Healthcare workers perceptions of patient safety culture in emergency departments: a scoping review

Objective
This review aimed to map the concept of patient safety culture in emergency departments (EDs), describe the availability of evidence related to patient safety culture as assessed by healthcare workers, identify the key focus areas of existing studies and pinpoint gaps in the current literature.

Design
A scoping review followed a comprehensive methodological process that included five steps based on the framework developed by Arksey and O’Malley and updated by Peters et al.

Eligibility criteria
Studies encompassing original research and all pertinent published and grey literature within the last 15 years (2010–2024) that aligned with the population (healthcare workers), concept (patient safety culture) and context (emergency department) framework for this study were included.

Data sources
PubMed, CINAHL (EBSCOhost), WOS, Embase, MEDLINE (Ovid), and KISS databases were searched for original studies published between 2010 and 2024 that aligned with the topic of this study.

Data extraction and synthesis
Two researchers independently extracted data from 28 eligible articles using a predetermined data extraction tool. A third researcher reviewed the data to ensure accuracy.

Results
A total of 28 articles were included in the review. The findings indicated an increase in research on patient safety culture in emergency departments since 2021. However, no eligible studies have assessed it within North America. Teamwork within units was the most positively perceived dimension, whereas the reporting of patient safety incidents was the least positively perceived dimension.

Conclusions
Although research on patient safety culture in eergency departments has increased, the findings remain limited in their generalisability due to a lack of diverse methodologies. Qualitative studies are needed to deepen the understanding of patient safety culture in multifaceted contexts. This review contributes to the academic field by bringing us closer to developing tailored interventions that can foster a positive patient safety culture in emergency departments.

Protocol registration
The protocol for this scoping review was registered in the Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/9f7qc).

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Risk factors for surgical site infection (SSI) in patients undergoing hysterectomy: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective
Surgical site infections (SSI) after hysterectomy constitute significant postoperative complications, affecting patient recovery and healthcare costs. We conducted a systematic review of risk factors for SSI in patients undergoing hysterectomy.

Design
The current study conducted a systematic review with meta-analysis to identify and summarise risk factors for SSI following hysterectomy.

Data sources
PubMed, Medline, Embase, Web of Science and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched through 1 November 2023.

Eligibility criteria
The inclusion criteria were (1) population: female participants who had post-hysterectomy SSI; (2) intervention: hysterectomy surgeries; (3) comparators: the number of participants who had or had not post-hysterectomy SSI; (4) outcomes: the number of participants exposed and not exposed to the risk factors of SSI. The exclusion criteria were (1) non-English studies and (2) studies that provided insufficient data.

Data extraction and synthesis
Two reviewers conducted the screening process independently. Articles that did not meet the inclusion criteria were excluded. For those that met the criteria, full-text papers were procured. Any discrepancies between the reviewers were resolved through discussion. The meta-analysis synthesised risk factors reported in ≥4 datasets via random-effects models, assessing heterogeneity, sensitivity (leave-one-out), publication bias (Egger’s test/funnel plots) and subgroup analyses (incision types).

Results
Blood transfusion emerged as the largest risk factor (OR=2.55, 95% CI (1.84, 3.56)), followed by tumour presence (OR=2.23, 95% CI (1.86, 2.66)), obesity (OR=1.79, 95% CI (1.43, 2.23)), diabetes (OR=1.70, 95% CI (1.26, 2.29)) and tobacco use (OR=1.43, 95% CI (1.26, 1.63)). The ORs varied by incision type.

Conclusions
The study establishes blood transfusion, tumour presence, obesity, diabetes and tobacco use as significant risk factors for SSI after hysterectomy, with variations in risk evident across different incision types. The findings also suggest vaginal and laparoscopic hysterectomies as preferable alternatives to abdominal hysterectomy in mitigating SSI risk. Future research should aim for more granular data to untangle the interplay between comorbidities and further elucidate the differential risk across SSI types.

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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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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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Consensus process to agree upon surgical quality assurance processes within a pragmatic, multicentre randomised clinical trial comparing targeted axillary dissection and axillary node clearance: the TADPOLE-TOGETHER project

Introduction
Patients with node-positive breast cancer having primary surgery currently undergo axillary node clearance (ANC) to reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence. Evidence that this highly morbid procedure improves survival is lacking, but approximately 30% of patients will develop lifelong complications which significantly impact their quality of life.
Targeted axillary dissection (TAD) may be a safe, less morbid alternative to ANC and will be evaluated in the upcoming Targeted Axillary Dissection versus axillary node clearance in patients with POsitive axillary Lymph nodes in Early breast cancer (TADPOLE) randomised controlled trial.
TAD is not currently routine practice in patients having primary surgery, so it is vital that the procedure is performed in an agreed upon, standardised way within the trial and procedure fidelity monitored to ensure the results are generalisable and will be accepted by the surgical community. Robust surgical quality assurance (SQA) is essential. Here we describe the first phase of the TADPOLE SQA, a consensus process with the breast surgical community to agree upon how (1) surgery should be performed and standardised; (2) procedure fidelity will be monitored and (3) requirements for surgeon credentialling within the trial.

Methods and analysis
The consensus process will have three phases:
Generation of a long list of possible components of TAD from a scoping review and expert opinion. Identified items will be categorised and formatted into Delphi consensus questionnaire items.

At least two rounds of an online Delphi survey in which at least 100 breast cancer surgeons will rate the importance of mandating/prohibiting, standardising and/or monitoring each component.

A consensus meeting with surgeons to discuss, agree upon and ratify the approach to SQA within TADPOLE.

Ethics and dissemination
Ethical approval has been obtained from the University of Bristol Faculty of Health Sciences Ethics Committee. Educational materials including videos and webinars will be developed and shared with surgeons participating in TADPOLE. Results will be presented at national/international meetings and published in peer-reviewed journals.

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Definitions of early COPD and markers and tools for predicting progression: a systematic review protocol

Introduction
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally. Early diagnosis and intervention are crucial for preventing disease progression. The concept of early COPD is considered to represent the initial phase of the disease course. However, different terms are used, and a standardised definition is lacking. This has hindered research and clinical utility. This systematic review aims first to examine current early COPD research and outline the definitions and terms used to help reach consensus and direct future clinical research. Second, it will identify currently proposed markers and tools for predicting the progression of early COPD and the quality of evidence to help direct future research and facilitate the development of novel management strategies.

Methods and analysis
This study will search for all clinical studies on early COPD, using a standardised search strategy, searching CENTRAL (the Cochrane Library), MEDLINE (Ovid), PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar. Titles and abstracts will be reviewed and compared against inclusion and exclusion criteria. Stage 1 of this review will assess the terms and definitions used for early COPD. Stage 2 will assess studies presenting additional markers or tools for predicting the progression of early COPD. Study quality will be assessed using a modified Downs and Black checklist for observational studies and the risk of bias (RoB) 2 tool for randomised controlled trials. This protocol has been registered in PROSPERO (CRD42025645320).

Ethics and dissemination
This systematic review will use freely available data within the literature and will not directly involve human participants; therefore, ethical approval is not required. The results of this systematic review will be prepared and submitted for presentation as conference presentation(s) and for publication as a peer-reviewed article.

PROSPERO registration number
CRD42025645320.

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Patients and physiotherapy professionals perspectives on group-based treatments: a systematic review protocol

Introduction
Physiotherapy is a recommended treatment for a wide range of conditions. However, waitlists can delay access to care, leading to poorer patient outcomes and added strain on healthcare systems. Group-based physiotherapy treatments have shown comparable clinical effectiveness to individual care and may help address these challenges. Despite this potential, their implementation in practice remains limited. Therefore, this systematic review aims to: (1) identify the determinants of use, intention to use, satisfaction, attitudes and experience with group-based treatments of patients and physiotherapy professionals, such as physiotherapists or physiotherapy technologists and (2) assess the factors that may influence patients’ and professionals’ preferences for group-based treatments over individual treatments.

Methods and analysis
Systematic searches were conducted on 6 September 2024 in the Medline, Embase, Web of Science, EBSCO CINAHL and Cochrane databases to identify studies published in French or English, in line with the language proficiency of the review team. Eligible studies will use quantitative, qualitative or mixed-method designs and report original data on the use or intention to use, satisfaction with, attitudes toward and experiences with group-based physiotherapy treatments, from either patients or physiotherapy professionals. Studies will be screened by two independent reviewers, with any discrepancy resolved through consensus or by involving a third reviewer. Data will be extracted from the included studies by two independent reviewers using a predefined data extraction form, with any discrepancy similarly resolved. For quantitative findings, the direction of the relationship between the outcomes and their determinants will be reported, along with the magnitude and significance of the coefficients, where available. For qualitative findings, relevant quotes will be provided to illustrate the relationship between the outcomes and their determinants. All included studies will be assessed by two independent reviewers using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool, with any discrepancy resolved again through consensus or by involving a third reviewer.

Ethics and dissemination
Ethical approval is not required for this review as it involves the collection of data from existing publications only. The findings will be disseminated through publication in a peer-reviewed scientific journal and presentations at relevant conferences.

Trial registration number
CRD42024574513.

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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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[Articles] Real-world uptake of nirsevimab, RSV maternal vaccine, and RSV vaccines for older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Uptake of nirsevimab varied substantially between the countries that have implemented infant RSV immunisation programmes. Despite the limited number of studies and the lack of more accurate data at national level the low uptake estimates for RSV maternal vaccine and RSV vaccines for older adults are concerning. National, clinical, and public health initiatives are needed to increase uptake of RSV immunisation products and ensure maximum benefit to people currently at risk of severe RSV outcomes.

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[Articles] Effect of intermittent preventive treatment during pregnancy with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine on maternal gestational weight gain in low-income and middle-income countries: a systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis of randomised clinical trials

Our findings suggest that monthly IPTp-SP has superior effect on GWG compared to weekly chloroquine or IPTp-DHA + PPQ in malaria-endemic areas. The result provides further evidence indicating that IPTp-SP improves maternal weight gain, an important determinant of fetal growth beyond its antimalarial effects. Due to the limited number of trials with weight and height measures available for the IPD meta-analysis we were likely underpowered to detect any significant difference between 2-dose SP and monthly IPTp-SP.

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Small Cell Lung Cancer

This narrative review summarizes the epidemiology, molecular characteristics, clinical presentation, and management of small cell lung cancer.

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Hierarchical Composite Outcomes and Win Ratio Methods in Cardiovascular Trials: A Review and Consequent Guidance

Circulation, Volume 151, Issue 22, Page 1606-1619, June 3, 2025. The win ratio is a method for analyzing a hierarchical composite outcome. It has been most widely used in randomized clinical trials (RCTs) in cardiovascular disease. We performed a review of cardiovascular RCTs using the win ratio published between January 2022 and July 2024. The aims were to summarize current use and to provide examples to illustrate effective use and communication. We identified 36 eligible RCTs, mainly in heart failure and ischemic heart disease. Intervention was pharmaceutical in 26, a procedure in 7, and treatment strategy in 3 trials. When outcomes were analyzed with both conventional composite end points or hierarchical analysis, the conclusions tended to be similar. The win ratio was often used to combine evidence from event outcomes and quantitative measures together in a hierarchical composite, as was done in 23 RCTs. It was also used to create a clinically more relevant measure in RCTs by recognizing the clinical priorities among event outcomes. Selected example RCTs illustrate how the clarity of win ratio findings can be improved by (1) complementing the win ratio (a relative measure) with the win difference, (2) identifying which components of a hierarchical composite drive the overall results, and (3) clearly prespecifying the outcomes and win ratio analysis to be used. We conclude with a set of recommendations for future use of hierarchical composite outcomes and the win ratio. When used wisely, the win ratio is a valuable tool in the analysis of RCTs.

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Errors in Text

The Review titled “A Person-Centered Approach to Supplemental Oxygen Therapy in the Outpatient Setting: A Review,” published online April 7, 2025, contained 3 instances of the same error in the section The Evidence. The correct threshold for severe resting desaturation is 88% or less. This article has been corrected online.

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Refining Social Determinants of Suicide Risk Research

To the Editor We read with great interest the recent study by Na et al on social determinants of health (SDOH) and suicide-related outcomes. This comprehensive review provides valuable insights into the role of SDOH in suicide risk, highlighting key factors that merit public health and policy attention. However, we believe that further discussion on methodological and theoretical aspects could strengthen the study’s implications.

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