Risultati per: Cardio-oncology: rivista open access

Objective
We aimed to evaluate the feasibility and utility of an unsupervised testing mechanism, in which participants pick up a swab kit, self-test (unsupervised) and return the kit to an on-campus drop box, as compared with supervised self-testing at staffed locations.

Design
University SARS-CoV-2 testing cohort.

Setting
Husky Coronavirus Testing provided voluntary SARS-CoV-2 testing at a university in Seattle, USA.

Outcome measures
We computed descriptive statistics to describe the characteristics of the study sample. Adjusted logistic regression implemented via generalised estimating equations was used to estimate the odds of a self-swab being conducted through unsupervised versus supervised testing mechanisms by participant characteristics, including year of study enrolment, pre-Omicron versus post-Omicron time period, age, sex, race, ethnicity, affiliation and symptom status.

Results
From September 2021 to July 2022, we received 92 499 supervised and 26 800 unsupervised self-swabs. Among swabs received by the laboratory, the overall error rate for supervised versus unsupervised swabs was 0.3% vs 4%, although this declined to 2% for unsupervised swabs by the spring of the academic year. Results were returned for 92 407 supervised (5% positive) and 25 836 unsupervised (4%) swabs from 26 359 participants. The majority were students (79%), 61% were female and most identified as white (49%) or Asian (34%). The use of unsupervised testing increased during the Omicron wave when testing demand was high and stayed constant in spring 2022 even when testing demand fell. We estimated the odds of using unsupervised versus supervised testing to be significantly greater among those

Objective
To assess antibiotic prescribing practice and its determinants among outpatient prescriptions dispensed to the elderly population.

Design
A prescription-based, cross-sectional study.

Setting
Six community chain pharmacies in Asmara, Eritrea.

Participants
All outpatient prescriptions dispensed to the elderly population (aged 65 and above) in the six community chain pharmacies in Asmara, Eritrea.

Data collection and analysis
Data were collected retrospectively, between 16 June 2023 and 16 July 2023. Antibiotic prescribing practice was assessed using the 2023 World Health Organization (WHO) Access, Watch and Reserve (AWaRe) classification system. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were performed using IBM SPSS (V.26.0). P values less than 0.05 were considered as significant.

Results
Of the 2680 outpatient prescriptions dispensed to elderly population, 35.8% (95% CI: 34.0, 37.6) contained at least one antibiotic. Moreover, a total of 1061 antibiotics were prescribed to the elderly population. The most commonly prescribed antibiotics were ciprofloxacin (n=322, 30.3%) and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (n=145, 13.7%). The Access category accounted for the majority of antibiotics (53.7%) with 32.1% from the Watch category. Prescriber qualification (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR)= 0.60, 95% CI: 0.44, 0.81) and polypharmacy (AOR= 2.32, 95% CI: 1.26, 4.27) were significant determinants of antibiotic prescribing in the elderly population. Besides, sex (AOR=0.74, 95% CI: 0.56, 0.98), prescriber qualification (AOR=0.49, 95% CI: 0.30 to0.81) and level of health facility (AOR 0.52, 95% CI 0.34 to 0.81) were significant determinants of a Watch antibiotic prescription.

Conclusion
Antibiotics were prescribed to a considerable number of the elderly population, with more than half of them falling into the Access category. Further efforts by policy-makers are needed to promote the use of Access antibiotics while reducing the use of Watch antibiotics to mitigate risks associated with antimicrobial resistance.

JAMA Oncology is committed to publishing influential original research, opinions, and reviews that advance the science of oncology and improve the clinical care of patients with cancer.

Objectives
To examine children and young people’s (CYP), caregivers’ and healthcare professionals’ (HCPs) views or experiences of facilitators and barriers to CYP access to UK primary care services to better understand healthcare inequity. To explore differences across CYP subpopulations with greater health needs from deprived areas, identifying as ethnic minorities, with experiences of state care, special educational needs or disabilities, chronic conditions or mental health problems.

Design
Scoping review.

Eligibility criteria
Included studies were in English, published 2012–2022 and reported: the views/experiences of CYP (0–25 years), caregivers or HCPs about accessing UK primary care; using quantitative or qualitative empirical methods.

Data sources
PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, PsycINFO and Scopus.

Results
We included 47 reports (46 studies). CYP/caregivers’ decision to access care was facilitated by CYP/caregivers’ or their family/friends’ ability to identify a health issue as warranting healthcare attention. Barriers to accessing care included perceived stigma (eg, being seen as a bad parent), embarrassment and discrimination experiences. CYP and caregivers believed longer opening hours could facilitate more timely access to care. Caregivers and HCPs reported that delayed or rejected referrals to secondary or adult care were a barrier to having needs met, especially for CYP with poor mental health. CYP and caregivers in numerous studies emphasised the importance of communication and trust with HCPs, including taking their concerns seriously, being knowledgeable and providing continuity of care for CYP. Common barriers reported across high-need subpopulations were caregivers needing knowledge and confidence to advocate for their child, gaps in HCP’s knowledge and a lack of connectedness between primary and secondary care.

Conclusions
Connecting general practices and community health workers/services, improving CYP/caregivers’ understanding of common childhood conditions, addressing HCP’s knowledge gaps in paediatric care and integrated approaches between primary and secondary care may reduce inequity in access.

Introduction
Late-life treatment-resistant depression (LL-TRD) is common and increases risk for accelerated ageing and cognitive decline. Impaired sleep is common in LL-TRD and is a risk factor for cognitive decline. Slow wave sleep (SWS) has been implicated in key processes including synaptic plasticity and memory. A deficiency in SWS may be a core component of depression pathophysiology. The anaesthetic propofol can induce electroencephalographic (EEG) slow waves that resemble SWS. Propofol may enhance SWS and oral antidepressant therapy, but relationships are unclear. We hypothesise that propofol infusions will enhance SWS and improve depression in older adults with LL-TRD. This hypothesis has been supported by a recent small case series.

Methods and analysis
SWIPED (Slow Wave Induction by Propofol to Eliminate Depression) phase I is an ongoing open-label, single-arm trial that assesses the safety and feasibility of using propofol to enhance SWS in older adults with LL-TRD. The study is enrolling 15 English-speaking adults over age 60 with LL-TRD. Participants will receive two propofol infusions 2–6 days apart. Propofol infusions are individually titrated to maximise the expression of EEG slow waves. Preinfusion and postinfusion sleep architecture are evaluated through at-home overnight EEG recordings acquired using a wireless headband equipped with dry electrodes. Sleep EEG recordings are scored manually. Key EEG measures include sleep slow wave activity, SWS duration and delta sleep ratio. Longitudinal changes in depression, suicidality and anhedonia are assessed. Assessments are performed prior to the first infusion and up to 10 weeks after the second infusion. Cognitive ability is assessed at enrolment and approximately 3 weeks after the second infusion.

Ethics and dissemination
The study was approved by the Washington University Human Research Protection Office. Recruitment began in November 2022. Dissemination plans include presentations at scientific conferences, peer-reviewed publications and mass media. Positive results will lead to a larger phase II randomised placebo-controlled trial.

Trial registration number
NCT04680910.

Introduction
Kidney transplantation is the preferred therapy for children with stage 5 chronic kidney disease (CKD-5). However, there is a wide variation in access to kidney transplantation across the UK for children. This study aims to explore the psychosocial factors that influence access to and outcomes after kidney transplantation in children in the UK using a mixed-methods prospective longitudinal design.

Methods
Qualitative data will be collected through semistructured interviews with children affected by CKD-5, their carers and paediatric renal multidisciplinary team. Recruitment for interviews will continue till data saturation. These interviews will inform the choice of existing validated questionnaires, which will be distributed to a larger national cohort of children with pretransplant CKD-5 (n=180) and their carers. Follow-up questionnaires will be sent at protocolised time points regardless of whether they receive a kidney transplant or not. Coexisting health data from hospital, UK renal registry and National Health Service Blood and Transplant registry records will be mapped to each questionnaire time point. An integrative analysis of the mixed qualitative and quantitative data will define psychosocial aspects of care for potential intervention to improve transplant access.

Analysis
Qualitative data will be analysed using thematic analysis. Quantitative data will be analysed using appropriate statistical methods to understand how these factors influence access to transplantation, as well as the distribution of psychosocial factors pretransplantation and post-transplantation.

Ethics and dissemination
This study protocol has been reviewed by the National Institute for Health Research Academy and approved by the Wales Research Ethics Committee 4 (IRAS number 270493/ref: 20/WA/0285) and the Scotland A Research Ethics Committee (ref: 21/SS/0038). Results from this study will be disseminated across media platforms accessed by affected families, presented at conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals.

Circulation, Volume 149, Issue 22, Page 1749-1751, May 28, 2024.

Objective
To explore the experience and challenges health professionals face during breaking bad news (BBN) to patients with cancer in the oncology centre of Black Lion Specialized Hospital (BLSH), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 2019.

Design
An exploratory qualitative phenominological study using in-depth interviews was carried out in the only radiotherapy integrated oncology centre in Ethiopia during March 2019. Purposeful maximum variation sampling was used to select participants. OpenCode (V.4.02) assisted thematic analysis approach was employed to analyse the data.

Participants
Eleven oncology health practitioners (oncologists, residents and nurses) working at the oncology centre were interviewed. Repeated interviews and analysis were done until theoretical saturation.

Results
All participants were cognisant of the positive outcome of proper and effective practice of BBN. However, they were practicing it empirically, no standardised protocols or guidelines were in place. Four dimensions of challenges were mentioned: (1) setup centric: unconducive environment, lack of protocols or guidelines, inaccessible treatment, and psychotherapy or counselling services; (2) health care centric, such as inadequate expertise, inadequate time due to patient load,treatment backlog, and referral system; (3) patients/family centric: poor medical literacy level, poor compliance, and family interference; and (4) sociocultural: wrong perception of families on BBN and treatment modalities, and opposition from religious leaders.

Conclusion
BBN is challenging for professionals caring for patients in the oncology centre of BLSH. Hence, there is a critical need to improve practices. Change efforts may focus on the development of contextualised, content and context specific practice oriented training programmes and curriculum interventions. Raising awareness of the community and religious leaders regarding the nature and treatment of cancer may also be a helpful adjunct.

Background
The Rotterdam Eczema Study was an observational cohort study with an embedded pragmatic randomised controlled open-label trial. It was conducted in children with atopic dermatitis (AD) in the Dutch primary care system. The objective of the trial was to determine whether a potent topical corticosteroid (TCS) is more effective than a low-potency TCS.

Objective
We are aiming to communicate transparently about the poor recruitment for the trial part and to explore the reasons why recruitment was weak.

Design
We used a survey to find out what patients in the cohort did when they experienced a flare-up.

Methods
Descriptive statistics were used to present the baseline characteristics of participants in the trial and the results of the survey.

Results
In total, 367 patients were included in the cohort. Of these, 32 were randomly assigned to a trial treatment; they had a median age of 4.0 years (IQR 2.0–9.8). A total of 69 of the 86 children (80.2%) who could participate in the survey responded. 39 (56.5%) suffered a flare-up during the follow-up (making them potentially eligible for inclusion in the trial). 26 out of 39 (66.7%) increased their use of an emollient and/or TCS themselves. Only 12 of the 39 (30.7%) contacted their general practitioner (GP) as instructed in the study protocol, but 8 out of these 12 did not meet the inclusion criteria for the trial.

Conclusion
The main reason why cohort participants did not take part in the trial was that they did not contact their GPs when they experienced an AD flare-up. Furthermore, the majority of patients who contacted their GPs did not match the inclusion criteria of the trial. We expect that the lessons learnt from this study will be useful when developing future studies of children with AD in primary care.

We sincerely thank the 878 peer reviewers who completed manuscript reviews for JAMA Oncology in 2023.

I keep my mother’s dentures warm; they fog the plastic case on my lap. Lips pursed, arms raised above her head, she lies on a table about to slide through the doughnut of an apparatus that looks like a spaceship. I hear David Bowie’s voice: This is Ground Control to Major Tom as the contraption begins its magnetic music— an opus of hammers, a staccato hum. What a brave astronaut my mother is, fitted into a coil helmet, going in alone. She waves off my hand to hold, refuses earbuds the technician offers. I’d give anything if we were anywhere else. Strange, the way I now drift above her, the technician and the machine, high enough to almost touch the floodlights, which somebody has thought to dim.

Circulation, Ahead of Print.