Impact of implantable cardioverter defibrillators on mortality in heart failure receiving quadruple guideline-directed medical therapy: a propensity score-matched study
In the contemporary management of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), the recommended quadruple guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) consists of angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI), evidence-based beta-blockers (BB), mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRA), and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT-2i). This study explored the impact of adding implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) therapy to this comprehensive regimen in HFrEF patients.
Canada needs a national COVID-19 inquiry now
We are now in the fifth year of an ongoing pandemic, and Canada continues to experience significant surges of COVID-19 infections. In addition to the acute impacts of deaths and hospitalizations, there is growing awareness of an accumulation of organ damage and disability which is building a "health debt" that will affect Canadians for decades to come. Calls in 2023 for an inquiry into the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic went unheeded, despite relevant precedent. Canada urgently needs a comprehensive review of its successes and failures to chart a better response in the near- and long-term.
Effect of combined treatment with transcranial direct current stimulation and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation compared to monotherapy for the treatment of chronic insomnia: a randomised, double-blind, parallel-group, controlled trial
Chronic insomnia increases the risk of various health problems and mental illness. Existing research suggests promise for both transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in treating chronic insomnia individually. However, the combined effects of tDCS and rTMS on this condition remain unclear. This study aimed to verify the efficacy and safety of tDCS combined with rTMS for the treatment of adult patients with chronic insomnia.
Impact of medication nonadherence and drug-drug interaction testing on the management of primary care patients with polypharmacy: a randomized controlled trial
Clinical management of patients with chronic cardiometabolic disease is complicated by polypharmacy. Consequently, when patients clinically deteriorate, physicians are challenged to distinguish both medication nonadherence and drug-drug interactions (DDI) from chronic disease progression.
Analysing premature cardiovascular disease mortality in the United States by obesity status and educational attainment
In the United States (US), premature cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality rates (35-74 years) have exhibited increases in recent years, particularly in younger adults, and large differentials by educational attainment. This trend has occurred concurrently with high and increasing obesity prevalence, which also show significant differences by education. This study aims to jointly model premature CVD mortality trends in the US according to obesity status and educational attainment.
Longitudinal decline in DAT binding in Parkinson's disease: connections with sleep disturbances
The nigrostriatal dopamine (DA) system plays a critical role in regulating the sleep-wake state. The relationship between baseline striatal DA transporter (DAT) specific binding ratios (SBR) and rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (RBD) has been established. This study aimed to investigate the association between the progression of striatal DA dysfunction and sleep disturbances, including excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and probable RBD (pRBD), in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD).
Diastolic dysfunction and risks of heart failure and death in long-term adult cancer survivors
Cancer survivors face elevated risks of heart failure (HF) and death, with cardiac dysfunction being a significant concern. Current evaluations often emphasize systolic function while insufficiently addressing diastolic function. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of diastolic dysfunction and assess its prognostic implications in long-term cancer survivors.
Triglyceride-lowering therapies in hypertriglyceridemia-associated acute pancreatitis in China: a multicentre prospective cohort study
No specific triglyceride-lowering therapy is recommended in patients with hypertriglyceridemia-associated acute pancreatitis (HTG-AP), primarily because of the lack of quality evidence. This study aimed to describe practice variations in triglyceride-lowering therapies for early HTG-AP patients and assess whether more rapid triglyceride decline is associated with improving organ failure.
Prevalence and uptake of vaping among people who have quit smoking: a population study in England, 2013-2024
Vaping prevalence has increased rapidly in England since 2021. This study estimated trends between 2013 and 2024 in vaping among ex-smokers, overall and among those who did not use e-cigarettes to support their quit attempt.
Health impacts of takeaway management zones around schools in six different local authorities across England: a public health modelling study using PRIMEtime
In England, the number of takeaway food outlets ('takeaways') has been increasing for over two decades. Takeaway management zones around schools are an effective way to restrict the growth of new takeaways but their impacts on population health have not been estimated.
Retrospective epidemiologic and genomic surveillance of arboviruses in 2023 in Brazil reveals high co-circulation of chikungunya and dengue viruses
The rapid spread and increase of chikungunya (CHIKV) and dengue (DENV) cases in Brazilian regions in 2023 has raised concerns about the impact of arboviruses on public health. Epidemiological and genomic surveillance was performed to estimate the introduction and spread of CHIKV and DENV in Brazil.
Systematic review of Mendelian randomization studies on antihypertensive drugs
We systematically reviewed Mendelian randomization (MR) studies and summarized evidence on the potential effects of different antihypertensive drugs on health.
Strategic interventions in clinical randomized trials for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and obesity in the pediatric population: a systematic review with meta-analysis and bibliometric analysis
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), previously known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), is a prevalent hepatic condition linked to metabolic alterations. It gradually causes liver damage and potentially progresses to cirrhosis. Despite its significance, research, especially in the pediatric population, is limited, leading to contradictory findings in diagnosis and treatment. This meta-analysis aims to synthesize existing literature on therapeutic interventions for MASLD in children and adolescents.
Influence of impaired glucose tolerance and type 2 diabetes on the multimorbidity cluster of cardiovascular disease and cancer: a post hoc analysis of the Da Qing Diabetes Prevention Outcome Study
This study explored the influence of type 2 diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) on the risk of the multimorbidity cluster of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer.
Offline to online: a systematic mapping review of evidence to inform nutrition-related policies applicable to online food delivery platforms
Online food delivery (OFD) platforms offer easy access to an abundance of energy-dense and nutrient-poor takeaway foods and may exacerbate existing unhealthy food environments. Efforts to improve population diets include a range of policy recommendations focused on improving the healthiness of food environments; however, the way in which such policies may apply to OFD platforms is not clear. This paper aimed to synthesise the existing evidence to inform nutrition-related policies applicable to OFD platforms for population health and well-being. A secondary aim was to scan existing nutrition-related policies in Australia and internationally, which have the potential to be applicable to OFD platforms.
Serum urea concentration and risk of 16 site-specific cancers, overall cancer, and cancer mortality in individuals with metabolic syndrome: a cohort study
The relationship between serum urea concentration and cancer in patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS) remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the association between serum urea concentration and 16 site-specific cancers, overall cancer incidence, and cancer mortality in individuals with MetS.
Gain of bipolar disorder-related lncRNA AP1AR-DT in mice induces depressive and anxiety-like behaviors by reducing Negr1-mediated excitatory synaptic transmission
Bipolar disorder is a complex polygenic disorder that is characterized by recurrent episodes of depression and mania, the heterogeneity of which is likely complicated by epigenetic modifications that remain to be elucidated.
Symptom profile, case and symptom clustering, clinical and demographic characteristics of a multicentre cohort of 1297 patients evaluated for Long-COVID
Long-COVID symptoms remain incompletely defined due to a large heterogeneity in the populations studied, case definitions, and settings of care. The aim of this study was to assess, in patients accessing care for Long-COVID, the profile of symptoms reported, the possible clustering of symptoms and cases, the functional status compared to pre-infection, and the impact on working activity.
Impacts of sugar and sweetener warning labels on substitution between sugar- and non-sugar-sweetened beverages in a non-hypothetical selection task
Front-of-pack (FOP) warning labels have demonstrated effectiveness for reducing sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption and switching to water. However, an unintended consequence is that they may also increase switching to non-sugar-sweetened beverages (NSSBs). A non-hypothetical experimental study examined the effectiveness of combining sugar and sweetener FOP warning labels to reduce sugary drink consumption and prevent NSSB substitution. The study also examined potential integration with Australia and New Zealand's existing Health Star Rating (HSR) system to determine suitability for local context and other jurisdictions with interpretive labelling schemes already in place.
Histological, histochemical, and immunohistochemical characterization of NANOULCOR nanostructured fibrin-agarose human cornea substitutes generated by tissue engineering
Human artificial corneas (HAC) generated by tissue engineering recently demonstrated clinical usefulness in the management of complex corneal diseases. However, the biological mechanisms associated to their regenerative potential need to be elucidated.
Economic costs attributable to modifiable risk factors: an analysis of 24 million urban residents in China
Estimating the economic burden of modifiable risk factors is crucial for allocating scarce healthcare resources to improve population health. We quantified the economic burden attributable to modifiable risk factors in an urban area of China.