Burden of caregivers of diabetic foot ulcers: a single-centre, descriptive correlational study in Türkiye

Objectives
Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is a major complication of poorly managed diabetes mellitus. Home care of individuals with chronic wounds is often supported by family members. The study aims to determine the burden of caregivers of DFU patients and the factors influencing this burden.

Design
A descriptive-correlational research.

Setting
The study sample consisted of caregivers of patients who applied to the Diabetic Foot Council between December 2022 and November 2023.

Participants
The study included 101 caregivers who were primarily responsible for the care of the DFU patient, had been caring for the patient for at least 2 months, provided unpaid care and agreed to participate in the study.

Outcome measures
Data were collected using the Descriptive Characteristics Form and Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale.

Results
The mean age of the caregivers was 45.34±12.62, and the mean age of the patients was 59.57±9.18. The care burden of caregivers was 46.47±11.39. The highest levels of care burden were observed in the economic and dependency subscales. When the relationship between the independent variables of the model and the dependent variable was examined, it was found that providing support to move the patient [β=0.97; p=0.001] and the need for training in patient care [β=0.51; p=0.012] were independent factors that increased the burden of the caregiver, while the patient’s ability to follow his/her own medication [β=–0.46; p=0.039] was the independent factor that decreased the burden of the caregiver.

Conclusion
Based on these findings, further research is required to assess the effectiveness of professional healthcare services, self-care interventions and support strategies aimed at alleviating caregiver burden and enhancing care quality.

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Understanding peer support among healthcare assistants delivering hospice care at home: a protocol for a realist review

Introduction
Globally, the demand for community palliative care, delivered within the home setting, is rising. Hospice support workers, also referred to as healthcare assistants, play a crucial role in providing this care, but evidence indicates they face challenges relating to inadequate training, isolation and emotional labour. This realist review aims to understand how peer support interventions can support healthcare assistants in delivering hospice care at home.

Methods and analysis
The realist review will follow a five-step process to explore the research question: (1) locating existing initial programme theories, (2) searching for evidence, (3) selecting and appraising evidence, (4) extracting and organising data and (5) synthesising evidence and drawing conclusions. Comprehensive searches of academic databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE, AMED, Scopus) and grey literature sources will be conducted between November and December 2024, with no restrictions on publication date applied. Search strategies will be iteratively refined, with evidence selected based on relevance and rigour. Data will be extracted and coded using a realist logic model of analysis. The review will develop an explanatory programme theory for peer-to-peer interventions which would identify what, how, for whom, why and in what circumstances peer-to-peer interventions may support delivery of hospice care at home. It will explore the contexts, mechanisms and outcomes of these interventions using context-mechanism-outcome configurations.

Ethics and dissemination
Ethical approval is not required as the review involves no primary data collection. This review aims to clarify research gaps, inform next stages of a wider study, policy and practice. Reporting of the findings will adhere to RAMESES publication standards for realist syntheses, ensuring transparency and rigour in reporting. Results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations and other strategies identified by the stakeholder group.

PROSPERO registration number
CRD42024606133.

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Relational influences on help-seeking for mental health and substance use problems among people experiencing social marginalisation: a scoping review

Objectives
Understand the relational influences on help-seeking for mental health and substance use problems among people experiencing social marginalisation, with a focus on research applying social capital theory and social network analysis methods.

Design
Scoping review.

Data sources
EMBASE, Web of Science, Criminal Justice Abstracts and SocINDEX were searched up to June 2023, and Web of Science email alerts were used to capture any further publications up to June 2024.

Eligibility criteria
English-language, peer-reviewed publications that (1) focused on/discussed help-seeking for mental health or substance use problems; (2) included adults experiencing social marginalisation beyond sociodemographic factors; and (3) applied social capital theory or social network analysis methods.

Data extraction and synthesis
We extracted and charted data pertinent to review objectives and narratively synthesised results.

Results
Twenty-seven papers were included. Most (n=19) focused on the experiences of people who used drugs. Five specifically focused on help-seeking, four of which applied quantitative social network analysis, one was framed by network theories of social capital and one referred to social capital in interpreting findings. The remaining 22 papers discussed help-seeking while focused on different phenomena. Seven of these framed their approach with social capital, but none explicitly applied social capital to help-seeking. Eight papers used social network analysis, with four focused on help-seeking and seven using personal networks. Social/relational influences identified included: fear of losing social capital, the risks of high bonding capital, service providers as social capital, selective help-seeking, trust and network culture. Social capital, interconnected with the tight-knit bonds within marginalised groups, could deter help-seeking. Knowledge and attitudes towards help and help-seeking, shaped by past experiences and network cultures, influenced help-seeking and contributed to a cautious and selective approach.

Conclusion
Theoretical elaboration and empirical research are required to better appreciate the relational influences on help-seeking for mental health and substance use problems among people experiencing social marginalisation. Social capital may provide a useful theoretical approach. While social network analysis methods have been applied, they are under-utilised.

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Impact of an educational physiotherapy-yoga intervention on perceived stress in women treated with brachytherapy for cervical cancer: a randomised controlled mixed study protocol (KYOCOL)

Introduction
Cervical cancer is a major global health issue. The standard treatment for locally advanced disease involves radiochemotherapy followed by uterovaginal brachytherapy (UBT). UBT requires several days of hospitalisation and strict bed rest. UBT often induces pain, anxiety, stress, distress and a decline in physical capacity during and after treatment. Previous research suggests that non-pharmacological interventions, such as yoga, may help alleviate these issues. However, few studies have specifically evaluated their effectiveness in reducing stress during UBT. Furthermore, patient education has been shown to facilitate autonomous practice and to improve patient empowerment. This study aims to evaluate the impact of the KYOCOL protocol, which integrates both a physiotherapy-yoga intervention and an educational programme, on perceived stress and its correlates in patients undergoing UBT.

Methods and analysis
KYOCOL is an ongoing randomised, prospective trial carried out in three French comprehensive cancer centres, using a quantitative approach complemented by a qualitative component. Eighty patients are planned to be randomised (1:1) into a control arm (standard care) or an intervention arm. In the intervention arm, patients will be educated and supervised by a trained physiotherapist in a physiotherapy-yoga programme and will then perform daily autonomous sessions during UBT and for up to 15 days post-treatment. The primary objective is to assess the impact of the KYOCOL intervention compared with standard care during UBT, on perceived stress 15 days post-UBT, using the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale. Secondary objectives include evaluating the safety of the intervention, its effects on stress, pain and fatigue during UBT, and patient adherence to the programme. Qualitative analyses based on semistructured interview surveys will be conducted to gather valuable information and analyse in depth patients’ experiences with the intervention and UBT.

Ethics and dissemination
This study was approved by the French ethics committee (Comité de Protection des Personnes Ouest V, reference number 2023-A01491-44) on 22 February 2024 and will be carried out in accordance with the good clinical practice guidelines and the Declaration of Helsinki. The results will be shared with patients and healthcare professionals and published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Trial registration number
NCT06263283.

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Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment in primary healthcare: a scoping review protocol

Objectives
To compile and compare the Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) models that exist worldwide and their applicability in primary healthcare (PHC).

Introduction
The world’s population is ageing rapidly, but health systems are slow to keep up with this trend, making it difficult to provide care for older adults. The broad concept of frailty has prompted a comprehensive and holistic approach to patients, where the assessment is related not only to functional, physical and cognitive abilities of the older adults, but also their social, environmental and economic context. In recent decades, the approach to frailty has taken the CGA as the gold standard. With this project, we intend to carry out a scoping review to identify and describe tools to help standardise and generalise CGA in PHC.

Inclusion criteria
Individuals aged 65 years or over; CGA in a PHC setting; the CGA methods reported must include at least three domains: physical, cognitive and social; Articles without language restrictions; Articles published in the last 30 years.

Methods
All studies that refer to CGA models and fulfil the inclusion criteria will be selected. A bibliographic search of articles will be carried out using the following electronic scientific publication databases: MEDLINE-PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and Web of Science. We will search for grey literature on sites such as ‘OpenGrey’ and thesis repositories such as RCAAP, EBSCO and EThOS, as well as on the WHO pages. The articles will be independently selected by two reviewers, and the data will be presented in narrative format, structured according to the objective, focus and question of the review.

Ethics and dissemination
Approved by the ethics committee of the regional health administration of the centre, registered as Project 11/2024 and approved on 8 May 2024. The findings of this study will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and national or international conference presentations. Updates of the review will be conducted, as necessary.

Trial registration number
Open Science (DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/REH43).

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Knowledge and attitude towards stroke and prehospital delay among patients and their family members under high prehospital delay in Zhejiang, China: a cross-sectional study

Objectives
To investigate the knowledge of stroke and the attitudes towards stroke and prehospital delay among patients who had an acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) and their family members.

Design
This cross-sectional study was conducted through a self-designed questionnaire.

Setting
The study took place in a Grade-A tertiary hospital in Zhejiang Province, China, between July 2023 and November 2023.

Participants
A total of 521 valid questionnaires were collected from 367 patients who had an AIS and 154 family members.

Interventions
Participants provided demographic information and answered questions related to stroke knowledge, attitudes towards stroke and prehospital delay.

Primary and secondary outcome measures
The primary outcome measures included scores on stroke knowledge, attitudes towards stroke and attitudes towards prehospital delay. Secondary outcomes focused on identifying correlations and independent factors influencing prehospital delay.

Results
The average scores for patients were stroke knowledge 8.74±6.16 (range: 0–24), stroke attitude 23.52±2.73 (range: 7–35) and prehospital delay attitude 38.65±7.68 (range: 10–50). Family members scored 12.66±6.85, 23.60±2.57 and 40.02±7.45, respectively. Significant correlations were found between stroke knowledge and attitude (r=0.2262, p

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Self-management dilemmas and influencing factors of patients during the waiting period for heart transplantation in China based on the social ecosystem: a qualitative study

Objectives
To investigate the self-management challenges and influencing factors faced by patients during the waiting period for heart transplantation through the lens of social ecology as well as to explore the family management needs of Chinese patients with end-stage heart disease during this critical waiting period.

Design
During March 2023 to March 2024, purposive sampling was adopted to conduct in-depth interviews with 11 patients awaiting heart transplantation and their primary caregivers at a Class III Grade A hospital in Nanjing, China. A phenomenological research approach was adopted, and Colaizzi’s method was applied to analyse the data and extract the key themes.

Setting
The study involved face-to-face interviews at a Grade A hospital in Nanjing, China.

Participants
During March 2023 to March 2024, face-to-face interviews were conducted with 11 patients and their primary caregivers.

Results
The analysis identified the primary reasons for patients’ limited self-management capacity, yielding 3 overarching themes with 12 subthemes. At the micro level, physical discomfort and inadequate self-management abilities were prominent, as patients experienced persistent physical discomfort, challenges in alleviating symptoms, insufficient knowledge about self-management, a lack or loss of belief in their ability to manage their health and prolonged periods of anxiety and depression. At the meso level, the study identified limited family support, inadequate professional medical assistance and insufficient social support. These issues manifested as limited caregiving capacity within families, increased financial burdens on households, insufficient educational resources and guidance provided by medical staff, a lack of continuity in care across different settings and the absence of supportive social networks. At the macro level, systemic challenges such as the unequal distribution of medical resources and the absence of a comprehensive long-term follow-up mechanism were identified as significant barriers to effective patient management.

Conclusion
The dynamic interaction among the micro, meso and macro systems significantly influenced patients’ motivation and capacity for self-management, thereby ultimately affecting the progression of their disease and their overall quality of life. To address these challenges, healthcare providers must prioritise comprehensive health guidance for patients during the heart transplantation waiting period. Emphasis should be placed on developing robust family-centred management plans tailored to the unique needs of these patients. In addition, there is a pressing need to establish a coordinated, three-tiered management system that integrates hospitals, families and community resources so as to provide holistic and continuous care for patients awaiting heart transplantation.

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Protocol for a global menopause priority setting partnership

Introduction
All those born with functioning ovaries will eventually experience menopause, and many will be symptomatic. However, significant gaps in the evidence base for menopause care remain. This National Institute for Health and Care Research James Lind Alliance Menopause Priority Setting Partnership (MAPS) will engage with clinicians and those with lived experience globally to determine the leading priorities for future menopause research.

Methods and analysis
MAPS will follow the established James Lind Alliance methodology which has already resulted in over 100 ‘top 10’ research priorities across health domains. It will be led by a steering group comprised of clinicians and lived experience members. Leveraging the networks of steering group members and partner organisations, the priority setting partnership will identify evidence uncertainties using an online survey. Evidence checking will be undertaken to determine which questions have already been answered. Prioritisation will be done in two stages, initially by online survey and then at a face-to-face workshop.

Ethics and dissemination
Ethical approval was not required. The final top 10 priorities for menopause, as ranked by stakeholders at the final consensus workshop, will be disseminated in the relevant peer-reviewed journals. A final report will be available on the MAPS and James Lind Alliance websites. The leading priorities will inform the future global research agenda for menopause.

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Womens perspectives of decision-making for labour and birth: a qualitative antenatal-postnatal paired interview study

Objectives
To understand and compare women’s antenatal and postnatal views on: (1) priorities for information provided about labour and delivery and (2) decision-making in labour and delivery.

Design
Qualitative interview study using repeat interviews at two time points: during pregnancy (≥13 weeks gestation); and after birth (≥6 weeks).

Setting
Large maternity hospital in the Southwest of England.

Participants
Pregnant women accessing antenatal care were purposively sampled and recruited antenatally by community midwives to ensure representation from different sociodemographic groups, with diverse experiences of low and high-risk care.

Data collection
Telephone interviews with a single researcher using a semistructured interview topic guide.

Data analysis
Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and qualitative thematic analysis was conducted using Braun and Clarke’s six-stage process.

Results
Twelve women participated (12 antenatal interviews; 10 follow-up postnatal interviews). Overall, women’s postnatal views were consistent with their antenatal views about what they wanted to know and the factors that influence decision-making. Three themes were generated. Theme 1 ‘Sources of information’ presents evidence of how women obtain and use information (sub-themes: ‘social influences’, ‘patient responsibility for information seeking’, ‘NHS vs non-NHS resources’). Theme 2 reports women’s views and experiences of ‘The influence of Healthcare Professionals in decision-making’ (sub-themes ‘patient and professional roles in decision-making’, ‘conflicting advice and preferences’, ‘taking authority in emergency decision-making’). The final theme, theme 3, ‘When, how, and what information women want’ shows women want time to process information (sub-themes ‘when: it’s definitely information and time’, ‘how: presentation of information’, ‘what: information required’). Cross-cutting all themes, we found an unmet need for information to be tailored to the individual.

Conclusions
Women understand decision-making during labour and birth is a dynamic process. Women can struggle with the volume, quality and timing of information available. In busy maternity settings, the challenge is to better equip women with the information they want, and health professionals with the information they need to provide for personalised care and shared decision-making. Antenatal interventions that warrant further research include decision aids, birth plans, and structured counselling using core information sets. Insights from both antenatal and postnatal perspectives will help inform their development.

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Predictors of sickness absence and intention to leave the profession among NHS staff in England during the COVID-19 pandemic: a prospective cohort study

Objectives
This study aims to determine key workforce variables (demographic, health and occupational) that predicted National Health Service (NHS) staff’s absence due to illness and expressed intention to leave their current profession.

Design, setting and participants
Staff from 18 NHS Trusts were surveyed between April 2020 and January 2021, and again approximately 12 months later.

Outcome measures
Logistic and linear regression were used to explore relationships between baseline exposures and four 12-month outcomes: absence due to COVID-19, absence due to non-COVID-19 illness, actively seeking employment outside current profession and regularly thinking about leaving current profession.

Results
22 555 participants (out of a possible 152 286 employees; 15%) completed the baseline questionnaire. 10 831 participants completed the short follow-up questionnaire at 12 months and 5868 also completed the long questionnaire; these participants were included in the analyses of sickness absence and intention to leave, respectively. 20% of participants took 5+ days of work absence for non-COVID-19 sickness in the 12 months between baseline and 12-month questionnaire; 14% took 5+ days of COVID-19-related sickness absence. At 12 months, 20% agreed or strongly agreed they were actively seeking employment outside their current profession; 24% thought about leaving their profession at least several times per week. Sickness absence (COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 related) and intention to leave the profession (actively seeking another role and thinking about leaving) were all more common among NHS staff who were younger, in a COVID-19 risk group, had a probable mental health disorder, and who did not feel supported by colleagues and managers.

Conclusions
Several factors affected both workforce retention and sickness absence. Of particular interest are the impact of colleague and manager support because they are modifiable. The NHS workforce is likely to benefit from training managers to speak with and support staff, especially those experiencing mental health difficulties. Further, staff should be given sufficient opportunities to form and foster social connections. Selection bias may have affected the presented results.

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Targeted Screening of Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysms in Female Smokers: Inconsiderate Overdiagnosis or Chance for Better Health?

Stroke, Ahead of Print. BACKGROUND:Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) causes a substantial proportion of all deaths among middle-aged people, especially women. Because female smokers in particular have a high risk of aSAH and subarachnoid hemorrhage deaths, targeted screening of 50- to 60-year-old female smokers could be justified as a preventive action to reduce premature deaths and morbidity.METHODS:This prospective screening study has been performed at Helsinki University Hospital in the Department of Neurosurgery in 2 phases during 2020 and 2023 to 2024. To minimize recruitment bias, the Helsinki Biobank and THL Biobank were responsible for sending out preliminary invitation letters to self-caring 50- to 60-year-old women (mean, 56 years) who were known to be active smokers. We informed the potential candidates about the study and answered any questions before their decision to participate. Once written consent was provided, participants filled in a detailed questionnaire on lifestyle and health, and underwent computed tomography angiography analysis. We studied the prevalence of unruptured intracranial aneurysms among the study participants. Moreover, we assessed immediate morbidity, mortality, and costs related to screening.RESULTS:Of the 458 preliminary invitation letters, 160 potential participants initially replied. Of these, 116 returned questionnaires and written consents. Ultimately, 108 smoking women underwent computed tomography angiography imaging. Eleven unruptured intracranial aneurysms were found in 11 (10%) female smokers, 1 of which was intracavernous and extradural. Two women were operated on without complications—1 with a middle cerebral artery aneurysm and 1 with a posterior communicating artery aneurysm. Most (n=8) patients with small (

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Burden of Cardiovascular Outcomes After SARS-CoV-2 Infection in South Korea and Japan: A Binational Population-Based Cohort Study

Circulation, Ahead of Print. BACKGROUND:Despite the significant global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, limited studies have investigated the long-term cardiovascular sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection, particularly among Asian populations. This large-scale, population-based binational cohort study with long-term follow-up aimed to investigate the association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and the risk of cardiovascular events.METHODS:We used binational, large-scale, and population-based cohorts, including a Korean nationwide cohort (K-COV-N; discovery cohort; n=18 989 129) and a Japanese nationwide cohort (Japan Medical Data Center; validation cohort; n=12 218 680). Individuals aged 20 years or older were included from January 1, 2020, to December 31, 2022. We assessed the long-term risk of incident cardiovascular outcomes after SARS-CoV-2 infection. The primary outcome was the risk of cardiovascular diseases based onInternational Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revisioncode diagnosis. After propensity score–based overlap weighting, Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios for cardiovascular outcomes. We assessed the time attenuation effect of cardiovascular outcomes after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Multiple subgroup analyses were conducted by 16 cardiovascular outcomes, COVID-19 severity, vaccination, and SARS-CoV-2 strain.RESULTS:In the overlap-weighted discovery cohort, 7 960 357 individuals were included (mean age, 48.52 years [SD, 9.33]; men, 4 283 878 [53.82%]). SARS-CoV-2 infection was associated with a long-term increased risk of overall cardiovascular outcomes (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.62 [95% CI, 1.60–1.64]), particularly ischemic heart disease (1.81 [95% CI, 1.77–1.84]), heart failure (1.79 [95% CI, 1.73–1.85]), cerebrovascular disorders (1.65 [95% CI, 1.60–1.69]), major adverse cardiovascular events (1.65 [95% CI, 1.60–1.70]), inflammatory heart diseases (1.53 [95% CI, 1.31–1.80]), dysrhythmia (1.44 [95% CI, 1.42–1.46]), and thrombotic disorders (1.42 [95% CI, 1.35–1.48]). The increased risk persisted up to 18 months, with the highest association observed for 1 to 6 months after infection. The risk of cardiovascular diseases was pronounced with COVID-19 severity; however, it decreased with the administration of complete vaccination and subsequent booster doses. A similar risk of cardiovascular outcomes existed across every SARS-CoV-2 era (pre-delta, delta, and omicron). Similar patterns were observed in the validation cohort. The absolute risk of cardiovascular disease events after SARS-CoV-2 infection remained remarkably low (2.12% versus 1.31% in the noninfected population), particularly stroke (0.24% versus 0.13%) and ischemic heart disease (0.73% versus 0.39%).CONCLUSIONS:This binational study observed associations between SARS-CoV-2 infection and cardiovascular events during extended follow-up across viral eras. Complete vaccination was linked to lower cardiovascular events. However, the absolute risk of cardiovascular disease events after SARS-CoV-2 infection remained remarkably low, particularly for stroke and ischemic heart disease. Although these findings suggest ongoing vigilance and preventive measures remain crucial, they should be interpreted within the context of these low absolute risks when considering long-term cardiovascular complications.

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SEW2871 Attenuates Blood-Brain Barrier Damage and Neuropathological Outcomes Related to Cerebral Small Vessel Disease

Stroke, Ahead of Print. BACKGROUND:Blood-brain barrier (BBB) dysfunction contributes to the pathogenesis of cerebral small vessel disease. This study assessed SEW2871, a selective agonist of sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 1, as a potential novel therapy for small vessel disease by targeting BBB damage using a rat model of small vessel disease.METHODS:Twelve-week male and female spontaneously hypertensive rat stroke-prones were subjected to unilateral carotid artery occlusion (UCAO) and Japanese permissive diet (JPD). Three doses of SEW2871 (0.5, 1.0, and 5.0 mg/kg, delivered every other day up to 5 weeks) were tested. Dynamic body weight, oxygen saturation, and SEW2871 plasma concentration were evaluated. BBB permeability, white and gray matter lesions (white matter lesions and gray matter lesions), and cerebral blood flow (CBF) were assessed with preclinical magnetic resonance imaging at 2 and 5 weeks after UCAO/JPD onset. Cognitive outcomes were evaluated using Morris Water Maze during week 5 of UCAO/JPD.RESULTS:We found that SEW2871 delayed the occurrence of UCAO/JPD-induced chronic hypoxic hypoperfusion in the spontaneously hypertensive rat stroke-prones. Magnetic resonance imaging showed increased BBB permeability, white matter lesions and gray matter lesions, and decreased CBF at 2 and 5 weeks after UCAO/JPD onset. T2-weighted and fractional anisotropy magnetic resonance imaging showed that all doses of SEW2871 demonstrated a protective effect on white matter lesions and gray matter lesions with the most significant improvements in the 1.0 mg/kg group. Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging and arterial spin labeling maps showed significantly reduced BBB leakage and improved CBF in 0.5 and 1.0 mg/kg groups. Immunohistochemical analysis for serum IgG extravasation and microglia/macrophage activation in rat brains verified the protective effects of SEW2871 on BBB leakage and neuroinflammation. Morris Water Maze test revealed a significant improvement in spatial memory in 0.5 and 1.0 mg/kg groups compared with the vehicle animals.CONCLUSIONS:Long-term treatment with SEW2871 mitigated BBB leakage and brain injury, improved CBF and cognitive impairment in the spontaneously hypertensive rat stroke-prone model of small vessel disease. SEW2871 is effective at all doses, while the 1.0 mg/kg dose demonstrated exceptional protection against the neuropathological cascades associated with small vessel disease.

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Associations between patient characteristics and five-year trajectories of anticholinergic drug burden in older adults in German primary care: a prospective observational cohort study

Objectives
To investigate the change in anticholinergic burden over a 5 year period in relation to the health characteristics of older adults.

Study design
Using data from the MultiCare Cohort Study (2008–2013), a prospective observational cohort study based on patient data from 158 general practices

Setting
Primary care in Germany.

Participants
3189 multimorbid adults aged 65 to 85 years

Primary and secondary outcome measures
The primary outcome was the change in the anticholinergic burden score (ACB) over a 5 year period. The ACB was defined as the dependent variable and was calculated by including all anticholinergic drugs prescribed to participants during the study period. Independent variables included age, sex, education (according to CASMIN), depressiveness (GDS), cognitive function (LDST), quality of life (EQ5D-3L) and the number of diseases weighted by severity. We performed multilevel mixed-effects multivariable linear regression analyses.

Results
A total of 7068 observations were analysed during three follow-ups. The mean age of the participants was 74.4±5.2 years and 59.3% were female. The mean ACB score was 1.5±1.7 at baseline and did not change significantly over time. In contrast, a higher severity-weighted number of diseases (coefficient: 0.08, 95% CI: 0.05/0.10, p

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Social support interventions for caregivers of older adults with dementia: a scoping review

Objectives
To identify and assess the social support interventions provided to caregivers of older adults with dementia. By synthesising the findings, it seeks to provide insights into effective strategies that can enhance caregivers’ support.

Design
A scoping review.

Data sources
The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews was strictly followed in this study. Searches were systematically conducted across five databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, CINAHL) from their inception up to February 2025.

Eligibility criteria for selecting studies
We included original intervention studies published in English that examined social support interventions for caregivers of older adults with dementia, focusing on outcomes reporting social support.

Data extraction and synthesis
Data extraction was conducted using a standardised Microsoft Excel chart based on Arksey and O’Malley’s method. Two reviewers independently collected information on study characteristics (authors, country, publication year, design, sample size, assessment tools, interventions and outcomes). Disagreements were resolved by a third independent reviewer.

Results
A total of 31 studies were selected for this review, revealing six distinct categories of social support interventions for caregivers of older adults with dementia. These categories included peer support (n=7), counselling group intervention (n=2), health education (n=2), mindfulness-based stress reduction intervention (n=1), individual therapy (n=1) and multicomponent interventions (n=18). The findings indicate that these interventions significantly enhanced the social support available to caregivers, leading to positive outcomes such as reduced caregivers burden, anxiety, depression and improved coping skills.

Conclusion
This review underscores the variety of interventions designed to enhance social support for caregivers of older adults with dementia. The findings provide valuable insights for caregivers, administrators and other stakeholders, emphasising the critical need to adopt and promote effective social support strategies for this population.

Trial registration details
A review protocol was registered on the OSF(Open Science Framework) registries, with the following registration doi: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/D9C53.

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Improvement of rheolytic thrombectomy for acute deep vein thrombosis of the whole lower limb by primary popliteal vein thrombosis clearance: protocol for a prospective, multicenter, randomized controlled trial (the Reformation study)

Introduction
Pharmacomechanical thrombectomy (PMT) can be a useful treatment for restoring vein patency quickly, especially for extensive acute deep vein thrombosis (DVT). However, previous evidence failed to validate the effectiveness of PMT in reducing the incidence of post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS). To address this controversy, the reformation study aims to improve rheolytic thrombectomy for acute DVT of the lower limb through primary popliteal vein thrombosis clearance.

Method and analysis
Reformation is a prospective randomised multicentre trial. It has 160 patients in two groups: the modified access group (80 patients) and the traditional access group (80 patients). The purpose of this study is to assess whether the modified access approach for removing inflow thrombus in a one-stage procedure is more effective in enhancing the success rate of the procedure and reducing the incidence of PTS during a 24-month follow-up period, for patients with acute whole limb DVT.

Ethics and dissemination
The reformation study has been registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov. The study protocol has been approved by the Institutional Review Board and Human Research Ethics Committee of Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University (approved number: KY2021-067-A). The results will be disseminated by publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

Trial registration number
NCT05286710.

Protocol version and date
V.1.2, 20 August 2022.

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