Generalizability of Randomized Controlled Trials to Routine Clinical Care in Ulcerative Colitis.

Background: Historically, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have been criticized for being poorly generalizable to patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) evaluated in routine care. We aimed to evaluate the proportion of patients with UC starting an advanced therapy who would be eligible to participate in phase 3 registrational UC RCTs.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis of UC patients starting vedolizumab, ustekinumab, or tofacitinib at 2 IBD clinics at the University of Calgary.

Real-world tertiary referral centre experience stopping nucleos(t)ide analogue therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B.

Identifying strategies for stopping nucleos(t)ide analogues (NUC) in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is a major goal in CHB management. Our study describes our tertiary-centre experience stopping nucleos(t)ide analogues (NUC) in CHB. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of all individuals with CHB seen at the Calgary Liver Unit between January 2009 and May 2020 who stopped NUC.

The Impact of Comorbidities on Calgary Hospital Utilization in Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Heart Failure.

Background Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and heart failure (HF) are chronic conditions with high acute care utilization. Disease-specific order sets were developed for patients with COPD or HF in Calgary to reduce total days in hospital for this population of patients. However, many patients have comorbidities which may contribute to hospital utilization; thus, disease-specific order sets may not be an optimal solution to reduce overall acute care utilization.

Malignancy risk of hyperfunctioning thyroid nodules compared with non-toxic nodules: systematic review and a meta-analysis.

Background: Hyperfunctioning or hot nodules are thought to be rarely malignant. As such, current guidelines recommend that hot nodules be excluded from further malignancy risk stratification. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to compare the malignancy risk in hot nodules and non-toxic nodules in observational studies.

Experiences of breast feeding at work for physicians, residents and medical students: a scoping review.

Objective: To review and summarise the available literature regarding breastfeeding experiences of medical students, residents and physicians.

Eligibility Criteria: Articles of any design, including non-peer reviewed data that examine the experiences of breast feeding of medical students, residents and staff physicians.

Information Sources: Ovid MEDLINE(R) and Epub Ahead of Print, In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations and Daily, Ovid EMBASE, Scopus and Web of Science.

Increasing Rates of Arthroplasty for Psoriatic Arthritis in the United Kingdom Between 1995 and 2010.

Objective: Arthroplasty requirements among patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) are not well known. This information is important to clinical and policy stakeholders for health-system planning and may serve as a surrogate for estimation of the efficacy of disease-modifying therapy.

Methods: We utilized The Health Improvement Network (THIN), a large general practice medical records database in the UK, to assess rates of primary total arthroplasty among patients with PsA and the general population between the years 1995 and 2010.

Depression increases the risk of inflammatory bowel disease, which may be mitigated by the use of antidepressants in the treatment of depression.

Objective: Depression is associated with IBD, but the effect of antidepressants on IBD has been sparsely studied. We assessed the impact of depression and antidepressant therapies on the development of IBD.

Design: The Health Improvement Network (THIN) was used to identify a cohort of patients with new-onset depression from 1986 to 2012.

Depression as a risk factor for the development of rheumatoid arthritis: a population-based cohort study.

Objectives: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with increased levels of systemic proinflammatory cytokines, including tumour necrosis factor alpha. As these cytokines are pathogenic in autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), our aim was to explore on a population-level whether MDD increases the risk of developing RA.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using The Health Improvement Network (THIN) database (from 1986 to 2012).

Psoriasis and the risk of foot and ankle tendinopathy or enthesopathy in the absence of psoriatic arthritis: a population-based study.

Objectives: Imaging studies in patients with cutaneous psoriasis have demonstrated asymptomatic bone and tendon changes, commonly of the foot and ankle. We sought to determine if patients with cutaneous psoriasis have an increased risk of clinically significant foot and ankle tendinopathy or enthesopathy compared with the general population.

Methods: Patients with cutaneous psoriasis and a general population cohort were identified in The Health Improvement Network, a general practice medical records database from the UK.

The impact of depression and antidepressant usage on primary biliary cholangitis clinical outcomes.

Background: Depression is prevalent in primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) patients. Our aims were to examine the effects of depression and antidepressants on hepatic outcomes of PBC patients.

Methods: We used the UK Health Improvement Network database to identify PBC patients between 1974 and 2007.

Career and research outcomes of the physician-scientist training program at the University of Calgary: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Physician-scientists are integral to medical research, with medical programs throughout Canada invested in training hybrid physician-scientists. Few data exist as to whether these programs are generating the diversity, gender equity and numbers of trainees essential for the future of medical research and teaching. We aimed to identify factors that contribute to research productivity, diversity and retention of individuals as physician-scientists.

Depression Is Associated with an Increased Risk of Psoriatic Arthritis among Patients with Psoriasis: A Population-Based Study.

The factors that contribute to the development of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) among patients with psoriasis are not well known; however, systemic inflammation is believed to be important. On the basis of recent laboratory work demonstrating that major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with increased systemic inflammation, we hypothesized that patients with psoriasis who develop MDD are at increased risk of subsequently developing PsA. We utilized The Health Improvement Network, a primary care medical records database, to identify 73,447 individuals with psoriasis.

The International Incidence of Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Understanding the epidemiology of traumatic brain injury (TBI) is essential to shape public health policy, implement prevention strategies, and justify allocation of resources toward research, education, and rehabilitation in TBI. There is not, to our knowledge, a systematic review of population-based studies addressing the epidemiology of TBI that includes all subtypes. We performed a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of the worldwide incidence of TBI.

The Prevalence and Incidence of Dementia Due to Alzheimer's Disease: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Updated information on the epidemiology of dementia due to Alzheimer's disease (AD) is needed to ensure that adequate resources are available to meet current and future healthcare needs. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the incidence and prevalence of AD.

Methods: The MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched from 1985 to 2012, as well as the reference lists of selected articles.

The Incidence of Parkinson's Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder. Epidemiological studies on the incidence of PD are important to better understand the risk factors for PD and determine the condition's natural history.

Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis examine the incidence of PD and its variation by age and gender.

The Association of Smoking and Surgery in Inflammatory Bowel Disease is Modified by Age at Diagnosis.

Objectives: We assessed the association of smoking at diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) on the need for an intestinal resection.

Methods: The Health Improvement Network was used to identify an inception cohort of Crohn's disease (n=1519) and ulcerative colitis (n=3600) patients from 1999-2009. Poisson regression explored temporal trends for the proportion of newly diagnosed IBD patients who never smoked before their diagnosis and the risk of surgery within 3 years of diagnosis.

Global Birth Prevalence of Spina Bifida by Folic Acid Fortification Status: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Birth defects remain a significant source of worldwide morbidity and mortality. Strong scientific evidence shows that folic acid fortification of a region's food supply leads to a decrease in spina bifida (a birth defect of the spine). Still, many countries around the world have yet to approve mandatory fortification through government legislation.

Postoperative Mortality Among Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Population-Based Studies.

Background & Aims: There have been varying reports of mortality after intestinal resection for the inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs). We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of population-based studies to determine postoperative mortality after intestinal resection in patients with IBD.

Methods: We searched Medline, EMBASE, and PubMed, from 1990 through 2015, to identify 18 articles and 3 abstracts reporting postoperative mortality among patients with IBD.

Upper-gastrointestinal bleeding secondary to peptic ulcer disease: incidence and outcomes.

Aim: To evaluate the incidence, surgery, mortality, and readmission of upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) secondary to peptic ulcer disease (PUD).

Methods: Administrative databases identified all hospitalizations for UGIB secondary to PUD in Alberta, Canada from 2004 to 2010 (n = 7079) using the International Classification of Diseases Codes (ICD-10). A subset of the data was validated using endoscopy reports.

Cumulative incidence of second intestinal resection in Crohn's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis of population-based studies.

Objectives: Approximately 50% of Crohn's disease patients undergo an intestinal resection within 10 years of diagnosis. The risk of second surgery in Crohn's disease and the influence of time are not well characterized. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to establish the risk of second abdominal surgery in patients with Crohn's disease among patients who had a previous surgery.

The worldwide incidence and prevalence of primary brain tumors: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Primary brain tumors are a heterogeneous group of benign and malignant tumors arising from the brain parenchyma and its surrounding structures. The epidemiology of these tumors is poorly understood. The aim of our study is to systematically review the latest literature on the incidence and prevalence of primary brain tumors.

Clostridium difficile infection worsens the prognosis of ulcerative colitis.

Background: The impact of Clostridium difficile infections among ulcerative colitis (UC) patients is well characterized. However, there is little knowledge regarding the association between C difficile infections and postoperative complications among UC patients.

Objective: To determine whether C difficile infection is associated with undergoing an emergent colectomy and experiencing postoperative complications.