Control and Elimination of Hepatitis C Virus Among People With HIV in Australia: Extended Follow-up of the CEASE Cohort (2014-2023).

Background: Approximately 10% of people with HIV in Australia had active hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection prior to availability of government-subsidized direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy in 2016. This analysis evaluated progress toward HCV elimination among people with HIV in Australia between 2014 and 2023.

Methods: The CEASE cohort study enrolled adults with HIV with past or current HCV infection (anti-HCV antibody positive) from 14 primary and tertiary clinics.

Age-related clonal hematopoiesis and HIV infection are associated with geriatric outcomes: The ARCHIVE study.

While HIV infection and clonal hematopoiesis (CH) have been linked with inflammatory dysregulation and an increased risk of aging-related comorbidities, their relationship with clinical geriatric syndromes has not been well defined. In the Age-related Clonal Haematopoiesis in an HIV Evaluation Cohort (ARCHIVE) study (NCT04641013), we measure associations between HIV and CH and geriatric syndromes. Of 345 participants (176 with HIV and 169 without HIV), 23% had at least one mutation associated with CH: 27% with HIV and 18% without HIV (p = 0.

Implementation of an integrated primary care prevention and management program for chronic low back pain (LBP): patient-reported outcomes and predictors of pain interference after six months.

Background: Integrated primary care programs for patients living with chronic pain which are accessible, interdisciplinary, and patient-centered are needed for preventing chronicity and improving outcomes. Evaluation of the implementation and impact of such programs supports further development of primary care chronic pain management. This study examined patient-reported outcomes among individuals with low back pain (LBP) receiving care in a novel interdisciplinary primary care program.

Prospective evaluation of the safety of ultrasound-guided cervical medial branch blocks using the in-plane technique.

Background: While fluoroscopic guidance is currently the imaging standard for cervical medial branch blocks (CMBBs), ultrasound guidance (USG) offers several potential safety advantages such as real-time needle visualization and the ability to detect and avoid critical soft tissue vascular or neural structures. However, no large-scale trials have examined the safety of USG for CMBB.

Methods: Five hundred patients undergoing 2308 individual block levels were recruited using a prospective cohort design, and blocks were performed in an outpatient office setting using an in-plane USG technique.

Chlamydia retesting remains low among young women in Australia: an observational study using sentinel surveillance data, 2018-2022.

Background: Chlamydia remains the most notified bacterial sexually transmissible infection in Australia with guidelines recommending testing for re-infection at 3months post treatment. This paper aimed to determine chlamydia retesting and repeat positivity rates within 2-4months among young women in Australia, and to evaluate what factors increase or decrease the likelihood of retesting.

Methods: Chlamydia retesting rates among 16-29-year-old women were analysed from Australian Collaboration for Coordinated Enhanced Sentinel Surveillance of sexually transmissible infection and bloodborne virus (ACCESS) sentinel surveillance data (n =62 sites).

Availability of substance use screening and treatment within HIV clinical sites across seven geographic regions within the IeDEA consortium.

Background: Overwhelming evidence highlights the negative impact of substance use on HIV care and treatment outcomes. Yet, the extent to which alcohol use disorder (AUD) and other substance use disorders (SUD) services have been integrated within HIV clinical settings is limited. We describe AUD/SUD screening and treatment availability in HIV clinical sites participating in the International epidemiology Databases to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA) consortium.

Patient-Reported Quality of Recovery after Local Anesthesia versus Brachial Plexus Block in Hand Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Study.

Background: Both local anesthesia (LA) and brachial plexus (BP) anesthesia are commonly used in hand surgery. LA has increased efficiency and reduced costs, but BP is often favored for more complex hand surgery, despite requiring greater time and resources. The primary objective of this study was to assess the quality of recovery of patients who received LA or BP block for hand surgery.

Randomized clinical trial comparing pericapsular nerve group (PENG) block and periarticular local anesthetic infiltration for total hip arthroplasty.

Background: This randomized trial compared pericapsular nerve group block and periarticular local anesthetic infiltration in patients undergoing primary total hip arthroplasty. We hypothesized that, compared with pericapsular nerve group block, periarticular local anesthetic infiltration would decrease the postoperative incidence of quadriceps weakness at 3 hours fivefold (ie, from 45% to 9%).

Methods: Sixty patients undergoing primary total hip arthroplasty under spinal anesthesia were randomly allocated to receive a pericapsular nerve group block (n=30) using 20 mL of adrenalized bupivacaine 0.

Sleep problems in autism: Sex differences in the school-age population.

Clinically significant sleep problems affect up to 86% of the autistic population in school-age. Sleep problems can have negative impacts on child cognition, behavior, and health. However, sex differences in the prevalence and types of sleep problems are not well understood in autism.

Patterns and correlates of hepatitis C virus phylogenetic clustering among people living with HIV in Australia in the direct-acting antiviral era: A molecular epidemiology study among participants in the CEASE cohort.

Background And Aims: In moving towards the elimination of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among people living with HIV, understanding HCV transmission patterns may provide insights to guide and evaluate interventions. In this study, we evaluated patterns of, and factors associated with HCV phylogenetic clustering among people living with HIV/HCV co-infection in Australia in the direct-acting antiviral era.

Methods: HCV RNA was extracted from dried blood spot (DBS) samples collected between 2014 and 2018 in the CEASE cohort study.

Randomized comparison between perineural dexamethasone and combined perineural dexamethasone-dexmedetomidine for ultrasound-guided infraclavicular block.

Background: This randomized trial compared perineural dexamethasone with combined perineural dexamethasone-dexmedetomidine for ultrasound-guided infraclavicular block. We hypothesized that the combination of perineural adjuvants would result in a longer motor block.

Methods: Fifty patients undergoing upper limb surgery with ultrasound-guided infraclavicular block (using 35 mL of lidocaine 1%-bupivacaine 0.

A Comparative Cost Analysis of Local Anesthesia versus Brachial Plexus Block for Complex Hand Surgery.

Background: Local anesthesia has shown to be safe and cost-effective for elective hand surgery procedures performed outside of the operating room. The economic benefits of local anesthesia compared to regional anesthesia for hand surgeries performed in the operating room involving repair of tendons, nerves, arteries, or bones are unclear. This study aimed to compare costs pertinent to hand surgeries performed in the main operating room under local anesthesia (LA) or brachial plexus (BP) block.

Real-world trends in incidence of bacterial sexually transmissible infections among gay and bisexual men using HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in Australia following nationwide PrEP implementation: an analysis of sentinel surveillance data.

Background: Although data from large implementation trials suggest that sexually transmissible infection (STI) risk increases among gay and bisexual men who initiate HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), there are few data on the trends in population-level STI incidence in the years following widespread PrEP implementation. We aimed to describe trends in bacterial STI incidence among gay and bisexual men using PrEP across Australia in the context of broad PrEP availability through Australia's subsidised medicines scheme.

Methods: We analysed linked clinical data from HIV-negative gay and bisexual men aged 16 years or older who had been prescribed PrEP across a sentinel surveillance clinical network, including 37 clinics in Australia, between Jan 1, 2016, and Dec 31, 2019.

Farmer social networks: The role of advice ties and organizational leadership in agroforestry adoption.

With the decline in public budgets for agricultural extension support, ties between members of farmer groups are becoming more important to facilitate information transfer about agroforestry. This paper examines the role of social network ties in predicting organizational leadership in an agroforestry-based farmer group. Using social network data derived from interviews with members of farming groups based in the Ayeyarwady Delta of Myanmar, we established a positive relationship between advice-seeking ties and organizational leadership.

Randomized comparison between pericapsular nerve group (PENG) block and suprainguinal fascia iliaca block for total hip arthroplasty.

Background: This randomized trial compared ultrasound-guided pericapsular nerve group block and suprainguinal fascia iliaca block in patients undergoing primary total hip arthroplasty. We selected the postoperative incidence of quadriceps motor block (defined as paresis or paralysis of knee extension) at 6 hours as the primary outcome. We hypothesized that, compared with suprainguinal fascia iliaca block, pericapsular nerve group block would decrease its occurrence from 70% to 20%.

Long-term protection from HIV infection with oral HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis in gay and bisexual men: findings from the expanded and extended EPIC-NSW prospective implementation study.

Background: Daily pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is effective in preventing HIV, but few long-term data are available on effectiveness and adherence in real-world settings. Here, we report trends in HIV incidence over 3 years in individuals at high risk who were prescribed PrEP in New South Wales (NSW), as well as adherence before the transition to subsidised PrEP.

Methods: Expanded PrEP Implementation in Communities-New South Wales (EPIC-NSW) was a pragmatic, prospective, single-arm, implementation study of daily, oral PrEP in 31 sites (sexual health clinics, general practices, and a hospital) in NSW, Australia.

Poverty eradication and food security through agriculture in Africa: Rethinking objectives and entry points.

Agriculture in Africa is expected to meet the dual objectives of providing food and helping people to escape poverty. African agriculture is dominated by smallholdings and donors generally target their agricultural support at the smallholder sector. The expectation is that if the gap between actual and potential yields can be closed, smallholders will grow sufficient crops to feed their families, with a surplus to sell, thus meeting food security needs and bringing in an income to move them out of poverty.

Lumbar plexus block versus suprainguinal fascia iliaca block for total hip arthroplasty: A single-blinded, randomized trial.

Study Objective: Comparison of ultrasound-guided lumbar plexus block (LPB) and suprainguinal fascia iliaca block (SIFIB) in patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA).

Design: Randomized equivalence trial.

Setting: University Hospital.

Single- versus double-injection costoclavicular block: a randomized comparison.

Background: The costoclavicular approach targets the brachial plexus in the proximal infraclavicular fossa, where the lateral, medial, and posterior cords are tightly bundled together. This randomized trial compared single- and double-injection ultrasound-guided costoclavicular blocks. We selected onset time as the primary outcome and hypothesized that, compared with its single-injection counterpart, the double-injection technique would result in a swifter onset.