Preventing readmission to hospital after giving birth is a key priority, as rates have been rising along with associated costs. There are many contributing factors to readmission, and some are thought to be preventable. Nurse and midwife understaffing has been linked to deficits in care quality. This study explores the relationship between staffing levels and readmission rates in maternity settings.
We conducted a retrospective longitudinal study using routinely collected individual patient data in three maternity services in England from 2015 to 2020. Data on admissions, discharges and case-mix were extracted from hospital administration systems. Staffing and workload were calculated in Hours Per Patient day per shift in the first two 12-hour shifts of the index (birth) admission. Postpartum readmissions and staffing exposures for all birthing admissions were entered into a hierarchical multivariable logistic regression model to estimate the odds of readmission when staffing was below the mean level for the maternity service.
64 250 maternal admissions resulted in birth and 2903 mothers were readmitted within 30 days of discharge (4.5%). Absolute levels of staffing ranged between 2.3 and 4.1 individuals per midwife in the three services. Below average midwifery staffing was associated with higher rates of postpartum readmissions within 7 days of discharge (adjusted OR (aOR) 1.108, 95% CI 1.003 to 1.223). The effect was smaller and not statistically significant for readmissions within 30 days of discharge (aOR 1.080, 95% CI 0.994 to 1.174). Below average maternity assistant staffing was associated with lower rates of postpartum readmissions (7 days, aOR 0.957, 95% CI 0.867 to 1.057; 30 days aOR 0.965, 95% CI 0.887 to 1.049, both not statistically significant).
We found evidence that lower than expected midwifery staffing levels is associated with more postpartum readmissions. The nature of the relationship requires further investigation including examining potential mediating factors and reasons for readmission in maternity populations.
The aim of this scoping review was to provide an overview of current research into topical oxygen therapies including the under-researched singlet oxygen for wound healing. A scoping review was undertaken using five databases. After duplicates and ineligible studies were excluded, 49 studies were included for a narrative review. Out of the included 49 studies, 45 (91.8%) were published in the past 10 years (2013–2023) with 32 (65.3%) published in the past 5 years (2018–2023). Eight of the studies were systematic reviews and/or meta-analysis and 18 were RCTs. The search identified zero human RCTs on singlet oxygen, but one human cohort study and five studies in animals. There is evidence that topical oxygen therapy may be useful for the treatment of chronic wounds, mainly diabetic foot ulcers. Singlet oxygen has shown potential, but would need further confirmation in controlled human trials, including more research to understand the bio-properties.
Previous studies have shown the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with reductions in volume across a spectrum of non-SARS-CoV-2 hospitalizations. In the present study, we examine the impact of the pandemic on patient safety and quality of care.
This is a retrospective population-based study of discharge abstracts.
We applied a set of nationally validated indicators for measuring the quality of inpatient care to hospitalizations in Ontario, Canada between January 2010 and December 2022. We measured 90-day mortality after selected types of higher risk admissions (such as cancer surgery and cardiovascular emergency) and the rate of patient harm events (such as delirium, pressure injuries and hospital-acquired infections) occurring during the hospital stay.
A total 13,876,377 hospitalization episodes were captured. Compared with the pre-pandemic period, and independent of SARS-CoV-2 infection, the pandemic period was associated with higher rates of mortality after bladder cancer resection (adjusted risk ratio [aRR] 1.20 (1.07–1.34)) and open repair for abdominal aortic aneurysm (aRR 1.45 (1.06–1.99)). The pandemic was also associated with higher rates of delirium (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.04 (1.02–1.06)), venous thromboembolism (aOR 1.10 (1.06–1.13)), pressure injuries (aOR 1.28 (1.24–1.33)), aspiration pneumonitis (aOR 1.15 (1.12–1.18)), urinary tract infections (aOR 1.02 (1.01–1.04)), Clostridiodes difficile infection (aOR 1.05 (1.02–1.09)), pneumothorax (aOR 1.08 (1.03–1.13)), and use of restraints (aOR 1.12 (1.10–1.14)), but was associated with lower rates of viral gastroenteritis (aOR 0.22 (0.18–0.28)). During the pandemic, SARS-CoV-2-positive admissions were associated with a higher likelihood of various harm events.
The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with higher rates of patient harm for a wide range of non-SARS-CoV-2 inpatient populations.
Understanding which quality measures are improving or deteriorating can help health systems prioritize quality improvement initiatives.
No patient or public contribution.
Ethnicity data are critical for identifying inequalities, but previous studies suggest that ethnicity is not consistently recorded between different administrative datasets. With researchers increasingly leveraging cross-domain data linkages, we investigated the completeness and consistency of ethnicity data in two linked health and education datasets.
Cohort study.
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust deidentified electronic health records, accessed via Clinical Record Interactive Search (CRIS) and the National Pupil Database (NPD) (2007–2013).
N=30 426 children and adolescents referred to local Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.
Ethnicity data were compared between CRIS and the NPD. Associations between ethnicity as recorded from each source and key educational and clinical outcomes were explored with risk ratios.
Ethnicity data were available for 79.3% from the NPD, 87.0% from CRIS, 97.3% from either source and 69.0% from both sources. Among those who had ethnicity data from both, the two data sources agreed on 87.0% of aggregate ethnicity categorisations overall, but with high levels of disagreement in Mixed and Other ethnic groups. Strengths of associations between ethnicity, educational attainment and neurodevelopmental disorder varied according to which data source was used to code ethnicity. For example, as compared with White pupils, a significantly higher proportion of Asian pupils achieved expected educational attainment thresholds only if ethnicity was coded from the NPD (RR=1.46, 95% CI 1.29 to 1.64), not if ethnicity was coded from CRIS (RR=1.11, 0.98 to 1.26).
Data linkage has the potential to minimise missing ethnicity data, and overlap in ethnicity categorisations between CRIS and the NPD was generally high. However, choosing which data source to primarily code ethnicity from can have implications for analyses of ethnicity, mental health and educational outcomes. Users of linked data should exercise caution in combining and comparing ethnicity between different data sources.
To examine the voluntariness of consent in paediatric HIV clinical trials and the associated factors.
Mixed-methods, cross-sectional study combining a quantitative survey conducted concurrently with indepth interviews.
From January 2021 to April 2021, we interviewed parents of children on first-line or second-line Anti-retroviral therapy (ART) in two ongoing paediatric HIV clinical trials [CHAPAS-4 (ISRCTN22964075) and ODYSSEY (ISRCTN91737921)] at the Joint Clinical Research Centre Mbarara, Uganda.
The outcome measures were the proportion of parents with voluntary consent, factors affecting voluntariness and the sources of external influence. Parents rated the voluntariness of their consent on a voluntariness ladder. Indepth interviews described participants’ lived experiences and were aimed at adding context.
All 151 parents randomly sampled for the survey participated (84% female, median age 40 years). Most (67%) gave a fully voluntary decision, with a score of 10 on the voluntariness ladder, whereas 8% scored 9, 9% scored 8, 6% scored 7, 8% scored 6 and 2.7% scored 4. Trust in medical researchers (adjusted OR 9.90, 95% CI 1.01 to 97.20, p=0.049) and male sex of the parent (adjusted OR 3.66, 95% CI 1.00 to 13.38, p=0.05) were positively associated with voluntariness of consent. Prior research experience (adjusted OR 0.31, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.78, p=0.014) and consulting (adjusted OR 0.25. 95% CI 0.10 to 0.60, p=0.002) were negatively associated with voluntariness. Consultation and advice came from referring health workers (36%), spouses (29%), other family members (27%), friends (15%) and researchers (7%). The indepth interviews (n=14) identified the health condition of the child, advice from referring health workers and the opportunity to access better care as factors affecting the voluntariness of consent.
This study demonstrated a high voluntariness of consent, which was enhanced among male parents and by parents’ trust in medical researchers. Prior research experience of the child and advice from health workers and spouses were negatively associated with the voluntariness of parents’ consent. Female parents and parents of children with prior research experience may benefit from additional interventions to support voluntary participation.
by Sonal Singh, Noelle M. Cocoros, Xiaojuan Li, Kathleen M. Mazor, Mary T. Antonelli, Lauren Parlett, Mark Paullin, Thomas P. Harkins, Yunping Zhou, Paula A. Rochon, Richard Platt, Inna Dashevsky, Carly Massino, Cassandra Saphirak, Sybil L. Crawford, Jerry H. Gurwitz
ContextPotentially inappropriate prescribing of medications in older adults, particular those with dementia, can lead to adverse drug events including falls and fractures, worsening cognitive impairment, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations. Educational mailings from health plans to patients and their providers to encourage deprescribing conversations may represent an effective, low-cost, “light touch”, approach to reducing the burden of potentially inappropriate prescription use in older adults with dementia.
ObjectivesThe objective of the Developing a PRogram to Educate and Sensitize Caregivers to Reduce the Inappropriate Prescription Burden in Elderly with Alzheimer’s Disease (D-PRESCRIBE-AD) trial is to evaluate the effect of a health plan based multi-faceted educational outreach intervention to community dwelling patients with dementia who are currently prescribed sedative/hypnotics, antipsychotics, or strong anticholinergics.
MethodsThe D-PRESCRIBE-AD is an open-label pragmatic, prospective randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing three arms: 1) educational mailing to both the health plan patient and their prescribing physician (patient plus physician arm, n = 4814); 2) educational mailing to prescribing physician only (physician only arm, n = 4814); and 3) usual care (n = 4814) among patients with dementia enrolled in two large United States based health plans. The primary outcome is the absence of any dispensing of the targeted potentially inappropriate prescription during the 6-month study observation period after a 3-month black out period following the mailing. Secondary outcomes include dose-reduction, polypharmacy, healthcare utilization, mortality and therapeutic switching within targeted drug classes.
ConclusionThis large pragmatic RCT will contribute to the evidence base on promoting deprescribing of potentially inappropriate medications among older adults with dementia. If successful, such light touch, inexpensive and highly scalable interventions have the potential to reduce the burden of potentially inappropriate prescribing for patients with dementia.ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05147428.
Concerns about falling (CaF) are common in older people and have been associated with avoidance of activities of daily life. Exercise designed to prevent falls can reduce CaF, but the effects are usually short-lived. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can reduce CaF for longer but is not readily available in the community and unlikely to prevent falls. A multidomain intervention that combines CBT, motivational interviewing and exercise could be the long-term solution to treat CaF and reduce falls in older people with CaF. This paper describes the design of a randomised controlled trial to test the effectiveness of two different 12 week self-managed eHealth programmes to reduce CaF compared with an active control.
A total of 246 participants (82 per group) aged 65 and over, with substantial concerns about falls or balance will be recruited from the community. They will be randomised into: (1) myCompass-Own Your Balance (OYB) (online CBT programme) intervention or (2) myCompass-OYB plus StandingTall intervention (an eHealth balance exercise programme), both including motivational interviewing and online health education or (3) an active control group (online health education alone). The primary outcome is change in CaF over 12 months from baseline of both intervention groups compared with control. The secondary outcomes at 2, 6 and 12 months include balance confidence, physical activity, habitual daily activity, enjoyment of physical activity, social activity, exercise self-efficacy, rate of falls, falls health literacy, mood, psychological well-being, quality of life, exercise self-efficacy, programme adherence, healthcare use, user experience and attitudes towards the programme. An intention-to-treat analysis will be applied. The healthcare funder’s perspective will be adopted for the economic evaluation if appropriate.
Ethical approval was obtained from the South Eastern Sydney Local Health District Human Research Ethics Committee (2019/ETH12840). Results will be disseminated via peer-reviewed journals, local and international conferences, community events and media releases.
ACTRN12621000440820.
Globally, the nursing shortage is a growing concern. Much of the research on retention of nurses focuses on the experience of those who left positions. In this study, we set out to listen to critical care nurses (CCRNs) who have chosen to remain in their positions to understand the factors retaining them in critical care.
This interpretive descriptive study was guided by the following research question: ‘what factors influence CCRN's decision to continue to work in critical care?’
Digitally recorded interviews and a focus group were conducted between July 2022 and January 2023 using a semi-structured, strengths-based interview guide with CCRNs from three critical care units at a tertiary hospital in a city in a central Canadian province. Transcribed interviews were analysed using open, axial and selective coding and constant comparative analysis.
Twenty-two CCRNs participated in interviews and three in a focus group. The theme of Respect, demonstrated through the interconnected concepts of Working to Full Scope, Team, Rotations and Compensation was identified. Working to Full Scope was described as providing nursing care aligned with how each nurse envisions what nursing is. Being part of a Team led by strong nurse leaders that provides opportunities and supports the sharing of their perspectives was also found. Respect was also found to be demonstrated through Rotations that recognize that work is one part of these nurses' lives. Compensation that reflects the increased education, knowledge and skills required in critical care was the final concept of Respect.
Organizations should focus their efforts across the identified concepts to demonstrate Respect for CCRNs and retain them.
The findings of this study provide ways to support the retention of CCRNs.
This research will have an impact on nursing leaders by providing tangible ways to retain CCRNs.
Reporting of this work was guided by the Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research.
No patient or public contribution.
To investigate whether chronic diseases are associated with higher COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and explore factors that influence COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in patients with chronic diseases.
Vaccine hesitancy has been acknowledged as one of the greatest hazards to public health. However, little information is available about COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among patients with chronic diseases who may be more susceptible to COVID-19 infection, severe disease or death.
From 6 to 9 August 2021, we performed an internet-based cross-sectional survey with 22,954 participants (14.78% participants with chronic diseases). Propensity score matching with 1:1 nearest neighbourhood was used to reduce confounding factors between patients with chronic diseases and the general population. Using a multivariable logistic regression model, the factors impacting COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy were identified among patients with chronic diseases.
Both before and after propensity score matching, patients with chronic diseases had higher COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy than the general population. In addition, self-reported poor health, multiple chronic diseases, lower sociodemographic backgrounds and lower trust in nurses and doctors were associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among patients with chronic diseases.
Patients with chronic diseases were more hesitant about the COVID-19 vaccine. Nurses should focus on patients with chronic diseases with poor health conditions, low socioeconomic backgrounds and low trust in the healthcare system.
Clinical nurses are recommended to not only pay more attention to the health status and sociodemographic characteristics of patients with chronic diseases but also build trust between nurses and patients by improving service levels and professional capabilities in clinical practice.
Patients or the public were not involved in setting the research question, the outcome measures, or the design or implementation of the study. However, all participants were invited to complete the digital informed consent and questionnaires.
by Samuel Kyei, Rexford Kwasi Gyaami, John Baptist Abowine, Ebenezer Zaabaar, Kofi Asiedu, Samuel Bert Boadi-Kusi, Jacob Mensah Mesuh, Frank Assiamah, Anthony Armah, Patience Ansomah Ayerakwah
ObjectiveTo assess the differential association of myopia with major non-communicable ocular diseases in an African clinical cohort.
MethodsA five-year hospital-based retrospective study of myopia cases. Patients’ folders, Optical Coherence Tomography scans, and fundus photographs were reviewed for the abstraction of relevant data. Only records that employed recognized standards and classification systems for diagnosing and staging the various ocular conditions were included. Demographic characteristics, non-cycloplegic objective refractive findings, and non-communicable eye diseases were retrieved from the records. Myopia-associated risk factors were then determined using logistic regression and correlation.
ResultsSome 16018 patients (32027 eyes) met the inclusion criteria for at least one eye comprising 50.8% males (n = 8137) and 49.2% females (n = 7881). The mean age of the patients was 43.14 ± 17.88 years (range: 2–98 years). The mean spherical equivalent± Standard deviation for myopia was -2.30±3.23 DS (range: -0.50 to -25DS). Binary logistic regression analysis showed that myopic eyes had a higher odd of AC (OR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.50–0.57), POAG (OR, 6.0; 95% CI, 5.26–6.82), DR (OR, 10.70; 95% CI, 3.91–29.27) and cataracts (OR, 20; 95% CI, 15.32–26.20) but not dry eye (OR, 0.74, 95% CI, 0.68–0.81), macular degeneration and pterygium (OR, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.32–0.40).
ConclusionAfricans with myopia are more at risk of developing allergic conjunctivitis, cataracts, POAG, and DR but not for dry eye, macular degeneration, and pterygium.
by Vijay M. Ravindra, Lorraina Robinson, Hailey Jensen, Elena Kurudza, Evan Joyce, Allison Ludwick, Russell Telford, Osama Youssef, Justin Ryan, Robert J. Bollo, Rajiv R. Iyer, John R. W. Kestle, Samuel H. Cheshier, Daniel S. Ikeda, Qinwen Mao, Douglas L. Brockmeyer
IntroductionThe fibrous posterior atlanto-occipital membrane (PAOM) at the craniocervical junction is typically removed during decompression surgery for Chiari malformation type I (CM-I); however, its importance and ultrastructural architecture have not been investigated in children. We hypothesized that there are structural differences in the PAOM of patients with CM-I and those without.
MethodsIn this prospective study, blinded pathological analysis was performed on PAOM specimens from children who had surgery for CM-I and children who had surgery for posterior fossa tumors (controls). Clinical and radiographic data were collected. Statistical analysis included comparisons between the CM-I and control cohorts and correlations with imaging measures.
ResultsA total of 35 children (mean age at surgery 10.7 years; 94.3% white) with viable specimens for evaluation were enrolled: 24 with CM-I and 11 controls. There were no statistical demographic differences between the two cohorts. Four children had a family history of CM-I and five had a syndromic condition. The cohorts had similar measurements of tonsillar descent, syringomyelia, basion to C2, and condylar-to-C2 vertical axis (all p>0.05). The clival-axial angle was lower in patients with CM-I (138.1 vs. 149.3 degrees, p = 0.016). Morphologically, the PAOM demonstrated statistically higher proportions of disorganized architecture in patients with CM-I (75.0% vs. 36.4%, p = 0.012). There were no differences in PAOM fat, elastin, or collagen percentages overall and no differences in imaging or ultrastructural findings between male and female patients. Posterior fossa volume was lower in children with CM-I (163,234 mm3 vs. 218,305 mm3, p Conclusions
In patients with CM-I, the PAOM demonstrates disorganized architecture compared with that of control patients. This likely represents an anatomic adaptation in the presence of CM-I rather than a pathologic contribution.
The National Congenital Anomaly and Rare Disease Registration Service (NCARDRS), part of National Disease Registration Service in National Health Service England, quality assures, curates and analyses individual data on the pregnancies, fetuses, babies, children and adults with congenital anomalies and rare diseases across England. The congenital anomaly (CA) register provides a resource for patients and their families, clinicians, researchers and public health professionals in furthering the understanding of CAs.
NCARDRS registers CAs occurring in babies born alive and stillborn, fetal losses and terminations in England. NCARDRS collects data from secondary and tertiary healthcare providers, private providers and laboratories covering fetal medicine, maternity or paediatric services. Data describe the pregnancy, mother, baby and anomaly. Established in 2015, NCARDRS expanded CA registration coverage from 22% of total births in England in 2015 to national coverage, which was achieved in 2018. Prior to 2015, data collection was performed independently by regional registers in England; these data are also held by NCARDRS.
NCARDRS registers approximately 21 000 babies with CAs per year with surveillance covering around 600 000 total births, the largest birth coverage for a CA register globally. Data on prevalence, risk factors and survival for children with CAs are available. Data have been used in several peer-reviewed publications. Birth prevalence statistics, including public health indicators such as the association with maternal age, infant and perinatal mortality, are published annually. NCARDRS supports clinical audit for screening programmes and service evaluation.
NCARDRS provides a valuable resource for the understanding of the epidemiology, surveillance, prevention and treatment of CAs. Currently, approximately 21 000 new registrations of babies or fetuses with suspected or confirmed CAs are added each year. Identifiers are collected, enabling linkage to routinely collected healthcare and population statistics, further enhancing the value of the data.
To identify how family caregivers adapt to the caregiving role following a relative's COVID-19-related intensive care unit (ICU) hospitalisation.
Family caregiving is often associated with poor health amongst caregivers which may limit their capacity to effectively support patients. Though severe COVID-19 infection has necessitated increasing numbers of persons who require caregiver support, little is known about these caregivers, the persons they are caring for, or the strategies used to effectively adjust to the caregiving role.
A qualitative descriptive study design was adopted, and findings are reported using COREQ.
A secondary analysis of transcripts from semi-structured interviews conducted with recently discharged ICU patients who had COVID-19 (n = 16) and their family caregivers (n = 16) was completed using thematic analysis. MAXQDA 2020 and Miro were used to organise data and complete coding. Analysis involved a structured process of open and closed coding to identify and confirm themes that elucidated adaptation to family caregiving.
Six themes highlight how family caregivers adapt to the caregiving role following an ICU COVID-19-related hospitalisation including (1) engaging the support of family and friends, (2) increased responsibilities to accommodate caregiving, (3) managing emotions, (4) managing infection control, (5) addressing patient independence and (6) engaging support services. These themes were found to be congruent with the Roy adaptation model.
Family caregiving is a stressful transition following a patient's acute hospitalisation. Effective adaptation requires flexibility and sufficient support, beginning with the care team who can adequately prepare the family for the anticipated challenges of recovery.
Clinical teams may improve post-hospitalisation care outcomes of patients by preparing families to effectively adjust to the caregiver role—particularly in identifying sufficient support resources.
Participation of patients/caregivers in this study was limited to the data provided through participant interviews.
To explore the prospective acceptability of an implementation leadership training programme prototype for nurse managers in China to implement evidence-based practices, from the perspectives of potential programme participants and deliverers.
A qualitative descriptive study was conducted in Spring 2022 at three tertiary hospitals in Hunan, China.
We conducted individual semi-structured interviews with unit-level nurse managers (n = 14), including 12 potential participants, and two potential deliverers that have been involved in developing the programme prototype. Interview questions and thematic analysis were guided by the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability.
After reviewing the programme content, potential participants and deliverers reported that unit nurse managers would benefit from engaging in the programme, acknowledging that the programme fit with professional nursing values for implementing research evidence. They expressed positive views about being involved in producing academic papers through the training process, and interactive multi-modal training activities such as group work, experience-sharing and coaching. Seven participants were not very confident about being fully engaged in the training, as they could not navigate the English research literature. Both participants and deliverers highlighted factors that would influence their participation, including time constraints, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and support from senior organizational leadership.
The training programme prototype was perceived to be useful and acceptable. The multimodal training activities were considered a strength and managers expressed an interest in writing academic papers about their implementation processes. Support from senior hospital leaders and programme deliverers was identified as critical to the training programme's success.
The study helps understand nurse managers' perceptions and concerns of participating in an implementation leadership training programme and could inform the development and refinement of similar programmes in various nursing contexts globally.
To explore the priorities of women mothering children in the context of intimate partner violence and to understand what shapes those priorities.
A qualitative study using interpretive description, informed by Feminist Intersectionality adhering to the COREQ guidelines.
Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data.
Dialogic, semi-structured interviews were conducted with a community sample of 20 adult Canadian women who were mothering dependent children (under 18 years) in the context of recent intimate partner violence from a current or former partner.
Women's main priorities focused on their own and their children's well-being and creating stability related to housing and finances. Three themes identified: it's all about the kids; my safety…totally disregarded; and I have to take care of him. Multiple external factors (coercive control, structural inequities, assumptions about mothering) shape priorities and the tensions arising from competing priorities women felt compelled to address simultaneously.
Priorities of women mothering in the context of intimate partner violence are complex, shaped not only by what they want but by the limited options available to them given constraints such as income, employment, housing and service responses. Coercive control, structural inequities and assumptions about mothering are important factors influencing mothers' priorities and experiences. Better understanding mothers' priorities can support better tailored policies, services and nursing practice.
Structural inequities that negatively impact health and well-being by limiting access to resources and the supports needed to enhance health can be better recognized and addressed through a trauma and violence informed care approach.
This study addressed understanding the priorities of women mothering in the context of intimate partner violence. This research will impact women mothering in the context of intimate partner violence who receive care from nurses and other providers as well as those who provide care.
This study adhered to relevant EQUATOR guidelines (the COREQ checklist).
The women who took part in the interviews for this study did not participate in the study design, analysis or manuscript preparation.
Infections in primary care are often treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). This study evaluates whether NSAID prescribing is associated with adverse outcomes for respiratory (RTIs) or urinary track (UTI) infections.
To determine whether there is an association between NSAID prescribing and the rate of adverse outcomes for infections for individual consulting in primary care.
Cohort study of electronic health records.
87 general practices in the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink GOLD.
142 925 patients consulting with RTI or UTI.
Repeat consultations, hospitalisation or death within 30 days of the initial consultation for RTI or UTI. Poisson models estimated the associations between NSAID exposure and outcome. Rate ratios were adjusted for gender, age, ethnicity, deprivation, antibiotic use, seasonal influenza vaccination status, comorbidities and general practice. Since prescribing variations by practice are not explained by case mix—hence, less impacted by confounding by indication—both individual-level and practice-level analyses are included.
There was an increase in hospital admission/death for acute NSAID prescriptions (RR 2.73, 95% CI 2.10 to 3.56) and repeated NSAID prescriptions (6.47, 4.46–9.39) in RTI patients, and for acute NSAID prescriptions for UTI (RR 3.03; 1.92 to 4.76). Practice-level analysis, controlling for practice population characteristics, found that for each percentage point increase in NSAID prescription, the percentages of hospital admission/death within 30 days increased by 0.32 percentage points (95% CI 0.16 to 0.47).
In this non-randomised study, prescription of NSAIDs at consultations for RTI or UTIs in primary care is infrequent but may be associated with increased risk of hospital admission. This supports other observational and limited trial data that NSAID prescribing might be associated with worse outcomes following acute infection and should be prescribed with caution.
Mental health difficulties such as anxiety and depression have negative impacts on psychological well-being and are common in people with dementia and mild cognitive impairment. However, access to psychological treatments is limited. This mixed-method systematic review will: (1) examine the effectiveness of psychological interventions to improve mental health and psychological well-being in people with dementia or mild cognitive impairment; (2) examine the effectiveness of these psychological interventions to improve mental health and psychological well-being in informal caregivers; (3) examine potential clinical and methodological moderators associated with effectiveness; (4) explore factors associated with the acceptability of psychological interventions from the perspective of key stakeholders; and (5) examine the completeness and quality of intervention reporting.
Electronic databases (ASSIA, CENTRAL, CINAHL, EMBASE, PsycINFO and MEDLINE) will be systematically searched and supplemented with expert contact, reference and citation checking, and grey literature searches. If possible, we will conduct a meta-analysis to examine the overall effectiveness of psychological interventions to improve mental health and psychological well-being in people with dementia or mild cognitive impairment and their informal caregivers; and examine potential clinical and methodological moderators associated with effectiveness. We will conduct a deductive framework synthesis, informed by the theoretical framework of acceptability, to explore factors associated with the acceptability of psychological interventions from the perspective of key stakeholders. In accordance with Joanna Briggs Institute guidance, we will adopt a convergent segregated approach to data synthesis and integration of quantitative and qualitative findings. We will examine the completeness and quality of intervention reporting according to the Template for Intervention Description and Replication checklist and guide.
No primary data will be collected, and therefore, ethical approval is not required. Results will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed publication, academic conferences, and plain language summaries.
CRD42023400514.
To summarise evidence on the effectiveness of Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) gel and Leucocyte and Platelet Rich Fibrin (L-PRF) gel as agents promoting ulcer healing compared with the standard wound dressing techniques alone.
Systematic review.
Individual patient randomised controlled trials on skin ulcers of all types excluding traumatic lesions.
Intervention group: treatment with topical application of L-PRF gel or PRP gel to the wound surface.
Control group: treatment with standard skin ulcer care using normal saline, normgel or hydrogel dressings.
Medline (Ovid), Excerpta Medica Database (EMBASE), Scopus, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) and Web of Science and manual search of studies from previous systematic reviews and meta-analyses. The papers published from 1946 to 2022 with no restriction on geography and language were included. The last date of the search was performed on 29 August 2022.
Independent reviewers identified eligible studies, extracted data, assessed risk of bias using V.2 of the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomised trials tool and assessed certainty of evidence by using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach.
Time to complete healing, proportion healed at a given time and rate of healing.
Seven studies met the inclusion criteria, five using PRP gel and two using L-PRF gel. One study showed a better proportion of complete healing, three reported reduced meantime to complete healing and five showed improved rate of healing per unit of time in the intervention group. The risk of bias was high across all studies with one exception and the GRADE showed very low certainty of evidence.
The findings show potential for better outcomes in the intervention; however, the evidence remains inconclusive highlighting a large research gap in ulcer treatment and warrant better-designed clinical trials.
CRD42022352418.