Screening for Pediatric Anxiety Disorders

In this issue of JAMA, the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) presents a Recommendation Statement on screening for anxiety in children and adolescents, based on an Evidence Report and Systematic Review by Viswanathan et al that summarized the evidence for screening and treatment. In its current report, the USPSTF “recommends screening for anxiety in children and adolescents aged 8 to 18 years (B recommendation)” and “concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of screening for anxiety in children 7 years or younger (I statement).”

Leggi
Ottobre 2022

Third Asia-Pacific consensus recommendations on colorectal cancer screening and postpolypectomy surveillance

The Asia-Pacific region has the largest number of cases of colorectal cancer (CRC) and one of the highest levels of mortality due to this condition in the world. Since the publishing of two consensus recommendations in 2008 and 2015, significant advancements have been made in our knowledge of epidemiology, pathology and the natural history of the adenoma-carcinoma progression. Based on the most updated epidemiological and clinical studies in this region, considering literature from international studies, and adopting the modified Delphi process, the Asia-Pacific Working Group on Colorectal Cancer Screening has updated and revised their recommendations on (1) screening methods and preferred strategies; (2) age for starting and terminating screening for CRC; (3) screening for individuals with a family history of CRC or advanced adenoma; (4) surveillance for those with adenomas; (5) screening and surveillance for sessile serrated lesions and (6) quality assurance of screening programmes. Thirteen countries/regions in the Asia-Pacific region were represented in this exercise. International advisors from North America and Europe were invited to participate.

Leggi
Ottobre 2022

Screening and management of sleep disorders in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome: a French multicentred, prospective, observational study protocol (FIBOBS)

Introduction
Sleep disorders are still often underestimated in patient care management even though they are present in the criteria of the American College of Rheumatology for the diagnosis of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). The objective of this study will be to assess the current situation of sleep disorders in patients with FMS in France and to estimate its prevalence.

Methods and analysis
The FIBOBS study is a multicentred, prospective, observational trial performed by 46 specialised chronic pain structures in France. Patients with FMS visiting for a first consultation or follow-up (if they have already been followed up for less than a year with a pain management service) will be included after giving their informed consent. Data will be collected through the physician questionnaire filled during the inclusion visit. Patient self-questionnaires will be completed from home. The primary outcome of the study will be to estimate the prevalence of sleep disorders classified into three categories: (a) poor sleep quality in general, (b) sleep apnoea syndrome and (c) restless legs syndrome, using self-administered questionnaires.

Ethics and dissemination
This protocol is approved by the ethics committee Comité de Protection des Personnes ‘Ile de France II’ in accordance with French regulations. The results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals and conferences.

Trial registration number
NCT04775368.

Leggi
Settembre 2022

Using FIB-4 score as a screening tool in the assessment of significant liver fibrosis (F2) in patients with transfusion-dependent beta thalassaemia: a cross-sectional study

Objective
To evaluate the performance of the fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) score as a screening tool to detect significant liver fibrosis (F2) compared with transient elastography (TE), among chronic transfusion-dependent beta-thalassaemia (TDT) patients in a resource-poor setting.

Design
A cross-sectional study.

Setting
Adolescent and Adult Thalassaemia Care Centre (University Medical Unit), Kiribathgoda, Sri Lanka.

Participants
45 TDT patients who had undergone more than 100 blood transfusions with elevated serum ferritin >2000 ng/mL were selected for the study. Patients who were serologically positive for hepatitis C antibodies were excluded.

Outcome measures
TE and FIB-4 scores were estimated at the time of recruitment in all participants. Predefined cut-off values for F2, extracted from previous TE and FIB-4 scores studies, were compared. A new cut-off value for the FIB-4 score was estimated using receiver operating characteristics curve analysis to improve the sensitivity for F2 prediction.

Results
Of the selected 45 TDT patients, 22 (49%) were males. FIB-4 score showed a significant linear correlation with TE (r=0.52;p

Leggi
Settembre 2022