Development Of National Guidelines Research Articles

Clinical Practice Patterns in Sickle Cell Disease Treatment: Disease-Modifying and Potentially Curative Therapies.

Therapeutic options for sickle cell disease (SCD) have increased recently as well as the development of updated national guidelines. It is not known how these options are being offered or to what degree guidelines are incorporated into clinical practice. This study aimed to describe practice patterns for pediatric hematologists regarding the use of disease-modifying and potentially curative therapies for SCD. A 9-section, cross-sectional electronic survey was disseminated during a 3-month period via SurveyMonkey, to members of the American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Hemoglobinopathy Special Interest Group (ASPHO HSIG). A total of 88 physician members of the ASPHO HSIG were surveyed. Ninety percent of respondents (72/80) start hydroxyurea routinely in patients with HbSS and HbSβ0 thalassemia, regardless of disease severity. Laboratory monitoring was recommended every 3 months for stable dosing in 63.8% (51/80). New therapies were recommended for patients on hydroxyurea who were still experiencing SCD complications: L-glutamine 68.5% (37/54) or crizanlizumab 93.1% (54/58). Voxelotor was recommended for patients on hydroxyurea with low hemoglobin in 65.1% (43/66) of cases. Matched sibling transplant was considered for any disease severity by 55.1% (38/69). Gene therapy trials are offered on-site by 29% (20/69). Our study demonstrated the enhanced utilization of hydroxyurea while revealing the unexplored potential of other disease-modifying therapies in SCD. These findings underscore the importance of continued knowledge acquisition about the long-term efficacy of new medical therapies and addressing barriers to the use of proven therapies and guide the development of future studies of optimal SCD management.

Ecology of emergency care in lower-tier healthcare providers in Ghana: an empirical data-driven Bayesian network analytical approach.

Thehealthcare landscape in Ghana is primarily composed of lower-tier providers, which serve asthe initial point of contact for most medical emergencies. This study aimed to assess the emergency care preparedness and readiness of primary healthcare providers using a robustevaluation approach.A multicentre retrospective cross-sectional study was conductedon 460 healthcare facilities using the standardised Health Facilities Emergency Preparedness Assessment Tool (HeFEPAT). Data were analysed via Bayesian Belief network.Emergency preparedness was associated with facility location, type, ownership, and in-charge personnel.Over 70% of facilities lacked specialised emergency/critical care personnel. Although 65% of in-charges reported protocol knowledge, only 7.8% could execute cardiopulmonary resuscitation. 90% of facilities lacked onsite defibrillators, and over 80% had no cerebrovascular accident medications. Road traffic accident protocols were largely unavailable, with an estimated53% probability of lacking such protocols. Private-owned facilities were more likely to lack protocols for road traffic accidents (76% vs 20% probability) and general acute care (62% vs 32%)compared to government-owned facilities.Significant gaps in emergency preparedness were identified across the studied health facilities, indicating limited capacity to manage critical situations effectively. Urgent investments in emergency medicine training, essential resources, and evidence-based protocols are needed. Standardised emergency preparedness assessments should be implemented for accreditation and quality improvement. Further research can inform the development of national guidelines and targeted interventions to strengthen emergency response capacities.

Prospective multicenter evaluation of adherence to the Dutch guideline for children aged 0-16years with fever without a source-febrile illness in children (FINCH) study.

We found a high non-adherence rate of 48%, which did not lead to unfavorable clinical outcomes. This substantiates the need for a critical reevaluation of the FWS guideline and its indications for bacterial cultures, viral testing, and antibiotic treatment. • Despite the development of national guidelines, variation in practice is still substantial in the assessment of febrile children to distinguish severe infection from mild self-limiting disease. • Previous retrospective research suggests low adherence to national guidelines for febrile children in practice. • In case of non-adherence to the Dutch national guideline, similar to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guideline from the United Kingdom, physicians have used fewer resources than the guideline recommended without increasing missed severe infections.

Antibiotics Prescribing Pattern and Quality of Prescribing in Croatian Dental Practices-5-Year National Study.

Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats to global health today. The aim of this study was to analyze antibiotic prescribing patterns and quality of prescribing in Croatian dental practices over a 5-year period. This is a retrospective observational study based on the analysis of the electronic prescriptions (medicines in ATC groups J01 and P01) from dental practices in Croatia prescribed from 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2019. Prescriptions were retrieved from the Croatian Health Insurance Fund (HZZO). The analyses included the number of prescriptions, type and quantity of prescribed drugs, indication, and the patient's and prescriber's characteristics. The consumption increased from 1.98 DID in 2015, to 2.10 DID in 2019. The most prescribed antibiotic was Amoxicillin with clavulanic acid followed by Amoxicillin, Clindamycin, Metronidazole and Cefalexin. The analyses showed that 29.79% of antibiotics were not prescribed in accordance with the contemporary guidelines for the proper use of antibiotics. Additionally, 22% of antibiotics were prescribed in inconclusive indications. The research showed an increase in antibiotic consumption over five years along with unnecessary prescribing of antibiotics in cases with no indications for its use. The development of national guidelines for antibiotic use is necessary.

Effects of an Educational Intervention Program on Positional Cranial Deformity in Premature Infants.

Positional cranial deformities are associated with prematurity evolving during the first 2 years of life due to the malleable characteristics of the skull, the first year being the main/primary therapeutic window for intervention. The objectives were (a) to describe health characteristics, peri- and postnatal pathologies, and positional cranial deformities in infants enrolled in an early intervention program and (b) to analyze the effects of a parent education-based intervention program on positional cranial deformity in premature infants. A quantitative, analytical, longitudinal study was conducted. It included 103 premature infants enrolled in an early intervention program (EIP) during the year 2017, all under 4 months of corrected age, to whom a parent education-based intervention program was applied. Cranial circumference, cranial width, diagonals, and anteroposterior diameter were measured, and the cranial asymmetry index (CAI) and cephalic index (CI) were calculated at baseline and during two subsequent evaluations separated by a 3-month period. The main results showed that 75.7% of the infants belonged to a very premature gestational age category, and 57.3% had an adequate weight for gestational age. The most frequent pathologies were premature jaundice, premature anemia, and hyaline membrane disease. The most frequent positional cranial deformity was plagiocephaly. The parent education-based intervention program resulted in (1) a significant decrease in the CAI and a significant increase in the IC, (2) plagiocephalies: an increase in the mild category and a decrease in the moderate + severe categories, (3) brachycephalies: a decrease in the absence category and an increase in the moderate + severe category, and (4) dolichocephalies: an increase in the absence category and a decrease in the mild category. In conclusion, the recommended first line of intervention was not enough for this population, and future studies should support the development of national clinical guidelines, where education is complemented with other therapeutic measures.

Screening for iron deficiency among pregnant women

Iron deficiency (ID) and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) are extremely common in females in Saudi Arabia and are highly prevalent in pregnancy. The Saudi MOH Mother Health Passport recommends that pregnant women undergo testing for complete blood count and ferritin in every trimester. The purpose of this study was to describe practices of screening pregnant women for ID or IDA during pregnancy and to identify the prevalence of anemia and IDA. The inclusion criteria were all patients who had at least 2 antenatal visits in the same center and 336 women were included. It was noted that 591 (51.5%) hemoglobin tests were performed during pregnancy, a 50% gap in comparison with MOH recommendations of measuring Hb in every trimester. The overall prevalence of anemia was 28.6%, 12.2% in the first trimester, 37.2% in the second trimester, and 36.3% in the third trimester. Ferritin was measured in less than 5% of patients, and most women had ferritin levels below 15 ng/ml. Screening practices for IDA and ID among pregnant women are suboptimal, and the prevalence of both entities is substantial. The development of detailed national guidelines for screening and managing ID and IDA in pregnancy is recommended.

Current Status of the Zebrafish Euthanasia and Humane Endpoint in the Republic of Korea and Guideline Suggestion from Nationwide Expert Elicitation: A Model for Other Countries.

Since its introduction as a model organism in the 1980s, the use of zebrafish (Danio rerio) in research has expanded worldwide. Despite its now widespread use in research, guidelines to safeguard the ethical treatment of zebrafish, particularly with regard to euthanasia and humane endpoint practices, remain inadequate. One well-recognized example is the use of excess tricaine methanesulfonate (MS-222) as a means to euthanize zebrafish, regardless of life stage. In this study, through nationwide expert elicitation, we provide a detailed account of zebrafish research practices within the Republic of Korea and the challenges of implementing appropriate methods for euthanasia as a humane endpoint, with many opting for hypothermic shock. We report a local expert consensus for establishing national guidelines to improve zebrafish welfare and good research practice. Suggestions and recommendations for national guidelines were offered. Taken together, our findings raise awareness broadly among zebrafish research practitioners in the field, offer an accurate account of the welfare and treatment of zebrafish in research within the Republic of Korea, and advocate for the development and implementation of national guidelines. As such, our study is useful as a model to adopt the expert elicitation approach to investigate, quantify, and address welfare concerns in zebrafish research, and to establish best practice guidelines.

Barriers to the Diagnosis and Management of Keratoconus Among Optometrists in Kenya.

Early diagnosis and management of keratoconus (KC) are important for limiting visual complications of the disease. This study aimed to explore the perspectives of optometrists on the barriers to effective diagnosis and management of KC in Kenya. An online questionnaire was distributed to optometrists in Kenya to collect data on barriers to the diagnosis and management of KC. The majority (60.9%) of optometrists were confident in retinoscopy and subjective refraction. Fewer were confident in the use of keratometers (46.4%) and corneal topographers (24.9%) and in the fitting of rigid gas permeable (RGP) contact lenses (25.0%). The most commonly reported barriers to improving their knowledge and skills were, limited continuous professional development opportunities (87.4%), high costs of conferences (86.1%) and the lack of diagnostic tools (79.5%). Impediments cited to diagnosing and managing KC effectively were a lack of national guidelines (64.9%), patient education material (71.5%), equipment (58.9%) and RGP supply (68.2%) and cost (67.5%). Most commonly reported barriers related to patients were compliance (91.4%), affordability (90.7%), RGP discomfort (89.4%), willingness to pay (88.1%) and the lack of patient education about KC (87.4%). This study showed that the lack of national guidelines, essential equipment and adequate practitioner knowledge and skills were barriers to KC diagnosis and management. Regulation of optometric education and clinical practice, development of national guidelines for diagnosis and management of KC, up-skilling of practitioners and cost-effective solutions for equipment procurement and maintenance may improve both access to, and quality of, care to patients with KC.

Insomnia Guidelines—The European Update 2023

The last ten years have seen the development and publication of numerous national and international guidelines devoted to the diagnosis and treatment of insomnia. These include guidelines by the American College of Physicians (ACP), the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), the British Sleep Society (BSS), the German Sleep Society (GSS), and the European Sleep Research Society (ESRS). Though coming from very diverse authors and backgrounds, these guidelines by and large agree concerning the therapeutic recommendations: cognitive behavioral treatment of insomnia (CBT-I), a multicomponent psychotherapeutic intervention, is unequivocally recommended as a first-line treatment. In this report, we will focus on the most recent guideline update from the ESRS, which was published in November 2023. After suggesting a careful diagnostic procedure, CBT-I, both applied face to face (F2F) or digitally (dCBT-I), is again recommended as a first-line treatment based on the available evidence. Hypnotic medications like benzodiazepines (BZ), benzodiazepine receptor agonists (BZRA), sedating antidepressants, and others are approved for short-term-treatment of up to four weeks. Orexin receptor antagonists (i.e., daridorexant) and prolonged release melatonin are considered as options for longer-term treatment when carefully considering the advantages and disadvantages. Both light therapy and exercise regimens were viewed as promising; however, they still lack convincing evidence for the time being. Given the fact that not every patient responds satisfactorily or even remits following CBT-I or other treatment options, the research agenda calls for the development and evaluation of new therapeutic avenues and combination therapies.

Real Clinical Practice Register of Albuminuria Detection in Patients with Previously Undiagnosed Chronic Kidney Disease

Aim. To collect data on the patient phenotype at the highest risk of developing albuminuria, to assess the prevalence of albuminuria in the identified phenotypes, and to collect data on the characteristics, prescribed therapy, and comorbidities of patients with and without identified albuminuria.Materials and methods. Data on presence or absence of albuminuria are collected in this register of real clinical practice instantaneously. All patients seeking medical attention are screened for the presence and extent of albuminuria. All data are collected in anonymized form and entered into an electronic case report form. Inclusion criteria: 1) men and women aged 40 years and older at the time of data collection; 2) the possibility to perform an albuminuria test using dipsticks and/or a test for microalbuminuria or urine albumin/creatinine ratio in a spot urine sample. Exclusion criteria: 1) the patient’s reluctance to participate in the registry; 2) diagnosis of CKD made before screening for the registry; 3) diagnosis of diabetes mellitus type 1 or 2 made before screening for the registry; 4) pregnancy; 5) long distance running or very heavy physical activity in the last 24 hours.Results. At the time of submission of this material, the active phase of patient recruitment for the registry with the specified power has been ongoing. Based on the expected recruitment rate at 45–50 sites, the registry is expected to include data from 12,000–15,000 patients. If fewer than 12,000 patients are recruited and the estimated recruitment rate for the registry is insufficient, the number of study sites or the screening period may be extended.Conclusion. Despite the established prognostic significance of the data on AU, the test is prescribed in routine practice to individuals at risk of developing CKD or to patients with an established nephrological disorder. A local registry that combines diverse patient populations, namely patients not only from established CKD risk groups but also patients with a dipstick test for AU, is of scientific and practical interest and can be used in the development of national clinical guidelines and educational materials and used in clinical practice.

Systematic Development of National Guidelines for Obesity Care: The Swedish Approach

Introduction: With the rapid development of treatment modalities for obesity management, there is an increasing demand for guidance to facilitate the prioritization of interventions. In 2020, the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare started the process of producing the first national guidelines for obesity care directed to decision makers who allocate resources to the best knowledge-based care. The main aim of this paper was to describe the systematic development of these guidelines, designed to guarantee uniformly high standards of care throughout the whole country. Methods: The standardized procedures of the National Board of Health and Welfare were applied to construct guidelines in a systematic and transparent way, including priority setting of recommendations and quality indicators to evaluate the progress of implementation. The process involved independent expert committees including professionals and patient representatives, and the guidelines were reviewed through an open public consultation. Results: National guidelines were issued in 2023, encompassing a broad scope, from identification and diagnosis to multiple treatment modalities, embedded in a life-course perspective from pregnancy to the elderly, as well as highlighting the need for improved knowledge and competence of health care providers. Conclusions: National guidelines for improved standard care and evidence-based and efficient use of health care resources for obesity treatment can be developed in a systematic way with professionals and patient representatives.

Trends in the treatment of fibromyalgia in South Korea between 2011 and 2018: a retrospective analysis of cross-sectional health insurance data

ObjectivesFibromyalgia treatment trends vary globally; however, the trend in South Korea has not been investigated yet. This study aimed to analyse the fibromyalgia treatment trends in South Korea.DesignRetrospective, observational study...

Operational demonstration and process evaluation of non-pneumatic anti-shock garment (NASG) introduction to the public health system of Northern Province, Zambia

BackgroundA disproportionate burden of maternal deaths occurs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), and obstetric hemorrhage (OH) is a leading cause of excess mortality. In Zambia, most of maternal deaths are directly caused by OH. The Non-Pneumatic Anti-Shock Garment (NASG) is a first aid tool that uses compression to the abdomen and lower body to stop and reverse hypovolemic shock secondary to OH. We describe the process and experiences introducing the NASG into the Zambia public health system to encourage the development of national policies, clinical guidelines, and implementation plans that feature the NASG.MethodsWe conducted an observational study of NASG introduction to 143 public health facilities in Northern Province, Zambia, organizing observations into the five dimensions of the RE-AIM evaluation framework: reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance. The NASG was introduced in August 2019, and the introduction was evaluated for 18 months. Data on healthcare worker training and mentorship, cases where NASG was used, and NASG availability and use during the study period were collected and analyzed.ResultsThe NASG was successfully introduced and integrated into the Zambia public health system, and appropriately used by healthcare workers when responding to cases of OH. Sixteen months after NASG introduction, NASGs were available and functional at 99% of study sites and 88% reported ever using a NASG. Of the 68 cases of recorded OH where a NASG was applied, 66 were confirmed as clinically appropriate, and among cases where shock index (SI) could be calculated, 59% had SI ≥ 0.9. Feedback from healthcare providers revealed that 97% thought introducing the NASG was a good decision, and 92% felt confident in their ability to apply the NASG after initial training. The RE-AIM average for this study was 0.65, suggesting a public health impact that is not equivocal, and that NASG introduction had a positive population-based effect.ConclusionsA successful NASG demonstration took place over the course of 18 months in the existing health system of Northern Province, Zambia, suggesting that incorporation of NASG into the standard of care for obstetric emergency in the Zambia public sector is feasible and can be maintained without external support.

Surveillance of antimicrobial resistance in the United Arab Emirates: the early implementation phase.

National surveillance of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an important public health function. Published national AMR surveillance data from the Middle East/North Africa (MENA) region is scarce. This paper describes the early implementation phase of establishing AMR surveillance in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Building on the existing AMR surveillance system in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and adopting the WHO-GLASS methodology, the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP) established the national AMR Surveillance program in 2015, in collaboration with regional health authorities and healthcare providers. Main objectives of this program are to (a) set AMR surveillance standards, (b) collect and analyze AMR surveillance data for common bacterial and fungal infections, (c) report on AMR levels and trends in the UAE, (d) strengthen local and national capacity for AMR surveillance, and (e) support AMR prevention and control strategies in the UAE. AMR surveillance data is collected through a network of 317 surveillance sites (including 84 hospitals and 233 centers/clinics), and 45 microbiology labs across all seven Emirates of the UAE. Surveillance of antimicrobial resistance has been successfully established since 2010 in the UAE. A national AMR surveillance protocol has been developed, adopting the WHO GLASS protocol. Extensive capacity-building and training activities have strengthened the local and national capacity for AMR surveillance. Between 2010 and 2021, a network of 317 surveillance sites and 45 laboratories have reported a total of 1,277,080 isolates from 662,065 non-duplicate patients to the national level. AMR data is reported annually by MOHAP through a National AMR surveillance report. National AMR data is utilized for informing the development of standard treatment guidelines at national level. National surveillance of antimicrobial resistance has been successfully established in the United Arab Emirates, allowing to monitor levels and trends of antimicrobial resistance for common bacterial and fungal pathogens, and detecting emerging resistance. The availability of such national AMR surveillance data allows for the first time to inform the development of national standard treatment guidelines for empiric treatment of common bacterial and fungal infections in the UAE.

Defining Resilience for Healthcare Professionals– a Delphi Study

Background: The concept of resilience is widely discussed in healthcare literature. There are various definitions and causal mechanisms underpinning the phenomenon of resilience. Aim: The aim of this study was to clarify this by exploring healthcare professionals' views on the meaning of resilience within their workplace settings. Design: A three-round Delphi survey. Methods: Based on a literature search, 41 ‘stem statements’ related to resilience were constructed. This list was refined, extended, and restricted by a panel of experts. Results: The panel agreed on eight elements that best represented their perception of factors that impact either positively or negatively the level of resilience for UAE healthcare professionals. Conclusions: This consensus-based approach for the assessment of the level of resilience of HCP working in the UAE health system represents a first step toward the development of national guidelines for optimizing the health and wellbeing of healthcare professionals in the UAE.

Inclusive Practices in Malaysian Eco-Tourism: A Comprehensive Roadmap for the Future of Sustainable and Diverse Tourism

This study, aimed to investigate the extent to which eco-tourism ventures in Malaysia incorporate inclusive and sustainable practices. The problem identified was a lack of comprehensive strategies that encompass environmental protection, social inclusion, and economic benefits. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach that involved surveying 500 tourists and interviewing 20 eco-tourism operators, we examined the existing practices and perspectives on inclusivity and sustainability. Findings revealed that only 30% of eco-tourism ventures implemented concrete inclusive policies, such as providing facilities for individuals with disabilities or incorporating local communities in decision-making. Furthermore, while 70% of operators reported some sustainable practices like waste management and limited deforestation, these measures were often ad hoc and lacked a holistic approach. As for tourists, 80% expressed that inclusive practices significantly influenced their choice of eco-tourism activities, yet 65% were unaware of the actual inclusive policies of the ventures they patronized. The study concluded that although some initiatives are in place, a structured framework is necessary for a truly inclusive and sustainable eco-tourism industry in Malaysia. Recommendations include the development of national guidelines for inclusivity, more rigorous audits of existing eco-tourism operators, and public awareness campaigns aimed at both tourists and operators. Governmental support in the form of tax incentives and grants for ventures that adopt inclusive and sustainable practices can also catalyze the change needed. This research thus serves as a roadmap for stakeholders, suggesting a multi-pronged approach to making Malaysian eco-tourism a beacon for inclusivity and sustainability. Keywords: Inclusive Practices, Malaysian Eco-Tourism, Sustainability, Policy Framework, Stakeholder Involvement

A Nationwide Cross-sectional Survey of Knowledge and Practices of Diabetes Drug Injection Techniques of Patients, Nurses, and Physicians: The China IT Improve Study

ObjectiveTo investigate the knowledge and practices of diabetes drug injection techniques of diabetes patients, nurses, and physicians to support formulating national guidelines for standardized diabetes drug injection techniques. Patients and MethodsIn this nationwide multicenter cross-sectional survey conducted between November and December 2020, patients, nurses, and physicians were randomly chosen from 250 primary, 150 secondary, and 100 tertiary care hospitals using the stratified cluster sampling method. Their knowledge and/or practices of diabetes drug injection techniques were surveyed using the Diabetes Drug Injection Knowledge and Practice Questionnaire for Physicians, Nurses, and Patients. ResultsIn total, 10,694, 2643, and 2816 eligible questionnaires were collected from patients, physicians, and nurses, respectively. Overall, 78.2% (7588/9709) type 2 diabetes patients failed to attain the target hemoglobin A1c. Hypoglycemic episodes and lipohypertrophy occurred in 19.8% and 34.7% of the patients, respectively. Needle reuse (odds ratio, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.07 to 1.33) and incorrect injection site rotation (odds ratio, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.16 to 1.51) were associated with failure to attain the target hemoglobin A1c. Overall, 48.9% physicians and 20.4% nurses had a poor knowledge domain score. Care setting and training, diabetes care experience, and regions were significant determinants of diabetes drug injection knowledge domain scores in both physicians and nurses. ConclusionPoor glycemic control, occurrences of injection-associated complications in diabetes patients, and poor knowledge domain scores of a subset of physicians and nurses highlight the importance of regular assessment and education regarding diabetes drug injection techniques for physicians and nurses and development of national guidelines for diabetes drug injection. Trial RegistrationChictr.org.cn (ChiCTR2100045302).

Securing accelerated access to long-acting injectable cabotegravir for HIV prevention in low- and middle-income countries.

Reductions in HIV acquisition have slowed, and the global community is significantly off track from global goals. Oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) alone cannot address the diverse needs of the millions of people at risk of HIV acquisition. Long-acting injectable cabotegravir (CAB-LA) received United States Food and Drug Administration approval for HIV prevention in December 2021. When studied, CAB-LA demonstrated high effectiveness, provides months of protection versus daily use, is preferred by some users and has the potential to achieve commodity cost reduction. These factors position CAB-LA to catalyse transformation in HIV prevention. Significant work must be undertaken to ensure at-scale uptake in low- and middle-income countries. Leveraging decades of product introduction experience, Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) has developed an innovative roadmap to support equitable CAB-LA introduction, comprising tightly executed market-shaping, product development, regulatory, and programmatic and implementation action. Proven models exist (e.g. long-acting reversible contraceptives, paediatric tuberculosis treatment and antiretrovirals (ARVs), such as paediatric dolutegravir and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, lamivudine, and dolutegravir) for partnership-driven, accelerated, impactful product introduction. Based on learnings from these models and needs in the prevention space, CHAI developed a roadmap to maximize the near-term impact of CAB-LA and accelerate the development of, access to and impact of quality-assured, low-cost generic CAB-LA. This roadmap is intended to inform introduction planning and investment decision-making across a range of stakeholders, including donors, governments, manufacturers and other partners working in the HIV prevention space. Elements include (1) ensuring coordination and alignment across partners, and avoiding redundancy experienced during oral PrEP introduction; (2) preparing national programmes and providing support to maximize impact, including the development of national policies, guidelines and introduction plans; system strengthening; quantification and procurement; and addressing evidence needs, among other areas; (3) supporting community engagement, ensuring that demand generation and delivery approaches are person-centred and community-led; (4) incentivizing generic product development through, for example, milestone-based commercialization incentives and product development cost-sharing; and (5) expediting regulatory reviews. Accelerating access to affordable, generic CAB-LA can transform progress towards HIV epidemic control. This vision of impact at scale in prevention is achievable, if informed by results-backed approaches to introduction.

Management of osteoporosis in men based Ukrainian version of FRAX

Objective. The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of the previous published FRAX thresholds in a male referral cohort from Ukraine. Methods. The cohort comprised 653 men aged 40‒88 years (mean age 60.5 ± 11.8). The 10-year probabilities of hip fracture and a major osteoporotic fracture werecalculated using the Ukrainian FRAX model. The intervention threshold was set at the age specific fracture probability as first used by the National Osteoporosis Guideline Group for FRAXbased guidelines in the UK and adapted for the Ukraine. Treatment pathways were compared with a previously published female referral cohort from Ukraine. Results. 27 % of men and 51 % of women referred for skeletal assessment had a prior fracture that categorized eligibility for treatment that was more frequent in women than in men. The requirement for BMD testing was also higher in women than in men (18.3 % vs. 4.9 %, respectively). If referral for fracture risk assessment was contingent on the presence of at least one FRAX risk, the proportion of men and women eligible for treatment would rise from 5 % to 89 % in men and from 57 % to 93 % in women. Conclusions. This study demonstrated a higher need for both antiosteoporotic treatment without DХA and additional densitometric examination to further assess the osteoporotic fractures risk in Ukrainian women compared to men and the need for special attention in fracture risk assessment in men with previous fractures. The developmentof National guidelines together with a validation based on cost-effectiveness would help drive a cohesive national approach to risk assessment in both men and women.

Temporal trends in cardiac rehabilitation participation and its core components: a nationwide study from the Netherlands

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Background Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is an important secondary prevention strategy for individuals with cardiovascular diseases (CVD)(1). Nevertheless, CR participation rates remain low(2). In the past decade, more attention has been given to CR referral and participation following the development and implementation of (inter)national multidisciplinary CR guidelines(1). Purpose To assess time trends in Dutch CR participation rates between 2013-2019, as well as its distinct components (e.g., admission session, exercise training, nutrition counselling, and psychological help). Methods CVD patients with a clinical indication for CR were enrolled in this observational study. Health insurance claim data was used to identify CR participation and its components. Temporal trends were analysed using logistic restricted cubic spline regression. Results 106,212 CVD patients were included, of which 38,954 patients (37%) participated in CR. Participation rates significantly increased from 28% in 2013 to 41% in 2016 but stabilized thereafter. The time trends of participation to CR were mostly similar across different subgroups of age, (Figure 1A), sex (Figure 1B), CVD diagnosis (Figure 1C), and cardiothoracic surgery/procedure (Figure 1D). Participation rates were the highest in younger patients (<50 years; 52%, and 50-65 years; 50%), men (48%), patients with an ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (73%), and coronary artery bypass grafting (82%). In contrast, participation rates were the lowest in older patients (≥85 years; 8%), women (30%) and in patients with heart failure (11%). Most CR participants received an admission session (97%) and exercise training (82%) during their CR program, whereas nutrition counselling (14%) and psychological help (10%) were underutilized (Figure 2). Conclusion CR participation rates increased, but stabilized after 2016. Age, sex, CVD diagnosis and cardiothoracic surgery/procedures affected CR participation rates. Future research and renewed implementation strategies are needed to increase CR referrals, enrolment and participation in specific CVD subgroups and to enhance its potential effectiveness by a higher utilization of modules related to dietary and psychosocial counselling.