Multicenter Prospective Cohort Study Research Articles

Long-term outcomes of the first prospective study of active surveillance for prostate cancer in Japan.

Active surveillance for prostate cancer was initiated in the early 2000s. We assessed the long-term outcomes of active surveillance in Japan. This multicenter prospective observational cohort study enrolled men aged 50-80years with stage cT1cN0M0 prostate cancer in 2002 and 2003. The eligibility criteria included serum prostate-specific antigen level ≤ 20ng/mL, ≤ 2 positive cores per 6-12 biopsy samples, Gleason score ≤ 6, and cancer involvement < 50% in the positive core. Patients were encouraged to undergo active surveillance. Prostate-specific antigen levels were measured bimonthly for 6months and every 3months thereafter. Triggers for recommending treatment were prostate-specific antigen doubling time of < 2years and pathological progression on repeat biopsy. Among 134 patients, 118 underwent active surveillance. The median age, prostate-specific antigen level at diagnosis, and maximum cancer occupancy were 70years, 6.5ng/mL, and 11.2%, respectively. Ninety-one patients had only one positive cancer core. The median observation period was 10.7years. At 1year, 65.7% underwent a repeat biopsy, and 37% of patients experienced pathological progression. The active surveillance continuation rates at 5, 10, and 15years were 28%, 9%, and 4%, respectively. One prostate cancer-related death occurred in a patient who refused treatment despite pathological progression at the one-year repeat biopsy. Active surveillance according to this study protocol was associated with conversion to the next treatment without delay, when indicated, despite the selection criteria and follow-up protocols being less rigorous than those recommended in current international guidelines.

Steroidomics-Based Screening for Primary Aldosteronism: Impact of antihypertensive Drugs.

Diagnosis of primary aldosteronism (PA) is complicated by the need to withdraw antihypertensive medications that interfere with test results, particularly renin. This study examined whether machine learning-based steroid-probability scores offer a renin measurement-independent approach for testing less prone to interference than the aldosterone-to-renin ratio (ARR). This prospective multicenter cohort study involved the use of plasma steroidomics and the ARR in 839 patients tested for PA, including 190 with and 578 without PA (71 indeterminate). Receiver operating characteristic curves for steroid-probability scores and the ARR were examined with and without interfering medications. Impacts of individual medications on plasma aldosterone, 18-oxocortisol, 18-hydroxycortisol, steroid-probability scores, renin, and ARRs were examined by multivariable and paired analyses in patients with and without PA. Receiver operating characteristic curves indicated a significant impact of interfering antihypertensive medications on the diagnostic performance of the ARR and minimal impact on steroid-probability scores. Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists increased plasma aldosterone, 18-oxocortisol, and 18-hydroxycortisol in patients without PA and resulted in false-positive test results for steroid-probability scores and false-negative results for the ARR. Diuretics increased aldosterone, 18-oxocortisol, and steroid-probability scores in patients without PA, whereas angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors decreased aldosterone, steroid-probability scores, and ARRs. Beta-adrenoceptor blockers, dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers, and angiotensin receptor blockers had negligible impact on mineralocorticoids and steroid-probability scores. Among antihypertensive drugs that impact plasma aldosterone, 18-oxocortisol, and 18-hydroxycortisol, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists stood out as a cause of false-positive results for derived steroid-probability scores. Other antihypertensives have minimal or no impact, an advantage for use of steroid-probability scores over the ARR when those medications cannot be withdrawn. URL: https://drks.de/; Unique identifier: DRKS00017084.

Effectiveness of direct delabelling of allergy labels in type A adverse drug reactions to penicillin: a multicentre hospitalwide prospective cohort study.

Patient-reported penicillin allergy labels (PALs) are associated with adverse patient outcomes and inappropriate antibiotic prescribing. Removal of PALs via direct oral challenge (DOC) is associated with increased penicillin utilization post removal. To assess the impact of direct delabelling (allergy label removal via medical reconciliation alone) of type A adverse drug reaction (ADR) PALs on inpatient prescribing. From January 2019 to December 2022 at two tertiary hospitals in Melbourne, patients aged ≥18 years with type A ADR PALs, as defined by the validated Antibiotic Allergy Assessment Tool, were offered direct delabelling or single-dose DOC. The primary endpoint was antibiotic use pre- and post-assessment (during index admission and 90 days post assessment). The secondary endpoint was the proportion of patients delabelled in the direct delabelling and DOC cohorts in the electronic medical record at 90 days post assessment. Allergy labels (n = 4108) were assessed for 488 participants, with 490 individual type A ADR PAL assessments included. Three hundred and thirty-seven patients were directly delabelled, 69 underwent DOC and 84 were not delabelled. There was increased use of any penicillin following direct delabelling (OR 19.19, 95% CI 2.48-148.36) and DOC (OR 56.98, 95% CI 6.82-476.19) during the index admission, higher in the DOC group compared with direct delabelling (OR 2.97, 95% CI 1.39-6.37). Relabelling at 90 days was low with no statistically significant difference between direct delabelling (5/337; 1.5%) and DOC (0/69; 0%). Both direct delabelling and DOC of type A ADR PALs increased penicillin usage; however, the impact was greatest with DOC. Most patients remain delabelled at 90 days.

Overcoming the age-dependent SARS-CoV-2 vaccine response through hybrid immunity: analysis of humoral and cellular immunity with mass cytometry profiling

BackgroundAge-dependent immune responses to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccinations and breakthrough infections (BIs) in young and middle-aged individuals are unclear.MethodsThis nationwide multicenter prospective cohort study analyzed immune responses in participants of the ChAdOx1 (ChAd)-ChAd-mRNA vaccine group using cytometry by time-of-flight, anti-spike protein antibody (Sab) and anti-nucleocapsid antibody (Nab) titers, plaque reduction neutralization tests (PRNTs), and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) release assays at various time points.ResultsWe evaluated 347 participants with an average age of 38.9 ± 9.4 years (range: 21–63). There was a significant inverse correlation between age and Sab levels after the second dose (slope − 14.96, P = 0.032), and this was more pronounced after the third dose (slope − 208.9, P < 0.001). After BIs, older participants showed significantly higher Sab titers (slope 398.8, P = 0.001), reversing the age-related decline observed post-vaccination. This reversal was also observed in PRNTs against wild-type SARS-CoV-2 and the BA.1 and BA.5 variants. IFN-γ responses increased markedly after the third dose and Bis, but showed a weak positive correlation with age, without statistical significance. Immune cell profiling revealed an age-dependent decrease in the proportions of B-cell lineage cells. The proportions of naive CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were inversely correlated with age, whereas the proportions of mature T cell subsets with memory function, including memory CD4+ T, CD8+ TEM, CD8+ TEMRA, and TFH cells, increased with age.ConclusionsAge-dependent waning of the serologic response to COVID-19 vaccines occurred even in middle-aged individuals, but was reversed after BIs. IFN-γ responses were preserved, compensating for the decrease in naive T cell populations, with an increase in memory T cell populations.

Femoroacetabular impingement syndrome in middle-aged individuals is strongly associated with the development of hip osteoarthritis within 10-year follow-up: a prospective cohort study (CHECK)

ObjectiveThe objective is to determine the association and absolute risk of femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS) for the development of radiographic hip osteoarthritis (RHOA).MethodsThis is a nationwide, multicentre prospective cohort study...

New Trauma Score versus Kampala Trauma Score II in predicting mortality following road traffic crash: a prospective multi-center cohort study

IntroductionMortality due to injuries disproportionately impact low income countries. Knowledge of who is at risk of poor outcomes is critical to guide resource allocation and prioritization of severely injured. Kampala Trauma Score (KTS), developed in 1996 and last modified in 2002 as KTS II, is still widely being used to predict injury outcomes in resource-limited settings with no further revisions in the past two decades, despite ongoing criticism of some of its parameters. The New Trauma Score (NTS), a recent development in 2017, has shown potential in mortality prediction, but a dearth of evidence exist regarding its performance in the African population.ObjectivesTo compare NTS to the modified Kampala Trauma Score (KTS II) in the prediction of 30-day mortality, and injury severity amongst patients sustaining road traffic crashes in Ugandan low-resource settings.MethodsMulti-center prospective cohort study of patients aged 15 years and above. Of the 194 participants, 85.1% were males with a mean age of 31.7 years. NTS and KTS II were determined for each participant within 30-minutes of admission and followed-up for 30 days to determine their injury outcomes. The sensitivity, specificity, and area under receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) for predicting mortality were compared between the two trauma scores using SPSS version 22. Ethical clearance: Research and Ethics Committee of Kampala International University Western Campus (Ref No: KIU-2022-125).ResultsThe injury severity classifications based on NTS vs. KTS II were mild (55.7% vs. 25.8%), moderate (29.9% vs. 30.4%), and severe (14.4% vs. 43.8%). The mortality rates for each injury severity category based on NTS vs. KTS II were mild (0.9% v 0%), moderate (20.7% vs. 5.1%), and severe (50% vs. 28.2%). The AUC was 0.87 for NTS (95% CI 0.808–0.931) vs. 0.86 (95% CI 0.794–0.919) for KTS II respectively. The sensitivity of NTS vs. KTS II in predicting mortality was 92.6% (95% CI: 88.9–96.3) vs. 70.4% (95% CI: 63.0-77.8) while the specificity was 70.7% (95% CI: 64.2–77.2) vs. 78.4% (95% CI: 72.1–84.7) at cut off points of 17 for NTS and 6 for KTS II respectively.ConclusionsNTS was more sensitive but its specificity for purposes of 30-day mortality prediction was lower compared to KTS II. Thus, in low-resourced trauma environment where time constraints and pulse oximeters are of concern, KTS II remains superior to NTS.

Methylprednisolone pulse and prednisolone for intensification of primary treatment in Kawasaki disease patients at high risk of treatment resistance: a multicenter prospective cohort study.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether adding intravenous methylprednisolone pulse (IVMP) to primary adjunctive prednisolone with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) improves treatment resistance and coronary artery aneurysms (CAA) in patients with Kawasaki disease (KD) with a high risk of treatment resistance. This multicenter, prospective, observational study was conducted at 28 hospitals in Japan from October 2016 to June 2020. For patients predicted to be resistant to treatment based on a Kobayashi score ≥ 5 and total bilirubin ≥ 1.0mg/dL, each hospital independently decided to add IVMP followed by prednisolone, prednisolone alone, or nothing to the primary IVIG therapy. In total, 2856 consecutive KD patients were enrolled; of these, 399 (14.0%) were predicted to be treatment resistant. Patients who were resistant to the primary treatment and required additional treatment comprised 59%, 20%, and 26% of the IVIG-alone group, IVIG-plus-prednisolone group, and IVIG-plus-IVMP group, respectively (P < .0001). The CAA incidence (Z score ≥ 2.5) at month 1 was similar among the treatment groups (6.7%, 4.8%, and 7.3%, respectively; P = .66). CAA occurred more frequently in patients who needed third- or later-line therapy.Conclusions: Primary adjunctive corticosteroid therapy improved the treatment response and suppressed inflammation. However, the study found no benefit of adding IVMP to prednisolone therapy. Patients receiving IVIG alone achieved coronary outcomes comparable to those of patients receiving primary adjunctive corticosteroid therapy although they were more likely to require additional rescue treatment. KD inflammation should be resolved no later than the third line of additional treatment to reduce the risk of CAA.Trial registration: University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trials Registry in Japan ( https://www.umin.ac.jp/ctr/index.htm ) under code UMIN000024937.

Changes in quality of life 1 year after intensive care: a multicenter prospective cohort of ICU survivors

BackgroundWith survival rates of critical illness increasing, quality of life measures are becoming an important outcome of ICU treatment. Therefore, to study the impact of critical illness on quality of life, we explored quality of life before and 1 year after ICU admission in different subgroups of ICU survivors.MethodsData from an ongoing prospective multicenter cohort study, the MONITOR-IC, were used. Patients admitted to the ICU in one of eleven participating hospitals between July 2016 and June 2021 were included. Outcome was defined as change in quality of life, measured using the EuroQol five-dimensional (EQ-5D-5L) questionnaire, and calculated by subtracting the EQ-5D-5L score 1 day before hospital admission from the EQ-5D-5L score 1 year post-ICU. Based on the minimal clinically important difference, a change in quality of life was defined as a change in EQ-5D-5L score of ≥ 0.08. Subgroups of patients were based on admission diagnosis.ResultsA total of 3913 (50.6%) included patients completed both baseline and follow-up questionnaires. 1 year post-ICU, patients admitted after a cerebrovascular accident, intracerebral hemorrhage, or (neuro)trauma, on average experienced a significant decrease in quality of life. Conversely, 11 other subgroups of ICU survivors reported improvements in quality of life. The largest average increase in quality of life was seen in patients admitted due to respiratory disease (mean 0.17, SD 0.38), whereas the largest average decrease was observed in trauma patients (mean -0.13, SD 0.28). However, in each of the studied 22 subgroups there were survivors who reported a significant increase in QoL and survivors who reported a significant decrease in QoL.Conclusions This large prospective multicenter cohort study demonstrated the diversity in long-term quality of life between, and even within, subgroups of ICU survivors. These findings emphasize the need for personalized information and post-ICU care.Trial registration: The MONITOR-IC study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03246334 on August 2nd 2017.

Subjective grade of apprehension during the pivot-shift test reflects patient-reported outcomes more than conventional pivot-shift test grade after ACL reconstruction.

To investigate whether the pivot-shift test reflects patient-reported outcomes 1 year after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction based on a multicentre prospective cohort study. This study included patients who underwent primary ACL reconstruction using the hamstring tendons. The pivot-shift test grades were determined according to the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) form as 0, 1+, 2+ or 3+. In addition, patients' subjective apprehension during the pivot-shift test were classified as 0 (no-apprehension), 1+ (mild-apprehension), 2+ (moderate-apprehension) or 3+ (severe-apprehension). In this study, a positive pivot-shift test was defined as grade 1+ or higher. A total of 837 patients were enroled in this study. One year postoperatively, there was no significant difference in the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), IKDC score, Lysholm knee scale and Tegner activity scale between the positive (118 patients) and negative (719 patients) groups of the conventional IKDC grading of the pivot-shift test. However, when divided into two groups based on the apprehension grading of the pivot-shift test after surgery, the postoperative scores were significantly lower in the apprehension-positive group (114 patients) than those in the apprehension-negative group (723 patients) on the Tegner activity scale and KOOS Symptom, Sports/Rec and Quality of Life subscales. Patients' subjective apprehension during the pivot-shift test after ACL reconstruction was significantly associated with the postoperative Tegner activity scale and three subscales of the KOOS. However, there was no association between the conventional IKDC grading of the pivot-shift test and any patient-reported outcomes postoperatively. Level II.

Energy Intake and Dietary Glycemic Load in Late Morning and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos, a Multicenter Prospective Cohort Study.

To evaluate the association between meal timing and type 2 diabetes risk in U.S. Hispanic/Latino adults. The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) is a multicenter, community-based, prospective cohort study. This study included 8,868 HCHS/SOL adults without diabetes at baseline (2008-2011) and attending the visit 2 examination (2014-2017). Energy intake and glycemic load (GL) in each meal timing were assessed at baseline using two 24-h dietary recalls. Incident diabetes was identified through annual follow-up calls or at visit 2. Hazard ratios (HRs) for incident diabetes were estimated using Cox models, accounting for the complex survey design. The study population (50.9% female) had a baseline mean age of 39.0 (95% CI, 38.4-39.5) years. Over a median (range) follow-up of 5.8 (0.8-9.6) years, 1,262 incident diabetes cases were documented. Greater energy intake and GL in late morning (9:00-11:59 a.m.) were associated with a lower diabetes risk, whereas greater energy intake and GL in other meal timings were not. After accounting for diet quantity and quality, sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle factors, and chronic conditions, the HRs were 0.94 (95% CI, 0.91-0.97) per 100-kcal energy intake increment and 0.93 (0.89-0.97) per 10-unit GL increment in late morning. Replacing energy intake or GL from early morning (6:00-8:59 a.m.), afternoon (12:00-5:59 p.m.), or evening (6:00-11:59 p.m.) with late-morning equivalents was associated with a comparably lower diabetes risk. This study identified late morning as a favorable meal timing in Hispanic/Latino adults, providing a novel perspective on type 2 diabetes prevention that warrants confirmation.

A multicenter study on the effects of congenital cytomegalovirus infection on hearing loss

Objective: To assess the clinical features and effectiveness of antiviral therapy in newborns with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) caused by congenital congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) infection, and to speculate the risk factors for poor hearing outcomes. Methods: A multicenter prospective cohort study wasconducted, enrolling 176 newborns diagnosed with cCMV at four research centers in Zhejiang Province from March 1, 2021, to April 30, 2024. Clinical characteristics at birth were recorded and hearing was followed up. The children were divided into groups based on their condition at birth, specifically into asymptomatic, mild symptom, and moderate to severe symptom groups. Additionally, they were divided into SNHL and normal hearing groups based on the results of air conduction brainstem audiometry at birth. And they were also divided into treatment and untreated groups according to antiviral treatment. Mann Whitney U test, and chi square test were used for inter group comparison to analyze the differences in clinical features between different disease groups, and to analyze the effects of clinical features, antiviral therapy, and other factors on hearing improvement. Logistic regression analysis was employed to identify the risk factors influencing hearing outcomes. Results: Among the cohort of 176 children diagnosed infection with cCMV, 90 cases were male and 86 cases were female. Of these, 79 cases were asymptomatic, 12 cases classified as mild cCMV and 85 cases as moderate to severe cCMV. Fifty cases belonged to SNHL group, with different degrees of severity, including 30 cases of mild, 9 cases of moderate, 5 cases of severe, and 6 cases of extremely severe SNHL. Among the 121 cases in the normal hearing group, 2 cases (1.7%) exhibited late-onset hearing loss despite having normal hearing at birth. Among 81 cases (46.0%) who completed the hearing follow-up, 71 cases (87.7%) had good hearing outcomes and 10 cases (12.3%) had poor hearing outcomes. Among the 81 children, 29 cases (35.8%) had SNHL at birth. During follow-up, the hearing threshold improved in 19 cases (65.5%), remained stable in 7 cases (24.1%) and progressed in 3 cases (10.3%). A total of 26 cases in the treatment group and 55 cases in the untreated group completed the hearing follow-up assessment. The rate of hearing improvement in the treatment group was found to be higher compared to the untreated group (13 cases (50.0%) vs. 6 cases (10.9%), χ2=15.00, P<0.01), with individuals in the treatment group having a 4.58 times greater likelihood of experiencing hearing improvement (RR=4.58,95%CI 1.96-10.70, P<0.05). However, no statistically significant difference was observed in hearing outcomes between the antiviral treatment group and the untreated group (RR=0.90, 95%CI 0.57-1.41, P=0.517). Multivariate analysis further confirmed SNHL (OR=11.58, 95%CI 2.10-63.93, P=0.005) and preterm birth (OR=4.98, 95%CI 1.06-23.41, P=0.042) as independent risk factors for poor hearing outcomes. Conclusions: SNHL resulting from cCMV infection presents symptoms at birth and can be improved by antiviral therapy. Poor hearing outcomes are associated with SNHL and prematurity.

Increased risk of severe neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome in pregnancies with low placental ABCB1 DNA methylation.

Neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS) is unpredictable. We assessed relationships between placental DNA methylation with in-utero opioid exposure and NOWS severity. Secondary analysis of a prospective multicenter cohort study of pregnancies on methadone or buprenorphine, ≥34 weeks, singleton, 18 or greater. Placental biopsies were collected. Placental DNA methylation levels of ABCG1, ABCG2, CYP19A1, and HSD11B2 were quantified via pyrosequencing following bisulfite conversion. CYP19A1 mRNA levels and umbilical cord drug levels were determined by RT-qPCR and LC-MS respectively. Severe NOWS was diagnosed through Finnegan scoring. P value < 0.05 was significant. Thirty-eight dyads were included. Promoter region methylation for placental ABCB1 was lower in severe NOWS compared to non-severe NOWS (p = 0.04). Placental CYP19A1 methylation was inversely related to CYP19A1 mRNA levels and associated with umbilical cord norbuprenorphine levels (p < 0.01), but not umbilical cord methadone levels. Lower placental ABCB1 methylation was associated with severe NOWS. Higher placental CYP19A1 methylation correlated with higher umbilical cord norbuprenorphine levels.

Using an Innovative Model to Improve Performance of the Infant Hip Examination.

Determine if a new teaching bundle targeting developmental dysplasia of the hip screening improved interns' examination skills across multiple pediatric residency programs. This multicenter prospective cohort study included interns across 6 pediatric residency sites within the Academic Pediatric Association's Better Outcomes through Research for Newborns Network in 2022. Participants underwent a baseline hip examination assessment on models using a checklist derived from textbook descriptions of Galeazzi, Ortolani, and Barlow maneuvers before receiving a teaching bundle. Repeat testing occurred after instruction. Data were analyzed using t-test for continuous and χ2 test for categorical variables. Semistructured focus groups provided qualitative feedback regarding the teaching bundle. We enrolled 117 of 155 interns across 6 sites (76%) for participation in the teaching bundle. Only 2% of participants (n = 2) identified a positive Galeazzi sign at baseline, whereas 88% (n = 103, P < .001) did so on the postinstructional assessment. Although 27% of participants (n = 32) correctly identified a positive Barlow sign at baseline, 69% (n = 81, P < .001) did so on the postinstructional assessment. The ability to correctly detect a positive Ortolani sign increased from 22% (n = 26) to 92% (n = 108, P < .001). Fifteen interns participated in the semistructured focus groups, with resultant themes reinforcing the limited experience of the infant hip examination before this intervention and the positive impact of the teaching bundle. Most participants in this study did not have strong infant hip examination skills at entry into residency. A standardized teaching bundle significantly improved skills in examination technique and identifying abnormalities.

Patients with and without history of atrial fibrillation after percutaneous coronary intervention increased focus on modifiable risk factors

Abstract Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) and coronary artery disease (CAD) have several common risk factors, and 10-15% of patients with AF undergo percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Little is known about the changes over time in modifiable risk factors for AF and CAD and self-reported health when comparing patients with and without history of AF after PCI. Purpose To determine and compare changes in modifiable risk factors and self-reported health in patients with and without history of AF after PCI, from the index admission to 2-, 6- and 12 months after hospital discharge. Methods CONCARDPCI, a prospective multicentre cohort study including 3417 consecutive patients after PCI, was conducted at seven high-volume PCI centres in Norway and Denmark. Of these, 408 patients had a history of AF. Socio-demographic characteristics were self-reported at baseline. Medical history (medical and cardiovascular comorbidities), and clinical status (body weight and height) were collected from patients’ medical records and national registries at baseline. Information about the patients’ comorbidities was used to identify modifiable risk factors for AF and CAD in this study population. Smoking status and physical activity were self-reported at baseline and the 2-, 6- and 12-month follow-up. Self-reported health was assessed with RAND-12 Item Short Form Health Survey and the Myocardial Infarction Dimensional Assessment Scale (MIDAS). Results Eighty one percent of the patients with history of AF were men, and the mean age was 72 (SD 9, range 43-93). In patients without AF, 78% were men and the mean age was 65 (SD 11, range 20-96). In patients with history of AF, the proportion of smokers increased from 2- to 12 months (p=0.041). In patients without AF, there was a reduction in proportion of smokers from baseline to six months (p&amp;lt;0.001). No significant differences between the patients with history of AF and without AF regarding changes in physical activity over time were found (p=0.452). Most patients in both groups did not adhere to the guideline recommended 150 minutes of physical activity per week. Patients with a history of AF reported a poorer general physical health at baseline. However, the general physical (p=0.012) and mental (p&amp;lt;0.001) health improved from baseline to the six-month follow-up in both groups. For MIDAS, the patients with AF reported a poorer health regarding emotional reactions (p=0.029) and insecurity (p=0.015) from two- to twelve-month follow-up. Conclusion Lifestyle interventions might be beneficial to further improve self-reported health, as well as modifiable risk factors, among patients with and without history of AF after PCI. Considering the complex treatment of patients with AF after PCI, more attention is needed to improve the follow-up care regarding modifiable risk factors for this patient population.

Comparing the treatment of endometriosis-related pain by excision of endometriosis or hysterectomy: A multicentre prospective cohort study.

To compare the effectiveness of endometriosis excision alone to excision plus hysterectomy, with and without bilateral oophorectomy, for endometriosis-related symptoms. Multicentre prospective cohort. Eighty-six specialist endometriosis centres. Women undergoing rectovaginal endometriosis surgery between 2009 and 2021. We performed multivariable regression with random effects for patient and centre, controlling for age, BMI, smoking, laparoscopic versus open approach and type of bowel surgery performed, with sensitivity analysis for loss to follow-up. Pain scores, bowel symptoms and quality-of-life measures. Compared to endometriosis excision alone, women undergoing hysterectomy with conservation of ovaries had greater improvement in non-cyclical pain (MD: 1.41/10, 95% CI: 1.03-1.78, p < 0.001), dyspareunia (MD: 1.12/10, 95% CI: 0.71-1.53, p < 0.001), back pain (MD: 1.29/10, 95% CI: 0.92-1.67, p < 0.001) and quality-of-life scores (MD: 8.77/100, 95% CI: 5.79-11.75, p < 0.001) at 24 months post-operatively. Women undergoing hysterectomy with bilateral oophorectomy also had greater improvement in non-cyclical pelvic pain (MD: 2.22/10, 95% CI: 1.80-2.63, p < 0.001), dyspareunia (MD: 1.05/10, 95% CI: 0.59-1.52, p < 0.001), back pain (MD: 1.18/10, 95% CI: 0.77-1.59, p < 0.001) and quality of life (MD: 12.41/100, 95% CI: 9.07-15.74, p < 0.001) at 24 months compared to endometriosis excision alone. Compared to hysterectomy with ovarian conservation, hysterectomy with bilateral oophorectomy was associated with greater improvement in non-cyclical pelvic pain (MD: 0.81/10, 95% CI: 0.32-1.30, p = 0.001) at 24 months and quality of life (MD: 3.74/100, 95% CI: 0.56-6.92, p = 0.021) at 12 months, although this result was sensitive to loss to follow-up. Patients who undergo endometriosis excision plus hysterectomy experience greater improvement in pain and quality of life compared to those who have endometriosis excision alone. There are additional benefits of bilateral oophorectomy with hysterectomy, although its value is less clear due to loss of follow-up.

Systemic and Mucosal Immunogenicity of Monovalent XBB.1.5-Adapted COVID-19 mRNA Vaccines in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Recently updated COVID-19 mRNA vaccines encode the spike protein of the omicron subvariant XBB.1.5 and are recommended for patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) on immunosuppressive treatment. Nonetheless, their immunogenicity in patients with IBD against rapidly expanding virus variants remains unknown. This prospective multicenter cohort study is the first study to investigate the immunogenicity of XBB.1.5-adapted vaccines in patients with IBD. Systemic and mucosal antibodies targeting the receptor-binding domains (RBDs) of the omicron subvariants XBB.1.5, EG.5.1, and BA.2.86, as well as their neutralization were quantified before and two to four weeks after vaccination with monovalent XBB.1.5-adapted mRNA vaccines. Vaccination increased levels of serum anti-RBD IgG targeting XBB.1.5, EG.5.1, and BA.2.86 (1.9-fold, 1.8-fold, and 2.6-fold, respectively) and enhanced corresponding neutralization responses (2.3-fold, 3.1-fold, and 3.5-fold, respectively). Following vaccination, anti-TNF-treated patients had reduced virus neutralization compared to patients on treatments with other cellular targets. 11.1% and 16.7% of patients lacked EG.5.1 and BA.2.86 neutralization, respectively; all these patients received anti-TNF treatment. At mucosal sites, vaccination induced variant-specific anti-RBD IgG but failed to induce RBD-targeting IgA. Our findings provide a basis for future vaccine recommendations while highlighting the importance of frequent booster vaccine adaptation and the need for mucosal vaccination strategies in patients with IBD.

Root causes of first-case start time delays for elective surgical procedures: a prospective multicenter observational cohort study in Ethiopia

BackgroundDelays in surgery start times can lead to poor patient outcomes and considerable increases in healthcare expenditures. This is especially true in developing countries that often face systemic inefficiencies, such as a shortage of operating rooms and trained surgical personnel. With substantial effects on patient outcomes, healthcare efficiency, and resource allocation, identifying delays in first-case elective surgery is a crucial area of research.MethodsA multicenter observational study was conducted at three comprehensive and specialized hospitals in the Amhara region of Ethiopia from May 1 to October 30, 2023. The primary aim of the study was to determine the occurrence of late first-case start times, defined as a patient being in the operating room at or after the hospital’s incision time of 2:30 a.m. The secondary aim was to discover potential root causes of delayed first-case start times. All patients scheduled for elective surgery as the first case on the operating list throughout the study period were included in the study. Every emergency, day case, after-hours case, and canceled case was excluded.ResultsA total of 530 surgical patients were included during the study window from May 1 to October 1, 2023. Of these, 41.5% were general surgeries, 20.4% were gynecology and obstetrics surgeries, and 13.2% were orthopedic surgery procedures. Before the procedure started, nine (1.7%) of the participants had prolonged discussion with a member of the surgical team. Patients who arrived in the operating room waiting area at or after 2:30 a.m. were 2.5 times more likely to experience a first-case start time delay than those who arrived before or at 2:00 a.m. (AOR = 2.50; 95% CI: 1.13–5.14). Furthermore, participants with abnormal investigation results were 2.4 times more likely to have a late first-case start time (AOR = 2.41; 95% CI: 1.06, 5.50). Moreover, the odds of a late first-case start time were increased by 10.53 times with the surgeon being in the operating room at or after 2:30 a.m. (AOR = 10.53; 95% CI: 5.51, 20.11).ConclusionThe research highlights a significant occurrence of delayed start times for the first elective surgical procedures. Therefore, directing attention to aspects such as ensuring patients and surgical teams arrive promptly (by or before 2:00 a.m.) and timely evaluation and communication of investigative findings before the scheduled surgery day could facilitate efforts to maximize operating room efficiency and enhance patient health outcomes.

Females have lower salivary flow than males, before and after radiation therapy for head/neck cancer.

To compare salivary flow rates between females and males, before and after radiation therapy (RT) for head and neck cancer (HNC). Prospective observational multicenter cohort study (OraRad). Stimulated whole salivary flow was measured before RT and at 6 and 18 months after RT. Mean (95% confidence interval) salivary flow in g/min before RT was 0.81 (0.71, 0.90) in females (n = 107) and 1.20 (1.15, 1.25) in males (n = 391) (p < 0.001); at 6 months was 0.34 (0.24, 0.44) in females and 0.50 (0.44, 0.55) in males (p = 0.01); at 18 months was 0.49 (0.38, 0.59) in females and 0.70 (0.64, 0.75) in males (p < 0.001). Median nadir salivary flow after RT was 0.22 in females and 0.35 in males (p < 0.001). A lower nadir salivary flow in females, but not males, was associated with an increased risk for tooth failure (p = 0.02). Females with HNC have lower stimulated whole salivary flow than males, before and after RT. Low salivary flow after RT may be a risk factor for tooth failure among females. The lower pre-RT salivary flow rates in females, combined with prior literature in other populations, indicates that, in general, females have lower stimulated salivary flow than males.

The Progression of Stargardt Disease (ProgStar) as determined by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography over a 24-month period (ProgStar Report No. 19).

To evaluate the progression of atrophy as determined by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) in patients with molecularly confirmed ABCA4-associated Stargardt disease type 1 (STGD1) over a 24-month period in a multicenter prospective cohort study. SD-OCT images from 428 eyes of 236 patients were analyzed. Change of mean thickness (MT) and intact area were estimated after semi-automated segmentation for the following individual layers in the central subfield (CS), inner ring (IR) and outer ring (OR) of the ETDRS grid: retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), outer segments (OS), inner segments (IS), outer nuclear layer (ONL) inner retina (IR) and total retina (TR). Statistically significant decreases of all outer retinal layers (RPE, OS, IS, and ONL) could be observed over a 24-month period both in decline of mean retinal thickness and intact area (p&lt;.0001, respectively); whereas the inner retina showed an increase of retinal thickness in the central subfield and inner ring and remained unchanged in the outer ring. Significant loss could be detected in outer retinal layers by SD-OCT over a 24-month period in patients with STGD1. Loss of thickness and/or intact area of such layers may serve as potential endpoints for clinical trials that aim to slow down the disease progression of STGD1.

Factors associated with unfavourable treatment outcomes among persons with Pulmonary Tuberculosis: a multicentric prospective cohort study from India.

In this prospective cohort of 2,006 individuals with non-MDR tuberculosis in India, 18% had unfavorable treatment outcomes (4.7% treatment failure, 2.5% recurrent infection, 4.1% death, 6.8% loss to follow-up) over a median 12-month follow-up period. Age, male sex, low education, nutritional status, and alcohol use were predictors of unfavorable outcomes.