability of functional medical oxygen in hospitals in Cameroon.

METHODS: This was a nationwide cross-sectional descriptive study conducted from 26 March to 1 June 2021. Using a convenient sampling technique, we sampled accredited public and private COVID-19 treatment centres in all ten regions in Cameroon. Representatives from the selected hospitals were provided with a pre-designed questionnaire assessing the availability, type, and state of medical oxygen in their facilities. All analyses were performed using R.

RESULTS: In total, 114 hospitals were included in this study, with functional medical oxygen available in 65% (74/114) of the hospitals. About 85% (23/27) of the reference hospitals and only 59% (51/87) of the district hospitals had available functional medical oxygen. Compared to district hospitals, reference hospitals were more likely to have central oxygen units (reference vs. district: 10 vs. 0%), oxygen cylinders (74 vs. 42%), and oxygen concentrators (79 vs. 51%). The most common barriers to the availability of medical oxygen were inadequate oxygen supply to meet needs (district vs. reference hospitals: 55 vs. 30%), long delays in oxygen bottle refills (51 vs. 49%), and long distances from oxygen suppliers (57 vs. 49%).

CONCLUSIONS: The availability of medical oxygen in hospitals in Cameroon is suboptimal and more limited in districts compared to reference hospitals. The cost of medical oxygen, delays related to refills and supplies, and long distances from medical sources were the most common barriers to availability in Cameroon.

PMID:38726546 | DOI:10.7189/jogh.14.04092

Swiss Dent J. 2023 Oct 4;134(2):1-17. doi: 10.61872/sdj-2024-06-01.

ABSTRACT

Large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT have potential applications in healthcare, including dentistry. Priming, the practice of providing LLMs with initial, relevant information, is an approach to improve their output quality. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of ChatGPT 3 and ChatGPT 4 on self-assessment questions for dentistry, through the Swiss Federal Licensing Examination in Dental Medicine (SFLEDM), and allergy and clinical immunology, through the European Examination in Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EEAACI). The second objective was to assess the impact of priming on ChatGPT’s performance. The SFLEDM and EEAACI multiple-choice questions from the University of Bern’s Institute for Medical Education platform were administered to both ChatGPT versions, with and without priming. Performance was analyzed based on correct responses. The statistical analysis included Wilcoxon rank sum tests (alpha=0.05). The average accuracy rates in the SFLEDM and EEAACI assessments were 63.3% and 79.3%, respectively. Both ChatGPT versions performed better on EEAACI than SFLEDM, with ChatGPT 4 outperforming ChatGPT 3 across all tests. ChatGPT 3’s performance exhibited a significant improvement with priming for both EEAACI (p=0.017) and SFLEDM (p=0.024) assessments. For ChatGPT 4, the priming effect was significant only in the SFLEDM assessment (p=0.038). The performance disparity between SFLEDM and EEAACI assessments underscores ChatGPT’s varying proficiency across different medical domains, likely tied to the nature and amount of training data available in each field. Priming can be a tool for enhancing output, especially in earlier LLMs. Advancements from ChatGPT 3 to 4 highlight the rapid developments in LLM technology. Yet, their use in critical fields such as healthcare must remain cautious owing to LLMs’ inherent limitations and risks.

PMID:38726506 | DOI:10.61872/sdj-2024-06-01

J Hand Surg Asian Pac Vol. 2024 May 10. doi: 10.1142/S2424835524500176. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Background: Simulation models enable learners to have repeated practise at their own time, to master the psycho-motor and sensory acuity aspects of surgery and build their confidence in the procedure. The study aims to develop and evaluate the feasibility of a low-cost drilling model to train surgeons in the drilling task. The model targets three aspects of drilling – (1) Reduce plunge depth, (2) Ability to differentiate between bone and medullary canal and (3) Increase accuracy drilling in various angles. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted after obtaining ethics approval. We invited Consultants in the field of Orthopaedic or Hand Surgery to form the ‘expert’ group, and the ‘novice’ group consisted of participants who had no prior experience in bone drilling. We developed a drilling simulator model made from a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe filled with liquid silicone. This model cost less than US$5. An electric Bosch drill (model GBM 10 RE) with a 1.4 mm K-wire 10 cm in length (6.5 cm outside the drill) was used for drilling. The main outcomes of the study were time taken for drilling, plunge depth, ability to penetrate the far cortex and accuracy. Results: Thirty-one participants were recruited into the study, of which 15 were experts and 16 were novices. The experts performed significantly better for plunge depth (t = -3.65, p = 0.0003) and accuracy (t = -2.07, p = 0.04). The experts required 20% less time to complete the drilling tasks, but it was not statistically significant (t = -0.79, p = 0.43). Conclusions: The low-cost drilling model could be useful in training Residents in the drilling task. It will allow Residents to practise independently at their own time and assess their own performance.

PMID:38726489 | DOI:10.1142/S2424835524500176

J Magn Reson Imaging. 2024 May 10. doi: 10.1002/jmri.29447. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Accurate determination of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is important for choosing optimal HER2 targeting treatment strategies. HER2-low is currently considered HER2-negative, but patients may be eligible to receive new anti-HER2 drug conjugates.

PURPOSE: To use breast MRI BI-RADS features for classifying three HER2 levels, first to distinguish HER2-zero from HER2-low/positive (Task-1), and then to distinguish HER2-low from HER2-positive (Task-2).

STUDY TYPE: Retrospective.

POPULATION: 621 invasive ductal cancer, 245 HER2-zero, 191 HER2-low, and 185 HER2-positive. For Task-1, 488 cases for training and 133 for testing. For Task-2, 294 cases for training and 82 for testing.

FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: 3.0 T; 3D T1-weighted DCE, short time inversion recovery T2, and single-shot EPI DWI.

ASSESSMENT: Pathological information and BI-RADS features were compared. Random Forest was used to select MRI features, and then four machine learning (ML) algorithms: decision tree (DT), support vector machine (SVM), k-nearest neighbors (k-NN), and artificial neural nets (ANN), were applied to build models.

STATISTICAL TESTS: Chi-square test, one-way analysis of variance, and Kruskal-Wallis test were performed. The P values <0.05 were considered statistically significant. For ML models, the generated probability was used to construct the ROC curves.

RESULTS: Peritumoral edema, the presence of multiple lesions and non-mass enhancement (NME) showed significant differences. For distinguishing HER2-zero from non-zero (low + positive), multiple lesions, edema, margin, and tumor size were selected, and the k-NN model achieved the highest AUC of 0.86 in the training set and 0.79 in the testing set. For differentiating HER2-low from HER2-positive, multiple lesions, edema, and margin were selected, and the DT model achieved the highest AUC of 0.79 in the training set and 0.69 in the testing set.

DATA CONCLUSION: BI-RADS features read by radiologists from preoperative MRI can be analyzed using more sophisticated feature selection and ML algorithms to build models for the classification of HER2 status and identify HER2-low.

TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 2.

PMID:38726477 | DOI:10.1002/jmri.29447

J Am Coll Emerg Physicians Open. 2024 May 8;5(3):e13174. doi: 10.1002/emp2.13174. eCollection 2024 Jun.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Earlier electrocardiogram (ECG) acquisition for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is associated with earlier percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and better patient outcomes. However, the exact relationship between timely ECG and timely PCI is unclear.

METHODS: We quantified the influence of door-to-ECG (D2E) time on ECG-to-PCI balloon (E2B) intervention in this three-year retrospective cohort study, including patients from 10 geographically diverse emergency departments (EDs) co-located with a PCI center. The study included 576 STEMI patients excluding those with a screening ECG before ED arrival or non-diagnostic initial ED ECG. We used a linear mixed-effects model to evaluate D2E’s influence on E2B with piecewise linear terms for D2E times associated with time intervals designated as ED intake (0-10 min), triage (11-30 min), and main ED (>30 min). We adjusted for demographic and visit characteristics, past medical history, and included ED location as a random effect.

RESULTS: The median E2B interval was longer (76 vs 68 min, p < 0.001) in patients with D2E >10 min than in those with timely D2E. The proportion of patients identified at the intake, triage, and main ED intervals was 65.8%, 24.9%, and 9.7%, respectively. The D2E and E2B association was statistically significant in the triage phase, where a 1-minute change in D2E was associated with a 1.24-minute change in E2B (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.44-2.05, p = 0.003).

CONCLUSION: Reducing D2E is associated with a shorter E2B. Targeting D2E reduction in patients currently diagnosed during triage (11-30 min) may be the greatest opportunity to improve D2B and could enable 24.9% more ED STEMI patients to achieve timely D2E.

PMID:38726468 | PMC:PMC11079543 | DOI:10.1002/emp2.13174

NPJ Nat Hazards. 2024;1(1):7. doi: 10.1038/s44304-024-00006-x. Epub 2024 May 7.

ABSTRACT

A new time-dependent probabilistic tsunami risk model is developed to facilitate the long-term risk management strategies for coastal communities. The model incorporates the time-dependency of earthquake occurrence and considers numerous heterogeneous slip distributions via a stochastic source modeling approach. Tidal level effects are examined by considering different baseline sea levels. The model is applied to Tofino, British Columbia, Canada within the Cascadia subduction zone. High-resolution topography and high-quality exposure data are utilized to accurately evaluate tsunami damage and economic loss to buildings. The results are tsunami loss curves accounting for different elapsed times since the last major event. The evolutionary aspects of Tofino’s time-dependent tsunami risk profiles show that the current tsunami risk is lower than the tsunami risk based on the conventional time-independent Poisson occurrence model. In contrast, the future tsunami risk in 2100 will exceed the time-independent tsunami risk estimate.

PMID:38726463 | PMC:PMC11076221 | DOI:10.1038/s44304-024-00006-x