Tag: pubmed

Mycoses. 2024 Oct;67(10):e13808. doi: 10.1111/myc.13808.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Tinea capitis is an infectious dermatosis frequent in children, causative fungi variable over time and space. The risk factors associated with this disease are still poorly understood. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of tinea capitis among schoolchildren in Lomé (Togo), identify the fungal species involved and assess the associated risk factors.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: It was a cross-sectional and case-control study conducted in primary schools in Lomé from November 2020 to April 2021. All pupils presenting tinea capitis suspected lesions have been sampled, and the scraping and hair were examined by direct microscopy in KOH solution and cultured in Sabouraud dextrose agar with chloramphenicol and cycloheximide. Positive children were matched by age and sex with those without symptoms for case-control study.

RESULTS: Out of the 15,087 pupils enrolled, 465 had positive cultures for dermatophytes, corresponding to the tinea capitis prevalence of 3.08% (95% CI [2.59-3.57]). Trichophyton mentagrophytes (81.86%) and Trichophyton soudanense (13.12%) were the majors isolated dermatophytes. The risk factors were mostly living in households with domestic animals, showering less than twice a day, having a history of ringworm, having similar lesions in the same household and sharing personal hygiene items.

CONCLUSION: This study highlights the low prevalence of tinea capitis in schoolchildren in Lomé (Togo), the causative species dominated by T. mentagrophytes and emphasises the importance of environmental and behavioural factors in the mycosis transmission. Implementing preventive measures addressing the identified factors could help to reduce the prevalence of this disease.

PMID:39462641 | DOI:10.1111/myc.13808

Nurs Health Sci. 2024 Dec;26(4):e13184. doi: 10.1111/nhs.13184.

ABSTRACT

This article aims to describe the methodology for the design, validation, reliability, and pilot testing of a questionnaire aimed at exploring the knowledge and training needs on health inequalities of occupational health nurses (OHNs) and occupational health nursing students in Spain. Working and employment conditions are social determinants that influence the health of workers. The unequal distribution of these factors leads to inequalities. The training and competencies of OHNs need to focus on the social determinants of health to reduce social inequalities. The questionnaire was structured in five sections and 24 closed questions, self-administered and online. It was validated by a panel of experts using Moriyama’s criteria and achieved an average consensus of 93.85%. Internal reliability reached a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.843 and a McDonald’s omega of 0.953. Participation in the pilot test was 92.5% of the sample recruited. Achieving higher levels of health of the working population requires a consensus among different social actors to integrate social determinants, gender and equity perspectives into the overall health policy of the company.

PMID:39462639 | DOI:10.1111/nhs.13184

Mycoses. 2024 Oct;67(10):e13810. doi: 10.1111/myc.13810.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) is a complex lung disease associated with significant morbidity. The ABPA Working Group (AWG) of the International Society for Human and Animal Mycology (ISHAM) revised their management guidelines in 2024, but there is currently no standardised tool to assess adherence to these recommendations.

METHODS: We extracted key recommendations from the updated 2024 ISHAM-AWG guidelines, focusing on critical areas: screening and diagnosis of ABPA, managing acute and treatment-dependent ABPA, and monitoring treatment response. Each item was assigned a score ranging from zero to three. We assigned negative scores to interventions not recommended by the guidelines.

RESULTS: We identified 38 items indicative of optimal clinical care for patients with ABPA. The score for screening asthmatics for ABPA was set at three points. For diagnosing ABPA, 16 items were included, with a score ranging from 12 to 16 points, depending on the specific components used (predisposing conditions, serum A. fumigatus-specific IgE and IgG, serum total IgE, blood eosinophil count and chest computed tomography). The management of acute ABPA comprised 11 items, with a maximum score of three points. For treatment-dependent ABPA, there were nine items (scores ranging from -3 to 6). Follow-up care comprised 10 items with a maximum score of 10-13 points, covering imaging, spirometry, testing serum total IgE levels and therapeutic drug monitoring.

CONCLUSIONS: The EQUAL ABPA score has been developed as a comprehensive tool to quantify guideline adherence. Future studies will evaluate to which extent guideline adherence is associated with improved clinical outcomes for patients with ABPA.

PMID:39462638 | DOI:10.1111/myc.13810

Dent Mater J. 2024 Oct 26. doi: 10.4012/dmj.2024-007. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the impact of combining human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) with concentrated growth factor (CGF) on regenerating necrotic pulp. Ten-month-old male Bama miniature pigs were divided into control and caries groups. The experimental teeth were randomly divided into three groups: caries untreated, Ca(OH)₂, and engineering dental pulp-like tissue (EDPT). hUC-MSCs and CGF scaffold were combined to construct EDPT, and the histological structure was observed. Odontoblasts and dental pulp cells were counted in each group. The results showed that hUC-MSCs adhered firmly to the porous mesh CGF scaffold, grew vigorously, and stretched sufficiently. In the EDPT group, odontoblasts in the root canal were arranged neatly, and predentin was formed. The odontoblast and dental pulp cell counts in the EDPT group were statistically significant compared to the caries untreated and Ca(OH)₂ groups. The hUC-MSCs-CGF could successfully repair necrotic pulp in animals with dental caries.

PMID:39462611 | DOI:10.4012/dmj.2024-007

J Med Invest. 2024;71(3.4):251-253. doi: 10.2152/jmi.71.251.

ABSTRACT

A survey on the incidence of multiple pregnancies and neonatal outcomes by assisted reproductive technology (ART) and non-ART fertility treatments was performed in 2011 and 2021. Questionnaires were sent to all institutions with obstetrics and gynecology departments in Tokushima Prefecture, Japan, to collect data on fertility treatments and neonatal outcomes in 2011 and 2021. Non-ART fertility treatments were classified into ovarian stimulation (treatments for cases without ovulation disorder) and ovulation induction (treatments for cases with ovulation disorder). Among all pregnancies, the multiple pregnancy rates in 2011 were 7.7% for ovarian stimulation, 5.5% for ovulation induction, and 8.4% for ART, whereas those in 2021 were 3.8%, 2.3%, and 1.9%, respectively. The rates of triplet pregnancies in 2011 were 0.85% for ovulation induction, 2.4% for ovulation induction, and 1.4% for ART, whereas those in 2021 were 0% for all treatments. The rates of low birth weight, admission to a neonatal intensive care unit, and neonatal death in 2011 were 53.8%, 9.61%, and 9.61%, respectively, whereas those in 2021 were 40.9%, 22.7%, and 0%, respectively. These findings indicate that rates of multiple pregnancies, including higher-order multiple pregnancies, by fertility treatment have decreased over the last 10 years in Tokushima Prefecture. However, some adverse neonatal outcomes have still occurred. J. Med. Invest. 71 : 251-253, August, 2024.

PMID:39462560 | DOI:10.2152/jmi.71.251

J Epidemiol. 2024 Oct 26. doi: 10.2188/jea.JE20240158. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Amidst the global coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, Japan has faced a significant public health challenge, evident from the significant increase in mortality rates since 2021. This study described the variations in all-cause and cause-specific changes in mortality up to 2022 in Japan.

METHODS: This study used official Vital Statistics from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) to assess the impact of the pandemic on mortality trends. An analysis of all-cause and cause-specific age-standardized mortality rates (ASMRs) from 1995 to 2022 was conducted, employing the 2015 Japan Standard Population. Sex- and cause-specific ASMRs for a particular year were compared with those from the preceding year to assess annual changes.

RESULTS: Among men, the annual all-cause ASMR per 100,000 people increased from 1356.3 in 2021 to 1437.8 in 2022 (6.0% increase). Among women, the annual all-cause ASMR increased from 722.1 in 2021 to 785.8 in 2022 (6.5% increase). Compared with the period 2020 to 2021, COVID-19 (+29.1 per 100,000 people for men and +13.4 per 100,000 people for women), senility (+14.1 per 100,000 people for men and +12.5 per 100,000 people for women), heart disease, malignant neoplasms (for women) and “other causes not classified as major causes” substantially contributed to the increase in all-cause ASMR from 2021 to 2022.

CONCLUSIONS: Further long-term monitoring from 2023 onwards is necessary, especially for conditions like senility, cardiovascular disease, and cancer, which may have long-term effects due to changes in healthcare settings, even though the strong countermeasures against COVID-19 were lifted in 2023.

PMID:39462541 | DOI:10.2188/jea.JE20240158

J Epidemiol. 2024 Oct 26. doi: 10.2188/jea.JE20240297. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: This study investigated fundamental demographic variables within the Taiwan Biobank (TWBB) and compared them with national demographic statistics. Additionally, a matched cohort analysis compared TWBB participants with nonparticipants to uncover disparities in sociodemographic and clinical characteristics.

METHODS: A total of 128,663 individuals aged 30 to 70 without cancer were recruited within the TWBB, and 514,652 nonparticipants matched by age and sex were randomly selected from the National Health Insurance claims database. Sociodemographic variables, healthcare utilization metrics, underlying medical conditions, and subsequent mortality and cancer risk were analyzed.

RESULTS: TWBB participants were more likely to be female, older, married, higher educated, with higher incomes, and urban residency. Healthcare utilization metrics showed minimal differences. Pre-cohort entry, TWBB participants had a higher prevalence of certain medical conditions, such as peptic ulcer disease, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, and uterine leiomyoma in females. During follow-up periods, elevated mortality rates were observed among TWBB participants but decreased cancer risk.

CONCLUSION: The TWBB cohort exhibits disparities in sociodemographic and health-related attributes compared to the general population, comprising older, females, married, higher educated, higher income, and predominantly in urban areas. While mortality rates are slightly elevated within the TWBB cohort, cancer incidence rates are lower. Despite limitations in representativeness, the TWBB’s size and exposure measures offer valuable insights into associations between exposures and health conditions.

PMID:39462540 | DOI:10.2188/jea.JE20240297

J Atheroscler Thromb. 2024 Oct 26. doi: 10.5551/jat.64984. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

AIM: D-dimer, lipoprotein (a) (Lp(a)), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) are known predictors of vascular events; however, their impact on the stroke prognosis is unclear. This study used data from the Third China National Stroke Registry (CNSR-III) to assess their combined effect on functional disability and mortality after acute ischemic stroke (AIS).

METHODS: In total, 9,450 adult patients with AIS were enrolled between August 2015 and March 2018. Patients were categorized based on a cutoff value for D-dimer, Lp(a), and hs-CRP in the plasma. Adverse outcomes included poor functional outcomes (modified Rankin Scale (mRS score ≥ 3)) and one- year all-cause mortality. Logistic and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to investigate the relationship between individual and combined biomarkers and adverse outcomes.

RESULTS: Patients with elevated levels of all three biomarkers had the highest odds of functional disability (OR adjusted: 2.01; 95% CI (1.47-2.74); P＜0.001) and mortality (HR adjusted: 2.93; 95% CI (1.55-5.33); P＜0.001). The combined biomarkers improved the predictive accuracy for disability (C-statistic 0.80 vs.0.79, P＜0.001) and mortality (C-statistic 0.79 vs.0.78, P=0.01).

CONCLUSION: Elevated D-dimer, Lp(a), and hs-CRP levels together increase the risk of functional disability and mortality one-year post-AIS more than any single biomarker.

PMID:39462537 | DOI:10.5551/jat.64984

Can J Urol. 2024 Oct;31(5):12004-12012.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: The evidence on the effectiveness of prehabilitation in patients undergoing bladder cancer surgery remains lacking. Thus, the aim of this study is to determine the effectiveness of prehabilitation on reducing postoperative morbidity and length of hospital stay in patients undergoing bladder cancer surgery.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: This systematic review included randomized controlled trials investigating the effect of prehabilitation on postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing bladder cancer surgery. A comprehensive search was conducted, with two reviewers independently screening articles and extracting data. The Cochrane Collaboration’s tool was used to assess risk of bias, and GRADE to rate the quality of evidence. When possible, a random effects meta-analysis was conducted. Estimates were presented as risk ratios or mean differences with their 95% confidence intervals.

RESULTS: Of the 2764 articles identified, five trials comprising 282 patients met the eligibility criteria. Prehabilitation modalities included preoperative exercise (3), preoperative nutrition (1), and multimodal (1). The mean age of patients ranged from 66.0 to 72.1 years. All included trials presented some or high risk of bias. Pooled analyses according to the different prehabilitation modalities demonstrated low to very low quality of evidence of no effect on postoperative complications and length of hospital stay.

CONCLUSION: This study revealed a small number of trials investigating the effectiveness of prehabilitation on patients undergoing bladder cancer surgery. Whether prehabilitation, including preoperative exercise, nutrition and multimodal interventions reduce postoperative morbidity and length of hospital stay following bladder cancer surgery is uncertain, as the quality of evidence is very low.

PMID:39462531

Circulation. 2024 Oct 27. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.124.072009. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Accurate bleeding risk stratification after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is important for treatment individualization. However, there is still an unmet need for a more precise and standardized identification of high bleeding risk patients. We derived and validated a novel bleeding risk score by augmenting the PRECISE-DAPT score with the Academic Research Consortium for High Bleeding Risk (ARC-HBR) criteria.

METHODS: The derivation cohort comprised 29,188 patients undergoing PCI, of whom 1136 (3.9%) had a Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) 3 or 5 bleeding at 1 year, from four contemporary real-world registries and the XIENCE V USA trial. The PRECISE-DAPT score was refitted with a Fine-Gray model in the derivation cohort and extended with the ARC-HBR criteria. The primary outcome was BARC 3 or 5 bleeding within 1 year. Independent predictors of BARC 3 or 5 bleeding were selected at multivariable analysis (p<0.01). The discrimination of the score was internally assessed with apparent validation and cross-validation. The score was externally validated in 4578 patients from the MASTER DAPT trial and 5970 patients from the STOPDAPT-2 total cohort.

RESULTS: The PRECISE-HBR score (age, estimated glomerular filtration rate, hemoglobin, white-blood-cell count, previous bleeding, oral anticoagulation, and ARC-HBR criteria) showed an area under the curve (AUC) for 1-year BARC 3 or 5 bleeding of 0.73 (95% CI, 0.71-0.74) at apparent validation, 0.72 (95% CI, 0.70-0.73) at cross-validation, 0.74 (95% CI, 0.68-0.80) in the MASTER DAPT, and 0.73 (95% CI, 0.66-0.79) in the STOPDAPT-2, with superior discrimination than the PRECISE-DAPT (cross-validation: Δ AUC, 0.01; p=0.02; MASTER DAPT: Δ AUC, 0.05; p=0.004; STOPDAPT-2: Δ AUC, 0.02; p=0.20) and other risk scores. In the derivation cohort, a cut-off of 23 points identified 11,414 patients (39.1%) with a 1-year BARC 3 or 5 bleeding risk ≥4%. An alternative version of the score, including acute myocardial infarction on admission instead of white-blood-cell count, showed similar predictive ability.

CONCLUSIONS: The PRECISE-HBR score is a contemporary, simple 7-item risk score to predict bleeding after PCI, offering a moderate improvement in discrimination over multiple existing scores. Further evaluation is required to assess its impact on clinical practice.

PMID:39462482 | DOI:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.124.072009