Independent association of metabolic syndrome severity score and risk of diabetes: findings from 18 years of follow-up in the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study

Objectives
This study aimed to investigate the association between age-specific and sex-specific continuous metabolic syndrome severity score (cMetS-S) and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Additionally, the study aimed to assess the added value of cMetS-S in predicting T2DM compared with traditional MetS criteria.

Design
The study used a longitudinal cohort design, following participants for 18 years.

Setting
The research was conducted within the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study, a community-based study in Tehran, Iran.

Participants
A total of 6957 participants aged 20–60 years were included in the study.

Interventions/exposures
The cMetS-S of each participant was determined using age-specific and sex-specific equations and Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to analyse the association between cMetS-S and T2DM using continuous and quantile approaches.

Primary and secondary outcome measures
The outcome measure was the association between cMetS-S and the development of T2DM during the 18-year follow-up.

Results
A total of 1124 T2DM cases were recorded over 18 years of follow-up. In the fully adjusted model, a 1-SD increase in the cMetS-S was associated with future T2DM (HR 1.72; 95% CI 1.54 to 1.91). Men and women had HRs of 1.65 (95% CI 1.40 to 1.95) and 1.83 (95% CI 1.59 to 2.10) for T2DM per 1-SD increase in cMetS-S, respectively. Higher cMetS-S was associated with increased risk of diabetes in both prediabetic (HR 1.42;95% CI 1.23 to 1.64) and normoglycaemic individuals (HR 2.11;95% CI 1.76 to 2.54); this association was more significant in normoglycaemic individuals. Unlike the traditional-based MetS definitions, the cMetS-S improved diabetes prediction (p

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Settembre 2024

Care coordination models for transition and long-term follow-up among childhood cancer survivors: a scoping review

Objectives
Childhood cancer survivors may experience complex health issues during transition and long-term follow-up (LTFU); therefore, high-quality healthcare is warranted. Care coordination is one of the essential concepts in advanced healthcare. Care coordination models vary among childhood cancer survivors in transition and LTFU. This study aimed to identify care coordination models for childhood cancer survivors in transition and LTFU and synthesise essential components of the models.

Design
This scoping review was guided by the methodological framework from Arksey and O’Malley and was reported with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews. A systematic literature search was conducted on six databases using possible combinations of terms relevant to childhood cancer survivors, transition/LTFU and care coordination model. Data were analysed by descriptive and content analysis.

Data sources
The literature search was first conducted in May 2023 and updated in May 2024. Six databases including Medline, PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL and Cochrane Library were searched; meanwhile, a hand search was also conducted.

Eligibility criteria for selecting studies
Studies relevant to describing any models, interventions or strategies about care coordination of transition or LTFU healthcare services among childhood cancer survivors were included.

Data extraction and synthesis
Two reviewers independently screened and included studies. Basic information as well as care coordination model-related data in the included studies were extracted. Descriptive summary and content analysis were used for data analysis.

Results
In the 20 545 citations generated by the search strategy, seven studies were identified. The critical determinants of the models in the included studies were the collaboration of the multidisciplinary team, integration of the navigator role and the provision of patient-centred, family-involved, needs-oriented clinical services. The main functions of the models included risk screening and management, primary care-based services, psychosocial support, health education and counselling, and financial assistance. Models of care coordination were evaluated at patient and clinical levels. Based on this review, core concepts of successful care coordination models for childhood cancer survivors in transition or LTFU were synthesised and proposed as the ‘3 I’ framework: individualisation, interaction and integration.

Conclusion
This scoping review summarised core elements of care coordination models for childhood cancer survivors’ transition and LTFU. A proposed conceptual framework to support and guide the development of care coordination strategies for childhood cancer survivors’ transition and LTFU care was developed. Future research is needed to test the proposed model and develop appropriate care coordination strategies for providing high-quality healthcare for childhood cancer survivors’ transition and LTFU.

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Agosto 2024

Which factors affect post-transfer gaps in follow-up care? A qualitative study of the insights of healthcare providers in Sweden and Belgium

Background
Young people with congenital heart disease (CHD) are frequently affected by discontinued follow-up when transferring from paediatric to adult care. Identified predictors for discontinuation include mostly patient-related factors, and further knowledge of hospital and healthcare system factors is needed.

Aim
This study aims to explore patient-related, hospital-related and healthcare system-related factors affecting continued follow-up care after transfer, as perceived and experienced by paediatric cardiology and adult CHD (ACHD) healthcare providers (HCPs) in Sweden and Belgium.

Methods
This descriptive qualitative study included individual interviews with cardiologists, nurses and administrative staff, subjected to qualitative content analysis. A total of 30 HCPs from 13 specialist care outpatient clinics at 8 different centres in Sweden and Belgium were interviewed. HCPs were included if they had direct contact with patients and had at least 1 year of work experience.

Findings
The findings illuminate three main categories of factors perceived by HCPs to affect continued follow-up care after transfer, including ‘care structure’, ‘care processes’ and ‘patient characteristics and circumstances’. Success was described as multifactorial, emphasising processes and structures of care, with a focus on collaboration, organisation, joint responsibility, resources, care relationships and transitional care interventions. Few differences appeared between paediatric and ACHD HCPs and between Swedish and Belgian HCPs.

Conclusion
HCPs perceived factors on patient, hospital and healthcare system levels to influence continued follow-up. Process-related and structure-related aspects of care were perceived as more influential than individual patient characteristics. Hence, future research on discontinued follow-up care should focus on process-related and structure-related aspects of care delivery.

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Agosto 2024

Exploring adults recollections of growing up with childhood motor difficulties: a qualitative study using systematic text condensation

Objective
To explore the ramifications of childhood motor difficulties, providing insights into their impact and consequences over time.

Design
A qualitative study using semistructured individual interviews. Data were analysed using systematic text condensation.

Setting
Neonatal intensive care recipients born at Uppsala University Children’s Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden, between 1986 and 1989, were enrolled in a longitudinal follow-up study and subsequently interviewed in 2019–2020.

Participants
13 individuals in their early 30s, who met the criteria for developmental coordination disorder or performed below the 5th percentile on motor tests at 6.5 years of age, were interviewed. Those with co-occurring deficits in attention or social behavioural at age 6.5 were excluded.

Results
Two themes emerged: (1) lifelong challenges and (2) navigating the journey of motor difficulties: support, awareness and confidence. Five participants reported persistent motor difficulties. They adapted and integrated these challenges into their daily lives without feeling constrained. Parental support was crucial to their success, whereas support from schools was limited.

Conclusion
Adults who faced motor difficulties in childhood developed effective coping strategies, overcame challenges and now lead fulfilling lives. The findings stress the importance of parental support and understanding, addressing contextual factors and fostering positive attitudes and supportive environments to enhance well-being and participation.

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Agosto 2024

Perturbation-based balance training of older adults and effects on physiological, cognitive and sociopsychological factors: a secondary analysis from a randomised controlled trial with 12-month follow-up

Background
Perturbation-based balance training (PBT) has shown promising, although diverging, fall-preventive effects; however, the effects on important physical, cognitive and sociopsychological factors are currently unknown. The study aimed to evaluate these effects on PBT at three different time points (post-training, 6-months and 12-months) in community-dwelling older adults compared with regular treadmill walking.

Methods
This was a preplanned secondary analysis from a randomised, controlled trial performed in Aalborg, Denmark, between March 2021 and November 2022. Community-dwelling older adults aged ≥65 were randomly assigned to participate in four sessions (lasting 20 min each) of either PBT (intervention) or regular treadmill walking (control). All participants were assigned to four testing sessions: pretraining, post-training, 6-month follow-up and 12-month follow-up. At these sessions, physical, cognitive and sociopsychological measures were assessed.

Results
In total, 140 participants were randomly allocated to either the PBT or control group. Short-term (pretraining to post-training) between-group differences were seen for choice stepping reaction time (–49 ms, 95% CI –80 to –18), dual-task gait speed (0.05 m/s, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.09) favouring the PBT group. However, these improvements were not sustained at the 6-month and 12-month follow-up. No significant between-group differences were found in other physical, cognitive or sociopsychological factors.

Conclusions
This study showed that PBT, in the short term, improved choice stepping reaction time and dual-task gait speed among community-dwelling older adults. Yet, these improvements were not retained for 6- or 12-months. The healthy state of the study’s population may have imposed a ceiling effect limiting the ability to show any clinically relevant effects of PBT.

Trial registration number
NCT04733222.

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Agosto 2024

Loss to follow-up and its predictors among children living with HIV on antiretroviral therapy, southern Oromia, Ethiopia: a 5-year retrospective cohort study

Background
Loss to follow-up (LTFU) among paediatric patients living with HIV presents a significant challenge to the global scale-up of life-saving antiretroviral therapy (ART).

Objectives
This study aims to estimate LTFU incidence and its determinants among children with HIV on ART in Shashemene town public health institutions, Oromia, Ethiopia.

Design
A retrospective cohort study from 1 January 2015 to 30 December 2020.

Setting
This study was conducted in Shashemene town, Oromia, Ethiopia.

Participants
Medical records of 269 children receiving ART at health facilities in Shashemene town were included.

Methods
Data from patients’ medical records were collected using a standardised checklist. EpiData V.3.1 was employed for data entry, while Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) V.25 facilitated analysis. The Kaplan-Meier survival curve was used for estimation of survival time. To measure association, adjusted HRs (AHRs) with 95% CIs were calculated. Both bivariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were employed to identify predictors of LTFU.

Results
Of the 269 children living with HIV included in the final analysis, 43 (16%) were lost to follow-up. The overall incidence rate of LTFU was 3.3 (95% CI 2.4 to 4.4) per 100 child-years of observation. Age less than 5 years (AHR 0.03, 95% CI 0.00 to 0.36), non-orphan status of the child (AHR 0.13, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.34), < 30 min distance to health facility (AHR 0.24, 95% CI 0.08 to 0.73), disclosed HIV status (AHR 0. 32, 95% CI 0.13 to 0.80), history of opportunistic infection (AHR 3.54, 95% CI 1.15 to 10.87) and low CD4 count (AHR 5.17, 95% CI 2.08 to 12.85) were significant predictors of LTFU. Conclusion The incidence rate of LTFU was lower compared with other studies in Ethiopia. This result indicated that age less than 5 years, non-orphans, low CD4, disclosed HIV status and distance from health facility were predictors of LTFU.

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Agosto 2024

Assessing economic investment required to scale up bariatric surgery capacity in England: a health economic modelling analysis

Objectives
To quantify the economic investment required to increase bariatric surgery (BaS) capacity in National Health Service (NHS) England considering the growing obesity prevalence and low provision of BaS in England despite its high clinical effectiveness.

Design
Data were included for the patients with obesity who were eligible for BaS. We used a decision-tree approach including four distinct steps of the patient pathway to capture all associated resource use. We estimated total costs according to the current capacity (current scenario) and three BaS scaling up strategies over a time horizon of 20 years (projected scenario): maximising NHS capacity (strategy 1), maximising NHS and private sector capacity (strategy 2) and adding infrastructure to NHS capacity to cover the entire prevalent and incident obesity populations (strategy 3).

Setting
BaS centres based in NHS and private sector hospitals in England.

Main outcome measures
Number of BaS procedures (including revision surgery), cost (GBP) and resource utilisation over 20 years.

Results
At current capacity, the number of BaS procedures and the total cost over 20 years were estimated to be 140 220 and £1.4 billion, respectively. For strategy 1, these values were projected to increase to 157 760 and £1.7 billion, respectively. For strategy 2, the values were projected to increase to 232 760 and £2.5 billion, respectively. Strategy 3 showed the highest increase to 564 784 and £6.4 billion, respectively, with an additional 4081 personnel and 49 facilities required over 20 years.

Conclusions
The expansion of BaS capacity in England beyond a small proportion of the eligible population will likely be challenging given the significant upfront economic investment and additional requirement of personnel and infrastructure.

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Agosto 2024

Impact of collegial midwifery assistance during second stage of labour on womens experience: a follow-up from the Swedish Oneplus randomised controlled trial

Objective
To compare experiences of the second stage of labour in women randomised to assistance by one or by two midwives to reduce severe perineal trauma (SPT).

Design
Analysis of a secondary outcome within the Swedish Oneplus multicentre randomised trial.

Setting
Five obstetric units in Sweden between December 2018 and March 2020.

Participants
Inclusion criteria in the Oneplus trial were women opting for their first vaginal birth from gestational week 37+0 with a singleton pregnancy and a live fetus in the vertex presentation. Further inclusion criteria were language proficiency in Swedish, English, Arabic or Farsi. Exclusion criteria were multiple pregnancies, intrauterine fetal demise and planned caesarean section. Of the 3059 women who had a spontaneous vaginal birth, 2831 women had consented to participate in the follow-up questionnaire.

Interventions
Women were randomly assigned (1:1) to assistance by two midwives (intervention group) or one midwife (standard care) when reaching the second stage of labour.

Outcome measures
Data were analysed by intention to treat. Comparisons between intervention and standard care regarding experiences of the second stage of labour were evaluated with items rated on Likert scales. The Student’s t-test was used to calculate mean differences with 95% CIs.

Results
In total 2221 (78.5%) women responded to the questionnaire. There were no statistically significant differences regarding women’s experiences of being in control, feelings of vulnerability or pain. Women randomised to be assisted by two midwives agreed to a lesser extent that they could handle the situation during the second stage (mean 3.18 vs 3.26, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.15). Conducted subgroup analyses revealed that this result originated from one of the study sites.

Conclusions
The intervention’s lack of impact on the experience of the second stage is of importance considering the reduction in SPT when being assisted by two midwives.

Trial registration number
NCT03770962.

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Luglio 2024

Slow walking speed and health-related exit from employment among older workers over 5 years of follow-up: evidence from the Health and Employment After Fifty (HEAF) cohort study

Introduction
With demographic changes, there is increasing demand for individuals and governments to lengthen working lives. Jobs that are very physically demanding are likely to be more difficult to sustain at older ages. If workers at risk of mismatch of demand and capability could be identified early, there would be opportunities for intervention for health or lifestyle and/or re-training or redeployment.

Objective
To investigate whether self-reported walking speed (a good measure of function in elderly people) predicted health-related job loss (HRJL) longitudinally over 5 years of follow-up among middle-aged workers.

Design
Data came from the Health and Employment After Fifty (HEAF) prospective cohort study of middle-aged people (aged 50–64 years) in UK.

Setting
General population survey (sampling frame was 24 General Practice registers).

Participants
The cohort included 8134 people recruited in 2013–2014. For the current analyses, 5217 people who ever worked and completed at least one follow-up questionnaire were eligible.

Primary outcome
Exit from employment mainly or partly for health reasons (HRJL).

Results
At baseline, very slow walking speed was associated with: obesity, physical inactivity, smoking (men), financial hardship, lower educational attainment and not being in professional occupations. In total, 527 people (10%) reported at least one HRJL during follow-up. After adjustment, the HR for HRJL among men with very slow walking-speed was 4.32, 95% CI 2.72 to 6.87 and among women was 4.47, 95% CI 3.04 to 6.57. After further adjustment for ‘difficulty coping with physical demands at work’, hazards remained doubled in men and women.

Conclusions
Self-reported walking speed could help identify older workers who are at increased risk of HRJL. This could provide opportunities for intervention through optimising health and lifestyle, restricting physical workload, retraining or redeployment. Early appropriate intervention could enable longer working lives and promote healthier, more equal ageing.

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Luglio 2024