Tag: pubmed

Biomed Res Int. 2026;2026(1):e8869056. doi: 10.1155/bmri/8869056.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Nutritional classification based on body composition in transgender populations poses methodological challenges for health professionals, particularly when sex-based reference criteria are applied. Providing care with a gender-sensitive approach while acknowledging underlying physiological differences remains a complex issue in clinical practice. Therefore, the study aimed to describe differences in body composition classification in transgender women according to the sex selected as reference for analysis.

METHODS: A descriptive, cross-sectional, exploratory study was conducted using purposive sampling. Twenty-five transgender women aged 23-66 years (mean age: 45.8 years), residents of Cali, Colombia, participated in 2022. Anthropometric measurements included weight, height, waist circumference, and body mass index (BMI). Body composition variables assessed by bioelectrical impedance analysis included lean mass, fat mass, skeletal muscle mass, total body water, visceral fat, bioelectrical impedance vector analysis (BIVA), and somatotype. Each participant was evaluated twice using sex-specific reference criteria (sex assigned at birth and female sex). Statistical analyses included the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, chi-square test, and Fisher’s exact test, with a significance level of 5%.

RESULTS: When the same individuals were classified using male and female reference criteria, statistically significant differences were observed in the classification of skeletal muscle mass (p = 0.005), somatotype (p = 0.002), BIVA (p = 0.009), and waist circumference (p = 0.018). No significant differences were observed for BMI or other body composition components.

CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this exploratory study highlight biomedical and methodological challenges in the interpretation of body composition in transgender women when sex-based reference criteria are applied. The results underscore the need for cautious interpretation of anthropometric and bioimpedance outcomes and support the importance of further interdisciplinary research to inform the development of appropriate reference frameworks for the nutritional and clinical assessment of transgender populations.

PMID:42083889 | DOI:10.1155/bmri/8869056

Cancer Prev Res (Phila). 2026 May 5. doi: 10.1158/1940-6207.CAPR-24-0151. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The National Cancer Institute’s Colorectal Cancer Risk Assessment Tool (NCI-CCRAT), an absolute risk prediction model, was developed using data from US White men and women. The model’s performance has not been assessed for Black Americans, the US racial/ethnic group with the highest colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence. We externally validated the NCI-CCRAT using data from 53,324 Black Women’s Health Study (BWHS) participants aged 40-84 years. We predicted 5-year absolute risks using data from 2001-2015 in three 5-year prediction periods: 2001-2005, 2006-2010, and 2011-2015. To assess model performance, we computed calibration (expected over observed CRC cases, E/O) and discriminatory accuracy (area under the receiver operating curve, AUC). During follow-up, 433 BWHS participants developed CRC. Based on the NCI-CCRAT, 579 CRC cases were expected (E/O=1.34,95% confidence interval [CI]:1.22-1.47). The NCI-CCRAT was well-calibrated in the first 5-year prediction period (2001-2005 E/O=1.10, 95%CI:0.94-1.29), but statistically significantly overestimated risk in later periods. We estimated discriminatory accuracy only for the 2001-2005 prediction period (151 CRC cases) and obtained an age-adjusted AUC=0.62 (95%CI:0.57-0.66). Associations of vigorous physical activity, aspirin/NSAID use, vegetable intake, and body mass index with CRC risk were weaker in the BWHS than in the studies used to develop the NCI-CCRAT. The NCI-CCRAT significantly overestimated the number of CRC cases in BWHS participants, possibly due to population-specific differences in associations of key CRC risk factors. This suggests that future research needs to determine important predictors of CRC risk in Black Americans and to develop a CRC prediction model for Black women.

PMID:42083882 | DOI:10.1158/1940-6207.CAPR-24-0151

Psychol Med. 2026 May 5;56:e126. doi: 10.1017/S0033291726103791.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) is still considerably long in patients with psychotic disorders worldwide. Social determinants, such as the socioeconomic status, can influence DUP, exacerbating health inequalities in access to timely care. We investigated whether subpopulations with shared characteristics are associated with longer DUP.

METHODS: We performed latent class analyses to investigate whether classes with shared configurations of social and substance use-related risks can be identified in two large cohorts with psychotic disorders: N = 780 patients from the GROUP project and N = 847 patients from the EU-GEI project. Subsequently, we conducted survival analyses to analyze whether identified classes are associated with DUP.

RESULTS: We identified three classes in both samples. Membership of the class with predominantly younger men, higher proportion of cannabis use, and supported living was associated with longer DUP compared with a class with predominantly White ethnicity, higher education, and current employment in GROUP (HR = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.06-1.56, p = .011) and in EU-GEI (HR = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.07-1.51, p = .007). In GROUP, membership of a third class with predominantly White women, without cannabis use, was associated with the shortest DUP (HR = 0.78, 95% CI: 0.63-0.95, p = .016).

CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that specific populations differ in their risk distributions for prolonged DUP and highlight the importance of considering configurations of social determinants in context. Public mental health programs need to establish their differential impact for diverse populations and facilitate more targeted pathways to care.

PMID:42083874 | DOI:10.1017/S0033291726103791

Psychol Med. 2026 May 5;56:e130. doi: 10.1017/S0033291726103845.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Methylphenidate is sometimes used to address residual symptoms of major depressive disorder (MDD), but concerns about psychiatric destabilization and limited long-term evidence have constrained its use. We examined the psychiatric safety of methylphenidate in adults with MDD in a large, real-world cohort.

METHODS: Using the TriNetX Global Collaborative Network, we identified adults with MDD who initiated methylphenidate and matched them 1:1 with controls who did not receive methylphenidate. Patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, bipolar disorder, mania, or recent psychiatric destabilization were excluded. The primary outcome was a composite of all-cause hospitalization or emergency room visits; secondary outcomes included hospitalization, emergency visits, suicidal behavior, manic episodes, and recurrence of MDD. Hazard ratios (HRs) were estimated with Cox proportional hazards models after propensity score matching.

RESULTS: Of 425,190 eligible patients, 3,211 matched pairs were included (mean age, 55.8 years; 58% female). Over 1 year, the composite outcome occurred less frequently in the methylphenidate group than in controls (574 vs. 694; HR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.76-0.95). No significant differences were observed for hospitalization, emergency visits, suicidal behavior, manic episodes, or MDD recurrence. Results were consistent across subgroups defined by sex, age, and antidepressant class.

CONCLUSIONS: In adults with MDD, methylphenidate use was associated with a lower risk of hospitalization or emergency visits and was not linked to increased risk of suicidality, mania, or recurrence. These findings support the psychiatric safety of methylphenidate as an adjunctive treatment for selected patients, though longer follow-up is needed.

PMID:42083867 | DOI:10.1017/S0033291726103845

J Alzheimers Dis. 2026 May 5:13872877251394316. doi: 10.1177/13872877251394316. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BackgroundEarly life adversities can have lifelong consequences for health, including for cognitive functioning and Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Moreover, early-life disadvantages stemming from parental death and divorce have been linked with later life social, mental, and physical well-being outcomes, including social isolation. Therefore, loneliness stands out as an intervenable aspect of well-being that may mediate long-term consequences of early life exposure to parental death and divorce for midlife and older adults’ cognitive decline.ObjectiveThe present study aims to determine whether early life exposures to parental death and/or divorce are associated with cognitive functioning in later life, and whether loneliness in midlife mediates such effects.MethodsWe used the 2014-2020 Health and Retirement Study (HRS), 2015 HRS Life History data and longitudinal structural equation modeling to address our research questions.ResultsEarly-life exposure to parental divorce, but not death, was associated with greater loneliness in late midlife and older age, and loneliness predicted more rapid declines to cognitive functioning over time. Mediation was statistically significant (p < 0.05).ConclusionsAlthough racial/ethnic minorities had higher exposure to both parental death and divorce, the effects of parental death and divorce were similar across race/ethnicity. Our results underscore the long-term impacts of parental divorce on well-being and health in adulthood and highlight loneliness as a critical determinant of cognitive declines and disparities in later life.

PMID:42083861 | DOI:10.1177/13872877251394316

Psychol Med. 2026 May 5;56:e125. doi: 10.1017/S0033291726103675.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Predicting suicide risk remains a challenge. We examined whether neurocognitive performance on implicit associations toward suicide, motor speed, response inhibition, and executive functioning predicts suicide attempt and behavior in high-risk psychiatric patients.

METHOD: Our sample (N = 298) consisted of inpatients (n = 161) and outpatients (n = 83) admitted for a suicide attempt (SA; n = 78), for suicidal ideation (SI; n = 76), or were non-suicidal psychiatric controls (PC; n = 90), and healthy controls (HC; n = 54). Participants were followed for 12 months, with follow-up assessments at 3-, 6-, and 12-months. Neurocognitive tasks were administered at baseline. Clinical symptom measures, suicidality, and electronic health record data were collected at each timepoint. ANCOVA was used to compare groups on neurocognitive performance, and logistic and Cox regressions examined whether neurocognitive performance predicted future actual suicide attempt and suicidal behaviors.

RESULTS: Participants had a mean age of 24.34 years (SD = 3.71). A total of 19 participants made an actual suicide attempt during the study. On neurocognitive tasks at baseline, the SA group had stronger implicit associations with death- and suicide-related words compared to the HC (d = 0.88, p < 0.001) and SI (d = 0.63, p = 0.005) groups and poorer executive functioning than the SI (d = 0.44, p = 0.043) group in multivariate models. Stronger implicit associations with death/suicide predicted higher risk of suicide attempts at the univariate (HR = 1.68 p = 000), but not multivariate level (HR = 1.17 p = 000), while slower motor speed predicted actual suicide attempts (HR = 1.81 p = 000) at the multivariate level.

CONCLUSIONS: Slower motor speed predicts actual suicide attempt and may help identify psychiatric patients who are at high risk for suicidal behavior.

PMID:42083860 | DOI:10.1017/S0033291726103675

Int J Epidemiol. 2026 Apr 17;55(3):dyag067. doi: 10.1093/ije/dyag067.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) represent a key tool in reducing human vector contact for malaria control. However, increasing insecticide resistance of malaria vectors threatens the effectiveness of pyrethroid-only nets in reducing malaria risk. Next-generation nets, such as those with dual-active ingredients, have been recommended for use in areas with high malaria burden and confirmed pyrethroid resistance. Here, we assessed the impact of the distribution of Interceptor® G2 (IG2) ITNs on malaria cases in the Western North Region of Ghana distributed in 2021.

METHODS: We analysed monthly numbers of confirmed malaria cases reported by health facilities in the Western North Region from 2018 to 2023. To control for possible confounding effects of climate, monthly mean values of modelled vector habitat suitability and temperature suitability were included. Bayesian Poisson regression time series models were developed to assess the immediate and sustained impact of IG2 ITNs on malaria case trends measured as odds ratio (OR) with their corresponding credible intervals (CrI).

RESULTS: Malaria cases reduced by 30% (OR, 0.696; CrI, 0.623-0.778) immediately after the distribution of IG2 ITNs in the Western North Region. This effect was sustained at 6 months up to 30 months post-intervention, where cases reduced by 26% (OR, 0.739; CrI, 0.653-0.837) and 40% (OR, 0.594; CrI, 0.492-0.718), respectively. The intervention was also strongly associated with reductions in malaria cases in seven of the nine districts in the region, after controlling for climatic factors.

CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the effectiveness of dual-active Interceptor® G2 ITNs in the Western North Region, an area with confirmed pyrethroid resistance. The findings support the scale-up of next-generation nets by National Malaria Programs and highlight the need for further research to explore the utility of these nets in other high-burden malaria areas with region-specific insecticide resistance profiles.

PMID:42083859 | DOI:10.1093/ije/dyag067

Phys Sportsmed. 2026 May 5. doi: 10.1080/00913847.2026.2667725. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the relationship between psychological well-being and aggression among handball players and to determine whether exercise addiction mediates this relationship.

METHODS: A descriptive, cross-sectional, and correlational design was used. The population consisted of players competing in the Turkish Handball Leagues during the 2024-2025 season, and 442 athletes participated using a non-probability sampling method. Data were collected via an online survey including a personal information form, the Psychological Well-Being Scale, the Buss – Perry Aggression Questionnaire, and the Exercise Addiction Inventory.

RESULTS: Psychological well-being showed a significant negative correlation with aggression (r = -0.242, p < 0.001). Exercise addiction was positively associated with both psychological well-being (r = 0.212, p < 0.001) and aggression (r = 0.105, p = 0.027). Mediation analysis indicated that exercise addiction significantly and partially mediated the relationship between psychological well-being and aggression (indirect effect 95% CI: 0.0246-0.1654). The direct effect of psychological well-being on aggression remained significant (β = -0.7093, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION: Higher psychological well-being was associated with lower aggression among handball players, whereas exercise addiction was associated with both higher psychological well-being and higher aggression and emerged as a partial statistical mediator of this relationship. These findings may help inform future studies and preventive strategies focusing on athlete mental health and behavioral regulation. However, because of the cross-sectional design, causal inferences cannot be drawn.

PMID:42083838 | DOI:10.1080/00913847.2026.2667725

Nurs Open. 2026 May;13(5):e70589. doi: 10.1002/nop2.70589.

ABSTRACT

AIMS: This study examined the relationship between alarm fatigue and turnover intention among dialysis nurses and investigated the mediating role of professional quality of life (ProQOL).

DESIGN: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted.

METHODS: This study employed a nonprobability sample of 140 dialysis nurses from hospitals affiliated with Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in Iran in December 2024. Data for this study were collected via a multi-section survey. This research initially focused on identifying demographic and occupational variables. Section two employed the Alarm Fatigue Questionnaire; section three, the ProQOL scale; and section four, the Turnover Intention Questionnaire. Data analysis was carried out using IBM SPSS Statistics, version 27.0.

RESULTS: The mean scores for alarm fatigue and turnover intention were 34.02 (SD = 8.50) and 48.70 (SD = 11.66), respectively. Item-level means for alarm fatigue were 2.62 (SD = 0.65) on a 0-4 scale. Also, scores were 3.30 (SD = 0.81) for secondary traumatic stress (STS), 3.61 (SD = 0.90) for compassion fatigue (CF), 3.01 (SD = 0.78) for compassion satisfaction (CS), and 3.25 (SD = 0.78) for turnover intention on 1-5 Likert-type scales. Pearson’s correlation showed that alarm fatigue was positively correlated with STS, CF and turnover intention, and negatively correlated with CS. Multiple linear regression explained 62.9% of the variance in turnover intention; single marital status, CS, CF and STS were significant independent predictors. Path analysis showed a significant total association between alarm fatigue and turnover intention, a non-significant direct association, and a significant indirect association through ProQOL components, a pattern consistent with mediation by ProQOL.

CONCLUSIONS: Path analysis showed a pattern of associations consistent with ProQOL mediating the relationship between alarm fatigue and turnover intention. The association between alarm fatigue and turnover intention appeared to operate primarily in association with STS, compassion fatigue, and compassion satisfaction, although the cross-sectional design precludes causal inference. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that improving ProQOL may be associated with a weaker link between alarm fatigue and turnover intention, though this should be confirmed in longitudinal studies.

PMID:42083829 | DOI:10.1002/nop2.70589

J Dermatolog Treat. 2026 Dec;37(1):2648406. doi: 10.1080/09546634.2026.2648406. Epub 2026 May 5.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Acne vulgaris is a chronic inflammatory disease and is one of the leading causes of dermatological morbidities among young adults. Doxycycline is widely recommended as first-line therapy for moderate to severe acne; however, its use is limited.

OBJECTIVE: To systematically compare the efficacy and safety of oral azithromycin pulse therapy versus doxycycline in patients with moderate to severe acne vulgaris.

METHODS: This systematic review and meta-analysis followed PRISMA guidelines. A comprehensive literature search on different databases was performed. Two reviewers independently screened studies, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias. Mean differences (MDs) and risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled using random-effects models based on heterogeneity.

RESULTS: A total of 23 comparative studies comprising 2,769 patients were included. Pooled analysis demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in global acne severity favoring azithromycin (GAGS reduction: MD 1.81; 95% CI 1.28-2.34; I² = 0%). Azithromycin achieved a significantly greater reduction in non-inflammatory lesion counts (MD -7.56; 95% CI -14.33 to -0.79). No significant differences were observed in inflammatory lesion reduction (MD 1.08; 95% CI -0.03 to 2.18).

CONCLUSION: Oral azithromycin pulse therapy appears to have similar efficacy, better tolerability, and fewer side effects as compared to doxycycline.

PMID:42083799 | DOI:10.1080/09546634.2026.2648406