by Sandra S. Chaves, Valérie Bosch Castells, Ainara Mira-Iglesias, Joan Puig-Barberà, F. Xavier López-Labrador, Miguel Tortajada-Girbés, Mario Carballido-Fernández, Joan Mollar-Maseres, Germán Schwarz-Chávarri, Javier Díez-Domingo, Alejandro Orrico-Sánchez, Valencia Hospital Network for the Study of Influenza and other Respiratory Viruses (VAHNSI)
BackgroundUnderstanding the burden of acute viral respiratory infection-related hospitalizations is crucial for guiding research and development. Unlike influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), or severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, no pharmaceutical interventions exist for other respiratory viruses; therefore, their impact remains poorly characterized. This study aimed to investigate the association of current non-vaccine-preventable respiratory viruses, especially rhinovirus/enterovirus (RV/EV), on hospitalizations during the respiratory seasons.
MethodsData from a prospective study that used multiplex polymerase chain reaction to conduct long-term surveillance on respiratory viruses in Valencia, Spain were analyzed. Patients aged ≥50 years hospitalized due to respiratory illness from 2014–15–2019–20 were included.
ResultsRespiratory viruses were detected in 35.2% (3,755/10,675) of hospitalized patients with acute respiratory illness. Influenza and RSV accounted for 22.1% of hospitalizations, RV/EV for 7.6%, and other non-vaccine-preventable viruses for 5.4%. Adults ≥75 years had average seasonal hospitalization incidence rates more than twice those aged 65–74 years and eight times those aged 50–64-year-olds. No significant differences in severity markers were observed among patients with or without virus identified, those aged ≥75 years had a 2–3 times higher mortality rate compared to younger age groups.
ConclusionsThe potential impact of respiratory viruses on hospitalization rates among older adults, particularly those aged ≥75 years, highlights the need for targeted interventions to reduce healthcare system burden. Enhanced diagnostic capabilities and the development of next-generation preventive strategies, including vaccines and therapeutics, could improve patient outcomes and strengthen the resilience of the healthcare system during respiratory virus seasons.
Extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) poses a significant diagnostic and economic challenge in HIV endemic, low-resource settings due to its complex presentation and current diagnostic tools limitations. While accurate and timely diagnosis is critical for reducing morbidity, mortality and health system costs, economic evaluations of EPTB diagnostics remain sparse and fragmented. This protocol aims to map existing evidence on the economic evaluation of diagnostic innovations for EPTB in low-resource settings.
This scoping review protocol follows the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodological framework and registered on the Open Science Framework. Peer-reviewed articles, grey literature and official reports published between 2000 and 2025 will be searched in PubMed, MEDLINE, Google Scholar, Scopus and Science Direct. The search strategy is structured using the Population, Intervention, Comparator, Outcome, Time, Study design and Setting (PICOTSS) framework, and will be peer-reviewed using the Peer Review of Electronic Search Strategies (PRESS) guideline. Study selection, data charting and extraction will be performed independently by two reviewers. Data will be charted iteratively, and the methodological quality of selected economic evaluations will be appraised using the Drummond checklist. Results will be synthesised in narrative summaries and tabular formats. Final reporting will follow the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) reporting guideline.
For review of previously published data, ethical approval is not required. Findings will be disseminated in professional networks, stakeholder meetings and a peer-reviewed journal.
OSF Registration DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/BTCPG
Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) bacteraemia is a common and severe infection. With mortality rates ranging from 20–30% and long-term impairments in over a third of survivors, better treatments are urgently needed. Linezolid, a well-established treatment for pneumonia and complicated skin infections, has been shown in preclinical studies to strongly suppress S. aureus virulence factors critical to bacterial persistence and tissue damage. Hence, we aim to investigate whether the addition of linezolid to standard therapy in patients with S. aureus bacteraemia leads to an overall improvement in patient-relevant outcomes.
We will conduct a two-arm, parallel-group, multicentre, randomised controlled trial (Linezolid Plus Standard of Care) in 12 hospitals in Switzerland with blinded treating physicians, patients and outcome assessors. Hospitalised patients aged ≥18 years with S. aureus bacteraemia will be eligible. Patients will receive standard antibiotic treatment as prescribed by the treating physician. Within 72 hours of collection of the blood sample yielding the first positive blood culture, patients will be enrolled and randomised 1:1 to receive either adjunctive linezolid (600 mg orally two times per day for 5 days) or placebo. To determine patient-relevant outcomes, we implemented a comprehensive patient-representative consultation process. Consequently, we will use the desirability of outcome ranking (DOOR) established for S. aureus bacteraemia as the primary outcome at 90 days. The hierarchical composite DOOR outcome includes the following four components, ranked from most to least important: (1) survival, (2) return to level of function before S. aureus infection, (3) complications leading to treatment changes and serious adverse reactions; and (4) hospital length of stay. This approach will allow us to analyse the win ratio, that is, whether patients receiving linezolid have a better DOOR rank compared to patients in the placebo group. We calculated a target sample size of 606 patients providing 90% power at a two-sided significance level of 0.05.
Ethical approval was received from the Ethics committee for Northern and Central Switzerland (BASEC number 2025-00655). Eligible patients will be informed about the study by the local study team and asked for written consent if they wish to participate. For patients unable to provide informed consent, an appropriate substitute (ie, a close relative or a physician not involved in the research project) may make decisions based on the presumed wishes and the best interest of the patient. The patient’s own consent will be obtained as soon as their condition permits. Results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and in laymen's terms through various channels (social media, Swiss national portal HumRes).
To examine the risk of severe cardiovascular (CV) events in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) across different time periods following COPD exacerbations and the incidence rate of cardiopulmonary events in a real-world setting in China.
Retrospective cohort study.
Regional electronic health records database from Yinzhou District of Ningbo City, China.
A total of 14 713 patients aged ≥40 years with a first COPD diagnosis between 1 January 2014 and 1 March 2022.
The risk of severe CV events (ie, hospitalisation and a primary or secondary discharge code for acute coronary syndrome, heart failure decompensation, cerebral ischaemia, arrhythmia and CV-related death) during different exposed time periods following a COPD exacerbation, the incidence rate of overall cardiopulmonary events (ie, severe exacerbation of COPD, all-cause mortality, inpatient CV events, inpatient ischaemic stroke and inpatient tachyarrhythmia/atrial fibrillation) and the incidence rate stratified by COPD exacerbation history.
We included a total of 14 713 patients. During a median (IQR) follow-up of 2.8 (4.0) years, 20.1% experienced severe CV events. Compared with the unexposed period, the risk of severe CV events was the highest in the first 10 days following a COPD exacerbation (adjusted HR 10.00, 95% CI 8.16 to 12.25). The risk of severe CV events decreased over time but remained significantly elevated up to 90 days post exacerbation. We found that 32.7% of COPD patients experienced cardiopulmonary events, with a crude incidence rate of 9.38 (95% CI 9.09 to 9.69) per 100 person-years.
This study is the largest retrospective cohort study investigating CV and cardiopulmonary events among patients with COPD in China. Our findings highlight an elevated risk of CV events closer to the time of COPD exacerbations and show that nearly one-third of COPD patients experience cardiopulmonary events.
Visual impairment is reported to affect 40%–50% of children with cerebral palsy (CP). Vision difficulties in the context of rehabilitation are often under-recognised, under-treated and therefore under-studied, pointing to an urgent need for the development of evidence-based vision interventions for infants and toddlers with cerebral vision impairment (CVI). We present the protocol of a multisite pragmatic pilot randomised controlled trial (RCT) of feasibility, acceptability and preliminary efficacy of an early vision-awareness and parent-directed environmental enrichment programme for infants with or at risk of CP under 7 months corrected age (CA) with vision impairment.
The main objective is to determine the feasibility and acceptability of the Vision Intervention for Seeing Impaired Babies: Learning through Enrichment (VISIBLE) intervention. We will estimate the preliminary effects of the programme on infants’ visual functions and early development, as compared with standard community-based care (SCC).
A two-group RCT will be conducted. Infants at 3–6 months at entry, with severe visual impairment and at high risk of CP, will be enrolled and randomised (n=16 per group) to receive the VISIBLE intervention compared to SCC. Randomisation will be completed through an independent automated process (Research Electronic Data Capture). VISIBLE intervention will be delivered by a therapist through home visits (90–120 min) once every 2 weeks. Completion of 10 visits (80% of the intervention target dose) within 6 months is required for adherence to the VISIBLE trial. Outcome will be assessed at 12 months CA. Visual function will be evaluated with the Infant Battery for Vision, motor outcomes with the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales, Second Edition. Developmental quotients, infant quality of life, parent well-being and parent-infant relationship will be also monitored through standardised tools.
The enrolling sites have historically demonstrated rapid and effective translation of successful evidence-based interventions into routine clinical practice, as well as the dissemination of the findings through local, national and international scientific meetings.
ACTRN12618000932268.
Poor participant retention in randomised clinical trials, resulting in missing outcome data, can impact the validity, reliability and generalisability of results. While participants’ views on general non-retention issues have been reported elsewhere, a qualitative evidence synthesis specifically focusing on trial processes (ie, outcome data collection) impacting retention has not been undertaken to date. This is an important research question to inform targeted interventions to support retention. This review aims to address this by systematically searching and synthesising the evidence on participant reasons for trial non-completion, linked to outcome data collection.
We conducted a qualitative evidence synthesis of qualitative studies and mixed methods studies with a qualitative component, in Embase, Ovid MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Social Science Citation Index, Cumulative Index of Nursing & Allied Health Literature and Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts, up to February 2025. We used Thomas and Harden’s thematic synthesis approach. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation-Confidence in the Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative framework was used to assess confidence in the review findings.
We identified 11 studies reporting qualitative data from 14 separate trials, with findings from 105 trial non-retainers. The studies were undertaken between 2007 and 2025.
There were three types of participant non-retention behaviours reported across the studies, where participants either: (1) missed at least one clinic visit; (2) did not complete a postal questionnaire or (3) did not complete online data collection. We developed four analytical themes outlining participant-reported influences on trial non-retention, specifically related to trial processes (ie, data collection for outcome measures): fluctuating health, balancing trial burdens, navigating life as a trial participant and managing expectations of participation.
This review generates important insights into participants’ reasons for trial non-completion linked to outcome data collection. The review highlights the need for further research into supporting trial recruitment discussions that provide clear, realistic expectations for potential trial participants, as well as strategies that recognise, and where possible, address some of the influences on participants to improve outcome data completeness and ultimately improve trial retention.
Deprescribing is important because inappropriate polypharmacy increases the risk of adverse drug events, treatment burden, reduced adherence and healthcare costs, while potentially compromising patient safety and quality of life. This study aimed to investigate the perceived barriers and enablers experienced by healthcare professionals (HCPs) in Indonesia regarding deprescribing in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and polypharmacy.
A qualitative study using focus group discussions (FGDs) and thematic analysis.
Four FGDs were conducted with general practitioners, specialists (internists) and pharmacists from healthcare facilities in West Java Province, Indonesia. Each group included 3–4 participants from the same discipline, with one mixed group that included one participant of each profession. In total, 13 participants were included in the study.
HCPs across disciplines recognised the goals of deprescribing as optimising treatment, reducing polypharmacy risks and preserving treatment outcomes. However, implementation was hindered by the lack of clear guidelines, hierarchical dynamics, limited training and resource constraints, particularly in rural and high-volume settings. Enablers included clinical competence, effective communication, access to comprehensive clinical data and interprofessional collaboration. Patient education level, family support and community engagement were also key, underscoring the need for system-level support and shared decision-making to achieve effective deprescribing.
Deprescribing in T2D with polypharmacy is shaped by clinical competence, interprofessional collaboration, patient engagement and system-level resources. Improving practice in Indonesia requires clear guidelines, targeted HCP training, stronger interprofessional communication, better access to patient data and active involvement of patients and families. These strategies could provide context-specific insights to guide practice and policy on deprescribing initiatives.
766/UN6.KEP/EC/2024
Funnel plots are used to identify intensive care units (ICUs) with a higher than expected risk-adjusted mortality. ICUs with a standardised mortality ratio (SMR) within pre-defined control limits (often the 99.8% CL) are regarded as ‘in control’ and not labelled as a potential outlier for a particular calendar year. However, increased mortality rates not due to random fluctuations within and across the calendar years may be overlooked. We examined whether statistically significant and relevant differences in mortality over time between ICUs regarded as ‘in control’ are present.
A longitudinal register-based study.
88 ICUs in the Netherlands registering the admissions of all critically ill patients in the National Intensive Care Evaluation registry in the Netherlands from 2013 to 2023.
Hospital death analysed in a multivariable logistic regression analysis with a random intercept for ICU. The random intercept variance was translated to the median OR (MOR).
877 ICU-calendar year combinations were included, covering 759 498 unique admissions. The MOR increased from 1.12 (95% CI 1.10 to 1.15) for ICU-calendar year combinations with an SMR within the narrowest 95% CL (N=677) to 1.20 (1.17 to 1.24) for combinations with an SMR within the expanded 99.8% CL (including adjustment for overdispersion) (N=194) and to 1.21 (1.17 to 1.25) when including all ICU-calendar year combinations. Similar results were found for separate calendar years and separate diagnostic groups.
These results show differences in mortality between ICUs that were not labelled as outliers. Assessment of mortality performance should integrate cross-sectional funnel plots, the MOR and longitudinal trends in the SMR to better capture persistent patterns of excess risk.
With the proliferation of digital technology, the health sector, like other sectors of society, has increasingly adopted digital technologies, resulting in a dynamic landscape where the roles and impacts of digital health tools in different contexts are constantly evolving. This integration of digital technology into the health space has extended into the field of HIV prevention, ushering in new possibilities and challenges. However, review studies documenting the evolving use of digital health tools in HIV prevention are scant, particularly in regions with many low- and middle-income countries, such as in Africa, which have some of the highest HIV prevalence and incidence rates in the world.
This scoping review will follow the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) 2020 guidelines for methodological rigour and will be reported using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis Extension for Scoping Review (PRISMA-ScR). Relevant published literature will be searched using a combination of keywords, Boolean terms and Medical Subject Headings in the following databases: CINAHL, Medline, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Scopus, PubMed, WHO Digital Health ATLAS and Health Source with no date limits for the studies chosen. The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) website and the reference lists of selected articles will also be used for backward searching, and Google Scholar will be used for forward citation tracking. The search strategy will be formulated following the guidelines provided by the Peer review of Electronic Search Strategies statement for peer assessment of electronic search strategies. Two reviewers will independently assess the references to ensure that they align with the predetermined eligibility criteria. Subsequently, the data from the included studies, published between January 2004 and January 2026, reflecting the period in which digital health innovations have rapidly expanded in Africa, will be extracted and any discrepancies resolved using a third reviewer. Thematic analysis will be used to analyse the data, and the findings will be reported using both tables and figures. The PRISMA-ScR will be followed to report this study’s results. Quality appraisal of the included studies will be done using the mixed methods appraisal tool V.2018.
This study does not involve human participants and only reviews existing literature in the public domain, and therefore ethical approval was not required. Our intention is to disseminate our research findings through a diverse range of channels, including peer-reviewed journals, conferences and webinars.
Self-injurious behaviour (SIB) consists of persistent, repetitive movements that can result in serious injury without suicidal intent. These behaviours are prevalent among children with neurodevelopmental disorders, including profound autism. Although many individuals benefit from currently available therapies, some exhibit treatment-refractory SIB that necessitates ongoing use of personal protective equipment and restraint, presumably due to stronger neurobiological drivers. We recently completed a phase I, open-label clinical trial demonstrating the safety, feasibility and preliminary efficacy of bilateral deep brain stimulation targeting the nucleus accumbens (NAc-DBS) in children with profound autism and severe, refractory SIB. The objective of the proposed study is to characterise the effectiveness of NAc-DBS in treating severe, refractory SIB in this unique and vulnerable population.
A single-centre, randomised double-blinded, crossover trial is proposed. Informed by the results of our pilot study, 25 subjects with autism spectrum disorder and severe, refractory SIB will undergo bilateral NAc-DBS. Following a 4-week recovery period, participants will be randomised to either group A (stimulation ON then OFF) or group B (stimulation OFF then ON). Each block will last 12 weeks, separated by a 2-week washout period. Following completion of the second block, all participants will enter a 6-month open-label phase with stimulation ON. The primary outcome is the difference in the Repetitive Behaviour Scale–Revised total score, between DBS-ON and DBS-OFF conditions. Secondary outcomes include measures of quality of life, caregiver burden, daily logs of SIB events and direct observation of SIB under structured analogues.
The proposed trial has been approved by the institutional Research Ethics Board (1000081171). Trial results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations.
Guided by Straussian Grounded Theory, this study aimed to explore patients’ dynamic trade-off processes in evaluating bariatric surgery outcomes and to construct a patient-centred theoretical framework to inform clinical assessment and intervention.
Qualitative study using Straussian Grounded Theory, semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted. Data were analysed using open, axial and selective coding. Reporting followed the Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research guidelines.
This study was conducted at a tertiary hospital in China between June 2023 and August 2023.
A total of 11 patients who had undergone bariatric surgery were enrolled, aged 21–54 years, with postoperative follow-up durations ranging from 1 to 10 years.
A core category—Dynamic Trade-off Evaluation of Bariatric Surgery Outcomes—was identified, characterised by dynamism, trade-off and subjectivity. The framework comprises four inter-related components: trade-off basis, trade-off moderation, trade-off process and comprehensive evaluation. Outcome evaluation emerged as a non-linear process progressing through four stages: burden-dominant, contradiction-coexistence, contradiction-persistence and meaning-reconstruction stages. Individual goal orientation and psychological resilience served as key moderating factors shaping evaluative trajectories.
This study proposes a novel theoretical framework elucidating how patients dynamically evaluate bariatric surgery outcomes. By revealing stage-specific mechanisms and moderating factors, the framework provides a theoretical basis for improving preoperative expectation management and postoperative support.
To describe the normal heart rate (HR) of healthy newborns ≥35+0 weeks’ gestation in the first 10 min after caesarean delivery (CD) with extrauterine placental transfusion, using dry-electrode ECG (NeoBeat).
Single-centre, prospective observational study.
Norwegian County Hospital.
Newborns ≥35+0 weeks’ gestation delivered by CD under regional anaesthesia were eligible for inclusion. Newborns delivered by CD under general anaesthesia, or who needed medical intervention, were excluded.
NeoBeat was attached to the newborn’s chest immediately following delivery. The placenta was delivered without cord clamping after 60–90 s and transferred with the newborn to a resuscitation table. Modified physiology-based cord clamping (PBCC) was performed.
HR was recorded every second for 10 min. HR quartiles were calculated. Events possibly influencing HR were annotated using Liveborn Observation App.
89 newborns with a mean (SD) gestational age of 39+3 weeks (10 days) and birth weight of 3649 (536) g were included. Median (IQR) HR was 164 (117–176) and 169 (145–186) beats per minute at 20 s and 30 s, respectively, peaking at 169 (152–183) beats per minute at 4 min and then slowly decreasing to 157 (146–167) beats per minute at 10 min. HR was not significantly affected by intact-cord blood sampling (mean difference=5.4 (95% CI –1.4 to 12.1)), placental delivery (mean difference=0.7 (95% CI –3.5 to 4.9)) or cord clamping (mean difference =–0.6 (95% CI –2.1 to 0.9)).
This report describes, for the first time, HR quartiles for healthy newborns ≥350 weeks’ gestation from 15 s to 20 s and up to 10 min after CD with extrauterine placental transfusion and PBCC.
Domestic sex trafficking is a major health and human rights concern associated with profound social, physical and psychological harms, including complex trauma. People who are being/have been sex trafficked often present to emergency departments (EDs) with unmet health needs and in contexts shaped by coercion, control and fear of authority. ED encounters represent an important setting for identifying sex trafficking, building trust, making referrals to specialised resources and facilitating an exit out of sex trafficking. This scoping review will explore the care experiences and processes for sex trafficked persons in EDs by synthesising existing evidence on the barriers and facilitators to providing high quality, equitable and effective emergency care. This review represents the first phase of a multi-stage study to develop quality indicators (QIs) for ED clinicians providing care for people experiencing domestic sex trafficking in Canada.
This scoping review will follow Arksey and O’Malley’s framework, as updated by Levac and colleagues, which consists of: (1) identifying a research question(s); (2) identifying relevant literature; (3) selecting studies; (4) charting/extracting data; (5) collating, summarising and reporting results; and (6) consulting with community partners. Five databases will be systematically searched to find scholarly, empirical studies describing emergency care experiences and processes for people being sex trafficked. Data will be extracted using a standardised charting tool developed by the lead author and research team.
Research Ethics Board (REB) approval is not required for this study as it involves an analysis of published literature only. Findings will be synthesised into a set of candidate QIs to be disseminated.
by Miriam Mohatar-Barba, Ángel Fernández-Aparicio, Javier S. Perona, Jacqueline Schmidt-RioValle, Carmen Enrique-Mirón, Emilio González-Jiménez
Different indirect methods have been developed to assess insulin resistance (IR), though their validation has been limited to adult populations. In this sense, the study aim is to compare the predictive capacity of the McAuley, QUICKI, SPISE indices, and glucose-insulin ratio against insulin resistance (IR) in Spanish adolescents and to establish reliable cut-off values for these indices in this population. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 981 adolescents aged 11–16 years, from Southern Spain. Anthropometric measurements and fasting biochemical parameters, were assessed. IR indices, such as HOMA-IR, QUICKI, the McAuley index, SPISE, and the glucose-insulin ratio, were calculated. The ability of each index to predict IR was evaluated using multivariate regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Boys exhibited higher waist circumference, triglyceride levels, and fasting insulin levels, while girls had a higher percentage of body fat (pTo describe the Knowledge–Attitude–Practices (KAP) of community pharmacy professionals regarding chemsex prevention in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of France, and to identify associated determinants.
Regional, cross-sectional, web-based, self-administered KAP survey collecting quantitative and qualitative data, analysed using multivariable linear regression and inductive content analysis.
Primary care, community pharmacies in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of France, February–March 2025.
Of the 276 respondents entering the survey, 261 community pharmacy professionals fully completed it. Inclusion criteria were: (1) age ≥18 years; (2) pharmacists, pharmacy technicians or students in training and (3) employment in a community pharmacy in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Exclusion criterion was non-consent.
KAP domain scores derived from survey items; thematic categories identified through qualitative content analysis of open-ended responses; and factors associated with KAP scores.
Participants were predominantly female (69.6%), pharmacists (64.5%), aged 18–29 (41.7%) and working in urban areas (61.6%). Overall, 67.4% were able to define chemsex. Mean (SD) KAP domain scores were 13.8 (4.4) (range 3–27) for knowledge, 9.6 (2.9) (2–16) for attitudes and 9.6 (2.9) (5–16) for perceived resource adequacy/need. Qualitative analysis identified insufficient knowledge or training (28.7%) and the taboo and intimate nature of the topic (21.1%) as the main barriers to discussing chemsex. The most frequently suggested levers for improving care were professional training (57.1%) and broader prevention efforts (36.4%).
Higher knowledge scores were associated with more positive attitudes (p=0.015), male gender (p=0.004) and prior chemsex-related advice requests (p=0.027), while increasing age was negatively associated with knowledge (p=0.029). Positive attitudes were associated with urban practice settings (p
We compared the cost-effectiveness of alternative fracture risk assessment strategies for people with intellectual disabilities (ID) aged ≥40 years from a UK National Health Services perspective over a lifetime horizon.
Cost-effectiveness analysis using a lifetime decision-analytical model.
UK primary care, with data from literature and national databases.
People with ID.
Three strategies were assessed: (S1) Risk assessment using the UK QFracture score; (S2) use of IDFracture (a fracture risk prediction tool specifically developed for adults with ID); and (S3) conducting a one-time dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan in all. S1 and S2 were followed by DXA scan for those at risk. At-risk individuals received treatment according to UK practice (bisphosphonates plus vitamin D and calcium for osteoporosis, and vitamin D and calcium alone for osteopenia).
Direct healthcare costs and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER).
In the base case, S2 (ICER: –£2568/QALY) was dominant (ie, less costly and more effective) and S3 (ICER: £1678/QALY) was cost-effective relative to S1 for major osteoporotic fracture (MOF). For hip fracture, S2 (ICER: £32 116/QALY) and S3 (ICER: £49 536/QALY) were not cost-effective relative to S1 under the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence-recommended cost-effectiveness thresholds. Findings from the sensitivity analyses were predominantly consistent with the base-case results. Subgroup analyses showed that age-specific and gender-specific strategies could be used.
For people with ID aged ≥40 years, a proactive approach to risk assessment for MOF is not only clinically beneficial, but also cost-effective.
Intensive care units (ICUs) can be a particularly challenging environment for patients who are mentally vulnerable. In addition to the physical stress associated with critical illness and its management, there are physiological and psychosocial factors that can negatively impact a patient’s mental health. Approximately half of ICU survivors will experience post-intensive care syndrome, a set of emotional, neuropsychological and physical sequelae that can significantly affect patients’ functionality and quality of life, both in the short and long term. The main objective of this study is to investigate whether the ICU Recovery Answers (ICURA) digital follow-up platform can effectively detect emotional and cognitive problems in critically ill patients and its impact on functionality and health-related quality of life during the first year after ICU discharge.
Multicentre longitudinal prospective study involving ICU adult patients, with randomised follow-up comparing a telemedicine monitoring programme versus usual medical care during 1 year after discharge. A total of 360 participants will be recruited during their ICU admission in two hospitals in Spain. Efficacy outcomes will focus on participants’ level of functioning, assessed with the WHO Short Disability Assessment Schedule, and quality of life, measured with the 12-Item Short Form Survey at 1, 6 and 12 months after ICU discharge. Emotional state and cognitive impairment will be evaluated using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7 and Treatment-Outcome Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Scale and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment by telephone at 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months after ICU discharge.
The implementation of this project is expected to have a direct impact on the satisfaction of ICU survivors, improving their well-being, personalised follow-up and quality of life. Results from this study will be disseminated at various scientific conferences, national and international meetings, and will be shared with the general public and other relevant parties. The dissemination of these results will occur through scientific publications, allowing the medical and scientific community to benefit from the study’s findings. Ethics approval from the Ethics Board of Parc Taulí Foundation and Balearic Islands with reference numbers 2022/3031 and IB 5072/22 PI: Protocol version 1 of 18 November 2022.
Indigenous peoples living with diabetes face unique challenges accessing comprehensive specialty diabetes care. A small diabetes virtual care clinic oriented towards Indigenous individuals, and those in rural and remote communities, has provided care to over 400 individuals.
We characterised the distinguishing features of care provided at this clinic and used the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research 2.0 (CFIR) to explore the enablers and barriers to implementing this model of care, from the perspective of the clinic’s staff and providers.
Guided by CFIR, we conducted eight semi-structured interviews with six clinic staff members. Deductive thematic analysis was used to identify relevant enablers and barriers.
The aspirational features of care were cultural safety, comprehensiveness and virtual delivery. The implementation of this model of care was enabled by an internal culture of relational care; a nimble, resourceful, pragmatic and client-centred approach to virtual delivery; wayfinding and resources from key external organisations; community engagement and a small team of motivated and independent providers. Key barriers included the lack of physical interactions and uncertain or limited resources and funding.
The identified enablers and barriers to implementing an Indigenous-focused virtual diabetes care clinic have implications for future interventions to improve rural Indigenous chronic disease care, and for governments and adjacent organisations tasked with meeting Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action in healthcare. Further research examining the effectiveness of virtual diabetes care at this clinic is ongoing.
Emotional and behavioural problems (EBPs) are receiving increasing attention at the global level, and preschool children are no exception. These issues have a significant impact on future development. Preventive interventions in preschool age are effective in preventing more serious disorders by improving social skills, emotional regulation and resilience in children. Although various preventive interventions have been developed and their effectiveness demonstrated, the evidence remains fragmented. At present, there has been no comprehensive study mapping EBPs prevention interventions at the preschool age level using the Neuman Systems Model approach.
This scoping review will be conducted in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for scoping reviews.The completed scoping review will be reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). A systematic search will be conducted in four major databases, namely Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and online searches using Google Scholar, without language and publication year restrictions. Two reviewers will independently screen the literature according to the inclusion criteria and then extract the data. Any differences between the two reviewers will be resolved through discussion with a third reviewer. We will compile, summarise and analyse the extracted data and present the results in figures, tables and descriptive narratives to ensure clarity and facilitate comparison across studies.
Ethical approval is not required, as the review will use only published literature. Findings will be disseminated through publication in a peer-reviewed international journal and may inform policy and practice in early childhood preventive interventions.
Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/zg6ty).
Patients discharged from intensive care units (ICUs) are at high risk of adverse long-term outcomes including cardiovascular and/or renal events and a 1-year mortality of approximately 22%. Plasma biomarkers measured at ICU discharge have demonstrated strong prognostic value, with elevated cardiac or renal biomarkers identifying patients at particularly high risk of poor outcomes. Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors are now widely recognised for their cardioprotective and nephroprotective effects in chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes, heart failure or chronic kidney disease. These agents improve both morbidity and mortality across a range of high-risk populations. We hypothesise that a therapeutic strategy aimed at preventing the progression of cardiovascular and/or renal injury following ICU discharge may improve long-term outcomes in ICU survivors.
This is a multicentre, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial conducted across 16 teaching and non-teaching ICUs in France. We will enrol 600 adult patients (18 years of age or older) who have received mechanical ventilation and/or vasopressors for at least 24 hours during their ICU stay, and who meet at least one of the following criteria at ICU discharge: N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) >800 pg/mL or BNP >90 ng/L, an estimated glomerular filtration rate between 25 and 90 mL/min/m². Eligible patients will be randomised in a 1:1 ratio to receive either dapagliflozin (10 mg once daily) or a matching placebo for a duration of 1 year. The primary outcome is a composite endpoint assessed at 1 year after randomisation, comprising: all-cause mortality, unscheduled hospitalisation for acute heart failure and decrease in renal function. Feasibility will be assessed based on patient and clinical acceptability and recruitment performance, including enrolment rates across participating centres.
This study has been approved by the Institutional Review Board (CPP Ile-de-France 5). Written informed consent will be obtained from all participants prior to enrolment and the initiation of any study-related procedures. Dapagliflozin is a widely available medication with an established safety profile. If proven effective, it would represent a readily deployable strategy to improve long-term outcomes in ICU survivors. The study is described in accordance with the Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Interventional Trials framework, and key design features and methodological decisions are outlined accordingly. DAPA-ICU aims to evaluate the efficacy of dapagliflozin in cardiorenal protection among critically ill patients following ICU discharge. The main trial results will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal as soon as they become available after final analysis.