Wear Time Research Articles

Scleral Lens Use in the Management of Ocular Cicatricial Pemphigoid.

Symptom management in Ocular Cicatricial Pemphigoid (OCP) is challenging because of the progressive factors of dry eye, scarring, trichiasis, and vision impairment. We set out to evaluate the benefits and therapeutic effects of scleral contact lenses in the management of OCP. A retrospective review was performed over a database of 20 patients (36 eyes) fitted with scleral lenses (SL) at the Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University from May 2018 to April 2021. The fitting indications, time required for ocular surface stabilization, vision rehabilitation success, and ocular complications were evaluated. The mean age was 67.4 (range, 43-81) years, with four to one female to male predominance. The mean duration of the follow-up was 16.5 months (range, 1.5-35). The mean wearing time was 9.0±1.9 hr a day, with no overnight wear permitted. All fitted patients reported a subjective improvement in ocular comfort after initiations of SL wear. The mean keratopathy grading improved from 2.1±0.8 to 1.4±0.7 at the last documented visit. The mean visual acuity improved from 0.56±0.51 (logMAR) to 0.34±0.45; in 46% of patient eyes, visual acuity improved by two or more lines. And 96% of fitted eyes responded well to therapy and continued scleral lens wear. Patients who initially presented with fornix shortening, symblepharon, and trichiasis remained stable. SL offer ocular surface preservation, symptom relief, and improved visual acuity in patients with ocular pemphigoid. They should be strongly considered as ancillary therapy in patients with OCP.

Tolerability and effectiveness of face-masks in reducing cough aerosols for children with cystic fibrosis.

People with cystic fibrosis (CF) are recommended to wear face-masks when in healthcare settings. We previously demonstrated that face-masks significantly reduce the release of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) aerosols during coughing in adults with CF. There is a knowledge gap in relation to the impact of mask wear in children with CF. This study aimed to examine the tolerability and effectiveness in lowering emissions of hospital-grade surgical and one type of commercially available cotton face-mask in children with CF. Twenty children with CF and P. aeruginosa infection were recruited. Participants performed three cough manoeuvres in a validated cough aerosol system both with and without face-masks of differing wear time. Cough aerosols were sampled at two meters using an Andersen Cascade Impactor. Quantitative sputum and aerosol bacterial cultures were performed. Participants also rated the comfort levels of the face-masks. P. aeruginosa was cultured from the sputum in eight participants (40 %). During uncovered coughing (reference manoeuvre), seven of the 20 participants produced aerosols containing bacterial pathogens. There was a reduction in aerosolised bacterial load during coughing with both surgical and cotton face-masks. The mean percent reduction in CFU with both types of face-masks was 82 % (95 % CI 56 - 108) during the immediate face-mask wear test compared to the uncovered cough test. Face-masks were generally well tolerated. Face-masks are well tolerated and effective in reducing cough-generated bacterial aerosols in children with CF.

The Application of Integrated Force and Temperature Sensors to Enhance Orthotic Treatment Monitoring in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: A Pilot Study

Orthosis-wearing compliance is crucial for achieving positive treatment outcomes in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), for whom 23 h of daily wear is typically prescribed. However, self-reported compliance is subjective and often based on patients’ memory, leading to inaccuracies. While portable electronic devices have been developed to objectively monitor compliance, relying solely on temperature or force data can be insufficient. This study introduced a novel method that integrated both force and temperature data to estimate orthosis-wearing compliance. Twelve patients (eight females and four males) diagnosed with moderate AIS were included. Each patient was prescribed a thoracic-lumbar-sacral orthosis equipped with an integrated force and temperature sensor system. After one month of orthotic treatment, self-reported wear time averaged 17.8 ± 6.2 h/day, while the sensor indicated an average wear time of 13.3 ± 5.0 h/day. Most patients overestimated their compliance. Nighttime was the most common period for orthosis wear (6.1 h/day), whereas compliance during school hours (2.8 h/day) and after-school hours (3.7 h/day) was lower. The integration of force and temperature sensors provides a more comprehensive understanding of orthosis compliance. Future studies with larger samples and longer monitoring periods are needed to investigate the correlation between compliance and treatment outcomes.

Evaluation of Invisalign Wear Protocol on the Efficacy of Tooth Movement in Four First-Premolar Extraction in Adolescent Patients: A Randomised Controlled Trial.

Different protocols exist regarding wear time of invisible aligners. There is no study that compared the effect of different protocols. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of Invisalign aligners in four first-premolar extraction treatments in adolescents using three aligner wear protocols, every 7, 10 and 14 days. In the experimental set-up, 50 participants were divided into three distinct groups: group A, with a regimen of changing aligners every 7 days; group B, with a 10-day interval for aligner replacement; and group C, where aligners were replaced every 14 days. The evaluation of occlusal adjustments was conducted employing the Discrepancy Index (DI) and the Cast-Radiograph Evaluation (CRE), as defined by the American Board of Orthodontics for the purpose of recording orthodontic outcomes. The treatment duration, number of maxillary and mandibular Invisalign aligners, and number of Invisalign restarts were simultaneously recorded and evaluated. The data set was statistically examined using ANOVA, complemented by the F-test, least significant difference (LSD) method and Tamhane's T2 test. The final sample size for analysis is 45 cases, with five cases lost to follow-up. Before treatment, the three groups showed no significant difference in the degree of malocclusion or each item of DI (p > 0.05). Posttreatment, within groups, and regardless of the wearing protocol, the total CRE scores demonstrated no statistically significant differences (p > 0.05). For the other items, groups A and C completed occlusal relations and interproximal contacts significantly better than did group B (p < 0.05). The group C cases had the least number of Invisalign refinement (3.93 ± 0.96 vs. 4.93 ± 0.70 vs. 6.00 ± 1.25, p < 0.05), but the treatment duration and number of Invisalign aligners were not significantly different (p > 0.05). The different treatment timing protocols showed equivalent effectiveness regarding treatment outcome, with significantly improved results for the 7- and 14-day protocol in terms of occlusal relations and interproximal contacts. The attainment of comparable clinical accuracy between the 7- and 14-day protocol, within a treatment duration of fewer than 3 months, indicates that the 7-day protocol can be deemed an effective treatment approach.

Impact of mask wearing time on fluid consumption and physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic.

To examine the associations between mask-wearing on fluid consumption and physical activity behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic. 137 college students (female, 72.5%; age, 26 ± 9 y) completed a survey detailing their fluid intake, physical activity behaviors, and time spent wearing a mask throughout the day during the previous month in the Fall 2020 academic semester. Increased daily mask wearing time was not associated with total fluid intake (p > 0.05). Participants had greater odds of being 'somewhat active' compared to 'inactive' with an increase in mask wearing time (OR = 1.23 [1.03, 1.47], p = 0.022). Wearing a mask during the COVID-19 pandemic did not influence fluid intake behaviors, however, it increased the likelihood of reported greater levels of physical activity. These factors may be related to an individual being more likely to globally adopt healthier behaviors, however, this needs further exploration.

Moderate-To-Vigorous Physical Activity Independent of Stationary Time Is Associated With Better Functional Outcomes Over Four-Years in Individuals With or at Risk of Knee Osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis is a progressive joint disease that causes pain and disability, impairing physical function. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) is recommended for knee osteoarthritis, while stationary time, independent of activity, may negatively impact health outcomes. We hypothesised that individuals with the highest MVPA and lowest stationary time would have better long-term function compared to those with the lowest MVPA and highest stationary time, as well as those with high levels of both MVPA and stationary time. Data included 442 participants, with an average age of 66-years and 190-females from the Osteoarthritis Initiative who wore accelerometers to assess MVPA and stationary time. Participants were grouped into tertiles of MVPA and stationary time normalised to total accelerometer wear time. The three groups were: highest activity, lowest stationary (HALS), highest activity, highest stationary (HAHS), and lowest activity, highest stationary (LAHS). Gait speed, the 400m walk test, and five-time repeated chair stand were assessed at baseline and four-year follow-up. Compared to the LAHS group, the HALS and HAHS groups had better performance in gait speed p<0.001, d=0.96-1.06, 400m walk time p<0.001, d=1.21-1.36, and five-time repeated chair stand p<0.001, d=0.54-0.81 at baseline and four-year follow-up. No differences were found between the HALS and HAHS groups at either timepoint. Higher levels of MVPA were associated with better lower-limb functional outcomes in individuals with or at risk of knee osteoarthritis. Higher levels of stationary time do not negatively influence functional performance as long as higher numbers of MVPA levels (∼30min/day) are achieved.

Nation-wide cohort of device-measured sedentary time and physical activity in the USA—the Cancer Prevention Study-3 (CPS-3) Accelerometry Substudy: cohort profile

PurposeThis paper describes the data collection and management methods for the Cancer Prevention Study-3 (CPS-3) Accelerometry Substudy, a nested cohort of device-based physical activity and sedentary time data.ParticipantsUS-based CPS-3 participants...

Association of meeting 24-hour movement guidelines with anxiety and depressive symptoms in adults

There is growing evidence on the association between meeting the recommendations of isolated movement behaviors (physical activity, sedentary time, and sleep) with anxiety and depressive symptoms. However, the joint association of meeting the 24 h movement guidelines with anxiety and depressive symptoms is still unknown. The aim of this study was to analyze the association of meeting 24-hour movement guidelines with symptoms of anxiety and of depression in adults. The sample included 212 participants. Anxiety and depressive symptoms were evaluated using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), while physical activity and sedentary time were evaluated by accelerometry, and daily slept hours were self-reported. Age, sex, socioeconomic status, accelerometer wear time, and waist circumference were covariates. Poisson regression models (crude and adjusted by covariates) were used to analyze association between variables. Meeting isolate recommendations of 24-hour movement guidelines were not associated with symptoms of anxiety or depression. However, meeting two or three recommendations was inversely associated with symptoms of anxiety (β= -0.235; 95%CI= -0.447; -0.024); (β= -0.569; 95%CI= -0.853; -0.285) and of depression (β= -0.275; 95%CI= -0.509; -0.040); (β= -0.551; 95%CI= -0.877; -0.224), respectively. Intervention strategies for reducing anxiety and depressive symptoms should target the meeting of more than one movement guidelines, such as increasing physical activity, reducing sedentary time, and promoting adequate sleep time for adults.

Oral piercing - a form of body art or a danger to human health? A literature review

Introduction and purpose Over the years piercing has become popular as a form of art and self-expression that may concern various areas of the body. However, it may pose significant risks to health. This literature review aims to provide insight into the matter of oral piercing and to examine recent studies investigating the implications of oral piercing on health. It emphasizes the necessity of promoting education regarding this matter and points out the most significant preventive measures such as regular dental examinations and maintaining proper hygiene that should be taken to minimize the negative consequences of oral piercing on health. The state of knowledge According to the examined studies investigating the implications of oral piercing on health, a wide range of complications have been reported. Gingival recession, damage to dentition and gingivitis should be mentioned among the most frequently discussed. Moreover, studies have demonstrated a correlation between the severity of complications and the location of the piercing, specifying the adverse effects of the piercing within lip and tongue areas in particular. They have also underscored the impact of prolongated wear time on the risk of complications, indicating the elevated risk associated with extended periods of wear time. Conclusions To minimize adverse effects of oral piercing on health, it is crucial to underscore the role of proper education in this field and the importance of taking preventive measures such as performing the piercing procedure by well qualified professionals who endure sterile work conditions and maintaining proper aftercare of the ornament. The role of regular dental examinations taken in order to detect and treat potential complications at early stages is also vital.

Wear Simulations of Involute Harmonic Gear Under Mixed Lubrication Condition

ABSTRACTHarmonic gears are widely used in precise space technology, robotic, medical equipment and other fields, while the magnitude of surface topography changes due to wear is usually comparable to or larger than the original surface roughness and elastic deformation, leading to severe transmission failures. This paper reports a numerical approach to simulate the lubrication status considering wear evolution based on mixed elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) and Archard models, in which the Reynolds equation is solved with finite difference method and surface deformation is calculated by the discrete convolution‐fast Fourier transform (DC‐FFT) algorithm. The interfacial pressure and film thickness distributions are validated by comparison with available results from literature. The harmonic gear lubrication and wear performances are calculated, including effects of machined surface, velocity, load, wear time and material properties, and the results suggest that avoiding long‐term and high‐torque working with a large wear coefficient can effectively prevent surface wear failure, which is beneficial for increasing the harmonic gears' lifespan.

Longitudinal timing of physical activity and associated cardiometabolic and behavioral health outcomes in young adults.

This is the first study to examine longitudinal associations between self-selected timing of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and health outcomes in young adults over 18 months. Young adults (N = 434, Mage = 23.9, SDage = 4.6 years) enrolled in a weight management trial recorded 4-7 days of ActiGraph wear time at ≥1 time point (baseline, months 6, 12, and 18). Time-of-day categories were based on quartiles of the temporal distribution of MVPA min/h at baseline: morning (06:00-11:59), afternoon (12:00-15:59), evening (16:00-18:59), and night (19:00-00:59). The proportion of weekly MVPA accumulated during each time category was the predictor in longitudinal linear mixed-effects models predicting body mass index (BMI) and total weekly MVPA. Longitudinal quasibinomial generalized estimating equations models predicted cardiometabolic risk. Interactions were tested, and marginal trend estimates were generated for sex and age subgroups. The analytic sample was 79% female and 49% non-Hispanic White, with a mean (±SD) weekly MVPA of 311 ± 167min at baseline. In adjusted models, there were no associations with BMI. Morning MVPA was inversely associated with cardiometabolic risk (OR [95% CI]: 0.99 [0.98-0.99]) for both sex and age groups. Evening MVPA was inversely associated with cardiometabolic risk for 26-35 year olds (0.98 [0.97-0.99]). Morning MVPA was associated with greater total MVPA across subgroups, and afternoon MVPA was associated with less total MVPA in women. Over 18 months, incremental health benefits may accrue with optimal activity timing in young adults. Activity-based interventions designed to improve cardiometabolic and behavioral healthoutcomes in young adults may be optimized by tailoring timing recommendations to demographic factors.

Machine learning derived physical activity in preschool children with developmental coordination disorder.

To compare the device-measured physical activity behaviours of preschool children with typical motor development to those with probable developmental coordination disorder (pDCD) and at risk for developmental coordination disorder (DCDr). A total of 497 preschool children (4-5 years) in the Coordination and Activity Tracking in CHildren (CATCH) study completed repeated motor assessments and wore an ActiGraph GT3X on the right hip at baseline for 1 week. We calculated physical activity metrics from raw accelerometer data using a validated random forest classification machine learning model for preschool-age children. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and linear regression models compared physical activity between typically developing children, children at risk for DCDr, and those with pDCD identified based on motor scores at baseline and averaged over time, accounting for age, sex, and accelerometer wear time. We found no differences in daily time spent sedentary, in light physical activity, or moderate-to-vigorous physical activity between typically developing children, children at risk for DCDr, and those with pDCD. However, children in the DCD groups spent less time doing ambulatory activities (walking/running) than typically developing children. Analysis of variance: baseline classification, DCDr to typically developing, run: F = 5.34, p = 0.005, classification averaged over time, DCDr to typically developing, walk: F = 5.82, p = 0.003. Regressions: DCDr compared to typically developing for walk: B = -3.47 (standard error 1.05), p < 0.001, pDCD compared to typically developing for run: B = -1.82 (standard error 0.62), p = 0.004. Designing interventions for preschool children with motor difficulties targeting specific physical activity types (walk/run) may help mitigate physical activity intensity differences observed later in childhood.

3D printing prostheses using additive manufacturing and regenerative engineering

Additive manufacturing is a manufacturing process utilized to make prosthetics. It offers an affordable means to create custom-made prostheses. Yet, the number of studies exploring the domain of 3D printing and bioprinting of prosthetics remains limited. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive review of the current research in additive manufacturing to produce prosthetic limbs, bionic eyes, temporomandibular joints (TMJ), cardiac valves, and skin. We concluded that the research gap lies in the long-term, periodic assessment of 3D-printed prosthetic limbs for durability. 3D-printed prosthetic sockets’ reinforcement materials are a particularly underexplored topic and the main shortcoming of 3D-printed prostheses is their failure under shear stresses. In bioprinting, research must focus on developing tissue-specific bioinks and hydrogels to overcome their existing scarcity. Bioprinting techniques like extrusion, inkjet, and laser-assisted bioprinting subject bioinks to conditions of high temperature and pressure. Bioinks must withstand the printing process and simultaneously retain their rheological properties and cell viability. Moreover, some bioprinting techniques are still quite expensive. However, 3D printing and bioprinting offer the prospect of customization to the patient’s unique anatomy, increasing the wear time of prostheses and offering unique benefits like improved tissue regeneration and adaptability to changing patient anatomy. 3D printing specifically reduces costs, and production time and improves accessibility in war-stricken areas with more amputees.

3D printing prostheses using additive manufacturing and regenerative engineering

Additive manufacturing is a manufacturing process utilized to make prosthetics. It offers an affordable means to create custom-made prostheses. Yet, the number of studies exploring the domain of 3D printing and bioprinting of prosthetics remains limited. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive review of the current research in additive manufacturing to produce prosthetic limbs, bionic eyes, temporomandibular joints (TMJ), cardiac valves, and skin. We concluded that the research gap lies in the long-term, periodic assessment of 3D-printed prosthetic limbs for durability. 3D-printed prosthetic sockets’ reinforcement materials are a particularly underexplored topic and the main shortcoming of 3D-printed prostheses is their failure under shear stresses. In bioprinting, research must focus on developing tissue-specific bioinks and hydrogels to overcome their existing scarcity. Bioprinting techniques like extrusion, inkjet, and laser-assisted bioprinting subject bioinks to conditions of high temperature and pressure. Bioinks must withstand the printing process and simultaneously retain their rheological properties and cell viability. Moreover, some bioprinting techniques are still quite expensive. However, 3D printing and bioprinting offer the prospect of customization to the patient’s unique anatomy, increasing the wear time of prostheses and offering unique benefits like improved tissue regeneration and adaptability to changing patient anatomy. 3D printing specifically reduces costs, and production time and improves accessibility in war-stricken areas with more amputees.

Evaluation of a pouching system with a concave contour for people with an outward peristomal body profile.

People with an outward peristomal body profile can experience difficulties obtaining a secure seal with a flat baseplate to the peristomal skin. Baseplates with a concave contour have been designed to provide a better fit to curved body profiles and reduce the risk of leakage. In this 4-week product evaluation, 110 individuals with an outward peristomal body profile using flat one-piece pouching systems were enrolled to evaluate the impact of a concave one-piece pouching system on wear time, unplanned changes of pouching systems and use of accessories. The product evaluation consisted of two test periods of 2 weeks each. After the first screening period, study nurses evaluated whether the concave pouching system was suitable for the participants and, together with each participant, decided whether to proceed to the second evaluation period. Use of the concave pouching system did not significantly affect wear time but led to significantly fewer unplanned changes of pouching systems and less use of accessories, which may lead to cost savings for the healthcare system.

Physical Activity Monitoring in Children in the 1-Year After 3 or More Days of Invasive Ventilation: Feasibility of Using Accelerometers.

To measure physical activity in a cohort of children who survived greater than or equal to 3 days of invasive ventilation. Prospective cohort study (2018-2021). Quaternary children's hospital PICU. Children (2-17 yr old) without a preexisting tracheostomy who were ambulatory pre-illness and received greater than or equal to 3 days of invasive ventilation. None. We measured duration and intensity of physical activity using hip- (< 6 yr old) or wrist- (≥ 6 yr old) worn ActiGraph GT3XP-BTLE accelerometers (ActiGraph, Pensacola, FL) for 7 days at three timepoints: hospital discharge, 3 months, and 12 months post-discharge. We measured duration of moderate or vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and nonsedentary activity, both characterized as percent of total awake wear time and total minutes per day. We categorized participants based on when they first attained a "high activity" day defined as greater than or equal to 60 minutes of MVPA or a day with percent of MVPA in the top quartile of all days measured. We evaluated 55 children of whom 43 (78%) had data from greater than or equal to 1 timepoint including 19 (35%) with data from all timepoints. Maximum daily MVPA increased across the three post-discharge timepoints (median, 16.0 min [interquartile range (IQR), 8.0-42.8 min], 48.3 min [27.8-94.3 min], and 68.4 min [34.7-111.0 min], respectively) as did maximum daily percent of awake wear time in MVPA (median, 4.3% [IQR, 2.8-9.0%], 10.1% [5.7-14.4%], and 11.1% [7.1-17.5%], respectively). Of the 43 participants, 27 achieved a high activity day: nine of 43 during the hospital discharge period, 14 of 43 during the 3 months post-discharge period, and four of 43 during the 12 months post-discharge period; 16 of 43 did not demonstrate high activity during the post-discharge year. In the 1-year after PICU discharge measuring physical activity with accelerometers in children 2-17 years old is feasible. Furthermore, demonstration of variable recovery trajectories in our pilot cohort suggests it has potential to be an outcome measure in clinical trials.

Using Fitness Tracker Data to Overcome Pressure Insole Wear Time Challenges for Remote Musculoskeletal Monitoring.

Tibia shaft fractures are common lower extremity fractures that can require surgery and rehabilitation. However, patient recovery is often poor, partly due to clinicians' inability to monitor bone loading, which is critical to stimulating healing. We envision a future of patient care that includes at-home monitoring of tibia loading using pressure-sensing insoles. However, one issue is missing portions of daily loading due to limited insole wear time (e.g., not wearing shoes all day). Here, we introduce a method for overcoming this issue with a wrist-worn fitness tracker that can be worn all day. We developed a model to estimate tibia loading from fitness tracker data and evaluated its accuracy during 10-h remote data collections (N = 8). We found that a fitness tracker, with trained and calibrated models, could effectively supplement insole-based estimates of bone loading. Fitness tracker-based estimates of loading stimulus-the minute-by-minute weighted impulse of tibia loading-showed a strong fit relative to insole-based estimates (R2 = 0.74). However, insoles needed to be worn for a minimum amount of time for accurate estimates. We found daily loading stimulus errors less than 5% when insoles were worn at least 25% of the day. These findings suggest that a multi-sensor approach-where insoles are worn intermittently and a fitness tracker is worn continuously throughout the day-could be a viable strategy for long-term, remote monitoring of tibia loading in daily life.

The Effect of Personality Traits on Patient Compliance With Clear Aligners.

Patient compliance is crucial for achieving optimal outcomes in clear aligner (CA) therapy. Compliance may be influenced by various factors, including demographics, level of education, doctor-patient interaction, and personality traits based on the Big Five Inventory (BFI), which assesses openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. This study investigates the relationship between personality traits and compliance among CA patients. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 67 participants aged 12-60 undergoing CA treatment in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Patients completed an online questionnaire that assessed compliance behavior and personality traits using the BFI-10 tool. Data were statistically analyzed using SPSS software, version 26 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY), to examine correlations between personality traits, demographic factors, and adherence to CA therapy. Compliance was scored based on adherence to follow-up visits and aligner wear time. The study revealed that 34 participants (50.75%) demonstrated high adherence to the prescribed regimen. Males showed significantly higher compliance than females (p ≤ 0.05). Participants aged 12-34 exhibited the highest adherence rates (p ≤ 0.05), and those undergoing treatment for one year or less were also more compliant (p ≤ 0.05). Notably, satisfaction with one's smile did not significantly correlate with adherence (p > 0.05), contradicting the assumption that dissatisfaction with appearance drives better compliance. Furthermore, no significant association was identified between personality traits across any BFI domain and adherence. Despite the hypothesis that personality traits influence patient compliance, this study did not find a significant correlation. These findings suggest that factors other than personality traits may be more critical to adhering to CA treatment. The results highlight the need for further research to explore additional variables that may impact patient compliance in orthodontic therapy.

Real-Time Changes in the Comfort of a Toric, Monthly, Soft Contact Lens Over a Long Day of Wear.

The purpose of this work was to determine the comfort performance of a toric, monthly, silicon hydrogel CL (lehfilcon A; TOTAL30 for Astigmatism) over a long day of wear. This was a 1-month, 3-visit, prospective, single-arm study. Adult, 18- to 45-year-old CL wearers with good vision who were minimally symptomatic (CLDEQ-8 scores ≤12) were enrolled. Subjects were required to have astigmatism ranging from -0.75 D to -2.50 D in each eye and were required to wear the study CLs from about 8:00 AM until 12:00 AM each day. Comfort data with the study CL throughout the wear day were collected via text messaging. A total of 47 subjects who had a mean ± SD age of 29.5 ± 7.0 years were analyzed. Within a specified time point across the month of wear, CL comfort did not vary (all p-value ≥ 0.82), yet CL comfort did decrease across the wear day for all days evaluated (all p-value <0.001). Most subjects found their CLs to be comfortable with only 1.8% of subjects reporting an uncomfortable score at CL application and only 8.5% of subjects reporting an uncomfortable score after 16hours of CL wear. A high level of consistency and predictability in comfort was found within the first month of wearing lehfilcon A CLs. This suggests that patients with minimal CL-related discomfort at initial fitting of a lehfilcon A CL may likely tolerate longer wear time with minimal discomfort across the entire month of wear. NCT06052046.

Accelerometer-measured physical activity and sedentary time among children and their parents in the UK before and after COVID-19 lockdowns: a natural experiment

Abstract Background Restrictions due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic reduced physical activity provision for both children and their parents. Recent studies have reported decreases in physical activity levels during lockdown restrictions, but these were largely reliant on self-report methods, with data collected via unrepresentative self-report surveys. The post-pandemic impacts on children’s activity levels remain unknown. A key question is how active children become once lockdown restrictions are lifted. Methods Active-6 is a repeated cross-sectional natural experiment. Accelerometer data from 1296 children aged 10–11 and their parents were collected in 50 schools in the Greater Bristol area, UK in March 2017-May 2018 (pre-COVID-19 comparator group), and compared to 393 children aged 10–11 and parents in 23 of the same schools, collected in May-December 2021. Mean minutes of accelerometer-measured moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) were derived for weekdays and weekend and compared pre- and post-lockdown via linear multilevel models. Results After adjusting for seasonality, accelerometer wear time and child/parent demographics, children’s mean weekday and weekend MVPA were 7.7 min (95% CI: 3.5 to 11.9) and 6.9 min (95% CI: 0.9 to 12.9) lower in 2021 than in 2018, respectively, while sedentary time was higher by 25.4 min (95% CI: 15.8 to 35.0) and 14.0 min (95% CI: 1.5 to 26.5). There was no evidence that differences varied by child gender or household education. There was no significant difference in parents’ MVPA or sedentary time, either on weekdays or weekends. Conclusions Children’s MVPA was lower by 7–8 min/day in 2021 once restrictions were lifted than before the pandemic for all groups, on both weekdays and weekends. Previous research has shown that there is an undesirable age-related decline in children’s physical activity. The 8-min difference reported here would be broadly comparable to the decline that would have previously been expected to occur over a three-year period. Parents’ physical activity was similar to pre-pandemic levels. Our results suggest that despite easing of restrictions, children’s activity levels have not returned to pre-pandemic levels. There is an urgent need to understand why these changes have occurred and how long they are maintained.